[Diantha: Gengar's story is so similar to Charmander's. Both were ordered to wait in one spot. One almost died waiting, while the other survived only because of its immense strength.]
[Phoebe: Luckily, it was a house. If it were in the wild, even a Gengar would struggle to endure that. People like him deserve divine retribution!!]
The blonde man's actions drew condemnation from Ghost-type enthusiasts and Elite Four members alike. His cowardice in blaming a Pokémon for his own incompetence incensed them!
In the real world, the blonde man trembled as he watched the comments from the world's elite. When the Heavenly Ranking appeared, he wanted to be on TV, but definitely not like this.
Fortunately, he hadn't caught or abandoned Gengar yet, or he'd end up like Damian, the one who abandoned Charmander and was recently imprisoned along with his influential relatives.
In the Footage—
The trainer Gengar, once loved, now appeared like a demon in its eyes. Three years... because of one sentence, it waited for three years! No Pokémon could stay calm after realizing the truth.
"Ginga!!"
Gengar pointed to the sky, and a massive, purplish-black Shadow Ball manifested, radiating terrifying energy fluctuations.
"Stop, Gengar! Even if he's wrong, you can't attack him directly! If you do..."
"Ginga!!"
Gengar was beyond listening; rage had consumed its mind. It hurled the massive Shadow Ball. Ash instinctively dropped his hands to his waist, and a spinning, deep-blue energy orb appeared in his palms!
Ash thrust the orb forward. The Aura Sphere collided with the Shadow Ball, triggering a massive explosion! The shockwave sent the blonde man flying and left his girlfriend paralyzed with fear on the ground.
"Ash, you..." Chloe stammered, her finger trembling as she pointed at him. What did she just see? Ash manifested a move with his bare hands to block Gengar? Is he even human? Or is he a Mew in disguise?
Blocking with a barrier in the morning and throwing "moves" in the afternoon—if trainers were allowed to fight in matches, Ash would be World Champion tier by default!
[Lance: That's the look! That's the face of utter shock I wanted to see!]
[Lorelei: You just live to see people's minds blown, don't you?]
[Cynthia: Heh, seeing Ash's "superhuman" side for the first time always elicits that reaction. It took me a long time to get used to it, too.]
[Bruno: Left hand Aura Sphere, right hand Aura Barrier. As expected of Master Ash!]
Unaware of Chloe's shock, Ash continued to plead with Gengar. "Gengar, I know he lied to you, and you're hurting, but please, calm down! Attacking him won't change the past."
Then, Ash turned his cold gaze toward the panicked blonde man. "Someone who deceives and discards Pokémon... is not fit to be a trainer!"
"N-none of your business! I didn't want that thing anyway! If I knew, I never would've caught it. If you like it so much, you take it! Erika, let's get out of here!" The man scrambled up and fled with his girlfriend.
Ash clenched his fists. He didn't throw an Aura Sphere at their backs only because he wanted to set an example for Gengar. If Gengar hadn't been there, his hot temper might have actually gotten the better of him.
This guy was exactly like Damian. Rank 9,500, huh? You just wait, Ash thought grimly.
He turned back, but Gengar had already vanished. "Oh no, he must be devastated. I have to find him!" Ash immediately used his Aura to track Gengar's signature. "This way!"
Elsewhere, Gengar sat dejectedly on the steps of a building. It decided it would never trust humans again. But every time that thought arose, the face of a certain determined boy flashed in its mind—the boy who didn't fear its Ghost-type nature or hate it for causing trouble, but only scolded it out of concern for others.
"Hehehe~ Gengar, so you were here, meow!"
A voice interrupted its thoughts. Gengar looked up to see two humans and a Meowth. Team Rocket had arrived.
[Lance: Here it comes!! The classic Team Rocket assist!]
[Flint: I bet Team Rocket is about to accidentally help Ash catch Gengar!]
[Steven: Lance... your cool, aloof image is completely gone, isn't it? The Heavenly Ranking has exposed everyone's true colors.]
In the Footage—
Team Rocket tried to recruit Gengar, claiming they could get revenge on humans together. But why would Gengar, who had just lost all faith in humans, trust them? It didn't even bother to throw a Shadow Ball at them.
Team Rocket switched to Plan B, using a specialized vacuum machine to suck Gengar inside! Just as they prepared to leave, a voice cut through the air.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" "Pika!"
A silver flash sliced the machine in half, freeing Gengar! "Who dares interfere?!" Jessie screamed. "Since you've asked so sincerely!" Ash started. "We shall answer with all our mercy!" Chloe added.
Team Rocket was stunned. "Hey! Those are our lines! Copyright infringement!!"
Ash stood in front of Gengar with his arms out. "Say what you want, but stay away from Gengar!" Gengar stared at the boy's back. Even after everything, Ash was still protecting it.
Team Rocket called out their Secret Rocket Prize Machine and pulled out two Dusclops. Ash prepared to send in Pikachu, but Gengar stepped forward.
"Ginga!" "Gengar... you want to fight them?" Gengar gave a ghostly smirk and nodded. It had found its spirit again! "Alright! Gengar, I choose you!"
The battle began with the Dusclops using Night Shade, which Gengar dodged with ease. "Continuous Shadow Balls!" Ash commanded.
Gengar's speed was incredible. It blurred through the air, flinging five or six Shadow Balls that locked down the opponents' movement.
Team Rocket tried to counter with Fire Punch and Night Shade, creating a massive explosion and a cloud of smoke.
"Ash, is one against two too much?" Chloe asked. Ash smirked. "Too much? It's already over. Gengar, Hypnosis!"
Under the cover of the smoke, Gengar had already appeared behind the Dusclops. By the time the smoke cleared, both opponents were fast asleep.
"Finish it! Shadow Ball!" "GINGA!!" Gengar gathered a massive orb of darkness, nearly a meter in diameter, and hurled it.
BOOM!
The explosion sent the Dusclops and Team Rocket flying into the horizon. "We're blasting off again!!"
Chloe deadpanned, "Is their biology as freakish as Ash's? That annoying kid Goh went to the hospital after being hit once, but these three are fine every time?"
[Lance: Hahaha! Chloe hits the nail on the head again!]
[Cynthia: That battle surely sealed the bond between them.]
[Giovanni (Team Rocket HQ): ...] Giovanni sat in silence at his headquarters. Are those three actually incapable of being villains? Why do they keep turning evil deeds into heroic assists?
Perhaps it's time to try the opposite: let them go out and do some good deeds for a change! Maybe by reversing their intent, they'll end up causing "accidental" disasters! Giovanni's perspective on management was starting to become... refreshingly unconventional.
In the Footage—
After Gengar sent Team Rocket blasting off, it stood with its back to Ash, silent. It didn't know what to say. Ash approached and knelt down in front of it.
"Gengar, have you calmed down now?" "Ginga..." Gengar folded its short arms and looked away, not daring to meet Ash's eyes.
"I know being hurt by that person made you lose hope in humans. So... why not come with me?" Gengar froze, its heart involuntarily resonating with Ash's proposal.
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