A/N- So I did it. My Sequel for The Ninety-Ninth Games. This chapter is still a bit rushed, but it's more of an intro of what's to come. I will be posting both Chapter 1 and 2 today, but don't expect fast chapters like last time... I have summer classes and am also busy with other studies. It will not exactly be a Quarter Quell... but I guess more of a story of rebellion (like almost all Dystopian stories).
Will be less humorous, not as much romance (less Pokémon), but a lot more violence. You're welcome! :D
Hope you all are prepared for the level of confusion I will unleash on you. Sorry?
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Prologue
"The Games must end. You do realize this, do you not?"
"I've already fooled them all. Give me one more chance!"
There was a deep sigh. "You have served me well. You have carried the deceit of our trick all by yourself for so long. But can't you see? After the victor from the Ninety-Ninth Games won, she has managed to convince even our own citizens to hate the Games. If you try to continue, you will surely destroy yourself."
"No, I will not. They still do not know. They know nothing. Our true plan still lies untouched, unsuspected. Our pretty little victor may have been able to claim the hearts of the citizens, but even she does not know the truth."
A heavy silence lay over the two Pokémon like a blanket, filled with a deep anxiety and tension.
Then, "Are you sure you can continue to keep this lie up? How long will it take before you will satisfy your pride?" The voice was filled with regret.
"This isn't about pride," they retorted. "I owe everything to what we planned. Don't you understand? This paradise is our dream! If I fall, you will never see what you truly wish. Can you really stand that?"
There was a long pause again. "…No… I do not wish for such… But with the citizens bound by hate, how can you find a way?"
"They do not know me for who I truly am. Nobody knows. We can use this…"
"I cannot lose you. You are one of the only friends I have left. Do you know how much it pained me to kill Palkia?"
"You cannot play favorites," the other assured.
"Yes," the voice mused wistfully, "But why? I can't even remember why we began the Games. Tell me," they said, their voice filled with sorrow and confusion. "I feel like we've been trying for a thousand centuries. Nothing has changed…"
"Everything has changed," they replied fiercely. "It is for the sake of our paradise. Surely, you haven't forgotten."
"No… I only hope that you do not make a mistake like the others, one that may cost you dearly."
"I will not, Leader. I will succeed. Our utopia is already within our grasp. You'll see."
XXX
One sole Pokémon raised their eyes to the sky. "It has begun."
Chapter One
Grief
A year had passed. Manectric lay curled up on her side on the hill overlooking her old Trainer's home, feeling the comforting breeze brush lightly by her fur. This was the day she won the Games. The day she was pulled from her nightmare.
The day she was declared winner and realized the dreadful fact that everyone who had entered the Games were gone. Everyone but her.
Manectric had stopped shedding the bitter tears that threatened to overwhelm her whenever she thought of Arcanine's, and anyone else's name, but the guilt still stabbed in her heart. Arcanine, dead. Weavile, dead. Absol, dead. Gyarados—actually, he didn't count.
But was it her fault? She never stopped wondering about that.
She lowered her head to her paws and closed her eyes. No more Pokémon had been distributed to Trainers, and Manectric could only assume that the Authorities had given up on the Games. Maybe now, they would have a chance at becoming the blissfully happy Pokémon world they'd always talked of.
The Center citizens were in revolt. She'd twisted the Games into a vision of something more terrifying than anyone would have thought. Something that could not be tolerated any longer. But was that really the right thing to do?
Yes, she thought immediately. No one deserved what she suffered. If the Games continued, everyone would turn against them. The fragile line of peace the Authorities once had with their citizens had shattered thanks to her. And because of it, the Authorities probably hated her now.
"But I'm done with the Center," she muttered under her breath. She was promised freedom after winning, wasn't she? They couldn't get to her anymore.
"Manectric?" a voice called out.
Manectric perked and lifted her head to see her old Trainer standing at the foot of the hill. She stood, her muscles a bit sore from her nap, and trotted down the hill to meet her friend.
"Hey," her Trainer said, getting into a sitting position with her legs folded under her so she was eye level with Manectric. "How are you?" This was a silly question, of course. She couldn't understand Pokémon, and she definitely didn't have a Translator.
"Fine," Manectric said, sitting by her Trainer, who softly stroked her back. Manectric relaxed, closing her eyes again, and leaned into her Trainer, who kept stroking Manectric with long, soothing strokes, and began to hum softly.
Manectric didn't care that this made her feel like she was a pet. Humans couldn't have pets anymore, not since thirty-six years ago. But it was nice to just pretend that she had done nothing wrong. Still, after all these years, the guilt and sorrow remained.
"Sometimes, I wonder what our world was like a hundred years back," her Trainer said quietly, breaking her tune before picking it back up.
So do I, Manectric thought.
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, Manectric's Trainer still humming a soft, pretty melody, until her Trainer stood.
"I just wanted to spend a few minutes with you for a bit," she said, "I almost never see you anymore because… well, I'm not exactly welcome among the Pokémon community." There was slight bitterness in her tone, and Manectric frowned. She nodded though, opening her eyes, and watched her Trainer walk off, back to her small house near the outskirts of the Region.
She knew this was true. Her trainer was actually only one of only seven humans living in the Electric Region now, only three of which had taken on the profession of Trainer. And while she was vital—keyword, was—well… she was still a human. And most other Pokémon didn't like or respect her because she was different. They wouldn't hurt her in any way, but it was always clear she and the other humans weren't welcome here.
It was similar for herself, Manectric thought dully. Except the other way around. Manectric didn't like being around the Electric Region citizens that much. Most of them were blind to her words from a year ago, and were terrified of what could happen to them if they decided to believe her words. Several others, like a child, Shinx, had believed her right away. He disappeared that night, after he claimed her words were true. And it definitely didn't help that Raichu and Zebstrika, who'd evolved during the past year, were spreading bad rumors about her.
Manectric sighed, already missing the gentle company her Trainer offered. How did their world end up this way? With lies and unfaithfulness built higher and higher upon a deep never-ending pile of deception and dystopia?
The skies were darkening quickly today, so she figured a storm was coming. She stood and stretched out her muscles, getting ready to leave until there was a sudden loud crack, making Manectric's fur stand on end, and a massive Thunder fell upon the main Region area, where many Pokémon were. It shouldn't have affected them. They were all Electric types. But even from where Manectric stood, she could feel the electricity from the blast, sending faint spasms of pain through her body. She winced, confused and frightened.
What? Manectric thought, her mind filled with horror and shock as screams pierced the air. Instantly, the Electric Pokémon scattered, running with groups, or trying to find their close family and friends, or just abandoning them for fear of their lives.
What's happening? She took a step towards the Region area, her paws shaking. This scene… No…
A second blast came down, striking several Pokémon. They screamed, but the pain seemed to be too much for them, and many of them fell, their bodies going limp and motionless. Several were foolish enough to think they could be saved, and went to their friends, trying to wake them, to beg them to get up, but Manectric knew from experience that they were gone.
"How…?" Manectric said weakly. Her heart was pounding furiously, and her mind screamed at her to run, to get away as fast as she could.
But as she reached a decision, a third blast hit the earth close to where Manectric stood, forcing bits of earth off the ground and blowing it in a swirling storm of wind and earth around the Thunder. She was blown off her feet and cried out as the painful current jolted through her. She shuddered on the ground, breathing hard, her mind racing. What was going on? Why was this happening? This unnecessary death…?
A bitter, unwanted memory flashed in her mind and Manectric wanted to scream in fury and disdain.
It was like seeing the Games all over again.
"No… No! Why?" She scrabbled to her feet, her eyes wild. She screamed at the sky, not even caring if anyone heard her. "Wasn't one enough? Why drag innocent Pokémon and people into this trap? Haven't you had enough death?" Her eyes sparked with anger, and her coat lit with electricity, until something tackled her in her side, cutting her attack short.
Manectric's mind was in a whirl of panic, and her old instincts kicked in. She lashed out with her foreleg, claws out, but another leg batted it out of the way roughly. Manectric then used the momentum to flip her opponent under her, and tried to clamp her jaws around what she suspected was her attacker's neck, but was instead met with a mouthful of thick fur.
"Hey! Stop, will you?" a feminine voice hissed. Slowly, Manectric's panic vanished, and her vision cleared. Then she stared in shock.
"E-Eevee?" she asked, confused. But… she died… And this one doesn't look the same. Her fur is…
The Eevee got off her, breathing hard. A dark look crossed her eyes before she shook her head. "No. Only the more important or well-known are called by their true names," the Eevee explained quickly. "Or the first-born, sometimes, but the 'duplicates' are different. We have what used to be known as 'nicknames,' which were given to us by Trainers, although it's different now. I'll explain on the way. Now hurry!"
Manectric shakily got to her feet, deaf to the screams and destruction that still happened around her. "Hurry for what?"
"We need to go," was all the Eevee replied, already dashing off to the left.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Manectric demanded.
The Eevee turned to her abruptly. "You'll just have to. Or would you rather take your chances with whatever is attacking your region?"
Manectric paused, weighing the pros and cons quickly. "I'll come with you. But don't think I trust you," she said.
The Eevee shrugged. "Fine," she said, then rushed off, Manectric struggling to keep up with her despite the pain that still coursed through her body, though the electricity was already fading to a faint spark.
The Eevee darted to the same hill Manectric had rested on earlier, and bounded over it quickly. Manectric paused, seeing her Trainer's home, peaceful and untouched by the destruction. What would happen to her?
The Eevee ran back around. "Hurry, I've already opened the passage. We can escape through there," she said.
"What about my old Trainer?" Manectric demanded.
The Eevee only shook her head sadly. "She must stay. I'm sorry, but we cannot take her with us."
Fury boiled through Manectric. "How can you say that?"
The Eevee's brow furrowed and she began to dash back up the hill. She turned around at the top. "You need to come with me," she said fiercely. "Now."
"But—"
"Manectric, your life lies on this decision. Please."
Manectric hesitated, her eyes flashing with uncertainty. What should she do?
"Hurry!"
A bolt came down on the house, and Manectric winced as she heard the cry from her Trainer, wanting to go to her.
"Manectric!" the Eevee cried one last time, her voice laced with warning, but Manectric paid no heed to her.
She dashed down to the little house. The front door was charred and weak, and Manectric easily shoved through it. Where? she thought frantically. She clawed through the wreckage until she heard a cough.
"Man…ectric…" a weak voice coughed. Manectric immediately turned to the sound, relieved, but that relief turned to horror when she saw her Trainer, trapped under a fallen support beam, crimson pooling around her body.
"Arceus, no…" Manectric said, her voice trembling. She padded over to her, her heart pounding with fear. "Stay with me."
Her Trainer raised a bloody hand to Manectric's face, and placed it on Manectric's cheek, smiling, but the glow was fading from her eyes. "I knew you would come," was all she said.
"No, you can't die!" Her Trainer didn't understand, but she smiled again, and her hand fell from Manectric's face onto the ground. Slowly, her smile faded, and her breathing slowed until it faded completely.
There was an utter silence as Manectric stared at her Trainer's body in horror, then threw her head back and screamed.
No! This can't be happening! Why do they have to take everything? Everything! Do they hate me so much? she thought bitterly.
"Manectric, I'm sorry," the Eevee's voice carried to Manectric. "But we need to leave now."
Manectric whirled upon the younger Pokémon fiercely. Who was she to try and stop her from going to those she cared about? Who is she? "Just who are you?"
The Eevee straightened, a guarded look appearing in her eye. "Swear you will come with me."
"I have nothing left anyway! I don't care…" Manectric couldn't stop the tears that burned in her eyes. Nothing left. Nothing.
The Eevee had the decency to look apologetic, but she said, "Fine. You knew my sister, Leafeon, if only for a while."
"Quit playing word games," Manectric growled, but inside, she was confused. Leafeon? The same one who died in the Games?
The Eevee sighed, before saying, "I'm called Ellie. Now can we please go?"
Manectric hesitated. She didn't want to go with Ellie. Even if she claimed she was Leafeon's sister, that didn't prove anything.
But still… Manectric looked at her Trainer's body sadly.
It wouldn't even make a difference. "Fine," she said, her voice resigned. "Where do we go?"
Ellie turned and began to make her way out of the destroyed house. "Follow me. And this time, stay behind me the whole time."
Manectric bit her tongue, but nodded and followed.
Ellie led her back over the hill, for the third time, and Manectric could see that she had dug up some kind of screen barrier or something in the side of the hill.
"What… how come I've never seen this before?" Manectric asked suspiciously.
This is the first time I've come this way too," Ellie admitted. "And I couldn't leave this way when I tried to come out earlier, so I had to come out a different way to reach here and dig it out. Finding you was a bonus, because we've been trying to find you for some time. You do a good job of staying out of other's reach."
"Okay, one, why were you trying to find me? And two, where does this lead?" Manectric tried not to let her nervousness show, but the underground always bothered her.
"You managed to convince several that the Games must end, you know? And that we need a better world?" Ellie said, placing her paw firmly on the screen. There was a hiss and the screen dissolved. It was dark underneath, in a long, wide, tunnel that looked like it never ended.
"Follow me," Ellie said, crawling in, flicking her tail to tell Manectric come after her. "The Barrier will reseal itself when you pass."
"But where?" Manectric asked faintly, unsure. Her heart was pounding.
Ellie turned around to face Manectric. "This," she said, "is the world you created."
A/N- Expect Chapter 2 later today