In fact, Gastly was also thinking about whether it should follow this human chosen by Ho-Oh. This human was not only chosen by Ho-Oh but also seemed to harbor some secrets.
Perhaps, by following this human, it might have a chance to reach the realm of the gods.
However, Gastly ultimately dismissed this idea. The human was currently too weak, not worth following, and... it didn't want to be bound. It cherished its freedom.
"So... when will they wake up?" Ash looked at Misty and Brock, then asked Gastly.
"Don't worry, their dreams are different from yours. I simply hypnotized them into a deep sleep. They'll wake up feeling refreshed," Gastly assured Ash with a smile. It wasn't a malicious Pokémon.
Ash's eyes flickered as he pondered Gastly's words. His dream had indeed been peculiar. For a moment, he had believed that his current reality was a dream, and everything within it was an illusion.
Gastly had created this dream, so... would it know what transpired within it?
Dawn, May, Iris, Serena, and Lillie were people he had never met. Would Gastly be aware of them?
"It seems your dreams hold some secrets..." Gastly, with its millennia of existence and countless experiences, was adept at observation. It could discern Ash's thoughts just by looking at him.
"However, it's a pity that I am not Darkrai, the Nightmare God, and I don't possess the power to peer into your dreams," Gastly explained, seemingly sighing for itself.
"Nightmare God... is that Darkrai?" Upon hearing Gastly mention it, Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He felt Gastly had no reason to deceive him, and he was also intrigued by this Nightmare God.
"Indeed, it's Darkrai," Gastly replied with a cryptic smile, offering no further explanation.
"Now that you've tested us, shouldn't you leave?" Ash asked, wanting Gastly to depart. Although Gastly hadn't harmed them, he still felt uneasy about its presence.
"After learning what you wanted, you're simply casting me aside?" Gastly teased, though it didn't seem to mind. It raised an eyebrow, and dark purple Ghost-type energy surged forth, coalescing around it.
Ash's expression shifted slightly as he observed Gastly's actions, unsure of its intentions.
"Relax, if I intended to harm you, you wouldn't have time to react," Gastly reassured Ash. As it spoke, the condensed energy formed a spherical gem.
The gem resembled a glass ball, about ten centimeters in diameter. It was mostly transparent, with a thread-like streak running through its center.
The streak was a blend of dark purple and dark red, reminiscent of a DNA strand, but not as intricate.
"Is this... a Mega Evolution Stone?!" Ash was astonished, recognizing the gem despite never having seen one in person. He had, however, heard of these legendary stones and encountered them in games in his past life.
"Precisely, it's a Mega Evolution Stone..."
Gastly wasn't surprised that Ash knew about Mega Evolution Stones. Although rare, they weren't entirely unheard of.
Even in the distant Kalos region, certain families with ancient lineages had passed down Mega Evolution Stones through generations.
"Take it," Gastly offered the Mega Evolution Stone to Ash.
"What's the meaning of this...?" Ash hesitated, puzzled by Gastly's intentions.
"Don't worry, there are no ulterior motives this time. It's compensation for the trouble I caused and a reward for passing my test," Gastly explained with an innocent look, and it was telling the truth.
"I don't accept something for nothing. I'm sorry, but I can't take it," Ash declined, wary of Gastly's true intentions. Who knew if there were any hidden tricks within the Mega Evolution Stone?
"You're quite cautious~!" Gastly chuckled. "However, if you don't accept it, I'll simply take it back. I truly have no other intentions."
Ash remained unmoved, gesturing for Gastly to put it away. Although the Mega Evolution Stone was valuable, even if he didn't use it, he could sell it for a fortune.
"Put it away..." At that moment, a childish voice, like that of a young girl, echoed in the room. Ash was stunned and turned towards the source, only to find Marshadow had appeared.
"Marshadow, can you speak?!" Ash wasn't surprised by Marshadow's appearance, but he was astonished that it could speak human language.
When he met the giant Dragonite before, Marshadow didn't speak; was it because other people were present, or for some other reason?
Marshadow didn't answer, merely glancing at Ash and Gastly before vanishing back into the shadows.
"You heard it, Marshadow also wants you to accept this Mega Evolution Stone. Even if you don't trust me, you should trust Marshadow," Gastly said, raising an eyebrow at Ash.
"Then... thank you." Ash understood that Marshadow wouldn't harm him, so he nodded and accepted the Mega Evolution Stone.
"This is Gengar's Mega Evolution Stone. If you can find the Key Stone and obtain a Gengar, you can Mega Evolve it with this stone." Gastly smiled, then gradually faded and disappeared within the room.
"Gengar's Mega Evolution Stone..." Ash looked at the Mega Evolution Stone in his hand, then at the room around him. Everything felt surreal, like a dream.
"I should wake Misty and Brock up first." Ash put the Mega Evolution Stone into his backpack, moved Brock to his bed, and then Misty to hers, placing Pikachu beside her.
Ash checked the time; it was already one in the morning. After freshening up, he arranged a few chairs together, lay down on them, and fell asleep.
"It would be great if I could re-enter that dream..." Before falling asleep, Ash couldn't help but think about the dream Gastly had created. He still retained some memories of everything within it.
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