Finally, success!
Late at night, inside a private room at the Pokémon Center, Maen let out an excited shout.
His sudden outburst startled Haunter and Deino, who had been practicing their moves together. Both Pokémon turned their heads, looking at Maen with curiosity.
In Maen's hands was a sky-blue Energy Cube, shimmering under the light with a unique glow. His heart swelled with pride as he admired it.
Only he knew how much effort had gone into creating this Energy Cube. Although Maen had a formula, some of its instructions were frustratingly vague.
For example, one line stated: "During shaping, avoid excessive mixing, as it will cause the cube to soften into a paste. However, insufficient mixing will result in a fragile cube."
But the instructions never specified how long was too long or too short, forcing Maen to figure it out himself through trial and error.
Fortunately, perseverance paid off. After countless failures, he finally succeeded.
Maen carefully inspected the Energy Cube, noting its slightly rough surface and some visible impurities.
"It's not perfectly smooth yet, and there are still some residual particles. But at least the taste should be fine. It's definitely not a high-grade Energy Cube, but I'd say it qualifies as a mid-tier one."
As he examined his work, he suddenly noticed Haunter and Deino leaning in, their eyes locked onto the Energy Cube with keen interest.
Deino, in particular, looked like he was about to start drooling.
Since a batch typically produced only 5-6 Energy Cubes at a time, Maen had to be mindful of how he distributed them. Most Pokémon only needed two or three per day, as eating more could cause digestion issues.
Smiling at Deino's eager expression, Maen handed him a cube while also offering one to Haunter.
Deino wasted no time, chomping down on the Energy Cube in one bite. His eyes lit up with satisfaction, savoring the new flavor.
Haunter, however, was not as impressed. While the taste was acceptable, it paled in comparison to the dark energy-infused snacks that Maen usually gave him.
Maen had expected this. He knew that his dark energy was the ideal food source for Ghost- and Dark-type Pokémon. To them, nothing else could compare.
However, Maen also understood that he needed a sustainable feeding strategy. His current Pokémon team was small, but in the future, he would have more Pokémon, and they would all grow stronger. His dark energy, no matter how much he replenished it through training, wouldn't be enough to sustain an entire team.
That was why learning to make Energy Cubes was so important—it ensured that his Pokémon would always have enough resources.
But then, a new idea struck Maen.
What if I could infuse my dark energy into the Energy Cubes during production?
The thought excited him. If he succeeded, it could enhance the cubes' effectiveness, combining their standard benefits with the unique properties of his energy.
If not for the late hour, Maen would have started experimenting right away.
---
Haunter's Little Scheme
Early the next morning, Maen resumed his research with renewed enthusiasm, completely absorbed in his experiments.
Meanwhile, Haunter and Deino watched him with growing boredom.
Haunter, always playful by nature, was itching for something fun to do. Deino, having left Dragon's Den for the first time, was still adjusting to life outside. But staying cooped up in a room all day was not helping.
That was when Haunter's eyes fell on Maen's backpack, sitting on the bed. An idea popped into his head.
Floating over, Haunter unzipped the bag and rummaged through it until he found what he was looking for—the Badges Maen had earned from Gym Challenges.
A mischievous grin spread across Haunter's face.
He then floated over to Deino and whispered something into his ear.
At first, Deino seemed hesitant, but as Haunter continued to persuade him, Deino's expression changed to one of curiosity and excitement.
The two Pokémon huddled together, discussing their plan.
Completely unaware of what his Pokémon were up to, Maen remained focused on his experiments.
"What's wrong, Haunter? Do you want to go for a walk?" Maen asked absentmindedly when he noticed Haunter moving toward the door. "Go ahead, but be careful not to draw attention."
"Jie~" Haunter giggled, disappearing through the wall.
Maen returned to his work, never suspecting that Haunter was up to something.
---
The Unusual Challenger at Vermilion Gym
Meanwhile, in Vermilion Gym, Gym Leader Lt. Surge was dealing with his own problems.
Surge had been on edge ever since the Zapdos incident, where the legendary Pokémon had fallen into the hands of the Pokémon League.
Although he had an alibi proving he had been in Vermilion City the entire time, Surge knew he was still under suspicion. He had noticed unusual people watching him, and the tension was affecting him.
That was why, during this time, he had kept a low profile, focusing only on his usual Gym Leader duties.
At that moment, one of his subordinates rushed into the room with a strange expression on his face.
"Boss! There's something weird happening at the Gym!"
Surge, who was already in a foul mood, frowned. "What now? Is it another challenger?"
His subordinate hesitated before replying. "Well… yes. But that's not the problem."
"Then what is?"
"The one challenging the Gym isn't a human."
Surge raised an eyebrow. "Not a human?"
"That's right," the subordinate said, still looking baffled. "This time, the challenger is… a Haunter."
---
A Haunter Wants to Challenge the Gym?!
At the entrance of Vermilion Gym, a large group of trainers had gathered, whispering amongst themselves.
Right in the middle of the Gym stood Haunter, floating in midair with a smug grin.
And in his hands—was a Poké Ball.
Haunter pointed at the Gym Leader's podium, then at himself, and finally at the Gym Badge display.
He was challenging the Gym.
The trainers watching the scene were completely dumbfounded.
"I-Is that Haunter serious?" one trainer muttered.
"Wait… is it trying to challenge the Gym on its own?" another asked.
Surge, meanwhile, was staring at Haunter with an incredulous expression. "You gotta be kidding me…"
Haunter, however, remained completely serious. He juggled the Poké Ball in his hands, as if proving that he was capable of battling.
The trainers in the crowd erupted into laughter.
"This is the funniest thing I've seen all week!"
"Man, I kinda wanna see how this plays out!"
Surge pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on.
"Fine, whatever," he growled. "If you really wanna battle, I'll entertain you. But don't come crying when my Raichu fries you to a crisp."
Haunter grinned even wider.
The battle was on.
---
To be continued...
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