III: The Endless Battle
10: 47 PM: I needed to step out for some air. This next part of the story isn’t easy for me to get into. But I have to at this point. One thing my mother taught me was to always finish what I started. Besides, I need to get this all out on paper, especially before midnight. If I’m right… well, again I’m getting ahead of myself. First things first, I need to talk about what happened on that battlefield.
Dusk, Gastly, and I were flying towards the water’s surface on Giratina’s back. But a split second before impact a massive portal of white light opened up and we went in. What was on the other side of that tunnel of light simply blew my mind. It was a completely different world. Above and below was sky covered in thick swirling dark-blue clouds. Floating all around us were pieces of land almost like little islands of different sizes. They were all at different angles, some even upside-down. Some of them were bare while others had tall forests of kelp-like plants growing out of them.
“What is this place?” I asked Dusk.
“Shortcut.” She answered simply and cheerfully. “Okay Giratina, take us to Unova.”
Giratina nodded and we took off through the endless expanse. As we flew I could tell that Gastly seemed nervous.
“Something wrong?” I asked the Ghost Pokemon.
“I’m not exactly comfortable being here.” Gastly explained. “This dimension is stayed away from by my kind.”
“Why’s that?” I inquired, not certain if I wanted to know the answer.
“It is because of the very Pokemon we now ride.” Gastly explained. “Giratina rules over this place.”
“Oh, that’s a different Giratina.” Dusk interjected. “I got this one when it was a baby. I did meet this other Giratina though. He’s actually quite nice.”
“…Uh, when did you meet this other Giratina?” I asked her.
“When I first came here.” Dusk answered. “I was only three years old. I was outside playing and my favorite ball got away from me. When I went to go get it there was this big flash of light and I was pulled into the air. I think I must’ve passed out after that. When I woke up I couldn’t see anything and my head really hurt. I don’t remember how long I was on the ground, but eventually my head stopped hurting. Then I found myself here.”
“Is that when you met the other Giratina?” I asked.
“Nope, I didn’t meet him until later.” Dusk went on. “For awhile I just wandered around this place trying to find my way home. It was actually a little fun. You can walk upside-down on some of the pieces of ground floating through this place. But eventually I did meet the older Giratina. He asked me what I was doing in his world. I was surprised I could somehow understand what he was saying. We talked for a while and I told him about my family, and later he opened this big hole of light for me and told me that if I went through I’d be back home. I went in and the next thing I knew I was in my backyard.
“But everything was different for me after that. I could see and hear people that others couldn’t. It was a few years before I realized the people I was seeing were the spirits of the dead. I could also understand what Ghost Pokemon could say. I told my mom and my sisters, and the doctors who looked me over when I came back. But they didn’t believe me, nobody does.” At this point her expression saddened. “…One of the worst parts of it all was that the people I could see always looked so sad.”
I found Dusk’s story to be very tragic. She saw things that no mortal being was ever meant to see, all at the tender age of three. And it left her with a curse of being able to see the dead. It was no surprise to me that nobody believed Dusk about what had happened to her or about what she could see. At the time even I wasn’t sure if I believed her. Though I was becoming more and more certain as time went on.
“Of course okay now though.” Dusk assured me as a smile quickly returned to her face. “Now that I have my Giratina with me I can travel the world and help comfort those who have died, sometimes even help them cross over.”
Suddenly Giratina moved upward and we entered another tunnel of light. When we reached the other side we were back in the normal world. Though we were nowhere near Maiden’s Peak. But we were still over the water and there was a little town in the distance on shore. I didn’t recognize the town, but I had to assume it was a town in the Unova Region.
“Which way now Mr. Gastly?” Dusk asked.
“That way.” Gastly replied as he formed the mist around itself into a crud arm and pointed.
Giratina took off towards the town like a rocket. Before long we were flying over land, turning as Dusk and Giratina followed Gastly’s directions. Eventually we came to a large clearing not far away from another beach. As we came up on the field I fancied I could see shadows of some sort.
“Is this the place?” Dusk asked.
“Yes.” Gastly confirmed. “And it seems that the battle has already begun again.”
Our ghostly mode of transportation set down in the forest near the field. After Dusk called Giratina back to its Pokeball we headed for the clearing. As we got closer I thought I could hear shouts and cries of some sort. Then we finally reached the area, and when a cloud passed by the moon I saw something that I did not expect to see. Or at least hoped that I wouldn’t see.
In the field before us were two armies of men fighting each other in brutal combat. They were all dressed in ancient armor that had not been used by any army for thousands of years. Many of them were locked in battle, some using swords, others spears. Some of the soldiers were even fighting hand-to-hand. And the most shocking part of it all was that I could see right though them.
“They can be seen by mortals on moonlit nights like these.” Gastly explained. “Though most mortals stay away from here because they know its haunted.”
“Which one’s Nadeshiko’s boyfriend?” Dusk asked.
“I’ll take you to him.” Gastly replied. “This should still be the point in the battle before he’s ‘killed’. He will perceive us and interact with us. But tell him that he’s dead and he won’t believe you.”
“Uh, just which side won this battle?” I asked as Gastly began to lead us into the battle.
“Believe it or not, it was a draw.” Gastly said with a dark chuckle. “Both sides fought to the last man, and the last men standing ended up killing one another.”
In moments Gastly had led us to a young-looking soldier with shoulder-length unkempt brown hair. He was using a sword to fight off two other men. He stabbed one of the combatants through the stomach, while one of his comrades took over fighting the other. The soldier who was stabbed fell to the ground as if dead.
“Excuse me, Shinji?” Dusk called, getting the young dead soldier’s attention.
“Who are you?” Shinji demanded to know. “What are you doing on this battlefield? And why are you dressed so strangely?”
“I’m Dusk, and this is Ben and Gastly.” She introduced. “We’ve come to take you back home.”
“I’d like nothing more than to return home.” The ghost told us. “But I cannot leave until this battle is won.”
“It isn’t going to be won.” I told him, partly forgetting I was talking to a dead man. “It’s been over for more than two-thousand years.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Shinji replied. “Now get out of here before you get hurt!”
“I told you it was pointless, boy.” Gastly reminded me.
Suddenly a large soldier wielding a spear came charging at Shinji. I don’t know what went through my mind at that moment. Maybe I just forgot for a few seconds that the soldiers around us were already dead. But as if on instinct I charged in between Shinji and his would-be killer to try and save his life, and I was the one who ended up getting stabbed. I didn’t feel anything from the weapon except a sort of cold metallic feeling that ran through my body. And I was horrified when I looked down and saw the business end of the weapon sticking out through my chest. The soldier pulled the spear out and I was shocked to find no wound. Shinji seemed to be almost as shocked as I was.
“Die like the dog you are!” the large soldier from behind spoke as he looked down at the spot where a dead body might be.
“SHINJI!” one of the young dead soldier’s comrades cried. He finished slaying his opponent and ran over to the spot where Shinji might’ve fallen dead and crouched down. “Don’t worry, I’ll avenge you.”
“…But Genta, I’m right here.” A very confused Shinji told his friend.
“Don’t try and talk.” Genta continued, still as if he was speaking to a dying man on the ground. It was almost like watching a play with one of the actors missing. “I’ll make that dog pay for what he’s done!”
Genta then charged off with his sword held high, his voice sounding a battle cry. He attacked the soldier that had apparently killed Shinji only to be killed as well.
“What’s… going on?” Shinji asked as he backed away in horror.
“You’ve been taken out of the moment.” Gastly told him. “As far as the other soldiers are concerned you’re dead, which you are of course. It was because that boy interfered in the battle to try and save you’re life.”
“Great work Ben.” Dusk praised.
“Oh, you know me.” I said modestly with a nervous laugh as I rubbed the back of my head, trying my best not to pass out.
“I don’t understand at all.” Shinji spoke as he fell to his knees, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. Dusk walked over to him, got to her knees, and took his hand.
“You’ve been dead for a long time now Shinji.” Dusk informed him with a gentle smile. “It’s time for you to move on. Nadeshiko is waiting for you.”
“But the battle…” Shinji tried to argue.
“The battle ended ages ago.” Gastly told him. “And neither side won.”
“So… I’m really dead?” the ghost asked as the fact finally seemed to sink in. “And everyone else too?”
“That’s right.” Dusk confirmed. “Now isn’t there someplace else you should be?”
“…Nadeshiko.” Shinji spoke after a short pause. Suddenly he turned into a ball of gold light and shot up into the air. Dusk sent Giratina back out.
“Let’s go.” She told Gastly and myself as she got on the dragon’s back.
“But what about all these other soldiers?” I asked. The battle of the dead still raged on around us like some macabre stage show.
“I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done for them right now.” Gastly said as he floated up next to Dusk. “Many of them had already had their death for the night already. Now come along boy, I very much want to see this reunion.”
“Don’t worry Ben, I’ll do something to help these people later.” Dusk assured me.
I decided not to argue any further and got onto the dragon’s back. Giratina took off like a missile and soon we were back over the water. The dragon dove at the water’s surface and we reentered the odd world of floating islands. A little later we returned to the normal world and were back at the peak. We waited, floating close to the maiden’s statue. Moments later the gold ball of light stopped before the statue. Shinji returned to his original form but with an unearthly glow. The ghost of the maiden then emerged from her statue and flew towards him, a tearful smile on her face.
“Shinji!” she happily called as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, which he immediately returned.
“Sorry I took so long.” He said to her.
“I don’t care about that. All I care about is that you’re finally back.” Nadeshiko replied.
The two spirits kissed, and as they did they turned into a brilliant ball of light and shoot into the sky, illuminating it before vanishing. Giratina floated over the cliff and set down, allowing Gastly and myself to dismount.
“Where do you think they went?” I wondered.
“Someplace where they can be together.” Dusk answered as she looked up at the sky. She turned her head back to face me. “Well, my work here is done. Thanks for your help Ben.”
“You’re leaving?” I asked, actually feeling a little surprised.
“Yep. My work is never really done.” Dusk told me. “In fact I now have a battlefield of soldiers to take care of.”
“So, will I ever see you again?” I asked.
“…Maybe.” She answered with a playful expression. “Goodbye Ben.”
Giratina took back off into the air and headed back towards the water. I watched as Dusk and the dragon vanished into the portal of light, and kept my eye on that portal as it closed behind them.
“Quite the interesting girl, that Dusk.” Gastly commented.
“What are you going to do?” I asked the talking Pokemon.
“I’ll stay for the festival and then depart.” Gastly answered. “Then I’ll return just like I do every year. The ghost of Maiden’s Peak may be gone now, but her legend shall live on. I’ll see to that. See you around, boy.”
With that, Gastly simply faded away, leaving me alone by the cliff. I looked at my watch by the light of the moon. It was almost 3:00 AM. Weary, I began to head home. That was the end of the weirdest night of my life. But there have been nights since than that have been almost as strange.
