DPA: Rivals

Chapter 48: The Past Never Dies

"Ugh," Riley sighed, having climbed up six floors and ready to climb up to the seventh, the topmost floor in Pokémon Tower. Both he and Gastly were exhausted, having had to battle countless so-called "Channelers" who stood in his way. He had taken a break on the fifth floor, where a large chunk of said floor had been flooded with healing energy, restoring Gastly health. Considering that the graves of that floor had a high percentage of Chansey and Blissey, it is likely that as they decomposed, their healing essence seeped into the ground.

Riley took his first step up yet another flight of stairs, when suddenly he was knocked back. "Away!" yelled a fierce voice.

Riley looked up at the mysterious force, only to look at a Pokémon he had never seen before in his life. It was clearly a Ghost type Pokémon, but it shared no traits in common with Gastly, Haunter, or Gengar, the local Ghost Pokémon of the region.

"You spoke!" Riley shouted, getting to his feet. "I heard you!"

"Get out!" replied the ghost. "Get out, get out, get out!"

"Why?" Riley asked, standing his ground. "Why do you want me to go?"

"They took me away from my child!" roared the ghost. "They took me away!"

"Then we can find your child," Riley replied. "Let me help you find your child."

"I cannot!" cried the ghost. "I am gone forever!"

"You aren't gone!" Riley yelled, confused. "You're right here!"

"I am gone!" The ghost's form flickered, only for a moment, but in that moment, Riley saw something. Not a Ghost type Pokémon, but a Marowak, a Marowak with half of the skull it wears shattered, and a large scar running down its side.

"You're dead..." Riley whispered. "You are a spirit."

"I am gone..." Marowak shivered. "And I know not where my child lies."

Riley thought for a moment. "I think your child is safe. A friend of mine, a good man, Mr. Fuji, found an orphaned Cubone not too long ago. He has been raising it with love and care, and it has even evolved. Your child could not be in better hands."

Marowak looked at Riley for one moment of long silence.

"Good," it finally said. And with that, it dissipated into thin air, completely gone.

Riley's eyes teared up as he climbed to the final floor. This changed everything he knew to be true. The world was not as simple as it seemed. And that frightened him.

Petrel entered the Pokémon Tower, duffel bag over his shoulder. April better keep her word, as Petrel's status as admin was on the line.

"I will slay you, demon!" a Channeler roared, bolting towards Petrel, Haunter beside him.

"Get rid of this chump," Petrel snarled, sending out a Koffing. Koffing used Explosion, its whole body shattering into thousands of pieces with concussive force strong enough to instantly knock out Haunter and send the Channeler flying into a wall.

The various fragments of Koffing suddenly began to move, attracted towards each other, and in mere seconds Koffing had reformed itself. It was knocked out, but it was in one piece. Petrel returned it to its Pokéball. He wasn't worried. He carried thirty Koffing around his belt at all times. Was it illegal to have that many Pokémon at once? He was a criminal, what did he care?

Petrel sent out the other twenty-nine Koffing. "Scout the entire Tower, and neutralize anyone who might be a threat." The group of Koffing dispersed up the stairs, on their way to complete their mission.

In the space of five minutes, Petrel listened as Explosion after Explosion occurred, each one shaking the Pokémon Tower a little bit more. Petrel smiled. It had been a while since he had a solo mission. He missed being able to do crime on his own terms.