Okay...I know I said I'd rewrite Circumstances, but that hasn't been going well for various reasons. So instead let's try another idea :) This is an idea that's been floating in my head for a while now. Finally decided to try writing it lol. I should warn you though. It's a weird one and not everyone will find this concept appealing and will involve making a certain character (or two) a bit OOC (at least at first.) so sorry if that rubs you the wrong way. This fic is rather AU though so hopefully it won't be a huge issue. (It's still in the pokemon world and is largely the same but a certain character has a different origin. VERY different. :P
This will span several stories Some will be chaptered (like this one) and others will be one shots. The reason for this is I think I get overwhelmed if the story gets too long so I'm gonna try and keep them at ten or below. Anyway let's start this.
I do NOT own Pokemon
Chapter 1: This is NOT Normal
No way…
Clemont stared at the letter in his hands. His breakfast cereal sat forgotten on the table. The teen couldn't even fathom how this was happening. Was Placebo Net seriously inviting him to work as a temp intern?
Placebo Net was a new facility, but they already made a name for themselves. They're dedicated to creating various tools and drugs that improve the quality of life for people and pokemon. They're close to curing several diseases and even stunned doctors by helping someone walk again. Placebo Net made the impossible possible. Why would they ask him to be an intern at his age?! What insane universe did he wake in this morning?
"Clemont, you've been gawking at that letter for ages, what's it about?" asked a youthful voice beside him.
"Sorry, Bonnie. It's from Placebo Net. They… want me as an intern."
"Wow, really?!" cried Bonnie. "Cool! They made all those new medicines right?"
"Yeah, it's only a temporary thing, but I could learn a lot."
"You're gonna accept then?"
"Maybe…" said Clemont as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a little hesitant to leave the gym but… Clembot has been keen to go solo for a while, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping."
"Well keep an eye out for keepers because I won't be around to help with that," said Bonnie with a wink.
"Bonnie!" moaned Clemont. Then he smiled. "Okay, I'll do it. What harm could it do?"
The rest of the day consisted of calling Placebo Net to inform them of his decision which thrilled them and making certain all was in order for Clembot to run the gym in his absence. He is due to start tomorrow, and would, for the most part, be an induction day. Placebo Net wasn't ridiculously far from Lumiose City. Just a fifteen-minute train ride to Kuro City so it wasn't like he would be miles away. It pleased Meyer when Clemont told him and was more than happy look after Bonnie while he was away. Clemont left early the next day and was now getting off the train at Kuro Station. Kuro City was as the name implied. Everything was dark coloured. Even the pavement somehow. The flower baskets dangling from various homes were the only things with even an ounce of colour.
Clemont pulled out his map and was somewhat surprised to find Placebo Net was only a couple of blocks away. Along the way the blonde watched everyone go about their business. Children not much younger than Bonnie played hopscotch in a play area with a Skitty. There was a salon where a woman was reading a magazine while waiting for a man to finish grooming what Clemont presumed was her Furfrou. A pansear walked up to Clemont and handed him a leaflet that advertised a pastry shop. figuring it to be a fine lunch idea, the teen placed the flyer into his pocket to review later. He also strolled by a flower stall where a young woman was making flower bracelets with the aid of her Hoppip.
"Here we are!"
The building was incredibly modest. It was about 30 stories tall and the walls were a dull grey. The windows were so clean, Clemont would forgive anyone for thinking there were no windows at all. The glass door slid open as he approached. Inside was a sharp contrast to the exterior. The walls and floor were pure white. There were tall plants in each corner of the lobby and there were light blue chairs by the windows. Clemont soon reached the desk where a brunette woman with a loose ponytail was typing something on the computer.
"Ahem… erm excuse me, I'm the new temp intern starting today." Clemont stuttered as he presented the badge he received for verification.
The woman peered up and smiled.
"Ah, yes let's see."
The woman accepted the badge and scanned it on a machine next to her computer. After it made a happy beep, she nodded and handed the card back.
"So you're Clemont. Well, everything seems in order. I'll let the boss know you're here. So if you'll take a seat."
"That won't be necessary, Heather. I'm already here." announced a new voice. Clemont turned to see a middle-aged man walking towards the desk. "Appreciate the sentiment though."
Heather nodded returning to her work. The man turned to Clemont. He had dark brown thinning hair, and he wore a lab coat over his mint green shirt.
"Wonderful to meet you Clemont," he said as he held out his hand which the inventor took. "Again, I'm delighted you accepted our invitation. My name is Brad. I believe we spoke on the phone."
Clemont nodded.
"Thank you for inviting me. It will be a valuable learning experience."
"That it will." laughed Brad. "Every day is a learning experience here. Now, why don't we start with a tour? Would you like anything to drink? A snack perhaps?"
"No thanks. I had something on the train."
"Well if you change your mind, let me know," said Brad as they headed towards the door he entered through which turned out to be an elevator. Brad pressed a button, and they ascended.
"This is the research floor," said Brad. "Self-explanatory. We learn everything we can about diseases and how they can affect the human body. Same thing with pokemon. We're now researching Pokerus and determining if there is any hidden adverse effects of contracting it. So far all we've found is that it can occasionally cause mild skin irritation, and that's only in very rare cases and is treatable with prescription cream."
Clemont looked around finding many people either on computers or squinting through microscopes while someone jotted their findings on a tablet.
"As you can see they're very diligent," said Brad with a smile.
"This is fascinating!" cried Clemont. "I can't believe how efficient everything is."
"Haha, if you're impressed already, I can't wait to show you the rest of the building," laughed Brad.
The tour continued at a steady clip. Brad showed Clemont the computer rooms, another research room. There were several break rooms that came equipped with beds for all-nighters.
"This is where the magic happens," said Brad as they entered a laboratory. "Once we've determined that the drug works and if it's safe to use, we go through the proper channels and send it to hospitals or pokemon centers depending on who needs it."
"Hello sir." said a blonde woman as she entered the room carrying a small case. "What brings you here if I may be so bold?"
"You may," said Brad. "I'm showing our new intern the ropes.
"Oh, of course! That was today." cried the woman. "I can be such an airhead sometimes. Nice to meet you. Clemont right?"
"That's right," said Clemont as he shook her hand.
"Well, I'll be looking forward to working with you." the blonde woman turned to Brad and whispered something to him. Brad smiled reassuringly.
"I'll tell him Freya, getting the induction done with first."
"Sorry, tell me what?" asked Clemont. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. What was Placebo Net up to?
The researcher flinched as if he knew he let something slip. He sighed but smiled.
"Well I suppose it won't hurt to inform you now, but first I should explain a few things. I hope you'll listen before making any decisions."
Against his better judgement, Clemont nodded.
"Then we let's head up a couple of floors," said Brad.
Clemont followed Brad to the elevator while clutching at his sleeves. He had expected a normal internship, but this was turning out to be something creepy and even a little shady. He stayed silent in the elevator wondering what Brad wanted to tell him.
"Now what I'm about to tell you is… let's say unusual, and we're not ready to go public with it yet, so we'd be grateful if you keep what you're about to see under your hat for the time being."
Clemont nodded.
"Yes, of course."
The elevator door opened, and the duo walked down the hallway and through a door that led to another laboratory lots of glass tubes of varying sizes sat on top of a large table. The contents of the tubes made Clemont's stomach turn.
"Is…. is that…?"
"Yep," answered Brad. "That is a human heart."
In fact, each tube held a different organ. Lungs, kidneys, a liver, a bladder and even what appeared to be a human brain.
"Wha… what is this!?" he cried disgusted by what he saw in front of him. Brad let out a loud laugh.
"Had you going, didn't I? You can relax Clemont, we gutted nobody. These are artificial, surprise!"
"They're not real?" asked Clemont as a wave of relief washed over him.
"Technically, no," said Brad. "but they don't have to be. They work just like the real thing."
It took a few seconds for that sentence to sink in, but when they did they hit Clemont like a truck.
"What?!"
"You heard right," said Brad smirking as if he was enjoying this. "It took a lot of trial and error, but we have been able to create a working heart out of synthetic fibres. They are 100% eco-friendly. No plastic whatsoever. I remember the first breakthrough well. We created an artificial heart. Then we wired it to an artificial human brain. We gave the heart a little jolt, not much different from a defibrillator. The heart began to beat! Only for a few seconds but it was beating! I'm amazed Officer Jenny didn't come knocking from how loudly we celebrated. After countless failures, we finally created a heart that worked! Now we had to keep it working, which wasn't easy. We had to change a few things in the artificial brain but it soon began to function like an actual human brain! This is revolutionary! Transplant waiting lists will be a thing of the past if we can pull this off! If someone needs a new heart. We could build one and best of all it would be adaptable to that person's blood type so there will be no risk of rejection. We've even made artificial blood and blood cells. In simpler terms, whatever the human body has. We've made an artificial version."
Clemont could hardly believe what he heard. If what Brad was saying is true, then it truly was revolutionary. It could change lives! If something irreparably damaged an organ, any organ at all. They could make a substitute. This was like something out of a sci-fi movie.
"So…. you…. you could even replace brains?" he asked.
Brad let out a nervous laugh.
"Well, I don't about that. They are for research and testing other organs. It's the brain that tells them what to do after all."
"So… you've made an artificial version of everything? Could you even make skin? Hair? Bones?!"
Brad gave the inventor another smile.
"I think I'll let you be the judge of that. Come with me."
Clemont followed Brad back into the hallway still reeling from what he was being told, and it seemed the surprises didn't stop there. What could top artificial, working organs?
"Through here," said Brad as he led Clemont through another door. The long room was almost empty. Just a few tables with a computer on each one. There seemed to be a window in front of the desks but it showed what was in the room next to this one.
"We'll use this one-way mirror for the time being to avoid the risk of contamination," said Brad. "Plus we might scare him."
"Him?"
Brad said no more. He gestured to the one-way mirror so Clemont walked towards it and peered in. He saw an empty room with a single bed. On the bed, someone appeared to be asleep. It was a boy, not much older than Clemont. He had tanned skin and black messy hair. The blonde couldn't see much else though as the boy was under the bed sheets. At first, Clemont thought it might've been another intern and wondered why Brad was showing him this. Then another possibility crossed his mind, and it made him weak at the knees.
"That…. that's not…."
"It is," said Brad looking serious. "That boy…. is the first artificial human."
T.B.C…
Told you this was gonna be weird. This idea has been floating in my head since the XYZ series and honestly I'm kinda excited to try and write it. Fun fact: Brad was actually a character in my TOME fanfic (An Angel's Tears) that I wasn't able to finish :(. I'm thrilled to have an excuse to use him again albeit in a completely different setting. So Clemont is understandably shaken. Who could that boy be? (As if you didn't know. :P) Guess we'll find out in the next chapter.