Tainted Glory
Shadows of Kalos
By Evan Drake

Prologue: The Infinity Project

Name: Subject 14       Species: Nidorina       Gender: Female          Type: Poison

Notes: Second-generation, beta. Single typing. Shows signs of increased aggression and detachment from surroundings. Will cause extensive collateral damage if left unchecked. Immediate rehabilitation recommended. Not recommended for field testing.

Katherine looked up from her notes at the glass separating her from the examination room beyond, unnerved by its similarities to a child’s day-care. Instead of a place of play and sanctuary, it was a nightmare wrapped in a dream. The various colorful toys scattered all over the tiles were obvious distractions from the lonesome atmosphere. The bright walls and their decorations only hid the security cameras violating the subjects’ privacy. Even the large one-way mirror covering an entire wall only served to prevent the subjects from seeing her watch their every move.

The dark hall she stood in reflected the facility’s true nature. She preferred the exposed, oppressive atmosphere provided by the stripped walls, the cold metallic floor, and the dim lighting. It reminded her where she was, where she stood.

Brushing regrets aside, she turned back to the observation window. Subject 14, which she named Nina, sniffed at one of the two stuffed Poké dolls which didn’t resemble any known Pokémon. Nina’s pale blue body almost reflected the bright lights that shone on her. She moved cautiously around the room, her large ears swiveling to catch the slightest sound.

Katherine pressed the white button on the console, activating the intercom. “Nina, it’s time for your tests today.”

Nina’s large ears swiveled as she looked around for the source of the voice. Katherine said nothing. The time for talk was over, she was there to test her latest adjustments, not make small talk. After several seconds of silence, Nina growled and swatted a toy across the room.

Katherine bit her lower lip. You’ve become much more aggressive since I saw you last. I guess that means the treatments are working, she thought. Fuck, I didn’t tweak the formula enough or they finally got someone to check my notes. Nidorina were known to be gentle and caring Pokémon. What stood before her was not caring nor gentle. She added it to her notes.

Subject exhibits caution when examining its surroundings. Still exhibits signs of increased aggression.

She looked up from the tablet and sighed before pressing the blue button on the console next to the window, her stomach knotting at the thought of what was to come next.

A panel on the far side of the room opened, revealing a robotic version of a Nidorina. Katherine held her breath at the sight of the thing. No matter how many times she saw it, she never got used to its appearance. It looked like a Pokémon that had been skinned, exposing the muscle beneath. Its unpolished and grey body seemed to reject the light as it sauntered into the room. Its exposed mechanical joints squeaked with every step. Two bright red, bulbous eyes, glowing with artificial light, sitting in oversized sockets, scanned the room for its target.

Nina took immediate notice of the intruder and re-adopted her attack stance, her poisonous barbs extending once more. She paced in front of the robot, keeping her distance. The Robo-Nidorina watched her with its soulless eyes.

Katherine closed her eyes, sighed heavily, and pressed the green button on the console.

The Robo-Nidorina’s eyes lit up and it adopted an attack stance similar to Nina’s. Its mechanical mouth opened and it made a terrible, guttural sound that made Katherine’s skin crawl.

Nina roared back at the Robo-Nidorina and the two charged each other. They slammed into one another and began clawing and biting. Katherine squeezed the tablet in her hands until they shook as she watched the horrific spectacle. Come on, lose, she thought. Lose and force them to re-evaluate the formula.

Nina held the upper hand, even succeeding to tear one of Robo-Nidorina’s ears off. Sparks shot from its damaged body like spurts of blood. The guttural sounds it made almost sounded like screams of pain.

It didn’t take long before Nina began to lose momentum. The Robo-Pokémon didn’t feel pain or tire out and it didn’t hesitate to pick up the slack as Nina grew tired. The threatening, savage growls coming from her turned into whines and cries of pain. The loose screws and wires that littered the floor became covered in droplets of blood. Eventually, Nina was overpowered and pinned to the floor.

Katherine fought the urge to smile, knowing the cameras were watching. The last thing she needed was someone asking questions. The number of available subjects was running low. If they lost another one, it would set them back weeks.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing noise filled the hall. The Robo-Nidorina stopped its assault. Nina immediately seized the chance to leap onto the robot and tore its head off. She tossed her head, flinging the sparking skull across the room. The Robo-Nidorina jerked and spasmed throwing Nina to the floor. It fell over, sparks shooting out of it in increased intensity. Low-pitched whining noises filled the air until it fell still and the dead eyes of the Robo-Nidorina turned dark.

Katherine swore under her breath. Dammit, did they really call it off early? What the hell are they trying to pull?

Nina continued to lay on her side, breathing heavily, her body covered in scratches and bite marks. From the view of the window, Katherine could tell the wounds weren’t serious, but she pulled out her walkie anyway and contacted the medical team. “This is Katherine Header. I need treatment for Subject 14 in examination room D-25 right away.”

“Med team is on its way.”

Putting the walkie away, she looked down at the tablet and added to her notes:

Subject shows decreased combat prowess but increased aggression. Useful but dangerous. Not recommended for breeding. Field testing not recommended.

She knew her recommendations were bullshit. Sooner or later, they were going to realize she had been lying and she would be “fired.” Since she worked for a shadow organization doing illegal research on Pokémon, it seemed more than likely her severance package would be permanent.

But until then, she would do whatever it took to undermine them for stealing her life’s work. Nina’s evaluation proved her sabotage was still working. She turned away from her notes to see two people wearing white suits entered the room. They wore visors over their faces and the suits made it impossible to tell the gender of the wearer. Nina lifted her head and growled at the new intruders. One of the examiners quickly shot the Nidorina in the neck with a tranquilizer, and she fell back over, her eyes half-lidded and glazed.

It's a miracle she can even function with all the drugs they shoot her up with. Whatever’s driving you, don’t let go of it. I’m going to need you to check next week’s batch. Maybe then you’ll be put out of your misery.

While the medical team loaded Nina onto a gurney, Katherine moved on to the next room. Her task was done. It was time to confirm her findings.

The moment she reached the next window, Katherine checked her notes:

Name: Subject 9         Species: Espeon          Gender: Female          Type: Psychic

Notes: First-generation, theta. Single typing. Spends free time honing psychic abilities. May develop detachment from others. Lack of compassion could result in a high causality rate when performing missions. Immediate rehabilitation recommended.

She looked up from the tablet at the Espeon sitting in the middle of the room. Subject 9, or Velvet, seemed perfectly calm. Her eyes were closed and her forked tail swayed in the air like a metronome. High above her head, the toys in the room floated. They spun and flipped in place almost as if dancing. Katherine tried to ignore the goosebumps on her arms and moved to the console next to the window. The moment her finger touched the button, Velvet opened her eyes. All of the toys fell but stopped inches from touching the floor. The Espeon slowly turned her head, and her purple eyes settled on Katherine.

Katherine froze. She knew the subjects couldn’t see her, but Velvet’s reaction was always unnerving. “H-Hello, Velvet. It’s nice to see you again.”

No response. Not that she expected one. The Pokémon reacted to her voice, and she noticed calling them by name rather than a number got a faster response. It was also easier than memorizing the annoyingly complex number and letter system they used. She couldn’t begin to understand how anyone could remember the difference 15-A, 15-B, and 15-C.

Something about addressing them by name just felt right. She would rather be called by name instead of an ID number. It wasn’t so far-fetched to think they might feel the same way.

She chided herself for being so ridiculous and pressed the blue button on the console.

Just like before, the panel in the wall opened and a Robo-Espeon entered the room. It looked just as monstrous as the Robo-Nidorina. Velvet took no notice of the mechanical Pokémon, keeping her eyes on Katherine.

Katherine broke eye contact and pressed the green button.

The Robo-Espeon came to life and charged at Velvet. Just before reaching its target, the Robo-Pokémon was lifted off its feet by Velvet’s unseen psychic power and smashed into the far wall.

The air around the Robo-Espeon shimmered, and it was struck repeatedly with waves of psychic force. The room filled with the sound of crunching metal. As the robot was smashed to pieces in the corner, Velvet never took her eyes off Katherine, and her tail never stopped swaying in an even rhythm.

Beads of cold sweat rolled down Katherine’s face, her gaze held by Velvet’s emotionless eyes. It was as if the Espeon was showing off her power and saying, “This is what I intend to do to you when I get out of here.”

When the robot stopped sparking and had been reduced to a pile of scrap, Velvet broke eye-contact and Katherine suddenly felt in control of her body again. Velvet closed her eyes again, and the toys slowly began to levitate in the air.

Shit, the formula changes haven’t even slowed her down. Katherine shuddered and wrote down her observations.

Subject has excellent control over psychic abilities. Must be handled with extreme caution. Possible flight risk. Not recommended for field testing.

She lifted her head and leaped back with a startled cry at seeing Velvet sitting right in front of her. The Espeon stared into her eyes as if knowing exactly where Katherine stood on the other side of the mirror.

Katherine quickly headed down the hall to the next room.

Sometimes she wished they would get free. If the Pokémon here burst out of their cells and slaughtered everyone in the building, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. As a non-believer in their research, just someone who jumped on the train for the paycheck, she deserved punishment most of all. Often she told herself if she knew what the job entailed, she never would’ve taken it.

It was a lie she often told herself to be able to sleep at night. The pay was five times better than any other research job, she was allowed near unrestricted freedom in how she conducted her private research so long as it didn’t interfere with her work. She knew there had to be a catch, but the moment she saw all the number of zeroes that would be on the paycheck those fears went right out the window along with her morals. Now she was locked in. If anyone found out about how her research was funded, she was done as a researcher. No self-respecting lab in the world would even look at her resumé.

Pushing the feelings of regret aside, she stood in front of the next window and checked her notes.

Name: Subject 6         Species: Glaceon        Gender: Male             Type: Ice

Notes: First-generation, zeta. Single typing. Subject shows enhanced awareness of surroundings. Follows orders without question. Recommended for field testing.

She looked up from her tablet to see the Glaceon she secretly called Glenn standing in the middle of the room. His light blue fur glittered like ice crystals under the bright lights and his long diamond-shaped ears were flat against his head as he looked fearfully around the room.

He’s still not accepting his surroundings, she thought. If this keeps up, they’re going to put him down. The formula doesn’t affect him like the others. Maybe there’s something in his blood?

Before she could begin the evaluation, a sudden voice speaking to her on her walkie startled her. “Hey, Kat, Dr. Breton wants to see you in observation room 3 on level F.”

Katherine groaned loudly and headed for the thick metal door at the end of the hall and pulled out the walkie and responded. “Tell her I’ll be right there.”

She shielded her eyes when she left the examination wing and entered the brightly lit main hallway. Despite still being underground, it felt as if she entered a large space and could breathe again. The large door closed behind her with ominous clang and hiss. She leaned against the door for a moment, wishing she had a strong drink in her hand.

The formula still isn’t strong enough. I’ll need to tweak it more but they might notice if I change it too much.

“Hey, watch yourself,” someone said.

Katherine opened her eyes and saw the researcher standing with a pair of security guards. A curious yip made her turn to the interloper. A tall Pokémon covered in green scales stared at her, thick, thorny tail wagging slightly. The restraints on the Sceptile’s arms and the shock collar on her neck brought Katherine little comfort. Those restraints weren’t going to hold Sicilia back should she decide to dice everyone up; they purposely trained the Pokémon to ignore pain. The Sceptile didn’t seem bothered by the restraints. The look in the Sceptile’s yellow eyes showed no fear. Katherine tightened her grip on the tablet until she heard it groan under the strain. She completely obedient as if she’s accepted her fate here. The others still seem scared and confused, but she’s one of the few they’ve managed to kill inside. A perfect candidate for the reformed serum actually.

Katherine turned to the researcher. “I didn’t realize Si--Subject 25 had been cleared for field testing.” She needed to avoid calling the Pokémon by their names around the other researchers lest one of them get the idea the test subjects were growing on her.

“She isn’t,” the security guard said. “It’s time for her checkup. They insisted we take her up to the med bay in level C.” He shot a worried look at Sicilia as he added, “Don’t know why they can’t just come down to her cell and treat her there.”

“I’m sure they have their reasons,” Katherine said. For one, the machines they used to check the Pokémon’s vitals were too large to transport all over the facility, but she wasn’t about to get into it with him. Just like everyone else in this godforsaken place, she hoped he got a chance to feel how his prisoner felt before her mind was broken.

Without a word, she stepped around the pair and headed for the elevator. Slamming her ID against the card reader, she punched the button for the lower levels and watched the door closed. As the elevator rumbled in its descent, she took several slow deep breaths to calm herself.

The elevator door opened to another brightly lit hallway, the walls, floor, and ceiling pure white. Katherine walked down the hall, ignoring the headache the dazzling surroundings gave her. As she drew closer to the observation room, she heard the pained cry of a Pokémon that was quickly cut short. Clenching her jaw and her fists, she walked faster.

The lighting in the observation room was easier on the eyes but not on the ears. All the various beeping and whirring of the expensive equipment drowned out Katherine’s thoughts.

Doctor Susanne Breton stood in front of the observation window, playing with her slender hands behind her back. Unlike the other researchers in the room, Susanne wore a long blue lab coat instead of the usual white. Whether it was because she liked the color or it was a mark of her superiority, Katherine didn’t know or care. The other researchers also moved about the room in a frenzy to check the various monitors while she stood in front of the observation window, staring at something below.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Susanne asked.

Katherine approached the observation window. Down below was a wide circular arena where they checked a subject’s battle prowess. Standing in the middle of the arena was the Absol, Oracle. Of all the subjects, Oracle was the only shiny Pokémon in the group. Her face, horn, tail, and claws were red instead of blue like normal Absol. But what truly made Oracle unique was the streak of red fur the wound around her left foreleg, something never reported on other Absol. Katherine stared in horror. Oracle’s once lustrous white fur was stained red with blood. With her crescent-shaped horn and scythe-like tail, she looked like a creature out of a nightmare.

“It’s been two days,” Susanne explained. There a note of fascination in her voice that made Katherine want to smash the woman’s face against the glass. “She’s killed all 11 of her opponents and she still shows no signs of fatigue.” She stepped closer to the observation window, a smile spreading across her face. “And this is without your little battle serum. Thanks to the Infinity Project and her unique birth, she is the pinnacle of Pokémon evolution. If only we hadn’t lost track of both her parents before we learned the secrets of the Chesshira…the things we could’ve done.”

“I haven’t cleared Subject 22 for battle testing yet,” Katherine replied stiffly. She stuffed one of her hands in the pockets of her lab coat to hide their shaking in rage. The other had to settle for gripping the tablet tighter. And even if I had, I didn’t come here to listen to your monologue.

Suanne folded her arms across her chest and added in an authoritative tone, “If I remember correctly, I don’t answer to you.”

“As the one responsible for monitoring the progression of the Pokémon here, any testing conducted must be met with my or Dr. Emmerson’s approval,” Katherine shot back. “This sort of testing is not only foolish and dangerous, but it’s also detrimental to the subject’s mental state. That much exposure to combat in a single sitting could leave her with battle-lust which will require her to have constant stimulation lest she develops destructive behavior.”

The other researchers in the room went about their business as if the battle of authority wasn’t taking place before them. But Katherine knew they were listening even if they weren’t stopping to stare.

Susanne turned to her with a cold gaze, but the clenching of her jaw proved to Katherine she had the upper hand.

“You can ignore me, but you’ll be the one explaining to Stephen why his prized subject is on the evening news when she goes on a rampage,” Katherine said.

Susanne snorted and turned away. “End the simulation and have Subject 22 escorted back to her cell.”

“Have her brought up to level C to be treated in the medical wing,” Katherine added smugly, “And make sure they check her vitals. After battling for so long, she’s bound to be dehydrated.”

The researchers quickly got to work making the necessary calls. But Katherine never took her eyes off Susanne, reveling in the woman's silent fury.

It was time to hammer the final nail. “You called for me for a reason, Dr. Breton. I don’t mean to be rude, but I was in the middle of my evaluations if you don’t mind.”

Susanne maintained her seething glare as she replied, “I would like to ask your opinion on Oracle’s viability as a breeding candidate.”

“Only Dr. Emmerson is allowed to make that call,” she replied quickly. Even if she was, she wouldn’t approve it. The breeding program wasn’t something she would wish on her worst enemy.

“That’s not what I asked you.”

Katherine remained calm as she said, “Any inquires to breeding a subject need to be brought before Dr. Emmerson. Until he approves it, I can’t answer your question.” She knew Dr. Emmerson wouldn’t allow Oracle to breed yet, not when there was so much about the Absol they didn’t know. As the only successful fusion between Pokémon and Chesshira, Dr. Emmerson would be very upset should something happened to Oracle because someone wanted to experiment. But Katherine also knew Susanne wasn’t an idiot. Whatever the woman was planning, she had no intention of being dragged into it.

After watching the med team take Oracle away, Katherine left the observation room. Susanne dragging her down there and questions about Oracle’s viability as a breeding candidate wouldn’t leave her mind. It was clear the woman had something planned, but it wasn’t clear why she wanted her to be a part of it.

She probably just wants me to take the fall for whatever she plans to do, Katherine thought. Wouldn’t be the first time she’s tried it.

“Whoa, watch it!”

She blinked and stopped at the security team she nearly walked into. A Houndoom stood in the middle of the circle of humans, restraints on his legs and muzzle with a shock collar. The Houndoom was Subject 27 or as Katherine called him, Dorian. He was the last one to come off the line, another of their so-called “masterpieces.” His pitch-black fur seemed to absorb the light around him, even his white horns and the ridges on his back, making him resemble a walking shadow.

Dorian slowly faced her. Katherine held her breath as she took an instinctive step back. It was his eyes that held no emotion, no recognition. At least with Velvet, Katherine knew where she stood. The others didn’t try to hide their emotions. Dorian was an enigma.

At the head of the group, white lab coat making him stand out amongst the dark security uniforms stood Doctor Stephen Emmerson. He had a muscular frame as if he used to be an athlete in a former life. Katherine felt like a child in his presence. “Doctor Header, what are you doing here?” Stephen asked. “You’re scheduled to handle the evaluations of the subjects at this time.”

“I was called down here by Dr. Breton,” Katherine replied slowly. Something about Dr. Emmerson always made her choose her words very carefully. “She wanted my opinion on whether or not Or—Subject 22 was ready for breeding.” She maintained a neutral expression despite her desire to smile. Try to use me as the decoy, Susanne? Try to talk your way out of this one.

Her victory was short-lived as Dr. Emmerson played with the pin on his coat—something he did when in deep thought.

Is he seriously considering it? Just a week ago he said it was too soon! She turned back to Dorian. “Forgive me, sir, but why are you taking Dorian to the arena? I haven’t cleared him for battle testing since his probation.”

“I’m fully aware of that,” Doctor Emmerson replied. “I have been observing Subject 27 as well and it seems the mechanical replicas are no longer serving their purpose. I believe it’s time we confirmed his efficienacy.”

Doctor Emmerson’s emphasis on “Subject 27” wasn’t lost on her, but she wasn’t about to give up without a fight. “Sir, are you suggesting you try the serum on him? He isn’t ready for that. From what I observed against the mechanical replicas, his behavior borders on sociopathic. He’ll be very difficult to control if he—”

“Doctor Header, your evaluations are suggestions, not facts,” Doctor Emmerson interjected sharply. “I will read your reports and will take them into consideration, but I have the final say, are we clear?”

Katherine knew not to say anymore. Stephen Emmerson was not a man who took kindly to insubordination, and there were plenty of other researchers who could be hired, bribed, or threatened to take her place. What worried her was he didn’t make any decisions without thoroughly examining all of his options, and he often resorted to her opinion on many occasions.

She mumbled a quick apology and stepped to the side. It made little difference. Whatever his reasons, he didn’t need to share them with her, and he wouldn’t even if she asked. She remained in place until the security detail and Dr. Emmerson took Dorian around the corner and out of sight.

I think I’ll need to make a move a little sooner than I thought, she told herself as she headed for the elevator. Something was wrong. Dr. Emmerson never took risks like that, and especially not with Infinity Project subjects.

Her time might be up. Dr. Emmerson might just have gotten sick of all the setbacks and decided to move things forward. It was only a matter of time before that happened. Which meant she needed to destroy their production lines. She wouldn’t sit idly by while they perverted her creation. The problem was she needed the files stored on Stephen’s computer in his office on level B. But there was no way to get close to the door without drawing suspicion.

When she reached the elevator, the door opened and two researchers stepped out. One of them she recognized was her friend Liane Harris.

Of all the researchers in the facility, Liane was the only one she could stand to be in a room with. It my have had something to do with her straightforward attitude and lack of enjoyment of what they did there.

The other researcher in the elevator avoided eye contact as he quickly stepped past her, straightening his glasses and holding his lab coat closed. It didn’t hide that his shirt was unbuttoned. Katherine rolled her eyes at Liane who shrugged and pulled her hair into a sloppy bun.

“Kitty Kat! I was just looking for you.”

“Where, in the back of that man’s throat?” Katherine asked, pushing past Liane into the elevator. She jammed her security pass into the elevator’s keycard slot and punched the button to return her to level D. “What do you want?”

The doors closed and the elevator began to rumble before Liane responed in a low voice. “Did you hear Dr. E is going to be replaced?”

Katherine tightened her grip on the datapad and stared straight ahead. Is this a test? “No, where did you hear that?”

“I hear things. Listen, word is going around that Underworld is squeezing Dr. E for results on the serum. They’re going to bring in some new guy. I hear he’s not very nice.”

Katherine nodded. It explained why Stephen was rushing Dorian’s evaluation. That wasn’t good news for her either. This new boss may decide that a whole new research team is necessary.

“Anyway, I’m thinking of jumping ship before shit hits the fan,” Liane whispered. “I already got something lined up with a private firm in Unova. Since we’re friends, I figured I’d ask if you wanted in.”

“Yeah, I think I do,” Katherine said. If she didn’t leave now, she doubted she ever would, not alive at least. Also, it would be a big blow to her employers if a version of the serum hit the market before theirs. “But will they let us leave?”

“Don’t worry about that. I have a plan for that, too. I’ll explain after work.”

The elevator stopped on Level D. Katherine stepped off the elevator first. She didn’t know what Liane’s plan was but she figured it was better than nothing.

“Soon…very soon,” Liane said.

Katherine looked back. Liane’s eyes were unfocused and pointed at the ceiling and her mouth was half-open.

“Are you all right?” Katherine asked.

Liane blinked and followed Katherine into the hall. “I didn’t hear you, what?”

“I said, are you okay? You seemed a little out of it and you said something was going to happen soon.”

“I didn’t say anything, Kat,” Liane said slowly. “Seriously, I think you need to get some sleep. You’re working yourself too hard.”

Katherine decided not to push the issue. She already had to take sleeping pills because of the nightmares she had about her work. It wasn’t a stretch that she was imagining things. Also, if something was wrong with Liane, Katherine didn’t want to draw too much attention to it at work.

A low rumble shook the hall, distracting her from her thoughts. Suddenly the emergency broadcast sounded through the entire facility: Warning: Level F compromised. All personnel is advised to evacuate immediately.

“Level F?” Liane asked. “That’s the arena.”

“Shit! I told them not to try it!” Katherine shouted as she rushed back into the elevator. The floor shook again. “The arenas on level F are supposed to be reinforced to withstand Pokémon attacks. We’re up on level D and we can feel these shakes. What the hell is going on down there?”

Liane squeezed through the doors just before they closed. She quickly swiped her card against the reader and pressed the button for level B.”

Katherine frowned at the console. “The offices? We need to get out of here, now!”

“Not yet. The offices will be wide open. Now’s our chance.”

“Our chance at what?”

“Revolution.”

Before she could ask what that meant, the elevator doors opened, revealing the research offices. A wave of panicking researchers greeted them. Liane forced her way through the surging crowd, her large frame easily parting the way. Katherine stayed close behind her. She didn’t know what Liane was planning, but she figured her best option was to stick with her.

The hall shook hard enough for Katherine and Liane to lose their balance and lean on the walls for support.

An announcement came over the loudspeaker: Warning: Level E compromised. All personnel is advised to evacuate immediately.

“What the hell is happening down there?” Liane asked.

“I don’t know.” But I hope those bastards are getting exactly what they deserve.

Liane ran full sprint to Stephen’s office. Without hesitation, she entered the keycode and unlocked the door.

“How did you--?” Katherine began. No one had the passcode to Stephen’s office except him and the captain of the security team.

Liane’s eyes had that unfocused look again. Katherine shook her and Liane blinked and jumped as if noticing her for the first time.

“Did you follow me? And how’d you get the door open? Nevermind, we’ll figure it out later.”

I didn’t do that, you did, Katherine thought as she followed Liane inside. She started to regret her decision to follow. But her curiosity was stronger and this was the perfect opportunity. If she could get a hold of Stephen’s files, she could really undermine that bastard.

Another announcement came on: Warning: Level D compromised. All personnel is advised to evacuate immediately.

That’s the level where we keep the Pokémon.

“That’s not good,” she said aloud. “If the Pokémon start running wild, we’re not getting out of here.”

Liane hurried to the computer. “We’ll be fine. The Pokémon will keep the security team busy.”

“Speaking of security, how do you have the code to this office? And what’s going on?”

Liane jammed a portable hard drive into the USB port and began typing furiously on the keyboard.

“Not now,” she said. “Short version, those people I told about in Unova? They’ll be very interested in what’s going on here.” The room shook again. “Not that it’ll make much difference. There won’t be anything left.”

Katherine started going through the desk’s drawers. Since she came all this way, she might as well get something useful out of it. There were some loose papers and random office supplies, but nothing important. One drawer contained Poké Balls, but they were different from the ones she remembered. Instead of being red and white, these were purple and had a yellow M on them. It was more evidence, so she put the strange balls in her pocket.

The download took an agonizingly long time. A thin haze appeared in the room and sweat ran down her sides. It wasn’t a good sign. The lower levels had to be on fire, but the sprinkler systems didn’t seem to be putting it out.

The computer’s voice blared again: Warning: Level B compromised. All personnel are advised to evacuate immediately.

“How much longer,Liane?”

“Two minutes.”

“We don’t have two minutes! Whatever’s happening is on this floor!”

Liane said nothing and continued to watch the computer screen. Katherine swore and considered her options. Even if they left now, the only exit she knew of was the elevator that had to be out of service by now. Supposedly, there were secret maintenance tunnels but she had no idea where to look for them. And all of that still hinged on them getting through the halls without running into the source of all the chaos to begin with.

“Got it. Now let’s get the hell out of here,” Liane said.

She turned her attention to her co-workerwho stood by the wall. “What are you doing?”

“There’s a secret passage in here,” Liane said. “This guy I used to screw complained about how much of a pain it was to build the damn thing.” She pressed a seemingly random spot on the wall and the section slid away, revealing a secret passage. “This’ll get us to the surface.”

The passage had to be safer than risking the elevator. The place shook again. Katherine hurried into the passage. It was cramped and dark. They had to use the light on their cell phones to see. Every time dust fell from the ceiling, her heart stopped, but other than dirty hair, nothing happened.

When she wasn’t fearing the ceiling coming down on their heads, Liane’s strange actions clouded her mind. “Look, if I’m going to be on board with you, I need to know what’s going on,” she said finally.

“Truth is, I was contacted by another division of Underworld. They know Rogue Rocket’s been lying to them and they want to clean house. But they also want to keep anyone who’s useful to them. The woman who invented the serum will definitely be useful.”

“If it means getting back at RR, I’m in. These people pay well?”

“They offered to double what Rogue Rocket is offering us.”

Her eyes widened. That was a sizeable sum. She wondered how they knew Stephen had lied to them and what he lied about but decided she didn’t care. He was going to pay for stealing her research, assuming he hadn’t already.

They didn’t speak for the rest of the climb, mostly because she was too out of breath to say anything. She didn’t know long they walked, but it was getting hotter and she was sweating profusely. They eventually reached the top. It took a while for Liane to find the switch to activate the door.

The top-level was chaos. The place had been abandoned, but a fire had started and was spreading quickly. Parts of the ceiling and walls were crumbling. Smoke clogged her lungs and the it felt as if her skin was peeling off from the heat, but she didn’t stop as they ran for the exit. Thankfully, level A was the least complicated and straightforward of the levels, so it didn’t take long before the sunlight shone through a set of sliding glass doors.

The moment Katherine got outside she froze.

The area was covered in flames, leaving a thick haze of smoke. In the middle of it all stood a shadow. Darkness cloaked the creature, blocking even the sun’s light from reaching it. Just visible through the dark haze was a pair of red eyes.

Something about those eyes felt oddly familiar.

“What the hell is that?!” Liane cried.

The beast roared, sending out a wave of heat. It was like standing in front of a massive oven. Katherine raised her arms in front of her face.

That’s Dorian, Katherine thought. But what happened to him? I never saw anything like it before. Is it because of the serum? What the hell did you do, Stephen?

Without thinking, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a Poké Ball. She didn’t even know if it would work on the shadow creature, but it was their only option.

She hurled the Poké Ball with all her strength into the center of the darkness. There came a loud pop and Dorian was swallowed up the ball. It bounced and rolled around violently before going still.

“Kitty Kat! Over here!”

Katherine quickly collected the Poké Ball and ran to Liane’s position by some bushes. Laying in the dirt, covered in soot and blood, were Velvet and Nina. Just barely, she could see their chests rising with their breaths.

“How did they get out here?”

“Does it matter? You still got more of those Master Balls? We can’t leave them here.”

Katherine quickly gave the remaining Poké Balls to Liane who captured the two Pokémon.

“Let’s go before we burn up out here,” Liane said.

Katherine nodded and they ran towards the river. Their cars were in the underground parking garage attached to the now burning facility which meant they had to go on foot. No way was she going back in there and risking getting caught in the blaze.

She shot one last look at the facility. It was done for. Anyone who hadn’t gotten out wasn’t going to.

Good riddance. She thought.

“Listen, Kat,” Liane said. “I think we should split up and lay low for a while. If anyone from RR survived that, they’ll be pissed.”

“Or they’ll run like us.”

“True. Anyway, I’ll contact you after I’ve heard from Underworld.”

“Don’t bother. After this, I think I’m taking a vacation.”

Liane laughed. “Yeah, I think I would want one too. So what are you going to do in the meantime?”

“I have a friend in Johto I can stay with. I want to get as far from Kalos as I can.”

There was another thing she didn’t mention. She was also going to see Ayumu because he could tell her what went wrong with Dorian. She needed to know if her serum caused this. She wouldn’t sleep well until she did.

****

Katherine paced in front of the machine. Dorian lay inside sleeping. He looked like a typical Houndoom. The typical black and orange fur, the typical horns, and the typical pointed tail. But she knew better—there was nothing typical about him. After what she saw, there was no convincing her otherwise.

The entire trip to her friend Ayumu had been beyond nerve-wracking. She feared Dorian popping out of his Poké Ball at any moment and destroying everything and everyone around him. Even when Ayumu suggested she release him, she feared for his safety. But nothing bad happened and Dorian had returned to his old self. The lack of sleep left her exhausted but she didn’t dare take her eyes off the Houndoom.

“I just don’t understand,” she said. “What happened to him? One minute he was fine, the next, he was”--she shuddered as she remembered the terrible form waiting for her outside the facility--“I don’t know what he was, but he looked nothing like that.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like it before either,” Ayumu replied. He straightened his glasses then typed commands into the keyboard. “But his vitals are stable whatever happened.” He pushed his wheelchair closer to the examination table. “What the hell did you get yourself into, Kat?”

“I honestly don’t know. There was never anything like that in any of the tests they ran.” She sighed heavily as she leaned on the wall. “Honestly, I don’t think I want to know.”

His research assistant, an Espeon named Moonlight, jumped into his lap. He chuckled and scratched the Pokémon behind the ears. “Yes, you’re right. Well, at least with the facility destroyed it means this atrocity is less likely to be repeated. Kat, you say there’s more Pokémon like this?”

Katherine nodded. “Two more. Nina and Velvet. Liane agreed to take them to Unova with her. There were others, but they didn’t make it.”

“From what you told me, it sounds like that’s for the best. But are you sure leaving them with someone else is a wise idea?”

“I figured it was better than keeping all three of them together. Besides, Liane’s trustworthy. She knows more about how they work than I do, and she has more connections so they’ll be safer with her.”

“Then why not leave her Dorian as well?”

She hadn’t thought about it. Keeping Dorian was far riskier than anything else, but at the time it just seemed right since she was the one who captured him.

How nice of you to think about doing the right thing for once, her mind chided.

She brushed the thought aside.

Ayumu continued to watch the monitor, occasionally scratching Moonlight behind the ears. She stood off the side, wondering what her next plan of action would be.

First she needed to do something about Dorian. Euthanization would probably be best. She was no hero, but whatever happened at the facility couldn’t be repeated.

That brought another thought to her mind. The lab in Kalos wasn’t the only one, she remembered being asked about transferring a Pokémon to another facility for testing. She had no idea what they were working on, but according to the rumors it was something big. Even Liane mentioned that Underworld had an interest in the serum and their experiments.

There were more Pokémon like Dorian out there. More of those walking time-bombs who could go off at any moment and result in the deaths of thousands.

And as the creator of the serum, her name was at the center of it all. The thought sickened her.

“I have to go back in,” she said.

“I’m sorry, what? Kat, are you insane? You got away from these monsters and you’re talking about going back?”

“I have to. They’re not going to stop just because their lab was destroyed. Besides, they’re using the serum they stole from me to do this.”

“Kat—”

“No, don’t try to talk me out of it. Those bastards took everything from me, my career, my life’s work. I’m not spending the rest of my life lumped in the same category as those bastards. They want to destroy the world, they can find someone else’s work to do it.”

Ayumu sighed and rubbed his head. “Kat, I understand how you feel—really, I do, but this isn’t a game. You have to leave things like this to the police.”

“They own the police. I go to the cops, I’ll be killed in an ‘accident’.”

“Fine, but what are you going to do with Dorian?”

“Well, he’ll need to be put down. You didn’t see what I saw, Ayumu. If he turns into…whatever that was, it’ll be bad.”

He looked down at Moonlight who looked back mournfully.

“I don’t like it either,” Ayumu said. “ But if he’s really that dangerous, it’ll be for the best.”

Moonlight huffed and turned back to the Houndoom.

“He’ll get over it,” Katherine said. “He can’t stay here. I won’t put you at risk like that.”

“I can look after myself.”

“Not against this you can’t. I don’t need your death on my conscience.”

Ayumu nodded and wheeled over to the cabinet and removed a vial and syringe. On the way back to the table, he looked as if he aged ten years.

“Would you like to say a few words, first?” he asked.

“Just get it overwith.”

Ayumu shook his head and filled the syringe. “What happened to you, Kat?”

“You know what happened. I learned how the world really worked.”

He inserted the needle in Dorian’s neck. The Houndoom didn’t even flinch.

That’s one down. Now to just convince Liane to do the same to the two she has.

“You know the world isn’t as cynical as you think,” Ayumu said.

“Easy for you to say when everything worked out for you.”

He laughed bitterly. “Yes, I’m so lucky I’ve been confined in this chair for the rest of my life.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

Moonlight’s cry cut her off. She and Ayumu whirled around. Dorian stood on the table looking at them all. He stretched and yawned.

“Didn’t you just--?” Katherine began.

“I did. He shouldn’t be moving right now. What did they do?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

****

Paul gripped the phone tighter, fighting the urge to toss it out of the window. Doing that would be a mistake, but he didn’t have the time nor patience to deal with this now.

It didn’t help the inside of the car was sweltering hot even with the air conditioning, but he didn’t want to leave the vehicle to have the conversation. The less these people knew about him the better.

A heavy sigh escaped him as he looked up at the warehouse in front of him. Just looking at the dilapidated house of death and depravity made him feel sick.

Why doesn’t she understand? I have to do this because no one else cares.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know where you went?” Angie asked.

He covered the mouthpiece so she wouldn’t hear him sigh. “Look, can we not do this now? I’m in the middle of something.”

“I know what you’re in the middle of! That’s the problem!”

“What the hell do you want from me, Ange?”

“I want you to stop with this stupid mission of yours before it gets you killed! It’s bad enough you’re giving away your family’s fortune to criminals!”

“Yeah, exactly. My family fortune. Not yours.” He immediately regretted the response. The silence was more than unnerving. He wanted her to shout, scream, curse—anything. Something to let him know he didn’t just mess as badly as he feared.

“Look, Ange, I--”

“No, no. I get it. Have fun throwing your life away.”

“I didn’t mean--”

The phone beeped, indicating she was gone. He sighed and tossed the cell into the back seat then dropped his head on the steering wheel.

“Real smart, dumbass,” he mumbled to no one. It wouldn’t surprise him to come home later and find the apartment empty.

He hesitated taking the keys out of the ignition and getting out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He should go straight home but turning his back on what he came to do left a bad taste in his mouth.

It didn’t take long before the warehouse door opened and Michal came out. Paul made no attempt to be friendly—he wasn’t in the mood for faking it. Paul hated everything about the man; the way he walked as if he owned the place, the way he smelled of metal and toilet cleaner, and most of all, that shit-eating grin on his face when he thought he had the upper hand.

Michal offered his hand while wearing that award-losing smile. “Hey, you made it! Glad you got my message.”

“You said you had something for me,” Paul replied curtly, ignoring the handshake. The sooner I get this over with, I sooner I can go home.

Michal didn’t miss a beat turning around waving for Paul to follow him back into the warehouse.

The place reeked of rusted metal and crushed hope. Paul focused on the back of the man’s head once they entered. It was the only way to ensure he wouldn’t lose his nerve. Rows upon rows of cages filled with captured Pokémon called out to him, destroying his will. Every few feet, a guard carrying a gun made sure to remind him of his place and what would happen if he tried anything stupid.

I’d buy each and every one of you if I could, but even I can’t afford that.

“Like I said, we just picked up a rare Pokémon from another region,” Michal said. “I know you usually come by at the end of the month, but since we go way back, I figured I’d let you in on this deal.”

Paul rolled his eyes. “Way back” was only two years ago and their relationship was anything but friendly.

They stopped in front of a large empty cage. The floor was covered in fresh blood. Paul tried to hide his nervousness. He wasn’t a cop but it wouldn’t end well if they thought he was. Every month it was strictly business. He came in, picked a lucky Pokémon to save, paid them, then left. He never even told anyone where he was getting them from.

Michal quickly turned to one of the guards nearby. “Hey! Where’s the Sceptile we just brought in?”

“She cut Jack real bad when he tried to feed her. The boss said she was a fighter and chose her for his team.”

Paul let out a sigh of relief. The more violent ones were always a hassle and he couldn’t risk another trip to the hospital.

“Oh come on!” Michal cried. “I already got a buyer lined up and everything!”

The guard shrugged. “Take it up with the boss.”

“It’s fine. I’ll get something else,” Paul said. The close call left him shaken and he wanted out as soon as possible.

“Nah, don’t worry. I got something real special for you. Follow me.”

He was led to the far end of the warehouse and down a flight of stairs. With every step, his trepidation grew. He didn’t even know this place had a basement.

At the bottom of the stairs was a padlocked door. Michal fished the key out of his pocket and unlocked it. They entered a cramped room full of large crates and empty cages.

Every part of him screamed to get out, but he knew it was too late for that. If anyone caught him wandering around unsupervised, he was as good as dead.

They reached another locked door which Michal opened and beckoned Paul inside before closing it behind them.

In the middle of the room was a tarp covering what Paul could only assume was another cage.

“When we picked up the Sceptile, I found something even better. No one else knows about her. I figured this was the kind of thing you would like.” He pulled back the tarp.

An Absol lay in the cage, but it was different from the usual species. Instead of a blue face and horn, this one was red and it had a marking on its left foreleg. Black stains dotted her white fur and there were streaks of red of what he could only assume were blood. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. The teal orbs showed no fear, no pain, no recognition. She opened her eyes further and sat up.

She’s completely obedient, Paul thought. Where the hell did you find this one? You’re in such a rush to get rid of her, you didn’t even clean her up properly. No way you plucked her out of the wild.

“Nice right?” Michal asked, flashing his grin. “It’s not every day we bring in a shiny.”

“I’ll take her. How much?”

The shit-eating grin got wider. Paul almost forgot where he was; he wanted so badly to smack the smirk off his face. “Seeing how she’s so rare and all, I’m thinking double the usual rate.”

“Are you serious?”

“Come on, man. I can charge 6 times that amount—I’m doing you a favor and getting you a crazy good deal! I didn’t need to call you, but I did because I know you’re good for it.”

Maybe it was the condition she was in, or maybe it was because he was wound so tight from fear that it started to have the opposite effect. Either way, he had enough of Michal and his game. The slimy bastard knew the Pokémon he picked up likely belonged to some serious people and that was why he was trying to pawn her off without going through the usual channels. It wasn’t his problem, but it could be if anything went wrong.

“First, you and I both know if word got out you kept this for yourself, your boss would skin you alive. You came to me because you know I won’t say anything.” He pointed to the Absol and noted how she didn’t so much as blink. “Second, look at the state she’s in. I can see dried blood under her nails and she looks half-dead! You wouldn’t be able to rent her to a collector at half the price. I’ll pay 1.5 and I’m feeling generous. You present another one like this again and I’ll charge you for wasting my time.”

Real ballsy of you to mouth off to a guy who could easily have you turned into Pokémon kibble, his mind chided. He didn’t care. Her condition was unacceptable even for poachers.

Michal shot him a nasty glare. “Fine. She’s all yours.”

Paul quickly pulled a Poké Ball out his pocket and tapped the Absol with it. The ball fell to the floor and clicked immediately.

Several muffled bangs appeared above their heads. It was quickly followed by several screams and angry shouts then more bangs followed.

Paul’s stomach fell. Those were gunshots.

“What the hell?” Michal asked. “That ain’t the cops, they always announce themselves.” He turned to Paul, his face pale. “You need to get out of here. Follow me, I’ll get you back to your car.”

Paul nodded. He couldn’t speak. The shooting was becoming more frequent and louder. He was so distracted, he didn’t help Michal move a bunch of boxes and open a hidden door.

“Come on unless you wanna wait for them to get down here!”

That snapped Paul of his stupor. He hurried into the tunnel behind Michal.

“What’s going on?! Who are those people?”

“Shut up and keep quiet.”

He did as he told though it didn’t quiet his thoughts. He couldn’t stop shaking. Those people had to be a rival group or maybe they were after the Absol he just captured.

He lifted the trap door and peeked outside. “Looks like the coast is clear. Your car is right next to us, you lucky bastard.” He pushed the door all the way open then climbed out. “Come on. Let’s go before--”

Just as Paul was reaching for his hand, Michal’s head lurched sideways. It was almost comical the way he landed in the dirt, rear pointed into the air.

Paul moved faster than he ever thought possible, running for the car a few feet away and diving through the open window. Angie always complained he had a bad habit of leaving the windows down but now he blessed himself for doing something so stupid. The rear window exploded, showering him with glass.

He turned on the ignition and slammed on the accelerator. He could barely see where he was driving, but he didn’t dare raise his head any higher. It wasn’t until the gunshots faded that he risked lifting his head to see where he was driving, but he didn’t slow down until he reached city limits.

****

No one greeted Paul at the apartment just as expected. Angie was not only gone, she took everything that belonged to her.

She was probably already packing while she was on the phone. It might be for the best, I think I really fucked up this time.

The drive home, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being followed. He drove around the block 8 times before parking down the street and walking the rest of the way. No one attacked him and he didn’t notice anyone, but the paranoia maintained a firm grip.

He took the Absol’s Poké Ball into the bathroom and released her. “All right. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

He expected her to put up a fight, but the Pokémon sat there patiently while he scrubbed her clean. During the bath, he found some cuts on her and made a mental note to clean those properly afterward.

Man, they really did a number on this one. I’m not sure I want to take you to the usual channels.

Usually, he dropped off the rescues at a Pokémon Day-Care that specialized in abused Pokémon. But something told him that would be the first place they would look if someone came looking for her.

After the bath, he dried her off then took her into the living room. He grabbed the first-aid kit and cleaned her cuts, bandaging the ones that looked serious. Once that was done, he got a bowl and some Pokémon food from the kitchen and set the kibble on the floor. The Absol wasted no time digging into the meal.

“No fear, huh? Listen, you probably can’t understand me, but I’m going to send you someplace safe. Whatever those people did to you, I promise you won’t ever suffer like that again.”

The Pokémon continued to stare at him, showing no acknowledgment of his words. He shrugged and waited for her to finish eating then called her back to her Poké Ball.

It was late, but he didn’t want to wait until morning. The sooner he got rid of this Absol the better.

He went straight to the Pokémon Center down the street. Thankfully, the nurse he needed to see was still on shift when he arrived.

“Hey, Paul! You’re up late.”

He walked up to the counter and lowered his voice. “Yeah, hi. Listen, I gotta make a quick transfer.”

The nurse looked around before nodding and motioning for him to follow her. He silently followed her into the hall.

“Listen, I think this might be the last one. Or at least I won’t be around for a while. I don’t know why but I can’t shake this feeling I stepped in something big this time.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, but I need to make sure this Pokémon gets a good home. She deserves that much.”

She led him to the staff computer room. She went alone then came back and said it was clear.

“You got 10 minutes. I left my username and password on the desk. Use the back exit when you’re done and make sure you log off.”

He wasted no time firing up the transfer system and calling his cousin. The moment the line started ringing, he placed the ball on the transporter and it disappeared in a flash of light.

Geoffrey’s tired face was a welcome sight in light of everything. “Huh? I was wondering why a Pokémon Center in Kalos was calling at this hour. Is everything okay? Why aren’t you using your--”

“Hey, I don’t have a lot of time. I’m sending something your way.”

Geoffrey adjusted his glasses and looked at the computer screen. “Huh? A Pokémon? Why are you sending me--”

“I found her abandoned on the road and figured she could use a good home. You know me, I’m hardly ever home so I don’t have time to look after a Pokémon. Besides, I figured Dani could use a friend besides that old-ass Houndoom you keep around.” He hated to do this, but Geoffrey lived halfway around the world and owned a Pokémon ranch in the middle of Johto. No one would bother searching there. Even better, Paul knew there were no official records linking the two of them together despite being relatives.

Who knew alientating yourself from your family would actually come in handy?

There came a loud bark before a female Houndoom appeared on the screen.

“When I say old, I mean it as a good thing.”

Helena snorted and disappeared from the screen. Geoffrey laughed. “You’re lucky there’s miles between you. She did not like that.” Geoffrey’s smile faded. “Seriously, what’s going on? You look like shit and you never call this late.”

“Sorry, I just—I got a lot of stuff on my plate, and I wanted to take care of this before things got out of hand.” He looked at his watch and saw his 10 minutes were up. “Listen, I gotta go. Say hi to Dani for me.” He hung up before Geoffrey could ask another question.

Just as the nurse asked, he logged off, ripped up the paper with her password on it, then left out the back exit.

The glow of the streetlamps seemed peaceful. It almost made him forget the threat of death looming overhead.

It’s done. I swear Ange, if I survive this, I’m done. No more rescues, I’ll leave that to the police, just like you asked.

Post-Story Notes

So I imagine there are some questions about where this sits in the timeline and whatnot so here’s the most obvious stuff out of the way:

First, this story starts 15 years before Tainted Glory.

Second, this story follows the timeline up to generation 7 (Sun and Moon). Actually, it’s been in production since BEFORE Sun and Moon, and yes, I’ve been working on it that long. It will not include anything from generation 8 onwards because I’ve stalled this long enough and I’m not going to keep rewriting things for every new game.

Next, the lore will be based mostly on the games and my imagination, but will not be following game mechanics. This is because there are many discrepancies between the games, show, and manga and it’s way easier to just pick one and stick with it.

Lastly, there will be no porn. Maybe some sexual references/nudity but don’t expect things to get steamy. If you follow my work, you already know I don’t write x-rated content. If you’re new here, now you know.

If I haven’t chased you away by now. Show the story some love and make sure to subscribe/watch for notifications on when the next chapter goes up. It may be non-profit, but I’m giving this my all just like everything else.

That’s all. Stay safe and I’ll see you for the next exciting chapter.