In the morning, after Yuga finished training with the Pokémon in the Ecopark, he noticed that they were running low on fertilizer for the berry trees. So, he decided to go out with Wigglytuff to buy some.
While on their way, Yuga saw Wigglytuff gazing longingly at a display in a store window. It was a pink apron with round, chubby Jigglypuff patterns printed on it, looking incredibly cute.
"What's wrong? Do you want it?" Yuga approached the shop window and asked Wigglytuff.
Wigglytuff nodded eagerly, saying, "Wigglytuff!"
"Then let's go get it." Yuga smiled and led Wigglytuff into the store.
Back at home, Wigglytuff took care of all the household chores, including helping Beidou prepare meals. Buying an apron for Jigglypuff was a thoughtful gesture.
"Welcome!," the store clerk greeted them.
With the help of the clerk, Wigglytuff tried on the apron, and it was a perfect fit in terms of size.
Once Wigglytuff put on the apron, it didn't want to take it off and insisted on wearing it around. Yuga couldn't resist Wigglytuff's enthusiasm, so he let it be.
While paying, Yuga noticed another apron, one that was yellow and white with lots of pink flowers printed on it. He said to the clerk, "I'd like to see this one too."
"Of course!" The clerk nodded and retrieved the apron, handing it to Yuga.
Yuga checked the size and thought it would be suitable for Audino. He said to the clerk, "I'll take this one as well."
The clerk agreed and wrapped up the second apron.
Seeing Yuga buying another apron, Wigglytuff looked at him with curiosity. Why did he buy another one? The first one was too big for Wigglytuff to wear!
Yuga, seeing Wigglytuff's puzzled expression, explained, "This one isn't for you; it's for Audino."
"Wigglytuff?" Wigglytuff wondered, not sure who that was.
Yuga clarified, "Audino is another Pokémon who came to our Day Care while you were away. She's currently training outside, and when she returns, you'll get to meet her. I'm sure you two will get along well."
Wigglytuff nodded in a somewhat bewildered manner.
After paying for both aprons, Yuga, along with Wigglytuff, left the store and continued on to buy the fertilizer.
Wigglytuff was absolutely thrilled with its new apron and couldn't stop fidgeting with it along the way, which made Yuga smile.
Verdanturf Town was somewhat of an agricultural village, so buying fertilizer was not difficult, and Yuga was already familiar with the process.
As they followed the factory worker who brought the fertilizer out from the warehouse, Yuga suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure near a dilapidated building.
"Excuse me, is that building over there inhabited?" Yuga pointed to the rundown structure and asked the worker.
The worker glanced at the decrepit building and replied, "Oh, you mean that place? It's been abandoned for a long time. How could anyone live there? I've heard rumors that it's haunted!"
Haunted? Then why was Muya seen here?
Yuga turned to Wigglytuff and said, "Wigglytuff, take this bag of fertilizer back home. I have something to attend to, and I'll return later."
This type of fertilizer was specially made and could last a long time, so Wigglytuff had no trouble carrying it alone.
Though Yuga wasn't sure what he was going to do, he left Wigglytuff with the fertilizer and ventured inside the abandoned building.
Stepping into the building, Yuga realized that it had likely been a factory in the past.
"Skitty, Skitty, Skitty."
Suddenly, Yuga heard cheerful cries.
Was that Skitty's voice?
Following the sound, Yuga silently moved deeper into the abandoned factory.
The place was quite extensive, and it took Yuga a while to locate a small room where he saw Skitty, and the figure he had spotted earlier, Muya.
This room was indeed very small, with a worn-out wooden bed in one corner. The beddings looked tattered, as if they had been salvaged, but they were freshly cleaned.
Apart from that, there was nothing else in the room.
She lived here? Yuga was puzzled.
In the room, a Gengar was placing a Pokéblock in front of Skitty. Muya, with a smile on her face, watched Skitty happily munching on the Pokéblock.
Muya often smiled at Yuga, but each time he felt a strong sense of discord. Only this time, her smile appeared more genuine than ever.
This smile made her pale complexion seem much more lifelike, not much different from a regular teenage girl.
However, at this moment, Yuga suddenly felt his hairs stand on end and realized that he had been spotted. He quickly rolled away and left the area.
The place where Yuga had hidden was immediately blown open by a Shadow Ball.
Indeed, a Ghost-type Pokémon Trainer was incredibly sensitive to the presence of life.
Holding Skitty, Muya rushed out of the room upon hearing Yuga. When she saw him, she exclaimed in surprise, "Idol! Why, it's you!"
Seeing Muya's pleasantly surprised expression, Yuga almost believed he was her idol.
Her acting skills would be a waste if she didn't pursue an acting career.
Yuga looked at Muya seriously and with an indifferent expression said, "I don't think we need to continue playing this idol and fan game."
Upon hearing Yuga's words, Muya instantly wiped away all the smiles from her face.
"What are you talking about? I can't understand a word!" she retorted with a sharp tone and a dark expression.
Seeing Muya's change in demeanor, Yuga thought, This must be her true self!
Yuga asked, "Who are you, really?"
At this point, Muya no longer pretended and grinned, "Guess!"
Yuga couldn't recall ever having any significant interactions with someone like her. He looked at the Gengar floating behind Muya, and his surprise grew.
Moves: Shadow Punch, Lick, Mean Look, Curse, Shadow Ball, Dream Eater, Hypnosis, Foul Play, Psychic, Perish Song.
A pseudo-Elite level Gengar!
Yuga had miscalculated! He shouldn't have recklessly followed her here. It wasn't the right time to confront her. His Pokémon wouldn't have a significant advantage against this formidable Gengar.
Quietly, Yuga released his Dragonair and asked, "Did you kill those people in town and in the outskirts?"
Muya, seeing Dragonair, didn't answer Yuga's question directly. Instead, she asked with a smirk, "Are you planning to fight me?"
Yuga simply gazed at Muya in silence, refusing to respond with words.
Seeing this, Muya took out a Poké Ball, recalled the Gengar behind her, and said, "I have more important things to do right now, and I don't want to deal with you yet."
After saying that, Muya disappeared with Skitty as if she were smoke.
As she vanished, Yuga broke into a cold sweat. He was lucky he hadn't initiated a battle; otherwise, he might not have made it out of that warehouse in one piece.
The world truly was a mysterious place. It seemed like people of all kinds existed here. Yuga had no idea how Muya had vanished just now.