Misdreavus

"Dusk!"

"You're saying that was the shadow you saw last night?"

This morning, Duskull had told him that a shadow had come to the window outside the house late last night.

At the time, Roy had thought Duskull was sleepwalking, because his Ghost Power could sense Ghost-type Pokémon. If it had been outside, he definitely would have noticed.

Duskull stared intently at Flutter Mane within the pillar of light. He remembered that the shadow from that night had worn a string of red orbs. The Pokémon before them also had a string of orbs around its neck.

But the two gave him completely different feelings.

"Dusk."

"What do you mean, it seems like it was, but also seems like it wasn't?"

In the end, Duskull firmly shook his head. This did not seem to be the shadow he had seen yesterday.

The shadow he had seen yesterday had not been so large. It had been a relatively petite figure.

Just as Roy was analyzing what exactly was going on...

The dark purple pillar of light slowly contracted until it disappeared completely.

Flutter Mane in the center of the pillar suddenly opened its eyes. As though it had sensed something, it turned and stared in Roy's direction.

The string of red orbs around its neck glowed eerily beneath the moonlight.

Oh no, it found us!

If it had been a Misdreavus, Roy might have teased it a little. But a Flutter Mane just one step away from Elite Four level? Better not.

Roy turned and ran down the mountain, clutching Litwick and Duskull in his arms.

Flutter Mane sensed Roy's aura. It was as though it had spotted something sweet and delicious, and it gave chase.

"Litwick, use Haze! Run!"

Litwick immediately ignited the flame atop its head and released waves of black mist behind them, trying to block Flutter Mane's vision.

Roy ignored the steep mountain path and sprinted downhill without daring to look back. Only when he reached the iron fence did he dare stop to catch his breath.

When nothing happened for a long while, and he could not sense the aura of any Ghost-type Pokémon nearby, Roy thought he had shaken Flutter Mane off.

A black figure tore through the darkness. Scarlet pupils fixed on Roy, and a red gaze enveloped his entire body.

Roy realized he could not move.

I'm done for!

Litwick and Duskull tried to protect Roy. One shot flames from the fire atop its head, while the other attempted to confuse Flutter Mane with Confuse Ray.

But the gap in levels was too great. Before the flames could reach Flutter Mane, a Shadow Ball scattered them. Duskull's Confuse Ray had no effect at all.

Instead, the red light shining from Flutter Mane's scarlet eyes left both of them stunned in place.

At that moment, only Flutter Mane and Roy remained, less than two meters apart.

Roy looked like a delectable meal. His soul should smell delicious. Flutter Mane opened its bloodthirsty maw.

Had he only been transmigrated for two years, just to die again?

There were still so many things he had not done. He still had 6,000 Popularity Points left unused in the system.

He had even promised Pheobe that he would return to Mt. Pyre once he was on vacation. It seemed he would have to break that promise this time.

Would he become a Ghost-type Pokémon after he died?

Roy quietly closed his eyes and waited for death. Yet the pain he expected never came. When he opened his eyes, Flutter Mane, with its bared fangs, had vanished.

In its place was a small Misdreavus with a curious expression.

Misdreavus was curiously observing her surroundings. Who was she? Where was she? And this human before her...

Why did he smell so good?

Wasn't this the human she had seen yesterday?

Misdreavus sensed a pleasant aura coming from Roy and, without a word, began rubbing herself wildly against his chest.

Was this Flutter Mane just now?

Roy was completely dumbfounded. When Flutter Mane changed back into Misdreavus, the effect of Mean Look disappeared as well, and Roy regained control over his body.

But he did not dare move recklessly, afraid that Misdreavus would turn back into Flutter Mane the next second.

He could only secretly use his system to scan her.

System Scan

Pokémon: Misdreavus

Level: 31

Gender: Female

Ability: Levitate (Floats above the ground, preventing it from being hit by Ground-type moves.)

Moves: Growl, Confusion, Astonish, Confuse Ray, Mean Look, Hex, Psybeam, Pain Split

Held Item: None

Egg Moves: Screech, Sucker Punch, Imprison

Individual Values: ???

Technical Machine/Move Tutor: None

Misdreavus's level had actually reverted to level 31 as well.

The contrast was far too huge!

One moment, she had been a grim reaper dragging him to hell. The next, she was a delicate, clingy girl next door. Which one was the real Misdreavus—or rather, Flutter Mane?

Roy could not figure out why. Could Pokémon freely devolve after evolving?

And wasn't Misdreavus's evolution Mismagius? How could it possibly be Flutter Mane?

Everything about this should have been impossible, yet it was right there before his eyes.

Unable to make sense of it after thinking for a long time, Roy decided to ask the source of the problem.

Perhaps the Misdreavus rubbing against his chest knew something.

"Misdreavus?"

Roy softly called out several times, but the Misdreavus in his arms did not raise her head. Only when Roy gently touched her with a hand infused with Ghost Power did she look up at him.

"Misdreavus?"

The little one pointed at herself. Were you calling me?

"Of course I was calling you."

"You can actually speak... Ghost language!"

Misdreavus was shocked to discover that Roy could communicate with her. No one had ever communicated with her before. Almost everyone ran away in fright the moment they saw her.

Once, she had seen a man and woman fighting on the ground in the back mountain. Curious, she had gone closer... The two had not even gotten dressed properly before she scared them away.

So she had always been alone. Yet today, someone was actually talking to her!

She even had a name. Her name was Misdreavus!

"I... I'm called Misdreavus!? I'm Misdreavus!"

After learning that she had a name, the little Misdreavus happily circled around Roy.

So this little Misdreavus was the source of the rumors that the back mountain was haunted. The academy had hired several Gym Leader-level Trainers, and Misdreavus definitely could not have defeated them.

They had probably all fallen to the Flutter Mane from earlier.

"Misdreavus, do you remember what happened just now?"

"Just now?"

Misdreavus tried hard to recall what had happened, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. Clearly, she did not remember turning into Flutter Mane and nearly killing Roy.

Roy simply changed his question.

"Misdreavus, do you remember why you're in the back mountain?"

"This is my home, so I'm in my home."

In Misdreavus's logic, the back mountain was her home. There was no reason to ask why.

When faced with Roy's other questions, Misdreavus knew nothing at all.

But it was clear that the little one liked him very much, probably because of the system-modified Ghost Power within him.

Roy focused and released the Ghost Power in his body.

Sure enough, upon sensing Roy's Ghost Power, desire appeared in Misdreavus's eyes.

"I... can I eat it?"

Roy nodded.

After receiving Roy's permission, Misdreavus greedily devoured the Ghost Power in his palm.

At this moment, Litwick and Duskull woke up from their unconsciousness as well.

The moment they woke, they hurriedly searched for Roy.

The two Pokémon had thought Roy was gone too, but they found him sitting there perfectly fine, with another Pokémon in his arms.

Duskull had originally wanted an explanation from Roy.

How had he suddenly gotten himself a new favorite? Had he gotten Duskull's permission?

And where was that terrifying Pokémon from earlier?

But when Duskull floated over to Roy and was just about to ask, he suddenly recognized Misdreavus as the shadow he had seen yesterday. Only, the red orbs around Misdreavus's neck had been much larger then.