The moment Natsume stepped into the town, he knew there was no way he was getting any rest.
[B-Rank: Shapeshifter Gastly]
[Notice] Special Gastly Detected [Subject] Gastly
"Ah!" Natsume yawned, ignoring the system's voice.
He led the group to an inn, rented a few rooms, and collapsed onto the bed.
"We'd better not disturb Natsume," Ash whispered outside.
Since the Summer Festival would be held tomorrow night, the group decided to first wander through the already-prepared fair.
"Giselle, aren't you coming?"
Ash glanced back toward Natsume's room.
At some point, Giselle had slipped inside and was secretly rummaging through Natsume's suitcase.
"Ah, I just… I need something from Mr. Natsume's computer. I'll copy it and be right there."
Blushing furiously, Giselle pulled out an orange-yellow laptop with little Rotom wings.
The Rotom she had given Natsume was attached to this computer—anything she needed could easily be requested from it. There was no need to sneak around like this.
*But Ash doesn't know that*, Giselle thought.
"Alright, we'll be waiting at the fair then!"
Sure enough, Ash didn't think twice and left.
Giselle patted her chest in relief, her face still red. She gave the suitcase one last look, carefully restored everything, zipped it shut, and slipped out quietly.
By the time Natsume woke again, it was already evening.
"Gengar, give me one."
Half-asleep, Natsume called Gengar out.
*Gen-gah!* Gengar cheered, happily taking a long puff.
*Hahhh—*
*Hahhh—* Natsume joined in.
"Ugh—cough, cough, cough!" He doubled over, coughing violently.
The sharp, spicy burn shot straight to his brain, instantly clearing the fog in his head.
"Gengar, help me check if there's a Gastly nearby." He handed over another stick of Spicy Sludge.
*Gen-gah, gen-gah!* Gengar slapped its belly and skillfully caught it with its pudgy little hands, clearly saying, Leave it to me!
Gengar floated off to search for Gastly.
Natsume stretched, went downstairs for dinner, and afterward headed toward the festival grounds.
The moment he entered, he bumped into Team Rocket.
The trio were on their stomachs, tails in the air, eyes sharp as they scanned the ground for something.
"With such a big festival, why hasn't anyone dropped any money, nya?"
"I'm starving…" Jessie groaned, clutching her stomach.
"It's your fault, Meowth! You just had to spend all our money upgrading the Magikarp Machine. It was fine running on manpower, but now it's broken, and we don't even have money to eat!"
The more Jessie ranted, the angrier she got. Finally, she swung her fist down, and with a *bam*, Meowth instantly stood two centimeters taller.
"Hehehe…"
Beside them, James was staring blankly ahead, giggling to himself.
"What are you doing, nya? My secret stash is gone, and you're in on it too, nya!" Meowth rubbed the lump on his head, furious at James's goofy expression.
*Clink~*
A coin dropped right in front of them.
"A hundred!"
"That's enough for two dumplings, nya!"
But before they could grab it, a hand picked it up.
Jessie and Meowth froze. Looking up, they saw a familiar figure.
Under the dim lights, Natsume smiled at them, the coin gleaming between his fingers.
"Hey, we saw that first!" Jessie protested.
"We can't even afford food, nya!" Meowth suddenly clung to Natsume's leg.
Jessie: ???
Meowth, since when are you so close with him?
"The translator I gave you—why haven't you uploaded anything these past few days?" Natsume asked curiously.
"Oh, that? The water pressure broke it." Meowth scratched his head awkwardly.
Natsume didn't argue. He pulled out a new one from his pocket and handed it over.
This time, though, the translator's casing had an Ekans design.
"I'll advance you ten thousand pokedollars. Go get something to eat." Natsume said, glancing at the dazed James.
His condition seemed related to that special Gastly.
If he remembered right, Brock would be affected too.
Hopefully Gengar had found some clue. With that thought, Natsume waved his hand and headed toward the hill in the distance.
According to the map, Ash and the others were on that mountain.
"Hey, he's already gone. Meowth, stop bowing!"
Jessie yanked Meowth up, fuming.
"We're Team Rocket! Can't you have a little dignity? And that researcher you mentioned turned out to be Natsume—are you colluding with the enemy?!"
"I'll treat you guys to dinner, nya." Meowth shook the bills in his paw.
"…"
In principle, Jessie despised his behavior.
...
The town was built by the seaside, backed by a small hill.
At the hill's summit stood a peculiar stone.
Eroded by wind and rain, it gradually took the shape of a woman's face, gazing longingly into the distance. Legend said she waited there for her husband who had gone to sea.
Thus, it was called the **Ghost of Maiden's Peak**.
"*Jagged lonely stone stands high, waves etch the shape of a human sigh.*
*Hair worn down to weathered lines, tears seep deep in mossy signs.*
*Year by year she gazes on, though her love has never returned home.*
—**Written by Mr. Whale**."
Misty read the inscription on the stone's plaque aloud with great care.
"This anonymous Mr. Whale seems very talented," Giselle nodded slightly.
"It's telling the story of a woman in ancient times, waiting every day for her husband who went to war at sea and never returned."
"I don't really get it, but it sounds amazing." Ash said while sharing rice cakes with Pikachu and another Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
"Heh heh, heh heh heh…" Brock stared at the stone, giggling to himself.
"Hey, what's with you!" Misty shook his head, but he didn't react at all.
"Looks like he's been possessed by a ghost."
The voice came from behind them—Natsume.
"A ghost! An old lady said the same thing to us earlier today!" Misty jumped.
"Natsume's right. I heard this year's Summer Festival overlaps with the Ghost Festival." Ash's eyes widened.
"Ghost Pokémon…" Giselle seemed to recall something. She turned to Ash and suggested:
"If you want to defeat Sabrina in Saffron City, you'd better catch a Ghost Pokémon while you can."
"Alright! Natsume, let's go find a Ghost Pokémon together!" Ash wiped his mouth clean after finishing his rice cake, eyes burning with determination.
"I'll pass," Natsume refused.
"Why, Natsume?" Ash looked disappointed.
"I already have Gengar." Natsume shrugged.
The Ghost-type Elite's Gengar, though it needed plenty of Spicy Sludge.
The would-be god Rotom, Midchu doesn't have Divine Authority, and Dragonite, undergoing an overhaul just to keep going—
Each was already giving Natsume a massive headache.
Raising those three alone was more than enough.
Any more, and he really wouldn't be able to handle it.
You can read more (around 80+ free chapters) of Natsume's adventure ad-free at [https ://ravenarchives .com/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a mess here, so updates here might be irregular.