Angel Wings
Amy: Hi everyone! I left you with another cliffie! ^-^
Sven: I'm glad that me and Wendy are getting some action in. We never get any action anywhere!
Wendy: Daw, does our cowboy have a soft side?
Sven*blushes*: Of course not! No one ever see's our true awesomeness. Ever. Hell, we aren't even registered as characters on fanfiction!
Wendy: I've noticed that too...
Amy: Well, now people are seeing your awesomeness... and at least you have a fan-shipping, though!
Wendy and Sven*blushes*: Shipping?!
Amy: Yeah, yeah! It's called Who'sOnTopTonightshipping!
Wendy and Sven*still blushing*: What?!
Amy: Yep, yep! So... can we continue with the story?
Sven*crosses arms*: Fine, I guess... but I want more info on this Who'sOnTopTonightshipping!
Wendy: Amy47101 does not own pokémon.
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Eleanor P.O.V
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I rushed to the side of the boat, and looked over the edge. I didn't see any water coming in, but I did notice escape pods making a getaway.
"That coward!" Flare yelled, pounding her fist against the railing. "Running away while putting everyone in danger! Why, I'll teach him..." she began to take off, but was stopped by Forrest.
"Flare, it's pointless to go after him." he said slowly. "Right now, we have to focus on getting everyone out of here alive." Flare paused for a moment, before softly landing and looking at me.
"What's the plan, boss?" I looked over at the control booth, and glanced at all my friends.
"Surge, do you think you could drive a boat?" I asked as we flew towards the control booth, entering it with a bang. Somewhere in the back of my mind, it registered that the scientist lady that was entered here before was gone, but that wasn't exactly relevant right now.
"I don't know, maybe." Surge shrugged. "I grew up in Olivine City, so I remember a little about how to drive it so, it's possible." he studied the controls, and let out a quick curse. "There's a problem. They destroyed the electronic mapping. I might be able to drive it, but reading an ocean map isn't exactly my forte." he turned towards Dawn. "Think that you could...?"
"No, Dawn, I'm sorry, but I want you to do something different." I interrupted. Thankfully, no one seemed to mind. "Wynter?" the shy girl looked at some of the maps, and smiled.
"Easy."
"Good, Carter, where are the pokémon and missing kids?"
"Um, they kept us way below deck, and I remember feeding a couple of the mutants when I was Brock Oli the grunt."
"Broccoli?" Dash mumbled, smirking as he shook his head. "Why not name yourself Tom Auto?" he blinked a little bit, and looked around. "Whoa! What happened?! When'd we get out of the cages?! And we've got our stuff back! And when'd Eleanor get here and who are the two eevee-eared guys?!"
"We'll explain later, Dash, but right now we've got a big problem." Aqua said slowly. "They're sinking the ship."
"WHAAAAAATTTT?! Then why the hell are we still on it?!"
"Because they still have pokémon and mutant kids on the ship, and as rangers, it's our duty to protect them, is it not?" Dawn asked as she furiously typed something into a computer. After clicking one final button, a video pulled up of a huge hole in the side of the ship, and water was flowing in rabidly. Huge pieces of the debris from the explosion was littered around the room. Dawns face turned rather pale. "Seems we don't have much time. Maybe... forty-five minutes or so?"
"Before the ship sinks?" Dusk asked as he leaned over he shoulder, also looking at the image.
"That or we run it aground. Aqua," Dawn turned to the blond, who was busy catching Dash up on what happened. "Do you think you could keep the water from flowing in?" Aqua looked skeptical.
"I may be able to control water, but I can't stop an ocean from flowing into the place. That would be like Surge trying to stop an electric storm."
"Then here's what we're going to do." I said. "Wendy and Sven, I need you to gather all the pokémon on the top deck here."
"The pokémon weren't to far down..." Sven said thoughtfully. "But what about you?"
"Surge and Wynter will stay here to navigate the ship. Dash, are you well enough to fly around and see if there's any land nearby?"
"Of course!" Dash said.
"Okay, Carter, Aqua, Flare, Dusk, Forrest, and I will head down and release the mutants. When we're done, if we can't run the ship aground soon enough, we'll gather as many of them onto those bird-pokémon and have them fly to the nearest land source. Hopefully, there's some powerful psychic types on board that can teleport the pokémon somewhere safe."
"Wait a minute..." Carter said, rethinking something through his head. "What about Dawn?" I paused for a moment, before going up to the monitor she was watching.
"See those huge pieces of metal?" I asked Dawn. The light brunette nodded. "Think you could move them over the hole with your powers, and hold them there to buy us more time?"
"What?!" asked Flare.
"No way," said Carter as he shook his head. "Not possible."
"Absolutely not." Dusk said. "Do you know the amount of strength it must take to force something over gallons of water rushing in like that? You know that if we overexert ourselves, we'll pass out. And if Dawn passed out in there, she'd drown." he looked at me with a cold stare. "Do you want that?"
"Dusk, no one here wants that." I said slowly. "We've been friends since ranger school, do you think I like putting any of you at risk? But right now, aren't we all at risk, sitting here? And what about all those innocent children? Or the pokémon? I don't like it anymore than you, the very thought of one of my close friends dying... but, like Dawn said, isn't our job to put ourselves before others as rangers?" there was a silence.
"I'll do it." Dawn said slowly. "But I don't know how long I could last, so just... hurry." Eden placed a comforting hand in her shoulder, and smiled. Slowly, Dawn was surrounded by a faint purple glow, and disappeared with a small wave. No one needed to be told that it was teleportation.
"Why are we all standing here?" Flare asked. "Dawns out there risking her life for us, and we're not doing a thing!"
"Alright! Let's go, team, go!" I shouted as everyone, minus Surge and Wynter, all zoomed out the door. We parted ways with Sven and Wendy a little below deck, and then came across the room with all the mutants in it.
"This is it?" I asked as I turned to Carter. He nodded and we opened the door open with a bang. I noticed dozens of kids with ears and tails from smaller pokémon like Pikachu and Meowth. A few younger kids, most only under five years of age, had wings coming from their backs of some different, fully evolved bird-type pokémon like Swanna and Ferrow.
Whispers formed as Carter walked in, and slashed the lock away on the first cage.
"Don't worry!" I yelled as I opened up more cages, watching as some climbed out hesitantly while others bolted to the rest of the group. "We're busting you out! You're free!"
"Found Henry!" Flare yelled as she brought him over to me. I choked back a gasp as I noticed Meowth ears and a tail. For a moment, I took the time to pull my brother into a hug, letting a few tears of relief slip. Although he was tested, and although he was now part Meowth, he was here, and he was alive. Arceus, my little Henry was alive.
"Are you okay? How do you feel?" I asked as I brushed some of his slightly longer bangs out of his eyes.
"Cramped. Hungry." he shrugged. "I think I'll be fine, though." he put on a childish grin. "Like the ears?" I smiled and shook my head.
"Why... Are you doing this?" I turned, glancing at the cage that I just broke open. I expected to see a child, but instead, I saw a girl that was no older than me. A girl that I knew, with red hair that was normally in beautiful curls, but were flat. Her green eyes, usually filled with defiant venom, were dull, curiosity just barely registering. For the first time ever, this girl with new staraptor wings was humble. I opened my mouth, and whispered one word.
"Tori?"
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Dawn P.O.V
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I flew in, hovering a few feet above the water, and stared down at the hole on the side of the boat. I studied the large pieces of metal before I opened my book, and whispered a few enchantments in Angelic. The pieces began to lift themselves and were held over the hole. It was working quite well, in fact, minus the few dribbles of water coming out. Strangely, I found that it was easier than I expected. Perhaps it was all the training I had with Eden when I was asleep.
Suddenly, I was hit from behind. I lost my concentration for a moment, but regained it quickly. I couldn't allow the water to come in! I turned, guarding the makeshift wall.
"Angela." I murmured, my voice ice cold. She was standing atop one of the few remaining crates, just barely dry, the water was so deep.
"What is this, an elegant party? You can just call me 'Mom' you know."
"Yes, but I also know that you aren't my mother." I growled. "Not anymore."
"Good. Then I won't expect you to hold back." She closed her eyes, and a dark outline formed around her, and demon wings enfolded from her back. Her ears became more pointed, and small fangs came over her bottom lip. Slowly, she opened her eyes, which were now blood red. Her lips turned into an evil grin. "I mean, I can expect that much, right Dawn?"
"Of course." I said as I became surrounded in my own form of violet light. When I opened my own eyes, I realized that I had definitely changed. I was wearing a violet dress that seemed to flow out once it reached my knees. The sleeves were also violet, and made of a transparent material. They hung loosely around my arms, the length even going past my wrists. Golden sandals laced up my calves, gold ribbons fluttering from the top. Golden protectors stretched across the marginal converts of my wings, amethysts shining in the metal. And finally, a golden tiara stretched across my forehead, an amethyst smack in the middle. "Do you expect me to give any less?"
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Eleanor P.O.V
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"I mean," Tori continued on. "Why would you want to help me? I was so cruel to you and your friends back in school... You would probably wish this upon me for eternity."
"No, Tori." I said as I shook my head. "We all had to go through it, too."
"Then how come you turned out so beautiful and I'm just a plain freak with staraptor wings?"
"Because," I said as I got up and stretched out my hand, still grasping Henrys hand. "We came from different experiments. But in the end, we're both freaks with wings, so how does it make us any different?"
"I... I don't know. But I'd rather just die here. Die and not have to listen to everyone talk about me."
"Kids don't belong in cages, Tori." I said slowly. I reached down, and pulled her out of the cage and to her feet. "And I'll be damned if I have to leave just one person on this sinking death trap."
"Hey, Eleanor." Carter tapped my shoulder. I turned, noticing the worry on his face. "Dusk just ran out."
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Dusk P.O.V
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"Dusk, Dusk come in!" Eleanor shouted into the voice messaging of my styler. "Where the hell did you go?!"
I was receiving similar voicemails from the rest of my friends, but refused to answer them. Something was wrong, and I could sense it. I ignored all the messages and called Wynter.
"Dusk, what's going on? We got word that you ran off!" worry was evident on her holographic face, but I didn't care.
"Where's Dawn?"
"What?" Wynter asked, perhaps surprised by the worry in my voice.
"Where the hell is Dawn?!" I demanded. Wynter looked off to the distance, and placed her other hand over her mouth.
"Dusk, get down there, Dawn's being attacked!" I didn't need to hear anymore. I hung up, and ran.
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Dawn P.O.V
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I was flailing, kicking, punching, clawing... but no matter what, I couldn't breathe. I was sinking and sinking... she was pushing me under, and the more I fought, the more she squeezed. The more Angela squeezed her hands around my own neck. What was wrong with me? Wasn't I supposed to be stronger with this new form?
"No matter what, Dawn, there will always be someone stronger." I heard in my mind. It was Angela. "And right now, I am stronger. Right now, I will kill you."
As we sank to the bottom, the cold metal touching my wings. I forced my eyes opened, and looked into her own, crimson-red orbs. What had happened? What had happened to the woman who taught me to always see life outside of my studies, outside of the mansion? What had happened to the mom who had pulled pointless little pranks when all those rich, stuck up people were around? Where did my mom go?
She was gone, I knew... My mom's bright soul was gone, never to return. She was replaced with this monster in front of me. I knew this, I've known it since the day we were reunited. But why does it feel that the full reality was hitting me just now? Was it the fact that she had become a demon? Or was it that she had become so cold and heartless?
No... No, it wasn't that. It was the fact that she was here, choking and drowning me at the same time. The fact that she was killing the very being she had brought life to.
I suddenly felt the weight on top me forced off with such momentum that even I was jerked to the side. I looked over, and saw an oxygen tank forcing Angela into the wall. I suddenly realized that my lungs were burning, and I needed to breathe. Now. I pushed myself off the bottom of the ship, and began kicking for the surface. My vision was getting hazy, and I coughed. A mistake on my part, for I had taken in water, causing me to flail more.
A strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist, and brought me to some solid surface. Someone began performing CPR, pressing on my abdomen. When that didn't work, whoever it was began forcing air into my lungs, trying to get me to breathe. That worked.
Water began bubbling up, and I was choking, trying to get it out of my mouth. The person flipped me over and I coughed up all the water in my lungs until I was taking in thankful gasps of air.
"Dawn, you okay?"
"Dusk?" I asked between deep breaths.
"Dawn, are you okay?" he asked again, sternly with a hint of worry.
"Yes. I believe so."
"Thank Arceus." He muttered, shaking his head. "You weren't breathing. I seriously thought you were dead."
"How sweet." Angela muttered as she emerged from the water, rubbing her side. "So sweet, it's giving me cavities." I opened the tome, and slowly began to read in Angelic.
"In the beginning, Arceus made light. But likewise, there was always darkness that set out to quench the light. But the darkness could never win, because the light always showed the way to the people, and the people believed in the light like they believed in Arceus." I looked up at Angela, and momentarily remembered her as my mother. "Let the light cleanse you, and free you from the darkness restricting your soul."
There was nothing for a moment, but then a light shot down and wound itself around Angela. For a moment, she was writhing in pain, and for one split second, she looked up and I saw the woman that was my mother. I saw her, and she smiled with gratitude. But like that, she burst into golden sparkles, all of them floating up towards the ceiling, and disappearing through the metal.
"Goodbye, Mom." I whispered, knowing that she was no longer in control of Devlin, but in a better place. A place where she should've been before this entire mess started.
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Amy: Some things I'll bet you didn't expect: 1) Angela was a demon. How cliche is it that her own daughter killed her? I don't know, but I think I made it work. 2)Tori was the Staraptor girl from chapter 39! 3) Tori isn't just a random character I made for rivalry at the beginning! How many of you never expected to see her again? And how many of you guessed it? No one, I bet!
Amy47101 signing off! ^.^