Journey to the East 3/4
(Theme song - Pokemon Journeys: The Series (Season 23) - English Dub Opening)
(Abigail's POV)
*Today has been one crazy day. First we were ambushed my a bunch of Yagyu Ninjas. Then we met with their leader, and now, we were face to face with . . .*
Sally: The Destructix!
Fiona: Now that we have your attention, there's something we would like to discuss.
Sonic: You've got more than my attention! Let's take 'em, Tails!
Tails: You got it!
*I got out my hook swords & charged with them. Huck held on to my shoulder, tight*
Sally: Follow their lead, Ken! Take down the gorilla!
Monkey Khan: O - Okay?
Sally: WHAT!?
Monkey Khan: Nothing! Let's kick some butt!
*Sonic did a spin dash at Flying*
Sonic: You're fast, but not as fast as - *Flying dodged* Hey!
Flying Frog: Spiny - whirly! Brawny? Girly!
Sonic: What!?
*Hawk was chasing Tails in the air*
Tails: If you're so tough, let's see you hit me when I'm ready for you!
Predator Hawk: Bothersome bit of prey, aren't you?
*Khan was face to face with Simian*
Monkey Khan: Hi there, cousin.
Sergeant Simian: We are of no relation.
Monkey Khan: No, see, you're an ape and I'm a monkey, so . . . Nevermind.
*Sally & I were fighting Fiona*
Fiona: Think you and Twerp can handle me, Princess?
Sally: We were saving you for ourselves!
Abigail: You've got a lot to answer for, Traitor!
*Fiona dodged attacks from both of us*
Fiona: Well too bad, because we didn't come all this way to fight.
*Sonic was giving Flying a noogie*
Sonic: Yeah, right! The only time we see you jokers is when you want to give me a black eye.
Flying Frog: Stop! Desist! Yield! No more noogie - boogie - woogie!
Fiona: I mean it! *she snapped her fingers* Fun time's over, boys! Pack it in!
Sally: If you're not here to cause trouble, then what do you want?
Fiona: Oh, we're here to cause trouble, but when we got word that you were in the area, we came to recruit you into the fun.
Sally: Word travels fast around here.
Sonic: Speaking of fast, how the heck did you guys get all the way out here so quick?
Fiona: It wasn't about you at first, but let's start from the beginning. Remember when you managed to sucker the Suppression Squad into turning on Scourge? I got out while everyone was fighting in the lab. I . . . Had my own plans after that. I needed some muscle, so I went looking for the Destructix. What I found though, was the team's miserable remains.
*When she found them, they had fallen in a slump. Sleuth told her that Drago had gone back to work for the Eggman Empire & Lightning had left the team, saying something about "honor restored". The team hadn't been the same since. Then Sleuth said that he had saved enough money to "preserve his hide" & after that, he left to who knows where*
Sally: And so they let you take command, just like that?
Fiona: No. I had to promise our first order of business would be to get Lightning back on the team.
Sonic: Since when did you guys care so much about each other?
Predator Hawk: He was one of the original four. He's been with us from the beginning.
Sergeant Simian: Mogul, Kodos, Snively, Sleuth . . . Leaders come and go. He is our comrade. We know he is being used.
Flying Frog: Outcasts! Downcasts! No class! HEH HEE HEE HOO HA HEE HOO!
*Sonic & I gave him disturbed looks*
Abigail: How do you guys put up with this nut case?
Sergeant Simian: You get used to it.
Sonic: Wow, I'm impressed. That's a lot of loyalty being thrown around while Fiona's involved.
Fiona: Hmph. *she turned to Tails* Aw, can't you talk some sense into them, big man?
*I got in between her & him*
Tails: M - Me?
Fiona: Sure. You know me better than anyone else, right? *I glared harder at her* You said so yourself. You know I'm good on the inside. It would mean so much to me if you'd step in and - WOOPF!
*Sally had punched her in the stomach. We all looked shocked*
Sally: You've toyed with him quite enough. If you want to deal with us, then deal.
Sergeant Simian: We want Lightning returned.
Monkey Khan: We want his clan to renounce the Iron Queen.
Sergeant Simian: Then the terms are agreed upon.
Monkey Khan: I'm game if you guys are. I know you're enemies, but . . .
*I nodded. I wasn't so sure about working with the Destructix, but if we wanted to get close to the Raiju Clan & their Bride, this was probably our best option*
Sonic: I'm flexible. But how do we get Fuzz - Head to leave the people he wants to be with? Nevermind the whole army of Ninja Lynxes.
Fiona: And that's why I'm in charge and brought us all together. I have a plan.
*Later, we were outside the the Raiju Clan's current headquarters. The Iron Fortress*
Fiona: The Iron Fortress. The former home of the Iron King and Queen. It has meter - thick armored walls. It has two heavily reinforced doorways that can only be opened from the inside. But from there it's a straight shot to the throne room and the Raiju Clan's Bride.
Abigail: Man, this place gives me the creeps.
Sonic: Yeah, this place is uglier than I remembered.
Monkey Khan: Then the doors will have to go, won't they?
Sonic: Well then, shall we invite ourselves in?
Sergeant Simian: Remember the plan. We do not have the time to break down both gates, so Team A will fly Team B over the walls. Expect heavy defensive measures. Team A will them move to engage the initial wave of ninja, while Team B disengages the inner gate. Team C will will deal with the outer gate.
*I was on Team B. I held on to one of Tails hands as he carried me & Sally over the wall. Spears were thrown at us. The boys set us down by the door mechanism. While the boys attacked the ninjas, Sally & Fiona began opening the door. I had my hook swords ready in case any ninjas tried to attack us*
Fiona: Heh - Just like old times when I was a Freedom Fighter, huh, Princess?
Sally: You may have been on the team, but you were never a Freedom Fighter.
*Huck & I sent her a glare over my shoulder. Suddenly, with a loud boom, the main gate was destroyed. Sonic, Khan, & Simian came out of the smoke*
Sonic: That was awesome! I'm glad we don't have to do it twice, tho.
*We then ran inside*
Fiona: The throne room should be straight ahead!
*Inside the throne room was an army on ninja lynxes. Next to the two thrones was Lightning & sitting in one of the thrones was a orange, black, & cream female lynx with black hair & orange eyes wearing a conical straw hat, black and grey gloves with red cuffs, a purple samurai outfit, & brown & grey boots*
Bride of Conquering Storm: So the King of the Free People has raised himself a little army. That's fine by me! Only fools declare all - out war on the Raiju Clan!
Monkey Khan: Which is why we haven't come for war! We came to talk!
Bride of Conquering Storm: By invading my - Ahem! - By invading the fortress entrusted to me by my Masters?
Monkey Khan: Would you have listened to us otherwise?
Bride of Conquering Storm: No. State your case and do it quickly.
Monkey Khan: Break away from the Iron Dominion! As King of the Free People, on my word of honor, I promise to uphold your right to let you keep the Iron Fortress too.
Bride of Conquering Storm: You'll "let us" keep it? Bold words. But we cannot be bought like the lowly Yagyu. We are the mighty Raiju! Only through one's strength - Through one's action - Do you earn anything!
Monkey Khan: Then I propose a wager upon a duel of honor. Should your champion win, we will surrender to you. We'd be prime prisoners for the Iron Queen. And if our's is victorious, you renounce the Iron Dominion.
Bride of Conquering Storm: Agreed. *she turned to Lightning* Lightning! You will fight to prove your continued worth to your clan.
Lightning: Y - Yes! Of course! Thank you!
Monkey Khan: The King of the Free People humbly asks the Hero of Mobius to duel on behalf of his people.
Sonic: The Hero of Mobius happily accepts, but thinks all this honorific hoity - toity is silly!
*He & Lightning then stood in the middle of a circle surrounded by ninja lynxes holding spears*
Lightning: Y - You? Not the monkey?
Sonic: Sorry, Fuzz - Head. I'm the hero of this adventure.
*Lightning was the first to land a hit. He punched Sonic in the face*
Lightning: No! I've come too far to have you ruin things now! *he then kicked Sonic in the stomach* She took me back! After all these years I'm home again! I won't let you take that away from me!
*He went for another punch, but Sonic dodged*
Sonic:*koff* Okay, I didn't realize you had so much invested in this. But I've got a whole city to rescue. *he then hit Lightning with multiple spin dashes until he lay on the floor, dizzy* My friends and family come first . . . I'm sorry.
Bride of Conquering Storm: That was pathetic. Lightning is henceforth Raiju no more. Again.
Abigail:*in her mind* Again?
Lightning: No wait! I can still be of use to you!
Bride of Conquering Storm: No, you can't.
Lightning: Don't! Please! I love -
Bride of Conquering Storm: Do not embarrass yourself further. That's what got you banished the first time.
*She glared at him & he lay on the floor, devistated. He then went towards the Destructix. I kinda felt sorry for him. Sonic glared at Fiona*
Sonic: This isn't what we agreed to.
*She put a finger under his chin*
Fiona: Yes, it was. You just didn't know it.
Sergeant Simian:*to Lightning* You were never one of them. You are one of us.
Predator Hawk: They would have rejected you eventually. We will not.
Flying Frog: One for all! All for one! Some for some, and free - for - all!
Bride of Conquering Storm:*to us* The Raiju have lost, and by my word of honor I renounce the Iron Dominion. But that does not make us allies. Leave.
Sonic: Don't have to tell me twice.
*We left the throne room*
*We made it outside*
Tails: It looks like Fiona and the Destructix didn't stick around to say goodbye.
Sonic: No? Such a pity, really.
Abigail:*in her mind* I just hope Fiona's not going to do what I think she's going to do.
Tails:*to Sally* Um . . . Thank you, Sally. About earlier.
Sally: About what?
Tails: About . . . About stopping Fiona when she was teasing me . . . Or whatever that was.
*Sally ruffled his hair*
Sally: Oh! That! You're welcome! Actually, I was worried I might be over stepping my bounds. You're getting to be you're own man, and I should've at least consulted you on such a personal matter. But she's done so much to hurt you, I just . . .
Tails: No, it's okay. I understand. *he then turned to me* And thanks for trying to defend me, Abby.
*Huck & I gave him a hug*
Abigail: Don't mention it, sweetie.
Huck: Chao-Chao!
Sally: Though . . . I felt a bit brutish after that. It's one thing to be proactive, but I'm not a thug.
Sonic: Actually, I thought it was kind of hot.
Monkey Khan: Totally in agreement there.
Abigail: I was close to punching her myself.
Tails: Yeah! Next time you should slug her harder!
*Sonic & Khan high - fived. I smiled. It was nice to see them getting along*
Sally:*to me* We're drowning in testosterone . . .
*I giggled*
Sonic: Seriously though. We're three to three with the ninja clans. Who's next.
Monkey Khan: The Shinobi Clan.
Sonic: Cool! Where are they?
Monkey Khan: I have no idea.
*We all looked at him surprised*
Sonic: Lame, Monkey Boy.
Monkey Khan: I'm serious! They're known for their secrecy. All I know is that they're chameleons. Everything else is rumors and legends.
Sonic: Maybe if we could get to Angel Island and borrow Knuckles. He knows how to spot them.
Sally: No, he's busy safe guarding Angel Island. Besides, we can't have him examine every inch of the Dragon Kingdom.
Tails: How do you find people who don't want to be found?
Abigail: I could try to use my Future Sight to find them.
?:*off-screen* You'll need a guide . . .
*We all froze in our tracks*
Abigail:*in her mind* That voice? Could it be?
Just then, my favorite purple chameleon appeared in front of us*
Espio: . . . And a friend you can trust.
To be Continued . . .
Note: Merry Christmas, everyone!