The rain outside Lavender Town had dwindled into silence by the time Red stepped through the doors of the Pokémon Tower. Inside, the air was colder than it should have been, heavy and damp, like the walls themselves had been carved from sorrow.
There were no monks, no mourners, no townsfolk placing flowers. Only silence, broken by the distant creak of the old wooden beams, and the faint tapping of water dripping from cracks above.
Rows of tombstones stretched in every direction. The dim light of the oil lanterns cast shadows across the inscriptions carved into stone—names of Pokémon and the trainers who had loved them.
Red moved quietly, each step deliberate, hand brushing the brim of his cap as his eyes scanned the room. He had faced Gym Leaders, rival trainers, even Team Rocket—but this felt different. The air wasn't just heavy. It was watching him.
Then, the fog came.
It rolled in slowly at first, like smoke from some unseen fire, coiling between the tombstones. Then it thickened, swirling until Red could hardly see beyond ten feet. Instinctively, his hand went to his belt, fingers closing around a familiar Poké Ball. Ivysaur's.
He didn't release it yet. Instead, he waited, calm but wary, watching the mist churn.
And then—eyes.
A shape emerged from the fog. Small, yellow, with stubby arms and vacant expression. A Psyduck. Its head tilted, eyes glassy, unblinking.
But something was wrong. Its movements were jerky, unnatural, as if its strings were being pulled by an unseen puppeteer. Red narrowed his gaze, his stance tightening.
More figures began to follow. A Rattata. A Pidgey. A Meowth. One by one, Pokémon shuffled out of the haze, their eyes lifeless, their bodies dragging like corpses rising from graves.
The Psyduck's body twisted suddenly. Its flesh cracked, peeling away until what stood before him was no longer skin and feathers—but bone. A skeleton, hollow-eyed, still walking forward.
Red's expression hardened. Without hesitation, he pulled the Poké Ball free and tossed it.
"Ivysaur."
The Grass-type emerged in a burst of light, its vines lashing out instinctively as its eyes scanned the approaching mob.
"Razor Leaf."
Sharp leaves spun into the air, cutting through the Psyduck's bones. Its skeleton rattled apart, collapsing into a pile that clattered against the stone floor.
But the others didn't stop. The Pidgey's wings cracked as it flapped closer, pieces of bone shedding like dust. The Meowth's skull grinned as it leapt forward, claws still intact.
Red's eyes narrowed further, voice calm and precise.
"Petal Storm."
Ivysaur's bud pulsed with green energy before erupting, petals swirling around Red and his partner in a protective storm. They cut through the undead horde, shredding bone and brittle limbs. Dust and fragments scattered across the floor until the misty silence returned.
When the last skeleton fell, Red didn't relax. He stepped closer to the pile of broken Psyduck bones, crouching low. His hand hovered over them, eyes studying the strange purple residue clinging to the cracks.
"…Not natural," he muttered under his breath. His tone never rose, never faltered. Calm. Analytical.
"They're being controlled by something."
The fog thickened again, pressing in around him. New shapes emerged, slower this time, their forms barely visible within the haze. But Red noticed something—each time the Pokémon reached the edges of the purple mist, their bodies froze. They couldn't leave it.
That was when he saw it.
A flicker of orange. A faint glow of fire.
Red straightened, eyes narrowing as he moved closer. The flames grew clearer, outlining a silhouette within the haze. Human-shaped. Beside it, a reptilian figure stood tall, tail blazing.
It was unmistakable.
His rival stood there in the mist, arms at his sides, his Charmeleon at his flank.
Red narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.
"Blue—"
A sudden blast of fire ripped through the fog.
Red reacted instantly, leaping sideways and rolling across the stone floor. The flames roared past him, scorching the ground where he had been standing. He landed in a crouch, his hand already reaching for another Poké Ball.
When he looked up again, his chest tightened.
Blue's face was blank, expressionless. His eyes red. The same glow burned in Charmeleon's gaze, cold and unnatural. Their bodies were rigid, their presence drenched in an aura that wasn't theirs.
The Blue he knew would never attack without a word.
This wasn't him. He was being controlled.
Red recalled Ivysaur with a quick flash of red light, his other hand already on Charizard's ball. His thumb pressed the release.
Charizard burst forth in a roar that shook the chamber, wings unfurling wide, tail fire blazing hotter than the mist could smother. The oppressive air shifted under its presence.
Blue didn't react. He only lifted a hand. His Charmeleon lunged forward, claws glowing with flames.
Red's stance tightened.
So it's true. He's being possessed.
He scanned the battlefield, his sharp eyes catching movement above. The mist curled unnaturally, coiling into a face. A round body. An eerie grin.
Ghastly.
The ghost revealed itself at last, laughter echoing across the chamber like nails on glass. Its eyes glowed with malice as its aura pulsed, the same aura surrounding Blue and Charmeleon.
Red didn't hesitate. His voice was sharp, decisive.
"Charizard—Flamethrower."
Charizard roared again, spewing a stream of fire that cut through the mist. Ghastly darted away, just barely avoiding the full brunt—but the flames still licked its body, scorching its gaseous form. It shrieked, the control over Blue faltering.
Red's hand moved in the same instant, pulling an empty Poké Ball from his belt. His throw was swift, precise, honed from countless captures.
The ball struck Ghastly squarely, light swallowing the ghost. It shook violently, rattling in the air. Once. Twice.
Click.
Silence followed. The mist thinned.
Charmeleon's fire flickered uncertainly. Blue staggered, eyes losing their red glow as his knees buckled. He caught himself on the tombstone beside him, blinking hard before finally focusing on Red.
"…Tch." Blue exhaled, voice flat as always. "Guess you saved me."
Red said nothing. He only recalled Charizard, clipping the ball back to his belt. His calm stare never wavered.
Blue straightened, brushing dust from his shoulder like nothing had happened. His tone was nonchalant, but his eyes betrayed something sharper—annoyance, maybe even shame.
"I'm not leaving this tower. Not until I find the one who put that spell on me."
Red adjusted his cap, nodding once. His voice was steady, calm.
"…I've got my own answers to find."
And together, without another word, they turned toward the stairwell leading to the higher floors. The mist was not gone. If anything, it was waiting.
---
The stairwell groaned beneath Red's boots as he climbed higher into the tower, Blue following close. The higher they went, the thicker the mist pressed in—heavy, suffocating, and laced with a sharp stench that bit at the lungs.
Poison.
Red slowed. His instincts screamed. Something was here.
The fog curled unnaturally along the floor, and with it came a faint sound—scales brushing stone, the slither of something vast trying to remain hidden.
Then, a low, venomous voice slipped through the mist.
"So, we meet again, kid."
A figure stepped forward, wrapped in black, his posture rigid, eyes cold. Red knew him instantly. The Rocket agent from Mt. Moon. The one who had plunged a syringe into Rhyhorn, twisting it into Rhydon. The one who had escaped that day.
Koga.
His smirk cut like a blade.
"That battle back then was impressive. Very impressive. Team Rocket could make use of someone like you. With your strength under our banner, there's no limit to what you could achieve… or what we could control."
Red's expression stayed unreadable. His fingers brushed a Poké Ball at his belt, but he didn't answer. His gaze swept the mist.
There.
A shape moved just off to the side, coiled low, hood spread wide. Arbok, hidden in ambush, acid bubbling at the corners of its fangs. Waiting for the moment to strike.
Red moved first.
"Ivysaur—Sludge Bomb!"
Ivysaur burst forth in a flash of light, already charging energy. In a heartbeat, it spat a concentrated sphere of toxic sludge straight into the shadows.
The serpent's hiss turned into a guttural screech as the sludge struck dead-on. The impact blasted Arbok out of hiding, slamming it against the stone wall. Acid it had been gathering spilled harmlessly onto the floor, sizzling. When the smoke cleared, the massive snake lay still, knocked out in a single strike.
Koga's eyes narrowed—not panic, not rage, but a calculating gleam. His hand moved smoothly, a smoke bomb hitting the ground with a sharp crack.
The chamber filled instantly with black haze. His voice lingered, calm, venomous, echoing through the smog.
"You've made an enemy today. And I'll make you pay for it."
By the time the air cleared, he was gone. Only the faint scorch of acid hissed on the stone floor.
Blue let out a quiet breath, irritation seeping through his otherwise stoic face.
"Tch. He slipped away."
Red recalled Ivysaur, his expression as steady as ever.
Outside, the storm had broken. The rain was gone, and Lavender Town's people no longer had to fear the shadows that had plagued their streets. The air was lighter now, and the cemetery could once again be visited in peace.
For now, the shadow had lifted.
But both trainers knew—the true storm had only just begun.
---
The storm had passed. Lavender Town glistened beneath the pale morning light, its streets washed clean by the rain. The townsfolk, freed from the terror that had gripped them, returned to the Pokémon Tower with offerings of flowers and incense. The air no longer felt suffocating. The shadows had lifted.
Red had already moved on.
He traveled quietly along the dirt road stretching out of town, his cap low over his eyes, belt of Poké Balls at his hip. The memory of the tower lingered in his mind, but his focus was steady, unshaken. There were always more battles ahead, more challenges waiting.
He stopped along the way, answering the calls of trainers eager to test themselves. Each duel was brisk, precise, decisive. Red fought not with arrogance, but with clarity.
His Pidgeotto danced through the air, wings beating sharp gusts. Pikachu darted low, sparks flashing across the field. His newly added Gastly drifted menacingly which he swapped for Rattata before leaving lavender town, its eerie laugh sending chills down opponents' spines. Ivysaur's vines struck with surgical precision, while Charizard's presence alone cowed would-be challengers.
But it was his Poliwag that shone brightest. Against the swell of battles, under Red's calm direction, its determination broke through. Blow after blow, it pushed past its limits, until light enveloped its form. The trainers watching gasped as Poliwag's small frame grew, limbs strengthening, eyes sharper. When the glow faded, a Poliwhirl stood proudly, fists clenched, rippling with new strength.
Red's gaze lingered for only a moment, a subtle nod of approval before he returned it to battle. The onlookers whispered among themselves, amazed at the boy's command, his focus, his sheer composure.
Yet, unseen, another set of eyes watched.
From the balcony of a weathered tower nearby, a girl leaned on the rail, her gaze sharp and curious. Brown hair framed her face, and her black dress clung to her silhouette. She studied Red with a calculating gleam.
"So calm… so focused. This one won't be easy," she murmured to herself, lips curling faintly.
---
When the day waned, Red called his Pokémon back for rest. That was when the voice came.
"You really are amazing."
Red's head turned. His eyes narrowed, not in surprise, but in quiet recognition of something… off.
From between the trees, the girl appeared. Black dress swaying, brown hair catching the evening breeze. Her smile was sweet, her tone laced with admiration.
"The way you battle… it's incredible. You look so cool when you're training."
Red said nothing. He simply recalled his Pokémon, each ball clicking shut at his belt. His gaze fixed on her, calm and unyielding.
"…What do you want?"
For the faintest second, her expression faltered. Inwardly, her thoughts flickered—He's not falling for it…? But she quickly recovered, her smile warm again.
"I just wanted to help. Watching you, I realized… your training could be even more efficient if you had the right tools."
With a flick of her hand, she revealed an array of items. Potions, stones, charms. Gleaming as if priceless.
"See? With these, you could become even stronger. A trainer like you deserves the best."
Red's eyes scanned the items once, then returned to her face. His tone was flat.
"no"
Her smile froze.
"…What?"
"I'm not interested."
She shifted, leaning forward, eyes softening, voice dipped in a sweet plea.
"Don't say that… are you sure you don't want them? They'd make you even more amazing…"
But Red's stare never wavered.
"No."
The girl's façade cracked for another fleeting second. She pressed again, more insistent.
"You don't understand! With these, you could become the best—"
Red cut her off, voice like stone.
"Your tricks won't work on someone who already knows. And yours? Easy to tell they're fake."
For a long moment, silence hung between them. Then her lips curved into a different smile. No longer sweet. Sharp. Mischievous.
"…Heh. So you caught on."
Her demeanor shifted, the fake innocence gone, replaced with playful cunning.
"Most trainers are so easy to fool. You? You're a bit sharper."
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a Poké Ball into the air.
It burst open in a flash of light—Jigglypuff emerged, inflating as it floated patiently at her side.
"Hope we don't cross paths again… though I wouldn't count on it."
Her grin widened as she stuck out her tongue in a teasing gesture, then let Jigglypuff carry her into the sky her laughter and silhouette fading with the light.
Red stood where he was, silent, watching until she disappeared from view. His hand rested lightly on his belt of Poké Balls.,