To Catch a Rotom!!

The keys clacked beneath Dr. Ashley’s fingers before abruptly stopping. He leaned forward, squinting at the screen as if the words he had typed held some secrets he hadn’t yet discovered. Nothing. He let out an irritated sigh before leaning back in his chair. His research had come to a standstill. He hated to admit it, but it had been stalled for nearly a month. His eyes seemed to glaze over as he stared at the ceiling. Gears clicked and turned with soothing ambient noise. There had to be something he was missing. His eyes slowly started to close as he lost himself in the noise.

A light tap of a paper cup on his desk was enough for him to open his eyes. The pleasant yet bitter scent of roasted coffee filled the room. “I figured you could use a cup about now.” Ashley’s head rolled lazily to the side. Colress leaned against the back of his chair, tipping it back even further back so they were staring into each other’s eyes. “How is the research coming along?” Ashley let out another sigh and shook his head.

“I’ve hit another roadblock.” He admitted sourly. “I thought I was onto something, but I am coming up short once again.” Colress gently lowered the chair back down before taking a seat beside Ashley. “I thought perhaps fear might be a driving force for a Pokémon to reach their full potential. The whole ‘Fight or Flight’ response, right? When would be a better time to do it than when you’re afraid and your life might be in danger?” He motioned with his hand to the second monitor. On the screen, a Rattata scurried through a maze. Its nose twitched eagerly, sniffing for the tasty pecha berries that had been laid out after every obstacle in its way. The little purple Pokémon rounded a corner when suddenly, Ashley’s Spiritomb sprang out of hiding. The swirling eye glared down at the little rat, the smile grew wider and opened as if it were going to swallow the tiny rodent whole.

Before the Rattata could escape, the wall closed in behind it. “This rattata was well trained and we suspect it should be close to evolving and reaching its full potential.” Ashley started. Spiritomb flared its body out to make itself larger and edged closer. The Rattata rose briefly before falling over onto its side, leg twitching periodically. With a large frown, Spiritomb returned to its resting position, hidden within a rune carved stone roughly the size of a clay pot.

“It fainted.” Colress said flatly.

“It wasn’t even attacked! Life or death and instead of reaching its potential, it fainted!” He leaned back in his chair again, deflating deep into the cushion. “I have run this experiment on at least 20 different Rattata alone. Is my experiment flawed? Or is there something else interfering with my work?” He stared at the screen again, lost in thought over yet another failed experiment.

Colress scrolled through the pages of compiled notes of Ashley's research. “Your experiments are a bit unorthodox, but I’ve seen you get results. Perhaps it’s not a matter of your experiment, but a matter of your test subjects. Have you tried it with other Pokémon?” Ashley shook his head, the fluffy white and black hair swishing from side to side. Colress raised a finger to his lips in thought. Ashley leaned forward again, squinting at the screen. That is when it hit him.

“Have you heard of the Pokémon, Rotom?” Ashley asked. Colress blinked.

“Yes, I have. I’ve heard in the Alola region that it has been used in Pokedexes and even have the capability of speech. It’s quite astounding.” HIs smile was warm and kind. “We should go there. If there is any place that might be the key to unlocking their full potential, it would be in the Alola region.

“I had something else in mind.” Ashley closed the video feed and pulled up a map of his home region, Sinnoh. “We could study the Rotom there, but it seems they may have already reached their potential. What if we find and capture a Rotom that is unaltered?” Colress raised a brow at the notion. “There is an abandoned manor in the Eterna Forest. I remember an old wive’s tale mother would tell their children about that place when I was growing up. They said the old inhabitants mysteriously died and still inhabit the house, and that despite not having electricity for years, the appliances still work and the lights still turn on.”

“Oh? I feel there is more to that wife's tale.”

“They also said that if the lights and TV turn on, you’ll be cursed to die and suffer the same fate as the old inhabitants.” Ashley chuckled.

“And why do I have a sneaking suspicion that you have been to such a place?” Colress teased. “An old, haunted mansion in the middle of the forest probably filled with Ghost Type Pokémon. Sounds like your dream home.” Ashley roared with laughter.

“Well, you aren’t wrong.” He grinned widely. “We’ll buy the place after our research is done and turn it into a vacation home. Nothing says ‘romantic getaway’ like a mansion full of ghosts.” Warmth spread into Ashley’s cheeks as soon as he had said the words. He couldn’t help it, though. Colress was the first one to understand him after all. Colress was the first to share in his vision and also accepted all of his little quirks.

Color burned into Colress’ cheeks, accompanied by a warm smile. “Isn’t it a bit early to be talking about that?” He chided lightly, though there was little threat in that voice. He frowned a little bit and ran a hand through the swoop of blue hair that encircled his head like a ring. “We can’t base our research off of rumors and fiction though. I thought as a man of science, you would know.” Ashley felt his heart sink a little bit.

“I do.” He uttered softly. He was losing Colress’ interest in that thought. He had to bring him back. “The rumors and stories weren’t exactly wrong. Before coming to Unova, I actually did spend some time at the Chateau. I can confirm at least that there is no electricity in the place and that there is a strong presence of ghost type Pokémon. I have seen with my own eyes that there has been flickering of lights and I am pretty sure I have seen static from a TV coming from the house. I suspect there is a Rotom there.”

“I suppose if we could study why and how a Rotom possesses appliances, we could discover that secret behind a Pokémon’s potential.” He tapped his chin in thought. “Yes. I agree, I think traveling to Sinnoh would be a beneficial expedition! Shall I make the arrangements?” He asked. The two stood from their seats and made their way through the Plasma Frigate.

------

Within the next three days, the two were on a private flight to Sinnoh. The plane cabin was rather small, yet luxurious. Being a Plasma boss went a long way, Ashley mused to himself. It made him really wonder how many times Colress had flown. Ashley hadn’t flown often, and when he did, it was the standard seating. This was much better, he had to admit. “Thanks for arranging this.” A flight attendant came, pouring them each a glass of deep, sweet smelling red wine. Gently, they tapped their glasses together, the tinkling of glass making a pleasing sound over the drone of the plane engines. Ashley grinned widely and raised his glass slightly to Colress. “I thought the Frigate was nice. I was very wrong. You guys have it made.”

“Of course. It only makes sense after all. We are the ones who are going to bring forth change in the world.” Colress’ eyes glittered with determination before he settled back further into the seat. “Though I have to admit, this little excursion is a bit more personal to me, I suppose.” Ashley took a sip of wine, his brow raising slightly with interest. Colress was usually distant and did not talk about himself. Perhaps it was the wine affecting him or if the steely scientist was finally warming up to having an apprentice.

“Oh? Something beyond research?” Ashley asked. “Just want to get to know little ol’ me?”

“Perhaps.” Colress chuckled. “I was actually excited at the prospect of seeing a Rotom again.”

“Again? I didn’t realize you had a Rotom.”

Colress sighed. “A while ago, yes.” He admitted somewhat sourly. He ran a hand through the top of his blonde hair. “I’ve done a bit of travelling in my time. I studied over in Kalos for a time and relinquished my Rotom for the cause.” He sighed before downing the rest of the glass. “It was a bittersweet parting. While I am happy that the research went so well and that the RotomDex are a huge hit in the other regions. It was just hard to let them go. A sacrifice for the greater good of science, right?”

Ashley nodded in understanding, a newly lit fire lighting through his core. It hadn’t been his initial plan, but his plan had now been changed. Something must have changed on his face because Colress smirked. “That’s the look of a new idea.” Ashley’s cheeks burned bright, but he played it off as if it were the wine. The attendant poured them both another glass. Colress held out his glass once more for a toast.

“For science?”

“For greater possibilities.” Ashley replied, clinking their glasses together.

 “This is your pilot speaking. We will be landing in Eterna City shortly.” The pilot announced overhead. The two settled back into their seats and prepared for landing.

------

The Eterna Forest was just as Ashley had remembered. Trees taller than the building loomed and blanketed the land as far as the eye could see. Sunlight filtered through the leaves on the trees, leaving a dappled pattern on the forest floor. Bird Pokémon chirped from overhead while the Bug Pokémon sang in the tall grass. To say the forest was teeming with life was an understatement. It had been quite some time since Ashley had been here. He had forgotten how seemingly peaceful it had been, but he knew that behind the facade of serenity was a truly brutal nature. Pokémon pitted to fend for themselves; eat or be eaten. Had the task on hand not been so important, he would have considered staying for a while and studying the forest and its Pokémon.

They traveled on well worn paths, the grass worn away down to the dirt. Sunlight dimmed as they walked deeper into the thickets of trees. Coverage from the leaves was becoming thicker until they were shrouded in darkness. While not quite freezing, the air beneath the trees was sharp and cold. Fog rolled over the carpet of dead leaves and grass, leaving a dampness on the legs of their pants and trim of their coats. Colress shuddered.

“You’re certain this is the right path?” He asked, looking at the leaves so dark they were nearly black. “It’s gotten disturbingly quiet.”

“It’s been a while since I was last at the Chateau, but this is the path.” Ashley assured him. “Pokémon and humans don’t like traversing this part of the forest. There is a high concentration of Ghost Pokémon and rumors of even human spirits that have lost their lives here.” He looked over his shoulder, giving a wide, toothy grin. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid.”

“Afraid?” Colress sputtered. “No. Simply making an observation.” He adjusted his glasses by the bridge with an extended finger. “I don’t believe you would knowingly bring us both into danger with this, and as an expert in Ghost Pokémon, you have my trust that you know what you are doing.”    

 “I’m glad I have your trust.” The fog was getting thicker, climbing up their bodies to their chests. Ashley offered a hand out to Colress. “Why don’t we hold hands? This fog can become disorienting and you could become lost if you don’t know the way.” Colress obliged, wrapping his surprisingly strong hand in Ashley’s. Ashley gave a reassuring squeeze, savoring the warmth of the scientist’s hand in his against the cold mist. Heat burned in his cheeks.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there were ulterior motives for this.” Colress teased. The playful glint in his eye was hard to see through the dark and fog. The path emptied out into a large clearing. Patches of long grass barely poked above the clouds of thick grey. The remnants of a cast iron gate hung limply, barely clinging to the hinges. The only sound between them was the quiet crunch of dirt mixed with gravel between their boots, and the chattering of teeth. It was common for Ghost Pokémon to bring about freezing temperatures in their presence, and with so many here, it was a wonder the place hadn’t frozen over.

The building was still a good distance away, but the abandonment was not hard to see. Paint was peeling away from the brick and mortar. Wood was rotting away from the siding. The roof had partially collapsed in on itself, leaving a gaping hole of darkness like the gaping maw of a Guzzlord. Despite the rest of the building in a state of disrepair, Ashley did note that the purple stained glass windows on the lower level had been unscathed. Ashley turned to look at Colress. “Stay close to me. Most Ghost Pokémon are actually shy and don’t like people in groups.”

“Perhaps we should let out our Pokémon? Make the group a little larger?” He proposed. Ashley nodded and pulled one of the six Pokéballs from the loop of his belt. With a gentle toss and a flash of red light, a Pokémon shaped like a hot-air balloon appeared. Drifblim seemed happy to be out of its Pokéball and floated around Ashley playfully. Colress made the same motions, and from his Pokéball emerged a heavy, metallic crab-like Pokémon emerged. “Lead the way, Dr.” Colress motioned. Metagross stretched out its thick legs before following close behind with thunderous steps behind them.

The old wooden door opened with a loud creak that echoed down dusty, empty halls. The porcelain tiles of red and white were cracked and shattered, molds in a rainbow of colors growing between the cracks. The musty scent was nearly suffocating, though Ashley found it more comforting than anything. The lights flicked on in a nearly blinding light from the darkness. Ashley squinted, allowing his eyes to adjust slowly to the light. Electricity with no power, just as he had said. Just as he knew what would happen. The Ghost Pokémon were mischievous after all, and probably lonely.

“How do we want to tackle this? This place is rather large and there is no telling where Rotom might be.” Ashley asked, scanning the foyer.“If I remember, there should be the dining room and kitchen to the left and I believe a storage room to the right. Upstairs are the bedrooms.” Colress stood in thought for a moment before pointing towards the dining room.

“If there is an oven or a stove, the Rotom may try to possess it, though I don’t know if it would be able to without power.” Ashley nodded. That seemed like sound logic. The two pressed forward down the hall. As they passed the stained glass windows, he paused. Pieces of purple and white glass fused together by black metal painted portraits of Ghastly, Haunter and Gengar.

“Do you think the family was also fans of Ghost types? Is that why the Ghosts flock here like Wingulls flock to discarded food at the beaches?” Ashley pondered out loud, admiring the beauty of the delicate glass work.

Clang.

Colress screamed out in terror ahead. The arm of a suit of armor next to the dining room doorway had swung it’s axe down in front of the door, barely missing Colress. Colress wobbled for a moment, before collapsing to his knees. “Colress!” Ashley shouted as he trotted to the scientist’s side, crouching beside him. “Are you okay?” It had been clear that he was not okay. While Colress was always pale, it seemed even more color drained from his face, his skin whiter than even a Silcoon’s glossy silk.

“I-” He took in a shaky breath before adjusting his glasses. “I’m alright. It startled me, is all. It seems I am not welcome in this mansion.” He said as flatly as possible. Ashley chuckled and stood up, offering a hand to Colress.

“They’re mischievous, but they don’t really want to hurt you. It’s just a prank.” Ashley assured him. Colress took his hand and pulled himself up with some assistance. They moved the armor’s axe out of the way and entered the dining room.

A table set for 14 people took up most of the room. Little Litwik sat in candelabras, their tiny purple flames flickering in and out. Chandelure hung above, their purple fire basking the room in a dim lavender light.The two cautiously approached. The Pokémon shied away, shrinking and hiding themselves the best they could. He leaned forward to admire the tiny candle Pokémon. “Oh. A visitor.” A man’s voice echoed in the empty hall. Ashley turned quickly. An elderly man dressed in a fine butler’s suit was scurrying off towards the kitchen. He blinked. The man wasn’t scurrying. He was floating! “Allow me to make some tea.”

“Wait, excuse me, sir.” Colress shouted after him.

Ashley cocked his head to the side. Was this an illusion? Were the Ghost Pokémon actually making an illusion like that and made it capable of human speech? His grin widened as he trotted towards the kitchen door. Colress was close on his heel. Though as they entered the kitchen, there was no man. The kitchen was empty. All that remained in the kitchen were three prep tables covered in Mothrim and Dustox eaten cloth, rotted tables and a leaking sink that dripped brown water into a rusted basin. The stove next to the sink was a wood burning stove, not even anything a Rotom could possess. The dilapidated refrigerator and freezer sat with their doors wide open, a collection of Foongus and Shroomish huddled in the corner. There was no Rotom to be seen.

“Could that have been one of the human ghosts?” Colress asked. Ashley blinked and looked at him. “From the rumors. The ones you were telling me about earlier?” He questioned, face growing pale again.

“Perhaps.” Ashley rubbed his smooth shaven chin. “Maybe we should move our research here! Can you imagine the potential we could bring out in Pokémon around a human ghost? If there is one thing that could be more terrifying than a Ghost Pokémon, the possibility that human ghosts exist.” He relished the moment.

“Dr. Ashley, the task on hand.” Colress’ voice brought him back from his day dreaming of scaring Pokémon into their full potential. “It seems the Rotom is not here. Shall we check upstairs?” He asked. Ashley nodded and the two made their way back towards the long, narrow hall. “Excuse us, Ghost Pokémon. We are approaching. You had your fun with the first prank, please let us pass.” Colress said sternly. Ashley howled with laughter as they stepped through the door. No axe swung down, and the hall was just as quiet as before they had arrived. “What’s so funny?”

“Sorry! It’s just funny you trying to command these Pokémon.” He admitted. Colress huffed. “They never play the same prank twice. At least not on the same person. It’s never as fun when you’re expecting it.” The two were nearly back to the entryway when a chandelier dropped behind them, making Colress jump. “Though, they will play pranks on the same person twice. You are making it so easy for them!” Colress’ cheeks flushed red.

The stairs groaned beneath their feet as they climbed up to the second floor. It felt as if the floors would fall out from under them at any moment. The plush red carpets were faded to a grimy brown. It squelched beneath their feet, releasing foul odor. “Shall we start with the closest door?” Ashley pointed to the door immediately ahead of them.

“I think I know their tricks now.” Colress sounded determined not to be scared this time. It was pretty cute, Ashley had to admit.

“Alright. You take Metagross and head to the other side. We’ll meet at the door in the center then?” Colress nodded and started on his way towards the end of the hall. Ashley entered the first room. A loud scream followed by a short string of curses echoed down the hall. Ashley chuckled to himself. It seemed like his boss was having a fun time. The first room was void of anything. No furniture, no rugs or cushions. There was only a window and a clock that read 3:33 am. He pressed on to the next room.

The next room Ashley theorized that it had once belonged to a little girl. Lacey pink wallpaper was peeling away from the walls onto the dingy pink rug. A set of broken dolls all stared at him atop the nightstand next to the bed. He was certain the eyes were glowing red in the dim, flickering light. His ears perked up. The sound of a child playing piqued his interest. It was coming from the room he had just come from. That was impossible though, right? Finding nothing more of interest, he returned to the next room. The afterimage of a little girl disappeared from sight, a small red ball and a set of jacks left on the floor. Now things were getting very interesting.         

Ashley moved onto the third room and entered. This must have belonged to the other children. Two beds sat on either side of the room accompanied by a nightstand on each side. As Ashley investigated the drawers that by some miracle still worked, a door in the distance slammed. Ashley poked his head out. The door that Colress had gone through was shut tight. A few wiggles of the handle confirmed it was stuck and was not coming unlocked any time soon. Ashley knocked on the door. “It’s alright, Colress. They’ll get bored soon. I am going to look for the Rotom. Are you good to sit tight for a little bit?”

“I guess.” Colress sighed in frustration. “At least there seems to be some reading material. It’s a library. Maybe they have something interesting in here.” With a shake of his head, Ashley went through what was supposed to be Colress’ second door. Static buzzed on a TV that was not even plugged in. The image of a small orb surrounded by electrifying energy flashed in and out of the static.

“Rotom.” Ashley said softly under his breath. Quietly, he approached the TV and knocked on it softly. Startled, the Pokémon leaped out the back and tried to float away. Swiftly, he grabbed a Pokéball from his bag, throwing it at the Pokémon. It struck, opening up and enveloping the Rotom until the Pokémon was sucked inside. The ball fell to the ground with a metallic thud. One shake. Two shakes. His heart raced. He had to catch it. It was no longer just about the research. He was going to give it to him as a gift. While it would never replace the one Colress gave up, it was the gesture that counted. “Please stay.”

Three shakes. Click. It was caught. Ashley let out a huge sigh of relief as he picked the ball up off of the ground. Now it was time to rescue Colress from his prison. He returned to the door, jiggling the handle again. Locked still. The Pokémon were being stubborn now. He reached into his lab pocket and pulled out a small bundle of herbs from his pocket. With a lighter, he lit it, waving the smoking bundle of herbs near the door. The door shook and rattled on its hinges before click, it popped open. He opened up the door, only to find Colress sitting on the floor reading a book.

“Did you have a nice break, boss?” Ashley asked sweetly. “You seem rather engrossed in that book.”

“Hmm. Not particularly.” He sighed as he stood. “Many of these books have been damaged in one way or another. There’s not much to read. What is left seems to be some B list romance novels. Not quite my taste in books.” He shook his head and ran a dusty hand through his hair. “Did you have any luck?”

Ashley presented the ball to Colress, placing it in his hand. “Yes, sir. I caught the Rotom that was haunting the TV in the room…” He felt nervous all of the sudden and shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “Actually sir, I’d like to present this to you as more than a research venture. I know that giving up your Rotom before must have been hard. I know that this one cannot replace the bond you had with it…” He bowed low to the ground, his body making a near perfect 90 degree angle. “Please accept this as a gift.” He peaked up briefly to Colress’ stunned face.

“Dr…” He smiled. “Ashley.” He motioned for him to stand. “This is a wonderful gift. Thank you. Truly.” Colress had started to lean in when the door slammed shut behind them again. He stumbled forward, their lips pressing together in an awkward kiss. They pulled away, both of their faces flushed. “Perhaps we should go. I don’t think the Ghosts here appreciate our PDA.” He whispered hoarsely. Ashley laughed, but nodded in agreement.

“Well, they better get used to it. You’re onboard for making this our honeymoon spot, right?” Ashley joked as they left. Colress let out a hearty laugh, dropping his cool and serious façade.

“Perhaps in the future. It looks like I have a lot of research to do about my young apprentice and the Sinnoh Region.” He wrapped a large hand in Ashley’s, and the two walked through the mist together.