Chapter 35: Greed's Last Stand

Entering the small town Salvia cast an eye over the empty streets, the lifeless foliage and a bone chilling feel that surrounded her, 'what happened?' she asked herself sombrely, trying to come up with a logical reason to Arrowroot Town's state of disrepair. She was pushed further down the street approaching the palace, "hey don't push me, just let me inspect this town!" Salvia snapped at the guard, but her angry request was ignored.

"Pride will be back soon," one of the guards informed the young royal.

'I see, so he left them to escort me back, so that means the enemy is about to cause some trouble,' The princess glanced back towards the distance, 'Ash, I am sorry for making you worry,' Salvia apologized silently, looking down at the street a hint of regret washed over her. She slowly looked back once again and turned back as she walked further into the deserted town.

Meanwhile some distance from the town, Ash was still pondering what he was going to do, he was still visibly upset with Salvia being taken away, almost to the point that his aura started to exude out from his body as his anger started to develop once again.

Greed looked back at his friend and sighed quickly, "you need to calm down," Greed informed Ash, but it wasn't enough to prevent the force of Ash's aura from knocking him off his feet, "Ash! That is enough!" Greed yelled out his displeasure in Ash's lack of anger control.

"Why?! I didn't do enough to keep her safe!" Ash bellowed his frustrations before being knocked off his feet by a vicious punch from his rival. With his aura settled Ash looked up to find Paul shaking his hand, "Paul, what was that for?" he asked reeling from the hit by the Sinnoh native, cupping his face with a shocked expression.

"No more excuses Ash, I don't think Dawn would want to see you making excuses or beating yourself up because you think you didn't do enough," Paul explained as he turned away with a pained expression, he turned towards the town which seemed to have been decimated by the new leader of the SInnoh Kingdom, 'Pride, I have had enough of you, you killed one of my friends, drove my rival to the brink and now you want to start a war.'

"What should I do?" Ash questioned his two friends.

"Get off your ass and do something," Paul instructed his friend, extending his left hand out to Ash, "I am certain Salvia will not be going down without a fight and neither should you," Paul notified Ash of his thoughts.

"He is right, I am certain Salvia has a plan to help us defeat Pride," Greed stated without giving too much away.

Greed turned away and took a deep breath, 'she doesn't want me to tell Ash, that she intends to open up the gates from the inside, I could have done it, but she said that she wants to show Ash that she is no longer afraid to lead from the front,' Greed thought to himself, clenching his fists in frustration, he started walking ahead of his two allies.

Three hours later Ash, Greed and Paul entered the town, it was desolate and with snow still on the ground, some of the lights flickered but they didn't really, "what the hell happened here?" Ash enquired, gasping at the sight that had overcome them.

"The real question is," Greed scanned the area in disbelief.

"Where are the townsfolk?" Paul asked as the isolation had started to overcome the trio.

Ash entered one of the shops and called for someone, but there was no response, he walked further in and picked up a bag containing some food, 'they couldn't have vanished,' Ash thought to himself. Ash closed his eyes, and reopened them to show them glowing blue, he scanned the ground to find that there was a struggle, all leading out towards the street, "so that's how it is, the people were taken somewhere," Ash whispered, he knelt down and brushed his left hand against the remnants of the aura path.

Paul turned to Ash and noticed Ash concentrating, "is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, the people were taken somewhere," the raven haired man quickly noted, ending his aura vision.

"So it seems like Pride is either holding the citizens hostage," Greed hissed in displeasure.

"What's the matter Greed, you dislike my methods?" a male voice called out to his former comrade.

Greed turned to the leader of the Shadow Lords, glaring at him with his fists clenched he soon smiled, "well Pride it seems like we are the last two left," Greed informed his fellow survivor.

"Greed, what are you doing?" Ash asked in shock.

"Ash, you help Salvia bring an end to this," Greed implored Ash, peering over his left shoulder and nodded assuringly.

"Fine, I am going to search for the missing people," Paul replied, he ran off leaving Ash alone to head off to the palace.

"Ash, before you leave for the palace, I just want you to know…" Greed looked at the ground with a hint of shame in his voice, "about Dawn, I am sorry about what happened to her," Greed apologised to his friend.

Ash grinned at his ally and turned away, "I forgave you a while ago," he professed before running off leaving Greed on his own to face Pride. Ash started running away from the battle, not daring to look back, 'Salvia, please don't be reckless,' Ash begged the princess in his thoughts.

Greed stood his ground facing his former leader, the winds started to pick up with rumbles of thunder echoing in the surrounding area, "so Pride, who would have thought I would have survived long enough to face you?" the former member of the Shadow Lords questioned his enemy.

"Pure luck was exuding from you, but then again, I was kind of hoping that you lived long enough to allow me to be the last one standing," Pride replied complacently, laughing at Greed who was shaking his head, "don't agree?"

"Last one standing? You really are a moron Pride, there will be none of us left standing when this is all said and done, because if I fail to kill you…." Greed charged in swinging a powerful left jab at Pride, knocking him back before hitting the ground, "Ash will succeed where I might fail!" Greed kicked Pride across the ground as hard as he could possibly muster.

Pride stood up and brushed off the dirt on his shoulder, laughing at Greed, he spat at the ground and rushed at his foe, elbowing him before swinging his right fist upwards, forcing Greed to stagger from the blow, "I always hated you Greed, I knew you would defy us some day," Pride admitted coldly, he grabbed Greed's left arm and started punching him with multiple strikes, until Greed grasped the other fist with his right hand.

"I hope that is not the best you've got…." Greed stated as he started to headbutt the leader of the Shadow Lords, followed by a powerful knee to the sternum, "because if it is, then you're in for a world of hurt."

Gathering his breath Pride cleared up some of the blood gushing from the corner of his mouth, "seems like I underestimated you Greed," Pride hissed showing a hint of disdain towards the start of the fight.

It started to rain with flashes of lightning arching overhead, "I have confession to make Pride," Greed whispered, a smug grin washed over his face, "remember all those missions in the past? You know the ones that failed?"

"Yeah I remember those missions," Pride answered coldly, "what about them?" He asked with a hint of frustration.

Greed started laughing at his former comrade, "I was working as a double agent, whatever information you were spreading out to the other members of the Shadow Lords, I was feeding that information to your enemies, in fact I was the sole reason why all your missions failed, because I hated you all," Greed explained to his enemy, cracking his knuckles ready to make another attack on his former leader. "Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath and Pride, you meant nothing to me!"

"I already knew that," Pride remarked as he charged in for another attack against Greed. The two Shadow Lords charged at one another preparing to unleash another volley of punches.

Meanwhile at the palace, Salvia was pushed into her room, "they locked the door," she whispered to herself, remaining calm she slowly approached the window of her room, sliding her hand down the window she looked back at the door and let out a sigh, "I cannot make a scene at the moment, I need to get to the room that allows people into the palace," Salvia walked around her room, brushing her hand against the wall, she stopped in front of the picture of her family.

After stopping at the picture Salvia picked it up and stared at it for a moment, "mom, dad, just watch I will save this kingdom," she whispered gently, turning the picture around she peeled a piece of tape back revealing a golden key, 'yes, they didn't bother looking here,' she thought to herself, taking the key and rushing back to the door.

Picking up the key Salvia turned her attention to her chest of draws, with a determined expression the princess approached it and gulped, hesitant to open it, she pulled it open nervously and let her left hand hover over the clothes contained inside. Slowly peeling the clothes back, she stared at a silver bangle with a special jewel embedded on it, 'it's still here,' she thought to herself, picking it up and placing it on her left wrist, "time to end this stupidity."

After unlocking the door, she placed the key in her pocket and peered around the corner, making sure there were no guards in the hallway, "if I remember correctly, the control room is two levels above this floor, meaning that security will be pretty tight on those floors," Salvia whispered to herself, she quietly closed the doors and started making her way to the stairs, 'also there is an emergency stairwell that leads pretty close to the control room,' she thought to herself, tip toeing through the halls.

Passing the flight of stairs that led to her destination, stopping to hear one of the conversations by some of the guards having a conversation about the upcoming conflict, "tell a few of the guards that the person we captured is in the room, order them to make sure that she is still there," the guard commanded his inferior.

Salvia watched the guards turning away, she quickly crossed in front of the doorway and silently made her way to the last door of the hallway, she looked back to make sure the guards hadn't spotted her, "good, now time to get to the control room," she whispered, opening the emergency stairwell.

The princess started to ascend the flight of steps, grabbing one of the pokeballs "I need to prepare for a battle," she whispered shaking in anticipation.

Upon making it to the fourth floor Salvia opened the door and peered out, seeing a group of guards watching the hallway, 'great, they are keeping a close eye on the area.' The young royal closed the door quietly, "Gengar, I need your help," Salvia called out a purple pokemon, with a large grin running across his face, the pokemon turned to the princess confused at not seeing his real trainer, "I had to borrow you, Ash will be upset I know, but I need your help," Salvia pleaded with the ghost type pokemon.

Gengar nodded with respect, phasing through the wall the ghost type looked out to see the guards holding their ground, "Gengar can you put them to sleep with Hypnosis?" She asked the shadow pokemon, Gengar started laughing and phased through the door with Salvia waiting at the other side of the door.

Gengar emerged in the middle of the hallway, the guards watched in horror as a hypnotic wave enveloped the men, one by one the men collapsed, Gengar phased through the floor leaving the sleeping guards in their slumber.

The ghost pokemon emerged from the floor causing Salvia to jump in fear, "is the job done?" she asked Ash's pokemon. Genger pointed to the door to signify the situation. Salvia opened the door and peered out the stairwell, she spotted every guard had fallen asleep, she walked out and started to walk through without a noise, Ash's pokemon hovered overhead and moving towards the door.

The two reached the end of the hallway, with her hand on the door handle Salvia attempted to open the door, but nothing would happen, she looked back at the ghost type pokemon and signalled for it to phase through the door, "open the door please Gengar," Salvia requested calmly, she watched the ghost type pass through the door with Salvia waiting outside.

"You there," a call startled the princess.

She turned to face a couple of guards walking up to her, picking up another pokeball she tossed it towards the middle of the hallway, "Gardevoir, let's battle," she called out for her psychic type pokemon.

"Gallade, come forth for battle," the first guard called out his pokemon to battle.

"Lucario, it's time to battle," the second male guard called for his pokemon to face Salvia.

"Gengar, I need your help," Salvia called to the borrowed pokemon. The pokemon appeared and stood next to Salvia's pokemon, "will you take my orders for battle?" She enquired the formidable pokemon.

"Shadow Claw now, Gallade," one of the guards called for his pokemon to initiate the battle with Salvia. Gallade charged in with two blades protruding from his arms, with a purple glow surrounding the blades.

"Follow it up with Dark Pulse," the other guard followed through with another attack on one of Salvia's pokemon.

Salvia waited for the two attacks to come closer, she remained calm as the pokemon under her command waited with anticipation, "now dodge the attacks," she ordered the two pokemon, the two pokemon leapt up and easily evading the two attacks, "now counter with Psychic Gardevoir and Gengar attack now with Shadow Ball."

Gengar formed a blob of ghostly energy while the eyes of Gardevoir started glowing blue, the two opposing pokemon watched Salvia's pokemon charging up their attacks, "now hit them with all your power," Salvia ordered the two pokemon to unleash their devastating attacks on the foes.

"Use Protect," the two guards ordered in unison.

The two attacks were launched at the opposing pokemon, but made contact with a powerful barrier that prevented the two attacks from getting through, at this time the Shadow Ball was flung into the wall destroying it in an instant, parts of the palace started to shudder with a violent explosion which was caused by the impact of Gengar's Shadow Ball, "you destroyed part of this palace," one of the guards growled at the bluenette.

Shaking her head in disdain, the princess let out a quick sigh, "when I get my families thrown back, the first thing I will do is tell you to find another job, then I will have this kingdom rebuilt then I will change the world for the better where," the determined princess explained her intentions to the royal guards.

After hearing her intentions, the two guards stepped back in disbelief as their pokemon stood between the guards and the princess' pokemon, "Pride told us to stop people like you," the confused guards answered angrily.

"Pride? That filthy creature will soon be destroyed," Salvia retorted venomously, her stare scaring the two guards into stepping back further, "I will let you two in on a little secret."

W-w….what?" The guards stammered in disbelief.

Smirking confidently Salvia removed a small piece of cloth around her wrist, revealing a silver bangle, "I was holding back," Salvia answered as her left hand approached the jewel on the bangle.

"What is that thing?" The guards asked the princess, trying to comprehend about what she was trying to do.

"I know, you are trying intimidate us," The guard on the right replied,

Salvia pressed the button, a blast of energy surrounded Gardevoir, "intimidating?" She enquired with a broad smile, a sphere enveloped the psychic pokemon before quickly dispersing revealing the gown of the embrace pokemon had grown longer and wider, the red horns on her gest split into two and the spikes on her head grow out, "intimidation? You are going to wish that was all I was doing," Salvia hissed at her foes as even Gengar started to get a little scared of the princess.

"Gallade attack now with Shadow Claw." The Guard initiated the next stage of the battle against the determined princess.

"Lucario, attack with Metal Claw," the other combatant followed his superior.

The two pokemon charged at the mega evolved pokemon, but the two remained unfazed by the charge of the opposing pokemon, "Gardevoir, attack now with Dazzling Gleam," Salvia ordered her pokemon to unleash another attack. Salvia recalled Ash's Gengar from the battle to protect it from the ferocious attack.

The three combatants watched a blinding light push its way through the hallway knocking the two fighting type pokemon away from the princess, the explosive attack was so intense that the sleeping guards were pushed to opposite end of the hallway and destroying rooms along the way. The injured guards got back to their feet, rubbed their eyes and watched the princess turn towards the door, "there is no way she could be that strong," he remarked quietly and now experiencing a sense of fear pulsing though his body, he tried to move but was too petrified to take even one step.

"Gardevoir, open that door for me," Salvia ordered her pokemon to destroy the door. A blue light surrounded the door and it started to crack before being pushed off its hinges, "you lot stay there," she hissed at the two guards.

Ash rushed through the empty streets, looking for a way to enter the palace, he stopped to take a breath and started to think about Salvia, he unfolded a piece of paper that was in his pocket, stared at it and then grew more concerned about the choice of actions from the princess, "Salvia, you thought that you weren't any help, but you're wrong," Ash whispered softly.

(Flashback 3 months earlier)

"Hey Ash, look at this place!" Salvia called out to Ash, pointing at a town filled with flowers, but Ash had remained emotionless as he looked out at the small town, "Floraroma Town is way more beautiful than what my mother and father said it was," the bluenette cheerfully complimented the town.

"How can you be so positive after what has happened?" The raven haired trainer asked the princess.

Salvia turned to Ash and walked up to him, a smile crossing her face, Ash stepped back in shock, feeling Salvia's finger press on his lips, "because no matter how sad I get, I know there are people around me that can help me see through the darkness," Salvia answered fondly, surprising Ash at the same time, she looked up at the sky, "no matter how much it hurts, you cannot beat yourself up for what happened, it was outside your control."

"Even your parents?" Ash questioned the princess sombrely.

Salvia nodded in agreement, "yes, after what happened, I realised that I not only needed to get stronger, but also keep moving forward, without determination to go forward, you truly cannot keep going without doubting yourself," Salvia started walking away from Ash, entering the town.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Ash informed the princess.

Salvia halted and started to cry a little, her face completely red from Ash's compliment, she turned to Ash again and stood in front of him, "no I am not as strong as other people think," she replied raising her left hand up to Ash's face, "I merely put on a strong front to keep people assured that everything will be fine," Salvia gazed into Ash's eyes and smiled, not even realising that the distance had closed between them.

Quickly comprehending what had happened Ash and Salvia stepped back again, Salvia was visibly flustered by the turn of events, she quickly ran into town leaving a perplexed Ash to stare at the blue haired royal. Ash felt his heart racing and still confused about what was happening, "what in the hell just happened?"

Ash continued to watch Salvia running into the town, but now everything was blanked out even the buildings and the flowers, "what's going on? There is no way," Ash questioned his thoughts he fell to the ground in shock, placing his hand where Salvia placed her hand.

(Away from flashback)

"I didn't know at the time, but eventually, your presence was what kept me from spiralling into a void," Ash whispered to himself about Salvia, he started walking towards the palace entrance. He looked up and spotted the smoke rising from a building, "Salvia!" Ash grew more concerned, running towards the palace without fear on his face, "hold on my princess, I will be there to help you out!" Ash yelled out, running faster, 'now I understand what you meant, I was beating myself up, but now, I finally have a light that I can reach out to, because now I know without a doubt….'

"Salvia, when this is all over, I will tell you what my heart is telling me," Ash's determination oozed out and ready to face the future again, "I refuse to look back at what could have been, now I will go to what will be!" Ash declared, he stopped at the gates of the palace and awaited the princess to let him in.

Meanwhile Greed and Pride were panting from the intense fight, "you know something Pride? I think you also know that this was going to be the first and last fight between us," Greed chuckled as he started grasping his side from the injury that he had sustained from the leader of the Shadow Lords, "I think it's time for me to make a slight confession," Greed informed his former leader.

"What was that?" Pride asked tiredly.

"I was nothing but a decoy, while I kept you busy…" Greed struggled to pass the information on.

"You were keeping me busy? Why?" Pride enquired in shock.

Greed started laughing but was soon tackled to the ground by Pride who grabbed him by the through, "now, now, how am I to tell you?" Greed felt Pride's grip loosen, "that a boy," Greed continued to taunt his former leader.

"Enough of the insults you bastard," Pride prepared to unleash the final blow on Greed.

"You see, Salvia was going into the palace to liberate it from the inside, the Aura Master, well Salvia is going to open the gates from the inside to allow Ash to enter the palace." Greed explained the plan to Pride who grew angry at the strategy that the princess had concocted, Greed felt a barrage of punches but started laughing at Pride, "you coming out of the palace was one massive bonus," Greed fought through the pain barrier to tell Pride of his foolishness.

"You dare make me look like a fool!" Pride picked up the injured Shadow Lord, "who do you think you are?!" Prides anger started to reach its zenith.

"I am your enemy Greed," Greed introduced himself to Pride, spitting in Prides face.

In a blind rage at the insult that Greed had given him, he started punching the now incapable Greed without a single hint of stopping, "die!"

Greed felt the punches breaking some of his bones and eventually he fell to the ground, blood coming from his mouth he slowly stood up, faintly laughing at his enemy, "I will see you in hell," Greed whispered before falling to the ground with a smile on his face, fading away from the final attack, but still with a smile on his face.

With Greed's fall in battle, we are now headed to the final conflict.

Next up chapter 36: Pride Fall