Tempest reared back his left pincer as it lit up a bright blue. In front of him, Valiant raised his hands, eyes flashing as shimmering psychic energy cocooned around his body to intercept the Crabhammer. The water type's mighty punch punctured the makeshift barrier, and Valiant winced and groaned as he staggered back before falling on his bottom. Tempest stared at his pincer with mild satisfaction as his sparring partner picked himself up.

Ash and Caleb watched the session from a nearby bench, with Pikachu half asleep on his trainer's lap. The electric type had spent most of the day practicing the Counter Shield and racing with Eevee nonstop. Above them, hints of orange made themselves known in the sky, and Ash and his team would be heading back to the Center for dinner soon.

For Caleb's sake, Ash had steadily fallen into the habit of narrating whatever important thoughts he had, knowing that the younger boy was eager to write things down. "Tempest seems to be getting the hang of Crabhammer faster than Valiant with the barriers. He's doing well with ice Beam, too. I think both moves will be battle ready by the time we leave town. Valiant seems like he's starting to get a grip on the barriers, but that will probably take longer." Caleb began writing as Ash continued, watching the Kirlia closely as he assumed a stance for the Krabby's next attack, Tempest preparing to aim an Ice Beam at him. "He's spreading the psychic energy around his body… but it's spreading really thin. He's not going to be able to defend himself like that. Tempest is using new moves that aren't at full strength yet, so that helps keep Valiant from getting too hurt, but…"

As if on cue, Tempest fired an uneven Ice Beam into Valiant's defenses. Although unstable, the icy attack still pierced his barrier, stinging as Valiant hissed and fell to his back.

Standing still for a moment, Tempest observed the young psychic lying in the dirt before slowly approaching him. Lifting his head to see the Krabby peering down at him, Valiant paused for a moment before picking himself up in a sitting position and catching his breath. Reaching up to rub his head, he locked eyes with the Krabby's unreadable expression for a moment before looking away. Ash watched the two carefully. Not too long ago, Tempest probably would have scoffed or even laughed at a teammate's struggle, especially Valiant's.

Deciding to give them a brief break (it was probably best to start slowing things down anyway, with dinner coming up soon), he turned to Caleb, who was now done writing. "Have I been enough help for you?"

The younger boy's grin was a little bit contagious. "Yeah, thanks so much!" almost as if on autopilot, he began flipping through the pages of his notebook with little rhyme or reason. "It's been really fun! I'm gonna start reading through before bed tonight." Closing the notebook and letting it rest against his lap, he glanced at Pikachu, still resting peacefully on Ash's own. "You're team's really cool, too. I wanna have one like them when I become a trainer."

Ash felt a surge of pride at the comment. "Yeah, they're the best." Patting Pikachu's back, he glazed back at Valiant and Tempest, the latter beginning to punch away at the air, clearly not in the mood to rest quite yet. "I'm proud to have all of them." A thought occurred to him after a couple of moments. "Hey, I saw back at the bakery that you have an older sister" he glanced at Caleb. "Is she a trainer too? Has she given you advice?" Based on what Lacey had said, that Kimberly girl would be twelve by now.

As Caleb froze, Ash quickly realized the younger boy had not been expecting the question. 'I… uh…" Ash was caught off guard as Caleb shifted in his seat, face turning uneasy. "Kimberly… ran off a couple of years ago."

Ash was caught off guard by the response, a feeling of unease now settling in his stomach. From the way Caleb had worded it, it didn't sound like she had just left to be a trainer.

"It was… a little bit before she was supposed to get her license." Caleb explained. Guilt began to fill Ash's chest at the younger boy's notable shift in tone, especially as Caleb turned to face him. "We… Our family had a Scyther named Knighter. My sister really loved him, and then…"

Somehow, Ash already knew what was coming. "I'm… I'm sorry," he quickly spoke up. "You don't have to tell me this."

Caleb shook his head. "It's okay," his lips turned up with a sad smile. "When I become a trainer, I'm going to find her." he shifted again. "Knighter… he got sick, and passed away. Kimberly got really mad at everybody and then ran." he gripped his knees. "Nobody found her. She was just gone."

Ash stared at the smaller boy for what felt like an eternity before putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm… I'm really sorry about all of that. I wouldn't have said anything if…"

Caleb's smile was a little bit weak as he looked back at Ash. "You didn't know. I'm okay." Looking back to see Valiant and Tempest resume their sparring, he continued. "Knighter's the reason my sister loves bugs. She said she was going to catch lots of them once she became a trainer, so I think that's what she's doing now."

'I sure hope so.' Ash didn't dare mention the other possibility. Not if nobody found her after two years.

"Knighter is on the fourth floor of the tower right now." Caleb continued, his tone improving as he gazed up at the structure looming over them in the distance. A thought seemed to occur to him as he looked back at Ash. "His birthday is coming up at the end of the week. We always visit him on his birthday. Usually at night, he and Kimberly loved playing in the dark." he paused for a moment before asking. "Do you want to come?"

Ash was caught off guard by the offer. "I… don't want to intrude." His talks with Valiant and Fuji replayed in his mind. Something was in that tower that reminded the Kirlia of the traumatic ghost from Viridian Forest… and yet Fuji had been extremely confident that no malevolent entities resided in that tower. He knew it was safe to go in, people did it every day. But this was still a family matter for the Beacons. "I mean… isn't it private for you guys?"

Caleb shifted again. "Well… grandma has a meeting with some suppliers from out of town that she wasn't able to reschedule, and she told me we might have to have somebody else take me to see Knighter this year. But you're a trainer, I'm sure she'd let you take me if I asked her."

So that was it… Ash looked Caleb over for a moment with sympathetic eyes. He couldn't imagine the thought of losing one of his Pokemon, but if he ever did, and they were buried in the tower, he'd make sure not to miss a single scheduled visit for as long as he was alive.

So there was only one answer to his new friend's request. "Of course, just ask your grandma tonight. If she says yes I'll take you whenever you want."

/

"Janine, by now you've memorized the Kyo clan's motto, i trust?"

"Yes, father."

"Then tell me what the motto's central word is."

"Atonement."

"Correct. It's time you read this to learn why."

It was just after lunchtime as Janine exited the Center, flanked by Ivysaur and Toxtricity on either side as they made their way to Fuji's lab, where Ash had spent the majority of their stay in Lavender hanging out. It would only be a couple more days before they left Lavender and began the long journey to Fuchsia City, home to one of Indigo's most infamous Gyms.

The Gym run by her father.

Rubbing her arm for a moment, the girl looked back at the Center before continuing onward. She and Kris had briefly discussed telling Ash, but they only had as much time as his bathroom break lasted. There were still things on the poison specialist's chest. Things she had not had the chance to get off with Kris' busy schedule (although they had briefly run into one another at the town's Church). She couldn't help the occasional wandering in her mind after lunch: Rumors being swapped in the cafeteria about the Ace Trainer making frequent visits to the Applecorn Inn as of late. She pushed that aside for now, however. Kris was an Ace Trainer, and whatever business she had was important.

It just meant that Janine would have to figure things out on her own, and perhaps visiting Ash himself could help with that. Besides, there was little doubt he would be in the mood for a quick spar.

/

Up to this point, Fuji had looked over all of Ash's Pokemon except Pikachu and Eevee, both of whom were ready to evolve now. Valiant had been the fourth and last to receive an examination, and had pleasingly produced favorable results regarding his progress. He wasn't ready to be a Gallade now, but by the time they were in Fuchsia City, he very well could be. Unfortunately, much like with Pikachu, how soon he evolved would depend on how soon Ash could get his hands on the proper stone, with it already being agreed that Eevee would be the first to do so.

It was reassuring words, nonetheless, and although the Kirlia could not help the occasional glance at the tower in the distance, he had become progressively more focused as the week went by. Despite receiving no shortage of bruises from Tempest and Eevee while struggling to produce stronger barriers, a combination of perseverance and the occasional oran berry snack were all he needed to keep coming back for more. Tempest, himself still working on Ice Beam and Crabhammer, seemingly came to see the persistence as a challenge, although Ash couldn't help but detect a lack of maliciousness in the Krabby's competitive spirit. Ash also kept a watchful eye as Yami continued to coach Nebula, the Sableye gradually becoming something of a sparring partner for Pikachu as well. The small ghosts demonstrations of Ominous Wind made perfect practice for the electric mouse's Counter Shield to defend against, all the while Nebula watched with dedication to replicate their new friend's showings.

To Ash's pleasant surprise, Janine had stopped by shortly after lunch. Ever since arriving in town, their time together had fallen squarely into breakfast, dinner, and bedtime, with both trainers being mostly apart throughout the day. Their brief chat was a nice change of pace, going over one another's progress thus far. It wasn't long, however, before Janine requested a small spar between two of their teammates to help test out their new moves for a proper battle.

Ash was quick to accept, of course.

So with Fuji's permission, the two now stood at opposite ends of the researcher's personal battlefield; about the size of the public battlefield's one would find at a Pokemon Center, but made of hard, solid dirt instead of concrete. Tempest was at Ash's side, while Tentacruel was at Janine's. The Krabby had been visibly pleased when the poisonous jellyfish had been selected; it was clear as day that he had been wanting to battle with her for a while at this point. The rest of Ash's team, along with Caleb, Yami, Ivysaur and Toxtricity, watched from the sidelines.

Crouching down, Ash looked his water type partner in the eyes to speak with him. "Remember, Tempest, the point of this match is to practice what we're currently working on. We can still try to win, but it's not an ordinary battle. We're testing out your new moves and seeing how they mesh with what you already have. Janine and Tentacruel are going to be doing the same." The Krabby did not seem too disappointed by Ash's instructions, simply offering him an understanding nod before walking onto the battlefield and sinking into a stance, eyes glued to Tentacruel as Janine provided her with her own set of instructions. Training was training, after all, and Tempest seemed just as okay with viewing the battle as a glorified training session.

A few moments later, Tentacruel calmly made her way to the battlefield, eyes easily falling onto Tempest's own as she raised two tentacles in front of her. Standing firm and straight behind her partner, Janine's face took on the familiar, calculated stoicism it almost always did whenever a battle started. "I take it you're ready, then?"

He nodded at her. "You go first."

"Kind of you." As her voice rose in volume, her first order signaled the start of the battle. "Toxic Bubbles." Without hesitance, Tentacruel fired the Bubble Beam, and as the name immediately implied, the barrage of bubbles she let loose in Tempest's direction were clearly polluted. It reminded Ash of the "Frozen Bullets" combo move that he planned to have Tempest work on once he was done fully learning Ice Beam. Both involved manipulating Bubble Beam by combining it with another element.

Steel was always the best defense against poison, so Ash quickly responded with "Metal Claw" as Tempest crossed two Metal Claws in front of him to intercept the incoming barrage. His trainer's command had not even been necessary, and Tempest was wise enough to keep both Metal Claws as protectively in front of his face as possible, in order to ensure that the toxic particles within the bubbles did not splash onto his face as the bubbles exploded against his defense. "Okay, Crabhammer."

Raising one of his pincers, Tempest ran across the battlefield with his sights set on Tentacruel. Moving at a decently fast rate for his species, he swung the Crabhammer at his target's face as Janine watched in silence. Tentacruel's tentacles flashed as she lashed out with two of them in the front. In flash, both appendages wrapped around the Crabhammer before twisting Tempest's arm, forcing him to turn around as two other glowing tentacles found their way around his waist, also binding the end of his other arm near his shoulder. The tentacles binded as tightly as they could against her opponent's hard, sturdy shell.

If this were a serious match, Ash would be concerned. He'd seen Tentacruel fight a fair number of times, and her Wrap was extremely tight and secure on its own, and became even more so whenever she combined it with Acid Armor. He'd never seen an opponent break through it before, and given what Janine had commented she was currently teaching the bulky jellyfish, her next move was likely to be…

"Giga Drain." Janine's tone of voice and delivery of her commands were methodical and to the point, just as always; not an inflection wasted.

As quickly as her trainer had given the command, Tentacruel's tentacles began to glow with a flickering emerald hue. The grass type move was still new to her arsenal, which Ash knew would give him and Tempest some time to respond. "Ice Beam, then Crabhammer again."

Ash knew his partner was in a tricky position. One of his arms was completely restrained by his opponent, the Wrap forbidding him from opening the pincer attached to said arm. The other arm was somewhat limited in its movements, making it difficult to take aim. But aim he still did, and just as the Krabby began to feel the painful sting of the Giga Drain, he fired the Ice Beam into two of the tentacles binding him. Though the move still needed more work before he could use it with full stability, it was strong enough to disturb the grass type move (which Tentacruel herself was still in the midst of practicing). With part of her grip on Tempest compromised, Tentacruel failed to fully maintain her hold, and was treated with a Crabhammer to the face once her opponent had freed himself.

From the sidelines, Phenom watched intently as Tempest hit his mark. Even from here, everyone on the team could see how strong the river crab's swing was, and although the move itself was imperfect, the force behind his punches had only gotten stronger for sure. Without comment, his teammate focused his eyes on Tentacruel's gaze as she staggered back, predictably not too badly hurt from just one blow. The Krabby had sunk back into his battle stance with genuine ease as Janine gave her next order.

"Toxic Pulse."

"Block it with Mud Shot!"

/

The back and forth between the two water types continued for a while longer. Although Tentacruel managed to find the upper hand more than the reverse, Tempest had managed a comeback towards the end that had forced the match into a stalemate before being called off. With his adrenaline beginning to pump, the Krabby was clearly disappointed by the non-conclusion, but complied nonetheless, reluctantly showing a restraint that he previously would not have.

Valiant and Toxtricity had sparred next, followed by Pikachu and Ivysaur. Much like Tempest and Tentacruel, neither match reached levels too intense, so that energy could be conserved for another hour or two of personal practice afterwards. Janine and her team had stuck around afterwards, resuming their own training sessions alongside Ash and his team. Caleb had filled quite a bit of pages during those two hours.

Both teams had called it a day earlier than usual, but still hung out at the lab. Janine had taken to one of the books on the shelves, relaxing inside to read it. Now, with the sun beginning to set outside, she and Fuji were both in the midst of wrapping up while Ash conversed with Caleb and Yami outside.

"That's a new one," Fuji commented as Janine returned her book to the shelf. It was an edition of "Indigo's Unsolved Mysteries" covering urban legends and unexplained incidents. "It was published about six months ago."

"I saw that," Janine stared at the shelf for a bit before turning to him. "I just finished reading one of its newer sections, about the island that vanished without a trace?"

"New Island." Fuji confirmed. "Yes, that is definitely a peculiar tale. And fairly recent. You might be old enough to remember the news reports."

She was. Civilization never occupied the island, but its disappearance had still been subject to much alarm, with no signs of it even existing in the first place. When reading through the book, her eyes had lit up in recognition about the "New Island" section.

"Come to think of it," Fuji continued. "Wasn't your father one of the people investigating the disappearance?"

Her eyes widened a bit. "At first, I think. My memory is fuzzy, but I think he went New Island's coordinates when it was first reported. Did not find anything, of course." her expression turned cautious. "So you know who I am?"

"I've seen a couple pictures. Janine Kyo, correct?"

She nodded. "Yes," her eyes lingered out the window. "Just… don't tell Ash. He does not know yet."

Fuji seemed to understand. "It didn't seem like he did. How long have you two been traveling together?"

"We came from Celadon. We'll be splitting up when we're done in Fuchsia."

"It is common for trainers to pair up for a while when they're going in the same direction." Fuji patted the head of a Snubbull that had handed him another book to put away. "You seem to have a lot on your mind, if you don't mind me saying. Is it because you know he'll find out about your father?"

He was perceptive. Given that he was a researcher, Janine was not surprised.

"It's not an easy thing to say," she finally answered, glancing out the window one more time. Based on what Ash had said, it would still be a decent bit before he came inside. "To be honest, I feel I got used to people not knowing who I was."

Finishing up the last of the books, Fuji nodded at her, gravitating toward a chair before looking her in the eye. "Used to it in a good way, I presume?"

Taking a deep breath, Janine sat down near him. "...Yes. Ever since I left Fuchsia, things have been… easier, I would say. And now that I'm about to head back, there are a lot of things I cannot get out of my mind." eyes lingering on the Poke Balls on her belt, for a moment, her brow furrowed.

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With a sensitive gaze, Fuji studied the girl for a moment. He wasn't surprised at how different of an… air she had to her compared to most her age; that was definitely a product of where she came from. She was not beyond her age, however. She only seemed it on the surface, to the unobservant eye. "Are you looking forward to visiting home?"

"To a degree…" she responded, finally making eye contact. "There are a lot of people I care about back home, but it's a bit different." She paused for a moment. "None of them are really my age, for one. I get along well with a lot of the people who work for my father, or Kris, my aunt's student. It's not the same as the trainers I meet on the road."

"What about your peers?" If Fuji was correct, he was starting to see what she was eager yet hesitant to bring up.

"Peers…" Janine repeated, brow furrowing as the expression in her eyes slightly shifted. "Not many people in Fuchsia aren't aware of me, including those my age or even younger, given who my father is. The Kyo clan has governed Fuchsia for almost as long as it's had a Gym, roughly three centuries now. He's one of Indigo's biggest Gym Leaders, and one of the most feared. An Elite Four candidate. And my tutorship came directly from him." she broke eye contact for a moment. "Nobody ever saw me as a peer."

"And things changed quickly after you left." Fuji surmised.

A small smile made its way across Janine's face. "I noticed it pretty quickly. Once I teleported to Viridian and started mingling with the other rookies. It was like a fence had been taken down. A fresh slate." She sat back a bit. "Being a stranger was nice. To go up to someone and start talking about anything, and none of them know who you are. It was all so relaxing and different."

"And you're worried this fence will come back up after you tell Ash?"

"... I don't know, maybe." Her brow was furrowing, hands momentarily clenched before releasing their grip. "Having somebody to share this stretch of my journey with, with no walls whatsoever. It's been really comfortable, and that could change at any moment." A light chuckle. "Ash is… I'd never ask for someone different."

Fuji studied her again for a moment. "You said you two paired up in Celadon. That's plenty of time to get to know one another." he folded his hands together, and Janine found his relaxed expression somewhat reassuring. "I understand where you're coming from, but I think it's important to remember that this is not the same situation as when you were back home. Ash has had time to see who you are, without everything else to influence that. Others in your home city may have had a premade image of you in their minds, but he developed his own by himself. That image is you, and you alone. I'm not sure that picture will be altered so easily." he gave pause to allow time for his words to sink in. "You're right, being a stranger is an odd luxury at times. But once you're friends with somebody, you're not strangers anymore. At that point, secrets become a burden. That's the opposite of a luxury."

Janine stared at the older man for a few moments. Her shoulders felt a little less heavy as time went on.

Finally, her face felt relaxed. "...Thanks. I appreciate that."

/

"Alright guys, one last time before we go back in."

Ash, Yami, and Caleb watched from a decent distance as Nebula hovered over Pikachu, who sank into the dirt on all fours as the Staravia took aim. A dark-purple gust emerged from her flapping wings and descended down to the mouse. Acting quickly, Pikachu flipped onto his back and began spinning in place. The crackling sparks from his cheeks and tail erupted around him into a tornado of lightning that rotated along with him. As the Ominous Wind came into range, it was deflected away by the spinning Thunderbolt.

Ash beamed at both his teammates as they ceased action, Nebula returning to the ground after a few moments of soaking in her success. "That was awesome! Both of those should probably be ready at this point if we can keep them consistent. I think we should try practicing them in battle tomorrow. As Yami offered what sounded like a compliment of his own, Ash looked down at him approvingly. "You've been a huge help, Yami." The Sableye almost seemed a bit shy as Pikachu and Nebula gave praise.

Ash stared fondly at the ghost for a moment or two before Caleb got his attention. "So, does that mean you're going to be leaving soon?" he could see the younger boy's disappointment.

Ash offered him a sad smile. "Janine and I will probably be here for a couple more days before we leave town. Don't worry, I'll make sure to visit you again before we go. We're also going into the tower soon, right?"

Caleb nodded, mood seeming to lift. "Knighter's birthday is in two days. Grandma said it's okay after Mr. Fuji told her about you."

Ash made a mental note to thank Fuji for that. "Sounds good, we'll meet you there when it's time."

/

Ash and his team spent most of their time at the Center the next day. A decent number of trainers were present and willing to battle, resulting in the battlefield being used quite frequently in rotation. With the road to Fuchsia looking to be long, he was pleased to see the number of available opponents; they'd definitely need the money.

Thankfully, they had gotten a winning streak going quickly after starting, and everyone on the team saw a decent amount of action. Pikachu's Counter Shield still was not completel;y reliable, as some attempts were better than others, but the effectiveness of the technique had quickly proven itself, especially after it had completely incapacitated a charging Croconaw. Phenom's Dragon Pulse had also become quite forceful despite clearly not yet being the strongest iteration of the technique. By the end of the day, everybody was tired but satisfied going to bed.

The next day was planned to be their last day in town, so Ash and Janine both chose to take things easy for a time, although Phenom, Tempest, and Toxtricity had all still undergone some lighter exercises. The sun was beginning to set when they met Caleb near the tower, accompanied by Pikachu, Valiant and Ivysaur..

The closer they got to the structure, the more Ash found his head angling up, his starter mirroring the motion from atop his shoulder. The presence of the giant building had been a constant throughout their stay in town, always visible no matter where they were, but now they were seeing it up close for the first time. Looking at it from the bottom, it was like watching the roof kiss the orange sky.

Beside him, Janine's gaze was one of slight awe. "I've read so much about this place," she commented, staring up as Ivysaur looked around at the nearby ghosts observing them. "It feels… hard to describe, knowing how sacred this tower is."

'Yeah, and to the townspeople it's an everyday thing.' Ash reminded himself before looking down at Valiant. The Kirlia's visible shivering quickly elicited a frown from him. His friend had requested personally to be present when they went into the tower to see Knighter's grave, but… "Valiant, you really don't have to be out here."

For a moment, there was no response as the young psychic cautiously looked around at the surrounding ghosts, most eying the group with curiosity, but none with hostility. Ash was pretty sure he saw Admelia amongst them, tailing Caleb as the younger boy approached them with a quickly reciprocated wave. "It's… fine, Ash. I need to do this." Although nervous, his telepathic voice was still firmly reassuring.

Ash chewed his lip in concern, but said nothing else. His psychic friend had already made it very clear why he wanted to come. It was admirable, but he made a mental note to pay close attention to Valiant throughout their time in the tower. No need for him to torture himself.

"The ghosts around here won't hurt anybody." Caleb reminded them as he stopped in front of the group before pointing back to the Misdreavus. "Admelia picked me to follow around today." The playful ghost floated around him for a moment before approaching Ash and rising up to Pikachu's level, offering a teasing noise before vanishing for a moment. "Are… you guys ready to head inside?"

Exchanging a quick nod with Janine, Ash looked back at him. "Sure, lead the way."

With Caleb in the front, the group drew closer to the tower's entrance, Valiant initially moving slightly slower before picking up the pace to catch up with them. Shortly after passing a sign that read "Any battling or capture of Pokemon in or around the tower is strictly forbidden and punishable by law." they found themselves inside.

Seeing the tower truly up close before entering, Ash noted that it was decently wide, and yet the interior seemed far wider, almost unnaturally so. Shortly after passing through the doorway, they were quickly greeted by a large room filled with neatly organized gravestones, with a staircase leading to the second floor on the other end. Entrances to other rooms were present halfway through on both sides, however.

"Each floor is divided into sections," Janine narrated as Ash looked around. "Even on the first floor alone, the gravestones are difficult to count."

"Difficult" being an understatement. Ash wasn't even going to bother trying to count the gravestones as the group made their way through the room. Despite what many would likely expect of the contrary, the interior of the tower did not feel all too ominous. Instead it was quiet and tranquil; the lanterns throughout the room kept everything well lit, but not too well, it was still fairly dim, but not oppressively so. The windows also helped a fair bit, allowing the light of the setting sun (soon to be moonlight) to seep in. For a moment, he watched Ademlia circle around a few of the gravestones, her movements briefly pausing to linger her gaze on one of them before she continued after Caleb.

As they reached the doorway leading to the stairs, Caleb turned to remind them. "Knighter's on the fourth floor at Section A. It's a long climb."

That did not surprise Ash. There were seven stories in total, and with how humongous the structure was, even the fourth floor would be a great way up. Had this been a few months ago, he would have worried about getting exhausted during the climb, but his body had long since grown accustomed to such long treks. Coming here for nearly the other side of the Region had certainly done his stamina favors.

Reaching the second story of the tower, the group once more made their way across the room, the field of gravestones arranged every bit as neatly as the first. Ash looked down at Valiant, who was walking next to Ivysaur taking the occasional deep breath, before patting Pikachu's head. Still on his shoulder, the mouse returned the gesture with a quick nuzzle to the cheek before resuming his roaming gaze around the room. A couple of Gastly and Haunter floated about on opposite ends, one Haunter near the entryway to Section C. None of them paid the group much mind, simply offering acknowledging glances before resuming their business. Valiant paused his walking for a moment as his gaze lingered on the specters, before continuing onward, only slightly more slowly before as he breathed deeply to calm his heart rate.

'The ghosts are all used to humans coming here.' Ash reminded himself as he slowed his pace to allow Valiant to walk alongside him. 'We're just an everyday occurrence to them, not intruders.' And as they made their way through, that message sank in clearer and clearer. He was rather surprised by how… unalarmed he felt being in here with them. He had been here for roughly a week, but when exactly had he gotten used to it?

Just as they were about to reach the next stairway, Ash caught sight of a familiar Sableye from the corner of his eye, right next to him and Valiant. "Yami!" he paused for a moment, looking down to see him in full. "When did you get here?" Had the Sableye just popped up? Or had he joined them earlier without any of them noticing? His voice momentarily caught Janine's attention, the poison-enthused girl pausing for a moment to look back at them with a light grin as Yami chattered a cheerful greeting to Ash.

A couple of Duskull occupied the third floor, and a sword-shaped ghost that Ash was pretty sure identified as a Honedge floated into the room through Section B. Not many ghosts were around… or visible, as Ash knew was the proper word for it. Whatever number currently occupied the tower was likely many times greater than what they could see. There were supposed to be countless of them, after all. Yami remained in the back with Ash, Pikachu and Valiant as the group made their way through, while Admelia had taken to casually circling Caleb's head at the front. The younger boy was completely unfazed by her actions, even looking to the side to offer one of the Duskull a quick smile.

"How are you feeling, Valiant?" Ash and Pikachu looked back down to check up on the young psychic.

"I'm… it's getting better."

Finally, the fourth floor was next. By now, the sky outside was considerably darker, some stars coming into view to accompany the growing moonlight. The windows provided quite the beautiful view.

Ahead of them, Caleb slightly quickened his pace, prompting Janine and Ivysaur do the same, but Ash lingered for just one moment to look back down at the Sableye. "Hey… Yami?" He immediately had the Sableye's attention, the smaller ghost looking up at him with friendly curiosity. "I know I've already said this plenty of times, but I really appreciate you helping Nebula out this week. If there's anything you want before Janine and I leave, just let me know, okay? I'll do my best to get it." After a moment or two, the Sableye offered him a smile before nodding.

"Here lies Knighter Beacon, as beloved as the oran berry pies he ate."

Caleb knelt in front of the gravestone not too far from one of the windows in the room, about a little bit more than halfway to the next set of stairs. His hand slid across the surface of the gravestone for a moment as his face grew into a glowing smile. Behind him, Janine and Ivysaur gave him some space as Ash and the others arrived.

"Knighter loved oran berries." Caleb looked back at them for a moment before returning his focus to the gravestone. "Grandma would have him help her experiment with flavors. I was surprised that he loved the charred ones so much. Kimberly wasn't, though." reaching to his pocket, he pulled out an oran berry, which he rested just in front of the gravestone. "Happy birthday, Knighter. The others are coming first thing in the morning, they had one of those stupid business meetings they could not get out of. I'll make sure they bring extra as an apology."

Ash wasn't sure what he was feeling watching the exchange play out… but there was something in his chest. Did he feel warm? Was he hurting? He couldn't tell if his eyes were wet or not. His senses were starting to feel disoriented.

A gentle tug on his arm brought his attention to Janine, who gave him a knowing look. She seemed composed… but there was something about her. Something different. Was something similar happening to her?

"I haven't been at a gravesite in a while." her whisper was smooth and precise, as though designed only to slip into his ear.

"Me neither," he replied, whispering back just as quietly. Looking back at the gravestone, Admelia floated just above, looking down with an uncharacteristically calm expression as Yami joined Caleb at his side. The younger boy was talking about life at the bakery and new menu items, speaking as though the Scyther was sitting right in front of him, all the casual tone of a simple conversation. "The people here do this all the time."

"Death is their culture." Janine was next to him now. "The cycle of life, the process of passing on, and existing in the afterlife. To them it's like riding a bike."

A moment of silence before Ash responded. "...I like this town…" he looked back at her, meeting her purple eyes. "It's been strange for a while, but…" his eyes fell on Caleb and Yami. "I'll be sad when we leave."

"Are you nostalgic?" he looked back at Janine quizzically as she spoke the question. "To be back in a town instead of a city?"

Pallet Town entered Ash's mind. The bullying and ostracization from Gary and the rest of his peers. The poor grades that egged such behavior on. But also… his mother, Trucy, his teachers. The quiet atmosphere and the fear of leaving. The unknown of the outside world, and the dauntingness of Viridian City. The shockingly good grade on the Qualification Exam that had been his ticket to the life of a Pokemon trainer.

A small smile graced his face. "I… certainly don't mind it. It's nothing like Pallet, but… it's a lot closer to everywhere else we've been." he turned to face her in full, still keeping his whisper as Caleb continued to speak to Knighter's gravestone. "Are you… feeling nostalgic too?" Speaking of hometowns, reaching hers was their current goal. He had no idea how long it would be before he was back in his.

Her face was unreadable for a moment. Memories flashed through her mind. Days upon days of training and studying. Camping practice. Cooking practice. Wild Pokemon interactions. Research. Writing. Father's critiques, criticisms, and punishments. Visits to the Church for prayers. Going out with aunt Aya for fun and exploration during her visits and time off. Other kids watching her from a distance with admiration or timidness. The trainers on the road and in the cities never looking at her in that same way. Ash, standing next to her, having no idea she was thinking these thoughts.

"There's…" she paused for a moment, eyes lingering out the window for just one moment. "There's a lot to think about. But it will be nice being somewhere familiar."

After what was probably a few more minutes, Caleb stood up, and Admelia lowered herself to look him in the eye. He tickled her chin for a moment before turning to Ash and Janine. "Thanks for coming here with me. Everyone else couldn't make it, so it wouldn't be right if I couldn't." his smile was fairly relaxed, as though he had not been talking to a gravestone at all.

Ash returned that smile, however. "You don't need to say thanks. This was important. I'm sorry the rest of your family was occupied."

Thinking back to his earlier talk with Caleb reminded him of what the younger boy had revealed about his sister. That Kimberly girl. Who had apparently gotten angry and ran off after Knighter died. Ash wanted to ask why. And what could have caused that… but he wouldn't dare overstep such a boundary. Especially right in front of the Scyther's grave.

Caleb allowed himself one last moment to look back at the grade before turning to them with a nod. "Okay, I think I'm ready to go ba-"

A noise from Yami stole away everyone's attention, and Admelia had immediately floated down next to the Sableye, a concerned expression at the sudden distress.

Janine blinked. "Yami… is everything okay?"

Something in the air changed. Was it colder? Stiller? Emptier? Heavier? And suddenly, Ash could have sworn he could hear something in his ears. It sounded like… whispering.

Whispering… chattering… it was spreading across the room, almost like it was one with the air itself. Behind him, Valiant's face was pale. Pikachu's ears and tail stood on end. Ivysaur backed into his trainer's leg, eyes wide and alert.

"Wh-Wh-..." Caleb's entire demeanor had changed. His body was shaking as hue suddenly clung to Ash's shirt, his voice almost a moan. "What's going on?!"

The whispers continued to spread. Valiant clung to Ash's leg next. Pikachu's grip on his shoulder was growing tighter. Yami was looking around frantically… before suddenly sinking into the floor.

"Yami, wait!" Ash reached out to him, but the Sableye was already gone. Quickly, he looked over to Admelia, who now wore almost the same, exact distressed expression that Yami had. "Admelia-!" and then she had vanished as well.

"Valiant!" kneeling down to try and calm Ivysaur, Janine's eyes found their way to the Kirlia. "Are you sensing anything?"

Valiant was holding his head tightly. Everything was overloading. It was hard to talk, but…

"Panic."

The whispers were loud now.

/

In the sky above Lavender Town, seemingly just above Pokemon Tower itself, the moon was beautiful, and so were the stars surrounding it. Domino's gaze remained upward for just a little bit longer as she appreciated the sight… before falling down on the entrance.

Behind her were several Rocket soldiers. In front of her was the Iron-Masked Marauder.

Taking one step forward, the masked hunter's predatory gaze leered at the doorway leading into the interior. A Poke Ball was in hand, but a second one soon found its way off of his belt as he chucked it into the air, a Weavile emerging from the flash of light and landing in front of his trainer in a crouching position with his claws crossed.

Turning to meet Domino's gaze, he spoke. "I must say, it's nice to have you sharing this mission with me, Agent Domino. You may only be sixteen, but I sense you are a lot more… capable, then that buffoon Cyan I had to deal with back at Mt. Moon."

Her body turned rigid as he looked her in the eye, even with the mask on his face covering his own eyes, obscuring the view of his gaze. Instinctively pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she took a moment to find her words. "I… appreciate your statement, Marauder."

"Are the numbers all accounted for?"

"Yes," her eyes lingered backwards to the squad behind them, every soldier present standing rigidly with readiness. "I must send the signal to Executive Petrel the moment we start." Executives Petrel and Silver had spread their forces out across the town's perimeter, not a foot of ground left uncovered.

"Then be ready to send it," he confirmed before his gaze spread out across the unit. "Attention soldiers!" his voice rose above the seemingly frozen air as all eyes fell on him, Weavile staring directly into the entrance of the tower as though it were a pitch black abyss. "Everybody sends out at least one dark type now. No matter the training, nobody short of Masters of the typing is prepared for the sensation and presence of countless, panicking ghosts. We must enter quickly, so there is no time left to wait."

As though his words had pressed a button, flashes of light filled the air as numerous dark types filled the area they occupied. At Domino's side, a Crawdaunt and Mandibuzz appeared.

"Good…" Marauder grinned at the sight before turning back around towards the entrance. "It's been over a year since I was last on a ghost hunt, although the contents of tonight's mission should more than make up for lost time. Now, then…" Raising the remaining Poke Ball in his hand towards the entrance to the tower, he turned his head back to Domino. "Back away with the rest of the squad, Agent Domino. With the creature I am about to send out, I cannot guarantee your safety."

Well aware of the game plan, the teen Rocket Agent stiffly nodded, eyes not leaving the tower as she and her two teammates backed away into the rest of the squad. "We are good to go, shall I send the signal now?"

"Please do." Was all Marauder replied before chucking the ball. It was a hard throw, one that carried the capsule all the way through the entrance and into the first room of gravestones.

The Poke Ball burst open.

Emerging from the light… Was a rock with a face. Trapezoidal in shape. A single whisper spread through the wind as the frowning rock remained motionless. Seemingly breathless. Still without any action whatsoever.

And then something emerged. A mixture of purple and green, spiraling out of the stone with the screams of one hundred and eight voices. The purple and green continued to spin, rippling with no rhyme or around the rock of its origin with no rhyme or reason before taking a round form. The purple formed a body. The green formed a face, and the round dots surrounding it. Something spread out across the air from its body, an oppressive, unplaceable aura throughout every possible direction.

Just outside the tower, the Iron-Masked Marauder wore the grin of a demon clothed in the skin of a human.

"Get things started, Spiritomb."