"Lt. Surge, I'm up next!"
Ash yelled, buzzing with energy.
Right now, he felt Lt. Surge was nothing special.
"Sure thing, kid—let's get this battle started."
Lt. Surge grinned, handed his two injured Pokémon off to the Gym staff, and stepped up to meet Ash.
…
"Pikachuuu—!"
History repeated itself: Ash carried Pikachu to the Pokémon Center for treatment.
"Felt like watching another episode," Grey muttered to himself.
"Green, what about you? I'm heading to the Center."
Grey dangled Breloom's Poké Ball and glanced at Ash's retreating back.
"Me? Obviously I'm challenging the Gym~"
Chin up, Green turned to Lt. Surge. "Lt. Surge, I'd like a battle with you too~"
"Hm?"
Lt. Surge's gaze flicked between Grey and Green.
After a beat, he nodded once. "All right."
"Then I'll catch you later. I'll be waiting on good news."
Grey left Vermilion Gym and headed to the Pokémon Center.
After a few minutes' walk—
With Poké Balls handed off to Nurse Joy, Grey stepped into a ward.
"Pikachu…"
Ash sat by the bed, clutching his limited-edition League cap, eyes full of worry as he watched bandaged Pikachu sleep.
Since Pewter, the road had been almost all smooth sailing.
The sudden loss hurt.
But mostly, he was worried about Pikachu.
"Pikachu's injuries aren't that bad. Some proper rest and it'll be fine."
Grey's voice drew the group's attention.
"Mr. Grey… sorry you had to see me like this."
In a funk, Ash forced a wry smile when Grey arrived.
"Losing is normal for a rookie. Don't fixate on wins and losses—pull lessons from the loss."
Grey patted Ash's shoulder, trying to lift him up. "Gary didn't make a fuss when he lost to me, did he? From the looks of it, you two are rivals, right?"
At the mention of Gary, Ash visibly perked up.
Especially remembering Gary's sour face—suddenly his own loss felt less awful.
Still…
"It's rough on Pikachu."
Ash sighed, all worry again.
"Pika…"
Pikachu slowly came to, blinking up at a strange ceiling.
"Pikachu! Are you okay?"
His voice softened at the end.
"Pika…"
Pikachu turned its head away; the look in its small eyes was mostly negative.
Frustration. Disappointment…
All tangled together.
All because it lost to Raichu.
"The blow to Pikachu's heart is the real injury."
Grey crouched, voice low. "Because of Raichu, right?"
"Pika…"
Pikachu nodded.
If it had lost to any other Pokémon, fine.
But it lost to its own evolution.
It gave its all—and still couldn't beat Raichu…
"Not your all."
Grey said it gently but plainly.
"Pika?"
Pikachu pushed itself up, wanting to object—
But Grey shook his head. "I mean you and Ash didn't lean into your true advantages."
"Our true… advantages?"
"Pika?"
They looked at each other, then back at Grey.
"Eh, say too much and it limits your thinking. Better you discover it yourselves. That said—if you want, I can run you through some special training over the next two days."
Grey's smile was warm and sunny.
Ash and Pikachu exchanged a look, then answered Grey, firm and bright: "Gym Leader Grey—please train us!"
Grey's eyes twinkled—an idea. "In that case, I'll take you to a perfect spot."
"Mm!"
…
Following his memory, Grey led them to a villa near Vermilion's harbor.
"Mr. Grey, what are we doing here?"
Ash scratched his head, puzzled.
This was private training, so he hadn't brought Misty and Brock.
Yeah, selfish—but still.
"I heard this place is haunted. Perfect spot to test the truth—and test you."
Grey pointed at the empty villa.
Ash: ???
"W-what if there really are ghosts?"
Ash swallowed.
Pikachu, too, wanted to bail.
It feared nothing—except ghosts!
"Even better. Then we'll see what your advantages really are."
Grey's face went serious as he nudged Ash toward the door.
…
Creeeak—
The villa was empty.
Grey pushed; the front door swung open.
"Are we really just walking into someone's house…?"
Ash tried a flimsy excuse.
"The owner's dying for a ghost-hunting streamer to clear the place. We're basically doing a good deed—might even earn some good karma."
Grey slipped on a mask and stepped in first.
Ash and Pikachu stalled at the threshold—
Then steeled themselves and followed.
The villa was deathly quiet.
Ash scratched his head; aside from being run-down, it didn't seem much different.
"Mr. Grey, are you sure there are ghosts here?"
"Yep. I'm using Aura to… ahem, find them."
Blue light pooled in Grey's palm, drifting like a lazy flame.
Ash was so fascinated by the ability that he missed Grey's mid-sentence correction.
"They're here. Heads up!"
Grey's shout snapped the air.
The temperature plunged; wisps of ghostly chill seeped up from the floorboards.
"???"
Ash gaped.
But he braced hard for whatever came next.
"Pikachu, battle stance!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu squared up; sparks flickered in its cheek sacs as it scanned the room.
"Kyeh-kyeh-kyeh—"
A mad cackle circled them, skin-crawling.
"Ash, there's a pale ghost hand on your shoulder."
Grey stroked his chin, settling in like a spectator.
"???"
Ash turned his head—just in time to see a white, ghostly hand fading away.
Cue instant chaos.
"Mr. Grey!"
"Handle it yourselves. Remember what I told you."
Grey's voice floated in from nowhere.
"…"
"…"
With no choice, Trainer and partner focused, searching for the source.
"Right—the Pokédex!"
Ash whipped out his Pokédex and swept the room.
"Beep. No data found."
Ash: "…"
Three times. Three!
Three scans in a row with nothing.
He was now 90% sure Professor Oak had given him a bootleg.
[Pokémon: Gengar]
[Type: Ghost/Poison]
[Level: 40]
[Ability: Cursed Body]
[Moves: …]
"Ash, that's a Gengar—and it's stronger than Lt. Surge's Raichu."
Grey offered the reminder.
"!"
Ash and Pikachu stiffened and turned.
"Go all out."
Grey propped his cheek on one hand and said softly, "After all, I'll step in."
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