Aerodactyl flew through the sky like a shooting star, swiftly descending toward Meteor Falls.
By the time Aerodactyl carried Ace through the cave and arrived at Meteor Village, Ace saw that the Dragon Elder had already gathered the other Meteor Village residents and was waiting for them.
"Elder, what are you all doing here?"
Aerodactyl landed slowly with Ace, then settled down beside him. A flash of light appeared as Aerodactyl reverted from its Mega Evolved form to its normal state.
"I observed the Dragon God's Streamline, Ace. Have you been in contact with the Dragon God?"
The Dragon Elder looked at Ace and Aerodactyl, a hint of both relief and joy in her eyes.
"Yes, I have captured Rayquaza."
Ace nodded. He didn't hide anything from the people of Meteor Village, as their devotion and respect were impossible to mistake.
This simple statement left everyone present stunned.
They had believed in and respected Rayquaza for countless generations. Even as the Successors, they had only earned the right to fight alongside Rayquaza. Hearing that someone had actually captured Rayquaza was a first.
"Ace... do you mean the Dragon God is with you?!"
The Dragon Elder's voice trembled, her face filled with a complex mix of emotions.
"Yes."
Ace nodded and took a Master Ball from a clasp on his jacket.
He didn't need to explain anything further. The Meteor Village residents could tell from a single glance that Rayquaza was inside the Master Ball.
"Welcome, Dragon God!"
At that moment, all the residents of Meteor Village knelt down on one knee. Some were so emotional that tears streamed down their faces.
Rayquaza's arrival in Meteor Village meant more than Ace could imagine. For the villagers, even being brought here in a Poké Ball was an acknowledgment of their faith, the highest possible reward.
"Elder."
The people quickly stood up, and a few of them addressed the Dragon Elder. "Now that the Successor has captured the Dragon God, we must have Zinnia return and give the scroll to the Successor!"
This statement was instantly met with approval from many of the residents.
In their view, with the previous Successor, Shianna, having perished, Zinnia had taken back the legacy scroll and the anklet. However, she should have brought them back to Meteor Village, not claimed them for herself and declared herself the next Successor!
Especially now that a new Successor had been born, one who had unprecedentedly captured the Dragon God. Who could be more qualified to receive the scroll?
The Dragon Elder pondered for a moment, then nodded. The scroll was too important, especially given the current situation. The sooner Ace received the scroll and learned the move with the Dragon God, the more calmly they could face the coming disaster.
"Elder, there's no need to rush."
Ace said to the Dragon Elder. "I'm quite familiar with Zinnia and know her character. I'll find a way to get the scroll back myself. For now, let her keep it."
With that, Ace, amidst gasps of surprise, took three small wooden boxes from his pouch and handed them to the Dragon Elder. "These should be Shianna's Key Stones. I found an opportunity to retrieve them. Now, let's return them to their rightful owner."
The Dragon Elder was momentarily at a loss for words. She took the three small wooden boxes and opened them to reveal nine Key Stones, neatly arranged inside.
[Side Quest: "Collect the Key Stones" completed. Quest Rating: A. Reward: 70,000 Gold, 10 Mission Points.]
Plop, plop, plop...
Large tears fell from the Dragon Elder's face. This was the first time she had lost her composure in front of Ace.
But Ace understood perfectly. The Dragon Elder was Zinnia's grandmother and an elder of Meteor Village, which created a profound conflict for her.
Zinnia and Shianna grew up together, and their names suggested they were sisters. Shianna was also the Dragon Elder's granddaughter.
The death of her granddaughter was like a piece of her heart being torn out. That agonizing regret was the main reason the Dragon Elder didn't want Zinnia to get involved in this matter.
However, Zinnia, who had been close to Shianna since childhood, resolutely took on her sister's burden. This both frightened the Dragon Elder and filled her with a sense of hope.
This was also why Zinnia was allowed to go on her chaotic spree outside the village.
As an elder, she had to choose the next Successor as soon as possible. As an ordinary grandmother, she didn't want her granddaughter to suffer the same fate.
Yet, Zinnia, having grown up and studied with Shianna, was the most suitable person to become the next Successor.
But now that Ace had become the Successor, the Dragon Elder could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Ace, thank you."
The Dragon Elder wiped her tears and then said seriously, "However, I don't agree with your idea. Since you're the Successor, you must have the scroll. Jinga, Renza, and Pompom, you three go and bring Zinnia back. We can't let her run wild outside anymore."
"Yes!"
Three men quickly stepped forward. Before Ace could stop them, they took off with their respective Dragon-type Pokémon and flew out of Meteor Village.
Ace suddenly felt a headache coming on. He was hoping Zinnia would stir up more trouble in Hoenn.
The battles between Groudon and Kyogre and the grudges between Team Magma and Team Aqua were essentially instigated by Zinnia's efforts alone.
Without Zinnia's behind-the-scenes manipulation, the battles between Groudon and Kyogre would have likely been delayed by at least two or three years.
"Elder, you don't have to..."
"Ace, you must have that scroll."
The Dragon Elder interrupted Ace, looking at him seriously. "That scroll contains the record of a move only the Dragon God can learn: Dragon Ascent. Only by learning Dragon Ascent and using the Key Stone you have can you help the Dragon God Mega Evolve. As for Mega Evolution, you and your Aerodactyl should already know how much it boosts power. Only by learning Dragon Ascent can you and the Dragon God completely resolve this planet's disasters."
Ace scratched his head. He already knew all this, but he didn't care about it.
After all, the system store had the Dragon Ascent TM, and while expensive, he could save up and buy it.
Right now, Ace was worried about whether the Hoenn region's storyline could still unfold normally.
A little deviation in the plot was fine, but too much would render Ace's advantage of foreknowledge useless, leading to greater and greater deviations.
The Elite Four were a prime example. After all, besides Bruno, the other three Elite Four members had already become fertilizer for the land.
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