Gengar's Gift of Thanks

As everyone knew, ordinary Gengar were purple. Shiny Gengar, on the other hand, were slightly paler than purple, turning something closer to gray. There was not much difference in appearance.

But when a pure white Gengar stood before someone beneath the blazing sun, the impact spoke for itself.

Yet at this moment, Luo Chen's attention went straight past Gengar's color.

Clearly, the Gengar before him was the black shadow he had just helped.

"Are you alright now?"

He spoke first, breaking the silence between them.

"Geh!"

Gengar nodded repeatedly, then fell silent again.

Silence settled between them once more.

"...Want to come inside and sit for a while?"

..

Inside the internet café, Luo Chen sat behind the counter and opened a can of white drink before handing it over.

"Try this. I just made it today."

"Geh?"

Gengar carefully accepted the white can, raised it, and inspected its contents with his eyes. He seemed not to understand what it was.

"It's a drink. Something you drink. You've had water before, right?"

Luo Chen explained.

"Geh?"

Gengar still looked utterly confused, as if the word "water" was completely unfamiliar to him.

Right. Ghost-type Pokémon like Gengar could survive without eating... let alone drinking water.

Luo Chen casually took out the red drink from the cabinet, twisted open the can, and took a sip.

"Like this."

Seeing his demonstration, Gengar immediately understood. He copied Luo Chen's movements and awkwardly raised the can for a taste.

The next instant, his eyes lit up.

"Geh!"

At the same time, that Growl transformed into two clear voices in Luo Chen's ears.

[So delicious!]

[So delicious!]

Clearly, the effects of the can of "Voice of All Things" he had just drunk had activated. He could now understand Gengar's words.

And... logically speaking, he should be able to hear Gengar's thoughts as well.

Luo Chen narrowed his eyes and focused for a moment, only to realize he could not hear any other voices.

Hm? Was something wrong?

"Where did you come from?"

After thinking for a moment, Luo Chen took the initiative to ask Gengar.

"Geh."

Gengar sat on the chair with both hands wrapped around the can and answered honestly.

[Somewhere far away.]

At the same time, Luo Chen heard another clear voice that sounded exactly the same.

[Really, really far away.]

"Do you know where that place is?"

Luo Chen asked again.

"Geh."

A confused look appeared on Gengar's face, and he shook his head.

[Don't know.]

At the same time, another voice sounded.

[...I really don't know.]

Luo Chen: ...

No wonder something had felt off ever since this guy walked in.

Wasn't this guy a little too innocent?

The ability to hear thoughts was practically meaningless on him, because what he thought in his heart was exactly the same as what he said aloud...

Well, it was not a bad thing.

After confirming the ability of his drink, Luo Chen began asking Gengar about the ruins.

Before long, he obtained some useful information.

The ruins seemed to be deep beyond several mountain ranges from here. Gengar had entered them by accident two days ago. He discovered that some strange force inside was preventing him from moving forward, so he picked up a gold coin at the entrance and left.

But after leaving, he became entangled in a strange black mist. It kept him in terrible pain at all times, and despite trying many methods, he had been unable to get rid of it.

"Then why did you come to me for help?"

Luo Chen found that rather strange.

Wild Ghost-type Pokémon living in the remote mountains generally did not like being near humans. Otherwise, they would not be living in a place like this.

They were never particularly friendly toward humans, much less willing to ask them for help.

"Geh, geh."

[Because... you looked like a good person.]

As Gengar spoke, an image suddenly surfaced in Luo Chen's mind.

It was the sight of his back as he fed Litwick, seemingly seen from Gengar's perspective.

Luo Chen understood.

That explained it.

But that basis for judgment... was really rather casual, wasn't it?

After the conversation ended, Luo Chen silently memorized the rough location Gengar had described. If he had the chance later, he could visit those ruins and see what was going on.

At that moment, after answering Luo Chen's questions, Gengar still sat obediently in the chair, taking small sips from the can while looking at him, as if waiting for his next question.

"Then... since you didn't live here before, why did you suddenly come to Mount Coronet?"

"Don't you have any other friends nearby?"

After thinking it over, Luo Chen raised a new question.

From what he remembered, the places in Sinnoh with the most Ghost-type Pokémon were Lost Tower and the Old Chateau in Eterna Forest. Both were far too distant from Mount Coronet.

Of course, Gengar himself could have been a Pokémon living near Mount Coronet, but what he had just said ruled out that possibility.

At this moment, faced with Luo Chen's question, Gengar's expression instantly seemed to turn a little dejected.

"Geh... geh."

[Because... they didn't like me. I've always been alone.]

"Geh..."

[No... friends.]

[So lonely.]

..

As soon as Gengar finished speaking, a series of images appeared before Luo Chen's eyes.

Banette, Cofagrigus... He saw a forest inhabited by many Ghost-type Pokémon.

In one corner of the forest, a white Gastly tried to approach his companions, only for the group of Haunter to keep far away from him. He looked utterly disappointed.

That Gastly had thought that the others did not accept him because he had not evolved.

Later, he worked hard to evolve into a Haunter and approached them with eager anticipation.

But those companions still avoided him. A few of them even attacked him directly.

The white Haunter fled in panic, eventually choosing to turn around and leave that forest.

After seeing everything, Luo Chen's expression became complicated.

To players and Pokémon enthusiasts, Shiny Pokémon were wonderful things worth spending countless hours pursuing.

But in the real Pokémon world, having a color different from one's own kind was not necessarily a good thing.

They could indeed be excluded and isolated because of it.

Especially someone with Gengar's personality.

Across the counter, Gengar's ears drooped.

But Luo Chen suddenly spoke.

"You know, white Gengar are really cool."

"Geh?"

[Really... ?]

Gengar froze for a moment.

"Of course it's true. I know plenty of people, and they all like white Gengar. If there's a chance, I'll take you to meet them."

Luo Chen smiled and reached out to pat Gengar on the head.

Gengar did not avoid his hand. The ears atop his head quietly perked up.

"You really don't need to care too much about what they think of you. Being able to evolve all the way from Gastly into Gengar and travel to such a distant place by yourself already makes you incredible."

"Geh..."

[Really...?]

Gengar was dazed for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He hurriedly stood up from behind the counter.

He twisted his body and actually reached straight into himself, taking out an object and handing it to Luo Chen.

"Geh! Geh!"

[Thank you! Thank you, this is for you!]

Luo Chen looked closely and discovered that it seemed to be a stone covered in a thick layer of dust.

"Geh! Geh!"

Seeing that Luo Chen had not reached out to take it, Gengar hurriedly explained.

[This is my favorite collectible... the best treasure! I found it with great difficulty!]

[Thank you, I have to give this to you!]

As he spoke, Gengar used his other claw to begin wiping away the dust on the stone.

As the dust gradually cleared, Luo Chen finally saw what it looked like.

It was a triangular brown stone that appeared incomplete, as if it had broken off from something.

There also seemed to be lines of deep purple patterns across its surface.

Just as Luo Chen took the stone and wanted to inspect those markings more closely,

his vision suddenly went black.

What followed was a dazzling river of stars!

Countless brilliant starlights flickered and flowed around him.

And at the center of the starry river stood a figure.

Its entire body was white, standing on all fours. A golden cross-shaped wheel slowly rotated behind it, and its whole body radiated a sacred, majestic aura.

This was... Arceus?

Luo Chen naturally recognized the other's identity at once.

Wait, so this stone was connected to Arceus?

No, could it be...?

Just as Luo Chen's heart shook violently, Arceus in the distance moved.

He raised a forehoof, and a stone tablet condensed into existence before him. Purple radiance, accompanied by mist, slowly poured into it. Golden patterns continuously emerged across the tablet, causing it to vibrate violently in the air!

When the final golden pattern settled into place, the tablet released a hum and, wrapped in dazzling deep purple light, shot into the distant river of stars.

Arceus lowered his forehoof, glanced once in Luo Chen's direction, then turned and left.

The scene came to an abrupt end.

[Author's note: Here's today's bonus chapter. The PK starts tomorrow, so I'm begging everyone to keep reading tomorrow's chapter, QAQ. Please, everyone!]