Pokemon: A New Path

Even for a being as mighty as Rayquaza, the power inside the boulder was overwhelming. It had only consumed a fragment of the exposed energy, and yet it had been enough to trigger its transformation.

Devouring the whole thing in one go might be reckless.

No… it was wiser to take it back to the World Tree and consume it in moderation.

Rayquaza shared its thoughts with Naoki telepathically.

Naoki nodded. "Got it. Then let's retrieve it and go!"

With a burst of speed, Mega Rayquaza descended from the clouds like a meteor.

Its glowing eyes were fixed squarely on the boulder.

On the ground, Lysandre's expression twisted in panic. "Stop it! Rayquaza is trying to take the boulder!"

Alain's face turned grim. Without hesitation, he reached for a Poké Ball at his waist.

With a flick of his wrist and a flash of light, Charizard soared into the sky.

"Charizard, Mega Evolve!" Alain shouted.

Brilliant light engulfed Charizard's body. When it faded, the jet-black form of Mega Charizard X emerged, his blazing blue flames burning fiercely at the corners of his mouth.

"Charizard, stop it!" Alain shouted.

"Charrrrrr!" Charizard roared, unfurling his powerful dragon wings as he soared to face Rayquaza head-on.

"Flamethrower!" Alain commanded.

Charizard opened his jaws wide, unleashing a scorching stream of blue fire.

Rayquaza's massive, serpentine body tilted gracefully in the air, effortlessly spiraling upward. The airflow created by the Sky High Pokémon's movement sent a gust so powerful it knocked Charizard off balance midair.

Rayquaza paused, hovering. Its gaze locked on the trainers below, its golden eyes narrowing with fury.

"Oh no... we've angered Rayquaza," Lysandre muttered, his face darkening with tension.

In the blink of an eye, Rayquaza's body shot forward like a streak of emerald lightning. Before anyone could react, it slammed straight into Charizard, moving too fast for the eye to follow.

Charizard was struck with such force that he spun through the air like a falling comet, plummeting toward the ground like a broken kite.

Seeing this, Steven Stone's expression grew serious. Without hesitation, he tossed out a Poké Ball.

"Go, Metagross!"

The Poké Ball burst open, and the moment Metagross appeared, it immediately glowed with energy—Mega Evolution activated. With a flash, the steel titan spread its four powerful limbs and launched into the sky, catching the falling Charizard just in time.

Naoki, still perched atop Rayquaza, watched the scene unfold.

"So Steven is stepping in too…" he murmured.

With a sigh, Naoki crouched low, preparing to leap.

"Rayquaza, keep them busy for a while. We'll handle the boulder!"

He didn't want Rayquaza to launch another powerful attack.

"Raaawr!" Rayquaza nodded, acknowledging the command.

Naoki and Mewtwo exchanged glances. Mewtwo, already in its Mega Mewtwo Y form, understood immediately. With a flick of psychic power, it teleported the two of them away in an instant.

Now alone in the sky, Mega Rayquaza locked eyes on its next targets—Mega Metagross and Mega Charizard X.

Its golden pupils gleamed.

Suddenly, a violent surge of dragon energy erupted from Rayquaza's body. The sky roared, clouds split, and with a low rumble, a colossal meteor formed overhead, burning with radiant, chaotic energy.

The earth trembled beneath them.

It was Draco Meteor.

The sheer scale of the attack resembled an apocalyptic storm, and the aura alone sent shockwaves across the ruins.

Both Mega Metagross and Mega Charizard felt the crushing pressure descending from the heavens. Their eyes narrowed in determination as they rapidly moved to dodge the incoming meteor storm.

With a deafening crash, the first of the meteors slammed into the earth. The ground cracked, energy flared, and the entire landscape quaked from the impact.

"No… it's Draco Meteor," Lysandre said grimly, eyes scanning the sky.

All attention turned upward.

And at that moment, in the corner of the ruins, two figures reappeared, Naoki and Mewtwo.

Their sudden arrival caught Manon's eye immediately.

"Who… who are you?!" she cried out, startled.

Hearing the voice, Steven, Alain, and Lysandre immediately turned towards the masked figure.

When Steven saw the familiar figure and that iconic mask, a shocking thought flashed through his mind.

Could it really be…?

Naoki stood calm and composed in front of the glowing boulder. Mewtwo floated beside him, silent yet intimidating. Naoki's voice was low, but firm.

"We'll handle the boulder from here."

Steven said nothing. He simply stared at the masked man, searching his expression.

Lysandre's brow furrowed. If the boulder was taken, his grand plan would be ruined.

But he didn't move. Even he could sense the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Pokémon next to the man. That kind of power... it could rip him apart in an instant if he made the wrong move.

Lysandre knew who this masked figure was. The mask, the presence of Mewtwo and Rayquaza, it could only be that man. The one the world had been whispering about.

Still, Lysandre tried to reason with him. His tone remained civil, though his voice carried urgency.

"I don't know who you are, but that boulder is the origin of Mega Evolution. If we can understand its secrets, it would be a momentous discovery. Trainers around the world would benefit. We could celebrate a new era together."

"…"

There was no reply.

After a long silence, the man finally spoke again. His tone was cool, and every word struck like thunder.

"Lysandre. Leader of Team Flare. Your plan is to merge this boulder with the sundial in Anistar City, triggering a global cataclysm and rebuilding the world in your image. And that's not all. You also intend to capture Zygarde, the guardian of balance, to use its power for your twisted ideals. Isn't that right?"

Lysandre froze.

His eyes flickered. Panic flashed briefly across his composed expression.

How does he know that?

Steven, Alain, and Manon turned their eyes toward Lysandre, their shock and suspicion evident.

A bead of cold sweat slid down Lysandre's temple. His voice, now more cautious than ever, trembled slightly.

"Surely… you're joking… sir?"

The masked man replied quietly.

"Let's end it here."

It wasn't just a warning. It was a final statement—calm, resolute, unshakable.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Naoki, Mewtwo, and the boulder vanished in a flash of light.

In the same moment, Mega Metagross and Mega Charizard X were struck down. Their mega forms dissolved, and both Pokémon fell back into the ruins, badly wounded and exhausted.

"Metagross!" Steven rushed over, kneeling beside his partner to check its condition.

When he looked back up, he caught the last glimpse of Rayquaza's shadowy form disappearing into the swirling storm clouds above.

...

Atop the World Tree, Naoki stood with Mewtwo and Rayquaza on a wide, sturdy branch. Not far from them, the mysterious boulder hovered gently above the crown of the World Tree, glowing faintly with power.

Mewtwo still retained its Mega Mewtwo Y form, radiating intense psychic pressure. Rayquaza, too, remained in its Mega Evolution, floating beside them in regal silence.

Rayquaza narrowed its golden eyes at the boulder, a deep satisfaction flickering across its expression. With this boulder safely stored here, there would be no danger.

Naoki glanced over at the Sky High Pokémon. Its black, polished scales shimmered, crisscrossed with glowing golden lines that pulsed with energy. Twin golden streamers flowed like ribbons from its jaw, forming the infinite-loop crest of its Mega form.

There was no denying it. Rayquaza, in its current state, was flawless.

Powerful. Majestic. Enigmatic.

The Overlord of the Sky was truly breathtaking.

Naoki couldn't help but marvel inwardly. So cool. So incredibly cool.

But then, a question tugged at his thoughts.

Why hadn't Rayquaza Mega Evolved before?

After all, unlike other Pokémon, Rayquaza didn't require a trainer's Key Stone or even a held Mega Stone. Its evolution was unique, Rayquaza could Mega Evolve on its own, so long as it had mastered the move Dragon Ascent.

Naoki pondered it silently.

Maybe the energy in Rayquaza's body hadn't reached the threshold yet?

He recalled that deep within Rayquaza's throat lay a special organ known as the Delta Organ, an ancient structure that absorbed and stored energy from meteorites. It was this energy reservoir that allowed Rayquaza to transform when the moment was right.

Only when the Delta Organ brimmed with enough power could Rayquaza unleash Dragon Ascent and trigger its Mega Evolution.

So that's it, Naoki thought. When the boulder appeared, it must have emitted just enough pure energy for Rayquaza to complete the process.

Watching Rayquaza now, fully transformed and radiating dominance, Naoki let out a breath of relief.

With this newfound strength, Rayquaza would be invaluable in the days to come, especially when the Hoopa incident unfolded.

If Hoopa's rings brought forth legendary Pokémon like Groudon, Kyogre, Dialga, and Palkia… they would need a true force of nature to stand against them.

And just like in the movie, the black-scaled Rayquaza could once again rise to the challenge, facing multiple foes and holding the line.

Safeguarding the boulder also dealt a major blow to Team Flare's ambitions. Without it, their plans to create a destructive utopia had stalled.

All in all, Naoki thought, things had gone perfectly.