Rayquaza: The Heavenly Hero[370]

The journey, however, wasn't smooth.

Dragonite's first destination was the open sea where it had first glimpsed Rayquaza. The night sky was dotted with clouds, the full moon hung high above, and the ocean stretched out, calm and serene. Occasionally, ripples disturbed the water's surface, but peace quickly returned.

There was no typhoon here. No sign of Rayquaza, either.

Dragonite squinted, recalling the breathtaking image of Rayquaza soaring through the skies. Determined, it flapped its wings harder and climbed higher.

The dragon ascended past the clouds, reaching the vast and quiet dome of the atmosphere.

Flying swiftly, Dragonite scoured the skies, hoping to catch even a hint of Rayquaza's presence. But after what felt like circling half the planet, there was still no sign of the legendary Pokémon. Frustration began to seep in.

"Awoo…" (Where could Rayquaza-senpai be?)

Just as Dragonite was ready to abandon the search and return to the ranch, a sudden gust of wind sparked an idea.

Storm buns!

After eating it, Dragonite had learned to sense the world through the flow of air currents. Could that technique help locate Rayquaza?

Eagerly, Dragonite closed its eyes and focused, letting the breeze guide its senses. Minutes passed. Then hours. The night began to wane.

Suddenly, Dragonite's eyes shot open.

The wind carried a distinct and powerful aura from the northeast—familiar and unmistakable. Dragonite's heart raced as it set its course, wings beating with renewed determination.

As dawn approached, the sky began to blush with hues of red while the other half remained cloaked in darkness. Flying through thick clouds, Dragonite emerged under the vast blue dome of the upper sky. The silence was almost deafening.

Ahead, an expanse of white clouds stretched endlessly. And on one of those clouds, curled up and motionless, was a sleek, pitch-shiny dragon-like figure with eyes shut tight.

It was Rayquaza—the legendary savior of the world.

Dragonite's eyes sparkled with awe and excitement. It hurried forward, eager to greet the hero.

Sensing an intruder, Rayquaza stirred. Its golden eyes opened, locking onto Dragonite with a piercing gaze.

A surge of energy radiated from Rayquaza, and its overwhelming presence filled the air like a thunderstorm. The pressure was immense as if the skies themselves bowed to Rayquaza's might.

Dragonite hesitated, trembling under the weight of the aura, but it gathered its courage and spoke in a shaky but respectful tone:

"Awoo?" (Rayquaza-senpai? Don't you recognize me?)

Rayquaza was now fully awake. It gazed at the Pokémon before it, tilting its head in mild confusion at Dragonite's words.

Dragonite stepped forward eagerly and began to explain: "Awooo awooo!" (I'm Dragonite! We met last year during the typhoon! Remember me?)

Rayquaza paused, its golden eyes narrowing slightly as it sifted through its memories. After a moment, an image emerged—a determined Dragonite battling fiercely against the eye of a raging typhoon, its body battered and bruised by the violent winds, yet refusing to give up.

At the time, Rayquaza had been impressed by the Dragonite's perseverance, enough to linger and observe it for a while.

After recalling the moment, Rayquaza nodded and asked, "Rayyq?" (Why have you come to see me?)

When Dragonite realized it had been recognized, its excitement bubbled over. It quickly landed on the mystical, swirling cloud below Rayquaza and began explaining its purpose.

"Awooo awooo!" (Naoki told us the story of how you, Rayquaza-senpai, defeated Groudon and Kyogre and saved the world! So we came here to meet you!)

Dragonite's voice was filled with reverence and admiration.

"Awooo!" (Rayquaza-senpai is the hero who saved the world!)

Rayquaza blinked, momentarily stunned. It hadn't expected this.

Still, it could sense that the Pokémon before it had no malicious intent. Their presence wasn't an invasion but rather an innocent desire to meet it.

Before Rayquaza could respond, Dragonite rummaged in its delivery bag and pulled out three Poké Balls. With a series of flashes, three more Pokémon appeared above the clouds: Ogerpon, Butterfree, and Cyclizar.

The group collectively turned their gaze toward Rayquaza, standing tall and majestic against the backdrop of endless sky. Thoughts of the great hero from Naoki's tale filled their minds, and their expressions overflowed with awe.

"Oge?" (This is Rayquaza, the dragon who saved the world? Incredible!) Ogerpon's eyes sparkled as it added, "Pon!" (You're so amazing!)

Cyclizar raised its head, staring intently at Rayquaza. Its voice was filled with quiet admiration: "Gaaao…" (So powerful…)

Butterfree, overwhelmed by Rayquaza's commanding presence, could only hover silently, its wings quivering.

Dragonite joined in enthusiastically: "Awooo!" (Yes, it's really incredible!)

The flurry of admiration and the wide-eyed stares made Rayquaza pause. For the first time, it felt a warmth it had never experienced—pure, unfiltered adoration. These Pokémon genuinely thought it was amazing.

Rayquaza's stern demeanor softened, and it let out a contented growl. Its grumpiness dissipated as it happily said:

"Rayq." (That was a long time ago. I merely answered the humans' prayers and stepped in to stop Groudon and Kyogre.)

"Wow!" The group gasped in unison, their admiration reaching new heights.

Encouraged by their response, Rayquaza let out a hearty laugh. Once the barrier of formality broke, it began recounting its past in vivid detail, much to the delight of its audience.

Dragonite and Cyclizar listened with rapt attention, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Dragonite's thoughts raced: Rayquaza-senpai is incredible! Even Groudon and Kyogre together couldn't match its power. One day, I'll become a dragon just like Rayquaza-senpai!

Cyclizar, who usually stayed composed, couldn't hide its amazement: Rayquaza is so incredible… truly unmatched.

Butterfree, the most timid of the group, stood at the back, unable to speak. It listened silently, entranced by every word of the legendary Pokémon's tale.

Ogerpon, bolder and more outgoing, occasionally interrupted with curious questions. "Pon?" (What move did you use to defeat Groudon and Kyogre?).

Rayquaza patiently answered each question the Pokémon asked, explaining its techniques with pride. For example, its most powerful move was called the Dragon Ascent.

"When I unleash this move," Rayquaza explained, "my body becomes a blazing green streak that pierces the heavens."

Not content with just describing it, Rayquaza decided to demonstrate for its audience. It shot through the sky with astonishing speed, leaving a radiant trail that split the morning clouds. The Pokémon watching below were awestruck, their faces reflecting pure admiration.

As the sky began to brighten, the Pokémon became so engrossed in Rayquaza's stories and demonstrations that they completely forgot about returning to the ranch before dawn.

Paldea Region, Kosaji Town, Naoki Ranch.

With the first rays of sunlight spilling over the horizon, Naoki stirred awake, ready to tackle another day of work. However, as he stepped outside, he was greeted by an alarming sight: several Pokémon were missing!

Panicked, Naoki quickly scanned the ranch and began counting. His heart sank as he confirmed the missing Pokémon: Dragonite, Cyclizar, Butterfree, and Ogerpon.

"Oh no!" Naoki exclaimed, his mind racing with possibilities. "Could some terrifying Pokemon have snuck into the ranch last night and stolen them?"

Standing nearby, Koraidon let out a quiet sigh, clearly unimpressed. "Raao…" (You're overthinking it.)

Naoki caught Koraidon's expression and immediately suspected it knew something. Grabbing a handful of translation seeds, he munched on them and turned to Koraidon. "Alright, spill it. What happened?"

Koraidon rolled its eyes but finally relented: "Raao… Raao." (They went to find Rayquaza.)

"???"

Naoki froze, staring at Koraidon in disbelief. "They… went to find Rayquaza?"

Koraidon nodded reluctantly.

Naoki's mind immediately flashed to the story he had shared about Rayquaza the previous night. "Those Pokémon…" He groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. "They actually believed it and ran off to find it!"

He paused and asked, "Who started this? Who convinced even Cyclizar to go along with such a wild idea?"

Koraidon hesitated, clearly torn between loyalty and honesty.

Naoki squinted suspiciously. "It was Dragonite, wasn't it?"

Based on the personalities of the Pokémon involved, Naoki deduced the truth. Cyclizar, ever loyal, would never have left on its own. Butterfree wasn't brave enough to lead such an escapade. Koraidon was still here. That left only one culprit.

With a resigned sigh, Naoki turned and inspected the Poké Ball rack inside the house. Sure enough, three Poké Balls were missing.

"Smart little troublemaker," he muttered. "Used Poké Balls to carry the ones who can't fly."

...

Above the Clouds.

As the sun climbed higher into the sky, Cyclizar finally snapped out of its excited daze. The realization hit it all at once, and it blurted out: "Gaaao?" (Shouldn't we be heading back by now?)

Its words brought the others back to reality. They glanced at the bright sun and exchanged worried looks.

Dragonite, visibly reluctant, stood up and sighed. "Awooo!" (We should go back. Naoki must be worried!)

Rayquaza, who had been quietly observing, tilted its head. "Raaay?" (Naoki?)

Dragonite nodded enthusiastically. "Awooo awooo!" (That's right! Naoki is our trainer! He told us all about you last night!)

Rayquaza's eyes softened at the mention of Naoki. It hadn't realized the story of its heroic deeds had made such an impression. The thought that a human saw it as a hero warmed its heart.

As the Pokémon prepared to leave, Rayquaza hesitated. It gazed at the group, then reached into its body with its massive claws, pulling out an object.

It was a jet-black dragon scale, shimmering with a mystical luster.

Rayquaza held the scale out to Dragonite, who took it carefully. The scale felt both warm and powerful in Dragonite's grasp.

Dragonite tilted its head in confusion. "Awoo?" (What is this?)

Rayquaza rumbled, "Roar." (This is one of my shed scales. If you need me, you can use it to call, and I will come.)

...

Bonus Chapter @400PS

You can support me on patreon and read upto chapter 416 @ patreon.com/Keepsmiling818