On the other side of the earth, just below the equator, it is nighttime for the island of Okishima. While the surrounding ocean reflects the stars and the moon, the only illumination from the island is produced by a fire, mostly hidden by a lush canopy of island trees. The island is desolate and without any structures made by man. The only landmarks on the island are the natural rock monuments scattered around and a sheer plenitude of precipices leading to the ocean. Sitting around the fire in a circle are many dimly lit figures, all of which evidently originate from different parts of the world; each figure is a varying species of animal with its own distinct attributes. Everyone is quiet and quite shaken up by something. Their prolonged silence is ended by cautious chatter amongst one another. It has already been established that none of the animals have any recollection of past events or any ideas as to how they arrived at the island, though the question now is, how do they leave?
There is a heavy tension around the area. Animal's faces are marred by uncertainty and rivulets of sweat. Whilst the sun had shown before, several animals scouted out the area and returned to their camp with the conclusion that this is an island, an island not large enough to get lost on but not small enough to seem constricting towards its denizens either. Each animal was perturbed by the fact that they had all woken up on the island. Not one of them had any memory of arriving, and there are no signs whatsoever of any boats or airplanes that had come and gone, nor are there signs of any other intelligible life on the island. What's even more concerning though are the synoptical tags sewn into the skin, fur, or scales of each animal. The tags are numbered one through twenty. In addition to the numbers, each tag has its respective species' name on it as well. #01: Charizard. #20: Braviary. Some animals have already torn their tags from the seams of their hides, having not been able to withstand the irritation they cause.
Suddenly, the chatter is disrupted by the sound of an airplane above. Everyone looks to Charizard expectantly. He glares back in return and protests. #16: Drifblim shakes his head and volunteers in place of Charizard. He ascends through the canopy and disappears shortly after. After a long wait, a whirring noise is heard reverberating throughout the valley. Then, a large metal capsule crashes through the canopy and lands directly on top of the fire, momentarily submersing the entire forrest clearing in a bright abundance of color. The animals shield their eyes and fall back in shock. Once the last of the fire flurries fade away into the night, the clearing plunges into a dark gloominess. The only source of light comes from Charizard's glowing tail fire. Once the animals have righted themselves, they burst into an uproar and chirp among each other in a panic. "Are you alright?" "I can't see anything!" "What was that?"
A blue-tinted light appears where the fire pit once was. The animals crowd around and scrutinize the light with apprehension. The light is a holographic screen coming from the capsule where words are visible in the format of a letter. The letter states simply: You are the last of your kind. Kill to win. Be killed and render yourself extinct. Which species is the dominant one? The exacerbating note then disappears and the capsule appears to enter a state of dormancy. The island is quiet. Someone shrieks and the whole group is in an uproar once again. #16: Drifblim floats down through the hole in the trees and says monotonously, "Is everyone okay?"
"...No," #06: Pichu sobs. The young female is huddled against a tree, severely disoriented.
Drifblim approaches her. She straightens up and eyes Drifblim, getting ready to run. #01: Charizard grabs onto Drifblim, stopping him from getting nearer to Pichu, and gives him a stern look. Surprised, Drifblim shakes free from Charizard's grasp and looks at the group of animals inquisitively. It's almost as if he can see them each enshrouded by a thundering cloud of depression and confusion. Driblim looks to Charizard. "What happened?"
#02: Alakazam, with closed eyes, intervenes and says, "Our homelands have been consumed by fire. We are the last―or, uh..." He opens his eyes and stares at the child by the tree, unsure of what to say. He leans in towards Charizard and Drifblim and states, in a hushed voice, "We are all that is left of our species. Every other alakazam, drifblim, and charizard is...gone." Their eyes both widen. "Meaning, if we were to die, we'd ensure the eradication of our species in its entirety."
Charizard seizes Alakazam's shoulders frantically. "You're saying this is real?" he bellows gruffly, but even his stern voice shows hints of fear.
"Apparently so."
"Well that's preposterous!" Charizard booms, garnering everyone's attention. "How do you know that anyway―about our homeland?"
"...I can see it," the alakazam eventually answers calmly. "But, as far as I can tell, there is no actual need for any of us to kill each other...unless we need food."
Charizard stomps his feet on the ground in an outrage. "If you haven't noticed, there is no food on this island! No fruit, no nothing!" He sighs and grumbles to himself. "In the morning, I'm flying away." He storms off and lies down on the outskirts of the clearing where he curls himself up and shuts his eyes.
"He's so angry, when he should be sad," Drifblim says robotically.
"You seem to know an awful lot about this," one of the animals says. "So what's the verdict, wise one? Is this a free for one and one for all now?"
Alakazam doesn't answer. He doesn't move.
Another animal puts his foot down and declares, "Well, I'm not going to be killing anyone, I know that for a fact! As for the rest of you lot...some of you look rather suspicious to me!"
Everyone's eyes gravitate towards the darkest-looking individuals: #03: Gengar, #16: Drifblim, and #07: Umbreon. The three of them are shocked. After a period of angry and violent debate, Gengar, Drifblim, and Umbreon are ostracized by the rest, to which they eventually oblige. However, the group of animals continues to feel uncomfortable, regardless of the "sinister three's" absence. Is there hope for them? The real question is, is killing really necessary?
...
By the time the moon reaches its zenith in the sky, the bigger of the two groups is fast asleep. Meanwhile, three pairs of red lights shine like little beacons on the side of one of the island's mountains. The sinister three, in hushed voices, have consultation on a cliff that overlooks the valley below. Gengar's face appears to be perpetually contorted into a nervous grimace, while Umbreon regards the dim fire at the pit of the valley with scorn and Drifblim stargazes indifferently. "I just don't get it," Gengar sighs. "Because I'm a ghost, that means I want to kill everything? I don't want to kill anything. I can't kill anything." He turns to the others. "That would make me feel all guilty and traumatized and stuff. What about you?" He points at Umbreon, whose ears droop down.
"Gee, I-I dunno. Maybe if I had to, but how could someone like me even kill any of...them? I'm smaller and at a disadvantage."
"I think they're more likely to kill us," Gengar whispers, his eyes squinting. Gengar watches the sky thoughtfully until he finally falls asleep in the later hours of the night. He has nightmares—something he's never had before. Strange for his kind.
Everyone arises at dawn the next day. To the animals' horror, something has changed while they were unaware. A much heinous alteration now has their necks encircled by a tight, mechanical collar! The collars are greatly resented by each of their owners for the discomfort they cause. The animals are, once again, in an uproar. "Who could have done this?" "This thing itches!" "I bet the three we excommunicated last night have something to do with this!" The collars gird the necks so tightly that they are impossible to remove. Later on, #09: Sceptile, with her sleek body, gets close to removing it, but as she separates it from her neck and lifts it above her beak, it begins flashing and beeping rapidly. She turns red and quickly replaces it around her neck. The beeping is silenced and the flashing ceases.
Everyone seeks out the mighty capsule for answers, but alas, it still lays dormant in the fire pit where it towers above everyone like a monolith.
"I just don't understand," Charizard mumbles, balling his tiny claws together violently. "How could someone have puts these things on us and not have woken any of us up? It's just not possible."
"Don't worry about how they got on us," advises Alakazam. "Instead, worry about what they do."
"What do they do?"
"It's hard to say, but they could serve as some kinds of...demarcators?"
"What do you mean?" asks Charizard.
Alakazam peers around pensively. He sees Pichu watching the two of them intently with childish fascination. "I'll explain later, when there aren't children present," he replies. He suddenly looks at Charizard sternly, his eyes boring through the dragon with concern. "Just whatever you do, don't fly away today."
The days pass, and still the animals refuse to kill each other. Even the sinister three who now established the mountain range as their domain are nauseated in all earnestness by the thought of having to kill someone. The larger of the two groups currently gets its nutrients from the milk produced by #08: Miltank, while the smaller group gets its water from a waterhole in the side of the mountain. Though both groups are supplied with a sufficient amount of liquids, they've become famished.
Charizard, #14: Absol, and Braviary keep a keen eye on Miltank, who, despite the predicament they're all in, keeps on smiling obliviously. Absol's mouth waters. Unbeknownst to him, Pichu watches the drool run down his neck, horrified.
"Stop that now," Braviary mutters to the reprehensible canine. "You want her to see you?" he asks, referring to the cow.
"I don't care, man," replies Absol. "If we really do have to fight to the death, then the miltank's gotta be the first one to go. Killing her off would be the smartest thing to do. It'd benefit all of us."
Charizard nods concurrently, his eyes wide and staring down the unknowing cow like a hungry hawk.
"Let's just wait it out a couple more days until we really have to eat—like we're on the verge of death. We'll act then." Braviary ruffles his feathers, turns around, and hobbles off, giving the cow one last look before continuing on.
The next day, everyone wakes at dawn to find yet another addition to the "game." Bags now lie besides everyone, holding a number of things within them like water, flashlights, and, most importantly...a weapon, presumably urging the group to start fighting each other sooner. The weapons range from dull clubs to automatic pistols. This time there is no uproar. Instead, everyone gazes at their bags silently, terrified, unsettled, and utterly speechless.
"I-I can't even hold this," says Braviary, pecking at his assigned weapon, a crossbow.
Absol glares at his weapon in disgust. "The fuck is this, a joke?" he bites down on his weapon, a spoon, and with a quick lash, flings it at the capsule. The spoon hits the metal, producing a metallic ping that echoes throughout the valley. "Get us off this island!" He screams at the capsule.
"There's no way off," says Alakazam.
"The let us feast!" Absol positions himself towards Miltank, who stares back in confusion. Absol bears his teeth sending rills of spittle into the air. A low growl emerges from the back of his throat as he prepares himself, only hesitating to make sure no one is opposed to this. However, there is someone opposed to it.
#04: Kangaskhan puts herself between Absol and Miltank. "How dare you! You're actually considering hurting poor Miltank when she has done nothing but provide for you? Without her, we wouldn't be alive right now!"
"Foul interloper," Absol spits. "If you'd rather fawn over a fat cow than eat, then perhaps you should be the one to be eaten! Sacrifice yourself for the better of this 'community'! Or..." He eyes the baby 'Khan in Kangaskhan's pouch longingly.
Kangaskhan is shocked. She quickly shields her baby from the eyes of the others, who all appear to be on Absol's side. The animal slowly backs up as everyone else slowly approaches. She looks to Miltank for help, but the cow is just as desperate. She then glowers at Absol warily. "You," she breathes. "Why didn't you go with the other three?"
Absol stops in his tracks and frowns.
"Look at the influence you have on everyone else. You've hypnotized all of these beneficent animals and turned them into...dark types such as yourself."
Absol is truly mad now. He snarls and pounces at Kangaskhan, ready to draw the first blood since the battle began. He suddenly comes to a halt, losing his balance. Kangaskhan has her Bersa 83 aimed at the canine in her shaky hands. Absol quickly scampers away into the forest, yapping angrily. Kangaskhan's hands loosen and let the gun fall to the ground. She buries her face in her hand and weeps in sorrow. The rest of the group blinks and recollects themselves.
Everyone is momentarily cast under a shadow. The animals look up curiously and see a distant purple balloon making its way across the sky. "Now what is he doing?" "Probably something evil." "We should follow him."
The animals chase the balloon until they arrive at a beach, tinted by the orange and pink hues of the sunrise. The balloon, however, floats onward, unaware of the crowd that has gathered to watch it.
Charizard scratches his head and leaps into the air, taking flight.
"Wait!" cries Alakazam. Charizard stops, stationarily flapping his wings above the water, giving Alakazam a questioning glance. At this moment, a loud sound is heard in the distance, almost like a mix between an explosion and a pop. Charizard turns his head back and watches as the remains of #16: Drifblim's body float down to the water like shreds of purple paper. Alakazam gulps as his hand touches the collar around his neck. It was at that moment that the group of animals came to truly acknowledge the gravity of the situation they were in.
#01: Charizard
#02: Alakazam
#03: Gengar
#04: Kangaskhan
#05: -
#06: Pichu
#07: Umbreon
#08: Miltank
#09: Sceptile
#10: -
#11: -
#12: -
#13: -
#14: Absol
#15: -
#16: Drifblim (exited perimeters)
#17: -
#18: -
#19: -
#20: Braviary