"Of course, there are still a lot of things that can be discovered about Ghost-types, like how they can produce eggs and how some can breed with Pokemons with flesh and bones. But this time, we will be focusing on the main use of the discovery of Elite 4 Agatha and Phoebe to all of you: to procure food that will increase the quality of Ghost types that you may train or take care of during your tenure as an associate field researcher in the future."
Prof. Oak opened a backpack underneath the long table where the discussion was happening and then pulled out 7 pieces of paper. When the interns peeked at them, they realized that they were lab report sheets with 2 pages each. The Pokemon Professor then continued while putting one paper at a time in front of the students.
"Before I explain your next and last activity about taking care of a Pokemon type for a short term, at first when this method of training is discovered and was included in the general Pokemon trainer manual, lots of Ghost types haunting stories appeared in Pokemon centers' dormitory provided to trainers, but after a wave of complaints from trainers all over the world, scaring people inside the Pokemon Center's dorm become banned, which caused a rise to promenence of haunted houses in niche monotype communities or those that wanted to train their Pokemon and desynthesize them to most situations. However, since I'm a researcher, the top researcher of the region, I was permitted by the government of Pallet beforehand to give you an activity to prank people with Ghost types."
Of course, the government had already designated people whom they can't prank, and it is indicated on the second page of the lab report template. This includes people who are old, people who don't have Pokemons, pregnant women, PWDs, people at work, people at a hospital, and everyone during the night; these people are indicated on a map presented by an X mark in their houses.
_Pretty much everyone that's not a trainer or didn't go to a haunted house... what's even the point of this then? The best places to prank people are just the Viridian Forest, Pokemon Center, and Pokemart..._
Of course, it's technically okay to create some harmless illusions that would give people a good fright in parks and other recreational places and make the Ghost types pretend to be wild Pokemon by appearing to get pranked as well. Plus, Hypnosis is not an AOE move as long as the caster didn't intend it as such, so they can avoid old people and other people protected by the restricted permission given to Prof. Oak.
Anthony realized that this is one of the reasons why it is so hard to raise Ghost-types to the level of Elite 4 Agatha among other young geniuses: they feed on emotions and prefer emotions they evoke in others, so if the trainer messed up on commanding them, they may be able to kill a person with depression or heart conditions.
As Anthony was able to learn the gist of the true challenges of raising Ghost-types, Prof. Oak continued to the last part of the discussion.
"Alright, now that I have given you the summary of everything that you should know about the elusive and volatile Ghost types, we should go to their enclosed habitats inside Pallet Town: The Pallet Town Public and Research Cemetery."
Anthony's eyebrows perked up a little as he silently stood up and prepared to secure his notes before walking out of the conference room.
_This world has a lot of odd and new word combinations..._
__________
"Geeengaaar~!"
"HauuUUuuUnter...."
Anthony and the interns, alongside the Pokemon Professor, looked at the large and wide cemetery filled with Ghost types phasing in and out of existence while trying to go around the humans cleaning and mourning to scare them, but seemingly to no avail. As indicated, the cemetery might be the largest one seen by Anthony in his two lives besides the Pokemon tower in Lavender Town, making the corpses that are buried alongside their epitaph to be neatly arranged, without any one of them needing to go side by side like how his mom and dad were when they died in his previous life.
Also, because it's a research center and a public cemetery, it also has a lab and a crematorium side-by-side with two completely different designs. The lab is a 2 floor rectangular building with the iconic Pokeball logo of the World Government on its side, while the crematorium is roofed with stainless stell while a giant chimney is erected atop it; from the smoke that's being spewed out, it seems like someone is being cremated at the moment.
In order not to get in the way of mourning people, these two establishments are just beside the entrance of the cemetery and can be seen by just standing below the arch welcoming people.
"Whoa... this place is huge..."
"Yeah, I could fit my house here..."
"I wonder why it is bigger than the ones in the natural biomes?"
As expected by Prof. Oak, words of wonder, excitement, and curiosity came out of his students' mouths, which prompted him to reply.
"That's because we have to make sure that the operations of the lab will not affect the operations of the cemetery and the crematorium. This kind of space will make sure that any experiments for Ghost types will proceed as planned, even when funerals or cremations are happening without any compromise from the two parties."
After the interns nodded, Prof. Oak looked at the child Ghastly, who was continuously sniffing the air and making satisfied and comfortable sounds; he then whispered to its 'ear'.
"Go and find those 7 Ghastlies that I told you to befriend."
In truth, Prof. Oak has been quite busy for the past 3 days because he wants the activity of the interns on learning how to raise Ghost types to be as seamless and dangerless as possible. This includes making the most well-versed Pokemon type to look at well-natured Ghost types to lend to the students to start their pranking spree: a Ghost type, and true enough, the young Ghastly was able to look for Ghost types of the same jolly nature as it. Even though they were all Ghastlies, it's not something that Prof. Oak complains about.
"GhAaaaAsTTlyyy~!"
With the usual ghostly tone, the young Ghastly shivered up happily before flying at fast speeds on the left side of the cemetery, where the interns heard increasing amounts of the spooky tone of Ghastly's voice; soon, 7 small back balls of gas appeared, excluding the original young Ghastly. They lined up horizontally in front of the interns, who looked at them with smiles on their faces; even Anthony looked amused despite his ever neutral-looking face.
_I haven't looked at Ghastlies as cute little kids before..._
Anthony felt like that sounded awfully wrong; however, he didn't have the time to dwell on it as Prof. Oak spoke about what they should do.
"These little ones here will be your partners until the last day of this activity. Every day until the week before your graduation, you will be needing to tend to Ghost types, which includes pranking people and attending to their other needs while making sure you abide by the guidelines on the second page of the lab report: remember, ghost stories inducing fear is considered a self-induced negative emotions, so with proper planning, you may not need to prank people every day."
After saying this, the Pokemon Professor looked around and asked.
"Any questions?"
As the interns looked at each other and slowly shook their heads in unison, the baby Ghastlies finally approached them before Prof. Oak said:
"Alright then, let the pranking begin!"
___________________
"Miii? Miii?"
"Zuu?"
"G-ghaAaAaaaAstly..."
The interns decided ot go around in different directions and try making 'haunted place stories' for their Ghastlies in different parts of the not-so-small Pallet Town, and right now, Anthony is looking around different places, preferably either places that have lots of people lowering their guards or those that don't have many people that adventurous ones may want to approach. In front of him are Zubat and Miltank talking in their own unique Pokemon language with the seemingly shy-natured Ghastly, making it quite flustered.
While this may be concerning for supposed pranksters, Anthony already tested first hand how is the illusions of this Ghastly fairs to himself earlier before even going out, and he can confirm that the only thing he should worry about is the place where his 'self-made negative energy' farm should be, which he is now doing by ignoring the noise of the 3 socializing Pokemons and looking at his map while clicking his retractable ballpoint pen repeatedly.
_I have some places that I can think of, but I kind of don't want places that needed some time to be dicovered and given that trainers are too far apart with only the Pokemon Centers as their semblance of a rendezvous point, these rumors would not be able to get to their target audience for a long time, causing me to lag if I don't choose carefully. My peers would probably also think that and would go to places with a regular source of people..._
Anthony then stopped walking, making his Pokemons (one of which is a limited activity Pokemon) also do the same. In front of him is the multi-floored Pokemon Center of Pallet Town. Anthony has long been used to seeing people, places, and events that are not told in the Pokemon games and anime (and also saw Cynthia in the flesh in Kanto) and is not surprised by the existence of a Pokemon Center in Pallet Town. Though he's more surprised that he didn't reach the part where the Pokemon Center is in during the time they got a 3-day break after he almost got abducted.
_Huh, I guess it comes down to this place then. I'm afraid I don't have any creativity though..._
Anthony coaxed his Pokemon to the Pokemon Center while being able to see Samantha Stacy, the other girl of the 7 remaining interns alongside Mary Hane. Unlike Mary, who has very spoiling parents, it was said by Samantha that she was given the choice to stay or go and doesn't need to argue for it, meaning her parents are closer to how Anthony's are.
However, Anthony and Samantha still rarely talk, so when they were beside each other while both looking at the glass door of the Pokemon Center, they just silently accompanied each other. That's until Samantha finally wasn't able to bear the awkwardness.
"So, what part of the Center do you plan to ask for permission to do our pranks with Ghastly?"
Anthony, who was also just about to talk about anything, was quite relieved.
"I plan to use a specific toilet seat. Should we go together?"
Samantha, who is usually not so casual in talking and prefers to be closer to anyone she talks with, nodded. She doesn't really know how to talk with Anthony. While he's the son of two celebrities, he rarely mentions it and is too quiet most of the time. Samantha knew that he has friends and is not as distant as his non-feeling face implies; it still bothers her to bother someone so quiet.
_I should really ask him if he's okay with how he was almost kidnapped, but he seems not to even think too deeply about it. I wonder if he compensated with all the crazy facial expressions ma'am Hana has done when she's on camera during Pokemon battles..._
While Samantha was thinking of that, Anthony, alongside his and her Pokemons and the two Ghastlies, already stepped into the Pokémon Center and went to Nurse Joy, who's currently at the reception; it seems that no grave injury is on the upper floors as of now. Nurse Joy tilted her head with a smile as he looked at the two kids who put up their lab report templates, making Nurse Joy aware of their identity immediately.
"Interns of Professor Oak, right? We noticed that some of you may use the place to do your yearly 'pranking with Ghastly' activity; the two of you can only use the first-floor areas to prank people. That would be the reception area, the lounge, the comfort room, and the staff room. We would request the immediate removal of your enrollment in your respective programs if you didn't follow these rules; other than that, the first floor is your playground."
Anthony and Samantha looked at each other and silently nodded. It seems like the Nurse Joy of Pallet Town is already well-informed and has already got all the rules imposed, probably by herself.
"I will go to the toilet, where's you planned site?"
Anthony asked Samantha, who carried his Butterfree into her hands.
"I plan it to be in the lounge."
Anthony nodded before also putting Zubat in his head.
"I see, then good luck for the two of us."
As Samantha nodded and returned the pleasantry, the two went their separate ways to commence their 'Prank with Ghastly' activity.