I stared down the incredible cat-like insectoid across from me, sweating bullets as every muscle in my body continued to scream at me to run.

“Oh fuck. We're really doing this. Oh, fuck.”

I could hear Brandon saying across from me as his Pokémon tensed up, a restless unease emanating from them. I have never seen a steel type or a grass type sweat from nerves until today, and I would have preferred to have kept that visual out of my mind. My grip on the knife in my hand grew tighter as I narrowed my stance to avoid leaving any vital spots open. Not that it truly mattered with a Pokémon that could move as fast as this thing.

My vision blurs as I start to see doubles and triples of everything. The sensation of something warm and wet trickles down my nose followed by a powerful migraine. My sense of balance leaves me, causing me to fall to one knee.

This isn't good, I feel like I'm going to pass out. What the fuck happened to me? A roar from the fusion across from us garners my attention and I can see it close half the distance already. My heart starts racing as I come to realize I might die. Champ stands his ground firm, ready to defend me no matter what. I couldn't let him get hurt, he wouldn't survive this thing.

As I shove him aside, a vine suddenly coils around my waist, hoisting me into the air. A sharp "shink" pierces the silence, followed by a deafening boom echoing through the clearing. The impact slams me backward into a tree, stealing the air from my lungs as I collapse in a heap at its base.

“Damn it, kid! Now ain't the time to start slacking!”

A horrendous screeching roar rips through the air as the monstrosity charges at me again.

Get up, damn it. Get the fuck up. I rage at my body as it continues to fight me, an overwhelming exhaustion having taken over.

A wave of rocks hurtles towards the fusion Pokémon, but it barely fazes it, only serving to further enrage it. Its scythe-like arms loom over my head for the third time in a row when Brandon's Bastiodon charges in, its silver-glowing head colliding with the creature's side, hurling it ten feet away. Simultaneously, a deluge of spores rains down upon the monstrous entity.

A potent sense of vertigo grips me, attempting to rise but succumbing as my world blurred once more, forcing me back to the ground. Nausea surged through me, leading to an involuntary expulsion of bile and remnants of my meal onto the ground. Overwhelmed by the sensory overload, I shut my eye tightly. My mind teetered on the brink of collapse until, unexpectedly, a brief moment of clarity emerged, envisioning Brandon being viciously sliced in half by the creature.

“Brandon! Dodge to the left, now!” I roared as I opened my eyes to see what happened next. A shiver ran down my spine

Wait…

I blinked and touched my face, realizing the eyepatch was missing and my eye was fully restored. Suddenly, it felt like a floodgate had opened in my mind, and a rush of memories inundated me. Memories of being born into affluence, living a pampered yet educated life, and rebelling against my parents to become a trainer instead of following the family tradition of breeding Pokémon.

These memories are both unfamiliar and strangely familiar. I'm bewildered by this inexplicable fusion of experiences that feel foreign yet resonate with a sense of belonging. What could be causing this unsettling convergence of memories?

Brandon jumps to the left as the fusion Pokémon cuts through where he once stood, his Bastiodon charging once more towards it as his Shiinotic waddles to a safer distance.

A fresh wave of nausea strikes as the creature fractures into numerous blurs, each darting in disparate directions and angles. Overwhelmed by the disorienting sight, I vomit once more onto the forest floor. I shut my eyes tightly, letting out a groan, pleading for the overwhelming chaos to cease. Amidst this distress, something begins to infiltrate the deeper recesses of my consciousness, unveiling previously locked-away revelations buried within.

Amidst the cacophony of battle around me, Meredith joins the fray with her Surskit. Yet, my mind screams in agony, feeling as though it's being torn apart like cheese grated against a sharp surface. The intense sensation ravages my senses, causing unimaginable pain amidst the chaos of the ongoing fight.

The influx of memories floods into my consciousness once more, unveiling a different life. In these recollections, I am an orphan, a victim of the conflict between Unova and Kanto. In this alternate reality, my heart brims with unfathomable rage and animosity towards the Unovans, culminating in my recruitment under Lysander, driven by a deep-seated loathing for their ideals.

Following swiftly, another set of memories, flashing quicker in their transference: a child lost at sea, discovered and taken under Lysander's wing. Then, a darker narrative emerges, one where Lysander kidnaps and indoctrinates me into his cause. These conflicting and rapid sequences of memories depict divergent paths, leaving me bewildered and disoriented, questioning the very essence of my own identity.

Something soft and small lands on my head chittering at me frantically as the sounds of the fight get closer and closer.

I witnessed a world consumed by flames, everything ablaze in chaos. People screamed in terror as even the air itself ignited. A searing heat enveloped me, igniting my skin and causing an unbearable internal heat. The sensation was agonizing, feeling as if my brain melted within my skull, and my eyes felt the pressure like grapes in a microwave.

Reality and nightmare blurred, leaving me unable to distinguish between them. The torment was overwhelming as I screamed in agony. Collapsing to the ground, my body convulsed uncontrollably until everything faded into darkness. The final echo in my ears was a faint, desperate call for Champ, uttered by a tiny, squeaky voice.

In the darkness, my eyes opened to a void, my feet firmly grounded on something solid yet unseen.

Then, the voices emerged.

"My name is Abel..."

"My name is Cain..."

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"My name is Gwen..."

A chorus of voices resonated, each one echoing our respective names in unison, within the void. They were not just theirs but mine, too—our identities intertwined in a strange unity. I struggled to comprehend this inexplicable connection that surpassed the confines of reality. Somehow, I had reached a point where I converged with my other selves, free from the chains that once bound me. In this moment, a profound realization washed over me—I could feel the essence of who I am, who we all truly are, unified and indivisible.

We are all joined together in one singular purpose - the death of Lysander and the destruction of Team Rocket. Memories of his atrocities and the damage he has done to us burns in the center of our souls.

Unified in one singular purpose, we are bound by the shared goal of ending Lysander's reign and dismantling Team Rocket. Memories of his heinous deeds and the scars he inflicted burn at the core of our collective being.

I had forgotten our steadfast resolve, but that's no longer the case. This world cannot endure his presence any longer, and I am determined to ensure his downfall.

"For vengeance..."

"For justice..."

"For freedom..."

"For the innocent..."

My eyes snap open, and I swiftly roll to the side, instinctively assuming a crouched position, a foreboding intuition urging me to act.

In a split second, a fiery clawed fist crashes down where my head narrowly escaped moments before. Suddenly, my memories flood back, and the full recollection of everything returns to me.

Still gripping the blade tightly, I survey the campground, and a pang of dismay courses through me. The scene before me is unsettling—the campground littered with gaping holes, felled trees, and frozen patches, a testament to the recent chaos and destruction.

I observe Meredith, who lies unconscious, bleeding from a graze on the side of her head, propped against one of the Repelian trees about forty feet to my right. Her Surskit lays atop her, some of its legs mangled and twisted at unnatural angles.

Shifting my focus to Brandon, I notice him and his Bastiodon frozen in place. Brandon holds a flare gun, aimed skyward, while his Bastiodon guards him in a protective stance. Nearby, his Shiinotic lies motionless, either deceased or unconscious, its form bisected, with a pool of green liquid seeping from its body.

The bioluminescent spore clouds emitted by Shiinotic linger in the air, providing the only source of illumination. The creature bellows in savage fury, redirecting its focus onto me. Its jaw extends akin to an Ekans as a white beam materializes, hurtling in my direction.

Reacting swiftly, I hurl myself for cover behind a nearby metal crate to the right, narrowly evading the ice beam's trajectory. Instantaneously, the surrounding air temperature plummets, becoming unbearably cold. Panic grips me as I realize that Beca and Champ are nowhere in sight.

The Rotom phone swoops down, reappearing from its mysterious whereabouts.

"Combat recordings dispatched to Oak Labs. Threat level assessment upgraded to S rank category. Notifying Prof Oak. Reinforcements en route. Estimated arrival: two minutes."

"Great," I muttered sarcastically, contemplating the impending challenge of holding out for what seemed like an eternity.

Suddenly, a high-pitched whine pierced the air, followed by a deep, resonating hum, signaling imminent danger. Reacting swiftly, I darted from cover, swiftly veering left just as a powerful, concentrated whoosh erupted behind me. The campgrounds lit up in vibrant hues from the distinct colors of the hyper beam.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”I gasped for breath, zigzagging desperately into the trees lining the clearing's perimeter. The relentless beam pursued me, disintegrating trees into ash as I sprinted onward. Finally, the beam ceased, allowing me to take cover behind a sizable tree. With heavy breaths, I cautiously peeked around the trunk and witnessed the monstrous creature, panting and recovering from the immense energy it had unleashed.

As I looked on, Champ descended from above, his fist ablaze like a miniature sun. He delivered a resounding strike to the creature's head, emitting a sharp "crack" upon impact before being swiftly pulled up by Beca's silk string, resembling a bungee cord in action.

The Pokémon bellowed in agony as a segment of its forehead's crescent design shattered, accompanied by the fracturing of the chitinous covering on its face. The falling pieces revealed a soft white countenance underneath. Infused with a light blue aura, the creature dug its claws into the tree where Champ had sought refuge, wrenching it upwards.

"Beca! Swing yourself and Champ over here to me! Follow the sound of my voice!" I yelled out desperately, as the creature tore a ten-foot-tall tree from the ground, swinging it like a baseball bat at another tree. Just before the trees collided and splintered, Beca swiftly swung out with Champ clinging to her, landing on my side.

Beca screeches in delight upon spotting me and clambers up to my head, while Champ grins and gives me a thumbs up.

"It's good to see you both alive and well too. Now, let's aim to survive until backup arrives. That thing seems to have some kind of armored layer on top. Champ, I need you to take the offensive so start bulking up passively. Strike whenever possible while Beca and I distract it.”

They both nod in agreement as Champ runs off, a faint orange glow the last I see before he disappears into the cover of the trees.

“Alright, Beca. It's just you and me now. Let's do this.”

She released a war cry in the form of a cute little trilling noise. It might not have been menacing, but it brought a brief chuckle, offering a moment of respite to calm my nerves. Despite my fear, a cascade of perplexing memories flooded in, glimpses of other versions of myself that I couldn't comprehend. Amidst the terror induced by this monstrous fusion, there was an odd, misplaced sense of confidence—a belief that somehow, we would be okay.

I focused on the immediate situation, pushing back thoughts of everything else for later. My attention honed in on the creature cutting a path through more trees, scattering the blue berries of the Repelian tree everywhere. Their eerie blue glow cast an otherworldly light on its black chitinous armor. Wondering why it was plowing through the trees in such a manner, curiosity mixed with concern.

The dance it performed was haunting, the faint light on its body rendering it akin to a wrathful dancing wraith, gathering speed and power with each move in its sequence. As its body took on a violet aura, it ruthlessly felled one last tree, hurtling toward our position in a blur of tremendous speed.

In a moment of realization, I recognized that it had been charging up with a Dragon Dance. As Beca unleashed layer upon layer of string shots to impede its movement, I swiftly dove to the right, narrowly avoiding an outstretched clawed hand. The ground sizzled where it sped through, leaving a trail of intense heat as it skidded to a halt, now facing my direction. The crack in its face widened, revealing a grotesque, misshapen visage—a distorted cross between wax and muscle.

It was a truly intimidating sight to behold as I frantically moved away from it until I bumped into a tree behind me. I couldn't feel Beca sitting on my head, meaning she must have been flung off by the jump. I raised up my knife just in time to block an incoming swing from the creature. The raw force and speed of the blow forced it to fly out of my hand and clatter several feet away from me. In one quick motion the creature grabbed me by the throat and lifted me up, forcing the bark of the tree to dig into my back as it held me up.

It opened its maw, the sound of its jaw dislocating sending shivers down my spine. I could see row upon row of six inch serrated fangs that were a pristine white.

Well, I guess this is how it ends.

A deafening screech echoed through the air as Beca propelled herself into the exposed side of the creature's face with astonishing speed. A sickening crunch and subsequent chomping noises resonated, accompanied by a spray of blood from the wounded area. In the chaos, I tumbled to the ground as the creature released its grip on me, unleashing an agonized cry of pain.

Desperately, the monstrous fusion thrashed about, attempting to dislodge Beca from its face, its movements wild and frenzied in the grip of excruciating agony.

Gasping for air, a warm sensation trickled down my back as I clawed my way towards the knife. As I rose to my feet, a harrowing sight met my eyes—Beca was forcibly torn from the creature's bloodied and mangled face, hurtling into a tree with a sickening thud.

"Beca!" I roared in anguish, discarding all thoughts of self-preservation and sprinting towards the monster, consumed by the fear for her safety. It pivoted to confront me, an eye missing from the ravaged side of its face, while white ichor oozed down the remains of its shattered black armor. Its expression seemed to contort into a twisted semblance of a smile as it readied its scythe, poised to cleave me in half.

Thinking swiftly in the heat of the moment, I clutched an empty pokeball from my belt, activating its primer and auto-aim mechanisms. With all my hopes pinned on this impulsive maneuver, I hurled the ball through the air, simultaneously charging forward with my knife poised for action.

To my dismay, a barrier materialized, preventing the ball from reaching the fusion Pokémon. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach—I realized it had a trainer. My heart sank at the realization that this monstrous fusion was under the control of an opposing trainer, and the odds of the battle suddenly skewed against me.

The intensity of the moment was overwhelming as I attempted to halt my movement, but the momentum propelled me forward in an uncontrolled skid. A twisted grin spread across the creature's face, and an eerie, insect-like crackle seemed to emanate from it as it swung its scythe-like appendage downward.

A ghastly scene unfolded—the air filled with the spray of blood, accompanied by a piercing cry of agony echoing through the forest. Just as the blade descended, something shoved me aside, and I caught sight of Champ positioned in front of me. His left arm fell to the ground, severed in the brutal attack.

I scream in frustration and fear as he collapses to the ground, blood flowing freely from his stump. I pull him close as the predatory monster cries out triumphantly closing in to finish the job.

Abruptly, the forest is bathed in brilliant sunlight as a comet hurtles down, crashing into the creature with immense force, propelling it back by forty feet. A powerful gust of wind swirls around us, accompanied by the roaring sound of a jetstream that fills my ears.

In a sudden flash of light, an Alakazam materializes beside us, swiftly stemming the flow of bleeding from Champ's stump using one of its spoons. Simultaneously, the Alakazam teleports in a man in his thirties. He's clad in a blue lab coat, sports spiky brown hair, a five o'clock shadow adorning his face, and wears a wicked grin as he appears alongside the Alakazam.

“Looks like we made it on time to save my new sponsee, Rick. Now, let's get this show on the road.”