Chapter 141: Doubt

"I didn't expect that the Stephanie Brock met turned out to be a Gastly… But can an ordinary Gastly really have the ability to transform into a human? Could it be Hypnosis?" Misty wondered as they walked back.

Neither Ash nor Brock could answer her question. Brock, in particular, looked heartbroken. He had been so excited about meeting a beautiful woman, only to find out she was actually a Pokémon.

"No! I don't believe it! I absolutely refuse to believe that the beautiful big sister was just a Pokémon!" Brock protested, shaking his head vigorously.

"Even though it's hard to believe, I don't think that old woman had any reason to lie," Misty sighed, shaking her head at Brock's dramatic reaction.

"Not necessarily…" Ash suddenly spoke, catching the attention of both Misty and Brock, as well as Pikachu.

"What do you mean? Are you saying the old woman was lying?" Misty asked curiously, while Brock's expression shifted from despair to renewed hope. Pikachu also looked thoughtful.

"Don't you think that old woman knew too much?" Ash pointed out, his voice serious.

"She claimed that Stephanie was actually a transformed Ghost-type Pokémon. I can believe that. But how did she know for certain that it was a Gastly? Why not another Ghost-type Pokémon? Or even… a Ditto?"

Misty and Brock exchanged glances, slowly realizing Ash had a point.

"And another thing—how did she know Gastly's goal was to keep the legend of Maiden's Gorge alive? That's an oddly specific assumption. Doesn't it seem strange?" Ash continued, deep in thought.

"Wait, but… didn't the old woman say she wasn't completely sure it was Gastly? And that she wasn't certain about its intentions either?" Misty asked hesitantly.

"That's exactly what makes it suspicious. It's all too convenient," Brock muttered, rubbing his chin as he pondered.

"Then, if she really was lying, what was her real goal?" Misty asked, now feeling uneasy.

Ash and Brock fell silent. They had no answer. Why had the old woman specifically sought them out? What was she trying to achieve?

"Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly called out to Ash, drawing everyone's attention. They turned to Ash, noticing his expression had changed.

"What did Pikachu say?" Misty asked quickly.

"Pikachu said… it felt something strange from that old woman. A presence similar to what it felt when we encountered that giant Dragonite," Ash said slowly.

"A giant Dragonite?!" Misty and Brock exchanged shocked looks.

That giant Dragonite was no ordinary Pokémon—it was a creature that many believed existed within the realm of gods. And yet, Pikachu had sensed a similar energy coming from that old woman?

"Could Pikachu have been mistaken?" Brock asked, still skeptical. "How could a human have the presence of a Pokémon? And not just any Pokémon—a giant Dragonite?"

"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu huffed, clearly offended by Brock's doubt. With the inheritance of Osiris' power, Pikachu was absolutely certain of what it had sensed.

"If that's the case, then something is definitely off about that old woman…" Misty murmured, growing more uneasy by the second.

"We don't know enough yet," Ash admitted. "But if she really does have some hidden motive and still needs something from us, she'll come looking for us again. We just have to stay cautious."

Misty and Brock nodded. At this point, their main concern was leaving Maiden's Gorge as soon as possible.

A Mysterious Observer

Back at the Pokémon Center, Misty refused to stay in her room alone, so Ash and Brock agreed to keep her company.

Outside the window, unseen by them, Gastly hovered in the air, watching their conversation with interest.

"They actually figured it out… That hasn't happened in years," Gastly mused to itself.

It hadn't expected anyone to see through the deception so quickly. But then again, perhaps it should have.

"Is it because of him… the so-called Rainbow Brave?" Gastly turned its gaze toward Ash, smirking.

At first, Gastly had only intended to continue the legend of Maiden's Gorge by tricking a few travelers. But now, it had found a more intriguing game to play. Ash had become an interesting puzzle—one Gastly was eager to solve.

And Pikachu…

Gastly's eyes narrowed as it observed the little yellow Pokémon.

It had sensed something unusual about Pikachu from the very beginning, but now, the feeling was growing stronger.

"A divine aura… Why does this Pikachu, which is clearly at the elite level, possess the energy of a god?" Gastly muttered to itself.

The aura surrounding Pikachu was something only Pokémon who had grasped the power of laws should possess. Even Gastly itself had never reached that level.

"Just what secrets are you hiding?" Gastly whispered as it continued to observe.

Yet, it didn't stay much longer. It had plans to make.

If Ash truly had the ability to see through illusions, then Gastly was going to put that to the test.

A small gift would be in order if he succeeded.

"Heh heh heh…" Gastly chuckled before vanishing into the night.

A Sleepless Night

That evening, the three of them gathered in the Pokémon Center's dining hall for dinner, though none of them had much of an appetite.

Misty, in particular, looked pale. She was clearly anxious about what might happen during the night.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Misty muttered, poking at her food. "I just don't feel like eating."

"How about this," Ash suggested. "Let's all stay together tonight. We won't sleep. That way, if something weird happens, we'll be ready for it."

Misty's eyes brightened at the idea. "That's perfect!" she said, relieved. Brock, who was still shaken by the encounter with "Stephanie," nodded in agreement.

Mosu, a fellow trainer they had met earlier in the day, overheard their conversation and walked over.

"Are you three alright?" Mosu asked.

Ash hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, just… a little unsettled about something."

Mosu studied them for a moment but didn't press further. "Be careful, then. There are many things in this world that can't be easily explained." With that cryptic remark, he left them to their thoughts.

The three of them exchanged nervous glances. They had no idea just how right Mosu was.

Tonight was going to be a long night.