Scary Hospitality! (Japanese: こわいイエのおもてなし！, Hepburn: The Scary House's Hospitality!) is the 24th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest.
Synopsis[]
As our heroes travel through a deep forest, Serena recalls a story about a particularly scary house. And just as they make their way out of a forest, they come across the mansion from her tale! On the doorstep of the scary house, a gentleman named Lon invites them in out of the rain.
Shortly after, our heroes witness a series of frightening and inexplicable events. But it soon becomes clear that these scares are the work of a Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, all Lon’s good friends. The Pokémon don’t mean any harm—it’s their way of making guests feel welcome!
The real mystery begins when Clemont discovers a young boy’s journal and photo in the basement. As Clemont reads about the boy’s scary experiences in the house, Lon recognizes himself in the photo, which apparently was taken more than two hundred years ago…and then our heroes are in for the fright of their lives when their host calmly reveals that he isn’t exactly alive!
The next morning, our heroes wake up in the forest, wondering if their shared experience was all just a dream. Later, during another rainy night, a soaked Team Rocket arrives at the scary house. Lon invites them in out of the rain...[1]
Episode plot[]
The heroes pass by a house at night. They realize they have been passing here before, so Serena thinks they are lost. A wind is blown, shaking a swing and causing Clemont to be afraid. Serena thinks this has to do with the "Scary House"; supposedly, at night, when one travels through the forest, they may find a house in which scary things may happen. Everyone but Bonnie does not want to enter, so they take a different route. Unfortunately, they once again appear at the same house. Ash, Serena and Clemont are relieved to see a light coming out of the house, though Bonnie thinks it is boring. It starts to rain and a man opens the door, wondering why they are in the rain. Bonnie asks if this is the Scary House, but the man denies that. Still, the heroes enter the house.
The man, Lon, shows them the towels. The heroes wipe themselves, but Clemont wonders why there are *exactly* four towels. The heroes introduce themselves and are invited for a meal. The heroes go to the dining room, but Clemont sees four plates, thinking Lon must've felt they were coming. As the heroes eat, Chespin comes out and eats the Pokémon food. Lon lets them know he ate already, while a shadow passes by the window. After the meal, Lon tells them he will make some tea. As the heroes go to the living room, they admit how nice Lon is. Clemont warns them they have to be aware, for some facts do not add up. Clemont points out how come Lon made the meal and prepared 'exactly' four towels, when he is living alone, as well as thinking he knew they would be coming.
The heroes have tea and ask Lon why is this mansion called "the Scary House". Lon explains when he first came to this building, in the rain, he entered the house and searched for a while. He found a man and tried to ask him if he can stay here for a while. However, the man replied that he "will not talk to him" and how "there is a horde of faceless men behind him". Clemont falls to the floor, while Ash and Serena are scared a bit. Bonnie, however, finds the story interesting and asks for further events. Lon admits this was just an unreal story, for he tells them to visitors of this mansion, hence the name "Scary House". Suddenly, lights start to swing and loud noises are heard. Clemont falls down, claiming he will explain it with science, while Bonnie thinks there are ghosts involved.
Clemont's eyeglasses shine, as he prepares a machine to watch any move or strange presence. They check the second floor, but Bonnie thinks it is broken. Suddenly, the moon appears as the clouds move away. This causes Ash's shadow to act strangely, while Clemont checks there is a presence. Ash begins to feel cold, while Serena feels awkward, as someone licked her. Serena fears they have to deal with ghosts, making Bonnie happy. They hear a creaking from the stairs as if someone is climbing. Clemont begins to levitate in the air, thinking this is a sign he shouldn't prove facts scientifically, then falls down, with his gear removed. Bonnie chases after these ghosts to let go of Clemont's machine. The machine is lowered, but the piano plays a tune. Serena is shaking, thinking this lures kids in to be trapped by ghosts. Chairs and curtains begin to vapor in the air. Clemont is frightened but sees on his screen a Gastly, a Haunter and a Gengar causing these effects.
Cole asks did they like this "welcoming service", for this is what Gastly, Haunter and Gengar do for all visitors. Lon explains these are just his friends, making the heroes relieved this was but a prank. However, they don't see Bonnie anymore, so Ash and Pikachu go out of the room, but get abducted. Serena and Clemont try to search for them, but Serena falls through the floor. Lon realizes he is forgetting something, but remembers if someone is taken like this, they appear below living room. Clemont takes a torch and goes with Chespin below, but is frightened to see charms on a large door. He hears Ash, Bonnie and Serena beyond the door, but neither they nor Clemont can open the rusty door. Ash sends Frogadier, who releases Frubbles at the end of the door. Ash puts force in and opens the door. Clemont is pleased his sister was okay. Before leaving, Pikachu notices an old book.
They return to Lon and warn him about the notebook. Clemont reads it and finds out someone asked their father to build a basement room since that one was too afraid of this mansion. The person has also many secret ways built in so that person can go straight to the basement whenever danger was present. However, scary things continued happening, so the person hired a medium to purify the house, hence the charms on the door. However, nothing changed, so the person moved out. A picture is dropped out of the notebook and Bonnie picks it up, seeing the boy resembles Lon. Lon realizes he was the person from the notebook since he did not realize back then the house was inhabited by Gastly, Haunter and Gengar. He realizes they wanted to play with him, yet he and his family moved out. Lon apologizes to Gastly, Haunter and Gengar for misunderstanding.
Bonnie flips the picture and sees a date. Ash sees the date is 200 years old. Lon simply replies, "I'm not quite alive", making the heroes scream. The heroes wake up and are surprised, since they are not at the house or the Pokémon Center. Bonnie tells them they may have had the same dream and continues on with the heroes. Bonnie, however, takes a picture out of the bag, depicting her, Gastly, Haunter, Gengar and Lon, smiling as they fooled the others. Team Rocket, however, run from the storm and are met by Lon, who greets them and takes them in, while Gastly, Haunter and Gengar smile, ready to provide "another of Scary House's welcoming services".
Trivia[]
- "Pokémon Quiz:" Gastly (JP)
- "Who's That Pokémon?:" Gastly (US)
- Similar to The Tower of Terror, Gastly, Haunter and Gengar played tricks and pranks on the heroes out of fun. Like in that episode, Ash and Pikachu (and Bonnie too) decide to play along.
- While cameras didn't exist until mid-1820s, Lon's childhood photo dates back to July 14, 1758.
- Lon's story is almost exactly like the story told by a man in the Scary House in the games. The only is that the man used a lighter for light instead of opening the fridge in the kitchen.
- This episode was ranked #1 in the Pokémon Company's Top 10 Spookiest Moments.
- When Clemont sees Genger playing a piano, a painting known as the Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh can be seen, albeit upside-down.
- When Ash Ketchum pulls the door open for Clemont, the screeching sound produced is the brake sound effect from the new series of Thomas and Friends.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ (n.d.) . "Scary Hospitality! | Pokémon TV (pokemon.com)". From The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024.
