Pokemon: Spiritual Master

Their journey to the Battle Frontier concluded, and the matter of Jirachi had come to a close.

Looking back, Johan felt the trip had been incredibly rewarding.

Beyond the financial gains and the valuable materials and tools acquired, the most meaningful reward was the bond of friendship they had forged—a connection that would endure through time, becoming a beautiful and irreplaceable part of their lives.

Johan silently wished for Jirachi to sleep soundly and for their own days ahead to be smooth and bright.

As they flew back to Rustboro City aboard Steven's private jet, Johan pulled out a small wrapped gift.

"Indeedee, this is for you two," he said, handing over a pair of evolutionary stones to the sibling Pokémon.

"Indeee~!" (◠‿◠)

"Indee..." (///▽///)

The siblings expressed their gratitude in their own ways—the sister excitedly, the brother shyly.

Johan often brought back gifts for the Indeedee duo whenever he returned from his trips. Sometimes it was food, other times clothes, and this time, it was the most expensive gift yet.

For the two, the price of the gift wasn't what mattered; it was the thought behind it that warmed their hearts and gave them extra motivation in their daily tasks.

With the Indeedee siblings managing the household, Johan always returned to a clean and welcoming home.

After Johan's victory in the Battle Frontier and the success of his live streams, the popularity of his café skyrocketed.

The buzz even gave rise to a humorous urban legend.

Many fans speculated that the café itself was a "hidden facility" or "bonus stage" of the Battle Frontier, where challengers faced the café's incredibly strong Indeedee duo.

The so-called "Gods of the Battle Café" had become a regional myth, drawing challengers from far and wide.

Johan joked to himself that, sooner or later, overzealous hunters would come after the Indeedee siblings. That would be the perfect opportunity to take their Poké Balls back and free them entirely.

One snowy Wednesday, Johan sat in his backyard, flipping through books sent by Karen and Fitzwilliam while enjoying a new coffee blend crafted by the younger Indeedee.

"Hmm..." Johan's eyes lit up as he took a sip.

The coffee was perfectly balanced—rich without being overly acidic, with a smooth texture and a lingering sweetness.

"Your coffee-making skills are really something," he mused, smiling as he glanced at the hardworking Pokémon scattered across the yard.

The Pokémon were deep into their training routines.

Johan marveled at their determination. "You just got back yesterday, and you're already this focused?"

Take Gengar, for instance. It stood with its arms crossed, forming a seal with its hands. With a tremble, two shadowy duplicates emerged from its body.

Johan chuckled. "Your 'Shadow Clone' technique is getting pretty refined."

Gengar smirked proudly.

The Pokémon had made a silent promise to Jirachi: they would work hard, grow stronger, and help Johan overcome any challenges—no matter how daunting.

"Dragonair," Johan called, turning to another of his Pokémon.

"Draaa?"

Dragonair was coiled around a damp tree, gently shedding a thin layer of skin.

"Feeling alright? No discomfort?" Johan asked.

Dragonair shook its head, slithering over to nuzzle Johan's cheek. Its freshly shed skin was soft and warm to the touch.

"You feel a bit... chubby lately."

"Draaa!" (＞﹏＜)

Pouting, Dragonair slithered off to train harder.

Johan then turned his attention to Charcadet, who was sitting cross-legged, appearing to meditate.

"Charcadet, you doing okay?"

"Goka?"

Charcadet scratched its head, then rubbed its stomach.

It looked around before pulling out a chunk of wood and crunching on it like a snack. Sparks flared brighter from its flames as it munched.

Johan stared, exasperated. "I don't know why I even bother..."

At that moment, Indeedee's sister entered the yard. She gestured for Johan to come inside, saying someone was here to see him.

To Johan's surprise, it was Martin.

"Director Martin, what brings you here?" Johan greeted him.

Martin chuckled. "I'm here on behalf of the old principal. I've also got a couple of coffees to order."

"Something from the principal?"

Martin carefully pulled a weathered scroll from his bag.

The material seemed to be made of some sort of animal hide.

"What's this?" Johan asked.

"The principal pulled some strings to get this from the Paldea region. He said it would be useful to you. Once you read it, you'll understand."

With that, Martin handed over the scroll, ordered his coffee, and departed.

Back in the backyard, Johan delicately unrolled the ancient scroll.

The contents left him speechless.

Etched on the scroll were intricate drawings of two suits of armor, alongside detailed instructions for their construction.

One set was the Blessing Armor, and the other was the Cursed Armor.

Gengar's eyes gleamed as it pointed excitedly at the latter.

"Ka-kaah!" it cried, hopping in place.

"That one! I want that one!"

The scroll not only depicted the armors but also detailed their component parts and crafting processes.

The information was invaluable.

The commotion drew the attention of Johan's other Pokémon. Kubfu, in particular, seemed deeply affected.

"Ku!!"

Kubfu shouted, leaping into a fighting stance before demonstrating an energetic combo of punches.

"Ku! Ku-ku!"

This is it—the first step toward assembling an unstoppable army! And I'll lead the charge!

Johan sighed, rubbing his forehead. "You're way too into this."

As the Pokémon buzzed with excitement, Johan refocused on the scroll.

"Bless that principal," he murmured.

Knowing Johan had a Charcadet, the principal must have foreseen the need for this armor. Rather than waiting for Johan to travel to Paldea, he had sent the crafting instructions.

That said...

"Would it have killed them to send the actual armor?" Johan muttered.

While the methods were here, the materials and tools were not.

He thought of the craftsmen in the Pokémon world, like the hero in Pokémon Adventures who specialized in creating tools and weapons for his team.

That level of craftsmanship wasn't something Johan possessed.

But...

He glanced at Tinkaton.

Its twin ponytails swayed as it studied the scroll with bright eyes.

"Maybe I don't have the skills," Johan mused aloud, "but Tinkaton might."

The next challenge was sourcing materials.

The armors required rare wood—wood that was resistant to flames or had been tempered by special fire.

For the Cursed Armor, wood imbued with ghostly or spiritual qualities was preferred.

"Where am I supposed to find that?" Johan muttered, glancing at Rotom.

"Rotom, any ideas?"

Rotom blinked, its screen flickering nervously.

"Rotom?"

"You're the tech whiz. Think you can find where to get this kind of wood?"

After a moment of frantic searching, Rotom's screen lit up.

"Found it, Rotom!"

The answer appeared on the screen:

Ecruteak City, Johto Region.

The Bell Tower and Burned Tower both fit the criteria.

Johan stared at the result.

"Am I seriously about to wreck Ho-Oh's old stomping grounds?"

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Powerstones?

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