Maiden's Peak

The gang soon came to a place called Maiden's Peak.

"I've heard of this place." Ash said. "It's said that a woman died here and became part of the cliff. There are stories that her spirit still haunts this location."

"Wow really?" Misty asked.

"That's the story anyway." Ash remarked.

Brock then spotted a pretty woman with long purple hair on the docks. He found her to be very beautiful. What he didn't know was that the pretty woman was a ghost type Pokemon in disguise.

The gang then saw that a festival was underway.

One of the residents explained why.

"This is our end of summer yearly festival. We have one every year to celebrate the end of summer and the legend of the ghost of Maiden's Peak."

While Ash, Brock and Misty enjoyed the festival, they also learned about the story of the maiden of Maiden's Peak.

The story started two thousand years ago. Men from the Kanto region were sent to fight in a war. The maiden from Maiden's Peak was in love with one of the soldiers and waited for his return on the cliff. But he never did as he died during the war. The maiden never believed that and waited for him to return for the rest of her life. It said that after her death she became one with the cliff and her spirit still waits for her lover.

Apparently the end of summer yearly festival is also the anniversary of when the soldiers left to fight in the war. Ash, Misty and Brock learned that tomorrow night, the people of Maiden's Peak would be sending out candles on paper lanterns onto the ocean. The candled spirits would help lost spirits find their way into the afterlife.

That evening Ash, Brock and Misty were resting inside the Pokemon Center.

"I keep thinking about that story." Misty said. "It's sad that the maiden never lived the rest of her life with the person she loved."

"Speaking of which." Ash said. He removed a small brown box and a journal from his backpack. Inside the box was a very old ring with a purple stone embedded in it. "Prof. Oak told me about this. A man named Yamato from Pallet Town fought in that war two thousand years ago. He survived the conflict and when he returned home he wrote about it on some parchment. He even wrote that he befriended the soldier the maiden fell in love with."

"Do those parchments still exist?" Brock asked.

"No they don't." Ash sadly answered. "Those parchments were worn out a long time ago, but his story was transferred from scrolls to books. The journal in my backpack details his story."

"I'm amazed." Misty said. "Does it say anything about the maiden's lover?"

"Yes." Ash nodded. "The truth is that her lover was killed in the war. Before he died he asked Yamato to give the ring to his lover."

"But then how come you have it and not the maiden?" Misty asked.

"Well Yamato said that after returning to Pallet Town, he became terribly ill." Ash explained. "And he died not long after that. So Yamato's friends and family have no idea who the ring really belongs to. His ring and story were displayed in a monument for him and the other soldiers ever since."

"So why did you bring it with you?" Brock asked.

"Well apparently." Ash said. "Before I turned 10 Prof. Oak looked at Yamato's story. He even read about the ring, which was supposed to have been delivered to the maiden a long time ago. So, prior to my tenth birthday Prof. Oak told me and Gary about the story and asked if one of us would take it to the maiden. Gary wasn't interested so I volunteered to return it instead."

"Are you returning the ring tonight?" Brock asked.

"Yeah, it's been separated from the maiden for four thousand years. That's long enough in my opinion." Ash replied.

Misty and Brock agreed with him and they set off into the moonlit night.

Ash, Misty and Brock walked from the Pokemon Center to the cliff, carrying torches. There they found the statue of the maiden.

"Wow." Misty said. "Even though two thousand years have passed, it still looks beautiful."

Ash held the ring in his right hand. He had put string through the ring; his plan was to place it around the maiden's neck.

He was about to walk up to the statue when a voice called out to him.

"I've been waiting for it." It said.

Ash, Misty and Brock turned around and saw a pale woman with purple hair in front of them. Ash bravely stepped forward.

"You're the ghost of Maiden's Peak, aren't you?" Ash asked.

"I've been waiting for you." The woman repeated.

"I'm not your lover." Ash replied. "He died during that war two thousand years ago."

But the woman kept on saying.

"I've been waiting for you."

He looked up something on the Pokedex.

"Gastly, the Gas Pokemon. Almost invisible, this gaseous Pokemon cloaks the target and puts it to sleep without notice."

It was at this point, Ash's eyes resembled that of a dragon.

"You might as well assume your normal form." He told the woman who turned into a dark purple Pokemon.

"What are you doing?"

"If you must know." The Gastly said. "I guard the stone statue of the maiden of Maiden's Peak."

Ash, Misty and Brock were amazed that this Gastly could speak.

"Listen Gastly." Ash said. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I came to return the ring to the maiden. It's from her dead lover."

He showed it to Gastly and informed him about Yamato.

"I see." Gastly said. "Very well. I will let you return it to the maiden. Besides I sense something peculiar about that ring."

Ash walked up to the statue and placed the necklace around the maiden's neck. But then the ring shimmered and then the spirit of a young man appeared.

"That's the maiden's lover." Gastly said.

"No way!" Ash gasped.

Then the real spirit of the maiden appeared.

"My love." She said. "You have returned to me at last."

The maiden and her lover embraced and the maiden cried tears of joy. Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Gastly were touched by this scene.

"After my death I stored my spirit in the ring so I can rest in peace after reuniting with my love." The man explained.

"But since the ring was never given to her." Ash replied. "Your spirit was trapped inside the ring. And it could only be released if the ring got to her."

The man nodded. He and the maiden thanked Ash and Gastly for their help then went to the afterlife.

After the maiden and her lover disappeared the sun started to rise.

"It's time for me to leave." Gastly said. "I only come out at night."

"What are you going to do now?" Ash asked. "Now that the maiden and her lover moved onto Heaven."

"I will still be wandering." Gastly answered. "There are still many spirits that are lost, so I intend to help them all."

Gastly left.

"What a night." Ash sighed.

Misty and Brock agreed with him.

Ash, Misty and Brock slept nearly the whole day, since they were awake all night. Then as evening approached, they enjoyed the festival. Right now they watched the citizens of Maiden's Peak placed the candled lanterns on the water.

"I hope that all the wandering spirits are able to find peace." Ash said.

"Me too." Misty added.

"Come on you two." Brock continued. "Time to join the festival."

They put kimonos on and had the time of their lives.