Chapter 365: Grass and Fire [Bonus]
~Third POV~
[Sevii Islands, Meanwhile, Two Island – Ultima's Home]
Meanwhile, in Two Island Blue and Red's training reached its peak. The air on Island Two of the Sevii Islands hung heavy with the scent of ozone and scorched earth. Red and Blue, the two young Kanto Dex Holders, stood panting, their faces streaked with soot, staring at the alien figure before them.
The creature—identified only as the mysterious entity that had attacked Green and stolen her parents—was a terrifying sight: a purple, crystalline alien organism with long, whip-like tentacles.
Red yelled, desperation creeping into his voice, "Saur, use Frenzy Plant!"
Blue yelled, following up, "Charizard, hit it with Blast Burn!"
*RMBL*
His mighty Venusaur, Saur, groaned, roots and thorny vines erupting from the ground in a devastating, swirling torrent…
*SSSSS*
Simultaneously, Blue's Charizard unleashed a massive, swirling vortex of blue-hot flame. The two Ultimate moves, requiring immense energy and concentration, flew toward the target with catastrophic force.
*BOOOM*
But just as quickly, the two powerful Pokémon tumbled backward, the backlash of the moves sending them sprawling, eyes dazed. Red gasped, scrambling to recall Saur, whose petals drooped with exhaustion, "Did it dodge?"
Blue corrected, his tone sharp with frustrated analysis, "No, Red."
He adjusted his eyes, scanning the bizarre Pokémon as he continued, "It didn't dodge. We missed. Look at the impact zones. There was no contact. We made the mistake of using Frenzy Plant and Blast Burn without trying to calculate how strong the techniques would be, or how quickly our opponent could shift its position."
Red stared at the motionless, tentacled figure. He muttered helplessly, "Does that mean… we're not ready? We're not skilled enough to master them?"
"You are wrong, Red."
The voice was surprisingly calm, cutting through the tense air. Ultima, the elderly master of the Ultimate moves, stood where she had been tied moments earlier, having discreetly freed herself. She said calmly, stepping forward, "You will improve with enough practice. I am actually quite proud of you both for learning my techniques so quickly."
Blue's eyes narrowed, his natural suspicion overriding his weariness. He growled, arguing, "Proud? What are you talking about? You tricked us! You told us you would only teach one of us!"
He pointed a finger straight at the alien organism. Blue accused her sternly, "And now you're allied with this… this creature! I knew it! You are the mastermind of everything!"
Ultima paused, her face falling, disappointment etching itself into her wrinkled features. She sighed, taking back her praise, "Ah. Now I see the truth."
*Plop*
Suddenly, the head of the mysterious purple organism shimmered. The crystalline skull distorted, shrunk, and transformed, shedding its alien appearance to reveal the familiar, goofy face of Green's beloved Ditto, Ditty.
Red and Blue stared, dumbfounded. The terrifying being that had tied them up moments ago was nothing more than a mischievous blob.
Ultima chuckled, shaking her head at the two youngsters as she explained, "This Ditto has been following Red, disguised as his backpack, ever since you arrived on Island Two. While you two were busy testing your limits in my dojo, this little fella and I became friends. We decided to have a little fun."
She explained that she had fully intended to teach her moves to only one of them, but their inherent rivalry and balanced skill had forced them both to master the techniques intuitively, even without her official instruction. Ultima affirmed, "You learned the moves before I even had the chance to officially teach them."
*Shiii*
As she spoke, the heavy, glowing bangles on Red and Blue's wrists began to glow brighter, then clicked open and fell to the sandy ground. Ultima instructed, "All you have left to do is perfect the accuracy of the moves. You have the power; now you need the precision."
Her expression grew serious as she sternly warned, "While I was talking to Ditto earlier, it used Transform to show me exactly what happened to Green on that ship. The true foe is unimaginably powerful. I hope that when the time comes, my techniques will be used against it so I can hold my head up with pride."
Ultima turned, offering them a silent farewell. Red, momentarily forgetting his fatigue, shoved Blue aside and hurried forward as he thanked her kindly for the chance, "Ultima, wait! Thank you!"
Blue began dusting himself off and shot a dark look at his friend. Red, ever the trusting, foolish trainer. Blue couldn't deny the gratitude he felt; he had the moves, now he just needed to hone them.
/////
[Sevii Islands, Later, Two Island – Port]
Later, walking toward the port, Red and Blue discussed their failure. Blue mused, his mind already racing ahead, "We can't rely on sight to track our target's movements, not when it's an alien foe with unknown abilities. We must master Blast Burn and Frenzy Plant, relying solely on instinct."
Red looked down at Ditty, who was now transforming back and forth between a small rock and a Pidgey. He asked softly, "Ditty, were you really so worried about us that you followed us all this way?"
Blue snatched Ditty up. He asked bluntly, "Transform into that thing again."
Ditty complied, turning back into the purple organism, but in a slightly different configuration—thicker limbs, almost like armor. Blue pointed, "See, Red? The form Ditty took just now is different than the one that attacked Green. It must change its shape—its form—to suit the situation. It has different forms. If we don't figure out how to predict which form it's using, we won't be able to defeat our foe."
*BUZZ*
Just then, Red's Rotom Phone buzzed. He answered quickly; it was Bill, as he exclaimed frantically, "Red! Blue! Listen fast. I'm sending a Rainbow Pass to you now. You need to head to Four Island immediately."
Red demanded, leaning close to the phone in a confused voice, "Four Island? Why? We must track down the thing that hurt Green!"
Bill's voice was strained as he explained the situation to them, "That's the problem! Another Deoxys has appeared on Four Island. We need you there to repel it."
Blue echoed, confused, "Another? Deoxys?"
Bill confirmed, his voice dropping slightly as he explained, "Yes, another. On One Island, in the Net Center, the same Pokémon that attacked Green and you two came back—the unknown Pokémon, identified now as Deoxys. But it was captured. It was captured by Azure."
Red and Blue froze mid-stride. The news was a shock.
They had struggled against what they thought was Deoxys—only to realize their opponent was a Ditto—yet the genuine article, a foe that had effortlessly overpowered Green, was now defeated and contained.
Blue whispered, internally frowning, "Azure? He captured it?!"
He and Red had been completely unprepared against the alien, yet Azure had managed to defeat and capture it, even knowing its name beforehand. It was a sign that Azure knew far more than he let on.
Blue had to put those thoughts aside for the current crisis. Bill continued, "The Tri-Passes won't get you to Four Island; the Rainbow Pass will. I'll rendezvous with you at Icefall Cave. Get moving."
But quickly Blue interjected, asking seriously, "Wait! Is Azure joining us? If he can handle the first one, he should—"
However, Blue was interrupted as Bill cut in, "He's staying put. Azure is necessary to guard Green and the captured Deoxys. Deoxys took some damage during the capture, but it's still highly volatile as it damaged his team. If a second one shows up here, Azure will at least manage to repel it back. Now go!"
*Beep*
The call ended abruptly. Red and Blue hurried toward the port.
But Blue got suspicious. Blue finally said suspiciously, his gaze fixed on the horizon, "How odd… How did Azure know the name of the Pokémon? And how conveniently he managed to defeat and capture it, where we both struggled against it, Red. Surely you can tell something's up."
Red adjusted his hat, already running. He replied calmly, defending his friend's actions, "Obviously, I can tell, Blue. I'm not dumb. But the fact that he's protecting Green right now shows that at least deep down, he's on our side. Besides, he got attacked like us, so he's in danger too. And with Bill meeting us, Green will be defenseless."
Blue remained silent. Red was as perceptive as ever—and frustratingly idealistic. Azure was certainly suspicious, but he was also now protecting their injured friend. Azure was just as much in danger as they were now.
Blue mentally sighed as he let go for now. He mentally thought, 'He'd better have an explanation knowing this Deoxys name…'
/////
[Sevii Islands, Meanwhile, One Island – Pokémon Net Center]
The scene shifted back to the Pokémon Net Center on One Island. Bill had already gone, clearing the area to meet the Dex Holders.
Inside the quiet center, Green slowly stirred. She had mostly recovered physically from the attack by Organism No. 1, but her mind was a battlefield of fragmented terror. She groaned, her eyelids fluttering open.
Immediately, the memory erupted: the black hole, the crushing pressure, the sight of her parents vanishing as they tried to reach their long-lost daughter. Her eyes widened, a silent scream caught in her throat.
*Tap*
She stiffened as she felt a hand settle gently over her shoulder. Reflexively, Green swiped back, her training taking over, fueled by panic and fear of the alien's tentacles.
*Grab*
Her hand was grabbed effortlessly, her wrist encircled by fingers that were strong but held no malice. Azure's voice was calm, casual, and slightly teasing, "Whoa there, Green! What a way to greet a friend in the afternoon, eh?"
Green blinked, regaining her composure. She saw the familiar face—relaxed, dressed in his casual outfit, leaning over her.
She pulled her hand back, mortified. She apologized embarrassingly, "Azure! I—I'm so sorry. I'm still mentally… processing."
Azure replied, withdrawing his hand, a ghost of a smile touching his lips, but said in a concerned voice, "I'm fine. But I'm more concerned about you, though."
He was more concerned about her, though. Green noticed the low growl emanating from behind Azure, revealed to be Arcanine.
His team had woken up from their rest, alerted by her sudden movement. Gengar's shadow stretched menacingly, the massive Dragonite shifted restlessly, and the gleaming form of Scizor's claws twitched in readiness.
They were protective. Green took a few deep, ragged breaths as she thought, 'I'm safe… I'm safe right now… get yourself together, Green…'
Azure sighed, a breath of relief as he thought, 'Good. She's grounding herself.'
*Snap*
He snapped his fingers, recalling the rest of his team into their Poké Balls, maintaining his façade of relaxed competence. Only the two constants remained: Pikachu, nestled on his shoulder, and Eevee, who hopped off the nearby table.
Eevee nuzzled a small, plastic cup of water toward Green, "Bui… (Here you go.)"
Green whispered, taking the cup, "Thank you, Eevee."
Azure took the chair next to her bed, crossing one leg over the other. His expression was placid, but his eyes were sharp, constantly scanning the room. Azure said easily, breaking the silence, "The physical wounds will mend quickly, but the mental ones take time. But I know you'll get there, Green…"
Green sipped the water slowly. She replied slowly in a hollow voice, "I just keep seeing it. The black hole. The way it took them…"
Azure nodded, offering no pity, just solidarity. He knew the trauma was real, stemming from the manga timeline.
He offered her some comfort as he said softly, his voice low but filled with confidence, "It's rough. What matters is that you're safe now. And besides, with me here, who's crazy enough to try to come attack you when I'm here?"
Green managed a weak smile, grateful for his steady presence, even if his confidence seemed almost arrogant. She felt the heavy weight of her guilt ease slightly, knowing she wasn't alone in this endeavor.
Azure leaned against the wall, giving her time to ground herself with the familiar presence of his partners. Azure began, his tone measured, "While you were asleep, recovering, the invisible attacker, Deoxys, came back. It wasn't looking for you this time, though. It came for me."
Green looked up, her expression fixed. She thought, 'He was targeted?'
Azure continued, explaining the events simply in a calming voice, "It was a hard battle, but I managed to capture it. At a cost, though... My team needed proper rest and recovery, so I've been guarding you while they heal. Bill left a few minutes ago to meet up with Red and Blue. They're tracking down the second one that appeared."
Green's mind was reeling—the capture, the second threat, the urgency. But one fact stood out, gnawing at the edges of her awareness.
She whispered, setting the water cup down, "You captured it…"
She focused on the detail as she said nervously, "And… you knew its name? How?"
Azure blinked, then smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand, a gesture of faux annoyance at himself. He gestured to his hand glowing faintly as he explained, "Right. I forgot to explain that, did I? You guys don't know that, and I usually keep certain things to myself. You know how Yellow has her Viridian Force powers? Well… I have them too. Meaning I can sometimes read the emotional imprints and memories of Pokémon. Kind of forgot to mention that part, whoops."
Green stared, dumbfounded. She exclaimed, "Since when?!"
Azure shrugged, stating the facts with a precision that contradicted his casual demeanor, "I don't know. Maybe three or four years ago? After beating Team Rocket with Red, Blue, and you at Silph Co. I got gifted them from the forest. Who'd have thought a place like that holds secrets?"
Green inhaled slowly, processing the astounding disclosure. A hidden ability that put him on par with Yellow—a direct connection to the fundamental forces of the world. She staggered slightly, feeling the exhaustion of the mental load.
Azure quickly moved, his concern overriding his nonchalance, and supported her under her arm. He asked, concerned for her well-being, "Whoa, careful. Are you feeling okay? Staggering like that."
Green insisted, pushing herself upright, "I'm fine… Just processing everything."
*Bdmp*
But her heart hammered in her chest. Red and Blue were risking themselves, training with Ultima to avenge her, while Azure had stayed here, battling, capturing, and protecting her—all while carrying this massive secret.
She thought of their foolish eagerness, juxtaposed with Azure's quiet competence. She was internally glad that they cared, but especially for Azure, who was so dedicated to her safety. Her face warmed instantly, a blush rising swiftly to her cheeks.
Azure leaned in, his expression one of pure, innocent worry. He placed the back of his hand gently against her forehead, checking her temperature. He observed, his voice soft, "You're getting a little flushed. Did you catch a cold, too, on top of everything?"
Green's blush deepened, mortified by his complete lack of awareness regarding her inner turmoil as she thought, 'Dense beyond all comparison!'
She quickly insisted, batting his hand away and changing the topic, "No, I'm fine! I just… I feel tired. I need to rest properly."
Azure said immediately, placing his hand over hers where it rested on the sheet, "I can help with that."
Green stiffened, her gaze locking onto his hand holding hers. The blush became a fierce, internal fire.
Azure's eyes, however, were focused only on the task as he explained, "I've been reading a bit about healing with Pokémon energy, trying to understand how the forest powers work. I need a connection to channel it properly. I'll try to help speed up your recovery, so just bear with me holding your hand, okay?"
Green could only shyly nod, turning her face away so he wouldn't see the intensity of her reaction. His skin was warm against hers; his grip was firm and steady.
In that moment, surrounded by the chaotic aftermath of an alien invasion, she grinned, touching his hand, allowing herself the simple, quiet luxury of being taken care of like a regular girl.
Azure was the unwavering sentinel, holding the line in the crucial early stages of this arc, ensuring that the Kanto Dex Holders had the time they needed to grow strong enough to save the world themselves—just as the plot required. He just intended to be there, slightly ahead of the curve, every step of the way.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!