Pokemon: Psychic Master

"Awake already? That was faster than I expected."

In a room within the Cameran Palace, Johan sat on the edge of the bed, holding Vulpix, as Lucario slowly opened its eyes.

"Oowu~~"

Vulpix let out a soft cry.

"Lucaa..."

Lucario blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing its eyes before it suddenly sat up, memories flooding back.

It glanced at Johan and Vulpix, then at Gengar floating nearby, before leaping off the bed in one swift motion.

Clang—

The window flew open as Lucario landed on the sill, gazing out at the misty silhouette of the towering Tree of Beginning.

It crouched, ready to jump.

But Johan's voice stopped it.

"Why don't we talk?"

Lucario hesitated.

"Let's talk about Aaron," Johan added, his tone calm.

"Lucaa?"

Lucario turned back, its expression a mixture of hesitation and unease.

[You know about Lord Aaron? Aaron?]

Now that it had calmed down, Lucario had begun to sense the shift in the world around it—the changes in time and place. Though unsure of how many years had passed, it knew Aaron was long gone.

Johan sighed, hearing Lucario's voice resonate in his mind.

"If you want to know, I can show you."

[Show me?]

Lucario slowly stepped down from the window.

"I can show you what Aaron did after sealing you away."

Lucario froze for a moment before leaping to Johan's side, its movements quick and fluid.

"Ka-kah!"

Gengar immediately stepped forward, its tone a clear warning.

Watch it, kid. Move one more step, and I'll really knock you out!

Lucario ignored Gengar, its eyes filled with longing as it looked at Johan.

Johan smiled gently.

"Relax completely and let me guide you. I'll help you see everything."

Lucario took a deep breath and visibly let go of all tension in its body.

"Oowu~~"

At Johan's signal, Vulpix's eyes began to glow faintly with psychic energy.

Johan's voice became soft and ethereal.

As a Pokémon psychologist, with Lucario fully cooperating and Vulpix's Hypnosis as support, Johan could create vivid, dreamlike visions.

What Lucario would see wouldn't be a fabrication—rather, it was a reconstruction of historical truths, woven into a seamless narrative.

Lucario's breathing steadied as its eyes fluttered shut.

In the dream, it saw Aaron sealing it inside the staff before going on to protect the kingdom, even at the cost of his life.

It witnessed Aaron's sacrifice and the immense power he passed on to Mew.

"Mmm," Johan murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"If this clears its doubts, the next step is healing the psychological trauma."

After all, its most beloved mentor had sacrificed himself—someone it had once doubted.

The grief and guilt would linger, but at least those emotions were easier to heal than the scars of betrayal.

As for the long-term effects of being sealed for centuries, Johan had some experience handling those too.

Lucario awoke not long after, its expression dazed but free of the anger and resentment it had carried before.

[Was that... real?]

"Of course," Johan replied calmly.

[How do you know all this? At your age, you couldn't have...]

"Mew told me."

Johan delivered the lie with such conviction that even Vulpix believed it.

Hearing the name "Mew," Vulpix's thoughts drifted to the mischievous pink Pokémon that had vanished in fear.

[Mew...]

Lucario now understood what Mew was, thanks to the dreamlike vision.

Through its Aura, Lucario could sense Johan's sincerity. But that clarity only deepened its confusion.

It was a relic of an ancient era. Its most cherished mentor had sacrificed himself for the kingdom, leaving Lucario to survive in his stead.

What now?

"Lucaa..."

[What should I do now?]

Johan seemed to read its thoughts, smiling warmly.

"You can always ask Gengar for advice. It also slept for a thousand years."

"Ka-kah?"

Gengar blinked.

Me?

However, as soon as it noticed Lucario's hopeful gaze, Gengar straightened up, putting on a serious expression.

Floating over to Lucario, it clapped a shadowy hand on its shoulder, adopting the air of a wise elder.

"Ka-kaah~"

Little one, let me explain. From a macro perspective to the micro details, I'll walk you through everything...

Gengar's nonsense came off as profound, and Lucario listened intently.

As Johan watched Gengar's increasingly outrageous rambling, he realized Lucario was on the verge of becoming a "Rebel of Aura" under its influence.

He quickly intervened.

"Ahem!" Johan cleared his throat.

"Lucario, if you're lost, why not come to Hoenn with me?"

"Lucaa..."

[Hoenn...]

Johan added with a teasing grin, "I'll teach you how to make coffee."

Lucario's pupils dilated.

[Teach you Aura...]

Those were the exact words Aaron had once said to it.

Though Johan and Aaron looked nothing alike, the sentiment hit close to home.

At that moment, the door burst open, revealing Tinkatuff, who dashed in excitedly.

Behind it were a slightly flustered Queen Ilene, Steven, and the others.

"What's wrong?" Johan asked.

"The crystals derived from the Tree of Beginning... Something's wrong," Queen Ilene said urgently.

Johan turned to Tinkatuff.

"Did you break them?"

Tinkatuff puffed up its chest, planting its hands on its hips with a proud expression.

"Chu!"

Nope!

"Then why the cocky attitude?" Johan muttered.

Steven stepped in. "The crystals are showing dark red patterns."

Johan's heart sank.

He hurried after the group to the balcony overlooking the Tree of Beginning.

There, the once-pristine blue crystal had begun to develop ominous red streaks, like molten magma spreading through its core.

Lucario crouched by the crystal, using its Aura to sense the changes within.

Its expression turned grim.

[The Tree of Beginning is in trouble!]

Lucario turned to Johan, its voice steady and resolved in his mind.

[This tree... Aaron and I saved it once. I won't let it fall now.]

It leaped onto the balcony rail, the wind tousling its fur.

Lucario's gaze sharpened, determination gleaming in its eyes.

It looked back at Johan.

[Perhaps this is why Aaron left me here—to finish what he started.]

With that, it jumped.

"Lucario!" Queen Ilene cried out.

"Ka-kaah!" Gengar hollered, as if cheering on a reckless comrade.

Steven glanced at Johan, his brow furrowed.

"Do you know what's going on?"

Johan sighed. "It's a lot to explain in one go."

"The Tree of Beginning is... alive. It's sick, and Lucario wants to use its Aura to try and heal it."

As the group processed this revelation, Johan muttered to himself.

"Why is the situation escalating faster than in the movie?"

Minutes later, Johan and Steven mounted Steven's shiny Metagross, speeding toward the Tree of Beginning.

"Wait," Steven said, wide-eyed.

"You're telling me the Tree of Beginning isn't a tree but a giant living rock formation?!"

Johan glanced at him, unimpressed.

"Why do you look so excited?"

Steven's eyes gleamed with fascination.

"It's a new kind of mineral!"

Johan facepalmed.

Focus! The three Regis will probably show up soon!

The ground beneath them rumbled.

"What's that?" Steven asked sharply.

"It's happening," Johan muttered grimly.

He patted Steven's shoulder with mock seriousness.

"Steven, how many of the Regis can you handle?"

Steven: "...What?"

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Powerstones?

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