But now, I suppose it’s time for the last chapter in our tale.

And possibly an end in sight to this whole final episode!

Well, Zinnia?

At last we reach the final chapter… A thousand years of peace followed after that disastrous time. But, the Draconid people, learning from their long history’s cyclical nature, foretold that the meteoroids would fall on this land again. The meteoroid to come, they prophesized, would be far greater than those that had come before it. This meteoroid would be great enough to break the world forever… In order to prevent this great calamity, those who held the knowledge of the past arrived at a plan. Their plan was to invoke Rayquaza, the great savior, and summon it to this land before the meteoroid could strike. And that’s it. That’s the end of our…of the Draconids’ tale. I spent a long time thinking about how I could protect the happiness of as many people as possible. 

Making Zinnia the only person we’ve met so far to do so.

What I must do, as one who holds both the knowledge and the power… One who bears the heavy wishes of those who could not…live up to that fate…

That’s really ominous.

Well, I had to be really creative, you know?


And she heads away again!

As I chase her, a golbat gets in my way. In the process of explaining why that was a mistake, my wailmer evolves.

Wailord is the largest of all identified Pokémon up to now. This giant Pokémon swims languorously in the vast open sea, eating massive amounts of food at once with its enormous mouth.

I’ve reached the top. Zinnia and Aster wait.

… she says. See that, Aster? You always wanted to watch them, right? The Litleonids. A million glittering stars falling from the sky… The show is about to start.


Mur! Murr!


Aren’t we happy now? Yes, what could be better, dear Aster? Ha ha…


It murrs again, though without a dialogue box, as Lucki arrives. Zinnia approaches.

… Zinnia says, standing before me. Welcome to the Dragonhark alter.


We really are getting Draconid married!

Lucki. You know what I am trying to do here by now, don’t you? That’s right. I will summon Rayquaza to this world to destroy the meteoroid headed for Hoenn. That is my… It is our duty.


The screen changes to just the stars.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always turned my eyes up to the sky. When I was so full of uncertainty that I felt my heart might be crushed by it… When I was so grief-stricken and alone I thought my heart might break of it… 


So her family’s dead? Is she the last Draconid? Who was the old and rather judgey woman in the cave?


I turned and looked up there…so that my tears would never, ever fall. What about you? Have you ever had to do something like that?


Lucki’s not nearly that well characterized, Zinnia. I hope her response doesn’t wreck the whole marriage thing.

Ahaha! You’re just too honest! Don’t you know that you’re supposed to agree, and then we’d share a touching moment of pain?


…I used to watch the stars like this all the time… Together with Aster. We were always together. In good times and in bad. I loved her. I loved her with everything I had… But I still lost her. … Hahaha… … I want to see her… I want to be with her again… My sweet Aster…

And then Aster thought-bubbles, Mum…? Yeah, I’m confused too.

I will, won’t I? With this… Just a little longer…


So very confused. The screen is stars again, then black.

Mur, mur!


Now back to Zinnia, now with a glowing red and orange background! Guess I should say good morning? You slept well, didn’t you?


SO CONFUSED. Did you knock Lucki out?

You look so adorable when you sleep. Sorry about the knocking-you-out thing.


Haha you did. Yeah, it’s fine.

… Enough. I think it’s time I gave it a shot. I’m sorry…for all the trouble I caused you. If something happens to me… Please… Take this little one…


Oh no and Aster has just run behind Lucki like something bad might actually happen.

… … …OK, she says, kneeling with her hands in a curved prayer. Here I go. “With jewel bright and borrowed might from the spirits of the departed…” “Through sacred rite, in thy great sight, my life as well I offer…”


Shit this isn’t sounding like such a great plan!


The screen flashes. The game helpfully adds, The Key Stones that Zinnia holds are giving off a blinding light!


…Ugh…ngh…gh… “I summon thee…to aid…this fight…and save us…from disaster!” Then it goes spikybox: Realize them…upon this world…! For this do I summon thee! Rayquaza!


And it works!

And Zinnia looks about as surprised as anyone. !!! It screams again. Ray…quaza! I did it! I…I did it! Now the world…will be saved! Aster…Aster, I did it! Great Rayquaza! Hear my wish! Achieve your Mega Evolution! Take hold of your true power! Show me your true face! The Rayquaza that will save this planet!


… replies the narration. … … Zinnia’s Key Stone does not react…


Huh?!


Relax. There’s no reason to think we even need the mega version for this. What’s important is that god snake who make secretly be a bit more ebon than it’s admitting is here at all.

H-how can this be?!


Well for one thing, is Rayquaza holding a corresponding stone? That seems to be required for all bonus evolutions.

Also you didn’t steal mine and look, it’s not like Lucki’s even using it.

I gathered all of the Key Stones that could withstand your great power…and summoned you here… You came… And yet… Why?! Come on! Do it! Mega Evolve! Why?! Why won’t you…


… says the narration smugly. … Zinnia’s Key Stone does not react…


Rayquaza bellows again.

What?! says Zinnia. Zinnia, if you can understand pokemon you might’ve mentioned that earlier. It can’t be… The one without enough power…is you, Rayquaza? The Meteorites that should lie within Rayquaza’s great body…aren’t enough? Have those thousand years drained them of their power?


She falls to her knees, looking like she’s gone into shock. This…can’t…be… I can’t… I… I… Everything…I’ve done…till now… Aster… I can’t… I can’t take any…more… …


The narration jumps in. Lucki’s Meteorite suddenly began to glow!


That’s–?!


The glow of Lucki’s Meteorite grew even stronger!


Okay but game you realize this is just making it look like it feeds off despair.

What? That Meteorite?! It’s just like…a Mega Stone?!


Not sure why this is surprising when you were just telling me Rayquaza’s evolution is a mega one and it’s powered by meteorites.

Rayquaza swallowed Lucki’s Meteorite!


Light is spilling forth from within Rayquaza’s body!


SHOW DON’T TELL, GAME.

Whoa!!! Swallowing meteorites allows it to store as much power as a Mega Stone.


So, in game terms, does that mean mega rayquaza can hold another item?

Your Meteorite summoned forth the power needed for Rayquaza to Mega Evolve! Hah! It’s amazing! Lucki! Rayquaza is trying to build up power… It wants power for itself to take you on!


Wait, what?

Use everything you’ve got and win over Rayquaza! You have to master it!


What.

This is the Legendary Pokemon that all of Hoenn views as our great protector! And the only one who can direct it now… It’s you! You have to do this!


Okay I’m just going to assume Zinnia is scared of heights. No idea what’s wrong with Rayquaza.

First time, Rayquaza wins, because it is a simply lovely and old-school L70. Second time, I open with paralysis and then leech seed, and I win, but this just makes Rayquaza vanish, then reappear and Zinnia rewords her statement to be that I have to catch it. Well, time to show how incredibly skilled and in tune I am with a masterball on the first turn.

Rayquaza is said to have lived for hundreds of millions of years. Legends remain of how it put to rest the clash between Kyogre and Groudon.

The pokedex helpfully adds that I’ve encountered this unique legendary pokemon two times. I’m then asked if I want to nickname it, and then I send it to Box 10.

Rayquaza wishes to join your party, prompts the narrator, because maaaaaaaaaaybe sending the savior of the world into a PC box a few minutes before we all die could be viewed as a bad idea.

(Is there a fanfic where this isn’t an option and the hero has to fly to the pokecenter, grab Rayquaza, then run all the way up the tower again? There needs to be.)

Please select a Pokemon to send back to your PC Boxes, the narrator continues, not pretending to give you a choice here.

Bye Wailord! I was gonna dump you anyway.

Is it…over? asks Zinnia.

Murrrrrr!


… Congratulations, Lucki. And…thank you. History has chosen you… The truth remains that Rayquaza chose you and not me…


I’m pretty sure it was just a matter of meteorite?

But… While I don’t know how to put it into words exactly… I think I understand why… …You will be successor in 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 does the praying bow and the narrator says that Rayquaza succeeded to the power of Dragon Ascent! and just what. I realize this isn’t dumber than family lines passing down secret moves for legendaries they aren’t even sure existed, but the fact there’s more astoundingly stupid prescent doesn’t make this any better.

…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!

Yeah you…you really didn’t need to clarify that.

Also am I the only one who remembers that flamey doom is currently hurtling toward us?

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!


Am I somehow contradicting history here or something?

…Phew. … My pulse… I can feel it racing… …Yes. I’m feeling…totally…pumped! Haaahhh! This it it!!


Okay, so she’s opening with a L60 goodra, but on the other hand, she’s only got five pokemon and the game clearly knows the player will have more given they coded the box swap.

Oh, but the whismur, right? Okay game, I’ll give you this one.

L60 tyrantrum.

L60 altaria.

L60 noivren.

L62 salamence which promptly mega evolves but still dies to a single dragon pulse. The only one that got a hit on me was the goodra.

Just like I’d expected of you, Lucki…


I’d think you’d be a trifle surprised (and concerned) by the part where I didn’t mega evolve it.

… … …I guess…it falls to you now… That settles it, then… Lucki, you should even be able to beat that meteoroid that’s approaching the planet.


Uh, can I get a heal in? Your goodra’s ice beam really did a number on Rayquaza, praise be its name, ‘s health.

You and Rayquaza…together. I am leaving this task to you, our new Successor. Successor Lucki.


Not that I’m complaining about a rejection of all that bloodline nonsense, but like, wasn’t this door bloodline sealed, somehow? If this was going to happen they really shouldn’t have put stuff in about actual magic bloodline powers.

You and Rayquaza must protect nature…Pokemon…the people…


And now I’m wearing a space suit. And up I go! This all looks super cool, watch it on youtube.

It’s very dramatic and yet I can’t help but notice that mega rayquaza is actually black underneath…

We smash apart the meteor only for it to reveal an ominous triangle.

Wait no I mean

Totally different.

Deoxys then pops out, and at a respectable L80!

The DNA of a space virus underwent a sudden mutation upon exposure to a laser beam and resulted in Deoxys. The crystalline organ on this Pokemon’s chest appears to be its brain.


The wrapup looks to be long so let’s end for today.