In the last moments before the sun began to set, a small group of Sableye began to play in an old mansion not too far from Lavender Town. This particular group of Pokémon loved to run up and across the walls and jump off. They had done it many, many nights before, so their experience in it was quite respectable; none of them would slip or slide upon landing. It was something that all of the Sableye there enjoyed. That night, however, something very unfortunate was bound to happen.

As the crystal-eyed Sableye ran up the walls and jumped off, they failed to notice a loose board, which was precariously located near some rusting knives. One of them climbed up dangerously close to them, not knowing the fate it would meet. Before the Sableye could jump off of the wall, the board it was climbing on gave out and fell, causing the Sableye to come crashing down right unto the knives. It would not survive the wounds inflicted.

When that one Pokémon didn't stand up after falling, another Sableye slowly walked over to it, not really expecting the worst. It reached out a hand and shook the lying Sableye, getting confused when the other didn't immediately get up. After shaking the other several more times, it grabbed the lying one and pulled it up, revealing the wounds inflicted by the old knives. That's when it finally realized that one of their own had died.

The Sableye brought its head up and let out an anguished cry, all of the others doing the same.

Two friends, Josh and Max, were talking with a local elderly woman. Her name was Mrs. Elbas, and she was known in Lavender as being sensitive to supernatural things. Despite being called crazy behind her back, she was actually very mentally sound. Once, she even stopped the construction plans over a certain area in town, saying that the spirits of Pokémon and people alike would not be happy with that.

At the moment, Mrs. Elbas was talking to the two boys about how different Pokémon have different spirits, which would manifest in various ways after their deaths. Josh and Max had been genuinely interested in what she had to say, so they decided to approach her and ask. So far, it was a very interesting conversation. At some point, however, the three were interrupted by some very disturbing crying on the outskirts of town. Mrs. Elbas' face became very solemn as she looked into the direction of the sound.

"Sableye," she muttered.

"Excuse me?" Josh asked.

"The Sableye aren't happy about something."

"Like what?" Max spoke up with curiousity.

"Could be a fight over food," Mrs. Elbas answered, "or even a terretorial dispute. Or worse, it could be a..."

"What?" Josh prodded her to continue.

"A death," she looked at the two boys with concern all over her face. "No matter what happens, don't go to the old mansion filled with Sableye. They might steal your soul."

"That's just a silly superstition," Josh laughed.

"You'll be sorry if you go over."

After giving them adequate warning, Mrs. Elbas bid them goodbye and went home. The two friends looked at each other and decided to go home too. The sun was all gone by then, so their parents would be expecting them home. Barely even halfway, however, Josh stopped Max with a mischievious glint in his eye.

"What do you say?" Josh smiled.

"About what?" Max sighed. "Though I'm pretty sure I know what you mean."

"We should go check out that mansion."

"Are you crazy? You heard what Mrs. Elbas said."

"Come on," Josh whined, "it's not like anything will happen."

"I still don't think we should," Max crossed his arms in defiance.

"Are you scared of a silly little superstition?"

"To be painfully honest, yes, I am."

"Oh, go kiss a Tentacool, come on!!"

Josh turned and ran towards the direction of the abandoned mansion with Max giving in and following behind. All through the way, Max tried his best to talk the other out of the whole deal, but Josh wouldn't listen. It was only when the deteriorating mansion slipped into view that they finally slowed down. The mansion definitely looked scary, but the crying that seemed to originate from there stopped before they could reach it. Still, the mere sight of it was enough to shake their confidence.

"I really think we should head back home," Max whimpered.

"No way," Josh smiled, "this is getting exciting."

For the second time, Max was forced to run after a very eager Josh. The closer they got, the more Max felt like something very bad was about to happen. He attempted again to talk Josh out of it, but again, he would do nothing of the sort. As they approached the door, Max put his hand on the door so the other couldn't open it.

"Move it, Max," Josh said, annoyed.

"No, Josh," Max shook his head. "This has gone far enough."

"We'll just take a peek and run out, I promise."

After a moment of standing firm in his decision, Max let out a sigh and stepped aside, allowing Josh to go inside. Heart racing by then, Max went in after Josh.

The inside of the mansion was exactly what it seemed it would be from the outside. It was dusty, smelled old, and very dark. There were no signs of life anywhere, except for the fresh footprints on the floor. Josh and Max gathered their courage and stepped further inside. Both of them looked in different directions, hoping to spot something - anything - in the midst of the darkness. Max spotted something, but he wasn't completely sure what it was. He squinted in an attempt to see it clearer. When he did, however, he was overcome with a feeling of horror and disgust. Max tapped Josh on the shoulder and pointed toward what he noticed.

Starting from the wall of the floor was a streak of blood, as if something had been dragged up the stairs while dying. The blood was still wet.

With panic threatening to take control of him, Max turned to Josh and begged for him to leave. Josh, however, still wanted to stay a little bit longer.

The floor creaked. Max and Josh snapped their heads in the direction it came from, but nothing moved. It seemed that the Pokémon were purposely trying to scare them. Max swallowed thickly as he tiptoed forward, Josh following closely behind. Both were constantly looking around for any forms of life, specifically some Sableye. The little moonlight that came from the open door aided with that. Nothing was in there though. The two friends looked at each other and decided that this adventure's time was over.

But just as they turned around to head towards the door, their only means of exit suddenly slammed shut, making the two of them scream in terror. Max ran over and grabbed the handle, desperately trying to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. On the walls and ceiling, light scurrying and maniacal laughing could be heard. Overtaken by fear, Max ran over and held on to Josh. For a few moments, their scared breathing was the only sound, until Josh let out a very frightened gasp. Max looked over in the direction Josh was looking, and froze on the spot.

There in the darkness, were two gem-shaped eyes glowing a blood-red.

It seemed to be looking straight into Josh's eyes, and indeed, Josh couldn't tear his gaze from the pair of eyes. Max took his arm and intended to run away, but Josh wouldn't budge. The Sableye came closer and smiled a sickening smile. For several seconds, Josh wouldn't breathe or move, but he was obviously tensing up, as if he was fighting something. It wasn't long before he collapsed to the floor and became limp. The Sableye's eyes stopped glowing as it sat laughing evilly. Max kneeled down and tried to wake up his friend, but he wouldn't react to the shaking. When Josh didn't move for a while, Max turned him over. He screamed in shock when he saw that his eyes were rolled back. What had the Sableye done?

Before Max could make a dash for the door in another attempt to escape, he was stopped by the maniacal laughing all around. One by one, pairs of Sableye eyes sparkled in the darkness, some even beginning to glow red. Desperately, Max turned and ran up the stairs, whose safety he greatly questioned, to hide. He went in the first door he saw and slammed the door shut. With eyes closed and breath heavy, Max waited by the door as the scurrying of the Sableye went past the room. In his fear, he thought that it would never end.

As soon as he was sure that the Pokémon were gone, Max turned around and heaved a relieved sigh. It was short lived, however, because he saw one Sableye lying on the bed in the room. As the fear built up in the pit of his stomach, Max noticed that it wasn't moving. He looked down and found the reason why. The trail of blood that started from downstairs ended right in that room, into the bed, more specifically. The Sableye had died.

The fear in Max's heart was replaced with sympathy as he walked over to the dead Pokémon. Mrs. Elbas was right about something bad having happened to the Sableye. By the bed, Max reached out and petted the Sableye. He had even started crying a little. In his short grieving time, Max had forgotten to lock the door, and several Sableye had entered, and were now surrounding him.

With tears in his eyes, Max didn't even try to run away as he watched the Sableyes' eyes turning red. Some were laughing, which was quite unnerving. As Max looked at one of the Sableyes, he could feel something inside stirring. It was like someone was shaking all of his insides loose and they were going to come out of his eyes. Unlike Josh, Max wasn't even fighting back, though it was very uncomfortable.

Max couldn't tear his eyes away from the smiling Sableye's, and his legs were going numb, as if he was being emptied. The feeling went up and up, until he felt the last shred of himself come out of his eyes. Max collapsed without a trace of life left in him.

The two Sableye that managed to keep eye contact with the boys came together and stood above the deceased Pokémon. The live ones' eyes began to glow again, but this time with a soft green. All of the other Sableye watched on in anticipation. Slowly, the green light from the Sableyes went forward and down, into the dead one's eyes. It took several minutes for the all of the light to transfer completely, but when they were finished, the two Sableyes stepped back and down from the bed, joining the others.

With a light cough, the Sableye that had died rose up from the bed, shook its head, and gave a smile. The small audience cheered. With new life flowing through it, the Sableye that died walked off with the others to play some more.

Back in Lavender, Mrs. Elbas heard the Sableyes' cheering, and she knew what had happened.

She did not expect either Josh or Max to come home.