Chapter 3-Ransei (The call to action)
The Aurora citadel was always awe inspiring to see in the setting sun. It had been a couple of days since Gavorn had arrived back in utter disgrace and the call for aid had come from the shogun. A call she was desperate to answer but that the shogun's uncle would not let her answer. She was a young women wearing white plated steel chest plate with a cloth undershirt, she also wore a sturdy white cloth battle kama, white steel leg plating and white steel boots. A kama is like the lower part of a dress but with a triangular piece cut out of the front from the bottom to the top. She had platinum blond hair that she often kept in a braided pony tail, she is often called the most beautiful woman in all of Ransei, and her eyes are a deep emerald green. She was walking along the path towards the keep of the citadel not noticing the increased amount of guardsmen patrolling the perimeter of the inner wall of the citadel.
"So Najil you wish to go to the aid of the shogun?" came the snide question of a young boy.
"What do you want Lord Jacob?" Najil inquired coldly it was common knowledge that she disliked the boy.
"I wish to know why you want to aid my foolish cousin," Jacob answered a mock smile on his face.
"Be careful what you say about the shogun," Najil threatened, "or you may soon regret it."
"You should be careful of who you threaten Guard captain," Jacob threatened back, "because things will change here and your precious shogun won't always be around to protect you or the weak peasants.
Najil was enraged, how dare this foolish boy threaten the shogun, he needed to be put in his place, and if no one else would she would. She was getting ready to wipe that smug look off his face when someone behind her called out.
"Najil, I know you want to beat the tar out of him but he's not worth it," The person behind her called out.
She turned to see a young man dressed in blue jeans, black and red sneakers, and a hooded green sweatshirt. All of the articles of his clothing looked well-worn but also well cared for. Walking next to him was a Typhlosion.
"Johnathan you didn't hear what he said about the shogun," Najil stated angrily
"Yeah I didn't but he always says the same thing about his cousin doesn't he," Johnathan said a slight smile on his face.
"What do you want peasant?" Jacob rudely inquired.
"Well aren't we a rude little boy," Johnathan said smirking, "you would think you'd have learned your lesson by now wouldn't you."
"I could beat you with both hands tied behind my back!" Jacob yelled.
"Well Lord Jacob if memory serves me he beat you easily the last time you two fought," Najil commented civilly.
"That was before this is now," Jacob shouted his face reddening in anger.
"Well I'm sorry to rain on your parade but two days of loafing around won't let you beat me," Johnathan taunted the boy.
"I wasn't loafing around!" Jacob screamed, "I was out training my mind."
"You can't train what you don't have," Johnathan stated simply trying to goad Jacob into attacking.
"You're just a filthy muckraking peasant!" Jacob screamed finally losing his cool, "You are nothing compared to me."
"You're right Jacob I am nothing compared to you," Johnathan said a smile still on his face, "but then again why would I want to be something when compared to a whiny brat."
"Why you filthy, low born, son of a bit-" Jacob began before he was quickly silenced.
Johnathan had spun in place to heel kick the brat in the face and as his foot connected a loud crack could be heard throughout the courtyard as his nose was broken. The brat fell to the ground unconscious his blood gushing from his nose and mouth where some of his teeth had been broken.
"Johnathan are you fricking crazy," Najil screamed in a slight panic, "You just assaulted a member of the royal family."
"He had it coming," Snarled Johnathan all pretense of civility gone from his voice, "This dumbass needed someone to put him in his place."
"You were the one who told me he wasn't worth it you fricking idiot!" Najil stated in a panic.
"He wasn't worth you getting in trouble," Johnathan stated simply, "But I'm just a simple peasant and have no real power."
It was at this moment that they heard the tramp of heavy armored boots and the shouts of the royal guard. In a matter of seconds the courtyard was full of royal guards and soldiers. Johnathan looked over towards the battlements to see several diplomats standing there.
"Lady Najil what the hell happened to Lord Jacob," one of the guards asked.
"H-h-he was…," Najil started before staring pleadingly at Johnathan.
"I attacked him," Johnathan stated without much emotion.
"Why would you attack Lord Jacob?" the guard questioned.
"If I said it was because he was a little snot how much trouble could I get in?" Johnathan questioned his small grin returning.
"You'd be arrested and sent to the dungeon," the guard sighed.
"You don't even know the full story," Najil stated coldly, "Yet you would threaten a friend of the shogun."
"It doesn't matter he attacked a member of the royal family," the guard stated.
They argued back and forth for about a half hour while the young lord was taken to medical not noticing that an older diplomat had come down from the battlements. As the old woman stood there a much younger girl could be seen behind her staring at the standoff between the royal guards and their captain. Neither party noticed the two standing there until the old woman cleared her throat.
"Uh…Oh Miss Warrick and Miss Windrust," the guard stated with a slight bow, "I do not mean to be rude but what do you want."
"What I want is to know why you're defending this foul boy?" Miss Warrick questioned with clear disdain.
"This boy is a member of the royal family," answered the guard, "we are honor bound to protect him."
"Aren't you also honor bound to defend the shogun's honor?" the young Miss Windrust questioned.
"Yes but what has that to do with it?" the guard inquired.
"This boy slandered the shogun," Miss Warrick barked with clear anger, "He also insinuated harm would come to him."
"Well then Miss Warrick what did he say?" The guard questioned.
"He called your shogun a fool," Miss Warrick answered lightly; "He also stated that the shogun would not always be around to protect the people."
The guard was shocked, he knew that the shogun and Jacob disliked each other to the point of actually having people on the lookout for the other so they could avoid each other, but to make threats on the others life even this veiled one was unheard of.
"What would you have me do?" The guard captain asked exasperated, "He still must be punished."
"Well why don't you exile him until the emperor can decide," Miss Windrust commented.
"Oh, just where would he go if we exiled him, Miss Windrust?" The guard questioned.
"Send him with the captain to aid your shogun," Miss Windrust answered.
"That mission hasn't been sanctioned by the regent," the guard retorted.
"But it has been requested by the shogun himself," Miss Warrick commented, "and as such has a higher priority than the regent's requests."
"The regent will be very angry if we go against the orders he set," the guard stated.
"Permission to speak sir?" another guard asked the lead guard.
"Granted," the lead guard answered.
"In my personal opinion not sending reinforcements to the shogun is not a smart move," the second guard began, "Just look at what he did to Gavorn."
"Gavorn was a fool who thought he knew more that those above him," the lead guard barked to his subordinate.
"Well isn't that what the regent is doing," a third guard retorted, "ignoring a direct call for aid from the shogun."
"Exactly," a third diplomat stated coming down from the wall, "So if you don't wish to end up like Gavorn you should allow Lady Najil the ability to go to his aid."
"Master Starkraven I know that it is your nation in need," the lead guard began, "but there is protocol that must be followed for reinforcements."
"He sent the override so he could receive his reinforcements ASAP," Najil shouted at the lead guard, "Or did our regent with hold that bit of information from you."
The lead guard was stunned, why would he override reinforcement protocol, and if he did why would the regent with hold that information. Could the rumors about the regent be true, there were rumors flying around the capital that the regent was planning something and many thought it was an attempt on the imperial throne, but would he really be that reckless. The three most powerful people of the empire were out of the capital but still maintained a presence through their retainers. The shogun was in Unova apparently under stress, Lord Colton was dealing with unrest in the allied nation of Orre, and the Emperor was in Dragnor investigating newly discovered ruins there that are thought to be the true resting place of Nobunaga. Nobunaga had had several tombs built for him so only his immediate family knew where he and the location of certain legendary pokemon were kept. What could he do, a member of the royal family had been assaulted but it had apparently been provoked, reinforcements to the shogun were apparently being denied not because of protocol but out of spite, and the only person who could truly act without repercussions was away on an archeological dig. He had to make a descion now and he knew that no matter what descion he made he would make powerful enemies.
"I do not know what the regent is thinking but what he is doing goes against what the people of Ransei stand for," the lead guard stated, "We never leave any ally to fend for themselves when the call to arms is issued, it has been this way since we first became a nation."
"So you'll allow us to go to the shogun's aid?" Johnathan questioned surprise coloring his face.
"Yes as long as you're willing to face punishment for your crimes on your return," the guard stated.
"I'll be ready just, make sure you have a comfy set of handcuffs for my return," Johnathan stated turning to walk towards the gate.
"Lady Najil, since this is a high priority mission I believe that you should take the airship," the lead guard stated grimly.
"It's still docked?" Najil asked shocked.
"It refused to leave without the requested reinforcements," the lead guard sighed, "You better catch up to Johnathan before he gets into more trouble."
"Your right," Najil stated turning towards the gathered diplomats, "thank you for supporting the shoguns call for aid."
"Don't worry about it," Master Starkraven said with a small wave, "and besides that whelp had it coming."
"Don't you have an airship to catch," Miss Warrick commented dryly, "Wouldn't want you to keep the shogun waiting, now would we."
Najil nodded before turning to catch up with Johnathan. She ran through the city gazing at the wonderful buildings. By the times she caught up to him they had arrived at the hanger, and there sat the airship Genesis. The airship was a marvel capable of housing an entire division, air support, or to be armed for fire support. The Genesis was a hybrid in that it housed a battalion of infantry, several attack and transport helicopters, a small amount of armor support, and minor air to ground attack capibiltys. The loading ramps were down as troops and supplies were loaded onto the Genesis. A single soldier was directing the process from the outside but Najil suspected that there were several other soldiers directing it from the inside. As she and Johnathan approached the soldier turned and saluted.
"Corporal Vinson reporting for duty," The soldier stated still holding the salute, "By your presence am I to understand that we've been given permission to move out."
"Yes we have," Najil stated, "but we'll be having an extra man onboard."
"Sir," Vinson saluted turning to Johnathan.
"Please don't salute me," Johnathan stated a small smile on his face, "I'm not military personnel I'm just going to help my friends."
"We'll be ready to leave in an hour," Vinson stated, "Please board and one of the officers will show you to your quarters."
Najil nodded, turned and boarded the airship with Johnathan in tow. They were quickly led to their chambers where they set out their belongings. Najil set out a communicator, a digital map and a laptop. In Johnathan's quarters he set out a worn map of the known world with many pinhole marks in it as well as a pin in the Unova region, a spyglass, and an old broadsword. They had brought all their bonded pokemon with them, as well as the last five of their shogun, and they were not the only warriors to. There were about a dozen warriors besides them aboard the Genesis going to the aid of the shogun, who had only brought non-warrior soldiers with him. They met outside their rooms to go over the ship and find their respective partners and before they knew it the airships engines came to life and the airship began to move out of the hanger towards the Unova region. It would be a couple days before they arrived at the Unova coast and about one more to reach the rendezvous location at Driftveil City. Hopefully they reached it before anything happened; this delay could be dangerous for the shogun if he got into trouble or before his other five pokemon got bored and tried to entertain themselves by causing mischief. They didn't know which would be worse.
Here ends Chapter 3-Ransei (The call to action) I hope the people reading my story like it and for those wondering why it's rated M it's rated this due to blood, minor gore, and foul language found later in the story. Thank you to those who have read this so far. I've forgotten to state this earlier but pokemon is owned by Nintendo except for the OC's on the character page which are owned by me.