Game 2: Faith and Trust Among Death

When I woke up that morning, I had decided to ditch the idea of not playing the game. The dreams were far worse than playing the game. As far as I knew, I couldn't escape this. I'd either have to play the game or live it in my dreams.

I chose to play the game. Screw sleeping! I could probably last a while without any sleep. At least that way, I wouldn't have to deal with Wildfire face-to-face. He'd just be a sprite in a game.

I turned on my Gameboy and found my character in Viridian Forest, just like in my dream. I couldn't see any red patches of grass nearby, so Gale's claim that the Pidgeotto wasn't dead had to be true. Unless Wildfire ate it or something after the dream ended…

I dismissed the idea. If Wildfire couldn't eat a kid, how could he eat a Pidgeotto?

…On second thought, I didn't want to even think of the possibilities…

I wasn't far from the Viridian Forest exit. There was another trainer, a Bug Catcher if memory served, between me and the exit. After the dream last night, I really didn't want to battle him. I had no choice, though. If I wanted to move on, I'd have to fight him.

"Please don't kill his Pokemon, please," I found myself whispering as I walked into the trainer's line of sight.

Just like with the trainer in my dream, this trainer's text was changed from his usual dialogue. "I'm almost out. It's just a little further. I won't let you stop me!"

It was the Bug Catcher with the Level 9 Weedle. As usual, Wildfire was sent out first since he seemed to have permanently taken the first slot in my party. Stubborn, I clicked PKMN with the intention to switch him out.

Weirdly enough, the Charmander didn't try to stop me. Usually a dark text box would show up, stopping me from switching him out. There wasn't one this time. I was both relieved and afraid. What was he doing now?

It was only after I switched Wildfire for Talon that a dark text box popped up. What it said was definitely not what I was expecting.

"These guys are weak. You keep saying that you need teammates if I'm going to make it to the top. Make them stronger! Just remember what I told you."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. I knew exactly what he meant by that. If I failed, he'd kill my character (Dante). Still unsure if that would mean I'd die in reality too (the disappearance of Jerry still had me shook up), I chose to take his words to heart and tread cautiously.

Once I was returned to the battle screen, I had Talon use Peck to take out the Weedle. It was defeated with one attack due to a critical hit. Once its sprite vanished from the screen, I focused on the end battle text.

"Please don't be dead, please don't be dead, please…" I prayed desperately.

Enemy WEEDLE fainted!

I nearly jumped for joy. "Yes! Yes! Take that, Wildfire! I didn't kill i—"

The screen suddenly turned bright red. A loud chirp, followed by a warped cry, erupted from the Gameboy's speakers. It sounded very much like…a Pidgey…and…a Weedle…

A text box popped up at the bottom of the red screen. Now that I looked carefully at it, it looked as if someone had thrown blood on the screen. As I read the text, my jaw dropped and my heart momentarily stopped.

Gale used GUST!

Enemy WEEDLE died!

My terror suddenly gave way to anger. I gripped the Gameboy so hard that I was certain it should've broke under the pressure. "You bastard! Why? WHY?"

The red screen darkened slightly, giving the bloody screen an even more frightening appearance. I could see the blood slowly sliding down the screen! A dark text box suddenly popped up, taking the place of the first text box.

"It's the best way to get stronger. If they're dead, they can't challenge me anymore. If they die, they lose forever and can't challenge me for my spot at the top. It's the best way to make it to the top—just kill all of the competition."

Tears began to roll down my face. "That's not fair," I squeaked, suddenly grateful to be able to speak. "You can't just kill everyone, Wildfire. That's not right."

Another dark text box showed up. Wildfire was responding to my words. "I don't care about right or wrong, Dante. I'm going to make it to the top. To do that, I must win. The best way to win is to destroy the competition. That's what Gale and I are doing."

"But it's wrong! You can't do that!" I cried, the tears flowing freely now. "Pokemon aren't supposed to kill!"

It took a while for Wildfire to respond. When he finally did, it chilled me to the bone.

"Who said we weren't supposed to?"

I couldn't respond. A million responses ran through my head, but every last one of them got caught in my throat. I hated to admit it, but the crazy Charmander was right. We simply assumed that Pokemon didn't kill each other. They were friendly creatures that traveled with you and battled for fun…or so we imagined. Obviously, this game had changed those imaginary rules.

The red screen faded, returning me to the Viridian Forest. The Bug Catcher stood off to my right, a bloody patch of grass in front of him. I hesitantly approached him, causing him to speak.

"Why? We were so close… Why did things have to go so wrong? If I had made it to Pewter City, Brock could've done something about this."

Brock? What could he have done? And about what? Me?

The Bug Catcher didn't say anything else. I walked past him, leaving Viridian Forest and all of its death, bloodshed, and sorrow behind me. I had to keep going, especially if I wanted to keep living.

I dodged around the patch of grass just outside of the building I had used to exit Viridian Forest, not in the mood for training. I simply headed straight into Pewter City. After healing at the Pokemon Center and buying a few items at the PokeMart, I decided not to drag it out and headed for the Pokemon Gym.

Just as I was about to enter the Gym, a dark text box popped up. What a great time for Wildfire to speak up (that was sarcasm, for those who didn't know)! Now what did he want?

"We're actually going in there, Dante? I'm scared…"

"What the hell?" I muttered.

That definitely wasn't Wildfire. As far as I knew, the Charmander wasn't afraid of anything, especially not of a bunch of Rock-types. Even with a type disadvantage, he'd probably be able to beat this Gym all by himself if he really wanted to. Even more so due to his "making it to the top" chatter…

It couldn't be Gale. The tone that the words seemed to lean toward didn't sound like the Pidgey's. Like with Wildfire, I was certain that he had no fears. Or none that he had showed to me, at least.

Talon didn't seem like the type to admit his fears when in the presence of Wildfire or Gale. From what his last words to Emperor and Empress implied, he was trying to stay strong for everyone on my team (minus Gale and Wildfire, of course).

I hadn't spoken to Zapper yet. Heck, I had yet to even use the Pikachu in a battle! Why would he suddenly talk to me now? Plus, I doubted that he already knew my name. Unless someone told him…

Then I saw the spheres on the edges of the text box. Now that I was looking closely at them, I noticed that they seemed to be…bubbles. That meant it was…

"Rocket," I said, smiling.

Even now, despite me unintentionally crushing his hopes last night, the Squirtle was relying on me to get him and the others through this. I felt ready to cry again. Even after all that had happened, Rocket still had so much trust for me left.

I leaned in close to my Gameboy and spoke, since I could not in my dreams. "Everything's going to be okay. Just you wait and see, Rocket. You are the one with the advantage here. Not Wildfire. Not Gale. You. This is your time to shine, buddy."

Rocket replied a few minutes later. "You really think so? I can actually help this time?"

"You've always helped, buddy. If it wasn't for you, who knows what might have happened to me by now. I might've become as crazy as Wildfire."

Rocket's response was a little faster this time. "But…what about Emperor? And Empress? I couldn't help them. They got hurt because I couldn't save them."

"That's not your fault. That's my fault." I admitted sadly. "Everything's my fault. All of this is happening because I was dumb enough to keep playing despite all the warning signs I got." Like Oak's warning…or Rook's death… I could've stopped then. I wouldn't have gotten this far if I had just stopped…

"Playing? What do you mean by that, Dante?"

I face-palmed myself. That's right! Pokemon was just a game but, to Rocket, it was reality since he was a Squirtle. How would Rocket possibly know that the world he lived in was just a video game in my world?

That's simple. He wouldn't.

"Never mind that, Rocket," I said, deciding not to tell him that. "Let's just go in here and win this Gym Badge, okay?"

Rocket's answer arrived almost instantly. "Yeah! Let's do this, Dante! I'll show Wildfire that I'm not weak!"

"That's the spirit," I whispered, feeling proud. "We'll show him together, Rocket. This is our journey, not his."

A small box popped up in the middle of the screen, showing a Squirtle face. It was smiling happily. I was instantly reminded of when you talk to Pikachu in Yellow version. I couldn't help but smile. At last not all of the glitches in this game were bad

Heading into the Gym, I ignored the helper dude that stood off to the side and headed straight toward the only Gym trainer. Once I crossed his line of sight, he quickly moved forward and spoke. Despite already predicting that his lines were changed, I was surprised at what he said.

"Are you him? The one that everyone in Viridian Forest said had lost control of his Pokemon? This is where your journey ends! I won't let you get past me!"

I guess I should've known this was coming. Losing control was a really bad thing, I guess. Since Gale was killing Pokemon, though, I wasn't too surprised. Not to mention that poor Bug Catcher (Sting and Wiggles' trainer)…

The Jr. Trainer sent out a Diglett first. Weirdly enough, Rocket was actually sent out first this time. I guess Wildfire was giving up his spot at the head of my party…for now. He'd likely take it back soon enough.

Two Bubbles knocked the Diglett into the red zone. I hesitated almost instantly. If I knocked it out, I risked Gale coming in and finishing it off. Did I really want to take that risk?

If I don't knock it out, I can't win. But if I knock it out, Gale might kill it. Or worse, Wildfire might finish the job.

In the end, whether I liked it or not, I had to knock the Diglett out. I clicked FIGHT, only to be stopped by a dark text box just before I could select Bubble. The bubbles along the box's edge told me it was Rocket, not Wildfire, that was talking to me.

"I don't want to do this, Dante. What if I kill it?"

"We don't have a choice, Rocket." I regretfully informed him. "If we don't knock it out, we can't win. Maybe Wildfire and Gale won't do anything. We were in a nearly-empty forest before. Now we're in a busy building in a city."

"I don't like this." Rocket replied.

A small box showing a Squirtle head popped up in the middle of the screen. It looked sad, a small frown on its face and the beginnings of tears in its eyes. I could see that Rocket was terrified, clear as day. I felt horrible.

"We'll…" I swallowed back my own fear. "We'll just…have to risk it, buddy."

The Squirtle face vanished. "…Okay…"

The dark text box disappeared, allowing me to select BUBBLE in order to defeat the Diglett. I held my breath as its sprite vanished. Just as I thought everything would be okay, I heard the cries. My heart dropped when the screen turned red.

Wildfire used SCRATCH!

Enemy DIGLETT died!

"Damn it!" I shouted, wanting to throw the Gameboy at the wall in frustration.

Once the screen returned to normal, the Jr. Trainer's sprite reappeared. "It is you," he said. "I knew it. I'm definitely not letting you get through to Brock! Prepare to lose!"

The trainer's sprite vanished as he sent out his Sandshrew. I used to same tactic as before, only Rocket got a critical hit with his first Bubble. The Sandshrew had only a sliver of red left on its health bar. Then a dark text box popped up, as I had guessed it would.

"I don't want to do this, Dante. Please don't make me."

I sighed, understanding Rocket's fears. "It's okay," I said softly. "You don't have to."

I glared at the screen as I clicked on PKMN. I hovered briefly over Gale…and then clicked on Wildfire. Just before I clicked SWITCH, I frowned at the Charmander's sprite.

"You win, Wildfire," I growled. "You want to kill in order to make it to the top? You can do it yourself. I'm not forcing Rocket, Talon, or anyone else to do your dirty work for you."

There was no dark text box, no smooth comeback from the crazy Charmander. I wasn't expecting one, anyway. I clicked on SWITCH and sent Wildfire into battle to finish the job. As far as I could see, there was no avoiding the deaths of other trainers' Pokemon.

Wildfire used SCRATCH!

Enemy SANDSHREW died!

I held back tears of rage as the battle screen faded, leaving me back in Pewter Gym. I turned face the Jr. Trainer, bracing myself for what he'd have to say to me.

"How could you? How can you be so cruel? So heartless? Don't the lives of innocent Pokemon matter to you?"

"More than you'll ever know," I muttered. "I'm sorry."

Walking past him, I approached Brock. It was almost as if he had been waiting for me. My character stopped just a few steps from Brock's sprite. Brock paced in front of me for a few moments before turning to face me.

"So, I take it you're the kid I've heard about—the one who lost control of his Pokemon. It's been a while since one of your kind managed to make it this far. Your Pokemon must be very ambitious to have let you live this long."

"I haven't lost control of all of them," I said coldly, though I doubted that he could hear me. "Just Wildfire and Gale, both of who aren't even really mine."

Brock continued on, apparently having not heard me. I wasn't surprised. I kind of expected it, actually.

"I got a message from Prof. Oak that he sent two kids out recently. One apparently died after their first battle, which, I assume, was against you. I'm guessing you lost control not long after."

"It's Wildfire's fault. He killed Rook," I growled angrily. "He started all of this!"

"It's sad, really, when a promising young trainer loses control like this. It completely ruins their potential, both the trainer and their Pokemon. The League has lost many of its finest this way over the years. From what I can tell, you'd have made a fine trainer. Too bad you've lost control…"

Brock suddenly approached me.

"As Pewter's Gym Leader, I, Brock, and my Rock-type Pokemon shall defeat you! Do you still wish to challenge me?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" I admitted. "Yeah! I challenge you, Brock!"

"Fine then! Show me your best! Watch us rock your world!"

He sent out Geodude first (no surprise, honestly). I decided to go with my previous strategy and take it out with Rocket. One Bubble managed to knock it almost completely out. Like the Jr. Trainer's Sandshrew, it seemed to hang on with only a sliver of health left (maybe it was 1HP?).

Perhaps that final sliver of health was the Pokemon's last-ditch effort to stay alive? Did these Pokemon know that they were going to die? Is that why they hung on like that every time?

I didn't even notice the dark text box until I realized I couldn't switch Rocket out.

"Dante…?"

"It's okay, Rocket. You're done now." I promised.

"Why do they have to die, Dante? Why does Wildfire and Gale kill them? Isn't killing…bad?"

"…Yeah, Rocket. Killing's bad. They kill because they think it's the best way to get stronger." I slowly replied, unsure of myself. "We don't have to kill. We won't kill. We don't need to do that to get strong."

"Why don't they think like that, Dante?"

The question was so innocent…yet so hard to answer. "I… I don't know, Rocket. I just don't know."

"…Dante?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You're a good trainer. I'm happy to be your starter. I'm sure everyone else is happy to be with you, too. We'll find a way to stop Wildfire and Gale. You'll come up with something, I know you will."

"But…what if I can't? What if I choose wrong? Or get one of you killed?"

I was scared. I honestly was. If other trainers' Pokemon could die, I was certain that mine could too. I didn't want to lose anyone.

"I believe in you, Dante. You'll know what to do. I mean, you've survived this long. You've kept us all alive, too. Trust us. You've kept us safe. We'll keep you safe, too. Okay?"

"I… I…"

I felt the tears coming. After all this time, my Pokemon still had enough faith and trust in me to keep going despite all that had happened to us. The deaths, the fights, the fear… No matter what happened, we were in this together. Wildfire and Gale (and whatever other glitch Pokemon happened to show up) were our enemies. That fact united us.

"…Thank you, Rocket… Thanks, everyone… I'll try…my hardest… I swear I will!" I cried between choked sobs.

"We know you will. We'll do our best, too."

Rocket's face showed up in the middle of the screen, a big smile on his face. Tears glittered in the corners of his violet eyes, looking ready to pour down his face. Rocket and I felt the exact same way now.

Once the Squirtle face vanished, I swapped Rocket out for Wildfire. "You won't win, Wildfire." I vowed. "We'll get free of you. You'll regret the day you tried to tear my journey apart."

Wildfire used SCRATCH!

Enemy GEODUDE died!

Just as the screen went red, a dark text box appeared. There were no bubbles on the edges of it. It was Wildfire.

"We'll see how long that takes, Dante. Have fun trying to keep that promise. I'll be here to stand in your way each time you try!"

I could practically feel Wildfire's laughter through the Gameboy. I wasn't scared. Not anymore. I had friends that would back me up throughout this bloodstained journey. I just had to keep going until I found the right moment…and then…we'll be free…

.o.o.o.o.

PARTY

Rocket, Squirtle, male, Level 15, Tackle, Tail Whip, Bubble, Water Gun, received in Pallet Town

Wildfire, Charmander, male, Level 15, Growl, Scratch, Ember, Leer, caught on Route 1

Talon, Spearow, male, Level 15, Peck, Growl, Leer, Fury Attack, caught on Route 22

Gale, Pidgey, male, Level 15, Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, caught on Route 22

Zapper, Pikachu, male, Level 5, Thundershock, Growl, caught in Viridian Forest

PC POCKET

Ratso, Rattata, male, Level 3, Tackle, Tail Whip, caught on Route 22

Xena, Mankey, female, Level 5, Scratch, Leer, caught on Route 22

Wiggles, Caterpie, female, Level 6, Tackle, String Shot, caught in Viridian Forest

Sting, Weedle, male, Level 6, Poison Sting, String Shot, caught in Viridian Forest

Emperor, Nidoran male, Level 12, Leer, Tackle, Horn Attack, caught on Route 22

Empress, Nidoran female, Level 12, Growl, Tackle, Scratch, caught on Route 22