Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 82: The Weapon

Cipher grabbed Courtney when she took Lyric to the bathroom. The Peon who commanded her Vileplume to fill the bathroom with Sleep Powder knocked herself out, but that meant it was more than strong enough to knock both Courtney and Lyric out, too. Five more Peons crept after her. They were equipped with gas masks in case they were called to assist the sewer mission. Locking themselves and Courtney in the vacant dormitories in Victory Road was easy.

All Courtney had in her pockets was her phone. She and Lyndon smiled from the lock screen. The Peons pulled off her hoodie, shirt, shorts and shoes to check there was nothing hidden there, but there wasn't. Using the Cipher app originally developed by Eldes and upgraded by Ardos, they bypassed the lock screen to text Lyndon. They chortled at his reply.

Prove it.

There was no response to the half-naked photo of his unconscious wife. The Peons were so busy cackling at the thought of 'Schizo Addison Junior' panicking, it didn't occur to them that if they only found a phone, Courtney's Pokémon weren't there.

Lyric was left on the bathroom floor. She awoke slumped over the bag she insisted on carrying for Courtney so she could feel helpful. Blaziken had broken free of its Poké Ball. It knelt to help Lyric to her feet.

Everyone thought Camerupt was Courtney's first Pokémon, but long before Team Magma, she attended the Pokémon Trainers' School with her cousin. They dreamed of becoming Hoenn League Champions. When she joined Team Magma and became obsessed with Maxie's misguided dream of returning the world to its beginnings, Project AZOTH – which would inevitably be a mass exctinction event for Pokémon – she released her Combusken, Vulpix and Mightyena. The latter was so wounded, it turned its back. Combusken and Vulpix refused. Even when she stamped on their shattering Poké Balls, their tearful eyes never left hers.

That was the first time she doubted Maxie. She buried herself in her work, her obsession intensifying with every passing day, until she was more intent on completing Project AZOTH than anyone else in Team Magma. Even when Maxie realised his error, she pressed on. She had nothing against one of the kids who got in her way. He was interesting. His friend May, however, used a Blaziken. Losing to her at the Mossdeep Space Center slapped Courtney back to reality. Once she apologised to Maxie and accepted his new vision for Team Magma, she never found Mightyena; but she finally reapproached the Combusken and Vulpix who evolved into Blaziken and Ninetales as they watched over her.

Blaziken knew Courtney would ask it to look after Lyric. She picked up Courtney's bag. Her blue eyes were filled with fierce determination. Blaziken hesitated. Then it slung the bag over its shoulder, picked Lyric up and ran. Courtney's key card opened the staff elevator. Blaziken was worried about Lyric as it sprinted across the lava, but she didn't cry or even wince.

The rooms they reached were empty. They returned to the elevator. Muffled laughter floated from the dormitories near Chobin's control room. Blaziken laid Lyric down. She clumsily threw Charizard's Poké Ball.

'Um... Blaziken... use High Jump Kick!'

Blaziken's feet hurtled at the steel doors. They were ripped from their hinges with an ear-splitting screech.

'Charizard! Use Hurricane!'

Laughter turned to screams as the Cipher Peons were whisked off their feet. Eight Pokémon charged out. Lyric fumbled to grab the rest of Courtney's Poké Balls. She didn't care whether she was playing fair or not. Her opponents weren't.

'Everyone! Use, um... Flamethrower!'

Courtney was tied up and gagged. Her eyes were wide. She wasn't just startled and worried about Lyric. She had no idea until then that she, like Anabel, could see auras. Lyric was fearless. She clung to the limbs and backs of Courtney's Pokémon who swung her away when the Shadow Pokémon lunged. Their opponents crashed to the floor around them. Blaziken used the rope and tape left on the floor to tie up their Trainers. Lyric clambered onto the steel bed to free Courtney. She ripped off the gag a little too eagerly.

'Stu-pid fucks.'

Lyric overheard her dad calling Ardos a 'stupid fuck' one too many times. Courtney could only smile.

'Are you OK? Did they hurt you?'

'Nope. We hurt them!'

'You were so brave. Thanks... Blaziken.'

She hesitated before pulling on the hoodie it passed to her. There was a glint in her eyes. One of the Peons, who threatened to send a video of him torturing her to Lyndon, whimpered when her shadow fell over him. She couldn't resist stamping on his balls. Lyric cheered. Courtney took the P★DA and knife from the utility belt hidden under his shirt. She held the knife to his neck. Her cold eyes evolved from voids to portals to hell.

'You're going to do exactly what I say... or I'll kill you! Aha. ♪'

If she was actually too soft to harm anyone these days, it was impossible to tell. Even when she giggled, like she thought killing him would be fun, her expression remained disturbingly blank. He nodded. Courtney opened his Cipher app. She pointed to the 'emergency' button.

'I'm going to press this... and you're going to tell your boss... you tried to capture me... but you didn't dare... because you found out... we know my husband... Lyndon... originally commissioned your "weapon," so it's only natural... we have one, too... and they all have self-destruct buttons. Ahahaha. ♪'

'I – I swear, ma'am–'

The knife pierced his skin. 'Don't you call me ma'am!'

'S-sorry! But, uh, Ms. Courtney–'

Blood trickled. 'Dr. Massey!'

'OK! Dr. Massey! I swear, I have no idea what the "weapon" is! None of us do! Only the big guys know!'

'I don't care... you know there is a weapon... everyone knows there's a weapon. That's all you need to know. Do it!'

'Y-yes! Dr. Massey! I will!'

'Here we go... haha. ♪'

An irritable Galarian accent answered. 'Yes? Your emergency is...?'

'M-Ms. Oleana... I – we – tried to capture Courtney Massey, to keep her husband Lyndon away... b-but... she – she knows about the weapon. She knows Lyndon had it built. And he had multiple. S-so – they have their own. And they all have self-destruct buttons...'

'Understood...'

Another Galarian accent spoke from somewhere behind Oleana. Rose sounded unruffled.

'Not to worry. We reached the Robo Jirachi this afternoon. The Deoxys has already been modified, as you know, Oleana. Anything Lyndon could use to regain control has been removed. And I dare say Dr. Massey is lying, or perhaps she's holding you at knifepoint? Because we know for a fact that no more Robo Pokémon are in orbit. And now I suppose Courtney does, too.'

Rose's smirk was audible. 'Ah, well. It's only right that you and Lyndon know the work he's sadly forgotten is being put to good use now. I do suggest you back off from my employee, though. You don't want to end up giving birth in jail, now, do you?'