//------------------------------// // Morning (Day 2) // Story: A New World, A New Conflict // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// The city of North Petalburg…. IS UNDER ATTACK! The human citizens fled for their lives. They pushed each other out of the way in a vain attempt to save themselves. It mattered not. The red beam of death rained down upon them, incarnating them into nothing but ash. Their attack was a giant, cyborg Kingler that slowly advanced through the populated area. It punched buildings, stepped on cars, and pretty much made itself a bloody nuisance to everything…Well, except when it crushed a mime. There wasn’t really a loss there. Amongst this carnage, the death, the utter devastation, a voice carried itself over all of it. It was laughter, one that you could call ‘insane’ if you didn’t know the owner. Well, you still could, but not to his face. It was none other than Commander Sev who piloted the giant cyborg Kingler of death. His tail push a series of levers that pretty much looked random. “Yes,” he hissed in triumph. “Flee. Flee before your better, humans. None can stand before the awe inspiring might of Arceus’s blade!” He laughed some more as the Kingler fired lazers out from its eyes. He was loving every second of this. Finally his revenge was at hand…tail…yeah that. ‘And they doubted my giant cyborg Kingler plan. I AM A GENIUS!’ But then everything stopped as though someone had hit the pause button. Commander Sev hissed in frustration, vainly trying to get his death cyborg back online. “Work you stupid thing. I command you.” “Pray tell,” a heavenly voice sounded beside him. “What is the meaning of all of this?” Sev’s eyes widened in surprise. Not many could surprise him, mind you. ‘Only the stealthiest of vermin dare to surprise me.’ Turning his head, he was surprise to see what appeared to be a blue, winged Rapidash. Her mane flowed like the night sky and her power…Her power… ‘She is a legendary. Of course she is.’ He glared at her. “What do you want, legendary? I am in the middle of basking in my glory.” Commander Sev knew he ‘should’ play nice with her. Legendaries were the children of Arceus, but so were the pokemon. Never had the legendaries risen up against the humans. Never had they helped save his brethren from being captured and put on display. To be traded and used to battle day after day with no relent. The humans got off scott free and the pokemon paid each and every minute for it. “I merely wish to converse,” the legendary said. Her voice beautifully chimed in the air and Sev couldn’t help but find himself at ease. “Is that so wrong?” Sev snorted. “Yes, of all times you wish to talk you choose now to do so? Where were you when the humans enslaved us? Hiding like the rest of your kind?” “I assure you,” the legendary glared at him, but he did not back down. He was the mighty Commander after all. “I hide from no one, be it beast or sapient.” “Lies,” Sev hissed. “All lies. That is what you legendaries say. You do not wish for our freedom. You do not wish for Arceus to be free once more. You all keep to yourselves like cowardly vermin. That’s what you are and that’s what you will always be.” “Commander Sev, I am not a legendary,” the legendary scoffed. “I am Princess Luna, an alicorn, a native of this world.” “This world?” Sev chuckled. “Are you going to try and trick the great and powerful Commander Sev into believing that this is an entirely different world? You may be powerful, but never shall you be so powerful as to trick me.” “Surely you must see reason,” Luna sighed. “There are no zebras or any of the creatures you have witnessed today in your world.” “LIES,” Sev hammered his tail against the cyborg frame. “Pathetic legendary worm lies! I am not one to be fooled. Not even in a dream…” He frowned. “A dream. That is what this is…” He sighed. “Leave me be. I have a world to conquer.” “It does not have to be this way,” Luna settled down next to him, but he did not move a muscle. “You have great potential for good. I see that. Why can’t you?” “I am the incarnation of goodness,” Sev boasted. “My path is always right.” “Killing is not the answer,” Luna pointed out. “What they did was wrong, but that doesn’t put you in the right to do the same to them. That is the path of evil.” “Evil is not a description that I, the chosen warrior of Lord Arceus, can be given,” Sev rolled his eyes. “The humans must pay and Arceus must be set free. That is my destiny.” “Arceus is free,” Luna said. “You lie!” Sev rounded on her. “He is trapped. Trapped by the infernal humans and only I can free him. It is my destiny for only I can pierce the voice. Are you going to try and convince me otherwise? You might as well say some random human trainer did it. I’m in need of a good laugh right now.” “I have met him earlier,” Luna narrowed her eyes. “And I advise you to stop with this worship of him. It is unhealthy. You will destroy yourself.” “Why do you care?” “I care for everyone,” Luna frowned. “Many may think differently, but I do care. I wish to lend you my hoof in friendship, Commander Sev. It would be wise to take it and maybe your bleak future can be averted.” “My future is not bleak,” Sev hissed. “I am the strongest commander that the world has ever seen. My legacy will last generations.” “That is not the best course to take. I know. My name is known through the generations as well. I tried to conquer the world, to put right what I thought was wrong.” Sev smiled. “It felt good, didn’t it? The power that change can bring.” “It did and that’s what disgusts me,” Luna grimaced. “I tried to plunge the world into eternal night. If I had succeeded, this world would have died. The path you walk is the same I did so many centuries ago….Minus the giant cyborg crabs.” “You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first,” Sev smirked. Luna chuckled. “Maybe a little…,” she frowned. “Think on this, Sev. Change is good, but only for the right reasons.” “My reasons are right and just,” Sev proclaimed. ‘Why is she so persistent?’ “Maybe…” Luna sighed. “Maybe…but you could be wrong.” “Why are you so urgent?” Sev hissed, reeling into an aggressive posture. “Why do you seek to divert me from my destiny?” “Because you remind me of me,” Luna snapped. “I too was blinded by my so called destiny. I didn’t take anyone else into consideration. I attacked, I killed, all in the name of my destiny. And do you know what I got? A thousand years trapped inside the moon. My soul wandering around with not but daemons to keep me comfort, but I was redeemed. You do not have the luxury of immortality. You do not have the luxury of the Elements of Harmony. This path will be the death of you.” “A legendary who cares?” Sev chuckled. “Who’d have thought? Maybe I will take heed, or maybe I won’t. My life is my own and no one will get in my way.” Luna stood up. “Then I will take my leave, but I will be back. Maybe one day, I can change you.” “Maybe you can join me instead,” Sev smiled. “A dreamwalker would be useful. Think of all the nightmares we could give the police. With them screaming at shadows, we can steal their jewelry. The humans will crumble without their shiny gems and only I, Commander Sev, will return them…If they leave us alone that is.” Luna blinked. “You wish to give the police nightmares, so you can steal jewelry, hold it for ransom under the condition that the humans leave forever?” “It is a great plan,” Sev nodded. Luna face-hooved. “I have my work cut out for me.” “Yes you do. I’m sure Hoenn has a lot of cops…At least, I think they would.” He tapped his chin with his tail. “Humans are pretty rowdy.” Luna just groaned in response. “Glad you agree with me.” “Just…” Luna sighed. “Be careful, alright?” “I’m always careful…..” Sev’s dream was ended in pain. ___________________________________________________________________________ Lightning Dust couldn’t help but snuggle further into her bed. She had just woke from one of the most peaceful slumbers she had ever…slumbered. She didn’t know why, but she just felt so secure. So safe. ‘This scaly pillow is so comfy.’ She rested her muzzle against it. It was so smooth, so inviting. The scent from the scales was intoxicating and she couldn’t help but cuddle closer to them. Running her hooves over it, she felt a shiver run down her spine with the exoticness of it all. ‘Zebrica’s pillows are just made of awesome….Wait, scaly?’ She groggily opened her eyes to get a good look at her ‘pillow’. Low and behold, it was none other than Commander Sev. He was wrapped around her in a rather…Intimate embrace. She couldn’t help but blush a deep red. “Y-y-ou…” She stammered, both angry and frightened by the development. “CREEP!” With a mighty throw, she pushed him off the bed and herself. The snake groaned on impact and she quickly smacked him hard upside the head. “WHAT THE…” Sev roared, before Lightning punched him again. “What is the meaning of this?” He dodged another blow. Lightning’s blush hadn’t gone away as she kept swinging wildly. “You. Me. Bed.” Sev stopped himself and blinked. He smirked. “Well, well, well, you finally wish to have some of the Commander?” Lighting answered him with a clean uppercut. Sev rose up into the air, before hitting the floor. “YOU IDIOT! I’d never sleep with a guy like you.” Commander Sev groaned and Lightning kicked him again before heading out of her room. ______________________________________________________________________ *A few minutes earlier, outside the room with the king* “Your Majesty,” Ahmos scowled. “Bringing these…beasts to the capital is a terrible idea. They will cause havoc.” King Trotankhamun sighed. “As I’ve told you a million times, they are to work with our own forces dealing with rouge ‘Pokemon’. We need them, Ahmos. We have no idea what the rest of their race is like and I am not going to start a war over a misunderstanding.” “A war is inevitable,” Ahmos muttered. “They are foreigners. They will seek to destroy us. We might succeed, we might, but even then, the other nations will be hounding us like piranha after a sick cow. We need to act now before they have time to group up, not to mention the other nations.” “No one is going to war,” King Trotankhamun glowered at his commanding general. “Until my last breath, Zebrica will know only peace. That I assure you.” Ever since he had awakened, the young king had been pestered by Ahmos to ‘deal’ with the Pokemon. His methods were…questionable to say the least. ‘Sometimes, I wonder what my father was thinking when he put this guy in charge.’ Ahmos opened his mouth to argue, when Lightning Dust opened up her door. She was angry and…blushing? “Miss Dust,” King Trotankhamun grinned. “It is so good to see you. I hope you had a good night’s sleep.” Her blush grew tenfold. “For the most part.” Commander Sev groaned in pain as he slithered out of the room. King Trotankhamun’s eyes widened. “Miss Dust, Commander Sev, I had no idea you two were a couple. If I had, I’d have made sure you received a couple’s sweet. I’m truly ashamed for breaking you apart.” “IT”S NOT LIKE THAT!” Lightning yelled. “He snuck into my bed. “Because I thought she was lonely,” Sev hissed. “She looked so cold… I assure you, I did not try anything so…heinous. I am not a lecherous human.” “Not lecherous?” Lightning scoffed. “Yeah right. You just wanted a piece of my tail.” “I’d rather have your face actually,” Sev said. “It’s far prettier and I can actually talk to it. Can’t talk to a tail.” Lightning’s blush was so red, King Trotankhamun thought it had turned into a tomato. “Sh-shut up, idiot.” She stomped her way past everyone else. “Should I ask?” King Trotankhamun asked the serpent. Sev shook his head. “No, I think not.” “By the way,” Trotankhamun said. “How come I can still understand you? Your sister surely can’t keep up the translation in her sleep.” “She can,” Commander Sev grinned in pride. “My sister is strong, stronger than any psychic type that one can find. General Gard has taught her well, but she has even surpassed he who can tear apart an armored caravan in mere seconds. Truly, she is blessed by Arceus himself, though that is not a surprise. She is related to me, blood or not.” “Right,” the young king said. ‘I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I’m just going to nod my head and pretend I do…Just like a real politician. ZING!’ Unbeknownst to him, his council all grew slightly more agitated than they already were. “When shall we see your capital?” Sev asked. “Not but mere hour from now. We’re almost out of the forest.” the young king smiled. “I’m sure you’ll love Cairo once you see it with your own eyes.” Sev snorted. “Maybe.” Ahmos scowled. “Maybe? Not many outsiders have seen the majesty of Cairo. You should be honored.” “It is you who should be honored,” Commander Sev puffed himself so he looked bigger. “They will know the might I possess and they will know that they are protected by the PLA. The Zebricans will see that there safety is assured when our banner flies over their heads.” “I know I do,” the young king smiled. While he still had his trepidations, Commander Sev seemed like a decent fellow, if not eccentric. ‘This may just work out after all.’ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Lightning grumbled as she not so quietly made her way further into the train. If she were an earth pony, no doubt in anyone’s mind she would be denting the floor in her silent rage. ‘Stupid cuddly snake..Wait, he’s not cuddly...but he was...GAH!’ “The Commander giving you a hard time?” Ag stuck her head out from a room. Lightning glared at her, not afraid to show the giant metal beast some of her anger. “He was in my bed.” Ag sighed and walked out into the hall. Lightning was actually surprised that she didn’t have to break anything in order to fit. “Darn. I hoped he wouldn’t try it again.” “What are you talking about?” “The Commander wishes to have you as his mate,” Ag explained. “WHAT?!!” Lightning jumped back in shock. “Yeah,” Ag nodded. “Otherwise he’d have rather slept on the floor. The guy doesn’t like others touching him or anything without his permission. Only his sister and mom get a free pass. If he slithered into your bed, he sure wants you bad.” “Well I’m not interested,” Lightning looked away with a small blush. “Yeah, he’s not the type to take no for an answer,” Ag chuckled. “If there’s one thing I know about the Commander, he’s stubborn. He once took on a Tyranitar all by himself because it blocked his way to his favorite watering hole.” “That doesn’t sound that stubborn,” Lightning scoffed. “I’d have kicked...whatever that thing’s butt if it was blocking my favorite place.” “The Commander could have simply gone around,” Ag pointed out. “There were other paths and routes, but Commander Sev preferred that one. Something about it being sentimental and all. So, he fought the beast.” “Did he win?” “Surprisingly yes,” Ag nodded. “The Commander may not look it, but he’s a tough bastard. You could spend all day beating him into the ground, but he’ll get right back up and press on. His will is his strongest asset and it let him outlast the Tyranitar.” “What happened to it?” Lightning asked. “The Tyranitar.” “The Commander offered him a position as one of his personal bodyguards,” Ag smiled. “He was a great fighter, I tell you that. If I wasn’t already taken…” Lightning frowned. Ag was fantasizing about something and the happy expression on her face wasn’t giving Lightning the best mental picture. “Okay, okay. Just stop with the fantasies.” Ag sputtered, blushing like mad. “Sorry, just dazed off for a second...Hope Gard doesn’t see those.” “Gard?” “My mate,” Ag grumbled. “He’s a psychic type so...yeah, I’m going to have to deal with that later.” “He’s the jealous type?” Lightning raised an inquiring eyebrow. “Like you wouldn’t believe,” Ag chuckled. “I don’t know why though. It’s not like I’d cheat on him.” She frowned. “We’ve gotten off topic.” “Yeah no,” Lightning frowned. “We haven’t because there isn’t a topic to talk about.” “And break the Commander’s heart?” Ag shook her head. “Oh no, I remember the last time that happened.” “The last time?” Lightning couldn’t think of anyone actually getting through Sev’s outer layer to actually break him. He seemed liked tough stuff. ‘Felt like tough stuff too...Wow, I really need a stallionfriend. I’m starting to think snake’s are hot...I do not have a fetish, he’s just being so stupid it’s effecting me.’ “She was a some prissy Delcatty,” Ag scoffed. “Couldn’t keep her nose out of the clouds, but the Commander fell for her. She used that to advantage, making him do everything for her and stuff like that.” Lighting had heard of mares like that. Ones that would use another’s love to manipulate them. It was sick and wrong in her opinion. “Eventually, the Commander found her with another Delcatty,” Ag sighed. “He never left his personal chamber for three weeks. You could hear his sorrow from all the way on the other side of the base.” “I’m so sorry to hear that.” “I know, it made sleep almost impossible.” Lightning rolled her eyes. “I meant about Sev.” “Oh yeah, but don’t tell him I said anything about that. He never admits that he cried like a little baby. He’s too prideful.” “Did any of your teach that no good Delcatty a lesson?” Lightning hoped for the answer. “His little sister,” Ag shivered. “She can be scary when it comes to messing with her family. You have to understand, she loves her big brother. She absolutely adores him and when she found out what happened….Let’s just say, the Delcatty broke the Commander’s heart, so Lia repaid the favor with the Delcatty’s mind. That little witch of a cat isn’t anymore a wild animal now.” “Whoa,” Lightning shivered in fear. “I thought Lia was too nice for something like that.” “She is,” Ag sighed. “But she just lost it. You should have seen the Commander. He loved her, he really did. If he is courting you, just give him a chance and if you don’t like him like that, let him down gently.” She balled her fists. “Because if you hurt him, I swear you’ll wish you’d never been born.” “Hey,” Lightning flared her wings in answer. “He came on to me. I’m not the one at fault here.” Ag let her shoulders go slack. “Sorry, got carried away. The Commander’s a dear friend...Just don’t want to see him get hurt again.” “And I won’t,” Lightning said. She sighed and looked away, her mind a little fuzzled. “Look, I may not want him now, but if he does want me, I guess I’ll give him a shot. I mean, he’s an idiot but he’s not that bad.” “Good,” Ag wandered off. “Now, where’s the dinner car. I’m star….” The train lurched to an abrupt stop, throwing everyone about. The last thing Lightning saw as she was thrown forwards was Ag’s back and then everything went dark. ___________________________________________________________________________ *deeper into the forest, near the lake* Two huge forms slumbered by their fresh kill. They were Tyrantrums, the fiercest predators that had ever lived. Their very snores shook the air. Not a single creature, native or otherwise, dared be anywhere near the apex hunters. They were at peace and they were going to stay that way. “Mommy!” A little male voice shouted. “Daddy! Matilda bit my tail.” “That’s cause you were being annoying,” a little female voiced back. “Nu-uh,” the male said. “Yeah-huh,” Matilda retorted. “Stop fighting,” the adult male grumbled, waking from his slumber. “Terrance, Matilda, this is beneath you. We are apex predators, we don’t go ‘nu-uh’, nor do we annoy our parents when they’re asleep.” “Sorry daddy,” the two Tyrunts replied. “Dear,” the female Tyrantrum stirred. “Don’t be so harsh with them. They’re just playing.” “Playing this early in the morning?” The male yawned, showing off his mighty jaws. “That’s not good for children.” The female snorted. “Not good you say, Viktor? Why, I remember not a year ago that we were playing a little game at this hour. You seemed to enjoy it very much so.” Viktor blushed. “Sue!” Sue giggled and licked her mate. “What are you guys talking about?” Terrance asked. “Probably stupid grown up stuff,” Matilda answered. “Yes,” Viktor grumbled through his blush. “Stupid grown up stuff. Why don’t you to go play somewhere else for a change. Mommy and daddy need to have a little alone time.” “But she bit me,” Terrance replied. “Did not,” Matilda glared at him. “Did so,” Terrance returned the gesture. “Stop this!” Viktor growled. “Go play in the forest. If you’re angry with each other, zip it. No doubt you can find some creature to take your frustration out on.” “But nothing too dangerous,” Sue said. “Okay,” the two toddlers ran into the forest, trying to be faster than the other. Viktor sighed and laid back down against his mate. “They are going to be the death of me.” Sue giggled. “You’re exaggerating. They’ll only be the ‘fossilization’ of you.” “I take it back,” Viktor grumbled. “Your jokes are going to be the death of me.” “Oh you know you love them,” Sue rested her head under his. “Yeah,” Viktor yawned. “I do.”