Raziel sighed in relief, seeing the exit. After the two Rocket leaders had escaped, Draconix had suggested to try and follow them, but Raziel and the researchers had agreed it was a better idea to let them go and get out. They had also agreed to not go to the closest exit, but instead trail all the way to Lake Moon.

The result was that they had made it to the Trainer House, with the sky already pitch black. It had taken a second to realize that clearly a battle had raged here as well, with the walls scorched and dented. Only two or three windows were still intact, and somehow one of the rooms seemed to have exploded from the inside. That was weird, but he was too tired to think about it.

The first thing that had welcomed them was Spearow. Or well, Fearow. The Flying-Type landed on Draconix shoulder for a moment, before they both tumbled down. After another second, everyone started to laugh, and Raziel did the same. Finally, they felt their mood turn for the better.

Despite everything, the twelve had entered the House to find a generally cheery atmosphere. The main reason seemed to be a girl with long brown hair in the center of the room. "To our victory!" She shouted lifting a cup of what looked like cola. Her Ivysaur, who caught everyone's attention for its colors, imitated her lifting a Berry, and most Trainers in the room cheered as well, before drinking whatever they were holding.

"What's going on?" Draconix asked to a nearby trainer.

"Oh, we are celebrating our victory. Team Rocket attacked us, but thanks to Leaf we made it out with a victory." He answered with a smile "And not a single Pokémon was stolen."

Leaf, the girl in question, turned and walked up to them with a large smile. "That's right. But someone mentioned other fighting. You were in that cave camp, right? Good thing you made it out!"

The researchers with them chuckled "Actually, we owe those two our life. They pursued Team Rocket and managed to fight off their leader!"

Both Leaf and everyone else went silent, staring at them. Raziel and Draconix both were unsure how to react, then everyone begun to cheer. "Great job!" Leaf shouted, patting them on the back "So after all we owe you two their retreat?"

"Uh, I don't know actually." Raziel replied, trying to minimize "The Parasect attack saved us in the cave, and you beat them here, so I'd say it was really team effort."

"Now don't undersell yourself, young man." The researcher replied with a warm smile "The way you two tricked them and saved us all deserves a prize."

Leaf, meanwhile, had been studying them, before finally having a sudden spark of realization "Wait, you two are Dexholders, right?"

"Dex-what?" A few people nearby asked, before looking at each other in disbelief.

"Ah, it's those guys old Oak gave those machine-things to, right?" Another one asked.

Leaf sighed "Yes, though maybe calling them 'machine-things' is a bit underselling them. Those items are amazing honestly. A lot of data on all the Pokémon you can normally find in Kanto, readily available even without internet connection. No hassle of carrying a book around. Instant information on moves, area where they are commonly found wild, typing, average height and weight…"

"Yeah that sounds cool."

"Cool?! It's amazing! I sent three letters to get one!" She replied, before turning to Raziel and Draconix "Can I see it? Oh, can I try it?"

Raziel took his black dex out and handed it to her "Here, go for it."

She almost squealed as she aimed it at Ivysaur, and the screen beeped to life, showing the Pokémon's page. "Wait, 'Can't stand on its hind legs anymore'? I'm so sorry, I thought you were only pretending to!" She said, looking at her starter. Ivysaur chuckled, and Leaf looked up the remaining info "Uh, there is no area on the map."

"That's because wild Ivysaur live deep in forests, outside of the common routes, and move around as nomads." Draconix explained "So you can't really pinpoint a location."

Leaf nodded, taking in the info, and then handed the Dex back to Raziel "Thank you, that's so cool. I so wish I had one!"

"I'm sure Professor Oak will release more in the future, and I've heard there are other professors working on the project." Raziel said.

Leaf beamed at that, and put her arms around the two trainer's shoulders. "Well then, I'm glad of that, but now, let's celebrate our victory!" She shouted, and everyone cheered "To the defeat of Team Rocket!"

The party continued for a long time. Raziel listened to a few people singing at the karaoke, laughing at the atrocious execution from Draconix, and cheering Leaf's perfect singing voice. He noticed Draconix and the researcher – Miguel Cervant, as he had presented himself – and then talking to another man. A while later, the three talked a bit about their starter. Of course, Raziel only had one question.

"How did you start with a Shiny Ivysaur?"

"Oh, it's luck actually. It's tradition in most places that from the moment the Pokémon for the Academies are shipped out from the various facilities, no one is allowed to see which Pokémon is in which Poké Ball. Shiny are just shipped out mixed in with the others. I just picked the lucky Poké Ball." She said, scratching Ivysaur on the back of the hear. The Pokémon grumbled quietly, and Raziel smiled.

The owner invited the three young trainers to take a picture, rumbling something about how finally three trainers were helping rather than destroying his Trainer House. Leaf, Draconix and Raziel all took the picture together, with Leaf making a large smile, Draconix a smile and a peace sign, and Raziel just with a smirk. He was really not good at smiling in pictures.

"Nice, can I also take a photo with all your Pokémon? It would look good." Ivysaur walked closer, and Clefairy and Jigglypuff jumped out of Leaf's Poké Ball. Fearow and Charmeleon left their own. Raziel clicked the Poké Ball too, knowing full well that Gastly probably wasn't too happy about the fact the party was loud.

But the Poké Ball clicked empty.

Gastly sighed, looking around the large cave. "Could you come out? I want to go back before Raziel realizes I'm even gone." He called.

A young trainer with red hair emerged from a side of the cave. "Hello little Gastly. Are you lost? I can show you the way out if…"

"Cut it, I know what's going on."

The trainer sighed, then puffed in a ball of smoke. A Haunter stood in his place, scratching his head. "So how did you figure it out?"

"The hundred and twenty years old Rare Candy was a good hint, but then I saw you during the Parasect charge, and Fearow told me what happened while he was running. Not that hard to put together."

Haunter nodded "I suppose. Don't worry about expiration, Rare Candy can last up to two hundred years from what I've heard."

"Good to know. But tell me, what's going on? Why did a wild Ghost help us out?" Gastly asked, noticing in that moment the red part of the gas on the Haunter's head, matching his hair color.

"Well, I was a Trainer before I kind of died in here."

"How…"

"Parasect got us in our sleep, was a lot more common back then." He simply said "Oh, you can believe I got my vengeance for that. That's why they agreed to help out in their own way."

"Freaky things, aren't they?"

"They are basically Mushroom Zombies, what do you think?" Haunter asked "Still, they owed me one, so I convinced them to charge the Rockets. Of course, they 'accidentally' also attacked the other trainers."

"What I don't get is why you helped me and Fearow out later. Helping the Trainers sure, but you had no reason to heal Raziel in particular, or help Fearow at all." Gastly said. Haunter clutched his hands, apparently uncomfortable, then groaned.

"I have a few things I never managed to do and always wished to. The one that stings the most was being unable to help Magikarp and Kakuna evolve before dying. So, when I saw Spearow about to die before even evolving to Fearow, I chose to help. I didn't know if he would evolve, but Rare Candies give a spark of energy that is known to trigger evolution at times, so…"

"So you tried. Now I get it. But what about Raziel?"

Haunter just shook his head "It just felt natural. There is something weird about him, as a Ghost I felt drawn to him. You don't?"

Gastly was the one uncomfortable now. Yeah, he did think Raziel was oddly easy to deal with as a human. He felt a bond with him from the moment they had met. "I guess. So that was it?"

"Well we are also the same species. If we don't help each other as Ghosts…"

Gastly chuckled. "Fair. So, that's it, I guess? You coming with us?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I feel… different. I managed to finally help a Pokémon evolve, I helped a few trainers, and finally got back to the Parasect. Feels like everything I wanted to do is accomplished, you know."

In that moment, they heard a weird sound, like a door creaking open. They turned to see a Pokémon advancing forward. A giant mouth on his stomach, and a single read eye in the middle of his head. The Dusknoir towered over the two, especially on Gastly.

"Hello." The reaper said, in a cheerful tone that clashed with his appearance. He took out a piece of paper from inside his mouth "Which of you is 'Robert Glades'?"

Haunter raised his hand "Uh, hello?"

"Congratulations mister Glades. You have solved all your unfinished business on Earth. Which means, it is time for you to go to the other side."

Haunter stared bewildered at the Dusknoir "I… what?"

"Yes, quite impressive. Solving unfinished business in only over a century can be quite hard. Congratulations. I should pass a message from mister Karp, Magi, who says 'About time'. Mister Na, Kaku, adds 'Get over here quickly, we waited over a century you…' Pardon me, I don't want to finish, but you get the picture. Mister Na seems quite upset."

"Wait, Magikarp and Kakuna are there?"

"Of course, silly, did you think humans and Pokémon go to different places?"

Gastly could not hold his curiosity anymore "What's this all exactly?"

Dusknoir looked at him puzzled "You don't know? The spirit of a dead human or Pokémon that turned in a Ghost-type is bound to this world only so long as they have an intent. As Mr. Glades here has said, he doesn't anymore, so he has to move to the afterlife. Which is why I am here, being the Pokémon invested by Queen Yveltal with the task of taking spirits there."

Gastly had heard about it, but never seen a Dusknoir doing it. Actually, he had never seen a Dusknoir at all. He looked at Haunter, who was now smiling. "I guess this is goodbye then. Bummer, you are the first Ghost I met since we started our journey, I hoped to get to know you a bit more."

Haunter smiled, and patted Gastly on the back of his body. Being both Ghosts, he could actually touch him "Well, goodbye to you as well. You better go back to Raziel." Gastly nodded, then Haunter moved forward, to Dusknoir "I am ready. So, do you eat me, or…"

"Trust me, Mr. Glades, you wouldn't like where my mouth would take you." Dusknoir replied "No, we shall simply leave through the door." He said, pointing toward the back of the cave. Only then both noted the shadows seemed to have bent into the shape of an open door, leading into a dark corridor. "Follow me, please. Don't wander off, it can be quite dangerous."

Haunter gulped and followed the Pokémon. The moment he passed the door, his Haunter form vanished, and he found himself standing on both feet, as a human. Gastly watched him wave and walk off behind Dusknoir, as the shadow door creaked closed. The moment it did, the shadows returned to their usual shapes, like nothing had happened.

"Farewell." Gastly murmured, heading back to the Trainer House.

In that moment, he felt a familiar feeling. Raziel had clicked on the Poké Ball to call him out. "Shit." And he hurried off, leaving only silence in the cave.