Pokemon : An Unexpected Journey

Hey readers,

Just a quick note before you dive into the new chapter – I've got some news! I've gone back to the drawing board with "An Artificer in Tales of Demons and Gods" and fresh chapters are up for grabs. Why the rewrite? Well, I realized I was leaning a bit too much into Zhu's vampire storyline, and since this fanfic is really about his journey as an artificer, I decided to strip that part away. I think you'll like the new direction it's taking. Give it a read when you can, and let me know what you think!

Your support keeps me writing, so a huge thanks for sticking with me. It truly means the world.

Catch you in the comments,

Adamos_Amet

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[Jessie's POV]

I nodded at James and Meowth. There was no room for discussion, no time for fear. This was it.

"James, Meowth, time to fight." 

I commanded, holding out my Pokeballs and they mirrored my actions. "Magneton, Mime Jr., Victreebel, you're up!" called out James. I took a deep breath, and added, "Growlithe, Arbok, Magmar, let's go!"

Within moments, our team of Pokémon was before us, ready to defend us against the enigma that was MissingNo. 

We watched as the glitch Pokémon's form began to distort further, its pixels trembling and flickering in a manner that seemed to defy the laws of reality. An eerie noise echoed through the air, a chilling screech that made my skin crawl. Then, all at once, MissingNo. lunged.

A barrage of glitched symbols flew from it, like a distorted storm, slamming into our team with unexpected ferocity. James' Mime Jr., using its psychic abilities, tried to create a barrier, but it was shattered instantly. The Pokemon were thrown back, landing harshly against the cold floor.

Growlithe, despite its small stature, jumped in front of us with a ferocious growl, launching a flamethrower in a desperate attempt to hold MissingNo. back. The fire collided with the glitch, but it just seemed to distort and ripple before reforming itself.

Victreebel unleashed a poisonous cloud, a strategy we often used when needing to make an escape. The purple fog enveloped MissingNo., but the creature remained unfazed, charging forward, its form cutting through the poisonous fog like a blade.

"Magmar, use Smog!" I called, but it was as if MissingNo. was immune to all our attacks. The black smoke engulfed the glitch Pokémon, but it emerged unscathed, its form quivering and shifting even more violently now. The glitching storm lashed out again, this time focusing on Arbok and Growlithe.

Arbok tried to strike back with a Poison Sting, but the glitched symbols just swept the attack aside. Growlithe yelped as it was sent flying back against the wall, slumping to the ground in pain. 

We watched in horror as our attacks failed to even make a dent. James's Magneton tried to surround MissingNo. with an electromagnetic field, its three bodies humming with intense energy. The glitches were momentarily stalled, repelled by the forcefield, but the sheer power of MissingNo.'s assault caused Magneton to short circuit, its bodies falling to the ground.

Weezing, in a last-ditch effort, gathered all its strength and fired a Sludge Bomb directly into the glitching heart of MissingNo. But even the usually deadly toxins did nothing but add more chaotic colors to the ever-changing form of MissingNo.

"Mime Jr., use Mimic!" James shouted, hoping to use MissingNo.'s own power against it. Mime Jr. wobbled, trying to copy the glitch Pokémon's attack, but it was overwhelmed. It shuddered, releasing a distorted cry before collapsing, unable to handle the unbridled power of the Glitch Pokémon.

Our Pokémon were down, one by one, the joyous light in their eyes replaced with the pain of defeat. We stood there, dumbstruck, our heartbeats echoing in our ears as MissingNo.'s distorted growl filled the silent hallway.

It was horrifying. This wasn't a Pokémon battle. This was a massacre, and we were losing.

"Retreat! Call them back!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. We drew back our Pokémon, their battered forms disappearing into the Pokeballs.

.....

The relentless pursuit of MissingNo. was nothing short of a horror, the glitch Pokémon carving its path through the intricate maze of the cave like a butcher. Its form flickered and glitched erratically, tendrils manifesting from the chaos and lashing out. Each swipe was a blade, leaving raw, open gashes in the stone walls and floor, rending the very rock asunder.

It happened in a blink, James ensnared in a tendril's merciless grip. His scream echoed like a siren's wail, swallowed by the cave's vastness. Slamming him onto the cold stone ground, MissingNo. gave no quarter. Bloody lacerations stitched a gruesome tapestry across his body, each one a testament to the raw, brutal power of our adversary.

As the nightmarish figure raised its glitched form to deliver the killing blow, Jessie intervened. Like a whirlwind, she threw herself between James and the monster, a human shield for her lifelong friend. A horrible crunch reverberated through the cavern, her pained scream echoing the torment. As Jessie fell, my heart fell with her.

"Jessie!" Meowth's roar tore through the cavern, fury turning him into a ball of white-hot rage. But before he could launch himself, James managed to croak, "Meowth... stop!"

Hurling a PokeBall with a force born of desperation, it clinked against the stone at MissingNo.'s feet. A blinding light erupted as a titanic Gyarados burst forth, its enormous form filling the cavern. Its roar echoed deafeningly, shaking the cave walls. A tendril of MissingNo. swiped at the serpent-like Pokémon, gouging out one of its eyes. But the Gyarados didn't retreat, instead slamming MissingNo. against the cavern roof with a monstrous coil of its body.

The entire cave trembled, a shower of rock and debris falling around us. We were amidst a maelstrom of chaos, yet James remained undeterred. His face was a stone mask, eyes reflecting a mix of pain and defiance.

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" he commanded, voice echoing with raw power. Despite its injury, Gyarados complied, its uninjured eye gleaming with a fierce light. A beam of blinding energy erupted from its gaping maw, a direct hit on MissingNo. The entire cave shuddered as the beam ripped through the ceiling, disappearing into the darkness above.

The world around us seemed to shatter, the cave threatening to collapse from the energy release. But James, unflinching, rushed towards Jessie's side, Meowth trailing behind.

Jessie, miraculously, stirred, a weak grin playing at the corners of her lips. 

"Is that thing gone ?! Can I stop playing dead now?" she groaned.

The words hit James like a sledgehammer, a wave of relief washing over him. He crumbled next to Jessie, throwing his arms around her in a tight embrace. She returned the gesture, her surprise turning into a chuckle.

"We thought we lost ya, Jessie," Meowth said, sounding shell-shocked.

The tension hung heavy in the cavern, the echoes of the battle with MissingNo. still reverberating off the walls. Jessie, displaying a surprising resilience, pulled a dagger from her pocket, the blade gleaming even in the dim light. It was the same dagger Sabrina had given them, its presence a testament to the psychic gym leader's foresight.

"I just took the impact, not the full hit," she admitted, her voice steady despite the ordeal she'd just survived.

A realization dawned on Meowth, his eyes widening in shock. "Do ya think the dagger was for that thing?" he asked, gesturing towards the damage MissingNo. had inflicted.

Jessie simply shrugged, her gaze meeting James's. "It could be."

The conversation lulled, all three of them processing the recent events. Then James, his expression grim, broke the silence. "Is that thing dead?"

Jessie glanced at the spot where MissingNo. had been struck by Gyarados' Hyper Beam. "It took a full force of a hyperbeam," she said, not a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Good point," Meowth conceded. "So now what?"

The question hung in the air, an invisible challenge. James and Meowth turned their gazes to Jessie, silently asking for guidance. She gulped, a flicker of fear crossing her face before being replaced with a determined look. "We go deeper?" she finally said, her voice ringing clear and confident. "My mom's still down there."

••••••••••••••••••

[Blaine's POV]

From the security of my office, I stared at the footage playing on the large screen, the silence punctuated only by the faint hum of machinery. The Morose Mirkwood forest, the so-called silent forest, was anything but silent tonight.

On the screen, three familiar figures moved with cautious determination, their Rocket uniforms standing out against the forest's green backdrop. Jessie, James, and their talking Meowth - not the typical Rocket grunts. 

A pit of concern formed in my stomach. 

What were they doing there?

The forest was dense, and the old Team Rocket base nestled within it had long been abandoned. I had ensured that myself, sealing it off after a catastrophic incident involving Dr. Lyndis years ago. 

"Charizard, we have to go," I said, standing up. The giant Pokémon, having sensed my urgency, gave a determined nod.

...

As Charizard soared through the night sky, I held on tightly, my mind reeling with questions. The image of the Hyper Beam, a destructive force so powerful it had ripped through the forest's canopy and into the night sky, was etched into my mind. 

The base was supposed to be secure, inaccessible. So, how had Team Rocket got in? Was someone helping them?

What was so special about this base?

The only things that were in it .... were Project Missingno - an unkillable monster and Porject Eve - a tragedy.

...

But tonight, the unmistakable beam of Hyper Beam had shot up into the sky from that very location. The sight had sent chills down my spine, memories of the old days flashing in my mind.

As we neared the forest, the damage became glaringly obvious. 

The forest was scarred, a gaping hole marking the source of the Hyper Beam. Charizard landed near the edge of the crater, an air of anxiety surrounding it. 

"Stay alert, Charizard," I whispered, patting the Pokémon's side.

Taking a deep breath, I moved closer to the hole, peering into the ominous darkness. The sight was eerily familiar – the scene of an old disaster, now the epicenter of a new mystery. It was a chilling déjà vu.

Taking out my radio, I dialed the Pokémon League's emergency line. "This is Blaine," I started, my eyes never leaving the hole. "We have a possible breach at the old Team Rocket base in Morose Mirkwood. Send backup."

As the radio clicked off, I felt a heavy sigh escape my lips. The abandoned base, the Hyper Beam, Team Rocket – it was a puzzle with dangerous implications. 

Looking up at the darkened sky, I tightened my grip on the radio. The silence of the forest was shattered, and the echo of an old terror lingered in the air. It was a past I thought I had sealed away. But it seemed the past had a knack for catching up. As the night deepened, the forest was silent no more, and a new investigation was about to begin.

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The dilapidated elevator shaft towered above Jessie, James, and Meowth, its steel sinews a haunting reminder of its erstwhile grandeur. Deftly, they embarked upon their daunting descent, navigating the precarious remnants of an infrastructure once gleaming with technological prowess. As they climbed down the ravaged shaft, they ventured into the gloomy depths of a forsaken network of lab rooms, each an echo of tragic history.

Their footsteps reverberated through the charred hallways, an unsettling chorus with the creaks and groans of the decaying structure. Abandoned lab rooms were laid out in a sprawling tableau of destruction, their barren chambers telling a story of rampant chaos and horror. Amid the disarray, the charred remains of both man and Pokemon seemed trapped in a horrific time freeze, a grotesque caricature of life and vitality.

The trio's march slowed as they confronted a colossal steel door, its impenetrable surface etched with the scars of time. A suffocating silence enveloped them as they stared at the massive barricade, the air thick with the weight of anticipation and dread.

An ethereal chill pervaded the still air, and ghostly whispers echoed through the labyrinthine expanse. The phantom voices of a man, a woman, and a child painted a harrowing picture of despair and plea: "Kill me". Each word was a ripple in the calm, sending shudders coursing through their bodies, raising the fine hairs on the napes of their necks.

Scrawled across the cold steel surface was a tag: "Project Eve". The name resonated ominously, its bleak undertones mirroring the grim surroundings. It was an eerie reminder of the unseen horrors that lay beyond the steel barrier, an unspoken promise of chilling revelations.

In the flickering light, the inscription on the wall unveiled another piece of the disturbing puzzle: "Miyamoto is inside". They stood before it, the words casting a long, foreboding shadow over their hushed discussion. 

Could this be Doflamingo's handiwork? And was Sabrina, known for her psychic abilities, now under his manipulative control?

Their anxious deliberation was shattered by Jessie's harsh command. "Enough!" she barked, her voice echoing off the cold, metallic walls. Her eyes blazed with determination, their fiery depths reflecting her unyielding resolve. This was the culmination of a life-long quest, a journey fraught with trials and tribulations. She had finally arrived, standing on the precipice of her long-sought goal. A reunion with her mother was within her grasp, and she was not about to let speculation cloud this moment.

"It doesn't matter who is behind this," Jessie declared, her voice resonating in the stillness. "We're here, we've made it, and nothing is going to stand in my way. I'm going to see my mother."

With that definitive declaration, the trio steeled themselves for what lay beyond. Jessie strode forward, her hand hovering over the cold steel of the door. The tension was palpable, the anticipation a living, breathing entity among them. 

The steel door seared a chilling sensation into Jessie's palm, a forbidding prelude to the unknown. The echo of that haunted plea - "Kill me!" - seemed to resonate louder, rebounding off the cold, metallic walls and seeping into her consciousness. A paralyzing dread gripped Jessie, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird desperate for escape. The future beyond the door held terrifying prospects, she was certain.

Suddenly, she felt a reassuring touch. "Jessie," James's voice sounded softly, his hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder. The familiarity of his touch was a small comfort in this alien, fearful atmosphere. "We're here, with you."

A flicker of a smile played on Jessie's lips, momentarily chasing away the shadows of apprehension. But the echo of that horrifying plea persisted in her ears, a gruesome soundtrack to the ominous tableau that lay before them.

Gathering her waning courage, Jessie prepared to face the unknown, the very thought of which sent icy tendrils of fear curling around her heart. But nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared them for the horrors they were about to witness. What lurked beyond that door was a terrifying reality that threatened to etch itself into their minds, a grotesque spectacle that would scar the trio for life.

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[ Omake Paragraph ] 

The images projected by Kirlia are not simply the product of their imaginations, but pictures of a vast multiverse which they and only a few far more powerful psychics and legends can see. To these people, Kirlia are the world's best window into the unknown.

Although science is at times skeptical of the discoveries claimed by some Kirlia, for these pokemon are also capable of illusion, their dimensional sight has made an enormous impact on the popular understanding of the many worlds beyond our own. From the bizarre architecture and floating platforms of the Distortion World, to the abominations of Glitch City, to the pristine White Forest of ancient times which shall someday be built into the hyper-industrial Black City of the future, Kirlia have entertained many with the fascinating and beautiful dreams of worlds far beyond our own comprehension. Giratina is often credited with controlling dimensions as Dialga does time, but if it does, it has given this strange psychic pokemon some portion of its power. Kirlia are used for religious purposes in Sinnoh among Giratina's followers, but this can not compare to their use for exploration, for religion is merely one facet of Man's desire to understand the unknown.

What ordinary Kirlia can not do is offer a pathway to these worlds, although certainly many have tried. The strain of opening the dimensional gate and not simply projecting the other side is theoretically manageable, but only a few powerful yet poorly-documented Kirlia have ever claimed to manage it. Yet great trainers still flock to these pokemon, give them Everstones, and strive to make them as strong as possible, for once you have conquered this world, what is there to do but explore another?