Lin Hao watched Chizuru walk away, then glanced down at the red thread wound around his shoelace. It was gone.
"It was there just a moment ago." May crouched down to inspect his shoe, but it hadn't left a trace.
"All right, stop looking." Lin Hao stepped forward. "Instead of messing with this spooky nonsense in broad daylight, let's get something useful done."
"Like what?"
Lin Hao pointed at the grayish-purple building on the street corner. A flag embroidered with ghostly flames fluttered on its roof. "Ecruteak Gym. Ghost types."
May paused. "Didn't you say we were investigating the Bell Tower tonight?"
"We'll worry about tonight when tonight comes." Lin Hao waved a hand. "We've got nothing to do during the day anyway. Might as well collect another badge and get enough prize money for the trip sooner."
"Can't you take the danger a little more seriously?"
"I still need to eat, danger or not. And the sooner I start saving, the better." May had no answer to that.
They reached the gym and pushed open its black wooden door. Inside, everything was dim, lit only by purple candle flames flickering along the walls. The air smelled of sandalwood.
"Welcome." A man's voice came from deep in the darkness. A young man with shoulder-length blond hair and a purple scarf sat at the far end of the battle arena, holding a cup of tea.
"Are you the Ecruteak Gym Leader?" May asked.
"Morty." The man set down his tea and stood. "I've been waiting a long time for you, Kanto Champion."
Lin Hao frowned. "News travels fast."
"Everyone in Johto has been sharing videos of the Indigo League matches." Morty looked Lin Hao up and down. "I've watched Pikachu shatter Metagross with one punch at least ten times."
"Special effects,"