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div class="bbWrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.875rem;"After clearing out my belongings into my newly upgraded backpack, I said my goodbyes to the sort-of-family I'd made at the gym in Saffron city. I told them I'd keep in touch, but I knew that if I spent enough time out there the jump was going to end and I might never decide to come back. It was kind of depressing, but I'd gotten good at emotionally distancing myself from even my closest colleagues even before Washu abducted me for the Jump-chain. I was even better at it now that I had years of practice with meditation and psionic trickery. It still hurt, but I was confident that I'd be able to move on given a little time and style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I'd already kind of done the same thing with my wife. I knew I wasn't going to see her for decades or even centuries, but I'd routinely taken advantage of both meditation techniques and Savant's perfect memory to preserve everything I did remember and lock it up so nobody would ever see it until I was ready to meet her again. Whenever I allowed myself to I still wept at the separation and ached for the distance from the one person I loved above all others, but I knew I couldn't keep her in my thoughts constantly or I'd start to lose that connection. Or go insane. Neither one was style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /With a sigh, I mentally prepared myself and teleported from my now barren bedroom to the outskirts of Saffron city. Those memories and the feelings associated with them would stay locked away for now, but I would revisit them periodically. Ember licked a tear from my face, and I started to rise into the air. There was only one legendary pokémon I thought I knew the location of, and that was Mew. Onward to the Tree of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /It took several days to reach the utterly ridiculous crystalline tree since I had to actually leave Kanto to get there and didn't want to get wind burns. It was huge, and reminded my vaguely of the Yggdrasil of Norse legend. It was teeming with life to my senses, and seemed to have an intelligence of its own that permeated everything in the area. By this point I'd established a routine with Ember for when we landed: she'd hop out of my backpack to the ground carrying my sleeping bag, and I'd meditate for a while before we sparred. After that I'd us heal and set up the rest of the camping gear before we style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /This time it was a little different. Ember could sense something odd about the area, even if she didn't get the level of detail I did. I was starting to think she might be psychic too, since I could usually read her emotions to the point of actual communication now. She'd also gained a tail in the time since I'd gotten her, leaving her with seven fluffy things to chase when she was bored. She might have been doing that for my amusement though, based on the feelings I picked up from her. Either way, she stayed in my backpack, her little head poking out and looking around while I inspected the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Ember, I'm going to try and get in contact with someone up there. I don't like the idea of coming in uninvited, especially given the number of sentient beings I can sense up there. Please keep quiet unless you really need my attention, ok?/em" I projected to her. She tilted her head at me, which I knew by now was just to make her look cute, and nodded. I turned back to the massive tree and stretched out with my mind, broadcasting feelings of peace and interest in my best approximation of a style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The response was immediate and overwhelming. The tree itself seemed to shudder slightly, and the previously dispersed consciousness I'd been feeling in the area turned to me with a razor sharpness that forced me to my knees. I tried to broadcast back a feeling of slight pain and bowing under great pressure followed by regret and more hope, but it didn't seem to make any difference. I felt like I was under a microscope pressed between two slides and being examined down to my very soul, and that might not have been far off. In the distance I saw pokémon gathering on one of the branches facing me, but couldn't make out much in the way of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The presence of the tree doubled down on the pressure, and I closed my eyes in pain. The only things I could do here were to flee or gamble. I opened my mind to the presence, and let it judge my thoughts and intentions. Since those intentions were to explore, learn, talk to Mew, and hopefully mess with other pokémon after I left I wasn't sure how this was going to go. I wasn't here for any altruistic reason, and it'd been a long time since I celebrated Arbor Day. That last thought caught me off-guard and I chuckled a little through gritted teeth. I was pretty sure whatever was doing this could turn my brain into putty, so I really hoped it understood me and wasn't style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The sudden lessening of pressure and odd giggle in my head almost made me fall over. The presence I'd felt was greatly reduced, and seemed to have broken into multiple parts. One of those parts, a very strong one, was headed my way. It felt both ancient and innocent, and seemed to be the source of the merriment buzzing through my skull. I opened my eyes as it drew closer, and my breath caught. Mew. I still didn't know if it was span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"a/span mew or span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"the/span Mew, but I was kneeling in front of one of the most powerfully psychic creatures in this world. I'd planned to try and communicate with it, but I suddenly had no idea what I wanted to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /It seemed to sense my awe and did a little bob in the air, then flew so close to my face we our noses were practically touching. Much like the massive presence before but with a much gentler touch, it seemed to be judging me. I abruptly realized I could actually feel it perusing my memories, and the speed at which it did so left me gaping. There was a faint flash of anger, then relief as it looked over my last few years here before it started into my first life and early childhood. There was some concern, but it was overshadowed by curiosity and amusement until it reached the only Pokémon movie I remembered, and the subject of it: Mewtwo. Cloned pokémon. World domination and potential style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Rage burned through my head, pouring outward and making me feel like my very blood was on fire. Mew's head contacted mine, and the memories became sharp and clear. After spending several seconds examining every bit of information on the creation of cloned pokémon, it focused on Ash and the circumstances of his interference. The rage cooled, replaced with resignation then determination. My eyes were fluttering uncontrollably, blood was starting to leak from my nose, and both my thoughts and my vision were growing style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I felt Mew's forehead leave mine, and a sensation of weightlessness settled over me much like when I used my own anti-gravity technique. I felt Ember pawing frantically at the back of my neck and nudging me with her nose, but couldn't gather the energy to move so I tried desperately to broadcast a sense of reassurance to my closest friend in this world. It must have worked, since she calmed down and wrapped herself around my neck and shoulders. What little vision I had remaining revealed a chamber composed entirely of luminescent green and cyan crystals, with several dark shapes following. A cool, androgynous voice echoed in my mind as I lost style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rest now, young man. You have made me aware of much I did not know, but you must recover before we can speak further. Meanwhile, I have my own tasks to accomplish./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Since when did Mew talk?br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I woke to soft clicking noises and Ember snoring beside me. I was leaned up against a hard surface, and a little cramped. Cracking an eyelid revealed the same chamber from before with its dim lighting and dark shapes moving around the edges. I felt like I'd run a marathon and then run head-first into a wall several times, but nothing seemed to be attacking me. The shapes eventually resolved themselves into pokémon of various sorts, some of which appeared to be related to a certain eldritch abomination who shall not be named. I shuddered for a moment and really hoped nobody in this world ever had to deal with anything truly Lovecraftian. Even if it was animated. And maybe a simulation. The locals really didn't seem to like last idea though, so I was going to keep quiet about it. Reaching up to my face revealed dried blood running from my nose down my chin and into my shirt. I really hoped Mew wasn't going to do that again. It was so much more powerful than me there was no way I could defend myself, and if I died...my agreement with Washu meant I'd have to start the Jump over, and I doubted Ember would remember me then. She was the only one I span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"hadn't/span distanced myself from emotionally, since I'd been depending on her coming with me throughout the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My thoughts turned to recovery, and with it my most abused ability other than telepathy: Rest. I did my best approximation of my normal meditative pose and dropped into a deep trance, waking up later feeling a lot better. I had no idea whether it had taken the normal thirty seconds or if it had been longer due to the extent of the damage, but Ember was still snoring beside me and the cave looked unchanged aside from some of the Pokémon being in different positions. With my vision now cleared I was able to make out a bunch of kabuto scuttling around and a pair of kabutops watching them from the only obvious entrance. The horrible tentacled beasts I'd seen earlier turned out to be omanytes and and omastars. All of those were believed to be extinct by scholars, but apparently said scholars were mistaken. It didn't surprise me. Very few of them believed in Mew, Zapdos, or any of the other legendary pokémon that had been in the PokeDex I arrived in this world with. There was a flash of light that left spots in my eyes, and Mew once again floated up to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Welcome back, young one. I believe we have much to discuss," came the androgynous voice from before my impromptu nap. "You have been asleep for most of a day, but we have provided for your companion. She thinks very well of you./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I blinked, trying to process that. Apparently Mew was much better at communicating with other pokémon than I was, which again did not surprise me. Now that I was here with Mew though, I had some questions and some requests. Hopefully I'd be able to bargain for what I style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Great Mew/em," I started and immediately received a slightly scolding but mostly amused telekinetic bonk on the head. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I would like to learn from you/em," I continued. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You have read my life and my goals, so I offer my assistance to you for my remaining time here in exchange for such knowledge. The only things I refuse to do are neglect Ember or harm an innocent./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The amusement came back, along with some regret. I wondered what it was for, but didn't want to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Young man... Wren. You have already done much in allowing me to read your thoughts and memories. More than you can possibly imagine, in truth. While reading your life I injured you, which was not my intent. I will teach you what I can, but much of it you will not master until long after you have left this world. In exchange I ask only that you continue to care for pokémon as sentient beings, that you always treat Ember with love and respect, and that you take no more pokémon with you when your Jump ends./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I nodded my head at that, regretting that I wouldn't be able to take more companions but understanding that those not already bonded with me didn't understand they would eventually be leaving their home world behind. Mew's request was reasonable, and might ultimately be for the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Would you agree with the caveat that any pokémon who understands the situation before bonding may come with me?/em" I sent back style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"No/em," Mew responded in mild rebuke. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I have spoken with many since you fell unconscious, and while your request is reasonable it is also unacceptable. If you do not agree to this last condition I will be forced to keep you here and take your pokéballs from you. You would still be allowed to observe us and learn, but I would not teach you./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then I don't believe I have any choice but to accept/em," I replied. I wasn't really bitter, but a some sort of regret must have made it into the telepathic message. Mew's features softened a bit, and he gazed at me for a moment as if considering something before he addressed me style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You seem unfamiliar with much of our world despite having lived here for so long, but there is one name I saw in your memories that I must address: Arceus./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I jumped a little at the name. While I'd never played any games or seen any media including Arceus I knew it was at least suspected to be the creator god of this universe. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the that. It said something of the absolute insanity of this world that it was capturable in the games. This also meant that Mew had pieced together much or span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"ALL/span of the things I'd ever heard about the Pokémon franchise, not just the things I remembered playing or style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes, you understand. I have spoken with Arceus and many of the other pokémon you refer to as legendaries during your rest, and we have come to the conclusion that certain events cannot be allowed to occur as they do in your memories. You have so little knowledge of us from before, but what it shows when added together is that we cannot trust the humans any longer./em" Well, that was ominous. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Your will become one of us if you agree to it. The other humans will find that our kind are disappearing all over the world. It will take time, but a new realm is being forged in which we can live separate from those who threaten to destabilize creation itself./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You're going to pull an esper?/em" I asked incredulously. The blank look I got back at that prompted me to push forward my memories of Final Fantasy Six (it was three in America!) and the atrocities committed against espers after the war of the magi. I made sure to include Kefka finding the entrance to the world of the espers and unlocking it to make victims of those inside. Mew reeled back as if style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"No. No, we will not leave behind a way for them to reach us or any of our kind. I will make sure of that. The humans with powers that could reach us will be dealt with./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Definitely ominous. I thought Mew was supposed to be all cute and innocent, but I'd badly misjudged the personality of a creature that had lived for millennia. Was I going to be responsible of the deaths of all those people? Wasn't there another way? I concentrated on sending my worry and concern to Mew, and it looked almost disappointed in style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We will not kill them unless forced to do so. The most gifted of us can take away those powers humans have learned or inherited from pokémon, and we are already doing so. What remains of this world when the separation is complete will be devoid of magic as you know it, and devoid of psychic power unless they later develop it on their own. By then the worlds will have drifted far enough apart that they cannot be rejoined./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"So that's it then. I wasn't exactly planning on destroying the world when I came here, I just wanted to learn!/em" I cried. This would cause most of the human infrastructure to collapse, since a great deal of the world's economy and transportation was based on pokémon. Sabrina and all those like her would lose something they'd relied on all their lives, and that was before any changes to the landscape itself were taken into account. Geological changes on the level implied could sink continents, unleash tidal waves, change the temperature and atmospheric content of the planet, create or destroy volcanoes, and much more! "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Please, tell me there's something I can do to stop this, or at least minimize the loss of life!?/em" I style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You've forgotten/em," Mew explained patiently to me, "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that I have read your life. You have forgotten that Arceus span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"created/span this world. Care will be taken. We will not crack the planet when we leave. We, you and I and all the pokémon in this world, will lend our power to Arceus and he will forcefully split the universe in two. In one, humans will live on and we will be gone. In the other, humans will be gone and we will live on. For us the human structures will crumble to dust and nature will take the remains, while for them the magic of places like the Tree of Beginning will fade and they will similarly crumble./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I sagged, relief warring with awe. It would work, if they truly had the power to do it. The deity that created this world might actually be able to split it into different planes of existence, or different timelines, or however it would work. The knowledge and power required were literally incalculable, but from what little I knew of magic and science it was theoretically possible. They would take me with them and teach me, and I would be gone in two years. Then the two...places...would be completely segregated. Pokémon on one side, and humans on the other. I idly wondered how that would work with non-pokémon life-forms, but decided that someone splitting the universe in two after having created it the first time could probably afford to duplicate a huge number of non-sentient beings and plant-life style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Understanding dawned. This was not a simulation. This was not a dream. I was in a Jump-chain, and the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"goddess/span Washu had sent me to an span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"actual/span world that was about to be torn apart. The whole animation thing was either a change in the biology of my eyes or brain or it was Washu messing with me. I'd never mentioned it to anyone else. Oh, and I'd just instigated the coming universe-wide schism by accidentally relaying information I only barely remembered to an entity that could and span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"would/span do something about it. In the entire year plus montage I'd spent in this place I'd never regretted more that Savant only applied to memories acquired after I started style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I heard laughter inside my head. It was feminine and hysterical, and I did not appreciate it. I was having an existential crisis, damnit! Mew cocked its head at me and pressed one paw to my forehead, then closed its eyes. The world melted from cell-shaded into gritty reality, then I collapsed as my memories began to do the same. Why was everyone out to mess with my head? If this Jump had a title it should have been "In which everything gives Wren a headache." I was suddenly glad that I'd be getting Gamer's Mind in only a couple of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /On the bright side, I didn't actually stay unconscious for any great length of time. Mew was still adorable when my vision swam back into focus, but was a little more alien in appearance now that I wasn't seeing everything through cell-shaded glasses as it were. It retracted its paw and crossed its little arms and stared at me, bobbing in mid-air just like it had style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You have a choice to make, Wren. Will you help us and receive instruction, or refuse and be trapped here as an observer until your time is up? Remember that your decision could also affect your ability to come back. The deity that sent you here may not allow you to return without Arceus's permission. If you aid us, we will also allow you to take one of our forms./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My mind was racing, but it was going in circles. I couldn't change what was coming, and despite Mew's warning I very much doubt Arceus could stop Washu sending me back here or to another pokémon timeline entirely. He could destroy my soul or something equally horrible style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /'em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Ok, stop and think. What CAN I affect? I'll be here either way, and how I spend that time is about the only thing that changes with my choice. Actual tutelage is a lot more helpful than trying to learn by observation, and being changed into a pokémon will make...me...less.../em'br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"WASHU!/em" I shouted in my mind. If ever there was a time for rules-lawyering, it was now. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Washu, I need clarification!/em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes, oh destroyer of worlds?/em" She laughed at me. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"How may this humble deity serve the instigator of the biggest dramatic twist of any of his alternates?/em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /That was either very good or very bad, and I didn't think I had time to ask her to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"If I take the shape-change, will it become an alternate form after the Jump ends?/em" I desperately projected at her. She needed no further prompting, and still seemed amused at the situation I'd landed myself style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Hmm...you know, I do believe it would. And THAT invokes the seventh rule we discussed, doesn't it? It would also make the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon jump I was going to spring on you negotiable, since you'd already have a supernatural form from the same branch of the multiverse. If you want to keep Jumping and eventually see your wife again, you have to say yes. Otherwise you violate the rule saying you must accept alternate forms as they come. That's actually a little depressing. I already knew which one you'd choose, but this cuts out some of the angsting./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /If I could have sweat-dropped like in anime, I would have. As it was I hung my head. There really wasn't any choice at all, was there? I looked up at the pokémon hovering in front of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'll help, but I want the form AND potential of a mew with a few tweaks. That includes Transform and the knowledge to use it./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Mew gazed at me levelly for a few moments, but seemed to be focused elsewhere. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You will become a male version of your partner, but both of you will gain the ability to use Transform/em," Mew projected grudgingly. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"That is as far as I am allowed to negotiate./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then I can't say anything but yes,/em" I projected style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You're going to be so. much. FUN!/em" Washu whispered. I know it was in my head, but it felt and sounded like she was whispering right into my ear. I shivered./div
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div class="message-userContent lbContainer js-lbContainer hasThreadmark" style="box-sizing: border-box;" data-lb-id="post-40112189" data-lb-caption-desc="Wrin · Oct 9, 2017 at 3:03 PM"
div class="bbWrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.875rem;"After clearing out my belongings into my newly upgraded backpack, I said my goodbyes to the sort-of-family I'd made at the gym in Saffron city. I told them I'd keep in touch, but I knew that if I spent enough time out there the jump was going to end and I might never decide to come back. It was kind of depressing, but I'd gotten good at emotionally distancing myself from even my closest colleagues even before Washu abducted me for the Jump-chain. I was even better at it now that I had years of practice with meditation and psionic trickery. It still hurt, but I was confident that I'd be able to move on given a little time and style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I'd already kind of done the same thing with my wife. I knew I wasn't going to see her for decades or even centuries, but I'd routinely taken advantage of both meditation techniques and Savant's perfect memory to preserve everything I did remember and lock it up so nobody would ever see it until I was ready to meet her again. Whenever I allowed myself to I still wept at the separation and ached for the distance from the one person I loved above all others, but I knew I couldn't keep her in my thoughts constantly or I'd start to lose that connection. Or go insane. Neither one was style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /With a sigh, I mentally prepared myself and teleported from my now barren bedroom to the outskirts of Saffron city. Those memories and the feelings associated with them would stay locked away for now, but I would revisit them periodically. Ember licked a tear from my face, and I started to rise into the air. There was only one legendary pokémon I thought I knew the location of, and that was Mew. Onward to the Tree of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /It took several days to reach the utterly ridiculous crystalline tree since I had to actually leave Kanto to get there and didn't want to get wind burns. It was huge, and reminded my vaguely of the Yggdrasil of Norse legend. It was teeming with life to my senses, and seemed to have an intelligence of its own that permeated everything in the area. By this point I'd established a routine with Ember for when we landed: she'd hop out of my backpack to the ground carrying my sleeping bag, and I'd meditate for a while before we sparred. After that I'd us heal and set up the rest of the camping gear before we style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /This time it was a little different. Ember could sense something odd about the area, even if she didn't get the level of detail I did. I was starting to think she might be psychic too, since I could usually read her emotions to the point of actual communication now. She'd also gained a tail in the time since I'd gotten her, leaving her with seven fluffy things to chase when she was bored. She might have been doing that for my amusement though, based on the feelings I picked up from her. Either way, she stayed in my backpack, her little head poking out and looking around while I inspected the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Ember, I'm going to try and get in contact with someone up there. I don't like the idea of coming in uninvited, especially given the number of sentient beings I can sense up there. Please keep quiet unless you really need my attention, ok?/em" I projected to her. She tilted her head at me, which I knew by now was just to make her look cute, and nodded. I turned back to the massive tree and stretched out with my mind, broadcasting feelings of peace and interest in my best approximation of a style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The response was immediate and overwhelming. The tree itself seemed to shudder slightly, and the previously dispersed consciousness I'd been feeling in the area turned to me with a razor sharpness that forced me to my knees. I tried to broadcast back a feeling of slight pain and bowing under great pressure followed by regret and more hope, but it didn't seem to make any difference. I felt like I was under a microscope pressed between two slides and being examined down to my very soul, and that might not have been far off. In the distance I saw pokémon gathering on one of the branches facing me, but couldn't make out much in the way of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The presence of the tree doubled down on the pressure, and I closed my eyes in pain. The only things I could do here were to flee or gamble. I opened my mind to the presence, and let it judge my thoughts and intentions. Since those intentions were to explore, learn, talk to Mew, and hopefully mess with other pokémon after I left I wasn't sure how this was going to go. I wasn't here for any altruistic reason, and it'd been a long time since I celebrated Arbor Day. That last thought caught me off-guard and I chuckled a little through gritted teeth. I was pretty sure whatever was doing this could turn my brain into putty, so I really hoped it understood me and wasn't style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The sudden lessening of pressure and odd giggle in my head almost made me fall over. The presence I'd felt was greatly reduced, and seemed to have broken into multiple parts. One of those parts, a very strong one, was headed my way. It felt both ancient and innocent, and seemed to be the source of the merriment buzzing through my skull. I opened my eyes as it drew closer, and my breath caught. Mew. I still didn't know if it was span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"a/span mew or span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"the/span Mew, but I was kneeling in front of one of the most powerfully psychic creatures in this world. I'd planned to try and communicate with it, but I suddenly had no idea what I wanted to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /It seemed to sense my awe and did a little bob in the air, then flew so close to my face we our noses were practically touching. Much like the massive presence before but with a much gentler touch, it seemed to be judging me. I abruptly realized I could actually feel it perusing my memories, and the speed at which it did so left me gaping. There was a faint flash of anger, then relief as it looked over my last few years here before it started into my first life and early childhood. There was some concern, but it was overshadowed by curiosity and amusement until it reached the only Pokémon movie I remembered, and the subject of it: Mewtwo. Cloned pokémon. World domination and potential style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Rage burned through my head, pouring outward and making me feel like my very blood was on fire. Mew's head contacted mine, and the memories became sharp and clear. After spending several seconds examining every bit of information on the creation of cloned pokémon, it focused on Ash and the circumstances of his interference. The rage cooled, replaced with resignation then determination. My eyes were fluttering uncontrollably, blood was starting to leak from my nose, and both my thoughts and my vision were growing style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I felt Mew's forehead leave mine, and a sensation of weightlessness settled over me much like when I used my own anti-gravity technique. I felt Ember pawing frantically at the back of my neck and nudging me with her nose, but couldn't gather the energy to move so I tried desperately to broadcast a sense of reassurance to my closest friend in this world. It must have worked, since she calmed down and wrapped herself around my neck and shoulders. What little vision I had remaining revealed a chamber composed entirely of luminescent green and cyan crystals, with several dark shapes following. A cool, androgynous voice echoed in my mind as I lost style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rest now, young man. You have made me aware of much I did not know, but you must recover before we can speak further. Meanwhile, I have my own tasks to accomplish./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Since when did Mew talk?br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I woke to soft clicking noises and Ember snoring beside me. I was leaned up against a hard surface, and a little cramped. Cracking an eyelid revealed the same chamber from before with its dim lighting and dark shapes moving around the edges. I felt like I'd run a marathon and then run head-first into a wall several times, but nothing seemed to be attacking me. The shapes eventually resolved themselves into pokémon of various sorts, some of which appeared to be related to a certain eldritch abomination who shall not be named. I shuddered for a moment and really hoped nobody in this world ever had to deal with anything truly Lovecraftian. Even if it was animated. And maybe a simulation. The locals really didn't seem to like last idea though, so I was going to keep quiet about it. Reaching up to my face revealed dried blood running from my nose down my chin and into my shirt. I really hoped Mew wasn't going to do that again. It was so much more powerful than me there was no way I could defend myself, and if I died...my agreement with Washu meant I'd have to start the Jump over, and I doubted Ember would remember me then. She was the only one I span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"hadn't/span distanced myself from emotionally, since I'd been depending on her coming with me throughout the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My thoughts turned to recovery, and with it my most abused ability other than telepathy: Rest. I did my best approximation of my normal meditative pose and dropped into a deep trance, waking up later feeling a lot better. I had no idea whether it had taken the normal thirty seconds or if it had been longer due to the extent of the damage, but Ember was still snoring beside me and the cave looked unchanged aside from some of the Pokémon being in different positions. With my vision now cleared I was able to make out a bunch of kabuto scuttling around and a pair of kabutops watching them from the only obvious entrance. The horrible tentacled beasts I'd seen earlier turned out to be omanytes and and omastars. All of those were believed to be extinct by scholars, but apparently said scholars were mistaken. It didn't surprise me. Very few of them believed in Mew, Zapdos, or any of the other legendary pokémon that had been in the PokeDex I arrived in this world with. There was a flash of light that left spots in my eyes, and Mew once again floated up to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Welcome back, young one. I believe we have much to discuss," came the androgynous voice from before my impromptu nap. "You have been asleep for most of a day, but we have provided for your companion. She thinks very well of you./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I blinked, trying to process that. Apparently Mew was much better at communicating with other pokémon than I was, which again did not surprise me. Now that I was here with Mew though, I had some questions and some requests. Hopefully I'd be able to bargain for what I style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Great Mew/em," I started and immediately received a slightly scolding but mostly amused telekinetic bonk on the head. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I would like to learn from you/em," I continued. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You have read my life and my goals, so I offer my assistance to you for my remaining time here in exchange for such knowledge. The only things I refuse to do are neglect Ember or harm an innocent./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /The amusement came back, along with some regret. I wondered what it was for, but didn't want to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Young man... Wren. You have already done much in allowing me to read your thoughts and memories. More than you can possibly imagine, in truth. While reading your life I injured you, which was not my intent. I will teach you what I can, but much of it you will not master until long after you have left this world. In exchange I ask only that you continue to care for pokémon as sentient beings, that you always treat Ember with love and respect, and that you take no more pokémon with you when your Jump ends./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I nodded my head at that, regretting that I wouldn't be able to take more companions but understanding that those not already bonded with me didn't understand they would eventually be leaving their home world behind. Mew's request was reasonable, and might ultimately be for the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Would you agree with the caveat that any pokémon who understands the situation before bonding may come with me?/em" I sent back style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"No/em," Mew responded in mild rebuke. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I have spoken with many since you fell unconscious, and while your request is reasonable it is also unacceptable. If you do not agree to this last condition I will be forced to keep you here and take your pokéballs from you. You would still be allowed to observe us and learn, but I would not teach you./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then I don't believe I have any choice but to accept/em," I replied. I wasn't really bitter, but a some sort of regret must have made it into the telepathic message. Mew's features softened a bit, and he gazed at me for a moment as if considering something before he addressed me style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You seem unfamiliar with much of our world despite having lived here for so long, but there is one name I saw in your memories that I must address: Arceus./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I jumped a little at the name. While I'd never played any games or seen any media including Arceus I knew it was at least suspected to be the creator god of this universe. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the that. It said something of the absolute insanity of this world that it was capturable in the games. This also meant that Mew had pieced together much or span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"ALL/span of the things I'd ever heard about the Pokémon franchise, not just the things I remembered playing or style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes, you understand. I have spoken with Arceus and many of the other pokémon you refer to as legendaries during your rest, and we have come to the conclusion that certain events cannot be allowed to occur as they do in your memories. You have so little knowledge of us from before, but what it shows when added together is that we cannot trust the humans any longer./em" Well, that was ominous. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Your will become one of us if you agree to it. The other humans will find that our kind are disappearing all over the world. It will take time, but a new realm is being forged in which we can live separate from those who threaten to destabilize creation itself./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You're going to pull an esper?/em" I asked incredulously. The blank look I got back at that prompted me to push forward my memories of Final Fantasy Six (it was three in America!) and the atrocities committed against espers after the war of the magi. I made sure to include Kefka finding the entrance to the world of the espers and unlocking it to make victims of those inside. Mew reeled back as if style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"No. No, we will not leave behind a way for them to reach us or any of our kind. I will make sure of that. The humans with powers that could reach us will be dealt with./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Definitely ominous. I thought Mew was supposed to be all cute and innocent, but I'd badly misjudged the personality of a creature that had lived for millennia. Was I going to be responsible of the deaths of all those people? Wasn't there another way? I concentrated on sending my worry and concern to Mew, and it looked almost disappointed in style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We will not kill them unless forced to do so. The most gifted of us can take away those powers humans have learned or inherited from pokémon, and we are already doing so. What remains of this world when the separation is complete will be devoid of magic as you know it, and devoid of psychic power unless they later develop it on their own. By then the worlds will have drifted far enough apart that they cannot be rejoined./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"So that's it then. I wasn't exactly planning on destroying the world when I came here, I just wanted to learn!/em" I cried. This would cause most of the human infrastructure to collapse, since a great deal of the world's economy and transportation was based on pokémon. Sabrina and all those like her would lose something they'd relied on all their lives, and that was before any changes to the landscape itself were taken into account. Geological changes on the level implied could sink continents, unleash tidal waves, change the temperature and atmospheric content of the planet, create or destroy volcanoes, and much more! "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Please, tell me there's something I can do to stop this, or at least minimize the loss of life!?/em" I style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You've forgotten/em," Mew explained patiently to me, "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that I have read your life. You have forgotten that Arceus span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"created/span this world. Care will be taken. We will not crack the planet when we leave. We, you and I and all the pokémon in this world, will lend our power to Arceus and he will forcefully split the universe in two. In one, humans will live on and we will be gone. In the other, humans will be gone and we will live on. For us the human structures will crumble to dust and nature will take the remains, while for them the magic of places like the Tree of Beginning will fade and they will similarly crumble./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I sagged, relief warring with awe. It would work, if they truly had the power to do it. The deity that created this world might actually be able to split it into different planes of existence, or different timelines, or however it would work. The knowledge and power required were literally incalculable, but from what little I knew of magic and science it was theoretically possible. They would take me with them and teach me, and I would be gone in two years. Then the two...places...would be completely segregated. Pokémon on one side, and humans on the other. I idly wondered how that would work with non-pokémon life-forms, but decided that someone splitting the universe in two after having created it the first time could probably afford to duplicate a huge number of non-sentient beings and plant-life style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Understanding dawned. This was not a simulation. This was not a dream. I was in a Jump-chain, and the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"goddess/span Washu had sent me to an span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"actual/span world that was about to be torn apart. The whole animation thing was either a change in the biology of my eyes or brain or it was Washu messing with me. I'd never mentioned it to anyone else. Oh, and I'd just instigated the coming universe-wide schism by accidentally relaying information I only barely remembered to an entity that could and span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"would/span do something about it. In the entire year plus montage I'd spent in this place I'd never regretted more that Savant only applied to memories acquired after I started style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I heard laughter inside my head. It was feminine and hysterical, and I did not appreciate it. I was having an existential crisis, damnit! Mew cocked its head at me and pressed one paw to my forehead, then closed its eyes. The world melted from cell-shaded into gritty reality, then I collapsed as my memories began to do the same. Why was everyone out to mess with my head? If this Jump had a title it should have been "In which everything gives Wren a headache." I was suddenly glad that I'd be getting Gamer's Mind in only a couple of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /On the bright side, I didn't actually stay unconscious for any great length of time. Mew was still adorable when my vision swam back into focus, but was a little more alien in appearance now that I wasn't seeing everything through cell-shaded glasses as it were. It retracted its paw and crossed its little arms and stared at me, bobbing in mid-air just like it had style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You have a choice to make, Wren. Will you help us and receive instruction, or refuse and be trapped here as an observer until your time is up? Remember that your decision could also affect your ability to come back. The deity that sent you here may not allow you to return without Arceus's permission. If you aid us, we will also allow you to take one of our forms./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /My mind was racing, but it was going in circles. I couldn't change what was coming, and despite Mew's warning I very much doubt Arceus could stop Washu sending me back here or to another pokémon timeline entirely. He could destroy my soul or something equally horrible style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /'em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Ok, stop and think. What CAN I affect? I'll be here either way, and how I spend that time is about the only thing that changes with my choice. Actual tutelage is a lot more helpful than trying to learn by observation, and being changed into a pokémon will make...me...less.../em'br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"WASHU!/em" I shouted in my mind. If ever there was a time for rules-lawyering, it was now. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Washu, I need clarification!/em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Yes, oh destroyer of worlds?/em" She laughed at me. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"How may this humble deity serve the instigator of the biggest dramatic twist of any of his alternates?/em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /That was either very good or very bad, and I didn't think I had time to ask her to style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"If I take the shape-change, will it become an alternate form after the Jump ends?/em" I desperately projected at her. She needed no further prompting, and still seemed amused at the situation I'd landed myself style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Hmm...you know, I do believe it would. And THAT invokes the seventh rule we discussed, doesn't it? It would also make the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon jump I was going to spring on you negotiable, since you'd already have a supernatural form from the same branch of the multiverse. If you want to keep Jumping and eventually see your wife again, you have to say yes. Otherwise you violate the rule saying you must accept alternate forms as they come. That's actually a little depressing. I already knew which one you'd choose, but this cuts out some of the angsting./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /If I could have sweat-dropped like in anime, I would have. As it was I hung my head. There really wasn't any choice at all, was there? I looked up at the pokémon hovering in front of style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'll help, but I want the form AND potential of a mew with a few tweaks. That includes Transform and the knowledge to use it./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /Mew gazed at me levelly for a few moments, but seemed to be focused elsewhere. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You will become a male version of your partner, but both of you will gain the ability to use Transform/em," Mew projected grudgingly. "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"That is as far as I am allowed to negotiate./em"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Then I can't say anything but yes,/em" I projected style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You're going to be so. much. FUN!/em" Washu whispered. I know it was in my head, but it felt and sounded like she was whispering right into my ear. I shivered./div
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