With Mewtwo's assistance, it took Feng Che less than a day to subdue the Alphas of every major Pokémon clan on the deserted island. Mewtwo had planted mental restraints in each of their minds, ensuring they were absolutely obedient to Feng Che's will. He had successfully transformed the dangerous island into his own private fortress.
Feng Che reported the discovery of several ruins on the island to Giovanni, noting that the Three Titans were standing guard. This was perfect timing; Giovanni had been looking for a real-world environment to test the combat capabilities of the new Genesect units. Consequently, Giovanni dispatched Dr. Fuji and the Super Genesect Squad to the island to begin the field tests.
Meanwhile, Feng Che was officially reassigned to the Hoenn region to gather intelligence on Groudon. In truth, Feng Che already knew everything there was to know about Team Magma and the sleeping Titan from the games. However, in this reality, Groudon and Kyogre were waking up much faster than anticipated.
He planned to feed Team Rocket just enough surface-level intel to keep them satisfied, giving him the freedom to operate in Hoenn and prevent the world-ending clash between the two Gods. Hoenn was also a gateway to the Sinnoh region; he could easily head north once his business was done.
It's time to retrieve the Jewel of Life from Michina Town, Feng Che thought. Most of my team has reached the Elite rank; I have the strength to claim it now.
Arrival in Slateport
Feng Che sat within a Team Rocket submarine, cutting through the deep blue depths toward the Hoenn mainland.
The Sea Miasma is likely active too, he mused. I hope I don't run into Team Aqua just yet. Their Admins—Shelly, Matt, and Amber—are all Quasi-Elite. I'm not afraid of them, but being hounded by Aqua grunts while I'm trying to move quietly would be a headache. I might need to seek out the People of the Meteors for help. My next goal: hit the Champion rank as fast as possible.
Night fell over the ocean. The deep indigo water shimmered under the moonlight like a ribbon of silk embedded with jewels. Many Water-type Pokémon surfaced to enjoy the serene lunar view.
On the shores of Slateport City, the waves gently lapped against the sand. A few Spheal played near the surf while a massive Walrein snored loudly in the dunes. Suddenly, the water erupted in a massive spray as a submarine breached the surface.
"Finally. Two days and nights, but I've reached Slateport," Feng Che said, opening the hatch and inhaling the salt-tinged air. "Fresh air at last. If I had a Rocket Stealth Jet, I could have made this trip from Kanto in a few hours. I'll have to find a way to 'liberate' one from Giovanni later."
Feng Che vanished into the night, his footprints on the beach quickly erased by the rising tide.
The Voice in the Volcano
Mt. Chimney: Team Magma Base.
Maxie stood before the towering statue of the Land God. The stone had turned a sickly black-gold, and oily black mist pulsed within its crevices. Suddenly, the statue's eyes flared a predatory crimson.
"Maxie... have you found the sleeping Groudon yet?" a booming, majestic voice echoed from the stone.
"Great God of the Land, I have mobilized every member of Team Magma," Maxie replied, his voice trembling with a mixture of reverence and fear. "They are scouring the tremors and heat signatures. We will have results soon."
"Be swift. I only grant you a few more days," the statue spoke, the voice sounding weary. "Groudon is at its weakest while dormant. I can siphon its power through my essence. But once it wakes, the energy of Mt. Chimney will become too violent. The volcano will erupt, and the land will be consumed in fire. I have expended much of my divine power just to suppress its premature awakening. Find it, find the Red Orb (Omega), and I shall grant you power without end."
The black mist retracted, and the statue fell silent. Maxie stepped out of the inner sanctum, drenched in sweat.
"The God's presence is getting stronger," he muttered. "Assemble the Admins. We need an emergency meeting."
Soon, Courtney, Tabitha, and Blaise entered his office.
"We must find Groudon's exact location immediately," Maxie stated bluntly. "The God is displeased with our progress. Courtney, take the West. Tabitha, South. Blaise, North. I will personally lead the search in the East."
"Leader, if we launch a search on this scale, the Hoenn League will notice," Courtney warned. "Even without a current Champion, Drake is a peak Elite Four member. His Dragons are formidable. If we alert him, our true goal will be exposed."
"It doesn't matter," Maxie snarled, his face dark. "Drake is a minor threat compared to the God's wrath."
The League Council
At the Hoenn League Headquarters, the Elite Four were gathered in a dimly lit briefing room.
"Look at the data," Drake said, sliding a folder across the table. "Team Magma and Team Aqua have spiked their activity by three hundred percent this month. They aren't just stealing tech anymore—they are hunting for the resting places of Groudon and Kyogre."