"Come on, hurry up! Hurry up!"
All the way there, Brock kept urging the others to pick up the pace.
He had done his homework. Pokémon Tower was guarded by shrine maidens whose duties had been passed down for generations.
And what were shrine maidens?
White robes, red hakama skirts, calm and elegant expressions, a mysterious and noble air—and when greeting visitors, a gentle smile.
Just imagining it made Brock's blood boil with excitement.
Big sis shrine maiden, I'm coming!
Forced by his enthusiasm, the trio sped up.
From afar, Pokémon Tower looked less like a graveyard and more like a massive cathedral—broad and towering. The fog here was the thickest in all of Lavender Town, and even standing outside, the eerie atmosphere was impossible to miss.
Seeing Ash and Misty hesitate at the entrance, Brock shoved them both inside.
"Hurry up! The first floor's safe—what are you scared of?!"
The three stepped into Pokémon Tower.
The first floor was astonishingly vast—so large that the far end couldn't be seen at a glance. The place was brightly lit, which gave them some much-needed courage.
The floor was tiled in strange purple-and-white patterns that made your skin crawl if you stared too long.
There were no gravestones here—just an empty hall. It seemed the actual memorials were higher up.
What caught their attention most, however, was the center of the hall.
Carved into the floor was a glowing green square nearly three square meters in size. A pillar of green light shot straight up from it to the ceiling, forming a strange barrier.
"Welcome, travelers."
A voice came from the side.
Brock snapped his head around—his tongue nearly sticking out.
A shrine maiden!
White robes. Red skirt. Long silver hair—
Then his eyes bulged.
A shrine maiden…
A great-grandma?!
"What the—?!"
The elegant shrine maiden of his dreams had turned into an elderly woman in her seventies or eighties.
Her back was slightly hunched, her skin thin and wrinkled, heavy eyelids drooping beneath sharp eyes, and a frightening hooked nose. She held a candle in one hand, looking like a witch straight out of a ghost story.
Ash scratched his head.
It's already brightly lit in here—why are you holding a candle? For atmosphere?
"Travelers from afar,"
the old shrine maiden said calmly,
"let me take a look at you."
Without any hesitation, she raised her candle and—using her free hand—patted Ash's chest.
Then she let out a strange chuckle.
Ash jumped back in fright.
"Young man," she said,
"strong body, burning passion… and a pure heart."
Ash's opinion of her instantly skyrocketed.
Scratching his head shyly, he grinned.
"Granny, you're really good with words. Want to say a bit more?"
The next second, her expression changed completely.
Her gaze sharpened, piercing straight through him. Ash felt as though she could see everything about him—right down to the color of his underwear.
He shuddered.
"…I misjudged," she said coldly.
"To think I'd encounter another guest with two hearts today."
She let out a low laugh and picked up a paper talisman fan from the table, with the words "Evil Begone" written across it.
It looked like a genuine spiritual tool.
"Would you like an exorcism?"
she asked.
"I'm quite skilled at sending foreign entities on their way."
Red: "!!"
Sharing Ash's perspective, even Red felt a chill. That fan was especially dangerous—it could actually interfere with his concentration.
Dangerous… this old woman is the real deal.
But what did she mean by "another"?
"No, no, no!" Ash waved his hands frantically.
"I'm a firm believer in science! No superstition for me!"
He leapt back again.
What if she really sends Red off?
…Though, to be fair, inheriting Red's legacy afterward didn't sound that bad.
Red: "…"
This was not the first time he'd heard that word.
The shrine maiden put the fan away and crouched slightly, lifting Pikachu's chin with a finger. Her eyes filled with admiration, as though she'd discovered a priceless treasure.
"This little Electric Mouse," she murmured,
"is destined for greatness—one day it will soar through the heavens."
"Pika~"
Pikachu scratched its head. It already knew that, of course—but hearing it out loud still felt pretty good.
Her gaze then shifted to Cubone.
"This one belongs to that old man Fuji, doesn't it?"
she scoffed.
"Only starting to do good deeds at the end of his life. Disgusting."
The three exchanged confused looks.
Wasn't Mr. Fuji a genuinely kind person?
Next, she stepped past Ash and fixed her penetrating gaze on Misty, who immediately shivered.
"Granny… I'm a good person,"
Misty said weakly.
The shrine maiden chuckled and gently patted her head.
"Pure and innocent," she said softly.
"A beautiful will, as blue as the sea."
Misty relaxed instantly, her impression of the shrine maiden shooting straight to the top.
"And now… you."
The old woman turned to Brock.
Her expression became severe.
Brock: "…"
He gulped and stumbled back several steps, eyes squeezed into slits.
"Honest, kind, steadfast," she declared.
"A noble heart."
Brock's blood surged. He was just about to speak—
"But," she continued coldly,
"your soul is clouded by an impure desire. If this influence is not removed, your future will stagnate—or worse, lead you into disaster."
Before Brock could protest, Ash jumped out.
"Hey! Granny, that's not fair! Brock is a man of rock-solid will! What impure desire are you talking about?!"
Misty immediately dragged Ash away.
"She's absolutely right," Misty said apologetically.
"Brock is great in every way—except that. Please, use your amazing powers and purify his heart!"
Brock: "?!"
"Wait, I—"
"Since the young lady agrees,"
the shrine maiden said calmly,
"you'll stay here, young man. I'll cleanse your spirit properly."
"I'm telling you—"
She suddenly pulled out a stamp from beneath the counter and struck his forehead with lightning speed.
Brock's eyes rolled back, and he instantly went limp, standing perfectly still.
Whether he was asleep or unconscious was hard to tell—his eyes always looked the same anyway.
On his forehead was now a red seal, marked with two strange characters:
Abstinence.
"Don't worry," the shrine maiden smiled.
"I've merely sent his soul to a mysterious place in the eastern lands. There, it will be refined and elevated."
Hearing this, Ash and Misty relaxed.
As long as he was safe, it was fine.
"As for you two—"
Ash immediately replied,
"Oh! We're just taking Cubone up the tower. Also, we're going to pay respects for my dear friend Gary. He passed away not too long ago."
The shrine maiden's mouth twitched.
The other guest with two hearts she'd met three hours ago… wasn't his name Gary?
Is this how kids these days show friendship?
Lighting incense for someone who's not even dead yet?
…Oddly touching.
"But be careful," she added before they left.
"The Pokémon upstairs aren't very friendly lately. If you encounter danger, that green barrier will protect you."
As they climbed the stairs, the old woman frowned.
Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokémon were especially sensitive to danger, after all.
Recently, members of an organization calling itself the Rainbow Group had arrived in town, claiming Pokémon Tower was unlucky. They wanted to tear it down and rebuild it into a Radio Tower, spreading so-called "positive energy" across Kanto.
That would destroy the foundation of this place entirely.
No wonder the spirits were restless.
But in the end… who could stand against the power of money?
Even the shrine maiden, gifted with spiritual sight, could only sigh.
As the two disappeared upstairs, a sudden chill swept through the room. She blinked—and something on her table was gone.
"…Huh?"
"Where did my fan go?"
The old shrine maiden felt a headache coming on.
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