My Little Pokémon: Grander World

by Amarvax

Stronger Stamina, Stronger Seas

Equestria. Out in the Wild. Day.

"Hah...Hah..." Trekking along the lands of Equestria was Spike, who went all the way from Ponyville to here and was still on the move. This entire time, he's been moving with Rayquaza, who was currently being pulled by Haxorus and Salamence. Rayquaza this whole time has been watching carefully, waiting for Spike to reach his destination.

Obviously, he couldn't reach Hoenn from this distance, but thankfully, there was a gateway up ahead that would lead him to the Hoenn Region easily without needing to travel by boat.

"We're almost there, aren't we?" Spike asked, panting heavily as he stopped for a moment. He took a deep breath, his body sweating a lot. "This gateway should take us straight to Dewford Town...That's good enough. But first..." Spike would then drop to the ground, falling flat on his face. "I gotta rest."

"Hax..." Haxorus sighed while Rayquaza glanced down at Spike, feeling concerned for him. He had been pushing himself hard, trying to get to his destination, not wanting to keep Rayquaza waiting. But even Haxorus reached his limit. He took a deep sigh, the light within him shining as he reverted to an Axew, unable to keep his transformation up any longer. "Axew..."

The two of them would lie there, resting in the sun for a little while, taking a short break. Rayquaza would continue watching, not saying anything at all. Spike was pushing himself hard just to reach Hoenn, specifically the waters of Lilycove City. He felt guilty for making him go through this much. Even Salamence was spent having to move this much without flying.

As he rested there, Spike could see the gateway in front of him. He just had to wait until he got his strength back before heading through it. Spike has been moving for over 2 days, travelling across Equestria just to get to this one gateway and now that he was near it, he lacked the strength to go any further.

"So hungry...I should've packed some food before leaving..." Spike grumbled, patting his stomach. He could go for some gems right about now. He could even go for something else that wasn't gem-related for once. He would then look up at Rayquaza, who was still watching him. "I'm so sorry for making you wait, Rayquaza. I'll be there soon, I promise. I just need a little break. Don't worry, though. We're gonna be there before you know it."

Rayquaza knew that Spike wouldn't be able to make it that far. Not in this condition. Not like he could do much either since he was still weakened, resting in a large cart of all things. But that didn't mean he couldn't make it easier on Spike. Now that they were near the gateway, Rayquaza, using the amount of power he's managed to recover, would manipulate the Dragon Matter that was resting deep within the land.

"Hmm...?" Spike felt the ground shake as he saw the ground rumbling, bits of Dragon Matter emerging from the ground. "What's happening?" He questioned, getting back up. The Dragon Matter would move in front of him, wrapping around him and Axew, lifting them off the ground ever so slightly. Spike gasped while Rayquaza used more Dragon Matter, using it to create a pair of wings on his back.

He would then use these wings to push himself forward, taking flight. The two of them would be pushed forward, moving towards the gateway with ease. Since it wasn't too far, Rayquaza didn't have to use that much energy to do this.

---

Hoenn. Dewford Town.

Once they neared the gateway, they would be placed down, Rayquaza hovering above the ground as Spike was released from the Dragon Matter. They found themselves on the grounds of Dewford Town, feeling the sand on their bodies. Spike was still unable to move, too tired to even so do as his body would just rest on the sand, staring at the town.

"Well, at least you're getting some more strength back. But we're a long way from Lilycove City. How are we gonna get there at this rate? And I'm still hungry."

Obviously, Rayquaza couldn't do anything about that. Sure, they've reached Hoenn, but they'll need a lot more energy at this rate and Rayquaza wasn't about to risk wasting more.

"Oh? Spike!" In the distance, the Gym Leader Brawly would call out, noticing Spike. "Is that you, man?!" He yelled out, running in his direction. It didn't take him long to get to him and once he did, he would kneel down, helping Spike up. "Hey, you okay? What are you doing h-" Brawly's sentence was immediately cut off once he saw the Pokemon in the cart near Spike.

Rayquaza groaned, staring at Brawly with his tired eyes. Brawly was in absolute disbelief, seeing the Legendary Pokemon present here. In a cart too, no less. R-Rayquaza?!" Brawly bellowed. His shout alerted some of the nearby residents who would soon spot the Sky High Pokemon too.

"Wow! Is that Rayquaza?!" A child yelled, pointing at the Pokemon. Rayquaza would sigh, feeling a little annoyed at all the attention he was getting

"It is! Oh my gosh! It's Rayquaza!"

"Rayquaza?!" Naturally, the citizens would start gathering around the Pokemon, looking up at him in awe. Rayquaza was rather tired, not having the energy to deal with this. He wasn't here for this, but he didn't have the energy to escape either. He just had to lie there and listen to all of this.

Brawly would pick Spike and Axew up before facing everyone else. "Alright, guys. They obviously look pretty out of shape right now. Best to give them some space, alright?" Brawly ordered, trying to get everyone to leave. For Rayquaza's sake.

"Aww. But I want to talk to Rayquaza." The kid pouted as they all spoke while walking away. Brawly managed to give them some space, allowing Rayquaza to be able to rest. He would take a deep breath, closing his eyes as he finally got a break from all the attention. "So...What's going on now? You wouldn't just casually show up with Rayqazua after all."

"I'll tell you...First...I need some food. Got any gems? Anything will do." Spike groaned, rubbing his stomach.

---

Minutes later, Brawly brought Spike, Axew and Salamence back to his home, letting them rest while he went off to get them something to eat. While Rayquaza was still in the cart, the others would rest, enjoying the shade. In the meantime, Brawly would return, holding some bowls filled with fruit and berries for the Pokemon, letting them eat their fill.

"Thank you so much, Brawly." Spike said, eating a few berries.

"Don't mention it. Brawly said, sitting down. "Seeing you with Rayquaza put me on full alert. By now, if I see a Legendary Pokemon around any of you and the others, something might be up. I mean, just last night, there was that whole Nightmare Rarity thing that happened."

"Huh?" Spike was unaware of the events that took place last night since his dreams were intact. He had no idea what had happened and was oblivious to it all. Only focused on getting Rayquaza to Lilycove. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, long story short, Nightmare Rarity came and tried to conquer all of our dreams and our world. Same old, same old. Thankfully, it was all resolved and the Nightmares have been dealt with, so it's A-Okay."

"Wow...I've really missed out on a lot." Spike uttered while stuffing his face with food. "Plus, there was a Nightmare version of Rarity I didn't get to see? Ooh...I bet she's so beautiful. Scary, but beautiful."

"Seriously?" Brawly lowered his eyes as Spike's crush on Rarity seemed to apply to alternate versions. Good or Evil. Spike grinned, laughing nervously as Brawly just sighed, shaking his head. "So, what's your deal with Rayquaza? Why is he here? And why does he look so beat up? What happened to him?"

"I don't know, but I'm kinda looking after him. Well, all of Ponyville is right now, until he gets back to full strength. Princess Celestia told us to do so. And I'm only here because I'm trying to get him to Lilycove's Waters. There's a massive hole somewhere out there that's apparently gonna mess things up a lot."

"You can understand Rayquaza? I get that you're a Dragon but..."

"Hehe!" Spike puffed his chest out, looking proud. "That's a bonus of having someone like Drayden as your mentor. I'm getting used to the perks of being a Dragon Trainer."

"Well, I know what you're talking about. That hole that showed up at sea made news fast across Hoenn. You shuuld see the size of it. It's crazy. I don't know what happened, but it's really big. It's gonna be a pain to fix." Brawly chuckled. "Well, I guess that's why Rayquaza's around. That hole also forced some Dragon Matter out and that just messed things up a lot more. But can Rayquaza even fix it in that state?"

"I don't think so. He's still so weak right now, but he really wanted to go there to fix things up." Spike explained. "Won't Kyogre sort it out? It's the Guardian of the Sea, isn't it?"

"I bet you were wondering that when Rayquaza asked you to bring him along. But I'm guessing it's because if you're not a Dragon-Type, you can't handle Dragon Matter energy. And right now, that hole is brimming with that stuff. I wouldn't wanna surf that." Brawly laughed nervously.

"Oh...I guess that makes sense." Spike nodded. "Do I just wait for Rayquaza to get enough strength? We're already here at Hoenn but...What am I supposed to do while we wait?"

"Hmm..." Brawly would start thinking as well. He crossed his arms, laying back on his chair for a while before coming up with something. Something simple. "I got something. You made it this far, but I bet it's not gonna get any easier for you. If you come across that Dragon Matter, even if it won't affect you, it can still be dangerous. Plus that hole's way too big to approach, believe me. You're gonna have to get stronger than you are now, Spike."

"Huh? But I'm not battling anyone. I'm just heading to Lilycove's Waters with Rayquaza."

"That's true, but what if you encounter some more trouble along the way? I mean, you're dragging Rayquaza along, so you're gonna run into trouble while making sure he's safe. Rayquaza's a powerful Pokemon after all and you and I both know what some will do just to get their hands on such awesome power, even if he's weak right now."

Spike nodded. He was already aware of how some people might go crazy to get their hands on something as powerful as Rayquaza. So much so that they could end up hurting him to do so. The chances of Spike losing Rayquaza were definitely there. He needed to make sure that didn't happen at all.

"So, I'll tell you what. Get a bit stronger right now until Rayquaza's got some amount of strength to keep going and fix this. Plus, I can help you work on your stamina. You look like you've been walking for a long time after all."

"You can train my stamina? seriously? Do you even have huge stamina yourself?"

"Well, it's not like I have a huge chunk of stamina, but I can teach you how to increase your endurance over time." Brawly smiled, standing up with a beaming grin. "As the Fighting-Type Gym Leader, I can make that happen. Everything I do in life is like a battle. Even surfing. That's how I roll and get stronger. I'm sure you can too."

"Huh...Well, I'm used to being helped by Dragon Trainers like Drayden or Drake, but I guess I can do this! Yeah, I'll go for it! Anything to make this way easier on me!" Spike exclaimed, feeling motivated.

"Woah, dude. Don't go thinking it's gonna get easier." Brawly wagged his finger. "Even if you get stronger, you're gonna come across something or someone tougher than you. You just gotta be ready for the worst. You're not going back out there until you're all geared up."

"Tell me something I don't know..." Spike sighed, lowering his head. "I went out without any food at all. I thought it was gonna be a quick trip. Boy, was I wrong?"

"Don't worry, Spike. I'll get you back on your feet in no time. For now, chow down as much as you want and come over to my Gym." Brawly gave a thumbs-up. "As a former Pokemon School Teacher, consider this a lesson, alright?"

---

Equestria. Lapras Lake. The Sea Temple. Samiya.

Back at the Sea Temple, Ash was brought to the throne room, where he was immediately seated on the throne. Alo would step forward, speaking to him. "Your Majesty. If you could please give us your assistance in upgrading the Sea Temple." Alo requested, getting on his knees and bowing to him. Entering the room were the guards who all held the Crystals, removing them from their pedestal and bringing them here.

"The crystals? All of them?" Ash leaned forward when seeing each and every crystal appearing here, except for the ones that belonged to the People of the Vale and the one Luna created herself.

"Indeed. For this, we will need all the Crystals to be present. The First King of the Sea also played a part in creating the temple in the first place, so you have a part in this as well." Alo explained. "You will be given the power to upgrade it and make it stronger. We shall do the rest."

Ash looked down at the Crystals, observing them all. They were then placed around Ash in a circle, encircling the entire throne. "Huh. Well, how am I gonna do it? Are we gonna change the way it looks or something?"

"A little bit. For the most part, it will retain its natural appearance, but the evolution will give it new things to help it grow in strength. Now, this is rather risky since you are not a Samiyan, your majesty, even though are the King of the Sea. We Samiyans can easily craft the temple's upgrades but only the King of the Sea is involved."

"Oh dear. Is he going to get hurt?" Fluttershy asked, stepping forward.

"No. Not at all. But you will feel something strange. Just know that we're not doing anything harmful." Alo said before looking at Ash. "Now, if you will, please start with the crystals. We have surrounded you with them so that you may link with all of them. Use one of the crystals as a main conduit and we'll begin the process. It is not different from when we call for the Sea Crown."

"Got it." Ash would go for the crystal right in front of him, grabbing the middle one. The Samiyans, every single one of them would start putting their hands together in a praying motion, preparing themselves to begin. Alo would do the same, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"I'm ready." Ash said, holding onto the crystal tightly.

"Then let us begin." Alo announced before all the Samiyans began chanting in unison. Ash would see the crystals starting to glow as he felt a strange energy enter his body. He would close his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing as the chant grew louder.

The chant would become more audible as Ash could feel the power of the Sea Crown flowing through him, giving him the energy he needed to continue. While the chant was in a foreign language, Ash could feel a powerful sensation within him, making his heart pump faster. The power of the Sea Crown was now flowing through his veins.

Ash would tighten his grip on the crystal as the chants got louder and louder. Ash could feel the power of the Sea Crown entering his body, the golden aura flaring out his body. The Samiyans would continue chanting, each of them using the power of the Sea Crown to give Ash the energy he needed.

"Come on, Ash! Make some magic happen!" Pinkie Pie cheered, holding up a flag of Ash's face while his friends all stood by, watching this happen. They had no idea what to expect as the chants continued.

"You can do this, my descendant!" Lena cheered too, being just as invested as everyone else.

The chanting would reach a certain volume as the energy would reach its peak. Ash would be ready, the chanting reaching its peak. And right as it was reaching its zenith with all of the crystals lighting up, Ash's eyes would open. But instead of finishing the process, Ash would see something else. In a flash, no longer was he seeing the Sea Temple. Instead, he was in some sort of space, with an absolutely captivating sight.

A sea of light.

It was glorious, the light being bright enough to almost blind him. But he would watch, feeling the energy continue to flow into his body. He could feel it moving throughout his entire body, giving him a warm sensation. "Oho...Awesome!" Ash gasped while feeling his body float in this space, looking around.

He was absolutely awestruck by the sight, amazed at how beautiful this place was. Ash was unable to stop staring at it, finding it to be one of the most incredible things he's ever seen. But he had to wonder how this would help him upgrade the temple. So far, he wasn't getting any clues. "But...how do I upgrade it like this? And am I the only one who can see this stuff?"

"Only you can, fellow King." Ash gasped, turning around and seeing someone right behind him.

"Huh?!" Ash gawked, seeing another human. He looked rather young, much like Ash himself, but his true appearance was masked. Masked by the same bright light that came from the crystals as his entire body was just energy itself. But despite his form, Ash could feel the power coming from him. Not just from the power in his body, but also the power that he was giving off. Depsite being energy, some of his appearance could be made out as Ash could spot an energy cape and long hair made out of that same light along with a semblance of clothing.

"Who are you?" Ash questioned.

"I am the First King of the Sea. It''s been far too long since I've seen anyone else." He spoke, his voice powerful yet welcoming.

"The First King of the Sea?! I'm talking to you right now?!" Ash exclaimed, his mouth wide open. He couldn't believe it, standing face to face with the First King of the Sea, who he's only heard little about. All he knew was that he was Safia's father and that he helped make the temple a reality.

"That's right." The First King of the Sea nodded. "And you're my successor, even though you are not a Samiyan. My name is Sanctire. It is nice to finally meet you, Ash Ketchum. It has been many, many years since I last saw any other humans or even Pokemon. You are the first one I've seen in years."

"Really? You don't look too old to me. I mean you're just energy right now, so I can't tell." Ash commented. "And you've been here the whole time? Seriously? But everyone from the Sea Temple got freed just 17 Years Ago after I helped them. I came back to the Sea Temple and saw that all the Samiyans weren't sealed anymore and could be out in the world again. But...I never saw you. Are you still sealed?"

"No. I'm free like the others, but I remain here. This is a sacred place for the King of the Sea. This place was created long ago and it's my home. Well...This space was created by our ancestors and I chose to stay here, unlike the others. My time as King had long since passed, so I am forever present in this space."

"Oh...Wait? What about the Queen of the Sea? Safia's mom? Is she here too? What's her name?" Ash asked, remembering the story he was told.

"She is present here too. Only those who are the Kings and Queens of the Sea can be here. But since we wee the first of them you are the second King that has ever shown up. If all of us Samiyans were never sealed away in the first place, we would have had multiple Kings and Queens by now, bu we had to conceal ourselves and the temple from those who wanted the crystals for themselves." Sanctire explained. "An example being the one known as Phantom that you stopped."

"I gotcha. So, how am I gonna upgrade this place from here? I don't see anything." Ash questioned.

"For me, it was a simple as it could be since I am a Samiyan. But for you, it's a little different. It is why you were brought here all of a sudden. Ash Ketchum. Or should I say, King Ash?"

"Nah. Ash is fine with me." Ash grinned, not caring for the formalities. He just referred to everyone by their natural names, even when they were royalty. It didn't matter to him.

"Very well. Ash. For you to evolve the Sea Temple, you must harness the full extent of the Sea itself. Beyond what you've experienced."

"Beyond what I've experienced?" Ash repeated with his eyes lighting up with wonder.

"So far, you have harnessed the power of the Sea multiple times, but never to its fullest extent. The true extent of the People of the Water is both our melody and our power to create. And for you, it will be creating from the Sea itself." Sanctire said before holding his hand out, showing Ash something. In his hand, there was some water, which he controlled. He would then move the water around, making shapes and structures with it.

It was strikingly similar to Water Weaving but on a far more advanced and grander scale that amazed Ash even more. "Awesome...!"

"It is our ability to shape things with the power of water. As a King of the Sea, you possess this same ability deep down. You have been able to command the Sea, but not fully shape it. But it can only be used in this instance when necessary.

"Oh. I think I get it now. I can't just do it myself, so I need a lot of help to pull it off. And it's like that Water Weaving stuff that they do! You make stuff out of water, that's so sweet!" Ash exclaimed.

"You've heard or seen an example of Water Weaving and how it is done with those who are not Samiyans. Use that as a basis and go from there. You will know what to do. But this will be the temple's first-ever upgrade, so it will require more assistance than ever. Even when the temple was being made for the first time. I trust that all of you and your friends can make it a possibility."

"It is not a problem. Your body will return to the world right away. And when you are there, let my daughter know that her parents are well and that we love her." Sanctire said with a smile as Ash nodded, waving goodbye to him before disappearing. Sanctire would wave back before taking a deep breath, sitting down.

He would stare at the sea of light before closing his eyes, resting on the floor. "We did it. A new King of the Sea has been found and he's already doing a fine job. I was right to leave it all in the hands of the people of the future. How much the world has changed since then...If only the People of Celestica could see it now."

As the journey continues.

Chapter 483 End.

Comments

[Magic135]

Nice chapter, Ash has a new skill, and we haven't seen Spike crushing on Rarity for a long time in this story.