Chapter 9: Standoff
(A/N: I think this by far is my favorite chapter, but seeing as I have more to write can I really say this?)
Ash's ankle throbbed dully from where the web had been wrapped around his ankle as he continued to hobble towards where he last saw the Draco meteor. His eyes never lost sight, as he fixed on the location. His friends were there he just knew it, and soon he would find them and get out of this mess together.
The brisk night air rushed past his damp skin causing him to shiver, but thoughts of being reunited with his friends kept his heart warm. He did not know how long or far he had been walking since the river fiasco but Ash was willing to bet that Hunter J figured out by now that he had not washed downstream.
He listened carefully for any signs of her, knowing it was only a matter of time until she found him again, but Ash was hoping that his stunt had bought him enough time. He hobbled on as exhaustion seeped through every bone of his body begging him to stop. His eye lids grew heavy as the night hours grew longer, but Ash fought the pull of sleep, determined not to rest until he found his friends.
Despite his determination, his exhaustion was greater, and the pull of sleep finally won as he collapsed in exhaustion, crashing to the ground once again. The trees towered over him covering him from the sky above as not much further away the familiar form of Salamence soared through the night.
The hunter on its back scanned the area carefully searching for the target. She groaned in frustration missing her specialized glasses. Surely with thermal vision this search would go a lot faster, but the brat saw an end to that she bitterly thought.
Hunter J nudged Salamence once more crying out as he dropped lower to the tree tops flying even slower. The cry of Salamence echoed hollowly through the trees stirring the sleeping figure below with a start.
Ash bolted up, recognizing immediately the salamence. He scanned the sky looking for any signs of them, while he berated himself for slipping off to sleep. The cry echoed again causing Ash's heart to pound. They were so close. The hunter must have also seen Gible's attack, making his ploy invalid. Of course she would figure it out, Ash had just been hoping not as fast.
Salamence cried out again, this time closer than ever. The pounding of Ash's heart beat loudly; they were almost on top of him. What should he do? Would they be able to see him under the cover of the trees? He sat there a moment trying to figure out his next move when suddenly a beam of energy shot down from seemingly nowhere hitting the tree next to him turning it to stone.
Ash looked up just in time to see the broken shadows of Salamence through the trees. Fear consumed him, as he realized she had found him again. He bolted up ignoring his aches and pains once again as he took off running pushing himself harder than ever before.
Hunter J grinned madly when she saw his running form below her. She leapt from the back of Salamence gathering speed as she fell. Her aim was precise as the heel of her boot darted straight into the back of the unsuspecting target.
Ash cried out more in surprise as the force of the Hunter came barreling down upon him sending him crashing to the ground. The hunter held him down under her boot, her heel digging painfully into his back as he struggled to get away.
"You're going to pay for that last stunt," she began as she brought her cannon up to take aim at his back, but was cut short when she suddenly lost her footing as Ash managed to throw her off. He quickly scrambled to his feet just as the hunter regained her composure her weapon directly aimed at his heart.
"No more games." the hunter began as she locked on the target, "Only one of us will be walking away today." Ash clenched his fists as the hunter continued to talk, if she wanted to talk that was perfectly fine with him, it bought him time. Carefully he scanned the area looking for anything, but his concentration was broken by all the pains screaming out from his body demanding attention. His latest run through the woods had left him panting, and he had yet to catch his breath, in addition, Ash was pretty sure he would now a foot print shaped bruise on his back to add to the list of aches and pains.
Even if he wanted to runaway Ash didn't think he could muster up the strength to get very far, no his only chance to get away would be to somehow defeat the hunter, but he needed something, anything to give him an edge. Try as hard as he might though, Ash kept coming up empty as his search came up with nothing. His attention was once again directed at the woman before him holding him at the barrel of her cannon, when suddenly he had the craziest idea.
The hunter smiled as she watched the boy before her scanning the area for a window. She was not about to let him have another opportunity, it was time to make him pay for humiliating her. She rushed forward taking him completely by surprise, lashing out with her fist catching Ash in the stomach.
He stumbled back trying to catch his breath when suddenly the hunter landed a kick in the chest sending him flying back. Ash cried out in pain as he landed with a sick thud, a new flood of pain coursing through him.
He laid there stunned trying to catch his breath as the hunter bared down on him, her cannon pointing directly in his face. Not done yet, Ash took a deep breath and kicked hunter's arm deflecting the cannon as it discharged harmlessly above him. J cried out in pain clenching her arm as she stumbled back from the force of the kick as he leapt up launching himself towards the hunter catching her completely by surprise.
She could not believe after all the brat had been through he still had this much fight left in him, when suddenly she realized he was trying to get her weapon. This was a desperate play to get the upper hand, but the hunter would have none of that. She tried to push him back, but his resolve was strong.
She raised her weapon high in the air in an attempt to keep it out of his reach and fend him off with her other hand, but he easily brushed aside her defending arm as he clasped her arm containing the weapon. He pulled with all the strength he could muster and slowly it came down towards him.
Hunter J began to panic as slowly but surely the boy pulled the weapon closer and closer, as her efforts to fend him off were brushed aside, but she was just as determined as he was.
It was almost in reach as his fingers barely grazed the smooth surface of weapon. If he could just get a hold of it he could use it as leverage to get away or something, but the hunter would not have any of it as she pushed him away.
They struggled back and forth both determined to not let the other over power one another when finally the hunter's arm fell well within his grasp. Ash pulled closer to his body as he moved to remove the weapon when J cried out in panic realizing the boy was getting the upper hand.
"No!" She screamed out at him furious as she drew her hand back and unleashed a powerful backhanded slap (A/N: yes Ash just got b**** slapped) knocking him back. While he was stunned the hunter swiftly spun around unleashing a powerful kick nailing Ash square in the chest. Ash cried out from the impact as he sailed through the air like a rag doll and with a sickening thud as he finally came to a stop.
His body screamed out in protest as he once again struggled to get up, but his arms collapsed beneath his weight, his body screaming out enough. His exhaustion from the past few days had finally caught up with him, as he weakly wiped the trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth.
(A/N: usually I stay away from writing bloody scenes in pokémon, but I feel that this is a darker story, and hopefully I will not stray too far away and it is not much)
A smile began to play across the hunters lips as she watched him in amusement. Confidently she strode over to where he laid struggling to once again get up but before he could even get up to his knees the hunter harshly kicked him back to the ground. Ash cried out in pain as he once again crashed to the ground.
Hunter J laughed in amusement as yet again the boy slowly struggled to pick himself up off the ground, but she decided to save him the trouble as she strode over towards him and rolled him over on his back placing her boot upon his chest pinning him to the ground.
Ash laid there panting with the weight of the hunter pressing down on him as he struggled to catch his breath. The hunter gave another snort as she looked down on the pathetic boy defiance still burning in his eyes. This was it, the moment that would claim her dominance once again.
"I don't know what Gareth wants with you," she said as she raised her cannon once again, "but I hope you suffer greatly." The words the hunter had spoken stopped Ash's weak attempts to break free. Gareth? So many questions flooded his mind under the heel of the hunter, but they were never voiced and he could only look up at her in confusion. Before he could even blink the hunter fired.
Time slowed down as the energy beam crawled closer and closer, until the beam finally hit its intended target. Ash cried out as the cold stone material slowly spread from his chest throughout his entire body, until he was completely encased. The world around him began to fade. The light, the sounds, the smells, until all there was, was the blackness. Its massive reaches spreading far and wide, engulfing him until his own thoughts and feelings became no more.
"Mission accomplished." The hunter smugly said to herself as she gazed down at the frozen expression on the boy's face.
(A/N: I would just like to take the time to point out that I am under the impression that while encase in the stone or whatever, the subject is fully aware of its surroundings but simply cannot act, but in this case our subject is so worn and what not he simply passes out. Also please don't hate me for the cliff hanger:) )