Chapter 228: Why Is Diancie Riding Rayquaza Instead of Me?!

Groudon and Kyogre’s attention was immediately drawn toward the stones.

They had lived for tens of thousands of years and had seen countless treasures and energy crystals throughout their lives.

Yet even they could feel an incredibly primal tremor coming from the energy contained within those two tiny stones.

Groudon was the first to nod.

"Roar roar roar!" (What apology?! I didn’t even take something that minor to heart! And as for that movie footage or whatever, count me in! Film me however you want!)

Kyogre immediately moved closer and slapped one fin against the water.

"Wooo wooo wooo!" (Same here!)

"Hoopa thinks..."

Hoopa’s eyes began to glow.

"Why don’t we call the Green Dragon over too?! Diancie can play a princess riding a dragon! The movie would definitely be even more exciting that way!"

Groudon and Kyogre both froze.

"Roar? (Green Dragon?)

Groudon tilted its head.

"Wooo wooo?" (A princess riding a dragon?)

Kyogre tilted its head too.

"That’s right, that’s right!"

Hoopa grew more excited the more it talked.

"The Green Dragon flies really steadily! It’d be perfect for Diancie!"

Elaria’s eyes lit up slightly when she heard that.

"Hoopa has a point. Diancie did say she wanted to film something like that."

She turned toward Groudon and Kyogre.

"Mr. Groudon, Mr. Kyogre, if you’re really willing to take part in Elaria’s movie, Elaria would be very honored."

"But we probably can’t do it today. Elaria needs to leave for now."

"Roooar~" (Oh, you’re worried about that Meowstic you brought with you, aren’t you?)

Groudon nodded.

"Mm."

Elaria nodded as well.

"I need Mister Gary to give her a full examination and check how much of her psychic power has recovered, along with her overall physical condition."

"Big Sister Lillie already went back ahead of us to prepare."

Hoopa immediately raised one little hand.

"Hoopa will handle the teleporting! Destination—Senior Gary’s lab in Anistar City!"

A golden ring appeared once again and enveloped Elaria and Hoopa.

"ROAR!"(WAIT!)

Groudon reached out one enormous claw.

"ROAR ROAR ROAR!" (If you leave, how am I supposed to get back?!)

Kyogre let out an incredibly smug rumble from beside it.

"Wooo~" (You could swim back~)

[Groudon]: ROAR!! (SHUT UP!!)

[VIP Chat Group]

[Iris]: So the next movie is going to be about a princess riding a dragon?! Just imagining Diancie riding Rayquaza already sounds so cool! As a Dragon-type Trainer, I fully approve!

[May]: Exactly! A scene that spectacular would look amazing in a movie!

[Dawn]: Aaaaah, can the livestream just fast-forward already?! I want to see it right now!

[Skyla]: Raise your hand if you agree the screen should fast-forward straight to Diancie riding Rayquaza!

[Valerie]: Agreed!

[Bianca]: Agreed!

[Steven]: I DISAGREE!!! Why is Diancie riding Rayquaza instead of me?!

[Leon]: ?

[Lance]: ?

[Raihan]: Is that seriously something a human being can say?

[Lance]:@Wallace, can you please control him? If this keeps up, will the League have any dignity left at all?

[Wallace]: I’ve tried. It doesn’t work.

[Diantha]: I’ve reached the point where nothing Steven says surprises me anymore. Is something wrong with me?

[Asher]: No. The problem is Steven.

The video continued playing.

Anistar City.

Gary’s laboratory.

The moment Elaria stepped out of the ring, she saw Gary and Lillie standing in front of the equipment console with a clipboard in hand, examining Meowstic.

"Mister Gary, how is Meowstic doing now?"

"Oh, you’re back."

Gary lowered the clipboard.

"She’s doing much better than she was before she left. The fluctuations in her psychic power have already started recovering."

Lillie pulled the scan report out of the machine and read through it from beginning to end.

Then she nodded toward Elaria.

"She’s recovering much faster than expected. Normal daily activity won’t be a problem, but she still shouldn’t push herself too hard."

"It’d be best to start by practicing a basic Confusion first."

Elaria lifted Meowstic down from the examination table and gently placed her on the floor.

"You heard her. No pushing yourself for the next week, okay?"

Meowstic raised her head and looked at Elaria.

A faint blue light flashed through her purple eyes.

Then she took a small step forward.

Not to move away—

But to approach Elaria on her own.

She gently rubbed her head against Elaria’s leg.

Elaria crouched down and stroked Meowstic’s ears.

"Do you want to travel with me?"

Hoopa floated down from above Elaria’s head and planted both little hands on its hips.

"Welcome to Team Elaria! As one of the founding veterans, Hoopa hereby—"

"Hoopa."

Elaria lightly flicked Hoopa on the forehead.

"Don’t say things like that anymore."

"Hehe——We’re family from now on!"

Hoopa rubbed its forehead and grinned.

Meowstic looked at Hoopa.

The tip of her tail lifted ever so slightly.

Then she turned around and gave Gary a small nod.

It was her own unique way of thanking the researcher who had saved her.

Gary turned toward Elaria and Lillie.

"What are you planning to do next? Ash already left because something urgent came up, and I’ve been pretty busy lately too, so I don’t have much time for an interview."

"We’re going to find the Green Dragon."

Elaria thought for a moment before answering.

Gary froze.

"What Green Dragon?"

"A chubby dragon that likes eating meteorite fragments."

Elaria pulled a meteorite fragment out of her backpack.

"Last time I went to see it, it ate three before it finally stopped."

"A dragon that likes eating meteorite fragments..."

Gary rubbed his temple.

"You mean Rayquaza, right?"

"It’s the Green Dragon."

Elaria corrected him with complete seriousness.

"That’s what Daddy told me."

Gary took a deep breath and decided not to argue about the nickname anymore.

"Fine. Go ahead. Meowstic only needs to come back for another examination in a week."

Hoopa was already preparing another ring.

A golden circle expanded in the middle of the examination room.

On the other side was an endless sea of overlapping clouds—

The territory where Rayquaza spent its days roaming through the ozone layer.

Elaria waved toward Gary.

Then she and Lillie stepped through the ring together.

...

TL: Pause