Chapter 4

A Ghost of a Chance

'Be the best you can be and find your destiny. It's the master plan. The power's in your hand!'

Shuffling across narrow planks of wood, Ruby hummed a nursery rhyme to herself doing her best not to look down at the black water churning below. Floating close to the murky surface were horrific faces, some grinning maniacally while others appeared to be in some kind of eternal torment. Accompanying the unholy wails of the accursed were the sounds of chattering teeth and trembling bones, emanating from both Ruby and Ledian as the ladybug Pokémon had taken residence underneath her trainer's hood, who'd cover both their eyes whenever the ghosts made particularly terrifying faces at them.

Up ahead, Weiss and Sakura walked with their arms atop their heads seemingly unconcerned about the abyss or its inhabitants below, or of the unnatural, floating purple flames lighting their way.

"W-why does it have to be so dark?" Ruby whimpered, barely able to see her own feet. "And w-why do we have to be so high up?"

She adjusted her cloak in hopes that much like the monsters before bedtime, the ghost Pokémon wouldn't be able to remove any body parts so long as they weren't exposed. More than once she had woken in the middle of the night with a toe or even a foot poking out from under the covers, and suspected her finely tuned instincts had woken her just before something could make off with them.

"Don't tell me that you're afraid of both the dark and heights," Weiss chided. "It's a Ghost-type gym. W-what were you expecting? Sunshine and murals of Buneary chasing Pikachu on the walls?"

"Morty likes to set the mood before his battles," said Sakura cheerfully, waving at the ghosts down below. "And don't worry about falling in. The Pokémon belong to the gym trainers and they'll make sure you don't drown. Well, they may let you drown and may even force your head under the water, but they'll make sure your spirit doesn't wander off too far."

"Y-you're joking, right?"

"Stop whining. Your cowardice is starting to get their attention." Following Weiss' unsteady finger, Ruby stared wide-eyed as a Haunter forced a Gastly under the water, simulating a drowning while laughing maniacally.

"EEEPP!" Sprinting across the boards she ran into Sakura and rested her hands atop her shoulders.

"It's alright, Ruby. We're almost to the other side. Just a little further."

For Sakura and Weiss' own safety, Ruby decided to maintain guarding their retreat with her monster-proof cloak, and kept her eyes tightly shut as another protective measure. Ledian meanwhile yanked on her cross necklace, choking her trainer while praying to the holy mother of Arceus and her son for divine protection.

"We're going to die..."

'Beh-bee...' Ledian agreed.

"You can both open your eyes now," Sakura said, the creaking wooden planks being replaced by damp cobblestone. "It's just a long, dark hallway with spooky paintings on the walls. Nothing to be scared of!"

Ruby opened her eyes but immediately closed them again upon seeing an evil-looking tower with a multitude of a crimson eyes staring back at her through the windows, a few occasionally blinking.

"That's the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town," she explained as if giving another tour. "It's a place for people to bring the remains of their Pokémon and lay them to rest. Unfortunately it's also notoriously haunted by Ghost-type Pokémon and they have a habit of playing pranks on visitors and occasionally possessing them. It's all in good fun though. Oh, and that's Turnback Cave. They say it's an endless cemetery ruled by a Pokémon banished to the underworld, and supposedly if you stay too long you never come out and the last thing you see is your own grave. Oh, and that's-"

"I get it!" Ruby screamed, taking her hands off Sakura's shoulders and immediately hiding them back under her cloak. "Bad things happen whenever ghost Pokémon are around! Tell me again why we're walking through a haunted gym that trains Ghost-type Pokémon in order to make them stronger!?"

"You're here because you foolishly think you can defeat Morty and win the Fog Badge," said Weiss, a little ways ahead paused in front of a painting. "Sakura's here for moral support and to be your cheerleader, and I'm here because I have nothing better to do before the Kimono Girls' show tonight."

Waiting patiently for her dawdling companions so they wouldn't have to traverse the dungeon by themselves, Weiss studied a peculiar painting depicting the inside of a cozy log cabin during a blizzard, the door wide open while a smiling young woman wearing a white kimono tied with a red sash stood in the snowstorm, the fireplace and all signs of life extinguished...

Weiss shuddered and continued leading the way, but only after Ruby and Sakura caught up.

"Well hello, children..." said a brittle, high-pitched voice.

Ruby stiffened while Weiss slunk to the back, deciding the caped-girl couldn't be trusted to guard the rear on her own but having complete faith in Sakura who bowed respectfully to the elderly woman that emerged from the darkness. "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Are you here for the gym battle?"

"I am, but I thought I'd take a little stroll down memory lane and see some old friends first." Despite walking into the dim light, the shadows clung to her like a veil. "Are you the one who's challenging my grandson, dearie?" Her black eyes turned to Ruby.

"M-me? No, I mean, yes. Maybe? I-I'm not really sure anymore." Raising her hood and allowing her eyes to adjust to the lack of light, Ruby found the woman to be hunched over and relying on a gnarled cane almost as ancient as herself. She had stringy silver hair just above shoulder length, and a kindly wrinkled face partially masked by darkness.

Adjusting her white shawl that she likely knitted herself while rocking back and forth in a rocking chair, the woman stood up straight despite the protests of her curved spine. "Old age seems to have made me forget my manners. My name is Agatha, and it's a pleasure to meet such fine young ladies and skilled trainers as yourselves."

"I'm Sakura." She bowed again despite the woman's accent being distinctly Kantonian. "I recognize you from the theater. I hope you've been enjoying our shows."

Agatha nodded. "It's been far too long since I last watched you girls perform in person but you're just as beautiful as I remember, and I felt like a little girl again seeing you for the first time. I'm afraid between my commitments in Kanto and growing old, traveling to Ecruteak has been rather inconvenient these past few years. Fortunately I recently acquired some free time and I've chosen to spend it seeing the world one final time before these old bones give up the ghost."

She let out a cackling laugh resembling a witch's before turning her dark eyes to the girl in white who immediately stiffened. "I was there yesterday when you defeated all seven of the Kimono Girls. Very impressive. What's your name?"

"Weiss," she stuttered, bowing low. "Weiss Schnee, ma'am."

Agatha grinned like one of the ghost Pokémon before bowing slightly. "Well, Weiss Schnee, I was particularly impressed with your Froslass over there." She glanced at the painting Weiss had previously been staring at, and a white figure materialized, surprised and regarding the woman with an air of apprehension much like its trainer.

"These eyes may be old and have had their fair share of cataracts but they see more than just the living." She leaned forward to talk to Weiss directly. "Just between you and me, I think you should rely less on your Froslass' Ice-typing and more on her true nature. There are powers laying dormant inside of her that you've both barely even begun scratching the surface of."

"Y-yes, ma'am. I-I will."

The woman leaned back and regarded the three again, smiling momentarily at Ledian who was still trying to hide. "I have a close friend named Lorelei who's retired now but much like yourself rather skilled in regards to Ice-type Pokémon, but she's also equally as proficient with Water and Psychic-types. Every Pokémon has untapped potential and hidden strengths to discover, and it's the duty of every trainer to help them reach beyond what we think is possible. An old friend and rival friend from Pallet Town taught me that, and it's served me well over the years if I do say so myself."

"Y-yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am!"

Agatha smiled again and turned to Ruby. "Good luck today, child. Defeating my grandson won't be easy, but if life were easy what would even be the point? You've come a long way to get here and faced more than your fair share of hardships, but all that matters is that you never give up." She stole a glance at Sakura who stiffened but slowly nodded. "Winning and losing are two sides of the same coin, but luckily for young ladies such as ourselves, luck favors the bold and stubborn. I've even known it to favor the foolish a time or two."

She chuckled again and began walking forward, causing the girls to step out of the way and along with Froslass bow as she passed, with the Alolan girl a second or two behind and needing to be yanked by the hood so that she was doubled over like Weiss.

"Good luck, children. Enjoy youth while it lasts!" The cackling echoed throughout the corridor as she melded back into the darkness, disappearing with surprising speed for someone relying on a cane.

Froslass returned to Weiss' side and steadied her when it looked as though her knees might buckle.

"She seems nice," said Ruby with Sakura quickly agreeing. "I bet she makes really good chocolate chip cookies for her grand-kids."

"Nice?" Weiss gasped, keeping her voice low. "Cookies? Do either of you have any idea who that was!?"

"A sweet elderly woman named Agatha who's Morty's grandmother," said the caped-girl proudly. "See, I listen to people, and I'm not that oblivious or-"

"IDIOT! That was THE Agatha!" she shouted. "The trainer who dethroned Pryce as the Tohjo Champion fifty years ago! She had a legendary rivalry with Samuel Oak that spanned a decade, and after he retired from competitive battling she went on to regain the championship and become a six time WORLD Champion! She's the longest reigning champion in the history of any region, and is who Lance defeated to win his first championship! Before resigning earlier this year, she had spent half a century as either the Tohjo Champion or member of the Elite Four, and is THE Ghost-type MASTER!"

Ruby stared wide-eyed. "A-and she's gonna watch m-my match? Against h-her grandson!?"

"It would appear that way," Weiss grumbled, continuing forward. "Just my luck. Do me a favor and try not to make a fool of yourself out there. I don't want Agatha judging me by the people I associate with, especially when it's strictly circumstantial that we're together."

With her head held high Weiss disappeared into the darkness, the sound of her heels quickening until a door creaked open and slammed behind her. Froslass followed, excusing herself as she passed the others and presumably through the door to follow her trainer. Overhead, the chandeliers rocked back and forth causing the shadows to dance around them, and hearing the caped-girl whimper Sakura grabbed her hand.

"You'll do fine, Ruby" she reassured. "You've already earned five badges, and in the traditional Johto challenge, the Ecruteak Gym is usually the fourth gym battle, not the sixth. Come on, let's get you somewhere with a bit more light."

She dragged Ruby to the door Weiss had entered, which despite having a dark entryway turned out to be much like all the other official league locker rooms Ruby had sat in during her and Yang's travels. A couple dozen lockers lined the walls belonging to gym trainers and challengers if they so wished, and there was even a small lounge for trainers to sit and eat and converse. A fancy coffee maker on the counter immediately caught Ruby's interest as she could've gone for a cup and six sugars right about then, but Sakura steered her away toward one of the empty booths. On the opposite side of the locker room, Froslass stood guarding a door while a toilet flushed on the other side.

Sitting down and taking a much needed deep breath, Ruby removed her hood and sat Ledian on her shoulder. Needing something to keep her hands occupied she reached into a pocket and retrieved a retro style red and black Pokedex, which flipped open revealing a small screen and various buttons that she was pretty sure didn't do anything but were fun to press when she was bored or feeling anxious. Across from her, Sakura leaned over curiously, and after a dozen or so unnecessary button presses a list of all the Pokémon Ruby currently had registered to her appeared, as well as detailed charts and graphs beside each party member's portrait.

Ledian stared in awe of the electronic device but found herself confused as to why nearly all the numbers beside her photo were smaller than everyone else's.

"Don't worry, Ledian," Ruby said, patting her on the head. "There's more to Pokémon battles than just numbers, and there's no substitute for heart and toughness!"

The ladybug Pokémon nodded and raised its fists, cold air and electricity crackling around them. Sakura couldn't help giggling and quickly apologized when they looked up at her. "I'm sorry, it's just that I love watching the two of you. How long have you and Ledian been together?"

"Let me think." Ruby bit her lit and began counting off fingers. "Five years!" she said triumphantly. "I was ten when Yang and I found a Scyther and Ariados fighting over a Ledyba trapped in its web." Ledian shuddered and pulled Ruby's hood over her head, prompting her trainer to peel it back off. "Nowadays you'd beat that mean old Ariados with three arms tied behind your back!"

Ledian didn't seem so sure, but her trainer's reassurance did at the very least help make the trembling go away. "Yang had to catch Scizor in a Pokeball in order to get him to a Pokémon Center, but she released him once he recovered from his injuries and being poisoned. After that they just kinda hung around town, moving from the forest to a nearby park and eventually our backyard. Personally I think Ledian just liked sleeping on my bed better than trees."

'Beh-Bee!'

The girls giggled as the ladybug nuzzled her trainer's neck. "Scizor preferred staying outside and patrolling the yard, but after about a year or so Dad got reassigned from working with Professor Rowan in Sangem Town to Professor Birch in Hoenn, which was halfway across the world. I must've cried everyday for a month until Ledian decided they were coming with us. She and Scizor were still technically wild Pokémon, but we were a family, though Scizor didn't always seem happy about it."

Ledian glanced away rubbing the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly at the pair.

"You're right, Ledian. Scizor may act tough and cool but underneath the metal he's a total softy!" She gave her a hug which was gladly reciprocated. "Anyway, when Yang got her trainer's license she decided to go back home and take on the Alola Island Challenge, and asked me to come with her. Well, okay maybe I did beg her just a little, and maybe I did try bribing her a few times."

'Beh-Bee!'

"She did not only take me along to shut me up!" Sakura stifled a laugh as the pair suddenly looked to be on the verge of fighting, only to begin laughing themselves. "I wanted Ledian and Scizor to come with us, and since Ledian wanted to come too, catching them really was the only practical thing to do. Back then Scizor, or Scyther, was more Yang's Pokémon, but since he and Ledian don't like to be separated and some of the Island Trials require trainers to complete the trial on their own, he stayed back with us a lot."

"That probably meant missing out on a lot of battle experience, huh?"

Ruby nodded. "And back then getting stronger and protecting Ledian were really the only things Scizor cared about, and they weren't mutually exclusive." She continued patting Ledian who gave one of the Pokeballs around Ruby's waist a playful punch, flexing her wiry arms afterward. "After Yang finished her trials we went home to rest, and she waited until I was out for summer vacation before going out on her next big adventure. By the time we got back from the Orange Islands, Dad had already been reassigned again, this time to New Bark Town. Yang set out on the Johto gym challenge not long after, while me, Scizor and Ledian waited a year until I got my own trainer's license to do the same."

"That's a great story," said Sakura, pleased that both Ruby and Ledian had forgotten about the ghosts from before and those still awaiting them.

Ruby's eyes twinkled as did Ledian's. "I can't imagine my life without either of them, or any of my other Pokémon for that matter. We're not just a team, we're family..."

'Beh-Bee!'

"Heartwarming," said Weiss, arms folded across her chest on the other side of the locker room. Sakura shot her a dirty look hoping she'd take the hint and finally be on her way, but instead she approached the table and glowered over Ruby. "Now is not the time to be reminiscing. You're about to challenge a gym leader to a four on four Pokémon battle, and not only is it against a Ghost-type expert, but it'll also be in front of a sold out audience of three thousand or more. Get your head out of the clouds before you lose it in front of them and your opponent."

As Ruby's eyes widened and heart quickened, Sakura glared at Weiss before grabbing the other girl's hand. "Deep breaths, Ruby. You've got this."

"But why does there always have to be so many people watching during gym battles? I hate crowds, I'm scared of ghost Pokémon, and yes I sleep with a nightlight! What am I even doing here!? There are other gyms I could challenge, and-"

"If you feel like forfeiting I'd be all too happy to take your place," Weiss interrupted, her cold blue eyes staring straight through her and Ledian. "It would be an honor to have Agatha watch me win a real Pokémon battle against such a worthy opponent. If you're scared or don't have what it takes, then stand aside for somebody who does."

"ENOUGH!" Sakura slammed the table and rose to her feet. "From the moment we met I haven't liked you, and I don't know how Ruby or anyone else for that matter puts up with you! Including your own Pokémon!"

Weiss glanced at her, unimpressed and unconcerned despite the girl's hand being tightened into a fist. "Believe me, the feeling is mutual."

"Ruby!" She slammed the table again. "Why is she even here? Has she said a single nice thing to you since the two of you met?"

The caped-girl's eyes met Weiss', her mouth hanging open before promptly closing, a smile tugging on her lip. "She told me that I did a good job training my Pokémon, and that I have talent as a trainer."

"Perhaps I spoke too soon."

"You also said that the moment I slowed you down you'd leave me behind and never look back. I think you were telling me the truth, but the real reason you came along today isn't because you didn't have anything better to do. If I forfeit the match now you'll never forgive me, and I don't think you'd ever respect me as a trainer again."

Weiss continued staring, impassive but uncharacteristically patient.

"My sister taught me how to swim by pushing me into a pool and telling me not to drown. I figured it out pretty fast, but it was only later I realized she'd jumped in after me and even helped without me realizing it, but because of her I can say I taught myself how to swim. All it took was a push and a little bit of help."

A moment of silence passed between them. "I would've let you drown," Weiss said at last.

Ruby smiled hearing the faintest hint of humor in her voice. "I'm going out there and I'm winning the Fog Badge. I'm also gonna impress both you and Agatha while I'm at it!" As she stood up her cape billowed, and Weiss' lip twitched.

"Just a word of caution, but you'll have an easier time impressing the former Champion and Elite Four Leader than you will me." She took a step back so she was no longer trapping Ruby in her seat. "The match is scheduled to begin in about five minutes ,but if you're ready now I'd recommend going out there and getting accustomed to the crowd. Waiting until the last minute won't help your stage fright. Trust me, I've had twice as many gym battles as you and performed in concerts in front of tens of thousands. In my experience, fear never fully goes away. You just find better ways of dealing with it."

Ruby's smile widened until it rivaled that of the ghosts outside. "Thanks, Weiss, and thank you, Sakura. You both said exactly what I needed to hear!" She wrapped arms around Sakura but while the trainee embraced her back, her eyes remained on Weiss, confused and uncertain, and perhaps even suspicious. After separating she gave both Ruby and Ledian a peck on the cheek, which was the norm in Alola just as bowing was in Johto.

"Good luck you two."

'Beh-Bee!' the ladybug Pokémon replied, causing both girls to giggle when she kissed them back.

"Thanks, Ledian. I'll see you again in a minute, okay?" After giving her permission, Ruby returned Ledian to her Pokeball and shared a nervous look with Sakura. "I-I guess this is it, huh?"

"You'll do great, Ruby." She hugged her again, reluctant to let her go but eventually giving Ruby a gentle push toward the dimly lit tunnel that led to the arena.

"You've defeated better trainers than yourself before," Weiss called out, having passed on the free hugs and kisses. "That means you can do it again."

Ruby nodded, and after taking a deep breath she pushed open a pair of double doors, a roar erupting and punching all three girls in the gut. The doors closed behind her, and after standing there awkwardly for a few moments, Sakura shifted her weight before deciding to follow prematurely when Weiss laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, I'm not going to apologize for what I said earlier, but if it's your goal to become a fully fledged Kimono Girl then do it. If it's your goal to win all eight traditional Johto gym badges, win the Silver Conference, or simply travel the world, then do it. If you're not sure of yourself or your goal then find something you are sure of, like your Pokémon for instance."

Sakura opened her mouth in surprise but before she could say anything Weiss interrupted.

"Eevee only evolve into Espeon when they develop an incredibly powerful bond with their trainers. She believes in you, so don't disappoint her. I won't admit to having ever had self-doubts before, especially not in regards to winning the Lily of the Valley and Silver Conferences, but even if I did, I have faith in my Pokémon and they have faith in me. Everything else, including self-doubt, is irrelevant and time better spent on achieving our goal of becoming champions. Understand?"

She abruptly turned to follow Ruby when Sakura caught her arm, causing Froslass to instinctively hover near.

Sakura took a deep breath and swallowed. "I still don't like you, but thank you."

Weiss studied her without the slightest hint of emotion, besides of course her usual contempt which never seemed to fully go away. "That's a shame because I'm actually starting to tolerate you, and you're quite welcome." Sakura smirked now hearing the same humor in her voice that Ruby heard. After motioning for the other girl to lead the way Weiss turned to Froslass. "I'm afraid you'll have to return to your Pokeball too, Froslass. Being a Ghost-type, I don't want anyone to think that you may be giving Ruby an unfair advantage."

Although reluctant, the Pokémon nodded and allowed itself to be enveloped in a red light after being assured by her trainer that she would be alright without her invisible guardian.

"Hey, Weiss," said Sakura once they reached the end of the corridor. "Thanks for saying what you did to Ruby."

Weiss glanced at her out the corner of her eye. "Don't mention it. Truth be told I was hoping to give her cold feet so that I could take her place." Sakura paused ever so briefly, unsure whether she was being serious or not before deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Pushing the heavy double doors aside they were immediately greeted by a roar that reverberated throughout their bodies and stole their breath away, forcing them to pause for a moment and gather their bearings. At the end of the corridor was a dimly lit battlefield approximately sixty feet in length and forty across, surrounded on all sides by walls except for the two entrances opposite from each other. In the middle of the dirt field was a large Pokeball outlined in white, and to the far right of it was a young woman in a blue shirt with the Pokémon League emblem proudly emblazoned on her chest. In her hands she carried red and green flags to distinguish between the gym leader and challenger.

Above the battlefield were several thousand spectators with gym trainers strategically placed and their Pokémon at the ready in case an attack strayed too close to the audience. Weiss' eyes however wasted no time searching for Agatha, and found the shadowy figure sitting innocuously in the front row, the crowd paying the elderly woman little mind while several gym trainers ogled at her.

After ogling herself she joined Sakura on the bench behind Ruby, the caped-girl nervously waving and bouncing on the balls of her feet to hide how badly her knees were shaking. Along with the roar of the crowd, the official Pokémon League anthem played in the background, except the instruments were more old fashioned than Ruby was accustomed to. There was something unnerving about the slightly off-key flutes and stringed instruments, almost as though they were being played by the dead, but the more Ruby tried focusing on the crowd noises instead, the more her heart hammered against her chest.

She nearly jumped when a figure emerged from the dark entrance across from her, only to reveal themself to be Morty which caused another wave of thunderous cheers. He was flanked on either side by a pair of young gym trainers that took their respective seats behind him, ready to learn from their instructor.

Morty bowed respectfully to the audience but gave a friendly wave to Agatha who acknowledged her grandson with a subtle nod. He then smiled at his challenger who looked as though she had ants in her pants, or skirt and leggings in her case. "Are you ready, Ruby?"

She gave a stiff nod, barely able to hear him. "I-I think so. Maybe. Yeah..." Despite her soft voice it had practically echoed throughout the gym as the crowd had become eerily silent, anticipation beginning to thicken. She glanced back at Sakura who gave her smile and thumbs up while Weiss hid her face and tried turning invisible.

"Excellent. Then as leader of the Ecruteak City Gym I accept your challenge." He nodded at the battle judge off to the side.

"This is a four-on-four Pokémon League sanctioned battle," she yelled for everyone to hear. "The battle will end once all four Pokémon on either side are deemed unable to battle. Only the challenger may substitute their Pokémon, and may do so at any time. Do both trainers understand?"

"Understood!" they said in unison.

"Are there any further questions?" She turned to Ruby who looked as though she might've wanted to ask a question, a few hundred most likely, but shook her head. "Very well. Gym Leader Morty, please send out your first Pokémon."

"With pleasure. Go, Gastly!" Throwing a Pokeball into the air, a dark sphere surrounded by a purple haze appeared, having large eyes and vampire-like fangs.

"Challenger, send out your first Pokémon. The battle will commence at your command."

"R-right..." Taking a deep breath, Ruby wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt before retrieving a white Friend Ball from her belt, and gave it a kiss before tossing it into the air. "Go, Togetic! I choose you!"

From the capsule emerged a white creature with tiny wings and a long neck connected to an egg-shaped body, and an 'Aww!' immediately erupted from the crowd. Despite hovering over the battlefield just a short distance from Gastly, it immediately flew back to Ruby and began showering her with hugs and kisses.

"She's so cute!" Sakura gushed, who much like the rest of the audience was trying to get the tiny-winged Pokémon's attention to no avail.

"It's no Togekiss, but she could've chosen worse," said Weiss approvingly. When she received a curious look from the girl beside her, she retrieved a state of the art white Pokédex from her pocket and pointed it at the tiny-winged Pokémon, a stock photo and information appearing almost instantaneously on the large screen. "Togetic is part Fairy, which means it's resistant to Ghost-type attacks. Unfortunately, Gastly is also part Poison so Togetic's Fairy-type attacks won't be super effective, and although unlikely, we don't know if Gastly has any Poison-type attacks or not. Still, it would appear Togetic is at a higher level, not that it matters much when going up against ghost Pokémon."

"Wow! A Pokédex shows a Pokémon's moveset, strength, and level? And that fast! Definitely beats me trying to track all that on my phone and using the internet for help."

Weiss nodded. "Unfortunately it's not a hundred percent accurate even if the Pokémon's registered to you, but a Pokédex can still give you important information and a rough estimate of a Pokémon's strength, even those belonging to other trainers. They're more useful outside of battle however as they can be a distraction and lead to bad habits. An experienced trainer should be able to look at a Pokémon and know on sight whether it's a higher level or not, as well as anticipate its attacks. Only an amateur would rely on someone else to do the thinking for them."

Overhearing the conversation behind her, Ruby snuck her Pokédex back into her pocket. Besides her battles against the gym trainers who had exclusively used lower level Gastly and Haunter, Ruby didn't have much experience battling Ghost-type Pokémon, and wouldn't have minded a little extra help against Morty's but knew Weiss was right. Battles were meant to be fought with trainers on their feet and their backs firmly against the wall, not from behind a Pokédex.

Pointing at their opponent finally got Togetic's attention, who returned to the battlefield with a determined look on its face, which Sakura and the rest of the audience decided was even more adorable. Taking a deep breath Ruby raised her hood, which while helpful in blocking out distractions and making it difficult for opponents to read her expressions, was mainly done because that was how her mother had always battled.

"Togetic," she called, "use Dazzling Gleam!"

A bright prismatic light enveloped the tiny-winged Pokémon before shooting across the battlefield toward Gastly where it quickly disappeared from sight.

"Just like we planned! Use Foresight!"

Crimson lights reminiscent of flashlights shined from Togetic's eyes, surveying the battlefield until the ghost Pokémon reappeared, flinching as its body was forced to become visible and corporeal.

"Yeah! Now use Dazzling Gleam again!"

"Night Shade, Gastly!"

Emanating from the ghost Pokémon's giant eyes, ethereal sparks zigzagged through the air before meeting the prismatic beams, gradually pushing them back toward Togetic.

"I thought you said Fairy-type attacks were strong against ghosts!" Sakura cried to Weiss.

"They are, but Night Shade is a different sort of attack. It ignores weaknesses and resistances, and instead is tied directly to the Pokémon's overall strength and power level. That makes it an excellent counter against otherwise super effect attacks, as well as against stronger Pokémon in general."

"Quick, Togetic! Use Mirror Move!"

Just as the sparks were about to find their target, Togetic flapped its now glowing wings and a matching pair of black sparks met Gastly's head on. Just as both Pokémon appeared ready to give in and move on to their next attacks, the otherworldly electricity combusted, kicking up a dust cloud over the battlefield.

"You know what to do, Togetic!" Ruby cried.

"Gastly! Use Confuse Ray!"

More dark energy gathered around the ghost Pokémon and began firing in every direction, with the gym trainers commanding their Pokémon to use Safeguard to protect the audience and combatants. As the dust cloud began to settle however, Gastly floated lower to the ground, its gaseous cloud smaller now. Togetic meanwhile had found a corner near the top of the gym to hide, it's body glowing in a mix of red and blue hues.

Morty let out a small chuckle, recognizing the attack. "Gastly, you use Curse too..."

An impossibly wide grin spread across the gaseous Pokémon's face, only rivaled in wickedness by Weiss who couldn't help chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Sakura asked.

"Don't worry, you'll find out soon..."

Once Togetic's body stopped glowing, Ruby held up a custom red Fast Ball with a black rose painted on the top. "Baton Pass!"

Togetic nodded and sighed in relief as it turned into a white light and returned to the ball in Ruby's hand while a humanoid ladybug was released. Upon seeing her again, Weiss let out a cackle that even Agatha would've shuddered at.

"Payback time..."

"Ledian, use Agility!"

In the blink of an eye the ladybug Pokémon became a red and black blur, zooming around the battlefield at a speed impossible to follow.

"Disable!"

A crimson light once again emanating from Gastly's large eyes filled the battlefield and Ledian suddenly found herself beginning to slow. Although she was still much faster than before, Gastly appeared to be having no trouble following her movements.

"Now use Confuse Ray!"

"Swords Dance!"

Just as Gastly began charging its attack, a hole appeared above the battlefield as though the universe had suddenly ripped open, and a bright blue meteor crashed into the gaseous Pokémon, slamming it hard onto the ground below. When the dust and psychic energy finally settled, the gaseous haze had all but dissipated, leaving just a pair of closed eyelids and frown floating in the air. Ledian meanwhile watched from afar, its body glowing red and pulsating after having finished its Swords Dance.

"Gastly is unable to battle," declared the judge, waving the green flag in favor of Ruby, the crowd erupting in cheers despite obvious confusion.

Momentarily stunned, Morty recalled Gastly before finally letting out a soft chuckle. "Future Sight," he said, giving his opponent an approving nod. "Very clever. You used the dust cloud created by Night Shade to hide a delayed, super effective attack, and even planned it before the battle so Ledian could get a free Swords Dance out of it. I'll have to remember that one."

"T-thanks," she stuttered, wincing as the crowd noise continued to crescendo up above.

"Good work, Ruby!" Sakura cheered. "Your speed and defenses are up by one and your attack is up by three!"

"Too bad it won't be enough..." Weiss murmured, smirking as Ledian flinched and gained a slightly haggard appearance as though it hadn't slept the night before.

After thanking Gastly for all its hard work, Morty handed the Pokeball over to one of the gym trainers that came running up, presumably to tend to it back in his prep room. He then retrieved another Pokeball from his belt and threw it into the air.

"Haunter, go!"

Another gaseous Pokémon appeared, only with a more tangible body and even wider smile. The ghost had talon-like hands disconnected from itself, as well as a long tongue that before being reeled in stretched at least five feet or more.

Ruby shivered and took a series of deep breaths, doing her best to ignore Haunter's hideous laughter and remember the game plan. After rubbing the goosebumps away and receiving a thumbs up from Ledian, she reluctantly motioned to the judge that they were ready.

"Begin!"

"Ledian, use Silver Wind!" Flying high into the air, Ledian began beating her wings rapidly, causing a silvery gust of wind to blow toward Haunter.

"Shadow Punch!"

Haunter vanished before the attack could connect, and almost immediately a claw reappeared from below. She fluttered out of the way but a second hand swiped at her from behind, its sharp nails brushing against her cheek.

"Silver Wind!" Dodging the claws whenever they appeared, Ledian once again began beating its wings rapidly and continued flying overhead until Haunter became corporeal, its large hands retreating to guard against the attack.

"It's not very effective," said Sakura, disappointed when she saw that Haunter was still grinning.

"Actually it's quad-resisted," Weiss corrected, "but that's not the point. Silver Wind has a chance of increasing all of a Pokémon's abilities, and it would appear Ledian's done just that."

"Grab it, Haunter!" Two giant hands shot forward, the first missing while the second wrapped around Ledian's tiny body.

"BEH-BEE!?'

The ladybug Pokémon squirmed and flailed to no avail, her wings and fists tightly pressed against her body, and she froze as Haunter materialized in front of her.

"Quick! Baton Pass!"

"Hypnosis!" Staring into the ghost Pokémon's malicious eyes, Ledian ignored her trainer, her eyes becoming vacant until eventually her head drooped. "Now use Nightmare!"

A dark light enveloped Ledian before being absorbed into her body. Almost immediately she began screaming and tears fell from her face, and down on the ground Ruby gritted her teeth. "Shouldn't have done that..."

Across the battlefield, Morty glanced at her, startled by Ledian's violent reaction but glanced back up when Haunter suddenly began crying out as well. Lightning bolts and freezing cold air streaked across the arena, but not before coursing through Haunter and forcing it to let go of its now very much awake opponent. While it crashed onto the battlefield, Ledian gingerly fluttered back down, her cheeks sunken in and having an almost hollow-looking appearance.

"That took more out of you than I thought." Ignoring the determined, angry expression on Ledian's face, Ruby retrieved another custom Fast Ball from her belt. "Baton Pass out, Ledian. Let Scizor finish this."

She could tell Ledian wasn't happy about leaving the battle, not after what Haunter had done, but after another pained expression where she lost elevation, Ledian reluctantly retreated back into the Pokeball, forcing out a red mantis whose right pincer was already glowing with dark energy.

Haunter, having recovered somewhat from its fall and Ledian's barrage, glanced up and flinched when the ladybug Pokémon it had been expecting was replaced with a large mantis calmly sharpening its pincer, black sparks landing on the ground below. Only when the ghost Pokémon truly appreciated its grave mistake did Ruby yell the command.

"Night Slash!"

"Get out of there!"

Before Haunter even had the chance to turn invisible, a pincer cut through its gaseous form causing it to shrink and become nothing more than a floating pair of eyes and a long tongue. Although the audience was momentarily stunned, the roar quickly returned while Morty stood speechless, recalling his Pokémon almost by reflex.

After saying his thanks, Morty handed it off to one of the gym trainers and regarded his two unhappy-looking opponents.

"I'm very sorry if we stirred up painful memories for Ledian," he said, bowing slightly. "Nightmare normally doesn't cause a Pokémon to recall events from their past, just bad dreams, specifically those having to do with the current battle. Only something truly awful could've caused Ledian to react the way she did, and it's clear your Scizor cares a great deal for her."

Ruby took a deep breath before nodding. "Something did, and Scizor is Ledian's big brother." The mantis Pokémon grunted an affirmative, still sharpening its pincers.

"They're both very well-trained, as is your Togetic. You should be very proud of them and yourself. It's now a four on two Pokémon battle, but I wouldn't celebrate just yet. The battle's just beginning! Go, Misdreavus!"

Tossing a Great Ball into the air, another ghost appeared, this one much smaller than the other two and while still semi-corporeal, wasn't gaseous like Gastly and Haunter. It was black with many shades of purple and blues mixed in, and had a crimson necklace that reminded Ruby of a rosary. If the Pokémon hadn't been looking at her like it was hungry she might've thought it was even cute.

Taking another series of deep breaths, she bounced on the balls of her feet, trying to forget the previous two battles and being upset over Ledian's nightmare. "You alright, Scizor?" she asked, the mantis giving a slight nod without taking its eyes off Misdreavus, its metal coat strangely not as shiny as before.

"Alright then." She signaled to the judge that they were ready to continue.

"Begin!"

"Go, Scizor! Use Bullet Punch!"

"Will-O-Wisp, Misdreavus!"

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I thought Agatha would be a fun addition to the chapter, and despite the fact that she's not Morty's grandmother in canon, I thought it was at least plausible and would add even more pressure on Ruby. She's always been one of my favorite Elite Four members going all the way back to Red, Blue, and Yellow, and was generally the only trainer in the game I was "scared" of. It also gave me an excuse for more world building, and being the trainer that dethroned Pryce as Tohjo Champion (the Champion of Kanto and Johto), I thought it would make for an interesting encounter. I also wanted that line about Lorelei as I think Weiss would really look up to a trainer like her, but since her time as an Elite Four member was relatively short and she retired shortly after RBY (according to FRLG), Weiss probably didn't have a whole lot of time to admire her. Plus I like to think Weiss has a real soft spot for older men that remind her of her grandfather (Papa as I call him in "The Patchwork Prodigy"). Just a fun little wrinkle I wanted to add.

As for the battle, I thought Future Sight fit well with Ruby's "teamwork" strategy, and in an actual Pokémon battle I thought it would make for a really great sneak attack and/or way of getting a Swords Dance or other stat boosting move. I've always liked it when Pokémon have unique entrances coming out of their Pokeball, and a Togetic showering their trainer with hugs and kisses just seems natural to me (as well as adorable). Togetic was another Pokémon that just seemed natural for Ruby to have, especially since it ties into the story of the Johto games. I also like the idea of Togetic being sent out during serious battles and immediately flying to Ruby to hug and kiss her. Seems like it could be a fun gag, but at the very least I think it's adorable.

Not much else to say about the battle I'm afraid. Gastly and Haunter were the appraisers while Misdreavus and Gengar are the main course, and a 4v4 Pokémon battle is a bit much for one chapter. Hopefully it was to your satisfaction, and I hope you enjoy what's to come. Sounds like Togetic, Ledian, and Scizor have all been infected by Gastly's Curse due to Baton Pass. That can't be good, but we'll have to wait and see :)

Also, to correct a minor mistake from the previous chapter. I'd forgotten that the Whirl Cup in the anime is held every THREE years instead of every year (it's been twenty years, give me a break), so I went back and added a line from Sakura to make it sound like this year's Whirl Cup was only for trainers with a ranking of expert and master. For sake of argument we'll say that while the Whirl Cup is held every year, every third or fourth year is when only the very best Water-type trainers are allowed. Basically there's a national championship held there every year but every three or four years they hold the Olympics. And maybe the winners from the previous years get byes to the later rounds. It's a minor thing but it was bothering me.

I'm also aware that Fairy-types don't resist Ghost in Pokémon media. Fairy resists Dark, and it just makes sense to me for it to also resist Ghost. While writing this chapter I made the mistake and caught it, but it made sense in my head and I knew I'd make the mistake eventually. Might as well make an intentional "mistake" rather than an accidental.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)