"The stimulation brought by fear and pranks may be temporary, but the attraction brought by laughter and warmth is what can be passed down for a long, long time!"
Ash concluded finally, his eyes bright.
After these words were spoken, the surroundings fell into a strange silence.
The illusions of the trouble-making "beautiful young girls" dissipated quietly on the spot like fading ink wash paintings, as if they had never appeared.
Only the authentic bustle of the festival and the radiant, colorful lanterns remained.
After several seconds, that Gastly's voice sounded again.
It was no longer teasing and banter, but carried a sort of thoughtful mumbling:
"Movies... IP... Family-friendly..."
It seemed to have fallen into deep thought over Ash's "modern commercial operation analysis," digesting these concepts that were quite trendy to it.
"Tsk... you kid..."
"What you said... seems to make a bit of sense?"
The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly's voice carried a hint of reluctance, yet also an implication that it had to admit it.
"This old man has lived for so long, and I've only cared about finding my own amusement..."
"I haven't actually pondered it from the perspective of 'customer retention rate' and 'word-of-mouth marketing'..."
It paused, as if making a certain decision.
The surrounding air seemed to become a few degrees lighter and brisker along with it.
"Fine, fine..."
"I'll consider that you, kid, know how to talk..."
"This old man will just... adjust the 'performance script' a little?"
The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly carried a trace of eager novelty, as if it had found a more interesting long-term source of fun.
To convince it, one really could only persuade it from the angle of its obsession.
After all, it didn't care much about other matters.
A thousand-year-old bastard, a ten-thousand-year-old turtle... its 2,000-year lifespan wasn't lived in vain. It just hadn't thought of it before.
Now that it had noticed this point... thinking about it carefully, given the current civilization of the human world, it really should use things like movies to spread the legend of Maiden Gorge.
Ash and Misty looked at each other and smiled, both breathing a sigh of relief.
Pikachu also cried out happily: "Pika pi!" (Success!)
"By the way, brat, who are you people?" The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly's form finally appeared directly in front of the two and spoke openly.
Since both Ash and Misty had seen a Meowth that could speak human language with their own eyes, they didn't feel particularly surprised.
Uh... it looked no different from a normal Gastly. Whether in size or color, it looked very ordinary.
Its core was a black sphere, with large white eyes, small black pupils, and a mouth with a pair of fangs.
"I am Ash from Pallet Town."
"I am Misty from Cerulean City."
The two completed their self-introductions respectively.
Then, the Two-thousand-year-old Gastly discovered something was a bit off: "Wait a moment... Pallet Town?"
"What is Samuel Oak to you?" The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly subconsciously shivered.
It thought of something not very good.
Hiss... just thinking about it caused phantom pains.
Ash took out his Pokédex from his pocket.
He displayed the Pokédex itself, his finger gently clicking the switch.
With a "beep," a steady and familiar voice came from the Pokédex—it was the voice message Professor Oak had pre-recorded to identify the owner of the Pokédex:
[This is the Pokédex given to Ash. I hope he becomes an excellent Pokémon Trainer. A reminder: if the Pokédex is lost or stolen, it will not be reissued. Please keep it safe. — Pallet Town, Professor Oak.]
Anyway, it wasn't the first time playing it, so Ash didn't feel there was anything to hide.
The moment this voice message finished playing...
The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly, who had been incomparably domineering just a moment ago, seemed to have been suddenly pressed with a mute button.
A patch of eerie silence.
After several seconds, its tone became somewhat sheepish, even carrying a bit of guilt and... a trace of imperceptible awe?
"...Ahem."
"So it's Pallet Town... that dashingly handsome, world-renowned, knowledgeable, and multi-talented Professor Oak."
Its voice lowered, mumbling.
It recalled certain past events it didn't quite want to remember, of being chased by a certain madman for a "friendly spar."
Gwah!
—Don't make me remember it!
"Oh my, oh my..."
The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly instantly performed what is called a face-change.
"So it's someone under Brother Oak's protection... you should have said so earlier..."
"Why speak like strangers when we're all family?"
The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly instantly restrained all its imposing aura, its tone becoming rapid: "Alright, alright, old—"
"Don't you just want to have a good stroll around the temple festival! No big deal!"
"I'll cover all the expenses for today."
"Have fun—"
"Whatever you do, don't say I treated you poorly~"
As for how a Two-thousand-year-old Gastly pays?
How does it cover everything?
That remains unknown; anyway, it had already casually said so.
As soon as the words fell.
From the crowd not far away, a "person" who looked like a little girl, wearing an exquisite cherry blossom kimono and holding a cute Misdreavus doll, walked over timidly.
She (It) bowed obediently to Ash and Misty, her voice thin and soft: "Big Brother, Big Sister... I am here to guide you on your tour of the temple festival."
"Mhm~"
"I guarantee there won't be... um... there won't be any strange disturbances."
The little girl spoke very politely.
Ash and Misty exchanged a glance, knowing this was likely another transformation by a Ghost-type Pokémon, but the attitude was indeed much more respectful.
However, neither of them had the [Foresight] skill.
They couldn't tell exactly what type of Ghost-type Pokémon this little girl before them was.
But that wasn't the point.
The point was this Two-thousand-year-old Gastly's reaction after hearing Professor Oak's name.
...Was it beaten up by him many years ago?
Ash and Misty felt it was very likely.
Right now, Professor Oak is indeed a world-famous super scholar.
But before becoming a scholar, he was also the Champion Trainer of the Kanto League.
And the kind who claimed to be undefeated under the heavens.
Although few people dare to speak ill of Professor Oak now, considering the records about Professor Oak that can be found on the internet, looking at how he was in his youth...
...No matter how you look at it, he wasn't someone to be messed with.
"Then we'll trouble you," Ash put away the Pokédex and nodded.
"Hmph." Misty also calmed down a bit, whispering in her heart: 'At least it knows what's good for it.'
In the air, the Two-thousand-year-old Gastly's will had already receded quickly like the tide.
Leaving only a sentence that was almost inaudible, carrying a bit of resentment, drifting in the wind:
"...Have fun... don't stand on ceremony with me."
...So boring... if I can't afford to offend them, can't I just hide... The Two-thousand-year-old Gastly was also very helpless.
Watching the Gastly slip away so fast, Ash smiled helplessly and took the hand of the still somewhat puffy-cheeked Misty: "Let's go, don't let... its good intentions go to waste."
"By the way, may I ask how we should address you?" Ash looked at the little girl in front of him.
He didn't presumptuously ask directly what type of Pokémon she was.
As for what her true form was... if she was willing to say, she would; if she wasn't willing, he wouldn't force it.
After all, she wasn't an enemy with hostility.
"You can call me 'Mengmeng'." The little girl struggled for a moment, but finally said this.
Thus, under the guidance of this new, unusually obedient "Ghost-type guide," the two humans and one mouse threw themselves back into the excitement of the temple festival.
The subsequent play was indeed free of any "supernatural" accidental disturbances.
Everyone had a great time, and they even saw Brock surrounded by a bevy of beauties nearby... that expression was joyous beyond measure.
Seeing this scene, Ash and Misty tactfully did not go to disturb Brock.
And after Brock saw Ash and Misty, he also nodded.
He also didn't intend to be a third wheel, so he had quietly left... anyway, it was impossible for there to be any danger here.
____
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