Pokémon Mars

Chapter 69: Sister Vs. Brother

Natsumi's Togekiss blocked Karot's Shadow Garchomp before it slashed her to death. She couldn't see its aura. She assumed it was using Outrage, which wouldn't affect Togekiss. It chilled her to the bone when Togekiss was pinned to the wall by Garchomp's scythes. It fainted as blood gushed from its wounds. Natsumi tried to return it. The beam from its Friend Ball fizzled to nothing. Garchomp let go. Togekiss slumped to the floor in a puddle of its own blood. It was motionless. It couldn't return to its Friend Ball because it was already dead.

Altair could, apparently, be ruffled. That enraged him. He pushed past Natsumi and lunged at Karot with his knife. Karot ducked, but he easily caught Poppy. He held the knife to her throat. She shrieked.

'Karot!'

'Harm another Pokémon and I'll kill your girlfriend!'

'Excuse me! Poppy is my wife!'

Osbert stepped around them to attempt to seize Karot. Natsumi pushed him.

'No! Let me beat him!'

She hurled her Milotic's Poké Ball. Its long, echoing cry filled the wrecked room.

'Let me make him wish he'd never been born! You really are lower than scum, Karot!'

'Maybe so, but only Almighty Arceus may judge me! Garchomp! Eliminating any enemy is appreciated, but it's her you need to kill! I'd rather keep her Pokémon!'

'You sound like Jahzeel Alnwick! You vile, pathetic little man!'

The brother Natsumi remembered was obsessive and spiteful, but he wasn't evil. She wondered if she was simply too young to see it then. How could he become so evil if it was never there to begin with?

'Milotic! Dodge! Use Ice Beam!'

Osbert yanked Natsumi from Garchomp's path. Milotic slithered under its legs and shot it with Ice Beam from behind. Garchomp fell flat on its stomach. Its scythes crashed into the floor. It flailed to free itself. Natsumi didn't wait. Milotic fired another Ice Beam. It hit Garchomp in the back of the head and knocked it out.

'I'm hardly a "little man," Natsumi. I've grown to 6'02", for your information! Go! Roserade! Use Shadow Down!'

A black aura choked Milotic to sharply weaken its defenses. Ice Beam left scraps of leafy skin on the floor around Roserade. Natsumi didn't encourage Milotic to dodge Roserade's next attack, Shadow Sludge. Foul, black sludge pelted Milotic. It was barely conscious, but the damage was reflected right back at Roserade by Mirror Coat. Roserade fainted. The remaining sludge flew at Karot. He sent out Breloom. By then, Natsumi assumed that all of his Pokémon were Shadow Pokémon and she was right. Breloom immediately knocked Milotic out as it was rammed by Shadow Break. A bone snapped. With hands trembling violently as her fingers brushed Togekiss' empty Friend Ball, Natsumi sent out her very first Pokémon, Infernape. It had been with her since she was two. It was as enraged by the killing of Togekiss as she was. Breloom charged. Infernape slowed it with a shield of flames and seized it in a headlock as it was burned. It delivered a vicious flurry of Fire Punches to the skull until Breloom fainted.

'Don't even think about whining about playing fair, Karot. You murderer! Because it's not your poor Garchomp's fault! It's your fault!'

'Oh, dear. Do you think so? I'd argue that it's Mom's or even Grandma's fault.'

'What?!'

'Perhaps you were blissfully unaware of how miserable she was with Dad, let alone of her boyfriend and favourite child, but I was not!'

'How dare you blame it on Mom?! However she felt about her marriage, she gave it everything she could! And she loved us all equally! She's a broken shell of herself since you left! But you would know all about favouring one kid over another, wouldn't you?! The way you've treated Sonnet is vile! He must be fucking overjoyed to know he's not yours!'