Chapter 45 – Malice of the Darkrai

'Some fucking friend you were," Ashachu muttered as he turned his attention back to the dark figure standing – well more like floating – before him and Charizard. He gripped Charizard's shoulder tightly, trying not to succumb to the sense of panic boiling in his chest.

He felt the usual cold sense of dread that he had come to associated with the Darkrai creeping over him. It was like being plunged into a bucket of ice-cold water. He was tight in the chest. He couldn't breathe. He felt a twinge at the base of his tail, the memory of their last encounter.

Shadow's appearance however didn't seem to have the same effect on Charizard, however. Or if it did, Charizard was going to great length to hide it. He took a step forward, starting Shadow right in his red eye, a hardened expression on his face.

He readied himself for a fight, raising his sharp claws, spreading his legs apart and keeping his tail low to the ground, with the flaming tip pointed up in the air. He opened and let out a low roar, showing to the Darkrai his knife-like fangs.

"Don't come any closer Darkrai. Take one more step and I'll burn you to a crisp." For good measure he turned his head and spat out a burst of flame as a warning.

Shadow was unperturbed. "I have been told that only the weakest of Charizard like to show off with their fire, in such a way. Perhaps you should consider carefully whether you wish to challenge me."

"Charizard," Ashachu whispered. "Don't antagonise him!"

Shadow drifted forward a little, but stopped when Charizard moved deliberately to the side, placing himself between the Darkrai and Blade.

"Don't take another step Shadow. You hurt Ashachu. You cut off his tail. You and your little pet over there are threatening to hurt him again. I should kill you where you stand!"

"Charizard, don't do it," Ashachu whimpered, his entire body trembling. "He's too strong!"

"I'm not going to let him hurt you," Charizard growled. "And I can't forgive him for what he did to you. Or any of those other Pokémon. I'll kill him for what he's done. And what sort of Charizard would I be if I didn't go down fighting."

Was it just Ashachu's imagination or did Shadow's eye grow redder? Without a visible face, it was hard to tell what Shadow might be feeling. All they ever had to go on was the voice, which was always cold and foreboding.

"I would consider watching your tongue if I were you. My dear Blade wants me to kill you. And given what I know you have done to him; I should be only too happy to oblige."

"That's what you do isn't it," Charizard roared back, sounding almost as dangerous as Shadow. A little ember and spoke spat from his mouth. "You murder your fellow Pokémon in cold blood. You torture and you brutalise them. You tormented my poor boyfriend with nightmares. You cut off his tail. You brutalised the bodies of Zacian's made, that other Charizard and that Gyarados. And who knows how many more. Did it ever occur to you that our lives matter? That the lives of your fellow Pokémon matter!"

Ashachu's heart skipped a beat and experienced a thrill through his whole body. While he still feared what Shadow might do to them – to Charizard – he had to admire his boyfriends bravery and his sense of justice.

"I see no reason why I need to justify myself or my past to the likes of you, Charizard," said Shadow. "That last of you kind who couldn't hold his tongue when I told him to end up without a tongue."

Charizard's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat! You really want to threaten me. I've battled and beaten legendries before. I'll beat you too."

"All I am surrounded by is fear and dead mons!"

"Shadow." Blade had finally gathered the strength to get back to his paws. He wanted to run to the Darkrai. To be in his presence and embrace again. Only trouble was Charizard was standing in the way.

WHACK

Charizard instinctively struck out with his tail, batting Blade away as if he were a baseball. He went skidding across the roof of the train car. He tried to stop himself by digging in his claws, but they couldn't make a scratch on the metal.

"Wahhh!" He let out a cry as he slid over the edge of the carriage. He managed to stop himself dropping to the rails and, possibly worse, below by clinging to the edge as tightly as he could.

There was no doubt about it, Darkrai single eye seemed to flash with anger, turning a deep shade of vermilion. "That, my friend, was a big mistake. Fortunately, it shall be your last. I will ensure that…"

[Pokémon]

Ash hadn't made it halfway across the room when he felt some invisible force restraining him. A blue and pink aura had developed around his body, and he felt as though he been encase in concrete.

"Ahhhh." He gave a cry and managed to turn his head enough to look over his shoulder.

He hadn't noticed it there before, but standing behind the small woman, Matori, was some kind of – Ash could only guess it was a Pokémon, tall and human shaped, dressed head to toe to tail in silver armour.

There was a round helmet over its head and a visor across, where Ash assumed its eyes would be. It had one arm outstretched towards him, three long, thick fingers at the end, encased in a steel gauntlet.

"Pikapi!"

Pikachu had been lifted off Ash's shoulder and drifting slowly to the right, away from him. The poor mouse flailed his arms and legs helplessly.

"Pikachu," Ash cried out through gritted teeth, shouting to Team Rocket, "Let us go!"

"I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere," said Matori curtly. She and her colleagues had risen from their seats. "We don't need little boys interfering in our operations. Namba, is there somewhere can be restrained."

"He can be locked in one of the sleeping compartments," Namba replied.

"I suggest we take his Pokémon from him first," Cassidy suggesting.

"Starting with that Pikachu," said Butch. "The boss would love to have that."

Ash started to hyperventilate. How could he have been so stupid to allow himself – and worse, his Pokémon, his family - to get into this satiation. He should have listed to Pikachu, should have escaped when his mate had urged, they do so.

Now it looked as though he might lose him again. He might lose his kit, Ashachu again. He might lose Charizard, one of his oldest friends and strongest Pokémon. He let out a groan, tears brewing in his eyes.

Pikachu, for his part, turned his attention to Zacian. "Zacian," he cried out. "Are you just going to let them do this to us. I thought we were your friends."

Zacian's jaw dropped, and she looked wildly from between Pikachu, hanging in mid-air and her masters in Team Rocket.

"Biff…Cassidy. You promised me that Ash and Pikachu and their friends wouldn't get hurt." Her voice trembled.

Cassidy folded her arms and sneered at the Pokémon. "And you believed that?"

"We don't negotiate with or take instructions from Pokémon in Team Rocket," barked Namba irritably. "Legendary or not, learn your place."

"Zacian listen to me," screamed Pikachu. "You don't have to let them treat you this way. Don't let them push you around. You have a choice. Fight back."

Zacian's eyes narrowed. "I told you I would only help you if no harm came to them." Her voice was suddenly full of rage. "And you broke your word."

"Oh, cry us a river," said Butch. He turned to the armour-clad Pokémon. "Take them away. Find the Pikachu a nice cage."

"PIKAPI." Pikachu squeaked and cried as he drifted further and further away from Ash, over towards to the members of Team Rocket.

"Awww poor thing's upset," Cassidy crooned mockingly. "Will you take care of it Gozu."

"Very good care," the big man chuckled, holding his hands out as if to catch Pikachu like a football.

"No. No, you are not having Pikachu," Ash spat, though in his present situation, there was little he could do about.

Something Cassidy was quick to point out. "Oh. Planning to stop us twerp."

Zacian took one last look around the room, taking in the looks of glee on the Rocket's faces, to the desperate and fearful ones on Ash and Pikachu's. And then she snapped.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

The world turned white….

[Pokémon]

"Flamethrower…"

"Thunderbolt…"

Charizard blew his flames at Shadow, while Ashachu helped him by unleashing his most powerful thunderbolt attack. They had both been anticipating that Shadow would dodge or try to shield himself from the attack.

He didn't…the flames and lightning bolts engulfed him in a bright orange and yellow fireball. And that was when things became unnerving for the both of them…

Two direct hits, from two powerful special attacks, from two high levelled Pokémon. It would have been enough to, if not take down, certainly cause serious pain to any Pokémon, legendry or not.

But Shadow just seems to stare at them with his bright red eye, the expression on his face, as far as it could be read beneath the white plume, unchanged. That was not to say the attack were not affecting him. They had to be.

As thunderbolt coursed through him, Charizard and Ashachu got split second glimpses of the Darkrai skeleton that lay beneath the black cloak like exterior. A creepy reminder this creature was in fact a Pokémon with a physical form, and not some demonic phantom.

Add to that, the appearances of a burn across his middle section, and it seemed clear that Shadow was taking damage. Either he was capable of ignoring it – some type of Zen state – or for whatever reason couldn't feel pain the way regular Pokémon did.

For the briefest of moments Shadow just stood there, motionless. Then he advanced. Charizard and Ashachu were alarmed at how fast he was. Even fighting his way through fire and lightning, he upon them in the blink of an eye.

"Zard!"

Charizard's eyes widened in shock, as Shadow reached out with two long black arms, and placed his claws around his throat…

"Charr!"

Charizard let out a pained cry, the flames pouring from his maw disappearing. The Darkrai's claws where like knives, cracking his scales and digging into his neck, splattering his blood over Ashachu and the roof of the train.

Ashachu, in turn, was nearly knocked off Charizard's shoulder. He only managed to stay on by sliding a little further down his boyfriends back and perching himself just above his right wing.

"Hey! Get off him. CHUUUUU!" He quickly repositioned himself and fired another thunderbolt.

Again, it was a direct hit, but again it didn't seem to deter Shadow. The Darkrai sunk his claws further and further into Charizard's neck. Blood continued to spurt out, staining Ashachu's fur red.

The pain was intense. In all of the battles he had faced, and everything that had happened to him in his life, Charizard had never been in such pain…Except once! The claws dug deeper and deeper into his neck, compressing his airway.

He couldn't breathe and he couldn't use his flamethrower. But Charizard wasn't going to let himself go down without a fight. Not when he could still use his claws. He gritted his teeth, concentrated all of his strength, and swiped out at Shadow's chest.

Shadow had so far managed to withstand, and push through, the impact of both Charizard's flamethrower and Ashachu's thunderbolt, but he was not immune to the laws of physics. The force from Charizard's dragon claw push Shadow backwards, enough to loosen the grip on his neck and allow Charizard to pull away.

Charizard gave a beat of his wings, intending to retreat from Shadow by taking to the sky. Relying on his speed to keep the Darkrai's claws at bay. And to protect Ashachu. Unfortunately, he had forgotten about the blue beams above the train.

"Zaaaaaard!"

"Pika."

As he rose into the air, Charizard felt a pain like an electric shock course through his body. Starting at the bridge of his wings and running up his spine to the tip of his nose. He could even feel it on his tongue.

Ashachu too experienced the same sensation, starting in his ears and working down towards his tail. It caused him to let out a muffled cry of "Pika!"

Charizard body became ridged. He couldn't move or flap his wings. He came crashing down back onto the roof of the train with a hard THUD. Ashachu slipped off back, landing a short distance away.

Shadow was upon him again in a second. Charizard barely had time to push himself up when he found the brooding Darkrai towering over him.

"I was intending to offer you a truce against our true enemies…But now, you are going to die!"

[Pokémon]

Ash could move again – he no longer felt as though he was encased in cement. He glanced around the carriage to see the member of Team Rocket either lying on the floor or slumped on the table. The creature in the suit of armour lay limp against the wall.

But where was….

"Pikapi!"

Ash felt something soft and furry, but extremely solid, hit him in the chest, a pair of small paws gripping his shirt. His arms automatically closed around him, and he bowed his head to as to press his nose into the fur on his head.

"Pikachu," he breathed in relief.

"Pikapi Pikachu." Pikachu pushed himself up and licked his face in earnest.

"Oh Pikachu." Ashachu just held him tighter.

The brief sweet moment was broken as they heard heavy breathing from behind them, bringing them back to reality. Ash spun around to find Zacian, staring around the room wide eyed and panting.

"Zacian," said Pikachu. "You saved us." It wasn't a question.

"I-I-I…Just couldn't let them do this," she gasped. "Not to you. Not to Ashachu and Charizard. I can't let Shadow kill anybody else. Or separate anyone else from their family." She bowed her head and added sadly, "You were right about me Pikachu. I've been acting hypocritically. And selfishly. And like a coward. I'm supposed to be a hero. But in reality, I'm just weak."

"Zacian," whispered Ash. "Don't say that. You're not weak."

Pikachu freed himself from Ash's grip, crossed over to Zacian and pattered her on the leg – that was the highest part of her he could reach.

"It's okay."

Zacian shook her head. "Not it's not. How could I have let myself become this. A puppet of Team Rocket like a common Zubat!" She closed her eyes and sniffled. It looked as though she might cry. "I've let grief and fear overcome me to the point of betraying and hurting my fellow Pokémon. And for that, I'm truly sorry."

"You can start making it up right now," said Pikachu determinately, his paw balled into a fist. "Charizard and Ashachu are out there. If we don't do something, Shadow will kill them. Come and fight alongside Ash and me. Be the hero we know you are."

Zacian raised her head and opened her eyes, her sorrowful look replaced by one of determination. "You're right Pikachu. Too many have suffered at Shadow's claws. It's time to bring him to justice. I will fight with you!"

Ash beamed at her. "Glad to hear it Zacian."

"Right, let's go," declared Pikachu before scurrying off towards the door to the next carriage.

"But wait," said Ash, a thought occurring as they crossed the threshold of the carriage door. "How do we get to the roof where Ashachu and Charizard are."

"It's simple," Zacian replied. "I shall carry you."

"What?"

She sank down and bowed her head. "Come Ash Ketchum, ride on my back."

Ash stared at her wide eyed. "Are you sure."

"Didn't you know it's rude to refuse a ride from a legendary when you are offered."

The uncurious Rockets begun to stir, pained groans filling the room.

"Alright." Ash swung his leg over her flank and hoisted himself on her back, just behind her neck. He had ridden an Arcanine before, and she was pretty much the same size. He bent down and reached out with his arm to allow Pikachu to scurry aboard and grip his back.

As Zacian rose up, Namba opened his eyes. He raised himself up of the ground, looked at them and growled, "Zacian."

Zacian stared him back and replied, "Dr. Number! I resign!" before flying off down the corridor.

Namba face contorted with rage, his hands balling into fists and his cheeks flushed with colour.

"It's…. NAMBA!"

His shouts reverberated throughout the train, and even echoed in the valley beyond!