Swanna Song, Sung Throughout Sinnoh

Gary screamed in the middle of the woods, cowering on his knees.

Ranger Kai was also yelling out wildly while using her body to cover her Swadloon.

The newly evolved Metapod was sitting behind his Trainer, just using Harden over and over.

Electivire was snarling angrily, swinging punches and trying to grab any one of the several attackers.

Around the group, a pack of Monferno were screeching and bouncing around the forest, swinging from branches and kicking and rebounding off of the group uncontrollably.

Dunsparce had fled, going underground without Ranger Kai even noticing.

Gary had tried battling the leader, who had the biggest flame on its tail and the brightest pattern on its face, but the pack was unruly and didn’t play fair at all. They attacked not only Gary’s Snorlax, but also Gary himself, the Ranger, and her Pokemon that were there.

Snorlax had fallen on its rear end and was crying, swatting out in frustration before being mercilessly punched and knocked out, Gary retreating her after that.

Caterpie, desperate to fight back and defend his Trainer, ended up evolving but couldn’t move very well in his new form.

Electivire tried zapping at the flying monkeys but they were gone the moment your eyes actually spotted one.

“I’m certainly glad that’s over!”

Gary looked over cautiously, squinting, and saw that Ranger Kai was standing, her Metapod in her arms, Swadloon and Dunsparce at her feet! “Huh?!” He tried to relax his body but was still trembling. Looking around, he tried to see the crazed Monferno pack. He could still hear them, but they were all gone!

They had taken off, screaming to the max with excitement.

Gary sighed. “I can’t believe I messed that up.”

“I can’t believe you think you had the skill to succeed!” Ranger Kai retorted.

Gary glared at her. “Are we at Hearthome, yet?” he snapped.

“We should be there by tomorrow! It’ll be dark soon, so we should call it a night, soon.”

Gary nodded and looked down. “Okay. Let’s keep moving.”

Electivire was growling while turning in circles, mad the Monferno had gotten away.

They all continued through the evening chill surrounding the woods.

“You can almost hear the ghosts out here, can’t you?”

“I don’t hear anything. Except, maybe the wind?” Gary said, hearing something for sure, but it had to be the wind. His throat dry, he tried to swallow. I don’t need to swallow, anyway, he convinced himself. Everything is just fine.

“You really don’t hear that? It’s like a song!” Ranger Kai continued. “It’s totally gotta be ghosts.”

Gary sucked his teeth, sneering ahead. “Ghost Pokemon, maybe. If that.”

Ranger Kai shrugged. “Ghosts are ghosts! I’ll take whatever!”

“Well, I don’t hear anything so, it’s all in your head.”

“Ugh, you’re gonna be a bigger buzzkill than Agent Dully in the Excadrill Files, aren’t you?”

“I love that show, but I’m just being logical about this. There’s a faint sound of wind through trees that you’re-”

“Hey!” both of them cried out as they saw something glowing up ahead that made them stop.

“What’s that?” Gary questioned.

“The ghosts!” Ranger Kai started moving quickly to see what the bright, yellow glow was being cast from.

Dunsparce and Swadloon followed after her.

“Kai!” Gary whispered anxiously. “This isn’t a game! Stop! Wait! Something’s really there!”

“Yeah, the ghosts! I told you!” Ranger Kai cried happily.

“Kai, be quiet! Get back!” Gary insisted in his frantic whisper. Watching her keep going ahead, he knew he had to follow her. There could be danger up ahead! Like poachers, even.

There were a bunch of voices, and the light went out.

“Kai!” He moved quickly, Electivire following. After clearing some trees, he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. “Whoa! Hey!”

Ranger Kai was already watching in awe.

In front of her was a boy, sat on the ground, staring at the two in shock.

In front of them all was a Pokemon Gary recognized, floating in the air. A Pumpkaboo! It was a little bigger than the one Gary had faced at the Indigo League.

“We have to get out of here!” The kid with filthy, messy, dirty-blonde hair got up and grabbed Ranger Kai and Gary by their hand, forcing them to run with him.

“What’s going on?” Ranger Kai cried.

“Yo!” Gary called out in surprise.

The three moved with the new guy, their Pokemon following.

Gary and Ranger Kai looked back to see the Pumpkaboo was also after them!

“If we don’t keep moving, it’ll kill us all!!” the boy insisted, terror in his voice. “Like they did my parents!!”

Gary was startled by this boy’s words.

“Oh, no,” Ranger Kai whispered. “Not again.”

“Again??” Gary was even more taken back by Ranger Kai’s reaction to this information.

“Now that I understand the situation a bit better,” Ranger Kai made a couple of swift motions, resulting in her recalling Metapod back one second, and ended up with the boys’ wrists in her grasp the next second, “I’ll lead the way to safety! Do your thing, Dunsparce!”

There was a chattering behind them, and then a disturbed cry.

Gary looked back, seeing that Pumpkaboo had flown backwards, seemingly hit by Dunsparce who was falling from the air. He, or she, just attacked Pumpkaboo, Gary understood. That’ll buy us time! Escaping a Ghost isn’t gonna be easy, but that’ll help! He turned back as the shouts of more fighting continued.

*

“Don’t worry. We’ll be just fine. Can you tell us your name? My name is Ranger Kai and this is Gary.” Ranger Kai was sitting on her knees in front of the quivering boy.

He was sitting in the dirt, looking like he could pass out, or throw up, or just explode into tears at any second. His light-blue eyes were wide, as if staring directly at something terrifying, reliving a traumatic memory. He was wearing blue slacks and white sneakers with a white sweater. All of his clothes were covered in dirt.

Once Ranger Kai was sure they had gotten away from Pumpkaboo, she had to struggle to convince the boy of the same thing and somehow got him to sit, but he was still a wreck. She asked how long he’d been out there, why, his age, all sorts of things, but he didn’t respond. He couldn’t!

“He’s been in these woods for some time, I bet. He looks skinny, but he could just be skinny. I mean, look at you.” Ranger Kai turned to Gary.

“Is this really the time for that?” Gary shot back before turning to the boy. “He said his parents were killed by that Pumpkaboo...” He looked to the Ranger again. “And you said ‘not again.’ Why? What do you know about this?”

Ranger Kai just shook her head. “He said ‘they’ killed them... It may not have been just this Pumpkaboo. It could even have been a Gourgeist involved in this.”

“Gourgeist?”

Ranger Kai stared at Gary. “Gourgeist is the evolved form of Pumpkaboo. They’re very dangerous, just like Pumpkaboo in the wild can be. Basically, they indiscriminately deliver people to the afterlife. Gourgeist tend to just swoop you away, but Pumpkaboo, depending on their size, will float around carrying souls until satisfied and then take them to the afterlife.”

“Are you saying it was his parents’ time to go?” Gary asked.

Ranger Kai looked over to the new boy hesitantly. “Not necessarily...”

The boy was already staring at her. “It wasn’t... We were cursed. We’re all cursed already! We heard the song of the Gourgeist, and we were marked for death from then on!” He spoke with such panic in his voice, looking like he was cracking with each sentence. “First, it came to our house. We had moved here only a few months ago! It was terrible. We had almost no money. I hated the neighbors. Nothing had gone as planned, but we were finally setting up our lives and everything was coming together! My parents had finally found good work and I’d be able to call all my old friends back in Gringey City, in the Kanto region.”

Gary’s eyes lit up and he stirred a little bit.

Still trembling, the boy went on. “There was a mysterious sound one night. A song being whistled, or, more like, howled, through the house. But it wasn’t a loud howl. It was like a whistling howl. I’d never heard anything like it in my life. That’s the song of Gourgeist. Once you hear it, you’re cursed for life!”

Ranger Kai and Gary looked to each other briefly.

The scared boy never looked away from Ranger Kai. “Then, there was a knock on the door, and my dad went to answer it. I watched his entire body be wrapped by a green arm thing and then it all vanished! He was taken to his death! And after that, a Pumpkaboo came in and hypnotized my mom with a bright light before taking her soul right in front of me! I watched her body drop in front of me!”

Slowly, Ranger Kai reached out and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

As if having a slow reaction to her touch, he looked down to the hand and then SCREAMED! He swiftly crawled backwards away from her and shook his head. “D-d-d-d-don’t! Don’t touch me! Please!”

Ranger Kai had her arms up already, nodding. “I understand. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I ran for my life and ended up here. I’ve been out here forever, trying to survive.” He swallowed hard, looking like the simple action was a major effort for him. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“It’s alright. I’m a Pokemon Ranger. I am here to help you. This is my friend, Gary. And our Pokemon, Electivire, and Swadloon, and Dunsparce will be back soon. They’re just making sure the area is safe from those Ghost type Pokemon, okay? Do you have a name?”

The kid trembled on the spot for a moment.

“Take your time, okay? We just want to know who you are. We mean you no harm. Nothing’s going to happen to you, now.”

“F-F-F-Fred,” he finally let out. “My name is Fred.”

“That’s a nice name, Fred. I’m glad to meet you. Everything is gonna be okay, okay?” Ranger Kai smiled, her eyes big and wide.

Fred looked down, shaking his head. “No it won’t...” he whispered. “My family is dead. I have nothing...”

Ranger Kai looked mournfully at the kid and inhaled. “How old are you?”

“Now I’m fourteen.”

“Oh, you’re a big boy, aren’t you? So big and brave, all on your own out here!” Ranger Kai praised.

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child, okay?!” Fred barked at her. “I’m not! And I’ve lost my parents! Just cut the shit, will you?”

Ranger Kai looked stunned and her lips shut immediately. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to say in this kind of a situation. I’m so embarrassed.”

“Hey, let’s all just try to calm down and figure out a way out of this forest,” Gary said, looking to them both with his hands held out. “We’re close to Hearthome City, aren’t we? Once we get there, we-”

“Hearthome is where I’m from!” Fred burst out. “Or, where we moved to! We never should have left Kanto. We never had issues like this, there. The Ghosts are from the Lost Tower burial ground, near Hearthome City. The previous Gym there was run by a Ghost Trainer! It’s all a bad omen!”

“The beauty known as Fantina... The retired Gym Leader,” Ranger Kai said. She nodded. “Yeah. There was a controversy around her. She often speaks with a French tongue, but where she’s actually from isn’t even Kalos, but Unova. She came under scrutiny and was canceled for what many labeled as cultural appropriation of the French. The overall silliness of it all threw her over the edge and she left her Gym Leader position for what she claimed was a far less judgemental and, by her own words, ‘smarter,’ community. She was a Top Coordinator before becoming a Gym Leader, but after the controversy, she returned to her roots. She hasn’t used the accent since the controversy and hasn’t had an actual battle since.”

“Yeah, whatever. That bitch abandoned a city she had the power to save when she left the Gym and then moved out. Once she was gone, th-”

“She was being harassed by cancel culture! She had no choice but-!” Ranger Kai argued.

“My parents weren’t the only ones to die, you know! I had neighbors I never even met, and others that went missing before I arrived, gone to these Ghosts!”

“Okay, well, let’s not get mad at Ghost type-” Ranger Kai tried.

“Oh, come on. It’s...” Easy, Gary, Gary told himself. Don’t say the wrong thing. “I just think, the anger he’s feeling could be justified. I’ve had bad run-ins with Ghosts, myself. I nearly lost my life. You may have heard about the Saffron City attack with Haunter and the reanimated Sabrina. I was there and-” Gary ran out of words, not knowing how to continue, nor wanting to. He just swallowed as memories started to resurface and closed his eyes, shaking his head hard, trying to keep the thoughts away.

But he couldn’t keep away the memory of Kiwi’s Poke Ball that contained her Pidgeotto, being turned to dust.

“Hmph!”

Gary looked up to see Ranger Kai glaring at him. He frowned back at her. “Oh, cut it out, will ya? Your bias isn’t gonna help anyone!”

“And neither is yours! Any type of Pokemon is just as bad as any other, and you stigmatizing Ghosts does more harm to all Pokemon than you think! Once all the blame is on Ghosts, who’s next? The Bugs? Then what? Dark types? Fire types? Soon,” Ranger Kai paused for a second, “well, soon, we’re all just Team Solace, aren’t we?”

Silence filled the area.

Gary swallowed, glaring at the woman. He hated what she had just said.

How dare she, even! Gary thought viciously. How dare she compare what we’re saying, to Team Solace! Bitch! It would be nothing to just- Gary could see it all too clearly in his mind. Punching this woman in the face - no. Ripping the skin right off her face with his own teeth!

Grabbing a blunt object, a brick, and pummeling her skull until her brains and her head were the same texture!

“Any Pokemon can cause a killing, but these Ghosts specifically have it in their nature to do these acts,” Fred spoke up.

Gary blinked, and his eyes widened.

Ranger Kai was leering at him with confusion.

Kai? he thought. What just happened? He could feel his body settling, his furrowed eyebrows relaxing. No... Not again. What were those horrible thoughts?

“I wouldn’t care if it was just carrying on the cycle of life, but we had just moved there! Gourgeist cursed us to death! Once we heard that song, it was over for us! And I’m the last one,” Fred kept talking.

Gary and Ranger Kai didn’t take their eyes off each other.

Gary’s heart was beating hard with fear. I was mad, he knew. The last thing she said - about Team Solace... Is that what made me so mad? But I was too mad! Why-?

“Pumpkaboo is coming for me next. If I can’t be mad at Ghosts, I can be mad at the nature of Ghosts,” Fred kept going.

Ranger Kai finally turned from Gary and to Fred, and she swallowed uncomfortably, a pleading look coming over her face. “But-!”

“Miss Ranger? Please,” Fred insisted. “I’m the one grieving, and fearing my own life being taken away. Not you. I’m a dead man walking.”

Ranger Kai stood up. “NO! I refuse to stand down!” she said determinedly, now wearing a serious look. “Ghost types are just misunderstood! They’re good Pokemon and without them, this world would be nothing! We need them more than anything else! Bug types make the world itself go round, yet people hate and fear them!” She leered right at Gary, who frowned and sucked his teeth, more important things on his mind than Ranger Kai’s mind games. “And without Ghosts, what is the afterlife! Nothing! Everything happens for a reason! Everything dies!”

“Yeah, including me,” Fred muttered, looking down.

Ranger Kai softened her face, sympathy taking over her mind.

Was she incorrect? Gary kept to himself. Is hating one type just the catalyst to hating them all? Isn’t that what happened to Isaac, basically...? Hating one Pokemon that took away his daughter, and then-? Gary stopped his thoughts with a strong shake of his head. “Ranger Kai, how do we get out of here? I think we need to get to Hearthome City and see what’s going on there.” He looked at Fred.

Fred was already looking his way, his eyes full of terror. “We have to go anywhere but there! They’re looking for me! The Ghosts! I’m cursed! You’re better off just leaving me here alone by myself. Just save yourselves!”

“Well, I may not like your attitude towards understanding Ghost type Pokemon, but we’re certainly not doing that!” Ranger Kai crossed her arms and stared hard at Fred. “You’re coming with us, and we’re gonna protect you the entire way and beyond! You’ll never be without safety, I promise you! I’ll stay by you myself if it means keeping you safe!”

“I don’t think that’s something I’d like, considering your blind stance on Ghosts. I’d be in worse danger than before,” Fred said moodily.

“Oh, REALLY?!” Ranger Kai exploded.

“Guys, all this arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere. We just have no choice. We need to get to Hearthome City if it’s the closest city from here!” Gary urged. “If there’s a problem over there, we have to see if we can help!”

“Ssshh!!” Ranger Kai held out her arms, turning. She pointed. “There!”

Something yellow tumbled out of the trees and sprawled out on its back.

“Dunsparce!” Ranger Kai ran to her Pokemon and got down to one knee. “But that means-!” She looked up.

Pumpkaboo appeared through the trees!

Fred and Gary screamed, Ranger Kai gasping hard.

Something small, green and orange followed, coming through the grass. Ranger Kai’s Swadloon! She leaped at her Trainer and clung desperately to her coat, wailing out in fright, Ranger Kai screaming out in surprise and wrapping her in her arms.

Pumpkaboo’s eyes glowed brightly, blinding the area!

Gary found himself frozen. Okay, he decided, and nodded. The boy stood up and approached Pumpkaboo. He had no choice. He wanted to. He needed to! He reached out for the Pokemon, knowing this was his destiny.

There was a song that sang out in the woods.

The bright light moved away.

“Huh?”

The song continued.

Gary closed his eyes and shook his head. What’s going on? Is that music? A song? Gary’s eyes shot open. “What?”

Ranger Kai stood in front of a different Pumpkaboo with glowing eyes shining on her. She looked like a zombie, stepping lazily over to the Ghost.

This Pumpkaboo in front of her was almost the same size as the one in front of Gary, but just a tiny bit smaller.

In front of Fred was a different Pokemon, and Gary knew this had to be the evolution due to how similar they looked. Gourgeist. Taller than either Pumpkaboo, it reached out for Fred who was sitting and staring up helplessly at the approaching enemy, unable to even move or scream for help.

There were screams coming out from an untraceable place, a haunting howl of horror and pain and desperation.

Fred’s eyes were wide, watching as Gourgeist got closer, not even resisting as his shoulders were finally grabbed.

But the singing was coming from elsewhere.

Then, Gary spotted a flock of purple birds! They all sang together, doing a strange dance that, while Gary didn’t recognize it, it somehow reminded him of... home? He shook his head, not understanding what was going on, what the singing birds were, or why he was right in front of a Pumpkaboo. What he did know was that he was drawn to the Pumpkaboo in front of him out of his own control, and the pull only stopped once that light was off!

The Ghost Pokemon were now focusing on the birds and writhing while in the air, as if something were happening to them.

It also looked to Gary as if wisps of dark smoke were swirling around them, but the swirls vanished so fast, it was impossible to know if they had really ever been there to begin with. Plus, it was too dark out to really tell.

The birds rubbed their wings together and then held them out, firing out a purple blast lined with black energy, two of the four aiming for a different Pumpkaboo, the last two birds aiming at the only Gourgeist.

The three Pokemon all shouted out as they were blown back by the attack.

“Whoa!” Fred rolled away, holding out his right arm to shield himself.

Ranger Kai gasped as she was pulled out of her hypnosis and hit the ground, confused and shocked.

Gasping, Fred got to his knees and pointed at the birds. “You guys, we got a break! Check out these Pokemon!” Fred exclaimed happily.

Still a little lost and confused, Gary decided he should take out his Pokedex and understand all that he could.

Pumpkaboo. The Pumpkin Pokemon. A Ghost and Grass type Pokemon. They come in a variety of four sizes, each one said to hold a different amount of souls, as well as different kinds of souls, the Small Size going for children, while the Super Size prefer adults.

Gourgeist. The Pumpkin Pokemon and Pumpkaboo’s evolved form. A Ghost and Grass type Pokemon. Like its previous form, the size of the Pokemon depends on what it tends to prefer going after, children versus adults. Also like Pumpkaboo, they are said to hold the souls of their victims in their body until ready to deliver them to the afterlife.

Oricorio. The Dancing Pokemon. Sensu Style. A Ghost and Flying type. It loves to dance, making sure that all of its moves reflect its style of dance. Because of this, this Pokemon is hard to read, and is popular in Pokemon Contests.

“Oricorio? So that’s what they’re called!” Fred was smiling so hard. “I never knew their names, but, finally! They saved me once before and left before I could thank them! I never thought they’d return!”

“I almost lost my life! We almost died!” Ranger Kai looked mortified. “I can’t believe it!”

Gary watched the Ranger. Maybe she’ll think a little more reasonably about the threat that we’re in due to these Ghost types, Gary thought. Maybe she gets it, now.

“Oh, why did I have to wake up out of that??! I could have been closer to these kawaii Ghosts than anyone else! Everyone would be so jealoooooous!!” Ranger Kai complained.

Gary could have crashed through the ground at this statement. She’ll really never learn, will she?

“Oh my gosh where's Swadloon??” Ranger Kai realized. She was looking around frantically. “Dunsparce??”

“Whoa! And Electivire!” Gary then realized. “Where is he?”

“It’s fine! You returned them when under their hypnosis,” Fred explained to them. “They were trying to interfere with Gourgeist and Pumpkaboo and they made you recall them back.”

“How clever!” Ranger Kai gushed.

“KAI! Will you stop it already??” Gary yelled at her, infuriated! “Just what the fffuck is wrong wi-?!!”

Ranger Kai’s face had already changed to shock as Gary was about to blow up at her before several shouts were heard, making her, Gary, and Fred look up.

Gourgeist and the two Pumpkaboo, and the four Oricorio were all running for each other, ready to fight!

“STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!” Ranger Kai leaped up and ran towards them but stopped short of getting in the middle of the fight, fear and concern on her face.

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!” Fred screamed at the top of his lungs.

Gary looked at him with wide but confused eyes.

While singing their song, the Oricorio danced again, and the frightening howling of earlier returned.

The Gourgeist and Pumpkaboo were trembling in the air in anguish, but it was unclear why. The same dark swirls were spinning around them before vanishing, Gary now certain he was seeing it, but still not knowing what it was.

The Oricorio used the same move as before, blasting at the Pumpkaboo and Gourgeist with purple energy.

That sound. What is that? Gary wondered, trying to spot the source. It sounds like...

The two Pumpkaboo and the Gourgeist got back up from the hit and together they extended their bodies and loomed high over everyone. Their faces then became that of nightmares and disgust and collectively, they let out a screech that echoed through the woods.

Everyone covered their ears and cowered, Gary himself actually taking off several feet before stopping himself and using what little bravery he had left within himself to face the pack of Ghosts.

One of the four Oricorio remained down after the attacks had ended. It wasn’t beaten, but was Flinching!

The Grass-Ghosts were all laughing now at the one Oricorio, the other three Oricorio glaring at the opponents.

One of the Oricorio moved over to comfort the Flinching Oricorio until it calmed down.

Now, all seven of the Pokemon were facing each other angrily, ready to strike again.

“DAD! WAIT! DOOOOON’T!!” Fred ran ahead without fear, stopping right in front of Gourgeist!

“Fred!” Ranger Kai gasped and she ran to him.

“Wait!” Gary called, staring at them.

“My father is in there!! I saw his spirit!! Let him go! Take me! Please!” Fred was crying in front of Gourgeist and fell to his knees.

Ranger Kai was behind the boy now, bent over and holding his shoulders as she stared sadly at Gourgeist.

“Please! He worked too hard for us all to just die like that! Let him go! Bring him back! Stop his pain! I love my dad! Spare him and allow him to live! My mom, too! Whichever of you has her! Just don’t let all their hard work and sacrifice go to waste!” Breaking from the Ranger, the young kid got down to his face, crying for all it was worth.

The single Gourgeist turned to one Pumpkaboo, which turned back to it.

The last one didn’t and just watched Fred. It floated forward just a bit and then stopped. “Pumpkaboo.”

Fred looked up and turned to Pumpkaboo with a sniffle, wiping at his face.

“Pumpka Pumpk Pumpkaboooo.” Pumpkaboo spoke for a few seconds and then went silent.

After a short moment where nothing happened, Ranger Kai took in a deep breath. “There is no way, is there?” She had her eyes on the Pumpkaboo that spoke. “Once dead, that’s it. Fred, I’m truly sorry.” She focused on the Pumpkaboo and took a step towards it. “But, please. Leave the kid alone. Show what good hearts you have. You don’t have to take him, too. He’s in good hands with us. Please. Let’s show the world the true side of Ghost types.”

The Oricorio were speaking in low tones, watching all of what was happening. Suddenly, they started to dance.

Gary found this so pleasing. It relaxed his very heart. But hearing the creepy wailing that seemed to accompany the dance every time, he was taken away from his happier feelings.

The two Pumpkaboo started to move, their lights flashing, one going for Ranger Kai, the other for Gary. They moved, but at a struggled pace, dark swirls surrounding them before vanishing, and then the twin Ghosts flew ahead at their normal speed.

Gourgeist had also been affected similarly but stayed in place.

It’s that move the Oricorio are using, Gary was sure. It’s doing something to those Gourgeist and Pumpkaboo. Does it hurt them?

The Ranger and Gary turned their backs against the light and closed their eyes, not wanting to get hypnotized.

But even doing that, the light was almost as bright as anything, and Gary could feel the urge, against his will, to look at it! His eyes opened. Gary, no! he instructed himself while his body kept turning to take in the light. Why?! He saw the dancing Oricorio as he continued turning, feeling himself losing who he was. Losing his purpose. Nothing meant more to him than reaching the Pumpkaboo that had chosen him.

His eyes moved away from one dancing Oricorio, to the next one. Gary... he heard a voice in his head. Kanto... He saw the third dancing Oricorio as he kept turning to see his beloved Pumpkaboo savior. Home! the voice called louder. Mom... Rob... Kiwi... He saw the last Oricorio that was dancing. Aly... Gary froze, watching the last Oricorio dance. June... Gary blinked. Wait. Melissa... Wait! He shook his head hard. “WAIT!” He turned and gasped in surprise. “Ranger Kai!! What are you doing??”

Ranger Kai was wrestling with Fred, trying to take him over to the other Pumpkaboo!

Fred was crying and screaming, his eyes shut tight, afraid to open them.

Kai’s hypnotized! Gary realized. He was about to run to her when something else started happening by Gourgeist.

A thin, purple line appeared in the air behind Gourgeist and the Pokemon slid backwards, disappearing right into it! The portal disappeared right after.

The Oricorio launched their attacks, but two were aimed at Gourgeist, who was already gone.

The final two went for the Pumpkaboo, but they cut off their lights and dodged the blasts as well.

There were big eruptions as the attacks hit trees and dirt and caused animals to scamper.

Fred crawled away, Ranger Kai shaking her head in confusion in the middle of it all. “Hey! What’s going on? Wait! Did it happen again? Was I-?” Ranger Kai was saying.

The purple portal reappeared near the four Oricorio, Gourgeist bursting from it with a scream, and it slammed into the birds in turn.

The Oricorio collapsed, one by one, but they all struggled to get back up to keep fighting.

This is really insane, Gary thought, taking in the whole scene. Why are we even fighting? Because Ghosts wanna kill us? So we need the power of other Ghosts to stop them? Why do we need to fight for our lives? We didn’t do anything wrong to begin with!

The Oricorio were facing Gourgeist.

The two Pumpkaboo were together, staring at Fred.

Fred was staring back with fear.

Ranger Kai raised her hands high. “Please. Guys. We don’t have to fight!” She looked to the Oricorio and Gourgeist, her hands falling. “Let’s stop all of this. You’re better than this!”

“But they’re not.” Fred stood up, facing the Pumpkaboo. “I just want my mom and dad back. And I’m even willing to be taken in their place, but even if that were possible, it doesn’t solve anything, does it? They’d only miss me...” He lowered his head. “And you Ghosts don’t care.” He sniffled and wiped at his eyes with the back of one hand before glaring at the Ghosts in the area, including the Oricorio. “None of you care!”

“Fred. Please, I know this is painful for you, but we n-” Ranger Kai spoke.

“YOU SHUT UP! YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING! These,” he swallowed, “Ghosts took my entire family away. You want to end this peacefully but you haven’t suffered, or you have nothing worth losing. But I did, and I lost them! Where do I go after this? What is my future without them?! What is their future without me?!”

Silence filled the woods, only crickets and songs from other little critters being heard.

How does this end, then? Gary wondered. We have to save Fred, but then what happens to the rest of his life?

“I can’t keep running for the rest of my life.” Fred’s face was consumed with darkness. Not only was it dark outside, but his white face actually seemed to hold odd, dark shades to it, as if shadows darker than the night were being cast over him. Even his eyes seemed entirely black. “And if I have to die,” his mouth became a sneer, his teeth tight and bared, “let it be on my own two feet!” Roaring for his life, he scooped something big and dark off the ground and charged at Gourgeist, who stared back with a gaping mouth.

A big stick? Gary questioned, staring as Fred pulled the object behind his back to attack.

But the stick was bending; moving!

Gary’s eyes widened. Wait! Wait!

Before Gary could shout out to the kid, the Seviper in Fred’s hands hissed at him, its jaws wide open.

Ranger Kai, Gary, and loudest of all, Fred, screamed at the top of their lungs at the sudden appearance of the Pokemon.

The snake lunged forward and sank its top fangs into Fred’s chest.

Blood spurted out as his scream tore through the trees like actual wind, rattling leaves and moving the air itself.

“FRED!!” both Ranger Kai and Gary let out and ran forward. Gary stopped short, but Ranger Kai moved ahead, not afraid of the Pokemon. Gary reached for a Poke Ball, Ranger Kai going into her bag, but it was the new screams that were heard that made them both freeze and look.

The human-like shouts were coming from a place not clear.

The Oricorio, who had been singing and dancing, called out and their other strange, haunting song of sorts, returned.

The Gourgeist and Pumpkaboo struggled against the attack as black, smokey wisps covered them briefly, and-

“DAAAAAD!! MOM!!” Fred suddenly burst out.

“What?” Gary gasped as he watched.

Fred was on his back, his sweater drenched in his own blood, reaching into the sky and gasping for air. Above him was nothing but black smoke. While some of the smoke had left the Gourgeist and two Pumpkaboo, it seemed some had gathered over the boy.

The Oricorio finally launched their attack, accompanied by wild howling like that of an angry wind.

Seviper, Gourgeist, and the two Pumpkaboo were blasted back and tossed off into the woods.

“Fred!” Ranger Kai cried, grabbing Gary’s attention, and the two ran to the kid.

The smoke over Fred was gone.

“Fred, are you alright?” Gary asked him sadly.

“I saw them.” Smiling, tears rolled down Fred’s cheeks. “I saw Dad. Mom. They’re okay... They’re so happy to see me again. I’m...” His breathing was getting heavier, his speaking more strained. “I’ll see them. We’ll be,” he swallowed hard, “together. I’m not afraid; anymore.”

“He’s losing it. The poison!” Ranger Kai went through her larger bag and started taking stuff out of it.

Trembling, Gary desperately wanted to look away, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t believe what was taking place. He was disgusted and stunned by it. He can’t die, Gary thought. “FRED! FIGHT IT!! STAY WITH US!!”

Fred shook his head, his smile fading. “I’m sorry, but I can’t,” he struggled to get out. “I just...” His eyes closed.

“FRED!!” Gary grabbed his hand in both of his and held it tight. “WAKE UP!! FIGHT!! WAKE UP!!”

“Damn it hang on I know it’s in here!” Ranger Kai whined frantically, tossing stuff out of her bag. “IT’S RIGHT HERE!!” She took out a huge syringe and a small bottle. She looked to Fred and then at Gary. “KEEP HIM ALERT!!!” Ranger Kai raged.

Gary looked at the boy.

Fred was silent and motionless.

“HEY!!” Gary shook him hard, yanking his arm. “GET UP!!”

Fred coughed.

“Fred, man! Come on, Freddy!” Gary pleaded. “Wake up!”

Fred’s eyes squinted a bit. “...June?”

Gary gasped, tightening his grip on his hands. “What?” he whispered.

“Is that you? Am I in Heaven?” Fred smiled and chuckled lightly.

“Fred, what’s going on? Talk to me. Who’s June?” Gary insisted, shaking his arm again. “Hey! You’re from Gringey City! You know June? That’s my friend! Do you know her??”

Fred’s eyes closed, but his smile remained and he nodded. “I was going to marry her.”

Gary’s heart stopped.

“If she’d have me, that is.”

Against his will, before he even realized it, Gary had breathed out. For what reason was another topic he wasn’t thinking about.

“She was my best friend in the entire world. My...” Fred took a moment to breathe noisily, harshly. “My secret... crush...”

“Okay, Fred. Just take it easy, now. Everything’s gonna be okay!” Ranger Kai jammed the needle into his arm. “This’ll only be a pinch.” She injected the clear liquid into the boy.

He never even flinched.

Gary waited.

Ranger Kai waited.

Fred remained still.

Gary swallowed nervously. “How long does it take to work?”

Ranger Kai didn’t reply, her stern eyes on Fred.

“When will he wake up?” Gary demanded.

Ranger Kai didn’t reply, nervousness and panic slipping onto her face.

“KAI! ANSWER ME!!” Gary let go of Fred’s hand and gripped the boy’s shoulders. “Fred. Fred! Fred, wake up! Get up!” his voice cracked. “Tell me more about June! She’s my friend, too! Tell me what you know about her! Let’s talk about her together!!” Tears rolled down Gary’s cheeks nonstop, and he was suddenly gripped from behind and pulled away.

“Gary, please,” Ranger Kai whispered in his ear. “Don’t fight me.”

“NOOOOO!!” Gary reached out to the kid on the ground. “FREEEED!! You gave him the medicine! Why isn’t it working?! Give him some more time!”

A Gourgeist floated over to Fred.

Gary lost it completely and raged, trying to fight his way out of Ranger Kai’s grip.

“WHOOOA!! GARY!!” While caught off guard initially, Ranger Kai slammed Gary into the dirt and held his arms behind his back. “Please don’t do this, Gary! It’s too late! Let nature take its course!”

“YOU’RE KILLING HIIIIIIM!!” Gary used all of his strength to fight, but ended up screaming in pain from how Ranger Kai was restraining him. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! GET OFF OF MEEEEEEEEEEEE-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!”

Openly crying, outright bawling out, Ranger Kai refused to let go as she watched Gourgeist.

Gary tried to watch, but Ranger Kai forced his head into the ground. After spitting out dirt, crying heavily, and struggling to raise his face to yell out, he realized what he was trying so hard to see.

The hair atop the creature reached out and connected with Melissa’s face.

Melissa screamed at the top of her lungs as her body was lit by the blue lightning, and then she hit the ground, remaining motionless.

Gary’s eyes tightened. Not again, he conceded. I can’t... He’s gone already. His body relaxed. He stayed in pain, not budging, letting Ranger Kai keep him down.

“I’m sorry, Gary,” Ranger Kai whispered. “I wouldn’t have let that happen if it wasn’t already too late. Gourgeist is just collecting what’s... gone...”

Gary didn’t need Ranger Kai to explain anything to him. He understood more than he wished, his mind sinking deeply in the phrase “ignorance is bliss” while tears forced their way from between his eyelids.

*

“That’s pretty cool, huh? The Oricorio dance reminds you of home,” Ranger Kai smiled, walking through the woods with Gary.

“It helped me out. It brought focus to me during the hypnotism of the Pumpkaboo.” Gary put away his Pokedex after using it a few times to research Oricorio, Pumpkaboo, and Gourgeist. “I just wonder where Gourgeist took Fred’s body...”

“We’ll find it. I put out an APB. You know, this reminds me of the Ghyst Brothers in Ghyst Town.”

Gary didn’t answer, knowing this was going somewhere stupid.

“Have you heard of them?” Before Gary could respond, if he had any plans to, Ranger Kai was right back to talking. “They’re one of the six Ghost type Gym Leaders of the Unova region, where I’m from, in Ghyst Town. They saved the town from a ton of Ghost and Fire type Pokemon called Litwick who drain life energy to survive. The brothers were homeless for a while, but upon stopping the Litwick, and without having to harm them, but by actually working with them, they were able to save the town and the Pokemon, and were given the Gym Leader position.”

What is she even talking about right now? Gary kept to himself, feeling himself getting impatient, and soon, angry. His eyes closed as he formed fists, and he rolled his neck as his eyebrows started to furrow.

“Though, I have heard that people started moving out in a hurry, so I don’t know what the current situation is with them, now.”

I could reach right in her throat and come back out gripping her tongue and vertebrae and it would mean nothing to me. His eyes suddenly shot open and he noisily released tension through his nostrils, his new anger leaving with it. “Kai?”

“Yeah?” Ranger Kai responded.

What just happened? Gary thought, his heart beating hard in confusion. He looked to her wide-eyed face that was awaiting what he had to say. “Um...” He took a moment, trying to calm himself and think clearly. Finally, “Are we cursed, like Fred?” I feel a lot better all of a sudden, he noted. By that, he meant he wasn’t feeling suddenly enraged and far beyond patience with Ranger Kai, but he still felt uncomfortable that he had felt that out of control at all. Is she really that annoying? he asked himself.

“What? What do you mean?”

Gary just stared at her. There’s no reason I should have felt that way. That was insane! He swallowed, returning back to the conversation. “Well - didn’t he say the Gourgeist had cursed his family with their song? And I know I heard singing in those woods, too. Before the Oricorio appeared with their song and dance.”

Ranger Kai cleared her throat. “But we’re fine, Gary. See? You can’t listen to everything in that stupid Pokedex. It’s biased against Ghosts and Bugs. Gourgeist left us alone. And nothing else is following us.” She smiled at him reassuringly.

Gary nodded. “I guess not. He said his family was killed shortly after.”

“Yeah.” Ranger Kai nodded. “I mean, didn’t we go through enough as it is for a curse? We beat it!”

She sounded so optimistic and upbeat, but it didn’t change Gary’s negative mood and he just kept quiet.

“Come on, don’t let this scare you,” she spoke gently. “This is just all in a day’s work for me, you know.”

Gary looked at the Ranger with tight eyes and nodded. “Let’s call it a night, shall we? I could use a little walk alone and then I’m gonna go to sleep.”

Ranger Kai stopped, but Gary didn’t, continuing to walk. “O-okay,” she replied lightly.

*

Gary sat alone in the dark night, sniffling. Crying. His head down. Staring. All of this that I’ve been through, and how much has actually been at the hands of Team Solace, he considered. It’s been more than enough, but, it’s this that’s the stuff I can’t tell my mom about. And if I can’t tell her what I’ve been through, it’s because it would only give her reason to keep supporting Team Solace, because I have no defense for the things like what those Ghosts were trying... Did, do! And I can’t hate Ghosts only, and still call myself a Pokemon Trainer. I have to take the good with the bad, and support Pokemon. No matter what. I could never side with Team Solace, but... Why is the line like this? Why can’t I say there are bad Pokemon out there, but hate Team Solace? Why can’t some species, no, each individual Pokemon, be held accountable for their own actions? Why does there have to be a label on them all?

And, if these Pokemon aren’t doing anything but trying to survive, why does that make them bad? Because it harms us people? What about the harm we do to them for food? We’re not punishing bad Pokemon and making them food. We breed them, and sometimes hunt them not even for food! Just sport! Poaching! What makes us so much better than them?

Nothing. Gary blinked and inhaled at this thought. Nothing... he repeated. Then that means... Gary didn’t finish the thought, knowing where it was going, and just let his breath out.

Oh, June... he processed. What are the odds? I can’t believe this. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save him.

Gary’s eyes teared up, and the tears dripped out.

Landing on the gun he had in his lap that he hadn’t stopped staring at.