Shadow slipped through the Ilex tree line, borne quietly on the night’s hallow-breeze.

  Teddy and MunchMunch needed their rest; she needed time to think.

  The day had proven… eventful.

  Thankfully, it had also proven fruitful.

  The battles had revealed one thing for her, at the very least.

  They were still weak.

  Weak, but on the path to become strong.

  The rest of the Pokémon around them - and their trainers, would remain weak.

  She and her Team would not. Her Teddy had changed.

  Gone was the child that would let battles happen. She watched as he analyzed everything. She saw the notebook he kept. That he poured over during meals, between battles and before bed.

  She watched and she approved. Her Teddy would help them get strong, but the rest was up to her.

  And she was still just a Gastly.

  “Bah,” she huffed, startling a terrified flock of Pidgey awake.

  Normally she would have been amused, watching them peer with terror into the ink of the night, desperately trying to find their haunter.

  Tonight, she continued on, mind elsewhere.

  Then there was her Trainer’s mother.

  Last time Teddy had spoken with her over his hand-box. This was the first time she had seen her.

  But that wasn’t important.

  What was important was that last time, she had understood nothing the mother had said.

  This time, she was able to glean bits and pieces. Not understanding the words, but understanding… meaning?

  Infuriatingly, it was not enough for her to learn anything. But it did beg the question.

  Why was she starting to understand human’s other than her Trainer? Understanding her Trainer was something all but unheard of in non-Psychic types. And even among them it was rare.

  There was a reason the League snatched up competent Kadabra and Alakazam to act as interpreters.

  Then MunchMunch had woken up from his self-induced nap and flown into a fit, horrified he had fallen asleep while meeting “Mama Teddy.”

  Gastly snorted, imagining the look on Teddy’s face if he knew that was what MunchMunch called her.

  The child had been inconsolable, up until Nurse Chansey offered him a Soft-Boiled Egg.

  Shadow sniffed, remembering her annoyance at Chansey knowing exactly how to fix it.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  And fix it she did. MunchMunch immediately devolved into discussing the flavor of the Egg, how it differed from the other Egg, why it was wonderful, and how he couldn’t wait to get to the next Chansey Center to try a new one.

  “Chansey Center.” The laugh slipped out before she could stop herself.

  Speaking of the next Poké Center, she needed to figure out how to convince their Teddy to give up on Goldenrod Gym… for now.

  As they were? They stood no chance at winning. Even if she managed to Curse that… that… that abomination of a cow before she fainted, there was no way MunchMunch would stand long enough for her curse to complete its task.

  No. She needed to get to Ecutereak. She needed to find Morty and the pantheon of ghosts that lived around the city.

  The Ancients would not take notice of her. Not yet. But perhaps she might find a Haunter, or if the Luck of Celebi himself smiled on her, a Gengar.

  Then she needed to convince them she was worthy to be granted advice. Worthy to receive direction.

  She would find a way, when the time came.

  And then she would show her Teddy she was doing her part, too. She would show him a glimpse of the power they would reach, together.

  Her Team could return to Goldenrod once she was Haunter. Maybe even a Gengar.

  She cared little for the timing, just the fact they would one day return. Return and exact their revenge.

  Gastly settled onto the branch she had chosen for the rest of the night. She gazed out from the blackness of the trees to see the path below, where Rangers patrolled with their hand-lights that ruined the night and their little Growlithe pups. Watched as the hallow-breeze swept around and through them, unnoticed by all but her.

  She knew what they looked for. They looked to keep the things hiding in the shadows at bay.

  Things far worse than she.

  Things she needed to grow strong enough to face and overcome for her team.

  And for herself.

  ____

  Gastly shook herself from her meditation as the deep night brushed against the morning twilight.

  She yawned and stretched her gasses — not because she could feel it, but because that is what her Teddy and MunchMunch did.

  She liked to imagine she felt good after a nice stretch, too.

  She would need to get back soon.

  Back before her Teddy woke.

  Before her MunchMunch woke.

  Back before some over-zealous trainer thought they got lucky and tried to catch her.

  She sighed.

  This.

  This was her favorite time of the day.

  The deep-night was safe. Very few ghost ever left it and its hallow-winds.

  The day was dangerous. Bright and with few places to hide.

  Devoid of the hallow-wind.

  But the morning Twilight?

  That was the time between. The time between safety and danger.

  The Precipice. The time when few ventured, and fewer still belonged.

  Her Time. And she loved to balance on that brink, that plunge right before danger.

  Then the sun shot forth its first hand of light and Shadow sighed.

  Gone was the perfect moment.

  Gone until the next day.

  Gastly drifted her way back to the Chansey Center, watching as the world slowly thought about waking beneath her.

  The Caterpie hunting for food. The Pidgey hunting for Caterpie.

  Trainers hurrying to get to the “perfect” spot to train.

  Like that would matter.

  Shadow, watched them all.

  She was glad, or what she thought glad might feel like, if she could feel.

  Before Teddy, she too had drifted in the deep-night, tied to the hallow-wind.

  Now, she drifted above a city as the sun pried sleepers from their beds.

  The Poké Center came into view and Gastly dipped into its shadow to wait.

  Thankfully, she had made it back before the sun fully rose and the Guardian Gengar went to its rest.

  She had made protocol.

  She waited longer still.

  She knew the Gengar would not acknowledge her. She had not yet earned it.

  Yet, it was right she should wait for admittance.

  She didn’t understand why the Gengar had chosen to grace MunchMunch with its presence. But, it was not her place to question one so Great.

  Perhaps it was for the same reason she couldn’t leave the child. So full of joy was he, she could almost taste it.

  Almost taste what joy might be like.

  Maybe.

  Maybe not.

  The shadows shifted and Gastly bowed, acknowledging her admittance.

  She drifted into the Center and towards her Team.

  One day, she too would hold the power to grant admittance.