In the heart of a mystical arena, surrounded by towering clouds and ancient ruins, Ash stood with determination etched across his face. The air crackled with anticipation as he called forth his first trusty partner.
"Come on out, Glalie!" His voice echoed through the arena, and from the confines of the Poke Ball, Glalie emerged with a resounding cry.
"Gla!" The tension in the arena escalated as the colossal presence of Rayquaza soared into the sky, shrouded in the brilliance of his own majesty. His mighty presence encapsulated the air around them, and he released a deafening roar that reverberated through the surroundings.
"Use Double Team!" Ash commanded, determination in his eyes. Glalie responded by multiplying himself into several identical forms, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of icy duplicates. Rayquaza, however, wasted no time in joining the battle as well.
"Quaza!" With incredible speed, he vanished from sight, leaving only a fleeting blur in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared and unleashed Extremespeed, sending Glalie and all his duplicates crashing to the ground. Ash, taken aback by the incredible speed of his opponent, could only mutter under his breath.
"So fast..." But the battle raged on. Rayquaza, now airborne once more, conjured a powerful Dragon Pulse and aimed it directly at Glalie. In a desperate bid to counter the impending attack, Ash called out, "Ice Beam!"
"Lie!" Glalie responded swiftly, releasing a frigid beam of ice that collided with the oncoming Dragon Pulse. The clash of the two mighty forces created a dazzling explosion of energy, forcing Ash to shield his face from the intense brightness. As the dust settled, Rayquaza seized the opportunity to ascend even higher into the sky. With a thunderous roar, he descended upon Glalie with the force of a soaring Fly attack, sending the Ice-type Pokémon crashing into an ancient altar.
"Glalie!" Ash cried out in concern as his partner struggled to rise. Rayquaza, triumphant in his display of power, roared in victory as Glalie succumbed to defeat. The arena fell silent, a testament to the intensity and swiftness of the battle that had unfolded beneath the watchful eyes of the ancient ruins. In the aftermath of Glalie's valiant effort, Ash swiftly withdrew his fainted Pokémon and, undeterred, called upon another formidable ally. "Go, Krookodile!"
"Krook!" Krookodile emerged with a resounding cry, ready for the impending clash. Rayquaza wasted no time, summoning the power of his Dragon Pulse once more and unleashing it with a ferocious roar.
"Use Stone Edge!" Ash commanded. Krookodile responded, conjuring sharp-edged stones that he launched into the air, where they clashed with the oncoming Dragon Pulse. The collision created a tumultuous explosion of smoke, obscuring the battlefield from view. Undeterred by the chaos, Ash seized the moment to attack. "Dragon Claw!"
"Dile!" Krookodile, agile and determined, leaped through the billowing smoke, claws aglow with a vibrant green energy. However, Rayquaza, ever elusive, employed Extreme Speed, effortlessly evading Krookodile's Dragon Claw. The Legendary Pokémon then ascended into the sky, performing a mesmerizing Dragon Dance, amplifying his power.
"What was that…?" Serena asked, watching from the sidelines with Zinnia and Aster.
"Dragon Dance…" Zinnia explained. "Rayquaza is increasing his attack power."
"Uh oh…" the blonde whispered, worried for Ash and his Pokemon as she held May safely away from the clashing Pokemon.
"Stone Edge again!" Ash called, hoping to seize the opportunity to attack while Rayquaza was powering up. Krookodile fired another barrage of Stone Edge at the airborne Rayquaza. The powerful rocks struck their mark, causing the Legendary Pokémon to grunt in response. Unyielding, Rayquaza retaliated with a Dragon Pulse, much more powerful than the ones before, launching it straight at Krookodile. "Dodge it with Dig!"
"Krooko…dile!" In a swift move, Krookodile utilized Dig, burrowing into the ground to evade the impending attack. Rayquaza, growling in frustration, soared high into the sky using the Fly technique again. Krookodile resurfaced moments later with a triumphant leap, only to be met by Rayquaza's full force as he descended with a thunderous crash. The impact left Krookodile incapacitated, and the arena echoed with Rayquaza's triumphant roar. Ash grit his teeth as he recalled Krookadile to his pokeball, determined to overcome the legendary Rayquaza.
"Go, Infernape!" With a burst of fiery energy, Infernape emerged, ready to face the formidable opponent.
"Ray!" Rayquaza, wasting no time, swiftly fired a Dragon Pulse toward Infernape.
"Use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. Infernape countered with a stream of intense flames from his mouth, colliding with the oncoming Dragon Pulse in a fiery explosion. "Now use Flare Blitz fast!"
"Infern!" Capitalizing on the moment, Infernape charged forward with the blazing power of Flare Blitz, slamming into Rayquaza. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain, and Infernape gritted his teeth from the recoil damage of the powerful move. Rayquaza, after shaking off the hit, retaliated with a close-range Dragon Pulse, causing Infernape to scream in agony. The Legendary Pokémon then swatted Infernape away with his tail, sending the Fire-type Pokémon sprawling.
"Infernape!" Ash cried out, concern etched across his face.
"Oh no!" Serena gasped, and Zinnia clenched her teeth, witnessing the battle grow ever more intense. Rayquaza, fueled by a surge of power, performed another Dragon Dance, enhancing his already formidable abilities.
"Use Mach Punch!" Ash, quick to counter, commanded. Infernape, despite the pain in his body, slowly rose and delivered a swift Mach Punch, landing a solid hit on Rayquaza before the Dragon/Flying type could attempt to dodge. The Legendary Pokémon grunted, but Ash and Infernape weren't done. "Flamethrower now!"
"Nape!" With determination, Infernape unleashed another Flamethrower at close range, causing Rayquaza to roar in pain. However, Rayquaza was fast too, and retaliated with another close-range Dragon Pulse, knocking Infernape away.
"Infernape!" Ash exclaimed as his fiery companion crashed into the towering ruins. The ancient stones resonated with Rayquaza's triumphant roar as Infernape, battered and weary, succumbed to the intense battle. Ash feeling the pressure of the battle, recalled Infernape and then summoned his next Pokémon. "Sceptile it's your turn!"
"Tile!" Sceptile announced himself as he appeared on the field, stunning Zinnia and Serena.
"A Grass Type...? He's gotta be kidding." the Lorekeeper groaned.
"I'm sure he has a plan…" Serena assured her as the tension in the ancient arena hung thick in the air.
"Use Agility, then Dragon Claw!" Ash commanded with confidence. Sceptile responded, using Agility to sharply increase his speed before slashing at Rayquaza with a powerful Dragon Claw. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain as Sceptile struck him, backing up just enough to avoid another hit. Ash continued to strategize, "Use Leaf Blade!"
"Scep!" Sceptile swiftly approached Rayquaza, unleashing a razor-sharp Leaf Blade. However, the Legendary Pokémon countered by soaring into the air with a Fly attack, evading the attack completely. Sceptile skidded to a stop as Rayquaza suddenly used Extreme Speed, slamming directly into Sceptile.
"Don't give up! Dragon Claw now!" Ash called to his partner. Despite the impact, Sceptile forced his arms to move and retaliated with a close-range Dragon Claw, causing Rayquaza to roar once again. "Quick use Solarbeam!"
"Scep…tile!" Sceptile cried out as he quickly charged and then unleashed a Solar Beam, channeling the power of the sun not too far above them. Rayquaza countered with a Dragon Pulse, creating a clash of elemental forces. Sceptile, determined, kept up the Solar Beam, but Rayquaza, increasing his power, pushed back. In a display of sheer strength, Rayquaza overpowered Sceptile, blasting the Grass-type Pokémon away. Serena gasped, and Ash's expression tightened as Sceptile struggled to rise.
"Sceptile!" he called out with concern. Rayquaza, growling, soared high into the sky, preparing for another Fly attack. He then dove straight for Sceptile and though he tried to dodge, the previous injuries were too much and he wasn't able to move away in time. Fly found its target and Sceptile was swiftly knocked out of the battle. As Ash recalled Sceptile to his pokeball, The atmosphere was tense, and the stakes were higher than ever. Amidst the tension, Ash's gaze shifted to May, still unconscious in Serena's arms. The sight of her was reminder of the lives at stake, including those in May's home, and it fueled his determination. Clenching his fist, he looked back at the unfolding battle, a resolute determination etched across his face. Selecting his next pokeball, he called upon his next steadfast companion. "Charizard help me out!"
"Char!" The fiery dragon Pokémon emerged with a resounding roar, ready for the epic clash that awaited. Rayquaza, admiring the strength of presence Charizard seemed to have, launched himself directly into the battle by firing a Dragon Pulse attack.
"Flamethrower!" Ash commanded, and Charizard unleashed a torrent of flames, colliding with Rayquaza's Dragon Pulse. The explosion created a smoke barrier between the two colossal Pokémon. "Dragon Breath go!"
"Zard!" Charizard, utilizing the cover of the smoke, released a powerful Dragon Breath that struck Rayquaza. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain, stumbling back through the air from the impact.
"Now use Wing Attack!" Ash ordered, and Charizard, swift and powerful, flew towards Rayquaza, delivering a punishing blow with his wings. "Use Slash fast!"
"Chariz!" Charizard attempted to swing his massive claws down while Rayquaza was reeling from the hit, but Rayquaza was too fast once again and managed to evade the attack with Extreme Speed.
"Charizard using Dragon Breath to block!" Ash suddenly called. In response, Charizard surrounded himself with the flickering green flames just as Rayquaza charged with Extreme Speed. The clash between the Dragon Breath shield and Extreme erupted into another explosive confrontation, causing more damage to both Pokemon. "Now! Seismic Toss!"
"Char!" In a bold move, Charizard flew at Rayquaza, seizing the Legendary Pokémon by the neck.
"Ray?!" The two ascended into the sky, Charizard dragging Rayquaza along. He spun through the air several times to build up power before slamming Rayquaza down onto the Sky Pillar. The tower trembled as the impact reverberated through the ancient structure. Serena and Zinnia watched in suspense, the outcome uncertain. Ash, too, held his breath, hoping that Charizard's mighty maneuver had turned the tide.
"Did that do it...?" Serena asked as she tried to see through the smoke. However, no sooner had the question left her mouth than Rayquaza, displaying his indomitable strength, surged out of the smoke, retaliating with Extreme Speed and sending Charizard reeling through the sky.
"Charizard!" Ash cried out. Rayquaza wrapped up Charizard in his long, serpentine body and carried him high into the sky before being slammed into the tower with a powerful Fly, finally knocking out the Fire-type.
"Oh no…Ash…" Serena gasped, holding her heart as Charizard was sent back into his ball. The challenge in Rayquaza's glare intensified, looking at Ash and challenging him to bring his best. The battle was almost over, and Ash faced the formidable task of proving his worth to the Legendary Pokémon that towered above him. By finishing this battle here and now. In a decisive moment, Ash turned to his ever-reliable partner, Pikachu, as the battle against Rayquaza reached its climax.
"It's up to you buddy."
"I'm ready!" Pikachu hopped down from Ash's shoulder, ready to confront the formidable Rayquaza. The small Electric-type Pokémon faced the towering Legendary with unwavering determination. Rayquaza growled and unleashed a powerful Dragon Pulse as his first move.
"Block with Iron Tail!" Pikachu, displaying incredible agility, countered and attempted to block the attack with Iron Tail. But Rayquaza's power was almost at its peak at this point in the battle, so the block failed and the attack sent Pikachu into a wall. But undeterred, he swiftly recovered and was back on his paws.
"Quaza!" Rayquaza, with blinding speed, dove into Extreme Speed aimed directly at Pikachu.
"Thunderbolt Counter Shield go!" Ash suddenly called. Quick on his feet, Pikachu began to spin around on his back, countering Extreme Speed with Thunderbolt and trapping Rayquaza into Ash's signature technique. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain, caught off guard by the unexpected attack.
"What the?!" Zinnia gasped.
"Whoa!" Serena agreed, having never seen Ash use this strategy before. Ash seized the opportunity and kept the pressure up on Rayquaza.
"Use Electro Ball!" Pikachu responded by throwing an Electro Ball at Rayquaza, hitting the Legendary Pokémon square on the head. "Follow up with Iron Tail!"
"Take this!" Pikachu cried out as he jumped at Rayquaza with his tail glowing with energy. Despite the pain from the previous attacks, however, Rayquaza managed to shake off the electricity from his body and charged in with Extreme Speed. Pikachu attempted to dodge by jumping over Rayquaza to bring down his Iron Tail, but Rayquaza raised his tail swiftly, intercepting Pikachu mid-attack.
"Ack!" The Electric-type Pokémon squeaked in pain as he ended up crashing hard into Rayquaza's tail. Taking full advantage of Pikachu's position, Rayquaza slapped him down with his tail, sending him crashing back down to the altar.
"Oh no…!" Serena and Zinnia watched in concern, but Pikachu, showing remarkable resilience, got back on his feet, growling defiantly at Rayquaza.
"Way to go bud!" Ash cheered. Rayquaza, undeterred, flew up, preparing for a decisive Fly attack. The tension in the air was palpable as Ash contemplated his next move. Rayquaza charged towards Pikachu, ready to end the battle with one final strike. Ash, however, remained steadfast. "Use Thunderbolt at full power!"
"Hhii….YYAAHH!" Pikachu responded with a ferocious Thunderbolt, hitting Rayquaza hard. The powerful electric attack coursed through Rayquaza's body, forcing him to back off instead of completing his attack and providing an opening.
"Electro Ball and Thunderbolt!" Ash seized the moment. Pikachu conjured an Electro Ball from his tail and combined it with a Thunderbolt. The powerful electric explosion enveloped Rayquaza, shaking the entire arena. Rayquaza crashed into the tower, causing a smoke cloud to conseal the results of the attack and shaking everyone present. Everyone braced for the battle to continue on, but the smoke from the impact eventually cleared and revealed Rayquaza had finally been defeated. Pikachu, panting from exhaustion, stood triumphant with a tired smirk.
"Ha...! Not the first Legendary that I've beaten in my life...!" He then collapsed from exhaustion, having given his all in the intense battle. The intense battle had come to an end, leaving both Rayquaza and Pikachu exhausted from the fierce confrontation. Zinnia, running over to Rayquaza, treated the Legendary Pokémon with care, gently feeding him a few Oran Berries to aid in his recovery. Meanwhile, Ash, concerned about Pikachu, rushed to his partner and gently picked him up, treating him with some medicine as well.
"Is Pikachu ok…?" Serena carefully asked.
"He's fine. Just exhausted is all." Ash reassured her.
"That's good…You two were incredible…" Serena expressed her admiration for their remarkable teamwork, in awe of the incredible display.
"Thanks." he nodded. "I just hope it was enough." They both looked across the field as Rayquaza slowly woke up, shaking off the debris that clung to his majestic form. Zinnia, with a smile for Rayquaza, then turned and acknowledged Ash's victory.
"... Congratulations, Ash. And...thank you. History has chosen you... The truth remains that Rayquaza chose you and not me... But... While I don't know how to put it into words exactly... I think I understand why... ...You will be successor to our long history now. And I pass to you the final key to Rayquaza's true power. The move that only it can learn: Dragon Ascent..." she revealed.
"Dragon Ascent...?" Serena wondered aloud.
"The ancient move that only Rayquaza can learn. And the one that will take him to space to stop the meteor." Zinnia nodded.
"Then let's do it." Ash agreed. With that said, Zinnia presented a scroll to Rayquaza, causing the Legendary Pokémon to glow brightly. Rayquaza rose into the sky, his form illuminated by the radiant energy.
"Whoa…" Serena whispered. After a moment, Rayquaza straightened out as the glow faded, looking rejuvenated and nodding to Zinnia. Understanding his intention, Zinnia nodded back and looked at Ash.
"The Dragon Lord has agreed to work with you... to lend you his strength," Zinnia explained.
"Alright…" Ash nodded. With his agreement given, Rayquaza few to Ash's side, accepting him as his partner. Zinnia, with a sense of duty fulfilled, took a deep breath and prepared for the final challenge.
"...That's it, then. I guess...it's time that I do my last task as Lorekeeper. You have obtained Rayquaza's power for your own... Now I will have you prove to me that you can master that power... in battle! That is my final... The final duty of the last Lorekeeper of the Draconid people! Show me that you can exceed it—the entirety of history that we have clung to until today!" she declared.
"Fine! You're on!" Ash declared. He glanced up at Rayquaza, who was ready for the battle and nodded as they faced the last challenge together. Zinnia closed her eyes with an excited smile on her lips.
"...Phew. ... My pulse... I can feel it racing...Yes. I'm feeling...totally...pumped! Haaahhh! This is it!" Zinnia, with a burst of enthusiasm, opened her eyes and grabbed her pokeball. "Salamence let's go!"
"Mence!" Salamence roared as he took the field and faced off with Rayquaza.
"Use Extreme Speed!" Ash commanded. Rayquaza roared, streaking across the battlefield with incredible velocity, delivering a swift strike to Salamence.
"Flamethrower!" Zinnia countered. Salamence responded, firing a searing Flamethrower into Rayquaza's face. The Legendary Pokémon, momentarily affected, backed off of the other Dragon type.
"Dragon Pulse go!" Ash retaliated. Rayquaza shook off the previous attack and then countered with a Dragon Pulse that pushed Salamence back. Zinnia laughed and smiled at her opponents.
"Great! Now that we have the warm-ups out of the way...let's get to the real battle!" she announced. She tapped her Mega Anklet, signaling the Mega Evolution. Salamence glowed with the same energy and once again underwent Mega Evolution, increasing his power and speed to ridiculous levels.
"Ash, May's Mega Bracelet!" Serena called out. Ash glanced at May's Mega Bracelet in his hand and noticed that the stone was glowing, as if ready to be activated. He looked up at Rayquaza who nodded to him, signaling that he was ready.
"Alright…Mega Evolve!" Ash tapped May's Key Stone and sent the energy to Rayquaza to trigger their own Mega Evolution. Rayquaza's body became longer and his head became larger with the Δ symbol appearing on his forehead. His eyes changed to yellow pupils with red irises, and black, shichishito-shaped markings trail behind them. His lips and teeth became gold, and the gold lines connected to those on his lower horns, which took on a broad, triangular shape. At the outer edges of his lower horns, long, golden, glowing tendrils that each extend to a green, fin-like structure emerged. His two upper horns became longer with a gold line running over them in a V shape, and each upper horn sprouted another glowing tendril that ended in a circular shape with a spike. Along the length of his body are golden, glowing orbs and his chin, part of the neck, and parts of its serpentine body were changed to the color black. The fins running along his body were now marked with gold lines and the fins on his tail had become entirely yellow and substantially longer. Particles streamed from the long tendrils that extend from his jutting jaw, and his green hide sparkled with an emerald-like quality.
"Whoa…" Ash stared, stunned by the transformation.
"Incredible…" Serena agreed.
"The true form of the Dragon Lord…" Zinnia, with a triumphant smile, commanded, "Dragon Claw!" Salamence, now in his Mega form, flew at incredible speeds, slashing Rayquaza with a powerful Dragon Claw. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain.
"Dragon Pulse!" Ash followed up. Mega Rayquaza retaliated with his own Dragon Pulse, hitting Mega Salamence and pushing him back. "Now Dragon Dance!" Rayquaza, showing no signs of letting up, followed Ash's command, enhancing his strength.
"Thunder Fang!" Zinnia continued. Mega Salamence, electrifying his fangs, sped in close and bit down on Mega Rayquaza. The Legendary Pokémon roared in pain from the electric attack.
"Dragon Pulse again!" Ash seized the opportunity. Rayquaza fired another Dragon Pulse in response, attempting to hit or at least drive off Salamence before more damage could be done.
"Dodge it!" Zinnia commanded. Salamence released Rayquaza from Thunder Fang and flew off, deftly avoiding the incoming attack. Zinnia then ordered, "Dragon Claw once more!"
"Sala!" Salamence flew back in, preparing for another powerful strike.
"Extreme Speed!" Ash countered. Rayquaza zipped past Salamence's Dragon Claw, delivering a counterstrike that pushed Mega Salamence backward. "Now use Dragon Pulse!"
"Ray!" Rayquaza roared before firing another Dragon Pulse, causing Mega Salamence to cry out in pain.
"Salamence!" Zinnia called out to her Pokémon, expressing concern. The battlefield was alive with the roars and cries of the mighty Mega Pokémon, as Ash, in the climax of the intense battle, commanded the ultimate move.
"Now use Dragon Ascent!" Mega Rayquaza roared as he ascended high into the air, preparing for the devastating aerial assault.
"Dragon Claw and give it everything you got!" Zinnia urged Mega Salamence to counter, equally determined. The two mighty Dragon-type Pokémon clashed in a fierce showdown. Rayquaza, descending with incredible speed, slammed into Salamence, overpowering his attempt to counter. The impact was powerful enough to send Salamence crashing into the ancient tower. As the echoes of the collision reverberated through the arena, Rayquaza soared back into the sky as everyone's attention focused on Salamence. As the smoke cleared it became apparent that Salamence was unable to withstand the force of Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent, showing that he had fainted and reverted to his usual form.
"Just like I'd expect of you, Ash...thank you." Zinnia sighed as she recalled Salamence. The battlefield fell silent as Mega Rayquaza returned to his normal form and the two trainers stood in the aftermath of the fierce battle that had unfolded in the ancient arena.
To be Continued...