Cha. 53
Ash woke up to find his Pokéballs all dim, signaling that they were all out. He was first overwhelmed by slight panic, before seeing the letter left on the table for him.
*Ash. We are out for training. Please do not worry.*
Train… TRAINING!? Ash did a double take. They usually got up later than HIM!
Three minutes later he was across the hall banging hysterically on Domino's door. Her face poked out, a lock of blonde hair dropping unruly from the night. "KETCHUM! What is your problem!?"
"My… my Pokémon…" Ash panted. "I think they got schizophrenia from the Mirage!"
Domino blinked. She reached out and touched Ash's forehead, contemplating. "You don't have a fever…"
"NOW GET OUT!" She flicked his head hard and slammed the door close, sliding back into bed. A few seconds later, the knocking began again.
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
The two were sipping on breakfast milkshake at the inn diner when Ash's Pokéballs flashed with the return of the Pokémon.
They exchanged a glance and walked out the door. As they approach somewhere rather isolated, Ash let back out. "Explain."
"We're training." Pikachu stated with an abnormally serious tone.
Ash's Pokédex rang. "Yes we were. We will be on a strict schedule since now."
The boy rubbed his cheek. "I won't ask where the motivation suddenly came from."
"Anyways, let's actually do what we came here for." A sleepy Domino interjected. "Get some Pokémon from Lavender Tower and get out. I still need two hours of beauty nap after lunch."
"Shouldn't we go in the night?" Ash asked. "It seems more fitting to the mood that way."
"Idiot." Domino rolled her eyes and walk off.
They lifted their heads up at the giant tower. A cold wind blew around it, but it felt nonexistent compared to the ominous wind that blew in the Mirage, of which they were still too memorable.
They stepped into the door without hesitation. The tower was dark… and so Dexter lit up a flashlight app.
The room brightened as kilowatts of light poured out from the Pokédex. Ash murmured. "Again… the mood isn't right."
"OOooooo…"
Magikarp merged out of the air and slammed a sneaking Ghastly into the ground with a pulse of water before it could turn intangible. "Not funny!"
Dexter's flashlight found the stairwell. "This way."
Suddenly, Pikachu jumped to the staircase and glowed an intense yellow. An enormous bolt of lightning bellowed up the entrance. "DON'T MESS WITH US!"
Ash shivered as his eyes met Domino's. What the hell was wrong with all of his Pokémon today!? Were they on steroids!?
And also, WHEN DID PIKACHU LEVEL UP TO MARS!?
Their way up the next seven flight of stairs went by undisturbed, as if the souls within the tower did capitulate to Pikachu's warning.
However, the eighth floor struck a clear difference. As soon as they entered, a freezing temperature swept them. There was absolutely no sunlight, and even Dexter's flashlight stopped within three feet.
Ash started humming. This was finally starting to feel like the right mood of a haunted tower. Two shapes hung in the distance, blurred and eerie.
Dexter nodded. "Yep. This is the place. There should be two ghosts here with potential up into the legendaries."
Domino slanted her head. "I call the right one, you can have the left one."
"Wait…" Ash grabbed her wrist. "My left or your left?"
"They're both the same, you dunce!" Domino flung his hand away and dashed to the right.
Ash chuckled and pointed. "Who wants to battle…"
Magikarp, the calmest of all, eagerly dashed into the fog first, leaving Pikachu and Aron to lament.
Magikarp floated in front of a Litwick. He smirked. He was going to make this battle look good, and the type advantage was only helping.
"Hydro Pump!" A flood of water crashed down in her direction.
Litwick's body fainted into the shadow as she tried to escape. Magikarp growled. He needed this to be pretty!
"HYDROKINESIS!" The flood of water dashed forward at thrice the speed as before and materialized into a tentacle that whipped against Litwick before she finished the escape.
The fire of the Candle Pokémon was extinguished on contact, as the ghost was pushed into reality and slammed against the wall, fainting.
Ash's jaw dropped. Earth level!? They really all jumped one level in a day!? Rare candies were that good!?
Magikarp dragged the unconscious Litwick back to Ash. "Here."
The boy pet the fish and threw out a Pokéball that successfully signaled a capture. Giving his Pokémon a sweep, he asked carefully. "Are you guys okay?"
"Perfectly fine!" They echoed back in unison. Dexter nodded slightly.
Domino's opponent was a heavy blade hovering in the air. At first sight, she approved of him.
Honedge. The Sword Pokémon. Steel and Ghost Typing, both her favorite.
She dashed towards him without a word, swishing down with her staff. It connected with the blade with echoing noise.
Her steps moved so fast she was more like a ghost than a ghost. From three directions, she stabbed out an attack, all of which landing.
But, the Honedge was not damaged at all. Domino frowned slightly. Steel types were hard to get through.
She dodged his attack easily and stood back to think on a plan. Soon, her eyes glowed pink, as she suddenly remembered that she was not only a fighter…
But also a psychic! She had reached Mercury, so she could finally deliver psychic out of her body!
A psybeam began charging. Honedge pounced up to chop her, but Domino backed off effortlessly and guided him in a circle. Her eyes stiffened, and a pink light built to its brink.
However, before she could release the psybeam, a heavy book suddenly formed above her that drained her psychic powers.
Completely caught off guard, her step tripped just as the Honedge's blade came down. She reacted as quickly as she could, crossing her staff in front of her, preparing for some sore hits coming.
But, the book shone with a dark purple and glided in front of her. The illusion of a purple river dawned. From within, the screeching and pleading of damned souls echoed out.
Suddenly, a massive collection of souls vaporized, turning into fuel for a giant pink bolt that spawned in an instant.
It crashed head-on against the Honedge, engraving him into a wall, unconscious. Domino's jaw dropped as the book fell back into her hands.
That was… the power… of an… Artifact!?
Dexter did a double take at the pink light flashing. That was NOT just Mercury level…
Domino walked back calmly through the fog, gradually dissipating, with Honedge dragging behind. "This tower is pretty weak, actually. It's only spooky enough to scare the delicate flowers."
"Anyways, Ash, can I borrow a Pokéball?" Domino coughed. "I don't have one yet…"
A/N: Future Aegislash for Domino and Chandelure for Ash. Happy? Don't complain about me giving Domino the strongest Pokémon again like last time!
