36
The summit of Mt. Chimney became a pressure cooker of cosmic energy and clashing ideals. The air wasn't just hot; it was electric, tasting of ozone and ancient stone.
Phase 1: The Sabotage (Flash-Cooling)
"Genji, Kage! Now!" I roared over the roar of the bubbling lava.
The Meteorite was glowing a violent violet, humming at a pitch that made my teeth ache. If it touched the magma, the resulting expansion would blow the top off the mountain.
Genji leaped into the air, drawing power from the Shell Bell. He didn't just throw water; he channeled the "Abyss Breath" from May, spinning it into Ice Shurikens that glowed with a chilling indigo light.
Kage slammed his ironwood stick into the base of the machine. Instead of "igniting," he used Sun Breathing: Zero Form – Solar Drain. He acted as a heat sink, drawing the excess thermal energy away from the Meteorite and into his own body to prevent the core from reaching critical mass.
The violet glow dimmed as a layer of frost began to creep over the space-rock. "It's working!" May cheered.
Phase 2: The Maxie Confrontation
"Enough of this amateur theater!"
A wave of pure heat blasted the frost away. Maxie, the leader of Team Magma, stepped out from the shadows of the control center. His glasses reflected the lava's glow, and his face was a mask of cold, calculated fury.
"You speak of 'math' and 'logic' to my subordinates, Anomaly," Maxie sneered, adjusting his glove. "But you fail to account for the ultimate constant: Humanity requires more space to evolve. If a few islands must be consumed by the forge of the earth, it is a necessary sacrifice. Camerupt, Mega Evolve!"
The air distorted as the Mega Stone on Maxie's wrist and the Cameruptite reacted. The Pokémon transformed into a living volcano, its humps spewing steam and molten rock.
"You're not an architect, Maxie," I said, my hand gripping the Titan Key. "You're a child playing with matches in a library."
Phase 3: The Primal Leak and the Grounding
Before the battle could even begin, a sharp CRACK echoed across the crater. The Meteorite hadn't cooled fast enough—it had fractured.
A beam of raw, unstable Infinity Energy shot out, striking May directly.
"May!" I lunged for her, but she was already levitating. Her bandana flew off, and the red markings on her arms didn't just glow—they burned. Her eyes went solid amber, and she let out a scream that resonated with the volcano itself. The lava began to rise, responding to her "Vigor."
[Chat Log (PRIVATE - Steven & Sidney)]
Steven_Stone: JAKE! The Meteorite is acting as a catalyst! She's undergoing a human Primal Reversion! If she touches the crater, she'll trigger a global seismic event!
"Raven, hold the line! Jerry, keep the grunts back!"
I grabbed May's hand. The heat was blistering, but I didn't let go. I shoved the Titan Key into the cracked Meteorite while simultaneously touching the Soul Dew shard to May's forehead.
"May, look at me! Ground it! Don't let the mountain take you—you take the mountain!"
Using the Titan Key as a lightning rod, I channeled the overflowing energy out of May and directed it straight into the tectonic plate's stabilization point. The Key glowed so brightly it was visible from Slateport.
The lava receded. The purple glow of the Meteorite bled into the Key, turning the ironwood handle a deep, permanent obsidian. May slumped into my arms, the amber fading from her eyes. She was exhausted, but stable.
Maxie stood paralyzed, his Mega Camerupt huffing as the source of its extra power—the Meteorite—turned into a useless, cold rock.
"The calculation..." Maxie whispered, looking at the dead Meteorite. "...was flawed."
Courtney stepped out from the shadows behind him, her visor now a steady, calm green. "Lord Maxie. The Anomaly has proven the 'Stability Variable.' We must retreat. The League is five minutes out."
Maxie looked at me, then at May, and finally at his own hands. Without a word, he recalled his Pokémon and vanished into the escape tunnels with Courtney and the remaining grunts.
The Aftermath: The Obsidian Key
I sat on the cooling stone of the crater, May's head in my lap. The Titan Key now looked different—infused with the Meteorite's essence, it felt heavier, more "ancient."
[Chat Log (STILL PRIVATE)]
Sidney: Holy... kid, you just stopped a volcano with a stick and a girl's 'Vigor.
'Steven_Stone: Jake, stay there. We're sending a recovery team. You've done enough. More than enough.
"Hey, Jake?" May mumbled, opening one eye. "Did we win? And can we go get some Lava Cookies now? I'm starving."
I laughed, the adrenaline finally leaving my system. "Yeah, May. We won. And the cookies are on me."