Chapter 300: Brewing Foreshadow…
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Afternoon, Verdanturf Town – Rusturf Tunnel]
The hum of the van's engine was a steady balm against the receding tension. Azure leaned back in his seat, the late afternoon sun of Hoenn casting long shadows through the window.
Beside him, Pikachu, ever vigilant, twitched an ear, while Eevee, curled in a contented ball on his lap, let out a soft sigh. Both his Kanto champions, his steadfast partners through the glory of two League victories, seemed to be recovering well from the day's unexpected excitement.
Gabby, the exuberant female half of the Hoenn TV news crew, exclaimed from the front passenger seat, adjusting her microphone, "That was quite the show, Azure! Team Magma really knows how to make an entrance, and an exit!"
Ty, her cameraman, nodded, his eyes still wide as he said excitedly in an impressed voice, "And that Magmar… with the [Smoke Ball] and then Teleport! Never seen anything like it. Real slick escape."
Ruby, a young Coordinator prodigy with a flair for the dramatic, piped up from the back row, his Fofo peeking cautiously from his shoulder, "It was a shame she got away, though. Her Pokémon were stylish, but no match for yours!"
Azure offered a small, reassuring smile. He stroked Eevee's soft fur as he replied softly, "She was cunning. And clearly, she had a specific goal."
The encounter at Rusturf Tunnel had been brief but intense. A Team Magma Admin, Courtney, with a Magmar that possessed an unusual set of moves.
Azure had nearly cornered her, but the quick-thinking Smoke Ball-Teleport combo had allowed her to vanish without a trace. It was a stark reminder that even in a new region, danger lurked behind every corner.
Riley, the stoic Construction Worker, assured him from the driver's seat, saying calmly, "Well, at least you're safe with us now. Verdanturf Town is just ahead. Wanda's already got a room waiting for you at our place."
Wanda, a kind-faced lady from the local Pokémon fan club, smiled warmly from the seat behind Riley and said thankfully to him, "Just relax, dear. You've had quite an adventurous welcome to town. But I would like to thank you and Ruby for coming to save my husband. It's the least we can do."
Azure nodded, glancing out at the sprawling, green hills. Ruby smiled as he helped Wally's cousin out.
Verdanturf Town, nestled amidst the vibrant Hoenn landscape, looked peaceful. It was a stark contrast to the rapid-fire succession of events that had brought him here. It felt less like a simple arrival and more like a fateful convergence.
His gaze drifted to the Poké Balls clipped to his belt. Each one held a testament to his journey, his dedication, and the bonds he'd forged.
Not only that, but he also gained a new member from the encounter that made fighting Courtney worth it. Absol, the Disaster Pokémon, was hard to find, much less capture, in the wild, but using his metaknowledge, he managed to convince one to join his team.
Each of his Pokémon was a champion in the making, and he knew they would all find their place in the challenges Hoenn would present. He'd barely begun, yet the world already stretched out, full of promise and peril.
He wondered what Courtney's true objective had been, and why she'd targeted him. His reputation as an Indigo League victor must have preceded him.
He had intended for a quiet start to his Hoenn journey, a chance to explore at his own pace, but it seemed the region had other plans. He chuckled lightly, murmuring to himself, "Yeah, right… Like that woman has feelings for me. She just wants to watch me burn… women like them are nothing but trouble."
/////
[Hoenn Region, Meanwhile, Rusturf Tunnel – Route 116]
Meanwhile, the very subject of Azure's thoughts was emerging from the cool, damp interior of Rusturf Tunnel. Courtney's hair, usually so meticulously styled, was slightly disheveled, her goggles pushed up onto her forehead.
Her Magmar, panting slightly, stood beside her, radiating residual heat. Despite the physical exertion and the hasty escape, there could be no mistaking the glint in her eyes.
It wasn't frustration over a failed objective; it was a spark of something new, something fascinating as she thought, 'Azure Sky… I won't forget this…'
*Beep*
*Beep*
Suddenly, her Rotom Phone beeped. She pulled out her trainer's device, a sleek model customized for Team Magma. It vibrated instantly, a call coming through.
The Caller ID displayed [Blaise]. Courtney answered, her voice betraying none of the internal shift happening within her as she said, "Blaise. To what do I owe the pleasure? I trust your reconnaissance is proving fruitful?"
Blaise's voice, always a touch too smooth, came through the speaker as he replied, "Courtney. Just checking in on your progress. Any luck tracking down the Red Orb? Our information suggested it might be in the area around Rustboro and Verdanturf."
Courtney allowed a slow, knowing smile to spread across her lips. She paused, consciously letting the silence hang as she said calmly, "The Red Orb? Ah, yes. The pursuit of power over the land, the reawakening of Groudon… It holds its appeal, I suppose. However, I confess, my interest in that particular relic has… waned."
Blaise's tone sharpened, a hint of his usual calm façade cracking. He asked, stunned, "Waned? Courtney, what are you talking about? This is Maxie's primary objective! We spoke about this just today!"
She looked back towards the path Azure's van had taken. She purred possessively, "Indeed, we did. But one must remain adaptable, Blaise. New information, new variables, they necessitate a reassessment of priorities. There are other… more intriguing subjects that have captured my analytical processors."
Her encounter with him had been an unexpected data point, a disruption in the predictable patterns of Hoenn. He hadn't just been strong; he'd been unflappable. His Pokémon had moved with the precision of seasoned veterans, his Sceptile a blur of green.
He carried himself with an aura of quiet confidence that spoke volumes of his past victories, a quiet storm utterly unlike the bombastic displays of most Trainers or Champions. He was, in a word, unforeseen.
Blaise repeated, a note of suspicion entering his voice, "Intriguing subjects? Are you referring to… the enemy? Azure Sky?"
Courtney chuckled, a dry, mirthless sound, blushing lightly as she said, "You are perceptive, Blaise. Your deductive algorithms are functioning optimally today. He represents an unknown, a potential disruptor to our grand designs. And unknowns, as you know, are far more captivating than mere, dusty relics."
Blaise protested, clearly frustrated at being left to deal with all of the work searching, "But the Red Orb is essential for Groudon's awakening! For Maxie's vision! You can't just abandon it for a whim!"
However, Courtney countered as she said calmly, justifying her actions, "It is not a whim, Blaise. It is a calculated reassignment of resources. Maxie requires all avenues to be explored. Perhaps you would be better suited to continue the Red Orb's search? Your methodical nature is ideal for such a task."
A sigh came through the device as he said in a blunt tone, "So, you want me to pick up your slack, then? Because a new face caught your attention?"
Courtney corrected, her voice firm as she replied with a blank expression to Blaise over the device, "Think of it as a strategic redeployment. I will be pursuing a more… personalized research objective. Tell our leader I will be unavailable for a while. My focus, for the foreseeable future, will be… elsewhere."
She didn't need to state Azure's name. Blaise already knew.
Blaise let out a long, suffering breath as he muttered in an annoyed voice, "Maxie isn't going to like this, Courtney. Not one bit. He values your intellect."
She countered, her eyes narrowing in the direction Azure's van had taken, "And I value his vision. But sometimes, one must deviate from the direct path to secure the ultimate victory. Consider me a wild card, playing a longer game. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have new data to process."
*Beep*
Without waiting for a response, Courtney ended the call. She snapped her Rotom Phone shut. The sun was dipping lower, painting the sky in fiery oranges and purples.
A grim determination settled over her features as she clenched her fists together. She whispered to the empty air, a promise echoing in her tone, "Azure Sky… You are a variable I simply must understand. I won't give up…"
She turned, not towards Verdanturf, but deeper into the Hoenn wilderness, her new objective burning bright. She smiled cheerfully in anticipation of their next encounter with each other…
/////
[Hoenn Region, Mt. Chimney, Jagged Pass (Team Magma HQ)]
Back in his own subterranean bunker, far from the Hoenn sunlight, Blaise rubbed his temples. He returned to Mt. Chimney Jagged Pass, the true HQ of Team Magma, as he began working on the Scanner.
Courtney was always unpredictable, but this new obsession with Azure Sky was a potentially dangerous distraction from Maxie's grand plan. He understood her fascination with unique data points, but this wasn't about analyzing some obscure geological phenomenon; it was about a powerful Trainer.
Blaise sighed at his fellow Admin's antics as he muttered, frustrated, "Still, Maxie did value her, and perhaps a fresh perspective on the Red Orb wouldn't hurt. Plus learning that Brat's movements would do some good, trying to locate his position at least…"
He activated his own scanner, a more sophisticated version than the standard Team Magma issue, tailored for detecting the unique energy signatures of ancient artifacts by using the original. He had been meticulously mapping potential locations around the region, cross-referencing folklore with geological surveys.
So far, nothing. The search for the Red Orb had been a frustrating exercise in chasing ghosts. He sighed, preparing to input new search parameters based on Maxie's latest analysis.
*BEEP*
But as his fingers hovered over the console, the scanner suddenly flared to life. A high-pitched whine filled the room, growing louder, more insistent.
Blaise's eyes widened, staring at the glowing screen. The central display, usually dormant or showing faint, unconfirmed blips, was now pulsing with two distinct, powerful signals shown to him.
His analytical mind, honed by years of research, immediately recognized the energy signatures. One was unmistakably the Red Orb.
However, Blaise's eyes widened in shock as he uttered in disbelief what he was seeing, "But the other… no, it couldn't be."
He adjusted the frequency, ran cross-checks, and isolated the signals. The scanner confirmed it, with irrefutable certainty, as he muttered, "Not only was the Red Orb located, but its counterpart, the Blue Orb, was also emitting a strong signal."
Staring in disbelief, Blaise breathed, his voice barely a whisper, "Impossible!"
The ancient legends spoke of the Orbs being separated, hidden, to prevent the reawakening of the legendary Pokémon, Groudon and Kyogre, and the cataclysmic conflict that would ensue. To find them both… and in the same location?
He zoomed in on the coordinates. The scanner's precision targeting system triangulated the exact spot.
A familiar landmark appeared on the holographic map, looming large and ominous… Mount Pyre.
Blaise felt a chill that had nothing to do with the bunker's cool air. Mt. Pyre. The sacred resting place of Pokémon, steeped in ancient lore, guarded by generations of spiritualists. It was a place of reverence, a place where the veil between worlds was said to be thin.
And now, it was the focal point of a discovery that could either rewrite history or shatter the world. Blaise muttered, stunned in a voice of disbelief, "The Red Orb and the Blue Orb. Together. At Mt. Pyre."
This changed everything. Courtney's fascination with Azure Sky seemed trivial now. The game had just gotten infinitely more dangerous, more desperate.
He had to inform Maxie immediately. The fate of Hoenn, of the world, might very well depend on what Team Magma did next.
And what Team Aqua, undoubtedly, would also soon discover. The race for the ancient artifacts had just begun, with a terrifying new twist.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!