Evil Team Fight vs Team Magma Admin, Courtney!

Ash narrowed his eyes as he watched Courtney and the two Team Magma grunts enter the underground ruin. He knew the grunts were no real threat—he could handle them easily with his current team—but Courtney was a different story. As one of Team Magma's Admins, she was no pushover. You didn't rise to a position like that without real power to back you up.

Courtney, in turn, studied the boy in front of her with cold, calculating eyes, her lips curling into an amused smirk. Her attention then shifted to Diancie standing behind Ash, and her smirk deepened. "Well, well, well," she said, her voice dripping with sadistic amusement. "What do we have here? A little princess and her protector? Boy, why don't you move aside so I can have a closer look?"

Ash clenched his fists, stepping in front of Diancie protectively. "In your dreams!" he snapped, his eyes blazing with determination. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you or Team Magma anywhere near Diancie!"

"Oh, is that so?" Courtney's smile widened, her voice sickly sweet as she placed a finger on her cheek, feigning innocence. "You talk tough, but let's see if you can back it up." With a flick of her hand, she signaled to the two grunts beside her.

Nodding, the grunts stepped forward, tossing their Pokéballs into the air. "Go, Golbat!" "Weezing, come out!" they called in unison, summoning a Golbat and Weezing to the battlefield.

Ash didn't waste a second. "Pikachu, Cyndaquil—you're up!" Pikachu leaped forward, sparks dancing from his cheeks, while Cyndaquil stood firmly beside him, flames igniting on his back.

[Objective: Defeat Team Magma Grunts.

Rewards: 400 pts ]

"Golbat, use Air Cutter!" the female grunt ordered.

"Weezing, Sludge Bomb!" the male grunt followed.

Ash reacted instantly. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Cyndaquil, use Swift!"

Golbat's wings glowed white as it fired sharp, translucent blue blades of air at Pikachu, but Pikachu's Thunderbolt met it head-on, intercepting the attack. Meanwhile, Weezing spat a barrage of toxic sludge toward Cyndaquil, only for it to be neutralized by Cyndaquil's shimmering Swift attack. The golden stars collided with the poisonous glob, deflecting it in mid-air.

Before the grunts could react, Ash seized the moment. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt on Golbat! Cyndaquil, hit Weezing with Flamethrower!"

In a flash of light, Pikachu's Thunderbolt arced across the battlefield, striking Golbat square in the chest and sending it crashing to the ground. Cyndaquil's Flamethrower followed suit, engulfing Weezing in a fierce burst of flames. Both opposing Pokémon were down in an instant, knocked out cold, with swirls in their eyes.

[Congratualtions! Objective Complete! 400 points successfully redeemed!]

"Pathetic..." Courtney muttered under her breath in a cold and harsh voice. The two grunts winced, quickly recalling their Pokémon. "Both of you get lost. I will take care of this." Knowing they didn't have any face or authority to object to Courtney's orders, without a word, they quickly fled the underground ruin.

As the grunts retreated, Courtney stepped forward, her smirk returning as she stared Ash down. "Not bad, but don't get cocky. Beating those two weaklings proves nothing. Let's see how you handle a real challenge." She tossed her Pokéball into the air, and with a flash of light, her Magcargo appeared, its molten body glowing with intense heat, steam rising from the cracks in its hardened shell.

"Cyndaquil, return!" Ash recalled his Pokémon back and grabbed another Pokéball. "Squirtle, it's your time to shine! Let's show them the results of our training!" In a burst of light, Squirtle emerged, standing firm and confident.

******

[Objective: Defeat Team Magma Admin, Courtney.

Rewards: 

1. 1000 pts

2.  Fire Stone x 1 ]

"Squirtle, let's start with Water Spin! [Water Gun + Rapid Spin]!" Ash commanded.

Squirtle tucked into his shell, spinning at high speed while shooting a powerful stream of water from his mouth. He spun toward Magcargo like a watery missile, slamming into it with force. Water splashed and hissed as it met the searing heat of Magcargo's lava-like body.

Courtney barely flinched, raising an eyebrow as she assessed the situation. "Not bad... Magcargo, use Harden!"

Magcargo's molten body hardened even further, the shell gaining a grayish hue as it fortified itself. Squirtle's rapid spinning attack began losing momentum as it struggled to break through Magcargo's defenses.

"Now, use Rock Tomb!" Courtney commanded.

Magcargo's body trembled as an outline of white energy formed around its body, and multiple gray rocks outlined in white energy then formed around its head in the shape of a ring. The glow around Magcargo then faded, causing the rocks to fall down on Squirtle, who was knocked off course, rolling to the ground, pinned under the weight of the rocks.

Ash gritted his teeth but kept his focus. "Squirtle, Withdraw, and then hit Magcargo with Hydro Pump!"

Squirtle retreated into his shell, protecting himself as the rocks broke apart around him. Then, with a burst of energy, he emerged and unleashed a high-pressure stream of water at Magcargo.

Hydro Pump blasted Magcargo with full force, water hissing violently as it met the scorching heat of the Lava Pokémon. Steam filled the air, briefly obscuring the battlefield.

Courtney's confident smirk faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "Magcargo, counter with Flamethrower!"

Magcargo roared and spewed a massive stream of fire toward Squirtle. The flames and the Hydro Pump collided mid-air, the two attacks battling for dominance. For a moment, it seemed as though the Flamethrower would hold, but Squirtle's Hydro Pump began pushing back, overpowering the flames.

Courtney's eyes narrowed. "Magcargo, Shell Smash!"

With a nod, Magcargo cracked its own shell, shards of stone crumbling to the ground, lowering its Defense and Special Defense. In return, its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed sharply increased, the molten core of its body glowing even brighter.

Magcargo's molten body glowed fiercely, and Courtney's smirk returned. "Now, use Flame Charge!"

Magcargo surged forward, flames trailing behind it as it charged at Squirtle at terrifying speed.

"Squirtle, Skull Bash!" Ash shouted.

Squirtle withdrew into his shell and shot forward like a bullet, slamming into Magcargo head-on. The two Pokémon collided in a spectacular clash, sending shockwaves through the ground. Both Pokémon were locked in place, pushing against each other with all their might. Eventually, though, the two Pokémon separated as they both lost their momentum.

Courtney's eyes gleamed as she could see victory within sight. "Magcargo! Another Flame Charge!"

Magcargo's speed increased further, flames roaring around its body as it prepared to strike again.

Ash's eyes lit up as he saw his chance. "Squirtle, it's time! Use Aqua Jet—let's show them what we've been training for!"

Water Energy swirled around Squirtle, and his body became fully enveloped in a torrent of water. Squirtle surged forward, crashing into Magcargo with immense force. The impact sent steam shooting into the air as the two Pokémon struggled against one another.

The two Pokémon kept clashing, water and fire spiraling around them. As they pushed against each other, the force of the struggle sent steam into the atmosphere.

But then something unexpected happened. As Squirtle and Magcargo clashed, Squirtle's body began to glow, his form shifting and growing larger.

"Wait! Is that..." Ash's eyes widened, and a wide smile appeared on his face as Squirtle's body began to change shape, his shell expanding and his limbs growing larger. When the light faded, standing in Squirtle's place was none other than Wartortle, with its new appearance showing a taller and larger turtle-like Pokémon with feather-like ears on each side of its head as well as a thick, wavy tail, poking out of the bottom of the shell, both of which were covered in pale blue fur.

"Wartortle!" Ash shouted, excitement in his voice. "Let's finish this—Aqua Jet, full power!"

With newfound strength, Wartortle unleashed a massive, roaring jet of water. The attack smashed into Magcargo, overpowering its Flame Charge and sending it crashing into the wall of the underground ruin. Magcargo groaned weakly before collapsing, spirals in its eyes.

[Congratualtions! Objective Complete! 1000 points and Fire Stone x 1 successfully redeemed!]

******

Courtney stared at her fallen Pokémon in disbelief. For a brief moment, her calm and composed façade cracked, but she quickly regained her composure. With a reluctant smile, she recalled her fainted Magcargo back into its Pokéball. "Not bad... It seems you're more than just a lucky kid after all," she admitted. However, her expression twisted into a malicious grin. "But it's a shame that this place will be your burial ground," she said, pulling out another Pokéball and releasing her Camerupt.

"Camerupt use Earthquake," she commanded, her voice dripping with cruelty. Camerupt slammed its forelegs into the ground with a powerful stomp, sending shockwaves rippling through the underground ruin. The walls trembled, cracks spreading as the structure began to collapse around them.

'Is she insane?!' Ash thought, gritting his teeth as the ground beneath him shook violently. 'Is she planning to bury herself along with me?!' His thoughts halted when he saw Courtney calmly recalling her Camerupt back into its Pokéball. She didn't look concerned at all. Instead, she released her Claydol, and with a mocking smile, she placed her hand on Claydol's back.

"It was fun meeting you, but our little encounter is going to be cut short. Farewell, boy," Courtney said with a final wave before she and her Claydol Teleported away, leaving Ash alone in the collapsing ruin.

"Dammit!" Ash cursed, quickly assessing the situation. Even though Courtney had fled, the entire ruin was still falling apart. Rocks and debris were already starting to rain down from above.

"Okay, first things first," Ash said, swiftly returning Wartortle to his Pokéball and turning to face Diancie, who had been silently observing everything unfolding.

"Hey," Ash called out softly, squatting down to meet Diancie's gaze. His voice was calm despite the urgency of the situation. He knew that time was running out, but he had to approach this carefully—Diancie wasn't his Pokémon, and she came from a different era entirely if his theory was correct. He couldn't force her to trust him so he was going to have to be patient with her. "I know all of this must be confusing for you. I don't have much time to explain, but please, I need you to trust me. If you do, I'll make sure we both get out of here safely."

Diancie stared at him for a long moment, her glowing eyes studying him. After a few seconds, she extended her small hand and placed it in his. "Diancie..." she whispered softly, giving a small nod.

"Thank you," Ash said, visibly relieved. Without wasting any more time, he pulled out an empty Pokéball and gently pressed it against Diancie's crystal body. She transformed into a red beam of light and disappeared into the Pokéball. The ball wobbled three times before emitting a soft ding, indicating that Diancie had accepted her new home.

With Diancie's Pokéball secured, Ash quickly picked up Pikachu and placed him inside his bag, zipping it tight to protect him from the dust and falling debris. He then tied a handkerchief around his nose and mouth to filter out the choking dust that was filling the air as the ruins collapsed around him.

"Okay, let's hope this works," Ash muttered under his breath, gripping another Pokéball tightly in his hand. 'If this doesn't work...' He shook his head, dismissing the negative thought. 'I've already died once... I'm not going to die again.'

******

Meanwhile, above ground, the two Team Magma grunts who had fled earlier were panting as they finally reached the surface. However, just as they caught their breath, the ground beneath them rumbled violently.

"What's going on?!" the female grunt shouted, her voice trembling.

"It feels like an earthquake!" the male grunt replied, stumbling as some of the nearby walls began to crumble. "Do you think it's because that brat and Ms. Admin are still fighting?"

Before they could speculate further, a cold, sharp voice interrupted them from behind. "You two really have some nerve standing here and talking so shamelessly after getting crushed by that brat."

The grunts yelped and turned to see Courtney standing there, her expression icy as her Claydol floated silently beside her.

"Forget it," Courtney said dismissively, waving her hand. "Get lost. The ruins are about to collapse completely, which will cause a lot of attention to be drawn to this place. So do everyone a favor and don't get caught." Without a word, the two grunts scrambled to flee the area.

Courtney sighed in annoyance. "Morons." She glanced back at the ruins, hearing the faint rumbling beneath the surface. "I suppose I should be going, too." She returned her Claydol to its Pokéball and reached for another one, but paused, frowning. "Releasing a heavy Pokémon here would only make things worse," she muttered, deciding to walk away from the unstable ruins.

However, just as Courtney stepped out of the ruins, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, you! Stop right there!"

Courtney turned to see Officer Jenny and her Growlithe racing toward her, followed by a crowd of concerned townspeople gathering around the entrance to the ruins. Among them, Courtney noticed a young girl who looked strikingly similar to the boy she had just left to be buried beneath the collapsing structure.

"Well, whatever. I don't have time for this," Courtney thought before she tossed her Pokéball in the air and released her Salamence, a giant quadrupedal, draconic Pokémon with two large red wings on its back. As soon as the huge dragon landed, it achieved the desired effect Courtney was looking for, as it managed to intimidate all the people around her. Even Officer Jenny and her Growlithe stopped in their tracks as a huge dragon glared at them.

Courtney climbed onto Salamence's back, her eyes locking with Officer Jenny's. "You'd be wise not to waste your time chasing me, Officer Jenny. You should stick to small-time crooks—I'm way out of your league." She flashed a smug grin, causing Officer Jenny to glare at her and grit her teeth.

"Besides, when will you have time to deal with me when you'll be busy dealing with something much bigger?" she said. And as if on cue, the ruins behind her groaned loudly before collapsing further into the ground with a deafening crash. Dust and debris shot up from the ruins, and the crowd gasped in horror as the ancient structure crumbled completely, while the ground beneath it collapsed even further.

"No!!!" Professor Alden cried out in despair, rushing toward the ruins. "The ruins! How could you do this?! You monster!"

Ignoring the despairing Professor, Courtney turned towards Ashly. "By the way, you might want to start digging that place as soon as you can," she said and flashed the poor girl a cruel smile. "You look related to the boy who tried to stop me just now, so I buried him under the tons of dirt and rocks," she said, as Ashly's eyes widened with shock and horror. "But luckily for you, you might still recover something resembling a body if you're fast enough." Her laughter echoed in the air as Salamence took to the skies, flying off into the distance.

'No! No! No!' The words screamed in Ashly's mind as panic and fear gripped her. She ran toward the ruins, her heart pounding in her chest. But before she could get too close, Officer Jenny grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. "Let me go!" Ashly yelled, struggling against Jenny's grip. "I have to find my brother!"

"Stop! It's too dangerous to go in there!" Jenny warned, holding her back. "Hey, you!" Jenny turned toward May, who looked too shell-shocked and stunned. "You're with her, right? Come here and help stop her from going any further!"

May, meanwhile, was unable to register her words as her mind was still catching up to the fact that her new friend was dead and buried under tons of earth. For a girl who hadn't even started her journey yet, this was something way too hard for her to digest.

But then before anyone could say anything else, the ground shook once more, drawing everyone's attention back to the ruins. The next moment, a Charizard erupted from the ground, breaking through the debris with a loud roar. On its back was a figure covered in dust but very much alive.

Ash.

As Charizard landed, Ash removed the handkerchief from his face, panting as he gulped in fresh air. Then he quickly unzipped his bag and pulled Pikachu out, hugging him tightly.

"I survived..." Ash muttered, his voice weak from the ordeal. A wide grin spread across his face as he caught his breath. "Damn right, I survived!"

To be continued...

******

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