A/N: I have to admit, since my creativity comes from creating stories based off of something instead of complete scratch, as I suck on creating things from scratch as evidence from writing and art classes, this chapter is inspired of FoxBluereaver's 35th story of the Pokémon Reset Bloodline side stories from A03. I actually tried asking his permission to use his story as a foundation to make my own chapter of it, but I couldn't find a way of contacting him on that website. So, being on the safe side, I'm just giving credit where credit is due. Also, WARNING: chapter is scary, qualifying as T grade horror. Read at your own peril.
As Ash and Dawn left the gym, the trainer finished his explanation.
"And that was how her Cherubi knew how to use hidden power and solar beam."
"Very interesting. We'll have to find where we can buy those so that our Pokémon can cover their weaknesses." Dawn pointed out.
"Agreed. Before we head to the Pokémon Center, let's head to the bike shop. Gardenia told me that gym winners get bikes half off."
"Really?!" The young researcher squealed enthusiastically hearing this. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" She shouted running off ahead. Ash stayed put, tapping his foot and looking at the sky. Like in Jubilife, Dawn came back looking sheepish like before. "Sorry. It's not like I have the badges."
"Right. Let's go. Together." Ash asserted yet grinned nonetheless. They went North past the gym to reach the bike shop, it looked retro like it came out of the 70's, but the bikes were up to date. A fat balding man greeted them. Sitting near a table appeared to be his son and his cleffa.
"How you doin'? Welcome to Mike's Bike's, the best interregional bicycle chain there is. What would you like?
"We would like a road bike please. I have the Forest Badge here for a discount." Ash requested while showing off his newest item.
"Oh, we haven't had one of those in months! Let me show you what we have." He escorted them to a purple bike. "This is your average Trek road bicycle. It costs 450."
"Oh, we can't afford two. Is there any way we can put pegs on the back wheels of the one?" Dawn inquired.
"Sure. With the discount that will be $232."
"Sold." Ash grinned as they payed for the bike and pegs.
"Say, have you heard about the Old Chateau?" The owner asked.
"What's that?" They asked back, answering his question.
"That answers that. The Old Chateau is this abandoned manor in Eterna Forest near the city entrance. Just head north once you enter the forest, you can't miss it. It's said to be haunted and it sends those unprepared away cowering in fear. Even Gardenia refuses to step back there."
"Really? Those must be some scary ghosts." Dawn shivered.
"I'm not too sure. From a few of those that could talk about it, it was just ghastly's there. But a rumor is that electronics attack people who enter."
"Interesting. I'm sure we'll be fine when we heal up our Pokémon. What do you say, Dawn? An opportunity to fill another entry in the Pokedex.
"Hehehe, sure." Dawn chuckled with a worried face.
After getting their Pokémon healed up which took up the whole day until late into the night, the two teens were trekking through the woods each holding a flashlight since they finally remembered to get a couple. Ash was pulling the bicycle with him.
"How did we not remember to get flashlights back in Oreburgh? It's a fricking mining town."
"I guess we were just too excited to continue on our journey that time." Dawn shrugged.
"At least now our luxios' don't have to be used for flashlights. Imagine if they were defeated and we didn't have any illuminating items." Ash pondered. Again the researcher shuddered.
"How are we even able to find the place? Didn't you or Cheryl say that the woods was over 200 square miles?" She complained.
"If we were going in any other direction, yes. But that bike owner said go North once you enter. It ain't that hard." Ash pointed out.
"Still, all I can see is trees. How can we-"
"Wait, I see something up ahead." Ash interrupted her. They saw tiny, yet flickering lights in the distance. "That must be it. The old chateau."
"Why would an abandoned manor have its on?" Dawn asked in confusion.
"Ghosts." He answered her. He led them towards the light until they came up to a huge manor. The gate was incredibly rusted and covered with vines. The lawn was overrun by dead weeds, leaves, vines and trees. The manor itself was in disarray of gradual damage from the elements. The paint was all gone, the wood was rotted, the bricks were damaged or missing, the windows were cracked and broken, even a part of the house seems to have collapsed. Before they could comment on the state, the gate opened with an extremely uncomfortable noise, like nails on a chalkboard. They closed their ears to keep the horrible noise out until the gate stopped moving. All the light of the inside turned on.
"They seem to want to invite us." He commented.
"But what if we die? We have our whole lives ahead of ourselves." Dawn whimpered, not wanting to go in. Ash turned to his partner and stared at her in the face.
"Dawn Berlitz. Think of it like this; what if we catch this ghost that's terrorizing Eterna City? Not only would we be revered as heroes... maybe, but you would fill a page in the Pokedex with a rare Pokémon. Being a trainer isn't easy. We'll have to go through Mt. Coronet to reach Snowpoint City, a path that is just about to go full on blizzard if we don't get there quick enough. And being a trainer isn't easy either in your case. To fill up the Pokedex, you'll have to face some scary Pokémon. Rhyperior, Toxicroak, Drapion, Dusknoir, and more. You're either going to have to train them up, or catch them in the wild. Does that scare you to the point of stopping?" He questioned the young researcher.
"No. You can't learn everything there is without risk." She shook her head.
"I can't be champion without going through that snow path, and you can't complete the Pokedex without catching all the Pokémon of the region. Sometimes, the greatest human achievements come from risking your life, wether for self-gain or the benefit of others. But, we will take precautions. We'll try to beat the blizzard season and we'll have Staravia and Krikky out so we have something to intimidate the ghosts, and a bug to not fall for tricks and let us know."
"But bug type moves don't work well against ghosts." Dawn countered.
"The only Pokémon we have currently is Luxio's with bite, and they're not fast. We're just going to have to make the best of it." Ash shrugged. Taking a gulp, Dawn nodded her head to reassure herself.
"Okay, let's do it." She affirmed. Ash nodded back.
"Together." They brought out a Pokeball to bring out Staravia and Krikky.
"Okay guys, listen up. We're going to be doing something that is dangerous; catching ghosts. Staravia, since you're fast and a normal type, you'll be hard to hit, and your senses will be able to detect stuff we might not." Ash told his bird type, leaving the flying type chirping with pride and flapping his wings.
"And Krikky, since you're a bug type, in spite of your moves not being effective against ghosts, you should be able to detect when something strange happens since you have much stronger primal instincts." Dawn told her Kricketune. It rubbed its scythe arms together making happy notes.
"With that settled, time to go in." The trainer took charge, leading them all past the gate, around the broken and dry as a bone water fountain, and walking into the glowing white light of the inside. Yet as soon as they stepped past the gate they could feel like they were being spied on and felt chills from the wind blowing leaves across their feet. Once they stepped through the front door, the lights instantly went out, revealing the true nature of the inside. Dust heavily coated everything that nature didn't recently disturb. Webs covered every visible corner that moonlight illuminated. From the sides, there were two staircases with worn and torn rugs and scratched, rotted away wooden railings. In the opposite doorway that was missing a door, showing a table with dishes and menorahs. Deciding not wanting to split up with the stairs, they went into what looked like the dining room. Any sense of beauty, elegance and color was long destroyed. The cloth was ragged with holes, half the tables have fallen over from either broken legs or missing altogether. Ash went to the left and was about to enter the room when Staravia stepped between him and Ash. "What's wrong, Staravia?" He asked his bird Pokémon. Staravia pointed to the room and then covered his nose with one of its wings, shacking his head. "That room sticks horrendously?" Staravia nodded to his trainer.
"Good nose, Staravia. You both could've been poisoned in there by gastlys in there." Dawn complimented Ash's Pokémon. Finding no more use in the room, they went back into the entrance hall, and noticed how the front door was now closed. Ash tried opening the door, and even kicked at it a few times but it wouldn't budge. "Krikky, fury cutter." Dawn instructed. His scythe arms glowing red, the Cricket Pokémon tried attacking the door, but even against a Pokémon attack wouldn't put anything more than a scratch into it. The teens even observed that the windows were boarded up, making the room much darker, and likely not as easy to budge like the door. Deciding to go up the stairs, they took the right case, unaware that the faded pictures of the former occupants followed them as they went. When they reached the second floor, they felt a chill along with echoes surrounding them. It sounded like... the giggle of a little girl.
"Dawn, did you hear... that?" He turned to ask her a question when he found he was alone except for Staravia, whom chirped out of shock from the realization. "You missed them too?" Staravia shook his head. "Well then, let's get a little bit of reassurance. "Luxio, Buizel, come out." Ash summoned two more of his Pokémon, observing the creepy environment and being seemingly unfazed. "I believe ghosts are haunting us. Let's keep on our toes." The three Pokémon nodded their heads as Ash can co. went into the hallway past the middle door. He boldly shouted, "Come on out, you ghosts! I can take on anything you got! Give me back Dawn, and nobody has to die a second time!" He was answered with the same giggling from a girl, leaving a phantasmal feeling ringing in his ears. He looked up to see a girl standing on the ceiling. She looked between 8-10 years old, her brown hair reaching her shoulders, not falling towards the floor defying gravity. She wore a pure white little dress that melded so well with her pale skin tone.
"A visitor? Would you like to play with me please?" The girl asked.
"Steady..." Ash relayed to his Pokémon, even though he lost some of his skin color and was getting a cold sweat.
"Let's..." Her neck grew a red line that dripped blood up her face. "Play..." Her head started removing itself, her skin and muscle ripping, the spine of her neck popping off so that her head hovered in the air by itself. Ash nearly threw up from this sight, and his Pokémon reacted the same. "a..." Her eyes went black, her hair formed hair tentacles as they extended and recolored into bleach white, and her teeth sharpened into fangs.
"Attack!" Ash commanded.
"GAME!" The head screeched like scratching metal, flying towards Ash's throat.
Ash! Ash!" Dawn cried out, surrounded by her Prinplup, Star, Buneary, Sparky and Krikky. They were also calling out with their respective names. "Ash, where are you?!" How could this have happened? She looked away only for a second at the painting thinking she was being watched and somehow Ash was gone, his Staravia too. It was like he never existed right next to her. Dawn knew she was risking her life coming in here in the first place, but without Ash, the manor became a million times frightening and worse. So she surrounded herself with all her Pokémon except Onix since the house wasn't large enough. When she heard footsteps, she immediately ran towards it, assuming it was Ash. Star and Buneary were able to keep up. However, the person she found was but a butler, quite elderly and holding a dish tray with a lid on it. His white hair covered the left side of his glasses.
"Oh my, it's been so long since we've had a visitor." Was it just her but did he seem too calm in a place like this? Dawn's Pokémon caught up to her.
"Please, can you help me?! I've lost a very good friend here! I don't know where he is!" She pleaded.
"It's this... Ash character, that you were yelling about? I can help you find him. I know the place like nobody else. Follow me." The butler bowed before walking. Dawn was about to follow him when Krikky stopped her, chirping in sheer warning.
"What's wrong Krikky?"
"Yes, what is…" The butler turned to them rather creepily before brushing the bangs in his face away, revealing his unobstructed face, only for the left lens of his glasses to shatter with an all encompassing sound of a gunshot, and his left eyeball replaced by a bloody tunnel leaking blood and brain matter. "...wrong?" Dawn screamed as her Pokémon in a panic fired their best long range attacks if they had any at the butler, creating an explosion. When the dust settled, only the skull of his head and the bones of his hands remained as they glowed purple. It cackled as it grew larger and the skull grew horns while its mouth glowed with green hellfire. Dawn and all her Pokémon shrieked with horror as they ran as fast as they could, rounding several corners and then entering a room with a tv. Upon closing the door, she and her team waited in silence if that apparition would come for them. It was then that the tv, despite not being plugged in, turned on. Their heads whipped towards the 1950's television set as the static flickered and cackled as a creepy smiley face appeared, making everyone in the room jump until the Pokémon left the tv screen, showing itself as a small, lightbulb shaped ghost with lightning bolts for arms as they went around randomly.
"Rotom! It squeaked as it flew through the door. Dawn blinked before opening the door to see Rotom use shockwave to hold the skull apparition off. Dawn ushered her Pokémon Dawn and her Pokémon ran so that they were relatively safe when she turned a corner and smacked into Ash. Dawn was caught by her Pokémon before she could even begin to fall back. Ash wasn't so lucky as he fell on his rump.
"Ouch! Wha-Ash!" Dawn cried out as she hoisted him up and hugged him as tightly as she could crying. "Thank god I found you! This is so scary! I flaming skull tried to eat me! My Pokémon didn't hurt it one bit!"
"Dawn, Dawn! It's okay now!" Ash assured her as he got out of her grip and placed his hands on her face to look into her eyes. "We're together now. Together, nothing can defeat us. Okay?" She wasn't sure of it, but the way he seemed so calm and determined despite the circumstances did calm her down, if only to the point of no longer being hysterical.
"Okay." She replied with a whisper.
"Good. Because..." He then bear hugged Dawn like she did him. "It was horrifying what I fought! A floating head of a girl. She tried to eat my head! I was so thankful my Pokémon were already out. I don't want to lose you again!" He sobbed, letting his true emotions run loose. Dawn patted his back. From out of nowhere, Rotom appeared.
"Rotom!" It cheered. Ash shrieked like a girl and jumped into Dawn's arms, clutching to her tight. She struggled a little bit, but not so much that it was very difficult.
"Augh, another head!" He shouted in sheer fear. Rotom spoke to their Pokémon before heading into the ceiling hall lights, sending zaps into them along the way. All their Pokémon followed the ghost type.
"I guess they want us to follow it.
"Oh man." Ash complained. Dawn rolled her eyes as she just dropped him onto the floor and stepped over his body.
"If you're going to be a fearless leader, don't choke." She lectured him. Ash grumbled as he picked himself up, dusted his clothes, and followed her. They followed the flickering light until they came up to a door that opened for them. It went downstairs, like it went straight for the basement. Resolving his nerve, Ash took Dawn's hand and went first as after the Pokémon did before them. They took careful steps not to trip. Once they finally reached the bottom floor, they turned on their flashlights to see it was part storage room, part laundry room. Rotom once again appeared out of nowhere. It hovered around the teams a few times before zapping into Ash's backpack.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Ash called out to it as he got out his laptop which was cackling. He opened it and words appeared.
Do not worry. I mean no harm. The girl and butler are the real dangers.
"What is going on here?" Dawn asked no one in particular.
This machine allowing me speak. Don't worry, I won't damaged it once I leave. This manor construction in 1949, completed in 1951. My trainer... forgot her name. Something... terrible happened make everyone stay away one day. Aside from unfortunate souls now and again, nobody come here 47 years. You two lasted longer than most came here. Those ghosts... not Pokémon. Want to absorb life force who comes. Keeps them existing. Must destroy anchors.
"What are these anchors?" Ash questioned.
Plush penguin. Smoking pipe. Backyard. Last moments... alive.
"How do we get there?" Dawn asked the ghost Pokémon.
Split up. One distracts. One helps me.
"Dawn, you go help Rotom. I'll hold them off." Ash instructed.
"Why?"
"Your Pokémon are as strong and skilled as mine, but you don't have the mind of a battler. Split second decisions, tactics, creative thinking, your instinctual skills are not as sharp as mine in the field of battle. Barry and I have done pretend battles for years so that when we did become trainers, we would not be complete noobs. Do you understand?" Ash wasn't expecting though for Dawn to look a little dejected.
"Wow, tear me down completely why don't ya?"
"Sorry." He apologized. "Let's just get this over with." Ash shook his head as he picked up his laptop and all of them were guided back to the entrance hall. From then Rotom exited the laptop and guided Dawn towards the backyard. When Ash was alone, he felt that chill run down his spine again, but was prepared this time for real.
"Come on you poltergeist. Show yourself."
"Here I am." He heard behind him. He and his Pokémon turned towards the little girl, whom was glowing. Her neck was still disconnected by the red ripped line through her neck, her black eyes and long white hair. Ash was feeling the fear, but none of his mind was leaning toward flight. For Dawn's sake.
"I can show you a great time. Put you and the girl a sweet dream."
"You stay away from her!" Ash demanded. "You're facing me now! I won't let you get anywhere near her!"
"Don't you want to play?" She asked, starting to cry.
"This is not a game! Staravia, quick attack!" Ash commanded. His bird Pokémon zoomed toward the girl ghost. The girl transformed into something demonic.
Dawn was having her own issues as everything that wasn't bolted down came flying at her. Star destroyed paintings, Buneary destroyed tables, Sparky destroyed chandeliers, and Krikky destroyed anything else. Rotom turned right down a hallway in which Dawn and her Pokémon followed, but were stopped by the butler, whom wasn't even covering up his horror by having his butler clothes, but his hands and skull were still glowing purple and green flames, his left eye socket having outreaching cracks and a glowing green eye in there
"Ah, it's the lost lady." He said in a calm yet malevolent tone, his voice sounding like burning wood. "I'll lead you the right way."
"No thanks Mr. Phantom. I already have a guide. Now if you'll get out of the way..." Dawn shooed, wanting him to leave. His ethereal eye glowed brighter in anger.
"I shall not let you harm madam. She would just love having new playmates for the next few years."
"Not a chance! Sparky, use bite to crush his skull!" The researcher refused. Sparky tried biting into the butler, but he vanished in green and purple smoke.
"Naughty children deserve to be punished." Dawn heard behind her. She felt a hand enter her back and felt a chilling hand around her heart, like he was going to crush the organ, but Rotom was able to zap the ghost away with shockwave. With the butler momentarily stunned, Sparky doubled back and bit onto his skull hand, making the phantasm cry in agony from the dark type move putting fanged pressure on his damaged skull. The skull vanished along with the body, moving away as he reformed, his body growing higher yet thinner, hunching over from becoming higher than the ceiling, and his flaming bones hands disconnected from his arms, moving on their own. One of the hands tried to grab Dawn, but Prinplup got in between and used bubble beam to put out the fire of the hand, resulting the hand to cringe back with the skull growling, but that was nothing as Prinplup then used metal claw to smash the hand apart, inflicting even more pain to the monster. Seeing an opportunity, Dawn and her Pokémon ran while it was recovering.
"YOU WILL NOT RUIN OUR AFTERLIVES!" The demonic butler screamed after them. Dawn and Rotom saw a door to the outside, so Rotom used shockwave to destroy the locked door so that they got outside. Upon reaching the outdoors, Dawn stopped and looked to see the apparition come out as well and stood as tall as a tree, its broken hand recovered and relit. "Ready to die?!" He screamed like Hell itself asked her.
"Not by a long shot! Onix, I choose you!" Dawn summoned her huge 30 ft. Rock Snake Pokémon. Prinplup stood to his right, Sparky stood to his left. "You three, hold him off while I destroy the stone!" Dawn instructed as she left her Pokémon to fight. The poltergeist tried getting around them, but Onix roared as he wrapped himself around its body while Prinplup used bubble beam on its head and Sparky bit into its leg. She, Star, Buneary, Krikky and Rotom went to the absolute back of the backyard to see two skeletons. No flesh left. The butler's real skeleton looked like he was trying to protect the girl's real skeleton, but failed as there was no skull on the smaller body. On the ground near their legs were a smoking pipe and a plush piplup, somehow keeping vegetation reaching them. "Krikky, use fury cutter!" The Cricket Pokémon again grew red energy claws, and he was able to slash away at the skeletons, and destroyed the pipe and toy.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo…." The large apparition screeched as he grew smaller and smaller, the flames going out and his glasses breaking completely. With increased pressure from Onix, he crushed the skeleton into bone fragments which dissolved into ethereal gas until nothing remained. Dawn collapsed onto her knees as she finally could take deep breaths.
Back inside the entrance hall, Ash lied on his back. Despite his speed, power and instinct, all of his Pokémon were defeated. He tried fighting her off with a metal bar but he stood no chance as he was flung into a wall. She giggled evilly.
"That was quite fun. Nobody has played with me for that long or intensely. You'll make a fine friend on the other side. But now, it's time to eat." The girl stated as her hair was going to pierce his brain and heart. He braced himself, believing he failed Dawn and his mother when the chill went away all of the sudden.
"No. No! NO! My favorite toy! Who hurt him?! Please, I'm not done yet! I don't want to go again! Please! AUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" She screamed as her body burst into flame. Her dress, hair and skin revealed the muscle underneath until that too disintegrated until there was a shouting skeleton floating in the air, which crumbled into dust, the girl's voice going quieter and quieter until nothing remained. Ash stayed still looking at where the girl was until all the tension in his body let go, lying on the ground panting.
"What... the... hell?"
Dawn was brought back into reality when Rotom floated into her face trying to warn her.
"Wha? Rotom? What's wrong?" Her question was answered as the ground where the shattered skeletons were started sinking into the Earth, beaming a bright green light up into the air. And the whole was getting bigger. "Right. Run!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she grabbed hold of Buneary and dashed as fast as she could. Getting out two Pokeballs, she returned two of them. "Sparky, Krikky, return!" The hole was expanding as the ground caved into the hole was growing quicker, soon it will outpace her running. Dawn and Prinplup latched onto Onix's tail. "Onix, just plow right through! There's no time to go around!" With a determined roar, Onix just pushed itself past through the manor, which was easy to do as there was only decayed wood and weakened rock to burrow through.
Ash just returned his Pokémon into their spheres so that they wouldn't suffer anymore. He heard a crash coming from behind the wall, and he groaned quite exasperatedly,
"Oh come one! I thought they were gone!" What he didn't expect was Onix bursting through the wall with Dawn on his tail. Ash freaked out from the sudden surprise as he leapt out of the way of the rock snake smashed his way through the front wall.
"Ash! Run away! It's coming!" Dawn yelled to warn him. Ash wondered what she meant until he looked to see the house being dragged down into a bright green hole consuming the property. Ash became even more frightened as he dashed away so fast even Barry would whistle impressed. He jumped onto Onix's tail, and they got out of the front gate before witnessing the front of the manor twisting and buckling under the suction force of the whole before falling back into it, along with the dead garden, the fountain and up to the gates. All the while the bright green beam became wider and wider in the sky, showing the souls trapped there for decades crying from both the torment, and the freedom they now have. And once it seemed like it couldn't get any grander... it all disappeared, just like that. Like all of that never happened except for the large hole in the clouds showing the endless night sky. All the Pokémon and the two humans who witnessed it were... the emotions were beyond description. They just couldn't comprehend what went on. That bike owner must've been lied to, because that was no poultry grade gastly shenanigans they just experienced. Returning the rest except Onix, Dawn tiredly and snakingly pointed to the bright lights of Eterna City, "Onix, take us there, please." The Rock Snake obliged as it travelled slowly for the sake of his shell shocked owner and her friend. By the time they left the forest, police officers arrived at the entrance to investigate what went on in there. Once they got out, Officer Elenny gasped.
"Wait, I remember those kids! And they don't look good take them to a hospital!" She told the backup. Ash and Dawn were gently escorted into the cars, and were taken back to Eterna City, Onix in tow.
A/N: Wow. I was honestly not expecting a horror chapter out of this. But man, this was quite some really good stuff. I wonder how I can give proper credit to FoxBluereaver for the foundation of my inspiration? Well, anyway. One of you told me about Dawn. Ha, your comment was quite amusing, KakeruPB. It does sort of seem like she's dragging him around a bit. However, think of it like this, their personalities are somewhat reversed if we look at it from the anime. Ash was the one leading everybody into everything while Dawn with the help of Brock tries to be the normal people. Has been since Misty started traveling with him and hasn't stopped since. Now in here, Ash is the reserved one who wants to do things at his own pace while Dawn is the researcher who's been given a really big assignment by Prof. Rowan, so of course she's going to drag Ash around time to time, but they have established for the most part to backtrack if the other is left behind. After all, she led him around in Jubilife City for the Poketch. I'm just trying to give her the spotlight as much as Ash so that she's not overshadowed. I think my explanation is understandable. With that answered, let's go. By the way, I'm making bikes more affordable. The most expensive bike in real life is 500,000. Typical bike stores wouldn't carry such a precious bike. Tell me what you think in the reviews below.