I jolted upright into a sitting position heaving breath as the room around me came into focus, I rubbed my eyes and the glare of the overhead lights ebbed. I grimaced looking down at the green hospital gown that I had on. From what I could see I'd been admitted to a hospital and laid in a bed. I'd brought up my right hand to rub my eye and saw that my hand had been wrapped up to my forearm, both were for that matter. A deafening silence hung in the air, save for the rhythmic beep of the bedside heart monitor. I took a breath before turning and hanging my legs off the side, someone had also taken the liberty of bandaging my feet up to my shin, cold shot up my body once my feet touched the floor. There were no markings or any type of identifiable features that distinguished where I might be, slowly I began to formulate a plan to do just that. I knew from experience that heart monitors were connected to alarms in case something were to happen to the patient, so hesitantly I disconnect myself from the monitor receiving a droning flatline tone. Now we wait.
Not even ten seconds had passed as a massive shadow-filled and phased through the door, "What do you think you're doing, Umbreon?"
"Whoa shit," I stumbled scrambling backwards grabbing a nearby unused IV stand and pointing it at the shadow as a deterrent.
"I didn't think you'd be awake yet, at ease Aries."
My arms dropped as the shadow began to take shape, the IV stand clattered to the floor as the shadows pooled together forming Darkrai. Confusion struck me as I watched Darkrai offer their hand to help me up, I accepted it hesitantly. They must have been able to sense my unease as once back on my feet I felt the ghostly legendary's gaze and attempted to meet it.
Suddenly, a strange, genderless voice resounded from Darkrai as she pointed me back to the hospital bed I'd been in, "Aries Halperin, correct? You may want to sit down for this."
Since I felt no reason to resist, I sat on the edge of the bed, I had questions but held them as I felt she may just answer them.
"You've got questions, I know. I'll try and do my best to answer them. Go ahead," I'd like to welcome you to the operation we call 'The Guardian Initiative'. What this means is that you've been selected based on your skillset, now you may wonder what your directive is- I'm sorry but are you alright? You haven't asked any questions."
I muttered a skeptical response, "Why exactly would legendaries like you need us normal pokemon?"
"I understand how this may sound to you and I'll explain it in a minute," Darkrai reached under the bed and handed me what looked to be a stack of folded clothing, "In the meantime get dressed, alright? It's a long story and I'd rather you be clothed."
The legendary dark-type was gone just as quick as she arrived. I unfolded the clothing, laid it out on the bed and proceeded to run a hand over the material that shared a visual likeness to carbon fibre. I couldn't push away the thoughts of how the outfit matched a look akin to that of a test subject as it ran thin metallic prong-like stems across like a ribcage on the upper torso, arms and thighs. Cautiously, I began suiting up. The lightly padded bodysuit covered me up to my neck and seemed to have extra fabric that I figured could double as a balaclava. It fit like a second skin, offering no resistance to my mobility as I stretched before making my way out the door where Darkrai was waiting. The moment I stepped out into the hallway it was clearly apparent this wasn't a hospital, the entire hall looked something out of a sci-fi film to me.
Darkrai must have detected my confusion and rested a hand on my shoulder, "We're very technologically advanced. As you might be able to tell, I know you may be having a culture shock but right now we've got to formally introduce you."
I'd never seen anything like this, the walls were a plain white but holographic board are laid over the walls. I was in a slight shock seeing small pokemon wearing holographic visors or carrying cleaning tools walked the halls and quietly moved aside as we passed, well it makes sense. This place must be massive, you'd need staff. Someone must keep the place running. The lighting in that wing was a sky blue colour and as we passed under the arch that read 'Medical Wing' on a holographic overlay, the two of us stood in an elephantine room that I could only draw a comparison to a hub as it seemed to connect every part of the facility. I couldn't capture its full glory as Darkrai turned towards a different entryway illuminated by an angelic soft white, 'Hall of Legends' shone brightly on the display above. I felt my heart pound as Darkrai led me down the corridor towards a large pair of gilded doors, once there she rested a hand on the door's handle. Voices muffled caught my attention and I glanced over my shoulder nervously.
"Aries," her voice snapped me out of my awestruck daze, "No matter what is said to or about you do not respond unless I tell you. Now, back straight and chin up."
With that, she pushed the door open and motioned for me to follow her as she entered. I hid my shock as best as I could, walking in behind the dark legendary and our entrance silenced the entire room. The large gold and white room's layout were like that of a judgment chamber, with alcove-like stands and platforms besides them that I assumed would be for the respective legendary. Darkrai walked me to the middle of the room, I almost opened my mouth as we both stepped into the centre circle. I resisted the urge to look around the room and stared straight ahead, and directly in front of me sat none other than Arceus. The godly Pokémon's gaze nearly stopped my breath in my throat, but it subsided as I made out a Persian who stood in front of Arceus' stand.
A deep feminine voice rumbled from Arceus, "Darkrai, would you mind stating why you wished to enact this meeting?"
"Certainly," Darkrai stepped ahead of me and gestured towards me with her hand, "I would like to present my selected guardian to the Order: Aries Halperin. He-"
At the confirmation of my gender, the room was filled with muttering. an instant uproar at the mere identification of who I was, the room became silent once more as Arceus tapped their foot twice.
"I understand Darkrai's choice is... Unconventional. But this is Darkrai's choice alone, now if anyone has anything to say in conflict with our comrade's selection-"
A younger voice rang out from behind me on my left, "This is blasphemy!"
The comment, to the clear dismay of Darkrai, caused another wave of conversation.
"Enough," Arceus' voice reverberated throughout the entire room and it took every fibre of my being to stand perfectly still, "I will not have anyone attack one another over guardian choice! Nothing says her guardian must be female and so long as Aries can perform all the duties of a Guardian nothing else is to be said about the matter! Latias I need a word with you. This meeting is adjourned. Diana, brief our new arrival."
The Persian that I'd seen when I walked in jumped down from the platform landing near silently and glanced at me with her ruby red eyes. She was dressed casually, blue jeans and a white tee, I tensed up as she took a step closer and it was clear to me that she stood at least a foot taller than me.
Diana stopped sizing me up and crossed her arms over her chest, "Alright then. Welcome Aries, the other guardians and I are underdressed as we weren't briefed on your presence here or mentioned at all for that matter. Now I bet you're a little out of it and want a bit of food I assume, well you're in luck but you've gotta work for it. Follow me, I know someone who'll enjoy meeting you."
As Diana and I left the room, I processed over what the Legendries had been talking about. Apparently, for some reason, this Order didn't particularly like having males among their ranks. It'd be a problem, but not a particularly hard one - just meant I'd have to work twice as hard to prove myself. I stopped myself from saying anything I might regret and began to assure myself, that was it. I just need to show my stripes and this guardian thing might be able to work out in my favor.
"So, Aries," purred Diana. She sounded friendly, but I could detect an undertone of assessment, of calculation behind her words. "Let's go get you registered, and then I'll show you around."
Curious, I thought. Let's see what these people have to offer.