1. Ash's Story (Part 10: Galar)

Chapter 65

As we step into the Max Lair, my eyes are immediately drawn to the two diverging paths ahead: one leading towards Ghost Type Pokémon, and the other towards Psychic Type opponents. A decision needs to be made, and I turn to my companions for input.

I voice my uncertainty, "Which way should we go? If we choose this path, we'll be up against Ghost Type Pokémon, but if we opt for that one, we'll face Psychic Types."

Elena quickly responds, her confidence shining through, "Ghost Types won't be a problem for me. After all, my Persian is a Normal Type. The real challenge lies in the fact that I can only use Play Rough."

Alice chimes in, her enthusiasm evident, "You're not alone, Elena. We've got two Normal Types on our team, so it makes sense for us to take on the Ghost Type challenge."

With a collective decision made, we proceed down the Ghost Type path, our anticipation building. Soon enough, we encounter our first opponent, a Haunter. My heart sinks a little as I realize that Haunter is not only a Ghost Type but also a Poison Type, a double disadvantage for my Dedenne.

I share my concern with the group, and Alice steps up, determination in her eyes. "I'll take the Dynamax initiative this time. I've got this."

With Alice's Torkoal now Dynamaxed, it unleashes a powerful Max Flare, engulfing Haunter and dealing significant damage. At the same time, I decide to set up a Substitute to shield my Pokémon from potential attacks. The trainer accompanying us sends out their Unfezant, which quickly uses Tailwind to boost our team's speed.

Elena's Persian, despite its type disadvantage, fearlessly lunges forward, using Play Rough against Haunter. Although not very effective, the attack manages to land a hit. However, Haunter retaliates swiftly, casting Hypnosis and causing Elena's Dedenne to fall asleep.

I express my doubts about our choice of path, "Okay, maybe the Ghost Type isn't the best choice after all."

Alice remains resolute, reminding us not to give up, "But we can't give up until it's over."

Despite the challenges, we eventually manage to defeat the Haunter. However, to our surprise, we hear a notification from our Rotom phone, asking if we want to capture the Haunter.

"Wait, we can capture Pokémon here as well?" I inquire, my curiosity piqued. Elena decides to give it a try, and with surprising ease, she captures the Haunter.

Elena is presented with an option to switch out her Persian for the newly captured Haunter. After some contemplation, she makes the switch, and her Persian is replaced by the Haunter.

"Okay, I think I'm starting to get the hang of how these battles work," Elena says, as we continue our journey deeper into the Max Lair. Along the way, we stumble upon some berries, which we collect. These berries prove useful in restoring our Pokémon's health, except for Elena's freshly acquired Haunter, who seems eager to prove its worth in our upcoming battles.

The other trainer speaks up, clearly eager to avoid another challenging Ghost Type battle, "So, what will it be next? Ghost again? Or Psychic?"

Elena can't help but groan, "Did they really only have those two choices? Or are we just incredibly unlucky?"

Alice, ever the strategist, suggests an alternative, "There's a person standing in front of the Ghost path. Maybe we should head in that direction?"

"I think you're right," I agree. Following Alice's suggestion, we approach the backpacker standing in front of the Ghost path, hoping for some guidance or assistance.

As we reach the backpacker, we're pleasantly surprised to find that they're handing out useful items. I receive an Electric Seed, Alice acquires Leftovers, Elena gets a Payapa Berry, and the trainer accompanying us obtains a Sharp Beak.