1.Ash's Story (Part 2: Johto)

Chapter 82: Tower and Theater of Memory

Ecruteak City greeted us with old wood, quiet streets, and the feeling that every roof remembered something.

After New Bark Town, the road back to Ecruteak felt different from the first time we had entered Johto's ancient city. Before, the towers had been mysteries ahead of us. Now the Rainbow Wing and Silver Wing were with us, Larvitar was tucked safely in my arms, and Professor Elm's words about the Kimono Girls kept turning in my mind.

The city wasn't empty, but people moved around us with the careful quiet of a place that respected old stories. Some looked at my badge case and smiled because the League was near. Others looked at the blanket in my arms, saw Larvitar's nervous eyes, and wisely gave him space instead of crowding around a rare Pokémon.

Lillie noticed that kindness before I did. Togetic floated near her shoulder, and Espeon walked at her side. "They are letting him breathe," she said softly, keeping her voice low enough that Larvitar would not startle.

Larvitar peeked from the blanket again. Larvitar's head dipped at once, "Will they avoid grabbing me?"

"Not everyone grabs," I told him. "Some people understand that seeing is enough."

Ethan walked a few steps ahead, turning the Exp. Share over in his hand before putting it away again. He was trying to act like it was only training equipment, but I could tell the gift still mattered to him.

His team would be waiting for the League, and that made the road ahead feel real in a different way.

Larvitar watched the city from inside the blanket Lillie had folded around him. He hadn't stopped being scared, but he no longer hid from every shadow. His eyes moved from the rooftops to the tower lines beyond the houses, then down to Pikachu walking beside me.

Larvitar raised his head suddenly, "This place smells old, and that smoke feels dangerous."

I looked toward the part of the city where Burned Tower stood. "Yeah. Some places remember fire."

Togetic hovered near Larvitar without closing the distance, "I smell smoke too. I will stay beside you."

Kris slowed her steps as we neared the old district. "The air feels wrong near Burned Tower."

East pointed toward a thin trail of smoke drifting behind the rooftops. "That smoke is fresh. Something is burning near Burned Tower."

We all started running toward the smoke.

Burned Tower stood ahead of us, wounded and sacred beneath the gray sky.

Smoke curled from the broken side path beside the tower, not from the old charred beams themselves. Several small fire traps had been set in a loose ring around the entrance, each one made from oil-soaked rope, cheap metal tins, and stolen lantern fuel.

The flames weren't large enough to destroy the city yet, but they were placed to panic people and Pokémon.

A pair of men in dark coats argued near the tower fence while three younger Rocket remnants tried to drag a frightened Vulpix and two wild Rattata into cages.

"Keep the fire low enough to scare them, not burn the whole place," one man snapped. "If Entei appears, we need it angry, not gone."

The words made my stomach tighten.

"Rocket remnants," Ethan growled, reaching for Exbo's Poké Ball.

One of the men turned and scowled at us. "Of course it is you. The kid who ruined the Radio Tower."

"Then you should already know this ends badly for you," I said, putting Larvitar carefully into Lillie's arms.

Larvitar's claws caught my sleeve before I could step away. Larvitar curled into the blanket, "That fire is dangerous. Please do not leave me here."