Chapter 165: Mammon Says: You Can Always Trust Me
That said, Primal Kyogre hadn't gone straight for the throat. Not because it was afraid — but because it considered itself, as a senior, rather above picking on a young Rayquaza. That would be beneath its dignity.
"Well~ Kagura, I only just stepped out and look at the state of you."
Primal Kyogre descended slightly, and a figure leaped down from its back. The voice that reached Kagura carried a light, teasing note.
Kagura tilted her head up. Eyes red and blurred with tears, she made out the young man standing before her.
"Mammon—"
Her vision was swimming, but the shape of him was unmistakable.
"You look like you're in a bit of a bad way. Need some help?"
Mammon looked at the Lorekeeper girl's dull, lightless eyes — so different from the bright, fearless ones he knew.
So it failed.
He had already confirmed it internally. Beyond any doubt, Rayquaza still hadn't given Kagura its recognition.
Though this, honestly, had been within the range of expected outcomes.
"Mammon, I couldn't — I can't make Rayquaza Mega Evolve, I—"
Kagura bit her lip and dropped her head again, her voice thick with pain.
This was the first time the proud, vivid, driven Kagura had simply — crumbled. As if everything that made her herself had gone out at once.
Though of course it made sense. She had been pursuing Rayquaza's recognition with everything she had — and it had slipped through her fingers anyway. For someone like Kagura, the blow was immense.
She carried so much. Her clan, the prophecy, her sister, her faith — for the sake of all of it, she had to succeed. And she had failed.
"I—"
The thought of facing her clanspeople's disappointment made her voice crack.
Mammon let his smile settle, and glanced briefly at Rayquaza. The young Rayquaza, which had been watching everything with cautious attention, immediately felt a chill run through it.
It remembered very clearly how dangerous this particular human was.
This was the human who had commanded Primal Kyogre and the others to defeat its invincible black Rayquaza father.
That fact had left a lasting impression on Rayquaza.
And on top of that — Father seemed to be quite interested in this human. There was even a real possibility this person might become Father's Trainer.
If that happened, what should I call him?
Rayquaza fell into deep contemplation. If this human and Father became partners, then by human naming conventions, would that make this person its—
"Rayquaza~"
Mammon's voice broke through with a fond sigh. Rayquaza really was a complicated situation — to think such a bright girl as Kagura had been reduced to this.
"Uncle! I'm right here!"
The Rayquaza, knocked out of its internal spiral by the word, answered on instinct.
"…???"
Mammon stared at Rayquaza. Primal Kyogre stared at Rayquaza.
Excuse me?? Who did you just call uncle?!
Rayquaza came back to itself in the same instant, snapped upright, assumed a posture of absolute dignity, and looked away as though nothing had happened.
The suspicious flush creeping across its face told a somewhat different story.
"Kagura, don't worry. I told you before, didn't I — we're in the same organization. The same fate."
Mammon gave Rayquaza one more strange look, then crouched down and put a hand on Kagura's shoulder, smiling at her.
"Whatever happens — don't be afraid. Don't be confused. Don't despair. Just put yourself in my hands. I'm willing to carry your life on my back."
The gentleness and certainty in his voice were quietly affecting.
Kagura's ragged breathing gradually stilled. She looked up slowly at Mammon, something in her chest trembling.
"Mammon—"
The Lorekeeper's eyes reflected the young man in front of her.
"Kagura — you can always trust me."
Mammon smiled. He turned, slowly, to face Rayquaza.
"Even if you've failed, I'll take on every consequence that comes from it. So don't bow your head. I'll get back what you've lost."
Primal Kyogre's golden beast-eyes went cold and calm, a tangible pressure beginning to radiate from it.
The target, of course, being Rayquaza.
"Wait—"
Rayquaza felt something had gone very wrong. Somehow it had become the villain of this scene.
"Uncle — no, wait — Human! I haven't done anything to this Lorekeeper!!"
It pushed back urgently through telepathy, and it genuinely felt wronged. It had a conscience, thank you very much.
This Lorekeeper was Shelly's younger sister — it had already been preparing to give her another chance. It had simply not finished saying so before Primal Kyogre and Mammon arrived.
"She doesn't fully meet what I'm looking for right now — but I was already planning to continue observing her. She still has a chance!"
Rayquaza very much did not want to be on the receiving end of an undeserved beatdown. Calling for parental backup would be mortifying.
At those words, Kagura's expression changed completely.
"Really?"
Mammon raised an eyebrow.
"Completely true!!" Rayquaza nodded frantically.
Its feelings about Mammon were genuinely complicated — this human had beaten its in-its-heart-invincible dragon father. But—
"Is that so?" Mammon glanced at Kagura.
"I'll make Rayquaza recognize me!"
Kagura wiped the tracks of tears from her face, a look of new resolve in her eyes.
She couldn't be weak. She wouldn't.
"Well then — though honestly it doesn't even matter. The meteorite from your clan's prophecy, I can handle that for you. Don't let it weigh on you." Mammon patted her shoulder.
"Mm~!" Kagura looked at Mammon's face and smiled — a real smile, finally.
She couldn't quite put words to what she was feeling. Only that it was — very, very calm. Like something had settled.
She remembered now that he'd said something similar before. But having actually lived through the despair of the last few minutes, the words landed differently this time.
"Now — if you're going to observe her, that means observing her up close, doesn't it?"
Mammon thought about it for a moment and sized up Rayquaza.
"Hm?" Rayquaza tilted its head.
"Then stay with me for a while. You can observe Kagura, and work on improving yourself at the same time."
Mammon produced an Ultra Ball and grinned at Rayquaza.
"What?" Rayquaza blinked.
"Look at you — your father's that strong, and somehow you ended up like this? I'll sort you out properly."
Mammon was attempting diplomacy, but anyone listening could tell he had spotted a free labor source and was simply going to collect it.
"That seems… not quite right?"
Rayquaza tried to find a polite way to refuse. Though honestly, it was also a little tempted.
Mammon had been very direct — but Rayquaza was also fully aware that the gap between itself and its parents was embarrassingly enormous.
It hadn't wanted to be this way. The pressure was real. But it simply could not perform its own Mega Evolution, and what was it supposed to do about that?
"Not right? This is entirely right. Rayquaza — be honest with yourself. Do you really think the only reason you're weak is because you can't Mega Evolve? The main problem is that your combat ability is genuinely lacking."
Mammon offered this assessment without any softening.
"If I weren't already fond of your father, I wouldn't bother. Look at yourself — you'd probably struggle against a Deoxys. And you're telling me you're not weak?"
Rayquaza felt its scales prickle.
"I understand. Please — Uncle — teach me!"
Rayquaza had concluded that Mammon's points were valid.
It was tired of dragging the Rayquaza name down. It had its own pressure to deal with.
"Get in for now. I'll teach you how to fight properly when we have time."
Kagura watched Mammon talk a Rayquaza into a Poké Ball in about three exchanges, and her brain briefly stalled.
Also — why was this Rayquaza calling Mammon uncle?? Was this some Rayquaza clan terminology?
Whatever the case, at least it wasn't the worst possible outcome. Rayquaza had said it was still willing to give her a chance.
And the meteorite crisis — Mammon would help with that too.
Kagura felt deeply, profoundly settled. Though for some reason, she noticed that the longer she looked at Mammon, the faster her heart seemed to beat—
The Lorekeeper was puzzled. Why was that?
Mauville City Hospital.
Steven drifted back to consciousness.
The first thing he saw was a plain white ceiling.
An unfamiliar ceiling. Where was he?
He tried to sit up, but his entire body felt hollow and uncooperative, his head pounded, and his throat was dry enough to burn.
"Steven! Steven, you're finally awake!"
A delighted voice — and Wallace's face appeared suddenly in his field of vision, startling him.
"Are you all right? You passed out — I was terrified."
Wallace looked at him with real concern.
"Water — cough — give me water." Steven's voice came out rough and barely there.
"Oh, right, right."
Wallace hastily poured a glass of warm water and brought it to Steven's lips.
After a few sips, some semblance of clarity returned. Wallace helped him sit up and adjusted the pillow.
"What happened to me?"
Steven looked at the IV line in his arm and scanned the room. Cynthia, Leon, and Giovanni were all there.
"The doctor said intense psychological shock combined with severe mental exhaustion, then you got soaked in the rain and spiked a high fever."
Cynthia said it gently.
"Your condition is still bad, Steven. You'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days." Leon added.
Steven was quiet for a moment. The memory had come back.
"…Sorry. I made trouble for everyone."
He exhaled.
"It's nothing. But your health has to come first, Steven. We all understand." Giovanni said it low.
The pressure Steven had been carrying was visible to every one of them.
And after an incident like this — Steven breaking down was entirely expected.
Though it was also fair to say that Wallace had contributed rather precisely to that final crack. Everything Mammon had put Steven through, and it was Wallace who had landed the knockout blow.
"Team Rocket?"
"They withdrew. No immediate concern." Leon answered.
"Right now you need to focus on recovering."
"Yeah, Steven! Your health first!" Nemona nodded emphatically.
Steven collapsing had genuinely frightened them all — a sign that his body had been pushed well past its limit.
He had spent everything he had trying to fight Team Rocket. The results had been far worse than he'd hoped. And that final image of Wallace — that had been the last straw.
"Thank you. All of you." Steven managed a thin smile.
"Rest up. We'll step out for now."
Giovanni exchanged a glance with the others, and the four of them quietly left the room, leaving Wallace alone with Steven.
"Wallace — I owe Hoenn an apology." Steven exhaled, his voice full of exhaustion and self-reproach.
"Steven, what are you saying?" Wallace's brow came down, genuine indignation on his face.
"I won't have you talk about yourself like that. In my heart, you are Hoenn's finest Trainer. You are Hoenn's guardian."
Wallace meant every word.
Steven was genuinely moved. Wallace — always, reliably, his best friend.
"Wallace, there's something I need to ask you. I hope you'll hear me out."
"Steven, just ask. We're brothers — no need to be formal." Wallace nodded.
"After everything that's happened, I've come to feel that I'm genuinely not up to the role of Hoenn's Champion."
Steven pressed his fingers against his temple, exhausted. He was fairly sure he'd developed grey hairs in the last few weeks.
"And the consequences of this situation — I can't just move past them. What happened is on me."
He exhaled.
"So, Wallace — I want you to take back the position of Hoenn's Champion—"
"Steven."
Wallace interrupted.
"Hm?" Steven looked at him, puzzled.
"What did you say before that?"
"Wallace, there's something I need your help—"
"I'm not helping."
Wallace said it without expression. Completely final.
Brothers were brothers — but taking the Champion title back? Absolutely not. Impossible. Not in any universe.
Steven stared at him in disbelief, feeling something rising in his throat.
"Cough — cough cough cough—"
"Steven! Steven, what's wrong?! Doctor!! Doctor, come quickly, I think Steven is crashing!!"
(End of chapter)
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