Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 54: Deep Down
Flashback
Location: Chapel's House, five years ago...
Everybody was gone...everybody except me and Chime. Mother was downed and blooded, and there was blood throughout the room. Wes and Rui were gone, and how I wanted to destroy them for killing my mother. At least, they said they killed my mother. I wasn't even home for most of the day. Zero had just taken off with his Charizard, leaving me alive.
"Ma..." I was sniffling, and tears were in my eyes as I slowly crawled toward the lifeless body. "Moomm..."
What did we do to deserve this? Just a mother in Chiyo and the daughter in me living their lives. My mother's world was gone, while my world was crashing down around me.
"Mother, why?" I sighed.
Then it hit me. I just had to think about what Wes said to me before he left.
From Chapter 4-
"Who I truely am?" I said confused.
"The virus known as Missingno is a glitch that found it's way inside Rui. It gave Rui the ability to sense shadow pokemon as we saved a far away land years ago. But that same virus at one point was in search of another host, and found it's way inside you." I remembered Wes explaining.
"But why is Mother hurt?" I asked.
"Your mother would be the only thing standing in between you and us. What parent wouldn't sacrifice themself to save their child?
Wes answered.
"All this was because of some virus named Missingno, who is inside me." I said to myself after remembering. "It's all Missingno's fault, that Mother is dead!" I continued to sniffle as my tears would not go away.
"Chime..." The Cimecho my mother and I called Chime was in tears as well.
While sulking, rumbling noises could be heard from the grey clouded sky, as well as rustling grass.
"And Missingno is inside ME."
Just who was this Missingno? And what did this virus want with me?
"Missingno..." My sadness was slowly turning into anger at the mention of that name, and I began to clench my fists, tears still in my eyes "Missingnooo! I hate you! Get out from inside me! You ruined my life! You ruined my mother's life you- you-."
Who or what was I talking to? Was there even a Missingno inside me? If so, when did it first reach me. I've never even seen what this virus looks like. Was Wes lying to me. "No..." If Wes WAS lying, he wouldn't have had any reason to know my mother and I exist. Even so, I had to see it to believe the being that has suddenly enterred and changed my life without my permission.
"I wonder..." I looked at the blooded wound on Mother's dead body, and then right beside Mother, to what I thought was used to cause her death. "A knife..." I said to myself as I slowly crawled on the blood spotted carpet, and passed by Mother, to a red covered knife just sitting on the floor.
"Maybe..." I said as I picked up the knife. "Maybe I can you this to see if Missingno really IS inside me. I want it out of my body, and out of my life."
"Ch-ch-Chime?!" Chime swiftly floated up to me, and looked to be begging for me not to do what I was thinking of doing.
"I'm sorry, but this is the only to get Missingno out of my body. And even if I'm hurt, you can just used Heal Pulse on me, right? I don't know why, but Mother would never let me try stuff like this when she was alive. I would always argue that Heal Pulse would be a perfect solution, but she would always tell me that kids at times don't truely understand how the moves of Pokemon really work..."
...I pointed the knife at my own chest, and was ready to try and get this Missingno out of my body, but just before the knife's point made full contact with me-
"-Please don't..." It was a voice.
"Um, Chime, did you just talk?" I asked as I looked at the Chimecho confused.
"...No." The voice answered.
"This voice...it's very close." I said. "Whoever you are, please come out!"
"I-I can't..." The voice replied timidly.
"You can't? But why?" I asked.
"Because you hate me." The voice answered.
"Why would I hate you?" I said confused. "I don't even know who you are."
"But you DO know who I am. I ruined your life. But I honestly didn't mean to."
"Are you? Are you Missingno?" I guessed. "Where are you? You sound so innocent and hurt."
"I needed to hide inside you from bad people." The voice answered. "They were going to do bad stuff to me if they caught me again."
"Again? What did they do to you?" I asked.
"I don't know." Th evoice replied. "I don't remember anything about myself, except that I was once left behind by someone in a virutal world, and then deleted."
"So why choose my body as a hiding place?" I asked.
"You were the only hiding place nearby when I was on the run in Ilex Forest. I mean, your house seems like it's in the middle of nowhere to me. You saved my life." The voice said.
"Please." I winced at the voice's last sentence. "Even if I DID save your life, you ruined mine. I don't want you in my body anymore. It's becuase of you that I'm all alone."
"But you're not alone. You have a friend." The voice countered. "We are, friends, aren't we?"
"Show yourself. We need to get to know each other... as friends..." Even at a time like this, I just barely cracked a smile. I didn't have alot of friends. That's because I lived in the middle of nowhere. My only friends were Chime, and the elders at the nearby Pokemon Day Care.
"Then it's settled, we're friends. And if that's the case-" The beinbg that the voice came from then appeared from inside me, revealing a pale blue, Duskull- like figure with a question mark symbol floating above it's head.
And that was the beginning of the friendship between Missingno and I. No...We were more like family to each other. Missingno and I. Oh, and Chime too!
End Flashback...
...From deep within the virtual caverns of Seafoam...
"Ever since I was brought here by the PC of Ecruteak, I've been slowly regaining the memories of what my life was like before I was derezzed, and before I met Chapel...I don't know why, but these meories have caused me to develop a resentment toward Chapel, because she is a human.. Humans...all humans are the same! Bill, Red, they've never stopped to think about how I would feel about getting derezzed. One day, the world is with me because I'm unique, and the next day, they're against me because I'm different. I was never given a chance to begin with...and I probably neve will as long as I'm trapped here. Will it even matter if my fate was to wonder this Virtual Oblivion forever? Where? Where is my other half? Without my other half, I am...incomplete.
Missingno (Chapel's Missingno) has now regain it's memories. It knows everything about itself, at last...
Location: The Shores of Seafoam, Virutal Oblivion
Chapel's POV
"Chime Chime!" My Chimecho was leading the way to where he found Missingno on Seafoam Island. We had just parted ways with the sapphire Lapras who escorted us to the island, and the PC Missingno possessed Mawile had just caught up to us. The silver furred Eevee that will inevitably join me on my journey was in my arms, and we were all ready to proceed.
"From this point on, we do not separate." The possessed Mawile said.
We all nodded in agreement as we all continued to follow Chime.
Later...
It wasn't long before Chime had led us all into a cavern that I wasn't familiar with at all.
"What is this place?" I questioned as we proceeded in to the cavern.
"I call it Seafoam Cavern." The possessed Mawile answered. "THIS is what the cavern looked like years ago. Today, in the real world, this cavern serves as an official Pokemon Gym, years following the destruction of Cinnabar Island."
I couldn't help but shift my gaze throughout the inside of Seafoam Caverm. Unlike the rest of Box 3, this cavern wasn't 16-bit. It felt like the middle of January in here, looking at the blankets of snow that covered the walls of crystal ice in patches. Was I dreaming, or not? This beautiful setting was unreal...
"It's cold in here!" I said. "And I'm already wearing a jacket." I was referring to the red Pokemon Ranger jacket that I always wear.
"Vui." Eevee cried in agreement.
"Oooohh but at least I have a nice, warm Eevee I can snuggle up with!" I said affectionately as Eevee and I hugged each other for warmth.
"Don't let you guard down." Missingno interrupted.
"I won't." I replied.
"You," The possessed Mawile turned to Chime, "Lead the way."
"Chi." Chime nodded as we all followed.
...
Although we were only following Chime, it felt as though we were in a puzzling labyrinth. Of course, Chime knew where he was going, so we didn't run into many dead end that we just passed by. Along the way, I saw another amythest colored Jynx, and pale blue color Seel and Dewgong before stopping in what appeared to be a chamber within Seafoam Cavern.
"Now what?" I asked Chime.
The deep chamber was filled with water, and there didn't appear to be anyone or anything here.
"My other half must be here. Am I correct?" The possessed Mawile asked Chime.
"Chime. Chime." Chime nodded to both of our questions before proceeding to float over the water.
After floating about ten feet into away from us, Chime stopped, and then faced us once more.
"What is it?" I asked before I noticed Chime looking down at the water. "Missingno is down there..."
"Vee!" Eevee was still in my arms, and was able to brighten up the place for a moment with a cry that said she was excited to reunite with her friend Mawile soon.
"This water is deep." The pale blue Mawile said as it started into the water.
"Hm. Is that so." I said as I walked over to the body of water and stuck my foot inside. "Whoa!Ow!" I immediately took my foot out. "It's burning cold!"
"I'll just try calling for Missingno." I said as I started to raise my voice. "Missingnoo! Missingno. It's me, Chapel! Missingno?!"
It was no use. To Missingno, I kept callnig and calling, but still no sign of him. Even Eevee and Chime started to call for Missingno. Was Missingno even here? Of course! There's no way Chime could be wrong.
Minutes of shouting was soon followed by a moment of silence as the three of us were regaining our breath.
"Missingno..." I gently whipered as I began to lose hope.
"Chapel...Chime..."
"Huh?!" It was the voice of Missingno. "Missingno, where are you?"
"Underwater. I woke up from a deep sleep." I couldn't hear Missingno from underwater, but I COULD hear Missingno with my heart. "Chapel, please go away. Leave me alone."
"Uh, you're kidding, right?" I asked.
There was no reply, but deep down I could somehow feel that Missingno was serious.
"...You're not kidding..." I said to myself.
"Ee?"
"Chime?" Both Eevee and Chime thought I was talking to myself, and were very confused while the possessed Mawile had it's arms crossed, and remained silent.
"Chapel, I have regained my memories, and now I remember everything about who I was before I met you." Missingno said.
"Do you know where Celebi is?" I asked.
"..." There was no reply.
"Please, tell me!" I begged as I had a feeling that Missingno did in fact know the answer.
"Chapel, like I said, I remember everything now!" Missingno was beginning to sadden, based on it's voice.
"Then was? What do you know about Celebi?"
"When you find Celebi, the end of the virus version will be in sight. With Celebi, all sources of the virus version will be erased from existence in the end...including me..."
I gasped in shock. So my goal of saving the world would mean I would have to sacrifice one of my closest friends?
"Well, perhaps the world will be better without me once it is saved. After all-"
"-Don't say that!" I interrupted. "Even if we find Celebi, you won't have to die in order for things to be made right again!" There was a brief silence before I spoke up again. "Missingno, there's still a chance for us to escape this virtual oblivion. If you show yourself to us, you and PC Missingo...we'll all be able to return to the real world.
"I already know that," The voice said ," And I really don't care."
So Missingno would rather remain here for eternity than at least give me a chance to prove that saving the world wouldn't mean erasing him from existence. I was well aware of how much damage the burning cold water could do to me, but if words won't get through to Missingno-
"Oh, Missingno!" I called out my friend's name as I dove into the body of water.
"Vee!"
"Chime!"
I wasn't even thinking about Eevee or Chime when I left them behind as they cried out ewhen I jumped into the water. In fact, I wasn't thinking at all. Where exactly in the water was Missingno? How long could I hold my breath? Would it be long enough to find Missingno and reunite with Chime and Eevee? I didn't know.
"Missingno? Missingno!" I couldn't talk underwater...How was I going to call out to Missingno.
"U-user!"
"Huh?" I turned around to see the possessed Mawile right behind me.
"I will join you," The possessed Mawile said.
I gave the PC a single nod and continued diving deeper underwater. Only the red light of a lone drifting Staryu was present underwater before the PC and I had reached the bottom.
"Not here..." The PC said calmly.
"Not here?" I thought to myself. "No. No way! Missingno has to be here! I've come much to far for this search to be all for no-nk-nngg..." I can't breathe!
I see a distant white light...but what is this light? I wonder as I close my eyes, waiting for this white light to close in on me...before I sink to the bottom of this dark blue abyss. "Missingno..."
...
Just when everything goes black, I am engulfed by the light of a day from way back when. Back when Missingno was much like a child who didn't know any better. Back when Missingno was alot like me...
Flashback...
"So where are we going?" The Duskull-like figure asked me.
"I don't know." I answered. "Eever since Mother was, well, you know..." I didn't want to mention Mother's demise at the hands of Neo Snagem, becuase it would only make my sadness worse. "Eever since that day, there's been nobody to keep up with me or the house. The house was beginning to fall apart, so I decided to leave and set out on a journey. A journey with just the three of us; You, me, and Chime of course."
"Chime Chiime!"
Missingno, Chime, and I were all walking aimlessly along the western edge of Goldenrod City. Along the western edge of Goldenrod was much construction. The fences were being removed, and docks and shores of sand were being put in place for the convenience of Goldenrod and Olivine, which were both Johto's biggest cities. Walking on the first of the Goldenrod shores completed were Chime, Missingno, and I.
"I'm tired of walking!" I said as I suddenly let myself fall to the sand. I then stared into the sky above, Chime and Missingno doing the same. Without a word, time passed without anything happening except for the passing of small white clouds.
"Boring..." It remained that way until- "Huh?" I heard the sound of approaching footsteps on the sand. I sat up as Chime, Missingno, and I all fixed our eyes on a short brown haired girl wearing a red bandana.
"How could I lose...to HIM!" The girl's head was down, her arms were crossed, and her eyes were on the sand rather than the sky that was beginning to turn orange as the sun began it's descent. "Mom, Dad, Brother...Ash...All that training, all those contests, this whole journey, and for what? To lose to HIM at the Grand Festival."
"Is that how you really feel?" The brown haired girl was followed by a green haired guy who looked to be the same age, if not older than her. "You've lost contests in the past, but THIS loss has for some reason hit you the hardest."
"I lost to you...in the Grand Festival..." The girl stated.
"Well it's not the first time that's happened." The green haired boy said. "But if you're acting even more like a sore loser than when I beat you before, then maybe you're rigght. You've gone absolutely nowhere in your chase toward your dream of being Top Coordinator."
"No, it's not like that. I'm just upset right now." The brown haired girl said as she put her head back down. "It's not the contest that upset me. It was you."
"Me?"
"Oh come on! After all this time being rivals! After traveling Hoenn, Kanto, and now Johto, you still see me as just another rival?!" The brown haired girl faced the green haired guy, hands on her hips before facing the sea as she closed her eyes. "...Do you remember Mirage Island? Remember when it was just the two of us?"
The green haired boy didn't reply...
"Eever since Mirage Island, I've been gettingstronger not only for myself, but for you too. I could never really express myself on that because...Well, because the boys wouldn't understand. After the Grand Festival in Kanto, I wanted to set out to Johto and make myself stronger for you. But...you never semmed to notice."
"I DO notice. I mean, your Pokemon have only gotten stronger since-" The green haired boy was interrupted.
"-You're supposed to notice me, not my pokemo-ooohh..." The girl held back on finishing a sentence that sounded like the words just accidentally slipped out.
"t's too late now...She might as well just finish what she's trying to say." I thought to myself.
"And why am I supposed to notice you?" The green haired boy asked the question, but looked as if he obviously already knew the answer.
"Drew..." The browned haired girl sighed. "Because...because you've given me a feeling that I haven't felt toward someone else since my baby prince, a pokemon with the power over heart."
"A pokemon with the power over heart?" Missingno, Chime, and I all looked at each other before looking back at the guy and the girl with the bandana.
"With all of my own heart, I loved him like there was no tomorrow. There actually WAS no tomorrow for the two of us...But at least HE noticed me. Meanwhile, you'll be giving all of your attention to the fangirl. I mean, you DID just come in second place in the Grand Festival...after you beat me."
Although the guy already knew the answer, he was left without words. Eeven the girl stopped talking and continued to stare and the horizon for quite some time before...the girl was hugged from behind by the green haired guy, and all the guy whispered was 'wish granted' as the girl's eyes shot wide open. The two talked as if they knew each other for a long time...What appeared to be a cliche, storybook ending to a love chapter even got my heart warm, and I was only eight years old at the time.
"...My heart..." I said to myself as I gently placed my hand on my left breast.
A pokemon with the power over heart...that was on my mind even as I dozed off again...
"Chapel!" I could hear a voice calling my name.
"Chapel? Chapel!"
"Chime!"
"Chime? Missingno?" I knew these two voices. They were here to rescue me from this dream...
End Flashback
To Be Continued...
Okay, so first off, I hope you enjoyed the cameos this chapter. I originally wanted to post this chapter the week the ORAS came out just because the timing would be right for anything gen iii related, but typing just hasn't been at my convenience lately. At least I still have consecutive posting days planned, because January 16 will be the day Pokemon Virus Version turns one year old. Not only is it my first fic, but it is my first ever attempt at writing ANYTHING.
Now back to the cameos. I hope you guys know the two canon characters I used in this chapter, and I purposely used only one of their names...once. But even so, the characters are pretty obvious. But future cameos COULD be few and far in between. And if you've watched the Battle Frontier season of the anime, the pokemon with the power over heart IS Manaphy, a pokemon I DO plan on including in the near of distant future. I mean, in the games, a Manaphy egg CAN be obtained through Pokemon Ranger...And Chapel IS a Pokemon Ranger. Yeah, one of the few spoilers I'll give you guys. And yes, I know Manaphy is a legendary, and I know I should NEVER give an OC a legendary, but you know what, in case you haven't realized, I've been repackaging Chapel to try and make her a more interesting character, which is why I gave her an Eevee who IS in fact a shiny Eevee, but with a legitamate explanation in the last few chapter. And sooner or later Chapel and Seth could get their original hearts back, and Manaphy may be just the pokemon to make that happen. So planning ahead is what keeps this chapter from being a filler. Oh and the dream Chapel has is to serve as a bit of a time skip because, I'll be honest, even I want to move on to the Battle for Ecruteak City.
So that's about it...Or is it? With a long overdue chapter comes an Author's Note that has had subjects piling up over the last month. And I gotta say, I originally planned for Chapter 40 to be the halfway point of this story, but I've been writing alot more than I thought. After the the Battle for Ecruteak City, I still need to develope the characters of the Pokemon, have them learn new moves, and determine if, when, and where the pokemon will evolve. I still have a bunch of Neo Snagem's Commanders who hasn't even been introduced yet, and I'm considering opening a Submit Your Own Character for about 5 or 6 Commanders. Now there WAS an idea I had for a commander to be a rival of Rose, but I liked the concept too much to limit their future relationship to just a mere subplot. So I've been working on a new spinoff fic called 'Rose the Maiden'. Okay so this is the REAL end of the Author's Note. Stay tuned for next chapter.