Disclaimer: I don't own ReBoot or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners.
Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Pokémon/ReBoot crossover series. This time, Matrix and the main team are stranded in the Desert Port System and each find out why the Guardians have been wreaking havoc. The main Pokémon here are Akari's Marill and Totodile.
Let's begin!
As the Game ended, Matrix, AndrAIa, Frisket, and Akari found themselves in the middle of a desert, actually a Desert Port System. The first thing they noticed was how hot and dry the air was. There was sand all around and the town was empty. A statue of a Binome holding a spear was displayed over an old fountain, which was the only sound they heard. Before they wondered where they were, the square immediately burst into life: They saw a Binome playing a woodwind manipulating a snake in a pot, another was at a market selling various goods, bright awnings opened up, and there was the endless, annoying chatter of all those damn tourists. What's weirder was a Tear hanging over a walled, circular portion of the System several miles away, with rectangular objects orbiting the sphere above.
Akari was already complaining about the heat and told Marill to give her a small water gun to her face, It felt good, but the cooling sensation didn't last long. Then she heard Matrix's enthusiasm as he said, "AndrAIa, we finally found a System with ports to the Net. Alphanumeric! We're going home!"
She couldn't feel any happier. "Did you hear that, guys? We're finally going to Mainframe, and then later, Johto!" she exclaimed to the joyful croc and mouse.
They all couldn't wait to get back, as they were running out of supplies and fit Pokémon to use. A lot of them were getting weary from all the countless Games and travel. These new Systems barely even know anything about them, and it was very hard to keep up each other's vitality. They weren't even sure how they can survive the Web and save Bob from it...
The pondering was interrupted when a navy-blue Binome with grey hair, and wearing a leather jacket apologized for bumping into the "great, wise Guardian."
"How did he know you were a Guardian?" AndrAIa queried.
"Probably he saw my Key Tool," Matrix answered, as he soon saw that Glitch was missing from his left holster! His eye scanned for the perpetrator and he gave chase.
"Stay frosty, Sparky!" the Game Sprite encouraged.
Akari ordered Marill to follow him; she was very useful at tracking since she's known to have very sensitive hearing. Listening to the footsteps of his boots, and the rustling amongst the irritating crowd, she ran to the source. The water mouse was also impressive with her skills, as she kept using her Hydro Pump to levitate herself as she jumped from building to building. Kind of like the advanced hydro nozzle, FLUDD.
The energetic Totodile wanted to join in the fun, but he was held back. As she was sure that Matrix would get very cranky if there were more interferences. AndrAIa volunteered to do some shopping and Frisket objected. They were getting impatient. She offered for just a little while and then look for a transport to Mainframe. They all agreed. In the end, there wasn't anything worth purchasing, not even vitamins.
While the small group was heading toward the dock, they didn't notice something bizarre. From the Tear, a cube of energy shot out from it. Leaving a line of that same strange substance. It was a Zoom Room, and the people began to panic. One of them, particularly a chef, announced, "Guardians! The Guardians are coming!"
Just as he said it, the object slammed to the ground and two males with dark blue skin, and a female with a long magenta ponytail and neon green skin emerged. She was wearing heavy Gothic makeup, and the two men had sunglasses and each one had bullet-proof vests. They, too, all had guns on them, as well as a few spider drones. The woman was the one in charge as she declared, "Ok people you know the drill! Let's find this Guardian so we could get out of this broken System."
For a nanosecond, Marill halted when she heard the commotion. She looked behind her and she grew nervous of her friends' welfare. But she had a job to do and for some odd reason, she'd be better off with Matrix, more protected. As she looked ahead, she saw them slowly approach a bar with two swinging doors. Engraved at the top, it said SIBEDAR. It reminded her of those old shafts that wranglers used back in Johto! With nowhere else to go, she looked down and found a pool. With a deep sigh, Marill curled into a ball and leapt into it, making a tremendous splash soaking a few Binomes taking in the rays on towels. They were just stunned as they saw her blue, round end of her tail, sticking out like a buoy. She got out, shook herself off, her ears wiggled in confirmation and she waddled over.
Meanwhile, AndrAIa, Frisket, Akari, and Totodile entered the dock, where an awkward-looking woman complained about the vomit in her vessel, "How many times do I have to say? If you feel the need to vomit, don't. Urgh!"
She was skinny, had white, translucent skin, heavy eyelashes, and a blond crewcut. She was not joking as the intense stench hit their nostrils. Even Totodile almost became sick. Luckily he was distracted by a huge bird-like Sprite. He decided to chase after it along with the dog. Akari let him go, which made it easier to listen on the conversation.
According to her identification tag, her name was Maxine and her format was a Search Engine. She kept denying AndrAIa's access to Mainframe since they don't have authorization codes, whatever they are.
"Internet travel is restricted," she said. "Where have you been, playing Games?"
"Well, yeah, actually." the Game Sprite said. Then she asked who would do such a thing. Then it came to her, like a smack in the head. The Guardians did all that!
Marill watched from the outside of the saloon as the spy headed in. Matrix was slowly closing on his tail, and everyone became silent as the doors burst open. He marched up to the bar and ordered an I/O shot. The only sound heard was the thief shaking in fear within his seat. Matrix demanded him to return his property, but he doesn't know what he was saying. The Sprite said, "Glitch, honing signal." And it gave off a beeping noise within the pickpocket's jacket.
Before he reached for his Gun, two massive bots were at his side: they both had round bodies and strong arms, and looked really intimidating. However, Matrix never flinched.
"Hey, we could do this the hard way," Matrix ordered his Gun to target everyone within the place; moreover, they were terrified. "Or, we can do it my way. Gun, Death Blossom Mode!" His revolver spun rapidly, as if it would randomly select it's first victim.
Before there was any bloodshed, Marill snuck in and released a Bubblebeam toward the spy, knocking the Key Tool out of his hand, and landed on the counter next to his drink.
"Anyone who wants to live, leave! I just want a quiet drink." Matrix demanded. With that, the whole place went berserk as every Sprite and Binome stormed out, leaving the water rodent and the green man in the dust. Before he took a sip, Marill backed away into his leg, and Matrix saw someone through the glass's reflection.
"You got a deletion wish?"
"I'm looking for Guardian 452." the mysterious man said.
"Well, imagine that, so am I."
He pointed to the pair. "What have you done with Bob?"
Marill's face was in complete shock for accusing them as criminals. Matrix faced the Sprite emerging from the shadows. He had short, blond hair, a bulky red uniform with gold shoulders, and had placid blue skin. He identified himself as Turbo, Prime Guardian.
Back at the port, Akari asked why the Guardians would restrict Net travel, and wondered if it has to do with the Web invasion.
"Apparently, they have their own agenda. Something about controlling the neuro-Net." That didn't sound good.
"We're talking about the same Guardians, right?" AndrAIa asked. "To mend and defend?"
"Yes, the exact same Guardians. But now it's divide and render, for their own cause."
That sounded worse, Akari thought. She hoped that Bob isn't in on this, and she thinks that most of her Pokémon are too weak to deal with them.
"Do you know anyone who could help us?" AndrAIa asked.
"I do," Maxine pointed to a large facility unit with numerous towers, "but they're all in that prison. Locked up and awaiting deletion, courtesy of the Guardians."
At the old saloon, Matrix confronted Turbo, and labeled him as a suspect for sending that Web Creature to destroy his home. Before he used his Gun and Marill prepared for Rollout, Turbo ordered his Key Tool, Copland, and made a red containment field trapping them both seamlessly.
He wanted to know where Bob is and what Matrix is doing with his Guardian code. He refused to tell him anything and that he tried to get rid of Mainframe. Turbo asked who he was, and he was shocked when he put two and two together.
"Matrix...Enzo Matrix?"
"Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Copland, release field!" They no longer felt like bugs stuck in a cocoon anymore. "Where in the code have you been, Matrix?"
"Game hopping." He explained everything that's happened to them: from the Web invasion, to losing Bob and becoming a Guardian, to losing a Game, avoiding deletion, and trying to get back home.
"You may not be as gone as long as you think. By my reckoning, you should only be...11."
Matrix was surprised, but Marill rubbed her chin in confusion. Yes they have developed, but does that mean he's thirty in Johto's age?
"Don't you know Game Time has accelerated? You've compiled up faster in there relevant to our time." Turbo said.
"Then there's still hope for all of them. Especially Bob!" Matrix brightened up. So did Marill. Maybe there's still a chance.
Turbo found Glitch communicating with Copland, and he's impressed that the former has chosen him to be its Guardian. They are very sentient, even though it's been broken by Megabyte's clutches. No different than a Pokémon working in sync with its Trainer. Turbo began to realize that from Marill. Then he switched gears; he actually came to warn him thinking he was Bob. But the saloon was being shot by the pursuing Guardians! They ducked behind the counter and Turbo said he's not the only one he knows he's here.
The female Guardian shouted, "We're here for the rogue Guardian, Bob! Throw down your weapons and come out!"
Turbo held his Key Tool, while Matrix loaded Gun, and Marill sucked in as they hid behind the sides of the large hole in the wall.
"Do your drones have personality chips?" Matrix joked, but she didn't fall for it.
"No! Why?"
All hell broke loose as Gun fired, Copland let out a plasma beam, and Marill in the front exhaled a volley of water, making the droids and Guardians run away from the mayhem. When everything was clear, Matrix asked about his warning.
Turbo showed the glowing green lines alongside his left temple and his icon. "This. It's the infection. But I'm strong, I can still fight it." He also said that once he succumbs to it, Copland would abandon him and never return.
"Megabyte?"
"No, much worse. A Supervirus, Daemon. She's gone to the Super Computer and infected the entire Guardian Collective...Except for you..."
"And Bob." Although he was only a cadet, as he was enlisted as a first-level Guardian, he was still clean and registered as such. Turbo felt sorry for him that he never came to the Academy; as he would've been a full-fledged Guardian. And to make matters worse, she was the one who arranged the Web Creatures to attack Mainframe, not him. He also warned him that he'll always have a lock on his icon and he'll be tracked no matter where he goes.
"Not if I do this." Matrix tapped his icon twice and it transformed into a Game Sprite icon.
The result was the scanner losing the signal. "Alert all of the System, Guardians!" the lady commanded. "He must've used a portal to escape." Then she noticed Slimey Goobar sneaking to her. "I thought you take care of his Key Tool!"
He assured her that he did, but he reclaimed it, and it was already battered anyway. The Guardian wasn't convinced as she raised him by the neck. "There where is he, spy?!"
He said he was with the others. If they would ambush them, they'll draw the renegade. Then she tossed him away as if he was nothing but a piece of scrap metal.
Turbo mentioned Matrix needs Bob's codes to help him get back to Mainframe, and as long as he's not infected and has the Guardian protocol, there is hope.
"I have to find Bob. So we can save the entire Net." he said. Marill nodded in approval.
As the team was making their way to the jail, they surveyed the damage. Everything was destroyed and there was nobody around...except a few Guardians who surrounded them. Of course, they didn't flinch. Frisket growled and Totodile bared his fangs. "Don't you just hate these little delays." AndrAIa commented.
A blimp made the announcement over the bar, "Guardian 452, we have two females, a dog, and a crocodile. Surrender or they will be deleted!"
Matrix just smiled, but Marill and Turbo were skeptical. The screen went blank as Totodile charged and Frisket bit the camera.
They eventually wound up in an alleyway and saw the woman with a spider drone to her right. Akari and Totodile were a little intimidated, and grossed out, when she managed to squash a fly with her two digits...
"What took you so long?" she called to them.
"I came as soon as I could." AndrAIa replied. Akari put her hands on her hips, Totodile followed making a slight grin.
"And my men?"
"Don't ask." When she saw the drone, she asked, "He was wondering if your drone has a personality chip?" It ran away like a coward since it recalled the shootout. Frisket just slumped onto the ground in disappointment. Totodile joyfully ran after it, and the Guardian just sneered to him.
"Hey, you better not delete Totodile, you virus! What in the Net..?" Akari saw the green lines surrounding her icon and temples. She wondered if she was being controlled by someone, and she couldn't be more right.
"And don't tell me, we're under arrest." AndrAIa retorted.
"You wish."
Akari had no choice but to stand back and watch. It was just the two of them now. Like an old-Western standoff. She wasn't nervous, though; she always knew she had the right moves.
For awhile they just stood like statues, until the Guardian's scanner reacted. She immediately took out and fired her pistol, but it deflected off AndrAIa's wrist blade. Then she retaliated by firing four of her extended turquoise fingernails straight into her throat! It wasn't long before the Guardian suffocated and collapsed from the poison. All the Game Sprite did was just rub and blow on her nails, perfectly intact!
"Damn, I don't want to get on her bad side, if I were you." Akari said to Frisket and her Totodile who just returned.
"Are you sure your friends are ok?" Turbo wondered as he put Copland back on his arm.
"They always are." Matrix answered.
"Matrix, I need to get back. I've been away too long already." He looked around the saloon. "What I need is a Tear."
Upon a wild guess, he shot open a large coffee maker and a Tear busted out.
"Thanks, cadet. Copland, portal!" It shot out a ray of energy, transforming it into a floating sphere to another System. Apparently, Turbo's on the run, too. And is less lucky that he couldn't change his icon like the others could. So, of course he had to go.
"Why don't you come with us to search for Bob?" Matrix suggested.
"I'm more valuable to you of where I am. You'll always have a friend on the outside, as long as I can fight off this infection." he said pointing to it on his head.
"Then I guess this is...where we part ways." Matrix said, both he and Marill saddened.
"No hard feelings?" All they did was shake their heads, and with a blink of an eye, he was gone. Soon after, the others showed up at the recently devastated bar.
"What have you been up to?" AndrAIa asked.
"Saying goodbye to a new friend, Turbo." Matrix assured them he's actually on their side, and that Daemon was the one who made the invasion.
It took about a second of discussion of what they've been through, until he commanded Glitch to scan for possible transport. But just as soon as he was going to take his last sip of his I/O shot, he dropped it and it broke as they all saw two people. The same two people that should have been locked up or deleted...Captain Capacitor and his sidekick, Mr. Christopher!
A/N: Personally this episode should have a more proper title than saying "The Episode with No Name," even though it was considered as a homage. This was one of my most favorite episodes in the series, and I remember being anticipated to see Daemon personally. Unfortunately, they jumped to Season 4 which shortly ended with a cliffhanger after that; damn low ratings.
How Marill followed Matrix was a homage to FLUDD from Super Mario Sunshine. I'm very disappointed they never made a sequel to this, as what Itionobo always wanted.
That scene with Marill's Bubblebeam was similar to Majora's Mask when Deku Link retrieved his Ocarina from the Skull Kid.
Speaking of Marill, I mostly like her over her evolved form, Azumarill. I just find her to be more charming since I first saw her in Pikachu's Vacation, as well as Tracey's Marill. I also remember having a plush which had a zipper so it could fold itself into a Poké Ball and back. Those were the days...
I don't know much about Ash's Totodile, but he was definitely a joy to play as in Pokémon Stadium 2!
According to the Wiki, Matrix's age means 3 in binary (11). So, I'm guessing he's 30 years in the real world?
This was a joy to make. And I'll be making more one-shots of these, so feel free to reply and/or make this as a Favorite. And if you have any requests of a specific episode or Pokémon, let me know. Just keep in mind I'm including Pokémon from Gens 1 and 2 for time convenience. Ciao!