AJ was still trying to make sense of what just happened here. Something was terribly wrong with Melody. "W-what have you done to Melly!?" AJ backed away several steps, running square into Eeveen in his haste to get away from her. Sure, she looked like Melody, but the glowing eyes and the floating... There was no way this could actually be her. She tried to shut the door in AJ's face, but he grabbed the doorknob and yanked it out of her grasp. "Leave her alone! Get out!"
The imitation looked at the two of them with a cold expression. "I said, GO AWAY! This is my home!"
"Let go of Melody first!" AJ demanded, "Then we'll all leave you alone."
"Melody" paused, looking down at herself with a smirk. "Oh. Is this form that important to you?" She chuckled and looked back up at AJ, that ruby glint still in her eyes. "Good. Now you will feel my pain for a change! You will know what it means to endure loss! It serves your arrogant species right!" "Melody" glowered down at him, almost as if she were enjoying this.
"Your pain?" Eeveen queried, "What are you? What did you do with Melody?!"
At this, "Melody" just glared again, her expression souring, "It doesn't matter if I tell you anything! No human can understand my suffering..."
"Try me." Eeveen pushed by AJ, stepping between him and "Melody", "I've been through more than you know. I'm sure if we just talk it out-"
"Shut up!" Eeveen's words only seemed to anger her, and he cringed at her shout. "I despise your kind! Stupid, arrogant, sniveling, humans! You only say that because I've got the upper hand. I'm in charge here. This is my world." She cackled wickedly, a dark violet aura forming around her body. Both Eeveen and AJ backed further away at her bizarre display.
"I've changed my mind! I think I'll torture you human scum! I forgot just how much fun it is to make humans scream!" As she spoke, the black aura clung to her body, and her features changed dramatically. Her body widened and she shrunk as her grin widened into a wicked sneer. Her hair reformed into violet thorns, and her hands became long and talon-like. He recognized the Pokémon: a Haunter. No wonder Melody was acting like that! Just as he realized this, the Haunter screeched and shot a violet beam at them, barely missing AJ's face. AJ panicked and ran into the hallway as the ghost screeched and charged after him with claws bared. AJ instinctively reached into his pocket for Thorn's ball, ready to defend himself.
There was nothing there.
AJ frantically searched his other pockets, desperately searching for a Pokémon to fight Haunter with. It was then that he realized he must have left them back in the room. "Eeveen! I think I forgot my Pokémon! Do something!"
"Mine are gone too. I can't even find Lunaria or Solaris! They're gone!"
AJ shot Eeveen a glance. His face had paled and he seemed completely terrified. "What do you mean 'gone'!? I thought you never go anywhere without Lunaria and Solaris!"
"I can't even find their balls!" Eeveen seemed like he was on the verge of panic, "This is scary, AJ!"
AJ shot his gaze to the angry ghost. "Then there's no choice. You have to transform! It's up to you!"
"Me!?" Eeveen stared at the floor. "Do I have to...?"
"This Pokémon doesn't care what we think, Eeveen! We gotta show it what's what! Besides, would you rather get killed?! I sure don't!"
Eeveen sighed and transformed into his Eevee form. "Ugh. This okay?"
AJ thought it over for a moment. Sure, most of an Eevee's moves are normal-type and would have no effect on the ghost-type Haunter. Then again, a lot of Haunter's own moves wouldn't work on his Eevee form either. Maybe if he could land a few Bites in that would drive it off. "Eeveen! This is a ghost! Watch your attack-types! Try using a-"
Eeveen nodded, his Eevee ears flopping back and forth, "Yeah! I'll just do this!" He bounded into the air, flying straight through Haunter and banging into the opposite wall.
AJ sighed irritably. Eeveen sure picked a bad time to be an airhead! "What the?! Eeveen, pay attention, you idiot! Bite it!"
Eeveen shook himself off. "I...I just tried that!" Eeveen's ears shot straight up. "Move, AJ!" AJ had no time to wonder what he meant all of a sudden. He suddenly leaped up and tackled into AJ's chest, knocking him on his butt. AJ shook himself in surprise. Just as AJ was about to scold that batty guy, he saw Haunter rush by where he was standing in a blur of violet energy. Eeveen was just shoving him aside!
"You okay, AJ?" Eeveen asked, his ears back as he spun around to face AJ.
"I'm OK...thanks." AJ stood back up. "Now what? Bite doesn't work..."
"Well, we gotta do something! That Haunter really wants to kill us!" Eeveen shook his head. "But what in Mew's name is going on here?! Bite should have been perfect..."
"Try something different! How about Hidden Power?"
"Oh, good idea!" Eeveen started glowing green. "Here goes!" Suddenly, he shot out six green orbs at Haunter. This finally hit, and it flinched.
"Yes!" AJ pumped a fist in the air. "It's working! Do it again!" Eeveen nodded and repeated the move, hitting Haunter square in the face and knocking it back through a wall.
"Yeah!" AJ looked down to see Eeveen doing a back flip. "Woohoo! This'll teach that stupid ghost!"
"How dare you!" AJ looked back up and was met with another surprise. The ghost was back, but Haunter had transformed again. Now, Haunter looked exactly like him! "This is why I hate humans! Such arrogance!"
"Gah!" Eeveen jumped back, his fur on end, "What's your problem?! Go away already! We don't want to fight you!"
"Don't get indignant with me!" The doppelganger snarled, "Humans are the very reason I suffer!"
"Suffer?" AJ asked, "What happened to you? We can help you if-"
"Shut up!" A furious snarl spread on its face, "Once you've spent your life as an experiment, then maybe you can compare your petty lies to me!"
Eeveen turned into his Espeon form, "I was an experiment."
"...Humph!" Haunter simply glared at Eeveen. AJ swallowed hard. What if Haunter didn't believe Eeveen? It seemed so fixated on destroying them... "Fine. Speak your part." Haunter's sadistic smile returned, "If I don't like what you say, you'll spend all eternity as my dream-slaves!"
"What!?" AJ's eyes widened in shock, "Now that's unfair!"
"That goes double for you, you irritating trainer!" Haunter glared harshly at AJ. "As I said, this is my world. I am your master so long as you are here!"
"Okay, okay..." AJ desperately tried to placate the angry ghost. If it was serious about what it said, then...he had no choice but to try and pacify its outrage. He still had no idea exactly what was happening, but it was clear this Haunter was the cause.
"Here...I will lend you my thoughts." Eeveen closed his eyes and his forehead jewel started to glow.
"Don't you dare touch my...!" Haunter's rant was cut short and its expression fell flat. "Really. Hmm."
Haunter seemed to contemplate something. "Interesting..."
"What was that?" AJ asked.
"I just gave it some of my memories." Eeveen replied, as casual as if he were talking about the weather, "I thought it was better if it saw what I did firsthand."
"I see. That one used to be a human." Haunter looked at Eeveen analytically, "Interesting. Here I assumed this was perhaps a clever Ditto."
"A Ditto!?" Eeveen seemed offended, "Yeesh. That hurts."
"I understand a little now." Haunter sighed, "This is awkward..."
"I don't mind." Eeveen transformed back into his human form. "Now talk to us. Why did you kidnap us?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. You're just dreaming."
Dreaming! This was a nightmare! Eeveen was clearly unamused and he waved a hand at Haunter, "You know what I mean! Why did you do this to us?"
"...Hm." Haunter just stared between them, "I think it's better if I release you two. Go to the basement of the hotel. You'll find your answers there. I just ask one thing in return."
"What's that?" AJ wasn't sure he wanted to listen to the ghost's request, but he had little choice now.
Haunter's response was simple, but surprising. "When you find it, put my body to proper rest."
"Put your body to rest? Then...!" AJ was upset. Had its past trainer not even cared?! The thought made AJ angry. No Pokémon deserved to be abandoned! As AJ looked back at Haunter, he noticed his vision starting to fade out.
"Don't forget." Haunter pointed at AJ meaningfully, "If you do, I'll haunt you!"
AJ was starting to get dizzy suddenly. He tried to lean against the wall for support, but found himself falling instead. AJ was scared: just what was Haunter doing now?! His panicked thoughts grew muddled, and his world blacked out before he hit the ground.
"-UP already!" AJ was faintly aware of a girl's voice shouting at him and a hand shaking his shoulder.
"It's no use. They're still unconscious..." This was a boy's voice this time.
"This isn't fair... Why won't they wake up!?"
AJ groaned and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a very upset Melody, clinging to his arm and crying. "M...Melly?"
Melody looked up, her eyes wide in surprise. Her expression quickly soured and she shot to her feet, scowling at him. "AJ! You're such an ass!"
"Huh?" AJ sat up and looked around. He was laying down on a cot. There were several medical machines scattered around the room. The room was painted a distinct pink color that AJ recognized right away. "I'm in a Pokémon Center?"
"How'd we get here?" Eeveen said from the bed next to his.
"Great! You two finally came around." AJ turned to see Cheren standing on his right. "Are you alright? Do you feel weak or lightheaded?"
"No...just tired." AJ yawned, still feeling rather sleepy.
"We...collapsed?" Eeveen seemed just as puzzled as AJ, "How'd that happen? I don't remember..."
"Melody said she found you two collapsed in the lobby of the hotel." Cheren looked between them with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I guess..." AJ scratched his head and yawned again.
"How can you still be sleepy?!" Melody said in anger, "You've been out for three days!"
"We were asleep for three days?!" Eeveen asked.
"You're not off the hook either, fuzz-butt!" Melody glared back at Eeveen.
AJ sighed in exasperation. This wasn't going to be easy to explain at all...