Gastly and Haunter

Thunder crashed over the sea.

A violet haired girl looked up at the dark and bubbling sky. Cold salt water splashed her hands on the motorboat's bow. The seven-year-old was fascinated by the shifting weather, but nervous about being caught in a storm on open waters. They were still a long ways from home. She looked back to the other occupant of the boat. "Dad?"

"We aren't going to make it back before the storm. I'm looking for a spot to ride it out." He looked away from the rocky shoreline to smile at her. "You're alright with that, Janine? Unexpected adventures can happen at any turn."

She grinned back. So long as her father Koga was nearby, there wasn't anything to be afraid of. "Sure thing."

The sea and the sky were rapidly growing more unstable. When they had left Cinnabar half an hour ago, there had been blue skies and calm waters. Janine thought that the storm couldn't move that fast, but she was wrong. Her Dad probably knew about it coming, given the quiet ride. They continued traveling east.

At least until the engine abruptly cut out.

Koga attempted to restart it, but not a sound came. "I checked it over last week; it shouldn't be having problems." He took out a pocketknife, flipped open the screwdriver head, then started on taking the engine case off.

In the meantime, Janine looked back up at the approaching storm. The wind played with her hair, throwing it into her eyes. As she pushed the strands away, she saw a faint image on the water. It was like smoke with no fire. It came closer, growing thicker as it did. "Dad, what's that out there?"

He looked over, then stopped his work on the engine to step over to her. The ethereal image was gaining distance and clarity. Compared to their twelve foot boat, it was enormous. The water underneath it parted, then grew into a wake. The smoke turned woody and gray. When it stopped, there was an old schooner right by their motorboat.

It seemed to be thirty-five feet long and ten feet high, at least to the main deck. Towering far over their heads, the rigging was in place, if imperfect. It even had a crow's nest and a Milotic figurehead. There was a ladder built in right by them.

"This is something you could spend a lifetime searching for and never find," Koga explained, looking over it carefully. "It's a ghost ship, likely possessed by spirits or Pokemon. It's doomed to sail for all time."

She gripped his hand, torn between awe and fear. "Wow. What's it doing here?"

"It just is. But I don't think we're going anywhere while it's here. Let's go check it out."

"Are we going to be okay?"

"My Pokemon will help protect us. Besides, we may have to get on board to send it away."

Koga went up the ladder first to see what was waiting them. As he climbed over the railing, he looked down and waved for her to come up. Janine then took hold of the ladder. The gritty wood had petrified with age. As she got near the top, she spotted a group of Pokemon on the deck. They were little more than black orbs with angular yellow eyes. Violet wisps of vapor cloaked them, blending one individual into another until they were all one mass of eyes.

He took her hand to help her up the last portion. "You remember how to breathe around the Koffings and Weezings?"

She nodded. "Yes, not too deep or sudden."

"Same thing with these Gastlies, but they're tricker because their vapors are much lighter. Keep a safe distance." He lifted her up and jumped onto the deck, away from the Gastly group huddled along the wall.

They went up towards the helm. The ghost Pokemon made whispers to each other, spooky sounds that were like dried leaves on an autumn tree. While some reached out violet vapors towards them, most didn't move from their spots. Those that did move couldn't get close, as the storm's wind blew apart their vapors.

"They don't like the wind, do they?" Janine asked. "They're hiding from it."

"That's right, kiddo. We have to be careful too, in case that same wind blows them right at us."

"Neerrri nerrriira!"

Janine jumped as a Gastly yowled at them for approaching the helm. After patting her shoulder, Koga examined the steering equipment and the sails. The large wheel that controlled the rudder wasn't tied down, stuck, or broken. Although the storm brought in a strong wind, the sails were ragged and thin, unable to move the vessel. But the ship had gotten to them.

"I'm not sure of how this ship works," Koga said. "Especially considering the whole paranormal side of it. But there must be something to encourage it to move."

While he thought aloud on that, Janine looked back to a movement of purple. There was another Pokemon there now, but it wasn't bothered by the storm. It had pointed ears, a grinning face, and two long arms, while being made of little else. Since the rest were Gastlies, this one was probably a Haunter. It waved its left hand towards itself, asking her to come over.

She tightened her grip on her Dad's hand, letting him know there was another problem. He looked, then pulled her back so he would be between the Haunter and her. Overhead, thunder boomed again. It startled the weaker ghosts, but not the Haunter. It waved its hand again, trying to get both of them. In response, Koga ...

A violet hand grasped Janine's shoulder. She responded by punching her fist back, as she had been taught. But it was like punching water in that it didn't have enough resistance for flesh, but more than air. The second Haunter was taken aback by this, but soon clapped its other hand over her mouth. It licked her cheek, initially confusing her. But a feeling of pins and needles began spreading through her body, she realized that it was trying to capture her. As she tried to tear the Haunter off her, her nerves began screaming with pain.

In an instant, Koga sliced one of his hidden knives into the Haunter. While not a lethal shot, it howled in pain and let her go. The first Haunter screamed at them, causing an echo cry-back from the Gastlies. The ship creaked; the sails stopped fluttering and filled out with the wind.

"Relax your muscles," Koga instructed, picking her up. "Don't move unless you must."

Although scared, Janine did her best to do as told. The intensity of the pain subsided as Koga ran down the ship and leapt back into their small motorboat. The ghost ship picked up speed and began to fade into smoke again. Far before it reached the horizon, it vanished from their sights.

Koga brought out a bottle of anti-venom and a small cloth in a sealed packet. He rubbed the anti-venom over the spot the Haunter had licked. "That'll fix that. Rest up now."

"Okay," she said, quietly lying where he had placed her. "But I thought Pokemon weren't evil. Are they?"

He shook his head. "They aren't, but a great many of them don't understand as much as we do. Those were restless souls, lost on the ocean. They seek life and freedom, so they take what life they see, not realizing it means death for the one they take from."

"I'll be okay now, right?"

"Right. Don't worry."

Janine smiled a bit, although the anti-venom was making her face feel stiff. "I'll be brave, like you."

He smiled back, but a teardrop glistened off one eye. "I've never been as scared as when I saw it holding onto you. "

Thunder cracked the sky apart. The hiss of raindrops hitting the sea began to approach them. Jumping with the strong tides, Koga moved back to the engine. It started right up.

"It'll be fine, Janine. Let's get to some shelter."

…

Gastly Diamond entry: This Pokémon's body is 95% made up of gases, which are blown away by strong gusts of wind.

Emerald entry: If a Haunter beckons you while it is floating in darkness, don't approach it. This Pokemon will try to lick you with its tongue and steal your life away.

Originally posted for Father's Day. Pokemon has a sad lack of father-child relationships.