Three days had passed since the Elite Four tournant concluded.
Without any official statents from the Elite mbers involved, the internet buzz had gradually died down. No matter how much speculation surrounded the tournant’s outco, everyone would have to wait for the eventual Championship challenge to learn the truth.
Early morning at Capital International Airport, John and Damian t to board a specialized aircraft called The Ferryman. They weren’t traveling alone, Gym Leader Harrison had joined them for the journey.
"So, kiddo," Harrison said, throwing an arm around John’s shoulders the mont they boarded, "who actually won the Elite tournant?" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Is it like the internet claims? Did you and Damian duke it out in an epic battle, with you erging victorious and earning the right to challenge the Champion?"
"Since when did you beco such a gossip?" Damian interrupted before John could respond. "You’ve never cared about tournant results before."
"That was different, you won every previous tournant, so what was the point of asking?" Harrison snorted, then suddenly studied Damian with narrowed eyes. "Wait a minute... if you’d won this ti like always, you’d be smug and mysteriously silent."
"So John really did win!" Harrison stared at John with wide eyes.
John simply smiled without saying a word.
"Hey, what’s with that cryptic smile?" Harrison demanded, practically bouncing with curiosity.
John shook his head silently, thinking, I gave you the answer, but you didn’t pick up on it.
"What does the head shake an?!" Neither Damian nor John would give him a straight answer, leaving Harrison feeling like a dozen cats were scratching at his heart. The suspense was killing him.
"The airport has direct flights to major international secret locations," Damian explained to John, deliberately changing the subject. "These places are relatively dangerous, so you need at least Gym Leader credentials to board. If you’re interested, you can check them out on the terminal."
"The secret location we’re visiting is called Halloween Island. It’s populated exclusively by Ghost-type Pokémon. The environnt there has unique spectral properties and produces nurous treasure-grade Pokémon items. It’s an excellent place to enhance Ghost-type Pokémon abilities."
Damian handed over a thick printed docunt. "Here’s detailed information about the place."
John accepted the papers and studied them carefully. The content covered Halloween Island’s basics, much of which was publicly available, but also insider info that only veteran visitors could compile: Pokémon strength distributions, Alpha Pokémon territories, Ghost-type energy concentrations, and potential treasure sites.
Clearly, this was an internal guide Damian had compiled from years of experience.
However, after reading through everything, John still couldn’t figure out why Damian had invited him. The strongest creature on Halloween Island was supposedly a quasi-Champion-level Totem Dusknoir, nothing Damian couldn’t handle solo.
If both Damian and Harrison were coming, and still needed John... then there had to be sothing only he could handle.
The docunt gave no clues. Oh well, John thought, I’ll find out when we get there.
Since it was a private charter with a direct route, the flight was short. They departed at 8:00 AM and landed at noon sharp.
After touching down at the small airport outside Halloween Island, the trio enjoyed a hearty lunch in the near-empty terminal. Fewer than ten people occupied the entire facility, including chefs and staf, —all of them certified Trainers.
Since they’d be venturing deep into the wilderness for an unknown number of days, they took their ti with the al, savoring what might be their last proper food for a while.
At 1:30 PM, they set off on schedule.
Stepping outside, they faced a forest shrouded in a ghostly atmosphere. Though it had been sunny at the airport monts before, the sky here was ominously overcast, as if an invisible barrier separated the two areas.
Unlike typical Sanctuaries with visible portals, Halloween Island’s centuries-old zone had completely rged with the land, leaving no obvious entry point.
"So which route are we taking this ti?" Harrison asked, unfolding a map covered in scribbled notations only he could understand. "The longer, safer path, or the riskier direct approach?"
"We’re not taking any of the usual routes," Damian replied firmly. "We’re going straight through."
Harrison blinked. "Is there so ergency? Why the rush?"
Instead of answering, Damian turned to John. "Release your Gengar."
John complied, sending out his playful, purple Ghost-type, who imdiately began spinning in place.
"Gengar gar! (Good afternoon, Master!)" the Pokémon chirped.
Damian frowned slightly. "Can it shift to the form it used when it fought ? Not ga or Dynamax, the other transformation."
"Gen gengar... (Master, why are they about to jump ?)" Gengar asked nervously.
John sighed and snapped his fingers. "Sorry, buddy. Just for a mont."
Greninja, Gardevoir, and Blaziken materialized instantly and launched a coordinated beatdown on the confused Gengar.
"Gengar! (No! Not Brother Frog!)"
"Gengar gen! (Brother Fried Chicken, please!)"
"Gen gen gengar! (Sister Garde, have rcy!)"
As the assault continued, Gengar’s body shifted, purple to gold-purple, then deep gold, before settling on a regal royal purple. His HP dropped to 25%, activating King’s Presence.
A transford Gengar King erged, regal yet battered.
Sensing the overwhelming aura, Damian gave a nod. "Let it release its full presence. Now we can proceed."
Harrison stared, dumbfounded. "Your Gengar has to be a Ditto in disguise, right?"
"Gen gengar! (No way! I’m the real deal!)" Gengar barked indignantly.
John shrugged. "That’s just how King’s Presence works. He can only access it when his HP’s low."
As they prepared to enter the haunted forest, John felt a gnawing unease in his gut. Sothing about this mission wasn’t in the docunts.
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