So-Called Ideals and Reality — Johan’s Philosophy

"Officer Johan!"

International Police officers gathered in Lacunosa Town.

"Looker?"

The moment Johan saw him, he realized—this wasn't just a routine operation.

Looker, the man who only shows up for major incidents.

Unlike the Rocket Trio, who appear for everything, Looker meant serious business.

Fortunately, he wasn't alone this time. Alongside members of the International Police Department, there was also someone familiar—Alder.

Despite having lost his ace, Volcarona, Alder was still the Champion. That much was certain.

With a Champion leading the charge, plus backup from League members, clearing out the P2 Laboratory would be no problem.

"Hahahaha—!"

Alder laughed heartily. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon, Johan zzz…"

And promptly fell asleep.

This drew a side-eye from Urshifu, who was grilling fish with Gengar and the others nearby.

"…This guy."

"Officer Johan, this is Superintendent Schultz, director of the Unova branch of the International Police."

Looker introduced Schultz, a slightly plump, trench coat-wearing, hat-topped middle-aged man who reminded Johan of Inspector Megure.

"This is his adopted son and trainee, Black."

Red-brimless cap, blue short-sleeve shirt, white shorts with black tights underneath. Looked no older than eight or nine, yet his face was solemn and serious.

Yep, that was Black.

The three exchanged greetings, and Johan once again laid out the situation with the P2 Lab on the island. Then came planning.

The key discussion was between Johan and Superintendent Schultz. Looker and Black mostly observed.

Still, Johan couldn't help but keep an eye on young Black.

He knew the kid well—one of the protagonists in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Abandoned at a crime scene, raised by the International Police. Physically and mentally gifted. Trained from childhood to be a top investigator.

But Black had an emotional disorder—unable to comprehend his or others' emotions.

This gave him a dual nature:

To the public, he played a cheerful, flirty boy.

As a cop, he was serious, dutiful, sharp-minded, and elite. Known as "Mr. Perfect."

In the manga, at 12, he was already a Superintendent—Looker's superior.

But now, he was just starting out—Looker's junior.

Oof. Poor Looker. All his juniors end up becoming his bosses.

This time, though, Black was just here to observe. No combat responsibilities.

Eventually, the plan was finalized by Schultz, Johan, and (sleeping) Alder:

They would strike the P2 Laboratory first thing tomorrow.

Juniper's lab would serve as a temporary base and provide technical support.

Johan spent the night at the lab.

Night fell.

In the backyard of the lab, Johan wrapped up some light training with Gengar and the gang.

Given the earlier battle and tomorrow's likely combat, he kept it simple.

"Dinner time!"

At his call, the crew rushed over and started munching on Poké Puffs beside him.

"You guys have such a great bond."

Under the moonlight, Alder appeared in the yard, adjusting the string of Poké Balls around his neck, looking somewhat wistful.

"Mr. Alder."

Johan wasn't surprised. He'd noticed Alder watching their training from a distance.

He smiled and offered a piece of cake.

"Our Gardevoir and Alcremie made it. It's really good."

Alder took a bite, eyes squinting in delight before dramatically exclaiming, "This is divine! Johan, you're too lucky!"

Johan chuckled, saying nothing.

He knew Alder had something on his mind.

Sweet treats from home were the norm. His Pokémon always packed his bag with goodies before trips—worried he'd go hungry.

"Professor Juniper said something about strange thunderclouds by the sea today? She thinks it wasn't natural…"

Indeed, both she and Johan had witnessed it.

But once Zekrom appeared, every device in the lab went offline—no data remained.

Juniper had been combing through texts to validate her theory.

"I think so too."

Johan nodded, though he hadn't mentioned Zekrom. He didn't know what impact its appearance might have.

More importantly—he didn't know why Zekrom appeared at all.

"Do you know about Team Plasma?" Alder suddenly asked after a pause.

"A little."

Alder popped the last bit of cake into his mouth and looked up at the moon.

"Team Plasma's philosophy is to free Pokémon from humans—to let them live naturally. They claim humans harm Pokémon."

Especially through battle.

Honestly… Team Plasma was clever.

They didn't want to destroy or conquer the world, so the League had little legal leverage despite keeping a close eye on them.

Plus… some people actually agreed with their ideals.

In fact, in the manga, one of the protagonists—White—was deeply influenced by Team Plasma. She was half a fangirl for N.

"If that really were their ideology, no one would bat an eye," Johan said with a hint of sarcasm.

Everyone can talk pretty.

Giovanni claimed he'd lead the world to Mars.

"What do you think?" Alder asked. "About how humans and Pokémon should coexist?"

Hmm?

Johan glanced at Alder. A realization dawned.

Alder had become disillusioned after losing his closest partner.

He only kept the Champion title out of responsibility.

Team Plasma's ideology struck a nerve in that vulnerable heart.

He might have wondered…

If Volcarona hadn't been his Pokémon, would it still be alive?

Not impossible.

But as Champion, he couldn't endorse Team Plasma's views.

Thus—inner conflict.

Johan stayed silent.

He remembered how he once didn't want his Pokémon to battle.

His ideal had always seemed simple.

After a pause, his voice was soft.

"Back when I taught at the Hoenn Pokémon Academy…"

He looked at Gengar, happily chomping away and calling out.

"I wasn't big on battles. Even if I battled, I didn't want my Pokémon to get hurt."

"It might sound silly, but my earliest dream was just to live a peaceful, normal life with my Pokémon."

"To spend ordinary days full of little things, laughter, squabbles…"

He took a breath.

"But."

Johan grabbed Gengar's head, messing with it despite its grumbles.

"Ka-kaah~"

Gengar rolled its eyes but leaned in, enjoying the affection.

"Yoji Yoji!"

Larvitar leapt into Johan's lap.

WHAM!

Me too! Me too!

"Hiss—" Johan sucked in air.

Had this kid gotten heavier again?

Still, he fed it some Aura—Larvitar trembled, content.

Johan smiled.

"Later, I began to understand—battles aren't just fights. Winning or losing isn't the point."

"The key is that moment of heart-to-heart with your Pokémon—that instant of connection.

It's like… an elevation of the bond you already share."

He thought of the iconic duos:

Garchomp and Cynthia.

Charizard and Leon.

Pikachu and Ash.

Gengar and himself.

Their bond was forged in life, elevated through battle.

"Win or lose, the journey's what matters—not the outcome."

Alder murmured, "The journey is what matters…"

"Rather than claim humans hurt Pokémon, maybe we should ask what the Pokémon themselves think."

Johan reached into Ninetales' snowy fur and gave it a gentle scratch.

"Oowoo~"

Ask the Pokémon?

Looking at Johan and his team, Alder knew the answer was clear.

But this was just Johan's world—it couldn't speak for everyone.

They both knew some people did harm Pokémon.

That was why Team Plasma's rhetoric resonated with some.

Still, using the actions of a few to condemn the whole… that's just flawed reasoning.

Alder exhaled slowly.

He looked lighter somehow.

"No offense, but… the Poké Ball—"

Before he could finish, Johan cut in.

"I've explained this before—back when I took down Hunter J."

He flipped his palm, revealing a standard Poké Ball.

"It's just a tool."

"What it means depends on the people and Pokémon using it.

Some prefer to stay inside. Others don't. That's true for both humans and Pokémon."

"Ka-kaah! Ka-kaah!"

Gengar nodded, cheeks stuffed with Poké Puffs.

It actually preferred Johan's shadow to a Poké Ball.

Alder was more opposed to the storage system than the Ball itself.

That's why he wore all his Poké Balls on a necklace—to keep his partners close.

Same with Johan.

Even though he had more than six Pokémon, he carried them all with him.

And even if the League's digital system was perfected—he wouldn't use it.

If he could, he'd bring everyone from home. Gardevoir, Alcremie—everyone.

A family should stick together.

Alder found something… magnetic about Johan.

He knew what he wanted and believed it was right—based not on others' opinions, but on his bond with his Pokémon.

Basically:

"We like this. We think this is right. That's enough."

No Team Plasma, no Hunter J, no ideology could shake him.

That conviction earned him respect—including Alder's.

Johan plucked a Poké Puff from Gengar's bowl and tossed it into his own mouth.

"Ka-kaah!! (▼皿▼)"

Thief!! Again!

Gengar bared its teeth… but it was already used to this.

The others, though?

They all turned away, shielding their bowls like hawks.

Alder chuckled softly.

Johan really saw his Pokémon as family.

Eat together, sleep together, bathe together, brush together.

Everyone equal—only in battle did roles shift.

And Johan understood Alder's grief.

He imagined himself in Alder's shoes… and knew he wouldn't cope.

He might even go mad.

Sure, there were ways to revive Pokémon—but they were extreme.

Still, there was one thing he could say.

"Mr. Alder, I learned a phrase recently."

He popped a Pecha Berry to cure the mild poisoning from Gengar's puff.

Alder winced.

You got poisoned… so why eat it!?

Then he realized—Johan had done it to understand the flavor. To improve the recipe.

"You were saying?"

Johan gently patted Gengar's head.

"Memories are pearls. Bonds are diamonds.

Pearls and diamonds don't fade with time, nor with absence."

Alder froze.

Volcarona was gone—but their bond wasn't. Their memories lived on.

If Volcarona had never known him, never been his partner… would anything have existed?

Real death vs ideal memories…

Johan sighed inwardly.

As for "truth and ideals"?

To Johan…

Being with Pokémon now is truth.

Wanting to be with them forever is the ideal.

Simple as that.

In the games, Alder and N once clashed.

Alder lost—perhaps rusty, perhaps fate.

To Johan, that battle was a clash of real and ideal.

Alder, persevering despite his loss.

N, driven by compassion for Pokémon.

It was both a match and a meeting of minds.

So to reach Alder—use ideals.

To reach N—use reality.

"If I meet N someday… maybe I'll try."

Johan liked N.

His heart was in the right place. If only he hadn't been raised by Ghetsis…

With his power to understand Pokémon—he could've done so much good.

"…Guess I'm hitting two birds with one sword?"

Elsewhere, under the same starry sky—

A massive airship slowly rose from the island shrouded in darkness.

It carried countless test pods, Colress… and some of Team Plasma.

They'd been discovered—no point in staying.

Colress still wanted to meet Johan.

But not like this.

He'd heard the International Police from Mistralton had mobilized.

No need to guess who they were after.

"Until next time… Professor Johan."

Colress murmured with regret from the command seat.

This was Team Plasma's Plasma Frigate—its greatest weapon to evade League detection.

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Powerstones?

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