The Hoenn region could truly be described as a land plagued by misfortune. First there were the insane schemes of Team Aqua and Team Magma—releasing Groudon and Kyogre into the world.
The region was thrown into chaos, half of it scorched beneath blazing sunlight, the other half drowned under torrential rains. Panic spread everywhere. And just when things were finally settled—when Rayquaza descended and forcefully "persuaded" Groudon and Kyogre to leave—the next disaster came in the form of a falling meteorite.
What made matters worse was the limitation of technology in the Pokémon world. Even if they could observe the meteorite, they had no effective means to deal with it.
The eventual solution, as everyone knew, was for the protagonist of the game to gain Rayquaza's approval, ride upon its back, undergo Mega Evolution, and shatter the meteorite to save the region. Edward remembered that segment of the story vividly.
What impressed him most was not just the spectacle, but the emotional detail in the Delta Episode. If you played as the male protagonist, there was even a faint romantic subplot tied into the meteorite-shattering sequence. Of course, it was only a short cutscene without any follow-up, but at that time, to a younger Edward, it left a deeply profound impression.
But now was the New Year's Eve. Clearly, it wasn't the right moment to talk about meteorites and disasters, so Edward said nothing.
Instead, he smiled brightly and joined his father and older brother to celebrate. In the middle of their gathering, Joseph casually mentioned Steven's love life. After all, in Joseph's eyes, Steven had already achieved great success—he had reached the very pinnacle of trainers.
Surely it was about time to think about marriage.
Steven could only wear a helpless expression. He nodded obediently and promised that he would consider it in the future, though the reluctant look in his eyes said otherwise. At one point, he even shot Edward a resentful glance, as though to say Why aren't you the one getting pressured like this?
Edward nearly laughed aloud. Unlike his brother, he had Shizuka. He had already told Joseph about their relationship, so their father wasn't worried about his marriage at all.
That said, Edward himself was too busy building his career to be thinking of marriage just yet. He wanted to spend more time with Shizuka, and he would eventually need to visit her parents in the future.
For now, though, he was content to sit back and watch his brother squirm under their father's nagging.
When the lively night finally passed, Edward welcomed the dawn of a new year. Lying in bed, he patiently replied to the flood of New Year greetings on his phone. There were far too many. For acquaintances he wasn't close with, a simple "Happy New Year" reply was enough. But for closer friends, he crafted longer, more thoughtful responses.
Once he finished, Edward yawned, then pulled out his laptop and began searching.
Resolving the meteorite crisis Hoenn was facing was no simple matter. Rayquaza and Mega Evolution were both indispensable. The greatest hurdle was obtaining Rayquaza's recognition. On top of that, one also needed a special meteorite that would allow Rayquaza to Mega Evolve. The second problem might be solved through alternative methods, but the first was unavoidable.
"Grandpa Robert, I need your help with something," Edward said.
The old butler was in the kitchen preparing hot tea for them. Hearing Edward, he quickly wiped his hands and turned toward him with full attention.
"Grandpa Robert, starting today, please help me purchase any meteorites that have fallen in Hoenn, and even meteorites from other regions. Let's start by buying about one hundred million worth." Edward handed over his bank card.
He had no idea where the specific meteorite found by the game's protagonist was located, but he had what the internet jokingly called "cash power." He could buy his way forward. Rayquaza was known to feed on meteorites, after all. Even if most of the stones they collected turned out to be useless for Mega Evolution, feeding them to Rayquaza wouldn't be a waste.
"Understood, Young Master Edward," Robert replied immediately. To him, it was a simple matter. He had already done countless errands like this for Joseph and Steven. Whether it was rare materials, stones, or research equipment, he had managed it all. Meteorites were hardly an exception.
Edward let out a breath of relief. Spending one hundred million should be enough to gather nearly all the meteorites scattered across Hoenn. As for identifying them, that wasn't an issue. Devon Corporation had a specialized machine for stone analysis—originally created by his father for his own hobby, but later often used by Steven. Now, Edward was simply continuing the family tradition.
"That leaves only one question—finding the Sky Pillar." Edward stood up. Meteorites were no longer a big concern. If one hundred million wasn't enough, he would spend two hundred million. Money was just numbers to him. As long as it could solve the crisis, anything was worth it.
The real issue was the Sky Pillar's location.
From memory, Edward recalled that in the game, it was situated above a coastal town to the right of Littleroot Town. He checked his notes and soon spotted a familiar name on the map—Pacifidlog Town.
"So it should be here." Edward studied the map carefully. Pacifidlog was a unique place, a town built entirely on the sea, resting atop a network of rafts. To reach it, one could either fly on a Pokémon or take a ship. There were also water planes available, but they were far less cost-effective than simply riding a flying Pokémon.
Edward wasn't worried about transportation. What mattered was searching for the Sky Pillar near Pacifidlog. In the game, surfing across the ocean would bring you to it. But reality was different. Hoenn was vast, and its ocean even vaster. Finding the Sky Pillar would not be so easy.
And there was another problem.
The Sky Pillar was supposed to be tall, towering enough to pierce the sky. It should be visible from afar. With so many people passing through Pacifidlog, surely someone would have noticed it. Yet Edward hadn't seen a single mention of it online.
"Wait… maybe Father knows." A memory stirred. His father, in his youth, had once assisted the League in capturing Rayquaza. If anyone knew about the Sky Pillar, it would be him.
With that thought, Edward went to the study, where he found Joseph fiddling with a collection of stones.
"Dad, I want to ask you something," Edward said.
Joseph looked up with a smile, amused. "What is it?"
"Do you know about the Sky Pillar?" Edward asked directly.
The gentle smile on Joseph's face froze instantly. His expression turned serious, eyes narrowing with a trace of doubt. Slowly, he stood. Of course, he knew the Sky Pillar.
Back then, when the League wanted to capture Rayquaza to strengthen their space project, they had partnered with him. Though Devon was already a large company at the time, it still had competitors, such as Macro Cosmos. To secure Devon's growth, Joseph had agreed to cooperate with the League.
But what followed left a scar on his heart that would never fade. Many lives were lost in the battle at the Sky Pillar, and the place was partially destroyed. This guilt was part of why Joseph always felt a pang of remorse when facing Zinnia.
"Why are you asking? Did you already find out?" Joseph asked solemnly. He recalled meeting with Zinnia recently. She had told him about the meteorite crisis and said she had wanted to speak with Edward about it. But Edward hadn't shown up, so she spoke to Joseph instead.
"Yes. The meteorite crisis. And if we want to resolve it, we'll need Rayquaza's help," Edward said firmly.
Joseph sighed deeply and sank into the sofa. "Easier said than done. Solving this is close to impossible."
According to the reports from Mossdeep City, there was no way to stop the meteorite with their current technology. Their only chance was to try something after it entered the atmosphere, but even then, success wasn't guaranteed. That was why Joseph had been quietly troubled during New Year's Eve, though he hadn't wanted to ruin the family's mood.
Now, seeing his son determined to help, Joseph didn't know what to say.
"Dad, then where is the Sky Pillar?" Edward pressed. To gain Rayquaza's recognition, he first needed to find Rayquaza. And the Sky Pillar was the only confirmed location tied to it.
"Back then, I went with the League to capture Rayquaza at the Sky Pillar. The battle destroyed much of it, and many people died. Since then, the League has taken control of the place. Ordinary people can't enter," Joseph explained.
So that was why no information existed online. The League was guarding it.
But Edward was no ordinary person. After explaining his situation to Officer Jenny, he received official permission to enter.
"Edward, be careful. The Sky Pillar may once have been Rayquaza's resting place, but after what happened, it has long since been abandoned," Joseph said, worry evident in his tone.
"I will," Edward promised.
On the first day of the new year, he rode on one of the League's flying Pokémon to the Sky Pillar. Though fast, the journey was long, and by the time he arrived, the sun was already setting, painting the horizon in gold.
"Mr. Edward, the Sky Pillar has fallen into disrepair. Wild Pokémon live inside. Please be cautious," Officer Jenny who escorted him warned.
Edward nodded and stepped into the Sky Pillar.
It was a massive tower, far larger and taller than he had imagined. According to Officer Jenny, this was already shortened by the battle years ago. In its prime, it had stretched so high it seemed to hold up the heavens themselves, hence the name.
Inside, Edward found nothing remarkable. The place had been stripped clean during League management. Only a few Pokémon wandered about, darting around happily. Most were timid, scampering away the moment they saw him. At least the floors weren't too broken—the place, though abandoned, was still navigable.
He climbed for what felt like hours, his body pushed harder than ever before. Thankfully, he had Q and the others to accompany him, keeping his spirits up. Finally, he reached the top, where bright light spilled down from above.
He emerged at the summit, where the structure had been sheared off. The sea breeze whipped at him as he stood upon the tower's peak. His stomach clenched.
It was dizzyingly high.
Even damaged, the Sky Pillar was still more than fifty meters tall. The view was breathtaking and terrifying. But disappointment clouded his heart—Rayquaza was nowhere to be seen.
"Could it be that Rayquaza can only be summoned through Zinnia's clan's ritual?" Edward wondered aloud. Unfortunately, Zinnia was still imprisoned by the League and unavailable.
"Kyu!" Q cried out sharply.
A sudden gale pressed down around them. Edward turned his head just in time to see, against the dimming sky, a long, emerald figure streaking toward him. His fingers clenched around Groudon's Poké Ball.
Rayquaza had come!
With a thunderous roar, it soared above him. Its serpentine body twisted gracefully through the air, gliding effortlessly without wings. Truly a wonder.
Rayquaza's gaze fixed on him, or more specifically, on the Poké Ball at his waist. Edward's pulse quickened. He wasn't sure if it could understand human speech, but he had to try.
He pulled out a bottle of Fear Juice. He had tasted it himself—it was delicious, the best juice he'd ever drunk. While it didn't increase effort values for him, it was still exquisite.
"Rayquaza, want a drink?" Edward twisted the cap open and offered it.
(End of Chapter)