Pheobe, the future Ghost-type Elite Four member

After passing through the tunnel, Chen Shi was dumbfounded.

This place was like a little world of its own, with mountains, water, and vast stretches of flowers in every color.

There was no sun in the sky. Instead, strange stones scattered throughout the area gave off a faint glow, illuminating the entire world.

Sinister laughter kept ringing out around him. Even without looking, Chen Shi knew that plenty of Ghost-type Pokémon must live here.

The Ghost-type energy here was so incredibly dense that calling it a paradise for Ghost-type Pokémon would be no exaggeration.

If Dreepy had grown up here, he might have evolved into Drakloak in just over nine months.

"Gengar!"

Gengar called out, motioning for him to hurry and follow.

Before long, Chen Shi suddenly spotted a dark-skinned girl in a long blue dress, with two red flower ornaments on either side of her hair.

She was concentrating on planting flowers and hadn't noticed Chen Shi.

Gengar scratched her head. For some reason, the girl felt very familiar to her.

Looking at the girl's outfit, Chen Shi couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen it before.

He carefully searched his memories, then slapped his forehead as it finally came back to him.

Wasn't this freaking Pheobe, Hoenn's future Ghost-type Elite King?

Could she be the person Grandpa sent me to pick up?

That had to be it.

Grandpa said his old friend lived on Mt. Pyre. Wasn't that Pheobe's grandfather?

Then the person I was supposed to pick up had to be Pheobe.

With that thought, Chen Shi spoke up. "Hello. Are you the person I'm supposed to pick up?"

Startled, Pheobe quickly turned around. "Who are you?"

"Why are you here?"

"This isn't a place you can just enter. Please leave."

Chen Shi raised an eyebrow. Had I guessed wrong?

If Pheobe wasn't the person I was supposed to pick up, who else could it be?

Chen Shi shifted his gaze to Gengar, who pointed farther down the path, indicating that they hadn't reached their destination yet.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?"

"I said, please leave. You shouldn't be here."

Pheobe planted her hands on her hips and spoke fiercely.

Chen Shi found her rather amusing and wanted to tease her, so he said, "And what if I insist on staying?"

"You... you, you, you!" Pheobe pointed at Chen Shi in frustration. "Why are you so unreasonable?"

"I already told you that you shouldn't be here. If you run into danger later, don't say I didn't warn you."

Chen Shi was delighted. Right now, Pheobe was still an innocent, adorable little girl, not the Ghost-type Elite King she would become.

That only made him want to tease her more. "Well, what a coincidence!"

"I love danger more than anything. The more dangerous a place is, the more I want to go there."

Pheobe was speechless.

What was wrong with this guy? I told him it was dangerous, and he actually got excited.

Were all people from the outside like this?

He actually liked danger and went looking for it wherever he could.

Pheobe snorted. "If you don't leave now, I won't hold back."

"Little Spirit, come out!"

As Pheobe's words fell, an Elite Peak Dusknoir emerged from her shadow.

His single scarlet eye stared coldly at Chen Shi.

Pokémon: Dusknoir

Level: 49 (Elite Peak)

Potential: Champion

Gender: Male

Moves: Bind, Leer, Disable, Astonish, Shadow Punch, Gravity, Shadow Sneak, Confuse Ray, Night Shade, Shadow Ball, Mean Look, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Payback, Ice Punch.

Chen Shi rubbed his chin. Elite Peak strength and Champion Level potential.

As expected of a future Ghost-type Elite King, she had some real ability.

"Dreepy, give her a little scare."

Drakloak glanced disdainfully at Dusknoir. He was nothing compared to Metagross.

Then a late Gym-level aura spread out from Drakloak, bearing down on Dusknoir.

Dusknoir's gaze immediately turned grave. He could sense that his opponent was also a Ghost-type Pokémon, and far stronger than he was.

Pheobe's expression soured, and she snorted. "Since you're so determined to get yourself killed, I won't stop you."

"Little Spirit, come back."

At her words, Dusknoir floated over to Pheobe's side, though his eye remained fixed on Drakloak.

He was afraid Drakloak might hurt Pheobe at any moment.

Chen Shi loved a bit of fun, so he kept teasing her.

"Little girl, don't speak too soon."

"You might have to come with me later!"

He had figured it out by now. Pheobe was definitely the person he had been sent to pick up.

The little girl simply didn't know that and had mistaken him for someone who had wandered in by accident.

Chen Shi didn't tell her, either. He wanted to see her expression once she learned the truth.

"Gengar, let's keep going."

"Gengar~"

Gengar answered and led Chen Shi farther up the mountain.

Seeing them leave, Pheobe abandoned her flowers and followed behind Chen Shi.

Hmph, let's see what you do when you take a wrong turn and run into danger.

Then I'll laugh at you good and hard before having Little Spirit throw you out.

Though the little girl had a mischievous streak, she still didn't want anyone to lose their life. She planned to save him if he ran into danger.

But what happened next left Pheobe dumbfounded.

Under Gengar's guidance, they took all the right paths and were nearly at her house.

Pheobe couldn't make sense of it. Where had that Gengar come from? How did she know this place so well?

Then Pheobe's eyes shifted as a new idea struck her. This was fine, too.

She could have her grandparents teach him a lesson, then make Little Spirit throw him out.

Yep, that's what I'll do!

Pheobe clenched her little fists, thinking indignantly.

Before long, Gengar led Chen Shi to a small, two-story wooden house.

"Gengar~"

Gengar excitedly pointed at the house, indicating that this was the place.

Then he flew straight inside.

Chen Shi fell silent for a moment before stepping forward and knocking on the door.

Soon, a kindly old woman opened it.

Before either of them could speak, Pheobe suddenly rushed up from behind and pointed at Chen Shi.

"Grandma, this is the guy who barged in here! I told him to leave, but he wouldn't listen."

"Hurry and teach him a lesson!"

Pheobe's grandmother gave her granddaughter a puzzled look. "Your grandfather and I asked him to come."

"Didn't we tell you?"

Pheobe froze on the spot, completely at a loss.

"You... you told me?"

Now Pheobe understood everything. All that talk about loving danger and going wherever it was dangerous had been a lie.

Her grandparents had invited him here. He wasn't afraid of danger at all.

No wonder he had found the entrance. No wonder that Gengar knew the place so well.

At the thought, Pheobe's face flushed bright red, and she curled her toes so hard she nearly dug through the wooden floorboards.

Watching Pheobe's face alternate between pale and red, Chen Shi was inwardly delighted.

This little girl really was pretty cute.

Then, holding back his smile, Chen Shi said to Pheobe's grandmother, "Ma'am, my grandfather told me to come here to pick someone up."

The old woman studied Chen Shi, a smile spreading across her deeply wrinkled face.

"I know about you. Old Chen goes around boasting about how outstanding his grandson is every day. You must be him."

"Come inside first."

Chen Shi scratched his head awkwardly, then winked at Pheobe before stepping through the door.

Dusknoir