After the farce finally came to an end, Ash and his group followed Mr. Fuji to a large house on the outskirts of Lavender Town.
The house was noticeably bigger than the surrounding homes, with lush greenery all around. From time to time, small Pokémon darted out through the doorway, laughing and playing together.
Oddish, Bellsprout, Venonat—mostly baby Pokémon.
"We're here. This is my home. If you don't mind, please come in for a cup of cappuccino,"
Mr. Fuji said with a warm smile.
Although he enjoyed playing pranks on outsiders, he believed it was his own way of showing friendliness.
As for whether others found it friendly or not—he didn't particularly care.
Once inside, the place looked less like a house and more like a large Pokémon shelter. The interior was divided into several areas, where over a dozen Pokémon lay resting.
Without exception, they were all young Pokémon.
"Mr. Fuji, are all of these your Pokémon?" Ash asked.
Mr. Fuji shook his head.
"These Pokémon either lost their parents, were abandoned, or could no longer be cared for by humans. Some got separated from their families, others were simply left behind. So I opened this Pokémon House to look after them—until they're able to live on their own."
In other words, it was a Pokémon orphanage.
Lavender Town was home to Pokémon Tower, where countless spirits were laid to rest—a town steeped in death.
Yet death also gave rise to new life.
As a result, there were far more young Pokémon in Lavender Town than in most other places.
Hearing this, Ash, Misty, and Brock all looked at Mr. Fuji with genuine respect.
His sense of humor might be questionable, and he might be bald—but his character was truly admirable.
"So then," Ash asked, puzzled,
"why did you bring us here?"
Earlier, at the Pokémon Center, Mr. Fuji had mentioned that he needed their help.
It couldn't be that he wanted them to take a few baby Pokémon for free… right?
"Cubuu!"
Before Mr. Fuji could answer, a low growl came from one side of the house. A small brown Pokémon suddenly rushed out, waving a large bone club in its hand.
Before the group could clearly see what it was, Mr. Fuji shouted,
"Stop it!"
Ash instinctively stepped into its path.
"Cubuu!"
Seeing someone block its way, the small Pokémon showed no hesitation. It leapt into the air and swung the bone club down hard—smashing it straight into Ash's knee.
Jump up and smash your knee!
"Clang!"
A metallic ringing echoed through the room.
"Duang~"
It was followed by a spring-like sound, as Ash's leg suddenly snapped forward on reflex, sending the small Pokémon flying several meters away with a kick.
Ash scratched his knee in confusion.
"…Huh? Why did my leg move on its own?"
"Cubuu…"
The Pokémon was clearly very young. After taking that kick, it lost its ability to fight and collapsed to the ground.
Only then did the group get a good look at it.
Its body was light brown, and its small head was covered by an oversized skull helmet that completely concealed its face.
"Cubone, the Lonely Pokémon.
It wears the skull of its deceased mother and uses a bone as its weapon."
Ash's Pokédex automatically announced.
A skull…?
Intrigued, the trio leaned closer. Ash even tried to gently lift the skull helmet, but before he could, Cubone snapped awake again, brandishing its bone club aggressively and pointing it at Ash.
"Calm down. They're guests."
Mr. Fuji gently picked Cubone up and soothed it in his arms. After a bit of comforting, the Pokémon finally settled down—though the anger in its eyes remained.
"Hehe… this is the Pokémon I wanted to ask you about,"
Mr. Fuji said, placing Cubone back on the floor.
"I heard at the Pokémon Center that you're planning to go to Pokémon Tower. Would you be willing to take this little one with you?"
Ash nodded. That didn't sound like a big deal.
Still… Mr. Fuji looked quite fit. He was even capable of pulling pranks and scaring people. Couldn't he go himself?
"Rheumatism acting up?" Ash wondered.
"Hehe… I'd like to," Mr. Fuji admitted awkwardly,
"but I'm not strong enough. Pokémon Tower isn't a simple place."
If he hadn't retired from being a Trainer so many years ago, things wouldn't be this embarrassing.
The three exchanged glances.
A local who couldn't climb his own town's tower?
That was… oddly amusing.
"Wait, Mr. Fuji,"
Misty suddenly interjected.
"I have to ask—are there really ghosts in the tower? I don't mean Ghost-type Pokémon. I mean real ghosts!"
She used to be terrified of Ghost-type Pokémon, but after spending time with Gengar lately, her fear had faded. She even found Ghost-types kind of cute now.
Especially Gengar—round and chubby in a strangely adorable way.
But real ghosts…
She shivered.
"Hehe… of course there are,"
Mr. Fuji said calmly.
"Pokémon Tower is a burial site for the deceased. Not only do Ghost-type Pokémon live there, but true human spirits appear as well. There's no reason for me to lie about that."
Whether human or Pokémon, if one died with powerful lingering regrets and was buried in a place heavy with spiritual energy, it was only natural for a ghost to form.
Over time, however—through prayers or the comfort of loved ones—those spirits would eventually fade away.
"But recently," Mr. Fuji continued with a frown,
"something's changed. On the fourth floor, at the passage leading to the fifth, there seems to be a ghost with an unusually strong grudge blocking the way."
Pokémon Tower had five floors.
The first floor was a place for shrine maidens to pray and perform rites, protected by spiritual barriers that kept wild Pokémon away.
From the second floor onward, Ghost-type Pokémon—and actual spirits—began to appear.
Lately, due to that powerful ghost, even the wild Ghost-type Pokémon had become restless and aggressive.
"This Cubone desperately wants to go up the tower," Mr. Fuji sighed.
"But the Trainers in town aren't strong enough to escort it."
He didn't even know Cubone's true purpose.
But letting it stay here in a constant state of agitation wasn't a solution—and sending it up alone would just be reckless.
That morning, another visiting Trainer had come by—around Ash's age—but he had important business and declined outright.
So Mr. Fuji had placed his hopes on Ash's group.
After all, Ash had a plump Pikachu on his shoulder, and an equally round Gengar—both clearly well cared for. Their strength couldn't be too low.
"If you can take Cubone to the top of Pokémon Tower,"
Mr. Fuji added,
"there's a strange stone I collected years ago while traveling other regions. It's kept on the fifth floor. Apparently, in some places now, it's considered a very valuable stone. I'll give it to you as a reward."
Ash's eyes immediately lit up.
Ignoring Cubone's struggle, he scooped it up and laughed.
"Haha! Grandpa, you didn't need to offer a reward. I'm helping because I want to fulfill Cubone's wish!"
"Oh? Then I suppose—"
"Ahaha! But since you already said it, refusing would be disrespectful!"
"…I didn't really think it was disrespectful."
"Haha! Brock, Misty—let's go!!"
Ash abruptly turned his head, cutting Mr. Fuji off mid-sentence. With Cubone tucked under one arm and Pikachu under the other, he bolted toward Pokémon Tower, dragging the others along.
Ash had never been one for false modesty.
After they left, the smile on Mr. Fuji's face vanished, replaced by a grave expression.
"…Strange. Why does that boy carry the scent of that Pokémon?"
As its creator, he could recognize that presence—even through a Poké Ball.
Frowning deeply, he shook his head.
"No… that's impossible. That Pokémon could never be connected to a rookie Trainer."
After a long moment of thought, Mr. Fuji's gaze hardened. He hurried back inside, dialing a familiar number from memory.
The call connected.
"Oh? Fuji? You haven't called me in ages,"
a cheerful elderly voice said from the other end.
"I hear you're running an orphanage now?"
"Enough small talk," Mr. Fuji said gravely.
"Do you remember the Pokémon we created together back then?"
There was a pause.
"…Didn't you swear you'd never involve yourself with that Pokémon again?"
the voice asked in confusion.
"You even released all your own Pokémon. Why bring this up now?"
Mr. Fuji took a deep breath.
"…I think I may have encountered it."
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