Ash had never been afraid of ghosts.
If one day a ghost actually killed him, then with his sheer willpower, he'd probably turn into a ghost himself.
And when the two ghosts met afterward?
That would be really awkward.
"So… you're the one who killed me?"
He'd probably beat that ghost so hard it would ascend again.
But seriously—
Why did you slap Red's soul straight out of his body?!
Ash didn't even have time to scold the utterly confused-looking Gengar beside him.
Red's half-transparent soul had already fully separated from Ash's head, floating upward in a shower of golden light, surrounded by sacred, heavenly music.
It looked exactly like he was on his way to paradise.
"…Whoa. Is this what Red actually looks like?" Ash muttered.
The soul hovering above him looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. His expression was calm and detached, eyes empty—probably just as shocked by Gengar's Evil-Banishing Slap as anyone else.
Ash had always thought Red was only three or four years older than him.
"…But he doesn't look anything like me."
Red had once mentioned that Gary and Blue closely resembled the souls behind them—only younger or older versions.
Only Ash looked completely different.
The soul continued to drift upward.
Panicking, Ash reached out to grab it—his hand passed straight through.
"Whoosh—"
In no time at all, Red's vacant-looking spirit phased through the ceiling and drifted up to the next floor, disappearing completely.
Ash: "…"
…Damn it.
Did he really just ascend like that?
Cold sweat poured down Ash's face as he shot Gengar a vicious glare.
"Geng… geng?"
Gengar's huge eyes bulged innocently. Its wrinkled skin scrunched as it looked at the paper fan in its hand, utterly confused.
It had just prank-slapped its Trainer…
and accidentally knocked out an evil spirit?
That sounded like a good thing!
So why was Ash mad?
Even ghosts were confused.
Without hesitation, Ash grabbed Gengar's chubby body and started searching for the stairs to the third floor.
Red hadn't been separated for long yet—Ash guessed that if he could somehow suck Red back in quickly, maybe everything would go back to normal.
Like picking food up within three seconds.
"Damn it—where are the stairs?!"
From the second floor onward, Pokémon Tower was thick with fog. Gravestones and wooden barriers blocked the way, making fast movement nearly impossible.
Ash searched for ages without success.
"If only Red hadn't given away that utility Pidgeot…" Ash muttered.
One Defog, and the entire tower would've been purified instantly.
—Wait.
Was he… already starting to think about Red's inheritance?
That's evil!
Ash shook his head hard and refocused.
If he really couldn't find Red, then he'd think about inheritance.
Respect came first!
Pokémon Tower – Third Floor
The fog here was even thicker than on the second floor.
A spiky-haired boy sat cross-legged in front of a gravestone, his shoulders trembling slightly as he nervously glanced around.
"Green… how much longer are we supposed to pay respects…?"
Gary whispered.
He had entered Pokémon Tower earlier than Ash.
After a long pause, a heavy voice echoed in his mind.
"…Let me stay here for another hour."
In front of Gary stood a gravestone bearing a black-and-white photo of a brown rodent Pokémon.
It was covered in dust—clearly, no one had visited in a long time.
Gary hadn't erected this grave.
Green had simply followed memories from his previous world and come to the same spot.
And coincidentally—
The same Pokémon was enshrined here.
It was… ironic.
"Gary," Green suddenly asked,
"you're not scared, are you?"
Gary jolted upright.
"Sc-scared?! Me? I, Gary Oak, afraid?!"
"Hmph! Green, you can stay here as long as you want!"
The louder he spoke, the braver he sounded.
…And he instantly regretted it.
His shout stirred the fog.
"Ehee…"
"Ssss…"
Sinister whispers echoed around him. Gary's hair stood on end.
Several Gastly and Haunter slowly emerged from the mist, drifting closer, clearly preparing to attack.
Strangely enough, Gary's courage surged instead.
"Hmph! I'm afraid of real ghosts! Ghost-type Pokémon don't mean squat!"
He quickly reached for his belt and pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Green, I'm borrowing this—no problem, right?"
"Use it however you like,"
Green replied absentmindedly.
Gary didn't have many Pokémon effective against Ghost-types.
Borrowing one didn't count as borrowing.
"Come out—Utility Pidgeot!"
"Piiidgeeooott!!"
A massive, majestic bird burst forth, its vibrant feathers shining even through the fog.
Hearing the nickname, it flapped its wings proudly, clearly satisfied.
This was Red's true skill.
Not only had he taught Pidgeot countless utility moves it shouldn't have learned—
He'd even made it genuinely accept the nickname "Utility Pidgeot."
Ash only dared call his Pidgeotto "Pidgeotto" when stealing eggs.
Say it too often and Pokémon might revolt.
Green: "…"
Damn it.
That bastard Red…
He really turned my bird into this?!
Gary, unaware of any of this, was thrilled. Borrowing a Pokémon he could win with even blindfolded felt great.
He pointed dramatically.
"Utility Pidgeot—use Foresight!"
Pidgeot's sharp eyes glowed blue as it scanned the area.
In an instant, every Gastly and Haunter was fully revealed, unable to hide in the fog any longer.
Once hit by Foresight, even Normal-type moves could damage Ghost-types.
"Now—use Roar!"
Pidgeot threw back its head and let out a piercing cry, filled with overwhelming dominance.
The Ghost-types fled in panic, dissolving into the mist.
Gary smirked and crossed his arms, recalling Pidgeot.
"Hmph! How dare you try to scare me!"
He only feared real ghosts.
If a real ghost appeared right now, then maybe he'd—
…Huh?
A chill crawled up from beneath his feet.
Gary looked down.
A half-transparent figure was slowly rising out of the floor.
It wore a red cap.
Its face was pale, expression cold and vacant.
It floated upward, solemn and silent, until it hovered directly in front of Gary.
They locked eyes.
Gary: "?!"
That wasn't a Pokémon—
That was an actual human ghost!!
"G-G-GHOOOOST!!!"
Gary jumped straight into the air, his face turning deathly white.
His legs trembled, barely keeping him upright as his mind went completely blank.
Forget paying respects—
He turned and sprinted at full speed.
His acceleration was terrifying—faster than even Ash at his peak.
"Aaaahhh! A ghost!! A ghost!!"
His screams echoed throughout Pokémon Tower.
"Eh? What was that noise?"
Ash froze.
Following the sound upward, he finally spotted the staircase leading to the third floor.
Before he could step onto it—
Someone came charging down the stairs, screaming bloody murder.
"Help!! A ghost!!"
The panicked figure slammed straight into Ash.
"Oof!"
"Damn it!"
Both tumbled to the floor.
The impact snapped Gary back to reality.
Seeing Ash—his childhood rival—he nearly burst into tears and lunged forward.
"Ash?!"
Ash, on the other hand, was completely stunned.
Wasn't Gary supposed to be dead?
…Wait.
This was Pokémon Tower.
Which meant—
This Gary… is a ghost?!
And judging by how pale he looked, maybe even a high-level vengeful spirit?!
Seeing Gary reach out, Ash's face drained of color.
Danger!!
"G-G-GHOST!!!"
Ash leapt up and sprinted in the opposite direction, screaming just as loudly.
Gary: "?"
He stood there, dumbfounded.
"Geng geng geng geng!!"
A cold laugh echoed nearby.
The invisible Gengar perked up instantly, its entire body shaking with excitement.
It had caused trouble earlier—so now it had to make up for it!
Raising the paper fan high, Gengar prepared to deliver another full exorcism package.
Gary: "?!"
"What the heck?!"
The fan swung down.
Both Gary and Green felt an instinctive chill, adrenaline surging as they barely dodged the strike by a hair's breadth.
"Haa… that was close…"
Gary staggered upright, his back soaked with sweat.
If that fan had hit him, he was certain his soul would've scattered.
"…Wait. Where'd that Gengar go?"
He scanned the fog. Earlier, he'd definitely seen a huge, chubby Gengar.
But now it was gone.
"Geng geng!!"
A chilling laugh came from directly above his head.
Gary swallowed hard.
A terrible thought formed.
Slowly, trembling, he looked up.
A Gengar hovered directly above him.
Its blood-red eyes gleamed like a predator's.
The paper fan in its chubby hand glowed ominously.
"SMACK!!"
Same script.
Same outcome.
The fan slapped Gary square in the face.
A strange sense of blissful transcendence flooded his soul.
His vision blurred as heavenly music echoed in his ears.
In a daze, he saw a brilliant golden light rising from above.
Within it, a familiar half-transparent figure ascended—
Calm. Sacred.
Handsome in a way that felt eerily familiar.
That same day—
Green, too, was laid to rest by Ash's Pokémon.
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