As a descendant of the Glass Flute People—guardians of ancient myths and knowledge—and a keeper of the Awakening Shrine, Wallace possessed an understanding of Hoenn's legends far beyond the ordinary. Especially when it came to Rayquaza, the current Hoenn Champion knew the creature inside and out.
Rayquaza...
Not that Wallace had anything against the sky serpent. Sure, it was leagues better than Groudon and Kyogre, who'd wake up, immediately pick a fight with each other, and wreak havoc on the world like a pair of temperamental toddlers. But that was about the extent of its goodwill.
Rayquaza was not a patient Pokémon.
Roaming the ozone layer, the moment it sensed an intrusion into its domain, it would strike without hesitation. Back in the day, humanity's attempts to explore space had met massive resistance from this so-called "Deity of Order"—until they finally brute-forced their way past its blockade and carved a path to the stars.
And now?
Reports claimed this ancient, ridiculously powerful, and notoriously short-tempered Pokémon had acknowledged a human as its trainer—even allowing them to stand atop its head like some kind of skyborne conqueror.
Wallace was convinced the world had officially lost its mind.
"Hoenn really breeds some exceptional freaks, huh...?"
Weariness etched across his face, the current Champion slumped into his chair, not even bothering to question Steven's theory anymore. He knew his old friend too well.
If Steven had gone out of his way to bring this up, there was no room for doubt left.
"The Pokémon League once tried replicating the Red and Blue Orbs to artificially create a Jade Orb—something that could forcibly control Rayquaza," Steven continued, flipping through old League records now that Wallace seemed convinced. "But the experiment failed. Miserably."
"Hah... So, let's assume Rayquaza does have a trainer now," the blue-haired aristocrat mused, pausing briefly. "Whether they earned its respect through sheer skill or achieved what the League couldn't—forcing control over it—this person is not someone to underestimate. At the very least, they surpass Maxie and Archie. Probably even us."
"Mm."
Wallace nodded, fully agreeing with Steven's assessment of this hypothetical Champion-tier trainer.
Admitting someone was stronger wasn't a big deal for the two of them.
After all, neither had ever tamed any of Hoenn's legendary trio. Anyone who could genuinely command Rayquaza? Yeah, they weren't weaklings.
"Still... even if we accept this theory, there's no need to panic," Steven added, eyes fixed on the shadowy figure in the photograph. "They intervened when Groudon and Kyogre went berserk. That alone suggests they're not another power-hungry lunatic like Maxie or Archie. They won't abuse Rayquaza's strength recklessly."
Honestly? Steven had a pretty good impression of this mysterious savior.
Even now, he was inclined to approach them with respect, not suspicion.
"If we can find this elusive master, maybe we could ask for their help in permanently resolving the Groudon-Kyogre conflict. But if they refuse... well, we can't exactly complain."
"True."
Wallace agreed wholeheartedly.
"Even if they never lift a finger again, the fact that they stopped those two once already makes them a hero in my book."
Both Champions understood the situation clearly.
Besides, they weren't the type to rely on outside help. Reaching out to Rayquaza's trainer was just their last resort—a deus ex machina for when all else failed.
As Hoenn's protectors, they'd exhaust every option before then...
"But..." Wallace's exhaustion gave way to a spark of excitement. "A trainer who can actually command Rayquaza? I'm kinda curious what they're like. If possible, I'd love to befriend them."
"Same."
The two shared a grin, the tension in the room finally easing.
"By the way," Wallace asked, rubbing his temples, "how many people know about this?"
Rayquaza having a trainer wasn't trivial news.
With Team Magma and Aqua already stirring up chaos by awakening Groudon and Kyogre, rumors about Rayquaza's master would send Hoenn into full-blown panic.
Steven tucked the photo away, giving Wallace a reassuring look. "Relax. Aside from the reporters and analysts I consulted, only the Champions and a few Elite Four members know. I've asked them to keep an eye out—we need to locate this person and confirm whether they're friend or foe."
"Good."
With that settled, the two prepared to leave—they had mountains of work waiting. This meeting had been a rare, necessary break.
"Return, Metagross."
Recalling his Pokémon and dispelling the psychic barrier that had shielded their conversation, Steven clapped Wallace on the shoulder as they exited the room.
Neither knew that the "legendary trainer" they'd built up in their minds as some unstoppable master was currently far more panicked than either of them…
--+--
Meanwhile...
"Alright, Caterpie, your Dragon Ascent training's paying off. Keep this up, and we might actually stand a chance against those two monsters."
"Mii!"
At home, Ai Xia stood in front of his Pokéblock maker, expertly feeding berries into the blender while hyping up his tiny companion.
As the machine whirred, crushing and compressing the fruit into shimmering, cube-shaped treats, his mouth kept running.
"Oh, and grinding moves nonstop isn't that efficient. Once flights to Hoenn reopen, we'll head back and hit some high-risk areas. Real battles'll speed up your growth way more."
"Mii!"
Nodding eagerly, the Caterpie at his feet practically vibrated with excitement.
"Hmm... Still, we've got time before then. Might as well hit up some local hotspots in Kanto for practice."
Ai Xia's hands never stopped moving, even as his mind raced ahead.
Click!
The machine finished its work, depositing ten jewel-like Pokéblocks onto the tray, their sweet aroma filling the air.
"Miiii!"
Caterpie's eyes bulged at the scent.
Laughing, Ai Xia plopped the treats into its bowl, watching as it faceplanted into the meal with zero shame. He then flopped onto the couch, exhaling deeply.
Let's be real—even Elite trainers' Pokémon didn't eat half as well as his Caterpie.
With no plans to catch new team members yet, Ai Xia funneled all his resources into this little guy. Premium Pokéblocks? Unlimited. Silver Powder, a rare Bug-type enhancer? Dumped into its food like it was cheap seasoning.
This was the life of the world's strongest Caterpie!
"For you, my wallet's basically six feet under..."
The memory of Silver Powder's price tag made Ai Xia's soul leave his body.
But seeing Caterpie's blissful, stuffed expression?
Worth it.
Eat up, buddy. You've earned it.
Finally, Ai Xia pulled up his system screen, scanning the latest missions.
After tasting those sweet, sweet rewards, his resistance to the system had waned—especially since, aside from that disastrous first task, the others were pretty reasonable.
Right now, two new quests glared at him:
[System Mission: Win the Rookie Tournament.]
[System Mission: Undergo one physical enhancement as a Trainer.]
...Oh no.
I'm about to walk a very weird path, aren't I?
Well. Time to revive the glory of Hisui, I guess.
--+--