Sirfetch'd was currently training nearby, swinging its leek with intensity while wishing to become stronger. The moment Jirachi's True Eye caught the thought, Sirfetch'd's limbs turned to jelly. It collapsed in a confused heap on the grass.
Nearby, Eevee was lazing about, wishing it didn't have to train and could just sleep. Instantly, its body began to move against its will, performing high-intensity drills and agility exercises until it was panting with exhaustion.
Feng Che's Pokémon were living through "days of fire and water," but the results were undeniable. Eevee's soft fluff was being replaced by lean muscle. To prevent a total mutiny, Mewtwo eventually sealed the residual energy of the Jewel within Jirachi.
"Feng Che, they're here," Mewtwo's voice echoed. "A cloaked warship with Hunter markings is approaching at full speed."
"I heard the League is planning a crackdown," Feng Che mused. "Julian is one of the big fish. Capturing him and handing his ship over to the Federation should yield a massive reward."
The Siege
Aboard the ship, Julian looked down at the sprawling flower fields of the Garden Estate. "Arrogant fools. Today, I level this place to the ground. This is the price for defying the Steel General."
"Shumoto, charge the main cannon to 100%. I want a total wipeout."
"Sir, at maximum output, the barrel might not handle the thermal load," Shumoto cautioned.
"Am I the General or are you?! Do as I say!" Julian roared. "If the barrel melts, use the backup! I want the Garden House erased from history!"
"Yes, sir!"
A massive, fifty-meter cannon barrel extended from the ship's keel.
"Laser Cannon charging... 10%... 50%... 100%! Ready to fire!" Shumoto aimed directly at the main estate and pressed the fire button.
An orange-yellow pillar of light began to coalesce at the tip of the cannon. But at that exact microsecond, Mewtwo used its psychic power to create an invisible, impenetrable seal over the mouth of the barrel.
The massive energy had nowhere to go. It backflowed instantly into the ship's power core. The barrel turned white-hot and then exploded.
BOOM!
The engine room was torn in half, and a secondary explosion ripped through the bridge. Thick black smoke began to pour from the crippled vessel.
"General! We have to evacuate! The ship is going down!" Shumoto screamed.
"My Pokémon! My collection! My ship!" Julian wailed, his mind collapsing at the sight of his life's work in flames. Shumoto had to physically drag him toward the escape pods.
The Harvest
Back on the ground, the Garden clansmen were in a panic as the flaming warship appeared in the sky.
"What is that?! A Hunter ship?!" "It's going to crash right on us!"
The Second Elder, Yuan Tian, stepped forward. "Stop standing around and get to the shelters! Now!"
While the civilians fled, Feng Che looked up. "Mewtwo, now."
Using Ally Switch on a massive scale, Mewtwo swapped the air inside the burning collection rooms with the air in the Garden family's underground vaults. In an instant, Julian's entire collection of Steel-types and rare ores was safely "redistributed" into Feng Che's hands.
Julian and Shumoto launched their escape pod just as the main reactor went critical. The ship disintegrated in mid-air, raining flaming debris down like meteors toward the flower fields.
"Venusaur, Frenzy Plant! Intercept the debris!"
Feng Che's lead Venusaur roared, and the earth erupted with massive, interlocking vines. They formed a green canopy over the estate, catching the falling wreckage and smothering the fires before they could touch the flowers.
As Julian's escape pod drifted toward the nearby forest, he saw the massive vines rise from the earth like the arms of a titan. His face turned pale.
"They were waiting for us," he whispered. "It was a trap from the start."