With Deoxys standing beside him, Courtney knew she was no match for Natsui.
And that was before counting the Pokémon that had fought Rayquaza to a standstill. Even against the rest of his usual lineup, she wouldn't stand a chance.
If it were anyone else—even that Elite Four member, Phoebe—Courtney, as a Team Magma Admin, wouldn't have hesitated. She would have fought to find out who was stronger.
But facing this man, she knew exactly how terrifying he was.
Her purpose here, however, was to stall him. Or rather... to die with him. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life, she wouldn't hesitate.
This wasn't just for Team Magma's great ideal.
It was to atone for her past mistakes.
Just as the Leader said, every failure, every oversight, was her fault.
Failing to stop him and letting him rescue Professor Cozmo was her fault.
Failing to defeat him and letting him capture Deoxys was her fault.
Failing to spot him on Mt. Pyre, nearly causing a disaster, was definitely her fault.
This... is all my fault...
Spiraling into obsession, Courtney shouldered the blame for everything.
But even after so many mistakes, she had one chance—one final chance—to redeem herself.
She absolutely couldn't let him hinder the Leader again.
Thinking of this, she tightened her grip on the controller Maxie had thrown to her.
Natsui didn't know what she was thinking, but he walked up to her, keeping his tone calm. "I know you probably won't tell me, but I have to ask: where is Maxie heading?"
To be honest, despite how many times Courtney had targeted him—even ignoring Deoxys to focus solely on him during their last battle—Natsui found it easier to deal with her than with Shelly.
She might not be as shrewd as the Team Aqua Admin, but she was relentless. There was something almost admirable in that stubborn persistence.
And yes—he noticed she was beautiful. He told himself it wasn't just because she was attractive that he was hesitating. Of course it wasn't.
Just as Natsui expected, Courtney didn't answer. Instead, a faint smile spread across her face.
It was a half-smile tinged with madness. Her amber eyes flickered with a strange light, making her look dangerously unstable.
"Hehe... hehe..." Her laughter—bright as a bell—sounded chilling in the empty dock. "It's too late. The Leader has already taken the Orb to find Groudon. I won't let you take another step. You can't stop him now. You and your Pokémon are going to die here, together with me!"
Glancing at her hand, Natsui shook his head helplessly. "I really don't understand you. Look at yourself. You've been left behind... no... discarded by Maxie. And you think you can stop me alone? Or are you relying on that thing in your hand?"
Courtney was surprised. Natsui seemed to realize his situation—he knew what was about to happen—yet he remained calm.
Is he not afraid?
No, he must be bluffing.
She was certain no one could survive what was coming.
"For the great plan, sacrifices are necessary," Courtney said, unmoved. "You are too dangerous. You're our biggest threat—the biggest wildcard."
Realizing she truly intended to take him down with her, Natsui silently cursed himself for not acting sooner. He grabbed his Poké Balls and recalled everyone except Deoxys and Gengar.
Although he trusted Gengar, the more Pokémon he had out, the harder it would be to manage a chaotic escape. Deoxys and Gengar were enough to handle anything.
"I know what you're planning, but I'd advise against it," Natsui said, looking her in the eye. "Don't forget, besides us, there are many others in this base. The unconscious, the ones who didn't escape in time—they're Team Magma members like you. Think about the consequences. For a delusion... do you really need so many people to be buried with you?"
Courtney's smile froze.
Her mind had been so focused on killing Natsui that she had forgotten everything else. Her teammates, her friends...
Am I going to drag them down too?
It was like a bucket of cold water poured over her, snapping her out of her trance.
For Natsui, being patient enough to talk to Courtney was partly about gathering intel. Finding Maxie in the vast ocean would be impossible without a lead.
But mainly, after what happened with Shelly, Natsui wanted to pull Courtney out of the quagmire too.
Team Magma and Team Aqua were doomed to fall. Although Courtney had failed repeatedly against him, she was talented, and her heart wasn't inherently evil. Turning her back to the right path would be a good deed.
Seeing Courtney waver, Natsui took a step closer.
But that step was one too many.
Courtney flinched, suddenly on edge. Thinking Natsui was about to make a move, she raised the remote.
"You're right. I shouldn't involve the others. So... as long as I die with you, it's enough!"
Her thumb pressed down on the button.
Gengar grinned.
Heh, she doesn't know I already cut the lines in the control room—
The explosions hit anyway.
A series of blasts tore through the harbor supports. The ceiling fractured with a deep, grinding roar, and a massive section of rock and earth came crashing down.
Natsui's stomach dropped.
He hadn't expected her to be so decisive.
And didn't Gengar cut the lines?
Then it hit him—the harbor's self-destruct system must be on a separate, localized circuit.
He had prepared for the worst, which was why he recalled his team, but the reality was brutal.
"You lunatic!"
How much do you have to hate someone to pull the ceiling down on your own head?
It wasn't just falling—it was collapsing.
The overhead lights shattered, plunging them into darkness as the roof gave way.
Emergency lights flickered on instantly. Natsui's Pokémon reacted faster than thought. Deoxys raised a psychic barrier overhead, while Gengar floated above Natsui, ready to bat away anything that punched through.
Courtney had already closed her eyes, waiting to die. Natsui swore under his breath and yanked her to his side just as the first slab slammed into the shield.
The ground shook violently, but the explosion was contained.
Courtney hadn't blown the whole base—just the underground harbor.
Above them, tons of rock and soil continued to fall. Luckily, the mountain structure was solid; two massive boulders had jammed together in an inverted 'V' shape, temporarily holding back the main collapse.
But looking at the way they groaned and shifted, the reprieve wouldn't last. In a few seconds, the whole thing would come down.
Time was running out.
When Courtney realized she was still alive—and that Natsui was holding her—she opened her eyes in shock.
"You... why did you save me!?"
"You want to die, but I can't watch you die in front of me. Even if you just tried to take me with you."
Courtney stared at him, wide-eyed.
Then she shook her head. "It's useless. The exit is blocked. We're trapped. We're going to be buried alive."
Natsui glanced back at the entrance. It was completely sealed by rubble.
Before he could speak, Gengar slapped away a falling stone and glared at him. "Hey! Stop flirting! Figure a way out before we get squashed!"
As a Ghost-type, Gengar could just phase through the ground to safety, but it had to worry about Natsui.
Flirting?
You call this flirting?
Natsui glared at the ghost but ignored the comment, turning his gaze to the dark water beneath them.
"There is another way. We leave through the water!"
He pulled Courtney toward the edge, ready to jump.
Looking at the black water, Courtney frowned. "What are you doing? You want to take me away?"
"Do you see another option?" Natsui shot back. "Or should I leave you here to wait for the rocks?"
"Are you joking?" Courtney looked at him in disbelief. "Don't forget, I just tried to kill us both... and... it's already half successful..."
"Isn't there still another half? Besides, I specialize in making friends out of enemies. Now come on, we're out of time!"
He pulled her again.
"Wait!" Courtney dug her heels in. "I... I can't leave. And... and... I can't swim..."
"Can't swim? You aren't afraid of dying, but you're afraid of water? Or is it that deep down, you don't actually want to die?"
The question hit her like a physical blow. She started to tremble.
Am I afraid of death?
I shouldn't be. I made up my mind.
But... why is my heart beating so fast?
Natsui didn't give her time to debate it. He took a deep breath, grabbing Milotic's Poké Ball with one hand and gripping Courtney's arm with the other.
He leaped into the sea.
Splash!
The water was bone-chillingly cold.
Milotic burst from its ball instantly, swimming in front of him.
Courtney hadn't lied—she couldn't swim. Before hitting the water, she only managed to hold her breath.
Under the surface, panic took over. Eyes squeezed shut, limbs flailing, she reached out blindly for something to hold.
Suddenly, she felt hands on her waist. Before she could panic further, her hands were guided onto smooth scales. A powerful force surged forward, dragging her through the water at incredible speed.
In the sea, Natsui kept his eyes open. One hand gripped Milotic's scales, the other held Courtney tight.
In the water, nothing was faster than a Milotic.
Thanks to the blessing of Manaphy, Natsui felt no discomfort underwater; instead, he felt strangely at home.
Only Deoxys remained beside them. Gengar, hating the water, had retreated into Natsui's shadow the moment they jumped.
Splash... splash...
Rocks crashed into the water behind them, sending shockwaves through the depths.
Deoxys maintained a psychic barrier, trailing behind to shield them from the debris. Ahead, Milotic moved like a torpedo, carrying the two humans toward the open sea as fast as it could.
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