Chapter 8: Greed VS Gluttony 1
Summary: with their first victory against the Shadow Lords comes a new meeting between the King and Queen of the Unova region, meanwhile Greed is confronted by another Shadow Lord, this time he is on his own against Gluttony.
Hilbert: 21
Hilda: 21
With a week passing since the victory against Lust and Envy Ash and Salvia re-enter Jubilife City, hoping to meet with Greed who was instrumental in the victory against his former allies, scanning the city which was largely unscathed from the war against the Shadow Lords, "Um Ash, we haven't slept for two days, maybe we should have a rest," Salvia suggested, trying to get Ash to take a break.
"You know the princess is right," a female voice rang through the air. A woman with long brown hair wearing a white tank top with a black vest and denim shorts approached the duo with a smile, "glad we found you, it took a week to get to Canalave City and another few days to get here," the woman complained about the journey, before a man with short brown hair, wearing a blue jacket and jeans caught up with his wife, "what took you so long Hilbert?" the woman asked the man with a hint of sass.
"Well Hilda, it would have been easier if we slept last night instead of you rushing to Jubilife City," Hilbert informed the young woman.
Hilda got in Ash's face and looked at him with a great hint of curiosity, "hmmmmm, so you are the Aura Guardian Greed was talking about," Hilda inspected Ash with Salvia watching mere centimetres away, "must admit, you're quite handsome," Hilda winked at the trainer with a playful smile.
'What? She can't say that about Ash,' Salvia showing signs of being visibly upset with Hilda's comment.
"Not to worry, I am already married anyway, so I cannot take Ash for myself," the queen started joking causing Salvia to cross her arms in anger, she was about to turn away, before Hilda noticed something that she caught at the corner of her eye, 'oh it seems like someone got a little jealous,' Hilda thought while trying to hide her cheeky smile from Ash and Salvia.
"You know, I don't have the time to waste here, I need to find Greed and destroy the rest of the Shadow Lords," Ash pushed Hilda aside and walked a head to the Pokemon Centre of the major city.
"Wow, why is he this cold?" Hilda asked with her cheeks puffed up, her arms crossed and showing visible annoyance with Ash's actions.
"Well Queen Hilda, he lost his family and his fiancé because of the Shadow Lords," Salvia answered the queen's question.
"I see, so his cold demeanour is because of that," Hilda watched Ash approaching the Pokemon Centre.
Salvia bowed her head in sadness and took a deep breath, "he blamed himself for the death of his fiancé, but only recently found out who was really to blame, he got his revenge, but he now has an empty feeling," Salvia explained the Aura Guardian's situation.
(Hearthome City)
Sipping down a glass of wine Greed was at the bar eating another meal, grabbing a nother glass of wine, he raised the glass into the air, almost drunk from drinking, "ah this is for me not going back," Greed celebrated taking another sip of his glass of wine, with a broad smile on his face he started feeling a little giddy after the amount of alcohol he had consumed, "ah the finer things in life, would never have gotten this with the previous bastards I was associated with," Greed started laughing at his own freedom.
The bartender approached the drinking Shadow Lord, a concerned expression plastered all over his face, "excuse me sir, but I think you have had a little too much to drink," the bartender informed Greed.
Greed started laughing as he poured in another glass of wine, "what? No way, I haven't enough," Greed started sipping his wine again.
"Goofing off again are we Greed," A familiar presence filled the air in the bar.
Greed's expression quickly changed, from his carefree tone to a more serious tone, "Gluttony, what in the hell are you doing here?" Greed asked the Shadow Lord.
"I am here to take back to Pride, I need to tell you, I don't have to bring you back conscious," Gluttony informed the drinking enemy.
"Really?" Greed asked, grabbing his wine bottle, "well then I better not get captured," Greed stated breaking the wine glass on the bar and started attacking Gluttony with the broken glass with wine dripping from the jagged part, Gluttony jumped back evading the attack from the former ally, "you move pretty fast for someone your size," Greed stated with a smirk, as a table was sent flying towards him.
"You killed Lust and Envy, all Pride wants is to execute you," Gluttony confirmed the intentions of Pride.
"Let me guess, he wants to behead me?" Greed asked the former ally, evading tables and chairs, "I would rather have my head on my shoulders," Greed charged through the barrage, as he got closer he was sent flying back toward the bar with a lariat from Gluttony, "not bad, but still not good enough," Greed leapt back to his feet, dropping the half bottle on the ground and rushing towards the Shadow Lord.
"You know, you will be made to pay," Gluttony watched Greed running towards him. Gluttony was tackled through the door of the bar leading them to continue the fight outside the city, "so you don't harm the people, Pride was right, you are way too soft," Gluttony pushed Greed away from him and glared at the man whom he considered his friend.
Greed started laughing at the former ally, he stood with his back to the bar, clenching his fists ready to make another stand against his former comrade, "soft?" Greed started running towards Gluttony, with his fist readied, he punched the Shadow Lord with everyone in the streets witnessing the increasingly volatile situation.
"Is that the best you have?" Gluttony asked the enemy as a smile started running across his face.
Greed watched Gluttony lower his head as his effortlessly pushed his arm down, "what? No way!" Greed yelled out in shock, he jumped back as the former ally pushed him further back into a wall with a kick to the stomach. Greed fell to the ground with the speed of Gluttony, surprising him greatly, "great this fat bastard is fast," Greed whispered while trying his best to keep his guard up.
"It is no use, I am the fastest member of the Shadow Lords," Gluttony informed the hurting member of the Shadow Lords, Gluttony was sent flying towards one of the buildings this time he crushed causing parts of the building to fall on him.
Greed spun around with his left elbow directed at Gluttony who fell back after taking a powerful hit, "score, now to escape, I cannot fight him right now," Greed started limping away from the battle against his former comrade, hoping that the people didn't follow him, he looked back hoping that Gluttony wasn't following him as well, "that wasn't enough to keep him down," Greed whispered in frustration, but didn't waste any time to escape from the quick fight.
The rubble from the fight exploded from the area, with Gluttony coming out from underneath the rubble, "Greed, oh Greed, where are you? You cannot escape from me!" Gluttony taunted his former ally.
"Shit, I would have thought he would have cried under that rubble, cry like he always does," Greed hissed while ignoring his foe.
"Hey Greed, show yourself, unless you want people from this city to die!" Gluttony kept calling for Greed who was trying to ignore the threat.
"Damn you Gluttony, how dare you threaten the people of this city," Greed whispered, with no choice Greed turned around and walked out of the alleyway, knowing that he was heading back into a tough situation.
Upon seeing Greed, Gluttony pulled back his hood revealing a man with long black hair, holding up a young man with his right hand covering his face, "so Greed, you're still here," Gluttony taunted his former ally.
"Gluttony, put the man down, this has nothing to with him!" Greed demanded but the enemy started laughing, taking the bag of food away from him, "that is awfully original of you fatty, stealing food from people who cannot defend themselves," Greed shook his head in shame, watching him gulp down the food, allowing enough time for Greed to save the person, running up to the man, he grabbed him and pulled him away from the Shadow lord's grasp, he looked at the man and nodded, "go get out of here now," Greed instructed the man.
"That was the main course," an angry Gluttony reminded the injured foe.
"You disgust me," Greed confessed his displeasure of Gluttony's attitude, watching the man running away not daring to look back. 'Good, but there has to be a way to get this moron out of the city and away from the people,' Greed thought as he started to gain a black aura around him, "you know, holding back against you has all but ended," Greed stated while rushing towards his foe, punching the Shadow Lord and pushing him back at the same time, but the attacks seem to be having no effect.
"Come on, surely you can do better than this," Gluttony continued to taunt the attacking enemy.
"This blob is just absorbing my attacks," Greed hissed before jumping back, as he landed he was sent flying towards a building after taking a powerful lariat from Gluttony.
"And you were one of the people who defeated Lust and Envy," Gluttony grabbed Greed by the throat as he struggled to maintain his consciousness.
"Screw you and Pride, I would rather be dead than join you again," Greed whispered while trying to regain his strength, Greed kicked the Shadow Lord and knocked him back, now bleeding from the cut on his forehead and down his right arm, "damn, my right arm is broken," Greed grasped his right arm and tried to look for an escape route, "I cannot continue this fight," the anger of Greed mounted, he continued to scan the area for a road away.
Gluttony watched Greed running away, but as he ran off, he received a call, "yes Pride, I will let him go for now, you want me to head to Jubilife City?" Gluttony asked his superior, "alright, I will return to Arrowroot, the time to enact our plan will soon start?" Gluttony asked Pride to which he was given an affirmative.
"Damn, that Blimp really beat the shit out of me and now they are going to enact their plan," Greed stated while running off, with his broken arm next to him, "better warn Ash and the princess," Greed ran towards the city to the west.
"Greed you are lucky, soon the princess, the Aura Guardian and you will soon die," Gluttony told himself with great joy in the situation, turning away from the scared people he walked towards the exit of the city.
(Jubilife City)
Ash looked out the window with Salvia, Hilda and Hilbert looking on in concern, "that was odd, I felt this dark aura, but now it is gone," Ash asked himself his fists clenched and shaking at the same time, "was that Greed fighting a Shadow Lord?" Ash asked himself.
"You know Ash, right now, I can also sense that something happened in Hearthome City," Hilda told her new friend with a concerned tone, she turned to Hilbert who was trusting of his young wife, "Ash you can sense aura right, well I have psychic abilities as well, sadly it is only limited in power, but it is enough to tell me something bad has happened to Greed," Hilda explained to Ash who punched the wall next to him.
"What should we do?" Ash asked the brunette, glancing over his right shoulder.
Hilbert stood up and pulled out a map from his backpack, "well I suggest that we split up, Hilda and I head to Eterna City, Ash and Salvia, you head to Oreburgh City," Hilbert informed the group of the plan, pointing to the map of where they should be heading to.
"Hilbert, why are we heading to Eterna?" Hilda asked as her husband with a concerned tone.
"Well, I would be best that we go separately as we continue our battles against the Shadow Lords," Hilbert replied with a smirk, rolling up the map, he placed it back into his bag and walked towards the exit of the Pokemon Centre.
Hilda walked up to Ash and nodded at him, "it was nice to meet you Ash," Hilda gratefully told Ash with a bright smile, she looked over to Hilbert and let out a sigh, "of only I met you years ago, I would have….nah forget it, but I still admit, you are a handsome man," Hilda winked at Ash causing the princess to get a little angry at the Unova queen, Hilda noticed the reaction again and smiled at the princess. Hilda approached the younger royal and leant in, "I see you have a crush on Ash," Hilda whispered as princess stepped back in shock.
"N-n…..no I don't," Salvia tried to deny the claims of the Unova queen.
With a cynical expression Hilda placed her right hand over her chin, "ah ha, sure, I believe you," Hilda teased the princess.
Ash was at the exit with Hilbert preparing to head out to go to their next destination, "hey you two hurry up," the two men called out to their respective travelling companions in unison.
Hilda walked ahead with Salvia turning her attention to only Ash, 'it has been two weeks, yet…I still have no idea what to think about, I am scared of Ash and his anger, yet he is still a gentle person,' Salvia thought to herself her blue eyes glued on Ash.
"Princess I don't have all day," Ash called to the young royal, exiting the medical facility
(Arrowroot Town)
Pride walked into the throne room, lowered his hood revealing a man with no hair, his eyes were black and a dark smirk, "you know sire, your daughter is gathering an army as we speak, she intends to destroy this kingdom, assassinate you," Pride informed the king of Sinnoh.
"I still don't believe it, my daughter a traitor to the Sinnoh Kingdom," the king clenched his fist s in anger, trying to figure out why his daughter would do such a thing, the king looked up to Pride who was now exhibiting a more serious expression, "what if you are lying to me?" the king asked the Shadow Lord.
"I promised to bring your wife back, we are getting closer to doing that, but right now you need to protect your kingdom from the malicious princess," Pride started to play on the king's emotions.
"Very well, tell me where is she heading?" The king asked the Shadow Lord leader.
"Princess Salvia is heading to Pastoria City," Pride gave the information to Salvia's father.
"Very well, I will deal with my daughter in person," the king decreed, getting out of his seat and walking towards the only exit of the throne room.
Pride bowed his head, hiding his smile, "yes sire," Pride acknowledged, raising his head and glaring at the Sinnoh King, 'that's right, soon this kingdom will fall, the chess pieces are coming into play, and soon it will be checkmate,' Pride followed the king and looked back to see his own vision, 'very soon this throne will burn to the ground,' Pride thought as he walked up to the king, "I have something I need to sort out, I will be in Pastoria City soon after you get there," Pride whispered, as he looked back to see the secret entrance way.
"Alright, don't take too long Pride," the king issued his command.
"But of course, I wouldn't want to miss out on all the fun," Pride answered back, turning towards the secret entrance way, he glanced over his shoulder making sure that no one was watching his actions, "of course I will be there, to see the light in your eyes fade as well as seeing your daughter taking her last breath,' the leader of the Shadow Lords told himself of the final act of his plan.
Pride walked down the stairs turning on the light, seeing that the secret entrance was closed, walking down he heard the yelling of the other Shadow Lord down the stairs, "calm down Wrath, I am about to let you run wild," Pride walked up to the door, seeing the red eyes of the furious Shadow Lord.
"You promised me that I would be able to destroy a city!" Wrath yelled at his leader.
"How about I let you destroy a kingdom?" Pride suggested with a smirk, placing his hand on the lock, "but they will be in a city, there will also be an Aura Guardian and Greed," Pride pointed out the people that will be in the city, "the king will also be there, your mission is the destroy all of them and if you want, you can destroy the entire city," Pride instructed his confined ally.
"So, you finally start the plan," Wrath enquired, he walked up to the door showing off his blonde hair and green eyes, moving the hood over his head he waited for Pride to open the door to his freedom.
"First, you cannot be seen in the palace, and lastly, I don't think it would be wise for you to dig your way out," Pride walked up to another secret entrance way, lowering the lever a door opened to the outside, "here is another way to get to Pastoria City.
"Alright, the party can begin," Wrath celebrated, he pushed opened the door sending it flying towards the secret hallway, Pride watched with amusement seeing that Wrath was ready to fulfil his mission, Wrath ran towards the exit with Pride watching with a smirk.
Pride turned to Sloth who was sleeping on his watch, "Sloth, you can go now," Pride informed his subordinate.
Stretching out his arms, Sloth let out a loud yawn, "I will go after my nap," Sloth fell back to sleep.
"Alright, don't sleep for too long," Pride instructed his subordinate. Pride walked up the stairs knowing the time to start the plan had begun, "very soon, I will have the world in the palm of my hands," Pride told himself over and over again, getting more excited every time he said it, laughing in a crazed manner, he could barely contain his pleasure in destroying yet another kingdom.
(Oreburgh City)
Ash and Salvia walking into Orgburgh City, they had been walking for over three days, wondering what their new friends would be planning on doing next, "so Salvia, what is your intention?" Ash asked the blue haired royal. Salvia remained quiet refusing to make an answer, she looked at the sky and continued on without making an effort to answer, "Well?" Ash pressed the princess to reply.
"You know Ash, you should focus on what you are after," Salvia answered back, avoiding the question Ash presented her.
Ash and Salvia continued on quickly one of their allies falling to the ground, injured from a fight, "Greed!" Ash and Salvia called to the injured ally, they both ran up to him, he was on the ground as the rain started to fall.
Greed looked up and chuckled at his friends, "hi, sorry for taking so long," Greed winced in pain, as the two placed his arms around their shoulders.
"Why are you badly hurt?" Ash asked the Shadow Lord with a concerned expression.
"I got into a fight," Greed laughed at himself.
"You idiot, you weren't supposed to get into a fight, not without me," Ash snapped at the Shadow Lord who laughed even more.
"Ash, let's just get him to the hospital," Salvia suggested softly, helping out their ally as the rain continued to fall at a heavier rate.
"I am sorry to the both of you, but I have found out something horrible," Greed was about to tell them, he lost consciousness causing the two to look at one another, unsure as to what Greed was about to tell them.
Salvia looked away, and continued to walk on, with Greed's right arm around her shoulder, "so what do you think Ash?" the blue haired royal asked the trainer with a concerned mannerism.
"No idea, but if Greed says it is serious, then we have a problem," Ash replied, equally as puzzled as the princess, he looked at the unconscious Greed, knowing that he must have fought one of the Shadow Lords.
"Um, after we help Greed out, I will cook something," Salvia suggested, while helping Ash place Greed on the bed in the hospital.
Ash watched Salvia walking out of the room, wondering why she would offer to cook dinner, "the enemy is getting ready to make their move," Greed whispered to Ash, knowing full well that the princess wasn't in the room. Greed shot open his eyes and glanced to Ash, "you need to get stronger, the other Shadow Lords aren't push overs," Greed informed the Aura Guardian.
"You know, you better keep your mouth shut, the doctors will be here soon to help you out," Ash hushed the former enemy, he walked out of the room taking a deep breath, 'alright, I better get ready,' Ash thought exiting the hallway and into the main foyer of the Pokemon Centre.
Ash walked through the city on his own, thinking about what the injured Greed had told him, "so there are some that are way stronger than Lust and Envy," Ash whispered to himself, he looked up to see the mines of the city, "this place brings back memories," Ash shut his eyes for a moment thinking back to the time Dawn used her new moves in a battle against Team Rocket, something he even used himself in his rematch against Roark.
Ash walked down towards the mines and thought more about what Greed had told him, "to defeat the Shadow Lords, I need to train my aura more," Ash commented to himself not realising that someone was walking behind him, the princess who seemed to be growing more interested in Ash.
Salvia walked through the crowd her eyes glued on Ash, "just what is he planning on doing? I noticed him leaving the Pokemon Centre but why?" Salvia asked herself curious as to why Ash remained quiet about his intentions.
(3 hours later)
Ash had been in the mines training his aura for way too long, it was then his strength gave way and he collapsed from exhaustion, Salvia remained on the spot surprised to see Ash trying to get back to his feet, "he has been at it for nearly three and a half hours," Salvia reminded herself, but once Ash had collapsed once more she ran towards him and knelt down at his side, "alright Ash you need to stop," Salvia ordered Ash to end his training.
"But…..I-I am fine," an exhausted Aura Guardian tried to argue, but Salvia ignored him and grabbed his arm.
"I have watched you training with that aura, but you need to stop," Salvia informed the trainer, helping him back to the Pokemon Centre, "you know Ash, I haven't asked you this before," Salvia glanced over to the tiring trainer and smiled at him with a broad smile, but a sudden burst of sadness befell her, "what is your reason for fighting?" Salvia asked the trainer as she looked away half expecting a certain answer.
"I got my revenge for Dawn, mom, Johanna, Piplup and Pikachu, but for now, I have no reason to fight other than destroy the Shadow Lords," Ash answered the princess trying to keep himself awake long enough to get to the Pokemon Centre, "then let me ask you this, why are you willing to fight?" Ash asked but before he could get an answer Ash fell asleep while Salvia dragged him to the Pokemon Centre as she began to get really tired from helping Ash out.
"I am going to save my kingdom, that is what I am fighting for," Salvia answered Ash, but she knew that Ash wasn't going to hear her answer, the princess looked at the trainer and smiled, 'plus I am going to fight for someone Dawn gave her life to protect,' Salvia made her resolution as she entered the Pokemon Centre, showing her resolve to help Ash to a bed where he could rest for the night.
Ash and Salvia finally catch up with the injured Greed and help him back to health, what will Greed tell them? And how will Ash and Salvia react to the plot?
Next time: chapter 9: Traps in the shadows.