"It's Ruby and Sapphire," Feng Che recognized instantly. The two young children caught in the crosshairs were the protagonists of the Pokémon Adventures Gen III arc. "I might as well save them."
"Go, Frogadier!"
Feng Che released the agile bubble frog. At that moment, Ruby was standing in front of the trembling Sapphire. Faced with the predatory lunges of the berserk Salamence, the young boy stepped forward, commanding his Poochyena and Skitty to strike.
Truly the chosen children... a Poochyena and Skitty actually managed to land a hit on an Elite-tier Salamence, Feng Che marveled silently.
The Salamence flinched, reeling back a few steps as the small Pokémon collided with its underbelly. Just as the dragon prepared to incinerate the meddling humans, the sleek Frogadier descended like a phantom from above.
With a blur of speed, Frogadier scooped up Ruby and Sapphire, depositing them in a safe alcove nearby. It then turned, eyes narrowing with professional intensity as it faced the dragon.
Salamence is a massive, quadrupedal Dragon-type with broad, blood-red wings and a long, powerful tail. Its body is primarily deep blue, contrasted by the red of its neck, limbs, and wing-undersides. Its underside is protected by hard, grey plating similar to the shell of its previous form, Shelgon. It possesses specialized ridges above its eyes and small triangular fins on the sides of its head that act like the forewings of an aircraft.
Salamence are known for their terrifying aerial prowess and the ability to tear opponents apart with razor-sharp claws. When enraged, they lose all sense of self, rampaging until they collapse from exhaustion.
"Wow, a Frogadier! It's so cool!" Sapphire clapped her hands, her tear-streaked face breaking into a bright smile.
Ruby, though relieved, watched the confrontation with a critical eye. "It's no use. That Frogadier has no chance. It hasn't even reached the Gym-leader tier yet; how can it beat a Salamence at the Elite level? That's a pseudo-legendary!"
Ruby's father, Norman, was a powerful trainer, so the boy was well-versed in the hierarchy of Pokémon strength.
"I think the frog is going to win," Sapphire insisted, puffing out her cheeks and showing her little fangs in defiance.
"Haha, we'll see. My dad is nearby; if the Frogadier loses, he'll step in to drive the dragon away," Ruby muttered.
Feng Che observed the Salamence's crimson, bloodshot eyes. He knew the psychic backlash from the Solosis array at the Sky Tower had driven the beast into a state of Confusion. In its madness, it would destroy anything in its path.
[Frogadier: A powerful opponent. I can feel it—if I defeat this beast, my strength will transcend to the next level.]
Frogadier let out a confident smirk. Suddenly, Salamence unfurled its wings and soared into the sky. It circled once before performing a vertical dive, its claws glowing with the emerald energy of Dragon Claw.
The strike appeared to pierce Frogadier right through the chest. A triumphant grin spread across Salamence's face, but the smile died instantly as the "Frogadier" flickered and vanished into thin air.
"See! I told you he was amazing!" Sapphire cheered.
"I underestimated him... his speed is incredible," Ruby stammered, his pupils shrinking in shock. "If it were a Blaziken with the Speed Boost ability, I wouldn't be surprised, but for a Frogadier to leave an afterimage like that..."
Suddenly, pillars of water rained down from the sky as Frogadier launched its counterattack from high above. Salamence spread its wings to shield itself, but the "water" was accompanied by a freezing Icy Wind. The droplets crystallized into jagged ice spears, homing in on the dragon's vulnerable wing membranes.
Sensing a lethal threat, Salamence unleashed a Flamethrower, melting the ice mid-air. But Frogadier wasn't done. Its hands blurred as it began rotating a sphere of water energy, condensing it into a meter-wide Water Pulse that looked suspiciously like a Rasengan.
The orb flew toward Salamence. The dragon roared and charged the sphere head-on, unaware that the orb was designed to implode. Upon contact, the pulse detonated into a massive Whirlpool, trapping the dragon in a crushing watery vortex. The Salamence spun helplessly, disoriented and battered.
"This Frogadier is unbelievable," Ruby marveled. "What kind of trainer could possibly raise a Pokémon this strong?"
The dizzy Salamence finally beat its wings with enough force to break free from the vortex. Just as the humiliated dragon prepared a desperate final assault, a melodious flute solo echoed from the distance.
The crimson haze in Salamence's eyes cleared, replaced by sanity. It glared at Frogadier, letting out a low growl that seemed to say, "Next time," before taking flight and disappearing into the horizon.
Feng Che immediately recalled Frogadier and slipped away into the shadows.
A moment later, a man with short black hair and a sharp gaze ran toward the children, followed by a massive Slaking. It was Norman. He had been at the League for his Gym Leader certification exam when he realized the children had wandered off.
"Ruby, Sapphire! Are you alright?" Norman exhaled a breath of relief. "If Sapphire had been hurt, I wouldn't have known how to face Professor Birch."
Ruby rolled his eyes at his father's words. "Typical. Not even checking on his own son first," he muttered, though his mind remained on the battle. I have to admit... that Frogadier was incredibly cool. Its moves were like nothing I've ever seen.
"Uncle Norman! I want to be a great trainer too!" Sapphire said in her high-pitched, childish voice. "That Frogadier was amazing! It's a shame we don't have those in Hoenn."
"Haha, well, Blaziken is very strong too," Norman laughed, patting her head. "When you're older, your dad can give you a Torchic to raise."
In the distance, Zinnia watched the children from a hidden vantage point before recalling her Salamence.
"Rayquaza has broken free," she whispered, pulling her cape tighter. "But my sister is still missing. I need to get back to Meteor Falls. If news of Shiori's disappearance spreads, the internal factions of the Draconids will start moving."
She released a red Pokémon—a Latias—and vanished in a flash of light.
Goldenrod City Safehouse
Feng Che returned to the residence as evening approached. Shiori was awake.
"I can feel it... the Lord of the Sky is free," Shiori said, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Feng Che. You saved my life and helped our Lord. You will always be a friend to the Draconids."
"It was the right thing to do," Feng Che replied with a modest smile.
Shiori reached into her anklet and pulled out a pale green gem that resembled a dragon scale. A faint, rhythmic draconic hum resonated from it. "This is Essence Blood gifted to me by the Lord of the Sky. If you have a Flying-type, this can help it reach its ultimate potential."
"To be honest, I came to the tower looking for a relic to help my team evolve, but I didn't find much," Feng Che admitted.
"The relics at the tower have lost most of their divinity over a thousand years," Shiori explained. "They can barely support a single evolution now. If you are looking for the perfect places for your team, I have two suggestions."
"For your Torracat, the best place is the heart of Mt. Chimney in Hoenn—Groudon's former lair. For your Frogadier, it would be the Submerged Palace near Sootopolis City, where Kyogre once slept."
"The Draconids are descendants of the ancient people of the Embedded Tower. After a great upheaval, our people split into the Draconids, the People of the Earth, and the People of the Sea. We worshipped Rayquaza, Groudon, and Kyogre respectively. The Sea People's lineage vanished when they summoned the 'Sea Monster.' The Earth People are scattered—some say they are in Unova. But we have endured."
Shiori looked at Feng Che earnestly. "Go to Hoenn. That is where your Pokémon will find their true strength."