“Mama, why does it feel like I should whisper here,” MunchMunch asked as they approached the entry to the tower.

  It looked like it might have been amazing once, but now it was broken. MunchMunch thought it looked like the trees after the storm.

  Everything in the wrong places.

  “MunchMunch,” his Teddy called.

  MunchMunch waddled over and Teddy picked Happy up off of his head. Even she must have felt something off, because she didn’t argue.

  He stood next to his Trainer and the other human. When they were finished talking to each other, his Teddy nodded to him.

  “MunchMunch, give your backpack to Teddy,” Shadow whispered, slipping from his shadow into the gloom in front of them.

  MunchMunch nodded back and took off his backpack. His Teddy ruffled his head and took it, which made MunchMunch giggle.

  Being on the road was a lot scarier because his Teddy wasn’t there.

  Now, nothing was that scary!

  MunchMunch nodded and MunchMunch-skipped through the doorway.

  Inside it was dark, but not like cave-dark. Parts of the ceiling were missing, letting the sun shine through.

  Once again, MunchMunch thought that reminded him of trees, too!

  It was hard to see, since there was stuff everywhere, and it all looked…

  “Mama, what happened to everything?” he whispered, looking around.

  “Fire, Sweetie,” she responded. MunchMunch could feel she was happy — there were shadows everywhere, and darkness in between, so she could go anywhere and still be hidden.

  Ash and Uppie had disappeared too, but he couldn’t tell where they were.

  “What’s that?”

  “Do you remember the Magmar you fought?” she whispered.

  MunchMunch trembled at the memory and looked around.

  Oh.

  He took a step forward and the floor creaked. His Teddy quickly grabbed him and pulled him backwards.

  Well, he tried to, but MunchMunch was much too big and strong now.

  Still, he knew what his Teddy wanted, so he rolled backwards right away.

  The floor where he had been standing crumbled and disappeared.

  “Munch?” he asked, leaning forward to look down into the dark.

  “Shadow, I don’t think I like it here very much.”

  Rattata watched from the shadows under debris while strange purple floating Pokémon floated through the air.

  MunchMunch approached one of the Rattata.

  “Hi, I — “

  “Tat. Tat. Rattata,” it hissed.

  MunchMunch stepped back and cocked his head, but the Rattata followed!

  Before he could do anything, it lunged at him and used Scratch.

  Shadow slipped in front of him, her eyes glowing rhythmically and the Rattata immediately fell asleep mid-jump. It flew through Shadow and plopped to the ground right in front of MunchMunch, snoring peacefully.

  “Munch?”

  It was Ash who answered.

  “There are many reasons Pokémon choose to bond with a trainer,” he explained.

  MunchMunch nodded and listened.

  “Among them, the ability to talk.”

  “Which makes very little sense,” Uppie interjected, “since the language we learn to speak isn’t even human!”

  MunchMunch stared at the wild Pokémon curiously as they walked around it and continued on their way.

  The other Pokémon watched warily, but did not attack.

  “Wild can think,” Shadow answered his unspoken question. “But the thoughts are muddy and… small. They act mostly on instinct… at least until they are much older. Sometimes, even then.”

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  She paused thoughtfully.

  “There are many benefits to having a trainer,” she nodded.

  “Drawbacks too. Like freedom,” Uppie groused.

  Shadow smiled. “Not all trainers are like ours,” she winked at MunchMunch.

  MunchMunch smiled. Their Teddy really was the best!

  They proceeded forward carefully, the wild Pokémon watching curiously.

  MunchMunch made sure to step through the dirty spots.

  Maybe his Teddy would brush him again later!

  “Pii~!” Happy giggled, enjoying herself immensely.

  Not long after, they approached a huuuuge hole in the floor where sun filtered down.

  MunchMunch creeped to the edge and peered down curiously, his Teddy next to him, and froze.

  Way down below, three giant Pokémon rested in the warmth of the sun. MunchMunch had never seen such big Pokémon before!

  One was blue, and reminded MunchMunch of the water by Goldenrod. That one was really pretty.

  One was red, and made him think of fire. That one breathed puffs of smoke as it slept.

  The last one looked like it flickered. It reminded MunchMunch of the light in the sky during the storm.

  He shivered.

  “Shadow,” he whispered, “who are they?”

  Shadow floated next to him quietly. Even Happy was quiet, staring with wide eyes.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered, “but they are powerful.”

  At that moment, the blue one looked up and locked eyes with MunchMunch.

  MunchMunch gasped.

  ____

  “The Tower is not a safe place to wander,” a voice echoed through the dark, causing both Teddy and Lani to jump.

  A man joined them, peering over the edge as well. He had a shock of blonde hair pulled back by a midnight-violet bandana.

  “Leader Morty, sir,” Lani hurriedly bowed. Teddy followed suit.

  “No need for that,” he smiled, sitting down next to them.

  “Magnificent, aren’t they,” he gestured towards the Pokémon below them.

  One of them regarded them thoughtfully while the other two slept.

  “Who are they, Sir?” Lani asked curiously. Teddy leaned forward to listen.

  Morty regarded them thoughtfully.

  “As Gym Leader, it is my job to learn and understand. Unfortunately, I don’t really know,” he admitted.

  “From what I can tell, they are the Spirits of the Elements.”

  Teddy felt goosebumps chase up his arms.

  “That is Suicune, Lord of the North Wind,” he pointed to the Pokémon who was watching them.

  Teddy watched in awe as it shook its mane. It was deep beneath them so it was hard to tell, but it shimmered more like water than fur.

  Suicune huffed and resumed its rest.

  “There lies Entei,” Morty continued, pointing to the one breathing smoke, “Lord of Volcanoes.”

  Even from here, Teddy could hear the rumble each time he exhaled.

  As one, they all turned to look at the final Pokémon.

  Electricity arced across its body as it slept.

  “And he is Raikou, Lord of Lightning,” Morty breathed.

  As if on cue, Raikou yawned and a single bolt of lightning flashed towards the sky. The Lord of Lightning settled its head on its giant paws and resumed its slumber.

  “Magnificent, aren’t they?”

  Teddy and Lani both nodded in awe.

  “I’ve never seen a rare Pokémon before,” Lani whispered.

  ”Oh, they are not rare. Those three are semi-Mythic, so far as classifications go,” Morty answered thoughtfully.

  “Not true Legendaries, but still embodiments of Concepts,” he clarified.

  Teddy nodded gratefully and Morty smiled.

  “Occasionally they will return here, to rest... though we do not know why,” he continued. “I believe the recent storm was due to Raikou and Suicune, however. Whether because they battled, or for some other reason, I do not know.”

  Teddy paled, glancing down at the Pokémon with newfound respect.

  “How can a Pokémon have such power?” he whispered.

  Morty chuckled.

  “I see two badges pinned to your chest,” he said. “And one for you, young lady,” he nodded.

  Teddy and Lani both nodded back.

  “You have just begun your Journeys,” he nodded. “Listen well. There are many things that seem impossible. But just because they seem so, does not make them so. The three below us are capable of great devastation. Instead, they… usually… seek to bring peace. But know this. They pale in power before true Legendaries.”

  Teddy gulped. He couldn’t help but wonder how Celebi would fare against one of them?

  Something told him they would never even fight in the first place.

  While they were Lords of the Elements, Celebi felt… older.

  “Can we go see them?” Lani whispered.

  Morty chuckled again. It almost sounded like other voices joined him, but when Teddy looked, he did not see anyone else.

  But he was The Gym Master of Ghosts.

  “It is not wise to disturb such Pokémon,” he answered. “But Suicune has taken notice of you and permitted you to remain. You would know if it had decided otherwise.”

  He regarded them thoughtfully.

  “It is a trial of sorts, to descend the Tower and approach the Three. See how far you can go — but remember to remain respectful.”

  They both nodded as Morty turned to head towards another man they hadn’t noticed before.

  “Leader!” Teddy blurted. The Pokémon below him were incredible, but the entire reason he was here was to meet this man.

  To learn how to train his Shadow.

  Morty turned back, raising an eyebrow.

  “My Gastly,” he began. Next to him, he could feel Lani watching in shock.

  His Gastly slipped out from his shadow and Morty’s eyes widened.

  “I don’t know how to train her,” he admitted. “I know it is probably not the right way of doing things, asking the Gym Leader, but I want the best for her.”

  Morty regarded him thoughtfully, while the man behind him snorted.

  From the darkness, a Haunter emerged, hovering next to Morty and regarding Shadow curiously.

  Teddy felt her stiffen.

  “What a beautiful Gastly,” he murmured.

  “That’s what I said!” Lani blurted, immediately covering her mouth and blushing.

  Morty just chuckled, the Haunter echoing him.

  “You seem to be doing just fine, young man,” he answered. “But I would be happy to give you some pointers.”

  Teddy perked up immediately.

  “The first being this, nothing is given for free among Ghosts. Prove yourself first,” he nodded, turning and continuing on his way.

  Teddy felt his ears burn at the dismissal. He had tried, and failed Shadow —

  “I will be watching,” Morty called quietly, before disappearing into a shadow.

  Lani and Teddy both gasped in shock.

  “Did you see that,” Lani whispered excitedly. “He is so cool!”

  “I didn’t know that was possible,” Teddy admitted, though his mind was preoccupied by the Gym Leader’s final words.

  “Lani, I’m going to approach the Three,” he said resolutely. “And then I am going to beat the Gym!”

  He clenched his fists tightly. Next to him, MunchMunch shouted and did the same, causing Teddy to smile knowing he did so not because he understood, but because he trusted him.

  Lani nodded. “I believe you. You feel… different. I’ll travel through the Tower with you, but I don’t think I will go all the way,” she said. “Even from here, the weight of their presence makes it hard to breathe.”

  Teddy froze. He hadn’t noticed anything?

  Then again, Celebi had been on a completely different level. While he had never seen the Legendary, his Shrine was incredible.

  He would never forget the weight pressed against his soul.