The Nameless Phantom

Since their first pokemon battle, the 6 teenagers often gathered together in the wilderness to train with their pokemon. But today was different.

Under the urging of Xiangling, they gathered in the Wanmin Restaurant to try her new dishes.

It took a few minutes for Xiangling to cook and bring all the food to the table. A conversation naturally began to flow.

"Xiangling, did you suddenly have an enlightenment? You have created so many new dishes." Xinyan asked as soon as Xiangling sat beside them.

"I did not create them. I saw them in an anime." Xiangling answered with an excited voice.

"Yesterday night, I found this anime called Shokugeki no Soma. There were so many delicious looking food in that anime. I spent the entire night, trying to recreate these food."

She then began to speak about the various foods she saw. She even brought out her pokedex and played the anime for her friends to watch.

A few minutes passed before Xiangling calmed down. She asked her friend. "Do any of you have a favourite anime as well?"

"I have yet to delve into the world of anime but I have read many mangas and novels, mostly about pokemon." Xingqiu spoke first.

"I have watched a few anime, but I don't have a favourite." Chongyun spoke soon after.

Yunjin followed. "I also don't have a favourite."

"As for me, I have been hooked on this manga about a ghost. The big coffin from the Studio recommended it, so I have been reading it for days." Hutao spoke with an excited voice.

"Well. Am I the only one out? I have only listened to Rock n Roll music on the internet and never had any interest in those anime or manga." Xinyan was the last to speak. Her response didn't surprise any of her friends.

"That's just like you, Xinyan." Yunjin spoke.

"You are missing out big time." Hutao added.

"Hey, I will watch them later tonight." She spoke loudly as her friends continued to tease her.

A while later, Xingqiu addressed Hutao with a curious look.

"By the way, Hutao, what is the name of the manga you were hooked on? Perhaps I have also read it."

"Hmm. I think it is called 'The Nameless Phantom'." She answered.

Xingqiu had a spark in his eyes when he heard her. He quickly said in an excited voice. "That is my favourite manga."

Hearing his words, Hutao also became excited. She leaned towards him with interest.

"Really? What did you like about it? I like the adventure of the ghost."

"It is about the same for me." Xingqiu smiled in satisfaction. It was always nice to have a friend who have the same preference as him.

"What is that manga about, Xingqiu?" Chongyun asked from the side.

Xingqiu turned to him and the rest of his friends. There was a brilliance in his eyes as he spoke.

"The manga is about the adventure of a pokemon. This pokemon should have inherently been a Dark type but emerged from his egg as a Ghost type, an anomaly. His family and friends couldn't accept this so he was discriminated against and ultimately driven out from his tribe."

"That seems like a tragic tale." Yunjin commented.

"It is." Xingqiu spoke. "This manga has a sad and lonely theme where the ostracized pokemon travels around the world in search for a home."

"But the charm of this manga is elsewhere. It shows the culture and lifestyle of hundreds of pokemon tribe, and humans as well. All of you should read it. I can guarantee that you will also like this manga."

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The Nameless Phantom

Author: Loki

Illustrator: Loki

Editor: Loki

Status: Ongoing

Volumes: 3

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Chapter 1: (Colored Version)

In a certain tribe of pokemon, a new life was going to emerge from an egg. 4 young Zorua gathered around the egg, waiting for their youngest sibling to be born.

The egg shook with each second. The atmosphere was filled with suspense as the group of Zorua looked on with bated breath.

Finally, the hard shell cracked and a head peeked out through the hole. In the next few seconds, the pokemon struggled and finally emerged from the egg completely.

The newborn had a pure white fur and golden eyes. The tuft of fur on his head, the ruff around his neck, and his tail were white at their bases and faded to azure at the tips.

"Auu" The newborn 'Zorua' called out to his older siblings. But instead of a warm welcome, the 4 Zorua looked at him with vigilance.

As the newborn stumbled towards them, they backed away and ultimately ran off. The child then fell to the ground, looking around his surroundings with an innocent and curious gaze.

A few minutes passed and 3 adult Zoroark found him. The 4 Zorua from before were following them, alongside several other Zorua.

The newborn cheerfully stumbled towards one of the Zoroark. He felt a intimate sensation from this Zoroark and instinctly knew it was his mother.

"Auuau." The child called out to his mother and clung to her leg, unaware of the look of disgust in her eyes.

"How can my child be a Ghost type?" The mother asked, sensing the eerie power emanating from her newborn.

"It must be a curse." Another answered.

"An omen. This child must be an omen." The third spoke.

Various baseless speculations were thrown around. The only constant was their negative view of the child, who was inherently different from them.

In the end, the 3 Zoroark couldn't reach a conclusive decision and chose to just leave him be. After all, they were not cruel enough to do anything to a newborn child.

*Timeskip*

Several months passed. 'Zorua' had already grown up to be mature and independent.

His favourite pasttime was to sit under the shade of a tree and quietly watch the other Zorua play and train together.

It would be a lie to say that he didn't want to play alongside his siblings. But he understood that nobody in his tribe liked him. The children feared or hated him while the adults ignored him as if he did not exist.

All of this occured because he was different.

He was not a Dark type like the rest of his tribe. He was a Normal and Ghost type, an anomaly that should not be.

He had often times disguised himself as a normal Zorua and tried to mingle with his siblings. But that has never been successful till date.

No adults taught him how to use his inherent powers. He had to learn to use illusions by secretly observing others, so his illusions were not perfect.

He could never hide his eerie ghost type aura completely and since Zorua were sensitive pokemon, and were illusion Master themselves, he would be immediately exposed.

After trying for multiple times and failing, he was only hated even more by his siblings. They ridiculed him for his incompetence and bullied him for his difference.

Even if he wanted to stand up for himself, their Dark type easily suppressed his Ghost type. They were also properly trained and well fed, while he was malnourished and had to learn everything himself.

Everything was rigged from the start.

It also didn't help because most of the time, several Zorua would gang up on him together.

After going through bullying every day, he had learnt to stay away from his siblings. But even if he did, he knew the bullying would never stop.

Today as well, 'Zorua' watched with an emotionless look as a group of 6 Zorua approached him. Their intention was clear. They would either just ridicule him until they were satisfied, or beat him up until he was barely conscious.

As they neared him, a trace of defiance suddenly emerged in his heart. All of the rage and injustice bubbled up to the surface.

He stood up from the ground and began to run. The 6 Zorua growled and immediately began to chase him.

The outcome was obvious. His malnourished body was caught in a matter of seconds.

The 6 Zorua were angry due to his defiance and beat him for a long time. Even when he became unconscious, they did not stop. They beat him until they were satisfied and left.

Several hours passed and the day turned into night.

The bruised and battered 'Zorua' woke up in the middle of a forest. His body was sore and his legs refused to budge due to injuries. Even if the situation seemed helpless, there was a fierce determination burning in his eyes.

He weakly crawled further into the woods, away from 'their' settlement.

From tonight on, he was not a 'Zorua'. He was his own pokemon and he will find a home for himself in this cruel world.

_____

POV: Ganyu

After finishing the Chapter 1 of 'The Nameless Phantom', Ganyu fell into a deep contemplation.

She turned the page and began to read the second chapter, then the third chapter. She was so engrossed in the manga that her entire lunchbreak ended without her falling asleep. She had also forgot about her work as she kept on reading.

She read how the 'Nameless' pokemon disguised as other pokemon. Growlithe, Pidgey, Riolu, Butterfree, Eevee, Shuppet and many more. He disguised as every pokemon he saw on his journey and spent days, months, or years, in their tribe.

With each disguise, he became more proficient in using his power of illusion. But with each disguise, his loneliness also grew further.

His every attempt, his every life, always ended with the reveal of his real identity as an imposter. When that happened, he would always be driven away by the other pokemon, just like his own tribe once did.

It was a double edge sword.

He felt the warmth of a home and family he had always desired, but deep inside, he was aware that the home he found was an illusion. When the illusion disappeared, what awaited him was the anger and cruelty of the deceived pokemon.

After disguising as tens of different pokemon and failing to find a place he belonged to tens of time, the 'Nameless' found himself on top of a mountain, in a sacred temple of god.

He sat by the edge of an altar and looked at the starry sky above and the vast continent below.

[What did he feel at this moment?]

_____

'He must have felt unimaginably lonely.'

Ganyu could understand his feeling very well. She had lived alongside humans for 3000 years but she still feels the loneliness of someone who doesn't belong in the human world.

In comparison, the time he/she spent on the mountaintop, gazing at the stars above and the world below, was always far less lonely.

At this moment, Ganyu suddenly realized she had reached the end of the book. She then remembered how she received this book from one of her coworkers, saying it is the most recommended manga from the Pokemon Studio.

'I should go and buy the next volume.' She thought as she stood up.

She then saw the mountain of papers on her table and widened her eyes. She looked at the stars shimmering in the night sky through the window in her office and realized she had spent the entire day reading the manga.

"I will have to work all night again."

She spoke in a tired voice as she sat down on her chair and resumed her work.

'Let's go to the Pokemom Studio tomorrow.'