Such an intense battle... the Embedded Tower has been decimated. This must have caused quite a stir. There should be news online, Feng Che thought. He pulled his laptop from his storage ring, inputting strings of code to bypass firewalls and scrape data.
The League had blockaded the tower half a month ago. Reports from a day ago mentioned a draconic roar and a massive green dragon descending upon the ruins, followed by localized explosions. Feng Che found a blurry, candid photo: a green dragon trapped in a high-tech cage, looking near death, being airlifted by helicopters.
That's Rayquaza! They actually took it down? Feng Che was stunned. The League kept this operation incredibly quiet. But if Rayquaza fought here, there must be scales or blood left behind. They were likely in such a rush to avoid Team Rocket that they didn't finish cleaning the site.
"Come out, Ditto! Transform into a Golbat and scan for Dragon-type signatures nearby."
Ditto rippled and took flight. Minutes later, it returned with urgent thoughts. [Ditto: I found a human trainer! She's covered in blood, it's terrifying!]
The Cave Near the Tower
Feng Che followed Ditto to a hidden crevice where he found a girl in exotic, tribal attire. She was covered in dried blood and burning with a high fever.
"She's lost a dangerous amount of blood, but there's a mysterious energy protecting her heart," Feng Che noted. Using his telekinesis, he lifted her gently. Three palm-sized scales—Red, Blue, and Cyan—fell from her robes.
These are relics! Who is this girl to Rayquaza? He didn't have time to ponder. Saving her was the priority. "Go, Venusaur, use Grassy Terrain!"
He fed her concentrated Dragon Blood Fruit juice and the special Bubble Fruit energy blocks he'd made at Alakazam's.
Suddenly, the flap of wings echoed. A flock of Murkrow gathered, staring hungrily at the injured girl. "Zeraora, Thunderbolt!" The electric discharge turned the scavengers into charred remains instantly.
Soon after, heavy footsteps approached. "Search everywhere! President Goodshow wants that dragon trainer found! We must retrieve the control relic she's holding!" a commander barked.
They're here already. Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant to scrub the bloodstains from the ground. Vines scrubbed the stone and pulled the scent underground, replaced by fresh grass.
Teleporting with an extra person is a strain without a fixed anchor. I really need to catch a dedicated Psychic-type, Feng Che mused. But staying here is a death sentence. Let's jump.
The Underground Grotto
Feng Che and the girl materialized in a cavern filled with jagged stalactites. "She's stable for now thanks to the Dragon Blood Fruit," he muttered. "Venusaur, keep the terrain active."
As the girl lay in the sea of flowers, her wounds began to knit. Feng Che looked at the Poké Balls she was clutching. The locks had been forcibly jammed. He used his psychic power to override the mechanisms.
In a flash of light, a Salamence, Goodra, Noivern, Altaria, and Dragonite appeared. Every single one was severely injured, but their power levels were undeniably at the Elite Four tier.
[Salamence: If it weren't for this boy, Shiori would have fallen here.][Salamence: If she dies, the Draconids will fall into chaos... we would be torn apart by internal strife and external enemies.]
Shiori? Draconids? Feng Che's heart skipped a beat. I know who she is. This is Shiori, the High Priestess of the Draconids and Zinnia's elder sister.
He recalled the lore. In the games, Zinnia sought revenge for her sister. The Devon Corp, Greater Mauville, and the Kanto League had conspired to capture Rayquaza at the Embedded Tower.
The Draconids were one of Hoenn's strongest factions, occupying the mysterious Meteor Falls and guarding rare meteorite ores. Because they refused to let outsiders in, a coalition of Devon, Mauville, Team Magma, and Team Aqua once tried to invade. It was a war with no winners, ending in a bloody stalemate.
If the League controls Rayquaza, they'll wipe out Team Rocket—and me along with them. I can't let that happen.
"We need to heal her Pokémon first. These are all Dragon-types; the Dragon Blood blocks will work wonders. Venusaur, keep the healing pulse steady." He began treating the legendary team.