＊＊＊

“Wh-Where a-am I?” Ezra groaned weakly, his head pounding, both of his hands automatically raising up to massage his aching skull. He felt the chill against his back and could feel the cold coarse material he was leaning against through his thin shirt. He could feel his breath misting in the air in front of him, almost tasted the smell of damp grass and muddy soil around him. How? He'd gone to bed early, ready for the new school year to start, how was he outside? And why was it so chilly? It was still warm out when he went to bed.

He squinted, daring to open his eyes just a slight bit, protecting himself from any further shooting pains in his head. He ended up cursing lowly under his breath, both of his hands clamped around his head, as his eyes shot open fully in shock the minute he attempted a squinting look around. What on earth?

Slowly he moved his neck around, gaining a panoramic view of his surroundings. The dark smoky and hazy sky lending an almost depressive atmosphere to his surroundings. The gray and colorless surroundings were eerie and silent, apparently devoid of life, filled with rows and rows of gravestones. He scrambled to his feet, the noise of gravel under his feet echoing in the silence around him. He did his best at ignoring the throbbing pain from his still thundering skull. The chill on his back had been from him resting up against one of said gravestones, he'd been sitting on a grave.

A quick look at least confirmed it wasn't his name on it. That would have been… Yeah…

Not entirely unexpected, all things considered, he'd always expected he'd end up in one soon enough, just not, you know... Alive. Three times in his life he'd been at death's door just for the doctors to manage to bring him back to his half life - his constant struggle. Only the incoming school year and the hope for anything better had kept him alive over the summer and his convalescence from yet another attempt by death to collect him. He wasn't ready yet… Not without a fight.

If there was anything he knew in life, it was to struggle, to refuse to back down, to refuse to give in - to look death in the face and tell it to fuck right off.

“This isn't funny!?” He called out, one hand to his temple as he looked around, nervous and suspicious. Who'd play such a prank anyway… No one he knew would kidnap him from his bed and… Dump him in a graveyard. He didn't even know where the nearest graveyard was from his house! With his ill health he couldn't imagine his few friends doing it either.

“Show yourself!” Ezra demanded, anger overcoming any fear in the moment, his usual habit of bull rushing any problem head on rearing its head. Something that did not usually end well for him - a guy barely able to manage going to school on most days. “If this is some sort of joke…” He swore, wincing as his words echoed across the graveyard, his head was still pounding. Did he hit his head? Usually the pain was more… Everywhere. Constantly.

Nothing but silence answered him. Although he almost felt like the shadows were moving around him, that was probably just his head hurting making his vision blurry… It's not like he had perfect vision anyway, like everything else about his body, it was failing.

Except… Right now he could see clearer then he had for years…

In the distance he could see structures and a tower? “Where the hell is this?” His anger was growing rapidly, barely outpacing his fear. This is not New York! He thought, his breaths coming fast, misting the air around him. Where am I? Why can I see so far… Wait? Why is only my head hurting? Why doesn't breathing hurt!?

“Show yourself!” He demanded again, a hint of desperation now to his demand. If someone would just jump out and go, haha, just a prank. Then it could all make sense again.

His body working again, was freaking him out, had someone kidnapped him and experimented on him? Was he left for dead in a graveyard?

He thought he heard a giggle, he turned around quickly and found nothing, almost falling over, not used to his body twisting that quickly or easily - and more importantly, painlessly. He cursed and turned back around only to shriek and fall on his ass. A shadow getting right in his face, a menacing grin on its visage.

“Geeeengar!” It said smugly, an almost ethereal quality to the voice. The ghost floating in the air ahead of him.

“Ghosts aren't real!” Ezra shouted, as he scrambled backwards, his escape blocked by yet another gravestone as he slammed his back into it, the breath being pushed out of his lungs at the impact.

The universe apparently disagreed visavi the viability of ghosts, as the shadows around the graveyard all seemed to come alive in different shapes and forms, all circling around him. The feeling surrounding him almost felt… Welcome… Like home… Very weird and an uncomfortable realization to have when surrounded by what also felt like death - he could say he and death were almost old friends, always circling each other, but he was winning, and using ghosts was cheating.

The pain in Ezra's head was actually lessening as they got closer. The clarity afforded to him without the stabbing pain right behind his eyes making him realize what he was actually seeing. He'd been used to an aching dull pain, always - it never went away, except now it had. This sharp pain was entirely new, he was glad it was lessening yet not so glad with his understanding of what he was seeing.

“This… T-this is impossible!” Ezra spluttered out, his hands raised before him as a feeble means of protection. There was just no way this was real.

The beings surrounding him were pokemon, ghost pokemon to be precise. Considering the tower he could see in the distance and the dreary atmosphere and multitude of graveyards… He knew where he was. He just couldn't accept it.

“Lavender town isn't real! Pokemon aren't real!” Ezra shouted angrily at the Haunter that suddenly popped up ahead of him, grinning wildly, bobbing in the air. Ezra choked on air as his statement was punctuated by the absolute eruption of ghost pokemon out of the shadows.

Gastly, Haunter and Gengar amongst them, but even a Marowak popping up, several Misdreavus, Shuppets and Dusknoir scattered amongst the mass of mostly Gastly and Haunter. They all seemed drawn to him, circling ever closer as he panicked. He jumped behind the gravestone, marveling for a second at being capable of jumping, before he freaked out even more, seeing a bunch of dark pokemon standing and watching him from that side. Lavender shouldn't even have those!

“This can't be real, this is a dream! It ISN'T REAL!” He shouted, which only had the effect of an eerie giggle diffusing through the silent graveyard as the majority of pokemon in sight seemed to find this all very amusing. Many of them slowly drawing closer, their eyes shining in the dark, like a mass of glinting lanterns moving through the darkness.

All of a sudden the pain in his head eased, and he felt like something settled over him. Like he was draped in a chilly yet supremely comfortable blanket. Yet he couldn't truly feel comfortable - as he heard a giggle right in his ear. He turned his head, dreading what he would find.

A shuppet stared at him from within his own shadow - its multicolored eyes meeting his with apparent fascination. Fear finally beat out Ezra's anger. (Perhaps the Shuppet was feeding on the anger?) He had time to think, either way however it happened, his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.

The ghost pokemon of Lavender Town circled the downed body, feeling a kinship with the boy who'd died and yet was still here, just different. Filled with anger and spite at the world. Not so unlike a ghost pokemon.

The dark pokemon, fewer but no less fascinated, circled at the end of the graveyard, in a tentative truce with the ghost pokemon as they all smelled the amalgamation of death and darkness on the boy. Ghost and Dark together.

They stood watch for the rest of the night, until the people of Lavender Town woke and noticed the gathering, freaking out, amusing the ghosts in particular. Eventually trainers cautiously approached and the ghosts finally dispersed, the dark pokemon slinking into the nearby woods, both sides leaving just the unconscious body of the young man laying there.

The one that felt like them.

＊＊＊

For the second time, Ezra woke up without having any real idea where he was or how he was where he was. At least this time without the accompanying opera of pain going off inside his skull. And amazingly without any pain at all, for the first time he could remember since… Huh, he couldn't even remember any time without it anymore. So this was how that felt like… He struggled to keep his emotions at bay, it felt…

…He couldn't even quantify it. How do you describe a world without pain when it's all you've ever known?

“Chan, Chansey!” Came a piercing excitable shriek from right by his ear.

Ezra flinched, eyes flying open as his hands went to his head yet again. “My fucking head!” He hissed out between clenched teeth. Okay, so apparently he wasn't completely okay yet… What the fuck had he gotten into? And was a fully functioning body worth it?

Yes, fuck yes, anything is worth this! He immediately railed at himself inside his head, almost afraid that questioning it would lead to it being taken away.

“Language, young man!” A woman snapped, rushing through the door, no doubt drawn in by that shrieking.

Ezra spluttered, “I'm 21, I can curse if I want….to….” He trailed off, mouth agape as he took in the room and its occupants. By his bedside was a Chansey. An honest to god fucking Chansey. A pokemon. Oh god it wasn't a dream! And coming towards him was Nurse Joy. She was unmistakable, she looked exactly as he remembered from the cartoon. What the fuck is this!? I don't even…

He looked around, trying to avoid the sight of Joy and her Chansey and the existential crisis they were sparking in him. He was in a small room with cream coloured walls with posters of cheery pokemon with cutesy slogans, the wall and door that Joy had entered through were glass and he could see out into what was obviously a pokemon center. The rest of the room was fairly spartan, holding his bed, a chair and a counter with a pair of cupboards with an attached sink.

His malfunctioning body and it's insistence to constantly give dying an attempt, meant he'd spent countless hours playing a game that featured said pokemon centers. They were impossible to mistake for something else. Nurse Joy and the Chansey were enough evidence anyway. What… Why was he here?

And he was cynical enough to ponder, what is the cost I'll have to pay… Someone or something doesn't just break all laws of time and space and drop a cripple into another world for free. Perhaps my working body was just an investment. Which made me wonder how I'd pay the bill for it…

Nurse Joy stopped in front of his bed, an amused look on her youthful pretty face, her pink hair somewhat disheveled like she'd recently had an electric shock. “21?” She asked melodiously, her lips twitching. “Are you sure, young man?”

Ezra frowned, not understanding what was so amusing. Nurse Joy handed him a mirror that she grabbed from the nearby counter and he suddenly understood. Well, understood was an ill fitting word. Because he didn't understand at all! Not only did he look like 15-16 at the most. But he was also just… Creepy looking. He was albino, with almost translucently light skin, short spiky pure white hair, and striking and very creepy red eyes. He pursed his lips, feeling his heart rate shoot up, he didn't look like himself at all! Not to mention having deaged. It truly felt like an out of body experience, he didn't feel totally here. Not really. Because this just couldn't… It wasn't true… It just couldn't be.

He'd never hallucinated something so realistic before though, not that he hallucinated often, but he'd certainly tried some stuff this past summer, anything to dull the pain more, really, but the effects couldn't be this delayed.

Of course… He'd end his time as a wasting cripple and end up as someone that would have people cross the street to avoid. Of course that's how it would be. There's always a catch, nothing good could just happen.

Pain free though… Isn't anything and everything worth it?

Nurse Joy gently removed the mirror from his hands when he started shaking it back and forth, trying to get another view, like the mirror was a magic eight ball and if he shook it enough his real face would show. “You were found in the graveyard, we were all very concerned about you.” She coughed delicately, “In fact early tests showed that you had died, but was somehow not dead…” Joy trailed off, crossing her arms under her chest, a wrinkle on her brow, pondering that for a moment, before she smiled cheerfully, disregarding it, “But you're all better now! And definitely alive!” The Chansey bounced up and down adding its own two cents. “Chansey cha!”

Ezra stared at her unsure how on earth she could possibly think that any of that was in any way comforting. He'd died? Well… If he was here somehow… Then yes he understood he'd likely died and somehow appeared in this world…If it was real… For some reason as a teenager… Which alright, it beats being reborn, because just, no, nope. Wait? Did she mean the body he was in now had died!? What kind of creepy teen goes and lays down in a graveyard to die?

Not even he had given up yet… Although he'd been close over the last year or so. Navigating adult life and trying to do the college thing, while basically a cripple that didn't look like a cripple - had been harder than anything he'd done before, and he'd gone through some low times…

He winced as he realized what exactly he looked like now, inherently creepy and off putting. There could be many reasons for a kid like that to want to die… Was he… An orphan to boot then?

God damnit, if he was going to be randomly inserted somewhere where was the damn memory packet for his new life!? Also… Was he possessing a dead body? He stopped brooding as the jolt from that thought ran through his body, his eyes raised to meet those of Nurse Joy, “Wait? Am I dead or alive? Am I possessing myself?” Ezra asked, feeling sick. Starting to face the inevitability that this was real, he could feel too many things for this to be a dream or hallucination.

Nurse Joy hurried to reassure him, sitting down at the side of his bed, grabbing his hands in hers, a compassionate smile on her face, “You're completely alive, young man. For whatever reason your body shut down, I'm not really sure why or how?” She tilted her head, looking slightly chagrined and confused, before patting his hands, “But here you are, living breathing with all the bits and pieces, so definitely alive!”

It was beginning to discomfit him how much Nurse Joy kept putting emphasis on the definitely alive part. Way to sound sure there, thanks a bunch, he thought sarcastically.

“So I died…” Ezra said quietly, trying to come to terms with the fact he'd basically taken over the body of some poor kid who'd either been killed in the graveyard or more likely… Had such a shitty life he'd ended it. Cheery thought. All those ghost pokemon he'd seen… Maybe the kid hadn't ended it? Maybe ghost energy had done him in? But then why was he there in the first place? And why had he seen dark pokemon too? Wasn't Dark super effective to Ghosts or something? Shouldn't they have run away?

Jesus Christ, he was already debating Pokemon logic, just great, give it a week and he'd be deep in the woods jacking off alone in a tent as he hunted for some rare pokemon or something stupid instead of staying sane and keeping indoors.

When moving too much in a day was different levels of excruciating, Ezra had definitely gotten used to the convenience of a mini fridge, a lazy boy recliner, and most of all. Plumbing.

He wasn't a bear. Shitting in the woods wasn't for him.

“Don't think too hard about it, the important thing is you're okay!” Joy said seriously, Chansey patting him on the leg consolingly, thrilling out its name in quick quips which Joy apparently understood - if the quick smile she flashed its way held any meaning.

“The local police couldn't find any records about you, and you're not in the league records as far as we could tell, do you… Remember your name, or any details of why you're here? No one in town recognized you, and, well…” Joy asked delicately, eyes assessing as she observed his response and actions.

Ezra wondered. Could he use his name? If there was no record… The league must have pretty strong records, right? Maybe he could at least keep his name, he sure couldn't remember anything about his body's previous life - so that was out anyway. He snorted quietly to himself - with how he looked, if he was native to Lavender or Kanto for that manner - surely someone would have remembered him. “Ezra Kassian… I don't… Remember anything else…” He said softly, looking down at their interlocked hands, feeling the turmoil inside him seethe at his shitty situation.

At the same time, with the easy breaths he was taking, the steady thrumming of his heartbeat resonating strongly inside him, the feeling of being alive and not just living - he would have taken worse than being an albino orphan and still ended up ahead.

“It will come to you in time, or it won't, either way you're safe now and that's what's important!” Joy said consolingly, patting his arm, she peered at the wall clock, squirming slightly, looking uncomfortable, “Unfortunately, now that you're awake and healed… You can't remain here…” She said, looking conflicted.

Ezra frowned, “Didn't I literally just die? Where would I go?” Does the pokemon world have social services? They must? Right? I'd go out on my own, I'm an adult at least mentally… But… That's probably a bad idea, right? I don't know this world, except from a damn game.

Joy winced, patting Chansey as it crooned quietly. “The pokemon center caters primarily to pokemon trainers and pokemon. We were just closer in your case.”

Ezra nodded, hiding his conflicted feelings on the matter. Because he was fairly certain Nurse Joy had just lied to him. The hospital would surely make a lot more sense for treatment. Why would he be brought to a pokemon healing center instead? Surely they at least had a clinic or something? This was a town wasn't it? Even if it had been Pokemon's that killed him, the hospital/clinic must be used to dealing with people hurt by a pokemon. So why here? “How do I become a pokemon trainer then?” Ezra winced immediately after he asked, he had other priorities actually, “Hang on, where am I going if not here? I don't know anything!”

He didn't have memories from his body, how was he supposed to just… Leave here and go on with things? Hopefully she'd have an answer for him, because he didn't know what his next move would be.

Joy’s smile was a little brittle as she stood up, straightening her dress, “Ah, there's many careers other than being a pokemon trainer, Ezra.” She deflected, she winked at him, “Maybe become a nurse, eh?”

Ezra put on a fake smile, mumbling out some vague agreement. Joy was lying about something in regards to his condition. And she'd completely sidestepped him becoming a trainer. Why? If he was in this world, what else would he do? He had certain advantages over others after all. He knew all the hidden places and pokemon, how to evolve some pokemon in ways that the rest of the world might not even know yet - depending on where in the timeline he was. Him becoming a trainer was in no doubt.

It was the whole… Traveling around thing that he wasn't happy about…

He'd rather get rich through one of the methods he remembered and then set up somewhere, with modern conveniences, and play around with pokemon at home, not in bug infested woods… Get a flying pokemon and he could just fly off, catch some other pokemon, fly home in time for a beer and a shower.

No matter what secret was being kept from him it wouldn't really matter for now. He doubted Nurse Joy was some member of Team Rocket or some such. Or doing it out of any maliciousness. Didn't really seem like her style. So probably one of those for your own good things. He was going to find that very annoying, having finally achieved adulthood only to be back to an age with no say over his life - or at least always talked down to by the adults who of course knows better…

He brooded in his bed for the next hour as Joy and Chansey puttered around looking guilty and attempting stilted small talk. Then Officer Jenny arrived and soon after he found himself dropped off at the local orphanage. A blocky gray building that looked even more depressing than the surroundings.

Lavender Town was certainly bigger than what could fit in a small gameboy game. Thousands of people lived here. And if he wanted to believe it was all a Nintendo style friendship is magic world that he'd entered…. The fact the orphanage was overflowing with kids was a good sign things were not so accommodating.

“Look at that freak!” A large stocky teenager shouted in glee the second Ezra had been left alone by the adults.

As other teens and younger kids gathered around, Ezra sighed forlornly.

It was going to be like that, huh?

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Fuck you and your world, Arceus!

＊＊＊

Things were definitely… Rough for a while. Ezra literally did not have any knowledge of the world other than what he knew from pokemon games or the show, which in many cases didn't really match.

Oh, sure, Pokemon types and the like were the same, except fairy types were not yet classified as such. That had been the first sign of where in the timeline he'd been, but also not quite matching either. After all, if this was a game world, the only ghosts he should have been able to see in the graveyard were Gastly, Haunter and Gengar, as the first generation had no others.

The Shuppet that had scared him shouldn't have been there. Not to mention the others he'd seen. As he rose through the classes in school, even though he was taking them with children years younger than him - he learned that the region spanning wars had been so calamitous that entire regions had been permanently cut off from each other in the past.

Only in recent years had some opened up again, the forces and violent nature events separating regions lessening enough to allow travel (Maybe Legendaries separating the humans to stop the war?) Although this was a departure from the games as well. Likely because this world didn't work on the concept of game sequels. Because at this point of time only Kanto and maybe Johto, since it was connected more clearly - should be available.

Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh and Hoenn. They were all in communication years earlier than what the ‘games’ would suggest. Perhaps how some pokemon that shouldn't exist in Lavender town had still managed to be here. Or maybe his dead ass not being dead had drawn them in? Who knows. Kanto and Johto shared a league, although Lance was not yet the champion, putting me in definitely pre-Ash time.

Ezra had been given citizenship in Kanto with his ‘birth city’ becoming Lavender town. As much as he disliked almost everything about what had happened - mostly because he still had no clue how or why - he grudgingly appreciated what had been done for him. Even as most citizens of Lavender treated him like a pariah at best, he had a roof over his head, free education and he'd been given citizenship - despite having no clue where he was from or how he'd gotten there.

It did smart something fierce though… Watching kids leave on Pokemon journeys, while he stewed in his frustration and anger in the orphanage, already much older than the kids leaving. Not that many from the orphanage were, no, we were all destined for manual labor or retail jobs. The rare few got sponsored, got a scholarship for a pokemon technical school or were adopted (incredibly rare) by someone who could fund their journey.

He didn't want to go on a journey per say… But he wanted the trainers license, because in this world, Pokemon was power. And without them - you had none.

With his meta knowledge he'd literally blown through school in regards to anything to do with pokemon, having to dumb himself down at times, because things he knew - weren't known yet. Although the subjects like history had taken slightly longer as he'd had to start from the beginning. Yet… Any request to even apply for becoming a trainer was denied him. There's no way he could afford a trainers license on his own, they didn't come that cheaply for random orphans. Let alone the most disliked orphan in Lavender town. Curse Arceus for making him an albino freak!

For every day he spent working his ass off on his studies, on studying every scrap of knowledge on pokemon that was available (Ghost and Dark mostly, it's what Lavender had a lot of material on - and it called to him.) - there was a day where he found himself having to fight. He could have backed down from all the bullies and naysayers, but what would that have achieved? He refused to be destined as nothing - to then add spineless and pathetic to it as well, was anathema. For once he had a working body, he wouldn't accept being pushed around anymore.

There was something satisfying about the crunch of crushed cartilage, as he dealt out damage to his bullies - he always lost in the end - for they were many, and he was but one.

But he always made them pay heavily for it…

If they had pokemon maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, he'd definitely go for a pokemon battle anytime… But none of them had any, so it was just regular fists he faced. At least he couldn't say he got no exercise... Of course all the witnesses always said he started it. So he got intimately acquainted with Officer Jenny and the Lavender town police department. (Not that kind of intimate, unfortunately) He usually got accused of everything from vandalism to theft anyway, just for being in the vicinity of good upstanding citizens. Luckily for him, the police refused to actually prosecute him without actual evidence other than kids getting into fights.

They all knew he was other, foreign. His looks hadn't helped him in that aspect. So even with the police not prosecuting him, they also weren't helping.

It wasn't shown in the games, but people were still people. Racism was still a thing, fear of anything other, was definitely still a thing, and of course there had been wars between the regions… So a lot of hatred was stewing behind the scenes.

So yeah… He was grateful to Lavender for taking him in since he had nothing and no one… And he wanted to punch every fucking face in town in - for treating him like garbage. Except Nurse Joy. Joy was cool. Even if still tight-lipped whenever he tried to question her. There was definitely something going on that he was unaware of. He was so far at the top of the class it wasn't funny, even if he was older then all the other kids he should be receiving offers to sponsor or at least go study for a breeder or at a scientific research center if nothing else. But he got nothing…

And maybe he was being spiteful and a bit resentful, not all of Lavender was treating him like the dirt under their shoes. But it sure felt like it…

With no Pokemon, no realistic way to get one yet without getting accused of poaching or something, and no real future to look forward to after he finished school… He was constantly burning with anger and darker feelings. The spite he was carrying around everyday as he faced mutters and dirty looks everywhere he went, became the new normal.

Those feelings would have probably been how he finally figured out that he wasn't alone…

If things hadn't escalated due to pure suicidal stupidity.

＊＊＊

It had been over six months since he'd arrived in this world, nothing had really stood out in the morning to tell him everything would change.

It had been a regular shitty day. His breakfast had accidentally been knocked out of his hands by Rocky, Dean and their group of neanderthals ( Both as old as him and more pathetic for it as they had nothing going for them.) Of course he couldn't get seconds after that. It was an orphanage - and everyone would swear up and down he tossed it to the ground on his own if he bothered to complain. So… Off he went to school, hungry. Fine.

It's fine. He was cool about it. No big deal…

His walk to the school was practically a practice in mediation and zen like control of his emotions at this point. He barely even saw the people around him anymore as he sunk into almost a meditative state - achieved after much practice - eyes half lidded as he walked automatically down the road, the darkness building inside him being tightly controlled and soothed. He almost felt like he heard a cackling laugh from somewhere, but he'd arrived at the school so he put it out of his mind.

As he entered the yard outdid the school, he could feel the weight of the stares from his classmates. They knew he was different, they knew the adults didn't like him, and they didn't hesitate to make him feel it. Ezra took a deep steadying breath, trying to keep his emotions in check.

It wouldn't do to break noses at school, he'd probably actually get in shit for that.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" It was Mia, one of the few students who had been kind to him since he had arrived in town.

Only one really.

Mia's voice cut through the haze of his dark thoughts, and Ezra turned to look at her. She had a concerned expression on her face, her bright green eyes filled with worry. Mia was two years younger than him, but she had a maturity beyond her years. She had always been kind to him, despite the harsh treatment he'd received from the other students.

She was the kind of person that would find an injured squirrel and nurse it back to health, that would give the shirt off her back to help another - a total softy in other words.

And completely nuts to risk associating with him.

Ezra managed to fake a small smile, appreciative of her concern, but really not needing her to become the next target. "I'm fine, Mia. Just the usual bullshit." He shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. He didn't want to burden her with his problems.

Mia looked at him sympathetically, her face an open book, he disliked the whole situation really, but he could also see it was ultimately temporary, he wasn't a teenager anymore, not really - so he could see the light at the end of the tunnel (heh, death joke!)

"I understand, Ezra.” Mia said companionably, her expression entirely honest and warm, “It's not easy, I know. But you're not alone, not really." She glanced around the hallway surreptitiously, making sure no one was listening in on their conversation. “I've noticed something... Strange. Whenever you're around, ghost-type Pokemon seem to appear more often…”

Ezra scoffed, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes as he continued towards the school entrance, hands in the pockets of his worn jeans. “You're shittin’ me, I have never even laid an eye on a single one…” Not since the graveyard anyway…

“It's true.” Mia insisted, skipping alongside him, her freckled face gaining a stubborn look that he knew meant she wouldn't drop this. “Like out of the corner of my eye sometimes, I see stuff in your shadow.”

“Stuff… Right?” He mocked her lightly, “Sure sounds like a pokemon to me.”

He didn't entirely discount her, because who knew? And perhaps he'd have to see if he could catch a glimpse himself, but agreeing with her in any way would just have her stick by him even closer - and that wasn't good for her continued health.

Speaking of the devil… He thought, mood immediately souring as he noticed Rocky's best friend Dean, rushing their way surrounded by a small gaggle of other orphans.

Their conversation was interrupted as Dean gleefully shoved a poke ball under his nose, from the scuffs and dirt on it, he'd likely stolen or come upon one. He sure as hell couldn't afford buying one.

They were the unwanted, all of them - the ones who'd never gotten a journey, a break, a shot at being something special. The ones destined for sewer work, cleaning, and all other undesirable jobs - company pokemon lent to them for tasks, for the ones they wouldn't have to do with their own hands anyway.

Dean sneered at Ezra, holding up the Pokeball and giving it a shake. "Hey look, it's the loser without a Pokemon. What's the matter, can't you even get one of your own?" He chuckled nasally, looking to his friends for approval immediately.

What a moronic taunt, since none of us are allowed one of our own… He thought, staring at the idiot bully with a dull look.

He noticed Dean's attention wavering, switching towards Mia, so he stepped forward, hands still in his pockets. “Who'd you suck off for that then? Never knew you were that into balls, Dean.”

It worked like a charm, no one was paying attention to Mia now, every single one of the guys staring at him. Some holding back snickers, as Dean's pimply face turned a puce color as he snarled back at Ezra, “You can't talk like that now, freak, I got a Pokemon!”

Ezra held back the urge to roll his eyes at the childish taunt, yes, he was a freak, come up with something new. He idly noted Mia out of the corner of his eyes, a few steps back, watching the gathering while worryingly gnawing on her lower lip.

He couldn't really pick a fight, couldn't afford to. Not at school, not only for him, but for Mia. She was a sweetheart really, and she didn't deserve to worry about him, or to get caught in the crossfire.

So he turned his back on Dean, dismissively, “Whatever, we got class.”

He only realized his mistake when Dean snarled in anger behind him and he heard the sound of a pokeball hitting the dusty ground, what hurts more than anger? Dismissal.

He turned around quickly, giving Mia a shove away from him, “Get out of here, Mia!” He said urgently.

As he'd guessed, Dean had stolen, or found a lost pokeball. Which meant he'd just released what was basically a monster in the school yard, while having no control of it.

The pokemon emerged with a feral snarl, its eyes glowing with a menacing red light. The other students gasped and scattered, even Dean's friends not having expected him to go that far. Which left Ezra and Mia to face the creature alone, only Dean remaining, cheering on ‘his’ pokemon like the absolute moron he was.

From the looks of it, with the obvious signs of abuse across the Nidorans skin - the idiot had managed to somehow get his hand on a pokemon reclaimed from an abusive trainer. Ezra raised his hands, trying to appear non-threatening, “Hey, it's okay, we're not going to hurt you, you're not with your trainer anymore.” He tried, lacking any better options.

In his mind, he dully noted that Mia continued to prove that she had no survival instincts. First trying to befriend the abnormal freak everyone hated - and now not running facing a feral pokemon.

Nidoran snarled, its horn glistening purple as its eyes flickered across the yard, searching for threats.

To Ezra's relief, it didn't seem to see them as such at the moment, so he slowly began to back up, laying an arm across Mia, pushing her back behind him. “Slowly now…” He muttered.

“Do something, you useless thing!” Dean shouted, aiming a kick at the abused Nidoran, making Ezra's hope for humanity sink to new lows. The idiot was dead last in pokemon studies, but surely he couldn't be that dumb?

The Nidoran yelped in pain and anger, as Dean's kick connected, its eyes flickering towards the source of the pain. Ezra could see the anger and confusion in its gaze, and he knew it was only a matter of time before it attacked. Where the fuck are the teachers!?

He quickly scanned the area, looking for something, anything, he could use as a weapon, coming up short.

Their classes had a very simple lesson on what to do about fighting a Pokemon on your own.

Don't.

End of lesson.

"Stay behind me." Ezra whispered to Mia, his eyes never leaving the Nidoran, he refused to be cowed by something the size of a plushie. He knew it had powers that could kill him, but death wasn't a fear of his, failing to live was.

The Nidoran finally decided on a course of action, Ezra pushing Mia to run, not feeling even an ounce of empathy for Dean as the Nidoran gored him with its horn, the teen absolutely howling in agony.

He wasn't a saint, do stupid shit - win stupid prizes. Dean won death all of his own, and Ezra didn't give a shit about it - except for the fact they were now possible targets.

Chancing a quick look behind him, still pushing Mia ahead of him, he blanched as he saw the Nidoran - its horn dripping blood - turn its head their way, beginning to run on tiny legs, but eating up the distance far faster then it should be able to.

If it was a normal animal, but pokemon were not, their bodies didn't have the same limits as physical or common sense would dictate.

Ezra was forced to improvise, sliding to a halt, kicking a garbage can towards the Nidoran, his hand grasping the lid. “Tch.” He acknowledged as the Nidoran jumped on top of the garbage can, using it to fly in the air, heading directly at him.

Ezra tried to smack it with his makeshift shield, only to find the Nidoran was heavier than it looked, smashing into his shield, his arms not able to push it away and off as he'd planned. The horn pierced right through it, stopping just an inch in front of his face.

“Fuck off Barney!” He said, scowling, glaring at the purple pokemon as it wiggled its horn trying to push through.

With its momentum slowed, Ezra managed to at least let go of his makeshift shield, taking a few steps back as the Nidoran shook it head, screeching, trying to get the trash can lid off its horn, quickly managing to rip through the cheap metal.

Ezra stared down at the snarling pokemon, its red eyes mad and unfocused. Shit, this might be it… He thought, putting his hands up in a loose boxers pose.

If he was going down, he was going to at least punch this fucking thing in the face before he got gored.

Pain was not new, hell death wasn't new. He'd be damned if he was going to face it like a chump, he'd go out punching death in the face or not at all.

“Leave him alone” A shriek came from the side, an apple hitting the Nidoran in the head.

Both Pokemon and person turned and stared at Mia, one in madness, the other just mad.

It was a good ass throw, no doubt, but it was also just the last thing she should have done, why wouldn't the bitch just run!?

Everyone was shooting for stupid prizes today.

“Mia, no!” Ezra shouted, lunging for the Nidoran, but only hitting dirt, as the pokemon shot forward, rushing towards the girl.

Finally teachers were coming out of the entrance, pokeballs aloft, too late. Far too late. Ezra thought, despairing.

You stupid girl! I don't even really know you, and you're going to make me watch you die!

His anger flared, at the situation, at that idiot Dean, at the incapable teachers, and most of all at the stupid girl who tried to befriend him, and got herself killed for it.

The Nidoran jumped at Mia's throat, the girl screaming in fear, before a shadow ball struck it in the side, sending the Nidoran off course, screeching in pain.

Ezra rose up, feeling a chill in the air, the rush of the teachers had pulled to a stop, their pokemon out, but standing guard, wary.

Ezra could see why…

Shadows played around him, his own shadow draped like a mantle around his shoulders, Dozens of ghost pokemon fluttering in and out of sight, giggling phantasms doing a fly by, over the crowd of teachers and students.

Out of his shadow, a shuppet floated up to hover over his shoulder. Ezra didn't know how he knew, but it was the same one as the one he saw at the graveyard.

The Nidoran stood no chance, a multitude of ghost attacks hitting it at once, making Ezra wince. “Stop!” He yelled, not interested in killing it, especially not in front of witnesses.

The entire group of ghosts all pulled back at his order, and Ezra had no idea what was going on… But he liked it.

Where the fuck was this these last six months? He thought, marveling over what was going on.

As the shadows practically broiled across the ground around him, dark shadowy smoke wafting off his shoulders and limbs, a Shuppet on his shoulder, a cloud of ghost pokemon circling above him, Ezra grinned widely,

Lavender Town wouldn't be able to ignore him now.

＊＊＊

Several hours later,

Officer Jenny sat across from him in the interrogation room at the police station, having politely asked him to visit. "We're willing to offer a trainers license if you agree to leave Lavender Town." She said reluctantly, it was obvious it wasn't her call, it came from above her.

With how superstitious people in Lavender could be, and add in his appearance, Ezra wasn't surprised they wanted to get rid of him. Offering the one thing he'd stubbornly kept asking for and continuously was denied was smart.

But, a little too late, and a little too… Well, little.

He wasn't just a no-name orphan now.

Officer Jenny watched Ezra carefully, her expression a mix of concern and determination. The dull hum of the fluorescent lights overhead cast an eerie glow over the room, highlighting the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

She was uncomfortable being stuck in an enclosed space with him.

Made him wonder why exactly they chose this room to begin with, it's not like he'd have protested if they did it in a field, or the schoolyard or literally anywhere.

Ezra could practically feel the weight of the town's fear and mistrust pressing down on him, even Mia had looked at him with fear in the end - the miasma of ghostly energies and pokemon proving too much for even her charity. He'd gotten what he wanted in a way, but not how he'd wanted it.

Hopefully she'd gain some much needed survival instincts.

Because without a pokemon on her own, she was going to get herself killed with some brave pointless stunt.

He had nothing against being brave, it sure beat being a coward - but like with everything, it needed moderation. He vastly preferred being brave in a situation where he actually stood more than a snowball's chance in hell to win.

He supposed he should be thankful they were willing to just kick him out with a parting gift, and not put him away in some lab somewhere and study his strange affinity to ghosts.

He'd definitely need to keep an eye out. If team Rocket heard about him being some kind of ghost pokemon beacon…

He did not want to spend the rest of his life as some sort of battery for fucking Giovanni.

He disliked the man not because he was the enemy in a game he'd played once, but because the coward was a duplicitous fraud without the will to truly go for what he wanted.

If he wanted to be a criminal lord, he should have just done it full stop, not the half measure he did playing gym leader on the side.

"A trainer's license, huh?" Ezra muttered lowly, his Shuppet still hovering over his shoulder, no longer hiding in his shadow.

He could almost feel It now, when it slipped in or around his shadow, connected somehow.

Some ghosts in pokemon had some shitty descriptions, he didn't remember if shuppets were the ones where a kid died and became a pokemon - but he sure as hell hoped not.

If he was lugging around his body's previous soul as a pokemon - that would just be sick.

As for the offer, he could just take it, but he was an orphan, and traveling the wilderness with nary a pokeball, tent or rations on him - sounded self defeating. He also really wasn't one for roughing it. He was a New Yorker, not a wilderness enthusiast.

He never went anywhere where there wasn't a hot dog cart within a block radius.

Besides all that, he really wasn't happy about the whole treatment he'd received in Lavender for something as retarded as his looks - now they have a reason, but before they sure as hell didn't. They might succeed in getting rid of him for the moment - and he was going to make it cost them a bundle… But he'd be back…

Oh, he had plans now…

If he really had this connection with Ghost pokemon? Well, he wanted to train and fight with them, but without schlepping through woods - so why not build his own gym. Get the pokemon experience but not the weeks without showers and bugs in his everything, experience.

A Ghost gym! Even if it didn't get to be on the circuit, he'd still have challengers, someone would always come when there was a challenge available. And he'd get his creature comforts and his pokemon and power at the same time. And who knew, if he got strong enough, maybe he could even get the gym on the circuit, it wasn't like the Cerulean gym was worth shit anyway.

And of course, since Lavender town had fucked with him, and also happened to be ghost capital of the world - what better place to set up? The town was literally built for it, he'd never lack pokemon for the gym, or for handing out starters to annoying tykes.

And he'd make sure each god damn orphan got a chance to own a pokemon too - license or no license.

He'd be back, they could count on it.

But first, he needed to extort the crap out of them. For justice. But mostly because he needed to eat.

“Seems kind of low… Kickin’ an orphan to the wilderness and all that, dontcha think?” He said casually, leaning forward on his elbows, a Haunter briefly flickering into being next to him, grinning, before it faded away, mocking laughter echoing around the interrogation room.

Okay, he hadn't asked for that, or planned it - but wicked!

Officer Jenny watched him with a bit more wariness, although she still had an underlying aura of concern around her, “A basic starter kit could be provided.” She said agreeably. “A tent, some antidotes and food, cooking supplies.”

Wow, I thought you were cool, Jenny - what's with the lowball offer?

Ezra scoffed, not even interested in such a pathetic offer, talk about starting low, “You're gonna give me that crap after I saved a girl's life?” He said with an unimpressed mien, his brow knitted together.

Officer Jenny gave him a stern look, lips pursed, “You're also endangering lives for every moment you remain. There's already been trainers inquiring about how much of a threat you are and if there's a bounty on your head yet.”

“Bounty?” Ezra asked, a bit thrown, it was not something he'd run into in his studies, or in the games.

Definitely not something that would fit in a kids game he supposed. Bounty hunters usually weren't easygoing fellas.

Officer Jenny grimaced, “It's not something that we generally advertise, but sometimes people, or pokemon, become a threat to society, and bounties get placed for taking them in.”

“Threat to society, huh?” Ezra said thoughtfully, not something he'd have pictured for himself.

He could see it of course, if he could really direct all these pokemon, and they weren't just humoring him or something - he was definitely a threat.

Just not to regular people - he was a bit of an a-hole sure, but he wasn't 100 percent a dick.

“You can see why we don't want any misunderstandings to happen.” Officer Jenny said shortly, giving him a measured look.

At least she didn't look ready to attack him, even if she did have her pokemon out for this little meeting. Probably the fact he saved Mia was his one saving grace in this - and why he didn't have some Ace trainers or Rangers throwing Charizards and shit at him.

Ezra nodded, understanding her point, just not… Giving a fuck. “Unless you're telling me you're putting a bounty on me for saving a life, trouble from bounty hunters sounds more like a you problem. Again, you want me gone, then set me up in a way where I can actually leave.” He didn't bother with pleasantries just going full on blunt ass - there was no need to be diplomatic now, they both know what they wanted, so it was time to deal.

Like hell he was going to be made to feel guilty for saving Mia, no matter how freaky or spooky he was about it.

Officer Jenny let out a huff, looking towards the one way mirror, before sighing, “Alright, what do you want exactly…?”

Ezra smiled winningly. “Let me take as much as I can carry from the pokemart in town, at the town's expense.” He suggested, the Shuppet on his shoulder shaking in laughter.

She tried to haggle him down of course, but he was insistent. Eventually, after some pow-wows with whoever was behind the mirror, she agreed to his request and escorted him to the Pokemart.

Sucked to suck, the Pokemart had recently gotten those new hammerspace bags or whatever they were. The ones you saw in the anime where Ash and co could pull full on cooking sets, tents and shit out of them.

What he could carry with two or three of those bags… Well… He wasn't going to be any more liked in town shortly, but he'd be well set up for his journey.

Perhaps sensing his mischievousness, the ghosts following in his wake went off into a chorus of creepy laughter, freaking out Officer Jenny.

“No worries, Officer. They just like a good joke.” Ezra said, trying to hold back a shit eating grin.

Boy were they going to be pissed when he showed back up to put down roots.

This was where he'd been born so to speak.

Like hell he was going to let these losers run him out permanently.

＊＊＊

Later that night,

Ezra had set up his tent just a two hours walk from Lavender Town.

He was technically following the ‘banishment’ As he wasn't in Lavender after all, he was in the wild wilderness - two hours of a slow walk away type of wilderness.

He'd definitely furthered the resentment when he'd robbed the pokemart blind on the taxpayers dollar - but to be fair, he did lay out the terms clearly, and they signed on the dotted line.

He'd walked out carrying four bags with space enlargement mojo in them, absolutely stuffed to the brim with everything he could possibly need.

He now faced the question of what exactly he should do.

He didn't want to travel around the regions, not on foot anyway. Once he had flight, he could just travel from town to town - you know - civilization. Therefore a flying pokemon would be absolutely necessary, one he could evolve quickly for the purpose of flying.

It might not make him the best type of trainer, he wasn't exactly a ‘purist’ when it came to all the make friends, be happy bullshit Ash portrayed in a kids show.

Dean dying to a Nidoran, the bounties on dangerous pokemon or trainers - told him he wasn't in a kid friendly world. So befriend a pidgey and spend maybe months training it, battling with it against other rookies… He didn't have the sentiment to bother with it.

He'd rather catch one and make it clear from the beginning, we're training for you to be a flier, not a battler. The pidgey would get a nice life of being well fed and taken care of, with just having to fly around a bit now and then - all it had to do was live through the gauntlet of ghosts battling it over and over while they traveled, until it evolved.

He wasn't going to be Ash, the kid, if he existed here, could try his own bs and see how it worked. Ezra was followed by ghosts and dark type pokemon for a reason - and it wasn't his pleasant personality.

He too, just like them, had a good bit of spite in him. A need to tell the world to suck it, to go his own way.

It was probably going to end in tragedy, what quest for power didn't? But he was okay with that, it was about the journey, not the end. As long as he was happy with what he was doing, it wouldn't matter what happened at the end.

So, he'd have to focus on a flying pokemon for a bit, surely there would be some around in any forest.

After that, he had a choice to make.

He needed to find something that would make him a lot of money.

So he could get his snazzy freaky ghost gym, preferably styled like a haunted mansion, with a moat around it, covered in fog - one rickety wooden bridge leading into the unknown. Yeah… That sounded about right.

No point in going the gym leader route if he wasn't going to be a scary as hell one, the kind the filthy casuals don't dare approach because of his rep.

So… Money.

This time in the timeline no one should know about how to evolve Feebas into Milotic, which would be some good cash, but also time consuming. It wasn't like he could rip every prism scale off them as they evolved - he wasn't cruel, just indifferent to the pokemon he didn't care about.

He also knew about the island full of dragonites, selling that information would net him a good sum, but would also attract attention. He also figured that the two who would pay the most for the information would be Lance, the dragon master - and Giovanni because of Team Rocket.

Neither were people he wanted to deal with at this early stage. He'd have to actually train up a team first. Become at least a gym leader level of strength.

His mind was flush with ideas for training, so he didn't think it would be impossible, but not soon enough for his taste to tangle with the likes of Lance or Giovanni.

The crystal Onix was an option, but not an immediate one.

He'd have to put a pin in it, either way, until he could fly, his money making schemes were a non-starter.

He rummaged around in one of his bags, bringing out a set of poke balls.

“Okay, I don't know how much you guys all understand what's going on, but I can't fight with you guys while you're not ‘my’ Pokemon.” Ezra held up several pokeballs, seeing ghosts and dark pokemon skimming by the edge of his campsite, well hidden in the dark.

“Once I have my own gym, you'll all be there, belonging to me and my gym, playing whatever pranks you want and having fun with idiots.” Ezra promised, with a smirk on his face, “Until then, who wants to grow strong with me?”

The Shuppet on his shoulder tapped itself on one of his pokeballs, not surprising Ezra overly much considering it had been following him around. The pokeball let out a ding as it officially became his starter.

Out of the shadows, a Cubone, and a Haunter came into the campsite.

He was a little disappointed that more pokemon didn't want to come, but with his current limit of six, it was probably for the best.

He rolled the pokeballs over, and the two volunteers touched them, sucked into the pokeballs without further ado - and officially joined team Ezra.

He held up the three pokeballs, more ghosts swirling around him, the dark type pokemon keeping their distance but still watching him.

“We're going to mess with people so fucking much.” He promised them, his face not so dissimilar from a grinning Gengar in the darkness.

Well… If the Gengar was an albino.

＊＊＊