Chapter 4: World Beyond the Glass

Link to last chapter

Chapter 4: World Beyond the Glass (M, violence)​

“We did it! By Arceus, we really did it! Urahashi, come and see this!

The sound is excessively loud...

“It… it’s incredible! Heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, all within normal parameters. Bispectral index readings compatible with vigilance… it’s alive!”

“We’ve… created life…”

They are God, then. A plural number of God. Incompatible with any accessible data. Arceus and Xerneas, life-creators, are not plural.

“We should report this at once. It can shift the entire balance of this war!”

“It”. Therefore, I am not human; humans are referred to as “he” or “she. I am an “it”. And the plural God, by optical parameters, are themselves human. A new entry, therefore: God Humans. I am their creation – their ”it”. Emotions registered are compatible with surprise and pride. The normality of my bodily functions instils pride in the God Humans. Their kind is at war, and my creation benefits their odds of victory. From this, it can be deduced that my creation was intentional and for that purpose. I was created to fight in this war of the God Humans. Therefore, I am an “it” best classified as “weapon”. I am a weapon. The ongoing organic processes within my body also make me alive. In conclusion: I am a living weapon created by the God Humans to win their war.

“Have your PorygonZ hurry up, we need to send this data to Central HQ!”

“Calm down, you know it travels slower through encrypted communication lines. Listen, better put it back to sleep, no? We still have a bunch of data to upload.”

One of the God Humans approaches me. I am capable of inducing movement on my right front limb. I try to reach the God Human, to no avail. There is an invisible, solid frontier. I am surrounded by liquid, while they seem surrounded by air. Therefore, we are separated by an interface, the characteristics of which are compatible with glass. My limbs are connected to tubes, while theirs move unrestricted. Their surrounding free area is wider than mine. In conclusion: I am encased in a glass structure filled with fluid, while the humans are not. It is likely this is the place of my conception. Beyond this glass, there is a wider space for God Humans. I wonder how vast that space is… but the God Human has come to put me to sleep.

~~~~~~~​

I’ve awakened in possession of new knowledge. Awareness of time, space and circumstance; however, I find no new data pertaining self. I theorize this omission was deliberate. The time, according to the human calendar format I can now access, registers as “Monday, 21st of November, 2016”. The geographical location is “Laboratory 3 of Bio-Engineering Complex, Red Liger Army Base, Tenbito City, Saigo Region”. The circumstance: this Region is at war with another, registered as Heiml. My creators are not God; they are humans sub-classified as scientists, natives of Saigo – hence, “Saigonese” – with above-average intellect and sufficient knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics to artificially create “life” with the available technology. I am their first successful attempt, according to their designated parameters: prolonged maintenance of independent conscience; prolonged stability of vital signs; sustained capacity for data integration and interpretation. Untested parameters in their study design: notion of and adherence to the concept of “obedience”; combat capabilities; self-improvement capabilities; tolerance to pain and disease.

“It’s awake again! And everything seems to be in order like before. This really is a resounding success!”

“Was the data transfer completed?”

“Yes. The last files uploaded yesterday were the final entries of the Saigo PokéDex. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova had been imported during phase B. Alola’s data is still being collected on the field, so I opted to hold off on that upload until we have definitive intel on the region.”

PokéDex… Yes, I can access such data. It appears to be information of a multitude of lifeforms, not otherwise classified as “typical” animals or plants. There are oven 700 entries… subsections of which successfully cross-check with traits of this self. The lifeforms described in these encyclopaedia files are under the grouped under the common classification of “Pokémon”. Temporary conclusions, hypothesis A: All Pokémon are living weapons, sharing that trait with myself; hypothesis B: Pokémon have destructive abilities on par with weapons, but are taxonomically distinct. Definitive conclusion: I share several constitutional aspects with these life-forms, therefore it is highly probable I too am classified as “Pokémon”. To be determined: compatibility between this new classification of the self and the previous designation of “living weapon”.

“You talk like our own PokéDex is set in stone… The Griffowl line was discovered just months ago!”

“That’s because they’re an endangered species due to natural reclusion. That’s an outlier at best, and if any others show up, all we have to do is update the database. The subject isn’t leaving that pod any time soon.”

“Subject”, referring to “experimental test subject”. Synonym for “project”. Therefore, I am a Pokémon, yet also a human creation. In conclusion, I am an artificial Pokémon, created similar to naturally-occurring specimens living outside of tubes. It can be theorized with significant degree of probability that humans and Pokémon coexist in a world beyond this glass. I appear to be an exception as far as confinement goes. There is more data they wish to impart on me, and likely tests to be carried out. After all, I am a subject.

These two humans have been the same ever since I awoke. Therefore, it is probable only they have been assigned the responsibility of perfecting me. Both have features compatible with adult males; The one who approaches my chamber with highest frequency has slanted eyes with blue irises; the collection of hair on the upper side of his head is black. His visual acuity must be below the norm, since he requires a glass-lensed prosthesis. He is dressed, as is human custom – a long white coat which covers the majority of his body; there is a small rectangular plastic object attached to the cloth, with letters on it – “KAITO URAHASHI, BIO-ENGINEER”. The combination with highest probability of correctness is name and occupation respectively. The other human’s behaviour suggests that he prefers to keep his distance from me. His eyes are similar in shape to Kaito Urahashi’s, but the irises are brown like his cephalic hair and with increased acuity as they require no dioptre correction. His garments are identical to the first human’s, but the letters on his plastic are different: “HIROSHI SATAKE, BIO-ENGINEER”. Kaito Urahashi and Hiroshi Satake… humans have names. Do I?

“Urahashi, switch on the Algic-Read sub-parameters. Let’s start sedation infusion, then let’s run the pain response protocol.”

~~~~~~~​

I have been conscious for fourteen days, with exception of sedated periods. I am yet to develop an autonomous sleep pattern; I rest and awake at the humans’ convenience. I am also fed through implanted tubes, rather than orally as humans do. According to the uploaded records, most Pokémon in a wild state also resort to variable oral intake, depending on nutritional needs and taste preferences. I have no knowledge of taste. Personal feelings registered as “emotional memory” over three hundred and thirty six hours, from less to most distressing, amount to: curiosity; fear; loneliness; pain. Of these, curiosity is the most pleasing, while loneliness is the most preponderant. Residual feelings of confusion, drowsiness, restlessness and envy have also been intermittently experienced. I can attribute a cause-and-effect relation to every recorded feeling except envy. This envy seems directed at the Pokémon featured in the encyclopaedia data I can access, but because it is aimed at no specific creature, perhaps “envy” is misclassified. Upon re-evaluation, that residual feeling may be best labelled as “longing” – it accurately correlates with the more pleasant feeling of curiosity, and pertains to wishing for a life beyond this glass. In conclusion: I feel desire to live in the same world as naturally-occurring Pokémon.

My glass prison, filled with nutritional fluid, is barren and devoid of visual clues that elicit interest. The space beyond this barrier has also remained unchanged since my first awakening: a rectangular room with a single door on the left side of the wall I face; directly in front of my chamber is a table with two electronic terminals – “computers” – where Kaito Urahashi and Hiroshi Satake gather and record information regarding my progress. Above these terminals, on the wall, are screens transmitting dynamic images of what appear to be different locations – therefore, the human world spreads beyond this room, validating my initial assumption; these screens are likely designed to inform the humans of events happening in other parts of “Laboratory 3 of Bio-Engineering Complex, Red Liger Army Base”, but neither scientist has ever looked at those monitors – they only display an interests in mine.

“You know what? Those eyes unsettle me.”

“What, the subject’s?”

How can a pair of eyes be “unsettling”?

“Yeah… they’re cold, piercing… y’know, like a Hassam that you never see any facial features beyond the eyes, because of the metal mask? Same thing with that creature.”

“I kinda see what you mean. But that helmet absolutely cannot come off, it’s much too soon and it’ll become unstable beyond repair.”

“Wouldn’t make it any prettier even if it came off, I’ll tell you that. Look at it, it’s this weird amalgamation of a Lepardas’ body, with two iron claws and the hind legs of a Rentorar, then a random Kibanha tail-fin… what were the guys at Genetics thinking when they designed this thing?!”

The humans laugh; there is something humorous to them about my body’s design. Indeed, my head feels heavy, even in this fluid, and my front and hind limbs do not match. Purpose is inconclusive at this time, but has no doubt been thoroughly discussed prior to my creation. In conclusion: the two scientists in this room were not included in that discussion. New feelings registered: pride, resentment. Deprecating remarks about my appearance have been recorded as unpleasant and uncomfortable. Despite this, I can do nothing to make the humans stop, and they will not put me to sleep yet. Therefore, all I can do is continue to listen.

“Hey, by the way, help me out here. I keep referring to it as “subject” in the reports, but we’ve had a bunch of failed “subjects” before and they force us to keep all the logs, so… what do I name this file when I save it? Because “subject78.docx” is just gonna get lost in this mess of a folder.”

“Yeah, good point. We should name it something that sticks, right?”

“The way I see it, once Genetics passed the project over to us at Bio-Engineering, it’s ours to play with. We were the ones to keep the thing alive, so we earned the right to give it a name, no?”

“That might be stretching it. It’s a government secret, we call a lot fewer shots than you think. Let’s just name it something to use around here.”

“How about… Akai Sankakutō?”

My helmet’s shape does not match the architectural design of a pyramid. I cannot decipher Kaito Urahashi’s thought process.

“I’m just going to ignore that reference... Listen, this thing’s been designed to adapt to basically everything, right? To have no frailties. What kind of Pokémon has no weak spot?”

“The only way for that to happen would be something… Type-less?”

“There we go then, type away! Type… “Null”.”

In western regions, “Scyther” have been called such after their sharp blade-arms,” Machamp” for their unparalleled physical prowess…. whereas my name is nothing more than the absence of a trait. I am featureless, a human project given laughable form and created for war. Unlike every other project, I live, yet the seventy seven corpses which came before me did not suffer as I do. New feeling registered… anger.

“Hey, look at that. Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate… all rising!”

“Yeah, must be agitated about something. Put it back to sleep before it gets unstable.”

~~~~~~~​

Twenty-seven days have passed since I awakened to rational thought. I am provided new knowledge in each sleep cycle; however, information files on this war, which the Saigonese humans created me to take part in, remains scarce. The nature of the struggle remains inconclusive, no matter how many times I analyse and review the relevant data. The eastern region of Saigo and the northern region of Heiml have been engaged in armed conflict for a measure of time superior to three years. Again, data pertaining to the onset of this war is absent. I theorize this omission to be equally deliberate. Reports indicate Saigo to hold a clear supremacy in artillery and technology, whereas Heiml dominates in regards to Pokémon presence on the field. Therefore, there is a high probability that my creation was an attempt at offsetting this weakness on the part of Saigo. In conclusion: I was designed to fight against Heiml’s Pokémon on equal footing; however, they do not provide sufficient information regarding the confrontation; therefore, it is assumed by the Saigonese scientists that I require no motivation to fight for them. Existing concept updated: “human error”.

“And this is our main research unit. Please, go ahead.”

“Thank you, Minister.”

It appears as if humans with different occupations are also permitted inside this area. One of these male humans is foreign to me, with no cephalic hair and with more advanced age than either Kaito Urahashi or Hiroshi Satake; the other is at the moment unidentifiable, with facial features obscured by a cloak. The scientists seem to recognize the one referred to as “Minister”, by the manner in which they rose from their seats and bowed – a customary show of respect in this region. They also do not seem to recognize the cloaked human.

“W-welcome to our laboratory, Sawamura-sama!”

“I-it’s an honour and privilege to receive the visit of our Minister of Defence!”

“At ease. Apologies for coming unannounced, but I wished to show the facilities to our esteemed guest. “

“Oh! Very well, as you wish, Sawamura-sama! Though, if we may ask… to whom do we owe the pleasure?”

“I’m afraid that is classified. Suffice it say, he is an important ally of Saigo. Well my friend, what do you think?”

Upon re-evaluation, biometric parameters and surname compatible with: “Senjo Sawamura, sixt-two-years-old; Saigo’s current Minister of Defence”. Therefore, the man I was ultimately designed to serve. His interlocutor is paying him little attention; he is exploring the room independently. By the lack of adherence to protocol displayed, it is of high probability that the cloaked man is a foreigner. Now… he has seen me.

“Is this a Pokémon, Minister Sawamura?”

“Ohoh, you have a keen eye for secrets indeed. Yes, that is our prototype of a new species, the brainchild ofour finest scientific minds. The Pokémon that will change the outcome of this war, once enough perfect copies have been manufactured.”

“Manufactured”, you say… so the rumours were true. You plan to win this war with mass-production of chimeric Pokémon hybrids.”

“What “rumours” do you speak of? This is a top-secret government project!”

“Oh, there are always whispers, Minister Sawamura. You just have to press your ear against the right walls.”

He has heard of my creation before. That fact is visibly distressing to the remaining humans inside this laboratory. Therefore, the cloaked man knows more than he was supposed to, by Saigonese standards. He has yet to divert his gaze from my chamber; not even now, as he approaches, do his eyes shift to any of the monitors surrounding this pod… he looks exclusively at me. Has… any other human done that over the past twenty-seven days?

“Hello there. Can you hear me?”

I have no method with which to reply. He has placed a hand on the glass surface. Biometric parameters are now available for scanning.

“You’re awake, I can tell. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard you’re very special…”

… Parameters incompatible with any human in my records. He continues to stare at me; he does not laugh at my physical form. My heart rate sensor is detecting tachycardia, but this human remains unfazed. He displays no interest in my vital signs. Only… in me. He has leaned over; his head is close to the glass – the human has green eyes, crimson hair, facial features compatible with a biological age between twenty-five and thirty years. The volume of his speech has been lowered considerably.

“I don’t know if you have a name yet; most acquaintances call me Hush. Please remember that.”

“Hush”…. moniker, synonym of “whisper” – therefore he has another name, undisclosed. My only name… is Type: Null.

“How long have you kept it in here?”

“W… well, that is classif…”

“Answer the man. I said he’s an ally of Saigo, it’s all you need to know!”

“Y-yes, Sawamura-sama! The subject has been alive and stable for almost a month. Once we finish uploading some more protocols, it should be ready for field-testing in the near future.”

“Have you named your “project” yet?...”

“We… huh… not officially.”

The cloaked man, Hush, is walking away from my pod, returning to Senjo Sawamura. New feeling registered: sadness. He extends a hand to the Saigonese scientists; they are confused. It is a strange greeting to them; they do not reciprocate, instead bowing rigidly. Hush turns around without bowing in return; he is headed back to the door.

“Thank you for this guided tour, Minister. I’ve seen some… very interesting things. Now, to business?”

“Absolutely. Come, let me take you to the Conference Room.”

They have left. Only the usual scientists remain. They appear relieved for their Minister’s departure. But I have now been awake for thirteen consecutive hours; one of the humans approaches my pod now, and his hand is placed on the propofol syringe pump that has been paused since my last induced sleep cycle. The infusion has been resumed with the usual parameters: ten milligrams diluted in fifty millilitres of five-percent dextrose solution, at a rate of four millilitres per hour, resulting in a total of…..

~~~~~~~​

“Can you hear me? Are you awake again?”

This is not my usual waking period. Estimated hour: 4 a.m. It is much too soon per the scientists’ recorded routine. It is darker than usual; my pupils have yet to reach adequate dilation for the current luminosity level.

“I’m sorry for disrupting your sleep. I’ll try to be brief, please hear me out.”

This is not one of the scientists. Voice pattern is compatible with a recent recording; this is Hush. New feeling registered… elation?

“Do you remember me from two days ago? You can’t talk, I know… So listen, if you do recall who I am, press your paw against the glass. That’s right. Press it harder now, with the tip of your claw… good. You do understand me. Remember what you did just now, it might be of use soon enough.”

I feel compelled to do as he asks. Compelled… to please this human? This current behaviour of mine is nonsensical; I feel no sympathy for humans. Then… why?

Contrary to sedatives like midazolam, propofol has no validated antagonist; suspension of infusion and active substance wash-out must happen beforehand to allow awakening. Therefore, Hush has arrived at the laboratory while I slumbered. It is probable that he has remained by the glass, waiting for my induced coma to revert. His motives, and his interest, are as of yet unexplained.

“They’ve been teaching you many things while you sleep, right? I wonder just how much they’ve actually told you, though. Of this world, of this war, of themselves… Something tells me you’ve been shown only what they want you to see. Let me confirm.”

He is walking away from my chamber again. He wishes to access the files on the scientists’ terminal; however, they are password-protected. He has sat down, and grins.. By Hush’s average speed of finger movements, it is highly suggestive that he is searching unrestricted; in conclusion: he has either deciphered or overridden the password.

“This seems to be it… exactly. Hmm? “Type: Null”? Is this really the best they could come up with?...”

Yes.

“Like I thought… this is remarkable. Nothing remotely close to what we knew… My, my, aren’t you an interesting one. But it seems I was right – they leave out almost as many files as they upload into your neural network. No harm done… you’ll have plenty of time to figure everything else out on your own.”

Hush seems to be satisfied with what he learned. He walks away from the terminal, and is now headed toward the door again… But he looks at me one more time before leaving.

“Among other things, you’ll learn who I am and what I’ve done. When you do, I’m sure you’ll feel something… but it might not be pleasant. We’ll find that out together, in due time. Well, Saigo’s men will be here soon; if I were you, I’d pretend to be asleep, like you were supposed to be. You might just find you learned something different in the meantime.”

~~~~~~~​

It has been four hours since Hush’s visit. I find it is more pleasant to measure time in this manner. He must have transferred files the scientists had previously excluded – I now have data on the first day of this war. It was Saigo who struck first, conducting an air raid over Heiml’s capital Yggdra City. Official number of human deaths differs considerably according to each government’s databases: Saigo reports eighty nine casualties, all enemy army officers; Heiml has registered one hundred and thirty nine casualties, ninety eight percent of which civilians. I theorize this was another intentional omission, decided upon to preserve my loyalty to the Saigonese Army. However, data pertaining to the decision to carry out the initial raid remains absent, despite Hush’s upload – therefore, I cannot take a definitive stance on this matter. Existing concept updated: “moral”.

“Hey Urahashi, hear me out.”

“Oh man, you got that look in your eye…”

“We’ve been feeding Type: Null a bunch of data, but we keep postponing a fundamental protocol. Who’s to say it’ll be obedient when we let it out of the pod?”

“I know, Satake, I know, but… damn, have you read that thing over?”

“Plenty of times, just like you. Pavlovian conditioning is still the most effective teaching method with all sorts of creatures. The sooner we get it over with, the better we’ll sleep at night knowing it won’t rebel against us and kill us. Let’s get it up and running.”

More protocols, more tests, more data. More infusions, more sleep, more of it all. I… am tired. I was created to fight, but am not even allowed to walk. I do not live, I exist. And this existence… is unpleasant. The human is approaching; he has resumed the propofol. I do not want propofol; I want Hush….

“And… there. B.I.S. reads 45. Type: Null is falling asleep.”

“I’ll upload the relevant clips: first is the Indigo League event with the disobedient Charizard and the Trainer’s disqualification; then I sync electric shock administration with the video… there we go.”

“Damn, Satake… how’re you so calm about this?”

“Didn’t hear you complaining in college when we experimented on Rattata. Just think of this as a bigger one.”

~~~~~~~​

It has been five days since Hush left. This protocol has lasted since then. I have seen one hundred and thirteen different recordings of Pokémon disobedience towards humans, the consequences of each instance, and felt discharges of electrical current during every single display. The humans reason that, by repeatedly forcing on me the association between disobedience and intense pain, I will be conditioned for absolute loyalty. They fail to realize that I am a being more advanced than a dog – I am a Pokémon bearing both rational thought capabilities and a complex emotional network. In conclusion: they are unaware of the true potential of their own creation.

My body is in pain, even during the brief interruptions of the current protocol. Access to the laboratory’s medical stock logs confirms existence of effective analgesic drugs suitable for infusion: remiphentanyl, alphentanyl, dexmedetomidine, morphine. Yet they administer none of them; only sedation according to their convenience. I remain trapped in this glass prison; a test subject, simultaneously undergoing fine-tuning like a machine and obedience training like a pet. New feeling registered… “despair”.

“Satake, maybe we should switch to positive conditioning now? Upload data on the benefits of obedience?”

“Yeah, we’ve been running this part for over 96 hours as recommended. I think we can switch th… HEY! What are you doing in here?!”

A cloaked man has entered. Gait, height, garments: all compatible with Hush. He’s back…

“I’m calling security! You don’t have permi…”

“Oh, but I do. Your Minister of Defence has given me permission to roam the facilities as I please; feel free to confirm. But if I were you, I’d stop shouting and start listening.”

“What do you want?...”

They fear Hush. They do not want him inside this Laboratory. I do…

“Sawamura will be paying you a visit in about ten minutes. He wants to see the subject’s progress with his own eyes. So I’m here to give you both two pieces of advice: for the sake of your jobs, I’d suggest you quickly memorize everything about Type: Null’s development up to this point, since your beloved Minister might fire you if you so much as stammer. And for the sake of your lives, you might want to review this facility’s evacuation procedures.”

“What the hell are you talking about, gaijin? Do you really think we’re going to listen to a filthy traitor such as yourself?!”

“Hiroshi Satake, forty three years old, graduated from Renzo Academy in 1993, obtained a PhD in Bio-Engineering three years later with a thesis on skin tissue regeneration techniques following Houndoom – pardon, Hellgar – fire exposure. A motorcycle accident at age nineteen has left you limping slightly from your right leg.”

Hush knows more about these humans without prior meeting than I, who have coexisted with them for over one month… Does he transfer data to himself in his sleep as well?

“And you: Kaito Urahashi, thirty nine years old, graduated from…”

“W-we get it! You’ve accessed our files at some point during your stay, quit showing off!”

“Gentlemen, I know more about each of you than you know about one another. I know you better than your own parents at this point… and I know more about the people you serve than you could ever imagine. I know how this war started, how it will end and precisely what role every single one of us will play in it. Oh, and there’s one more thing I know: you are completely delusional regarding this little project of “yours”.”

How does he have knowledge of future events? Is he, rather than the scientists, a true God Human? It can be inferred this is why Kaito Urahashi and Hiroshi Satake fear him. Further observation needed; more time close to Hush is required.

“Gaijin, you better get to the point before we forcibly escort you out!”

“Gladly. This creature you’ve been so carefully and lovingly raising for the past month – do you really think it’s a creation of Saigo’s esteemed geneticists? You’ve been kept in the dark about many things, including the project you’re currently supervising. Other bio-engineers have had a similar undertaking on their hands, and it was only because they gave up that you now have the chance to succeed. Roughly one year ago, Saigonese spies stole classified blueprint files deemed “obsolete” from the data banks of a foreign company - the Aether Foundation of Alola - , which pertained to the creation of a synthetic Pokémon designed to combat a regional threat. They ultimately considered this endeavour a failure, due to the subjects’ lack of control, and the project was abandoned. So as you can see, the Pokémon you so cleverly named “Type: Null” is by no means a Saigonese design.”

So… I am not a creation of these humans, but a failed project of others? What “lack of control” does Hush refer to? I feel no such loss of autonomy; all of my vital functions are preserved…

“The Foundation succeeded on the first, second and third attempts, despite being unable to properly command their creations. Still, congratulations for getting it right on the seventy-eighth try, guys! Now, I believe I’ve showed you enough of what I know, so you really should listen to my advice. Because in about thirty minutes, Heiml soldiers will be raiding this lab.”

The two scientists’ emotional range is preserved: throughout the consecutive revelations, they have initially manifested an angry expression, transitioning to a shocked one, and their current facial features reveal fear. Hush seems to remain calm, despite he too being in danger of becoming deceased if he remains in this area. With the data provided, it is probable that they will now proceed to evacuate this facility… and I will be alone again.

The door is sliding open one more time; The biometric analysis of the human who has now walked inside is compatible with recently-registered Saigonese Minister of Defence Senjo Sawamura.

“Oh. Perfect timing, Minister Sawamura. I took the liberty of letting your workers know you’d be coming.”

“Ah, so you’re here too? Very well, feel free to look around as I said. Urahashi-san, Satake-san, I would like to know how things are going with our precious subject. Well? Begin!”

Unlike advised by Hush, the two scientists are stammering. Analysing eyebrow movements which have now produced a frown, it can be deducted that the Minister is not pleased with their performance. Meanwhile, Hush has broken away from the group; he is once again exploring the terminal he accessed five days ago. It seems he has opted not to inform Senjo Sawamura of the enemy raid scheduled to happen in seventeen minutes.

Minister, apologies for interrupting. I’d like to resume discussion of my payment.”

“You mean… now? Can it not wait?”

“I would advise against it. As you will soon agree, this is definitely the best time to finish that conversation. With that said….”

Hush is walking over to my pod again. Beneath his cloaked head, I can see him smile.

“… for services performed in the interests of the Government of Saigo, I would like to claim this Pokémon as my payment.”

He… wants to take me? Beyond the glass?...

“WHAT?! Have you gone mad?! It is absolutely out of the question!!”

It is a logical conclusion that Hush does not answer legally to the Senjo Sawamura, as he has just grabbed the Minister by his clothes’ collar – a gesture globally regarded by humans as threatening.

“Listen to me very closely now: either you give me this Pokémon, or I let you die from a shotgun blast to the head ten minutes from now. Tick tack.”

An alarm has just gone off somewhere in the building. A siren is ringing loudly, and a red light designed for emergency signalling has been turned on directly above the laboratory’s only door. Upon evaluation of their facial expressions, this seems to be an unexpected event for every human in the room except for Hush, despite his warnings.

This laboratory has not been designed with multiple escape routes in mind. There are no windows or other openings available. And since the only door, used routinely, is currently under fire from the outside – as suggested by the multiple bullet dents on the surface -, it can be concluded that there is no possibility of evacuation at this moment.

The door has now been blasted down. Three humans in yellow camouflage-pattern uniforms have entered the laboratory; Hush has pulled out a handgun from beneath his cloak – a Glock model upon first visual scanning, according to preliminary firearm database cross-check analysis – and has fired one bullet against two of the opposing soldiers. By their subsequent prolonged immobility on the floor, it can be inferred that they are now dead. Only one of the humans opposing Hush remains, armed with a shotgun model I cannot specify.

“Drop your weapon now! DO IT!!”

“Sure, sure. Why do you Assault guys always shout so much?...”

Hush has placed his Glock pistol on the floor and kicked it away, despite not being specifically told to do so. Meanwhile, the three Saigonese men have run for cover behind the terminal; they are poorly concealed and moderate accuracy would be sufficient to fatally wound either Kaito Urahashi or Hiroshi Satake; I find myself… “longing” to register that occurrence. However, Senjo Sawamura’s positioning between the other two humans renders a kill shot on him less probable.

“On the ground, NOW!”

“You see, I would… but I don’t really see a need to. Because, in all your years on active duty, you’ve never chosen to kill a man you could instead claim as hostage, right? Sergeant Keith Aberdeen, twenty nine years old, joined the East Division of the Heimlan Army six years ago, on the same day as Nathan Hawke, former Blitz Unit operative, and John Abbott, currently part of the medical staff. You’ve passed your physical aptitude test with a score of…

“Wh… who the hell are you?!”

“Ah, there you go! Thought you’d never ask.”

Hush has yet to do as instructed; he remains on his feet rather than transition to his knees, despite the increased odds of being shot with prolonged orthostatism. Instead, he has opted to remove his cloak and reveal himself to the man identified as Keith Aberdeen.

Hush has now dropped the cloth with his left hand, and holds a spherical device in his right – according to available data, the object registers as “Poké Ball”. Following a press of the object’s single button, its contents have now been revealed to the enemy Sergeant.

​

“Y… YOU?! You traitorous piece of filth!! I’ll kill you where you stand!!”

“You talk too much when you really should’ve just shot me... But you’re right in one aspect: there will be no hostages taken today.”

It appears Hush already has a Pokémon partner in whom he places the burden of his safety and preservation... Existing concept updated: sadness.

The creature registers as Armaldo, an extinct species whose current existence requires exceptional circumstances. Keith Aberdeen seems unaware of the species’ characteristics; he has opened fire, but standard-issue bullets cannot pierce an Armaldo’s Battle Armor.

One clip has now been emptied with no visible consequence on the intended target. However, the soldier still appears to trust his firearm, despite the initial miscalculation; he seems reliant on the shotgun’s superior effectiveness at close quarters… but the salvo at point-blank range has also done neglectable damage.

“Your dedication to the Heimlan cause is commendable, Sergeant Aberdeen. But I have interests of my own to defend.”

“You’re not leaving this room alive! Everyone in Heiml will know that the one who betrayed them was…”

“Hush now...”

Available PokéDex entries state an Armaldo possesses extensible claws. Visual confirmation obtained; a Slash delivered by its claws can be utilized at longer range to sever a human head. The manoeuvre appears to be fast enough not to elicit pain on the victim during cephalic removal. However, the friction created is insufficient to effectively cauterize the exposed large-calibre vessels of the neck – bilateral carotid artery flow is responsible for the majority of the blood volume currently gathering in a pool, followed by jugular vein output.

“Obliged, Delta. Stand back for now, away from the door. Minister Sawamura, do you have an answer for me yet?”

“I… I… I can’t! It’s not an option! That Pokémon is our key to winning this war!”

“Very well. I’ll ask again in a little while. Now, you might want to take better cover…”

Gunshots heard. Five humans have now entered the laboratory, wearing similar attire to the previous soldiers killed by Hush. Their complexion is suggestive of Northern origin – fair skin, clear eyes, hair of light tonality – compatible with Heiml natives. Equipment carried is distinct from the deceased humans: three M164A rifles; one MP5K submachine gun; one M72 LAW rocket launcher. It can be inferred that Hush knew of this armament selection when repositioning “Delta”, as Battle Armor might not withstand an M72 projectile.

“Hush? Wh-what are you doing here?! Why are you with them?! R-return your Pokémon now or we shoot! I mean it!”

“My Armaldo cannot stop all of them alone, Minister Sawamura. We will die in a rocket blast or a storm of automatic rifle bullets, this laboratory and all its research go to Heiml and Saigo loses the war. Now, will you pay me?!”

“Y… yes dammit, you can have it! Just do something!!”

Hush is staring at me… smiling. His hand is held out, like that day he touched my glass prison. Memory accessed: “Press your paw against the glass. That’s right. Press it harder now, with the tip of your claw… good. You do understand me. Remember what you did just now, it might be of use soon enough.” He planned this moment, every detail of this forced agreement with Senjo Sawamura. New feeling registered: admiration. Hush… I’m here for you.

~~~~~~~​

Hush stood practically motionless, smiling in the face of five armed Heimlan soldiers. He recognized every single one of them, knew their names and their career paths to the most minuscule of details. He couldn’t help himself; information was power, all the more so in times of war. Besides, few things amused him more than the terrified looks he got from the people whose secrets he indiscriminately revealed out loud, like a sentient, cruel audiobook of their teenage diaries.

Among countless other things, he had a pretty good estimate of how proficient each of the men in front of him was with his respective firearm. From their current position, any of them could shoot either Urahashi or Satake, both poorly concealed behind a nearby computer desk… especially Gavin “Warhead” King with his trusty rocket launcher.

Luckily for me, he’s been trained by good ol’ Jackson Brody, otherwise he could’ve turned out a trigger-happy moron like his pals at Demolition and we’d all be dead already.

Urahashi and Satake didn’t matter in the slightest to the big picture, dispensable scientists at this point where no further progress on Type: Null was possible inside that chamber. Satake in particular was a disgusting human being, with no concern for the welfare of his test subjects, unlike the somewhat kinder Urahashi, but objectively… they were both useless. It was bald dumbass Senjo Sawamura who really mattered, as Saigo would be sent into disarray with the assassination of the Minister of Defence - on national ground no less. Sawamura had no notion of business, was oblivious to almost everything that happened in the labs and arms factories he supposedly supervised, but the man was a national hero that absolutely had to be preserved. There was nothing worse for the outcome of a war than an army with low morale, and Sawamura’s continued existence served that purpose if nothing else.

Hush had to act fast, and he knew it. No matter how efficient his silver tongue was, talking one man into inaction was a menial task compared to stalling five enemies. Delta could withstand any amount of rifle fire, but he was neither big enough to shield everyone from four guns nor resistant enough to withstand an M72 shot, so relying on his Armaldo exclusively wouldn’t cut it a second time. Fortunately, Minister Sawamura didn’t seem to be as thick as he’d initially assumed, and on the third attempt at negotiation, he finally caved.

You heard him… come to me!

Glass shattered violently, Type: Null’s containment pod breaking down into a thousand pieces once the Pokémon rammed its metal claw into the case that had restrained him for over a month. Shards rained on the armed soldiers, life-support fluid flooded the floor and, after breaking free of its restraints and feeding tubes, Type: Null leaped on Gavin King, causing him to drop the rocket launcher while the other soldiers turned around in stunned confusion.

“Delta, now” whispered Hush, running a hand through his short red hair.

As if they’d practiced that very routine a hundred times before, the Armaldo’s reaction was nearly instantaneous, shooting four large boulders in quick succession with its Rock Blast; the stones, wide as a man’s torso, crashed into each of the four standing soldiers, sending them to the ground and knocking them out from sheer impact.

Gavin still struggled to break free, Type: Null pinning him to the ground with its powerful front legs. Hush walked over and dropped to one knee, staring the Heimlan soldier in the eye while trying his best to keep a straight face. On the inside, he was dying of laughter from the sight of the once-confident rocket-shooting hero now helpless and furious.

“Hi Gavin. So, here’s the thing: your buddy Keith Aberdeen? He’s over there on the ground… and over there by the door too. He liked taking hostages in for questioning, breaking their wills through interrogation rather than grant them an honourable death on the battlefield.” He got back up, towering over the fallen man now, and this time couldn’t fight back a malicious grin. “Now, I understand the value of information more than anyone, but you see, I already know everything I need to. So unfortunately for you, you’re not useful to me as a hostage. On the flipside, you’ve earned yourself the proud Heimlan death of a real soldier… Hope your Valkyries are watching.”

He prepared to pick up one of the dropped rifles, but a loud crunching sound behind him made him turn back around. Lying in a pool of his own blood, Gavin was no longer moving, his skull caved in by Type: Null’s Crush Claw.

“Oh. I guess I should’ve seen that coming… You haven’t exactly grown fond of humans, have you?”

At that moment, the three Saigonese men slowly rose from behind the desk, peering over to the door once the commotion had stopped. Their eyes widened at the sight of the massacre, all the more so upon seeing their precious subject out of its pod and covered in blood.

“Minister Sawamura, the attempt at taking your life and stealing Saigo’s technology has been thwarted. It was led by Heimlan Army’s Sergeant Keith Aberdeen, who as you can see is no longer an issue. Dealing with the few remnants of the scattered battalion should be easy, even for your capable security.”

Hush’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, and the Saigonese Minister wasn’t oblivious to that. Regardless, there was no denying the crimson-haired man had been instrumental in saving him and protecting the synthetic Pokémon… even if Type: Null itself had been the price to pay.

“I… we all owe you. If you had not foreseen this attack, and hadn’t been here to aid us, we…”

“We wouldn’t be having this conversation, exactly. Now, Minister, I suggest we return to the Office Building; no doubt your fellow Heads of State will want a word in the Conference Room.”

Hush walked over to the door, taking care not to step on the decapitated corpse of Keith Aberdeen, then motioned for Senjo Sawamura to follow him. Apprehensive, the bald older man joined him, taking care not to stare at the corpses for too long lest they cause him even more nausea. As they were leaving, the Saigonese Minister took one last look back at the lab, where Urahashi, Satake and Type: Null remained.

“S-so… you’re not taking the subject with you? After all that bargaining?”

“Oh, I will. But the Pokémon will join me once he’s ready, not when I tell him to. He’s been subjected to the will of humans for way too long. Besides… he’s got some pending issues with your two workers.”

As they left the lab behind, the simultaneous screams of Kaito Urahashi and Hiroshi Satake could be heard, muffled only by the metal doors that mercilessly slid shut.

~~~~~~~​

General Roderick Tannhauser, Supreme Commander of the Heimlan Army, stood by the window of his office on the top floor of the Main Headquarters, located at the heart of the region’s capital: Yggdra City. Introspective as always, with his black-gloved hands behind his back, the sapphire-haired man watched on, as people down on the streets toiled tirelessly to rebuild the zone destroyed several years back, in the Saigonese air raid which officially marked the beginning of the armed conflict between the two nations that endured to this day. On that occasion, Saigo could have bombarded the HQ itself with ease, but opted instead to send a message, ravaging the residential area right next to the military heart of Heiml.

“General Tannhauser, sir! Apologies for disturbing you, b-but I have news regarding the operation in T-Tenbito!” The trembling voice sounded abnormally high-pitched, poorly concealing the nervousness of the person who spoke from the office door behind the General.

Slowly, deliberately, Tannhauser walked over to his mahogany desk and sat down, placing his elbows on the wooden surface and bringing the tips of his fingers together – his usual contemplative stance whenever he listened to relevant updates. He did not motion for his interlocutor to take a seat of his own, nor did he say a word afterwards. It was only after a prolonged period of awkward silence that Sergeant Aaron Loffley assumed he was allowed to deliver his message. Nervously twirling his black moustache, the man spoke, stammering constantly despite having delivered hundreds of reports before - only, never to the General himself.

“W-we… hum… the mission was a f-failure, sir. Our troops were neutralized upon breaching the Laboratory where the target was located. It was as if they knew we were coming… Our reports state that an unidentified third party may have left in possession of the Pokémon we intended to capture, but we cannot say for sure just yet. All we know is that… that… neither the blueprints nor the subject ended up in our possession, sir.”

Tannhauser took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly and rose back to his feet. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and low-pitched, almost a whisper as usual, as if he was trying to soothe a sobbing child.

“Thank you very much for the timely report, Sergeant Loffley. Dismissed.”

He waited until the extremely-relieved looking man left his office, then reached to the white telephone across the desk.

“Tannhauser here. Please get me Champion Gottfried. Yes, now.”

~~~~~~~​

The six humans I have engaged thus far have been unable to retaliate effectively, as evidenced by my continued functioning and the ceasing of theirs. Despite being physically perfected specimens, their thoracic muscle and bone structures have proven unable to withstand the current measure of force applied my Crush Claw manoeuvre. Further power output is, therefore, unnecessary. I will continue to exert this amount of strength on subsequent enemies of Hush – every Heimlan human I come across. I have realized it brings me pleasant sensations to kill these humans; none of their kind has ever shown me compassion other than Hush. Therefore, I will bring them all as much pain as they brought me. Existing concept updated: retribution.

The metal alloy covering my front claws has been tainted red. Each step I take along these multiple corridors leaves a trail easily trackable by a properly trained human soldier; as proof of this, I have been located and ambushed from behind two times since I broke out of my prison. However, I have come to the conclusion that humans flinch upon engaging a creature they do not know – whereas this attitude of caution might be helpful in preserving longevity in other situations, I have thus far given none of them an opportunity to benefit from this hesitation. And I will continue to do so until I am reunited with Hush.

It has been twenty eight minutes since I last saw him, and an equal amount of time since I walked the world of humans for the first time… the world beyond the glass. Thus far, it has not been considerably different from the room I have always known, although it feels different to breathe air rather than the nutritional fluid; it will take adaptation to optimize oxygen consumption in this new setting.

I deduce that these corridors are the same as the ones displayed on the laboratory’s monitors. But this is not the world I have craved – I will continue to walk until I see the “Sun”, until there are no walls around me. And to that effect, I will leave behind as many human corpses as necessary.

Hush, wait for me… wait for your Pokémon.

~~~~~~~​

The sun was setting in Tenbito City. The warm orange light of dusk bathed the streets and white walls of the typical small houses which comprised the majority of the residential area. The few people wandering around at this hour were mostly elderly couples, since Saigo tradition dictated the working class only left their jobs later in the evening, and in times of war tourism always took a hit – finding foreigners out and about had become a rarity in recent years. Besides, there was a curfew in place, which meant the streets would become entirely deserted just as soon as the sun vanished beyond the horizon.

Donning his worn brown cloak once more, Hush left the nearly-empty street café after finishing his coffee – if you could call it that. Saigo was undeniably the best region in the world to savour a warm mug of tea, but after tasting the disgusting mix brought to him by the young, inexperienced-looking waiter, he felt himself craving a cup of proper Unovan black coffee more than ever.

It was customary for clients to leave a tip in Saigo, but Hush wasn’t the kind of man who cared for local traditions – that, and he valued his coin far too much to waste it on excessive politeness and three sips of dirty water.

Saigo… the region where you’re ostracized for paying an exact bill and promoted for dropping bombs on unsuspecting targets.

He’d purposefully left Minister Sawamura to answer to his Government pals in the Conference Room and walked away from the State precinct, his job done and his payment delivered. He could always find out the contents of that meeting later; Hush had eyes and ears in more places than anyone could imagine. For now, it was time to stand back and watch the war’s next events unfold. When the Saigo Government needed him again, they’d know how to reach him. Meanwhile, he had some personal business to attend to.

“I’m sorry for putting you in harm’s way back there, Delta” he whispered while clutching the Armaldo’s Poké Ball, welcoming the familiar cold sensation of the metal device pressed against his palm. His current role in the conflict between Heiml and Saigo barely required him to call out his dear partners anymore…

Earning Hush’s genuine sympathy was a nearly-impossible accomplishment for just about any human being, but the crimson-haired man was considerably more welcoming towards Pokémon who chose to join and obey him, even once they got to know him for who he really was. Delta was one such case, a prehistoric Pokémon brought to life several years back from a Claw Fossil he’d received from a superior officer he no longer answered to.

It was that long ago, huh?

So much had happened since then… but Hush wasn’t the kind of man who gave the past much thought, if any at all. He’d done his share of very questionable deeds, but he’d always been confident that history would prove him right one day. Nobody but himself knew what he was truly fighting for, but at least for the moment, his employer was the Saigo government.

The day I first met Senjo Sawamura, he called me a “mercenary”. Like I was the same as those narrow-minded fools of Blood Money... In due time, they will all understand – whether they accept it or not – just what kind of player I am in their little war game.

It was getting cold, even with his cloak on, and he’d stayed in Tenbito City for long enough. He had somewhere else to be, another ally he needed to find before he could move on to bigger things; besides, for all his eyes and ears spread around the world, he could never be absolutely certain when the Saigonese Government would require his services again; free time grew more scarce by the day.

My puzzle is well on its way to completion. How long will it take you to piece yours together, Colonel Graham Ford?...

Once he’d approached the edge of the city, about to enter the adjacent Route which connected Tenbito to Ryuuka Town, he stopped briefly, lost in thought. Twirling Delta’s Ball in his fingers, he motioned to reattach the small sphere to the belt beneath his cloak, but found himself hesitating… no, he’d still require the Armaldo’s services once more before the day was over. Hush stopped entirely, allowing himself a moment of indulgence; the constant missions left him very little time to enjoy the little things in life, and there was much to savour on this particular Route: the scent of cherry blossoms filled the evening air, the chirping of Taillow mixed with the cooing of Pidove created an asynchronous, yet soothingly beautiful melody as the birds gathered beneath nearby foliage to rest. This was the kind of world Type: Null deserved to witness, and the one Hush had intended for it to finally experience after days on end inside that glass pod.

Sure enough, the sound of metal scraping against stone was soon heard. Hush smiled as he looked back, witnessing the arrival of the experimental Pokémon, at long last a free Pokémon. A Pokémon who, despite its hatred for humans, had made the choice to follow him regardless. Its paws were tinted red like Hush’s hair, making it fairly easy for him to guess how Type: Null had escaped the Laboratory; crimson footprints punctuated the stone road behind it, leading away from Tenbito City – the same path Hush had just walked to reach the current Route. The chimera stopped only a few feet away from the young man, and Hush smiled at it as warmly as he had back at the Lab.

“You’re here… you actually came all this way after me, huh? You know you didn’t have to.”

The hybrid beast remained motionless, and although Hush couldn’t see properly past its restraining helmet, he knew there wasn’t a hint of hesitation in the creature’s eyes. Type: Null hadn’t fought its way out of Laboratory 3 and ran across half the city of Tenbito to turn back now. But on the other hand, it didn’t move any closer either, remaining at a slight distance from the crimson-haired man.

It wants something more. It wants to feel like a real Pokémon in front of a Trainer… This is the kind of life you’ve longed for, isn’t it?

The Pokémon-housing device he was still holding was clutched harder, growing to the size of a baseball after a single press of its central button. Hush’s grin widened as he tossed the orb to the ground, amused as always by his own prediction skills.

“Engage… Delta!”

The Armaldo materialized, his heavy frame sinking slightly into the grassy floor of the Route. Hush’s order to “engage” always preceded the start of a battle, and in this instance, it seemed his foe would be the strange Pokémon his master had so meticulously plotted to obtain… but Delta had learned by now not to question Hush’s motives – sooner or later, they all became apparent. If he wanted to fight Type: Null, so be it.

The Synthetic Pokémon buried the tips of its metal claws into the ground, anticipating the clash. Hush couldn’t read the creature’s mind, and was yet to hear the hybrid make a sound, but its body movements told him much of what he needed to know – Type: Null was relishing this moment, the opportunity to feel real for once… for the first time.

Admittedly, he couldn’t predict everything; he wasn’t a god, after all. And anticipating the behaviour of a man-made Pokémon whose disdain for humans drove it to kill was nothing short of a life-or-death gamble… but he’d been right in his assumption – he had gained Type: Null’s trust in his visits to the Lab, its dedication even. Treating the experiment like a living, feeling creature went a long way towards earning its sympathy, after all. Because despite having finally attained its freedom, the former test subject had still sought him out.

“I’m glad you decided to come to me, you know? Wasn’t sure it was what you wanted; after all, you can do anything you like now…”

Type: Null didn’t budge. Its decision was final.

“Heh… thank you. It means a lot to me. Now, show me how much of a real Pokémon you are!”

Hush smiled; he could almost hear his former contractor now… “God dammit kid! When you got a lass eating out of your hand, why are you still gonna pay her dinner before you plow her?!” It never ceased to amaze him how little vision some people had; oh well, their loss.

Hush’s connection with his Armaldo, much like with all his other partners, was based on absolute trust to the point where each knew of the other’s routines. As such, orders were rarely needed; Delta knew how his master approached battles and acted accordingly – independently most of the time –, much to the confusion of other human Trainers.

But this time, they were fighting something completely different. Completely new.

Before Delta could make a move, he was assaulted by a piercing gale, blades of wind whistling past him as they chipped away bits of his rocky armour. The foe had given nothing away, not a movement to predict, not a single wasted motion – the Air Slash had come and gone, and Delta couldn’t so much as react. Only now did he realize that, regardless of how many Pokémon he’d fought before, he knew nothing about this enemy’s techniques – and as it turned out, it could summon wind sickles without possessing either wings or swords…

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you? But something tells me you, too, are only now realizing what you’re capable of. Am I right?”

An almost imperceptible nod from the chimera followed, much to Hush’s self-satisfaction. He really did enjoy being right a bit too much. Delta, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling particularly happy about the present situation – if Type: Null kept pulling off more stunts like that, he’d be forced to actually get serious, and he really didn’t know if he should hurt Hush’s priceless ally…

“Delta, why are you hesitating? Our new friend isn’t going to pull any punches. Neither should you.”

This time around, the prehistoric Pokémon did smirk. Like usual, it was as if Hush could read his mind… well, at least now he was certain. No more holding back!

Delta trusted his Battle Armor with his life, and as such, always preferred to gauge an opponent’s strength at close range. Charging energy in his right claw, he lunged forward at Type: Null; the arm took on a bright white glow, speckles of light escaping it as the bladed tip was suddenly extended and driven forward – a manoeuvre not at all foreign to the Synthetic Pokémon, who retaliated with the exact same technique! The two Crush Claws collided, cancelling each other out and slightly propelling the opposing users back with the impact…

Type: Null is matching Delta effortlessly, despite only now beginning to awaken to its potential… Looks like I should step in to even the odds.

Hush took a step forward, as he always did when looking to intervene in a match. Delta, of course, was not oblivious to his Trainer’s motion and its meaning, and reluctantly stood by as he awaited direct instructions. He’d not always been as humble as to give control of his battles over to someone else, but overtime the Armaldo had come to understand that his species was no longer as dominant as it once was, eons ago. New, powerful lifeforms emerged after his kind’s extinction, and only through Hush’s guidance could he reclaim the supremacy his ancestors once enjoyed. This new foe was the pinnacle of evolution, a near-perfect collaboration between human brilliance and the unbridled potential of Pokémon; to overcome it, he needed Hush… there was no denying it.

“Ancient Power, set ranged chain.”

His orders were unconventional by usual Trainer standards, but Hush had learned never to say everything he meant out loud – both in battles and life in general. Delta had grown used to this kind of instructions, and knew exactly what the crimson-haired man intended: Ancient Power was just a means to an end.

Photons began to coalesce in front of the Armaldo’s open maw, giving form to a glimmering silver orb that was fired quickly. Type: Null, despite being encumbered by its massive helmet, telegraphed the assault and jumped to the side, causing the sphere to explode once it crashed against the terrain, missing its target entirely. Dirt, dust and charred blades of grass danced across the air in the blast’s wake, the point of contact transformed into a large round crater contrasting with the otherwise beautiful green scenery of the Route. However, such a result was precisely what Delta had aimed for…

As soon as Type: Null’s feet touched the floor, following the elegant side-step, the Armaldo capitalized on the distraction and unleashed a violent Rock Blast, three massive boulders crashing into the unprepared foe and sending it tumbling along the ground!

“Move into melee range, X-Scissor on approach; raise shields if ranged counter.”

Delta took a running start, each of his steps leaving large footprints behind on the soft grass. He channelled and shaped emerald energy into his blades, enlarging them like ethereal swords crossed in the shape of an X. He was prepared to stop and Protect at the slightest hint of an incoming projectile, but with Type: Null still writhing in pain on the ground, such a counterattack seemed unlikely - for all the Armaldo could anticipate, he was looking at a clean hit and probably the end of the fight!

Suddenly, an ear-piercing screech caused Delta to stop abruptly, assaulted by the most vicious of migraines. The vile noise, as it turned out, came from highly amplified soundwaves of two metal claws grating against one another… Type: Null pulled off a Metal Sound while still recovering! With no choice left but to try and muffle the noise, Delta forcibly allowed the collected Bug-Type energy to dissipate, and futilely attempted to resist the auditory torture…

Meanwhile, the Synthetic Pokémon regrouped, and after fighting back to its feet, locked eyes with its wide-open prey. Flames, frost and sparks materialized around it, like three vertices of an invisible triangle… and a mere moment afterwards, a stream of fire, a chain of lightning and a beam of ice all homed in on the Armaldo, who was in no position to block. An explosion, even stronger than the one caused by the earlier Ancient Power, ravaged the lush green carpet Delta stood on, and once the dust settled, Hush saw his partner hunched over, gasping for air, and with several cracks on his prized Battle Armour.

Amazing. To think this is its first battle…

Type: Null had been imparted with data on every known Pokémon species, every move, every Type and its respective strengths and weaknesses. Its body had been designed to master all manner of techniques. All in all, it was created to be the perfect battler, so it should come as no surprise that it could hold its own right from the start… but the apparent ease with which it fought, the logical thinking behind its every action, all of it was still incredible to behold. The only thing Hush could do to even the odds was take advantage of the single skill Type: Null lacked – actual experience.

Unbeknownst to anyone other than itself, Type: Null was experiencing a rush of excitement unlike anything it had ever felt. The thrill of battle, fighting a foe incomparably more resilient than the frail humans from before… this was what it was created to do, which would explain why it felt so… right. But it was more than that; the fact that it was fighting Hush and Delta, and on the verge of winning against the pair it admired so much, made everything even more strangely intense...

Registering its opponent’s weakened state, and cross-checking the data with Armaldo’s Type, the chimera’s choice of move to end the match seemed evident. Rearing its head back before jolting forward suddenly, Type: Null charged at Delta with an Iron Head which, according to its calculations, should be powerful enough to topple the creature.

“There it is. Block!”

At the last second, just as Type: Null’s helmet was about to crash into Delta like an oversized bullet, an impenetrable green dome materialized instantly between the two combatants; the artificial Pokémon rammed into the wall and staggered backwards, caught off-guard by the sudden obstacle in its path, a shield it knew Armaldo could employ but had neglected to remember in its newfound battling ecstasy.

You might’ve been built for war, but you’re only as good as your focus. You’re still so young, though… who knows what I’ll be able to shape you into!

Hush grinned and, with his right arm outstretched, curled his hand into a fist – a movement Delta recognized as the sign to end things there. Once again gathering energy in his claws, the massive crossed blades reappeared, only this time they found its mark once the Armaldo delivered a point-blank X-Scissor to the still-stunned opponent. Type: Null was pushed back by the impact, wobbled slightly… and finally fell on its side, overwhelmed by exhaustion.

Hush walked toward the battered duo, patted Delta on the back as silent thanks and dropped to one knee once he reached the beaten hybrid. Its loss of consciousness had been brief, but it had still been defeated – a bitter concept that had also been loaded into its neural network. Type: Null struggled back to its feet, aided by the young man who helped lift its heavy helmet, and once again just stood there, as motionless as it had been prior to the beginning of the battle.

“I can tell you liked it, you know? The fight. It’s what they built you to do, sure… but all sorts of Pokémon enjoy this kind of competition, since most are combative by nature. You know what? We can bring about some big changes to this world with your skills... I’d be honoured if you could lend me that power of yours.”

Type: Null tilted its head slightly. Hush couldn’t understand it, as it neither spoke nor communicated mentally, but he knew there were all sorts of thoughts running though the beast’s mind, likely at a faster rate than any human could process. In the end though, the silent answer rang loud and clear – the artificial being held out one of its front legs, as if mimicking the handshakes it’d witnessed between Hush and Senjo Sawamura.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart” he sighed in relief while he grabbed Type: Null’s outstretched paw. “Well, if we’re going to be partners, there are some things we need to take care of right away.”

He reached for his belt and retrieved an empty Poké Ball in its marble-like size. Placing it on his open palm, he showed it to the chimera, to which it nodded with no trace of any lingering doubts.

“Type: Null is a terrible name. From now on, I’d like to call you Alpha. And, in the interest of fairness, I think it’s time I told you my real name…”


------------------------------


((Aiming for capture of Type: Null.
I tried to do something slightly different here: first half from the Pokémon's perspective and the second from the human's - which is why the first half of the story feels barren of description, Type: Null starts out as extremely objective and linear and develops as an emotional entity as the chapter goes.
Saigonese men speak effectively Japanese, and use Jp names for Pokémon.
Hush will be further developed in coming chapters, any lingering doubts about the man were mostly intentional (since the entirety of my URPG stories are designed to function as sequential chapters!)
As always, any advice is welcome! ^^ ))

 

crunch crunch crunch through the su/mo stories

 

M’KAY. Let’s do this for real.


THE BEGINNING STUFF

Mkay. Lots of action happening at once, which suited the overall tone of your story very well. I like how you established Type:Null’s thoughts alongside but separately from the scientists, which matches the style and conflict that you set up later on. All good things. I’m also a fan of how you dropped hints to the war, to Type:Null’s naivety in general, and the future failings of the scientists early on here—it was a good way at setting up your characters, setting, and conflict all in one fell swoop.

That being said. Barring the smaller details, this kind of opening is a bit of a classic under the genre you wrote for. We see it in Mewtwo Strikes Back, Jurassic Park, one of the Akira films, with generally similar bits: a couple of scientists exuberantly celebrating the moment that they’ve artificially created life, creation thinks about life for a bit, followed by said creation’s inevitable turning on them and possibly destroying them, their life’s work, etc etc. For this particular case, we’re not so focused on the endgame as we are on those first few sentences—with the scientists cracking open a bottle in front of their new, successful test subject while the subject experiences life for the first time. In almost all of the cases, though, these openings all lead to that same ending with the created life exploding the lab and getting the heck out of there, which leaves your story a little telegraphed—not by any fault of its own, but because it shares some similarities to similar, existing stories. And this falls into a trap all on its own, like how people get bored with the Pokémon anime every time Ash starts in a new region and it’s him going out, getting thrashed by the rival of the year, meeting Team Rocket, collecting Gym Badges… we lose interest in that because we’ve seen it before, and it’s usually pretty easy to see where it’s going.

And it’s true. There’s nothing new under the sun. All stories are derivative of one another and so forth, and there’s still plenty here that you’ve written that makes this particular introduction work for your story. But as we strive for higher levels of writing, I’d encourage you to move beyond the staple tropes and start getting into the deeper levels of telling fiction. The “it’s alive” opening is superficially strong for many reasons—it conveys excitement, at some point artificial life creation wasn’t oversaturating the media, and it’s darn good at hinting out a plot—but at the end of the day, it mostly just conveys that something is alive. And your story, while topically addressing that theme, has a lot more going for it than just generic “is it alive/what does that mean?” questions.

So. It’s going to feel weird at first. But storytelling is full of weird nuances like this—sometimes, it isn’t best to write the introduction at the beginning, but to come back for it, one you’ve gotten a better idea of what the entire story is going to look like. Even from the linear perspective of Type:Null, you as the author still get to choose where in that linear perspective you get to start. To you, what are the core themes of your work? What kind of story are you trying to tell? Who are the characters here that you care about, and how are they going to grow across the course of the story that you’ve got set up for them (both in this installment and in the many chapters to come)? These aren’t questions that you have to have absolute answers to when you sit down to write your introduction, but having some fuzzier knowledge on them absolutely helps: good introductions aren’t just about getting the plot rolling, but getting all of those other questions rolling as well.


THE STORY STUFF

The basic skeleton, as it stands, is a straightforward enough plot, but I think your story does it justice. I like the complexities you added in here—the introduction of Hush, the decimation of Squad Six, Type:Null’s inner thoughts—for more depth, and overall this was a well-paced read that had a lot of action and did its job very well. I thought it was very entertaining, I liked reading about Type:Null’s development, and I overall thought this was a great way to set up further conflict for your overarching story.

All that being said, let’s talk stakes.

Literature is usually broken into two types: story-driven and character-driven. Character-driven works are, as their name implies, are driven by the characters—the development and change in characters over time, how those characters interact with each other, and so forth. Think slice of life animes, most fiction set in the real world, or generally stories where there’s no big bad to destroy/dragon to fight/magical curse to unseal. In comparison, story-driven works are more focused on the plot/action of what’s going on, with the characters as important tools to the plot but not the driving factors in it. Think Michael Bay stuff. Most stories lie somewhere in between those two categories; yours would be somewhere in the story-driven category—not that you don’t have character development in your story, but that the events of the plot are arguably more important than the nuances of each character.

The reason I’m dropping all of this jargon on you is this: story-driven works basically hinge upon their stakes. Stories and plots get the bulk of their action/fuel off of uncertainty: what if X loses? What if Y doesn’t actually happen, which leads to Z? If A fails, then B wins and the good guys are dead forever!? Stakes are basically the “what if” of a story: what do the characters stand to lose if they fail at their mission? For instance, Pokémon is a very low-stakes game: if you fail a fight/all your stuff faints, you wake up at the nearest Pokécenter with a slap on the wrist (less money than you had to begin with) and nothing stopping you from trying again. On the other hand, something like Fire Emblem has much higher stakes: if any of your soldiers die in a battle, they stay dead, meaning you have to constantly care for your characters as if they’re real people (and crits suck lol).

What I’m trying to say here: your story is story-driven, which means that on some level, you need to have stakes. By the middle of the story, however, it became very clear that the conflict was pretty one-sided: Hush establishes himself as a very powerful character in all regards—he has some level of knowledge about everyone and can maybe see the future a little (?), his Pokémon destroy platoons of trained soldiers, and Type:Null is decisively on his side. There are no stakes here. Never is there any indication of what could happen if Hush loses because it’s hardly possible that Hush could lose to anything you’ve set up in the story. The only thing in his way are a few blithering idiot scientists who don’t fully understand Pavlovian conditioning despite having PhD’s in bioengineering, some easily-demolished enemy mooks, and a shitty cup of coffee. The only potential toss-up, Type:Null’s loyalty, is also decisively decided toward Hush by the halfway point.

This results in a very slow, downhill story when I think you wanted a more fast-paced ending: by the time Hush calls out his Armaldo (when there’s still about 25k to spare in your plot), it’s immensely clear that he’s not losing any fights, and there’s really no challenge left for him. The plot falls basically into place: he will destroy the lab, Type:Null will escape, and eventually the two will join paths. This is effectively the only conclusion you’ve laid out for us, and given what you’ve already set up previously, there’s very little chance that he’ll fail. As a result, the remaining 25k of your story is just kinda… there. There are no more stakes. All requirements for Hush to walk off into the sunset with Type:Null have been met, and the remaining half of the story is us slowly getting to that point while still being pretty sure that that point is going to be reached. This, coupled with the fact that your introduction lends itself to the “this is the story of how an artificially-created lifeform lashes out against its creators” made your story fairly linear/predictable. This isn’t to be confused with “not-enjoyable”—there was certainly enough in this plot to keep it entertaining, but I don’t think it was as well-roundedly awesome as it could’ve been.

So how do you introduce stakes into a story after clearing most of them? The simplest way is to introduce better opposition to your characters—Hush is devastatingly good at his job. Which is kind of the point of him, I guess, since he looks like the antagonist of your other characters. I know the dude’s written to be a total badass and all, but when he’s talking down squadrons with rocket launchers and living, it becomes very clear that nothing in this story is going to phase him.

Maybe the point of Hush is that he’s totally badass and nothing at this level of the plot is a challenge to him. Which is fair! In that case, though, we return to the two types of story-telling that we talked about above: maybe if story-driven conflict won’t stop him, character-driven conflict will. Maybe there’s a question of whether or not he can get what he wants from Saigo before they decide to stop trusting him. Maybe Type:Null isn’t totally on-board with him from the get-go, and the stakes come from whether or not these similar-yet-different souls are gonna team up or not. Who knows? It’s your story. Just, at some level, remember to have stakes/conflict of some sort active while you’re trying to keep your plot lively.



THE SETTING STUFF

From the point of view of someone who is aware that this is a series: there’s a lot of delicious worldbuilding tidbits here that really further your setting. I wasn’t aware that Heiml/Saigo had the whole weaponry/Pokémon schism going for them, and the concept of science vs magic in two sides of a war is definitely a fun one to explore, so I’m really excited to see this unfold in future installments. Even cultural differences like tipping for coffee made huge leaps in setting up the different cultures in your regions, which I appreciated immensely.

I made some comments on Side Chapter One about how it didn’t feel like there was really a war, but I definitely can’t repeat those comments here—things are definitely starting to ramp up, and I think you’re covering both sides admirably. I’m glad that you’ve taken the time to flesh out characters on both sides: it’s often very tempting to leave your villains as evil for the lulz, but the most effective antagonists are the ones that are people as well.

There were a couple of things that stood out to me in your worldbuilding as a little odd, though:

Pokémon as Weapons

This question ends up coming up in most canons that involve guns versus giant, tamable weapons of mass destruction that can apparently be mastered by children: why would anyone pick the gun? A gun can shoot metal into someone, sure, but as you’ve demonstrated, a newborn Type:Null can analyze the battlefield, pick out weaknesses, and tear opponents to shreds in a couple of seconds. The ramifications for this are twofold: firstly, there’s really no point to choosing to specialize in guns. It’s part of the natural progression of technology—things that are obsolete get pushed to the side. Once we learned that cars were more effective means of transportation, horse-drawn carts started getting phased out. In a similar vein, if Hush’s Armaldo can withstand round after round from a shotgun, why is anyone using a shotgun? This becomes doubly confusing given that it’s Heiml forces bringing the guns (after you’ve pointed out that they have the upper hand in native Pokémon species) to the literal gun-fight, even though Saigo is stated to have the upper-hand when it comes to technology and Heiml is supposed to have the Pokémon nukes.

You make the argument somewhere in the story that Saigo’s response to their lack of Pokémon resources is to invest in making technology, which is fair. That being said, I would advise you to think further outside of the box: the reason that modern warfare is based around guns and projectile-launching is because it’s the most effective means that humans have thought about combatting and killing other humans. In a world where the destructive prowess of Pokémon is not only existent but common, it’s very likely that weapon evolution wouldn’t have taken a path remotely similar to “let’s build this stick that makes small explosions to shoot bits of metal at people” -> “bigger stick” -> “bigger explosions.” On some level, listing out the nomenclature for all this weaponry in your story is good for immersion and worldbuilding, but on another level, the more that your fictional world diverges from this one, the less you can rely on things from this world in your fictional world. If you were a country being besieged by forces armed to the teeth with Pokémon, how would you respond? Maybe you’d start developing devices that target and nullify Pokémon powers specifically, maybe you’d make giant mechas, maybe you’d invest in ways to take out the human taskmaster/orderer… lots of options, basically. I like that you’ve started exploring it with the creation of Type:Null, but as this world and this war gets more complex, the fundamental basis on how that war is getting fought needs some addressing.

Pokémon as Sentient Creatures

There’s always a weird line when you start making Pokémon too intelligent. On one hand, Rule of Cool dictates that of course we should take the giant, prehistoric rock-bug and smash it against the multi-species chimera to see which one is better. It’s freaking awesome!

On the other hand, you spend a lot of the story establishing that Type:Null is a living, feeling creature. It has hopes and dreams. It can feel affection for other creatures; it develops the goal of wanting to work with Hush after Hush does nice things for it. It can feel pain; physically, it can get hurt and has nerve endings; emotionally, it gets upset when Hush already has an existing battle partner. It makes rational decisions, analyzes people around it, and has its own coherent, sentient stream of consciousness. The first half of the story is almost exclusively devoted to Type:Null and the reader reaching this conclusion.

So it’s really, really weird to see all of this development happen and then we go straight back to “Pokémon are just wild beasts that live for the thrill of the fight,” even though you have a lot of evidence to contradict that. While it may be true that 1) the Pokémon in your world enjoy fighting and 2) it’s somewhat necessary for the military to make these Pokémon fight due to the war, there’s still weird cases like where Hush battles Type:Null for neither of these reasons. On some level, I get what you’re trying to say: he’s earning Type:Null’s respect on a field that Type:Null also respects (strength in combat), but he’s also literally smiling while beating this sentient, feeling creature into the ground after the entire story builds him up as being different from the scientists who don’t care about this sentient, feeling creature.

Not necessarily something that you have to restructure entirely, given that it’s already an integral part to your world, but the ethics of sentient cockfights are definitely something to keep in mind.

Pokémon as Animals

Really, really tiny details, but that’s where the fun stuff is:

It’s always odd trying to figure out body language of different creatures, so I don’t blame you here for just porting human quirks. However, it’s also fair to think about the anatomy of an Armaldo: it’s this giant, armored Pokémon that you mentioned took rounds and rounds of gunshots without flinching, so it’s fair to say that it’s armored everywhere. In comparison, a smirk would require lots of topical facial muscles to make, which wouldn’t fit with the heavily-armored body.

Maybe Armaldo show amusement/satisfaction by wiggling their little side-fins left and right (because it reminds them of swimming and they like swimming), or by flexing their claws (some ingrained predator reflex before ripping into a meal). I dunno! The decision is yours, but bear in mind that they probably aren’t smiling or lauhing any time soon.


THE PRETTY STUFF

I love that you’ve started playing with styles here. You mentioned in your author’s note that you wrote Type:Null to be very linear on purpose, and while this was probably a big departure from your normal writing, I absolutely think that this worked out really well in parallel with the character development you had going. From what I can tell, there were two really good side-effects of telling this story from Type:Null’s point of view: first, it was very effective at establishing your characters very well. A lot of this story hinges on Type:Null’s feelings (or lack thereof, or how they’re ignored, etc), and being able to be close inside of its head made those decisions a lot more impactful. Secondly, it was great at showing the evolution of Type:Null in particular: comparing the descriptions from the beginning and end, it’s easy to see how far your character has come. Naively accepting the scientists as god versus questioning everyone and then crushing them beneath its mismatched talons. Good stuff here!

One thing I might question: Hush’s viewpoint. Juggling multiple viewpoints in stories is always tricky; the best tip I have here is that any new perspective needs to be different from existing perspectives in some mildly important way. Otherwise, there’s really no point to introducing these extra perspectives, and there actually may be some drawbacks—you have to invest words in setting them up, your style becomes choppier and harder to follow, and the plot sometimes has to retread on its footsteps on account of different speakers. That being said, extra perspectives also bring a lot of good into a work: A Song of Ice and Fire is a great example of juggling a ton of perspectives to flesh out a complicated knot of political turmoil that couldn’t effectively be told by one person alone; most of Falkner’s stuff uses multiple perspectives to dance around its unreliable narrators; Pale Fire uses its perspectives to ultimately highlight how much of a total liar one of the other narrators is.

This isn’t to say that you need to have explicit gameplans for introducing another perspective, but do ask yourself what they add to the story. For me, the switch to Hush wasn’t terribly jarring or unreadable, but I found myself questioning why it was necessary. On a surface-level, it was refreshing to have his character introduced, and I definitely enjoyed learning about what I assume will be a major antagonist to the survivors of Squad Six. But from a story-wide level, the bulk of the development here—the character that’s growing and learning the most, and probably the only character really developing here at all—is Type:Null. After having been in its head for the first half of the story, shifting to a completely new perspective and absolutely abandoning the other for unclear reasons was a little jarring.

The rest of your writing style was great. Vivid adjectives, consistently realistic (to my untrained eye) medical jargon, lots of nice verbs floating around, and overall a good, consistent style that lead to a fast-paced but informative read. Good stuff here! It’s great to see your style starting to shine in longer works.


THE MECHANICAL STUFF

Still some issues to address with commas in dialogue, I’m afraid. I use a ton of tricks to keep the commas straight myself, but if those don’t work for you, here’s a link to the cut-and-dry version.

I actually don’t have a trick for this one, but quotes and commas go together like two good things that should always be together. Or, in other words, you should always have your closing quotation mark (”) preceded by a comma, like so:

I know it doesn’t look like a huge change, but it does miles for readability/professionalism!

Overall, I’ve noticed that you’ve been avoiding using the standard [“dialogue,” person said] construction throughout this and other stories. I think that works fine for your style right now and I don’t see anything wrong with it, but just gonna throw this out there: if you’re avoiding it because you’re not sure how to punctuate it, hit me up and we can do some comma crash-courses. If you’re avoiding it because it’s your preferred writing style, keep on rockin’!

Couple of typos here and there, but I think you’ve got a solid grasp on mechanics.


THE LENGTH STUFF

Yeah you’re good to go here.

Pacing checks out too—there was that weird bit near the end where action was happening without stakes, but overall I think this story was well spread out across the events that it wanted to cover.


THE OVERALL STUFF

You might think from the overall tone of this grade that I didn’t like this story, which isn’t true. Overall this was an enjoyable read that brought a lot more life into the world you’ve been sketching out, and I thought it made a great addition to the story you’ve been telling. Worldbuilding bits and the introduction of a sympathetic antagonist in particular are elements that are difficult to pull off that I think you did very well here.

As your story progresses and as you find yourself aiming for higher and higher targets in URPG, remember that the bar increases as well. The two main takeaway sections I’d like you to take from this grade are the first two sections: ask yourself what/why the conflicts of your story are, and make sure that your introduction and the rest of your story relate back to that; and make sure that you build stakes and tension into your more story-driven works. The rest of the stuff mentioned is still important, but I would argue that the first two are more necessary on a fundamental level.

There’s room for improvement here, but there was a ton of good stuff as well, and this was a great read. I have no qualms ruling Type:Null captured. Best of luck in the rest of this epic saga, and feel free to hit me up with any questions that may arise!

 

Woah, this is some high-level advice here! I've been trying to keep grader reviews in a word doc and go back to them at the start of a new chapter, so this one's gonna be really helpful. Thanks for taking the time to comment on this story!
Hopefully I can incorporate these suggestions in the future, though I'm not sure how much I'm actually going to improve versus what I'm expected to improve... guess we'll have to see, won't deny it's a fun challenge! ^^
Claiming Type: Null! Wow, it's actually approved :O