I, Gary, Want to Become a Pokemon Master

Zinnia's grandmother fixed her gaze on Zinnia as soon as she finished speaking.

"Grandma... I know I was wrong. I didn't mean for things to turn out that way."

Zinnia lowered her head, guilt evident in her voice as she admitted her mistake.

The old woman let out a deep sigh.

"It seems the Draconid people alone can no longer safeguard the secrets of Meteor Village," she murmured.

Then, turning to Gary, she said, "Gary, I wish to meet with Mr. Steven. Could you take me to him?"

"Grandma, you're agreeing to meet him?"

Zinnia's face lit up with joy. Her grandmother's willingness to meet with Steven meant she was open to negotiating with the Hoenn League.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I merely agreed to speak with those in power. That doesn't mean I've decided to establish official relations," her grandmother said with a trace of regret.

"I had hoped this trial would help you mature. But you're still the same reckless child you were before."

"Haha…"

Zinnia laughed awkwardly, trying to mask her embarrassment.

Gary then asked, "So, should we go now, or leave tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," the elder replied. "It's already getting late. And besides… thank you. Without your help, Zinnia wouldn't have completed the trial. I truly appreciate it."

"You're too kind," Gary said modestly. "All I did was escort her safely. Honestly, it was my fault that the meteorite got stolen in the first place. If you want to thank me, a simple 'thanks' is enough."

Zinnia: "???"

Her grandmother smiled knowingly.

"I'm aware you're after a Mega Stone. Tell me—what Pokémon's Mega Stone do you need?"

Gary blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected her to offer him one. Sure, he'd received a Latiosite before, but he helped purely out of responsibility—he hadn't asked for anything in return.

"I didn't think I'd be getting two Mega Stones on this trip," he thought.

Without hesitation, Gary said,

"Do you have a Blastoiseite?"

Blastoise was his very first Pokémon—his starter. It held a special place in his heart.

"Yes, I do," Zinnia's grandmother nodded. "I'll give it to you tomorrow morning."

"Thank you so much, Grandma. If you ever need help again, just say the word—I won't refuse," Gary promised earnestly.

Two Mega Stones for an escort mission? That was a great deal.

Gary couldn't help but hope he'd get called to assist with the next successor's trial, too. After all, he still had several Pokémon that could Mega Evolve. The more chances, the better.

"Zinnia, take this," her grandmother said, pulling an elegant anklet from beneath her cloak. The anklet had a refined, circular design, with a glittering Key Stone embedded at the top.

A Mega Anklet!

Gary recognized the item immediately. It was a Key Stone accessory—essential for activating Mega Evolution.

"Whoa! A Key Stone!" Zinnia gasped excitedly as she accepted the anklet.

"This was crafted specifically for you by Uncle Gurkinn," her grandmother said.

"Uncle Gurkinn is the best! He remembered I like anklets, so he made it in this style!" Zinnia beamed, already fastening the Mega Anklet around her right ankle.

"I'm glad you like it," her grandmother said, then handed over another item. "This is Salamence's Mega Stone. Take it."

Zinnia was stunned.

"Grandma… how did you know my Shelgon evolved?!"

She hadn't even mentioned it yet. Her Shelgon had evolved into Salamence during the chaos at the Aether Marine Platform, where Rayquaza's Draco Meteor had collapsed part of the structure. In an act of courage, Shelgon evolved to shield her from harm.

"Evolved or not, you've completed your trial. This is the rightful reward for the next inheritor," her grandmother said proudly.

"Thank you, Grandma!"

Zinnia clutched the Salamencite with both hands, already imagining what her Salamence would look like after Mega Evolution.

After witnessing Gary's battle with Steven, she'd secretly dreamed of being able to battle him on equal footing.

"If I had Mega Evolution… maybe I could take Gary on!" she thought excitedly.

Of course, if Gary knew what she was thinking, he'd probably say: "Keep dreaming."

Now that the message to Steven had been delivered and Zinnia's grandmother had agreed to negotiate, everything hinged on whether tomorrow's talks would lead to a mutual agreement.

As far as Gary was concerned, this wasn't really his business—it was between the Hoenn League and the Draconid Tribe. Still, walking away with two Mega Stones felt like a win.

What a shame…

He also wanted the Salamencite, but since he already received the Blastoiseite, it felt wrong to ask for more.

They spent the night in Meteor Village.

The next morning, Zinnia's grandmother rose early and woke up both Gary and Zinnia to begin their journey to Devon Corporation in Rustboro City for negotiations.

Maybe it was just a trait of the elderly—they tended to wake early and sleep lightly.

True to her word, Zinnia's grandmother handed Gary the Blastoiseite.

Now wide awake, Gary eagerly pocketed the stone.

The three of them stepped out of the village, ready to depart.

"Grandma, are you okay with flying?" Gary asked, a little concerned. Zinnia's grandmother looked to be in her sixties. Though she was in good health, Gary worried that she might not be able to endure long-distance air travel.

"Don't worry. My Pokémon can fly," she said with a reassuring smile. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Altaria, come on out!"

"Altariaaa~!"

[Lv. 70 Altaria / Champion Potential]

"Oh wow!" Gary gasped.

He hadn't expected her to have a Champion-level Altaria.

In that moment, Gary realized he had completely underestimated the strength of Meteor Village.

The Draconid Tribe specialized in Dragon-type Pokémon—Pokémon that typically have long lifespans. As long as they were trained properly, their strength would grow naturally over the years.

The Draconid Tribe had existed for over a millennium. Even if Dragon-types didn't live for a thousand years, many could live for three to five centuries.

This meant that the Tribe had centuries of experience in raising and training Dragon-type Pokémon. Most of them probably had at least Champion-level potential—and some, like Salamence or Dragonite, even had pseudo-legendary potential.

With enough time, such Pokémon could reach their peak strength.

This revelation made Gary realize that the Draconid Tribe might be even more formidable than the famed Blackthorn Dragon Clan of Johto. Their isolation may have limited their technological advancement, but in every other aspect, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Now, with their decision to engage with the outside world—especially with Steven Stone's assistance—the Draconid Tribe was on the path to becoming a major power within the Hoenn region.

Most importantly, they possessed knowledge of how to craft Mega Stones—a rare and precious skill.

Given time, they would undoubtedly become an integral part of the Hoenn League.

And with Meteor Village located near Rustboro City, Steven might even find himself working with the Draconid Tribe on a regular basis.