AKA Pokewrite Drabble No.9. You know those drabbles/stories where you just write something all at once, look back on it, and think "What the hell did I just write?" Yeah, this is one of those, even after the significant amount of stuff I added to it. So, you have been warned XD. The prompts used were discovery, intangible, and memento mori.

Also written/revised for Zoey's Pokemon Horror Oneshots Challenge.

Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon, I would not have to work. Ever.

We are the Burning Ones

"Liberation is not deliverance" -Victor Hugo

Mordecai Van Youngstead, otherwise known as Morty, was an odd one. He had the habit of showing up out of the blue on a regular basis, ramble on about some mystical thing, and then leaving just as suddenly. Some of the foreign Gym Leaders compared him to someone called "N".

Falkner had known Morty since they were in fourth grade, when Falkner noticed Morty doodling pictures of Ho-oh on his notes. Morty's babbling on about legendaries and how he was chosen by them was something that annoyed Falkner to no end, and Falkner often told him to go away. Despite this, Morty liked to hang out with him for some reason, probably because he both liked talking about the legendary birds and Ho-oh. So, Falkner accepted it after a while, and they became good allies if not friends. They had less time to hang out when they became Gym Leaders, which was both a bit saddening and a bit of a relief for Falkner.

But for the past week, Morty had been around almost every day. Well, his Gym did burn down recently due to some technical mishap, so Falkner supposed Morty was bored...well, at least Morty was okay. He quickly confirmed that, despite barely seeing him for over a year, Morty was still as strange as ever.

But for Morty to send over one of his Gengar to give him a mail, saying to come to the Burned Tower at midnight...well, that was odd even for him. Falkner was intrigued. If Morty had something to show him, it was usually something amazing, like a swarm of Natu and Xatu crooning to the stars, or secret caves that led to hidden mystic ruins. So he accepted the offer, wondering what he had found this time.

The Burned Tower was even more gloomy after dark, which was hardly surprising, but it was still depressing anyway. Falkner never knew why Morty had such a fascination with the place: after the fire that destroyed it, there wasn't much left to look at. He supposed it had something to do with morbid speculation on morality and life and other things, since that seemed a favorite topic of Morty's musing. He supposed that was why he chose to be a Ghost-type Trainer.

Falkner went inside, only to find Morty's various Ghost-type Pokemon directing him to the top of the tower (that is, the highest part still standing). They were giddy, zipping about wailing and squealing happily, like children who had eaten too much candy. There were no wild Pokemon in sight, probably because of the ruckus Morty's Pokemon were making.

And there was Morty, wearing the same lazy, all-knowing smile he always did. Instead of wearing that blue-and-yellow outfit that he usually did, he now wore a black long-sleeved shirt and khaki pants, with a purple headband. An equally purple scarf was loosely coiled around his neck, with the tips ragged and tinged with red, It was pinned in place by a pendant that was shaped like silver fire.

"You came," Morty said.

"Of course I did," Falkner replied. He glanced around at the weathered, blackened walls around him. "So why did you call me here?"

Morty glanced up to the many stars and full moon up above, unobstructed by any ceiling that used to be there. "The world is such a wondrous place. There is so much that is still not understood."

"I know," Falkner replied. He was hoping Morty hadn't summoned him here only to rave on about spiritual things. He could get in touch with his spiritual side by sleeping and having dreams...

Morty turned back to him, an almost pitying look on his face. "No, I don't think you do. I didn't understand myself, until recently."

Falkner heard swift footfalls. He had barely turned his head when Entei rushed by him, nearly knocking him over. Moments later Raikou and Suicune dashed in after it, not giving Falkner time to either get up or think. The three legendaries gathered around Morty, who still looked as contently serene as ever.

Falkner couldn't help but stare - all three of the roaming legends, here? And why were they so friendly with Morty? Morty, for all his mysticism and fascination with legendaries, had only encountered Entei, and that was a fleeting glimpse. Yet here were Entei, Raikou and Suicune, almost acting like he was their master. But he would never catch a legendary...He worshipped them too much to do such a thing...

"You must be wondering about all this," Morty remarked, looking amused. "Memento Mori, Falkner."

"Memento Mori?" Falkner asked, still just as puzzled. Remember death?

Morty chuckled, petting Entei. "These three used to be ordinary Pokemon. Then they perished here, in the fire that gave the Burned Tower its name. Ho-oh resurrected them, and they became superior Pokemon, legendaries. Though their death they gained new life, became even better than before. Do you know why?"

"Because they gained some of Ho-oh's power?" Falkner guessed. It was what he had always assumed, anyway. It was what his father always said, before he disappeared one day on one of his many flights...They never did find him.

"Yes, but it's not just that," said Morty. "Ho-oh is a phoenix Pokemon. Its element is fire as well as flying. Do you know what a phoenix does, Falkner?"

"It burns itself alive, and then is reborn out of the ashes," Falkner answered. "I still don't see what you're getting at."

Morty simply shook his head, still smiling. "The tower burned down in a fire. Ho-oh is a Fire-type Pokemon. Don't you find that strange?"

"Yeah, that is weird. I thought this place was supposed to be fireproof, though I suppose the fire of a legendary..." Falkner began, before it began to sink in. "Wait, you're saying that Ho-oh caused that fire that originally killed Entei and the others?"

"Exactly," said Morty, smiling. Why did he have to be smiling through this whole thing?

"But why?" asked Falkner.

"Because they were chosen," Morty explained. "They were chosen by Ho-oh to serve it, so it burned them, killed them, transformed them into higher beings, and then revived them, because it is the phoenix Pokemon. And thus we have Entei, Raikou, and Suicune."

Falkner didn't know what to say. It made so much sense, but...something like that, it was so selfish and cruel..."Did...did Entei and the others know what was going to happen to them?"

Morty shook his head. "Entei and the others remember little of their previous selves. But none of them regret losing their old selves for the sake of destiny and divinity."

All three beasts around Morty howled at once, causing the walls to reverberate with their cries. Falkner jumped back despite himself.

"And they are not the only ones Ho-oh has touched with its holy fire," Morty went on, spreading out his arms. "In fact, there are many, many beings that have been chosen to be kin of Ho-oh. You see them around you every day! You just don't know it!"

The rising fervor in Morty's eyes suddenly made Falkner uneasy. "You have no proof of that. It's just wild speculation."

Morty actually laughed. It was unnerving because Falkner had never heard him laugh like that before. "Falkner, I never use any kind of technology in my Gym. Almost all of it was made of stone. And yet it all burned down? Do you really believe that strongly in coincidence, Falkner?"

"I-" Falkner began, before the words caught in his throat. "You...You didn't make it out of the fire..."

"Oh, I did," answered Morty, as he and the beasts around him ambled toward Falkner. "I came out of it as a higher being, instead of just a mere human. And it's been wonderful, being a chosen." He stepped into a ray of moonlight, and Falkner saw he was transparent, the colors on his body whirling like smoke. Morty noticed this, laughed, and then his body solidified again. "I can choose to be as intangible or tangible as I want, a spirit or a human, dead or alive! It's fantastic!"

Falkner took a few more steps back. Morty was mad. No, this wasn't the Morty he knew at all. It was a recreation of him, rebuilt from his ashes of his body and his soul and Ho-oh's own power...and he hadn't even realized it until now, when it was blatantly revealed to him. And this wouldn't have been revealed to him unless-

He tried to run, but the legendary beasts instantly surrounded him, expressions fierce but dutiful. There was a melodic call from above, as a large bird grew larger and larger against the moon...Ho-oh!

"I...don't know how much longer my human memories will last..." the purple-clad young man admitted, wearing a somewhat sad smile. "But I don't want to spend eternity without a friend...you're my only friend, you know, besides the beasts...and Ho-oh understands that..."

Falkner already felt the air around him become hot, and saw everything shimmer with heat.

"Welcome to eternity, Falkner," said Morty, even as the blue flames enveloped Falkner like a cocoon.

The scream was swallowed by the howls of beasts and the cackles of ghosts.

IIIIII

So, what did you guys think? Did this make any sense whatsoever? XD

Cya!