This chapter will be shorter and messier than the others, because I still haven't recovered the brainpower to write a proper one from when I wrote the previous chapter. I have an idea, but not enough of one to execute it properly. But I just felt that it's been a while since I wrote a chapter with actual plot relevance, rather than 'Oh, this is what Max and Bonnie are doing now!' Don't worry, in just 5 chapters, not including this one, we'll be in a very plot heavy part of this story. But for now, please enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 74:

Rayquaza's Warning

The next morning, everyone meets up at the same table to plan out the quickest route back to Lumiose. Gladion has set a map down on this table, and they all pour over it, hoping to find somewhere quick. Since Bonnie is from Kalos, they all end up relying on her to tell them whether a route they're looking at is quick or not. If she's unsure, they check with Max's navigation devices, or Elio's Rotomdex. When Elio introduces this thing to Max, Bonnie, Iris and Georgia, Bonnie proceeds to freak out about how cute it is, and tries to mess with it, much to Rotomdex's annoyance. Eventually, they manage to find a good route that'll get them to Lumiose the quickest. They also decide to use their flying types if they need to speed the journey up at all.

With this settled, they finish eating their breakfast, then head back up to their rooms to pack their bags and ready themselves for the journey. As Max packs his bag, he notices that a storm seems to be brewing on the horizon. As he stares at it, his head begins to hurt a bit. He grunts in pain slightly and clutches it, but it fades just as soon as it arrived. "Are you ok?" Bonnie asks him. Max turns away from the window and resumes packing. "Yeah, I'm fine," he says. "I just felt my eye itch a bit." Bonnie clearly doesn't believe him, but she doesn't press it, instead resuming her packing. Once they're finished, they leave the room and make their way down to the lobby. As he leaves the room, he looks at the storm again. He can't explain why, but it gives him a bad feeling.

One by one, everyone in their group comes down to the reception, checks out of the room, then gathers together near the entrance. Soon enough, all 12 of them are gathered together at the entrance to the hotel. Once they are, they exit the building and set off towards the exit of the town. As they go, Iris grips onto Georgia's arm, nervous around all of the Ice Types. However, it's clear that she isn't as scared as she used to be, which means that Georgia's help is working. Max notices that Elio is also looking up at the storm nervously. Lillie subconsciously takes his hand. "It's ok Elio," she reassures him. "I don't think that storm will reach us. It's going to be fine." Elio nods, but still looks nervous. "Is Elio afraid of storms?" Bonnie asks. Max lightly slaps her arm. Elio notices this and waves his hand reassuringly. Max doesn't need to know sign language to know that he's saying it's fine. "He's not afraid of storms, per say," Lana explains. "He just can't handle the loud noises." "Which is why he likes to hold Lillie's hand whenever there's one over us!" Mallow adds, pointing it out. Both Elio and Lillie look down at their hands and notice that they're still holding each other. They spring apart quickly, very red in the face.

As they leave Snowbelle, the storm seems to build, and get closer to them. Everytime Max looks up at it, his head begins to hurt a bit, but stops after a while. As they get closer however, they seem to grow longer. At one point, Bonnie starts to ask him about it, but he always dismisses her, telling her that he's fine. As they travel, it becomes clear that that storm is going to be directly overhead as they go. So, they try to step it out as much as possible to avoid getting caught in it. But as it grows closer, Max's head begins to hurt more. They manage to reach the forest where Max and Bonnie ran into Iris and Georgia when the storm finally hits them. Lightning flashes, followed by thunder. It begins to snow as well, hard. Elio begins to freak out and cover his ears. He starts hyperventilating and whimpering as well. "We need to get into the forest!" Lillie shouts over all the noise. "We won't be able to go anywhere until this passes!" Everyone agrees, and makes their way into the forest.

Under the trees, the snow doesn't hit them as much, and they're relatively protected from the wind. Now all they have to do is wait for the storm to stop, and for Elio to be ok with walking again. So, with nothing else to do, they sit down on an overturned trunk, and Kiawe and Bonnie release their fire types to keep them warm. Hau pulls out Elio's Incineroar to do the same. Then, they all sit around and wait. Iris sits next to Georgia and grips her arm, shivering, though whether from cold or fear Max doesn't know. Ever since they got to this spot, his headache hasn't gone away. In fact, it's starting to remind him of the ones he got whenever he tried to leave the Jade Orb behind. With a horrible jolt, Max realises why he's getting them. But before he can say anything about it, lightning flashes and thunder rumbles, and Max feels himself falling off the trunk, blacking out as he does.

When he comes to, Max isn't in the forest anymore. Looking around, he sees that he's in some kind of hall. He gets to his feet groggily and looks around some more. This hall is large, with many columns along the walls. It's also coloured green, at least as far as Max can tell. As he tries to make out where he is, everything around him fades slightly. He continues looking around, trying to work out where he is. He's so confused by his surroundings and how he got here, that he doesn't notice the person standing behind him. That is, until they speak. "Max Maple!" says a voice from behind him. "It is about time I was able to reach you! I come with bad tidings that you must here!"

Max wheels around to see the person standing behind him. They're a tall person, who looks to be in their late teens or early 20s, but their eyes look so much older, making it impossible for Max to tell their age. They're pale-skinned, with long electric blond hair flowing almost to their waist. They're clean-shaven too, and have golden eyes, which are bloodshot, with dark circles under them, as though they haven't slept in days. They're wearing a green tuxedo and black shoes. When they speak, their voice echoes, like they're speaking in Max's mind as well as out loud. "Wh-Who are you?" he demands, his voice sounding rather faint. "Where are we?" The stranger smiles, one that looks like they haven't done so in a while. "Hm, I suppose I am completely unrecognisable in this form," they say, with a slight chuckle. "I am Rayquaza. And you are currently inside my mind."

Max stares at them, dumbfounded. He says something very intelligent, like, "Eh-wuh?" before clearing his throat and saying, "But how? You were captured by Team Terra! And, you're human!" The person claiming to be Rayquaza nods. "Due to those... eh... unfortunate, circumstances, my powers are very limited right now," they explain. "It is taking a lot of my energy just to speak with you in this form. It is one I haven't had to use since the days of Sir Aaron." Max doesn't need to ask who that is. He remembers Lucario's old friend from thousands of years ago. "But why speak to me?" he asks. "There are others far more capable of helping you than me! Ash Ketchum is here! Why not warn him about this?" Rayquaza regards Max for a few seconds before answering. "Because you are the one who picked up the Jade Orb last year," they explain. "You were the one who was chosen by fate to oppose this threat, not the Monarch. Now, come with me. I must show you something, and I do not have a lot of time to do so."

Rayquaza turns away from Max and begins to walk down the hall. Max wants to protest that he never wanted to pick up the Jade Orb, and that he wants nothing to do with it. But instead, he follows Rayquaza down the hall. They lead him over to a large bubble, which is currently showing an image of Max and his friends just outside of Snowbelle. Max is lying in the snow, and Bonnie is hovering over him, trying to see what's the matter. Elio's panic attack seems to have grown worse, because both Lillie and Hau are sitting on either side of him, trying to comfort him. Iris is huddled up to Georgia, even tighter than before. Gladion and Lana are helping Max's unconscious form up onto the trunk, while Kiawe, Sophocles and Mallow tend to all the fire types, trying to help them stay warm with Mallow's cooking. As Max watches all this, he's hit with a realisation. "You caused the storm!" he exclaims, feeling his anger rising. Surprisingly, Rayquaza shakes their head. "That storm was going to hit you whether I needed to speak with you or not," they reply curtly. "I merely used it to get to you so we could talk. Luckily for me you still have traces of my Aura on you from the Jade Orb, otherwise this conversation would not be possible. But that is not important. This is what you need to see."

With that, Rayquaza waves their hand and the image in the bubble shifts. Now, Max can see a large metal container being lowered to the ground by 6 large helicopters. It takes Max a few seconds to realise that this is in Kalos. "Is that Team Terra?" he asks. Rayquaza nods gravely. "That is Team Terra's progress as of now," they explain. "If they keep going at this rate, they will reach Lumiose City shortly after you do. If they are able to complete their goal unhindered, this will be the state of Kalos." They wave their hand again, and the image shifts once more, showing Max a terrible sight. Many of the Cities and town in Kalos are destroyed. While most of the buildings remain standing, a lot of them are reduced to rubble. Though it's night-time in the vision, there's no lights on at all, other than a few fires built in the building that remain standing. Hospitals are overrun with patients, but without power, there's little they can do. The sight makes Max want to be sick.

"This is the result of The Leader of Team Terra's misguided belief that all electricity and power must be eradicated," Rayquaza explains. "Though his overall goal may be just, his actions cannot be allowed to continue. Not without disastrous consequences." "Do you know who he is?" Max asks. "Their leader, I mean?" Rayquaza shakes his head sadly. "Alas, I do not," they admit. "He is not amongst those who hold me prisoner. Though if he was, I would not be able to say for sure, as I cannot read minds." "But you're speaking to me through your mind right now!" Max points out. "This is different," Rayquaza replies. "I am normally unable to do this with non Aura Guardians. However, you carried The Jade Orb, my Primal Item, for 6 months, which has allowed some of my Aura to rub off on you. Though, this connection is very weak, and my power is very limited. But anyway, I have shown you what is coming. Now, it is up to you to stop it!"

At this, the hall begins to fade. Well, fade even more than it already is. "Wait!" Max shouts. "Why is it up to me to stop Team Terra? I'm the one who they stole The Jade Orb from in the first place!" "Because you have a unique gift, Max Maple," Rayquaza replies, fading along with the hall. "One that could determine the course of our world in the coming years. I know you believe that The Monarch is a better choice for this, but he had his time. No, it is your turn. You and that Bonnie Citron you travel with. Now go. Go and protect this region!" And with that, Rayquaza and the green hall fades away, and Max can feel himself returning to the forest he lies in.

This was supposed to keep going, but I couldn't think of where to go after Max wakes up, so I decided to end it here. Plus, I wrote this instead of a college essay, so I need to end this quickly in order to have time to get started on that. Also, I noticed that way too many of my plot relevant chapters are all contained in one chapter, then it's back to the almost slice-of-life style that so many of the chapters have. By the way, I had to use my phone to update parts of this chapter, so if there are any mistakes, that is why. Anyway, with that, I'll see you on Friday with the next one.