[DISCLAIMER - This chapter may not be for the faint of heart. You have been warned.]
Derrick allowed his eyes to glance at his counterpart occasionally as they made their way down Route 8 toward Celadon City. Red easily cut through the various trainers that challenged him on the way, but there was a different air about him that made Derrick uneasy. He knew that, somehow, Red was angry at him for letting the Raticate die. He felt bad about it, too, not being used to Pokemon ceasing to exist instead of simply lying immobile in his team's list, awaiting recovery at the Pokemon Center. But how was he to know?
"Red?"
The trainer made a silent acknowledgement toward the boy.
"I think I know what might cheer you up. A bit later on, we'll be able to try and find MissingNo."
...What's MissingNo.?
"It's a glitch that--"
Glitch?
Derrick cursed under his breath at making another game reference. He bit his lip and rapidly scrambled around in his mind for a cover up.
"Sorry, I didn't mean glitch. It's this extremely rare Pokemon that no-one's ever seen or caught, and it's really difficult and dangerous to find. It lives in the ocean. Think you're up to finding and catching it?"
Hmm...that'd be interesting. But how do you know about it if no-one's ever seen or caught it?
"Because I'm God, remember?" he blurted, wishing he could kick himself for saying so.
Suddenly, Derrick's vision went completely white. He covered his eyes and groaned, but the white remained strong in his sight. His head pounded softly as he heard his name being called. His stomach gave an all-too familiar heave as, after what seemed like hours of staring into a white void, he regained his vision just in time for a prepared hand to slap him across the face. He rubbed his cheek and looked around in bewilderment.
"Dude, are you okay!?" came the voice of Scott. He was back in his friend's room with a sore cheek and a queasy stomach.
"What happened..?" was the first thing he could muster. Scott knelt before a dimmed GameBoy SP that had clattered to the floor when he smacked Derrick.
"Turn this thing off and let's find a place to burn it. You've been playing that Pokemon stuff for waaaaay too long." Derrick knit his brows together.
"What was I doing?"
"You had your head leaned against my bed as you were playing on that thing, and you had the creepiest face, too. It's like you were possessed or something!"
"I was out of the zone, that's all..." Scott set the SP on his bed and grabbed Derrick by the shoulders.
"Dude...you weren't even looking at the screen and you had played for like, 10 minutes before I finally decided to try and shake you out of it. You just had this blank expression on your face. That thing's taking over your head!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derrick sighed as he paced the coast of Cinnabar Island, trying to perform the Old Man Glitch. I flew to Viridian City to talk to the old man, but why isn't MissingNo. popping up now? I'm not even getting any other Pokemon... He clacked his tongue in frustration and allowed Red to cross onto the shore again; he needed to continue on into the Pokemon Mansion anyway so he could take on the gym leader.
"Derrick, it's 1am! Lights out!"
"'Kay, mom," Derrick responded, pulling the switch on his bedside lamp and leaning against his pillow as he maneuvered Red into the mansion. As Red took his first steps into the mansion, he stopped, and a text box appeared beneath him on the screen. It read:
RED: Nice try.
Derrick's eyes widened as he stared dumbly at the screen, rereading the text. Had Red just spoken to him through the game? Pulling his bed covers to his chin, he flicked the SP's power off and laid the device on the floor, rolling over and nestling into his covers. He needed some sleep.
That evening, Derrick dreamed vividly. A pale body loomed behind him as he walked in the void of his dream. As he caught a glimpse of it, he began to jog in an attempt to shrug the entity from his presence, but it only got closer. He dared not look back at it as his jog soon turned into a run, then a sprint. Still the body stayed close to him, arms reaching out. Suddenly, Derrick was jerked into the creature's grasp. The entity faced him about and ferociously began clawing at his chest cavity. Derrick could only watch in horror, looking dead into the face of his captor. It was a little boy with bright, red eyes, dark hair, and a Pokemon cap.
A Gamer Chick's Life in College (and Fangirlism)
30 July 2012
23 July 2012
Red is DEAD!
Nooonono, this has nothing at all to do with my little story chapters. This is an entirely different manner of exclamation.
Last night I accomplished something that I had only dreamed of accomplishing, something that I never thought I'd have the patience and courage to do. Last night, I climbed Mt. Silver in my cartridge of Pokemon Heart Gold with this team:
Zippity (Jolteon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Essence (Espeon) ♀ - Lv. 70
Venom (Umbreon) ♂ - Lv. 66
Dipper (Vaporeon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Calor (Flareon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Dominic (Rhyhorn) ♂ - Lv. 35 (As an...HM whore.)
I had plenty...PLENTY of medicine with me, because honestly, I'm not the aggressive sort of gamer - not unless I absolutely must be. That being said, sometimes I cut corners because I have so much medicine.
Regardless, I took my team, climbed Mt. Silver, and promptly kicked Pokemon Trainer Red where the babies float.
No...actually, it was more interesting than that. See here for yourself.
As a disclaimer, this was a 25-minute-long battle, so I had to speed it up. Also, I've no idea why the camera kept refocusing. Hopefully you can still see well. I took the most ghetto of means to record this: my cell phone, taped to a plastic sweets box my boyfriend's mother got me for Christmas last year...yup.
I know those of you who've already beaten Red are probably ready to give some nice, critical comments about my form. Well MURRH. I'm proud of this accomplishment. He should have had more heals, being up there on that mountain all alone.
It was, I cannot deny, THE CLOSEST battle I have ever encountered. Once false move at the end and I would be throwing my DS against the wall on sheer rage and impulse. (Thank you, Zippity~)
Thankfully, though, that wasn't the case.
Don't worry - my next post will almost definitely be a new chapter.
My heart is simply still jittery from that battle. Thank you for reading this little ditty! Now I can truly call myself a Pokemon nerd.
- Churl
Last night I accomplished something that I had only dreamed of accomplishing, something that I never thought I'd have the patience and courage to do. Last night, I climbed Mt. Silver in my cartridge of Pokemon Heart Gold with this team:
Zippity (Jolteon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Essence (Espeon) ♀ - Lv. 70
Venom (Umbreon) ♂ - Lv. 66
Dipper (Vaporeon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Calor (Flareon) ♂ - Lv. 68
Dominic (Rhyhorn) ♂ - Lv. 35 (As an...HM whore.)
I had plenty...PLENTY of medicine with me, because honestly, I'm not the aggressive sort of gamer - not unless I absolutely must be. That being said, sometimes I cut corners because I have so much medicine.
Regardless, I took my team, climbed Mt. Silver, and promptly kicked Pokemon Trainer Red where the babies float.
No...actually, it was more interesting than that. See here for yourself.
As a disclaimer, this was a 25-minute-long battle, so I had to speed it up. Also, I've no idea why the camera kept refocusing. Hopefully you can still see well. I took the most ghetto of means to record this: my cell phone, taped to a plastic sweets box my boyfriend's mother got me for Christmas last year...yup.
I know those of you who've already beaten Red are probably ready to give some nice, critical comments about my form. Well MURRH. I'm proud of this accomplishment. He should have had more heals, being up there on that mountain all alone.
It was, I cannot deny, THE CLOSEST battle I have ever encountered. Once false move at the end and I would be throwing my DS against the wall on sheer rage and impulse. (Thank you, Zippity~)
Thankfully, though, that wasn't the case.
Don't worry - my next post will almost definitely be a new chapter.
My heart is simply still jittery from that battle. Thank you for reading this little ditty! Now I can truly call myself a Pokemon nerd.
- Churl
10 July 2012
Chapter 7 - Disaster
"It wouldn't really do any good for us to go in there yet, Red," Derrick remarked after he saw Red's static figure heading toward the looming Pokemon Tower. He looked up at its disturbing beauty - what a notorious city this place was to begin with, but what a chill Derrick got from looking up at the many storeys this building could cast upon him in ways he couldn't experience while looking down at his GameBoy screen.
What's wrong with going in now?
"This is Pokemon Tower, and it's filled with ghost Pokemon."
I don't fear ghosts...besides, I have you with me, God.
Derrick flinched at this name. He hated being referred to as someone he clearly wasn't. Attempting to shrug it off, he came to Red and gently grasped his shoulders.
"It won't do any good right now to barge in. The ghosts are shrouded as mist that scares your Pokemon motionless. Let's take the western Route to Celadon city, and we'll find a device that'll uncover the ghosts' true identities. Until then, it's useless to go inside." He gently tugged on Red's shoulder to guide him away from the towering building, but the character wouldn't budge.
"What's wrong?"
...I want to go inside anyway.
"But there's no use in--"
I believe what you said, God...I just feel like I should go inside anyway. And it feels odd...I've never felt obligated like this. Just let me do this, God...please?
Derrick felt strange about Red being so adamant to go in a direction he had specifically stated was useless...almost as though he were pressing to the left on the D-Pad of his handheld, but his character was going to the right. He wasn't used to it.
"Alright," he muttered, releasing Red's shoulder, "if you feel so sure about it."
As the two crossed the threshold into the Pokemon Tower, Derrick could almost feel the essence of being in a cemetery. Frozen trainers stood among erect tombstones, staring. Female mediums mingled between others, their squared movements reminding him of spirit possession and sending a chill down his spine. He just wanted to get this over with so they could head toward Celadon City.
"Blue is upstairs waiting to battle you, Red," Derrick called over his shoulder as he headed toward the staircase that led to the second floor. As Red followed behind him, sure enough, Blue was in plain sight. He stood facing one of the many tombstones that filled up space in the tower. Finally he turned toward the two, and statically moved his body between them without any sort of acknowledgement, going down to the first floor. Derrick raised an eyebrow.
"...He was supposed to fight you," he exclaimed softly. "You were supposed to face him and his Pokemon so that you could advance to the next floors." Red seemed too distracted with everything around him to notice him talking.
Are there any wild Pokemon on this floor, God...?
"No...this is a special floor. You're supposed to face off against Blue on this floor...why did he just leave?"
...He left a Pokeball behind.
"What are you talking about?" Derrick turned to Red, who was pointing toward the tombstone he once saw Blue standing in front of. At the foot of the tombstone lie a Pokeball. Derrick swallowed, and muttered, "Pick it up." As Red obeyed, the ball suddenly flashed, and released a captive Pokemon inside. It was a Raticate. Blue's Raticate. Red knelt by it, a soft pang of sadness flashing for a moment in his blank eyes.
God, it's hurt. It's been poisoned in battle or something...what do we do?
"What!?" Derrick blurted, remembering that Blue was without a Raticate after the battle with him on the S.S. Anne. Did he just leave it here to faint...?
"We have to take it to a Pokemon Center, of course. Come on!"
No, God. It's too weak. It won't make it to the Pokemon Center. We have to give it some potions, or an antidote first. I have some, let me--
"Don't worry about those. The Pokemon Center is free, and those aren't. Let's just take it with us. It'll be easier."
But...it won't make it if we take it with us. The poison will spread too quickly.
"Then we'll worry about it after we get there. Come on, Red!"
Can I please just give it one--
"It's not that big of a deal, Red. We can heal it at the Pokemon Center. Now, come on."
Red remained at the Raticate's side motionless for a while, his hat obscuring his face more than Derrick had seen before. Finally, the trainer scooped the Pokemon in his arms and carried it with him as he and Derrick made their way back downstairs. Suddenly, Derrick heard the Raticate's crying sound, only it was more low-pitched, and slower. As though it had fainted. Crap...
I told you it wouldn't make it...
"Hey, at least we can take it to the Pokemon Center and heal it up, now." Suddenly, Red stopped.
...What?
"That's what I've been saying this whole time, Red. We'll take it to the Pokemon Center, whether or not it's fainted, and have it all better in a matter of seconds."
What are you talking about...!?
Derrick swiveled to face the trainer, startled. Red had always been very monotonous in his character; he had never heard him raise his voice before.
You think this Raticate fainted?
"Well, yeah...isn't that what happened?"
When Pokemon lose the will to keep going, they don't faint. They die. In a Trainer battle, Pokemon are knocked out, but in the wild, they're killed. This Raticate was poisoned, and was going to die. That's why I kept suggesting we give it an antidote so that it would stop suffering. THEN we could take it to the Pokemon Center.
Derrick stood there, bewildered. The Pokemon had died...? He was so used to Pokemon being as good as new upon a simple trip to the Pokemon Center. It had never occurred to him that one could lose a Pokemon by circumstances like this. Red carried the Raticate toward an empty tombstone, and gently set its corpse inside, pausing silently for a moment, and standing to join Derrick stiffly.
Your ignorance made an innocent Pokemon die...but whatever, I guess...let's go to the next town....God...
What's wrong with going in now?
"This is Pokemon Tower, and it's filled with ghost Pokemon."
I don't fear ghosts...besides, I have you with me, God.
Derrick flinched at this name. He hated being referred to as someone he clearly wasn't. Attempting to shrug it off, he came to Red and gently grasped his shoulders.
"It won't do any good right now to barge in. The ghosts are shrouded as mist that scares your Pokemon motionless. Let's take the western Route to Celadon city, and we'll find a device that'll uncover the ghosts' true identities. Until then, it's useless to go inside." He gently tugged on Red's shoulder to guide him away from the towering building, but the character wouldn't budge.
"What's wrong?"
...I want to go inside anyway.
"But there's no use in--"
I believe what you said, God...I just feel like I should go inside anyway. And it feels odd...I've never felt obligated like this. Just let me do this, God...please?
Derrick felt strange about Red being so adamant to go in a direction he had specifically stated was useless...almost as though he were pressing to the left on the D-Pad of his handheld, but his character was going to the right. He wasn't used to it.
"Alright," he muttered, releasing Red's shoulder, "if you feel so sure about it."
As the two crossed the threshold into the Pokemon Tower, Derrick could almost feel the essence of being in a cemetery. Frozen trainers stood among erect tombstones, staring. Female mediums mingled between others, their squared movements reminding him of spirit possession and sending a chill down his spine. He just wanted to get this over with so they could head toward Celadon City.
"Blue is upstairs waiting to battle you, Red," Derrick called over his shoulder as he headed toward the staircase that led to the second floor. As Red followed behind him, sure enough, Blue was in plain sight. He stood facing one of the many tombstones that filled up space in the tower. Finally he turned toward the two, and statically moved his body between them without any sort of acknowledgement, going down to the first floor. Derrick raised an eyebrow.
"...He was supposed to fight you," he exclaimed softly. "You were supposed to face him and his Pokemon so that you could advance to the next floors." Red seemed too distracted with everything around him to notice him talking.
Are there any wild Pokemon on this floor, God...?
"No...this is a special floor. You're supposed to face off against Blue on this floor...why did he just leave?"
...He left a Pokeball behind.
"What are you talking about?" Derrick turned to Red, who was pointing toward the tombstone he once saw Blue standing in front of. At the foot of the tombstone lie a Pokeball. Derrick swallowed, and muttered, "Pick it up." As Red obeyed, the ball suddenly flashed, and released a captive Pokemon inside. It was a Raticate. Blue's Raticate. Red knelt by it, a soft pang of sadness flashing for a moment in his blank eyes.
God, it's hurt. It's been poisoned in battle or something...what do we do?
"What!?" Derrick blurted, remembering that Blue was without a Raticate after the battle with him on the S.S. Anne. Did he just leave it here to faint...?
"We have to take it to a Pokemon Center, of course. Come on!"
No, God. It's too weak. It won't make it to the Pokemon Center. We have to give it some potions, or an antidote first. I have some, let me--
"Don't worry about those. The Pokemon Center is free, and those aren't. Let's just take it with us. It'll be easier."
But...it won't make it if we take it with us. The poison will spread too quickly.
"Then we'll worry about it after we get there. Come on, Red!"
Can I please just give it one--
"It's not that big of a deal, Red. We can heal it at the Pokemon Center. Now, come on."
Red remained at the Raticate's side motionless for a while, his hat obscuring his face more than Derrick had seen before. Finally, the trainer scooped the Pokemon in his arms and carried it with him as he and Derrick made their way back downstairs. Suddenly, Derrick heard the Raticate's crying sound, only it was more low-pitched, and slower. As though it had fainted. Crap...
I told you it wouldn't make it...
"Hey, at least we can take it to the Pokemon Center and heal it up, now." Suddenly, Red stopped.
...What?
"That's what I've been saying this whole time, Red. We'll take it to the Pokemon Center, whether or not it's fainted, and have it all better in a matter of seconds."
What are you talking about...!?
Derrick swiveled to face the trainer, startled. Red had always been very monotonous in his character; he had never heard him raise his voice before.
You think this Raticate fainted?
"Well, yeah...isn't that what happened?"
When Pokemon lose the will to keep going, they don't faint. They die. In a Trainer battle, Pokemon are knocked out, but in the wild, they're killed. This Raticate was poisoned, and was going to die. That's why I kept suggesting we give it an antidote so that it would stop suffering. THEN we could take it to the Pokemon Center.
Derrick stood there, bewildered. The Pokemon had died...? He was so used to Pokemon being as good as new upon a simple trip to the Pokemon Center. It had never occurred to him that one could lose a Pokemon by circumstances like this. Red carried the Raticate toward an empty tombstone, and gently set its corpse inside, pausing silently for a moment, and standing to join Derrick stiffly.
Your ignorance made an innocent Pokemon die...but whatever, I guess...let's go to the next town....God...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)