The Gift of the Sky[374]

'Rayquaza! It's Rayquaza!'

Naoki immediately recognized the massive Dragon Pokémon as it descended from the sky. The shimmering, jet-black figure exuded an aura of majesty and strength. He couldn't help but marvel at its shiny form.

Rayquaza was enormous, its presence dominating the ranch as its piercing gaze swept across the fields. For a moment, Naoki froze as he felt Rayquaza's eyes land on him. The sheer weight of its presence sent a shiver down his spine, an overwhelming pressure making him tense up instinctively.

'Why is Rayquaza here?' Naoki wondered, his mind racing. He hadn't done anything with the scale—certainly not something that would summon the legendary Pokémon.

It didn't take long for Naoki to get his answer.

From the other side of the river, Dragonite came soaring into view, calling out to Rayquaza with an excited cry.

Rayquaza's attention shifted from Naoki to Dragonite. The Legendary Pokémon twisted its sleek body and flew toward Dragonite. Together, they disappeared into Snorlax Park, leaving everyone else baffled.

Naoki stood motionless for a moment, speechless.

'Of course'. He sighed, piecing it all together. 'It's Dragonite's doing'.

He felt both exasperated and amazed. Dragonite had actually called Rayquaza to the ranch—and it had only been a day since their last meeting. Less than twenty-four hours, to be exact.

Seeing Rayquaza, Cyclizar's curiosity was immediately piqued. Its attention shifted completely toward the distant Snorlax Park, its eyes shimmering with excitement. It turned to Naoki, its expression practically begging for permission to go over.

Cyclizar let out a hopeful chirp. "Gaao…" (Can I go too?)

Naoki sighed and waved a hand. "Go ahead!"

Cyclizar bolted off gleefully toward Snorlax Park, its enthusiasm infectious.

The Dragonairs, equally intrigued, trailed behind, eager to see what was happening.

In an instant, the once-lively ranch quieted. Left behind were Naoki, Koraidon, and Calyrex.

Koraidon, ever calm, showed no particular interest in the commotion. It stayed where it was, basking in the sun as if nothing unusual was happening.

Calyrex, however, lingered for a moment, gazing in the direction of Snorlax Park with a thoughtful expression. Its voice, soft yet commanding, broke the silence.

"Unexpected. I didn't think it would come so soon."

Naoki tilted his head in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Calyrex didn't answer directly. It recalled a vision it had seen—a towering World Tree piercing the sky, and a Shiny Rayquaza hovering above it. So, the future begins now.

Without another word, Calyrex floated back toward the living room, ready to return to its favorite pastime: watching TV.

Naoki stood in the field, staring toward Snorlax Park. His mind raced as he tried to decide what to do next.

'Rayquaza… the legendary Pokémon that most people never even glimpse in their lifetimes… is here.'

Curiosity bubbled within him. 'What could Rayquaza possibly be talking about with the Pokémon gathered in the park?' Naoki couldn't resist the urge to find out.

When you think about it, Rayquaza's daily life probably isn't all that exciting. Aside from eating meteorites and sleeping, its existence in the ozone layer must be quite monotonous.

In that context, it made perfect sense for Rayquaza to respond this way. After all, being sought out by a group of Pokémon who admired it, showering it with praise and eager to hear its stories, was likely a refreshing change from its solitary routine.

After a moment's hesitation, he grabbed a few translation seeds and hatched a plan. "Guess I'll do some… 'weeding' in the apple orchard," he muttered, tipping his straw hat and heading toward the park.

Over in Snorlax Park, a lively scene was unfolding.

Rayquaza had landed gracefully, its sleek form contrasting with the vibrant green grass of the ranch. A small group of Pokémon surrounded the legendary figure, their eyes wide with admiration.

Alcremie stood at the forefront, staring up at Rayquaza with awe. "Alcremie !" (So cool! You're amazing!)

Pawmot chimed in, its starry-eyed expression filled with determination. "Pamo!" (I want to work hard and become a hero like you!)

Little Eevee's eyes sparkled with wonder as it gazed at the majestic dragon Pokémon before it. Contrary to the fearsome image painted in Naoki's dragon slayer story, the dragon seemed far more gentle and approachable.

"Bu-yiie!" 

Eevee's eyes gleamed with admiration as it thought about Rayquaza-senpai's incredible power. Saving the world—it was truly awe-inspiring!

It dreamed of becoming that strong someday. But… could Eevee evolve into a dragon Pokémon?

Eevee wasn't sure. It quickly turned to Glaceon for guidance. "Eevee, Eevee?" (Can I evolve into a dragon Pokémon?)

"Gla… Glace." (I've never heard of that.) Glaceon shook its head thoughtfully, then added, "Glaceon." (You could ask Naoki later.)

Eevee's eyes lit up with hope. "Eevee!" (Good idea!)

Nearby, a group of Pokémon sat around a blue checkered picnic blanket. Dragonite enthusiastically gestured toward the array of food, inviting Rayquaza-senpai to eat.

"Awooo!" (Please enjoy!)

Naoki arrived just in time to see Rayquaza lower its mighty head, delicately pick up a Pokéblock from the blanket with its mouth, and eat it.

For a moment, Naoki wasn't sure what to feel.

Rayquaza—the legendary Pokémon of the skies—was eating food he had prepared.

"Are Dragonite and the others… hosting Rayquaza?" Naoki muttered, his gaze shifting to the blanket surrounded by the Pokémon.

Rayquaza wasn't the only one enjoying the feast. Encouraged by the Sky Pokémon's appetite, the others picked up berries and Poffins from the spread and began eating with relish.

Under the warm hospitality of Dragonite and Ogerpon, Rayquaza ate heartily, polishing off the food in no time.

As the meal ended, one of the Pokémon finally noticed Naoki and Koraidon nearby.

Alcremie darted over, its cream-like body bouncing happily. "Mree! Mree!" (Naoki, you're here!)

"Yes, I'm here to tend to the apple saplings." Naoki smiled, keeping his expression calm. "Are you entertaining Rayquaza?"

"Mree!" (That's right!) Alcremie nodded eagerly before tilting its head thoughtfully. "Mree, mree?" (Naoki, could you make more delicious food? Rayquaza is so big, and it still seems hungry.)

Naoki followed Alcremie's gaze to the towering Rayquaza. His expression was a mix of awe and disbelief.

Alcremie climbed onto Naoki's shoulder and whispered in his ear, as though afraid Rayquaza might overhear.

"Mree, mree!" (Rayquaza-senpai is so pitiful! It lives alone in the sky and eats nothing but hard stones. Naoki, can you make a delicious cream cake for Rayquaza-senpai?)

Naoki: "..."

In reality, Rayquaza absorbed the energy from meteorites, not stones. But how could he deny Alcremie's kind and earnest plea? Its shining eyes left him no choice.

"Alright, I'll make a cake," Naoki relented with a sigh.

"Mreeee!" (Yay!) Alcremie cheered, twirling in delight.

Naoki reassured Alcremie there was enough cream at home and sent it back to the picnic to continue playing. Then, he headed indoors to begin baking.

Unbeknownst to him, Eevee quietly followed.

As Naoki cracked eggs into a mixing bowl, he noticed Eevee at his feet, looking up with wide, expectant eyes.

"Buyi! Buyi?" (Naoki! Can I evolve into a dragon Pokémon?)

Naoki paused mid-motion, stunned. "What did you just say? A dragon Pokémon?"

Eevee nodded eagerly. "Eevee!" (Yes! A heroic and powerful dragon Pokémon like Rayquaza-senpai!)

Naoki tilted his head, realizing the little Pokémon was captivated by Rayquaza's story. Was it inspired by the tale of the Sky High Pokémon saving the world? Instead of wanting to evolve into Sylveon—a Fairy-type known for countering dragons—Eevee dreamed of becoming a Dragon-type Eeveelution.

The problem, however, was clear: there wasn't a Dragon-type Eevee evolution in this world.

Before his transmigration, Game Freak hadn't introduced a Dragon-type Eevee, and Naoki had no idea how to make such an evolution happen.

After some thought, Naoki shook his head gently. "I'm afraid not, Eevee. As of now, a Dragon Eevee doesn't exist in this world."

Eevee's ears drooped. "Eevee…" (Oh...) It looked utterly dejected.

Naoki crouched down and gave it a reassuring pat. "Hey now, don't be sad."

Eevee tilted its head up to meet his gaze, its bright eyes shimmering with hope.

Naoki smiled warmly. "You know, as long as you have the heart of a hero, it doesn't matter what you evolve into. You can still save the world and protect others."

He paused before adding, "Sylveon can protect others, Leafeon can too, and even Glaceon. And Eevee? You don't even need to evolve to be a hero."

"Eevee?" (Really?) Eevee's confusion was replaced with a look of thoughtful curiosity.

After a moment of contemplation, it seemed to reach a realization. Its eyes brightened, and it nodded enthusiastically.

"Eevee!" (I understand!)

Without another word, Eevee dashed out of the kitchen, its little paws padding quickly across the floor.

Naoki watched it leave, a smile tugging at his lips. "That little one…"

He shook his head fondly and refocused on his task: baking desserts for Rayquaza and the Pokémon at Snorlax Park.

Minutes ticked by, and the fragrant aroma of freshly baked cake filled the air. With a soft ding, the cream cake was ready.

Naoki carefully took the cake out of the oven. Its pristine white cream was dotted with plump, bright-red cherries. Slicing it down the middle, he revealed two golden, fluffy layers filled with a vibrant fruit compote.

He divided the cake into neat slices, then prepared a tray with Poffins, freshly pressed juice, and Moomoo Milk. With everything ready, Naoki carried the feast to Snorlax Park.

As he approached, the Pokémon erupted in cheers, clearly delighted by his arrival.

Rayquaza, towering over the gathering, shifted its gaze toward Naoki. Its piercing eyes met his, and Naoki felt the weight of its attention.

Nearby, Ogerpon was eagerly introducing Naoki to the legendary Pokémon.

"Pon. Pon!" (Rayquaza-senpai, this is Naoki! He's the one who told us about how you saved the world!)

Naoki froze, his mind racing. 'Wait... what?' He had only been sharing random stories about legendary Pokémon, not expecting them to take it this seriously!

Rayquaza let out a deep, resonant cry, its voice filled with an emotion Naoki couldn't quite place.

Was it… complimenting him?

Naoki blinked in surprise, the weight of the moment sinking in.

"T-Thanks, I guess?"

He set the tray down on the picnic blanket and addressed the Pokémon. "Alright, everyone, enjoy it slowly!"

The Pokémon cheered in unison, their voices blending into a harmonious chorus of gratitude.

As they dove into the fresh treats, Naoki stood to the side, observing the scene. His gaze lingered on Rayquaza, who seemed to be answering questions from Dragonite and the others.

For example, the Pokémon asked questions like, "Has Rayquaza-senpai always lived in the sky?" "Are there a lot of stars in the sky?" and "Does Rayquaza-senpai eat the moon?"

Rayquaza answered each question with patient simplicity, its tone surprisingly approachable.

"Yes, I have always lived in the sky."

"Stars? There are many stars. They're all outside this planet."

"I don't eat the moon. The moon is very big."

Every time Rayquaza finished speaking, the Pokémon responded with awe, exclaiming, "Rayquaza-senpai is so amazing!"

The constant praise visibly pleased Rayquaza. It relaxed completely, enjoying food it had never tasted before while engaging with the Pokémon who admired it.

Naoki, sitting nearby, grew drowsy listening to their conversation. The questions the Pokémon asked were far too simple to hold his attention.

Eventually, he decided to head back home and leave the Pokémon to their enthusiastic reception of Rayquaza.

The gathering continued until late in the afternoon.

As the sky darkened and stars began to twinkle, Rayquaza finally prepared to leave. With Dragonite and the other Pokémon waving goodbye, it ascended high into the sky, disappearing into the horizon.

It was over.

Naoki let out a long sigh of relief, his gaze still lingering on the fading silhouette of the legendary Pokémon. He then turned toward Dragonite and asked,

"So, what made you think of calling Rayquaza over?"

Dragonite tilted its head, its expression innocent. "Awoo." (Because everyone wanted to meet Rayquaza-senpai!)

Naoki blinked, momentarily speechless. "..."

Well, Pokémon aren't humans, after all. It's likely that when Rayquaza gave its scale to Dragonite, it wasn't being polite—it truly meant it could be summoned at any time.

Now, it seemed even if there wasn't an urgent issue, Rayquaza might still answer Dragonite's call just to hang out.

"Alright then," Naoki muttered, deciding to let it go. He took a deep breath, about to head back inside for dinner, when he felt a familiar breeze ripple through the air.

Startled, he looked up—and sure enough, Rayquaza was returning.

This time, its massive dragon claws held a radiant object that glowed with a golden light.

Rayquaza descended gracefully onto the ranch, gently placing the glowing object in front of the gathered Pokémon before taking off once more.

With a powerful beat, it soared skyward, vanishing into the clouds.

This time, it was truly gone.

Naoki stared at the object left behind, baffled. Dragonite held it gingerly in its claws, while the other Pokémon gathered around, equally puzzled.

It didn't take long for Naoki to realize what was going on.

"This must be Rayquaza's return gift," Naoki murmured, a smile tugging at his lips.

The legendary Pokémon had been moved by the warm reception and decided to express its gratitude.

Naoki's eyes flicked to the glowing object. It resembled a small star, radiating a soft, golden light.

But then a thought struck him, and his smile faltered.

"Wait a minute…" He examined the object more closely. "This isn't an actual star, is it?"

It was not a star, but a small meteorite—a Minior!

This Pokémon, with its yellow core glowing faintly, looked like a radiant shooting star.

Minior is known as the Meteor Pokémon. Born in the stratosphere, it lives in the ozone layer, a product of mutated nanoparticles. It survives by absorbing dust particles in the atmosphere, and its glowing core is a known delicacy for larger, more powerful Pokémon.

One of those powerful predators was likely none other than Rayquaza, which also resides in the ozone layer.

Naoki's emotions became a mix of fascination and unease as he pieced this together.

But he didn't have much time to dwell on it.

The yellow glow of the Minior's core began to fade rapidly.

Naoki recognized this as a critical trait of Minior: when its core is exposed to the air without its protective shell, it quickly begins to dissipate. If left unattended, it would eventually vanish entirely, its life extinguished.

Acting quickly, Naoki rushed back to the house and grabbed a spare Poké Ball. Returning to the ranch, he gently aimed the Poké Ball at the fading Minior.

The ball opened with a bright flash of light, encasing the Minior inside. It shook once, twice, three times—then clicked shut.

The glow of the Poké Ball dimmed, signaling the capture was successful.

"Awoo?" Dragonite tilted its head, confusion clear in its large, expressive eyes. The other Pokémon around him also exchanged puzzled glances.

Naoki crouched down to explain. "This isn't a star—it's a Pokémon called Minior."

The Pokémon leaned closer, listening intently.

Naoki continued, "Minior can't survive for long without its shell. If its core is exposed to the air, it starts to break apart. The only way to keep it alive is to place it inside a Poké Ball where it's safe."

Dragonite's eyes widened in astonishment. "Awoo?" (The stars in the sky are actually Pokémon?!)

The realization spread among the gathered Pokémon, their amazement turning into animated chatter.

Just as Naoki was about to continue, the rumble of an approaching vehicle caught his attention.

He turned to see Zack pulling his truck into the ranch.

The truck came to a stop, and Zack jumped out in a hurry, his expression one of shock. His eyes darted toward the sky above the pasture.

"Did something just fly out of the ranch?!" Zack exclaimed, clearly rattled.

Naoki gave a calm nod. "Yes," he replied simply. "It was a Pokémon, just visiting the ranch."

Zack blinked, then let out a shaky breath. "I see… That thing was enormous. I caught a glimpse of it on the road. I've never seen a Pokémon like that before. I thought something serious was happening!"

...

(P)(S): You can support me on Patreon and read upto chapter 422 @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818

Bonus Chapter @800 PS