Disclaimer: I don't own ReBoot or Pokémon, they belong to their respective owners.
Hey, guys! Here's yet another installment to the crossover series. This time, Akari has been desperate on evolving her Metapod, but a mysterious program makes the System run amok as everything and everyone petrifies! Hexadecimal unleashes her chaotic weapon, the Medusa Bug. It's an insect vs insect showdown, who will win?
At an open field within the Kitts Sector, Akari has been very impatient. She's been trying for the last few seconds to compile the olive green, crescent-shaped Cocoon Pokémon, Metapod. Just by looking at it's expressionless face made her even more anxious.
"Come on, Ashlee. You can do it." she pleaded.
All it did was struggle, but it always made the cocoon harden its outer shell. No flash of light, no changing. Akari held her head in irritation. "When will you evolve?! Don't you want to become a Butterfree and be released from that dull shell of yours? Instead of just sitting there using Harden?"
"Meta...pod." it replied, giving her a blank stare as usual. She just shook her head.
A huge shadow flew over their heads: it belonged to a flying red Ferrari which held her friends Bob, Dot, and Enzo. It landed a few yards away from them, and the Sprites were setting up of what looked to be a picnic, with a basket, blanket and everything.
"Hey, our friends are here! Come on," she chirped as she carried the derpy bug.
She greeted them and introduced another new Pokémon; her Metapod barely even made a gesture and responded as if it never cared.
"What did you bring along this time?" Dot queried. The Trainer explained it's a Cocoon Pokémon, and she has been impatient on evolving it. Eventually it'll turn into a Butterfree and be more useful.
"So, that thing is a bug? It started as a caterpillar, inputted as a shell, and then would turn into a butterfly? Alphanumeric!" Enzo remarked.
She thanked him and Dot asked how does a Pokémon compile itself. She said it can be done in multiple ways: usually it'll develop overtime, or sometimes it needs to be exposed to a certain object like a Stone or a special item, others can be traded. What they do is simple, they transform into a more advanced species becoming stronger and sometimes faster, as well.
They couldn't wait to see that happen, though Bob was oblivious to the whole speech as he was fixing his car; it always seems to break down on him a lot for some odd reason.
"Hey, check it out! Something weird is chasing Frisket!" The little Sprite pointed to his dog as a strange stream of light was closing in on him. In its wake, many buildings looked ashen and worn down. The red-yellow hound screeched to a halt as he was being surrounded. There was no escape, and they all stared in horror.
"Frisket!" Enzo screamed. Jut then, the dog toppled to the ground, like as if a table was tipped. Then the strange aura was heading toward them
He frantically ran to him, but his sis immediately held him back and asked what the hell that was. According to the Guardian's Keytool, Glitch, it was some kind of viral weapon, a bug that can actually petrify those that make contact, and spread quickly as it infects. He suggested he should talk to Phong about this, but the car couldn't make out a sputter. He stood by the hood and Dot kept starting it, but to no avail. Enzo and Akari were nearly petrified themselves, but with fear.
At the last couple nanoseconds, it finally roared to life when he tapped the dashboard, and Bob climbed into the back seat as it flew off! Enzo wouldn't stop lamenting over his precious companion, same thing with Akari and her comrades. She was, however, relieved that they were safely kept inside their Poke Balls; as she only had ten on her, including Ashlee.
The wise one gave them the tidbit at once, without offering a Pong game first. He said this was terrible, and this was clearly a viral infection. Enzo at first thought this was Megabyte's, or Megadump's, doing, but Bob denied it. Phong described as unpredictable and chaotic, and the Guardian and Dot came to the conclusion that it was his psychotic sister, Hexadecimal. Phong believed it's her because the northeastern side of the System, the Tour, has turned to stone, but not the southwest side where her island is.
For once, Bob became worried about the scenario; no one couldn't blame him. This would actually be the first time Akari will ever see her up close, and she has heard all the horror stories from her friends as a diabolical, two-toned, crazy virus.
Then Phong has shown the damage being done: if the bug isn't reversed soon, everything will begin to decay. Low energy goes first like signs or buildings, then high energy from Sprites get deleted next. Including Frisket which made the boy freak out! Dot calmed him and Akari became very nervous. The wise bot told Bob he may be lucky since he has the Guardian code. Then he led him to a secret chamber, into the Mainframe Armory, so they could find a cure, while the rest of the team will lead the remaining citizens to safety here.
They all did the best they could while the petrification program was gradually getting closer. Rapidash and Dodrio were amazing as they were fast and can carry up to three files each! Heck, even Kangaskhan compassionately volunteered as she let the Baby Binome snuggle with her joey in her chest pouch.
Meanwhile, Phong gave Bob a viral erase command, which was a bit primitive in the savior's eyes. The golden robot reminded him he's no longer in the Supercomputer, and this was the best they had. Better that than nothing, he thought.
As the last few Binomes walked up toward the office, they saw Bob fly off on a Zipboard. Enzo was enthusiastic as he cried to bring back Frisket and show Hexadecimal a thing or two. Dot and Akari were not as excited, though. They just hopefully wished him to be careful.
Meanwhile Hex was watching a replay of the Tour getting infected. "Oh, did you see that, Scuzzy? How sad...all of Mainframe doomed." Then she cackled and stopped as she saw Bob.
"Bob? The Guardian? Oh no, oh no...oh, yes. Now won't this be interesting. He'll be no match for the unstoppable Medusa."
Powered up with an add-on, he hopes it'll do the trick. He dropped it inside the deep pit in Level 31. "Alright, you artifact. Do your stuff."
In a matter of nanos, everything turned back to normal...temporarily. Mainframe's most valuable, most effective cure was all for naught. "Happy, happy, happy!" Hex gloated as her mask showed red, menacing eyes and long fangs.
"This is not good. Where's a Game Cube when you need it?" Bob muttered. With nowhere else to go, he headed back to the Principal's Office. Enzo was excited he returned in one piece, but the situation was very grim. All the Sprites sadly went inside, and Phong put the place on lockdown. The white ball descended through the roof, and an energy sphere surrounded the building.
Inside, there was nothing but subtle chatter, and some Binomes were even roasting marshmallows over a campfire. Akari and her Pokémon were huddled together, expecting the worst. The worst was all they had since they cannot find a way back to Johto. She made a silent thank-you to her mentor, Mewtwo, for everything they've been through and being a great friend whom they'll never see again.
Just as they heard the beam close in on them with an obnoxious, synthesized noise, she immediately returned all her comrades inside their corresponding Balls. Except for Ashlee's, which she dropped. Just then, every Sprite and Binome within the room were completely encased in stone!
A few seconds later, Bob's petrified prison shattered and he was free again! He looked at his fallen mentor, who was still frozen in his fear stance. Turned out he was right after all, lucky him. Just then, he was determined to put a stop to Hex's plot and he went off on his Zipboard to Lost Angles.
But Bob wasn't the only one. The frozen shell of Akari's Metapod began to crack and crumble. Where its pointy nose and emotionless face was, it started to hatch like an egg. The Cocoon glowed from the inside with a white, simmering light and eventually a butterfly emerged from its dead carcass. It flapped its wings as it rose and the light faded. An insect with an amethyst body, turquoise limbs as well as tips on its feelers, ruby eyes, and four massive wings looked alive and well. At long last, Metapod evolved from its own, recently stoned shell!
The Butterfree looked glum as it saw its Trainer helplessly encased. Then it saw Bob growing smaller and smaller as he headed south. Without hesitation, the butterfly followed.
Hex's tower was surrounded by petrified Binomes, and she complimented her work. "Just look at my precious little garden, Scuzzy! It's definitely a work of art." One bot holding a rod degraded itself. She then turned a little somber, "Well, for now at least. Doesn't this please you?"
She turned to her pet who was hovering, never making an inch or sound. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" she scolded. Still, there was nothing. She sent it away, and before she knew it, Bob used Glitch as a swing line and hit her from behind, toppling the virus and her throne over.
"Ugh! Who dares to make such a rude entrance?"
"That would be me!" Bob countered.
She was quite surprised that he was immune to the infection, he thanked her. But she had other plans, as she would want to destroy a formidable opponent herself. She lunged at him and...she was exposed to a yellowish cloud of poisonous gas. It wasn't the Guardian that unleashed the toxic fumes, causing her to get immobilized. It was Ashlee's Stun Spore!
"What's this?! I can't move..!"
He was aghast at that little stunt and for a moment, he tried to stop the intriguing insect. But as soon as he did, it's body glowed and it unleashed a wave of energy toward her, tossing her back. It used Confusion and Bob almost stopped it again with a fly swatter, fearing it could delete her. It avoided the attack and did it again, flew around, gathered energy and did it again until her body collapsed.
With a mere ounce of strength left, she snarled, "How could a pesky little insect beat me?"
"I guess you're not the only one that has a menacing bug in her midst." Bob commented. He changed his mind of the whole battle, it was just trying to teach her a lesson, rather than kill her.
Instead of unleashing the final blow, it let him make a deal. As she could see from the Stun Spore, she can't move, much like everyone else covered in stone. If she can reverse the infection, then Butterfree will let Hex go and give it time for the spore to wear off. Sure enough, she accepted and in a few nanoseconds, she managed to move her hand and snap a finger. And just like that, everything turned back to normal again.
She stood up with a stern face. "Consider this as a warning, Guardian. For I won't be so humble next time." She pointed with an angry expression. "You two have not seen the last of me. And you shall both feel a taste of my wrath!"
She faded to nothing and he spoke to both Ashlee and Scuzzy, "That is one crazy woman." They nodded at his approval.
Back at the Kitts Sector, the picnic resumed. Enzo and Frisket were happily reunited as they played with each other. Akari and her friends were ecstatic of her brand new Butterfree. And Bob and Dot decided to relax for a time.
"It's one miracle after another: first I fixed my car, Butterfree compiled, then we saved Mainframe from utter annihilation. But mostly, Enzo and I found you some time to relax."
"Looks like you got your work cut out for ya," Dot commented as she saw the activity.
But just as there was sometime for a little shut eye, the sky turned purple and an alarm was heard as a voice stated, "Warning, Incoming Game!"
Another day's work for the heroes again...
A/N: Yes, I know a Trainer is supposed to only carry six Pokémon at a time. But it doesn't always hurt to break tradition. For battling, that's one thing. But this is just totally different as she is the only Trainer in Mainframe, so it doesn't apply here.
This is the first story in the series that features an evolution. Unfortunately, no one was able to see it since they were all petrified, and the Guardian left too soon. Oh well, maybe they'll see the spectacular transformation next time. The evolving sequence was actually similar to Ash's Metapod in the anime. And the nickname, Ashlee, was a tribute to the first Pokémon Ash ever caught; I'd wish they'd stick with Veronica Taylor though.
Metapod has always been so frustrating to evolve in the games, even though the line has a short level range. Caterpie evolves at Level 7, Metapod evolves at 10, you get the picture. And it's easy to see here, as Akari keeps pleading it to do so. Not only that, but it's known to be one of the evolved forms that has a low base stat total!
I've decided to spare Hexadecimal for now instead of deleting her. Because, how would the series go without her, right? I know the battle was brief, but I hope I did all right. So feel free to make any request of a certain episode or Pokémon appearance, please favorite, subscribe, or leave a reply. I'll see you all next time!
Keep in mind I'm only using Pokemon from Generations I and II, just to keep the series time-relevant.