//------------------------------// // Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Finale // Story: Little Lost Pikachu // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Little Lost Pikachu - Chapter 14 - Little Lost Ace - Finale Ace levitated in between two lines of tall buildings next to the main road, waving at the bypassing ponies who occasionally stopped to glance at the tail he was floating on. There are so many chariots for ponies pulled by ponies. I wonder if I could get far in that field of work. He wondered, watching as a similar cart flew by, stirring up dust. The tips of his rear paws easily kept him balanced even in the busy atmosphere and a cheerful smile was glued to his face. He glanced to his side, spotting a grateful look on Quiet Leaf’s face, which only filled him with satisfaction. The colt sat comfortably on his tail, brushing his damp mane out of the way as he observed the cities best attractions. He then looked to the right at his boss, whose legs were trembling with every step while her tail and mane were still soaked from their earlier adventure. A few drops of water dripped down from her fur and onto the pavement. Should I order a chariot for you? Or maybe you want to sit on my tail, Ace offered in Coco’s mind, who immediately shook her head to his suggestion. Sorry if my surfing was a bit too hardcore. I should’ve gone easier on you. “Y-you… t-t-think?” Coco sputtered, still shaken from riding up and down countless waves. Trying to keep up the conversation, he looked up at the sky and said, I still find it hard to believe that ponies called alicorns can move the moon and the sun around the planet. He giggled. Oh, haha… I get it. It was a joke. I should’ve realized. He began shaking his head in disbelief. “Oh, but it wasn’t a joke. I don’t lie,” Coco said, sounding a tad insulted at being accused. “Everyday, Princess Celestia and Luna raise the sun and moon. There was even a big battle quite someone time ago over ponies worshipping the sun more than the moon. I’ll have to get you some history books for you to look into sometime soon.” Ace merely scoffed. Yea, you guys got me, you don’t have to keep going with this. Leaf pulled his gaze away from the sights and added, “Huh, what about the sun and moon?” “Ace thinks I was lying about alicorns raising the sun and moon every morning and night.” Coco said, giving the Raichu an annoyed glare. “Oh, that. Yea, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth bud. Just wait till you meet up with Nica. She’ll totally prove us right.” Ace looked at his companions with a sassy smile. They were obviously pulling his leg, but at the very least it meant that Miss Coco had some sense of humor. He wouldn’t be surprised if they got Nica in on it as well. Anything going for that adorable, innocent Cocoa was good in his eyes. His ears perked up as he found himself levitating towards a two floor-building with the word ‘Nightclub’ written above. Near the entrance, multicolored lights were flashing from the top floor, drawing him in even closer. He moved his forepaws up and down to the rhythm of the music, letting Quiet jump off before darting down to Coco’s side. How about a slow dance in a nice atmosphere to calm your frayed nerves? Coco wrapped her forehoof protectively around Leaf and shook her head. “A nightclub? I absolutely refuse.” The colt raised his head to speak up before the seamstress butted in. “And this young stallion refuses as well.” Looking him in the eyes, she added, “There is no way I’m letting you in there.” Glaring, he backed down and muttered under his breath, reluctantly letting his adoptive mother guide him away. She pointed at the green scenery further ahead of the street. “I’d rather have a calming walk in the park, thank you very much. Isn’t that right Leaf?” The colt said nothing. Ace shrugged, watching as the mare and colt walked down towards the park. he said to himself before quickly realizing that his telepathy was the only efficient means of communication he had at the moment. His ears flashed lightly as he spoke to his boss. Wait for me at the park then. I want to see what a nightclub filled with ponies have to offer. Sighing, his boss picked up some bits from her purse and placed them in his forepaws. With an overjoyed grin, he nuzzled her affectionately. A hundred thanks! See you soon. With permission from his boss and some gold coins in his paws, he flew into the building, performing an eager somersault mid-air with the help of his tail before landing in front of a bartender pony. Something semi-strong please. I want to have some fun. He eagerly placed ten bits on the wooden counter before examining his surroundings. At first glance, the place looked like a wreck. The first couple of stalls were trashed, the wooden stools scratched and the plush seating ripped. A variety of drinks were spilled across the floor, leaving stained marks streaked all over the rotted floors. Ace scoffed in disgust, hovering over the mess atop his tail, before glancing over the corner and spotting a delusional stallion dancing around an empty mug. Other than him though, only four other ponies were scattered around, seeming suspiciously empty, even for a bar like this. His attention was torn away from observing the environment around him as he noted numerous ponies staring at him in confusion. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to the counter to receive his drink, only to be dissapointed as the table was empty. The bartender just kept staring at his tail instead of doing his job. He waved his forepaw in front of the pony. he muttered, before continuing in the employee's mind. I know I look cool and all, but you need to stop daydreaming. I ordered a drink. “Oh, uh sorry.” The stallion stuttered. He blinked, before turning around and messing with the multitude of nozzles behind him, the soft fizz signalling a drink was being poured. A glass filled to the brim was soon placed before him. “Here ya go.” The pony pulled the bits into the register, pocketing two for himself. Ace placed the drink on his tail and continued deeper into the bar, refusing to look back at the mess behind him. Traveling down a side hallway, he turned a corner and continued up a flight of stairs. Not too soon after he stopped, gazing in confusion at a door peeked open just down the walkway. Flashing lights were shining through the cracks, drawing him in closer. He tried to hold himself back, but the curiosity was simply too much. He cracked in seconds and snuck a glance through the door. Grabbing his glass, he gasped, darting through as he noted the complete contrast between this space and the room he was just in. Now this is a real club! He thought, flying through the door with an eager grin. Before him was a room packed with dancing ponies, many dressed in sharp suits and stylish tops. On his right were a scattered collection of elegant oak tables with crimson, emerald, and cyan lamps, flashing sporadically. Cushions were tucked atop each stool, looking like a perfect place to rest your hooves after a long night of dancing. Gazing up, he spotted a spiralling disco ball, twirling glinting lights and dazzling sparkles around the room. Each tile on the floor was painted over, covered by shadows as each curtain in the room was shut tight. This section was a treasure that was hidden away from the rest of the city, and Ace had just found the jackpot. It wasn’t long before he dashed over to the dance floor and began grooving, hopping atop his tail and closing his eyes to block the harsh lights. Drops of liquid dripped from the drink in his forepaw. It also didn’t take long before numerous ponies took notice of the new intruder. Ponies froze from where they were dancing and watched as the Raichu simply continued, twirling and darting amidst the checkered ground. His grin never faltered, even as he opened his eyes and glanced around, noticing the abundance of stares he was receiving. he called, forgetting that the other clients could only hear, “Rai, Raichu, Rai!” All among the bar, ponies began whispering, asking questions to one another with a hesitant tone, unsure of if he posed a threat. “Is she… the Heroine of Manehattan that the newspaper wrote about?” shouted a rowdy stallion from the further back of the room, only for the patrons around him to scowl, displaying glares filled with fury. The atmosphere became tense in a manner of seconds. Ace repositioned his rear legs as he turned towards the approaching crowd, which formed a quick circle around him. A few ponies shut the curtains before joining in, disgusted expressions visible on each stallion’s face. Most mares left the dance floor and sat upon the collection of stools, grabbing their drinks and sipping as they waited for the show to start. His confusion only grew as each patreon took out any weapon available. Ponies ranged from grabbing whatever was closest, such as a rusty crowbar or wooden plank, to running over to their bags and grasping a variety of daggers and knives. At his left, he even spotted one taking out a shining axe with some sort of inscriptions written on the metallic-part. The axe itself sparkled with power, as if it was a powerful artifact rather than basic weapon. How thugs like this got their hooves on something like that, he had no idea. Some held their weapons in their magical grip, while other resorted to using their wings or hooves to hold them. He looked at the bits in his hold. Surely a group of thugs wouldn’t want to rob him for such pathetic scraps. Not that Coco wasn’t generous or anything! Was it mean of him to think of the bits his boss gifted him with as scraps, even if he did so for a mere moment? “The Heroine of Manehattan, such an honor to have you stumble upon our club. I must thank you for so willingly coming straight into our hooves.” A tall and rugged-looking stallion stepped out from behind the main gathering of ponies. His fur was a dirty bronze, with a short-cut mane and tail. He wore a stylish leather jacket and polished shoes, taking a viewer's attention away from the long scar that rested just below his eyes. A long and sharp looking sword decorated his flanks, matching the weapon he currently held in his hooves. Ace concentrated, attempting to single out this pony in the collection and talk to him. While communicating to more than one creature with telepathy proved difficult and tiring, a major weakness in this method of conveyance, having a boss-type pony to negotiate with somewhat solved the problem. I’m not Nica actually, he corrected, while raising his right forepaw to his chest and balancing his remaining bits on the other paw. My name’s actually Ace and I’m her brother. The boss looked taken back for a moment as Ace communicated with him, but he quickly covered it up. Scowling, he added, “I don’t know how you’re able to talk to me without moving your lips, but I couldn’t care less.” The stallion narrowed his eyes. “And I couldn’t care less if you’re that fat excuse of a rat or her brother.” He stomped, creating a deep dent in the floor, the loud thud being a threat for non-involved ponies to leave, fast. Half of the nightclub emptied in an instant, scurrying down the stairs and outside. The bartender walked upstairs in a hurry, grabbing the most expensive wine with his forehoof on the way, before darting back down and leaving along with the rest. Ace merely rolled his eyes, inwardly laughing at the stallion’s attempt to look tough as he took a sip from the glass propped up on his tail. “Your sister ruined our proud family. Before she arrived, we were ruling a small chunk of the city while shaking down the rest. We were feared by others, respected along with the highest gangs and most importantly, disgustingly rich. Now we’re but a scrap of our former glory.” He angrily stomped with both of his hooves, causing a small quake that only Ace didn’t feel, thanks to his levitation. “Your sister ruined our family, so it is only fitting we’ll ruin hers. Get ready to die, scum!” He roared, unleashing a loud war-cry before he pulled a sword from the scabbard resting on his saddlebag. A meter-long, sharp weapon was held by his teeth a moment later as his armored company slammed their weapons against the floor, most likely a warm up before they would slam it against the levitating pokemon. Ace remained calm, observing the furious ponies. I wonder; do sharp and blunt attacks with crowbars, baseball bats and sharp swords count as a steel attack, normal attack, or as a fighting move? I have resistances against two out of three, and thankfully normal attacks aren’t super effective. He tilted his head to the side to evade a thrown dagger, slightly wincing as it scraped his perked ear. Ok, then. Swords and daggers, definitely a steel attack. A couple more thugs threw their weapons, badly missing the Raichu even as he became distracted. Actually, I wonder why there’s no sword-like steel move. There’s ‘Sacred Sword,’ but it's a fighting move, which I still question to this day. Upon seeing the massive stallion jump up while swinging his equally massive sword, Ace’s ears flashed with his trademark silver aura, and so did his eyes. The large sword snapped in half like a twig while the stallion bounced against the ceiling, leaving a hole in it. Screams of panic could be heard from the other mob members as their fearless boss was tossed around like a ragdoll. A sharp sound reached his ears, and when he looked down, he noticed his glass had shattered on the floor, the drink spilling out. Oh come on! He thought, glancing down at his remaining bits and realizing he didn’t have enough to purchase another. With a reluctant sigh, he turned back and focused on the current battle. Ace grit his teeth, attempting to stay balanced on his tail as ponies from all around rushed him, jumping up and swinging their weapons in a feeble attempt to knock the pokemon down. Ducking down, he swerved underneath an incoming stallion and picked him up in his telekenetic grasp. The brute screamed, struggling with reckless abandon to free himself, though it proved useless against Ace’s unyielding grip. Swinging, he vaulted the pony into a large group of others, throwing all of them backwards. A knife bounced against his back, leaving a small visible mark, though looking like a tiny scratch or bug-bite when compared to his usual post-battle wounds. Turning around, he spotted another group, dashing towards him, eager to avenge their boss. Ace squinted his eyes and let his cheeks spark, though before he could release his electricity, a few members were able to sneak up behind him. Taking their daggers, they begin slashing at the levitating Raichu, refusing to relent for even a second. He winced, enduring the piercing damage, as well as a clear hit from a club making contact with the back of his head. With a scream, he released a bright charge of electricity, that struck true. Every mob member in the room screamed as the high voltage ran through their bodies. The thugs attacking him were on their backs, limbs twitching. When he stopped, he looked around and surveyed the damage. Ponies all around him were burned and scorched from his attack, many also wearing a variety of bruises from being tossed around the room. Just as he turned to leave though, a thug jumped up, stumbling on his own hooves. A couple followed and desperately tried to retrieve their weapons and continue the fight. Ace displayed a toothy smile and exclaimed, He grinned, spreading his forepaws out wide while narrowing his eyes. Bolts of electricity escaped his cheeks as the lining of bruises on his fur added a major boost of intimidation factor. The brutes, now realizing just what the mouse-like creature could do, couldn’t help but unconsciously back up, nervous to challenge the Raichu once more. Giving a smug smirk, he gestured towards the mob ponies, standing up one at a time, before declaring, “You won’t make me talk scum, do your worst!” Ace rolled his eyes as he floated in the shadow of the massive statue, the same one he marveled at when first arriving in the city. He levitated a large stallion upside down above the water whose hooves were neatly tied up by two ropes. While a few bruises were present on Ace’s fur, many more burns covered his captive, adding to the scar under his eye. After keeping the head of the stallion underwater for around ten seconds, he pulled him up and asked, I heard you ponies were setting buildings on fire whenever the ponies living there didn’t pay their “protection fees." He lowered the stallion for another ten seconds before continuing. Not that I approve of any methods of violence, but what happened to the good old ‘sleep with the water pokemon’ methods? Did using water to dispose of victims go out of style? I mean, what do you guys have anything against water? “You can drown me as much as you want,” The boss sputtered, spitting out a stream of water. “I won’t sell out my brothers!” Ace shrugged. He lowered the stallion again, adding two extra seconds each time he repeated the progress. After his fifth underwater venture, the mob member coughed out more water and shouted in a female-sounding voice, “What is the meaning of this?!” Ace’s eyes snapped open as he was greeted by a familiar face. He stood up, now balancing on his rear paws as he stood atop a staggered pile of unconscious thugs. He placed his forepaws on his hips and indignantly spoke in the cop’s mind. I was daydreaming a good ole’ fashioned interrogation and you ruined it. Thanks a lot. His ears drooped in disappointment. Due to his good-hearted nature, his imagination was the only option to see himself as a hardcore, anti-hero badass. His sister’s teachings had quite a big role as well. Copper Top approached with firm steps while more police officers entered the nightclub, warily holding their weapons in front of them. She gestured at the pile of bodies and exclaimed, “I will ask again, what is the meaning of this!?” Ace took a deep and calming breath before sitting on his levitating tail and facing the officer. Just a bunch of tough brutes trying to avenge their leader. He placed his forepaws on his hips and raised his head in pride. They thought they could take down Nica’s family member, the spectacular Ace! They were wrong. “Are they… ?” she questioned, tilting her head towards the stack of fallen thugs. They’re fine. Just a bit shocked, Ace responded, giving a small chuckle at his own joke before patting the matted mane of the unconscious leader. “Are you…?” I’m fine. Just a few scratches. Using fighting and steel attacks against a psychic and electric pokemon is a bad idea. These guys obviously didn’t do their homework. “Okeeey…” Copper Top glanced at the numerous weapons scattered on the floor, and then estimated the damage done to the establishment: A few broken bottles leaking expensive cider or wine were scattered about the floor, while some burn marks were scorched into the walls and counter. Numerous tiny holes, about the size of a hoof were punched into the floor, along with some burnt tapestries and broken tables. Looking up, she noticed a pony-shaped mark on the ceiling. As weird as it sounded, there was surprisingly little damage done to the establishment considering the supposed number in the battling party. How was this place still standing was a miracle already. “How about you come with us and leave a statement at the police station? Considering all the weapons lying around, it looks like you were the victim here, but we still need to question you.” Sure, lead the way, Ace said before picking up half of the unconscious ponies with his ’Psychic’ attack, levitating them above the ground and depositing them into the officer’s custody. Just make sure to tell Miss Coco about my achievement. I was supposed to meet with her in the park nearby and she’ll get worried if her secondary assistant goes missing. Copper Top lowered her glasses, giving the Raichu an incredulous look. “You’re working for Miss Coco now, while taking down mob members? Talk about history repeating itself.” “He did what?!” Coco shouted in shock before dramatically placing a forehoof on her forehead and fainting off to the side. Quiet Leaf and Copper Top looked down at her in pity as the fashionista now lay in a crumpled bed of lilies and roses. “Oh dear…” They both sighed, glancing at each other before helping the fallen mare to her hooves.