Wayward Loser
Chapter XI
"A Different Kind of History"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Good lord, I've ignored this for too long. My most sincere apologies; I've just been distracted with so many other things that... yeah. Either way, I hope I've brought enough back to the table for my time gone!
There was no way I would be done with this little 'Control Center' any time soon. The desk I sat at was host to many different buttons of which I found- childishly- a bit of entertainment in pressing. Perhaps I was simply bored out of my mind for the past few days and needed something to relieve myself of mentral stress? It's of no relevance now. Another reason was that I wagered one of them might reveal the so-written 'Tunnel' that would lead to 'Project Nineball'.
Surveying the entire desk revealed said button, much to my fortune. I took no extra time in pressing it.
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I stroked my chin, thinking I had done something wrong up until the very floor itself fell from under me quickly! I slid down a smooth, curved surface (A bit bumpily due to my sudden fall at that) until I lost most of my momentum and could level myself out vertically. Standing up, I bumped my head on the roof of the tunnel, which... really only served to be MORE aggravating than being caught off-guard and falling down a tunnel.
The difficult part is that it's pitch-black down here. There's no light, and my eyes can't adjust to a level of light that is nonexistant... Of course, the solution is simple. Using a little bit of pyrokinesis I got a light source readily availible to me. The exit had shut itself behind me, leaving me only the option to proceed forward.
And proceed forward I shall.
The tube's length seemed to go on and on like an endless path. The most unnerving part was the complete darkness farther ahead, as well as behind. As silly as it sounds, I had a creeping feeling of paranoia... I felt like I was being followed. It's ridiculous though- What could possibly have come after me? All of the machines were inactive, the sentinel guarding the control room was permanently disabled by my own hand, and nothing has been down here for centuries, if not millenia. What was I so afraid of?
And that's when I heard the cheeky giggling echoing down the tunnel. A chill shot itself both up and down my spine as I stood up as erect as possible. I waited a full minute and the sound didn't repeat itself. I proceeded further, now realizing that there was something haunting this place. Most likely the vengeful ghost of some ancient Pokémon that was slain for one of those machines but managed to escape somehow...
I began to devise more and more complex and twisted mental images of my phantasmal pursuer. Then I heard the giggle again, coming from behind me- and it was closer than the first time ahead of me. I spun around, waving my pyrokinetic flame about as if it were some kind of spiritual ward, thoroughly starting to lose whatever composure I had. I started breathing heavily as fear started to strangle my mind.
I turned back to the way I was intially headed, and started to walk with a quicker stride. I was imagining my own gruesome demise at the hands of a vengeful spirit as I continued onward. I continued to feel shivers running down my spine- and I began to feel my whole body chilled by an unearthly cold.
Oh, Arceus, what am I doing?
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Suddenly, my pyrokinetic flame went out as I heard the giggle a third time- this time it was extremely close.
I immediately began to panic, turning around and backpedaling as I tried to ignite another pyrokinetic flame- and I did so, as it-
OH ARCEUS WHAT IS THAT?!
Whatever it was, I barely caught glimpses of it's toothed maw as the flame flickered.
I shrieked at the top of lungs before turning around with an odd stumble, and took off down the tunnel at a mad sprint. I could hear it behind me, cackling madly with a wicked effeminate voice. My breaths were rapid and filled to the brim with sheer terror as I charged blindly into the unknown. I feared I couldn't afford the luxury to concentrate on providing myself vision. My 'Fight or flight' natural reaction had come crashing down onto my mind at full force, urging me onwards until I was to be killed mercilessly and without reason by that... abomination! Aberration! Whatever it is!
I kept running. It was all I could do, though the creature's voice grew slightly more distant as time passed. It wasn't enough to make me stop, not in a thousand years. All that I could think of was 'Run. Run until your legs amputate themselves, then crawl'.
I heard it giggle maniacally, renewing my-
-and then my feet slipped out from under me as I ran over a chasm, and unceremoniously hit my head on what I could only assume was either concrete or stone.
I awoke at some point to see unfamiliar Rock-type Pokémon in an a cavern illuminated by red crystals that seemed to pulse with energy. I was lying, covered in some kind of warm gravel, on a smooth segment of stone. The rock-type Pokémon were short and stubby things with a strange yellow hexagonal "eye" (If I could call it that) that caved into a hexagonal hole. It had small stone nubs for feet and lacked any sort of arm or hand-based appendage, and had a waggly little stone nub atop its head.
"It awakens, it awakens!", cried one of the mysterious stone Pokémon.
"The one who fell from the Sundered Tunnel! He fell from the Sundered Tunnel!", another added.
Sundered tunnel...?
I'd have to get to questioning these seemingly benevolent paleolithic-
I snickered to myself a little. Paleolithic...
Jokes aside, another Pokémon descended from the ceiling (which I hadn't actually observed, I was lying on my side). It... seemed to be some kind of batlike creature, with a fuzzy light blue-haired body, large open nose, pointed ears at the peak of its head and a tail ending in a C-shaped curve. It also sported night-black wings and small, three-toed feet.
"Yes, he is awake? That's something... I had thought he'd be comatose for far longer," the bat-Pokémon had quipped.
I remained silent for the time being. I don't know if they're truly benevolent or not, though I'm leaning towards 'yes'. I can't be too careful though...
"Hmm... And what did you say it was wearing before you brought it here?"
A third 'Hexagonite' (which is what I'll call them until I learn their proper species names) chimed in;
"A bright green shirt, a dainty little dress, and some weird see-through things it had over its eyes."
... Wait. I can see things clearly without my glasses?
I blinked my eyes twice-
-Wait, they stripped me naked!?
The 'bat' faced me, as I stared into space.
"It still seems to be in shock. A fall that long, combined with the scrapes it had from the stones on the way down, would certainly do that to someone."
I coughed, before sitting up. I seemed to have caught the entirety of the present cavern by suprise as most of the 'Hexagonites' fell back away from me. The warm gravel fell away from my pale white skin as I stretched my arms... I'll have to say, knocking myself out cold seems to have done me a bit of good in the 'Get some sleep' department of my own physical management...
"Where am I...?", I yawned, genuinely intrigued.
The 'bat' cleared its throat before addressing my question.
"For one, surface dweller, you're far below the ground and now located in the cavern network that we call the 'Terra Terrace'," it explained.
Terra Terrace... It sounds more like a dungeon than a cave network, but that wasn't my next question.
"And who are you?", I asked.
"Doctor Turiyon. I must say you're quite the interest down here in the Terrace... The local Roggenrola and Boldore are very talkative about the 'White Stranger'. A pleasure to make your acquaintance...?", Turiyon trailed off.
"Gelaard," I responded "My name is Gelaard. A pleasure."
"It's amazing to see you awake, let alone alive from that fall. You must be endurant to have managed not to break your entire skeletal system as opposed to the few bones you DID break on your way down," Turiyon said.
"I... have to ask however, my eyesight isn't exactly optimal... yet I can see clearly just fine! What sort of medicine did you USE on me...?", I asked.
"To tell you the truth Gelaard, you DID wake up before. You were in total agony as we began bedding you with Magma Gravel. You seemed to weakly flail about, saying how you couldn't see. I'm an expert in eyesight, considering the lack of sunlight we have down here. I applied a powdered remedy mixed into some nearby deep spring water and applied it to your eyes. It took a few days for you to wake up as we went to work repairing your broken body," Turiyon explained.
I was awestruck. I had come from a completely alien world to them- as far as I knew- and they had the hospitality to bring me back to full physical health? I figure it'll be easy to get history from these 'Roggenrola'. I simply needed to find the eldest member of their society and sit down and have a chat with him... or her... or it? I'm not sure how to classify a moving STONE's gender.
"But... why?", I asked.
"The local Roggenrola believe you to be some kind of 'Prophesied' figure of legend, according to the Musharna named 'Augur'. I don't know anything else besides that, and their chief- Gaiacles- personally requested I look into your full recovery. If you'd like your belongings- or what remains of them, they're over by the nearby deep spring pool. I must thank you though, you've been my first patient in years, as most Woobat don't get hurt down here," Turiyon returned.
Legend? They believe I'm from some kind of MYTHOS?
... I felt a little tingly inside. I felt important to someone... They didn't even know who I really was and they thought I was important. Perhaps I'm letting it get to my head, but I haven't felt good about myself in this way for a long time. I lied back down, taking in a breath, as I touched my chest shard. It felt warmer than usual... A signal that I was feeling happy, or having other good feelings.
Eventually, I got up from my gravel bed- complete in my thin, lithe, and otherwise unmuscular glory and was directed to the aforementioned "deep" spring by Doctor Turiyon. I found my clothes to be ripped and torn, but cleaned. Most likely they were bloodied after my fall, and this 'Gaiacles' had them ordered to be washed. I suppose torn and washed is better than nothing as I fit my shirt back on over my body, and reattached the gown to the bottom of the shirt.
Beneath them both lied my glasses...
I picked them up, staring at the lenses and the reflection of myself they contained. They were still X-Ray Specs... I could probably use them at some other point in time.
I propped them back onto my horns so the lenses would be over my eyes. I set them to... not help for the vision impaired. Shortly after, the 'Roggenrola' (II assumed they were) swarmed me and start asking me a pile of questions that I couldn't make out due to the sheer NUMBER of them. I simply stepped over them and made for the exit of the present cavern, hoping to find someone able to direct me to their chief 'Gaiacles'. So I asked around, after finding another 'stage' in the Roggenrola evolution line, "Boldore". They were more mature than the urchins following me, and I received proper directions to Gaiacles' cavern.
It was at the 'Top' of the cavern section, so I had to do some walking- up an artificially built 'ramp' of sorts that spiraled around upwards leading to an opening in the ceiling. All the while, little Roggenrola continued to harass me about who I was, where I came from, what the surface was like, and if I "came from the light". I answered each one, save for the last one. I had no idea what it meant whatsoever, unless it implied I'm from the surface which is illuminated by the sun rather than these geothermic (I presume?) crystals. It honestly didn't feel like it took that long to ascend the ramp, despite the... "annoyances" that stalked after me.
Upon heading into the segment of the 'Terrace' (why they called this place a Terrace is beyond me) where Gaiacles was meant to take refuge, I took note of what could easily be presumed to be a member of these rock-type Pokemon's evolutionary strain. With four feet and many crystals akin to those illuminating these caverns on its skin, I only could presume this was Gaiacles.
Yet...
Next to him was an odd lump of pink-and-purple skin that seemed to resemble an anteater was slowly filling the overall chamber with a magenta-colored mist coming from a spot on its nose. I gazed up at the top of the chamber to see it had clouded up to a degree I wasn't aware of, since I couldn't see through it to the top of the cavern. I returned my attention to who I presumed to be Gaiacles.
I stepped forward.
"Er, hello? I presume you're Gaiacles?", I asked- breaking the ever-crushingly awkward silence.
The... "creature" grumbled and quaked as it seemed to come to life- perhaps he was asleep?
"Hmmmmmmm...? Are you...?", a somewhat gravelly, yet elderly voice grumbled aloud.
I coughed into my arm purposely, and bowed forward, bending my arm downward as a gesture of goodwill.
"My name is Gelaard, sir," I answered, presuming his question.
"Hmmmmmmm... You are the one who tumbled from the abyss above the forgotten rip? The stranger from above?", Gaiacles interrogated.
I got closer to him, figuring he... might not be able to hear me as well due to age.
"Yes, that would be me. There aren't exactly many Gardevoir that happen to dwell down in the depths of the earth, you know," I responded.
Gaiacles slowly nodded, affirming his understanding.
"You are a very unusual sight to behold, considering how long the global resetting was," he continued.
"Global resetting?"
"Hmmm... Yes. The global resetting was when the creator's divine light came crashing down like a tsunami onto the world above. My people were saved thanks to the prophetic dreams of this Musharna you see here with me, Augur. I was wise to heed his words, or else my people would have been destroyed by the creator. He deemed the breeds of old not up to snuff, and sufficiently snuffed our generation out. Why the creator did so, I do not know. Neither does Augur; his prophetic visions do not provide all of the answers to anything," Gaiacles explained.
I took a few minutes to absorb what I was told. It really was true... the ancients existed! I had made yet another discovery of a lifetime, not even a day or two after my first!
Yet...
It comes with such a bitter taste to it. These pokémon, they've been driven into hiding for what must have felt like an eternity... I can only fathom that this old hunk of stone refers to Arceus, the being who, according to myth, gave our kind shape, form and consciousness. Most pokémon know the myth, and some even devote themselves to worship of it. I don't believe in myths however, I believe in facts. Unless "god" prances down from the skies like a fanciful little ponyta and declares himself "Celestial King", I'll be doubting the myth as always.
Perhaps not as much any more; considering Team Syndicate's exploits, coupled with the recent Cult of the Void incident... but still. I must be skeptical as a researcher.
Despite... despite.
Having digested that information, I had to make a counterpoint:
"How did you manage to survive down here for so long? I thought the 'creator' was an omniscient being, capable of seeing anything it desired?"
Gaiacles rumbled for a moment.
"Hrmm.. I do not know, young one. Perhaps he is not interested in those who dwell within the caves- or, at the least, this far down. Our continued existence is... a testament to such an idea."
I stared into his eyes for what felt like a minute. Gardevoir are adept at sensing emotions...
This old piece of rock was filled to the brim with doubt.
I took a breath.
"... But that's what you'd like to think, isn't it? There's no way something as powerful as a god could simply ignore the underground. If it was going to be thorough, it would've looked here by now, wouldn't it?", I countered.
Gaiacles rumbled once again... in, from what I could feel, a dejected and defeated manner.
"You are wise, young one. I truly do not know why we are here, but I do not squander such a boon. We have survived for an immemorable amount of time, and all of it was spent in fear of the surface. But..."
He looked up to me, with a hopeful gleam in his eye.
"... You have come from the surface, and the creator's wrath has not descended upon us. There may be safety above yet," he said.
I looked up to the ceiling- or at least, what I could see through the mists, hand to my chin in thought.
There have been several different catastrophes within the last few years alone, let alone the entire century. Something must be wrong for there to be so much turmoil in such a timeframe... could it actually be true? A higher power is trying to erase all life in the world to start again? Or is it an experiment to test just how resilient we are against strife?
I shook my head, something's not right. I've got little to work with, but I'm certainly not going to fall onto that as a conclusion.
... Not yet.
I looked back down to Gaiacles.
"I'll... have to ask for a bit of time before I go back up to the surface. I don't honestly know if it's safe for your people or not. There've been several major events that threatened our way of life- or worse. I'm not sure if it'll ever be safe," I said.
Gaiacles seemed to take my words very well, if not despondently.
"Hrmm... It is all we can do to maintain your welcome. Though I insist you speak to Augur before you leave this chamber. He may be able to give you insight into what the future holds for you."
I nodded, and reached out to wake the pink lump levitating in it's sleep...
