One with the Ghosts


     "I heard he talks to dead things to make friends."

      "I heard he's cursed, that's why he's here."

      "I heard he still talks to his mother from the grave."

      In a dark room inside the orphanage, a young ten year old was resting in the corner. His teary eyed face firmly planted in his knees, his sobs having stopped a long while ago. He didn't know why he was placed here. Why all he knew was this damnable place. From the moment he could perceive thought, he has spent his entire life inside this orphanage. He didn't even know his mother....

      The kids he would often see wouldn't even try to befriend him. Those rumors weren't true. He can't talk to the dead....but he knew it was better than to lie to himself. He would hear voices, sometimes see white figures watching him. He wasn't scared of them, not by a long shot, but because of this damned gift he suffered a life of loneliness.

     Sniffling a bit, he moved his head up, showing his zig zag marked cheeks and brown eyes. His raven hair slightly long enough to barely touch his upper neck. He heard knocking at the door. It was probably the orphanage lady...she was nice. One of the few who didn't care about the rumors, the one he could see as a mother figure. "I'll be out soon..." he weakly called out. "Alright...if you want to talk...just tell me Ash." The lady said, followed by footsteps leaving the door. Ash looked out the window, seeing how the moon was slowly but surely rising up. He went to stand up, but a whisper got his attention.

     He slowly crawled on all fours, sniffling as he looked around the desk. Above him, messing with the bookshelf, was a hall of dark energy with a purple haze around it. Ash widened his eyes. A Pokémon in here? The creature looked around before spotting Ash. Without warning it shot forward, it's face morphing into a horrific shadowed face of malice. Ash...didn't react. This confused the Pokémon, who tried it again and again, but the boy wouldn't budge.

     Ash stared at the dark ball, reaching his hands up to gently grasp it. For the first time in a while, a soft smile adorned his lips. "Hello...my name is Ash. What's yours?"


(Timeskip, 2 years)


     "In recent news, a bust of the infamous Team Rocket on the coast of Hoenn has caused several species of Pokémon to be introduced into the habitat. These Pokémon range from the regions Unova, Alola, and Sinnoh." The news reporter finished her report. The Pokémon Center was busy with different people and trainers coming in to take care of their Pokémon. Suddenly a boy ran in, holding his injured Torchic to have Nurse Joy check over. "Looks like that unknown Pokémon got another victim." An old man grumbled as he flipped the page of his book. "Unknown Pokémon?" A young voice made the old man look up.

    Standing before him was Ash, now 12 years old. Adorned in a purple jacket with a black undershirt, blue jeans and a black backpack. His hair was still barely reaching his neck. "Yeah, this abandoned tower nearby holds a Pokémon that no one has been able to defeat. So far that Torchic has been its tenth victory." Ash nodded, fixing his backpack and walking out of the building. He was in a small town, which the abandoned tower looked over. Ash began to walk, but soon bumped into someone.

     "Watch where you're going." A bitter voice made him look up at a 14 year old girl. She had brown hair and green eyes. Wearing a brown short sleeve shirt and a white skirt. Ash muttered as he looked down. "Sorry." "Yeah, you better be." She glared as she walked to the Pokémon center, clenching her Pokeball angrily. "Guess that makes an eleventh victory." Ash muttered, continuing his walk up to the tower. He didn't notice that same girl turn back and stared at the tower before an expression of rage covered her face.

     Staring up at the ominous tower, Ash felt no fear as he slowly opened the door. One look and one can tell how ancient it is. With cobwebs, dust, and rotting wood littering the walls. Immediately Ash began to walk up the stairs, climbing up while talking in his surroundings. The 12 year old boy hummed a soft tune as his gaze fell to the walls and different floors. He began to see furniture and different rooms, all torn and destroyed. One room made him stop and step onto the floor.

    The room seemed to be a sort of gathering area, with an altar at the center showing the symbol of a half moon with a red eye in the center. Ash raised his eyebrow as he walked up to the altar, finding a book set under it. Picking it up, he wiped some dust away to reveal the name of the book, "The Moons Eye." "Strange, must have been a weird cult group." Ash muttered as he placed the book back down, going back to the stairs. He didn't notice the eye of the altar's symbol glow slightly.

     As Ash continued his trek up the tower, he furrowed his brow as he began to hear the voices again. These ones sounded...sad. Almost as if they were clinging onto this building as the last bastion of hope for their souls. Ash frowned as he stopped and listened to them, hearing their pleas but unable to help. He shook his head as he continued his walk, soon finding himself at the very top.

     Ash walked into the room, his face now taking on a look of slight shock. The room was...kept clean. Compared to the dusty and run down look of the tower, this single room was kept clean by unknown forces. A rectangular carpet was strewn across the room, holding golden circles and swirls. A large, circular red bed, with burning candles surrounding it. A painting stood above the bed, showing a young boy with pale skin and pitch black hair. He adorned a golden kimono with red swirls on the arms and shoulders. However, the most striking feature, was his bright red eyes.

     "Leave."

     Ash turned around with wide eyes. This voice was far louder than the ones before. "Hello? I'm not here to hurt you." Ash called out. "Are you...a ghost or...a Pokémon?" Ash asked the voice.

     "Leave...my master rests..."

     Ash felt his body be thrown back onto the ground as a hand nearly grabbed at him. Looking up with wide eyes, Ash's heart skipped a beat when he saw a figure slowly float down in front of him. With a lined, grey body and strange flaps on its face, the Pokémon held two massive hands on its front as well as a flowing head plume, also flowing out of its shoulders. It's singular red eye stared at Ash with anger. A Dusclops.

     "Listen...I don't want to fight. I didn't know this was his resting place." Ash held his hands up, showing he didn't want to fight. "Humans...betray master. Long time...I will...not let you disgrace him!" The voice of the Dusclops roared in his ears as he raised his fist, the hand coating in electricity before rushing forward. Ash yelped as he held his arms up, only for his body to be yanked back again, just barely dodging the attack. "More...enemies!" The Dusclops jumped back as Ash's shadow morphed. It shot out of the ground, a face being formed from it as it morphed into a ball. Red eyes and a wide smile looked into Dusclops face before letting out a malicious laugh. The ball grew arms and legs before landing in front of him. Gengar, Ash's best friend.

     "Gengar, I don't want you two to fight." Ash placed his hand on his back. Gengar looked at him with a smile and nodded. He turned back, opening his mouth and firing a ball of shadows at the ghost type. Dusclops angrily fired his own, the two attacks colliding together. Gengar suddenly appeared in front of him, his eyes glowing a bright blue. Dusclops felt his body go heavy, but he raised his fist and landed a Thunder Punch on Gengar's face. Gengar flew back, but planted his feet on the ceiling before rushing down with his body adorned in dark energy. Dusclops jumped back, but Gengar smirked as he raised his hands and stopped himself, his eyes glowing blue again and holding Dusclops in a Psychic hold. The ghost type began to panic and violently throw his fists everywhere. Gengar struggled to hold him, looking back at Ash and nodding.

     Ash nodded and walked up, Dusclops angrily staring at him as he threw his punches at the twelve year old. Ash slowly raised his hands and, without warning, placed them on Dusclops head. "I don't want to fight...please..." Ash begged the Pokémon, holding a look of worry. The Dusclops panted out, but slowly lowered his fists. Ash nodded to Gengar, who let go of the Pyschic hold and let Dusclops land on his feet. "Tell me...why are you here? Why are you holding onto this old building?" Ash asked him. Dusclops stared at the boy before he began to tell his tale.

    "My master...a young boy who was chosen as the next leader for...a family." He turned to the picture to look at the young boy as his eye quivered. "I...was supposed to protect him...his parents raised me....and I failed him..." The Dusclops hands formed into fists as he shook violently. "BETRAYED BY HIS OWN FAMILY!" Dusclops roared out before Ash placed his hand on his back. "I...I understand..." Ash frowned as he looked towards Gengar. "We won't come here again...and I'll make sure no one comes here again..." Ash said as he began to walk towards the steps. The Dusclops turned to the boy in silence, staring at him as his fists unclenched themselves. "Thank you..." He muttered.

    Ash walked down the stairs, sighing to himself as he made it to the front entrance sooner than he expected. Gengar looked to him in worry, but Ash gave him a soft smile. "I'll be fine my friend." He pets his head and opened the doors, coming face to face with that same girl as before. "Huh?" The girl raised her eyebrow as she looked at Ash in shock. "You...you survived? Where's your Pokémon? Did that thing not attack you?" Ash stepped back at her barrage of questions, Gengar staying in his shadow as he stared at the girl. So annoying. Instead of answering, Ash tried to move around her, but was stopped by two boys behind her. They were about her age, and each holding their own pokeballs. "Well...if you won't tell me then I'll find out myself! Cmon boys!" She called as she grabbed her Pokeball.

     The trio stopped when Ash stood in front of them. "You can't!" He yelled out. The girl angrily stared down at him. "Get out...of my way!" She ordered, but Ash stood still. "I won't let you harass him anymore!" The two boys looked at each other, the girl in front of them shaking in anger. "Get out of my way or I'll make you!" She threw out a Pokeball, the white light erupting from it and forming into a Camerupt. The boys threw their own, revealing a Breloom and a Crawdaunt.

    Ash gulped. Despite an alternate version, this Ash wasn't that good at battling. But he wouldn't let these three harass that Dusclops. Gengar erupted from his shadow and landed in front of him, glaring angrily. Ash threw two more pokeballs, showing his other friends. Banette and Misdreavus. The two Pokémon smiled at him before getting ready to battle.

    "Flamethrower!"

     "Bullet Seed!"

      "Ice Beam!"

      The three enemy Pokémon fired their own moves as ordered from their trainers. Ash didn't say anything, but his Pokémon already knew what to do. Gengar opened his mouth and fired a Shadow Ball at the pillar of flames, Banette countered the Bullet Seed with a continuous parry of Knock Off, and Misdreavus countered the Ice Beam with Psybeam. Suddenly, Breloom shot forward and struck Banette at close range with a Sludge Bomb.
    
     As his ally flew back, Gengar shot his gaze to Breloom and knocked him into the dirt with a Pyschic. Crawdaunt slowly moved forward, using her other claw and coating it in dark energy. Misdreavus panted a bit as she tried to force her Psybeam to push harder. However, Crawdaunt was more experienced, her attack breaking the hold and freezing Misdreavus. She shot forward and slashed her body with a Night Slash. The super effective attack knocked her back, the ghost type struggling to float back up.

     Gengar's face turned to one of furry as he shot a barrage of Shadow Balls at Crawdaunt, knocking the massive crab away. The leader of the small group smirked as she raised her hand at the distracted Gengar. "ERUPTION!" Camerupts back began to glow brightly before lowering his front legs. His small volcano on his back shooting a powerful fire attack. Gengar widened his eyes and raised his hands. The attack hit, making the other trainers cover their face as dust flew from the explosion. Once the smoke cleared, Gengar stood there, injured and panting, but still standing. His body began to coat itself in dark energy as his face turned to one of hate. Without warning, he kneeled down and shot forward, his black energy forming into an arrow as it struck Camerupt. The fire type knocked back, on the verge of passing out after being hit by such a powerful Payback attack.

     Ash bit his lip in nervousness. Misdreavus was too weak to fight, Banette was poisoned, and Gengar was struggling to hold the battle. He cursed himself for not focusing on training his friends, they needed a leader. That would have to wait, he needed to fend off these three for him. For Dusclops....

                                     ...................

     "Why...why does he...fight for us?" Dusclops asked himself as he stared at the battle below. He had heard what the young boy had said, how he was defending him. He had lived far longer than that boy has, this tower being older than the town below. Yet, in all his years of keeping this tower safe, he has never seen someone risk themselves to defend him. His red eye quivered as he stared at the three trainers. The three assailants. He should help, but he cannot leave this room. He cannot leave his master.

    He froze when he felt a small hand land on his back. "Master?" Dusclops questioned. He slowly turned around to see a young boy in a golden kimono with red swirls. Pitch black hair and pale skin. Those red eyes stared up at Dusclops as the boy smiled up at him. He gently grabbed his massive hands and held them up to his chest. "Go my friend....you've been in here for far too long." The master said. "B-but Master!" Dusclops was silenced as the boy raised his hand. "Do it for me...do it for him." He ordered. Dusclops slowly moved his hand away before nodding. "As you wish my master."

                                    .....................

     Gengar fell on his back, swirls in his eyes and completely passed out. Banette laid next to him, struggling to hold his body up and Misdreavus was passed out as well. Ash fell to his knees, a look of defeat on his face. "You've done a lot to piss me off kid." The girl glared as she grabbed his head. Ash winced as she pulled some of his hair. "Now...get out of my way!" She pushed him aside, making the boy fall to his side. "Stop! You can't!" He yelled. The girl looked down, raising her leg to kick him, but she stopped as a shiver ran up her back. She quickly ran back, looking to the front doors as a red eye emerged from the shadows. Dusclops stood before them, standing in front of Ash and his Pokémon.

    "That's the Pokémon! I always wanted a Dusclops!" The girl yelled excitedly as her Camerupt walked up in front of her. Her friends Breloom and Crawdaunt walked up, ready to battle. Dusclops eye glowed, activating a Future Sight as the three Pokémon threw their own attacks. Breloom shot a Sludge Bomb, Crawdaunt launched an Ice Beam, and Camerupt shot a Flamethrower from his mouth. Dusclops raised his arms, taking the brute force off all the attacks. Smoke covered his body, blocking their view of him. Without warning, a Thunder Punch erupted from the smoke and struck Crawdaunt, launching her away and knocking her out.

     Her trainer ran over to her side to help. Breloom glared as he fired a barrage of Bullet Seeds at him. Dusclops countered by firing two Shadow Balls from each hand. One countered the barrage, while the other flew forward and slammed into Breloom. Dusclops raised his fist and shot it forward, a ghostly version of his fist knocking into Breloom's stomach and knocking him out. He turned his body, coming face to face with the nervous Camerupt.

    "ERUP-" the girl tried to call out, but was silenced by Dusclops slamming a Shadow Punch to Camerupts face. The Pokémon stumbled back as portals appeared above it. From those portals, shot out purple balls of psychic energy that struck Camerupts back. As the smoke settled, Camerupt stumbled onto his side, completely knocked out.

     "T-that's impossible!" The girl yelled out angrily as she raised her Pokeball to return Camerupt. Her friends did as well. "Listen here you two! We'll be back! And I'm bringing a lot more friends!" She glared. Dusclops stood silently, but Ash walked up as his Pokémon regained consciousness. "I wouldn't do that..." Ash said. "Why not?!" Ash looked up at her. "Ghosts haunt this tower, the spirits of sorrow calling out for someone to save...to possess." Ash looked into her eyes. The girl gulped as she stood tall. "I don't believe in ghosts!"

    "Oh really?" Ash looked up at her with a creepy and ominous smile. "Then what's that white hand on your shoulder?" Confused, the girl looked to her right shoulder, her entire body freezing and turning pale as she saw a white hand resting on her. Letting out a terrified shriek, she and her friends ran down the hill, hopefully to never return. Ash stared for a moment before doubling over in a giggling fit. He wasn't the only one, as the spirit of the young boy appeared giggling as well.

     "Hehehe, that was good!" Ash chuckled as he stood up straight, smiling at the boy. The young master smiled and bowed. "Thank you for defending my home." He told him before walking over to Dusclops. He took his massive hands in his own, smiling at his old friend. "Dusclops...you should leave." This shocked Ash and the ghost type. "B-but master..." "I'll be fine, trust me. You've been here long enough. Go...see the world....just like we talked about before..." The young master hugged Dusclops before turning to Ash. "Please, keep him safe." Ash nodded and bowed to the boy. "I'll do my best." With a smile and nod goodbye, the ghost child walked back to his tower, giving Dusclops one last smile before disappearing.

     Dusclops stood there in silence. His fists clenching, but he couldn't find his anger. He shook a bit when Ash placed a hand on his back. "I'll let you decide, I don't want to force you." Ash said as he held up a Pokeball. "We can travel together, see the world." Dusclops stared at the Pokeball silently. Without warning, he placed his palm on the machine, letting himself be caught. Immediately Ash let him out. "The feeling is...strange..." Dusclops said. Ash chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I don't let my Pokémon inside pokeballs much." His three other friends, Gengar, Banette, and Misdreavus, floated beside him.

    "A new victim huh Ash?" Gengar chuckled as he floated around Dusclops. "Don't forget I beat you in a fight~."

     "Fight by my side and we will ensure a victory will always come!" Banette puffed his chest out, smacking his doll like body on his chest.

     "Oh hush Banette, we didn't see victory today if he hadn't come in." Misdreavus rolled her eyes.

    Dusclops stared silently before nodding. This was a rather strange family, three ghost types and a boy who can understand ghost Pokémon. It was strange...but deep down he felt like he will warm up soon enough....

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