Atlas stood, looking at the red screen in front of him. It had been 2 days since Growlithe joined them. Looking up he saw Buneary trying to explain something to Growlithe clearly failing to do so from the frustration he felt through the link. His estimation through the forest had been wildly off, thinking that they'd be able to get through within a day or two yet only to the edge of the forest after 4 days, making it nearly as long as just going around the ravine.
He looked back down at the screen, seeing it display his new stats after 2 days of battle and training.
Name: Atlas Eterna
Egg Group: Human-like
Age: 16
Level: 3 (56%)
Ability: ???
----- Stats -----
Body – 6 (+2)
Mind – 6 (+0)
Energy – 4 (+1)
----- Bounded Pokemon -----
Buneary (Info) Growlithe (Info)
Atlas looked through his stats happy to see his growth in strength, but disappointed to see that his ability was still hidden behind the question marks. Dismissing the thought, he decided to look at his pokemon's improvements knowing how hard they've been training the past few days opening up Buneary's first.
Species: Buneary (Alpha)
Egg Group: Human-like
Level: 4 (74%)
Ability: Limber
----- Stats -----
Body: 7 (+1)
Mind – 5 (+2)
Energy – 5 (+2)
He was happy to see the improvements and his team getting stronger together. Opening up Growlithes to check his stats next.
Species: Growlithe
Egg Group: Field
Level: 3 (34%)
Ability: Flash Fire
----- Stats -----
Body – 7
Mind – 2
Energy – 3
Seeing his stats for the first time Atlas was impressed with how high his Body stat was considering his level and his other stats, but taking one look at Growlithe and seeing him confused at Buneary's instructions made sense why his Mind was at 2.
Closing the windows he walking towards them holding them apart as Buneary had had enough of Growlithe's 'stupidity' as she phrased it and decided to jump at him.
Atlas sighed looking between the two. "You guys need to start getting along with each other, how else are we going to work as a team?" He said, releasing his hands from them.
'Well maybe if he could get anything through that head of his, then it wouldn't be so hard,' she said, her frustration clear, tapping the ground with her foot.
'I already told you I have a hard time learning new things,' Growlithe whined, looking at Buneary with pleading eyes, then at Atlas hoping he could help him.
'That still doesn't excuse you from being dumb, because how did you manage to use ember when I asked you to use tackle!' Her frustration became more adamant as time went on.
'I'm sorry,' Growlithe said, his ears drooping causing Buneary to feel bad as Atlas gave her a look before moving to comfort Growlithe.
Buneary sighed realizing that she may have gone too far, 'It's fine, we can always practice again some other time until you get it down.' She said, causing Growlithe's ears to perk up and look at her with big eyes.
'Really? You mean it?' He said, looking at her with those beady eyes.
'Yea- What are you doing?! Get off me! When did you become so strong?!' Before Buneary could finish attacking her with his signature slobber attack causing Atlas to laugh as he watched Buneary struggle.
'Don't just stand there, help!' She said before getting smothered again by Growlithe.
A few minutes later, after everything had settled down and Atlas had separated Growlithe from her telling him he needed to respect her boundaries, her fur going in every direction.
"Alright, we need to get going out of this forest and to the nearest town, we're running out of supplies." Atlas said, gathering up his backpack and slinging it over, with Buneary jumping on his shoulder and Growlithe running by his side.
A couple hours later they finally made it out of the forest welcomed by the sight of a grassy plains and the bright sun after days of a cool shade.
Pulling out the map Atlas spread it open to look for the closest town, seeing one not too far from here he put the map back and set his sights in the direction of the town.
"Alright, you guys ready to go?" he asked getting their confirmation before going.
'Yup.' They both said in unison, letting Atlas know they were ready.
For the next couple of hours, they walked in silence not encountering any pokemon on the way with only Growlithe chasing after dandelions as they floated around giving some entertainment for Atlas.
Just as the sun started to dip below the horizon, they made it to the town, a quiet and unamusing place with a stale mood around it. Walking through the town Atlas noticed the stale mood of the people and the odd lack of pokemon on the streets creating a haunted atmosphere. Reaching an inn, they could sleep at for the night, Atlas pushed through the doors walking towards the front desk.
"Hey, do you think I'd be able to register a room here tonight?" Atlas asked the woman at the counter. He waited for a response as she wrote something down.
She looked up, a smile on her face that seemed to vanish the moment her eyes fell on Buneary, before forcing it on again, "Yes, how many nights would you like to book?" she asked, pulling out another new paper.
"Just one night is enough." Atlas said, fidgeting with his hands.
After writing something down and Atlas paying for the room—crying internally at how expensive it was—the woman gave him his room key and his room number, sending him on his way.
"Thanks," he said, his voice callous grabbing the key and walking with Growlithe and Buneary to the room at the end of the hall.
Opening the door, Atlas was met with a plain room with a simple queen-sized bed and some drawers for storage. He sat down on the bed as Buneary hopped off his shoulder while Growlithe walks around the room, inspecting it for anything that might bring them harm.
Atlas sighed, falling back onto the bed staring up at the ceiling. "You both felt it too, right?" He asked.
'Yes, something is off in this town,' Buneary said cautiously. 'We should have left as soon as possible.' Growlithe reciprocating her feelings of unease through the link before continuing his inspection.
"I know, but we need to restock on supplies, and there isn't another town for another couple days, so we'll get what we need and then leave the town, alright?" Atlas said, trying to provide a compromise for the situation.
'Alright, but we need to stick together and be careful. We're strangers here.' Buneary said, agreeing to his compromise but still cautious.
Growlithe, having finished his inspection finding nothing out of place, jumped on the bed with them and rubbed up against Atlas as he pet him. Atlas, feeling a tinge of jealousy through the link, turned to look at Buneary.
"You know if you want, I can pet you too?" Atlas said, looking at Buneary with a smile, trying to hide his laughter.
'I'm fine. I don't need to be pet like that idiot,' she said, her feelings betraying her thoughts.
Moving his hand otherwise, he softly pet the fur on her head, making sure to avoid her ears. Despite not needing to be pet according to her, she sat through it, allowing him to pet her.
After spending some time together, they went to sleep. Buneary rested on his chest, and he could feel her heartbeat slow as she fell asleep. Growlithe, at his feet, was a source of warmth the heat radiating from him, keeping them warm. Waking up the next morning, his hands feeling sore after being squished into an awkward position all night. He gently moved his pokemon to the side to allow them some more time to get some rest.
After getting ready, Atlas went into the shower, shoulders slumping as he felt the warm water run down his back. It had been nearly a week since he last had a warm shower, with them having to bathe in rivers or ponds they came across in the forest.
Getting out of the bathroom, he saw both Buneary and Growlithe awake. He opened the blinds to let in the morning sun, letting its warmth wash over them.
"Alright, guys, time for you to get a bathe. You really need it, especially you, Growlithe." Atlas said pushing the door to the bathroom door open and holding it for them. Buneary went through without question, but Growlithe, on the other hand, hid a chair off to the side.
"Growlithe, you need a bath. There's no getting out of it. You'll be fine it won't hurt you." Atlas said, keeping his voice soft to reassure him.
Peaking his head out the side of the chair, 'you promise?' Growlithe asked, his childlike mentality pushing through.
"Yes, I promise, and if you feel bad, I'll take you out," Atlas said. Growlithe, still skeptical moved slowly from behind the chair and into the bathroom. Atlas walked in behind him, closing the door as he began to fill up the tub with Buneary and Growlithe waiting by his side.
After it filled up, Atlas motioned for them to get in. Buneary hopped in first, already used to the water, but Growlithe, after hesitantly sticking a paw in first, went to the extreme and cannonballed right into the tub splashing water everywhere into bathroom including onto the recently dried Atlas.
Growlithe stuck his head out of the water, his tongue out, his tail swishing in the water. Atlas watched in shock, but through the link, he could feel Buneary's frustration as she seemed to grumble to herself. She sent a thought that was something along the lines of, 'We could have picked anyone, and we picked him.'
Atlas sighed and grabbed the soap, beginning to wash Buneary. He started at her head, gently moving to her ears and washing them, before moving down to her body. As he did, he came across a small bump on her chest. He tried to gently pull on it, thinking it was a seed that got stuck in her fur. He stopped when he heard Buneary let out a low moan. Realizing his mistake, his face flushed red with embarrassment, and he quickly moved his hands away.
"Sorry," he said, looking away in shame.
She didn't respond, but he could feel her embarrassment through the link as well, as she sat there, sinking further into the water. Growlithe, oblivious to the situation, jumped out of the water, his fear of it nowhere to be seen, and onto Atlas, soaking him in water.
Atlas picked Growlithe up, a sigh escaping him as he looked down at his soaked clothes. He put Growlithe back in the water and began to wash him down. By the time Growlithe was done with his bath, Buneary had already gotten out of the water and dried herself. She stood in the corner, the air between her and Atlas thick with awkwardness. Her embarrassment was still apparent through the link.
They packed up what they had and left the room. Buneary rode on Atlas's shoulder, ignoring him, while Growlithe walked beside him. Atlas, remembering that he would need to find a Fire Stone for Growlithe to evolve, began to look for a shop that might sell them.
As they walked down the streets, continuing their search for a Pokemon shop, the same atmosphere of gloom surrounded the town. Suddenly, Atlas noticed Growlithe stopping, his nose twitching.
"What's wrong Growlithe?" Atlas asked, stopping as well.
Growlithe didn't answer, he turned and ran directly into the forest, his body a blur as he dived into the foliage.
"Growlithe!" Atlas yelled, catching the attention of the people surrounding them as he ran after Growlithe, following the direction he took. Buneary held on tight, her body pressed against his as they maneuvered around the branches and bushes.
Coming into a clearing Atlas saw Growlithe, his ears twitching as he stood there.
Atlas stood bent over as he caught his breath, "Growlithe, why'd you run away like that?" he asked, before standing straight. Getting view of a laboratory building that he didn't notice earlier, a wave of confusion washing over him.
'Death.' Growlithe said cryptically.
"Huh?" Atlas said, even more confused. He felt Buneary tense seemingly catching onto what Growlithe was talking about.
'The smell of death, like that I've smelled before, is coming from inside there.' Growlithe said growling, his fur on end.
'He's right, I smell it too, it's the same as from the battle with the Arcanine and Houndoom,' Buneary added, confirming Growlithes suspicions.
His expression turning serious, Atlas notices that he door is slightly ajar, wondering if someone may have died or gotten hurt in there he slowly approached the lab. The smell hit him like a hammer, the smell of flesh, rotting flesh, but he pushed forward reaching the door.
Pushing it open the smell intensified, Buneary and Growlithe still by his side, but he could see how the smell was affecting them with their enhanced sense of smell.
What he saw in there made Atlas's eyes widen before he almost threw up what little food he'd eaten that morning before holding it down, Growlithe hiding behind Atlas as Buneary held on tightly to Atlas.
On a surgical table in the middle of the room lay a pokemon, more specifically what was left of it. Its chest and abdomen wide open for the world to see its insides, body parts that didn't belong to it crudely attached blood spilled on the table and the floor.
'Atlas, we need to leave.' Buneary said after taking in what they just saw. Atlas agreed turning around to leave before he caught something in his eye, it was a stack of folders, curiosity taking over hoping to find some answers he grabbed the one at the top of the pile.
'Atlas we shouldn't be here, we need to leave.' Buneary warned seeing him grab the folder, Growlithe agreeing with her as he watched the door.
"I know, but there might be something to answer what this is in here." He said trying to convince her to let him look at it.
'Fine, but we need to leave soon we don't know when the owners will come back,' she said, knowing someone must have done this. Nodding Atlas turn his attention back to the folder reading aloud the name at the top.
"'The Chrysalis Initiative'?" Flipping open the folder he was met with graphics worse than what they just saw, images of dissected pokemon taken apart and then put together again with other body parts.
Continuing to read seeing notes on the failed experiments talking about how they needed more resources, with the next note stating how they were successful in capturing and stealing someone else's pokemon for experimentation.
At the end of the folder was a manifesto of sorts reading it through the link so Buneary and Growlithe could understand.
A new Genesis:
Author: R̷̨͎̭͕̻̗͓͕̮̪̟̯̫̈́̏̉͆͐͒Ȩ̸͔̙̑̅̊͗͋̀̍̏̈́͐̊̋̚D̴̟̗͔̮͍͎͔̮̂̾̾̍̇͘͜ͅẠ̷̢̧̢̤̣͈̼̝̻̩̋̒̋̆͌͊̐̄͛̕͜͝C̵̨̙͚͓͂̈̑̐̍̄̓̚͝T̵̰̃Ê̴͕͔̼̺͖̳͍̺̰̹̦͍̲̈́̋̀̃̿̑̉̄̋̚͝͝D̴̃̾̎̚͜͠
Date: R̷̨͎̭͕̻̗͓͕̮̪̟̯̫̈́̏̉͆͐͒Ȩ̸͔̙̑̅̊͗͋̀̍̏̈́͐̊̋̚D̴̟̗͔̮͍͎͔̮̂̾̾̍̇͘͜ͅẠ̷̢̧̢̤̣͈̼̝̻̩̋̒̋̆͌͊̐̄͛̕͜͝C̵̨̙͚͓͂̈̑̐̍̄̓̚͝T̵̰̃Ê̴͕͔̼̺͖̳͍̺̰̹̦͍̲̈́̋̀̃̿̑̉̄̋̚͝͝D̴̃̾̎̚͜͠
The chaotic nature of evolution has brought about a flawed and fragile existence. We see it every day: pokemon succumb to the elements, to disease, to the very predators they were "designed" to avoid. Even the bond, so cherished by trainers, is a weak and sentimental crutch, a weakness that chains pokemon to a flawed partner.
We will change that. We have discovered a new path—a path to perfection. By Synthesizing pokemon together, we can force perfection: the evolution of a species through the union of genetics and biological parts to create a GOD. We are not making monsters, nor are we destroying. We are refining, breaking the shackles of imperfections that people call nature, and paving the way for perfection.
Our failures are but mere stepping stones. The crude, unstable forms we have created are just glances at what is to come. But with research in multiple facilities, we have confirmed our theories, and in time we shall create perfection.
The ultimate being—the Chrysalis Pokemon—will be a single, unstoppable entity, a testament to our vision. It will be immune to the weaknesses of its predecessors and a beacon of a new, perfected world. What we are doing is for the good of the world. For those that stand in our way, remember this: you are fighting against progress.
Atlas stared at the content for a moment longer, the full weight of what he'd just read settling over him. An organization that was essentially trying to rewrite the world, trying to play as a god. The thought of such a thing sending shivers down him.
'Atlas!' Buneary's voice interrupted his thoughts, a jolt of fear running through their link. 'There are people coming this way! We need to hide!'
Panic began to rise in his chest. The place had looked so abandoned, with dust forming on the counters, but the sound of footsteps was getting closer. He grabbed Growlithe and moved quickly, sliding under a table in the corner of the room. He had just gotten them settled when the door was shoved open, the sound echoing throughout the room.
Two sets of footsteps could be heard before they came to a stop. Then, with a loud crash, something metal hit the floor. Atlas and his pokemon flinched but remained still, not daring to make a sound.
"FUCK!" a man's voice yelled, followed by more crashing sounds. "How'd they find out?! I made sure we only took from unremarkable people that nobody cared about!"
"It was inevitable," a woman's voice replied, her tone cold and devoid of emotion. "I warned you the police would get suspicious with so many disappearances."
"The boss is going to be disappointed about this," the man ranted, barely containing his rage. "Only failures, that's all we've been able to produce, and now we have the cops investigating what's happening. How much more fucked up could this get!?"
"We'll be fine," she said, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "I've already called for the 'Cleaners' to come and make sure no one knows about what happened here." A shudder ran through Atlas as he listened to her, and he could feel Buneary's and Growlithe's fear as well.
The man remained silent, then footsteps could be heard moving away from them. "Fine, grab the files. We're leaving."
Atlas didn't dare move, even minutes after they left. His mind was still trying to process what he had just read and what he had just heard. He wasn't a hero. He didn't have the power to change the world, and he knew it. He waited for a few more minutes, his heart pounding in his ears, before he slowly made his way to the door, peeking out to make sure that no one was out there.
He quickly ran back through the forest until he could see the town. He stopped in the trees just before it, putting Growlithe down as Buneary took her spot on his shoulder again.
"Not one word of this to anyone," Atlas said, his voice low and serious. "We don't know who we can trust here."
Buneary and Growlithe both nodded, their fear palpable through the link. Atlas pulled out his map, his hands still shaking. The town, once a place of safety, was now a danger. He had to find a new way to Veridia City. He looked at the map, then at the road ahead, and back at the forest. They were alone. They were out of supplies. And now, for all he knew, they were involved in something that could be the end of the world itself.
Putting the map away, he took one last look at the town. He didn't want to risk a confrontation with the "cleanup crew" after so many people saw them run in the direction of the lab. He turned, and with Buneary on his shoulder and Growlithe by his side, he walked into the forest, following a new path to Veridia City.