Chapter 348: The End of Hoenn Arc
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Days Later, Littleroot Town]
Azure Sky, the two-time Indigo League victor, had always preferred the silence after the storm. In Hoenn, that silence was still patchy, punctuated by the sounds of hammers and the cries of migrating Pokémon that seemed hopelessly lost.
The vast, sapphire sea stretched out before the port of Littleroot Town, deceptively calm. Sapphire, the Hoenn Dex Holder known as the Conqueror, took a deep breath, the salt spray a familiar sting on her face.
Beside her, Chic, her loyal Blaziken, offered a quiet rumble, while Kirly, the graceful Gallade, stood sentinel. They had just returned from a four-week observation journey, charting the bizarre geographical and biological shifts resulting from the awakening of Groudon and Kyogre.
The regional ecosystem was in flux. New, aggressive species were establishing footholds, while native flora and fauna struggled to adapt to the altered climate zones.
Professor Birch, her father, was frantic with data collection, but for Sapphire, the trip had been a necessary respite, a chance to focus solely on field work and, crucially, time with Ruby. Her new boyfriend.
*Click*
She opened her battered Badge Case. Eight shimmering Gym Badges—Hoenn's full set—gleamed under the late afternoon sun.
Her fingers traced the rough edges of the final badge, the Rain Badge. Her victory felt less like an absolute conquest and more like a stepping stone leading to a single, imposing figure: her Master, Azure.
A shadow fell over her, cutting the sunlight, followed by a boyish voice, "You look bummed, Sapphire. Everything alright?"
Ruby, the Charmer, stood beside her, his characteristic grace slightly ruffled by their recent boat ride. Perched on his shoulder was a newly caught Zorua, its dark fur shifting momentarily, testing out small, mischievous illusions.
Sapphire closed the case with a snap and turned, offering a quick, genuine smile as she replied casually to him, "Just reminiscing about my promise to Master, Ruby. Nothing depressing, I swear."
She nudged Kirly gently before turning serious, asking bluntly, "What about you? Did the court drama finally wrap up? I heard things got loud in Slateport."
Ruby's smile vanished, replaced by a deep scowl that aged his boyish features instantly. He stroked the Zorua, calming the uneasy Pokémon, uttering, "Wrapped up, yeah. And loud doesn't even begin to cover it. Being called as a witness for the prosecution in the Hoenn Region vs. Mr. Stone and the Hoenn Association Chairman… it was surreal."
He clenched his fists. His expression saddened as he growled, "That Chairman better watch his back if we ever meet again. I knew he was slimy, but listening to the details… At least I finally got confirmation on the scope of their cover-up. Now I know exactly why my Father never came home for five years after my stupid mistake."
Sapphire nodded, her expression hardening in sympathy and shared fury. The verdict had been swift and brutal.
The revelation of the 'Rayquaza Capture Project,' the reckless endangering of the region, and the deep-seated political corruption had galvanized the Hoenn population. The people, after suffering through the devastation wrought by the titans, had demanded justice.
The Chairman and his cohorts had received their just deserts, stripped of their power and facing heavy sentences. Mr. Stone, however, received a strange blend of public scorn and sympathy.
His contributions to Hoenn's technological recovery were undeniable, and Steven Stone had worked tirelessly to secure his father's bail, arguing the corporate negligence stemmed from desperation, not malice. Both Ruby and Sapphire found it impossible to harbor absolute hatred for the man whose son had literally saved their lives, alongside Azure, during the peak of the crisis.
But the Chairman? That was a different story.
For Sapphire, he was a viper who poisoned her home region. For Ruby, he was the architect of his family's separation.
Sapphire muttered absently, watching a distant Wingull circle, "The only real shame is that the House of Berlitz managed to slink away."
Ruby sighed, shaking his head helplessly as he added bitterly, venting, "The political game is filthy. They abandoned the sinking ship, paid off every witness they could, and testified against Stone and the Chairman, claiming ignorance of how the Rayquaza research was acquired. Money and influence talk, even here."
He shook off the political weight, returning to the far more important topic. He grinned playfully, asking, "Enough about bad men. Back to the good ones. You mentioned your promise. Are you finally ready, Sapphire? Ready to challenge Azure now that you've conquered Hoenn?"
Sapphire's gaze softened, fixed again on the limitless horizon. To Ruby's complete surprise, she slowly shook her head, replying, "No, Ruby. Not yet."
Ruby's eyes widened, a flicker of shock crossing his face as he exclaimed, baffled, "What? But you've got the badges! You've pushed Chic and Kirly further than anyone else! You're the Conqueror!"
But she countered simply, a fierce resolution settling in her eyes, "And Azure is the Master. I beat the best of Hoenn's Gym Leaders. But Azure wasn't just the best of Kanto and Johto; he beat them twice, and then he won the open Hoenn League—and only chose not to take the Champion mantle with a new team from scratch."
She pointed to the sea as she continued explaining fondly, "He's operating on an entirely different level. If I challenged him now, I'd be bringing a knife to a Hyper Beam fight. I need to be Champion Level, Ruby. I need the experience of battling trainers who are constantly pushing the absolute limit."
The realization hit Ruby like a stray Thunderbolt. He murmured, grasping the scale of her ambition, "You're talking about the Elite Four! And Steven."
Sapphire shared a toothy, energized grin as she explained excitedly, "Exactly. The Ever Grande Tournament news just dropped—they've fast-tracked the reconstruction, it's restarting in 10, maybe 8 months. That's my window to enter, win the bracket, and earn my chance to battle the League leadership."
Her eyes sparkled with the thrill of the chase. But she said playfully, "But until then, I need to level up. I need new rivals, new environments, and new Pokémon to understand. I heard Johto is quite nice this time of year. Shame I don't happen to have a handsome, knowledgeable guide who once lived there to show me the ropes."
Ruby's chest swelled a little at the compliment given to him. The last remnants of court frustration evaporated. This was the Sapphire he loved—pragmatic, ambitious, and utterly focused on self-improvement.
Ruby said cheekily, adopting a casual, suave posture that the Zorua mimicked instantly, "If you insist… I suppose I can tolerate showing you my home region. The history, the culture, the sheer variety of contest-worthy Pokémon… and the best berry tarts in Goldenrod. Consider it a date, Saph."
Sapphire blushed, turning away slightly to hide the heat in her cheeks, but the smile that lingered was wide and genuine as she said excitedly, "A date it is, Charmer."
Ruby turned to gather their gear, calling out to her over his shoulder, "I'll tell Dad we're heading out tonight! We can take the ferry from Slateport to Olivine in the morning! You won't be disappointed!"
Sapphire nodded, almost following him, but the salty breeze caught her attention. She paused, looking back out at the vast sea that stretched toward the distant shores of Hoenn…
*Woooosh*
She muttered to the wind, her voice a low vow, "Master… One day, I will stand before you, and you will not have to hold back. I promise."
With her plan settled and her resolve fortified, Sapphire turned her back on Hoenn, ready for the next phase of her conquest. She grinned as a new chapter of her life was just beginning.
/////
[Kanto Region, Meanwhile, Pallet Town – Oak's Lab]
Far away, in the idyllic quiet of Pallet Town, Kanto, life was moving at a blessedly slower pace. While Hoenn struggled through political upheaval and ecological recovery, Azure was enjoying a short, much-needed sabbatical.
He had politely declined the Kanto League and Association's repeated attempts to lure him back into his Champion duties, opting instead for a secluded hut on the outskirts of Professor Oak's Lab.
For the past few days, his chief occupation was assisting Professor Oak with a particularly unusual project: creating specialized, stable habitats for the three Hoenn Regi Trio—Regirock, Registeel, and Regice—which Azure had temporarily brought back with him for study and sanctuary.
The venerable professor was ecstatic, excitedly documenting every movement of the ancient golems. Azure knelt near a newly constructed rock fountain, emptying a bag of nutrient-rich Pokémon feed into a trough.
His partners were close by. Pikachu, currently napping on Azure's shoulder, twitched an ear while Eevee diligently supervised the feeding, ensuring none of the smaller Pidgey or Rattata got too greedy.
Azure murmured, scratching Pikachu's cheek, "Easy there, buddy. You've earned the rest, haven't you?"
He had won the entire Hoenn League, a grueling, month-long endeavor, but the battle that followed—the confrontation with the legendary titans and the subsequent League Battles—had left him mentally and emotionally drained. Compared to that, feeding a hundred Pokémon was sheer bliss.
A soft voice broke the tranquility, "Azure? Someone just arrived for you."
Daisy Oak, Professor Oak's granddaughter and the picture of serene domesticity, approached the enclosure with a knowing look. Azure sighed, instantly anticipating the inevitable as he muttered, "Let me guess. A challenger who thinks holding two championships means I'm obligated to battle them? Did they bring a camera crew again? If they did, I swear I'm having Arcanine sick on them!!"
He straightened his clothing, preparing the standard response for overzealous trainers as he said offhandedly, "Tell them I'm in a deep meditative state focusing on the ancient bond between man and—wait."
Azure walked toward the main lab entrance, his usual composed demeanor cracking entirely. He froze, his footsteps halting on the grassy path.
Standing on the immaculate lawn, framed by the white picket fence and a blossoming cherry tree, was Zinnia. The fierce, unpredictable Draconid was the last person Azure had expected to see.
Their previous interactions had been fraught with global peril, philosophical disagreement, and spectacular Dragon-type attacks. She was an enemy, a rival, and a complicated element of the Hoenn crisis he thought he had left behind.
Azure's hand instinctively drifted toward the Poké Balls at his hip. Pikachu, sensing the sudden spike in tension, woke instantly and let out a quick, warning spark.
Azure said calmly, his voice level, but his posture radiating guarded preparedness, "Zinnia. What are you doing here? Did you bring trouble with you this time, or are you leveling the lab the old-fashioned way?"
Zinnia stood still for a long moment, not meeting his eyes. She wore her usual outfit—the rough, tribal fabric and the large, red scarf—but her usual aggressive confidence was strangely absent. Then, in a move that completely blindsided Azure, she dropped. She fell to one knee, a gesture of absolute, profound submission.
Her head bowed, her wild black hair obscuring her face. In her hands, she held a shimmering, pale Dragon-type Pokémon egg, cradled carefully in a small, woven basket, alongside it a Mega Stone.
Her voice was low, resonating with a strange mix of formality and deep, agonizing shame, "Azure Sky – no. New Lorekeeper of our generation… I come to you bearing this penance gift, a life for a future I nearly destroyed."
She lifted the egg and Mega Stone slightly, offering it to him. He raised an eyebrow as she continued, "I recognize the depth of the transgression I committed against the continuity of your world, and the arrogance I displayed in my single-minded pursuit of the Dragon Lord. The debt cannot be repaid in battle."
Her shoulders trembled slightly as she continued, reciting the pledge in a rhythmic, ancient cadence as she solemnly declared, "Therefore, I, Zinnia, the last of the Lorekeepers, offer you a Dragon Type and Mega Stone for it. These are gifts from my Meteor Village, hoping to make amends…"
Azure stared. His jaw hung slack.
Pikachu tumbled off his shoulder in surprise. Eevee let out a distressed peep and began sniffing the Dragon Egg cautiously, "Bui? (What the fuck…)"
His brain short-circuited entirely as he thought clearly baffled, 'Amends? Gifts? What in the name of the Creation Trio is she talking about?'
Daisy Oak, who had been listening from a safe distance, clapped her hands together joyfully. She beamed, interpreting the kneeling, the gift, and the dramatic monologue through the lens of a romantic Kanto courtship ritual.
Daisy giggled delightedly, very happy for him, exclaimed, "Oh, Azure! She's proposing! And she brought a precious gift! That's so romantic!"
Azure finally found his voice, sputtering defensively, waving his hands wildly, "No! Daisy, wait! It's not a proposal! We're enemies! This is a punishment thing! A cultural misunderstanding! I think…"
Daisy merely waved a dismissive hand, her smile fixed and dreamy, declared, "Nonsense, dear. Every time you bring home a new partner Pokémon, Oak's Lab gets chaotic. I'm just grateful you found a partner for yourself. Try not to embarrass yourself. It's very traditional, I'm sure."
With a final, knowing wink, Daisy retreated into the lab, leaving the two alone. Azure let out a long, tortured groan.
He looked from the kneeling, pledged Zinnia, to the gift, and finally to the disappearing back of Daisy, who clearly thought he was about to get married. Azure whispered, running a hand through his hair, "Oh, Arceus give me – "
Azure paused as he shook his head, thinking, 'Right… I might fight him sooner than expected. Never mind then…'
He looked down at the fierce, penitent Zinnia. But then his eyes to the Dragon Egg and Mega Stone, using his [Observe] to see the two with genuine shock.
[Pokémon Egg (Skrelp (M))]
[Item: Dragalgite
Rarity Item: S
Type: Held Item
Description: It is an item to be held by a Dragalge. This item helps the Dragalge species to Mega Evolve with the assistance of a Trainer holding the Key Stone.]
Azure blinked, genuinely surprised, holding the gifts. With her job done, Zinnia uttered, turning around to leave, "With this, my objective is complete. I apologize for the trouble I've sent you through… hopefully this will begin my path towards redemption…"
Without explaining anymore, she left. Azure blinked along with his partners, confused by the turn of events, before shrugging it off, uttering, "Meh. I've had plenty of weird days before. This ain't nothing new, at least it's not the –"
*CLICK*
Hearing the news of TV reporters nearby and other social media influencers, Azure's face twitched. He then uttered, "Pikachu. Eevee. Unleash the hounds!"
Both cried happily as they called out excitedly, "Pika! Bui! (Hurray! Time to unleash the hounds of war!)"
Soon enough, both Azure's Houndoom, Manectric, Absol, and Arcanine arrived, scaring off the crowd. Otherwise, another casual day at Pallet Town.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!