The next day, Edward went to the ribbon-cutting ceremony with a rather strange expression on his face.
Yesterday, he had played around with Tomie for a while.
Of course, it wasn't anything indecent, but rather an experiment to experience some of Tomie's unique abilities. He had to admit, although Tomie was indeed beautiful, the terrifying abilities she carried from Junji Ito's stories were truly something else.
What was supposed to be a well-designed haunted house had, after being tossed about by Tomie, turned into something resembling a massive horror-themed amusement park.
Edward hadn't tried much yesterday—only a few of the features. He had tested the Hanging Balloons and Cave Call. When he tried Cave Call, he immediately remembered where it came from, because he realized he had seen this story before. It was about strange fissures appearing on the face of a cliff, shaped exactly like human silhouettes.
What was bizarre was that each fissure perfectly matched the outline of a specific person. Once the person saw "their" hole, they would feel as if the crevice was calling out to them, drawing them in like a spell. Compelled beyond reason, they would strip off their clothes and walk into the hole, never to return.
The setting explained that this was once an ancient form of punishment. Prisoners forced into the holes could never retreat. They could only keep walking forward endlessly, while the crevices twisted tighter and narrower. Their bodies would be stretched longer and longer, distorted like clay until they lost all semblance of humanity.
Edward had tried it for a short while yesterday. But after only a little while, he couldn't stand it anymore and asked Tomie to pull him out. There was no helping it—that environment was far too oppressive. The only light was a distant glow marking the "exit," but the entire process was suffused with nothing but despair. On top of that, the sensation of one's body constantly grinding against the rough stone walls was extremely unpleasant.
At this point, Edward was no longer worried about whether his haunted house could attract customers. His only real concern was whether Tomie might end up terrifying the guests to death. Still, the good news was that although these attractions were extremely frightening, the safety guarantees were firmly in place.
Tomie herself had quickly gotten along with Mismagius and the other Ghost-types. Edward wasn't sure what she had done, but somehow, Mismagius and Tomie had become so close they were practically putting their arms around each other's shoulders like old friends.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Edward didn't linger. He left soon after—he still had to go back and prepare for the upcoming filming of The Truman Show.
Meanwhile, the amusement park officially opened its doors.
As it turned out, Edward had only just left when the first visitors arrived. And not just any visitors—two of the most talked-about figures in the region.
"Steven, you dragged me out here just to play at this?" Wallace's face twisted into an odd expression as he looked at his friend.
Steven laughed smugly. "This is my younger brother's amusement park. As his big brother, of course I have to come and show support!" He grinned with both happiness and pride.
Wallace could only pinch the bridge of his nose in resignation, though he didn't argue. He knew Steven's personality well enough—seeing how genuinely happy Steven was, he understood that his friend was sincerely proud of his younger brother.
Curious, Wallace glanced around the entrance of the park. He knew a little about Steven's younger brother, Edward. After all, in Hoenn, Edward was already a fairly well-known figure. Many of the Elite Four and even several Gym Leaders wanted the chance to spar with him.
Because insiders of the League all knew one thing—Edward possessed one of Hoenn's Legendary Trinity, Groudon.
A Legendary Pokémon! For most people, the chance to battle one was nearly impossible. Many trainers lived their entire lives without ever seeing a legendary in person, let alone fighting one. Even Wallace, and even his own teacher, were deeply curious about Edward because of this.
But there was no helping it. Edward had no interest in the path of a Pokémon Trainer. Groudon simply slept peacefully at his belt, snoring away. On top of that, Edward was the second son of the influential Stone family and heir to the Devon Corporation, with Steven as his elder brother. Since Edward had no desire to battle, who would dare force him?
And of course, there were his movies—each one scarier than the last.
"But we're the first ones here, right?" Wallace looked at the empty ticket booth.
"That's right," Steven said, smiling broadly. "But later, don't forget to snap some photos and videos to help promote my brother's park!"
Wallace's mouth twitched. He knew it! Steven's true motive was dragging him here to act as free advertising. Still, Wallace didn't argue. He and Steven had a close relationship, and he didn't mind.
The two approached the ticket booth. A sign listed the entrance fee, along with other charges, including a park-wide pass. Though pricey, it allowed unlimited access to all attractions, making it an excellent deal.
Naturally, Steven and Wallace weren't short on money, so they purchased the full passes. As soon as they placed their payment on the counter, a drawer opened by itself, and the money floated into their hands.
"Interesting. All Ghost-type Pokémon staff." Wallace chuckled. Of course, he could tell how it was being done. Steven, however, wasn't surprised at all. He knew his younger brother had a fondness for Ghost-types, just as he himself loved Steel-types. Hiring a whole staff of Ghost Pokémon seemed completely normal to him.
"So, Wallace, which one should we try first?" Steven asked, curious as he surveyed the park.
The place felt strangely empty. Well, perhaps not exactly empty—there were plenty of mascot-like figures working, and cheerful music was playing—but without any other visitors around, the atmosphere came across as oddly eerie.
"Obviously the roller coaster," Wallace replied casually. "The quality of a theme park can usually be judged by its roller coaster."
Wallace was familiar with amusement parks. He had visited many in the past, though most often water parks. But water parks had their hygiene issues, so eventually he stopped going as much.
Steven's interest was piqued. He eagerly dragged Wallace along to try the ride, and afterward they both posted photos online. Almost instantly, the images attracted swarms of fans, and the amusement park quickly became lively.
As the reigning Champion of Hoenn, Steven's popularity was immense. Wallace, as the Master of the Pokémon Contest circuit, was just as famous. With both of them publicizing their visit, the previously empty park was soon overflowing with people.
"Ha ha~" Steven happily signed autographs for fans, while Wallace signed reluctantly at his side. He hadn't intended to post so quickly, but Steven had been too eager to help promote Edward's park. The moment they finished the ride, Steven had uploaded the photos, and everything spiraled from there.
After signing for a while, the two skillfully switched into disguises. They were well-accustomed to handling situations like this.
"Let's finish with the haunted house," Wallace suggested calmly, pointing at the park map. "It has the highest recommendation rating."
The park itself was impressive, but in Wallace's experienced eyes, it was only at the level of a high-quality amusement park. He could tell Edward had spent lavishly on it, but it lacked a unique standout feature that would truly make it shine. The Ghost Pokémon staff were interesting, but not enough.
"Sounds good. After this, I'll head back." Steven nodded, and together they stepped inside the haunted house.
They had barely entered when a stunningly beautiful woman appeared before them. She greeted them with a charming smile, her every movement dripping with allure. The beauty mark at the corner of her eye only added to her irresistible charm. Even Wallace—someone used to being admired by countless women—was momentarily stunned.
"Welcome, dear guests, to the haunted house," the woman said with a gentle smile. "I am the manager here—you may call me Tomie."
She relished their penetrating gazes, but what excited her even more was the strength radiating from the two men. They looked powerful—surely they would last for a long time, right?
No… no. The boss had said she couldn't harm the customers.
Tomie sighed inwardly. How boring. She couldn't watch men fight to the death over her. Still, at least she had plenty of other "toys" to play with.
"So, what's the most fun attraction?" Steven asked curiously, though a little puzzled about why his younger brother had hired live actors. Wallace, meanwhile, touched his face awkwardly. This was the first time he had ever seen such a breathtaking woman—beauty that seemed to steal the soul.
"I recommend the Hanging Balloon," Tomie said with a smile. Without thinking too much, the two handed over their passes and entered.
As they stepped into the room labeled Hanging Balloon, both froze in surprise.
"Houses? An entire town? How did your brother pull this off?" Wallace asked in astonishment. Outside the windows stretched a sprawling, silent town, unnervingly still.
"I have no idea. But how exactly do you play this balloon thing?" Steven asked, glancing around with curiosity. He wasn't too worried—he just wanted to clear the attraction quickly and return to his beloved rocks.
Suddenly, the television switched from a cartoon to breaking news:
"Urgent bulletin! Citizens, please be advised—our city is experiencing a crisis. Numerous human-faced balloons are drifting in the sky!" The anchor's terrified expression filled the screen. Wallace stroked his chin. A bit of background setup—interesting.
Sure enough, they soon saw the floating heads outside. Neither took them seriously. After all, this was just a haunted house. When their own faces appeared drifting toward them, Steven and Wallace even joked about whose likeness looked better and how much money had been spent.
Until a rope slipped in through the open window.
It looped around their necks before they had time to react.
In an instant, both men were hoisted into the air. The moment their feet left the ground, sharp pain shot through their necks. The next second, their bodies went limp. Their heads simply couldn't bear the weight of their bodies—spines snapped.
With their spines severed, they couldn't move at all.
"Huff—huff!"
Suddenly, Steven and Wallace gasped awake, clutching their necks as they sat up from the floor. Their necks were whole. They were alive. Looking around, they realized they were lying inside the haunted house's rest area.
"What just happened?" Wallace muttered in disbelief. The sensation of death had been too vivid—it was as though he had truly died. Yet here he was.
"I don't know either." Steven rubbed his neck, even swallowing experimentally. He was still alive. He had no idea how his younger brother had pulled this off.
Wallace's eyes then landed on an electronic display nearby:
["The Hanging Balloon"]
Number of Clears: 0
Number of Failures: 4
Failed participants may opt to commission a personalized balloon model. Future players will encounter these as hidden Easter eggs.
"…There's a clearing system?" Wallace was dumbfounded. He hadn't even gotten started before being killed. It was outrageous.
"Haha, that's interesting. I'm going to apply for one!" Steven said cheerfully. Wallace was speechless, but followed along.
Yet deep down, Wallace was unwilling to accept it. He was certain he couldn't have died so cheaply. The game had cheated, ambushing him without warning! He pulled Steven back to try again.
This time, however, Tomie informed them the all-access pass only allowed one haunted house run. To play again, they'd need to buy fresh tickets. Wallace didn't hesitate to pay. Steven, though helpless, followed his lead.
He knew Wallace's personality—competitive, always striving to win. But when he truly lost, he could also accept defeat with grace. It was part of his undeniable charm.
Five minutes later, the two once again sat in the haunted house's rest area—joined this time by several other "failures."
"How do you beat this balloon thing?! You can't fight it, and you can't dodge it!" Wallace was frustrated. He had tried stabbing the balloons with a kitchen knife, but they dodged. When he finally punctured one, his own face deflated, his entire body collapsing as though his blood had been drained. The feeling was unbearable.
"Don't worry about it. We can always come back another time," Steven said casually. He wasn't invested—rocks were more his passion.
Just as they prepared to leave, Tomie recommended Cave Call. Hearing the name, Steven's interest was piqued. He dragged Wallace to try it, only for both of them to end up in the rest area again. This time, Wallace arrived first, with Steven following five minutes later.
"I'm done," Wallace said flatly. This game was pure torture. Nothing but walking endlessly down a single narrowing path, no way out, no use of Pokémon. It was suffocatingly oppressive.
He glanced at the electronic display:
["Cave Call"]
Number of Clears: 0Fastest Clear Time: NoneNumber of Failures: 13**
Great. Now it was a speedrun challenge?
"Let's go," Steven said quietly. He did enjoy exploring caves, but not this kind. These passages offered no retreat, no Pokémon, nothing but confinement. The oppressive claustrophobia was enough to make even him shiver.
(End of Chapter)