A Knight’s Heart

In the Counseling Room

"Ka-kah~~"

Gastly floated by the wall, grinning awkwardly.

Despite its best efforts, it just couldn't manage to look serious.

Johan was sitting there, holding Alolan Vulpix in his arms. His hand gently ruffled through Vulpix's soft, cool, and fluffy fur while silently eyeing Gastly.

"Oowu~~"

Vulpix let out a purring sound, like a satisfied kitten, casting Gastly an apologetic look.

"So, what's the story?" Johan finally asked.

Just a little while ago, Gastly and Vulpix hadn't just put the already lazy Slakoth into a deep sleep estimated to last three days; they also drove away several Vigoroth.

They even managed to disturb the notorious Slaking, rumored not to have bathed in three years!

If Slaking had come out, Johan wouldn't have known how to handle the situation.

Now with the chance to explain, Gastly began to babble eagerly.

"Ka-kah ka-kah~~"

Listen to me! I have a totally reasonable explanation.

It turned out Gastly had taken Vulpix on a stroll around the area. They'd stumbled upon a couple of Vigoroth who were bullying two Academy Oddish by stealing their Lum Berries.

Would it let that slide? No way!

Gastly stepped in to knock down two of them but was then chased by more Vigoroth.

To make matters worse, the Vigoroth had also set their sights on the MooMoo Milk Gastly and Vulpix were enjoying. One of the Vigoroth even struck Vulpix, causing it to cry out, which inadvertently put several Slakoth into a deep sleep.

But could Gastly just sit back and let that happen? Absolutely not!

It relayed its tale with impassioned indignation, almost like a hero defending the weak.

After hearing it all, Johan pressed his lips together in thought before summarizing it all:

"So, basically… you went 'thief vs. thief'?"

"Ka-kah!!"

Gastly tried to protest further, but Johan had already made up his mind.

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

This is going downhill.

Breaking and entering.

Thief-on-thief action.

Gastly, you're getting deeper and deeper into the path of "Not-So-Legal Activities."

"As punishment, you're not playing on your phone tonight!" Johan said firmly.

"Ka-kah!! Σ(дlll)"

Gastly looked like it had turned to stone.

My Eevee! My Pikachu! My Popplio!

"And later, take some Pokéblocks to give to those Oddish," Johan added.

Gastly nodded dully, like its soul had left its body. Then, almost instinctively, it asked:

"Ka-kah…"

What about the Vigoroth?

Johan's eyes narrowed.

"Be glad we didn't escalate things with them."

Picking on Vulpix?

"Next time you're bored, go 'play' with them," Johan said with a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Ka-kaah…"

In the afternoon, Johan set up a training routine for Alolan Vulpix to practice controlling its psychic abilities.

Although there were some unexpected hiccups, at least nobody got seriously hurt.

Returning home that evening, Gastly quietly slipped into a corner, trying to sneakily take out its phone. But it could feel a gaze burning into its back.

"Ka-kah~~"

It grinned awkwardly, pretending the phone was meant for Vulpix to play with.

"Oowu?"

Vulpix looked puzzled.

Gastly stuffed the phone into Vulpix's paws.

"Ka-kah, ka-kah~~"

Tap here, tap there, that's right! Let's watch Popplio's Adventure together!

Alolan Vulpix tilted its head, utterly confused.

"Vulpix: ???"

Johan observed Gastly's "coaching" from the side but only chuckled, deciding not to intervene.

He had work of his own to handle.

The battle video had, without a doubt, been posted online, and a lot of people were trying to add him as a friend.

Some genuinely wanted to seek advice on their Pokémon's psychology, while others were simply curious or found it amusing.

Like that "King of the Land" from earlier.

So, Johan needed to sift through the requests, filtering out those who had legitimate questions from those just wasting time.

Even at this late hour, friend requests were trickling in. For instance:

[Bird on the Ground]: What should I do if my Pokémon and I aren't close?

That seemed like a reasonable question.

Johan approved the request.

[Grain in the Field]: Can you describe the situation?

The response came quickly.

[Bird on the Ground]: My Pokémon is really strong, super, super strong! But I have trouble… you know, connecting with them.

This seems like a typical case of a trainer having a powerful Pokémon that's beyond their control, Johan thought, somewhat reminiscent of a certain Charizard.

Speaking of which, is this world more akin to Red's or Ash's?

That was something Johan hadn't figured out yet.

He quickly refocused his mind.

Generally, there were two approaches to this problem:

A trainer could improve their skills and gain the Pokémon's respect through battles and victories.Alternatively, they could focus on strengthening the bond or friendship between them and their Pokémon.

Given the person's situation, Johan recommended the latter approach.

[Grain in the Field]: Are you able to communicate, or is communication itself an issue?

[Bird on the Ground]: We can communicate, but usually, he—uh, I mean, it—initiates most of our interactions.

Using voice-to-text, maybe? The typos are common.

But Johan didn't think too deeply about it. It couldn't possibly be another Mewtwo, right?

The odds were too low.

[Grain in the Field]: My suggestion is to focus on establishing a friendship or partnership first, and set aside the roles of trainer and Pokémon for the time being.

[Bird on the Ground]: How do I do that?

[Grain in the Field]: Whether it's a person or a Pokémon, winning their heart usually starts with winning their stomach.

Team Rocket Base, Viridian City, Kanto Region.

In a dimly lit room, Matori clutched a tablet, her face glowing softly in the eerie light. She looked almost giddy.

"Winning their stomach…"

She peeked over at Giovanni, who was working intently.

Sensing her gaze, Giovanni asked absentmindedly without looking up, "Did you connect?"

"Yes, sir!" Matori replied, stiffening up.

"Hm?" Giovanni paused, turning to face her.

"What did he say?"

Matori quickly dimmed the tablet's screen and answered, "I used an alternate account to add him. We're still in the initial stages of communication, and I can't confirm anything yet."

Giovanni nodded, shifting his focus back to his files.

"Start investigating his background."

"Understood!"

"His tactical skills are impressive; he might be worth recruiting."

"Yes, sir!"

Time passed.

Life continued with its usual rhythm of training challenges and moments of joy.

Alolan Vulpix gradually gained control over its abilities, while Gastly appeared to be growing stronger and more solid.

Sometimes Johan would don the guise of "Fivefold" and take his two Pokémon to the Battle Restaurant in Rustboro City to enjoy a hearty meal and gain some battle experience.

They began with the basic-level restaurants where novice trainers frequented and eventually felt confident enough to challenge intermediate and even advanced-level battle restaurants.

After all, even losing a battle just meant paying a bill that Johan had already planned for.

As a result, the name "Fivefold" started to become more recognized among the city's Battle Restaurants.

Even the initially wary restaurant owners came to realize the commercial value.

Fivefold drew a crowd, and by advertising his visits a day in advance, they could attract even more customers and aspiring trainers.

The urban legend of "Fivefold" continued to grow.

On this day, the Rustboro Pokémon Academy was celebrating its Fall Festival.

The campus was decked out in festive decor, exuding a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

Johan had donned a black suit, accented with golden trim at the cuffs and collar. He sported a monocle and carried a cane as he walked through the Academy grounds.

This suit was something he had splurged on—technically reimbursed—though he couldn't quite understand why the reimbursed attire had to be so lavish.

Gastly floated by, eagerly glancing around, its mouth stuffed with food, while Johan's wallet continued to grow lighter.

Walking by his side, Alolan Vulpix trotted along, wide-eyed with curiosity, as if experiencing everything for the first time.

Over time, Vulpix had become noticeably more sociable, no longer as shy as it once was.

"Professor Johan, you look so dashing today!"

"Wow, Alolan Vulpix is so adorable!"

"Need more food, Gastly? Want some more?"

Johan was

quite popular among the students these days.

"Professor Johan, would you like to pick out some outfits for your Pokémon?"

A female student dressed in a medieval evening gown called out from her shop, which sold Pokémon costumes.

Johan blinked, a little surprised.

"Oowu?"

Alolan Vulpix tilted its head, its eyes fixated on a Christmas-themed outfit inside the shop, its blue eyes sparkling with interest.

Gastly, on the other hand, stared blankly at a suit of knight's armor hanging on the wall, seemingly entranced.

Noticing their reactions, Johan chuckled.

"If you like something, go ahead and choose."

"But Gastly, I don't think the knight outfit is quite right for you… How about that mask instead?"

After all, Gastly only had a head—armor required at least a pair of arms.

"Ka-kah~~"

Gastly muttered, But I have a knight's heart…

Suddenly, Gastly's body began to glow with a brilliant white light!

Johan's expression froze.

Wait, was it really evolving just for a costume?

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Powerstones?

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