Pokemon: Skybound

Deep in the mountains near Lavaridge Town, in the southwest of Hoenn.

This was part of Mt. Chimney's outer range, not far from Meteor Falls.

Sitting in the helicopter, Kai looked out the window and nodded to himself. After finishing his challenge at the Lavaridge Gym, he'd planned never to come back here. Yet only a short time later, he found himself once again flying over these endless mountains.

Life really was unpredictable.

He still remembered how he'd first caught Beldum here—how he'd run into Dr. Cozmo after the man had been kidnapped by Team Magma and Team Aqua, and how, during their escape, he'd crossed paths with Zinnia of the Draconid people.

Thinking back on it now, everything felt as if it had happened just yesterday.

After flying a while longer, the helicopter descended and landed on a flat clearing.

The copilot turned around and shouted to Kai, "The magnetic interference ahead is too strong—we can't go any farther. You'll have to continue on foot. We've set up an observation post further ahead. Follow the trail below and you'll reach it."

Kai nodded. He and Misty checked their gear, jumped down from the helicopter, and headed in the indicated direction.

Behind them, the helicopter lifted off again. As the roar of its rotors faded into the distance, it quickly disappeared into the sky.

Without the deafening noise, the world suddenly felt peaceful. Their ears—tormented the entire flight—finally got some relief.

Compared to Mt. Chimney's barren main peak, this area was lush and green.

Dense trees covered the mountainsides, grass grew thick underfoot, and wild Pokémon occasionally appeared nearby.

Following the trail, they soon spotted several makeshift tents. A few men in Devon Corporation security uniforms stood guard nearby.

This must be the observation post.

As Kai and Misty approached, a man who looked like the team leader hurried over.

"You must be Mr. Kai and Miss Misty, correct?" he asked—though it was clearly a formality. Headquarters had already sent their photos and informed him of their arrival.

He knew very well that the man standing before him possessed strength far beyond anything they could compare to.

After Kai nodded, the man went straight to the point. "The meteor is at the bottom of a small lake not far ahead. Would you like us to escort you?"

"No need," Kai replied, shaking his head. "There may be fighting ahead. Leave it to us. Just wait for my signal—once it's over, you can transport the meteor."

"I understand. Please be careful. That Deoxys is incredibly powerful—it's already injured many of our people."

Leaving the observation post behind, Kai and Misty headed toward the small lake the man had mentioned.

As they moved deeper in, they both felt something was off.

It was too quiet.

Before reaching the post, they'd still seen wild Pokémon. Here, there were none—no movements, no cries, nothing at all.

For once, Gengar emerged on its own from Kai's shadow.

Lately, it had been obsessed with comic books, only showing up occasionally at mealtimes. To be honest, Kai hadn't really talked with it in quite a while.

Even now, Gengar was holding a comic, but its attention wasn't on the pages. It frowned and scanned the surroundings.

"Something's wrong here," it muttered. "This place makes my skin crawl."

"It's probably the magnetic field," Kai said without hesitation. "Deoxys and its meteor can distort magnetism. Otherwise, Stone wouldn't have gone to such lengths—or called me in."

Looking ahead, a clear, quiet lake lay nestled among the trees. At first glance, it seemed completely ordinary.

Gengar stared at it for a long moment. "Be careful. There's definitely a powerful presence ahead. I've only felt something like this from two Pokémon before."

"Oh?" Kai turned to it. "Who?"

"Mewtwo—and Ho-Oh."

"Mewtwo and Ho-Oh?!" Misty's eyes widened. "Is Deoxys really that strong?"

Gengar shook its head. "Not exactly strength. It's the feeling. It's probably tied to that magnetic field."

Kai stayed silent, weighing it himself.

From what he'd seen in the movies, Deoxys's power was undeniable. It had once pushed Rayquaza—the apex of Dragon-type Pokémon—into a disadvantage. Something like that couldn't possibly be weak.

With its Normal, Attack, Defense, and Speed forms, its immense power, high intelligence, magnetic manipulation, flight, underwater capability, and rapid regeneration, Deoxys was absurdly dangerous.

Facing it with ordinary Pokémon would be suicide.

That was exactly why Kai had adjusted his lineup before coming here.

As they drew closer to the lake, Kai released Gardevoir out of caution. With both Gengar and Gardevoir guarding them, their safety was at least assured.

Surprisingly, they reached the lakeside without being attacked.

Kai checked his phone. As expected, there was no signal—and the battery was draining fast. Only 17% remained.

The special communicator Kennedy had given them was holding up better. Though affected, it could still transmit intermittent messages.

Misty glanced around nervously. "What do we do now?"

She looked like she expected Deoxys to leap out at them at any moment.

"According to Kennedy, the meteor fell into this lake," Kai said. "If that's true, Deoxys should be hiding here."

Misty looked closer. Bits of wreckage floated on the surface—fragments of boats and aircraft.

They were clearly remnants of Devon's failed recovery attempts.

The battle here must have been brutal. "Annihilated" wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"So how are you planning to draw it out?" Misty asked.

"Draw it out?" Kai shook his head, pulling a Poké Ball from his bag. "I'm going to force it out."

He hurled the Poké Ball toward the lake.

"Come out—Gyarados!"

A flash of blue light erupted, and a massive red Gyarados burst onto the surface.

For this mission, Kai had pulled out one of his trump cards. After learning that the meteor had fallen into water, he'd immediately contacted Kris and had his red Gyarados transferred over.

Of course, Gyarados wasn't the only one he'd brought—but there was no need to reveal everything yet.

Even knowing it was Kai's Pokémon, Misty still felt a chill looking at the towering creature.

It was just… too big.

Kai didn't have time to comfort her. Locking eyes with Gyarados, he chopped his hand downward.

"Do what you do best. Tear this lake apart and flush that thing out!"

Gyarados roared and plunged headfirst into the water.

Instantly, massive waves rippled across the lake. At first they moved in steady patterns, but as Gyarados thrashed beneath the surface, the water turned chaotic and violent.

Nothing beneath the lake was spared.

Suddenly, a red flash streaked through the water—then another, then a third. A colossal wave exploded upward, and an orange, humanoid Pokémon shot out of the lake.

Right behind it, Gyarados lunged up with jaws wide open, snapping at it.

But the humanoid Pokémon was far too fast. Gyarados's bite closed on empty air.

"That's—!"

Misty quickly raised her Pokédex.

"Beep! Deoxys. The DNA Pokémon. Psychic type. Additional data unknown."

It was Deoxys.

Up close, it looked unmistakably alien—nothing like a Pokémon native to this world. Its body was primarily orange, its arms twisted like strands of DNA. Its face was blue-green, mask-like, with rectangular black eye sockets and white pupils. A crystalline structure ran through its chest, centered on a gem-like core.

Misty's first impression was pure unease.

It reminded her of the cold, predatory beings from sci-fi movies—advanced hunters who viewed life as disposable.

She turned to say something to Kai—

And froze.

His eyes were shining with excitement.

As Deoxys appeared, Kai reached into his bag again. Three Ultra Balls were already in his hand.

He hurled them skyward.

"Come out, my partners!"

Red, blue, and yellow flashes exploded in the sky.

Three massive birds took form in the air—

Moltres. Articuno. Zapdos.

Just as Kai had said, he'd revealed his true trump cards.

Like the red Gyarados he'd retrieved from Kris, these three Legendary Birds had been reclaimed before departure—this time through Sabrina.

The moment they appeared, the birds formed a wide ring in the sky.

As Legendary Pokémon, they'd already sensed the purpose of their summons the instant they returned to Kai's side.

Now, seeing the unfamiliar Pokémon hovering below, they immediately understood—it was their target.

Even on their first encounter, they felt Deoxys's overwhelming presence.

Their fighting spirit ignited at once.

On the ground, Kai exhaled deeply, blood surging with long-forgotten exhilaration.

He fixed his gaze on Deoxys and gave the order.

"Fly. Dance. Let's defeat it!"

With a sweep of his hand, the three birds cried out and dove toward Deoxys.

Zapdos unleashed crackling lightning.

Moltres spewed blazing fire.

Articuno fired a beam of freezing light.

Three attacks, three elements, three angles—each carrying immense power.

Deoxys hovered calmly in midair, its cold eyes studying the birds. From their magnetic signatures, it sensed that they were different from ordinary Pokémon.

But only different.

It crossed its arms, forming a spherical barrier that effortlessly blocked all three attacks.

Then its DNA-like arms drew together, condensing a massive energy sphere that shot straight toward Moltres.

Moltres had no time to dodge.

Boom!

An explosion of light and force tore through the air. Moltres was injured—but endured.

The hit only enraged it.

With fiery resolve, Moltres broke formation, used Agility, and lunged forward, claws slashing at Deoxys.

Articuno and Zapdos attacked from the sides in support.

Deoxys remained unhurried. It blocked their attacks with its barrier, then shifted forms—its body changing as it entered Attack Form. Its arms multiplied from two to four.

In the instant Moltres closed in, Deoxys sidestepped and lashed out like a whip.

Moltres was struck again.

Even in this brief exchange, it was clear—

Deoxys outclassed each of the Legendary Birds individually.

But Kai hadn't sent them out to fight one-on-one.

Through Gardevoir's telepathy, his command echoed in their minds.

"Don't engage directly. Use the Tri-Bird combination!"

The power of their combined technique was unquestionable.

Without hesitation, the three birds climbed higher, spiraling upward in wide arcs.

A chill crept through the air.

Misty looked up.

The sky darkened in an instant.

Black clouds gathered from nowhere, swallowing most of the heavens like a massive lid.

Her bangs fluttered.

The wind was rising.

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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter

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