Pokemon: Spiritual Master

Another quiet night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, Johan gathered his Pokémon in the yard, a rare seriousness in his demeanor.

"Teacher seems unusually focused today," Flannery remarked, resting her chin on her hand under the parasol.

Steven nodded. "He has good reason to be. Today, he's facing the Battle Frontier's strongest brain, Brandon, in the Battle Pyramid."

Roxanne added, "Brandon's strength is unmatched, even among the Frontier Brains. He's the one who's captured the three legendary titans."

In the yard, Johan stood in the middle of a semi-circle of his Pokémon, his gaze sharp as he addressed them with gravity.

"Remember this: lamb will never beat beef. So at the very least, tonight, we're feasting on steak!"

"Ka-kah..."

Gengar muttered under its breath. "But roast lamb tastes amazing too..."

Johan caught that. "Alright, let's vote. All in favor of Gengar's roast lamb idea, raise your hands!"

With a dramatic flourish, Gengar shot its hand up.

When it turned to look behind, it found that Ninetales, Tinkaton, Dragonair, Kubfu, Charcadet, Rotom, and Jirachi hadn't budged. Its ears drooped, and it adopted a pitiful expression, fiddling with its fingers dejectedly.

Feeling guilty, Ninetales and the others hesitated, then slowly raised their paws and tails.

"Caught you!" Johan growled inwardly.

From Gengar's downward glance, Johan could see through its act.

"Alright, fine. Steak and lamb for everyone!"

The Pokémon erupted into cheers, Gengar leading the charge.

"Has Teacher found a strategy to win?" Flannery asked, noticing Johan's energy.

After breakfast, the group prepared to head to the Battle Pyramid. But they were informed that Brandon and the Battle Pyramid were no longer at the Battle Frontier.

The one to break the news was none other than Anabel, a Frontier Brain who worked closely with the International Police.

"We uncovered some critical leads from the captured Team Aqua members, as well as traces left behind. It led us to an operation site," Anabel explained via phone. "Brandon has already gone ahead with the Battle Pyramid."

Shortly after, Anabel arrived at their villa to pick up Johan, Steven, Flannery, and Roxanne.

While only Johan was meant to assist with the operation, Steven and the others insisted on joining since they had been involved.

The group boarded a small aircraft that took them to a remote island.

When the plane landed, they saw the high-tech Battle Pyramid parked in an open clearing.

The pyramid, both a battle facility and a mobile command center, exuded an air of technological superiority.

Brandon was there, directing operations with precision.

The group approached him, noticing several subdued individuals being escorted onto a plane by the International Police.

"Looks like we arrived late," Anabel remarked.

"Anabel, Johan," Brandon greeted them with a nod, his typically stoic demeanor softening slightly.

"What's the situation?" Flannery asked, glancing at the detainees. "Are those Team Aqua members?"

Brandon shook his head. "No, but they might as well be. They're poachers. This island is one of their bases."

Poachers?

Johan frowned, observing the captives.

It seemed too coincidental to track Team Aqua's movements only to stumble upon a poacher hideout.

Were the two groups connected, or was Team Aqua using the poachers as a diversion?

Brandon explained that dismantling the poachers' operation was a priority, as it could lead to taking down their entire network.

Johan's thoughts turned to the island's location.

"Anabel, which route is this island on?"

"Route 128," she replied without hesitation.

Route 128?!

Johan's heart skipped a beat.

Route 128 was a highly sensitive area in Hoenn, as it was home to the Seafloor Cavern, the underwater resting place of Kyogre and Groudon.

The implications were clear: the poachers were likely connected to Team Aqua, who might be using them as pawns in a larger scheme.

"Something wrong, Johan?" Anabel asked, noticing his contemplative look.

Johan shook his head. He couldn't explain his concerns, but he was sure of one thing: Kyogre and Groudon wouldn't awaken without their respective orbs.

As Johan wandered the island, he stumbled upon a hidden ruin embedded within the landscape.

The ruin was partially overgrown with vines, its entrance concealed by dense foliage. Broken pillars and weathered statues hinted at its ancient origins.

"These markings... someone's tampered with this site," Johan muttered, examining the remains.

Brandon joined him, explaining that the poachers had been hiding in the ruins before their capture.

"Does Johan have experience with ruins?" Brandon asked, curious.

"A little," Johan replied modestly.

Gengar suddenly popped its head out of the ruin's staircase, holding a peculiar stone basin.

"Ka-kah! Look at this! It's got a rock inside!"

Brandon frowned, recognizing the artifact. "Where did you find that?"

Gengar pointed deeper into the ruins, explaining that it had found a secret chamber with a pedestal holding the basin.

"A secret chamber?" Brandon murmured, intrigued.

Johan chuckled. "Gengar has a knack for finding interesting rocks."

Gengar handed the basin to Brandon, but kept the small rock inside for itself. It spat on the rock and wiped it clean, revealing a faint reddish hue beneath the grime.

"A gem?" Johan asked, inspecting the stone.

Gengar shrugged. "Don't think so. It's just heavy."

Curious, Johan asked, "What did the chamber look like?"

Using Hypnosis, Gengar projected its memory into Johan's mind.

The chamber was dark and spacious, centered around a pedestal holding the basin. Behind the pedestal was a wall carved with intricate patterns.

The carvings depicted a massive creature—one that couldn't fly.

Johan's stomach sank.

This ruin was a temple dedicated to Groudon.

He glanced at the reddish stone in Gengar's hand.

Could this be... a fragment of Groudon itself?

The connection brought to mind the Magma Rock, a fragment of Groudon's body once used by Butler in an attempt to create a superweapon.

"Gengar, you might've uncovered something big," Johan muttered.

Brandon broke the silence. "Johan, since the Battle Pyramid is already here, why not have your final Frontier challenge here?"

Johan hesitated, but Brandon explained that he couldn't return to the Battle Frontier anytime soon due to the ongoing operation.

As Johan considered, Gengar smugly polished the stone in its hand, oblivious to the weight of its discovery.

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Powerstones?

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