Pokémon Soul Generations – Hoenn Saga

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Chapter 44: Meet Up At The Space Center! Zinnia Explains Her Reasons!

After a few minutes of flying across Hoenn by using his psychic powers, Michael and Delcatty arrived at Mossdeep City.

Michael - "Here we are Delcatty. Now lets deliver this Meteorite Shard, then get back to your training."

Delcatty - "Right!"

As the pair made their way over to the Space Center, they spotted Twilight, Ruby, and Weiss out front.

Michael - "Hey girls. What are you three doing out here?"

Weiss - "Waiting for you. We figured we'd save you the hassle of joining us inside the Space Center and just give us the Meteorite Shard here so you'd have more time to help Delcatty with her training."

Michael - "Awww that's sweet of you girls. Well then. Here's the Meteorite Shard you need."

Michael brought out the Meteorite Shard and handed it to Weiss. He and Delcatty then watched the female trio walk into the Space Center.

Michael - "Well Delcatty. Let's head to the beach and resume your training."

Delcatty - "Yes sir!"

As Michael and Delcatty made their way to Mossdeep City's beach, the trio of Twilight, Ruby, and Weiss had reached the Celestial Observatory.

Dr. Kozmo - "Ah there you girls are. Thank you for coming. And you got the Meteorite Shard that Michael found with you. Well done!"

Weiss - "Not at all Dr. Kozmo. Here you go."

Weiss handed the Meteorite Shard over to Dr. Kozmo.

Steven - "I was rather surprised to learn that you girls know Dr. Kozmo. You all and Michael really do seem to make connections everywhere you go."

Ruby - "Well those of us with Michael at the time did save him from Teams Aqua and Magma. But we're just as surprised to learn that Dr. Kozmo leads Hoenn's space program here."

Steven - "I see. Now then, professor... Could I ask you to explain once more about the current plan?"

Dr. Kozmo - "Indeed... All of you please come this way."

The girls followed Steven and Dr. Kozmo over to the main monitor room.

Dr. Kozmo - "I imagine that you girls, along with Michael, have heard some of the situation from Stuart already."

Twilight - "Yes, we have. And let me get Michael and Delcatty in on this before we go any further."

Twilight once again brought Michael up to speed.

Michael - "Tell us your plan then Dr. Kozmo."

Dr. Kozmo - "Our current plan involves using the Infinity Energy within our rocket, combined with the life energy of humans found in Key Rings... We'll start off by artificially replicating the massive energy that is triggered at the time of Mega Evolution!"

Michael - "I get it. By using your rocket, you can fire the energy produced from it into space, which will then make a wrap hole. The wrap hole will then teleport the Asteroid away from our planet, right?"

Dr. Kozmo - "Hit the nail right on the head Michael. In fact, this technology already exists and has been incorporated in some of our commonly used devices."

Steven - "An audacious plan... And using such technology you would... May I ask where exactly the Asteroid will be warped to?"

Dr. Kozmo - "Well. We're not entirely sure, but... We do have a device that links the Wrap Holes. We've named it the Link Cable. But there's no need to worry. Based on our theory, we can at least guarantee that we will be sending it away from our planet. However, we've realized that we will need more energy than originally anticipated to control the Link Cable properly... I'm sorry to ask this of you, but with one more Meteorite Shard..."

Suddenly Zinnia, along with her Whismur Aster, had appeared in the back of the room.

Michael - "Crap. Here comes trouble."

Michael then ended the call before anyone else could realize. Meanwhile, the others turned and approached Zinnia.

Zinnia - "Nice! So, this is the heart of the famous Space Center everyone talks about! Pretty impressive, huh, Aster?"

Aster - "Yes it is very nice!"

Then a receptionist ran into the room after Zinnia and Aster.

Receptionist - "Excuse me! Young lady! You can't just let yourself in here!"

Zinnia - "Oh? Where's the harm in it? Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud! ...Right?"

Zinnia got up close to the receptionist at the end there.

Receptionist - "Ugh..."

Steven, Dr. Kozmo, and the girls then walked over.

Steven - "Who...are you? You're no sightseer..."

Dr. Kozmo, however, was losing his patience.

Dr. Kozmo - "Wh-who are you?! What're you doing here?!"

Zinnia, meanwhile, feigned ignorance.

Zinnia - "Me? I'm Zinnia. Just your regular ol' tourist, nothing more. Dreaming of taking a little trip into space... Heh."

While neither Steven or Dr. Kozmo saw it, the girls eyes went wide as they realized the woman in front of them was the current Lorekeeper of the Draconids. Zinnia then noticed the outline for the plan on the monitors.

Zinnia - "Oh, I seeeeee... So this is what has come of Human technology and of hope, blood, sweat, tears, and... Well, the list gets kinda long and boring. But it contains everything, huh? I know all about it. About just what kinda energy you're using to fuel this rocket thing... The abominable technology humanity first thought up 3,000 years ago... So you're once again planning to claim that this is best for humanity, or best for the whole damn world... It's a snap of your fingers to repeat the sins of the past. Worse, if what I overheard is true... This time, you're about to commit an error more abominable than before!"

Steven - "Tell me, would you rather we sit here wringing our hands, waiting for that meteoroid to strike us?"

Zinnia - "Ahahahaha! What's up with that? You're a pretty simple guy for the current Pokémon League Champion. Then I guess I'll hang my hopes on what our future Champion has to say."

Ruby - "You mean Michael? He's not here."

Zinnia - "He's not?"

Twilight - "Nope. He's down on the beach right now helping his Delcatty with some training."

Zinnia - "So that explains the Mega Soul Evolution she achieved during our battle. Then do any of you girls have a different plan then?"

Weiss - "Sadly no, we don't."

Zinnia - "Well that a shame... Look, I'm not here to criticize the way you guys are looking at this. But I want to be sure you've thought this through well and good. You know, there are necessary sacrifices, and there are unnecessary sacrifices. What a disappointment! This is the best you could do with all your knowledge and technology? Instead of trying to make something outta nothing, you'd rather repeat the mistakes of the past, straight up? No, you're gonna make new mistakes on top-that really takes the cake. You guys need some imagination."

Dr. Kozmo said nothing as he pondered over Zinnia's words. Much like what everyone else was doing. Zinnia then realized her current situation.

Zinnia - "Oops! But you were all in the middle of an important conversation or something, right? Sorry about that. I guess we'll just let ourselves out then. C'mon Aster."

Aster - "Right Zinnia."

Zinnia and Aster then left the Space Center.

Steven - "...Who was that woman? And the way she spoke to us... It's almost as if she came here for some kind of confirmation... And yet... I feel as though I should know her from...somewhere."

Steven then turned his attention back to Dr. Kozmo.

Steven - "Ah, Dr. Kozmo, forgive me. I believe you were trying to tell us something important before Zinnia interrupted us?"

Dr. Kozmo - "Uh... Yes... Ah, you see... In order to complete the warp hole, we'll need another Meteorite Shard. An extremely pure one..."

Ruby - "Then should we head to Granite Cave once again?"

Dr. Kozmo - "No... The kind of Meteorite Shard we need this time can only be found at Meteor Falls."

Steven was a bit surprised to hear the location, as were the girls.

Steven - "Meteor Falls! I see... Perhaps we'll learn something there..."

Steven turned to the girls.

Steven - "I'll head to Meteor Falls at once. You all follow as soon as you're ready. I feel we might discover even more than a Meteorite Shard there..."

Twilight - "We'll grab Michael before leaving."

Steven - "Right."

Steven then quickly left for Meteor Falls. Meanwhile, the girls headed for the beach to get Michael.

Michael - "So how did it go?"

Ruby - "Besides that Zinnia woman finally showing up, everything went well."

Michael - "So she showed up after all. So what are you girls going to do now?"

Weiss - "Well we need to head over to Meteor Falls to get a pure Meteorite Shard. Perhaps you want to join us?"

Michael - "Well Delcatty and I had just decided to take a break in her training anyway. But the two of us, along with Swampert, are gonna stay around here."

Twilight - "Awww. What for?"

Michael - "I know it's been a while since I've last seen Matt and Tabitha. But something tells me that they're gonna try to steal the warp hole device while we're gone. So I'll stay behind to make sure it's safe."

Ruby - "That's fine then. Hopefully you three find something fun to do while we're gone."

Michael - "I'm sure we will."

Michael, Delcatty, and Swampert watched as the girls flew off towards Meteor Falls.

Michael - "Well then, you two. Let's get over to the Space Center."

Delcatty/Swampert - "Right!"

As the trio made their way over to the Space Center, an unknown group of people were quietly following them from behind. Meanwhile, the girls made quick time to reach Meteor Falls. As they made their way to the furthest part of Meteor Falls, they came across Steven, who was talking to someone else.

Steven - "There you girls are. Michael's not with you?"

Weiss - "No. He decided to stay behind and protect the warp hole device in case someone tries to steal it."

Steven - "Good thinking. Anyway. We have the Meteorite Shard. And I've come to understand many things, as I suspected might happen. Allow me to introduce you all."

Steven moved aside, revealing the unknown person to be...

Girls - "Ms. Annebelle?!"

Annebelle - "Oh it's you girls again. I take it your male friend couldn't make it."

Ruby - "No Michael's sadly doing something else at the moment. But we'll make sure to tell him you said hello."

Annebelle - "Thank you. That means a lot. Especially since those of you at the time heard me out."

Steven - "Wait. So you girls have heard the story of the Draconids already?"

Weiss - "Michael only had three gym badges at the time we were here last. So of our entire group, only Twilight, Kronii, Sana, Sabrina, Ame, Gura, Ina, and Winona weren't with us yet at the time when Ms. Annebelle first relayed to us the story of the Draconids."

Steven - "I see."

Ruby - "Go ahead then Ms. Annebelle. A lot of us don't mind being told your tribe's history a second time."

Annebelle - "Of course."

Annebelle then recounted the tale of her tribe's history, how Rayquaza had achieved her power of Mega Evolution and used it to end the fight between her siblings.

Weiss - "Thank Arceus Michael was able to stop them WITH Lady Rayquaza's help."

Steven - "But still, a rainbow-colored stone... An invocation from the Lorekeeper... And a version of Lady Rayquaza unlike any ever seen... I see, it DOES resemble what we know of the process of Mega Evolution..."

Annebelle - "Yes, it does indeed. A Pokémon, a person, a stone of power. The bonds that tie them all together... The transformation of the Pokémon that occurs as a result of this phenomenon was called 'Mega Evolution' by later peoples."

Winona - "So then the mechanism for Mega Evolution was discovered as a result of the first meeting between humanity and Lady Rayquaza?"

Twilight - "So it would seem Winona. Hmmmm. I do have one last question for you Ms. Annebelle."

Annebelle - "What question is that Twilight?"

Twilight - "The 'Lorekeeper' you spoke of...?"

Annebelle - "The Lorekeeper is the one who has inherited the knowledge and power to summon Lady Rayquaza when disaster imperils this world. The true Lorekeeper of the current generation is the one called Zinnia. The disaster that now approaches our planet, as it has twice before... Zinnia's been trying for some time to avert it... In her own way. To draw Lady Rayquaza to our sphere, she joined a pair of criminal organizations that sought to revive both super-ancient Pokémon. She taught them the secrets needed to bring back these threats and summon the great dragon herself. And now it seems she travels the land, scouring for Key Rings..."

Twilight - "So Zinnia's the whole reason that Wally's Key Stone is missing, along with why Archie and Maxie attempted to awaken Lady Kyogre and Lord Groudon in the first place."

Steven - "But why would she do that though? Did she even give a thought to the many people and Pokémon whose lives were put at grave risk by her actions? Could she accept the inevitable sacrifice of so many lives, in order to protect the planet from the coming meteoroid?"

Annebelle - "Balance must rule the world. History is doomed to repeat itself... While our people have overcome many disasters in the past, it was always through great, great sacrifice... Yet we have continued to struggle to preserve peace for as many years as we can. That's how we've protected this world, upon which we now live. People... Pokémon... All nature... And yes, even you. I don't know exactly what you plan to do. But do you believe that you aren't sacrificing anything for your own protection? Zinnia will follow her convictions until the very end. Even knowing the sacrifices that they'll require. Even if the sacrificial blade is pointed at her own heart."

Ame - "...Is that right? ...We understand. Thank you for everything Ms. Annebelle."

Annebelle - "Not at all dears. You all just be safe on the rest of your journey."

Steven - "What is this... This vague sense of apprehension... And my intuition has often proven true. I'm going back to Rustboro City first. I have to get back to Devon Corp."

Steven then left Meteor Falls. The girls then quickly did the same a few moments later. Once they reached outside, Twilight communicator rang.

Twilight - "Hello?"

Michael - "Hey Twilight. How are things going on your end?"

Twilight - "Just fine Michael. Ms. Annebelle says hi."

Michael - "Oh did she? Then I better make sure to stop by and stay hi back sometime soon."

Twilight - "So how about you? The Warp Hole device is doing ok?"

Michael - "About the device. We have a major problem on our hands right now."