The 5 bonus chapters come in 4 hours at 11 EST. Can you refrain from the powerstones until then?
-----------
Half an hour later.
Cynthia had changed into an adorable Pikachu-themed pajama set, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders. She sat down at the dining table, her eyes lighting up as she gazed at a steaming bowl of miso ramen.
Leaning forward, she took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrant aroma.
"The ingredients were a bit limited, so I could only make this," Johan said, placing a pair of chopsticks by her bowl.
Cynthia, however, seemed to be in her own world. "It smells amazing! (≧▽≦)"
Johan rubbed his temples, shaking his head. She hadn't heard a word.
Clapping her hands together, Cynthia said with a smile, "Let's eat!"
She took a sip of the soup, her eyes immediately narrowing in contentment, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile.
As expected.
"This is delicious!" Cynthia beamed at him.
Johan chuckled. Years of living alone had taught him that knowing how to make a good bowl of ramen was a survival skill.
"By the way, there are plenty of spare rooms here," Cynthia said after a moment. "Feel free to pick whichever one you like."
Johan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's okay?"
They were, after all, a man and a woman, living under the same roof.
"Hm?" Cynthia gave him a confused look, tilting her head slightly.
Oh. Johan glanced at the hallway, recalling the deadly glares from earlier. Right. With Garchomp and Lucario here, what could possibly go wrong?
If anything, it felt like he was the one in more danger.
After a brief pause, he pointed to the room next to Cynthia's. "I'll take that one."
"Sure," Cynthia replied nonchalantly, focusing once more on her ramen.
Johan rose to his feet, deciding it was best to handle setting up his room himself. He called Haunter, Vulpix, and Tinkatink to help him.
When he opened the door to his chosen room, he froze.
Right in the center of the opposite wall was a large photograph of Cynthia as a child, sharing an ice cream with a little Gible.
"Huh?" Johan blinked in surprise.
"Wait, wait!" Cynthia's hurried voice echoed as she realized which room he'd chosen. Footsteps quickly approached.
By then, however, Johan had already taken a closer look at the room. The walls were adorned with countless photographs.
There was a picture of young Cynthia hugging Gible tightly.
Another showed her walking to school with Gible at her side.
Yet another captured her posing with Gible, Riolu, and a Budew.
In one particularly dynamic shot, she commanded Gible in battle, her expression fierce and determined.
It was immediately clear.
This wasn't a bedroom—it was a study.
Bookshelves lined the walls, crammed with volumes, some of them clearly rare and ancient.
On the desk, Johan noticed a photo in a cute frame. It was the one they had taken together under the "Eternal Tree" back in Sootopolis City.
Cynthia's cheeks flushed red as she reached him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him out of the room before shutting the door behind her.
"That's… my study," she said awkwardly.
Later, Johan finished organizing a different room for himself.
Vulpix and Eevee were already bouncing around on the soft bed, rolling and playing.
Meanwhile, Haunter hung upside down from the ceiling, glancing around.
"Ka-kah~~"
"This room is huge!"
In fact, the guest room was almost as large as the entire apartment Johan had rented in Hoenn.
When Johan stepped out of the room, however, he was greeted by the sight of Garchomp's razor-sharp claws and Lucario's piercing stare.
"Graaah…"
"Luuu…"
Both Pokémon exuded a silent threat: Dare to speak a word about the study, and…
Those childhood photos didn't just feature Cynthia—they included them as well, in their most adorably vulnerable moments.
Johan glanced between them and smirked.
Oh? Wasn't it easy to deal with creatures like this?
He turned his head toward his room and called out casually, "Haunter, Garchomp wants to watch Foam Mouse Adventures with you."
"And Tinkatink," he added, "Lucario said it would teach you how to use Swords Dance."
Garchomp & Lucario: "???"
Both Pokémon exchanged bewildered looks.
Did we say that?
We didn't… right?
"Ka-kah! Ka-kah~~"
Haunter floated through the wall, grinning at Garchomp with a mischievous expression.
Tinkatink, meanwhile, ran out holding its hammer, eyes wide with excitement as it looked up at Lucario.
"Chu~ Chu~"
Really? You'll teach me?
Lucario sighed, gesturing for Tinkatink to follow.
Haunter flopped onto the couch next to Garchomp, pulling out a phone.
"Ka-kah~~" (Watch this.)
Garchomp tilted its head. (What?)
Haunter's body morphed, forming the rough silhouette of a Foam Mouse character, complete with exaggerated features. Its grin, however, remained as menacing as ever.
"Ka-kah?" (How's this? Foam Ghost Mouse!)
Garchomp shook its head stiffly. (It's… ugly.)
Haunter's eyes narrowed.
Oh, you dare?
"Ka-kah!" (Watch closely!)
It began morphing again, shifting into various forms—Cloyster, Metagross, Jigglypuff, Clefable, Giratina…
As the night deepened, the house grew quiet.
Reflections danced in mirrors, windows, and even the surface of water glasses and phones.
If someone pieced together each fleeting glimpse, they would see a shadowy figure—a massive presence spanning the reflections in its entirety.
A pair of crimson eyes flickered to life in the distorted glass, carrying a mix of curiosity and contemplation.
In Johan's room, Haunter twitched in its sleep, rubbing its eyes before slowly opening them.
"Ka-kah?"
Why did it suddenly feel so cold?
In Cynthia's room, Garchomp—splayed out on the floor like a giant "X"—and Lucario—cross-armed and leaning against the door in a protective stance—both opened their eyes simultaneously.
"Graah?"
"Luu?"
The two Pokémon glanced at each other, silently confirming their unease.
Garchomp had sensed an immense surge of Dragon-type energy, while Lucario had detected a malicious presence through its Aura.
Moving quietly, they cracked open the door to investigate.
Just as they stepped out, Haunter poked its head through the opposite door.
For a brief moment, the three Pokémon locked eyes across the dimly lit living room.
…Nothing seemed out of place.
But none of them noticed Johan's phone glowing faintly on the bedside table.
[Who Am I]: I've always wanted to ask… How do I meet them again?
[Who Am I]: ?
[Who Am I]: Who are you?
Text messages appeared on the screen, one after another.
From within the reflections, a crimson eye blinked in astonishment.
Moments later, another message appeared.
[Together, We Resist]: Who art thou?
If Johan were awake, he'd realize something strange.
Compared to Mewtwo's sparse profile—which had no avatar, no IP, and no details—this new "Together, We Resist" presence wasn't even tied to the device.
The messages didn't come from the internet. They simply existed.
Even if the phone was a blank piece of glass, the words would still appear.
[Who Am I]: I am Mewtwo.
[Together, We Resist]: Thou art strong.
[Who Am I]: I am the strongest.
[Together, We Resist]: Art thou jesting?
[Who Am I]: Jest? What's that?
[Together, We Resist]: Where dost thou dwell?
Mewtwo paused.
That question felt familiar.
[Who Am I]: I remember… I'm in a… container.
[Together, We Resist]: ???
In the Distortion World, Giratina stared at a small reflective shard, its head tilting like a Slowpoke's in confusion.
[Who Am I]: Where are you?
[Together, We Resist]: I am the Lord of Distortion. Where dost thou think I reside?
[Who Am I]: Speak normally.
[Together, We Resist]: Dost thou not comprehend?
Suddenly, Johan's phone emitted a faint sizzle, smoke curling up as the screen dimmed.
All traces of the conversation disappeared.
Haunter floated back into Johan's room, scratching its head. It glanced around, then looked at the bed.
Johan was fast asleep, although his face was being squashed by Tinkat
ink's foot.
Vulpix lay curled in a ball, its icy fur likely turning the entire blanket cold.
"Ka-kah…"
Everything seemed fine.
Haunter yawned, drifting back to the ceiling.
Elsewhere, in the depths of Team Rocket's headquarters, Mewtwo frowned, encased in its armored suit.
"The Lord of Distortion…?"
It closed its eyes in thought.
"So, that's why he has such powerful entities by his side…"
Its gaze flickered to the researchers bustling below.
If only they knew what had just occurred.
Meanwhile, in the Distortion World, Giratina scratched its head with a claw, deep in thought.
Had it just been hacked… by a creature in a jar?
Looking around the vast, broken world it called home, Giratina let out a frustrated growl.
"If I can gain his help, maybe…"
As Johan slept soundly, a faint burning smell wafted through the room. In his dreams, he murmured:
"Haunter… please don't burn the house down…"
What he didn't know was that his ordinary phone had just endured an extraordinary encounter.
----------
Powerstones?
For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates