Outskirts of New Bark Town, December 31st, 1994

The distant chimes of church bells rung in the distance, a countdown to the death of time and its renewal.

A discordant din echoed around Silver’s skull as he ran.

The frigid winds of a coming winter storm bit into his skin, flecks of snow and icy water settling into his hair and clothes.

Each step felt as if he was wading in a sea of icy blue.

The neon lights of back alley pubs reflected off of the falling snow, preventing him from finding any peace in darkness.

He was being followed; He couldn’t stop running.

Silver tumbled into an alley, lodged between two old buildings made of aged brick and steel, lines of mould softening his fall into something that wasn’t painless, but bearable.

Silver didn’t pick himself up from the fall, instead stifling a groan as he scooted himself into the little patch of shadow that he could see, escaping the rays of the moon’s lustre and the light breaking out of the pub’s window.

Silver held his breath, waiting seconds, then waiting minutes, straining his ears for footsteps over the chimes, for hollered orders over a stampede of feet.

He heard none.

Silver let out a clouded breath, easing himself up against the wall, before quickly leaning forward from the sheer cold of its bricks.

Foolish child, running away in the dead of winter.

Foolish heir, believing he would not be followed.

Silver grit his teeth and banished those thoughts - he couldn’t tell if he shivered from the cold or the cadence of his Father’s voice - straining his ears once more for sounds of pursuit.

…

There were none.

Only the sound of chimes.

Silver wrapped his arms around himself tighter, trying and failing to bring any further heat to his body.

He was going to die-

Silver shook his head violently, standing on shaking legs at the end of the alley. His frail body proved a pathetic form against the shadows, with thin legs and thin arms and a young - scared - face, draped behind a mop of wet red hair.

Father always said he took after his mother’s features, whom he had met no more than two times in his life.

Silver closed his eyes and carefully locked away all thoughts of his Father - for all they brought was creeping anguish - before reaching into his pocket to retrieve an unopened pokeball.

Silver turned the pokeball in his hands, stomach churning in guilt.

The pokemon inside was a starter pokemon, meant for a child beginning on their journey.

Silver only had to blink to see the shocked rage on that professor’s face when he had caught Silver in the act of nicking it, a foolish - desperate - attempt to find some way to defend himself from his pursuers.

He called him a ‘dirty thief’.

No better than the scum that built up Team Rocket.

Silver jolted as the pokeball began to shake, cursing to himself as it quickly opened up in a flash of light, before receding to reveal a plump Totodile.

Silver held his breath as the Totodile blinked itself awake, stretching its scaled neck to scan its surroundings with curious eyes. His breath caught on his throat when the Totodile found Silver’s eyes, causing its own to widen as it opened its maw.

Oh, Mew, it was going to attack him.

Silver wouldn’t blame the creature.

Yet, instead of launching forward to maul the one who stole him, the Totodile trilled out a delighted noise, wadling over to Silver’s legs.

Silver blinked in a rapid progression from astonishment to relief to shame as the small creature began to butt its head against his knee in an affectionate gesture, seemingly mistaking him as its trainer.

Silver had to hold back sudden tears.

He couldn’t be this pokemon’s trainer, he didn’t deserve it.

“I-I’m sorry,” Silver’s voice choked off as he coughed into his arm - his breath both too dry and too wet - “I’m not the one for you,” - an image of a small, excited child filtered into Silver’s mind, and he hated himself a little more - “I need to take you back home.”

He wouldn’t be like his father, and steal this pokemon from its trainer, and tear apart their bond.

The Totodile made a confused noise, looking up at Silver with wide eyes. Seemingly reading his intention to take him back, the Totodile - in an act that brought something cold and warm to Silver’s heart - opened its jaw wide, proudly displaying all of its teeth.

Silver shuddered upon seeing it, but not in fear, as most other children would, but because he had seen it before .

Father’s Rhyhorn had always opened its jaw in the same way to Silver, showing its pride both in itself and in him , marking him as its own kin.

‘Look at my teeth, child. Look at my strength, that I use not to harm, but to defend.’

Silver had always loved spending time with Rhyhorn and Father’s other pokemon, which had quickly ended once Father found out, lest Silver ‘become too attached.’

Silver had never seen Rhyhorn show its teeth again.

Silver felt his body shake in something that might have been grief, or plain exhaustion , and he felt, rather than saw, Totodile lean against him, giving what meagre body heat it had to warm him.

And while the Totodile itself was a cold-blooded creature, the contact felt infinitely warmer than Father’s hand on his shoulder.

Silver let out a shuddered breath, looking down into Totodile’s eyes, “...You-” His voice cracked, “You want me as your…” He paused - when he thought ‘trainer’, he thought of Father’s ruthless leadership - “Friend?”

Totodile gave a guttural chirp and butted his head against the palm of Silver’s hand, uttering a low, constant noise that almost sounded like a cracked purr.

Silver watched with wide eyes for several moments, before - for the first time in weeks - giving out a wide smile, choking out, “ Thank you. ”

Silver and Totodile - his Totodile; his friend - stayed like that for a few, precious moments, before being interrupted by a small cough behind him, “This is all very touching, but I really want to know why a kid as thin as a toothpick is hiding away in an alley.”

Silver whirled around, taking several steps back before tripping, falling onto his butt with a muffled cry.

Totodile, hearing Silver’s distress, crouched low and growled loudly, standing between Silver and the man who now stood before them.

The man - a dark blight in the shadows - extended his hands, showing them to be empty, “Woah there, little beasty. I mean no harm to either of you,” He crouched down, hands still extended as Totodile’s growls raised in volume, “I just stumbled upon y’all standing here, and…” The man shrugged, “Had some questions.”

Silver bared his teeth alongside Totodile, a sudden pit of rage making itself known, “ Go away. ”

The man only snorted, “ Right. ” The man’s tone was distinctly unimpressed as he began to take his jacket off - prompting Totodile’s growls to rise once more - “And leave you to freeze to death?” The man threw the jacket onto Silver, surprising him momentarily, though he quickly threw it off of himself in time to hear the man mutter, “ Koi would never forgive me. ”

Silver snarled in response, and Totodile took a ready position before him, “Yeah? I don’t think they’d forgive you for attacking me either!” Silver stood, a burst of adrenaline keeping him from collapsing, “And who the hell attacks with their jacket?! ”

“It’s for you to wear , you bloody numbskull,” The man snapped - the shadows wreathing his form flickered, as if alive - “You obviously need it more than me.”

Silver growled - a sound echoed almost exactly by Totodile - and bundled the jacket into a haphazard ball, throwing it at the man, “I don’t want your charity! ”

The man caught the jacket with one hand, “I didn’t ask.” He began to step forward, not caring at the foam beginning to trickle out of Totodile’s maw, “And I’m not going to stand aside as you commit suicide via frostbite.”

Silver took a step back, fear overtaking his anger as quickly as it came, “I-I’ll scream.”

The man raised an eyebrow - it was all Silver could see of the man’s face - silently conveying his disbelief, “...If there was someone nearby who you could trust to save you, why aren’t you with them?”

Silver’s voice lodged in his throat - he didn’t dare scream, not truly, not when Team Rocket was still searching for him .

By the sigh he heard from the shadowed man, it seemed that his thoughts had been clearly visible on his face, “Listen, kid…” The man paused, before slowly flicking his wrist, seemingly banishing the shadows from his form.

Silver was too overwhelmed at the time to really ask himself how the man had done so.

With the shadows gone, though, Silver could see into the man’s eyes, revealing a sea of wary grey that hid bone-deep exhaustion beneath a veneer of wit.

Something about the man’s gaze - that ready wariness that he did not try to hide - loosened something in Silver’s shoulders.

They were not the cold, emotionless eyes that his Father wore anytime he laid eyes upon his son.

These eyes were warmer.

They showed a great capacity for rage.

They showed a great capacity for compassion.

“See,” The man murmured, eyeing Silver as he laid down a hand, palm facing upwards, for Totodile to inspect, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Silver flicked his eyes to Totodile, who seemed marginally calmer after checking the man’s hand, but was still crouched in such a way to leap at the man at a moment’s notice. Silver turned back to the man, bursting out before he could stop himself, “Why?”

The man stares back stoically - and it strikes Silver how old such an expression is on the man’s remarkably youthful face - “Why what?”

“Why would you help me? ” Silver’s voice cracked at the last word, overcome with shivers.

The man sighed to himself, before silently handing over his jacket once more. Silver stared at it distrustfully for a few seconds before snatching it out of the man’s hands, wrapping it around himself to keep from shivering nearly as much.

For as thin as it appeared, the navy-blue leather helped insulate his body heat.

Yet, the jacket didn’t seem to satisfy the man, as his frown lowered a touch more before he closed his eyes, huffing out a small puff of heavy air - or was it smoke? - that seemed to warm the air around them into something almost… cosy.

It only made Silver glare at the man with more distrust.

The man crossed his arms, finally answering, “Does there have to be a reason?”

Silver bit back a growl - he couldn’t take the man’s apparent mercy for granted - and raised his chin, “There’s always a reason.”

Always some sort of agenda with every good deed.

The man huffed, looking up into the sky as he whispered, “ God, give me patience .” He looked back to Silver, a tired line entering his brow, “I’ve seen your type, kid. Hell, I’ve lived it,” The man withdrew a toothpick from his pocket, placing it between his teeth, “I was lucky to have help then… Let me help you now.”

Silver stared at him, his defiance wavering slightly, “...I don’t believe you.”

“Well,” The man gave a lopsided smirk, and squatted down, arms hanging over his legs, “Then let’s start over, shall we?” He extended a hand, “The name’s Herren. It’s nice to meet you, kid.”

Silver blinked dumbly at the outstretched hand - this man wasn’t serious, was he - and didn’t shake it, “... Right .”

The man - Herren - smiled - his teeth were sharp - “You’re supposed to introduce yourself as well, kid.”

Silver glared at him, “I don’t have to do anything!”

“Oh?” Herren retracted his hand, and a playful - malevolent? - glint entered his eyes, “Well that isn’t very fair.” The man shrugged, “Oh well, I suppose I’ll just have to keep calling a kid then, because you’re not giving me a name-”

“I’m not a child, ” Silver snarled - and a smirk etched into the shadows of Herren’s face - and quickly snapped back, “My name’s Silver-”

Silver snapped his jaw shut, eyes wide in terror as the man leaned back, a victorious light shimmering in his eyes. Before Silver could undo the damage he had done, Herren broke in, “Silver, huh?” A shadow of grim humour entered his eyes, “Should’ve been born two decades prior, kid. Would’ve been three of a set.”

Silver growled - and with him, Totodile did the same - “What are you talking about?”

Herren waved a hand away, “It’s before your time. Now, ” He leaned forward a touch, “Who are you running from?”

“What?” Silver jolted as the words registered, “I’m not running from anyone! ” - it sounded like a lie to his own ears - “I have no reason to run!”

“You and I both know that’s a lie, kid,” The man sighed, rubbing his brow, “I said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not here to hurt you .”

Silver grit his teeth, “Then why are you here? ”

“To hear your story,” Herren replied simply.

Silver blinked, “I’m not-” He sighed, slumping down as his earlier exhaustion began to return, “I’m not going to tell you my life story.”

Herren raised a finger, “And that is why I’m concerned. Not because you don’t want to tell me, ” He extended a hand to stop Silver from snapping back, “But because of what would happen if you were to say the same to someone else.”

Silver bit his tongue, waiting a few moments before hissing, “Say what you mean .”

“If you were to say the same to a Jenny, you’d find yourself in CPS before the sun was down,” Herren stated frankly, drawing a horrified stare from Silver, “And, while I might be wrong, I take it that’s not in your best interest?”

Silver wordlessly nodded - he had overheard Father speaking with his ‘executives’ about pulling kids out of CPS as ‘rookies’ - and Herren sighed, “Listen, kid- Silver , you’re an underfed, scraggly child with a pseudo-rabid crocodile and no papers. Unless you plan on living in the woods, you will be found. Unless…” Herren tilted his head, “You accept help.”

Silver stared blankly at the wall behind Herren, eyes too tired to draw tears in his despair, “...What do I do?”

Herren’s eyes softened at his defeated tone, “You let me help…” He extended his hand once more, “Will you?”

Silver blinked, and slowly nodded, pulling Totodile in for a desperate hug - Mew, he felt like a child . Herren hummed, positioning himself in a more comfortable spot on the wall, “Alright, Silver. Could you tell me your family name?”

Silver was too drained at this point to properly glare at the man, thought he did manage something of a stink-eye, prompting Herren to roll his eyes, “Why?”

“If I recognise the name, I might be able to keep them off your trail,” Herren pulled out a pokeball nonchalantly, causing Silver to tense, though he didn’t seem to notice, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Silver turned his head down, hiding his eyes behind a mop of red hair. Herren crossed his arms as Silver mumbled something out that he couldn’t hear, “Could you repeat that a little louder?”

Silver darted his eyes up to Herren, before quickly whispering, “ Sakaki. ”

Silver turned away before he could see the man’s reaction - which would surely be some mixture of shock, disgust, and jealousy - and listened to the man’s remarkably calm breathing, which was then interrupted with a whistle, “Well, that make things a little complicated. I’m somewhat surprised that the old man actually had sex with someone…”

Silver was shocked into a laugh, which quickly turned into a cough, “Don’t say that!” His coughs slowly died down, and he turned back to Herren, “I don’t need that image in my head.”

Herren merely smiled, “What? It’s a natural part of life,” He waved a hand, “You may be young, now, kid, but one day you’ll want to tango in the blankets with someone-”

“ STOP! ” Silver yelped, temporarily forgetting that he was supposed to be hiding - though, in the back of his mind, he wondered if there was anyone else here but the two of them at this time of night - “I don’t need you teasing me!”

“But it’s so fun ,” Herren deadpanned with a Sharpedo’s smile, though he quickly composed himself into something more serious, “Giovanni, huh?” He raised an eyebrow at Silver, “I take it that you’re running from Team Rocket as well?”

“Yeah- wait ,” Silver narrowed his eyes, “...You know Father-”

“-Is the leader of Team Rocket, yeah,” Herren stated, as if it was common knowledge that wasn’t specifically hidden from every living being on the planet outside of a very select group of individuals, all bearing an ‘R’ on their uniform.

Silver blinked, then immediately leaned away, suspicious, “ How do you know? ”

“I like to think I’m an observant person,” Herren stated, a far-away look entering his eye, “...And I knew your Father, back in the war.”

The Great War. Silver shuddered, remembering the horror stories Father deemed fit to tell him - to scare him into submission with - “You fought with him?”

Herren snorted, “Not quite.” He leaned back, and unknowable shadow seeping into his visage, “I’m a Johto native, so we fought on opposite ends of the war,” He shuffled the toothpick to the other side of his mouth, “My point still stands, though. Keep your friends close…”

“...And keep your enemies closer,” Silver finished, recalling the saying from the many times Father lectured the same lesson to him. He narrowed his eyes at the man, as Father’s old ramblings connected in his brain, “...You were the leader of the Golden Corps?”

Herren raised a mildly bemused eyebrow, “I’m surprised you know of it.”

“Father told me about you, or - well - more like about one of you…” Silver’s brow drew together as he pulled from his memory, “One of your lieutenants, the… ‘ Butcher of Johto’ ?”

“Ah…” Herren tapped a slow finger on his leg, “...He did acquire a number of names…”

Silver perked up in slightly morbid interest, “Who?”

Herren waved a hand away, “Doesn’t matter, he’s dead now.” He clapped his hands, causing Silver to startle, “Now, first things first: you need a new name .”

Silver blinked, “You mean I can’t keep my old one?”

Herren stared at him, “How many people do you know that are named ‘ Silver ’?” He shook his head, grumbling under his breath, “It’s too recognisable, kid. We need a new one.”

Silver blinked a couple more times, mind waring between bewilderment and distress, before settling on numbness, “...Alright, what should my name be?”

Herren glanced at Silver, his grey eyes narrowed in thought, “...It’s probably best to stick with something similar, both phonetically and nationally,” He tilts his head to Silver, lips pursed as he considered, “Your family hails from Paldea, correct?”

At Silver’s tired nod, Herren hummed to himself, “A Paldean name, then. It is a beautiful language,” He tilted his head in thought, “I have an idea that might work; it has a touch of irony that’s always appreciated.”

Silver rubbed his eyes, “Could you not play around with my name?”

Herren eyed the kid with amusement, “And not stick it to your old man?” He leaned forward, a challenging gleam in his eyes, “ Tell me it’s not appealing.”

Silver pursed his lips - it was rather appealing, in the dark part hidden away in his mind - and sighed, “...What is it?”

“Well…” Herren raised his head, an almost mocking gleam shining in his eyes, “You want to break away from your old man, yes?” At Silver’s nod, the man continued, slowly extending a hand to the side, “Your father… Team Rocket as a whole steals pokemon as a profession,” He extended the other hand, “And I can think of no better opposite to this than saving them,” He clapped his hands together, “To save - a noble goal - which translates to Paldean as ‘ Salvar ’.”

Herren leaned forward with a Sharpedo’s grin, clearly recognising Silver’s stricken visage, “Twist the pronunciation a touch, and we’re left with Salvare .”

Silver was struck silent for several moments, and Herren leaned back, a self-satisfied expression on his face, “I take it you like it?”

Silver didn’t truly know if he liked it - this was all happening so fast… - but he could accept it…

Eventually.

All the same, Silver nodded, prompting Herren to roll his shoulders, “Well…” The man gave a lopsided smirk, akin to the one from merely an hour ago, “Then let’s start over, shall we?” He extended a hand, “The name’s Herren. It’s nice to meet you kid.”

Silver nearly remained in silence, only to jolt as he remembered the man’s words from before.

‘You’re supposed to introduce yourself as well, kid.’

Silver raised his hand, then stopped, hesitating for a brief moment before steeling his face, and grasping the man’s hand.

“Salvare,” Silver - Salvare… he was Salvare now - whispered, “My… My name is Salvare. ”

…

Athlete’s Village Inn, Silver Town, December 17th, 1997

My name is Salvare.

Salvare grumbled as he blinked awake, rubbing the crust out of his eyes.

By his side, Absol - an aged creature - grunted as she shifted in her sleep. She blearily opened a single eye as Salvare sat up on his bed, before closing it once it was clear that no danger was present.

Absol had remained particularly vigilant around Salvare, even after Alph.

Most of her ire seemed to be directed towards Red, though Salvare never saw fit to mention it.

Salvare shook his head from its thoughts - though, it was no large amount, given that the moon was still in the night sky . He glanced for a moment at the jacket hung up at the edge of the bed, and was brought back to the memory of his first meeting with Herren.

That navy-blue jacket was the very same as the one that the man had thrown on him back in the alley.

Though, now it actually fit.

Salvare wasn’t quite certain as to why he relived that memory, though that wasn’t a complaint.

He had met his first - and best - friend that day.

He looked over to the couch - or, well, was remained of the couch - at the corner of the room, and the giant alligator sprawled on top of it.

He had seen how Red slept with all of his pokemon outside of their pokeballs, and had seen fit to try it out.

He internally winced at the extra bill he’d have to foot for the demolished couch, but at least Feraligatr looked comfortable.

The thought of Red brought them to Herren, causing Salvare to grumble to himself.

He liked the man well enough, though he wouldn’t deny that the man was… rough around the edges.

He almost reminded him of Red in a way, bearing an old soul for their age, and holding archaic knowledge that Salvare could never fathom the origins of.

There were some differences, though. Red was less outwardly charismatic than Herren - though, that could be chocked up to a lack of care on Red’s part . Herren was considerably more crass, and perhaps a bit mean - though, that could be explained as Red having greater self-restraint .

They were both skilled and dangerous - The one time he had seen Herren fight paralleled the feeling he got watching Red fight. They were both self-deprecating to a fault - even if Herren hid it behind a veneer of dry wit.

He actually thought Red and Herren would get along splendidly , once Red got rid of his suspicion and Herren stopped intentionally adding to that suspicion.

It would be nice… but Salvare had come to accept some things not going his way. He wasn’t one to complain, after all, given how both of them had saved him at different points in time.

Herren had crafted his very identity, hidden him away from Team Rocket and his Father behind the mask of ‘Salvare Razzo’.

Red had saved his best friend, and safely navigated him through the dangers of Ilex Forest and the Ruins of Alph.

Herren had been the guide and ideal to pull Salvare from his rut in ‘94.

Red had been the mentor and friend who had raised Salvare to new heights.

Salvare was willing to follow them both; all they would have to do is ask .

Salvare jolted as soft fur brushed against him, turning back to see Absol’s soulful eyes staring into his own. After a moment - a moment in which Absol seemed to read omens in Salvare’s future - the lady bumped her head against Salvare’s arm, settling herself on his legs as she emitted a sound that was a cross between a purr and a grumble.

Salvare smiled softly, petting Absol’s fur. She had been antsier than usual for the past few days, which was an impressive feat, given that for all the - short - time he had known her, she seemed preoccupied with something .

There was an omen on the horizon.

Salvare couldn’t see it, but through Absol he could almost sense it.

He couldn’t say anything of what it would be, though, so he didn’t think much about it.

The best he could do - the best they could all do - was be ready for it, for anything.

Red was obviously ready for anything, and even Karen seemed jittery.

Salvare would be the same.

He had to be.

…

“go forth, and conquer.”

A pop, then whirring. The tape had ended.

Red sat cross-legged on the floor, having forgone the couch early on in the ordeal. Despite the late - or very early - hour, neither he nor his pokemon felt any desire to sleep for the night.

Red ejected the tape from his pokedex and carefully placed it back into his bag, in a separate compartment from the essentials. Once he set his bag back down, he leaned back, and breathed, “That wasn’t… quite what I expected.”

He heard a grunt to his left - Frogadier - and silence from the others. Vee nestled into his legs tiredly, her fur darkening to a reddish hue of violet.

Red tapped his legs, silently marvelling at the blessed emptiness of his mind.

He was well aware he would be screaming otherwise.

He distantly wondered if Herren’s meditation routine was the source of his restraint, and slowly drifted away from the thought as his mind solidified, then chilled.

Red’s eyes flickered void and crimson.

His first thought was that the Chariot - Aurous, Uncle, Charedete - sounded far too young .

Oh, but the voice deepened in timber as the tape went on - as the years passed by - and the man went from sounding like an angry young man to a grieving soul to a hearty uncle to a tired warrior to an empty husk.

…Red hated how human the Chariot sounded.

For the past three years - for all that Red had known the Chariot - all he could envision of the man was little more than a walking corpse, cobbled together in leather and steel for the sole purpose of destruction.

And his voice - his throat, punctured by tubes, that echoed the distorted hiss that beckoned, that begged, for Red to join him - did nothing but add to the image of a monster.

‘You’re a monster.’

‘I know.’

Red shuddered, because, even as his practical side tried to deny it - even as that dark, hateful side of him raged against it - that small, hopeful part of him that was once Ash insisted that the man was as human as himself.

‘Perhaps,’ Red allowed in his mind.

‘but not anymore.’

Red shook his head, banishing all thoughts of Chariot’s voice, Ash’s voice, and all the other voices that were starting to yell in his mind.

He could break down later, when Vee wasn’t here to break with him.

Petting Vee’s head as she finally drifted off to sleep, Red allowed himself to lean back against the side of his bed.

He could… wait before fully unpacking his thoughts on the tape.

He couldn’t help but hear his own voice amidst the Chariot’s anguish.

Red didn’t want to disturb Vee’s sleep anymore than he already had, and… well, it was probably a good idea to be in an open, unpopulated space before letting go of his control.

It was already tenuous enough, what with the limited training curtousy of Herren.

Red closed his eyes, but rather than falling asleep - which was probably the healthy option - he sunk himself into a shallow meditation, the darkness in his vision being blurred with half-remembered faces.

He hadn’t been able to recall his mother’s face in nearly a year.

By the time Red’s eyes opened upon the sunrise, any tears that may have left his eyes had long since dried.

His eyes glowed.

They had remained glowing, even under closed eyelids.

…

Silver Stadium, Silver Town, December 18th, 1997

Red bit back a growl as his headache flared - which was happening more often - and willed his eyes to remain focused on the battle below.

While most matches throughout the tournament thus far have turned out mildly disappointing to watch - at least in Red’s opinion - he was glad to note that the current battle was actually worthy .

Of course, given that it was the semi-final match between Karen and Salvare, Red would have been unpleasantly surprised if it was anything less, given that they were an Aura Guardian and his student respectively.

It seemed that the crowd enjoyed the battle as well, given the volume of their cheers. Had Red not already been suffering through his chronic migraine, the noise might have made one for him.

Red would have to make a note to thank Clair for giving him a pass to the VIP stands.

For some unknowable reason, Red had become something of a celebrity within the tournament.

Though, whether he could be seen as famous or infamous was up for debate.

Apparently, his repeated displays of strength got the attention of the masses, somehow acquiring himself a fanbase.

Red shuddered as the word passed by his mind.

At first, it wasn’t that bad. There were a few people here and there who tried to talk to him during some of the early matches, but Salvare scared them off with a glare, and when that didn’t work, Karen loudly talked their ears off until they fled.

Karen seemed to derive a dark pleasure in the act, and who was Red to stop her?

However, as the tournament progressed - and as Red’s matches ended quicker and quicker - the number of over-enthusiastic fans rose.

It got to the point where one - thankfully adult - woman brazenly asked him out, causing Karen to choke and Salvare to turn to Red, only to ask, as dry as the Orre desert, how his dumpster diving was going.

Red - who had recently found a set of unused super potions in the local dump - told him that it was going well.

The woman had backed off by that point.

Honestly, Red had not been looking forward to the current match. Not from any fault of his friends, of course, but from the fact that without them next to him, he would have to fend for himself on the stands, which would have inevitably ended in tears.

Thankfully, the day before, Red happened to see Clair while training.

Though, it wasn’t quite happenstance, given that Clair seemed to have seeked him out.

All the same, Red had taken the opportunity to ask some more questions about Charmander’s draconic nature, and Clair seemed to do the same, except her questions focused on Red rather than any of his pokemon.

Were she anyone else, and Red would suspect them as a spy for Team Source.

Clair could be trusted, though. Or as trusted as Red could be with any given person.

Despite the limited answers Red gave to anything related to his past - and how Clair’s expression revealed that she knew he was hiding things - she seemed content with their conversation, if a bit flustered.

Vee, who had taken to wrapping around Red’s neck, seemed to find the expression hilarious.

At the end of their conversation - which lasted for nearly three hours - Clair seemed to briefly wrestle with herself before shoving a slip of paper to Red.

Said slip of paper ended up being a ticket to the VIP stands - which caused Lance’s eye to twitch when he saw it - specifically sitting next to Clair and the Psychic specialist of the Elite Four, whose name Red hadn’t bothered to learn.

He hadn’t even heard of the guy before this conference.

Red pinched his brow, mentally shaking off his errant thoughts, and watched as Salvare’s Absol and Karen’s Houndour face off across the torn battlefield.

It was nearing the end of the match, clocking in at just over two hours. Both only had two pokemon left, with each of them bearing some damage.

Red tracked the movements of the two pokemon as they circled each other. After having been torn apart by Feraligatr’s Earthquake and bleached dry from Vileplume’s Sunny Day , the terrain of the arena hardly reflected the initial marshy landscape it started off as.

Red was honestly impressed at the level of destruction wrought by the two of them.

It almost reminded him of his fights with the-

Red gripped his seat, forcing away the thought - forcing away the reminder of the tape in his bag - and focused his attention on the battle at hand.

He did not notice Clair’s look of concern at his death grip.

Red analysed the battle, putting himself in Salvare’s place.

The Houndour had the current advantage, given the lingering effects of Sunny Day along with its smaller frame allowing for easier traversal along the uprooted stone. Additionally, given its youth, it retained a large amount of energy despite the visible wounds along its fur.

In comparison, Absol was an older specimen, not quite as fast as the Houndour, but far more nimble.

It was flagging, though, and with Salvare remaining on the defensive, there was soon to be a point where it could no longer dodge Houndour’s attacks.

Red moved his finger, envisioning a Sucker Punch turning the tide of battle, followed by a well-placed Night Slash to end it.

However, it seemed that Salvare either didn’t think of using the move, or had never bothered to teach it. Instead, as Houndour leaped forward with another Fire Fang , Absol dodged backwards with a hasty Quick Attack , only for Salvare to yell out, “ Rain Dance! ”

Red rubbed his chin upon seeing the tactic. He supposed it could be useful, especially given that Feraligatr had yet to faint, but it wasn’t at great a trade as it might seem.

While Houndour was a Fire-type pokemon, thus being weakened by the coming rain, there wasn’t much of a point to weaken it now, especially given that Absol was set to faint any moment.

Sure, Feraligatr was sure to mop up Houndour upon release, but that still puts Salvare and Karen on roughly equal footing. Given that Absol was not a Water-type, its Rain Dance likely wasn’t going to last for very long.

Had Red’s strategy been done, there was a likely chance that Absol could last until Karen’s Umbreon was let out, allowing it to weaken it for Feraligatr.

Still, Red supposed Salvare’s strategy had some merit. It was certainly better than just allowing Absol to faint. Even if the Rain Dance was going to be short-lived, it was better than nothing.

As Absol finally succumbed to its injuries, Red’s eyes caught a figure two rows below him beginning to stand, only for him to close his eyes with a hiss as his headache flared once more.

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He dimly registered that it was a familiar feeling.

Before he could think any more on it, a concerned voice filtered into his right ear, “Are you two alright?”

Red blinked his eyes open, registering Clair’s concerned look, “...I’m fine ,” - damn, that came out in a hiss - “I’m fine.”

Clair narrowed her eyes in mild doubt - her pupils retracted into slits - before flicking them behind Red, “What about you, Will?”

Red turned, seeing that the Psychic specialist - Will - was also nursing his head, “I… It’s nothing. I just felt…” Whatever he was going to say was cut off as he shuddered, “I’ll be fine.”

Red raised an eyebrow, asking before he could stop himself, “You’ve been having headaches too?”

Will blinked, shifting his eyes to Red in a shrewd glance, “For the past few days, yes,” His eyes bore into Red’s, an unreadable expression on his face, “So you have as well?”

Red crossed his arms as he turned back to the where the man had left from - seated to the left of Blaine… Giovanni’s seat - and responded lowly, “Yes.”

Red did not deign to mention that his headache had lasted for months rather than days.

He could distantly feel Clair’s confusion to his left - and since when could he do that? - before snapping back to Will as the man calmly muttered, “Interesting. Are you a Psychic as well?”

Red frowned, idly tapping the arm of his chair, “No.”

“Hmm,” Will nodded slowly, shifting his eyes back to the battle - they were unfocused - “I see.”

After a few moments of silence, Red turned to Clair, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

All he received was a shrug in response.

Brilliant.

Turning back to the battle, Red noted that it was no longer raining, and that Feraligatr was now zipping around the arena to attack Karen’s Umbreon.

Red tracked the battle with renewed interest, given that he would be facing off whomever was the victor in the finals tomorrow.

Red’s own semi-final had lasted only just above an hour, intermission included.

Honestly, Red couldn’t say for certain which one of his friends he wanted to win - and which one he wanted to face off against.

The thing with Salvare was that, if they were to face off in the finals, it would be an inherently unbalanced match.

Salvare had been Red’s student for the past three and a half months, and not once had he ever truly beaten Red in a battle.

This wasn’t to say the kid was weak. No, Salvare had developed into a worthy trainer under Red’s tutelage, being able to train conventionally strong pokemon with unconventional methods.

However, for all that Red would be proud for Salvare to best Karen in this match… the selfish part of him desired a fight that would actually involve some effort .

Red was aware that it was an arrogant thought, but at this point, he saw little value in the time he’s taken in the League, at least in terms of training.

Sure, the good outweighs the bad in this regard, given Red’s newfound connections, but there has been little gain with actually growing his and his pokemons’ skills.

Even if he were to battle Karen in the finals, he rather doubted that would provide much challenge.

But at least it might.

Again, given that they had been travelling and training together for months, Red knew just about everything that Salvare could do. All of his various tricks have either been adopted from Red, or was influenced by him to some extent.

With Karen, that was less true. The two of them had only battled a few times, and never with their full teams. While Red had still emerged victorious in each of them, Karen had managed to make one of his pokemon faint back at Azalea Town.

That was more than most could say, especially given that it was Charmander who fell.

Red blinked as a cloud of dust erupted in the arena, obscuring the forms of Feraligatr and Umbreon. He watched as the stadium held its breath, until the dust settled to reveal Umbreon standing over Feraligatr’s fallen form, triumphant despite its (probably) broken leg.

Red clapped quietly as the rest of the stadium roared, catching Karen’s eyes as she visibly basked in their praise.

She beamed at him - and wasn’t that odd? - screaming out something that Red couldn’t hear over the din of voices.

Red rolled his eyes - which, he knew, would be visible even at that distance, due to their glow - and turned to look for Salvare, only to see that his podium was empty.

That was quick.

Red shrugged to himself, burying the small disquiet he felt at the sight. Like him, Salvare didn’t like crowds. He rose from his seat, and turned to Clair with a bow, “Thank you for allowing me to sit here.”

“Oh!” Clair seemed embarrassed, if the sudden crimson hue on her cheeks meant anything, “Y-you’re welcome!”

Red nodded and stepped down the stands, moving towards the edge of the stadium where he could call Salvare without all of the noise.

Salvare did say he wanted to talk with Red after the match.

Once Red found a quiet corner - which was easier said than done - he flipped open his pokedex and dialled Salvare’s contact.

Red would have to thank Herren for convincing Elm to be their sponsor. Extra money aside, having a pokedex again was very convenient.

Red waited a few moments, idly petting Pichu’s head as the transceiver rung, and rung, and rung…

Salvare didn’t pick up.

Red frowned as he closed the transceiver, thinking it… odd that Salvare didn’t pick up.

The kid usually answered on the first dial, across those few times that Red had called him.

Red pursed his lips, remaining still for a moment, before setting off at a rapid stride.

It was probably nothing - and Red was aware that he was paranoid - but he needed to check regardless.

It wasn’t a long walk to Salvare’s podium, given that few people watched the match from the ground level. Anyone he encountered on his way down quickly went out of his way, as if an invisible barrier surrounded him as he marched.

His eyes flickered as bright as blood.

Red reached the area leading to the podium - barren - and closed his eyes to Detect his surroundings.

There was no-one there.

…But there was an object on the ground.

Red opened his eyes, his legs already moving him to the object, and crouched down to pick up a pokedex, the same model as his own.

Salvare’s pokedex.

Red released Frogadier, once more Detecting the area, specifically for any traces of Salvare or anyone who had recently been in the area.

Red snapped his eyes - blazing crimson - to the wall, specifically on the small, almost invisible, trace of blood on it.

Something dark stirred within Red.

Red stepped back, “ Frogadier ,” - his voice came out in a rasp - “ See if you can use Pursuit on the blood, to track it. ”

Red could see it now: a struggle, someone, or someones, forcibly taking Salvare, leading to the pokedex falling onto the ground.

Salvare did carry a switchblade on him, which could explain the blood…

It could also be Salvare’s blood.

Frogadier grunted, meeting Red’s eyes for a moment before setting off. Red’s eyes flickered in minute satisfaction before following.

A small, primal part of Red was baying for blood.

Red indulged in it, if only because of the rising adrenaline it gave.

Frogadier led him away from the stadium, away from the crowds of people and into the alleys of the town.

The further they went, the darker Red’s eyes became.

Eventually, at the western edge of town - cast into shadow by the setting sun - Red picked up distant voices, and signalled for Frogadier to stop.

Red released Charmander, and allowed Pichu to jump off of him before walking forward, giving the silent hand signal to prepare for engagement.

Without hesitating any longer, Red stepped into the entrance of the alleyway, stomping his boots on the ground to get their attention on himself - and hopefully away from Salvare.

It worked. The two people - both wearing uniforms of Team Rocket - who were holding Salvare upright stumbled, allowing Salvare a chance to break free.

At least, that would have been the case had Salvare been able to .

Salvare was sedated. By what, Red couldn’t tell, as his eyes flickered to the Feraligatr being pinned down by a Nidoqueen, the owner of which stood off to the side, wearing a white uniform that contrasted against the grunts’ black.

An admin.

There was blood trickling from her cheek - a slash from a switchblade.

The beast within Red rumbled with pride.

The woman seemed to recover from her shock at his entrance, as she raised a polished red eyebrow, “It seems that Silver wasn’t lying when he said you’d come.”

Red’s eyes flickered briefly to Salvare - did they mishear his name? - seeing that his protege was still conscious despite his sedation. He turned back to glare at the red-haired woman, his eyes blazing a hateful crimson as he growled, “ let him go. ”

The world darkened at the edges.

His eyes bore pinpricks of crimson light, within the shadow of the void.

The two grunts trembled at his words, as the animalistic part of their brains yelled out ‘danger!’ The woman visibly shivered, though her face remained haughty as she scoffed, “I only just reunited with the boy, Satoshi,” Her eyes sharpened, “Do you expect a mother to simply leave her child once mor-”

Red gave the signal.

The woman flinched back as Water Blade split apart mere millimetres away from her neck, having been saved by a Protect.

Red stepped forward to press the attack - to kill them all - only to stop as a pressure split into his mind, causing him to stumble.

In the din of ringing ears - in the Madness of crimson light - Red only barely heard a smooth tone utter from behind, “Stand down. All of you.”

Red grit his teeth, violently ripping away the psychic presence from his mind - delighting in the distant sense of pain he caused his assailant - and turned to face Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, standing beside an Exeggutor.

From behind Red, the admin faintly touched her neck, eyes wide at her near-execution.

Red’s pokemon - hell, all of their pokemon were on a hair-trigger, just waiting to be unleashed in a battle.

Giovanni saw this - Red could see it in his eyes - and only sighed, “I had hoped we could meet in different circumstances, Mr. Satoshi.”

Red regarded him for a moment - the haze of red never leaving - before straightening, crossing his arms behind his back. He remained silent, flicking two fingers before rotating his thumb.

A silent command.

‘Cover the ground.’

Giovanni simply watched Red for a moment, before turning his eyes to the admin - though Giovanni’s other pokemon, hidden in shadow, kept their eyes on Red - “Are you alright, Ariana?”

The woman - Ariana, apparently - gave as nonchalant a shrug as she could - though the effect was ruined by her slight shakiness - “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Giovanni drawled, eyes lingering on her wound before flickering to Salvare, “I see my son gave you some trouble?”

My son.

“Our-” Ariana choked on her words, “ Your son had a switchblade, sir. I disarmed him.”

“Did he now?” Giovanni asked, eyes lingering on Ariana before boredly looking away, “Good for him.”

Red watched the byplay with narrowed eyes, having shoved away the revelation of Salvare’s relation for later.

A small amount of water pooled by his boots, before slowly trickling away.

Giovanni turned his eyes to Red once more, a small, manufactured smile gracing his lips - a mask settled onto his face - “I imagine you some questions for me, Mr. Satoshi.”

Red simply stared back, “ I suppose I do. ”

Giovanni’s eye twitched at his rasp, whether in annoyance or intrigue, Red didn’t care, “Yes… But allow me to reintroduce myself, so to speak.” At Red’s continued silence, Giovanni continued, an oddly whimsical quality entering his tone, “My name is Giovanni Sakaki, Gym Leader of Viridian… and Leader of Team Rocket.”

Red sensed Ariana tensing behind him - likely at her leader openly admitting who he was - and dryly stated, “I know.”

Giovanni paused, narrowing his eyes at Red for several moments until a smirk graced his lips, “I should have known…” He began to slowly circle around Red, unaware of the small puddles of water he stepped in, “You were far too tense upon our first meeting. I had thought it was simply because of my position…” Giovanni sighed, “I suppose it’s obvious in hindsight.”

Red had to refrain from grimacing - he had been pretty stilted in his encounter with the man - instead gritting out, “What do you want with Salvare?”

Giovanni stopped, and raised a brow, “Is it not obvious? He’s my son , Silver Sakaki” - Do not think about that - “No,” Giovanni shook his head, “I would rather speak about you. ”

“You’ve given the League quite a bit of trouble with all of your mystery , Mr. Satoshi, if that is even your name…” Giovanni began, turning away from Red, “You obviously have something to hide… and some sort of goal…”

Giovanni paused, standing before Red once more. He looked at Red for a moment before giving a quirk of the lips, “Join Team Rocket…” His offer was met with an intake of air from Ariana - and Salvare - “We won’t ask any questions about your history, and we’ll only help hide it from the League ; and any…” Giovanni paused, searching for the correct word, “ Mission you feel the need to complete, well…” Giovanni chuckled - a cruel sound - “Let’s just say we have the resources to supply it.”

Giovanni paused, eyes flickering once to Ariana and once to Salvare, before continuing, “You could even be an Admin , continuing your… teachings to my heir,” Giovanni’s eyes flickered a sickly purple for one, small moment, “To the future head of my organisation.”

“Why, I think it’s best of both worlds,” Giovanni purred, gazing up at Red, “Nobody dies, and we all win.”

Red stared back at Giovanni, then slowly turned his head to Salvare.

Despite being unable to move his face in any way, Salvare’s eyes did nothing to smother the sheer panic within them.

The sheer desperation.

For a moment, Red pictured not Salvare before him, but Judgement. Except, Judgement wore a different insignia than that of Team Source - an ‘S’ stylised after Arceus’ rings - but rather that of Team Rocket.

And wasn’t that all he would be, if Red made that choice?

A pawn in someone else’s game.

‘ Your son.’

‘ My heir.’

‘The future head to my organisation.’

Red turned back to Giovanni - and, in the deepest reaches of his mind, it whispered ‘Emperor’ - and smirked hollowly.

There wasn’t really a choice.

“ No, ” Red rasped with a glimmering smile - The Chariot’s smile - “ I refuse. ”

Giovanni stopped, seemingly surprised for a moment before composing himself, “You refuse?” He laughed cruelly, “Mr. Satoshi, I don’t think you understand me. There is no choice. ” Giovanni’s eyes darkened as he regarded Red, “Either you join us… or you die.”

Red’s smirk only widened - his eyes nothing more than void with pinpricks of blinding red - “ I’ve dealt with worse. ”

Giovanni stepped back, discomfort barely visible on his face, “For all that your pokemon are… monstrous , you are surrounded on all sides,” He straightened, “You will not come out alive if you start this fight.”

“You… may be able to kill some before going down,” Giovanni allowed, trying to regain control of the ‘conversation’, “Perhaps even myself . But the organisation would survive such a blow, with Silver as the heir-”

“ Salvare, ” Red grit out, his smile falling, “ His name is Salvare. ”

There was power in a name.

Giovanni paused, tilting his head to the side before drawling, “ Salvare, then… And there’s no way you’re coming out alive … ” His eyes flickered once more to Salvare, briefly looking conflicted before a sadistic gleam overtook them, “Unless you kill the boy.” He smiled at Red, disregarding the shocked - disgusted - look from his son and Ariana, “Only then would I allow you to walk free.”

Red narrowed his eyes - he would admit to being confused at the man’s offer; hadn’t he wanted an heir? - only to catch the subtle movement of Frogadier’s nod.

The trap was ready.

Red smiled once more - and it was a hollow thing - “ I refuse, ” And before Giovanni could speak, he continued, “ And it doesn’t matter, because if you don’t let us go, everyone here will die. ”

Giovanni laughed condescendingly, but only for a moment, as Pichu crouched down and let out a miniscule amount of electricity, conducting the water on the ground.

Giovanni quickly noticed that they were all standing in half-inch deep water.

Red crossed his arms upon seeing Giovanni’s revelation, “ Pichu lets out a single Discharge, and we’re all fried to our bones, ” His eyes flash with void of crimson suns, and in a rasp, he commands , “ this is the last time I will ask: leave us. ”

Giovanni stood absolutely still, peering into Red’s eyes for several moments. After a full minute of mulling over his threat - and after a few warning sparks from Pichu - he turned his head and uttered, “Stand down.”

Red watched dispassionately as Ariana hesitated, before stepping behind Giovanni. From behind Red, he heard the two grunts lower Salvare onto the ground, before trotting over to stand dumbly next to Ariana.

Only one remained. “Nidoqueen,” Giovanni uttered, his voice pained - oh, and Red delighted in it - “ Step back. ”

Nidoqueen gave an irritated huff before getting off of Feraligatr, allowing the crocodile to limp over to Salvare’s side as the kid began to twitch.

Red watched this for a few moments before turning back to Giovanni - the dark haze beginning to leave his eyes - “ Leave. ”

Giovanni stood there for a few more seconds before dusting himself off, “You win this round, Satoshi, but know that you have made your life all the more difficult.”

Red smirked cruelly in response, “ I’ll believe it when I see it. ”

Giovanni’s composure finally broke in a wordless snarl, and he turned away from Red, marching away from the alley.

Red waited a few moments before Detecting the area one final time.

They were gone.

Red let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and turned back to see Feraligatr holding up his trainer, who was shaking uncontrollably.

Red stepped forward, inspecting Salvare for injuries only to hear a small voice ask, “...Were you actually going to do it?”

Red was confused for a moment, though he quickly understood, “I was prepared to, but you would’ve lived.” He pointed to the floor, specifically noting the ring of water keeping Salvare’s feet dry, “You would’ve felt a little bit of a shock at most.”

Salvare heaved in a couple of teary breaths - Red distantly noted that Salvare was undergoing a different sort of shock - and asked, “What- What about you? ”

Red shrugged before wrapping Salvare’s arm around his neck, “I meant what I said.” He began to walk them back to the inn - he distantly noted the buzzing in his pocket, which was probably Karen - “I’ve dealt with worse.”

Salvare shuddered beside him, but said nothing.

The kid had just lived through something traumatic, Red. Maybe ease up on the angst.

Red wrinkled his nose at the voice in his head - similar, but not quite his own - and thought to himself that he was already being sensitive enough, thank you.

After all, he hadn’t yet told Salvare what would have happened had Frogadier’s trap failed.

Red probably would have lived, given his capabilities in aura and the gadgets on his belt.

He likely would’ve been the only one to live in that scenario, though, so he was glad that it hadn’t come to that.

…

Athlete’s Village Inn, Silver Town

“Where the hell were- oh shit , are you alright?!”

Salvare remained silent in Red’s arm as they trudged towards the elevator, so Red grunted in response to Karen’s outburst, “Wait until we’re in Salvare’s room.”

Red briefly saw a mixed look of concern and ire on Karen’s face before stepping into the elevator. Karen quickly followed, opening her mouth to ask again, before thinking better of it.

They waited in silence.

Salvare’s shivers, though remaining, had lessened.

Upon reaching their floor, Red guided Salvare to his room. The kid briefly fumbled for his room key until Red forced the door open, eliciting a small hiss from Karen.

She bit her tongue from saying anything cutting to Red as she noticed him setting Salvare down on a chair before wrapping him up with a blanket.

Red’s movements were almost clinical, his face numb even as Salvare shivered - and he was wearing both a jacket and a blanket… Thanks to the better light in the room, Karen got a better look at just how pale Salvare’s face was.

Something was very wrong.

“Karen,” She snapped her head to Red’s voice, “Get some water from the bathroom, and heat it up until it’s lukewarm.”

Karen blinked as Red took one of Salvare’s pokeballs and released Feraligatr, “...There’s no stove?”

“You can use Fire aura, can’t you?” Red’s voice managed to sound both monotone and exhausted.

Karen flushed, quickly moving towards the bathroom with her water bottle.

So she was maybe freaking out a little bit, sue her!

Someone hurt Salvare.

Karen returned a few seconds later with a filled water bottle, slowly warming from the heat of her palms.

Red was tending to Salvare’s Feraligatr - who bore injuries that Karen knew wasn’t from her - and didn’t bother turning as he commanded, “Have Salvare drink it, slowly .”

Karen deferred to Red’s expertise - Mew knows her first aid was shoddy at best - and slowly tilted the water into Salvare’s mouth.

His shivering was beginning to lessen.

After a few minutes of silence undercut by the chatter of teeth, Karen asked in a low voice, “ Who did this? ”

She couldn’t see Red’s face - it was obscured in an unnatural shadow - but she heard him sigh, before breathing out, “Giovanni…” He hesitated, before continuing, “He’s the leader of Team Rocket.”

Karen’s eyes widened at the revelation - and despite her shock, she trusted Red - before narrowing into darkened slits, “That bastard , I knew there was something off with him!”

Red’s face remained unmoving, and Karen snapped up, “We need to tell the League, they can arrest him, and-”

She was cut off by a snort, as Red leaned back with a heavy stare at Salvare’s shivering form, “Do you truly think that will help?”

“What do you mean by that? ” Karen hissed, leaning towards Red with crossed arms.

Of course, being the damned annoyance that he was, Red didn’t answer. Instead, the man stared at Salvare for a moment before releasing the hybrid Eevee - Karen was pretty sure Red named her ‘Vee’ - “...Can you see if you can connect to Salvare with Calm Mind ?”

Vee chirped, shifting slowly from her mix of Vaporeon and Jolteon to some combination of Espeon and some sort of pink form with ribbons.

Karen watched the small creature settle down next to Salvare with a small frown, “...Why Salvare?” She turned to Red, her glare replaced with a tired stare, “I’d expect someone like… that would be more interested in you, so why him ?”

Red opened his mouth to answer, only to be cut off by a weak cough, “Father wanted his son back to take up the legacy.”

Red sighed and continued with tending to Feraligatr’s various wounds. Karen threw him a glare for his coldness, turning back to speak to Salvare, only to be cut off by the kid as he scrambled out of the blankets - he was still shivering - “He never cared that I wanted nothing to do with him! Never cared that I didn’t want to inherit his…” Salvare let out a wordless snarl, trying to stand only to be kept down by Red’s hand.

Red remained silent.

Salvare shivered, his eyes sporadically rippling with splotches of sickly violet, “ I hate them. ” Tears began to trickle down his cheeks, “I hate Team Rocket. I hate ‘my legacy’. I-” Salvare’s voice hitched, and the rage in his voice became cold, “ I hate my father. ”

Karen moved forward without thinking, wrapping Salvare up in a hug as silent tears went down his cheeks. To their side, Red watched on with a blank face, saying nothing to Salvare’s words.

Salvare shuddered in Karen’s arms for a moment, before softly pushing her away, “You can go now.” Salvare heaved in a breath, and let it out in a numb murmur, “I no longer want to be a bother.”

“What-” Karen leaned forward once more as Red remained silent, “Salvare, what do you mean?”

Karen reared back at the sharp - cruel - laugh that erupted from Salvare’s throat - he still shivered - “I mean, c’mon . Think about it,” He tried to stand once more, but Red’s hand remained steady, “It’s disgusting. I’m disgusting, fucking lying to you all for months about who I was.”

Karen distantly wondered if she now knew what it felt like for her heart to break, as she listened to Salvare laugh self-deprecatingly, “My fucking name isn’t even Salvare! ” He slapped the chair, startling Karen, “ Silver Sakaki , everyone! Son of a monster! Son of a liar! Aren’t you fucking glad you know me now?! ”

As quick as Salvare’s - Silver’s? - rage came, it left, leaving him to slump on his seat, “I… You should go…” He waved a tired hand, “I’m only holding you two back. You don’t… Just… You’d be better off without me…”

Karen tried to laugh it off - it sounded fake to her own ears - “C-careful, Salvare. You’re beginning to sound like Red.”

Salvare turned his unamused eyes to her, opening his mouth only for Red to butt in, “You’re blaming yourself for two things.”

Red raised one finger, voice remaining level, “One: you call yourself son of a monster, which makes you a monster. This is false ,” Red’s eyes flashed, and a small amount of emotion finally seeped into his voice, “Who you are related to is out of your control, but you know what was in your control?” Red crossed his arms, leaning back with a hard stare at Salvare’s tears, “Your own actions… Tell me, how old were you when you ran away?”

Karen snapped her eyes to Red, silently questioning what he was trying to do. Her eyes snapped back to Salvare as he breathed out, “ Fourteen. ”

Red tilted his head forward, “My point exactly.” Red stood, “And with regards to you ‘lying’ to us, let me ask you a question: what was the lie, exactly?”

Salvare seemed confused by the question, not to mention overwhelmed, “M-my name . I lied to you about who I was! ”

“Did you?” Red asked rhetorically, “Is Salvare not your name? Did you not choose that name after running away?” Red’s eyes seemed to soften a touch, though Karen only barely saw it, “Does it matter whether your name is Salvare or Silver? Because it doesn’t matter to me. ”

“But how can you say that! ” Salvare erupted, shooting up from his seat, “How can you… how can you trust that I’m not some sort of monster!”

Red’s eyes hardened, “Were you acting for four months straight?” Salvare’s mouth snapped shut at the question, “Were you acting when you talked with us, trained with us, travelled with us?” Red crossed his arms at Salvare’s silence, and grunted out, “I’d like to think that after four months of travel we’d know who you are, fake name or not.”

Salvare stood there, shivering lightly as he stared at Red with vulnerable eyes, “It- You don’t care that I lied to you?”

Red shrugged, “It’s not like I don’t have my own secrets,” - and Karen nearly scoffed at the reminder - “It’s not like my name isn’t fake as well.”

Karen blinked, momentarily surprised before leaning forward, “Hold up, Red isn’t your name?!”

Red visibly winced - whether at her tone of voice or at him accidentally revealing something, she didn’t care - and muttered, “If it helps any, I’d say I’m Red Satoshi more than who I used to be.”

Karen readied herself to respond - because wasn’t that interesting? - only to stop herself upon seeing Salvare’s contemplative expression.

After a moment, Salvare murmured, “I…” Salvare straightened, and turned to face his friends - his friends, his friends who stuck by him - “I suppose that’s that then… My name is… Salvare. ”

Salvare was no longer shivering.

Karen leaned back as Red nodded, moving the conversation to Feraligatr’s injuries, along with his thoughts on Salvare’s performance in his match.

Karen allowed herself a moment to silently marvel at how… simple it all felt, seeing the other two easily falling into they usual byplay of mentor and mentee, of friend and friend, just moments after a crisis.

But she could still see a little bit of tension on Salvare’s shoulders, and Red’s eyes - which were the same colour as his apparently fake name, which was kind of hysterical now that she thought about it - still glowed. They were both still reeling from the events of the night.

Still, she couldn’t help but admire how Red had handled that entire situation.

How he almost seemed to instinctively understand Salvare’s doubts in himself.

And wasn’t that the thing? Salvare’s doubts were the same as Red’s own. Red had his own breakdown back at Azalea, and it also stemmed from a misplaced belief that they were better off without him.

Karen couldn’t help but wonder if those two knew how similar they were to each other.

A small part of her also wondered what Red’s original name was, even if she decided against asking.

…

Silver Stadium Silver Town, December 19th, 1997

“Welcome, one and all, to the Final Match of the 1997 Silver League!”

The crowd roared , nearly shaking the earth with how loud they all were.

Red stepped onto his podium, staring across the arena to Karen, who stared right back.

Her eyes directed to him a challenge.

Red crossed his arms behind his back as the announcer continued, “On one side of the arena, we have a trainer who commands a dark force of terrifying pokemon, whose strength is underlined by persistent trickery!” Red raised an eyebrow at his words - they were doing introductions now? - “Please welcome the Mistress of Shadow, Karen Mela!”

The crowd somehow became louder , and Red could see Karen visibly keeping herself from openly indulging in their excitement.

Of course, the writhing of her dark aura gave her away.

Red blinked as the crowd’s attention turned to him, “And on the other side of the arena, we have a trainer who commands a small team bearing the terrifying power of a large army! Please welcome the Prince of Terror, Red Satoshi!”

Red had to actively keep himself from bursting out laughing, especially considering the cheers the title seemed to bring.

Because, really, the Prince of Terror?

Misty would have laughed her head off upon hearing it.

Red’s head snapped back up as the announcer continued, “This will be a full battle, with only one switch allowed on either side after a pokemon faints!” The announcer paused as the arena began to shift, before settling on some sort of ruins on a flat field, “Let out your pokemon, and the battle will begin at the bell!”

Red nodded to Pichu, allowing the mouse to hop onto the arena. Across from him, Karen let out her Houndour.

The two pokemon faced off for several moments, both poised to move at the chime of a bell.

The bell rung.

“ Agility! ” Red yelled out as Karen commanded, “ Taunt! ”

Red’s mouth quirked at her move - a smart play - and scanned the arena as Pichu began to fume from Houndour’s Taunt .

The stonemade ruins offered protection from attacks, though he would have to be careful of any rubble from strong attacks.

Karen seemed to have the same thought process, as she called out for Houndour to take cover when Pichu let loose a Thunderbolt .

Red tilted his head - he saw no reason not to indulge in Pichu’s aggression - and calmly uttered, “ Dig .”

Pichu snarled softly before burrowing into the ground - the Taunt seeming to bring all of Pichu’s latent rage to the spotlight - and Red waited as Houndour surrounded itself with a Fire Ring .

Karen was acting bold.

Red could appreciate the idea of removing Pichu’s ability to strengthen himself with Double Team or Agility , but he thought that it was more of a double-edged sword than anything else.

After all, when properly motivated, few could withstand Pichu at his most wrathful.

Catching a small rumble of stone, Red clapped, causing Pichu to erupt from the ground with a Discharge .

Houndour grit its teeth at the attack, letting out a blistering Flamethrower that singed Pichu’s fur as he leapt to the side, hopping against the walls to deliver a Thunder Punch to Houndour’s snout.

Houndour blasted back a small ways, seeming more anger than truly harmed by the attack. As Pichu ran forward to finish it off with Volt Tackle , Karen yelled out, “ Overheat! Give it all you got!”

Red’s finger tapped agitatedly on the podium as Pichu tanked the attack, watching with pursed lips as Pichu grinned against his singed fur, ramming into Houndour for his finishing blow.

At least, it would have been, if not for the flash of light.

Red heard the crowd go quiet for a moment as Pichu shakily stood before a cloud of dust, before erupting as the muscled paw of a Houndoom .

The Houndoom shook from its injuries, but it let out a proud howl at its new form, one that was echoed by Karen’s jubilant cries.

And Red watched with a neutral stare as Pichu snapped.

A flash of lightning, and Houndoom was blasted back once more with a yelp. A moment later, another rumble of thunder, and Houndoom crashed against the wall.

Pichu’s form was barely visible in his rage.

Karen’s former look of elation had quickly turned to shock as Houndoom became overwhelmed by the sheer terror that Pichu wrought. Any time it tried to let out an attack, it was beaten down, mercilessly by a rodent the size of its paw.

And in the end, Houndoom’s evolution only delayed the inevitable.

The crowd went silent as Houndoom fell, having landed only a singular Heatwave against the tiny Pichu, both of them having collapsed next to one another.

The announcer made to determine both pokemon as fainted, and for Pichu to stir, pushing his - singed - paws on the ground to stand up once more, despite the numerous burns along his form.

And in Pichu’s eyes, Red saw a familiar fire, a familiar drive.

It was the same drive that allowed Pichu to persist despite broken bones and torn skin.

It was the same drive that allowed Pikachu to slay gods.

Pichu bared his teeth in a tiny snarl, the noise being quickly overtaken by the crowd, cheering for Red’s monstrous Pichu as though he were a Champion’s pokemon.

Red met Pichu’s eyes for a moment - a silent question - and backed off upon seeing Pichu’s will to continue.

Across the arena, Karen recalled her Houndoom, unwittingly muttering into her mic, “ Should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy ,” Before letting out a Gengar.

Red’s eyes sharpened at its appearance - it was apparently one of Agatha’s, gifted to Karen when she was a child - and began to hiss out a command only to be cut off by Karen’s shout, “ Curse! ”

Red narrowed his eyes as a bloody nail materialised over Gengar’s and Pichu’s forms - Karen must really want Pichu gone - and amended his command, “ Overwhelm it. ”

Red’s command wasn’t a specific move, but more of a way of saying ‘no holds barred’.

Pichu was already nearing the end of his rope from his burns - both from Houndoom and his own electricity - and with Gengar’s Curse only speeding up his wounds, Pichu wasn’t going to last much longer.

They had to make the most of what time they had left.

What do the kids call it? Ah, yes, Red remembered.

‘Fuck it, we ball.’

Pichu became a blur , trailing electricity and trace amounts of blood as afterimages began to appear around Gengar.

And Pichu hadn’t even used Double Team.

Gengar and Karen’s eyes both widened, though the latter quickly recovered, “Retreat into the shadows! Let it wear itself out!”

Red snarled, mirroring Pichu’s rage for a small moment, and sharply commanded, “ Nuzzle! ”

Pichu grinned as he spiralled around Gengar, rubbing his cheek against the ghost’s side before it disappeared into shadow.

Red watched as the shadow twitched, paralysis taking effect, and yelled out, “ Discharge! Then Volt Tackle with everything you’ve got!”

Pichu let out a pained cry as it Discharged , his smile becoming bloody as electrical burns raked his body. Once the Gengar was forced out, Pichu blasted forth in one final, desperate Volt Tackle , his form spiralling in a glowing mass of light -

And was knocked back by a well-placed Sucker Punch.

Gengar’s grin seemed to grow as Pichu’s form remained still on the ground, the injuries over the past fifteen minutes finally taking their toll.

Red ruthlessly crushed the horror he felt upon seeing Pichu’s still form.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen it, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Red recalled Pichu into his ball, given that the mouse’s injuries were too great for him to simply pick him up.

Red would have to apologise for Pichu at the slight on another day.

After handing his aide Pichu’s ball, Red released Frogadier. However, before he could press the attack against Gengar, the ghost pokemon was recalled.

Red hummed, taking the opportunity to command, “ Double Team ,” as Karen sent out Vileplume.

This should be an interesting challenge.

This thought only strengthened at Karen’s first command, “ Sunny Day! ” and Red shifted his foot in sync with Frogadier.

Sunny Day. Vileplume had Chlorophyll, so double the speed. Solar Beam is also instantaneous.

Frogadier was fast, but just barely slower than a Vileplume with Chlorophyll. Water attacks were also weakened, Dark was ineffective, and Poison was useless.

Ice it was, then.

“ Icy Wind! ” Red called out before shifting to the left, dodging alongside Frogadier as a Solar Beam blasted by them, “ Smokescreen! ”

Another Solar Beam parted the cloud of smoke at Frogadier’s wake, only to be followed by a Petal Dance .

Karen was acting aggressive.

And, for what it was worth, it was effective in keeping Frogadier away. The layers of sharpened leaves prevented Frogadier from getting too close, and it also helped disrupt the effects of Icy Wind .

Red would have to change tactics for him to have any hope of taking down Vileplume.

Red tapped into his bond with Frogadier, putting his hands together as they began to pull apart bits of water and waste apart and push them back together, keeping the small ball of filth protected from the veritable storm of leaves surrounding them.

Frogadier hopped behind a set of stone bricks as Vileplume blasted another Solar Beam at them, clipping the ninja at the back.

Red hissed as he absorbed the pain.

Frogadier needed all the focus he could get.

Frogadier added bits of stone and rubble to the growing ball of gunk, crafting an improvised Gunk Shot between his pads.

Red straightened his posture, adopting a pitcher’s stance.

They had one shot.

As Vileplume whirled around the arena, Red found his chance, and alongside Frogadier, he rose and threw the Gunk Shot fast enough to pop his shoulder, nailing Vileplume in the eyes.

Blinding it.

As the Vileplume yelped - more out of surprise than any real pain; Poison typing and all - Frogadier rushed forward from his cover, reaching into itself with Red’s help to find the lingering darkness of its soul, bringing it up to the tips of his pads as the burning cold of shadows solidified into a gauntlet of darkened ice.

Vileplume rubbed the gunk out of its eyes, only to fly across the air upon being hit by a spiked Ice Punch infused with Dark energy.

And it burned so cold.

Red hissed as specks of ice formed along his fingers, enduring the chilling pain as Frogadier leaped forward, both arms covered in ice as it brought the fight to Vileplume.

Now the defender became the attacker.

Vileplume fought back as well as it could, even managing to nail Frogadier with a Solar Beam.

But with the dissipating effects of the Sunny Day , the attack did nothing to stop Frogadier’s advance, and any long-term damage the frog may have faced was absorbed through Red’s bond.

Red ignored the crimson burns along his arms.

Finally, after one last Ice Punch , Karen gave one final command, “ Stun Spore! All of it!”

Red’s eyes widened alongside Frogadier’s, as they witnessed Vileplume seemingly imploding on itself as a bomb of Stun Spore was released from its pores.

They backed away as quickly as they could, but from the jittery feeling seeping into his bones, Red knew they didn’t escape the blast.

Frogadier seized for a moment, suffering from a particularly violent paralysis.

Red crossed his arms with a grim stare, watching as Karen released her Umbreon - her starter - with a satisfied smirk.

She wanted Frogadier to be paralysed.

Umbreon was meant to finish him off.

Red’s intuition proved true as Karen pressed the advantage, “ Quick Attack! ”

“ Endure, ” Red’s voice was cold as his mind raced, momentarily pausing at the flash of pain over their bond, “ Counter. ”

Frogadier twitched for a moment, but thankfully retained enough control to retaliate against Umbreon’s attack.

His movements were slow, though. Slow enough that Umbreon nearly dodged.

Umbreon easily shook off the attack, and kicked forth a cloud of sand to blind them.

Red hissed at the feeling of sand in his eyes - which, he supposed, was the primary drawback to his bond with Frogadier - and hissed out, “ Water Blade .”

Frogadier drew a blade of water from the ground, stepped forward, and seized.

The paralysis took effect.

Red gripped the podium hard enough to splinter it, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood as Frogadier was blasted back with a Double Kick, too slow to dodge the attack.

The damned paralysis slowed him down too much!

Red itched his arms, hissing at the phantom burns raking his skin, only to pause.

He absorbed the burns from Frogadier’s skin.

…Could he absorb the paralysis as well?

Red gripped the podium, ignoring the sense of movement he felt as Frogadier managed to just barely dodge a Take Down .

He reached through the bond, grasping at the uncomfortable fuzziness in their bones.

He gripped that feeling - that weight along his spine - and grasped it, pulling it to himself.

Red’s eyes blazed, and Frogadier surged.

And upon the podium, Red began to seize, his grip on the podium being the only thing to keep him upright.

His spine screamed within him, and all feeling in his legs had left him.

He couldn’t speak; his jaw wouldn’t even move.

Red distantly wondered whether he had just done something incredibly stupid .

Arceus above, if he became paraplegic because of this, that would be fucking pathetic.

Red could still move his eyes - thankfully - and bore witness to Karen’s absolutely floored visage from across the arena.

Did she somehow sense what he just did?

Red’s attention was quickly rerouted to the arena, as Umbreon was blasted through a stone wall, having been Smacked Down by a newly reinvigorated Frogadier.

And given the apparent energy displayed by the ninja, Red briefly wondered whether he had went beyond simply taking away his paralysis.

Not that Red would know, since their bond was disconnected. Though, violently tearing something like paralysis would do that, Red supposed.

At least Frogadier seemed to be enjoying it, if his uncharacteristic displays of power said anything.

Frogadier burst forth with Aqua Jet - which wasn’t even a move Red had taught him - slashing down with a rippling Water Blade only to catch a discarded baton.

Umbreon used Baton Pass.

Out came Gengar, and Red immediately knew something was wrong.

Gengar was already weakened from its fight with Pichu, and it was weak to Dark attacks…

Yet, Red was unable to utter a single word of caution to Frogadier, only barely managing to utter a small wheeze as the ninja barreled forward, a Night Slash forming in his hand, as it bore down on the grinning ghost.

But the Gengar didn’t even try to dodge.

It welcomed the attack.

Ghastly ichor spewed from the ghost’s wound, and it continued to smile as it closed its eyes, wrapping Frogadier in its crushing shadow.

Karen wanted it to faint.

Red watched with grim eyes as Frogadier writhed against the shadows, only to slow, then stop, as his eyes closed alongside Gengar’s, as they both passed out in tandem.

Destiny Bond.

In one fell swoop, Karen managed to completely stop any sort of rampage Frogadier may have wrought against her team, by sacrificing an already weakened pokemon.

Red would applaud her for the moxie, if he could move his arms above his waist.

All the same, Red recalled Frogadier to his pokeball - only barely managing to clip it back to his belt - before unclipping Charmander’s pokeball.

The announcer seemed to be trying to get them to stop for the intermission, if the increasing volume of his yells were any indication.

But neither Red nor Karen had any desire for a break.

They had a battle to finish, after all.

And for Red… this was the closest match he’d had in a long while.

It kindled an excitement in him that he thought was gone.

Karen threw her next pokemon out, and Red followed suit, releasing Charmander onto the battlefield.

Across the arena, taking to the skies, was a large Honchkrow. Red called for a Dragon Dance , only to snap his eyes to Karen as she yelled out with a crazed smile, “ Perish Song! ”

Red’s eyes flashed - the sneaky devil - and let out a crazed smile of his own.

He was on a timer.

Arcs of electricity rippled along his skin.

“ CHARMANDER! Flame Charge! ” Red roared , eyes blazing crimson as his paralysis temporarily broke - and his headache flared - “Show the bird who truly owns the sky!”

Charmander didn’t even look back, instead leaping forward with a blast of blue fire, before engulfing his body in ripples of flame in the shape of a bullet, before shooting upwards.

And the crowd watched in awe as, forming from the pale blue light, a pair of flamed wings stretched out into the sky.

And once more, even if only for a moment, Charizard flew once more.

And as Charmander flew, chasing the Honchkrow in the spiral of the growing inferno, Red felt his head split as both the headache and paralysis bore upon him.

Red struggled to keep his eyes open.

But he did… barely.

The following battle was less of a battle, and more of a demonstration.

Charmander flew like he owned the skies, using his wings of flame to pursue his enemy, chipping away at it with precise Embers of blue fire.

It was the desperate rush, the fleeting moment of brilliance and insanity, that allowed Charmander to retain his flight.

His eyes pulsed in Maddening triangular slits.

And Red’s own eyes narrowed into slits of their own.

His headache worsened.

There was a presence nearby-

Red shuddered uncontrollably, losing track of his thoughts as his legs began to shake.

The wood of the podium began to shatter under the pressure exerted by his hands.

Yet Red remained conscious - he had lived through worse - and witnessed the fall of Karen’s Honchkrow, and the less-than-graceful tumble of Charmander as he lost control of his Flame Charge.

Charmander visibly shuddered, forcing himself to stay awake despite the Perish Song.

Now… only one remained on either side. One of which was soon to fall in slumber, and the other soon to fall to its wounds.

Red couldn’t help but smile like a mad man, and the world darkened at its edges.

‘don’t You feel alive!’

‘this is what life is all about!’

His ears were ringing - he couldn’t hear the crowd anymore - and his headache was threatening to split his skull.

He couldn’t help but feel there was something familiar in that pressure on his skull.

Something he hadn’t felt in-

A flash of light, and Red was blinded.

Let there be light.

A flash of vision , and Red collapsed.

He felt it.

A presence he hadn’t felt since the eye of the Storm.

What-

Red’s ears continued to ring, and he grit his teeth as he blearily reopened his eyes.

His eyes, narrowed into crimson slits, slowly receded in their glow as he wrestled his Madness deeper within.

Through the din of noise in his ear, Red made out the sound of screaming.

And it wasn’t the usual screaming he heard from the crowd.

It was the type he heard in the Storm.

A glare of red met Red’s eyes, forcing him to cover his eyes before carefully looking up at the screen above them.

Where it had previously shown Red and Karen’s battle from an aerial view, it now showed nothing more than a bright red ‘ R ’ proudly gleaming on the screen.

Team Rocket.

Red jerked on the ground, trying and failing to get up.

The pulsating migraine and paralysis paired together made that impossible.

Red’s mind raced, locating his pokemon.

Pichu was away for the moment, being treated for burns.

Frogadier was in his pokeball, retaining considerable, but not quite debilitating damage.

Charmander was relatively unharmed, though was only barely managing to fight off the last vestiges of Perish Song.

Red’s eyes raked across the stadium, and a pit of dread opened in his stomach at the sight of what seemed to be hundreds of grunts flooding the stands.

He could see, even from this distance, the attempts some trainers made to fight them off.

They were unsuccessful.

Red’s eyes flickered to the VIP stands as the ringing in his ears dimmed, allowing him to hear the stand-off going on between two Admins - one of whom he recognised as Ariana - and the League.

And thought Lance had no mic, his voice carried across the stadium.

“ Stand down, and remove your pokeballs, ” Lance’s voice rumbled as he stepped forward, the large form of his Dragonite floating alongside him, “ This is your only warning. My mercy is slim . ”

“Oh, isn’t that rich? ” The male Admin guffawed - and he did have a mic, apparently wanting to be heard - “You say we should beg for your mercy?”

The man chuckled, and Red remained motionless - helpless - as a familiar psychic presence rumbled across the stadium.

A presence he had last felt in the Conduit.

“No…” The man seemed to take glee in the word, “You should be asking for our mercy!”

And from the crowd of grunts, Red witnessed a humanoid form float above them, covered in metal plates and rubber tubes - a prison - flicking its balled fingers to send waves of blue energy onto the ground below, exploding the centre of the arena until nothing but a fine cloud of ash and dust remained.

“Behold our greatest weapon,” The admin announced, an almost solemn note entering his voice as he extended a hand to the armoured form of Mewtwo, “ The Strongest Pokemon in the World! ”

…

Logged in as: The_Hierophant

Opening Filename: Project_ANEMIA_[Epsilon-Clearance]

Written by: The Magician

Updated: 12/18/97

THE CONTENTS OF THIS FILE ARE FOR EPSILON AND ALPHA CLEARANCE ONLY

READING THIS WITHOUT PROPER CLEARANCE WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Project Amorphous Neurological Excision Metaphysical Insensate Avatar (A.N.E.M.I.A.)

Project A.N.E.M.I.A. has three broad goals: develop a proto-fusion using gender-dependant partial evolutions, reduce the time and energy spent switching between evolutions, and create a specimen capable of syphoning emotional energy to strengthen its abilities.

Project A.N.E.M.I.A. builds off of Project Changeling by creating another, more-developed partial evolution. What separates A.N.E.M.I.A. from previous experiments is its aim of achieving partial evolution of two forms that require the opposite sex to evolve.

Due to the unique nature of this experiment, the Gardevoir/Gallade line of pokemon were chosen as the prime specimen. Using previous data from Project Changeling, a batch of Ralts were raised in localised labs throughout Sectors 4 and 5, with the former specialising in naturally born males and the latter specialising in naturally born females.

The base goal, disregarding secondary objectives, was to create a specimen that can either switch between the forms of Gardevoir and Gallade, or fuse them into one form. Due to the unique gender requirements for these evolutions, special care has been placed in the early stages of the specimens’ growth to prepare them for fusion.

Due to the insight from Project Changeling, only a quarter of the specimens passed away before primary testing could begin, with each specimen being restrained as a Kirlia with an Everstone to prevent unintended evolution.

It was at this point that the pain tolerance tests began, which were designed to methodically remove the specimens’ ability to receive and process pain, both physically and metaphysically. This was done using a mixture of stabbing and bludgeoning tools in incremented steps, along with electric therapy to reduce the specimens’ reactions to pain. In addition, psychic links were established between the specimens and specially curated volunteers, which were then used to fragment and tear at the psycho-emotional network inherent to the Gardevoir/Gallade line.

While this was done, a secondary procedure was set up, as the volunteers instructed their assigned Kirlia to use their emotions to heal and resist physical trauma. This was enforced by further applications of electric therapy should the Kirlia fail to comply.

Once the specimens were deemed ready, a series of progressive tests were used to further the specimens’ ability to retain trauma, as they were restrained and beaten while retaining a mental link to their volunteers at increasing levels before being unleashed to fight back, which was used to determine their ability to ignore pain and syphon emotional energy in battle. This eventually progressed to the point where the specimens were beaten within seconds of death, at which point the specimens were to be unleashed against their attackers.

This procedure ultimately resulted in the deaths of all but one specimen - Specimen 282 - which showed no physical signs of pain despite bearing numerous lacerations, many broken bones, and a fractured skull.

It was at this point that there was a breakthrough, as the volunteer quickly passed away from their mental link with the specimen, as the specimen syphoned all of their emotional energy, rendering the volunteer braindead. However, after this happened, the specimen then established unstable mental links to its attackers, feeding off of their fear to sustain itself as it neutralised them.

Once the procedure was complete, the specimen had to be forcibly sedated, resulting in two additional human casualties. Protocol was soon updated to require workers to have a Dark pokemon shielding their minds whenever they were in contact with Specimen 282, as it will rapidly syphon their emotional energy otherwise.

Additionally, there were two minor physical changes to the specimen. The first being its hair colour changing from green to a dark scarlet colour. The second was its white veil darkening to a nearly-black violet colour.

Due to unforeseen circumstances with the Neo Tao Clan, Specimen 282 was transported from Sector 5 to Sector 4. The data recorded from the procedure has been distributed to various labs in Sectors 1, 2, and 3 for further testing.

After settling in Sector 4, Specimen 282 underwent a series of priming tests to prepare it for dual evolution. These tests were completed on November 2nd, 1997, allowing us to transition to evolution.

The evolution process utilised a stabilising agent and a catalyst, along with a mental link with three volunteers to allow the specimen to evolve into both evolutions at once. Given that the specimen was born female, a specialised chromosomal transfusion was prepared to alter its physical body to fit the criteria for its Gallade evolution. The resulting change in hormones seemed to put the specimen in a daze, reducing the effort needed to sedate it.

The proto-evolution was successfully performed on December 11th, with the specimen transforming into a mixture of Gardevoir and Gallade. Immediately after evolution, all three volunteers within the mental link passed away, with the specimen syphoning their terror to temporarily break free of its bindings.

The specimen was quickly subdued, resulting in six more fatalities and several more injured. The specimen was shown to possess immense speed and a complete disregard of pain. The specimen also seemed capable of consuming the emotions of creatures outside of its immediate vision, utilising the fear and anger of the lab’s inhabitants to strengthen it. The specimen also showed enhanced capabilities in Fairy and Dark energies, along with the ability to summon short-term blackholes, resulting in the disappearance of two workers and five pokemon. Additionally, the specimen was capable of establishing direct mental links by force, which is theorised to be how it neutralised several workers and pokemon.

However, there was a single survivor who momentarily shared a direct link with the specimen, giving unique insight to the creature. Previous volunteers described the specimen’s state of mind as being ‘angry’, ‘confused’, ‘terrified’, and ‘uncoordinated’. However, when describing the specimen’s state of mind, the survivor stated that it felt empty, entirely numb to its own pain and the pain of others.

Despite the lives lost in creating this specimen, I believe this to be a promising start for future experiments. Currently, the specimen is sedated 24/7 until more permanent measures can be established, at which point testing will resume.

image [https://i.imgur.com/YnZye5q.png]