Chapter 652: Liberty Garden
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Next Day, Castelia City – Liberty Garden]
The morning sun hung low over the horizon, casting a shimmering, golden path across the waves of the Narrow River. The salt-heavy breeze of the Unova Sea whipped through Black's hair as the small, rickety ferry groaned against the swells. Behind them, the titanic skyscrapers of Castelia City—the 'City of Grandeur'—began to shrink, their glass facades reflecting the dawn like a cluster of diamonds.
Ahead lay a solitary speck of green and grey: Liberty Garden.
Black shouted, his voice echoing off the hull of the boat, "We're almost there! Nite, are you ready? Because I am beyond ready!"
Beside him, his Pignite, Nite, let out a spirited snort, sparks dancing from its snout. Black's eyes were wide, his mind already racing a mile a minute. He explained in an excited tone, "Professor Juniper asked us specifically! This is a legendary mission, Nite! A Mythical Pokémon!"
In stark contrast to Black's explosive energy, White was slumped against the railing, her chin resting on her hand. Her eyes were half-lidded, dark circles threatening to manifest under them. She groaned, her voice barely a whisper, "Black... please... lower the volume… That boat ride felt like it took ten years, not one day. My internal clock is still in Castelia's massage parlor."
She sighed, remembering the elderly masseur back in the city who had winked at her and told her to enjoy the 'romantic island getaway with your boyfriend.' She had immediately corrected him, stating Black was her employee, but the memory still made her face heat up with annoyance.
Azure, standing a few feet away with Pikachu perched comfortably on his shoulder and Eevee nestled into the hood of his jacket, couldn't help but chuckle. He teased playfully, "Come on, White. Look on the bright side. It's a private island. Peace, quiet, and a chance to see something no one else has seen in centuries."
White shot him a weary glare. She said in an exhausted tone, "You're laughing because you've probably seen a dozen Mythical Pokémon, Azure. For the rest of us, this is an arduous business trip."
White said, squinting as she tried to recall the name, "Wait… What was the Pokémon called again? Vi... Vi..."
Black answered instantly, his tone turning unusually serious, "Victini. The Victory Pokémon. It's said that trainers who possess Victini can win any battle, no matter how powerful the opponent. It's like a living battery of infinite energy."
Azure nodded, his gaze fixed on the approaching island as he added, "It's more than just a battery, Black. Legend says Victini shares its energy through touch. But that kind of power... it's a curse as much as a blessing. Throughout history, kings and generals have waged bloody wars just to get their hands on it. It's a Pokémon that represents the highest peak of human ambition and the lowest depths of our greed."
Black's eyes sparkled. He said in a determined tone, "Infinite energy... the power to always win... Azure, do you know what that means for my dream? If I find Victini, the Pokémon League is as good as mine!"
He stepped toward the prow of the boat, took a deep breath, and bellowed at the top of his lungs: "I AM GOING TO BE THE CHAMPION OF THE UNOVA REGION!"
*SHIIIIING*
A soft, pinkish dome of light shimmered around Black for a split second. Musha, his Munna, floated lazily beside his head, having just cast Safeguard. The move acted as a sonic filter, dampening the sheer volume of Black's shout so it didn't shatter the eardrums of everyone on board.
White sighed, patting the pink Pokémon, thanking her for keeping Black's shouting contained. She said thankfully, "Thanks, Musha. It was a good thing Azure taught you Safeguard. Black, you're going to scare the tourists away before we even dock. Not that there seem to be many..."
Azure frowned, his sharp eyes scanning the pier as they drifted closer. That was when he commented, "That's the thing, White. There isn't anyone."
*Thud*
As the boat bumped against the wooden pilings with a dull thud, the trio stepped onto the wooden planks. The island felt heavy. The air was stagnant, lacking the usual bustle of a tourist destination.
The visitor center looked weathered, and the paths were overgrown with weeds that shouldn't have been there if the island was being maintained. Black muttered, looking around in a confused tone, "This is weird? The sailors back at the pier said the islanders were friendly, but they also mentioned the island was technically off-limits because the docks were 'falling apart.' I had to beg them to sail us here, practically."
White asked, pulling a crumpled guide from her bag, "If it's off-limits, then why are there brochures for it everywhere in Castelia? Look, it shows the Liberty Garden, the central plaza, and the famous lighthouse. Every single picture features that lighthouse."
Black squinted at the lighthouse standing tall in the center of the island. He rubbed his temples as he muttered in a cautious tone, grabbing the tip of his cap, "Something's wrong. My head... it feels clouded."
Azure placed a hand on his Pawniard's Poké Ball. Azure said in a serious tone, feeling psychic waves in the area, "It's not just you, Black. The atmosphere is thick. It feels like... an illusion."
Black commanded, "Musha, help me out!"
The Munna drifted over and pressed its snout against Black's forehead…
*Gulp*
Musha began to devour Black's overwhelming dreams of the Pokémon League, clearing his mind of all distractions. As Black's eyes glazed over for a second, his perception sharpened into a needle-point focus. Black whispered, "I see it… A mark. A V-shape. It's everywhere, but it's hidden."
He turned toward the lighthouse as he added, "I saw it when we arrived, but then it vanished. It's like something is trying to hide right in front of us."
Azure didn't wait for a second invitation. He grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt, hurling it out as he commanded, "Dewott, front and center! Use Aerial Ace on the base of that lighthouse!!"
*Zzz-shrip*
The sea otter Pokémon emerged in a flash of blue light, its scalchops drawn. With a burst of speed that left a literal trail of white wind behind it, Dewott slammed into the lighthouse's seemingly solid stone.
*CRACK-BOOM*
The 'stone' shattered like glass. Shards of psychic energy dissipated into the air, revealing a group of men and women dressed in grey, medieval-style tunics with a distinctive "P" logo on their chests.
White gasped, clutching her bag, "Team Plasma!"
The grunts didn't look surprised; they looked annoyed. One woman, presumably the leader of the squad, stepped forward. She said in an arrogant tone, looking down on them, "So, the brats who bothered Lord Bronius have arrived. You've got a knack for sticking your noses where they don't belong."
Black shouted, clenching his fist and hurling his Poké Balls out, "You're the ones hiding an entire island! Mighty, Musha, Tula—let's go!"
Azure's eyes narrowed. He tossed his own Poké Balls as he ordered, "Zweilous, Pawniard, Dewott—battle formation!"
*POP*
Black's and Azure's Pokémon appeared already in formation. Their stances were already prepared with Dark Types to counter the psychic wave.
The Grunt leader laughed, a cold, sharp sound. She boasted arrogantly, "You think you've won because you saw through a simple veil? This entire island is under my Gothitelle's psychic field. You aren't going anywhere. We've used Hypnosis to keep the sailors and tourists away for days. You're just more fuel for the fire."
Azure demanded, his voice dropping ice cold, "Where is Victini? I know you didn't come here for the scenery."
The Grunt's smile twitched. She replied boastfully, "Sharp. We liberated that poor creature from the basement where it was imprisoned. But the little rat is fast. It's been evading our 'protection' for three days now. Gothitelle! Bring it out!"
*Fwoosh*
As if on cue, a small, cream-colored Pokémon with large, pointed ears forming a 'V' shape zipped through the air above the lighthouse. It was moving so fast it was a blur of orange and white, its tiny feet trailing embers. Behind it, a Gothitelle—a Pokémon that looked like a gothic lolita doll—floated in pursuit, its eyes glowing with a sinister violet light.
Black yelled, "Victini!"
*Swooosh*
The Mythical Pokémon looked exhausted. Its large blue eyes were wide with fear, and its tiny body was covered in scrapes. It let out a high-pitched cry as it dodged a blast of psychic energy, "Tini!"
White cried out, "Stop it! Can't you see it's hurt?"
The Grunt screamed back in a defiant tone, "We are saving it! Don't you know the history? Two hundred years ago, a greedy millionaire bought this island just to lock Victini in a basement! He claimed it was to 'stop the war,' but he just wanted to hoard the victory for himself! Now that he's dead, the tourists want to poke and prod it. We are the only ones who can give it peace!"
Azure interjected, "By hunting it down like an animal? You talk about liberation, but you're just the next set of jailers."
Growling, the leading Grunt ordered, "Enough talk! Gothitelle, use Trick Room!"
*HUMMM*
The air around the island suddenly distorted. It felt like walking through molasses. The very laws of physics seemed to invert. Black's Braviary, let out to intercept, suddenly felt heavy and sluggish, while the normally slow Gothitelle moved with unnatural, jerky speed.
Black commanded, "Brav! Use Air Slash!"
*Swoosh*
The massive bird flapped its wings, but the attack came out in slow motion. Gothitelle stepped aside effortlessly, mocking the effort.
Black gritted his teeth as he stated in a bitter tone, "The psychic field is too strong! Every move we make is being countered before we even think of it."
Azure watched the shimmering walls of the Trick Room. He looked at his Dewott, who was struggling to lift its scalchops. He closed his eyes for a split second, his mind flashing back to his training sessions with a legendary friend.
He could almost hear Crystal's voice echoing in his head: 'Speed isn't just about how fast you move, Azure. It's about how much force you can build in the space you're given. And how to use your legs!'
Then he recalled a certain episode of Ash using X-Scissor in a Trick Room once, then committed to his idea. Azure called out a plan already forming in his head, "Dewott! Forget the Gothitelle for a second. We need to break the box we're in! Use Fury Cutter on the psychic field itself!"
Dewott began to swing following his orders, with no hesitation…
*Clang*
*Sh-sh-sh*
The first hit was slow, barely a scratch on the shimmering air. The Grunt jeered as she arrogantly said, belittling their efforts, "Useless! You can't break a psychic field with physical—"
*SCHRIT*
The second hit was faster. The third hit sounded like a sawblade hitting metal. Because Fury Cutter doubles in power with every successive hit, the sheer kinetic energy began to overwhelm the psychic distortion. Dewott began to spin, his body becoming a blue-and-silver whirlwind.
*CRA-ACK*
Spiderweb fractures appeared in the very air. The Gothitelle shrieked, clutching its head as its concentration wavered!
Azure shouted, "Now, Black! Now's the chance!"
But Victini, finally pushed to its limit, stumbled in mid-air. Its body stopped fluttering, and it began to fall toward the hard stone of the lighthouse balcony. Gothitelle, regaining its composure, reached out with a Psychic grip to snatch the unconscious Pokémon.
Azure reached into his bag, shouting, "No, you don't!"
He didn't pull out a standard Poké Ball. He pulled out a purple ball with two pink bulges and an 'M' imprinted on it.
White shouted, "Azure, wait! You can't!"
*SMACK*
Azure didn't throw it with his hand. He dropped the Master Ball to the ground and, with a practiced, lightning-fast kick, sent it soaring through the air like a soccer ball. It was a technique he'd learned from Crystal—the Capture Specialist of Johto.
The ball streaked across the battlefield, a purple blur that bypassed the stuttering Trick Room…
*BOP*
The Master Ball struck Victini squarely in the chest. In a burst of brilliant violet light, the Mythical Pokémon was drawn inside.
The ball fell to the balcony, wobbled once, twice, and thrice till…
*Click*
… Click. It emitted a soft chime of success.
The silence that followed was deafening.
The Grunt stuttered in a scared tone, her face pale. She exclaimed, "You... you captured it? You stole the Victory Pokémon?!"
Azure corrected, his voice cold, his expression stern, "I secured it. Gothitelle is distracted! Black, finish it!"
Black followed as he ordered, "Brav! Brave Bird! Let's gooooo!"
With the Trick Room shattered and Gothitelle suffering from psychic backlash, Black's Braviary became a plummeting meteor of blue and white feathers!
*BOOOOOOOM*
The explosion of feathers and wind sent the Grunts flying backward. Gothitelle was slammed into the lighthouse wall, knocked out instantly.
The psychic veil over the island finally dissolved.
Suddenly, the world felt 'right' again. The sound of distant seagulls returned. The heavy fog lifted, revealing the true, beautiful greenery of Liberty Garden. From the docks, the shouts of confused tourists and sailors could be heard as they snapped out of their hypnotic trance.
The lead Grunt screamed in a frantic tone laced with fear, scrambling toward a hidden speedboard at the water's edge, "Retreat! We need to report this to Ghetsis! You'll pay for this, you meddling—"
Azure said calmly, interrupting the leading Grunt with a cold stare, "You're not going anywhere! Gothorita, show them why Shadow Tag is a nightmare."
*Swoosh*
Azure's own Gothorita appeared from the shadows behind the Grunts. Her eyes glowed with a deep, haunting blackness. The Grunts tried to run, but their feet felt as though they were fused to the ground. They pulled and struggled, but they couldn't move an inch away from the Pokémon.
Azure explained, walking over to pick up the Master Ball, "Shadow Tag. Your shadows are pinned. You're staying right here until the International Police arrive. And here's a taste of your own medicine. Gothorita, use Hypnosis."
*Hummm*
The Gothorita waved her hands in a rhythmic, swaying motion. Within seconds, the Team Plasma Grunts collapsed into a deep, dreamless sleep. Using Telekinesis, Gothorita gathered some nearby discarded rope and neatly bundled the Grunts together like a collection of logs.
Azure commanded, "Rotom, Porygon-Z, get on the horn."
His Arc Phone floated out of his pocket. Rotom's mischievous face appeared on the screen as Rotom said, "Zzt! Calling the Castelia PD now, Master! Recording all evidence of Plasma activity! They're in for a shock-tastic trial! Bzzzt!"
Porygon-Z's digital voice chimed in from the speaker, "Data... uploaded. Evidence... secured. Justice... pending."
White hurried over to several tourists who were wandering around the plaza, looking dazed and dehydrated, as she said worriedly, "It's okay! You're safe now! I'm White, President of the BW Agency. We'll get you some water and get you back to the city."
Even in a crisis, her professional instincts kicked in as she added, "And if you wouldn't mind signing a release form for a testimonial..."
Black, meanwhile, was staring at the Master Ball in Azure's hand. He looked defeated for a moment, then sighed, his usual fire returning to his eyes as he stated, "Well... I guess I didn't get to capture the 'always win' Pokémon. But hey, we saved it! And I saw it! That counts for something, right?"
Azure said, handing the Master Ball to him to look at, "You did more than see it, Black. You broke their line. You gave me the opening. Without your pressure, they never would have slipped up."
Azure looked at the Master Ball, his reflection staring back at him in the polished purple surface. Inside, he could feel a faint, warm thrumming. It wasn't the cold power of a weapon; it was a gentle, flickering heat, like a candle in a dark room.
A small, telepathic voice whispered in Azure's mind, 'Tini...'
It sounded curious, no longer afraid.
Azure thought back, projecting a sense of calm, 'You're safe now.'
Suddenly, a puff of smoke appeared on Azure's shoulder. His Zorua unmasked himself, looking at the ball with a tilted head. He asked curiously into Azure's mind, 'Hey, boss… Is that little guy gonna be our new roommate? He smells like burnt cookies and sunshine.'
Azure chuckled, ruffling Zorua's fur. He said casually, "I don't know yet, buddy. Victini is a Pokémon of Victory. Giving it to the League or the government might just start the cycle all over again."
He looked toward the horizon, where the police sirens were just beginning to wail across the water from Castelia. Azure whispered, "For now, we just let him rest."
Black pumped a fist into the air. He exclaimed, "Rest is for after we get back! Azure, White! Once we clear this up with the cops, we're going to the Battle Company! I've got so much energy I could outrun a Zebstrika!"
White groaned, leaning against a tree as she muttered, "I'm taking a three-day nap. Don't even think about it, Black."
As the trio stood on the edge of the island, the "V" mark on the lighthouse seemed to catch the midday sun, glowing one last time before fading into the stone. The Victory Pokémon had been found, but for Azure, the real battle was convincing him.
Black asked, looking at the Master Ball one last time, "Hey, Azure. Do you think Victini really makes you win? Or does it just give you the spark to try harder?"
Azure smiled, watching his Eevee jump onto Black's shoulder to lick his cheek. He said wisely, "I think the 'victory' isn't in the result, Black. It's in the fact that you haven't given up on your dream once, even without a Mythical Pokémon's help."
Black beamed, his chest swelling with pride. He said proudly, "Yeah! You're right! Who needs a shortcut when I've got my own fire!"
Behind them, Gengar poked her head out of Azure's shadow, sticking her tongue out at the tied-up Grunts and stealing a piece of candy from one of their pockets. She cackled, enjoying the small victory of her own, "Geng-gengar!"
The air in Liberty Garden was finally clear. The shadows of the past had been chased away by the light of the present, and for the first time in two hundred years, the little Pokémon of Victory could finally sleep without fear.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter! Also, thanks for your guys' thoughts on the sample!