Chapter 0700: Mega Rayquaza! A Grand Meteor Shower!（Three-in-One）

The sky was vibrant blue, not a single cloud.

Hoenn League, Emergency Response HQ.

A giant monitor was broadcasting the live stream from Mossdeep City Space Center.

Rayquaza, encased in a dazzling golden barrier, rushed straight into the sky, the streams of air outside his energy orb blazing fiercely!

A close-up showed a figure in a spacesuit standing atop Rayquaza’s head, gripping the crown fins of the Dragon God!

Employees stared, transfixed. In an instant, the patterns on Rayquaza’s body blossomed with brilliant golden light, breaking through the troposphere, heading for the ozone layer!

Satellite feeds struggled to keep up with Rayquaza’s Speed, switching to a stratospheric camera—there, a green dragon filled the screen, pressing onward!

Instruments beeped frantically; researchers’ hands flew over the controls.

“Rayquaza has reached the stratosphere, still ascending!”

“Speed is estimated at 8 km/s, breaking the first cosmic Speed!”

The Hoenn President clasped his hands together, eyes fixed on the shadowy figure in the feed, face tense.

The fierce shaking and vibrations seemed to reach through the screen, passing their shudders to all.

Everyone’s foreheads broke out in a cold sweat.

“Report: Rayquaza’s energy values are rising rapidly!”

“Rayquaza is accelerating even more!!”

A researcher gazed at the screen, watching as Rayquaza, encased in a sealed barrier, long tail drifting up and down, body rippling with mysterious golden patterns, spread his claws and roared!

Beep-beep-beep!

Numbers pulsed wildly; eyes trembled. An official from the Village of Dragons gaped:

“Dragon Dance, Dragon Dance!”

No one paid heed to the official’s excitement; a researcher stared at the interface, eyes shining.

“Report: Rayquaza’s Speed has reached 12 km/s!”

“Breaking the second cosmic Speed!”

“Rayquaza and the Successor are departing Earth!!”

In the upper atmosphere, spacecraft circled the Earth in calm orbits.

Suddenly, the world went silent.

A satellite camera reflected the pure blue earth, wild cloud cover, drifting tectonic plates, vast seas—

A shining dot streaked through the atmosphere, burning silently and intensely, as Rayquaza soared from the sky!

The tall figure in a space suit stood atop Rayquaza’s head, catching sight of an orbital satellite—and hesitated for a moment.

Then, the astronaut gave it a slight nod.

In a flash—

Mossdeep City Space Center, Devon Energy Division, and Hoenn Emergency HQ all erupted into a frenzy!

“Rayquaza broke free of Earth’s gravity!”

“That means—Natsume-sensei is in the upper atmosphere!!”

The scientists’ hearts surged, reminded suddenly of the space program—or of the heroes of exploration.

But right now, a Human was riding Rayquaza into space, fighting to resolve the crisis and protect their home.

Countless people were shaken; countless others were overjoyed!

Steven, hand on his impeccably tailored suit, blue vest crisp, looked up at the sky, murmuring softly:

“To be honest… sometimes I envy Natsume-sensei.”

Wallace, white painter’s beret atop his head and long green sash trailing to his waist, looked up, “Why’s that?”

“Because he always gets these champion moments in the spotlight.” Steven joked.

“Your number-one title’s been stolen,” Wallace chuckled. “At least, in the aerospace domain.”

Steven shrugged slightly and glanced at his mobile phone.

Sure enough, the live stream group was already flooded with messages.

Gold: “Holy crap, Natsume-sensei went to the stars!”

Old Man Wattson: “My word, he’s already in outer space!”

Lance croaked: “That’s not a Champion Trainer… that’s a cosmic Trainer!”

“I even saw Ruby and Sapphire?” Green asked.

“Yes,” Norman replied. “They were given the Successor’s mission.”

Lorelei: “Even going to outer space, those two are together?”

“Ahem… Let them be. They’ve already met each other’s parents.” Norman said.

Auntie Lorelei: “……”

Ugh… I’ve just been hit with bitterness!

Lucian said blankly: “I was offline for half a month, and Natsume-sensei’s in space?”

Ash: “Because Natsume-sensei beat up Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, and now he’s off to smash the massive meteorite!”

Lucian: ???

Steven smiled: “Well… wording aside, that’s accurate.”

Wallace sighed: “About Kyogre… that’s one more favor we owe Natsume-sensei.”

Cynthia suggested cheerfully: “Hoenn League could repay him in Z-Crystals or Mega Stones, since he’s collecting those lately.”

“Oh!”

Wallace glanced at Steven, who flashed him an OK sign.

When it came to Ore collecting, Steven wouldn’t lose to anyone!

“No problem!” Wallace agreed.

Iris gasped, “Even Rayquaza follows Natsume-sensei’s command… My Dragon Heart has a long way to go.”

Gold raised his eyebrows: “@Lance.”

Lance: ?

Silver replied stonily: “He means, ‘Lance the Birdbrain, you should learn from Natsume-sensei.’”

Gold: !?

How’d you know that!?

Lance: “……”

【Group member “Gold” was muted for 72 hours by admin “Lance”!】

Lucian quietly mopped his brow.

Riding Rayquaza into space to smash a meteorite?

This world is crazy.

I’d better get back to my overtime work…

The shock of Rayquaza and the Successor leaving Earth reverberated everywhere.

Two days earlier, President Stone had apologized on his knees to Draconid Zinnia, but Zinnia still felt a hidden obsession in her heart.

Not the thrill of revenge, nor any hatred toward President Stone, but a sense of how fate’s turns are untamable.

Now, her cape snapped in the wind as she looked up at the sunny sky.

Somewhere beyond her sight, in the vastness of space, someone else had taken up her Mission, just as she had once borne on Aster’s Mission.

Mossdeep City, Space Center.

Meowth, James, and Jessie had been invited as guest commentators.

“Pardon me, but… how do you know so much about rockets?” a scientist asked.

“That’s simple!”

Meowth held up one finger, “Making a hot air balloon requires intense physics, material science, aerospace engineering—it translates right into rockets, nyah!”

“My family had a rocket launch center, so as a kid, I did some research myself,” James added.

The scientist: ???

I asked out of turn!

According to Mossdeep City Space Center’s predictions, the massive meteorite would collide with the Earth in five days.

Even if Natsume and Rayquaza failed, a backup plan—“dimensional teleportation”—could still be activated.

Ten minutes into the flight, the satellite camera focused on the floating massive meteorite.

Even onscreen, the massive meteorite radiated a sense of incredible pressure.

Researchers held their breath, gazing upward.

Natsume-sensei, atop Rayquaza, was now just a stone’s throw from the massive meteorite!

……

Outer space.

The calm at the edge of the world.

Natsume, dressed in a specially made spacesuit, stood atop Rayquaza’s head, staring at the Earth.

The Poké Balls at his waist shivered softly; the little ones inside stirring powerfully.

It was a blue planet, home to Pokémon and Humans. Beautiful, pure, a homeland…

Natsume could suddenly understand the ideology of many villains.

To create a world of their ideals, fighting for the light, for a white tomorrow.

A single thread of light traced the horizon, from a distant ball of flame, bathing the Earth in a golden glow.

[We’re only here to shatter the meteorite, no need to provoke that one,] Rayquaza’s Telepathy sounded.

Through Rayquaza’s power, their hearts could speak freely.

“That one?” Sapphire asked.

[You don’t need to know,] Rayquaza replied.

“The Radiant Lord, Ultra Necrozma?” Natsume asked.

[???]

“I read about the Aether Foundation,” Natsume said casually.

Earth is home to Pokémon—but in space, Pokémon means Ultra Beasts.

Standing in the vast silence, Natsume glanced at an orbiting satellite, pausing for a moment.

Then, Natsume nodded gently at the satellite’s camera.

This would become an unforgettable Journey for Natsume-sensei and his little ones.

“Let’s go, head toward the meteorite,” Natsume said.

Rayquaza had no objection; his long green form shot through space, passing by a floating, small asteroid.

Natsume studied the small asteroid with interest.

It had a hard, gray shell, drifting in space. Sensing Rayquaza, it hurriedly floated away.

Rayquaza only glanced at it; he had no intention of snacking on these little ones now.

A grand feast lay ahead.

Inside, though, the asteroid’s true core was vibrantly colored. Natsume felt that opening one like an Easter Egg—sometimes finding a green core, sometimes blue, sometimes gold…

Sometimes you’d get an SSR, Jirachi.

Natsume sat cross-legged atop Rayquaza’s head, admiring the silent, immense beauty of space, and remembering Tanabata last year.

Exactly a year has passed.

Last year he watched the meteor shower; this year he came in person to smash the meteorite.

Natsume couldn’t help but reflect.

At this point, it’s not just a sneak attack—it’s ramming headfirst into fate!

“Natsume-sensei, look!”

Hearing Ruby’s mental link, Natsume looked up.

Suddenly, Natsume froze.

There it was—the colossal Meteorite, its surface rough and craggy, pebbles constantly flaking away, vast enough to block out half the sky, the sheer sight a vision of overwhelming impact!

The mission’s target!

The massive meteorite, looming before them!

[Natsume, you should stand on it.]

Rayquaza’s gaze fixed on a nearby Space Station; its solar wings unfolded like arms, enough for a Trainer to stand upon.

Natsume nodded softly, carefully releasing the ankle restraints, signaling Ruby and Sapphire.

The three of them floated to the station’s solar panels and anchored themselves with magnetic boots.

Natsume looked back at the expanse of space, nodding to himself.

I’m out of the capsule, and feeling fine!

The massive meteorite drifted straight toward them—Natsume, calming the dancing Dusk Ball at his waist.

“That one’s not edible… You’d just catch a Pokémon virus.”

While the Pokérus could rapidly boost Effort Values—great for breeding—there was no need to risk it now.

Rayquaza now coiled in the sky before the meteorite, eyes shining coldly, jaws stretching wide.

“You’re up, Rayquaza!” Natsume called.

Suddenly, an intense aura burst around Rayquaza, covering the whole battlefield. Natsume heard the air vibrate; Rayquaza let out a raging roar!

“Roar!!”

Golden light exploded around Rayquaza, and he charged at the massive meteorite, a wild energy orb boiling in his jaws, white light blasting forth!

Boom!!

The energy beam struck straight at the massive meteorite. Rayquaza slammed into it with Extreme Speed, shooting out the other side, scattering fragments everywhere.

The little asteroids scattered in panic, while the meteorite quaked and space flashed with brilliant fire!

But the meteorite was too immense—at Rayquaza’s current Condition, it could not yet be destroyed.

“Natsume-sensei!” Ruby called, “Try Mr. Steven’s item!”

Natsume nodded, glancing at his right hand in his suit.

Still wearing a fingerless Glove, he removed the Key Stone in the slot and replaced it with a Rainbow Meteorite energy core!

“Rayquaza!”

Natsume’s Power of One sounded in Rayquaza’s heart, voice resolute:

“Trust me, just once!”

Gold and white motes of light rose between Natsume and Rayquaza, an invisible Bond linking them.

Rayquaza shot a startled look at Natsume.

Then, Rayquaza said nothing more—straightened his body and shot skyward!

A second later—

Rayquaza dove like a loosed arrow!

“Rayquaza——”

Dazzling radiance burst in space; Natsume’s Power of One crossed time and space, echoing in Rayquaza’s heart:

“Dragon Ascent!!!”

In that instant,

Countless golden particles radiated from Rayquaza’s internal “Mikado organ”, weaving into golden streamers encircling Rayquaza.

His body’s markings burst into blazing gold; his beard flowed golden, his emerald armor parsing with brilliance, and on his brow did not bloom the rainbow Mega Evolution sigil—but a unique Delta symbol, ‘Δ’!!

Delta Stream surged from Rayquaza, rippling outward.

Mega Rayquaza now shone like a golden streak, channeling all might into one point, smashing straight through the meteorite!

Dragon Ascent!!

A golden arc cut across the heavens, piercing clean through the meteorite!

Silent outer space.

Next came uproar on Earth.

Countless people stared, pupils pinpricked, utterly spellbound!!

“What is that!?”

“Rayquaza’s Mega Form?!”

“The meteorite—it’s about to explode!!”

BOOM!

A dull, thunderous shock.

Within, the meteorite split with a nuclear-burst of white light.

BOOM!!!

The massive meteorite was breaking apart, splitting to countless fragments, floating in space.

The universe quieted once again; Natsume stood on the station’s solar panel, eye to eye with Mega Rayquaza.

This was a forceful, legendary green dragon, golden streamers wafting about him, skin glimmering with emerald armor’s luster, black-and-gold eyes icy and overpowering.

After a moment, Mega Rayquaza uttered in a deep voice:

[You have won, Messenger of Arceus.]

In that instant, Rayquaza truly felt the Bond with Natsume!

“We’ll talk later—first, we handle that one…”

Natsume turned his eyes to the meteorite’s core.

Each piece of floating Meteorite revealed a purple, triangular crystal slowly rising—and beginning to change.

Mega Rayquaza narrowed his eyes, watching the meteorite core that gave him a hint of fear.

The core burst into white light, unfolding.

An orange-red body, double-helix gene arms, chilling stare, a purple crystal centered in its chest.

Beep, beep, beep!

Mossdeep City’s instruments went wild.

The massive meteorite’s true body—was a Pokémon!

Caught off guard, no one was prepared.

“What Pokémon is that?!”

“Professor Oak’s Pokédex has the entry—”

“Space Virus Pokémon, Deoxys!!”

Outer space.

Deoxys hovered coldly, locked in a standoff with Mega Rayquaza.

[Fight it?] Rayquaza asked.

Before Natsume could answer, Deoxys’s chest crystal burst with light, streaking in with astonishing Speed!

BOOM!!

Too fast to see, only flickers of blackness skipped across the darkness, purple beams firing continuously.

In a flash, Rayquaza’s body burst with explosions in several places!

“Roar!!”

Mega Rayquaza’s form arched in fury, bellowing at the black shadow in rage.

“What is that monster?” Sapphire gasped.

“The Speed—it’s suppressing Mega Rayquaza!” Ruby gritted out.

Mega Rayquaza spewed a dazzling white Hyper Beam at Deoxys, who dodged with ease.

Then, Mega Rayquaza spun his powerful body and dove for Deoxys!

The sky god’s signature move—Extreme Speed!!

Deoxys’s body shifted, head sprouting sharp horns, arms stretching long, the whole form like a sword.

Speed Form Deoxys used Extreme Speed as well, racing alongside Mega Rayquaza!!

Two Pokémon zipped side by side in the void, igniting a rain of blastfire.

The moment Mega Rayquaza’s Speed faded—

Deoxys shot to his front, changed to Attack Form, tendril arms upon the chest crystal—

BOOM!!

A dazzling Zap Cannon blasted forth!

“Roar!!”

Mega Rayquaza opened his jaws; Hyper Beam instantly swallowed Zap Cannon, but Deoxys’s eyes flashed and teleported away!

BOOM!!

Hyper Beam struck a floating satellite—a screen flashed instantly to static!

Deoxys, in base and attack forms, boasts Speed Stat 150; Speed Form reaches 180!

Among all Pokémon, none have a higher Speed Stat than Deoxys–Speed Form!

And here, thriving in space, Deoxys was in his element.

This was true Extreme Speed!!

Mega Rayquaza froze up, black-and-yellow eyes flickering with unrest.

“I’ll show you how to fight—”

Natsume’s eyes narrowed. He took a minimized Poké Ball, pressed the button for full size, and threw hard:

“Gengar, Trick Room!!”

Gengar, with partial Inverse Power, could slow even Deoxys, even in space!

And Trick Room—was the perfect counter to high-speed foes!!

“Gengar~”

Gengar burst out of the Poké Ball, ballooning up and floating in zero-gravity, grinning broadly.

Suddenly his face changed. In zero-g, Gengar swam his feet like treading water, pinched his nose with one hand, and signaled with a fingertip!

Deoxys spun abruptly, looking toward Natsume.

A field of deep purple space, centered on Gengar, radiated over the battlefield!

On Earth, Trainers watching the live satellite feed were stunned.

Trick Room!?

Slower Pokémon now move first!?

Damn, as expected of you, Strategist!!

Deoxys found his feet bound as if by Gravity, eyes lost as he saw Trick Room locking down the battlefield.

My Speed… is gone?

What is happening!

“Mega Rayquaza.”

Natsume commanded with a sharp voice: "Dragon Ascent!!"

Deoxys: ?

Earthling, do you have no manners?

"Roar!!"

Mega Rayquaza surged through space like a flood dragon, then transformed into a golden streak, diving down from the heavens itself!!

Deoxys looked up blankly.

BOOM!!!

The dust settled.

All returned to silence.

Deoxys’s body changed into a rounded, defensive Form.

Its whole form tattered and scorched black, the purple crystal in its chest flickering off and on, Deoxys clutched at its chest, barely holding onto breath.

"Wait, Rayquaza!"

Natsume stopped Rayquaza, who was about to go for a finishing blow, and used The Power of One to sense and communicate:

【Please cease your attack, Deoxys. We promise not to use Dragon Ascent first.】

Deoxys paused, its form shifting back to Normal Form, and looked at Natsume in a daze, then nodded.

【I know what you want: revenge, and to find your companion.】

Natsume paused a moment.

Deoxys, like a DNA double helix, was actually a twin.

Back then, Giovanni sought to use Deoxys to find Silver, abandoned "Specimen 2", and only experimented with "Specimen 1".

This Deoxys was called "Specimen 2"—it came from space for revenge on Giovanni, and to search for "Specimen 1".

【Leave the Meteorite behind. Go look for Giovanni yourself. I won’t stop you, but even if vengeance fails, you must survive.】

Natsume said: 【Earth might not be suitable for your kind, but I believe someday, you'll find a home of your own.】

Just like the red World’s End Worm, just like the vengeful Mewtwo...

A flash of emotion moved through Deoxys's eyes.

It could sense the sincerity of the Trainer before it.

Even if this earthling was somewhat despicable... he truly understood Deoxys’s motivation.

He gave Mega Rayquaza a long look, and then Deoxys turned to Natsume and nodded gently.

With that, Deoxys, battered and battered, drifted past the destroyed satellite, on its way toward Earth.

"Aren’t you going to stop it, Natsume-sensei?" Ruby asked softly.

"No... it, too, is searching for its companion."

Natsume watched Deoxys’s retreating direction.

Since Giovanni reaped what he sowed, he should bear and settle it himself.

An honest Pokémon battle.

For any ideal—revenge, ambition, passion, or Mission—this is the truest interpretation.

Stillness and silence filled space.

The battered pieces of Meteorite, after the great clash, floated, pulled toward Earth.

Natsume felt the exhaustion of battle, sitting atop Rayquaza’s head.

"Wonder what’s happening on Earth now?" Ruby wondered.

"It must be going wild now," Sapphire said.

Mossdeep City Space Center.

All the staff members were so shocked, they couldn’t speak.

Steven and Wallace gulped.

Among Pokédex holders, "Strategy" really could stand equal to "Battle!"

Commanded Mega Rayquaza, shattered the massive meteorite.

Fought a powerful space creature, even deployed Gengar’s Strategy to take it down…

This Champion protected Hoenn, protected the Earth!

The crisis of the massive meteorite, successfully averted!!

When the tension let go, cheers burst forth, and everywhere people let their passion loose.

All these distant celebrations had nothing to do with Natsume.

Right now, holding Rayquaza’s crown fins, his visor misting with his breath, he quietly watched sunset over Earth.

Silent, Natsume’s mind drifted.

Whether it was the massive meteorite, Mega Rayquaza, or Deoxys...

Nothing compared to the power of this sight before his eyes.

A vast sun sank below the horizon, golden rays flooding the blue Earth.

"So beautiful…" Sapphire breathed in awe.

"It is…" murmured Ruby.

"No matter what happens—"

With the sun falling behind him, Natsume turned back, smiled, and said:

"Tomorrow, the sun will still rise as always."

"Let’s go." Natsume put his hands on the two’s shoulders and said with a smile, "Let’s return to Earth!"

"Too bad we can’t catch tonight’s ‘Litleo’ meteor shower." Sapphire pouted.

She’d been looking forward to this, all month!

Ruby smiled, gently patted Sapphire’s shoulder, indicating she should look up.

In that moment, Sapphire’s eyes sparkled.

With the sun setting on Earth’s far side, space around them was plunged in darkness. Fragments of the shattered meteorite burned through the atmopshere, blazing like streaks of beautiful, shining stars.

The entire sky was falling meteors, fireworks, and blinding stars—a flood of fragments burning to nothing as they entered the atmosphere.

A meteor shower, dazzling and romantic beyond compare.

Natsume glanced at Ruby and Sapphire, spellbound, holding hands—and softly asked:

"Rotom, how long until sunset in Celestic Town?"

"Beep… Celestic Town has already experienced sunset, Rotom!"

"Can you see it from those coordinates?"

"Completely—not a problem, Rotom~!"

"Edit a message. Send to Cynthia…"

Natsume paused.

Suddenly, he remembered—the Tanabata festival gift Cynthia had given him last year was Garchomp’s Draco Meteor.

Burning meteors, the silence of outer space. Countless people gazing up at the starlit sky, defending their home.

Natsume chose to sit cross-legged on Rayquaza’s brow, and typed by hand himself.

……

Sinnoh Region, Celestic Town.

Cynthia walked out of the Museum.

The golden-haired beauty, in a noble black trench coat, golden hair veiling her strong profile, wore a thoughtful look.

She strolled to the high ridge just outside town, gazing over the infinite starry sky.

Garchomp came out from her Poké Ball and stood silently behind her.

"Remember, as children, we used to watch the stars like this?"

Cynthia spoke tenderly: "Last year it was with Natsume and Eevee... a year’s gone by in a blink."

Garchomp lay its head on Cynthia’s knees as she sat on a cool stone, gently stroking his scales.

Beep, beep.

Message vibration.

Cynthia looked slightly surprised—this message was quite unique, possibly even sent from distant space.

It was extremely concise; only the briefest first half of a sentence:

【If you look up and can see…】

Cynthia rose, lifting her beautiful, snowy face. Beneath her golden hair, a strange light flashed in her gray eyes.

First one meteor streaked by, then another, and another after another, lighting up the night in a grand and dazzling display.

Cynthia placed a hand at her hip, golden hair trailing behind her, and stood under the luminous starry sky, curling a faint smile.

In the sky behind her, the meteor shower was still falling; in her long, slender fingers, the mobile phone screen blinked again.

【One unread message.】

【Natsume: For you.】