Blue didn't hesitate. His gaze was razor-sharp, steady as a blade honed through years of battle.
"Blastoise—Hydro Barrage. Wide angle."
The colossal turtle's twin cannons ignited with a thunderous roar, unleashing a devastating deluge of water. The torrents shot forth like twin comets crashing down from the heavens, a roaring wall of liquid fury that crushed dozens of corrupted Pokémon in seconds. The sheer pressure was brutal—bones shattered beneath the onslaught, feral beasts were hurled backward, their snarls cut short as the water pulverized everything in its path.
"Starmie—Psychic Sniper pattern. No mercy."
In an instant, Starmie became a spinning blur, its core pulsing with raw psychic energy. Razor-sharp waves sliced through the thick, ash-laden air like shards of glass. Crobat screeched in agony, collapsing mid-flight as if the very stars were falling from the sky, extinguished one by one.
"Poliwrath, Lapras—contain and crush."
Lapras lifted her majestic head, releasing a bone-chilling bellow that sent a fierce whiteout blizzard cascading forward. Ice crystals sparkled menacingly as the blizzard froze the corrupted frontline in mid-charge—stalagmites of frost erupting beneath their clawed feet, halting their advance cold.
Poliwrath surged forth like a living battering ram, fists glowing with a fierce aura. His movements were raw power incarnate—explosive strikes smashed into the berserkers with the force of thunderclaps, sending them crashing to the ground, breathless and broken.
"Kingdra—whirlpool. Maximum intensity."
The sleek sea dragon opened its jaws wide, and with a roar that echoed like the ocean's fury, conjured a swirling vortex of water. The cyclone twisted violently, ripping corrupted Pokémon from the earth and hurling them against jagged rubble and twisted metal. The ground itself seemed to tremble beneath the maelstrom's force.
And then—
A primal, terrifying roar shattered the air.
Gyarados, the legendary sea serpent, unleashed his fury.
The beast's golden underbelly gleamed with deadly intent as he reared back, eyes glowing with an ancient rage.
"Hyper Beam."
The charged beam erupted in a searing torrent of raw energy, a blinding spear of destruction that carved a trench of annihilation through the battlefield. It vaporized anything caught in its path—ash and dust exploded skyward in a choking plume, darkening the already grim horizon.
On the ridge above, the four women watched in stunned silence.
Blue moved like a war god, an elemental force incarnate.
His aura pulsed with an otherworldly, liquid-blue light that danced sinuously across his arms, weaving and rippling like a living stream. This energy wasn't just for show—it flowed into his Pokémon, syncing their attacks with devastating precision. There was no shouted commands, no frantic orders. Instead, he fought with them, every movement perfectly synchronized, every strike fluid and lethal.
Water bent and twisted around him—forming sharp blades that cut through feral attackers, erecting shimmering shields that absorbed blows with unbreakable resilience.
"This isn't a trainer," Skyla whispered, voice thick with awe and disbelief.
"He's something else entirely," Elesa breathed, eyes never leaving Blue's fluid, lethal grace.
Rosa stood silent, her chest tight with emotion. Her face flushed—not only with awe, but something deeper, an ache born of hope and something she thought long lost.
Caitlin's eyes widened, her breath catching as she studied Blue's aura. "He has some kind of power… just like me," she murmured, astonished. "But it's not Psychic like mine—it's Water. Pure, raw water energy. And it's... terrifying."
The corrupted Pokémon regrouped, snarling and lunging again. But Blue was already moving.
A tidal wave of water erupted from his hands, crashing forward like a living force of nature. The corrupted were swept up and slammed into the scorched earth, their roars fading into agonized gurgles.
His team responded instantly, each Pokémon a weapon of war honed by his will and that strange, flowing power.
Blastoise's Hydro Barrage tore through the ranks like a thunderous cannonade. Starmie's psychic blades danced through the air, cutting down the sky's winged terrors with surgical precision. Poliwrath's fists exploded with every strike, while Lapras's freezing blizzard pinned enemies in place. Kingdra's whirlpool raged like a storm-tossed sea, sucking the corrupted into its deadly spiral.
And Gyarados?
The colossal dragon carved through the chaos with a roaring fury, his Hyper Beam painting devastation across the battlefield, leaving nothing but silence and ash in its wake.
The battle raged on—relentless, brutal, and raw.
But through it all, Blue was a calm, unshakable storm at the center, a living embodiment of water's devastating beauty and lethal grace.
By the time silence fell, the world was scorched and broken—but Blue stood tall, untouched. His six Pokémon circled him like loyal sentinels, breathing hard but victorious.
Blue cracked his neck once more, eyes still glowing with that faint, otherworldly blue light, as if the battle had barely taxed him.
"So," he said with a lazy grin, "where were we?"
For a moment, the air hung heavy with a reverent silence. Hundreds—maybe thousands—of berserk Pokémon lay scattered across the devastated field. The earth steamed, mingling ash with the unmistakable scent of absolute defeat. Whatever this place had once been, it was now forever scarred by destruction.
And there, in the very center of it all, like some smug war god summoned from another dimension, stood Blue—arms crossed, expression casual, unbothered—as if he'd just strolled out of a spa rather than decimate an entire army. His six water-type Pokémon were similarly pristine: not a single scratch or bruise marred their sleek forms.
The women stared, unable to look away.
Rosa's voice broke first, barely a whisper, tinged with awe. "I think… this might be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Elesa blinked slowly, eyes glittering with something far beyond admiration. "I think he might be the sexiest man alive. Full stop. No contest."
Skyla, cheeks flushed a soft shade of rose, muttered under her breath, "I think I want his babies. Like… all of them. However that works."
Caitlin and Rosa exchanged skeptical glances, eyebrows raised.
Skyla's gaze snapped to them, defensive and fierce. "What?!" she said, voice rising an octave. "Have you seen a man punch a Rhyperior out of the air with a water blade made of aura? No? Then shut up and let me dream."
Rosa shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Fair point."
Elesa nodded, a slow grin spreading across her face. "Honestly, at this point, I'd name my next kid 'Hydro Pump' if he asked."
Caitlin, her voice quieter, almost conspiratorial, added, "Normally, I like to crush my foes with psychic pressure and icy contempt. But drowning them… there's something kind of elegant about it. Ruthless, yet beautiful."
They watched Blue as he casually adjusted his jacket, the picture of nonchalance, like he'd just finished a light workout and was ready for coffee.
Poliwrath, ever the loyal brawler, fist-bumped Blue with a wide grin, and the others seemed to relax slightly, as if acknowledging their trainer's unique brand of strength.
Skyla gave a low whistle. "He doesn't just command his team—he is the storm itself. That kind of raw power? I've never seen anything like it."
Elesa crossed her arms, eyes sharp as ever. "And the fact he wasn't even breathing hard? Like he was just warming up? It's terrifying."
Caitlin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "If he's really here to fight with us… maybe the tides are finally turning."
For the first time in a long time, a flicker of hope sparked in the hearts of these hardened warriors—hope born not from desperation, but from the raw, undeniable force standing before them.
———
Blue Oak stood before the four women and let out a long, tired sigh. The air around them shifted, charged with a strange energy that wasn't exactly battle-ready—it was something else entirely.
Just an hour ago, this quartet had looked like hardened warriors—scarred survivors of whatever nightmare this apocalyptic Unova had become. Gritty, ruthless, and ready to rip anyone's head off without blinking.
Now?
Now they looked like a group of schoolgirls who'd just watched a celebrity stroll out of an explosion in slow motion, hair perfect, expression utterly flawless.
They were flushed, fidgeting, totally undone.
Blue knew exactly what was going on.
Isekai logic. Of course.
"Alright, you four," he finally said, breaking the awkward silence by crossing his arms, "can someone please tell me what the hell happened to Unova?"
"You seriously don't know?" Rosa blinked at him, disbelief clear in her tone. "The virus. The virus."
"Virus?" Blue echoed, raising an eyebrow so high it nearly touched his hairline.
Skyla sighed, voice dripping with exasperation. "Yeah. Team Plasma's 'bright' idea. Who else would mess things up this badly?"
"Those bastards," Elesa muttered, scowling. "Their grand master plan? 'Free all Pokémon from their trainers.' And honestly? Credit where it's due—they pulled it off."
"Oh, they absolutely did," Caitlin added, rubbing her temples as if the memory hurt. "Their so-called 'virus' wasn't even called a virus at first. It was supposed to be some psychic code, a biological trigger meant to 'liberate' Pokémon—make them independent, free agents, self-guided."
"And it worked… at first," Skyla said, voice flat. "Until the madness started. Pokémon went berserk. Insane. They turned on everything—people, cities, even each other. Trainers were devoured by their own teams."
"Spread like wildfire," Elesa confirmed grimly. "Not just wild Pokémon—bonded ones too. Friend or foe didn't matter anymore. You woke up and your best buddy was trying to crush your skull. Kanto, Sinnoh, Hoenn—gone. All gone."
Rosa lowered her voice, barely above a whisper. "Society collapsed in months. Champions, gyms, towns... dust. Even the legendaries weren't spared. Some got infected, others resisted, but most snapped—like gods angry and abandoned, tearing the world apart."
Blue blinked, letting the weight of it settle. "So basically… this world got screwed sideways. And then some."
"Yup," all four said in tired unison, voices thick with bitter exhaustion.
"Well," Blue shrugged, brushing ash from his jacket, "looking on the bright side, this makes my job easier. No dramatic recruitment speech required."
Elesa shot him a sly grin. "Oh honey, you're adorable. But let me make one thing very clear—we're not giving you a choice. You can run to the edge of the world, but we'll follow you there. Trust me."
Blue froze mid-breath, limbs locked by an invisible force.
His eyes snapped to Caitlin.
The psychic's calm, eerie smile was enough to chill the blood—but it wasn't Sabrina's distant, cold hum. Caitlin's power pressed like a vise, pinned him with the sheer force of her will—and it was definitely more aggressive.
"For real," Skyla added brightly, practically beaming, "this is the first time I've felt safe in years. You're not shaking us off. Wherever you go, we go. Deal with it."
Rosa gave a small, decisive nod. "What they said. I'm in."
Blue blinked again. That was… fast. One minute, these women were suspicious, battle-hardened survivors in a post-apocalyptic hellscape. The next, they were blushing, committed, and ready to follow him to the ends of the earth.
Yep. Definitely an isekai.
Still, he couldn't complain. Sure, they were intense—borderline unhinged. But they'd survived what looked like the end of everything. That counted. Actually, it counted for a lot.
And Blue? He needed Gym Leaders.
Stylish ones.
Elesa—literal supermodel in his timeline, a walking storm of electric glamour.
Skyla—flying-type specialist with effortless charm and an attitude sharper than a Talonflame's talons.
Rosa—the quintessential protagonist, bright-eyed and fierce, the kind of girl who could carry a story on her own.
And Caitlin—Lady Caitlin—psychic royalty with a temper that could shatter glass. Risky, but worth every gamble.
Mental stability?
Totally optional.
Blue Oak exhaled, looking like he was about to drop a universe-sized bomb. "Ever heard of the multiverse?"
The four women blinked. Twice. Caitlin finally spoke, her voice laced with disbelief: "Wait… you're saying you're from another world?"
Blue shrugged like it was no big deal. "Yeah, not just another town or region—an entirely different reality. And trust me, where I come from, things aren't quite this... apocalyptic dumpster fire."
Skyla's eyes narrowed, suspicious but curious. "So you're telling me there's a world almost exactly like this one, but without all the burnt trees, screaming Pokémon, and general chaos?"
Elesa repeated, her voice incredulous: "A world without the virus? Without all this destruction?"
Blue nodded, cool as ever. "Exactly. A place where people still get to have normal lives, pizza's not a luxury, and Pokémon aren't trying to rip your face off every five minutes."
Rosa looked at him, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "And you? In that world?"
"Same me," Blue said, deadpan. "Only less covered in ash and more likely to get my laundry done on time."
Before anyone could respond, the air shimmered and folded. With a flash of cosmic light, Palkia and Dialga—gods of space and time themselves—materialized beside Blue like it was just another Tuesday.
Rosa whispered, awestruck, "Of course you'd have literal gods backing you up. What did I expect?"
Elesa smirked, folding her arms. "If anyone can pull off showing up with the space-time gods, it's Blue."
Skyla's grin stretched wide. "Alright, so what's the plan? Because honestly, I haven't had a decent slice of pizza in who knows how long, and that's a crisis all on its own."
Blue chuckled, tugging on his jacket. "Glad you asked. Let's get moving before I change my mind and make you all fight for it."
In a dazzling swirl of light, Blue vanished—with the four women close behind, ready to leave the apocalypse for a world with carbs, civilization, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of normal.
Kanto had officially gotten a whole lot weirder.