Chapter 495: Lady and Bodyguards (2)
~Third POV~
[Sinnoh Region, Nighttime, Veilstone City – Veilstone Department Store]
Inside the Veilstone Department Store, the world was vastly different. The emergency lights were humming, casting a soft orange glow over the rows of luxury goods and trainer supplies. Platinum stood in a fitting room on the third floor, her chest heaving as she tried to calm her racing heart.
She pushed the door open, stepping out into the aisle. Beside her, the shadows flickered, and she felt the chill of Darkrai's presence following her faithfully.
*Pop*
She released her Empoleon, standing tall and sensing the gravity of the situation. Prinplup looked up at its trainer, "Prin...? (My lady?)."
Platinum whispered, clutching her hands to her chest, "He trusts us, Empoleon. Azure, Diamond, Pearl... they are out there facing the darkness so I can remain safe. We must trust them in return."
She began to move through the store, her eyes scanning the shadows. She wasn't just hiding; she was preparing. If they came for her here, she would show them that a Berlitz was never truly defenseless.
Although she couldn't help but think in a concerned tone, 'I just hope you three make it back alright…'
Platinum whispered, pushing the fitting room door open wider as she forced a small, confident smile, "Come on, Empoleon… Let's see what we can find. Perhaps a new outfit for us, eh?"
The department store, usually a kaleidoscope of light and movement, was a ghostly expanse of darkened aisles and silent mannequins. But Platinum, with her trusty Prinplup waddling determinedly beside her and Darkrai melting into the deeper shadows, moved with a newfound resolve.
She trusted Azure completely. He would return for her. And no one, absolutely no one, would lay a hostile hand on her while Darkrai watched.
//////
[Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Veilstone City – Team Galactic HQ]
High above the silent streets, in the stark, metallic confines of Team Galactic's HQ in Veilstone City, Saturn paced with the agitated energy of a trapped Electabuzz. The room, bathed in the cold glow of multiple monitors, seemed to amplify his frustration.
*SLAM*
Saturn snarled, slamming a fist onto a console, "Idiots! Utter, insufferable idiots!"
The screens flickered, showing only static where the previous 'spyeye' camera had been as he yelled, "How can they lose them in their own city?! And where is that brat heiress? Not even a glimpse!"
His face, usually calm and calculating, was contorted with a venomous fury. Azure, that smug bodyguard, had been a thorn in Team Galactic's side for too long.
He had thwarted their plans in Valley Windworks, ruined their operations to capture Deoxys and Jirachi, and now, he dared to interfere with their Veilstone agenda. Saturn craved to see Azure's composed facade crumble, to watch him experience an ultimate dread, a terror that would eclipse anything he had ever known.
He spun around, facing a trembling grunt as he snarled, "Where is Jupiter? Has she returned yet?"
The grunt stammered, shrinking under Saturn's gaze, "N-no, Commander Saturn! Still no word from Commander Jupiter from the Lost Tower!"
Saturn spat, his eyes scanning the various control panels, "Useless!"
His gaze snagged on a schematic for a massive, ancient machine, a relic Team Galactic had unearthed, its true purpose still being deciphered even as its parts were repurposed for the Galactic Bomb. It hummed with a dormant power, an almost forgotten leviathan waiting to be awakened.
Saturn muttered, a grim smile slowly spreading across his lips, "The bomb requires further calibration anyway… But this... This will do nicely."
He knew the machine's current focus was the Galactic Bomb, a project far too important for his personal vendetta. But a small, wicked part of him rationalized as he felt a surge of illicit power, '… nobody would mind if he 'borrowed' this ancient machine for a moment. Nobody's even paying attention to it.'
Saturn barked, his voice echoing in the metallic chamber, "Activate the primary energy conduit to the ancient machine! Open the hatch! Where is Azure now? I want them lured to the Galactic Veilstone Building! This building!"
He pointed emphatically at a holographic projection showing the large, spiky Team Galactic complex as he added, "And send another camera! A 'spyeye'! I always want eyes on them at all times!"
One of the Grunt Researcher squawked a reply, "C-commander, the last spyeye was destroyed on the rooftop just now! We need time to deploy another—"
Saturn roared, his patience snapping like a dry twig, "I don't care! I want it now! Immediately! Do you understand?!"
The grunt yelped and scurried away, undoubtedly to rustle up another camera drone from some obscure corner of the facility. Saturn's grin widened as he thought, 'Oh, Azure, prepare for a display of true Team Galactic power.'
//////
[Sinnoh Region, Later, Veilstone City – Galactic Veilstone Building (Rooftop)]
Diamond panted, his brow furrowed as he dodged an attack, "They're not just chasing us, are they? It's like they know exactly where we're going!"
Azure, weaving through the darkened alleyways with fluid grace, his Pikachu's Flash still serving as their only guide, agreed silently. He muttered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the grunts' synchronized movements, "It's not just that…"
They came in waves, flanking and cutting off escape routes with an unsettling precision as he concluded, "They're connected. A hive mind. Each one knows what the others are doing. Direct coordination, almost like they're being remote-controlled."
Pearl, dodging a lunging Croagunk, shouted, "I can't land a hit on them! They're dodging everything!"
Indeed, every attack they tried, every Razor Leaf from Tru, every Ember from Chimler, was met with an almost prescient evasion by the grunts and their Pokémon. It was as if their pursuers anticipated every move.
The chase led them relentlessly upward, through construction sites and emergency stairwells, until they found themselves on the cold, gravel-strewn expanse of a high rooftop. The night wind, now unimpeded, bit at their skin.
Below, the city sprawled in shadows, punctuated by the occasional distant light. Before them, the menacing silhouette of the Galactic Veilstone Building loomed, its spiky architecture a familiar and unwelcome sight.
And behind them, the relentless tide of grunts advanced, their shadowy forms closing in, effectively cornering them against the precipitous edge of the building. Pearl cried, his voice laced with despair, "This is it, Azure! We're trapped!"
Azure's eyes, however, held a glint of fierce determination. There was no panic, only calculation and a sly grin.
He commanded, his voice surprisingly calm, "Get ready..."
*WOOOSH*
With a sudden, explosive burst of speed, he reached out, grabbing Diamond by the scruff of his jacket and Pearl by his arm as he yelled, "Hold tight!"
Before they could even register his intent, Azure launched himself off the rooftop. A collective gasp escaped Diamond and Pearl as they plunged into the vertiginous darkness. The wind shrieked past their ears, the ground rushing up at an alarming rate.
*Thud*
But Azure, a master of movement, wasn't free-falling. He executed a controlled dive, his body twisting, and with a soft thud and a rustle of leaves, they landed amidst the dense canopy of a small patch of trees below, hidden from the grunts' view.
Azure asked, releasing them, "Everyone alright?"
Diamond and Pearl were breathless, their hearts hammering like drumbeats, but otherwise unharmed. Diamond gasped, clutching his chest, "Azure, what was that for?!"
Azure replied, his gaze already fixed back on the rooftop, "A necessary diversion. Listen closely. Follow my commands exactly. I have a plan."
He reached into his backpack (Sub-Space), pulling out a sleek, discreet earpiece as he said, "Diamond, put this on."
Diamond, still reeling, fumbled with the device and slipped it into his ear as he asked, "Huh? What's the plan?"
Azure didn't answer directly. Instead, he scanned the imposing Galactic Veilstone Building. Its jagged, spiky façade was disturbingly similar to the one in Eterna City, but this iteration seemed even more fortified.
His eyes landed on a massive satellite dish, an array of metallic panels gleaming faintly in the ambient city light, perched precariously on a skeletal support structure near the roof's edge. Azure began, his voice low but firm, "Pearl… I need you to command Chimler. Fire Ember at that satellite dish's support."
Pearl's eyes widened in alarm as he asked, "Chimler? But... but Infernape has lousy aim sometimes when he's not fighting up close! What if he hits us?!"
Azure's gaze remained unwavering. There was no room for argument in his tone as he asked, "He won't. Trust me. Just do as I told you."
Taking a deep breath, Pearl nodded, calling out, "Chimler! Get ready! Ember! Aim for the satellite dish support!"
*FWOOSH*
From Pearl's Poké Ball, a torrent of crimson flames erupted, coalescing into a fiery projectile. Chimler, the magnificent Infernape, sent the blast hurtling through the night. The Ember attack, guided by Pearl's anxious command and Azure's precise targeting, streaked across the gap between their rooftop and the Galactic Building.
*CRACKLE*
The vibrant red fireball slammed into the metal support structure of the satellite dish. A shower of sparks rained down, and a thin wisp of smoke curled into the air.
Diamond yelled through the earpiece, his voice distorted but clear. "Azure, you could get hit by the falling debris!"
Azure replied, a faint smirk playing on his lips, "It all serves a purpose. The support is damaged. Now, Diamond! Tru! Earthquake!"
Diamond, though still perplexed by Azure's daring, didn't hesitate, "Tru! You heard him! Earthquake!"
*RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE*
Diamond's Torterra, Tru, emerged from its Poké Ball with a mighty roar. Its colossal form slammed its foot onto the rooftop. The very structure beneath them groaned in protest as a wave of seismic energy rippled outwards. The rooftop trembled violently, the sound a low, guttural growl that reverberated through the entire area.
*K-CRASH*
The already weakened support structure of the satellite dish, unable to withstand the furious vibrations, buckled and tore away with a deafening screech of rending metal. With a colossal THUD, the entire satellite dish, a massive disc of twisted metal and wires, toppled from its perch…
*THUD*
It crashed down onto the lower levels of the Galactic Building, taking with it a significant portion of the grunts and their Pokémon who had been pursuing them, sending them tumbling into the darkness below with cries of surprise and frustration.
Azure exclaimed, a rare grin breaking through his usual stoicism and a fist bump, "Yes! Exactly as planned!"
He stepped back from the edge, narrowly avoiding a cascade of small pebbles dislodged by the Earthquake as he muttered, "Even if I could've gotten hit by the Earthquake too, it was worth it."
Diamond and Pearl, their faces streaked with soot and grime but alight with triumph, cheered. Pearl quipped, punching the air, "You really shook them up, Azure!"
Diamond added lightheartedly, a wide grin mirroring Pearl's, "Yeah, that was a real earth-shattering plan!"
Azure merely chuckled, shaking his head as he replied, "Alright, you two. Puns aside. Without further ado, we should return to our client."
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Veilstone City – Team Galactic HQ]
Still tucked away in the metallic confines of his monitor room, Saturn watched the events unfold with a mixture of disbelief and growing rage. The new "spyeye" camera device, a small, buzzing drone, had barely been deployed when the rooftop confrontation reached its climax.
He saw the majestic Infernape, the massive Torterra, and then the sickening K-CRASH as his satellite dish and a good dozen of his grunts tumbled into the abyss. Saturn seethed, slamming his fist down again, "Useless! Absolutely useless! They didn't even leave a scratch on him! That Azure is like a slippery Magikarp in a barrel of oil!
He watched as Azure retreated from the now perilous rooftop. But then, a cruel smile began to form on his lips as he muttered, "Still... You may be slippery, Azure, but you are exactly where I want you."
He glanced at the trajectory displayed on his main monitor. Azure was perfectly centered within the projected range of the ancient weapon. His frustration, though still simmering, gave way to a chilling anticipation.
Saturn muttered, a predatory glint in his eyes, "Target acquired."
He leaned forward, his finger hovering over a large, ominous red button labeled 'Activation' as he uttered hatefully, "Let's see how you dance, Azure, when you're facing something beyond mere Pokémon."
*Click*
His finger descended.
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Veilstone City – Galactic Veilstone Building (Rooftop)]
"BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!"
A deafening, synthesized countdown blared through the speakers in Saturn's room, echoing through the Galactic HQ, and then, impossibly, reverberating across the entirety of Veilstone City.
"FIVE!"
The robotic voice boomed, chilling the blood in Diamond and Pearl's veins. They clapped their hands over their ears, their faces contorted in pain and fear. The sound was immense, an oppressive blanket of noise that seemed to settle directly inside their skulls.
*RMBL*
Across Veilstone City, citizens who had been cowering in the darkness, confused by the blackout, now looked up with terrified expressions. Even in Maylene's Gym, far across town, the Fighting-type leader and her disciples flinched as the countdown started, the very ground beneath them beginning to RUMBLE with a deep, unsettling vibration.
"FOUR!"
Diamond shrieked through his earpiece, the sound of the countdown almost drowning out his voice, "What is that?!"
Pearl screamed, through the earpiece, "Azure! You gotta move!!"
But Azure seemed utterly unbothered. His expression was a mask of serene calm. While the world around him convulsed with sound and seismic tremor, he simply pulled out his Arc Phone. On its screen, the familiar blocky, digital form of his Porygon-Z shimmered, its singular eye blinking.
"THREE!"
Azure glanced down at the Porygon-Z, then back at the Galactic Veilstone Building, a knowing look in his eyes. He tightened his grip on the phone, his lips barely moving as he whispered a single, almost imperceptible command, "… Teleport."
"TWO!"
The rumbling intensified, the very air crackling with an unseen energy. A brilliant, almost unbearable light began to emanate from the top of the Galactic Veilstone Building, a blinding beacon that pierced through the Veilstone night.
"ONE!"
The light swelled, consuming the entire rooftop where Azure stood…
*FZZZZZZZ-WHOOOSH*
With a concussive blast of pure, incandescent energy, the weapon fired. A devastating beam of light, thicker than a Rhyhorn and brighter than the sun, struck the precise spot where Azure had been standing…
The immediate area was vaporized, replaced by a blinding white void. And when the light faded, Azure was gone. Vanished.
//////
[Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Veilstone City – Team Galactic HQ]
A triumphant, maniacal laugh erupted from Saturn's throat, "Haa! Hahahaha! YES! We found it! An energy beam! We discovered this weapon while conducting our plans for the bomb, and now it serves a greater purpose!"
*SLAM*
He slammed his hands on the console, his eyes alight with exhilaration as he proudly declared, "This weapon was never meant to be used by humans, they said! A primitive weapon, they called it! But look now! Azure, the great bodyguard, vaporized! Obliterated! Team Galactic's Victory!"
Saturn cackled, a raw, guttural sound of pure malice. Azure, the persistent thorn in his side, the irritating fly that kept buzzing around Team Galactic's meticulously laid schemes, was finally gone. Wiped from existence. Erased.
But then, a cold wave of uncertainty washed over him. His laughter died in his throat. He stared at the empty screen, the residual haze of the energy beam still shimmering as he thought, 'Vaporized? Obliterated?'
He had just witnessed the man disappear, but what actually happened to those struck by the beam? The data was incomplete. The weapon was ancient, its effects largely theoretical. A stale, uneasy silence filled the room.
His triumphant grin faltered. A wrinkle formed between his brows as he thought, 'No. This is not a victory. This is... an unknown variable.'
He grumbled, tapping his fingers nervously on the console as he barked at a nearby grunt shifting his focus, "No matter. The bodyguard is gone. Now, to make another plan to kidnap the heiress. Send out reconnaissance. I need her location. Now!"
//////
[Sinnoh Region, Veilstone City – Galactic Veilstone Building (Rooftop)]
On the rooftop, Diamond and Pearl stared at the space where Azure had been. Their faces, pale with shock, were etched with uncomprehending horror. The residual heat of the blast radiated outwards, but their insides felt frozen.
Their mentor, their friend, their courageous bodyguard… gone. Just like that.
Diamond whispered, his voice trembling, tears welling in his eyes, "Azure...?"
Pearl, equally distraught, stammered in a frightened voice, "No... no way... he can't be... he just can't be!"
*BIP*
Suddenly, from behind them, a pair of hands clapped firmly over their mouths. A familiar, playful voice, laced with a hint of mischief, whispered, "Miss me?"
Diamond and Pearl nearly jumped out of their skins. Their eyes, wide with alarm and disbelief, whipped around. Standing there, as if he had never left, was Azure, a cheeky grin plastered across his face.
Beside him, his Porygon-Z shimmered, its polygonal body humming faintly. They exclaimed in unison, their voices muffled by his hands, "Azure?!"
Relief, so potent it felt like a jolt of electricity, surged through them. Azure removed his hands, chuckling softly as he explained, "Relax, you two. Did you really think I'd let a glorified light show take me out? It'll take a LOT to take me down. Trust me, my history speaks for itself how I survived death defying battles."
He gestured to his Arc Phone, still glowing faintly where Porygon-Z had been displayed as he continued, "Got Porygon-Z right here. Used Teleport at the very last second. Just cut it a bit close for dramatic effect, that's all."
Seeing him alive, whole, and utterly unperturbed, filled them with a profound sense of relief that left them breathless. Their fear melted away, replaced by a sudden, overwhelming urge to hug him.
Azure said softly, though a genuine smile touched his lips, "Alright, enough sentimentality. We have a client to retrieve. Porygon-Z, initiate group Teleport. Veilstone Department Store, main entrance."
With another silent command and a soft cry, the three of them vanished, "PORY!! BEEP!! (On it, boss! One teleport coming up!)"
*BIP*
//////
[Sinnoh Region, Nighttime, Veilstone City – Veilstone Department Store]
*BIP*
… and soon reappeared moments later outside the main entrance of the Veilstone Department Store. Just as they materialized, the doors slid open, and Platinum stepped out, Empoleon dutifully at her side.
Her eyes, initially scanning the darkened street with a hint of concern, instantly lit up as she saw Azure and the boys. As Azure stepped forward, Darkrai, which had been a watchful shadow behind Platinum, flowed seamlessly back into Azure's own shadow, its crimson eyes briefly flashing a silent acknowledgment of a mission fulfilled.
Platinum exclaimed, a radiant smile gracing her features, "Azure! Diamond! Pearl! You're safe!"
Azure replied, a wry twist to his lips explaining the situation, "More or less. But we need to go. Immediately. Team Galactic just tried a new trick, and they're going to be even more desperate now."
Platinum, taking in their disheveled appearance and the urgency in Azure's voice, nodded without question as she asked, "Understood. Where to?"
Azure said, already retrieving a familiar pink Poké Ball, "The road to Route 214. But first, Blissy, come on out! We've got some healing to do on the move!"
*Pop*
His Blissey, ever cheerful, materialized with a gentle cry and immediately set about tending to the fainted and damaged Pokémon, using its soothing touch to restore their strength as they quickly made their way out of Veilstone City.
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Later, Veilstone City – Team Galactic HQ]
Back in the sterile, oppressive atmosphere of Team Galactic HQ, Saturn was busy dictating new orders to a cluster of cowering grunts when a cold, authoritative voice cut through the air, "Saturn…"
Saturn nearly leaped out of his skin. He whirled around, his face paling as he saw Cyrus, the formidable leader of Team Galactic, standing in the doorway. Cyrus, his posture rigid and his expression a mask of chilling disapproval, surveyed the room.
His eyes landed on a small screen on Saturn's console, where a simple puzzle game was still running, partially hidden. Cyrus's voice was low, but it held the cutting edge of a honed blade, "Are you playing games, Saturn?"
Saturn stammered, frantically trying to minimize the game window, "C-Cyrus! Sir! I was merely... calibrating!"
Cyrus ignored the pathetic excuse. His voice was devoid of emotion, making it all the more terrifying, "And did someone permit you to use the ancient weapon, Saturn?"
Saturn gulped as he stuttered, "I... I..."
Cyrus took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he continued, "Our objective, Saturn, is the construction of the Galactic Bomb. The manipulation of space-time. Not engaging in petty vendettas with bodyguards, nor misusing invaluable ancient technology for unknown, unapproved purposes."
Cyrus reached out, his fingers pinching Saturn's ear with surprising force as he added, "Illegal usage of that weapon, Saturn. I am most displeased."
Saturn yelped, wincing as he pleaded his case, "Ow! Sir! I apologize, sir! But it was for the good of the organization! For your task! I needed to obtain more funding! I believed using the weapon would help interrogate Platinum to get that funding! But... but I didn't even have a photograph of her to go by!"
He winced again as Cyrus's grip tightened. Cyrus raised an eyebrow, a flicker of something akin to amusement crossing his stern face as he stated coldly, "So, you had a 'clear' idea of kidnapping her, yet you lacked the most basic piece of information: her appearance."
He let go of Saturn's ear, a clear indication of his contempt. Saturn quickly defended, rubbing his sore ear, "I had to remove... the bodyguard! He was interfering with the mission! I had to get them out of the way so I could get more info on Missy!"
*Tmp*
Their tense conversation was abruptly punctuated by the arrival of another figure. Jupiter, her presence radiating a cold, calculating competence that starkly contrasted with Saturn's disheveled panic, strode into the room.
She held a slightly crumpled, blurry printout photo in her hand. Jupiter reported, her voice calm and steady, "Commander Cyrus, I have returned from the Lost Tower…"
She cast a disdainful glance at Saturn as she reported, "Some of us actually go out into the field to gather intelligence. Commander Saturn, you're a bit lazy for not inspecting the scene yourself. One of the grunts, despite his incompetence, managed to find this in the wreckage of the broken spybot."
She held up the blurry photograph. It was a faint, hazy silhouette of a young woman, unmistakable in her elegant, distinctive shape. A silhouette of Platinum.
Jupiter continued, an icy resolve in her tone, "With this picture of the heiress, Commander, I have a plan in mind. It won't be the heiress herself we secure, but with this, I can develop a strategy to secure the funds needed, without any further... complications."
Cyrus looked from the blurry photo to Jupiter, a rare, almost imperceptible nod of approval passing between them. He trusted Jupiter. He trusted her ambition, her cunning, and her unwavering loyalty to his vision.
Saturn, watching the exchange, felt a bitter humiliation wash over him, as sharp and cold as the Veilstone night. His failure, his incompetence, had been laid bare for all to see. And now, Jupiter, his rival, was poised to claim the glory. He silently seethed, already plotting his next move to regain Cyrus's favor.
/////
A/N: Hope you liked the chapter!