Despite the show earlier, the various ghost-type Pokemon didn't seem willing to confront us directly and instead kept their distance. However, that didn't stop them from interfering in our struggle to reach the far side of town we expected to find Banette waiting. I growled in irritation as I sidestepped a pan that had fallen from seemingly nowhere and nearly hit me in the head. Gardevoir merely smirked at me cheekily, her hands clasped in front of her as she put her psy into erecting a barrier that the ghost's pranks couldn't breach. "Shit!" Gengar cursed behind us, and I glanced over my shoulder to see him face down in the dirt. "I can't stand this anymore! If I see those little dirt bags I'm going to…" He growled, muttering a few suitable punishments as he stood back up and dusted himself off. I couldn't help but let a giggle escape at his irritation but truly I found it just as annoying as he did. "What's so funny? I don't understand what you find so humorous." He hissed at me, and I could almost see the steam coming from his ears. "It's just… you fell so suddenly, and you were behind us so I don't know how you coul- Ow!" I shouted as a hard object bounced off of my head and clattered in the dirt. "Hmph." Gengar humphed, unsympathetic toward my pain. Suddenly, we heard peals of laughter ring out from ahead of us. "Oh! The look on your faces!" Gardevoir gasped between laughter. Gengar and I simultaneously rolled our eyes and grudgingly quickened our pace, eager to be away from the nuisance of the ghosts.
However we didn't have to wait long, as I noticed a Shuppet about to chuck a rotten apple at us suddenly reconsider his actions and flee. "Hey, did you see that?" I asked and was met with the confused gazes of Gengar and Gardevoir. "That Shuppet… it acted strange." I explained to the pair. "Maybe it thought you were about to deck it like I would've if I'd have seen it." Gengar rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I didn't see it. Not like I have to worry about rotten apples being thrown at me." Gardevoir explained with a smile. "Well… maybe Gengar is right. I was certainly tempted to use my power to blast it into dust. It must've seen it coming." I explained, though something certainly seemed off.
…That was when we saw it. "Look!" Gardevoir pointed at one of the rooftops. I followed her finger to a lone figure illuminated by the moonlight sitting on the edge of a building. Behind the figure, a long scarf billowed ominously. "Hmph. What kind of loser wears a scarf?" Gengar scoffed as Gardevoir and I approached the figure. When we reached the building that the figure sat atop, we realized in surprise that the figure we saw was a Weavile… and a male. He couldn't have been much older than I was from his build, and he didn't even seem to notice us below him. He seemed fixated on watching the moon in the sky. "Hey!" I shouted and he still didn't move from his spot. "…Who dares approach?" He finally asked, not facing us with his question. "Well, my name is Wea- oh, uhh… Well…" I realized awkwardly that maybe that wasn't an appropriate greeting when speaking to the same species.
He seemed intrigued by my awkwardness and finally turned to look down at us. His eyes were a burning crimson red that reminded me of blood, and he had a jagged scar that travelled diagonally over his right eye. The red scarf wrapped around his neck still fluttered gently in the breeze. "She's a Weavile, and I'm Gengar. That weirdo in the back is Gardevoir." Gengar filled in, a glare fixated on the foreign Weavile. "Hey! I'm not weird!" Gardevoir scoffed. "Hmph. You are fools to have come speak to I. Begone, and leave me to blissful solitude." He gestured dismissively before turning back toward the moon. "Talk about antisocial. We were just curious about what you were doing in a horrible place like this." I explained with a sigh. And I was curious about seeing another Weavile, as the only others of my species I knew were my family before they passed away. "If not you, it is I who will take my leave." The Weavile announced, standing up slowly from his perch. "Great, we were just leaving." Gengar responded, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me in the opposite direction. "Hey!" I shouted. "Wait!" Gardevoir yelled at the Weavile's back. "…Speak." He finally said after a pause. "Who are you?" She asked simply. Another pause. "…If you were to find out, it would be with time's passage. Though it is better if you do not." He responded mysteriously before jumping to another rooftop and receding into the darkness.
"Hmph. What a loser." Gengar rolled his eyes as he finally let go of my arm. "Well, you didn't have to be so standoffish." I responded with a shrug. "That was the first time I met a member of my own species since… yeah." The memory made me shudder. "I think we'll see him again. He was so…cool!" Gardevoir exclaimed suddenly, sparkles in her eyes. Gengar snorted in response. "What makes you think that?" He asked. "Well, didn't you hear him? He said that later we'd find out who he was. You can't meet someone without meeting them!" Gardevoir explained excitedly. "…Well it would be nice to find out why he was here, and who he is. I'm curious about how other Weavile live." I admitted curiously. "What?! No way, we'd better not see that loser again." Gengar growled in annoyance, it was dead obvious that he didn't like that Weavile. "Let's get moving, we can't meet anybody if we die to Banette." He explained, moving behind me and pushing me to move. I rolled my eyes and complied…and proceeded to crash right into Gardevoir's back as she clutched her head. "Hey… are you okay?" I asked worriedly. Gengar and I shared a meaningful glance, but before long Gardevoir rose to her feet. "I'm fine." She told us, smiling cheerfully.
As we neared the center of Mistralton where we expected to find Banette, Gardevoir tapped me on the shoulder and gestured to come. I nodded, slowing to fall in line with her strides. This is going to feel weird but it's probably in our best interest if I don't have this conversation out loud. I heard in my head, and then quickly realized it was likely Gardevoir's telepathy. I nodded for her to continue. It might come as a shock, but ever since I was little I've been having…visions… of the future. My eyes went wide in shock and I shot her a questioning glance. I know; I've been hiding it from you. But I haven't had a vision since joining you…until now. I've had negative experiences in the past with sharing my visions; however I swore I would do anything in my power to repay you for what you've done for me. So, this is going to be difficult, but I'm going to share what I've seen. I paused before nodding for her to continue. You need to control yourself better…or… her eyes flicked over to Gengar's back.
"What?!" I shouted out loud, disturbed by the implications of Gardevoir's warning. Gengar glanced back at us, "Is there a problem?" he asked with one eyebrow raised. "N-no… nothing wrong, I just… thought I saw something." I murmured, embarrassed. Gengar rolled his eyes, muttering something along the lines of 'girls…' before continuing toward the central plaza of Mistralton. I shot Gardevoir a pleading glance, to which she shook her head. I can't say any more, but I get the feeling you understand my warning more than you think you do. And with that, she walked away, leaving me staring dumbfounded at her receding form.
As we walked through the central plaza a voice rang out from above: "Is that you, Gengie?" I glared as the owner of the voice floated down in front of us, that being Banette. "Gengie?" Weavile spat, and I could almost feel her cutting glare on my back. "H-hey… It's not like that!" I explained, taking a step back from Weavile. With a 'shick' sound her claws came out. "Hmhmhm… he's right, he was the perfect fool, but no more." She chuckled. "Why you..!" I growled, sending a shadow ball toward her tiny form. "Hehe. Did you actually think I liked you? Well he's the truth Gengie, you were the perfect tool." She giggled, vanishing from the spot where the shadow ball was headed and reappearing nearby.
"Just stop it, Banette. Here's the deal: You leave Mistralton with the ghosts, and nobody gets hurt." Weavile explained, pointing her claws at the Pokemon in question. "Oh? Oh? You want to hurt me? Do you think that you can? Perhaps you could. But I'm not alone." She explained with a whistle, and two figures came out from behind nearby buildings. And those Pokemon were…
"Redstripe and Drapion?" Weavile gasped, disbelief written on her face. "What's going on here?" I mirrored her disbelief in my voice. "Surprised, hunter? This was never just about a few stolen goods from a Kecleon. We're from the same organization… one that captures scions to train and research them." Redstripe barked a laugh. "Aye and you were the one who got away… after we killed your brother!" Drapion cackled alongside his companion. I could almost see the steam pouring from Weavile's ears. "Shut up, morons. You're going to give everything away!" Banette yelled at the pair. "Then why…" She started, energy crackling on her claws and her eyes glowing a bright red. "Did you have to destroy Gengar's life and kill innocents?!" She screeched, taking off in a sprint toward Redstripe and Drapion. "Why, the answer is simple… The guild took this." Banette explained, her hands falling to her necklace, which held one dull grey medium-sized gem. "That thing? It looks like garbage." I scoffed at the piece of jewelery.
"Hmhmhmhm…" Banette chuckled, a bright light suddenly escaping the gem and blinding us. "Ngh… I can't see!" I shouted, covering my stinging eyes. In that split second, I finally realized that Gardevoir had been quiet throughout the whole exchange. Not that I could inquire about it at the time. "Garbage, you say?" Banette asked, and when the light faded an unbelievable sight presented itself. Banette was no longer… Banette. She was much larger than she previous had been, with zippers on her arms revealing sharp claws. Her torso possessed a zipper as well showing her pink body. A sadistic grin was plastered on her face, and a zipper ran gruesomely across her head as a scar may have. The previously dull gem was adorned on her forehead, emitting a bright light. "Tell me, is it still garbage?" She cackled, sending a shadow ball larger than I was in our direction. Suddenly Gardevoir leapt at me and I hit the ground while the shadow ball whizzed overhead. "Take the gem from her forehead." She whispered in my ear. I was about to protest but she gave me a grim look before saying "Your life depends on this." and getting up to face Banette defiantly.
"Come and get me, zipper-face." Gardevoir shouted; twin orbs of moonlight appearing in her hands as she tossed one at the transformed Pokemon before taking off in a run. "Zipper-face? You will regret your words, scion-wannabe." Banette growled, sending a blue fire to block her path. Quickly, I took Gardevoir's advice, leaping toward Banette while she was distracted and landing on her back. "…You! Get off!" Banette exclaimed, reaching toward her back and her claws missing me by a hair's breadth. 'Holy Arceus, I nearly got decapitated.' I thought to myself in terror. "You're forgetting someone!" Gardevoir shouted; twin orbs of moonlight colliding with Banette. I quietly swallowed my fears and climbed up toward her head.
"So be it, you're first if you want to die so bad." Banette smiled a wide, menacing smile before dousing the spot where I was standing in a blue flame I recognized as ghost fire. Fortunately for me, I had the foresight to teleport from that location to a nearby location. "Hey! Over here!" I shouted, throwing an orb of moonlight at Banette. She growled, spinning to face me and nearly causing Gengar to lose his grip. "Perhaps burning you to a crisp isn't the way to go… how about something that one might call… super-effective!" She cackled, sending another shadow ball hurling my way. Though I had no clue what this 'super-effective' business was; I quickly erected a barrier and braced myself for the oncoming collision. Unfortunately for me, the shadow ball collided with the barrier and continued to travel rather than dissipating. "Rrrgh…" I pushed back against the shadowy energy, which with the force I might add was about the equivalent of getting a sledgehammer to the head. "I got it!" I heard Gengar shout, before the shadow energy began to fade.
Surely enough, Gengar was holding the gem triumphantly above his head; though to his disdain Banette still hadn't reverted to her regular form. I, on the other hand, was not surprised. "She can still maintain the transformation with her energy; she just can't trigger it again without the gem. You have to weaken her to stop it!" I called to Gengar who glared back. "If you already knew that, you should've said something!" He facepalmed, before Banette's claw came sailing toward his head. "Pay attention, you moron! It's not like I had time to explain everything!" I retorted as he quickly jumped off of Banette's head to safety, gem in tow. "How do you know this anyway?! Are you part of the organization too?" He growled, and went to create a shadow ball.
However, a bright light encompassed the area much like with Banette. "What?!" I heard Banette shout in disbelief. When the light faded, Gengar had transformed much like Banette. Flames of shadow radiated from his wrists and the gem had embedded itself in his own forehead, emitting a bright red color. "Hey… what happened? And why am I not gigantic like her?" Gengar scoffed, disappointed more than he should be given the situation. "Just do something!" I exclaimed with unmasked frustration. "This shouldn't be happening…!" Banette gasped, and quickly she directed the brunt of her attacks at Gengar, who emerged unscathed from the fire and the shadow. "My turn." He grinned, calling shadow to his hands and retaliating with an orb of shadow radiating with power. "To use your words: It's super-effective." Gengar laughed as the orb of shadow exploded against Banette. As the smoke cleared, Banette's tiny form was revealed. "That was cool." Gengar stated, examining his hands as we walked toward her battered form. "P-please don't hurt me… I just wanted to see my human again." Banette pleaded, backing up tearfully.
But she didn't last long, as a bloodied Weavile appeared suddenly behind her, a downward slice of her claws tearing Banette's ghostly form apart mercilessly. Gengar stared in disbelief at the spot where Banette had just been. "Are you okay? You didn-" He began to say before he met her gaze. Weavile wasn't there, and her eyes possessed the dead quality of a killer. Glancing off in the direction where Weavile had gone, two bloodied patches of stone and torn bodies explained what had happened. The blood that covered Weavile from head to toe was not her own.