Once I had reunited with Red and Yellow, we had embarked toward the fifth floor of Pokémon Tower. Knowing that an ominous presence was watching us all as we got closer to our goal. We had a feeling that things were about to get more dangerous the closer we advanced.

The atmosphere of this particular room became just as apparent to me as it did when we both saw Blue and surprisingly, Penny of Team Love who was also unconscious except for Jack.

He had just recovered from a massive concussion received from Wartortle's Water Gun attack.

Blue....

I was concerned, until I had the foresight of knowledge from Violet that he was unconscious and still breathing.

Oh thank god he's alright...

He went all the way for my sake but ultimately failed to save them.

Not that it was his fault for that matter, Jack proved to be a formidable obstacle to his goals that he had hoped to achieve. What's even worse, he had proven that through the death of his Raticate that he would learn to fight with his Pokémon and I could tell, just by observing his broken body that his rugged journey towards those goals had taken a toll on him.

Blue.... stay strong. We will win this fight!

We will win.

Red shared the same concern as me, knowing that the enemy was at our doorstep. The boy did not hesitate to move toward the sixth floor of the tower, we needed to find Cubone but now that Jack was arriving to meet me in combat. They informed me on their next plan of action.

".....Leaf?" He asked with calmness.

"Yes, what is it?"

"We need to get to Lieutenant Surge, but Jack will only get in the way of us trying to rescue Cubone. Fight Jack here and meet us both up at the top of the tower."

"I'll come with you both." Volunteered the Channeler.

"I know those rooms, they harbor dangerous Pokémon, but since you have the ability to see ghosts with that goggle device of yours. You'll need me to guide you to the final floor that is being guarded by her." She informed the two trainers before her.

They both nodded and allowed the Channeler to go up with them toward the top of the mausoleum. Where the greatest threat imaginable lied in wait to ensnare our destinies as Trainers.

Misty and Brock remained by my side. While
I focused on my mortal foe. Team Love had been nothing but trouble in my life. It was time for them to be punished.

"Meet up with us after you have defeated Jack, If what you say is true and Violet can revoke this Curse. Then they must meet up with Mother as soon as possible." Informed Red.

"Be careful Red... Don't end up like Blue." I cautioned. "He'll never understand the heart that you have about Pokémon, teach him how when he's ready."

Knowing his own confusion on the manner. He nodded to reassure my feelings and tipped his hat down to avoid further embarrassment.

"Let's go!" He gestured to Yellow as he and the guide both ran passed the Apostle who was already in a rather sorry state from facing Blue from before. He decided to face me down in a duel that would finally test our abilities as members of the organization.

"Your friends won't make it." He smirked while holding on to a rather broken left arm from the fight. The back of his head was still bleeding from the powerful duel between him and Trainer Blue.

"I have faith that they will."

"That's not enough, Mother will kill you all where you stand... What makes you think that she won't be able to pick you off without a fight?"

"Because she's looking for her child."

"Child?"

"Yes, the very child you neglected."

"Did you forget your role in all of this Black Clover? Apparently you didn't, which is why Ensign wants to stop you." He frowned with anger. "You wont stop this Curse, your fight with me will be your inevitable doom."

"Haven't I told you before, my life has always been about taking chances!" I threatened with a swift toss of my capture device.

The ball rolled aggressively along the concrete pavement and punctured to release Ivy for a face off toward Jack who was smiling from that threatening start. His blood coarse'd along his forehead, his stare became ice cold and with a hype of preparation. Threw his sphere out onto the field and out appeared Haunter, another Pokémon that was similar to mine.

Just as the Pokémon had made his appearance before my eyes, Violet was warning me about something very important, his thoughts were racing along with mine. He knew that this Haunter would be a terrifying threat to our plan if we didn't stop him soon. Jack was just one individual that would bond with Pokémon well, especially those that were Spirits or Ghosts.

The boy had the capability of walking along the spiritual and mortal plane, Even though I was quite unfamiliar with it, Violet had shared that understanding with me. Using Ghost moves against him would prove difficult waters to tread and I knew going in that it was, but if Blue had the cajones to defeat him then so could I.

"Ivy Vine-Whip!" I engaged to the plump lizard in combat.

The Pokémon obeyed me without question and unfurled his vines with a rapid snipe. Snagging the Haunter's tail. The Pokémon pulled him down below and smashed his invisible body against the rugged ground below.

"Curse, Haunter!" Declared the ghostly boy as he moved his Pokémon back to his stance position.

The ghoulish Pokémon had once again darkened the room, the walls and stained glass windows had been rescinded of any light permeating the surface.

His shadow had been cast down upon Ivysaur and he soon fell into a darkness that made him fall into a depressive state.

"Ivy! Hang in there!"

Once the Curse had come upon him, Ivy was not comfortable. He started to pant as if he was out of breath, his mind weakened with a powerful fever almost like a plague had come upon his mortal frame.

"Ivy, Razor Leaf!"

Ivy nodded in absolute obedience to my command and released his Razor Leaf but the attack showed very little effect once the leaflets bounced across the Pokémon's invisible, but physical exterior.

"Leaf, if I told you the inevitability of your Pokémon's future. You would have shown a little more concern for yours. Ivy is infected with Curse. Each time he does the attack, he loses energy each turn. He won't be able to face my Haunter well in that state and slowly as the Curse overtakes him.... He'll meet an end."

How to end it?

I started getting a little anxious during this battle. I knew Curse would be the eventual use of an attack from a ghost Pokémon like him but, I just didn't know the power of its effects initially from the opponents perspective, but Jack was correct, when he mentioned that Pokémon can be Cursed and meet an end, he meant it. There was no attack option to break free from it.

Though I believed in Ivysaur, I believed that he could defeat his Haunter in battle and if he suffered exhaustion or became unconscious, I would be ready for my next Trump card.

"You won't need to worry, because as I told you before Jack, I'm willing to take as many chances as I can. Those choices will determine my path, you however, told me those paths can be dangerous. I'm choosing to avoid them."

This raised Jack to attention, he was surprised that I would be able to hold my composure so well and it didn't help the fact that Violet had betrayed his allegiance to Team Love by helping to relieve the conscious mind of an excommunicated member.

"You would've had so much more potential if you had just listened to me, Violet. I know you are in there.... I can feel your aura oozing off of her."

"Poisonpowder!" I shirked for my Pokémon's power to engage.

This made things very painful for Ivy to bear. Especially since he couldn't move, almost like a heavy weight had been placed upon his back and every time he exerted himself to battle, he continued to lose energy.

Stay focused Ivy, I believe in you! This next attack will be your last and I'll retrieve you for a rest.

The powder had compounded alongside Haunter's skin and as soon as he was stricken with this powder, he too fell to an exhaustive state. A fever had overcome his soul and now, his energy was about to be sapped at the same time as Ivy's.

C'mon Ivy, just this once I want you to bear it.

Ivy had remained steadfast and once Jack declared his move to be Night Shade; he took the brunt of the hit very hard. The power of the Night Shade that emanated from the shadows around him. Made the Curse excruciating and painful.

"One more attack Ivysaur, Vine-Whip once more!"

The vines shot straight towards Haunter. Chasing the spectral being around the room like a game of hide and seek. Flying towards him in every corner as his vines seemed to garner on an infinite supply. They wrapped around Haunter's tail again, pulling him backwards. Spinning him against the wall with a violent crash, receiving terrible damage.

Rock and dirt flew in every direction as Haunter was being pummeled along the wall and up against a massive stain glass window and with a crash shattered the glass as each of us could feel the sharp pelts raining down on our bodies.

This move, along with status infliction gave me an advantage on the field that I wasn't expecting in this turn. All this left Misty and Brock puzzled.

"Ivy held on with every inch of energy he had left and yet he's still standing!" She cried out alongside Brock with amazement from the observing battlefield.

"That Pokémon sure was resilient against my Onix when he first faced me as a Bulbasaur, Leaf trained him well. He's got a nature that allows him to have powerful endurance while at the same time using his physical attacks to balance it."

"But this Pokémon will be on its last leg, will he at least be alright?"

"I have a feeling Leaf knows her Pokémon's limitations. After all, she trained that Bulbasaur with me at the Gym."

"You are right, but I did beat her Ivysaur before when she battled me. Although her Pokémon showcased great power in the field, Ivy's endurance is at its limit." She concurred.

They were right, once this attack doesn't finish off Haunter victory was not assured. Though I had to pick my battles with caution, I needed to prove Ivysaur's potential and if he endured he would manifest it in his own way. Because I believed in him.

"Razor Leaf!"

I exerted with the final push and this time. The leaflets had been ejected with exuberayting power. Flying towards Haunter with such precise honing that it gave the spectral essence no time to recover and soon, he was knocked out by a powerful concussive blast from this pressure exerted.

"My god..." They both exclaimed in astonishment.

As my Ivysaur endured the Curse, it finally pushed his limits to the point of growth.

And without any warning, Ivy formed more plumage on his back. The flower budd extended in length toward the top, with brown bark expanding sharply outward from the stem, his flower blossomed, and his limbs and body expounded in length three times the width of his body. His flower budd, now a tree, stood at the height of the brim of my hat.

Ivy, had become a powerful, third stage monster.

"Grraaaaaaawww!!" He roared with the sovereign howl of an Alpha male. He made it clear to his opponent where his endurance power served in the heat of this battle, and he was not going to let Jack take it away from him.

Evolution nullified the inevitable Curse attack... Ivysaur should have been down for the count, but he's still standing?

"Incredible!" Shouted Misty.

"My, my what a powerful mon you now have. I see you chose well to have him as your starter at Professor Oaks lab."

"I didn't choose him, he chose me." I retorted.

"Whatever, I'm still taking you back to Ensign after we are finished with this battle anyways."

"I'm not going anywhere, you sniveling brat."

After retreating his Haunter inside and placing the capsule within his brown robe. It flailed about after pulling out another. This time he went from someone who was grinning to a serious fighter.

A big Pokémon had appeared before me, one that stood about the height of Haunter, but remained on the ground. His red eyes were narrow. His body rounded in shape. His head jagged with pointed ears, this particular ghost Pokémon gave off an even stronger aura about him. One that you could almost feel the threatening Curse this Pokémon was about to exude. His own wide, terrifying smile mimicking his own Trainer's evil contort.

"Behold Gengar, my most powerful Ghost-type out on the battlefield. He has just as much endurance as your Pokémon Venusaur! How about it? A fight of endurance." He chuckled. "I wonder who will strike first!" He snickered with confidence.

"You forget how your own Curse works don't you?"

"Huh?"

"You're Haunter lost the battle, my Venusaur is still hanging by a thread of energy left. Since your Haunter fainted, the Curse has been alleviated."

"Well then, what are you gonna do now?"

I laughed at his pathetic squeaky voice, his rather stoic strength of character had weakened at that moment, I declared.

"Violet wants to battle." I smirked as my fuchsia eyes glowed red along with Gengars.

My Haunter had appeared from my body.
It was apparent that he had left it. My courage never wavered, but I felt his ghostly essence exit outside of my vessel. We had both shared death before and laughed as Jack's pitiful threats had no effect on our anxiousness. His power was gone from my body but Violets positive influence had never left.

I retreated Venusaur back within his home sphere and aimed for an important attack.

"Curse, Violet!"

"What!?" Shouted Jack in confusion.

Once his power had been dispelled, there was nothing but complete and total darkness in the room once more. Gengar's energy had fallen and there was nothing Jack could do but watch as his powerhouse's energy become halved by Violet's unbelievable moves.

"Tch, Night Shade!"

Gengar released his power towards Violet and he graciously took the hit. Falling towards his own demise, Haunter's bravery was his own sacrifice, he told me that he wanted to be the last one to take down Gengar and make sure that he'll go down with him. I hesitated but I understood his battle strategy and there was no other way. Especially after seeing no differences of power, the attack was super effective, and Violet had fainted along with Gengar.

"N-no, no no no no no, this can't be HAPPENING!!"

I inched my way forward, tossing Lucy out onto the field while I retracted Violet hoping that he was out of usable Pokémon.

"Y-y-y-ou were supposed too..." He shriveled in fright, knowing full well he was out of usable Pokémon I made sure that Lucy got close. Her teeth jittered below her nose. Her compound eyes got larger as she approached in a threatening manner.

Snot ran down the boys nose, his black eyes shriveled. He didn't expect to be upended so easily by the very threat he had sent. He had failed to deter my objective and in so doing would now cost him his life.

"I'm not afraid of death anymore Jack, I stared down that hallowed beast a long time ago."

"You lost. Take me to Mother, we are gonna end her Curse."