Chapter 69. Gastly
"So, Natsume, do you have any ideas?"
Misty finally reacted and pointed at Brock, who was grinning like an idiot.
"Ask him."
Natsume pointed at Brock.
"Huh? How are we supposed to communicate with him like this?"
Misty was puzzled.
"Don't misunderstand. Brock's state isn't caused by a Ghost."
As soon as Natsume finished, Brock spoke up:
"Earlier, on the cliff edge, I saw a super gorgeous big sister who looks exactly like this rock!"
After that, Brock went back to silly grinning.
Misty: "…"
"You lot, being entangled by a Ghost is no laughing matter."
An old voice sounded from behind, and a granny who looked very much like Granny Nastina walked out.
She was short, but dressed in a shrine maiden's outfit.
Her eyes were inverted triangles like Gengar's, looking rather sharp.
"It's that granny."
Ash pulled out his second skewer of rice cakes.
"Ah! Team Rocket is here, too!"
Misty stared in surprise at the space behind the granny.
Out of the shadows behind the old woman, Team Rocket's trio stepped forth.
"Honestly, why did we have to come up the mountain just to eat oden?"
Jessie griped.
"Whatever, let's treat James first, meow."
Meowth said this, then noticed Ash and the others opposite them.
"So it's you, meow!"
The air went taut.
The granny pulled out a cane and knocked each of them once on the head.
"My, my, each of you has companions entangled by a Ghost.
Why don't you come back to the shrine with me for treatment first?"
Saying that, the granny pressed her hands together and smiled.
"Ash."
Natsume suddenly spoke.
"Mm—what is it, Natsume?"
Ash turned back, hugging the bucket stuffed with wooden sticks.
His mouth was full of rice cake, so his words were muffled.
"Pika—"
While they spoke, center-parted one and Pikachu each swiped another piece.
"Use your Pokédex to appraise her."
Natsume pointed at the granny in front of them.
His gaze lifted slightly and saw a purple chub hovering above the granny's head.
Gengar was floating quietly in midair, its stubby hand pointing at the granny below—there's something wrong with her.
[Granny Nastina. The granny Pokémon is actually a Gastly in disguise. It constructed this form using your memories.]
[Gastly, Lv. 22.]
"Wow, it's Gastly!"
Ash got excited.
"Go, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu planted its feet with full vigor across from the granny.
"Hahahaha!"
The shrine maiden granny stopped pretending.
Her entire body vanished, turning into the form of a Pokémon like a black hole.
"It really is Gastly!"
Misty exclaimed.
"You guys are no fun at all!"
Gastly suddenly spoke human words.
"What, someone other than me can talk, meow!"
Meowth was shocked.
"That's not actually 'speaking human language.'"
Natsume explained:
"Some Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokémon can produce a kind of mental suggestion.
When that effect gets strong enough, it makes you understand its 'language.'"
"Ash, you catch it."
Natsume patted Ash on the shoulder.
Right now he felt this Gastly had solid value as a sparring partner.
To push mental suggestion to the point where people think it's talking, and without being noticed.
Even Granny Agatha's Gengar can't do that.
This isn't about level.
Only Ghost-type Pokémon that have lived long enough and control every last shred of their power to perfection can reach this effect.
That's also why Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokémon from ancient, famous sites are more sought after.
Aside from battling, they have much wider uses.
For example, training Dragonite in energy control.
Natsume shot Gengar a look, and Gengar melted into the air.
"Go, Pikachu—Magnetic Storm Tail!"
Ash went all-in at point-blank.
"Pika!"
Pikachu sprang up, leaping into the air.
Its tail flickered with black radiance, intertwined with the moonlight.
Suddenly, the opposing Gastly's form warped.
A huge Kangaskhan appeared, with a baby peeking out of its pouch, waving at Pikachu.
"Pika!"
Pikachu's heart wavered.
The light swirling around its tail vanished, and it hopped back in front of Ash.
"Pika! Pika—"
For some reason, Pikachu seemed a little down.
"Huh? Pikachu, you don't want to fight them—why?"
Ash was full of curiosity.
"Pikachu was adopted by Professor Oak when it was still a Pichu.
Its foster mother was a Kangaskhan."
Natsume craned his neck and gave Ash a quick sketch of Pikachu's past.
"So that's how it is…"
Ash hugged Pikachu, distressed, then his face flashed with anger:
"You sly creep!"
As he spoke, Ash threw three Poké Balls.
"Hahahaha!"
Opposite him, the cackling Gastly suddenly froze.
Wait a sec.
Isn't this supposed to be a hot-blooded, kind-hearted boy?
Why's he thinking of a gang-up?
Three red lights flashed, and Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur appeared one after the other.
Seeing they were three baby Pokémon, Gastly relaxed again.
"Gahaha—hahaha—watch closely!"
With that—
Gastly's body changed, becoming a giant Charizard.
At the same time, a Blastoise cannon extended from its shoulder.
A huge Venusaur flower sprouted atop its head.
"Char! Squirtle! Bulba—bulba!"
Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur were so scared they huddled together and retreated into Ash's Poké Balls.
"Mr. Natsume, how can this Gastly turn into other Pokémon?"
Honora came over, curious.
"No idea, but its mind power is very strong, and it can easily see through an opponent's heart."
Natsume clicked his tongue in wonder.
"Wahahaha! You're all too weak!"
Gastly laughed uproariously.
"Go, Arbok!"
Behind them, Jessie suddenly made a move.
"Hmm?"
Gastly only gave them a glance.
Its form rippled and became the natural enemy of serpentine Pokémon—Zangoose.
"Arbok!!"
"Ekans, what are you doing—"
Startled out of its wits, Ekans staggered back again and again, crashed into Jessie, and sent Meowth rolling down the slope with her.
James kept right on silly-smiling.
"Gahaha—gahaha!"
Seeing these humans toyed with in the palm of its hand—
Gastly burst out laughing, and as it laughed, it noticed a shadow fall over its head.
It looked up.
A red-eyed Gengar was staring at it.
"…"
Big bro, where do you hail from?
Gastly's smile narrowed.
Sensing things were bad, it tried to bolt, but Gengar opened with a slap that sent stars spinning in its eyes.
Shadow light glinted on Gengar's claws.
Another slap fell, and Gastly completely lost the ability to battle.
"Ash!"
Natsume prompted him.
Ash came to his senses and hurriedly tossed a Poké Ball.
Mid-flight, the ball was caught in Natsume's single-handed grip.
"Hold it. If you capture it outright, it'll be transmitted to Professor Oak's lab."
As Natsume spoke, he opened his software and aimed it at the fainted Gastly.
[Gastly, Lv. 22.]
[Ability: Illusion (enters battle disguised as the last Pokémon in the accompanying party to mislead the opponent).]
Illusion?
Isn't that Zorua's Ability?
If Natsume remembered right, the useful Ability Gastly gets should only be Levitate.
But thinking of Alain's Water Absorb Charizard, Illusion-Gastly suddenly felt reasonable.
[B-Rank Task—"Ever-Changing" deciphered. Great Ball Scratch-Off +1.]
The system's voice chimed in right then.
So by that logic, Alain's Water Absorb Charizard counts as a special individual, too.
Natsume rubbed his chin, thinking he'd have to find a time to scan that Water Absorb Charizard of his.
After all, with Pokémon whose Abilities are special like this, one sweep from the software and the reward drops in your lap.
Ridiculously easy.
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