"Ka-kah," Haunter sheepishly hovered toward Johan.
"What are you two talking about?" Johan asked softly as he guided Spiritomb's eyes with the slow movement of his finger.
"Ka-ka-kah," Haunter stammered, feigning innocence with wide, upward-glancing eyes and a pursed mouth—a clear "I don't know what you're talking about" face. Had Johan not been focused on Spiritomb, he would have seen through Haunter's act in an instant.
"Come here and help me," Johan instructed.
Relieved that Johan wasn't pressing for details, Haunter sighed and hurried over, only to pause midway with sudden realization.
Johan reached out, pulling Haunter to his side firmly. "I was joking earlier. This time, let's be serious."
Haunter, knowing Johan well, understood that when he spoke in this tone, he meant business. Haunter quickly straightened up, thoughts of mischief vanishing.
"Ka-kah?" What do you need me to do?
"Watch Spiritomb closely."
Haunter's gaze followed Johan's guiding finger. In the fog-like aura exuding from the fissures of the Odd Keystone, green spheres of various sizes began to emerge. Most of them moved along with Johan's finger, but a few stayed put—or worse, moved erratically as if trying to sabotage the process.
"Ka-kah..." Haunter whispered, beginning to comprehend Johan's plan.
Spiritomb, a Pokémon made up of 108 different souls, naturally had a mixture of personalities. Among them were benevolent spirits but also malevolent ones, forced into coexistence by the Keystone's seal. Johan's method involved using Spiritomb's trust in him, combined with psychological guidance and subtle hand movements, to identify the uncooperative spirits.
Haunter's role was now clear: to hypnotize those rogue souls.
Completely curing the "fractured personality" of a Spiritomb was virtually impossible unless each soul was removed, but that would destroy its essence. However, turning the disruptive souls neutral or even friendly? That could be done.
In Johan's signal, Haunter's eyes glimmered with a soft red light.
"You're doing quite well, Johan must treat you with great care," Cynthia murmured, crouching and gently scratching under Vulpix's chin. The small Pokémon closed its eyes in contentment, purring softly.
Vulpix rarely showed affection toward strangers but made an exception for Cynthia.
"So cute," Cynthia's eyes curved into a smile. "Can I hold you?"
"Oowu..." Vulpix hesitated, glancing at Johan for reassurance.
"Don't feel pressured..."
Before she could finish, Vulpix hopped into her arms with a chirp.
A soft, bell-like laugh escaped Cynthia. Johan's Pokémon had such kind temperaments, she mused. Unlike her own, who often put on a stoic act in public.
She glanced at Garchomp, which stood alert behind her.
"Garchomp?" It tilted its head, puzzled by the attention.
"Oowu~~" Vulpix exhaled a tiny frosty puff, tilting its head as if recalling Johan's comment: Isn't she our 'golden benefactor'?
Cynthia's heart melted, and she nuzzled Vulpix's face. It was soft, cool, and immensely comforting.
Suddenly, Spiritomb's energy quivered, and a sharp green wisp shot out, aiming straight for Johan!
"Haunter!" Johan shouted.
Haunter didn't need the command. Already prepared, it threw a ball of blue-purple ghostly fire that intercepted the green wisp with a crack.
Spiritomb's souls had the ability to detach and possess others, manipulating their minds. Johan had warned Haunter of this in advance, so it reacted swiftly.
The ghostly flames pushed the green wisp back, which then fell to the ground. A sinister aura spread as it inflated, transforming into a shadowy doppelgänger of Spiritomb. Its eyes glinted with malice.
Haunter blocked its path, eyes narrowing.
"Ka-kah~~" Haunter smirked, eyes glowing red as it locked gazes with the shadowy entity. It froze, then shrank back into a harmless green sphere.
Haunter glanced at Johan, who nodded approval. It nudged the sphere back into Spiritomb's body.
"Ka-kah?" Is it over?
"Not quite," Johan muttered. He noticed the rest of the spheres inside Spiritomb had started to shift and murmur. He lowered his hand to prevent over-stimulation.
Progress was incremental. If pressured too much, the rebellious souls might revolt all at once, causing chaos. But with the most aggressive soul temporarily pacified, Spiritomb's aura grew noticeably calmer.
A step in the right direction.
"Shhhh-pah?" Spiritomb's voice wavered with confusion. Did I do something bad again?
Johan smiled reassuringly. "No, you did great."
"Shhhh-pah? o(////▽////)q" Its foggy form blushed, pleased by the praise.
Cynthia approached, holding Vulpix and with Garchomp by her side, an inquisitive look in her eyes.
Johan shook his head but smiled, saying, "Spiritomb was very cooperative. It behaved well, but this will take time."
Cynthia nodded in understanding. The process was possible but not immediate.
Garchomp found Spiritomb's current docility peculiar. Cynthia recalled it into its Poké Ball, and they walked toward the road.
Cynthia had considered flying Johan to Rustboro City, but one look at Garchomp's stern gaze and Johan preferred the comfort of a taxi.
As they were on the outskirts, finding a cab wasn't easy. Johan called the same taxi driver, the one who'd fainted after encountering Haunter.
Before long, the cab pulled up. The driver rolled down the window, eyes widening at Cynthia. He shot Johan an impressed glance, whispering, "Is she your girlfriend? Impressive, kid."
But his words cut off when he felt Garchomp's glare. Both the driver and Johan stiffened.
"Haha... So, where to?" the driver said, forcing a smile.
Johan glanced at Cynthia.
"The Rustboro Grand Hotel," she said with a serene smile.
The driver's eyes bulged. He turned back to Johan and gave a subtle thumbs-up.