The Ghosts of Our Past, Present, and Future

by Happy Camper27

Ghosts haunt even the best of us; but for Haris, they dog his every step, whispering in his ears of lies and pain and deceit. But that's alright-he has others, who will follow him to the end of the earth. And that makes it alright. Somehow. (drabble!fic, non-chronological order, Ghost-Type-Specialist!Harry, occasional dark themes)

3. Chapter 3

It wasn't until Haris was fifteen that Grandmother let him leave Mount Pyre for the first time; it was to truly start his Journey that he had actually started when he was eleven. She had been adamant that he train on the mountain first, communing with the Ghosts and battling visiting Trainers for experience before he headed out for his first Gym battle.

It had taken him four years before Grandmother had been satisfied. Grandfather had approved, saying that it was only right that their grandchild stay true to tradition.

But now he was leaving the majestic, towering burial ground, and he felt something in him pang horribly at the thought. It was a quiet place, for people were hushed there out of respect for the dead. But it was peaceful, and filled with a strong spiritual energy that Haris found himself sorely missing as he forged his way through the tall grass of Route 120, scowling at the clouds that poured rain from above.

Spook, however, seemed to love the rain, laughing his rasping laugh as he floated alongside Val. The Duskull retreated, however, as the irritated Misdreavus hissed at him, eyes glowing sharply. Dusk was in his Pokéball, avoiding the rain religiously; the Fire and Ghost dual type hated the rain with a passion.

Haris shook his head as the two fought, Spook pushing Val before retreating as she snarled at him, more than willing to lay down a beating if the Duskull didn't back off.

It was a game, Haris knew, that they had been playing for years, ever since he had first caught the canny Pokémon and introduced him to Val. Spook pushed, Val pushed back; a game of cat and mouse, of hide and seek, and of tug-of-war, all squashed into a pot and stewed together with the two's personalities.

Sometimes the results were amusing, sometimes not.

But Haris didn't mind—after all, they were finally on their way to Fortree City, to battle Winona and gain the Feather Badge before swooping down and across the channel of Route 118 into Mauville, and circling around to Rustboro, Petalburg, and Dewford before setting out for Mossdeep and finally for Sootopolis.

This was just the first step of their Journey.

It was time to put his best foot forward.