"Whoever fights monsters should take care that he does not become one himself-"
-Friedrich Nietzsche
I am getting bothered by the light emanating from this flying metal object. It illuminates the dark forest too much and its constant circling disrupts my focus, preventing me from creating illusions in my territory. I growl in annoyance at the object, but it doesn't seem to heed my warning.
I can tell that the metal shell is lifeless, yet it moves erratically under the influence of my prey's Aura. However, the gnawing pain of starvation distracts my attention to more pressing matters.
As I eat, I continue to observe the strange flying metal device with caution. It seems to be flying aimlessly around me, but my instincts tell me that something is not right. It shouldn't be moving when the being that animated it is no longer alive.
As I finish devouring the last bits of my prey, I notice a sudden change in the motion of the metal device circling me. The metal object, which was previously orbiting around me in a gentle and steady manner, suddenly starts spinning erratically at a high speed. As a result, bright and soundless eruptions of aura begin to gush out of it, making the surroundings as bright as the noonday sun and causing discomfort to my eyes.
As I stand still, a bright aura forms around me, and suddenly, countless energy nails rain down on me, penetrating my fur and skin. However, instead of feeling physical pain, I am overwhelmed by a surge of emotions that hit me like a powerful wave, shattering my thoughts and feelings like a sandcastle before the tide.
As soon as I become aware of the danger posed by the seemingly harmless device, it is already too late for me to escape. I am immobilized and unable to move my limbs. My face hits the ground and I feel the invasive energy penetrate deep into the core of my being. It feels like countless slimy eels wriggling their way inside me, searching for a place to hide.
After the bombardment ceases, the aura that had already taken over my body continues to writhe like a living flame, burning through me. I'm unsure of how much time has passed until the flood of aura finally settles and merges with my own life energies. Once the ordeal is over, my scattered thoughts ease as the two energies begin to coalesce and reduce the internal pressure in my body.
The metal device that I now somehow know as a Capture Styler hovers beside me. It spins innocently in the air beside me as it bleeds off residual momentum from the aura burst.
As I see the capture styler powering down, I let out a sigh of relief and collapse on my back with trembling limbs. Through the leafy canopy above, I notice a few bright lights, and when I realize what they are, my breath catches in my throat.
The grandeur of the cosmos has been amplified by a series of revelations that are flooding my mind one by one. Now, I comprehend that stars are born from the vibrant clouds known as nebulas. I understand that the laws that dictate a star's graceful movement across the sky are the same ones that govern the fall of an apple from a tree. In the grand scheme of the universe, we are nothing more than tiny specks of dust.
I find joy in knowing that many of those stars resemble the Sun, and have their own solar systems with planets orbiting around them in the vast and infinite darkness of space. Unintentionally, I lift my clawed digits towards those twinkling lights, and curl them as if I could grasp one of those distant stars in my hand.
I notice a quiet thump coming from the capture styler, and I see that it has lost its battle with gravity. The metal device spins on the ground like a child's toy before settling on the dead leaves beside me. In a similar manner to the way the stars are revealed, I understand that the beauty I see in the world is colored by someone else's perspective of the world.
At the summit of my euphoria, I slip down a mountain of regret as fragmented memories percolate into my mind's eye.
A name echoes in my head like an unheard whisper- Dustin Smith, a frontier ranger of the Unova region whose life I ended earlier tonight.
Dustin was orphaned during the first Interregional War and was unwillingly drafted into the last great war. However, he served his region with honor and distinction. In his later years, he devoted himself to the newly forming International Pokémon League with the hope of preventing another great war.
As a Ranger for the Pokémon League, he volunteered for the most dangerous jobs. He ventured deep into unexplored areas of his region so that the younger generation would not have to risk their lives.
Dustin was a man whose years of service helped break the darkness of the previous warring era, and he was a man I had killed for no other reason than I was hungry, and he was there.
A rustling from the underbrush pulls me from my introspection and what I spot within the dense bushes are two familiar pairs of green eyes that mirror my own.
My young ones looked at me with pleading eyes, their hunger apparent. They had run away when I started fighting with the ranger, but now that the Capture Styler had stopped circling, they had come back to me.
Since they were not yet old enough to hunt for themselves, they were as starved as I was. It was heart-wrenching to see their ribs showing through their fur. We had all been close to starvation after being forced to travel far away from my old territory.
I notice the piles of clothes and scattered ranger gear, then I spot one of Dustin's Pokeballs that I know carries his Kirlia. My natural instinct is to reach for it to feed my kits, but I stop myself with a self-directed growl of anger. Shaking my head, I start searching through a tattered cargo pouch containing condensed Poke food rations.
Scouting rangers always carry a small amount of food in case of emergencies or for long patrols. I open the can and check its freshness by smelling and tasting it. Once I'm sure it's safe to eat, I call my two waiting kits and let them know it's time to eat. They run towards me with excitement, and I give each of them a large cube of condensed food from the available cans.
As I lay my head on the ground beside my family, I watched them devour their food blocks with great enthusiasm. However, my thoughts wandered back to my situation, and I began to feel like a monster. I had almost fed my children with someone's Kirlia, and now I was stealing supplies from the league.
Theories of how Dustin's memories were implanted circulate in my head. It likely had to do with the way the capture styler had been in use when he died. The fact that I'd…eaten the body also probably played a part in that. Thoughts on how to test the phenomena start to pop up, but I shoot them down a second after they enter my mind.
'Arceus, the next thing I know, I'll be raiding orphanages just to try to make my kits like me.'
I shake my head at the horrifying thought. I wanted the best for my children, but that didn't mean I wanted to become the kind of monster that I now find myself as. This intelligence I possess now scares me, and I know it will scare the Pokémon League even more.
The worst part is that I now realize that Dustin was just trying to capture me, not invade my territory like I originally thought. If only I had been a little slower, I could have enjoyed the easy life that comes with human companionship.
Living as a wild Pokémon is a difficult existence, and my two remaining offspring are a constant reminder of this fact. Even being a test subject seemed like a better option compared to the cruelties of nature. However, I didn't want my offspring to be test subjects either. But what other options did we have? Was it possible for me to provide them with a better life than they would find in a lab?
As I ponder over my choices, various paths appear in my mind and I weigh the merits and drawbacks of each one. One option is to pretend to be human by employing illusions, but the facade might be exposed sooner than later. I'm not even sure if I can imitate human speech convincingly, or if any psychic human on the street could easily detect my non-human nature.
I attempted to speak like a human, but my voice sounded like a growling rasp due to the struggle of my tongue against my teeth.
"ShE sElLS sEa sHells bY tHe Sea ShOre." Oh great, I sound like a horror movie monster too, that's just… fantastic.
'I may not be physically able to speak human language due to the shape of my mouth and vocal cords, but I could still mimic it to some extent,' I thought in frustration.
I turned my gaze towards my kits and let out a snort of amusement as they continued to chew on the food blocks I had given them while simultaneously tilting their heads and perking up their ears in curiosity over the strange sounds I had just made for no reason.
As I pull my kits in closer to groom them, plans of living like a hermit on the fringes of society idly pass me by, but the problem is that that sort of life also feels short-sighted. One day, my children would grow up, and their instincts would have them leave my side.
My children would be beholden to their instincts, and I doubted my current circumstances could be repeated so easily. Even if it were possible, I doubt the Pokémon league would take kindly to a species of Pokémon that could pose such an existential threat to humanity.
It hurt to accept, but deep down, I knew my offspring would have to remain as they are. I couldn't think of a way around that fact that didn't involve throwing away all other moral considerations.
'I don't want to be a monster', I think to myself, acknowledging the hard truth of the situation. Still, I have a plan to ensure my kits have the best chance at a safe and happy life. It will require some trickery on my part, but I am confident in my ability to pull it off.
With this new plan forming in my mind, I gather up pieces of Dustin's ranger equipment and fasten them to myself with the remains of the ranger uniform I hadn't chewed through.
I reach over to attach the capture styler to its holster on my belt, and a shaft of starlight catches on my new clothes. In the faint light, I can see that my Ranger Uniform is covered in blood stains and looks like it's about to fall apart. But with a wave of my hand, ribbons of dark illusion weave into a cloak around my body, matching the color and texture of the uniform and making it appear pristine.
As a result, my own appearance now looks identical to Dustin Smith's, just as he had been a few hours ago.
Finding two empty Pokeballs in Dustin's pockets, I decided to toss them towards my children. Unaware of their true purpose, they attempted to bite the red and white spheres, thinking the objects to be more food, only to be trapped a moment later.
I carefully place my hand on the two newly occupied Dusk balls and secure them to my back, right where my spine and waist meet. That area feels instinctively safe, protected by my shaggy red mane and concealed from danger under an illusionary layer.
I can see memories from the past when these two young Pokémon were small enough to hide in my hair. They used to fall asleep nestled in the thickest parts of my red locks. However, it dawns on me that this would be the last time I could carry them like this, and it fills me with sadness.
I couldn't help but smile, despite the somberness of the situation. Both my illusionary projection and my real face cracked a smile as I felt the trust flowing through the Pokeballs. Although they didn't understand what was happening, my kits knew they were safe with me. I was determined to do everything in my power to give them a better life, even if it meant enduring any hardships with a smile on my face.
Having fully solidified my plan of action, I take out the Ranger's Capture Styler and activate the Pokedex function while ensuring that the device has no signal. I scan my kit's pokeballs and realize that my species is unregistered in the international archive saved on the device's hard drive. This doesn't come as a surprise to me.
That fact is not shocking to me at all; I can easily imagine my species hanging on the edge of extinction. It was a small miracle that I'd ever even found a female of my species to begin with. It was another miracle that the only female kit of my mate's litter had survived to this point as well.
Pushing aside the painful memories, I focus on my plan to infiltrate a ranger base and secure a better future for my children. A part of me wishes to blame Dustin for my decision to give myself to the league, as he deserved better than to go unavenged after all the sacrifices he had made throughout his life. However, the truth is that I believed a life as a lab Rattata was fitting for a monster like me.
I wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else, and if I'm lucky, I could satiate this human curiosity that now burns at the back of my mind. How did I come to be as I am? Would I lose my sapience over time or is it permanent? What would using a TM feel like? What did the inside of a Pokeball look like?
In modern Science-fiction media, Pokemon with true sapience are referred to as aura intelligences (AI), stories involving which have a common trope where the subject would rebel against humanity.
I, on the other hand, have no intention of rebelling against humanity. I just want food, a soft bed and for my kits to survive into adulthood. So unless I get sold to Orre, I am just fine with whatever the league has in store for me once I'm in their possession.
But before that, I'd have a bit of fun seeing how far into Ranger security I could penetrate before being caught. If all goes well, I should be able to transfer my kits somewhere nice before being subdued by the Rangers.
It also helps that this is the Unova region, where the political climate heavily favors Pokémon rights and anti-abuse laws thanks to Unova's desire to politically distance itself from its western neighbor, the Orre region, to the international community.
In the distance, the distinct low droning buzz of a Heracross's wings catches my attention. My breath catches in instinctive fear, and my heart pounds as the embodiment of death grows closer.
As I rummaged through my new outfit, I stumbled upon a metal cylinder of Max Repel in my front right cargo pocket. However, it was quite challenging for me to handle the can with my three-clawed hands. Nevertheless, I found a solution quickly enough.
Though I almost dropped the can on the ground, I managed to remove the protective plastic cap from the can using my sharp teeth, albeit shakily.
I took a deep breath and prepared myself before spraying a thick cloud of Pokémon repellent all over my face and body. The scent was extremely strong and made my eyes water, blurring my vision. I stopped breathing for about 30 seconds before gasping for air, almost coughing.
I'm relieved as the sound of buzzing bug wings fades away from my hearing range. I try to shake off the clingy smell of repellant, but it's not working. The repellant smells like being sprayed by a skuntank and I know it'll linger on me for hours.
'Ugh, why did I think that was a good idea?' I think disappointedly while pulling out the capture styler from its holster once again.
Tabbing through the list of menus, the map function springs to life, illuminating a large radius of the dark forest around me. A multilayered topographical display extends holographically out of the screen, and I take a moment to locate the nearest Ranger outpost.
With another click, the Capture styler enters idle mode, and I place it back in its holster. The capture styler was a godsend when dealing with the unexplored frontiers.
After taking one last look at the forest clearing that used to be my home, I approach the nearest tree. I use my sharp claws to carve an epitaph on the bark of the tree. After a moment of silence, I stretch my legs and quickly launch myself into the night like an arrow.
My body moves with such ease and fluidity that it feels like my joints and tendons are now made of steel cables and carbon fiber. It's almost as if my body has undergone a transformation along with my mind, making me faster and more agile than ever before.
For now, it's just another item to add to the list of things I don't understand about my situation.
I am moving at an incredible speed, but there is no sound or trace of my movement. My experience of living in the wilderness and being a Pokémon ranger for over a decade comes together perfectly in my mind.
I skillfully avoid any wild Pokémon and move through the dense underbrush with ease, darting through the forest like a leaf being blown by a hurricane.
In no time, I have traveled around twenty-four kilometers through the forest and finally see the floodlights that mark the Western Unovan Ranger outpost perimeter.
The grass around my feet tears into pieces as my claws dig furrows into the ground, stopping my wild charge just short of the light. My gaze lingers on the floodlights for a tad longer than I mean to as my curiosity gets the better of me.
I wonder how such devices were even possible. But as soon as I start thinking about it, my mind gets flooded with a flurry of information - from the use of metal filaments to electrical current resistance, production of heat and light, inert gas containment, to the manufacturing of the glass bulb. It's like falling into a mental rabbit hole.
Shaking off the intrusive yet fascinating knowledge, I refocus my attention on the pristine ranger facade and walk into the light.
The dark cover of the forest glides off my back like a discarded cloak just as the blinding lights lock onto my position—the automated illumination acting as an effective first line of defense for most light-sensitive Nocturnal Pokémon.
I walked deeper into the open area and felt the infrared light shining on me, creating a rainbow-like effect that humans wouldn't be able to see. The hidden scanners couldn't detect any issues with my disguise. Suddenly, my capture styler vibrated, indicating a message from the base as I regained a single bar of signal.
As I walk, I reach for the device on my belt and notice an automated notification from the outpost's security system. The message reads: "Dustin Smith confirmed returning from patrol. Welcome home, Ranger." Although I feel a sense of relief seeing the automated reply, it also reminds me that very few people are awake and active within the base at this hour, which is not surprising.
Walking through the rest of the security perimeter unhindered, I reach the looming metal door that acts as the base's front entrance. A casual observer might mistake the door for a bank vault's entrance, but this is what the bare minimum constituted for a ranger base on the frontiers.
The large metal frame ominously opens, moving silently with the help of industrial pneumatics. I enter through the opening with ease, and the door swiftly closes behind me.
Without giving much attention to the night-shift personnel posted at the security terminal, I walk past them. They are accustomed to fatigued rangers returning from patrols and do not bother to stop me.
As I wander through the empty hallways, my eyes come across a wall map that displays arrows pointing towards different areas within the base. The map was likely intended for visiting ace trainers or league auditors, but I promptly used it to find the Interregional Trade terminals that I needed for my plan.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
After a short walk, I finally arrived at the interregional trade area. The room seemed to be sparsely decorated and consisted of rows of high-end computers. No one else was present, and all the lights were dimmed due to the inactivity of the place.
Although I'm not bothered by the darkness, I still wave my hand at the motion sensor on the wall to activate the lights. As I sit down, I sink into the comfortable seat while the shiny, silver-cased PC automatically connects me to the global trade system (GTS). With the aura-linked identification system in the Ranger Styler on my belt, I can quickly access what I need without even requiring passwords.
The GTS is one of many borderline magical technologies that the world benefits from now that the great war was over. I am lucky insofar as the international Pokémon league has just established links between Indigo and Unova not too long ago.
I just realized something that's been bothering me. I've been able to use Dustin Ranger's styler without any difficulty, but this shouldn't be possible. Aura signatures are unique to each person, like a fingerprint for the soul. Normally, security measures rely on the fact that aura signatures can't be faked.
I'm starting to wonder if I somehow absorbed Dustin's soul, which is deeply unsettling. Is it even possible for a ranger styler to bridge souls like that? And if it is, why hasn't this happened before? Other rangers have died while on the job, so why am I the exception?
Either way, it would be a conversation to have with the nice scientists I'd likely be meeting after my mission here was done.
Breaking my thoughts away from my newest existential crisis, I browse the contact lists for viable Pokémon transfer locations.
'This is it. There's no turning back now. Whatever happens tonight, I leave it in the hands of Arceus to decide my fate,' I pray silently.
After logging in, I used Dustin's veteran Pokémon Ranger credentials to force authorize two emergency transfers. One transfer would be sent directly to the Unovan royal family while the other would be sent to a private server belonging to Samuel Oak, a former league champion and war hero who later became a professor about a decade ago.
I made the decision to not send both of my offspring to the same location. Even before my mate's death, we instinctually knew not to put all our eggs in one basket. The only reason any of our offspring had survived to this day was because my mate and I split our litter between the two of us.
Consecutive High-profile transfers like this would bring trouble down on me in minutes since I did not have pre-approval to perform these transfers. I would likely be flagged in the GTS immediately after and then be swarmed by the Rangers on base. I'm sure they were going to ask me some very pointed questions, and I'd be happy to answer them after my kits were safely away.
I had some trust in the league's ethics committee, but Dustin had witnessed the atrocities committed by humanity when they had enough justification. The possibility of a Pokémon species with intelligence beyond what we had seen before was significant enough for me to want to be cautious and weigh my options.
Before completing the transaction, I decided to send two small messages containing detailed information about my species. I even attached the pokedex scans that I had conducted earlier. The messages included everything I could think of, from their preferred foods to theoretical domestication guidelines, physiology profiles, and evolutionary expectations.
It feels almost wrong to give THE Pokémon professor a dossier like this, but I can't resist. I'm pretty sure he's never seen my species before, especially since the national dex in my ranger capture styler doesn't have any data on us. However, I want to make sure I cover all my bases.
I may be overly paranoid, but I've decided to send my two kits to two different locations. I just want to ensure their safety. Hopefully, they will have the opportunity to live long and happy lives away from the dangers of the wild. They could either become exotic pets for the Unovan Royal family or well-cared-for subjects in a world-renowned laboratory.
After the transfers are complete, I take a deep breath to calm myself down. The disguise I had been wearing to look human disappears, revealing my true identity. The new Ranger uniform I was wearing turns back into the old, worn-out outfit that was stained with blood. When the computer screen turns off, I see a reflection of my monstrous appearance in the monitor.
I have to reluctantly accept that I demonstrated today how dangerous my species can be. It was almost too easy to breach some of the world's best security measures. However, I hope that my worth as a scientific asset will outweigh the fear my existence may cause.
As a newly sapient being, I am also driven by curiosity and I want to understand myself better, just like humans do. I don't have to conform to the monstrous image often portrayed in fictional horror stories about rogue aura intelligence's.
As I wait for the expected security alert, I unconsciously scratch at the blood on my crimson claws. It makes me ponder about my species and the reason for the red accents on our bodies and fur. Is it a way to signal danger to potential predators?
With a digital Bing, I look back at the PC screen, and Just as expected, the transfers did not go unnoticed by the regulatory agencies assigned to monitor Pokémon trafficking. It was not surprising given the high-profile destinations I had sent my kits to. Despite this, I did not attempt to flee and instead remained seated, waiting for the inevitable consequences. The base was already on lockdown, and I had unknowingly revealed my identity to the camera located in one of the corners of the room.
All that waited to be seen now was how the League would react to the first documented instance of a truly sapient Pokémon outside of old fairytales.
Worst case scenario, I would die here. I didn't plan to resist capture, so that worst-case scenario seemed unlikely. My stolen thought patterns seemed to think I'd end up in some dark cell, which was… actually quite appealing now that I thought about it.
I know it might sound bad to some people, but to me, it sounded like a great new home. Whatever happens to me, it will still be better than my previous living conditions. At least I won't have to worry about being eaten by an invasive Scyther swarm like my mate, and three other kits had been.
The cavalry arrived just two minutes after the transfers were sent, which was quite impressive given the late hour. A pair of heavily armored assault Rangers entered, with a blue-haired woman scowling between them. I assumed she was the captain of the base, based on the rank insignia on her uniform.
I can actually smell the powerful psychic energy emanating from her. The pale blue shimmer of psychic power roiling just under her skin. Her purple eyes meet my own inhuman greens. Even at a glance, she can see a spark of something in my eyes and demeanor that immediately disturbs her.
A Pokeball suddenly appears in the air, propelled by a psychic force, and unleashes a massive Galvantula before I even have a chance to react. As the electric spider Pokémon appears, an electric field builds up in the air, causing the hair on my body to stand on end. The Galvantula's lifeless predatory gaze fixates on me, sending shivers of fear down my spine as I am unable to look away from the monstrous creature.
The captain shouts something at me but I completely miss what she asks as I fight my instincts to run for my life. All I can do is note the telltale scrunching of her eyebrows as confusion further invades her harsh demeanor as my silence and inaction continue.
The radiance of psychic energy flashes behind her irises once again, causing a rippling of air to surround me, pulling at my tattered uniform yet finding little purchase as her psychokinesis loses power proportional to its proximity to my body.
As her attack fails, she quietly speaks into a radio attached to her shirt collar. Unbeknownst to her, I hear her words as clearly as the people on the other end of the line.
"Category 2 Psychic resistance, all Pokeballs registered to Dustin Smith within transmat range have been transferred to HQ. I'm not detecting any ghost energy either. Whatever the fuck this thing is Galvantula is detecting a lot of human blood alongside a heavy dose of max repel. Best guess is an attempt to mask its scent."
"I don't like this new species. There's something off about it. I wonder if Rocket is behind it. Only those jerks would use an unregistered Pokémon to infiltrate a Ranger base and send something back to Kanto." She growled to the person on the other end of the line.
I made eye contact with her and answered her question by slowly shaking my head in the negative. She practically gaped at my motions as she realized I had replied to her remark about Team Rocket.
"I don't know how you are remotely controlling this Pokémon, but whoever you are, I want you to KNOW that you will pay for what you've done." She states with icy calm.
I made the mistake of shrugging at her incorrect assumptions, which wasn't the best response. In response, she angrily signaled the two armored guards beside her to release a set of Duosion.
The only exit to the room is locked down by powerful psychic barriers that also shield the humans from any potential damage. The captain silently commands her bug companion, a Galvantula, to act. In response, the Galvantula launches a crackling net of electrified spider silk towards me with lightning speed.
As the room narrows to pinpricks, I feel a sense of tunnel vision. My ingrained survival instincts force me to dodge the giant bugs' attack, but I am still a fraction too slow. The sticky webbing grazes my leg and pins me to the floor. Soon after, my muscles are paralyzed by a heart-stopping electrical discharge. I try to suppress the cry of pain but end up voicing hoarse expletives as the giant spider sends more electrical impulses through the connected web.
"Gah! Arceus damn it. I surrender, I surrender." I managed to say, finding the electric spider to be a great motivator to pronounce the words as best I can.
Despite feeling enraged by the unprovoked attack, I managed to suppress my anger. I realized that to the rangers who witnessed me, I probably looked like a creature straight out of a horror movie. After all, my clothes were stained with blood and had ragged holes throughout. To be fair, my actions that day were quite frightening, much like a horror movie monster.
"W-what the fuck, did it just speak?" One of the supporting ranger's stammers.
Despite sensing their fear, I resist the urge to attack and remain crouched on all fours on the floor. The captain, who has blue hair, looks at me coldly and takes note of the bloodstains on my ranger uniform. She seems to be the only one keeping her composure in this situation.
"Wait, this isn't some form of esoteric remote control, is it? What the hell are you?" She asks cautiously
"I don't know. I was hoping the league could tell me, but I'll happily leave if this is the way I'm going to be treated." I say sarcastically
Everyone freezes as they realize the enormity of the situation before them.
There have been no evidence of a Pokémon with true human-level intelligence. In the past, different regions had stories about humans possessing a partner Pokémon with human-like intelligence. However, modern individuals are too skeptical to believe in these tales, and most of these accounts have been proven false with the discovery of more accurate historical records. Although several fairytales exist, they hold no credibility in the present world.
The most famous example of this is Sir Aaron's Lucario companion, who was believed to possess the ability to communicate like a human through aura speech.
"You understand that we can't let you go, right?" The captain says slowly
I shrug again and roll my claws in a 'yes, yes, get on with it' gesture, not bothering to irritate my throat with further human speech.
I can see the shifting of metal gears as the captain processes my apparent submission.
"All right, well then. I'm just going to use this if you don't mind. It will make things a lot less complicated if you don't resist." The Captain says carefully while holding up a standard-issue Ultra ball. Its signature black and yellow coloration gleamed immaculately under the bright florescent lighting of the room.
I bow my head as the ball hits me on the forehead with a dull thwack. The red capture light from the Pokeball flashes into my eyes, causing me to blink reflexively. Transparent red energy surrounds my entire body, washing over me in a pleasantly warm wave. However, nothing happens after that. The ball falls to the ground unceremoniously, and its center button flashes red in an unfamiliar error code pattern as its capture sequence aborts partway through.
We all stare at the broken capture device in complete silence, unable to believe what had just happened. I felt a bit disappointed as I was curious to see what it was like inside it. I look up with anticipation, wondering what our next move would be. The captors decided to contact the Unovan Ranger headquarters for assistance. Meanwhile, I lay down and let the captain order the terrifying electric spider to wrap me up.
"I understand, sir. The subject is currently contained and has been cooperative, but all attempts at capture have failed. Based on the information we have, the risk level is classified as Euclid as long as the current containment measures remain effective. The base has been alerted and is currently in lockdown as a precautionary measure. There is circumstantial evidence that suggests one ranger may have been killed, but we have not yet confirmed this. Additionally, the subject has demonstrated the ability to evade our scanners and has managed to infiltrate the base, even up to the level of aura signature verification."
Unfortunately, the other person on the line is speaking too quietly for me to hear what they're saying. However, based on the captain's silence, I believe that Ranger HQ is transferring the call to the league's research and scientific branches to determine what will happen to me. The captain's next words confirm my suspicion.
"Hello, Professor. The subject is compliant, but we haven't been able to capture it conventionally. I'll send you the telemetry data we have from the Pokeball. We received an alert from customs a few minutes ago after the transfers were flagged in the system, but we don't know what was sent through the GTS yet. At this point, we don't have the jurisdiction to identify what was transferred." The captain with blue hair said, pacing back and forth across the room.
"I didn't think to ask, but if you think it's necessary, I can set up a video call, ma'am," she said, pulling out a half-dome projector with a lens and placing it on the ground in front of my face.
I hear a faint sound of fans starting up from the small device in front of me. Suddenly, a transparent image of Professor Juniper appears. I remember that she is the foremost Pokémon expert in the Unova region and extremely skilled at managing unusual situations like the one we are currently in.
The professor looks at me through the projector's built-in cameras and says, "Well, aren't you an interesting one?" She cups her chin in contemplation and asks, "Can you please nod your head three times if you understand me?".
I nodded to comply with her request, but as I tried to shift into a more comfortable position on the ground, I realized that the sticky silk webbing was preventing me from doing so. Every movement pulled at my fur, making me feel like it was caught in a zipper and evaporating any desire to attempt an escape.
"Alright, well, that disproves psychic bleed, so we aren't looking at another Gardevoir situation, at least," the professor muttered to herself.
I take note of the term 'psychic bleed' while the professor observes me. After a while, Juniper turns her attention away and receives a data pad from a lab assistant, quickly absorbing its contents.
"Ah, I understand now," Juniper says with keen interest. "Captain, an air shuttle will arrive shortly to pick up the subject. Have him ready for transport in fifteen minutes; the Research division will take him from you and deliver him to site 6. Based on what I'm seeing here, I don't think the subject will pose much of a threat from now on, but it's better to be cautious and keep a bug or fighting Pokémon guarding it just in case."
"Got it, ma'am. Can I ask what information was conveyed to you and why you believe it won't pose any threat to us?" asked the captain cautiously.
"Well, Professor Oak from Kanto just informed me that he received a mysterious gift from a Unovan Scout ranger a few minutes ago. It's an adolescent red and black female fox Pokémon that looks strikingly similar to our friend here. I assume that the Pokémon transferred its offspring on its own accord. Based on the transfer logs, the Royal Family may have received a similar gift, but I doubt they would confirm or deny the fact anytime soon."
"I see," the captain says with a salute, turning to look at me for a moment. "The team and I have the situation under control, professor. Thank you for your time."
"Of course, captain," Juniper replies, before turning to me. "And we'll be seeing you soon." The professor says cheerfully, although her tone seems to carry an unintentionally ominous undertone. The image of the professor shatters into fragments of rainbow light as the projector powers down.
The professor's final words make me realize the gravity of my situation. I am bound and may not be free for a very long time, or perhaps never. The thought of not seeing my kits again fills me with an overwhelming mix of emotions that I can't seem to shake off.
It could be grief, anxiety, or fear of the unknown. But I keep reminding myself that sacrificing my freedom is worth it if it means my kits can have a better life than what I could provide them.
As I felt myself spiraling into a minor panic attack, I suddenly felt a warm touch gliding through the fur along my scalp. The touch brushed up to the top of my head before repeating the pattern in a soothing rhythm. I looked up and saw the blue-haired captain looking down at me. Was she petting me?
"It's going to be all right," she said to me soothingly. "This isn't Orre, you know. I'm sure they'll treat you fine."
With a sudden burst of laughter, I let out a single bark and relaxed as she tended to me. "Well, Orre is definitely not the highest standard to beat, but thanks anyway. I appreciate the thought," I said in a low growling tone. We didn't speak any further, but I was grateful for her quiet company until my ride arrived. It was only when I was in the air that I realized I didn't even know her name.
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Carved upon a solitary tree in the black forest of the Unova region-
In some new brain the sleeping dust will waken;
Courage and love that conquered and were done,
Called from a night by thought of man forsaken,
Will know again the gladness of the sun.
Dustin Smith
Gone but not forgotten