The setting sun plated Maiden Gorge with a layer of warm orange.
The 'S.S. Anne' slowly docked at the quaint and rustic port.
The sound of the ship's whistle intertwined with the noisy human voices coming from the distant temple festival, announcing that the destination had been reached.
In front of the pier, that famous rock statue, shaped like a woman gazing into the distance, stood quietly in the evening glow.
It was as if she were truly waiting for a lover who would never return, adding a touch of distant mystery to this port town.
This wasn't exactly a major metropolis, but it was truly a very famous tourist attraction.
After all, not just any legend can be passed down for two thousand years and still remain so vivid and convincing.
The only pity was that the League dared not develop this place excessively.
Ghost-type Pokémon have long lifespans, strong power, and highly adaptable abilities... these all look like advantages, but there are quite a few downsides too.
For instance, these guys often have one-track minds that get stuck easily.
Ghost-types have so-called 'obsessions'.
Don't look at how unreliable or flexible their thinking seems usually... when it involves things they care about, they become incredibly stubborn.
In short, the worldviews of most Ghost-types don't really mesh well with humans.
What?
You say there's a Ghost-type Pokémon that gets along very well with humans?
Then is it possible that this Ghost-type Pokémon is even 'sicker'?
Didn't take meds today~
Feeling cute~
Large groups of tourists poured down the gangway from the ship, impatient to throw themselves into the embrace of this late summer feast.
Many of them had already booked hotels on shore, preparing to spend the night here and fully experience the fun of the temple festival.
Traveling on this ship, on this route, was of course for the sake of having a good time.
After all, since they were already here, what was there to be reserved about?
Ash, Misty, and Brock also stepped onto the land of Maiden Gorge along with the flow of people.
"Wow! It's so lively!" Misty was attracted by the scene before her eyes the moment she got off the ship.
"But why do I feel like there are so many beautiful women here?"
Misty glanced around; there were beautiful women everywhere, and of all different styles... so many that it was a bit abnormal.
Continuous rows of stalls had already been set up on both sides of the road. Lanterns lit up one after another. The aroma of food, the shouting of game vendors, and cheerful traditional music filled the air, brimming with the unique vitality of a festival.
Although the prosperity here certainly couldn't compare to Vermilion City.
But the group had been cooped up on the ship for quite a few days.
Just being able to get off the ship was already a blessing.
How did that saying go?
Happiness is derived from comparison.
As long as there is a period of decline, then when things rise, you will feel happiness.
To some extent, that was the case right now.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu stood on Ash's shoulder, its small paw pointing at a stall selling candied apples, calling out excitedly.
Pikachu also quite liked human snacks and treats.
"Okay, okay, we'll go buy some in a bit." Ash agreed with a smile, his gaze involuntarily infected by this enthusiastic atmosphere.
The three merged into the bustling crowd.
They began to enjoy this rare leisure time.
Brock had his hands in his pockets, grasping his Poké Balls.
He appeared to be strolling leisurely, but those eyes that were always narrowed were exceptionally busy, issuing sincere praise from time to time:
"Oh! That young lady wearing the pale purple yukata, the hydrangea hairpin really complements her gentle temperament perfectly..."
"The young lady in the red skirt scooping goldfish over there, her movements are both elegant and precise, truly impressive..."
"Ah! That young lady tasting takoyaki, even the way she gently blows on it after getting burned is filled with the beauty of vitality!"
Brock's commentary was as insightful and... incessant as always.
Indeed, being trapped in the Gym for too many years had really suppressed him somewhat.
Ever since leaving the Gym, he had been letting himself go.
Misty couldn't help but retort, "Hey, Brock, your eyes are almost turning into heart shapes! Tone it down a little!"
However, Brock suddenly let out a slight sigh.
His tone carried a trace of regret from seeing through the essence of things as he whispered to his two companions:
"Sigh... although they are beautiful, I have to say, at least half of the pretty girls on this street that catch our eyes..."
He paused, his gaze seeming capable of penetrating certain superficial appearances of laughter.
"Are actually illusions created by Ghost-type Pokémon."
Having been a Gym Leader for many years, Brock was indeed knowledgeable.
Brock: 'I can see at a glance that you are not human!'
Brock: 'I want you to help me with my cultivation!'
Brock: 'Mighty Heavenly... actually never mind on that one, sorry, wrong movie set.'
Brock: 'Anyway, hurry up and help me cultivate!'
"Huh?" Ash asked curiously upon hearing this, looking around again.
"I just felt that something was a bit abnormal here, but I couldn't tell what it was."
"I thought it was just too lively and I wasn't used to it."
"There wasn't any sense of threat either..."
This was the first time in this life that Ash had encountered Ghost-type Pokémon.
Of course, the more important reason was that he didn't feel any hostility.
"Pika?" Hearing this, Pikachu also began to scrutinize the surroundings carefully.
It concentrated its mind, and it seemed it could indeed faintly sense some non-human 'existences' mixed in the crowd, carrying faint Ghost-type energy fluctuations.
They perfectly imitated the laughter and chatter of human girls, blending into the excitement of the festival, almost flawlessly.
One could only say they were a bunch of veteran actors.
Obviously, this wasn't their first time doing this.
"So that's it," Ash remembered Lt. Surge's intel. "This must be the trick of that 'playful old guy' and its companions that Mr. Lt. Surge mentioned, right?"
"Pikachu?" Pikachu was still tilting its head, carefully distinguishing those subtle energy differences in the air.
Unlike Ash, who as a Trainer generally didn't need to fight Pokémon directly, Pikachu still had to be on guard. If they fought a Ghost-type later, how should it handle it?
Pikachu: '...The move Foresight is really hard to learn.'
Hmm.
Anyway, Pikachu currently knew it without having learned it.
"Half are ghosts?" Misty stopped walking.
Frankly speaking, she was a little scared.
The reputation of Ghost-type Pokémon was mostly not very good.
Although there were types that meshed well with humans, the most famous ones were known for their notoriety.
For example, the Chandelure line of Ghost-type Pokémon...
Those really fed on souls.
"Probably." Brock nodded, resuming his gentle smile. "But no need to worry, they don't seem to have any malice. They're just immersed in the festival atmosphere, having fun with everyone."
"Let's go," Ash's interest grew even higher. "Since we're here, let's properly enjoy this temple festival where 'humans and ghosts rejoice together'!"
"Maybe we can even meet that 'legendary' maiden." Ash looked toward that rock of the maiden in the distance, which was becoming increasingly mysterious in the twilight.
Ash remembered that in the original plot, it was a Gastly disguised as the ghost maiden?
But at the end of the episode, the ghost of the maiden seemed to have come out again?
In short, it was a situation that left people scratching their heads.
But since it was confirmed that this Ghost-type Pokémon had no hostility, and the League had confirmed the situation here, and this temple festival had been maintained for two thousand years...
That meant in 99.9% of cases, there was no danger.
Everyone just needed to let loose and play.
The figures of the three gradually blended into the long street of the temple festival, where lights were waning and human voices were buzzing.
Among the various beautiful and splendid aspects of this temple festival... just how many were illusion techniques used by Gastly?
To the point where these illusion techniques could make one's senses feel exactly the same as reality.
After all, this was an old ghost that had lived for at least 2,000 years.
____
New Story: Stardew Valley: What Do You Mean They All Became My Servants
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