To prepare a thank-you gift for Teacher Lu, Blue had spent a long time deliberating.
In the end, he decided to visit an old mansion in Viridian City.
Although he couldn't stand Professor Oak, his former friend Grandma Agatha still resided not far from Pallet Town.
Blue had mixed feelings about Grandma Agatha.
On one hand, she was one of Kanto's Elite Four, her strength undeniable.
On the other hand, she was also his grandfather's old friend.
Even though the two had parted ways long ago, Blue secretly wished they would meet again.
Even if it ended in a bitter fallout, it was better than this cold war they had going on.
Strangely enough, despite being nearly perfect in every way, Professor Oak always got visibly tense whenever Grandma Agatha was mentioned…
Blue sighed, deep in thought as he walked toward the old mansion's entrance.
---
The atmosphere around the mansion was eerie and unsettling.
Before Blue could even knock, the large wooden doors creaked open with a slow, ominous groan.
Thick fog rolled in, and darkness swallowed everything beyond the doorway.
"Alakazam, Miracle Eye." Blue commanded.
The room instantly became clear, revealing a stern-faced elderly woman sitting at a wooden table, leaning on a gnarled cane.
With shaky hands, she poured tea into two cups.
"Sit." Agatha said coldly.
Blue took a seat, picking up the steaming teacup with casual ease.
"…Grandpa always liked this kind of tea." He commented.
CRACK!
Agatha threw the teapot onto the ground, shattering it into pieces without even glancing down.
"Gengar, next time, don't buy this kind."
A shadow flickered, and Gengar floated out of the darkness, dejectedly poking its fingers together.
"What do you want?" Agatha asked.
"I owe someone a favor," Blue replied.
"He also has a Gengar—so I'd like to ask for your guidance on training it."
Agatha let out a mocking laugh.
"You really have no shame… just like your grandfather."
Blue merely shrugged. "I learned it from Red."
"…Red, huh."
Agatha tapped her cane against the floor, her voice filled with icy disdain.
"Just like Red… your grandfather was once a powerful man."
"But now? He's nothing. Not even a shadow of who he used to be."
Agatha stabbed her cane into the floor again, coughing slightly.
Blue remained silent, waiting.
After a pause, Agatha sighed and, perhaps out of loneliness, began rambling on:
"If he hadn't become a researcher, Kanto's Champion would have been him alone."
"But his research has helped so many people." Blue countered.
"Research? Hah! Don't make me laugh!"
Agatha's eyes flashed with anger.
"You have no idea what he once promised me."
"That he would always stay ahead of me—so far ahead that I'd never catch up to his shadow."
"And guess what? I can't catch up because he stopped being a real Trainer!"
The room fell silent.
"…There's no point in talking about it now."
Agatha let out a bitter chuckle.
"But in you and Red… I see a glimpse of the man he used to be."
"I just hope neither of you turn out like him."
She struck the ground one last time with her cane and glared at Blue.
"Gengar, see him out."
It seemed impossible to ask for a training manual for Teacher Lu.
But Blue, after a brief pause, spoke calmly.
"I can deliver a letter to my grandfather for you."
Agatha's hunched figure trembled slightly.
"All of your resentment, anger, and curses—I'll make sure he hears them." Blue continued.
"If you can't think of insults harsh enough, I'd be happy to help brainstorm some."
Agatha lifted her head, her cloudy eyes staring at Blue.
'I'll help Grandma roast him to hell and back'. Blue thought.
He smirked and added, "Having someone yell at him nonstop… that would definitely ruin his mood, wouldn't it?"
The room fell completely silent.
Agatha opened her mouth, emotions flickering across her face—resentment, frustration… and maybe, just maybe, a hint of expectation.
"…You win, kid."
After a long pause, she muttered: "You're just as much of a brat as your grandfather."
Blue grinned.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"No matter how long the letter is, I'll make sure it reaches him. Take your time writing it."
With a final wave, Blue turned and walked out of the mansion.
"I won't peek, don't worry." Blue said casually.
"There's no need to have Gengar lurking in the shadows, staring at me."
With a slow creak, the heavy wooden door closed behind him.
---
Inside, the room fell into silence once more.
A hunched old woman, her frail frame supported by a gnarled cane, sat motionless in the dim room.
She remained frozen for a long time, staring at the blank parchment before her.
Then, with a sigh, she lit a small oil lamp, its flickering glow barely piercing the darkness.
She grasped a quill pen—A flood of resentment, anger, and grief surged within her.
Her fingers clenched tightly around the pen.
But in the end, she simply wrote—"It has been a long time. I hope you have been well."
Time passed.
The last leaf from the tree outside drifted to the ground.
Agatha finally set down her pen.
"Autumn has arrived. Sending you my regards."
---
Blue flipped through the training notes Agatha had provided.
This was the accumulation of her life's experience—especially in training Gengar.
The most valuable technique was an advanced Shadow Clone strategy:
"Unlike regular Double Team, this technique allows every shadow to be the real body."
Additionally, Agatha provided a detailed training method for Dream Eater—one of her signature moves.
To any Ghost-type Trainer, this manual was an invaluable treasure.
Of course…
The training costs would be astronomical.
But when compared to the power boost, such expenses were a small price to pay.
"With this from Grandma Agatha…"
Blue nodded in satisfaction.
"Teacher Lu should be very pleased."
---
Returning to Professor Oak's lab, Blue found the old man screaming in the backyard.
"WAAAH! Blue, you're back just in time—Ash's Muk is too heavy!"
Blue's expression twitched.
…This again?!
After dragging Professor Oak out from under Muk, Blue sighed.
"Go take a shower first… I have something to discuss with you."
Ten minutes later.
Professor Oak hummed a cheerful tune, now freshly dressed in his usual white lab coat.
He grinned.
"Well, well! If it isn't Blue!"
Don't act like that whole mess didn't just happen!
Blue massaged his temples.
"…Enough joking. I have a letter from Grandma Agatha for you."
The grin vanished from Oak's face.
"Agatha… sent me a letter?"
Blue tossed the envelope onto the desk.
Then, with both hands, he slammed the table, leaning forward threateningly.
"Listen up."
"If this is just old friends catching up, fine."
"But if you have other thoughts—"
"I swear, I'll go straight to Grandma's grave and curse you."
Professor Oak looked utterly bewildered.
"…What are you even talking about?"
Blue clicked his tongue.
"Forget it. Just read it on your own."
And with that, he turned and left.
"…Agatha actually wrote me a letter?"
Muttering to himself, Professor Oak slowly unfolded the long piece of parchment.
---
Time slipped away as he read.
Outside, the golden hues of dusk filtered through the window.
A Pidgey's call echoed in the distance, signaling its return home.
Professor Oak let out a long sigh.
Holding the letter in one hand, he absentmindedly bit down on an unlit cigarette—something he had quit years ago.
Then, with his free hand, he reached into his bookshelf, pulling out an old, yellowed photograph.
His gaze lingered on the young boy and girl in the faded picture.
And he fell into deep thought.
---
Back in Modu—
Lu Ye's expression changed dramatically.
"…Grandma Agatha's training manual?!"
HOW MUCH was this going to cost?!
"No need to thank me," Blue smirked.
"Just follow Grandma Agatha's instructions step by step."
Lu Ye's expression turned complicated.
At this point, Gengar's training already included:
- Koga's Toxic strategies,
- Cynthia's Shadow Ball techniques,
- Sabrina's Psychic training,
And now, with Agatha's elite-level guidance…
Lu Ye looked up at the ceiling, his eyes slightly misty.
"…Gengar is becoming way too strong."
"Gengarrr?! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
The Ghost Pokémon, who had been lazily munching on a bag of chips, jerked in shock, dropping the snack.
Lu Ye's tone was clearly sarcastic.
Which meant—
NO SLACKING OFF.
Gengar clenched its tiny fists, its eyes burning with determination.
It couldn't afford to relax—
Time to train harder than ever!