"Don't be afraid." Zinnia comforted her Pokémon. "I don't mean to be hostile toward Shen Qi. I'm just asking some rather serious questions."
As Zinnia stated her position, Shen Qi looked at Whismur and gradually recalled something.
"This... Whismur of yours... did you give her a name?"
"Her name is Zinnia."
That was it... Zinnia!
The previous Successor, Zinnia, had been a girl who looked very much like the current Zinnia. She had died on a mission related to the Draconids' duty, and only then had the next Zinnia succeeded her.
The previous Zinnia had once lived in the Embedded Tower in the Johto Region. Rayquaza had also lived there for a time, and the two had been very close.
Later, Professor Yanase had developed the Green Orb and, together with the Devon Corporation's containment technology and use of Life Infinity Energy, launched the "Rayquaza Capture Plan."
To prevent Rayquaza from being captured, Zinnia had fought alongside it and ultimately died in that operation.
To commemorate the previous Successor, Zinnia had named her closest Pokémon, Whismur, "Zinnia."
That was the plot presented in the manga, but Shen Qi did not know the previous Zinnia's ultimate fate.
If she had truly died and that had been the end of it, she probably would not have appeared again.
"Shen Qi, isn't it time you answered my question?"
"Yes... here's what happened. Hear me out."
Shen Qi explained what had happened atop Sky Pillar. "The person who summoned Rayquaza was a girl who looked very, very much like you. She also had a Salamence and a Noivern, but no Whismur."
At those words, Zinnia froze. "How... was she different from me?"
"The corners of her eyes slanted downward. She looked much gentler than you, and her manner was more reserved."
"She was..."
"Hmm?"