Chapter 298: Alluring Fire (2) [Bonus]
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Verdanturf Town – Rusturf Tunnel (Deep Interior)]
The journey deeper into the tunnel was a brutal drag for Azure. Courtney, surprisingly strong, pulled him along with an almost casual ease, her grip unwavering.
The air grew warmer, almost oppressive, carrying a faint, metallic tang. The path here was unnaturally wide and smooth, the rough, natural rock replaced by evidence of heavy machinery or powerful Pokémon-assisted excavation – just as Courtney had boasted earlier, informing him.
Azure asked, confused, his voice strained, trying to keep his footing as she pulled him around a sharp bend, "Why me, Courtney?"
He knew she hadn't truly intended to capture Ruby. It had been a diversion seen from her eyes. He bluntly said, "You set Ruby up, didn't you? To lure me out."
She glanced back, her hair catching the dim light. Her smile was like a razor's edge as she said, honestly eyeing him, "Astute as ever, Champion. And that's precisely why you. Or rather, one of the reasons."
She stopped abruptly and turned, finally releasing her grip on him. Azure stumbled back, rubbing his sore wrists, the sticky residue of the berry juice still clinging to his skin like a second, unwanted layer.
Her eyes, burning with an almost manic intensity, raked over him. She purred, her voice dripping with mock formality, "Allow me to properly reintroduce myself, Azure. I am Courtney, one of Team Magma's Admin Three Flames. The real reason I chose you, not that kid, is because of our last little encounter. The Abandoned Ship. Remember?"
Azure frowned. He did.
A skirmish that had left him with an unsettling feeling about the fiery team. Courtney continued, her voice growing dangerously soft, "You fought well then… Too well. And then there were the ambushes… Slateport City, Route 118, with Amber and Blaise, and my Grunts, all trying to 'dissuade' you from interfering. Every time, you slipped away. Every time, you won."
Her eyes flared, and she suddenly shoved him with surprising force. Azure staggered back, hitting the rough tunnel wall with a painful thud.
*Thud*
She took a step closer, her lips parting in a slow, almost sensuous smile as she hissed, her voice rising, "But now… Now, you're all mine. I intend to battle you, right here, right now. I'm going to watch you burn. In a brilliant, glorious flame. A sight to behold."
She licked her lips, a gesture of perverse anticipation that made Azure's skin crawl. Courtney commanded, pulling out a Poké Ball, "Ninetales, show him the heat!"
*Pop*
In a flash of light, an elegant, fiery Ninetales appeared, its nine tails swishing menacingly. He instinctively reached for his belt, but Courtney laughed, a harsh, dismissive sound, "Oh, no, no, no, Champion. Not so fast. I know all about your skills. Your quick reflexes. Your ability to call upon the perfect counter. And I know you don't have your Water-types, or your little electric rat and fluffy foxes, to protect you, do you?"
She gestured vaguely towards the tunnel entrance, where the sounds of battle, though faint, still echoed. She said, perversely blushing, seeing the defenseless Azure, "They're busy. And you… are defenseless."
*Sssss*
Ninetales launched a Flamethrower, a searing torrent of fire that forced Azure to duck and roll, singeing his clothes. The heat was intense, an oven in the confined space.
He scrambled back to his feet, trying to keep his distance, his heart pounding. Courtney explained, watching his desperate evasion with a peculiar, almost clinical interest, "You see, Azure, we have our ways. Our horns on our costumes aren't just for aesthetics, you know…"
*Click*
She tapped one of the small, horn-like protrusions on her helmet as she explained, "Each contains a lighter. When ignited, they can create a memory, store images. Put the flames together, and we can share a memory."
She paced slowly, Ninetales circling, forcing Azure to move, dodging bites and claw strikes constantly as she continued, "That's how I know. As we all know. Every move you make, every Pokémon you use, every battle style from Slateport City to the Abandoned Ship, and those failed ambushes on Route 118. It's all been logged. Shared. Analyzed."
*Zoooom*
*Woosh*
Azure, panting, narrowly avoided a Quick Attack from Ninetales that would have raked his chest. He tried to feign a move to his belt, hoping to trick her, but Courtney just smirked as she stated boldly, "Don't bother. I know you're trying to reach for a Poké Ball. But you won't get the chance."
Her face, usually sharp and calculating, now took on a faint blush as Azure, desperate and cornered, continued to flail, avoiding each fire or claw strike by the barest of margins. She was aiming for his life, every move a desperate plea for survival against a Pokémon he couldn't fight barehanded.
Courtney's Ninetales pressed its attack, reveling in the chase, its fiery breath heating the air around him. However, Azure remained calm as he analyzed the situation, thinking, 'This is something… she's keeping me on the constant move without letting me make any move. The second I try, she sicks her fox at me, but…'
Azure's eyes gazed at a pair of red eyes staring intently as he slyly grinned, '… she failed to take into account the Disaster Pokémon.'
Unaware of Courtney's perverse pleasure, Absol watched from a deeper recess of the tunnel, its red eyes narrowed. Each time Azure tried to reach for his Poké Ball, each time he risked a fatal strike to gain an inch, Absol dismissed the notion, its body tensing, waiting for the opportune moment, its gaze never leaving Azure.
Despite this, Azure's eyes faintly glowed an emerald green light as he thought, 'Even so… I'm not out of options yet. I still have my Viridian Force, something Team Magma has never seen yet…'
Projecting his thoughts onto one of his Pokémon. His Manetric's eyes widened listening to his commands as he said, using the Viridian Force, 'Manetric… I'm gonna need you to build up electricity within the Poke Ball and wait till I give the command…'
*Riggle*
A simple shake from Manectric's Poke Ball confirmed that Azure's plan went through. He mentally grinned as he kept his focus on Courtney's Ninetales, avoiding each lethal strike as he telepathically messaged Marshadow from within his shadow to react if the plan failed, awaiting further orders…
/////
[Hoenn Region, Meanwhile, Verdanturf Town – Rusturf Tunnel (Entrance)]
Meanwhile, back at the entrance of Rusturf Tunnel, the battle raged. Pikachu and Eevee, along with Ninetales, Golduck, Crawdaunt, Milotic, and Swampert, were relentlessly pushing back against the Team Magma Grunts.
But their hearts weren't fully in the fight; their trainer was gone, dragged into the depths of the earth, and the thought fueled both their fury and their desperation. Ty and Ruby fought valiantly alongside them, their own Pokémon holding their ground.
Gabby and her crew, though terrified, managed to capture some of the chaotic battle on film. But the Grunts, though outmatched, were desperate, driven by Courtney's orders to hold the line.
Pikachu cried, a worried edge to its otherwise determined battle cry, launching another Thunderbolt that sent a Grunt's Mightyena yelping, "Pika-chu! Pika-Pika-CHU! (You jerks are toast! You hear me! TOAST!!!)"
*ZAP*
Eevee, its normally playful demeanor replaced by fierce concentration, used Veevee Volley to knock back a Zubat, but the sheer numbers of the Grunts were beginning to wear them down. Just as a particularly aggressive Poochyena lunged at Pikachu, a new sound, a cacophony of groans and roars, echoed from deeper within the tunnel.
"LOUUUUD!!"
"EXPLOOOOO!"
Wanda, who had been tending to Riely, looked up, her eyes wide. Suddenly, a wave of familiar Pokémon burst from the depths.
The small, pink Whismur, whose quiet habitat surrounded the area, were not alone. They had brought reinforcements.
Their evolved forms, the powerful Loudred and the deafening Exploud, surged forward, their massive forms filling the tunnel. The Whismur chattered excitedly, pointing with their ears towards the struggling Team Magma Grunts, "Ahhhh! (It's them! Those meanies that kicked us out and are beating our savers! Go get'em!!)"
The Loudred and Exploud, seeing the disruption and the threat to their home, let out guttural roars. Exploud and Loudred boomed, their voices resonating with ancient power using Hyper Voice, "LOOOOO!!! EXPOOOO!!!! (YOU DARE INVADE OUR HOME AND ATTACK OUR KIN!! YOU ARE COURTING DEATH!!!)"
A wave of sonic energy erupted from the mouths of the Whismur family. The Hyper Voice attack wasn't just sound; it was a physical force, a concussive blast that ripped through the tunnel.
*BOOOOM*
Team Magma Grunts and their Pokémon were caught in the devastating shockwave, thrown back against the walls, their bodies shaking from the sheer power of the blast. Poké Balls flew from hands, and the battle was, in an instant, decisively over.
But the Hyper Voice had an unforeseen secondary effect. The immense vibrational force, amplified by the confined space, targeted the very rocks that had blocked the deeper entrance to Rusturf Tunnel only moments ago.
With a groaning, grinding roar, the remaining piled boulders, weakened by the initial Swampert attacks and now bombarded by sonic energy, began to shift. Within seconds, they crumbled, collapsing inwards and then outwards, clearing the path to the deeper, newly excavated section of the tunnel.
*RMBL*
Azure's Pokémon, seeing the path clear, let out cries of relief and renewed determination. Pikachu and Eevee dashed forward, followed by Ninetales, Golduck, Crawdaunt, Milotic, and Swampert.
Before they plunged into the newly opened passage, the powerful Pokémon paused, turning back to the Whismur family. A silent nod, a grateful chuff from Swampert, a nod from Ninetales, conveyed their thanks.
The Whismur chirped happily, their duty done. Their trainer was in trouble. And now, nothing would stop them from getting to him.
/////
[Hoenn Region, Verdanturf Town – Rusturf Tunnel (Deep Interior)]
Back inside, in the deeper, warmer recesses of the tunnel, Azure was in a dire situation. Courtney's Ninetales was a master of its craft.
*Ssss*
It now unleashed a barrage of nine distinct fireballs simultaneously, a fiery net that made escape almost impossible. Azure was pinned down, gasping for breath, the heat of the flames searing his skin. He couldn't even risk reaching for a Poké Ball, knowing Ninetales would immediately exploit the opening.
The heat was becoming unbearable, his clothes singed, small burns appearing on his exposed skin. Courtney purred, reveling in his discomfort, "Clever, aren't you? But not nearly clever enough. You see, the Three Flames, we have our specialties. Tabitha, he uses his Torkoal's fumes to lull others into a deep sleep, rendering them helpless. Blaise uses fire to weave intricate illusions, trapping his victims in a maze of their own fears. And I… I use fire for its purest, most natural purpose. Burning."
*Ssssss*
Azure, panting, dodged another volley of searing orbs, his mind still working furiously. He had a plan, a desperate gamble, but he needed a window.
Courtney's voice was a low hum, filled with a morbid fascination, "You like beautiful things, don't you, Champion? Pokémon Contests, I hear. All about grace, elegance, beauty. I like beautiful things too."
She held up a small, ornate Contest Ribbon that seemed to have materialized from nowhere. "But my idea of beauty is... different."
With a flick of her wrist, she ignited a small flame from her horn and held it to the ribbon. The silk immediately caught, curling and blackening, consumed rapidly by the hungry fire. She whispered, her eyes wide and almost childlike in their intensity, "When flames engulf a victim, when life itself yields to the purifying blaze... that is true beauty."
Absol, hidden in the shadows, tensed, its fangs bared, ready to pounce. But then, it saw it: a subtle, almost imperceptible gesture from Azure. His hand, as he dodged another fiery volley, flickered, a tiny signal to halt. He grinned, a defiant, almost reckless grin, and his eyes met Absol's for a fleeting second.
The Disaster Pokémon paused, its powerful leap arrested. Then, a distant, muffled roar vibrated through the very bedrock of the tunnel, growing rapidly louder.
It was the Hyper Voice from the entrance, closer now, echoing through the newfound cleared path. Courtney sighed, ignoring the distant sound, stepping closer, her hand reaching for her belt, "Such a shame… A flame so bright, about to be extinguished. Why not join us? Imagine the beautiful fires we could start, together."
*RMBL*
But before she could fully extend her offer, the sound wave hit. A powerful, concussive force exploded through the cave, sending fine dust and pebbles raining down. Courtney shrieked as she was sent flying, the impact jarring her grip on Azure's wrist.
*RMBL*
Azure, still bound, was similarly thrown back, slamming into the wall once more, but this time, the jolt was enough. The Pomeg and Kelpsy glue, already stressed by his struggles and the impact, finally gave way, tearing free with a painful ripping sound from his wrist.
He was free! This was the exact moment. Azure, even as he was thrown, used that fleeting moment of Viridian Force to heal his burns.
The Hyper Voice from the combined Loudred and Exploud, rippling through the rock, had finally reached their location. The shockwave sent both flying, slamming them against the tunnel walls. He grinned as he felt it, thinking, 'Just in time for those guys to yell…'
Even as he hit the wall, a surge of latent energy, his Viridian Force, coursed through him, allowing him a moment of minor telekinesis. He mentally focused, his eyes fixed on a specific Poké Ball on his belt.
With a subtle flick, it dislodged, flying and landing squarely in his hand. A single Poké Ball, vibrating with pre-charged energy from the Manectric within, flew from his belt, spinning through the air.
*Zzzzz*
This wasn't just any Poké Ball; it housed his Manectric, which, under Azure's unique training, had been passively charging its electricity while contained. He roared, materializing the Electric-type Pokémon with a blinding flash of light, "Now, Manectric! STRONG STYLE DISCHARGE!!"
*BOOOM*
Manectric, its fur bristling with pent-up energy, unleashed a powerful Discharge, a crackling wave of electricity that illuminated the tunnel. Courtney, recovering from the Hyper Voice concussive blast, saw the attack coming.
Her eyes widened, and she screamed, "Ninetales, Protect!"
*CLANG*
Just in time, a shimmering green barrier erected itself around Ninetales, deflecting the brunt of the Discharge. Even through the shield, the force of the attack was tremendous, making Ninetales shudder.
Courtney's eyes widened as she sputtered, pushing herself upright, "Impossible! He held a Poké Ball charged with that much... electricity? Even avoiding Ninetales' attacks, he was waiting for this moment?!"
Her shock morphed quickly into pure fury. Her voice rose to a shriek, echoing in the confined space, "You dare? You dare continue to fight, to act the hero, when I have deemed you worthy of purification? Ninetales! Burn him! Inferno!"
*Sssss*
Ninetales, recuperating quickly, gathered a massive ball of deep crimson fire, a swirling vortex of pure incineration. It launched the Inferno directly at Azure, a silent promise of oblivion.
Azure, though physically exhausted, simply grinned. He had gambled, and it had paid off. He braced himself, not for impact, but for the intervention he knew was coming from his other waiting Pokémon.
But it wasn't his Pokémon who answered. But before he could call, before the blazing fire could engulf him, a streak of silvery-white sliced through the air. Just as the blazing inferno was about to engulf Azure…
*SHINNG*
A single, impossibly precise Razor Wind, sharp as honed steel, cut the inferno instantly, cleaving the massive flame in two. The fire dissipated into harmless smoke, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.
Courtney gasped, her mouth agape. Her eyes, wide with disbelief, locked onto a figure that had finally emerged from the deep shadows. A magnificent Absol stepped forward, its white fur gleaming, its crescent-shaped horn gleaming ominously, its crimson eyes burning with a fierce, protective glare. It had chosen its moment.
Azure, momentarily stunned, looked at Absol with an awe he rarely felt. The creature had held back, observed, and then, at the very precipice of disaster, had intervened with such precision and power.
Absol, for its part, barely glanced at the Indigo Champion. Its impressions of Azure had grown as it thought curiously, 'This human, despite being at a profound disadvantage, had not only endured but had formulated a counter… impressive.'
A defiant spark in the face of overwhelming odds. He chose to fight. And that, in Absol's ancient, discerning eyes, was worthy. And perhaps something more as the Disaster Pokémon witnesses Azure's actions…
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!