Chapter Fourteen: Jun Shaxi Transformed into a Bound Spirit

Heath’s mouth twitched as he glared at the grinning Zorua. This creature had definitely done this on purpose the moment she saw Officer Jenny, and now, without having done anything at all, he had been branded a pervert.

"I was just... playing around with my Pokémon," Heath said with a forced, awkward laugh. What else could he say? Any explanation felt futile at this point.

"You? You were playing with your Caterpie?" Officer Jenny’s expression grew even stranger. Her gaze kept darting toward Heath’s trousers, making him feel like he had black lines running down his forehead. If he hadn't known she was a ghost, he would have slammed the door shut right then and there.

"Heath, back when I was... still on the force, I once encountered a case involving a middle-aged male trainer who used a Caterpie for, well, you know. He ended up accidentally piercing the poor thing. Even though Caterpie and Weedle are incredibly common, still..." Jenny said with a grave expression.

Heath covered his face. Please, stop talking; he already had a mental image. How did that guy even manage that with a Caterpie? Was he avoiding Weedle because they were poisonous?

"Officer Jenny, I truly, truly did not mean it like that," Heath said, looking her straight in the eyes. She held his gaze for a moment before nodding.

Heath breathed a sigh of relief. Being misunderstood was the worst, and he certainly didn't want Officer Jenny suspecting him of having such bizarre predilections.

Yet, looking at her, his feelings were complicated. She was a ghost. He had intended to ask Officer Jenny Maple yesterday if she had a list of officers who had died in other regions, but seeing that she was in a foul mood, he hadn't dared to bring it up.

"Officer Jenny, would you like to eat something? I got my driver's license this afternoon and I'm leaving tonight, so let me treat you to this meal," Heath said softly.

Jenny was visibly stunned; clearly, she hadn't expected him to leave so soon.

"Eh? Where are you going? Are you running away to avoid the law? You can’t escape, Heath! Give it up—the place is crawling with Jennys!" she exclaimed with a serious face. Heath was speechless. He wasn't a criminal; if he were, Officer Maple would have taken him down long before he could even think about running.

"I’m just setting out on a journey to see other cities, not fleeing from justice," Heath replied with a helpless sigh. He couldn't fathom why, despite having done absolutely nothing, he was suddenly being treated like a fugitive.

"I see. That sounds nice. But as for food, there’s nothing I’m craving. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday!" she said with a smile. Heath watched her quietly. He hadn't wanted to expose her, but since he was leaving anyway, he decided to ask.

"Officer Jenny, you died in an explosion, didn't you?" Heath asked softly, glancing at the clock—only a few minutes remained until the office workers began their commute.

Jenny froze, staring at him in surprise. A moment later, she burst into laughter, nodding as she did so. Heath looked into a mirror in confusion, checking his face, but everything seemed normal.

"And here I thought I was doing such a good job hiding it... Who would have thought you’d see right through me? That’s right, I’m a ghost. Scared?" She pulled a face, and her body suddenly turned pitch black. Her features melted away, leaving only a battered, wounded figure standing before him.

*Hiccup.* Heath blinked. He turned to see Farfetch’d trembling, having fainted on the ground with foam at its mouth, while Charmander stared at her with curiosity, showing no particular emotion. As for Zorua, she seemed to have already guessed Jenny’s true identity, though she looked like she didn't quite dare to watch.

"To be honest, no," Heath said, shaking his head. He had watched plenty of horror movies and TV shows in his past life. Compared to works like *Ju-On* or *One Missed Call*, he didn't find Jenny’s appearance frightening at all. Back in the day, he was the kind of tough guy who could eat a meal while watching *Mermaid in a Manhole*; this hardly challenged his psychological threshold.

"Tch, boring," Jenny said, reverting to her normal form with a look of disappointment.

"The West Lake Fish in Vinegar... did you actually eat it?" Heath asked.

"No. I can’t taste anything, and I don't feel the sensation of eating. I just used the containers to bring it out and feed the stray Pokémon," she said, shaking her head. Heath nodded; that explained why Meowth and the others hadn't been around lately. As for the barley tea, he didn't bother asking; she could simply vanish with it, so there was little point.

"Officer Jenny, where were you stationed?" Heath asked, curious that she seemed so indifferent to her own death.

"Me? I was from Vermilion City. I was accidentally blown up by a madman while investigating a dark organization. Vermilion City was chaotic back then. I kept thinking how comfortable it would be to work in a peaceful place like Viridian City, and as it turns out, I actually made it here," she said with a nonchalant shrug.

Heath’s mouth hung open. He didn't know what to say. Her situation was truly unique. He wondered, though, was Vermilion City really that chaotic back then? And he couldn't help but wonder how it was doing now.

"Officer Jenny, don't you want to go back and see Vermilion City?" he asked, observing her casual demeanor.

"I can't. It’s like I’m trapped in Viridian City. Every time I try to leave the city limits, I get pulled right back." She shrugged again. Heath scratched his head; it seemed she had become a land-bound spirit.

Just as he was about to ask more, the streets began to fill with people. With a final, smiling wave, Officer Jenny vanished into thin air.

"So... she didn't bother keeping up the act once the secret was out?" Heath shook his head with a bitter smile. She was certainly an interesting ghost. But to be able to drift through the peaceful streets of Viridian City every day—perhaps, for her, this was the fulfillment of her wish.