Pokemon: Spiritual Master

Johto Region, Ecruteak Gym.

"Johan-sensei, I've gathered most of the wood chips here for you."

Morty led Johan and his team into a battle arena within the Ecruteak Gym.

In the corner of the arena was a large wooden crate filled with broken wood chips, stacked to the brim.

Around the area, numerous Gastly and Haunter were floating about, buzzing with activity.

"Because Gastly and Haunter really like these, I kept them near the battlefield for their training," Morty explained.

He also told Johan that if he needed the wood chips, he could take as many as he wanted. After all, they were originally discarded materials that Morty had simply collected.

"Well, if you insist."

Johan replied casually, but as soon as he turned, he noticed Tinkaton lifting the crate and getting ready to leave.

"Tinkaton, put it down! Leave the crate here!" Johan called out.

"Cha~!"

Realizing the mistake, Tinkaton dropped the crate with a loud bang, startling the nearby Gastly and Haunter.

Though it was small and cute, Tinkaton radiated an intimidating aura.

Johan just waved it off. "This happens all the time."

After all, it was just wood chips. If Morty had offered a crate of metal, Tinkaton would've hammered it into its weapon on the spot, skipping the need to carry it at all.

"Johan-sensei, I have a request," Morty said hesitantly.

Johan seemed to guess Morty's thoughts and asked, "A battle?"

In the Pokémon world:

When Trainers meet and click, they battle!

When Trainers meet and don't click... they still battle!

Thus, when a Trainer opens their mouth, nine times out of ten, it's about a battle.

Johan didn't particularly mind. He had collected the badges in Kanto to participate in the Indigo League and win the prize money.

As for Johto, even if he gathered all the badges, the Silver Conference was still far away.

However, seeing Morty's sincerity, Johan felt it would be rude to refuse, especially after stepping into Morty's gym.

"Yes," Morty nodded.

The uniqueness of Gengar made him curious about the difference between Johan's training style and his own.

Different Trainers create different Pokémon. Through battle, both sides could learn something new.

Morty added with a smile, "It doesn't have to be a Gengar battle. We can keep it simple, just a 1v1 match without worrying about the outcome."

Not a Gengar battle? Johan nodded.

"Alright!"

"The rules are simple: each side uses one Pokémon. The battle ends when one Pokémon can no longer fight," the referee announced.

This sounded more like an official match than a casual sparring session.

"Let's do this!" Morty threw out a Pokéball without hesitation.

Amidst the red light, a gray-and-black Pokémon with crimson eyes, resembling a plush doll with a zipper mouth, appeared on the battlefield.

"Banette, the Marionette Pokémon, Ghost-type. It was originally an ordinary plush doll filled with hatred and curses, becoming a powerful Pokémon," Rotom's voice whispered from behind Johan.

On Johan's side, the Pokémon stepping forward was...

"Goka!"

Charcadet walked confidently into the arena.

Initially, Johan had hesitated about who to send out, but Charcadet volunteered, insisting that this journey was about it proving itself. Johan relented.

On the sidelines:

Morty's Gengar: Your buddy is doomed. Banette is formidable. It hates seeing Trainers and Pokémon who are close.

Johan's Gengar: Oh really? Then your gym is doomed. Charcadet hates it when people don't show it respect.

At first glance, it sounded like both Gengar were cheering for their teammates. But Morty's Gengar paused, realizing something was off.

Why are we the ones who're doomed now?!

On the battlefield:

"Curse~~"

Banette's crimson eyes gleamed with a ghostly purple light as it used its Frisk ability to inspect Charcadet's held item.

Frisk: Allows a Pokémon to detect its opponent's held item.

[Banette detected Charcadet holding: Charcoal, Charcoal, Charcoal, Charcoal...]

Huh? Morty blinked in confusion.

Was Banette's Frisk... broken?

Johan sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Ahem, even if multiple identical items are carried, only one can take effect."

Still, why did Banette detect so many? Was it because Charcadet was made of charcoal? Or did consumed charcoal count?

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared, dropping the flag.

"Banette, use Trick!" Morty commanded decisively.

Trick: Swaps the held items of two Pokémon.

"Curse!!"

Banette's zipper-like mouth opened, releasing a strange blue energy that enveloped itself and Charcadet.

Under this energy's influence, Banette and Charcadet swapped their items.

Banette received Charcadet's Charcoal, while Charcadet got Banette's Choice Scarf.

Choice Scarf: Boosts speed by 50% but locks the user into their first chosen move.

Typical of a Ghost-type Trainer, Morty was playing dirty.

Johan was glad he hadn't let Charcadet attack immediately.

Now that Charcadet was holding the Choice Scarf, selecting the right move was crucial.

Then again, Charcadet wasn't Gengar. It didn't need complicated strategies.

"Charcadet, use Flamethrower!"

"Goka!"

Charcadet clasped its arms together, unleashing an enormous wave of fire. Its entire body turned a bright red from the intense heat.

"Banette, dodge with Sucker Punch!"

Banette darted to the side with incredible speed, narrowly avoiding the raging flames.

BOOM!

Half the battlefield turned pitch black from the scorching fire.

Morty's Gengar widened its eyes. Now it understood what Johan's Gengar meant.

Morty, meanwhile, was dumbfounded. You call that Flamethrower?!

"Banette, use Thunder Wave!"

Banette moved behind Charcadet and unleashed a golden, static-filled current.

"Charcadet, ignite yourself!" Johan countered.

BOOM!

Charcadet burst into flames, blocking the paralyzing current with its fiery aura. Though the Choice Scarf restricted its moves, it didn't limit its natural abilities.

"Banette, Phantom Force!"

Banette unzipped a spectral portal on the ground and disappeared.

"Charcadet, close your eyes and trust your instincts," Johan calmly instructed.

"Goka..."

Charcadet shut its eyes, releasing its inner aura. As it honed its senses, a fiery glow flickered in its eye sockets.

Moments later, it reopened its eyes, locking onto Banette's location.

Johan smiled. "Trust yourself. Flamethrower!"

Charcadet's self-confidence transformed into sheer power.

The flames around its body retracted, focusing into its arms, which glowed like molten metal.

A searing torrent of fire erupted.

Before Banette could fully emerge from the portal, it was consumed by the inferno.

"Curse?!"

Banette fell, fainted, before it even had the chance to counterattack.

The battle was over.

Morty stood there, mouth agape.

What did I even learn from this?

Johan smirked. Sometimes, the best way to counter tricky strategies is brute force.

Morty's Gengar gulped, nervously eyeing the burnt wall of the gym.

That's real firepower...

Charcadet exhaled deeply, its fiery confidence unshaken.

Just then, both Johan and Charcadet sensed a heavy presence.

The wall crumbled further, revealing a towering Pokémon with fiery orange fur, majestic white mane, and a six-pointed red star on its face.

It was Entei, the Volcano Pokémon.

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Powerstones?

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