The orphanage on Ula'ula was only technically in Malie city, its front door was actually on route 11 with the backdoor leading to the city. It was also clearly on the backburner for buildings to repair from the incident. The director informed them that a nearby manor which was now abandoned and in better condition, had been "absorbed" by the estate under Nanus' say so for safe living quarters. It was clear that a bit of effort every day was put in by the staff and orphans to make repairs, when they had materials. The director requested that they surveyed the two buildings for safety, if they wanted to help.

  Before they could answer a gaggle of ghosts with Acerola at the center wandered up. She and Tabby had a moment of looking at each other, to nascent ghost type trainers communicating their grief via subconscious aura. She barely acknowledged the director before sizing up Maggie who she hadn't met before. Then she turned to Creig and got a complicated look on her face.

  "Qwuestions?"

  "Answers. Maybe?" Creig knelt down and reached out to pick up Acerola, she showed a bit of hesitancy, but allowed herself to be carried.

  "Maybe?"

  "Don't know if I know the answers' before you ask the questions."

  Acerola blinked as her little brain categorized the new interaction of Adult blatantly admitting to not being omniscient "You responsible?"

  "For what or in what way?"

  Acerola gave him a look that wasn't quite a glare, but wanted to be one. "Dads' death, I heard, people guess it cause you come, say things to people."

  "No, no I am not, I feel the need to preface the justification to my answer"

  "Pre-face? Justifictiton?

  "Justification, reasons as to why something done or not done is not condemnable or is in fact good. Preface, umm, in storybooks, they give you an idea of when and where, it's close to being the same."

  "uuhhhnggg, say pro-louge thingys'."

  "Sometimes people dislike the truth, it sometimes doesn't end anything, or they want something else to be true, or it's sad."

  "Might not like?" Acerolas' face scrunched up in distaste.

  "Might not like." A lot of the pokemon nodded sagely in agreement. "So, I am from far away, I... saw a prophecy of sorts, when I came to this place I told the Kahuna of the prophesy I had seen, then the Kahuna introduced me to the Tapu and I told them." Creig was feeling a bit nervous of what Acerolas' reaction would be. "Prophecy could have been false, so they investigated. I genuinely believe that had the Tapu been caught off guard by what your father CHOSE to do, of his own will, they would have been far less, judicious" Seeing Acerola not understand the word "They would not have seen guilty or innocent, in their rage, killing many more, rather than keeping it to the guilty." Frantic nodding from the pokemon. "I do not bear responsibility for your father, I did not choose for him, nor did the prophecy, some rules have hard lines for a reason, had the Tapu not interfered, your father would have done something none on these Island, other than myself, understand: War, and that would make the.... piles from the judgement look miniscule in comparison."

  Acerola looked at him, looked and saw he spoke truth, looked at the pokemon, and saw they believed Creig. She latched onto him and cried, the truth hurt, her dad was responsible for actions which threatened others, and threats got stopped by the good guys, her father had become the pirate who invaded. Creig just held her, remembering his own youth where reality smacked him in the face, those who accepted it grew up to be better people he knew. He helped her wipe her face off when she was done, before meeting back up with the others.

  While the adults weren't showing any discrimination, it was quickly seen that there was two factions among the children, Acerola and the others who didn't or couldn't join team skull and those whos' parents hadn't caused the Tapus' wrath. Creig showed the kids the terrain manipulation he was working on, and created a mini playground at the same time when he couldn't figure out what else to do for interaction. The ones not interested in that asked him questions, which he answered as best he could, they were mostly about his pokemon. Eventually most of the kids went to take a nap, Tabby with them, While Creig and Maggie began their exploration.

  Both buildings were built with self-containment in mind, through opposite ideas. Creigs opinion on the original orphanage was that what hadn't already been replaced, should just be torn down and replaced, this opinion was highly placed by the fact part of the second floor collapsed under him and he fell to the basement. It wasn't just damage from the incident, but long term neglect, even the foundations needed replaced. Would anyone be happy hearing that? no, as such the director was understandably upset. The kids were also upset that the place they had lived so long was condemned, though they liked the idea of better living space.

  So, onto the manor, according to Acerola, via the ghosts, there were extensive passages under the manor, that were filling with ghosts, a lot of the orphans had developed affinity and the ghosts were attracted to that. Creig and Maggie agreed that going while the sun was still going to be up was for best, Tabby suggested they go at night, they compromised by saying they might visit later if it was safe. They had Acerola and Tabby stay upstairs just in case they had to seal the basement. The parts directly under the manor were a bunker, probably for when the island was attacked, the tunnels were probable for tactical deployment across the island, made Creig think of the history of Vietnam.

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  They checked which tunnels to go down by ambiance, looking for strange or horrific feels, they found one with both. Creig took lead as he was less likely to be affected by an ability or ghostly power. There was a freshwater pond near the entrance, probably a well, both Creig and Maggie were surprised to see galarian variant corsula in the pond, Maggie noted it down for further studies by Aether. Ghastly were moving around, slipping through small holes where trapped gases might have leaked from at one time, which is why they probably why the ghastly were going through them rather than phase through the walls. Occasionally a shuppet would pass through, and in a pair patrolling golett marched through, stopping long enough to look over Maggie, they seemed to have lost their purpose a bit, even a lone sableye passed through.

  Going down a secondary set of stair Creig saw something skitter in the shadows. He wasn't afraid of it, he didn't sense ? hostility, but he felt that it would be dangerous? for Maggie, so he called back for her to retreat a bit. Sleigh came up shrouding herself in dark type energy, just in case. It turned out that there wasn't just one, Creig hadn't seen anything like them, in regards to pokemon world at least... maybe? Creig took a knee to get a better look at the squirming darkness, as he got closer the idea of darkness receded and the idea of a hole made itself gradually known. In a way they reminded Creig of Grim, that old representative of death(change), it hit him, these were mimikyu, they just didn't know it yet anymore than he had before meeting them.

  "Hey there, I hope you were born with knowledge so what I'm going to say is understandable, I also hope I don't hurt your feelings." All the little holes turned their gazes upon him. "So the only reason I'm not dying from looking upon your exposed forms, is that I'm from a completely different world." All the little passages to the distortion seemed like they would cry. "It's not your fault, but it is what you are, direct tunnels to the distortion realm, unfortunately for you, good news, with some costumes you will be able to be around people with 90 percent safety." They looked at Creig with hope. "I did not expect you and so did not bring anything for that, but!, I can return, probably, it will depend on what's just a bit deeper." The mimikyu showed signs of disappointment, yet understanding. "Hey, we get you sorted and I know a few trainers who would take a couple of you as partners." They trembled in anticipation of joy (not the nurses, the emotion).

  Creig walked back up the stairs to explain to Maggie who was really surprised, and jumped to note it down. The mimikyu were obviously the source of the strange feeling, but that left the horrific feeling. It wasn't rational, but as Creig crept closer and the weight of the feeling grew he became more cautious. Creig wasn't familiar with how deep such feelings were meant to get, Tapu Koko hadn't released his either in Creigs presence, was it just a bunch of pokemon, or was it one strong one? An almost ritual like area was ahead, and a figure about a third of Creigs height. Just as Creig was about to hope it hadn't noticed him, it turned around and lit up, it was Marshadow.

  Creig ran down the tunnel having returned Sleigh as they were no match for the minor legendary. When he got near the mimikyu area he yelled at Maggie to run, and at the mimikyu that they could jump in his backpack. As he vaulted up the stairs he was yelling that he would find stuffies or something when they had a chance to breath after getting out of danger. He felt his bag move about eight times and heard it zip up, and dodged a shadow ball he felt coming at him. The only two guesses Creig had to as why it hadn't caught him yet was that it was young, or weird reality rules. He caught up to Maggie as they reached the area where architecture was, Creig slammed doors closed hoping they would slow marshadow down. Creig came through the portal to the manor proper as Maggie was yelling to seal it, banette used its powers to close the hatch and add extra power to the spell sealing tags it slapped on. Immediately after the hatch was hit, nearly flung from its housing as flames spouted from the gaps.

  Everyone ran outside, Creig yelled that they needed a Tapu about now. They could hear the hatch be blown open, then it was flung out the manor door. While it was still too much for those assembled, when marshadow stepped into the sunlight its power was suppressed. The director tried to dial his phone, but it was clear there was interference and it wasn't connecting. Banette took lead on delaying the marshadow with backup from comfey, Creig frontlined Sleigh with Shrift for backup, he had Toboggan on intercept for any attacks that went towards people, Maggie sent out her flygon and golbat running harassment. Were they ganging up on the thing, yes, but this wasn't a challenge it was survival, and they were only playing for time.

  As if proving that it wasn't really bullying marshadow smacked banette to the side, banette who was still a totem pokemon at this time. Creig moved forward a bit making himself the most tempting target, marshadow went for it, Creig kicked while Toboggan hit with Rollout from the side. The surprise more than the hits allowed marshadow to be knocked back, a combination of Fairy Wind, Flamethrower, and Draining Kiss hit in that order. Then the front line jumped in banette used a close range Shadow Ball to make sure marshadows defense was down, Sleigh flustered it, and golbat hit in an opportune moment with Bite. Marshadow then had to focus on the nuisances for a too short time.

  Creig didn't think they would hold out long enough, Maggie had the only combat capable pokemon left, and Creig himself had a broken arm and leg, which he was standing on in case he needed to punch the ghost again. Even if Nanu, or another Kahuna had been contacted, it was probably recently, it would take time to arrive. Marshadow broke through and came for Creig, who was the person who annoyed it most, it got hit by a bold of lightning, Creig was blinded from the flash being to close, but he hoped it was Tapu Koko, but what he heard was a yowl, then Maggie was pulling him towards Tabby while whatever it was fought Marshadow. Creig hoped whoever it was was reliable or delayed long enough for someone reliable to show up.