Marowak glanced at her son's torso, yellow color completely contrasting with his brown body. But the contrast did not hold her attention. For on her son's head was a horned skull helmet, the same bright white as the bone he held. It was another thing unique to their species, something that all members displayed proudly. As the cheerfulness still showed in her son's black eyes, she knew her son understood the value of the object that protected them.

After all, he was not too young to understand some things.

For that, he and his mother were called pokémon.

Or that his species was known as Cubone.

For a time, he thought his mother was the same, but he was quick to learn such was not the case

They had the same brown body, but most of the similarities ended there. She no longer walked on short and stubby limbs but stood tall as she traversed the world on full-length ones. Her torso was more prominent, yellow fading away to tan. Her deadly white bone stood tall and large as she gripped it in her hand. Anyone who tried to harm her son would quickly know why her species prided themselves on using bones as weapons, as she would instantly utilize hers to deliver furious blows to any opponent. Curious black eyes had been replaced by brown ones, keeping a sharp watch for any potential threats. She still wore her cherished horned skull helmet, the item as prized as what her son had despite the former's larger size.

But the most noticeable change was perhaps her name.

Her species was known as Marowak, a mature and stronger form of Cubone.

A form she hoped her son would take someday.

But someday was not now, so she simply continued watching.

She could pick up the fine movements of the rustling grass, and hear the quiet sound of the nearby river flowing. She had heard there was some sort of human settlement across there, but she didn't dare go. It wasn't like she and her son could swim well enough to get across, and it wasn't worth bothering the humans if they didn't bother them.

An imposing cave loomed to the south, swallowing all with its darkness inside. The outside of the cave towered over almost everything, with brown rock resembling a natural building.

Intimidating, to be sure.

However, she understood it wasn't completely hostile, as there were others of their kind that lived there. There were different species of Pokémon as well, so being careful was required. She planned to take her son there eventually, but he was too young and helpless now.

To the west there lay a long stretch of land, filled with ledges and another natural road. She knew many humans liked to train on that road, and once again, she did not bother them. The humans being there were no surprise. She had heard that even further west was a massive human city. But once again, she didn't dare go. Better not to bother humans and possibly put everyone in danger. Besides, if the humans wanted to train, there were plenty of other ferocious Pokémon they could fight against.

Of course, there were other species of Pokémon here too. They were far fewer in number, however, and none of them were where she and her son were.

At this point, the only thing here was familiarity and safety.

But that didn't mean she could stop watching her son.

His earlier fear and uncertainty had vanished, replaced by an even wider smile. Her son's scampering had broken into an all-out sprint, and she could hear the grass rustling loudly as her son ran even further into it.

She returned her son's smile with her own.

But there was more to think about.

Such as the future.

She wanted many things for her son.

She wanted him to be strong, brave, and fierce, as the strongest members of her kind were.

But more than that, she wanted to tell him something.

She turned to the side, using her free hand to delicately pick up something on the ground. She brought the object even closer to her, her gaze now relaxed but focused.

For in her hand was a flower.

The petals displayed a deep, dark, but brilliant pink. The petals were woven around a round, yellow center, and she could also see a bit of red staring back at her.

Yet she didn't tear her gaze away.

For this was more than just a flower.

Its name and meaning had been passed down from generation to generation.

She knew it all like her name.

Magenta zinnia is a symbol of lasting affection.

Between family, friends, and even lovers.

And now, a symbol of the lasting affection between her and her son.

A sentimental symbol, one that could guide others through dark times.

Perhaps that's why those of her and her son's kind chose to pass the knowledge of the flower down.

Which meant that she would pass the knowledge down to her son, trusting him to carry on the tradition.

She glanced back at her son, as he still frolicked in the grass without a care in the world.

Her gaze slid back to the flower, still unruffled in her free hand.

Her son was still very young, so he might not understand the symbolism or its importance. Besides, she wasn't going to interrupt him for something so serious when he was finally so carefree.

She could wait another day.

The next day, the men came.

The grass was trampled and torn as they ran, and they didn't even seem to notice.

The sound of the river was drowned out by their pounding footsteps, to the point where the men didn't even seem to realize the river was there.

There were so many men that it was impossible to count them, and they seemed to all move as one.

With what they had on, they may as well have been.

The men all wore pitch-black outfits, emblazoned with bright red in the center. She thought she could make out the letter R, but wasn't sure.

Because the area was filled with the screams of Pokémon.

Screams of suffering, sorrow, confusion, agony…

She shuddered to think of what the men were doing to the Pokémon.

Whatever it was, it was nothing good.

She was torn from her thoughts as another scream pierced the air.

She instantly recognized it as her son's wailing cry.

To the right, she could see him.

He was scared and she couldn't blame him.

Closing her eyes, Marowak used the move substitute to make a copy of herself to keep the men distracted while she escaped with her son towards a place she once heard about from the flying pidgeys.

A place where humans don't normally go.

A tower full of ghosts.

With her normal typing as the humans called it, she shouldn't have a problem staying in that place if it guaranteed the safety of herself and her son.

Oh! How wrong she was?

What awaited them in the tower was an evil and a horror that had been sealed from the world for hundreds of years.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[ Lavender Town ]

A flustered Austin found himself standing in front of a humongous gate made of wrought iron, looking beyond at the ancient conurbation everyone knew as Lavender Town. Despite being on the periphery of two famous cities, namely Cerulean and Saffron, the jaded region of Lavender Town stood like an oddball, a region lost in time, with its stone walls, cobbled streets, and tall, pointy rooftops, and an everlasting stench of desolation all around. For the more sensitive population, the town smelled alien, with an odd… sensation in the air, the sudden chills on turning through a sharp corner, and the strangeness of the shadows.

A miniature biosphere for the ghost kind, and those who reveled in their presence.

And in the dead center of it all, a massive stone mansion, with seven towers spiraling out of it from the periphery, each having a large stone gargoyle carved out of single monoliths, and a large Haunter sculpted on the pointed top of the main roof, with its malicious eyes looking way too alive than it had any right to be. The home of the Ainsworth family, one of the oldest and most notorious families in Kanto.

The Ghost Tower.

" Pika !"

" Then I leave you, young trainer to your time of mourning." The young woman said as her Alakazam looked extremely uncomfortable before the duo disappeared.

Austin sighed as he looked at Raticate's casket," Pikachu, do you think she was happy with us ?"

" Pika, Pi ." Pikachu nodded his head as he reassured his melancholic trainer who brushed the casket with his hand as if he was brushing Raticate.

Austin closed his eyes before he began his walk through the eerie lavender town with his goal as the center.

Maybe if he had turned around, then the horrors that awaited him in the tower wouldn't have come to fruition.