Gastly's Ghoulish Glee: Part Two

Stepping into another long-abandoned chamber, Gary was yet again disappointed by the lack of Pokémon within. For the past half hour, he'd combed through the entire second floor of the mansion in his quest to discover the powerful creature responsible for spiriting the townsfolk away. Yet so far he'd found nothing to even hint that the Pokémon was nearby.

With the exception of the ever-burning candles: as Brock had pointed out down in the main hall, the fact that they were all lit hinted at the presence of something sinister nearby. Every room he'd explored had been fairly well lit, as if the original owners of the home still dwelled within.

But Gary knew that wasn’t true. The Pokémon that resided here was messing with him. And that only fueled his desire to catch the crafty creature who continued evading his grasp.

The spiky haired brunette released a frustrated sigh as he stepped deeper into what had once been an old bedroom. Layers of dust caked the furniture within, from the massive king-sized bed to the tall armoire standing across from it.

As he spotted the large cabinet, a thought filled the boy's head: was the Pokémon hiding inside? Considering he'd searched countless similar armoires, it wasn't likely. And yet that didn't stop Gary from approaching the old wooden cabinet, anticipation once again building within him. The last thing he wanted was to miss out on a rare and powerful Pokémon because he’d neglected to check a single spot.

Lifting his shirt collar above his mouth, Gary pulled the armoire open with his free hand before shutting his eyes. The sudden movement caused dust to spill out, though unlike some of his earliest attempts the brunette was able to shield himself a little from the particles.

After a few coughs, he opened his eyes. Within the armoire were various garments that nobody would be caught dead wearing in the present, Gary sighing as he looked upon the ratty old dresses and petticoats. The fact that only girl's clothing filled the dresser caused him to care even less as he shook his head in disappointment and turned away.

Only to find himself face-to-face with his quarry.

"Ahhh!" The sheer shock of seeing the ghost caused Gary to jump, the startled boy nearly falling back into the open armoire as a result. And yet he managed to stop himself, the boy calming down considerably after the initial shock. After all, this wasn't his first time encountering a Gastly.

After a sigh of relief, Gary focused on the floating ball of gas before him. "Heh, I guess this place has some other Pokémon here after all.”

Gastly chuckled. "On the contrary, I'm the only one here! It seems that the legends surrounding this place have managed to keep people and Pokémon alike from visiting!"

The trainer was unable to hide his surprise as the Pokémon spoke. Mouth agape, the cocky boy struggled to control himself as he studied the cheery Gas Pokémon. "No way! You can talk!?"

"Oh, I can do so much more than that, Gary." The Gastly floated a few feet back as it studied the boy with playful eyes. "As you'll soon see for yourself!"

Gary instinctively grabbed one of his Pokeballs. The fact that the Pokémon somehow knew his name was disconcerting, but he brushed that off as the ghost having overheard his earlier conversations with Ash and his friends. "Then you're telling me that a measly Gastly is behind everything that's been happening here recently? Like I'd believe that!"

The Pokémon's smile fell. "And why do you say that? I can assure you I am hardly ‘measly’."

"Because you're weak!" Gary declared. "You aren't even a Haunter yet! There's no way a basic Pokémon like you is powerful enough to make all those people disappear!"

Just like that, Gastly's smile returned in full force. "Oh, but looks can be deceiving. Especially where Ghost Pokémon are involved! I can assure you that all of the recent excitement in the village is thanks to yours truly."

As the talking Pokémon continued, Gary wondered if the creature spoke the truth. The fact that it could talk at all already made it far more interesting than most Pokémon in the world. And if the ability to communicate with humans really was just the cherry atop the sundae as the ghost declared, then it really was something special.

"..." Gary's lips curled into a smile as he chuckled. "Interesting. Then I guess you're the one I've been looking for after all!"

"My, you certainly changed your tune!" The grinning ghost observed.

"It isn't every day you see a talking Pokémon. Besides, even if you aren't the one behind all this, you'll definitely made a good addition to my collection."

"My goodness, you'd try and catch me!?" The shock in the Pokémon's voice was genuine as it stared down the dark-eyed boy. "To think anyone would ever think to go so far!"

"That's why I came here in the first place!" Holding up Arcanine's Pokeball, Gary prepared to call out one of his strongest Pokémon. Even if his opponent was just a Gastly, he knew he'd have to weaken it before attempting to catch it. And if it was stronger than it seemed, he wouldn’t want to underestimate it.

Even if it didn’t stand a chance against an ace like him.

“Go, Arcanine!” With those words, the spiky-haired boy released the ball from his grip.

The Pokeball didn't impact the floor, a blue aura instead surrounding the object before it flew right back into Gary’s hands. Clutching Arcanine’s Pokeball once more, Gary tried to process exactly what had just happened.

"Now now, no need for battling," Gastly said. "I've had quite enough of that for one day. It would be much easier if you simply cooperated with me."

Recovering from his initial surprise, Gary prepared to call out Arcanine again. "Like that'll happen!" He turned to face Gastly.

Only to realize his mistake too late as he lost himself in the ghost's glowing eyes. Eyes that demanded his attention, eyes that spoke to him without even a word.

Even as his eyes dulled beneath the Pokémon’s hypnotic gaze, Gary struggled to maintain control of himself. And yet it proved futile, his body seeming to possess a mind of its own as it disobeyed his every command. To his growing confusion and frustration, he simply put Arcanine's Pokeball away before standing at attention before the ghost.

"Wh-What are you..." The boy's senses continued to rapidly fade, the cocky Pokémon Trainer not lasting long before the might of Gastly. It wasn't long before Gary’s mind was sealed away, just as the ghost desired.

"Oh, don’t mind me! I'm just going to make some adjustments to you as I did with your friends, nothing more!" Mischief shining in its eyes, Gastly took a moment to gaze within the brunette's fog-shrouded mind. "Now, let's learn a bit more about you!"

Browsing through Gary's memories, the Gas Pokémon delighted in examining the boy’s past experiences both before and during his Pokémon journey. It particularly enjoyed the glimpses of Ash it found within the boy's mind as it studied how their friendship had eventually twisted into a rivalry.

It gave the Pokémon such fun ideas, Gastly unwilling to wait any longer as it floated around the hypnotized boy. After everything it’d glimpsed, it had a very clear image of what it wanted Gary to look like. "Now, shall we have some fun?"

The Pokémon Trainer wasn't allowed to answer, the entranced brunette only managing a moan as a powerful aura engulfed his helpless body. With it came an incredible warmth, the boy's breathing picking up as Gastly's incredible power coursed through his body.

Gary groaned as the changes quickly took hold, his short, spiky hair rushing down his back like a curtain. The beautiful sleek locks reached all the way down to the boy’s rump before several of the strands curled up. It took but a second, but just like that the trainer gained a gorgeous head of hair.

“Such a pretty girl you’re turning into!” Gastly delighted as the boy’s face softened, Gary’s jaw and cheek bones losing prominence as his face took on a more feminine appearance. Eyelashes lengthening and eyebrows thinning, the brunette experienced a makeover unlike anything he’d ever known.

Yet he was helpless to do anything about it, the boy’s mouth hanging open even as his lips too became softer. Locked away within his own mind, Gary remained oblivious to the changes, to the soft, feminine groan that escaped his lips as the warmth coursed through him.

“Hmm, should I make you older as I did with Mitch? Perhaps just a few years!”

Although Gary didn’t gain any height as he aged into teenager, the pretty brunette did experience some growth. For two small mounds gently pressed out against his shirt, the changing boy releasing another moan as the added pressure kicked in.

Fortunately for him, Gastly was on top of it: even as Gary’s body continued to slim down, making him as light and dainty as possible, his shirt and pants began a transformation of their own. The two pieces of clothing became one, the pants legs immediately starting to recede as the pretty brunette was garbed in a sleek black and purple dress that tightly hugged her soft, feminine form. The Pokémon admired its work, the sleeveless garment nothing like the gaudy old things that filled the wardrobe behind the changing boy.

With only a few last remaining changes to the body remaining, Gastly focused on molding the brunette’s mind. It wasn’t difficult to create new memories to replace his old ones: memories of a spoiled girl who always got what she wanted. The Pokémon delighted in twisting the boy’s cocky, smug attitude into that of a rich, pampered girl who was always too good for everything.

That was, with the exception of a certain young trainer who always got her heart racing.

“Ahhh…” As the final physical changes robbed her of her manhood, the brunette released another soft groan. “A-Ash…”

“That’s right, Grace.” Gastly smirked, the Pokémon having selected a most fitting name for the newly-made girl. “You and Ash have been together for as long as you can remember. And over that time, you’ve developed such strong feelings for the boy.”

The brunette’s cheeks darkened slightly as her crush on her former rival continued growing. Ash had always been there for her, always been there to make her smile when she was down or talk to her when she needed someone to listen to her. Even if she had problems expressing her feelings to him, Grace knew her love for the boy was as real as it got; the boy’s oblivious nature caused no end to the pain she felt.

“There we go, that’s much better.” The Gas Pokémon smiled as the changes wrapped up, Grace’s shoes changing into cute heels that matched her dress. “What a lovely girl you make, Grace. I’m sure Ash will be all over you. At least, until I deal with him!”

With those ominous words Gastly vanished from the room, freeing Grace from the trance that held her.

"Ahhhh..." The soft moan filled the chamber as Grace came to, the beautiful girl bringing a small, recently-manicured hand to her forehead. She couldn't explain why, but she felt so out of it, like she'd just awoken from some deep, entranced sleep.

And as the young beauty studied the old, dusty bedroom around her, she realized that may well have been what had happened.

"Ahhh!" The girly cry echoed throughout the unfamiliar room as Grace’s heart began racing. What was going on? Where was she? Rushing over to a nearby window, Grace failed to contain her gasp as she looked out onto the unfamiliar mansion’s overgrown courtyard.

The brunette's panic only continued to build as she pulled away from the window. Why was she in a spooky old place like this? Had she come here? Struggling to discover the truth, Grace searched through her memories in hopes of finding the answer. And yet no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t recall ever traveling to this creepy place. Why would she even want to visit such a scary building in the first place, she asked herself.

The more Grace thought on it, the more her thoughts drifted toward something she'd heard recently. Even if she couldn't pinpoint the source, she remembered hearing about how a number of people had been spirited away.

The realization struck like a Hyper Beam, Grace gulping hard as she looked around with terrified eyes. Had she been kidnapped? Had she been stolen away in her sleep? Was something going to happen to her? Try as she did to remain brave in the face of the scary situation, she found her resolve failing as she took several shallow breaths.

She forced her eyes shut, refusing to shed the tears that so badly wanted to fall. Lost and alone within the creepy old mansion, she’d never been so scared in her life. The thought that someone or something might barge into the room and do something horrible to her remained at the center of her mind no matter how hard she tried to get it out.

But deep down the trembling fashionista knew she needed to be brave: brave just like the boy she loved with all her heart.

"A-Ash..." Grace failed to hold back her tears as she thought on her crush. He'd always been there to lend her strength, to save her from scary situations where she didn't know what to do. He was the person she relied on above all else, and the boy she loved just as much.

Yet where was he now when she needed him most?

Grace sniffled as she wiped a few tears from her eyes. Had he come to rescue her? Was he out looking for her? Such hopes filled her mind as she made her way toward the door, her heels clicking with every step. Of course he was; there was no way Ash would ever abandon her.

Because even if he was too dense to realize the depth of Grace's feelings for him, he still considered her his best friend. At least, that's what the brunette hoped as she peeked out into the abandoned corridor.

The mere sight of the dark hallway sent shivers through the girl, Grace's hair sticking up as she hesitantly took a step outside of the bedroom. As she'd feared, she was all alone and lost within the massive, long-abandoned manor.

With that knowledge in mind she took off down the hall, Grace fighting her tears as she ran as quickly as her heels allowed. She needed to escape from the spooky place, but more importantly she needed to find the boy of her dreams.

"Ash...where are you?"

“Brock? Misty?”

“Pika Pi!”

“They’ve got to be around here somewhere.” Leaving an old drawing room, Ash continued his search for his companions. Following their separation, the boy and his Pikachu had looked through countless rooms in hopes of locating the two Gym Leaders. Yet to their growing dismay, the two had found no sign of their missing friends.

“Maybe we should check the second floor,” Ash suggested.

“Pika,” Pikachu nodded in agreement as the mouse jumped back onto Ash’s shoulder.

Ash was about to trace his way back to the main hall before a rather impressive door caught his eye. “Hey, we haven’t checked that room yet, have we?”

“Pika.”

“We might as well take a look.” With his curiosity piqued, the young trainer approached the ornate door. His attempts to open it were met with some resistance, the boy gritting his teeth as he threw his body against it. With Pikachu’s help he managed to force it over, although as the door finally gave way Ash stumbled into the room with a cry.

“Woah…” Ash’s eyes widened as he looked upon the massive ballroom, the well-lit chamber looking like it’d come right out of a fairytale. Out of all the rooms he’d explored, he had to admit that this one was certainly the nicest and least-touched by time.

“Pika…"

"You said it, Pikachu. I bet the people who used to own this place had a lot of big parties here."

"Pikachu!"

"I guess nobody is-"

"Pika!?"

Ash blinked as his partner immediately turned toward the door, his yellow ears twitching and electricity firing out of his cheeks. "What is it, Pikachu? Do you hear something?"

"Pika!" The Pokémon nodded in acknowledgment.

Ash faced the doorway, bracing himself for what was to come. He had no doubt that the Pokémon that had whisked his friends away was strong, but he wasn’t about to lose to it. With Pikachu at his side, he was prepared for anything.

Anything save the gorgeous, teary eyed brunette who charged straight at him.

“Ash!!!!”

“Ahhhh!” The young boy wasn’t even allowed a chance to react as the girl embraced him, Ash nearly falling on his back due to the sudden added weight. Before he could topple over, the boy planted his feet firmly against the ground as he held the crying brunette.

"H-Hey!" The boy gasped, Pikachu looking equally shocked as the teary-eyed teen sobbed into Ash's chest. "A-Are you okay?"

“Pika…”

"D-Dumby!" To the boy's surprise, the girl's small fists began lightly beating on his chest as she yelled at him. "Wh-Where were you!?"

"Where was I?" The black-haired boy blinked, the questions in his head only multiplying the longer the embrace went on. He already found it strange enough that the girl somehow knew his name, but now she was acting like she was his acquaintance.

And unless Ash had forgotten a chance encounter with the girl, this was his first time ever seeing the cute brunette.

"I-I thought you came here to look for me!" The pretty brunette pulled away, an upset scowl on her soft lips. Before Ash could ask her anything, he found himself looking into her scared, tear filled eyes. "Y-You did, didn't you!?"

After a few seconds of feeling completely lost, a light bulb came on in the boy's head. The pretty girl before him was most likely one of the captive villagers; if several went missing each night, it made sense that a few of them would have already been whisked away to the mansion.

With some of his questions answered, Ash relaxed a little. "Y-Yeah, that's right." The boy gave the girl a reassuring smile. "I came here to rescue you!"

"..." Grace's face visibly darkened, the girl's massive crush on Ash nearly causing her to swoon. Just hearing that the boy of her dreams had come for her made her spirits soar, Grace tempted to offer him her very first kiss in gratitude to the Pokémon Trainer.

And yet the thought was too embarrassing for the stubborn, love-struck girl, the beauty giving Ash a little shove as she released him from her embrace. Cheeks still burning bright, she grumbled as she turned away from the confused boy.

"Y-You took too long!" The girl brushed a hand through her bangs as she tried to conceal her bright blush from her knight in shining armor. "I-I was really scared, you know!?"

"Pikachu." The Electric Mouse Pokémon exchanged a quick glance with Ash before moving to the girl's side. Reaching up with one of his small hands, he gently tugged on the hem of her dress.

Grace wiped a few tears from her pretty eyes before noticing the familiar Pokémon. A cute smile tugged at her lips as she gently lifted Pikachu off the ground and hugged him to her chest. "I-I know you at least tried your best to save me, didn't you Pikachu?"

"Pika!" While a little confused, Pikachu took comfort as he gently nuzzled the brunette's developing bosom. If nothing else, it seemed to calm her down.

"Thanks, Pikachu." Grace shut her eyes as she enjoyed the furry little mouse's gentle nuzzles.

Ash watched the comforting sight, glad to at least see that the girl was doing a little better. Even if he had many, many questions for her, he realized now wasn't the best time to ask them.

"Come on, we should get you out of here."

"Wh-What about Brooke and Mitch? Aren't they here too?" Though her mind remained a bit fuzzy, the spoiled brunette had a clear image of her other two traveling companions.

Ash blinked, wondering why the names sounded so similar to Brock and Misty's. After a few seconds he decided it was merely coincidence; it made a lot more sense for the two to be the brunette's friends from the village. "Right. We should go look for them too!"

"You mean you don't know where they are?" Grace's eyes widened, a little fear returning to the orbs.

"N-No, but I'm sure we'll find them!" The young trainer smiled, hoping that putting up a strong front would prevent the girl from crying more.

Gently setting Pikachu down on the ground, the brunette nodded. "Y-Yeah, you're right. I'm sure we'll...woah..." Eyes and mouth wide, Grace took a moment to finally look upon the massive ballroom around them. "Wow...this place is so pretty.”

“Yeah.”

“It's nothing like those awful dresses I saw in that wardrobe. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing gaudy things like those!"

Ash chuckled, the confused boy deciding to just play along in hopes of raising her spirits. "I bet people used to dance here all the time!"

Color entered Grace's cheeks as she shot the boy a nervous glance. "W-Well?"

Ash blinked. "Well what?"

With how fast her heart was beating, Grace had a hard time maintaining eye contact with the clueless boy. “A-Aren’t you going to ask me to dance with you?”

“D-Dance?” Of all the things Ash had expected the girl to want, a dance certainly wasn't one of them. "I don't really think we have the time."

"That's so like you." Despite knowing it wasn't the time or place to dance with the boy, Grace couldn't help but feel disappointed. "But I guess you’re right."

"Y-Yeah." After a moment of silence, Ash realized he hadn't even gotten the girl's name yet. "H-Hey, what's your-"

“Now Ash, how could you forget all about your childhood friend?”

The brown-eyed boy gasped as the voice reverberated throughout the ballroom. Even over Grace’s startled cry, he recognized it as the one he’d heard in the main hall.

The boy blinked as Grace clung to his arm, the brunette looking truly terrified. For a moment, Ash wondered if Gary had spoken the truth about girls getting scared more easily before he shook the thought free. Now wasn’t the time to ask those kinds of questions.

The dark-haired boy scowled as he looked around the chamber. “Show yourself!” Ash cried.

“Oh very well, I suppose I can do that now.” Gastly materialized before the two young trainers, the Pokémon’s sudden appearance eliciting another cry from the scared brunette at Ash’s side.

“A-Ash! It’s a ghost! And it’s talking!”

Ash said nothing, the boy remaining more composed than Grace as he looked upon Gastly. This was hardly his first encounter with the ghost-type Pokémon; in fact, he'd even befriended one of them in the past.

But that one hadn’t been capable of speech, not like the first one he’d ran into. And the more he thought about that bizarre night where he'd glimpsed the fusion of Venusaur and Blastoise, the more certain he was that the same Pokémon behind all of those illusions floated before him now.

“I know you! You’re the Gastly from Maiden’s Peak, aren’t you?”

“Pika!” Down on all fours, Pikachu looked ready to shock the ghost at Ash’s command.

"Indeed. I must say, I certainly didn't expect to run into you or your friends here. Though it most certainly has been a pleasant surprise!"

Ash gritted his teeth. "What did you do to them!?"

"The same thing I did to your childhood friend there," Gastly declared.

"Childhood friend?" Ash blinked as he turned to the trembling girl at his side. "I've never-"

"Met her?" Gastly finished. "Perhaps not as she currently is, but I can assure you that you knew her well growing up. Come on, I'm certain you can figure this out!"

Squinting his eyes, Ash looked at the teary-eyed girl once again. The more he focused on her, the more he realized there was something familiar about her. And as he took a moment to gaze into her eyes, it finally clicked for the boy.

"N-No way! G-Gary!?"

"Pika!?" Pikachu lowered his guard as he looked over at the girl, only to cry out as Gastly zoomed before the Pokémon. "Pi!"

"Now now, I don't need you interfering!" Before the Electric-type Pokémon had a chance to react, Gastly used Hypnosis on the startled mouse.

"P-Pi..." Despite trying its best to fight it, Pikachu was overwhelmed by the ghost's power as he entered into a trance.

"Pikachu!" Just like that, Ash's attention was wrenched away from the pretty brunette to his first Pokémon. "What are you doing!?"

"Oh, don't worry. Just consider it a taste of things to come."

"What are you...P-Pikachu!" The boy's eyes widened as he noticed something different about his Pokémon. "P-Pikachu, your tail!"

The Pokémon remained asleep, oblivious to the fact that her tail now ended in a heart-like shape instead of its usual point.

"What did you do!?" Ash demanded, only to cry out as Gastly spun around to face him.

"The very same thing I'm going to do to you, Ash."

"Ahhh..." As the Gastly focused its power on him, Ash struggled to resist as hard as he could. From how sluggish and tired he suddenly felt he knew the Pokémon was trying to put him in a trance, and yet he wouldn't allow himself to fall. If the Pokémon had really changed his friends and Pikachu, he needed to get it to change them all back.

"Ash!" Grace cried, before falling silent as Gastly easily placed her back in a trance. The fact that she was already under its power made the task very simple for the ghost.

And with two obstacles out of its way, it allowed Gastly to focus more on Ash. "So very tenacious, and yet in the end it means nothing. It matters not how much you struggle; it's already too late for you."

"N-No...ch-change them back..." Gritting his teeth, Ash put up as much of a fight as he could against the Pokémon's power. And yet his body failed him, the boy's efforts to move his limbs proving meaningless as Gastly grinned.

"Oh don't worry, you'll all change back in time. So just relax and let me have a little fun, will you?"

"N-No...th-this is wrong..." Ash groaned, his battle to resist getting harder and harder. It became near impossible as an aura of power flared to life around the boy, filling him with a strange, disorienting warmth.

It only took a little longer before Ash was fully beneath Gastly's spell, the Pokémon chuckling as it gazed into the boy's cloudy mind. "My goodness, from the looks of things you've already done some cross dressing in the past! How amusing! And yet back then you were all dolled up like some girly girl!" Gastly chuckled as it briefly turned its attention to Grace. "I think Grace already fits that role well enough, so I'm thinking something else for you."

After a few seconds of contemplation, the Pokémon reached its decision. "A cute tomboy would complement her quite well! After all, you certainly have that fighting spirit about you! For what little good it did you."

"Ahhh..." The changes quickly overcame Ash, the boy's dark hair straightening out as it brushed against the back of his neck. It wasn't long before his face was softening, his less pronounced cheekbones giving the boy a more feminine look helped by his shrinking nose and thinning eyebrows.

And once the boy's face was just girly enough for its liking, Gastly moved right along. After all, with how it pictured the girl in its mind it didn't want him to be nearly as feminine as the hypnotized beauty at his side.

Waist pinching in even as his boobs started developing, the changing boy released a far cuter groan than his earlier one. In rapid succession the changes struck one after another, Ash's hips widening mere seconds after the boy's arms and legs slimmed down. At the same time he gained a few years, something made evident by his newly acquired breasts. While not huge, they easily put Grace's to shame, much to Gastly's amusement.

As Ash continued changing, his clothes too morphed to fit his transforming body. The boy's trademark jacket shrunk down slightly until the bottom rested right around the boy's thin waist. Beneath it Ash's shirt shifted, his once circular collar opening into a V-neck that showed off more of his soft skin. Even his gloves shrank down to better fit his smaller fingers, although Ash's pants were in for the most dramatic transformation as they transitioned into a pair of jean shorts. As a result, the dark-haired boy's long, smooth legs were placed on full display for all to see.

"Ahhh..."

Gastly smiled, knowing that the groan signaled the end of the physical transformation. With glowing eyes, it admired its handiwork.

"My, it looks like you were born to be changed," Gastly mused. "What a fine specimen you are! Now then, I just need to make a few more modifications."

Just like that the Pokémon set to work altering her memories, making Ashley believe she'd been a girl since the day she'd been born. Though it kept her love of Pokémon fully intact, it delighted in making a few modifications to her friendship with Grace. After all, the thought of the two friends-turned-rivals being BFFs amused Gastly to no end.

"There we go, that's much better!" With Ash's transformation complete, Gastly reveled in its latest victory. "I must say, out of all the people I've changed, you've all been the most enjoyable! Well then, I suppose I should see how things work out for you."

"Although first, I should tie up the loose ends." Returning to Grace, Gastly began altering her mind to better suit Ashley's new memories. After all, the girl couldn't love someone who didn't exist anymore.

And with its final task complete the Pokémon vanished from sight, allowing Grace and Pikachu to snap out of their trances.

"Ughh..." Holding her head, Grace took a moment to recover from her daze. She gasped as she noticed her best friend standing silently, as if the girl was locked in some kind of trance.

"Ash? Ash, are you okay?"

Ashley blinked as she awoke from her trance, the dark-haired girl finding herself face-to-face with her best friend. "Grace?"

Seeing that her friend was alright, the brunette released a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. You had me worried for a second! You were just standing there like an idiot!"

The brown-eyed girl blinked. "I-I was?"

"Pika!"

The tomboy chuckled as Pikachu jumped onto her shoulder. "Sorry about that! I guess I just sort of spaced out for a second there."

Grace sighed as she crossed her arms over her petit chest. "Honestly, that's so like you! You need to focus more on what's going on. Daydreaming about Pokémon won't get you anywhere!"

Scratching her cheek, Ashley released a nervous smile. "Sorry about that. I was probably thinking about some rare ones!"

Grace lightly bonked the slightly taller girl on the head. "That's why you dragged me along to this creepy old place, isn't it?"

Thinking on it, Ashley recalled convincing her friends to check out the mansion after hearing reports of Pokémon within it. "Y-Yeah, I guess so! Oh right, we're supposed to meet Brooke and Mitch at the entrance, aren't we?"

"Yeah. It's getting late, and I do need my beauty sleep," Grace whined.

"Hey, you're already beautiful enough."

"Oh I know." The brunette smiled as she ran a hand through her luscious brown locks. "But I need to stay well rested to keep looking this good. Besides, the sooner we leave this place, the better."

Though a bit discouraged she hadn't located any new Pokémon within, Ashley flashed a pretty smile. Even if their search here had turned up nothing, she was certain she'd find lots of new Pokémon in the days ahead. "Alright. Come on, Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"There you two are! We've been waiting for you!"

Ashley smiled as she spotted the two teenagers waiting for them at the mansion's entrance. Immediately she started racing toward the two, Grace following behind as her heels clacked against the floor.

The brunette frowned as her eyes stopped on Brooke's breasts as insecurity filled the young fashionista. Sure she was a year younger than her fellow brunette, but it was hard not to feel inadequate when comparing her small chest to the Gym Leader's bouncy boobs. The fact that even a tomboy like Ashley had bigger breasts didn't help the young beauty's confidence much either.

"Sorry about that!" Ashley conjured up a shy smile. "I sort of got distracted."

"Typical Ash," Mitch said with a smirk. "Did you find any Pokémon?"

"No luck." Ashley sighed as she delivered the disappointing news. "How about you two?"

"Same here." Mitch's thicker eyebrows furrowed as he studied the two teenage girls. Even knowing that they were supposed to be boys, he found it impossible to imagine Ashley and Grace as anything other than the cute girls they were. Had he just imagined it all, or had something happened?

The redhead decided not to think on it long. It was late, and he needed to get to sleep soon; maybe in the morning he'd have the energy to figure it out. With a loud yawn, he pushed the door open. "Alright, let's head back to town. I think that old man said he could arrange a place for us to rest up."

"As expected of my Mitchy!" Hearts for eyes, Brooke giggled as she rushed back over to the redhead and clung to his arm. "If there aren't enough rooms, we should share one!"

"In your dreams!"

"Well you're always in mine!"

Ashley and Grace giggled amongst themselves as they followed behind the two, Pikachu looking just as amused as her trainer. "Those two really are something, huh?"

"Pika Pi!"

"Still, they're a lot of fun to travel with." Ashley happily declared as she walked with her best friend.

"Yeah, that's true. Even if they have no fashion sense, just like a certain someone I know!" Despite truly valuing her lifelong friendship with Ashley, Grace didn't pull any punches when it came to her friend's preferred look.

"Hey, I do so!"

"Maybe if you're trying to pass as a boy!" Grace said. Still, with how much bigger Ashley was than her in a certain department, she doubted many mistook the girl's sex. "You'll never get a date if you keep dressing like that, Ash!"

"Who needs boys?" Ashley grinned as she formed a fist with her right hand. "All I care about is becoming a Pokémon Master! Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!"

Grace rolled her eyes as she walked alongside the girl. "Whatever. You'll come around someday."

The four friends ventured down the old path back toward town, unaware that the one responsible for their transformation watched them from the darkness. For Gastly delighted in seeing them interact, in noticing how different they were than when they'd first arrived at the mansion.

The Gas Pokémon chuckled, amusement twinkling in its eyes as the group walked into the distance. It was tempted to observe the group until they changed back; what chaos would ensue then, it wondered. And yet fun as that would be, it simply didn't have the time.

There were so many others left to change, after all.