What Counts as Psychic Power

"So many gems!"

Steven cried out in amazement. For a gem fanatic like him, he might not care about much else, but to him, all kinds of stones were practically no different from seeing his wife.

"It's not that many. I'm used to carrying some with me. Take these and use them for now. Since they aren't being used as food or to activate moves, they should last for a while."

Blake handed Cynthia a handful of Ghost Gems. Cynthia had not expected anyone to carry so many Ghost Gems around, and she froze for a moment before hurriedly catching them in her cupped hands.

"This... is a little too much."

Cynthia said awkwardly. Ghost Gems were not expensive, and she was not short on money, but having money and having someone give you this many at once were two completely different things.

"It's fine. My family doesn't lack Ghost Gems. They can actually be made, so they aren't as difficult to get as you think. Just accept them. Also, put Spiritomb away for now. There should be a dark room here, specially prepared for Ghost-type Pokémon. We can take her there after dinner. For now, there are too many people here for Spiritomb."

James could tell that Cynthia wanted to pay but did not know whether she should bring it up. His words broke the awkward silence.

"Oh, okay. Come back, Spiritomb."

Cynthia took out a Great Ball and recalled Spiritomb. Haunter, who had just floated out to say hello, looked at the vanished Spiritomb and helplessly spread his hands. His magic trick had just earned plenty of applause, and he had wanted to perform it again.

"Come eat. Spiritomb still isn't suited to meeting people. She needs to recover slowly."

Blake saw at a glance what Haunter wanted to do. He patted Haunter on the head as he spoke. A social butterfly might indeed be able to help someone socially anxious, but a social terrorist might not be able to help someone with autism. At best, he should avoid making her condition worse.

"Kehehe ╮(╯﹏╰)╭"

Haunter helplessly spread his hands. He really wanted to perform. Haunter's urge to show off was so strong that he hardly seemed like a Ghost-type Pokémon, a group known for being full of social shut-ins.

"Um, thank you for helping."

Cynthia said somewhat embarrassedly.

"It's nothing. We're happy to help. Helping more people understand Ghost-type Pokémon instead of fearing them is something our family has always worked toward."

Blake said with a smile. James nodded as well, then turned and returned to his seat.

"Hey, hey, hey, that thing you did just now was your family's psychic power, right?"

Steven asked, his face full of curiosity.

"It wasn't psychic power. Psychic power is another kind of ability, and Trainers of Psychic-type Pokémon tend to find it easier to master. My family's power doesn't really have a specific name, and there's nothing mysterious about it. Basically, it can attract and soothe Ghost-type Pokémon. It has a few other uses too, but fundamentally, it's nothing worth mentioning."

Blake did not really want to say much about his family's ability. It looked impressive at first glance, but once you looked deeper into it... it was pretty useless, yet too much of a shame to throw away.

"That's still amazing. I don't have any special abilities."

Steven rested his chin on his hand and spoke with some envy. They were both thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boys. Who had not dreamed of having psychic powers? Men stayed boys until the day they died.

"Who says you don't have psychic powers?"

Blake said with a smile.

"Huh? I have psychic powers? Can you tell?"

Steven's eyes widened at once as he asked excitedly. In his view, since Blake had a special ability, perhaps he could see whether other people had one too.

Cynthia looked curious as well.

"Of course. You have money powers."

As Blake spoke, he rubbed his thumb and fingers together. Steven and Cynthia both froze. The words circled through their minds twice before they finally understood the joke.

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

"You punk! You actually made fun of me."

Steven shook his head with a laugh, pretending to be angry.

"Hahahaha! Actually, everyone has some kind of special ability. Aura, psychic power, the power of bonding with Pokémon, and so on. For one thing, everyone possesses Aura. It's just that not everyone can develop it. And who says being rich isn't a superpower? If money can solve a problem, then it isn't a problem. Isn't that the kind of superpower many people dream of?"

Blake said jokingly.

"That's true enough. But as for Aura, I do know a little about that. Come out, Lucario."

As Cynthia spoke, she threw another Poké Ball. At once, a Pokémon resembling an upright jackal appeared before them. It was Lucario, the Aura Pokémon.

"Oh! Lucario! What a beautiful Pokémon."

Steven's eyes widened again. Lucario was a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon, with exactly the type combination he loved most.

"Luca."

Lucario looked over the group and nodded. Then he crossed his arms and stood behind Cynthia like a loyal guard. Lucario's nature really was much like that.

"He was the first Pokémon I caught when I first began traveling. He has a very serious personality."

Cynthia introduced him.

"His fur is sleek and glossy, and his spikes shine brightly without looking like scrap metal that could be polished. It's obvious he's been raised very well."

Steven said after observing Lucario carefully. As a Steel-type expert, even if he had not raised a Lucario himself, he certainly knew plenty about them.

"I don't really understand those things, but I can feel the powerful energy waves coming from him."

Blake was not as knowledgeable about that. Although the Galar Region also had Lucario, they were so intelligent that they rarely showed themselves before people unless their Aura matched yours.

"Your Pokémon are wonderful too, aren't they? Especially that Haunter. Lucario says he can sense a threat from your Haunter."

Cynthia looked at Haunter, who was floating around Blake. She had noticed him long ago. He was far too spirited. Cynthia even suspected that this Haunter did not need a Trainer's commands at all. He might even be able to command other Pokémon.

"Haunter? You flatter him. This guy just likes to play around. Ow, I wasn't wrong! Stop messing around, you little—"

"Kehe! Kehehe! (╬皿╬)"

Haunter had been delighted by the praise, but Blake had actually said that he only liked to play around! He would show this guy what he was capable of!

Haunter bit down on the top of Blake's head. My physical attack may be terrible, but I can still mess up your hair! Waaah!

"Damn it! Take this!"

Purple-black light lit up on Blake's hand as he began vigorously rubbing Haunter. This guy did not take normal attacks!

"Hahahahaha! He really is an interesting Pokémon."

"Yeah. It looks like he has no idea how strong his own Pokémon is."

Steven and Cynthia watched the human and Pokémon roughhousing and laughed.