"So beautiful!"
Inside the camp, Dr. Lund's assistant, Yuko, gazed at the aurora dancing across the frozen tundra, her eyes sparkling as she sighed with wonder.
"Nature's true craftsmanship," another researcher joked. "If only we could see this kind of sight every day!"
"That's easy! Once this survey's over, we'll just leave you here. Then you'll get to see it every day!" A slightly chubby researcher with glasses grinned mischievously.
"Hahaha!"
Laughter rippled across the camp, filling the frigid night with warmth.
Hayato lounged lazily on a chair, cradling a cup of hot tea in one hand while holding his Charmeleon in his arms like a living hand warmer.
This was their third day here.
For three days now, the Arctic skies had been locked in endless night.
The last sunrise felt like it had happened ages ago.
With no day or night to guide him, Hayato could only rely on his phone to check the time.
It was nine in the morning.
Only two hours remained until the "meteor" the researchers had detected was expected to arrive.
Because of that, the entire expedition team had gathered on a wide, open hillside, ready to witness the incoming spectacle.
Just then, Dr. Lund came hurrying up from below. Looking around, he frowned when he didn't see his son.
"Where are Tory and Brendan?" he asked.
"They went to find that group of Spheal," Yuko replied. "But I told them to be back before the meteor arrives."
Dr. Lund nodded. "Good."
Hearing this, Hayato tilted his head back toward the sky.
Would the events of the movie Destiny Deoxys really unfold today?
He wasn't sure. After all, the film never mentioned a meteor shower—only that the meteorite housing Deoxys had crashed onto the tundra.
But if Slowking's prophecy was anything to go by, then perhaps… today was indeed the day.
His gaze drifted toward the distant field where countless Spheal gathered.
With Brendan and the Pokémon Dr. Lund had given them, Tory shouldn't have to face the same danger as in the movie… right?
"Pii—pipi!"
A spaceship was spinning out of control, thrown into chaos by a strange meteorite's interference. Losing stability, it plummeted from the cosmos toward the blue planet below.
The cries of the Clefairy echoed through the void between Earth and the Moon, filled with terror.
"Pipipi!" (We can't control it!)"Pipi, pipipi!" (We're about to breach the ozone layer!)
But while the Clefairy panicked, the true culprit that had caused their ship's failure had already pierced through the planet's ozone layer, plummeting straight toward the surface.
At the same time, within the ozone layer itself, an ancient existence stirred. A pair of golden eyes snapped open, locking onto the intruder's presence.
Its pitch-black body twisted, then shot forth like an arrow released from the bowstring. The very air screamed as it moved, its speed beyond imagination, chasing after the intruder.
Compared to the storm above, the ground below was peaceful and serene.
The investigators had set up a temporary camp on the hillside, with a small stove glowing warmly in the middle.
The flicker of orange firelight painted everyone's faces, their expressions full of anticipation, relaxation, and joy as they chatted about Pokémon.
Then, the first meteor with a blazing tail streaked across the aurora-filled sky.
"It's starting!" a female researcher exclaimed.
Before her voice had even faded, countless burning comets appeared, filling the heavens with brilliance.
The spectacle reflected in the eyes of Tory and Brendan, who were playing among the Spheal herds.
The boys stood on the tundra, gazing up with wide eyes, their hope and excitement sparkling like stars.
Even the Spheal lifted their heads, watching the glorious sky.
It should have been a joyous, breathtaking moment.
But then, a meteor struck the earth.
The crash shattered the scene like glass.
The sudden impact sent the Pokémon into a frenzy, panicked cries filling the air as they stampeded away from the impact site.
The peaceful beauty was gone.
Tory, standing on a rock, stared blankly—until his foot slipped and he tumbled down.
"Watch out!"
Brendan shouted in alarm.
In the next instant, a burst of white light flashed. A powerful Blaziken leapt in, catching Tory in its arms. With several swift bounds, it carried him to safety on a nearby slope.
Brendan let out a breath of relief before quickly following on his Altaria.
Looking down at the chaos below, Tory whispered, his voice trembling, "What… what just happened?"
The meteor's velocity as it tore through the atmosphere had raised its temperature to unimaginable levels.
The impact's scorching heat instantly melted centuries of Arctic ice, and a vast cloud of white mist rose into the sky.
Within the mist, a strange humanoid silhouette slowly rose from the enormous crater.
The fog froze again as the cold reclaimed the air, and when it cleared… the figure finally emerged into view.
"That's…" Dr. Lund murmured in disbelief.
Deoxys, Hayato answered silently in his heart.
Its head bowed, Deoxys held a jagged stone embedded with a glowing green crystal close to its chest.
This was its purpose for coming to this world—finding the companion it had lost.
But suddenly, a black figure descended from the aurora-lit heavens with terrifying force.
Hayato raised his head.
So… Rayquaza has arrived too.
"Rooaaar!"
Rayquaza's golden eyes blazed with fury. To it, this being before it was nothing more than an intruder to the planet.
Deoxys lifted its head, but in the next instant, a beam of freezing blue energy slashed across the ground.
Caught off guard, Deoxys was struck, encased in layers of ice—along with the precious green crystal.
But within seconds, the alien Pokémon shattered the prison of frost. Its movements sluggish, it failed to catch the crystal as it slipped from its hands and clattered onto the ice.
Rayquaza wasted no time.
Another attack followed—an enormous beam of white energy laced with terrifying power tore through Deoxys's body.
Its entire right arm disintegrated into nothingness.
For a moment, time itself seemed to freeze.
Deoxys glanced at its missing arm. Danger flickered in its eyes.
It said nothing, but light surged from its shoulder. In a brilliant white glow, its right arm regenerated, whole and unscathed, in mere seconds.
(End of Chapter)