The next day.
After confirming the situation with Steven, Aiden basically finalized his action plan for this trip to Hoenn.
First, he had to make a trip to Meteor Falls.
Not to find the Draconid who had distanced themselves from modern society and maintained their ancient legacy.
After all, he wasn't even counting on Hoenn's own Rayquaza, so as long as these people (especially Zinnia) didn't cause trouble, that was contribution enough.
The main reason was that he only remembered after Steven reminded him—
The murals in Meteor Falls recorded the content that allowed Rayquaza to learn the move "Dragon Ascent."
This was the key that could catalyze Rayquaza's Mikado Organ, allowing it to temporarily gain the ability to Mega Evolve!
Although the black Rayquaza had long learned this move and could transform into the formidable Mega Rayquaza anytime, anywhere.
But what if his own Salamence could learn it too?
Sylveon had once drawn a lifelike portrait of Mega Rayquaza, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to allow other Pokémon to learn Rayquaza's exclusive move.
So, this time, he'd let Salamence see the mural passed down for thousands of years!
With this in mind, Aiden rode Salamence to Meteor Falls.
Meteor Falls was located in western Hoenn. It was originally an unremarkable mountain range, but over tens of thousands of years, it was repeatedly impacted by frequently falling meteorites, eventually forming an extremely unique internal structure.
There were quite a few craters on the surface formed by meteorite impacts, and it was said that even the waterfall was formed after a meteorite impact in the past.
One could only say that Hoenn, a place that was only palm-sized on the planet, really bore too much—
It seemed like the vast majority of meteorites in the Pokémon world crashed right in this spot.
Of course, there were benefits too.
Meteor Falls contained a large number of meteorites that hadn't been completely burned up by the atmosphere, providing researchers with plenty of materials for studying meteorites and space.
This was probably one of the reasons why the Hoenn region started developing rockets early on, hoping to enter the space age as soon as possible.
Professor Cozmo, who appeared in the main storyline, was one of the experts studying meteorites and became a Pokémon Professor based on his related papers.
And in the main plot of the Ruby/Sapphire series, Meteor Falls was also a crucial part.
Team Aqua/Magma would steal that crucial meteorite here, and its true purpose wasn't fully revealed until the post-game.
It was actually the Key Stone for Rayquaza's Mega Evolution—
If Professor Cozmo hadn't happened to dig up that meteorite at the time, wouldn't Rayquaza have been unable to evolve at the very last step?
Hoenn would have been doomed because of this one misstep.
So Professor Cozmo was the real savior! (Troll face)
After making a little joke in his head, Aiden jumped off Salamence's back and landed at the entrance of Meteor Falls.
If the layout inside hadn't changed much, he should still remember how to get around; it seemed like he just needed to Surf all the way.
After all, the Ruby/Sapphire series was truly a classic that you could play a hundred times without getting bored.
After recalling Salamence, Aiden walked straight in, but soon realized a minor problem—there didn't seem to be a Pokémon in his team that could carry him to Surf, right?
It seemed like only Miraidon was an option, but could it really hover over the sea like in the games?
Recalling Miraidon's increasingly wildly growing stomach, Aiden still felt it was a bit unreliable.
However, the problem wasn't actually that big of a deal.
It wasn't like he needed to Dive; he could just ride Salamence and fly all the way there—
Only in games would you be unable to progress the plot without Waterfall/Surf, forced to follow the prescribed process step by step.
And those one-way ledges in Meteor Falls that only looked knee-high—Aiden had wanted to complain about them for years—
Was this reasonable?!
In reality, a flying mount would solve all the problems instantly.
So, after entering, Aiden pulled the trigger again and summoned the bewildered Salamence.
"Krah—!"
Soon, Salamence sensed the Dragon-type energy permeating Meteor Falls and let out a joyful roar.
"Let's go, we're heading to the very back to find a mural and give you some extra lessons."
Aiden patted its head and swung himself onto its back. Salamence immediately started up with zero wind-up, flying straight up the waterfall at an exaggerated speed.
The interior of Meteor Falls wasn't very large. From an aerial perspective, Aiden quickly spotted his destination this time—a cave that looked ordinary but actually hid a whole other world inside.
Aiden didn't overthink it and just dived right in.
But almost immediately, he realized his actions might have been a bit rash.
Because inside stood a dozen or so people dressed in black cloaks with tattered capes draped over their backs, looking exactly like Dragon Emissaries.
"Who goes there?"
"Elder, an intruder!"
"There's an intruder, stop the meeting!"
They seemed to be holding a meeting inside. When they spotted the intruder, they immediately showed angry expressions and took out their Poké Balls.
Aiden: ?
So you guys really do live inside Meteor Falls?
In such a modernized place like the Hoenn region, there are actually wild people?
And can this place really be lived in?
Aiden sighed and immediately clapped his hands together above his head, performing a military salute he had just learned in Kalos.
It wasn't that he was afraid of their numbers, but mainly because he was indeed in the wrong this time, somewhat in the wrong—
He had barged into someone else's territory uninvited; if they could communicate properly, it was better not to anger them.
"Don't get agitated, it's probably just a traveler who wandered in by mistake."
Surrounded by people dressed as Dragon Tamers, an old woman who looked to be the clan elder waved her hand, signaling the tribespeople around her to put away their Poké Balls.
Her prestige in the clan was evidently terrifyingly high; even the young people didn't hesitate at all and immediately obeyed.
Aiden also breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as they could talk it out, it was fine. Otherwise, if he beat up the Draconid in their own home, Steven would probably start having a headache—
"Hello, I'm Aiden, a trainer from another region."
After Aiden friendly introduced himself, the old woman leaned on her cane, walked through the crowd, came up to him, and said with a smile, "Hello, Envoy of Lord Rayquaza."
"Hoenn is about to face another crisis; it seems Lord Rayquaza has also begun making preparations."
Aiden blinked and quickly accepted this setting.
"That's right, I'm here on its behalf to take 'Dragon Ascent'."
Although the Rayquaza behind him might not be the same one this old lady was thinking of—
But it wasn't wrong either; he really could be considered Rayquaza's envoy.
It was just that, more often than not, other people and Legendary Pokémon called him the "Envoy of Arceus."
After all, he really didn't have anything belonging to Rayquaza on him; maybe Salamence, who was temporarily tucked away in his pocket, looked more like the "Chosen of Rayquaza".
His gaze passed through the group of Draconid and turned to the mural behind the old woman.
To be honest, probably because the drawing was from too long ago, it felt far inferior to his own Sylveon's artwork.
One could only vaguely make out the essence of Rayquaza and the two Hoenn fools, but the story recorded on it was quite complete.
It was roughly the meteor disaster in Hoenn two thousand years ago.
Which was exactly when Groudon and Kyogre obtained Infinity Energy and returned to their peak states.
Unprecedented downpours and droughts swept the land simultaneously, plunging Hoenn into a massive crisis.
Yet Rayquaza was nowhere to be seen.
It wasn't until the Draconid of that era discovered a special seven-colored meteorite where the giant meteor fell and used it to pray to Rayquaza.
Rayquaza, responding to this wish, began to change its body, gaining even greater power through the meteorite's energy.
Ultimately, with the joint efforts of humans and Rayquaza, the crisis was resolved.
Although the story ended, the mural still left a large blank space.
Painted on it was the heroic posture of Mega Rayquaza; from the pose, it seemed to be using Dragon Ascent, charging at the enemy at full speed.
Moreover, the Rayquaza on the mural seemed to have used some special pigment; even after two thousand years, it still glittered with golden light.
'No wonder Sylveon couldn't capture the essence of Dragon Ascent, so the materials were the issue.'
After simply browsing through it once, Aiden nodded.
It was mostly the same as he remembered, but since it was the version passed down by the Draconid, the human presence was surprisingly high.
However, none of that was important.
"Every thousand years, Lord Rayquaza, who rests and recuperates at the top of the Sky Pillar, will reappear in the world, and it also needs the power of that meteorite to unleash its full power."
Seeing that Aiden had finished reading, the old lady spoke again.
"And our ancestors passed down the method of communicating with Rayquaza, leaving behind the prophecy of the great disaster that occurs every millennium."
"However— I truly did not expect that the human fortunate enough to be chosen by Lord Rayquaza this time would not be one of the Draconid."
The old woman shook her head, then took out a green scroll that faintly emitted a golden glow.
"This is what Lord Rayquaza needs. It records an exclusive move that only Rayquaza can learn: Dragon Ascent."
"To allow Rayquaza to complete its Mega Evolution, the Key Stone, Dragon Ascent, and energy from space are all indispensable."
Aiden took it and seemed a bit surprised.
'Wait, the Draconid are this chill? Such a precious thing, and they just give it to me?'
As if seeing through Aiden's thoughts, the old lady smiled and explained, "Although I have never seen Lord Rayquaza with my own eyes, its unique Dragon-type aura cannot be deceiving."
"Any Dragon Emissary would easily see through your identity the moment they lay eyes on you."
"This is the art of reading people that we Dragon Emissaries have cultivated from long-term companionship with dragons."
"If I'm not mistaken, the Dragon Pokémon you have raised should be a Salamence recognized by Rayquaza, and another unfamiliar Dragon Pokémon that seems adept at the Electric type, right?"
The other Draconid on the side also nodded one after another.
When the other party came in just now, they hadn't paid attention and almost formed a grudge with Lord Rayquaza's envoy.
Good thing the Elder reacted quickly, otherwise—
Who in all of Hoenn didn't know that Rayquaza was the most short-tempered deity? If they offended the human it recognized, would they Draconid ever be able to visit Rayquaza again in the future—
Aiden: ?
He really hadn't expected the other party to completely expose his lineup with just three sentences. Was this the strength of the Draconid?
The veterans really had some skills—
"Thank you."
Aiden nodded and replied politely, then quickly followed up with a question.
"Now that Dragon Ascent and the massive energy from space are both available, may I ask where the final Key Stone is?"
Speaking of this, the old lady, who had always been amicable, suddenly sighed and shook her head helplessly.
"Actually, this Key Stone was originally kept by us."
"But because the situation was urgent, my granddaughter Zinnia set out a few days ago, heading to the Sky Pillar where Rayquaza resides."
"The Key Stone and the scroll copied from the mural are both with her now."
"Calculating the time, she should be almost at the Sky Pillar by now, right?"
Aiden: ???
Zinnia has already set out?
Her ideas are very extreme; even Rayquaza wouldn't approve of her!
Aiden sighed and immediately chose to clasp his hands in farewell.
"In that case, I'll go find her directly."
"Goodbye."
After speaking, Aiden turned and left directly.
After quickly leaving Meteor Falls, he immediately summoned Salamence and flew at full speed towards the Sky Pillar.
And the Draconid living in Meteor Falls also quickly came out, led by Zinnia's grandmother, looking at Aiden who had already become a black dot in the distance.
"With that child Zinnia's personality— I'm afraid she won't acknowledge any other envoy of Rayquaza, will she?"
A middle-aged woman showed a look of worry, stepped forward, and asked the elder softly.
The old woman nodded, looking helpless.
As Zinnia's grandmother, how could she not understand her own granddaughter's thoughts?
But she also knew she couldn't dissuade Zinnia's obsession at all.
"Ever since Aster passed away, that child's ideas have become more and more extreme."
"Making her the successor who communicates directly with Rayquaza was indeed a choice of last resort—"
"It would be for the best if that Mr. Aiden could stop her."
"If Rayquaza fails to gain its power because of Zinnia, bringing disaster upon the entire Hoenn region, then we Draconid will all become eternal sinners—"
The old woman's words made the other Draconid nod deeply in agreement.
And right at this moment—
A black and gold figure suddenly flashed across the cloudless sky.
A few Draconid who looked up in bewilderment happened to see that figure, which they had only ever seen on murals, and instantly froze in place.
"I just— think I saw a black and gold Lord Rayquaza!"
"You must be seeing things. Lord Rayquaza only appears near the Sky Pillar, how could we possibly encounter it right here!"
"And a black Rayquaza? Why don't you listen to what you're saying?"
"..."
The man scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
Could he really have seen it wrong?
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