I genuinely thought that this was the end for me.
Proton held me down only for a few seconds, but that few seconds seemed like an eternity to me. I couldn't move, most of my pokemon had their actions temporarily hindered by his suicidal usage of ice type techniques. It's nothing that they couldn't break out of with a few seconds of work but those few seconds were the most crucial seconds if I wanted to emerge from this alive.
And that Mega Glalie was about to explode in front of me in one icy blast.
I heard Kayla's voice somewhere. I shouldn't be surprised to hear it since it was me who assigned her to Goldenrod to assist in Indigo's efforts. I could see her running up to me from my peripheral vision and I immediately shouted at her to get away from here. I don't think my words ever managed to leave my mouth because everything happened too fast, too soon. I could see Scrat and Squeaky breaking out of the ice and trying to tear Proton off me so that they could bring me out of the blast range before it's too late.
However, I doubt that they would be fast enough. Proton's ice had slowed us down long enough for Mega Glalie's suicidal attack to work.
Then there was a blazing trail of fire heading our way. By then, the rest of my team had started to break out of the ice one after the other but Mega Glalie is about to explode any second now. We had always been one of the fastest in the world but this time, we simply aren't fast enough.
Sorry, Jas.
I closed my eyes just as a merciless wave of frost blew past us, the Mega Glalie glowing so bright that the light could probably be spotted even from the other end of the city. I was prepared to have my life ended once again.
But as fast as the cold wave came, it disappeared.
I opened my eyes, and it was at that exact moment Kayla managed to reach me. Her manectric crunched on a bloodied Proton with its jaws and with one swift motion, teared him away from me and threw him away from us, letting his body roll until it came to a stop when it finally hit a nearby wall with a dull thud.
Proton's eyes were still wide open but his chest never moved. He's thoroughly dead. From what exactly, it's hard to tell.
"Volkner!"
I didn't really have time to piece out what on earth had happened. Kayla caught me in a tight hug the moment she reached my side, sobbing away as she buried her head in my shoulders. The only thing I could do is to pat her head in an awkward manner after I got over my shock.
"I'm fine."
My sister in everything but blood didn't say another word. Her grip on me tightened slightly, the only indication that she had heard me.
My eyes wandered to the blazing trail of fire that I spotted earlier. At the very end of it was a rapidash, standing not far from where the Mega Glalie was at earlier. The Mega Glalie is nowhere to be seen, not even a trace of it could be found. I recognise this rapidash, this is Velda's own personal stead. Velda is there on her rapidash's back, visibly trying to catch her breath and calm her breathing down.
I frowned a little in worry and I was about to make a move to check on her because it doesn't seem like she is alright. Her pachirisu floated down from the sky and pressed on a small button on her body suit, allowing a mask to spring up from underneath her collar and wrap itself around the lower half of her face. Her breathing got a lot smoother the moment the mask was on.
I patted Kayla twice on her back to signal to her to let me go. Proton may be dead, but the fight is far from over. We cannot afford to stay here like this.
"You alright?"
Kayla nodded her head as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. I turned my head towards Velda, who sent a silent and tired nod my way as well. I have no idea what her rapidash just did to make the glalie disappear into thin air but she definitely is the reason why I'm alive right now. I owe my life to her.
Wordlessly, the three of us began to give our pokemon a quick lookover. They are mostly alright. Thankfully, whatever injuries they had suffered could be quickly patched with a potion or two. It's not a permanent solution, but it's the best we can do right now. Like I said, the fight is far from over.
"I owe you one."
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to cash the favour in." Velda replied as she pressed the button on her suit once more, allowing her mask to retract and fold back seamlessly. I gave her a look, asking her a silent question if she really is alright. The look she returned told me to not question further.
My battle with Proton is over but the world goes on regardless. The fighting at Goldenrod will draw to a close soon but it is still not yet over. My attention was drawn back to Proton's mangled corpse, still lying by the side of the road with his face frozen in a twisted and determined snarl.
"I WON'T FAIL! FOR THE GLORY OF TEAM ROCKET! FOR JUSTICE! FOR KANTO! FOR A FAIR AND JUST WORLD! FOR OUR MOTHERLAND! DIE, VOLKNER!"
For a fair and just world.
I don't know who Proton is beyond the fact that his original name is Olwen Lummiki and the fact that he was a serial murderer. I have no idea how he is as a person. Call me a romanticist, but I have always believed that you can tell how a person is truly like when you face them in battle. Somehow, I cannot find it in myself to hate him even when he had very nearly killed me because his dying words had resonated with me.
For a fair and just world.
That is something that I believed in as well. Whatever I did in my tenure as Sunyshore's Gym Leader was exactly that, to make Sunyshore and Sinnoh a safe place for everyone, to create a safe and stable place so that it will one day be possible to build a near perfect world where everyone can be safe and happy. A fair and just world is one such representation of a near perfect world.
I don't know what Proton had experienced for him to come at me with such determination and purpose, but I have a strong feeling that ultimately, we are both people struggling to work for a similar outcome. We just happen to be on opposite sides.
"Volkner?"
"Just a moment."
I knelt down beside Proton's corpse and gently closed his opened eyes shut with my hand. Terrorist or not, notions of evil and good aside, I can at least respect his skills as a trainer and his loyalty to the cause he is fighting for. He is a very capable trainer whose skills are on par with a Gym Leader, easily one of the strongest trainers I had ever met and battled.
It really is a pity that we are working for opposite sides. I would love to have a rematch someday. Olwen Lummiki, huh?
That's a name I would never forget.
With Proton officially pronounced dead, the morale of the Indigo forces was raised to an all time high. The opposite is applicable to the Rockets as they started to scatter. A few stubborn ones stayed to fight but this is Whitney's turf. Very few can outrun her miltank right here in Goldenrod when it knows the layout of the entire city by the back of its hand, allowing it to quickly steamroll to places where its destructive powers are most needed.
Deciding to help out a little before I take my leave, I commanded my electric types to fire a few salvos of Shock Wave, clearing another stubborn group of Rockets within the city. Whitney had joined us by now, probably concerned about the burst of white light earlier. I simply pointed to Proton's corpse lying by the side of the road and then signalled to her that I'm leaving. Whitney gave me a thumbs up and mouthed a thanks before charging back into the fray with her tauros. Whitney can handle things here on her own as it is.
Seeing as Myst is too worn out to be able to manage a direct Teleport to Olivine, I decided to make my way back home through flight on Simba's back. Kayla rode on her own luxray while Velda hitched a ride on her flygon. The three of us flew back to Olivine with me leading the way.
"Mind if I ask what you did earlier? I couldn't even see the glalie anywhere."
Velda remained silent for a moment before speaking up.
"Secret Power. Flamel simply sent it away to a pocket dimension."
Both Kayla and I gave Velda looks of surprise. It might not be a useful move for combat purposes, but Secret Power is one of the rarest moves in existence due to its secrets being zealously guarded by the scarce few people in the world who are in possession of it. That move could only be taught to a pokemon by someone else, not learnt naturally. Very few trainers would ever have the chance to learn it from an inheritor of Secret Power. I myself had never seen anyone use Secret Power before, that's how rare it is.
"You know Secret Power?"
"It's a secret."
I did a zipping motion over where my mouth is, promising her that my mouth is sealed. If I have to make a guess, her knowing how to teach a pokemon Secret Power is probably a Vera thing. Being born into a family as ancient as hers would mean that she would get to enjoy perks that the ordinary Joe wouldn't.
"We are heading back to Olivine?"
"Nowhere else I wanna be right now." I replied, my mind now starting to worry about Jas.
"What about the other cities?"
"The reports that are coming in tells me that most of the cities have things handled. The only city whose situation doesn't seem to be getting better is Olivine, which is why I'm going back there."
"But isn't Steven and Lorelei there? And I'm pretty sure Siebold is stationed at Whirl Islands to deal with the Rockets' naval forces."
"That's why I'm worried. Including Jas, if the presence of four Pillars isn't enough to turn the tide of the battle in our favour then something must be very wrong."
"Did the reports say why?"
"They aren't very concise, which means that they were written and sent back very urgently. But there are reports that state that the number of Rockets present are more than expected, just like the situation at Goldenrod."
"That couldn't be all."
"Precisely, and considering that four Pillars are there defending the city and things are not getting any better, this means that the Rocket's trump card is probably there at Olivine, their other trump card that isn't Mewtwo."
"The birds." Velda stated in growing horror.
"Birds? What birds?" Kayla asked in puzzlement.
"Kanto's Legendary Birds had been missing since quite some time back. We suspect that there is a chance that they might have fallen into Team Rocket's hands." I informed her in a grim voice. I know Simba is already flying as fast as he can towards Olivine but I really wish I could be there right now to assess the situation with my own eyes.
Of all cities, it has to be Olivine. What luck.
Please stay safe, Jas. I'm coming.
Even with all the preparations they had done, it seems that it is still not enough.
With an angry roar, Steely swatted another persistent group of Rockets aside. This battle is endless with the way the Rockets are coming in from the direction of the sea one after the other. Be it through Teleport, flying in here, or reaching the city through the sea, they just keep coming.
Team Rocket's Executive Archer had made his appearance as well and Steven had immediately gone to stop him personally. The future Hoenn Champion should be more than a match for Executive Archer of Team Rocket, leaving her and Lorelei to take charge of the situation in the city. Having an Ice Specialist on Lorelei's level by her side is a really huge help, especially with how she and her ice types had frozen the waters entirely, preventing the Rockets from coming into the city from the sea.
This battle is to defend Olivine. Jasmine is right in her element right here because defence is what she is best at. This is why she was made Gym Leader of Olivine and nobody else, because nobody is better suited than her in protecting Johto's gateway to the world. Olivine's presence is a linchpin for Johto's western territories. If Olivine stands, then Johto's western territories will stand. If Olivine falls, then they will fall too, starting from Ecruteak.
This is why Indigo appointed her, Johto's best defensive battler, as Olivine's Gym Leader.
She loves pokemon and she is good at battles, but truthfully she never liked to fight all that much even when she excels in it. She doesn't like to see her pokemon friends get themselves hurt, which is why she is glad that they are steel types because steel types can get out of the worst situations with barely a scratch on their body.
She is also glad that she is a Steel Specialist, because she has the power to protect people important to her with that kind of defensive power at her disposal. Even till now, not a single Rocket that came in from the sea managed to get past her and her team. People often forgot who she is and why she became a Gym Leader and she never minded that all that much although she admits it could get a little annoying at times.
However, people never forget the reason why she was called the Iron Wall of Olivine, and she is sure that it will be especially so after today's battle.
Like a true Iron Wall, her team had prevented any and all attempts from the Rockets to breach their defense line. The trainers under her command are able to fire their attacks from afar without worry because she is there to protect them from harm. Anyone who is proving to be too much trouble to be taken down will face her and Steely. They will be there to slam them back into the dirt.
She doesn't like violence, but she won't shy away from it if it means protecting her city and its people.
She is sure that the only reason why Executive Archer was sent to Olivine is because of her, because he is probably the only one among the Rockets short of Giovanni who might have the necessary firepower to tear down her defenses just like what Volkner did to her when they first met. Too bad for Archer, they were warned of their plans in advance. Steven is here to stop him and if he is not enough, there is still Lorelei. If worse comes to worst, Siebold is out there at Whirl Islands to intercept a large portion of Rocket's naval forces and could come over at any time he wished should the situation calls for such an arrangement.
Things are looking good so far. The only thing that they weren't expecting was the large number of Rockets they have to face but they are still doing well despite that. All they have to do is to stall them and prevent them from ever reaching Olivine. There's no way the Rockets could keep up with such an aggressive siege with Siebold wreaking havoc in their backlines from the Whirl Islands.
They just have to play defensively and wait it out, she can do just that. This is the plan that Volkner had devised for her to help her defend Olivine, a plan where she can play to her strengths. Now, she can only hope that he is safe too. He will be going up against Mewtwo and while she knows that he won't be facing Mewtwo alone, she still cannot help but worry.
The sooner they end this, the sooner she can find out if he's safe or not. If he isn't…
Team Rocket will have hell to pay.
Steely sent another group of Rockets into oblivion with a Flash Cannon as they guarded Olivine's beach. This is the beach which she loves so much ever since she was a child. This is where she had spent her childhood, this is where she had met him, this is where they held their marriage and where they had promised themselves to each other, where they will stick by each other's side till death do them part.
She will not allow these Rockets to ruin her hometown, to sully the precious memories that she had made here and will never exchange for anything else in the world. Olivine is her home, their home, and she will not allow anyone to lay a single finger on it.
She is the Iron Wall of Olivine, the Iron Wall that defends the city from all harm.
Another Iron Tail from Steely wiped out the next invading group of Rockets. The white sandy beach is starting to turn a crimson red, the seawater is starting to turn scarlet. Rockets are falling one after the other despite their superior numbers and valiant attempts because she is here, because the Iron Wall is here to prevent them from taking another step forward into the city that had been her home and safe harbour ever since she was born.
"The Rockets are starting to retreat."
Lorelei's words got them to take a temporary pause. It's just like she said, the Rockets are starting to retreat back to the sea which they came from. Archer had disappeared without them realising when and they could see Steven on his way to regroup with them. The Indigo forces under their command wanted to chase after the retreating Rockets in hot pursuit but an outstretched arm from Jasmine stopped them in their tracks immediately.
Something just isn't right.
She is not a veteran in crime busting like her husband, but she had learnt enough from him to recognise when is the right time to strike while the iron's hot and when is the right time to stay her hand and observe what is going to happen next.
Something just isn't right.
The Rockets had invested everything they had in this siege. For them to just turn tail and run from a small setback isn't like them. Rockets are known for being tenacious, for being notoriously stubborn and loyal to their cause. They never run, they only ever beat a strategic retreat in order to make a greater comeback.
Something is coming.
"Fortify the defenses! Hurry with the evacuations! All stations fan out and keep a lookout! The Rockets are planning something!"
"Jasmine?"
"I don't cross paths with them often, but I know enough to tell that this isn't normal." Jasmine replied to Lorelei's question as her steel types maintained their positions, ready to get back into battle at the slightest hint of danger. "The Rockets are definitely planning to unleash something bigger. Whatever we just experienced is simply the appetiser, the main course is coming soon."
"What could be bigger than what we just experienced?" Steven asked with a slight frown, riding on his metagross as the behemoth floated in the air beside her steelix.
"I have no idea. For all we know it may not even be coming from the sea. Steven, did Archer do anything to warrant a retreat?"
"We simply battled." Steven replied. "None of us managed to force the other to go all out, but he beat a retreat nonetheless. Maybe seeing how his entire army was stopped at the beach convinced him enough to not continue with the original plan."
"Dark clouds are coming." Lorelei stated as the skies began to darken at the horizon in front of their eyes.
"Could it be Siebold?"
"Let me comms him." Steven volunteered as he radioed for Siebold.
"Siebold? What's the situation on your end?"
"I wiped out everyone that could not escape my trap. However, I see that the Rockets on your end are starting to beat a retreat. Do you want me to stop them?"
"Jasmine suspects that they may have a hidden card. Help us to keep a lookout."
"Under-" There was a pause from the other end and Steven got a little worried.
"Siebold?"
"Merde." A silent swear could be heard on the other end of the line as Siebold cursed in his native tongue. "Steven! Hurry with the evacuations! The shelters won't be enough! Everyone is to get out of Olivine right NOW!"
"Siebold?!"
"It's the Legendary Birds! There's no mistake! Team Rocket definitely has the Legendary Birds under their control and they are heading to Olivine right this instant! They are hiding themselves within the dark clouds!"
Jasmine could feel her heart skipped a beat when she heard that.
It's here, their worst fear. Team Rocket really has the Legendary Birds under their control and they are unleashing it first at Olivine.
She turned around and screamed her instructions at the Indigo forces behind her without delay.
"EVERYONE, EVACUATE! CODE BLACK! GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE CITY! OLIVINE ISN'T SAFE ANYMORE!"
There was visible confusion among their forces and she could understand why they had reacted that way. They were revelling in their victory just seconds before and now an order for a city wide evacuation is being given?
"It's confirmed that Team Rocket has Kanto's Legendary Birds under their control and they are on their way here! All forces are to retreat and assist in the evacuation! The Pillars will buy time for everyone to escape! Get everyone out of the city, now! While we still have the time!"
Time seemed to come to a stop. It wasn't until Lorelei barked at them to move that they finally started to do as they were told.
"We don't have time to evacuate an entire city. Not only that, the shelters are unable to protect those within from a Legendary, much less three of those. We have to first get the people out of the shelters and then out of the city." Lorelei bit on her lower lips in anxiety as she stood beside Jasmine.
"I had told the R&D team what is going on here. They had also picked up on enormous energy signals coming from the same direction. It has to be the Legendary Birds." Steven added.
"I will get my hypno to bring them to safety." Jasmine promised as she sent a telepathic message to Hippie. Hippie should be able to hear her from the West Forest even at this distance.
'Mistress? You called?'
'Bring our guests out of Olivine and to safety. I'm counting on you.'
'I would rather stay by you and Master's side and fight.'
'Thanks, Hippie, but you are not a battler. Please get them out of here.'
'Mist-'
'Please.'
There was a brief pause from her hypno, but she replied nonetheless.
'Understood. Stay safe, mistress.'
Good. Now that's one less thing to worry about.
"Do we have a plan?" Lorelei asked as they waited for the Legendary Birds to make their appearance.
"We could go mega, but I have no idea how useful that is in the face of legends." Steven admitted.
"We must try." Jasmine replied as she took one last look at her surroundings and her city. She has a clear view of Olivine from where she is standing on Steely's head. She can see the entire city from here.
Memories of her time here started to flood into her mind one after the other. How she played on the beach and on the streets since she was a child, how she returned back here after she finished her journey as a trainer, how she met him right at Olivine and had their fateful battle, how many of their precious memories were being made at the Glitter Lighthouse.
And how they wanted to build a home here, to start a family, their family.
She took another look in the direction where her old home is, the home which she stayed with her parents until she was married to Volkner. She could see the little cottage from here on Steely's head where her trusty partner is floating in the air. Her parents should be on their way to evacuate out of the city at this moment. She has faith in the city's police force that they are doing all they can to evacuate the city and protect its people.
She could see how everyone is heading towards the northern exit. The city's alarms are blaring loud and clear, showing that Code Black has been activated and a city wide evacuation order has been given. The last time she saw a Code Black it was at Sunyshore where she visited him and they thwarted Team Galactic's plans together. She never thought that she would ever see and experience a Code Black ever again, much less at her own city.
Right now, she misses him. She really wants to see him for one last time before she heads right back in for this impossible battle.
She brought her left hand up, taking a look at her wedding ring worn around her ring finger. The fingers of her right hand gently caressed the ring as she slowly curled her left hand into a fist.
Someone has to protect their home, so that he has a home to return to when he gets back. Volkner was an orphan. He never had a home so his greatest dream was to build a home. He never had a family and that was why he amassed such a large number of pokemon in his team even before he had met her because to him, it was his only way for him to feel any sort of warmth a family could bring, even if he was the only human within that family. To him, family is important.
Building a family is his dream and hers. It is their dream.
She will protect their home, even if it means going up against legends.
She looked down, and a small smile graced her face when she spotted the Glitter Lighthouse along the beach. It is still standing despite the battle they had earlier with the Rockets.
"Um… Can I challenge you to a battle?"
She remembered the first conversation they had and how he had utterly demolished her and her confidence.
"Uh, hi. Not sure if you still remember me, but we battled two days ago."
She spotted the street which they both had bumped into each other a second time. She remembered the awkwardness they both felt when they saw each other again and how quickly that changed when they both engaged in a discussion in the topic they are both passionate about, pokemon.
"Good morning… Um…"
"Volkner. Call me Volkner. This is Franky."
"… Jasmine. My name is Jasmine, it is nice to meet you."
She smiled at the memory. She could still remember it as though it was yesterday, that moment when they both first officially introduced themselves to each other.
"Hey, you are really knowledgeable, you know that? I mean, I know you have to be really good at what you do considering how strong your team is, but I wasn't expecting for you to know so much about steel types. I am really impressed."
He was the first to acknowledge her strength, the first person to give her encouragement that soon allowed her to gain confidence in herself. She became the Iron Wall only because he was there with her. Without him, she wouldn't be who she is today.
The Iron Wall of Olivine would not have come into existence if it wasn't for the Sun of Sunyshore.
"Hey, I've been wanting to ask you this question for a while now. You like me, right? Like, like me."
She closed her eyes and sighed fondly at that memory. If she could turn back time she would not have waited so long for them to confess their feelings to each other. They had both wasted too much time.
She reopened her eyes again, spotting the dark clouds getting closer. She could see how erratic bolts of lightning flashed within it and how sections of the dark clouds are starting to glow an orange hue. She could see how the clouds are raining hail instead of rain.
Kanto's legends are here.
The storm that is brewing reached Olivine and covered the entire city with it. Molly stood by her side and thoughtfully shielded her from the hail with its jaw-like horns. Her pokemon are all ready to fight, unafraid of the fact that they will be going up against legends that only ever tasted defeat once under the hands of the First Indigo Champion.
From the peripheral of her vision, she saw how Steven is talking through the comms. The radio channel she was on is now useless because she had given them the orders to retreat and evacuate the city, so she tuned into the channel she is sure Steven is using, the one the R&D team is using.
"Mind's Eye to Iron 1! The Birds are merging, I repeat! THE BIRDS ARE MERGING TO FORM THE WINGED MIRAGES! STOP THEM BEFORE IT HAPPENS!"
She, Lorelei, and Steven briefly shared a surprised look upon hearing that, but they didn't hesitate.
"ATTACK!"
They shouted their commands to their pokemon almost immediately and their pokemon reacted to their words, firing their strongest attacks towards where they could feel a large quantity of power being gathered within the dark clouds.
However, nothing seems to be working.
"Iron 1 to Mind's Eye! Is there anything we can do to stop the process?! Attacking them doesn't seem to work and we have no visuals to work with!"
Steven is busy communicating with the R&D team, who might be their only hope left in figuring out a way to stop the Winged Mirages before it is too late.
"A CATALYST! THE BIRDS COULD NOT MERGE WITH EACH OTHER ON THEIR OWN! THEY NEED A CATALYST TO DO SO! FIND THE CATALYST AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO STOP THEM!"
They heard Shannon's voice loud and clear over the comms. Lorelei is already on it, tuning her comms back into the channel where they could communicate with the Indigo forces stationed at Olivine and ordering them to seek out anything that could possibly be related to the supernatural phenomenon happening right above their city.
The pressure around them got thicker and thicker until it felt suffocating to even try and stand in the presence of legends. The ground around them is actually shaking as if in fear, the skies are screaming as if in pain. The oceans cried as the waves splashed and died upon reaching the beach.
It's like all life has gone still. Even when she is one of the strongest trainers in the region, she cannot help but feel intense fear gripping her heart and she wants to be anywhere else right now but here.
But this is also her home and she is the city's Gym Leader. If she doesn't rise up to protect her home, their home, nobody else will.
"Um, Volk? Are you free to talk right now?"
"Of course, what is it?"
She remembered that phone call with him when she was seventeen. It happened not long after they finished their Kanto trip and she returned to Olivine, her home. That call was made at a time when she was unsure of herself. It was him that gave her the needed encouragement to take that step forward.
"I...I am thinking of… of… Applying to be Olivine's next Gym Leader…"
She could remember how her words trailed off into a whisper.
"That's great! If you are so sure then go for it!"
"You… You think I can do it?"
"If it's you, definitely. I just want you to be sure about your decision because once you take that step forward, there's no going back. I just want you to be sure that you are mentally prepared to take on the responsibilities that come with that title. If you are sure you can handle the stress and responsibility that entails, then go for it. I know you will succeed if you truly want to be Olivine's next Gym Leader."
"Why? Why are you so sure?"
"Because it's you. Because I know that the Iron Wall just needs a little encouragement and a slap on the back to stand straight and tall."
"... Cheesy."
"Guilty as charged. What are you going to do about it? Arrest me, ex police officer?"
"Don't you dare to come back to Olivine, Volkner Tide, because I will arrest you the next time I see you."
"Oh dear, what am I going to do?"
"Be afraid of me. Rawr."
She remembered hanging up the call with a silly smile on her face. She remembered sending her application for the position of Olivine City's Gym Leader the very next day.
It was him. She wouldn't be here as Olivine's Gym Leader without his encouragement that day.
"It's going to attack."
Her attention was brought back to reality when Lorelei gritted out those words. It's obvious that even she has trouble trying to stand under all this pressure. Steven is doing slightly better, but it is clear that he is also taking a lot of effort to not buckle under the presence of Kanto's legends.
It's like Lorelei had said. They can all feel that enormous power being gathered into a single spot within the clouds and there is no doubt in their minds that it is going to be unleashed anytime soon. Most likely, the Winged Mirages had finished undergoing their transformation process. They are going to fire their first attack anytime now, her gut feeling tells her so.
"You never told me that you are a gut feeling type of person."
"You learn something new about me everyday, just like how I learn something new about you everyday. Things are more romantic this way, don't you think?"
"You know what's more romantic? If we can fall asleep here like this without having to wake up early tomorrow to go fight a war."
"We can do that after we finish fighting the war?"
"Definitely."
She closed her eyes before opening them once more, this time, with a determined look in her gaze.
Sorry, Volk, but it looks like I am going to renege on our promise.
"Steven, Lorelei, stay behind me! Steely!"
Her pokemon moved with Steely taking the lead as they left Steven and Lorelei behind. Her partner glowed a bright rainbow hue as they invoked the process of Mega Evolution, the rest of their team trailing behind and spreading themselves out along the length of Olivine City to build a defensive line, floating high up in the air with Magnet Rise. They will protect their home no matter what it takes because together, they are the Iron Wall of Olivine.
They will not allow their home to come to harm.
Defensive moves and tactics were employed as her team gathered all of their strength to make their final stand. Iron Defense, Curse, Reflect, Light Screen, Wide Guard, Protect, anything that they can think of and use right now to defend the city, they used it.
The city needs everything they have in order to remain standing.
"I did manage to get you to marry me. I'm one lucky man alright."
"Uh huh. And I'm lucky to have met you too. That's why we will both be fine tomorrow. We are both lucky people."
Hopefully, luck will be on their side today.
She turned back and took another look at the northern end of the city. The evacuations are still far from complete. People are still trying to evacuate and get out of the city. Her own parents may be in there within the crowd. Someone has to stay behind to defend them from Zapmolcuno's wrath. She is the only one left with the needed skills and strength that can possibly protect everyone.
She is the Iron Wall of Olivine, this is her duty and responsibility.
She turned back to face the dark clouds. Steely roared a defiant challenge in the direction where they knew the Winged Mirages are hiding within. The mega steelix she is riding on glared at their adversary, ready to make their last stand, together.
"Thank you, Steely. Thank you, everyone." She thanked her pokemon friends with a smile as a bright light began to shine from within the dark clouds, getting brighter and brighter until its brightness dwarfs even the sun itself.
Her pokemon tensed as they gathered their full power and erect their strongest shields. They may not be the best in dishing out overwhelming firepower like what her husband and his pokemon could do, but they are definitely one of the best in taking on the worst punishments the world has to offer. Even her fellow Steel Specialist Steven Stone pales in comparison in that one aspect that earned her the moniker of The Iron Wall of Olivine. This is why she is the one doing the defending and not him.
She is not afraid. She is the Iron Wall that can block out even the sun and besides, her sun shines even brighter than this. She had seen better, she had seen brighter.
The bright light began to glow brighter and brighter such that she had to raise a hand and position it in front of her eyes. She has no idea what kind of attack the Winged Mirages are unleashing but it couldn't be anything good.
She doesn't remember what happened next.
All she knows is that her next set of memories is of her free falling from the sky, hurting all over and about to fade into unconsciousness. The bright light had disappeared all of a sudden. She could see the rest of her team falling alongside her from the edge of her vision. She's surprised that she actually managed to survive just a little longer.
Her eyes shifted, spotting her beautiful city and she let a content smile rest on her face upon seeing how not a single thing behind them was destroyed.
The Iron Wall had held. Not a single scratch was laid on their city.
They had done it. They had achieved the impossible. They had successfully blocked an attack from the legends, protecting the city and its inhabitants from harm. They had successfully bought more time for people to make their escape. She had managed to fulfill her duties and responsibilities as Olivine's Gym Leader.
The Iron Wall of Olivine had managed to live up to her name.
She's so tired. Her eyes are starting to close as she continues with her free fall, but she forces them to stay open for just a little longer when she spotted a familiar streak of yellow light heading her way across the skies. Her hand subconsciously tried to reach out to it, still not believing that she would be able to witness this familiar sight right before her life fades from her body.
Is this an illusion, or has he really arrived?
"Volk…"
She didn't manage to complete her sentence, but she managed to smile and closed her eyes, allowing gravity to continue to pull her down. She did it, she had protected their home. She can rest now.
Her sun had arrived.
AN: To the reader who left a review on the latest OR update saying that today is your birthday, Happy Birthday! The contents of this chapter may be gloomy, but I hope your special day of the year is going to be a bright one.
As usual, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
(You can skip the following AN below if you had already read the AN in OR latest update)
I'm back, for now. Sorry for the long hiatus, I know it has been months, and I'm sorry that the chapter update that you had been pining for is not the story that you are looking forward to. Things happened, life isn't bad, but still kind of sucks in some ways, mainly because I don't have much luxury of time to write fanfictions as I used to have. That's just my reality now.
Thankfully, I've not been fully idle during my long hiatus. While I haven't fully finished writing the full Kanto arc to its total completion, it's close enough, and I'm somewhat satisfied with how the plot turned out after revising the chapters countless times and reading them until I'm utterly sick of it. I'm satisfied enough with how I built up the stories to finally release a few chapters, a chapter a day if possible. It might feel a little rushed at certain points, but I guess if I dallied even further it might take me years to finish the Kanto arc. An update is still better than no updates at all, right?
Those who had stuck by me since the beginning will know that I've written 27 stories, and I know you all have your own favourite stories that you want me to update and I wish I could finish writing them all. Some had asked politely, some had demanded chapters like it's their entitlement to do so. You can make demands from me however you want but like I said earlier, I don't have time to finish writing every single one of them. I don't have much time to dedicate to this hobby as much as I am used to, and that is not taking into account how hard it is to overcome writer's block while creating cohesive and interesting plots all at the same time that is actually up to my satisfaction in that same limited amount of time I now have.
For those who understand, thank you, and as usual, I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter and I hope you will enjoy the daily updates that I hope I can uphold in the short term. Hope this surprise is enough to brighten up your day.
Pokemon and trainer list:
Volkner Tide: Ex Gym Leader of Sunyshore, Electric Specialist
Titles, Accolades and Achievements: Tie for First Place with Flint in the 521st Lily of the Valley Conference, Sinnoh's strongest Electric Specialist, The Sun of Sunyshore, The Yellow Flash
Pokemon Team:
1. Electivire (Franky), male
2. Luxray (Simba), male
3. Jolteon (Jo), female
4. Magnezone (ISpy), genderless
5. Gallade (Myst), male
6. Rhyperior (Tec), male
7. Probopass (North), female
8. Gyarados (Puddle), male
9. Raichu (Squeaky), female
10. Pachirisu (Scrat), male
11. Heliolisk (Bask), male
12. Ampharos (Fluffy), female
13. Vikavolt (Vik), female
14. Eelektross (Whirr), male
15. Lanturn (Glowy), female
16. Rotom (Prime), genderless
17. Porygon-Z (Jarvis), genderless
18. Alolan Golem, (Toss), male
19. Electrode (Boomer), genderless
Jasmine Terbium: The Gym Leader of Olivine, Steel Specialist
Titles, Accolades and Achievement: Johto's Strongest Steel Specialist, Thirteen Pillar of Johto, The Iron Wall of Olivine
Pokemon Team:
1. Ampharos (Amphy), male
2. Steelix (Steely), female
3. Magnezone (Magny), genderless
4. Skarmory (Skia), female
5. Forretress (Forest), male
6. Metagross (Mety), genderless
7. Empoleon (Emy), male
8. Bronzong (Bronzy), genderless
9. Mawile (Molly), female
10. Lucario (Lucy), female
11. Excadrill (Drilly), male
12. Ferrothorn (Thorny), male
13. Klinklang (Clang), genderless
14. Bastiodon (Bobby), male
15. Aggron (Ronny), male