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Saki stood outside on the wooden platform as she looked down at her new Feather Badge that she had earned from her battle earlier that day with Fortree City's Gym Leader Winona. She placed the badge next to the others in the case as she patiently waited for something. "Saki," her name was called as she turned back.
Steven stood behind her as he seemed a bit upset. "Any luck contacting Archie, hun?" she asked him as she watched him shake his head.
"You better come inside," he told her, not answering her question.
Walking inside the apartment, Latias still lay down on the ground as she was still depressed. The large TV was on as the BuzzNet Channel was broadcasting. "Late last night at the Slateport City shipyard, where Captain Stern and his team were finishing up their latest submarine when a large group of Team Magma followers had barged into the shipyard and stole the submarine!" a woman's voice said on the television. "Luckily no one is hurt, but there is much curiosity as to why they stole the submarine."
Steven turned the television off, as he shook his head. "So now they have a submarine?" Saki questioned herself as things weren't getting any better. "So that means Tabitha was able to pinpoint that one spot along route 128 then."
"It would seem so, which means we need to hurry and stop them soon. I don't doubt that they are still at their hideout in Lilycove City, but for how much longer could just be a matter of days."
"Again, have you had any luck getting ahold of Archie?"
Steven shook his head. "No…"
"It's been three days now… Do you think he's ok?" Saki inquired as they had discussed their plan with Archie days ago. He said he would meet with them along with a large group of grunts in Fortree City and from there they would leave for Team Magma's Hideout in Lilycove City.
"I don't know, but…" he trailed off as if he was a bit hesitant to finish what he was saying. "I don't think we can wait for him much longer, we're going to have to-"
Ring, ring, ring
The sound of Steven's PokeNav went off as he brought up his wrist. "Archie! Finally! Where are you?" he questioned as Saki could hear a bit of static coming from his PokeNav.
"Sorry lad, but this is bad!" he sounded a bit shaken as Steven looked a bit concern.
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"Team Magma ambushed us at our base! Maxie and all of them had escaped, our base was destroyed! Most of our equipment and everything was taken by their ambush!" he told them as Saki was taken aback at what she had heard.
"What?"
"Archie! Are you serious?" Steven inquired, as it sounded like Archie was moving.
"Afraid so lad, but I was able to send a group of mine to that location you told me about. I have another group with me, we're heading straight for Lilycove!" he told them, as Steven looked at Saki as she nodded her head.
"Alright! We'll meet outside of the hideout!" Steven told Archie as he ended the call. "Saki we need to get moving!" He said to her as Latias rose up.
Leaving out of the apartment, Saki jumped onto Latias's back as Steven quickly followed behind them. "Remember that cave we saw Latios go in?" she said to Latias as she nodded her head, "we're heading there." She told her as they took flight into the sky.
As they flew above the clouds, Saki could see that familiar light shining above the eerie mountain they had passed before. Something told her that it was important, but she couldn't do anything about it for now. But as they passed it by, something seemed to tell her that she needed whatever that blue light was.
"Hey Saki, do you see that?" Steven questioned as he pointed towards the blue light.
"Yea… what do you think it is?"
"I don't know, but it seems like we'll need to investigate later." He told her, as Latias picked up speed and seemed to be flying faster than normal. "Easy girl, don't push yourself." Steven said to Latias as she barely decelerated in speed.
Looking down at the ocean, Saki could see a fairly large dark and light blue boat skidding across the ocean's surface. "You think that's Archie down there?" she asked as they were heading towards the large ocean cave.
"That's him alright; he's the only sailor I know next to Mr. Briney that would have a boat that fast." He remarked as the boat quickly docked itself next to the edge of the beach near Lilycove as Latias slowly descended down towards them.
Steven jumped off of Latias's back, helping Saki down he could see the shocked reactions from Archie, and his followers. "Mind telling us how you wrangled that Pokemon?" he questioned as Archie pointed towards Latias.
"Long story short, Team Magma has a Mega Evolved Latios under their control along with a submarine and Groudon's location, that about sums it up pretty much." Saki told him shortly as he looked toward the cavern.
"So we're in trouble," he said to himself as he motioned for Steven and Saki to jump on the boat. "Come on, time is our enemy right now." He told them as they got on the boat, Latias flew close to them as sailed towards the large opening of the cavern.
"Maxie must be trying to configure that collar again after last time with Zoroark; if he can control a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve do you think he can do the same with a Pokemon as powerful as Groudon?" Steven asked Archie as they slowly entered the cavern.
Large pipes filled with what appeared to be hot magma, and red flags decorated the entrance of the cave it was lit with an eerie orange glow. "No, no one can possibly control a Pokemon like that. Even I have given up on the hopes of controlling Kyogre, after seeing that scripture in Dewford Town all I could think was chaos and an immense sense of destruction that no one can control." He explained.
"What do you mean?"
"Kyogre controls the weather like Groudon, but instead of forming land it creates seas." Archie answered, "But when I came to the realization of what could happen, I ceased anymore searching for it, but Maxie…even if he did know the truth he wouldn't stop trying to find the beast."
"At least there's one good thing that separates you from that madman." Saki remarked, as Archie grinned at her comment.
"Coming from a little scamp like you, I'll take that as a compliment." He told her as the boat came to a stop. Flattened black ground stood before them, as they carefully jumped off of the boat. "Now then, Maxie would most likely have Latios in the same area that they were holding Saki and Zoroark."
"Meaning that Maxie and the other admins would be deep within the Hideout making last minute modifications to the submarine." Steven said, as Saki looked a bit confused.
"Modifications? Captain Stern, along with my father and their teams would have added any devices needed to make sure it would be up to date with any technology the Devon Corporation would require them to have." Saki explained as she remembered how her father would talk about what all the ships he helped built would need in order to be allowed to sail or even function.
"But still, we're talking about a madman wanting to control a Pokemon capable of burning up all the water in the world. He'll make his own modifications to it," Steven remarked as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Shelly, you and half of the grunts go and find Latios. As for the rest of us, we're going to find the submarine and…" he stopped as he crossed his arms in disapproval of what he was going to say next "and destroy it."
"Destroy?" Saki and Steven questioned in unison, as they looked at each other in shock.
"You can't be serious? My father worked with Captain Stern on that for almost two years, you can't possibly think about destroying it." Saki protested, as she could clearly remember how there were nights that her father would come home late and leave before dawn just to work on that important project.
"There has to be another way," Steven stood by Saki as they didn't want something to be destroyed. "What if we locked it away in the Lilycove Shipyards? If Stern has it returned back to him I know we can talk him into locking it away until we stop Team Magma completely." Steven tried to make sense of what he was saying to Archie.
"We cannot risk it! Even if we did go through with the plan you spoke of, there is still a chance they can steal it back again. We have no other option, but to destroy the submarine." Shelly spoke up, as she stood by Archie.
"She's right," Archie told them, as they walked toward the entrance way leading inside of the base. "Everyone knows the consequences of what's going to happen if we don't stop Team Magma, they've destroyed our base, and are going to sacrifice innocent lives if we don't stop them here! It's time to show them the true potential of Team Aqua!"
Maxie leaned back in his chair as he was scanning over all the data his scientists had collected for him. It would appear that Latios's power was growing slowly over the course of the day, as it was still in Mega Evolved form.
"I see, so this is what Mega Evolution looks like… this power, its incredible!" he let out an evil laughter as the power levels were amazing him. "With this there is no doubt that the fate of our world will finally be in the hands of Team Magma!" Maxie proclaimed, as he looked out at the submarine that was hoisted up in the air above the concrete ground below.
Painting the once military green now in the profile of Camerupt's face and color scheme, they were adding the location of Groudon in the submarines tracking device. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed off the small dirt particles that had clung onto the glasses as he looked past his blurry vision as the modification his scientists had done for him.
Placed on the side of his glasses was a small circular, rainbow orb that was imbedded in the frame. A wisp like symbol was draw in the orb as it reflected back the light it caught from the lights above. "Maxie, I need to have a word with you."
Turning his chair around he saw Tabitha stand before him, a small stack of papers were in his hands. "Tabitha, what is it?"
"It's about the information I got from the Weather Institute, I want you to have a look at it." He requested, but Maxie just shook his head.
"No need, I have already read what was written," he said before something glimmered in his eyes. "Is something wrong with it?"
"This Pokemon, Groudon…it's powers are…"
"Incredible, marvelous, magnificent!" Maxie listed as he rose from his chair.
"Destructive," Tabitha's answer surely caught Maxie by surprise. "This Pokemon… could mean the downfall of humanity in just a few month, if we even have that much time when it's awakened." He stated, but Maxie just shook his head.
He glared at Tabitha for a minute "so that little brat and her boyfriend's ideas of stopping Groudon have finally gotten to you, now haven't they, Tabitha?" Maxie questioned.
"No that' not it-!"
"Or perhaps you're scared of the power that Groudon possesses?"
"Maxie, would you just listen?!"
"To what?" he shouted, as all work ceased in the area. "My own right hand man trying to tell me that the powers that Groudon possesses are too much for us?" he sarcastically stated. "As if our hard work hasn't paid off! We've spent years trying to find Groudon, and now here we have this golden opportunity and yet you don't want to do it! Just because the data says-" Maxie stopped himself as he quickly fixed his offset glasses and fixed his hair. "Tabitha… the data is usually inaccurate and this would be one of those times."
Shaking his head, "no this data is correct! It's just-"
"Just what? What exactly are you trying to pull-?" countless alarms and flashing red lights went off, as everyone jumped. "What's going on?!" Maxie yelled, as a few grunts ran towards the entrance way.
"Intruders!" they yelled as packs of Mightyena, and Muk ran out. "It's Team Aqua!" All the grunts in the area immediately sent out their Pokemon as countless battles began taking place.
Maxie looked as three familiar figures ran after the packs of Pokemon, "so I see we have company!" he called out to them as they looked up at him.
"Maxie!" Archie yelled as his Mightyena and Crobat stood beside him. "You know why we're here."
"Ah yes." He whispered, as he slowly descended down the flight of stairs above them, "I have a few ideas, but one is that you're here to stop me and probably try and save the Latios we have in our possession."
"You two, you better get ready for a fight." Archie told them as Saki and Steven grabbed a couple of their Pokeballs.
"I guess we have no other choice," Steven said as his Metagross and Cradily appeared next to him. Both seemed to be almost excited to battle.
"Come on out!" Saki called as Zoroark, Altaria, and Swampert stood by her side. All three of them shot glares towards Maxie, as Zoroark growled angrily at him, "today is the day you finally get your revenge." She told her, as she knew the pent up anger inside of Zoroark was building up each day she had to recall that terribly memory.
"I see, so you have an intention to stop me."
"Ever since the day I met you I've always wanted to stop you," Saki said back as Maxie just shook his head.
"Well then, allow me to show you what you're up against." Maxie stated, as he grabbed a Pokeball; tossing it nonchalantly his Camerupt appeared. "Let's show them what we have discovered," he said as he brought his hand up to his glasses. Slightly flicking his head up a bright pink light ensued around him and his Camerupt as it formed a large crystal like ball.
Saki's eyes widened, "it's transforming!" she yelled as the three took a step back, as the crystal 'shattered' away. Standing before them was a Maxie's Camerupt, but in a different form; instead of two small volcanoes there a giant one on its back, almost like it was ready to erupt. Large volcanic rocks were melded onto its sides, as its long red fur ran down almost to the ground.
"Behold the greatness of my Mega Evolved Camerupt!" Maxie called as a maniacal laughter soon followed. He looked back at the others as if something inside of him had awakened, "allow me to give you a demonstration. Camerupt use magnitude!" he commanded as Camerupt began stomping its feet on the ground violently.
Steven jumped onto Metagross's back as Saki followed and jumped onto her Altaria, "Cradily use protect on you and Swampert!" he called, as the bright blue barrier appeared around them. The structures around them were shaking and starting to sway as many of the team's grunts quickly evacuated the area, before anything severe would happen.
Archie and Mightyena struggled to keep their balance as the whole ground shook around them, before quickly ceasing. "That was at damaging," Saki whispered as she glanced around "there's no way we stand a chance against Maxie and his Camerupt.". Saki knew that this was dangerous, but there had to be a way of getting around this fighting for the mean time.
"Crobat use haze, Mightyena take down!" Archie commanded his Pokemon as a black fog like mist surrounded Camerupt as his Mightyena charged directly at it past the mist. But from what Saki could see it had no serious affect.
"Metagross use psychic! Cradily use sludge bomb!" the bright purple outline surrounded Camerupt as it didn't seem to move as Steven's Cradily fired numerous blobs at it. Though just like before it was no use, there didn't seem to be any further damage done to Maxie's Camerupt.
Saki could hear Maxie cackle as she still tried to figure a way, flying down she could see Zoroark using night slash on Camerupt before backing away and repeating it again. Looking up at the ceiling of the area she noticed something, large and what appeared to be sharp stalagmites. "Swampert use water pulse, and follow it up with muddy water!" she demanded as Swampert fired the large water circles as the ground below started to get wet. Swampert raise its arms as a somewhat large tidal wave of muddy water appeared and directly hit Camerupt.
Zoroark jumped over to Saki as she grinned at what just happened. "Nicely done lassie!" Archie told her as Steven smiled at her, but Maxie's reaction was the opposite.
"Camerupt use stone edge!" Maxie yelled as stone formations started shooting out from the ground.
Immediately everyone jumped away as they barely dodged the attack. "Zoroark, transform into Altaria." She told her companion as Steven looked over at her.
"What are you planning?" he asked her, as his Cradily used confuse ray on Camerupt.
"I have a plan, just keep Camerupt occupied." She answered him as she motioned towards the ceiling. "We're going to have to destroy the submarine, but we can get away from Maxie for the mean time." She explained to him as Camerupt's previous magnitude had shifted the submarine to be midway between them all.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"Just trust me." She told him, as she looked over at Swampert. "Be ready to use rock slide when I tell you." She said to her friend as she, Altaria, and Zoroark flew up towards the stalagmites. Quickly scanning the area she could see the large space of the ceiling they would need to take out in order for her plan to work, but some of them were too large and might not break completely if she had Swampert use rock slide. "Zoroark start using night slash and just get the rocks to the point where they're almost ready to break-"
"Flamethrower!" Maxie demanded as a stream of fire headed towards them.
"Altaria protect!" she called as the barrier quickly surrounded them from the attack. "We'll cover you now move!" she said as Saki and Altaria dove towards Camerupt, "now Altaria use dragon pulse!" The bright purple lightning bolt stream shot out from Altaria as it strike Camerupt. Soaring back up she glanced down as Steven and Archie were fighting against Maxie and trying to keep him from attacking her. "Altaria use dragon pulse again, but hold back enough not to break the stalagmites." She told her, as the stream appeared less powerful than before as Altaria went three fourths of the way around each stalagmite.
"You're in my way!" she heard Maxie scream as Camerupt released another flamethrower as Archie's Crobat collapsed. "Now aim for the girl again!" he said as he fired at her once more.
"Altaria use protect again!" but the barrier didn't form around them as the fire was getting closer and closer. "What!?"
"Cradily protect!" Steven called as the barrier shielded them from Camerupt's attack.
Saki smiled as she looked back at what was done as a large majority of the rocks had been sawed threw. "Alright now we just have to weaken the beam holding the submarine." She said as she and her Pokemon glided back toward it. "Don't hold back, Zoroark use flamethrower! Altaria hyper beam!"
The red and white flames released from her Pokemon striked the metal beam as it was starting to fall towards the ground. Watching from above Saki could see Maxie and his Camerupt run away from Archie and Steven as it started to collapse. "What are you doing!" he screamed at her as she looked flew back towards Swampert.
Thud!
The sound of the submarine hitting the ground echoed as the three could clearly see the bottom part of the submarine is flattened. "This! Now rock slide!" Swampert howled out an ear piercing yell as the rocks above started to shake. The rocks Altaria and Zoroark had cut threw were the first to fall as the sharp, large rocks pierced threw the metal frame as the sound of shattering glass and denting metal quickly followed.
"We've gotta move lads!" Archie yelled as other stalagmites began falling. Jumping onto Mightyena's back Archie quickly evacuated.
"Cradily return!"
"Zoroark, Swampert return!"
Both Steven and Saki called back their Pokemon as they left on their Metagross and Altaria as the countless stalagmites above began falling. "Next time tell me what you're going to destroy!" Steven joked as they followed the paths out of the Team Magma Hideout.
"Hopefully there won't be a next time."
