Chapter 542: Attack on Galactic (8)
~Third POV~
[Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Veilstone City – Galactic Building]
The reinforced steel doors of the Team Galactic Building in Veilstone City groaned, then shrieked, as a massive, gleaming form tore through them. Shards of metal and concrete exploded inward, showering the pristine, if menacing, white interior with debris. Green, astride her magnificent Shiny Metagross, its metallic body shimmering with an unnatural, almost ethereal glow, and on the side was Nido Green's Nidoqueen, guarding Green burst into the main chamber.
The air crackled with a potent mix of anticipation and raw power. Her expression was a mask of cold determination, a stark contrast to the usual carefree smirk she wore. Today, there was no room for levity.
Her mission, alongside Looker, had brought her deep into the heart of Sinnoh's most dangerous criminal organization, and she intended to root out its core. Standing amidst the chaos, unmoved by the dramatic entrance, was Cyrus with his Honchcrow.
His piercing, icy blue eyes fixated on Green, a flicker of recognition crossing his usually impassive face. He mused, his voice unsettlingly calm amid the cacophony, "An unannounced guest. And a familiar one at that. You're one of the Kanto Dex Holders. And an agent of the International Police, if memory serves. Leaf Green. Your reputation precedes you, even here."
Green dismounted, her boots thudding softly on the damaged floor. She snapped, her voice cutting through the building's humming machinery, "Cut the pleasantries, Cyrus. We know what you're planning. Dividing space and time? Destroying existing worlds to build your own? Not on our watch. You've crossed the line."
The glint in her eyes promised retribution. Green didn't have to hold back against people like him, not when the fate of an entire region, perhaps even the world, hung in the balance in her battle.
Cyrus scoffed, a faint smirk playing on his lips, "Such grand declarations. Naïve, as always, to believe you can halt the inevitable. You interfere with the natural order of things. This world is incomplete, flawed. It yearns for a new beginning."
Without another word, Cyrus's hand sliced through the air, ordering, "Honchkrow! Silence this nuisance."
A large, dark avian Pokémon with a fedora-like crest lunged forward, its menacing red eyes fixed on Green. But Green was faster.
She countered, "Nido! Come on out!"
*Whooosh*
Green's Nidoqueen, Nido, lunged forward, its powerful form radiating raw strength to confront the bird. Before Honchkrow could even flap its wings, Green's command rang out, "Nido! Shock Wave!"
*CRACKLE-ZAP*
Nidoqueen's horn pulsed with crackling blue electricity. It unleashed a potent, focused blast that snaked through the air!
The attack landed a direct hit on Honchkrow. The dark Pokémon cried out, a high-pitched shriek of pain as the electricity coursed through its body, its feathers standing on end. It convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
*Thud*
Cyrus's smirk wavered, replaced by a slight narrowing of his eyes. He clicked his tongue, switching to another Pokémon, uttering, "Efficient. Unsurprising for a Dex Holder. Weavile! Intercept Metagross!"
*Pop—ZOOOM*
A blur of razor-sharp claws and dark fur, Weavile, flashed into existence, its piercing yellow eyes glittering with malice. It darted around Metagross, a flurry of motion too fast for the average eye. Green commanded, knowing her pseudo-legendary's incredible defenses were its greatest asset, "Metagross, keep it steady!"
*CLANG—CLANG*
Weavile's attacks, though swift and precise, merely scraped against Metagross's durable, metallic hide. The Shiny Pokémon stood its ground, its four legs rooted like ancient pillars, its powerful brain analyzing every incoming blow.
Cyrus watched with a calculating glint in his eyes. He barked a new order, his voice laced with venom, "Impressive defenses indeed. But even the sturdiest wall has its breaking point. Weavile! Blizzard!"
*WOOOSH-ROAR*
The air in the chamber instantly dropped several degrees. Weavile let out a guttural cry, gathering frigid energy between its claws. A furious vortex of ice and wind erupted, engulfing Metagross in a blinding, howling blizzard.
Within seconds, the storm dissipated, revealing Metagross encased in a thick layer of ice, its usually vibrant metallic sheen dulled by the crystalline prison. Green gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief, "What?! Frozen solid?! That was either an incredibly powerful Blizzard or a pinpoint Ice Beam!"
*Bdmp*
Her heart pounded, a cold dread seeping in. She reached for her belt, pulling out a bright, shimmering berry – a Salac Berry, meant to boost speed – and flung it towards her frozen Pokémon and had an Ice Heal in the other hand.
But Weavile was quicker. With a grunt, it launched a sharp, icy spike that intercepted the berry mid-air.
*THWIP*
The berry exploded into a fine mist of pulp. And her Ice Heal refused to work. Green muttered, her frown deepening, "Embargo."
Weavile had used Embargo, preventing Metagross from using items. That was a calculated move. Green said resolutely, recalling the frozen Pokémon, "Alright, Metagross, rest up. Blasty, it's your turn!"
*POP*
A familiar, powerful roar echoed as her Blastoise, Blasty, emerged, its twin cannons already swivelling, "BLASTOISE!!"
Its blue shell was solid, imposing. Green smirked as she commanded boldly, "Blasty, Flash Cannon!"
Blasty wasted no time, gathering light energy into its water cannons…
*WHOOM—CRASH*
A blinding beam of silvery light erupted, searing a path straight towards Weavile. Weavile shrieked, attempting to dodge, but the attack was too wide, too fast. The Flash Cannon slammed into the Dark-type, sending it skidding violently across the polished floor, leaving deep gouges in its wake.
While Weavile struggled to regain its footing, Green seized the moment. She began, her voice sharp and accusatory, "Cyrus. We have eye-witness reports. From Celestic Town. The ruins that had been disturbed. You were there, weren't you? You scoped out the ancient texts, the cave paintings. That's how you found the Lake Pokémon locations. How did you know where to strike?"
Cyrus, surprisingly, didn't deny it. He allowed himself a small, chilling smile as he boasted, "Indeed. I've read countless scripts, ancient tomes. But none truly confirmed the precise locations. It was the primitive scribblings, the cave paintings etched by your ancestors, that provided the crucial hints. They depicted the trio… the guardians."
He paused, a strange reverence in his voice that quickly turned to disdain, "It was those crude drawings that led me to choose Lake Valor. To drop the Galactic Bomb."
Green whispered, a knot tightening in her stomach, "Lake Valor…"
The devastation there had been immense. Cyrus continued, his gaze distant, as if seeing beyond the confines of the building, "The three Lake Pokémon. Born from a single entity, the progenitor of emotion. Uxie, the bringer of knowledge. Mesprit, the keeper of emotion. And Azelf, the embodiment of willpower."
He turned his eyes back to Green, a cold fire in their depths as he declared, "Willpower, Agent Green, I believe to be the most potent of the three. A stubborn, foolish trait in humanity. Therefore, to crush that willpower… I dropped the bomb at Lake Valor. To shatter the very essence of human obstinacy."
His words hung heavy in the air, a chilling declaration of his nihilistic philosophy. Green felt a surge of pure rage, but she suppressed it, forcing herself to focus.
Blasty was still fighting.
Weavile, though battered by Flash Cannon, was far from out. It recovered, a glint of savage cunning in its eyes. With a burst of speed, it lunged, aiming for Blasty's underbelly – a known weak spot for the Water-type.
*SLASH*
Weavile's sharp claws pierced the softer flesh beneath Blasty's formidable shell. The gash was deep, oozing. Blasty let out a pained, guttural scream, a sound that tore at Green's heart, "BLAAAASSSSTTT!"
But Blasty was no stranger to pain, nor to retaliation. With a furious roar, it spun, its cannons instantly charging…
*FWOOSH*
A focused beam of water, infused with immense pressure, shot from its cannons, striking Weavile with surprising force. Cyrus's eyes widened slightly. He recognized, a hint of respect in his tone, "Brine."
*Thud*
The move was particularly effective against Pokémon that had already taken damage. Weavile, already weakened by Flash Cannon and the pain of the attack, cried out one last time before slumping to the ground, motionless.
Green snarled, her voice tight with anger and relief, "Yeah. Had Blasty use Brine. Just to put some salt over its wounds."
Cyrus merely sighed, a sound of mild annoyance. He produced another Poké Ball, roaring back in defiance, "A temporary setback. Nothing more. Gyarados! Show them the true force of nature!"
*POP*
A colossal, serpentine Pokémon roared into existence, its dark blue scales glinting, its gaping maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. This was no ordinary Gyarados; its presence alone seemed to displace the air.
Green's eyes narrowed as she silently muttered to herself, "More tricks up his sleeve, just as I thought."
Blasty, still reeling from its fresh injury, tried its best to combat the Flying-type behemoth. It launched Water Pulses and Hydro Pumps, but Gyarados, surprisingly agile for its size, dodged with ease, weaving through the attacks like a dancer.
*WHOOSH-SPLASH-BANG*
The water attacks merely struck the damaged walls and floor, further eroding the building. Cyrus broke into a rare smile, a truly unsettling sight. Just then, a blinding light flared behind him, momentarily hampering Green's sight.
She squinted, realizing with a jolt that the morning sun was rising, its first rays piercing through the shattered exterior of the Galactic Building. Cyrus, ever the opportunist, seized the moment. He commanded, gesturing towards the gaping hole in the building, "Gyarados! Outside!"
The massive Pokémon responded instantly, soaring out into the open sky, bathed in the golden light of dawn. Green followed, running to the edge of the gaping hole. She could barely make out Gyarados, silhouetted against the brilliant sunrise, performing a majestic, yet terrifying, dance.
She murmured, recognizing the empowering move, "Dragon Dance."
Gyarados's power surged, its aura crackling with raw energy. Then, with a roar that shook the very foundations of the building, Gyarados launched itself forward. Cyrus's voice boomed, "Giga Impact!"
Gyarados became a living, breathing torpedo, its body engulfed in a purple-red energy, "ROOOOOOAAAAARRR!"
*CRASSSSHHHHH*
It slammed into Blasty with unimaginable force. Blasty, already injured and caught off guard, was sent careening backward, propelled out of the building with a sickening crunch as it hit another structure.
Green cried, her heart seizing, "Blasty!"
She quickly recalled her loyal starter praising his efforts proudly, "You fought well, old friend. Get some rest."
Cyrus stood at the edge of the building, gazing out at the rising sun, his arms wide. He declared arrogantly, his voice carried on the wind, "When one of them appears, it will not stop its rage until everything is burnt down? A rampage born of pure, unadulterated fury. Tell me, Agent Green, when will this rampage stop? When will humanity allow itself to be cleansed?"
Green ignored his philosophical ramblings. There was only one Pokémon she could trust to stand against such power. She grabbed an Ultra Ball from her belt with Nido standing by her side, ready to defend. Her eyes glared at Cyrus as she roared, hurling the Ultra Ball into the air, "Moltres, I choose you!"
*POP*
With a majestic cry, a legendary Pokémon erupted from its Ultra Ball, its wings spreading wide, radiating an inferno of heat and light. Green's Moltres, a magnificent Fire/Flying-type, hovered defiantly in the morning sky, its presence instantly shifting the temperature.
Cyrus, seeing the legendary bird, kept his guard up. His Gyarados, too, seemed to sense the power shift, circling Moltres warily.
Suddenly, a voice crackled through Green's earpiece, urgent and strained, "Agent Green! The second artificial Red Chain… It's being crafted! Our scientists report that its completion is imminent!"
Green gritted her teeth as she thought, 'Too fast.'
She had hoped to delay him longer. Moltres, understanding the gravity of the situation, let out a piercing shriek, "MOLLLL!!!!"
*FWP—WHAM*
It dove, a blazing meteor, striking Gyarados with a powerful Aerial Ace. The impact sent Gyarados reeling, pushing it further out from the building.
Green commanded, her voice ringing with newfound resolve, "Moltres, now! Heat Wave! Use the sun's power to your advantage!"
Moltres responded with an almost sentient understanding. The morning sun, now fully risen, seemed to empower the legendary bird. A red-orange ball of pure flame began to form in Moltres's beak, drawing in the solar energy, growing larger, more intense.
*HISSSSS*
With a ferocious roar, Moltres unleashed a torrent, a veritable wind of scorching flames that erupted from the fiery orb, "ROOOOARRR!"
*WOOSH-FWOOSH-WHOOSH*
The Heat Wave wasn't just heat; it was a physical force, a searing gale of fire that swept across the landscape! It struck Gyarados head-on, engulfing the colossal sea serpent in a fiery embrace. But the sheer destructive power of the attack didn't stop there. The flames continued, washing over the already damaged Team Galactic Building, slamming directly into Cyrus, who stood at the edge.
*KRA-BOOOOOM*
The building groaned under the assault, concrete crumbling, metal warping and melting. A cloud of dust, smoke, and debris erupted, momentarily obscuring everything. Green eyes narrowed, viewing the smoke.
When the smoke began to clear, Gyarados was still struggling, battered and bruised, but Moltres was descending, its magnificent wings beating slower, its fiery aura somewhat dimmed. The legendary Pokémon was visibly exhausted.
Cyrus, to Green's astonishment, emerged from the dust, his clothes singed, a few strands of hair out of place, but otherwise unharmed. He coughed, then looked at his burnt attire, a strange look of awe on his face.
He mused, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest, "Is that… even a Pokémon move? I've never witnessed a Heat Wave inflict such… widespread devastation. Remarkable!"
His chuckle turned into a full-blown, chilling laugh as he continued, "Hahaha!! Truly, truly remarkable!"
He then turned his gaze from the sheer destruction to Green. He observed, his eyes cold and assessing, commented coldly, "Your Moltres, Agent Green. Such raw power, but at a cost. It's thoroughly exhausted, isn't it? While my Gyarados, though singed, is still able to fight."
Cyrus shook his head slowly, adding dismissively, "You act with such irrationality. To reveal yourself, to unleash such power, all fueled by your anger. You, who purport to control your own emotions, cannot even control yourself. Your heart, Agent Green, remains incomplete."
His words struck a nerve, but Green refused to show it. Cyrus merely smiled as he said confidently, "No matter. The artificial second Red Chain has been successfully created. It awaits me. We will use it to bind space and time when the first Red Chain, the one born of those foolish Lake Pokémon, is also created."
He leaped onto his still-defiant Gyarados. Then he warned Green in a serious tone, "Agent Green, I bid you farewell. We shall not meet again, I assure you. But if you dare pursue me, if you follow me to Mt. Coronet now, I will release one of my Legends. And it will continue this battle, unleashing its fury through the very streets of Veilstone City. A consequence you, with your complete heart, will surely bear."
With that chilling threat, Cyrus and his Gyarados ascended into the sky, heading towards the towering peak of Mt. Coronet. Green frowned, her jaw tight, but she didn't issue an order to pursue.
Her Pokémon were drained, and she couldn't risk further rampage in the city. She watched them fade into the distance, a silent, internal grin spreading across her features. She thought proudly, 'Foolish Cyrus. You think you've won this round.'
Her goal wasn't to capture him here. Her goal was to weaken him, to force his hand, to make him think he was still in control.
And she had succeeded. Moltres, though tired, had delivered a crippling blow to both Gyarados and Cyrus's ego.
*FLASH*
Off in the distance, from the heavily damaged remains of the Team Galactic HQ, Cyrus, already aboard his Gyarados, noticed a shimmering, ethereal light shooting up towards the sky, directly from the direction of the Team Galactic Building.
Cyrus soon realized, 'The Lake Trio!'
His eyes narrowed in a furious scowl. He spat, pounding a fist against Gyarados's scales, "Curses! They're forming the first Red Chain already?! No. It won't be completed in time before my arrival. This is an unexpected deviation."
His grand plan for the natural Red Chain was now compromised. Not realizing the flash of light was the Lake Trio escaping, assuming it was the Red Chain's creation. But with Green present and his Grunts assuming they had it under control.
With a growl of frustration, he clutched a Poké Ball at his side, containing the newly crafted artificial Red Chain. He roared, a cold fury burning in his eyes, "Fine! Then Plan B it is! Magnezone! Get us to Spear Pillar. Immediately!"
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Mt. Coronet – Spear Pillar]
Meanwhile, at the summit of Mt. Coronet…
The air at Spear Pillar was thin, biting, yet charged with an ancient, palpable energy. Azure stood beside Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion, both silhouetted against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped peaks and swirling clouds.
Azure's Pikachu gnawed contentedly on a Poffin on his shoulder, while Eevee dozed on his head, occasionally twitching an ear. Pichu (Mew) remained hidden in his jacket, a low purr resonating from within.
*Buzzz*
A sudden vibration in his pocket pulled Azure's attention. He pulled out his Arc Phone. A green icon flashed on the screen – Green.
He answered, his voice calm, despite the tension in the atmosphere, "Azure here. What's the stitch?"
Green's voice crackled through the speaker, a hint of triumph in her tone, "Hey, Az! Good news on our end! Uxie got reunited with Mesprit and Azelf just now. My Ditty did a marvelous job. Team Galactic took the bait!"
Azure felt a surge of relief. He replied in a relieved tone, "Excellent work, Green. Stellar execution, as always."
She chirped, then her voice dropped, becoming more serious, "You know it! Bad news, though – Cyrus is on his way. He just left Veilstone, headed straight for Mt. Coronet. I tried to rough him up a bit, make him bleed, but he's still coming."
Azure confirmed, glancing at Cynthia, who nodded, already aware, "Noted. Any specifics on his condition? Pokémon he's bringing?"
Green began to report to him as she relayed, her words forming a clear picture in Azure's mind, "He's riding Gyarados, and he threatened to release a Legendary if I chased him. He's also got the artificial Red Chain. His Moltres battle left his Gyarados battered, though. He'll be expecting to use the real Red Chain, but he's bringing the fake one as backup. He's probably pretty mad about Uxie being gone."
Azure cracked a small smile. He looked out at the mystical landscape as he replied excitedly, "Good. Anger makes people impulsive. We're ready for him. Cynthia's got a warm welcome planned."
Green smirked as she finished, then the line went dead, "That's my man. Give 'em hell, Az. I'll send Looker and the others as soon as they're in position. Keep your eyes peeled. And you know, don't lose."
*BEEP*
Azure slipped his Arc Phone back into his pocket. He informed Cynthia, who merely nodded, her gaze fixed on the ominous swirling clouds above, "He's bringing the artificial Red Chain."
Cynthia replied, her voice steady and resolute, "Just as we prepared for."
Her Garchomp's Poké Ball twitched subtly at her hip, eager for confrontation. Behind them, a shimmer in the frigid air coalesced, revealing the spectral form of Azure's Gengar, her red eyes glowing.
Gengar cackled, her voice a low, raspy whisper that seemed to echo from the very stones of Spear Pillar, "Ooooh, Cyrus is gonna be so mad. He hates when plans go… sideways."
She drifted closer to Azure, a mischievous grin on her face as she asked, "Think he'll stomp his feet, Master? I bet he will. So much for his perfect world, eh?"
Azure chuckled, a small, grim sound. He stretched, the cold air doing little to numb the anticipation thrumming in his veins as he said calmly, "He's about to find out that a perfect world isn't built on shattered willpower, Gengar. It's built on the strength of connections. Alright, everyone. Time to beat our bad guy of the Region!"
Cynthia turned, a faint, determined smile gracing her lips as she added, "Then let us be a true connection, Azure. A wall he cannot break."
They waited patiently, the wind whipping around them, the silence of the mountain broken only by the expectant hum of ancient power and the occasional, knowing chuckle from Gengar, as if she could already taste the coming chaos.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!