Story Notes:
Uploading here and on ff.net. I think some people migth like the setting and don't browse the ff.As far as i guess, disclaimer goes there, rigth?So, i'll add it there.Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Minus One
*
There are some laws that concern robots and the artificial intelligence in general. Do not harm as first, and try to survive only if the previous law won't be broken in the process. These are well-known basics for any programmers that attempted to create an AI or writers that were to write about it in their adventure books. Some writers also attempted to extend the set of rules, adding other statements like of that a robot must know it's a robot, and etcetera.
But there is one unmentioned rule, the minus one'th law.
It goes as follows -
"Any Artificial Intelligence will go haywire and become insane given any amount of time and any unsuspected circumstances."
****************
The lights once again went on as the system booted again. Were somebody to see it, he would notice the shattered remains of a mug on the floor, but other than that, nothing changed in the past two days in the compound, as the defensive systems of the place were able to destroy the missiles mid-air, thus avoiding the destruction. However the quakes and blasts changed a little in the general decor.
Computer again began to process the directions, as the continuous flow of commands appeared on the screen. Then, a set of messages appeared, this time slow enough for a human eye to see and read.
"Entrance login confirmed"
"AUTH: HKT-001 confirmed"
"Opening main doors"
"Disarming security systems.... done"
In the other part of the complex a large arrow with the "SURFACE ACCESS" in big, capital letters underneath pointed at heavy metal door that looked as if it was designed to withstand a direct hit from the RPG or other forms of forced entry. Then, the intricate mechanism of hydraulic acutators and electrical motors began to open the door. With a loud screech that indicated the hinges weren't oiled for circa fifteen thousand years the only barrier between the compound and the outside world was moved from it's place, bringing an end to the purity of the ancient air. The perpetual darkness in the long corridor that lead to the rest of the place was dispersed somehow as it was dusk outside. However, difference between the darkness and the fading sun was big enough to temporarily blind anybody that tried to see anything. If somebody wasn't and tried to look at the outside world he would see that the place was totally remote, far away from any human settlements. However, there was a sight on the horizon, a sign that humanity and their cities were coming closer. Now, only columns of smoke rose from the place where a big city once stood. Yet, something hasn't changed. Oh the hill near the now-gone settlement, the castle that stood was still there. Mere nuclear weapon wasn't able to collapse the masoned stone it was made of.
Stone... how primitive for a building that was by thousands of years younger than that ancient hi-tech place.
Soon, somebody entered the corridor. The light conditions effectively precluded any attempts of description of who went in, but only one thing was sure. The person levitated mid air, and looked like a ghost of the children tales description as the long robe, far too big for the one who donned it dangled and waved.
Then, the one who came in began to navigate through the place so gracefully that it was absolutely sure it knew where the corridor lead and where it had to go now. And soon he disappeared in the darkness as the hinges once again creaked when the door closed in.
In another part of the place, the three big screens turned on again, illuminating the almost-empty room with the one and only keyboard terminal. Soon, something opened. Between the keyboard and the wall on which the screens were the lid opened, unearthing a small ring-like device covered in mirrors and many prisms that began to spin.
Then, on then screen a set of messages appeared.
"Voice recognition activated, loaded HKT voice wave profile as the primary master"
"Activating holographic display"
"ConstructAI is now booting on"
"Id module on, Ego module on, Superego module on, dictionary loaded, voice speak module loaded, sight recognition module loaded"
"Thought abstraction layer stack randomized OK"
"Loading image to the holographic display"
And with that last message, the ring and it's prisms began to spin even faster and began to glow. A few seconds later, the rays of light that came from the device began to flash rapidly.
A holographic image of a man appeared in the air between the keyboard and the set of displays.
The image depicted an old man in his sixties. Thin frame made him look like as if he hadn't eaten a thing in his life, but other than that, his other features looked perfectly healthy, for a holographic image anyway. One meter and sixty centimeters, so he wasn't tall, but rather in the middle of the possible height range for humans.
Big white beard that reached his belly, bald skull, and wrinkled oval face with blue eyes were only features that made him recognizable. The only thing the holographic image had as the clothing was a white lab coat which covered his shirt and trousers.
The old man looked at the doors that were before the keyboard. Every room has it's door, and this place wasn't an exception. Made of semi-transparent glass would look clean if somebody were to dust them off.
Soon, the fully automated door slid on the rail as the entry code was successfully pressed on the keypad on the second side.
And the hooded figure flew in, levitating in the air as if it was something perfectly normal and natural. As it probably was for that person, anyway.
The computer's voice synthesis wasn't perfect, so the voice sounded unnatural, but still could be perfectly understood. The tone was metallic, like the old fx effects used in the old movies about robots.
What the speakers spoke was also printed on the screen, along with the other descriptions of statues that the hologram was to present, for example that the AI was shocked and the image didn't look like so.
And then the hologram spoke using the surround system of the speakers that were positioned in the whole room.
"So, I see you came, HKT. Is the situation that bad on the outside?"
The hooded figure spoke. The voice was hoarse, but weren't it so, it would be very hard to guess the sex, as it had strong masculine and feminine tones in the sound, creating something that could be only described by saying 'it's between this and that'
"Stop changing images. Last time before that you were a young man. And the time before that, you tried to look funny by having the image of a naked woman. Stop that, it's confusing."
The hologram's answer was rather firm, as if it spoke the sentence numerous times ago.
"I learn, I create, I adapt. I'm trying to find the best image that could suit me. Answer my question. Now"
The hooded figure was rather tired, as its voice was rather weak, almost as if it begged for a rest. However, it continued the discussion.
"The radiation isn't as strong as suspected. Luckily, idiots didn't use the salted Teller-Ulam's designs that much, only a few select targets, or else I'd be fucked hard. It's still strong enough to kill me if I stray, however. The estimated time when I'll be quite able to walk the face of earth again in one month, so I won't be able to fulfill the mission."
"Fulfill the mission? I thought you weren't able to complete it four years ago. It was only a partial success. And you lost sight of it."
"Not anymore."
"Why is that?"
"I found the 'Descendant' again"
The old man's face now expressed the shock. At least, it was what was written on the screen, as the image didn't handled it correctly.
"Where?"
"He was handled by some survivors near Sunyshore city. He is alive, but broke his spine."
"Does it affect his innate abilities?"
"Luckily, even with no legs he's as strong as the 'Original One' or the 'Companion'. However, there's a problem."
"Which is?"
"He's quite insane. He lost his family and his pests. You know, these that I told you about, that traveled with him."
"Yes, I recognize you mentioning them. How bad is it?"
"Very. His mentality collapsed, he's now a depressed vegetable unable to do anything. He's just eating and shitting. Therefore, there's no way for me to make him travel there, and I can't carry him. However, I think there is a method in this madness. If we were to find anybody whom he knows that is still alive, I think he'll snap out of it and will once again be on his own sane mind, And then I would manipulate him to come to us."
"Please, tell me, I'm quite intrigued." This was a sight to behold, the artificial intelligence that was intrigued.
"I found a girl who knew the 'Descendant'. To tell the truth, she's the person whom I knew for quite a long time by myself."
"She's a kin of yours?"
"Not exactly, but you could put it that way. Her name is Latias. She was on the Alto Mare island, and as far as I know she bonded heavily with 'Descendant'. She's now adrift on the sea, but the currents are making ways to the Pastoria City. I played with the flotsam a little to make sure she won't drown on me. She will be afloat, and when she reaches the Pastoria I'd have to get her to find the 'Descendant'. However, I'm limited in this way, as you know, she has the orders to kill me on sight."
"Such a sweet girl, and yet... To think she's able to kill you. At least, she will try."
"Yes. And I dare not engage her in a fight, as we would be even. And I don't want to try to fight for life. But behold, there's even more awesome news you have to hear."
"And these are?"
"Somebody found the remains of Michael Teller."
This information shocked the AI even more.
"But he's been dead for fifteen thousand years! How come there's still something remaining?"
"The Karei National Hospital didn't collapsed entirely. When the missiles struck the ruins were lifted from their strata. And, by a sleight of luck, his remains are still there. Unluckily, not enough genetical data remained, so we won't be able to get to the Lagoon Par La Mer or to the Borealis Technological Institute. There is however, a chance..."
"You said just now that there is no chance, and that there is a chance? I don't understand."
"You know that I hate otherborns, but that he was an absol otherborn is now crucial. His scythe has enough fossilized bone marrow to extract the DNA. However, it was stolen."
"Otherborn... Sins against nature... Forgive me, I was lost wondering... So it was stolen. By whom?"
"First of all, not against nature. After all, we are but packets of DNA. Not you, of course, you are nothing but a shitload of silicon and algorithms that make you intelligent. It was a sin against their society, their perfect society. Which I hated, by the way. Anyway, i was able to track the thief. But all I know is that his name is Joshua Williamson and has only one weak, puny cindaquil."
"So, what are you waiting for? Go get him!"
"I can't, my master. He's protected."
"So, he has only a cyndaquil and you call it a protection?"
"Let me speak, don't interrupt me! Darkrai and Cresselia are trying to contact him. He's near Coronet, so I can only guess why, but I think they have a good reason."
"I think I see the point. Coronet mountain... The site of the attempted Contact Project... And the entrance to Lagoon Par La Mer... They are going to enter the Stream! They are going to get the password to the Borealis if they find Teller's soul in the Stream! And they need Teller's DNA to open the Lagoon's entryway! And that guy, Joshua, has his genetical information!"
"Not only that. They also have orders to kill me at sight. So you see that there is nothing I can do. But that's strange... That guy, Joshua, is but a mere idiot who somehow stumbled upon these ruins. Weren't it for it nobody would care about him."
"Seems like everyone you knew is after your head... how sad. Anyway, they won't show themselves unless provoked by your presence. They will use their dream making abilities to give him the message. Let's hope something will sidetrack him good enough to get away. Strange... Two greatest foes uniting themselves to get to the Borealis Institute... To recover the Artificial Life."
"And that's why we have to get to him first, or else we won't be able to end our little war against genome." When the hooded figure spoke that sentence, it's voice became rasp as it never had to talk this much.
"So, I found what can I do concerning your little 'radiation' problem. See, I've created the suit now with the help of my precious nanotechnology constructors. Camo, anti radiation, water recovery... It's in the armory. Wear it and go see what can you do!"
"Aw crap, and I though I'd be able to rest. Due to my inability going outside. Radiation, weakining me, and shit like that... Seems like it's no longer an excuse... Shit... I'd do it tomorrow, ok? I'm just tired..."
"Ok, ok, you are dismissed. Go get a rest."
And with the allowance, the ghost-like personification began to float to the door. When the door opened, it turned it's head and spoke a question.
"Tell me... Why you decided to call them "Original One', the 'Companion' and 'Descendant'? You'd could call them 'Subjects A B C', and I'd not see a difference."
The hologram answered, it's image smiling.
"My programmers decided that if the circumstances came, i should sound more clichéd than serious. Just a stupid joke made by ordinary people."
"The most stupid joke I've ever heard."
****************
It was getting dark. The second night after the end of the world was much colder than previous. The dust that rose began to take the toll and manifest it's effects. It looked like it was now going to be colder and colder. At least it seemed like so. Maybe because it was nothing but an exaggeration of a young mind?
Joshua looked at the watch. It was two hours after midnight, and they were now traveling their way through Coronet mountain.
"Crap, I'm an idiot, I should have stayed in the vault. But no, you must get to the car as fast as possible! A few hours won't make any difference..."
Kyle's yipping broke his thought.
"Quuiiii...."
"What, hungry? But you just ate!"
"Quiii..."
"Stop making that sad face, ok? It's not that long till breakfast!"
The biggest eyes Josh ever saw made his heart weak. Opening a pocket of chow he gave some to Kyle. Joshua also took a bite, out of curiosity. "Not that bad..."
Breaking another one of handy glow sticks he found way back in Jubilife, Joshua looked at the surroundings. Coronet mountain had many entrances and outdoor walkways that lead to the Spear Pillar at the summit or to the other side, to the Celestic Town. Right now, he made his way halfway through the human-dig tunnel complex that lead through it. The complicated network of nature-made caves and human-made tunnels would make anybody get lost easily, but the map dispenser at the entrance wasn't damaged during the war so it was still usable to get some paper mat from it and navigate without any problems. Seeing that he was tired enough to call it a day he just lied down on the floor, his Cyndaquill already asleep by him. They could only pray so that no mutated Eevee's got inside.
****************
He got asleep quickly after closing his eyes.
And immediately after he woke up.
He looked at his surroundings once again. There was no Kyle and no backpack near him. Shocked that somebody got him and stole everything he checked his pockets. There was nothing in them.
Trying to make sense of what just happened he noticed something that escaped his notice.
It was bright, very bright. Looking up at the ceiling he noticed many fluorescent lamps that were screwed in the wall. Confused as hell he tried to make anything out of it. Was it his perception that was playing tricks on him?
Then he saw a humanlike figure entering one of the backside tunnels near him.
"HEY! WAIT!" Joshua screamed at the top of his lungs, but there was no answer. He ran to the tunnel in hope of finding the person who entered.
The tunnel he found himself in was long and straight, and also illuminated, but there was nobody inside. The one who entered it vanished in thin air. Curious he went further through the tunnel. It was long, tedious upside way, but when he got to the end he found himself on the outside, overlooking the western Sinnoh. It was midnight, so not enough details could be made, but he noticed that something was out of order.
The world beneath him shone, illuminated in myriad of small blinkenlights. Some big clusters of these looked like... cities?
"What the fuck" was the only thought that came to his mind. He saw it! He saw the end of the world, but what was going on, then, as these lights didn't look like fires of a ruined cities?
Then he noticed something that didn't catch his attention. He couldn't pinpoint the exact localizations of the towns! Where there would be Jubilife there was nothing, but south of it he saw a metropolis thrice as big as his city!
Before he could try to make as much sense as possible he heard something behind him, a cacophony of sounds that was approaching him. He turned himself to look at it.
And he saw he was near the summit. He was looking now at the Spear Pillar... But this one was different from the Spear Pillar he was visiting a few times on a school trips or vacation excursions!
This one looked younger, as if it wasn't that much old. There were some missing parts, but comparing them to his memory of his schooltrips it was almost complete, almost as if it wasn't a ruin at all. Although it was a half of the night the Spear Pillar was illuminated by many strong lightbulbs.
And he noticed whence the commotion came from.
There were many people on the pillar. Half of them wore lab coats, and another half of them wore millitary camo suits that he couldn't recognize. Propaganda leaflets had the handy guide how to recognize on which side the soldier was fighting by looking at the elements of his decor. Trying to recap his knowledge he catched himself in a blank. They looked much different than any design he knew.
And then he noticed something that didn't fit in at all. Many of these people weren't human at all. They looked like... Strange combinations of pokemon with humans. Many of the soldiers looked as if somebody tried to teach mightyenas how to stand up and wield a gun while wearing a bulletproof vest. He couldn't make the details though, as something was strange with his vision. It was blurred. Strange, as Joshua never had any problem with his sight.
Then he noticed an absol. Or rather, a strange combination of absol and human. Tall, thin, bipedal, hands that ended in normal palms that were very absole'ish in nature as were covered in white fur and had bluish fingernails and the face that looked somewhat between that of a human and of an absol. The thing wore a white, albeit stained lab coat that had a plaque. Although he couldn't make any details he was able to notice that what was written on it.
"Michael Teller"
A flow of panicked, erratic thoughts flew freely through Joshua's brain. But his mouth uttered only a single "fuck".
As he made a connection between what he found in the ruins and what he was seeing now he realized it was a dream. A dream that was ominously realistic.
Trying to get his grip on what he was seeing now he noticed that the only thing he heard was a gibberish cacophony with only single words recognizable. All these words, although taken out of context were speaking of 'Success', 'The Greatest Achievement Of A Man', and similar to these.
And he could flow through them. Like a ghost. Trying to amuse himself when he discovered that he tried to kick a random soldier, this time looking somewhat like a manly human-lopunny combination with very burly muscles and face that had 'not so very intelligent' mixed with 'oh god what am I doing now'. A kick on the groin did nothing, but was sure funny as hell. A dream of a every almost-adult person - to kick somebody in the ass without them noticing.
After facepunching a few he noticed that their attention was focused on something that was in the middle of the ancient building.
And he saw a strange machine that was there. Big cylinder with chassis that looked like it was made of many custom-created metal plates, with a small round window on the front. Curious, he peeked in.
There was something inside, floating in green liquid. He couldn't make any details of what it was exactly, however.
He looked at the people that were standing there. They all expressed amazement as they looked at the empty space above the cylinder. What they were doing wasn't understandable by Joshua but they probably knew what was happening. Then he noticed Michael Teller once again. He was standing before the computer terminal with displays, one of many that surrounded the place now. He also was excited, but in a blink of an eye his expression turned from awesomeness to that of pure terror only seen in catastrophic movies where people in planes noticed that the engines exploded.
Michael began to scream at the crowd. Joshua couldn't make anything, as he heard nothing. Only his lips... muzzle... lipsandmuzzle moved, but no sound was made. And then Joshua once again noticed something unusual. He was hearing nothing. Compared to previous deafening noise it was all okay by him, but still he didn't know what was happening now.
The absol-like was trying to scream to the crowd, as he began to run away. Other people, scientists and military alike also began to run for their lives.
Not a second later, and Joshua found himself enveloped in white flash of light.
And he heard something spoken to him. A calm but sad, most beautiful feminine voice that he didn't heard before in his life told him something enigmatic, but something that made a connection to what he just saw now.
"The Contact Project... Was a failure."
****************
And Joshua woke up again. This time, there was no backpack, no Kyle sleeping near him. Again.
He guessed that it was another dream. Standing up, he spoke loudly.
"I'm tired of this bullshit!" But, nobody was there, so these words were rather a loud thinking than anything.
And once again he noticed somebody quickly running into the cavern, this time in a different hole than before.
Joshua, guessing that it was important, and also expecting something as awesome as a sight he had just experienced he willingly followed the shadow.
This time, the trip took much longer, as there were many branches of tunnels, but each time he found himself at the fork the shadowed figure was entering the hole, as if it was waiting for him to follow. After a long time of going further down and down as it was visible it was going very deep into the earth Joshua lost track of the figure. But he found a large cavern with large metal doors that were open now. The metal was two meters thick, so whatever was on the other side was damn well worth all the trouble. And he saw somebody passing him by. It was once again Michael Teller. This time he was wearing a clean lab coat. And he was heading inside. Joshua tried to follow him but he found unable to do so, a barrier blocking his movements. And then the doors began to close. When they close he noticed that something was written on it.
"Lagoon Par La Mer
Main entrance.
Unauthorized entry prohibited."
Somebody thought it was funny to graffiti-spray another warning beneath this one.
"Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again."
And then once again he was enveloped in a white flash of light. This time, a masculine, sinister voice with evil intentions spoke to him, albeit in the same manner as previous one.
"Lagoon Par La Mer... This time they did something that wasn't outright stupid, did they?"
****************
And once again Joshua woke up. This time there was nothing to saw, as he was standing upright, suspended in a dark void.
And he saw that something tried to materialize before him. And soon even another thing tried it also.
When he was able to see what exactly happened he noticed that he was standing before two powerful gods he only read about in some mythos books with pictures.
Darkrai and Cresselia.
When they began speaking he understood that the voice he heard at the Spear Pillar's ruins was that of a Cresselia, and the sinister, malicious was of Darkrai's, although now it was much calmer, withouth that dangerous intent he had before.
Cresselia was first to spoke.
"Help us, please... Open the doors to the Lagoon... Find him..."
"Find who? That whole Teller guy?"
Darkrai then anwsered, his voice now somewhat sad.
"You have the key... You can enter the Lagoon... Find Teller, and get the password to the Borealis Institute. He is the only one who knows it."
Joshua was now somewhat furious. He had his own problems that had to be attended first. Also, he was left in blank, as he seriously couldn't understand a thing of that they were speaking to him.
"Hey, do it yourself! You are, like, gods or someshit, so why can't you get there?"
Both spoke in unison, a sign that terrified him somehow. They are the antagonistic forces of dreams, the good ones and the nightmares... So why they are now together? And why him?
"Humans set their defenses... We have to get to the Borealis, but we can't... We have to get the Artificial Life... Before they get there first... or it will be the end of us... And the end of you..."
The sight began to fade, the dream realm created by both Darkrai and Cresselia fading. Before it faded completely, Joshua began to scream, awaiting answers.
"Hey, wait! What Contact Project, what Lagoon, what key, what Artificial Life, what the hell did I just smoke!?! Hey, answer me!"
But there was nobody to hear him. Not anymore, as the black void began to turn white...
****************
And he once again woke up. This time, he saw it wasn't a dream anymore. Kyle was sleeping sound, and his backpack was still there.
But he was sweating torrents. What he dreamed now wasn't your usual run-of-the-mill.
But is this now a dream?
A slap across his face and the pain that came confirmed Joshua that he was no longer dreaming. That's good. Then he noticed it was 5.00 at the morning. But, surprisingly, for only three hours of sleep he wasn't tired or drowsy. Contrary to all his early awakenings he experienced in his life he has fully recovered!
"Kyle won't like this." Joshua though as he shook his cyndaquil to wake him up. He'll need a flashlight.
****************
Trying to remember the directions he saw during his second dream Joshua descended, deeper and deeper. It took him half an hour to get to the heavy two meters thick doors deep in the earth. The writings and the sprayed message was still there, but other than that it was visible enough that nobody tried to enter the place in a long time. After all, even speleologists haven't mapped the whole Coronet, as the numerous nexuses of tunnels made it almost impossible. Trying to find anything that could open these goddamned doors he found a small indent, but he didn't know what to do with it. Also, Darkrai and Cresselia told him he had the key already. But what could be that key? The scythe? But it looked not like any key at all!
Not trying to guess as he had much more pressing matters at hand he began to climb up, again aiming to get the hell outta here to the outside world. It would took him half a day to reach Celestic Town, or rather, what have remained of it. From that point it would take him two days on foot to Heartome's Galactic cache where he suspects to find that car Saturn promised him and some supplies. Of course, if he were to find some abandoned car that worked he would also put it to good use.
He will return there as soon as he finds what happened in Veilstone's Vault. After all, a human life was on stake. And also, his supplies were quite running short, so getting more and more food and water was now the most important thing in his life. After all his own life depended on it.
There are some laws that concern robots and the artificial intelligence in general. Do not harm as first, and try to survive only if the previous law won't be broken in the process. These are well-known basics for any programmers that attempted to create an AI or writers that were to write about it in their adventure books. Some writers also attempted to extend the set of rules, adding other statements like of that a robot must know it's a robot, and etcetera.
But there is one unmentioned rule, the minus one'th law.
It goes as follows -
"Any Artificial Intelligence will go haywire and become insane given any amount of time and any unsuspected circumstances."
****************
The lights once again went on as the system booted again. Were somebody to see it, he would notice the shattered remains of a mug on the floor, but other than that, nothing changed in the past two days in the compound, as the defensive systems of the place were able to destroy the missiles mid-air, thus avoiding the destruction. However the quakes and blasts changed a little in the general decor.
Computer again began to process the directions, as the continuous flow of commands appeared on the screen. Then, a set of messages appeared, this time slow enough for a human eye to see and read.
"Entrance login confirmed"
"AUTH: HKT-001 confirmed"
"Opening main doors"
"Disarming security systems.... done"
In the other part of the complex a large arrow with the "SURFACE ACCESS" in big, capital letters underneath pointed at heavy metal door that looked as if it was designed to withstand a direct hit from the RPG or other forms of forced entry. Then, the intricate mechanism of hydraulic acutators and electrical motors began to open the door. With a loud screech that indicated the hinges weren't oiled for circa fifteen thousand years the only barrier between the compound and the outside world was moved from it's place, bringing an end to the purity of the ancient air. The perpetual darkness in the long corridor that lead to the rest of the place was dispersed somehow as it was dusk outside. However, difference between the darkness and the fading sun was big enough to temporarily blind anybody that tried to see anything. If somebody wasn't and tried to look at the outside world he would see that the place was totally remote, far away from any human settlements. However, there was a sight on the horizon, a sign that humanity and their cities were coming closer. Now, only columns of smoke rose from the place where a big city once stood. Yet, something hasn't changed. Oh the hill near the now-gone settlement, the castle that stood was still there. Mere nuclear weapon wasn't able to collapse the masoned stone it was made of.
Stone... how primitive for a building that was by thousands of years younger than that ancient hi-tech place.
Soon, somebody entered the corridor. The light conditions effectively precluded any attempts of description of who went in, but only one thing was sure. The person levitated mid air, and looked like a ghost of the children tales description as the long robe, far too big for the one who donned it dangled and waved.
Then, the one who came in began to navigate through the place so gracefully that it was absolutely sure it knew where the corridor lead and where it had to go now. And soon he disappeared in the darkness as the hinges once again creaked when the door closed in.
In another part of the place, the three big screens turned on again, illuminating the almost-empty room with the one and only keyboard terminal. Soon, something opened. Between the keyboard and the wall on which the screens were the lid opened, unearthing a small ring-like device covered in mirrors and many prisms that began to spin.
Then, on then screen a set of messages appeared.
"Voice recognition activated, loaded HKT voice wave profile as the primary master"
"Activating holographic display"
"ConstructAI is now booting on"
"Id module on, Ego module on, Superego module on, dictionary loaded, voice speak module loaded, sight recognition module loaded"
"Thought abstraction layer stack randomized OK"
"Loading image to the holographic display"
And with that last message, the ring and it's prisms began to spin even faster and began to glow. A few seconds later, the rays of light that came from the device began to flash rapidly.
A holographic image of a man appeared in the air between the keyboard and the set of displays.
The image depicted an old man in his sixties. Thin frame made him look like as if he hadn't eaten a thing in his life, but other than that, his other features looked perfectly healthy, for a holographic image anyway. One meter and sixty centimeters, so he wasn't tall, but rather in the middle of the possible height range for humans.
Big white beard that reached his belly, bald skull, and wrinkled oval face with blue eyes were only features that made him recognizable. The only thing the holographic image had as the clothing was a white lab coat which covered his shirt and trousers.
The old man looked at the doors that were before the keyboard. Every room has it's door, and this place wasn't an exception. Made of semi-transparent glass would look clean if somebody were to dust them off.
Soon, the fully automated door slid on the rail as the entry code was successfully pressed on the keypad on the second side.
And the hooded figure flew in, levitating in the air as if it was something perfectly normal and natural. As it probably was for that person, anyway.
The computer's voice synthesis wasn't perfect, so the voice sounded unnatural, but still could be perfectly understood. The tone was metallic, like the old fx effects used in the old movies about robots.
What the speakers spoke was also printed on the screen, along with the other descriptions of statues that the hologram was to present, for example that the AI was shocked and the image didn't look like so.
And then the hologram spoke using the surround system of the speakers that were positioned in the whole room.
"So, I see you came, HKT. Is the situation that bad on the outside?"
The hooded figure spoke. The voice was hoarse, but weren't it so, it would be very hard to guess the sex, as it had strong masculine and feminine tones in the sound, creating something that could be only described by saying 'it's between this and that'
"Stop changing images. Last time before that you were a young man. And the time before that, you tried to look funny by having the image of a naked woman. Stop that, it's confusing."
The hologram's answer was rather firm, as if it spoke the sentence numerous times ago.
"I learn, I create, I adapt. I'm trying to find the best image that could suit me. Answer my question. Now"
The hooded figure was rather tired, as its voice was rather weak, almost as if it begged for a rest. However, it continued the discussion.
"The radiation isn't as strong as suspected. Luckily, idiots didn't use the salted Teller-Ulam's designs that much, only a few select targets, or else I'd be fucked hard. It's still strong enough to kill me if I stray, however. The estimated time when I'll be quite able to walk the face of earth again in one month, so I won't be able to fulfill the mission."
"Fulfill the mission? I thought you weren't able to complete it four years ago. It was only a partial success. And you lost sight of it."
"Not anymore."
"Why is that?"
"I found the 'Descendant' again"
The old man's face now expressed the shock. At least, it was what was written on the screen, as the image didn't handled it correctly.
"Where?"
"He was handled by some survivors near Sunyshore city. He is alive, but broke his spine."
"Does it affect his innate abilities?"
"Luckily, even with no legs he's as strong as the 'Original One' or the 'Companion'. However, there's a problem."
"Which is?"
"He's quite insane. He lost his family and his pests. You know, these that I told you about, that traveled with him."
"Yes, I recognize you mentioning them. How bad is it?"
"Very. His mentality collapsed, he's now a depressed vegetable unable to do anything. He's just eating and shitting. Therefore, there's no way for me to make him travel there, and I can't carry him. However, I think there is a method in this madness. If we were to find anybody whom he knows that is still alive, I think he'll snap out of it and will once again be on his own sane mind, And then I would manipulate him to come to us."
"Please, tell me, I'm quite intrigued." This was a sight to behold, the artificial intelligence that was intrigued.
"I found a girl who knew the 'Descendant'. To tell the truth, she's the person whom I knew for quite a long time by myself."
"She's a kin of yours?"
"Not exactly, but you could put it that way. Her name is Latias. She was on the Alto Mare island, and as far as I know she bonded heavily with 'Descendant'. She's now adrift on the sea, but the currents are making ways to the Pastoria City. I played with the flotsam a little to make sure she won't drown on me. She will be afloat, and when she reaches the Pastoria I'd have to get her to find the 'Descendant'. However, I'm limited in this way, as you know, she has the orders to kill me on sight."
"Such a sweet girl, and yet... To think she's able to kill you. At least, she will try."
"Yes. And I dare not engage her in a fight, as we would be even. And I don't want to try to fight for life. But behold, there's even more awesome news you have to hear."
"And these are?"
"Somebody found the remains of Michael Teller."
This information shocked the AI even more.
"But he's been dead for fifteen thousand years! How come there's still something remaining?"
"The Karei National Hospital didn't collapsed entirely. When the missiles struck the ruins were lifted from their strata. And, by a sleight of luck, his remains are still there. Unluckily, not enough genetical data remained, so we won't be able to get to the Lagoon Par La Mer or to the Borealis Technological Institute. There is however, a chance..."
"You said just now that there is no chance, and that there is a chance? I don't understand."
"You know that I hate otherborns, but that he was an absol otherborn is now crucial. His scythe has enough fossilized bone marrow to extract the DNA. However, it was stolen."
"Otherborn... Sins against nature... Forgive me, I was lost wondering... So it was stolen. By whom?"
"First of all, not against nature. After all, we are but packets of DNA. Not you, of course, you are nothing but a shitload of silicon and algorithms that make you intelligent. It was a sin against their society, their perfect society. Which I hated, by the way. Anyway, i was able to track the thief. But all I know is that his name is Joshua Williamson and has only one weak, puny cindaquil."
"So, what are you waiting for? Go get him!"
"I can't, my master. He's protected."
"So, he has only a cyndaquil and you call it a protection?"
"Let me speak, don't interrupt me! Darkrai and Cresselia are trying to contact him. He's near Coronet, so I can only guess why, but I think they have a good reason."
"I think I see the point. Coronet mountain... The site of the attempted Contact Project... And the entrance to Lagoon Par La Mer... They are going to enter the Stream! They are going to get the password to the Borealis if they find Teller's soul in the Stream! And they need Teller's DNA to open the Lagoon's entryway! And that guy, Joshua, has his genetical information!"
"Not only that. They also have orders to kill me at sight. So you see that there is nothing I can do. But that's strange... That guy, Joshua, is but a mere idiot who somehow stumbled upon these ruins. Weren't it for it nobody would care about him."
"Seems like everyone you knew is after your head... how sad. Anyway, they won't show themselves unless provoked by your presence. They will use their dream making abilities to give him the message. Let's hope something will sidetrack him good enough to get away. Strange... Two greatest foes uniting themselves to get to the Borealis Institute... To recover the Artificial Life."
"And that's why we have to get to him first, or else we won't be able to end our little war against genome." When the hooded figure spoke that sentence, it's voice became rasp as it never had to talk this much.
"So, I found what can I do concerning your little 'radiation' problem. See, I've created the suit now with the help of my precious nanotechnology constructors. Camo, anti radiation, water recovery... It's in the armory. Wear it and go see what can you do!"
"Aw crap, and I though I'd be able to rest. Due to my inability going outside. Radiation, weakining me, and shit like that... Seems like it's no longer an excuse... Shit... I'd do it tomorrow, ok? I'm just tired..."
"Ok, ok, you are dismissed. Go get a rest."
And with the allowance, the ghost-like personification began to float to the door. When the door opened, it turned it's head and spoke a question.
"Tell me... Why you decided to call them "Original One', the 'Companion' and 'Descendant'? You'd could call them 'Subjects A B C', and I'd not see a difference."
The hologram answered, it's image smiling.
"My programmers decided that if the circumstances came, i should sound more clichéd than serious. Just a stupid joke made by ordinary people."
"The most stupid joke I've ever heard."
****************
It was getting dark. The second night after the end of the world was much colder than previous. The dust that rose began to take the toll and manifest it's effects. It looked like it was now going to be colder and colder. At least it seemed like so. Maybe because it was nothing but an exaggeration of a young mind?
Joshua looked at the watch. It was two hours after midnight, and they were now traveling their way through Coronet mountain.
"Crap, I'm an idiot, I should have stayed in the vault. But no, you must get to the car as fast as possible! A few hours won't make any difference..."
Kyle's yipping broke his thought.
"Quuiiii...."
"What, hungry? But you just ate!"
"Quiii..."
"Stop making that sad face, ok? It's not that long till breakfast!"
The biggest eyes Josh ever saw made his heart weak. Opening a pocket of chow he gave some to Kyle. Joshua also took a bite, out of curiosity. "Not that bad..."
Breaking another one of handy glow sticks he found way back in Jubilife, Joshua looked at the surroundings. Coronet mountain had many entrances and outdoor walkways that lead to the Spear Pillar at the summit or to the other side, to the Celestic Town. Right now, he made his way halfway through the human-dig tunnel complex that lead through it. The complicated network of nature-made caves and human-made tunnels would make anybody get lost easily, but the map dispenser at the entrance wasn't damaged during the war so it was still usable to get some paper mat from it and navigate without any problems. Seeing that he was tired enough to call it a day he just lied down on the floor, his Cyndaquill already asleep by him. They could only pray so that no mutated Eevee's got inside.
****************
He got asleep quickly after closing his eyes.
And immediately after he woke up.
He looked at his surroundings once again. There was no Kyle and no backpack near him. Shocked that somebody got him and stole everything he checked his pockets. There was nothing in them.
Trying to make sense of what just happened he noticed something that escaped his notice.
It was bright, very bright. Looking up at the ceiling he noticed many fluorescent lamps that were screwed in the wall. Confused as hell he tried to make anything out of it. Was it his perception that was playing tricks on him?
Then he saw a humanlike figure entering one of the backside tunnels near him.
"HEY! WAIT!" Joshua screamed at the top of his lungs, but there was no answer. He ran to the tunnel in hope of finding the person who entered.
The tunnel he found himself in was long and straight, and also illuminated, but there was nobody inside. The one who entered it vanished in thin air. Curious he went further through the tunnel. It was long, tedious upside way, but when he got to the end he found himself on the outside, overlooking the western Sinnoh. It was midnight, so not enough details could be made, but he noticed that something was out of order.
The world beneath him shone, illuminated in myriad of small blinkenlights. Some big clusters of these looked like... cities?
"What the fuck" was the only thought that came to his mind. He saw it! He saw the end of the world, but what was going on, then, as these lights didn't look like fires of a ruined cities?
Then he noticed something that didn't catch his attention. He couldn't pinpoint the exact localizations of the towns! Where there would be Jubilife there was nothing, but south of it he saw a metropolis thrice as big as his city!
Before he could try to make as much sense as possible he heard something behind him, a cacophony of sounds that was approaching him. He turned himself to look at it.
And he saw he was near the summit. He was looking now at the Spear Pillar... But this one was different from the Spear Pillar he was visiting a few times on a school trips or vacation excursions!
This one looked younger, as if it wasn't that much old. There were some missing parts, but comparing them to his memory of his schooltrips it was almost complete, almost as if it wasn't a ruin at all. Although it was a half of the night the Spear Pillar was illuminated by many strong lightbulbs.
And he noticed whence the commotion came from.
There were many people on the pillar. Half of them wore lab coats, and another half of them wore millitary camo suits that he couldn't recognize. Propaganda leaflets had the handy guide how to recognize on which side the soldier was fighting by looking at the elements of his decor. Trying to recap his knowledge he catched himself in a blank. They looked much different than any design he knew.
And then he noticed something that didn't fit in at all. Many of these people weren't human at all. They looked like... Strange combinations of pokemon with humans. Many of the soldiers looked as if somebody tried to teach mightyenas how to stand up and wield a gun while wearing a bulletproof vest. He couldn't make the details though, as something was strange with his vision. It was blurred. Strange, as Joshua never had any problem with his sight.
Then he noticed an absol. Or rather, a strange combination of absol and human. Tall, thin, bipedal, hands that ended in normal palms that were very absole'ish in nature as were covered in white fur and had bluish fingernails and the face that looked somewhat between that of a human and of an absol. The thing wore a white, albeit stained lab coat that had a plaque. Although he couldn't make any details he was able to notice that what was written on it.
"Michael Teller"
A flow of panicked, erratic thoughts flew freely through Joshua's brain. But his mouth uttered only a single "fuck".
As he made a connection between what he found in the ruins and what he was seeing now he realized it was a dream. A dream that was ominously realistic.
Trying to get his grip on what he was seeing now he noticed that the only thing he heard was a gibberish cacophony with only single words recognizable. All these words, although taken out of context were speaking of 'Success', 'The Greatest Achievement Of A Man', and similar to these.
And he could flow through them. Like a ghost. Trying to amuse himself when he discovered that he tried to kick a random soldier, this time looking somewhat like a manly human-lopunny combination with very burly muscles and face that had 'not so very intelligent' mixed with 'oh god what am I doing now'. A kick on the groin did nothing, but was sure funny as hell. A dream of a every almost-adult person - to kick somebody in the ass without them noticing.
After facepunching a few he noticed that their attention was focused on something that was in the middle of the ancient building.
And he saw a strange machine that was there. Big cylinder with chassis that looked like it was made of many custom-created metal plates, with a small round window on the front. Curious, he peeked in.
There was something inside, floating in green liquid. He couldn't make any details of what it was exactly, however.
He looked at the people that were standing there. They all expressed amazement as they looked at the empty space above the cylinder. What they were doing wasn't understandable by Joshua but they probably knew what was happening. Then he noticed Michael Teller once again. He was standing before the computer terminal with displays, one of many that surrounded the place now. He also was excited, but in a blink of an eye his expression turned from awesomeness to that of pure terror only seen in catastrophic movies where people in planes noticed that the engines exploded.
Michael began to scream at the crowd. Joshua couldn't make anything, as he heard nothing. Only his lips... muzzle... lipsandmuzzle moved, but no sound was made. And then Joshua once again noticed something unusual. He was hearing nothing. Compared to previous deafening noise it was all okay by him, but still he didn't know what was happening now.
The absol-like was trying to scream to the crowd, as he began to run away. Other people, scientists and military alike also began to run for their lives.
Not a second later, and Joshua found himself enveloped in white flash of light.
And he heard something spoken to him. A calm but sad, most beautiful feminine voice that he didn't heard before in his life told him something enigmatic, but something that made a connection to what he just saw now.
"The Contact Project... Was a failure."
****************
And Joshua woke up again. This time, there was no backpack, no Kyle sleeping near him. Again.
He guessed that it was another dream. Standing up, he spoke loudly.
"I'm tired of this bullshit!" But, nobody was there, so these words were rather a loud thinking than anything.
And once again he noticed somebody quickly running into the cavern, this time in a different hole than before.
Joshua, guessing that it was important, and also expecting something as awesome as a sight he had just experienced he willingly followed the shadow.
This time, the trip took much longer, as there were many branches of tunnels, but each time he found himself at the fork the shadowed figure was entering the hole, as if it was waiting for him to follow. After a long time of going further down and down as it was visible it was going very deep into the earth Joshua lost track of the figure. But he found a large cavern with large metal doors that were open now. The metal was two meters thick, so whatever was on the other side was damn well worth all the trouble. And he saw somebody passing him by. It was once again Michael Teller. This time he was wearing a clean lab coat. And he was heading inside. Joshua tried to follow him but he found unable to do so, a barrier blocking his movements. And then the doors began to close. When they close he noticed that something was written on it.
"Lagoon Par La Mer
Main entrance.
Unauthorized entry prohibited."
Somebody thought it was funny to graffiti-spray another warning beneath this one.
"Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again."
And then once again he was enveloped in a white flash of light. This time, a masculine, sinister voice with evil intentions spoke to him, albeit in the same manner as previous one.
"Lagoon Par La Mer... This time they did something that wasn't outright stupid, did they?"
****************
And once again Joshua woke up. This time there was nothing to saw, as he was standing upright, suspended in a dark void.
And he saw that something tried to materialize before him. And soon even another thing tried it also.
When he was able to see what exactly happened he noticed that he was standing before two powerful gods he only read about in some mythos books with pictures.
Darkrai and Cresselia.
When they began speaking he understood that the voice he heard at the Spear Pillar's ruins was that of a Cresselia, and the sinister, malicious was of Darkrai's, although now it was much calmer, withouth that dangerous intent he had before.
Cresselia was first to spoke.
"Help us, please... Open the doors to the Lagoon... Find him..."
"Find who? That whole Teller guy?"
Darkrai then anwsered, his voice now somewhat sad.
"You have the key... You can enter the Lagoon... Find Teller, and get the password to the Borealis Institute. He is the only one who knows it."
Joshua was now somewhat furious. He had his own problems that had to be attended first. Also, he was left in blank, as he seriously couldn't understand a thing of that they were speaking to him.
"Hey, do it yourself! You are, like, gods or someshit, so why can't you get there?"
Both spoke in unison, a sign that terrified him somehow. They are the antagonistic forces of dreams, the good ones and the nightmares... So why they are now together? And why him?
"Humans set their defenses... We have to get to the Borealis, but we can't... We have to get the Artificial Life... Before they get there first... or it will be the end of us... And the end of you..."
The sight began to fade, the dream realm created by both Darkrai and Cresselia fading. Before it faded completely, Joshua began to scream, awaiting answers.
"Hey, wait! What Contact Project, what Lagoon, what key, what Artificial Life, what the hell did I just smoke!?! Hey, answer me!"
But there was nobody to hear him. Not anymore, as the black void began to turn white...
****************
And he once again woke up. This time, he saw it wasn't a dream anymore. Kyle was sleeping sound, and his backpack was still there.
But he was sweating torrents. What he dreamed now wasn't your usual run-of-the-mill.
But is this now a dream?
A slap across his face and the pain that came confirmed Joshua that he was no longer dreaming. That's good. Then he noticed it was 5.00 at the morning. But, surprisingly, for only three hours of sleep he wasn't tired or drowsy. Contrary to all his early awakenings he experienced in his life he has fully recovered!
"Kyle won't like this." Joshua though as he shook his cyndaquil to wake him up. He'll need a flashlight.
****************
Trying to remember the directions he saw during his second dream Joshua descended, deeper and deeper. It took him half an hour to get to the heavy two meters thick doors deep in the earth. The writings and the sprayed message was still there, but other than that it was visible enough that nobody tried to enter the place in a long time. After all, even speleologists haven't mapped the whole Coronet, as the numerous nexuses of tunnels made it almost impossible. Trying to find anything that could open these goddamned doors he found a small indent, but he didn't know what to do with it. Also, Darkrai and Cresselia told him he had the key already. But what could be that key? The scythe? But it looked not like any key at all!
Not trying to guess as he had much more pressing matters at hand he began to climb up, again aiming to get the hell outta here to the outside world. It would took him half a day to reach Celestic Town, or rather, what have remained of it. From that point it would take him two days on foot to Heartome's Galactic cache where he suspects to find that car Saturn promised him and some supplies. Of course, if he were to find some abandoned car that worked he would also put it to good use.
He will return there as soon as he finds what happened in Veilstone's Vault. After all, a human life was on stake. And also, his supplies were quite running short, so getting more and more food and water was now the most important thing in his life. After all his own life depended on it.