Chapter 368: Underestimated
~Azure S. POV~
[Sevii Islands, Nighttime, Later, Seven Islands]
The wind whipped past my face, a familiar sensation that always grounded me, no matter how high we flew. Dragonite's powerful wings beat steadily, carrying us through the vast, sky – a canvas of endless blue stretching to the horizon.
Perched comfortably on my right shoulder, Pikachu let out a contented pika, his tail twitching occasionally. Eevee, nestled snugly atop my head. Eevee purred softly, a warm weight against my scalp.
*PING*
My Arc Phone, usually a source of endless data logs and battle records, now displayed a flickering map of the Sevii Islands, its GPS fixated on Seven Island. The destination loomed, and with it, the inevitable confrontation, while hearing the news, "This just in! Urgent message from Team Rocket's Three Beasts!"
The memory of the televised broadcast still grated in my mind. Orm, Sird, and Carr, their faces contorted into sneers, issued their demands across the airwaves, "Hand over Blue, Green, Azure, and Red, or suffer the destruction of your precious islands!"
Pure theatrics. Classic Team Rocket.
They always liked to make a show of it, even when their true objectives were far more insidious. I knew this song and dance.
The Firered and Leafgreen Arc. A familiar narrative, yet one I was living through, not just reading. Right now, Red was duking it out with Carr on Five Island, probably already knee-deep in Deoxys-related chaos.
Blue would be facing Orm on Six Island, a battle of wits and power, while figuring out his grandpa is captured… again. And Green… well, Green was already on her way to Two Island, Moltres a fiery streak against the sky, to learn Hydro Cannon from Ultima. Her Blastoise, Blasty, would need it.
That left me. And Sird. The strategist. The manipulator. The one Lorelei was currently engaged with, if my intel was correct. And it usually was.
I respected Lorelei, admired her power in games and anime, but I knew the script. She'd put up a hell of a fight, but Sird had contingencies, layers of deception. She wouldn't be enough alone against Sird.
Not serious enough to reveal Darkrai yet. But just as dangerous.
I muttered to Dragonite, patting her scaly neck, "Almost there, buddy."
She rumbled in response, a low, guttural sound that vibrated through me. Pikachu chirped, sensing the shift in my mood, a silent promise of action. Eevee nudged against my forehead, her soft fur a comforting presence.
My team was ready. They always were.
Gengar, Scizor, and Arcanine were waiting in their Poké Balls and my shadow, their spirits high, eager for a challenge. As we ascended higher, Seven Island finally emerged from the haze, a cluster of land surrounded by glittering sapphire waters.
And then I saw it. The battle.
My eyes, honed by countless encounters, immediately zeroed in on the figures clashing below. Lorelei, her long red hair a beacon, her Pokémon moving with practiced grace. And across from her, a cloaked figure: Sird.
*FLASH*
Just as my internal clock predicted, a sudden flash of light erupted from the distant Five Island – a tell-tale sign of the colossal power exerted by Deoxys and Red's clash. Lorelei, despite her focus, instinctively glanced towards it, a flicker of concern crossing her features. It was all Sird needed.
A quick, decisive move, an opening exploited.
Lorelei, a formidable trainer even when distracted, retaliated with swift precision. Her Jynx and Slowking moved in tandem, sweeping Sird's Starmie and Persian back with powerful Psychic attacks. Sird, to her credit, simply smirked, a chilling lack of surprise on her face.
Her power was undeniable, but Sird had an ace up her sleeve. She always did.
*RUMBLE*
A deep tremor shook the island, originating from the ancient Tanoby Chambers. My eyes narrowed. Ah, the Unown.
Sird had solved the Tanoby Key puzzle. A swarm of them, hundreds, perhaps thousands, erupted from the chambers, their bizarre, hieroglyphic forms filling the sky like a living, shifting swarm. They were not just a distraction; they were a weapon. Lorelei's Slowking, caught off guard by the sheer numbers, was overwhelmed, forced to return to its Poké Ball.
But she wasn't one to give up. Her Cloyster, a magnificent fortress of ice and shell, emerged, rocketing Spike Cannon into the swirling mass of Unown.
It was effective, but merely a temporary deterrent. The numbers were too great, the pressure relentless.
This was my cue. I commanded, my voice cutting through the wind, resonating with a calm authority that even Dragonite seemed to absorb, "Dragonite, Strong Style! Hurricane! Blow those Unown away!!"
*FWP*
*SWOOOOSH*
With a mighty roar, Dragonite unleashed a torrent of wind, a swirling vortex of raw atmospheric power. The Hurricane tore through the Unown formation, scattering them like autumn leaves bring blown away.
Their strange, guttural cries were lost in the roar of the storm as they were driven back, away from Lorelei, away from Sird. The immediate threat was neutralized, and a clear path opened to us.
My presence was now undeniable. Lorelei and Sird, both mid-battle, turned their heads, their expressions a mix of surprise and, in Sird's case, frustration.
*Thud*
Dragonite descended gracefully, landing with a soft thud beside Lorelei, her massive form shielding her slightly from the lingering winds. Pikachu, ever alert, stood tall on my shoulder, Eevee still perched on my head, her ears twitching, sensing the tension.
I asked coolly, my tone as casual as if we were bumping into each other at a Poké Mart, "Rough day at the office, Lorelei?"
A part of me enjoyed the sheer absurdity of the situation. This was, after all, technically our first proper introduction.
Lorelei's eyes, usually as cold and sharp as the ice she commanded, widened slightly. There was a flicker of recognition, but also confusion. Our history was… complicated. Back on Cerise Island, I had fought against her leader, Lance, trying to, you know, wipe out humanity.
My victory against Lance had been a turning point, a brutal clash that had left my partners exhausted but triumphant. She had been there, to be defeated by Green and Sabrina, before retreating into self-imposed isolation.
Supposedly gone missing. Now, here we were, on opposite ends of a very different conflict, but facing a common enemy.
She slowly introduced herself, her voice measured, still processing my sudden appearance in an awkward voice, "Lorelei. Elite Four… or, formerly. I suppose you're Azure."
Her gaze was intense, dissecting me, trying to reconcile the man who had humbled Lance with the trainer who now stood casually beside her, offering a helping hand. The unspoken question hung in the air: Why are you here?
I confirmed with a nod, offering a small, reassuring smile, "That's me. And these are my partners, Pikachu and Eevee."
Both Pokémon offered polite greetings – a cheerful, "Pika! (Sup!)"
And a soft, subtle, disarming touch from Eevee, "Eievui! (Hello!)"
Seeing them greet Lorelei, I offered a genuine smile as I said casually, "Glad I could make it. Looks like you were having quite the party."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but then they shifted, locking onto Sird. The shared threat, the immediate danger to her homeland, transcended any past animosity or confusion. She said, a hint of grudging acceptance in her voice, "Indeed. Now, perhaps you'd care to help me finish this battle."
I replied, my own gaze settling on Sird, "My pleasure."
The woman had taken a cautious stance, her cloak billowing in the residual wind from Dragonite's Hurricane. Her eyes, usually piercing, now held a flicker of genuine surprise, and perhaps, a hint of annoyance.
Two powerful trainers, an unexpected variable. Not in her script.
The Unown, though scattered, quickly began to reform, their strange shapes coalescing back into a menacing swarm. It was like battling a sentient puzzle. I knew their true power lay in their numbers, their ability to distort reality when enough of them gathered with a collective intent.
But Sird, clearly, didn't. She was treating them as a brute force, a living tide to overwhelm her opponents. A wasted potential, really.
But frankly, I'll exploit any weakness they have. I called out, and my loyal partner zipped forward, a blur of yellow, launching into a quick attack against the approaching Unown, "Alright, Pikachu, let's show them a real light show!"
Lorelei's Cloyster, fully recovered from its momentary retreat, joined the fray, its icy attacks a perfect counter to the ethereal beings. Dragonite remained airborne, ready to provide aerial support if needed, while Lorelei's Jynx also returned to the field, her psychic powers pushing back the Unown.
Sird, however, was not idle. Her Starmie, which I hadn't seen return to her side, shimmered, its gem core glowing. Before Lorelei or I could react, it vanished…
No, not vanished. Camouflage.
*Shiver*
I felt a cold prickle of danger on the back of my neck. I shouted, "Lorelei, watch your six!"
*Woosh*
Lorelei was already reacting, ordering Cloyster to defend, but the attack was too fast, too unconventional. Starmie, using Camouflage, had blended into the stone structure and used Teleport to position itself directly behind her.
*PEW*
A deadly beam of concentrated power fired from where the Starmie's core would have been, aimed squarely at Lorelei's back.
Not today, Sird. I intercepted ordering, "Pikachu! Intercept! Thunderbolt!"
*ZZZZZT*
Pikachu was already moving. It shot forward, an electric projectile, letting loose a blinding stream of electricity that met the Starmie's attack mid-air. The crackling Thunderbolt overwhelmed Sird's attack, slamming into the invisible Starmie.
*Swf*
The shock forced the Starmie to materialize with a flash, and it recoiled, visibly damaged, before teleporting back to Sird's side. Lorelei glanced back, her eyes widening slightly in controlled surprise. She analyzed dryly, "Camouflage and Teleport! She's learning to use the environment too well."
I shook my head and corrected Lorelei grimly said, "She's desperate. And now she has another target."
Sird's face hardened, recognizing the immediate shift in dynamics. Now she faced a united front, and I wasn't just a powerful trainer; I was a proactive defender who understood her tricks. It was a clever tactic, a testament to Sird's cunning, but it had failed.
Lorelei, rubbing her back where the beam would have hit, turned to me, her expression grim. She gave me a curt nod of thanks, a rare glimmer of gratitude in her cold eyes, "Thank you, Azure. That was… timely."
I replied, my focus already back on Sird, "Don't mention it."
The woman's face was contorted in a frown, her lips moving in what I could only assume were curses under her breath. Two opponents were clearly more than she had bargained for.
A Champion Level. And the Elite Four Level. Not good odds for her.
*Woooosh*
But then, more Unown began to pour from the Tanoby Chambers, their numbers swelling, forming a living, writhing wall between us. Sird was doubling down on her current strategy. My caution grew.
While she didn't seem to grasp their full reality-bending potential, sheer numbers could still be overwhelming. This wasn't merely a distraction; it was psychological warfare, designed to wear us down.
But this was a good thing, though. It means she doesn't know how to properly use the Unown true abilities.
This was good. I could exploit her lack of imagination.
Sird's eyes narrowed, a cold glint appearing in their depths. It seemed her patience was wearing thin. She tossed two more Poké Balls. From them emerged her familiar Persian, and then, a truly unsettling Pokémon: a Banette.
I instructed Lorelei in a serious voice, already pulling three more Poké Balls from my belt, "Lorelei, keep your Cloyster shielding against those initial swarms. We need to clear space to move."
Sird reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a glistening Key Stone attached to a heavy bracelet. Banette mirrored the action, revealing its own Mega Stone embedded into its ribbon-like tail.
Sird boasted, the Key Stone flaring with rainbow light, "A simple army won't suffice against such interference! Mega Evolve!"
*SHIII*
The energy transfer was explosive. Banette was enveloped in the golden-blue stream, reforming into Mega Banette—longer, sharper, and far more menacing—its zipper mouth pulled back into a terrifying grin.
And then, the impossible happened. The Mega Banette shivered, and then, impossibly, it cloned itself... wait what?!
*POOF*
Mega Banette twitched, and four identical copies shimmered into existence around the original. They weren't illusions; they were solid, spectral duplicates, each radiating the same oppressive Mega-level aura.
Five Mega Banettes, each oozing an aura of dark power, now stood before us, an unholy quintet. Lorelei sucked in a breath as she uttered, "Five of them!"
Sird's smirk widened into a full-blown grin, a chilling display of confidence. She boasted, her voice echoing across the island, amplified by the sheer malevolence of her Pokémon, "Now… With five Mega Banettes on my side, and an army of Unown under my command, the odds are definitely in my favor."
Her gaze locked onto mine, a challenge. She uttered confidently, "This should be enough to keep you… entertained."
My eyes narrowed, a surge of adrenaline coursing through me. Entertained?
This wasn't a game. This was a battle for the fate of an island, the lives of its people. And Sird had just shown us her true hand, a hand heavier and darker than I had anticipated. Five Mega Banettes. An army of Unown.
She truly believed she had stacked the deck. And with her Trump Card Ace Darkrai on her, it would truly be the case.
I murmured, a silent promise, "We'll see about that, Sird."
My partners, Pikachu and Eevee, let out determined cries. Lorelei, beside me, stood firm, her own resolve hardening, her Jynx and Cloyster ready. I took a defensive stance, Pikachu and Eevee moving ahead of me, their own determination unwavering.
Five Mega Banettes, each capable of devastating Ghost attacks, plus the constant psychic pressure of the Unown swarm. The stakes had officially been raised.
I stated calmly, pulling out the first Poké Ball from my belt, prepared for a counterattack, "We need to maintain awareness of the original. The copies are taxing Sird's concentration, but they won't fade until the source is neutralized."
The battle intensified. The horde of Unown, five Mega Banette clones, Persian, and Starmie rushed forward.
*Zoooom*
My eyes narrowed, assessing the immediate threats. Then I issued commands, "Pikachu, Eevee, Dragonite! Focus on the Unown! Keep them from overwhelming us!"
*ZZZZT*
*PEW*
They launched into action, a flurry of Thunderbolt, Swift, and Dragon Pulse. Lorelei, quick to adapt, had her Jynx and Slowking assist, using Psychic and Ice Beam to push back the spectral swarm.
I knew I needed to deal with the Mega Banettes. Finding the real one among the clones was key. Grabbing both of my Poke Balls from my belt, I called, sending out my fiery canine and my metallic insect, "Arcanine, Scizor, let's go!"
*Pop*
Arcanine, a majestic beast of fire and speed, let out a bark, "Arf!"
Prepared for battle, eyeing the Mega Banette's I ordered, "Arcanine, Odor Sleuth! Find the true Mega Banette!"
*Sniff*
Its keen senses, amplified by the move, would hopefully cut through the illusion. Scizor, its pincers gleaming, awaited orders as I said, "Scizor! Deal with the fakers and watch over Arcanine's back!"
Lorelei, seeing my strategy, quickly commanded her Cloyster, "Cloyster, assist Scizor! Take down those clones!"
*Wooosh*
Scizor and Cloyster formed a formidable duo, their attacks coordinated. Scizor's Bullet Punch and Metal Claw, combined with Cloyster's Ice Shard and Spike Cannon, clashed against the four Mega Banette clones.
*CLANG*
Meanwhile, Arcanine, guided by its heightened senses, eyes narrowed, growling, "Grr… (Found ya!)"
*Zoooom*
*Ssssss*
Arcanine lunged at one of the Banettes, its Flamethrower engulfing it. The Banette recoiled, proving it was the real one, "Baaaa!! (Shit!)"
*Zoooom*
Sird's Persian, a blur of fur and claws, saw an opening and lunged directly for us, the trainers. I moved instinctively, ready to fend it off. Instantly ordering, "Gengar, Mean Look!" Keep that feline in place!"
*Wooosh*
My Gengar emerged from my shadow, its spectral form a vibrant, almost ethereal lavender, shimmered into existence, launching its signature move. The Persian froze in place as it eyed Gengar's eyes, cackling, "Gengarrr!! (Oh! Look at me! I found a pussy cat!)"
Lorelei, in turn, called out, hurling her Poke Ball out, "Tch. Quite the annoying pest! Sandslash, Icicle Crash!"
*Pop*
Her spiky, Ice/Steel-type Pokémon burst forth, its icy blades ready to counter Persian. It slammed against as the Persian recoiled in pain.
*SMASH*
The battlefield became a maelstrom of elemental energy and coordinated attacks against Sird's forces. My Gengar and Lorelei's Sandslash engaged Persian in a fierce dance of shadows and ice.
*POOOF*
Scizor and Cloyster fought a desperate battle against the Banette clones, forcing them to disperse into black mist before reforming. When one goes down, it poofs right back up seemingly endless if this continued, but…
*ZOOOOOM*
*SSSSSS*
… Arcanine, with its powerful Extreme Speed and Flare Blitz, kept the true Mega Banette on the defensive, its ghostly form struggling against the flames. Pikachu, Eevee, and Dragonite, meanwhile, were a whirlwind of destruction against the endlessly regenerating Unown, their combined power slowly but surely pushing back the horde.
*PING*
Amidst the chaos, Sird, surprisingly, pulled out her Rotom Phone. My eyes narrowed. Who was she calling in the middle of a battle? My mind raced only to one person she would call in this moment… Giovanni.
I couldn't hear the entire conversation, but Sird's side of it, spoken in a low, conspiratorial tone, was audible. Giovanni thanked her for stalling. He wouldn't have been able to polish the Ruby and Sapphire in time otherwise.
Ruby and Sapphire. My mind raced.
Those were the key items to control Deoxys. And the items I needed for Kyogre and Groudon are wanted back to help with their Primal Reversion.
Giovanni then relayed that Carr had reported Deoxys could shift into its Attack and Defense Formes, not just its Normal Forme. Sird noted, with a chilling satisfaction, that just as Giovanni and I predicted, the Ruby and Sapphire would unlock Deoxys's remaining formes – Speed and Normal.
While she spoke, Sird's eyes remained fixed on us, observing the battle, her expression unreadable. She asked if she could pick up the stones.
A sly grin spread across her face. My Arcanine, with one final, devastating Extreme Speed, slammed into the true Mega Banette, causing it to cry out and revert to its regular form, defeated…
*Pooof*
Its clones winked out of existence. Sird murmured, her voice laced with triumph, not defeat, "Mission accomplished."
She recalled her Banette and Persian, then, with a final, taunting wave, ordered her Starmie, "Teleport!"
I yelled, my Gengar already moving, "No, you don't! Mean Look!"
Lorelei, equally quick, shouted, "Jynx, Mean Look!"
Gengar's shadowy gaze and Jynx's hypnotic stare shot towards Sird, attempting to lock her in place. But the remaining Unown, as if anticipating her escape, swarmed around Sird in a protective shield, intercepting the attacks.
*Swf*
They absorbed the Mean Look, sacrificing themselves for her escape. A flash of light, and Sird, along with her Starmie and the remaining Unown, vanished.
Lorelei and I stood there, panting slightly, our Pokémon returning to our sides. The Unown were gone, the Mega Banette defeated, Persian and Starmie recalled…
We had won the battle. Yet, Sird had escaped. Lorelei muttered, her usual composure slightly ruffled, "Damn it! She got away."
I nodded; my gaze fixed on the spot where she had vanished. A familiar frustration curled in my stomach. Winning the fight but losing the war. It was a common theme in this world, this ongoing saga of heroes and villains.
But I knew what Sird was talking about. Ruby and Sapphire. Deoxys's forms.
Giovanni was getting closer to controlling the legendary Pokémon, to exploiting its power for his own gains.
My partners, Pikachu and Eevee, jumped onto my shoulders, their soft nudges a comforting reminder that we were still here, still fighting. Dragonite rumbled softly, a gentle warmth against my back.
Sird's escape was a setback, but not a defeat. It simply meant our work wasn't over. The game was still being played… a game where WE WIN. Giovanni and his newfound power wouldn't stand a chance.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!
Also, Merry Christmas, everyone! I'll release 3 Chapters just for the occasion! Enjoy!