The next day, Pipi watched her friends get ready for the trip to Ecruteak City as Falkner was attempting to hide something, the ninja was not fooled. "You went to get something after me and the others were talking about Kanto was that something... for me?" The father appreciated an observant eye and asked. "Pipi, what is the funnest way to travel to that region from here? The funnest way that you and only you think?" Pipi answered from the back of her mind. "As fun as it would be to just fly to Kanto, I never been on the Magnet Train before and I always wanted to ride in something like that again."

She is giggling and asked her father. "Did you get me a pass for that?" Falkner reached for a pocket with his right hand and showed a strip of paper as he raised his left hand and pointed one finger. "It was kind of easy because I'm a Gym Leader... but I'm not just going to give this to you! You need to earn all eight badges first!" Pipi saw the pass and gave a respectful bow. "Of course! When I come back I will have that and a whole team ready to fight Mother!" Falkner gave a respectful bow back and wished his daughter luck. "Then go out there, do your best!"

Pipi felt the confidence and followed with Yang, Pamela and Alex, to the western exit of the town and towards the fork on the road. The ninja lead towards their right and walked north as she decided. "Once Morty is bested, I will go to Olivine City next, Jasmine is going to be my greatest challenge and I should focus on besting the more hardy foes!" Pamela listened and enjoyed the wind blowing through her hair. "...If you say so, there is no shame in saving the hardest for last either, when you have time to prepare yourself. Nothing says you have to battle the gyms in a particular order."

Yang agreed and asked as she saw a city tied to customs ahead. "No, but each trainer has their own ways of learning. Either direction would lead to two gyms after all." Alex took a deep breath and promised Pipi. "Regardless, we will be here to cheer for you." Pipi blushed and had her legs ready for a dash. "Thank you, not even the supernatural will break our spirits."

She dashed towards the city and her friends followed, they found a gym towards the south western corner and found a blonde man in a black sweater, white pants, purple head band and purple scarf, he was talking with a police officer about a particular incident. "And until I can get those Badges back, the Gym has to stay closed!"

Pipi stopped her dash and whined in disbelief. "Ah come on! I just got here!" The man turned around relaxed to the noise as Pamela greeted him. "What my friend meant to say Morty... is this isn't something she wished to hear on arriving." Morty figured as the police officer written down notes. "They just disappeared early in the morning, but... something doesn't seem right in this mystery."

Yang sensed the memories and asked. "You keep those Fog badges close to you at all times to the point that no one and I mean no one, would be able to steal even one badge without you knowing... Hmm." Alex asked with distraught. "Do you think we can figure out where our thief is before he gets away?" Yang nodded and requested to him and Pamela. "If you can search the city we might find some clues. Morty, could you show us the scene of the crime?" The Gym Leader nodded as the steel type specialists went with the police officer, he showed them to a simple house near a gate. With in was a simple building with all the necessities for a trainer and his pokemon, all the charms tied to the supernatural gave Yang a chill down her spine, she looked to her shadow and saw red eyes staring, she backed away as Morty called to the shadow. "Gengar, she is here to try and help us! You can come out!" Emerging from the shadow was a Gengar that snickered, he floated towards a well kept desk and drawer that had something missing in between, Yang felt it and asked. "That is where you keep a chest filled with those badges?"

Morty nodded and Pipi looked close. "...I know why someone would steal a badge... but the whole box was gone... just like that?" Morty answered with a chill of his own. "All of it while I was in for the night. I don't... feel that it was an ordinary thief at work. What... could have the capability to do it this carefully?" Yang drew out a poke ball and answered. "That we do not know and we do not have the capacity to figure out... on our own." She smiled and let out her Gothetelle, who looked amazed by her surroundings and warned Yang of something, the psychic understood the intention. "Yes Gothetelle, I know that we are surrounded by ghost pokemon. But that is irrelevant." Her eyes focused on a surprised Morty. "This man needs our help to find a thief and only you have the power to find our culprit! Would you help us?"

The Gothetelle felt her hair twitch and she nodded without hesitation. She closed her eyes and focused her mind as Morty looked astonished. "...I didn't know you were a psychic type specialist." He had his right hand under his chin as he looked at Yang more, he had a vision of a familiar, older woman that pose a great power, looking him in the eyes with pink eyes, he recognized the woman and stepped back intimidated. "...No... you are more than that. You ARE a psychic... and not just any psychic."

Yang nodded and had a stoic scowl. "You and my mother know each other, she told me enough about you... and due to my... phobias, I wouldn't have came here if it wasn't for a friend." Pipi looked confused as Morty swallowed nervously. "I...I see. Pipi, I remember seeing you with your mother and father... you specialize in poison type pokemon?"

The ninja nodded as the Gothetella saw something and gave off a glow. "And we came here to continue the gym challenge. Once we find your badges, we will challenge you." The ghost type specialist looked forward to it as the Gothetella let loose a pulse. The four were shared a vision, of the room during the night, a small chest was seen still. Pipi saw the target and asked. "That's the chest?"

Morty nodded and saw something in the wall. "...And this is how it got stolen?" Yang thought it was so as something emerged, a Haunter with a blue mouth hovered over it, he was quick to plot something with the chest. Pipi glared at the image of the Haunter and watched him panic, he took the box and placed it with in his body, struggling to keep a float as he looked at a slightly opened window and floated towards it, he pushed it up and floated away. The vision ended and Morty tried to ask something, Pipi shouted in a shriek, her glasses shined in annoyance as she shook her fist in the air. "YO-KAI!"

Yang calmly answered Morty's question. "Yo-kai... or that Haunter, was someone Pipi knows all too well and he IS actively antagonizing us every chance he gets." Pipi readied a ball and was ready to storm out. "I'll get those badges back and I'll catch that Yo-kai if it is the last thing I do!" Morty gasped as the Gengar blocked the door and pleaded with Pipi to calm down. "This is exactly what that Haunter wants from you, if you go after him... you would just end up in his games."

The Gengar nodded and saw Yang nearly breaking into laughter that would have shattered reality as Pipi's cheeks swelled with frustration. "I'm already in his game! That is the whole reason I'm playing along! But he gone too far this time! Gothetella... do you know where Yo-kai went?"

The Gothetella shook her head and warned her about something that the Gengar agreed with, Yang asked. "Knowing this Yo-kai... he is intentionally hiding somewhere in a place that only you can reach with ease. If you are going to go after him, remember to focus on what you want, less he hypnotizes you into seeing something else... although he probably learned his lesson by now."

Pipi nodded back and had a smile. "So he is hiding in a place of darkness. I know someone who can find a place." She let out her Golbat and asked. "Kumo, if we get out of here, will you fly high and find any place that looks suspicious, Yo-kai stole all of Morty's badges!"

The Golbat gasped and turned around to ask the Gengar something, the shadow pokemon sighed as Morty approved. "Let them pass, we need to find this spirit." The Gengar sank into the darkness and the ninja ran out with her Golbat flying behind. Yang took out a poke gear and let Morty know. "I'll let Pamela and Alex know by the phone." She smiled to her proud Gothetella. "Thank you, try... to find our culprit's hideout while we manage this." The psychic sighed and closed her eyes to sense the many thoughts.

Outside in the city.

Kumo flew around and viewed the wilderness around, towards the east particular was a hidden passage near the mountain, leading north, the sight of Mankeys and a Marril preparing for something roused suspicion, she flew down towards the store and found Pipi instructing her Trubbish and Dustox. "Munci, you are to hide someone and find that moment to spit sludge at who ever might be trying to help Yo-kai. Dasuti, you are to use string shot and try to keep him from escaping. Understood?"

The Dustox nodded as the Trubbish saluted and coughed something, he inhaled hard and hacked off a ball of sludge that burst on impact, Pipi had a change of plans. "Or Munci can spit sludge bomb. Either way, we are going to go all out."

Swoop!

Kumo returned and pointed her wing towards the east, the ninja let her Trubbish and Dustox hang onto her back and she dashed east out of the town. The Golbat guided her trainer to the hidden path, the ninja climbed into a tree and jumped from branch to branch. Until she saw something most strange, odd lights of a carnival guiding towards a large circus tent, a poster on a tree, with the image of a vibrant clown with blue make up and purple gloves, the poster had had words. "Come see one of the greatest shows in the Johto region! Staring Spensy the magnificent." Pipi and her pokemon saw the clown in the image having an enjoyable time performing and were drawn in by beautiful singing.

Kumo looked confused as Dasuti saw trailers down the road and towards their right. He muttered to the buildings, Pipi raised an eyebrow in confusion, those badges could be hidden in there. The Golbat sneaked closely to the trailers and looked in the windows to find nothing as Pipi found one trailer to be larger and more grand, clearly it belonged to the star of the carnival. She sneaked towards it and crawled through a window, besides essentials, clown make up and props, there wasn't anything of note. Pipi, Munci and Dasuti felt that something was off with the carnival and heard a flap from Kumo, like it was a code. Someone was coming, the ninja heard a door knob turning, sneaked out of the window and stood still underneath, she heard the door close and listened to a jolly yet deep voice. "Hmm, if Miss Sairen's prize idea works we might have more of the audience joining in on the shows. I better be ready before going back into the tent."

Pipi and her two pokemon couldn't believe how easy it was to gather information, what ever they were seeking has to be with in the tent. Kumo flew to her side and warned her of something, the ninja agreed. "They are expecting us to walk past the front door." She looked to a tree and the Golbat helped her jump to a branch, they jumped from tree to tree and found the opening of the tent. With a glided jump, they reached through the hole and landed on a platform in the north western corner, shrouded by darkness, they gasped and saw that the tent was set up over a river going down a stream and towards the mountain, Pipi was taken aback by the simple beauty. They saw a dark skinned maiden in purple singing a distracting melody to an audience that was unaware. The trio kept hidden in the corner and observed, on the center most platform was a well decorated box that seemed to contain a prize.

Pipi felt it was suspicious and signaled the Dustox to spit a rope of string shot to a rising platform. She signaled Kumo to keep watch in the darkness and climbed to the platform, only to find spot lights spinning around, they directed towards the woman who ceased her song and had something to announce to the audience. "And now that my song is done, lets give it up for our main attraction!" The lights spun near Pipi's platform and the ninja tried not to squeak, the woman continued. "You know our hoptastic star all the way from Violet City! Who had an amazing tour of the southern hospitality of Johto!" They spun closer. "Give it up for!" The lights much to Pipi's astonishment, went to a platform far on the other side, a figure flew above and took out a parasol, the signs of an orange balloon was at play. "The one, the only!" The lights spun around the platform as a particular clown landed on a unicycle, one with blue make up at the mouth, purple gloves that complimented a, indigo vest and a violet undershirt. "Spency the inflatable!"

The audience clapped at the star attraction that gave a gracious bow while balancing himself, he took out a microphone and thanked them. "Thank you, you are too kind! Sorry for keeping you all waiting, if you had heard, we are starting a small contest to see which among you have aspiring talent. The rules are simple for you dare devils." SWISH! SWISH! Butterfrees flew across the circus with string shot to create a series of rope, Beedrills came not long after to sever the rope as Spineraks at the lake formed a safety net like web. "Last against me in a balancing act, staying on top of the rope in a trapeze until this timer." A clock showed five minutes. "Runs out. The prize for winning of course is what ever is in this fabulous mystery box!"

The lights shined on the box as the woman kept humming, Pipi and her pokemon knew something was odd as the clown asked the audience. "Which of you will be that dare devil today?" The many raised their hands and the clown picked. "Could... it be you?" He pointed towards an overweight child in blue clothes hopped in excitement as a similar looking mother pulled the child back down. "Or you?" He pointed towards a more frantic, light blond punk shrieking. He pointed towards one particular person, a purple haired boy with buck teeth. "Or you?" The Spensy gasped at his decision. "Or-" The Spotlight shined on Pipi's platform, revealing her for the audience to see, they gasped in shock as the clown towards her. "Could it be you?! What are your names?"

Pipi squeaked as the clown looked at the three with child like interest, she stuttered. "I...I am Pipi... and this is my Trubbish Munci." The Trubbish waved as the ninja focused on the Dustox. "And this is Dasuti." A spot light shinned on the Golbat that was baffled, the clown asked. "And hers?" Pipi looked back and thought there was no way a simple clown would know of that detail. "And...Komo."

The Clown rod on his balloon strapped unicycle and triggered something, the balloon deflated and pushed him to a strong and he readied juggling balls. "Hmm? You are looking like a little ninja! Would... our dare devil today be you?" Pipi knew well that there was more to the circus than meets the eye, she looked at the box and asked. "What is in the box anyways?"

The clown began juggling and answered jokingly. "No one knows, it could be... the most valuable thing in your life or just simple junk. That is the next big show... the suspense." He asked again as the ninja was certain of something. "Are you ready to play this game little girl? I'm sure someone like you wouldn't have too much difficulty, everything you need to know must have already been seen." SLASH! The rope gave way and the reinflated balloon deflated, guiding the clowns unicycle to jump on the next string and for a Butterfree to sow another. Pipi puffed her cheeks up and took the challenge as the Clown requested. "You can use three pokemon if you wish, choose wisely." Pipi readied a poke ball and apologized to her Trubbish. "Sorry Munci, but I need someone... sticky, to make this work." The Trubbish grumbled and was called back into his ball, the ninja switched to a beast ball and let out her Poipole, that was amazed by the whole circus.

Pipi accepted the challenge with a smirk as the Dustox spit out a string shot rope towards a plat form. Pipi dashed on it and with Kumo's gust support, she jumped to another. She instructed her mobile pokemon. "Komo, help me make my jumps, Dasuti... make this trapeze more complex while Sutikki keep watch of the Beedrills, he knows what to do!" She balanced herself without much hassle as the clown began his game, he jumped to another rope as it was cut loose by the Beedrill, Pipi felt hers lossen and jumped to another. The Dustox spit another rope of silk near a rising platform of string, Pipi jumped to each one without much falter and finished a jump to the highest one with bounce and gust of wind. The Poipole watched a Beedrill fly towards the string Pipi was on and aimed his horn, the Beedrill cut it and the Poipole shot a glob of sticky goop. Keeping it balanced long enough for Pipi to jump on a string rope bellow, the juggling clown used his balloonacycle to maneuver past the flying Butterfrees and land on the next top most string, the audience were amazed and the clown passed a compliment. "Not bad kid, where did you get your talent from?"

Pipi saw a severed string swing next to her and she jumped to grab on, swinging to a distant string rope, she landed and answered. "I been training to be a ninja for over a year. On point precision is a requirement to reach anywhere... where did you master your technique?" The juggling clown reached for his reinflated balloons once more and answered as he made a leap to a high western platform. "Kind of like you, I been practicing this stunt for years and anyone just learning wouldn't even THINK about trying this."

The cheering audience motivated the clown as he saw a vast obstacle course ahead of him. "It is what the audience love, where the game will lead on to?" Pipi agreed and saw another string swing by her, she felt her rope cut in two and jumped, grabbing on and seeing Dasuti spit a rope to the eastern most platform, she slide towards it for a landing and posed. She saw an obstacle course of her own as she felt a faint, yellow light in the corner of her eye that faded from her vision in an instant. The timer was done, the clown rode his balloonacycle to perform a series of hops across strings quickly being cut.

Pipi went through hers, her and her pokemon maneuvering through each one at a ninja's precision, both reached to the platform with the mystery box. The timer dinged and the clown looked tired out in defeat. "*Huff!* Well, you are something, guess I'm a clown of my word. But first." He asked the audience. "Give it a round for our nimble ninja Pipi!" He clapped as the woman laughed in sync, the audience cheered, yet Pipi wasn't hearing anything, she felt a yellow light return again, snaring her vision in a shift, she found herself alone in a strange, hard to describe place, it looked like a forest, yet its trees resemble tendrils of black and blue, the area gave off a red aura and on a large, blackened tree, was a yellow core, it felt like it was staring directly down at her.

It flashed the image of many people, some she recognized, others she has not, it shined her own face and shifted its glow to black. Forming in front of it was an image vaguely humanoid, was mostly a blackened body and it had a thin, pale, spiked membrane at its shoulders, legs and helix like tentacles. It glowed in its pale chest and pressed its tentacles towards it, forming a psycho boost and firing, Pipi squeaked and dashed out of the blast zone, she took out a throwing star and tossed it at the creature, slicing it in two, the eldritch tree gave off a petrifying hum and Pipi felt her nerves freeze up in fear, it felt like the thing wished for her death. Another creature emerged from the tree, one a little more humanoid and having more of a membrane, following it was a more nimble creature with barely any membrane and looking less wind resistant. Both were ready for the kill and Pipi felt a chill on her shoulder, shaking her awake.

In a purple and blue mist, her vision returned to a cave most familiar, by a wall was a concerned group of Mankeys, Ratattas, Marrils and an Azumarril. Looking down at her in concern was a Mismagius that was worried for the girl and a Haunter that looked even more frieghtened, he saw Pipi was coming through and sighed in relief. "Haunt!"

Pipi gasped as her Golbat, Poipole and Dustox tried to help her up and ask what happened, the ninja felt like her experience was a distant dream. "...I...I think something tried to attack me. Yo-kai, beware of the yellow lights, they mean trouble... unless that was part of your game. If it was... that wasn't funny." Her face looked scolding and the ghost pleaded that it WASN'T part of the game. The Mismagius sensed something coming and called the many pokemon to flee as the Haunter looked at the chest and congratulated Pipi, he casually floated away talking about something as Pipi readied a dusk ball. "Oh no you are not conning your way out of this!"

She tossed a dusk ball, Yo-kai spun out of the way and floated through a wall with a laughter. Pipi yelled out. "YO-KAI!"

She was shaking her fist as many voices were head from behind, calling her name. Pamela and Alex saw a whole, unexplored cave as Morty and Yang sensed the supernatural and more. The gym leader recognized the chest and gasped. "This was where that Haunter took those badges?! Pipi... are you alright?" Yang guessed so. "But... something else happened here as well... let's start with one thing at a time before we go back to the city."

In a town by a lake.

Yo-kai and Sōsaresu hid near a store and were nervous about something, the Haunter muttered to his adopted mother. "What Pipi said was pretty creepy." The Mismagius agreed and had a chill. "Eek! Super natural even for us."

The Haunter asked her once more. "With any luck... Pipi will be going the other way and give us time for the next part of the game. She can have this one to herself.. for now. Mom, are you sure there isn't a way for me to evolve?"

The Mismagius shook her head. "Not unless there is something in this town that will force you to evolve... and I don't think you want it like that. Listen... Yo-kai, things can't always go the way you planned, even in games like this... you can lose in more ways than one." The Haunter puffed his cheeks up and folded his arms like a child, then he saw observing the two, a blonde man in a scientists attire, he had a blue stripe of hair and he was pressing buttons on a wrist mounted device, his ear piece like device picked up something and he laughed in triumph. "Ha, ha! And now I found out the mystery of a pokemon's tongue! Hmm... this could amuse N."

The Haunter and Mismagius nearly jumped back, Sōsaresu shrieked. "Waah! What the-" The man understood everything and was considering a success, the Mismagius stopped herself and slowly became impressed. "...A human actually made something so he can understand us better who would have thought."

Yo-kai had his right hand under his chin and his eyes squinted in thought. "It's... interesting." He thought of an idea and broke out of the thought. "Hey Mister Scientist, if you made something like that, could you help me out with something." The scientist insisted. "Please, call me Colress, what seems to be your problem?"

Yo-kai looked like he found something as the Mismagius kept guard. "I... been looking for a way to evolve without messing around a trading machine. Can you help me out?" Colress thought of it and remembered. "I know someone who can, but it's not my invention and belongs with someone else." He took a panel and placed it down, it circled to a device that glowed and he asked. "If... you two can come with me, they might assist you, have you heard of the Aether Foundation?"

Yo-kai shook his head as Sōsaresu remembered something. "I read about that in a magazine, they a bunch of people who help pokemon out. I heard they work in a region far away from here." Colress agreed and addressed the device. "This C teleportation device is connected to another like it in the very facility they operate on. There, a colleague of mine had developed a device that assist pokemon that require trade to evolve. Before we go, what... is the reason for such a wish?"

The Haunter answered with a believing smile. "I want to make this game I'm playing with this girl more challenging and I can't do that while stuck like this." Colress's eyes sparkled at a pokemon wishing to reach their full potential, the Mismagius doubted the man. "This sounds too good to be true, WAY too good to be true. A... while ago, Yo-kai got a family involved in busting a bunch of crooks by accident and this looks like he is wandering to somewhere he shouldn't. How can we trust you?"

Colress felt a fair point and stepped on the teleporter. "You won't, but if the two of you don't follow what you seek, you will never know the potential you can reach. Consider that before following." PEW! The man vanished, Yo-kai grunted embarrassed. "Mom, this guy was able to talk to us and is too strange to want to try anything more with us. If he was planning something funny, we would have found out." The Mismagius considered it a fair statement and was next to hover over the device. "Then I'll go in first! Come along!" PEW! The Haunter floated and felt the shine of light in his eyes, he and the Mismagius found themselves in a shining white lab, with a variety of humans with a tan and in white uniforms.

Colress started a conversation with a scientist that looked like he saw madness. "And they followed Mr. Philip." The Aether Scientist agreed and looked judgemental under his helmet, directed at Colress particular. "And we thought you were just taking a study trip to Johto. Science is ever calling." The Haunter and Mismagius felt like they should have heeded more caution as a blonde man in dark clothes descended from an elevator, talking with a black haired man in tropical clothes that is scared of something. "Gladion, if I don't tell Lillie soon, she is going to assume I'm cheating on her or something like that. Nearly everyone knows of our... guest and once Tammy gets here with her own Corsola, it's only going to be matter of time."

Gladion posed in doubt and agreed with him. "Elio... Mr. Sun. I told you that if she knows a whole subspecies of Corsola has been under, who knows what kind of conditions to look like THAT, it will break her heart. She needs to find out on her own and it is best she doesn't have a reason to see this for herself. That girl should be here in a few more hours and she can... word it better than you can right now."

Elio cringed in agreement. "Lana knows about it. She's trickster about everything, even if she promised to keep quiet to her... I got myself in this mess."

Gladion pointed at him with a forming smile. "You would have made it worse for yourself if you were actually good at lying. So this might be a bit better." He saw the Mismagius and blue mouthed Haunter, he asked the scientists. "Eh... what is going on here?"

Philip reported to Gladion. "Just a procedure to help a Haunter evolve, he and this Mismagius are from the Johto region." Elio's eyes perked. "Johto?! What the heck is-" Colress explained what he knew and the man squinted his eyes in questionable approval, Gladion's green eyes showed astonishment. "That is too crazy to not be true... alright, but we're watching this." Elio nodded and wondered. "Just what kind of game is this Haunter even playing? Is... he trying to be some villain for a trainers journey?"

Yo-kai smiled nervously at the answer, Elio squinted his eyes and readied a quick ball. "Uh-huh you are. Well I don't have Dex with me, so while we get things ready, you and Lost are going to have a long talk." Pop!

Out came a Mimikyu that was sleeping away, she sensed the metal floor and slowly woke up, she grumbled. "...More...Corsola...drama?" Elio lowered himself and shook his head. "No, just a Haunter that is acting suspicious and a Mismagius that seems to be his partner in crime. Could you try to piece together what he is trying to do before we do something reckless?"

The Mimikyu nodded and guided the ghosts towards a room with an odd machine, the tube like structure and glow looked very much like a trading machine, with a screen that circled around a cable like beam. The Haunter's eyes widened for a moment. "Haunt?!"

Philip answered the gas pokemon. "Yes, this machine was built on the foundation of the machine often used to trade pokemon from trainer to trainer. It gives off the same energy that affects pokemon like you and can trigger evolution. It was an end result of my research." He looked to be blushing underneath his helmet and went towards the screen to press a few buttons, the Haunter looked nervous as the Mimikyu pulled him closer with her tendril, she asked in a tongue only pokemon would understand. "Alright, whats the big idea for wanting to become a Gengar? Those guys are not too different from ya... so it isn't too drastic."

The Haunter pressed his fingers together. "I... got to keep up with a human girl that is getting better as a trainer, an observant person and as a ninja since now she won't have any teacher watching over her."

The Mimikyu blinked and asked in a rasp. "Ninja?!" The Haunter kept a smile as the Mismagius watched the machine activate and was looking nervous. "It's a long story. Right now she is traveling with some friends of hers and some psychic girl that gives me the creeps. She... might have been the reason some of my tricks stopped working."

The Mimikyu stared at him and felt she knew the answer, she spoke slowly. "If you were using mind tricks, then she might have told that ninja girl how they worked. That girl specializes in psychic types?" The Haunter nodded. "And she is friends with the Ninja girl who's specialty is poison types." The Mimikyu nearly burst into laughter. "That's funny..." She was in thought as the machine gave a glow in activation.

The tube like attachment in the center had a glow. Philip gave a thumbs up as Colress insisted to the Haunter. "It's ready for you Yo-kai. Just float underneath the energy beam and it will do the rest." Yo-kai swallowed and did as instructed. A glass tube descended and surrounded the ghost pokemon, he saw blue, glowing energy surround him. He didn't feel anything save for bright lights, Lost scurried to the Mismagius that was near breathless and asked. "So... what are you?"

The Mismagius sighed and wasn't in the mood to joke. "Just a friend and I look after Yo-kai like I'm his mother. This... wasn't part of our plan today." The shining light triggered a reaction in the Haunter and turned off, causing him to give off a glow as the Mimikyu gave a smile under her cloak. "But it helps. You... know who Yo-kai is playing with? Exactly? I trust the two of you, but boss is going through a lot of things that are questionable and he doesn't need more uncertainty?"

The Mismagius answered as she watched the glass tube lift itself, Yo-kai's form fade in shadows and reshape itself. "A girl named Pipi." The Mimikyu adjusted her fake Pikachu ears in astonishment. "Pipi?! I seen her before, I'll tell the Boss once he gets Rotom Dex back." The Mismagius felt the good will and watched the glow end. In place of the Haunter was a black Gengar, he looked at himself and was smiling wide, he cheered and flew around, the procedure was a success. Knock! Knock! Gladion turned around to hear a door opening and was about to address who was coming, he gasped and tapped Elio on the shoulder. "Don't turn around."

Elio wondered who and felt tackled as a familiar girl cheered. "I'm back on vacation Dad!" He felt a hug from behind for a moment and turned around, a brown haired girl with blue eyes and a casual wear of a green dress shirt and white pants greeted him. Following behind her was an Eevee in a yellow, tropical attire. "EEVWEE!"

The Mimikyu cheered back as Elio looked surprised. "Tammy?! Neo?! You came earlier than I expected... what's the emergency?" Tammy winked and answered. "None, it was just off season at the Battle Frontier and Scott said I can visit... so long as I hand out one of these to someone." She showed a frontier pass as her smile faded. "I also heard from someone and someone, that you and a few others were taking something here way too seriously to where if Mom found out, it would be the worst possible thing. Do you want to talk about it?" Elio had a better idea in the matter. "No, but I'll show you. Did you bring your Corsola with you or do you need to visit a P.C?"

Tammy sighed. "Coeru could help our guest a but Mom needs to know about this." Elio agreed as Gladion warned her. "You... would probably see why we were holding that knowledge away from her until she is ready to see it once you see." He focused on Colress in thanks. "But first, I think these two ghosts got what they came here for. Colress, you can get them back home now."

The scientist nodded as the Gengar was thankful to him and the other scientist, he had them follow back to the teleporter, back to the town they were wandering in. The scientist was more than pleased. "Besides the family drama, this was most productive." The Gengar agreed and snickered. "Heh, ha! Now Pipi's own trick isn't going to work anymore! Her chucking those balls at me the first chance she gets."

The Mismagius agreed to that with a mutual smile. "That's why we evolve when we can, so now what we going to do while we wait?" Yo-kai shrugged and looked at the few buildings in town. "Make... a hide out, I think I know how we can keep it up. If Pipi's friends followed her all the way here... that be even better." He snickered as the Mismagius realized what was in the mind. "Ruh oh!"

The Gengar agreed with his adopted mother. "Ruh oh indeed! Don't worry, when that is all done, they be laughing." He waved goodbye to Colress. "Thanks again for the help! Don't tell anyone you saw us." He left and the Mismagius followed, Colress looked forward to the results and looked on at the Lake of Rage. "That was enlightening, now lets see what secrets the lake has."

At Ecruteak's Gym.

Pipi registered a team of four pokemon, Kuīnpin, Munci, Acanci and Kumo. She looked on at Pamela and Alex as Yang and her Gothetella were holding hands and going to the rafters. The ninja asked the silver maiden. "Morty seemed thrilled to have his badges back and because of that he wants to make this battle a bit... special. It needed four pokemon for something." Pamela guessed what it was as Alex was closing his eyes in thought. "It must be a double battle! Be careful Pipi, what happens in those battles could be vastly different from what you are use to."

Pipi wondered what awaited her as Alex agreed with his girlfriend. "Certain pokemon thrive in that format compared to most. But Kuīnpin has some helpful moves for this battle." The ninja agreed as the two left for the rafters. Pipi went in and found a gym shrouded in darkness, with only candles to light the way, an elderly woman blocked her path and taunted. "Can you inflict any damage on our pokemon?"

At the rafters, Pamela assured a petrified Yang. "This is just the gyms puzzle. It should be over quickly." The Gothetella watched a Nidorina and Golbat confront two Gastlys as the psychic kept quiet. "...This is worst than the bug gym-" She took a deep breath and answered. "On our way to Violet City, we got attacked by a swarm of bug pokemon. Thankfully there is only one Dark Gym in Kanto."

Alex took out a Pokegear and pressed a few buttons. "If you have one of these, they can help you see in the dark." The Nidorina and Golbat beaten the Gastly pair with ease and a second set came, Yang took out her poke gear and saw the imagery more clearly. She kept stoic and thanked the boy shyly. "T...Thank you, this makes it a little better."

The two poison types bested the ghosts and lead to the last two that were dispatched. Yang saw a candle dim out, Pipi looked lost in the dark, the girl took a deep breath, called her pokemon back and slowed her steps, she saw a candle in the distance with another elderly medium and the psychic sensed what her friend was sensing. "I see... she is more focused on battling to the point that she might forget... where goes where. Not that the puzzle is THAT complicated." Pamela agreed with the psychic and had her Pokegear ready to look on in the dark. "Most of them are not too puzzling, I wonder what kind of game Yo-kai was playing before we came?" Yang rolled her eyes. "I sensed enough... its... just usual foolishness. To think he would stup into stealing all those badges!"

She watched Pipi's duo of pokemon confront a Haunter duo and quickly dispatched them, leading to another candle snuffing out. The ninja went to another platform quickly in the cover of darkness, to another medium that let out another Haunter and oddly enough a Duskull, Alex agreed with Yang. "Its a good way to draw attention... but that could have backfired if literally anyone else figured out the mystery and went after him. A circus in the middle of nowhere... only a traveler would fall for that."

Yang watched the Golbat strike the Haunter down with brave bird and the Nidorina in her hustle, bit the Duskull hard, she shook him and thrashed him to the ground for an easy k.o. "... Or someone who IS looking for those badges and would see all the signs... like Pipi expected. There is one problem though, she mentioned a particular event that she doesn't claim to remember nor tell us. Pamela, Alex, has... anything strange happened in Johto or Kanto... at all?"

The couple shook their heads and watched Pipi confront an even odder Median that sent out a Gastly, Haunter and Gengar, the ninja sent out her Mareanie and ordered something as Pamela recalled. "There... wasn't... but there was a terrorist group that me and several people had taken down. There is a pokemon that suffered under their hands that we need to find... Deoxys. We... are not to talk about what happened to him and so many others... Toride still has not really recovered. He is a pokemon similar to Sutikki... an Ultra Beast."

Yang took the girls word. "Deoxys isn't just a victim though... he is a threat that if left out on his own could spell another catastrophe. But... what can we really do?" Pamela sighed. "Nothing beyond keeping guard."

The Golbat took down the Haunter with brave bird as the Mareanie knocked the Gastly down, something fell out and the gas was knocked out. Leaving the Nidorina to take a night shade and missed a bite. The Nidorina roared at the Golbat that struck the Gengar down. Causing the whole gym to fade in darkness, Pipi searched her bags for medicine and healed her team.

The ninja walked down the assured path, she felt like she found nothing. Then a blue candle glowed and brought light, revealing an arena, on the otherside was Morty, who had a relaxed smile for Pipi. "Good for you to have come here and make today interesting. Such pokemon are willing to go that far..." The ninja agreed with him and readied for battle. "It was probably my fault, what Yo-kai did was mostly for me."

Morty shrugged and had two balls ready. "You and that wild pokemon are bound to this game. There is only one way for it to end. Are you ready to keep going?" Pipi nodded. "Let's do this!" Morty tossed two balls out, letting out a Gengar and a Misdrevus that had an particular pink stone. Pipi cringed and tossed her two balls. "Munci, Kuīnpin, lets go!"

A Trubbish and Nidorina landed on the arena and saw the two foes before them, the Misdreavus gave a masculine chuckle as the Gengar gazed on them with malevolence. Pipi swallowed and ordered. "I know they are up to something. Munci, use toxic spikes! Kuīnpin use... attract on Gengar." The duo readied their moves as Morty ordered. "Gengar, use hypnosis on the Trubbish, Misdreavus use confuse ray on the Nidorina!"

The Gengar stared at the Trubbish in a hypnotic trance, Munci shook and looked away, covering his eyes with his left limb as he flung spikes with another. The Misdreavus shined a ray that dazed Kuīnpin, she glared at him and focused on the Gengar, looking adorable and causing the shadow pokemon to blush without control. He tried to use hypnosis once more and didn't have the heart to do it, Morty ordered. "Use psybeam on the Nidorina before she attacks!"

The Misdreavus shot psychic beams from his eyes to knock her down as Pipi ordered. "Munci, again! Kuīnpin, attract the Misdreavus and bite the Gengar till he stops moving!" The Trubbish flung another layer of spikes as the Nidorina shook off the daze and woo'd the Misdreavus with a simple wiggle. Both ghosts have fallen for her charms and the trap was set.

The Gengar saw what was happening and used hypnosis on the Nidorina, the poison pin closed her eyes as the Misdreavus hesitated to use psybeam. Kuīnpin lunged at the Gengar in her hustle and bit into him as Pipi ordered. "Munci, use acid spray on Misdreavus, get her soften up for a sludge bomb barrage and Acanci will do the rest!" The Trubbish vomited acid on the Misdreavus as Morty ordered. "Both of you, focus on the Trubbish! He needs to go down!"

The Gengar hesitated as the Misdreavus psybeamed the Trubbish, Kuīnpin bit again and tossed the Gengaar back for a k.o. Leaving him laying in a shadow of shame, the Trubbish shot a sludge bomb at the Misdreavus and left a lingering poison. Morty sighed and called him back. "This is annoying." He tossed a dusk ball and let out a purple, goblin like creature with gems for eyes. "I can do that. Sableye, fake Kuīnpin out while Misdreavus deals with Munchi!"

The Sableye felt the toxins from the spikes, snickered and pounced, he clapped to startled the Nidorina as the Misdreavus focused and fired a psybeam to knock the Trubbish out. Pipi called her trash bag back and tossed a poke ball. "Go Kumo, lets keep striking!" Pop! A Golbat flew out and was ready for the order. Pipi shouted. " Kuīnpin, use helping hand and help Kumo strike that Sableye!" The Nidorina barked and cheered as Morty ordered his Sableye. "Quash the Golbat while Misdreavus finishes the Nidorina off!"

The Sableye dashed to the Golbat and held her down as the Misdreavus blushed and shot the Nidorina for a k.o. Kumo rammed at the Misdreavus for significant damage as Pipi called her Nidorina back, she tossed a net ball. "Acanci, use knock off on Misdreavus while Kumo uses confuse ray on Sableye!"

The Golbat shined dazzling light as Morty ordered. "Use confuse ray back on the Golbat, then we will see if she can hide any longer. Sableye, use foul play."

The Misdreavus shined back as the Mareanie flailed his tentacle and knocked the Misdreavus out with a slap. The Sableye flung the Golbat to the ground for significant damage and leaped back, Morty called Misdreavus back and tossed a level ball. "Marowak, let's finish this!"

Pop!

A black skinned Marowak with a bone like pattern on his scales entered the battle, he felt the toxins as his thick bone glowed with blue fire. Pipi and the audience gasped as the Marowak spun his bone in preparation. The Ninja ordered. "Kumo, use brave bird again! Acanci, knock that bone off the Marowak!" Morty ordered his Sableye. "Quash the Golbat, Marowak, shadow bone!"

The Sableye leaped at the Golbat's legs to annoy her as the Marowak leaped in the air with his bone glowing purple. TWACK! He knocked Kumo to the ground and left the Mareanie surrounded as he slapped the bone away. Morty ordered. "Foul play again, Marowak... bonemerang!"

The Marowak grunted, formed a spectral bone and tossed it at Acanci as the Sableye dashed, tripped and hit his head on the floor. Pipi squeaked. "Acanci, dodge and use scald!" The Mareanie grunted, rolled out of the bones way and shot hot water without mercy, knocking the Marowak on his back and leaving him unable to battle.

Morty found himself in a corner and was determined to keep battle. "It's...no, it's not over yet! We can still fight!" He and Pipi called the knocked out pokemon back, the gym leader ordered. "Sableye, use will-o-wisp next!" The Sableye giggled and tossed spectral fire at Acanci, leaving a burn as Pipi ordered. "Use venoshock and scald! We just need to wear him down!" The Mareanie agreed and shot burning water. The Sableye struck back with foul play each time and was knocked down by one more venoshock. Ending the battle and the duo nearly falling over.

Pipi and Acanci breathed heavily, another difficult battle had been won. Morty called his Sableye back, took out a badge shaped like a wispy ghost and a T.M labeled shadow ball. "I see... you battled more differently than your mother. You have similar strategies... but you are going a bit of a different direction." He gave Pipi the badge and T.M, the Gym lit itself up and the ninja saw the badge shine, she took it and was lost for words. "Di...Different?! Ho-" She felt a pulse and looked at the rafters to find many chairs circling wildly, Gothetella was holding onto a floating Pamela and Alex as Yang cheered loudly. "WHOO! YOU SHOWED THOSE GHOSTS WHO IS THE BEST! GO PIPI! PIPI! PIPI!"

The Gothetella stared stoically and Yang felt a whisper in her mind, she looked around at the chaos and gasped, the chairs fell back and she was embarrassed. Pamela and Alex looked at her without words. The Ninja asked Morty. "I... think I know what you are talking about, it is a strategy I need to pick up on, inflicting status when I can and take advantage of it.

That's what Acanci and Sutikki do best while the others hinder the foe... I think ghost pokemon HAVE a similar strategy." Morty agreed and offered to lead the way out. "I heard that they are making a T.M for it right now. Hex is what you speak of." Pipi smiled at the thought. "Like... what you were going to have Gengar do had Kuīnpin didn't do her thing?" Morty nodded. "Hex deals more damage to pokemon asleep, paralyzed, burned, frozen and of course, poisoned... you should consider that if you are able to catch that Haunter."

Pipi envisioned it and was at the Gym's lobby, Pamela and Alex congratulated her as Yang was facing her eyes away embarrassed. The ninja knew her next destination. "As much as I suspect Yo-kai to be east, I want to go to Olivine City to know about what the move tutors have to offer. I might try to test myself even more." Pamela nearly bit her tongue in an attempt to ease a very likely defeat. "Alright, it... should be easier if you say this to Mama."

Morty felt the tension and wished the group off. "If... you can find a way to break Jasmine's defenses, you might win... but... she would be different compared to those you fought before." Alex agreed and lead the way out as he tried to make Pipi feel better. "It isn't that you cannot... but... but..." Yang sighed and dully finished. "You do not even have one pokemon that would do anything meaningful against a steel type pokemon. Bugsy, Whitney and even Morty all have pokemon that would be affected by your pokemon's toxins and if THAT failed, you have other tricks in mind. You don't even have the toxins to aid you... thankfully... there is a gym near Olivine you can consider while you prepare."

Pipi felt the words and walked out. "I'll... think about that once I heal my pokemon." Alex nodded and walked off to the east. "You go on your journey while I... explore. I'll catch up shortly." The boy walked off and Pamela sighed, she and the girls gave Morty a goodbye and walked off to the west.