When Leon and the others saw Steven suddenly faint, they were shocked. Leon quickly held Steven and saw that his face was very pale.
"Steven!"
Wallace's face changed immediately. He tried to run to Steven. But because his hands and feet were tied, he could not even stand up.
Caitlin watched Leon and the others arrive. She looked at her phone. Damian had already sent her a message.
Then, Caitlin told Alakazam to use its psychic powers to make Wallace float. She did not listen to his screams and moved him toward Nemona's Baxcalibur.
"Altaria!"
Nemona quickly told her Mega Altaria to fly over and catch Wallace.
"He's burning up!"
Leon touched Steven's forehead. He was surprised; Steven's forehead was very hot.
"We need to take him to a hospital right away," Giovanni said.
"Let's go to Lilycove City."
Cynthia looked across the way. Caitlin was smiling as she moved back toward Archie and Gladion. They had also received the news. Cynthia felt strange. She felt there was a very large gap between her and Caitlin now.
The Sky Pillar One thousand years ago, Rayquaza came down to stop the big battle between Groudon and Kyogre. It saved the Hoenn region again. Because of this, the Draconid people built the Sky Pillar. It was a place for Rayquaza to rest. The Sky Pillar was Rayquaza's home.
Today, this high tower had been closed for a long time. Now, it was open again.
Zinnia jumped down from her Mega Salamence. She walked slowly into the Sky Pillar. She went up floor by floor. The Sky Pillar was a thousand years old. It was very old and broken in many places.
Zinnia did not care. She walked up and looked at the history on the walls. Finally, she reached the top.
The top of the Sky Pillar was a large altar. Zinnia walked to the front and looked at the sky. It felt very close. Zinnia was not smiling now. She looked at the Whismur at her feet. This was her most important Pokémon. Its name was Aster.
"Stay here for a bit. Don't worry, I will definitely succeed."
Zinnia sat down and gently touched Whismur's head. Her voice was very kind. Whismur made a few worried sounds, but it was very good and slowly moved back.
"Next..."
Zinnia took many Key Stones out of her pocket and put them on the ground. Then, she stood up and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and began to pray.
She was the Lorekeeper of the Draconid people. She knew how to call Rayquaza. She wanted to do what her people did a thousand years ago. They prayed to a meteor to make Rayquaza come down. Now, the Lorekeeper began the prayer again.
This old ritual was full of mystery. It was like the traditional dances in Johto.
The prayer ended. Zinnia opened her eyes and raised her arms high.
"Rayquaza!!"
A green light fell from the sky. It hit the pile of Key Stones. A strong wind blew everywhere. Zinnia's cloak moved in the wind. Zinnia blocked her face with her arm, but she was very happy.
She saw it! Inside the green light, there was a huge shadow. Her prayer had worked!
The thick green light slowly went away. A Rayquaza stayed in the air. Its dragon eyes looked down at Zinnia.
"Rayquaza!!"
Zinnia looked at the Rayquaza with excitement. She had really done it! She had called Rayquaza. If she could make Rayquaza Mega Evolve, she would stop the crisis. This was Aster's final wish.
But Rayquaza did not look friendly. It looked at Zinnia with doubt. It came down because it heard the prayer, but it did not accept everyone.
Its father said: It belonged to the great Rayquaza family!
This was the child of the Black (Shiny) Rayquaza. This Rayquaza had called its "dad" for help in LaRousse City before.
Rayquaza looked at Zinnia's legs. That Mega Anklet reminded Rayquaza of something. It remembered a girl with the same anklet.
"What is your relationship with Aster?"
A telepathic voice rang in Zinnia's ears. Zinnia's face changed slightly.
"Aster... was my sister." The Lorekeeper spoke in a low voice. "She..."
Rayquaza was silent. It looked at the Mega Anklet. It did not know what to say. After Aster died, it wanted to get revenge for her.
But Rayquaza was not like Groudon or Kyogre. Rayquaza was proud, but it did not attack humans. A past battle had taught Rayquaza that humans had power. It did not want its parents to help because this was its own business. It had also been waiting for a new Lorekeeper.
"Aster has always been with me! I will definitely fulfill her final wish!" Zinnia gave a brave smile and spoke loudly. "I will also... avenge her!!"
Rayquaza heard the girl. It saw her strong belief. Rayquaza's eyes became softer.
Actually, it did not like Zinnia much at first. It saw that Zinnia's heart was not "pure." Zinnia wanted to destroy the meteor from the prophecy. Her will was strong. But her will was not because she was kind to the Hoenn region or the people and Pokémon there.
She did it because it was her job as the "Lorekeeper." She was the last hope of the Draconid people. Also, saving Hoenn was Aster's wish. That is why Zinnia wanted to finish it. Rayquaza was proud. It did not like people who lived only to finish someone else's life.
"Then come, Lorekeeper."
Rayquaza's message was deep. It liked Zinnia a little more now, but it was not enough. There was still one more test!
"Yes!"
Zinnia became serious. She looked up at Rayquaza. This was the most important part. She had to make Rayquaza Mega Evolve.
She believed she would succeed! She was using the Mega Anklet that Aster used. She had more Key Stones than Aster had! She had prepared for a long time. She could not fail!
Zinnia took a deep breath. The Mega Anklet and the Key Stones began to glow. A green light appeared on Rayquaza's body too.
Would it work? Zinnia looked at Rayquaza.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
The green light on Rayquaza flickered, but the light on the anklet and the stones went away. Zinnia's face became very white.
"Did it... fail?!!"
"How can this be..."
Zinnia looked at the pile of Key Stones. She did not believe it. She felt very afraid. How could it fail? It should not have failed!
Was there a problem with the Key Stones? She tried to move to check the stones, but her legs were weak. She fell on the ground.
Her knees hit the cold floor and began to bleed. But Zinnia did not feel the pain. Her hands were shaking as she held herself up.
"Wh... why..."
Her head hurt. It felt like needles were in her brain. Zinnia held her head. Her face showed her pain. She carried the history of her clan, Aster's death, and the meteor disaster. But she had failed.
Everything looked gray to her. The light in her eyes went away.
Rayquaza looked at Zinnia on the ground. It felt sorry for her. It did not know the move Dragon Ascent, so it needed help to Mega Evolve.
When a Pokémon works with a human, they need a strong bond. Using the same Mega Anklet and Key Stones, Aster could make Rayquaza Mega Evolve. This happened because Rayquaza accepted Aster. It accepted her feelings easily.
But it did not fully accept Zinnia yet. Even if it liked her more, it was not enough. This is why the Mega Evolution failed.
"Lorekeeper, pull yourself together. You are..."
Rayquaza felt sorry because she was Aster's sister. But it did not finish its message.
"Woo~"
A long cry came from far away.
That sound?!
Rayquaza's eyes became sharp. It looked toward the sound. A huge gold and blue Pokémon was flying toward them.
It was Primal Kyogre!
Rayquaza looked very serious. Why was Primal Kyogre here? Was it here to cause trouble? Should it call its dad right now?
Rayquaza was nervous. It could not Mega Evolve now, so it could not win against Primal Kyogre. Also, Primal Kyogre had beaten its father before!
Primal Kyogre flew over and landed above the Sky Pillar. It looked at the nervous Rayquaza with a cold gaze. Rayquaza felt even more tense.
But Primal Kyogre did not want to attack Rayquaza. It had just put a lot of water inside Groudon, so it was in a good mood. It saw Rayquaza's fear and felt even better.
This is the power of Kyogre! Could that lizard that cannot fly do this? The one that cannot fly was probably still spitting out water.
Primal Kyogre moved its tail. This was just a young Rayquaza. Kyogre had already beaten a Black Rayquaza, so it did not care about this one.
Primal Kyogre even wanted to say hello to this little Rayquaza.
'Oh~ isn't this Rayquaza? How's your dad doing lately?'
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