Ghastly Ghast.

[??? POV]

All my life, I've felt that I didn't belong where all my family resided. I never understood why I had that feeling; the feeling became stronger as time passed. Every now and then, some humas would appear in the cave and traverse it to reach the next city.

Apparently, the humans catch other species of Pokémon and travel alongside them in journeys. For some reason, I felt the need to prank them every time they came by. Either making them get lost, to creating hallucinations for them to battle, it was all so much fun.

But then, my pranks became more intense each time. They would scream for help, for no one to help them, they would argue with their own Pokémon and end in bad terms. My father warned me of my actions but, I never listened. I felt that my purpose to be in that cave were my pranks and the enjoyment I had while doing them.

Of course, that slowly separated me from my own family and I focused in my pranks. One after another, the expression of despair put a wide smile in my face but, something was always off. Eventually, I understood what the warnings my father gave meant.

The instance was when a young trainer came to the cave with a Growlithe. I did the usual disorientation trick and hallucination of opponents. It was all going well until the trainer and the Growlithe started to discuss.

I would usually stop the tricks by that point but, I wanted to see what would happen. After some time of discussion, I was about to end the prank but, the Growlithe attacked his trainer.

I was shocked, none of the trainers I pranked before had to face this situation. The trainer got mad and kicked the Growlithe, Growlithe hit his head with a pointy rock and wasn't waking up.

The trainer immediately went towards Growlithe and wanted to see if he was ok but, Growlithe wasn't moving. I panicked, I didn't enjoy what was happening, I hated it, but it was due to my actions that this happened!

Out of nowhere, my dad appeared and used Healing Pulse, it healed the Growlithe and he also used Sing to put the trainer to sleep.

[Is this fun to you?] He asked me in a serious voice.

It was the first time he ever got mad at someone. I couldn't reply and left the scene.

After a few hours he came back to the village and talked to me.

[The trainer and his Growlithe are no longer partners] He said.

My expression saddened but I knew the why. It was my fault; my irrational and sickening behavior was what caused this. After a long talk of not abusing my abilities, Dad left and let me there to reflect on my actions.

A year passed and I remained in the room. Father pardoned me after the first week, but I couldn't forgive myself. One day, father came again, I was in my invisible form, so no one could see me, however, he always could.

[You shouldn't dwell in the mistakes of the past, but instead, prevent making the same errors for a better future]

I couldn't reply, I was mentally tortured by the trainer and Pokémon that I "pranked".

[You want to know why I think you did those pranks of yours?]

I didn't respond.

[You wanted to experience different emotions]

I flinched.

[You wanted to feel something different from our monotone lifestyle. That, of course, is no excuse for your actions but, you have to understand that…]

[It's not that] I spoke.

[I…felt something, when I saw them. The expression they made, their screams of despair, everything put a smile on my face. I'm broken, I'm defective, if I had just been born as the others…I wouldn't be a monster]

After I spoke, the room was filled with silence. Father looked at me with a saddened look. He then got closer to me and hugged me.

[Son, you made a mistake, what you enjoyed was not those feelings of despair and pain, but rather, how the trainers and their Pokémons. Think about it, if you really enjoyed it that much, wouldn't you have trapped them here for more time?]

I flinched, I realized that since the first time they entered the cave, no matter how bad it was, even if they would argue between each other, they would always make up by the time they reached the exit.

I was jealous, jealous of how easily they accepted each other back, jealous of sharing despite being so different. I always felt that I never belonged here at Mt. Moon, but I also never tried to fit in.

My cowardice and insecurity caused all those incidents, and because of that, the trainer and Growlithe paid a price. I'll never repeat this mistake.

[You may think that you can prevent more incidents by never pranking again, right?]

I flinched after father spoke.

[Accept yourself, accept both your strengths and flaws, then, if you meet a trainer that you really find interesting, test him and decide if you want to go with him. Don't worry, I won't let another incident happen again. Until that day come, try to enjoy your home, son]

Dad left and I remained there, I promised myself to only do minor pranks to those trainers that I deemed lie I could belong.

The months passed and I was still outcasting myself from the rest Clefairy.

One day, a trainer entered Mt. Moon. He was clumsy and a little goofy, I had an odd sense of familiarity with him, so I pranked him. I went a little overboard and was about to stop until, his Pokémons stood by his side and helped him overcome hi hypnosis.

He was the first trainer that has done that, and the way everyone was so…united. It made me want to follow him, after giving my goodbyes to father, I followed him.

I saw how he defeated some black-dressed guys that he claimed were bad guys. How he defeated some strong Water-Type Pokémons, how he defeated a Giant Gyarados, how he battled against strong Electric-Types, and how he saved the passengers of a boat, and then looted the boat.

[I really, want to follow you, watch your adventures and that personality of yours. I hope I can travel with you someday]

[Kaori POV]

Since I left Mt. Moon, I started to feel that something was watching me, when I arrived at Cerulean, at Bill's Lighthouse, Vermilion, even the S.S. Anne. But right now, none of that matters right now, I have to reach Saffron City.

I originally wanted to go to Celadon but, I'm actually closer to Saffron so, I'll go there. My original plan was to reach Celadon and ambush Ash to help him with his Primeape problem so, I figure that I'll be with him until Erika, then, I'll rush to Cinnabar to avoid further intrusion.

It really saddened me that he basically abandoned him, Squirtle, Pidgeot and released some like Greninja and Goodra.

(Note: Kaori didn't live long enough to see Ash reuniting and getting back Pidgeot.)

So, at the very least, he will have Primeape back. I just have to keep rowing for some more clicks and then, Saffron City, there I'll be!