Pokémon, but cultural invasion

Quanshu clapped his hands, brushing off the dust that had settled on him.

The fact that this painting could be preserved for over two thousand years under such rudimentary conditions, and that the girl in it is still so lifelike, suggests there must be something wrong with it.

It's probably caused by a ghost-type Pokémon residing on it. It cherishes this painting and will definitely follow it.

"Staying overnight is just for show. If we immediately announce that the exorcism was successful, the public will be suspicious."

“A powerful superhuman can exorcise the ghost overnight through battle, enough to quell the rumors and allow the tourism industry in Maiden Gorge to recover as soon as possible.”

Naz suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."

"Jie Jie Jie~"

"You've got a good plan, but you're too happy too soon."

Suddenly, a wild and shrill laugh came from the painting covered by a white cloth, the sound shaking the dust in the temple.

"If I were to emerge from this painting, how would you react?"

Thousands of black threads emerge from the painting, converging into a black sphere that resembles mist.

In the blink of an eye, it grew rapidly, like a black skyscraper rushing towards the spring tree.

The Protect abilities released by Espeon and Yakira took effect, keeping it out.

A pair of bulging white eyes and a large mouth with two sharp fangs emerged from the center of the sphere.

"You think these two elves can stop me?"

"Do you think my two thousand years of cultivation are just for show?"

Gastly made a funny face, pinched its nose and stuck out its tongue.

Under the influence of "Provocation", the white barrier that Espeon and Yakira had been painstakingly maintaining began to fluctuate violently and was on the verge of collapse.

"Is this Gastly talking?"

Naz was shocked. She could clearly hear the other person's slurred speech, knowing that telepathy and being able to speak were two completely different things.

At the same time, she sensed that this Gastly was extremely powerful, completely beyond the scope of ordinary Pokémon.

"You brat, you dare to lay a finger on me? I'll drain you dry!"

Gastly grinned and tore open the white barrier, which was as thin as a cicada's wing.

"Why don't you look behind you?"

The spring tree points to the portrait.

"You thought I'd go... huh?"

Gastly turned around, and next to the life-sized portrait, an Eevee was sticking out its hind legs.

"Fuck!"

Gastly, who had been swearing for two thousand years, cried out urgently, "Wait! Tell her to stop! Let's talk this out!"

Why is this a Normal-type Pokémon?

It's not weak.

Gastly was inwardly groaning, as most of its methods were unlikely to be effective.

"Now, we can talk."

Chapter 139 Firm: Don't Call

"What a beautiful young girl."

"If the painting I've been protecting for over two thousand years were to get stained, I'd probably burst into tears on the spot."

Ibu, with his legs sticking out, disagreed with Izumi's statement.

She's just putting on an act; she's a lady, she wouldn't pee standing up.

Gastly, its arrogance vanished as it was gripped at its weakest point, its massive, misty form instantly shrinking into a cloud of gas the size of a manhole cover.

"What do you want?"

Gastly's fangs swished back and forth, indicating that this human knew it well and had clearly come prepared.

Quanshu cleared his throat and began to recount the Gastly's crimes.

"They impersonated beautiful young girls, lured ignorant young boys, and drained their strength and energy, causing a terrible impact in the Girls' Gorge area."

"The legend of the vengeful spirit of the young girl has been passed down in the area for thousands of years due to the practice of supernatural superstition."

Gastly chuckled softly:

"I didn't harm them. The so-called attack on men was just for eating."

"If I am guilty, then every single Ghost-type Pokémon in the world is guilty of a heinous crime."

"Buy?"

Ibrahimovic wags his tail, a blatant threat.

"!"

Gastly wisely shut its mouth and stopped arguing.

“You insist on coming out to scare people every summer festival, and you even dress up as a young girl.”

"Isn't all this going to great lengths just to make sure people don't forget her?"

"But have you ever considered that openly confronting Officer Jenny has sparked rumors of haunting Maiden Canyon, scaring away tourists?"

"If the rumors are not dispelled and the festival fails to attract tourists, it will be canceled and the portrait of the girl will no longer be on display."

"At that time, she will eventually be forgotten."

Izumi's words were calm, but they stirred up a storm in Gastly's heart.

It didn't think much when it was trying to scare people; it was partly to fill its stomach and partly to remind people not to forget the girl.

If what he said is true, then isn't the current situation terrible?

Gastly's eyes, mostly covered by white, darted around, and it said guiltily:

"If I'm driven away by you and can no longer scare people here, she'll be forgotten too."

"If you want me to stop scaring people, you'll have to find a way to attract all the summer festival crowds back."

Quanshu almost laughed out of anger.

He still had Gastly's manhood in his hands, yet he was already negotiating terms.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head: "Narrow-minded, too narrow-minded."

"More than a thousand years have passed since the beginning of the era, but your methods of spreading stories and images of young girls are still stuck in ancient times."

"How many people can remember her by scaring people or spreading rumors?"

"To put it bluntly, if some powerful being were to return to Hoenn one day and trample this town to pieces as soon as it passes by, the girl's story would come to an abrupt end."

"Times are changing, and you, a Pokémon that can speak, are not keeping up with the times."

Gastly pursed its fangs and asked with a hint of doubt, "So, you have a way?"

"Look closely, this thing is called a cell phone."

A glowing brick was lifted up, and Gastly spun around and stuck to the screen, staring at it with its big eyes.

Come to think of it, all the humans I've attacked in the past few years have had this brick in their pockets.

"Modern people can't live without mobile phones; they are the most important tool for us to obtain and exchange information."

"For example, if I take a picture of a girl's portrait and upload it to the internet, people all over the world can see her."

Gastly exclaimed in surprise: "The whole world?"

“That’s right, not only in Kanto, but even in remote regions you’ve never heard of, people can see it.”

"Then hurry up and send it!"

Gastly was so anxious that it circled around in the air.

If everyone in the world knew about the girl and her story, it wouldn't need to go out and scare people for decades to come.

Quanshu chuckled and said, "But humans only browse things that interest them; a single photo and text won't attract them."

"?"

Gastly roared, "Are you kidding me?"

"Don't rush, what if it's a video?"

Quanshu opened the poster for "Crazy Elf City".

"This is called a movie. An interesting movie can make people pay to watch it. You know the two elves in the poster, right?"

"The Great Fox Thief and Curly Ears are now known to people all over the world."

He swiped, revealing lines of news about the box office and popularity of "Crazy Elf City".

"If you don't believe me, you can look at the reporter's report above."

Gastly glared with its big eyes and sneered, "I can't read!"

"That would be difficult, since cultural workers must be cultured."

Quanshu put his phone away and wiped the screen: "If you can't read, you won't be able to take on many jobs that involve spreading stories."

"So you're still trying to fool me?"

Gastly's body swelled up, ready to unleash its ferocity, but then it remembered that the image was still under Eevee's legs, so it gave up.

"Your lack of culture doesn't mean I'm uncultured. I am, in fact, the director of two of the most popular movies right now."

Although I don't know who the director is, judging from the smug look on this human's face, he must be an important figure.

"So you're going to help me make a movie?"

Gastly was deeply moved; bringing the girl's story back to life had always been its goal.

"You could say that you want people to remember the teenage girls who will star in your movies."

"Given time, she will become a well-known actress, and it won't be too late to reveal her story then."

Gastly transforms.

"Is that right?"

A delicate and pitiful woman floated in the air. Izumi took a picture with her camera and she was in the frame.

"no problem."

Izumi couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly she resembled the woman in the portrait. This Gastly had an excellent memory; it hadn't forgotten her appearance even after two thousand years.

In a sense, isn't Gastly the world's first fanatical fan of one type?

"Director, I've decided to work for you."

Gastly reverted to its original form, retracted its fangs, and grinned obsequiously with its large tongue lolling out: "This painting needs me to regularly reside in it to maintain its original state, so I have to take it with me."

"You decide what to pack."

Seeing that the relationship between Ghoul and them had eased, Espeon and Yawdra relaxed, and the white barrier disappeared.

"There is a flaw!"

Gastly's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and it transformed into two wisps of black smoke.

The original body turns back to protect the portrait, while the "stand-in" rushes towards Izumi.

Regardless of anything else, she just wants the whole world to see and hear the girl's story.

If we just hypnotize him with illusion magic, wouldn't it be possible to make as many movies as we want?

"My long-cherished wish is about to come true!"

Gastly couldn't help but burst into laughter, its cloud-like body spreading out to envelop the portrait of the girl.