POV Agatha.
The light of the full moon, usually a time when Agatha was most happy and at peace, shed an eery light over the local forests of Saffron city. She had just gotten done with debriefing Lance, Bruno and Karen. She had send everyone on a merry farfetch’d chase while she followed the faint traces of shadow sneak. Clear enough for her specialized ghost tracker to find. Subtle enough for no one but her, to find the clues.
she was equal parts excited, equal parts furious. She was an elite four member. The longest standing member of Kanto in a century. She enjoyed the awe and fear of all. Yet this upstart little shit had her on and errands little chase. Leaving breadcrumbs in a particular pattern, a pattern she recognized from when she was an innocent little girl, taunting her. “Giovanni, I do not think you have what it takes, to fully appreciate what you set loose.”
She muttered darkly. She put her doubts out of her mind. If Sakaki made a decision it didn’t do any good to question him. Even if she was the ghost expert. The man had a gift, often Agatha wondered if he had the gift of foresight, with how he navigated life. She huffed and puffed, following the bread crumbs.
This boy, this Kai had been exposed to a full dive into the realm of Giratina, the abyss, that much was clear. He had gazed directly into the ultimate expression of death. Merrily had he flipped it the finger and driven his soul back into its dead body.
the boy was a ghost. A bonafide ghost within its own dead body.
A revenant. She sighed. That was a big problem, but a problem for another day. It was still only a month since he became one. As luck would have it, it happened to a loser nobody.
She was oathbound to prevent this event from happening. All the daily rituals to bring ghosts their peace all for naught. She ground her old teeth. Not for the first time her responsibilities as the chief ghost trainer in the Kanto region warred with her loyalty to the team, to Sakaki.
The first true Revenant had ushered in the dark ages, the last had caused the celestial collision. All ace Ghost specialists were debriefed on these little factoid. All were honor bound to join the ghost alliance to get rid of the death cult the verious Revenants had spawned. With what the death cult considered it’s return. Dark days were ahead.
She had failed as a ghost Maiden. Well maiden was a loose term. Plenty of good men had shared her bed. Quite a few she was still fond of, still visited from time to time. A shame really, she would have preferred the life of a house wife, like a good maiden. But alas Sakaki’s late father picked that bitch.
The only reason she could hold herself back from pummeling that arrogant woman, was that she gave birth to Sakaki. A formidable man, the pride and true strength of Kanto. The man Kanto needed, even if most of what he did was not legal. Kanto came out stronger and that’s what she cared about in the end.
She shook her head. She was losing focus in her old age. She had to make sure Karen became an elite four. It had taken so long for someone to finally relieve her of her duty.
Dark types latched onto a particular emotion, desire or intent. The three were merged for most, from which they drew strength. The issue, was Dark types proclivity for negative emotions, they stood closest to ghosts. That new kid on the block with his ludicrous Poochyena. She had seen the ruthless hunter inside that man, not surprising, considering where he used to live.
Karen on the other hand was an incredibly unique case, of someone who lived and breathed duty and loyalty to Kanto above all.
She grumbled and huffed. Chasing a revenant would no doubt complicate matters. “Driving me into an early grave, are you assisting me in that endeavor Sakaki?” She muttered darkly.
Her Gengar’s, her cutie patooties hackled, cackled and howled with an eerie chilling sound. “You three trying to cheer this old hag? Aw what would I do without you three?” She smiled maniacally like a witch, which pleased her three Gengar immensely.
Her heart hardened with that soothing icy chill of theirs. Her momentary vulnerability gone.
Her Dusknoir, fifty paces ahead, trained specifically for tracking came to a halt. Agatha knew they had caught up to their target. She sighed, this was nothing like the wild hunts she used to partake in with her ghost when she was younger.
She got off her Gengar chair and slammed the tip of her cane into the muddy soil. Exuding the energy she had in her Prime.
”Come out, Come out wherever you are~” she cackled with a gravely witch like voice.
“What cruel gentleman would leave a poor old defenseless shrine maiden alone in the forest? Waiting in despair?”
she spoke dramatically. Fairy type trainers were odd to her. They hated seriousness. But if you approached them playfully they would often bite.
”Maiden? I don’t think you qualify, dear Mistress.” A gangly boy that she recognized from the footage Sakaki had shown her, emerged from the shadows.
A pang of envy shot through Agatha’s chest. To use a ghost move, an advanced one at that, so easily as if taking a stroll through a garden. Was something she had struggled with tremendously. Years of training. Yet this boy had it handed to him on a silver platter. She growled.
“Do you have any idea what you have done? What the consequences will be? What were you thinking! Attacking one of the most prestigious Gym’s in the Kanto region? You think you were in trouble when you got send to jail for kidnapping? I should bring you in for life for such an egregious act. Especially if what I suspect you did, is true.”
the boy gave her a chilling smile, she was a hardened veteran of a war, had engaged in many dark but necessary clandestine missions for Kanto. Seen the ugly of this world. Yet that smile set her on edge.
”I understand it perfectly fine. Better than you I would reckon. Right Jasper?” he cackled.
A weak snickering from the side. ”Duh, obviously.”
Agatha’s head snapped to the direction of the sound. A sickly looking ginger with 5 psychic Pokemon, surrounding him defensively and a Gourgeist to his side. She was surprised by how quickly that Gourgeist had bonded with this Kai fellow. She could tell it barely recognized her, even though her shrine had spend quite a few years training this Pokemon.
“shit that’s too many, I only brought my three favorites.” She scolded herself internally. The dusknoir although powerful, lacked stamina as a battler.
She especially didn’t like the nasty combination of abilities she was sure those 5 psychic Pokemon had..
Psychic Pokemon when remotely well trained, didn’t care much for how strong another Pokemon was. They had immense potential in outmaneuvering their opponent.
If those Hypno’s had mind and skill link, this would be a tricky and annoying fight she knew she was too agitated for, these two youngsters would not hesitate attacking her if it came to it.
She smiled like a witch in her Prime. These two boys were giving her a treat. As a ghost trainer the closer you were to death and defied it. The stronger you became. It had been too long since last this occurred.
“Do you two wana take this old maiden for a dance?” She asked menacingly, matching Kai’s psychotic energy. Her old war habits surfaced. She was thinking in terms of life or death again. She had missed that sensation, like meeting an old friend after years apart.
The Gangly kid, Kai with a Mimikyu, another troublesome Pokemon, on his shoulder and a yamask huddling into him smirked. ”I doubt we would survive your needs in such a dance.” The gangly boy cradled his shiny Yamask and his Mimikyu cooed.
“Would you be so kind to set up a rendezvous with mister G? We did our part but I want to hand the package over face to face.” He asked sweetly.
“Hand it over.” Agatha didn’t feel like doing any more errands.
“So you can kill us? Please don’t insult us.” His smile became darker. He was strung tight.
Agatha grinned. “A girl can try, right?”
“Not with us you can’t.” The ginger spoke. His eyes glowed the signature blue of psychic energy. Agatha sighed. These boys played dirty. Their Pokemon were ready.
“You may come with me, I know a place where Mister… G, can meet you.” She dropped the facade. Her face back to the resting sour expression.
“Good, lead the way my lady.” The revenant smiled darkly and gave a half bow.
POV Joy Elder.
an inconspicuous old Lady walked into the Ghost shrine, the place where ghost and human went if they had issues with one another. Basically one went here when a Gengar refused to leave your shadow and made your life miserable and cold.
On the outlook it looked like the old lady was ignored. However the subtle nods and tension from the young girls on guard duty, could tell you, that this was no ordinary old lady. There was respect and awe in their posture.
The old nurse huffed. Finally someone gave her the respect she was due. She sighed, remembering that accursed conversation with her own granddaughter. She had foolishly burned that bridge and it would take years to earn that girls trust back. If she ever would, for that matter. Her granddaughter’s obstinacy reminded her too much of herself. It lead to so much pain in her younger years. Pain she hopelessly tried to shield the younger generation from.
She put it out of her mind. A young maiden with a keen sparkle of intelligence in her eyes, approached her.
“The ghost maiden is out, she should be back shortly. Can I escort you to the conference room?”
”Sure thing girl, lead the way,” she spoke warmly with just enough maternal affection for it to not be obvious. Now here was a girl who understood and accepted her place in life. She exuded it from every pore, from every angle of her posture.
The elder smirked. It was too perfect. This girl was a spy, for whom, she didn’t really care. Her relationship with Agatha was a cold professional one. She wouldn’t be surprised if Agatha knew the moment this girl showed up, and fed her bad intel just to flush out whoever it was that had this sort of audacity. They entered a non descript conference room. Table chair, projector. Obvious budget cuts everywhere.
”Coffee or tea?” The maiden asked. With a perfectly practiced bow.
”The finest of your tea, the one for special occasions. My weary bones could use the invigoration.” The elder responded. The maiden got a knowing smile and bowed perfectly again and left.
“Do I detect little spite?”
An old Jenny, hair all gray but still prim and proper with a back straight as a plank.
“Still has a sandslash stuck up in her behind it seems.” The elder joy, thought, not really hiding it.
“Tsch! This coming from the one who inhales concerning amounts of wheezing fumes.”
The elder Joy grinned, “Touche, so do you have any idea why the old maiden, summoned us?”
Elder Jenny shrugged. “She said it was important. Said it concerned more than just the indigo league and the clans.”
”I wonder what got her all riled up to use that specific phrase.” Elder Joy said while sitting down.
”we both have a strong suspicion, now don’t we?” Elder Jenny said. Elder Joy nodded.
She hid the relief she felt from taking the pressure of her knees. Her old age was getting to her. The earlier maiden came in with an expensive tea set and poured a generous amount of tea in cups and served delicious petite lemon frosted scones. “A small bite of the pastry, amplifies the taste and aroma of the tea.” She advised both the old Jenny and Joy.
“Thank you my dear, you spoil an old woman!” Elder Joy said a little too over animated. Just enough to plant doubt, not enough for it to be obvious in the social game they played.
The maiden gave her a shy smile, perfectly practiced, bowed perfectly again and left.
The elder Joy huffed and threw a glance towards Elder Jenny. “You figured out who that one belongs to?” Her voice cold.
”Do I have to name the whole list? Agatha has too many enemies. She does it on purpose, keeps her sharp she says. Either a big gym audacious enough or one of the troublesome teams we aren’t allowed to flush out.”
”Allowed?” Elder Joy couldn’t help herself.
“Not now Ivonne, I’m not in the proper mind for a debate.”
”what has gotten you so pissed?” Elder Joy asked.
”Like I said not now.” Jenny didn’t fire back with her usual retorts.
Elder Joy knew why. The fiasco in the asylum had them all riled up. Revealing to both, the Joy and Jenny clan had gotten infiltrated deeply by the enemy. The death cult. How, neither knew, it was an ominous situation.
The door slammed open and Agatha strolled in. Both Jenny and Joy noticed immediately. Agatha had been close to, or in a fight. Both remembered Agatha’s wild days. She looked drained and exhausted.
“What happened?” Both asked simultaneously.
*I just confirmed, although still in its preliminary stage, that one of those kids that got out of your Asylum. Is a revenant.*
Pov Giovanni
It was late at night, sitting alone in his office. Swirling his glass of quality liquor. He sipped it. Siam had outdone herself. The newly aquired Liquor company had turned a new page. Only the best liquor from now on.
The name of Giovanni attached for good measure. After a small dip in its stocks during the first week of acquiring it, shot straight back up with some smart maneuvering of assets the guarantee of quality. He shook his head. The incompetence of the previous board had been surprising to say the least.
”What an ingenious & insidious concept, stocks are, he thought smiling.”
His eyes fell on the report of his personal research team. Due to constraints he couldn’t visit the research rig out in the middle of the ocean. But the results of some preliminary testing on the TE essence handed to him on a silver platter by this Kai Jasper, were very positive.
For the first time in long frustrating decades of failure during his father’s reign, a few frustrating decades under his reign. The scientists had given him a time frame.
They could produce a protoversion within the year. A full fledged clone in three, maybe four years. Now that the finish line of this marathon was in sight, he had no clue what to feel. He hadn’t prepared for this eventuality. It certainly pushed their timetable ahead. It meant his team that was underground for the most part, could start taking a more active role. They could begin their claim to dominance.
POV Oak.
Ariving home Oak went to bed. “I really am getting old.” He mused to himself. Back in his heyday. This sort of news would have him fired with righteous anger. Ready to investigate every last detail, hunt down the Perpetrators.
Now? All he cared about was getting back and making sure his grandchildren were ok and by extension Delia and Ash.
The boy had made great strides with his Pikachu. Although technically not recommended for kids that hadn’t gone on their journey. Both Gary and Ash had gone out, somehow collected funds for pokeballs, and each caught two pokemon.
Apparently both had hustled a bit in a nearby town and done simple tasks for people for the funds.
Oak couldn’t help but feel a surge of Pride when Gary came back all proud with a feisty Nidoran and an inquisitive Spearow.
Gary was already thinking ahead, he had talked extensively about his strategy of avoiding the Psychic Gym and instead had decided to challenge the minor fighting and dark gym instead. A loophole frowned upon by most but Gary was going for a heavy and fast hitter team. He simply didn’t feel confident tackling the Psychic gym, which was widely known as the hardest gym. They outright refused applications for 1-3 badges and had incredibly tricky teams to fight.
Sabrina the daughter of the gym Leader was responsible for the 4-6th badge and her ability to communicate psychically with her Pokemon was something Gary begrudgingly knew he needed more time for. Oak hoped the girl would be ok. She was already a bit of an oddball and difficult to communicate with, considering she would have a conversations with your thoughts before you were aware you had those thoughts.
Ash obstinately had decided this was a perfect opportunity to one up Gary. And had proclaimed he would not deviate from the victory road challenge.
Ash had caught himself a Caterpie and Pidgey.
Oak knew Ash would struggle from the get go. He had solid coverage with his team and luckily for Ashe, bug Pokemon evolved fast but he was missing a wall breaker, necessary for the first Gym.
The first pewter gym was not to be underestimated. Flint had lost some prestige and was skirting the lines of what was required of a Gym leader. But Oak like all veterans remembered.
Flint had been an a frightening force during the war. He had retired his orginal team. Broken their Pokeballs after the war was over. His original 6 had remained with Flint. A testament to their bond. His onix and Golem, both permanently injured, were still considered among the top 100 most powerful Pokemon in the Kanto region. It was his love for alcohol and habit of disappearing for days on end that tarnished his reputation, leaving the duties of the Gym to his oldest son Brock. A fine lad, already a veteran trainer, who could have easily made it on the Ace track but instead chose family over his Career.
With a rock solid team. The affinity for Rock definitely ran in deep in Pewter City.
Ash and Gary had lots of battles ever since acquiring their new members and to the relief of both Delia and him, they had their hands full trying to gather their funds while training their baby Pokemon.
Spending their precious money on expensive vintage Pokeballs, both boys belonged to the traditional trainers, believing in only the best for your team. That left a massive dent in their funds however and they needed to work extra hard to make it in time. They now needed to gather funds everyone else had 3 years for, in a bit more than 2 years. He had no doubt those diligent boys would succeed. Their passion and fire for Pokemon made them singularly focused.
He expected good things from those two boys. He couldn’t help but hope that allowing the boys up to 3 Pokemon to bond with, they would have something of a similar success as that Carlos Sicada.
Oak sighed. That man, even amongst the feats of star children was a complete oddity. He was talented as a trainer no doubt. The way he connected with Pokemon was a marvel to behold. The potential he managed to bring out in his team was phenomenal. Which only made his headache worse. Not only was he talented he was too perceptive for his own good. He tossed his Pokedex onto his desk and uploaded the massive folder to his terminal.
He went to bed, too tired for something he knew would be more concerning news. The next morning after 3 healthy amounts of coffee pots and properly awake, Oak went to his office and began dissecting Carlos findings.
Neatly organized in multiple folders with a main file detailing the findings and explaining the findings to any who couldn’t read the telemetry data.
It was clear from the way he talked about his findings, Carlos was not a researcher at heart, but he was clear and concise, which made his findings all the more worrisome.
It was the old debate all over again, ever since they were introduced decades ago. At the time the findings had been similar to what Carlos was talking about and it was a known quantity that the cheap V3 pokeballs did make the stasis inside Pokeballs more uncomfortable for the Pokemon. Which was why most trainers ended up using more expensive balls for their more serious teams.
those that didn’t use their funds for more expensive balls, were usually trainers that did the rookie circuit, realized they weren’t battlers and got a job or apprenticeship after their journey was done. People like this, rarely had up to 3 Pokemon and almost never had them inside their balls.
The general consensus had been that if a Pokemon feels inhibited by their Pokeballs, don’t keep them inside and only use it when necessary.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Ash’s Pikachu had developed what was now classified as pokeball phobia.
Carlos had been the only whisperer to date that had worked with Pokemon and v3 balls and the digit balls to date.
Every whisperer, like Carlos had been outspoken about their contempt for these 2 variants of Pokeballs. Carlos however had been the first one to actually test the effects of the v2 and v3 pokeballs in conjunction with a whisperer and Pokemon.
The results were incredibly concerning. The v2 results were no surprise, they were specifically designed to inhibit bonding. Something whisperers relied on to get to know their Pokemon. It wasn’t just speech. They got to know a Pokemon instinctively much faster than regular people. This was their greatest boon. Having both pokemon and trainer on the same wavelength was crucial. Something the digit balls prevented.
What came as a shock to professor Oak, was how much a v3 Ball inhibited this process, similar to what the v2 did. Normal people wouldn’t notice this as much since the process of bonding was slower. For someone like Carlos however, it was very noticeable.
It didn’t help that Carlos straight up speculated that this was done on purpose. Suggesting that the developmental research done prior to the release must have been altered, or that the blueprint for the v3 ball was altered at some point after it was approved.
From the way Carlos wrote his findings, professor Oak could infer that Carlos didn’t believe this had been done in good conscience.
”Everything alright dear? You look worried.” Delia had poked her head into his office and gave him an inquiring look.
Oak sighed. ”You know the old idiom, when it rains it pours. This is one of those days. Carlos has made some rather disturbing discovery.”
Delia walked over and stood behind Oak, while Oak showed her some of Carlos theories. Delia was an intelligent woman and understood most of what Oak talked about without much need of explanation.
”I guess no one noticed because no one ever pushed to test this with a whisperer?” Delia offered.
Oak shook his head. “Whisperer’s aren’t the only ones that bond quickly with Pokemon. auric fighters, psychics, people with great disposition towards certain typings, all have the potential to stand toe to toe with the whisperers of this world.
No, there should have been plenty of inquisitive people who got the same idea as Carlos. Roughly 15-20% of veteran trainers makes the purchase of a telemetry device, in order to better understand and train their Pokemon. Yet no one thought to test the v3 pokeballs in this fashion?
For that matter why didn’t I think of it?”
”Because Carlos is naturally distrusting, it’s a curse all the people of his disposition have.” Delia offered. “We didn’t think to look for issues because we trusted the prestigious expertise of Silph&co, their pride in their work.”
Oak nodded. “You are right but the scientific community should have noticed, yet we didn’t, verification is a significant part of my work. It has me worried that this could have gone unnoticed for so long. That in of itself is might be evident of something or something interfering.”
Delia nodded quietly. “So what’s the next course of action?”
Oak grabbed his pokedex. “Talk with the troublesome young man before he does something rash.” Delia grinned. “Good luck with that, the boy seems to be the type to bash his head into anything he deems wrong.” Oak grinned back, “don’t remind me.”
Oak send a message to Carlos and wasn’t too surprised thay Carlos send him a message back not a minute later, informing him he would meet within the hour. Oak’s Alakazam popped into the room. “I will wait in the Pokecenter for his arrival.”
Oak nodded and his Alakazam was gone within the blink of an eye, without so much as a sound.
”Ever since you gifted me Mimey, all those years ago. Ive developed a new appreciation for the finesse your Alakazam has when it comes to Psychic moves.” Delia said while watching the empty space that Alakazam had occupied.
”He is a prodigy, even amongst his own kind. The Saffron Gym leader has often let his envy slip past his meticulous guard.” Oak said with no small amount of pride.
An hour later Carlos walked in.
Pov Jasper.
One day prior to Carlos double match
“Alright get in, and hold the equipment properly can’t have it breaking.” Kai said slightly Impatient. Jasper gazed at the gaping black hold he had to get into. Again.
Jasper was still reeling from the 3 previous trips and fell to one knee and vomited again. Dry heaving an empty stomach. The nausea made his head spin and he could barely think. Kai seemed to prefer going through the shadows with shadow sneak. It’s how they got around so quickly. But humans weren’t meant to go through the shadow realm. Definitely not living ones.
“G-Give me a minute.” He stammered weakly. Kai scoffed. He got a manic grin on his face. His eyes glimmered with madness
“We don’t have a minute. Want me to yank you through the shadow realm alll ghosts traverse instead?”
”N-no Kai, once was more then enough.”
”PFF! That was barely a second! Don’t be such a wimp, all it takes is some getting used to.” Kai was frustrated and irritated for the first time since Jasper met him in back the insane asylum. He understood perfectly why Kai was nervous and anxious, even if he was a complete psycho now. The insane bastard had told him what he was planning.
”Fuck you Kai, I know you need me for this, so give me a minute alright?”
”No! Get in! This is a difficult part at best! we need to catch them off guard! Get in! Or I will throw you in!”
Jasper was about to protest but Morgrem walked up and picked him up. Somewhat gently, but only because Jasper was holding the equipment.”
“Mor. Morgrem!” Which Jasper roughly translated as “do as your told!” But there was a plethora of emotions he couldn’t place. However the disgust at his weakness was apparent.
It was weird getting picked up by something barely a third of your own height and weight as if you were made of paper but that was Pokemon. Jasper sighed in resignation. Another trip inside the gourgeist. Or it’s container ability.
like those fancy backpacks that used distortion science or whatever the hell it was called. Except the container ability allowed for living things to be transported, apparently. He never knew that was possible. Jasper highly doubted many were crazy enough like Kai, to test it but here he was.
If it hadn’t been for Kai’s near perfect omniscience in finding some of the rarest Psychic Pokemon, Jasper would have run as fast as he could, find some dead end job somewhere in the sticks far away from any noise, maybe a pokemon or three but fade into obscurity.
In the complete darkness of getting stuck inside the container of Kai’s new Gourgeist, Jasper palmed his 6 new Pokeballs. Newly produced vintage v1 balls. Another eccentric thing Kai had picked up on. Pokeballs, where Pokeballs, not him, Kai or Sara had ever cared about forking over money for more expensive Pokeballs.
Not the new Kai Vesper though, oh no, now it was nothing but the best. Jasper had to admit, having a proper undisturbed connection with his 6 new Pokemon was nice, it was what made everything bearable. Jasper was worried about fhe psychopathic tendencies his 5 older Pokemon exhibited. He strongly suspected all five had been released after their trainers were thrown in jail.
All his six new Pokemon liked him, why, he had absolutely no clue they just smiled whenever he asked or thought it, he never had a connection with Pokemon that grew so naturally before, not even his starter, Kai claimed it had to do with an inhibitor built into the v3 ball, much like the digit ball but Jasper couldn’t believe such a thing.
All six of his new Pokemon, were all stranely compatible with him, a lifetime of incompatibility made the experience surreal, like he was about to wake up from a happy dream. “Yea happy dream,” he muttered to the dark.
His lackadaisical, undisciplined and proclivity as a character, were bad for training Psychic Pokemon. In complete contrast, these six Pokemon, were basically training him. He had begun something he had only dreamed of till now.
He could almost bend spoons! He smiled in the dark, all giddy. That thought is what kept him going, allowed him to bear Kai’s absolute insanity. Bending a spoon was a massive milestone for Psychic trainers, you needed that sort of aptitude for the synergy between psychic Pokemon and their trainer for them to truly flourish.
For better or worse.
He was off, so much better together with Kai, even if Kai smiling scared him shitless and Kai smiled a lot. Even if Kai’s plans made him sick to the stomach.
Power. Real power, was suddenly in front of him.
A lifetime of weakness was enough to not question it anymore. He sighed and linked with his 6 Pokemon to keep his mind distracted.
His two Hypno’s, the most compatible, connected first.
Both were born from a singular egg, Psychically they were a Siamese twin. Both with the benefits of one and two minds. The ability: mind link and skill link, were utterly broken. On their own they were average Hypno’s, together they multiplied their psychic potential by a landslide they could invite other Psychic’s to their link creating a temporary hive. He could challenge the veteran track just with those two.
The jynx, an odd shaped 4 foot tall but humanlike pokemon, linked next, she managed to convey a rhythmic sultriness in the link that still had him freaking out, it was platonic for the time being but she made no effort to hide her desire to link up, with him. She cackled mischievously as she gave him the psychic equivalent of a smooch on the cheeks and Jasper shivered. He had no clue how to handle this sort of female attention. She was way too touchy for his vulnerable ego but an incredible battler.
She wasn’t as great a Psychic but had incredible aptitude with normal and Ice moves. She liked freezing Pokemon right when they were having “fun”, dancing to the rhythm she enforced others to dance to, capturing the moment so to speak.
His new Spoink, the baby of the group linked next. The Jynx became positively maternal and cooed when the pure innocent mind hopped around all happily inside the mind link. He was absolutely adorable and provoked an incredible need to protect in both Jasper and all his other Pokemon. Everyone went out of their way to shield the little bouncy ball of happiness, from the shady shit they had been up to so far.
To Jasper’s immense relief, Spoink only needed to bounce to activate its Psychic abilities whenever he was outside his Pokeball. Not like the rumors on the Pokenet, that suggested it would die if it ever stopped bouncing. Spoink was still too young and inexperienced for battling and if Jasper was honest with himself he didn’t know if he had the steel to put Spoink up for a battle, unless Spoink wanted to himself, he wouldn’t ask Spoink, it earned him no small amount of approval from his team, battling was instinctual for a majority of Pokemon, but not all, his team was not convinced Spoink had that instinct.
Jasper had no clue why Kai led him to this Spoink, although whenever it came to Pokemon, Kai seemed almost, fatherly? Was that the right term? Jasper shuddered attributing such a positive thing to Kai.
Kai was protective of Pokemon, in complete contrast to how he enjoyed hurting and fucking with people to an obsessive degree.
He shuddered remembering what Kai had done to that Ranger when she became a little too nosy and annoying to Kai. It didn’t help she had a similar attitude that reminded Kai of Sara. The irony of Kai’s doting on his “Yamask”, was not lost on Jasper, but Kai was insane, that much was clear. Can’t really expect him to be rational or reasonable, those were now alien terms to Kai.
His Braixen connected next, a feisty soul who immediately began scolding the Jynx for her innapropriate behavior with Jasper but joined in on the game of psychic tag Jynx and Spoink were engaged in.
Braixen instantly had instantly taken a liking to Jasper when they met, again he had no clue why, all his Pokemon had easy access to his memories. She apparently liked how his hair had the same coloration of her fur. She was the most “righteous” but was definitely a hardened Pokemon. Whatever trauma she had she had locked away from everyone else, although she disproved of Jasper’s and Kai’s actions she didn’t protest them. And did what she was told with a begrudging acceptance.
His old, withered passion on becoming a somewhat decent battler began to flicker to life again basking in this mind link, the pain of losing his first team flared. All his Pokemon gave him a respectable psychic distance, he latched onto the passion for battling, trying to take his mind of things. He focused on seeing the untamable fiery energy exuding from Braixen. His Spoink, unaware of respectable decorum in the link gave him a Psychic hug. Which helped tremendously.
Lastly his Beheeyem connected, most likely because it was bored. This was the freakest Pokemon ever. He/it was in incredible independent mind, capable of altering memories of even the most powerful Psychic entities, as long as such an entity was unconscious. The fact that this was the first Pokemon Kai found for him, said enough about the dark sinister plot that Kai was cooking up.
The Beheeyem kept assuring and warned his new master that altering memories recklessly, would get them very unwanted attention from some of the local legendaries. Conveying his obedience if such a thing would be requested, but urged caution. Beheeyem wasn’t strong in the traditional sense but his aptitude with the finer things of Psychic Power was absurdly well developed. He definitely had a trainer before.
Jasper wondered for a hot second if perhaps Beheeyem had altered his memories somewhat, The Beheeyem, expertly picked up the fleeting thoughts, and shielded the other 5 of his little conversations with Jasper inside the mind link. Immediately reassured Jasper he would never do such a thing, unless Jasper asked for it. When Jasper asked if he had already asked Beheeyem, he simply gave the Psychic equivalent of a smile and dropped the invisible shield inside the mind link.
Jasper’s thoughts drifted back to the plan as he went over it again, instructing and discussing it, with all of his Pokemon.
He hated this plan. The inhumanity disgusted him, but a dark part of him, wanted to see Kai succeed. If they did, well, all the people they had to run from, would have no choice but to respect them, it would change the board and add new pieces.
The nausea of sitting inside Gourgeist’s container was getting horrible. Just when he thought he was going to vomit he was unceremoniously deposited inside a lobby of some building, it had all the hallmarks of a Gym. Although he didn’t recognize it from memory, he knew where they were. He looked around and he went pale, his nerves fired up with an overwhelming amount of anxiety and nervousness. They were really here now, the saffron Gym. For Psychic trainers like him, a near sacrosanct place and he was about to defile it. Before he could lapse into a panic attack, Kai hissed.
”Remember the plan! Tell your Pokemon to do as I told them! Quickly! We have a minute, before someone discovers us at best!”
Jasper stumbled forward to dry heave again but did tap his Pokeballs. Except for his Spoink, who had gone back to sleep, after Jynx had hummed and sung a hauntingly beautiful melody in the mind link Jasper felt a deep love, a sensation he was not all too familiar with, in the tune but sadness as well. He had hesitantly given the jynx a mental squeeze in the mind link.
Now they came out ready with hardened expressions and began their work immediately. Both his hypno’s linked with Beheeyem, tapping into his incredible finesse and linking it with theirs, their Psychic presence became palpable, a hum in the air you couldn’t hear with your physical ears.
Jynx began chilling down the room and let the cold expand through the building, by infusing the air flow with her own unique ice TE.
This served the purpose of slowing down the reaction time of the wards and how quickly any psychic Pokemon would discover them. Jasper was mesmerized by her Cryomancy ability. it had this ethereal sparkle that got to him. It was so beautiful.
Not only slowing down organic functions like regular Ice but also Psychic functions, literally freezing the energy, making it inert and useless for any Psychic Pokemon. She saw him gawking and blew him a sultry kiss. Jasper face flushed and he turned away. She giggled.
Meanwhile Braixen, furiously keeping her focus, kept the 3 busy Psychic Pokemon warm, infusing them with psychic expedience, through her mind flame ability. A variant on Pyrotechnics or Pyromancy ability, the Delphox line was famous for.
His 3 Psychic Pokemon were busy Keying all of them into the numerous wards as “friendly”. So they wouldn’t set off any triggers.
Meanwhile Morgrem, Yamask(Sara), Gourgeist and That freakish Mimikyu went out hunting. Slipping into the shadows. Taking down any psychic Pokemon that might be awake at this ungodly hour. Shiinotic and Mawile stalked around in case something unexpected occurred, nothing did.
Jasper watched the greenish paleness of the grave, slowly fade from Kai. He still couldn’t get used to how Ghoulish Kai looked when they traveled through the shadow realm as Kai called it.
Kai looked intimidating, exuding a witch-like strength, as he stalked in tandem with his two Pokemon, vigilant and ready to snap to action.
In this moment Jasper realized he couldn’t imagine Kai losing. He himself was envious of that confidence. It gave him the strength to push through the nausea and he got up. He keyed into the efforts of his 3 Psychic Pokemon. Marveling at their speed, assisting them in minor ways.
What he did was trivial considering the complexity of the wards, but his Pokemon insisted he worked with them. It slowed down the process but they used it as a learning experience for Jasper and way to secretly spite Kai, oddly enough his Pokemon exuded a loyalty to him he never experienced before, which was all sorts of irony considering how easily they agreed to follow through with their ridiculous plan. His team had already begun with their own plans, their exit strategy and contingency when they would clash with Kai. His Pokemon were convinced after only a few weeks that this clash was inevitable.
He smirked while facing away from Kai, he wondered if Kai foresaw this particular part, his betrayal, he knew Kai had, which urged caution for now from his own team.
“About a minute more till they are done,” Jasper looked at Kai. Kai just nodded. Slowly Kai’s tension faded. He seemed to be focusing on something. From what Jasper could tell, he was in communion with his Shiinotic, another freaky Pokemon. It’s eyes were so creepy that Jasper could never look at it for long.
”Good it seems you succeeded, quite a few tricky strings have unraveled the way we need them too.” Kai said, whatever that meant.
”Do you still see them? The strings I mean.” Jasper asked curiously, but very keen on gauging Kai’s limits, his team already done with the work, still pretending to focus on their task, were paying rapt attention to Kai’s response. They had trouble reading his mind due to his weird TE makeup and needed to rely on good old facial expressions.
Kai didn’t respond at first but after a few heart beats he spoke, “not when I’m awake but in my dreams, now be quiet, we need to time the next part perfectly, step in line and follow my steps.”
”Oh how interesting, he seems to use his dreams as a way to create a mindscape not much different from what we do, in order to remember what he saw in the abyss. His frustration at the question seems to indicate doesn’t get to revisit or update it. That puts our most troublesome theory to rest.”
His Jynx, communicated telepathically, the expert on human expressions, how, he didn’t ask she was surprisingly tight lipped about her past.
“I find it fascinating how a few rare Pokemon with a few odd abilities like our team, can completely circumvent the scrying of Alpha Pokemon, I mean this isn’t new for us but a gym…. Quite the step up.” Jasper mused, downplaying his and Kai’s team.
Keeping Kai off beat on the psychic conversation he was having with his team. Kai wasn’t Psychic but could tell if they were having one if he paid attention.
Kai rolled his eyes as he walked through the building. With different patterns in his pace.
“Obviously we can’t, that’s why the Gym Leader and his wife are dealing with those Pokemon we set on a rampage from the forest to the east, close to that haunted tower, a shame I couldn’t catch that Gengar, he seemed very compatible.”
”This is good, that means we can cut ties quicker. We can’t keep Spoink in the Dark forever.” Braixen said psychically, she was the leading voice that wanted to run away from Kai, she did not trust Kai in the slightest.
”Do you have any idea how long I observed the strings of events in this moment?” Kai asked.
”AGREED!” Both his Hypno’s and Beheeyem chimed in. Jasper wracked his mind on why his Pokemon joined him so readily when they distrusted Kai so much.
Jasper asked Kai something to keep him off beat. “What lead you to do that if I may ask?” Kai Smirked deviously and responded with one word. “Fate.”
His Hypno’s responded in tandem to his thoughts, after Kai answered the question. Speaking simultaneously. “It isn’t Kai we fear master, it is the Morgrem we don’t trust, he is breaking sacred laws passed down by the creators of this world, we cannot linger for too long, lest their guardians, the legends will intervene, the guardians once stirred and risen will not care for Collateral.”
Jasper was curious.
”What are these sacred laws you speak of?” Jasper asked, simultaneously to his Pokemon in their Link. but his Pokemon didn’t respond, Jasper didn’t push further.
After about 30 seconds, Kai rushed forwards. They had entered the personal residence of the gym family. He rushed up the stairs, ignoring the few unconscious guards and Pokemon laying about, fainted or stuck in the nightmare induced by one of Kai’s ghosts.
It was a horrifying thought to Jasper but he pushed on, His Braixen tensed at the scene but she didn’t show any signs of protest.
“Your beheeyem has to box in everyone inside this room with Lightscreens, she’s not allowed to escape.” Kai pointed at a door while speaking.
Jasper nodded. “Beheeyem if you will, link up with Hypno’s and layer the screens with Imprison.” Jasper turned to Kai. “How long do you reckon we need these walls to last?
“Can they manage 3 minutes?” Kai looked at his Pokemon who nodded. “It will take 30 seconds for us to make the constructs resilient enough without them breaking”
Jasper relayed it and Kai nodded. “Good begin. Once you do, we have 5 minutes 10 at most to get the hell out of here, without one of us dying.”
Everyone grim and tense got to work or waited. They entered the room once Beheeyem and the hypno’s gave a nod and eased their tension. The daughter of the gym leader, Sabrina, was wide awake. Her Abra, close to its evolution, was shielding her with a near impenetrable shield, a move that was unique to him and Sabrina. Jasper had seen a demonstration of it on the Pokenet. Green with envy had he been. Now it registered as nothing more then a nuisance.
Jasper felt her prodding his link trying to get in, but her Pokemon prevented her from reading his or their thoughts. It was concerning to see a girl this young already close to going toe to toe with Pokemon.
“Why is she awake?” Jasper asked, ignoring the girl, getting a kick out of the position of superiority he was in.
“Why do I need to tell you? Because she is the greatest Psychic Prodigy Kanto has seen in the last 500 years.” Kai played along, similarly savoring the moment.
Yamask and Gourgeist, Stalked Sabrina and prodded the shield that the meditative Abra kept in place. Both looked rather calm.
“You two will be in big trouble when daddy comes home!” Sabrina spoke arrogantly, she didn’t seem afraid in the slightest, to drive that point home she called upon her psychic powers forming 2 slivers of highly condensed psychic TE. Jasper looked around and spotted 3 Pokeballs on her night stand. “Where are her other 2 Pokemon?” He asked.
“You worry about whats in front of you. Take down her shield Jasper. It blocks all moves.” Kai said with a sadistic smile but grim face.
Jasper gulped but commanded his Hypno’s to analyze the psychic makeup of the shield. The moment they started Sabrina’s eyes went wide. “No! Curse you!” She flung the slivers of condensed Psychic energy with incredible speed at Mimikyu and the other ghost Pokemon who faded in and out of reality, lazily dodging it.
one sliver of energy, hit a big giant Cabinet that immediately shrunk to the size of a doll house toy. Jasper sprung to action.
”Jynx! Freeze them!”
”We need her alive and conscious!” Kai screeched.
”Shut up Kai! We can’t risk her turning us into fucking dolls!” Jasper yelled back.
Jynx began freezing the shield, immediately, dropping the temperature down to an incredible low within seconds. It slowed the projectiles Sabrina was feverishly condensing and made dodging them trivial. Her brow creased with tension.
Anything made of glass in the room cracked from the sudden drop. Braixen needed her full concentration to keep the Hypno’s and Beheeyem warm enough for their work. Sabrina and her Abra began shivering.
Meanwhile Beheeyem began to set up lightscreens to block the moves Sabrina flung around, it was downright frightening to see the various moves she was capable off, requiring 2 lightscreens from Beheeyem to stop them. Right in time it seemed, as from behind Sabrina a minimized Starmie the size or a dinner plate, spun around Sabrina, launching psychic’s and water bullets, slamming into the lightscreens. The move minimize made Pokemon smaller allowing them to hide and move more easily.
“Thats where she must have gotten the idea of her voodoo move.” Jasper mused. His Jynx liked the idea of learning it.
Kai’s Pokemon couldn’t do much while waiting for the shield to drop. His Mawile stood close to the shield, snapping her hair? jaw. She snarled, ready to lunge at Starmie or Abra.
A wounded Drowsee appeared into the room screeching its name. Sabrina’s eyes went wide. Before it could do anything, Morgrem and Mimikyu flashed into real space right behind him. Morgrem sucker punched him and followed up with impaling Drowsee with his own hair, his version of Foul Play. Mimikyu hit Drowsee with play rough and spirit break.
Drowsee Fainted. Morgrem and Mimikyu had hunted it down inside Drowsee’s own move, who had stayed out of view with the move teleport. Not possible for a fairy/dark or fairy/ghost type but Morgrem & Mimikyu, both defied logic.
The fact that it took this many moves just to finish the Drowsee, spoke to how tough it was for a Psychic Pokemon. Both Mimikyu and Morgrem looked very roughed up.
Whatever had transpired inside the warping of space created by moves such as teleport, Jasper didn’t know. All he knew is that he couldn’t imagine anything or anyone ever hitting Mimikyu.
”That’s a prodigy for ya.” Jasper muttered. He sighed in relief. The pressure was off. All Sabrina’s Pokemon were accounted for.
Abra’s shield cracked under pressure from attacks in too many angles for Sabrina’s Abra, Jasper felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The fact this girl could fling condensed, refined orbs that he recognized as the move Psychic, her infamous voodoo doll move and a few other moves as if she was an experienced Pokemon was completely Ludicrous, she was simultaneously assisting her Abra with the shield carrying the lion’s share in keeping the structure whole, him and her lived in different worlds, well not for long.
A sick twisted sense of satisfaction from knocking that smug expression of her face, began to surge.
He always hated looking at her demonstration video’s, seeing the multitude of worldly differences between him and her.
He looked at her expression savoring it, she was very much part of the system that had thrown him to the proverbial Mightyena’s.
She seemed to hold onto the hope that her parents were going to save her last minute. Glancing at Kai, he knew she was out of luck. Kai’s precognition wasn’t 100% but if he was smiling like he was now? It might as well be.
Gourgeist impatient, slammed a massively charged shadow ball into the shield, shattering it. Abra buckled, which led to him getting crushed in the maw of Mawile with the super effective move crunch, slamming it down into the floor with brutal swing another oddity The mawile had dark typing something that should not be possible. Abra didn’t last.
Yamask blasted Sabrina with a modified version of Astonish before she could respond. Causing her to flinch and mess up her concentration. Starmie got crushed by a triple psychic from Jaspers Hypno’s and Beheeyem. Braixen and Jynx were on the lookout.
Jasper walked closer, looking down on the girl.
The fight was over. Jasper’s earlier twisted satisfaction, was replaced with pity as the genuine fear in the sixteen year old girl, tugged at him.
“The silver lining for you, is that Crazy over here doesn’t benefit from turning you into a Yamask.” He said somewhat apologetic for what was about to happen.
Tears ran down her face, terror in her eyes. it didn’t last long as Shiinotic released a mixture of spores and powders. Sabrina sunk into a weird waking dream state.
Kai cackled, so did Morgrem. The rest of his team smiled. “Come now Jasper, you have any idea what we will contribute to?The scale of it?” Kai looked manic, like usual. “Now that the fear of Kai had numbed, Kai’s psycho energy was beginning to wear on Jasper.”
”Don’t really care Kai, this is the price of our freedom. We pay for it and get the hell out of here.” He said while putting the device he was holding next to Jasper, shiinotic and Gourgeist. “Like you said, we are on a timer.”
Kai shrugged, as he observed his Pokemon extracting something essential to be human from Sabrina.
Jasper couldn’t watch. She would live, he knew that, but she would be missing something, something that made her human, she would be more like Kai now, probably for the rest of her life.
Him and his Pokemon turned to the task of keying themselves out of the numerous wards. Lest they left easy tracks to follow. Jynx did her job quietly. But without her usual playful sultriness. Braixen’s feistiness was replaced with a sullen morose mood.
