["Nah, I'd live." For anyone wondering, I didn't drop; i just forgot i was writing a Fan fic until i saw the pokemon direct today, sorry, :c]
"Yes, It went inactive, but those land-loving bastards stole a meteorite with a special alloy; it seems it's capable of fueling a machine that will activate the volcano once again!" As Archie explained, 5 grunts of Team Magma came running towards them. "We've got to hurry. May you and your friend watch for Team Magma, too. Farewell!"
The blue blur appeared again; it was Archie Mega-Sharkpedo. Archie climbed on it like a surfboard and disappeared as fast as he had arrived.
"Phuf~ May, let's go and see what is going on, Gardi pointed at me. There was some machinery down the crater of the volcano."
Helena's party descended into the volcano's crater through a series of metallic stairs that team Magma had set up at an unknown time. Just how long had they been working on this?
Helena, Gardevoir, and May felt the tension of the hair as they descended further on the stairs; the air got hotter and hotter.
Meanwhile, Blaziken and Lopunny were getting excited at the prospect of fighting.
The rest of May's team were inside their Pokeballs, ready at hand at the sight of any trouble, yet it was aery quiet.
"Fufufu~" Helena nervously laughed as she scratched her arm; it was the first time she would fight without Dune by her side; she had memorized many of the most popular Pokemon moves, but she still felt nervous whenever Dune wasn't around.
"Don't get nervous, Helena," May said lightly as she patted her back. "It's your first time fighting this guy? Don't worry; they aren't that strong." May said, cheering up Helena with a bright smile on her face.
After descending even further, Helena and the party arrived at what seemed to be the last floor.
There was a giant metal door in front of them, with many cables and machinery around the place. The floor was made entirely from glass, and Helena and May could see the magma moving just beneath them.
"Blaziken..." (Seems like an excellent training spot)
"Lop, Lopunny!" (Not now, Blaziken! We must be ready for everything!)
As Lopunny and Blaziken started arguing, Helena inspected the floor until she reached the metal door.
"Gardi, please use [Mystical Fire] on the door?" Helena asked as he stepped aside, allowing Gardevoir to charge and blast a powerful flame towards the door, melting it instantly.
Blaziken and Lopunny stopped arguing and got into battle stances while May and Helena got behind them.
"Gardevoir..." (Dear friend Lopunny, of course, you let the glass cannon in front) Gardevoir sighed as she, too, moved behind Lopunny and Gardevoir.
As the door melted, they finally saw what was behind it.
Standing alone was a tall old man, probably in his 40s, wearing a red lab coat, red pants, and red hair, alongside lab glasses with a gem grabbed on the left side.
In front of him was a massive piece of machinery, intricate in design, with a glass ceiling where a rock the size of his head receded.
"The meteorite..." Grumbled May as she ordered Blaziken to approach silently.
"I know you are there, May Birch, Oh? And Helena Devon, what a peculiar pair of trainers have you brought here..."
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Maxie, and I'm the leader and founder of Team Magma. May, I admire the research of your father in wild Pokemon behavior, while Archie has the brains of a Machamp and believes Humans are the root of the evil of this world, and Pokemon are pure souls..."
Maxie paused and turned around with his hands behind his back; as he did so, a stream of lava erupted and cast a shadow over him.
"Pokemon are just as capable of evil as humans, but they have no culture, no dreams, they can't develop just like humans do."
Blaziken and Gardevoir gazed at Maxie, but he didn't flinch or feel threatened.
"That's why it is our divine right, bestowed by Arceous himself, to expand and expand until there is no more land left..."
"Now listen, young Devon, you must understand me better. We humans have grown on dry land. The land is everything! Its importance is paramount! That is why Team Magma is committed to expanding the landmass."
"The power contained in the meteorite... By amplifying its power with this machine, Mt. Chimney's volcanic activity will instantly intensify... Fufufu... The volcano will erupt, spewing lava that will cool and harden. It will expand the landmass..."
"It will create space for new species of Pokémon to evolve. It will give us humans more space to advance. That is Team Magma's vision! I can't allow an ignorant child like you to get in our way. I, Maxie, will show you the consequences of meddling!"
[Team preview]
Maxie took the first two Pokeballs and freed a Torkoal and a Lilligant.
The moment Torkoal touched the ground, the room became hotter; Helena and May started sweating profusely, and strangely, the petals on Lilligant's head began blooming.
To answer, May and Helena looked at each other; this was a double battle, and they were ready to fight.
Helena stored Gardevoir on her Pokeball and allowed Lopunny to fight, while May stored Blaziken and took out her Breloom.
"Tsk~ Ignorant children, you put yourself at a disadvantage, Liligant! Use [After you] on Torkoal, and Torkoal, you use [Eruption]!" Maxie commanded, raising his hand in the air as in military fashion.
Helena reacted quickly, "Lopunny use [Fake out] on Torkoal!" May took the opportunity. "Breloom use [Spore] on Torkoal and put him to sleep!"
Lopunny disappeared momentarily before appearing before Torkoal and slapping his head with her two hands, ducking moments before Breloom spat spores from his mount; the moment they landed on Torkoal's shell, they grew immediately and made the Pokemon drowsy, stumbling in his tiny feet before going to sleep.
Maxie frounced, but he was still confident in his team. "Lilligant, use [Weather ball] on that Breloom," Maxie commanded again, allowing Torkoal to regain consciousness from the spore taking over his body.
"Lopunny use [Fire Punch] on Lilligant!"
"Breelom use [Stone Edge] on Torkoal!"
The moment the trainer's commands finished, Lilligant began charging and condensed a sphere of energy above her head; just one second before the Lopunny's fist of fire connected against her, and Breloom finished creating the sharp stones of his attack, Lilligant threw the sphere towards Breloom, making contact with the hot air of the room, the sphere of energy caught fire and exploded on Breloom body, faining it instantly.
"Breloom!" May rushed to see if Breloom was okay, and once she saw he wasn't hurt by gravity, she put him back on his Pokeball.
"Predictable," Maxie said, Torkoal waking up at the same time; taking another Pokeball from the inner pocket of his lab coat, Maxie freed his next Pokemon, a Galarian-Weezing, as the vapors coming out of his hat went into the field, Lopunny felt how her usually soft skin began to get dry.
May freed her next Pokemon, a Swellow that usually was gutsy and didn't fear anything. She was now looking nervous against two Pokemon she didn't have coverture for.
"Weezing, use [Will-O-Wisp] on Lopunny, and Torkoal use [Eruption] once again!" Maxie said as he adjusted his glasses and made a cocky smirk.
"Lopunny use [Power up punch] against Torkoal!... wait, what is [Will-o-wisp]?"
"Helena! Don't get distracted! Swellow use [Brave Bird] on Weezing!"
Swellow, being the fastest on the field, moved first; it first flew up into the room and covered itself in energy before diving recklessly against Weezing, peck first.
The two Pokemon collided, and Weezing was sent flying across the room, being caught by the jumping Torkoal just before it broke any window and swam on lava.
Lopunny punched Torkoal as hard as possible, resulting in a critical hit, almost fainting it. Weezing then moved and created a small flame from its top hat.
Lopunny stepped back, but the flame followed her fast; the second it made contact with her body, Lopunny was momentarily engulfed in flames.
"Lopunny!" (Ahh! this hurts!) Lopunny screamed as she tried to shake off the flames to no avail; as that happened, Torkoal's shell lighted up, and a blinding light was produced.
Flames covered every square of the room, barely allowing Helena, May, and Maxie to cover themselves with their Pokemon. As a result, Lopunny fainted, and Swell got burned just like Lopunny.
Weezing and Torkoal were barely holding on dear life, and Helena knew this; that's why her next Pokemon would absolutely crush them.
"Gardevoir, finish this guy off!" Helena proclaimed as she stored Lopunny and freed Gardevoir from her Pokeball.
The moment Gardevoir stepped into the field, she was angry; despite all the sexual harassment she suffered from Lopunny, she was her best friend since they were on their first evolution, and seeing her get hurt like this at the hands of a Torkoal and a Weezing made her angry.
She knew Pokemon got hurt during battles, but for a Galarian-Weezing to get a burn and a [Eruption] to land a critical hit? Gardevoir was pissed.
'Master Helena, advise Trainer May to change Pokemon to her Blaziken; this is a free turn for speed boost.'
"May! Change into Blaziken. I got this," Helena said as she stepped forward. "Gardevoir, use [Hyper Voice]!"
Gardevoir didn't allow Maxie to give a command and immediately screamed at the top of her lungs; the soundwaves demolished Weezing and Torkoal, fainting instantly.
Maxie was in shambles; his plan was failing, and if he didn't do something fast, he was done; this was his final ace; taking out an Ultra-ball and a Fast-ball, Maxie freed his last options before being forced to use his mega.
"Charizard! Whimsicott! Buy me time to activate the meteorite!"