Want to read ahead. You know where
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Kyogre dived back into the deep sea.
And Groudon walked back to Mt. Chimney.
The crisis could finally be considered over, at least for now.
"Rayquaza…"
Sam rested a hand on the emerald scales of the Sky High Pokémon, a strange sense of familiarity welling up in his chest.
Like this wasn't the first time.
Not the first time riding Rayquaza.
But there was more.
In the clash just now, when he'd channeled the powers of the three forces into Rayquaza, he felt something stir deep within himself.
A connection.
It was as if, in that moment, their thoughts were one.
Rayquaza's massive form undulated slightly, responding to his thoughts.
The great dragon twisted its head down and met Sam's eyes.
A voice echoed telepathically in his mind:
"Inheritor…"
"It's natural that you don't remember the bond between us…"
"When you truly awaken, you'll understand."
"Continue growing stronger. The covenant bound by fate…"
"Has yet to begin."
"Truly awaken…?"
"A fated covenant…?"
Sam murmured the words under his breath, eyes narrowing in thought.
What Rayquaza said wasn't just cryptic; it held weight—truths buried within those few lines.
But Rayquaza didn't elaborate.
Instead, it turned its massive body and began descending toward the ground.
As it dropped lower, the skies trembled with its presence.
Wallace's Milotic and other Trainers' Pokémon bowed instinctively, the sheer force of Rayquaza's draconic aura too much for many to bear.
Weaker Pokémon whined and nudged their Trainers, pleading to be recalled into their Poké Balls.
Even the region's strongest elites gave the dragon god a wide berth.
Sam leapt off Rayquaza's back just as the beast hovered above the earth.
Before departing, Rayquaza's thoughts reached him again:
"Inheritor…"
"If you ever need me… use the stone."
"Until next time…"
The stone.
That same prismatic gem passed to him by Zinnia of the Draconid people, the one he'd infused with the combined power of the three legends.
Sam raised a hand and gave a quiet wave."
"See you again, Rayquaza."
With a low, resonant cry, Rayquaza twisted its serpentine body skyward.
In seconds, it vanished beyond the clouds, returning to its domain in the ozone layer.
And then… silence.
The pressure in the air faded.
The sky cleared.
Pokémon all around slowly returned to normal, their instincts no longer overwhelmed.
Wallace and Cynthia were the first to approach, followed by the other regional elites.
"Professor Samuel!"
Wallace grasped his hand with both of his, eyes full of gratitude.
"You saved Sootopolis… and the entire Hoenn Region."
"Thank you so much, Professor!"
"Truly, thank you. We owe you everything."
The rest of the League elites added their voices one after another, smiling and nodding in agreement.
Sam gave a short nod in return, still feeling the lingering pull of Rayquaza's energy.
Then Steven stepped forward, arms crossed, a knowing look in his eyes.
"You've tamed Rayquaza… haven't you?"
Sam paused, then shook his head.
"Not tamed."
"In our world, taming usually means using a Poké Ball to bind them… but this, " He looked to the sky where Rayquaza had vanished.
"This is something else. A recognition."
Steven raised a brow, thoughtful.
"A bond, then."
Sam didn't reply, but the silence spoke volumes.
Rayquaza was no ordinary Pokémon.
It was the Sky High Dragon, a god-level being in every sense of the word.
How could something like that be kept inside a Poké Ball?
Yet in a way, Sam had subdued Rayquaza.
Because beyond force or capture, there was another form of taming, a bond.
A mutual recognition.
When Sam poured the combined power of the three legends into Rayquaza's body, something clicked between them.
An unshakable connection had formed.
And now, with the rainbow-hued stone left to him by Zinnia, Sam could summon Rayquaza at will.
"Able to earn Rayquaza's recognition…" Steven said with quiet admiration.
"That's no small feat."
After exchanging a few more words, the group dispersed to tend to their affairs.
Wallace and the Elite Four headed toward Mt. Chimney.
Groudon had returned there on foot, driven away by Rayquaza, but since it couldn't fly, it posed a danger along its path.
Wallace moved ahead to clear civilians from nearby routes, preventing any potential casualties.
Meanwhile, Steven organized a team of Gym Leaders to assist in the reconstruction of Sootopolis City.
The damage left behind was extensive.
As for Alder, who had rushed over from Unova to help, word came that an urgent situation had erupted back in his region.
He left as quickly as he'd arrived.
Sam and Cynthia, on the other hand, had no pressing obligations.
Since they were already in Hoenn, why not take the opportunity to explore?
They booked a hotel and settled in for the night.
Earlier that day, at the Sky Pillar, Sam had touched the glowing orb of energy that allowed access to Rayquaza's chamber.
The climb to the top had been no easy task.
The pressure, both physical and spiritual, weighed on him with every step.
He'd been drenched in sweat by the time he reached the summit, and even now, the strain lingered in his muscles.
The first thing he did upon reaching the hotel room?
A long, well-earned shower.
"Once he's out… I'm grilling him."
Cynthia sat cross-legged on the bed, arms folded, eyes narrowed slightly.
"It's only been two weeks, and he's already bonded with Lugia too?!"
"How many secrets is he still hiding from me…?"
But her determined thoughts came to a screeching halt the moment Sam emerged from the bathroom.
Wrapped in nothing but a towel, water still dripping from his freshly washed hair, he casually toweled off as he walked toward her.
His torso, sculpted and lean, with defined abs, glistened under the hotel lights.
Cynthia blinked.
"Hng~"
"Damn it..."
"He's too hot."
The interrogation plan? Instantly forgotten.
"Hey, babe," Sam called out casually, still drying his hair.
"I couldn't find a hair dryer in the bathroom. Can you call the front desk and ask where they keep it?"
He reached the edge of the bed, not thinking much of it.
Cynthia's eyes zeroed in on the droplets of water trickling down his chest.
Her face flushed slightly.
In one swift motion, she snatched the towel from his hand and tossed it aside.
Before Sam could react, she pushed him down onto the bed with surprising strength, straddling him and pressing her hand against his chest.
"This is a hotel," she said, voice husky but firm, cheeks pink.
He blinked, caught off guard.
"Wait, what about the hair dryer?"
"The hair dryer doesn't matter at all," she cut in, not giving him a chance to finish.
And with that, the questioning session was… officially postponed.