Once again, we found ourselves by the sea south of Pallet Town. With only a few days left before our departure, we continued our grueling training. Gastly's tongue was pitch black after an infusion of spiritual energy, and the speed at which he could conjure it was truly impressive.
The problem, however, remained the waste. Although he executed the technique correctly, energy was constantly leaking from him like gas. The more he spent on preparation, the less he'd have left for the actual battle. Gengar was essentially a special attacker; he didn't have an overwhelming physical constitution or much stamina, so we had to manage his reserves wisely.
"Gastly, that's enough. Take a break," I called out to him, finishing my last squat.
"Gastly!" he levitated toward me with a smile. "Gastly?" he asked immediately after.
I was beginning to distinguish when he was answering and when he was asking a question. Thank God for that.
"Catch your breath for a moment, and I'll explain our next step."
"Gastly!"
"The speed of the infusion into your tongue is excellent. The problem I see is that you're wasting too much energy, and your supply is limited," I paused, watching as he waited curiously to see what I'd come up with. "Try to channel the energy into your tongue with focus, but at the same time, make sure not a single drop escapes. Hold it there firmly until you choose to release it."
"Gastly!" he nodded instantly and got right back to work.
„You were supposed to be resting, you training addict!" I thought with a smirk.
Honestly, I'd had enough myself. My muscles were burning, and it was no wonder—I was increasing the intensity every day. Standard push-ups, squats, or crunches were no problem thanks to the biology of this world, but I had decided on a different approach. What if I stretched every single push-up to last a full minute? Slowly down, slowly up. That was what was truly killing me. If I kept this up, I'd end up looking like Schwarzenegger from my other memories.
While the other Patrik had discipline in his blood and enjoyed training, I was only at the beginning. But I wasn't about to be outdone by my own Pokémon. A proper leader leads by example. With a heavy sigh, I collapsed into the grass and started another set of crunches.
***
Before evening, when I felt nearly dead while Gastly levitated beside me with a satisfied smile, I decided to finish the session with a run. I needed speed more than bulky muscles. At the same time, I knew my partner could use it too—Gengar needs speed like air. Even if he can move through shadows later on, such tricks surely cost a staggering amount of energy. If he learned to dodge quickly and physically in combat, it would be a massive advantage for him in the future.
"Gastly, we're going for a run. Keep pace with me," I commanded determinedly.
"Gastly!"
I immediately set off at a brisk jog through the park toward the cycling path. Cars didn't drive in Pallet Town at all, so the whole town was interlaced with wide sidewalks and bike paths commonly used by runners and cyclists. In the Pokémon world, bicycles were the most useful means of transport. They had special features, could pedal for you, and were suitable for rough terrain—which is why they cost a fortune. Every once in a while, a Rapidash would thunder down the path with a rider on its back.
Gastly was lagging behind slightly. His levitation wasn't as fast as my run, but did it have to stay that way? It occurred to me that if he tried pumping energy into his entire body, he might speed up significantly.
I stopped for a moment, struggling to catch my breath, until a disappointed Gastly drifted over to me. He clearly thought he'd be faster than me.
"Gastly, it's okay. You'll be much faster in the future," I reassured him. "But I was thinking you might speed up if you concentrated your energy throughout your whole body. Try it while moving."
Determination immediately flashed in his eyes, and with a loud "Gastly!" he nodded.
We ran on. Gastly still couldn't keep up, though I saw purple-black-gray gaseous energy leaking from him occasionally. He was trying, but without success so far. It was a shame I couldn't give him more hints; I didn't even know if it was actually possible. The idea only came to me because of my other memories of Naruto and chakra work. I figured it might motivate him if I picked up the pace.
"Don't be a wimp, Gastly, catch me!" I yelled over my shoulder and broke into a sprint.
I heard an annoyed cry of "Gastly!" behind me, but I still started pulling away.
I ran at full tilt for about two minutes before I hit my limit. I couldn't see Gastly behind me. I slowed to a jog. There was no one ahead of me at the edge of town. Finally, I came to a complete stop in front of an old house on the west side of Pallet. I gasped for air, looking around for Gastly. Not a soul in sight.
I was just starting to think about tomorrow's shopping when a chilling grinding of teeth sounded right by my ear. It scared the absolute shit out of me, I won't lie. I instantly lunged forward and spun around. My heart was pounding so hard I felt like it would jump out of my chest. And there?
"Gastly! Gastly!" he laughed delightedly.
When I managed to calm my heart rate after a few seconds, I had to admit he'd gotten me good.
"You got me, Gastly. You scared me! But it won't happen next time," I declared defiantly. A determined glint shone in his huge eyes. The gauntlet was thrown.
"How did you actually do it? I didn't see you anywhere; I was looking back the whole way," I had to ask. Did he move through the shadows, or did he actually speed up?
"Gastly, Gastly... Gaaastly!" He paused for a moment and added triumphantly: "Gastly!"
For fuck's sake... I still had no idea what he was saying.
"Great job, Gastly. But please, just show me how you did it instead," I praised him.
Gastly nodded determinedly and began to focus. I saw black gas leaking from him. After a moment, he started moving away from me, his speed increasing until he suddenly whipped around and flew back to me like a bullet. He had managed to speed up using energy, but he was wasting it incredibly. Gas was leaking from his entire body.
„Interesting technique, but inefficient for now," I thought. „But what if we trained running regularly and tried to fine-tune it? It has huge potential for the future."
Also, he probably scared me because he was actually hungry for energy.
"Wow, you did it!" I didn't forget to praise him. "You already took your reward by scaring me, right?" I asked with a smile.
"Gastly!" he nodded contentedly.
"Did my fear taste like grapefruit juice?" I asked jokingly.
He looked at me curiously and just blinked in confusion. My joke fell flat—he clearly had no idea what juice tasted like.
"Never mind, Gastly. Great job!" I repeated, pausing for a moment. Then I added: "If you weren't just gas, I'd give you a scratch as a reward."
And that was when it happened. Gastly began to glow with the blinding white light of evolution until he disappeared into it completely.
It lasted only a few seconds before the blinding light dissipated and a peaceful evening returned to the park. Where Gastly had been levitating before, a Haunter now hovered. He was huge. Even as a Gastly, he'd been a third larger than others of his kind, but this Haunter exceeded standard measurements by a good half.
The biggest change, however, was that he gained a partially physical body, exactly as I had wished. He could control his poison so precisely that he was no longer dangerous to the touch for those around him. I immediately stepped toward him and, with undisguised joy, began scratching his head. Haunter was a significantly more powerful companion now. Evolution had given him hands, which opened up room for entirely new techniques, and his energy core had noticeably enlarged.
"Haunter! Haunter!" he cried out, fascinated by his new palms and long, dangerous-looking claws.
I had to admit that in those few days, he had truly grown on me. I definitely wouldn't trade him for any Charmander now. Especially knowing that he had been faithfully waiting for me since my birth. After a while, he eyed me inquisitively. I realized he was waiting for more praise... a total diva.
"Great job, Haunter! You're a natural. You'll be the most powerful Haunter in the world," I repeated, scratching him again.
It seemed the energy-boosted run and my comment about not being able to touch him were the final impulses he needed to evolve.
"Haunter! Haaaaunter!" he flexed his claws proudly.
I watched him for a while longer, but then I made up my mind. We were going to see Professor Oak. At this hour, there wouldn't be any assistants at his estate; we'd only find him. It was only now, with the experience of a second life, that I realized how unusual it was for such a prominent man to take an interest in a single orphan.
"Let's go, Haunter. We're going to Oak for the gear for our journey!" I commanded, and we headed south toward the sea where the Professor's estate stood.
"Haunter!" he nodded and melted into my shadow in a second.
It was an extraordinarily strange feeling—slightly chilling, but not unpleasant. I saw shadows swirling unnaturally beneath me. It meant he didn't have enough practice controlling his new abilities yet, but that would come with time. It was perfect, though. He didn't have to stay in a Pokéball at all; he could be with me constantly. In this dangerous world, that was probably the best protection I could have asked for.
***
On one side lay a large, luxury villa—Professor Oak's residence, where he occasionally hosted the elite of the Pokémon world. I had even worked there once as a dishwasher; for an orphan, it was relatively decent pay back then. Behind the villa was a massive ranch, home to his own Pokémon, breeding stock, and dozens of others belonging to his students and clients that he cared for.
On the right, however, stood his laboratory. The Professor spent his time there from morning until late evening. In fact, he even had a private room there where he slept, which was exactly why I was sure I'd find him there. As I approached, the light in the windows confirmed I was right.
I was just about to ring the bell when the door opened silently. Behind it levitated an Alakazam with its eyes closed. As soon as I entered, it gave a curt gesture for me to follow.
After a moment, we arrived at Oak's office. The room was filled with a massive library, a couch with a small seating area, and a heavy desk with a computer. That was where Oak was sitting. I didn't see him working, though. On his desk was a bottle of luxury alcohol—Golden Tropius Reserve. A single bottle of this vintage cost several thousand dollars.
He poured himself a glass with focus, but as soon as he saw me, he placed a second glass on the desk and poured one for me too.
He stood up immediately.
"Hello, Patrik. Have a seat in the armchair or on the couch. I'll be with you in a moment."
I obeyed and settled into a comfortable velvet armchair. I watched him as he stood, quickly clicking something on the computer. He must have given Alakazam some invisible gesture or mental command, because the glasses and the bottle rose in a second and levitated to the table in front of me.
The Professor must have been in a strange mood. Alcohol was allowed, of course, but not something this strong for people under eighteen. From age fifteen, usually only light liqueur or diluted drinks were tolerated, but this bottle was exactly 54 percent. And for the Professor himself to pour it for me on his own initiative?
After a while, he sat down opposite me and studied me thoughtfully. He didn't break the silence until a long moment had passed.
"Congratulations." When he caught my confused look, he immediately added: "On the evolution of your Gastly."
"Thank you. Haunter is a natural," I replied. The shadows under my feet flickered contentedly, but the Pokémon remained hidden.
"I'm glad you came, Patrik. At least we have time to talk before you set out on your journey."
I simply nodded and waited. I sat a bit tensely, which the Professor noticed, and he gave a reassuring smile.
"Nothing serious, Patrik. Just... I'm glad we can say goodbye before you leave." He paused for a moment and then continued: "How have you spent the last few days? Is Haunter behaving?"
"I've been training from morning till night. I have to admit, Haunter is an extraordinary talent. I'm glad I have him. He listens to me perfectly, and I think we have a great relationship," I answered with a satisfied smile. Right after, I tossed a question into the air: "Right, Haunter?"
My shadows shifted, and Haunter emerged from them. I noticed Alakazam shift on guard a few centimeters closer to Oak, but otherwise, it didn't react.
"Haunter! Haunter!" the Pokémon agreed with a wide grin.
"I'm pleased you get along so well," Oak began with a smile, but then he turned serious. "This Haunter is a bit special. When you catch other Pokémon, please don't underestimate their training or upbringing. They are extraordinarily dangerous creatures, but once you truly earn them, they are the best companions for a lifetime."
I didn't intend to underestimate anything, so I just nodded in agreement. That wasn't enough for him, though, and he continued melancholically.
"During my life, I've seen many trainers who underestimated the power of a Pokémon or imagined that they already had its certain loyalty. It always proved to be a fatal mistake."
With a touch of sadness in his eyes, he reached for his glass and downed it in one go. Like a champion, he didn't let any burn show on his face. As soon as he set the glass down, the bottle rose, the cap unscrewed itself, and the silver liquid refilled it exactly to the mark.
"Thank you, Alakazam," he whispered gratefully. He didn't need to say it out loud; he had probably been drinking for a while.
"Are you all right, Professor?" I asked cautiously.
Oak blinked in surprise, as if he had just returned from the distant past. "Yes, sorry. Just old memories."
His story was famous—a war hero, the uncrowned king of Kanto. But of his family, only his granddaughter remained; everyone else had died.
Silence fell in the office, unexpected and quite peaceful. To me, Oak was something of a grandfather—probably the closest adult figure I'd ever had. His Alakazam disappeared in a second and immediately reappeared with a package, which it levitated over to me.
"A Pokédex, five Pokéballs, five Antidotes, and five Potion elixirs," Oak listed as I unwrapped the package.
I received the Pokédex third in line, which meant I'd actually earned it. Otherwise, its price was almost the same as the most luxury bicycle. It was a high-end pocket computer that could do almost anything, which is why it was so valued. it contained a map with precise location, internet connection, social media, Pokéwiki, alarms, notifications, and a Pokémon scanner. The Pokéballs were standard, but Antidotes? Those weren't usually given out. He'd also given me more potions than was customary.
When he caught my questioning look, he immediately understood what I was thinking. He simply shrugged.
"A little nepotism won't kill you. It'll come in handy, and I'll be more at peace knowing you have more resources."
"Thank you, Professor," I replied gratefully. All those things were incredibly expensive, and thanks to this gift, I could invest more in my own gear. But I immediately had to ask about what was burning me most. "Since I come from that powerful house... did they leave any resources for me for the future?"
Oak frowned, but the anger was clearly aimed at someone else, not me. He thought for a moment about how to phrase it before finally explaining.
"According to the head of your house, you must first prove that you have the skills to succeed on your own. Only then will you receive all the family assets as the rightful heir. You either prove it, or you die." He paused for a moment as if something were fighting inside him, but then determination flashed in his eyes. "If you want, I'll give you the money myself, Patrik. And you never have to pay me back," he promised matter-of-factly.
I had to think about it for a moment, but in the end, I decided to refuse. Thanks to the gifted potions and antidotes, I had enough of my own money left for decent equipment, even if it wouldn't be the most luxurious. I'd keep my pride, I wouldn't owe anyone anything, and I'd prove to the head of my house that I had what it takes.
"Thank you, Professor, but I'll manage on my own. The antidotes and potions will already help me significantly. Truly, thank you," I refused firmly.
"Just like her," he grumbled dissatisfiedly under his breath. I had a feeling I'd only imagined it as he emptied his glass again. He still looked relatively sober, though.
He'd always seemed fine to me, but only now did I realize how much he must have actually been suffering. When all he had left of his entire family was his granddaughter... It was only thanks to my second memories that I understood he carried that pain deep in his heart.
Alakazam refilled his glass again and disappeared, returning an instant later with my trainer card. It had my photo, age, name, hometown, and a barcode.
"I've uploaded that ID to your Pokédex as well, but keep a physical copy on you just in case."
"Thank you, Professor." I still hadn't touched my glass, though I already had everything I needed. I decided to thank him a bit more sincerely. "Thank you for everything, Professor Oak. For taking care of me since I was a child and watching over me. For being here for me when I needed it." I paused for a moment. Showing emotions had never been my strong suit, but this time I went for it: "You're like a grandfather to me."
He looked at me sadly for a moment before speaking: "And you are like a grandson to me." After a short pause, he added: "If you should need anything—absolutely anything, even in the middle of the night—don't hesitate to reach out. Call me immediately."
I nodded in agreement. That clearly satisfied him, because he gestured for me to finally drink with him. I carefully lifted the glass, we clinked them together, and I decided to imitate him. I downed the entire contents at once.
According to my memories, I shouldn't have had a problem. The older Patrik drank Jack Daniel's, quality vodka, and Bombay gin. He handled it fine, so I thought it would be okay... How wrong I was.
I immediately started coughing and sputtering. My throat was burning like crazy. Meanwhile, the Professor laughed from the bottom of his heart until tears stood in his eyes. By the time he calmed down, I was gasping for air again and heading for the exit. Oak walked me all the way to the door, where he gave me an unexpectedly strong hug. It was the first hug I'd ever received from him.
"Patrik, anytime and anything. Get in touch with me!"
With those last words, I stepped out into the darkness. I'd spent much more time with him than I had originally planned.
***
Author's note:
He finally did it! I've been looking forward to writing Haunter's evolution since the very first chapter. I really wanted to emphasize that evolution in this world isn't just a magical glow, but a physical and biological shift—especially the fact that he finally has hands! Also, getting to see a more vulnerable side of Professor Oak was important to me. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!