Chapter Summaries

Blake met Cynthia and Steven at the ruins, where their parents entrusted the teenagers to James’s care. As the adults discussed archaeology, the three teenagers got acquainted and discovered that Blake’s mother Louise had fallen asleep atop her Jellicent.

• Cynthia introduced herself as Professor Carolina’s granddaughter, and Steven introduced himself to Blake.
• Blake, Cynthia, and Steven chatted while their fathers and Professor Carolina exchanged courtesies and arranged the children’s visit.
• Professor Carolina discussed her research on Giratina with James, who said he had discovered clues worth investigating.
• Blake, Cynthia, and Steven joked about their parents’ personalities and noticed Louise was missing.
• Haunter pointed out Louise asleep on Jellicent, and Louise floated over to greet the teenagers.

Blake and Cynthia reunited with Louise and Steven, and Blake and Steven exchanged gifts while discussing their families’ connections to Ghost-type traditions. They agreed to make more charms together after reaching the ruins.

• Louise teased Blake about her age, then hugged Cynthia after Cynthia called her big sister.
• Blake explained that his clan’s ghost-taming skills were related to the Gravekeeper Clan at Mt. Pyre, and he gave Steven a Stability Charm.
• Steven gave Blake a Luxury Ball and explained that it combined the features of different specialized Poké Balls.
• Blake offered to make Steven more charms in exchange for interesting stones, and Steven agreed.

Blake, Steven, Cynthia, and James traveled to Jubilife City before heading to an underground ruin near Mt. Coronet, where James warned the young trainers to follow safety instructions. At the hotel, Steven and Blake introduced their Pokémon, and Steven became fascinated by Blake’s rare Dhelmise and Dreepy.

• Blake explained that ghosts existed but warned Cynthia that they were dangerous and best avoided.
• James described the sunken underground ruin near Mt. Coronet and cautioned everyone not to wander off.
• Steven, Cynthia, and Blake promised to follow the excavation team’s safety instructions, and James said Steven would lead the three young people.
• Stone booked a floor of business suites at a hotel in Jubilife City for the group.
• Blake and Steven released their Pokémon, and Steven admired Blake’s Dhelmise and was surprised to see his Dreepy.

Blake and Steven chatted about raising their Pokémon, comparing the costs and challenges of caring for Steel- and Ghost-types. Their conversation ended when Cynthia announced lunch and warned that Steven had ordered too much.

• Steven and Blake watched Dreepy and discussed how long it had taken Dreepy to hatch and how difficult he had been to raise.
• Steven explained that young Beldum were fragile and described how Aggron groups drove promising Aron away, leaving many wild Aggron malnourished.
• Steven said raising his Aggron had cost around eighty million Pokémon League credits, while Blake estimated that raising Haunter had used over thirty million credits’ worth of materials.
• Blake explained that Dreepy needed few materials for now and that Dhelmise needed gradual replenishment because its absorbed energy was mixed.
• Steven and Blake joked that they had both understated their Pokémon-raising costs before Cynthia called them to lunch and warned Steven about his excessive ordering.

At dinner, Blake and James assessed Cynthia’s shy Spiritomb and concluded that prolonged isolation had caused her autism. They advised Cynthia on creating a comfortable environment to help Spiritomb gradually recover, and Blake gave her Ghost Gems to start.

• Steven stopped Stone from ordering far too much food and told the waitress to arrange individual meals.
• Steven admired Cynthia’s Gible, and Cynthia asked Blake for advice about raising her Spiritomb.
• Spiritomb hid inside her Odd Keystone when she saw Blake, while Blake and James used their Ghost-taming abilities to help her feel safe.
• James and Blake identified Spiritomb’s autism as likely caused by prolonged isolation in ruins or a cave.
• Blake and James advised Cynthia to make a dim, comfortable room with familiar sounds and Ghost Gems, and Blake handed her a handful of the gems.

Blake gave Cynthia Ghost Gems and explained that his family's ability could attract and soothe Ghost-type Pokémon. He joked with Steven about having “money powers,” then met Cynthia's Lucario and ended the meal playfully wrestling with Haunter.

• Blake gave Cynthia Ghost Gems and suggested she keep Spiritomb away from the crowd while she recovered.
• James eased Cynthia's awkwardness by telling her to accept the gems, and Blake recalled Spiritomb before dinner.
• Blake explained that his family's ability was not psychic power, then joked that Steven had money powers.
• Cynthia brought out Lucario, and Steven admired the Pokémon while Blake sensed his energy.
• Cynthia said Lucario sensed a threat from Haunter, and Haunter bit Blake's head after Blake called him playful.

Blake, Cynthia, and Steven entered a three-way Pokémon battle after playful roughhousing at dinner turned into a match. The battle remained undecided as Gible, Metang, and Haunter exchanged moves.

• Haunter's tampering with Gible's and Metang's food sparked roughhousing, and Chairman Stone's encouragement led Blake, Cynthia, and Steven to agree to a free-for-all.
• Blake used Haunter's Haze to disrupt Cynthia's and Steven's opening setup moves, while Steven scanned the field with Metang and Cynthia sent Gible underground with Dig.
• Haunter attacked Metang with Will-O-Wisp, but Metang blocked the flames with a full-body Protect.
• Blake ordered Haunter to use Phantom Force, allowing it to evade Gible's surprise attack from underground.
• Cynthia commanded Gible to use Bulldoze while Steven tried to lift Metang with Magnet Rise, and Haunter attacked Metang but failed to stop it from taking flight.

Blake used Haunter’s Substitute and Phantom Force to deceive Steven and Cynthia, directing their attacks toward Gible while protecting Haunter. As the spectators discussed the young Trainers and their families, the battle continued with Haunter revealed from the shadows.

• Steven had Metang take flight and ordered it to use Zen Headbutt on Haunter.
• Blake ordered Haunter to use Shadow Ball and Gible to attack Metang with Dragon Claw, setting off a three-way clash.
• The dust cleared to reveal that Haunter’s Substitute had taken the hit while Gible had been damaged by its own Dragon Claw.
• Steven and Cynthia realized Haunter had hidden in a shadow, and Blake explained that the trick had targeted Gible rather than Metang.
• Haunter emerged from the shadows as Steven questioned Blake’s tactics, while the spectators praised Blake’s skill and discussed his love of Pokémon.
• The spectators shared stories about Blake, Steven, and Cynthia as the battle continued below.

Blake, Steven, and Cynthia stopped their battle after realizing that an unknown influence had driven them and their Pokémon into an unusually intense fight. Hospital examinations found the teenagers exhausted but exceptionally healthy, while their Pokémon showed conflicting signs of energy depletion and excess, leaving the cause uncertain.

• James halted the bombardment by having Chandelure use Protect, and Blake, Steven, and Cynthia realized they had been fighting unusually recklessly.
• Blake and the others suspected an outside force had affected their judgment, so James and President Stone took them to the hospital for examinations.
• The doctor found the teenagers extremely fatigued but otherwise healthy, while Nurse Joy's reports showed their Pokémon had abnormal energy levels.
• Blake suggested outside energy had influenced them and explained the contradictory readings, and Steven agreed the theory was possible.
• The doctor recommended rest, and Blake, Steven, and Cynthia left the hospital without learning what had caused the strange condition.

Professor Carolina suspected that an ancient site beneath Jubilife City had contributed to the strange incident involving Blake, Cynthia, and Steven, though James doubted it would happen again. The three youths spent the evening playing Pokkén Tournament, where Steven’s overpowered Metagross made him the target of their complaints.

• Professor Carolina told James that the youths’ battle may have triggered an event like the legendary Battle of the Three Gods near an ancient temple site in Jubilife City.
• James reassured Professor Carolina that the incident was unlikely to recur and said he was glad his son was getting along with Steven and Cynthia.
• James and Professor Carolina discussed how few friends their children usually had and agreed that playing together was good for them.
• Blake and Cynthia battled in Pokkén Tournament while Steven watched, and they accused him of winning unfairly with Metagross.
• Cynthia demanded a rematch after Steven sneak-attacked her, but Steven refused.