Writing Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Author Address - August 14)
- Thread starter Athena
- Start date
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 7)
Ah, leave the poor Greek goddess alone
Great chapter, Athena! I never get bored of your battles (probably because I like writing anime-style battles as well) and I can't wait for round two! Maybe we'll learn a little bit more of what's going on. Never a let-down!
Ah, leave the poor Greek goddess alone
Great chapter, Athena! I never get bored of your battles (probably because I like writing anime-style battles as well) and I can't wait for round two! Maybe we'll learn a little bit more of what's going on. Never a let-down!
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 7)
Woooo, feels like it's been a while since my last post. I couldn't help but notice after my last chapter that I'd written myself into a bit of a corner (more details on that when the story is finished; I don't want to give anything away by saying anything about it now), so a lot of the Mysteries-related work that I've been doing lately is mentally processing how to dig myself out while maintaining the same pace that I've been following. I think I've got things all straightened out now, but it'll still probably be a while before the next update just because battle updates take soooo much more work. =.=;;;
Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Mysteries for officially reaching 100 pages in MS Word. We're actually on page 102 now, and just a bit shy of 50k words. I never imagined this would be so long! I guess I underestimate my own wordiness.
In any event, enjoy Intermission Number Next One:
Woooo, feels like it's been a while since my last post. I couldn't help but notice after my last chapter that I'd written myself into a bit of a corner (more details on that when the story is finished; I don't want to give anything away by saying anything about it now), so a lot of the Mysteries-related work that I've been doing lately is mentally processing how to dig myself out while maintaining the same pace that I've been following. I think I've got things all straightened out now, but it'll still probably be a while before the next update just because battle updates take soooo much more work. =.=;;;
Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Mysteries for officially reaching 100 pages in MS Word. We're actually on page 102 now, and just a bit shy of 50k words. I never imagined this would be so long! I guess I underestimate my own wordiness.
In any event, enjoy Intermission Number Next One:
Intermission Number Next One
Alex sat in the corner of the kitchenette in in the basement laboratory, staring blankly at her communicator. She’d just tried, and failed, for the sixth time to try and reach Tony, but the stupid thing refused to connect. Was it because they weren’t getting a proper signal down here, or was her phone purposefully blocked? It wouldn’t make any sense to give her the communicator if she couldn’t use it, but then, that wouldn’t be the strangest thing about her day so far.
She glanced up at Terra who was still snoring peacefully in her bed against the wall. She’d initially been concerned that there was something wrong with the girl, especially when the medical technicians came by and started drawing blood and running tests, but the green-haired woman assured her that everything would be fine.
For such a dank, boring place, the laboratory was actually rather lively. Esmeralda, the green-haired one, seemed to be in charge, but many other came and went, scurrying about between the various pieces of equipment and checking on the three trainers. One in particular, a man named Wesley, seemed most interested in Alex and often stopped by to check on her and make sure she was okay. They had been chatting for a bit earlier when he was called away for some business, leaving Alex free to try the phone again.
With a sigh, Alex put the phone back into her pocket and stared lazily at the hustle and bustle of the room. She’d offered to help once earlier, but had been rebuffed; it seemed they didn’t trust her well enough with the sensitive machinery. It was probably just as well; Alex could use a computer for most basic things, but a lot of the lab equipment and such was beyond her ken. However, it did mean she didn’t have much to do. Aside from making herself a small meal of soup and crackers, and the occasional chats with Wesley, she’d been bored out of her mind.
On the other side of the room, William was exiting out of the shower area, tailed by one of the other lab assistants, JS. They were chatting jovially, but Alex’s eyes were drawn to the quick flick of William’s wrist as he tossed something at one of the lab computers. JS was so absorbed by their conversation that she hadn’t noticed the movement, and Alex had the strange feeling that he’d meant for that to happen that way. It seemed JS was being pulled away for some other work, so she and William split ways and the other trainer veered over to the kitchenette, sitting at a table nearby Alex.
William had been kind of standoffish, rebuffing Alex’s earlier attempts at conversation, but she had a feeling he wasn’t going to ignore her now. She pocketed her phone and walked towards him. “So what was that thing you tos–”
William raised a finger to his mouth, ordering her to silence with that gesture and a stare.
Alex furrowed her eyebrows. He didn’t want her to talk about it? That must mean he was doing something wrong, that the people here didn’t want him to do. That must be why he had been distracting JS earlier when dropped it. But he wasn’t going to just cut her off and not tell her what was going on, not if she had anything to say about it. She crossed her arms and glared right back at him, challenging him without a spoken word.
With a sigh, he got up and gestured at her to follow him. They walked back across the room, using a different route – on purpose? – than the one that would take them passed William’s object. Alex studiously kept her eyes away from the spot, instead watching the work of the various technicians. Two men who appeared to be twins in matching outfits, one with shockingly bright red hair and the other with hair a lighter green than Esmeralda’s, were assisting Esmeralda with the installation of another one of the large tubes that bisected the room while a woman with blonde pigtails watched and took notes on a clipboard. Alex was startled by a sudden popping only to blush sheepishly when she realized it was simply the blond woman’s bubble gum.
When they reached the door to the showers, William’s eyes darted around the room, making sure they were unobserved, the reached his hand down Alex’s pants pocket. Alex started to object, and loudly, when he covered her mouth with his free hand. His other hand was holding Alex’s communicator. He left it on top of a nearby computer and led her into the shower room, hand still over her mouth.
“What the hell do you think you–” Alex started, but was cut off again with another gesture from William. He pointed to two toilet stalls on the opposite side of the room, past the lockers, then went into the one on the left himself. After a moment, Alex pursed her lips and followed, locking herself into the stall next door.
She sat down on top of the toilet and waited for him to start; she didn’t want him to cut her off again. From out of William’s stall came a small click followed by the faint hiss of background static, like a TV tuned to a non-existent station in a neighbouring room. The noise was annoying, but wasn’t loud enough to affect her hearing.
“Forgive the static and the theatrics,” William whispered through the wall, “but I don’t exactly know all the ways they’re surveilling us.”
“Surveilling?”
“I know they’re using the communicators to track us and listen in on what we’re saying,” he explained, “but they probably have other bugs placed around, too. The static should interfere with the bugs and only record our conversation as white noise.”
Ah, so that was why he had taken her phone, and why he had been so reticent before they were in private. But that still didn’t explain his paranoia in the first place. “Why do you care if they’re listening in on you? What are you doing?”
“Alex…” William’s voice had a note of bitter frustration. “Don’t you realize what they’re doing to us here? They’ve taken us away from the others, trapped us in this basement room while they run experiments on us. I don’t know exactly what’s happening or what they hope to gain, but I’m doing what I can to figure out what their plans are, and maybe find a way to get us out of here.”
Alex sat back against the toilet, stunned. Sure, she’d been afraid when she first lost, knowing that she would be separated from Tony and the others for the remainder of the match. She had even flipped out for a bit when she woke up in the strange basement laboratory room with Esmeralda watching over her. But nothing in these events implied the sort of evil, mad science that William was hinting at.
Or did they? The scientists and assistants were frequently checking on Terra, despite her being asleep since she came down here. Alex’s own arms showed signs of medical testing, like the small bandage over the crook of her elbow where blood had probably been drawn.
And yet, the people here had been kind to her, with no signs of ill intent. Esmeralda had been somewhat cold and preoccupied, but of course she was in charge of everything, so it made sense that she had a lot on her mind. JS and Wesley, on the other hand, seemed to bend over backward to please them and make sure they were treated well.
Alex quickly found herself paralyzed with indecision. Could she believe William and his tales of experimentation and danger? Or did she believe in the people in charge, the ones who had given her no direct reason to think that they may be harming her? Ever since her experiences as part of Team Magma, she’d started to doubt herself in terms of her ability to see the intentions of others. After all, she’d been hoodwinked by Maxie and the others into believing in their cause. How could she trust herself to not fall into the same trap again?
She took a deep breath, shaking her head. No, she refused to give into her doubt. Yes, she had joined Team Magma, but there was no shame in that; the other members had been tricked just as much as she had, and even while she was a part of the group, she had known deep down in her gut that something wasn’t right.
She could still trust her gut, and her gut said to trust William. He hadn’t tried to charm her or anything, just told her what he had seen, and his eyes and demeanour implied an intelligence and maturity that belied his physical age. He had taken a large step in trusting her, taking her here to explain the things that she had seen; she could repay that trust be listening to him and helping him.
On the other hand, her gut was still uneasy with the scientists. She had passed it off as their eyes, and her unsettled feeling at being separated from Tony and the others, but these were excuses, not reasons. Whatever the reason was, intuition was telling her that William was to be more trusted than the island folk, and she would place her faith in that.
“Alright,” she replied, “I’m in.”
“What do you mean, you’re in?” he asked with a hiss. “I didn’t ask for your help in this.”
“I know you didn’t, but I’m going to help anyway. So, what was that thing you dropped, some kind of listening device of your own?”
William sighed. “No, it’s a wireless transmitter, a hacking device of sorts. I’m hoping I can find a way to tap into their computer systems.”
Alex couldn’t help but gasp. “You can really do that?”
“Let’s just say I have some resources.”
“What about escaping? Are we going to go meet back up with the others?”
“I guess that depends on what I find out. I need to know what their security is like, and I need to figure out what happened to the others.”
“The others?” As she asked the question, it suddenly clicked in her head. William had lost his match like Alex lost hers. Presumably, Terra was also a loser, but they weren’t the only ones. “You mean the other ones who lost their matches earlier and yesterday, don’t you?”
“Exactly. I’d have thought they’d have been brought down here, too. In fact, there’s multiple signs that other people had been staying in the lab room before us, but they’re nowhere to be found.”
“What about that other room?” Alex proposed. “There’s a door that leads to another room that we can’t get to.”
“I’ve been in there, with JS; it’s nothing. I think the four of them actually escaped already.”
“You really think so?”
“Yes. I have vague, dreamlike memories of Shirley being around when I was first brought in, but I can’t make heads or tails of them. But it would explain why we’re constantly watched and followed.”
As if William had summoned him with those words, the bathroom door creaked open and Wesley’s voice called out. “Alex, are you in here? Are you okay? You left your phone outside.”
“Oh, I must have dropped it!” Alex replied, thinking quickly. “Thank you for grabbing it for me, I’ll be out in a moment.”
She rustled her clothing around a bit and flushed the toilet, then left the stall to go wash her hands. As she walked to the sinks, she couldn’t help but notice that the door to William’s stall was slightly ajar and he had drawn his feet up so that he couldn’t be seen. Wesley wouldn’t even be able to tell that she hadn’t been alone; William certainly knew what he was doing.
Wesley smiled at her as she approached. “Sorry if it seems like I overreacted, I was just worried is all.”
“Worried? I was just using the toilet.” Alex laughed. “It’s the most excitement I’ve had over the past hour.”
Wesley’s smile transformed into an embarrassed grin. “I’m sorry, I know you’re probably bored being forced to stay in here. Would it help if I brought you some books or something to help you pass the time?”
She looked at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Would it be possible to talk to my boyfriend Tony for a bit? Just to let him know that I’m okay and that I miss him.”
Wesley shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, I wish I could. I know you keep trying to call him with your phone, but you’re not going to be able to talk to him until he loses a match or until he wins and you both go back home.”
Alex nodded. “I guess I kind of expected that. Thanks anyway.”
She left to go back to the kitchenette and Wesley trailed behind her like a puppy. She couldn’t help but watch him a different light now, noticing how he always seemed to be keeping an eye on her, even when he was talking to someone else or working on something. Now that she realized that her friend was nothing more than a spy, she couldn’t help shuddering for a moment. I hope William finds a way to get us out of here soon…
Alex sat in the corner of the kitchenette in in the basement laboratory, staring blankly at her communicator. She’d just tried, and failed, for the sixth time to try and reach Tony, but the stupid thing refused to connect. Was it because they weren’t getting a proper signal down here, or was her phone purposefully blocked? It wouldn’t make any sense to give her the communicator if she couldn’t use it, but then, that wouldn’t be the strangest thing about her day so far.
She glanced up at Terra who was still snoring peacefully in her bed against the wall. She’d initially been concerned that there was something wrong with the girl, especially when the medical technicians came by and started drawing blood and running tests, but the green-haired woman assured her that everything would be fine.
For such a dank, boring place, the laboratory was actually rather lively. Esmeralda, the green-haired one, seemed to be in charge, but many other came and went, scurrying about between the various pieces of equipment and checking on the three trainers. One in particular, a man named Wesley, seemed most interested in Alex and often stopped by to check on her and make sure she was okay. They had been chatting for a bit earlier when he was called away for some business, leaving Alex free to try the phone again.
With a sigh, Alex put the phone back into her pocket and stared lazily at the hustle and bustle of the room. She’d offered to help once earlier, but had been rebuffed; it seemed they didn’t trust her well enough with the sensitive machinery. It was probably just as well; Alex could use a computer for most basic things, but a lot of the lab equipment and such was beyond her ken. However, it did mean she didn’t have much to do. Aside from making herself a small meal of soup and crackers, and the occasional chats with Wesley, she’d been bored out of her mind.
On the other side of the room, William was exiting out of the shower area, tailed by one of the other lab assistants, JS. They were chatting jovially, but Alex’s eyes were drawn to the quick flick of William’s wrist as he tossed something at one of the lab computers. JS was so absorbed by their conversation that she hadn’t noticed the movement, and Alex had the strange feeling that he’d meant for that to happen that way. It seemed JS was being pulled away for some other work, so she and William split ways and the other trainer veered over to the kitchenette, sitting at a table nearby Alex.
William had been kind of standoffish, rebuffing Alex’s earlier attempts at conversation, but she had a feeling he wasn’t going to ignore her now. She pocketed her phone and walked towards him. “So what was that thing you tos–”
William raised a finger to his mouth, ordering her to silence with that gesture and a stare.
Alex furrowed her eyebrows. He didn’t want her to talk about it? That must mean he was doing something wrong, that the people here didn’t want him to do. That must be why he had been distracting JS earlier when dropped it. But he wasn’t going to just cut her off and not tell her what was going on, not if she had anything to say about it. She crossed her arms and glared right back at him, challenging him without a spoken word.
With a sigh, he got up and gestured at her to follow him. They walked back across the room, using a different route – on purpose? – than the one that would take them passed William’s object. Alex studiously kept her eyes away from the spot, instead watching the work of the various technicians. Two men who appeared to be twins in matching outfits, one with shockingly bright red hair and the other with hair a lighter green than Esmeralda’s, were assisting Esmeralda with the installation of another one of the large tubes that bisected the room while a woman with blonde pigtails watched and took notes on a clipboard. Alex was startled by a sudden popping only to blush sheepishly when she realized it was simply the blond woman’s bubble gum.
When they reached the door to the showers, William’s eyes darted around the room, making sure they were unobserved, the reached his hand down Alex’s pants pocket. Alex started to object, and loudly, when he covered her mouth with his free hand. His other hand was holding Alex’s communicator. He left it on top of a nearby computer and led her into the shower room, hand still over her mouth.
“What the hell do you think you–” Alex started, but was cut off again with another gesture from William. He pointed to two toilet stalls on the opposite side of the room, past the lockers, then went into the one on the left himself. After a moment, Alex pursed her lips and followed, locking herself into the stall next door.
She sat down on top of the toilet and waited for him to start; she didn’t want him to cut her off again. From out of William’s stall came a small click followed by the faint hiss of background static, like a TV tuned to a non-existent station in a neighbouring room. The noise was annoying, but wasn’t loud enough to affect her hearing.
“Forgive the static and the theatrics,” William whispered through the wall, “but I don’t exactly know all the ways they’re surveilling us.”
“Surveilling?”
“I know they’re using the communicators to track us and listen in on what we’re saying,” he explained, “but they probably have other bugs placed around, too. The static should interfere with the bugs and only record our conversation as white noise.”
Ah, so that was why he had taken her phone, and why he had been so reticent before they were in private. But that still didn’t explain his paranoia in the first place. “Why do you care if they’re listening in on you? What are you doing?”
“Alex…” William’s voice had a note of bitter frustration. “Don’t you realize what they’re doing to us here? They’ve taken us away from the others, trapped us in this basement room while they run experiments on us. I don’t know exactly what’s happening or what they hope to gain, but I’m doing what I can to figure out what their plans are, and maybe find a way to get us out of here.”
Alex sat back against the toilet, stunned. Sure, she’d been afraid when she first lost, knowing that she would be separated from Tony and the others for the remainder of the match. She had even flipped out for a bit when she woke up in the strange basement laboratory room with Esmeralda watching over her. But nothing in these events implied the sort of evil, mad science that William was hinting at.
Or did they? The scientists and assistants were frequently checking on Terra, despite her being asleep since she came down here. Alex’s own arms showed signs of medical testing, like the small bandage over the crook of her elbow where blood had probably been drawn.
And yet, the people here had been kind to her, with no signs of ill intent. Esmeralda had been somewhat cold and preoccupied, but of course she was in charge of everything, so it made sense that she had a lot on her mind. JS and Wesley, on the other hand, seemed to bend over backward to please them and make sure they were treated well.
Alex quickly found herself paralyzed with indecision. Could she believe William and his tales of experimentation and danger? Or did she believe in the people in charge, the ones who had given her no direct reason to think that they may be harming her? Ever since her experiences as part of Team Magma, she’d started to doubt herself in terms of her ability to see the intentions of others. After all, she’d been hoodwinked by Maxie and the others into believing in their cause. How could she trust herself to not fall into the same trap again?
She took a deep breath, shaking her head. No, she refused to give into her doubt. Yes, she had joined Team Magma, but there was no shame in that; the other members had been tricked just as much as she had, and even while she was a part of the group, she had known deep down in her gut that something wasn’t right.
She could still trust her gut, and her gut said to trust William. He hadn’t tried to charm her or anything, just told her what he had seen, and his eyes and demeanour implied an intelligence and maturity that belied his physical age. He had taken a large step in trusting her, taking her here to explain the things that she had seen; she could repay that trust be listening to him and helping him.
On the other hand, her gut was still uneasy with the scientists. She had passed it off as their eyes, and her unsettled feeling at being separated from Tony and the others, but these were excuses, not reasons. Whatever the reason was, intuition was telling her that William was to be more trusted than the island folk, and she would place her faith in that.
“Alright,” she replied, “I’m in.”
“What do you mean, you’re in?” he asked with a hiss. “I didn’t ask for your help in this.”
“I know you didn’t, but I’m going to help anyway. So, what was that thing you dropped, some kind of listening device of your own?”
William sighed. “No, it’s a wireless transmitter, a hacking device of sorts. I’m hoping I can find a way to tap into their computer systems.”
Alex couldn’t help but gasp. “You can really do that?”
“Let’s just say I have some resources.”
“What about escaping? Are we going to go meet back up with the others?”
“I guess that depends on what I find out. I need to know what their security is like, and I need to figure out what happened to the others.”
“The others?” As she asked the question, it suddenly clicked in her head. William had lost his match like Alex lost hers. Presumably, Terra was also a loser, but they weren’t the only ones. “You mean the other ones who lost their matches earlier and yesterday, don’t you?”
“Exactly. I’d have thought they’d have been brought down here, too. In fact, there’s multiple signs that other people had been staying in the lab room before us, but they’re nowhere to be found.”
“What about that other room?” Alex proposed. “There’s a door that leads to another room that we can’t get to.”
“I’ve been in there, with JS; it’s nothing. I think the four of them actually escaped already.”
“You really think so?”
“Yes. I have vague, dreamlike memories of Shirley being around when I was first brought in, but I can’t make heads or tails of them. But it would explain why we’re constantly watched and followed.”
As if William had summoned him with those words, the bathroom door creaked open and Wesley’s voice called out. “Alex, are you in here? Are you okay? You left your phone outside.”
“Oh, I must have dropped it!” Alex replied, thinking quickly. “Thank you for grabbing it for me, I’ll be out in a moment.”
She rustled her clothing around a bit and flushed the toilet, then left the stall to go wash her hands. As she walked to the sinks, she couldn’t help but notice that the door to William’s stall was slightly ajar and he had drawn his feet up so that he couldn’t be seen. Wesley wouldn’t even be able to tell that she hadn’t been alone; William certainly knew what he was doing.
Wesley smiled at her as she approached. “Sorry if it seems like I overreacted, I was just worried is all.”
“Worried? I was just using the toilet.” Alex laughed. “It’s the most excitement I’ve had over the past hour.”
Wesley’s smile transformed into an embarrassed grin. “I’m sorry, I know you’re probably bored being forced to stay in here. Would it help if I brought you some books or something to help you pass the time?”
She looked at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Would it be possible to talk to my boyfriend Tony for a bit? Just to let him know that I’m okay and that I miss him.”
Wesley shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, I wish I could. I know you keep trying to call him with your phone, but you’re not going to be able to talk to him until he loses a match or until he wins and you both go back home.”
Alex nodded. “I guess I kind of expected that. Thanks anyway.”
She left to go back to the kitchenette and Wesley trailed behind her like a puppy. She couldn’t help but watch him a different light now, noticing how he always seemed to be keeping an eye on her, even when he was talking to someone else or working on something. Now that she realized that her friend was nothing more than a spy, she couldn’t help shuddering for a moment. I hope William finds a way to get us out of here soon…
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
Oh Wesley.
You dawg you.
But anyway, good chapter (Intermission?)! I was wondering, with William's pen-thing with the voice inside it, is that a person outside the island helping him, or is that an AI inside there, Cortana style?
Fifty Thousand already? Holy cannolies, that's a lot! What do you think the estimated finished wordcount is?
Oh Wesley.
But anyway, good chapter (Intermission?)! I was wondering, with William's pen-thing with the voice inside it, is that a person outside the island helping him, or is that an AI inside there, Cortana style?
Fifty Thousand already? Holy cannolies, that's a lot! What do you think the estimated finished wordcount is?
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
William should get a theme song or something.
Another great chapter Athena!
Another great chapter Athena!
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
I didn't specifically mean for that to be so secretive. Miku (so named after Hatsune Miku) is an AI.
Hard to say, since a lot of it depends on the pacing of the latter half. Originally, the story was going to be more skewed so that there was more battling in the first half and more non-battling in the second half, but I've been having so much fun with the non-battle bits that's it's really been closer to a 50/50 split so far. If that continues, and considering the current story is at 7/15 battles completed, we'll probably be about 100k words, give or take a few thousand, which is about the size of a typical fantasy novel. There are a few factors that might make that number significantly higher or lower, but I can't say too much about that without giving a few things away, so I'm staying mum.
He already has one.
Kecleon-X said:
I didn't specifically mean for that to be so secretive. Miku (so named after Hatsune Miku) is an AI.
Hard to say, since a lot of it depends on the pacing of the latter half. Originally, the story was going to be more skewed so that there was more battling in the first half and more non-battling in the second half, but I've been having so much fun with the non-battle bits that's it's really been closer to a 50/50 split so far. If that continues, and considering the current story is at 7/15 battles completed, we'll probably be about 100k words, give or take a few thousand, which is about the size of a typical fantasy novel. There are a few factors that might make that number significantly higher or lower, but I can't say too much about that without giving a few things away, so I'm staying mum.
Keeper of Night said:
He already has one.
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
I expected the conversation between Alex and Wesley to go more like this:
I expected the conversation between Alex and Wesley to go more like this:
She looked at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Would it be possible to talk to my boyfriend Tony for a bit? Just to let him know that I’m okay and that I miss him.”
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
...Is it weird that I Reread the chapter while listening to that?
...Is it weird that I Reread the chapter while listening to that?
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
Really good chapter, Athena! I like how you added in her background, and I can't wait how the story evolves. I don't know who I feel worse for--the losers for what they're going through...or the winners that are completely oblivious. Either way, you've really made it an awesome 50,000 words!
Really good chapter, Athena! I like how you added in her background, and I can't wait how the story evolves. I don't know who I feel worse for--the losers for what they're going through...or the winners that are completely oblivious. Either way, you've really made it an awesome 50,000 words!
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermission Number Next One)
A wild Update appears!
FIGHT PKMN
ITEM RUN
Well, ladies and gents, we've officially reached the halfway point. 8 out of 15 battles have been concluded. The next installment will be a special halfway chapter, a little bit different from the others, and Diamant's nighttime party for the first round winners should be a blast for everyone involved.
I never thought this story would end up as involved as it has, but I've been having a blast with it, and I hope you all are, too.
An interesting note on this chapter. I'll put it in spoilers just so no one accidentally reads this part before reading the chapter itself.
A wild Update appears!
FIGHT PKMN
ITEM RUN
Round 1, Match 8: Simian vs. Jeremy
Simian watched dispassionately as the fuzzy, faraway figures of Lisa and Terra completed their battle. Some of the other competitors around him were chatting about the match, but he never chimed in, keeping his thoughts to himself. In fact, he had only said a handful of words his entire time on the island, and even then, only when words necessary. He was not here to make friends with these people; he was here to beat them. He had been too long away from normal life to understand the social concepts that drove these people to bond together again. He already had the only companion he needed: Vivian, the Simisage sitting on the seat next to him, swinging its legs in the air like a child since it wasn’t tall enough to reach the ground.
“James?”
Simian looked up, startled, into the eyes of one of the other trainers. She was close enough for him to barely discern her features, a young girl named Ririka. James. It still confused him when the people here called him by that name, a name he only ever heard on the lips of the mother he barely remembered. His father had started calling him “Monkey Boy” at an early age due to his energy and love of climbing, and among school friends the name eventually evolved into “Simian”, a combination of his father’s nickname and a joke on his surname. It eventually became the name he went by, the name he used when he thought of himself. James Simmons doesn’t exist anymore; he died in the accident long ago.
“James, are you okay?”
Ririka again. He must have spaced off while the battle finished; the arena was back to normal, both Lisa and Terra were gone, and everyone was facing him. How long had he blacked out for this time? Vivian was standing now on the ground, his bright green figure tugging at his sleeve. It must be his time to battle; that was why everyone was looking at him so expectantly.
Rather than address their concerns directly, Simian simply stood up, gestured to Vivian to follow him, and made his way through the people to get to the stairs leading down to the stadium. His opponent was already there, a skinny kid named Jeremy. Simian had been watching him carefully – metaphorically, anyway – ever since he knew they would be opponents. The kid was smart, and had started out the trip and something of a loner, though he warmed up the other trainers over the past day and had been talking with them freely.
Jeremy smiled as he approached and stuck out his hand. “Good luck, sir.”
Sir, really? I guess I probably do seem old compared to the other kids here. Simian nodded and shook Jeremy’s hand, turning to head to his platform before the kid tried to talk to him more before the match. He had no desire for small talk, he simply wanted to win, as quickly and easily as possible.
He climbed up onto the platform, Vivian dutifully following, thoughts running through his head. He knew the kid used a Sableye, which might seem to annoying to some people because of its lack of weaknesses, but to Simian, it only simplified the battle. Sure, it meant he couldn’t hit for weakness, but it also meant that he could rely on the moves that Simian was more comfortable with and wouldn’t have to worry about creating a different strategy to rely on weakness.
While he had been getting in place, Lisa had re-emerged from the building and made her way back to the stands. He could just barely make out her figure leaning against a support column next to a woman dressed in such shockingly bright blue it could only be Safiri. Lisa spoke curtly into the microphone, “Let’s do a Dark-themed stage for the final battle of the first round; seems fitting, don’t it?”
Diamont’s chuckling could be heard over the intercom, and then instantly the stadium fell into darkness.
The sudden, complete loss of his sight gave Simian a strange, nauseating vertigo and he fell to the floor of the platform, clutching his knees as his head swayed. The darkness swallowed him completely, just as it had all those years ago.
Suddenly and without warning, Simian was fifteen years old again, awakening on a soft bed in a darkened room. He could hear his mother weeping softly in the corner, smell the perfume of dying flowers, feel the crisp sheets on the bed, but the space around him was as pitch black as midnight in Mistralton Cave.
The doctors had called it cortical blindness, a condition caused by a brain injury he had received during the traffic accident. His other injuries, although severe on their own, were relatively minor in comparison. They had told him he would have to go through many months of treatment, surgeries, and therapy in order to regain his eyesight, even in a limited fashion.
Simian shook his head, rejecting the memories even as they flooded him. He was no longer fifteen; darkness was no longer a mystery to him. He shuffled his feet forward until his toes clinked against the metal support beams he knew would be there, then gripped onto the edge, steadying himself. He could hear Vivian beside him shifting uncertainly on the platform.
“Vivian, you remember what the field looks like, yes?” The Pokémon chattered affirmatively back him, its voice squeaking a bit with fear. “You don’t need to be afraid; there’s no traps or anything out there for you. We’d have heard if the field opened up like it did for the others, right? So it’s just a bare field in the dark, that’s all.” He paused. “The only thing I can’t tell you is how far up we are, so be careful when you jump down, ok?”
Simian closed his eyes, forcing himself to rely on his other senses. He felt Vivian squeeze his leg once in confirmation, followed by the soft rush of air as the Pokémon moved forward off the edge of the platform. There was a small creaking noise as Vivian dangled off the edge, then the soft thump of its controlled fall.
He stretched his awareness out further, taking in the rest of the field. The other trainers were shifting in their seats and talking to each other. He couldn’t quite make out their words, but he could tell by their cadence that they, too, were feeling uneasy in the darkness. Across the field, Jeremy was making almost no noise at all, standing stock still on his platform.
Apparently Simian wasn’t the only one who had noticed the other trainer’s inactivity. A booming voice echoed across the field from the speakers, the voice Mr. Diamant himself. “The match has begun, Jeremy, will you release your Pokémon and fight, or will you forfeit?”
The metal creaked as Jeremy strode forward on the platform. “I’m ready to fight. Hopkins, let’s do this!”
The sound of a Pokéball releasing its occupant focused Simian’s attention back to the match at hand. Being a cave-dwelling Pokémon, Sableye would be much more at home in the darkness than Vivian, but it was clear that Jeremy was uncomfortable. Would he be willing to give his Pokémon relative free reign in the field to act as it felt best? This battle would be about trust as much as skill.
A screech from below alerted Simian that Vivian was grounded and ready to fight, but he held back from attacking. He wanted to wait and see what Jeremy would do. “Use your Hone Claws and get ready, Vivian.”
“Hopkins, stay active!” Jeremy’s voice rang out across the field, try and hit them with a Power Gem!”
Simian arched an eyebrow, impressed. He’d expected the younger trainer to be more timid, ordering his Pokémon to rely on defensive manoeuvres because of the darkness, but he had correctly judged that the Sableye could see a lot better than he could. The Power Gem attack would give off a faint light enabling Sableye to line up the shot fully, but it would also give Vivian a target to aim for.
To the far right side of the field, Sableye’s gems began emitting a soft glow. Just as Simian had predicted, the Sableye used the soft glow to orient itself and find the skulking figure of Vivian, who was still hanging out beneath the platform. It launched the attack just as Simian called out, “Vivian, aim for the light! Hit it with a Seed Bomb!”
Points of light shot out from the Sableye as he made his Power Gem attack, the small energy bullets making small thuds as they came into contact with Vivian’s hide. The Pokémon grunted with the impact, its face appearing in a grimace as it gathered the energy for its own attack. The Seed Bomb was launched towards the Sableye’s position quickly and exploded on the floor, the target already gone from the spot.
Damn, that kid really is good. Simian stroked his chin, straining his ears to see if he could hear the Sableye as it moved around the stadium. The Pokémon was small and fast, and using its agility to full advantage. Vivian would have to move fast, too, if it were going to get in a solid hit, but they’d have to worry about defence, too. Well, let’s start by evening the scales a bit, “Vivian, use Double Team!”
Vivian’s execution of the move was almost silent, the only telltale sign a small white glow around his body, and then his bodies, plural, as the effect kicked in, 5 additional Simisages on the stage, each of them bounding off to a different corner of the stadium as the glow faded once again, leaving the field in darkness.
“Keep your head, clear, Hopkins!” Jeremy’s voice called out. Hit them with a Shadow Ball attack!”
Simian smiled in the darkness, his hand clenching the platform. The swishing sounds of the Sableye slowed and quieted at the Pokémon took aim, tossing its Shadow Balls around the stage as it attempted to eliminate the false Vivians. Simian didn’t care about how long the duplicates lasted, he just wanted the Sableye to stay still long enough to get an attack in.
When the time was right, just as the Sableye was sending out its third energy ball, he called out, “Now, Vivian, another Seed Bomb, right in the center!”
“No, Hopkins, dodge it! Get out of the way!” Jeremy screamed, but it was too late, and the Sableye had been slowed down too much by its own offenses. The Seed Bomb landed right in the center of the stadium in a flash. It wasn’t a direct hit, but it was still enough to do some damage; in the flash of light, Simian could see the Sableye recoil in pain as it was blown off to the side. It hit the left side of the stadium with a thud, but Simian knew it wasn’t down for the count yet.
“Vivian, do another Double Team!” He instructed, listening to the sounds of the Sableye as it began its frantic pace around the stadium once again, injured but still fast, its right foot dragging a bit.
There was a note of anger in Jeremy’s voice as he called out. “Hopkins, stay on the move! See if you can chase them down with your Shadow Claws!”
So, the kid had learned from Simian’s last call. So long as Sableye stayed on the move, Jeremy knew that Simian wouldn’t be able to direct Vivian’s movements, limiting the Simisage’s offensive power. Well, that’s okay. I never expect the same trick to work twice, anyway.
Simian concentrated intently, his ears straining to pick up the sounds of movement. Unlike their fleshy counterpart, Vivian’s doubles made limited noise. The Simisage itself breathed in and out, creating an additional sound that Simian could track. He compared that sound to the scrabbling, scratchy noise of the Sableye and waited until the sounds were close.
“Vivian, use your Acrobatics!”
Vivian stopped in place almost immediately and did a backflip. He missed the Sableye on his first flip, but tackled it on the next flip. Simian could hear the grunts and thuds as the Simisage threw the other Pokémon up into the air and then rammed it with another tackle.
“That’s the real one, Hopkins, Shadow Claw at full strength!”
Simian winced as heard the tearing sound of the Shadow Claw ripping into Vivian’s skin, but there was no help for it, he’d just have to hold on. Vivian dug its own claws into the Sableye and flipped the Pokémon around, slamming it into the ground with a tremendous crash.
Simian listened carefully. The stadium was almost silent but for the laboured breathing of the Pokémon on the stage. Then, someone was moving, a dragging sound as one of the Pokémon pulled itself along the stadium. It was heading in Simian’s direction.
“The battle is concluded.” The usual female voice called over the intercom. “James is the winner.”
Simian let out a deep breath as the lights in the stadium came back on. His opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the new light. He was sighted once again, albeit barely. The figure of Jeremy was down on the ground, scooping up his incapacitated Sableye.
Vivian was on the ground next to the platform, eagerly awaiting the return of its master. It was breathing heavily and there was a nasty gash on its abdomen, likely from the last Shadow Claw. They’d made it through, just like he knew they would.
Simian watched dispassionately as the fuzzy, faraway figures of Lisa and Terra completed their battle. Some of the other competitors around him were chatting about the match, but he never chimed in, keeping his thoughts to himself. In fact, he had only said a handful of words his entire time on the island, and even then, only when words necessary. He was not here to make friends with these people; he was here to beat them. He had been too long away from normal life to understand the social concepts that drove these people to bond together again. He already had the only companion he needed: Vivian, the Simisage sitting on the seat next to him, swinging its legs in the air like a child since it wasn’t tall enough to reach the ground.
“James?”
Simian looked up, startled, into the eyes of one of the other trainers. She was close enough for him to barely discern her features, a young girl named Ririka. James. It still confused him when the people here called him by that name, a name he only ever heard on the lips of the mother he barely remembered. His father had started calling him “Monkey Boy” at an early age due to his energy and love of climbing, and among school friends the name eventually evolved into “Simian”, a combination of his father’s nickname and a joke on his surname. It eventually became the name he went by, the name he used when he thought of himself. James Simmons doesn’t exist anymore; he died in the accident long ago.
“James, are you okay?”
Ririka again. He must have spaced off while the battle finished; the arena was back to normal, both Lisa and Terra were gone, and everyone was facing him. How long had he blacked out for this time? Vivian was standing now on the ground, his bright green figure tugging at his sleeve. It must be his time to battle; that was why everyone was looking at him so expectantly.
Rather than address their concerns directly, Simian simply stood up, gestured to Vivian to follow him, and made his way through the people to get to the stairs leading down to the stadium. His opponent was already there, a skinny kid named Jeremy. Simian had been watching him carefully – metaphorically, anyway – ever since he knew they would be opponents. The kid was smart, and had started out the trip and something of a loner, though he warmed up the other trainers over the past day and had been talking with them freely.
Jeremy smiled as he approached and stuck out his hand. “Good luck, sir.”
Sir, really? I guess I probably do seem old compared to the other kids here. Simian nodded and shook Jeremy’s hand, turning to head to his platform before the kid tried to talk to him more before the match. He had no desire for small talk, he simply wanted to win, as quickly and easily as possible.
He climbed up onto the platform, Vivian dutifully following, thoughts running through his head. He knew the kid used a Sableye, which might seem to annoying to some people because of its lack of weaknesses, but to Simian, it only simplified the battle. Sure, it meant he couldn’t hit for weakness, but it also meant that he could rely on the moves that Simian was more comfortable with and wouldn’t have to worry about creating a different strategy to rely on weakness.
While he had been getting in place, Lisa had re-emerged from the building and made her way back to the stands. He could just barely make out her figure leaning against a support column next to a woman dressed in such shockingly bright blue it could only be Safiri. Lisa spoke curtly into the microphone, “Let’s do a Dark-themed stage for the final battle of the first round; seems fitting, don’t it?”
Diamont’s chuckling could be heard over the intercom, and then instantly the stadium fell into darkness.
The sudden, complete loss of his sight gave Simian a strange, nauseating vertigo and he fell to the floor of the platform, clutching his knees as his head swayed. The darkness swallowed him completely, just as it had all those years ago.
Suddenly and without warning, Simian was fifteen years old again, awakening on a soft bed in a darkened room. He could hear his mother weeping softly in the corner, smell the perfume of dying flowers, feel the crisp sheets on the bed, but the space around him was as pitch black as midnight in Mistralton Cave.
The doctors had called it cortical blindness, a condition caused by a brain injury he had received during the traffic accident. His other injuries, although severe on their own, were relatively minor in comparison. They had told him he would have to go through many months of treatment, surgeries, and therapy in order to regain his eyesight, even in a limited fashion.
Simian shook his head, rejecting the memories even as they flooded him. He was no longer fifteen; darkness was no longer a mystery to him. He shuffled his feet forward until his toes clinked against the metal support beams he knew would be there, then gripped onto the edge, steadying himself. He could hear Vivian beside him shifting uncertainly on the platform.
“Vivian, you remember what the field looks like, yes?” The Pokémon chattered affirmatively back him, its voice squeaking a bit with fear. “You don’t need to be afraid; there’s no traps or anything out there for you. We’d have heard if the field opened up like it did for the others, right? So it’s just a bare field in the dark, that’s all.” He paused. “The only thing I can’t tell you is how far up we are, so be careful when you jump down, ok?”
Simian closed his eyes, forcing himself to rely on his other senses. He felt Vivian squeeze his leg once in confirmation, followed by the soft rush of air as the Pokémon moved forward off the edge of the platform. There was a small creaking noise as Vivian dangled off the edge, then the soft thump of its controlled fall.
He stretched his awareness out further, taking in the rest of the field. The other trainers were shifting in their seats and talking to each other. He couldn’t quite make out their words, but he could tell by their cadence that they, too, were feeling uneasy in the darkness. Across the field, Jeremy was making almost no noise at all, standing stock still on his platform.
Apparently Simian wasn’t the only one who had noticed the other trainer’s inactivity. A booming voice echoed across the field from the speakers, the voice Mr. Diamant himself. “The match has begun, Jeremy, will you release your Pokémon and fight, or will you forfeit?”
The metal creaked as Jeremy strode forward on the platform. “I’m ready to fight. Hopkins, let’s do this!”
The sound of a Pokéball releasing its occupant focused Simian’s attention back to the match at hand. Being a cave-dwelling Pokémon, Sableye would be much more at home in the darkness than Vivian, but it was clear that Jeremy was uncomfortable. Would he be willing to give his Pokémon relative free reign in the field to act as it felt best? This battle would be about trust as much as skill.
A screech from below alerted Simian that Vivian was grounded and ready to fight, but he held back from attacking. He wanted to wait and see what Jeremy would do. “Use your Hone Claws and get ready, Vivian.”
“Hopkins, stay active!” Jeremy’s voice rang out across the field, try and hit them with a Power Gem!”
Simian arched an eyebrow, impressed. He’d expected the younger trainer to be more timid, ordering his Pokémon to rely on defensive manoeuvres because of the darkness, but he had correctly judged that the Sableye could see a lot better than he could. The Power Gem attack would give off a faint light enabling Sableye to line up the shot fully, but it would also give Vivian a target to aim for.
To the far right side of the field, Sableye’s gems began emitting a soft glow. Just as Simian had predicted, the Sableye used the soft glow to orient itself and find the skulking figure of Vivian, who was still hanging out beneath the platform. It launched the attack just as Simian called out, “Vivian, aim for the light! Hit it with a Seed Bomb!”
Points of light shot out from the Sableye as he made his Power Gem attack, the small energy bullets making small thuds as they came into contact with Vivian’s hide. The Pokémon grunted with the impact, its face appearing in a grimace as it gathered the energy for its own attack. The Seed Bomb was launched towards the Sableye’s position quickly and exploded on the floor, the target already gone from the spot.
Damn, that kid really is good. Simian stroked his chin, straining his ears to see if he could hear the Sableye as it moved around the stadium. The Pokémon was small and fast, and using its agility to full advantage. Vivian would have to move fast, too, if it were going to get in a solid hit, but they’d have to worry about defence, too. Well, let’s start by evening the scales a bit, “Vivian, use Double Team!”
Vivian’s execution of the move was almost silent, the only telltale sign a small white glow around his body, and then his bodies, plural, as the effect kicked in, 5 additional Simisages on the stage, each of them bounding off to a different corner of the stadium as the glow faded once again, leaving the field in darkness.
“Keep your head, clear, Hopkins!” Jeremy’s voice called out. Hit them with a Shadow Ball attack!”
Simian smiled in the darkness, his hand clenching the platform. The swishing sounds of the Sableye slowed and quieted at the Pokémon took aim, tossing its Shadow Balls around the stage as it attempted to eliminate the false Vivians. Simian didn’t care about how long the duplicates lasted, he just wanted the Sableye to stay still long enough to get an attack in.
When the time was right, just as the Sableye was sending out its third energy ball, he called out, “Now, Vivian, another Seed Bomb, right in the center!”
“No, Hopkins, dodge it! Get out of the way!” Jeremy screamed, but it was too late, and the Sableye had been slowed down too much by its own offenses. The Seed Bomb landed right in the center of the stadium in a flash. It wasn’t a direct hit, but it was still enough to do some damage; in the flash of light, Simian could see the Sableye recoil in pain as it was blown off to the side. It hit the left side of the stadium with a thud, but Simian knew it wasn’t down for the count yet.
“Vivian, do another Double Team!” He instructed, listening to the sounds of the Sableye as it began its frantic pace around the stadium once again, injured but still fast, its right foot dragging a bit.
There was a note of anger in Jeremy’s voice as he called out. “Hopkins, stay on the move! See if you can chase them down with your Shadow Claws!”
So, the kid had learned from Simian’s last call. So long as Sableye stayed on the move, Jeremy knew that Simian wouldn’t be able to direct Vivian’s movements, limiting the Simisage’s offensive power. Well, that’s okay. I never expect the same trick to work twice, anyway.
Simian concentrated intently, his ears straining to pick up the sounds of movement. Unlike their fleshy counterpart, Vivian’s doubles made limited noise. The Simisage itself breathed in and out, creating an additional sound that Simian could track. He compared that sound to the scrabbling, scratchy noise of the Sableye and waited until the sounds were close.
“Vivian, use your Acrobatics!”
Vivian stopped in place almost immediately and did a backflip. He missed the Sableye on his first flip, but tackled it on the next flip. Simian could hear the grunts and thuds as the Simisage threw the other Pokémon up into the air and then rammed it with another tackle.
“That’s the real one, Hopkins, Shadow Claw at full strength!”
Simian winced as heard the tearing sound of the Shadow Claw ripping into Vivian’s skin, but there was no help for it, he’d just have to hold on. Vivian dug its own claws into the Sableye and flipped the Pokémon around, slamming it into the ground with a tremendous crash.
Simian listened carefully. The stadium was almost silent but for the laboured breathing of the Pokémon on the stage. Then, someone was moving, a dragging sound as one of the Pokémon pulled itself along the stadium. It was heading in Simian’s direction.
“The battle is concluded.” The usual female voice called over the intercom. “James is the winner.”
Simian let out a deep breath as the lights in the stadium came back on. His opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the new light. He was sighted once again, albeit barely. The figure of Jeremy was down on the ground, scooping up his incapacitated Sableye.
Vivian was on the ground next to the platform, eagerly awaiting the return of its master. It was breathing heavily and there was a nasty gash on its abdomen, likely from the last Shadow Claw. They’d made it through, just like he knew they would.
Well, ladies and gents, we've officially reached the halfway point. 8 out of 15 battles have been concluded. The next installment will be a special halfway chapter, a little bit different from the others, and Diamant's nighttime party for the first round winners should be a blast for everyone involved.
I never thought this story would end up as involved as it has, but I've been having a blast with it, and I hope you all are, too.
An interesting note on this chapter. I'll put it in spoilers just so no one accidentally reads this part before reading the chapter itself.
Reading Simian's backstory, I couldn't help but try and fill in the holes, so of course my first thought was to try and figure out something that could cause him to be hospitalized for so long, and something so terrible that it could cause his family to abandon him. I ended up coming across the cortical blindness condition and it seemed to fit perfectly, as well as being a bit different from the standard paralyzation or what have you.
What's funny is that I came up with this at an earlier point when I was musing and working on the story, independently from A) this stage being a Dark stage, and B) his first opponent, Jeremy, also having serious eyesight troubles. Against any other opponent, Simian probably would have had a stronger advantage in the dark stadium, but against a smart trainer with a Cave-dwelling Pokémon, it really nullified his advantage, making this a much more even fight than it might have been otherwise.
I think if Jeremy and Simian had met each other under different circumstances, they probably would have enjoyed each other's company, and not just for the "lol we can't see" aspect; they're both very intelligent and analytical trainers.
What's funny is that I came up with this at an earlier point when I was musing and working on the story, independently from A) this stage being a Dark stage, and B) his first opponent, Jeremy, also having serious eyesight troubles. Against any other opponent, Simian probably would have had a stronger advantage in the dark stadium, but against a smart trainer with a Cave-dwelling Pokémon, it really nullified his advantage, making this a much more even fight than it might have been otherwise.
I think if Jeremy and Simian had met each other under different circumstances, they probably would have enjoyed each other's company, and not just for the "lol we can't see" aspect; they're both very intelligent and analytical trainers.
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 8)
/me blinks.
Is that... An update?
/me blinks.
Is that... An update?
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 8)
Good thing I recently acquired x99 Pokeballs.
Goodcatch chapter Athena!
Good thing I recently acquired x99 Pokeballs.
Good
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 8)
Thanks. <3
I know it took a while to get out. For the last few weeks, I've been opening up my document, reading back, changing things, adding a paragraph, and then exiting against because I couldn't quite decided what I wanted to happen. Finally broke through the barrier today. I swear, battle chapters are by far teh hardest.
Thankfully, the next two chapters will practically write themselves since I've already done a lot of planning and thinking and I more or less know where things are heading. After that, though, well, it's a mystery.
Thanks. <3
I know it took a while to get out. For the last few weeks, I've been opening up my document, reading back, changing things, adding a paragraph, and then exiting against because I couldn't quite decided what I wanted to happen. Finally broke through the barrier today. I swear, battle chapters are by far teh hardest.
Thankfully, the next two chapters will practically write themselves since I've already done a lot of planning and thinking and I more or less know where things are heading. After that, though, well, it's a mystery.
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Round 1, Match 8)
What's this? Two updates in two days you say? MADNESS.
To be fair, this is a very short update, and like I said, it more or less wrote itself. Next chapter will be longer, and the chapter after that will be the PARTY, WOOOOOOO~~~~ I'm so excited. :3
What's this? Two updates in two days you say? MADNESS.
To be fair, this is a very short update, and like I said, it more or less wrote itself. Next chapter will be longer, and the chapter after that will be the PARTY, WOOOOOOO~~~~ I'm so excited. :3
Intermezzo: Diamant
The two figures materialized on the screen in front of him, standing erect and still as they stared at him blankly with their large, red eyes. One had ebon dark skin with fine hair so light that it shined white in the overhead lights; the other had a pale complexion framed by straight locks of pure black hair. He knew that one of them identified as male and the other female, though he could never remember which was which. With their androgynous figures flaunted in skin tight suits, he wondered why they even bothered associating with gender. Perhaps it was just another one of the many things that amused them.
As usual, they spoke rapid-fire at him, speaking as one being and often finishing each other’s sentences.
“Diamont, so good to see you again.”
“We have, of course, been following up on your progress…”
“… as we promised we would.”
“We are concerned, however…”
“… since your little project has seem to run into some…”
“… difficulties.”
Diamont smirked and leaned back in his chair, resting his cup of his folded knee. He didn’t really need the sustenance, but the flavour of the tea intrigued him. “Everything’s going just fine. We’ve got the DNA pulled from half of them, and the biot clones are turning out beautifully. The other half will be resuming the battles tomorrow. Within a couple days, we should have two promising trainers, the winner, and a finished biot made from the others.”
“But you also have one group who has broken free from your bonds, running loose through your complex.”
“And someone happens to be raiding your computer files.”
“Do you have provisions for how to handle these unforeseen events?”
“We do so hope you do.”
His eye twitched as he raised his cup and took a sip of tea, preparing his response. Who had snitched and why? What did anyone stand to gain? “The missing group is made up of the first batch of rejects and poses no threat. They will be located shortly. As for the hacking attempt… I admit that I was not aware of it.”
“It’s not an attempt…”
“It’s happening as we speak.”
With a grimace, Diamont put down his tea and turned briefly to the microphone. He set it to private announcement mode and sent out a short burst to all of his people. “Please backup and shut down all computers and systems immediately. This is not a drill.”
“We really think you’re being too heavy-handed with this.”
“There was no reason to make these people fear you.”
“You were sent to do a job…”
“… not to terrorize a bunch of young trainers.”
“I have reasons for everything that I’m doing,” Diamont snapped back at them bitterly.
“Those reasons just also happen to include self-aggrandisement.”
“And perhaps a smidgen of power abuse.”
“I’m not…” he sputtered, “I haven’t…”
“We have decided to remove you from command of this mission.”
“You are acting entirely too egotistic and mad for your own good.”
“But none of this is my fault! Safiri was the one who insisted on using the cloning system as a backup–”
“And you were the one who insisted that the losers be separated from the others…”
“… which has made them all so terribly uneasy.”
“We have no objections to the cloning.”
“Of course.”
Diamont slumped back into his seat, resting his head on the back of his chair. “I didn’t want the losers talking about the blood and the tests, especially if they had access to the early rounds of biots. I wanted to avoid trouble.” He snorted. “These humans are so weak and pitiful that even being separated by their friends for a few hours leaves them shivering in fear.”
“You would have understood this better…”
“… if you’d bothered to study humans more…”
“… like your sister has.”
“You’re going to bring Helmi into this, aren’t you?” he sighed.
“You haven’t given us much of a choice.”
“Your sister will be resuming command of the mission.”
“You are relieved of duty.”
“Please tell your subordinates at the earliest opportunity.”
“They will defer to Helmi for the rest of the mission and you will have no authority.”
Perhaps foreseeing Diamont’s objections, the connection was severed before he had a chance to reply. Instead, he threw his teacup against the nearby wall. It shattered, leaving a pale splatter on the white paint that slowly dripped to the floor below. Before the first drop hit the carpeting, Diamont was out the door.
The two figures materialized on the screen in front of him, standing erect and still as they stared at him blankly with their large, red eyes. One had ebon dark skin with fine hair so light that it shined white in the overhead lights; the other had a pale complexion framed by straight locks of pure black hair. He knew that one of them identified as male and the other female, though he could never remember which was which. With their androgynous figures flaunted in skin tight suits, he wondered why they even bothered associating with gender. Perhaps it was just another one of the many things that amused them.
As usual, they spoke rapid-fire at him, speaking as one being and often finishing each other’s sentences.
“Diamont, so good to see you again.”
“We have, of course, been following up on your progress…”
“… as we promised we would.”
“We are concerned, however…”
“… since your little project has seem to run into some…”
“… difficulties.”
Diamont smirked and leaned back in his chair, resting his cup of his folded knee. He didn’t really need the sustenance, but the flavour of the tea intrigued him. “Everything’s going just fine. We’ve got the DNA pulled from half of them, and the biot clones are turning out beautifully. The other half will be resuming the battles tomorrow. Within a couple days, we should have two promising trainers, the winner, and a finished biot made from the others.”
“But you also have one group who has broken free from your bonds, running loose through your complex.”
“And someone happens to be raiding your computer files.”
“Do you have provisions for how to handle these unforeseen events?”
“We do so hope you do.”
His eye twitched as he raised his cup and took a sip of tea, preparing his response. Who had snitched and why? What did anyone stand to gain? “The missing group is made up of the first batch of rejects and poses no threat. They will be located shortly. As for the hacking attempt… I admit that I was not aware of it.”
“It’s not an attempt…”
“It’s happening as we speak.”
With a grimace, Diamont put down his tea and turned briefly to the microphone. He set it to private announcement mode and sent out a short burst to all of his people. “Please backup and shut down all computers and systems immediately. This is not a drill.”
“We really think you’re being too heavy-handed with this.”
“There was no reason to make these people fear you.”
“You were sent to do a job…”
“… not to terrorize a bunch of young trainers.”
“I have reasons for everything that I’m doing,” Diamont snapped back at them bitterly.
“Those reasons just also happen to include self-aggrandisement.”
“And perhaps a smidgen of power abuse.”
“I’m not…” he sputtered, “I haven’t…”
“We have decided to remove you from command of this mission.”
“You are acting entirely too egotistic and mad for your own good.”
“But none of this is my fault! Safiri was the one who insisted on using the cloning system as a backup–”
“And you were the one who insisted that the losers be separated from the others…”
“… which has made them all so terribly uneasy.”
“We have no objections to the cloning.”
“Of course.”
Diamont slumped back into his seat, resting his head on the back of his chair. “I didn’t want the losers talking about the blood and the tests, especially if they had access to the early rounds of biots. I wanted to avoid trouble.” He snorted. “These humans are so weak and pitiful that even being separated by their friends for a few hours leaves them shivering in fear.”
“You would have understood this better…”
“… if you’d bothered to study humans more…”
“… like your sister has.”
“You’re going to bring Helmi into this, aren’t you?” he sighed.
“You haven’t given us much of a choice.”
“Your sister will be resuming command of the mission.”
“You are relieved of duty.”
“Please tell your subordinates at the earliest opportunity.”
“They will defer to Helmi for the rest of the mission and you will have no authority.”
Perhaps foreseeing Diamont’s objections, the connection was severed before he had a chance to reply. Instead, he threw his teacup against the nearby wall. It shattered, leaving a pale splatter on the white paint that slowly dripped to the floor below. Before the first drop hit the carpeting, Diamont was out the door.
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermezzo: Diamant)
Agh, that was the most exciting battle yet! It's a shame that Jeremy lost, but that chapter had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The stadium in the darkness was such a cool touch, and I liked the parallels between Jeremy and Simian.
And I'm calling it now that Diamant and his crew are all aliens.
Agh, that was the most exciting battle yet! It's a shame that Jeremy lost, but that chapter had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The stadium in the darkness was such a cool touch, and I liked the parallels between Jeremy and Simian.
And I'm calling it now that Diamant and his crew are all aliens.
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermezzo: Diamant)
Update, woo~
Next up is PARTY TIME. And a present or two?
Update, woo~
Intermezzo: Helmi
Ruby rushed down the corridors to the meeting room, cursing herself and willing her legs to speed up. She mentally counted out the twists and turns, hardly even paying attention to the HUD layout of the complex, almost flying around corners. Of course Safiri would send her to manually reboot the tournament computer systems at the other end of the island, virtually assuring that she would show up late to Diamont’s meeting, looking like the fool and being chastised. Again.
One more turn and she was there, the oak doors to the conference room just a few meters ahead. She slowed down to catch her breath and smooth her clothing and hair. After all, there was no point in looking like she had just run a kilometre through the hallways. She might never be as prim and proper looking as her “sister”, but appearances did count for something.
With a final sigh, she straightened her shoulders and opened the door, striding in confidently. Safiri was always there, of course, staring forward and sitting bolt still in her place at the right side of the head of meeting table. Esmeralda sat across from her, looking distracted as she fiddled with her communicator. Argenta and Aura were at the far side of the table, whispering at each other and smiling their doll-like smiles as they played some sort of hand game, though Krista was nowhere to be seen. The “primaries” were nowhere to be seen, probably still programmed to hunt the corridors for the missing group. Their presence would likely go unmissed.
The one person who was missing was Diamont himself. Seeing that she’d managed to beat the boss, Ruby let out a small sigh of relief and took a seat next to Esmeralda. “It’s not like the big guy to be late to one of his own meetings.”
Esmeralda arched and eyebrow but otherwise hardly acknowledged Ruby’s arrival. “It’s not his meeting.”
“Eh? But–” Ruby was cut off by Esmeralda’s sharp head shake. Whatever it was, now wasn’t the time to talk about it.
Instead, Ruby amused herself by watching the girls across from her. With neither the mechanical reactions of the primaries nor the complete free will of the later generations of biots, Argenta and Aura seemed childlike, despite their fully-developed bodies. The hand game was something the twins had devised by interpreting common commands as hand signals and was as confusing to the others as their whispered, clicking language. They were fun to watch, though, like seeing an opera in a language you didn’t understand.
Ruby was almost nodding off when the doors opened again. She quickly sat upright in her chair, though was surprised to see that it still wasn’t Diamont at the door. The biot who stood there was a female type, dressed in a long ivory gown that sparkled with crystals and glitter. Her honey coloured hair hung loose over her bare shoulders, and she favoured the room with a wide smile that made her look for a moment as childlike as the twins. It was Diamont’s hermit sister, Helmi. Ruby hadn’t even known that she’d made the trip with them.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said in a quiet, regal voice. “I hope I haven’t been keeping you for too long, but I had to discuss some things with my brother before I could meet you here.” She bowed her head and made her way around the room, easing into Diamont’s chair like a queen.
Esmeralda finally put down her communicator, slipping the device into the pocket of her lab coat and looking up at Helmi with determination. “Is it true that you’re taking command of the operation over from Diamont?”
Helmi shifted in her seat, then leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. “Yes. There have been some concerns about the stability of the group of young trainers we’ve assembled here and that Diamont’s methods have been proving to be too heavy-handed to be affective.”
Safiri scoffed. “Diamont’s methods are perfectly fine. It’s not his fault the humans are scared of nothing. We’ve treated them all within perfectly rational and acceptable boundaries considering hospitality and health standards of the time period.”
Ruby looked across the table and gave her sister a stink eye. “You’ve been knocking them out and stealing their blood, then keeping them locked away in a basement laboratory.
A shrug. “Why should we care what the losers think? It’s more the current contestants Helmi is worried about anyway,” Safiri turned to the head of the table, “isn’t it?”
Helmi nodded, her earrings glinting in the light. “The disappearance of the earlier losing group is regrettable, but it’s the feelings of the remaining competitors that I am mostly concerned with. I don’t understand why they feel such fear for the fate of the others.”
“They’re not strangers,” Esmeralda explained, “at least not all of them. Some were friends before the trip began, two are lovers. They’ve even grown closer in the few days they’ve been here. Humans are very good at forming emotional bonds to other humans, no matter how much time they’ve spent together. Being chosen for this tournament has already formed a bond between them. When you are separated from someone that you’ve formed a bond with, it can cause anxiety, especially when their whereabouts are unknown.”
“Interesting.” Helmi leaned back in her chair, staring at the overhead lights as she pursed her lips. “Did we know about this before the program was implemented?”
“If we did, it was deemed irrelevant,” Safiri replied. “Diamont felt the greater concern was the losers telling others about the blood testing. These humans seem to have a strong sense of pride and would object to such testing done against their will.”
“You must forgive me for thinking this is all such a haphazard plan.”
“Well, it is,” Esmeralda said with a roll of her eyes. “The system we have set up was a compromise between Safiri’s idea of the cloning and Ruby’s idea of the tournament. Diamont put it together because he wanted to have a backup champion anyway, just in case one plan failed. I do agree with him in the sense that multiple solutions increase our odds of success, but I object to the details, and told him so at the time.”
“As I have already said, there is nothing faulty in the details of Diamont’s plan.” Safiri’s eyes flashed. “It is these humans that are too weak and scared.”
“And yet these weak and scared humans managed to break out of the laboratory and are now running amok in the halls,” Ruby interjected with a smirk. “They are stronger and more resourceful than you give them credit for.”
“Girls, please.” Helmi pursed her lips and the sisters fell silent. “Your bickering does us no good. It is clear to me that we have underestimated these humans, both in their intellect and their compassion. It is with this in mind that I have decided to make some chances in the program that will be carried out once this meeting is over.
“First, we will no longer be keeping the losing competitors segregated from the others. Gene collection will continue, and will be done as unobtrusively as possible, and then the losers will be allowed to watch the matches and remain in contact with the others.”
Safiri blinked slowly as she turned her head to regard Helmi fully. “What about those who are already in custody?”
“They will have to remain isolated, of course. It’s unfortunate, but they’ve already been exposed to the clones and that knowledge, more than the testing itself, is something I don’t want getting loose. We won’t be able to wipe their memories until they’re back on their way to the mainland, and I don’t want to risk a riot forming before then.”
Esmeralda nodded. “We have more help down there, now, so it shouldn’t be too hard to keep them contained.”
“The second change I am making is incentivization.” Helmi smiled. “I have a gift I would like to give the remaining competitors at the party this evening.”
Ruby rushed down the corridors to the meeting room, cursing herself and willing her legs to speed up. She mentally counted out the twists and turns, hardly even paying attention to the HUD layout of the complex, almost flying around corners. Of course Safiri would send her to manually reboot the tournament computer systems at the other end of the island, virtually assuring that she would show up late to Diamont’s meeting, looking like the fool and being chastised. Again.
One more turn and she was there, the oak doors to the conference room just a few meters ahead. She slowed down to catch her breath and smooth her clothing and hair. After all, there was no point in looking like she had just run a kilometre through the hallways. She might never be as prim and proper looking as her “sister”, but appearances did count for something.
With a final sigh, she straightened her shoulders and opened the door, striding in confidently. Safiri was always there, of course, staring forward and sitting bolt still in her place at the right side of the head of meeting table. Esmeralda sat across from her, looking distracted as she fiddled with her communicator. Argenta and Aura were at the far side of the table, whispering at each other and smiling their doll-like smiles as they played some sort of hand game, though Krista was nowhere to be seen. The “primaries” were nowhere to be seen, probably still programmed to hunt the corridors for the missing group. Their presence would likely go unmissed.
The one person who was missing was Diamont himself. Seeing that she’d managed to beat the boss, Ruby let out a small sigh of relief and took a seat next to Esmeralda. “It’s not like the big guy to be late to one of his own meetings.”
Esmeralda arched and eyebrow but otherwise hardly acknowledged Ruby’s arrival. “It’s not his meeting.”
“Eh? But–” Ruby was cut off by Esmeralda’s sharp head shake. Whatever it was, now wasn’t the time to talk about it.
Instead, Ruby amused herself by watching the girls across from her. With neither the mechanical reactions of the primaries nor the complete free will of the later generations of biots, Argenta and Aura seemed childlike, despite their fully-developed bodies. The hand game was something the twins had devised by interpreting common commands as hand signals and was as confusing to the others as their whispered, clicking language. They were fun to watch, though, like seeing an opera in a language you didn’t understand.
Ruby was almost nodding off when the doors opened again. She quickly sat upright in her chair, though was surprised to see that it still wasn’t Diamont at the door. The biot who stood there was a female type, dressed in a long ivory gown that sparkled with crystals and glitter. Her honey coloured hair hung loose over her bare shoulders, and she favoured the room with a wide smile that made her look for a moment as childlike as the twins. It was Diamont’s hermit sister, Helmi. Ruby hadn’t even known that she’d made the trip with them.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said in a quiet, regal voice. “I hope I haven’t been keeping you for too long, but I had to discuss some things with my brother before I could meet you here.” She bowed her head and made her way around the room, easing into Diamont’s chair like a queen.
Esmeralda finally put down her communicator, slipping the device into the pocket of her lab coat and looking up at Helmi with determination. “Is it true that you’re taking command of the operation over from Diamont?”
Helmi shifted in her seat, then leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. “Yes. There have been some concerns about the stability of the group of young trainers we’ve assembled here and that Diamont’s methods have been proving to be too heavy-handed to be affective.”
Safiri scoffed. “Diamont’s methods are perfectly fine. It’s not his fault the humans are scared of nothing. We’ve treated them all within perfectly rational and acceptable boundaries considering hospitality and health standards of the time period.”
Ruby looked across the table and gave her sister a stink eye. “You’ve been knocking them out and stealing their blood, then keeping them locked away in a basement laboratory.
A shrug. “Why should we care what the losers think? It’s more the current contestants Helmi is worried about anyway,” Safiri turned to the head of the table, “isn’t it?”
Helmi nodded, her earrings glinting in the light. “The disappearance of the earlier losing group is regrettable, but it’s the feelings of the remaining competitors that I am mostly concerned with. I don’t understand why they feel such fear for the fate of the others.”
“They’re not strangers,” Esmeralda explained, “at least not all of them. Some were friends before the trip began, two are lovers. They’ve even grown closer in the few days they’ve been here. Humans are very good at forming emotional bonds to other humans, no matter how much time they’ve spent together. Being chosen for this tournament has already formed a bond between them. When you are separated from someone that you’ve formed a bond with, it can cause anxiety, especially when their whereabouts are unknown.”
“Interesting.” Helmi leaned back in her chair, staring at the overhead lights as she pursed her lips. “Did we know about this before the program was implemented?”
“If we did, it was deemed irrelevant,” Safiri replied. “Diamont felt the greater concern was the losers telling others about the blood testing. These humans seem to have a strong sense of pride and would object to such testing done against their will.”
“You must forgive me for thinking this is all such a haphazard plan.”
“Well, it is,” Esmeralda said with a roll of her eyes. “The system we have set up was a compromise between Safiri’s idea of the cloning and Ruby’s idea of the tournament. Diamont put it together because he wanted to have a backup champion anyway, just in case one plan failed. I do agree with him in the sense that multiple solutions increase our odds of success, but I object to the details, and told him so at the time.”
“As I have already said, there is nothing faulty in the details of Diamont’s plan.” Safiri’s eyes flashed. “It is these humans that are too weak and scared.”
“And yet these weak and scared humans managed to break out of the laboratory and are now running amok in the halls,” Ruby interjected with a smirk. “They are stronger and more resourceful than you give them credit for.”
“Girls, please.” Helmi pursed her lips and the sisters fell silent. “Your bickering does us no good. It is clear to me that we have underestimated these humans, both in their intellect and their compassion. It is with this in mind that I have decided to make some chances in the program that will be carried out once this meeting is over.
“First, we will no longer be keeping the losing competitors segregated from the others. Gene collection will continue, and will be done as unobtrusively as possible, and then the losers will be allowed to watch the matches and remain in contact with the others.”
Safiri blinked slowly as she turned her head to regard Helmi fully. “What about those who are already in custody?”
“They will have to remain isolated, of course. It’s unfortunate, but they’ve already been exposed to the clones and that knowledge, more than the testing itself, is something I don’t want getting loose. We won’t be able to wipe their memories until they’re back on their way to the mainland, and I don’t want to risk a riot forming before then.”
Esmeralda nodded. “We have more help down there, now, so it shouldn’t be too hard to keep them contained.”
“The second change I am making is incentivization.” Helmi smiled. “I have a gift I would like to give the remaining competitors at the party this evening.”
Next up is PARTY TIME. And a present or two?
RE: Mysteries of the Forgotten Island (Intermezzo: Helmi)
So I was thinking about this, and I had an idea as to what the gifts are that Helmi is planning to give to the remaining trainers. What if each of them gets the Pokemon of the trainer that they defeated / a random defeated trainer's Pokemon to use for the duration of the tournament? Then the battles would be 2v2, making the completion that much more exciting.
...or I could be completely off.
So I was thinking about this, and I had an idea as to what the gifts are that Helmi is planning to give to the remaining trainers. What if each of them gets the Pokemon of the trainer that they defeated / a random defeated trainer's Pokemon to use for the duration of the tournament? Then the battles would be 2v2, making the completion that much more exciting.
...or I could be completely off.