Pokemon: A different Ash

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"Huh..." Brock turned his head again and saw that the beautiful figure had vanished—not in the abrupt way where something disappears when you blink, but slowly, like a mirage fading before his eyes. It left Brock wondering if he had imagined it.

"Let's go!" Ash said urgently, noticing Brock's dazed expression. He knew what was going on and called for everyone to leave. Misty nodded in agreement, while Brock, after lingering for a moment in search of the figure, eventually followed them with a dejected look.

The trio headed toward the Pokémon Center. Although it was still daytime, the temple fair was already bustling with activity. 

Many stalls were set up along the way, selling souvenirs and offering games like goldfish scooping and ring toss, which were attracting crowds of children. The air buzzed with excitement, but Brock trudged along behind the group, looking utterly drained of energy, as if his very soul had been taken.

"Oh... that girl was so beautiful," he mumbled to himself, a dreamy smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Stop!" A sharp voice suddenly cut through the lively atmosphere. Brock, startled, snapped to attention, subconsciously hoping it was that girl.

"Yes!!!"

"Ah!! D-dried woman!" 

Brock jumped back in shock. Instead of girl, an elderly woman with a shriveled face, gray hair, a purple cloak, and a cane stood before him. Her sudden appearance was startling.

"Who are you calling a dried woman? How rude!" The old woman's eyes narrowed as she wagged her cane at Brock. "Listen, young man—be wary of beautiful women, or you'll find yourself in trouble."

She then pulled out a magnifying glass and shone it over Brock. Her tone was ominous, her words cryptic. 

"Beautiful woman? Could it be... her?" Brock muttered, the mysterious figure from before flashing through his mind.

"Beautiful woman? Are you talking about me?" Misty interjected with a smug grin, covering her cheeks in mock modesty. "Oh, Brock, if you're referring to me, how could I ever cause you harm?"

Ash sighed heavily. "Cerulean Gym narcissism. It's not just her sisters—it's Misty, too," he muttered under his breath.

"Trouble with a beautiful woman?" Brock murmured, seemingly entranced. "Even if it means danger, I'd gladly take the risk for her!"

Ash shook his head, ignoring both Misty's antics and Brock's lovesick rambling. Instead, he focused on the old woman. Slowly, he raised his hand to cover his right eye, allowing his left eye to glow faintly as he scrutinized her intently.

Suddenly, a revelation struck him. The figure of the old woman became translucent, and another shape emerged within her outline. 

"It's not human," Ash whispered to himself. Though his voice was soft, the old woman heard it clearly. She stiffened and turned to him with a mischievous grin, her expression shifting as though she'd been found out.

"As expected. You can see me. What a fascinating boy," she said. Smoke billowed from her body, and with a puff, she transformed, revealing her true form.

"A Gastly? And it can talk!" Misty exclaimed, recoiling in surprise.

"In that case, I'll stop playing with you!" Gastly sneered. Its eyes glowed an eerie blue as it aimed its psychic energy at Brock, enveloping him completely.

"Ah! What's going on?" Brock exclaimed as he felt his body losing control. To his shock, his feet lifted off the ground, and he began floating toward Gastly, completely unable to resist.

Gastly hovered in the air, pulling Brock along like a puppet. 

"Brock!" Misty gasped, her face pale with concern.

Ash didn't waste a moment. "Let's go!" he shouted, chasing after Gastly and the floating Brock. Misty followed close behind. The two darted through the bustling festival, weaving through stalls and taking hidden paths as they pursued Gastly.

Gastly flew towards the pier, zigzagging between narrow alleys and lush greenbelts to shake off the pursuers. Finally, it disappeared into a dense grove of trees, its path weaving between tangled branches and underbrush.

Ash clenched his fists. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" he commanded.

Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder, its cheeks sparking with electricity. A glowing ball of energy formed at the end of its tail before Pikachu hurled it toward Gastly with precision.

**"Pika...CHU!"**

Hearing the attack, Gastly turned its head and noticed the glowing orb streaking toward it. Its eyes flickered with irritation, and it immediately shifted its position, causing Brock to drop from mid-air with a thud.

Gastly then conjured a green Will-O-Wisp shield around its body. The Electro Ball collided with the shield, creating a loud explosion. Smoke filled the area, and Gastly's silhouette became visible as the haze cleared.

Misty rushed to Brock's side. "Brock, are you okay?" she asked, kneeling next to him.

Brock groaned and nodded faintly, still dazed. "Yeah, I'm... fine."

Gastly smirked, addressing Ash. "Do you want to challenge me, boy? Pikachu isn't enough. Let's see how you handle this!" Gastly's eyes gleamed as it unleashed a wide ring of light that quickly spread outward, encompassing Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu.

At first, no one felt any different, but Gastly's sinister grin revealed it had more tricks up its sleeve. With a bang and a puff of smoke, a new figure emerged in front of Pikachu. It landed gracefully, flicking its long, lightning-bolt-shaped tail in challenge.

"Pika!" Pikachu narrowed its eyes, ready for a fight.

"What?! That's... Raichu?" Misty gasped in surprise. The figure before them wasn't just any Pokémon—it was Pikachu's evolved form.

Gastly chuckled. "That's right! Raichu, Pikachu's evolution. Think your Pikachu can handle it?"

Ash didn't flinch. "Maybe some Pikachu would fear Raichu, but not mine! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu immediately rushed forward, its tail gleaming with a metallic sheen. With a determined cry, it swung its Iron Tail at the Raichu.

**Bang!**

The impact landed... but as the smoke cleared, the Raichu was gone.