*Nathan's POV*

*Flashback: The Gengar of Nine Years Ago: (Sylvia)*

"Lavender Town... This place is my home now?" I slowly talk to myself, surveying the moving van that had brought my uncle and I to Kanto. Night is rapidly falling, and my "guardian," as he calls himself, keeps trying to get me to head inside our new house and fall asleep. He is just opening the door once again when he asks me what's on my mind.

"Do you like it here, Sylvia? I did this just for you!" he says, although I know that we moved here only for his financial stability. My parents are long gone- they had disappeared without a trace at random intervals throughout my life. For now, my brown-haired uncle and his hazel eyes that look at me with faux compassion, are the only comforts that I can cling to. I know that my relief would be only temporary, because my uncle has one major flaw- he loses control of himself when he becomes angry. And when he gets angry...

"Please, mom, dad... If there was just some way I could say goodbye to you now..." I whisper, blankly staring at the earth under me.

"C'mon, Sylvia," my uncle calls,

"You've got to get your rest to be ready for tomorrow! You have a big day at school in the morning!"

I continue to stall in the middle of the town, continuing to look at the ground, until my uncle finally gives up and shuts the door on me.

"She'll come in eventually- just give her some time," I hear my uncle mutter behind the closed door.

Just then, an idea begins to form in the back of my mind,

There's got to be a way! I've got to see them again- to give them a proper goodbye! Even if I have to run away, I'll figure it out eventually! Yea, that's what I'll do- I'm going to leave home, and I'm not going to come back until my heart is settled! I refuse to live trapped between grief and pain any longer!

A new Sylvia, I look up at the rising moon, when I hear a loud laugh from my immediate right.

"Kekekek!"

I quickly turn to the noise to see the face of...

Mother... But... I quickly fall to my knees, tears streaming down my face. The figure that I remember as my dear mother turns, sighs, and begins to walk into the nearby building.

Cautiously, I approach the large structure- the outside is slightly dilapidated, and a small sign hangs on the wall of it.

"Pokemon Tower- Becalm the Spirits of Pokemon."

... Spirits? Could this be... my chance? My chance to say goodbye?!

I slowly stand up and wipe the tears from my face.
"It's OK, Mom. I'm coming!" I whisper into the darkness of the night, soundlessly racing into the Pokemon Tower. What I am about to see- an ominous, yet auspicious future, will change my life forever.

I place my hand on the brass doors and push. Surprisingly, the old hinges give way, and the large piece of metal creaks open to reveal a large room, littered with polished green tile and adorned with gravestones.

I gasp in shock.

This is a graveyard, as far as I can see. For Pokemon, or for people, it shouldn't matter to me- this Tower should unnerve me, regardless. But why do I feel so at home? I can't seem to shake that feeling...

Tentatively, I take a few steps into the tiled room, and a few of them creak under my light weight, a testament to how old this building must really be. Then, I hear it again, that same foreboding laugh,

"Kekekek!"

Yet, this time, it doesn't sound quite so sinister. Instead, it makes me think of my mother, and I swear I could her sweet-sounding voice from all around me.

"You're here to see me, aren't you? Well, come along, Sylvia- I want to introduce you to all of my friends that I've found here." I can't see where the voice is coming from, but the tone makes me think of her smile, the one that used to hide all of my concerns and worries of that day.

"Mother? Please, where are you? I.. I..." I stutter, while my brain struggles to process what it is that I am currently doing- attempting to talk with my dead parent in a graveyard for Pokemon.

"I'm upstairs, honey. Come to Mommy, Sylvia," my mother's voice says.

Without a second thought, I rush up the stairs to my right, and I turn the corner to see my mother and father, standing among the gravestones. My father is placing a flower by the gravestone of a Pokemon, and I can't help but laugh.

They both turn to me, and a smile works its way across both of their faces.
"Mom? Dad?" I cry out, running towards my two dead parents as fast as I can. Once I am in arms' length of my mother, I wrap my arms around her, and she feels...

Real... But that's...

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" my mother asks,

"You look like you've seen a ghost!."

Maybe I have, maybe my mind is just messing with me right now. But, if this really isn't a dream, I need to do what I came here to do.

"Mom, Dad, there's something I wanted to tell you," I force the words out, trying not to let my tears show.

"Do tell," my father says,

"If there's anything we can do to help, just let us know."

"Mom, Dad," I repeat,

"Good... Goodbye..."

"You were very brave to let us go like that," my mother says,

"I know it's hard to accept death, but don't give up on yourself, and I just know that you'll be a strong woman when you grow up."

She rests her hand on my shoulder, and my two parents begin to fade into the mist that had just crept up the stairs.

I hide my face behind one of the gravestones and begin to sob,

"Thank you. I..." I begin to say.

"Kekekek!"

The same laugh from before emanates through the corridor once again. Then, before I know what I'm looking at, a large purple Pokemon appears in front of me, and I recognize it, instantly, to be a Gengar. Its red eyes seem to bore into my soul, but, oddly enough, neither the Pokemon's gaze, nor its enormous grin, frightens me.

The laugh reaches my ears, and I realize that it's coming from the Pokemon.

"Kekekek!" the Gengar cries out, but, this time, words appear in my head, like I can tell what it is saying.

"Those were your parents? I wondered if anybody knew those spirits. Well, it's been fun playing with you, but I have more spirits to play with. Ciao!"

The Pokemon starts to slowly phase through the floor, but I shout,

"Wait! Don't go!"

It immediately returns to my floor, a slight twinge of curiosity in its grin.

"I... I never properly said, 'Thanks!' So, thank you," I tell the Gengar, waving to it. It begins to disappear into the floor once again, until the Pokemon's body goes completely rigid. It utters a single panicked word, this time in English,

"D... Dark..."

Then, I feel a chill run up and down my spine. I can sense that the Pokemon is different after the utterance of that word, but I can't put my finger on the "how" or "why" of it. The Gengar laughs again, but it seems to be distorted this time, like there's another Pokemon attempting to take control of it. The Gengar begins seizuring violently on the ground, and a single idea surfaces in my mind.

I have to catch it and free it from whatever's trying to mess with its mind! Gengar, this is my "thanks!"

Pulling my only Pokeball, a gift from my late mother, from my backpack, I take careful aim and let the sphere fly through the air. It spirals towards the Pokemon, hitting it square in the chest. The Pokeball opens, and a bright light emerges, enveloping the Gengar and pulling it into the device. It slams shut, shakes for a while, and, finally, makes a gentle dinging sound. I realize that I had caught it.

Whatever was just happening, I think I stopped it. And, now, I have my very first Pokemon! I'm sure that my uncle will be ecstatic!

Both triumphant and thankful, I quickly run out of the Pokemon Tower, calling my uncle's name. Luckily, none of the other people in the town wake up from my miniature ruckus, but, when I am finally to grab the doorknob to my house and twist, a voice from behind me stops me dead in my tracks.

"Your mother was right when she warned me about you," my uncle says.

"Warned me that you possessed a special ability, that nobody, not even you, could ever find out.I took her words to heart, I did, and I moved you here, where nobody could find you except the dead. Now, I realize that the dead is what you feel home around, I swear I'll make you one of them!"

My eyes widen when I glimpse the set of small metal object, barely visible behind a fist in his right hand.

That can't be... He's not seriously planning to...

"Sylvia Cherrywood, you've been a naughty girl, and I'm gonna punish you for it!" my uncle yells, running at me with a large set of handcuffs and screaming nonsensically.

I freeze in fear, not sure how to evade him, until a warm feeling creeps up the side of my arm. I clench my hand to make the sensation subside, until I realize that I'm holding Gengar's Pokeball in that hand.

This is my only chance! I've got to take it!

"Gengar, please... Help me!" I practically scream, throwing the Pokeball towards my uncle with as much force that I can muster. It hits him square in the forehead, knocking him over for the time being. In the meantime, my newfound friend, Gengar, appears before, its insatiable grin still as wide as ever.

"Kekekek!" it screeches.

Sensing my only chance for escape, I scoop Gengar's empty Pokeball off the ground and run as fast as I can into the woods, tripping over roots and branches as I go.

Just keep going! He won't catch me if I keep running! My determination to not be handcuffed by my enraged uncle forces my feet to continue running.

...

Hours of woodland noises and scenery flash by in a green blur, illuminated by the white glow of the moon, but I never stop running.

What happened to my uncle, I will never know.

*Flashback End: (Nathan)

"So where did you go from there?" I ask Sylvia,

"I mean, now you're here, in Johto, and, if I remember correctly, Lavender Town is in Kanto, a completely different region."

"Yes, about that..." she blushes.
"To keep a long story short, I just kept running. You do that there's a land bridge between Johto and Kanto, right?"

I shake my head, "No," but I take a mental note of the idea in the back of my mind.

Maybe that stretch of land will be useful one day...

"And about Gengar," Sylvia continues, nervously coming through her hair with her left hand,

"When it found me again, that Pokemon was a little... Different... Yeah, different is probably the best way to put it. It... it attacked me, as if it had inherited my uncle's lack of self-control. But I doubt it could be that simple. Personally, I think there's something weird about my Gengar, but I can't just let it wrestle with whatever that is by itself. That's why I became a Channeler- to attempt to understand what happened to my Gengar after I fled to Johto, and, although I haven't had much success, the journey has been pretty fun!"

Her eyes begin to glow that blue color again, like she's noticed something that I haven't.

"Come, quickly," she says,

"I can feel my Gengar travelling through the shadows nearby. If we hurry, we can catch it before something catastrophic happens!"

She takes off down the hallway, and I quickly jog after her. However, what I didn't see on my way past my dorm would make me pay, dearly, for missing it. There, on the other side of the door, is two people talking. One is Maxwell Graves, and the other is Mr. Geo Vannhi.

*Maxwell's POV*

"I have a little assignment for you, Maxwell," Mr. Geo Vannhi finally says to me.

My fist immediately curls, and I remember what Nathan had said about not trusting this man at all.

"So why is this so secretive? Is it something I'm not supposed to tell the others?" I slightly raise my voice, trying to find the point of his little "assignment" before he realizes that I'm trying to outfox him.

If I can get him to tell me what I want him to...

"No, nothing of the sort!" Mr. Vannhi cries out indignantly,

"Where did you get such a ridiculous idea? No, no, no- besides your usual schoolwork, I tend to assign my own projects to many of our students, making sure that they are really paying attention in class."

"So, what is it that you're asking me to do?!" My fist closes even harder, and I stare at him, still not trusting the guy nearly as far as I can throw him. He seems to be offended, but he only shows it for a second.

"First, let me give you something. You'll need it for what I want to to do. Here," he says, handing me a purple Pokeball with a black "M" on it.

"This is a prototype of the Master Ball, expertly crafted by the engineers at this university. According to their calculations, this special Pokeball can catch any Pokemon! Now, I want you to go and test out the new device for me and report your findings to me. Does it, indeed, work? Are there any side-effects? These are the kinds of questions I want you to answer. In fact, I'll even let you keep any Pokemon that you catch with it, just to show my appreciation for this arduous task. Have fun!" he tells me, opening the door and motioning to me.

Well, I'm still not sure about all this, but I can catch whatever Pokemon I want... I wonder... I slowly stand up and walk out of my dorm, the prospect of a new Pokemon being the only thing on my mind. Although I don't see it, the headmaster smiles behind me, a grin that held nothing but malice. I hear footsteps behind me, and I just catch a glimpse of Mr. Vannhi turning and talking to Mr. Richards before I close the door to the outside world behind me. However, I don't catch a word of what they say to each other- I assume is is probably about some rowdy kid in a classroom causing mischief- the typical school drama- but I am wrong, gravely wrong.

"There, I've isolated him, and I've sent him on a mission to find any Pokemon he desires. Knowing Maxwell's tendency to hyper-competitiveness and dominance, we should be able to easily goad him into opposing Nathan's timid spirit. Then, once we've turned the two against each other, we can use our little secret weapon. They know too much, but their passion could be potentially useful to our next plan. Maxwell would be the optimal candidate for 'taking out the trash,' per se, with his love of Biology. And Nathan... You gave him Psychology, correct?" Mr. Vannhi asks his subordinate.

"Yes. He will start tomorrow," Mr. Richards nods.

"Good, they will do excellent in due time. Keep pressing them, until we finally break those two. A Scientist is still a Scientist, no matter how corrupt. Now, follow me. I have something to show you."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So... Where to start? I can catch any Pokemon that I want. But where would be the best place to look?" I mumble to myself, slowly walking through the middle of Goldenrod City. A slight breeze buffets my back, complementing my desire for adventure right now. Then, I hear shouting from the distance, accompanied by a large amount of footsteps,

"Get back here! You're not getting away from us, you little vermin!"

The noise sounds like a chorus of grown men, but, before I can think of how to react, a miniature Pokemon rushes past me, seemingly zipping through the air with no effort whatsoever on its part. The Pokemon speeds past me so quickly that I can barely figure out what it is, when the impending gust of wind behind it blows me off my feet.

It seems to bear a resemblance to a Shaymin, but, I've never seen that color of fur before... Could it be?

"No way..." I deadpan, slowly brushing the dust and rocks off my clothes,

"This can't be real. That was a Shiny Shaymin! I've got to..."

"Out of the way!" a gruff man yells, as an entire armada of men, dressed in all black with a red "R" on their chests, blitz past me, pushing me into a nearby wall in their haste. I assume they are in pursuit of that Shaymin.

Oh, no you don't! I'm not letting this rare of a catch slip through my fingers like that!

The defiant thought gives my legs the adrenaline that they need to kick off the wall and race after them. A sign flies by me, but I don't take much note of it, other than simply glancing at it.

"Route 35. ^ National Park."

The men that had run past me earlier are just entering a building in front of me, when I hear a loud scream, probably from the Shaymin, echo through its closing doors.

"Kyuu uuhn!"

By the sound of it, the Pokemon is scared stiff, and I accelerate my pace.

If they've got it cornered, I'm just going to swoop in and catch it, myself!

The breeze from earlier dies down as I push my way through the metal doors. I look around the room inside, which probably acts as the gate to the National Park, when the attendant in charge of admission points towards the park, his pale face aghast.

"Rockets are invading this place. Sir, can you help us?!" the man asks. He cowers behind his desk, and I almost laugh at him.

Look at this guy, acting like that group of nutjobs are a real threat at all. Pathetic. Anyway...

I turn my attention to the large hole in the wall in front of me. Obviously, that mob had recently torn the gate off its hinges, as pieces of the metal were strewn all over the building.

Shrugging, I run past the debris, and, the second I step foot into the park, I am torn between the large amount of natural beauty and the congregation of black-clothed men in the back of the establishment. Quickly, I hide myself in one of the many shadows and assess the situation.

A large white fence shapes the area, surrounding a patch of grass that, oddly, resembles a Pokeball. A small fountain spews water where the button should be.

But, before I can really look at much else in the park, I am greeted with another pained cry from the Shaymin.

"Kyuu uuhn!"

The sound of something struggling can be heard amongst the noise. I look at the scene in front of me, watching the Pokemon whimper and moan under the strength of one of the men.

"Oh, put a cork in it and quit fighting me! I'm taking you back to HQ, right now!"

"Kyuu uuhn!" the Shaymin screams out again.

"Well, well, well, you're a feisty one, aren't you?" the man half-asks, half-chides, holding onto the Shaymin with all the strength he can muster, while the others watch for what I assume to be the law, the way they talk about officers with dread. I am surprised that no one has noticed me yet, but that's about to change.

The way this is going, that Shaymin's going to die if I don't pry that arm off right now! And I'm not losing my one chance for something like this!

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing with my Pokemon?!" I yell out, revealing my position and running about five feet from the guards. I stop to pull out my Pokeball and continue my approach, slower this time, but I never drop my gaze. The men seem to react with panic- obviously, they're dumb enough to believe my little lie already,but I can't help but draw it out a little more.

At least, I think everyone believes it. All except that burly one holding the Shaymin...

"Your Pokemon?" the man scoffs,

"Bah, do you really think that a Pokemon this rare thing would gravitate to you for any reason?! A sorry sight of a Trainer like you should get lost while real men do their work!" He holds his own Pokeball towards me threateningly, and I sigh in exasperation.

"Hmph! If you care that much, then I'll show you just what kind of Trainer I am! Dragonite, let's put this reject in his place!" I roar, smashing my Pokeball to the ground.

My enormous orange dragon appears out of the ensuing burst of light, and it takes one look at my determined face before staring down the other man with a fire in its eyes. It makes a clawed fist, as if to demonstrate the sheer power that he was messing with.

Nevertheless, the man seems to be unfazed, laughing and throwing his own Pokeball towards me, obviously ready for a battle. He then throws the now-unconscious Shaymin to one of his partners-in-crime and laughs. His Pokeball opens to reveal a large blue reptilian Pokemon, which kind of reminds me of a Komodo Dragon, but much less ferocious. The few cream-colored spots on its chest reveals to me what Pokemon this is- a Nidoqueen.

My Dragonite and I have the exact same reaction to the new foe:

This is the best you can do? Ahh, well...

"Dragonite, use Outrage!" I laugh, relishing in the power of the words, as my Dragonite lets out a shout and lurches forward, slamming the entirety of its body into the Drill Pokemon and sending it through the fence behind it.

Struggling to move, the Nidoqueen reels from the impact. It tries to claw its way back to its feet, but its legs eventually collapse and drag it back to the ground. The Pokemon doesn't move after that, and I crack my knuckles in the direction of the man who had challenged me so bravely before. Now, he doesn't look so brave anymore, grabbing the Shaymin from his cohort and wrapping his arms around the Pokemon like a stubborn child.

"I won't let you have it! No matter what you... Uwah!" The man tries to taunt me, but stops short when my Dragonite suddenly grabs him with both arms, slowly crushing him in the same way that he had held the Shaymin earlier.

Realizing that the man is utterly powerless before me now, I can't help but relish in the feeling of complete control.

"Is this what you meant when you called me 'a sorry sight?' Hah, if I'm a sorry sight, then what are you? But first, I need to take that precious cargo of yours, away from you." I laugh, and my Dragonite calmly pries the Shaymin from the man's hands, setting it on the ground. The Gratitude Pokemon simply stands there, paralyzed in, most likely, fear. Meanwhile, I turn my attention back to the man, now struggling to break free from my Pokemon's iron-like grip.

"Seen enough? Now go groveling back to the hole you goons came from?" I shout at him, and my Dragonite throws him to the ground, snarling at the man.

He scuttles backwards on his weakened frame and hastily sounds a retreat. One of the men makes a comment along the lines of,

"Isn't that the kid from the university?" before leaving with the rest of the group.

Hmph! That'll teach them! Now, where was I? Oh yea...

I turn my attention back to the Shaymin, who is still motionless on the ground.

"Hey there, little guy," I call to it, hoping for a response- just enough to let me know that it's still alive.

"... Kyuu?" the Pokemon asks, finally opening its eyes. It teal eyes stare at me, accompanied by a face that's unsure of what to do.

Now's my chance! I've got you! I think, triumphantly.

Before the Shaymin can respond, I pull my Master Ball out of my pocket and throw it at the befuddled Gratitude Pokemon. The ball opens, and the Shaymin disappears into the device with a flash of light. The device shakes a few times before giving off a gentle ding, signaling my success.

"Ahahaha," I laugh aloud.

"With the power of this Pokemon, why do I even need to follow others, now? If I can get more of these, I'll be unstoppable! Forget Nathan! Forget this university- I'm forging my own path, starting tomorrow!"

I walk happily back through the National Park, reveling in my new catch. Meanwhile, the group of men that had supposedly fled are, unbeknownst to me, all spying on my from the bushes. One of them whispers into a walkie-talkie,

"We've got him, Boss. Maxwell's as good as ours!"

"*static* Good. Ahahaha! I just knew that we could contain Maxwell's competitive spirit with the promise of near-endless power. And, frankly, I'm impressed. You actually lured a Pokemon that would catch his eye, all the way from the Sinnoh Region. My, my, you've certainly outdone yourself. Well, come back to the main quad, I've come up with a plan to fry Nathan's overactive mind, quite literally. Come quick, for the night is short!" Mr. Geo Vannhi replies from the other end of the walkie-talkie. The communication shuts off with an inaudible click that signals the end of the conversation.

"You heard the man," the one burly grunt motions to his group.

"Let's get out of here before that creep finds us again. Now that he has all of that power, our next goal is to take control of it, which will be the easy part. Let's go," he says, hustling his posse back to Pokemon Tech.