Chapter 40 – A lover trapped?
"There had better be a good reason you called me in here during dinner," Zacian said in an exasperated tone as she climbed the narrow steps and into the dome.
Ash and Pikachu followed curiously behind.
The observation dome carriage, one of three on the train, looked as one would expect to find on any luxury inter-continental express. The lower deck of the car was fitted with a small bar, comfy chair and small tables seated beside picture windows. On top was a round glass dome with two rows of seats on either side.
Ordinarily this sort of carriage would provide panoramic views to passengers. For Team Rocket, it severed as an observation platform where they would have a 360-degree view of their surroundings and of the rest of the Shadowpiercier.
As Ash mounted the last step and entered the dome, the first thing he saw were Cassidy and Butch. They stood at the very far end, with their backs turned to him. He stopped tentatively, wondering if he should say something. Pikachu quivered on his shoulder, watching closely.
"Shadow's on the move," said Cassidy without looking at Zacian. "He's been detected on the radar."
"So, we gotta be ready to strike when appears," Butch added.
"I thought the plan was to draw him in once we reached Crown Tundra," Zacian replied disapprovingly. "We'll have more of an advantage up there."
"Dr. Number thinks he may be trying to ambush us now before we get too far into the mountains," explained Butch. "This could be our best chance. There's always the possibility that if Shadow ever gets wind of the fact that he can't actually free Blade, he'll give up and find a new Pokémon to dominate."
A buzzing sound filled the dome. Butch reached into a pocket and drew out his phone. "Hello."
"IT'S NAMBA," came an angry voice, so loud that it was audible to everyone in the dome. Butch pulled a face and restored it to his pocket.
Cassidy turned to Zacian. "Besides, we don't to explain ourselves to you," She snapped, glowering at Zacian. "Pokémon!"
Zacian puffed out her cheeks in clear annoyance, but didn't reply.
Ash however chose to speak up. "Hey, you can't speak to Zacian like that!"
"Pika Pikachu. Pika!" Pikachu growled.
The two rockets spun around.
"What are you doing here twerp?" demanded Cassidy.
"Ummm."
Zacian opened her mouth as if to reply, but Cassidy cut her off. "Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "Just take a seat back there and be quite."
"And try not to get in the way," her partner added.
Ash slid himself into one of the little rows of seats on each side of the dome, as Zacian came back over to him.
"Doesn't it bother you, the way they were speaking to you?"
"Yeah," said Pikachu. "They don't have a right to speak to you like that! Typical of some humans, to think they're better than Pokémon."
Zacian shrugged. "As long as we get Shadow, I don't care. Once the mission's over we'll be back at Team Rocket Headquarters and the boss will have a new assignment for me and a new human to work with. Besides, these fruitcakes will be either arrested or killed soon enough."
Ash frowned. He still wasn't quite sure why this ancient, perhaps legendary Pokémon, was doing Team Rocket's bidding. Let alone let Team Rocket be such dicks to her.
"You still shouldn't have to tolerate that."
Zacian raised her right paw and licked the back of it. "No, I shouldn't. But it's not worth the fight!"
"Have you really never thought of just running away," asked Pikachu. "Going back to the forest. Finding your sister?"
"Sometimes," Zacian admitted. Now that her paw was sufficiently covered in saliva, she began cleaning her face and muzzle with it. "But they'd hunt me down and recapture again. I already told you. I'm not match for the boss's super Pokémon. And then they'd punish me." She grimaced, then shivered. "I don't want that."
Ash gave her a pitying smile, while Pikachu pulled a face. The electric mouse couldn't help but feel a little disgust. Why had a legendary Pokémon like her just…allowed Team Rocket to control her.
'Perhaps Shadow is right. She doesn't deserve the mantle of hero!'
"Besides…I have friends at Team Rocket," Zacian continued. "The humans may be crap, but there are some wonderful Pokémon. Just like Mightyena. I couldn't bare myself to just leave them."
"I don't think I could ever allow myself to be controlled by a group of humans like Team Rocket."
That came out a lot more forcefully than Pikachu had intended, because it made Ash say, "Pikachu," and Zacian glare at him.
"Easy for you to say. It's not like I have a choice."
Pikachu flinched at the threatening tone of her voice and the expression on her face.
"If I don't do what the Team Rocket grunts say, they'll force me. Team Rocket have ways of forcing Pokémon to do what they want. And I don't just mean threats or punishment. I mean mind control. Ever heard of a Gigaremo unit. EM waves."
"Pika." Pikachu cocked his head and his eyes widened.
"Didn't think so," growled Zacian before he could say anything. "Pray that you never do. With a flick of a switch, they can turn me and every other Pokémon into a puppet. And it hurt. The pain…I'll never forget." She bowed her head, the fury on her face being replaced by sadness.
"We're sorry Zacian," said Ash. He held his hand up, unsure whether to pet her or not. "We…Pikachu didn't mean. We understand what Team Rocket are like."
Zacian sniffed, then shook her head. "It's not all bad. I have some great friends here!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly became aware of something glinting on the top of the dome and pointed upwards.
Ash looked up and gasped. Only a second ago the sky had been jet black. Now it was filled with a wave of shimmering green light. As he watched the colours of the wave changed, from green, to red, to blue and yellow and back to green. It was almost…mesmerising.
"Wow. That's beautiful."
"Pika," Pikachu agreed.
"The humans call it the Aurora Australis," said Zacian, a smile returning to her face. "Or the southern lights. I haven't seen it in years."
She blinked, and Pikachu thought he was a single tear spill down the side of her cheek. Ash didn't see, too occupied staring at the aurora.
"That last time I saw it, I was still with Zamazenta. Before Team Rocket took me. Zamazenta used to say that it came from the fur of a Ninetails."
"It's pretty, isn't it Butch!"
Pikachu's ear twitched and he looked over at the two members of Team Rocket. Did Cassidy, really just say that. He voice was so soft, absent of its usual venom and menace that he almost hadn't recognised it.
"It' Bu…Oh, that's what you said," Butch replied. "Yeah, it really is."
And to Pikachu's astonishment, Butch put a hand on her shoulder, ran it down the length of her arm, and took hold of her hand.
He blinked several times, not quite believing what he had just seen. 'Well, that was unexpected!'
The moment of tenderness passed as Butch suddenly shouted, "There he is!"
"Pikachu!"
Ash and Pikachu each did a double take. It had appeared out of nowhere, just above the train. The light from the Southern Lights illuminated his billowing black cloak, and that evil red eye glaring at them.
Cassidy let go of Butch's hand and took out a Pokéball. She held it up in the palm of her hand, where it opened. Light spilled out and fell the ground by her side where it formed into that scary looking Sylveon she had used earlier.
Ash raised his eyebrows. "I didn't know Team Rocket had a Sylveon."
At the same time Zacian strutted up the isle and took her place beside the Intertwining Pokémon.
"Alright you dim-witted Darkrai," Butch barked into a microphone, his voice being projected by speakers on the outside of the train. "Come get your little pet."
As he spoke a bright light came on further down the train, illuminating another dome car. Ash rose from his seat slightly and squinted. He could just make out a small black from inside, which he guessed must be Blade.
"Better do it quickly, before Houndour set him on fire," said Cassidy gleefully.
Ash and Pikachu glanced at each other, both realising exactly what was about to happen.
"They're going to use Blade as bait to trap Shadow," Ash whispered to his partner, who nodded.
"It's the same move they pulled with baby Lugia."
The only question – would it work.
"Raise the pantographs," Cassidy ordered into her phone.
On an ordinary train, pantographs were the apparatus mounted on the roof which connected the train the electric lines overhead. But, as Galar's railways were not electrified – at least not this far in the south, the pantographs on Shadowpiercer served a very different function.
In the light provided by the dome, Ash could just make out triangular shaped structures rising into the air on the tops of the carriages.
"Darkrai…"
A terrible bone chilling cry rang out through the night, making Ash jump and Pikachu start to shake. Ash felt a thrill of fear in the pit of his stomach and his heart began to race. The pair gazed through the glass at Shadow, Ash's breath coming short and sharp.
"I offer you this one singular chance to relinquish Blade to me." Shadow's voice sounded darker and menacing than usual. "Should you ignore me, or try anything more whilst threatening his life, I warn you, he needs but think it, and I'll derail this train here and now. If you wish to take that gamble, by all means do so. Should you still sufficiently value your lives and return him to me, I'll leave you unharmed, as there is someone far more deserving of my wrath."
Butch and Cassidy were both unintimidated and undeterred by Shadow's pronouncement. Indeed, Cassidy rolled her eyes and groaned, "Spare us your pathetic pretence at trying to be the stuff of nightmares. You're completely helpless against the forces of Team Rocket. Isn't that right, Hutch."
Butch glared at her. "How many times Cassidy. It's Butch!"
"Oh whatever. Just hurry up and attack Shadow."
"With pleasure," said Butch through gritted teeth. He took a remote control out of his pocket, held it up and pressed something.
At once the glass dome surrounding them rose up then split down the middle and parted. Each half swung away like a giant hinged window. At once the temperature dropped and Ash and Pikachu found themselves being buffeted by a strong wind.
"Ahhhh," Ash cried out. "It's so cold." He grabbed Pikachu and hugged him tightly to his chest.
"Hehe. Better sit tight back there twerp," Butch taunted. He then pointed at the black form of Darkrai and shouted the Pokémon, "Sylveon and Zacian, attack with Moonbeam…."
[Pokémon]
Meanwhile…
Ashachu's ears twitched. Had he just heard Charizard correctly. "Sorry, what? I thought you said…"
"I said I think…I think I might be pregnant," Charizard replied.
The compartment was only lit by the flame on Charizard's tail. It was just bright enough for Ashachu to be able to see his boyfriends face and the mix of emotions on it; fear, apprehension, worry and the smallest piece of happiness.
"Say that again." Ashachu's brain was still partly in sleep mode.
Charizard frowned. "You impregnated me!"
Ashachu yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his paw. "You think you're pregnant. How?"
Charizard snorted. "Well, what were you just doing to me a few hours ago?"
Ashachu shook his head. "No way. You can't be. We're not in the same egg group. You, you must just have…." He couldn't think of any other reason why Charizard might be vomiting in the middle of the night.
His boyfriend gritted his teeth, and glared at him. "Ashachu, I'm pregnant," he said forcefully, as if Ashachu's disbelief were annoying him. "I can feel an egg growing in my abdomen. And I know it in my heart."
Ashachu groaned and rubbed his temples with his paws. "There's no way us having sex could have gotten you pregnant. That's too fast."
"I'm pregnant."
"You can't be." Ashachu didn't believe it. His brain simply wouldn't let him. Like there was a wall around it, not allowing the idea that he might be about to sire a Charmander Kit with his scaly boyfriend.
"Use your aura then, aura Pichu," Charizard snapped. "Search your feelings. Then you'll see it's true."
Ashachu blinked. He had never used his aura in that way before. Used to feel the lifeforce of others the way Lucario could. His instinct was to retort this simple fact back to Charizard. Something deep inside him however, stopped him, and told him to give it a go.
"Alright. I will." Ashachu shut his eyes then reached out and put a paw on Charizard's belly. He had no idea what was doing or how this aura ability might work. Whenever he used aura sphere, he was would reach into himself, drawing his power and forcing it into his paws.
He would feel the aura flow through him. What if he tried the same thing, but focusing on Charizard?
"Pika…"
Ashachu let out a gasp of astonishment. Charizard was right. It was difficult to describe how it had felt. Like a rush of energy running up Ashachu's arm and into his chest. But he definitely feel two distinct auras coming from Charizard. The walls around his brain shattered as the reality of the situation cascaded down upon him.
"See," said Charizard. "Now do you believe me."
"Charizard," whispered Ashachu. "I'm…" He couldn't finish the sentence. He was fighting back panic.
"Wh-what are we going to do?"
Ashachu had never heard Charizard sound like that before. Close to breaking, barely above a whimper. Desperate and fearful. He looked into his boyfriends face. The flame Pokémon looked like he might cry. Ashachu wanted to say something comforting, but was trying desperately to hold it together himself.
"I. I don't know if I'm ready for this," Charizard continued. "H-how can I be a good parent, when I never really had any of my own. I barely remember my mom." He sniffled. "oohhh…All I wanted was for us to be together before we're possibly murdered by a psychotic Darkrai. I mean…I don't want to die. But just being with this one time, I could have died…happy."
Charizard took a deep breath and clutched his stomach with his claws. "But now…If Shadow kills me. He kill our poor little Charmander too. Before he's had a chance to live. It's not fair!"
"How do you know it will be Charmander," Ashachu asked. It was all he could think to say.
"Pokémon offspring are always the same species as the mother," said Charizard. "Except in human or ditto breeding. Then it's the same as the Pokémon. And you shouldn't call our Charmander it."
"Sorry." The words our Charmander felt so surreal and almost scary to Ashachu.
Charizard shook his head. "It's alright." He let go of his stomach and put his claws back around Ashachu, before sighing. "I love you Ashachu. And you know, as scary and challenging as this will be, I can't think of anyone I'd rather share it with than you…"
Ashachu beamed at the flame Pokémon, his eyes starting to feel a little wet. "Thanks Chari. It's means a lot for you to say that." He titled his head back and extended his tongue, inviting a kiss.
Charizard indulged him, leaning his long neck forward and pressing the tip of his own tongue against Ashachu. A fair bit of saliva dripped on to Ashachu's head and face, but he didn't care.
[Pokémon]
Pink beams of light shot from Sylveon and Zacian's mouths, glowing brightly against the blackness of the night sky. Shadow might have been quick enough to dodge, but he didn't want to stray too far from Blade. He was caught in the chest.
That terrible cry rang out through the air once more. "You believe I cannot break your train because of the material you constructed it with? As anyone should know, enough pressure, enough tension, and anything can break. Even this, and while this train may be strong, your minds will shatter with far more ease."
"Oh, give it up your sad pathetic waste of a Darkrai," Cassidy bellowed through the exterior speakers. "There's nothing you can do!"
"Yeah," Butch added. "You can't get aboard the train, we're shielded."
There was another horrible shriek. "Your train may be nigh indestructible, but the track it's on is not. I can derail this train, and then it becomes a choice. Release Blade and leave. Or stay in that train until you starve to death. I'm patient, I can wait, and if need be, I'm sure I can teleport the entire thing to the depths of the sea. That way if you attempt to escape, you'll drown, or the water pressure will crush you. Either way, you'll pay for what you've done to Blade. And remember if any of you try to leave before one of those things happen, I'll destroy you and use your entrails to paint your train."
"Oh, I don't think you want to try detailing us, as that would kill your little pet too," Cassidy continued.
"You doubt that I will derail the train?" cried out Shadow. "A decent observation, I'd never normally do anything that could harm him, however, whether or not this train remains on its track is up to you, and should you not return Blade, it is up to him."
Cassidy put her hand over her mouth and giggled. "Hehehe. Hear that Biff, Shadow still thinks he tough. Why don't you tell our friend what happens if the train derails?"
Butch let out a beleaguered sigh. "It's…Oh, I give up…If the train comes off the track it will explode, and Sneasel will be killed."
Shadow let out a little laugh of his own. A dark, sinister sound that made Pikachu's fur bristle. "Your entire plan hinges on me not slaughtering you because I fear for Blade's life."
Cassidy rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm growing bored of your cosplay menace Darkrai."
"You don't scare us," said Butch.
"Perhaps you need a little motivation," continued Cassidy. "Houndour. Give dear little Blade a taste of your flamethrower."
There is a flash of red light inside the dome further down the train. At that same time, projected over the external speakers, Blade screamed. "Sne Sneaselll!"
Ash gritted his teeth. He had seen enough in his life to know a Pokémon's distressed cry when he heard one. Even though it was Blade, the Pokémon who had almost killed his kit, he still felt bad for him.
"Pikachu."
And, by the sounds of Pikachu's low cry, he did too.
Shadow let out a wail of anger and despair. "I hope you savour these last moments of daylight. For it will soon be quite dark." He then drifted down towards the dome containing Blade.
A nasty smirk appeared on Butch's face. "Gotcha!"
He pressed a button on his remote control and electric blue sparks begun to glow around the Pantographs across the top of the train.
Ash felt his heart rate increase and his chest become tight. He thought he knew what was about to happen. After all, he had seen this before. It was the same bait and ambush move they had used to capture Silver, the baby Lugia.
"Pika." Pikachu drew a short intake of breath.
Sure enough, as Shadow drew closer to the train, the sparks from two of triangular structures on the nearest car formed into beams of blue energy that ensnared itself around Shadow like lassos.
"DARKAIIIIIIIIIII"
Shadow's cry, though still terrible, had changed. Gone was the icy menace from his cry, replaced by what sounded to be unbearable agony. For a moment Shadow seemed to be fighting against whatever force was pulling on him, trying desperately to get to Blade.
The beams of blue energy ensnared more and more of his body. Then, almost as if here were being pulled by an invisible magnet, he flew downward smacking hard against the roof the train.
"Darkrai."
Shadow tried to force himself back onto his feet. He was now caught between the two pantographs. More and more beams of blue energy were flying out from either side, trapping him.
The two rocket agents smiled at each other, and a grin spread across Zacian's muzzle.
"And that's all she wrote," said Cassidy.
"Got him," explained Butch, rubbing his hands together.
Slowly, the two hinged sides of the dome closed around them, and warmth returned to the carriage.
Ash and Pikachu were still left shivering…