When Morty was 17 and he still couldn't retrieve Ho-Oh, the Sages became impatience. They were done with it. If he couldn't retrieve Ho-Oh then they would be better off without him, but the only problem was that he was supposed to be the Ecruteak Gym Leader. So they let it pass, but made the punishment only harsher.
This went mostly on until Morty passed out and was left there on the spot by the Sages. Morty slowly became a creature that didn't showed any real emotions anymore. He was a shadow of his former self. He still was polite and smiled at other people and Pokémon, but Gengar and Misdreavus saw that their master's will was broken. They tried everything to let Morty show any kind emotion, even if it was anger. But not a single thing helped.
At the age of 17 he became the Gym Leader of Ecruteak City. He was difficult to defeat. Morty decided to use the Ghost type in advantage and tried to let his Pokémon hide in the shadows. Soon it became a great deal of strategy. He was only defeated by a few, who quickly saw this strategy and used it against him. If Morty lost he smiled and congratulated the one he fought against. They always were so happy when they won and so sad if they lost. Morty just smiled and encouraged those who lost and motivated the one who won to go to the next gym. Morty soon was one of the favorite Gym Leaders. Still many people confused the Burnt Tower with the Gym and Morty had to get them many times. It wasn't like it bothered him, in fact he loved it. The Burnt Tower was one on he sacred calm places, where he could be who ever he was and not how people wanted to see him.
When Morty lost he was punished, because the Seer of the future, the one who has to retrieve Ho-Oh shouldn't lose. Whatever Morty did was never good enough and soon he gave it all up. He didn't care anymore.
At the age on 18 everything went calmer. Morty obeyed more and didn't say a thing, except to the trainers who challenged them. He was hated in whole Ecruteak at the fact that Ho-Oh still didn't come. The only one who accepted them was Agent Jenny, Nurse Joy and the Kimono Girls. They all said that people are just asking and assuming too much. That it is impossible to do everything at the same time. But Morty didn't want to listen.
When Morty was 20 he decided to make his team bigger. It was a warm summer day when Morty decided to ask a few Ghost Pokémon if they wanted to fight along side him. A Haunter gladly said yes and soon he too became one of Morty's team. The Haunter knew that he was there only to help out, but they did get attached to each other. Soon Haunter was just as good as Misdreavus and Gengar. Haunter liked to play with people just with that friend of Morty. Eusine. Haunter came to know that Misdreavus and Gengar didn't really like him, but they would accept him for the sake of their master. It was then that Haunter saw how close their connection where. He also knew why Gengar always played with Eusine's face. Always making that guy laugh in hope that Morty would laugh too. Only it never worked. Morty decided to help Eusine once again and once again he failed. It became clear for the Mystic Seer that he couldn't find any Legendary Pokémon with his mysterious ability. He dreaded the moment where he had to tell it to the Sages.
When Morty finally told the Sages that he couldn't see any Legendary Pokémon, they didn't punish him. At least not physical. They looked at him and then they sighed.
"Can't you do anything right Morty? Are you that useless?" Sighed Sage Masu.
"Don't you care about the problems you bring over Ecruteak? Over the people in this City?" Said Sage Gaku while shaking his head. They all looked at Morty who sat on his knees in front of them.
"Sometimes it was better if you died along with your parents. Then we all wouldn't have so much trouble with you." Said Sage Koji strict and then they all walked away and took away Morty's Pokéball to let him feel completely alone. When Morty heard the click of the door, a sign that it was locked, he lost it.
Morty didn't know a thing anymore. He looked around and shouted. He decided to throw stuff in the hope to calm his head, but it didn't work. It was then that Morty was officially broken and completely hides himself. He kept throwing stuff, flipping the table a few times and then calmed down. It was then that Morty saw a sharp piece of glass from the broken vase that stood on the table. Morty picked up the piece and looked at it. Then he made a shallow cut over his arm. He looked at it and then threw the piece of glass across the room. This wasn't like him, he was the composed one.
He crawled to a corner and sat down. He looked around and waited. Slowly Morty fell asleep. The following morning Morty woke up from the sound of happy Pokémon. He opened his eyes and looked around. He smiled at Haunter, Misdreavus and Gengar. Slowly he tries to stand up, but from lack of energy, even though he had slept for some hours, he fell again. He once again tried to stand and with the help of his Pokémon he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He took a quick shower and saw that his Pokémon, at least that was what he assumed, brought him some fresh clothes and a towel. He then walked slowly to his room and saw what fruit lying on his bed. He smiled and ate some of it before he put it away and went into bed. He was glad that it was finally Sunday and that he didn't have to go to the Gym. He would lose all the battles.
Very carefully he felt something move around him and opened his eyes. He didn't even remember that he had them closed. He looked around only to see his Gengar, Misdreavus and Haunter lying against him. They all snuggled him a little bit more before falling asleep and soon Morty too fell in a deep welcoming sleep.
Little did he know that over 2 years, he would meet the man of his dreams.