Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 433: Gengar Pays Its Respects! (BONUS)

In Sinnoh's Alamos Town, behind the Space-Time Towers, lay Gaudí's Garden—designed and built by the famous architect Gaudí himself.

With the theme of harmony between nature, humans, and Pokémon, the garden was home to many Pokémon, creating a serene and refreshing environment.

And just now, Johan and his companions had witnessed a rather dramatic scene.

Alice had rushed to Gaudí's Garden because Tonio had gotten lost inside.

Meanwhile, Baron Alberto had taken the opportunity to look down on Tonio and publicly introduced Alice as his fiancée.

Only for Alice to immediately shut him down, declaring that she already had someone she liked. Then, without a word, she clung to Tonio's arm, making it very clear who that person was.

Tonio blushed shyly. Baron Alberto? Absolutely shattered.

Feeling like a complete fool, he stormed off in frustration.

Meanwhile, Johan and his group officially got acquainted with Alice and Tonio.

Alice enthusiastically shared stories about Alamos Town, Gaudí's Garden, and the Space-Time Towers with Cynthia—an irresistible temptation for anyone passionate about history.

As the group explored the garden, Johan pulled the timid Tonio aside, hoping to learn more about the current situation in Alamos Town.

Before that, however—

He called out all of his Pokémon.

Gaudí's Garden was full of Pokémon, many of whom had a close relationship with Alice.

There was a Luxray and its Shinx family, an Azumarill, Marill, and Azurill family, a Quagsire and its Wooper companions, a Kricketune and Kricketot duo, a swarm of Combee, and many more.

With Gengar—who had once ruled the stray Pokémon of Kanaz City—as their leader, Johan's Pokémon quickly befriended the locals.

As they walked across a bridge over the water, a Marill suddenly tumbled into the clear pond.

"Lu~!"

Seeing this, Dragonite immediately performed a Dive Dragon Plunge into the water, sending a massive splash everywhere and scaring the poor Marill stiff.

Marill turned to see Dragonite rise from the water—leaving the pond with nearly half its volume missing.

"Oowoo!"

Watching this unfold, Larvitar excitedly prepared to jump in—

Only to be grabbed by Johan, who lifted it by its little feet, holding it upside down midair.

"You're not getting in."

A Pokémon four times weak to water wanting to swim?

Maybe practice in a baby bathtub first.

"Oowoo..."

Larvitar drooped its head in disappointment.

"Li-li~~"

Just then, a tiny Azurill waved at Larvitar from the top of a spiral sculpture.

The swirling design made it look like a playground slide, and Azurill gleefully spun down it.

"Oowoo!"

Larvitar immediately perked up.

It huffed and puffed its way up the sculpture, plopped itself down, and spun down at full speed—

Only to lose control and roll across the ground twice before stopping.

But the little one was tough. Not only did it not hurt, it actually loved it!

With a determined slap on its own behind, it sprinted back up for another round.

Meanwhile—

An Azumarill stood in the center of a seesaw while a Quagsire and two Woopers sat on one end, waiting for a playmate.

"Cha!"

Tinkaton eagerly volunteered.

"Marill~"

Azumarill, balancing the seesaw, observed that Tinkaton was too light—it needed a partner for the game to work properly.

No problem.

Tinkaton casually leapt onto the other end.

The next moment—

Azumarill's face: (Д≡Д)

Swoosh—Swoosh—Swoosh—

Quagsire and the two Woopers rocketed into the air.

"Woo-pah? (▽.)"

Quagsire blinked in confusion.

Wait.

Was it... flying?

"Garruu!"

Urshifu clapped its hands and expertly caught Quagsire and both Woopers as they fell.

Azumarill sighed in relief and wiped its forehead.

"Woo-pah!!"

Rather than fear, the Woopers were thrilled!

"Again! Again!"

Meanwhile—

A very eager Luxray and Mightyena circled Ninetales like fanboys.

"Arf! Arf!" Mightyena panted excitedly.

"Meow~ Meow~"

Luxray flicked its star-shaped tail playfully at Ninetales.

Stare.

The two suddenly realized—they were rivals.

They locked eyes, brimming with hostility.

"Oowoo~"

Ninetales sighed, curling its tail to retrieve a berry and placing it between them.

Unfortunately, it failed to anticipate—

How much this one berry would mean to Luxray and Mightyena.

Next second—

"Arf!!"

"Meow!!"

They pounced at each other.

Their fight escalated—Mightyena called its Poochyena pack, Luxray called its Shinx clan—splitting into two warring factions.

Ninetales contemplated freezing them all to solve the issue.

Just then—

Charcadet walked past, calmly lowering its hand in a "stay put" gesture.

It knew this scene all too well.

"Goka!"

It stepped between Luxray and Mightyena.

"Give me some respect."

Luxray and Mightyena paused.

They exchanged looks before staring at Charcadet.

Who the heck are you?

Before they could say a word—

Charcadet's eyes flickered blue. A chilling aura crept down Luxray and Mightyena's spines.

"Goka."

"I said, give me some respect."

Sweat trickled down their foreheads.

...It seemed like respect was in order.

Without a word, Charcadet split the berry in half and handed it to both of them.

They accepted.

However, as they turned to leave, that chilling feeling intensified.

Instinctively, they each broke off a quarter of their half and handed it back to Charcadet.

"Goka~"

The flames in Charcadet's eyes returned to their usual warm orange.

It grinned and waved them off.

"No need to be so generous."

Luxray and Mightyena exhaled sharply.

That felt like... they had narrowly escaped death.

Originally bitter rivals, the two suddenly became best buddies—laughing and walking side by side.

Satisfied, Charcadet nodded approvingly.

Johan, watching from a nearby platform, wore an amused expression.

So, both Luxray and Mightyena were courting his Ninetales?

He suddenly questioned whether foxes belonged to the canine or feline family.

At least Charcadet had stepped in.

Otherwise, Luxray and Mightyena might've left in pieces!

—Meanwhile—

Johan turned back to Tonio.

"Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"

Tonio adjusted his glasses, deep in thought.

"If I had to say... the townspeople have been experiencing strange nightmares from time to time."

He hesitated before adding, "Some believe it's because of the 'Nightmare Pokémon' Darkrai, but very few have actually seen it."

Johan felt relieved.

No major time-space disturbances.

The Darkrai in Gaudí's Garden wasn't malicious.

If anything, it was the guardian of Alamos Town.

Though it sometimes inadvertently caused nightmares, they were neither dangerous nor too terrifying.

It had been restraining itself.

That Darkrai wasn't like Tobias'—not even close.

This one could fight Dialga and Palkia head-on!

And if that wasn't proof of its power—

Its Dark Void put Ash to sleep for an entire day.

"Maybe... I should try to help it," Johan thought.

It was a Pokémon worthy of respect.

If they crossed paths and he had the means to help—he would.

For now, though—

There was no sign of trouble.

And that?

That was comforting.

Johan's gaze swept across the courtyard.

With Gengar's personality, it should have been the loudest one causing trouble amidst all the excitement.

And yet—he hadn't seen a single sign of it bouncing around.

Meanwhile, Gengar—

"Ka-kaah~"

It tiptoed quietly, parting the thick bushes and branches in the garden.

"We should head back, Rotom," the hovering Rotom muttered nervously as it continued recording.

But Gengar simply puffed out its chest, patting itself confidently.

No worries—it was here.

That's exactly why I'm worried! Rotom thought bitterly but didn't dare say aloud.

"Ka-kaah!"

Found it!

Gengar called out excitedly.

Rotom froze in midair, its screen flickering with unease.

Something was watching them—

A presence heavy with intimidation.

Beyond the parted bushes, in the depths of the shaded grove, a Darkrai rested beneath a tree.

The swirling black-and-white wisps on its body drifted lazily as it leaned against the trunk.

And the moment Gengar and Rotom saw it—

Darkrai's eyes snapped open.

It met their gaze.

Darkrai's expression grew serious.

It slowly lifted from the ground, its eerie aura shifting.

It could sense a threat from Gengar.

More importantly—

It could detect traces of at least two other Darkrai on Gengar's body.

Since when did Darkrai become so common?!

And—

There was something else.

It also sensed an incredibly faint trace of...

Giratina.

Giratina?!

Most Pokémon had no idea what Giratina truly was.

But Darkrai?

Darkrai knew.

Rotom was too terrified to move.

Gengar, however, remained completely unfazed, casually waving at Darkrai in greeting.

Rotom breathed a sigh of relief.

Good. At least Gengar didn't say anything reckless—

"Ka-kaah~"

Hey! I've beaten up two of your kind before! (hands on hips)

Rotom's entire body stiffened.

Inside, it was screaming.

I WANT TO GO HOME! (PД`q.)·.'゜

Darkrai didn't speak.

But the black-and-white wisps around it began to ripple.

Was this... a challenge?

Before it could react further—

Gengar suddenly rolled its tongue out and spat a box of Pokéblocks toward Darkrai.

Darkrai instinctively caught it.

Then blinked, staring at Gengar in confusion.

...What's this supposed to mean?

First, an insult.

Now, a gift?

Gengar grinned.

"Ka-kaah~ (▼O▼)/"

From now on, we're friends!

Without waiting for a response, Gengar grabbed Rotom and floated away.

Darkrai looked down at the Pokéblocks in its hands.

Then back up at Gengar.

A large, slowly appearing question mark popped up in its mind.

?

Gengar, on the other hand, clapped its hands together with satisfaction.

Mission complete!

Darkrai was bewildered, but Gengar felt extremely pleased with itself.

This was what you called—

Paying respects.

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Alamos Town belonged to Darkrai.

The moment Gengar had stepped into this town, it had already sensed Darkrai's presence.

That feeling had only gotten stronger upon arriving at Gaudí's Garden.

And as the boss of Kanaz City's stray Pokémon, Gengar understood the rules of the game.

This was Darkrai's territory.

Since it had entered someone else's turf, respect had to be shown first.

In professional terms—

This was called paying respects to the local boss.

Even a strong outsider wouldn't recklessly challenge the authority of a territory's ruler.

Now that Gengar had extended a gesture of goodwill—

If they ever ran into trouble in Alamos Town, they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

And if Darkrai ever needed help, Gengar wouldn't mind lending a hand—if it was within its capabilities.

This was mutual understanding.

The code of the streets.

Night fell.

Johan and his group had spent the entire afternoon playing in Gaudí's Garden.

They had intended to explore Alamos Town properly, but between the stunning scenery and the interesting Pokémon, time had slipped away.

In the end, they decided not to stay at Baron Alberto's mansion.

Not because the mansion wasn't good—

And not because they had anything against Baron Alberto.

It was just that...

Since they had befriended Tonio and Alice, staying at Baron Alberto's place might make things... awkward.

Of course—

It definitely had nothing to do with Baron Alberto's obsessive self-love and ultimate simping behavior.

How he had been firmly rejected by Alice in broad daylight—

And by nighttime, was once again inviting her to his mansion as his fiancée.

His big, round, comfy bed—

Ahem.

Anyway.

The Alamos Town Pokémon Center had a unique charm to it.

Its architecture reflected the town's artistic heritage, and it was surprisingly spacious.

The rooms were large, providing plenty of comfort for their stay.

After making sure Larvitar was well-fed, Johan climbed into bed, preparing to sleep.

Once Gengar turned off the lights, the room became quiet—

Except for Urshifu's rhythmic "huff, huff" as it shadowboxed in its sleep.

The moonlight was bright.

Lying flat against the ceiling, snug under a tiny blanket, Gengar suddenly opened its eyes.

It wasn't alone.

One by one, the other Pokémon also awoke, their eyes flickering toward the same direction.

A shadow was cast upon the window—

Darkrai.

Its gaze swept across the room.

When it saw Gengar, its eyes narrowed slightly—

Then landed on Johan.

Darkrai could sense something unusual.

The Ninetales curled beside Johan carried an exceptionally pure Lunar Wing.

Not just any Lunar Wing—

A blessing directly from Cresselia.

Even Darkrai couldn't induce nightmares upon it.

"Ka-kaah~"

Gengar gestured for the others to relax.

No need to worry—it's a friend.

Hearing this, the Pokémon let out tired yawns and drifted back to sleep.

Ninetales snuggled closer to Johan, gently nudging him before settling into a more comfortable position.

"Mmm... just two billion more... then that's enough..." Johan murmured in his sleep.

Darkrai's gaze drifted over the resting Pokémon.

Then—

Its body tensed.

...What kind of Pokémon were these?!

Giratina's aura.

Rayquaza's aura.

Ho-Oh's aura.

Lugia's aura.

Groudon's aura.

Regigigas' aura.

Even the lingering traces of Mew, Marshadow, and something else it didn't recognize—some sort of Psychic-type energy.

And that wasn't even mentioning the Three Legendary Birds, Three Legendary Beasts, Three Lake Guardians, or the Regi Titans.

Had these guys been collecting Legendary Pokémon like souvenirs?!

Gengar floated outside.

It saw Darkrai standing atop a lamppost, its shadow stretching long behind it—

Paying homage to some dramatic character, no doubt.

Without hesitation, Gengar pulled out a pair of sunglasses and tossed a tiny cape over its shoulders.

Gotta match the energy.

Darkrai twitched at the ridiculous display.

But still, it finally spoke.

"Why have you come here?"

Gengar scratched its head.

"Ka-kaah~"

Came to battle. We were invited for an exhibition match.

Darkrai's shoulders relaxed slightly.

For a moment, it had feared they were here to capture it.

It glanced back at Johan.

"He's your Trainer?"

Gengar turned to look at Johan.

Then, as if realizing, it scratched its backside and said—

"Ka-kaah~"

Kinda. But he's a Pokémon psychologist. Or a Pokémon therapy teacher, I guess.

Then it tilted its head.

"Ka-kaah?"

Why? You got mental health issues? Someone you miss? Something you can't let go of?

Darkrai flinched.

Somewhere deep inside—

Something had been stirred.

Darkrai's heart wavered slightly at Gengar's words.

Someone it missed... something it couldn't let go of...

It felt as though an invisible string deep within its heart had been plucked.

Realizing this, Darkrai tensed up slightly, masking the emotions that had surfaced.

It gave Gengar one last deep look before vanishing into the darkness.

Gengar shook its head.

Still too shy to admit it, huh?

It turned toward the lamppost where Darkrai had been standing just moments ago.

Its eyes gleamed mischievously.

With a grin, it pulled its tiny cape around itself, climbed onto the lamppost, and crouched down in the same dramatic pose.

Its dark figure blended seamlessly into the night, save for its glowing red eyes.

The moon hung behind it, casting an eerie glow over its form.

Damn, this actually looks pretty cool... Gengar thought to itself.

Another pose mastered!

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Powerstones?

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