Lavender Town

After obtaining the Marsh Badge Ash wanted to make a stop in Lavender Town.

"Why do you want to stop in Lavender Town?" Misty asked. "Do you want to capture another ghost type Pokemon?"

"No." Ash responded. "We're here so I can visit a old friend. I'd like to say hi to him. Is that okay?"

"Of course." Misty nodded.

"Yeah." Brock agreed.

When they reached Lavender Town, it felt a bit spooky to Misty and Brock and a mist was rolling in.

"Hey Ash, is Lavender Town usually like this?"

"Well, the mist is a common occurrence. I've come here with my mom before." Ash explained. "But it usually comes out at night. Something's off."

Ash led Brock and Misty to his old friend's house.

He was a boy that was two years older than Ash, named Ken.

"Ken." Ash greeted him.

"It's good to see you again Ash." Ken greeted him back.

"Meet my friends Misty and Brock." Ash introduced Misty and Brock to Ken.

"Nice meeting you." Ken said.

"Maybe you can explain all the mist outside?" Ash asked. "Isn't it too early for the mist to come out?"

"You're right." Ken nodded. "It is too early, as the mist only comes out at night. I have a pretty good idea what's going on, though."

Ken led the gang to a tower.

"I remember this tower." Ash said. "This is Lavender Tower, home of ghost type Pokemon."

"Yes." Ken added. "And it's also the source of the mist."

"Why is that?" Brock asked.

"I'll explain." Ken answered. "The truth is, a ghost appears to be haunting this tower. Several months ago, a few Team Rocket agents came here to take all the Pokemon."

"Oh no." Misty gasped. "Were they successful?"

"No." Ken shook his head. "But a Pokemon was killed in the process."

"No way!" Brock exclaimed.

The gang was horrified with this information.

"What Pokemon died?"

"It was a Marowak." Ken said. "She gave up her life to drive Team Rocket away."

"Please tell me they were taken to jail." Misty said.

"Yeah." Ken nodded. "But ever since, Marowak's spirit haunts the tower. And the Gastly, Haunter and Gengar that are in there also haunt it."

Ash was a little uneasy.

"I get the feeling Marowak didn't come back on purpose." He stated. "It must have a reason for remaining."

"What reason though?" Misty asked.

"I'm not sure." Ash replied. "But we need to investigate the tower."

"I agree." Ken nodded. "The ghost only appears at night."

Ash liked the plan.

That evening, Ash and Ken headed to the tower. Misty and Brock stayed at Ken's house, as they weren't too keen on going to the tower. The full moon was out and mist was everywhere; the tower looked spooky. Ash and Ken bravely entered the tower. It was very dark and quiet in the tower and there was not a soul to be seen.

"Okay." Ken said. "As Lavender Tower is very big, I suggest we split up."

"Good idea." Ash agreed. He decided to check the fifth, sixth and seventh floors while Ken checked the first, second, third and fourth floors.

Ash had Pikachu and Charmander with him. Charmander's tail lit up the way. Ash didn't find anything on the fifth and sixth floors. All he found were rooms filled with old furniture and dust and cobwebs. He didn't even come across a single ghost type Pokemon.

"Weird." Ash told Pikachu and Charmander. "Usually when you take one step in the tower, ghost type Pokemon come out like crazy. There's something strange happening in this tower."

Ash looked Gastly, Haunter and Gengar up on the Pokedex.

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

"Haunter, the Gas Pokemon and the evolved form of Gastly. Because of it's ability to slip through block walls, it is said to be from another dimension."

"Gengar, the Shadow Pokemon and the evolved form of Haunter. Under a full moon, this Pokemon likes to mimic the shadows of people and laugh at their fright."

"Let's carry on."

"Hold on a second. I hear crying." When Ash reached the seventh floor, he heard a crying, moaning noise. He opened the door to the seventh floor and there in the middle of the room was a Pokemon crying. It was crying over some bones.

Ash looked at the crying Pokemon on the Pokedex.

"Cubone, the Lonely Pokemon. Because it never removes it's skull helmet, no one has ever seen this Pokemon's real face."

"Now I get it." He whispered. "The Marowak that died was this Cubone's mother."

Pikachu and Charmander sadly sighed. Ash walked to Cubone. Cubone heard him coming and held his arms out in front, growling.

"Relax, I don't intend to hurt you. Those bones belong to your mother, don't they?" Cubone nodded faintly.

"I heard about everything that happened. She was a great mother, since it's clear she gave her life up to save you."

Ash slowly and gently picked Cubone up to give it a hug. Cubone struggled in his grip, but Ash held it tight and gently rubbed it's skull.

"Everything's going to be alright." Cubone listened to his kind words and felt his warm hands, then cried some more tears and held onto Ash tight. He chuckled and continued hugging and rubbing Cubone. Pikachu and Charmander watched this and smiled, knowing their trainer was very kind.

Just then three figures appeared in front of Ash. It was Gastly, Haunter and Gengar. They observed Ash being kind and loving to Cubone and were happy to see such a nice human. Ash was nervous and worried that they would be angry for invading their territory.

"Sorry for disturbing you." He said. "If you want me to leave, I will."

The three ghosts simply smiled, saying in their own language that Ash was welcome here and happy he was caring for Cubone.

"Hey." Ash said. "I heard that tower is being haunted by the spirit of Cubone's mother, Marowak. Is that true?"

The ghost Pokemon told him, in their own language, that Marowak was worried about her baby and didn't want to leave it alone and helpless.

"So." Ash nodded. "Marowak remained at the tower to protect her baby from harm. I need to resolve this."

Ash, Cubone and the ghost type Pokemon reunited with Ken on the first floor and Ash told him what had happened.

"I see." Ken remarked. "So Marowak's still here for a reason."

The Cubone felt relaxed in Ash's arms.

"What are we going to do about Marowak?" Ash asked.

"I don't know." Ken said. "I think the only thing we can do to help Marowak's spirit move on. Would you mind helping me with that Ash?"

"Of course." Ash agreed to help. "I've actually done this not that long ago."

"All right then." Ken said. "We need to search for the Marowak. Gastly, Haunter, Gengar we need your help as well."

Gastly, Haunter and Gengar agreed to help.

Just then a chilling mist surrounded them. Then a brown Pokemon with a big skull helmet appeared.

"That's Marowak." Ken said.

Ash looked Marowak up.

"Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokemon and the evolved form of Cubone. The bone it holds is it's key weapon. It throws the bone skillfully like a boomerang to KO targets."

When Cubone saw his mother, he jumped out of Ash's arms and ran to her. The ghost Marowak comforted her son. She then looked at Ash and bowed her head.

"I think she's thanking you for caring for her child Ash." Ken explained.

"You're welcome." Ash told Marowak with a smile.

Then Marowak started to speak, in her language.

"Marowak is saying that she's leaving her baby in your care." Ken informed him.

Ash was amazed that Marowak had chosen him to look after Cubone.

"She's also saying that she wants us to battle her. The only way for her spirit to be free is to defeat her in a Pokemon battle."

"If that will help her move onto the afterlife, let's do it." Ash said.

Ash and Ken got ready to battle Marowak. Gastly, Haunter and Gengar watched from the sidelines with Cubone.

"How should we do this?" Ash asked.

"I think you and I use one Pokemon each." Ken answered. "I know it will two vs one, but it will help Marowak rest in peace a lot faster."

Ken sent out a Poliwag; as Marowak was weak against water type Pokemon, Poliwag would do the trick. Ash sent out his Eevee.

"Poliwag, Bubble." Ken said.

"Swift Eevee." Ash said.

Poliwag's bubbles and Eevee's stars hit Marowak; it was a direct hit. Marowak growled, it was in a lot of pain.

"She's starting to become weak." Ken said. "If we keep this up, we'll win."

"All right." Ash cheered.

Cubone looked a little upset that his mother was getting hurt, but knew it was for his mother's own good. Marowak threw her bone for a boomerang attack. It hurt Poliwag and Eevee, but they still stood strong.

"Stay strong Poliwag." Ken said.

"You can do it Eevee." Ash said.

Suddenly Eevee started to glow. Eevee turned into what looked like a black dog/fox-like creature with yellow markings on it.

"Umbreon." Ash said.

Ken was amazed.

"Okay Umbreon, Dark Pulse." Umbreon fired dark purple circles at Marowak, which really hurt it.

"Let's attack one more time." Ken said. "Poliwag, Bubble once again."

"Umbreon, Swift."

The stars and bubbles did major damage to Marowak and then Marowak was defeated.

When Marowak lost, her spirit faded away.

"It's over." Ken said. "Marowak's spirit is finally at peace."

Cubone started to cry for his mother, but Ash picked it up and gave it a hug. Gastly, Haunter and Gengar floated over to Ash and Ken.

"Well you three." Ken said. "Lavender Tower is all yours again."

The three ghost type Pokemon were delighted.

"You take care now." Ash said. "And don't worry, I will take care of Cubone."

The three Pokemon smiled and disappeared.

"What a night." Ash sighed.

"You can say that again." Ken agreed. "Let's get out of here."

They left Lavender Tower.

When they returned to Ken's house, they told Misty and Brock what had happened.

"That makes sense." Brock said. "Marowak loved Cubone so she would want to stay and protect her baby."

"So are you going to take Cubone Ash?" Misty asked.

"Yes." Ash nodded. "Besides, I don't think Cubone here would want me to leave."

Cubone was snuggling up in his arms.

"It seems to me Ash that you have now become Cubone's adoptive dad." Brock teased. "And once your egg hatches, well you really will be a pokeparent."

Ash felt embarrassed and Misty and Ken chuckled. Suddenly a glow came from Ash's backpack; it was Ash's blue egg.

"Uh-oh." Brock said. "It must have heard me and now it is hatching."

The egg hatched into a blue and white serpent creature.

"No way." Brock gasped. "It's Dratini."

Ash looked at Dratini on the Pokedex.

"Dratini, the Dragon Pokemon. Long considered a mythical Pokemon until recently when a small colony was found living underwater."

Ash couldn't believe it; Dratini were really rare and hard to find. He had seen Lance from the Elite Four with a Dragonite.

'Now I will have my own Dragonite at some point.' He thought. He smiled at Dratini.

"Hi Dratini." He said. "I'm your dad."

Dratini cooed and rubbed it's face against Ash's cheek. It was obvious that Dratini really liked Ash. Cubone snuggled into Ash's chest some more trying to get more attention from his new dad.

"Oh dear." Brock teased. "Now you have two babies on your hands."

Ash, Ken and Misty laughed after that comment.

After spending the rest of the night in Ken's house, Ash, Misty and Brock said farewell to Ken and left Lavender Town.