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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Investigators of Soul/Heart/Spirit

a fanmade story

After a few days of searching through dungeons for potential recruits, and not coming up with much success, when we came to Lurantis' Firm in the morning…
"Not much going for us in this field, either?" our boss asked, to which we shook our heads.
"Please tell me you have a better plan by now…" I asked.
"I wish I did," she said. "But no, I'm not coming up with anything."
"Aaaargh…" Aileen was becoming frustrated with the lack of progress. "We're wasting too much time, but we can't just go in and storm the place as is! What do we do?!"
Just then the door opened and closed behind us.
"Excuse me…" a small gray Pokémon walked up to me and looked at me with vibrant orange eyes.
"Is this yours?"
She held out a Soul-Heart with both hands.
"Uh…" I just kind of said, not sure what to make of this.
"If I'm not mistaken," the Pokémon said, "I saw you throw this out the window in Wigglytuff's Guild? I happened to come across it in my travels and held onto it until I could return it to you."
"Yeah…" I replied. "That was me…thanks."
"Ha ha…it's alright," she held her hands behind her back.
"I'm just glad I could give this back to you," she said, speaking sweetly, but trying to hide the fear in her voice…
"Thank you…"
A voice that I felt I knew all too well… I realized at the stopping point of that statement.
Then it hit me.
The voice from Regimen Ruins.
The blur from Dank Swamp.
The eyes always watching me.
The ghost of the orphanage.
It was all…
Our 'one in gray' was…
"Stacia?!"
She smiled sheepishly and waved. "Hi, it's me…heh heh, ah…so…yeah. This is what I look like."
I didn't understand. "But I…you…what? How?"
Aileen also stood there, taking this in. "Stacia…you'r-"
"Actually," she said, "my name, as a species, is Marshadow…but, y'know, I like Stacia a lot more, to be honest. Yeah, just…just keep calling me that."
"Okay…" Aileen fetched the passage off of the desk.
"'To expose the evil and avoid enslavement,
You must have support in finding their placement
From one in gray, hiding in shadow,
For they have witnessed the cruelty below.
You must take their findings, and hold it true
For if you don't find them, they will find you'…"
Stacia shrugged. "I mean, given the way that's worded, it sure sounds like it's talking about me."
"Wow…" Aileen slowly shook her head. "I did not see that one coming."
"So…" Lurantis said, "if you're our 'one in gray'-"
"Honestly," the Gloomdweller Pokémon interrupted, "that's so inconvenient to say on a regular basis."
"Whatever," our boss shrugged. "Tell us what you know about Team Perial, what we can exploit about them."
"Oh, you've already found what you can exploit about them."
"What?"
"I think the answer…"
The Marshadow slowly turned in my direction, pointing.
"…lies within Gabriel here."
I was confused. "In…me?"
"You're a human who turned into a Pokémon and lost their memory. How and why? Look into your hand."
I stared at the Soul-Heart I was holding.
"There's a reason I always asked you if your memory was coming back. Because you forgot the key to it all."
Another thought hit me.
"You only came across this because you were following me…you were always watching, not just at the orphanage."
"Ah, right, mm, I wasn't counting on you seeing me in the Dank Swamp. Heh heh."
"Why?"
"Before I can tell you that…" Stacia pointed down at the Soul-Heart again, "you'll need that for it to make any sense."
I stared down at it. What does my memory hold that ties into all this…?
I guess the only way to find out…
is to relive it.
"I can't use this here, though," I said, remembering the damage that Sky's had caused. "I need to take this somewhere secluded, somewhere safe to use it."
"I know a place," Stacia said. "Follow me."
She started to walk out the door, but stopped when she saw that Aileen was following me, too.
"Sorry, Aileen," Stacia warned, "but for everyone's own safety, I think only Gabriel should go."
"Oh…" Aileen's gaze fell to the floor. "I see."
"I guess while they're out," Lurantis said to her, "I'll have you just do an odd job or two around here."
"Sure…"
The Marshadow nodded. "That'll work."
She gestured for me to come along. "It's not that far from here. Let's make this quick."
I dropped the Soul-Heart into the Pocket Dimension and followed her, no idea what I was bringing myself into.
(Memory Lane
B20F
Many of the most iconic of the Gen 1-3 Pokémon are found here
Gabriel: 28 [+1]
Stacia: 45 [no change])
After a trip down Memory Lane, we found ourselves in a plain area. "This is the spot," Stacia said, closing her eyes to feel the gentle breeze.
I looked around. There was nothing other than the tall grass stretching out for at least a mile, swaying in the wind as the sun shone down on it, just beginning to hide behind an approaching cloud.
Stacia stepped back a bit. "Whenever you're ready."
I took the Soul-Heart out of the Pocket Dimension.
This is it, I thought.
As of a few seconds from now…
I am no longer amnesiac.
I crushed the Soul-Heart in my fist.
When I opened it, just like how it had with Sky, the metal pieces were drawn back to the core, and it began floating above my head, reading my size and growing to correspondingly larger than it.
"THANK YOU FOR USING THE SOUL-HEART," Magearna's recording said again. "LET US BEGIN."
The twin lasers fired behind me, looping around to meet in front of me, burning the same pink circle into the ground.
"PLEASE, IF YOU WILL NOT BE USING THE SOUL-HEART, PLEASE REMAIN OUTSIDE THE GIVEN BOUNDARIES. IF YOU WILL BE, PLEASE REMAIN INSIDE."
Stacia was well outside of the circle, so she got herself comfortable about to take a little nap. I, on the other hand, was less calm.
But I still forced myself to stay put, if only out of fear paralysis.
"YOUR SOUL-HEART EXPERIENCE…"
BRREEEEEOOOOM.
"…BEGINS NOW."
The Soul-Heart's two halves moved away from each other, coming closer to the ground until I was in between them, and suddenly accelerated toward each other.
I braced myself.
The Soul-Heart closed around me, giving off a burst of energy.
It was even weirder than I expected.
I was in the core of the Soul-Heart, suspended in a gel-like substance. It was like I was swimming, but it wasn't liquid, and I could breathe perfectly fine for some reason.
My train of thought stopped there, as the chemical composition of the substance had a neurologically nulling effect, and I soon went limp, closed my eyes, and seemed to fall asleep.
My world was only black for a few short moments, however, as through searching through my soul, the Soul-Heart changed its makeup to induce a dreamlike state, and I was seeing white, despite my eyes still being closed.
My own thoughts returned to me with that, but at the same time, my mind was functioning differently. There seemed to be something else going on in it…another thought process different than my own currently.
The whiteness faded into a blurry vision…I was an infant being held by a human woman, presumably my mother, while my assumed father and a few doctors looked on.
"Aww…" my mother was charmed by my cute little movements. "Look at him! He's just precious…"
"Heh heh," my father laughed in adoration. "That's our little Gabriel for ya."
My present self smiled, charmed by myself just like everyone else.
For no reason at all, thoughts echoed through my mind:
…mama…dada…
This other thought process must be my original thoughts from this moment, my current self thought. My past self's thoughts…
A flash of white and the temporary absence of that second mind track indicated that this scene was over.
By the time another vision became clear, the rest of my thoughts from in between the first moment and this moment filled themselves in. Since I was still quite young, however, there weren't that many distinguishable ones this time.
I focused on what I was seeing in first-person now; four-year-old me was having a blast just running laps around a little playground when:
"Gabriel, honey! Dinner's ready!"
I turned to the source of the voice; my mom was calling me from the wooden porch on the side of the white, not-too-big-not-too-small house I called home back then, that my present self could get a clear view of from here. I knew the layout by heart already, but this was a nice view.
"Coming, Mom!" four-year-old me responded and ran back.
Pokémon me laughed when the thought "Can't be late for dinner! Mom's cooking is the best!" ran through my mind.
Another flash of white and filler mind activity moved onto the next scene; I was six, in kindergarten, and it was recess. I was approaching this kid, who it seemed like I could get along with, in hopes of making a friend.
Present me was confused. I'm six and I don't have a single friend?
"Hey!" I said to the kid.
He turned around, seeming surprised to see me. "Uh…hi."
"I'm Gabriel," past me introduced myself, offering my hand. "What's your name?"
"Dave." He didn't take it.
"Wanna be friends?" I asked, blunt at this age.
"No thank you."
Both iterations of me had the same thought:
Huh?!
As Dave just walked away, Pokémon me thought: That's it? Not even a reason, just "no thank you"?!
As I searched through my earliest memories, I could suddenly recall dozens of incidents like this.
What?!
You can usually make friends by…at least three years old! I'm SIX and I don't have even one?!
HOW?
What is it about me that makes me so…different?
Past me thought something similar; Why am I so…different?
A white flash and rush of mental filler.
Before I even saw the next scene, I searched through my next memories.
Birthday parties with no one but relatives…
Never once with anyone at the lunch table…
And beneath it all, an underlying sense of loneliness that I didn't understand at the time.
How did I live like this…? I asked myself and got no answer.
The next vision: I was about ten, and I was beginning to see Pokémon around school.
It was always said that once you were ten years old, you could visit a Pokémon professor near you and receive a Pokémon to call your very own, and therefore making you an official Pokémon Trainer.
At this point in life, I had given up trying to make human friends, holding out hope that maybe I could bond with a Pokémon if I ever got one.
Present me had several questions.
So, humans tend to treat Pokémon as…pets?
Once you're ten, you can just grab a Pokémon and run off to face the world?
Ten-year-old me, on the way to class, saw several classmates with their Pokémon, making them fight each other's Pokémon in Pokémon battles, just like they always saw on TV, in the movies, and in the books.
WHAT? Pokémon me didn't believe this.
Humans…have an ENTIRE SOCIETY based around this social imbalance?!
In my time spent as a Pokémon, I know that Pokémon have lives and personalities of their own…but people just go out, catch them, and make them abuse each other with their power?
Is that what Team Perial is doing…?
Past me just continued walking to class, thinking:
That's not as cool as people like to think.
If I ever get a Pokémon, I'm never going to make them battle if at all possible.
Present me smiled at this thought. At least that point of view never changed.
Another flash of white and filler thoughts. Apparently I spent most of my time out of class staying out of the line of fire of Pokémon battles everywhere…
but by age fifteen, never did have one of my own.
My vision became clear again.
It was my sixteenth birthday, and I was just waking up.
When I opened my eyes, there was a large egg between my legs on my blanket.
Sixteen-year-old me nearly freaked out, but held it in and didn't move as suddenly as I wanted to.
There was a note on my dresser that wasn't there when I went to sleep, either. I carefully grabbed it and read it:
"Dear Gabriel,
We think it's about time. We had a talk with Professor Maple, and she offered us this little fellow here. Your consistently stellar grades and behavior have led us to believe that you're responsible enough to take care of this Pokémon, so we're entrusting it in your hands.
Happy birthday, buddy,
Love, Mom and Dad"
Just then, I felt something on my legs.
Setting the note down, I saw the Pokémon egg was starting to shake and crack open.
Oh, jeez, it's hatching!
Remaining still but not calm, I waited it out, as it began shaking rather violently, the crack going down the middle of it, until it suddenly exploded in a blinding flash.
When I turned back to the spot, uncovering my eyes, there was an Eevee staring me in the face.
The baby Pokémon took a few steps closer, across my upper body still in bed, looking into my eyes the whole time.
She sniffed my face a little bit, and then paused where she was.
Then she began wagging her tail and licking my face.
"Ahahahaha! Alright, alright, stop! Stop!" I begged for mercy. "I get it, you're adorable!"
"Vee!" Eevee said. Sixteen-year-old me didn't understand what that meant.
But my Pokémon self understood perfectly:
"Hi!"
My past self scratched her behind the ear. She seemed to really like that.
Then I picked her up and got out of bed to stand up. "What am I gonna do with you…"
The baby's expression became confused. "Ee…vee?"/"With…me?"
I smiled. "I think I'll call you…Paige."
Paige's face lit up upon receiving her name, and I had my first friend in my life.
This sensation upon seeing her smile like this…this silly but heartfelt expression…
I feel alive again!
The white flash ended this happy vision, and more memories returned.
I always kept Paige either by my side or on my shoulder, enjoying each other's company. Even at school, I'd occasionally give her a little pat while still paying attention to my studies. Heck, in fact, my grades went even higher with her around.
I guess that's how bonds work, huh? my present self thought.
How could I ever have forgotten such a close friend…?
Another vision. I was seventeen now, and Paige was with me, as always, when a teacher stopped me in the hallway.
"Gabriel, you really shouldn't have your Pokémon outside of its Poké Ball 24/7," he said.
I was confused. I knew what a Poké Ball was - those had come up in my earliest studies - and the science and history behind them, but…
"What are you talking about?" I replied. "Paige doesn't have a Poké Ball."
He was caught off guard. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
A pause.
He took one out of his pocket. "Well, surely you should have one if you're always going to be waltzing around with it."
I didn't even look to my shoulder, but I knew Paige was shaking her head. I was too. "No thanks. We're good, we don't need it."
"What about in all the battles going on around here? You'd need it for a safe retreat, wouldn't you."
"I thought I made it clear that we don't involve ourselves in battles," I firmly informed the man. "Guess not."
And with that, I walked away.
A flash of white.
More good times with my little buddy resurfaced in my mind, really making me feel happy inside.
When the brightness settled again, Paige and I were just finishing up my shift at my part-time job as a guide for an amusement park…it was called the PokéPark, I remember.
Once our shift ended, we started to head on home…
until a wild Wishiwashi school jumped out of the pond.
I thought people had been littering and polluting the pond with their refreshments and food wrappers once they were done with them on their way out of the park, and had actually brought this up several times to the proper authorities, but apparently no one had taken action, and the Wishiwashi living in it were the first to do so.
But I didn't think lashing out at me was the answer, either.
I quickly ran out of the way, avoiding being swallowed by the huge fish formation, but once it was on land, it roared at me and shot me with Water Gun.
"Gaaah!" seventeen-year-old me reeled, sent tumbling backwards and wiped out onto the path.
"Gabriel!" Pokémon me translated Paige's concerned cry.
The Schooling Pokémon turned their attention to her, believing she was supposed to battle them.
Despite the fact that she was, after all this time, only…what, level 3?
They roared at her anyway, and shot Water Gun again.
Without any experience at all, she quickly sidestepped and Tackled the wild Wishiwashi to protect me.
Then the Water-types intentionally used Growl, while Paige used Tackle again, even weaker than the previous time.
Wishiwashi unleashed Water Gun again to finish it quick.
And, thankfully, missed again.
Paige once more used Tackle on the wild Pokémon, and it was enough to deactivate its Schooling ability and leave only the one Wishiwashi. Taught a lesson enough, it fled back into the pond.
Then Paige, having gained enough experience from that one battle to become level 5, ran over to me and nudged me to see if I was okay.
I stood up, wet, but more than alive.
"Ha…" I said, not believing what I just witnessed.
A level 3 Eevee just took on a level 21 Wishiwashi school to save my life and won.
"C'mere, you little…" I picked up Paige, who had spent most of her energy in that battle and shortly fell asleep to recharge, and carried her the rest of the way home.
Another flash of white ended that vision.
When the white subsided, I was nineteen, in my room at college with Paige as my only roommate, having reached a stopping point in studying for my exams the next morning and about to crash for the night.
I laid down in bed, and instead of going into hers, the Eevee jumped up on top of me and curled up there, sleepily smiling.
"Heh heh…" I gave her a good rub behind the ear and held her close like a stuffed animal. "G'night, Paige."
"G'night, Gabriel…" my present self translated.
My past self closed my eyes, but before I fell asleep, I could hear her say one more thing. I didn't understand or care then…but now that I could understand…it made all the difference.
"I…I love you more than anything in the world…"
The blackness turned into white again.
Before the next scene, all my Pokémon self could think was:
Awww…
The next scene began. I was twenty-three now, having earned my bachelor's degree and completed my formal education. I'd been home for a few days now. When I went to grab the mail, Paige on my shoulder, aside from a few minor bills, there was a specially marked envelope with my name on it.
As my past self opened it, my present self recognized the emblem;
the familiar crowned "P".
I read it.
"Gabriel -
Congratulations! We have heard of your intellectual achievements, and are proud to inform you that you have been selected to be offered a position in our organization as an administrator. You will be in charge of assembling divisions of recruits from around the world, as well as putting your knowledge of the field to work in our technological department. If you would like to learn more about the position, ask any questions, or accept the position, please visit us at the address given on the front of this envelope. We look forward to your response, and hope to have you working with us!
- Carter Uvloz, Team Perial Boss
- Genesis Demind, Team Perial Admin"
My present self couldn't believe this. Carter and Genesis tried to HIRE me?!
But my past self had a different train of thought that I listened in on.
An administrator of a full-blown organization? I'll be in charge of assembling divisions?
…
Holy moly, this could be my chance!
Maybe after all these years, surrounding myself with these people, I can finally make some real friends!
Yeah…
I think I'll go check this out!
HOLY MOTHER OF-
DID I REALLY JUST ACCEPT THAT?!!!?
Paige was apparently on a similar thought as my present self, shaking her head and saying her version of "I don't like where this is going…"
"C'mon," my human self assured her, "it'll be fine! We'll meet all these people, and maybe we can actually get some of them to like us!"
And by us, I meant me.
A flash of white.
Something's wrong, my present self thought. Something is very, very not right.
All of a sudden I don't think this story will have a happy ending…
As the memories of my job as Team Perial Admin began flooding into my mind, I scanned through them. In hopes of being recognized by the team and its officials, I made many a contribution to the team's efforts…
including inventing the Terminal Ball?!
Tha- that's not right!
Did I…
Did I really do this?
Is this truly me?
As time went on through here, over the course of months, I found that I was remembering more and more about my job…
and less and less about caring for Paige.
When my vision cleared, I was working in my office, repairing a broken communicator that a Grunt had dropped off to me, when I felt Paige rubbing against my legs, trying to get my attention.
"Look, Paige," I finally looked down at her, "I get it. Just let me get this thing fixed, and I'll give you some attention and lovin' later."
She sighed. My Pokémon self understood her musing to herself:
"Which 'later' is it this time…'never', or 'after a million years'?"
Paige gave up and curled up in the corner of the room.
A flash of white.
I became a lot more tense.
More filler mental activity came in…
As my occupation went on, I found that my past self began to find Paige's attempts at getting affection…annoying. To the point where I completely disregarded them or actually scolded her for it. Even, when the opportunity rose…exploited it, and used her as a lab rat on occasion.
Wha…how is this happening?
I'm…I'm becoming a monster…
The next scene began.
I was in a meeting with Carter, Genesis, and other high-ranking Team Perial commanders in the throne room.
"…so may I ask how we're coming along as far as obtaining Trainers' Pokémon?" the wannabe king said to everyone.
Genesis checked the records. "The rates have been skyrocketing since the introduction of the Terminal Balls, and are apparently still rising higher."
My past self smiled, seeing that my invention was being put to use and appreciated.
But then a thought struck me.
"That's great and all," I interrupted, "but do we even have anything on wild Pokémon?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, if we're going for every Pokémon in the world, then wouldn't that include the wild Pokémon as well? Do we have anyone going for those?"
Weird "uh…" glances were exchanged.
"Thaaaat's a pretty good point…" Carter smiled sheepishly. "Uh…how're we going to deal with that…"
Suddenly I had a stroke of genius.
Evil, evil genius.
Once the thought crossed my present mind, it all clicked.
No.
NO.
This isn't-
"I've got just the thing, sir," I said, and signed out to go back to my office and get right to work.
A flash of white.
When the white subsided, I was looking at blueprints.
I looked back up at the finished product to make sure it matched the blueprints.
It was a mech, suited with most anything one could ever need for battle.
Never-Melt Ice-coated flat feet for maximum speed and agility? Check.
Ponyta-hoof constructed elbow and knee pads, hot to the touch? Check.
Hidden toxic spike embedded in chest? Check.
Tail grapple? Check. Can open and fire electric orbs if need be? Check.
Hands can use psychic power, release sleeping gas, and dispense Terminal Balls kept in the arms? Check.
All body parts have an attack type designated to it? Check.
It's foolproof.
The battle mech to end all battle mechs.
This machine…can defeat any Pokémon in preparation for capturing it.
And in the event that capture is inapplicable…then landing the finishing blow instead is no problem.
The Pokémon Attainment Inhibition Garrote Enforcer…
or P.A.I.G.E.
It's done.
Except for one thing…
I opened the black screen on the front of the head, revealing the inside of the head.
Mostly empty…
aside from a small helmet wired to the inner ceiling.
It needs an operator.
And I know just where to find one…
Turn the mild annoyance into a use.
I didn't believe what I was thinking.
"Paige!"
The Eevee perked up her head upon hearing her name.
"C'mere, sweetie, I need you for a minute."
She enthusiastically rushed over…
sealing her own fate.
NO!
I picked her up and set her inside the robot's head. "Alright, Paige, just sit here for a moment."
She wasn't gullible enough to go any further.
"Wha?!" my Pokémon self translated her sudden realization.
Paige tried to make a run for it, but I held her in one place with one hand and grabbed a metal bar with the other.
"No!" she cried, as I pinned her inside with it in a way that she couldn't move, and bolted the bar in place. "Gabriel, what are you doing?!"
I pulled the helmet down over her head, over her eyes, and put the screen back together, making sure I couldn't get it loose again.
"NO!" Paige cried from inside, my past self only hearing meaningless variants of "Eevee". "Gabriel?! No! HELP!!!"
I plugged the USB into the available slot on the machine's upper back, connecting the P.A.I.G.E. to the computer.
I booted up the computer, typed in my password, clicked on the icon I was looking for on the home screen, and typed in another password.
"Running paige_act_seq.EXE…"
As the activation sequence transferred into the mech, the helmet turned on and began synchronizing itself with the operator.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!" Only my present self could hear Paige's agonizing cry from inside.
Within moments, the black screen began to light up, and a colorful, almost cute digital face appeared on it.
And with that, the activation sequence was complete, and sent itself to the Recycle Bin.
"Wh…what just happened?" P.A.I.G.E. was translating Paige into English on its own now.
The helmet had synchronized with the Eevee, and she was now controlling the machine with her brainwaves.
A flash of white.
I was in disbelief of what I had just witnessed.
That…is undeniably the most cruel…heartless, and inconsiderate act of…I don't know…that I have ever seen.
Th-there…there's no way in heck I could've done that.
This…this isn't me!
Still, more…memories? or just visions? flooded into my mind.
Over the next few months, Paige had trouble adjusting to P.A.I.G.E. The helmet she wore not only controlled the robot's actions and expressions, but also was programmed to deliver an electric shock through her brain should a thought ever cross her mind about:
-escaping (which she couldn't anyway)
-disobeying orders
-turning on Team Perial
and erased the thought before it even finished forming, in the same robotic manner I had seen with Cheren and Aileen. Through the next few months, many of those instances occurred, as she had to get a grip on what she was allowed to think and what she wasn't.
Holy…
But over time she finally caught on, and reluctantly began going on missions and capturing wild Pokémon, brainwashing them with the Terminal Balls, and bringing them back to me, where I would distribute them amongst Team Perial as a whole.
Carter insisted that he should have six Pokémon at his disposal, that each Admin could use four, and Grunts could have one or two. A show of strength, he claimed, a firm believer in quantity being more important than quality.
As P.A.I.G.E. got accustomed to her duties, she began doing them more faithfully and efficiently. I didn't understand why…
My vision cleared, and the next scene began.
I was in my office, updating a Terminal Ball that hadn't passed the inspections of capability, when P.A.I.G.E. returned from her outing and set down a whopping dozen of Terminal Balls on my desk.
Oh my-
My past self paused what I was doing and checked the contents. Druddigon…Breloom…Alolan Ninetales…overall, effective and powerful Pokémon.
While present me just watched, astounded.
"I think I went above and beyond on this one," P.A.I.G.E. said with a hopeful smile.
"Are you proud of me yet?"
Even as P.A.I.G.E., she still just wants to be loved, my Pokémon self deduced.
But my past self was, at most, impressed, and I set them all down, said "Huh…keep this up," and turned back to what I was doing.
I didn't pay any attention then, but now I could see, out of the corner of my eye, P.A.I.G.E.'s face turn blue, visibly disappointed with my "meh" response. She hung her head, sat down over by the wall, plugged herself in to recharge her batteries, and buried her head within her hands and knees.
I barely heard her sobbing in spurts to herself.
A flash of white.
Time continued still, and over the next weeks, while my past self didn't pay any attention, my present self noticed P.A.I.G.E.'s behavior slowly changing from the bubbly, naïve, timid personality she had always had into a sassier, less concerned, more hostile tone.
Understanding that she was no longer "important" to me, I could now see this emotional barrier, an attempt to hide her true feelings.
Something in her programming was twisting her sorrow into some kind of hatred…
Against me, for what I did?
Against all Pokémonkind, for their free will that she no longer really had?
…both?
I had become a monster, and I created another monster, even worse, in the process.
The next scene commenced.
I was on lunch break, putting together a simple cheese sandwich,
when suddenly I stopped.
Something's odd, I felt.
I looked around, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary…
until I looked up past the ceiling fan and saw a gray blur drop down to the ground in front of me.
What the- past me thought.
It's Stacia! present me thought.
What is a Marshadow doing in my office? past me finished my thought.
Stacia stood up and faced me.
"Do you even realize what you've done?"
I just stood there, confused, only now understanding what she was saying.
"Don't you know what your actions have caused to others? Your friends…your family…even those you don't know?"
I just stood there, only hearing "Marshadow" gibberish.
Then Stacia realized the language barrier and facepalmed. "What am I doing…
"Well, I guess there's another way to make you see it…"
Parts of her body began to flare up and glow green, as she turned to face me directly.
"I guess I have no choice other than to force it onto you…"
She seemed hesitant for a moment, but quickly shook it off.
"This is justice, this is what's right.
"Time for justice…"
Her fist began glowing green.
"…time to go fight."
I realized I was about to be attacked, but I was against a wall.
Uh-oh.
Without further ado…
"HrrrrraaaaAAAAAAAHH!!!"
She lunged, aimed, and punched me with her glowing hand, opening it at the very last moment.
And then everything went blank.
Including my second train of thought.
My present self just remained there, startled and confused.
What just happened?!
My vision remained black for a few moments, until…
…
………
…………………………………
…unnnnnh…
Wh…where am I?
I slowly came to and opened my eyes, recognizing the area as the Lycanroc Territory.
I'm in some rocky area I've never seen before, my past self thought.
Wait a-
What HAVE I seen before?
I stopped and searched through my memories. My past self yielded nothing, while my present self retained everything I had experienced here.
…nothing. I can't remember anything…
Wait, my name…
My name is Gabriel.
I know that much.
And…I know that I'm human.
Well, of course. I mean, why wouldn't I-
Something caught my eye in a puddle to my left. I walked over and stood over top of it…
A Ralts stared back at me in the reflection.
What? That doesn't make any-
Wait a-
I frantically searched myself over.
I'm a Ralts now?!
…
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!
A flash of white.
I knew everything that unfolded from there.
So with that…
BAW, BAW, BAW-DO-BAH.
That weird jingle woke me up from the dreamlike phase I had just seen everything in.
"THANK YOU FOR USING THE SOUL-HEART," Magearna's voice clip said. "DETONATING…"
I couldn't move, still, but as the machine pulsed I felt energy returning to my body a little at a time.
Remain calm, I told myself. Just roll with it.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in…breathe out.
Suddenly all the strength returned to my head, and I could look around again.
Then the weight was lifted from my chest, and I was free to move my arms.
In the same instance my legs became usable again, another surge rushed through my mind, making sure I was awake and alert.
Just in time with the rings, I remembered.
I knew what was next, then.
As the Soul-Heart began to lose its concentration, I braced myself for the break, shutting my eyes tight to protect them from the blinding light.
With a loud BOOM, the machine broke in two, releasing me back into the outside world, and I could feel the wind breezing through my hair as I heard the pieces crumbling down onto the ground. Then I felt myself being gently let onto the pile of rubble, back onto the ground.
I opened my eyes. It was still in the plains of Memory Lane…maybe ten minutes had passed in reality.
I just stood there, dumbfounded by what I had witnessed in the Soul-Heart.
"Gabriel…" Stacia, having woken up from her nap, saw my disbelief. "I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but-"
"No," I said. "That…that's not right…
"I dunno if the Soul-Heart malfunctioned or something, but…that's not me!"
Stacia sighed. "I should've expected this kind of reaction…Gabriel, you have to understa-"
"No!" I cut her off. "Stop lying already, Stacia! That…I never did that! I'll find the truth to my past, and nothing you can say will stop me!"
And with that, I took off into the wind.
"Gabriel!" Stacia called out after me. "Gabriel!!"
Like I was going to listen to her now.
Oh, no.
I'll find the truth to my memory…
Because I refuse to believe…THAT.
There's no way that was me…
There's no way…
(Chapter 13 begins…)

Description
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Investigators of Soul/Heart/Spirit

a fanmade story

After a few days of searching through dungeons for potential recruits, and not coming up with much success, when we came to Lurantis' Firm in the morning…
"Not much going for us in this field, either?" our boss asked, to which we shook our heads.
"Please tell me you have a better plan by now…" I asked.
"I wish I did," she said. "But no, I'm not coming up with anything."
"Aaaargh…" Aileen was becoming frustrated with the lack of progress. "We're wasting too much time, but we can't just go in and storm the place as is! What do we do?!"
Just then the door opened and closed behind us.
"Excuse me…" a small gray Pokémon walked up to me and looked at me with vibrant orange eyes.
"Is this yours?"
She held out a Soul-Heart with both hands.
"Uh…" I just kind of said, not sure what to make of this.
"If I'm not mistaken," the Pokémon said, "I saw you throw this out the window in Wigglytuff's Guild? I happened to come across it in my travels and held onto it until I could return it to you."
"Yeah…" I replied. "That was me…thanks."
"Ha ha…it's alright," she held her hands behind her back.
"I'm just glad I could give this back to you," she said, speaking sweetly, but trying to hide the fear in her voice…
"Thank you…"
A voice that I felt I knew all too well… I realized at the stopping point of that statement.
Then it hit me.
The voice from Regimen Ruins.
The blur from Dank Swamp.
The eyes always watching me.
The ghost of the orphanage.
It was all…
Our 'one in gray' was…
"Stacia?!"
She smiled sheepishly and waved. "Hi, it's me…heh heh, ah…so…yeah. This is what I look like."
I didn't understand. "But I…you…what? How?"
Aileen also stood there, taking this in. "Stacia…you'r-"
"Actually," she said, "my name, as a species, is Marshadow…but, y'know, I like Stacia a lot more, to be honest. Yeah, just…just keep calling me that."
"Okay…" Aileen fetched the passage off of the desk.
"'To expose the evil and avoid enslavement,
You must have support in finding their placement
From one in gray, hiding in shadow,
For they have witnessed the cruelty below.
You must take their findings, and hold it true
For if you don't find them, they will find you'…"
Stacia shrugged. "I mean, given the way that's worded, it sure sounds like it's talking about me."
"Wow…" Aileen slowly shook her head. "I did not see that one coming."
"So…" Lurantis said, "if you're our 'one in gray'-"
"Honestly," the Gloomdweller Pokémon interrupted, "that's so inconvenient to say on a regular basis."
"Whatever," our boss shrugged. "Tell us what you know about Team Perial, what we can exploit about them."
"Oh, you've already found what you can exploit about them."
"What?"
"I think the answer…"
The Marshadow slowly turned in my direction, pointing.
"…lies within Gabriel here."
I was confused. "In…me?"
"You're a human who turned into a Pokémon and lost their memory. How and why? Look into your hand."
I stared at the Soul-Heart I was holding.
"There's a reason I always asked you if your memory was coming back. Because you forgot the key to it all."
Another thought hit me.
"You only came across this because you were following me…you were always watching, not just at the orphanage."
"Ah, right, mm, I wasn't counting on you seeing me in the Dank Swamp. Heh heh."
"Why?"
"Before I can tell you that…" Stacia pointed down at the Soul-Heart again, "you'll need that for it to make any sense."
I stared down at it. What does my memory hold that ties into all this…?
I guess the only way to find out…
is to relive it.
"I can't use this here, though," I said, remembering the damage that Sky's had caused. "I need to take this somewhere secluded, somewhere safe to use it."
"I know a place," Stacia said. "Follow me."
She started to walk out the door, but stopped when she saw that Aileen was following me, too.
"Sorry, Aileen," Stacia warned, "but for everyone's own safety, I think only Gabriel should go."
"Oh…" Aileen's gaze fell to the floor. "I see."
"I guess while they're out," Lurantis said to her, "I'll have you just do an odd job or two around here."
"Sure…"
The Marshadow nodded. "That'll work."
She gestured for me to come along. "It's not that far from here. Let's make this quick."
I dropped the Soul-Heart into the Pocket Dimension and followed her, no idea what I was bringing myself into.
(Memory Lane
B20F
Many of the most iconic of the Gen 1-3 Pokémon are found here
Gabriel: 28 [+1]
Stacia: 45 [no change])
After a trip down Memory Lane, we found ourselves in a plain area. "This is the spot," Stacia said, closing her eyes to feel the gentle breeze.
I looked around. There was nothing other than the tall grass stretching out for at least a mile, swaying in the wind as the sun shone down on it, just beginning to hide behind an approaching cloud.
Stacia stepped back a bit. "Whenever you're ready."
I took the Soul-Heart out of the Pocket Dimension.
This is it, I thought.
As of a few seconds from now…
I am no longer amnesiac.
I crushed the Soul-Heart in my fist.
When I opened it, just like how it had with Sky, the metal pieces were drawn back to the core, and it began floating above my head, reading my size and growing to correspondingly larger than it.
"THANK YOU FOR USING THE SOUL-HEART," Magearna's recording said again. "LET US BEGIN."
The twin lasers fired behind me, looping around to meet in front of me, burning the same pink circle into the ground.
"PLEASE, IF YOU WILL NOT BE USING THE SOUL-HEART, PLEASE REMAIN OUTSIDE THE GIVEN BOUNDARIES. IF YOU WILL BE, PLEASE REMAIN INSIDE."
Stacia was well outside of the circle, so she got herself comfortable about to take a little nap. I, on the other hand, was less calm.
But I still forced myself to stay put, if only out of fear paralysis.
"YOUR SOUL-HEART EXPERIENCE…"
BRREEEEEOOOOM.
"…BEGINS NOW."
The Soul-Heart's two halves moved away from each other, coming closer to the ground until I was in between them, and suddenly accelerated toward each other.
I braced myself.
The Soul-Heart closed around me, giving off a burst of energy.
It was even weirder than I expected.
I was in the core of the Soul-Heart, suspended in a gel-like substance. It was like I was swimming, but it wasn't liquid, and I could breathe perfectly fine for some reason.
My train of thought stopped there, as the chemical composition of the substance had a neurologically nulling effect, and I soon went limp, closed my eyes, and seemed to fall asleep.
My world was only black for a few short moments, however, as through searching through my soul, the Soul-Heart changed its makeup to induce a dreamlike state, and I was seeing white, despite my eyes still being closed.
My own thoughts returned to me with that, but at the same time, my mind was functioning differently. There seemed to be something else going on in it…another thought process different than my own currently.
The whiteness faded into a blurry vision…I was an infant being held by a human woman, presumably my mother, while my assumed father and a few doctors looked on.
"Aww…" my mother was charmed by my cute little movements. "Look at him! He's just precious…"
"Heh heh," my father laughed in adoration. "That's our little Gabriel for ya."
My present self smiled, charmed by myself just like everyone else.
For no reason at all, thoughts echoed through my mind:
…mama…dada…
This other thought process must be my original thoughts from this moment, my current self thought. My past self's thoughts…
A flash of white and the temporary absence of that second mind track indicated that this scene was over.
By the time another vision became clear, the rest of my thoughts from in between the first moment and this moment filled themselves in. Since I was still quite young, however, there weren't that many distinguishable ones this time.
I focused on what I was seeing in first-person now; four-year-old me was having a blast just running laps around a little playground when:
"Gabriel, honey! Dinner's ready!"
I turned to the source of the voice; my mom was calling me from the wooden porch on the side of the white, not-too-big-not-too-small house I called home back then, that my present self could get a clear view of from here. I knew the layout by heart already, but this was a nice view.
"Coming, Mom!" four-year-old me responded and ran back.
Pokémon me laughed when the thought "Can't be late for dinner! Mom's cooking is the best!" ran through my mind.
Another flash of white and filler mind activity moved onto the next scene; I was six, in kindergarten, and it was recess. I was approaching this kid, who it seemed like I could get along with, in hopes of making a friend.
Present me was confused. I'm six and I don't have a single friend?
"Hey!" I said to the kid.
He turned around, seeming surprised to see me. "Uh…hi."
"I'm Gabriel," past me introduced myself, offering my hand. "What's your name?"
"Dave." He didn't take it.
"Wanna be friends?" I asked, blunt at this age.
"No thank you."
Both iterations of me had the same thought:
Huh?!
As Dave just walked away, Pokémon me thought: That's it? Not even a reason, just "no thank you"?!
As I searched through my earliest memories, I could suddenly recall dozens of incidents like this.
What?!
You can usually make friends by…at least three years old! I'm SIX and I don't have even one?!
HOW?
What is it about me that makes me so…different?
Past me thought something similar; Why am I so…different?
A white flash and rush of mental filler.
Before I even saw the next scene, I searched through my next memories.
Birthday parties with no one but relatives…
Never once with anyone at the lunch table…
And beneath it all, an underlying sense of loneliness that I didn't understand at the time.
How did I live like this…? I asked myself and got no answer.
The next vision: I was about ten, and I was beginning to see Pokémon around school.
It was always said that once you were ten years old, you could visit a Pokémon professor near you and receive a Pokémon to call your very own, and therefore making you an official Pokémon Trainer.
At this point in life, I had given up trying to make human friends, holding out hope that maybe I could bond with a Pokémon if I ever got one.
Present me had several questions.
So, humans tend to treat Pokémon as…pets?
Once you're ten, you can just grab a Pokémon and run off to face the world?
Ten-year-old me, on the way to class, saw several classmates with their Pokémon, making them fight each other's Pokémon in Pokémon battles, just like they always saw on TV, in the movies, and in the books.
WHAT? Pokémon me didn't believe this.
Humans…have an ENTIRE SOCIETY based around this social imbalance?!
In my time spent as a Pokémon, I know that Pokémon have lives and personalities of their own…but people just go out, catch them, and make them abuse each other with their power?
Is that what Team Perial is doing…?
Past me just continued walking to class, thinking:
That's not as cool as people like to think.
If I ever get a Pokémon, I'm never going to make them battle if at all possible.
Present me smiled at this thought. At least that point of view never changed.
Another flash of white and filler thoughts. Apparently I spent most of my time out of class staying out of the line of fire of Pokémon battles everywhere…
but by age fifteen, never did have one of my own.
My vision became clear again.
It was my sixteenth birthday, and I was just waking up.
When I opened my eyes, there was a large egg between my legs on my blanket.
Sixteen-year-old me nearly freaked out, but held it in and didn't move as suddenly as I wanted to.
There was a note on my dresser that wasn't there when I went to sleep, either. I carefully grabbed it and read it:
"Dear Gabriel,
We think it's about time. We had a talk with Professor Maple, and she offered us this little fellow here. Your consistently stellar grades and behavior have led us to believe that you're responsible enough to take care of this Pokémon, so we're entrusting it in your hands.
Happy birthday, buddy,
Love, Mom and Dad"
Just then, I felt something on my legs.
Setting the note down, I saw the Pokémon egg was starting to shake and crack open.
Oh, jeez, it's hatching!
Remaining still but not calm, I waited it out, as it began shaking rather violently, the crack going down the middle of it, until it suddenly exploded in a blinding flash.
When I turned back to the spot, uncovering my eyes, there was an Eevee staring me in the face.
The baby Pokémon took a few steps closer, across my upper body still in bed, looking into my eyes the whole time.
She sniffed my face a little bit, and then paused where she was.
Then she began wagging her tail and licking my face.
"Ahahahaha! Alright, alright, stop! Stop!" I begged for mercy. "I get it, you're adorable!"
"Vee!" Eevee said. Sixteen-year-old me didn't understand what that meant.
But my Pokémon self understood perfectly:
"Hi!"
My past self scratched her behind the ear. She seemed to really like that.
Then I picked her up and got out of bed to stand up. "What am I gonna do with you…"
The baby's expression became confused. "Ee…vee?"/"With…me?"
I smiled. "I think I'll call you…Paige."
Paige's face lit up upon receiving her name, and I had my first friend in my life.
This sensation upon seeing her smile like this…this silly but heartfelt expression…
I feel alive again!
The white flash ended this happy vision, and more memories returned.
I always kept Paige either by my side or on my shoulder, enjoying each other's company. Even at school, I'd occasionally give her a little pat while still paying attention to my studies. Heck, in fact, my grades went even higher with her around.
I guess that's how bonds work, huh? my present self thought.
How could I ever have forgotten such a close friend…?
Another vision. I was seventeen now, and Paige was with me, as always, when a teacher stopped me in the hallway.
"Gabriel, you really shouldn't have your Pokémon outside of its Poké Ball 24/7," he said.
I was confused. I knew what a Poké Ball was - those had come up in my earliest studies - and the science and history behind them, but…
"What are you talking about?" I replied. "Paige doesn't have a Poké Ball."
He was caught off guard. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
A pause.
He took one out of his pocket. "Well, surely you should have one if you're always going to be waltzing around with it."
I didn't even look to my shoulder, but I knew Paige was shaking her head. I was too. "No thanks. We're good, we don't need it."
"What about in all the battles going on around here? You'd need it for a safe retreat, wouldn't you."
"I thought I made it clear that we don't involve ourselves in battles," I firmly informed the man. "Guess not."
And with that, I walked away.
A flash of white.
More good times with my little buddy resurfaced in my mind, really making me feel happy inside.
When the brightness settled again, Paige and I were just finishing up my shift at my part-time job as a guide for an amusement park…it was called the PokéPark, I remember.
Once our shift ended, we started to head on home…
until a wild Wishiwashi school jumped out of the pond.
I thought people had been littering and polluting the pond with their refreshments and food wrappers once they were done with them on their way out of the park, and had actually brought this up several times to the proper authorities, but apparently no one had taken action, and the Wishiwashi living in it were the first to do so.
But I didn't think lashing out at me was the answer, either.
I quickly ran out of the way, avoiding being swallowed by the huge fish formation, but once it was on land, it roared at me and shot me with Water Gun.
"Gaaah!" seventeen-year-old me reeled, sent tumbling backwards and wiped out onto the path.
"Gabriel!" Pokémon me translated Paige's concerned cry.
The Schooling Pokémon turned their attention to her, believing she was supposed to battle them.
Despite the fact that she was, after all this time, only…what, level 3?
They roared at her anyway, and shot Water Gun again.
Without any experience at all, she quickly sidestepped and Tackled the wild Wishiwashi to protect me.
Then the Water-types intentionally used Growl, while Paige used Tackle again, even weaker than the previous time.
Wishiwashi unleashed Water Gun again to finish it quick.
And, thankfully, missed again.
Paige once more used Tackle on the wild Pokémon, and it was enough to deactivate its Schooling ability and leave only the one Wishiwashi. Taught a lesson enough, it fled back into the pond.
Then Paige, having gained enough experience from that one battle to become level 5, ran over to me and nudged me to see if I was okay.
I stood up, wet, but more than alive.
"Ha…" I said, not believing what I just witnessed.
A level 3 Eevee just took on a level 21 Wishiwashi school to save my life and won.
"C'mere, you little…" I picked up Paige, who had spent most of her energy in that battle and shortly fell asleep to recharge, and carried her the rest of the way home.
Another flash of white ended that vision.
When the white subsided, I was nineteen, in my room at college with Paige as my only roommate, having reached a stopping point in studying for my exams the next morning and about to crash for the night.
I laid down in bed, and instead of going into hers, the Eevee jumped up on top of me and curled up there, sleepily smiling.
"Heh heh…" I gave her a good rub behind the ear and held her close like a stuffed animal. "G'night, Paige."
"G'night, Gabriel…" my present self translated.
My past self closed my eyes, but before I fell asleep, I could hear her say one more thing. I didn't understand or care then…but now that I could understand…it made all the difference.
"I…I love you more than anything in the world…"
The blackness turned into white again.
Before the next scene, all my Pokémon self could think was:
Awww…
The next scene began. I was twenty-three now, having earned my bachelor's degree and completed my formal education. I'd been home for a few days now. When I went to grab the mail, Paige on my shoulder, aside from a few minor bills, there was a specially marked envelope with my name on it.
As my past self opened it, my present self recognized the emblem;
the familiar crowned "P".
I read it.
"Gabriel -
Congratulations! We have heard of your intellectual achievements, and are proud to inform you that you have been selected to be offered a position in our organization as an administrator. You will be in charge of assembling divisions of recruits from around the world, as well as putting your knowledge of the field to work in our technological department. If you would like to learn more about the position, ask any questions, or accept the position, please visit us at the address given on the front of this envelope. We look forward to your response, and hope to have you working with us!
- Carter Uvloz, Team Perial Boss
- Genesis Demind, Team Perial Admin"
My present self couldn't believe this. Carter and Genesis tried to HIRE me?!
But my past self had a different train of thought that I listened in on.
An administrator of a full-blown organization? I'll be in charge of assembling divisions?
…
Holy moly, this could be my chance!
Maybe after all these years, surrounding myself with these people, I can finally make some real friends!
Yeah…
I think I'll go check this out!
HOLY MOTHER OF-
DID I REALLY JUST ACCEPT THAT?!!!?
Paige was apparently on a similar thought as my present self, shaking her head and saying her version of "I don't like where this is going…"
"C'mon," my human self assured her, "it'll be fine! We'll meet all these people, and maybe we can actually get some of them to like us!"
And by us, I meant me.
A flash of white.
Something's wrong, my present self thought. Something is very, very not right.
All of a sudden I don't think this story will have a happy ending…
As the memories of my job as Team Perial Admin began flooding into my mind, I scanned through them. In hopes of being recognized by the team and its officials, I made many a contribution to the team's efforts…
including inventing the Terminal Ball?!
Tha- that's not right!
Did I…
Did I really do this?
Is this truly me?
As time went on through here, over the course of months, I found that I was remembering more and more about my job…
and less and less about caring for Paige.
When my vision cleared, I was working in my office, repairing a broken communicator that a Grunt had dropped off to me, when I felt Paige rubbing against my legs, trying to get my attention.
"Look, Paige," I finally looked down at her, "I get it. Just let me get this thing fixed, and I'll give you some attention and lovin' later."
She sighed. My Pokémon self understood her musing to herself:
"Which 'later' is it this time…'never', or 'after a million years'?"
Paige gave up and curled up in the corner of the room.
A flash of white.
I became a lot more tense.
More filler mental activity came in…
As my occupation went on, I found that my past self began to find Paige's attempts at getting affection…annoying. To the point where I completely disregarded them or actually scolded her for it. Even, when the opportunity rose…exploited it, and used her as a lab rat on occasion.
Wha…how is this happening?
I'm…I'm becoming a monster…
The next scene began.
I was in a meeting with Carter, Genesis, and other high-ranking Team Perial commanders in the throne room.
"…so may I ask how we're coming along as far as obtaining Trainers' Pokémon?" the wannabe king said to everyone.
Genesis checked the records. "The rates have been skyrocketing since the introduction of the Terminal Balls, and are apparently still rising higher."
My past self smiled, seeing that my invention was being put to use and appreciated.
But then a thought struck me.
"That's great and all," I interrupted, "but do we even have anything on wild Pokémon?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, if we're going for every Pokémon in the world, then wouldn't that include the wild Pokémon as well? Do we have anyone going for those?"
Weird "uh…" glances were exchanged.
"Thaaaat's a pretty good point…" Carter smiled sheepishly. "Uh…how're we going to deal with that…"
Suddenly I had a stroke of genius.
Evil, evil genius.
Once the thought crossed my present mind, it all clicked.
No.
NO.
This isn't-
"I've got just the thing, sir," I said, and signed out to go back to my office and get right to work.
A flash of white.
When the white subsided, I was looking at blueprints.
I looked back up at the finished product to make sure it matched the blueprints.
It was a mech, suited with most anything one could ever need for battle.
Never-Melt Ice-coated flat feet for maximum speed and agility? Check.
Ponyta-hoof constructed elbow and knee pads, hot to the touch? Check.
Hidden toxic spike embedded in chest? Check.
Tail grapple? Check. Can open and fire electric orbs if need be? Check.
Hands can use psychic power, release sleeping gas, and dispense Terminal Balls kept in the arms? Check.
All body parts have an attack type designated to it? Check.
It's foolproof.
The battle mech to end all battle mechs.
This machine…can defeat any Pokémon in preparation for capturing it.
And in the event that capture is inapplicable…then landing the finishing blow instead is no problem.
The Pokémon Attainment Inhibition Garrote Enforcer…
or P.A.I.G.E.
It's done.
Except for one thing…
I opened the black screen on the front of the head, revealing the inside of the head.
Mostly empty…
aside from a small helmet wired to the inner ceiling.
It needs an operator.
And I know just where to find one…
Turn the mild annoyance into a use.
I didn't believe what I was thinking.
"Paige!"
The Eevee perked up her head upon hearing her name.
"C'mere, sweetie, I need you for a minute."
She enthusiastically rushed over…
sealing her own fate.
NO!
I picked her up and set her inside the robot's head. "Alright, Paige, just sit here for a moment."
She wasn't gullible enough to go any further.
"Wha?!" my Pokémon self translated her sudden realization.
Paige tried to make a run for it, but I held her in one place with one hand and grabbed a metal bar with the other.
"No!" she cried, as I pinned her inside with it in a way that she couldn't move, and bolted the bar in place. "Gabriel, what are you doing?!"
I pulled the helmet down over her head, over her eyes, and put the screen back together, making sure I couldn't get it loose again.
"NO!" Paige cried from inside, my past self only hearing meaningless variants of "Eevee". "Gabriel?! No! HELP!!!"
I plugged the USB into the available slot on the machine's upper back, connecting the P.A.I.G.E. to the computer.
I booted up the computer, typed in my password, clicked on the icon I was looking for on the home screen, and typed in another password.
"Running paige_act_seq.EXE…"
As the activation sequence transferred into the mech, the helmet turned on and began synchronizing itself with the operator.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!" Only my present self could hear Paige's agonizing cry from inside.
Within moments, the black screen began to light up, and a colorful, almost cute digital face appeared on it.
And with that, the activation sequence was complete, and sent itself to the Recycle Bin.
"Wh…what just happened?" P.A.I.G.E. was translating Paige into English on its own now.
The helmet had synchronized with the Eevee, and she was now controlling the machine with her brainwaves.
A flash of white.
I was in disbelief of what I had just witnessed.
That…is undeniably the most cruel…heartless, and inconsiderate act of…I don't know…that I have ever seen.
Th-there…there's no way in heck I could've done that.
This…this isn't me!
Still, more…memories? or just visions? flooded into my mind.
Over the next few months, Paige had trouble adjusting to P.A.I.G.E. The helmet she wore not only controlled the robot's actions and expressions, but also was programmed to deliver an electric shock through her brain should a thought ever cross her mind about:
-escaping (which she couldn't anyway)
-disobeying orders
-turning on Team Perial
and erased the thought before it even finished forming, in the same robotic manner I had seen with Cheren and Aileen. Through the next few months, many of those instances occurred, as she had to get a grip on what she was allowed to think and what she wasn't.
Holy…
But over time she finally caught on, and reluctantly began going on missions and capturing wild Pokémon, brainwashing them with the Terminal Balls, and bringing them back to me, where I would distribute them amongst Team Perial as a whole.
Carter insisted that he should have six Pokémon at his disposal, that each Admin could use four, and Grunts could have one or two. A show of strength, he claimed, a firm believer in quantity being more important than quality.
As P.A.I.G.E. got accustomed to her duties, she began doing them more faithfully and efficiently. I didn't understand why…
My vision cleared, and the next scene began.
I was in my office, updating a Terminal Ball that hadn't passed the inspections of capability, when P.A.I.G.E. returned from her outing and set down a whopping dozen of Terminal Balls on my desk.
Oh my-
My past self paused what I was doing and checked the contents. Druddigon…Breloom…Alolan Ninetales…overall, effective and powerful Pokémon.
While present me just watched, astounded.
"I think I went above and beyond on this one," P.A.I.G.E. said with a hopeful smile.
"Are you proud of me yet?"
Even as P.A.I.G.E., she still just wants to be loved, my Pokémon self deduced.
But my past self was, at most, impressed, and I set them all down, said "Huh…keep this up," and turned back to what I was doing.
I didn't pay any attention then, but now I could see, out of the corner of my eye, P.A.I.G.E.'s face turn blue, visibly disappointed with my "meh" response. She hung her head, sat down over by the wall, plugged herself in to recharge her batteries, and buried her head within her hands and knees.
I barely heard her sobbing in spurts to herself.
A flash of white.
Time continued still, and over the next weeks, while my past self didn't pay any attention, my present self noticed P.A.I.G.E.'s behavior slowly changing from the bubbly, naïve, timid personality she had always had into a sassier, less concerned, more hostile tone.
Understanding that she was no longer "important" to me, I could now see this emotional barrier, an attempt to hide her true feelings.
Something in her programming was twisting her sorrow into some kind of hatred…
Against me, for what I did?
Against all Pokémonkind, for their free will that she no longer really had?
…both?
I had become a monster, and I created another monster, even worse, in the process.
The next scene commenced.
I was on lunch break, putting together a simple cheese sandwich,
when suddenly I stopped.
Something's odd, I felt.
I looked around, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary…
until I looked up past the ceiling fan and saw a gray blur drop down to the ground in front of me.
What the- past me thought.
It's Stacia! present me thought.
What is a Marshadow doing in my office? past me finished my thought.
Stacia stood up and faced me.
"Do you even realize what you've done?"
I just stood there, confused, only now understanding what she was saying.
"Don't you know what your actions have caused to others? Your friends…your family…even those you don't know?"
I just stood there, only hearing "Marshadow" gibberish.
Then Stacia realized the language barrier and facepalmed. "What am I doing…
"Well, I guess there's another way to make you see it…"
Parts of her body began to flare up and glow green, as she turned to face me directly.
"I guess I have no choice other than to force it onto you…"
She seemed hesitant for a moment, but quickly shook it off.
"This is justice, this is what's right.
"Time for justice…"
Her fist began glowing green.
"…time to go fight."
I realized I was about to be attacked, but I was against a wall.
Uh-oh.
Without further ado…
"HrrrrraaaaAAAAAAAHH!!!"
She lunged, aimed, and punched me with her glowing hand, opening it at the very last moment.
And then everything went blank.
Including my second train of thought.
My present self just remained there, startled and confused.
What just happened?!
My vision remained black for a few moments, until…
…
………
…………………………………
…unnnnnh…
Wh…where am I?
I slowly came to and opened my eyes, recognizing the area as the Lycanroc Territory.
I'm in some rocky area I've never seen before, my past self thought.
Wait a-
What HAVE I seen before?
I stopped and searched through my memories. My past self yielded nothing, while my present self retained everything I had experienced here.
…nothing. I can't remember anything…
Wait, my name…
My name is Gabriel.
I know that much.
And…I know that I'm human.
Well, of course. I mean, why wouldn't I-
Something caught my eye in a puddle to my left. I walked over and stood over top of it…
A Ralts stared back at me in the reflection.
What? That doesn't make any-
Wait a-
I frantically searched myself over.
I'm a Ralts now?!
…
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!
A flash of white.
I knew everything that unfolded from there.
So with that…
BAW, BAW, BAW-DO-BAH.
That weird jingle woke me up from the dreamlike phase I had just seen everything in.
"THANK YOU FOR USING THE SOUL-HEART," Magearna's voice clip said. "DETONATING…"
I couldn't move, still, but as the machine pulsed I felt energy returning to my body a little at a time.
Remain calm, I told myself. Just roll with it.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in…breathe out.
Suddenly all the strength returned to my head, and I could look around again.
Then the weight was lifted from my chest, and I was free to move my arms.
In the same instance my legs became usable again, another surge rushed through my mind, making sure I was awake and alert.
Just in time with the rings, I remembered.
I knew what was next, then.
As the Soul-Heart began to lose its concentration, I braced myself for the break, shutting my eyes tight to protect them from the blinding light.
With a loud BOOM, the machine broke in two, releasing me back into the outside world, and I could feel the wind breezing through my hair as I heard the pieces crumbling down onto the ground. Then I felt myself being gently let onto the pile of rubble, back onto the ground.
I opened my eyes. It was still in the plains of Memory Lane…maybe ten minutes had passed in reality.
I just stood there, dumbfounded by what I had witnessed in the Soul-Heart.
"Gabriel…" Stacia, having woken up from her nap, saw my disbelief. "I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but-"
"No," I said. "That…that's not right…
"I dunno if the Soul-Heart malfunctioned or something, but…that's not me!"
Stacia sighed. "I should've expected this kind of reaction…Gabriel, you have to understa-"
"No!" I cut her off. "Stop lying already, Stacia! That…I never did that! I'll find the truth to my past, and nothing you can say will stop me!"
And with that, I took off into the wind.
"Gabriel!" Stacia called out after me. "Gabriel!!"
Like I was going to listen to her now.
Oh, no.
I'll find the truth to my memory…
Because I refuse to believe…THAT.
There's no way that was me…
There's no way…
(Chapter 13 begins…)