Lavender Town Pokémon Center
"Miss Joy, thank you for your help. I'll leave the recovery of my Pokémon to you. Also, could you book a room for me?" Robert placed Charmeleon's Poké Ball and his Pokédex on the tray in front of the nurse.
"Of course, please wait a moment. I'll take care of it now." Miss Joy responded with her usual gentle smile before taking the Pokédex and handing the tray to Chansey, who carried it to the back for treatment.
A few moments later, she returned. "Your room is booked. Here's the key."
Robert took the key and thanked her before heading toward the dormitory building. His plan was simple: take a hot shower, retrieve Charmeleon and his other Pokémon, have dinner, and then get some rest.
Half an Hour Later
After a long, warm shower, Robert felt refreshed, and his mood had noticeably improved. Just as he was about to retrieve his Pokémon from Miss Joy, he overheard a group of trainers in the rest area engaged in a hushed conversation.
"Hey, have you heard? Strange things have been happening around town lately," a young man whispered.
"Yeah, I heard something about an old man in white wandering around the forest at night," another trainer chimed in.
One of their companions scoffed. "That's ridiculous. It's probably just some rich guy or an old man taking a nighttime stroll in his pajamas."
The first boy scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh... maybe, but people have been reporting it to Officer Jenny a lot recently. I heard she investigated and found out it was actually a ghost-type Pokémon playing pranks."
Robert, who had been walking past, slowed his pace. He had come to Lavender Town specifically to catch a ghost-type Pokémon. If these rumors were true, they might lead him straight to his target.
After listening for a while, he continued to the counter and retrieved Charmeleon's Poké Ball.
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Gathering Information
As Robert thanked Miss Joy, he decided to ask her about the rumors he had just overheard.
"Miss Joy, are the stories about strange things happening in town true?"
Miss Joy sighed and supported her chin with her hand. "Yes, there have been a lot of strange incidents lately. People have reported seeing eerie figures in the forest, but since there haven't been any injuries or serious crimes, Officer Jenny hasn't filed an official case. Still, it's concerning."
Robert nodded. "So, Officer Jenny isn't investigating it anymore?"
Miss Joy's expression turned troubled. "Actually, Officer Jenny did investigate. But ever since she went into the forest, something happened. She hasn't returned to work in days and has been staying at home."
Robert raised an eyebrow. "She's afraid to go back to work?"
Miss Joy nodded. "I don't know the full story, but something scared her badly. If you're willing to look into it, we'd all appreciate it. I'm worried that if we don't figure this out soon, something worse could happen."
Robert thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I'll investigate tomorrow night."
Miss Joy beamed. "Really? That's a relief! Thank you!"
After gathering some additional details, Robert returned to his dormitory. He had dinner with Charmeleon and his other Pokémon before turning in for the night.
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The Investigation Begins
The next day passed quickly, and soon, night fell over Lavender Town.
Equipped with a flashlight and his Pokémon, Robert stepped out of the Pokémon Center and made his way toward the rumored location. The forest was eerily quiet, with only the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind.
Following Miss Joy's directions, he arrived at the outskirts of the grove where the sightings had occurred. He shined his flashlight around, scanning the trees for any sign of movement.
Nothing.
No wandering old man. No eerie figures.
Just when he was about to step further into the grove, a sudden rustling sound caught his attention. He immediately froze and redirected his flashlight toward the source of the noise.
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An Unexpected Encounter
Robert cautiously moved toward the sound. Pushing aside some leaves, he finally spotted something.
There, in the middle of the grove, was an old man in white pajamas. But something was off. His movements were unnatural, and his eyes were completely vacant. Even stranger, he seemed to be floating a few inches off the ground.
A normal person might have screamed and run away at the sight of such an eerie figure. But Robert wasn't just any ordinary person—he had a system.
And through his system's unique vision, he could see something that others couldn't.
Above the "old man's" head, glowing text revealed the truth.
This wasn't a man at all.
It was a ghost-type Pokémon.
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The True Identity
Robert's lips curled into a smile. So that's what's been scaring everyone…
He reached for his Pokédex and scanned the figure in front of him. The device beeped before displaying the information.
[Haunter – The Gas Pokémon]
Type: Ghost/Poison
Haunter lurks in the darkness, waiting to surprise its prey. It uses its tongue to drain energy from its targets.
Robert smirked. "So you were the one causing trouble, huh?"
As if understanding his words, Haunter turned its attention to him. It let out an eerie laugh and began floating closer, its hands reaching out as if to play a prank.
Robert didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt. "Charmeleon, let's go!"
In a flash of light, Charmeleon emerged, letting out a confident roar.
Haunter stopped moving, seeming to size up its opponent.
Robert pointed at the ghost-type. "Alright, let's do this!"
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Battle in the Grove
"Charmeleon, use Ember!"
Charmeleon inhaled before releasing small flames toward Haunter. But before the attack could land, Haunter vanished.
A split second later, it reappeared behind Charmeleon, sticking out its tongue playfully before using Lick.
Charmeleon shuddered as the attack hit, but it quickly shook off the effect.
"Stay focused! Use Dragon Rage!"
A powerful blue flame erupted from Charmeleon's mouth, engulfing Haunter. This time, the attack landed. Haunter cried out, momentarily stunned.
Robert took advantage of the opening. "Poké Ball, go!"
He threw the Poké Ball, watching as it struck Haunter. The ghost-type was absorbed into the ball, which then fell to the ground, shaking violently.
One shake…
Two shakes…
Three shakes…
Click!
The ball stopped moving.
Robert picked it up and smirked. "Gotcha."
---
The Next Morning
Back at the Pokémon Center, Robert handed over Haunter's Poké Ball to Miss Joy for a check-up. She looked at him with surprise.
"You really caught the Pokémon causing all the trouble?"
Robert nodded. "It was a Haunter. Probably just looking for fun, but it scared Officer Jenny half to death."
Miss Joy laughed. "Well, that explains why she's been avoiding work!"
She then smiled warmly. "Thank you, Robert. You might have just saved Lavender Town from another wave of ghost stories!"
Robert chuckled. "No problem. I was planning on catching a ghost-type Pokémon anyway."
Miss Joy returned the Poké Ball to him. "Well, I hope Haunter becomes a great partner for you."
Robert glanced down at the Poké Ball in his hand. "Yeah... I think it will."
And with that, he walked out of the Pokémon Center, ready for whatever adventure awaited him next.
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