"So, Natsume, do you have any ideas?" Misty asked, pointing at Brock, who was giggling foolishly.
"Ask him," Natsume replied, pointing at Brock.
"Huh? How are we supposed to talk to him like this?" Misty was puzzled.
"Don't misunderstand. Brock's condition isn't caused by a ghost." Just as Natsume finished speaking, Brock suddenly said:
"Earlier, I saw a super beautiful lady at the cliffside—she looked exactly like this stone!"
Then he went right back to giggling.
Misty: "…"
"You know, being haunted by ghosts isn't something to take lightly."
An aged voice called out behind them. An old woman, looking very much like Agatha, stepped forward.
She was short, dressed in shrine maiden robes, and her eyes—like Gengar's—were inverted triangles, giving her a sharp appearance.
"It's that old woman." Ash pulled out another skewer of rice cakes.
"Ah! And Team Rocket!" Misty exclaimed, spotting figures behind the old woman.
From the shadows, Jessie, James, and Meowth walked out.
"Seriously, why'd we have to come up the mountain just to eat oden?" Jessie grumbled.
"Forget it, let's focus on helping James first, nya," Meowth said, then noticed Ash and the others.
"It's you lot, nya!"
The tension immediately spiked.
The old woman rapped one of them on the head with her cane.
"My, my. Since your companions are haunted by ghosts, why don't you all come back to the shrine for treatment first?"
She clasped her hands together, smiling warmly.
"Ash," Natsume suddenly spoke up.
"Huh? What is it, Natsume?" Ash looked back, cheeks stuffed with rice cake, his hands clutching a bucket filled with wooden lottery sticks.
*Pika!* In the meantime, both Pikachu and Midchu swiped two more pieces of rice cake.
"Use your Pokédex to scan her," Natsume instructed, pointing at the old woman.
He raised his gaze slightly—and there it was, floating above her head. A fat purple figure.
Gengar hovered silently, its stubby hand pointing at the old woman—something was off about her.
**In truth, the *old woman* is Gastly in disguise. It uses your memories to create this form.**
**Gastly. Lv.22.**
"Whoa, it's Gastly!" Ash shouted in excitement.
"Go, Pikachu!"
*Pika!*
Pikachu stood firmly across from the old woman.
*Hehehehehehehe!* The woman vanished in an instant, her form collapsing into the shape of a shadowy Pokémon.
"It really is Gastly!" Misty gasped.
*You guys aren't fun at all!* Gastly suddenly spoke aloud.
"What the—someone else besides me can talk, nya?!" Meowth jumped in shock.
"That's not really speaking," Natsume explained.
"Some Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokémon can use a form of mental suggestion. If it's strong enough, it makes you believe you're hearing their language."
"Ash, you should catch it," Natsume said, patting him on the shoulder.
He felt this Gastly would be a valuable sparring partner.
To push mental suggestion to the point of making people think it was speaking—without being noticed—
Not even Agatha's Gengar could do that.
This wasn't about level. Only Ghost Pokémon who had lived long enough, and mastered every thread of their power, could reach that kind of perfection.
That's why Ghost- and Psychic-types born around ancient landmarks were especially sought after.
Beyond battling, they had wide-ranging uses—
Like helping Dragonite train in controlling her energy.
Natsume signaled with his eyes, and Gengar quietly melted into the air.
"Go, Pikachu—Magenitic Tail!" Ash shouted, opening with a full-force attack.
*Pika!* Pikachu suddenly leapt into the air, his tail gleaming with a black light that shimmered together with the moonlight.
Suddenly, the Gastly's form shifted.
A giant Kangaskhan appeared, and from its pouch a baby Kangaskhan poked its head out, waving at Pikachu.
*Pika!* Pikachu's heart wavered, the glow on his tail fading as it jumped back in front of Ash.
*Pika… Pika…* For some reason, Pikachu looked disheartened.
"Huh? Pikachu, why don't you want to battle them?" Ash asked curiously.
"Pikachu was taken in by Professor Oak when it was still a Pichu. His foster mother was a Kangaskhan."
Natsume poked his head out, briefly explaining Pikachu's past to Ash.
"I see…" Ash hugged Pikachu, pained, then his face turned furious.
"You sneaky trickster!" he shouted, tossing three Pokéballs.
*Ha ha ha ha!* The opposing Gastly froze mid-laughter.
*Wait a second—wasn't this kid supposed to be a hot-blooded, kindhearted boy? Since when did he think about ganging up on someone?*
Three beams of red light flashed, revealing Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur one after another.
Seeing they were just baby Pokémon, Gastly relaxed again.
"Ha ha ha ha, watch this!" it cackled.
Gastly's body warped, transforming into a massive Charizard.
At the same time, a Blastoise's cannon sprouted from its shoulder, while Venusaur's huge flower bloomed on its head.
*Charmander!* *Squirtle!**Bulba!*
The three Pokémon cried out in terror, huddling together before retreating back into Ash's Pokéballs.
"Mr. Natsume, why can this Gastly turn into other Pokémon?" Giselle asked curiously as she walked over.
"No idea, but its psychic power is strong. It can easily see through an opponent's heart," Natsume said in amazement.
"Wahahaha! You're far too weak!" Gastly roared with laughter.
"Go, Arbok!" Jessie suddenly ordered from behind.
"Hm?" Gastly only glanced at them.
ITS form twisted, turning into Seviper—Arbok's natural enemy.
*Arbo!!*
"Arbok, what are you doing?!"
Terrified, Arbok scrambled backward, crashing into Jessie and sending both her and Meowth tumbling down the slope.
James just kept laughing blankly.
*Gagagagagaga!*
Amused at toying with the humans, Gastly laughed harder—until a shadow loomed above it.
It looked up to see a red-eyed Gengar glaring down.
"…"
*Big bro… which crew are you from?*
Gastly's grin froze. Alarm bells rang in its head, and just as it tried to flee, Gengar smacked it across the face, stars spinning in its eyes.
Dark energy flared from Gengar's claws as it slapped again, knocking Gastly out cold.
"Ash!" Natsume quickly reminded him.
Realizing it late, Ash hurriedly tossed a Pokéball.
But midway, Natsume caught it with one hand.
"Hold on. If you capture it directly, it'll just be transferred to Professor Oak's lab."
As he spoke, Natsume raised his device and scanned the unconscious Gastly.
**Gastly, Lv.22**
**Ability: Illusion: (Disguises itself as the last Pokémon in the team to confuse the opponent).**
*Illusion?*
*Isn't that Zorua's ability?*
As far as Natsume remembered, Gastly's only useful ability was Levitate.
But then he recalled Alain's Water Absorb Charizard, and suddenly, an Illusion Gastly felt a lot more believable.
[B-Rank: Shapeshifter Gastly]
[Subject] Gastly [Reward] Great Ball Scratch Card ×1
The system's voice rang out at that moment.
That meant Alain's Water Absorb Charizard also counted as a special individual.
Natsume rubbed his chin, thinking he'd need to scan Alain's Charizard sometime.
After all, for Pokémon with such rare abilities, just one scan with the software meant instant rewards.
Couldn't be easier.
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.