Pokémon are born in various ways, and the birth of Ghost-type Pokémon invariably involves the concept of death.
"Why did the Ranger Assistant guide me here?" Summer wondered, looking at the green oak tree before him. Its leaves had long since fallen, leaving only dry, lifeless branches.
This tree had naturally died, its long life ending as its trunk gradually decayed, eventually merging with the earth.
"Groo!" Grookey sensed something and pointed Summer towards the trunk.
"What is this?"
A dark shadow seeped from the trunk, and the dry bark flew into the air, assembling into a stump shape. The shadow coalesced around the stump, and a pair of bright red eyes opened, curiously observing everything around it.
"A Phantump born from the dead green oak tree?"
According to the Pokédex, Phantump are spirits of children who died in the forest, possessing tree stumps to become Pokémon. But what Summer observed was entirely different.
The Pokédex serves as a rough guide for trainers, with its contents continuously updated with new discoveries. For example, Mimikyu was only recently confirmed as a type of Pokémon.
"Woooo~~"
The Phantump floated around the dead green oak tree, emitting an eerie, mournful cry.
To the Phantump, this green oak tree might be its parent or its previous form. Summer wasn't sure, but the important thing now was to familiarize himself with it and establish an agreement, as Ghost-type Pokémon are generally dangerous.
For instance, the Phantump in front of him might mimic a child's voice to lure adults into the forest, causing them to lose their way and become its companions.
Since it was born in Sunset Forest, it was now a resident, and Summer wouldn't drive it away. However, he would need to curb its behavior to prevent the forest from becoming haunted.
"Phantump." Summer called out to it.
The Phantump stopped floating and looked at Summer with its bright red eyes. This human exuded a sense of familiarity, and it didn't feel the urge to attack.
"You were born in Sunset Forest, so you are now a member of this forest," Summer paused, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Summer, the ranger of Sunset Forest, and this is Grookey. Don't worry, we mean you no harm."
"Groo~" Grookey raised its hand in greeting.
Born? The Phantump's memories were hazy, filled with unchanging scenery much like the current scene.
The desire to see more landscapes sprouted within it, and the Phantump turned and quickly floated deeper into the forest.
Not knowing what the Phantump intended, Summer followed closely behind, traversing the forest.
The Phantump floated through the air, constantly scanning the trees around it. It noted a particularly healthy tree, another that was somewhat undernourished, and yet another teeming with vitality.
It stopped before a Colbur Berry tree, at the base of which a Morpeko was enjoying a berry.
"That's one of the trees I optimized," Summer murmured.
Although curious, the Phantump only stayed briefly before continuing its patrol.
Summer didn't show any signs of impatience. Patrolling the forest was his daily routine, and he felt at ease only after making a round of Sunset Forest.
However, Summer's patience didn't mean Grookey could endure boredom. Grookey fiddled with the small wooden drum around its neck and decided to play it for a while.
"Doom~"
The melodious drum sound echoed around, and the Phantump suddenly stopped. It was familiar with this sound.
Its blurry memories became clearer, recalling its time as a green oak tree. It sensed its sturdy trunk beginning to wither, its green leaves falling as its life neared its end, and unease permeated its being.
Powerless, its consciousness gradually blurred until it heard a melodious drum sound. The rhythm felt like an invisible heartbeat, injecting vitality and reviving its fading consciousness.
It wanted to hear more but couldn't reverse the course of life. Yet, it wished to leave something behind. This desire triggered its remaining life force, and at the moment of death, its thoughts transformed into the Phantump.
The Phantump's form began to blur, its core essence disintegrating as its wish was fulfilled, signaling its imminent disappearance.
Summer looked surprised. Could Grookey's drumming have the power to lay souls to rest?
The Phantump's disappearance would save him a potential problem, but every life has its significance. It seemed too cruel for it to vanish within an hour of its birth, especially without seeing the entirety of Sunset Forest.
"Grookey, stop for now."
Grookey immediately ceased playing, and the Phantump's blurred form solidified. It looked confused, unsure why it had hesitated.
"Phantump, your tour isn't over. You haven't seen all of Sunset Forest yet."
Indeed, I want to see more scenery. The Phantump no longer felt lost and sped up its tour, experiencing various landscapes.
It saw intense battles between birds and insects, grasslands as warm as the sun with small Grass-types sliding over them, and delicious green berries. The forest was familiar yet new, but it didn't dislike the change. Life constantly changes; only the dead remain static.
Finally, it returned to the dead green oak tree, gazing at it intently.
"You probably originated from this tree," Summer approached the withered green oak tree. "Phantump, after exploring the forest, what are your thoughts?"
Thoughts? The Phantump found everything in this forest beautiful, but what could a ghost born from a dead tree do?
"I mentioned earlier that I'm a ranger, and a ranger's duty is to protect the forest."
The Phantump caught a keyword in Summer's words: protect. Yes, beautiful things should be protected. Its red eyes sparkled as it found a new goal.
"Woooo~"
The Phantump called out, its eyes on Summer's badge.
It floated over, touching the badge with the branches on its head.
"I see, you want to become a ranger too. A once-protected being becoming a protector," Summer smiled, clenching his fist. "Listen well, Phantump. A ranger is someone who treats the forest kindly but shows no mercy to those with ill intentions towards it!"
The Phantump nodded, somewhat understanding. Meanwhile, a familiar voice echoed in Summer's mind.
[Agreement reached.]
"Summer, don't you think Sunset Forest feels more eerie?"
Aya, the leader of the trio, whispered in Summer's ear. They had come to play with Summer but felt a chill walking through the forest.
"Don't worry. As long as you have no ill intentions towards the forest, nothing will happen. At worst, you might get lost and go hungry for a few days."
"Isn't that the scariest thing?!" Aya exclaimed, horrified at the thought of missing meals.
Summer responded with a slight smile, not just to Aya but also to the two pairs of red eyes outside the window.
The natural death of trees is normal, and this Phantump is the first of its kind, but it won't be the last. Shortly after that day, it brought another newly born Phantump.
Summer calmly took out a carved wooden plaque from his drawer and hung it on the branches above its head, inscribed with the words:
"Guardian Spirit of Sunset Forest."
(End of the chapter)