The Lumineon that had retrieved the scepter was actually a clone of Ditto. To distinguish its clones from the Temple's native Pokémon, Ditto had purposefully retained its signature "beady eyes" even while mimicking the Lumineon's form.
"Feng Che, I can feel a staggering amount of energy radiating from within this staff," Mewtwo said, its voice reflecting a rare sense of awe. "Is the object you spoke of hidden inside?"
"Exactly. The Jewel of Life, forged from the very Life Plates of Arceus, should be sealed within," Feng Che confirmed as he took the weathered scepter from the clone's mouth.
The staff was etched with ancient, primitive carvings. At its crown sat a protective mechanism shaped like a lotus bud, tightly encasing the gem within.
"These ancient runes aren't just decorative; they are designed to suppress the Jewel's aura. That's why the Pope could never locate it despite being so close," Feng Che explained. "The Orbs held by the five clans were merely fragments of a fake created during a time of civil war. This, however, is the source of infinite vitality—enough to bring life to a wasteland in an instant."
Feng Che admired the artifact for a moment before nodding to Mewtwo to store it within its personal psychic dimension. However, the momentary spatial fluctuation caused by opening the dimension caught the attention of a man patrolling the shoreline: Brandon.
"Hmph! Who's there? Regice, use Ice Beam!"
Brandon commanded the Ice Titan to fire toward the lake. Just as the beam was about to strike the water, a massive pillar of water erupted, meeting the ice mid-air and freezing into a gargantuan crystal sculpture. A figure clad in a black robe and a smiling mask levitated above the lake.
"Brandon... the master of the Three Titans. Impressive," a raspy, disguised voice echoed from beneath the mask. "Next time we meet, it shall be on the battlefield."
Before Brandon could respond, the masked intruder vanished into thin air. The Temple guards arrived seconds later, their attacks splashing harmlessly into the empty water.
"An elite psychic... from the Garden family? Or Celestic Town?" Brandon mused, his brow furrowing. "How did they infiltrate the lake without alerting a single Pokémon?"
The Pope's Desperation
News of the intruder reached the Pope quickly. His eyes flickered with a momentary darkness before returning to a cold, eerie calm. He stared up at the stars, his mind unreadable.
A priest hurried into the hall, trembling like a frightened bird, and knelt before the throne. "Lord Pope... the intruder escaped. I beg for your forgiveness."
"It matters not. He lingered only on the outskirts. Resume your patrols and ensure there are no further lapses," the Pope replied, waving him away.
Once alone, the Pope clenched his gnarled, parchment-like fist. He looked at the fake Orbs floating above the statue of Arceus with a gaze of desperate hunger.
"Soon. Only two gems remain. With Jirachi and the Jewel, I will reclaim my youth. I will be immortal."
The Power of Creation
Safely away from Snowpoint City, Feng Che entered Shaymin's Life Garden—a pocket dimension roughly the size of a hundred football fields. He summoned Mewtwo, along with the comatose Genesect and Rowlet.
"Mewtwo, bring out the scepter."
Feng Che examined the mechanism. With a precise twist and a series of audible clicks, the lotus-shaped casing unfurled. A gem radiating a brilliant, iridescent seven-colored light was revealed.
As Feng Che grasped the Jewel, a surge of warmth flooded his body, mending old training injuries and revitalizing his spirit. A green aura erupted from his chest, causing every tree and flower in the Life Garden to bloom simultaneously.
"Mewtwo, feel this. This is a Mythical-tier resource." He handed the gem to the genetic Pokémon.
As Mewtwo held the Jewel, its DNA—scarred by the violent process of its creation—began to stabilize. It reached a state of sudden enlightenment, realizing that the "Gaia Consciousness" it had sensed in the Viridian Forest was a fragment of Arceus's own will. Mewtwo was now truly recognized by the Creator.
A blinding white light enveloped Mewtwo. When it faded, its psychic pressure had become even more refined and terrifying. It reached into Feng Che's shadow and physically hauled out the sleeping Champion-level Gengar.