Chapter 280: Lilycove City
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Sunset, Lilycove City]
*THWUM*
With a silent thwum, the world blurred, reforming an instant later with the salty tang of the ocean and the cacophony of a bustling port. After using Gardevoir Teleport, the group arrived at their next destination… Lilycove City.
They had arrived at Lilycove City, a sprawling metropolis built into the very cliffs overlooking the sea, its grand Department Store towering over a busy harbor. The sudden appearance didn't go unnoticed by a few sharp-eyed passersby, but Azure quickly blended into the crowd, his Trainer attire not drawing undue attention in a region full of diverse fashion.
Azure's eyes, however, weren't on the towering buildings or the sparkling waves. They were scanning, searching for the tell-tale shimmer in the psychic ether that only Gardevoir—and by extension, he, through her Telepathy—could perceive.
His objective was clear: locate Team Aqua's base of operations, or at least a significant hideout, and dismantle it. Gardevoir communicated telepathically, a faint pulse in Azure's mind as she said, 'She's here. The marker is strong, very close.'
Azure nodded subtly, his gaze sweeping over the crowds of Trainers, tourists, and locals. He followed Gardevoir's subtle mental guidance, his pace unhurried, appearing as though he were simply taking in the sights.
Pikachu's ears twitched, sensing his Trainer's heightened awareness, while Eevee trotted a little closer, her usually playful demeanor muted by the underlying tension. And then he saw her.
Near a less-trafficked section of the harbor, where cargo ships were being loaded and unloaded, stood a woman. She wasn't in the distinctive Team Aqua uniform of blues and skull-and-crossbones.
Instead, she wore simple, dark clothing – a practical jacket and trousers – her typically vibrant blue hair pulled back severely, almost hidden beneath a baseball cap. But the set of her jaw, the calculating glint in her eyes as she surveyed a group of dockworkers, and the familiar, almost imperceptible psychic hum emanating from her, confirmed it.
Azure sighed, a soft exhalation that ruffled a few strands of Pikachu's fur as he muttered to himself silently, "Sigh… It's Shelly. Keeping a remarkably low profile. This complicated the plan that I had to do..."
He had anticipated arriving, tracking the marker to a hidden cave or a fortified warehouse, then initiating a well-planned assault. But Shelly, one of Team Aqua's Admins, was here, in the open, albeit subtly disguised, interacting with city personnel.
Attacking her now, in the middle of Lilycove, would cause chaos, endanger civilians, and undoubtedly alert the entire organization to his presence prematurely. It would also likely lead him to her, not necessarily their main base.
He needed more information. He needed to find the actual base, understand its defenses, its layout, and the full extent of Team Aqua's presence in Lilycove before making any overt moves on them.
Rushing in blind went against every strategic fiber of his being. Azure thought, a quiet command, "Gardevoir. Thank you. Return."
With a soft blue flash, Gardevoir dematerialized back into her Poké Ball, leaving only the lingering scent of ozone. The psychic link to Shelly's marker faded, but Azure had seen enough to know what to work with.
The mark had guided him to the right city, to the right person, as he muttered, "Now, it was time for careful observation."
He gently stroked Pikachu's head. He murmured, a hint of his usual playful tone returning, though his eyes remained sharp, "Looks like our sightseeing tour just got an upgrade. Pikachu, Eevee, let's explore Lilycove. We're tourists, remember?"
Pikachu chirped, understanding the unspoken directive. Eevee nudged his leg, her tail wagging tentatively.
They knew the drill. When Azure was like this, subtly focused, they were his perfect cover, his innocent-looking companions that drew no suspicion.
Azure adjusted his backpack, his gaze now sweeping the city with a different kind of intensity. He turned away from the docks where Shelly was, choosing a different path, heading deeper into the urban sprawl of Lilycove.
The city was a maze of shops, residential areas, and industrial zones, all interwoven with the natural rock formations of the coast. Team Aqua's base could be anywhere: a hidden grotto beneath the cliffs, a forgotten warehouse masquerading as a shipping company, or even a commandeered vessel at sea. The psychic marker had done its job by bringing him here, but now, the real detective work began.
As they strolled past the vibrant storefronts and the chattering crowds, Azure took a mental inventory. He noted the types of cargo moving through the port, the security arrangements of various buildings, the patterns of foot traffic, and even the subtle nuances of the local dialect.
His years of experience weren't just about battling; they were about observation, strategy, and understanding his environment. Team Aqua might be cunning, but they were still an organization of people, and people left trails.
Pikachu, ever alert, pointed a paw towards a particularly impressive seafood restaurant, letting out an inquisitive, "Pika?"
Eevee bounced, clearly intrigued by the aroma wafting from its doors. Azure smiled, ruffling Eevee's fur as he whispered, "Later, guys. First, we play tourist, then we get serious. We have a base to find, and we're not going to announce ourselves until we know exactly what we're walking into."
He paused by a map display, pretending to study it, while his peripheral vision took in the narrow alleyways and the less-frequented paths between buildings. He knew that the most obvious places were rarely the true hideouts.
Team Aqua would want to be discreet, yet efficient. Their plans involved the sea, so proximity to the ocean and resources would be key.
His thoughts drifted to his Arc Phone. He smirked as he opened up the Map App, and he muttered calmly, "Oh, right… I almost forgot that my Arc Phone has the Map of everything in the Pokémon World. Let's see… bingo."
Azure smiled as he saw the location of Team Aqua's base of operations. He imagined Shelly, somewhere nearby, unaware that the powerful Trainer who had just bested a Gym Leader had followed her to her city.
The thought brought a slight smirk to Azure's face. He wasn't just a powerful Trainer; he was a strategic mind, a planner. He had outmaneuvered stronger opponents through sheer tactical brilliance, and he intended to do the same here in Hoenn.
The sun began its slow descent, painting the western sky in hues of orange and purple, reflecting off the ocean's surface. Lilycove City, vibrant and alive, pulsed with energy. But beneath its cheerful façade, Azure knew, lay the shadows of Team Aqua's ambitions.
He tightened his resolve. He wasn't just here to win Gym Badges; he was here to protect the Hoenn region.
And that mission began now, with a quiet, solo search, two innocent-looking Pokémon for company, and a mind buzzing with anticipation and strategy. He muttered as the sun began to set excitedly, "The game of hide-and-seek had officially begun, and I'm determined to be the seeker. Because tonight? Tonight is the night where Team Aqua sinks…"
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[Hoenn Region, Nighttime, Lilycove City – Team Aqua's Base]
Time slowly passed as it was now nighttime. Meanwhile, cloaked in the shadows of a hidden cavern accessible only by a submerged entrance from the ocean, Team Aqua's temporary base thrummed with a low, frustrated energy.
The air was thick with the scent of salty water and suppressed anger. In a dimly lit chamber, the three Admins – the hulking, boisterous Matt, the shrewd and calculating Shelly, and the quiet, intense Amber – huddled around a holographic map display.
*BAM*
Matt growled, slamming a fist on a nearby console, making a Grunt jump, "It still burns me! Mt. Chimney! We were so close to stopping the volcano's power, to create the imbalance needed for Kyogure to awaken, and then those meddling kids, that Gym Leader, and most of all, that Kanto trainer, Azure Sky, just... interfered!"
Shelly, ever the pragmatist, leaned forward, her arms crossed as she stated sternly, "Keep your voice down, Matt. We're supposed to be lying low, remember? Archie's orders. After that fiasco, he needs us to keep things quiet. The media is still buzzing about the attack around Mt. Chimney. And the Pokémon Ranger Union is certainly on high alert for our activities."
She glanced at the holographic projection of the Hoenn map, specifically at Lilycove City, as she continued, "Our intelligence suggests Azure Sky is in Petalburg City, perhaps even in Lilycove, trying to track us down as we speak..."
Amber, usually reserved, finally spoke, her voice a low murmur with his eyes narrowed, recalling the event, "It was quite the humiliation. Azure's Metagross and Gardevoir were formidable. And his Gardevoir's ability to locate us even after teleporting away… It's concerning. We've been too exposed. But Chief Archie is a man of vision. He sees the bigger picture. We just need to bide our time."
Matt grumbled, gesturing dismissively towards a group of Aqua Grunts undergoing drills in an adjacent area, "Bide our time and train these Grunts. They're still reeling from Mt. Chimney themselves. Their morale has taken a huge hit. Spirits are at an all-time low...."
Shelly smirked, a glint in her eyes as she explained happily, "Perhaps not all of us are 'suboptimal', Matt. I believe I have something that will not only boost morale but also immensely please Chief Archie."
Matt and Amber turned, intrigued. Shelly tapped a button, and the holographic map dissolved, replaced by a live feed from a secure, reinforced tank within the base.
Inside, a creature of breathtaking beauty, a Milotic, swam with a languid grace that belied its immense power. Its scales shimmered with ethereal colors, but upon closer inspection, a distinct, ragged scar marred the vibrant pattern near the base of its tail, a testament to a brutal struggle in its encounter.
Matt exclaimed, his anger momentarily forgotten, replaced by awe, "A Milotic! Where in the name of the ocean did you find one of those?"
Shelly corrected, a note of pride in her voice as she explained, "It wasn't 'found', Matt. It was captured. We located a hidden cove where it was living, a creature of unimaginable power. It took all three of us – Amber, you, and me – to bring it down. Remember, you were with us idiot before you were knocked in the head. Its Hyper Beam nearly took out half of our submersibles, and its Safeguard made it impossible to status it."
She pointed to the scar. She chuckled, boasting of capturing the Wild Pokémon, "That's a memento from your Crawdaunt's Crabhammer, Matt. A direct hit finally broke through its defenses enough for Amber's Starmie to land a crucial Dark Pulse, followed by my Walrein's Ice Beam to freeze its mobility. But even then, it nearly escaped. It's truly magnificent. Untamed, but magnificent."
Amber nodded slowly. He grinned slowly, understanding its strength as he uttered, "Its strength is immense. Even with the three of us, it was a close call. Imagine its power once refined and focused under Chief Archie's command, integrated into his team."
Matt grinned, a wide, predatory smile. Rubbing his hands together, he proclaimed, "That's brilliant, Shelly! A Milotic! Archie will be ecstatic! With a Pokémon like that, his vision for expanding the seas will be unstoppable. It's certainly a better contribution than just training these laggards."
Shelly said enthusiastically, her gaze fixed on the Milotic swimming hollowly, "Precisely! It's wild, yes, but under Archie's care, its behavior will improve. It will become a pillar of Team Aqua's might. This failure at Mt. Chimney… it will be but a forgotten footnote. The Milotic is a symbol of our continued commitment, a promise of the power yet to come."
The three Admins fell silent, their eyes gleaming with a renewed sense of purpose, envisioning the day their Milotic, and their leader, would reshape the Hoenn region with more water. They all grinned excitedly till…
*WEEEE*
A siren broke through they're thoughts as an announcement was heard, "ALERT! ALERT!! SOMEONE HAS INFILTRATED – Buzzz!"
Hearing someone infiltrating the Team Aqua Base, all 3 Admins grit their teeth. They flick the hologram map to the live feed as it shows the intruder's Pokémon destroying the base, charging in.
*BOOOOM*
An explosion could be heard from the echoes as the live feed turned off. This brought the 3 Admins to wake up and get ready to greet the intruder.
Shelly roared out loud, getting Amber and Matt's attention, "Shit! Let's split off. We must secure the base! We gotta show that intruder who's in control!!"
Both saluted with grim expressions on they're faces. With that, the 3 Team Aqua Admins split off, trying to take control of the situation…
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A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS for a Bonus Chapter!