The fog hadn't lifted when I stepped back onto the streets. Noctopolis, usually a city alive with the quiet hum of ghost energy and ambient magic, now felt… wrong. Every street corner twisted oddly, as if the city itself were recoiling from some invisible force. Violet mist coiled around lamp posts and broken cobblestones, thick enough to make every step feel like moving through syrup.
Charcadet flared its head flame, casting faint blue light that barely cut through the haze. Ditto, ever the drama queen, had taken on the form of a small, wobbly shield and floated beside me, shimmering in its shiny blue hue. The city pulsed with unseen energy. Something was wrong — very wrong.
And I had people to save.
"Stay close," I murmured, not sure if I was talking to Ditto, Charcadet, or myself. They all seemed to understand. Charcadet's flame flickered and grew faintly warmer, responding to the tension in the air. Ditto wobbled nervously, but its form remained steady, ready to react.
The first screams came from the side streets — short, terrified yelps carried faintly on the fog. I pivoted, spotting a group of students trapped behind a toppled cart, Phantump circling above them and Misdreavus drifting lazily, unnervingly still. The children huddled together, their faces pale and terrified.
"Hang on," I said, stepping forward. "We're getting you out."
Charcadet flared its flames in small arcs, not to burn, but to push the fog back and create a safe corridor. Ditto morphed into a flexible barricade, wobbling to keep the closer Phantump at bay. I moved step by step, keeping my hands low and voice calm. Panic was contagious — if I lost it, they would too.
A small boy reached out for me, trembling. "I-I can't move…"
"Don't worry," I said. "I've got you. Just follow my lead."
I grabbed his hand and guided him toward a slightly clearer area. The fog twisted around our legs, almost sentient, making the pavement beneath slippery and unpredictable. Each step had to be careful. Charcadet moved alongside, flames arcing gently to push away ghost energy that tried to drift too close. Ditto reshaped its form continuously, holding the path safe.
A flash of movement caught my eye. A Banette was weaving between the shadows, eyes flickering. It didn't attack, but it moved unnaturally, twitching and floating with the wrong kind of precision. I froze. Charcadet stiffened, head flame licking the air. Ditto squirmed in place.
Something bigger was here. Something more… aware.
I glanced at the trapped students. "Keep going," I said, forcing calm into my voice. "I'll keep an eye on things."
Phantump squealed nearby, startled by some invisible tremor in the fog. One of the girls yelped and stumbled backward. I pivoted, stretching out a hand. "Hey! I've got you!" I pulled her into my shoulder, letting her lean against me for balance.
The city pulsed again, and I felt it — that signature, stronger than before. It wasn't the fog, it wasn't the Haunter or Misdreavus. It was something else. Something… watching. Something intelligent.
I swallowed hard. Charcadet hissed softly, sparks flaring. Ditto shivered, changing shapes nervously. I could feel the energy like a heartbeat, rhythmic but off, as if it were straining against some boundary.
"Stay close. Don't panic," I muttered, stepping through a narrow alley to avoid the floating Haunter. The students shuffled behind me, huddling as close as they dared. I could feel every hair on my neck standing up.
A Misdreavus swooped too close, a shrill wail echoing. Charcadet reacted instantly, flaring its flames to block the ghost's path. The little creature shrieked and drifted away, swirling into the fog. Ditto reshaped into a small wall in front of the students, holding back a drifting Phantump.
"Almost there," I whispered. The clearer area was just beyond the next street, a break in the fog where faint lamplight shone weakly through.
Step by step, we moved forward. But the deeper we went, the stronger the pulse became. It wasn't just energy. It was alive. Something central in the city was affecting the ghosts — maybe controlling them, maybe amplifying them. Whatever it was, it was close.
Then I noticed movement ahead. Not the usual Haunter or Misdreavus — something heavier, slower, deliberate. A shadow detached itself from the fog, hovering just at the edge of visibility. I could barely make out the outline, but I felt it. Felt it through the vibrations in the fog and the hairs on my arms.
It wasn't aggressive, not yet. But it was there. Watching. Waiting.
I slowed my pace, signaling Charcadet and Ditto. The Pokémon immediately stiffened, flames and form ready to react. The students behind me were tense, unsure of what was happening. I crouched slightly, keeping my voice calm.
"Keep moving, slowly," I said. Step by careful step, I led them toward the open area. The shadow remained at the fog's edge, flickering like smoke in the wind. It didn't follow. It didn't attack. But I could feel its gaze. Silver. Cold. Piercing.
I realized something: the energy signature I'd been sensing wasn't just powerful. It was intelligent. Observing everything. Waiting.
The street ahead opened into a small square, partially cleared by the school's emergency barriers. Students there were huddled together, unharmed but frightened. I guided the group into the light, letting them catch their breath.
Charcadet settled beside me, tail flame dimming slightly, still alert. Ditto reshaped into a soft cushion for the smaller kids to lean on. I glanced back toward the fog. The shadow moved again, retreating slightly, but I could still feel it. Watching. Waiting.
A Haunter floated past, but even it seemed hesitant near where the shadow lingered. Something was influencing the other Pokémon, orchestrating the chaos without directly interacting.
I took a deep breath. "All right," I muttered to myself, "this isn't over. And I think we just made its acquaintance."
Charcadet hissed softly, as if agreeing. Ditto gurgled.
I looked around the square, assessing the situation. League agents were arriving, forming barriers and trying to corral wild Pokémon. Faculty members were guiding students, projecting protective fields. But the center of the disturbance, the energy source, remained unapproachable — and I knew, instinctively, that it was connected to that shadow in the fog.
I knelt beside one of the younger students. "You're safe for now," I said. "Just stay here. Don't move." They nodded, eyes wide. I stood and surveyed the foggy streets. Every instinct screamed that whatever caused this wasn't done.
And deep beneath the pulse, I felt it again — more pronounced this time. Waiting, watching. Patient.
Charcadet's flame flickered in acknowledgment. Ditto pulsed blue, shimmering nervously. I clenched my fists.
This was only the beginning.
And I had a feeling the shadow in the fog — whoever it was, whatever it was — was going to reveal itself soon.
I took a deep breath and whispered, "Let's be ready."