Chapter 161: Dark Pokemon
After trading 30 million Pokedollar to Ben, John called in someone to help excavate the slate embedded with Aerodactyl and Kabutops fossils. He handed the Aerodactyl fossil to Mr Stone, the CEO of Devon Corporation , who then recommended taking the Kabutops slate to the Hoenn Region to resurrect it at his laboratory.
Examining the slate carefully, John noticed how remarkably intact the Aerodactyl fossil was.
[Complete Fossil of Aerodactyl (Dark): A fully preserved Aerodactyl fossil radiating an unusually strong dark aura.]
"Could this fossil belong to the Aerodactyl that Latios and Latias defeated long ago?" John wondered aloud. "Isn't it strange for a fossil to retain such a potent aura over time?"
Unable to solve the mystery, John shrugged. "Well, this is the Pokemon world—anything's possible." He dismissed the dark aura as something intriguing but not immediately concerning.
Even if Aerodactyl resurrected as a dark Pokemon, John felt confident. A newly revived Aerodactyl would be at a low level, easily manageable. However, if the darkness could be harnessed and controlled, it could prove an incredible asset.
John's thoughts wandered to dark Pokemon. He recalled their origins from the side stories of Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, which were set in the Orre Region. These Pokemon were artificially altered, stripped of emotions, and turned into ruthless fighters.
"I wonder if this Aerodactyl could have a similar backstory," John muttered. Unfortunately, Johto lacked the technology to resurrect fossils. If he wanted to revive it, he'd have to head to Hoenn. That would take a month of travel.
Then, something caught John's eye. Glancing at the map interface, he noticed that locations he'd visited in Hoenn were lit up.
"Wait, does this mean I can use Fly to travel between regions?" John's heart raced as he checked the map. Even the current city he was in was marked, confirming he could return anytime.
"Let's give it a shot!" John eagerly selected Fortree City in Hoenn as his destination.
A prompt appeared:
[Use Flygon to travel to Hoenn Region – Fortree City?]
John noted a detail: "Cross-region travel requires additional time," the message stated.
"Makes sense," John thought, stroking his chin. It was still faster than waiting for the cruise, to traverse the distance, which could take months. However, the timer displayed zero travel time.
"Is this because of the distance or Flygon's speed?" John speculated. Flygon wasn't the fastest Pokemon, but in the future, with something like Aerodactyl or Salamence—or even Rayquaza—travel time could be drastically reduced.
Excitement surged through John. "This changes everything! I can finish my business in Johto, fly back to Hoenn to revive Aerodactyl, and then return before the ship arrives."
John canceled the Fly travel option for now. "No point wasting time when Breaker has to stay here for another two days." Alto Mare, the city he was in, was technically part of the Johto Region, located on a remote island south of Azalea Town. Due to its isolation, it didn't appear on most maps.
He carefully stored the Aerodactyl fossil in his bag. "What a lucky day! Not only did I get a fossil with dark powers, but I also discovered cross-region Fly travel."
Motivated by his good fortune, John decided to test his luck further. He pulled out the Dowsing Machine to hunt for hidden treasures around the city. Unlike the Sun Tower, which had yielded nothing, Alto Mare seemed more promising.
John teleported with Gardevoir across key locations, finding several valuable items. Most, however, were standard fare—useful but not extraordinary.
"Can't be greedy," John sighed, stretching as he surveyed his haul. Checking his watch, he noted it was only 3 PM. "Still a few hours until sundown. Let's get some training in."
Releasing Greninja, John grinned. "Ready for some action?"
Greninja confidently thumped its chest, eyes glinting with determination.
"That's the spirit!" John exclaimed, heading toward the beach.
Half an hour later, John was sputtering and drenched.
"Greninja, slow down! I've swallowed half the ocean already!" he yelled, coughing.
Greninja smirked, its eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Don't give me that look!" John scolded. "And don't point fingers at my stamina. I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much."
Greninja chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the banter. John shook his head, unable to stay mad.
As the sun dipped lower, painting the horizon in hues of orange and gold, John finally called it a day. He plopped down on the sand, exhausted but satisfied.
"Not bad," he said, patting Greninja. "Tomorrow, we'll push even harder." Greninja nodded, its resolve unwavering.
For now, though, he'd enjoy the moment—a rare, quiet evening in the bustling world of Pokemon.