"Once the Jewel of Life is synthesized, with Jirachi's help, I can inherit the power of Arceus itself. I will become a living god among men."
The Pope's sunken eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the Earth Orb, Ocean Orb, and Lightning Orb floating above his throne. His gaze burned like an unquenchable candle.
"Only the Dragon Orb and the Green Earth Orb remain. The realization of my dream is close at hand. Once Celestic Town is erased, the Garden family will have no choice but to surrender their treasure. At long last, my life's ambition will be realized."
The Strategy Meeting
As Feng Che expected, it didn't take long for Dr. Carolina and Cynthia to invite him back for an urgent discussion.
"Master Feng Che, I have consulted with the Council of Elders. We will prepare for an all-out war," Dr. Carolina said, her voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. "However, Celestic Town's primary weakness remains our lack of sustained resources. We need the Garden family's full support."
"We are prepared to exchange items of equal value," she added, though the worry on her face suggested she knew how much they truly needed.
"Dr. Carolina, please, do not speak of 'equal value,'" Feng Che replied calmly, taking a slow sip of tea. "The Garden family will provide every resource Celestic Town requires to weather this storm. I have only one simple request: should an external force invade the Garden estate, I expect Celestic Town to extend its hand in aid immediately."
"You have my word," Carolina answered without hesitation. "We are allies; your house's trouble is our own."
"Good. Now, tell me about the specific needs for the defense."
"Our most pressing need is a massive quantity of Dragon Crystals," Carolina explained. "We need them to wake our guardian deity, the Mythical Regidrago. As you may know, the specimen we guard possesses only the Mind Core; its Power Core was lost ages ago. We must use the crystals to manually stimulate its energy levels and force it into a combat-ready state."
"Consider it done," Feng Che said dismissively. In Sinnoh, if a problem could be solved with resources, it wasn't a problem for the Garden family. If Celestic Town fell, the Gardens were next. He was willing to sink every cent the family had into this defense. Money can be remade, but lost lives are gone forever.
The Global Call
"Master Feng Che, you are generous. I won't hide the rest of our outlook from you," Carolina continued. "We predict the Temple will strike in fifteen days—coinciding with the Sinnoh League Championship finals. If Cynthia wins, she gains administrative control over the League, forcing Chairman Boldo to step down. The Temple cannot allow that."
"By striking then, they not only remove a Champion-level fighter from our front lines but also hope to shatter Cynthia's focus. We have already recalled Drasna, the Dragon-type Elite Four member of Kalos, to return and defend her ancestral home."
"We've also contacted the Great Dragon Clans of other regions. The People of the Meteors in Hoenn are still deliberating, and the Blackthorn Clan in Johto has yet to give a firm answer."
"Leave the Hoenn and Johto clans to me," Feng Che offered. "I have established personal connections with both."
True to his word, Feng Che reached out. Within a day, Zinnia dispatched Aster from Hoenn, and Lance sent his cousin Clair from Johto to reinforce the town. Celestic Town began to transform into a fortress.
The Shadow of Team Galactic
"Uncle, Cousin Yuan Jia—I leave the estate in your hands for now," Feng Che said, preparing to depart. "I have a few loose ends to tie up, but I will be back before the first strike. Report any Temple movements against us immediately."
With a nod, Feng Che vanished in a burst of Teleport.
"With Feng Che leading us, I truly believe we will survive this," Yuan Jia said, her eyes full of a strange, fierce pride. The Garden family was no longer a 'soft persimmon' for others to squeeze.
Meanwhile, at the Galactic HQ in Veilstone City, Cyrus addressed his commanders: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Charon.
"The Pope has sent his decree," Cyrus stated, looking at a one-meter-wide blue iron sphere floating in a vat of specialized solution. "We are to finalize the Galactic Bomb and secure the Lake Guardians—Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf."
"With them, we will forge the Red Chain. Dialga and Palkia will no longer be gods; they will be our tools. Once the dragons are under our control, the destruction of Celestic Town—and the remaking of this flawed world—will be child's play."