Chapter no.35: Funeral
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Austin gazed upon the battlefield built from tombstones that his opponent had mushed together for them to battle.
The distorted voice of Butch said," Arise !"
Chills went down Austin's spine as he saw that corpses all around him seemed to be possessed with some kind of aura before the energy tore off chunks and amalgamated them into a skeletal appendage that looked like a rotting white hand as its bony fingers curled into a half-fist with rotting strips of flesh dangling from the bones. Dangling tendons indicate the hand was severed by another creature.
( ~ Brr ~ )
Austin couldn't take in the sight of this rotting white hand as he threw up on the floor.
Pikachu patted Austin's back while everyone else looked at the entity and the white hand with their guards up ready to defend their trainer with their lives on the line.
" I sent my first pokemon, u send urs."
Austin rubbed his burning throat as he looked at the white hand floating in the center of the ghostly battlefield.
Austin didn't say a word as he telepathically communicated with his pokemon via Muna.
" Rwrr !"
With a loud screech, Shedninja appeared on the battlefield against the white hand.
{ Shedninja, use shadow Sneak to dodge that thing's attack }
In response to his trainer's telepathic command via Munna, Shedninja screeched loudly before phasing into the ground becoming a shadow.
" Punch !" The entity called out as the white hand crashed into the ground shaking the entire floor as cracks spread out causing Austin to gulp.
Good thing Shedninja was his opponent.
Austin thought as he tried to think of a plan to escape he was pretty sure this thing that was possessing Butch's corpse would kill him and his pokemon regardless if they win the battle or not.
It was just playing with them.
Austin telepathically asked Pikachu something via Munna as Pikachu jumped into his backpack and switched on the Pokedex before switching towards the transfer system.
Looking a Krabby's PokeBall, Pikachu took a deep breath.
{ ... }
{ It works. }
Munna's message gave Austin a sigh of relief. At least he found a way to help his pokemon escape. If it ever comes down to it at least he could save them but knowing them, they would stick by his stick till the very end.
{ Is there a way out? }
{ I don't know }
?..? ﾝﾗﾲ? ﾝﾗﾽ...? ﾝﾗﾲ
{ What if you set up a large enough Trick Room? }
{ We could escape but Pikachu and Scizor wouldn't be able to escape this monster }
( ~ Boom ~ )
?..? ﾝﾗﾲ? ﾝﾗﾽ...? ﾝﾗﾲ
The white hand tore the entire battlefield apart but Shedninja easily managed to evade everything.
{ But there might be a way }
{ How ?! }
{ I can telepathically sense that the giant haunter is somehow being controlled.}
{ Are you suggesting that Black F...I mean the giant haunter is our way out? }
{ Yes, currently haunter is the most informed pokemon that would know what that thing is and what its weaknesses are. }
?..? ﾝﾗﾲ? ﾝﾗﾽ...? ﾝﾗﾲ
{ Munna, are you sure about this? }
{ ... }
{ MUNNA, ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS? }
{ I don't know }
{ WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW ?! }
{ I JUST DON'T, HAUNTER IS BEGGING FOR HELP AND I FIGURED THAT IT WILL RETURN THE FAVOUR! }
{ Munna, are you saying that your plan is based on a hunch that the haunter might help us if we help it }
{ ... }
{ MUNNA, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING TO HAVE US GET POTENTIALLY KILLED JUST FOR A HUNCH ! }
{ ... I am sorry }
{ ( ~ Sigh ~ ) I am also sorry for shouting, I don't think I could live with myself if anyone of you ended up like Raticate }
{ Then what should we do? }
{ Let me think about it }
{ Munna, can you locate the device that team rocket used to hide their presence from the ghost-type Pokemon }
{ I can but why? }
{ We are going to use that to escape. }
{ Would that work? }
{ It could but we'll need help... some insider help }
" Screech ! "
Orbs of ominous flames covered the white hand as Shedninja used Will-o'-wisp on the Frankenstein-like creature.
The entity's smile eerily got bigger as it felt that the resentment of the dead with the walls between this plane of reality and the realm of ghosts " The Afterlife" was slowly breaking.
The plane between the Afterlife and the Physical world was loosening.
" Why are you smiling ?"
Hearing Austin's question, the head on Butch's body did a 360° turn causing Austin to take a step back.
" Are u scared for me like those people who buried me alive ?"
What ?!
The entity's words caused Austin's heart to almost stop as he remembered a weird creepypasta floating around on the internet back on Earth about the lost boss of Lavender Tower who was a zombie trainer.
Austin paused for a second as he didn't know if this entity was " The Buried Alive " or maybe was just looking into the similarities between this entity and Buried Alive.
" Y..you were buried alive."
" Kekeke, of course, I was."
The surrounding ghostly energy began to oscillate at an alarming rate.
Scizor and Charmeleon stepped up in front of Austin while Fearow and Pidgeot stood at the back.
" U know why I was buried alive because I wanted to find a way to bring her back. My precious Eevee. And what did I get in return, a nameless grave where I suffered until my screaming voice could no longer come out of my mouth."
Austin closed his eyes and ears as the hollow wail of buried alive echoed throughout the Lavender Tower.
" U know u are quite similar to me."
" W...what ?"
" U lost your precious Raticate at the hands of these people. I can see from the memories of this guy, a woman with red hair bragging about how she had used an extremely deadly and incurable poison on your Raticate which would cause excruciating pain until death. I wonder how much pain your Raticate must have been in during the last moments of its life."
Buried Alive's words caused Austin to look down as his hat overshadowed his eyes which glowed red.
Buried Alive raised an eyebrow before outstretching his hand.
" I would like to extend an offer."
" What is it ?"
" Join me."
" What ?!"
" Join me and I'll help you in getting your revenge against these people."
The wind howled mournfully through the decrepit gravestones as Austin stood facing the twisted figure before him. Buried Alive's disfigured face twisted into a grotesque smile as he spoke.
"Of course, I can help you get your revenge, boy. But you must help me first."
Fearow screeched angrily at Austin, its wings flapping furiously. As Austin tried to calm the enraged bird.
"I know you're angry, Fearow, but please calm down," Austin said.
Austin spoke up, his voice low and filled with tension. "Team Rocket is an international criminal organization. How can you possibly help me take revenge against them?"
Buried Alive chuckled, the sound sending shivers down Austin's spine. "You underestimate me, boy. I am a servant of the void, the darkness that Arceus banished from this plane of existence. Do you really believe I cannot help you achieve your revenge?"
Austin hesitated, unsure of what to make of this strange and unsettling figure. Buried Alive seemed to sense his unease and leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with a mad intensity.
"When I look at you, boy, I see myself when I was but a naive fool, struggling to get justice against the world for taking my precious Eevee. I can help you get your revenge, but you must become my vessel."
Austin felt his heart race as Buried Alive outstretched his hand, which began to glow with a ghostly aura. "You will become the strongest, boy. All this power you see before you, all of it will be yours, as long as you become my vessel."
'So that's what his plan was ?'
Austin thought as Buried Alive spoke, Austin's Pidgeot and Fearow screeched in protest, their wings outstretched.
( ~ Sigh ~ )
Austin suddenly opened his pokeballs as he returned the two avians causing orbs of white to form around them that suddenly disappeared.
Austin returned Wortortle, Charmeleon, Krabby, Ninjask, and Bulbasaur
Walking alongside Pikachu, Austin took a step forward as he returned Shedninja.
But Austin remained resolute, taking a step forward and asking, "Will I become as powerful as you?"
Buried Alive smiled, a grotesque expression that seemed to stretch his already twisted features to their limits. "No, boy. You will become even stronger."
As Austin moved closer, Buried Alive could barely contain his excitement. He could feel the power coursing through his veins, ready to be unleashed. But just as Austin was about to step within arm's reach, he stopped.
"What's wrong?" Buried Alive asked, his smile faltering for a moment.
"Can I ask you something?" Austin said, his voice oddly calm.
Buried Alive hesitated, unsure of what to make of Austin's sudden change in demeanor.
"Did you meet Giratina before or after you died ?"
Buried Alive's eye widened at Austin's words. Before he could respond, however, Austin's jacket opened, revealing a miniature Clefairy whose entire body was covered in a psychic aura.
With stored power, Clefairy converted his belly drum and Butterfree's Quiver Dance into pure psychic energy that had only one target.
With a sudden burst of energy, Clefairy unleashed a wave of psychic energy, blasting Buried Alive and the alpha haunter back into the wall. The force of the blast shattered the gravestones around them and sent debris flying in every direction.
( ~ Boom ~ )
Scizor emerged from Austin's shadow using pursuit as he clashed with the white hand using brick break.
The floor beneath Scizor's feet cracked as he threw a device with a crystal embedded into it towards his trainer who activated the device suddenly dark type energy flowed out covering Austin and Pikachu who seemed to turn invisible to the ghosts of Lavender Tower.
Scizor mocked the white hand before disappearing into the shadows.
...
Buried Alive was pissed as it found the human boy to be missing.
Through Butch's memories, Buried Alive knew that the human was using a special crystal that was made naturally when the bodies of dark-type Pokemon are fossilized for thousands of years under the pressure and heat of underwater volcanoes hence these crystals were rare. So rare that only a hundred people in the entire world knew of their existence.
These crystals could cover the body of anyone touching it in a veil of dark type energy effectively making them invisible to ghosts.
Buried Alive had a sadistic smile as he let out a bellowed laugh that showed traces of insanity echoed through the halls.
Hide, Hide like the prey you are. I'll enjoy hunting you down.
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Austin's spine tingled with an icy sensation as he heard the maniacal cackling of Buried Alive echo through the halls.
( ~ Crack ~ )
( ~ Boom ~ )
Under the command of Buried Alive, the white hand began thrashing about causing destruction wherever it hit.
Austin and Pikachu hopped onto Scizor's back as they flew out of the room at high speeds.
Austin had given an explicit command.
Find Marowak.
While Scizor and Pikachu were confused at their Trainer's decision of action but they didn't question him as they knew their trainer wouldn't give them a command that would get them into danger.
Munna meanwhile had figured out what Austin was trying to do.
Buried Alive would more than likely target marowak and her son and use them as hostages to flush them out.
{ Munna, can you think of a way to get some help from that haunter? }
{ I can but that would alert that thing. }
{ What if we distract buried alive? Could you then contact Haunter telepathically? }
{ Yes but you have to distract the thing long enough for me to establish a telepathic connection. }
{ How long ? }
{ 1 minute }
{ ... }
{ Trainer, are we going to be ok? }
{ Don't worry Munna, we will be fine. Just think of this as a bad dream. }
{ That's called a nightmare }
{ ( ~ Chuckle ~ ) I wasn't aware. }
{ Hehehe }
{ Munna, can you tell Scizor and Pikachu my plan? }
{ I am all ears }
{ You don't have any ears, Munna }
{ ... }
{ ... }
{ That's cringe }
{ Just tell them my plan! }
Austin said with a frown as he clicked on his Pokedex.
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[Lavender Tower - Hidden Burrow]
Cubone shut his eyes tight, trying to drown out the cacophony of destruction wrought by the white hand. Clutching to his mother's club, he huddled next to her, scanning the shadows for any sign of danger. Marowak, on high alert, peered up at the trembling ceiling, wondering about the fate of the human boy. What manner of creature could control such a monstrous power? And what horrors lay in store for them all?
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Buried Alive limped through the graveyard, his spectral form gliding past the crumbling tombstones and tangled weeds that had grown over the graves. The chill of death hung heavily in the air, and the faint whispers of the departed echoed all around him.
He paused as he reached one of the oldest graves in Lavender Tower, and his ghostly energy began to swirl around the headstone. With a flicker of his ectoplasmic essence, he cleared away the centuries of mold and decay that had obscured the stone, revealing the faded inscription that had lain hidden for so long.
"Here lies Eve," he murmured, the melancholic note in his voice carrying across the silent graveyard.
His spectral hand phased through the grave, and he retrieved a crystal orb from within. Its surface glowed with a ghostly aura, and Buried Alive could feel the power radiating from it. This was the forbidden life orb, an item created from the remnant soul of a powerful Pokemon.
This was the forbidden life orb.
An item that was created from the remnant soul of that bastard.
( ~ Crack ~ )
( ~ Boom ~ )
Suddenly a loud bang caught the attention of Buried Alive as he threw the life orb toward the alpha shiny haunter.
Stop It !
Buried Alive just smirked at the alpha shiny haunter's pleas.
Buried Alive merely smirked at the Haunter's pitiful pleas. "Blame your trainer for abandoning you and dying," he spat out. "What was his name again? Ah, yes...Ethan Ainsworth. He got what was coming to him."
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Cubone looked up to the ceiling from his nest as he held his mother's club tightly near his heart that beats faster and faster as he and his mother heard steps coming towards their nest.
Cubone looked at his mother who had a feral look in her eyes ready to defend her child even if it meant dying.
Suddenly the steps stopped in front of the wooden plank that acted as a slanted roof for the mother and son.
Marowak took her club from her son as she stood in front of Cubone with her club outstretched.
( ~ Creak ~ )
As if an otherworldly force was acting on the plank as it was suddenly lifted.
Marowak threw a boomerang attack at the same time the roof was lifted.
( ~ Thud ~ )
( ~ Oops ~ )
Austin almost barfed out all his breakfast as Marowak's boomerang hit his stomach thankfully Butterfree was able to stop it on time otherwise Austin's stomach would have gone.
" Free !"
Butterfree yelled at Marowak for almost killing his trainer.
Marowak bowed her head in shame as Cubone ran out from his mother's back he hugged Austin's leg holding his stomach in pain.
Putting on a smile, Austin managed to squeeze out while patting Cubone's head.
" D... Don't worry, I ... am ... alright."
" Maro "
Marowak stepped forward to apologize but Butterfree's death glare caused her to stop.
" Free ."
Hearing Butterfree's concerned voice, Austin held his up to reassure the butterfly pokemon that he was alright.
Fighting against the pain, Austin went on one knee as he said," Miss Marowak, Buried Alive is roaming the halls of this tower. Currently, it is too dangerous for you and your son to remain here. So for your safety please go into this Pokeball and I'll transfer you to safety."
Marowak understood Austin's words via Butterfree's translation.
Looking at the Pokeball in Austin's hand, Marowak's mind flashed to the time when she had first encountered team rocket.
Marowak looked on as Austin smiled when Cubone showed him his club. Marowak knew that she could trust this kind of human who was unlike those monsters.
Cubone curiously looked at the Pokeball in Austin's hand before tapping it.
Austin and Marowak couldn't react at all as the Pokeball in Austin's hands glowed with white light before teleporting to professor oak's lab.
Marowak touched Austin's hand in disbelief as tears began to flow down his eyes.
Where is my son?
Where is my son ?!.
Seeing a hysterical mother crying Austin fumbled to calm her down.
" Don't worry Miss Marowak, your son is fine. Cubon is..."
Austin's words were cut off by a mind-numbing presence that appeared behind him.
" Or is he ?! "
Austin immediately turned around pushing Marowak behind him as Butterfree's eyes glowed while looking at the reanimated rotting corpse of Butch.
There stood in the corner with a Pokeball rotating on his finger was Buried Alive but he looked kinda different.
The skin of Butch's body had turned blue as blood flowed out from his eyes.
" You think u can save them? You couldn't even save your Raticate. What makes this any different? But I have to say, getting your pokemon to cause a distraction while you save the mother and child was admirable. Foolish of you to assume that I couldn't see through your plan, Boy! "
Buried Alive's words sent chills down Austin's spine as he recognized the Pokeball spinning on his finger.
It was Cubone's Pokeball.
But how ? Krabby's PokeBall was easily able to go through.
Did Buried Alive intercept the Pokeball mid-teleport?
" Hey, Hey, Hey, let's calm down. You said you wanted a vessel right."
Buried Alive had an insane look in his eyes as he clenched Cubone Pokeball.
" No!"
Austin stepped forward with sweat dripping down his face.
" You need a vessel, right? Just let go of that Pokeball and I will become your vessel."
" Too late boy "
The hands of Buried Alive clenched with an intensity that would make the devil himself tremble. Marowak, Butterfree, and Austin stood frozen, their eyes transfixed on the unfolding horror. And then, in a burst of violent energy, the Pokeball detonated with a force that shook the very ground beneath their feet.
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At the top of Lavender Tower, Scizor dodged past the White hand's punch as Pikachu on Scizor's back released a thunderbolt towards the manus of an amalgamated cadaver.
White Hand froze mind air as the smell of burnt flesh made Scizor and Pikachu hold their nostrils.
( ~ Whoosh ~ )
The shadows parted as a giant claw grabbed onto Scizor's metallic abdomen.
Pikachu glared at the eerie smile on the shiny Haunter's face.
White feathers shot out from somewhere in the sky catching the shiny alpha pokémon off guard as the feathers seemed to appear from all directions.
Just what is going on?
Haunter thought with a frown as Buried Alive's seal on his soul caused him to lash out violently.
Dark energy gathered around Haunter's claws but unlike before this energy was much more chaotic. This amplification was caused by the life orb dangling around Haunter's neck.
Haunter looked at the pokemon who were charging up their attacks toward him.
Escape.
Escape.
Escape.
Haunter was barely able to speak as he tried to warn these Pokemons.
Please escape or it will enslave you.
Haunter had a melancholic look in his eyes as he launched a gigantic claw-like wave of dark energy at Scizor and Pikachu while thinking.
Just what would you have done in my situation, Ethan?
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[ Roughly eight decades ago…]
"I do not understand, Ethan, what good would it do to leave the territory when you have the perfect haven to become a ghost master?" The elder man looked at his only son with apprehension. "You may think that you ran away, but in truth, we allowed you to travel all across Kanto to give you a taste of the life outside our haven so that you might realize the futility of your beliefs. We never anticipated that you would get lost in your delusions."
Ethan, now nineteen, simply looked away. He was tired of the rigid laws and traditions that his father, Artemis Ainsworth, upheld with great faith. Over the centuries, the House of Ainsworth had produced some of the most powerful and accomplished Ghost Masters in Kanto and the surrounding regions, so much that the name Ainsworth had come to be associated with mastery in ghost types. However, it was also true that the accomplishments dated over several generations, and there seemed to be an acute shortage of such accomplishments over the last three generations.
"I am only trying to stand up to the Ainsworth name, father." He replied, pride filling his voice. "We have stagnated, and we need to change in the coming times. We cannot just pretend that the world is all the same."
"Hah!" The sixty-ish man laughed. "If one also changes with the changing world, then how will one know that the times have changed?"
Ethan rolled his eyes. He had left Lavender Town back when he was fourteen, with his Gastly who was born with the monster gene - who had, through training, effort, and experience, evolved into a formidable Alpha Haunter. He and Haunter had faced the Draconids of the east, the Blackthorns, the Wataru people, the Caucasians, and the ice-people of the north. He and Haunter had grown in their self-imposed exile from home, learning, experiencing, and growing.
And now he was back for more of his family's residents to experience the larger world outside. He had… simply not estimated the true breadth of the situation.
"You ran away, dreamy-eyed like that, stayed out of communication for years, married that little skank from the Bavarian cliff-"
"Her name is Emily, and she's my wife. I'd request you not call her that." Ethan growled.
"Ha!" Artemis laughed. "As if some fisherwoman would ever become the lady of our elevated name. Admit it, Ethan… you have made many mistakes, but this is the end of it. I will not allow anyone to muddy the Ainsworth name to suit their foolish fantasies, not even my heir." The man's eyes shone crimson red. "I thought yourself capable of listening to proper advice, but it seems that won't be. I will have to show you the error of your ways, no matter if you want to accept the truth or not."
Almost instantly, something large and powerful gripped Ethan in behind, as two crimson eyes glowed in the darkness behind him—said creature's powerful claws gripping his shoulders, squeezing them to the point of hurting.
"Caesar." Ethan almost whimpered, as Caesar—his father's Haunter, began to slowly manipulate the ambient ghostly energies that Ethan's body had soaked over the entire time he had lived at the mansion, making the young man whimper in agony. "Father, tell him to stop."
"He will stop when you realize that I am the head of the Ainsworth name and that you are duty-bound to follow my orders." The man barked. "Caesar, bring him in."
But Ethan had other ideas, like managing to push his elbow into one of the Apricorn devices he had managed to acquire from a craft smith in the Canyon, in which pokémon could be stored for short intervals of time so that they could rest when injured. Sadly, the devices were quite fragile, despite being handy. So it was no surprise that the Apricorn ball fell from his robes to the ground, shattering into several pieces, as a dense cloud of dust and venomous gases shot out of them, condensing furiously into the form of a Haunter.
"Sylvi", Ethan yelled, letting out another whimper as Caesar's grip tightened, drawing blood. "Defend me."
The Alpha Haunter, let out a cackle, as her ominous eyes stared at Caesar, as the female ghost stared at her father after so many moons, before pushing herself with a gust of otherworldly energy, enough to push Caesar away from Ethan, slamming him through the walls, passing through them as if they were simply nothing… much to Artemis's apprehension.
"Sylvi…." The man muttered, "The one born from Caesar's fumes… wasn't it? That Gastly joined you on your foolish endeavor. How… serendipitous."
"And she has grown out of her father's dominion." Ethan returned, as he spotted Sylvi grabbing Caesar against the floor, trying to suffocate him through Miasma, a technique the Ainsworths were famous for. Ethan had only developed and refined the technique further to make it much more lethal and devastating. "As have I."
"The little dog has finally learned to growl, I see."
"No. You are simply hearing it for the first time."
Artemis stood in his place. "I suppose I am." His fists clenched. "I will, however, not accept any lowborn as part of my family. If you wish to continue with your woman and your foolish endeavors, then you are no longer my kin. Neither that woman nor your future offspring shall ever become an Ainsworth, not until I am alive."
Ethan however, was no longer listening, as he pulled out two more Apricorn balls out of his robes, the very same ones in which he had captured two Gastly he had found loitering inside his old room, wanting to take them with him in his journey.
"In that case, I declare that I captured two Gastly from the Mansion, Lord Ainsworth." He replied formally, raising the Apricorn balls, not noticing the surprised glance his father gave him. I need no further aid from my ancestry. I assure you, you will never hear from me… ever again."
He turned towards Sylvi. "Come on, Sylvi."
The Haunter in question, reformed back into her corporeal self, before positioning herself behind his shoulder. Without another word, Ethan and Sylvi walked down the steps of the mansion, much unaware of the look of complete shock in Artemis's eyes.
"…."
" Eth…." Artemis croaked... "Did my son just desert me, Caesar?"
Caesar just stared at the duo walking away from the Ainsworth mansion, his crimson eyes glowing ominously.
" Well, he will return. They all do, freedom isn't in the fate of the Ainsworth family. He is will return one day and fulfill his duty."
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As Sylvi, the alpha shiny haunter, traveled the tumultuous sea with her trainer, she couldn't comprehend the words of the family head. But as the years passed, her trainer matured in a way that felt almost unnatural, as though destiny had marked him for a return to a place that once made him feel like a caged bird.
And so it was that he fulfilled his fate, sealing away an unspeakable evil with his very life. Sylvi, unfortunately enslaved by Buried Alive, knew deep in her bones that it was fate for her trainer to perish, fate for her to be enslaved, and fate for her to take the lives of other pokemons.
Many claimed that fate could be changed, but Sylvi snorted at such a notion. In her eyes, fate was an absolute fact, unchanging and unwavering. She closed her eyes, unwilling to bear witness to yet another life lost at her spectral hands. For such was the cruel nature of fate, a force beyond the control of any mortal being, even a ghostly haunter.
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The top of Lavender Tower was a desolate place, with gusts of chilly wind whistling through the cracks in the stonework. The gray sky overhead hung low, casting a gloomy pallor over everything. The air was filled with the sound of flapping wings, as a Haunter materialized before Scizor and Pikachu. Haunter's melancholic expression belied the wickedness in his heart, as he unleashed a massive, claw-like wave of dark energy towards Scizor and Pikachu, who didn't show an ounce of fear.
As Haunter's attack bore down on them, a Fearow appeared as if from thin air. Its talons glowed with a bright white light as it slashed through the air, creating a black portal outlined in white. Fearow then plunged its talon into the portal, before unleashing the same attack back at Haunter's shadow claw. The two dark-type energies collided, struggling against each other with titanic force. Haunter was surprised by Fearow's sudden appearance, but then noticed a residual trace of dark type on Fearow's feathers. It dawned on Haunter that these pokemon were using that crystal to hide. Despite her vicious nature, Haunter couldn't help but smile. Perhaps these pokemon had a chance to survive.
Pikachu gave a thumbs up to Fearow, who snorted dismissively and turned his head. "I don't need your acknowledgment," he seemed to say. Pikachu rolled his eyes before patting Scizor's head. "It's time," he said.
Scizor clamped his claws before sinking into the shadows, in hot pursuit of their foe. Pikachu closed his eyes, channeling Dark type energy in his mind with a "Nasty Plot."
Fearow shot towards Haunter with Aerial Wing, but was intercepted mid-way by a white hand. Fearow's eyes flashed with anger before remembering a move his trainer had him working on. The white hand karate chopped at Fearow's wings, but Fearow suddenly turned his aerial wing into a drill run. Spinning mid-flight, Fearow dodged the white hand's chop and used the momentum provided by both aerial ace and drill run to land an extremely powerful steel wing onto the white hand.
Fearow's steel wing slashed through the lumps of flesh held together by ghostly energy. Fearow held through the pain as he outstretched his wings and flew up. The white hand was reduced to a pile of lumping pieces of flesh, meat, and bones held together by strings of ghostly energy. Fearow smirked as he saw the white hand turn towards him. The white hand moved forward, but its path towards Fearow was immediately halted as a line of dark clouds moved through it.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted as the line of black clouds erupted in a thunderous roar of electricity, disintegrating the white hand out of oblivion. "One down, one to go," he thought as he turned toward Haunter fighting against Scizor.
Haunter's life orb glowed as his claws glowed with ice-type energy. A layer of ice covered Scizor's claws, but Haunter could see that Scizor wasn't afraid. Suddenly, Scizor's body glowed with an esoteric aura before he teleported away. Left in Scizor's place was Munna, whose attire consisted of a pink fur pelt and a glowing orb of psychic energy.
Using Ally Switch, Munna and Scizor swapped places, as Munna's eyes glowed yellow. Psychic hypnotic waves shot out of them, putting the Shiny Alpha Haunter in a trance. "Sleep," Munna's voice whispered, as Haunter's eyes rolled back in his head
Scizor looked annoyed at Pikachu who was using his tiny claws to break the layer of ice.
( ~ Thud ~ )
Swinging his metal claw at the floor, Scizor broke the layer of ice as he looked at Pikachu as said.
This is how you do it.
Pikachu pouted and looked away.
I was just trying to help.
Fearow rolled his eyes as he looked at Munna and Haunter before thinking.
This plan better work or I just left that weak human of mine to that pathetic Pidgeot for nothing.
Munna's eyes glowed red. The sleeping shiny alpha haunter then also glowed red as a stream of red energy connected the two.
Fearow, Pikachu, and Scizor took a step forward as they knew that the plan had worked perfectly.
Nothing could ruin this moment.
Suddenly, Lavender Tower was filled with a deafening boom as a crimson aura blasted through the middle of the tower, shaking the entire structure. The Pokemon stood their ground, protecting Munna as she used Dream Eater on Haunter. Scizor, Pikachu, and Pidgeot all looked on in awe as the swirls of aura covered the entire Lavender Tower.
But then, Fearow's eyes widened, and he used Aerial Ace to fly off suddenly, leaving Pikachu and the others confused. "Why did he suddenly fly off?" Pikachu wondered aloud.
Fearow dive-bombed down Lavender Tower as he recognized that crimson aura.
When he was injured by Charmeleon's previous trainer he sensed a spike of aura from his trainer.
Just before he found out about Raticate's death, he remembered again feeling that spike in the aura.
This crimson aura was the same as that of his trainer's.
Fearow's heart sped up as he anxiously thought his trainer might be in danger.
( ~ Sttsh ~ )
Fearow used drill run to break through Lavender Tower windows as he entered the floor Austin was on.
What he saw truly shocked him to his core.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[ Haunter's Dreamland ]
The mist clung to the small tawny hills like a soft, ethereal blanket, obscuring the surroundings with an eerie ambiance. Munna, her eyes swirling with blues and purples, rose to her feet, but to her astonishment, she found herself in a human body. Her jaw hung open as she surveyed her new form, feeling small and insignificant in this vast and surreal world.
A soft beam of light pierced through the canopy of leaves, illuminating the lush surroundings with a subtle radiance. The air was thick with the sweet aroma of honey and rain, and Munna's transparent hands gleamed in the light. She surveyed her surroundings, taking in the overwhelming array of colors and glows that permeated this fantastical realm.
As she walked through fields of crunching grass, the low bellow of a whale filled the air, causing Munna to jump in surprise. To her amazement, the massive creature swam joyfully through the air, as if it were swimming in water. A group of whales joined in, delighting in large bubbles that flowed through the air. Munna quickened her pace, traversing fields of grass with dew forming on the tips that glittered against the sunlight that cut through the cloud cover.
Her fingers brushed against the cool bark of a willow tree as she passed, and she walked through a small flower field where tiny Butterfree emerged from their sleep. The cobalt butterfly caught her eye, and she reached out her hand, causing the delicate creature to settle gently on her finger. "Beautiful," she breathed in astonishment, marveling at its dazzling colors.
"It is, isn't it?" A voice spoke out, causing Munna to jump in surprise once again. The butterfly flapped its wings in alarm, taking flight towards the clouds. Munna turned towards the source of the voice, her eyes widening in surprise.
A tall, blonde man stood before her, clad in a lime green hoodie and black jeans, with a smile charm on his belt and gloved hands. His green eyes bore into hers, and he wore a calm smile on his face. "Hello," he grinned. "To think the move dream eater could be used in such a creative way. Amazing!"
Munna took a step back, inspecting the stranger with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Haunter?!" she asked, recognizing the name from her dreams.
"Like my form? This is what my trainer used to look like," Haunter replied with a smirk.
"He is handsome," Munna responded, to which Haunter chuckled. "I'm sure he would have loved to hear such words."
Munna turned away from him, taking in the breathtaking view of clouds and mist that lay across the land. She could see a group of warlords from here, their happy bellows shaking the air. The two stood on a hill, the bench accompanied by two power lines. Tiny birds perched themselves on the wires, singing their songs to one another.
"The World of Dreams is a beautiful one," Haunter said, but his small smile disappeared as a replica of Lavender Tower formed in front of them.
"I know what you're here for," Haunter continued, his tone serious. "If you had asked me when I was not under that thing's spell if it could even be defeated, I would have laughed. But now, after spending decades under its command, I have found a way. Let me show you how you can defeat this monster once and for all."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Fearow's heart sped up as he anxiously thought his trainer might be in danger.
( ~ Sttsh ~ )
Fearow used a drill run to break through Lavender Tower windows as he entered the floor Austin was on.
What did he see truly shocked him to his core?
[ A few minutes earlier ]
Buried Alive's hands clenched harder under the shocked eyes of Marowak, Butterfree, and Austin.
The Pokeball exploded.
" NO !"
Austin shouted as something snapped within his head.
( ~ Boom ~ )
Buried Alive's rotting body was flung and waves of aura escaped from Austin's body.
Marowak used her bone to prevent herself from being flung back unlike poor Butterfree who crashed into the walls.
" Free," Butterfree grunted as he saw his trainer run forward and crash his fist into Buried Alive's face.
Buried Alive turned to Austin who was blinded by anger.
Butterfree sensed a ghostly aura gather in Buried Alive's hands as he used
to open one of Austin's pokeballs before crying out.
" Free !"
Bulbasaur appeared beside Austin as he immediately launched an energy ball toward Buried Alive's hands under Butterfree's shout.
( ~Ssss~ )
Bulbasaur's energy ball clashed with Buried Alive's ghostly energy.
Using this split-second opportunity, Marowak's bone is outstretched as a blue aura forms into bone constructs.
Marowak then used fling as dark-type energy wrapped around her bone rush.
Marowak gazed upon Buried Alive with hatred as she flung the bone rush at his head.
( ~ Whoosh ~ )
Marowak's bone shattered Buried Alive's jaw.
Austin used this opportunity to throw an overhand punch as he twisted his hips while performing a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown directly at Buried Alive's face.
Buried Alive was disoriented as he crashed into the ground.
His face turned to see Marowak charging at him with a skull bash.
Fuck.
Buried Alive couldn't help but curse as Marowak's attack made Butch's rotting corpse into a paste smothered on the wall.
" Marowak!"
Marowak screamed up as the last attack was of a mother for her lost son.
Austin couldn't even feel sympathy for Buried Alive as he was too disgusted and furious about its actions.
Fearow broke through the windows as it looked shocked at the scene before rushing to his trainer.
Austin smiled as he saw the look of worry in Fearow's eyes.
{ It's not over yet. }
Hearing the telepathic command of Munna, Austin's gaze hardened before one of the pokemon on his belt was suddenly enveloped by a greenish aura before it was replaced by the dark crystal device.
Austin received a lot of information from Munna telepathically as he looked at Fearow.
" Think you can give us a ride."
" Fearow !"
Fearow cawed and puffed out his chest.
Who else is going to give you a ride?
Austin climbed into Fearow as he returned to Butterfree and Bulbasaur.
" Get me to the bottom of the Lavender Tower."
" Fea !"
Marowak gazed upon Austin as he left Fearow's back.
She knew that it was partially his fault that her precious son was gone but she couldn't blame him.
He didn't know that her son would die at that thing's hands.
He even tried to save them.
Marowak closed her eyes as she sent a prayer to Arceus to keep the human safe.
The destroyed shards of Cubone's pokemon scattered around the floor suddenly shattered into pieces of sparkling dust.
{ Miss Marowak, I know it's not the time to ask you this but can you help us? }
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[ Lavender Tower: Sealed Room ]
The severed white hand was covered in a ghostly aura as intricate runic symbols carved into the hand glowed in a purplish light.
The surrounding talismans began to be enveloped by another wordly flame.
( ~ Boom ~ )
The door to the sealed room was suddenly blasted open as a spinning Wortortle made his entrance with a dab.
Wortortle shot a water gun onto the otherworldly flame but the water didn't have any kind of effect on it.
A pink paw outstretched from the blasted hole in the door as Clefairy used gravity to separate the otherworldly flames from the talismans.
Wortortle gave Clefairy a thumbs up which he returned with a double thumbs up.
Austin crawled along Bulbasaur and paused while looking at the severed white hand holding onto the ancient Pokeball and the distorted statues of the 3 evils.
Creepy.
Austin gulped before taking a few breaths while moving forward. Clefairy, Wortortle, and Bulbasaur stood guard over Austin who pulled out a knife to prick his finger causing blood to flow out.
Buried Alive's aura spiked as he sensed what Austin was doing.
Austin meanwhile drew the symbol " theta nigrum" onto the severed hand while thinking.
I am going to wash this hand a hundred times after this.
Suddenly Austin's theta nigrum glowed with a crimson aura that seemed to cause the other intricate runic symbols on the carved hand to dim before the glow completely vanished.
( ~ Screech ~ )
Buried Alive's scream bellowed out from the surroundings as Fearow who used pursuit to hide in Austin's shadow shot out using an aerial wing.
Fearow's wing slashed through the severed hand's wrist before ghostly energy swirled into reality.
Buried Alive's face manifested into reality scaring the ever-living shit out of Austin and his pokemon.
"
R̷̛̪̈̎͛́̀͗͋̒͊̕̕͝ę̷̪͔͓̝͖̝͉̤̘͍̒̇̏͂͋̀͛̎̎̌͝͝͝͝ͅt̴̛͚̯̮̦͙̎̋̍̈̒̓̑͑̈̈̒̌ū̴̱̞̟͈͉̠̞͓͚̝̬̣̿͆̔̄̆̒ͅr̷̻̟̟̪̜̰̀n̵͕͉͑̈̒͆ it
Buried Alive bellowed out in his distorted voice as Austin used every last bit of courage to catch the falling severed hand.
{ Munna, when is the talisman coming?}
{ It's on its way }
{ Hurry up! }
Austin thought as he scrambled to run away from the astral head of Buried Alive.
Clefairy, Bulbasaur, Wortortle, and Fearow launched their strongest attacks at Buried Alive whose eyes glowed in response before waves of ghostly energy enveloped everything around them.
Their attacks faded away like mist as Bulbasaur, Wortortle, Clefairy, and Fearow were knocked to the floor.
They tried to stand and defend their trainer but Buried Alive's aura was too much.
Clefairy looked at Buried Alive approaching closer and closer to his trainer who tried to run and hide using the dark crystal device but they were in its domain, there was no place to hide.
...
Wortortle, Bulbasaur, Fearow, and Clefairy tried to stand and defend their trainer but Buried Alive's aura was too much.
Clefairy looked at Buried Alive approaching closer and closer to his trainer who tried to run and hide using the dark crystal device but they were in its domain, there was no place to hide.
Buried Alive was a few feet away from Austin who suddenly smirk before he raised his hand revealing a Pokeball.
" Dragon Pulse."
Austin said as the Pokeball opened in a flash revealing Charmeleon who had a look of absolute fury while glancing at the condition of his trainer.
Charmeleon opened his maw as a giant wave of draconic energy clashed against Buried Alive's ghostly energy.
Clefairy gritted his teeth as he closed his eyes.
{ Munna, send it to me !}
{ G...t...it }
Clefairy found that one of the talismans beside his hand was replaced with the moonstone.
Placing his hand on the moonstone, Clefairy willingly chose to absorb the energy sealed within the crystal.
As Charmeleon's dragon pulse clashed with Buried Alive's ghostly energy a light broke out through the darkness as Clefairy's body was engulfed in a bright light.
The dark room lit up as a tall, pink Pokémon with a vaguely star-shaped body. It had long, pointed ears with dark brown tips and black, oval eyes with wrinkles on either side. A curled lock of fur hangs over its forehead, much like its long, tightly curled tail. On its back is a pair of dark pink wings; each wing has three points. Its hands had three fingers each, and its feet have two clawed toes and dark pink soles.
" Clefable !"
Clefable cried out as she outstretched her hand.
The surrounding ghostly energy was instantly suppressed by Clefable's gravity.
Buried Alive cried out in anger as the ghostly energy began to become more volatile.
Austin's suddenly felt one of his pokeballs disappear as it was replaced with a weird talisman.
{ Attach it to the Pokeball }
Munna's mental shout snapped out Austin of his daze as he ignored the putrid smell of blood on the weird black talismans.
It felt as if he was touching a fur pelt.
Ignoring his weird thoughts, Austin attached the black talisman to the ancient Pokeball held by the severed hand.
The black talisman began to flow with a beautiful azure aura as the surrounding ghostly energy began to die down.
" N̸͎͇̞̱͍̥̙͚̙͙͔͓͔͍̔̏̓̒̕ͅǪ̸̛͓̯̤͚̰̅̏̑̄̾̍̃ " ( No )
Buried Alive roared in pain as he could feel his entire body burning up.
What is happening?
Buried Alive looked around as his ghostly energy was dissipating, fast.
What did you do?
Buried Alive lunged forward toward Austin but Clefable's Moonsblast diverted his path toward the wall.
( ~ Boom ~ )
Buried Alive roared out as his entire ghostly face lit up in flames of darkness as if the abyss was absorbing him.
Buried Alive outstretched his hand towards Austin.
You caused this, you bastard.
Buried Alive clenched his hand as his entire soul was engulfed by the flames of Darkness.
If I go down, I am taking you with me.
The runes on the severed hand glowed as Austin threw the thing away.
Charmeleon launched a flame burst at the severed hand but to Austin it was different.
The severed hand shattered like glass before tendrils of energy shot out engulfing him.
" Kekeke, if you think you can escape from me this easily then think again, boy."
" ( ~ Arggh ~ ) Spare me those villain dialogues."
" Hehehe, let's see if you can joke after experiencing Hell !"
The surrounding abyss began to shatter like glass as ghostly hands outstretched out in the void. The shattered pieces of reality instead of falling into the void, the shards hung in mid-air. As if moved by an invisible hand, the pieces began stacking one on top of the other into columns. The pieces lined up perfectly when stacked in the correct order.
The two towers begin to lean and met in the middle. Forming a huge stone archway. The rocks glowed and pulsed and the cracks between them shrunk until they became a single section of unbroken stone.
The sound of rock grinding against rock filled the air. This time it was the ground shaking.
Austin couldn't help but feel his legs give out as he saw it.
Something beyond his comprehension.
Buried Alive appeared in the form of Kunihiko Yuyama but half of his face was covered in eyeballs.
Words couldn't come out of Austin's mouth as he was in shock.
How come something like that even exists?
Buried Alive said," Volo always wanted to understand God but unlike that loser, I was able to understand God to such a degree that I became one."
Insanity exuded from Buried Alive's voice that seemed to change every few seconds from young to old, from man to woman.
" Why don't you join me ?!"
Buried Alive smiled as his eyeballs began to flow out and attached themselves to the void around them.
Austin tried to run away but what could he do against something like that?
The eyeballs opened up causing tendrils in the shape of the hand to outstretch as they held Austin's within their grip.
The Abyss seeped out from those eyeballs as the body was covered in a veil of darkness with one Austin remaining as he was held by the eldritch hands of the Abyss.
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
Austin screamed out as energy seeped into his mind.
Austin was beginning to break as Buried Alive showed his mortal mind the true form of the banished God of the distortion realm.
Buried Alive smiled as he heard the sweat symphony of Austin's screams.
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
( ~ AHHHHH ~ ! )
" How does it feel to know it, to look at the true form of the ruler of the abyss? Tell me how you feel looking at the true form of GOD !"
Buried Alive's voice boomed through the empty space, his words filled with malice and glee.
Austin's mind was being torn apart, his screams now a deafening silence as he struggled to comprehend the sight before him. Was that hideous monstrosity really a god? It was beyond any comprehension, and Austin felt his mind shattering into a million pieces.
Buried Alive's grin slowly faded as he watched Austin's life force dwindle.
"This is the consequence of your actions, boy," he murmured, his voice barely audible amidst the silence.
But then, something unexpected happened. A beam of aura rose out from Austin's chest, the Lunar Wing emerging from within him. Its powerful aura transformed the void into a paradise of beauty, with gaseous clouds of purple, pink, blue, and yellow spreading throughout. The symphony of dreams began to play, and Buried Alive could feel the power of the Lunar Wing overwhelming him.
He tried to resist, but what could a mere mortal do against a fragment of the Queen of Dreams, Cresselia?
Buried Alive's surroundings began to warp and twist as the lunar wing's aura engulfed him, tearing his very being from reality itself.
Austin's eyes fluttered open for a moment, and he saw the beautiful aura of the Lunar Wing surrounding him. He was amazed by the serene beauty of the clouds and the symphony of dreams playing in the background.
"Where am I?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The warm embrace of the Lunar Wing enveloped him, and he felt a sense of comfort and safety that he had never experienced before. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to succumb to the blissful sleep that had taken hold of him.
As Austin drifted into slumber, Buried Alive's screams echoed in the distance, his cries of anguish and terror now muffled by the void. The symphony of dreams continued to play, its hypnotic melody guiding Austin towards a peaceful sleep.
...
[ Lavender Tower ]
Austin suddenly opened his eyes as he found himself laying flat on the cold hard floor.
There was a putrid smell all around him.
His body was burning up.
Austin tried to get up but sudden sharp pain caused him to stop.
Slowly Austin crawled to a tombstone and pushed himself up into a sitting position.
( ~ Breath in ~ )
( ~ Breath out ~ )
Austin looked at the lunar wing which seemed to have lost its luster.
Austin closed his eyes as he didn't want to think about that experience.
Even though the memory was gone, he still had a vague feeling about what happened to him and he didn't want to remember that morbid moment.
Austin's hand brushed against something causing him to open his eyes as he found a white box.
Curiously, Austin picked it up.
The cover opened revealing a row of cigarettes.
Maybe it had fallen from the pocket of one of the members of Team rocket.
Austin thought as accidentally one of the cigarettes fell to the ground lit up.
Austin said," What the ?" as he picked up the lit cigarette.
How did it get lit on its own?
Austin wondered before looking at the white box that had a blue coil-shaped structure on its bottom.
Austin shook his head before placing the box down.
...
Grady and Brady walked into the room as they wanted to give Agatha a few moments to herself.
The curse of the Ainsworth family was gone?
That Evil being was finally gone without their friend sacrificing her life for that cause.
Brady and Grady suddenly stopped as they gazed upon the Lavender Tower floor, shattered tombstones and rotting corpses of men and pokemon littered the entire floor.
Between all of this Austin was seen by the twin sisters laying against a Tombstone with a cigarette in his mouth.
Austin spat out the cigarette before being reduced to a fit of coughs.
Brady and Grady's sweat dropped at the boy's actions who picked up the cigarette again.
It was as if he was using the cigarette and the horrid taste of nicotine to make himself forget even if for a few seconds of the hell he was in and the hell he had experienced.
Austin's gaze meanwhile was fixed in a particular direction.
Brady and Grady walked towards the dazed Austin before smacking the cigarette out of his mouth.
" Your too young to do that."
Austin raised his eyebrow before rolling his eyes which caused Brady and Grady to glare at him.
" Yeah, yeah, yeah."
Austin looked at the elderly twins before asking," Did you get the help ?"
Brady and Grady winced at Austin's tone before Brady nodded causing Austin to sigh.
" Seems like they missed the party."
Austin's words caused the elderly twins' to be pierced with guilt as they looked at his condition.
His hand seemed to be broken, they could see dried-up blood sticking to most of his clothes. Small wounds littered his body.
Brady and Grady looked down in shame for putting someone so young in such peril.
Austin sighed before asking," Where are my pokemon ?"
Grady and Brady replied at the same time," They are scouring through lavender town looking for any kind of medicine which we guess is for you. You Scizor broke into a few houses."
" Do I have to pay for any of the things they destroyed ?"
" ... "
" We don't think so."
" Great," Austin said as he picked up his cigarette which caused Brady and Grady to scowl.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Wortortle, Pidgeot, Butterfree, Ninjask, and Krabby were looking at Clefable with sparks in their eyes.
Clefable silently chuckled in awkwardness from the attention he was getting.
Fearow peeked at Clefable before turning his head away.
Why didn't I get such a welcome when I evolved?
Oh, who cares, I need their attention.
Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charmeleon were looking at their sleeping trainer with worry in their eyes.
" Arhhh " Austin grunted before opening his eyes.
Just where am I?
This thought was answered by Pikachu, Charmeleon, and Bulbasaur tackling him in a group hug.
" Pika, Pika, Pi !"
" Bulba, Bulbasaur!"
" Char, Char, Char !"
Austin chuckled but there was a hint of disappointment lacing his tone.
" Guys, I am fine but can you get off me ?"
Pikachu and the others sheepishly laughed before getting off as Austin gazed upon the lunar wing which had lost its previous shimmer.
To think I would gaze upon Giratina's true form.
Did that mean that the other legendaries also had true forms?
Austin ignored his thoughts as he rubbed the lunar wing.
I have to thank Cynthia for giving me this. If not then I would have become a brain-dead vegetable.
Austin shuddered at the thought as he heard Fearow's caw before looking up as all of his pokemon were charging at him.
" Guys, Guys, GUYS ..."
While Austin was being dogpiled by his pokemon, his Pokedex beeped as Professor Oak called him.
...
The ghostly aura around Lavender Town was slowly dissipating as a mega Gengar tore apart Buried Alive's sealed room.
Agatha's staff when through the skull of a statue.
At least I can rest easy knowing that monster was gone.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Austin walked out of the room with Pikachu on his shoulder he took a deep breath when Marowak appeared in front of him.
Marowak had a melancholic look in her eyes as she handed over a beautiful flower that looked like a cross between a Chrysanthemum and a spider Lily flower to him.
Austin remembered what the teleporter girl had told him when giving him the same flower.
' I am sorry for your loss.'
' It's no problem but why are giving me this flower? '
' These flowers are known as the flowers of death and rebirth. It's a tradition in Kanto to give mourners this flower. There is an old saying behind these flowers; In life, death, and rebirth I will be at peace so don't cry over my departure.'
Austin felt tears building up in his eyes as he took out a PokeBall and opened it, revealing a teary Cubone that ran up to his mother to hug her.
It looked like Buried Alive's actions were just an illusion since Cubone's PokeBall had been transported to Oak's lab.
Marowak meanwhile was left in shock as she felt her precious son's hug.
Marowak tried to stay strong but tears began to flow out of her eyes as she hugged her son back.
Pikachu jumped down from his trainer's shoulders while looking at the mother and son duo crying while hugging each other as a thought filled his head.
When I left, did mom and sis cry?
Pikachu's eyes closed at this somber thought.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
As Austin and his team gathered to lay Raticate to rest. Marowak, with its bone club in hand, was busy digging a hole for the casket. The sound of the dirt being displaced by the club echoed through the quiet countryside.
Each member of the team stood somberly around the grave, their attire reflecting the seriousness of the occasion. Austin wore a black suit, his red eyes puffy from crying. Pikachu stood next to him, tears rolling down its cheeks, its fur slightly ruffled from the breeze.
As the casket was lowered into the ground, the sound of the ropes creaking and groaning filled the air. Everyone held onto the casket as they slowly lowered it into the earth. The sound of dirt hitting the casket echoed through the clearing as each member of the team took turns scooping dirt with their bare hands and pouring it over the casket.
The last person to pour dirt was Austin himself, trying to hold back the tears as he placed the final handful of earth on the casket. His strong front crumbled as he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. Each tear drop hit the casket with a small pattering sound.
Pikachu, trying to offer comfort, patted Austin's leg with a gentle paw. The sound of its small claws clicking on the ground broke the silence.
The rest of the team stood back, holding back their tears. Each one remembered Raticate in their own way. To some, she was a mere acquaintance. To others, she was a friend. To Austin, she was a sister, a partner, and a loyal companion who had sacrificed her life to save her family.
Austin patted the grave, his shaking hand holding a lit cigarette. The sound of his breath, labored and ragged, was mixed with the sound of the fire. He gazed at the tombstone with red-rimmed eyes, the letters etched into the stone reflecting the fading light.
"HERE LIES RATICATE," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "A FRIEND, A SISTER, A PARTNER. DIED TO SAVE HER FAMILY. YOU WILL BE MISSED."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
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