Traveler

by The Straight Elf

Ash Ketchum has been determined to become the best since he was a toddler. He has his eyes set on a charmander, but a twist of fate led him to the humble Nidoran. Note: Mix between anime and the games.

48. Chapter 48: The Revenants

"Aron, Protect!" Ash barked, though he barely paid attention as the Sentret circled around Aron's clumsy headbutt. The normal-type chattered madly as it evaded Aron's powerful blow, his friend stumbled as he realized he'd missed his target. A lime-green shield barely materialized before Sentret's tiny claws struck madly against it in a frenzy of claw and tooth. "Headbutt!"

Sentret squeaked before the normal-type was sent flying, cast to the ground effortlessly by Aron's forceful blow. A thunk echoed throughout the lonely street as Sentret laid limply on the ground, stunned by Aron's headbutt. Ash grinned and congratulated his friend, heedless of Eusine and Morty's bored expressions or the bright eyes of his starstruck opponent.

"Wow, and he's one of your weakest?" The young trainer, a girl with blonde hair and dark eyes, exclaimed. She cradled Sentret in her arms and murmured comforting words to him, though the Sentret looked like he would be knocked out for some time. Ash sympathized with the little creature - it had put up a good fight, but one good hit from Aron was all it took. It and its trainer would grow in time.

"My newest teammate," Ash said proudly as he reached down to pat Aron's head. He was quick to allow one of the steel-type's treats to materialize in his hand. Aron quickly gobbled up the small chunk of scrap metal, eager to claim his prize. "Don't worry about the prize, by the way. You should use it to get your Sentret a potion or two."

The girl grinned at him as she returned the Sentret. It was one of only two pokeballs on her waist. "Wow, thanks Mr. Ketchum! You're so nice!"

Ash grimaced at the title but didn't correct her. He had the funny feeling that would just encourage her more. "Good fight, Ashley. Go get your friend patched up."

She rambled on for a little longer about what an amazing battle it was before she scampered off. Morty and Eusine approached again. They hadn't wanted to be in the crossfire.

"Nice of you to entertain her, Mr. Ketchum," Morty commented. A few Gastly lingered about his shoulders. The foul, poisonous scent they brought barely fazed Ash - he knew it wouldn't hurt him unless the spectres desired it. At least there was plenty of fresh air present in the form of the breeze whistling through the alleys of the neighborhood they were in. "The rookies don't normally get so lucky."

"It doesn't hurt anyone," Ash shrugged. He still knelt with Aron and made sure to congratulate him thoroughly for his victory - Aron hadn't struggled whatsoever, but he had still fought well. "Aron needed some practice anyways."

Eusine ignored the conversation as Morty spoke a little more on the joys of entertaining challenges from new trainers, more entranced with the breeze than anything. "So fresh! So subtle! Suicune will surely be here soon!"

"Yeah, yeah," Morty grumbled. "Whatever you say, buddy. If you see it let me know, alright? We're overdue for a festival."

The odd man nodded. "You'll be the first to know," he said to Morty. Ash didn't miss the fact that Eusine hadn't so much as addressed him all night. It was like he went out of his way to reject Ash's existence. "I'm certain Suicune would be overjoyed to witness such an event!"

Morty just shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say," he waved Eusine away as the man rambled a little more about Suicune. Ash just decided to ignore it as Eusine headed off into an alley. "See you, Eusine!"

Eusine said his own farewells, and left Ash and Morty (and their companions) standing alone in the street. It was too late for anyone to be out in these residential areas. Most people went to bed early for fear of running into hungry Misdreavus and Drowzee. They wouldn't hurt you, but wild Misdreavus would happily give you a fright to feed of your fear and Drowzee would leave you exhausted in the morning as they lulled you to sleep and devoured your dreams.

Ash held no such fear. Neither did Morty.

"Where will you go now?"

He frowned. "I have a room ready at the Pokemon Center, but I'll stop outside the city limits first. I need to check in with my team and make sure they're all okay."

Morty nodded with approval. "There's plenty of small ponds in the area for any water-types you might have," he said easily, then glanced up to meet Ash's eyes. "Meet me back at Shogun's Cafe tomorrow around nine o' clock, will you? I'd like to talk to you about the rest of your visit here before you get too busy. Sound good?"

Ash dipped his head to acknowledge Morty's words. He wouldn't complain about revisiting the cafe the three of them had just left - they had great food and plenty of selection. His team would appreciate a few snacks when he went in tomorrow morning. "I'll see you then. Night, Morty."

The Gym Leader just waved back as he stepped into an alley, a veritable swarm of flickering Gastly trickling their way behind him as he vanished into the night. Ash watched, curious. That certainly wasn't normal.

He shrugged his shoulders and started the long walk to the city gates. No use worrying. There was plenty of time to ask questions tomorrow.

"Let's go, Aron," he directed his friend who happily plodded along beside him. "We've got a lot to do before bed!"

With that they headed down the barely lit streets, eyes open for any particularly hungry urban pokemon. It wouldn't do to lose a few hours to them, after all.

There was a lot to unpack.

XX

"How's everyone feeling?"

A cacophony of grunts, growls, and groans was his answer. Ash grinned around at his friends. They were all circled around him nursing their wounds from Cynthia's phenomenal team. She certainly hadn't taken it easy on them… for the most part they'd escaped without any real trauma but they'd been beaten black and blue. It would be a few days before they were up to battling at their full strength.

He glanced over at Infernus, who had elected to dig a hole and fill it with scorching hot magma a fair distance away. The pit glowed a dark, violent red even under the harsh rays of the midday sun and its overpowering heat beat down on the rest of the team in unrelenting waves from where it sat over a hundred feet away. His friend wasn't even visible in the thickness of the molten stone thanks to the five rings of sopping wet mud frozen into icy walls to contain the heat. Even then Torrent made a point to spray a fine coating of water over everything each minute or so, although it evaporated into a boiling cloud of steam upon contact. A low hiss emitted from the chamber where moisture constantly boiled into superheated steam and its familiar scent (like hot stone mixed with a pile of gravel) filled the air.

"Go ahead and find a place to relax. I want to spend a few hours out here before we head back to the Center," Ash suggested. Most of the team were more than happy to acquiesce. He caught several of them splitting off in groups: Oz, Tangrowth, and Aron meandered over to rest in small outcropping of rocks that the little steel-type wasted no time in munching on, Plume easily hopped into a low tangle of branches on a tree that bent with the effort of holding the massive bird, and Bruiser and Seeker went off into a small clearing barely kept alit with Infernus' light - Seeker chittered and cried every few moments to the Machoke, who resolutely took a seat and prepared to meditate. Sneasel wandered off to skulk around somewhere and Torrent simply rested to keep a wary eye on Infernus.

Nidoking and Dazed took their positions by him, naturally. He wasn't even surprised at this point. They liked to be at his side day and night. Especially night.

"So how are you two feeling?" He directed to Nidoking and Dazed. Nidoking chuffed, beady eyes weary after the long effort of recovering. Nidoking had come out light on the physical wounds, but it was plain as day to Ash that his mind had been scarred by Spiritomb's foul presence. He was hunched and his eyes flitted to and fro like a cornered Raticate. Ash would be lying if he said that didn't concern him - it felt like Nidoking had reverted to how he'd been just after the attack on the Stone family's Beldum colony. Feral and twitchy.

Dazed's telepathy still wasn't working right. Ash grimaced as a stream of images, emotions, and meaning flooded his brain - he massaged his temples as the unstructured telepathy took its toll on him. He nodded to her, showing that he understood that she was feeling okay but not quite back to normal yet.

"You two try to get some rest," he instructed. Nidoking looked like he would dissent, but Dazed's eyes flashed in his direction and the hulking purple pokemon grumbled before curling up in a massive heap of hide, horn, and muscle. The poison-type chuffed and licked Ash's forearm before allowing his eyes to shut. Ash nodded gratefully at Dazed, whose eyes quirked up in a smile. He'd gotten Nidoking to relax a little, but in this state he was liable to shadow Ash everywhere he went.

To be honest, he wouldn't be surprised if Nidoking treated even the rest of the team with outright suspicion. Spiritomb's corrosive powers had chipped and rooted its way deep into his friend's mind. Only time and rest would help him now.

Ash said his goodbyes to Nidoking and Dazed before he made his rounds. Bruiser was his main priority - he'd been acting off ever since he broke Princess' leg - but the rest of the team needed his attention as well. A wild grin overtook his features as he recounted the day: they'd fought Cynthia! Not only had they fought her, they'd managed to bring down two of her teammates and bring the Champion's cornerstone to its knees.

He couldn't have been prouder. They'd fought harder than he could have imagined. His thoughts turned to a darker place as he thought of his friends that had gone against Spiritomb - the dark specter's influence wouldn't leave quickly or easily. It had left its mark on its team and Ash himself.

It was a travesty that such a thing existed. Ash couldn't bring himself to hate Spiritomb, not after what Cynthia had revealed of its creation, but it was easy to despise the fact that it had been forged at all. What kind of world would allow for such an injustice? Where had the great powers been? Mew could have stopped the abominable act with but a thought.

After a few minutes stewing in his impotent anger he sighed and allowed it to fade away, the cool bite of Ice smoothing his anger into a flat plane.

Bruiser was sitting patiently beneath a small outcropping of rocks. Ash admired his friend as he waited serenely, bathed in a small sliver of moonlight that washed over the Ecruteak woods. Seeker hung to a few jutting pieces of stone in the rocks, clicking constantly to echolocate her surroundings, and every so often her ears twitched with every cry of playing Sentret or screech of Noctowl in the woods beyond. She chirped cheerfully at Ash and he whispered a quiet greeting back in the hopes of keeping Bruiser's peace.

He approached the Machoke and sat in the same meditative stance as Bruiser. Ash watched his perturbed friend carefully and allowed him his space. Why? Cynthia's voice asked him. He thought, and decided that it was because he respected Bruiser's turmoil and didn't want to intrude on what peace he could find. Bruiser had a gentle heart and a strong body. He didn't relish in vanquishing his foes like Infernus. Breaking Princess' leg might not be unheard of in a battle of that magnitude, but it had been significant indeed to Bruiser.

After a great span of time in which Ash reflected on the battle, his encounter with Cynthia, and the knowledge and criticism she shared, Bruiser finally allowed his reptilian eyes to open. They were dark and Bruiser acknowledged Ash with a respectful nod, not the bombastic fist to the chest he'd come to expect from the fighter.

He didn't say anything. Ash knew Bruiser well enough to know words wouldn't comfort him. Despite his personal leanings towards peace, Bruiser was made for action. Gentle words wouldn't soothe him. Until Bruiser convinced himself that he wouldn't grievously harm another pokemon in battle even Ash's reassurances wouldn't help. He'd just have to help provide some opportunities for that journey.

Despite that knowledge, Ash couldn't help but try. "Are you okay?" He asked, knowing that it was a foolish question. The answer was clear as day to them both. Bruiser gazed at him knowingly for a moment, then shook his head. "I figured."

More silence between them. Ash wondered if he should be trying to talk Bruiser's (figurative) ears off, but knew that wouldn't be the way to connect with his partner.

"You did great today, Bruiser," he said quietly. Bruiser looked at him doubtfully, but nodded his thanks regardless. "I'm serious," Ash pressed. "I wish it would have gone differently too, but I'm really impressed with your performance. It's not easy to keep up with a Champion-level Garchomp," Ash grinned. "She was a monster!"

Bruiser finally cracked a grin at that, though Ash knew it was half-hearted. It did lighten his mood a tad. Ash counted it as a victory. "It's not easy, but I just want you to know that there's no harm done. She's going to be fine in a day or two. If it would make you feel better to get some extra updates I'd be happy to give them to you. Lance or Steven would be able to reach out to Cynthia."

His friend nodded carefully after Seeker chattered excitedly in his ear. Ash nodded. "I'll keep you updated," he promised. "With any luck she'll be healed in a few days, alright?"

The Machoke nodded again. Ash knew it was about as much as he could get from his friend right now. Hopefully he'd be a little more open tomorrow after Seeker had some time to relax him. "Have a good night, alright?" He addressed to both of them. Bruiser tapped his massive fist twice to his chest (it sounded like pounding a barrel) and Seeker chattered happily to him before she dropped from her perch and rubbed cheerfully against Bruiser's shoulder, always eager to please.

With that Ash left the duo. He might revisit them tonight… Bruiser definitely wasn't past what he had done. A simple chat wouldn't reassure him entirely. It would take time and thoughtfulness on Bruiser's part. Then again, that was never something Bruiser had struggled with. He'd always been of the more introspective members of the team. Ash just hoped he'd be able to help his friend through the process.

It wasn't a long walk before he reached Plume's overburdened branch. Ash grinned as the poor length of wood struggled beneath her bulk, though the Pidgeot didn't care one bit. She sat contentedly on it, her talons large and powerful enough that deep furrows had been grooved into the solid wood. She chirped happily as Ash approached, a light gust from her wings nearly enough to bowl him over.

"You look happy," Ash mused to Plume's pleasure. She tossed her head and allowed her glossy plumage to shimmer brilliantly in the light from Infernus' magma - Plume always knew how striking she was. He relished the opportunity to gently stroke the streamlined feathers of her puffed out chest, Plume happy to receive whatever praise she was. "You did good today. Thanks for listening, Plume."

Somehow the Pidgeot seemed even more prideful at that. She pushed her chest out and stretched her wings out as if to show off her whole splendor. "Yes, you're very beautiful," Ash laughed and gave her the attention she deserved. He was just glad she didn't try to nip his hat. "I know you didn't get one of the glamorous battles, but you did amazing. You took out one of Cynthia's strongest fighters, you know? If you hadn't neutralized Spiritomb it would have wiped the rest of the team."

Plume sang happily at his praise, the noise instantly silencing whatever playful Sentret and Furret dared to play in the night. They all knew the sound of a fearsome predator. Even the distant cries of Noctowl in the wilderness didn't inspire such fear.

His gaze flitted to a pair of glints in the darkness not far away. "What're you hanging around here for," Ash teased Sneasel. Plume's raptor-like stare immediately followed Ash's and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Here to learn to fly again? Didn't work so well last time."

Sneasel hissed at the reminders of Plume's disastrous attempts at teaching him how to fly (Sneasel's feather had given her false hope) but nonetheless scurried out of the shadows. Plume cooed at him now that he wasn't as likely to ambush her and Sneasel scratched up some dirt out of irritation. He hated being babied - Tangrowth had done enough of that for a lifetime.

"And thank you too," Ash said more seriously. Sneasel wasn't the strongest of Ash's team, but he'd come a long way and filled an invaluable role. Without him he'd never had pieced together Spiritomb's weaknesses like he had. "It was great seeing your growth out there, Sneasel. Next time we fight Cynthia you'll crush Spiritomb."

His friend started, surprised at Ash's conviction, then yowled happily at the proclamation. No doubt he believed the same exact thing. A little faith was all he needed, especially after his vicious training with Bruiser. Not that Sneasel was perfect - he was pretty sure this newfound confidence would lead to at least one prank on Bruiser. Ash would put money on it, in fact. Sneasel was still a little bitter about being beaten into the ground no matter how happy he was with his results.

"Yeah, I really mean it," he grinned at Sneasel's serious stare. The dark-type purred happily at that and curled up a little closer to Infernus' light - his thick fur would keep him warm even at this distance where Ash could only just feel the dry, scorching heat. "Seriously, keep it up. We're going to make some progress while we're in Johto, I promise. You too, Plume," Ash added at her questioning glance. "I know we haven't gotten to talk much about that technique, but I think we can start working on the basics while we're out here. Sound good?"

He sat there for a few more minutes making comfortable conversation with the duo. It was simple fare, mostly. Most of Ash's time went into making sure Sneasel didn't have any side effects from Spiritomb and discussing the battle. By the time they were done they'd fully outlined some strategies and tactics they could wield against an overwhelming opponent like that in the future. Nothing too complex. They could fill in the rest later.

With that done, an eager grin fell over Ash's face as he headed towards Tangrowth, Aron, and Oz. It looked like Tangrowth held Aron's squirming form several feet in the air with nearly a dozen of his thick prehensile vines and flew him around while Oz observe and allowed a shower of sparks to scatter from her coat every few seconds - Aron's sky blue eyes locked on the brilliant specks with rapture.

"Having fun?" Ash felt as though he were intruding on the small scene, but Aron didn't seem to feel that way - Tangrowth cheerfully maneuvered Aron's heavy body closer to face Ash as the steel-type's stubby little legs waggled madly - and tried to lick Ash's face. Even Tangrowth realized that was a bad idea, though, and yanked Aron just out of licking distance. He sent his friend a grateful nod for that as he reached out to rub Aron's shiny steel head. "How are all of you feeling?"

Tangrowth gurgled happily, waving Aron around wildly as his vines flailed. Ash assessed his friend's state and was honestly impressed - Tangrowth had been devastated in the battle with both Lucario and Garchomp - that he'd managed to make such a full recovery. Already he could see the effects on his friend's vines. Where they'd been charred and burnt before, cut off in jagged chunks thanks to explosions and physical blows, now they had recovered a semblance of color or been rejected entirely, giving way to the lively blue-green he associated with his friend.

"You've almost made a full recovery!" Ash pat some of the seeking vines happily. It always hit Ash harder to see Tangrowth broken and beaten after an intense battle - Tangrowth always seemed a little confused after it, like he couldn't comprehend why he couldn't hug the entire team at once anymore. "You'll be tossing lava again in no time, huh?"

The grass-type's gigantic round eyes brightened immediately and Ash had to cut him off before some of the silvery light of Ancient Power appeared - Infernus wouldn't take kindly to having his magma bath disturbed. "No, no, I know you can still do it! Thanks for trying to show me, though. Rest up well, okay?"

As Tangrowth waggled around eagerly, Ash glanced over to Oz. Her golden stripes shone fiercely in the limited light cast by the magma light, like little arcs of lightning captured and given solid form.

"I'm really impressed with how you handled yourself against Princess," Ash told her earnestly. Oz tried to hide it but his well-trained eyes easily picked up on how she preened at the compliment. He grinned happily at her. "You were amazing out there, Oz. There's no way we could have stood a chance against Princess without you - you kept her off balance the entire battle."

She whirred happily, a few extra showers of sparks dancing in her coat, and glanced away. She chose to look at Aron's happy shape than Ash. He took a step closer and patted the Electabuzz on the shoulder, the slight jolt nothing compared to the Lightning that ran in his veins. Ash took a bit of pleasure at Oz's shock - the glow in her fur shone brighter and brighter, as if it was being charged up massively - and tapped the Feather woven into his chest with a wry grin. Her eyes lit up with understanding, and for a moment she stared greedily at the Feather, though it slipped away in favor of Aron warbling when he found the remains of a rusty old bucket hidden beneath a few layers of leaves and dirt.

Ash felt a little bad interrupting Oz as her tough countenance softened, but he would be quick. He'd leave her to her peace. "We'll keep working on your techniques and go over the battle later," he told his friend. She nodded, still distracted as she fondly watched over the little steel-type and his new treat. Ash raked his eyes over the familial scene of Tangrowth, Oz, and Aron all resting peacefully together. "Enjoy your night, okay? I think we'll be out here for at least an hour or two."

Tangrowth gurgled and wrapped a few thick vines around Ash's shoulders in a motion that was so familiar Ash couldn't help but bark a laugh. He rubbed the rubbery vines and grinned at Tangrowth before he said his goodbyes.

It wasn't long before he reached Torrent and Infernus. The Kingdra hung effortlessly in the air a fair distance and favored Ash with a small dip of his head. Ash returned it and folded his arms as the two observed Infernus. Although it was impossible to tell - all Ash could see of the Magmortar was a vague silhouette surrounded by wavering air and clouds of steam - he got the sense that Infernus had fallen asleep in search of quicker healing. The earth was cracked and rent around Infernus' magma bath.

"Making sure he doesn't burn the whole forest down?" Ash joked. Torrent rumbled. His scarlet eyes never left the shape of Infernus hidden in the molten stone. Perhaps he simply didn't trust Infernus to not play a trick on him and try to explode in a geyser of magma and set alight everything around him. Ash laid a hand on his friend's rough plates. It looked smooth at a distance, but up close his scales were craggy and crusted with spurs. "How're you feeling?"

Torrent inclined his head. It was as much weakness as he would admit. Ash frowned at the sight of a myriad of long, half-healed burns. A green tinge surrounded them, and Ash scowled as he remembered the emerald Will-O-Wisps which Spiritomb had scarred his friend with. The Kingdra's wounds weren't merely mental - Spiritomb had truly left its mark on him. Ash was just relieved that the wounds would heal at all.

It wasn't hard to imagine Spiritomb as capable of the same unhealing burns as something like Houndoom, capable of interlacing something into their flame which poisoned wounds forever. If Spiritomb had been wild and not bound so tightly to Cynthia he might not have been so lucky.

"I'm glad you're safe," Ash said quietly. Torrent looked down at him, eyes locked on Ash's. "I didn't realize how badly you'd been burned."

The mighty Kingdra snorted and tossed his head, as though telling Ash not to worry. Ash grinned back at him. "I know, I know. You can't be put down that easily," he finished with a laugh. Ash smiled slightly. "I've never seen anything like Spiritomb before, but we'll be ready next time. I have a few ideas I'd like to discuss with you, if you aren't too tired."

Torrent looked on curiously. He didn't react at all to Ash's inquiry - Ash should have known better. His friend would never admit to that kind of weakness. Torrent would stand guard all day and all night if he must, regardless of whatever tribulations he'd suffered beforehand. It was his nature.

Nidoking wanted security. Infernus wanted blood. Torrent? He only wished to fulfill his duty, to wield his power wisely.

His friend looked at Ash flatly as Ash poured out his water bottle into the ground, which was just hot enough for a small rush of steam to rise up. Torrent didn't betray his obvious bewilderment.

"Can you pull the water up, like you do for some of your techniques?" Ash inquired. He knew Torrent had some kind of control over water - most likely a result of latent psychic abilities. Many pokemon had some level of psychic ability but it was believed that it tended to be specialized and instinctual to induce the effects of their techniques.

Torrent accommodated Ash's request easily. Not a hint of strain was revealed as the water pulled itself up and flaunted its newfound freedom in the face of gravity - it quickly coalesced into a small ball of liquid that hung suspended unevenly in midair, not dissimilar to how Torrent himself levitated.

Ash grinned. "Water manipulation!" He laughed, remembering the ambitions for his team he'd outlined to Steven and the Champion's own advice. "Torrent, I think we've fixed your defense problem!"

XX

The large cafe that Ash met Morty in (the same one they'd stopped in with Eusine last night) buzzed with activity. Rich smells of pastries, coffee, and tea wafted in from the kitchen and tables all around them. The staff bustled all around, run ragged to deal with the massive influx of orders and customers. There were nearly a hundred people seated, most laughing or sucked into their own little worlds.

Ash was just thankful they weren't in the middle of it. Morty had been kind enough to get them ushered to the same private booth they'd sat in last night, well away from prying eyes and curious ears. He got the impression that Morty visited a little more than regularly, at least by how the waitress hadn't even bothered asking him his order. She'd just taken Ash's and shown up barely a minute later with a golden, buttered croissant and his drink.

"So what's the deal with Eusine?"

Morty dropped his cool veneer then and openly grinned at Ash's question. He sipped a bit of his coffee - the waitress had gone into some spiel about strange names and various sizes, but Ash honestly hadn't listened - and nearly snorted it out. "Eusine's a good man. Just obsessed."

"With Suicune?" Ash arched an eyebrow as memories of the North Wind breezed into his mind. Massive, vast beyond any regular pokemon. Lithe and graceful, yet carried a deadly grace that demanded respect. A vast crown of sculpted ice and eyes bright like the sun that belied its inhuman intelligence. Hmm, maybe Eusine had a point.

"Yes," Morty reaffirmed, and spared a second to nod something at Gastly that hovered unnervingly close to the Gym Leader. He leveled his bland gaze on Ash. "I've known Eusine since we were kids. He fancied he saw Suicune once when we snuck into the tower one night," Morty shuddered uncharacteristically at the memories. "I wouldn't put money on it, but Eusine swears it's the truth. He's decided it's his destiny to meet Suicune one way or another."

Ash frowned. "Might not be the best idea," he murmured as he considered all the different ways that could go horribly wrong for the eccentric trainer. "The Legends don't take kindly to that."

Morty inclined his head. He obviously trusted Ash's superior experience in this area. Ash could appreciate that. "You're right. There are stories about humans who tried to claim the Divine Beasts - terrible stories, full of gory deaths and eternal suffering. It never stopped Eusine, though," the ghost-type specialist sighed. "I think it encouraged him, honestly. He wants to be the first. He wants to be worthy."

"He seems like a strange man," Ash commented. He took a sip of the steaming hot coffee - it was black since Ash wasn't a huge fan of sugar after months of nothing but bland trainer meals - and favored the warmth after the slight chill that had settled in Ecruteak overnight. Strong winds had blown in from the northern reaches of Johto. "How'd you meet him?"

A smile brightened Morty's weary face. "My family has lived in Ecruteak for a very long time. Centuries, if not more. We once served as the honored bodyguards and sages of the Tsuki and Taiyo for centuries, until the Brass Tower burned," his face was cast in darkness at the mention. The shadows around Morty trembled and wavered, as if blown by an unseen breeze.

"What are they?" Ash inquired at the unfamiliar terms. He had the sneaking suspicion he should've tracked down Cynthia's book on Johto before coming here…

"I forget not everyone is so familiar with our history," Morty chuckled. "The Tsuki and Taiyo were the twin ruling families of Ecruteak in the old days. They claimed descent from the gods - Lugia and Ho-Oh were said to have been their forefathers."

Ash made a face. He doubted that. "And naturally that gave them a divine mandate to rule, right?" Ash said distastefully as lessons from Cynthia's book rolled off his tongue. It was too bad Dazed wasn't released - she would have loved it.

The Gym Leader smiled ruefully. "Maybe you know your history after all. But yes, the Tsuki and Taiyo drew from those legends to build the Brass and Tin Towers, respectively. When Lugia and Ho-Oh deigned to roost in them it lent them some credibility. Their dynasties held for many, many generations - all the way until the Brass Tower burnt and Ho-Oh abandoned the Tin Tower one hundred and fifty years ago. With their symbols of power crumbled or abandoned, the people decried them as pretenders. Like all rulers reliant on a symbol, they lost their power with it."

"So who filled the void?" Ash inquired. If there was one thing Cynthia it had taught him, it was that power vacuums didn't last for long. The Volumo Empire had fallen practically overnight and less than a few decades later there was a robust system of competing city-states contending for power in Hoenn.

Morty's eyes widened, pleased with the question. "The League decided to take a more personal hand in our affairs from then on," he said smoothly. "My ancestors negotiated a certain deal with them as one of the last respected sources of power in Ecruteak. We would have first claim on the Gym Leader position so long as we were deemed adequate for the role."

That sort of political maneuvering drew a frown to Ash's face. He couldn't claim to be a fan of nepotism, even if it was qualified in the case of Morty's family. "And the League went for that?" He asked, skeptical.

"It was a different time. Champion Lance would have laughed in our faces," Morty smirked, though he grew more serious as he continued. "It was a dire situation at the time. Ecruteak was on the verge of collapse with the fall of our ruling dynasty. We had been technically subject to the League before, but it was only ink on dusty old treaties. Our allegiance laid with our rulers. They claimed nominal allegiance to the League, and in exchange we kept a great deal of our independence. With our long-standing pillars gone we needed to maintain order. It was the fastest way."

Morty gave Ash a second to soak it all in. "My family didn't hold such a lofty position in Ecruteak for nothing," he confided. "We existed before the Tsuki and Taiyo. They ruled the men. We ruled the spirits that have claimed these lands for eons. My family has always possessed a special affinity for ghosts."

Ash raised an eyebrow, curious at the revelation. "In what way?"

"They flock to us. We've always had some power ourselves," the young man outstretched his palm and moments later the spectral blue of a Will-O-Wisp snapped into existence, flickering unnaturally with its heatless flame. Ash stared. Agatha always held a hint of something about her, but she'd never shown a power so blatant. Was this Aura, or something darker? "We understand them. They understand us. It's a mutually beneficial partnership."

"How? Is that -" Ash trailed off, then muttered quietly to himself as he pondered the mystery.

Morty smirked. "Distortion!" He allowed the azure flame to vanish into nothingness - what few spectral cinders remained were quietly devoured by one of the Gastly that followed Morty around like lonely Growlithe. The gaseous creature's stark white eyes caught Ash's before it hid away in the shadows. "It's rare, but not all that uncommon if you know where to look for it. Not much more than a cheap parlor trick for most. Plenty of ghost specialists develop some sort of affinity for it - if you stare into the abyss long enough, it'll stare back."

Ash fell quiet. Not Aura? That was disquieting. How many powers existed that he'd never even heard of?

"So what brings you to Ecruteak? We talked a little last night, but Eusine was a little distracting," Morty changed the subject abruptly. He leveled his heavy stare at Ash. It didn't bother him - Morty had some unnatural power, but so did Ash. "I've heard the League sent you around Johto on vacation."

He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. Ash waited a few moments before he spoke. "I wanted to explore a little. Hoenn can wait a while longer for me to head back," he said quietly. "It would be nice to take in the sights. And after I saw the Beasts at Greenfield I thought it would be a good idea to find their birthplace," Ash neglected to mention the visions of the Burnt Tower that had followed him since Greenfield - Morty didn't need to know that.

Morty looked inordinately pleased. "You chose the right city. Ecruteak's the cultural center of Johto. Our history is long and rich. You won't be disappointed," he promised. Ash didn't think so either. He'd already enjoyed wandering the quiet neighborhoods of Ecruteak more than any other city he'd visited. "My responsibilities keep me busy during the day, but I'm more than happy to draw up a list of good places to visit while you're in the city. You'll have full access to anywhere you please, after all. You're an honored guest while you're here! I can also find you a tour guide if you'd -"

"The list will be perfect, thanks," Ash cut Morty off. The only people he wanted to explore Ecruteak with were his friends. Where was the fun in having someone tell you exactly where to go? He'd rather seek them out at his own pace. "I appreciate it."

"Of course," the calm Gym Leader nodded as he pulled out a device similar to Ash's PokeNav but not exactly. A PokeGear, if he remembered the ads right. He had been a little distracted by some of the bright, flashy posters for some movie released in Unova - something about a gigantic Tyranitar fighting an even bigger Hydreigon with the help of a titanic Butterfree. Weird stuff.

He wished he just had to deal with that instead of the actual Legends…

Ash was almost a little disturbed when that didn't even draw a drip of dark amusement from Mewtwo, not a hint of icy fire spearing into his brain. The psychic had been abnormally quiet as of late. That worried him - at least he normally knew Mewtwo was focusing on him instead of plotting something.

"- if you're looking for something to do for the rest of the day, I'd suggest swinging by the Gym if you're up for a battle," Morty had a little more spark to him with those words, a veritable blaze in his voice. Ash grinned - he'd definitely take him up on that once his team was healed up. They were still hurting from Cynthia. "I've wanted to take you on since I saw you at the Indigo Conference!"

"You'll see me before I leave," Ash promised. Morty nodded, satisfied. "My team's a little beat up from facing Cynthia. They just need a bit more time and we'll see you for that battle. We could always use some more practice against ghosts."

Morty blanched at Cynthia's name and looked at Ash oddly for a moment before he recovered (relatively) smoothly. "Understood. I'm more than happy to help offer a few pointers with ghosts. Maybe I'll surprise you - I'm not your average Gym Leader. I've trained my entire life to be the strongest I can be! You'll be an excellent test of my progress!"

"Looking forward to it!" Ash agreed. It was too bad none of his heavy hitters were up yet - Morty was building up a lot of anticipation for this battle. He hoped he didn't disappoint. It would be a fantastic opportunity for Sneasel especially - hopefully Ash could get a little help from Morty on how to develop Sneasel's ultimate technique.

"If you aren't visiting the gym then I'd suggest running by the Ecruteak Dance Theater - the Kimono Girls will know who you are," Morty added. He paused as the waitress came and refilled his coffee mug. Ash shook his head when she offered him one as well. Any more caffeine and he might give Sneasel a run for his money. "If you're interested in history it should be at the top of your list. It holds some of the relics from the old days and they can offer you a lot of knowledge on Ecruteak's beginnings. They know more than anyone, me included. I'm certain they can help you find hidden spots throughout the city that I've forgotten."

Ash smiled gratefully. "Thank you, I appreciate the help," he thanked Morty. It was generous for him to spend so much time helping Ash - he was sure the Gym Leader had more important things to do than help him enjoy his time in the city.

"Any time," the Gym Leader replied easily. He got Ash's PokeNav information and Ash quickly glanced over the list of landmarks that Morty suggested. Some he recognized: the Ecruteak Dance Theater that had just been mentioned, a few historical monuments, and… the Tin Tower?

"I'm allowed there?" Ash asked. He was moderately surprised at that. Even he knew the people of Ecruteak were fiercely protective of their Tin Tower. It was one of the last intact remnants of their storied past. "You're sure they won't shoo me away? They did at the Cave of Origin in Hoenn."

Morty looked offended on Ash's behalf. "Absolutely not. They'll know you just like the Kimono Girls. The sages of Bell Tower are known far and wide for their wisdom."

Ash shrugged. He'd take Morty's word for it. As an afterthought he drained the rest of his hot coffee before he rose - Morty had assured him earlier that he didn't need to worry about the bill - and stretched out a hand for Morty to shake. "I appreciate all your help, Morty," he said earnestly. "I'm looking forward to our battle."

"Me too," the cool Gym Leader smiled. He didn't rise. Ash supposed he would enjoy the last few minutes of peace before a busy day at the gym. "I hope you enjoy your time in my city, Ash. Let me know if you run through my list and need some help.

He graced the Gym Leader with one last dip of his head before he strode out of the diner, his hat pulled low to shroud his features. It wasn't enough. One child caught sight of him and almost shouted something to his parents (who it seemed were arguing over who got the last piece of toast) but Ash shook his head and pressed his finger to his lips. Relief flooded him as the kid decided to just stare instead.

Ash stepped behind a few customers leaving and relaxed as the cool air brushed his face. It was still early enough that a great deal of people flooded Ecruteak's sprawling, jumbled streets on their way to work or breakfast, but that also meant everyone was in a rush and not paying attention to him. He took advantage of it and wound his way easily through the streets, able to dodge the odd Meowth, Rattata, and pedestrian with ease.

Thank goodness he'd decided to download maps for all of the Johto cities onto his PokeNav last night before he went to bed. He'd never find his way to the Dance Theater otherwise.

He had some questions he'd like answered.

XX

The Ecruteak Dance Theater was a massive specimen of a building. It was built in the traditional style of straight, expertly carved wooden frames and sloping roofs that appeared to have their tiles chiseled of jade. It towered over the surrounding buildings and Ash could almost envision it as a Gym or Conference battlefield if it didn't bear countless tapestries depicting five identical women (painted in the old ways as well) dancing alongside several of Eevee's evolutions, one per dancer.

To be honest Ash had no idea what the point of this was. He hadn't exactly been interested in stories of the Ecruteak Dance Theater when he was younger. Not enough explosions or life-and-death struggles.

What he'd picked up was that they were highly respected and seen as guardians of Ecruteak's history and lore. Some of the last remnants of the old ways in Ecruteak. And judging from what he'd read and heard from Morty, there were a lot of old ways.

Dazed shuffled beside him, eyes cast everywhere they went. She was always so observant. Ash wished he could detect half of what his psychic friend could. The Hypno always seemed to sense deeper than he could ever hope to. She'd already led him astray twice today to visit old monuments and relics that served no discernible purpose to Ash.

He'd trusted her, however, and paid whatever respects he could.

His instincts paid off when he entered the Ecruteak Dance Theater. It wasn't nearly as empty as he imagined. Instead a beautiful girl in ancient, formal dress awaited him. She bowed as he entered. "You are Ash Ketchum, correct?"

Ash nodded.

Her demeanor brightened instantly. "We've been expecting you! Gym Leader Morty told us you were in the area. How are you?"

"Excellent," he said uncomfortably. "So what exactly do I do here? I was told I should come here if I was interested in Ecruteak's history."

The Kimono girl bowed ever so slightly. Ash returned it, albeit unfamiliarly. It wasn't something he was particularly experienced with. "We are the guardians of Ecruteak's history. We have existed since the first days and we shall persist until the end. What shall we help you with, Elite Four Ketchum?"

"You can start by calling me Ash," he rolled his eyes. Elite Four Ketchum was worse than being called sir in his opinion. "I don't want much. I just want to learn."

The pretty girl's eyes brightened. She bowed deeper this time. "Absolutely! I would be honored to assist you, Elite Four Ketchum. What would you like to know?"

He sighed, but didn't correct her. From the Kimono Girl's mischievous air he doubted he'd ever get her to call him by the right title. She'd always find a way to mess with him. "I just want to learn about Ecruteak's beginnings. Is that acceptable?"

"Absolutely! Follow me."

With that he happily traced the Kimono Girl's footsteps. She walked gracefully and with a certain purpose he'd rarely seen before, as though she knew every step before she took it. Dazed shuffled behind, though she paid constant attention to the artwork and finely woven tapestries that the Kimono girl ignored. She had probably seen them every day for the last few years.

Dazed paused as they followed her into the temple. It was an ancient, beautiful thing. Resplendent murals of the sun and moon were painted and pressed into every inch of it - Ash spotted plenty of references to the Towers as well. Their masters pervaded the place and when he listened closely he could hear the Song and the faint chiming of bells underlying the smooth cadence of the Kimono girl's voice as she pointed out various pieces of art and referenced works of literature Ash had never even heard of.

"...and this piece here," she pointed at an especially resplendent painting that portrayed a gigantic bird that appeared as a living rainbow and another that seemed as though it were a simple flash of luminescent silver perched upon twin towers, "is named The Settling of Sun and Moon. It's ancient and goes back to the founding days of the Taiyo and Tsuki. It's one of the oldest artifacts we possess!"

"Fascinating," Ash said quietly. He glanced, more than a little concerned, at Dazed as she stumbled. Her eyes were glassy and appeared frenzied, as though they were incapable of taking in what was described. The Song trilled louder. "What's your favorite piece?"

The pretty girl smiled brightly. "Easy! That has to be the Four Artifacts! They're so beautiful!" She clasped her hands together. "So old yet perfectly preserved. They're the centerpieces of our collection!"

Ash frowned and shared a curious glance with Dazed. "The Four Artifacts?" He echoed. Maybe he was just an uncultured savage, but he didn't recognize the name.

"Treasured relics of the Taiyo and Tsuki families that were recovered after the Tumbling of the Tower," she replied easily, as though she'd said it a hundred times before. She probably had. His guide gently motioned for him to follow. "The Crescent Blade, the Bell of Tidal Waters, the Ashen Disk, and the Bell of Clear Skies."

"They got ousted after the Brass Tower fell?" Ash recalled Morty's words.

The girl nodded and led him into another hallway. "Ousted is a… conservative word. When Lugia and Ho-Oh left the people were frightened. A few powerful families remained, but what Ecruteak without its twin kings? Clearly they had committed some atrocity. Defiled their legacy. The people demanded blood - most of the Tsuki had died with the Brass Tower when it fell. The few that remained fled far, far away from Ecruteak. When Ho-Oh abandoned us... "

Ash grimaced. "I'm guessing the Taiyo didn't fare too well either?"

She chuckled. "They'd been decrying with their twin family as heretics the night before and refused to aid those who fled the burning Brass Tower. According to the histories, they'd claimed that only an act of great evil would cause Lugia to abandon its heirs. Ho-Oh vanished into the sky the next morning. Before the hour was up the mobs had arrived outside the Tin Tower baying for blood."

"I'm surprised they didn't storm it," Ash said easily. Not too much logic in a group like that. "With those numbers nothing could have stopped them."

His guide nodded. "You'd think so, but you underestimate their faith. They would never dare spill blood in the Tin Tower. It's sacred. Instead, they received their wish when the Rainbow Sages tossed their former lords from the tower into the waiting hands of their subjects. Only the children were allowed safe passage out of the city. The rest were ripped apart in hopes of appeasing the gods of whatever sin the twin lords had committed. They wished nothing more but for Lugia and Ho-Oh to return."

"So they lived in the towers?" He admired a few sculptures of the Beasts - in contrast to most he'd seen in Ecruteak, these were chiseled from marble in stunning detail. Each was bathed by sunlight that poured in from the window, and when the rays caught them just right they looked nearly alive.

"Their palaces and their temples," the Kimono Girl replied. She brushed aside a heavy curtain and ushered him in through the revealed entryway. "What better way to remind your people of your bloodline than to live underneath your ancestor? Beneath Ho-Oh's eye the Taiyo marshalled the troops, met with foreign lords and kings, and made sure the massive harvests Ho-Oh's presence inspired were reaped."

He nodded. Sounded standard, similar to the Indigo Champion's responsibilities in a way. They nominally had absolute power over the internal workings of Kanto and Johto, but realistically they let things run themselves while they just made sure everything stayed nice and stable. "And the Tsuki?"

"They oversaw the law of Ecruteak and spiritual matters," the Kimono Girl - he really needed to ask her name - explained patiently. "They performed rituals in honor of the gods, beseeched Lugia to spare us floods and bless us with a peaceful, gentle night. When disputes arose, they settled it decisively. Our city was famed far and wide for our mighty psychics and the wisdom of our sages. The Tsuki and Lugia were to thank for that."

"But enough of that!" She said cheerfully as she flung open another set of wooden panel doors and marched Ash deeper into the maze. "Here's the real history!"

Ash's breath hitched as he viewed what laid within. Innumerable tapestries hung from the wall, depicting all sorts of intricate scenes he could scarcely understand. Their secrets were only hinted at, wrapped up in a shroud of symbolism and allegory. One in particular caught his eye: twin figures, a man and woman, who each bore strange symbols: the man wielded a translucent bell in his right hand and a plain shield of the same material which dripped golden ash to the ground. The woman carried a bell of surprisingly familiar pearlescent sheen in her left hand and a strange sickle-like blade of the same silvery metal in her right. They stood amidst an autumn forest and stared at stylized depictions of the moon and sun.

"My favorite of the bunch!" The Kimono Girl grinned at what had stolen Ash's attention. "It's from the dawn of Ecruteak. It was commissioned by Tsuki Tsukiko and Taiyo Haru to commemorate their twin parents' deeds. If you follow it," she motioned down, showing that the tapestry extended down the entire wall, different scenes stitched together masterfully. Only the slight changes in artistic style revealed that they had been created decades apart from one another. "Their children and their children's children continued the tradition. Each generation commissioned a tapestry to pay homage to those who came before."

"And then that tradition ended about a hundred and fifty years ago," Ash said drily. The Kimono Girl rolled her eyes. She chattered on about each different tapestry, but Ash only paid some attention. Instead he focused on taking in the scenes. A man and woman facing a horde of dark, vicious creatures he barely recognized as a Sneasel pack, countless depictions of peace and harvest, and it ended as suddenly as it began… the last simply depicted two empty robes, one silver and one rainbow, bowed before the figure of a woman who bore the mark of the League on her cloak.

The Kimono Girl smirked. "Not quite. There was one last addition made to the tapestry roughly fifteen years after the Tumbling of the Tower. Personally, I think the weaver was just bitter about the League taking over. They didn't have much of a presence here when the twin lords ruled…" she leaned in conspiratorially. "Some of the traditionalists still believe that the League set fire to the Brass Tower."

Ash blinked. "Why?" Even though the gears turning in his bed gave him a solid guess. Power. It always came down to power.

"Why not?" She shrugged her slim shoulders. "The League couldn't control Ecruteak. It's said that no pokemon would march against us. As soon as they saw the Towers they would refuse to go on. The ruling families knew that and would never worry about appeasing the League beyond making sure they still had gold and silver flowing in."

A new voice split the silence. "Sayo, please stop spreading your conspiracy theories! You know Zuki doesn't like it. I don't want another earful about you corrupting our guests…"

Sayo paid the warning no mind. "Ash - I'm sorry, Elite Four Ash - , this is Miki," she introduced him to the other Kimono Girl. Miki smiled and waved at him - she seemed more amused at Sayo's curt introduction than anything. "She worries too much."

"Do not!" Miki stuck her tongue out at Sayo, then flushed beneath her makeup as she realized Ash was walking. "Sorry! I was sent to collect you two by Zuki. She wants to give Ash here the official tour. The one that doesn't involve conspiracy theories?"

"It's boring," Sayo whispered into Ash's ear. He grinned ever so slightly, though he moved to follow Miki. This had been fun, but he wouldn't mind seeing the approved tour either. "Traitor."

Miki rolled her eyes and turned towards another door. "Follow me, please. I'm sure the other girls would love to meet you!"

Ash followed.

XX

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Bruiser grunted quietly and took a seat on the edge of the cliff that overlooked Ecruteak. A cool breeze blew in from the snow-capped mountains far to the north of the ancient city, barely visible in the distance. To the distant west a few storm clouds gathered. He hoped they dispersed soon - Ash had wanted to spend at least a few hours hanging out on the cliffs with his team before turning into the Pokemon Center for the night.

It had been a very long day. Exhaustion already weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"Princess seemed pretty interested in you yesterday," Ash grinned as he plopped down besides Bruiser. The dirt was hard thanks to the cold snap and the leaves crunched beneath him. He took a deep breath - the air was sweet with the scent of an early fall. Beneath the cliff and surrounding Ecruteak was a great forest that had already begun to transition into the orange and red and gold of autumn.

Bruiser moaned piteously, though Ash got the feeling he was playing it up a little for Ash's benefit. Ash just laughed and picked up a frayed leaf that trembled ever so slightly beneath the wind. He glanced at it and took in every aspect: the tiny holes and pores littering its crisp surface, the channels that threaded throughout it like veins, jagged edges that looked sharp enough to cut. Beautiful. "I know we talked about this last night, but I really am sorry about what happened yesterday. I know you didn't mean to hurt her."

His friend sighed heavily and turned to look at Ash closer. There was something heavy in Bruiser's beady stare, a shadow that would bring him to his knees if not cast away. Ash dropped the leaf. "It's not your fault, you know. Nobody blames you for what happened - sometimes you get hurt in battles. I know Cynthia and Princess don't hold it against you. Princess didn't seem bothered at all!"

That didn't do much for his friend, surprisingly. Ash patted Bruiser's heavy shoulder. There were a few mottled bruises on him and a couple of fading scabs, but most injuries from the day before had already vanished entirely. Regular treatments at the Pokemon Center and the excellent healing abilities most pokemon possessed had done the fighting-type well.

Ash let his fingers brush over the black belt that Bruiser still wore looped around his neck. "You should start wearing this the way you're supposed to," he grinned. Bruiser huffed, used to this topic by now. He bore it as well as he ever did, though. The Machoke was patient to a fault. "You're plenty strong enough, you know. Do I need to get Bruno to tell you whenever we see him next?"

Bruiser huffed, his gigantic shoulders shaking with quiet laughter. His clumsy hand tugged absentmindedly at the soft cloth of the black belt. He waved his hand in a gesture Ash easily understood. It wasn't difficult to pick up on Bruiser's inner thoughts in these one-sided conversations. He wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ash rested his hands on his knees. He cast another long stare out at the world below. Plume was visible as a tiny black spot in the sky far above Ecruteak. She'd needed to stretch her wings, though Ash was sharp enough to notice she gave the Tin Tower a wide berth. He paused to admire the vast structure for a moment - from here he could just barely see the bells, though they were probably another twenty or thirty feet above him. They were made of a pale crystal that vaguely reminded him of Suicune's crest and shimmered like a rainbow in the twilit sun. "It's not about strength to you. You want more than that before you wear the black belt."

His friend nodded once. It was all Ash needed.

"You'll master yourself one day," Ash promised. He grinned as a flock of Pidgey flew across the sky not too far above them. Their cries split the air and quieted the chirps of Weedle and Caterpie in the forest below. "You're going to keep learning and growing until you can be sure you can control yourself. I'll be with you every step of the way, Bruiser."

Bruiser's reptilian face was split by a broad smile and he thumped a heavy fist to his barrel chest. Ash matched the gesture and grinned right back at Bruiser before he clapped his friend on the shoulder. "I'll leave you to your thinking, alright? I'm going to release the rest of the team but I'll do my best to make sure they don't give you any trouble."

The Machoke nodded appreciatively and graced Ash with another smile before he looked pensively down at Ecruteak and its surrounding territory. Ash followed his gaze and admired the vast stretches of red and gold painted across the evening sky before he rose and turned away from Bruiser.

He would give him his space. Ash's words could only help so much. Bruiser needed to come to his own terms with what he had done with his vast strength and what he could do to avoid it the next time he and Princess fought.

For now, Ash would just try to keep the rest of the team in line. He had the sneaking suspicion Sneasel was going to try something. The little dark-type seemed to have a sixth sense for when Bruiser didn't want to be disturbed.

XX

The Burnt Tower held the same eerie silence as it had the day before, as though everything in the area could feel the tragedy that had taken place here a hundred and fifty years ago. It lingered heavy in the air. Even the Song felt muted and distant in the fading light of day, though it grew stronger and stronger every second as the sun fell and the moon revealed itself as a slim silver crescent. .

Ash breathed in heavily as he ascended the steps. It was just dark enough that he struggled ever so slightly. Morty had warned him to avoid the charred remains of the Brass Tower at night, but Ash had found himself here nonetheless. Not a single member of his team was released, though Ash could sense the tell-tale twitch of their pokeballs. Nidoking and Dazed especially shook and jerked every few seconds, and Ash found himself with a hand on each to soothe them.

He couldn't describe why he had chosen to take this foolhardy action. Ash found that the knowledge troubled him little. To be honest, he was more focused on following Cynthia's instructions: Why, why, why?

It was because it felt right, proper and correct in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. Something in his gut warned him against entering the Tower with his team. This place had suffered enough violence and bloodshed. It was a peaceful, tired graveyard. It didn't wish for more violence. Ash would only receive what he brought in with him: if Ash entered tense and fearful of the unknown, then that is what this tomb would face him with. Ghosts were known to feed on fear and other human emotions, after all. No doubt they'd be attracted to him in a heartbeat.

Ash bore himself with the composure of a man who had seen everything. He removed his hands from his team and swore he would release them later so that they could experience this place with him. The only item he carried was the flute that Lugia had given him. It was smooth and glossy in his fingers and when Ash shut his eyes and listened he could detect a terrible yearning which emanated from the instrument, a memory of what was once was and a dream of what could be.

He felt the eyes on him, the boring gaze of what felt like the Tower itself, and inhaled deeply as he crossed the threshold and the Song redoubled in its intensity, rushing through his ears with all the power of the ocean itself. It held a warning, yet invited Ash in regardless.

It was an invitation Ash accepted. Thunder rolled in the distance, the scent of distant rain fresh in his nose. A storm was coming, and soon.

The interior of the tower was exactly what Ash had expected. Traces of its ancient majesty still remained - treasures like statues of gold and silver and what must have been the tattered, rotted remains of fine cloth and gorgeous artwork laid littered everywhere. Nobody had dared to loot this place. Great heaps of blackened stone, scorched even after all these years, laid tossed about the interior from where the tower had collapsed. A few pillars stood proudly, unbowed and strong despite their great age. What had once been the massive panels of brass that glimmered like gold on the outside of the tower had fallen all across the area to bury what must have been countless cultural treasures beneath their bulk.

In the center of the room was a great chunk of floor missing, having collapsed into the structure's basement. Ash approached it and peered over the edge, curious to what might have fallen in with the collapse. The floor was stronger and sturdier than he would have expected and bore his weight easily.

Beneath him lay a vast space. It was almost entirely open to the sky since the Burnt Tower's roof had collapsed so long ago. A few tiny fragments remained to blot out some of the evening sun's fading light, but for the most part the orange light, which shone like molten gold, bathed the cavernous space. The remains of four gigantic wooden pillars which looked to have been carved from the largest trees on the planet were placed in each corner of the room, supporting what little remained of the tower's wooden floor.

With nothing left to investigate on the main floor, Ash elected to climb down a small path of shattered wood. It was delicate and uncertain beneath his feet (and a mere brush from any of the spirits that haunted this place would have sent him crashing to the hard stone roughly fifteen feet beneath him, but he didn't let the knowledge waver his resolve. It took a few minutes to safely traverse it and reach the basement, but Ash took comfort in the utter silence.

In a normal area the stark quiet would have alarmed him. The unbroken calm normally meant something particularly tough and intimidating stalked the forests - an Ursaring or Tyranitar would do the trick in Johto. Nothing wanted to attract the attention of such frightening foes.

Here in the tattered remnants of the Brass Tower it was comforting. Ash had feared the spirits of this place would inflict the misery that pervaded the Tower upon him. Visions, audible snippets of the Tower's past, a sight of the great tower crumbling to the earth…

But they did not. Ash had respected that this was their home, their mausoleum. This wasn't a place that could be returned to the hands of mortal men or their pokemon companions. The tragedy had marked this place deep and scarred it to its core. Its new inhabitants were bolstered by and gorged themselves on the memories and emotions that had been burnt into the stone itself. To remove them you'd have to tear down the tower itself, and neither the ghosts of the Burnt Tower or the people of Ecruteak would dare to imagine that.

He'd gotten a better sense of the town's attitudes, he pondered as he trodded to the very center of the basement which was bathed in a pillar of bright sunlight - too bright for this late in the day, he thought idly to himself - and sat himself upon the flat, ancient stones. They valued their past more than anything else. When the Brass Tower had burnt it had toppled everything they'd known and held dear. In many ways, the city of Ecruteak had crumbled and burnt the same day as the Brass Tower had. Their independence lost, their ruling families tossed aside over the course of a night, and the modern world had sunk its claws in as their twin deities fled their long-prosperous home.

Ash sighed as the forlorn atmosphere of the place weighed heavy upon his shoulders. He flipped the flute in his hands. As always he enjoyed the feeling of the glossy material in his hands. It felt as though it had been specially crafted for him - nothing else felt as though it fit so well.

Then again, he supposed the flute had been made for him. One last gift from Lugia for his help.

Some of the shadows in distant corners wavered as the sunlight grew ever stronger - the heat pounded on his back even as thunder boomed, closer this time than it had before. Ash hoped whatever storm clouds it carried would arrive son. This heat was insane.

He put it out of his mind and closed his eyes. Ash didn't feel it was right to release his team yet. This place and its inhabitants didn't trust him enough.

So he put the flute to his lips and played the single tune he knew by heart. Ash felt his muscles relax and all worries fled his mind. Utter relaxation befell him as the flute and the Song worked their magic. Fears for his mother, for Molly, for the Awakening that drew nearer every day…

As the Song progressed something shifted. The Tower's atmosphere lightened, the spirits watched and hummed in tune with Ash's music. It was impossible to miss as the oppressive stillness of the Burnt Tower, that sensation of being trapped and lost in time when the lightning struck and the fires raged and swallowed the structure, fell away ever so slightly. It was as if the tower remembered the call of its old master and was able to recall better days, if only fleetingly.

Bells chimed in the distance. The sound pervaded all of Ecruteak. It did not shake his bones and rattle his teeth like thunder, but it struck a chord in Ash. The tinkling of the bells came in rhythm with the Song pouring from his flute - they were not identical, but the clear noise worked in tandem with the Song. Where the Song was heavy, the bells were light and where it was light the bells were heavy. The bells didn't chime to the same tune, but a complementary one. They worked together to fill in the gaps where one was incomplete, and together they melded into beautiful music.

It went on like that for what felt like ages but might have been only a few minutes. In the distance Ash could hear the raucous cries of people, but he paid no attention to them. He embraced the Song in its entirety, and he would play it as long as he could to assauge the wounds in this old place.

A scant few raindrops pattered across his face. The crack of thunder, the sharp scent of ozone in his nostrils like chlorine. Dry, scorching heat and the dancing of cinders bright enough to leave stars in his closed eyes. And at last a soothing wind that blew in from the north, a gust that embraced Ash and cast aside his ever present ills: the scratch in his throat from Moltres' fires, the tightness in his cheek from the scar Articuno had left him and the rest littering his body, and even the ache in his muscles and his shoulders from where Sneasel had stabbed him at Greenfield.

For one moment, Ash Ketchum felt mercifully whole.

He opened his eyes.

The Legendary Beasts of Johto stood before him.

Ash started, entirely taken aback by their sudden appearance. What first struck him was their size - the Beasts were massive beyond belief. Their bulk took up a huge chunk of the basement and they each dwarfed even Oak's grizzled old Arcanine. Suicune and Raikou were slimmer than Entei, but that wasn't saying much. Each had lean, corded muscle that shifted and flexed with the slightest of movements. A playful swat from any of them would probably reduce Ash to a red paste - that was even discounting their claws, which were more like daggers or short swords than anything.

Raikou laid on Ash's left, the Beast of Thunder's might paws crossed over each other nonchalantly. Its mane flowed like rumbling storm clouds and lightning danced in it every few seconds, barely constrained. Raikou's bright blue tail of lightning tossed and whipped carelessly behind the Beast, every motion conjuring up a thunder clap that rattled Ash's bones and shook the tower itself. Long fangs that would puncture steel and rock as easily as flesh were licked by a long pink tongue.

Entei towered in the center, dwarfing its siblings. The Beast of Fire peered down at Ash and were it not so serene he would've recalled the pain and suffering caused by the Crystal Entei, though to even compare the two felt like blasphemy. Even the Crystal Entei paled in comparison to the real thing. Its heavy mahogany coat, coated with a fine layer of ash and which contained dull red embers glowing all throughout, did little to conceal the monstrous power in its muscles. The earth cracked beneath the heat which poured from its claws and flesh and air warped and distorted about it. Its resplendent crest reminded Ash of a king's crown and framed its wise eyes as they measured him. A vast trail of smoke, laced with cinders, billowed behind it and masked the Beast's true size.

And last, but certainly not least, was Suicune to his right. Though perhaps the smallest and leanest of the Beasts, there was no doubting its power. Suicune's mere presence carried a heavy weight of command, and Ash had no doubt that the North Wind was the leader of the three. Slight and graceful, yet larger than almost any other creature Ash had met. Its eyes, miniature suns just like its siblings, greeted Ash warmly.

Suicune's thin blue fur dripped with pure water and dew, cold as could be without freezing to ice. He took a moment to admire the gigantic crest it bore easily - without the chaos of Greenfield, he could observe it properly. Whereas before he thought it solid ice, it was clear to see now that the glassy crown (the sight of the Crystal Entei impaled violently on the horn flashed through Ash's mind) appeared more as a hair-thin layer of ice which covered running water. The water, clear as crystal, circled endlessly throughout the crest.

Ash bowed his head. The Flute fell limply in his fingers in the face of the Beasts.

"I found the Brass Tower just like you showed me," Ash stated simply. The Beasts looked knowingly at him and they sat in comfortable silence as they took the sight in. He marveled at them, but he also saw the truth of Eusine's words yesterday. Though the Brass Tower was a pale shadow of its former self the Beasts were truly at home here - they were more relaxed than Ash could ever have imagined them.

"Thank you for coming to Greenfield," he said earnestly. Ash hadn't gotten a chance to thank them before they'd left. Not verbally, anyways. He'd just managed to project his gratefulness to them through the Unown. "We wouldn't have stood a chance of fixing things without your help. You saved all of Johto."

Raikou's tongue lolled out of its mouth, an odd sight to see on such an intimidating frame. Entei and Suicune were both more fitting of their stature, however, and dipped their heads in acknowledgement. Ash marveled at the sight and drank it in for a few seconds before the ringing of the bells - even more intense now, if anything - reclaimed his attention.

The living shadows wavered at the edges again, though obviously wary of the Beasts that had reclaimed their home. Ash frowned. He didn't want to take their brief respite from them.

"Would you like to listen?" Ash offered as he placed the silver flute to his lips. Their eyes, bright and golden as the sun, watched. Suicune nodded as it sat regally, its twin 'ribbons' floating gracefully in the wind carried by its presence. Entei followed Raikou's example and plopped to the ground, though Entei didn't roll onto his side like the massive electric feline.

He stayed in his position on the ground and shut his eyes once more as Lugia's Song flowed from the flute. It seamlessly merged with the delicate chimes of the Tin Tower's bells and the spirits and memories which haunted the Brass Tower eased. Ash wasn't so long in the Song to miss the tell-tale tremble of the pokeballs on his belt as his team released themselves, drawn out by the presence of the Legendary Beasts.

Ash paid no attention to it though. He just kept playing and felt a genuine smile come to his lips as three otherworldly voices joined his own, though they sang the song of the bells rather than the tune of his flute.

Raikou's roar, feral and savage like the thunder of a lightning bolt that struck mere feet away, conjured images of black storm clouds gathering over Ecruteak many, many years ago. The people and pokemon quailed and hid away in their fine homes of wood and stone, their twin towers that stood as a testament to their power. A single arc of brilliant gold surged to the golden gleaming tower that reflected its light beautifully.

Entei's rumble, somewhere between the eruption of a long-dormant volcano and the crumble of ashen trees in a blazing wildfire, showed Ash the flames that sparked as a result of the lightning. The tower went up in a terrible conflagration in mere moments, the supports eroded before the people of Ecruteak could hope to react. Gleaming brass collapsed, the top floors scattered around. Hundreds burned or died in the falling rubble, including three young pokemon…

Suicune's mournful howl painted the rest of the story. As the tower burned, the storm clouds which had begun it all allowed their bounty to drip. The flames were extinguished in the torrential downpour, marked by a cool northern wind that carried the rest of the heat and ash far away from the site of the tragedy. Soot and countless charred corpses were all that remained of the tower.

Moon and Mystery and Silver Typhoon Lugia, absent when the conflagration appeared, knew what had happened and would never return to its ancient perch in Ecruteak. It retired to its old nomadic ways, to travel deep within the ocean it commanded lest its power wreak havoc. Its Song would never be heard in the Brass Tower except in memory… until today.

Sun's Light and Rebirth and Rainbow Rebirth Ho-Oh descended from its perch as the bells tolled. Its talons touched the earth for the first time in aeons. It found the remains of the three siblings and sang its mournful song. Renewing flame bathed their ashen remains. Yet simple recreation was not enough, not a sufficient mark of this event - Ho-Oh remade them in an image of the tragedy. It sacrificed a vast portion of its own essence to make the pokemon one with their Concepts, as its counterpart had sacrificed a vast portion of its spirit to carve its Birds apart.

Raikou, the Thunder and Lightning and Storm that had sparked the flame. Entei, the raging Fire that had seared the tower to the ground. Suicune, the soothing Rains and the North Wind that had carried it there.

The flute fell from his fingers and his eyes snapped open. His team surrounded him. Ash's breath came heavy and harsh as he took in the Beasts - they sat utterly still, sun-filled eyes locked on him. It took a moment before the information imparted by their own songs fully soaked and he was cognizant of the waking world once more.

For a single moment he saw the tower as it had been - bustling with life, filled with history, draped in resplendent brass - and envisioned it all burnt to cinders. Then he saw the Beasts as they truly were. Three mortal siblings met with a greusome fate - they had died here, in this basement. Panic and frenzy and a forlorn acceptance. The flames had been too hot for the Vaporeon and Jolteon, and the smoke and ash had choked even the resistant Flareon to its dying breath…

Faint wisps of insight blazed in his mind from when he'd held the Unown. Ancient, wreathed in a blazing shroud of the divine that cloaked a mortal core. Ash smiled inwardly at reclaiming even a single fragment of that knowledge, then the melancholy nature of what he'd just learned settled over him.

Words were not needed. The Beasts had told their story. They dipped their heads one last time, graced his team with a fond gaze, and vanished as quickly as they had arrived. Raikou vanished in a bolt of lightning, returned to the storm clouds to chase across Johto. Entei leapt away, its massive musculature enough to carry its enormous bulk with uncanny grace. Infernus looked after it miserably, though Ash frowned at him - Infernus had already died once to Moltres, and had nearly suffered the same fate in Shamouti at the hands of Moltres. He didn't need to add Entei to the list.

Suicune lingered. Its blazing eyes traced Torrent for a moment then shifted to Ash. He felt a gentle fondness from the Beast of the North Wind, and he did his best to project the feeling back. Suicune howled like a stormgale and Ash was beset by a vision of what he knew to be the Tin Tower and an enormous crystal bell that glimmered in the light of a rainbow. The sun was positioned directly above the Tin Tower.

With that, Suicune departed. It howled one last time and the rain fell heavily upon his team in a shower that soaked them to their core. Ash and most of his friends found themselves refreshed (Torrent and Tangrowth seemed especially happy with the cool brush of wind and water) but Infernus looked rather irritated as steam boiled off his body.

"I'm going to return you all," Ash informed his friends as the shadows in the room darkened and an untold number of weary gazes set upon them. The air grew cold and harsh in his lungs, though every now and then he thought he felt a trace of hot smoke… "I think we've worn out our welcome."

They nodded their assent. Only Infernus didn't seem keen to leave this place as soon as possible - with how annoyed he was there were decent odds that he'd try to burn down the rest of the Brass Tower. That would be less than ideal.

Nevertheless, even the Magmortar accepted his return. Ash exhaled in relief as the tower's atmosphere returned to normal, though he still hurried out and climbed the pile of rubble and wreckage as quickly as he could to return to the ground floor and make his escape.

To be honest, the ghosts were only half the problem.

Ash had no doubt that Eusine would arrive soon. There was no way he was dealing with that.

No, today had been busy. He was more than happy to return to the Pokemon Center and reflect on everything he'd learned. His brain had been exhausted and aching even before he'd arrived at the Burnt Tower. After the Beasts?

Well, he could use a long rest. Ash thought he deserved it this time.

XX

The city had been in an uproar as Ash wandered the streets of Ecruteak the night before, but it was nothing compared to what awaited him the next morning. Ash groaned and pulled the pillow over his head as raucous cheers and the sound of streamers and fireworks went off outside. It had to be just after the crack of dawn…

Knocking on his door. Ash groaned something that might have been words.

More knocking. Ash grumbled something at Dazed, but she didn't fire a Psybeam through the door like he wanted. Was that really so much to ask?

Dazed's voice held endless amusement.

Murder is frowned upon by most humans. Especially for such petty reasons. Wake up, Friend-Trainer. It is a new day.

He groaned again, but finally managed to crack his eyes open. Ash blearily pulled on a plain black shirt and stalked over to the door. As he wrenched it open he wondered if it wasn't too late to let Infernus answer the door for him. The Magmortar would get a kick out of it.

"Hello?" He groused. Ash wasn't impressed at the sight of Morty and Eusine in front of it, ready to knock again.

Eusine stepped close. Too close. Dazed's eyes flashed beside him and the well-dressed man coughed and allowed some space between the two of them. "My apologies. Did you see Suicune yesterday?"

"Talk about a one-track mind," Morty muttered to himself as he lightly interjected himself between the two. "Sorry about the early morning wakeup call, Ash. The festival's about to begin and we didn't want you to miss out."

"Festival?" Ash reached for a tiny arc of Lightning to wake him up. His posture straightened, his eyes lost their glassy sheen, and he reached up to straighten up his hair - Ash felt exposed without his hat, which currently laid on the bedside table. Morty blinked at the sudden change, but rolled with it. Ash thought the ghost-type specialist might be almost as unflappable as he was.

The Gym Leader waited in the doorway as Ash walked back into his room and began to get ready. Jacket, belt, PokeNav, and shoes and he was all set. "To celebrate the return of the Beasts. There were sightings all over the city yesterday. They vanished as soon as they appeared, unfortunately. Still, it's a cause for celebration. It's been decades since they've been sighted in these parts. They aren't believed to have fond memories of Ecruteak," Morty finished, downcast.

"They do," he said carelessly. Ash ignored the look Morty shot him and the (frankly disturbing) stare of Eusine. "It's still their home, even after all this time."

Realization struck Morty. "They came for you?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't know about that. They appeared while I was in the Burned Tower, though."

Eusine practically lunged forward. "Suicune was there? You saw it?"

"Yes."

"What does it look like? Is it as majestic as the stories? How can I see it - what makes you so special?" Eusine babbled. Ash stared at him blankly, a little overwhelmed by the torrent of questions. "Hurry, we don't have much time. We might be able to track it if -"

A firm hand hand clasped on Eusine's shoulder. "Down, boy. That's enough, Eusine. You aren't going to be tracking Suicune anytime soon. It's probably halfway across Johto by now. Let's just go enjoy the festival, alright?"

Eusine didn't look too happy about that but he acquiesced to his friend's demand. Dazed shuffled along with them as Morty led them down the hallway to the stairwell that would take them out of the Pokemon Center. Her eyes didn't leave Morty's befanged shadow. It winked at her with a pale eye.

"You'll love the festival, Ash," Morty promised. "It's definitely worth getting woken up at five thirty in the morning and I don't say that lightly."

Five thirty? No wonder he'd been half-dead when they'd woken him up. Ash just nodded and went along with it. Well, he had wanted to experience Ecruteak's culture after all. The mild inconvenience would be worth it for a once in a lifetime event.

XX

Twenty minutes later they'd fought their way through the teeming crowds to the steps of the Ecruteak Gym, a plain yet elegant building that must have been centuries old. It was built in the old style, just like the rest of the historical district of Ecruteak (and a great deal of the rest of the city which was built in imitation), and stood proudly atop a raised plaza of cobblestone. The only others that shared the spot with them were Morty's Gym Trainers, who were loosely arranged across the plaza.

Ash could hardly believe his eyes as he surveyed the city below. Not a person in Ecruteak remained in their homes. Hundreds of thousands must have taken to the streets as the Tin Tower's bells chimed in the distance, the Tin Tower gleaming like silver in the sun of early morning. There was still a faint chill to the air that sent shivers up Ash's spine.

People laughing, dancing, singing… games were played, pokemon roamed happily as humans passed out food and candy to anything who passed by. Fireworks went off all over the city, a constant roll of thunder and fire followed by jets of water from a handful of pokemon.

They'd barely managed to work their way through the crowds. Ash still felt a little claustrophobic from the sheer mass of people that filled the streets - there was hardly a single spare speck of space in the entire city. He'd been prodded, poked, shoved, and tripped by the laughing Ecruteakans as they rejoiced in the occasion. Plenty of the native pokemon had taken to it as well, apparently just as happy about the Beasts' appearance as the humans. Pidgey lined the streets, practically every rafter and roof ready to sag beneath their weight, and sang to the morning sun. Rattata and Sentret emerged from their hidden homes and happily stole little pieces of food that had dropped to the stone paths. Even a few Gastly crept out from their places in the shadows and took joy in leaping out and frightening a few innocent children or festive couple before they cackled and fled in a wisp of purple gas.

Banners had been hung with sun and moon symbols. Hundreds of little statues had been placed outside of the houses and businesses in the area - some simple displays of the towers like he'd seen yesterday, others crude or spectacularly crafted mimics of the Beasts. Bells chimed from every building, a steady undercurrent to the cheer and raucous laughter of the teeming masses below.

"Stunning, isn't it?" Morty grinned at his side. Several of his loyal partners had emerged from the gym to witness it. Several Gastly and Haunter hung in the air beside him, pale gazes locked on the spectacle below. A lone Gengar had soaked into Morty's shadow. "Say what you will about us, but we know how to party!"

"Yeah," Ash said quietly, still a little overcome by the beginnings of the festival in the distance - he could hear the steady drumbeats and the cheers grew in intensity in the corner of the city by the Tin Tower. His sharp eyes caught a few flashes of color in the streets. Whatever was in this parade, it was bright and massive.

He waited patiently. Several of his friends were released so that they could enjoy the festivities as well. It was wrong to keep them locked away. Plume circled high above the gym, just one of what must have been thousands of birds that cast a heavy shadow on the city. They danced with one another, a constant cacophony of squawks and shrieks and cries greeting Ash's ears.

Torrent looked lost in thought at Ash's side. The mighty Kingdra stared down at the wild city listlessly. Ash pat the water-type with more than a little concern. Torrent had been rather quiet since that first night in the woods.

Seeker was huddled inside of Ash's jacket to avoid the sun - he could barely even see her little ears peeking out. He smiled and stroked the impossibly thin membranes happily. She didn't seem to totally understand what was going on but she enjoyed it nonetheless. Bruiser was close by, naturally. His beady eyes never left the city, a slight smile plastered on his reptilian face.

Sneasel was looped comfortably around Ash's shoulders. He shivered every now and then, overcome by the energy and eager to take part himself. Once things cleared up a little Ash would have to take him and Tangrowth down to enjoy the city before everyone went inside. Who knew when the next time they'd see this many people would be? They'd already had to pull Tangrowth back from waddling down into the city proper and hugging as many people and pokemon as he could get his vines on.

Aron and Oz stood with Tangrowth. He knew Oz was probably a little paranoid around this many and couldn't blame her - even though he was amazed, it set his skin crawling. Every instinct he had told him to run far, far away from this place.

Nidoking, however, remained on his belt. He still wasn't totally back to normal. His encounter with Spiritomb had cut deep. Ash wasn't about to subject him to this. For now he would stay in his pokeball with Infernus.

After what felt like nearly an hour of fending off random questions from Eusine - no, Ash did not know how to summon Suicune and he most certainly did not think it would join Eusine as a loyal companion - Morty nudged him and pointed at something in the distance. "Look. They're almost here."

His breath caught in his throat as another round of fireworks went off. A cold heat he'd nearly forgotten burned in the back of his mind but he paid no attention to it. All that he could focus on was the procession marching its way down the street through the buzzing, colorful crowds.

It was magnificent in a way that the Beasts were not.

What crashed through the streets, parting the masses of people and pokemon, was magnificently human. Lines and lines of dancers - hundreds of them - dressed in traditional garb and with a mask of one of the Beasts held to their face marched and sang down the confetti-drenched streets of Ecruteak. They waved everywhere and danced intricately, laughing and singing to anyone who would listen. Behind them were the drummers. Each held old drums in their arms so massive that Ash was stunned they didn't stagger beneath their weight. The drummers pounded their palms against the drums constantly to produce the loud, powerful noises he'd heard from miles away. They were each draped in a cloak that was painted a stark silver or a chaotic rainbow.

It was beautiful and fantastic and overwhelming. Ash watched with his team, speechless as the procession went by. More and more amazing sights walked by beneath the Gym, oftentimes waving up to Morty's slight figure: massive floats of the Beasts (imperfect but surprisingly accurate… most were smaller than the actual Beasts), old men in rainbow robes who proclaimed the story and return of the Three, the Kimono Girls who danced intricate, graceful movements with the ease of masters, and long depictions of the Beasts borne by dozens of men and women with poles stalked forward with startling realism.

"Where did all of this come from?" He asked Morty.

The Gym Leader smiled, though his eyes remained locked on the festival. It looked like there was still hours of it to go - the procession marching down the streets appeared unending. "Some people keep materials for it. Masks, banners, that sort of stuff" he shrugged but pointed to the floats and costumes. "Most of that was made over the last night. The city's been hard at work preparing for this."

Ash nodded. He could still barely take this in.

All he knew was that he liked it, although the thought of being down in the crowd left his fists balled and his breath short.

For the first time he could remember he actually enjoyed being in public.

A small smile crept onto his face.

XX

Sneasel had the time of his life as he scrambled around the streets. Enough confetti had stuck to his fur and claws that Ash could barely see his black fur beneath it and Sneasel didn't seem put off by it at all - he yowled and hissed happily as he slashed into the paper lanterns, origami figurines that had been tossed all over the city, and wove around the feet of humans, shot through a crowd of Rattata who skittered away, and climbed up a few wooden posts before he leapt to a new one.

Ash grinned and gave up on keeping track of Sneasel. He trusted his friend to stay close in the chaos. Tangrowth was easy to find in the crowd, after all. The massive tangle of vines and hugs waddled happily through the masses of humanity that still littered the streets after the festival had ended. His saucer-like eyes darted everywhere with blatant glee. A few humans gave the towering Tangrowth a wide berth, but plenty others were in a good enough mood that they simply laughed and patted his seeking vines when they brushed against them or patted them.

Aron was held high above them by a fair portion of Tangrowth's powerful vines. Not all of them had regrown yet, but a fair number of the thick lengths which were only slightly damaged or burnt from Cynthia's team had recovered completely. Ash could easily spot the new growths wriggling beneath the surface - they were thin and nearly transparent in some places, but grew so quickly he imagined there'd be a noticeable difference if he measured them again in an hour.

He drifted off into his own thoughts as they slowly walked out of the historical district of Ecruteak and into a long cobblestone path guarded on all sides by a small forest of red and gold trees that towered about them. It would lead him to the Tin Tower. Ash took a moment to appreciate the scene - he was glad he was here when the leaves were changing. It was beautiful.

The festival had gone on for more than five hours. It had been a splendid, albeit exhausting, affair that truly celebrated Ecruteak's history and heritage. Ash had grinned madly at some parts when his limited knowledge of the city's folklore came in handy: a few floats depicted the Four Artifacts of the Faithful, the League's pokeball symbol emblazoned in gold and silver instead of the traditional white and red, and a few other little pieces that Morty or the Kimono Girls had mentioned.

Ash was glad it had ended, but he was also more than happy to have attended. Mostly he was just appreciative of the fact it had ended roughly an hour or so before noon. According to Morty nobody was allowed into the Tin Tower after the hour of noon. Even the Rainbow Sages retired to their small quarters built adjacent to the tower proper. It wouldn't be open to the scant few people allowed to enter until the next dawn.

The Kimono Girls had mentioned something similar about the Brass Tower during the 'official' tour, if he remembered correctly. The Silver Sages had maintained that it was only available to enter from the first moments of dusk until midnight.

Well, back in the old days the Taiyo and Tsuki were the only ones allowed to remain in the Towers since they were essentially their palaces and centers of power, a lasting reminder to Ecruteak that their rulers were born of the gods themselves.

Or so they had claimed. Ash had more than a few doubts about that. Gary and Jonathan would probably outright call 'bullshit'. His lips curved up into a small smile. He was looking forward to seeing them in Mahogany in a week. He'd meet Jonathan and Amelia first and have a few days to spend with them before Gary arrived. After that he would hang out with the rest of the Pallet trainers before he moved onto Blackthorn. It should be a nice break and a good chance to catch up.

His thoughts trailed off as their group reached the end of the cobblestone path. It expanded into a vast plaza identical to the Burnt Tower's, though obviously in much better condition. Ash's couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the tower up close.

It was everything he'd imagined the Brass Tower to be and more. Even the momentary impressions he had received of the Brass Tower in its prime failed to prepare him for this.

The Tin Tower shone like a great mirror in the sunlight. Rays of the sun hit the massive structure and scattered off into countless rainbows that bathed the plaza - everywhere he looked rainbows arced through the sky, to the ground, or intersected with one another. His eyes burned and tears welled within them at the intensity of the light but he refused to abandon the sight.

What wasn't shielded by great panes of tin was beautifully carved wood that seemed to have been erected yesterday. Not a single sign of wear or tear was evident on the tower. Masterfully crafted figures of Ho-Oh were carved from thick, heavy wood and mounted on each corner of the nine angled roofs. Every feather was painted expertly in a staggering display of skill, evident of craftsmen who had seen their model for themselves. It lent perfectly to the rainbow pattern of the Legend and twin torches were lit in each depiction of Ho-Oh's eyes. Ash could almost believe that they were alive…

He inhaled. Sweet summer air, still damp thanks to the impromptu thunder storm yesterday, laced with the crisp scent of the transitioning leaves. Soft, lush soil and budding vegetation, the pleasant aroma of the incense pouring from the tower, and the distinct smell that lingered after spring showers. Ash shut his eyes and relaxed as the soft breeze brushed against him. The Tin Tower was as different from the remains of the Burnt Tower as day was to night. Whereas the Burnt Tower lingered in the tragedy that had soaked into its very foundations, the Tin Tower was like a breath of fresh air. A place of growth and renewal and greeting the new dawn.

It still felt wrong to approach the tiered tower. He felt as though he should turn and walk around - he did go ahead and return his teammates, especially since Sneasel seemed a little too interested in some of the smaller shrines leading up to the tower - but he pressed on and entered the building.

The doors were already open.

Several old, wizened men awaited him. Each bore small symbols of the sun looped around their neck - carved from rainbow opal, of course - and their robes shimmered in the light. They carried small bells that looked to have been shaped from transparent crystal. Even inside the Tin Tower rainbows were scattered everywhere, nearly blinding.

"Elite Four Ash Ketchum," the lead man opened his arms invitingly. Ash nodded at them, then stared as he realized each of the Rainbow Sages was entirely blind: their eyes were covered in milky white cataracts that obscured their sight. "It is an honor to welcome you into the Tin Tower. We are the Rainbow Sages. We have been expecting you."

"I'm honored to be here," Ash said uncertainly. To say he was less than comfortable with this situation was an understatement. "Did Morty tell you I was coming here?"

The lead Rainbow Sage nodded. "Indeed. Gym Leader Morty, amongst others, alerted us that you'd displayed an interest. We are more than happy to open our doors to you. The Tin Tower holds no secrets."

Ash arched an eyebrow. That seemed… generous. "Is everyone treated so well?"

The old man chuckled. "We treat all who seek this place with respect, but few can claim to be invited into this sacred place."

"So why me?" Ash folded his arms across his chest. He narrowed his eyes.

"You are a member of the Elite Four," the Rainbow Sage said as if that was all that mattered. Ash didn't buy it, and he was proven correct as the shriveled old man continued. "Yet that is not all you are, is it? Without our Lord we lack the foresight and influence our order held in the elder days, but we have not forgotten the old ways. We see more than most. There is something about you…" the Rainbow Sage trailed off as he stroked his long silver beard. "A most peculiar smell that reminds me of a great many things. A roaring fire. The harshest days of winter. The air after a lightning strike. They cling to you, and greater things than they circle about you."

Ash felt uncomfortable at the frank observation and clung tightly to the Feather hidden beneath his shirt. It might just be an empty vessel, but it still brought him comfort. The Rainbow Sage smiled, revealing a mouth nearly empty of teeth. "And because of that you're letting me see the tower?"

The Rainbow Sage chuckled. "Oh no. We give you free reign because of the Sacred Three. In our dreams, we Rainbow Sages were each blessed by a vision. A black-haired boy standing before the Crystal Bells bathed in sunlight. It's been many years since we had such fortune," the Sage finished quietly. He motioned to the center of the tower, where Ash could spot a strong, sturdy staircase that would take him to the top. "So go, moon-scented trainer. Pay your respects."

He nodded and started towards the stairs. "Are you coming with me?"

"We're too old for that journey," the Rainbow Sages all laughed. Ash didn't doubt it. They looked like they would crumble and splinter if a strong breeze swept through. Not a single one could be under eighty. "Our younger acolytes tend to the upper levels. They will leave you your privacy with the Crystal Bell, however."

Ash nodded again and strode to the stairwell. He began to ascend the polished wood steps and it wasn't long before the ache set in.

This was going to be a long climb.

XX

The Crystal Bell was an enormous thing. It was no surprise considering it could be hard all over Ecruteak and beyond. Ash still marveled at the sight. How had it even been crafted? It was delicate beyond belief yet was sturdy enough to have survived at least several centuries.

It wasn't the Crystal Bell that had rung yesterday evening or this morning. According to one of the acolytes he'd spoken with who tended to this room (a skinny, gangly young man who was all elbows and knees) there were four bells on each floor of the tower. They would ring in response to Suicune or Ho-Oh's arrival.

The Crystal Bell rang only for Ho-Oh.

It had not rung in one hundred and fifty years. Ash pondered that tidbit as he marveled at the fine structure. Had it been carved by psychics or something? Perhaps even Aura-crafted like Cynthia had mentioned? There was no way human hands could have created something so perfect. Something told him he could have Bruiser try to shatter it and the glassy material wouldn't so much as budge.

The best way he could describe it was to ascribe to the Crystal Bell a feeling of permanence, as if it had found its place in the world and would not - could not - be shifted from it.

Ash glanced around the room. This was said to have been the room where Ho-Oh once perched and he had to admit he believed it. Whereas the rest of the floors were fairly large and clearly designed for habitation, this was bare save for several braziers and two massive statues of Ho-Oh. Surprisingly they were carved from bare stone and not adorned at all. They were grey and lifeless, yet still commanded a healthy dose of respect.

He supposed it would have been pointless to try to match the splendor of the living, breathing Ho-Oh. A fool's errand.

The rest of the topmost floor was utterly bare. Stone and wood supports stood strong, but they were spaced out so that a truly gigantic creature could take comfort in its rest here. Ash wondered what it would have looked like… all he could recall of Mew's transformation to save him on New Island was a blindingly bright creature laced with brilliantly hued feathers that shone like the sun.

It was fuzzy, to say the least.

Ash sighed. He wasn't exactly certain of what he was supposed to do up here. It was beautiful, yes, but was he just supposed to stare at the bell all day? He could appreciate the opportunity to see something perhaps dozens or hundreds had been allowed to witness throughout the centuries, but Ash didn't like not having a true purpose.

He turned and walked to the edge of the building, relishing in the loss of his fear of heights. His legs weren't a hint unsteady anymore. It was hard to cling to a fear of heights after riding Plume all over Hoenn and Johto - she took pleasure in taking more daring dives and maneuvers each time he saddled her up. In a few months he'd probably be comfortable enough to let her hit max speed.

Ecruteak truly was a beautiful city, Ash thought as he stood at the very top of their sacred tower. Their simple, elegant buildings sprawled for many miles all around. Not a single building was tall enough to run the risk of blotting the view of the Tin Tower - the city was too traditional to embrace the skyscrapers of Goldenrod or Saffron. He could appreciate that.

Not to say it was a purely historic town. Most of the newer buildings had just been modeled after the ancient style to fit in. There were a few industrial parks and other business districts he could pick out - they held only to the loosest definition of traditional and were replete with machinery and equipment - but overall the city was pleasantly unified in appearance and purpose. They hadn't surrendered their history as many others had.

Ash glanced back at the Crystal Bell. A beam of sunlight had illuminated the beautiful creation and cast rainbow-hued light all over Ho-Oh's perch. It must be noon. He turned back to Ecruteak and sat deep in thought.

"How's it going?"

Ash jerked, Lightning in his veins as he wheeled around to stare at the newcomer. A nosy, prying acolyte perhaps? No, they wouldn't have dared enter this room… his blood chilled as an icy fire sparked inside him for the first time in days.

The man he saw was the last thing he would have expected. Tall and relatively young. Ash would put him in his mid or late-twenties at the latest. He wasn't a hulking man like Bruno, but his height and lean, wiry muscle left him imposing enough that Ash instinctively reached for Nidoking's pokeball. He didn't release him...yet.

When the man raised his hands placatingly Ash took a little longer to assess him, still suspicious. The man's appearance was peculiar, to say the least. He definitely wasn't from around here. His hair was an ashen blonde, almost the color of pale sand, and his face vaguely reminded Ash of a sneering Persian or grinning Arcanine. Startling, his eyes were a dark gold that made Ash think of Princess' stark yellow sclera. Though young, his face bore the hints of lines and weathering from excessive exposure to the sun. Ash wondered if the bizarre white strip across his face was supposed to reflect the sun somehow? Black would be better for that. Then again, it could just be a fashion statement.

"You done yet?" The man smirked at Ash. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his dark blue overcoat and swaggered over to Ash's side, though there was enough space that Ash didn't feel like releasing a teammate yet. There were no pokeballs on the man's belt either, or any other kind of equipment. The man whistled appreciatively as he looked out over Ecruteak then turned to Ash and stretched out his hand. "The name's Wes."

"Ash," he said hesitantly as he shook the man's hand. His other hand never left Nidoking's pokeball. He started - Wes' skin was hot, hot enough for Ash to feel it through his glove. "Are you feeling okay?"

The man barked out a laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine," he snickered as he casually sat down on the very edge of Ho-Oh's perch and let his legs dangle over the side. Wes didn't seem to care at all about the danger. "Just hot-blooded is all. So Ash, huh? Your last name wouldn't happen to be Ketchum would it?"

"It is."

"Ash Ketchum," Wes whistled. "That's a big name around these parts. What are you doing up here?"

Ash scowled, tired of the man's attitude. "I'm up here with permission. What are you doing here?"

Wes didn't seem bothered by Ash's irritation. If anything his leonine grin widened. "Just stopping by. It's been a long, long time since I've been here. Besides, it's a nice view," he motioned out to the city that seemed so distant beneath their feet. "Never had anything like this back home," Wes sighed. "Just sand, sand, and more sand. There was a pretty nice tower, though. Haven't seen anything half as fancy anywhere else."

That piqued Ash's interest enough for him to forget his frustration. "Where are you from?"

"Orre," Wes snorted at the look on Ash's face. "Yeah, that's how most people react," he tossed a stray pebble (Ash scowled when he realized that pebble had probably sat at the top of the Tin Tower for countless years) off into the wind. "Orre's a real shithole. It's not all bad, though. There's one or two good people still fighting the good fight. Still trying to stoke those dying ashes into a proper flame."

Ash smiled. "I know one of them. Michael? The Champion of Orre?" He said proudly. Whatever bitterness he held for the redhead for his loss in the Final paled in comparison to the knowledge of what Michael was doing with his skills and strength. He was 'fighting the good fight' as Wes had put it.

"That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Michael's a good kid," Wes chuckled. Ash watched him closely. A weight was cast over the strange man's figure. "He had some big shoes to fill but he came through. What's he up to nowadays?"

He blinked. "He's gone back to Orre to try and unite it. You know him?" Ash inquired.

Wes nodded happily at the news then shrugged. "Well, I met him once when he was a kid. It was brief. We never really had the opportunity to get all buddy buddy."

Ash allowed a few moments of silence. "He's got a lot on his plate," he murmured. "He'll pull through, though. He's strong."

"That he is," Wes mused. He glanced over at Ash with those unsettling yellow eyes. They seemed to stare straight through him. "You seem pretty strong yourself, Ash. You've seen some shit."

It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Ash muttered to himself. He didn't look at Wes. Memories freshly dragged to the surface by Spiritomb's toxic aura ran through his mind and he hugged his arms to his body. "Yeah, I guess I have."

Wes lightly slapped him on the back. "I know how easy it is to get lost in the dark. It suffocates you. Stains you. That's when the fear comes. What if I'm not good enough? What if people I love get hurt? What if I can't do my duty?" The man glanced casually at him. "What if I'm too weak?"

Ash turned, suddenly uneasy around Wes. He'd gotten too comfortable around the man.

That said, he couldn't resist. "What if I am?"

The man raised an eyebrow. Ash found his eyes drawn to some bizarre contraption on Wes' left arm. He'd thought it a part of his outfit at first, but now he could see it was some kind of metallic sleeve that ran up his arm to form a large pad at his shoulder. "If you're too weak," Wes snatched Ash's attention back, "Then you fail. You lose. You die and have to pass the torch to the next poor son of a bitch."

Ash toyed with the heavy weight of the Unown tablet. "And what if there's nobody else?"

Wes grinned. "Then you'd better not lose."

He stared up at the clouds contemplatively. Wes' words shouldn't have been comforting, but they somehow made him feel better. Gave him something to think about. A goal.

The older man seemed to realize that Ash wouldn't be speaking anytime soon. He allowed the comfortable silence to linger on before he finally shattered the illusion of peace. "I used to live a lonely life. My friends were the only thing that kept me going through it - the only ones that kept me sane. I watched them grow from these broken little creatures into proud, strong individuals that can stand on their own. They're gone on their own journeys now and that loneliness returns, like an ache that never quite leaves my bones. I put a piece of myself into them that I'm not sure I'll ever get back. That scares me," Wes admitted. His eyes glinted gold in the sunlight. "I was whole once, and I don't think I'll ever be that way again."

"I'm always afraid," Ash said at last. He questioned himself on why he was telling this to a strange man that had appeared somewhere he shouldn't be, but Ash couldn't answer that. Wes was shady and rough around the edges but there was something trustworthy about him. Even if the stranger couldn't understand… well, it felt good to get it off his chest. There was a light and earnestness inside the man, something that compelled Ash to bare himself just as Wes had.

"I thought I wasn't. I thought I was past fear. That I'd seen too much and gotten too strong to be afraid of anything," Ash muttered. He clasped a hand against the burning Feather beneath his shirt. "But I'm nothing compared to what I want to stop. I'll never be strong enough. There's nobody who can really help me. I'm on my own."

Wes barked out a laugh. "You remind me of myself, kid. It's a big, bad world and there's a lot to be afraid of," he finished with a quiet sigh. "You got a girl?"

"What?! No!" Ash flushed. Where had that come from?

The man snickered. "Heh, didn't think so. You should work on that. I had a girl a long time ago," Wes brightened. That earnestness was back again. "Best thing that ever happened to me!" Wes confided.

Ash looked at Wes strangely. Had. It was Orre so he assumed the worst. "What happened to her?"

"Eh," Wes waved his question off, appearing very tired. "It's a long story. Michael probably knows. Ask him if he knows someone named Rui and that'll explain the rest."

He filed the name away in his mind, though he also had to ask why he kept meeting all these mysterious weirdos. First Tobias, now sketchy Wes. Couldn't anyone just be straightforward for once?

"My point," Wes continued. "Is that strength isn't everything. There's always something stronger. You could be the strongest trainer on the planet and we both know that doesn't mean as much as you'd expect," he barked out another laugh. "There are real monsters out there."

Ash snorted. "You don't know the half of it."

"Maybe," Wes grinned down at him. Ash thought it was fit the man: the smirk left Ash feeling as though Wes knew a little more than he should. "But yeah, sometimes it doesn't matter how strong your team is. You can be as strong as you want but there's a lot more to it than power. You gotta stay sharp, Ash. Keep your head up. Follow your heart and damn the consequences."

That brought a smile to Ash's face. "You sound like a trainer - Lance would like you."

Wes didn't react much beyond a small smile at the mention of the Indigo Champion.

Despite his misgivings about the man, they carried a surprisingly normal conversation. Wes never volunteered much, but as time passed Ash began to forget his suspicions. He might look like rough but Wes was a good man. His gut told him that much, and he'd never had much reason to doubt it.

"So where's your team?" Ash inquired as he took in the man's lack of pokeballs. Wes had dropped enough hints to imply that he was a trainer. A fairly powerful one too, if Ash read him correctly. How would Wes handle himself in a battle against Ash?

Wes rapped his knuckles against his belt. "Picked up on that, did you? You're not as dumb as you look!" He laughed at the flat stare Ash sent his way. "But yeah, they're gone. I was left with a choice a few years back and chose my team. They're better off now. They found their peace."

Ash blinked. That was...less than informative. He took it in stride, though. If he tried to press, Wes would just deflect, distract, or dismiss what line of questioning Ash chose. It was clearly something he had experience with. "How did you even get up here without pokemon?" He frowned. There was no way the Rainbow Sages would have let him come in.

"I have my ways," Wes steepled his fingers together. Ash rolled his eyes. The man cast his gaze over Ecruteak with a slight curve to his lips. He looked at peace. "Keep your team close, Ash. You'll miss them when they're gone."

"They aren't going anywhere!" Ash snapped back. His fists clenched and Infernus' limp form after Moltres was done with him seared into his brain…

His companion smiled at his reaction. "Not if you keep that up. They'll fight past their dying breath for a trainer like you," Wes looked fondly at Ash. He flushed at the compliment and looked away, just as the man looked back off over Ecruteak. The man's gaze lingered on the tattered spire that had burnt so many years ago. "But just to be safe…"

Ash watched with rapt attention as Wes casually reached up to his neck and tore off a small pouch looped around his neck with thin leather drawstrings. He easily caught it when Wes tossed it over to him and looked at the pouch. What was he supposed to do with this?

Inside was a tiny pile of bone-white ash with an odd golden hue. Powdery and gritty with the faint traces of whatever flame it had been born from. Yet that wasn't all it was. Ash's gut lurched and he stared, squinting, into the small pouch. There was something deeper to the ashes - the tiniest hints of embers waiting to be stoked into a roaring flame. But there was more…

Wes tightened the drawstrings and shook his head. "Careful. Might not want to strain too hard," he suggested and nodded to the stark cliff they sat on. It was enormous, wide enough for something ten times Plume's size or more, and Ash honestly had no idea why the air was so still outside the tower. He'd have expected fierce gales to rip through.

He nodded and put the pouch in the inside pocket of his jacket and zipped it. "What is it? There's something about it…"

"A gift," Wes said simply. His eyes flitted to the sky and the fluffy clouds that littered it. "Keep it close. You've got friends in high places, kid."

A jolt went through Ash and he stared at Wes with a blazing curiosity. "Who are you?"

"Nobody important. Just one dead man watching out for another," Wes' grin stretched wide. He pointedly looked at Ash's chest, right where Mew's psychic beam had torn a hole through his heart. "You got off a little easier than I did, though."

"What happened to you?" Ash was horrified and intrigued all at the same time. He turned back to the Crystal Bell. It hadn't chimed, but the pieces were beginning to fall into place. Ash didn't both asking how Wes knew about his death - he couldn't pry anything out of the man. Besides, if his suspicions were true…

Wes laughed, the noise more than a little mad. "Bit off a bit more than I could chew. Follow your heart, but don't let it make you stupid. Some people I'd fought off before held a grudge. Ever heard of Cipher?"

The name sounded vaguely familiar, as if he'd heard it once months or years ago. Despite that, Ash shook his head.

"You're better off that way," Wes commented. A darkness overtook him. "Nasty pieces of work. Bastards one and all. Had a way of converting pokemon into fighting machines. Anyways," he continued, "I'd started to settle down with my team and Rui - the girl I mentioned earlier," Wes smiled off into the distance. "They attacked, Rui got hurt, and I was out for blood. I chased them down, and I killed them all."

Ash listened, horrified. Was this what life was like in Orre? No wonder Michael and Agatha were so eager to change it. Wes didn't seem like an evil man and even he spoke of killing so easily. Or was Cipher just that bad?

Wes let the silence linger before he moved on with a rueful smile. "Well, I thought I killed them all. There I was in the dunes with my team. We were exhausted but happy. We thought we'd just ended the last remnants of Cipher and kept my shitty desert safe another day. Then the rest came. Dozens of skilled trainers led by these two fuckers with red and blue hair. They had some of the strongest pokemon I'd ever faced."

"We gave them hell!" Wes said with a blatant sense of pride, though the pain of that moment was obvious. The hand with the gauntlet went over his stomach as he remembered some long-forgotten wound. "I like to think we set their plans back a little, but when all was said and done we were splayed out on the sand dead or dying," he scowled and looked away from Ash. "They left me alive. My guts were spilled out all over the place. I wasn't coming back from that and nobody was coming for me."

Ash shut his eyes. "But someone did."

The dark man nodded. "Something. You can probably guess what."

Ho-Oh.

"It had helped me once before," Wes mused. He ran a gloved hand through his wild ashen hair. "Showed up out of nowhere and shot down a helicopter carrying Cipher's leader before he could escape. Saved me a big headache. When it did, it dropped a Feather for me. It was a lot like the one you've got," the man laughed at Ash's surprise. "Come on, that's the big surprise for you? I don't know how nobody else has caught on. Your shirt's glowing right now, man."

Ash flushed at that and checked. Wes wasn't lying - his entire chest was consumed in heatless Fire right now, and when he looked closely he could see little arcs of miniature lightning bolts flash beneath his shirt. He was so used to it that he hadn't even noticed. "Your story?"

Wes rolled his eyes and muttered something about impatient toddlers. Ash only took a little bit of offense to that. "Anyways, all that was left was the Feather. Cipher gathered up their dead and left me to die. I was alone, dying under the sun, when I knew what to do. I pulled the Feather from my chest and stared into the flames. In it I could see the choice I had to make."

"Your team!" Ash whispered as Wes' tone grew dark and heavy.

"My team," Wes repeated. "They were dead. I was still alive. The flames would restore them, or me. Not both," he finished bitterly. "It was an easy choice."

Ash's respect for the man rose several notches. He thought it was what he would have done if he was put in Wes' shoes. There was no nobler sacrifice to be made in his mind. He couldn't help but question Wes' Feather - and by extension Ho-Oh - though. If it had the power to bring back the whole team, why couldn't it restore Wes too? It would've been child's play.

A test, maybe? Some symbolic cost to using the power? Ash shook it off. He knew he wouldn't be understanding the motives of something like Ho-Oh anytime soon. The Legends weren't human. They were inscrutable at the best of times.

"I sent them away. They wanted to stay with me, try to take me back to civilization, but it would've been stupid," Wes sighed. "Cipher was still out there somewhere. It nearly killed them all over again, but they left me. I'd accepted my fate when that blue-haired piece of shit from earlier doubled back. Guess the sadistic bastard wanted to make sure I was rotting where I belonged…" the dark man grinned madly. "The look on his face when he saw that my team was gone! It was worth the Heracross horn to the chest for that! No clue what he told the rest of them, but I was laughing when I died. He wasn't."

"And now you're here," Ash noted. "Living, breathing, talking. I guess you made the right choice after all."

Wes grimaced. "Living and breathing might be stretching. I'm not alive. Not like you. Ho-Oh preserved me. More than a memory, less than a man. I guess it liked me. The last thing I remember before everything went dark is the dead frame of the Feather reigniting in a rainbow…" he trailed off, lost in thought. "I'm just another of Ho-Oh's feathers now. Another face to wear."

Ash stared at the conclusion of the tale, his faith in what he knew to be true shaken. He was talking to a dead man. A man murdered by the worst of humanity. Should he doubt the story? Maybe. But look where he was. Seated at the top of Ho-Oh's tower in a place the Bird of Sunlight had lived for centuries. Not to mention the unwavering truth that burned bright in Wes. It might make him a fool, but he trusted the dark man.

"Thank you for the gift," Ash said firmly. "And I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for something that's not your fault," Wes said amusedly. Ash flushed. The man pulled himself to his feet and offered a helping hand to Ash. He didn't think twice before accepting it. Wes cast one last look over Ecruteak before he walked to the Crystal Bell. "A storm's coming, Ash. A bad one," Wes was even more serious than when discussing his death. His eyes were gold no longer - they burned like the Beast', alit with an inner sun. "Stay strong. Know yourself. Follow your heart. When the dark is too much, remember to look for the light."

Wes blinked and his eyes were the ones Ash remembered. "Be better than me."

Ash nodded stiffly. Wes clapped him on the back and shook his hand.

The Crystal Bell tolled. One loud, clear note and it was done.

His hand closed around empty air. Ash frowned and squinted up into the sunlight that bathed the Crystal Bell and scattered off in rainbow fractals. In the far-off sky he saw a glimmer of rainbow flapping its wings beneath the scorching rays of the sun.

Ash stared for a moment then looked down. The Feather alit beneath his shirt caught his attention, though it felt no different than before.

The Fire burned with a rainbow tint.

For the first time in days, Mewtwo's laughter filled his mind. The chill in his blood redoubled.

XX

"Hey, you!" A trainer, perhaps fourteen or fifteen, called out as he passed Ash's small camp. His team turned to stare the newcomer down. The trainer flinched, but didn't move on. Ash rose from his seat on the mossy rock Tangrowth had pointed out to him that afternoon. He could respect that kind of nerve. It wasn't easy to stand strong in the face of an irritated Nidoking. "Let's battle! I need some practice before I take on Morty!"

Ash glanced around at his team. Most seemed pretty content to rest around the small fire they (well, Infernus) had built for the night. Even the Magmortar seemed happier to laze about in his magma pool - he'd taken some serious hits from Lucario and Ash was sure he still needed another night or two to fully recover his strength.

"How many badges do you have?" There would be no point in disturbing Infernus or Torrent if their challenger had any less than six or seven badges. No fun there. Ash glanced over to Nidoking, who huffed. The poison-type looked less than happy with the intruder. Well, at least he knew one of his friends was raring to go.

The older boy straightened up and grinned proudly. "I just got my fifth last week! I'm gonna make it to the Silver Conference for sure this year!" he Ash looked on with interest as he picked out a large, broad-shouldered Donphan at the boy's side. It levied a stern gaze at Ash and his team and scuffed at the dirt nervously with its heavy foot.

Five badges in the first months of the new League season? Not bad. The Silver Conference didn't begin until April if he remembered correctly. It was set a month after the Indigo Conference so that attention wasn't divided between the two. If this guy had five badges in mid-July then he was set to do pretty well.

"Alright," Ash dusted his pants off. Nidoking grew to his full height. Their challenger grinned at the sight, though his Donphan grumbled and pawed at the earth some more. It seemed less than happy at the size of the enormous Nidoking. "How do you want to do this?"

"I've got a spot a little while back that I've been using," the trainer waved somewhere behind him. As he stepped closer Ash could see more detail in the slowly fading light. He was fairly average, all things considered. A little short - Ash was reminded of Jonathan - but was stocky and strong. His broad face had a light burn scar on it that covered the right half. "The name's Travis, by the way."

He returned the boy's friendly grin with a nod of his own. Ash started to give his own name, but he thought better of it. His plans had him in Ecruteak for another two or three days. Probably best not to spread his name around. Most people that had recognized him were associated with Morty's gym. He'd been assured they'd keep their mouths shut.

"...Gary."

"Nice to meet you!" Travis' bright smile never left him. The older boy studied 'Gary' for a little longer than Ash liked. "It's getting a little late, so how about a two-on-two? I'm a little short on pocket money so are you fine with no wager?" He looked a little bashful.

Ash shrugged. "Sure."

Travis brightened and motioned for Ash to follow. He turned to his team. "Any volunteers?"

Sneasel hissed and loped forward, his black fur covered in twigs and the dust from crumbled leaves. Ash grinned. "Thanks, buddy. Let's get going. The rest of you can stay here, I'll be back soon."

A chorus of growls and groans (and one gurgle) was his response. Ash waved them off with a laugh as he turned and left with Nidoking, Sneasel, and Dazed in tow. She'd be needed to keep things safe. He wasn't a fan of high-level battles without psychic barriers.

It didn't take long to catch up. Ash felt bad for the poor Donphan at Travis' side - it looked miserable as it glanced between Nidoking and Sneasel, who leered at the large ground-type and made a big show of unsheathing his claws. Dazed just stared.

Donphan walked a little faster.

"So what badges are you missing besides Morty's?" Ash interjected after Travis finally finished babbling about how excited he was to battle.

The boy's eyes lit up. "Just Pryce and Clair's!" He puffed out his chest. "I crushed the rest. Not that I think I'll actually get the Rising Badge…"

Ash nodded sympathetically. He knew Clair's reputation. Jonathan's letters constantly derided her after she'd crushed him. The fact that she so easily handled someone who'd made it to the Top 16 in the Indigo Conference said a lot. It was no mean feat. Jonathan was missing a lot of tact, but there was no denying he had a powerful team.

He couldn't wait to face her.

"Gonna hit up the minor gyms?" Ash asked as they neared the battleground. It was one of the small arenas set up outside cities by the League. They preferred to avoid entire swathes of forest being ripped apart by impromptu battles. Nothing fancy, just a simple arena blocked in by steep and thick rock walls that would take anything less than a Hyper Beam with ease.

"Yep," Travis grunted as he hopped over a few tangled roots on their path. Donphan just walked around rather than try to step over the steep, gnarled roots. "Even the minor gyms around Blackthorn are pretty tough. They don't mess around up there."

Ash grinned. No surprise there. Clair was supposedly capable of contending with the Elite Four. She'd definitely keep the minor gyms - outposts in major towns in Blackthorn's territory staffed by an experienced member of Blackthorn's Gym who trained aspiring trainers hoping for a prestigious spot in the official Blackthorn Gym - up to par. The minor gyms were responsible for maintaining security and protecting the area from any threats such as dangerous wild pokemon or poachers, so he had no doubt Clair would make sure they stayed sharp.

They walked in comfortable silence as they took their positions on opposite sides of the arena. Sneasel joined him up in the trainer's box and lazily sprawled over the railing. He kept one eye on the arena, though he looked like he'd rather take a nap.

Dazed shuffled with Nidoking into the battleground and took her position just out of boundaries. Nidoking waited patiently in the pokemon's box as Donphan prepared itself. Ash grinned down at his friend. He needed a workout. He wasn't completely healed, but all that was left were a few bumps and bruises from his battle with Spiritomb.

Donphan looked less than enthused to be matched up against Nidoking.

"Alright, let's do this! Rollout!" Travis began the battle explosively. The boy pumped his fist and cheered Donphan on as the morose creature squeezed its eyes shut, curled into a ball, and shot towards Nidoking. Dust kicked up around the ground-type as it rolled at Nidoking with amazing speed, wearing a thick groove in the packed dirt as Donphan cleared half the arena - close to sixty feet - in a matter of seconds.

Unfortunately Donphan's opponent was well-versed in countering Rollout.

Ash didn't speak yet as Nidoking steadied himself and reared his head back. The air dropped a few degrees for a brief moment as Nidoking spat a stream of arcing, icy energy at the earth just in front of him, coating it in a thick layer of slippery ice.

Donphan somehow caught the action - how anything was cognizant of their surroundings in Rollout he would never understand - and trumpeted loudly as it veered off to the side, unsteady, but its high-powered roll was its own worst enemy. The ground-type tried to unroll but it was too late: its thick, rubbery hide slid along the edges of the ice and it went sprawling. Donphan's large, heavy feet scuttled uselessly against the slick layer of frost… and led right into Nidoking.

Or his tail, anyways.

Ash winced in sympathy (Sneasel opened his other eye and snickered) as Nidoking turned with perfect timing and slammed his muscular, armored tail directly into Donphan's side. There was a crack like a whip as Donphan was sent sprawling, stunned by the blow.

Despite the heavy hit Donphan wasn't done yet. Ash was genuinely impressed as Donphan squeezed its eyes shut even as it landed heavily a few feet away from Nidoking with a heavy thud, leaving a Donphan-shaped imprint in the dirt. Nidoking's eyes widened and he barely dodged the huge chunk of rock encased in a faint purple glow that was flung from his side - Donphan had somehow retained the focus to pull of a Rock Tomb.

The boulder wrenched from the earth by Donphan sailed uselessly past Nidoking and smacked against the sheer rock walls encasing the arena - or would have. Dazed easily caught it in a psychic grip and stopped the rock in its tracks.

Nidoking easily steadied himself, but by time he roared and charged Donphan the other ground-type had already risen to its feet and flung itself at Nidoking in a wild charge. Its bulk seemed insignificant in the face of Donphan's surprising speed and it trumpeted loudly as it met Nidoking in a clash - the earth cracked under Nidoking's feet as they met and fell wrestling to the ground. Donphan didn't hold back, perhaps frenzied by the smack from Nidoking's tail. It was a practical blur of black and grey hide and flashing white tusks.

"Mega Horn!" Ash cried, just in time as Nidoking managed to get his claws underneath Donphan's belly and wrenched the massive creature off him. Donphan went flying in the face of Nidoking's incredible strength and grunted heavily as it landed, the immense force stunning it for a second time. It tried to rally itself and scramble to its feet to reengage, but Nidoking wasn't about to give it a second chance.

Ash grimaced at the sight as Nidoking charged forward, battle-rage bleeding outwards, and his long horn burned white - the concentrated built and built in intensity to the point it seared his eyes, and then Nidoking reached his target. He lowered his head and thrust his glowing horn directly into Donphan's belly - just before the horn would have pierced Donphan's hide, the energy encasing his horn exploded outward in a blinding flash of light and heat and force that flung Donphan nearly fifteen feet away.

Donphan landed heavily, rolled once, twice, a third time… and collapsed.

He nodded in respect to Donphan, as did Nidoking. It had fought well despite realizing how outclassed it was. The fact it had even pulled off that trick with the Rock Tomb after Nidoking's hit showed that it had skill and the willingness to push on despite the pain.

Travis stared, his jaw agape at how quickly his friend was dispatched. He returned the unconscious Donphan and gulped. "Okay, uh that was faster than I expected. How long have you been training?"

"A year and a few months," Ash called back.

That just made Travis shake his head. "Your Nidoking is a monster!" He said admiringly. The other trainer carefully selected his next fighter from the four additional pokeballs on his belt. "You should be proud."

Ash grinned down at Nidoking. His friend had returned to the starting box and stared at Travis, ready for whatever he might release next. He took a moment to admire his hunched form, heavy purple plates of armor covering his back and spines dripping with toxins jutting out.

"I am."

Travis held his chosen pokeball high in the air and tapped the release. A small breeze caught his hair and sent it billowing. Quite the dramatic figure. Ash hoped he lived up to it. "This is the strongest member of my team! Your Nidoking better be ready!"

Nidoking tensed. Ash could catch his nostrils flare. He lowered his horn.

Excitement mounted in his gut as a monstrous specimen of a Feraligatr revealed itself. It was enormous, easily the largest example of its species he'd seen. The average Feraligatr stood at around seven feet in height. This one? It towered above Nidoking at an easy eight feet. Powerful muscles were barely restrained by its thick hide of scale and skin. Feraligatr tossed a fond look at its trainer before it settled its blood-red eyes on Nidoking and halfheartedly snapped his jaws.

Nidoking snorted.

Like last time, Travis made the first move. "Drown him!"

Ash raised his eyebrows. He didn't like the sound of that. Feraligatr wasted no time, however. The beast settled on all fours since it had no water to support its immense weight and immediately shot a jet of clear, foamy water at Nidoking, who took the Water Gun with little strain. It staggered him, having been relatively unexpected, and Feraligatr roared - a terrible, wonderful noise that sent an excited shiver down Ash's spine - and its eyes shut.

The scant few clouds in the sky slowly began to drift together to shape a larger, cohesive mass. It darkened as Ferligatr spat a small, shimmering orb of pale blue light into the cloud, and moments later Ash felt the first raindrops begin to fall.

Unfortunately for Ferligatr, Nidoking hadn't just sat around while the powerful water-type set up its Rain Dance. The gigantic beast howled in surprise as a slight, winding line of gold carved a slight chasm across the battlefield, only to widen dramatically as the water-type fell into it. Feraligatr immediately began to claw its way out, but its immense bulk did it no favors. Neither did the earth it rent with its massive claws, which only grew less and less effective as the Rain Dance turned hard, dry earth into malleable mud.

"Don't get in there!" Ash shouted to Nidoking as a gale swept through the battlefield thanks to the atmospheric changes from Rain Dance. His friend paused just as he was about to tunnel into the earth and prepare to take the fight to Ferligatr, but heeded Ash's words and waited.

Ash's advice was justified moments later when Ferligatr furiously roared and stamped the thin walls of the chasm with all its might. Earthquake. Nidoking had hardly a second to spare as the wave of force rippled through the battlefield and left all manner of cracks and rent earth - dust and mud went flying into the air, shrouding the battlefield in a faint haze. Just as the attack would have swept underneath his feet and hurled him to the ground, Nidoking released a tiny, focused Earthquake of his own. Through some very impressive mental calculations that Ash would never be able to follow, Nidoking's Earthquake managed to neutralize Feraligatr's to the point it only left him wincing instead of howling in pain.

"Thunderbolt!"

Nidoking steadied himself and roared in the face of Ferligatr, who had managed to scramble out of the chasm thanks to Nidoking's lapse in focus. Water pulled from the rain and earth in streams to wrap around the water-type and moments later it shot forward, propelled by an Aqua Jet that closed the distance between it and Nidoking.

The thin lance of lightning barely sparked into Feraligatr's massive chest before it bowled into Nidoking - like Donphan's charge before it, both combatants were knocked aside to the ground. Ferligatr snarled and snapped its jaws as it pulled itself to all fours, slight tremors wracking its body thanks to Nidoking's successful attack.

His friend gave Ferligatr no quarter as their battle descended into a vicious melee that would have left Ash much, much more worried if he didn't know how tough Nidoking was.

Outmuscled, outsized, and somewhat tired from his last battle. Ferligatr made Nidoking, over six feet high and easily five hundred pounds, appear absolutely puny in comparison.

It didn't matter.

Nidoking snarled as he charged into his opponent with his shoulder lowered - the sheer force behind the attack sent Feraligatr sprawling again, though it recovered quickly thanks to having been on all fours. When it rose, jaws snapping and claws raking for Nidoking, Nidoking sprayed it with a storm of painful poison barbs that left Feraligatr howling in surprise - its face and chest were completely covered with the effects of the Poison Sting, which had no doubt already begun to pump it full of Nidoking's toxins.

Feraligatr didn't let the agony slow it down, however. Its eyes flashed with lavender power which flared wildly as a thin psychic haze settled over its hulking body. With the help of agility, Ferligatr nimbly crawled away from Nidoking's initial Thunderbolt, which crackled uselessly against the mud.

With its newfound advantage, Feraligatr leapt at Nidoking with a heart-stopping roar, toppling Nidoking onto his back. His friend grunted in pain as his immense bulk landed heavily on the ground, then snarled again as the Feraligatr spat a Water Gun directly into his chest - that was going to leave a nasty bruise, Ash winced.

His opponent launched forward, massive jaws snapping, and had just begun to latch onto Nidoking's shoulder when Nidoking did exactly what Ash would have hoped for in that situation. There was the briefest moment of surprise in Feraligatr's face as a dark, wavering sphere of unstable energies shaped at tip of Nidoking's horn and shot into Feraligatr's center of mass, which was still flaring with the psychic energies of Agility.

Nidoking suffered in the explosion as well. A dark mimicry of lightning crackled over both Nidoking and Ferligatr as they laid breathless on the earth together, but Ferligatr got the worst of it. The psychic power enhancing its body faded away, devoured whole by the Shadow Ball.

The water-type laid panting on the ground, exhausted from their intense bout. It wasn't finished, however. Ferligatr snarled and struggled to make its muscles - weary and erratic thanks to the Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball - listen, but before it could make any progress it was silenced by the crack of thunder.

Nidoking roared his triumph as he fired a Thunderbolt directly into Feraligatr's chest. It tried to rise again. Another Thunderbolt, and another, and another…

"Okay, that's enough! I give!" Travis returned Ferligatr with a sigh. The rain continued to fall on the boy and he mournfully clipped Feraligatr's pokeball on his belt. "Man, I thought we had you there for a minute!"

"Nidoking's strong," Ash noted with satisfaction as he stepped out of the trainer box and went to stand next to his friend. He clapped his friend happily on his thick, leathery shoulder, careful to avoid any spines or sensitive spots. Feraligatr had definitely done a number on him in their short battle - Nidoking was covered in scrapes, hints of bites, and a massive bruise was already forming on his chest where he'd taken the Water Guns. He was distracted from his assessment when Nidoking happily chuffed and lightly bumped his shoulder into Ash, though the slight motion was still nearly enough to send Ash crashing to the ground if not for Dazed's support.

Travis met them in the middle of the stadium. "That's an understatement!" He admired Nidoking's broad form. "It's been ages since Feraligatr got handled so easily! He normally steamrolls anything we come across."

Ash grinned, the thrill of that last battle still clear in his tone. "Feraligatr did good. He gave Nidoking a run for his money. That's not easy."

"I can tell! Nidoking is definitely ready for the Silver Conference," Travis laughed. He said a few words of congratulations to Nidoking, who accepted them stoically. "He could probably have wiped my whole team. I feel bad for whoever gets stuck battling you."

"Yeah," Ash said quietly, still occupied with checking Nidoking over for any serious injuries that might require professional attention instead of a few sprays with a potion. "You'll do good too."

Travis shrugged his shoulders. "Man, I thought so until I battled you! He just wiped the floor with two of my strongest."

"He does that," he patted Nidoking's face before he glanced at the sky. It was hard to tell thanks to the rainclouds which still hadn't dispersed (although the rain itself had slowed) but it was getting darker by the minute. "It was nice battling you. I need to get back to my team."

His opponent blinked. "Oh, okay. I gotcha," Travis stammered. "Well, I should probably get back to the Pokemon Center anyways for these two!" He tapped Donphan and Feraligatr's pokeballs. "Have a good one! Nice battle."

With that the older boy wandered off back to Ecruteak. Ash relaxed when he was gone and turned to his team. Sneasel looked a little disgruntled, just as he had since the Rain Dance had awoken him by getting his fur wet. Dazed shuffled over. "Nice job! I'll cook some berries for you guys tonight," he rolled his eyes as Sneasel whined and rubbed his furry belly. "Yes, for you too Sneasel. I'm sorry I interrupted your nap."

Now that the important matters (at least in Sneasel's eyes) were sorted, the dark-type clambered up onto Ash's shoulders and looped around his neck as he fell back to sleep immediately. Ash just rolled his eyes and motioned for Nidoking and Dazed to follow him as he made his way out through the muddy battlefield.

He really, really hoped their campsite hadn't gotten soaked.

XX

Ash found himself walking to Morty's Gym in the morning. It was a sleepy day already, full of people still weary and hungover from the festival the day before. He'd nearly tripped over the pile of confetti and paper lanterns that a few tired workers were doing their best to sweep up - a few Pidgey helpfully flapped their wings for the men and women and the workers waved their thanks as the gusts piled up huge amounts of the trash.

He stepped over a man still asleep in the street. The man murmured something and pulled at some of the confetti surrounding him as a makeshift blanket. Ash just rolled his eyes and glanced over at Nidoking, who faithfully plodded alongside him. "How are you feeling? All healed up from yesterday?"

Nidoking huffed as he nodded his great head. He attracted quite a bit of attention from the residents of Ecruteak (what few were wandering the streets this early in the morning) with his lightly bruised chest and scuffed hide. Well, either his injuries or the fact that he was massive. And he even had a few years left to grow…

Pidgey and Spearow went quiet as they passed by. Ratta and Sentret hid away in the alleyways and small gardens that were so common throughout Ecruteak. The only noise in the misty streets that remained was the dampened cries of pokemon in the distance and the quiet voices of the passersby, though they also had a habit of falling quiet and staring as Nidoking passed them by. Only a small Meowth that followed at the heels of a tall, lanky man seemed unintimidated - the little normal-type's eyes traced after Nidoking's swaying tail as if he was considering pouncing on it.

Luckily for the Meowth, it decided that it was better off following its trainer.

Ash chuckled and enjoyed the quiet companionship of Nidoking as he tracked his way to the Ecruteak Gym. He'd visited yesterday as well to speak with Morty for a bit after he left the Tin Tower. Not that he'd mentioned his strange encounter. It felt too private to reveal, even if he had found himself enjoying Morty's company since he'd arrived.

No, he didn't think he'd be telling anyone about Wes soon. He grimaced at the thought of the man's fate, though smiled softly at Nidoking when the poison-type grunted and chuffed at him questioningly.

"I'm fine," he said breezily, though Nidoking knew him well enough to read right through his flippant veneer. "Just thinking about yesterday is all."

Nidoking looked at him. His beady eyes were narrowed with worry, but Ash waved his concerns off. He was fine. He just needed to appreciate the gift of remaining with his team.

His mood sombered again. Wes wasn't so lucky. He'd been given a cruel fate by the Legend who'd claimed him. Eternal life in a sense, but at what cost? Separated from his team for the rest of eternity as he existed on as some infinitely small sliver of Ho-Oh. It wasn't a fate Ash could wish on anyone.

Another face to wear.

Ash's blood chilled. Had he really been talking to Wes the man, or something else entirely?

No doubt he'd make the same decision as Wes had. Ash knew that deep in his bones. There was that sort of absolute certainty he'd become more and more aware of as he took Cynthia's lessons to heart. Why, why, why?

He loved his team. He relied on them. They meant more to Ash than his own life did. If they were safe he'd suffer whatever he had to.

Ash just hoped he might find peace in a real death if it came down to it. Let his ashes settle and die out. No need to stoke the fading embers like Ho-Oh had with Wes.

Speaking of ashes…

"Did I show you these yet?" Ash said quietly to Nidoking as they passed through a small wave of pedestrians that quickly parted before them. He just took it as a given and kept walking at a steady pace. When he was sure nobody was looking he pulled the small pouch of ashes to Nidoking. The giant poison-type watched raptly, eyes locked onto the pale ashes tinted with gold for the single moment Ash dared to reveal the pouch's contents. He quietly stowed it away again. "Wes - the guy I told you about yesterday - gave them to me. They're tied to Ho-Oh somehow. Have you ever heard of anything like this?"

Nidoking nodded. His eyes followed a lone Houndour that trotted down the road opposite from them. Once it passed by his ears lowered and he snorted at Ash. His eyes flashed once with psychic power, though nothing happened.

"I should ask Dazed?" Ash murmured. It was a little hard for Nidoking to give him specifics sometimes, what with not being able to speak and all. He'd basically created 'names' for the rest of the team by either acting out or using a hint of some technique. Psychic powers for Dazed, Flamethrower for Infernus, and an ugly sneer for Sneasel, for example. Ash grinned his thanks and patted Nidoking's side as they kept walking.

The conversation kept up easily as they walked through Ecruteak. Ash blinked as he saw the beginnings of the city awakening. People had already begun to stream out of their houses despite the early hour - it wasn't long past dawn. They wore similar clothes to yesterday, though less reminiscent of the Beasts. Instead some of them wore elaborate headresses and masks depicting a regal avian with a beak of gold. The average person only wore rainbow-hued ordinary clothing as they began their day and started setting up the same decorations that had only just been cleaned up.

Realization struck him.

The Crystal Bell had rung yesterday. Not just the bells on the lower floors, but the bell at the peak of the tower where he'd spoken to Wes. The bell that hadn't chimed for a hundred and fifty years according to the stories…

And he thought yesterday's festival had been a massive event. Ash wasn't even sure if he wanted to witness this - it would probably be on an entirely different level. At least he'd gotten up bright and early to come challenge Morty. There was no way he could have gotten through the crowds like he had yesterday. Even now more and more people left their homes, laughing and talking too loud for such an early hour.

Ash and Nidoking sped up. Neither had any desire to be out here when the crowds made their reappearance.

XX

The Ecruteak Gym Leader waited for him.

Morty and Ash shared no words as he entered the elegant building. Only a simple exchange of nods was needed. There were no other challengers this early, and especially not with the apparent festival. The bleary eyed receptionist - Kaito, Ash thought - straightened up and adjusted his name tag when Ash walked in. It was only after he and Morty strode into the battleground that he relaxed and went back doodling on his papers.

"I hate to say it, but we're going to have to cut this short," Morty visibly sagged as he said it, like the fire had gone out of him. Ash frowned. "We're having another festival today, as you might have seen. As the Gym Leader - and last remaining son of my family - I'll have certain duties. What a day," the Gym Leader sighed. "Who could have expected the Crystal Bell to ring so soon?"

Ash fidgeted under Morty's knowing glance, though the man didn't press him for details. Perhaps he realized it wasn't something to be discussed. What Ash had experienced at the top of the Tin Tower would be held close to his heart. Only his team was privy to it.

Well, his team and maybe Michael. He needed to learn more about the weary, grinning man who'd spoken to him as a kindred spirit.

"So how short are we talking?" Ash said. He hoped it wouldn't be too quick. He'd been looking forward to this and would rather not have to return at a later date.

Morty tossed his scarf over his shoulder and inclined his head. "Three-on-three should be reasonable. Is that fair?"

Ash nodded. He'd prefer four-on-four or five-on-five, but he could work with this. It would sate his and his team's appetite for now. They were still a tiny bit weary anyways. Cynthia hadn't pulled her punches. Infernus still wasn't fully healed. He'd carry a lot of scars from Lucario's vicious attacks, though Ash wouldn't hold it against the steel-type.

You needed to hold nothing back when dealing with Infernus. Anything less and it would be impossible to put him down.

They each took their positions on opposite sides of the stadium. There wasn't a referee. No need when they both knew this was for fun more than anything. Competitive, but not for a badge. This was an opportunity to test their strength against a powerful opponent.

Ash got to face a rare ghost-type specialist. He hoped Morty would live up to his expectations. Ghosts were tricky, powerful, and punished the lightest missteps with vicious expressions of their otherworldly power.

Morty… well, he got to face Ash.

"Stay back with me," Ash instructed Nidoking as his friend stepped forward. His friend looked surprised, but acquiesced without any fuss. He enjoyed combat but he wasn't going to beg for it like Infernus. "I want you to watch the battle, like we did with Cynthia. I'll need more than one set of eyes so that we can figure out some better strategies for ghosts later on."

With that in mind he released Dazed as well, though he wouldn't use her to relay commands like he had against Cynthia. It wouldn't be very sporting.

Hello, Friend-Trainer. I presume I will not be engaging in battle?

Her telepathy was a little faint and broken in some spots, but it was still easy to understand. Must be some kind of interference from the ghosts inhabiting the building. Ash nodded. "Same as Nidoking. I just want you two watching so we can create some tactics later."

Understood.

With that he turned back to Morty. The Gym Leader raised a pokeball into the air, showing that he'd be going first. Ash dipped his head to show he understood. His breath hitched as Morty hit the release and his first opponent materialized on the field.

It was a strange creature, but familiar. Though it appeared far more corporeal than Gengar, its bottom half slowly trailed into a grey, wavering mist that bled off into the air. A snarling golden visage glared at him from the bizarre entity's chest, matched in intensity only by the flickering red flame burning as its eye.

Dusknoir, the Reaper.

Morty's smirk said that he knew exactly what this pokemon meant to Ash. This was the same class of ghost that had caught Dazed in its strangely solid hands and ended Ash's dreams of conquering Michael and the Indigo Conference.

His, Dazed's, and Nidoking's eyes all narrowed. Well if that was how Morty wanted to play it…

Dry, scorching heat stole the breath from his lungs. Dusknoir's shade became nearly invisible as the air warped and twisted in the face of the newest warrior on the field. Flames burst from Infernus' skin as he roared his challenge into the air. Several Gastly lurking in the rafters fled away from the wide torrent of flame that exploded from the Magmortar's throat. Fire licked up around Infernus' feet and spread slowly across the packed dirt of the battlefield and quickly seared it black.

Infernus set his eyes on Dusknoir and grinned madly.

"Begin!" Morty shouted, his eyes locked on the battle. He wasted no time. "Gravity and Confuse Ray - you need to finish this quickly."

Dusknoir simply raised one of its massive hands and clenched the ghostly appendage into a fist. Ash couldn't feel the effects - several Haunter had emerged from the shadows and walled off the battlefield in a strange layer of black mist. It was transparent enough to easily keep track of everything but opaque enough to slightly dull the intense light (and a trace of the blazing heat) of Infernus. Dazed winced, however. Ash hoped it wasn't too draining on her.

Unfortunately for Morty and Dusknoir, neither Ash nor Infernus were about to just sit back and let this happen. Infernus initially tensed and tried to teleport, but his psychic abilities failed him. As danger closed, he snarled and leapt to the right to avoid the deceptively gentle swirl of blackness that was Confuse Ray - it splashed harmlessly against the wall erected by the Haunter, belying the horrors hidden within. "Close the gap! Fire Blast!"

Infernus was weighted down by Gravity but his immense strength and vigor meant he could still keep a steady jog as he charged at Dusknoir. The ghost remained steadfast and hurled another sphere of flickering darkness, but Infernus ducked beneath it with contemptuous ease. He spat a crackling roar of flame that flowed out like a stream, casting off acrid smoke that wafted all throughout the arena and stung Ash's eyes and throat.

The Fire Blast roared through the air and landed square in Dusknoir's center as Infernus chased after it. Ash grinned as it impacted Dusknoir and exploded into a raging, fiery burst that would force the spirit on the defensive.

Or, it should have.

He paled as the sneering face on Dusknoir's chest opened wide to expose a gaping maw, an empty void lined with fiery gold, that greedily sucked the Fire Blast inside. Ash stared deep into the abyss within Dusknoir, lost in thought as the last glowing sparks from Infernus' attack vanished into the nothingness scarcely covered by Dusknoir's spectral shape.

So it wasn't unique to Michael's Dusknoir. He remembered it had devoured one of Dazed's Psybeams back during the Final. Most high-level Dusknoir could probably pull off something similar.

Dusknoir waited patiently as Infernus charged. The Magmortar would have been on top of it by now if Gravity didn't slow him down so much. Ash's eyes narrowed, suspicious, then realization struck him. If it could eat Fire Blasts, it could probably suck in fists as well. "Infernus, don't touch it!"

Infernus barely pulled back in time to avoid slamming a flaming fist into Dusknoir's face - Ash wasn't entirely certain, but he thought his guess might've been on point given the slight irritation that flickered in its burning eye. With the trap foiled, Dusknoir lunged out with deceptive speed to snag the Magmortar in its grip, which was consumed by unnatural blue flame. Even Infernus would burn with the spectral fires.

"Flamethrower! Keep it coming - it can't eat it all!"

That was an order Infernus could appreciate. Ash could easily imagine his wild grin as he staggered back under the weight of gravity, both cannons leveled at Dusknoir before a terrible white blaze erupted forth from each, the crackling streams of fire merging together into a writhing, twisting cone of fire. Dusknoir was hidden behind the twin Flamethrowers, not even a shadow, and Ash barked out a warning as his instincts screamed.

Infernus was already in motion as Dusknoir leapt from his shadow and attempted to clap both massive hands, each wrapped in a cloak of flickering darkness that seemed to devour the light around it. They landed on Infernus, but it wasn't nearly enough to stop the Magmortar. With a savage roar Infernus twisted in Dusknoir's grip and yet another Flamethrower spat from his lips. This time Dusknoir was unprepared, likely having expected Infernus to succumb to the pain.

It clearly didn't know Infernus.

Dusknoir was too far gone to try to escape. The first Flamethrower had caught Dusknoir off guard - the ghost made no noise, silent as the vacuum of space, but Ash knew it was screaming. He didn't know how much pain ghosts felt, but there was no doubt Dusknoir was in agony… the massive hands pulled away and flailed madly, the beginnings of Protect's shimmering green barrier sparking into existence, but Infernus grinned and leapt forward.

His fist, shining bright white with the focused power of Brick Break, shattered the Protect before it could even form. Dusknoir reeled backwards as the shockwave from the blow exploded upon impact with it, its corporeal form wavering underneath the intense heat that poured from Infernus. It tried to Shadow Sneak away, but before it could escape Infernus leveled both cannons, opened his mouth, and three separate Flamethrowers engulfed the spirit whole.

Morty returned Dusknoir. He stared at Infernus, eyes wide. Ash just grinned. Yeah, that was what he expected. No doubt Dusknoir was significantly more powerful than its performance suggested, but not much could stand against Infernus. His body heat alone would put most pokemon out of commission if he could close the distance. Dusknoir probably had a resistance to that, but it still required a physical form to act.

Physical forms didn't appreciate the kind of heat Infernus put out.

"Wow," Morty said. His eyes glazed as he looked at Infernus, who smirked up at the Gym Leader and allowed little trickles of sparks to cascade from his arm cannons. "Uh, I guess I'll call my next teammate then."

Ash nodded. "Thanks, Infernus! You did great!" He called out. Infernus only looked a little disappointed that he wouldn't get to finish up the fight, but nevertheless smirked and allowed himself to be returned in a flash of scarlet light. Ash normally wouldn't let him loose in a Gym battle, but Morty had tried to get under his skin with Dusknoir as his first choice.

Morty's next choice was one of the pokemon he'd known to expect: Gengar. The living (by a certain definition) gas didn't need to be released. The temperature plummeted until Ash's breath was visible when it burst through the shadowy walls around the battlefield with its bloody red eyes and maw of sharp fangs. Poison dripped from them and it winked at Ash before it assumed its regular, slightly less threatening appearance. Fangs lost some of the blood speckled on them, its eyes lost their pale glow…

That was more like it. He'd looked up a few of Morty's battle videos on the PokeNav before he went to bed the night before. Gengar always made an appearance, and for good reason. It was fast, powerful, and tricky as anything.

Sneasel appeared to meet it. He lowered to the ground and hissed at Gengar as he saw the specter, his feather and ears laid flat against his skull. His thick black fur puffed up and a terrible growl came from deep within his throat.

Gengar made the first move.

"Icy Wind!" Ash snapped as the ghost's gaping mouth opened wider, stretched wider than physically possible for most pokemon. Tons of a toxic purple miasma, similar in color to Gengar itself, gushed from the hole and quickly began to spread across the battlefield. It sunk low to the ground, as though it weighed more than it should.

Sneasel was quick enough that a great deal of the Poison Gas was swept away by the freezing winds, though little pockets of it remained. Gengar snarled at its initial tactic being foiled, but didn't rest. It was already on the move…

Gengar leapt from side to side, easily able to avoid the freezing gales of wind Sneasel spat his way, and moved with unnatural grace to miss Sneasel's attacks by just a hair. It laughed viciously as it closed the ground, razor-sharp claws burning with a terrible azure fire.

His friend didn't wait for Gengar to approach. Sneasel dashed forward on all fours with long, loping strides, his eyes barely slits as he yowled his battle cry. Gengar answered with a matching sneer and leapt forward to meet Sneasel in a clash… or so it seemed.

Sneasel's Shadow Claw sliced right where Gengar's face should have been, but he hissed and thumped heavily to the ground as Gengar's physical form blurred, the gas making up its body collapsing into a shapeless stream and weaving around Sneasel's body only to reform directly behind him. The creature snickered as its claws, one set dripping with poison and the other with the azure fire clinging to it, raked Sneasel's back, punishing him for the assault.

"Rally!" Ash cried as Sneasel landed with a thump. He scrambled to his feet, though yowled in agony as the poison began to pump through his system and the flames clung painfully to his fur. The Will-O-Wisps seemed to delight in Sneasel's pain - the more he howled, the faster they climbed. And then they vanished as quickly as they came, not a trace of smoke or heat left to remember them by.

Gengar wasted no time. Ash shouted a warning to Sneasel, but the little dark-type could barely do anything but roll out of the way as the living shadow slammed a burning fist - alit with regular flame this time - down. The flames licked over Sneasel's fur as they exploded out from Gengar's palm, but it was too brief to do real damage.

His foe tried to pull around with another Fire Punch, but Sneasel finally saw his opening. He screamed, his pain from Gengar's Toxic evident in his howl, and fired an Ice Beam directly into Gengar's face. The spirit hissed and staggered back as its gaseous form weighed down heavily upon it thanks to the Ice Beam dropping its temperature, and Sneasel managed to leap forward with a final snarl. Flickering darkness clung to his own claws, and he hooked them into Gengar's frosty form.

The spirit's control over its gaseous body began to loosen. Its edges grew just a tad more blurred, the body less and less substantial. It wasn't finished, however. Sneasel fell through it (Ash could only imagine the sharp smell) and Gengar groaned as it got its revenge: a Fire Punch in the back of Sneasel's head.

Sneasel dropped. Ash waited just a moment to see if he was really finished. When he didn't even twitch he recalled him. No point dragging it out - even if Sneasel was just stunned there was no way Gengar wouldn't punish him for it. They weren't the most merciful of battlers.

"That's more like it!" Morty laughed. "I was afraid this was going to be completely one-sided! I'd hate for you to not enjoy it."

Ash grinned back. Yeah, that would've been a shame. Who to send in next, though? Oz was an option, but he got the feeling that Gengar would do some serious damage before Oz could put it down. Besides, she was based around precision attacks. Gengar was specially adapted to deal with those.

Dazed wouldn't thrive in this environment. He figured she'd have more luck with teleportation than Infernus, but it would still exhaust her. She would need it to deal with the ghosts as well - Gengar would tear right through any shields she could throw up.

Nidoking was still a little banged up from yesterday. Besides, he needed Nidoking to watch and learn with him.

"Hope you're ready!" Ash taunted as he released Tangrowth. The grass-type looked happily at his surroundings and even tried to extend a few vines to brush against Gengar as the shade returned to its box. His heart went out to Tangrowth when Gengar casually sliced the vines apart with a pair of burning claws - Tangrowth looked genuinely hurt by the dismissal. "Power Whip!"

It was nice to set the pace of this battle. Gengar jerked in surprise, eyes wide as nearly thirty of Tangrowth's heavier vines slashed at it, silvery orbs of Ancient Power bound on their tips. The shade barely managed to dance out of the way of the first few, only to be horribly surprised when the Ancient Power spheres detonated in a blinding flash. Dirt exploded from the earth and filled the air with swirling dust - Gengar's body was only barely kept together through sheer force of will, and even then it was immediately struck by several other vines. They slashed right through Gengar, and it was only through dissolving into an amorphous cloud of toxic gas that it escaped the assault.

Gengar wasted no time. It flooded at Tangrowth in a wave, incredibly flexible in its insubstantial state - a lone vine managed to slash it, but the cloud simply clung to it for a moment. When Gengar shot off again the vine withered and blackened beneath the deathly touch, only to be immediately slashed off by one of Tangrowth's shorter vines before the corruption could spread.

The ghost-type closed the distance quickly. In less than ten seconds it had circled around Tangrowth and reassumed its corporeal form - it was a draining process, so Ash doubted it would be able to slip away more than once or twice - and cackled as it stabbed its burning claws into Tangrowth's thick shell of vines. The spectral azure flame immediately clung to the vines it hit and began to spread…

Only for Tangrowth to detach them. Gengar stared, blatantly surprised, and howled as two of Tangrowth's vines whipped into it and cast the creature to the ground. Tangrowth extended more and conjured up Ancient Powers at the end of them, ready to finish the rude creature once and for all, when Morty recalled his teammate.

"That was impressive. I don't even remember the last time Gengar was caught off-guard like that!" Morty shouted. He raised his final pokeball. "That said, I think I can still give Tangrowth a run for his money!"

Morty tapped the release, and a thin purple spirit emerged. It was fairly docile and unthreatening compared to Gengar, but Ash knew appearances could be deceiving. He knew what this was: Mismagius. Frail but powerful creatures, they were fairly unique among ghosts in that their powers tended to be focused through their whispers and incantations. It allowed for a certain fine control over their powers that many other ghosts lacked, though scientists still struggled to understand their strange abilities.

Ash would know: Professor Oak had spent an entire afternoon in Pallet complaining about their mysteries to Ash right before he'd left for Hoenn.

"Be ready! This one will be tricky," he warned Tangrowth. His friend gurgled happily, his vines reared up like Ekans as he watched his opponent (or potential new friend) with his big eyes. "Let's do it - Ancient Power!"

Tangrowth wasted no time. A flurry of the silvery spheres hurled at Mismagius through the air, though the creature easily danced around them all. It waited patiently for the follow-up

It wasn't to be disappointed. Tangrowth's vines tensed in exertion as several others flexed. Great chunks of earth, each outlined in the same silvery glow of Ancient Power and the size of a Snorlax, flung themselves at Mismagius - again, the creature ducked and wove elegantly between the boulders with minimal effort.

Tangrowth prepared another volley, but Mismagius appeared to have had enough. It smoothly lowered itself into a strange purple portal that manifested on the earth below, and the time passed. "Ingrain!" Ash called, hoping that they'd at least be able to stay steady underneath Mismagius' next -

There! A faint purple haze behind Tangrowth was all the notice he had before Mismagius shot out of the reappeared portal, only to be followed by an explosion of dark, shadowy energy. Tangrowth cried out as he was hurled to the ground, barely kept in place by the vines he'd stabbed into the earth as roots. The darkness clung to him greedily, latching on as if it hoped to swallow him whole.

Mismagius floated above. It whispered a few unearthly words, and even Ash groaned as a sudden pain spiked in his head - Tangrowth must have gotten it way worse. He couldn't even gurgle or whine in protest. He simply laid and twitched as Mismagius' whispers cut deeper than the physical. Certainly deeper than Tangrowth's protective shield of vines could guard him.

They'd picked out Tangrowth's weakness well. He was a nightmare to deal with in a straightforward fight - he was just too tough and had an absolutely overwhelming offense that few opponents could keep up with. His shell of wriggling vines offered a fairly powerful defense against even elemental attacks. It would take something sustained like a Flamethrower to finish him. It was much easier to work around those potent defenses altogether.

He massaged his temples in a vain effort to dull the pain. It wasn't Mismagius' intention, but every word seemed to drive a spike into his skull - Dazed's eyes squeezed shut beneath the pain - and Tangrowth thrashed madly, his vines whipping everywhere like a furious Tentacruel. They failed to meet their target as Mismagius simply sailed a little higher into the air. Ash caught the barest glimpse of a faint smile on its tiny face.

The spirit continued to chant, though instead of pain it offered relief. Every unspeakable word still made his pounding headache spike, but there was something that pleaded with him to simply stay down. Stay down and relax, and it would all be over…

Ash didn't force Tangrowth to make that choice. He returned his friend. Mismagius graced him with a small smile. It spun and dipped its head to him before it vanished, consumed by the red light of its pokeball. He glanced over to Morty in surprise.

"I forfeit," the man said just loudly enough for Ash to hear. Ash stared and even Nidoking seemed baffled by the way his ears perked up. Dazed just held her pendulum clasped tightly in her large hands.

"Why?" Ash asked. He'd been looking forward to ending that battle. It hadn't been the long, drawn out slugfests he tended to find himself in other cities, but he'd enjoyed that. He thought it highlighted the difference in how ghosts fought - tricky, vicious, and quick. They weren't meant for endurance matches.

Morty approached, having walked around the battlefield to meet him. The shadowy energies erected around the arena had faded away as their ghosts dissolved back into the shadows. "If it had continued you would have had to release your Magmortar. I saw how he reacted to pain - Mismagius can make you wish you're dead with a few words, but she doesn't have much in her arsenal that could put him down. Destiny Bond and Curse might do the trick, but I'm pretty sure your Magmortar would burn down my whole Gym before he surrendered."

A slight grin tugged at his face. Heh, it sounded like Infernus had left quite the impression on Morty.

"Good battle," he offered his hand to the Gym Leader. Morty nodded and shook it.

"Good battle," Morty echoed. "Your team is everything I'd hoped for - I know it was a short battle, but I hoped you learned at least a little about my ghosts."

Ash nodded. "I did. They're...different."

Morty smiled and rapped his knuckles against the pokeballs on his belt. "That they are," he trailed off as he checked the time. "I've got to get ready, but if you'd like some tips on how to take down ghosts you can walk with me."

"'Sounds good to me."

With that, Ash trailed after Morty with Nidoking and Dazed in tow. He hoped Morty was ready for an interrogation - he was going to make the most of their limited time before the second festival.

"So when are you going to pick up a ghost for yourself? I'd offer you one of the Gastly that hang around the Gym, but they're a little attached. Some of them have been here for centuries."

Ash shrugged. "Whenever I can. Agatha said I wasn't ready for a ghost -"

Morty cut him off and rolled his eyes. "Agatha thinks that the only person worthy of a ghost is herself. Don't take her word for granted on that, not that she might not have a point," he corrected himself quickly. The Gym Leader checked over his shoulder, like he was half-afraid Agatha was going to pop up behind him.

He nodded. "Whenever I have the chance. I don't want to go out of my way to seek one out."

"Smart. If there's one type you don't want to have upset with you it's ghosts," Morty advised. "They're patient. I've seen trainers who've mistreated their ghosts or treated them with disrespect. The ghosts bear it. They might act like everything's fine and dandy for years… then they see their chance," his eyes locked on something in the distance. "I get to clean up the mess. Lucky me."

Ash grimaced. His limbs stiffened. Yeah, he might be a little careful trying to capture one in the future… "So how would you advise finding one?"

Morty nodded, pleased with the question. "Keep that attitude for one. Visit somewhere old and powerful. You can find a few all over if you know where to look for them. Ghosts are attracted to the emotions released by death - they can feed off the energies around old battlefields for centuries. If you wait and listen, one will get curious and seek you out. From there… well, that's on you."

He nodded gratefully for the advice, then let the conversation drift to other topics about fighting and neutralizing ghosts - time was of the essence, after all.

XX

The next two days passed in relative peace. After the absurdly massive - and wonderful - festivals of his first few days in Ecruteak it was a nice change to wander the city and admire the sights in silence. Ash made a habit of spending his days in the city. He revisited the Kimono Girls and was able to speak with them a little more about the city's histories and traditions. Much of it he'd already learnt, but it was nice to fill in the gaps.

Ash had returned to the Brass Tower at the end of each day, just after dusk. The twilight would fall upon him as he entered the shambling structure, alone and unarmed except for the flute, and play the Song for his ghostly audience. They rarely showed themselves beyond a few pale eyes and unseen touches, but the momentary peace he brought the Tower and its inhabitants was enough for him.

He didn't dare revisit the Tin Tower.

He also got into the habit of meeting Morty and Eusine for breakfast or lunch each morning. Both seemed exhausted from the events of the festivals. Ash even found Eusine tolerable when he wasn't trying to interrogate him about Suicune. It was almost like his sole purpose of existing was to obsess over the Legend. Didn't he have any other hobbies?

Dazed had made a few jokes about him being a hypocrite when he'd mentioned that to her. Ash had spent the day practicing with the flute just to spite her. He was still terrible (with the exception of one special tune) but he'd found the noises he made were a little less grating on the ears.

Afternoons and nights were spent training, of course. Not physically, but he'd gone over his fight with Morty and the surprising tactics of his ghosts over and over again with each member of his team. The beginnings of their counter strategies were in the works. It didn't hurt that Morty himself had offered a few precious scraps of advice for them.

A few trainers had found his preferred camp spot near the cliffs that overlooked Ecruteak. Two or three had been sent by Travis to find 'Gary'. The others… well, Ash was a little embarrassed to admit that they'd rushed to find him because they thought a pokemon was being tortured. They (and his team) were more than amused to find out it was just Ash practicing with the flute.

Aron had gotten some good practice on them. One girl who'd relentlessly mocked Ash for his (lack of) musical talent had nearly gotten Infernus set on her team. When he found out she only had two badges he settled for Sneasel instead. And set a wager for the first time he'd arrived in Ecruteak.

That brought him to where he was today.

"...so Dusknoir let the kid's Feraligatr get close. It tries to bite him and his whole head got stuck in Dusknoir's void!" Morty chuckled to Eusine, who listened closely. Probably hoping the story was going to come back to Suicune somehow. One of the Kimono Girls (Zuki, he thought) sat with them as well. She paid rapt attention, a pretty smile on her face. It was odd seeing one of them in casual wear and without their heavy makeup. Zuki was nearly unrecognizable. "I've never seen someone surrender so fast! I can't blame him, though. Feraligatr's probably going to be sick for days. Pokemon and Dusknoir's void don't mix. Nothing mixes with it, really."

Ash perked up. "Was he named Travis?"

Morty shrugged. "Maybe? I'm not sure, honestly. They kind of bleed into one another. The Gym's been busier than it has in months since the bells rung. We've had people flooding in all week."

He nodded. It wasn't hard to miss. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people had arrived in Ecruteak over the past couple of days. A fair chunk had arrived for the festivals and simply stuck around to tour the city or visit family. There was a reason Ash hadn't tried to check out many monuments - only the most obscure war memorials and museums weren't completely packed. Even more had come in the days since, probably hoping that they'd be able to catch the bells ringing again.

Or catch a glimpse of the Beasts or, fate willing, Ho-Oh itself. Only a scant handful had caught sight of the Rainbow Bird before it had vanished off into the sunlight. Ash considered himself lucky to have caught the momentary appearance of it himself, though whenever he thought of Ho-Oh he grew more and more troubled by his conversation with Wes.

That was going to weigh on him…

"The Dance Theater has been packed as well," Zuki said with a great deal more enthusiasm than Morty. "We've been sold out the last three nights!"

Ash smiled back at her excitement as he leaned down to feed a little chunk of iron he'd found out in the woods to Aron, who waggled his back half excitedly as he swallowed it whole. "Small pieces!" He warned the steel-type, who nodded back happily even as he choked on the mass of metal. Ash checked to make sure he'd swallowed it entirely before he dared glance up. "Catch anyone going where they're not supposed to?"

"Yes, actually," Morty rolled his eyes. He ate his rice with uncharacteristic disgust at the world. "The ghosts have been working overtime to keep the tourists out of the Burnt Tower - I swear some of them have a death wish. A few had an interesting story to tell, though," he looked pointedly at Ash. "Apparently they thought they could come in because they saw some kid wandering in all alone day after day…"

"I wonder who that could be?" Ash made a show of frowning as he sipped his coffee. He'd grown accustomed to the bitter taste over the past few days. He might buy some for the trails before he left Ecruteak in a day or two.

Eusine nodded seriously. "It should be of great concern. Anybody who visits the tower so frequently might have gleaned some hints on Suicune's whereabouts."

Everyone else in the private booth rolled their eyes. "One track mind I tell you…" Morty mumbled too low for Eusine to hear. Zuki hid her chuckle behind her hands. As the Gym Leader began to say something else a dark purple hand, solid despite being composed of toxic vapor) tapped on his shoulder and pointed to the TV above them once it had its friend's attention. Morty frowned. "Ash, you might want to check out the news."

That one sentence sent a shot of anxiety through Ash, though Aron's soft warble and the pain of his domed head bumping against his knee helped him relax. He pat Aron, though he couldn't help but remember the horrible sight of Greenfield covered in the crystal he'd seen on the news in Slateport.

It seemed so long ago now.

What he found wasn't much better. "Crap."

Ash Ketchum spotted in Ecruteak! The headline of the news station blared as Eusine helpfully turned up the volume a couple of notches. Ash grimaced and pulled his hat down over his face, not that it would help. Nobody was even looking at him in here. They were safely tucked away in the corner. The young trainer, 12, has been reported to be in Ecruteak City for the last few days. Several young trainers and residents have spotted seeing him in the company of Gym Leader Morty. This week has been a historic one for Ecruteak, as…

He stopped reading and just leaned back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. Looked like his plans would be changing a little faster than expected.

Ash cut his gaze back to the news as it cut to the male anchor. The man smiled and introduced himself as Shinji or something (he wasn't in the best state of mind at the moment) and began to speak. "Momentous news has been coming from Ecruteak City recently! The bells have been ringing and some have even reported the Legendary Beasts: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune in the city several days ago," Eusine perked up as several grainy photos of bright blurs vaguely recognizable as the Beasts' immense figures popped up on screen, "As well as claims of Ho-Oh visiting the ancient city! This news comes only a week after the so-called Greenfield Disaster, in which a strange incident occurred at Greenfield. We have been unable to acquire details on the event, but several images were captured."

A weight sat in his gut as the sight of Greenfield covered in the crystals of the Unown appeared on the screen. Stark memories of Molly's recollections, his mother's trauma, and the quiet deaths of Not-Ash and the Crystal Entei filled his mind. His hands clenched tight onto the table. Aron rubbed up against him.

"In addition to these familiar images," the anchor continued, and Ash wondered how many times he'd made a similar report over the last week, "a cameraman from Goldenrod also captured this video!"

He stared dumbly as the same video he'd seen just after he'd woken up in the hospital played. In it he was a figure with frenzied eyes. His voice was raw and rough with fatigue and fear and Ash was struck by how small he was on camera. Bruiser towered over him at his side, beady eyes glaring down at the camera.

"As we've reported before, this boy is Ash Ketchum. He is best known as the Rookie Finalist in this year's Indigo Conference who broke several records and made waves in the training community," the man explained as several scenes of his battles - a clip of a Rampaging Bruiser locked in combat with Arbok, then Infernus riding Salamence and finally Dazed's loss at the hands of Dusknoir - played. Ash would be lying if he said they didn't bring back some fond (and not so fond) memories. He'd need to get those tapes at some point. "Although a reclusive trainer and unavailable for interviews, our sources reveal that Mr. Ketchum has already won several accolades as a trainer outside of his Conference activities. These include winning an annual tournament in Dandra Town, located in southwestern Kanto in the Viridian territory, as well as arriving at the Indigo Conference with the full assortment of Gym badges. These include the notably difficult-to-claim badges such as the Earth Badge, Volcano Badge, and Marsh Badge!"

Zuki smiled over at him. "At least they're complimenting you!"

Ash sighed. Well, at least someone was looking at the positives. Saying he felt uncomfortable with all this attention was an understatement. He felt like the entire city was about to start staring at him…

"But what brings such a talented young trainer into the scene of the Greenfield Disaster, apparently acting with the authority of the League?" The anchor shuffled his papers around and looked directly into the camera. "So far we haven't been able to figure it out, but rest assured we will let you know as soon as the Indigo League informs us! Our reporters are hard at work to unmask the truth! Until then, we hope that anyone who knows Ash Ketchum's whereabouts or knows him personally will please step forward! The region is waiting for the truth!"

Several short videos of Ecruteak residents played, each claiming to have seen him. One even took a picture of him as he walked past, which left Ash more than a little unsettled. The next camera he saw he was going to let Sneasel play with. That was creepy. Scratch that, Infernus. They couldn't reclaim the footage if the camera was burnt to ash, right?

A clip played of a familiar trainer. Stocky, a little short, and a broad face. His Donphan and Feraligatr flanked him, both a little beat up. Ash's eye twitched at Travis' smiling face. They were going to have words if he ever saw him again..

"Oh yeah, it was totally Ash Ketchum! He said his name was Gary but I'd know that team anywhere. We even battled him!" Travis said cheerfully as he pointed to his pokemon, who looked less than enthused to be reminded of their loss. Donphan pawed the cobblestone nervously. It looked like they were outside one of Ecruteak's Pokemon Centers. "Nice guy, but a little quiet. Crazy good battler though! His Nidoking made us look like amateurs!"

"Hey, it's that kid with the Feraligatr I was talking about!" Morty pointed out too cheerfully for Ash's liking. He glanced over at Ash. "Small world, huh?"

"Yeah."

Morty chuckled. "Don't be like that. Kid's probably just excited to have his fifteen minutes of fame. He seems pretty happy about losing to you. He wasn't so perky when he left my Gym."

Ash shrugged.

"We also have confirmation that Mr. Ketchum will remain in the Johto region for at least another week, though his future plans are unknown," the anchor rambled on. Ash really wished he would stop telling everyone his whereabouts. The anxiety came back, redoubled this time.

He wanted to bang his head up against a door when the next clip played. Ash just withered and sagged down in his seat as Jonathan and Amelia popped up in a short video. Jonathan was beaming with Charizard next to him while Amelia looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"So you know Ash Ketchum on a personal level?" The cameraman asked.

Jonathan nodded happily. "Yep! Since we were kids. We even traveled together when we first started out as trainers!" He rambled on past the cameraman as they tried to ask another question. "He was strong then too, you know, but not as strong. Not like Gary - who sucks by the way - but now he's stronger than all of us. I lost to him in the Conference!" Jonathan perked up at the memory, then continued past the next question. Everytime the cameraman tried to cut him off, Charizard glared and growled until there was silence and Jonathan was free to continue. "He'll be here for like a week so I'm gonna have to track him down! Now don't get me wrong, I'm a pretty tough trainer myself! I made it to the Top 16, you know, and I bet I would have gotten even further if I didn't battle Ash but that's beside the point. He's strong, you know? Way tougher than anyone else I've ever battled! When he was a kid he'd never shut up about becoming a Pokemon Master, and Gary said it was stupid and that only he could be a Pokemon Master and that Ash was too dumb, but he's totally wrong. I mean, Ash beat Gary in the Top 8 and the look on Gary's face was perfect when he lost. I think of it every night before I go to bed even though Amelia says it's weird. Anyways, where was I? Oh yeah, Ash. Cool guy. Really quiet but when he talks you listen. I haven't seen him in a while. He's been off somewhere on vacation. Crazy that he's back in Johto! Gary's here too. Maybe he could beat Gary? I heard Gary lost to Clair, but who knows? Ash would stomp Gary into the ground though. He's probably a Master already! Super tough guy, the toughest. His team is really strong. Nidoking took on my whole team by himself which is really impressive! Like I said, we're strong. Just not as strong as Ash, but we're getting there! I haven't really battled the others but his Magmortar kind of scares me. I'm pretty sure I had a nightmare about it once. It always looks like its about to light me on fire. Bruiser is really nice though! I met him and Ash's Zubat, Seeker, a couple of times. He would help some of my team train. Dazed is nice too, but she stares. Speaking of Dazed, she got really mad at me once when I tried to sneak into Ash's room. We shared a League house during the Indigo Conference, you see, and once I managed to get out of my room without Amelia noticing - she always keeps me from having fun - and I was going to pour some water in his bed with my Kingler to make him think he peed the bed, but Dazed caught me. I don't think she ever sleeps. Do Hypno sleep? Anyways, she levitated me out and put me to sleep on the floor. I woke up and Kingler was asleep too. She glared at me every time I walked by for the rest of the week. I'm just glad she didn't tell Ash or Amelia because I'm pretty sure they would've killed me! What do you think?"

The cameraman was quiet despite the question. The seconds ticked by and Ash finally allowed a slight grin to spread across his face as the man sputtered. "I, uh, I don't know," he said in a daze, completely overwhelmed by the mad ranting of Jonathan.

Jonathan frowned. Flame spilt from Charizard's nostrils. "Did you even pay attention? What are you even interviewing me for?"

"Can you tell us where Ash Ketchum is? Is he meeting you while he's in Johto?" The reporter finally recovered a bit and eagerly put the microphone in Jonathan's face.

His friend brightened. "Oh that's easy! He -"

"Isn't meeting us," Amelia smoothly interjected. She positioned herself between Jonathan and the camera. Her Raichu hopped up next to her, cheeks sparking until the reporters put some distance between them and its trainer. "He's really busy. We'll let you know if he says anything, but we've got to go. We're really busy."

"Wait, what? We don't have to -" Jonathan's brow furrowed, then went quiet as Charizard lightly tapped him and shook his massive horned head. His eyes brightened. "Oh yeah, we've got to go. We've got...trainer stuff to do. Important trainer stuff," he elaborated, obviously pleased with himself.

"Exactly!" Amelia grabbed Jonathan by the wrist and pulled him away, followed by their pokemon. The reporters just watched dumbly as the duo walked away, then the screen cut off. The news helpfully played the tiny snippet of Jonathan's ramblings where he mentioned Ash would be there for a week several times.

The booth was silent until Eusine spoke up. "So they're friends of yours?" He asked innocently. "That boy seems to have a very high opinion of you."

Ash nodded dumbly. He wasn't sure how exactly Eusine had dissected Jonathan's rambling but supposed the man was probably just used to it. Eusine didn't sound much different when he got going about Suicune.

He rose from his seat. Morty had told him earlier not to worry about the bill, so he didn't feel too bad about dipping out early. "I've got to go," Ash announced. Morty and Zuki nodded. "I'm sorry to run out like this, but…"

"We understand," Morty rose and shook Ash's hand. He grinned lightly. "It was a pleasure to be your host this week, Ash. I hope you enjoyed your visit in Ecruteak. I'm sorry it ended on these terms."

"I loved it," Ash said honestly, and was a little surprised himself when he found he truly meant it. Normally he wasn't much for cities, but he'd enjoyed his time in Ecruteak. The history, the hidden knowledge he'd gleaned in the Burnt and Tin Towers, the Beasts, even the conversation with Wes that still left his heart heavy and uncertain. He'd treasure them all. "I hope to return one day."

Morty and Zuki smiled. Eusine still watched the news, probably hoping for some news on Suicune. "Thank you, Ash. I hope you'll take the time to revisit the Dance Theater as well! It would be an honor for you to see one of our performances."

"I'd like that," Ash grinned. "I'm sorry I'll be missing the one tonight."

"No worries," The Kimono Girl brushed his apology off. "I'd hate for you to be caught by any of the media that are probably on their way here as we speak. Off you go, Ash. Next time, though!"

He nodded. "Next time. I'll see you all around."

With that he turned. He had nothing to pack. Everything of importance was contained in the storage compartments of his bag.

As Ash stepped out into the streets - packed with tourists and visitors who crowded the ancient, narrow streets - he paused and pulled his hat down low. Instead of heading to the city exit where he could escape, Ash hesitated.

There was one place he had to visit one last time.

XX

He sat cross-legged down in the depths of the Burnt Tower. It was where he had met the Beasts, where he had first played the Song that had graced these haunted halls long ago.

The ghosts were dormant during the day. Silent and hidden. Yet Ash could still feel their eyes on him. He could sense their attention on him like a physical force.

It no longer affected him. Ash had long grown used to their focus.

For the last time, Ash placed the flute to his lips and played the Song. The spirits calmed, the remains of the tower seemed to darken, and Ash embraced the peace just as the tower did.

He remained for a very long time.

XX

The next day was a good one. Ash whistled a tune as he plodded down the road to Mahogany with Sneasel and Oz at his sides and Plume high overhead as their scout. It was nice to be on the trails like this. It reminded him of his journey in Kanto. He'd have to walk more often, especially in Johto.

It was a four day trip to Mahogany by foot, and it was a journey he planned to enjoy every step of the way. Excitement bubbled in his gut as he thought of traveling through Mt. Mortar, which was a major barrier between Ecruteak City and Mahogany Town. Technically he could just fly over the obstacle or even ride Torrent across the massive twin lakes surrounding Mt. Mortar, but where was the fun in that?

If everything went to plan he should arrive at Mahogany with a full day to relax and rejuvenate himself and his team before Jonathan and Amelia arrived. They'd be leaving Blackthorn in the next day or two. Ash hadn't asked why they were there - probably another go at Clair, if he had to guess - but the rugged terrain of the Blackthorn territory would keep them busy even though the actual distance was a tad shorter than between Ecruteak and Mahogany.

A silly grin came over his face as he thought of getting to visit Blackthorn, the home of Lance and the Wataru he had heard so much about. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd enjoy his time there. How could he not? Everyone he'd met had spoken highly of Clair's battling skills, if not her personality. There was no way he could pass up a chance to face her down!

He would defeat her, he swore. She had no idea what was headed her way. Torrent had learnt from Mael, Lance's own Kingdra. He wasn't about to let some other Kingdra keep the silver medal. Ash grinned at the thought of their pet project - if he could get water manipulation down (and Torrent was quite adept at it so far) it would nullify a lot of Torrent's weaknesses defense wise and give him a lot more versatility. If he could get a handle on that, Clair would surely fall.

He had time. Right now Ash hoped to spend three or four days with Jonathan and Amelia (he would definitely be bringing up their interview) before Gary arrived to join them for the rest of the week. That would set off some fireworks for sure, but Ash hoped to get some solid training in with the rest of the Pallet trainers. It had been a long time since they'd all been together.

The real problem would be keeping Gary and Jonathan from killing each other, but Ash thought he and Amelia could pull it off. And if not...well, they'd just stay friends with the survivor. Easier that way.

Ash would have to take on Pryce while he was in Mahogany. Ice-type specialists were rare and Pryce was said to be truly powerful - easily one of the strongest in Johto, taking on a role similar to Blaine or Sabrina. He was one of the Gym Leaders who separated the serious trainers from those simply playing at the League challenge.

In the meantime, they had some walking to do.

He thought of what he'd spoken to Nidoking about a few days ago - the day of the second festival - and realization flashed in his mind. Ash quickly released Dazed, who looked a little suprised to find her rest disturbed but not displeased. She exchanged a respectful nod with Oz and allowed her eyes to curve up into a smile at the sight of Aron, who tried to greet her with a 'soft' headbutt before he was blocked by a shimmering barrier.

You have need of me, Friend-Trainer?

Ash nodded. "I wanted to ask you about something," he pulled the pouch of ashes from his pocket. Dazed stared, her eyes aflame with psychic power as she examined the item. "Nidoking said you could help tell me what these are? You know where I got them."

Indeed. One of the mortal faces Sunlight is said to wear. A gift from the Revenant.

She must have meant Wes. He was fairly good at translating her abstract way of speaking. Ash nodded. "Yes."

My mother told me many stories. I've shared some with you. I do not remember the specifics, Friend-Trainer, but she told me that on occasion Sunlight would gift its own ash to a worthy mortal as a symbol of its faith in them. They are said to possess great power over the cycle of life and death. It is a great honor.

"It is," Ash murmured. That's about what he'd had expected, though the flat statement sent him reeling. Ho-Oh saw him as worthy…

Dazed turned to him with a smile in her eyes.

I can think of no creature, human or otherwise, more worthy.

A lump caught in his throat and Ash was grateful when Aron stumbled and fell. The conversation turned to lighter subjects.

XX

Their camp that night was a simple affair. Ash had managed to find a beautiful site alongside one of the small streams that trickled through the vast forests that guarded the road. It gently led into a small pond that was crystal clear - it was nearly fifteen feet deep but Ash could see the bottom clearly. A long Quagsire slept lazily in the bottom of the pond, barely visible beneath the mud it had slathered all over itself. The air was fresh and pure, crisp with the strangely cold July.

Ash sighed happily and relaxed against a mossy rock that was soft against his back. He breathed in the earthy tones, that heavy cloying scent that filled his nostrils, and shut his eyes for a moment. Sneasel played somewhere in the distance with Aron, yowling loudly. The wild pokemon had vacated the area when they'd settled down for the night. Ash felt a little guilty about keeping them away, but figured they'd return once they realize Ash and his team weren't a threat.

Nidoking sat curled next to him, of course. The massive poison-type enjoyed the light heat of the flame started by Infernus, though the fire-type had quickly requested to be returned to his pokeball - he didn't like resting by such large bodies of water. It was all too easy for Dazed to toss some on him if he was being too aggressive.

The problem there was obvious.

Torrent had actually sunk deep into the pond and rested near Quagsire. Ash grinned as he remembered how happy the Kingdra had been - the pond was tiny for him immense bulk but that hadn't stopped him from taking a simple pleasure in it.

The rest of the team were all curled up around Ash's mossy rock. They all enjoyed the heat of the fire against their skin (or vines) and Dazed silently stoked the flickering flames every so often with a flare of psychic power as the cold breeze fought to quench them. He sighed happily.

He'd missed this.

How long had it been since they were like this? Out on the trail, all alone except for one another… this was something he'd craved during his time with Steven. It had made him a better trainer, a better commander, but strength alone couldn't keep him happy. Ash knew he needed to travel on his own again once he returned to Hoenn.

There was nothing else like it.

Hadn't Steven mentioned splitting their training up? Ash would certainly appreciate more time to himself and his team. More time to wander, more time to train away from the rigorous environment of Steven's schedule, and more opportunity to travel. He enjoyed his time with Steven, but it was suffocating after a time. It left a peculiar itch under his skin that urged him to flee and run and go wherever he dreamt of.

For now he was content here. Away from his worries, away from his troubles. With his team.

Ash couldn't ask for anything else.

A particularly strong and cold breeze blew in from the north, a wild gale that left shivers running down Ash's spine. The fires vanished in a roar of steam a chill settled into his bones. Something left his instincts screaming and he opened his eyes, only to freeze at the sight.

The sun-filled eyes of Suicune stared back at him.

A/N: And here we go! It took forever but it's finally here. I hope everyone enjoyed. Also, for those of you who didn't play Pokemon Colosseum back in the day, you can treat Wes as the main character from it just like Michael is the main character of XD. Keep in mind that due to Traveler's different setting there are some key differences in their journeys - let's just say that they didn't have to try and snag any Legendaries. Wouldn't fit the setting of Traveler very well.

Please review! I'd love to hear what parts of the chapter you enjoyed and what parts you thought could use improvement. I'm trying to even things back and tinker with the rest of the Johto arc at the moment. If anyone's concerned about too much Legendary activity in this chapter, I can safely say that it won't be a concern for the entire arc. Ecruteak is special in that it's so heavily tied to Lugia, Ho-Oh, and the Beasts and I felt it wouldn't be right to neglect that aspect of the city.

Anyways, I won't drabble on for too long! I most likely will not be writing another chapter this long for a while - I'd say 10-15k is a reasonable expectation in the future. They're just a lot more manageable. Then again I've been saying that since the Unown arc…

Before I go, I just wanted to apologize to anyone who reviewed the story or PM'd me and haven't gotten a response! Due to real life events I've had extremely limited time for writing and I had to make the tough decision to spend almost all of it on the chapter itself. I hope to keep a good response rate going forward and I'll be addressing all the PMs in my inbox.

Also, who actually read all of Jonathan's rant?

Thanks again! Please review!