Chapter 494: Lady and Bodyguards (1)
~Third POV~
[Sinnoh Region, Later, Veilstone City – Main Boulevard]
The heavy, reinforced doors of the Veilstone City Gym creaked open with a groan of shifting stone, allowing a sliver of the evening's orange hue to spill into the cavernous, combat-worn arena. Azure stepped out first, his boots clicking rhythmically against the pavement. He was a picture of a seasoned trainer, though the exhaustion of the day's Ace Gym Match was written in the slight slump of his shoulders.
Perched on his right shoulder, Pikachu let out a weary but triumphant cry. His ears flicked back as he adjusted his weight.
Atop Azure's head, Eevee was curled into a fluffy ball, her tail occasionally twitching in her sleep. Tucked securely into the oversized pocket of Azure's jacket, a sleeping Pichu (Mew) breathed in a slow, rhythmic cadence.
Behind Azure walked Platinum Berlitz. She moved with her characteristic grace, though her hand trembled slightly as she clutched her Poke balls. She admitted, her voice low, "That was... more intense than the records suggested."
Her Lopunny had been pushed to its absolute limit before fainting, and her newly evolved Altaria was currently resting in its ball, nursing singed feathers and bruised wings. Azure replied, glancing back at her, "Maylene doesn't pull punches. Her Lucario was strong against you. You did well, Platinum. Most trainers don't walk out of there with a badge on their first attempt."
Following several paces behind were Diamond and Pearl. The two boys were unusually quiet, their eyes wide as they replayed the battle in their minds. Pearl was frantically mimicking the movements of Maylene's Lucario, throwing sharp jabs into the air, while Diamond was absentmindedly chewing on a rice ball, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
Pearl finally burst out, unable to contain his excitement, "Did you see that Infernape? Azure, that final Fire Punch was insane! The way the blue flames turned white-hot... BAM! It was like a meteor hitting the ring!"
Diamond added between bites, his voice muffled, "And the way Froslass used the ice to create that refraction her escape through the Hail's shadows... It was like watching a work of art. A very... cold, scary work of art."
Azure gave a faint smile as he murmured grasping his Poke Balls, "It cost us. Froslass, Scyther, Liligant, and Infernape are all down for the count. We need to head to the Pokemon Center, and we need it fast."
The group turned onto the Veilstone City Main Boulevard. The city of stone was already beginning to feel the bite of the evening chill. Overhead, the sky transitioned from a bruised purple to a deep, oppressive indigo. The street lamps, tall and wrought from iron, flickered to life one by one, casting long, dancing shadows across the cobblestones.
*Clack-Clack-Clack*
The sound of their footsteps echoed off the high walls of the surrounding buildings. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. A heavy, unnatural silence smothered the ambient noise of the city.
*CHUNK*
With a synchronized, metallic snap, every single street lamp on the boulevard extinguished at once!
Pearl's voice cracked in the sudden, absolute darkness, "Wha—?! Hey! Did someone forget to pay the electric bill?"
Platinum called out, her voice pitching up in alarm, "Dia! Pearl! Don't move!"
She reached out blindly, her hand brushing against the cold stone of a nearby building adding, "I can't see anything!"
Azure's voice rang out, steady and commanding, "Stay calm."
He felt a hand brush his sleeve—Platinum. He immediately grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him as he sensed movement in the shadows around them. He yelled, "Pikachu, Flash! Now!"
Pikachu bobbed his head cried out, "PIKACHUUU!!!"
*FLASH*
A blinding, brilliant orb of white light erupted from Pikachu's cheeks. The darkness was violently shoved back, revealing the boulevard in stark, high-contrast detail. The empty street looked eerie under the artificial glare.
Azure hissed, "Follow me. Don't stop, and don't look back..."
He didn't wait for an answer, breaking into a disciplined jog toward the looming silhouette of the Veilstone Department Store. Pearl shouted, Pokéball already in his hand, "Wait! Why are we running?"
Azure replied grimly eyes warily watching their surroundings hand already grasping his Poke Balls, "Because we're being hunted. And I'm not fighting in an open street with fainted Pokémon in my belt."
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Nighttime, Veilstone City – Veilstone Department Store]
They reached the sliding glass doors of the Department Store. Azure forced them open, the motors groaning as the backup generators struggled to kick in. The interior was a cavern of shadows, filled with the silhouettes of mannequins that looked uncomfortably like frozen people.
Inside, Azure led them to the clothing department on the second floor. He pointed to a row of heavy, velvet-curtained fitting rooms as he stated calmly, "Platinum, get in there. Lock it and stay low."
Platinum started, her pride flaring, "But Azure—"
Azure interrupted, his eyes scanning the windows that overlooked the street, "This isn't a game, Platinum. This is Galactic. They aren't here without a reason..."
He motioned for Diamond and Pearl to look through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Down below, emerging from the darkness like ghosts, were dozens of figures dressed in grey, bowl-cut wigs and futuristic jumpsuits.
The yellow 'G' emblazoned on their chests seemed to glow in the moonlight. Pearl whispered, his teeth gritting, "Team Galactic… They followed us from the Gym."
Diamond realized a sharp, protective focus had replaced his usual slow demeanor, "They're after the Lady…"
He reached for Tru's Pokéball as he stated in an unusual, serious tone, "Azure, you're not going out there alone."
Azure looked at the two boys. He had initially planned to tell them to stay and guard the door, but the look in their eyes stopped him. This wasn't the look of two-stage performers; this was the look of bodyguards.
The training, the battles, and the journey had forged something solid in them. Azure's lips quirked into a genuine, sharp-edged smile as he replied, "Alright then. Let's show them why the Berlitz family hires the best. Let's go."
The trio exited the store, the sliding doors hissing shut behind them. The Galactic Grunts had already begun to converge on the entrance, at least a dozen of them, their faces masked by the cold indifference of cultists.
One of the Grunts droned, his voice devoid of emotion, "Intruders. Hand over the girl and the research."
Azure stepped forward, three Pokéballs expanding in his hand as he stated back, "How about a counteroffer? You leave this city tonight, or I make sure you spend the next month in a cast."
He tossed the balls into the air with a fluid motion…
*Pop*
*Pop*
*Pop*
From the bursts of white light emerged three powerhouses. First, the Alpha Rhyhorn, a massive beast of grey stone and jagged plates, let out a roar that shook the windows of the Department Store, "ROOOOAR!"
*THUD*
The ground beneath its heavy hooves cracked, the [Leftovers] it held tucked into a crevice of its armor, glowing with a faint, restorative green light. It snorted, seeing the forces trying to encircle them.
Next came Magmar, its body undulating with waves of intense heat. It adjusted its [Wise Glasses], its eyes glowing with calculated precision. The air around it began to shimmer and warp, the smell of sulfur filling the boulevard.
Finally, Electabuzz manifested, sparks dancing between its horns. It slammed its fists together, the [Muscle Band]wrapped around its bicep, tightening as its physical presence seemed to double, "BZZZZT-ELABU!"
Diamond and Pearl moved into position beside him. Diamond called out, "Tru, Lax, Sol! Let's go!"
*Pop*
*THUD*
Diamond's Torterra (Tru) landed with a thud that rivaled the Rhyhorn's, while his Munchlax (Lax) and Flareon (Sol) took up the flanks. They all looked prepared.
Pearl shouted as he hurled his Poke Balls, "Chatler! Chimlar! Herc! Front and center!"
*Pop*
His Chatot took to the air, his Infernape (Chimlar) ignited its head-flame with a fierce sizzle, and his Heracross (Herc) lowered its horn, ready to charge. The trio's eyes hardened as they saw the Grunts Staravia and Skuntanks closing in.
The Galactic Grunts didn't hesitate as the leader commanded, "Staravia! Skuntank! All at once! Attack!"
A swarm of avian and mammalian Pokémon flooded the street. The air was suddenly filled with the flapping of wings and the acrid, stinging scent of Skuntank gas.
Azure commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos, "Rhyhorn, use Strong Style Rock Slide!"
*RMBL*
The Alpha Rhyhorn slammed its massive head into the pavement. The earth literally heaved under its command.
Massive boulders erupted from the ground, glowing with a brown energy before being launched into the air. They descended like meteors onto the incoming Staravia.
*CRUNCH*
*SMASH*
The Strong Style boosted the force of the impact, sending three Staravia spiraling into the ground with enough force to crater the asphalt. Azure continued barking orders, "Magmar, Agile Style Clear Smog!"
*POOOF*
Magmar exhaled a thick, white cloud. It wasn't the slow, drifting smoke of a typical fire-type; it was a rapid-fire burst.
The cloud expanded instantly, neutralizing the stat boosts and debuffs that the Grunts were trying to use with their Pokémon and their own. Azure then followed up, "Now, Strong Style Flamethrower!"
*HISSSSS*
Magmar's throat swelled before it unleashed a torrent of white-hot fire. Because of the [Wise Glasses], the beam was focused, piercing through the center of the Grunt's line. One Skuntank barely had time to yelp before it was caught in the blast, the heat so intense it left a scorched line on the road.
Pearl yelled as he focused on the battle, "They're coming from the left! Chimlar, Mach Punch! Chatler, Confuse Ray!"
Pearl's Infernape moved like a blur, its fists connecting with a Skuntank's jaw—CRACK!—while Chatler's beak emitted a hypnotic, pulsing light that sent two Staravia veering into a nearby brick wall.
Diamond barked orders, "Tru, Razor Leaf! Sol, Fire Spin!"
The Torterra launched a storm of sharpened leaves that acted like a barrier, slicing through any attempt the Grunts made to bypass the front line. Diamond's Flareon followed up by encircling a group of Grunts in a vortex of flame, trapping them.
Azure watched the battlefield with a cold, analytical eye. He knew from his meta-knowledge that the Galactic HQ was just a few blocks away, hidden behind the facade of a generic building.
These Grunts were likely just the first wave, a scouting party meant to overwhelm them. He ordered, "Electabuzz, Magnet Rise, then Agile Style Discharge!"
*Zzzzzt*
Electabuzz began to hover, its body becoming a localized magnet that lifted it inches off the ground, negating any ground-type moves the Skuntanks might try. Its body then pulsed with a rhythmic blue light.
*BZZZT-BZZZT-BZZZT*
Small, rapid bolts of electricity lashed out, striking every enemy on the field. The Agile Style allowed Electabuzz to fire three pulses in the time it usually took for one. The Staravia were knocked out of the sky in droves, their wings twitching from paralysis.
Pearl grunted, his Heracross tossing a Skuntank over its head with a Brick Break, "There are too many of them! It's like they're coming out of the walls!"
Diamond realized, his eyes widening as he looked at the sheer number of reinforcements arriving, "It's because this is their home! Veilstone... they've built a base here!"
Azure roared his eyes, keeping on the ever-changing battlefield, "Keep the formation! Rhyhorn, Strong Style Bulldoze!"
*THOOOM*
The Alpha Rhyhorn reared up on its hind legs and brought its full weight down. A shockwave rippled through the street, the very foundation of the boulevard trembling. The Strong Style reinforcement made the ground buckle, tripping the Grunts and sending their Pokémon tumbling.
The Grunts were getting desperate as they barked commands, "Skuntank, Night Slash! Staravia, Aerial Ace!"
A Skuntank lunged at Azure, its claws glowing with a dark, sinister purple energy. Azure didn't flinch as he commanded calmly, "Electabuzz, Agile Style Thunder Punch into Strong Style Power-Up Punch!"
*ZIP*
Electabuzz intercepted the Skuntank mid-air. Its first hit was a quick, stinging jab to the Skuntank's chest that paralyzed its momentum. Then, drawing its fist back, Electabuzz's arm glowed with a burning orange light.
*WHAM*
The Skuntank was sent flying back into its trainer, the force of the blow knocking both through the front window of a nearby boutique.
*SHATTER*
As the battle raged, the trio found themselves being pressed together. The numbers were starting to tell. For every Pokémon they knocked out, two more seemed to step out of the shadows.
Azure, Diamond, and Pearl were now standing back-to-back, forming a triangle of defiance in the center of the boulevard. Azure asked, his breath coming in short, controlled bursts, "You guys okay?"
Pikachu was back on his shoulder, cheeks sparking, ready to jump in if a Grunt got too close to Azure himself. Pearl shouted, though he was sweating, "Never better! I haven't had this much fun since... well, never! Chimlar, Close Combat!"
Diamond admitted calmly, "My stomach is growling, but Tru still has plenty of energy. We won't let them through."
Azure looked at his two companions as he thought proudly, 'They had come a long way from the bumbling duo I'd recruited with a bet. They were true Dex Holders now. But first these grunts…'
Azure commanded, "Rhyhorn, use Sandstorm!"
*WOOOSH*
The massive rhino let out a low hum, and suddenly, the winds began to whip up, picking up the dust and debris from the broken street. Within seconds, a howling vortex of grit and stone enveloped the battlefield, masking their positions.
This gave Azure enough time to bark out more orders, "Magmar, Will-O-Wisp! Electabuzz, Thunder Wave!"
*HISSSS*
*ZAP*
Through the swirling sand, ghostly blue flames and jagged yellow bolts of electricity danced. The Grunts began to scream in confusion as their Pokémon were either burned or paralyzed by enemies they couldn't see.
This gave Azure a brief time to think as he thought, 'I need a game-changer…'
That was when an idea sparked in his mind, drawing from his vast experience and the unique capabilities of his team. With a sly grin on his face, Azure added, "Rhyhorn! Counter Shield Sandstorm!"
*WHIRL*
*WHIRL*
The wind intensified, growing in ferocity until it coalesced into a roaring, blinding vortex of sand and grit. The Sandstorm rapidly expanded, forming an impenetrable, swirling curtain that obscured the battlefield.
The opposing Pokémon, caught off guard, stumbled and coughed, their vision completely blocked. The Staravia screeched in confusion, unable to navigate the airborne maelstrom. Azure shouted, his voice ringing with urgency, "Now, Diamond!"
Diamond nodded, seeing the Sandstorm tornado, grinned, commanding, "Tru, Razor Leaf! On the Sandstorm! Strengthen it!"
*SWISH*
*SWISH*
Tru's back-mounted leaves glowed, then fired a volley of razor-sharp leaves into the heart of Rhyhorn's Sandstorm. The leaves, caught in the powerful updraft, didn't fall to the ground but instead were integrated into the swirling vortex, adding to its abrasive power and making it even denser, more impenetrable.
*WHIRR*
The Sandstorm roared louder, an angry, living wall of dust…
*WOOOSH*
Suddenly, a Skuntank, more resilient than its counterparts, burst through the swirling sand, aiming for Azure's Magmar, its claws extended for a Night Slash attack. Pearl's sharp voice pierced the roar of the Sandstorm, his senses honed by observation, "Magmar, behind you! Night Slash!"
*HISS*
*WHOOSH*
The Skuntank's attack was swift. But Azure's command was faster, reacting instantly thanks to Pearl's warning, "Magmar, Agile Style Fire Punch!"
*WHOOF*
*CRACK*
Magmar's fiery fist, moving with surprising speed, connected squarely with the Skuntank's face, sending it reeling back into the swirling dust with a pained yelp. Azure glanced at Pearl, a look of genuine admiration crossing his face.
Pearl's ability to predict enemy movements and Diamond's quick judgment, bolstering the Sandstorm, had been exceptional. This wasn't just raw power; it was skill, born from experience and an innate understanding of battle dynamics.
He felt a surge of pride, a quiet acknowledgment of their growth. He lined up shoulder-to-shoulder with them, feeling a genuine connection.
Azure grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes as he exclaimed in an excited tone, "Alright, boys, let's show them what we can do together! Pearl, Chimlar—aerial attack! Diamond, Tru—Stealth Rock!"
Pearl's eyes lit up as he ordered, "Chimlar, Fire Punch on the Staravia!"
*CRACKLE*
Tru dug its roots, then, with a mighty heave, sent a cluster of jagged rocks hurtling into the air…
*THUD*
*THUD*
They arced upwards, forming makeshift platforms within the lower layers of the Sandstorm. Chimlar, with a nimble FLIP, leaped onto the first rock, using it as a springboard.
*POW*
The Infernape moved with incredible agility, bounding from rock to rock, a fiery blur within the swirling dust, striking at the disoriented Staravia with Fire Punch attacks. He was a monkey made of fire, dancing in the dust.
But the Staravia were still numerous, and several soon surrounded Chimlar, forcing him to momentarily defend. Pearl shouted, his brow furrowed, "Chimlar's surrounded!"
Azure barked, an idea fully formed, "Pearl, Ember! Full power!"
Pearl instantly commanded, "Ember, Chimlar!"
Chimlar, despite the tight encirclement, gathered its energy, unleashing a torrent of small, fiery embers....
*WHOOSH*
But these weren't ordinary embers. Propelled by the roaring vortex of Rhyhorn's Sandstorm, the individual fireballs coalesced, spinning rapidly within the cyclone. The spinning flame grew, morphing into a miniature ring of fire that spun around Chimlar, then expanded, hitting all the surrounding Staravia simultaneously.
*SIZZLE*
*SCREECH*
The Staravia shrieked, their feathers singed, and plummeted to the ground, unconscious. Below, the last remaining Skuntank, still trying to push through the Sandstorm, was caught off guard.
Pearl commanded, spotting the staggered Skuntank, "Chatler, Hidden Power!"
*ZAP*
*BOOM*
Chatler, hovering above the chaos, unleashed a concentrated blast of energy. The Hidden Power attack, precise and powerful, struck the Skuntank squarely, sending it flying backward with a sickening THUD as it collapsed, defeated.
*THUD*
Diamond and Pearl stared, first at the downed Pokémon, then at their own, still standing tall. A profound shock washed over their faces, quickly followed by a swell of overwhelming pride. Their Pokémon… they were so strong!
Azure, witnessing their reactions, offered a knowing smile. He said, his voice calm amidst the settling dust, "They've always been strong. You two have always been strong. Sparring with Platinum, pushing her in her Gym Matches… you've been growing too. You've kept her on her toes, and in doing so, you've honed your own skills."
His words were a balm, validating their journey, their efforts, and the inherent power they possessed. But the moment of triumph was fleeting. Through the dissipating Sandstorm, Azure spotted fresh grunts emerging from the shadows, their faces grim, their resolve unbroken.
Some of their initial opponents, though beaten, were beginning to stir, groaning as they pushed themselves back to their feet. They hadn't defeated them completely, only driven them back.
Azure stated, his voice devoid of emotion, focusing on the immediate threat, "We need to move… They'll figure out where Platinum is if we stay here."
He wasn't wrong. The presence of three powerful trainers defending this specific spot would undoubtedly make Team Galactic suspicious.
He recalled Rhyhorn, Magmar, and Electabuzz, their forms disappearing in flashes of red light. Azure commanded, leading the group away, deeper into the side streets, drawing the grunts further from the Veilstone Department Store, "Rhyhorn, Magmar, Electabuzz, return! Let's go!"
As they turned a corner, disappearing into the maze of alleys, Azure sent a silent, mental command, 'Darkrai protect the lady while we'll take care of this.'
*Swooosh*
Back in the dimly lit fitting room, within the confines of Platinum's hidden sanctuary, a shadowy figure stirred. Darkrai, the Pitch-Black Pokémon, materialized from the deepest darkness, a silent, watchful guardian.
Its eyes glowed faintly in the gloom, ensuring that while Azure, Diamond, and Pearl drew the enemy away, Platinum remained safe, protected by a power beyond mortal comprehension. The pursuit continued, but now, a hidden watchful eye ensured their precious charge was secure.
/////
A/N: Hope you liked the chapter!