The S-fleet 1-Hilda

THE S-FLEET

CHAPTER 1
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It was cold and dark when she opened her eyes. Groaning she held a hand to her head, her fingers streaking stray strands of brown hair as her blue eyes adjusted. Her bare legs met with cold concrete and she found her old hat from earlier years by her side and deiced to put it on as she stood up. She was dressed in a white undershirt with a black vest over, matching sweatbands on her wrists. She wore black stretch shorts with gold stripes instead of her other pair of decorative shorts. Her white cap had a pink Pokeball emblazoned on its center over the pink brim. She stood on black combat boots and she massaged her temple, trying to remember what happened.

It had been years since Hilda began her pokemon journey from Nuvema Town and after having participated in the league and obtaining more pokemon she decided to live a quieter lifestyle with her friends and Pokemon. She had received a job, as Juniper's assistant along with Cheren, staying in touch with her friend Bianca who was attempting modeling. She remembered that she went for a jog earlier when she felt like she was being watched. She had left her Pokemon including her Samurott at home, not expecting trouble. Besides she wasn't one to take lightly.

Obviously whoever was watching her knew this as well because they attacked her from a distance. She remembered the slight prick of the needle entering the back of her neck and she dropped like a sack of bricks.

She remembered hazing in and out of consciousness and seeing surgery lights above her.

Why was she there?

Hilda inspected herself and noticed several injection points on her shoulders and one on her sternum and soreness on her back and neck told her she had some there as well.  They had obviously injected her with something. She felt oddly strange. What did her captors do to her, and why?

With her head clearing up she took the time to inspect her concrete room. There was only a bunk in the small rectangular room and a camera in one corner. The room's only door was one way and had a barred view port. She walked and saw that it was part of a narrow hallway with similar doors.

Hilda heard something. It was a voice, another girl's voice. She sounded scared and worried. Hilda saw that it was coming from across her own cell.

"Help! Is anyone there? What's going on here! This is a mistake, I haven't done anything!"

There was a girl with brown hair across from Hilda's Cell. A green orange bandana across her hair, two tails branched from it. Her trainer gloves gripped the bars. She noticed Hilda.

"What is going on here?" She asked. Hilda shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."  She closed her eyes the n looked to the girl. "You're a trainer right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but they took my Pokemon while I was practicing for a Contest round. I'm also a coordinator."

Hilda smiled. "I used to be a trainer too, well, guess I'm still kinda one. Name's Hilda."

"May." The girl replied.  Hilda looked at her own arm. "Did they do anything to you?"

May shook her head. "No, nothing." She grew worried. "What are they gonna do to us?"

Hilda turned away. "I don't know.

The two girls heard a click and steps down some concrete stairs. Hilda saw two men in military style uniforms carrying someone. It was a girl the same age as her and May with Blue hair. She wore a white Pokeball beanie over her hair and wore a red jacket over her black undershirt and pink scarf. She had a pink skirt and pink boots over black stockings. As they passed Hilda saw she had some pinpricks on the back of her neck.

They put the girl in a cell by Hilda's. "Ok, now the last one." Came a voice from above the stairs. The two grunts then went before May's cell. May backed away. "S-stay back." She said as they opened the door and reached for her. She screamed but they covered her mouth and dragged her struggling out.  Hilda gritted her teeth. "Hey! Leave her alone!" She banged against the door and one took a can and sprayed it near the view port, making Hilda cover her face to avoid it getting in her eyes. "Pipe down." he growled She then lunged an arm out and grabbed at his face.  He yelled as she took hold of his ear, ripping at his pointed earring. He grabbed a club and tried to hit her arm but she already had pulled it back, blood in her hand. He clutched his bleeding ear. "You bitch!" He took a pistol out when the other one stuck a taser on the back of his neck. He collapsed. "Sorry mate, the orders were they stay alive." He looked in. "Don't worry little missy, you'll get yours. No one will dare trifle with Team Ares once the doctor finishes his work with you three little ladies." Hilda could now see the stylized burning A on his beret. Team Ares? Not another one of these insane teams hell bent on world domination, she groaned internally.

She looked to her bloody prize, the sharp earring stud she pried loose. She watched them lug May away. What ever happened to her and the other girl shouldn't happen to May. Hilda began to work fast and looked to the lock. It was out of reach on the other side but she better try and reach it if she wanted to stop this new threat.

First she took her vest and tossed it at the camera in the corner. She reached her arm out of the view port as far as she could, trying to position the sharp earring into the lock. She was just inches away and made her self go farther, biting her lip. Her shoulder made a pop and she grit her teeth as not to make a sound. She was able to reach the lock and began to twist it around. Her eyes were to the camera; she had to work fast.

She felt a strange sensation wash through her but ignored it, trying her best to focus on the lock.

A click answered her and she pushed the door open. She groaned as she pulled her arm back and pushed with all her might to push her shoulder back in place with a loud snap that brought her to her knees. Panting, she stood up and looked around. No doubt they'd come for her but she had to find May fast and get out.

She was about to move when she looked to the girl's cell and saw her sleeping there. She couldn't just leave here there. Hilda knelt and began to work at the lock.

She felt that strange tingling across her body again that grew into a quick snap of pain, causing her to lapse for a moment. What ever they were doing to her was obviously beginning to take effect.

The door clicked open and Hilda ran to the blue haired girl and began to gently shake her. "Wake up."

The girl mumbled and snapped her eyes open and began to speak when Hilda covered her mouth. "We need to get out of here, we're in trouble."

She picked up the girl when she pulled back. "Hey, hey! I just woke up and you're expecting me to go with a complete stranger?"

Hilda rolled her eyes. "Fine stay here and let them experiment on you but if we want to get out you're gonna have to come with me." She began to dash. The girl followed. "You know a way out?"

Hilda shook her head. "No, but I'm sure gonna find a way."

"I'm Dawn." The girl said. Hilda looked back and shushed her and pointed ahead. Dawn could see the guard station and she gasped and hid against the wall. Hilda looked to see one guard at his terminal and the one she attacked was slumped on a chair, his ear bandaged. She needed to take care of them with out drawing too much attention. She looked around and saw an old mop by the corner, slowly reaching for it. Once she gripped it she slowly unscrewed the mop end and held the stick like a bat. She hoped this worked.

She looked to Dawn and gestured her to remain against the side of the doorway and she took the mop end and tossed it as far as she can down the stairs. The metal connection clanged against the stairs, echoing in the hallway.  The guard got up and reached for his club, wondering what the noise was. "What you ladies doing down there?"

Hilda leaned against the doorway and waited; handle ready, flexing her fingers.  

He walked toward the doorway, keys jangling. He walked past the girls and Hilda swung as hard as she could and caught him at the back of the head, the old wooden handle breaking apart. He gasped and rolled down the stairs, falling in an unconscious heap. Hilda ran down and dragged his unconscious body to her cell and took the keys, his taser, and club and locked him in. She ran back up the stairs to a frightened Dawn.

"The keys." Hilda said as she tossed them to Dawn who caught them in surprise. She looked at the chain and found a card key. This would help them escape.  

"Hey…" the other guard yawned. "Yo Brett, pass me a-" He stopped as he saw the two girls and instantly got up when Dawn threw the keys at him. He caught it when Hilda ran up and clubbed him in the stomach. She took the taser and gave him another shock that put him down for the count. She looked to Dawn. "Nice job."

Dawn blushed. "Actually he just surprised me."

"Come on let's go." Hilda said as she picked up the club and handed the taser to Dawn. The pistol was there but Hilda chose to ignore it. They came to a card station and slid the card through. The red light glowed green with a ping and let them through. Hilda ran through first, trying to find a sign of May. There was a hallway that led to a caged elevator. "This way!"

She stopped in mid jog when another wave of pain rolled through her, as if her bones were trying to revolt against her. Dawn saw her lean against the wall. "Hey, you ok?"

Hilda nodded. "I'm fine. Let's keep moving."  They ran to the elevator and hit the big switch to call it down.  They could see it arriving.

The elevator landed and the cage doors slid open, revealing an empty space. Hilda sighed in relief and went in with Dawn. Maybe May was in the upper levels.

The ride up was slow and Hilda was sweating. Dawn looked at her with a worried expression. She held her hand. "Hey, I don't know what's going to happen, but I want to say thank you."

Hilda smiled. "Don't worry, we're all getting out of here."


The Elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open. Hilda got the club ready and peeked her head around. No one was there. She gestured Dawn to follow and ran down the hall. Hilda streaked past them when she saw a hall with a sign that read "Restricted: authorized personnel only".  She stared down that way for a while. She looked to Dawn and began to walk down it. Dawn grabbed her arm. "Something tells me we shouldn't go down there." She said. Hilda shook her arm off. "May's down here, I know it." She continued down the hall and saw two guards at a steel door, armed with specially designed rifles.

They weren't fooling around at this level. Hilda looked around and saw a fuse box nearby. She had an idea. "Dawn, hand me that." She whispered, referring to the taser. She took it and opened the box and saw the wires and cables. Charging the taser she prayed this worked and stuck it in, releasing the charge.

The lights went off with a pop as they began to burst with the overload. The hall became dark as emergency red lights snapped on. The guards shouted and Hilda dragged Dawn into a locked door. She took the keys and began to scramble to find the right one as she heard their footsteps. One key clicked and she pushed Dawn inside and closed the door and locked it again.

She went down the floor and gazed through the small space between the floor and door to see their flashlights trail past. Hilda ignored another sore wave and waited for them to run past. "Check the sub floor generator and the cells, we may have a breach!" One yelled. The alarm suddenly went off.

The time for subtlety was over and Hilda got out and stunned one from behind. The other one aimed his rifle and she used his partner to block the oncoming charge. She used his arms to aim and squeezed the trigger at her attacker, a surge of electricity zapping him back.  She un-slung it and inspected it. Must be an electro-stunner. She saw the charge clip and lifted some off the unconscious one. Dawn watched in shock. This girl was quite ferocious.

"Ok, let's get May out of there."  She went to the door and saw lights from under it. This room must have its own power source. There were more footsteps down the hall. "Hurry!" Hilda said, charging the rifle.
Dawn swiped the card and it buzzed. She tried again and it buzzed again. "It won't work!"


Hilda beat the butt of the rifle against it and it sparked, the door beginning to budge.  It lifted open a few feet but stopped. It was enough for them to crawl under.  "Go under!" Hilda yelled and fired a shot at the hall corner.  Dawn slinked under and Hilda fired another shot before sending a shock to the console again and she slid under as the door began to shudder and close again.

Hilda caught her breath, her eyes straining against the white floor. It was almost as bright as the sun to her before her eyes adjusted. She looked to Dawn and smiled but saw Dawn looking around. Hilda got up and began to look around too, the surgical equipment glinting in the light. May's green and orange clothes were in a pile. There was a large steel table in the center with observation glass all around the roof, the lights reflecting off the surfaces.  Cables and tubes hung from the roof leading to injection and surgical devices. X-rays and vital readings adorned the monitors attached to the walls.

May herself as strapped to the table at an angle, a white cloth piece covering her lower chest and hips, injection points on her shoulders, chest, upper arms and upper thighs. Hilda walked by and saw a read out display "Procedure interrupted."  Vats of some liquid boiled on one wall. Her veins tingled again.  

This was the room. This was the room they took her to. A look at Dawn suggested she was having the same thoughts as well.

Hilda went to the table and saw a release switch and with a whoosh the bindings retracted and May slumped. Hilda caught her and could see they injected at the base of her head, neck and the middle of her spine. Hilda knew they did this to her as well. May began to stir and Hilda held her close. "Shh shh, it's ok."

My snapped her eyes opened and whimpered. "H-Hilda." She hugged close, shivering. Hilda reached for one of the surgical tarps and wrapped May in it.  "It's ok we're going to get out of here."  She began to walk with May. "Dawn, her clothes."

May blinked. "Dawn?"  Dawn was reaching down. "I thought it was you. I wasn't sure if it was the same May but nice to see a familiar face in this mess." She picked up May's clothes in a pile.

"Leaving so soon?"

The lights snapped off and when they came back on, armed guards were at the observation windows. A thin man in a lab coat stood with arms crossed behind him, his cropped black hair meeting in a ponytail at the base of his skull, his cold blue eyes gazing from above his tall cheeks. He smiled.

"Ladies, if you would please reconsider your course, then you wouldn't get hurt."
He said.

Hilda's fist trembled. "You! What do you want from us?"

He smirked. "Well I believe we haven't been properly introduced." He cleared his throat. "I am Raymond Marcus, but Dr. Marcus will suffice."

Dawn glared. "You're just a bully!"

Marcus closed his eyes and smiled. 'Dear young lady, I am only following directives that have taken me in interesting directions. Now if you would surrender peacefully, there is no need to get violent."

Hilda shorted. "Yeah right."

Marcus's eyes shimmered. "You were indeed the most remarkable escaping this far, you and your ferocity."

Hilda looked at the injections. "Is that what you did to us?!"

He shook his head. "No that was entirely Mother Nature's doing." He chuckled. "But we did alter you in one way and we're just entering the final phases so stand down before someone gets hurt."  

Her body ached again and her eyes sharpened. She took the stun riffle and overloaded the circuit, aiming up and pulling the trigger. The sudden burst slammed into the surgical lights.

"Get down!" She told Dawn as she put May  and herself under the table. The lights exploded with a force that sent the troops back and Marcus put an arm over his head as he just beamed at Hilda's response.

Hilda took  a cart with operation equipment and put  May under it and grabbed Dawn. "Get on top!"  Dawn obediently sat on it and Hilda began to push the cart , giving a steel plate to Dawn. Down held it in front of her as Hilda slid the key card and pushed the cart as fast as she could.

"Don't let them escape,  I want them alive!" Marcus boomed over the intercom.

Once she gained enough momentum Hilda rolled with it. There were troops ahead firing tranquilizers, the darts bumping off the steel plate Dawn held at the front. The momentum caused the troops to scatter. Hilda held a foot out and kicked one down and got down to turn the cart down a corner. The elevator was closing.

She got on top of the cart and allowed it to roll fast at the closing doors. It clamped on the middle and caused a sudden stop knocking the girls out of it and into two surprised troops.  Hilda kicked the back and  elbowed both troops she landed on in the face. She pressed the first button she saw. May grabbed her shorts and began to slip them on, thankful to not be naked anymore as she slipped her orange and green top on. The Elevator dinged and Hilda was going to run out when May pulled her back to the side as darts hit where Hilda was standing.

May looked ahead and pulled back as they fired again. "Man if only I had my Pokemon!"
Hilda remembered seeing a fire extinguisher nearby.

Hilda looked around and pulled at the troop's armor. She unclipped it and gave one to May and worked on the other to give to Dawn. She took the taser and  rolled it along the floor. The troops homed in on it and Hilda put the helmets on Dawn and May and ran with them out.
"Halt!" yelled one and he trained his shot. The darts pricked into the armor on the back of May and Hilda took that moment to grab the extinguisher and spray at them, throwing of his aim. She continued to spray down the narrow hall. "Run!" she shouted, darts flying by at them. Dawn found a fire exit and gestured to the girls. "This way!"

Hilda 's eyes burned as they ran into the sun and they ran along the grass. "Don't stop!"

It was then Hilda heard the crashing of waves and the thinning of grass when she realized her mistake. The ground gave way to open air as the trio began to fall.

Hilda couldn't believe it was going to end this way as the ocean came into view, everything flowing in slow motion.

Her mind screamed for survival and her body suddenly burned in response, as if it was doing something to answer that request.

May and Dawn held her hands and noticed her arms spreading apart and Hilda looked like she was diving with arms outstretched. Once her body adapted to this position something began to happen.

Hilda's arms began to stretch longer and wider, flatting out and becoming wider as her fingers straightened and flattened out to become flat wing tips and became gray metal. Dawn and May gasped as they saw this happen and clung with both arms to the wings Hilda was growing, missiles actually sprouting. Her body was also enlarging at the same time, her torso widening and becoming round as two large half circles indented themselves in her shoulders as engine fans formed. Her chest flattened into flat steel as the trunk of her body began to grow wider, her clothes being swallowed by metal. Her legs blended together and became a tail as her feet flattened and where her ankles met a tail fin sprouted.  She was turning into a jet!

Hilda grimaced as her face began to stretch and pull forward, her nose and mouth becoming metal as they became pointed with a rounded edge and her face just pulled back from it as her nose became a gray-black nose cone, her ears and neck melting into her fuselage, her eyes glazing over and becoming glass view ports of the lower cockpit as her head split and pulled back to reveal forming seats and controls inside and her hair and hat rounded and melded into the top part of the cockpit.

Hilda was no longer human, but an FA2 Sea Harrier Jet. She could feel the wind whipping past her fuselage as if it were skin and was fully aware of everything internal.

Screaming snapped her back to reality as she saw that Dawn and May had let go and flew back in freefall. Hilda mentally gasped and her exhaust activated as she flew at them. She swooped under them and opened her windows as they landed on her seats and she closed it over them. She was approaching the sea fast and instantly pulled up, Dawn and May watching with amazement as the flight control moved by itself as if by an invisible pilot.  
May stared in disbelief. "…Hilda?"

"…Y-Yeah, it's me." Her voice cracked through the intercom, a display showing speech pattern on one of the readouts. May fainted and Dawn helped her up. "How did…?" Dawn began.

If Hilda could have shook her head she would have. "I..I don't know, I'm as freaked out about this as you." She's a jet? How? So…that's what Dr. Marcus was referring to by "altered".  

Something beeped in her and Hilda suddenly could see all around as F-16 Falcons began to close in. Her straps suddenly snapped around May and Dawn. "Hang on! Get that mask on May."

Dawn reluctantly put the mask on herself and put it on the unconscious May.
"Hilda…I might throw up on you." Dawn said sheepishly. Hilda mentally cringed.
"noted."

Hilda snapped the yoke to the left and began to veer right as the jets  began to tail them. Hilda's heart was mentally pounding, her world spinning. She heard an alarm and could see her own readout scream "LOCKED" and she pulled up fast as a missile launched and detonated releasing little green fragments that suddenly scrambled her readout. "damn, they've jammed me! Hang on this is gonna get a little rough!." She began to corkscrew to out maneuver them. The jets tailed and began to aim at her but Hilda did a risky turn close to the ocean and managed to scatter them. Dawn had her eyes clenched and opened them dizzily. "Ugh…let's not do that again…"
"I agree." Hilda replied.

They were still on her and sprayed machine gun fire from behind. She easily outmaneuvered but judging by the proximity she knew they weren't trying to shoot her down but corral her.  She saw a cloudbank ahead and began to go vertically.

"Hilda Hilda hild-aahhh!" Dawn screamed as she banked higher and higher. Hilda could see them following and she plowed into the cloudbank. The jets followed. One managed a lock and aimed and fired just as the harrier vanished into clouds. The F-16s plowed and emerged to the other side but couldn't see the missile or the harrier.

Hilda suddenly ejected from the clouds. "Surprise!" She shouted as she got a lock and fired.

Or at least tried to. Her missiles didn't fire up or anything.  Dawn then reached over and pulled the trigger on the flight stick and a steady barrage of  hot lead emerged from under her fuselage and scattered the jets. Dawn made a fist. "Ha, take that!"

"You missed…"Hilda said dryly. Dawn pouted. "So?"

Hilda was about to respond when she saw the missile from earlier  appear right behind her and it exploded just before it met her, the force sending her spiraling. She cried out as the world spun out of control and she ejected May and Dawn's seats as parachutes sprouted. She felt weakened and began to feel herself shrink and the last thing she saw before water took her world was A Dragonite save May and Dawn as  choppers flew in and attacked the jets…
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Marcus watched from the monitor. Oh well, the accursed S-Squad's agents are at it again and foiled their recapture of their subjects, but Hilda's admirable performance actually made him marvel at the fruit of his labors. They'll get them later.