The video continued playing.

Lavender Town.

Raina sat on the steps outside the Pokémon Center with her travel journal spread across her knees.

Eevee lay on top of her head, lazily swishing its tail back and forth.

Gengar sat beside her, clutching the snacks and Pokéblocks Raina had given it while constantly chewing.

"Done!"

Raina raised the notebook and held it beneath the streetlamp to admire her masterpiece.

A chubby Gengar was drawn across the page. Beside it, she had written in crooked handwriting:

Gengar—the cutest guide in Lavender Town. Possesses a brilliant smile and an abundance of local specialties. Recommended as Lavender Town’s official mascot.

Gengar leaned over and looked at the drawing before revealing a broad grin.

"See? I told you this one turned out well!"

Raina proudly waved the notebook.

"Compared to my last drawings, this is an epic improvement!"

Gengar pointed at the notebook, then at itself, before drawing a question mark in the air with one chubby claw.

Raina froze for a moment before understanding.

"Are you asking... where I’m taking you tomorrow?"

Gengar nodded.

Raina tilted her head and thought about it.

"We’re going to Pokémon Tower tomorrow! Dad said there are some extremely powerful Ghost-type Pokémon inside. Going there will help me train my courage."

Gengar’s expression instantly became complicated.

It placed the bag of Berries on the steps, stretched its claws apart to indicate something enormous, then bared its claws and teeth menacingly before covering its eyes and pretending to tremble.

Raina’s smile froze.

"...You’re saying that Pokémon Tower has Pokémon many times larger than you that are incredibly vicious and so frightening that I won’t even dare look at them?"

Gengar nodded frantically.

Raina remained silent for three seconds.

Then she stood, planted one hand on her hip, and pointed toward the tall tower faintly visible through the mist north of Lavender Town.

"I’m not afraid! I’m going to become a Water-Type Pokémon Master! A mere Pokémon Tower could never—"

At that moment, the automatic doors of the Pokémon Center suddenly opened with a cheerful chime.

No one entered or exited.

Raina’s finger remained frozen in midair.

Gengar scratched its head before pointing toward something.

Raina followed its claw and saw one of Eevee’s paws resting on the door sensor.

"Eevee!"

[Regular-Seat Chat Group]

"Hahahahaha! The automatic door opening by itself made me fall out of my chair!"

"Raina: I’m not afraid! A mere Pokémon Tower—

Door: Ding-dong~

Raina: Terrified.jpg"

"Eevee: Playing a prank once in a while is quite enjoyable."

"Raina: So we’ve chosen mutually assured destruction? No snacks tonight."

"Hahahaha! This is far too entertaining!"

"I’m not even frightened by Gengar’s smile anymore. It actually looks a little silly and adorable."

"Person above, you’ve been manipulated. This is Lavender Town’s conspiracy. First, they frighten you with pranks, then bribe you with Berries, and eventually you start thinking they’re adorable."

"I’m willing to be bribed. I want Gengar to give me Berries too."

"+1."

"+1 ( 。• •。)."

"Why does your ’+1’ come with its own reaction image?"

[VIP Chat Group]

[Max]: That drawing Raina made just now... is definitely a little better than her Gyarados drawing. At least I can tell it’s supposed to be Gengar.

[May]: Max! When did you become so sharp-tongued too?!

[Max]: Hehe. I only think that if her Gyarados drawing were used as the backdrop for a Pokémon Contest, everyone might mistake it for abstract art.

[Wallace]: Abstract art can also earn additional points in a Pokémon Contest, provided the audience understands what it is attempting to express.

[Steven]: Can you understand it?

[Wallace]: No.

[Steven]: Then why did you say it could earn points?

[Wallace]: I was trying to defend Raina.

[Steven]: You weren’t particularly successful.

[Wallace]: ...

[Valerie]: But seriously, Raina managed to capture Gengar’s spirit in that drawing~ She perfectly portrayed the essence of its smile~

[Acerola]: Exactly! It has that feeling of, "I’m being extremely friendly, so why are you frightened of me?"

[Agatha]: Hehehe. Drawing a Gengar this accurately is already quite impressive.

[Phoebe]: Grandma Agatha, have you drawn pictures before?!

[Agatha]: What? Are elderly people forbidden from having hobbies?

[Phoebe]: No, no! I was just... hoping to see them.

[Agatha]: I threw them away long ago.

[Fantina]: Pokémon Tower~ How nostalgic~ I trained there when I was younger too. The Pokémon there are extremely welcoming, especially in the middle of the night~

[Misty]: ...What does "welcoming in the middle of the night" mean?

[Fantina]: It means they pull away your blanket while you’re sleeping~

[Misty]: Raina, come home immediately!

[Daisy]: Why are you panicking, Misty? Children eventually have to learn how to face the dangers of traveling independently.

[Misty]: No, they don’t!

The video continued.

Lavender Town Pokémon Center.

Night had already fallen.

Mist seeped through the gaps between the curtains, spreading a thin gray veil across the ceiling.

The room’s lights had been switched off. Only a small night-light left behind by Chansey remained glowing in the corner, casting a round shadow against the wall.

Raina took a deep breath and pulled the blanket over her head.

Approximately thirty seconds passed.

A Gastly floated across the ceiling.

Then a second Gastly drifted past.

Then came Haunter.

Haunter poked half its head through the floor. When it saw Raina curled beneath her blanket, it revealed a mischievous expression.

However, after noticing Gengar standing guard inside the room, it silently sank back through the floor.

[VIP Chat Group]

[Misty]: ...

[Daisy]: Misty, why aren’t you saying anything?

[Misty]: I’m trying to figure out how to reach through parallel worlds and drag Raina home.

[Violet]: You’ll need to locate the entrance to the parallel world first.

[Lily]: Even if you find it, Raina probably won’t agree to return with you.

[Misty]: Who did that child inherit this personality from?!

[Daisy]: You.

[Violet]: You.

[Lily]: You.

[Misty]: You three... I can’t take this anymore! Come back to the Gym immediately! Do you hear me?!

...

[Misty]: She’s pretending to be dead again!

[Diantha]: I think this night in Lavender Town is more entertaining than many films.

[Wallace]: Agreed. Especially the scene where the Gastly family floated past in a line. With the right lighting, it could become a magnificent stage production! We could call it The Ghosts of the Pokémon Center.

[Valerie]: I’ll handle the costume designs~

[Elesa]: I’ll take care of the styling. Raina’s pajamas could use a few improvements.

[Jasmine]: How do all of you manage to turn every possible opportunity into a discussion about work?!

[Skyla]: This isn’t work. It’s a hobby.

[Viola]: Valerie, Valerie! I captured the frame where Gastly was carrying a Berry! It was so adorable!

[Valerie]: Send it to me! Send it!

[Acerola]: Aaaaaah! Nights in Lavender Town are so wonderful! I want to host a Ghost Pokémon Night too~ Anyone interested in attending can register with me~

[Iris]: Sign me up! That sounds so much fun!

[Acerola]: All right, registered! Who’s next?

[Fantina]: I’ll join too!

[Acerola]: All right~ Anyone else?

[Leon]: ...I’m slightly interested.

[Leon]:Message withdrawn.

[Leon]: Hahaha, sorry. Raihan took my phone and sent that.

[Raihan]: ???

[Steven]: It’s too late. We all saw it.

[Lance]: So this is the strongest Trainer in Galar...

[Diantha]: I already captured a screenshot. "Leon Considers Joining a Ghost Tour" should easily become a trending League headline~

[Leon]: Since when did you start reporting the news, Diantha?!

[Diantha]: Getting something onto the trending page is quite simple~

[Wallace]: You’re about to become even more famous. Are you excited?

[Leon]: ...

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