Midnight meetings

Professor Oak called for Vali to join in him the lab around Midnight a week after Houndour had hatched. She walked into the lab with Houndour dogging her heels seeing as the pup didn't want to be carried around. Aragorn was helping to keep Houndour from running off while also explaining anything new the pup taking on the same role Balto and the other had once had. Opening the door, she saw that the lab was still buzzing though at a much lower rate due to the late hour. But there was an indescribable tension in the air that set her on edge, she wondered what exactly had happened to make Professor Oak call on her at such a late hour.

Justin greeted her with a slightly strained smile, "Good evening, Vali."

"Evening, Justin," Vali eyed him as Aragorn and Houndour both tensed a bit likely sensing the atmosphere, "Everything alright?"

"Professor Oak will explain, I'm not quite sure how," Justin replied in a quiet voice as he began leading her through the lab.

Vali felt a knot of tension form in her stomach and hoped that it was nothing truly serious. Justin led her to what most in the lab called the 'Meeting Room'. Professor Oak only used it for important meetings many of which required the utmost secrecy. The tension in her stomach increased as she realized that this was most likely going to be a very serious meeting. Justin opened the door and she walked inside to find a surprising sight. Agatha of the Elite Four sat in the same room as Professor Oak with the ghost-type master not offering the man any sort of criticism. The door closed behind her prompting the fire-type master-in-training to speak, "Professor."

"Vali," Professor Oak tried to smile at her but only succeeded in grimacing, "I apologize for calling you at such a late hour,"

"Given my new training schedule, it is fine," Vali's eyes flicked to the elite who was staring at her with dark eyes that seemed to look through her, "Agatha, it's wonderful to see you again, but I do not believe this meeting is for fun,"

Agatha smirked at her, "Sharp as ever, Valkyrie. It seems that time with the old fossil haven't ruined your instincts."

Professor Oak stood up not addressing the jab, "We should begin. Vali, how much do you know of what's been occurring in Lavender Town?"

"Only that there was a recent survey of the ghost-type pokemon inhabiting the Pokemon Tower," Vali replied with a slight frown, "But my friend who supplied that information didn't say anything bad was going on," She looked towards Agatha, "I assume something has happened, but if it has, why contact me? I'm not exactly high up in the food chain,"

"Because we need adept trainers and the fool is endorsing you," Agatha answered giving Vali a dark grin as her shadow vibrated and crimson eyes peeked out to leer at the fire-type master-in-training, "You have Blaine's interest as well as Surge's which is no easy task. Adding on the videos of your gym battles and reports from various League representatives that have seen you, it has been decided that you'll assist us,"

"With what?" The tension in Vali's stomach increased even more.

Agatha's smile turned sharp, "Lavender Town has become overrun with ghost-type pokemon that attack any who come near it leading the League to call a Code Specter and lock the area down. You'll be helping up find out why this has happened."

A chill spread down Vali's spine Agatha's words. Code Specter was the Kanto code word for ghost-type problems at nearly elite level proportions meaning that only top trainers just below that of the Ace or higher would be able to go near that area. To have it be bad enough for the League to call for a Code Specter meant multiple deaths had occurred, an attack like this from ghost-types was Bad with a capital 'B'. Swallowing heavily, she asked, "Why me? For all that I'm apparently interesting, it doesn't mean my pokemon or myself are ready for something of this level."

"Which is why you'll be working with an Ace and Nocturne," Professor Oak answered and gave her a knowing look at the sharp gasp she gave at the second one, "The Nocturnes have been called in,"

The Nocturnes were the elite dark/ghost-type specialists among the League. Where the Ace trainers were the generalists among the Elites, the Nocturnes specialized in one of two types, dark/ghost types. The League had other specialist squads, but they weren't needed as often as the Ace trainers. Vali was torn between being excited at being able to fight alongside a specialist of that level and fear at the fact that her pokemon family were being expected to fight at that level. She swallowed heavily, "My pokemon haven't faced many ghost-types."

"They'll learn," Agatha replied before giving Professor Oak a glare, "We need to hurry this up, Fool. There is little time to waste, the ghosts will get stronger with each day they're in control and more will fall especially as idiotic little brats decide to test their luck,"

"Right," Professor Oak turned back to Vali with a strained look, "Give me your pokedex, I'm unlocking the carry limits. Justin is getting your pokemon,"

Vali numbly handed over her pokedex, "What about Houndour? Houndour is a baby."

Not to mention wouldn't take well to her pack vanishing, Vali didn't need to voice that concern as Professor Oak was more than aware of that fact. Professor Oak moved over to the machine set up in the corner of the room, "I'll alert Delia and have her look after Houndour."

Vali nodded and dropped down to her knees in order to hug Houndour. Aragorn and Houndour both whined sensing her distress.

They landed on the outskirts of Lavender Town were a barrier had been set up to keep the non-allied ghost-types away. Vali immediately shivered pulling her jacket closer to herself as an almost oppressive aura of dread slammed into her. Agatha cackled softly, "It'll be worse outside the barrier."

"Joy," Vali muttered as she trotted after Agatha towards where the League had set up it's command center.

A few trainers that Vali vaguely recalled seeing during her travels and the tournaments she'd participated in wandered about. The ones that didn't wander were sitting hunched over and hugging themselves looking pale. Agatha spoke as they passed a few trainers staring into the distance with lost looks on their faces, "Those weaklings can't handle the aura even beneath the barrier."

"Come now, Agatha, most have never been exposed to ghost-types outside of the rare battle," A deep voice called from the darkness of a nearby tent.

Vali jumped a bit placing a hand on the pokeballs sitting on her waist while Agatha sneered at the shadows, "They're weak and unimportant fools until they've proven themselves, Victor. And stop lurking in the shadows, you're worse than the irritating twit Jonathan."

A low chuckle sounded before a large man strode from the shadows. Slick white edged obsidian hair framed an almost deathly pale aristocratic face, the man's pale orange eyes gleamed with an inner light. He wore a skin-tight black short sleeve t-shirt with a Mimikyu printed on it and a pair of black cargo pants. A chain of silver skulls ran from one of his cargo short pockets to his black combat boots. 'Victor' had stitches around the corners around his mouth and the edges of his eyes. Stitches wrapped around his neck in three circular lines, a few circles curled around his fingers and along his visible arms through his black skin-tight shirt.

A giggling Banette sat on 'Victor's' right shoulder with a Shuppet floating over the left one. 'Victor's' eyes focused on her and his lips twisted into a slight grin pulling at the stitches, "And who is this, Aggie?"

Agatha scowled at 'Victor', "Someone far more worth my time than you," Agatha began walking, "Come, Valkyrie. We have better things to do than linger."

Vali glanced at 'Victor' who just kept grinning looking amused. She followed after Agatha, "Who was that?"

"Victor Smyth," Agatha practically spat as her shadow seethed, "One of Nocturne's top dogs that thinks he's a ghost master just because his pokemon won a few battles,"

And someone who must've pissed off Agatha somehow, Vali wondered what the somewhat creepy man had done. Agatha led the way into the League's Command center which seemed to be Ranger's cabin. It was buzzing various League officials and Rangers trying to figure out ways of dealing with the ghosts. Agatha slammed her staff down on the ground causing the room to fall silent as everyone turned to focus on the Elite. One of the League officials stepped forward, "Lady Agatha, you're finally b-"

"What in the name of Arceus are you all doing just standing here and arguing?" Agatha cut him off with a scowl, "We have work to do!"