Pokemon: Psychic Master

5 bonus chapter's coming out at 11 AM EST. So I ask that you withhold you're powerstones until then.

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Buzz—

In an instant, a surge of Psychic energy erupted from Hypno, rushing toward Johan and Gengar.

Psychic!

"Oowu~~!"

Perched on Johan's shoulder, Vulpix's eyes glimmered as it unleashed its own Psychic power, forming a protective barrier for Johan.

Meanwhile, Gengar grinned wickedly as it slipped further into the room. Its hands rubbed together before conjuring a pitch-black orb.

However, Johan quickly intervened.

"Gengar, don't use Shadow Ball here!"

After all, they were inside someone's home—a wooden cabin, no less. A Shadow Ball would leave them with a hefty repair bill, not to mention some very unhappy homeowners.

Moreover, Mr. Bend and his wife had explicitly avoided harsh methods for subduing Hypno. Otherwise, with his Haxorus, Mr. Bend could have dealt with the situation himself.

Clearly, they had called Johan to resolve this issue in a more gentle and understanding way, while also uncovering the root cause of Hypno's distress.

"Ka-kah?"

Gengar scratched its head, bewildered.

"So, no brute force, huh?"

It glanced at the Shadow Ball in its hands, then shrugged and tossed it into its mouth.

Boom!

A muffled thud echoed as Gengar's body briefly expanded. The orb vanished entirely, leaving Gengar to let out a satisfied burp.

Bend: "???"

Watching this unfold, Mr. Bend was utterly dumbfounded.

"Is… is this some new advanced technique for canceling moves?"

"Lick!" Johan commanded.

Sluuurp—

Gengar's slimy tongue lashed out, grazing Hypno's body. The move's peculiar effect left Hypno temporarily paralyzed.

Gengar had perfected the move, Lick, to an almost absurd degree.

Within its repertoire, this move shone brightly—thanks in no small part to Johan's contributions.

With Hypno briefly immobilized, Vulpix leapt into the room. Snowflakes swirled around it as it cast a shimmering protective veil.

Aurora Veil!

Since Johan had ruled out brute force, his team's options were limited. Otherwise, summoning Tinkaton for one well-placed hammer strike would've been enough to subdue Hypno.

Instead, Johan focused on restricting Hypno while seeking the root of the problem.

However, Hypno remained restless, its Psychic energy pounding relentlessly against the Aurora Veil.

The black smoke rising from Hypno's head twisted and morphed into unsettling shapes, unaffected by the barrier.

In Johan's vision, Hypno's Pokédex entry appeared:

[Hypno]

Type: Psychic

Ability: Forewarn

Moves Known: Moonlight, Moonblast, Psybeam, Imprison, Stored Power, Yawn, Defense Curl, Wonder Room, Magic Coat, Hypnosis, Zen Headbutt…

Mood: Agitated (Plagued by a terrible nightmare, it is too afraid to sleep. This has left it highly irritable.)

Condition: Poor (It desperately needs rest.)

Friendship: -10 ("Do you want to share my nightmare too?!")

A terrible nightmare?

Johan quickly honed in on the crucial detail.

"So the root cause is a nightmare?"

But what kind of nightmare could leave even a Hypno too terrified to sleep?

"Woo~!"

"Watch out!" Mr. Bend called out urgently.

Hypno's glowing red eyes suddenly radiated a familiar aura.

Hypnosis!

Johan paused briefly before holding up a hand to stop Gengar and Vulpix from intervening.

"Hypnosis? Let's see what kind of dream you want me to see."

He murmured softly, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Johan had exceptional resistance to Hypnosis, especially after awakening his Aura abilities.

After all, both Gengar and Vulpix had learned their own Hypnosis techniques from him.

Having served as their primary test subject, Johan had built up an impressive immunity.

If anything, he was practically a "natural anti-sleeping saint."

Still, for safety's sake, Johan released Dragonair from its Poké Ball.

"If I don't wake up soon, make sure to bring me back," he instructed.

Dragonair nodded, though a flicker of concern flashed in its eyes.

As Hypno's Psychic power enveloped him, Johan's vision blurred momentarily before the scenery shifted.

He now stood amidst towering, mist-covered mountains beneath an ink-black sky.

A foreboding darkness seemed to swallow everything below. Every shadow, every gust of wind hinted at an unseen menace.

The oppressive weight of the unknown pressed in from all sides.

Despite the eerie atmosphere, Johan remained calm.

He rested his chin on his hand, smirking. "Hmm… not bad, but Gengar's nightmares are way better."

Though the setting capitalized on fear of the unknown, it lacked Gengar's finesse in crafting truly spine-chilling illusions.

Buzz—

A distant mountain trembled.

From its peak, a blood-red moon began to rise, casting an ominous glow that stained the dark mist crimson.

In the faint light, a shadowy figure emerged, its silhouette becoming clearer.

"Wait..."

Johan's eyes widened in surprise.

The figure resembled a dark, shadowy Pokémon. Its white, wispy "hair" floated eerily above its head, while its red, jagged collar framed its silhouette.

Darkrai.

The legendary Nightmare Pokémon.

So this was the source of Hypno's nightmares?

Realization dawned on Johan.

Darkrai's presence explained everything. A Hypno facing Darkrai's power in a nightmare? No wonder it was too terrified to sleep.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Shouldn't Darkrai be on Newmoon Island in Sinnoh?"

Before he could ponder further, the shadowy Darkrai turned sharply and lunged at him.

Boom!

The moment it struck, its form shattered like smoke, dissipating into nothingness.

The dreamscape around Johan began to crumble, fragments breaking away into a void.

Johan opened his eyes, adjusting his glasses as he returned to reality.

The sight of his calm demeanor instantly reassured Gengar, Vulpix, and Dragonair.

He gave them a reassuring nod before stepping further into the room.

"It's time for Hypno to rest," he said softly.

"Ka-kah~~!"

Gengar cackled, swirling its hands to release invisible waves of hypnotic energy.

"Oowu~!"

Vulpix leapt onto Johan's shoulder, its eyes glowing as it added its own power to the mix.

Together, they executed the legendary "Johan Family Hypnosis" technique.

Johan's voice, warm and comforting, resonated in Hypno's mind through his Aura.

Now that he understood the source of its distress, the solution was simple: confront and overcome the nightmare.

That was Gengar's job.

Vulpix's role was to follow up with a soothing dream, ensuring Hypno could finally rest peacefully.

"Woo… woo…"

Hypno's glowing red eyes slowly dimmed and shut. The dark smoke around it lightened, transforming into pink, wispy clouds before dissipating entirely.

Its breathing steadied as it floated gently to the floor, fully enveloped in sleep.

"Is it… cured?" Mr. Bend asked hesitantly, watching the now peacefully slumbering Pokémon.

Johan nodded, wiping his brow. "It should be fine now."

"Still, I'd like to know more about its recent activities. Where has it been, and what might it have encountered?"

As he spoke, Johan gently closed the door to Hypno's room.

Back downstairs, Mr. Bend recounted the events leading up to Hypno's strange behavior.

"...That day, I was out chopping wood with Haxorus when Hypno floated out the window. It wasn't unusual for it to collect dreams—it has a natural sensitivity to them, after all…"

From the description, Johan pieced things together. Hypno's Forewarn ability must have allowed it to glimpse something—perhaps even a fragment of Darkrai's domain—triggering the nightmares.

Far away, on the secluded Newmoon Island, a shadow stirred.

Darkrai's red eyes snapped open.

"What...?"

It wiped its forehead, puzzled.

"Was that… a dream? I could've sworn I saw Giratina!"

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