The Pantheon

The Psychic

The sun was beginning to rise behind the edge of Lavender Town, casting a warm hue over the stone streets as the group gathered near the base of Pokémon Tower. The air was quieter now, no longer charged with the energy of the contest or the murmur of townsfolk—just the wind brushing against the tower, and the occasional flap of a Pidgeotto’s wings far overhead.

Ashley stood beside Gary, her hand curled gently around Mercury’s Poké Ball at her belt, while Venus sat like a sentinel at her feet. Her father stood off to the side, arms crossed, face unreadable beneath the shadow of his ranger cap. Just behind him, Delia pulled her cardigan tighter around herself, despite the heat. Professor Oak was by her side, holding her overnight bag in one hand, looking far older than he had just a couple of weeks ago.

“Alright,” Delia said, her voice soft but final. She looked at Ashley, stepping forward to tuck a lock of hair behind her daughter’s ear. “You have your PokéNav charged? Extra potions in your bag? And please, for the love of—”

“Mom,” Ashley interrupted, smiling tiredly, “Yes. I’m good. I promise.”

Behind her, Mimey’s hands glowed with that familiar psychic shimmer as he finished focusing. His eyes were closed, expression calm, fingers floating slightly apart as the power built around him like a rising tide.

“I still think we should stay longer,” Delia murmured to Oak, clearly not thrilled about leaving.

“She’s all healed, they both are,” the Professor said, giving Gary a firm nod. “It’s not ideal, but it’s enough. They need to finish their journey, most importantly, they want to finish it.”

“Better than enough,” Ashley’s dad said simply, stepping forward. He put a hand on Ashley’s shoulder—briefly, gently—and she leaned into it, just a bit. “Unfortunately, darling, it seems that I will need to stay in Lavander for a bit longer. The Rangers need someone who knows how to handle Ghost-types, after the Pokémon Tower’s inhabitants suddenly rose in numbers. I’ll handle things here.”

No grand speech. No dramatic monologue. Just that calm confidence in his voice and the way he looked at her—not with worry, but trust. That meant more than anything else.

They watched as the light around Mimey grew brighter, coalescing around him and the two older adults. Oak gave a final glance to the Ranger, a nod that said everything between men who had worked together for decades. Then the glow surged.

In a blink of light and sound, they were gone.

The silence that followed was heavier than before.

Ashley exhaled slowly, shoulders drooping just a bit as the weight of the moment settled on her chest. Venus nudged her thigh with a cold, damp nose. Her dad adjusted the straps on his field pack, looking toward the distant hills that bordered the east side of town. “You’ll be alright?” he asked, not hovering, just checking.

Ashley nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got this.”

Gary made a noise that might’ve been agreement or annoyance. Possibly both.

Her dad gave a short grunt of approval. “I’ll be stationed in the old Ranger outpost by Route 10. You need anything, you come find me.”

But as he turned and started toward the misty horizon, she called after him.

“Hey!”

He stopped.

“Be safe, okay?”

He didn’t look back, but one hand lifted in a casual, confident wave.

Then he was gone, swallowed by the pale lavender fog that always hung around the edge of this strange, sacred place.

Ashley stared after him for a long time. Then finally, with a breath that wasn’t shaky for once, she turned back to Gary. “Let’s go?”