A/N: So, a bit of an important author's note. This upload is coming a week early and the next chapter will be uploaded next week too. The reason I have for this is that during re-edits for pacing of the original, a new sub-plot did emerge, largely to help with pacing issues in the original. I actually wanted to keep this a little in the spirit of the bygone era of the SYOC era, and actually thought to open up a small window for about 3-4 antagonists that will fit into this new sub-plot to see if there were any readers that might be interested in crafting and sending in an OC as an antagonist/villain to appear in the story. I actually have already received it via the Pokemon Fanfiction subreddit! I have, though, definitely been made aware of the shift in culture, and that generally SYOC fics aren't really held in good faith (Or maybe never really were) for a bunch of reasons, and can have implications. But I did start an SYOC fic just as a means to engage more with the fandom! All of this is to say that I decided to post this chapter early to ask readers to vote in a poll about how they'd feel about that. The next chapter after that will be posted with the results of the poll. I think it would be pretty cool, but also, not trying to step on any toes/communicate the wrong thing here. Anyway, this note had been way too long, and if you've read this entire thing, I appreciate your attention.

The original upload for this chapter on ao3 was 2024-02-16

Jaret King belongs to Aggies2015

Viola Almach belongs to Ariesbird

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon and everything that's owned by it. I own the plot and Virgil Mathison.

They called Violet City the city of nostalgic scents, and to a degree, Jaret could agree with that. Traveling overnight left both of them tired, but Virgil had fully committed to slumping in his seat at the Pokemon center. Jaret on the other hand, after a quick nap, had decided to explore the city. If Virgil were to have his night terror right there in the Pokemon Center, he would be able to run to wherever he was planning. Happy Town had been entirely unexpected and Jaret had really only acted on reflex.

Jaret wondered about who "Mira" was, and her importance to Virgil altogether. Virgil's 'I don't know' carried a certain kind of despondence, and even through their first battle, Jaret had made note of how tired Virgil had to have been; it was one of the realizations that helped Jaret not humble him.

For Virgil, that would've been humiliation instead, and probably shame after that. Alice Tonelia had to be somewhere in her late thirties, if Virgil were as young as he was, and Alice Tonelia also happened to have one of the most spectacular runs in Sinnoh's Lily of the Valley. Jaret understood the pressure Virgil had to be living under, and how that pressure could distort self-image. It was why he gave Virgil the grace he did, even if Virgil didn't understand it. Both of them wanted to be stronger and make the ones that mattered to them proud, ironically for the both of them, it was their parents.

Maybe that was another reason besides his decent showcase during the screenings last year that had caught his attention. There were also more times than not, a peculiar sound of thunder in his ears or spots shaping into some kind of body on the edges of his vision when he spent enough time around Virgil, but unlike Virgil's nightmares, Jaret could actually sleep through them. Virgil's blood curdling screams had made their impression.

Those two things were the reason why Jaret had left Virgil at the Pokemon Center and why he stood there on the bridge leading to the Sprout Tower. Violet City was no Ecruteak, but it seemed like another place that relished in their history, and there were always monks in old towers like this, and monks, as far as he understood, trained in otherworldly things. Jaret would have been skeptical of that if he hadn't been to the Pokemon Tower or Mt. Pyre. There had to be something that the monks knew. He took a slow breath in, then out before he was off into the tower.

Virgil shot up from his seat, wiping his mouth. He had slipped into sleep without having realized it. He looked to Jaret's empty seat, and then around the Pokemon center in a daze. How long had he been sleeping? He stumbled up to the front desk groggy; he caught the twitch of discomfort in the receptionist's eye.

"Um, sorry about hanging out there, and I know this might be a weird thing to ask but…how long was I sleeping?" The man blinked at him incredulously for a moment.

"Sir, I would say maybe about two and a half hours?" Virgil nodded and left the desk with a small "thanks". He looked over the city as he stepped outside. Violet CIty's Pokemon center was much more stripped back than the last one, all of the core amenities being provided save the special food counter and the center was located too deeply in the heart of the town to have its own battlefield. Virgil figured that Jaret wouldn't have stayed long. He was a battler, and a powerful and famous one at that. Virgil yawned and he felt soreness mire behind his eyes. Two and a half hours was a little less than what he could manage. The nightmares had a penchant for rolling around around the third hour, and if he woke up just beforehand, like he did just moments ago, he would have had an impending sense of it and that would leave him hesitant to fall back asleep, as usual.

But his mind was clear, save for his lack of sleep, and Jaret's whereabouts were not. Virgil rubbed his eyes, blinking a little to stave off the exhaustion and took a second look over his surroundings but found nothing. Instead, he had picked up on the quaint bustle of Violet City's downtown and picked out the main street a block or two down from him. The high, or at least higher,density was a giveaway. The people lounged in seating from what Virgil figured were restaurants, dining and stores of different kinds; many of the buildings doubled as studios, more than likely living spaces for the handful of artists and street personalities that garnered even more engagement to the area. Mixed-use, Virgil thought, and it brought a frown to his face; I hope dad's okay…

Virgil went to make his way toward the main district, but stopped himself from stepping into a group of raucous kids running by him, a few of them with Pokemon of their own as they disappeared around the next block. He stood in silence before unhooking two poke-balls from his waist; they'd given him an idea, and seconds later two of his Pokemon took shape: Dewott, and Lucario.

"Listen guys, I'm gonna need your help looking for Jaret, okay?" Dewott sneered and gave a toss of his head.

"Hey, don't give me any of that!" Dewott flicked him a side-long glance. "You're the one who acted out! You didn't even give me a chance to do anything when we battled Jaret!" That earned him another scoff, and Virgil's fingers twitched with the urge to snatch the Pokemon up by the scruff of his neck but stayed his hand. That particular flood of rage had been..easier to deal with if he were honest. Dewott watched him steadily with one eye; Virgil collected himself and turned to his Lucario, who took a faltered step back when he reached a hand out. "Ah, no no. I just…" Virgil deflated for a moment. "Never mind," he grumbled. "We should get a move on looking for Jaret. But, the very least I can do is let you guys walk around for a bit, right?" Dewott didn't respond, and Lucario eyed him with concerned caution. Virgil shrugged. Whatever he was doing, Virgil was sure Jaret was going to be fine.

Virgil made his way over to the main district. He had honed in on a large spiraling building that happened to be the gym when he got closer but the doors had been locked. Dewott and Lucario kept close, the three of them scanning over and observing the myriad of shops and lounges that Virgil had expected, from tea shops that reminded him of his mother to the awareness of the mixed-use layout of the district that reminded him of his father.

And there was still no sign of Jaret.

He stopped himself as he begrudgingly took into account that Jaret had become his friend. Over the course of their short time traveling, Jaret became someone he could stand. It wasn't quite trust, but it was close enough. Virgil shook his head at the thought. If anything, he was grateful that Jaret could even deal with him. Virgil hadn't even realized he had gotten used to him being around so quickly, a realization that left him frozen when he thought he had heard his voice, and maybe another one just then. He threw a glance over his shoulder, only to find the life of the commerce behind him. He hung there for a moment before he shrugged again, shoved his hands into his pockets and went to continue down the block.

Dewott tugged at his pants and directed him to Lucario; the entirety of the Pokemon's focus was on him. It had been the first time Lucario had actually looked at him directly since the Indigo Conference, something Virgil had always chalked up to Lucario sensing his shame.

"It's been a while since you've actually looked at me like this," he said derisively and Lucario shirked away like Virgil figured he would, but didn't turn away like he usually did. "Did the stroll through town get to you? You're not normally like this." Lucario's paw came out and grabbed hold of his hand and Virgil paused. Something shivered Lucario, and the Pokemon writhed a bit in pain; Virgil snatched his hand away. "H-hey! What did I tell you about that aura stuff!? You know better than that anyway!" Lucario frowned as he shook off the pain before taking off down the block. "Lucario!" Virgil cursed, turning to Dewott and found that the Pokemon had disappeared also. Virgil cursed again, looking back up to find Dewott rushing intently after Lucario as well. The two of them rounded another corner. For all of his pride, Dewott could have just agreed to help him in the first place. Virgil cursed a third time before he took off after them.

Virgil skidded to a halt as he came to the ponds outlying the tower, just behind Lucario and Dewott. All three of them peered upwards as it swayed gently, from one side to the other. His eyes came back down to the lake, noting the crisp air and how different just a few hundred feet could make. His eyes fell then to his Pokemon. Dewott had knelt on both knees in silence in meditation, or something like it. Lucario, on the other hand, looked to him with the same concerned caution from earlier.

"I'm surprised you broke the rules for once…" Lucario looked away and to the tower with a small shrug. "You're way too generous for your own good." Lucario was silent. " But, I know you felt something, and I can't help if something's wrong with me. What do you think I've been trying to do all this time?" No answer, and Virgil let out a harried breath. "I don't know what's wrong, okay?" He was irritated now, and Lucario felt it; the Pokemon's attention shifted over to Dewott, then to him. "I've been trying to fix it, okay!? Besides, you made the choice to hang around when I wanted to trade you remember!?" Lucario twinged at that and immediate regret washed over Virgil.

I shouldn't have said that…

"H-hey, Lucario," Virgil moved in. "Look, what I mean–" Water sliced between them and Virgil stumbled backwards onto his rear. He turned with rage in Dewott's direction, glowering at him like he had taken to since the Indigo Conference. "What was that for!? I was trying to calm him down!" Dewott snapped back at him, and pointed a paw toward the tower, then accusingly, to Virgil. Dewott's eyes flashed over to Lucario and Virgil followed again; the Pokemon hadn't moved and found his will again. For the second time, Lucario met Virgil's gaze.

Virgil understood then.

"You two just won't leave me alone, will you?" He held back a smile, and the three of them bolted inside.

The three of them moved quickly up the first set of stairs, but Virgil nearly went headfirst over the railing of the second floor. He stood to catch his breath for a moment. His feet slid across the floors as the tower swayed and Virgil had nearly lost his footing more than once. His Pokemon both watched him struggle for those long seconds, Dewott with a disappointed frown and Lucario with his same timid concern.

"Don't look at me like that! I'm gonna' be fine!" Virgil tried to stand and when the building swayed the opposite way, he was surprised that the wooden railing didn't splinter when he gripped it in a panic. Dewott and Lucario had already begun making their way to the next floor up. Virgil grumbled. Maybe he could have used the help, but he wasn't going to admit that. Not with the way Lucario always watched him and definitely not with all of Dewott's annoyance, or whatever it was with him. Virgil had finally managed to regain his footing, and for a moment, swayed with the building. His eyes came to rest on the central pillar that made the tower possible. Picketts lined all sides of it, more than likely to keep people from sliding into the open floor space and to the floors below. He gripped the railing even tighter at the thought, but he had to move. When it passed slowly back to center, Virgil sprinted from the railing and up the stairs to the next floor.

Virgil slid to a halt behind Dewott and Lucario, and the first thing that he had laid eyes on had been an elderly man, dressed and embroidered in a patchwork of purple and gold: monk robes. His eyes had come up to meet the three of them. He had been talking to someone and they had been kneeling with him, either to listen or in prayer; it was impossible to tell which. Virgil moved in closer and a paw caught hold of his pant leg. Lucario murmured a warning and directed Virgil to Dewott, and Virgil was nearly floored.

Dewott's fur bristled, sharper than he had ever seen it before, and his paws clenched tightly around both of his scalchops, preparing for his "flowing scalchop" technique. The Pokemon felt threatened, and that sent Virgil into alert by itself. He looked forward again and caught a better glimpse of the other person sitting there. He shot forward into sight.

"H-Hey! Jaret!" He could feel the monk watching him closely and expectantly, and Virgil stifled the urge to scowl right back. Training ground or not, Virgil figured that the monk might have a little understanding when he told him off later. He kept his attention on Jaret, and on keeping from showing too much relief. "What the hell are you doing here? Come on, why don't we get going back to the gym? We should get started with the gym challenge." Jaret didn't respond.

"May I ask what has brought you unceremoniously to the Bellsprout Tower?" Virgil ignored him.

"Come on muscle face. Let's go." Still nothing. Virgil swung around to kneel directly in front of him then, tapping a cheek a few times; there was still nothing. Virgil was fretting a bit now, tapping his cheek a second time and a little harder. Virgil poked, flicked and prodded hoping for some kind of reaction, but Jaret sat as still and imperturbable as ever. It wasn't until Virgil brought his attention back to Jaret's face that he realized something strange. Jaret's eyes focused, transfixed onto open space, shining a bright shale.

"Boy, I deign to ask you a second time: What. has. Brought you. Here?" Dewott snapped at the monk and Virgil heard a scalchop spray to life.

"Dewott, stop!" Virgil bellowed and Dewott froze in an instant. Virgil turned to the monk. "What did you do to him," he spat. Virgil's voice had fallen to a hush. He was looking into the monk's eyes now, burning with the familiar rage from his rage faded as quickly as it came, especially when Virgil had seen the same rage burning from the monk as well. The man's eyes flicked to Jaret and then back again. "Start talking bones!" Virgil couldn't back down; Jaret was counting on him.

"I am addressed as the Sage Elder Li-"

"I couldn't care less about your damn name! What the hell did you do to him!?" Li peered out the tower windows for a moment, turning back to Virgil with a calm and deep breath. His tone was arrogant.

"He asked me for help."

"You call this help!?" Li nodded curtly.

"All beings must learn to coexist, and do so well." He turned to Virgil with an especially disparaging smirk. "And that can only be done through cooperation. Why wouldn't I help someone who asked for my help?" Virgil was there before the old man then, his fist already pushing toward Li's jaw. He would make this quick and snap Jaret out of whatever was going on. It was the least he could do after having been so annoying.

The next second, Li was in close with Virgil's fist knocked off its mark. A kick bit into his ankle and he yelped in pain and his vision spun the second after that. The slam against the floor knocked the wind from him with a gasp,, and Virgil managed a glance over to Jaret, who still did not move.

What;s wrong with him!? From the corner of his eye, he could see Li's arms moving back to his sides.

"Please refrain from violence in such a sacred place." Dewott yowled in fury and Virgil's pulsed with pain as he struggled to get a look.. Dewott had gone in with an Aqua Jet, a scalchop coming to life again. The Elder phased in, as ethereal as he had been earlier, and a hand lashed out through Dewott's Aqua Jet. It flashed again from overhead and Dewott sputtered into the wood.

Li reared back slightly as an Aura Sphere flung by him and into the wall. He turned his full attention onto a charging Lucario and Virgil felt his chest smolder. There had been the slightest bit of hesitation in Lucario and Li closed in, strafing to the side of an aura staff, Bone Rush, that flicked upwards in Lucario's instinct. A hand, bursting with light, came after Lucario. The Pokemon's weapon took the full brunt of the strike but disintegrated a moment later. Li's other hand thrusted forward, flinging the Pokemon from his feet and into the swaying beam. The Pokemon bounced from the wood and fell to the floors below.

"Lucario!"

Li stepped over to Jaret, placing a hand onto his forehead.

"I told you," Li sneered. "Your friend came to me and asked for help." The elder's hands tightened a bit. "And, you're awfully violent for having come to such a sacred place. No fighting is to be allowed here. Not unless it's for training. And we will oust anyone who attempts to defile such a doctrine." Li's hand twitched.

"You don't sound like you enjoy being a monk at the tower all that much." The pain had finally curbed a bit and Virgil climbed to his feet. "So the tower's reputation is just a lie, then? Tch, figures. There was nothing but spite when you talked about it." Virgil cursed. "And I don't care if you're a monk or not, I'm gonna get you back for Lucario! And I'll make you talk about Jaret!" Li' turned to him, dismissive. His smirk was still there.

"Are you stupid?. There is to be. No. Fighting." The disbelief that broiled in his chest struck him without warning, and hard. It was overwhelming, and Virgil couldn't really make sense of what he had heard then. He tried in vain to ignore and whisk Li's voice away. But the problem was that he hadn't heard Li.

He had heard Marus.

Li changed then, the skin twisting and darkening, pulling itself backwards, alive on its own. Li cackled and his head burst into flames, then wilted into Marus's face entirely, the exact same one he had seen in his nightmares. From conditioned muscle to feral hair that scratched just over his shoulders, Marus was here. He was different from the nightmares. He was going to tear him apart. Virgil felt his face drain at the thought.

"Y-you can't-"

"Ah, but I can, and I am." Virgil remained there in shock and his mouth agape. "Are you stupid? Can't you speak?" Virgil pulled himself together.

"H-hey! What did you do to–"

"Relax. I just did him a favor, that's all. He's not dead or anything." And Marus chuckled at that.

"I don't believe you. I've seen way too much. What are you doing here? Why are you here? I can't fucking sleep because of you!"

"You're the one doing all of the sleeping."

"Shut up!" Virgil lunged for Marus's throat and his wrists came up to knock his hands again off their mark. Virgil's chest thundered with pain that doubled back on itself when Marus struck him again, crouched low and with a bursting shoulder that sent Virgil off his feet with a gasp.

"You shouldn't fight people who know what they're doing." Virgil gasped for air, sputtering out coughs. His arms burned with effort as he tried to pick himself up. He could only look to Marus with disbelief.

I've got to do something… Marus laughed.

"Oh, well, I hate to tell you, but you won't be doing much. From the looks of it, the spirits you brought with you are done now."

Virgil tensed; there had been something about the way Marus had looked at him that sent a reverb through his mind. He had seen Marus's lips move, but he had also felt him moving through his mind.

"You…I've been hearing you this whole time…? You mean you're actually real?" Marus shrugged.

"As real as I'll ever be." He strolled over to him and Virgil kicked at him. Marus threw the kick aside, and threw the whole of his weight in a stomp on that same leg to keep Virgil from squirming away. Virgil cried out in pain, and suddenly a hand was over his mouth to stifle him. The impact of his head against the wooden tile brought spots to his vision, and throbbing pain. "Now, come on, Virgil. There's no reason to get so testy." Marus pressed down even harder and Virgil kicked in a panic. "Especially not when you've had all the freedom!" Spots exploded across Virgil's vision again. He felt heat consuming the air around his head, just as Marus tightened his grip and burst into rage. "Not when you haven't had to deal with what I have!" Marus brought Virgil up again to slam him against the wood for the third time.

He'll crush my jaw at this rate… There was a crooked flash of teeth just then. Marus could hear him, even when he said nothing. Marus's grip tightened. I'm gonna die..! Something struck Marus,and he lost his grip as he stumbled forward. Virgil seized the opportunity to grab hold of him and toss him overheard before scuttling to his feet in the opposite direction. Marus laid there for a moment before lifting himself back up with an amused chuckle. His eyes settled on the space next to him. The crackle of the electricity was the only thing Virgil needed to hear, he relaxed a bit. The orb at the end of its tail flickered furiously as it narrowed its eyes at Marus.

"An Ampharos?" Marus sneered and it stomped once in confirmation.

"Ampharos," the Pokemon looked down to Virgil, who gestured to Dewott. The Pokemon stirred then, shaking his head as he went to stand. Marus forced him back into the wood with his foot, and Ampharos crackled in anger. Virgil put an arm out. "You've gotta be careful. He… he beat Lucario…" The Pokemon turned to him in disbelief. "Yeah, I know. But, you're the strongest one I got... You proved that when I first got you, and you kept proving it over and over again. I don't want anything to happen to you…"

"For all of your worry over your Ampharos," Marus chided. "You shouldn't be needing this Dewott!" Marus rose another hand, steeped in the same light. Ampharos vanished then. Virgil knew the Pokemon's plan. Ampharos came together, just a few feet outside of Marus' range and brought his tail around to strike.

Marus's arm went up to guard, like Virgil and Ampharos expected and Ampharos's tail halted just before the impact.

"Confuse Ray!" Virgil looked away from the flash; he had heard Marus grimace. That was good, and Virgil followed up. Ampharos's Agility was never something anyone expected, and no one never expected the combination either. "Electro Ball!" The blast hit its mark and threw Marus from his feet. Virgil sprinted over to Dewott.

He looked over Dewott, who had been glaring where Marus had been standing and Ampharos did the same; neither of them thought the battle was over, and neither did Virgil. But he was far too rattled to make sense of everything happening. Why was Marus even here, and exactly, what did that mean for everything he had dealt with up until now?

"How could I forget," Marus had picked himself back up, visibly winded but still strong. "I forgot that your ties to the spirits are…pretty impressive."

"They're called Pokemon."

"Call them what you want, but that only shows that you know nothing about them." The three of them stood before Marus.

"Ampharos," Virgil began slowly. "Dewott's hurt, and he needs to rest." Dewott chittered bitterly in response, and Virgil turned to him like stone. "You're not going to battle. Do you hear me?" Dewott froze in shock and, for the second time, acquiesced. Jaret had definitely done something to him, Virgil realized. He would have to make up for lost time. His Pokemon deserved at least that much, and staring at Marus now, Virgil realized that he didn't quite feel that scathing rage anymore. Virgil turned his attention back to Ampharos. "Why don't we give him a shot?" Ampharos nodded with an eager smile. "Alright, let's do it."

"Well, then, I suppose I won't do it all myself and I'll make due with what I've got."

"Make due?" Virgil heard the click of a poke-ball, and a shade of brown sliced by the two of them as they shifted to the side. An owl came back around, perching back and onto Marus's shoulder, balancing on its single leg; the eyes of deep red-orange honed in on the two of them. Hoothoot or not, it was the first time Marus had called for a Pokemon: he was out for blood.

She had gone there to observe and make note of the air quality and how it affected the Pokemon habitat around Violet City, and the fact that she had bumped into Falkner had been an extra bonus. The fact that he was also a flying type leader with an impressive Pidgeot just happened to be the icing on the cake. Even so, Viola hadn't expected to find herself actually teaching as a guest at the local academy. Well, it was Earl Dervish's academy, and she had heard his name before even all the way out in Hoenn. But still, she had come here to beeducated, not become the educator. The people in Violet City were proud of their proximity to nature. In fact, many of the children had taken to quizzing her when she agreed to return as per Earl being so adamant.

"What Pokemon hold the ability Guts, and what does it do?"

"Hardy or stalwart Pokemon such as Machop or Taillow hold the ability; harsh afflictions sans sleep make Pokemon like them stronger in a pinch."

"What are the main status conditions, and how do you treat them?"

"Those would be paralysis, poison, sleep, or burns. Freezing a Pokemon solid is also considered an affliction, but it's something typically frowned upon because of how brutal it is for sanctioned competitions. Only the most harrowing of tournaments would legally consider freezing a victory. Most tournaments would disqualify the trainer at best, and if the trainer was intentional, take away their license at worst."

They had become less wary after that. She had even seen some of them taking notes.

"Can you list the natural terrain where Pidgeot are found, and what their diet is made from?" They had been interested then, and the student that had asked that question had been admiring Falkner when they had come into the classroom. She had smiled at that.

"Pidgeot are fond of their forests, temperate areas to be exact. While Pidgeot are known to hunt Magikarp, Rattata and its evolution are also selections too. Particularly gutsy Pidgeot will go as far to hunt Furret and even Pikachu, although the latter is very rare."

"Is Fortree really even all that great?"

"Do you know Winona? What's she like?"

Those last two questions weren't lost on her; she had proven herself and the children had really taken a liking to her. One of the children even swore that they would come visit Fortree and the Weather Institute when they "got big enough". Falkner had also opted to come along as well, and when Viola had insisted that she would be fine and that he did have a gym to run, he had managed some transparent lie about "Hoenn expertise."

Even if he were a gym leader, a boy was still a boy, and that had landed her there in the heart of downtown, more specifically the main strip that Falkner referred to as "Avila Square". It was close to the gym, and a recently finished "Zephyr Wing Contest Hall" was also close by too, so if anything were to happen, he would know, and be able to react quickly.

At least, that was what he had said, but all of his attention and focus had been on her, and it was both something that Viola didn't quite understand, but understood far too well. She had been unable to find the words to communicate how utterly uninterested she really was, even as others had already taken notice; Falkner was handsome after all.

"Well, I'm flattered, but I'm not exactly here for boys or anything and, I'm sure you can tell…" Falkner gave a wave of his hand.

"I figured as much, and normally, I wouldn't have even considered anything like this but," he paused. "You were really something at Dervish's academy," he said softly. "I really thought the least I could do was take you out for some of the city's best noodles I could think of…"

The children, of course… Viola had figured him out already. Falkner was handsome, but approached her the same like most boys did, which was always about how she tickled a particular niche for them, and for Falkner, it had been her knowledge on Flying types and the unassuming nature that most men loved to project their stories onto.

"Well, thank you," Viola quipped. "But, it was really just me winning over their trust with extra bits of answering some of their burning questions."

"Maybe," he fixed her with his best smile, and Viola could admit, it wasn't bad. "But you also caught a lot of interest with the advanced students when it came to battling strategies. You might be the first person I've met that communicates weather teams so well…"

Flattery won't get you very far, she thought with amusement.

"Did you forget already," Viola asked with a chuckle. "I am actually interning for the Weather Institute. It's my main reason for being in Johto. To observe air quality in particular places like here and Cherrygrove, yes, but also air patterns and how they can affect Flying Pokemon."

"This…sounds like an Altaria inspired project." Viola giggled.

"So you have been listening. The Weather Institute is next door to Fortree, and it took a lot of convincing and a good word from Winona for them to let me come out this far. It's a good thing they want so much information, huh?"

"So you do know Nagi personally?"

"I won't put in a good word for you if that's what you're asking," she replied laughing a second time. "I don't know her too well, but 'Nagi' is the nickname Wallace used to win her over…"

"H-hey, I didn't mean anything like that, I just…" A small 'eep' nestled free as he took her hand into his with a fluid motion. "I just wanted to really show you around Violet City and what this place has to offer, what I have to offer." He tucked some hair behind an ear, to peer at her with both eyes. He must have really wanted to change her mind. "If you'll have it, I'm sure that I'll be able to win you over." He flashed another smile. "I promise." A hurried clutter of footsteps had, thankfully, caught their attention and they turned, catching the eye of a man, anointed in robes of gray and black

"Ah, Sir! Leader Falkner, I–Er…" Then he paused, and Falkner's hand slipped from hers the very next second; Viola had hoped he hadn't heard her breath of relief. "I..er, please forgive me for the sudden intrusion, but you must come quick! It's the Sprout Tower" His voice was pleading. The monk was desperate, fear and panic thick on the edge of his tone Viola had never seen someone look so frightened.

"Jin! I need you to calm down! What is happening!?" The monk, Jin, had managed to grab a hold of himself then.

"It's…it's the Elder. Something is wrong. There's this…vengeful force that's just…shown up top floor! We don't know what has happened, but we think the Elder already knew. He had sent all of us away from the tower so he alone could deal with it, but we haven't heard from him since…" Viola observed Falkner, whose face was wild with alarm but even then, his voice came through calm.

"I see…Then, no worries. I'll go take a look. You can remain here until I return." Jin shook his head.

"No sir, allow me to go with you! I've already gathered the other monks, and if this is something indeed malevolent, then we will need strength in numbers!" Falkner nodded with a small sigh. "Then, please be careful. If there's any battling to be done, leave it to me." He turned to Viola. "Well, I guess duty calls. But, maybe you'll give some thought to the offer?" He left toward the tower with a wink. She stared at where he had been sitting, across the table from her and at his bowl of lukewarm noodles. He had been so adamant about winning her over that all of the stopgaps he had mentioned hadn't even worked; his projections really had gotten the better of him. If she were honest, what the monk had said struck something with her too. She had kept a strong face about her, but Violet City for her felt cold, and with all of her teaching about the weather and the Institute that she worked for, the immediate cold in the middle of summer was anything but normal. , without the proper guidance, felt the same.

But yet, no one seemed to notice.

Violet City's slogan was also something along the lines of the "Scents of Nostalgia" or something of the sort. Nostalgia for her was the smell of earthy wood and fresh silk from gluttonous Wurmples. It didn't make any sense for her to have caught the smell of freshwater on her nose. Not when Hoenn was mostly all ocean. Moments later, she was standing near the pond at the foot of Sprout Tower.

Hoothoot was a Pokemon that did not match whatever malevolence Marus carried. It may have been a flying type but it was, by Virgil's standards at least, a pitiful flier. When Marus had called for it, the owl had slashed by them so quickly that Virgil had been worried if Hoothoot was also going to defy reality as he knew it. But Ampharos had made short work of it, freezing the owl just short of range with a Thunder Wave, then closed in with a Thunder Punch lariat and brought the Pokemon into the wooden floor hard. Ampharos had come up with as best as a thumbs up as he could toward Dewott; Dewott had turned away out of jealousy. Virgil's eyes had gone up to Marus to see if there had been any kind of reaction; he had found nothing.

The second Pokemon that Marus, or Li, whichever he really was, had sent out was the titular Bellsprout that shifted and swayed in a dance and barrage of Vine Whip strikes. Ampharos had dodged the first few lashes but took a blow that had thrown him off balance. From there, Bellsprout had kept him at a distance and outside of range. That is, until Ampharos had placed a flipper on the claw necklace that Virgil had made for him during the Indigo Circuit last year; a Sneasal's loose claw, or 'quick claw' in layman's terms. The quick claw had activated, and Ampharos, a blur closed in, blasting the Bellsprout across the floor and to Marus's feet with an Electro Ball.

"I'm impressed."

"Yeah? Well you haven't seen anything yet! And start talking! What the hell did you do to Jaret!?""

"Language, language." Marus gave a smug shrug. Virgil's face curled in disgust.

"Hey, you can't hear me talking or something," Marus was weighing on his patience. He looked the same as he did in his nightmares: eyes of stone. "Answer me! In case you haven't noticed, that Bellsprout of yours can't hold Ampharos at all. So start. Talking!" Marus stared blankly at first. Then, he laughed.

"Hm, does all that fury feel familiar?" Virgil froze. "Ah, so you do know what I'm talking about."

"Jaret is the priority! Nothing else!"

"Of course he is. Because he's the first person in a long time that's not scared of you, right?" Virgil's jaw tightened.

"Because whatever I've got going on with you doesn't mean other people have to get hurt because of it!"

"But you want them too. I thought you were starting to like him quite. a. Bit." Virgil grimaced and went to speak; Marus was quicker. " 'How do you know that?' Is what you're going to ask me," Fear suddenly thudded in Virgil's chest and in his skull. How did Marus know that? "And now that you're scared, maybe even terrified because your mind is supposed to be where you are safe, you can barely move, can't you?"

How is he doing this, came a horrified thought.

"Because you make it too easy," came Marus's barbed response. "I don't even need this Bellsprout to wring the life out of you!" Ampharos was suddenly between the two of them. The Pokemon sizzled and cracked with electricity, cycling from the Pokemon body to his tail and back again. "And now this spirit of yours is going to die first?" Ampharos pointed defiantly at Marus, the current rising even further; the display of strength snapped Virgil back to attention.

"I don't know how you know what's going on in my head," Virgil began. "But it's whatever. We're separate now and I'll get Jaret back, and with no Pokemon, I think me and Ampharos have more than enough ways to get you to talk." Marus grunted

"Is that right? That's where you're wrong." Marus knelt to Bellsprout, tapping its head once, twice, then a third time. The Pokemon stood again, re-energized and prepped for battle. Virgil grunted.

That thing's gonna get hurt at this rate… Ampharos growled. Marus shook his head in disappointment.

"You shouldn't rush headlong into things." Marus snickered then. "Take it from me, I know." A white sheen wrapped itself around Bellsprout. The light consumed Bellsprout entirely, then shifted its form entirely. It became fuller, more round and its leaves had become one hanging over its head. Virgil narrowed his eyes.

I've never heard of a Pokemon evolving from losing before… The light dispersed, revealing a Weepinbell standing before them. Weepinbell scowled. There was another smug grin.

"Now, let's see how you do now."

"How were you able to get it to evolve…?"

"The spirits do what they please," Marus retorted with a shrug. "Nothing more, nothing less." The Weepinbell hopped beside Marus. Everything simply felt unreal. From Jaret doing nothing, to his battle with Marus, Virgil was at a complete loss on how things had gotten here, or escalated so quickly for that matter. He was left more at a loss at the idea that Bellsprout–Weepinbell– followed Marus's command without a second thought. Didn't that Weepinbell know any better?

"Don't waste your time thinking it over." Virgil grimaced. Marus read his very thoughts, as soon as they came up, and that was supposed to be impossible for human beings. He had tried to think of anything else, and nothing else seemed to fit the circumstances quite like such an outlandish idea. He had only ever seen it done through psychic Pokemon, and the highly advanced ones at that.

He supposed that things were as strange as they could be now. "Well," Marus barked. "You and your Ampharos were so eager to fight weren't you!? Then come on!"

The Energy Ball that came for Virgil was sudden and Ampharos stepped in front of him to take the blow. A fin went to the quick claw at its neck, and Ampharos hissed into a blur. Virgil heard the crackles and loosing of electricity, but his eyes settled a little ways away, to Jaret kneeling before a window of the tower framed by two of the Bellsprout statues that seemed to be a small altar of sorts. He stared unerringly toward the sky.

I'm stuck… Jaret hadn't moved the entire battle. All of this fighting and he hadn't come any closer to figuring out what the hell happened. What Virgil did know was that Jaret was strong, and any of his Pokemon -Arcanine preferably- would have helped a great deal. Jaret…

Virgil caught the hum of another blast, an Energy Ball that Weepinbell had managed to rush by Ampharos hurtling toward him, when Dewott had leapt in this time between him the attack, cleaving the blast in two as it dispersed. It turned to Virgil with that familiar reprimand in his eyes criticizing him for having gotten lazy. Virgil searched out for Ampharos, who had just been thrown from his feet by a briar-ridden whip of grass, Power Vine; Virgil looked to Marus. The arrogance had disappeared. Virgil spotted the contemplation etched into the corners of his eyes.

"You're fighting awfully hard for that oblivious mess over there. Why are you so invested?"

"He doesn't deserve to die for whatever is my problem.." Another grunt. "And you're my problem."

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"

"You know why. Why do I have to look at you every time I want to sleep!? Why are you always there, and why do you always die!? If you're right here, right now, then why the hell can't you just leave me alone!?" For the first time since he had shown up, Marus was quiet. His expression was impassive and gave Virgil nothing, not even an acknowledgement that he had even heard him. Instead, he neared Weepinbell, giving it another tap to its forehead, and the familiar light began to grow around it again. Ampharos had come to his feet, bewildered but still determined, and sizzled defiantly.

"We'll never win like this..." As the glow came down, an even bigger…thing with slanted eyes and hooked teeth came to stand between the two of them. It was going to be Ampharos against this Victreebel. The air shifted near the entrance and , like a novice, Virgil turned to see the newcomers.

"You, with the Ampharos! Just what do you think you're doing bringing violence into the Sprout Tower?" Entering the fight was a trainer, cool colored hair and bangs reaching over one eye; He tucked some hair behind an ear; it was Falkner, Violet City gym leader.