Below Mt. Silver, Silver Academy, Kanto Region.
In a dorm room adorned with cute cartoons and overflowing with a girlish vibe, a tall girl with shiny black stockings and a tight black skirt, wearing thin-framed glasses, was hugging a chubby Jigglypuff plushie, her face lit with girlish delight.
Bam!!
Suddenly, the dorm door was flung open, and in walked another girl with long bluish-grey hair, wearing a yellow cropped top and strutting in golden high heels.
"Lorelei, you should—"
The girl holding the plushie was none other than the future Kanto Elite Four member and Ice-type master, Lorelei!
The bluish-grey-haired girl had just entered but stopped mid-sentence when she saw Lorelei's pale cheeks turn slightly pink as she hastily hid the Jigglypuff plushie behind her.
"Oh, stop hiding it, I saw it," the blue-haired girl teased playfully.
"Who would've thought that our 'cool ice queen' actually has such a girly side?"
Lorelei coughed lightly, her expression gradually returning to its usual cold demeanor.
"Lira, say what you came to say."
So, the bluish-grey-haired girl was Lira, the future Johto Elite Four Dark-type master!
Lira pouted in response.
"It's a shame no one else will see this side of you."
"Just check the League website. There's a 'Perish Song' strategy that's really interesting."
"Perish Song?" Lorelei raised an eyebrow as she reached for her tablet, wrapped in an Eevee-themed case.
"Not many people can use that strategy effectively. The only ones I know are Agatha—"
Opening the League website, she quickly found the video, which was rapidly gaining traction.
"Johan? This name… sounds vaguely familiar. And the opponent is the Royal Masked Man?"
The Royal Masked Man was more well-known than Johan, especially since his skills were recognized by many top trainers.
Curious, Lorelei started watching, her calm, icy eyes slowly revealing a look of surprise as the video progressed.
"Well?" Lira asked, crossing her legs and leaning on the table with a keen grin. "Pretty interesting, huh?"
Lorelei, engrossed in the video, didn't respond immediately.
After a while, she set the tablet down, her eyes flashing with contemplation as she murmured,
"Using 'Rest' with 'Focus Sash', alternating 'Substitute' with 'Protect', and opening with 'Perish Song'—if the strength gap isn't too large—"
"Tch, dirty, isn't it?" Lira said, teasing. "You use 'Perish Song' too, but this one's on another level."
Lorelei twirled a lock of hair between her fingers.
"It's got a bit of Agatha's touch to it, but it does fit Lapras quite well."
Lira leaned in, lowering her voice.
"Aren't you going to… take on that guy soon?"
Blackthorn City, Dragon's Den, Johto Region.
"Let's land, Dragonite."
Lance patted Dragonite, smiling.
Dragonite had just recently evolved, so Lance had been training in Blackthorn City these past few days, not just for Dragonite, but for Aerodactyl too.
"What is it, Clair?"
Clair, a girl with light blue hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a fitted outfit accentuating her figure, and the future Blackthorn City Gym Leader, handed Lance a tablet.
"Look, Johan's video is up."
"Really?"
Lance's eyes lit up as he took the tablet.
"Um… Big Bro, I'd advise not to—"
But Clair spoke too late. Lance and Dragonite were already watching the video intensely. They watched the entire thing in one go.
When they finished, Lance turned his head stiffly towards Dragonite.
"Rawr…?" Dragonite mumbled with a confused expression.
Hoenn Region, Rustboro Pokémon Academy.
Gastly getting into a fight with another Pokémon was the last thing Johan expected.
Typically, while mischievous, Gastly mostly liked to prank people within reason. It was surprising to see it actually engaging in a fight.
So, Johan immediately followed the student who reported the incident.
As per Johan's instructions, Gastly and Vulpix hadn't gone far. They were near a wooded area behind the lecture hall.
The Rustboro Academy's grounds were well-maintained with ample greenery, which meant not only students' Pokémon but also the Academy's Pokémon and even some wild ones roamed the campus.
The wild Pokémon on campus were usually mild-mannered and familiar with humans due to prolonged interaction with students and their Pokémon.
But there are always exceptions.
In the Rustboro Academy's small forest lived a group of Slakoth and Vigoroth.
They were known around campus as bullies, frequently teasing couples sneaking into the woods and pulling playful pranks on them.
It was rumored that these Slakoth and Vigoroth were left behind by a trainer who had once trained here.
Over time, students jokingly dubbed the area the "Couple's Burial Woods."
Or, more succinctly— "The Forest of Love's Demise."
When Johan arrived, he saw Gastly facing off against two Vigoroth.
Nearby, four or five Slakoth were sprawled out in deep sleep.
It was hard to tell whether they were naturally sleeping or if Gastly had put them under.
However, when Johan saw an empty MooMoo Milk bottle and Vulpix's teary eyes, he made a guess.
It seemed likely that Gastly had taken Vulpix for a stroll around the Academy, showing it the grounds while enjoying some MooMoo Milk. But then, a couple of Vigoroth must have appeared, trying to steal their milk, leading to this showdown.
A battle over milk?
A war for MooMoo Milk?
Come to think of it, Vigoroth, being a Normal-type with the "Vital Spirit" ability, did have an advantage over a Ghost-type like Gastly that specialized in control moves.
[Vital Spirit: Prevents the Pokémon from falling asleep.]
"Vigoooo!"
Before Johan could get closer, one of the Vigoroth growled and charged at Gastly with incredible speed.
"Gastly, Smog, then use Toxic!"
"Ka-kah!"
Upon hearing Johan's command, Gastly's eyes lit up with excitement.
It released a thick cloud of purple smog, obscuring the Vigoroth's vision, and then darted behind it. Sticking out its tongue mockingly, Gastly spat out a glob of sticky, venomous liquid onto the Vigoroth's back.
Hei~tui!
The second Vigoroth couldn't hold back any longer and lunged at Gastly.
"Vulpix, use Confusion!" Johan's footsteps gradually slowed.
"O-Oowu?"
Vulpix's wide eyes glanced between Johan, Gastly, and the approaching Vigoroth, unsure of what to do.
"You don't want to see Gastly get hurt, right?" Johan's voice was soft yet firm.
Hearing this, Vulpix grew increasingly anxious, whimpering softly, clearly hesitant and conflicted.
But as the Vigoroth's claws closed in on Gastly, Vulpix's expression shifted in an instant.
"Oowu!!"
A powerful psychic force erupted, sending both Vigoroth flying— the one hit with Toxic included.
"Ka-kah."
Watching the Vigoroth get flung away, Gastly reminisced about its own experience not long ago.
No, I definitely looked cooler when I got blasted away, it mused.
"What happened?"
Johan approached, frowning.
"Oowu~~"
Returning to its senses, Vulpix looked up at Johan with teary eyes, on the verge of crying.
I couldn't put them to sleep…
I couldn't put the Vigoroth to sleep… I'm not good enough, Vulpix seemed to be thinking.
Hmm?
Johan raised an eyebrow at Vulpix's explanation.
Perhaps the situation wasn't exactly as he had initially thought.
"Where are you going?"
Turning around, Johan caught Gastly trying to sneak away.
Gastly jolted, freezing in its tracks, and turned back with an awkward grin, tongue lolling out. It uncurled its tongue to reveal a Lum Berry, slightly marred by claw marks.
"Ka-kaah!"
Want some? It tastes pretty good.
Johan narrowed his eyes. "Is that all?"
"Ka-kah!"
That's it! I swear!
Not convinced, Johan grabbed Gastly, ignoring the tingling sensation in his fingers from the contact, and turned it upside down.
"Ka… ka… ka—"
From Gastly's mouth spilled five or six Lum Berries, three hairpins, two hats, two pens, and a couple of shed Vigoroth claws.
Johan's eyes narrowed further.
Are you a Gastly or a Greedent?
"Grrrrr!"
Suddenly, a deeper, more intimidating roar echoed from within the forest.
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Powerstones?
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