Pokémon are deeply attuned to nature. Their senses are incredibly sharp—whether it's strength or weakness, good or evil, they can vaguely perceive it.
Such things in this world have many explanations: energy, magnetic fields, and, of course, Aura.
One must understand—many Pokémon will choose their own Trainers. They only wish to find someone whose frequency resonates with theirs.
Take Arbok, for example. Even if an ordinary Trainer manages to capture it, it's nearly impossible to command. At best, it won't listen; at worst, it'll bite back.
But in the hands of someone with a strong, commanding presence—like Jessie—it can be easily subdued.
James, on the other hand, is too gentle. Compared to Jessie's big-sister dominance, James's personality is much softer, and thus ill-suited for handling such a Pokémon.
Of course, "strong" does not necessarily equal "evil." The two are not interchangeable. Generals on ancient battlefields were all hard-edged, yet their strength carved immortal legacies.
Among Yozora's Pokémon, only Beedrill carried a cold and steely temperament. The rest, even Nidorino the Poison King, were bright and optimistic, more like sunny youths.
And so—
The four Pokémon present—Psyduck, Pidgeot, Machop, and Geodude—naturally gravitated toward Jun, the equally sunny, cheerful young girl.
After all, she was a Joy. At her age she was a bit mischievous, yes, but at her core Jun radiated warmth and gentleness.
Once the camp was set up, Yozora gave instructions: Pidgeot gathered firewood, while Psyduck, Machop, and Geodude collected Berries. Together, they prepared a hearty lunch.
Yozora even used wood and leaves to build a cozy little nest for Ponyta, specially for egg incubation.
"Ponyta, I'll leave this to you."
Yozora handed Magikarp's Egg to Jun, who in turn passed it to Ponyta. Ponyta nodded softly, then curled into the nest with tender care, settling down to incubate.
Thanks to its Flame Body Ability, Ponyta's body heat was the perfect natural incubator for the egg.
With the most important matter taken care of, Yozora and his companions settled into a relaxed, cheerful rhythm of camping life.
Yozora fished by the riverside with Psyduck, while Beedrill dozed lazily on a tree branch. Jun happily busied herself preening Pidgeot's feathers.
Pidgeot was huge and majestic, while Jun was tiny in comparison. Grooming it was a massive task for her, yet she was all smiles, giggling throughout the day.
Meanwhile, Machop and Geodude had long been used to their spartan training regimen. They never stopped working.
This time, though, Yozora gave them weighted restraints, increasing the difficulty of their drills.
Harder training meant greater results.
Machop adapted quickly.
Ever since it gained the Huge Power Ability, its strength had skyrocketed. In terms of raw power alone, Machop could already rival Senior-level Pokémon.
Because of this, normal restraints had little effect.
"Machop!"
Its strength surged, ordinary drills no longer satisfying. Grinning, Machop lifted Geodude and began weight training with it.
"???"
Geodude was stunned. It was about to get angry, but then remembered how much Machop usually helped it in training. With a resigned sigh, it relaxed and played along.
And so, it became the weight.
Machop, in return, proved fair. After finishing a set, it released Geodude, then signaled: "Hit me with everything you've got!"
Machop deliberately used itself as a sandbag, allowing Geodude to train its strength while Machop simultaneously honed its Bulk Up technique, hardening both body and defense.
Two Pokémon, pushing each other forward—their results soared to new heights.
Several days passed in this rhythm. Yozora, Beedrill, Psyduck, and Pidgeot blended into nature, utterly relaxed.
Machop and Geodude, however, never slacked on training.
By now, Yozora had even upgraded Machop's restraints to advanced weights, further boosting its regimen.
On the third night—
Everyone, including Jun and Ponyta, had fallen asleep. Yozora alone remained awake, fishing silently by the riverbank.
"Whew…"
A sudden gust of chill wind swept by, making him shiver.
When he opened his eyes again, he froze.
Across the river stood a beautiful silver-haired girl, her features delicate and flawless under the bright moonlight.
"Young man, have you heard my story?" she asked, her voice low and ethereal, carrying a hypnotic pull.
Yozora's instincts screamed. He immediately surged Aura within himself to resist the drowsiness.
He said nothing. But the girl didn't mind. She continued on her own:
"Two thousand years ago, during a time of war, there was a young girl. She waited and waited for her lover to return victorious. She waited endlessly, but he never came back. In the end, the girl herself became stone—known forever as Maiden Rock."
"A girl from two thousand years ago? A statue? Maiden Rock?"
Yozora stiffened. The tale struck a chord—he remembered it.
It was a story from the original series.
If that was true—
Then the girl before him must be… that incredibly dangerous Gastly!
"You're saying… you're that girl from two thousand years ago?" Yozora asked, deliberately provoking.
"Ahahaha…"
A coarse laugh erupted. The girl's body warped, dissolving into smoke—revealing a Gastly, floating and grinning.
"Young man, to think you could resist my Hypnosis, even a little… But that's not the point. The real question is—what did you think of my story?"
"It was tragic and beautiful," Yozora admitted with a nod. He had been moved by that tale long ago, when he first watched it in another life.
But at this moment, his mind wasn't on the story.
What he truly cared about was the Gastly itself.
He wasn't alone in that.
With a flash like lightning, Beedrill shot to Yozora's side, every needle raised, bristling with tension. Its compound eyes glared unblinkingly at Gastly.
Yozora could feel it—Beedrill's unease was unlike anything before.
"My Beedrill stands at the very peak of Elite level. Even when facing Champion-level veterans like Professor Oak's team, it never showed such alarm… So what in the world is this Gastly?!"
Heart racing, Yozora hurriedly activated his system, locking eyes on the specter.
[Pokémon]: Gastly
[Type]: Ghost + Poison
[Level]: Tier 3 Legendary
[Potential]: Tier 3 Legendary
[Description]: A Gastly that has lived for countless years. Over its long, endless existence, its potential has risen to divine heights, reaching the domain of gods.
(End of Chapter)