Chapter 2:
And He Sacrificed: HIS KING!
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International Police
Anomaly Department
Sinnoh Division
WELCOME BACK
[FILE DATABASE]
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[ARCHIVES]
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[ON-GOING]
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[OBJECTS OF INTERESTS]
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[SERIES III]
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[2700]
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[2779 - CODENAME: (?) - No codename has been assigned ]
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OOI-2779
Object class:
C2? - Caution, Minor containment potentially needed
C3 - No threat, Monitoring needed
Discovery and Description:
(THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Object 2779 refers to a group of objects and entities that emerged during a snowstorm in January ████. The snowstorm in question lasted 3 hours from 7:30 P.M. CMT (Coronet Mountain Time) until approximately 10:30 P.M. CMT where reports of explosion and fire came at approximately 9:30 P.M. CMT. Upon arrival, a crash site spanning across 150m² was discovered, implying that said object had crashed at high speed.
Samples from the wreckage indicated that the object was mainly made out of carbon, plastic and other metallic elements. The wreckage was divided into 4 main sections and had an unusual design. Further investigation revealed that the overall design may be aimed to be aerodynamic and the overall purpose of flight. This was later proven by the survivor during questioning. (See Addendum 3)
Within the crash site, it was identified to have nearly ██ instances of humanoid entities. All of which are dead. The causes of death range from ████,████████,████████ and ████████. As a result, only one survivor (assigned as 2779-█) was able to escape and survive the initial crash and is currently under monitoring at Sandgem General Hospital.
The lone survivor is a male humanoid being who appears to be in his mid-teens. The individual is approximately 1.65 to 1.7 metres in height and weighs approximately 50 kilograms. The individual's skin is tan, and they have dark hair.
Medical reports of the survivor revealed that he had suffered from Hypothermia and had sustained major injuries to his femur and an open wound at the back of his left thigh. However, this is nothing life-threatening. The subject's body reacted well to the medications given and is expected to recover from this.
Regardless of the extraterrestrial origin, the subject was able to communicate in proper Galarian. His accent mimics that of a native Sirandrian with a mix of Galarian. Information about the survivor's world is unknown at this time.
Procedures:
(THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Due to his unknown origin, the International Police's Anomaly Department has deemed it necessary to monitor the survivor's activities and keep him contained if absolutely necessary.
Sandgem Town General Hospital, the location where the survivor currently resides is to be monitored closely until further notice whereas wandering trainers using Route 202 are to be diverted away from the crash site using a temporary path.
Due to the number of survivors being reduced to only one, only the Containment Supervisor may interact with the survivor. Other members may interact with the survivor if given permission otherwise.
For the time being, only Class 1 Tests may be conducted with the survivor.
ADDENDUM:
Addendum 1:
No items of interest were recovered from the wreckage thus far due to the severity of the crash apart from the items carried by the survivor and items within Section 4 (see picture below).
[LOAD ERROR]
Section 4 of Host 2779
The classification of OOI-2779 as a whole is subject to change as more information is gathered and analysed.
Addendum 2:
As of 15/01/████, Investigative Lead Ryna Harwell is now acting in the role of Containment Supervisor for OOI-2779.
Addendum 3:
First Contact
After finding out that the doctors and nurses were able to properly communicate with the survivor, I made the decision to personally ask the survivor some questions. So far, I have only been able to acquire basic information and vague answers from the survivor.
The question asked and the response can be found in the file below:
(Attachment )
Note from Containment Supervisor: Further interrogation is required. I did my best as to not pressure Ben as much. Perhaps I should approach him in a different way. Another attempt can be made in the near future and a request has been made to lower the classification from C2 to C3.
Addendum 4:
The request for reclassification has been accepted.
…
"Alright, I just need you to relax your body and keep your legs straight." The doctor lightly held my leg down. He nodded at the Chansey (I don't know if that's the same one from before) and said, "Okay, direct your Heal Pulse towards the muscle." Right after, I saw a pink glow in the corner of my eyes.
Time seemed to slow down for me as I felt a very relaxing sensation. It was odd. Imagine that you're happy but you know for a fact that you have no reason to be happy – you simply are. My thigh started to feel tingly and itchy and I was fighting the urge to sit up and deal with it but in the end, I didn't want to make things more complicated than they should be.
In conclusion, the 'Heal Pulse' definitely did something and before I knew it, it was already over and I noticed that the itching and tingling had completely subsided.
I kept my head on my pillow before the doctor asked me, "Can you try lifting your leg again?"
I did as so and even though it still feels like crap, it doesn't feel like it's going to turn into ash the moment I try to move it the slightest.
"It's… okay," I said.
"Okay, good!" The doctor clapped his hands. "Your body seemed to be reacting nicely to it. Are you feeling hungry?"
"Am I?"
As soon as I thought about it, the desire to gobble up food came barging in like the FBI. It almost felt instant, like my body realises it was hungry just like cartoon characters when they are about to fall off a cliff.
"Yeah… Now that you mentioned it," I said, trying to suppress my embarrassment.
"As I thought. Don't worry, the nurse will be right with you later." He smiled slightly before signalling the Chansey to leave the room with him.
…
The food eventually arrived, and I gobbled it all up just like before. However, since the last time I ate was the first time I had ever eaten in this world, I was sceptical about it. I had concerns about allergic reactions and doubts about its edibility if that makes sens- I hope I'm making sense.
Anyhow, it tasted alright. No complaints whatsoever especially when I can only rely on said food to even survive. I'm truly living in the trenches now.
After finishing my meal, I couldn't help but wonder how long I would be staying in this world. As a matter of fact, I was still trying to piece everything together like a jigsaw puzzle since the last time I was awake (I don't have any way of telling the time) except the individual pieces are either unmatched, from a different set or just straight up a different object altogether, not to mention the fact that the pieces teleport away every time I reach out to them.
In other words, you cannot bring up physics into the equation.
Moments later, someone entered the room. It was Agent Ryna, now with a briefcase. I knew it at first glance.
"Hello, there," she said as she placed the briefcase at the foot of my bed. "How are you feeling?"
"...Fine," I lied.
She chuckled. "I can tell that you're not."
I didn't say anything in response.
"Look, why don't we play a game?" I nodded and Agent Ryna opened the briefcase and pulled out a board that looks like that of Chess. She took out a piece and laid them all on top of the overbed table (I think that is what it's called?)
"Oh- well that question's answered."
"This is called Chess. Don't worry, I'll set you up with the basics."
Piece by piece, she arranged them into starting positions. "The objective of this game is to protect the king which is here." She pointed towards the piece on my side.
Then, she proceeded to explain the rules of Chess which bored me out of my life. The game was quite literally the same except some pieces are Pokemon; Bishops are Hatterenes in this case whereas the Knights are Rapidash and the Pawns are Magikaps for some reason.
I'm quite familiar with this game but I'm not a Grandmaster by any means. It just means that I know what I'm doing half of the time.
"Well, do you understand the principles of the game?" she asked.
"Sure…"
The white pieces are already on my sides so that means I get to make the first move with the King's Pawn to E4.
She responds to Pawn to E5, and then I respond with Knig- I mean Rapidash to F3, attacking the pawn on E5.
She then responds with her Rapidash to F6, playing the Petrov Defense, if I remember correctly.
Then, I protected the centre Pawn- uh- Magikarp with Rapidash to C3 and she brought out her other Rapidash to C6.
I played Hatterene to C4, and she played Magikarp to D5, attacking the Hatterene.
My Magikarp-
I give up using these stupid terms.
Anyhow, my Pawn takes D5, attacking the Knight and protected by the Bishop and Knight.
She then took said Pawn with Knight to D5.
I take with Bishop and she pulled her Bishop out to D6.
I looked back at her and felt bad because she had to stand there while playing the game while I get to sit on this bed. "Ah… stop. I got to focus. I can't fumble like this."
My Knight takes E5 and Bishop took it back. Then, I had a plan. "What if I pull out the Queen to H5 for a potential mate on F7?" I asked myself. "It would be an easy win!" I thought to myself as I pulled the Queen into the open to H5.
Then, she castled.
"Bruh."
She definitely saw that frustration on my face as she let out a smile. The next few moves were just me trying to figure out a plan with some uncalculated moves like Knight to E4 and her taking that advantage with Knight back to E7, attacking the Bishop where I moved it to C4. "Alright, change of plan. I definitely won't try competing for that F7 Pawn. What if I come in guns blazing to the H7 Pawn instead?"
I moved my Pawn to D3 in order to open up the Bishop for a sacrifice on H6. The plan was to sacrifice the Bishop in order to take out the G7 Pawn for the Knight to check the King and her Knight can't move because it was pinned to the King. However, she moved the G7 Pawn one square forward so that it attacks my Queen.
You'd be insane if you'd think I'd let her do that so, I did Queen to H6. I don't know what she was doing here but she moved her pawn to F5.
By some miracle, I noticed a flaw in my plan since the Queen can easily ruin my life with Queen takes Knight. Therefore, I had to improvise.
Knight to G5, a safer square and also attacking the H7 Pawn.
There is no way I will fumble this. She can't take the Knight because it's protected by the Queen and I'd be a Queen up.
She probably gave up since she played Queen to E8 instead of E7 or D7, which is a way better move than E8.
Needless to say, mate in 1.
Here, I took the H7 Pawn with checkmate and won the game.
It always felt good to win but when I looked back at the board, I started to question myself and Agent Ryna herself.
"Why did I leave my Bishop hanging like that and why didn't she take with her Queen?" I asked myself. "Hang on a fuckin' minute. When she moved that Pawn to attack the Queen, why didn't I take the Bishop? It was literally free!"
I felt stupid the more I looked at it.
"You did nicely there. Up for another game?"
I shrug and said, "Sure, why not… I have nothing better to do."
…
I got destroyed.
No wonder she seemed too easy. It was too good to be true! I got scammed!
To be fair, I did blunder… Let's see here… My Queen and a Bishop.
I tried pushing her King to the corner using repeated checks with my 2 Knights but she simply has the advantage of having a Queen and I don't because I BLUNDERED IT.
Even she questioned that move and probably thought it was some 1000 IQ gameplay but in the end, I admitted to blundering there.
I hate myself for that.
Also, I had an open file where her Queen happens to be, making checkmate a cakewalk for her. After that, it was mate in 1.
"I guess that's it for you?"
"I don't like this game anymore."
"So you're saying that you like the game before?"
"...Sure, I guess."
She collected all the Chess pieces and put it back into the compartment inside the foldable board. "Ben," she said while walking towards the end of the room, her voice getting fainter to retrieve the plastic chair that was somehow left there by someone. I couldn't remember because I was probably sleeping then. "I would like to ask you some questions. Don't- worry though, I won't go into details about… what happened."
I thought for a while before agreeing. I thought this would be my chance to increase my credibility and hopefully not get killed in the end and stay alive.
Even though the truth is, I don't even know if I want that now.
"Yeah, sure. Spill it."
Agent Ryna took out the same small notebook from inside her jacket along with a pen. "Right."
"I know this will sound weird but what was your world look like?"
That question took me by surprise because the entire I was… home. I've never thought about what it was like. I was just there, living my life and chilling.
"It's- alright, I guess. I don't know how it compares to this place but I'm guessing it's pretty similar. I don't know though. Can't be too sure," I said. "If I had my phone, it would make explaining easier…" I muttered.
"Sorry?"
"Huh? Uh, if I had my phone I can show you pictures…?" Agent Ryna looked at me sceptically but didn't say anything. "I see. Let's move on." She continued writing in her notebook before asking again, "What was your world called?"
"Earth."
"Earth? Seriously?"
"Uh, what about it?"
"You know what? Nevermind." She starts writing on her notepad again and that gave me some time to just look around because fuck all. Eventually, the sign on the wall and below some sockets behind me caught my attention, specifically, what was written on it.
It was written in half-runic-half-Latin-type letters which look familiar and foreign at the same time. I thought my eyes were causing this but the lettering itself is as clear as day.
My point is, I can't read it so best case scenario if I do go out, I'd have to learn the alphabet all over again.
As I was lost in my thoughts, Agent Ryna spoke up again, "Do you have any special abilities or skills that could be useful to us?"
I froze and I sat there just flabbergasted at her words. It sounded ridiculous. Hell, I can only wish to the lords above for some abilities.
"...I'm just a guy. I just don't know what are you talking about," I said, breaking the silence caused by me.
Agent Ryna looked at me with a raised eyebrow, "You don't have any special talents or skills? Nothing that sets you apart from anyone else?"
I shook my head, "...Uh, no." I was about to say more but I held back in the end.
"Right, okay." She looked at her notepad and thought for a bit, her pan tapping her chin as she do so. "Yeah… I will go now, Ben." She stood up and looked at me one last time before making her way out of the room.
"Be sure to take care of yourself, alri-"
"Wait-" I interrupted her. She turned back towards me. "What… uh… would happen to me when… I'm discharged?"
"Well, Ben, we're going to have to figure out a plan for you. We can't just let you roam around aimlessly," she said emotionlessly. "Because the fact of the matter is, we still can't trust you… I'm sorry."
She walked out of the room.
I was left alone with my own thoughts accompanying me. I looked down at my legs, then specifically at where my injured leg is, now covered by my blanket. I gripped the blanket tightly. "What do I do?"
I gritted my teeth and held back my tears yet they came anyway. It's hard to swallow but it's probably the truth at this point.
I want to go home. I don't want to be here.
I want to be in a voice chat with my friends.
I miss the times when we would scream at each other in games because at least I'm not isolated from the rest of society.
I miss the times when we would lose our shit at a piece of bread spinning in a microwave.
I want to spend my time with them instead of being stuck in a hospital where I would most likely be experimented on and poked with a stick when I get out.
I want to go back. Please just take me back.
…
Agent Ryna quietly closed the door behind her. "Well, Saber? Shall we go no-"
Saber opened an eye and held up one of his three fingers. "Wait." He closed his eyes and sat there as the pink crest on his chest continued to glow.
A few moments of waiting later, the glow subsided. He opened his eyes and shook his head, "Ryna, I need to address something when we get back. It's important."
…
The drive back to her home was full of paranoid thoughts. She had instructed Saber to read Ben's mind every time she went to talk to him. It wasn't ethical per se with privacy invasion and all that but that wasn't the point here and the ship of ethicality has sailed, anyway. The point is to not give him any chance to escape and keep him under control.
However, this also means that if Saber had something to say, it'd probably be regarding that.
They arrived at her home not long after. After locking her front door, she called out Saber and a red beam shot out of it as her Pokemon materialised in front of her.
"Should I call out Mana-"
"No. There is no need."
"Look, why don't we sit down?" Saber agreed and both of them walked to the living room and decided to discuss this on the couch. When Ryna sat down, she asked Saber, "What is it?"
"It's about this… Ben." She froze– because she knew this was important- No, not just important, really important. "When you said to him that you can't trust him, I felt that- you should give him a chance."
"Saber, no-"
"Ryna, I felt depression, hopelessness, anger- He is miserable on the inside, Ryna. Do you understand where I'm getting at?"
"I understand but I'm just… paranoid. I don't know what we're actually dealing with here, Saber."
"I can read his feelings which means he has feelings. He lives. We've been treating him with little to no respect, but he's not really a threat to us, is he? He doesn't have any special abilities or skills. He's just a person who's lost and confused," Saber told her. "I propose we introduce a middle-man if you really want information. You entering back into that room won't do for now. Give him some space for a while."
"What do you mean?"
A piece of paper began to float from Agent Ryna's work table and towards Saber. He caught it and showed it to her.
It was a message for the higher-ups that she somehow had to print out for archival reasons. Saber pointed to a sentence that said 'Therapy for the subject may be needed.'
He handed the paper to Agent Ryna. "When you do eventually come back, please apologize to him."
At that point, she realized how she was treating him. Her paranoia got to her and now he is suffering as a result. It crushed her heart thinking about it yet all she can do now is to hide her feelings and hopefully do what was right.
"Right… I'll do that," she muttered, faking a smile. Agent Ryna gazed at the coffee table in front of her before standing up. "Well, we'll be heading to Jubilife City for 5 days. I heard the SRATS has something for us."
…
A week has passed.
Day after day, Heal Pulse after Heal Pulse, I am still stuck in this room with nowhere else to go.
How would I know, you may ask? Well, I asked the nurses. They said that I've been here for a week now and I just took that as a point of reference. Also, upon realising that I had no way of telling the time considering that I don't even have a clock here in this room, they opened up the curtain so that the sunlight could shine in but it didn't really help, since I still had no idea what time it was. And the sunlight only reminded me of the outside world, which I was still cut off from.
One more thing, they gave me a pair of crutches so that I can use the toilet on my own and they also disconnected the tube for the IV drip from the needles since I didn't need them anymore (I can drink on my own now, obviously.) which means if I do have to use the toilet, I don't have to bring the bag along with me.
However, being able to use the crutches and go to the bathroom on my own did little to ease my confinement. I spent most of my days on my bed, either sleeping or watching the TV on top of me with a remote controller that I had to guess what buttons to press most of the time because the lettering and symbols are nonsense to me.
As the days passed, my frustration grew. I wanted to scream, to demand to know what happened to me because as corny as it sounds, I miss everyone and I want to see them again. I felt dead inside every single day and even the nurses who met me with a smile now looked at me with a concerned frown.
I felt like I'm slowly losing my mind until one day, someone entered the room.
I expected it to be one of the nurses checking in on me but it was not. It was Agent Ryna – she was back again.
"What do you want this time…" I asked, slightly annoyed by her presence alone.
"Hey, I just wanted to say that… I'm sorry."
At that point, I snapped. I was fed up with her fake words and hope. With the remote in my hand, I irritably pressed the power button as hard as I could and turned off the TV.
"What? Is this some sort of manipulation tactic that you're trying to do here? I know for a fact that when I recover, you guys are going to lock me up in a cell to be poked at because oh- 'You're an alien! We're afraid that you're going to do something bad! We want to learn about what you can do and protect this place'."
Agent Ryna looked taken aback by my outburst, but she quickly composed herself and replied, "No, Ben. You don't understa-"
"What is there more to understand, Agent Ryna?! It's all laid out! How about you put yourself in my perspective for just a second? Everything that you wanted to do back then, you can't do it now since you were basically transported to another world. And better yet, you are basically dead in the eyes of your home- Your family and friends think you're dead! And I have to deal with thinking about the fact that I don't get to even see them again and that they are mourning someone that is still alive!"
"Please stop-"
"You know what? If you- No, all of you are so paranoid of me, why don't you just end it here, will you? Why don't you end it right fucking now and let your worries be free? Just kill me. Right. Fucking. NOW. Because at least now we're both winning-"
"I mean it, Ben!" she shouted.
"GOD, FUCK YOU!" My voice broke down in the end.
When I had nothing else to say upon cussing her out, I stopped. While I didn't care if my voice penetrated the walls before, I do now but at that point, it was too late. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know why I said all that. Words were flying out of my mouth freely and I felt like absolute shit.
Tears began to well up in my eyes as I buried my head in my knees.
All sorts of emotions flew around me that I didn't know which one I was feeling exactly. Should I be angry? Sad? Or just laugh it up? I'm tired, that's for sure. Staying awake alone is exhausting.
"I don't know anymore… I think I'm going crazy…"
Suddenly, I felt a hug and I flinched. I didn't resist. I can't resist. As much as I hate her, I couldn't make myself to do so when I could feel her warmth and the sincerity in her hug.
"I know you're scared," Ryna said softly. "But we're not trying to harm you. We just want to understand you better."
I sniffled and wiped my tears. "Understand me better? You guys are bound to treat me like a lab rat yet you guys did nothing to even help me feel remotely better about this situation I'm in… Hell, I'm probably just an object – not even considered a living person to you guys. Please… I'm just tired of this…"
"Ben, I'm sorry, alright. I can't guarantee that you can go back home but believe me, you won't be locked up in any way. I can't help you much now but please… Don't go thinking that ending your life will solve anything."
I pulled my head from my knees and gazed down at the hospital bed.
"You need therapy."
For a split second, I sat there, processing her words.
"...Wha?" I asked, my voice cracking from the tears and my eyes darting towards her.
"I'm worried about you. I know it won't fix anything but you're living on the edge. Please, let me sign you up for therapy. It's the least I can do for you now."
I thought about passing on that offer, however, when I look back on when I lashed out at Agent Ryna, I felt like I should take it. I felt like I'm slowly going insane and not taking that offer will make it way worse. I don't want that. I don't think Agent Ryna wants that either, nor the medical personnel for that matter. Therefore, I decided to go with the flow.
"Sure…"
"Alright, I'll make an arrangement for you." With that, she got up from the bed and headed towards the door. Before she left, I asked her one final question.
"Wait."
She stopped in her tracks and looked at me for another time. "Hm?"
"Is- there anything I can't talk about?" I asked, replying with the occasional sniffles.
"You don't have to worry about that. You can speak to them about anything and your secrets will be fine."
I didn't speak any further.
"And I'm sorry. I truly am," she said, lowering her voice.
I watched as she left the room and closed the door behind her. For a moment, I sat there in silence, staring at the empty space in front of me.
And I was alone again.
…
WC: 4768