Tomb of Miracles

*Ekruteak City*

As Lyra and I entered the Pokemon Center so I could withdraw Trent from the PC, We saw a very familiar face at the counter.

"Bill!" We both said at the same time.

"Hank? Lyra?" He turned and saw us. "Hank! Lyra!"

He walked toward us. "So what are you guys up to all the way out here in Ekruteak? You off to see the Kimono dancers on a date or something?"

"Well…we weren't…" I said as I turned to Lyra. "But now that he's mentioned a live performance, you're going to make me see it anyway aren't you?" I joked.

"I'm not the one who got all excited when the Broadway play version of The Luxray King stopped in New Bark Town." She joked back. "But it's been quite a while since we've done anything that isn't dangerous together. It sounds like fun!"

"It certainly does!" I said. We hooked arms and walked over to the theatre.

*Dance Theatre*

Upon entering the theatre, my first thought was this: Damn it.

Up onstage, was a woman that I swear looked identical to the one in Violet City or the one in Ilex Forest, being harassed by a Team Rocket Grunt.

"Hank!" I heard a voice whisper.

"Hank, over here!"

"Arceus damn it…" Lyra said looking at the rocket grunt, who was now showing off what he believed to be a good dance. "Does no one have respect for traditional theatre?...Hank?" She noticed that our arms were no longer hooked and now saw me talking to a strange statue.

"Ah! You must be Lyra!" Looker said looking over at her. Lyra jumped.

"That Statue is real?"

"Hank, I have a situation." Looker said, looking back at me. "Team Rocket seems to be accumulating around Mahogany Town, and reports for agitated pokemon at the Lake of Rage are at an all time high. Also the boy named Silver. He is here, in the burned tower."

"Alright Looker, thanks for the-"

*Rinnnngggg**Riiiiiinnnnnnggggg*

I picked up my phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Hank! Remember Me?"

I pinched my nose. "Hi Joey…" I said.

"Hey, Remember my Rattata?"

"Yes…"

"It's not like other Rattata, it's in like, the top percentage of Rattata!"

"So do you want to battle or something?"

"No…why would I do that?"

I hung up the phone.

"Thanks for the info." I finally said to Looker.

After solving the Team Rocket Problem in the Theatre, Lyra suggested we head to the Burned Tower next. After all, we could use the training before taking on the Gym.

*Burned Tower*

Upon entrance to burnt tower, I was confronted by two men, one was dressed in aristocratic clothes and a cape, while the other wore more casual attire and what looked like a sweatband.

"You!" The cape man said pointing at me. "I recognize your face! You're Hank Coro!"

"I am."

"I'm Eusine. I've dedicated my life to finding at catching the pokemon Suicune!"

"Suicune?" I turned to Lyra.

"One of the three Legendary Johto Beasts, said to have the ability to purify and walk on water. Some say it's the embodiment of the North Wind itself."

"And you are?" I asked the other man.

"I'm Morty. The Gym leader, or at least I was, until my pokemon revolted. All the trainers were kicked out along with me, and the doors to the gym won't open for any trainer. You'll have to send your pokemon in alone, and…I hate to say it, but you have to kill my team! Your pokemon do that, and I'll give you the Fog Badge."

"Alright." I said, shaking Morty's hand although I was utterly terrified. "I'll send two of my most reliable men." I sent out Gabriel the Togetic and Bo the Butterfree.

"I need you two to go to the Gym, and kill the ghost types leading it." I said. "Sounds like fun right?"

"But of course!" Gabriel said with a grin.

"We'll be back for supper!" Bo smiled.

*Ekruteak Gym*

As Gabriel and Bo reached the entrance of the gym, they came upon a terrible sight. A dead Natu was pinned to the gym's wall, and attached to it was a note.

"The Tomb of Miracles is off limits to any non-ghost type pokemon, unless they wish to suffer the fate shown before them." Gabriel read. "That's charming isn't it Bo?"

"Maybe this is a bad idea…" Bo said as Gabriel opened the gym doors.

Upon entering the gym, Bo and Gabriel realized that only small blue frames from torches along the walls lit the room.

"So this is the Tomb of Miracles?" Bo asked.

"Off-hand, I'd say it's the Tomb of poor interior lighting." Gabriel said as they continued to move through the gym. "Cheerful place…" He said in a joking manner. "Makes you wish you got out more often, eh Bo-ster?"

"Not me…" Bo said. "I just want to get rid of whoever's in charge and get back to my pokeball before I run into any more trouble."

"Speaking of trouble," Gabriel said as they entered the center of the gym. "We should've run into some by now."

"What do you mean?" Bo asked.

"You know…" Gabriel said. "Like a guard, or a booby trap…" Then all the torch lights went out.

"Or an ambush…"

Suddenly lights came back on. Will-o-Wisps. Because now plenty of Ghastly, Haunter, and Misdrevas surrounded Bo and Gabriel.

"Well, Well," A Gengar said, stepping forth. "What do we have here?"

"Trespassers!" A Ghastly shouted.

"Spies!" Another shouted.

"Whoa wait, we aren't-" Bo started

"Listen we aren't-" Gabriel started, but both were cut short by the Gengar as the Haunter's grabbed them and bound them in a ghostly rope and covered their mouths with gags made of shadow or something.

"Don't interrupt me!" The Gengar said. "You're very brave to have entered our base. Unfortunately for you, you won't live to tell the tale!" He said as the music began.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, for he had a trick up his sleeve, but he'd let the ghosts have their fun.

"Maybe you've heard of a terrible place where the ghosts of Ekruteak collect in a lair!" Gengar and his henchmen sang. "Maybe you've heard of that all dreadful place called the Tomb of Miracles…" Gengar popped up behind Gabriel and Bo. "Hello, you're there!"

"Gah…" Bo said, startled.

"Where the lame can walk!" The henchman sang. "Where the blind can see!"

"But the dead don't talk!" Gengar sang ecstatically. "So you won't be around to reveal what you've found!"

The ghosts started to carry Gabriel and Bo to a darker room. "We have a method for spies and intruders rather like hornets protecting their hive,"

"Here in the Tomb of Miracles where it's a miracle if you get out alive!" Gengar cackled as he pranced over to two noose ropes hanging over a cliff.

"Gather round everyone, gather round!" Gengar called. "There's good 'noose' tonight! It's a double header! Two Hank Coro spies!"

"mmmf mfph!" Gabriel and Bo tried to protest, and were also shocked to learn that Gengar knew their trainer.

"His most recent evolution!" Gengar said as he motioned at Gabriel while saluting. "And his little purple butterfly!" Gengar said motioning to Bo while he pranced around. "Justice is swift in the Tomb of Miracles." He sang while Gabriel and Bo were each hooked to a noose. "I am the lawyers and Judge all in one! We'd like to get the trial over with quickly because it's the sentence that's really the fun!" He sang as he tightened Gabriel's noose. "Any last words?" He asked.

"Mmmph mpfh!"

"That's what they all say!" He said. The music began and he began to sing again. "Now that we've seen all the evidence-"

"Wait I object!" His shadow said.

"Overruled!"

"I object!"

"QUIET!"

"….Dang."

"We find you totally innocent…" Gengar sang softly. "Which is the worst crime of all…"

"So you're going to hang!" All the ghosts sang as Gengar pulled the lever, but Gabriel had come prepared. He used Extrasensory to free himself and Bo from the nooses and gags and rope.

"Ahh, that's better!" He said as he shot Gengar a glance. "Now….You said you were the leader here/'

'i-I- Uh…" Gengar said as he walked into Bo.

"Little purple butterfly huh?" Bo asked. "Well, you're about to get your ass handed to you by that 'little purple butterfly'."

"Unfortunately for you…" Gabriel said as he stood beside Bo.

"You won't live to tell the tale!" They both said as Bo let loose a Psybeam and Gabriel used his Extrasensory.

*Burned Tower*

"So let me get this straight…" I said. "Three legendary pokemon are all just waiting down there?"

"That is correct, yes." Eusine said.

Bo and Gabriel came in through the door. Gabriel was holding a TM. "We did it!" Gabriel said.

"And I'd rather we not do it again." Bo added, scraping something like ectoplasm off of his feet.

"Hey, that's my TM Shadow Ball!" Morty exclaimed. "If your pokemon have that, then it must mean that-well that they've succeeded in defeating my team. Here's the Fog Badge."

"Thanks!" I said as a caught the Fog Badge that Morty tossed my way.

Hank Coro….

I turned to Lyra. "Did you say my name just now?" She shook her head. "No one said anything."

Descend down to us, trainer. We must speak to you.

"Eusine, can I go down to the floor where they are?" I asked pointing at the legendary beasts, starting to get an idea about what's going on.

"Well…." Eusine said. "I suppose if you're careful…"

"Alright thanks!" I said as I ran toward the ladder to the lower level.

"Hank! Wait!" Lyra ran after me as I bumped into Silver.

"Hm?" He turned his head ever so slightly that I caught a glimpse of his eye through his long, red, hair. "What are you doing here?" He asked sternly.

"I'm heading down to the lower level. What's it to you?"

"Hah!" Silver let out a laugh. "I get it now! You think you can catch the legendary pokemon down there! Hah!"

"That isn't what I said."

"Oh sure, sure, you're going down there for a completely separate reason than to meet the legendary pokemon that reside in this tower. I don't think I'll even bother to battle you here, you're obviously going to get crushed all on your own without my help!"

"Don't let him get to you, Hank…" Lyra said as Silver walked out of the tower chuckling to himself.

Hank Coro! Descend to Us!

"Dammit, I'm coming!" I said to the three legendary dogs down below. Before I climbed down the ladder, I sent out my entire party, because I was sure this was information worth sharing with everyone.

"You going to tell us what's going on?" Talon asked as we reached the beasts.

"Ahh yes, the Pidgeotto…" The blue beast known as Suicune said. "I'm glad to see you made it to Johto in one piece." Suicune turned to Flint. "And the young Quilava, you are here too, this is good. Oh!" Suicune turned to Liteweight. "The Skiploom, of course! It is good that you are all here!"

Gabriel, Bo, and Trent all looked at each other.

"Excuse me Suicune," Gabriel said. "But what about me?"

"Your duties, Gabriel, are nearing their end."

"I'm gonna die?"

"Erm, Well, perhaps…" the red beast, Entei, said. "Your list of deeds is nearing its end, but you may survive, if you're lucky…"

"So reassuring…"

"Spit it out already Suicune! Why am I here?" I asked.

"Hank Coro, is it?" The yellow beast, Raikou, asked. "Our Master has noticed your….revival…and he believes he may be able to help you…'

"I still think Master has gone insane, with Mewtwo still at large, we need to be more cautious about pouring our trust into a trainer that has already failed at this task." Entei said.

"That being so…" Suicune said as he looked at Entei. "Master has chosen Hank above everyone else to free the Johto-Kanto Area."

"Who is this master?" I finally asked.

The beasts looked at me. Raikou and Entei looked at Suicune, who nodded at them to go in different directions. Suicune then turned to me.

"You will learn about our history in time, dear trainer." Suicune said as he too ran off.

Eusine came running down. "Suicune actually spoke to you!" He said. He sounded ecstatic about it.

"Yeah.." I said. Not really sure how to respond. Thankfully, Eusine ran off so I wouldn't have to.

"Hank!" Morty said as I came up the ladder. "If you think you can take her, you should go challenge Jasmine over in Olivine City! She uses steel types so that Quilava of yours would be the perfect pokemon!"

"Actually…." I said to Morty. "I'm heading over to Mohoganny Town to go check out the Lake of Rage, and to maybe catch a pokemon in the process."

Speaking of…It had been far too long since I had a pokemon to learn Surf in my party, so I did go to Olivine. I took out a fishing rod, and began to fish.

*Twinkle the Staryu Caught*

*Trent sent to the PC*

*Twinkle learned Surf*

I smiled as a single tear came out of my eye. "Welcome to the team HM Slave…"