DARK SHADOWS
CHAPTER V: BUREAUCRAT
OR WARRIOR?
“Misty!”
Ash Ketchum shot out of bed in the early hours of the morning. The sun had
begun to rise over
“Misty!”
he screamed again.
Hailen, at
that time, opened the door and stepped inside. “Ash, calm
down.”
“Misty!
Where’s Misty?”
“You and I
are the only people in the room.” She whispered softly, placing a hand over
Ash’s cheek. “Just us.” She continued on.
At that
time she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and sat in the steel chair by his
bed.
“You got
pretty banged up last night.” She leaned in slowly and lowered her voice to a
soft whisper. “Do you remember anything?”
He stared
back at her blankly. Hailen thought he was thinking whereas he was examining
her as he always did.
Hailen
Fisker was everything to look at. She had brains and brawn. Her body was that
of a supermodel. Her long blond hair, with few dirty blond streaks, cascaded
down her shoulders and curved around her breasts. As for her face, the only
description was beautiful; with the accent of a jewel piercing above the left
side of her lip. And as for her body, she wore a white tank top that descended
just passed her breasts and hugged her torso tight. On the shirt it read ‘BAD
KITTY’. Black fingerless gloves were worn over her hands. And a bronze colored
belt with moon and star charms held up a pair of black pants that stopped at
her chrome accented black military boots.
“Ash? Are you okay?” she asked sweetly, touching his cheek gently once
more.
At last he
snapped out of his trance. The dirty thoughts of him and Hailen “together” were
finally gone. All he was left with was her sitting in front of him.
“Ash? Can you hear me?”
“Yeah. Sorry, Hail.”
Hailen
sighed softly. “You scared me.”
“How?”
“Well you
just zoned out there. I thought you would have a concussion after being hit
with that manhole-“
“Wha? What manhole?”
“You
really don’t remember do you?” Ash shook his head. “Man, we got our asses raped
last night by the Werewolves.” She continued with a chuckle.
“What
happened?” Ash asked with noticeable fear in his voice. “Is Brock alright? What
about Pikachu?”
“Both
fine. Brock is resting in his room and Pikachu is being revived. But last
night,” Hailen shook her head, “it was Hell on Earth. I couldn’t even begin to
count how many Werewolves attacked. I believe that I saw more last night than I
have ever seen in total.”
“How did
you make it out alive?”
Hailen
once more brought her voice down to a soft whisper like she was trying to keep
what happened a secret. “There was a woman. She saved
my ass. A Werewolf tried to pounce on me and it would have if she hadn’t
intercepted it.” Hailen took a breath and looked at Ash shocked. “She was good
Ash. Better than anyone associated with the Shadow Hunters. One woman took an
uncountable amount of Werewolves out with two
“What do
you mean? What else could she be? When there is a full moon all humans with
Werewolf blood Turn.”
“She
wasn’t a Werewolf. I’m pretty sure she was behind this too.” Hailen reached
behind her and pulled a folded note from her back pocket. She unfolded it and
showed it to Ash.
He read it
quickly, it wasn’t long anyway. But his eyes shot open when he saw who it was
signed by.
“Night
“I don’t
know. But we need to find out. We need her.”
And with
that, she leaned in and kissed Ash gently on his lips. He kissed back, placing
one of his hands behind her neck and one on her neck. This was new to both of
them. Never had they shared a kiss.
**********
The Tower
was quiet with only the sound of quiet assembly. Dozens of people, all pale,
sat in a massive living area sipping back on alcoholic beverages...and blood.
The furniture and styling of the room was classic Victorian, residing in dark
shades of black and red.
But their
conversations were soon brought to an abrupt hold. The twelve foot tall double
doors to the Tower were kicked open and crashed against the walls, knocking
pictures and shaking glass chandeliers that were bolted to the dark walls. And
there standing with the illumination of the full moon behind her was the woman.
She held her
She walked
causally through the living room, attracting all the glances from the members
of the assembly. And they continued staring on until she was veiled behind the
set of doors at the end of the area.
As the
woman walked down the long, narrow corridor past the living area, she was met
by another woman, Mercedes.
“Where
have you been all night?” Mercedes asked worried.
“What’s it
to you?” the woman replied harshly.
“What’s
with the attitude? It’s never like you to act like this.”
“Yeah,
well maybe I had a rough night.”
Mercedes
sighed. “Why does all the shit happen to you? I mean first your friends and
then the war growing at a massive level.”
The woman
bit her bottom lip, revealing her fangs, something she didn’t do in most
people’s presence. “Must you bring that up?”
“Sorry.”
With that,
the woman began walking back down the hall. But just before she took the first
turn she heard Mercedes cry out to her.
“Tristan
wants to see you.”
The woman
swiftly spun around and glared at Mercedes with her glowing blue eyes.
“You told
him?”
“Forgive
me, please, Misty. I had no intention to.”
Again,
Misty continued down the hall. She sighed softly, “Like I had no intention of
Tristan finding out.”
**********
“How could
you do this to me?” Tristan stood up from behind his desk and slammed his fist
on his desk, hoping it would make Misty jump. But she didn’t. She was too well
trained.
“I didn’t
do anything to you.” She replied cockily. “If anything I helped you. I helped
this war. Because of me there are dozens of Lycans lying dead-“
“Exactly!” Tristan sounded even more furious. “You know the Code, Misty! Why
don’t you ever follow it?”
“Because
this war won’t end if we don’t do our share. The Mortals need out help-“
With that
Tristan raised his hand and silenced Misty. “What have I always told you? Fuck
Mortals. They give one contribution a century. We don’t need them.”
“How can
you say that?” Misty inquired softly. “You, like me, used to be a Mortal!”
“But now I
know how much pleasure there is in being immortal. I never have to worry about
death-“
“Except by murder.” Misty added swiftly, making Tristan cock a brow.
“How were
you able to leave the premises without being detected?”
“My training. That’s all I’ll say.”
“It seems
your training is everything to you now. Too bad you didn’t have it back four
years past. Maybe you could have saved your friends. Instead now you’re fucking
with the Code to get back at the Lycans for stealing you from your friends.”
Now Misty
slammed her fist on the desk and glared at Tristan. “First off, fuck the Code!
It’s not like the fucking Lycans abide by it! And second, I couldn’t just leave
the Lycans to kill the Mortals-“
“So you
were protecting Mortals?”
“Damn
right!”
“O-“
“It was my
friends!”
Tristan
stared back at Misty with wide eyes that said he couldn’t believe her.
Misty
spoke through her gritted teeth. “You Turned me,
saying that I could have the power to avenge them. I gave up my life with them
by trusting you.”
“They
won’t be alive for much longer. Mortals fall like flies in
“Not any
more. And what was I supposed to do about the attack? Either fuck my friends or
fuck the Code! I chose the Code and because of that I slaughtered dozens of
Lycans.”
“You
interfered in a pack hunt!”
“No filthy
Lycan dog is Turning my friends! It’s hard enough
knowing they’re Mortals and I’m an Immortal. We’re different species now! And
if they Turn my friends then we’ll be warring species
too. Now I don’t give a damn what codes I have to break, how many Lycans I have
to kill, or how many pack hunts I interfere with. No fucking over-sized dog is
biting my friends!”
Misty
whirled around and proceeded toward the door, only to be stopped by Tristan’s
voice. “You’re not a Death Dealer. You’re eighteen, your training isn’t
complete.”
She peered
over her shoulder and smirked at Tristan. “You’re right. I’m not a Death
Dealer.”
And then
she was gone, leaving Tristan alone to go through the recent events. Never had
he heard Misty talk with such attitude or disrespect against him. This couldn’t
stand.
**********
Brock had
finally awoken in his bed room. His head body wasn’t in any serious condition,
but it still hurt. As he sat up he felt his head begin to spin as if he were
experiencing a treacherous hang over of some sort. His arms ached and his ribs
felt like they were piercing his organs.
“What
happened last night?” he asked of himself out loud, though he knew full well
there was no one in his room with him.
He decided to get out of bed, realizing it being three in the afternoon. So
with that he threw the covers off himself and set his feet on the hard wood
floor. The cold wood floor sent a freezing sensation up his legs and tingled his spine.
“God damn,
I need carpet.”
It wasn’t
long before Brock left his room, dressed in camouflage jeans, and a brown
t-shirts. His hair was still messy and he looked tired. As he walked down the
hall toward Ash’s room his boots thudded with each step he took. It was the
downside of military boots, anyone could hear you coming.
As he
approached Ash’s room just down the hall he placed his ear to the door to hear
if Ash was awake. He would probably still be sleeping after a night like the
previous. Hearing nothing, he quietly opened the door and peaked in, but no
Ash.
“Ash? You in here, buddy?”
“Excuse
me, are you looking for Commander Ketchum?” asked a soft female voice.
Brock
closed the door behind him and looked over the young dark haired woman wearing
a red dress and a white doctor’s coat.
“Yes I
am.” He said smiling.
“Well, he
was taken to the urgent care.”
“What
happened? I remember leaving him in his bed last night.”
“You did,
but Miss Fisker ordered that he be placed in urgent care, in case anything
should have gone wrong during the night. Plus, we decided to stitch him up to
help his wound heal faster.”
“Hailen
put him in urgent care?”
“That’s
right. Would you like me to take you there?”
Brock
looked down the hall back to his room. Only his room was down the hall. “Were
you coming to brig me down?”
“Yes sir.”
“Hailen’s orders?”
“No sir. I
just knew you didn’t know about the Commander’s status.”
It wasn’t
long before Brock and doctor reached the urgent care. In the short time he had
managed to find out her name, Amelia Trent, and he had managed to get a date
with her-something that never happened with Brock.
He entered
the room that was designated as Ash’s. It was a typical room too. Except for the fact that people never kissed in the medical rooms.
“Whoa!”
Brock shouted caught off guard.
Immediately
Hailen pulled herself off of Ash. The two looked at Brock shocked.
“What are
you doing here, Brock?” Ash asked embarrassed.
“One of
the doctors’s brought me here.” He replied smiling.
Ash
noticed this. So did Hailen.
“Why are
you smiling?” she asked.
“How do
you always get the hot girls?”
“Brock!”
“Thank you
Brock.” Hailen said high pitched.
“How do
you get the hot girls, Ash? I mean you got them all the time on our journeys.
And you had Misty; you were just too stupid to see it.”
“Who’s
this Misty you guys are always talking about? I mean I have never seen what she
looked like.”
Brock
again began to smile at Ash, and then he began chuckling when Ash tried to
cover up his uncontrollable blushing.
“Ash? Was she that cute?” Hailen asked, giggling at his rosy cheeks.
“When she turned fifteen.” Brock replied.
“So she
was a late bloomer?”
“Oh yeah. Really scrawny, short orange hair tied in a side pony tail-“
“Side ponytail!”
“Yeah. But she got rid of it and let her hair finally grow. And when she
turned fifteen she got her figure. She wasn’t scrawny anymore.”
“Do you
have a picture of her? I’d love to see what Ash’s girlfriend looked like.”
“She
wasn’t my girlfriend!” he retorted.
“Okay,
sorry. Your crush.”
Ash
growled at that shot.
“Don’t
worry Hailen, I’ll get you one later.”
“Thanks
Broco.” With that she turned to Ash and looked into his eyes. “She sounds nice.
Sorry you lost her.” She whispered softly. And then she kissed his forehead and
left the room.
**********
It was
nightfall once more. The full moon and the white stars sparkling in the open
skies shined down over
Only a few
people were enjoying the night sky. And those few people were either Immortals
or the Shadow Stalkers. All other Mortals were locked behind there doors and
hiding in their basements.
One of the
people gazing up at the night sky was a beautiful woman, with pale skin,
glowing blue eyes, and long black and orange hair that blew gently in the wind
that caressed her cheeks and dried the soft tears that cascaded down her
cheeks.
“Misty?”
She gave
no answer. But instead she continued gazing up at the stars, and being perched
on the black railing that were surrounding her quarter’s balcony.
“Misty?
I’m sorry.”
Still she
didn’t look. But it wasn’t like her to not be friendly to Mercedes, one of the
only Vampires that understood her. It was because both shared the same
invitation into the Vampire community. Both lost there friends to Werewolves
and they were bound and determined to avenge their friends.
“I guess
you want to be left alone.” And she took that as her leave.
“Wait.”
Misty said softly. “Don’t go.”
“Please
forgive me. I never meant to tell Tristan.”
“There’s
nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong.”
“But I
did. Because of me Tristan is furious with you.”
“He always
is.” Misty corrected. “Since the day I told him I wanted to be a Death Dealer.”
“Why is
that?”
“Because he’s a bureaucrat not a warrior.”
Mercedes stepped forward and leaned up against the railing looking
out over the right side of the balcony. “Forgive me for saying, but Tristan
must have really been furious to make you like this.”
“No. My
friends are alive.”
“What?”
Mercedes asked flabbergasted.
“They were
the ones I saved; them and a woman.”
“But you
can’t do anything to help them. Well, you shouldn’t. It’s against the Code.”
“Let me
tell you the same thing I told Tristan. Fuck the Code. That’s not what upsets
me. What upsets me is that I gave up my mortality to fight for them, to avenge
them, with me being under the impression that they had been killed. Now,
they’re fighting in the same war I am, though we’re on separate sides.”
“Mortals
aren’t aware of our presence here. You are the only one who knows of us
vampires.”
“Yes.”
Misty acknowledged stoically. “And now I am one of you.”
“So now what are you going to do about your friends? The plan we Vampires have been
waiting to execute for centuries is silence. We sweep in the night and take out
both Lycans and Mortals and rule the world. Think about what Tristan will do if
you ruin a plan that has taken centuries to plan.”
“The
Mortals won’t find out. And as for the Lycans, they know we exist. They just
don’t openly acknowledge our presence.”
Mercedes’
jaw dropped and her blue glowing orbs grew wide. “How do you know this?”
“Because
when I attacked the first Lycan the others left the Mortals alone. Not one went
for the Mortals. They wanted me either dead or captured.”
“Are you
sure?”
“Positive.
Now I just need to know why.”
“Why what?”
“Why they
don’t hunt us like they do the Mortals. It makes no sense. I know damn well
that they are fully aware of the Death Dealers’ presence in
“You
should tell Tristan.”
“Fuck him.
He wouldn’t do anything about it anyway. He lives by the Code. He’s no warrior.
He’s a gutless dog, just like them.”
“Misty,
you know I don’t favor Tristan, but you need to uphold some respect for him!”
Mercedes beckoned, now facing Misty. Her black hair flapped over her face and
her blue eyes shone through with an eerie presence.
“I’ve done
my research on Tristan.”
“How so?”
“Please
forgive me.” Misty said yet again stoically, looking finally away from
the sky to her friend.
“For what?”
But she
received no answer. Within the blink of an eye Misty had jumped well over one
hundred feet in the air, over the trees, over the tower. Mercedes watched her
small figure as it descended outside of the premises until it was blocked by
the trees.
**********
Other than
Misty, Ash was also looking up at the same full moon that illuminated
As he
gazed up at the clear sky, with not more than two small clouds in the sky, he
couldn’t help but think of Misty.
“There you
are, Ash. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Hailen announced wrapping her
arms around his neck and hugging him. Then she looked out over the city and at
the night sky. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah.” Ash replied with a soft whisper. “Misty would have loved to see
this.”
Hailen looked up at her team partner and one of her closest friends who now had
a tear trickle down his cheeks.
“She loved
nights like this. It would have been romantic to her.”
“Are you
sure you didn’t have a thing for this girl.”
Ash
stepped away from Hailen, allowing her arms to fall down to her sides. “She was
my best friend, and she was taken from me by those animals. Misty was only
fifteen. There were so many things she never got a chance to do.” Then, Ash
pulled up his shirt a foot and pulled out two new pistols: dual two-tone, with
nickel plated slides, Beretta M93Rs, with the ended barrel and extended grip.
“Ash. What are you going to do?” Hailen asked shocked and for some reason
with...fear.
“Misty was
taken from us four years ago this night.”
“Please
no.”
“I’m going
to kill as many Werewolves as I can. They’ll have to kill me to stop me.”
A/N:
There’s the end of chapter 5. Please send me in reviews,
I appreciate everything I get, even if they are flames. And good news for all
of you, the next chapter is already up and so is the next. So enjoy the next
chapters, which are so far definitely the best.