FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Saffron City, according to Kirie, was the biggest city in all of Kanto. James could easily see why when the multitude of skyscrapers suddenly veered into view, and the moment he passed through the city gates, he was welcomed with a bustling atmosphere. The city was largely a business area, with a multitude of companies sprouting out all over the place. High-rising blocks, people in suits with the occasional odd pokemon walking beside them. Even the pokemon had neat little bows and ties to look smart and proper. The crowds were thick and varied, with people from all over the world coming to deal with trade and business, the raptor in disguise weaving his way through with Kirie staying above the crowd. Occasionally there were other pokemon floating past her, mainly birds but there were a few other oddities from other regions, such as a purple balloon-shaped creature that drifted seamlessly with its owner. The city's well-paved streets further marked its richer embodiment of Kanto's contributions to the world. There was also a large train station, the Magnet Train which raced between the regions of Kanto and Johto to ensure easier service, which while rather exclusive and expensive, was the highest class of travel in the entire region. The largest of buildings however belonged to the Silph Company, smack-dab in the centre of Saffron City. A high-rising skyscraper towering above the rest, with Kirie explaining that they were responsible for the study of pokeball technology as well as various other tools. One example she gave, was the Silph Scope attachment she had given him upon arrival, firmly attached to his pokedex in order to reveal ghost-type pokemon as their true form. The city even had not one, but two gyms, based on fighting and psychic-type pokemon. "Wow TWO gyms?!" Indeed, but only one has true gym status to offer badges to trainers. "Which one is that?" The psychic gym. "Hah, fuck that, I've had enough of psychics thank you." I agree. Let us travel east towards Lavender Town. "Yeah uh...this city doesn't have THAT much to do, it seems pretty boring with all these suits and stock markets and shit." Perhaps you would prefer Celadon City to the west, they have far more interesting places to the travelling pokemon trainer. "Heh, sure, after we deal with Lavender Town."

Heading out east along Route 8, James and Kirie found yet another underground path that went also under Saffron City in order to lead to Celadon City in the west. Noting this down, he headed on through a rather short but very well-maintained route, a small but wide road snaking its way swiftly through the land before stopping at the Lavender Town entrance. A large tower was also in view, which Kirie noted to be the Radio Tower that had been installed in the town. The problem however laid in the surprising multitude of challengers all along the route, ranging from old men to young girls, to children to bikers. James avoided some of them, but only due to wanting to reach Lavender Town faster, and even then some battles became unavoidable. This was the perfect opportunity for him to see Red's newfound power as a charmeleon, his furious strength easily tearing through almost all of the regular fighters. He also noted a rather odd precedent amongst various people and what pokemon they preferred. Children predictably went for rather adorable pokemon, such as the pink ball-shaped Jigglypuff, or the also pink-and-cuddly Clefairy which James felt rather bad about beating into submission. When facing children under 10, he refused to take their money, citing he had very urgent business to attend to. Older people, as well as bikers and nerdy young adults, he easily took on with all his strength. One old man had fire pokemon in the form of a vulpix and a fluffy wolf-like Growlithe, whilst another had three water pokemon that resembled large bipedal tadpoles called Poliwags and Poliwhirls. The nerdy young adults had a preference for slimy Muks and Grimers, a disgustingly poisonous ambulatory pool of living pollution. Or even more dangerously, electrical magnetic balls known as Magnemites, or even the pokeball-shaped Voltorbs and Electrodes. James was incredibly eager to take down one Electrode, if only as vengeance for how he was treated upon arrival by one back at the power plant. Lastly, there were the bikers, who rather fittingly chose also poisonous pokemon in the form of gaseous floating balls of smog known as Koffings. James was learning even more about the strange and bizarre world of Pokemon than he even cared, and with each new victory that came, he was one step closer to feeling more worthy of his current task at hand. Despite some rather nasty scrapes involving one old man's water team, and one particularly scary nerd's group of four electrical pokemon, he survived through the route mostly unscathed. A few shocks had hurt him bad, a few choking smogs here and there, but he was certainly better off than his battered and bruised team of pokemon. Red had now lost all of his childhood fears as a stronger evolved creature, despite no new moves being learnt as of yet. Spike the beedrill had uncovered a whole new Rage within him, which while unpredictable was still strong.

Sarah, being of a somewhat-higher level already, took a little longer to grow in strength, but in turn she learned a new song that had awakened within her species' ancestral memory. She did not speak much on it yet, wanting to use it for a better time as she replaced her old song of sleep with it in her repertoire of moves. Soon, they had finally reached Lavender Town. The moment they stepped into the town grounds, the atmosphere changed completely. The joy of travel from Saffron City faded from James and Kirie as the sombre purple-roofed town nestled within the eastern mountains stared down upon them. Whilst the populace were perfectly normal, milling about to and fro, they could already tell there was a stained past to the place. The main attraction of the town however, was an absurdly tall tower, shining out a large array of radio dishes from the very top. "...that...looks out of place." That is the Kanto Radio Tower. It was installed a few years ago in a partnership with Johto. It was formerly the Lavender Tower, where pokemon were laid to rest. It was also where Mother Marowak was murdered. "...so they just turn a goddamn graveyard into a fucking radio tower?!" Not exactly. The graves were moved to the House of Memories, over there. She pointed towards a much smaller white-domed building in front of the radio tower, nestled against the southeast cliffwalls with a beautiful garden in front of it. Peering inside cautiously, James noticed there were several graves, well-kept and cared for with many flowers. The interior was of a humble dark oak, as candles softly glinted on altars at the far back of the building. Some people were already inside, paying their respects. "So, what do I do?" asked James. We must speak to Mr. Fuji. He cares for the graves, and was the one who confronted the Mother's murderers. But he does not know who specifically did the deed so do not question him about it. ...there, that's him. She pointed out towards a rather old man watering flowers out front, robed in light green with very thin limbs. James felt hesitant to even bring up the subject, but Kirie assured him that this was what had to be done. Still in disguise, the raptor walked up towards the old man, asking softly: "Scuse me, are you Mr. Fuji?" "Hmm?" The man turned, his balding head with liver spots as soft eyes crinkled up towards James. "Yes that's me, what can I do for you sir?" "Uh...you look after this place right?" "Mmhmm, the House of Memories for dearly departed pokemon. My that's a lovely haunter you have there." "Heh, thanks, she's my grandma's, gave her to me to look after when she passed away." "Ahh, my condolences. What a delightful spirit she is though, what's her name?" "Kirie." "...hmm...interesting name." "Yeah...this is gonna be really hard to ask but...can I talk to you about...the mother Marowak?" The man's face soon paled with sorrow, his heart sinking at first before a realisation came to him. He put down his watering can upon a bench before looking sternly up towards James. "Come with me."

The raptor followed with Kirie just beside him as they walked into the House of Memories. Passing through the small collection of mourners and well-wishers, between graves of names and pokemon types, Fuji soon lead him into a back room that seemed at first for various supplies. Nestled between shelves of floor polish, ferrous metal pins and cement mixtures to preserve the upkeep of gravestones, the elderly gentleman reached for an almost-inaccessible button barely seen behind the shelves. A door slid open into darkness. "Follow me my boy," said Mr. Fuji. "You'll understand once you do." Feeling he had walked into a greater event than he expected, James followed obediently as he stepped down the dark narrow corridor. He could barely see the old man in front of him, his shoulders sinking with each step they made further and further into darkness. The door they had come from had now closed by itself, as they soon reached the bottom. Mr. Fuji lit up a torch that had been left in a holder, revealing various cold stone hallways leading off to many rooms. "Where are we?" asked James. "Secret burial chambers. Once the radio tower had been planned to be established, a place needed to be made in order for the graves to be set in stone. The ones you saw up above are the recent additions. Here...these ones span for years back, even before I first came to this town." "So...only you know about this?" "Yes. Not even the ones who built the radio tower know of it, and by my own hand as well as those of the many ghost pokemon that once resided in Lavender Tower, this necropolis was built. Only I, and whoever becomes my successor, shall know of this place." "Jeez...why didn't you stop the people from building a radio tower?" "Because...it's much harder to desecrate the dead, if they are no longer within a tower. If anything I was glad for the opportunity to move them to a better place, where none shall ever disturb them again...including Team Rocket." "Wh-who?" "We're here." One doorway stood larger than the rest, marked by a creature's skull with two bones making an X-mark upon it. The interior room gave a cold chill, deeper than James had ever felt. He had only ever felt that cold once before, as Kirie perfectly closed his thoughts. She is here. James stepped closer as he peered into the room. At first it seemed to be nothing more than a circular area, deep walls and a low ceiling where the cold mist of subterranean air hovered above the cold cold ground. Several graves were inside the room, lined up on both sides towards a central larger grave. All of them were small enough to fit a child. "Go in." Fuji's terse words did not inspire James any further, but he obeyed nevertheless as he walked in softly. The moment he did, Mr. Fuji spoke with a sorrowful tone. "I will have to close this door behind you. Do not fear, for I will remain here another hour at the most. When you are done, knock four times, and I will let you out again. Alright?" "Y-yes...sir." "Good. May the spirits bless thee."

With that the doorway suddenly slammed shut, a pneumatic crank being activated to close the stone door in front of James before he turned back to the circular room. The sound of the door closing soon brought another presence into the room. A glowing deep red softly emanating from the largest grave at the back of the room. Kirie urged him to walk closer, stepping softly upon the gravedirt as he prepared himself for the inevitable encounter once again, words steeling themselves within his mind. "How much does that old guy really know about all this?" All will be revealed in time. When she comes, negotiate with her and prove your strength through the badges you possess...she's coming. Brace yourself. The moment he found himself standing between the rows of smaller graves, as Kirie revealed James' true form where no mortal eyes could see him, a voice carved its way into his mind. It was far stronger than Kirie's, but still feminine despite a bitter snarl of pain within its voice. Who approaches me? "...are you the Mother Marowak?" asked James sternly. ...what wretched mortal desires to witness my sorrow? "I...I'm here to end your suffering." As he said this, the gravedirt suddenly shook with the fury of an earthquake, rumbling beneath his feet as the walls began to shiver and spill rocks from its sediment. The graves gently became dislodged, scraping stone against stone before the largest grave was opened. James dared not approach, merely waiting patiently as he tried to suppress his fear. Stepping from behind the gravestone, was a darkened figure of around 3 feet tall, yet the aura around it made it seem to grow larger. Deep violet colours flowed around the small creature. He recognised her immediately. The strange brown lizard wielding a large bone like a club, her head encased within a skull that only her eyes and lower jaw could peer out of. Her eyes however were as black as night, a deep sorrow emanating from her that made James' heart turn weak. So...you believe that you are capable of comprehending my sorrow, enough that you can bring an end to it? "No...I'm here to avenge you." Hmph...why should YOU of all creatures be the one to avenge me? "Because I'm the only one that's standing here. You know who I am, we met back in the Himuro mansion. I helped your children, I helped them move on, to get away from that mansion, and the only thing I now regret was not being able to bring them back to you." ...you. Yes...I remember you...the orphan. "Heh...yeah." Have you come to offer a prayer to me? How feeble. As if a few words of condolences and a little clasp of hands can ever appease my children and I. What self-congratulating pity do you think you can offer ME, in order to cleanse your inability to do ANYTHING for those who were unjustly murdered? "I'm not here to pray for you. I know that won't do anything." No? "I'm here to bring your killer to justice. All I need is you to tell me what you know. What you remember." Again I ask, why you? I know that the circumstances of my death have been revived, why you and not those who were actually born in this world? "Because they don't know what I know! I've seen what happened, I saw bits and pieces back in that mansion, from you and your kids! The only reason I came here was to help you, I could have left anytime I wanted but I didn't! I'm here to bring justice to you." So you say. You have travelled so very far, and indeed you are more attuned with the spirits than others who may be seeking the same agenda as you...but that does not mean you deserve the right to wield justice in my name. Are you going to show me your badges of merit, make me obey you like a little pet? "No. I don't need them for you."

Kirie looked at James with surprise, trying to tell him: James, what are you doing?! "You and I are warriors, we don't need badges to prove anything. Were you really going to say yes if I showed you two stupid little badges?" No. I wasn't. Wh-what?! But you said- Silence, spirit! ...what do you propose? "Fight me. Let me show you my power, let me prove to you that I can wield justice in your name, to avenge you once and for all." ...very well. The marowak slammed her bone club down onto the ground, the ground shaking once more with fury as the mist turned red, a blood-stained colour permeating both walls and floor. Her eyes turned darker, black tendrils of sorrow creeping out from beneath her skull. You say you are a warrior able to wield my sorrow like a sword? You think you can carry my memories, my heart, my children's wishes unfulfilled inside you? "Yes." James brought out his scissors defiantly, swinging them before him in both hands as the tips glimmered even in the reddened room as she wielded her weapon in one hand towards him. "I know I can." Then prove it, orphan. Let me see your sorrow become mine. She charged across the floor with club behind her like a samurai sword, the raptor clashing hard against her before striking her back with a hard shove. Slicing from right to left, he barely missed the Marowak as she dodged back, swinging her bone club with a tremendous strength. Striking against James' blades from the side, she broke through his guard and slammed the bone straight into his chest. While the blow was painful enough, it was what accompanied it after that made him shriek with agony. A child's scream vibrating through his heart. His legs almost buckled from hearing it, making his eyes sting with pain as he stood his guard once again before charging in, clashing against the Mother. Her guard was strong, even for her size compared to his as she allowed him to swing through her guard before ducking beneath the blades. James saw her feint, and swiftly dodged around her before striking across her head, scraping along the skull deeply with the carving tips of his scissors. Backing away, the marowak faded into dark purple mist, reappearing several feet away before rushing in once again with a spinning strike. Spinning on one foot just before reaching James, she swung with a furious screech, slamming her bone club straight into the raptor's blades and knocking him down hard as his guard was broken. The ferocious strength of the spirit was unexpected, and he barely had time to roll out of the way before her leaping strike could come down on his head.

In his dodge-roll to get back onto his feet, FG swung his scissors upwards, roaring as the marowak dodged away in turn before fading once again into mist until she was right beside him. He swiftly blasted a shot of fire in surprise, delaying her just a second longer to ready into a guarding rush, shoving forwards with his scissors diagonally across him as she swung forwards. His resisting force to push forwards helped weaken the marowak's swing, shutting it down before she had a chance to swing with full force. The moment she clashed against him, he shoved her attacking arm back before slicing three times in different directions, tearing through her spiritual form as she shrieked with anger. Forcing her to back away, he was about to cleave through her before she turned into smoke, standing just behind him as she slammed her skull hard into his kidney. Crying out as he fell forwards, he stumbled and grabbed at the side of his waist before the Mother striked him yet again with her club, three times in succession in immediate revenge. Each strike that landed upon his chest and belly, a child's scream intensified inside his mind, driving a pain deeper into him than any ordinary attack ever could. Shivering as his heart began to tighten, he steeled his nerves and opened his scissors wide, snapping them shut onto the marowak's head. But the spirit dodged, rolling from side to side as he cut repeatedly towards her, managing to fake her out before slamming both sharpened inner blades straight onto her skull, cutting deeper than before. Her scream was brief before she shoved her bone club forwards like a torch, blocking the scissors from closing fully upon her once again before dodging out of their embrace and striking them upwards. The raptor's blades were forced upwards, almost out of his hand by the strength of her backswing before she came charging in once more. He hurriedly dodged back, with hand upon the red-misted floor as he spun himself back before her, his grip realigned upon the scissors before rushing towards her. Both raptor and marowak clashed violently hard, enough to blast the mist around them up against the walls, rising like red-wreathed smoke before they began to viciously strike at each other. Every strike he made was met by hers, every blow she attempted was blocked by his. Vertical blades met horizontal club, diagonal clashes signalled their stalemate before forcing each other away. But the Mother was not done yet, fading into the mist once more before standing upon her tombstone perfectly still.

Focusing her energy, a darkening ultraviolet light began to swarm around her, the memories of her sorrow coming as flickers in the air all around James. Whimpers and tearful sounds began to echo all around him, as her weapon began to shimmer with a violent red. It almost looked as if blood was dripping from its very aura, before she threw it towards James. Shrieking through the air it came, as the raptor dodged it once before charging towards her grave. Then he heard the spinning start to return to him, a whirring bone of death. In desperation, he spun in mid-run, roaring as a charged blast of fire and wind emanated from his body to further assist in defending him. His charge had been interrupted, but he had managed to deflect the spinning bone club from striking upon his head. Despite being deflected, the bone still returned to its owner, the marowak clasping it deftly within her claws as James blasted several volleys of fireballs to dislodge her from her tomb. Forced to dismount, she swung herself off of the gravestone as he rushed forwards. Striking downwards upon her head, he trapped her between graves as he cracked hard upon her skull, a shriek of agony running through her as the marowak thrust her bone forwards like a spear. With a sudden blow to his gut, as well as a whimpering cry resonating in his mind, his knees weakened fearfully before he leapt back, the spirit swinging out her club once more as it hurled through the air. This time he was ready. Striking hard against it once, the bone spinning towards him was repelled hard, but it still demanded its second hit to be made. Again the raptor clashed against it, but his guard was now busily kept above his head to leave his lower body exposed. A sudden slam to his thigh came in the form of the marowak's skull, brutally headbutting him hard enough to make him buckle under. The mother swiftly leapt into the air to wield her club, before swinging down upon James' head with a roar that shook the very foundation of the room itself.

James summoned a furious gust of wind from his hands, roaring at his command to force her away by the sudden gale blast that propelled her back. Quickly standing up, he spun his scissors deftly in one hand before wielding them in both once more, eyes staring straight down the length of the blades towards her as she charged straight for him. The mother striked hard as he pushed forwards, taking some momentum out of her rush with his own short charge in turn, as bone upon steel resonated throughout the chamber. Both warriors forced against each other hard, muscles twitching from the raptor's arms as he bared his teeth with determination. The marowak's aura simply turned more intense, darkening its hue from violet to a deeper indigo, the touch of darkness from the other realm of spirits being brought forth. Her feet dug hard into the ground, scraping as he pushed further against her, arms shaking with exertion as her voice dripped into his mind like water filled with ash. You do not possess the strength to carry my sorrow, stranger. Look at you...seeping with darkness deep within your heart. You cannot fool me. "Nngh!" I can see it well...your heart, turning black with every month that shall pass, and you can do so very little to stop it. Your blades, cursed as they are, yet you still wield them with such conviction. How could you possibly have the strength to avenge my family when you struggle to appease your own darkness?! "Because...NNGH! I f-feel sorry...for your...children!" Why? "I-i...I...sympathise with them! I may not have lost a son or daughter...but I...NRRRAAH! I know the pain a mother feels!" How? "Because I had to carry that pain in my heart! Because someone who tried to care for me gave me that pain!" Hah...don't even try to victimise yourself. Just because you were raised by a woman who steeped herself in violence, does not make you excusable for your own flaws! "Wh-what?!" She could never become a mother, so you became her little morality pet when she was convinced that only crime and punishment awaited her. You've taken a very long time to realise what a terrible excuse of a mother she became to you. "H-how do you know that?!" Your sorrow...becomes mine. Did I not say at the beginning of the fight? I see her scar within your heart, bleeding out onto this battlefield, and just because it is there, that does NOT grant you the right to understand my own grief! "I'm not excusing anything!" Blade upon bone scraped harder upon each other, the raptor steeling his heart in defiance as his teeth bared themselves full. "I had to be the son she never had! I wasn't even anything but an excuse to convince her that she could have been one! And she FAILED, because by the time I came by, she chose her path to be a fucking mobster! I carried her pain because she was tired of carrying it herself for all those years! I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO, SHE GAVE ME THAT PAIN!" You are nothing but a pathetic urchin who cares only about himself! Screaming into the void of the world, just so he can feel justified in his own wretched anger! "NO!" With one weakening feint, he dodged back and striked hard with one powerful diagonal slash, summoning a gale once more from his claws as he gripped his blades hard. "WULD!"

A furious strike as his whole body dashed straight past the Mother Marowak, his blades slicing deep through her entire being as the mist began to flicker in colour. The red began to softly fade into a lighter hue, as the marowak gasped and clutched her chest. A deep stinging red had created a new wound within her spirit, the scissors gleaming darkly as James remained in his stance, blades diagonal of his body, legs bent low as he breathed harshly: "I used to be like that. But you're right, I was. Even after I left my home and wandered everywhere across every world out there, I was a worthless bastard looking for a fight. But not anymore." He stood up firmly once he had been assured of his victory, sheathing his blades as he turned towards the wounded spirit of Mother Marowak. "I may not have had a real family, and the closest thing I had to one was never appreciated until too late by either side...but that won't stop me from bringing your family back together again. No matter what." ...good. She stood up from her wounded state, the wound sinking away into her essence as she turned towards James, the darkness receding somewhat from around her. Very good. You do have the potential to wield my sorrow. What do you wish to know? "Tell me everything about what happened. I wanna see it through your eyes, what you saw the day you were murdered." Somehow, James felt all of these words come to him. A strange sense of importance and dignity he had rarely ever felt in his life, had suddenly been imposed upon him. He knew the severity of what he had now been tasked with, and as such he was not going to disrespect it by one bit, as the mother said: Very well. Take my hand. He gently held her smaller hand within his, as the world began to change into a darkened sepia tone all around him. The mist had faded away, the gravestones reshifted into whole other shapes and in whole other places around the room. His body began to twitch of its own will as he felt his mind slowly reel itself back into another creature's memory. To Kirie, it looked as if James was having a stroke, head raising up above as his eyes rolled back with a choking groan. The mist turned brighter, as a scene began to unfold before James. The world was so much larger to him than it was before, his eyes moving unconsciously towards other creatures in the area nearby. He recognised these creatures too. Smaller versions of the marowak but with more cracked smaller skulls. As they wandered around, one or two occasionally tugged at his arm, which was the same as a marowak's at this point in time. Brown with stubby claws, words were spoken in an odd blur that he could not quite decipher. The smaller creatures played, smacking each other with small bones and playing little swordfights to teach each other new moves. His eyes roved, making sure they did not play rough, his every movement followed by the sound of a tinkling little bell. Three shadows soon appeared from the far-off distance. Human shadows.

To the raptor's new eyes, the humans looked far more intimidating and taller than normal, all dressed in black even within the faded colours of reminiscence. Their words were garbled, impossible to understand as they looked over the various creatures. One started to bend down and try to pull the skull off one of them, a shriek of panic coming from the little one. James felt his body suddenly rush forwards and strike the offending human hands with a club, pushing the intruders back as their voices turned angry. Despite his own memories knowing what would happen with fearful trepidation, the memories of the mother continued to play. Four of the smaller creatures huddled together and tried fiercely to defend themselves. But he knew that they were weak, and afraid. James' eyes moved with pleaful growls towards them, trying to make them leave. One of the humans bent down towards his eyes, his bone club rising up to strike him away with a strike to the face. A whimper from behind signified that a fifth child was cowering behind him, responded to by a stronger growl. The humans repeatedly tried to grab at the creatures, but they were constantly repelled away, striking blows infuriating them rather than hurting them until one was struck the most by James' sight. He saw the club he wielded in the marowak's paw strike hard into one human's face, blinding him in one eye with a small splash of ichor. The man roared with fury, pulling out something long and dark before a blinding light came to his eyes. Pain deafened his senses, blinded as agony tore through his insides. He knew that pain. He had felt it before himself. But he saw something fall in the growing light out of the man's pocket when he pulled out his weapon. A small slab of metal, with letters and numbers inscribed upon it. The light grew ever stronger, burning the symbols into his eyes. Soon his sight slowly flickered out of the whitening light, as he heard the children scream from far away, the world itself turned on its side as the cold grave earth turned half his body numb. They had disappeared from his sight, along with the human shadows. Dark echoing blasts thundered from afar, his own memory clashing with the marowak's, not knowing what it was. A whimper came from behind, his body struggling to turn with the deep thickening pain inside of him. Something was buried inside him.

It felt heavy, too heavy to be natural, warm yet deep with stinging burns riveting further inside of him. He gripped his bone club tightly, struggling to still stand as he fully turned at last, only to see a much smaller child. This one didn't even have a skull, a soft brown head reptilian head turning blurry with every second, tiny twinkling eyes as its small hands reached out softly to caress the marowak's head. Deep moans came from his body, as his eyes looked closer upon the little creature. One arm slowly wrapped around the little one's body, clutching closely against his maternal belly. Looking down, James saw a deepening stain spread darkly across his chest, as well as a little bell tinkling weakly upon his neck. Slowly, he laid himself down onto the floor, the smallest child whimpering as it curled up tightly against his chest. Darkness soon came in one final shivering breath. That same breath was what drew James out of her memory, feeling the cold air of death leave him as he stared back at the mother Marowak. Taking time to regain his balance, with a shudder that forced him to stand tall once again, he saw that a piece of paper had been given to him, with the numbers and letters he had seen in the vision scrawled neatly upon it. C6C2B22C 509A58D3. He asked the mother curiously: "What is this?" My offering to you. That is the only thing I can think of that marks out that one human specifically. This is your clue. The one who answers to this shall lead you to my killer. "...who...who was that little one without a skull?" That is my only son...the one who survived the incident. "W-wait...your son? What about the other four?" They are not mine by birth. I cared for them when their mothers passed away, whose skulls they still retain upon their heads. It is the way of my kind, to honour one's mother by wearing her skull when they pass on. But some lose their mothers too early in life, without truly understanding the nature of death. They only understand what is in their very nature by instinct. So too the same occurred for my son. "...jesus. What do I do then? How do I find the one who killed you?" First, you must find my son, and take him with you on your journey across this island. He will become your guide for his connection with me, which even in death, shall allow him to feel other connections to me, such as my the path of my murderer. "So, his trauma becomes like a psychic guide?" If you wish to put it that way. He is living in the Volunteer House within this town, under the protection of the old human who cares for the spirits here. He can barely remember me, or the incident itself. In fact, it is possible that he does not even know that I am gone from this world. "Wait...he doesn't even know?" It is hard to tell, for he was so very young that I do not know whether he understood my death or not. But the trauma still remains deep within the rifts of his little heart, even if he does not know it consciously. Take this.

The Mother Marowak clasped one hand to her throat before pulling something out, a tinkling sound coming to James' ears from within her small claws. It was a tiny silver bell, the same one he had seen in her memory of death. "Is this...what?" That is a Soothe Bell. It is a symbol of friendship and calm, given to me by the old human here. My son will recognise it, and entrust you with his life knowing that I put my faith in you. "Why...can't you go help your son?" Death is but a rift between me and him, and my own sorrow has driven that wedge ever further apart with each waking month of his life, to the point that I am bound to my own grave whenever in this world. For five years he has grown within the shadow of this town, reminded constantly of his orphaning and with nowhere to go. Now...you shall be the one to free him from his own sorrow. "Alright...I can understand that. I understand that easily." That is all I can tell you. Now go...guide my son through this world and end his sorrow at last. "I will. I promise I will, mother Marowak." James turned to leave and knocked four times upon the door waiting. During this wait before he would have to put on his disguise, Kirie turned privately towards the Mother with her own thoughts in secret, the two sharing but a look as their minds flowed between each other. I thought you would accept his help if he had two badges on him. I have no need for a puppet. I need one who can think for himself, one who can stand defiant against any, including the unjust. Then why even bother mentioning the badges in the first place to me?! Because I needed him to have a strong team, to suffer through hardships within this world enough that he would care for them...and in turn care for my son. I see...I suppose that makes sense. Is this truly the only way? Yes. If there were another way, I would demand such. The one your friend shall take with him, my one remaining blood child...you know what must be done. I know...somewhat. But I still do not understand the truth behind your plan. You will learn in time...and so shall he. Fear not, for when my son shall find his purpose in life, everything shall fall into place. Remember the oath that you swore to me, Kirie. I have not forgotten. But do not think that it will end at you and you alone. And why do you say that? Because...you have made an oath to me too. For all that is good, it is vital that you uphold this. I shall, so long as you uphold yours. Good. Farewell, mother Marowak. I pray that this be the last time we shall ever meet. Turning away, she floated back to James' side and placed upon him the human illusion. The door opened as the Mother faded away back into her grave, waiting. Mr. Fuji simply stared with uncertainty. "What happened?" "She...she's given me a task. Can you take me to the Volunteer House?" "Yes...I think I already know what she's asked of you." "Does it involve this?" He showed him the small silver bell, making his eyes widen with a small gasp. Fuji turned his head slightly with discomfort, sighing as he nodded. "Yes. I suppose it had to happen one day. Come, let's leave her in peace." Nodding firmly, James left the necropolis of the deceased pokemon beneath Lavender Town. The spirit he left behind now remained a little more peaceful, waiting for her own plan to come as her bell tinkled sweetly in James' hand. A plan that not even Kirie understood in its entirety.