"Go, Dugtrio."
Johan threw out Poké Balls, summoning two Dugtrio.
Red light flashed.
Two Dugtrio, six heads total, appeared on this completely cooled lava island left behind by Groudon.
"Trio trio trio~"
The multiple heads of the two Dugtrio looked at each other, gazing around at the completely barren surroundings with bewildered expressions.
These two Dugtrio were temporarily borrowed by Johan from Steven's family.
Diglett and Dugtrio weren't commonly used by many trainers.
It wasn't that these Pokémon had any flaws, but rather that Diglett and Dugtrio often represented an entire region's ecosystem.
Johan vaguely remembered when he was young watching the original series, there was an episode where Diglett and Dugtrio caused upheaval, blocking many trainers' paths. Quite a few people wanted to use their own Pokémon to clear a route, but...
The moment those trainers threw their Poké Balls, the Pokémon inside wouldn't even emerge, returning to their balls on their own, unwilling to battle Diglett and Dugtrio.
Of course, being rarely used didn't mean they weren't used at all.
Steven's family had cultivated quite a few Diglett and Dugtrio for mineral surveying, land excavation, and other work.
After Dugtrio and Diglett loosened the soil, mining work would undoubtedly become much easier.
It's just that when Johan went to borrow them, Steven's family's Diglett and Dugtrio had all gone to "work," leaving only these two, which he borrowed.
As for what to have the Dugtrio do...
Naturally, it was to cultivate this barren little island.
"I'm counting on you." Johan said with a smile.
The six heads of the two Dugtrio looked at each other again, then surveyed the area, scanning this island sitting in the vast ocean.
"Trio trio trio!"
The Dugtrio were very "professional." After understanding their "work scope," they buried their heads and began cultivating.
"Bangi..."
Tyranitar sat to the side, looking somewhat listless.
I thought this cultivation work was mine...
Johan glanced at it, his smile unchanged.
Let Tyranitar do the cultivation?
Heh.
The island would either sink or completely disappear in the end.
Did he not understand his own Pokémon's nature?
"Gengar brought you lots of meteorites from space to change up your diet."
"Bangi?"
Tyranitar's eyes lit up as it rolled up from the ground, quickly looking toward Gengar.
"Ka-kaah~ヽ(●▼▼)"
Gengar, wearing sunglasses, grinned and lightly gestured beside itself. The space nearby tore open, and meteorites of various sizes came tumbling out with a "crash."
"Bangi!"
Tyranitar was overjoyed, not caring about anything else as it rushed over to grab a meteorite and stuff it in its mouth.
Crunch crunch—
"Bangi..."
Diamonds were incredibly hard, and Tyranitar's teeth had long been honed to a fearsome degree, so meteorites were naturally no problem.
However, unlike diamonds, meteorites mostly had irregular shapes—some covered in holes, some black as charcoal, others harder than diamonds and rich in rare metallic elements.
The flavors immediately became much more diverse.
"Alright, everyone say what you'd like on the island."
Johan clapped his hands, calling all the little ones over.
This island was Groudon's "gift," saving Johan the astronomical cost of buying an island, and the Hoenn League had tacitly approved that this island "belonged" to Johan.
Anyway, while this island was technically in the waters off Kanaz City, you actually couldn't see Kanaz City from standing on the island—you could only vaguely see a thick black line on the horizon.
Johan had already decided the island's general direction—farming.
But this didn't prevent the little ones from voicing their own ideas.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar lifted its sunglasses to its forehead and was the first to bounce up with its suggestion.
I want a hot spring!
Back in the day, both it and Johan were very fond of hot springs, but recently due to too many events, they hadn't soaked in one for who knows how long. It missed them dearly.
"This place was originally formed from cooled lava, so there's definitely still lava activity below. Setting up a hot spring... probably wouldn't be difficult." Johan nodded.
"Draaa~(ˊˋ)" Dragonite waved its small wings.
How about planting a flower field?
In Johto's "Dragon's Den," there were large flower fields, and Dragonite quite liked flowers.
"Of course no problem. Even if you didn't mention it, I'd plant the most beautiful flower field in the entire Pokémon world." Johan smiled.
He had promised Cynthia he'd show her the world's most beautiful flower field, and this promise would be fulfilled on this little island.
So the little ones spoke up one after another.
The Indeedee sister wanted to plant some coffee trees, perhaps achieving self-sufficiency for the café in the future.
Garganacl expressed that having a rocky area would be perfect, with Tyranitar and Tinkaton agreeing.
Just wondering how long the rocky area could exist with Tyranitar around...
Coach Urshifu wanted a waterfall for training.
Ceruledge felt... this island wasn't small, perhaps they could make it more lively by inviting some Pokémon to live on the island.
Mm, it would be responsible for management when free.
Hearing that many Pokémon would be invited to the island, Jigglypuff immediately suggested building a stage.
Everyone could light bonfires in the evening and enjoy beautiful songs together.
This suggestion immediately got Gengar's support—it felt Jigglypuff performing alone might be too monotonous, so it could reluctantly perform together with Jigglypuff.
Hearing this, Johan broke out in a cold sweat.
Jigglypuff and Gengar singing together?
One would put everyone to sleep after singing, the other... sleeping Pokémon probably wouldn't wake up again after it sang.
Was this a performance?
It was quite "humane" though, knowing to put them to sleep first then finish them off.
But with everyone brainstorming, they quickly enriched the island's construction goals.
However, there was actually one major problem still facing Johan and them.
Travel between the island and Kanaz City... was very inconvenient.
They couldn't completely rely on the sea bicycle, right?
So this was a problem.
Johan didn't have a good solution for now either.
There was no rush anyway, since there was still a long time before the island would be "completed."
Wait for the Dugtrio to finish cultivating the island, then scatter lots of grass seeds first to give this island some life, then worry about other things.
"Let's go, time to head back."
Johan called to the little ones.
He now had a feeling... like when he'd just bought a new rough house in his previous life, with the family looking at the bare house and planning what room this would be, what could be installed there.
How to put it...
It felt pretty good.
"Later, larger buildings can have Devon do the construction—they should be able to meet most requirements. As for some smaller ones..."
Johan suddenly looked forward to the feeling of tilling and planting the fields hoe by hoe himself.
Life would definitely be very leisurely...
Living a retired life early was what he most yearned for.
Moreover, once the island was completely perfected, calling over legendary Pokémon in the future would be much more convenient.
"Snivy, let's go." Johan called to Snivy, who was standing by the shore photosynthesizing.
"Sni!"
Snivy lifted its foot, and you could see root-like things rapidly retracting from its feet. The glow on the little one gradually faded as it leaped onto Johan's head.
Photosynthesis!
Speaking of which, the "photosynthesis" Johan had been thinking about—Snivy did it every day, just like Gengar and the others' daily training.
But the problem was this photosynthesis didn't seem to achieve the self-sufficiency level he'd envisioned for Snivy.
Even more, the longer photosynthesis continued, the bigger Snivy's appetite became.
While it hadn't reached Tyranitar's jaw-dropping level, it... was already comparable to Tinkaton.
This left Johan quite puzzled.
But fortunately, as long as it wasn't like Tyranitar, he could grit his teeth and still afford it.
After Snivy left, small grass sprouts had actually grown around where it had been standing, like down feathers, particularly tender.
"Maybe... we could have some Grass-type Pokémon come improve the environment?"
He was just about to take Eternal Floette back to the Kalos region to reunite with King AZ, and could conveniently ask Ramos for advice.
Ramos, the Gym Leader of Coumarine Gym in the Kalos region, and Yarrow of Turffield Stadium in the Galar region, were among the most skilled farmers in the Pokémon world.
He could also inquire about issues and experiences regarding Snivy and raising Grass-type Pokémon.
Two days later.
"Yiin~"
Eternal Floette danced gracefully in the café's backyard garden, circling around the lifelike "Flower Head" wooden carving, seemingly quite fond of it.
"Looks like you really like it."
Johan, dressed neatly, also came to the backyard, looking at this garden that had quickly returned to lush greenery after Groudon's departure, quite satisfied.
Eternal Floette had originally been in Sootopolis City. Johan initially planned to pick it up when going to the Kalos region.
However...
Considering that Eternal Floette had waited lonely under the tree in Sootopolis City for thousands of years, he thought to bring it out to play for a couple days before finding AZ, to get acquainted with the outside world.
"Yiin~"
Eternal Floette nodded repeatedly.
"Ready? We're about to depart."
"Yiin..."
Eternal Floette's expression froze slightly, various complex emotions flashing through its eyes before finally becoming resolute.
"Yiin!"
Looks like it had finally thought things through.
"Teacher Johan—"
Just as Johan was about to board the plane borrowed from Steven's family, a familiar shout suddenly came from outside the door.
"Hm?"
Looking toward the sound.
He saw that quite conspicuous red explosive hair, and the Infernape following alongside.
Flint?
Seeing who it was, Johan was stunned.
Why did this guy suddenly come to Hoenn?
"Finally caught up." Flint supported his knees, breathing heavily.
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar grinned mischievously as it quietly appeared behind Flint, holding a water cup.
Hey, have some water~
Johan's expression was strange.
"Thanks." Flint didn't think at all, reaching out to take it and gulping it down, then—
"Pffft—"
He spat it out, which Gengar nimbly dodged, but it splashed Infernape instead.
"Garrr╬!"
"What the hell is that?" Flint looked at the cup in horror—the liquid inside was clearly transparent like water.
"Ka-kaah..."
Gengar rubbed its chin lightly.
Seems like it really can't be eaten...
As for what was in the cup...
Cough.
This had to do with Johan's search for Giratina, and what Gengar discovered when dumping meteorites into the Distortion World.
It found that some of the diamonds they'd left in the Distortion World for Giratina to safeguard had an unknown liquid on them.
Gengar had been very curious at the time... and tasted it, then felt something was off.
Now having Flint try it, it was indeed not edible.
Infernape wiped its face, looking quite disgusted as it wiped its hands on Flint, feeling... like it smelled of saliva.
And Johan just wanted to say—you dare eat anything Gengar gives you?
Even he would think twice.
"Why did you come to Hoenn?" Johan asked.
Wasn't Flint assigned to go to Gracidea to look for Giratina?
Could there be results?
"Hey."
Flint waved his hand.
Ruffling his hair, head tilted slightly up, "It's not a big deal."
Speaking, he rather smugly raised his eyebrows at Johan: "Teacher Johan, from now on I'll call you Teacher Johan, you call me Elite Four Flint, each of us calling our own..."
Before finishing, Flint noticed Johan looking down for something.
"What are you looking for, Teacher Johan? This Elite Four will help you find it..."
"Where's that Red Orb fragment the League gave me a few days ago?"
"What—what for?"
"Contact Groudon, have it fire a Precipice Blades this way."
Flint: Σ(дlll)
"Hey—hey, I was just joking with you, Teacher Johan." Flint quickly said.
Although he enjoyed battles and liked challenging strong opponents, but... the Groudon and Kyogre incident had made such a big commotion, Flint still had some idea of Groudon's strength.
Even having become a Sinnoh Elite Four member, facing Groudon he'd probably still get one-shotted.
Johan snorted twice.
Little brat~
Can't kill you, but can't scare you either?
"Alright, speak up, what's really going on?"
"Catching a ride on your plane. Teacher Johan, aren't you going to Kalos? Give me a lift."
"Kalos? What are you going to Kalos for?"
Finally waiting for Johan to ask this question, Flint raised his eyebrows, hands on his hips:
"Hey, some city in the Kalos region, which city was it... anyway, it's a big city holding a festival, inviting me, this Sinnoh Elite Four member, as a guest to attend and have an exhibition match."
"You?"
This time Johan was genuinely surprised.
Could the fire-wielding explosive head really be famous?
"That doesn't make sense..."
Actually inviting Flint but not him?
His status shouldn't be unable to afford an invitation, right?
"Hehe~"
Flint rubbed his nose, looking quite proud.
"So..."
Johan was starting to catch on, looking Flint up and down.
Flint immediately felt uncomfortable under Johan's gaze.
"So you came here specifically to show off?"
Otherwise why not fly directly from Sinnoh?
A proper Elite Four member shouldn't be unable to afford plane tickets, right?
Though if it were Flint, that might be questionable.
After all, he was one of the few who, like himself, was "self-made," spending all his money on Pokémon once he had any.
Moreover, Flint liked battles, inevitably consuming more on healing medicine than himself.
"How could that be?!"
Flint immediately suppressed his guilty conscience, eyes wide:
"Didn't you and big sister have me go to Gracidea to check for anything unusual? I'm here to report..."
"Oh? Then tell me, what did you discover."
"Let's... talk about it on the plane?"
Seeing his expression, Johan knew exactly what was going on, rolling his eyes irritably.
But he didn't stop him either, since...
He was also freeloading Steven's family plane, cough, ultimately not much different from Flint.
"So... you never actually went to Gracidea?"
On the plane, after listening to Flint's rambling account, Johan found the key point in his words.
"Ha—"
Flint scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "I went! I just got lost halfway, must have helped too many old ladies cross the street and lost my way."
Johan rolled his eyes irritably.
"But Lucian already went. If there's anything unusual, he definitely would have discovered it." Flint quickly added.
Johan couldn't help sighing softly.
Not because of himself, but feeling sorry for Lucian.
Lucian really... wasn't easy.
Lucian: Pouts, covers face.
"Speaking of which, Teacher Johan, you were pretty cool this time."
As they talked, the topic returned to the Groudon and Kyogre disaster, as well as the huge meteorite crisis.
These two incidents had now spread throughout all regions of the Pokémon League.
"Teacher Johan's" name, if not known by absolutely everyone, was definitely widely renowned.
Although Johan wasn't a Champion yet, many people actually already regarded him as one.
Perhaps only a region's Champion could stand up when that region was about to suffer devastating damage.
Turning the tide when it was falling, supporting the great mansion when it was about to collapse!
A Champion was nothing more than this!
Invisibly.
Johan had actually added some "pressure" to Champions from various regions.
After all, the stronger someone was, the clearer they were that what Johan could do... didn't mean Champions could do it.
At least, they couldn't call upon so many legendary Pokémon.
Kalos region, Oraure Forest.
"Speaking of which, what are you here for this time, Teacher Johan?" Flint curiously looked at the lush forest around them.
"Fulfilling a promise."
Johan said while walking ahead.
Tyranitar walked at the very front, clearing the path.
"Bangi~"
"A promise?"
"Aren't you supposed to attend a festival?" Johan didn't answer, instead glancing at him and asking back.
"Actually..." Flint scratched his head, "It's not time yet. I came a bit early."
Johan: "..."
No longer bothering with this dummy, Johan led Eternal Floette and Snivy, following behind Tyranitar toward the depths of Oraure Forest.
"Yiin~"
Eternal Floette, which had remained calm throughout the journey, obviously became much more active after entering this forest.
Perhaps even thousands of years ago, it had been anticipating this moment.
At the same time.
In the depths of Oraure Forest, in front of the tree stump that Xerneas had become, AZ sat beside the stump, eating berries and gently wiping his forehead.
Looking at the forest around him once again full of life, he couldn't help showing some smile.
Yveltal's destruction of the forest had mostly recovered under Xerneas's power, and he had done his best to help as well.
Though not much, he enjoyed it.
"Trainers..."
Leaning gently against the slope, AZ looked at the sun in the sky, his expression slightly dazed.
Hm?
AZ looked blankly at the sky. Sunlight scattered down, and a familiar yet strange figure stepped on the light path formed by sunlight, accompanied by floating petals everywhere, descending.
It was an exceptionally beautiful, sacred and pure Floette, the being of his dreams.
AZ's pupils trembled, a crystal drop falling from his unbelieving eyes.
Until Eternal Floette stood in AZ's palm and he felt that familiar touch, he realized... this wasn't a dream.
Nearby in the forest.
Johan's face showed a smile.
"Bangi..."
"Sni..."
"Draaa..."
"Ka-kaah..."
"Garruu..."
"..."
The little ones beside him also smiled warmly watching this scene.
So wonderful.
There were many beautiful things in the world, but... reunions after long separation definitely deserved a place among them.
"Don't know why." Flint sniffled, wiping his eyes, "I'm inexplicably moved."
"Let's go."
Seeing this scene was enough. Johan said softly.
"Johan!"
But just as he was about to leave with the little ones, AZ came chasing after them with Eternal Floette.
"AZ, Floette, congratulations." Johan said sincerely.
Flint gaped with his mouth open, craning his neck to look at the "giant" before him.
Earlier when AZ was sitting he didn't feel much, but now standing up...
Though Floette looked thin and weak, seemingly not very good at battling?
"Thank you, and thank your Pokémon." AZ said from the heart.
"Yiin~"
Standing on AZ's shoulder, holding flowers, Floette also sincerely expressed gratitude.
"This is the result of your own efforts. We... just did what every trainer would do."
But AZ and Eternal Floette still expressed their thanks again.
"Johan..."
After expressing gratitude, AZ hesitated before speaking.
"Hm?"
After organizing his words, AZ said: "During this time, I've thought a lot. Floette's return has strengthened my resolve. I want to open an inn with Floette."
"An inn?"
Johan was stunned.
AZ nodded, "We want to meet more trainers like you, understand trainers, and understand the relationship between trainers and Pokémon. At the same time... help trainers who need help."
"Yiin~"
Eternal Floette swayed its body, seemingly quite enthusiastic about helping others.
"That's not a bad idea." Johan said after thinking.
Hearing this, AZ sighed in relief, then continued: "But I... my identity and..."
"I understand."
Johan also understood AZ's concerns.
Obviously, even if not many people remembered the history from three thousand years ago, AZ's height was still too distinctive among ordinary people. Appearing rashly in crowds would inevitably attract unnecessary attention, even League attention.
But for Johan, this wasn't much trouble.
"I'll arrange it later."
He could still speak to the International Police and Officer Jennys.
"You choose a location and tell me. I'll handle the League side, but the money for opening the inn..."
"Don't look at me."
Flint pulled his hands out of his pockets, revealing pockets cleaner than his face.
AZ immediately smiled: "Don't worry about money. I still saved some things from before."
Johan realized.
Right.
Don't look at AZ now dressed raggedly like a wild man, but he was a king three thousand years ago.
Moreover... anything casually left from three thousand years ago would be antiques now!
Tsk...
Maybe he was the richest of the three.
"Then alright, here's my phone number. Contact me when the time comes." Johan gave AZ his contact information.
As for what a phone was... AZ wasn't so ignorant as to not know that.
"By the way, I have a gift for you." AZ suddenly said.
"A gift?"
Under AZ's guidance, the three soon came to a corner of the forest. In a place with thick tree branches, AZ pushed aside some lush foliage, revealing his so-called "gift."
An aircraft?!
"This is..."
"Left behind by that father-daughter pair." AZ explained.
Johan finally realized.
That stealth aircraft from the father-daughter thieves Argus?
This thing had been turned to stone by Yveltal's "Deathwing" back then, and no one dealt with it afterward because everyone thought it was probably broken and didn't know where it went. AZ had found it?
And the petrification had been removed.
Just didn't know if it could still operate.
Seeming to see his confusion, AZ smiled: "I've repaired it and made some improvements in places. It should... be fine now."
"Repaired? Improved?" Flint looked at the wild man-like giant before him in disbelief.
Seriously?
But Johan didn't question it at all.
Joke.
Three thousand years ago, this person had built the "Ultimate Weapon" that shocked the entire world. Current people wanting to replicate it couldn't even do it, only choosing to restart the "Ultimate Weapon."
A mere aircraft...
This was the magical aspect of the Pokémon world's tech tree.
Whether ancient, modern, or super-ancient, some technologies... were just superior.
"But the energy box should have been damaged in the crash back then. There's no fuel now, so it probably can't fly temporarily." AZ said.
Energy?
"Can it be modified to use electricity as energy?"
He didn't have much else, but electricity... plenty!
AZ smiled: "As long as it's not soda, it should be fine."
After a pause he added: "But I only have a rough understanding of this thing, so you might need to wait a while."
No problem...
He was really afraid AZ would say even cola could be used as energy...
"Then I'll trouble you."
"Small matter."
Getting a free aircraft that no one was using?
And one that could turn invisible at that.
Although the speed definitely couldn't compare to Dragonite, it won in safety.
This kind of aircraft, even with the Pokémon world's tech level, probably couldn't be gotten with eight figures.
At the same time, this solved it.
The transportation problem between himself and the island seemed perfectly solved...
After AZ finished modifying it, Johan planned to have Team Rocket's trio improve it further.
With those three's technical level... as long as funding was sufficient, they could probably perfect it to the extreme!
This way.
With both the ancient most advanced technology owner (AZ) and modern most advanced technology owners (the trio) gathered, this aircraft... maybe even Tyranitar could pilot it.
An unexpected windfall!
Wasn't this much more reliable than Z-Crystals?
Click—
Flint pressed the shutter, quickly sending the picture to the "Teacher Johan's Little Classroom" group chat.
[Elite Four Flint]: Picture.jpg
[Elite Four Flint]: Teacher Johan has made it big too. Congratulations Teacher Johan on your new ride!
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Powerstones?
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