End of a Reality

by Blue9Tiger and DarkMutatedBrock

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To: 009

Cc:

Subject:(no subject)

Something weird's going on. Yesterday, I was in Goldenrod, stealing from the mart. Inventory's changed, some. All the Super Potions were gone. I got "Hypers", "X-Potions", "Phoenix Downs", "Softs".....a lot of junk, but they sold high.
And that ain't the weirdest part. Tangled with these guys in blue suits. They say they're "Turks". I tell 'em they don't look Turkish. They tell me to "Watch your backs. Shin-Ra's going to take you down." I tell 'em to buzz off.

A week later I stopped over at Mahogany. The minute I come in town...... The HQ's gone. There's a big sign that says "Future site of Mako Reactor No. 9." At the bottom it says "Shin-Ra Inc."

Looks like we've got company....or the comapny's got us.

--E-mail from an unidentified Rocket to a codenamed Rocket. Archived by the Goldenrod Police Department.

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Chapter 5: Blood Black as Hell

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Giovanni released a loud outcry of pain as his flesh was punctured by the syringe. Something inexplainable then gripped his brain, and left as quickly as it had entered. And then, a thousand bubbling chemicals raced through the invaded vessel, and Giovanni grabbed his head in pure pain.

Then..... it stopped. A small drop of blood trickled from his arm, but he did not notice it, affected by the aftershock.

Persian did, seeing the small amount of blood seeping through the clothing. It seemed to be fascinated with it, but sadly naive, it did not comprehend its meaning.

Why is it bl--?

Persian was startled as its master yelled, grabbing his head again, and turning to face Ivy, clutching his arm with the other hand. "What exactly did THAT accomplish---"

The feline had rapidly forgotten about the blood and strolled towards the water-beaten window, staring curiously through it towards the furious storm, raging at its triumphant peak as a tree blew down to the ground, its branches snapping as the converging gusts of wind blew the broken bark away.

"Mreeeeeeeeowwwwww!!!" It's still raining.....

"Yes, I can SEE it is still raining---"

Giovanni blinked several times. Ivy's mouth was not moving. SOMEONE was talking, yet he and Ivy were the only humans in the room. But, the voice didn't seem to be coming from one distinct location, but was only inside his HEAD. "Who said that?!"

"Mreowwwww...Mreeowww!!!" Master, are you losing it?

It was only then that the crime boss realized that the fluid injected into his flesh enabled him to hear the thoughts of Pokémon. It was not at all what he expected, and was certainly not expecting the amount of PAIN that accompanied this...ability.

He was furious with Ivy, and something in that fluid let him show his anger, despite Ivy's unnerving presence.

"Was all of THAT really necessary in order for me to communicate with Gemini?!"

"Was it?" Ivy asked right back, a smile forming on her lips. Ah.... how she loved to see him like that...... even though he seemed to be in control like he always was, she could recognize the small subletities of panic..... a miniscule bit of fear, perhaps, but that was to be expected. "You did insist upon it."

At that moment, another voice was heard:

Don't touch me..... don't you DARE come near me again..... I'll kill you if you do.... I swear, I'll KILL YOU.....

"And just who will you kill, Gemini?" Still a bit shaken, the leader of Team Rocket continued to clutch his arm, in which the pain hadn't subsided. Outside, lightning struck as he turned to the dark creature in the corner.

The monster's eyes suddenly darted upwards rather feverishly, at the man in front of it.

But---how----did----he? It's the chemicals-----------the---------SYRINGES------Kill..... kill.... all of them.... KILL......

"That would be highly inadvisable. If you kill your superiors, the dominant beings that are higher than you, that would make you even more of a monster."

KILL, KILL-------------what?

The monster's eyes widened in horror, as it gave out a pained growl.

You--------ARE-------hearing me!!!! How the--?!?

"So, Giovanni," Ivy smiled. "Enjoying.... the voices in your head?" She chuckled slightly, as if the whole thing was a huge joke.

The mental voice, not margled by disfigured vocal chords, but as discernible as any human's, resounded inside the evil man's brain, and he looked towards "his" Pokémon, that had regained its regular thoughts, that were driven by despair rather than uncontrollable anger. "By a syringe." His eyes were fixated at Ivy with immense anger, yet at the same time, the eyes were filled with fear.

Syringe!??!? Brock stared in disbelief.

"Yes, Giovanni. A syringe." She held up the empty instrument, smiling wickedly as she inspected the tip, and then looked towards the torn part of Giovanni's orange jacket. The smile seemed to widen with time, until it was a grin of fiendish delight, of catching someone..... "black handed."

"Why, Demoni..... it seems as if you have an ink stain."

"Ink?" The man's narrow eyes slowly wandered down towards the punctured arm, and he slowly, casually brought his other hand on top of it.

"Mreowwwwww!!" It's---

"QUIET!!!" he snapped at the feline, this being extremely rare, as he pampered the furry creature as if it was made of precious metals. Persian was shocked, and it inched backwards, mouth agape and red eyes wide. Giovanni scowled, turning back towards Ivy and gritting his teeth slightly. "Yes, it is ink. What is so significant about it?"

"Oh, nothing," Ivy yawned, as she slowly twirled the empty syringe between her fingers. "It's just.... odd, isn't it? That so much of it managed to find its way onto---into the needle....."

Brock blinked, like a cat who was trying to bat at the thread of a conversation, but just couldn't get its paws on it...

And neither could he. He now was fully aware that he had been bleeding for everyone to see, and was enfuriated and nonplussed at the same time: it seemed as if Ivy was trying to drive home a point. Why did she keep on beating the bush around the edges?

"Yes, the ink can... move."

He was slipping into that uncontrolled state again, and in an instant, felt as if he was a pawn that was standing on the square in front of a queen. He knew that he shouldn't feel this way. After all, he was EMPLOYING her. It was not the other way around. What had he to fear? Yet, as he tried to cover up the "ink", it seemed as if the frightening answer came back to him: HER.

"Really?" She slunk towards him, bringing up the empty syringe towards the same spot as she had before. "Then you don't mind if I take a look? I know a good formula to get ink stains out of fabric... they really can be hell, you know?"

What am I missing, here.....? Giovanni could hear the disconcerting thoughts. What am I missing.....?

"Nothing, Gemini. Go back to---brooding." He didn't sound nearly as cold and antagonistic. His fear had resurfaced, and perspiration was dripping down his head. He again tried to avert his eyes away from hers, fearing the consequences. "No, it doesn't matter," he answered abruptly, almost... no, actually BACKING AWAY from the woman.

"Yes, it does." Ivy grabbed the large arm, pulling apart the ripped section of clothing, and then pinching the area where the needle had entered, all before Giovanni could even protest. She was rewarded with a single drop of black liquid, of a strange fluid that seemed to run down his skin, causing goosebumps to rise along the way.

"Yes..... I believe this DOES matter...."

Brock could only stare at the strange scene. Although he was too far away to see the miniscule drop of....... blood, he was able to tell that something was horribly awry.

"Aghhhhhhhh!!!!!!" the man yelled as the blood trickled down his fleshy arm, leaving a long, ebony trail that left him wide-eyed in absolute horror. "Ivy, what the HELL do you think you're DOING?!? Get your hands OFF me!!"

"I was only checking to see if you had that...... condition...." She said disarmingly, backing away with her hands up. "I'm sorry to say.... that you have a very serious form of it---a genetic disease."

"A genetic---disease??" His eyes widened further in disbelief. "D-don't be foolish----if I did have some type of disease, I would have felt its effects long ago!" he argued determinedly, though it was less convincing, as if he was in denial.

Persian watched, its ears raising, and it looked over towards the dark creature in the room, regarding it with curious gaze. Completely bewildered with the conversation, Brock looked back at the Persian, and suddenly smiled, though it looked more like he was baring his teeth. "Grrrooargh?" You're a cute little fella.... Had he been in his normal state of mind, he probably would have attempted escape, but after the "welcome" that the residents of Pewter City had given him..... he didn't feel as if there was a point.

"I'm afraid that this one is quite rare....... it slowly causes damage to the lungs, heart..... This "Black Blood"--" The way she so blatantly referred to it as was enough to make anyone wince. "--Cannot carry as much oxygen to organs as a regular cell would, and, in fact, actually carries a considerable amount of carbon dioxide...... It can cause permanent damage over a long period of time......"

Persian recoiled, but only slightly. It was too sheltered from the horrors of life: it did not know exactly how to handle itself when a Pokémon acted unfriendly towards it. So it contented itself to walk towards the larger creature, meowing in curiosity.

Its master stopped backing away, and stood, not quite believing what she had told him, yet not willing to take any chances if she had been right.

"Is there any remedy?"

"Remedy?" Ivy paused, putting a hand to her chin and looking thoughtful. "I suppose..... I could whip something up...."

It was hard to like the sound of that.

Yeah, that's right.... come over here...... When the Persian was close enough, Brock reached out a hand, and, (making sure his claws didn't get in the way), began to stroke the creature's head, the way Suzie, the breeder, had shown him long ago. "Rrrrgh?" You like that?

"Exactly---what is this---something?"

More pauses was equivalent to more fear, that was evidently rising.

"Mreowwwwwww..."

Persian usually didn't take to strangers petting it, but the manner was so gentle: the razor-sharp claws were a deception. A warm deception. How that could be possible it did not know. Unlike its owner, it rarely plotted anything, instead content to hiss at Meowth while under his protection. It rarely thought anything, especially since its time was spent by sleeping and being pet. There were few Pokémon that sharply contrasted from their trainers. Persian was an exception.

Brock was relieved that something at least wasn't frightened by him, and he continued to stroke the Persian, scratching him with his knuckles behind the ears and patting his sides, again, techniques he had learned from Suzie on the two occasions that he had met her. In response, the cat let its lids drop over its eyes, meowing in great content at the attention. It noticed vaguely that the creature did this with more finesse than its master.

"Oh, well..... it will have to be a secret, won't it? Like the secret you kept about your blood?" She smiled. "Amusing, yes? How a grown man like you could keep such a secret like that all these long years......?"

"Amusing to YOU," Giovanni retorted in irritability, finally letting go of his arm, the pain at last abating. "I would have kept it LONGER if you did not stick that...THING in my arm!!!"

"Hm.... Hah-hah...." Ivy giggled slightly. "And what help would that do you? If you had told a doctor earlier, you could have sought proper treatment.... And why are you so desperate to keep it to yourself, mm? Fear? Of something dark, something unknown.....?"

He did not want to reveal ANYTHING to her, yet it was obvious that he could not change the subject at this point in time. "I do not know WHY it is...there." There was a slight pause. "I am not AFRAID of it! It is only blood! Now that I think of it, it cannot possibly be the result of a disorder. It must be---" He stopped, realizing he may have revealed too much.

"Must be what? I am very interested in this blood of yours, Demoni.... very interested......" She walked forward towards him once more. "If you are not sure.... of course, I could always check...."

The answer was heard loudly and clearly.

"NO! Don't you EVEN... DARE---try to--TEST on me!!" He started to back away again, but was stopped as he found the wall to greet his efforts.

She stopped. "Very well." She then brought the syringe up to her eyes, looking into it. "I can always use..... this sample that I've collected..... Hm." She smiled innocently and walked to the door, opening it. "Remember---Eleven sharp!!!"

And with that, the demoness was gone.

Giovanni was standing there, sweating madly, his chest heaving. He was beginning to suspect something... that this Pokémon he was to recieve at the time stated was not really as it should be. More often than not, his indomitable ambition kept his eyes on the prize for as long as it was within reach. But hesitancy gripped him. Thus, he attempted to plot some way to possibly AVOID the meeting.

.....You're just as scared of her as I am. There was suddenly a growling snigger, and the sound of a Persian purring to accompany it. Brock was still looking down at the cat, and stroking it in an altogether loving manner. In fact, much attention seemed to be paid to the feline that it was actually resting its head on Brock's shoulder, (away from the spikes), and closing its eyes in pure contentment.

Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it was shock at simply seeing his POKéMON rising level with-no... ABOVE his status. But whatever it was, Giovanni's fear subsided as rapidly it had arisen. Showing affection to his PERSIAN..... that was a forbidden line.

And woe to those who would cross it.

The Rocket leader's visage erupted in a hue of pure rage, and he wrenched the teleporter device from his desk, that also served another purpose.

"I WILL TEACH YOU TO PAMPER MY POKéMON, GEMINI!!!!!!!!! NOTHING THUS FAR HAS MADE YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE INFERIOR!?!?!?! MAYBE THIS WILL!!!!"

He SLAMMED the button with such force that the device BROKE, but not before sending a beam of light that aimed for the creature's brain, warping the signals that were being sent to it, manipulating it, until it had become controlled.....directed.....by he who had pressed the button.

"Gemini" gave out a loud roar, and fell backwards onto the ground, jerking away from the feline painfully as he hit the wall. He gave out another strangled cry as he fell to his knees, and clamped his hands down upon his head..... more voices, more CONTROL, more horrible, abominable pain.........

Then.... Brock..... just....... left.

There was another, weak gurgle, and then silence.

The crime lord's rage began to bubble down, like the boiling water on a stove when the lid was opened and the pressure decreased. He stayed where he was, this time, eyes fixated on the creature. He had to test if this had worked before he unleashed its destructive power.

"Get up."

The order was forceful and commanding. All fear had dispersed for the time being.

Gemini paused, and then raised its body upwards, staring blankly at the wall in front of it. It was completely frozen, waiting to be ordered, commanded. Its face was completely dullened and placid, and all of its muscled were tensed, ready to do anything at the will of ITS master.

Brock.... for the moment, was dead. Perhaps the only place that he was present was in those eyes.... those blood-red eyes that seemed to burn with unending hatred.... perpetual anguish.... In fact, Giovanni's control only heightened the intensity of those eyes, as if Brock's thoughts, emotions, and saddening desires were all focused into them, having no other place to go.....

He had no regard, no pity for the creature's torment. His immortal ambition prevented any type of sympathy for the wailing soul inside the Pokémon...that he was about to send out...to DESTROY...to KILL...to wreak HAVOC and CHAOS Now that it was obedient, he would be able to accomplish this without any mishaps.

"Gemini, the target is the Museum of Science in Pewter City. Dispose of it."

Without a word, without even the slightest of a growl, the brainwashed Pokémon only nodded, suddenly running towards the only window in the office. It looked as if it might crash through it, but just before the claws met the glass, it swung open, directed by some sort of psychic power as the creature that had once been Brock took to the skies. The creature was propelled by some kind of force, the same thing that had opened the window, as it zoomed through the air at incredible speeds, soon disappearing into the thundering, lightning-cracked and stormy skies.

The ambitious man laughed quietly to himself as the lightning flashes illuminated his coarse face, and he made his way towards the window, closing it as a burst of thunder rocked the air with its tremulous crashing. This sound overtook the ensuing yelling as the man turned towards Persian, quite displeased with its acceptance of another caress, especially one coming from a Pokémon that was supposed to be a weapon. And at that very moment, the same weapon was about to be activated.

There was a sudden yell that broke Giovanni's concentration, and then another, and another. The shrieks of pain and horror seemed to be coming from far-off, but they were so loud, as if the silencing of a life caused it to at first be deafening. However, even as Giovanni tuned in his ears for it, there was never any earth-shaking roar. Strange, it was.... It seemed as if the Pokémon was carrying out orders, and nothing more, even as a loud crash shook the ground.

The fact that the monster was executing what it had been ordered to do so silently pleased the dark man. Silence when creating chaos implied efficiency. He was undoubtedly pleased. In fact, he was more satisfied with Gemini than ever before, now that it had been stripped of its mind, unable to differentiate right from wrong, but simply living to serve. What sharply contrasted was his feelings towards Persian at the moment, and he did not hesitate to chide it.

"What were you doing, ENJOYING the attention given by that Pokémon?!" he fairly exploded, causing Persian to cower, its curled tail quaking visibly. "I am your master, not IT! You should be higher than IT, but no..you had to accept a scratching from IT!! I thought you were smarter than that, Persian."

"Mreeeeeowwwww......" But...I...

"SILENCE!!"

Not even a breath was heard from the ivory-furred Pokémon. It was completely frozen, even when its master walked away from it.

"I SHOULD punish you somehow, but there is no time."

He pulled out a watch from his pants pocket, and looked at the ticking hands that moved smoothly across the dial. "It is 10:50. I will be going. Stay here."

The broad-shouldered man stalked rather furiously towards the doorknob, put his large hand on the brass fixture, and began to turn it. He had only moved it a quarter of the way when a horrible feeling of dread swept over him, jabbing into his gut with shocking force. He looked at his watch again. 10:51. There was still time to back out. So he came away from the door, Persian dodging quickly, and Giovanni settled in his chair, looking out the rain streaming down the window.

The phone rang.

And it rang. Again. And again. And again. The normal rapid succession of beeps that formed a ring had become an ominous deathtoll of doom, as the leader of Team Rocket stared down at the object of his dread.

It was nearly a minute before he picked it up.

"........."

"Demoni! It's Ten fifty-six!" Ivy's normal slow, silky tone seemed almost... urgent this time.

He finally answered. "Yes. I know that. Listen...... I want out of the deal."

One rushing, hurrying, desiring to avoid crossing paths, and the other wholly in favor of it.

"Out? Don't be so ridiculous! You already AGREED. You can't back out.

"....You HAVE to come."

"Alright... I will be right down."

The large man eased the phone onto its cradle, instead of his normal habit, which was to slam it down in a fit of rage.

"Stay here," he ordered Persian while leaving the comfort of his chair and approaching the doorknob again. His watch read 10:57. With a deep inward sigh, he left the office, not knowing when he would return...

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Ut-oh... things aren't looking so good! What will become of Pewter City at the hands of the brainwashed Brock? What IS the mystery behind this new Pokémon that Giovanni will be soon acquiring? And DUDE, where IS my car?!??!

Anyway, chapter 6 is already typed. We'll just leave you in suspense for now. :P

TO BE CONTINUED.....