"W-wha... W-where am I..." I let out a pained moan as I look around, my eyes adjusting to the light.
The room is dark. Only lit up by a few candles on the other side of the room. There seems to be nothing around, except a small wooden door in front of me.
"H-hello? Anyone here?" I call out, looking around quickly as my heartbeat rises in panic. I try moving, but I'm completely restrained. My hands are tied together, above my head, and my legs and shackled to the ground. I begin tugging as hard as I can on the ropes, trying to free myself.
"Someone! H-help me! I'm tied up! A-anyone!" I shout, still pulling at my bindings. I stop struggling, the binds too strong to escape like this. "Ok... Deep breaths... Calm down... I-I'm sure it's just a prank... A really messed up prank... Yeah! This will just be Darrell... He'd of arranged all of this! There's probably a camera around here!" I mutter to myself
I check around the room again, looking for anything that may help me, or anything recording me. As I found before, there is nothing. I look up at my bindings around my hands, using the dim light in the room to see if there is any way for me to undo the knot in the rope. I manage to move my fingers on my right hand, and begin pulling at the knot, trying to undo it, or at least loosen it so it doesn't grind into my wrists so much.
Fuck, man... Whoever did this knows how to tie someone up... I give up on trying to untie myself, and just close my eyes, clearing my head. Ok... So this isn't a prank... Pretty sure this isn't a prank... I just have to wait... All will be explained soon! Keep positive... Panicking is the worst thing you can do... I open my eyes again. How did I even get here... I remember... I don't remember anything...
"You. In the chains. Stop panicking, stay quiet, there is someone coming for you. Attack them, and we'll just kill you... Realize how disposable you are, and follow orders," The voice finishes wish a loud buzz, presumably it came from some sort of speaker in a dark corner of the room. It sounds loud... And very angry. But it doesn't sound... Human... The voice is deep, very male-sounding, and is full of grunts and growls...
"What the... Who are you!? Please! J-just tell me!" I cry out, but the voice never come back. I stand there, in the dark room for what feels like an eternity, before the wooden door in front of me bursts open, and 3... Things enter.
Their appearance is completely masked by the lack of light in the room, as the candles were blown out when the door was kicked open. I try to focus on them, to make out a silhouette, body shape, or anything that'd help me figure out who was in front of me, and whether they were human or pokémon
"H-hey! Who are y-" My questioning is cut of as one of the figure walks up to me and slaps me harshly across the cheek, growling deeply. I gasp out in pain, tears forming at the edges of my eyes as my cheek burns with pain
"Didn't you hear what the voice said? Stay quiet, you waste of space!" The figure in front yells at me, his voice harsh and aggressive.
"O-ok... S-sir," I splutter out, looking down at the floor, trying my best to keep him calm. Another of the figures walk up to me, pulling out what appears to be a knife, it raises it above my head, cutting the rope attaching me to the ceiling. The third figure also walks up, key in hand, and unlocks my shackles. I let out a long sigh as I bring my hands down, massaging my sore wrists. One of the figures speak to me, this time a much calmer, kinder sounding voice.
"Now, just relax. We aren't here to hurt you, we need you. As long as you follow orders, don't try to escape us, and only speak when we ask you to, you'll be fine!" The voice says, as the first figure begins pulling me towards the door. I don't resist, my cheek still burning with pain from before.
We walk through the door, which leads to a narrow, but well lit passageway. I manage to get a good look at my captors, or, that's what I'm referring to them as anyway, I don't really see any other way of taking my current situation right now other than a kidnapping...
The one who hit me, and is now dragging me behind him, is a large Machamp, who only just manages to fit in this tunnel. Escape would be impossible without squeezing past him, which would give him more than enough time to grab me and... Do bad things...
The person behind, and presumably the other one to speak to me, is human. Female, doesn't seem to be very old... No older than 25... She's wearing some sort of lab coat, too. She seems far too civil to be involved in a kidnapping... She looks at me, grinning at me when she sees me examining her
The third figure I can't get a good look at, as they are behind the human female. The occasional glimpse I do get suggest that they are human, or at least humanoid. Their wearing hooded black robes, which drags behind them, and covers their entire body. They're completely silent, and seem... Terrifying... I don't know what it is about this thing... But staring at them for too long makes you feel like... Bad... I don't know how to explain it, but this thing is not something to mess with...
We continue walking for a few more minutes, the corridor seems to go on forever. Constantly repeating blank walls, lights exactly the same distance apart... It looks unending. But we soon reach a large room. It's just as brightly lit as the hallway, letting me look around and see everything.
The walls are completely blank, nothing but bare stone with visible support beams. the floor is just as bland, clean concrete laid smoothly across it. The roof seems to be covered in stalactites, some are massive, and look far too big to be able to be supported naturally, yet they stay in place, hanging ominously above us.
In the middle of the room, there are 5 chairs. 4 of them are already taken, the people sitting on them with black bags over their heads and hands behind the chairs, tied to the back. I'm pulled over to the remaining chair, sat down and my hands are tied behind the chair. The Machamp male pull the bags off the other 4 captive's heads, and they all look around confused, blinking their eyes as they adjust to the harsh light. None of them speak, presumably they found out what happens when you do too.
"Now." The woman stands in front of us, grinning at each of us. That grin is becoming creepy... She never seems to stop when looking at us. "I'm sure you've all got questions, like how did you get here, who are we, blah blah blah. We don't care. You don't have the right to ask questions yet. Now, before we begin, let's go over a few rules, shall we?"
The Machamp steps forward, grinning down at the female human, before staring at us. "OK, so, if you're going to survive here, just know 3 rules. 1, do not speak to anyone, either staff, fellow employees, anyone." He walks around as he speaks, cracking his knuckles every few steps "Rule 2! Do not touch ANYTHING unless we say. It will probably kill you, and if it doesn't kill you, I will. Rule number 3! Forget about your past lives. Nothing from them, involving them, or remotely to do with them is over. Forget everything. If you bring anything from your old life into your new one, we'll find you, and kill you. Simple." This last rule brings up a lot of shocked gasps, the person sitting next to me, a young girl, around 18 years old, bursts out crying, whimpering loudly as she does.
"Y-you can't do this!" She says quietly, in between loud sobs. This greatly annoys the 3 captors. The hooded person steps towards the girl, pulling her hand out of her cloak and resting it against the crying girls head. There's a small, ethereal glow comes from it's hand. A few seconds later, the girl stop crying, she sits up normally, smiling slightly.
"Now that we've sorted that, we can explain. We work for a company, whose name will remain anonymous. You 5 have been taken here for a very special reason. You all have a certain knowledge that's valuable to us, and we plan to use that. Now, if you're asking how? Well, it's simple! We're going to give you a pokémon, set you up as trainers, that'll be to keep any suspicion off you whilst you're looking around for more information, let's you access gyms, and stay in Pokémon Centres. You'll be look for information on certain things. Once you're released, you'll be given a file on what you have to find out about. All you have to do is complete the mission you're given, then you get your old lives back." She looks around at us, smiling. "So, this is where you get to ask questions."
Instantly, everyone tries speaking at once, myself included. The woman instantly shushes all of us, pointing towards me. "OK, we'll do it in turns. You go first." She stares at me expectantly, as do the other 4 captives.
"O-ok" I stutter. "So... Our old lives are completely over? We... We don't exist out there anymore?" I ask, looking up at her. She nods quickly
"Yep. Every single record of you has been erased. All your friends and family believe you to be dead, you no longer exist."
Everyone looks around, panicking, fear in their eyes, one boy starts struggling in his seat, obviously trying to escape. Everyone looks like their about to burst out crying.
The hooded person raises both their hands, and I immediately feel a calm, cool sensation wash over me. I feel my muscles relax, my heartbeat slows, I feel... Relaxed... 'Yeah, this could be good! A fresh start... Wait... No! That person... Their doing something to use... Damn it!' I look up at the hooded person, scowling at them.
Everyone else seems to have calmed too, and the girl next to me speaks up. "So... How do we do anything without an identity?"
"Simple! Fake identities! You have a new name, your appearance will be slightly edited, such as hairstyles, eye colours, that stuff, nothing too serious. You'll be given a Trainer Card, so you'll be able to sleep in Pokémon Centres, you'll be like any other member of society, on the outside at least." The female captor says, quickly scanning her eyes over us
"And, what pokémon will we be getting?" Someone else calls out, a young boy, looks to be around my age
"Ah! A very good question!" She says gleefully. She pulls a box out of seemingly nowhere. And opens it. Inside, There are 5 Pokéballs, all labelled with a type of pokémon. Grass, Water, Fire, Dark and Dragon. She hands each one out. "Now, we've chosen each of these specifically for you. You probably won't like them to begin with. Tough, you're stuck with them."
I look down at the pokémon I was given, grinning excitedly. 'Yes! Dragon Type! So many good things to get in here!' I think to myself. I look at everyone else, who all also look just as excited as me. Everyone suddenly seems a lot more welcoming of our new lives. 'Y'know, This genuinely could be a good thing... Sure, we're having to work for these people... Whoever they are, but... We get a fresh start. That could be a good thing! Sure, we have no friends... No family... no one, but, well... I could make something good out of it! This time, I won't mess up again... I won't repeat past mistakes.' I look up at the captors, and sigh, not quiet believing myself that I'm going to accept this so easily. "Well... Whoever you people are, I-I'm happy to accept whatever mission you have for me..."
The female captor looks confused for a few seconds, trying to figure out if I'm serious or not, before grinning. "Ahhh, perfect! That couldn't of gone better! We were told you were the smartest one. Looks like you recognize how good this is for you then, hmm?" She says joyfully. I weakly nod, looking over at the other 4. They look both disappointed and angry... I quickly look away, seeing the Machamp walk up to me, and untie me from the chair. I quickly stand, massaging my wrists again.
"Welcome to the team!" The Machamp says, grinning at me. I smile weakly, looking at the captors, not wanting to look at the 4 people sitting in the chairs. The woman in a lab coat walks up to me, handing me a large suitcase.
"Now, this should have everything you need in it. Food, clothes, trainer card, and a Pokédex, all that important stuff. You'll be taken to Accumula town. When you get there, head straight to the Pokémon Centre. When you get there, ask for a room, and get to it. As soon as your in a private area, then you can open the suitcase, OK? Do not open it outside under any circumstances!" She quickly spews out at me. I nod quickly, placing my Pokéball in my pocket and taking the suitcase.
"Um... How do I get out?" I say, looking around the room. The only exit I see is the one we came through, leading to the chamber where I was tied up.
"Ah, that's simple! A quick teleport should be all you need!" She says, pointing to the hooded figure. "Now, just say your goodbyes, if you wish, and when you're ready, walk up her, and take hold of her hand!" She says, pointing at the figure again.
I turn towards the ones remaining on he chairs, awkwardly waving goodbye before dragging the heavy suitcase towards the figure, reaching out for their hand. The second I touch their hand, I see a bright flash, and everything goes quiet.
Author's Notes:
Well, there you go! There is the first chapter! Any feedback is welcome, positive of negative!