Chapter 65: Lavender Town
Hearing the "Ding!" sound in his mind, Brock immediately entered his mindscape. He saw Bell standing there, looking slow-witted as usual. Brock walked forward and opened the mission list. He saw two missions listed there: one side quest and one main quest.
The main quest was: Accompany the protagonist Ash on his journey to the Kanto League. Completion Reward Points: 50000. Failure Penalty: None.
The other side quest was: Protagonist helps Ash awaken his Aura Power. Reward Points: 2000. Failure Penalty: None.
After reading this information, Brock didn't even need to think to know that the mission the system wanted him to complete now was the side quest. Brock then exited his mindscape.
He saw Ash run over beside the middle-aged man and ask him, "Uncle! Can you tell me if there's any way to defeat Sabrina?"
The middle-aged man looked at Ash's expression, thought for a moment, then said, "Defeating Sabrina isn't entirely impossible... Only by obtaining a Ghost-type Pokémon from Lavender Town there can you counter Sabrina's Psychic-type Pokémon. If you can get one, perhaps you might have a chance to beat Sabrina." After speaking, the middle-aged man immediately used his psychic power. A force seemed to envelop his entire body, and then the middle-aged man vanished just like that.
Misty saw Ash still lying there, quickly ran over, and helped Ash up. She asked Ash, "Ash! Are you okay?!" Seeing this, Brock and the others also ran over.
Just then, Ash got up from the ground and brushed the dust off his clothes. He then replied, "I'm fine! I'm going to Lavender Town to capture a Ghost-type Pokémon! Then I'll defeat Sabrina and get the Saffron City Gym Badge!"
Hearing Ash, Brock thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Ash, I support you! However, when you see Ghost-type Pokémon, you can't be afraid, okay? Otherwise, you'll never be able to catch one!"
Hearing Brock, Ash replied confidently, "Don't worry, Brock! I'll definitely catch a Ghost-type Pokémon!" As soon as Ash finished speaking, he set off in the direction of Lavender Town.
Hearing Ash's confident declaration, Brock muttered inwardly, "Let's hope so!" Subsequently, he also followed behind Ash.
Misty and the others saw both Ash and Brock heading towards Lavender Town and followed them too. And so, this scene emerged: two young men, three young women, plus two Pokémon, all walking together towards Lavender Town.
Meanwhile, up in a certain tree on a street in Saffron City, the middle-aged man watched Brock's group head towards Lavender Town. He muttered, "Can they really do it? Let's hope so! Besides... if that young man (Brock) had been willing to become my disciple, in just a few years, his psychic power would definitely surpass mine... Sigh! What a pity! He wasn't willing... Such great potential gone to waste..."
Now, back with Brock's group. They advanced from Saffron City towards Lavender Town. After walking for an unknown amount of time, by evening, Brock's group arrived in Lavender Town, famous for its Ghost Pokémon. They then walked up before a tower.
Brock looked at the tower, then said to Ash beside him, "Ash, legend says this is the Pokémon Tower, where Ghost-type Pokémon reside. Misty and the others and I will just wait for you out here. You go inside by yourself."
Hearing Brock, Ash looked at the tower. He saw the tower before him looked gloomy and eerie, quite scary. Ash then timidly and hesitantly started walking slowly forward.
Ash pushed open the door and walked inside. He found his surroundings pitch black, unable to see his hand in front of his face. Then, in this darkness, Ash felt chills run through his entire body, his scalp tingled with fear, as if countless pairs of eyes were watching him from front, back, left, and right. His body gradually curled into a ball, and he shut his eyes, no longer daring to gaze into the darkness.
Ash looked ahead, then looked back at the doorway. After thinking for a moment, he quickly ran back towards the entrance. Shortly after, Ash ran out of the tower and saw Brock and Misty chatting. Walking closer to listen, he only heard Brock saying worriedly, "Misty, do you think Ash can really catch a Ghost-type Pokémon?"
Hearing Brock's words, a warm current flowed through Ash's heart. Just then, he thought, Brock really is my brother! He's so worried about me! I feel really gratified. Just then, a voice startled Ash, "Ash! You came out! Did you catch a Ghost-type Pokémon or not?!"
Startled, Ash saw Brock talking to him. Ash then replied pitifully, "Not yet... Let me tell you the truth! Actually... I'm quite afraid of ghosts."
Misty, nearby, heard Ash, thought for a moment, and said, "Ash, if you're scared, just ask Brock to accompany you inside to catch Pokémon! That way, you probably won't be scared anymore, right?!"
Hearing Misty, Ash nodded and said, "Misty! If Brock goes inside with me, then I won't be scared!"
Hearing Ash and Misty's conversation, Brock felt exasperated. Brock wanted to say, "Actually, I'm quite scared too..." but then he saw Misty's terrifying glare and swallowed his words.
Just then, outside the tower, three young women sat chatting, while inside the tower, two young men timidly walked forward. To overcome his fear, Brock started talking to Ash as they walked forward together.
"Ash, are you afraid of ghosts?"
"Nope!" cough... cough
"Alright! Actually, I am afraid of ghosts..."
"Ash, let me tell you the truth... Actually, I'm scared too."
Hearing Brock admit he was also afraid of ghosts, Ash exclaimed loudly, "What?! You're scared of ghosts too?! Why didn't you say so earlier?! Great! Now both of us are scared of ghosts! How are we supposed to catch a Ghost-type Pokémon now?!"
Brock explained from the side, "Ash, I originally wanted to say so, but after I saw Misty's scary glare, I didn't dare!"
Hearing Brock, Ash stood there silently, thinking about something unknown. Seeing this, Brock said, "Ash! Aren't they just Ghost-type Pokémon?! I refuse to believe we can't catch them!"
After speaking, Brock shouted loudly towards the interior of the tower, "Ghost-type Pokémon inside! Listen up! All of you, come out! I'm going to capture you!"
Seeing Brock shouting like that, Ash said, "Brock, shouting like that is useless! If it were useful, I would have..." Ash didn't finish his sentence because he suddenly felt many pairs of eyes watching him. He trailed off without finishing his words.
Watching this, Brock took a Poké Ball from his pocket and threw it out. A Charmeleon appeared before Brock and Ash. The flame on Charmeleon's tail illuminated a small area around them.
Ash looked into the illuminated area and saw many Gastly and Haunter there, along with one or two Misdreavus and Mismagius.
Shortly after, not a single Pokémon could be seen in the illuminated area anymore. Because Ghost-type Pokémon are afraid of light, they had all fled to the unlit areas. Brock, having just seen so many Pokémon in that small lit area, thought there must be many Pokémon nearby in the darkness.
Ash, nearby, was dumbfounded seeing this. He then fearfully said to the surrounding Ghost-type Pokémon, "I'm sorry, Pokémon! Due to my friend's presumptuousness, we disturbed your playtime. We'll leave here right away!"
Hearing Ash, Brock chuckled inwardly and thought, This Ash is too funny! He got scared just seeing so many Ghost-type Pokémon! After thinking this, Brock said to Ash, "Ash! Do you still want a Ghost-type Pokémon or not?! If you do, then listen to me!"
After speaking to Ash, Brock shouted loudly again, "Ghost-type Pokémon! Call out the leaders of each of your kinds! I'm going to capture them!"
Just as Brock's voice fell, several Pokémon appeared, standing in the area illuminated by the flame on Charmeleon's tail. Those Ghost-type Pokémon were: Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Misdreavus, and Mismagius.
Seeing these five Pokémon, Brock said to Ash beside him, "Ash! You pick first! Which one do you want to capture?"
Hearing Brock, Ash looked at the five Pokémon, then replied, "Let me have that Haunter!" As soon as Ash finished speaking, he addressed the Haunter, "Haunter! I'm going to capture you! Let's battle!"
Hearing Ash's challenge, the Haunter cried out at Ash, "Haunt~ Haunt~!" After all, as a Haunter leader (or just a Haunter), how could it possibly dislike battling?!
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