Chapter 21:  Ghost of a Chance (Part A) by Michael Keens/ Exodus  

We arrived in Lavender Town at early evening the next day, the town had an 
eerie effect to it, people moped around and the lights were dim.  
“Gee, this place is creepy.  What do you say we get our Pokémon healed and 
challenge the Gym Leader right away?” asked Emily in a cool yet nervous tone.  
“Good idea.” I simply agreed.  
We had heard about this place, known for the haunting that occurred in the 
tower where people let their Pokémon rest for good.  
The Gym here was on the map that I received from the Cerulean Sisters, I 
couldn’t help but remember my first kiss with Emily.  
I shook my head and got back to the task at hand.  
Looking out the window of the Pokémon Centre, I saw the Gym, it had the designs 
of evil spirits wandering around, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that 
this Gym housed the elusive Ghost Pokémon.  
There were rumours and speculation about these Pokémon and no one really knew 
what their weaknesses were exactly.  
It’d just be an extra challenge for us.  
I decided to pick out Twinkill, Psychot, Inferno, Flutter, Digda and 
Shockwave.  
Emily did some quick switching too and joined me in mid-operation.  
“There you go Tetsubo.” said Blossom from the other side.  
“Thank you Blossom.”  
“Ahem.”  
“Oh yeah, Blossom, I’d like to introduce you to my best friend and travelling 
companion, Emily.”  
“I’m so happy for you Tetsubo, you two make such a cute-”  
I switched off hoping she’d get the message, Emily simply smiled but didn’t 
speak of it.  
We went to the Gym together for moral support, the doors were locked, Emily 
knocked on them slowly but firmly, a hollow clang occurred when she did.  
The door slowly creaked open.  
“You knocked?...” said an old sinister voice.  
“Yes, we’re here for a Gym Battle.” spoke Emily.  
“You too?” he asked me.  
“Of course.” I replied.  
“I shall only battle one.”  
“Wha?! That’s not fair! What sort of Gym Leader are you?!” I shouted.  
“I’m not.”  
“So what are you doing here?” I asked beyond annoyed.  
“He must be one of those fans that hangs around Gyms all day waiting to ambush 
and battle trainers before they can fight the Gym Leaders.” guessed Emily.  
“Sort of...” said the man stepping out, he wore small glasses, a strange 
vampire-like purple cloak and he had dark blue hair in a similar style to me, 
except his looked a little more menacing.  
“But no, I’m in charge of the Gym at the moment and I’m tired of it, my 
mistress has been away from some time, if you can bring her back, I’m sure 
she’ll let you battle her.”  
“Okay then, you got any idea where she is? I’ll go anywhere.”  
He appeared to smile sadistically, then he pointed behind me, I turned myself 
around and my mouth dropped.  
He was only pointing to the tall spooky tower on the hill.  
“The Tower?...”  
“Yes, that’s where she went before she disappeared.”  
“Emily, you’d better fight the battle, I’ll go fetch the Gym Leader.”  
“You sure?...”  
“Yeah...”  
“Well, could you do me a favour?”  
“Huh?”  
She handed me a Pokéball.  
“I really want a Cubone, if you see one, could you catch it for me?”  
“Uh... sure.”  
“Good luck Tet’”  
She hurried inside and the doors shut with the same loud clang.  
I couldn’t help but feel just a little exploited, I had to do these things 
alone as well.  
I shrugged my shoulders and headed towards the hill.  

I arrived at the place known to the world as the Ghost Tower.  
I hesitated at the door, “This would be much easier if I had some company...”  
“CHAR!” screamed Inferno as he came out of his Pokéball after I dropped it 
deliberately.  
“Inferno, I don’t know what’s inside here but you’ll protect me, won’t you?”  
“Char...” he said shrugging his shoulders as if to say ‘Only if its a 
challenge.’  
I sighed and pushed the door open...  
The first thing I saw were the graves, there were a great deal of them, well 
this was the prime location for the resting place of Pokémon, and they were 
around since... before I was in this world.  
Some people prayed for their Pokémon silently and I thought it best not to 
disturb them.  
Suddenly a man ran down the stairs screaming “Evil! Evil!!!”  
The mourners turned their gaze to him, then went back to praying.  
Would I ever be here, mourning for my Pokémon? I hoped that would not be for a 
very very long time.  
I ascended the stairs and couldn’t help but feel the gaze of the mourners on 
me, I ignored it and continued.  

Meanwhile, some unwanted guests had entered the tower.  
“Ah know dese Pokémon are rare, but whut ‘bout dat crazy man?” asked Cletus.  
“I thought you of all people would understand what he was on about.” said 
Cassie.  
“Shut up Missy.” replied Cletus.  
“Why don’t you both shut up!” shouted Claus.  
It was only the Elite Rockets again.  
“The turquoise kid went in here, the tower that's known for the elusive Ghost 
Pokémon.”  
“So aside from the rare Pokémon, we could use this as a chance to swipe his.” 
added Cassie.  
“Let’s go.” ordered Claus.  

I sped up, the laughing was getting to me, lots of voices were laughing at me 
and it didn’t feel good.  
It was as if they were telling me, that I wouldn’t amount to anything, no 
wonder the other guy ran out, I was willing to believe in spirits, but it 
didn’t seem to believe in me, so to speak.  
“Inferno, let’s pick up the pace, again.”  
Inferno wasn’t scared, he was ready for a good fight, but was he prepared for 
anything else?  
A chair suddenly flung itself at us, we ran forward and the table flung past us 
and smashed against the wall.  
“Run, Inferno, run!”  
“CHAR!”  
He shook his head and breathed flames, engulfing an invisible enemy.  
“Gha ha ha ha has!” laughed a spooky voice, not particularly hurt by the 
flames.  

“Gastly, the Gas Pokémon.  It appears to be totally made of gas.  It cloaks its 
target and puts it to sleep without it even noticing. ”  

“A Ghost-type Pokémon...  Why are you trying to hurt me? I mean you no harm, 
I’m just trying to find the Gym Leader!”  
He looked mad at me and a chair flew by, narrowly missing my face.  
“Inferno!”  
“Char... CHAR!!!”  
Inferno breathed heavy flames on the Gastly, when they cleared, the Gastly was 
gone.  
“Well, I guess we showed him.” I said continuing up the final staircase.  
An unseen force pushed me back, I tumbled down all of the stairs and blacked 
out...  

“Ghost Pokémon! We’re here ta kidnap-”  
“Cletus, you fool, do you really think they’ll come out if you tell them what 
we’re doing?!” interrupted Cassie.  
“Dey might do, if dey’re stupid Pokémon.”  
“Keep quiet, we are going to sneak up on Turquoise and swipe those Pokémon! 
Nothing can stop us this time.” said Claus confidently.  
The Gastly rose from the floor menacingly.  
“Gas...”  
“There’s one! Get it Knockout!” shouted Claus releasing his Hitmonchan.  
“Monchan!”  
“Knockout, Comet Punch!”  
“Monchan!”  
He lunged forward extending his fist, and went right through.  
“What?! Knockout! Do it right!”  
“Hitmon!”  
He punched right through again and hit Cletus hard.  
“Ooh...” said Cassie, “That’s gonna hurt in the morning.”  
“Knockout, use Fire Punch!”  
The Gastly flew around the room dodging the flame-fisted Knockout, it looked 
like this would actually connect, he flew into the area where the two remaining 
conscious Elites were.  
“No, no, no!” shouted Cassie, the inevitable happened and her hair caught on 
fire.  
“Claus! You idiot!” she screamed running around frantically.  
“Knockout! Thunderpunch!”  
It wasn’t long before... 
“Yaaaagghhh!!!”  
He fell down shocked and the Gastly disappeared, Cassie was still running 
around alight.  
“I HATE Ghost Pokémon!!!...”  

When I came to, a skull was looking over me.  
“Cubone...” I said.  
It saw me wake and jumped back.  
“I’ve got to capture it for Emily.  Inferno, I choose you.”  
Sure, it might have the type advantage, but switching might come off as me not 
trusting Inferno to do this and I wanted Inferno to feel wanted.  
“Inferno, Flamethrower!”  
“Cubone! Bonebonebonebonebonebonebone!” it said spinning its bone staff and 
repelling the flames.  
“Growl attack!”  
“Charrrr...” growled Inferno.  
“Cuuuu...” it growled back.  
“Inferno, give it a Leer.”  
“Char...”  
Its eyes glowed and scared the Cubone half to death.  
“Scratch attack!”  
“Char Char!” it yelled clawing the skull.  
“Slash!”  
It dived forward and swiped, the Cubone fell.  
“Pokéball!” I said throwing the ball, it picked itself up and batted the ball 
back to me.  
“Its still not weak enough, either that or it really doesn’t want to go with 
me, Cubone, I’m not out to capture you for myself, I’m a real nice trainer 
really, this Charmander is just a little tough.”  
Inferno stood proud at the comment.  
“I’m only catching you for a friend, she’s real nice and cares for her Pokémon, 
loads.”  
It appeared to think about this, I observed it while it did anxiously, a 
mistake on my part.  
A huge net fell on top of me, too heavy to lift off.  
“Inferno! Flamethrower!”  
A blast of water from a certain Seadra hit Inferno and splashed on his tail, he 
fell down weakened.  
“Inferno!”  
”Hahahahahah!”  

“We strike during day or night!”  
“We attack, with all our might!”  
“Don’t mess with us, or we shall fight!”  
“We’re pretty good at our rhyme.”  
“The masterminds, of crime.”  
“We always succeed, every time.”  
“Cletus!”  
“Cassie!”  
“Claus!”  
“If y’all got valuables, yuh’d better block it!”  
“We put Pokémon in our pocket!”  
“We’re the best, so don’t knock it!”  
“We are... Elite Rocket!”  

I saw them now, Cassie’s hair was singed, Cletus had a mark on his face and 
Claus looked positively shocked.  
“What happened to you guys?” I asked.  
“That's none of your concern! Hand over your Pokémon!” shouted Claus.  
“No, I won’t! I’ve come too far to just give up my companions to sleaze like 
you!”  
“Oh, and what have you accomplished exactly?” asked Cassie sarcastically.  
“Intermediate knowledge of all Pokémon, two Gym Badges and friends that care 
about me.  What exactly can you accomplish? A few thefts? What does it get you? 
Absolutely nothing.”  
“He’s got a point.” said Cletus.  
They ignored him and drew their Pokéballs.  
“Snakebite.”  
“Panther.”  
“And Knockout.”  
“Ch’arbok!”  
“Reeeoowwlll!!!”  
“Monchan!”  
“Rough him up a little and then we’ll take his Pokémon.” said Claus.  
I shivered.  
“Cubone!” screamed the little Pokémon, it was willing to fight for me, but why? 
That little speech?  
“Ch’ar!” screamed Snakebite lunging forward, the bone was sent flying into the 
snake Pokémon sending it back and crushing Cassie’s Seadra.  
“Reeeoowwlll!!!” screamed the Persian leaping forward.  
“Slash that bone collector!” screamed Cassie.  
“Rrreeooowwlll!!!”  
Cubone blocked it with its bone, but lost its grip on it and was now 
defenseless.  
“Cubone!” I shouted with concern.  
“Rrreeeooowwlll!!!”  
“Gastly!” shouted the ghost with fierceness in its voice.  
The Persian backed away.  
I wondered about Gastly, the barrier could have been his, but what was he 
protecting?...  Of course...  
“Gastly, I’m not here to harm the Gym Leader, I just wanted an Official Pokémon 
Battle, these people are the sort that might harm her and the Pokémon.  Help 
me...”  
“... Gastly.”  
“Cubone!”  
I had these two on my side now.  
“Reeowwwlll!!!” growled the Persian approaching us.  

“Gastly’s attacks:  Lick, Confuse Ray, Night Shade, Hypnosis and Dream Eater.”  

I had to check the Pokédex since Ghost Pokémon were quite rare and not really 
documented in Pokémon Tech.  
“Confuse Ray Gastly!”  
He smiled at me then shot two beams from its eyes, hitting the Persian in the 
same place.  
Eyes glowing, he turned on the Elites and pounced on Queendra.  
“Knockout! Ice Punch!”  
Gastly was hit by the fast attack.  
“Fire Punch!”  
“Cu-Bone!”  
Cubone dived in from the side in gunfight style and hurled its bone, hitting 
the Hitmonchan between the eyes.  
Cassie was too busy separating her Pokémon.  
“Chemical!” shouted Claus.  
“MUK!”  
“Cutter!” screamed Cletus.  
“Scyther!”  
Cubone threw its bone again but it went straight through the Muk and came back 
to Cubone, the poison searing its hand a little.  
“Bone!”  
“Um, Gastly, why not try your Hypnosis?”  
“Gastly!!!”  
Chemical sunk down into a blob rising and falling occasionally, totally under 
Gastly’s spell.  
“Scy!!!”  
“Night Shade!” I shouted.  
The lights flickered for a moment, turning back to the ghost, I saw purple 
waves flying forward and knocking the two Pokémon back, the Muk splattering on 
the Elites, but Cutter wasn’t done and flew forward for a Slash attack.  
“Another Confuse Ray Gastly!”  
“Gah ha has!!!”  
“Scy...”  
He turned to the Elites looking very menacing.  
“Ah nuts.” said Cassie before one swipe forced the Elites out the window, the 
Scyther dived forward to finish the job, and fell down to the bottom.  
“Dey can’t beat us Elites wit’ our own Pokémon!” screamed Cletus.  
“Yeah!” agreed Cassie.  
“Lets go back up there and teach those ghosts a lesson!” shouted Claus.  
Gastly floated through the wall and approached them.  
“You’re gonna get it n-”  
“GGGAAASSSSS!!!” screamed Gastly in the most monstrous voice I’d ever heard and 
changing its face into a totally demonic expression, the Elites screamed and 
ran away.  
“Gah ha ha-”  
And then Gastly evolved.  
“Haunter Haunter...”  

“Haunter, the Ghost Pokémon.  Haunter’s are known for their paralysing Lick 
attack, its hands are detached from its body so it likes to play tricks on 
people.”  

The two Pokémon helped me and Inferno shortly after, I recalled Inferno into 
his ball and turned to the others.  
“Thanks you two, you’re really nice Pokémon.  Now, if you could just release 
that barrier, I’d like to talk to the Gym Leader...”  

The Haunter disabled the barrier and I reached the top floor.  
Up ahead, I saw an old lady with spiky grey hair in purple clothing holding a 
cane, with a ring of Ghost Pokémon rotating around her, it looked like 
trouble.  
I sprinted forward and skidded to a halt seeing what it was.  
Each of the ghosts were holding hands and playfully circling around the old 
lady.  
“Yes?”  
“Are you the Gym Leader? I went through a lot to get to you so could I please 
have a match?”  
“Yes, of course, come along Gengar.  That’s enough playtime with your old 
friends, time to work.”  
My mouth dropped a little, and here I was thinking the ghosts were doing 
something horrible to her.  
She descended the stairs and I followed, then noticed that two others were 
following me.  
“... So what's it gonna be guys? You wanna come with?”  
“Haunter.”  
“Cubone!”  
“I’m okay with you Haunter, but Cubone, my best friend is a real cool trainer 
and person and she really wants to train a Cubone, will you at least meet 
her?”  
“Cubone...” it replied in an okay tone.  
Finally it was time to get myself another badge...  

End of Chapter 21A  

Back to Chapter 20B
Chapter 21B
Back to Story List #21 - #40
Back to the Pokézone