Somewhere within her paper-thin ears, within the depths of the nerves that registered sound, she could hear noises. Noises she could not decipher nor decode, yet she heard them. Whispering voices of an unknown language, of something she would soon learn to adapt to and understand.
But, until then, she would just listen unknowingly to the soft sounds, like whispers. They were comforting.
"Sir.. She's waking up..."
"Then get away! I want me to be the first thing she sets her eyes on."
She heard nervous shuffling, and then low, pulsating beeps. She did not know what those were, either, but then again.. she knew little of the world she was born into. With a small amount of hesitation, she forced the weak muscles in her eyelids to open. The world was blurry at first, a mixture of fuzzy images and sounds. Within seconds, they came into focus, startlingly accurate. Standing in front of her small body was a figure. Thin, and frail-looking. What it was, she did not know. But she looked upon it with interest, studying the attributes of this entity. Round, clear objects circulated about his eyes. She made a small mew, or a squeak, forcing her vocal chords to make some random noise of interest.
"My sweet, dear Tzaniara..."
Tenderly, softly, she felt arms curling around her small body. She felt the figure hold her close to its chest. She did not know what he was doing, but she liked it. She listened to the soft beat of something pulsating inside his chest. She began to purr, letting him know that she liked it.
"She is beautiful, isn't she?"
"Y.. yes.. sir. Stunning."
She felt a soft stroke run down her head. The rumble of her purr grew louder, until she felt a small, painful poke as something came out of her arm. She let out a squeak.
"I know, sweet one, it hurts. But now your blood can flow without the help of the stabilizer."
She blinked, glaring at the pointy, thin object that slid from her paw. Her eyes narrowed as she waved a vague paw at it. The figure drew it away with a deft motion of his hand.
"Now, now, Tzaniara. We mustn't fool with laboratory utensils. They are for us. Not for you."
She registered this, now assuming that the needle was not the route of the pain. It was inanimate. In any event, the pain was miniscule, and the other pricks she did not mind as much. She soon came to notice that out from these needles slithered thin wires. These wires lead to large, metallic behemoths, which she eyed cautiously. She felt the figure set her back upon the paper covered cushion on her four, wobbly feet. She toppled at first, but the figure's gentle hands set her back up again. Within four tries, she had the standing thing down.
"Excellent progress, my dear. But we will have to save the walking for later. You need to be monitored constantly. Sketches and notes must be drawn and taken."
He stroked her baby-soft fur once more before lifting her into his arms. A crew of other, identically dressed figures followed close behind her own. She snarled viciously at them. This was her human, and she would protect him. Despite her lion-cub size, they backed off and their eyes widened with fear. She seemed satisfied.
"Oh, now, don't do that." He chuckled slightly. "They aren't bad."
She looked at him questionably, but accepted his scolding. In any case, though, she swore to herself that no harm would come to this human. Carrying her into a small cubicle, he placed her upon a leathery pad, white like the rest of the bleak room. A dull whoosh flew across her fur as a glass cylinder closed around her. Alarmed, she bristled and hissed as more men, armed with sketchpads, entered the room.
Backing up until her rump hit the other end of the cylinder, she crumpled herself into a compact position and glared accusingly at the glass. The scientist approached her and she began to relax.
"Now then, just hold still. We need to get sketches of you in a neutral position. Calm down."
As if she understood, her tense body loosened. There were soft scratching noises as people worked furiously at their sketchpads, observing every part of her. Her soft, silver baby fur, her bloody brown eyes, her 3 inch black claws, her long, whip-like tail. Her large, brown coated paws, and her yellow cheeks and the golden interior of her Raichu ear. She looked remarkably cat-like, despite her Raichu origin. Her front legs were slighly elongated, and so she stood on all fours. Within four hours, the furious sketching halted, and approximately 50 sketches had been made of her from various angles. She wondered why, but kept still as some scientists approached. She bristled, but relaxed as a familiar face stepped through the crowd. She pressed a paw against the glass, wanting to feel his arms curl around her little body again. He did not smile, but she could see the happiness in his cold green eyes. He adjusted his round glasses and punched something into a remote. Another whoosh sounded and the cylindrical containment released its hold. He picked her up gently and looked into her liquid brown eyes, tinged with stains of red. He spoke to her directly, and though she had trouble understanding, she knew somehow what he meant.
"Tzaniara. We are going to take you to the arena outback. We are going to be testing your strength. I want you to fight hard. I want you to kill your victim."
She stared back silently, and the word "kill" rung in her ears. One of the other scientists cleared his throat and spoke shakily.
"Sir... the arena is ready..."
"Good. We will use the level 20 Ivysaur. We don't need him anymore."
"Affirmative, sir."
Nestled in the scientist's arms, he led her through various white halls, a confusing maze of bleak silence. A whoosh sounded again as the scientist and his followers approached a door, which slid open with a hiss of escaping air. She blinked to get used to the light that shone on her face as they entered the new area, which was a beautifully furnished arena. White markers were drawn onto the surface of the chalky brown floor, a white Pokéball symbol decorating the center. Around the perimeter of the 40 yard arena were shiny metallic bleachers, obviously unused. The scientists waited for a signal, and then they all were seated upon the first row. Only her scientist, who later came to be known as Doctor Sinclair, remained. He set her down on the dirt, and she wobbled slightly before standing sturdily. He held up a small device and spoke, and the word rung loudly throughout the arena. She was a bit startled.
"Level 2 Exp. 103TZ versus level 20 Ivysaur. Fight to Fatality. Begin."
There was another hiss. A door on the opposite end of the arena opened, revealing a mencaing looking creature. It was a turquoise hue and had several warts upon its body. A newly emerged blossom was planted upon its back. It opened its mouth and let out a grunt, its eyes narrowing.
Confused at this display, Tzaniara cautiously approached it as it came out of the doorway. She circled it, sniffing it, and wondering if it was a threat.
Apparently, it was, as a lightning fast vine snapped from within the flower and lashed viciously at her body. She had misjudged its intentions and howled as the vine cut through her skin with a splash of blood. She backed up, bristling and snarling, glaring at it. The animal looked satisfied.
Her heart began to beat faster, and almost involuntarily, she could feel a tingling energy build up within her. She struggled to control it, as it gradually built up intensity. Finally, she let out a ferocious shriek. With a crack of thunder that shook the arena, the sky swirled a devastating black as a deafening bolt of silver electricity flew through the air and struck the Ivysaur with incredible force. It went rocketing back, slamming into the wall, and coughing up blood.
But, until then, she would just listen unknowingly to the soft sounds, like whispers. They were comforting.
"Sir.. She's waking up..."
"Then get away! I want me to be the first thing she sets her eyes on."
She heard nervous shuffling, and then low, pulsating beeps. She did not know what those were, either, but then again.. she knew little of the world she was born into. With a small amount of hesitation, she forced the weak muscles in her eyelids to open. The world was blurry at first, a mixture of fuzzy images and sounds. Within seconds, they came into focus, startlingly accurate. Standing in front of her small body was a figure. Thin, and frail-looking. What it was, she did not know. But she looked upon it with interest, studying the attributes of this entity. Round, clear objects circulated about his eyes. She made a small mew, or a squeak, forcing her vocal chords to make some random noise of interest.
"My sweet, dear Tzaniara..."
Tenderly, softly, she felt arms curling around her small body. She felt the figure hold her close to its chest. She did not know what he was doing, but she liked it. She listened to the soft beat of something pulsating inside his chest. She began to purr, letting him know that she liked it.
"She is beautiful, isn't she?"
"Y.. yes.. sir. Stunning."
She felt a soft stroke run down her head. The rumble of her purr grew louder, until she felt a small, painful poke as something came out of her arm. She let out a squeak.
"I know, sweet one, it hurts. But now your blood can flow without the help of the stabilizer."
She blinked, glaring at the pointy, thin object that slid from her paw. Her eyes narrowed as she waved a vague paw at it. The figure drew it away with a deft motion of his hand.
"Now, now, Tzaniara. We mustn't fool with laboratory utensils. They are for us. Not for you."
She registered this, now assuming that the needle was not the route of the pain. It was inanimate. In any event, the pain was miniscule, and the other pricks she did not mind as much. She soon came to notice that out from these needles slithered thin wires. These wires lead to large, metallic behemoths, which she eyed cautiously. She felt the figure set her back upon the paper covered cushion on her four, wobbly feet. She toppled at first, but the figure's gentle hands set her back up again. Within four tries, she had the standing thing down.
"Excellent progress, my dear. But we will have to save the walking for later. You need to be monitored constantly. Sketches and notes must be drawn and taken."
He stroked her baby-soft fur once more before lifting her into his arms. A crew of other, identically dressed figures followed close behind her own. She snarled viciously at them. This was her human, and she would protect him. Despite her lion-cub size, they backed off and their eyes widened with fear. She seemed satisfied.
"Oh, now, don't do that." He chuckled slightly. "They aren't bad."
She looked at him questionably, but accepted his scolding. In any case, though, she swore to herself that no harm would come to this human. Carrying her into a small cubicle, he placed her upon a leathery pad, white like the rest of the bleak room. A dull whoosh flew across her fur as a glass cylinder closed around her. Alarmed, she bristled and hissed as more men, armed with sketchpads, entered the room.
Backing up until her rump hit the other end of the cylinder, she crumpled herself into a compact position and glared accusingly at the glass. The scientist approached her and she began to relax.
"Now then, just hold still. We need to get sketches of you in a neutral position. Calm down."
As if she understood, her tense body loosened. There were soft scratching noises as people worked furiously at their sketchpads, observing every part of her. Her soft, silver baby fur, her bloody brown eyes, her 3 inch black claws, her long, whip-like tail. Her large, brown coated paws, and her yellow cheeks and the golden interior of her Raichu ear. She looked remarkably cat-like, despite her Raichu origin. Her front legs were slighly elongated, and so she stood on all fours. Within four hours, the furious sketching halted, and approximately 50 sketches had been made of her from various angles. She wondered why, but kept still as some scientists approached. She bristled, but relaxed as a familiar face stepped through the crowd. She pressed a paw against the glass, wanting to feel his arms curl around her little body again. He did not smile, but she could see the happiness in his cold green eyes. He adjusted his round glasses and punched something into a remote. Another whoosh sounded and the cylindrical containment released its hold. He picked her up gently and looked into her liquid brown eyes, tinged with stains of red. He spoke to her directly, and though she had trouble understanding, she knew somehow what he meant.
"Tzaniara. We are going to take you to the arena outback. We are going to be testing your strength. I want you to fight hard. I want you to kill your victim."
She stared back silently, and the word "kill" rung in her ears. One of the other scientists cleared his throat and spoke shakily.
"Sir... the arena is ready..."
"Good. We will use the level 20 Ivysaur. We don't need him anymore."
"Affirmative, sir."
Nestled in the scientist's arms, he led her through various white halls, a confusing maze of bleak silence. A whoosh sounded again as the scientist and his followers approached a door, which slid open with a hiss of escaping air. She blinked to get used to the light that shone on her face as they entered the new area, which was a beautifully furnished arena. White markers were drawn onto the surface of the chalky brown floor, a white Pokéball symbol decorating the center. Around the perimeter of the 40 yard arena were shiny metallic bleachers, obviously unused. The scientists waited for a signal, and then they all were seated upon the first row. Only her scientist, who later came to be known as Doctor Sinclair, remained. He set her down on the dirt, and she wobbled slightly before standing sturdily. He held up a small device and spoke, and the word rung loudly throughout the arena. She was a bit startled.
"Level 2 Exp. 103TZ versus level 20 Ivysaur. Fight to Fatality. Begin."
There was another hiss. A door on the opposite end of the arena opened, revealing a mencaing looking creature. It was a turquoise hue and had several warts upon its body. A newly emerged blossom was planted upon its back. It opened its mouth and let out a grunt, its eyes narrowing.
Confused at this display, Tzaniara cautiously approached it as it came out of the doorway. She circled it, sniffing it, and wondering if it was a threat.
Apparently, it was, as a lightning fast vine snapped from within the flower and lashed viciously at her body. She had misjudged its intentions and howled as the vine cut through her skin with a splash of blood. She backed up, bristling and snarling, glaring at it. The animal looked satisfied.
Her heart began to beat faster, and almost involuntarily, she could feel a tingling energy build up within her. She struggled to control it, as it gradually built up intensity. Finally, she let out a ferocious shriek. With a crack of thunder that shook the arena, the sky swirled a devastating black as a deafening bolt of silver electricity flew through the air and struck the Ivysaur with incredible force. It went rocketing back, slamming into the wall, and coughing up blood.