----------------------------

...

"..."

Huh?

"... Alive! This one's still alive!"

... Urk. So cold. So noisy. Stay away.

"Get it to a Pokecenter, now!"

My head hurts... Shut up... Shut up...

"It's... It's impossible! Look at it! How is it..."

"I said, SHUT UP!"



Now what? Oh... I'm in a hospital somewhere...

"Hello? Can you hear me" a gentle voice stemmed from a bright light somewhere above.
"Y-Yeah..." I said, and noticed the silhouette of someone standing over me.
"Good. I'm afraid I have some bad news" The voice said concerned, "You will probably not live through the night."
"Oh" I said flatly, having thought I was dead a few moments ago, "Bummer."
"Indeed" the voice continued, "You seem to have lost your hind legs and front paw, and we can't really operate on you because..."
"... Because?" I said, wondering why the hell someone would be hesitating when talking someone with less than a day remaining.

"... Because we have no idea what kind of Pokémon you are" the voice said while the silhouette started moving back and forth.
"... Oh" I said while trying to remember the last couple of days, "That's... Understandable. I'm unique, after all."
"We know" the voice quickly said, "And what you do with your remaining time is completely up to you, but if you could quickly tell us what led to your death in Evolution's Gate..."
"I'm not dead yet, doc" I responded angrily, "Why can't you ask someone who's not on their deathbed?"
"We can't" the doctor said in a remorseful way, "Because there's no one who isn't. Everyone's dying, and we have no idea what was going on in there."

"Fine, whatever" I said, "I wasn't far from killing myself anyway, after what went on in there. Guess I'll just die here instead, huh? Hahaha! Anyway, you'd better break out those painkillers when I'm done, always wanted to try those."

The doctor just stood there in silence.
"... I'll take that as a yes. Well then, here's my story:"




The word about Evolution's Gate had been running among my friends for quite a while before I actually went there. Even for Eevees, there are those that want to evolve into an elemental type that would supposedly be possible. Imagine that, we've got all these choices already and we only want what we can't have! Pretty greedy, huh?

To be honest, I always wanted to be a Ghost Pokémon. I mean, they're awesome! You have almost no weaknesses, you get to fly around and you can even make yourself invisible or transparent! The only issue I've heard is that they easily frighten people, but a cute Eevee that just happened to be a Ghost-type? It's the best of two worlds!

So I went to one of their meetings, which I had found out about from a girl named Eve in my school. Two classes below me, but was apparently a big shot in Evolution's Gate. We went into the Cerulean Cave via a secret entrance, and there we met...

... No wait. The secret entrance was filled with water, so we had to swim and were quite cold when we got there. So we were given these black cloaks to wear to keep our warmth, and to conceal our identities. You know, if we wanted to jump ship and be able to deny having ever gone there. They were quite nice about that.

Anyway, inside the cave was a big room lit up by several candles, and a strange Pokémon in the ceiling with fire on its arms (The guy next to me said it was a Shandelea, but I had never seen anything like it before) which illuminated the cave. There, on some kind of altar, stood the leader of the whole organization - Zerobi. She was very beautiful, with a sleek body and gleaming claws that shone in the fiery light. Next to her was Astrid, a Rock-type Eeveelution.

I should probably mention that this was the whole point behind the organization - Creating the possibility for Pokémon to evolve into whatever type they wanted to. Apparently they had only had success with Eevees in the past, but anyone was welcome in to try.

When I first saw Astrid, it was quite a shock. She looked so much like a normal Eevee, but there was no doubt that she was a Rock-type. Just observing her felt like being back in the second grade and learning about the Eeveelutions all over again!

After the initial gasps and chatter had silenced, Zerobi gave a speech. I don't remember what she said that well, but it was something like "The time has come for evolution of the Eeveelutions", and it made us all very excited. Seeing the confident Zerobi standing next to a miracle among us Pokémon was an indescribable feeling. Our black cloaks were filling up with hope! It was like everything we had known was a lie, and everything Zerobi said was the truth!

Then, Zerobi pointed out one of the Eevees in a black cloak. She brought the nervous thing up on the altar and asked her what kind of type she wanted to evolve into.
"Poison!" the little thing shouted, desperately trying to sound masculine. Couldn't have been over 5 years old.

"Is there a Poison-type among us today?" Zerobi then shouted, "Will you help this poor soul realize her destiny?" After a few moments, someone else in a black cloak stepped forward. A big, hulking figure, shaped like a Lucario but a bit shorter. I'm not that good with Poison-types. Then, Zerobi led the both of them into a part of the cave in the back, and the rest of us were ordered to leave. We were given the chance to come back later, with the chance to become 'chosen'. Actually, most of us just went there to catch another glance at the magnificent Astrid, so we could brag to our friends about it.

This was all kept secret, of course. The Cerulean Cave where we met was highly off-limits, and anyone claiming to have entered it was met with laughter or threats of imprisonment. I went there a twelve more times, until it was finally my turn to evolve.

The one who was pointed out was shaking his head. Apparently, he was only there to look at Astrid. The black cloaks next to him were coaxing him into doing it, but he flat-out refused.

"Don't worry, there's a right time for everything" Zerobi said after a while, "Work on your resolve and come back whenever you feel like it." She then looked over the audience once more, and suddenly pointed at me.
"You there! Are you prepared?" she shouted, and my heart skipped so many beats I thought I was going to faint.

"Yes! Yes!" I yelled in joy, and ran up to the altar as quickly as I could. Once again I almost fainted when I looked out and saw all the Pokémon staring at me, and realizing that I was standing right next to Zerobi and Astrid.

"So... Do you have a type you wish to evolve into?" Zerobi asked, and I looked at her. She was smiling. Then I looked at Astrid. She wasn't.
"Um... A Ghost-type!" I said, still looking at Astrid. She... Or rather 'He' was looking very sad for some reason. Was he tired, maybe?
"Is there a Ghost-type among us today?" Zerobi then shouted, "Will you help this poor soul realize her destiny?" Hardly a second had passed before someone in the audience suddenly flew up to the altar.

"I'm impressed" the figure in the black cloak said, "Didn't think someone like you would want to join us." The cloak appeared to be covering a floating ball of some sort, and there was something purple and hazy leaking out from underneath it. Its voice was wheezy, and lacking in emotions.

"A-A Gastly?" I stammered, still in shock over this whole situation.
"Indeed" the Gastly responded.
"But... Aren't you a Ghost and Poison type?" I asked, now feeling a bit concerned.
"Do not worry child" I heard Zerobi say from behind me with a calming voice, "This will be fine. Now, come with me..." She signaled us to follow her into the room at the back, and we did so with the thunderous roar of the crowd behind us, all cheering for us and wishing us good luck. Behind us, I saw Astrid forcing a smile at me.

It wasn't as much of a room as it was a long corridor which stretched far into the cave. It was very straight, and I wondered if maybe it had been dug out by a giant Pokémon in the past. Zerobi was walking in front of me, and I was walking next to the Gastly. The Gastly... Well...

"Um..." I said after a few minutes, "How does it feel to be floating?"
"Oh, you'll know that in a little while" the Gastly said menacingly, "Hehe, I guess I'll show you the ropes once you've evolved."
"Why are you doing this?" I bluntly asked, more curious than tactful.
"What, I need a reason to help out a fellow Pokémon?" the Gastly tittered, "I guess... I want to see how a Normal-type would react to becoming a Ghost-type, so that they can tell us how things are different and such."

I knew what the Gastly was talking about. Ghost-types are usually born that way, and never change. To this Gastly, knowing how it feels to walk was a greater mystery than any Eeveelution would ever be.
"But more importantly" the Gastly continued with a smile, "I bet you'll look even cuter as a Ghost-type." Sadly, this sentence didn't have time to make an impact on me since we had finally reached the end of the corridor, which finally led us into a room.

An unfamiliar and slightly unpleasant smell hit my face as we finally entered a room in the cave. The room was fairly small, and the walls had a slightly different color than the rest. I'd describe it as a fire-ish hue, or perhaps a dark red tint. In one of the corners was a large rock with a flat top. It might have been my imagination, but the red seemed to be a bit stronger around that particular area.

"This is where your change will take place" Zerobi suddenly said, which made me jump a bit, "Don't worry. It might hurt a bit, but it'll be quick."
Having heard that line before and never having anything good follow it, I hesitated. But when I looked behind me, I saw the Gastly nodding at with a broad grin on its face. Its wide smile almost covered its entire body, and I had to choke a quick giggle.

"Just lie on top of that rock, and we can get started" Zerobi said, while signaling over to the rock. I felt a bit more secure knowing that the Gastly was going to be with me, and my excitement over finally evolving quickly returned. I walked over to the rock and lay down on my back.

Zerobi then quickly approached me, and suddenly started breathing a white wind at me from her mouth. I was startled, and began panicking. But it was too late - My four legs had already been frozen solid!

"Don't worry" she repeated, "You need to be perfectly still if the evolution is to be successful. This will help you with that." It was very cold and the initial freeze stung a bit, but after that it was actually a rather soothing sensation.

Still, nervosity boiled in me like never before, and I started breathing heavily in an attempt to calm myself. I tried to look at the Gastly for reassurance, but I couldn't raise my head far enough.

"OK then, everything seems to be in order" Zerobi said with a cheerful voice I'd never heard her use before, "Let the transformation begin!
"Excuse me..." I heard the Gastly say, "... But, uh, what am I supposed to do in all this?"
"Oh, not much, really..." Zerobi responded in a flimsy way, "See, the thing about Ghost-types is that they're not actual 'Ghosts', but more like 'Gas'. They have no solid bodies... And therefore, no blood."

A scream echoed throughout the cave, and a sound like a rampaging Onix's cry followed.

"AAAHHHHH!" the Gastly shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? STOP IT! STOP!"

I panicked again, and this time I made no effort to calm down. I twisted and wriggled furiously, but couldn't even budge. The ice was as solid as the rock it was frozen on.
"Luckily, we Dark-types have a few tricks for dealing with your kind" I heard Zerobi say, but her voice was quickly drowned out by Gastly wails that became louder and louder.

"What!? Like I'll let you... GRAAAHHH!" I heard the Gastly scream so loud that I felt the sound hit my stomach, "I-I'm vanishing! Help! Someone!"
"Know that I take no pleasure in this!" Zerobi managed to shout down it, as the noise of a frightening moan filled the room. The feverish moan slowly turned into a high pitch, loud and sharp like a whistle. I tried to cover my ears, but couldn't move and started screaming as well. It felt like my head was going to explode.

And then, there was silence. Complete silence. My ears were ringing, and I was completely paralyzed from what had just happened.

"What the hell, I'm going to need earplugs in the future..." I heard Zerobi say after the ringing went down. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to do, I was just lying there like I was in a catatonic state.

Even when Zerobi brought one of her claws up to my throat, I didn't make a move... But I was staring at it. The edge was so sharp, I believe it was a few centimeters longer than my eyes could register.

"The problem if I cut here" Zerobi whispered in a chilling voice, "Is that you'll die too fast, and your blood will stop flowing..." I shuddered.
"You'll stay alive for a long time, won't you?" Zerobi whispered before laughing, "Maybe I'll even let you go if you do! Anyway, I'd like some privacy with what I'm about to do, so if you'll excuse me..."

Slowly, I saw her move up against my face, and before I knew it her claw was aligned with my eyes.
"N-No! Don't!" was all I managed to stammer before the claw dived into my very existence, and perpetual darkness seeped over me.

What happened after that is still a haze in my head. I only remember a few notable moments from what seemed to be weeks of blinded torture. I remember her cutting off my ears and taunting me, but I could still hear her somehow. At one point she cut a trail down my stomach towards my private parts, but she stopped right before them which made me thankful. I think she was on top of my all the time, but with the intense pain flowing through my every nerve it was hard to tell. Even a punch would have felt like a sweet caress at that point. The point I remember most vividly is the final plunge into my stomach, finally ending all the pain and letting me fade away into nothingness.

Nothingness I became, but apparently my life was not over yet. Slowly I began to regain my senses, as I felt myself lying down somewhere.

"You're awake! Come greet the new day!" someone said. As my vision came back, I noticed that I was still in the red room with Zerobi. Hastily, I scrambled away from her, noticing that something was very wrong.

"Wait, be careful..." she said while reaching out for me with those horrid claws.
"No! DON'T TOUCH ME!" I screamed with a voice that sounded a bit deeper and wheezy than usual. I stopped myself, and looked down in confusion.

I was floating in midair.

But it was nothing like I had imagined, it was like I was really sitting on the air! Not only that, but my body was colored black, and felt really weird! Suspended in surprise, I felt my body change its form as a reflex and I fell down to the cold, hard ground.

"Haha, take it easy!" Zerobi laughed above me, "You had a nightmare, but look at you! You're a Ghost-type now!"
My mind was still in shambles after what had been the most traumatizing event in my life, so I was just lying there, trying to collect my thoughts. One thing I noticed right away was the lack of pain, and it strangely made me feel empty inside. Although I had just tumbled against the floor, I had hardly noticed it.

At the time, I wasn't really sure what had just happened. I was a Ghost-type, I didn't have any wounds and I could see once again... Maybe it was all a dream? The Gastly left before it could 'show me the ropes', but it must have gotten tired of waiting while I slept.

Zerobi congratulated me and offered me a permanent seat in Evolution's Gate, which I accepted, still afraid to get on her bad side. I met Astrid not long after that, who turned out to be a really nice (if maybe a bit naïve) Pokémon, and the next night I was standing beside the two of them in front of a large crowd dressed in black cloaks. Everyone was in awe over my form, chanting my name in song. It felt good, really good.

In between the meetings I would practice moving in my new body, which was like learning how to walk all over again. Walking was rather easy in comparison, since gravity would always keep you attached to the ground. It took me three months to be able to move forward at a decent pace without phasing through the soil. Learning how to fight or defend myself was completely out of the question.

Things went on like this for a year or so. I had decided not to leave Evolution's Gate until I was completely adapt as a Ghost, and Astrid and Zerobi were a big help in the learning process. I even shunned my parents when they came to bring me back, promising that I would return to them once I was finished.

Now, I am finished. Ironic, huh? Or whatever the use of that word is... Doesn't matter to me, I'm dead in a few hours, anyway! Who's going to care about something like that? Geez, I really should've visited my parents when I had the chance, do you think we can contact them now? Like, now-now? I have some things I want to tell them. I'm a Normal-type turned Ghost-type, you know, a miracle of both science and nature! In fact, who says I'm even going to die? I'm a Ghost, ain't I!? I died on that day in the red room, and have been lurking around here ever since. This is just some kind of silly dream I bet, soon I'll be back 'n rarin' on top of the world! I have a strong urge to fly to the top of some mountain, and then I'm gonna hover a few feet above the top, that's how on top of the world I am!

And here I am, immobile in a completely foreign place with tubes up places I didn't even know I had.




"Is there nothing you can do, doctor?" I whimper, starting to feel the cold hands of death around my neck.

"I can make you as comfortable as possible..." he starts.
"No, like, operate?" I interrupt him hastily, "Some kind of human potion? Restore my health?"

"I'm afraid that..." he starts once again.
"YOU'RE afraid!?" I interrupt him once more, "Damn, I'm going to die, you'll just go home and drink some berry juice once I'm done here!" My chest felt a bit tighter than before.

"Calm down" he says with a sigh, "If you want to, we can get you some berry juice..."

"**** YOUR BERRY JUICE!" I scream while trying to get up and punch the bastard, but I am unable to move. The feeling in my chest was getting really tight now, almost to the point of hurting.

"You need to calm down, or you..." he says sternly, but I'm not listening.

"Goddamn it, I don't want to die!" I shout, "I have so much more to do, it can't all end h-"

Suddenly, the tightness explodes in a frenzy of pain, and I start twitching uncontrollably. I can't speak. I can't even breathe!

"Oh no, too late!" the doctor says, and starts pushing on me with big, brightly pink hands. I can't even feel them on my body.

What the hell is this!? I'm really going to die!? That sucks, it sucks so much! FUCK you, Zerobi! FUCK you, Astrid! If I die, I'll haunt you all!

Shit, I really don't want to die, please, won't somebody help me?


"Pulse is through the roof, get a Blissey in here!"


Gastly, where are you? Mom, Dad, I... I'll do anything; just don't let me die here among these strangers!



"Convu... The... S..."



Shit, everything's fading away, I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die! I'll do anything, I don't wanna die... I don't... Want to... Die... I... Don't... don't... die



...


----------------------------Chapter End Notes:"Ghastleon!" Eve shouts.
"Halloweeon!" Zerobi shouts back.
"How about Spectreon?" Astrid suggests.
"People, people... Calm down" Snivy says with a confident smile, "We all know this new Eeveelution can have one name and one name only - Poltergeon."

They stare at him.

"You know... Poltergeist? Ghost? That movie with the evil clown that you know is going to become evil, but it doesn't until..." Snivy trails off, "... OK, Halloweeon it is."

This is stupid. Luckily, I have here, in these very hands, the illusive, magnificent and unparalleled artifact - The Sliph Scope!

"You mean Silph Scope, right?" Snivy says.

... Wait, that's how you spell it? That's how you pronounce it!? I've been saying it wrong all my life!

"We don't care" Zerobi says coldly, "Does it work?"

Let's see... Put it on like this... Ah, there! It's now identified as... as... 'Marowak, the deceased mother of Cubone'... Wait, this can't be right...

"MARRR!" the Marowak shouts and lounges at Eve, knocking her out.

"YOWSERS!" Astrid yells while leaping out of the way, "What did happen!?"

What the heck, why would it attack just because we identified it!? It was so peaceful before!

*Bonk* OW! It's a Ground-type, right? Kill it, Snivy! Zerobi!

"Dude, we can't even see it without the Sliph Scope!" Zerobi shouts.

"Silph Scope! It's not that hard!" Snivy replies.

OK, screw this, RUN AWAY! RUN LIKE YOU RAN WHEN IT WAS RAINING, YOUR MOTHER BURNED UP, THAT KADABRA ATTACKED YOU AND YOUR FA*Bonerang'd