The reason Geosenge Town is only the second smallest town in the Kalos region is because its true significance remains unknown to most. If people were aware that the three stone pillars at the town's center could be transformed into an ultimate weapon capable of destroying the world, it would undoubtedly become the most heavily guarded location under the League's jurisdiction. The League would likely station their strongest forces there, unable to rest easy knowing such a devastating power existed unchecked.
However, the League has only recently established its presence in Kalos. Even the native Kalosians have forgotten this ancient history dating back three millennia, let alone the newly arrived League officials. In the end, it was Lysandre who uncovered the secret first by capturing AZ, the immortal king who had ruled over a unified Kalos region more than three thousand years prior. Though Lysandre likely doesn't yet realize the full implications of his discovery, Aoki remains the only one who truly understands the gravity of this secret.
After waking and having lunch, Aoki checked his investigator's communicator and found a message from several hours prior. Sent by the Kalos Investigator Headquarters, it relayed news closely tied to Aoki's current mission - the inheritance of the Tower of Mastery had been stolen, and the gym leader's son, Koler, had gone missing. The message requested nearby investigators to assist in the investigation if available, though it was optional rather than mandatory. After a brief glance, Aoki set it aside without much thought. The operation had been executed flawlessly, leaving even Lance with minimal clues to pursue.
Before departing, Aoki took a long look at the three stone pillars dominating Geosenge Town's center. He had Ralts leave Teleportation markers on the pillars and scattered additional markers throughout the town's more secluded areas. These preparations served as early precautions - should events unfold as expected, Lysandre would likely establish his base here, potentially reviving Team Flare's operations in Geosenge Town. While future confrontation seemed unlikely, Aoki followed the same strategy he'd employed against Team Magma and Team Aqua, leaving behind strategic advantages just in case.
According to official Kalos League maps, the route from Geosenge Town leads to Ambrette Town. The connecting Route 10 features numerous strangely shaped stones - petrified Pokémon frozen in time by AZ's ultimate weapon three thousand years prior. Modern scholars have noted these stones emit peculiar energy toward Geosenge Town, though its purpose remains unknown. Fortunately harmless to residents, this energy has become mere background radiation, the stones themselves now serving as a popular tourist attraction that draws trainers from across the region. This constant foot traffic has resulted in Route 10's wild Pokémon being relatively weak.
With his current focus on training Florges, Pupitar, and Lairon, Aoki had little interest in Route 10's offerings. Upon leaving Geosenge Town, he immediately summoned his Flygon to bypass the area entirely. Though primarily serving as aerial transport now, the desert dragon's level had steadily risen to 52 through consistent high-nutrient feeding - an impressive feat for a non-combatant Pokémon. Their flight over the stone formations drew envious stares from novice trainers beginning their journeys below, all dreaming of the day they might command such powerful Pokémon.
Aoki skirted Ambrette Town without entering, as nothing there particularly interested him. Compared to challenging the local gym, the network of caves and orchards along Route 7 held far greater appeal. The Connecting Cave system presented significant danger, teeming with Zubat and Golbat colonies that thrived in the darkness. Most trainers avoided these tunnels - between the poor visibility favoring the bat Pokémon and their overwhelming numbers, navigating the caves offered more risk than reward given the lack of valuable resources or rare Pokémon.
Yet these exact conditions made them ideal for Aoki's purposes. The dense populations provided perfect training grounds for Pupitar and the others to engage in large-scale battles. Beyond the caves lay the famed Berry Fields, which interested Aoki even more. His island development plans included establishing agricultural operations that could both sustain Pokémon and generate resources. While he'd already introduced numerous Grass-types and assembled a decent population of Gogoat and Skiddo, the lack of proper berry cultivation limited the island's potential.
High-value, difficult-to-cultivate berries became Aoki's priority. With his island's Pokémon requiring substantial berry supplies anyway, cultivating standard berry trees made little sense when more valuable variants existed. His system contained exhaustive botanical data that, combined with Porygon2's organizational skills and the island Pokémon's abilities (particularly those capable of using Grassy Terrain), made large-scale cultivation feasible. The berry fields' diverse offerings would provide ideal starter plants.
Unlike starting from seeds - which required drying, planting, germination monitoring, specialized fertilizers, and pest control - Aoki planned to take cuttings from mature plants. Many cultivated berry trees lacked seeds anyway, being products of specialized breeding techniques. With Master Fu's grafting and cultivation methods committed to memory, Aoki saw no reason to undertake the more labor-intensive seed process when the berry fields offered abundant, ready-to-transplant specimens.