Sato and Mark listened for a long time but still couldn't get any useful information out of Channel.
All they knew was that people in the village who didn't return home at night either went missing or came back the next day completely brain-dead.
"B-Boss! You think there really is danger? Should we… m-maybe rethink this?" Mark, hearing this, immediately started backing down.
"Gengar's already out scouting. We'll hear back soon," Sato replied flatly, ignoring Mark's last-minute retreat.
"When did that happen? I didn't see it!"
"If you saw it, would it still be Gengar?"
"Fine… So we really have no choice but to go this time?" Mark pouted like he'd been wronged.
Even Yamato, off to the side, couldn't take it anymore. "Coward. Weren't you the most eager one just now? Hey, Trainer guy, take me with you! I'm not scared!"
'Trainer… guy?'
"WHO SAID I WAS A COWARD? …I just happen to have a condition where I can't go out at night!" Mark shouted.
"You're totally a coward, nyah!" Yamato stuck his tongue out at Mark, then turned to Sato. "I'll show you the way later. Let's see if you're actually any good. Maybe you can catch the ghost plaguing our village."
Sato glanced at Yamato.
Considering how Yamato's parents had just hosted them warmly, and they'd be spending the night here. When you've eaten someone's food and stayed under their roof, you can't be too ungrateful. 'Time to educate this brat a bit… save his parents some trouble. A little payback, really.'
Sato thought to himself: 'Once again, I'm being kind today…'
"Then I'll leave the guiding to you. If we can't beat it, I'm counting on you to bring us back safely," Sato said with a gentle smile toward Yamato.
"Y-Yeah, no problem!" Yamato replied, but for some reason, seeing Sato's "warm" smile gave him the chills.
"Yamato, you're not going!" Channel, who was usually shy around guests, suddenly raised her voice, showing her assertive side again.
So even girls came with two faces.
"Hmph! Uh… what's your name again?" Yamato asked, pointing at Sato.
"Sato."
"Right! Sato already asked me to be his guide, and I agreed. A real man keeps his word!"
Yamato shouted back, but while he spoke, he stepped backward… and even hid behind Sato. What was up with that?
"If you dare go, I'll tell mom and dad and get their permission to break your legs!" Channel stepped forward, puffing herself up like a victorious rooster as she glared down at Yamato.
"T-Then we'll talk about it when I get back! They're both asleep anyway, so even if you tell them now, it's too late!"
Yamato, in a stroke of panic-fueled genius, suddenly came up with a plan so "brilliant" even he admired himself. He grabbed Sato's arm and took off running.
Normally, a little kid like Yamato couldn't possibly drag Sato, but during the sibling argument, Gengar had already returned.
And conveniently, Sato had his own ideas brewing, so he pretended not to resist and let himself get dragged outside.
"Wait for me!" Mark shouted, chasing after them.
Channel's fierce demeanor vanished in an instant. Her face turned pale as she watched the three dash out the door. Biting her lip, she ran after them too.
"…Stupid otouto, I'm really going to break your legs this time!"
---
The village at night was so quiet, there wasn't even a single insect chirping. But Yamato had only dragged Sato a few steps before a sudden force yanked his arm and brought him to a halt
"Oww, why are you so strong? Can't you be a little gentler!?" Yamato complained instinctively from the pain of being yanked.
Sato ignored him and turned to look at the two people running up behind them.
"Why are you here?" Sato asked with a frown.
"You said we'd go together. How could I abandon you, Boss- MAMA!"
Mark was talking excitedly, but then he caught a glimpse of another figure behind him and jumped in fright.
"Chanel?! Why are you here too? Weren't you super scared?" Mark clung tightly to Sato's arm, asking in shock.
"I… I… I came to beat up my brother!" Channel had run out on impulse, but when she saw the pitch-black surroundings, she got scared. Her voice even started to quiver by the end.
Sato shake Mark off his arm, then looked at the tsundere siblings. He figured he might as well go all the way with this and help ease their relationship a bit.
"Since you're already out here, let's go together. Gengar!"
"Gen~"
Gengar suddenly popped out of Sato's shadow, its golden eyes gleaming brightly in the night.
"AAAH… MMPH!" x2
Channel and Yamato were clearly startled by Gengar's sudden appearance and screamed in unison.
…Only to have their mouths quickly covered by Sato and Mark.
"Let me introduce you properly… this is my partner, Gengar."
Sato grinned. The "first scare" had been a total success. He was quite pleased.
"Gengengen~"
Gengar nodded "gently"… though coming from it, the whole thing looked rather bizarre.
Fwoosh~ Fwoosh~
One after another, golden Will-O-Wisps floated out from Gengar's hands. Like passing out party favors, it gave each person two to light the way.
At that moment, the siblings finally calmed down a bit. Their fear slowly turned into curiosity… 'So that's what Gengar looked like?'
A round body, purplish-black skin, a mouth full of neat white teeth… and golden eyes!
---
Years later, when Yamato became a Trainer and argued with friends about what Gengar looked like, he would still stubbornly insist that Gengar's eyes weren't red.
"They were golden. That was the real thing!"
----
Back to the point.
Those golden Will-O-Wisps didn't feel eerie or cold at all. Aside from lighting the way, they also made the group look rather cool.
…Even if no one else was around to see it.
"Gengar, move in based on what you found," Sato said, not giving Chanel the chance to suggest they turn back.
Gengar began to move, and the rest followed at a relaxed pace.
Maybe because they'd already been scared once, the siblings weren't quite as afraid now.
…At least not until they suddenly ran into a few Duskull.
"AAAH… MMPH!" x2
The screams came again, and Sato and Mark once again had to cover their mouths.
"Gengar, Shadow Ball."
Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~
A few Shadow Balls flew out and quickly scared off the Duskull, who were barely even considered a threat. Only then did the two release their grip.
Three minutes later… a Shuppet appeared.
"AAH… MPH!" x2
Sato and Mark were already used to it. This time, their hand speed, execution, and precision were so polished it made you wonder what the heck they'd been through in the past.
'So… forget educating a brat… aren't we the ones being educated at this point?' Sato began to question his life choices.