c4: Gastly's First Battle
There were still many things to prepare for the journey. Ruby and Alex's backpacks were already packed like two clumsy turtle shells, so heavy that they couldn't make it to Guchen Town today.
Mainly, Ruby couldn't walk anymore. Although Alex hadn't trained much, he could rely on his physique a naturally tough Unovan, not unlike Black from the Unova arc, known for his stamina and field experience.
Alex also expressed that he couldn't carry any more and planned to use this opportunity to train in the wild and level up; as any seasoned Trainer knew, you could never have too many levels. As for Ruby, the one who couldn't walk halfway, he just wanted to experience camping in the wild, like when Sapphire taught him survival basics in Hoenn.
While the two were setting up their tents near the edge of Petalburg Woods, they also released their Pokémon.
"Doromei!" Dreepy looked at Treecko and Gastly both level 5 rookies and greeted them. Its cheerful and slightly silly cry echoed across the glade, iconic and as lively as the mischievous Rotom once was in Sinnoh.
"Jie Jie Jie." Gastly's obedience was only limited to Alex. As soon as it was released, it floated up with a mischievous grin and stared at Treecko and Dreepy, its gaseous form flickering in the wind like the Gastly that once haunted Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town.
"Chamo…" Among the three little ones, Treecko was the weakest. Despite his strong spirit, the bashful Treecko, who only knew Pound, felt awkward facing a Ghost-type and a fast-moving Dragon/Ghost like Dreepy. Treecko, feeling completely outclassed, decided to lie flat on the soft grass, like when Red's Bulbasaur collapsed after its first real battle.
Ah, Treecko, lying on the grass, felt the fragrant scent of the forest and showed a wild and unrestrained expression, like a monkey returning to the mountains. The scent of the forest always captivated Grass-type Pokémon, as seen with Erika's team in Celadon.
Except for this blue BYD car that suddenly appeared in front of it—wait, no, it was Gastly's prank again.
Gastly suddenly attacked with Lick, aiming at Treecko. Treecko was instantly paralyzed and fell to the ground twitching. The persona of a cool (introverted) handsome (timid) guy completely collapsed (without any incongruity). The rogue Gastly then floated off into the bushes, rustled about, and brought back a few bent twigs. It placed them on the ground, mocking Treecko's comical pose with a crude stick-figure imitation. A classic prankster spirit, like the Gastly seen tormenting Trainers in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
Gastly turned its head and looked at Dreepy with a fawning expression, like a classic schoolyard minion seeking the strongest backer. Its gaseous form wobbled with exaggerated gestures.
"Jie Jie Jie Jie… (Big bro, big bro, take me with you! I'm not strong! You're all big shots!)"
Treecko didn't want to speak. He stared blankly at the sky, reconsidering all his life decisions, much like Green's Charmander after losing to Red.
Dreepy blinked and looked at the convulsing Treecko lying on the ground, feeling a deep sense of awkward guilt. Even though it wasn't Dreepy's fault, it still felt uncomfortable, like watching a teammate take unnecessary damage in a double battle.
But his own little brother… well, he couldn't hit him. A level 20 Dreepy knew that one proper hit could seriously hurt the level 5 Gastly. After all, in the manga, type and level mismatches have shown extreme results, like when Blue's Charizard overwhelmed wild Pokémon far beneath its tier.
But Gastly clearly hadn't experienced the harshness of society. He still thought battles were fun and games.
"Doro! (Alright! Little Gastly, go play with your big brother!)"
Dreepy didn't want to think too much. He drifted off, letting Gastly tag along. Despite its silly appearance, Dreepy was very familiar with the area around Littleroot Town, having scouted it often while Ruby and Alex trained nearby. His memory was sharp—like when Gold's Aipom remembered exact tree positions during Bug-catching contests.
Gastly, however, had no intention of "playing." No, that's right he had plans. As you'd expect from a Ghost-type known for trickery, he was scheming from the start, hoping to exploit Dreepy's good nature.
But now, Dreepy thought about the way Professor Burnet and Mohn once watched over him and Alex back when he was still an Egg. He nodded solemnly. This little brother was too lively and had to be watched closely, or else he'd cause real problems maybe even summon a Beedrill swarm.
Dreepy stared at Gastly as if using Leer, a move known to lower the opponent's defense, but in this case, it acted more like a silent psychological grip. The stare alone made it impossible for Gastly to attempt a sneak attack, and since Dreepy was leading the way, Gastly had no choice but to remain in his line of sight the entire time.
Dreepy was like an old man walking his mischievous, misbehaving dog…
"Doro! (Yo! Is that a Gloom again? Are you still working on perfume blends?)"
"Doro! (Good evening, Aunt Kangaskhan… Your little one's grown again. That Mega potential's peeking through!)"
Indeed, Dreepy's cheerful nature made him Littleroot Town's top social butterfly. Among the wild Pokémon community, he was like Red's Pikachu—respected, recognized, and naturally charismatic. Dreepy had solid connections with most of the Pokémon in the nearby routes, resembling a village elder making New Year's house calls with their wayward nephew in tow…
Gastly felt deeply uncomfortable. Being surrounded by this warm, small-town energy made him squirm like a child dragged to endless family reunions. A wild Pidgey even pecked at his foggy body along the way. If it hadn't been for his mission to trick Dreepy and earn his trust, he would've fired off a Hypnosis right there and then just like the mischievous Gastly that haunted Blue and Sabrina in Pokémon Adventures.
By the time they returned to the camp, Dreepy still glowed with energy, while Gastly looked utterly wrecked, as though he had been drained by a ghost exorcist rather than a stroll through the woods.
Treecko, having long since retreated to a tree's upper branches, peeked down and sighed with the weight of existential dread. Seeing Gastly and Dreepy return, he once again realized how chaotic his life had become.
Dreepy sighed, stretched, and decided to unwind a bit. But the moment he turned around, Gastly's groveling expression contorted into a grin filled with malice. Without a warning, it lunged forward with its tongue extended.
Lick! Activate!
In its mind, Gastly envisioned the perfect prank—Dreepy getting paralyzed, dropping to the ground, and himself victorious, floating above in mischievous glee.
Yes, that's right. We pranksters live for this moment. We Lick, we laugh, we conquer!
But the moment Gastly retracted his tongue, Dreepy had vanished from sight.
Confused and spinning in the air, Gastly searched—but before it could react, an "extremely evil demonic face" materialized inches from its misty form.
That face was twisted.
That face was cold and calculating.
That face unleashed an aura of doom only seen in Sableye's grins or Gengar's shadows.
Burn! It! Up!!!
Dreepy used Astonish.
It's super effective!
The shiny Gastly, caught completely off guard, fainted on the spot. Its gaseous body flickered and dimmed, and the shimmer in its normally vibrant hue faded.
Meanwhile, at the campsite, Ruby and Alex were still struggling with their tents. Neither had any experience in pitching them, so what they had built looked more like collapsed inflatables than shelters. But after thirty minutes of trial and error and mild panic over the possibility of Wurmple crawling in—they finally managed to stabilize their makeshift homes.
Just as they turned around, they saw a curious sight: Dreepy floated proudly in the air, humming like a champion who had just won the Hoenn League. The still-paralyzed Treecko, defeated in spirit, fanned him lazily with his tail leaf like a butler with zero motivation. Beside them, Gastly lay unconscious in the grass looking like a fallen spirit from Mt. Pyre—with its once-thick fog now so thin it was almost see-through.
Gastly's first battle hadn't been against a wild Pokémon or a challenging Trainer. No, he had been completely overwhelmed by his own "big brother."
After listening to Dreepy's humming and observing Gastly's miserable state, Alex pieced everything together. Having a natural affinity for Ghost-types an unusual but sometimes observed trait in Trainers like Morty from Ecruteak—he could understand the emotional echoes in Gastly's aura. Also, after five years of bonding with Dreepy, Alex had developed a deep understanding of his partner's subtle cues.
Once Gastly was treated with a Pecha Berry extract and a spray of Potion, it tried to act pitiful, floating with exaggerated tears and casting sorrowful looks at Alex. Its expression said, "Big bro bullied me…"
If Alex hadn't already listened to Dreepy's version of events and if he didn't already know how mischievous his shiny Gastly was—he might have believed it. But knowing his team, he narrowed his eyes.
After a stern lecture warning Gastly never to prank teammates again, the ghost finally gave in. Under Dreepy's calm but terrifying glare, Gastly nodded with a face full of grievance. But since it was round, its nod just looked like it was wobbling in the breeze.
Today had been another chaotic day, full of misunderstandings and battle lessons.
Hopefully, tomorrow, they would finally begin some real training in the forest.
—