Chapter Text
I’m dreaming. Everything is floaty.
It’s a welcome reprieve.
I’m used to dreaming. Lucid, or deep, I’m well accustomed to the sensation of it. I’m unsure how much I remember of my dreams, but it’s probably more than most people do.
Despite that, I find myself slipping away as the dream fades. My thoughts of what happened fade away too.
———
I come to with a small gasp.
Or at least I think I do? I still feel floaty.
My eyes wrestle themselves open and I’m left even more confused as to whether I’m dreaming or not. Even through my hazy, dream-crusted eyes, something looks wrong about the ceiling.
Still half asleep, I lazily trace my eyes across it, and I make out cobwebs. Lots of cobwebs.
I frown. I like spiders, but I don’t like getting their webs on me. Anyways, I wonder what made them decide to go all out like that overnight? Because I certainly didn’t remember having webs like that hanging over me.
I shift slightly to look at my curtains, but find them to not be where I expected. A blank wall faces my now turned head, and I’m torn between addressing it or the floaty feeling which stirs up again.
My frown deepens as I begin to wake up more fully.
But that doesn’t make sense. I’ve only ever felt a similar sensation when I’m dreaming, and…
Is this a dream? It must be a lucid one, but it feels… off.
I turn my head to the other side. Another blank wall greets me, but much closer than before.
Wait… I blink.
Over the minutes, my bleary eyesight has gradually focused into something sharper than I expected, and from what I can gather, I’m in fact facing a cardboard box.
Why is there a cardboard box on my bed?
No, this is a dream, not the weirdest I’ve seen, not at all. Hah, I remember the polka dot clown…
I glance back up at the ceiling. I suddenly realize that my ceiling light isn’t there either.
Ok, so I guess I’m definitely not dreaming of MY room. So what am I dreaming of?
A room with cobwebs and cardboard boxes… an attic, maybe?
I guess I would have to investigate to find out. Ignoring my inexplicable unease, I smile. I love exploring my dreams!
I roll on my side and push my arms underneath me.
…
…?
Nothing happened?
I falter, confused.
I try again.
This time, as I do so, I definitely feel the floaty sensation again.
Oh. Duh. I’m dreaming, I just need to fly!
With that thought, I instantly rise. It feels somehow even easier than usual, like I weigh less than air. In fact, I feel so light, I momentarily struggle to stop myself from flying any higher.
I fail.
My head slowly and comically bonks against the ceiling, much to my amusement.
After that however, I quickly learn how to float downwards. It’s funny, it’s like my mental mechanics for flying have been rewritten somewhat… But I’m still able to adapt.
Now airborne, I focus on the room I’m in.
As far as I can tell, it is indeed an attic. Cardboard boxes of various sizes and ages dot the room haphazardly. Really, I’m glad I can fly, as this would certainly be a tripping hazard.
There are no windows, but there’s a door. It’s shut though.
There’s webs everywhere.
I look downwards. Below me, there lies a particularly large, dusty box. It’s top is closed but sagged inwards. It’s lying bare on the floor, not a bed.
Huh. But the floor, despite looking at it now and seeing that it’s hardwood, didn’t feel hard at all…
Come to think of it, neither did the ceiling, despite bumping into it.
Well, dreams do dull the senses.
But have I dreamed of having no feet before…? I squint downwards at where they’re supposed to be.
I try and twitch a toe. I feel nothing but a vague floaty feeling and a brush of breeze in response though.
And I’ve never dreamt of having no arms.
A chill passes through me, and I hold my breath.
Except I suddenly realize - I wasn’t breathing.
Even in my dreams, I still took breath, but right now, I had a very strong feeling that something was wrong.
I wasn’t breathing - not naturally.
I took a deep breath.
I exhaled.
But there was no sense of rhythm or need. I couldn’t do it automatically.
Even as I began to panic, forgetting momentarily about it being a dream, there was no speeding up of breath, no panting for air.
Then I remembered I was dreaming - anything that scared me wasn’t real.
I calmed slightly. But this was still too unnerving. It was time to wake up.
I closed my eyes…
And opened them.
Nothing was different.
I tried again, thinking of the sensation I felt as I woke from a dream.
Nothing.
My eyes darted around the room. There was nothing different about it, I was still dreaming.
Unless I was…
No, I was dreaming.
I couldn’t breathe though.
I inhaled purposely, but it brought no relief to my sense of dread.
I bumped against something and spooked slightly. I had been drifting without realizing it, and had hit a wall. The impact still felt fuzzy and dreamlike instead of solid.
I subconsciously tried to use my arms to push away from it, and this time felt - along with the floaty sensation - a breeze of sorts. The feeling distracted me a bit from the panic of not breathing, but I soon spiraled again.
Wake up.
Please?
Please let me wake up. I want to breathe.
I pressed against the wall.
“Please…” I croaked weakly.
I froze. That wasn’t my voice. It wasn’t my language either. I understood it just fine, but I could distinctly tell that I said…
“ Gastly… ”
It was said with a sad whisper that sounded just like the Pokemon.
“What?” “ Gas? ”
What was this?
“Am I asleep?” “ Gas gastly? ”
Please let me wake up.
“Please…” “ Gastly… ”
I didn’t think I was dreaming anymore.
I began to cry quietly. Even then, I still didn’t feel the need to breathe.
———
Time - and my eyes - blurred as I wept.
Eventually I found myself coming out of my haze of tears, now huddled in a corner I didn’t remember migrating to.
I still felt a pressing anxiety and dread, now aware that this was either real, or I was in a lucid coma, but it abated slightly with time.
Time I realized I might have plenty of.
Was I dead? If I was a Gastly, that made sense… If so, then how long would I be here?
And where was here anyways? Not my room, or my house… Maybe… not even my world?
I shivered.
I didn’t exactly love my world - not with all the awful people in it - but if I was dead and maybe in another world, would I ever see my loved ones?
I started to cry again, pressing myself deeper into the corner and hiding my face.
I couldn’t say goodbye to them. I couldn’t say I was sorry. I couldn’t say I loved them. I’d never get to touch them again.
My cries increased in volume, my now raspy voice turning into a wail. I sobbed my now nonexistent heart out.
My wailing sounded distinctly inhuman, turning my cries into shrieks.
I cried and cried and cried, totally absorbed in my sorrow.
Until I heard voices over the sound of my sobs.
“ ここにあると思います！ ”
My crying quieted slightly.
“ええ、私は間違いなくそれを聞きます！”
I froze completely. The second voice was startlingly near.
“おー。 止まった。”
“くそー、私はそれが私たちを聞いたと思います。ガーディ、警戒を怠らない”
“ Lithe! ”
The third voice was definitely inhuman, sounding simultaneously like a bark and a growl that said “Yes sir!”. It was the only voice that I understood. Both of the others sounded like… Japanese?
“私は今ドアを開けています。”
Despite my sorrow and fear I found myself growing curious. I drift closer to the voice, realizing it’s… coming from the door.
Just as that occurs to me, the door slowly creaks open.
Beams of light flood through the doorway, blinding me, and I instinctively shy away with a small shriek.
“ゴースです！”
I hear a growl.
My eyes burn against the light and I blink away renewed tears. The light moves so it isn’t directly shining on me.
When my sight clears, two figures - one large, one small - are standing in front of the door. I shrink back from them. Even the small one is bigger than I am now.
We stare at each other for a moment. My night vision gradually returns, allowing me to see more than a silhouette - I’m able to tell the smaller is a dog of sorts, and the taller is a human. I glance between the two.
“なぜ消えないのですか？” The human says. They sound… wary.
I hear shuffling and a third figure appears - another human.
“ガーディ、それを追い詰めないでください、しかしそれが何も試みないことを確認してください。” The human with the dog says. The dog barks “Yes!” in response, making me jump.
“それが何かを試みるかどうかはわかりません...それはかなり小さいように見えます。” The second human peers at me.
“That doesn’t, matter - it’s a ghost! We need to be cautious!” The dog barks as it moves to stand in front of me. Making out it’s full form and cry, I can now tell it’s a Growlithe.
“W-What?” I stammer, the small Pokemon taking me aback with its sudden approach and statement.
“Quiet! Tell us what you were doing, making such a racket.” The puppy Pokemon firmly commands.
“I…” I don’t know what to say. Was my crying that loud? Why is this Pokemon being so aggressive?
I’m talking to a Pokemon.
“ガーディ、やめて。 怖そうです。” The second human says sternly. I glance at them nervously.
The Growlithe’s eyes dart to the human as well. “But it’s a ghost!” The Pokemon growls. “It doesn’t get scared, it SCARES!”
Is this dog ghost-racist or something? What the hell.
I frown at it. In return, the Growlithe barks wordlessly at me, making me jump.
“日向、あのガーディは攻撃的すぎる…” One of the humans sigh.
“彼はただ保護している！” The other says.
“Damn right I am! That means you better not try anything, ghost!” Growlithe snarls at me.
Fed up, I reply, “I don’t WANT to do anything! You’re the one trying something!” Ignoring whatever the humans might have said.
The puppy Pokemon stares at me for a second, taken aback. “What? Me - starting something?! I’m a police dog, you stupid ghost! I’m investigating a disturbance!”
“I was CRYING because I don’t know anything, and I don’t know where I am, or what I am, or if I’d ever see anyone again, LET ALONE MY FAMILY!” I shriek.
“Ghosts don’t have families!” The Growlithe roars. “They’re good for nothing tricksters!” I flinch.
“I JUST FUCKING DIED, YOU DIPSHIT! I HAD A FUCKING FAMILY!” Rage broils within me and tears spring to my eyes. I bare my teeth at the Growlithe, who bares theirs back.
I distantly realize the human’s voices are raising.
“なんてこった、まあ、彼はまたやった！私はあなたに彼を訓練のために連れ戻すように言った。”
“Well, maybe you should MOVE ON WITH THEM!” Growlithe snarls.
I bristle with offence, but before I can do anything, the Pokemon lunges at me in a tackle.
Instinctively, I brace myself for impact, but instead feel the floaty, breezy sensation again as the dog bursts through my body and out the other side.
Snarling, Growlithe shakes off the lingering wisps of the gas that surrounds my form while I try and deal with the odd sensation. They look up at me and I’m instantly taken aback by the glint in their eyes.
They roar again and I feel a sense of weakness. Despite my anger, I shy away, turning immaterial again.
“うーん、ガーディウスかぎってる！”
Is- is this a Pokemon battle now?! My eyes dart to the human that commands Growlithe, but turn back to the Pokemon when I hear it take a deep breath and feel a vague tingle.
The puppy Pokemon smirks. With a simple prompt of a pointed finger, their master instructs them to tackle me.
I pull back, but instead of missing me entirely, or going through me, I get clipped by the body of a dog larger than me.
I shriek in surprised pain.
That was Tackle or something, right? But since I’m a Ghost type… then that was Odor Sleuth. Did that mean I would be unable to fly away through the walls, considering the humans blocking the door?
Fuck. I needed to get out, I felt noticeably shaky just from that one hit.
“基本攻撃でそれだけのダメージを受けた場合はかなり弱いです。” One of the humans says.
“その時はもう一度ガーディ攻撃をします。” Growlithe’s master points a finger towards me again, causing me to panic.
I desperately look around for escape, but see no certain paths, and I’m forced to turn back to the dog Pokemon and face it.
Fuck, what moves do Gastly know?!
Lick!
As the Growlithe lunges towards me, I open my mouth, and - feeling a distinct pulse of energy within me - smack it ungracefully with my tongue. It’s fur tastes like ash for the brief moment I’m in contact.
I just barely manage to deflect its tackle, but thankfully feel no pain.
The Growlithe on the other hand…
Well actually, to my disappointment, it’s fur looks barely ruffled. Frankly, I don’t think I even paralyzed it.
Indeed, it struts back towards me, only looking irritated.
Ignoring any semblance of “RPG mechanics” and “taking turns”, I lunge towards them, using Lick again.
“舌をつまんで！”
I make contact, licking a broad stripe over the Fire type’s body. However, just before my tongue retracts…
The piece of shit bites me!
“Thuck!” I cry out.
I shake my head side to side, painfully ripping my long tongue out of its grip.
Fleeing, I press myself into the upper corner of the room, far away from the stupid fucking dog who just fucking BIT me! I try my best to grasp onto the “floaty” feeling and try to phase through the wall, but nothing happens.
The dog smirks at me again.
Goddamnit.
I spit at it.
“What kind of attack was that?” The Growlithe scoffs.
“It’s me spitting on you - you idiot!” I jeer. Despite my sudden bravado, I’m left panicking - what do I do?
The puppy Pokemon jumps up at me with a loud bark. I press myself deeper into the corner, leaving it to snap at me fruitlessly from below.
It jumps up again and I can’t help but squeak in alarm as it’s teeth nip at my vapor trail.
“ガーディ、ひのこを使う！” Growlithe’s master commands again.
I watch with trepidation as the Pokemon below me halts in its jumping, instead taking a deep breath.
When it exhales, a lick of fire spills out of its mouth and towards my corner.
I scrunch myself up as small as I can, my gas becoming denser, but the Ember hits me anyways, scorching my face.
“Kya-!” I cry out.
Worse still, some of the cobwebs I’ve nestled into catch alight. I shake my body to rid myself of them and the burning feeling.
I blink away tears as I growl, “I’LL FUCKING EAT YOU, DOG!” through the pain.
Ignoring how utterly weak I feel, I leap upon the Growlithe, opening my mouth wide and chomping down.
I can tell instinctively that - even compared to my Lick - it’s utterly ineffective.
Despite that, the Pokemon startles, yipping as I dig in my fangs.
It occurs to me to also try and use Lick on them. This garners even more of a reaction, as I feel the Growlithe shake its body. My light body swishes dizzily with it, but I don’t let go.
Instead, I try licking again, whereupon it tries to shake again, before I feel its muscles twitch and tighten.
It stays stock still even as I bite down harder.
Paralysis!
“くそー！”
Suddenly, red light zig-zags across my vision, and my mouth snaps shut around nothing.
Before I can react to that, the flashlight shines directly on me again, blinding me and causing me to cry out again.
I hear a sharp whistle, and something hits me.
Everything goes white, then pitch black.
I feel pressure around me.
I push against it, but it pushes back.
I try to run, but it tightens further.
I writhe and it squeezes me.
Panic engulfs me, and I withdraw into myself.
The feeling of pressure gradually abates as I squish myself together.
I compress myself tighter, seeking relief.
A click reverberates around me, and with it comes the relief I’m looking for.
But also with it comes a sense of dread.
Because wait one fucking minute. Was I in a pokeball?
Was I just caught?!
Panicking, I lash out again, trying to escape.
No way am I making this easy for them! Not for some dumbass cops!
Despite that, I find myself bouncing off a “wall” of sorts when I try and pop out.
My wounds sting with renewed pain as I attempt to brute force it, but I still fail.
Eventually I give up, eager to stop any further strain to my pained body.
What the fuck, how come Wobbafet can do this?
———
I’m left in the dark to contemplate what happened.
I mentally list the facts -
I’m a Pokemon - a Gastly.
All the humans speak Japanese.
Dogs are fucking dickheads.
And I’m probably dead.
But I don’t remember how I died.
Especially seeing as the last thing I remember is going to bed late in the afternoon - nearly midnight.
Was this god’s way of punishing people who stayed up late? Reincarnation?
…
I didn’t wake up, even through all this - am I really dead? Will I really never see them again?
I guess so.
And I guess I’m caught.
…Huh? What was this? All of a sudden I feel an odd sensation - like a wave?
It feels… calming…
All my aches and pains are eased as it washes over me, gentle white light shining through the darkness and even managing to distract my dark thoughts.
The bruises and burns vanish as the light fades, leaving a lovely sense of being cradled in darkness.
I always get sleepy after I cry…
…
———
Waking up is a rather sudden process this time.
One second, I’m fast asleep in a pokeball - the next, I’m blinking away bright, blaring lights.
Disoriented, I let myself float to the floor and settle there as I try my best to recall what happened.
I spin around in a circle - searching - once I remember. The room around me is stale and clinical, looking exactly like a hospital examination room.
In it with me are two figures, a human, and a… Chansey. The human has pink hair - even pinker than the Chansey - and is obviously a Nurse Joy. She’s holding a pokeball, which she shrinks and pockets in her dress.
I stare warily at them as she smiles at me.
“Are you alright?” The Chansey asks. “You’re looking a little disoriented…” I jolt at her voice.
“I… was captured?” My eyes nervously skitter around hers.
“Yes, and we’re here to check up on you! The scans say you’re very young, so I don’t mind explaining this to you.” She says kindly. “I’m Chansey,” - as she said this, I had a distinct recognition on how to refer to her as “Chansey” as her individual name, not just her species - “And this is Nurse Joy!” Her short, chubby arms gesture towards the human.
“…Ok.” I say, reluctantly as she stares expectantly at me.
Seeing her side by side with a human, I jolt again. “Where’s - ?” My… trainer?
She tilts her head.
I frown. That fucking dog. I hope it’s owner wasn’t the one to catch me.
I jolt for the third time as the Nurse Joy moves to pull out some instruments from a drawer.
“怖がってごめんなさい、ゴース！ 私たちはあなたを本当に素早く調べなければならないのではないかと心配しています。” The human says.
“W-what did she say? I don’t understand…” I flutter my gases nervously. I stare hard at the Nurse Joy. Logically, it seems unlikely that she would want to hurt me, but…
“Oh, you’re that young?” Chansey seems slightly taken aback. “Well, I suppose ghosts are rather antisocial… Translating, she says that she’s sorry for startling you, but it’s time to examine you. These tools she has are to make sure you’re physically fine and well!”
Ok, whatever, I thought. As long as there’s no blood draws. I faint from those.
Wait. I don’t have blood anymore, I don’t think? Yes! Score one for ghosts!
“If you’ll be a Deerling and float on up there…” Chansey motions for me to get up on the sturdy-looking table next to the wall.
I reluctantly oblige, and with ease, wisp my body away through the air to settle vaguely on the platform.
I take a moment to examine the gases surrounding my body as I do so. Much like when I had a nose, it’s only really visible when I think about it, and otherwise, doesn’t impair my vision at all.
Nurse Joy turns around with a cotton swab and what looks to be an air pump of sorts. “唾液とガスをチェックして、健康かどうかを確認します。”
“Now, the little white stick is to see if your saliva is healthy, while the other item is a pump. It’s going to take a small sample of your gases - which you’ll naturally regenerate - in order to check if that’s up to par too.” Chansey translates.
I shiver slightly as the pump approaches. In the nurse’s hands it draws a small amount of poisonous gases, and I feel a slight pull, but no pain. Nurse Joy withdraws it, and sets it down on the counter.
“とても良い！”
Next, Nurse Joy extends the cotton swab. With more ease, I extend my tongue and allow her to wipe some saliva off of it. My eyes cross to look at my tongue and I feel a moment of levity when I realize I’m blepping. The corners of my mouth curl upwards slightly.
Nurse Joy smiles at me.
“了解しました。すべて完了です。”
“All done!” Chansey chimes.
“That’s it?” I can’t help but ask.
“Yep!” Chansey replies. “Everything else we needed was handled by the machines - they can automatically detect and heal most things that go wrong. All we needed was some physical samples. We’ll let you know if anything turns up that looks bad, but you seem healthy!”
I was used to longer doctor’s visits, so this was a relief.
But the anxiety returns - what do I do now?
I mean, I’m clearly very young and weak, easily captured by a puppy. So that means it’s unlikely I’d survive on my own, what with how much Pokemon battle.
But I don’t want to be a trainer’s pet! Especially not to a damn policeman with a racist dog!
My gases swish with agitation as I pout.
“You alright?” Chansey asks, looking slightly concerned.
“It’s just… what do I do now?” I ask helplessly.
“Well,” she starts “You’ve already been healed, and had your checkup, so unless anything turns up, you’ll be going home to your new trainer, Hinata. He’s a policeman - his job is to help Pokemon and people when they’re in trouble! You’ll likely be training with him so you can help him with his job.”
I frown. Training with that Growlithe? With a cop too? I don’t like that.
But I suppose that I have very little choice in the matter.
Especially since I don’t know how they’ll treat me. A shiver of unease goes down my spine.
I nod sulkily at the Pokemon and human.
Nurse Joy pulls out my pokeball, and a red light arcs towards me. I dematerialize into the device, and am left in the dark - literally and metaphorically.