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Chapter 480: The Haunted Forest
Chapter 480: The Haunted Forest
The snow began to fall again outside the window.
The fire in the fireplace crackled merrily, and a group of Pokemon lounged comfortably in front of it, fast asleep.
Naoki, sitting across from Kishu on the sofa, was still reeling from their conversation.
Out of curiosity, he asked her why she liked him.
Kishu, after some careful thought, realized that she didn't know the exact answer herself.
She explained that when she first came to the ranch, she was intrigued by the mysterious owner.
And later, when she saw how wholeheartedly he helped to heal Gurkinn and care for the numerous Pokemon on the ranch, her curiosity turned into a growing fondness.
With each subsequent visit to the ranch, Kishu's feelings only deepened.
Hearing this, Naoki was stunned into silence.
Was this love at first sight?
The thought that such a thing could happen to him was almost unbelievable.
Just then, Kishu's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Can you believe the Champion is vacationing in the Alola region this winter?" Kishu exclaimed, showing him a picture on her phone of a relaxed-looking Yasu in casual attire, sunbathing on a beach.
This was indeed a rare occurrence, as Yasu had never left the Partea region, whether for work or leisure.
Even when invited to participate in the World Championships in other regions, she would decline and send her champion-level trainers in her stead.
"Hmm?" Naoki echoed her surprise.
The image on Kishu's phone showed Yasu dressed in light, breezy clothing, a stark contrast to the wintry climate of the Partea region.
Given Naoki's understanding of Yasu's workaholic nature, her decision to take a vacation was indeed unusual.
While it was true that the Partea League closed for the winter, with Gym Leaders given a break from hosting challengers, Yasu typically remained in the region to oversee league matters.
But this year, her behavior was out of character!
However, what caught Naoki's attention even more was the fact that he had never been to the Alola region himself.
Contemplating his financial situation, he began to consider purchasing a villa or ranch in Alola, where he could spend winters with his Pokemon, escaping the cold.
The Alola region boasted a unique tropical climate, providing a warm and pleasant environment year-round.
Transporting his Pokemon between locations would be simple; he'd only need to purchase two Poke Transporter machines and place them in each location.
Just then, a sudden knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Naoki was taken aback by the unexpected visitor on such a snowy day.
He rose to answer the door but found no one outside.
The Pokemon had returned to their cozy dens, and the ranch was blanketed in white, devoid of any sign of life.
Puzzled, Naoki was about to close the door when he heard a squeaking sound from below.
Looking down, he saw a plump little Bunnelby lifting its small head, its beady eyes gazing up at him pitifully.
Naoki immediately recognized the Bunnelby as one of the Pokemon he had rescued before.
After the mountain forest had returned to normal, the Bunnelby had gone back to live there.
"Squeak!" the Bunnelby nodded vigorously.
"Come in quickly!"
Naoki ushered it into the warm living room and closed the door behind it.
The cozy room made the Bunnelby let out a comfortable sigh.
Kishu and the surrounding Pokemon turned their attention to the newcomer as well.
"What brings you here suddenly? Where are the others?" Naoki asked.
The Bunnelby rubbed its paws together and replied, "Squeak, squeak, squeak!"
Using his Everstone ability, Naoki quickly understood its meaning.
The other Pokemon were still in the forest, and it had come to seek his help because the forest was haunted!
"Haunted?" Naoki was taken aback. "By a Ghost-type Pokemon? Don't worry, take your time and explain what's going on."
The Bunnelby nodded its little head. "Squeak, squeak! I don't know if it's a Ghost-type Pokemon, but everyone living in the forest has been spooked lately! It sneaks up on Pokemon, following them quietly. Sometimes it even enters their nests while they're sleeping. Pokemon have woken up to find a ghostly figure floating before them, and some have even fainted from the fright!"
Naoki guessed that it was most likely the antics of a Ghost-type Pokemon.
But there was a problem—according to his knowledge, there weren't any Ghost-type Pokemon inhabiting the mountains behind the ranch... Could it be an intruder from another region?
After a moment's thought, Naoki decided to accompany the Bunnelby back to the forest to investigate.
He turned to Kishu and said, "Bunnelby is asking for my help, so I'll be stepping out for a bit. Wait here, I'll be back soon."
However, Kishu refused to be left behind. She stood up and insisted, "I want to come with you!"
"Alright then, let's go!" Naoki instructed the other Pokemon to stay at the ranch and took only Phantump, a fellow Ghost-type, with him.
As they walked, Kishu's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Can you understand what Pokemon are saying?"
Naoki smiled mysteriously. "Would you like to give it a try?"
Kishu paused, taken aback. "Huh?"
But the next moment, she saw Naoki pull out a packet of treats from his pocket.
"Eat this, and you'll be able to understand what the Pokemon are saying," he said, offering her a bag of Translation Peanuts.
Kishu was astonished.
As soon as she ate one of the treats, she was shocked into silence again when she heard the Bunnelby in front of them grumbling about the cold.
"It's my superpower," Naoki smiled.
Superpower... Kishu immediately thought of those humans who possessed extraordinary abilities.
"I had no idea such a thing was possible..." she murmured.
"It's not that amazing," Naoki laughed. "Even without superpowers, some trainers can communicate with their Pokemon through their hearts. The most important thing is the bond between you."
As they spoke, the group officially entered the back mountains.
The winter landscape was blanketed in snow, and aside from a few Ice-type Pokemon like Snover, who enjoyed the icy environment, there was little sign of the Pokemon that usually inhabited the area.
Chesto Chestnut suddenly jumped off Naoki's body and scurried ahead, leading the way.
Soon, Naoki spotted the grove of Berries that he and Gurkinn had planted together.
"Chyuu!" Chesto Chestnut chirped, indicating that they were close. Naoki scanned the area but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
He nodded to the nearby Archen, who seemed to understand his unspoken request.
However, Archen, whose name was Zhenyifa, didn't quite grasp what Naoki was asking.
"Dream?" it asked, confused.
Naoki gave an exasperated sigh.
"Zhenyifa, can you sense the presence of any Ghost-type Pokemon in the area?" Naoki asked directly.
Now that it understood, Zhenyifa disappeared into the shadows, searching for any suspicious ghosts lurking nearby.
Meanwhile, the other Pokemon that lived in the berry grove spotted Naoki and approached curiously. They surrounded him excitedly, jumping and playing in the snow, happy to see him again.
Naoki smiled at the adorable Pokemon. "Gigawat, it's been a while! Marking Paint, how have you been? Family of Rats, oh? Looks like your family of four has become a pair now."
The two white Rattatas replied, "Chyuu!" (The kids have grown up and left us to venture out on their own!)
"Is that so?" Naoki nodded, surprised to learn that Family of Rats could devolve.
Kishu stood by, observing Naoki's interaction with the wild Pokemon.
He was truly loved by them.
Meanwhile, a canine Pokemon with a candle on its head hid in a corner, its tail wagging and its eyes filled with envy as it watched the scene unfold.
It spun in circles, excitedly huffing and puffing, eager to join the two humans and their Pokemon friends.
But just then, it sensed a terrifying presence behind it.
It turned to see a large, wild-looking Pokemon standing there, silently observing it.
"Ruff!"
Startled, the candle-topped Pokemon immediately dove underground, leaving only its candle above the surface before dashing away at full speed.
Archen didn't pursue but returned to Naoki to report what had happened.
"Dream." (There's a strange guy here.)
"Really?" Naoki asked, intrigued. "Lead the way."
"Dream."
Archen flew ahead to guide them.
Naoki and Kishu walked side by side, chatting about the wild Pokemon they encountered along the way.
Gigawat and Chesto Chestnut, who were afraid of ghosts, cautiously followed behind them.
Soon, they reached a spacious clearing.
Naoki immediately recognized the place.
It was the graveyard where he had buried the Pokemon who had perished in the mountain forest fire!
Archen floated up and pointed to a candle sticking out of the ground, its flame burning with a purple hue.
It reached out with its claw and poked at the candle. Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and the Pokemon hiding underground leaped out, its eyes wide with fear as it took in the humans and Pokemon surrounding it.
"That's a Yamask, isn't it?" Kishu recognized the Ghost-type Pokemon.
Naoki nodded. "It seems so."
It was said that Yamask were born from the spirits of lonely stray dog Pokemon who had passed away without ever meeting a human.
They usually slept quietly underground, barely moving, with only their heads protruding from the soil, illuminated by the eerie light they emitted.
If someone approached, the Yamask would let out an odd cry and leap out of the ground, often startling people. However, they didn't seem to have any malicious intent.
Yamask were known for their gentle nature, their desire for companionship, and their aversion to loneliness.
If someone played with them, they would be thrilled and would eagerly follow that person around.
Among the Pokemon living in the Partea region, Yamask were quite famous for their affinity for humans, making them relatively easy to befriend and catch.
What surprised Naoki was the possibility that this Yamask could be one of the Pokemon who had perished in the mountain forest fire, now reborn as a ghost.
"Woo..."
Sensing the hostility from the humans and Pokemon around it, the Yamask cowered, its body nearly flat against the ground, its tail drooping.
Chesto Chestnut and the others, who had been scared by the ghost, didn't know how to react when they realized the source of their fright was this timid Pokemon.
Naoki pondered for a moment before addressing the group. "It's a Yamask. It probably just wanted to play with you and didn't mean to scare you. It's acting this way because it feels lonely."
(End of Chapter)
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