"Please… I know this is crazy, but… would you consider staying… with me?"
"Huh?" My heart quickened. Why did he think he could ask such a thing of me? We had only just met today! I felt enraged at the very idea.
Before I could say anything, he continued. "Please… I've been so lonely. I've been here… a very long time. You see, I've found the key to immortality… but it's been killing me inside. All I need is someone to be with. You could live here with me… we could take long walks in the garden. It's paradise… Eden, even."
I felt hypnotized by the lonesome look in his eyes, the pleading in his voice. The thought of the garden paradise beckoned me. I longed to refuse his offer and run as far away as possible, but I was frozen in place, my mouth hung open.
He must have taken my silence as consent, because he took me by the wrist and pulled me towards himself, hard. I yelped, but he shushed me as he put a needle to my arm. "Don't be scared. It'll only hurt for a moment. I have to inject you with the virus in order for you to be immortal as well." His voice is very calm, sympathetic even. "I'm sorry about this," he says.
I grunted and tried to jerk away, but couldn't. I watched helplessly as the bright blue fluid drained into my arm, and a great pain washed over me. Then I felt suddenly sleepy and my vision went black. The last thing I saw was the worry on Vaporeon's face as she tried to nudge me back to wakefulness. But whatever was in that injection was too strong to fight.
:::
I am in the garden, stroking Vaporeon's head, which she had laid in my lap. She whines quietly, uneasily. I know how she feels. Even the most beautiful place is a prison when you can't be with your family and friends.
There are strange Pokemon running about the garden, eating fruit and playing. Bill has taught me their names over the past few weeks. There is a bug called a Papyou skittering about in the tall grass, and a dragon called a Dragonchi eating apples off a tree. It resembles a smaller Charizard. Bill says they are Charizard's ancient ancestor. In a crystal clear pool of water, a Kurusu (seal Pokemon) and a Buku (blowfish Pokemon) are splashing about and making happy sounds, while the cat-like Buhi watches them, floating nearby, eyes narrow.
I was happy here at times, watching the Pokemon play, but it felt artificial; everything was too perfect. Was this place even real, or was this some kind of illustion? Was Bill really trapped here, and why? If I was trapped here as well, I might as well try to find out what was going on here.