Alex and Sable introduced themselves to Zinnia and the tribesmen. With Zinnia's endorsement, the tribesmen relaxed around them. Her influence within the tribe was absolute, given her achievements and history with Rayquaza.
After the pleasantries, Zinnia and the tribesmen continued with fixing up the cavern. The atmosphere was tense when Alex started shouting earlier, escalating to panic as they felt the energy building from the Bomb. Now that the tension was released, they were more than happy to be cordial.
"Hey, so, that was a bluff, right?" Sable asked. "You weren't really going to blow all of us up, right?"
"I was," Alex replied simply.
Sable recalled that the timer had been left at 5 seconds. The realization of how close she had come to dying made her pale.
"Why?" was all she could manage to ask.
"The plan was to scare them off, deactivate the bomb, then teleport out before they came back. I didn't think they'd actually stick around and try to barter with me," Alex replied with a shrug.
He wasn't suicidal, far from it. He had plenty to live for. He had a daughter, a wife, women, his Pokémon, a thriving business, unlimited violence, and the future. He was basically set for life as far as he was concerned, so he definitely wasn't planning on getting himself killed. That didn't mean he wouldn't follow through if he was backed into a corner, but he wasn't about to run headlong into it either.
The device, called the Ballistic Overcharged Modular Burst (B.O.M.B.), was a weapon Alex had Rhea assemble from salvaged grenade crystals he had never needed. It worked by overloading energy into the crystals that functioned as modular conduits, triggering a cascading effect that would detonate all the stored Infinity Energy in a single devastating burst.
The hexagonal patterns acted as ballistics that were charged with Feint and Phantom Force, ensuring that any Protect that shielded against it broke before the victim was consumed by a wave of energy not unlike a nuclear explosion.
Alex had salvaged tens of thousands of grenades to date but never had a specific use for them. Their best use was to clear rooms, but the same could be achieved through a wide-range Pokémon move. It was also good for terrain effects, but with the addition of Weezing's Neutralizing Gas, it was useless as well. So he decided to combine all the crystals and somehow create an explosion out of them.
It was quite successful, but it came with the problem of needing to overcharge first, which took 60 seconds to detonate. It wasn't good for anything other than destroying bases, since any trainer would be able to detect the device activating from miles away. So Alex figured it would work best against those of a higher rank than him who were a bit too arrogant.
Vera was appalled when she found out about it, but Alex promised her it was a good thing since it could guarantee his life against willful opponents. That was until she pointed out that it wouldn't work against someone who was equally uncaring about the consequences.
Once they finished cleaning up the cavern, Zinnia mounted Salamence before inviting them to follow.
Alex released Hydreigon while Sable released Flygon, then mounted up and followed her lead. The trainers trailed behind, making sure their guests didn't get lost through the twisting passages.
The group moved through corridors where direction no longer seemed to matter. Some plunged deep into the earth, while others opened upside down from the ceiling. The constant shifts made the journey feel like a relentless rollercoaster.
At last, the tunnels opened to the outside, revealing a caldera hidden inside the mountain ranges of Meteor Falls. A lake lay at its center, reflecting the cliffs that rose sharply around it. The Draconid tribe lived around the water in large stone homes, built sturdily and spaced to leave room for paths and small gardens. Smoke drifted lazily from chimneys, carrying the faint smell of cooking into the crisp air.
Caves had been dug into the cliff sides, forming recesses where dragons nested. Some circled lazily in the air before disappearing into the rock, while others perched on ledges, scales catching the sunlight in muted flashes.
The people moved with purpose, wearing traditional clothing that blended function with modest decoration. They wore layered fabrics, sashes, belts, and small trinkets that hinted at status or achievement. They tended gardens, repaired homes, and guided Pokémon along the uneven terrain, all with a practiced ease born of familiarity with their environment.
The caldera had a sense of containment, a natural sanctuary that kept the tribe and their dragons removed from the outside world.
"Welcome to the Dragon Sanctuary," Zinnia announced once they landed. "This has been our home for thousands of years ever since we dedicated ourselves to serving Rayquaza."
Alex noted the very high number of Dragon type Pokémon walking around freely. They were either playing, eating, sleeping, or fighting constantly. There was chaos everywhere he looked for one reason or another. It seemed dragons were generally quite rambunctious.
"How do you keep up with all these dragons running around?" Sable asked.
"We just let them do as they please until one of them faints and we go over to heal them. It isn't much trouble really, since our Pokémon keep them from being rough near the houses or the gardens," Zinnia explained. "Come on, we'll take you to a guest house before we have dinner."
As they walked, Alex scanned the area, noting the rarities of the sanctuary. In the distance, crystal mines stretched across the cliffs, largely left unattended. Trainers sat in quiet meditation with Dragon type energy visibly swirling around them. Some of the rarest and most valuable dragons wandered freely, their presence accepted rather than controlled. The place was a goldmine, full of untapped riches, knowledge, and raw power.
There was no regional restriction on the types of dragons either. Kingdra and Dragalge played in the lake. Flygon, Garchomp, and Tyrantrum dug burrows underground. Dragonite, Salamence, and Altaria soared in the skies. Hydreigon and Noivern rested in their cliffside caves. Dragapult haunted the cemetery off in the distance. Flapple and Appletun enjoyed apples in the gardens. Haxorus, Druddigon, Goodra, Kommo-o, Turtonator, Drampa, and Duraludon were all wandering the caldera. To Alex's shock, there was even a pair of Latios and Latias playing with the children.
"How do you have all the region's dragons when you don't even leave your caves?" Alex asked, his tone more rude than intended.
"We do leave our caves," Zinnia defended. "We just don't tell everyone where we're from. We're educated, you know. We travel the world in search of myths and legends about dragons. Often we come across a pair we've never seen before and bring them back. They mate, lay eggs, and over time help populate the sanctuary."
"What about those Legendary Pokémon?" Alex asked, motioning toward Latios and Latias.
"They don't usually stay long," she said. "They like coming here for days at a time, usually to play with the children, then zoooom, off they go to travel the world."
"Has anyone ever tried to catch them?" Sable asked.
"We don't catch Dragon type Pokémon," Zinnia replied. "We coerce them with our energy and bond with them, but we never capture them. We use Poké Balls, of course, but we don't force them into it or ever lock them inside. As for those two, no one has ever tried to catch them, but everyone has tried at least once to coax them with their energy. Even I've tried without much luck."
Alex nodded as if everything were normal. He understood that their way of life was deeply traditional. They were not like the people outside the sanctuary, driven by greed. They had the resources they needed, the power to defend themselves, and a clear purpose to keep them going. They wanted nothing else from the world except to be ready for it.
As for their tradition of never catching Dragon type Pokémon, it was likely because all the dragons in their sanctuary were already peaceful toward the tribe. There was no need to capture what was already cooperative.
Once outside the sanctuary, however, the situation would be different. The tribe might attempt to capture other Pokémon, but dragons would probably be easier to coax because of their training and their natural affinity for Dragon type energy.
They continued their tour under the watchful eyes of both the tribespeople and the dragons. Everyone observed with wary expressions. Among the humans, only the children showed curiosity, likely because they had never left the tribe before.
The dragons, meanwhile, seemed to be assessing potential threats, though there was also a different interaction. The Ground type dragons, like Flygon and Garchomp, regarded Sable with obvious interest. Alex, on the other hand, drew the attention of the Hydreigons, who inspected him carefully from a distance.
They all backed off, however, once Sable's Garchomp and Flygon and Alex's Hydreigon, Kommo-o, and Altaria exited their Poké Balls. It seemed there was a bit of competition between those who were curious and those who were already bonded.
"You're both quite impressive dragon trainers," Zinnia complimented. "Your Garchomp is very powerful, while your Flygon is graceful, Sable."
"Thanks. They're my little helpers."
"As for you, Alex, I can tell your Kommo-o is strongly bonded with you. There's a camaraderie there that is very powerful. It's almost like it idolizes you."
"He's my personal sparring partner," Alex replied.
"Your Altaria is quite graceful as well, though a bit shy. As for your Hydreigon, she's very attached to you, far more than normal bonds. I don't think I've ever seen a more attached Hydreigon."
"She said I smelled nice the first time we met," Alex replied.
"Well, you both passed the test. Would either of you like to go through the adulthood ceremony?"
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