Chapter 84: Gastly
In the next few days, Chen Xiaoxiao and Leng Yue accompanied Lei Tian and Lei Yu on another round of sightseeing around the capital.
Even though Chen Xiaoxiao had already visited many of these places and Leng Yue had seen them countless times, being with this quirky brother-sister duo brought an entirely different atmosphere.
Good times always fly by quickly.
On the fifth day of the Alliance Celebration, Lei Tian and Lei Yu bid farewell to Chen Xiaoxiao and Leng Yue, leaving the capital to continue their journey as traveling trainers. Just like most trainers, they rarely stayed in one city for too long after all, the heart of a trainer's path lies in the unpredictable wild, not the stability of cities.
Chen Xiaoxiao remained in the capital for two more days with Leng Yue before the seven-day Alliance holiday quietly came to an end. Leng Yue returned to her studies at the Peking University Academy, while Chen Xiaoxiao resumed her journey.
Dozens of nights later...
"As expected of China's famous Ghost Town… the eerie vibe is absolutely chilling."
Chen Xiaoxiao looked around at the gloomy surroundings. Ghostly wisps of light floated in the misty air, flickering like Will-o'-the-Wisps. Despite the haunting atmosphere, she remained calm.
If this had been her past life, she might have frozen in fear. After all, tales of spirits and gods were abundant, and the unknown often bred fear. But now that she was in the world of Pokémon, her perspective had shifted entirely.
She knew well that these "ghosts" were nothing more than Ghost-type Pokémon. As a result, her heart remained steady.
"(Is something scary happening? Xiaoxiao, it's late. You should get some rest.)"
Gardevoir tilted her head, slightly puzzled, while gently reminding her trainer as always to maintain a healthy routine.
Chen Xiaoxiao grinned and took Gardevoir's hand. "When you come to a place like Ghost Town, of course you have to explore the spooky nightlife. Let's rest a little later today."
Ghost Town?
This wasn't Beihu Lake so where had they ended up this time?
Well, it was a journey, and a proper journey should involve walking and taking in the scenery. So, after leaving the capital, Chen Xiaoxiao had decided to take the scenic route on foot toward her next destination.
At this moment, they had arrived in a place called Ghost Town in Handan, Beihe Province a location known for its Ghost-type Pokémon rather than anything supernatural.
(Yes, there's also the famous Ghost Town of Fengdu but that's a tale for another chapter.)
Handan, an ancient city steeped in culture, boasted this eerie Ghost Town that, while unrelated to the legends of the other Fengdu, still earned its nickname due to the dense Ghost-type Pokémon population.
As Chen Xiaoxiao and Gardevoir wandered through the shadowy streets of the ghost town at night, a faint mist began to drift behind them.
"Mama~!"
A playful voice echoed close to Chen Xiaoxiao's ear, and a small cloud of mist winked mischievously beside her.
"Pfft—!"
Chen Xiaoxiao couldn't help but chuckle. After wandering around for more than ten minutes without any Ghost-type Pokémon daring to show themselves, this one finally showed up trying to spook her.
She turned around to catch the prankster in the act only to see nothing but a vanishing trail of mist.
"Not bad. Quick reaction speed."
Before she could take another step, the same laugh echoed again this time from her other side.
"Tehehe! You can't see me now! Were you scared? Be afraid! Scream!"
This Gastly was clearly one with a flair for drama and mischief just like those depicted in the anime and manga, often seen teasing Ash and his friends in Lavender Town and other haunted locations.
"You didn't run away this time? Still playing hide-and-seek with me?"
Chen Xiaoxiao turned toward the voice once again, unfazed.
Startled that she wasn't scared, Gastly spun and vanished again in a puff of mist. But as it reappeared on the opposite side for a third try
"Boo!"
This time, Chen Xiaoxiao turned first, smiling directly at it.
Caught off guard, the Gastly flinched in midair.
"Gastly?"
The mist condensed into a visible form a classic round, purple gaseous Pokémon with large eyes and a mischievous grin. A quick system check revealed its level just Level 7!
Really? A Level 7 Gastly had the nerve to pull tricks on a Gardevoir at the peak of elite rank?
Chen Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh again. "Trying to scare me? Didn't you see Gardevoir standing right next to me?"
Gastly blinked in confusion and turned slowly… its expression shifting from pride to terror.
"!?!?!?!"
W-What the!?
How did I not see it?
That powerful psychic presence! I didn't even sense it!
Gastly was shocked.
Gastly was panicking.
Gastly was shaking!
Gardevoir was unimpressed. If she hadn't picked up on Gastly's mischievous intent, she would've already knocked it out with a Psychic attack. She'd been watching it for a while now but had been too caught up enjoying the scene with her trainer.
Chen Xiaoxiao reached into her bag and pulled out a Ghost-type Pokéblock, specially formulated for spectral energy needs. "Here, hungry little one. Take this."
Ghost-type Pokémon like Gastly often fed on fear, but food made for them especially Ghost-type Pokéblocks and Energy Cubes could also nourish them.
Gastly hesitated for only a moment before licking it with its long tongue and devouring it gleefully.
"Gastly, do you know of any strong Pokémon around here that have experienced the dawn of the next day?"
Chen Xiaoxiao asked as she handed it another cube.
"(There are strong ones! Really strong! I can't beat any of them!)"
Gastly chirped while munching excitedly.
Chen Xiaoxiao sighed.
Of course, you're Level 7. Everything must seem strong to you. What was she expecting from a little prankster?
Still, the playful nature of this Gastly reminded her of how much she used to love this species in her previous life. In the manga, Gastly had even been shown forming elaborate illusions and illusions powerful enough to fool Gym Leaders.
But in this life?
Not now. The potential of this particular one was too limited for her current team.
"Alright, little Gastly. Don't go scaring people unless you've got the strength to back it up. Here these are for you."
She handed it a small bag filled with a dozen high-grade Ghost-type energy cubes.
"(Thanks!!)" Gastly squealed, then darted forward to give her a grateful lick on the cheek.
Chen Xiaoxiao instantly coated her face with a layer of Psychic energy.
Gastly's tongue was infused with numbing spectral energy one lick could cause partial paralysis. No way was she letting that touch bare skin.
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