Dylan did not refuse Zinnia's request. Although he considered himself a selfish person, the tragic death of his childhood friend weighed heavily on him. Now that he knew the truth, helping out seemed reasonable.
Moreover, assisting Zinnia meant securing a future Champion-level ally. While it was uncertain if Zinnia could reach the pinnacle of the Champion class, with her talent and ability, she'd definitely be a formidable Champion.
"But Zinnia, this is a significant matter; you need to be well-prepared," Dylan reminded her.
In Dylan's view, only the Devon Corporation posed a challenge among the three forces. The Celestic family and the Johto Pokémon Association weren't much of a problem.
Although the Celestic family had a long history of over 200 years and considerable wealth, much like the Silph Co., they lacked Champion-level strength. Even Team Rocket managed to infiltrate Silph Co. silently. With Zinnia's Champion-level power, wiping out the Celestic family wouldn't be too difficult.
However, despite her hatred, Zinnia only wanted to target those involved in the "Rayquaza Capture Plan." If she went too far, the Pokémon League might hunt her down.
The Johto Pokémon Association held some power, especially with its ties to the Kanto League, but like Celestic, they lacked top-tier strength. As long as Zinnia avoided traps, she could handle them.
The real problem was Devon Corporation. The tricky part was its heir, Steven. Devon's president, Joseph Stone, was directly involved in the plan. Since Steven was his son, dealing with Joseph meant confronting Steven.
Could Zinnia take on Steven? Dylan thought it might be tough.
"I know, so I'm waiting to act until after fulfilling my clan's prophecy. Plus, if I can find Rayquaza, my chances will be even better!" Zinnia replied seriously. She wasn't foolish and could distinguish between personal grudges and the bigger picture.
The prophecy of the Draconids had been passed down through generations, and fulfilling it was Zinnia's goal. She would make it happen!
But the real issue was that even if she found Rayquaza, Rayquaza might not recognize her as its successor.
In both the manga and the games, Rayquaza never acknowledged Zinnia as its heir. However, Dylan didn't voice this thought. After all, ever since Aster's death, Zinnia had tirelessly pursued this goal. She carried too much responsibility.
"What's your plan? Rayquaza isn't easy to find," Dylan asked.
"I plan to join either Team Magma or Team Aqua. Both organizations are searching for Groudon and Kyogre. If I help them awaken those Pokémon, Rayquaza will appear," Zinnia said without hesitation, revealing her plan.
"Does Grandma know?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.
"No, I didn't tell them," Zinnia nodded, knowing her clan would never approve. Groudon and Kyogre were extremely dangerous ancient Pokémon. Every time they awakened, Hoenn faced catastrophic disasters. While Zinnia's goal was to lure out Rayquaza, her plan was too extreme for them to accept.
"Are you sure this is okay? Waking Groudon and Kyogre could cause immense damage to Hoenn, affecting countless innocent lives," Dylan asked, noticing the cold look on Zinnia's face.
Zinnia had always been focused on her heritage, but the death of her sister had deeply scarred her. Now, she was willing to go to any lengths to achieve her goal.
"It's what they deserve," Zinnia replied emotionlessly. "Aster could have solved everything, but she's dead. I don't have her abilities, so what's wrong with my approach?"
Zinnia smirked. She could have taken a gentler approach, but why should she? The Draconids had been protecting Hoenn from meteors for generations, yet Aster had been killed by those she sought to protect. Did she owe them anything? Why did it have to be this way?
"Let me know if you need help," Dylan sighed. He could understand Zinnia's pain, and if he were in her shoes, he might be even more extreme. They had killed the sister he loved the most, and now he had to protect them. It was unbearable. It was a wonder Zinnia hadn't turned completely dark—perhaps that was her kindness.
It was her clan's prophecy, and Zinnia's vision too. She would do whatever it took to fulfill it, even if it meant taking harsh measures.
"Thank you, Dylan," Zinnia said sincerely. She was under immense pressure—hatred, legacy, and dreams all weighed on her. She had no one to confide in.
"We've been friends since childhood. Go ahead with your plan; I've got your back," Dylan replied warmly.
"Thank you..."
Zinnia felt a wave of relief. The support from her childhood friend released some of the tension she'd been holding onto. She felt much lighter.
People are driven by desire, Dylan thought, watching Zinnia walk away.
Even in the seemingly pure world of Pokémon, there were always people like this. Maybe that's why Ho-Oh and Lugia had distanced themselves from humanity.
Dylan didn't enjoy dealing with dark matters. He was wealthy, powerful, and preferred a carefree life. He liked seeing interesting things happen—but only to others, not to those close to him.
Though a bit hypocritical, Dylan never considered himself a virtuous person. However, Zinnia's situation was different. She was his childhood friend, practically family. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing. Aster had been so good to him as a child; the people responsible for her death had to pay.
As for Zinnia's plan to awaken Groudon and Kyogre to lure out Rayquaza, that was on Team Magma and Team Aqua. They were the ones pursuing land and sea, after all. And ultimately, Zinnia was doing it to save Hoenn.
---
Two days passed quickly.
Zinnia left the next day. Although she wanted to spend more time with Dylan, she had too much on her plate. She needed to find a way to join either Team Magma or Team Aqua and help them locate Groudon and Kyogre to start her plan.
With Dylan's support, Zinnia felt more motivated to take action!
Such confidence came from having an ally!
Meanwhile, Dylan stayed in Meteor Falls for another two days. Amaryllis decided to stay behind to spend more time with Grandma—after all, Grandma was very old.
Dylan's parents naturally stayed with Amaryllis, so the three elders left Dylan and his two companions to explore freely, asking Dylan to look after his "little sister."
Dylan found it a bit exasperating—sometimes his parents were really unreliable.
---
Rustboro City, located in the western part of Hoenn, is a large city that balances nature and science. The renowned Devon Corporation is headquartered here.
"Lillie, do you want to go back to Alola or stay with me in Kanto for a while?" Dylan asked as the three of them walked through Rustboro City.
His parents planned to stay in Meteor Falls for at least a month, and Dylan had to return to Kanto soon. But Lillie's situation was tricky.
Letting her return to Alola alone was fine, but it felt a bit wrong.
Lillie, carrying her bag, hesitated. Now that she knew Nebby's origins, there didn't seem to be much left for her in Alola. Oh, she could go find her brother Gladion, but he was probably fine on his own.
"Come with us to Kanto, Lillie! I'll show you a good time!" Ilene enthusiastically grabbed Lillie's hand.
"Yeah, Kanto is fun. My parents won't be out of Meteor Falls for at least a month. You'll be lonely in Alola by yourself," Dylan added with a smile.
"Alright, I'll trouble you then," Lillie said after thinking for a moment. She was quite excited about seeing the Pokémon League headquarters in Kanto.
"We're family. No need to be so polite," Dylan said, ruffling Lillie's hair with a chuckle.
"Hehe..." Lillie giggled as Dylan patted her head, her face showing a shy but happy smile.
She was definitely looking forward to the trip to Kanto! Plus, she'd get to watch her brother's Gym battles. It was bound to be fun!
The girl blinked her clear, bright eyes, curious about how her strong brother would handle challengers.
The three of them were planning to check out the shopping district when Dylan's attention was caught by a handsome young man hurrying by.
"Steven Stone?"
Dylan called out, pretending to be surprised, to the tall, blue-haired man in a tailored casual suit who was passing by.
The man, who had been walking briskly, paused and turned to look at the trio.
Indeed, it was Steven, the former Champion of Hoenn.
"Hello there," Steven greeted with a friendly smile.
In Hoenn, Steven was quite famous, and occasionally fans would recognize him on the street.
Though he was the heir to Devon Corporation, Steven was very polite, friendly, and modest—nothing like a spoiled rich kid.
Ilene and Lillie both curiously observed the tall, handsome, and elegant young man in front of them. This was the former Champion of Hoenn's Elite Four!
Moreover, Steven didn't lose his position as Champion of the Elite Four because he was defeated; he voluntarily stepped down.
The ongoing debate among the people of Hoenn over the past two years has been whether the current Hoenn Champion, Wallace, is stronger or weaker than Steven.
"I never expected to be so lucky to actually meet Champion Steven."
Dylan was very interested in observing Steven, who, like him, was also a super-rich second-generation heir.
Although Dylan didn't have a good impression of Devon Corporation because of the Zinnia situation, he didn't actually dislike Steven as a person. Steven was genuinely someone you couldn't criticize—a very gentle and friendly senior.
The situation with Zinnia was one thing, and besides, Steven probably didn't even know about it back then.
"No, no, I'm not the Champion anymore. Wallace is the Hoenn Champion now, so you don't need to call me that," Steven quickly corrected him, waving his hand to address the title issue.
"Calling me Champion would be disrespectful to Wallace."
But that was a lie.
He had worked so hard to persuade his friend Wallace to take up the position, and now he really didn't want to be called Champion anymore.
Only after stepping down as Champion did he get to experience the sweet taste of freedom!
The main reason was his effeminate best friend Wallace. Back when he first took up the position, he had only been Champion for half a month before he started constantly calling and texting Steven, asking when he would return to the Hoenn League, complaining about having no time to organize Contests and such.
This went on and on for two years, and it still hasn't stopped, making Steven marvel at Wallace's persistence. No wonder he was his best friend—Wallace could really stick with it.
But sorry, Steven wasn't going to agree.
It's laughable—why would he go back? Now he could dig for stones every day and enjoy life. Whoever wants to be the Hoenn Champion can do it; he's not going back.
"I see. Well then, Mr. Steven, may I ask you a more personal question?"
"Sure," Steven replied gently after checking the time, not in a hurry.
"How do you think your strength compares to Champion Wallace's?"
Steven couldn't help but fall into deep thought, suspecting that the person in front of him had ulterior motives.
(End of Chapter)
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