The year is 1968, and times were good.
The sun shone brighter, hackers were rarer, and various villainous teams hadn't even begun their global reign.
A small family of Noctowl lived in an old oak down by New Bark Town, quietly enjoying life.
There as a papa Noctowl, a mama Noctowl, and three unevolved brothers.
They had no idea their carefree existence...was about to change...
It started with the youngest, Joey, a tiny Hoothoot whose wings hadn't fully grown in yet.
Peeking out of the nest, he saw, far below, a plump Oran Berry, just sitting in the middle of the clearing.
Young and foolish, he scrambled down the tree to retrieve the tasty snack, when he was ambushed!
A Croconaw jumped from behind some tall grass and slammed him with a Water Gun!
Drenched and spluttering, he fell to the ground, feathers flailing.
From out of the grass, a Pokéball hit him square between the eyes.
Dazed, he wasn't able to escape in time, and was captured!
The family of Noctowl watched from above, unable to help.
A shadowy trainer stepped out, recalling the Croconaw and retrieving the trapped Joey.
"Ugh, level 3? This thing is worthless. I'll name him HM Slave and throw him in the box, I guess."
With these mysterious parting words, the trainer disappeared into the grass.
Back in the nest, the Noctowl held an emergency family meeting.
The father, trying to be strong, cleared his throat and said,
"If Joey's being put in a PC, we might be able to rescue him."
As one, the flying-types turned toward CherryGrove city, where a distant Pokémon center could be seen through the trees.
"It's so far" said the mother. "We have no choice." said the father.
With that, the father and the oldest brother set out, in an attempt to rescue their missing chick.
Left behind, the middle Hoothoot and the mama Noctowl watched them slowly fly away.
That was the last they ever saw of them.
The father turned up dead a few months later, the casualty of a Scrambler grinding up a Magikarp.
The brother, it turned out, had been captured and killed in a Nuzlocke run.
That winter was a cold one.
Without a full nest to forage for berries, starvation seemed immanent, and their once-cosy nest grew cold and sad.
The mother contracted a bad cold, which turned to pneumonia.
As she lay dying, she turned to the middle Hoothoot, and said,
"This family must have been cursed. Go, to Lavender Town, and learn of curses and the realm of the psychic."
The middle HootHoot, stricken with grief, promised his dying mother he would right whatever evil befell his family.
And so he set out, alone, across an entire region, scavenging for food and hiding from trainers.
There were times he didn't think he'd make it, but he struggled onward, until he heard the telltale
tune.
Looking up, he saw before him Pokémon tower, and, with the last of his strength, he dragged himself to the top.
There, he saw before him a hideous ghost, but he refused to back down or flee.
"Oh ghost, please, please tell me, what curse befell my family?"
With a voice like the slamming of a coffin lid, the ghost replied,
HootHoot and Noctowl alike are fodder to trainers, fodder to be caught, captured, and abused...
The only curse that befell you was the curse of humanity...
Angered, the middle HootHoot cried out, condemning all trainers and curses alike.
Careful, little one, you just might get what you wish for...
"I do! I wish it! Down with all trainers!"
So be it.
The next thing the HootHoot knew, he was back in the tall grass outside his old nest!
Startled, he never even saw the Pokéball...
Odd, for the middle HootHoot
was Odd, soon knew of his curse.
In trainer battles, he was forced to alternately attempt to destroy his master, and then the rival trainer, back and forth, back and forth.
If he directly attacked, he would be aiding his master but hindering the rival trainer.
If he did not directly attack, he would be hindering his master but aiding the rival trainer.
The ghost's curse lead to a sort of indecisive half-life, as Odd attempted to fulfill his only wish.
In trainer battles:
If he has an odd number of health left, he attempts to destroy the rival trainer, and must directly attack.
If he has an even number of health left, he attempts to destroy his master, and cannot directly attack.