Chapter 371: The Reason to Fight
~Third POV~
[Sevii Islands, Morning, Five Island]
The air on Five Island was thick with the scent of pine and saltwater, a jarring mix that mirrored the tension gripping the small, specialized camp near the cliff edge. Red, Blue, Green, Bill, Ultima, Lorelei, Azure, and the ever-reliable Sailor were gathered, their focus strained by the looming threat of the revived Team Rocket.
Preparation was everything, and today, preparation had produced a spectacle. Ultima, the elderly master of the Ultimate Moves, stood rigid as stone, her gaze fixed on the young Dex Holder, Green.
Ultima murmured, her voice laced with astonished awe in a tone of disbelief, "Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable…"
Green's Blastoise, Blasty, stood dripping in the shallows, the residual energy of the colossal water blast still vibrating in the air. The Ultimate Move, Hydro Cannon, was one of the most demanding techniques known, usually requiring the long, grueling physical and mental conditioning of the Paths of Jumping, Catching, and Battling.
Red and Blue had sweated and suffered through those paths to gain their mastery. But Green, the Evolver, the girl who fought through connection and charm, had bypassed the traditional methods entirely.
Ultima said in disbelief, shaking her head slowly, "The power… it is perfect. Unwavering. You used pure connection, child. You willed the raw potential of the move without having to break the physical boundaries first. The Path of the Mind, the Path of the Heart…"
Green, though exhausted, managed a proud, slightly breathless grin. She said confidently, recalling Blasty, "I told you I'd be ready. If we're going to fight the same people who took my parents, I need every advantage."
*Rustle*
Just then, a rustling from the trees was heard. Azure stepped into the clearing, his partner Pikachu riding comfortably on his shoulder, Eevee trotting at his heels.
Azure's expression was one of calm satisfaction. Azure said happily, giving a slow clap, "I see the raw power display reached me even through the woods. A stunning performance, Green. You've refined Blasty's Hydro Cannon technique faster than anyone I've ever seen. A job well done."
Green, usually unflappable and prone to teasing, felt a genuine warmth rush to her cheeks at the rare, direct compliment from the seasoned trainer. She managed, awkwardly brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, "Th-thank you, Azure."
Azure nodded reassuringly before turning towards the cliff path as he said casually, "Let's check on the others. Time is short, and I smell trouble brewing, literally."
Down at the small dock, the Seagallop, the crucial vessel for their journey, sat unusually low in the water. Red, Blue, Lorelei of the Elite Four, and the weary Sailor were struggling, peering into the murky water near the stern.
Red grunted, wiping sweat from his brow as he tried to help, "It's no good, we can't get a proper grip on them."
The Sailor lamented bitterly, his face etched with frustration as he muttered, "It's not just seaweed, sir! The propeller is completely jammed. Clustered all around it, like barnacles—but they're moving."
As Azure and the others approached, Lorelei squinted down at the obstruction. She clarified coldly, "They aren't barnacles. Those are Unown."
A large, dense cluster of the esoteric Pokémon was indeed clinging to the propeller shafts, their strange, glyph-like bodies rotating slowly, ensuring the ship could not move. Blue repeated, frowning, "Unown?"
Lorelei's eyes narrowed, a cold glint appearing in them as she explained, "I recognize them. Sird used Unown to battle Azure and me earlier. They must have followed us here, acting as spies, waiting for the perfect moment to immobilize us."
The urgency intensified. They needed to move, and they needed to move now. Bill was already working on a way to safely flush them out with a controlled burst of water pressure, but it would take time. Time they didn't have.
Blue, ever the pragmatist, slapped his thigh with conviction as he said boldly, eyeing the Unown, "Forget the tedious solutions. We need brute force, precision brute force. We use the Ultimate Moves."
The Sailor threw his hands up in horror as he pleaded, "The propeller blades are delicate! If you hit them with that kind of power, you'll shear the metal!"
Blue countered, his gaze challenging the Sailor before turning to his peers, "We won't. Red, how is Suar's timing with Frenzy Plant?"
Red looked sheepish as he confessed honestly, "Still needs work. The recharge window is too wide if I rush it."
Blue grinned, turning to Green. He then said, asking curiously, "Perfect. Green, how's that Hydro Cannon you just perfected?"
Green puffed out her chest as she declared, "Flawless, obviously."
Blue's eyes shone with strategic excitement as he explained his plan, "Then we hit them simultaneously. Saur's Frenzy Plant, Blasty's Hydro Cannon, and Charizard's Blast Burn. Merge the three, target the cluster, and blast them clear without touching the propeller metal itself. It must be a single, unified strike."
The risk was immense, but the group knew Blue's genius for controlled chaos. Red's Venusaur, Saur, Green's Blastoise, Blasty, and Blue's Charizard were sent out. The three Pokedex Holders took their positions at the edge of the dock, concentrating fiercely.
Blue commanded, "Ready!"
Red yelled, "Now!"
*SPLASH*
*SSSSS*
*RMBL*
The combined attack was deafening. Saur's Frenzy Plant erupted from the earth, massive, spiked vines slamming forward. Before the vines could tangle the propeller, Blasty's torrent of pure water energy, Hydro Cannon, enveloped the grassy assault, shaping and channeling the power.
Finally, Charizard unleashed a roaring, blue-white pillar of Blast Burn fire, which hit the water-and-grass fusion, causing a massive, steaming explosion of kinetic force. The combined energy struck the dense mass of Unown.
*BOOOM*
There was a collective, echoing shriek of psychic energy as the glyph Pokémon were fragmented and violently flung away from the ship, dispersing across the channel like shattered glass. The propeller was intact.
Azure whistled, impressed. He commented, even as Pikachu and Eevee cheered their approval, "That was magnificent. The level of control required to merge those three elements… You three are truly masters. A few more practice sessions to smooth out the timing kinks, but that will breach any defense Team Rocket can throw at us."
With the Unown defeated and the Seagallop free, the group prepared for immediate departure. Before anyone could climb aboard, Azure stepped forward, holding the attention of the assembled trainers.
In his hand, he held a sleek, purple-and-black orb, instantly recognizable to the seasoned veterans: a Master Ball. Azure announced, his voice low and serious, "Before we leave for Seven Island. I have an introduction to make. Red, do you remember a few months ago, when I was at Cerulean Cave?"
Red blinked, trying to recall as he explained, "Yeah, I remember. It was when I went to check up on things after I visited you at Oak's Lab for that battle with Yellow. I heard the old rumors were back—the powerful Pokémon living deep within."
Azure continued, a knowing grin touching his lips, "And when I returned, I said absolutely nothing about what I saw, only confirming to Daisy that Mewtwo was involved."
Red's own eyes widened in realization, connecting the dots between the powerful cave rumor, Mewtwo's involvement, and the Master Ball now resting in Azure's palm. Without further preamble, Azure pressed the button.
*Pop*
The Master Ball opened, bathing the dock in brilliant white light, and in a flash of purple energy, the monstrous form of Mewtwo materialized. Blue and Green simultaneously let out sharp, horrified screams.
Green shrieked, clutching her face, "Mewtwo!?"
Blue yelled, defensively pulling out a Poké Ball, "That's the creation of Team Rocket! Azure, what in the hell are you doing?"
Mewtwo ignored the two screaming Dex Holders, its gaze immediately locking onto Red. A deep, calm, yet immensely powerful voice resonated directly inside Red's mind, 'Greetings, Red. It has been a significant amount of time since our last encounter.'
Red froze, startled. He could hear Mewtwo's thoughts as clearly as if the creature had spoken aloud. He couldn't help but ask, "Mewtwo? You can… You can talk?"
Mewtwo stated with a light nod and sly grin, eyeing Red, 'Telepathy. An acquired skill. A necessity, perhaps.'
Red tried to process the surreal nature of the moment. Azure had somehow befriended—no, captured—the most powerful Pokémon in existence.
Red asked, his voice subdued by shock, "Why are you here?"
Mewtwo replied, its glowing eyes unwavering, filled with determination and curiosity, 'The answer is simple. I wish to fight alongside Master. His drive and his capacity for controlled power are compelling. And not only that, but I'm also curious about meeting this Deoxys myself…'
Lorelei, who had stood silently observing, shivered despite herself. She recalled the terrifying rumors Lance had relayed years ago—the creation of a Pokémon by Team Rocket, a creature built for pure, condensed power.
She could feel that power radiating off Mewtwo now, a palpable force that settled heavily over the entire island. But she also thought, 'With Mewtwo on our side… then facing Deoxys isn't that big of a hurdle as we thought…'
/////
[Sevii Islands, Few Hours Later, Seagallop]
A few hours later, the Seagallop cut smoothly through the waves, heading toward Seven Island. Red, Blue, Green, Azure, Mewtwo, Ultima, and the Sailor were aboard. The atmosphere was a mixture of anticipation and lingering dread.
Blue was still struggling to accept their new, terrifying passenger. Blue insisted, pacing the deck, "Okay, wait a second. Red, you said you can hear him talking to you. How? Neither Green nor I can hear anything. Azure, can you hear him?"
Azure nodded, petting Eevee's head absentmindedly, "I can."
Mewtwo telepathized, sighing in Red's mind, 'You ask too many questions, Blue. And you, Red, stop trying to explain. Azure and you are the only people present who can perceive my direct thoughts.'
Mewtwo turned slightly toward the ocean as he continued to explain, 'I gained the ability to speak through telepathy after I was captured by Blaine and then released—a period during which I lost many of my formative memories. Since I inherently distrust humanity, there are only three people I currently allow myself to connect with in this manner.'
The psychic Pokémon paused for dramatic effect, continuing, 'Red, the only human who ever successfully contained me in a conventional Poké Ball, proving his strength. Yellow, the person who fought side-by-side with me, proved her pure heart. And Azure, the second person ever to defeat me completely in battle before my capture and release, proving his strategic supremacy.'
Blue's jaw dropped as Mewtwo responded to his answer in his head. Azure defeating Mewtwo was a feat only outmatched by Red's original, legendary encounter.
It explained Azure's reputation perfectly. Blue suddenly barked, pulling out his Vs. Seeker, "Snap out of it, Red! We have bigger problems than our new, terrifying teammate's inner monologue…"
*PING*
The device was buzzing violently, flashing a red warning light as Blue said cautiously, "It's reacting to something massive coming from Seven Island. A huge concentration of opponents."
They all looked east. Seven Island rose from the sea, dominated by a towering structure that pierced the sky: the Trainer Tower. Their eyes hardened for the inevitable encounter that awaited them…
/////
[Sevii Island, Sevel Island – Trainer Tower]
*PING*
The Vs. Seeker's signal was focused right there. Suddenly, the sky above the island darkened...
*RMBL*
A tremendous, churning swarm of Unown, far larger than the cluster they had defeated earlier, lifted from the island and began streaming out over the sea, heading directly for the Seagallop. Azure stated grimly, "That must be it… Team Rocket's headquarters. They're protecting the tower."
Blue argued, already reaching for a Poké Ball, "Charizard can break through that many."
Mewtwo cut in, instantly as it rebutted bluntly, 'A hassle and a waste of time. We will not slog through the rabble. We will move directly to the source.'
*SHIII*
Mewtwo lifted its head. A deep purple, shimmering field of psychic energy erupted from its form, instantly coalescing into a perfectly smooth, protective sphere.
Azure commanded, stepping into the sphere with Eevee and Pikachu, "Get inside, folks! It's going to be a bumpy ride!"
Red, Blue, and Green scrambled in after him, Red clutching Pikachu tightly. The barrier felt utterly solid. As soon as they were secured, Mewtwo lifted off the deck, carrying the entire group in the psychic sphere.
*SMASH*
The Unown swarm reacted immediately, recognizing the threat. Thousands of the glyph Pokémon spiraled inward, focusing their collective psychic energy. They transformed into a giant, churning black tornado of symbols and raw power, spinning violently in the ocean air, attempting to stall or even crush the psychic barrier.
The impact was immense, the barrier ball shuddering under the force of the compressed Unown vortex. Green couldn't help but utter, "What incredible power! And speed!"
Blue, for the first time seeing Mewtwo, awed, "So this is the power of Mewtwo, the genetic Pokémon…!"
Azure grinned at their reactions. But then Red chimed in, seeing the large swarm of Unown, "There are so many Unown here that I can't even see the building! All these Unown spinning are preventing us from getting inside!"
Mewtwo scoffed mentally, 'Crude.'
*SHIII*
Mewtwo's purple psychic aura brightened to a near-white. Instead of attempting to push through the Unown tornado with a sheer shield, Mewtwo began to mimic the movement, channeling its own phenomenal psychic power into a counter-vortex.
Mewtwo warned Red and Azure, 'Hold on tight so you don't get pushed off!'
*GWAAARRR*
The barrier ball became the nucleus of a raging, swirling tornado of sheer Psywave energy. The Psywave tornado was faster, sharper, and utterly overwhelming. It attached itself to the Unown structure, sucking the spiraling glyphs toward its center.
Green eyes widened, seeing the psychic power as she said in shock, "Mewtwo's psychic energy… is starting to spin around!"
*WUFFFWUFF*
*PULL*
As the Unown were dragged inside the controlled psychic current, the structure of their defensive tornado instantly disintegrated. The sphere of Psywave energy dispersed, leaving behind only the astonished trainers and a scattering of inert, defeated Unown falling into the sea far below.
Blue stared out the clear psychic shell at the receding tide of defeated Pokémon. He couldn't help but whisper, impressed, "It defeated all the Unown surrounding the tower all at once!! That power… It's just as strong as the Ultimate Moves combined… or perhaps maybe stronger."
Mewtwo exhaled with a sly grin on its face as it stated telepathically, 'Hahaha… I am simply glad I do not have to battle with a time limit placed upon my ability to move. How thrilling to be able to fight without a time limit…'
*Tmp*
The barrier sphere accelerated, rocketing toward the summit of the Trainer Tower. Within seconds, they breached the atmosphere of Seven Island and landed with a gentle thud on the reinforced roof of the building.
Mewtwo released the barrier. The group spilled out, ready to face the leaders of Team Rocket. Red immediately shifted into battle mode, drawing his first Poké Ball as he uttered cautiously, "Trainer Tower, huh? This place means challenges. They must have established a perimeter defense inside. Blue, Green, we take the elevator down and start clearing the house floor by floor."
But Blue and Green were not listening. They stood rigid, staring past Red, their faces contorted in expressions of pure, unadulterated shock and horror.
Red and Azure turned, following their gaze. Secured high above the observation deck, held in thick, metallic shackles, were several figures. They were bruised, injured, and unconscious—and they were instantly recognizable.
Blue's Grandpa Prof. Oak. Green's parents—the very same couple who had been kidnapped from her. Team Rocket had found their loved ones and gathered them all in one, sickening display.
Chained to posts, visible but distant, were figures they recognized instantly. Blue's grandfather, Professor Oak, looked bruised and weary. Nearby, Green's parents, frail and injured, were held in metal shackles.
Blue roared, sending Charizard forward instantly, "Grandfather!"
Green cried, already sprinting toward the figures, "Mom! Dad!"
Red was about to follow, but Azure grabbed his arm, pulling him back. Azure commanded, pointing to the subtle distortion around the edges of the figures, "Wait, hold up, Red! Take a closer look…!"
Mewtwo confirmed the suspicion as it announced telepathically, 'They are illusions. Holograms. They're designed to maximize emotional distress.'
*SWOOOSH*
As Blue and Green reached the perceived figures, the holograms flickered and vanished. Simultaneously, several massive, mechanical clamps, tipped with paralyzing energy emitters, shot up from concealed hatches in the tower's floor.
*CLANG*
Red, Blue, and Green were instantly seized. The clamps locked down tight, their struggling Pokémon immediately recalled by safety systems in the cuffs.
*SWOOOSH*
Another clamp shot toward Azure, moving with blinding speed. Azure, however, was already moving, his reflexes honed to perfection.
*Swoosh*
He executed a flawless backward flip, Pikachu and Eevee leaping clear just as the clamp slammed shut on empty air. Azure yelled, drawing Scizor's Poké Ball, "They anticipated our arrival!"
*REEEK*
Mewtwo was faster. One moment, it was floating calmly; the next, it wielded a large, curved spoon of psychic energy…
*SLASH*
… With absolute precision, the spoon sliced through the thick metal arms attempting to restrain the Dex Holders, freeing Red, Blue, and Green. Mewtwo used its psychic power to gently set all three down, avoiding the electrified flooring in Trainer Tower.
Red pounded his fist against the ground, fury burning in his eyes as he yelled, "They used Blue's and Green's families against us! How dare they toy with their feelings!!"
Mewtwo stated bluntly, earning a glare from the Viridian City Gym Leader, 'You should have known better. Falling for the enemy's trick is your fault, not theirs. This tower is clearly designed to separate and weaken teams.'
Azure nodded, ignoring the tension between Red and Mewtwo as he asked calmly, "Mewtwo is right. They saw the power of the Ultimate Moves. They want to split us up. We need efficiency. Mewtwo, can you establish the real location of their hostages? We can't afford any more diversions."
Mewtwo closed its eyes, extending its psychic power across the dense mechanical maze of the tower as it stated, 'Scanning. Human life signs, restrained, non-holographic… Location confirmed. Southeast corner, Level One.'
*Zlip*
They rushed toward the designated room. Inside, secured behind a thick, seemingly impenetrable glass wall, was Professor Oak.
Blue shouted, immediately sending out his entire team: Charizard, Pidgeot, Rhydon, Arcanine, Scizor, and Porygon2, "Grandfather!"
*Pop*
With his team all out, Blue ordered, "Scizor! Cut the shackles!"
*KA-TANG*
Scizor lunged, its sharp pincers glowing with Metal Claw. But before the attack could connect, the invisible wall shimmered, stopping the steel-type attack cold.
A synthetic, chilling voice echoed through the room, projected from hidden speakers and sensors in the walls, "Futility detected. The containment system is immune to known Pokémon physical attacks and elemental force projections."
Red looked around frantically as he yelled out loud, "What was that? The tower is talking?"
The voice responded through a mechanical eye ball appearing above Oak's containment, "I am R. I am the central processing unit of Trainer Tower. I am the defense system. And I find your attempts predictable."
Blue snapped, insulted on behalf of his entire team, "Oh, you're just a stupid computer system, then!"
R bristled, digitally taking after Carr's personality as it retaliated coldly at them, "I am insulted. For that grievous offense, your team shall now experience the full force of my defensive protocols."
*KLACK*
*KLACK*
Weapons materialized from concealed panels—high-pressure water cannons, flamethrowers, and specialized electric emitters. R launched a coordinated attack on Blue's team.
*SHIII*
Mewtwo anticipated the move, flaring his psychic energy to create an immediate, thick barrier that absorbed the torrent of attacks. Even the specialized electric beams dispersed harmlessly against the shimmering shield.
R spoke, its tone mocking at the heroes in an arrogant voice, "Even now, you cannot breach the containment field. Not even the legendary Mewtwo can stop the integrity of this structure. You will not rescue Professor Oak."
Blue muttered, a dangerous glint in his eye. He had been planning this since R first spoke, "Oh, yeah? Porygon2! Move!"
*Zoooom*
Blue's Porygon2, a geometric marvel of digital construction, instantly shot forward. Unlike the other Pokémon, Porygon2 seemed to phase through the environment rather than move through it. It was enhanced by the power of a Salac Berry it had just consumed.
R's sensors registered the speed spike in an alarmed voice, "Intruder detected! Moving at 180% maximum speed! What is that thing?"
Porygon2 was already inside the walls. Blue had identified R's nervous system—its central wiring. Porygon2 reached the core processors with blinding speed, its form focusing energy. It unleashed a devastating close-range Zap Cannon.
*ZAP*
*RTTL*
*RTTL*
The entire room short-circuited. R's mocking voice cut off with a sound like tearing metal and glitches. The lights flickered violently, and a noxious plume of smoke erupted from the core systems.
Blue snapped his fingers, grinning widely as he ordered, "Computer systems are only 'immune' until you fry their motherboard. Porygon2! Release the shackles!"
*KLK*
With R neutralized, the containment field around Professor Oak vanished. Porygon2 used its internal digital tools to disable the Professor's shackles, freeing him. Professor Oak coughed, rubbing his wrists, "Blue! You reckless genius!"
Blue said happily, pointing to the now-freed Professor, "No time for accolades, Gramps! Porygon2, use Recycle!"
*Shiii*
Porygon2 immediately reabsorbed the energy remaining in the utilized Salac Berry, preparing for another burst of speed. Mewtwo stated, having guided the others to a stairwell, 'Green's parents are one level down, directly beneath us.'
They found them in the next room, held in identical shackles. Porygon2, using the recycled burst of speed and power from the Salac Berry, duplicated its feat, frying the residual R systems in this area and releasing Green's parents.
Green rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she reunited with the parents who had been missing for years—victims of the original Team Rocket. The moment was overwhelming, raw emotion finally breaking through her powerful resolve.
Green sobbed, clutching them tightly, "Mom! Dad!"
The reunion, long overdue and deeply moving, was tragically short-lived. The humming of the tower's remaining defense systems returned, but this time, it was different. It wasn't the synthetic voice of R; this was a purposeful, rhythmic thudding.
*RMBL*
*RMBL*
In the hallway outside the room, a series of shadows began to coagulate. They were impossibly tall, unnaturally defined by the pale emergency lighting.
Red immediately recalled Saur, bracing for a fight. Azure drew his remaining Poké Balls, his expression hardened, Pikachu and Eevee ready at his side. From the entrance came menacing, powerful silhouettes that materialized in the doorway, blocking their exit. They were figures, cloaked and radiating a cold, familiar malice…
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A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!