//------------------------------// // 18. Back to the Tower // Story: Diamond's Pokémon Adventure // by Brian Sheil //------------------------------// In the home of the Rich Family, Spoiled Rich looks at a map of Kanto. Along with the first two stickers of numbers 1 and 2, there's an additional sticker of lightning in the form of number 3 on Vermillion City. She puts a sticker of flowers shaped like a number 4 on Celadon City. "My dear daughter has four gym badges." Spoiled said to herself. "She's halfway to making it to the Pokémon League." Meanwhile, in Kanto, Diamond dressed up in the outfit she wore in the Lavender Tower. Her two partners, Babs Seed and Silver Spoon, has on different outfits. Babs wore a sea foam green long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. Silver has on a Kelly green polo shirt, flowing teal skirt that goes below the knees, and blue platform shoes. "Let me guess why you are going goth again." Silver asked. "We're going back to Lavender Town." "Right." Diamond replied. "Like Babs suggested, we're heading for Pokémon Tower to check how Cubone is doing." As Diamond picked up her backpack, a small orb fell out. Abra, who was out of it's Poké Ball, saw the orb, and swallowed it. "Abra," Babs said, "that was one of Diamond's Rare Candies." Abra felt bad about it. Suddenly, it started to glow. Everybody knows that it's evolving. When the glowing stopped, Abra has become a humanoid creature holding a spoon. It has a long tail and what look likes a moustache. "I think the loss of a Rare Candy was worth it, Babs." Diamond said as she takes out her Pokédex. "Your Abra has evolved into a Kadabra." Kadabra, the Psi Pokémon and the evolved form of Abra. The Pokédex said. Sometimes when this Pokémon is around, electronic devices go screwy. Babs approaches Kadabra , and they hugged each other. "Kadabra , you are forgiven." Diamond straps on her backpack and grabs her duffle bag. Eevee hops on the back of the backpack. Diamond gets her friends' attention. "Next stop, back to Lavender Town." The girls walked back to Lavender Town. But, a thought came into their minds. "What about those ghosts in that tower?" Diamond wondered. "I got that covered." Silver replied. "While you were battling Giovanni in that hideout, I snagged this." The girls looked at what looks like small binoculars. "This is a Silph Scope." Silver explains. "With this, we'll be able to identify those ghosts." "Good work, Silver." Diamond praised. After returning to Lavender Town, they see Zephyr Breeze talking to a young girl. He soon saw the crew. "Hi, girls." "Hello, Zephyr." Diamond said. What brings you here?" "This young lady tells me that Cubone ran back into the tower." "Probably happy that we rescued him from Team Rocket. You think he's still looking for his mother?" "Possibly. I'm going in to the Tower. I don't like ghosts. But, I'm doing this for Cubone." Zephyr goes into the tower. Diamond and her friends followed him. As they re-enter the tower, they saw the ghosts again. Using the Silph Scope, Silver revealed them to be black circular creatures surrounded by gas. "Oh my gosh. Those are Gastlys." "Gastly." Diamond gasped as she gets her Pokédex ready. "The Gas Pokémon." Gastly, the Gas Pokémon. The Pokédex said. Lurks in abandoned buildings and like to stay invisible. Then, they saw a floating purple creature with a long tongue. Babs recognized it. "That looks like Gastly's evolved form: Haunter." They learn of this Pokémon. Haunter, the Gas Pokémon and the evolved form of Gastly. A lick from these Pokémon is very unpleasant. They prefer to live in darkness. "So, all of those ghosts are just Pokémon." Diamond said with relief. "But, what about that BIG ghost we saw?" "We better keep climbing and find out." Silver suggested. Minutes later, the girls are resting in the purifying circle. "Those possessed channelers were powerful." Diamond said. "Good thing this field recharges our Pokémon." Everybody agreed. After going up one floor, everybody saw the giant ghost. Using the Silph Scope, Silver revealed it to be what looks like a Cubone with a full skull like head. Zephyr came along and recognized it. "That's got to be Cubone's mother. She's a Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon." Diamond's Pokédex comes alive. Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon and the evolved form of Cubone. This Pokémon uses bones to protect itself from potential enemies. Cubone looks at the spirit of his mother. She returns to it's peaceful self before it vanishes. Zephyr picks up Cubone. "Cubone finally has closure." Zephyr said. "I think I better take care of this little fellow. Catch you later, girls." As Zephyr takes Cubone with him, Diamond and her friends can now reach the floor Marowak blocked. When they went there, they saw the three villains of Team Rocket bothering an old man. "Don't ignore us, old man!" Jessie demanded. "You will work for Team Rocket!" "Maybe a few Fury Swipes will convince him." Meowth said as he extended his claws. James soon turned around, and spotted the heroic girls. "Jessie! Meowth! It's those twerpettes again!" The vicious trio saw Diamond and company facing them. "Leave that man alone, Team Rocket!" Diamond said angrily. "Try and make us!" Jessie replied. Jessie and James brought out Arbok and Weezing to stop the girls. Babs stepped up. "Let me and Silver deal with them. Go, Kadabra!" "Here we go!" Silver added. Out pops Kadabra and a moth like creature. Diamond was shocked as she pulls out her Pokédex. "Silver's Venonat has become a Venomoth." Venomoth, the Poison Moth Pokémon and the evolved form of Venonat. Said the Pokédex. Very active at night, Venomoth is attracted to light. "Not impressed." Jessie said cruelly. "Arbok, Poison Sting!" Arbok fired poisoned darts at Venomoth. But, it flies away to avoid them. Silver countered. "Venomoth, use Stun Spore." Venomoth sprinkled dust on Arbok. Some of that dust got on Weezing. James strikes. "You can't hurt my partner's Pokémon! Weezing, Sludge attack now!" Weezing tried to use Sludge. But, the Stun Spore paralyzed it and Arbok good. Meowth got nervous. "Uh oh." "Kadabra!" Babs called out. "Venomoth!" Silver said. They both shouted the same attack. "PSYBEAM NOW!" Kadabra and Venomoth fired a psychic beam at both poison Pokémon. Jessie and James recalled their Pokémon. "These dames don't fool around." Meowth said. "No wonder the boss looks at them as formidable opponents." "True, Meowth." Jessie admitted. "For now," JESSIE: Looks like Team Rocket... JAMES: Is blasting off...." MEOWTH: once again! The three villains left the scene. Diamond approached the old man. He stood up and greeted the girls. "Hello, my friends. My name is Mr. Fuji. I came to calm the spirit of a Marowak. But, seems like the spirit is calm, and left to the afterlife." "That Pokémon can now rest in peace." Diamond said. "Thanks to us." This made Mr. Fuji happy. "Bless your hearts, girls. Come with me to my house." Later, the girls are in Mr. Fuji's house. Eevee is resting on a couch as Mr. Fuji presents the girls an interesting instrument. "This is the Poké Flute." Fuji explained. "It can help wake up sleeping Pokémon. Like a Snorlax who's blocking Route 12." This shocked Silver Spoon. "Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokémon?" "There's only one." Babs replied. "Thank you, Mr. Fuji." Diamond said proudly. "We appreciate this." She then turns to her friends. "Let's return to the Pokémon Center." As the girls leave Mr. Fuji's house, a shadowy figure wearing a dark blue trenchcoat and fedora watches the activity. "Miss Diamond Tiara is a fool to continue her journey." The stranger said in a low growling voice. He then turns to face another direction. "And, you must set her straight!" Sitting next to a tree was Holly Prema. Her hands are tied behind her back, her ankles are tied together, and her mouth is covered with duct tape. She wiggled and groaned with panic. End of Chapter 18 DIAMOND TIARA Eevee Pidgeotto Ivysaur Drowzee Ninetales Alolan Ninetales At Oak's Lab Pikachu Geodude Diglett BABS SEED Charmeleon Fearow Kadabra SILVER SPOON Wartortle Venomoth Rhyhorn