Chapter 325: Beginning of the End (6)
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Seafloor Cavern]
Far below, in the crushing embrace of the abyssal depths, Ruby and Sapphire had finally reached the foreboding entrance of the Seafloor Cavern. The pressure was immense, a physical weight that pressed against their body, making every movement a deliberate struggle but manageable.
*Splash*
Though the dive itself had taken a mere fraction of a day, the journey through the cold, silent blue had distorted Sapphire's perception of time. She muttered, her voice echoing faintly through the cave, "It felt like days."
After recalling Relly, she became acutely aware of her hand, tightly clasped in Ruby's. A flush, unseen in the dim, watery light, spread across her face.
She snapped, yanking her hand away as if burned, as her words were sharp, "Hey! Don't think just because you helped, I've forgiven you for what you said!"
Ruby, ever the pragmatist, merely ignored her outburst. His attention was fixed on the cavern before them. He pointed, his tone unperturbed, "Look over there. Two tunnels. Left and right."
Sapphire, still bristling, immediately gestured towards the left and said boldly, "I'll take the left."
But before she could move ahead, Ruby interjected, his voice firm, "Hold it."
He reached out, not to grab her hand again, but to hold her arm gently. He said calmly, "Stay close. Nana sensed something."
*Pop*
From within his belt, Ruby released his Mightyena, Nana. Nana landed gracefully beside them, her dark fur sleek against the currents.
Her keen senses, amplified by the silent depths, were already at work. Ruby commanded, "Nana, Odor Sleuth."
*Sniff*
The Mightyena's snout twitched, her eyes glowing faintly as she focused her unique ability, picking up faint, disturbing scents in the water – human, but tainted with something else, something metallic and artificial.
*TMP*
*TMP*
Suddenly, the eerie silence of the deep was shattered. From the blind spots of the cavern walls, a horde of figures burst forth.
Team Aqua and Team Magma Grunts, their distinctive uniforms a blur of blue and red amidst the gloom, launched a surprise attack. Their Pokémon, Carvanha, Golbat, Numel, and Zubat, surged forward, their intent undeniably hostile.
Sapphire grumbled, but her movements were swift and fluid, "So much for subtle! Kirly, Rono, let's go!"
*Pop*
She sent out her Aggron and Gallade. Ruby, equally decisive, released his Mightyena, Nana, and his Swampert, Mumu. The cavern erupted in a flash of attacks.
*RMBL*
Aggron's Iron Head slammed into a formation of Carvanha, scattering them. Gallade's Psycho Cut sent torrents of psychic energy through the water as it struck a Golbat with surprising agility.
Mumu, in its natural element, used Hydro Pump with devastating force, sweeping away several Grunts and their Pokémon. Nana, despite being smaller, barked fiercely, coordinating with Mumu, using Dark Pulse to disable foes.
Ruby and Sapphire, despite their bickering, fought with a seamless coordination born from countless previous battles. The Grunts, caught off guard by the duo's strength, found their numbers dwindling rapidly.
Their Pokémon, though numerous, were no match for them. Within minutes, the battle was over as if they felt like a warm-up.
The Grunts, defeated and disoriented, either swam away or were gently 'encouraged' by Mumu tail slaps to retreat. Ruby and Sapphire stood amidst the lingering debris, their Pokémon poised and ready.
Sapphire muttered, a frown creasing her brow, "That was too easy."
*Tmp*
As if on cue, two more voices, deeper and more menacing, echoed through the cavern, vibrating through the very water around them as one stated, "Impressive, children. But a mere preamble."
Ruby and Sapphire spun around, their Pokémon tensing. Ahead, at the junction of the two tunnels, two imposing silhouettes began to emerge from the inky blackness. One, tall and broad-shouldered, glowed faintly with a menacing crimson light. The other, equally imposing, pulsed with an ominous azure aura.
Maxie, leader of Team Magma, and Archie, supreme commander of Team Aqua. But this was not the Maxie and Archie they knew.
Their eyes, visible even through the gloom, were vacant, replaced by the infernal glow of the Red Orb and the abyssal gleam of the Blue Orb, clutched tightly in their hands. The Orbs pulsed, their energies thrumming, seeming to control the very beings of the two men, their wills subsumed by ancient, primal forces.
Maxie intoned, his voice strangely flat, devoid of his usual scientific fervor, "The time for the awakening is at hand."
Archie echoed, his usual booming bravado replaced by an eerie, cold certainty, "And none shall stand in our way."
Ruby and Sapphire exchanged a grim, unspoken glance. The true battle had only just begun as they clenched their Poke Balls tightly…
/////
[Hoenn Region, Elsewhere…]
Meanwhile, in a different, rapidly deteriorating section of the deep, Tabitha and Amber were facing their own desperate struggle. Trapped within the Submarine Explorer 1, the vessel groaned and creaked under the colossal water pressure.
The metallic skin of the submarine shrieked in protest, a cacophony of impending doom. Water, cold and unforgiving, began to seep in through buckling seams, thin trickles at first, then thickening rivulets.
Amber yelled, his voice strained as he pressed his bulky frame against a groaning bulkhead, trying to stem a particularly violent leak, "It's giving way!"
The air inside turned heavy, dense with the smell of ozone and fear. Tabitha, his normally jovial demeanor replaced by grim determination, fought alongside him, wrestling with ruptured pipes and stressed panels as he yelled, "Keep pushing, Amber! We just need a little more time!"
But even as he spoke, he knew it was a futile hope. The submarine was not designed for this depth, not for this kind of sustained pressure.
*CRUMP*
A new, terrifying sound ripped through the hull – a tearing, rending groan that spoke of catastrophic failure. The main viewing port spiderwebbed with cracks, then imploded inwards with a deafening CRUMP, sending a geyser of icy water and shattered glass into the control room.
*SPLASH*
The submarine broke apart with terrifying speed, metal shrieking, lights flickering out. Tabitha and Amber were plunged into the frigid, dark embrace of the ocean, the sudden influx of water disorienting them completely.
Amber, struggling fiercely, tried to hold his breath, but the shock, the cold, and the sheer force of the current were too much. His movements grew sluggish, his eyes wide with panic, then glazed over.
He began to drift, consciousness slipping away. Tabitha screamed, the sound swallowed by the water, "Amber!"
Despite his own dwindling air and the crushing weight of the deep, a surge of adrenaline propelled him. He grabbed Amber, pulling the heavier man close, and with a strength born of desperation, began to swim.
*SPLASH*
Upwards. Towards the distant, impossible surface.
Every kick was an agony, every arm stroke a monumental effort against the pressure and the weight of his unconscious comrade. He pushed, driven by a primal need for survival, for them both.
On the turbulent surface, Blaise, a figure of swift efficiency, cut through the sky with his powerful Swellow. His keen eyes, always scanning, caught a glint of metal amidst the choppy waves below – a piece of wreckage, unmistakably part of the Submarine Explorer 1 that caught his attention.
*Beep*
A spike of alarm shot through him. Tabitha's last, hurried SOS signal, sent hours ago, had been faint, almost lost.
It seemed his fears had been realized. He commanded, sending out his fossil Pokémon, "Armaldo, go!"
*Pop*
*SPLASH*
Armaldo, a master of both land and sea, plunged into the water, its scythe-like claws cutting through the waves. Within moments, it resurfaced, gently cradling the unconscious forms of Tabitha and Amber.
Blaise expertly guided Swellow down, helping Armaldo bring the two men onto a small, deserted rocky outcrop. Amber was pale, barely breathing.
Tabitha, though breathing, was utterly spent, his eyes fluttering closed as soon as they were out of the water. Blaise praised, quickly checking their vitals, "Good work, Armaldo, excellent job."
He knelt beside Tabitha, patting him down as he muttered, "He sent a distress signal... I just got here as fast as I could. Knew something was wrong."
He found Tabitha's unique, ornate lighter – not just for fire, but a tool of his trade. Blaise activated a hidden feature, and the lighter projected faint, ghostly images into the air: fragmented memories, the last moments of the submarine's demise, Tabitha's desperate struggle to save Amber.
It was enough. Blaise gazed at Amber, his face etched with concern. He muttered, a rare flicker of empathy in his usually composed expression, "Damn it, Amber… I hope the others get to you in time."
He couldn't risk staying here or taking both. He had to prioritize.
Gently, Blaise hoisted the unconscious Tabitha onto Armaldo's back as he said, "We need to move, Tabitha. Fast."
*Splash*
As Armaldo swam, Tabitha stirred, his eyes slowly opening. He rasped, his voice rough, "B-Blaise... where... where are we going?"
Blaise replied, his voice calm but urgent with a determined expression, "Route 121. That's where the Gym Leaders are confronting Groudon. We need to get you somewhere safe, but also where you can be useful."
He pulled out his transceiver as he said, "Courtney, report."
*Beep*
The connection crackled, then Courtney's cool, detached voice came through as she replied, "Blaise. Groudon… the destruction is immense. It's unlike anything we've seen. The landscape is tearing itself apart."
Blaise said, his gaze fixed on the horizon, where an ominous red glow was beginning to stain the sky, "I know, people are trying to stop it, civilians, Gym Leaders... they're outmatched. We need to help stop them from interfering too much with our plans, or at least control the damage. Get over there."
Courtney stated, her voice retaining its usual composure, even amidst the unfolding catastrophe, "My current location is the Mossdeep Space Center. I have a clear vantage point of the escalating energies."
Blaise said calmly, a plan already forming in his brilliant, calculating mind, "Good. In that case, come over, we'll need your help. This is bigger than we anticipated."
He ended the call, leaving Courtney to monitor the burgeoning chaos from her strategic perch. The Hoenn region was spiraling into an ancient, apocalyptic conflict, and Team Magma, fractured though it was, now had a new, uncertain role to play.
/////
[Hoenn Region, elsewhere…]
Far below, marooned upon the surface of the vast ocean, the battered, rusting wreckage of the Submarine Explorer 1 listed heavily. Amber stirred amidst the ruined machinery, his head throbbing.
He blinked the salty residue from his eyes. Shaking off the disorientation, he recalled the chilling finality in Archie's voice—the sound of betrayal, though he refused to name it that. But his thoughts, however, couldn't help but recall his words, 'Your hard work is much appreciated… Amber…'
Amber grit his teeth as he pondered to himself bitterly, muttering, "Did… the boss… really betray me? Did you really… abandon me?"
But for a brief moment, he almost believed it. However, Amber dismissed those thoughts as he muttered, stating his loyalty blindly, "No. It was a test. A misunderstanding. Archie needed me. Team Aqua needed me. For our boss! And to spread the sea!!"
With newfound, desperate energy, Amber hauled himself up, ignoring the pain in his ribs. He had to reach the remaining team members, those ready to raise the sea level and fulfill Archie's true vision.
*Woooosh*
The depths could wait; the flood had to begin. Amber began the laborious task of swimming toward the distant shore, oblivious to the fact that the green streak he'd just barely registered in the sky was traveling inland, carrying the man who had already sealed Kyogre's fate.
/////
[Hoenn Region, Route 121]
Inland, near an abandoned excavation site scorched into the earth, the battle against the titan Groudon continued. The heat was unbearable, radiating off the earth cracked by the Legendary Pokémon's sheer power.
*Sssss*
*RMBL*
Brawly, the Fighting-type Gym Leader, wiped sweat from his brow, his usually composed features strained by exhaustion. His Mega Medicham, despite its incredible focus and power, had just been flung aside by a devastating Earthquake attack, fainting upon impact with a dust-shrouded boulder.
*Thud*
Brawly muttered, recalling his partner, "That's the fourth one today..."
Roxanne, the rock-solid Gym Leader of Rustboro, was the only thing preventing Groudon from completely leaving the battlefield. She was an unlikely anchor, relying on strategy rather than brute force.
Riding high above the dust clouds on her Mega Aerodactyl, Roxanne's face was set in grim determination. Groudon, having already defeated Medicham, attempted to tunnel away, its immense bulk sinking into the superheated earth.
Roxanne yelled, "No, you don't!"
*Woooosh*
Mega Aerodactyl let out a screech and dove, narrowly avoiding a burst of Lava Plume. Roxanne clutched a reinforced book containing a specialized Poké Ball—a dark, heavy object that contained one of her most strategically vital partners.
She hurled the ball out…
*Pop*
It opened mid-air, revealing Probopass. Roxanne ordered quickly, "Probopass! Land hard! Use Block!"
*THUD*
The Compass Pokémon slammed down, its metallic body vibrating as it projected a powerful, invisible field. Groudon, half-submerged, suddenly met an immovable boundary as it was momentarily stuck in place.
The Block technique—while simple—was perfectly timed, locking Groudon in place. Roxanne immediately abandoned her usual defensive style.
She needed to keep Groudon busy, preventing it from utilizing full-power attacks. She ordered, "Aerodactyl, continuous Iron Head! Probopass, Power Gem, maximize pressure! Golem Rock Blast!!"
*RMBL*
*BOOOM*
The tactic was effective, if desperate. Groudon was momentarily enraged and localized, but the Gym Leaders were running on fumes.
But then a smooth, appreciative baritone voice rang out from the sky, cutting through the din of the battle, "A beautiful defense, Roxanne."
*Wooosh*
A dazzlingly blue and white figure descended gracefully, landing lightly on a nearby ridge. It was Wallace, the Water Type Gym Leader of Sootopolis. Wallace finished with a sly grin, "But a little water never hurt a dust storm, now did it?"
*Pop*
He tossed a Poké Ball upward. From a rush of light emerged the elegant, serpentine form of Milotic.
He didn't hesitate as he ordered, "Milotic, Water Pulse! Direct hit!"
*SPLASH*
The Water Pulse struck Groudon's massive, scaled back. The legendary roared in frustration and pain. The water momentarily sizzled into steam on contact with its heated skin, but the damage was done.
Wallace's eyes narrowed as he murmured, adjusting his silk collar, "Good, we have it contained. Now, let's see about getting this giant safely out of circulation before it causes any more damage."
*Fwp*
Before they could issue their next commands, three figures dropped from the sky, landing between the Gym Leaders and the tormented Groudon. Their crimson Team Magma uniforms stood out starkly against the scorched earth.
Tabitha roared a stout, "Hold it right there!"
Courtney, a calculating woman, sneered coolly, arriving at the scene, "If you intend to halt Groudon's resurgence, you'll have to deal with us first."
Blaise, his expression maniacal, announced, "The Three Fires of Team Magma are here to ensure Groudon achieves true expansion!"
The three Magma Admins had arrived, their personal Pokémon Swellow ready for battle. Wallace narrowed his eyes as he replied, "My apologies, but I'm afraid we simply don't have time for petty distractions."
*Fwp*
*Wooosh*
The trio lunged forward, intending to separate the Gym Leaders from Groudon and drag them away to fight their own private skirmishes. Tabitha's Swellow, fast and lethal, dove toward Wallace. Roxanne had her Aerodactyl prepared, and Brawly prepared for a close-range fight against them.
The Three Fires planned to drag the Gym Leaders bodily toward Lilycove City, the nearest significant urban area—a site currently evacuated and therefore perfect for an unobserved, destructive confrontation.
*Wooosh*
Tabitha's Swellow shrieked, preparing to use a powerful Aerial Ace to ensure Wallace was disoriented. But just as its sharp eyes locked onto its target, they dilated.
*Fwp*
The bird suddenly recoiled, twisting in a panic. Blaise demanded, struggling with the surprisingly strong Brawly as he dodged they're strike, "What's wrong with your bird, Tabitha?"
Swellow's sudden movement caused the trio of Admins to look up, just in time to see something shimmering crystallize in the air: a perfectly formed, translucent green wall.
Reflect.
Wallace, recovering quickly, felt a sly smile spread across his face. He recognized that flawless application of defensive technique. He muttered under his breath, "Knew you wouldn't miss the party, Steven."
*BOOOM*
A booming voice descended from the heavens, resonant and apologetic in a classy tone, said, "My sincerest apologies for the delay, everyone! Traffic was simply atrocious. But no worries, Wallace… I've brought some friends along."
*Zzzzz*
Steven Stone, the official Hoenn Champion and heir to the Devon Corporation, descended rapidly on the back of his brilliant Metagross. The colossal Steel-type used its four brains to precision-land Steven near the Magma Admins, deflecting Tabitha's attack energy harmlessly.
The Magma Admins frowned, their bravado faltering as they eyed Steven Stone. But their nervous sweat increased tenfold as they saw the entourage arriving right behind him.
Riding a shadowy Gengar, utilizing the ability Levitate, was Phoebe, the Ghost-type specialist. Next, a menacing man atop a menacing three-headed Hydreigon—Sidney, the Dark-type master.
Glacia, serene and chillingly calm, perched on her Glalie. And finally, riding his massive, fiery-eyed Salamence was Drake, the Dragon-type Admiral.
The Hoenn Elite Four, mobilized and ready. Brawly and Roxanne sighed, relief washing over them like a much-needed thunderstorm.
They had held the line long enough. Steven was here, and so was the cavalry. Wallace chuckled, amused by the sheer firepower Steven had brought to bear, "Well, this certainly makes up for poor punctuality."
Steven said calmly, his tone turning serious as he addressed the Admins, "We heard there were some disruptive children making trouble in the city streets. We thought it best to escort them to separate corners."
*Swoooosh*
Sidney, Drake, and Phoebe jumped down, coordinating their movements with deadly efficiency. The goal was simple: take the Magma Admins out of the central crisis zone with speed and precision, ensuring they wouldn't interfere with the Groudon problem.
Phoebe, her usual cheerful demeanor intact despite the severity of the situation, dissolved into a shadow…
*Swf*
… She reappeared behind Courtney, Gengar utilizing a powerful Phantom Force to envelop the Magma Admin. Phoebe called out sweetly as she dragged a startled Courtney away toward the abandoned resort, "Come on, dearie! Let's have a little chat about existential dread at the Cove Lily Hotel!"
*Swooosh*
Drake did not bother with pleasantries. His Salamence swooped down, grabbing Tabitha's Swellow with massive talons.
Tabitha cursed violently as his partner was disabled. Drake announced, pulling the struggling Tabitha off the main route with brute force, "You'll be accompanying me to the Lilycove Department Store, Tabitha. We hear the sale on Dragon-scale armor is ending soon."
*Fwp*
Sidney merely grinned, a flash of predatory teeth as he chuckled darkly, "Guess that leaves us, Blaise. The Museum needs a new resident exhibit. Come on, let's go explore the darker side of history."
*SWOOSH*
Sidney mounted his Hydreigon, which used its intimidating presence to cow Blaise's Swellow before seizing the Magma Admin and soaring toward the Lilycove Museum. The separation was clean, swift, and absolute.
With the distractions neutralized, Steven, Wallace, Glacia, Brawly, and Roxanne turned their attention back to the battlefield. Groudon was still straining against Probopass's Block, its power threatening to shatter the dome.
The air around Groudon was thick, hot, and dry—the oppressive effect of its innate ability, Drought. Suddenly, the suffocating heat ceased…
*Swooosh*
The shift was immediate, like stepping from a raging furnace into a cool evening breeze. The clouds high above, which had been scorched into thin wisps, began to reform. Steven Stone lightly smiled, looking up at the sky…
*RMBL*
The sky above rumbled. He recognized that atmospheric dampening—the hallmark of truly legendary power as he breathed, "Finally. The cavalry has arrived."
*RMBL*
From the thinning clouds, silhouetted against the bright sun, Rayquaza descended, radiating primordial energy. But before Rayquaza even landed, Azure acted. From his pocket, he tossed three Ultra Balls high into the air with the casual dexterity of a seasoned Champion.
*Pop*
The flash was instantaneous: Regirock, Registeel, and Regice materialized, enormous stone, steel, and ice golems. Azure did not need to issue verbal commands. The Regis understood their tactical role instantly.
They moved into a perfect triangle formation around the struggling Groudon, equidistant from each other. Azure's voice rang out, amplified by the wind, "Now! Block!"
*SHIII*
The three ancient Golems executed the technique simultaneously. Their combined energy manifested as a brilliant, near-impenetrable dome of light, slamming down around Groudon, containing it.
The Continent Pokémon, already fighting Probopass's Block, was now trapped within a secondary, far stronger, containment field designed to absorb and localize its legendary power. The dome stretched upward, containing the massive plume of steam and dust.
The Continent Pokémon's concern wasn't the sudden, cold presence of Regice, nor the unbreakable walls of stone and steel. Groudon's eyes dilated, focusing past the dome and past the other trainers.
Its attention was fixed on the magnificent green Sky High Pokémon. Groudon let out a raw, challenging roar of recognition, "Grooo!!!"
Rayquaza answered the challenge with its own thunderous, ancient cry, "GRAOOO!! (Your turn, you overgrown shrimp!)"
*Tmp*
Azure rode Rayquaza to a smooth landing next to Steven. He hopped down, Pikachu settling on his shoulder, Eevee hopping off his head to stretch its legs on the earth as it gazed at the bound Groudon.
Azure, tall and professional, looked at Steven, a wry smirk fighting through the determination in his eyes as he asked curiously, "Steven. What took you so long? I had to rush Rayquaza through with Fly and Extreme Speed to get here this fast."
Steven chuckled helplessly, running a hand through his perpetually neat hair as he replied casually, "It took slightly longer than anticipated to convince the Elite Four to drop everything and have my Claydol initiate a simultaneous Teleport. I'm afraid my poor Claydol is completely exhausted."
He paused, his expression softening with genuine relief as he asked curiously, "But I'm glad you're here, Azure. This means… You dealt with Kyogre?"
Azure nodded, reaching into his deepest pocket. He pulled out a single Ultra Ball—identical to the ones holding the Regis—, but this one hummed with a palpable aura of oceanic power, a stark contrast to the dry, dusty air.
Azure confirmed, holding up the Ultra Ball containing Kyogre as he explained, "Kyogre is secured. It'll be staying with me for now till I have an idea of what to do with it. Although you don't seem that surprised?"
The revelation stunned the gathering. Roxanne and Brawly gasped, their exhaustion forgotten for a moment.
They had been fighting Groudon for over a full day, holding the line, while the legendary Pokémon causing the other half of the world's chaos had already been captured, quietly, by the Indigo Champion. Steven merely offered a knowing smile as he replied casually, "The Chairman of the Association filled me in. Excellent work, Azure. One crisis down, one contained."
Brawly dropped heavily onto a nearby rock, his legs finally giving out as he uttered, "Contained is good. Very, very good."
Roxanne slumped beside him, her exhaustion catching up as she uttered, "We did it, Brawly. We held the line for the champions."
Wallace stepped forward, his Milotic shimmering in anticipation as he said calmly, eyeing Groudon, "Rest easy, Gym Leaders. The hard part is over. Now, we simply deliver the finishing verdict."
He stood alongside the formidable line-up: Azure Sky, the tactical Indigo League Master; Steven Stone, the powerful Hoenn Champion with his Metagross; and Glacia, whose icy demeanor was perfect for dealing with massive heat.
Azure looked at the imprisoned, furious Groudon, held rigid within the three-layered Block dome. He knew his Crawdaunt, Absol, and Swampert were rested and ready, but this was a tactical takedown, not a marathon.
He glanced at Pikachu, who stood tall on the earth beside him, sparks flying in readiness. Azure murmured, his voice low and commanding, "Pikachu, Eevee. Time to remind the Continent Pokémon why the sky is where the real power lies. Time to teach it a lesson!"
The four elite trainers—Wallace, Steven, Glacia, and Azure—moved in unison. The battle was no longer a desperate defense; it was the coordinated application of overwhelming force, ready to become a swift, one-sided beatdown against the trapped titan.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 100 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!