To express gratitude to Teacher Luke, Blue contemplated for a while and decided to visit an old residence in Viridian. Despite his weariness of Professor Oak, Grandma Agatha still resided in Viridian, not far from Pallet Town. Furthermore, Agatha and Blue shared a personal connection; she once served as the substitute Gym Leader in Viridian City during Blue's time there.
Blue's feelings toward Grandma Agatha were complex. On one hand, she was an Elite Four member of the Kanto Alliance, renowned for her exceptional strength. On the other hand, she was an old friend of Blue's grandfather, although their paths had since diverged. Blue held a selfish hope that the two could meet again, even if it meant parting ways, as it was a better outcome than their current situation.
It was interesting to note that Professor Oak, typically confident and composed, would become slightly nervous when Agatha was mentioned. Blue contemplated this and slowly approached the door of the old house, which exuded a gloomy ambiance.
As Blue extended his hand to open the door, it creaked open before he touched it. The ancient dwelling was shrouded in thick fog, shrouded in darkness that obscured everything.
"Alakazam, Foresight," Blue uttered.
In an instant, the room transformed, revealing a gloomy, elderly woman seated at a table. She leaned on a cane as she tremulously prepared tea for Blue.
"Please, have a seat," Agatha said coldly.
"My grandfather also enjoyed this tea," Blue remarked.
Kacha!
Agatha, without even a glance, carelessly flung the teapot she was holding to the ground.
"Gengar, don't buy this tea next time," she said.
Gengar emerged from the shadows with a dejected look, poking at the spilled tea.
"So, what brings you here?" Agatha inquired.
"I owe a favor to someone who also have a Gengar," Blue explained. "So, I came to ask you about Gengar."
"You're quite straightforward," Agatha sneered. "That reminds me of your grandfather."
Blue nonchalantly shrugged. "I learned it from Red."
"Red..." Agatha took a seat on a bench, resting on her cane. She spoke with a hint of a smile, an unusual occurrence for her. "Like Red, your grandfather was a formidable Trainer. But now, I can't even see a shadow of the past."
Agatha tapped her cane irritably, which triggered a fit of coughing.
Blue settled into his chair, affecting an attentive posture. Agatha, who had lived in solitude for a long time, cast a rare gaze at him, and for a moment, her voice had a hint of warmth.
"If it weren't for your role as a researcher and Kanto's Champion, there would only be that old man," she remarked.
Blue maintained his calm demeanor. "But his research has benefited many people."
"Research?" Agatha scoffed. "How can such things compare to Pokémon battles?"
Agatha's gaze turned harsh as she fixed her eyes on Blue. "Do you know what he promised me back then? He vowed that he would always be a step ahead, so I could never catch up to him."
"Ha! He was an intellectual man!" Agatha scoffed. "I really couldn't keep up with him because he was no longer a Trainer!"
Blue remained silent.
"It's pointless to bring this up now," Agatha remarked, chuckling darkly. "But between you and Red, I see a bit of that old man from back then."
"I hope that when you two grow old, you don't turn into an old man like Oak," she added.
Agatha tapped her cane, her expression cold. "Gengar, show him out."
Asking for the Secret Records for Teacher Luke again seemed like an insurmountable task. Nevertheless, Blue paused for a moment before calmly stating, "I can send a letter to my grandfather on your behalf."
Agatha's frail figure trembled slightly in response.
"Whether you want to express your anger, disdain, or curse him," Blue said, "I will pass your message to my grandfather. If you can't find the right words to scold him, I can even help you craft them."
Agatha lifted her head, her cloudy eyes fixed on Blue. She appeared lonely, perhaps a result of her years of solitude.
"I also want to scold him on your behalf," Blue pondered, "and to be honest, I believe he won't feel too good about it when someone scolds him."
Blue continued, "Seeing him feel uncomfortable is all I want."
In the room, a silence fell.
Agatha finally spoke, her voice tinged with resentment and perhaps even a hint of longing.
"You've won, kid."
A while later, Agatha remarked, "You're as mischievous as your grandfather."
"Of course," Blue replied with a smile. "No matter how lengthy your letter turns out, I'll deliver it to my grandfather on your behalf. Don't rush; take your time writing it."
Blue made his way to the door, where he waved and stated, "I won't peek. Rest assured, there's no need for Gengar to hide in the shadows and watch me."
With a creak, the door closed once more.
Chaos reigned in the room, a chamber filled with solitude, an elderly figure with a cane.
For a lengthy duration, the room remained still. Then, Agatha ignited a dim oil lamp, seized her quill pen, and swiftly put down a multitude of spiteful words.
Finally, Agatha began to write:
"It has been a long time; I hope you are doing well..."
As the last leaf from the tree outside the window fell, Agatha halted her writing and added:
"The skies are beginning to change, and greetings are exchanged with the passage of time."
Blue reviewed the training experience provided by Agatha. It represented many years of her dedication, with a focus on training techniques for Gengar, particularly how to synchronize the use of Double Team with the Shadow Ball move. While a typical Double Team merely served as a deceptive tactic, following Agatha's method, Gengar could potentially make all the illusory duplicates tangible. Additionally, Agatha provided a training regimen for "Dream Eater," her signature move. For any Ghost-Type Trainer, this was a treasure trove capable of solving even the most stubborn of puzzles.
Although the costs had surged significantly, the benefits in terms of strength were far more valuable.
"Thanks to Grandma Agatha's guidance," Blue muttered.
"Teacher Luke should be satisfied with this."
Armed with Agatha's letter and newfound knowledge, Blue returned to Professor Oak's laboratory. In the backyard, the gray-haired professor was exclaiming, "Wow! Blue, you've arrived at the perfect time; Ash's Muk is far too heavy!"
Blue couldn't help but wear a perplexed expression.
After freeing Professor Oak, who had been pinned down by Muk, Blue cleared his throat and said, "You should take a shower first... I'll brief you later."
Ten minutes later, Professor Oak, humming a tune, emerged from the shower and donned a plain white shirt. He appeared bewildered and commented, "Hey, you're not Blue!"
Blue tilted his head and responded, "Let's cut the jokes. I've brought a letter from Grandma Agatha."
Blue dropped the letter on the table, clapped the case with both hands, leaned forward and warned:
"Read it as a friend…If you have other plans, I will go to grandma and curse you on your grave!"
The professor looked bewildered and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Never mind. Take your time, and I won't interrupt you," Blue said as he waved and exited the room.
"Agatha sent a letter..." Professor Oak murmured as he unfolded the lengthy letter.
As time passed, dusk descended upon the home, and Pidgey returned to their nests. Professor Oak, resting his cheek in one hand, reached for a long-abandoned cigarette.
Pushing aside the letter, he sighed deeply.
With a hand to his face, the elderly man with silver temples extracted an old, yellowed photograph from a nearby book.
As he gazed upon the young boys and girls in the old photo, he drifted into contemplation.
"Grandma Agatha's training technique?!" Teacher Luke's expression shifted slightly.
The boost in power... but at what cost?
"Your welcome," Blue said with a slight smile. "Just follow Grandma Agatha's approach step by step."
Teacher Luke appeared pensive, gazing up at the sky, his eyes seemingly moist.
Speaking of which, Gengar's current configuration is Koga's Toxic, Cynthia's Shadow Ball, Sabrina's Psychic…
If Agatha's training method is added…
"It's too powerful, Gengar!"
"jie jie~?! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
Gengar, lying on the couch and occasionally indulging in a bag of potato chips, suddenly dropped the chips in surprise. The master's words were clearly a jest.
It appeared that there was no room for complacency; Gengar needed to train diligently at all times.
Gengar clenched its tiny fists, its eyes ablaze.
Press on, Gengar!