Chapter 648: Quick Beatdown
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Castelia City – Gym]
Azure was next in line for an Ace Gym Challenge against Burgh, and he was eager to test his rotation against the artist's prized Bug-Types. He tapped his foot lightly, glancing down at the BW Agency schedule glowing on his Arc Phone as he thought, 'If this keeps up, White's going to chew me out for missing the afternoon commercial shoot.'
*THUD*
Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the Gym burst open with a resounding bang.
"Burgh! Burgh!"
The group froze. Iris, her wild purple hair flying behind her like a storm cloud, sprinted into the arena, her boots screeching against the polished floor. Her face was serious, smeared with street dust as she shouted, "You gotta come out! There's... there's a girl! She's knocked out cold right on Narrow Street!"
Azure mentally groaned, the sound echoing heavily in his own skull. His eyes narrowed, a cold, sharp edge flashing through his gaze thought, 'Seriously? Can't a guy get a Gym badge without a crisis interrupting the plot for five minutes? Whoever did this to an innocent bystander is going to pay for delaying my schedule.'
Iris shrieked over her shoulder, turning back toward the entrance. She shouted in an annoyed tone, "Big bro! Hurry up!"
*Tmp-Tmp*
Heavy, unhurried footsteps echoed from the doorway. Striding into the Gym with the relaxed posture of a teen walking on a sunny beach came Drayton, the reigning Champion of Blueberry Academy. Resting casually on his shoulder was a massive Haxorus, its scythe-like jaws clicking idly. Cradled in Drayton's arms was an unconscious girl, her limp form instantly recognized by Black.
Black yelled, his face draining of color, "Bianca?!"
Crispin grumbled, crossing his arms at Drayton, "Took you long enough!"
Drayton drawled, offering a lazy, lopsided wave as he said, "Hey, traffic in Castelia is killer, and my little sis here has a habit of running off."
His gaze drifted across the stands, locking onto Azure for a brief, calculating second—a silent acknowledgment—before his expression melted back into total apathy. Black rushed down from the battlefield, dropping to his knees beside Drayton as he shouted in concern, "Bianca! Wake up! Hey!"
*Achoo*
Beside him, Nite the Pignite let out a sudden, violent Achoo! spraying a shower of soot across the floor.
Iris panted, pointing a trembling finger toward an open Poké Ball rolling near the door as she explained to the group, "She was just lying there near the alleyway. And her Pokémon wasn't anywhere near her! It's like what's been happening all over the city!"
White, leaning over the railing from the stands with her own partners—Vivi the Eevee and Marina the Marill—clutched her clipboard tightly. She asked, confused, "Pokémon disappearances? What do you mean?"
Iris said, her voice dropping an octave with genuine concern, "Someone's kidnapping them. Just snatching them right out of their trainers' hands!"
Azure frowned, the memory flashing through his mind like a bad commercial as he thought, 'Right. A few days ago, a bunch of Team Plasma grunts and that obnoxious Sage Bronius tried to pull something similar at the Sonata Café before I captured Meloetta.'
Back then, a single Thunderbolt from Pikachu had sorted out the riff-raff, and the Castelia police had hauled them away. Or so they thought.
Burgh argued, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes, "You have no concrete proof it's connected, Iris."
Iris snapped back, her hands on her hips as she instantly pivoted from panic to bickering, "Oh, sure, Mr. 'I'm-an-artist-so-I-see-things-differently! For someone who paints cityscapes, you're awfully blind to what's happening under your nose!"
Burgh began, "Now, hold on a second—"
Black commanded, tossing a Poké Ball, "Musha, out!"
*POP*
The floating, pink, tapir-like Munna materialized instantly, drifting directly onto the top of Black's head, its psychic glow casting a soft light over his brow. Iris shrieked, jumping backward as she said, "What is that?! A floating brain?!"
Drayton raised a single eyebrow, peering at the Munna. Then Azure muttered, looking directly at Iris, "Wait. Aren't you that kid from Johto's Blackthorn City?"
Iris froze, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. She whipped around, pointing a shaking finger at Azure, exclaiming, "It is you! You called me a little kid years ago when I was dragged to Unova! How dare you call me a kid!"
Azure blinked, leaning over the railing. Then, turning to Iris and Drayton, he asked curiously, "Wait, are you two related by blood?"
Drayton drawled, scratching the back of his head, "Adoptive big bro. Though she definitely acts like a toddler half the time."
Iris wailed, her face turning crimson, "I am not a toddler!"
Black's voice cut through the rising chaos like a buzzsaw, "Focus!"
His eyes were wide, pupils dilated with hyper-fixation. His mind was blanking out, racing at a thousand miles per hour. He sniffed the air sharply, then asked Burgh, "Burgh. Does this Gym... does it smell like honey?"
Burgh blinked, lowering his hands. He replied, "Well... yes. I use floral and honey-based solvents for my canvases."
Black declared, his voice dropping into a deadpan monotone of absolute certainty, "We can't distinguish anything from the ambient smell. Especially Nite. Nite usually has a much stronger sense of smell."
He pointed a finger down at his starter Pokémon. Nite sneezed again.
*Fwoosh*
A blast of searing, bright orange fire belched from the Pignite's snout, scorching a harmless black mark against the Gym's pristine floorboards. Burgh gasped, asking in concern, "Goodness! Has your Pokémon caught a cold?"
Black said firmly, his eyes locking onto a microscopic speck of shimmering purple dust clinging to Bianca's jacket sleeve, "No. When Nite has a cold, it sneezes black smoke. This time, it's sneezing fire. It's reacting to the foreign residue on Bianca. A chemical trace."
Black knelt, holding his hand near Nite's snout. He asked his partner, "Nite, can you track the scent?"
Nite let out a low, determined grunt, its nostrils flaring as it caught the microscopic aroma riding the indoor drafts. The Pignite spun around on its heel and pointed a stout trotter directly toward the massive glass front doors of the Gym.
Black ordered, "Outside!"
Nite didn't wait. It bolted out the doors, the rest of the group scrambling in its wake, spilling out onto the bustling stone-paved streets of Castelia City.
/////
[Unova Region, Castelia City – Team Plasma Stronghold]
The trail led straight across the central plaza, stopping dead in front of an old, three-story brick commercial building sandwiched between two modern cafés. The metal rolling shutter of the storefront was locked tight, bearing a faded 'For Rent' sign that looked entirely too clean.
Burgh commanded, "Stand back!"
*POP*
He tossed a Poké Ball forward, bringing Dwebble. Burgh commanded, "Dwebble, use Rock Throw on the lock!"
*CRASH*
The crustacean Pokémon slammed its shell into the steel shutter, tearing it off its hinges and leaving a jagged, yawning gap that led into darkness. White wrinkled her nose, stepping back behind Azure as she asked, concerned about their actions, "Are you sure this is it, Black? What if he's wrong?"
Azure said quietly, "He's not..."
*Whiff*
From inside the threshold, a faint, sweet, cloying aroma drifted out, carrying the microscopic glint of violet spores. As the group filed inside the dim, dusty interior, a chorus of sneezes erupted from everyone except Azure, whose internal biology was shielded by his unique transmigrant constitution, and Drayton, who simply pulled up the collar of his jacket.
Azure muttered, his eyes scanning the gloom, "Spores. Paralysis-inducing, standard-issue botanical powder. Classic trap."
From the shadows of a shattered display counter, a pair of large, bulbous eyes blinked open. A creature resembling a massive pink mushroom with thick, pill-like lips shambled forward, tightly gripping a shivering, candle-headed Litwick in its arm.
Azure identified it instantly, his hand hovering over his belt. He notified the group, "Careful, guys, it's an Amoonguss!"
Seeing Bianca's Ghost-type Pokémon cowering, the little Litwick let out a pitiful, high-pitched wail of distress, "Lit! Wik! Lit!!"
Iris yelled, pointing aggressively, "That's her partner! That's the stolen Pokémon!"
*POOF*
Amoonguss didn't hesitate. It inflated its cap, unleashing a massive, rolling cloud of violet spores designed to incapacitate the entire room!
Azure barked, "Move!"
*Swoosh*
Before anyone else could react, Azure and Drayton moved in perfect, synchronized tandem. Azure commanded, "Evolve, Eevee!"
*FLASH*
In a flash of brilliant white light, the Eevee perched on Azure's head transformed instantly into a sleek, emerald-green Leafeon. Because of its Grass-Type biology and unique adaptation, plant-based status spores slid off its coat.
Beside him, Drayton tossed a Premier Ball with a lazy flick of his wrist. He barked, "Go get 'em, Sceptile."
*POP*
A burst of crimson light materialized into a towering, agile reptilian powerhouse with leaf-blades on its arms—completely immune to the floating spores due to its Grass-typing. Its eyes sharpened at their target.
Azure ordered, "Quick Attack!"
Drayton drawled, "Aerial Ace!"
*Woosh—SHINNG*
The Leafeon blurred into a white streak of pure velocity, slamming into the Amoonguss's side just as Sceptile descended from above like a falling green axe, its glowing leafy blades striking with pinpoint precision.
*BAM*
Amoonguss's eyes rolled back. It collapsed backward onto the dusty floorboards, sending up a small cloud of debris. The liberated Litwick scrambled away from the fallen mushroom, tumbling directly into Azure's waiting hands.
Azure caught the ghost-type gently, cradling the warm wax body against his chest. He said softly, "Easy there. You're safe."
*Flash*
With a soft, shimmering flash, the Leafeon on the floor reverted into a tiny, fluffy Eevee, trotting back over to leap gracefully onto Azure's head once more. White stared, her jaw dropping as she asked, "Wait... it de-evolved?! Is that even possible?!"
Azure replied casually, "Rule-breaking is kind of my specialty."
Azure smirked, looking over at Drayton's Sceptile. He raised an eyebrow, commenting, "Nice starter choice. Good taste."
Drayton offered a smug, toothy grin as he replied smugly, "Yeah, well, I saw the footage of your Sceptile when you fought Steven Stone in the Hoenn Challenger Video. Figured I couldn't go wrong copying a winner."
Iris shouted, pointing straight up, "Hey! The trainer's up there!"
In the center of the ceiling, a heavy service hatch was swinging open, leaking the sound of low, arrogant voices.
Azure commanded, tossing his Poké Ball, "Send 'em up."
Black called out, tossing his Poké Ball, "Brav, let's go!"
Drayton sighed, tossing a heavy-duty ball of his own commanded lazily, "Kingdra, do the honors."
*POP—Woosh*
With a rush of wind and a surge of pressurized water, Azure's massive Braviary, Black's Brav following behind, and Drayton's regal Kingdra scooped up the group, carrying them vertically through the ceiling hatch and landing them squarely on the sun-baked tar of the building's flat rooftop.
Standing in the center of the roof was a small clutch of Team Plasma grunts in their slate-gray uniforms, surrounding a stout, middle-aged man with a severe expression and a cape-like tunic.
Sage Bronius.
One of the grunts shrieked, reaching for their belt, "Intruders! Dispose of them! Protect the Sage!"
Bronius stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he swept his arms out in a dramatic, self-righteous gesture. He spouted, "Fools! You cannot comprehend our grand design! Team Plasma's sole mission is to liberate Pokémon from the ignorant clutches of mindless humans! We established this stronghold right here, directly opposite the Castelia Gym—the very root of human evil that restricts Pokémon of their true freedom!"
Before Bronius could strike another theatrical pose, Azure stepped to the front of the group, tilting his head as he asked bluntly, "Didn't my Pikachu take you and your little fan club down a few days ago at the Sonata Café? How are you idiots out already from the police station cell rooms?"
*Twitch*
Bronius's meticulously composed expression violently twitched. A vein popped on his forehead. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then hissed, "We would have succeeded if these incompetent grunts hadn't left a trainer behind as evidence!"
He glared daggers at the nearest grunt, shouting, "You fool! You ruined our window to liberate Castelia's entire reserve!"
Black stepped forward, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were stark white. He shouted in a furious tone, "Liberate?! What good is 'freeing' Pokémon by stealing them from people who love them?! You're just forcing them away from their homes!"
Bronius scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. He shouted in a grand tone, stating his belief: "A child like you could never understand. Throughout history, true visionaries—true heroes—have always been misunderstood. Unova's ancient legends are proof of that! We will bring back the hero and the Black Lightning Bolt, and unite the people of Unova under our absolute vision!"
Bronius spun on his heel, grabbing the edge of the rooftop scuttle hatch. He shouted, "Now, retreat—!"
*FREEZE*
He stopped.
He didn't move.
None of them moved.
Standing near the edge of the shadow cast by the ventilation unit, Azure's Gengar materialized halfway out of the brickwork, her crimson eyes glowing with a sinister, hypnotic light. Gengar used Mean Look.
Azure asked smoothly, slipping his hands into his pockets, "Trying to run away? I don't think so. My Gengar's got you locked in place. You aren't going anywhere until we talk about your little trespassing problem."
From Azure's jacket pocket, the disguised Pichu (Mew) squeaked a tiny, mocking laugh. Azure said softly, "Pikachu… hit 'em with a Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu hopped down from Azure's shoulder, landing lightly on the concrete. The red cheeks on the electric mouse sparked with a violent, blinding crackle of white-hot energy. With a sharp, commanding chirp, Pikachu unleashed a concentrated, room-clearing bolt of pure electricity.
*CRACK-BOOM*
A deafening roar of thunder echoed over the Castelia skyline. The pillar of lightning engulfed Bronius and his grunts in a blinding flash of yellow light, the current arcing harmlessly around the humans' nervous systems just enough to short-circuit their consciousness.
*THUD*
As the smoke cleared, Bronius and his cronies slumped forward, completely unconscious and twitching rhythmically from residual static. From somewhere near Azure's belt, a small, mechanical floating device projected a blue recording light.
*Click*
A synthetic, cheerful voice chirped from the Rotom Phone attached to Azure's belt, "Porygon-Z recording status: Successful! Uploading footage to PokéTube now. Title: Local Cultists Get Zapped by Electric Mouse. Like and Subscribe!"
Azure muttered, offering a small smile, "Good catch, Porygon."
/////
[Unova Region, 20 Min. Later, Castelia City – Team Plasma Stronghold]
20 minutes later, the Castelia City police had arrived, sirens wailing softly as they hauled Bronius and his grunts away in heavy-duty magnetic cuffs. A team of local Nurse Joys systematically checked the stolen Pokémon—dozens of them, recovered from the reinforced cages in the building's basement—and handed them back to their weeping, relieved trainers.
Bianca, her color fully restored, sat on a bench outside the Gym, hugging her newly returned Litwick tightly while thanking Black profusely. Burgh walked over to Azure, wiping a speck of soot from his artist's smock and offering a tired, apologetic sigh as he said, "Well, Azure... I'm afraid my Gym has taken quite a beating, and the administrative paperwork for this Plasma raid is going to take all afternoon. If it's alright with you... we'll have to reschedule your Ace Gym Challenge for tomorrow morning."
Azure offered a relaxed nod, sliding his Arc Phone back into his pocket. He replied understandingly, "No problem, Burgh. Taking down trash takes priority. Just make sure the battlefield's swept by nine."
Burgh smiled as he said, "Understood."
Standing nearby, White was furiously swiping through her Phone, groaning softly as she stared at her day planner. She muttered, "Unbelievable. The entire BW Agency schedule for this afternoon is completely ruined."
She looked up, her expression softening as she glanced between Black, Bianca, and the sea of reunited Pokémon. And she added softly, "Still... considering everything that happened with Black's friend and this kidnapping ring... I suppose this counts as a massive PR win for the agency anyway."
She crossed her arms, offering a rare, genuine grin. She said in a soft tone, "I guess we'll just have to reschedule some things tomorrow. Come on, Black, time to review your move rotation before your next match."
Black, standing tall with Musha still resting comfortably on his head and Nite letting out one final, smoke-free snort of satisfaction, flashed a brilliant, blinding grin as he said happily, "Got it! Tomorrow, I'm heading straight for the top!"
Azure turned on his heel, Pikachu hopping back onto his shoulder and the disguised Mew settling back into his pocket. Castelia City's neon lights were beginning to flicker on against the deepening twilight, painting the concrete in shades of amber and violet. Tomorrow brought a new battle, a new gym, and another step forward on the long road to the Unova League.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!