Pallet Town — the forest outskirts.
Raj trudged along the muddy trail, eyes darting across the trees as he scanned his surroundings. He was ready this time — today, he would capture that Gastly from last night.
From what he remembered, Gastly never appeared during the day. They feared sunlight and thrived in the dark.
In the anime, it was even said that in brightly lit cities, Gastly populations were almost extinct because they couldn't handle artificial light.
That was exactly why Raj had chosen to come out now.
Daytime meant safety. Gastly would be weak and sluggish under sunlight. But at night? They'd be a nightmare to handle — literally.
Their cold tongues could paralyze a person with a single lick, leaving their victim drained and defenseless.
Raj stopped and looked around. "Alright… this should be the place where I saw that Gastly yesterday."
He scanned the forest carefully. Bushes rustled softly in the wind. A few timid Rattata darted by, squeaking nervously.
On the nearby trees, he spotted a few Caterpie and Weedle crawling lazily under the leaves.
[Ding! System scan complete. Detected Pokémon nearby.
Nine meters ahead — one Rattata.
A Mouse Pokémon with sharp, ever-growing teeth. If you spot one, there are usually dozens more nearby. Extremely alert.
Moves: Charge, Tail Whip, Bite.
Combat Power: 8]
[Ding! Fifteen meters ahead — one Weedle.
An Insect Pokémon with a sensitive nose. It can detect the scent of its favorite leaves from far away. The poisonous stinger on its head makes it mildly dangerous.
Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot.
Combat Power: 5]
Raj's eyes brightened. So the system can scan wild Pokémon and display their info… like a built-in radar.
Not only did it detect Pokémon, but it even showed their moves and combat power — a perfect tool for a new trainer.
The higher the combat power, the stronger the wild Pokémon's base stats would be, which meant better potential once captured and trained.
Deeper into the forest, Raj stumbled upon an old, abandoned house, half-collapsed and covered in vines.
His lips curved into a grin.
"Bingo."
Gastly loved dark, enclosed spaces during the day — abandoned ruins, caves, hollow trees — anywhere sunlight couldn't reach.
This broken-down house was the only structure nearby. If Gastly was still around, it had to be hiding inside.
He crept closer, his heartbeat quickening.
[Ding! Detected Pokémon within ten meters — Gastly.
Type: Ghost/Poison.
Said to be born from gases emitted by graveyards. It floats silently through the night like a will-o'-the-wisp. Avoid its toxic vapors — contact may cause dizziness and unconsciousness.
Moves: Lick, Nightmare, Whisper, Spite.
Combat Power: 20 points.]
Raj grinned. "Not bad. Stronger than the others, but still manageable. Guess you'll be my first partner."
According to his memories, Gastly could learn over ten different moves — some strong, some purely for mischief.
This one seemed fairly inexperienced, though. It relied mostly on scare tactics. Against real enemies, that wouldn't be enough.
"Alright," Raj muttered. "Let's see how you handle me."
He kicked open the rotten wooden door and backed up a few steps. Then, grabbing a handful of pebbles, he hurled them through the shattered windows, letting sunlight pour inside.
The beams of light pierced through the darkness, scattering across the dusty interior.
Inside, Gastly let out an agitated hiss. Its gas-like body shimmered as it drifted away from the light. It was clearly in pain, growing irritable and restless.
Raj smirked. "Hey, little ghost! You were the one who scared me last night, weren't you? Guess what — I'm here for payback."
He raised a Poké Ball. "See this? If you've had enough, get inside willingly. I won't force you… much."
He tossed the Poké Ball lightly toward the doorway, letting it roll across the floor.
Raj knew how Ghost Pokémon worked. They didn't respect kindness — they respected power. The only way to make a Gastly obey was to prove that you were scarier than it was.
If you couldn't dominate its will, it would mock you forever — or worse, prank you into insanity.
Raj folded his arms. "Take your time. It's still hours till sunset. You're trapped in there, and I'll keep opening the boards until every bit of sunlight hits you. Let's see how long you last."
He pried loose a few more wooden planks, flooding the room with bright light.
To his surprise, Gastly's resistance didn't last long. With a frustrated screech, it darted toward the Poké Ball — and was instantly sucked inside.
The ball shook once… twice… click.
Capture complete.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have successfully tamed Gastly.
Mission complete. Reward: 1,000 points.
Points Shop unlocked.
As a bonus for your first capture, the system has enhanced your Poké Ball — your Pokémon now gains the Power of Devouring, allowing it to grow stronger by consuming other Pokémon.]
Raj's eyes widened. "Wait… what? The Power of Devouring?!"
He released Gastly from the Poké Ball. The ghost floated silently in front of him, looking much the same as before. No visible change… but something about the air felt heavier, darker.
"System," Raj said cautiously, "show me its current stats."
[Pokémon Status
Name: Gastly
Type: Ghost/Poison
Description: A spectral Pokémon born from the gases surrounding graveyards. Its form is mostly vapor and can envelop its prey, draining their life energy.
Moves: Lick, Nightmare, Whisper, Spite
Special Ability: Devour
Combat Power: 20 points]
Raj's eyes gleamed. "So it's real… a new special ability."
He clenched his fist, excitement surging through him.
"If Gastly can really devour other Pokémon to grow stronger…"
A cold smile crept across his face.
"…then I'm about to become unstoppable."