Chapter 370: Strategize
~Third POV~
[Sevii Islands, Nighttime, Later, Five Island]
The air on Five Island was thick with the scent of pine and salt, the sounds of the crashing waves muffled by the dense forest that reached right up to the sheer cliff face. In a modest clearing near the edge, the group—a collection of heroes, scientists, and strategists—was engaged in tense preparation.
Azure leaned against the rough bark of a sturdy oak, closing his eyes briefly. The meeting had been draining.
Sharing his intimate knowledge of Deoxys's capabilities and its Forme changes—data gathered during the painful process of its capture—had felt like handing over a map to a minefield. Lorelei, equally grim, had laid out Sird's arsenal: the sharp intelligence of her Persian, the brute psychic force of Starmie, the unsettling power of a Mega-Evolving Banette, and the sheer, unending madness of the Unown Army.
Across the camp, the work had already begun. Bill and the Sailor nervously reviewed schematics for whatever countermeasures they could devise while working on fixing the Pokémon Center Network.
Red, his face etched with fatigue from the brutal encounter with the second, wild Deoxys, sat surrounded by his team, methodically applying Full Restores and Revives. Red whispers quiet words of encouragement to his battered Pokémon.
Blue muttered, already a blur of motion as he sparred with his Charizard against Lorelei's Lapras on the narrow beach below, "It's the only way to be ready."
Lorelei, ever the strategist, treated the training not as a simple spar but as a simulated encounter against Sird's specific types, honing Blue's reflexes against Ice and Psychic moves. They had to be prepared.
Azure watched them for a moment, appreciating the focus. He had fulfilled his duty, distributing the Full Restores and Revives he carried—a collection often necessary when one fought at the highest levels of Battle. Now, he waited.
A slight shift in the air, a rustle that wasn't wind, alerted him to company. He didn't need to open his eyes to know who it was as he thought, 'She never changed.'
Green said casually, her voice softer than usual, lacking its typical playful spike, "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, Azure."
She settled beside him, leaning against the trunk with a deceptively casual air. Azure opened one eye and offered a tired smile.
His Pikachu, dozing comfortably on his shoulder, twitched its ears slightly but didn't stir. His Eevee, curled protectively around his feet, lifted its head only enough to confirm Green's identity before returning to its nap.
Azure replied lightly, though the humor didn't quite reach his eyes. He said calmly, "You know me. I win tournaments, I don't want the titles."
Green gave a short, knowing laugh. Then she continued in a fond tone, "Bill told me. He talked about how you stayed with me when the others left, making sure I was safe after the whole mess at the One Island."
Azure winced internally. He had simply been doing what he felt was right, ensuring Green was alright, allowing other events to happen.
Azure murmured, kicking a loose pebble with his heel, "I only did what any decent trainer would do…"
He shifted his stance, the movement stirring the fabric of his coat. But Azure continued saying in a defeated tone, "But Red… At least he understands what it means to carry a promise you couldn't keep."
He paused, the heavy guilt he often compartmentalized now pressing against him. His voice lowered to a barely audible rasp, "Before we went off to the Sevii Islands, I promised you to help meet your parents all the way on the Seagallop. I failed to uphold my promise… Sometimes I think if I had intervened, if I hadn't been so focused on..."
He trailed off, the implicit completion of the sentence hanging unspoken as he thought bitterly about himself, 'If only I had been braver, then perhaps you shouldn't have been traumatized again… or go through this pain…'
Green turned her entire body toward him, her expression serious. She knew this was a rare moment of vulnerability from the usually unflappable Azure. She spoke up as she calmly stated, "Azure, look at me."
He met her gaze, the concern in her brown eyes sharp and clear. She stated plainly, "You didn't fail. Team Rocket failed. That monster failed."
She glanced over toward Red, who was meticulously bandaging his Poliwrath as she continued, "I know you were targeted by the first Deoxys—the one you eventually captured. And I know Red, facing the second made him feel scared, maybe truly terrified, about what's coming next."
Azure didn't deny it. Fear was a valuable instructor, and he had learned more from facing the interstellar threat than from any battle hall. Green continued, her voice gaining strength, "But despite that, with you here, Red isn't as afraid. With all of us here, training and preparing, we have a chance. A real one."
She stood up and walked toward Red, gently patting his shoulder as she knelt beside him, picking up a stray Full Restore bottle as she continued, "Red's the only one who truly knows how terrifying the wild one is. But you, Azure, you managed to defeat one of them. And because of that, I'm fighting. We're all fighting."
Green then reached into her pocket. Her movements were fluid and quick, a testament to years of practiced larceny and skill.
She pulled out a small, ornate bangle. She declared, brandishing the bangle, "And to fight, I need the biggest, loudest weapons I can get."
Before Azure could comment, a furious, high-pitched shout echoed from the trees, "My bangle! Get back here!"
Ultima, the elderly master of the Ultimate Pokémon moves, burst into the clearing. The moment she saw the jade ornament clutched in Green's hand, Ultima's body was drawn forward by an unseen, powerful force, pulling her stumbling halfway across the clearing toward Green.
Green, momentarily surprised by the intensity of the magnetic pull, gave a small, wicked chuckle. Green teased, "You know, Master, you really should keep a better eye on your artifacts."
Azure let out a hearty laugh, leaning his head back against the tree, the sound cutting through the tense camp atmosphere. Pikachu and Eevee woke fully this time, startled by their Trainer's rare, loud display of mirth.
Azure muttered, still catching his breath, "Goodness, Green! The years have passed, but you haven't changed your ways in the slightest. If anything, it's reassuring."
He looked at the bangle, noting its intricate design as he continued, "So, you intend on learning the Ultimate Water-type move, Hydro Cannon?"
Green nodded as she stated bluntly with a sly grin, "You're the one who recommended I go to Ultima. I know my Blastoise can handle it. I need him to."
Green's Ditty, a ditto that had transformed into Red's Backpack, popped its head out and gave a cheerful, high-pitched sound of agreement returning to Green. Azure's laughter subsided, replaced by quiet contemplation.
He watched Green stand tall, the determination radiating from her. Green said resolutely, tucking the bangle safely into her pouch, despite Ultima's renewed protestations of theft, "I'm not fighting for my sake. I'm fighting for theirs. My parents. I won't let Team Rocket take any more. I won't let anyone take anything from me anymore..."
Azure remained silent, his hand dropping absently to the heavy, dense weight of the Master Balls concealed within the inner pocket of his coat. He grasped the smooth sphere, the coolness of the metal a stark contrast to the heat of the gathering threat.
He had spent weeks gathering data, perfecting strategies for the most unpredictable of encounters. Defeating a creature like Deoxys—even the first, weakened one—required an impossible contingency plan that he prepared for in advance.
He looked at his team, his unwavering Partners. If things turned desperate, he would have to reveal his aces.
The cards he'd held close to his chest. Azure thought, the calculation chillingly precise, 'It should be about time. Giovanni will capture the second Deoxys soon enough…'
/////
[Sevii Islands, Meanwhile, Birth Island]
The atmosphere on Birth Island was the antithesis of the Five Island woods. Here, the air was sharp, sulfuric, and permeated by an unnatural stillness. The island was nothing more than a colossal, triangular rock formation, jutting violently out of the sapphire sea, devoid of life save for the injured creature attempting to hide there.
*THUD*
Giovanni landed his Garchomp with meticulous precision near the central peak. Below him, the second Deoxys, battered and exhausted from its previous clash with Red, struggled to maintain its Normal Forme, its triangular core flickering weakly.
Giovanni stepped onto the cold rock, flanked by two of his Pokémon, Garchomp and Beedrill. He surveyed the scene with the detached appraisal of a hunter finding his prey already wounded and cornered.
Giovanni murmured, drawing off his gloves, "Excellent."
His voice was low, resonating with quiet, absolute authority, and continued, "Since this specimen was so thoroughly brutalized in its engagement against Red, it couldn't be a more perfect chance to conclude this phase."
He looked at the creature. The Delta Shield, a shimmering, complex barrier of energy Deoxys employed for defense, was noticeable but visibly taxed.
Giovanni observed Deoxys closely as he grabbed a Poké Ball and declared, "The power of outer space belongs to me! Go Aggron!"
*Pop*
From within a heavy, specialized Poké Ball, Giovanni released his Aggron. The Iron Armor Pokémon, massive and plated, roared, the sound echoing harshly off the triangular cliffs, "AGGGG!!!"
*Swf*
Deoxys reacted immediately. Despite its injuries, its reaction time was instantaneous. In a flash of light, it was gone, reappearing fifty feet away using Teleport, maintaining maximum distance from the large steel-type aggressor.
Giovanni merely smiled, observing Deoxys closely as he uttered, "Impressive, even injured. You rely on the Delta Shield to protect you from attacks while also facilitating your healing. A sensible, if predictable, tactic for a creature of your complexity."
He didn't need to consult his notes. The data gathered from the conflicts with Red and Azure—the Forme changes, the defensive output, the behavioral patterns—had been fed into the vast Team Rocket database.
Giovanni continued, as his Beedrill moved forward, "However, I can read your strategies like an open book now."
Beedrill hovered fearlessly for a moment before Giovanni initiated the transformation, holding his breast pocket, revealing its Key Stone uttered, "Partner… show Organisim No.2 its place. Now! Mega Evolve!"
*SHIII*
The massive, compound eyes of the insect intensified, its stingers growing sharper and more elongated as it Mega Evolved. Mega Beedrill, a terrifying blur of yellow and black, shrieked, eager for action.
Giovanni grinned, seeing his lifelong partner get even stronger than before. He uttered confidently in its strength, "Beedrill, use Agility! Maximize your speed!"
*ZOOOOOM*
The Mega Beedrill became almost invisible, a high-frequency buzz the only evidence of its flight path as it launched into the stratosphere, circling and accelerating until its speed rating was at its absolute maximum. Deoxys, sensing the unprecedented threat to its limited movement, launched focused beams of psychic energy…
*PEW*
*Wooosh*
*PEW*
*Zoooom*
… but the Mega Beedrill was too fast, dodging every attack with impossible precision. The pressure began to tell.
*Shiii*
The Delta Shield, which had maintained a steady, blue shimmer, began pulsing intermittently, turning a dull, nervous red around the edges as Deoxys's focus wavered. The cosmic Pokémon was panicked, unable to lock onto the hyper-accelerated threat.
This momentary break in composure was all Giovanni needed. Giovanni ordered, "Aggron! Focus on the target, not the shield's strength! Utilize Brick Break!"
Aggron lumbered forward, its massive steel fist glowing with fighting energy. The attack was designed to bypass defensive barriers. Aiming directly at the point where the shield had begun to redden, Aggron brought its fist down with the force of a tectonic shift.
*KRA-KOOM*
The Delta Shield, a combination of Light Screen (Special Defense) and Reflect (Physical Defense), fractured violently under the overwhelming, type-advantage physical pressure of Brick Break. Shards of psychic energy scattered across the rock.
Deoxys cried out, exposed and momentarily paralyzed by the shock of its shattered protection. Giovanni did not hesitate…
*Wooosh*
He moved with the precision of a predator closing the trap. He hurled a specialized, heavy-duty Poké Ball straight at the now-exposed alien organism.
*BONK*
The ball collided with Deoxys's core, engulfing the wounded Pokémon in a flash of brilliant, searing white light. The ball dropped heavily to the ground and began to shake—one time, two times, three times—before clicking definitively shut.
*BON*
Silence fell over Birth Island, broken only by the distant buzzing of Mega Beedrill's wings as it reverted to normal. Giovanni walked over, picked up the captured Poké Ball, and weighed it in his hand.
A slow, chilling smile spread across his face, a look of ultimate triumph. He gloated, addressing his quiet Three Beasts, "Deoxys is mine… The second specimen is secured. Mission accomplished."
Giovanni turned his collected focus toward the distant horizon where the Sevii Islands lay scattered like stepping stones back to Kanto. He mused, tapping the Poké Ball lightly, "I must admit. I was uncertain whether a standard Brick Break would be sufficient to collapse what is essentially a combined Light Screen and Reflect. But thanks to the data gathered by Red and Azure, we observed that even a combined psychic defense has a weakness when the user is forced into constant, exhausting Forme manipulation."
Giovanni sneered in gratitude toward his unsuspecting contributors. He muttered to himself, "And now, Sird is in position. The true test begins."
He looked down at the Poké Ball containing the cosmic entity. The true objective had always been stability and control as he uttered, "With the Ruby and Sapphire already in Sird's possession. Once they are activated, they will superimpose the climate control properties of Hoenn across the entirety of Kanto. The resulting instability will provide the perfect environment for my prize."
He clenched the Poké Ball tightly as he grinned smugly, uttering, "The key to Deoxys's true power lies in its ability to adapt. With a constantly shifting climate—from the dry heat of the desert to the torrential coastal storm—Deoxys will be able to change Forme repeatedly, instantly, and without effort. It will render it functionally invincible. When that happens, Kanto—and then the world—will finally kneel to Team Rocket."
/////
[Sevii Island, Island Five – Rocket Warehouse]
Meanwhile, on Five Island, deep within the subterranean infrastructure of the Rocket Warehouse, Sird watched the monitor that displayed Birth Island's coordinates flicker to dark. A triumphant, chilling smile stretched across her face.
She breathed, turning to the man standing stiffly by her side, "Success! Giovanni has secured his prize. The second Deoxys is contained and ready for calibration."
Carr, one of Team Rocket's high-ranking executive officers, stood ramrod straight, but his attention was elsewhere. He was meticulously refolding a small, slightly worn photograph—a faded image of a younger Giovanni, smiling, holding a smiling, red-haired child on his hip.
Sird snapped, her patience immediately wearing thin, "Carr!"
The sound of her voice was enough to cut through the executive's deep distraction. Carr jolted, shoving the picture hastily into the breast pocket of his uniform, the movement betraying a private, deep-seated conflict.
Carr said quickly, his voice regaining its professional flatness, "Yes, Sird. Apologies!"
Sird regarded him with suspicion, but the time for questioning subordinates was over. The plan was in motion. She hissed, her eyes gleaming with fanaticism, "Excellent. The time for waiting is almost done! We begin the next phase. Prepare the conduits and activate the Ruby and Sapphire. We will bring the meteorological chaos of Hoenn to Kanto, and with it, the reign of Team Rocket."
Carr simply nodded following Sird. Carr hastily shoved the photograph into his pocket, the paper feeling like a lead weight against his leg as he thought, 'The questions would have to wait. For now, he was still a Rocket.'
Carr followed her out of the room, his mind reeling, a new and dangerous seed of doubt now planted deep within his soul…
/////
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!