Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Live And Let Live

After far too long of a wait, and a brief pause for some parody humor. I have finally written the next segment of my story. I'm sorry about leaving you people in suspense, but I just couldn't get this written until now. I tried many times, but the words wouldn't come. I'm now happy to say that the writer's block has passed. So without further interuption, the next segment of Live and Let Live.



"What's going on?!" Ash demended.

"He he he," Lance chuckled, low and demonic. "I did it..." he whispered to himself. "I actually did it..."

"Answer me!" Ash insisted.

"Huh?" Lance looked down at the group of people below him. "Oh! Fancy meeting you here..." He paused to think. "Ash, isn't it? And you two are Brock and Misty, right? And if it isn't my friends and fellow G-Men, Morty and Eusine!"

"What have you done?" Eusine questioned. There was nothing but hatred in his voice.

"So much for warm welcomes." Lance was growing tired of toying with them anyway. During their conversation, Team Rocket had been sneaking up on him with a fishing net. "To make a long story short; this device stole her powers, gave them to me, and now I can do this." Team Rocket sprang at Lance, but while they were still midair, Lance turned to them and pointed his right index finger at each of them, one by one. Each of them recieved the same treatment. A thin beam of red light shot from his finger into their chests. They fell like lifeless rag dolls into the water where the current pulled them into the pool below.

Eusine, Morty, and Ash gasped in disbelief, Misty let out a high-pitched squiel of astonishment, and Brock shouted, "You're a monster!"

"Now, now, there's no need to hurt my feelings. I'm just taking over where Ho-oh left off."

"But you killed her!" Misty cried.

"Details, details," Lance shrugged.

"I won't let you get away with this!" Ash stated. "Bayleef, go!" He threw a Pokéball into the air. "Vine Whip!" Imediately after she appeared outside of her ball she commenced her attack.

"Gyarados, go!" Lance acted at the same time as Ash. Lance's red-hued Gyarados appeared from his confinement. He didn't need Lance to give an order to know what to do. Bayleef screamed as her vines were caught within the Gyarados' vicious teeth.

During this time, Morty had also been planning his attack. "Gengar, now!" Gengar rose from the ground behind Lance; firing a Nightshade attack at him. The attack would have been strong enough to leave Lance in spasams for several minutes if it had made its mark. Instead, Lance sprung away into the air, hovering out away from the waterfall and above the pool below.

"You can fly?" Misty gasped.

"I told you; I've taken all of Ho-oh's abilities."

Gengar and Bayleef both launced their second attacks. Bayleef withdrew her vines, knowing full well that if Gyarados maintaned his hold on her, his weight would cause her to be drawn to him. Her gamble was correct. Gyarados continued his vice hold and Bayleef was flung towards him. She used her own momentum to slap him with a painful Body Slam. The Gyarados took the attack right in his face. His grip was loosed and Bayleef broke free, landing atop the waterfall.

Gengar flew up to Lance, launching Nightshades, Confuse Rays, and other various attacks while dodging Lance's flurries of fire attacks. In the same manner Ash barked order after order to Bayleef while she battled against Gyarados. As the finishing move, Bayleef wrapped her vines around Gyarados' neck and forced him off the precipice they were on. As he fell, Bayleef continued her choke hold on him and stood on his back, riding atop him until they landed in the pool below. She then removed her vines from around his neck and jumped away onto the soft sand of the shore. Gyarados had fainted.

"No!" Lance screamed. He, too, descended to the shore. "This ends now..." He pointed his finger at Bayleef.

"Gengar, block it!" Morty ordered. Gengar hurriedly placed himself between Lance and Bayleef. Terror was in his Gengar's face as a thin red beam of light pierced his heart. He slumped to the floor then slowly dissapated into nothingness.

What just happened?" Ash quieried.

"He killed my Gengar..." Morty replied slowly.

"But Gengar's a ghost, isn't it?" Brock asked.

"Not exactly," Eusine replied.

"It's a Ghost-type Pokémon," Morty started to explain. "Ghost Pokémon aren't actually ghosts. They are just dubbed Ghost-type because they don't fit into any other catagory and they demonstrate abilities similar to those of fabled ghosts, spirits, wraiths, poltergeists, any many other types of apparitions.

"They can travel through walls because they have the ability to break apart their cells and pass through at a microscopic level. This is what gives the appearance of corporeal intangibility."

"Corporate tang?" Ash asked hopelessly.

"Corporeal intangibility is when something can be seen but not touched, such as light.

"That teamed up with other abilities, including weightlessness, invisibility, no shadow, and making people hallucinate have caused most scientists to believe that Ghost-type Pokémon are really Psychic-types with far more advanced abilities."

"Lovely speach," Lanced mused, "but I really must be going. So, I bid thee -- Aarghg!" Lance's farewell was cut short by Bayleef blindsiding him with a Body Slam. Before Lance had fully realized what had happened to him, he shot a flurry of his "Death Rays" in a panicked rage. Three of them hit their marks.

Bayleef...

Gyarados...

Misty...
 
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Well so far the wait seems worth it, just hope we dont have to wait another Month to get the next chapter. I know to well that people have lives outside of this forum (amazing but true lol). I cant always get to my story either, even though I would like too write more, and I know there are a few people who would like to read more. Keep up the good work on yours, this is by far my favorite with one exception (still sorta partial to mine, =}). Hope to see more soon....

Spec
 
It's about time. Looking good. I'm working on a story as well, but you won't see it here. I'm just to lazy to put it here, that and I haven't worked on it for a some time now. But a idel for a new story has poped into my head and I think i'll put I here:)
 
Just so you people don't think I'm skimping out on you, here is what has been going on. I have been working on this next part of the story. It will be the final portion and it will be huge! To put it into perspective, the first four seconds of the next part take about three hundred fifty words. I'm trying to make this next section perfect so bear with me. I need to make sure the flash backs are accurate so I'm going off to study now. I'll have the next part up as soon as I can.
 
Spectreon said:
Sure, uh-huh, yeah.... You know you enjoy torturing us!!!! =P

Ok, hopefully done soon........ cant wait....
Click to expand...

He wouldn't do that. He has to get it up before he leaves for two years >_<
 
It has come at long last. The conclusion to Live and Let Live. It has been a great and enjoyable experience. I will post my closing notes tomarrow, because it is 3 A.M. and I need sleep. Until then, enjoy the story.



Misty didn't make a sound as her life was drained from her save be it a sudden exhalation when the force of the blast hit her chest. Her arms and head jerked forward as she toppled gracelessly to the cool, damp ground. A soft thump, barely audible over the crashing water in the background, carried aimlessly to everybody present. For a moment time itself seemed to be taken back by the event, because the action - lasting but a second or two - carried on for what appeared to be an eternity. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly ajar as her frame laid haplessly across the sand.

"Misty..." Ash whispered, barely able to make a sound at all. An amalgam of emotions and memories flooded Ash at once. Fear. Sadness. Loss. Anger. Love. Astonishment. Ash fell into a trance-like state as his memories of this girl engulfed him...

-- "Hey, that's my bike!"

"I'll give it back someday!" --

-- "Look what you did to my bike, Ash Ketchum!" —

-- "It looks like that Togepi thinks you're it's mother, Misty." --

-- "Hey, Ash. Did you notice that we're both under the mistletoe?"

"Huh? Gyaa!"

"Ash, where are you going?"

"To get some cookies!"

"But you just got some cookies!" --

..."Misty!" Brock shouted.

His scream brought Ash back to his senses. "No!" he screamed, running over to Misty's lifeless body. Falling to his knees in a feeble attempt to kneel beside her, he scooped her into his arms. Her head rested lightly on his chest. His rapid pulse resounded through his chest into her. He rested his cheek on her soft red hair and tears began to fall unrestrained down his face until they met with her head. "Oh, Misty..." he managed to say between sobs, his voice barely a whisper. She's still so warm. The thought came to Ash as if not his own. In fact, none of the slew of emotions of thoughts that he was experiencing felt as if they originated from him. He was empty inside, other than this continuous flow of sensations from some outside source. Ash was as empty - as hollow - as the person he held to his breast. The excitement, curiosity, ambition, and sheer youthful energy that consumed his every waking moment had forsaken him just as his best friend, traveling partner, and closest companion had.

Ash wasn't the only one to take Misty's death hard. Brock stood paralyzed. His eyes were tightly closed so that he didn't have to see the horror that lay before him. Still, his tears found their way out, patting softly on the floor. He had lost the one person who knew what was best for him, the person who had kept him in check when his hormones got the better of him. He had lost his very conscience.

Morty and Eusine also felt remorse, for the loss of any life was a great loss indeed. Most surprisingly, none of the afore mentioned people was the one who felt the blow come the hardest at all.

"What have I done?" Lance asked himself, siting haphazardly on the beach. He knew that there would be people who would oppose this "gift" he was giving the Pokémon League. For that's what he thought he was doing, giving a "gift." He was planning to help the world by healing the injured, people and Pokémon alike, granting longevity, speeding up decomposition to improve the ecosystem. But he didn't realize that he would need to slay so many so soon. If he had taken the lives of eight beings in only twenty or so minutes, haw many more must suffer the same fate? Images of his victims flashed through his mind. The helplessness in Ho-oh's eyes. The unsuspecting innocence of the Meowth and the two teenagers. Gengar's terror. Gyarados' pure confusion. That Bayleef's resentment. Misty's shocked, wide eyes. Why? Why did it hurt so much? Why did they sacrifice everything? An immense sorrow racked his soul as he came to the realization of his mistake. "How could I have been so foolish?" he asked aloud, finally understanding that this power was never meant for man, for men fall easily under pressure. He finally understood the consequences he had brought upon himself. He finally understood what must be done. His eyes welled up with tears, then spilled over as he decided. He slowly and shakily drew his trembling left hand up from the ground. "I'm so sorry..." he lamented as he pointed towards his chest. "I'm so very sorry..." His finger started to glow red as he channeled his aura to his fingertip.

"Wait." The voice stopped Lance, forcing him to look at the person who had caused him to hesitate. It was Ash.

"But I..." Lance was unable to formulate any more of a sentence than that. "W-Why?"

"Just don't," Ash replied, having lifted his head up. "Haven't you done enough already? Haven't enough people died because of you? I can't sit by and watch you take another life. I just can't... There has been too much death today.

"Life is a precious and beautiful thing. All life, no matter what kind, is too valuable to waste. The miracle of life is unmatched by any other force. The tiniest of seeds has the potential to grow into a towering tree. That same tree could grant life to many other creatures. From growing it's own seeds, to providing a safe place for Pidgey to make their nests, to providing shelter for a Cyndaquill caught in the rain, to cleansing the very air that we breathe. But that tree would never get the chance to thrive and provide if it were to be destroyed while still a sapling.

"In the same sense, your life should not be so easily cast away. You too may provide some great support to another life by some future decision."

"But this is what I deserve..." Lance said astonished.

"It very well may be, but that is not for you to decide." There was a sense of anger behind Ash's voice now. "Do you really think that killing yourself will make everything right in the world? No! And do you know why? Because they will still be dead!" Ash felt a lump in his throat as his anger was replaced with sadness once again. He held Misty tighter. "She will still be dead..." Tears started once again to fall. "You coward... You are too afraid to face what you've become. You're too afraid to live. You've seen first hand what death does to people. Now how would it be any different if you were to cause your own end? I know that there is somebody out there would be sad. There has to be somebody out there who cares about you enough to be grieved by your death. There just has to be. But you're too selfish and cowardly to care about them." Ash then became so overwhelmed in teas to say anything more. He just tucked his face back into Misty's hair and cried until all his tears were spent and he couldn't cry anymore.

"You're right Ash," Lance replied. "I have been a coward. It took a boy who loves all life to make me realize it, but it's true. Thank you, Ash." He dropped his hand back to his side. "You've convinced me to face life and whatever it may bring. That's because life is beautiful. I don't know why I couldn't see this before... But that doesn't change all that I have done."

"Um, Lance," Eusine, who had until now remained silent, said, "Does that device possibly work both ways?"

"Huh?" The question took Lance by surprise. After a moment's pondering he answered energetically. "Yes! I believe it does!"

"Good. Then, Morty, help me with Ho-oh, please." Morty and Eusine propped the god up to a standing position. Lance then removed his visor and placed it onto her. Then, pressing that same button that had gotten him into this mess, he activated the beam that earlier caused her demise. The light met Lance's eye squarely. Thus, he was paralyzed. After a brief time, the beam dissipated and Lance fell to the ground, barely conscious.

"Did... did it work?" Lance gasped.

"I... I don't know," Eusine replied.

But just then the lifeless bird spring to life, panicked. It took her a few minutes to come to realize all that had transpired.

Lance smiled at her then passed out.

Brock, Morty, and Eusine looked to Ho-oh, their eyes asking the question it took Ash to formulate into words. "Oh, please, Ho-oh, help us. Please give back the lives that were taken away today."

Ho-oh, having already decided to do so, cried out and spread her wings. An ember-like dust filled the air and slowly descended around the cave. A few of the ashes fell upon Ash - and Misty, being in his arms. When they touched Misty they glowed a pale yellow then disappeared. Slowly, her chest began to move as she started to breathe again. Then she closed her eyes tight and rubbed them. They were quite sore and dried out. "What happened?" she mumbled.

"Misty," Ash said, contented.

"Was I..." she opened her eyes again and looked up into his smiling face.

With a shock, they both realized the situation they were in. Misty, wearing nothing more than a rather revealing swimsuit was staring soulfully into Ash's eyes which were bloodshot from crying over her passing. While Ash, staring back at her with the came contentedness, embraces her tightly. "Gyaa!" they both exclaimed, jumping away from each other.

"What were you..." Misty cried.

"I can't believe..." Ash cried at the same time.

"Bay!" Bayleef cried, plowing Ash over.

"Oh, hi, Bayleef!" Ash said laughing, relieved to have the situation changed. Getting back to his feet, he turned to Ho-oh. With a pure sincerity in his heart he said, "Thank you. Than you for everything."

Ho-oh looked at Ash, then turned and flew away, outside the grotto. Ash ran outside to see her off. He saw her fade off into the distance. In her wake a rainbow was born. A symbol of life and rebirth. A promise of peace to all those who see it.

"Where do you think she's going?" Misty asked. She had arrived there, along with the others to meet Ash.

"Probably some place safe. Someplace where she can live in peace. Someplace where she can be happy." Ash replied.

"She might be headed for Hoenn," Morty suggested. He guessed it from the direction she was flying.

"Hoenn?" Ash asked. "Where's that?"

South-west of here. In Southern Japan. There are a lot of interesting Pokémon there that you can't find anywhere else. Most importantly, there are a lot of place there that man has never been to, places where she won't be disturbed." Morty shifted the weight of Lance's unconscious body, which was being carried on Morty's shoulder, as an emphasis.

"Misty..."

"Yes, Ash?"

"I, uh... Will you please, uh..."

"Of course, Ash," Misty said, know what Ash was trying to ask her. "I'd never leave again. If I did, who would keep you out of trouble?"

Misty and Ash both giggled. Life was as it should be. And so, after spending the night at Tohjo Falls, they continued their journey to Viridian City.


The End
 
"It's been a long road...
Getting from there to here.
It's been a long time,
But my time is finally near.
I can feel the cange in the wind right now.
Nothing's in my way.
And they're not gonna bring me down no more,
No, they're not gonna bring me down." - "Faith of the Heart" (Star Trek: Enterprise theme)

This story has been a great accomplishment of mine. I rarely ever finish a story I start. I usually get distracted and another story pops into my head. But with the help of a loose deadline and the constant nagging from Joe and Spectreon I finally got this one concluded.

I'd like to give a special thanks to everybody who helped me write this. A thanks to Spectreon especially. If it wasn't for your enthusiasm for my story I probably would have dropped it. A thanks to Joe Monkey for actually slapping my upside the head when I hadn't written for several weeks. A thanks to The Anaconda for ruining my origional notes so that I wasn't able to write this story until it coincided with the creation of the Fan Fiction forum of the Pokégym. All though that isn't that big of a thanks... A thanks to my fifth grade teacher, Sr. Franco, for sparking my passion for writing. A thanks to Satoshi Tajiri for dreaming up a world so wonderful as Pokémon. A thanks to Charizard19190 for saying the one thing about my story that nobody else would. (I planned on making a wierd story and I did.) Finally, a big thank you goes out to all you people who have read my story.

In honor of all the support that you have givin to this story, I'd like to dedicate Live and Let Live to you, Spectreon.

Okay, now for some conclusive notes about Live and Let Live.

I origionally came up with the idea for this story about the time that Ash was taking care of the Larvitar egg. I had at that time known that Ash would lose to Harisen at the Silver Conference and that Misty, Ash, and Brock would go their separate ways when they got to Viridian City. The origional plan for this story was to make a fan fiction that would fit within the actual storyline of the show. I also wanted it to flow as though it were an actual Pokémon movie. Thus, there were some rules I had to follow.

1. - I couldn't directly alter the course of events for Pokémon.

2. - I needed to use a Legendary Pokémon.

3. - I needed some power hungry villian that people could relate to and feel some degree of sympathy and understanding for.

4. - I knew that my story went against 4Kids' editing guidelines, but I fell within the Japanese rating limits easily. Though, I did stretch those a bit too.

With that in mind, I decided that Ho-oh would be a prime candidate for the story since the other legendaries were taken. (Including Suicune who had her debut in the Eusine episode and Raikou who had his debut in the episode with Kenter and Marina.) Then I decided on a location. Since Tohjo falls isn't far from Mt. Silver and is somewhat on the way to Viridian City and that it hasn't ever been used or will ever bee used on the show I concluded that that would be the area. It took me a while to decide on a villian. I didn't want to make any new characters, because I've seen far too many new character fics which portray the new guy as some sort of god. (No offense Spectreon) For a while I thought of having Lawrence as the villian, but decided against it. Eventually I determined that Lance was the guy for me. After that I needed supporting cast and a storyline. Seeing as how Morty and Eusine were the most prominant characters of the Ho-oh legend (aside from it following Ash wherever he goes) it was imperative to include them. I also included Lawrence and the four other legendary birds as a side story. Then I spent a week or so wrestling with the creation of a loose storyline.

After I had a plot I wrote down the extended plot notes and formed it so that it would work as a movie. If you read carefully you can see the movie clichés. I had Ash battle some random trainer a few minutes into the story so that the TV theme song and credits could play during that time. Team Rocket, as in all movies, had such a small role it's not even funny. Ash gets very retoric and gives a big speach telling the moral of the story even though he probably wouldn't understand half the things he said had somebody else said them. In the end everything slowly returns to normal as the end credits roll and the Movie theme plays. (That reminds me. I should write a theme song. :p )

At that point I handed The Anaconda the notes for his comments. The next time I saw those notes they were in tiny illegible pieces... :mad: I wrote the first scene before he gave me back the notes. At that point the story had ended for the time being. The only part that survived was the conversation between Lawrence and Lance.

Then this forum came to be, but that was well after Ash had returned to Pallet Town. So this story was written in retrospect. An ironic side note. I didn't know that Ash would see Ho-oh flying to Hoenn in the break-up episode until I saw it, but I had planned on her going there anyway. :rolleyes:

I had followed the Pokégym guidelines for most of the story - each section pushing the limits further and further - until this last part. I decided that since this is the last part I would show you all exactly how I write a story. Thus Misty's death is much more graphic than any of the previous. Also I had Ash say a whole bunch of things that wouldn't normally be allowed on the 'Gym. (Talking about suicide isn't exactly what you would call "children appropriate.") I had written an essay for school once about my feelings on suicide and incorperated much of it into the story. So if this gets locked, so be it. It's over now so it doesn't much matter.

If you would like a copy of this story in it's entirety with all those pesky typos edited out and with my real name as the author just PM me and I'll email it to you in Word Perfect format or as a Word document, which ever you prefer.

With that I bid you farewell and happy travels. Remember, Life is Beautiful!
 
Whew, Great story, although I have said anything yet about, let me say this: I have been waiting this last chapter for so long, waiting for the climax, following the story (etc.) So thank you for a wonderful read.

Treecko
 
WOW, I am imperssed, and *blushes* shocked..... very well written... and with all the "Nagging" we did (me and Joe especially =P), you cant blaim us... I mean look at it.... And thanx for the dedication is all I can say... *blushes some more*... though I dont think I had very much to do with this well thought out story....

btw
I didn't want to make any new characters, because I've seen far too many new character fics which portray the new guy as some sort of god. (No offense Spectreon)
Click to expand...
... not sure if I should tke offense to that or not.... oh well.... My character is basically a loose interpreation of me (he has one of my many nicknames)... And I am defenitely no god. At least not yet... errrr.... ummmm, yeah......

Maybe we will get to see other works from you in the future, I hope.... thx again....
 
Well... TFK does have more storys but we probly won't be seeing them for a long time
-_- <--Blue
 
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I do have otherr stories... But they aren't appropriate for this board. They are very violent... Or at least most of them are. The one's that aren't deal with topics that also would not be allowed on this board. I only follow two rules when I write. Don't swear and no "adult situations." Now I do have adult themes but not content.

I really don't think I'll be writing another story for this board. On February 25th I will be going on a religious mission. I'll be gone for two years. Just so you know, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I won't say any more on the matter so that I can stay within the limits set up by this board.
 
i just read the story and it rock ive only got one problem, y couldnt u leave them all dead and then leave lance to finish the job

oh im sry i just looove steven king like horror tragedy stories. this is hands down one of the best stories ive read here, regardless the ending oh and could u send me the rated R version :) lol j/k keep up the good work.

jon

ps. u wouldnt be gonna start another story anytime soon would u?
 
I didn't let them stay dead because I meade sure this story fits inside the TV show's storyline. This takes place after the Silver Conference and before Ash and Co. arrive in Viridian City. Plus the irony of Misty saying she will never leave the group when she does in the next episode is just too much to resist.
 
I'd like to apologize for my terrible comment earlier. If you hate me, that's understandable. Sincerely sorry,

Kasanova
 
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