Pokemon Resurgence: Chapter 78

Hi all, 

Here’s the final chapter of the week. Rayquaza saves the day, but then kidnaps Lucas and takes him to an unexpected place. 

Chapter 78

The ground buckled as Rayquaza descended, its serpentine form blocking out the scorching sun momentarily. Lucas braced himself, expecting the legendary Pokemon to attack. 

But Rayquaza paid them no attention. Its golden eyes were fixed on the collapsing hospital, and its head tilted as if assessing the structural damage. The dragon's body rippled with raw power, and the air pressure shifted.

The wind whipped into a frenzy around the collapsing building. The force pressed against buckling walls, invisible hands bracing tons of concrete and steel. Windows shattered under the pressure, sending glass shards raining down as patients screamed from the upper floors.

"Bloody hell," Lucas breathed. "It's stabilising the building."

"Don't waste time gawking." Sabrina grabbed his arm. "We need to get those people out while we can."

They sprinted inside. The corridors swarmed with nurses and Rangers directing evacuation efforts. Lucas shouldered past a fallen beam, following the sound of frightened voices.

"Third floor clear!" Someone shouted from above.

"Fourth floor needs help!" Another voice called back.

Lucas took the stairs two at a time, sweat trickling down his spine. He burst into a ward where three nurses struggled with an elderly patient trapped beneath a toppled cabinet.

"Here." He slid next to them, bracing his shoulder against the metal. "On three."

The cabinet shifted enough for them to pull the patient free. More Rangers arrived with stretchers, forming a chain to pass patients down the stairwell.

Through the windows, Rayquaza's massive form dominated the sky. Its eyes tracked their movements, watching. What did the legendary want?

"Lucas!" Sabrina's voice carried from down the hall. "I need you here!"

He found her coordinating with a group of trainers, their Pokemon helping clear blocked doorways. A Machoke ripped a jammed door from its hinges while an Alakazam lifted beds with telekinesis.

They evacuated everyone room by room, floor by floor. Rangers set up a triage area in the car park as ambulances arrived to transport critical patients. The last person—a young nurse who'd refused to leave until all her patients were safe—finally emerged into the sunlight.

Lucas sagged against a wall, muscles trembling from exertion. "Is that everyone?"

A head count confirmed all patients and staff were accounted for. He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. When he opened them, Rayquaza's face filled his vision.

The legendary's hot breath washed over him. Before Lucas could move, wind coiled around his body like physical ropes. His feet left the ground as Rayquaza lifted him gently.

"Lucas!" Sabrina started forward.

He waved, trying to project more confidence than he felt. "I'm fine!"

The wind deposited him on Rayquaza's back, scales smooth and warm beneath his hands. His stomach lurched as the legendary shot skyward, the city shrinking beneath them.

Rayquaza's body rumbled. Its head reared back, jaws parting. The roar that erupted shook Lucas to his bones. Energy exploded outward in an expanding sphere, rippling across the sky like a shockwave.

Where the energy passed, the weather transformed instantaneously. Groudon's oppressive heat vanished. The air cleared, and temperatures dropped to normal levels. 

He gripped tighter as Rayquaza banked sharply, changing direction. The legendary's purpose radiated through its movements—deliberate, focused. Whatever it wanted with him, their destination lay ahead.

Questions crowded his mind. Why him? Where were they going? But the words stuck in his throat. The raw power thrumming beneath his hands reminded him of his position—not a trainer or partner, but a passenger at the mercy of a force beyond his comprehension.

The wind whipped his face as Rayquaza accelerated. Lucas pressed closer to its scales, heart pounding. All he could do was hold on and wait to discover what the legendary had in store.

The situation took a turn for the worse as Rayquaza rocketed upwards. His fingers dug into emerald scales, knuckles white with strain. Clouds rushed toward them like incoming missiles, while the ground below shrank into a patchwork of meaningless shapes.

The air thinned as Rayquaza climbed higher into the atmosphere. Lucas's lungs seized, desperate for oxygen that grew increasingly scarce. His chest constricted while spots danced across his vision. Ice crystals formed on his clothes and hair as the temperature plummeted far below what he could endure. 

Wind coiled around him before he could act, weaving into a protective sphere. The air warmed instantly, and his lungs expanded gratefully as oxygen flooded back. 

"Where are you taking me?" Lucas asked once he found his voice. 

Rayquaza gave no sign that it had heard him.

They pierced through wisps of cloud into the stratosphere. The sky darkened from bright blue to deep purple, then to black as they broke free of the atmosphere. Stars pierced the darkness, undimmed by air pollution or city lights, more brilliant than Lucas had ever seen them. The Milky Way stretched across space like spilled diamonds.

His heart slammed against his ribs. Questions crowded his mind as the last traces of the atmosphere fell away. Would Rayquaza's wind barrier hold in the vacuum of space? What if it failed? He'd be dead in minutes, either from a lack of oxygen, or his blood boiling. 

The planet stretched below them, a blue marble wrapped in swirling white clouds, becoming smaller the further they travelled away from it. He reached toward Earth with his thumb and forefinger, measuring how small it appeared. 

"This is mental," he whispered. "Absolutely mental."

A massive shape loomed ahead through the star field—a structure that looked twice as big as Viridian City. Ancient stone blocks fitted together seamlessly, forming terraces and towers that stretched for kilometres. The structure orbited their planet like a satellite, defying gravity through means Lucas couldn't begin to comprehend.

"What the hell is this place?" Lucas breathed. 

Rayquaza glided down, landing on the surface and depositing him in a wide plaza. He turned in a slow circle, drinking in the details that challenged his understanding of reality.

Ornate pillars stretched toward the star-filled sky. Reliefs decorated every wall—legendary Pokemon locked in eternal poses, their stone faces capturing moments of triumph or contemplation.

"This is your home?" Lucas ran his hand along a wall. The stone felt impossibly smooth despite its apparent age. "How's it staying up here?"

His scientific mind rebelled at the structure's existence. The planet’s gravity should have pulled it down. Yet here it floated, maintaining a perfect orbit while some mysterious force allowed him to walk normally despite being in space. The wind barrier continued providing breathable air, but he noticed it had thinned slightly, adapting to the environment.

Rayquaza nudged him with a gentle gust of wind, pushing him in the direction of a massive temple in the distance.

"Alright, I'm walking."

The doors were more than wide enough for Rayquaza’s serpentine bulk. Their path wound deeper into the structure, passing several chambers. One contained what looked like star charts etched into the ceiling.  Finally, they reached a smaller doorway adorned with murals—Arceus, the God Pokemon, drawn from various perspectives.

Rayquaza pressed its snout against the door. When nothing happened, it turned to fix Lucas with an expectant stare.

"You want me to open it? Can't you do it yourself?"

The legendary Pokemon shook its head.

"How am I supposed to do it if you can't?"

Despite his scepticism, Lucas approached the door. No obvious mechanism presented itself—no handle, no keyhole, not even slight grooves indicating where it might split. He reached out and his fingers brushed the surface. A rumbling sound emerged as the doors parted.

Rayquaza's excited roar bounced off the walls. It urged him inside with another gentle push. 

The chamber beyond held a single pedestal, stark in its simplicity. A crystal the size of Lucas's head rested atop it. It resembled a technical machine but much larger.

"Is this what you wanted?" He lifted the crystal carefully but the wind snatched it from his grasp before he could examine it further.

Lucas left the chamber to find Rayquaza lying on the floor, its eyes closed with the crystal pressed against its forehead. Was it really a technical machine? 

He sat against the wall and waited for Raquaza to finish his business.

An hour crawled past in the ancient chamber. Lucas fought the urge to go and explore deeper into the structure. The wind barrier remained his only protection against the vacuum beyond these walls—wandering off alone seemed monumentally stupid. 

Twenty minutes later, Rayquaza's eyes snapped open. Without even acknowledging him, it shot through the corridor, nearly bowling Lucas over in the process. 

“No need to thank me! It was my pleasure,” Lucas called after the legendary Pokemon, before realising he should probably follow. He sprinted after it and eventually emerged onto a vast platform.

The legendary rocketed skyward until it was barely visible. Without warning, it plunged toward the structure like a meteor, trailing energy that lit up space itself. The impact shook the entire platform, throwing Lucas off his feet. He scrambled up, expecting to see devastating damage.

The stone showed no marks despite an impact that should have shattered a mountain. Before he could wonder what material could withstand such force, Rayquaza released a massive roar.

The legendary's form warped and grew. Golden filaments sprouted from its head like solar flares while its hide darkened to deep forest green. Yellow patterns emerged across its body in precise geometric shapes. Delta-shaped wings materialised from pure energy, spreading wide as its claws lengthened and sharpened. 

After finishing its transformation, Mega Rayquaza began flying around, testing its new form. 

Lucas watched, mouth agape. He was certain the crystal wasn’t a legendary stone, so the Rayquaza must have another method of Mega Evolving. Did it trigger a condition when it learned whatever move was in that crystal? 

Wanting to solve the mystery, Lucas activated his Insight skill as Mega Rayquaza circled overhead.

=========

Species: Mega Rayquaza; Sky High Pokemon

Gender: Neutral 

Status: Wild

Favourability: (Arceus) Revered: 12000/32000 (+25% stats)

Favourite Food: Meteorite Core

Condition: Perfect

Level: 115

Next: [45%]

Stats obtained from EV's [100/100]

Current Level Potential Met?: Yes

Special Ability: Delta Stream

=========

Attack: 456 [365]

Special Attack: 456 [365]

Defence: 406 [325]

Special Defence: 406 [325]

Speed: 456 [365]

Luck: 251 [201]

=========

Moves

Dragon Ascent: 1%

Hyper Beam: 100%

Extreme Speed: 100%

Dragon Pulse: 100%

V-Create: 100%

Dragon Dance: 100%

Air Lock: 100%

Outrage: 100%

Hurricane: 100%

Dragon Claw: 100%

=========

Description: The legendary Pokemon of the sky, Rayquaza maintains the balance between Kyogre and Groudon. In its Mega form, it becomes one of the most powerful Pokemon in existence. Unlike other Pokemon, it can trigger Mega Evolution through learning the move: Dragon’s Ascent.

=========

Hidden Stats

Intelligence: 12

Endurance: 15

Energy: 12

Aptitude: 13

=========

Affinities

Dragon: 100%

Flying: 100%

Normal: 100%

Fire: 100%

Traits

Inherent

Dragon-type Mastery - Massively increases the power of dragon-type moves.

Flying-type Mastery - Massively increases the power and effectiveness of ground-type moves. 

Attack Boost (Master) - Massively increases attack stat potency.

Special Attack Boost (Master) - Massively increases special attack stat potency.

Speed Boost (Master) - Massively increases speed stat potency.

Perfect Conditioning - The energy and endurance stats massively improve the Pokemon's condition.

Gravity Manipulation - Can control gravity within a 50-kilometre radius.

Air Lock Plus - Negates all weather effects and replaces them with its own.

Weather Control - Can instantly change weather patterns across entire regions.

Celestial Flight - Can fly freely through space without harm.

Blessing of Arceus: Shares a bond with the God Pokemon.

Legendary Potential - Born with hidden stats surpassing ten.

Learned/Unique  

World Shaker - Its roars can trigger earthquakes and tsunamis.

Dragon’s Ascent - Mega Evolution is permanent. 

Energy Control: It’s more efficient with its energy consumption, requiring less to execute a move.

Energy Assimilation: It can use elements from the natural world to boost the power of its attacks.

Energy Manipulation: It has the ability to freely manipulate energy to execute flexible attacks outside of its move set.

Delta Augmentation - Can temporarily boost power through meteorite consumption.

=========

“What an absolute monster,” Lucas muttered. 

He sure hoped Rayquaza didn’t turn on him. He had just handed him the key to it having a permanent Mega Evolved form. It was scary enough before the transformation. Not to mention it could increase its power further by consuming meteorites. Good thing they were rare. 

Then he remembered that space flight wasn’t an issue for Rayquaza. Come to think of it, was the material this structure was made out of, come from a meteorite?

A violent tremor jolted Lucas from his thoughts, nearly knocking him off his feet. The structure lurched as Rayquaza unleashed another blast of raw energy into space. A minute later. his stomach dropped as the terrible realisation struck—they were drifting towards the planet. 

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Lucas shouted.

The legendary ignored his shout, continuing whatever mad plan it had conceived. The structure tilted sharply, and Lucas scrambled on hands and knees toward a pillar. He pressed himself against the stone as their descent accelerated. The wind barrier shimmered around him, holding steady, but offered little comfort as they plummeted through the atmosphere like a meteor.

His ears popped painfully as the air pressure changed. The temperature rose rapidly around them, and Lucas's breath came in short gasps. Through the barrier, he watched flames bloom across the structure's surface as they hit the upper atmosphere. The leading edge began to glow white-hot while successive sonic booms cracked behind them like artillery fire.

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, certain he was about to die. The structure would impact like an extinction-level event, and his last thought would be cursing his rotten luck at being kidnapped by an insane legendary Pokemon. At least it would be quick—he'd be atomised before his brain could register pain.

The blistering heat increased until he could feel it through the barrier. He risked opening his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't. The ocean rushed up to meet them through gaps in the clouds, and he recognised familiar coastlines—they were heading straight for Hoenn. His heart nearly stopped at the sight.

Just when a violent impact seemed inevitable, their descent began to slow. The structure's momentum bled away as if caught in invisible webs. 

Even with their momentum slowed, they struck the water with devastating force. The impact sent massive waves radiating outward in circular waves. Water crashed back in a thunderous deluge, but the structure had already settled into place, floating impossibly on the surface.

Lucas lay trembling on the stone, his legs refusing to support him. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and his hands shook uncontrollably. They'd survived. Somehow, impossibly, they'd survived Rayquaza's insane atmospheric reentry. 

He watched Rayquaza streak eastward. The waves from their impact spread outward in concentric rings, losing momentum before they reached Sootopolis Island. If Rayquaza hadn't controlled the structure’s descent, those tsunamis would have devastated the coastline.

He summoned Saphira, and the Dragonair coiled in mid-air, looking around in curiosity.

"Where are we?" 

"I'll explain later. I need to ride to get back to the mainland."

Saphira deposited him on her back and started flying westwards. After his harrowing ride with Rayquaza, riding Saphira felt tame in comparison. 

His phone buzzed as he approached the coastline. Sabrina's name flashed on the screen.

"What the hell happened?" She demanded as soon as he answered. He could hear the distress in her voice. "I’ve been trying to get hold of you for ages.”

"I'm fine. I was out of cellphone range.”

“Where did Rayquaza take you?”

“Just a quick trip to outer space." Lucas grinned at the shocked silence. "You know, normal stuff."

"You...what?"

"Outer space. The big empty void above our heads? Lots of stars?"

"Lucas Walker, if you're having me on—"

"Got to go," he cut in, spotting movement ahead. "Something's happening at Sootopolis."

"Don't you dare hang up—"

He ended the call, already focusing on the scene unfolding before them. Saphira shot him a look that told him he was in big trouble, but she accelerated toward the island without comment.

The ancient crater-city rose from the sea ahead, its white stone walls gleaming in the harsh sunlight. It sat at the centre of the island, surrounded by hundreds of square kilometres. As they drew closer, the air grew thick with tension. That's when he spotted them—two titans about to clash on the shoreline.

Primal Groudon stood at the water's edge, magma pooling around its feet. Its hide pulsed with rivers of molten rock as it faced off against Mega Rayquaza circling overhead. The air between them crackled with tension.

Groudon struck first. Its roar split the earth as waves of pure heat erupted from its body. The ocean began to boil, steam billowing upward in thick clouds. Rayquaza dove through the steam bank, its form briefly lost before emerging in a cork-screw roll. Dragon Pulse erupted from its jaws, the energy beam carving a trench through the shore beside Groudon.

The ground type countered with Ancient Power, boulders ripping free from the earth to launch skyward. Rayquaza weaved between them with serpentine grace, each near-miss followed by the rocks exploding into shrapnel behind it. 

Their battle transformed the landscape with each exchange. Rayquaza's Hurricane attack tore chunks from the mountainside while Groudon's Eruption sent pillars of lava bursting from newly-formed vents. The very air warped from the heat, distorting Lucas's view of the Titans clashing.

Groudon unleashed Precipice Blades, the attack sprouting from the ground like massive stone teeth. Rayquaza barrel-rolled between them, closing the distance for Dragon Ascent. The impact sent both Pokemon crashing through a hillside.

They emerged locked in close combat, Groudon's claws raking Rayquaza's scales while the dragon's tail lashed its opponent's armoured hide. Their roars echoed off the crater walls, a symphony of primal fury that made Lucas's bones vibrate.

Rayquaza broke free, ascending rapidly. Its body began to glow as it gathered energy. Groudon's chest swelled, light blazing between its plates as it prepared to counter. Their attacks met in a catastrophic explosion— Rayquaza's Hyper Beam colliding with Groudon's Solar Beam. The blast carved a new valley into the island's flank.

Neither Pokemon showed signs of tiring.

The dragon unleashed V-create, its body becoming a meteor of blue flame as it slammed into Groudon. The ground type caught it with both claws, feet leaving trenches in the earth as it was pushed backwards. Magma spurted from between its plates as it redirected Rayquaza's momentum, hurling the legendary through a mountain peak.

Rayquaza recovered instantly, its roar shaking loose more rocks from the crater walls. It summoned a Dragon Dance, power visibly building around its serpentine form. Groudon responded by activating Bulk Up, its muscles swelling with enhanced strength.

Their next clash sent spider-web cracks racing across the ground. Rayquaza's Extreme Speed became virtually invisible, its attacks coming from multiple angles as it harried Groudon. The ground type's Earthquake rippled outward in expanding rings, forcing Rayquaza to maintain distance.

Lucas watched in awe as two forces of nature reshaped the environment through sheer collateral damage. Former hills had been reduced to rubble while new mountains of cooled magma rose from Groudon's missed attacks. 

The final exchange came without warning. Both Pokemon moved simultaneously—Rayquaza corkscrewing downward as Groudon launched itself skyward. They met in an explosion of such force that Lucas had to reinforce his barrier against the shockwave. When the dust settled, only Rayquaza remained airborne. Groudon lay in a fresh impact crater, its primal form fading as it struggled to rise.

Lucas watched as Rayquaza slammed Groudon several more times until it didn’t try to rise again. It submitted to the legendary dragons’ dominance. Without a backward glance, Rayquaza flew toward the floating structure, leaving its defeated opponent sprawled on the shore.

Movement caught his eye—a group approaching flying Pokemon. He recognised the Hoenn Elite Four and several gym leaders, including Norman, Wallace and Watson.

"Quite the show," Wallace called out as they drew near, his eyes darting toward the motionless Groudon.

"What happened here?" Norman asked, his Swellow hovering beside Saphira.

"Rayquaza gave Groudon a proper thrashing," Lucas replied. "Don't think it'll be causing trouble for a while."

Watson stroked his moustache. "Why's it just sitting there?"

"Maybe it's recovering. Or keeping watch for Kyogre." Lucas frowned as the thought struck him. "Has there been any sign of it?"

"None," Drake of the Elite Four answered, his weathered face grim. "Vanished after triggering the torrential rain."

"We've got bigger problems," Norman cut in. "The weather's settled, but damage to infrastructure is immense. Not to mention the number of victims. Clean-up and rescue operations are going to take a long time."

"Kyogre should stay quiet with Rayquaza around," Lucas said. "It seemed pretty effective at settling disputes."

Watson's eyes narrowed. "Speaking of Rayquaza—plenty of witnesses saw you riding off on its back. And what's the story with that thing?" He jerked his thumb toward the floating structure far off in the distance.

"This isn't the time," Wallace interjected smoothly. "The Prime Minister wants another word, Lucas, but you've earned some rest first."

"Where's Sabrina?" Lucas asked. "Still in Mauville?"

"Yes," Wallace nodded. "She's been invaluable in the rescue efforts. As have you."

"Right then." Lucas rolled his shoulders, feeling the day's events catching up with him. "Lead the way."

Saphira matched speed with the other flying Pokemon as they headed for Mauville. Lucas's mind wandered to his space adventure, still struggling to process everything he'd witnessed. The structure's descent kept replaying in his mind—that terrifying plummet through the atmosphere, only to settle peacefully on the ocean surface.

Questions nagged at him. Why had Rayquaza brought that massive structure down from orbit? More importantly, how was it floating? The thing had to weigh millions of tonnes, yet it sat on the waves like a leaf on a pond. Had Rayquaza's abilities made that possible? 

His gaze drifted eastward where the structure's silhouette broke the horizon. Even from this distance, its sheer scale boggled the mind. The legendary must have had a reason for placing it here specifically. Was it marking its territory? Creating a physical anchor point for its domain the way Moltres had claimed Cinnabar Island?

He'd have to face questions eventually. But for now, he just wanted to find Sabrina and collapse into bed. The Prime Minister's inquiries could wait until his brain stopped feeling like scrambled eggs.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Lucas and Sabrina walked down the ornate corridor toward the Prime Minister's office. After a day's rest in one of Mauville's hotels, his muscles had finally stopped protesting every movement, though appeasing Sabrina's irritation over his flippant phone call had proven far more challenging. She'd made him recount every detail of his space adventure three times before her anger began to soften.

A secretary ushered them through heavy wooden doors into Maeve's office. The Prime Minister stood from behind an antique desk that dominated the room. 

"Please, sit," she gestured to the leather chairs before her. "And call me Maeve—you've both earned that privilege after everything you've done for our citizens."

Once they'd settled into the chairs, she fixed Lucas with an intent stare. "Tell me about your adventure with Rayquaza."

"It was surreal," Lucas began. "One moment I was helping evacuate the hospital, the next I was being whisked into space with nothing but a wind barrier between me and a vacuum. The structure itself..." 

He shook his head, still struggling to process its scale. "Imagine something larger than Mauville City, built from stone blocks fitted so precisely you couldn't slip a piece of paper between them."

"The architecture?"

"Unlike anything I've seen. The whole place felt ancient but perfectly preserved, as if time couldn't touch it."

"And Rayquaza guided you through this?"

"More like herded me along," Lucas said dryly. "Until we reached this chamber with the Arceus murals.”

“What did Rayquaza have you do?”

"Rayquaza couldn't fit through the doorway," he explained. "Must have picked me at random to fetch the crystal from inside the chamber."

"Random?" Maeve's tone suggested she didn't believe in coincidences. "How did you communicate with it?"

Lucas frowned. "We didn't. It just... nudged me where it wanted me to go."

"Interesting." She tapped her fingers on the desk. "Most people report feeling terror in the presence of legendary Pokemon. You seem remarkably calm about being abducted by one."

Lucas shrugged. “I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

"Why would a legendary Pokemon need human help?" Maeve's brow furrowed. "It could have simply widened the entrance."

"Several possibilities come to mind," Lucas replied. "Perhaps it respected the chamber too much to damage it, or worried about a structural collapse that would damage the crystal." 

He paused, gathering his thoughts. "But most likely? It couldn't damage it at all, even if it wanted to."

Maeve's eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"After transforming, I watched Rayquaza attack a platform with full force—an impact that should have shattered it with ease. The stone didn't even scratch." Lucas spread his hands. "Whatever that material is, it's beyond anything I've encountered."

"We know." Maeve's chair creaked as she settled back, her expression distant. "That structure has existed in orbit for several centuries at least. As far back as we have had the means to observe it. Before the war, there was a fierce race between regions to reach it and claim it for themselves."

"What stopped you?" Lucas asked, though he suspected the answer.

"Rayquaza made its position quite clear during our first test flights into the upper atmosphere. The structure was strictly off-limits. Our scientists theorised the material could be an unknown element. The research possibilities alone are staggering."

"You want samples," Lucas said flatly, understanding dawning.

"If possible," Maeve nodded. "Without antagonising Rayquaza, of course."

Lucas stared at her in disbelief. Hoenn lay devastated—yet here sat their leader, discussing research opportunities as if they were chatting over afternoon tea.

"The structure's in the open ocean," Lucas said. "Other regions might object to Hoenn claiming it for themselves."

"It's in our territorial waters," Maeve replied with quiet certainty.

"That won't matter to other governments," Sabrina cut in. “Besides, the point is moot. It’s Rayquaza’s territory. Even if he had Lucas’ help, it doesn’t mean it will allow him to trespass.”  

Lucas thought about the Prime Minister’s request. Although it held some risk, there was also an opportunity to obtain some nice rewards. He didn’t need to mention everything he found there, assuming that there was something to find.

"I'll check out the structure," Lucas said, "but I want something in return. Permission to purchase property in Hoenn. And a huge discount on it."

Maeve's eyebrows rose. "Our property laws are quite strict regarding foreigners."

"True, but you're asking me to potentially anger a legendary Pokemon. Seems fair compensation."

"I can arrange special dispensation. But only if you finish the task today."

"Okay." Lucas stood with Sabrina, pausing when he reached the door. "What about Phantom and Samiya? Has there been any progress?"

"The immediate crisis has passed with the weather," Maeve replied. "But yes, we're planning an expedition based on the coordinates Sabrina gleaned from Phantoms’ belongings."

"You think you'll find it?"

Maeve spread her hands. "We'll see."

They exited the office. 

"The Prime Minister never mentioned my connection to Kanto," Sabrina mused as they walked down the corridor. "Strangely, she's not worried about competition."

"She knows you'd tell your uncle anyway. It's why she wants this done today." Lucas glanced at her. "Going to call him?"

She nodded.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair. "Right then. Better get ready for another meeting with Rayquaza."

"Just use that legendary-whispering charm of yours."

"The same charm that worked on you?"

Sabrina's lips twitched. "That was clearly a momentary lapse in judgment."

"Momentary? It's been months."

"I'm a slow learner." She squeezed his hand. "Try not to get abducted into space again. Once was terrifying enough."

"No promises. Rayquaza's not exactly big on asking permission."

"At least leave me a voicemail next time so I don’t worry about you."

"I'll write a proper script. 'Dear Sabrina, being kidnapped by a dragon. Back for dinner. Probably.'"

"Asshole."

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas returns to Rayquaza’s lair and explores it further. 

Thanks for reading.