Previous: Ghost of the Core Part 6
Pear looked at the Pokedex Rhys showed her. She flipped it around to try and find a make or at least a model on it. She furrowed her brow when she couldn't find one, and she tried to look up the datapack. There was nothing on it. Either the pokedex was a very generic brand that was too embarrassed to put their name on it, or it was custom made. She figured it was the former. She sat at her desk while Rhys sat beside Ana, who was typing on the computer.
Pear: Alright, so you did, indeed get this from a Pawn Shop, that much I do believe. What I don't get is who had this before you? It's not a terrible Pokedex, but... it is a weird one. How much was it?
Rhys: Around forty bucks, from what I recall. It worked pretty well.
Pear: But that shouldn't work that way. There should only be an official Pokémon lab that issues you a Pokedex. Somehow this one's lock is broken, and you can just input whatever information you want.
Rhys: I've never done it before because I just recently became a trainer.
Pear: You have a knack for it. [She smiled.]
Ana: Pay attention, Rhys, we're almost done. [Typing on the computer in front of her.] Now, once this Pokedex is done, you will be able to use it as a proper ID just by having an official scan it. It will also have the most up to date information on the most recently found Pokémon as we receive them in our lab's database. You will also be able to use it as a phone, and communicate with us as soon as you need to. I'm putting Alexia's number in here. [Sly grin toward Rhys, who raised an eyebrow at her.]
Speak of the devil, Alexia walked into the office, putting a large stack of paperwork onto Ana's desk, making the blue-haired girl frown.
Alex: [Looking down at her electronic tablet.] Alright, so Tenshi went home, and said that he would do the insurance report tomorrow, after he's gotten more than two hours of sleep.
Pear: Understandable. [Nodded.]
Alex: Mr. Chadwick called, and gave his support, he heard about the crash, and he wanted to make sure that you were okay. [Both of them eyed each other, and instantly started cracking up. After a moment, Pear's face turned red with how hard she was laughing.]
Pear: Oh, I'm SO sure that his heart is breaking. We wouldn't want his cash cow to get pushed over! [Their laughter continued, up until Alex's tablet started beeping. She pressed the call button.] Yes? [Trying to calm down some.]
Tablet: Ma'am, this is the Pokémon control center, we have the specimen you requested.
Alex's face took a one-eighty in terms of emotion, and became entirely a frown as she looked over toward Professor Pear, who pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, and nodded.
Pear: Rhys [Drew his attention.] You'll want to take a look at this.
There were five police officers on all sides of the wheeled platform being pushed into the large bay door of the laboratory, the one in front was a blue haired woman, she had a frown, obviously not enjoying this part of her job. The large platform was covered by a white sheet, and the shape underneath the sheet was so obviously an Onix that was bound by solid steel bands wrapped around its neck right under its head, and its tail on two places, rendering it completely immobile.
Officer Jenny: [Approached Professor Pear and to Rhys's surprise, they met in an embrace.] I was soooo worried about you, Joanna! I can't believe an Onix like this would attack your car.
Pear: It was quite a shock to me as well. [Pear nodded as she hugged her as best she could while she had on her crutches.] Thanks for pulling some strings for me, I know this couldn't have been easy for you.
Jenny: Hey, you've pulled my butt out of the burner more than once, this is the least I could do. Here he is.
She pulled the cover off, and the Onix, which had a very noticeably darker rock body. The officers that were close to his face backed up as its red, angry eyes glared at them, and starts to make him struggle against its bounds. Amy quickly ducked behind Rhys, and Alexia walked toward it.
Jenny: I hope you can makes heads or tails of this, because I haven't the foggiest.
Alex: I couldn't tell you [Took a close look at the Onix, and it struggled even harder when it looked at her, roaring as loud as it could. She studied it, not phased in the least.] Take him to the main lab. [Pulled out a remote and clicked, making the next bay door open into a clean room.]
The main lab was very, very large, and white room with an observation deck high above the middle of the room. There were several pieces of miscellaneous machinery in the sides of the lab, and a flight of stairs leading to a catwalk that brought them to the observation deck. The officers brought the Onix to the main lab, and set it in the very middle, well within the view of the observation deck. The officers left, and were more than happy to get away from that damn demon of a Pokémon. Officer Jenny and Professor Pear said their goodbyes, and Rhys as well as the others (including Duskull) made their way into the main lab. That was when Rhys stopped, and looked over at the madness that was the Onix.
Alex: [Stopped and looked back toward Rhys.] You coming?
Rhys: You guys go ahead, I think there's something I should do. [Walked back down toward the Onix.]
All of them stared at him wide-eyed as they entered the observatory. Rhys walked to the edge of the platform, and Onix merely stared at him in an ominous way, growling some, but not nearly as much as when Alex got near it. Its eyes, Rhys looked into them with no feat at all, and soon his peripheral vision turned the entire room black from his point of view. It wasn't long before Rhys was deep inside the Onix's gaze, everything was and the world was no longer around them. Now it was another place.
Voice: So, you seek me out, do you? I had no idea who you were when I destroyed the car, but I recognize you now. Such a meeting must have been preordained, and it is simple, great fortune that I be the one who orchestrates your demise.
Rhys: Why do you seek to destroy me? What have I done to an Onix?
Voice: You of all should know my wrath. Look deeper, and see what truly stands before you.
Just at that moment, there came a gigantic grinning face, and huge eyes. It didn't take him long to recognize a Gengar when he saw one.
Rhys: How can you possibly possess an Onix?
Gengar: Friends... I have many of them. So many friends, and it is a pity that you will never be able to meet them. Soon, I will break my bonds and swallow your soul for my own. My brethren will handle the rest, but you are mine!
Rhys: You've gone too far. I will make sure that you never break your bonds. They are only made of steel, but I will pull them tighter than you could ever imagine.
The Gengar began to laugh, and all over Rhys's vision began to flash a horrible purple. He cringed, but his mental energy pushed hard against the Gengar's power.
Gengar: Your time has come! Be gone from here, AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!! [With one horrible push, Rhys was exiled from the black dimension of the Gengar's making.]
Rhys stumbled backward, and he was back inside the main laboratory. That was when a voice came from above, it was Pear's voice on the intercom.
Pear: Rhys! Welcome back to the land of the living. What just happened... [Long pause.] And why is the Onix smoking?!
Rhys looked toward the Onix, and there was a purple smoke emitting from its large, stone body. In the smoke, Rhys saw the grim, horrible visage of the Gengar's grin inside the smoke. Then the room turned red as the sirens sounded off. A cold, horrible realization occurred to Rhys. Where had they been keeping those other Ghost-possessed Pokémon?