By now, Shizukawa and Hanabi had closed the distance, pursuing Feng Che with savage expressions and eyes turned a blood-red. The Alpha symbols on their foreheads pulsed as black miasma swirled around their bodies.
Two Swanna circled in the air, boxing Feng Che in.
"Come forth, my Pokémon!" Shizukawa growled. He released a Ludicolo, while Hanabi called out a Surskit. As expected, both Pokémon bore the Alpha mark on their foreheads.
The Swanna looked like elegant birds, their bodies primarily white with long yellow beaks tipped in black. Two tufts of feathers connected at the crown of their heads, giving them a regal yet menacing silhouette.
Ludicolo resembled a large, bipedal pineapple, sporting a wide green brimmed hat with a short brown stem and yellow spikes. Its body was marked with deep yellow stripes, and its emerald-green legs ended in feet with black circular patterns.
Surskit had a round blue body supported by four spindly legs. It wore a yellow "cap" with a single feeler on top. Its dark, circular eyes were underlined by semi-circular pink markings.
All of these Pokémon were shrouded in dark energy, their eyes glowing a murderous crimson. They stared at Feng Che like emotionless puppets.
"Elite Feng Che, we kindly invited you to join our ranks," Shizukawa said, his voice distorted and gravelly. "Not only did you refuse our hospitality, but you dared to offend the Great Sea God."
"The Sea God is livid, and I will surely be punished for my failure," Shizukawa continued, his face twitching. "So, forgive me. Swanna, use Water Gun!"
The Swanna opened its beak, unleashing a jet of water so thick and pressurized it rivaled a standard Hydro Pump.
I can't hear a single thought from these Pokémon. Their minds have been completely overwritten by the Sea Monster, Feng Che thought, his brow furrowing. But their Water-type moves have been supercharged. If their basic Water Gun is this strong, a full Hydro Pump will be like a tidal wave.
Aerodactyl beat its wings, deftly weaving through the Swanna's opening salvo.
"Surskit, Bubble Beam!" "Ludicolo, Water Pulse!"
The sky filled with a dense cloud of bubbles, obstructing Feng Che's vision.
"Come out, Corvisquire! Use Hurricane!"
Corvisquire flapped its wings, blowing the bubbles away, but Ludicolo's Water Pulse was already bearing down on them.
"Corvisquire, Drill Peck!"
The bird transformed into a blue whirlwind, piercing through the Water Pulse. The attack shattered, drenching both Feng Che and Aerodactyl in cold spray.
"Swanna, use a double Hydro Pump! Let the Elite see your true power!" Shizukawa roared.
Just then, a streak of light blurred from the side. It was Ditto, currently transformed into a Yanmega. It unleashed its own Hurricane against the Swanna. A massive tornado erupted, tossing rocks and debris into the air. Surskit, being the lightest, tried to anchor itself to a rock, but a flying stone caught it in the face, and it was instantly sucked into the vortex.
"Surskit! Damn you... Ludicolo, use Frenzy Plant on Aerodactyl!"
Ludicolo slammed its palms onto the ground. Massive, dark vines erupted from the earth, weaving into a giant net that lunged toward Aerodactyl. Simultaneously, the Swanna's white feathers turned black with malice; they beat their wings, launching the blackened feathers like razor-sharp daggers at Corvisquire.
Corvisquire used Drill Peck again, spiraling through the feather daggers. The metallic clink-clank of feathers hitting Corvisquire's reinforced plumage sounded like hammer on steel. The deflected daggers buried themselves deep into the coastal rocks.
"Aerodactyl, Snarl!" Feng Che commanded.
Aerodactyl opened its maw and unleashed a devastating roar. The sonic pressure shattered the incoming vine net into splinters, which rained down onto the sand.
"Useless! Ludicolo, Petal Dance!"
Shizukawa screamed the command, but he froze when he realized Ludicolo wasn't moving. The pineapple Pokémon stood rigid, its face turning a sickly blue-purple. It slumped over, unconscious, revealing a small puncture wound on its belly dripping with purple venom.
"When did Ludicolo get poisoned?" Shizukawa stared in disbelief.
"Well played, Elite Feng Che," Shizukawa sneered, his expression twisting further into madness. "I thought that with the Sea God's power, I could at least fight you to a draw. To think my primary team fell so quickly..."
"It's a pity you can no longer escape the Sea Monster's grasp," Feng Che said coldly, looking at the puppet-like man.
The Swanna were soon taken down by the combined efforts of Yanmega and Corvisquire, falling into the sea, their fates unknown.
[Sea Monster: Trash! Utter trash! To be defeated so easily... Since you are useless, become a part of me instead.]
Feng Che watched as Shizukawa and Hanabi began to exude massive amounts of black miasma. The energy flowed rapidly back toward the Poseidon Grotto. He could see the life force draining out of Shizukawa's eyes; the Sea Monster was devouring its own followers.
"Hehe... the Sea God has a message for you," Shizukawa rasped as his body began to crumble. "He has remembered your face. You stole his most precious treasure. When he breaks free, he will harvest your soul."
With those final words, Shizukawa and Hanabi dissolved into piles of ash. Even their Pokémon vanished into dust.
Ditto (as Yanmega) landed beside Feng Che.
"Ditto, where were you? I almost bit the dust back there!" Feng Che scolded.
Ditto looked entirely dazed, like someone who had suffered a total blackout. It had no memory of the last few minutes. It remembered waiting for an order, then nothing—until it woke up outside the grotto. Suddenly, Ditto opened its mouth and spat out a massive, glowing Sea Gem.
Feng Che looked up at the sky. I see. The Sea Monster used an illusion. Anyone who took a gem would see hallucinations to prevent them from leaving. That monster is no joke.
It seems the future Team Aqua will be the ones enslaved by this shadow, trying to find the real Kyogre to replace it. But even though I didn't find the 'Sanctuary' in a traditional sense, the boost to my Heart Sight is a massive win.
"Wait," Feng Che looked back at the Poseidon Grotto. "According to the monster's thoughts, it's sealed and its power is drained. My Heart Sight counters its mental influence perfectly."
This grotto, filled with Sea Gems, is the ultimate place for a Water-type evolution. I almost missed the forest for the trees.
"Come on, we're going back in."
Inside the Grotto.
[Sea Monster: I'M SO ANGRY! I'M ABSOLUTELY LIVID! I lost half my power and my Alpha Sapphire is gone!][Sea Monster: I spent a thousand years condensing that stone!][Sea Monster: Some unknown entity broke through the seal and snatched it right as it finished! When I get out, I'll tear them apart!]
Feng Che actually laughed when he heard the internal tantrum. The Sea Monster looked up, its spectral form nearly exploding with rage when it saw the human return, looking entirely smug.
"Come out, Gyarados and Froakie!"
Feng Che released his two water partners. "This place is thick with Water-type energy. It'll boost your levels instantly. Froakie, this is it. Evolve here."
Froakie looked up at the Kyogre silhouette with trepidation. [Froakie: That shadow... its pressure is insane. Thousands of times stronger than me. And yet, even something that powerful is sealed. The world is a dangerous place; I must be more cautious.]
Froakie sat down, closed its eyes, and cleared its mind. Soon, the brilliant white light of evolution began to shine from its body.
"Insolent human! You dare use my grotto for evolution? Do you not fear divine retribution? This is the dwelling of a GOD!" the Sea Monster screamed.
"You can't leave the seal, and your divine power is useless against me," Feng Che said, leaning lazily against a sapphire pillar with his arms crossed. "If you have any other tricks, feel free to show them. I'm waiting."
[Sea Monster: I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM SO MUCH! If my power weren't so low, I'd summon a legion of sea beasts to crush this arrogant brat!][Sea Monster: But I can't do anything! AGGGHHH!]
The Sea Monster's spectral body suddenly puffed out and burst into a cloud of black smoke, scattering in all directions.
"Did the Sea Monster just... literally implode from rage?" Feng Che muttered, looking at the dissipating mist with a look of pure confusion.