Caged Twin Song [PG-16 - MA]

[Shiay]

All right... before anyone really starts berating me for starting something new and 'not continuing' on my other story, Talk About Imbalance, I'm just going to say that this is a small side project of me that was to assist me with character development. Talk About Imbalance is still in the works, it's just that I haven't had a lot of time to work on it in addition to a lot of other things I've been working on.

Caged Twin Song, on the other hand, is just a short series of acts that is already completed and shall be updated every once a week to two weeks. I suppose this is a way to be tiding over my readers till I get a new chapter of TAI out so that my readers at least have something to be reading.

Just as a warning, this fanfiction is actually rather ideologically sensitive, will be containing violence, blood and gore in later chapters and will have mild swearing in it.

That all out of the way, this work of mine is focusing on a character I'm sure others have seen me post around here every now and then, Jaydin Byrd. Not only that, but is also told in the first-person view from her. Thought it'd be nice to mention this fact as well since I know not many people like the first-person narrative.

Act One
Act Two
Act Three
Act Four
Act Five
Act Six
Act Seven
Act Eight
Act Nine
Act Ten
Act Eleven

Now to the actual start of the story:

Caged Twin Song

Act One​

Suicune... that's the main thing that this whole ordeal had to start with to get myself and my... 'double'... involved in this mess. It was now and at this time that I found myself to be surrounded by cold iron bars that lined the cage I was so ruthlessly thrown into and stuffed in. The cage that I was kept in was lonely and made me to be virtually bound and immobile. After a while of staying within the prison, I lost track of what time it was... what day it was... how many days went past.... I slowly started to wonder just how long it was that I had stayed in the custody of this organization that I had stupidly rushed into blindly and destroyed the 'precious' work of.

That work wasn't precious... that work would never be considered as such in my eyes. Whatever experiments and tests that they wanted to run involved harming both people and Pokémon in the process... and I wasn't going to allow it. Though now... 'wasn't' would be the correct term, seeing as I was rendered useless. My Pokémon were stripped of me... and I didn't even know what they were doing to my best friend, Trépas. I didn't want to think about it... I just prayed to Arceus that he was safe and well... safe and planning something to be getting me out of this hell hole that practically staved me and used me for their own selfish reasons. I wanted him to make that miraculous appearance again... to save me like he had those many years ago....

But...

He never came....

Several days had passed and a new enclosure was wheeled into the room. I was sitting at the back of the cage at the time, merely idly tapping the tip of my foot against one of the bars of the cage. A few minutes after the caged structure was entered into the room, that's when I heard a voice.

No... not a voice that I flinched at the sound of....

A voice that sounded like they were just as scared as I was being in a dark room trapped in a cage of their own.

"I... I know you're over there... please answer me," came the voice again. As I listened to the words that were spoken, I realized that the body that was speaking them was about my age (or maybe older) and male.

Having my curiosity piqued by this unknown's voice, I crawled forward and then peeked through the bars in front of me in attempts to be seeking the source of the voice. Looking, I grabbed the cast iron bars and darted my gaze anywhere I could before I saw his arm waving out a small bit to capture my attention.

I wanted to gasp out in just pure happiness that there really was someone else in here and that I wasn't making things up in my mind. However... my mouth had become dry over the time that I had stayed locked in this cage and malnourished. To make up for this slight setback, I reached out my own arm and grasped his hand in mine. It comforted me greatly when I felt him grasp my hand with seemingly just as much excitement and relief as I had. I wanted to hug this unknown... just to have that comfort of being with someone that cared at this very moment in time. Arceus knows how much that either one of us needed it.

"What's your name...?" was the first question that this person asked me after a moment.

Being hesitant about it because all of my past doings, I decided to just leave what happened in the past in the past. Deep down, I knew that this other kid was just like me... and in that regard, I knew that I could trust him. After all... why would he even consider being a double agent when he seemed just as afraid as I was here in this prison of sorts...?

I shook my head to rid my mind of losing track of my thoughts.

"My name is Jaydin... what about you...?" I was nervous about asking... I hadn't spoken in so long, my voice must have sounded horrid. However, after I had asked, I felt this person's grip tighten on my hand before he gave his response after several moments time, "mine is Jaysen...."

And this... this was how I met my double.... Both trapped, locked away and virtually restrained to do nothing. Kept away from both family and friends....

Well... we could scratch that last one.... Because from this point on... we were the most important friends that either of us could have... from then till the day that we died or this appalling organization disbanded.

But... Jaysen. Just hearing his name... how similar it was to my own, and getting that very small moment to talk to him. I had a feeling that there was more than met the ears at this point, as I was unable to see Jaysen from inside his cell, just like I was concealed in shadows away from him. However... as I continued to hold his hand... I started to feel more and more like he and I were definitely more similar than what we knew at this point.

 

[DarkDreams]

Cool story bro.

-had permission to do that-

 

[Hector]

First!

DAMNIT!

Fine, second.

 

[Shiay]

XD;

You guys are jerks.

eue;;

I mean that the nicest way possible.

 

[Shiay]

Act Two​

It was great to just have someone to finally be talking with – just someone to share a few words with was an amazing privilege to be having. Though, after more and more time ticked away, we soon found out the reason that we were 'paired' together, as it were.

To these people that held us, we were nothing but experiments. Nothing but tools to help them gain what it was they were looking for. I already knew what that was by some slip up when I was running away the first time. They wanted the Legendary Beast; Suicune. They wanted to capture and harness the creature's power's to help expand their heinous acts and crimes.

I didn't care who these people were. I hated them... I hated all of them! And I bitterly wished and hoped that they would all get what's coming to them soon.

The door of the room slammed open and bright white light shined in, blinding me for a few moments. I could see the silhouette of a human being standing there before they moved closer to where both Jaysen and I was and dug in their pocket. There was a scowl upon my face as I watched this organization member pull a set of keys out of their pocket and then start to unlock both mine and Jaysen's cage cells.

"Get out" was the simple command that we were both issued. I didn't want to listen to this person, but I did so anyways against my better judgment. Jaysen had also stepped out of his own cell after. As I looked at him, I found myself to be almost in shock. Not only our names were similar... that was for damn certain. Looking at him was almost like looking at a mirror. It was... kind of scary, to be honest. I was always told by my twin brothers that someone has their own twin somewhere out there, I just never believed it. Though, as I looked more at Jaysen, the more I started to wonder about why it was the both of us were being taken out for whatever.

"Get moving already, you wretched brat!"

I was shoved forward sharply and I stumbled, falling hard against the ground. I started to push myself back up before being stopped completely by getting kicked in the stomach. I keeled over to the side, coughing and gasping out for air desperately as this had happened. It hurt... and I needed air. They really wanted me that bad, they shouldn't have resorted to such tactics. This was insane.

"I said to get moving!"

After that, I was dragged back up to my feet by my hair. I opened an eye to look at the person that was doing this to me. However, as I did, I unfortunately couldn't be seeing anything thanks to the fact that they shoved me back forward and pushed me again to be getting out of the room that held both mine and Jaysen's cells. Jaysen and I were both manhandled out of the room and into the bright hallways of wherever it was we were. Some secret base. I didn't care. I wanted to destroy this place when I actually had the chance to be running away. Destroy this place, destroy all the research and mechanics that were held here....

Destroy this organization.

Every...

Last...

Member...

It wasn't long before Jaysen and I were dragged to a testing room and shoved into chairs. Our arms and legs were strapped and bound before another person made their appearance while putting a glove upon their hand. I could see two syringes in the other hand and my eyes widened. No... no, no, no, no, no, no.... They really couldn't be doing what I thought they were going to, could they? No, that wasn't right... that wasn't right! Jaysen and I needed to get out of this place no matter what it took.... But shaking and thrashing in the binds did us both no good. We weren't going to get out of this, were we...? What were they doing to us...?

I tightly shut my eyes and after a moment, I felt the unknown person roll my sleeve up and then rub an alcohol swab where the bend of my arm was. I clenched my jaw and then flinched somewhat as the needle penetrated through my skin and into my vein. Then... then I felt whatever serum was in that syringe being entered into my bloodstream. It was cold and I didn't like it... not one bit. After the needle was removed, I felt numb for just a few seconds before it felt like my body had become way more awake and active. What had they done...? Why had they done this?

Both Jaysen and I were soon unbound from out seats and then led to a different room all together. The place had high ceilings and all kinds of marks in here that showed whatever past battles were held in here.

"Now let us just see how well these two can fend for themselves if need be after their treatment..." came a voice from over the intercom.

What did they mean...?

I heard the door behind us shut and lock. Guess we would definitely be finding out in a moment. But I didn't want to... I wanted to run away.

That's when both Jaysen and my attentions were snapped back to what was before us as a bell resounded throughout the room. We looked around cautiously... and that's when other doors in the room opened. What I saw was something that made me want to scream in anger and cry in fear. Just... what was it? It looked like a Pokémon... but it also looked to be a morbid combination of all kinds of things. I could see the characteristics of a Houndoom, the wings of a Charizard, the tail of a Tyranitar.... Just... what the hell was it!?

As it roared, my mind kicked into overdrive in just a split second. I found myself to be dashing across the room and grasping part of pipe that was sticking out. Just as I was thinking that there was no way that I could be taking it from it's spot, I had snapped my hands forward and pried it loose with just that motion. I wanted to stand their in shock, but my body seemed to move on its own. I was running straight for whatever that creature was and holding the pipe drawn back and ready to strike. I leaped up and swung the weapon in my hand down hard on the head of this creature, hoping to crack its skull. However, I didn't get the chance as the creature brought its tail up and smacked me hard in my stomach, causing me to sail back and into a far wall of the room.

Staggering back up like it didn't hurt, I looked back up, my brow furrowed and the thoughts of 'kill it, destroy it' hanging heavily in my mind. However, as I continued to look, I saw Jaysen with a weapon of his own -- granted, a lot more sharper and looking as if it'd deal much more damage than this pipe I held. But that didn't matter. As I watched Jaysen, I saw him bring what he had across the tail end of the monster, lopping off the appendage and making the beast roar loudly with pain. Watching as the tail squirmed and writhed on the floor made the inner me want to barf... but the mindset I had said 'more'. So that's what I did... I fed that mindset 'more'. I rushed in again while the chimera was in pain and slammed the pipe back down on its head.

I was terrified. Just what was I doing? I never did stuff like this! But on the same token... this felt so good.... So good just to let it all out!

I brought the pipe hard against the beast's neck and continued beating on it with every ounce of energy I had. I even continued when I saw the skin split and some of the bones splintering out. Blood spatted from the wounds onto my face, arms and torso and the creature was rendered motionless.

Panting out, I stared wide-eyed at what it was I had just done.... Then I looked to the pipe I held. It was bloodstained and I just couldn't believe it. I threw it away from me and screamed, staggering back and falling into a sitting position. Tears stung my eyes and I watched as the pool of blood I caused the creature to make widen.

What had I done...? What were these people turning me into...?

 

[Shiay]

Act Three​

I wept in the corner of my cage for days when I was put back into my cell. I wasn't even given the chance to wash myself of the blood that stained my hands and clothes. They remained on my person, reminding me of the horrible thing that I had done.

I had killed a living creature.

A living, breathing creature.

I didn't know what to be thinking... I couldn't think. My mind was filled with the guilt that I had killed a poor beast, that like us, was just used as an experiment for this damned organization's wants. Their goddamned greedy wants!

As I cried, I could only listen to Jaysen trying to talk to me and calm me down. The efforts, while appreciated, didn't work. He didn't do anything but cut off the tail of that morbid creation. I'm the one that actually had the blood on me from beating in the poor creature's head and killing the thing. Killing the thing that was just so mistreated and misunderstood. A creature that probably didn't even know what to be doing thanks to it's being created and shaped into a chimera.

That was our first 'exercise', however. The first exercise that we were given as we were soon given the titles of 'weapons'. My anger and hatred grew for the people that were using us as both Jaysen and I heard what these people were talking about when they were outside of the room that we were being kept within.

"... They're our first two successful experiments, Domino. They're pretty much just what you wanted. Judging by all the tests that we've been running, their stamina and strength levels are peaked and their mindset switches from what they normally think into a crazed state of merciless combat. They're perfect living weapons."

"This is great news. Have we names for them yet? We can't just leave something as precious as they without a set of names, now can we?" This woman's voice dripped with a sense of malice behind it. If this was that Domino girl... then I really hoped that she was going to be getting the worst backlash from this experimentation than any of the others.

"Mmm... the female is known as Number One; the male, Number Two. We only keep them numbered for now. However... it's also because of the way that they've been shown to work together when under the influence of the Furor Serum."

"And how's that...?"

"Well... the boy seems to distract the target by cutting off a limb or appendage of what it is they're against so that said target is focused on the pain that was inflicted before the girl rushes in for the killing blow. This may be just how they're now programmed when put into these tests. The girl is prone to taking blunt objects while the boy seems to take to finding the most blade-like weapon that he can find."

"Interesting development... let me see them."

"Very well, ma'am..."

After hearing that, I quickly pushed myself to the back of my cage, pushing my back hard against the bars of the cage and just praying that they didn't release me to take me for more of their horrible experiments and tests. I didn't want to do them anymore! I was tired of them... I was scared of them. What was worse was that I could feel the anger rising within myself once again as the door opened and the light shined in.

A small, feminine figure stood there and then slowly made her way forward to both mine and Jaysen's cages. There was no telling how much I tried to restrain myself from acting on impulse, but I had dashed to the front of the cage, screaming and yelling, trying to grab out at the woman before me and just break any part of her that I could get my hands on.

Apparently Jaysen was feeling the same way, because I saw his angered face up at the bars of his own cage as he, too, tried to reach out for the blonde woman that stood only mere inches from either of our grasps.

Legends be damned that even in our raged, serum induced states, we couldn't even come close to bending the tempered bars of our enclosures!

This woman named Domino... I saw a smile stretch upon her lips at first... then she started to laugh at us! I just wanted to break free from this prison and smash that baby face of hers and make her skull cave. We'd have seen who was laughing then.

"Ah... you two little weapons are so cute..." she jeered, looking from me to Jaysen. Putting her hands behind her back and observing us a little more closely, she continued, "I believe we have proper names for the two of you kiddies...."

Domino then pointed to me, that sinister smile of hers boring deep within my mind. "You, girl; Number one, you shall now be known as Nova."

I winced. I didn't want to be named for whatever this was. It made me feel detached from my old self. It made me feel as if I was slowly shedding a husk that would only be merely known as my past self.

Her attention then snapped to Jaysen after I had shrunk back a small ways. "Number two... the male. We'll stick to calling you Aias."

"We have our own names! We don't need you labeling us!" I heard Jaysen growl.

"Shut it!" Domino shouted back at him. After she had said that, I heard Jaysen yell out in pain and then looked over to see just why he was. An electrical field had been turned on on Jaysen's cell and he was being electrocuted with a strong enough jolt to send him keeling over to the bottom of his cage in pain.

"Quit that, you filthy power obsessed bitch!" I screamed, rushing back to the front of the cage, my eyes wide with horror. I was just wanting them to stop with torturing Jaysen. I couldn't bear seeing them treat him as such. However, as I was thinking that, my own actions came with a price as the same thing that happened to Jaysen happened to me. It took a moment to register in my mind at first, but once I felt my body being run through with what felt like shards of glass through my bloodstream, I, too, fell to the bottom of my cage.

I screamed as loud as I could manage and tears were streaming down my cheeks from the pain that I felt. The worst part about this was that my body was still acting on its own and while my mind registered the pain, my body wasn't acting like it did. I really was what they were intending for Jaysen and myself to be becoming. Living weapons that would push through to meeting our objective.

It was from this point on that Jaysen and I... were now known as Aias and Nova.

 

[Shiay]

Act Four​

"Hurry and send in the next one! Nova's out of control!"

Ah... so sweet the sound of that. So good to hear the actual cry of someone here in this base that feared what it was that they had made me become! Damn... that just made me extremely happy. However happy I was, the tears that fell along my face definitely wasn't because I was laughing. No... you could say that it was because of that damned serum working its way into taking control of my body once again.

"Dammit Nova! Stand down already!" Jaysen yelled at me, cutting out in front and raising the hatchet that he was equipped with. I looked into his eyes and grinned rather maliciously. The look in his eyes was the same as my own at this very point in time, and he was the one telling me to be standing down. Hah! He was just as in as much in a rage as I was!

"Tough shit, Aias! You want me down, come and take me down!" I prodded after him, tapping the tip of the pipe I held in my hand against the cracked cement floor. I couldn't believe what stupid words were coming out of mine and his mouths thanks to the Furor Serum.

Another thing that had to be questioned was why it was that we were calling each other by our 'experiment' names that we were ever so kindly given by that blonde-haired whore, Domino. Well... the reason behind that is actually quite simple: when the effects of the Serum died down the first time, Jaysen and I had made a promise with one another that when fully induced by the effects, we would refer to each other as such.

Truth be told, I'm actually not at all sure how it is that we were able to retain the state of mind to be remembering that promise in the rage state that we were put into because of these exercises. Perhaps it was because I saw Jaysen to be as close to me as a brother and he the same for me.

Whatever, though... at this time, I had to be getting ready for him rushing in to hit me with the flat of his hatchet. I honestly have to admit, though... the heightened senses that both Jaysen and myself were granted when under control of the Furor Serum was... almost amazing. Even so... I still hated it. Perhaps under a different circumstance and if the stupid drug didn't send us into a rage might I actually like the effects of this.

"Nova! I said to stand down!" Jaysen snapped, narrowly missing me with the blade. I had brought up the pipe and made it meet with the hatchet. A sharp metallic sound resounded from the clashing of the two iron objects. In the time that I was taking to retaliate against my double, what we were actually supposed to be in this test for hit the both of us hard in the sides and sent us sliding against the concrete floor.

I pushed myself up with a growl after a moment and looked to the new chimera that was created just for the two of us.

How kind of them, right?

Tch... as if. It was disgusting the new things that they made specifically for our training. Especially since every single one of them, I delivered the killing blow to. Aias could if he tried, but it seemed as if that was what I was supposed to be my doing. No one else that was infected with this... disease, but my own.

This new beast donned yellow eyes and glared at us from it's hybrid form of a body. Arceus... I wanted to be puking my intestines at all of the new chimeras that they made both Nova and Aias train against for their studies.

Running toward the black bodied and furry beast, I rose the pipe and readied myself to be breaking one of the legs that it had. It seemed that Aias had the same idea as I did as he rushed in to be slicing off the left front leg of the chimera.

The sound of the beast's cries filled the room as now one of its leg was rendered useless thanks to my breaking it and the other was gone completely, only to be twitching on the floor. As the creature fell forward with its snarling and snapping, I was about to smash the pipe hard against its head to cave in its skull before all I saw was red and sirens started going off.

"Warning! Warning! This is not a drill! Evacuate all lower levels at once! I repeat! Warning! Warning! This is not a drill! Evacuate all lower levels at once!"

I blinked... Was this... was this for real? Was the light really shining at the end of the tunnel!? Could Jaysen and I really use this time to escape!?

"Nova!"

I looked over to Aias and then remembered. The chimera. It was far too injured and in far too much pain to just leave it as is. Tears flowed down my cheeks still yet, however, as sad as the thoughts were in my mind, it was still the Serum that pushed my body to continue with what it was I was about to be doing. Hopefully for the last and final time in this fashion.

Cracking the pipe down on the chimera's head, I heard that heart wrenching sound of its skull collapsing under the force of the hit and its cries stopped. I looked down to it, my eyes still reflecting the crazed state I was in, though still producing the tears of the near infinite guilt and sadness that resided within my mind.

It was as I continued to watch the blood slowly start to seep from the wounds both Aias and I, Nova, inflicted, I was soon swept off my feet and being rushed out the door by someone. I didn't know who this someone was until I actually looked when he was dashing out in the hall and in the opposite direction of the room where our cells were.

Looking down, I noticed the same shade of brown locks that I donned upon my head on the person that was holding me. But... he was in the Team Rocket's uniform...?

No...

"No! No! No!" I shouted, screaming and then swinging the pipe down to hit this unknown member's legs to trip him. Much as I actually did, he just turned around and slammed me against the wall before taking my pipe and looking down at me with a cold and hard gaze.

There was that feeling again, though. The feeling that I should actually be knowing this person. But then again, as I stared at this person, I felt very... detached.

Glowering at him, I reached out for the pipe before being pushed back against the wall with even more force, causing me to gasp out in pain.

"... You'll be wanting this back... Jaydin..."

My eyes widened at that and I looked up at this person in shock as he wrapped my red scarf complete with my pin back around my neck and shoulders. With that, he also took a messenger bag that he was toting with him and handed it back to me. My messenger bag... with all my stuff in it, too.

"Go and get out of here. Now!"

I just held the bag in my hands, stunned that this person that I didn't even know was telling me that I had the freedom to run away.

"Aias..." I gasped.

"He's ahead... go find him."

 

[Shiay]

Act Five​

The sirens continued to wail throughout the building and the sound of them rang through my ears rather painfully as I ran. As the sound of them continued throughout the halls, it slowly started to numb my mind as I just focused on trying to get out of this place wile also looking for any sign of where Jaysen may have been.

I needed to find him... needed to be with him. He was one of the closest friends that I currently had and I wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to be captured by Team Rocket again if we were to be getting out of here. We were, in this sense, brother and sister. And that bond was something that I cherished deeply – even if we really hadn't know each other for all that long.

Rounding a corner, an arm whipped out in front of me and the wind was knocked out of me as I didn't have time to come to a complete halt, or slow down enough to maneuver out of the way. I choked out with coughs as I was lifted up and looking down at one of the Rocket grunts that now held me in his hold. I furrowed my brow as I regained my breathing pattern and grabbed at his arms, trying to pry them away from myself.

"Can't allow you to be making your escape, Nova," was what he said to me with a malicious grin upon his face. "Now we just gotta find the other one, Aias. You two are much to valuable to our organization to allow you to just slip away from our fingers."

"Let me go now!" I found myself to be shouting, thrashing in his hold. I looked back down to him, the rage taking over my body once again because of the serum. The grunt's grasp only tightened on me and I clenched my hands into fists. Looking down with that crazed expression upon my face, I rose my hands up together and swung them down hard across his face. How dare he try to restrain me!

His grip wavered on me and I repeated the action. Just as if I were holding that cold steel pipe in my hands. I hit him across the face again and again – I could swear that my knuckles were going to end up bruised after this, but after seeing my actions knock a tooth loose from his mouth, I still couldn't help but to continue. It was till I managed to break his jaw that he dropped me and I was running free once again to wherever the exit may be located.

That's when I remembered....

As I ran, I dug into my messenger bag and then pulled out one of my PokéBalls, expanding it. All of my friends had better have been safe was what I was thinking and hoping for. I already wanted to destroy this organization, but if Team Rocket dared did anything to the Pokémon that were part of my team, I swear I'd do more than just leave them with several cuts and bruises. I was kind enough to spare that other Rocket member with just a missing tooth and broken jaw... but I seriously doubt that any mercy would be shown were my friends harmed.

"Calisto! Aid me!"

I threw out the capsule and soon, the Kirlia was pirouetting alongside me, looking to me with his curious red eyes. I glanced to him and then quickly noticed how his expression changed from questioning to both looking shocked and somewhat scared. There was no doubt in my mind that it was because he saw just the slight insanity I was in reflected in my expression as I looked to him.

Digging in my bag again, I quickly made way to taking out something else. As I withdrew my hand, the shimmering aqueous coloured stone glinted somewhat and I looked back to Calisto as I ran. Clenching my jaw, I called out to him, "Calisto! I know we both agreed that we would do this when we were ready... but I need you to use the Dawn Stone, now! I need you to evolve into Gallade!"

I tossed the stone to him and watched as he caught it rather gracefully. I couldn't stop to speculate, though. I still needed to be finding the exit. Once Calisto was a Gallade, we could be getting out of here without me getting myself hurt... hopefully.

Normally, I'd be asking Trépas for assistance, but... I actually didn't see him anywhere. I had to wonder why that was. Digging in my bag once again, I felt around for the worn out PokéBall that I usually never kept him in and then pulled it out to see if he was kept within. Once the capsule was open, however, it made my heart fall heavy with the discovery that he wasn't in there.

'You won't find him among us, my human.'

Now that made me stop for just a small moment and look up to Calisto. He was now standing tall beside me as a fully evolved Gallade. I smiled a small bit before having it vanish quicker than it came. It seemed that Calisto was now able to communicate with me telepathically... but what concerned me more at this very time was the fact that he had told me that Trépas wasn't among them.

'He's with a friend.'

"Who might that be?"

'A Mismagius by the name of Trellé.'

I shook my head and started running again. Just why was he off with another Pokémon when I had been missing for weeks? Months maybe, even!? What was that Gengar up to? Augh! Whatever, I'd have to scold him later. Just now, however, I had to be getting out of here. Had to be getting out of here and finding Jaysen, wherever it was he ran to. Hopefully he had his Pokémon friends with him as well.

'They and a man... they are the cause of this distraction.'

Ah... so that was it. Someone was here and was actually making distractions and allowing Jaysen and myself to be making our escape. Well... looked like he was off the hook for a tongue lashing, luckily enough for him. Not that I could have done anything to him in the first place.

Rounding a corner, that's when I actually skid and fell to a stop. I had closed my eyes as I landed and I felt my hands, arms and almost my entire backside get covered in some fluid. Some... warm and relatively thick fluid. Opening my eyes, the first thing that I saw was Jaysen – or rather – Aias' hand reaching down for mine, his hand and arm spattered over with blood.

Looking to it, that's when I rose my own hands and arms and felt my eyes widen again. That's what I had slipped on! The hallway was covered in blood. I looked back to Aias and grabbed his hand, getting helped up. That's when I eyed the hatchet that he normally carried in our tests in his other hand.

"Nova... we're free to leave," Aias breathed, holding my hand tighter. He looked to me with a slight grin and I looked into his eyes. His grin grew wider as he saw me and he said to me, "aha... haha... it seems that you really are still around, Nova."

"Yeah, what of it!?" I snapped automatically. "Let's get out of here before we're caught again, Aias!"

"Mm... yes... we should..." Aias grinned hollowly to me and then snapped me forward by my hand since he still had a hold of it. I was thrown back across the ground and sliding on the bloodstained floors toward the direction that I was initially headed.

"Ladies first, Nova."

'How dare yo–!'

"Calisto, quiet! Just go ahead and find any exit you can!" I snarled, looking back to Aias and glowering. I wondered just what in the world was up with him at this very moment. While we were known to attack each other during combat in the tests that we were thrown into, I never thought that he would be treating me as an enemy when we were able to be running free thanks to the distractions that were put into place.

In my peripheral vision, I witnessed Calisto start to go.

"Calisto...."

He paused.

"Don't be afraid to dispose of any of these damned Rockets if they get in your way...."

Silence lingered in the air between the three of us besides that annoying wail of the sirens. It only took several moments before I saw Calisto nod and then dart off. I turned my attention back to Aias as Calisto left. Now it looked like that he was my problem -- I needed to know why it was that he was attacking me and not striving for the exit now like we said we were going to when we got the chance.

 

[Shiay]

Act Six​

"Ahahaa~ What's the matter, Nova? You look very displeased..."

I just narrowed my eyes to Aias as I slowly pushed myself back up from the bloodied ground. Casting my gaze to his left hand, I eyed the hatchet again and looked to the bloodstained steel. Many things raced through my mind... many things having to do with either incapacitating him or killing him all together. Then there were the thoughts that Nova had of calculating what his speed was, how strong he was and how fast he could swing the hatchet thanks to the Furor Serum.

That latter option was one I didn't want to follow through with. At all.

"Aias, we need to get out of here. Stop this nonsense." I watched Aias for a moment longer before I saw him look down to his hatchet. I took that opportunity to quickly scan the area for a weapon of merit that I could be using just in case things were to be getting messier than they already had.

When I looked back up to look to Aias, I just saw his face near mine, his golden eyes with that hollowed out look to them. My own eyes widened as he pushed me back and pinned me hard against the wall. I squirmed underneath his hold, but he held fast and kept my back pushed against the wall while digging his fingers somewhat into my shoulder.

Again... this was something that hurt – in more ways than one. His fingers were digging into the tattoo that was burned into me. Burned into us – horrid reminders of what it was we both were! Experiments and weapons created by the hands of Team Rocket! However, the main reason that it hurt more was because I knew that deep down, he didn't want to be doing this and that his body was well beyond his control at this point in time... just like mine was about to be very shortly.

I also probably forgot to mention the fact that Team Rocket had taken the liberty of branding us as experiments one and two while also adding our experimental names of Aias and Nova right on our shoulders. It was another thing that disgusted me – it was as if they were basically labeling as property that they owned.

"Hm~? What's wrong, Nova~? You don't seem like you want to play anymore.... Is this because you don't have your toy anymore? You don't have to worry about that..." Aias breathed, his lips nearing my ear. I couldn't help but to shudder as his malice filled words tickled the skin and made Nova even more active within my being from his jeering.

"That's not..." I started before I was hit across the face hard with Aias' fist to shut me up. Unfortunately, the tactic had worked and I was shut up – along with dealing with the throbbing pain that lingered upon my cheek from the initial blow that Aias had delivered.

Snarling from the act that had just happened, I lifted my legs as Aias continued to hold me pinned against the wall and launched the flats of my feet against his abdomen, launching him backward and sliding across the bloodied floor as I, once again, fell down to it. This time, however, I quickly scrambled to my feet, despite how clumsy it looked as I lost footing on the blood, and stood at the ready to defend myself against Aias. This time... more as Nova than as Jaydin.

"As I was saying..." I growled, my brow knitted tight together as I watched Aias stagger back up on his own two feet. "We need to be getting out of here! We have the escape laid out right in front of us and screaming in our ears! You dare to waste that on petty games like the one you're wanting to engage in now!?"

"Oh Nova... so... angry, aren't you...?" Aias looked to me with a crazed grin before slowly walking to the side and starting to circle me. He was like a lone Mightyena, waiting to strike at its prey. Well... sorry to disappoint him, but I wasn't going to allow him to strike -- especially because I knew that he'd be regretting it later on when he was no longer taking over Jaysen's body.

"Angry!? Of course I'm angry at the moment!" I snapped, following him with my eyes and turning my body in time with how he circled me. "We promised, Aias! As Jaydin and Jaysen! We'd get out of here!"

"That's your problem, Nova!" Aias shouted, rushing at me with the hatchet raised. My brow rose as he neared and I ducked as soon as he swung, narrowly missing the blade from what I could tell. Especially seeing as several strands of hair that got cut landed on my nose and tickled it.

Using the blood on the ground to my advantage, I slipped underneath Aias, grabbing his ankles and pulling him with me. Success was seen when I felt him slip rather easily and fall forward as he lost his footing. As soon as I was sure that he was down, I clamored back up to my feet and staggered back again, looking down to him as he rolled over onto his side and narrowed his cold, hollowed out gaze up to me.

"Just what is my problem, Aias!?" I shouted after a while, clenching my now blood soaked hands into fists. My body was trembling with mixed emotions of rage, fear, guilt and other things that I've no time to be listing as I started at he who I considered my brother.

"Dammit, Nova! We're weapons! You can't allow for your host to make you soft! You won't get that far if you do! If we are going to get out of here like we promised, you need to stop hesitating because of your host and take the opportunity as they appear!"

"Then what do you suggest we do, Aias? We can't sit here and fight with each other while all this is going on!" I quickly motioned to the red lights blinking on and off through the building and speakers that continued to wail the siren's sound throughout the base.

Aias looked at me for a moment, his mouth creased into a frown. After about a minute, I saw the look in his eyes almost start to revert to how they would be, were he to be Jaysen. However, the more I watched him, I noticed his grip tightening on his hatchet before he slowly got up to his feet and looked to me with a stern expression marked clear upon his face.

"Jaydin..." he started, bringing the hatchet up to rest up over his shoulder. I felt my body slowly start to calm from its raged state as he continued with what it was that he was saying, "if we're getting out of here... we're taking down anyone that stand in our way and all the research that these bastards have of the Furor Serum."

In that moment that he said that, my thoughts came to a complete and abrupt halt. It was a perfect plan – not to mention that the 'toy' Aias was talking about was still left in the training room from the last and final time that we were getting tested against a horrific chimera. Though... to be getting all the research papers on the Serum and to be getting our hands on the actual Serum, itself! We could attempt to develop and research how to reverse it so that we were no longer these appalling creations of Team Rocket.

Human weapons....

Even the thought of it was disgusting. It always would be.

Looking back to Jaysen, I gave a nod and looked back in the direction that our prisons were. I had a rather bad feeling about going back... but it was going to be all for the better for the both of us.

Maybe....

Just maybe....

We could be normal once again....

We could be free... free from what we've been made into....

 

[Hector]

I'm sure I've already told you this, but I love this fic. I'll put up a more substantial review when I get a chance.

 

[Shiay]

*smiles* I would like that. I'm glad that you do enjoy this despite the work being something that one wouldn't expect from me. It means a lot.

 

[Shiay]

Act Seven​

My shoes started to squeak against the ground as both Jaysen and I ran to make our ways back to be getting to the floor that we were held captive on. The blood that we had had that little tiff with one another in was starting to dry. I could feel it. My clothes started to stick to my body, my hair felt as if I had tried to wash it in soda and I felt resistance with every step I took as I ran with the drying blood wanting to stick to the linoleum floor.

I couldn't keep my thoughts on these things for too long, however. My mind was set on two things: a blunt object that was easy to hold and swing, and the research papers that held anything and everything that both Jaysen and I needed to be knowing about the Furor Serum in order to be finding out a way to be reversing its effects.

To be honest, I'd give anything for something that could reverse the effects now. I hated having to live in fear of myself and what it was that I was now capable of doing thanks to the experiments that were run on both myself and Jaysen. This was definitely saying something, because besides the Pokémon, Sableye, there was so little out there that I actually did fear – and coming down to fearing yourself... now that was scary in and of its own.

Shaking my head slightly to ward my thoughts back to be focused on why both Jaysen and myself were back down here, it was now that I noticed just how fast my heart was beating within my chest. It was as if a Machamp had been shrunk, locked away in my chest and punching away at my ribs in order to break free. I had never known that my heart could beat so painfully in addition to my being scared and in desperation.

I darted past doors to be making my way back to the training facility while Jaysen actually took to scouring the rooms and trying to find the research papers that we needed. I neared the doors of the training room and almost puked from the raunchy smell that was now emitting from the room. I didn't think that the chimera would have been smelling bad already. I was pretty sure that it took time for bodies to have started smelling bad from rotting, but this was definitely something else as I forced myself inside and past the dead body of the chimera.

Pulling my scarf up over my nose and blinking back tears from the putrid stench, I glanced around the floors to see just where it was that the pipe I used was. I guess it was at that point that I didn't remember that the person that told me to run out of here was who the pipe was with. That proved to have been a very bad thing, especially when I felt my body jerk to the side after getting hit sharply against the cheek.

I fell against the floor, coagulated blood from the chimera starting to stick to me in addition to the other blood that was on me at the time. I rubbed at my cheek for a moment, the stinging sensation from the hit still lingering and then fading to just a smarting throb. I made to get back up to my feet, by balance a little wobbly from all the running I had done prior to whatever was going on and that's when I had to halt.

A snarling was heard from behind me and I felt a kick of adrenaline rush through me as I felt fear enter my persona once again. Slowly turning my head back to look just what was there, my heart started to quicken its pace once more in my chest as I looked up to this new being that was looming over me. My eyes widened as I watched the beast raise its large clawed hand and I clutched at messenger bag, wishing I had found something I could use as a weapon before this had even all began.

Once the beast's hand connected with my body and sent me sailing backward into a wall, that's when the Serum kicked in again.

Damn... three times in one day already.

I hung my head for a moment, my expression darkening. Clenching my fists, I rose my gaze to meet the vicious green one of the chimera that was slowly making its way back toward me. I hardened my gaze and took both my scarf and messenger bag off, merely tossing them behind me and running toward danger against my better judgment with an enraged scream and a frenzied expression, I'm sure. The way I was acting at this point in time only proved that I, like the scientifically rendered beast before me, was nothing but a monster created for the sole purpose to kill and be killed.

Pausing for a moment as the chimera brought its hand back up, I braced myself to jump and narrowed my eyes to my target. Calculating the reaction time and what to be doing when the beast struck in my mind, I inhaled to try and relax my body so that I could move it more effectively when the time called for it – and that time wasn't too far off.

The hand swept in close, narrowly missing me as I sprung back and then leaped forward with a slight snarl. I clung to the chimera's fur and then crawled my way up to be perched upon the monster's back. It was clear that the beast disliked this, as it writhed and bucked beneath me, trying to throw me off so that it could come in for a killing blow.

Sorry to disappoint.

I may not have had my pipe on me at the moment, but I sure as hell was going to be compensating for it, that was for damn certain. I'm sure that it was the thoughts of 'kill it, destroy it' that ran through my head that fueled my body to crawl forward till I was up on the beast's head.

My chest heaved with every breath I took. As it stood, I was breathing heavy, and my heart continued to pound away seemingly mercilessly in my chest as I rose my right hand high. Clenching my jaw as I looked down to the chimera, I used my other hand to quickly grab hold of one of its horns and also pushed my knees hard into its neck so I didn't fall off as it shook its head violently with a angered roar.

As soon as it slowed its actions, I slammed my fist down over the thin bone over its right eye and caused it to cave in. It squealed out in pain, making my ears ring. I tried not to allow my annoyance show through, however, that was hard as I repeated the action while screaming “shut up, shut up!” repeatedly.

My grip on the chimera slipped after a moment and it shook its head once again, this time sending me toppling over forward and landing on the ground with a rather sickening thud. I had gasped and yelped in pain before looking back up to see the chimera rearing up on its hind legs. It seemed that I was in somewhat of a stupor as I watched the creature rise over me, readying to quickly lower itself over top of me to crush me. I don't even know why, but I just continued to watch like an idiot – this must have been the only time that in my conscientiousness that I, as Jaydin, practically pleaded Nova to be taking action again to get my body out of the way.

 

[TeamGalacticMercury]

Wow... I like it. Chapters could be longer, but it's good.

 

[Shiay]

They're meant to be short -- if you look at my other work, you'll notice I write a lot more for entries than what this has to offer. However, thank you.

 

[Shiay]

Act Eight​

Things seemed to go in slow motion as I watched the beast start to lower itself. The sirens became a low drone in my ears till the sound just faded out completely. I only had a moment to take in a deep breath before I arced over to the side while bringing my arms out in front to defend myself. I closed my eyes tightly and just awaited my end.

Confusion arose within me as I felt something warm and heavy just land in my lap, twitching. Immediately after said object had landed in my lap, that same pained squeal resounded throughout the training facility and I wanted to just slap my hands over my ears to block it out. Such was not the case as I was far more interested in what the hell had just happened and why it was that I wasn't crushed to death as the chimera was about to be doing.

I looked up to see a Kabutops standing over me protectively, its left blade coated over with freshly shed blood. I tilted my head to the side for just a mere moment before registering in my mind that I needed to be getting out of the way – especially with since the thing that landed in my lap was the forearm of the chimera that was about to kill me. It was when the chimera staggered forwards and started to buckle forward that I actually shoved myself back and up on my feet while tossing the lopped off appendage to the side.

I fell again with my back hitting hard against the floor once the chimera actually fell to the ground, shaking it and making me lose my footing. I looked to the creature and clenched my jaw, trying to force myself from tearing up. It had just tried to kill me. Taking a deep breath in after a while, I reached over to where my bag and scarf was and took them again into my possession before looking back to the chimera.

I had always thought this from the start... and these thoughts weren't going to be changing... they were never going to be changing. Pokémon weren't meant to be treated in this fashion. They were born the way they were, just like we were. We were never meant to be experiments for a great evil that wanted to plague the lands for their wants and needs.

Turning my attention to the Kabutops, I stepped over a couple pieces of rubble and made my way to stand beside him. He turned his gaze back to me, his stare intense, though with a slightly friendly glint to them. I had to wonder if this Kaputops was like me – trapped and kept against his will... or if he belonged to either Jaysen or someone here that was also attempting to allow the two of us to be free from this hell.

“Kaiser!”

Both I and the Kabutops looked forward. The Kabutops quickly paced to be next to the person that called. I kept myself from smiling since this was neither the time nor the place for it, but once I saw Jaysen, I was filled with a sense of relief. Relief that he was okay and that no one had tried to get him again to be locked away for more experimentation.

“No go...” Jaysen murmured as I neared him. I glanced to him and scowled slightly. I was happy that he was apparently able to find whatever things that were his, but the fact that he wasn't able to find any of the papers or data on the Furor Serum concerned me. I didn't want to live my life with random episodes of living as an enraged human weapon. I just wanted to return to the life I had. Return to the life where I didn't have to worry about many of the choices that I made.

“What are we going to do if we can't even find them at all?” I asked, slinging my bag over my shoulder and rolling up my scarf to be putting it within. A small sigh escaped my lips as I righted myself and looked back to Jaysen. The look on his face told me plenty about what his response to my question would be and I fell silent. If we couldn't find the research, then we were both... well, to put it nicely, screwed.

As I had mentioned before: living in this fashion, it was going to either be kill or be killed.

“There's still a room I haven't checked yet...” Jaysen said after a moment's silence. I looked to him curiously and rose my brow in piqued interest.

“Why didn't you?”

“Heh... I had Kaiser sent out to save you and you're more focused on the research data...?” Jaysen turned his head to look down at me. I simply just stared back at him, continuing to frown.

“If either one of us can just find it and eventually use it to be reversing this damned condition, that'd be great... I don't care if I die anymore. Not with everything that's gone on and all the stuff that we've been forced to do...” I replied, turning my attention back to the whining chimera that was still on the floor behind me.

“Don't say that...” Jaysen whispered, his tone carrying a hint of fear to it.

“Say what...?”

“That you don't care if you die.”

“Why not?”

“Because I do!”

Silence lingered between us once again and I saw Kaiser look between both myself and Jaysen in my peripheral vision. Another sigh was expelled from my lips and I looked back to Jaysen, my expression questioning. Never before had I really thought that someone would care so much about my own existence besides those of my family and my own Pokémon. Then again... being who I was before all this mess happened, I used to be a rather troublesome and irksome child that would steal and disguise herself to be getting by.

That Jaydin was the one that stupidly got caught to be used as a lab Rattata.

“You're like a sister to me... hell, after all this, you may as well be, Jaydin,” Jaysen had started, clenching his fists. “We may have been used as experiments and we may have been mercilessly abused, but if you were no longer around, I don't know if I would want to continue with what we're going to be doing if we do find the research. I'd rather let the damn drug kill me eventually than lose someone that I've grown so close to and can understand on a level that no one would be able to.”

My lips felt as if they were sealed shut after I listened to what Jaysen had to say to me. I wanted to respond... but at the same time, I didn't. Maybe I just needed for all the words that were said to sink in before I actually did give a response. Though, given the circumstance, we had both dawdled long enough.

Nodding, I gazed up confidently back to Jaysen and then stepped out to be getting into the hallway. I dug into my messenger bag for the other four occupied PokéBalls that I had on hand and then gave a response, “then if we're going to get out of here alive and with those research papers, we're going to be needing all the help we can possibly be getting. Our Pokémon that we have on us should be able to assist.”

 

[Shiay]

Act Nine​

Releasing the other four Pokémon that I had with me, I felt relieved to see that all of them were still in good condition and that Team Rocket hadn't tried to do anything with them. I glazed over Sylsalis, Ivanox, Garrun and Deniz, making sure for a fact that none of them were harmed in any fashion. It was when the four of them nearly suffocated me by crowding around me in happiness that I was for certain that they were as okay as they looked. The only thing that made my heart sink was when all of them immediately backed off once they caught the scent of blood on my body.

“You think we'll be good to scour this and other levels for the research documents without getting caught again..?” Jaysen asked me, leaning down by the Vaporeon and petting her on the head after a moment. I just turned my attention from my Pokémon down to he and Sylsalis both, just thinking about what he asked in my head. One of the Rockets that had already tried to capture me told me that we were too valuable to lose – and that was cause for rise of concern.

I gave a small nod after a moment. We needed to keep our heads up at this point. There was no use to stay looking at the downside of things. To be getting out of here alive and well, we needed to be believing in ourselves and the ability that we could be achieving our goal in the end.

Walking out further into the hall is when I realized something. I had never caught just what the Furor Serum looked like – after all, I had my eyes pretty much closed the whole time. I was just only able to be making out the silhouette of the syringes before I closed my eyes in fear.

“Jaysen...” I started, glancing down both ways of the hall.

“Mhm...?”

“Did you ever catch what the Furor Serum looked like?”

“You didn't see it when they forced it into us?”

I shook my head; “I had my eyes closed the whole time, pretty much.”

“Ah...” Jaysen paused and then paced a few steps forwards to be standing beside me. I felt him put one of his hands over my shoulder before continuing what it was he had to be saying to me, “the lights were pretty dim, so it was hard for me to be making out as well. However... I do remember the fluid looking to be a sort of ruby red colour.”

I gave another nod. So that was the kind of sample that we had to be searching for in addition to the research papers about it. Hopefully they wouldn't have been taken with the heads of the human weapons experimentation bodies. That would be just our luck. Having all of this happen just to not really have anything to work with in the end.

Turning my head as soon as I heard Ivanox give a rather loud whine to mine and Jaysen's conversation, I looked to the Nidoking with a somewhat forced smile to try and be reassuring before walking over to him and placing a hand up on his cheek. Ivanox must have been extremely worried about me – after all, I was only covered in blood and pretty much reeking of nothing but death and fear. I couldn't blame him for being as worried as he was – besides Trépas, Ivanox was one of the first Pokémon that we welcomed onto the team when he was just a Nidoran♂.

I spoke softly, trying not to cause anymore alarm to he and the others around; “quiet now, Ive.... Everything is going to be alright. We just need to be finding a few things before getting out of here.”

This is when I turned my attention to the rest of my team as well as Jaysen and then crouched down on the ground. I held out my hands to both Sylsalis and Deniz, allowing for the Vaporeon and Smeargle to be nearing so that I could give them the comfort of allowing them to know that who they saw before them was still the same Jaydin as the one that they met on our travels together.

I saw several flashes beside me, and then I turned my head to look over at Jaysen. Four other Pokémon were standing beside him in addition to Kaiser, his Kabutops. I inhaled rather deeply and then continued to keep a forced smile upon my lips as I thought out what to be saying. While I scratched both Sylsalis and Deniz on top of their heads, that's when I began: “h-heh... I know that our scents may be a little different at the moment... but it's really... just so relieving to see you all recognizing us for who we are.”

A sigh...

“We need any and all help that we can be getting...” I heard in my voice that I carried a tone of desperation within it as I spoke. “It's been so long since we really got to be working together as a team... I missed all of you.... And I'm so glad that you're all safe.”

After just taking a mere few short moments with the Pokémon I called my friends to be basking in their company once again, I pulled out my sketchbook and laid out a quick plan on the floor. When all was said and squared away, everyone took to groups of two – I had Garrun along with me. Whatever of the Serum's urges I could suppress, he, as a Rhydon, could certainly make up for in brute strength alone.

The only real thing that ran through my mind, however, were the thoughts of hoping with everything that I had that my other friends and both Jaysen and his Pokémon would remain safe if were were all split up like this. We all pretty much had different floors to be weeding through and we didn't know if there were any other Rocket members lingering on the floors that we were on in order to be capturing us once again.

Coming across one of the rooms that was apparently left unopened on this floor, I furrowed my brow and braced myself as I rose my foot and kicked at the structure with the flat of my foot to be knocking it off its hinges. Such was not the case as I simply just pushed myself hard enough back to be toppling backward into a sitting position. A scowl made it's way onto my face as I realized that not even a kick of the serum was active within me at the moment and I then looked up as Garrun moved forward.

“... You got this, bud?”

With a snort and a curt nod, Garrun stomped forwards and slammed his side into the door, busting it off its frame. I rose my hands in front of my face to protect it in case anything was to be ricocheting back to either of us. Luckily, that did not happen and I was free to be picking myself back up onto my feet while using Garrun as an anchor.

Wow... my body ached.... Must have been through all the training courses that Jaysen and I were put through and all the times the Serum forced us to keep going against our better judgment.

Shaking my head from my thoughts, I motioned Garrun inward while staggering along beside him. My body as Jaydin couldn't take anymore of this abuse. I was bruised, bloodied, and... well hell, I'm actually surprised that nothing was broken. After all the things that we'd been put through, I'd have expected several ribs to be broken, maybe my arm or leg... but I seemed to be fine besides the surface wounds.

I gave a scoff as both the Rhydon and I were far enough into the room to where I stumbled into a desk and knocked over several things. One of those things being a picture frame. Some part of me told me to leave it the way it was and that it didn't matter that it was only simply knocked over; the other part of me was the part that took over and actually took the frame to set it back upright on the desk. I had glanced down to the photo in that moment that I had.

I wish I hadn't.

The picture was one that I was used to seeing back when I lived in Jubilife with my family.

“It can't be...” I whispered.

 

[Shiay]

Act Ten​

I must have been staring at that picture for minutes while my mouth hung open in disbelief. While I gaped, I could feel my eyes sting and start to brim with tears.

This photo... this photo was a smaller replica of the family portrait that was taken when I was just about two years of age....

That was around the time that my eldest brother, Chaz, had left for his own journey. That was also around the time that I had received the golden pin that I carry around with me to this day.

Continuing to look at the picture, I continuously thought that this couldn't be right. That what I was seeing couldn't be true – that it was just a figment of my imagination. After all... none of my family would ever think of being even associated with Team Rocket... right...? I mean... but why would someone that wasn't part of the Byrd family and those branching have a picture of my family from thirteen years ago...? It just didn't make any sense and it made my heart grow heavier with every thought I tried to make out to assure myself that no one I knew was a part of Team Rocket.

A low whine from Garrun is what snapped me out of my thoughts and drop the frame in surprise. I had almost forgotten that I was with the Rhydon in that very instance. It's funny... I hadn't even heard the picture frame hit against the ground when I looked back to Garrun – to top that off, I didn't even know it was on the floor until I made motion to the walking over next to Garrun and heard the crunch of glass beneath my foot.

Looking back down, I crouched and then moved and picked apart some of the glass shards to be pulling the picture from the frame for myself. Not sure if I should have been classifying this as a selfish act or not, however, as it stood, the photo was property of myself and my family. Whoever was in possession of it before myself had no right to it. At least... not in my eyes they didn't.

I held the photo close for a moment and started to put it into my bag before pausing as I felt small indentations on the back of the picture. Flipping the item over in my hands, I made out a scrawl that was scribbled on the back of the picture. I felt my brow knit together as I concentrated on making out the words.

… 'I can only hope that she forgives me.'

I could only quirk my brow to this message written on the back of my family photo.

Who was 'she'? Was 'she' me...? Or was 'she' my mother...?

Giving an inaudible sigh, I just made to be tucking the photo away in my messenger bag safely and padded around the desk, looking for anything that could be useful. Such didn't seem to be the case when I opened some of the desk drawers and filed through them. Lots of it was just junk or papers stamped with the words "FAILED" or "SUCCESS".

Rifling through the papers and reading over some of them, it was when I came across diagrams and rough sketches of machines and creatures. I had to reread over some of what I held in my hands several times over before I figured out that the machines that were pictured here were what helped with DNA rendering and splicing to be making some of the chimeras that Jaysen and I were pent up against during our training as human weapons.

Flipping through the papers, I stopped as soon as I saw two files that had both my and Jaysen's Trainer IDs attached to it with a paperclip. I could swear that my heart leaped into my throat at that. I just couldn't really come to grips with what it was that I was looking at. There was a whole set of vitals on the two of us; height, weight, age, hair colour, eye colour... everything.... Even the Pokémon that we had on hand and the Pokémon that we were keeping stored away.

I flipped the page again while taking back both IDs and then looked down as I caught sight of something written in large red letters over the printed text.

"HUMAN WEAPONS PROJECT.

NOVA AND AIAS.

SOON TO BE ABORTED."

 

[Shiay]

Act Eleven​

I stared at the scrawl for just a few moments longer before I pursed my lips together in thought and folded the papers to by putting into my bag as well. It may have not been any information on the Furor Serum, but it was information that was obtained that they didn't need. Not only that – I didn't want them to have any information on either myself or Jaysen in their possession any longer!

Slowly standing back up straight, I looked to my left to where a drawer remained unopened. Tilting my head to it, I edged closer to it and moved my hand down to be grasping the handle. Pulling back, I quickly found out that the drawer was locked shut. I couldn't help but to get up with a low growl while kicking at the desk hard. I had left a rather deep indent within the metal walls of the structure and then took the time to be taking a small steps back next to Garrun.

"Gar... do you think you can do something else for me...?" I asked, stealing a quick glance to my partner. I caught a glimpse of him staring back down at me, listening intently as to what it was I was going to be saying next.

"Get the desk open, will you? I want to see what's in it, but I can't pull it open..." I continued, pacing around the desk. I heard Garrun snort and trudges forward. Raising my hands almost instantly as he rose a fist high, I shook my head almost frantically and bit my tongue in order to keep myself exclaiming at him; "no, no, no Garrun! Don't break it... just get it open!"

Garrun gave a small whine to my actions, though nodded while grabbing the handle of the drawer and tugging down sharply. I heard the rather violent rattling of glass containers hitting up against one another as the drawer was broken open. Walking back over and peeking inside, I saw different phials, all filled with different kinds of liquids.

Kneeling down by the broken drawer, I dug into the contents of the drawer and sifted through the different glass containers. None of them seemed to be at all what I was looking for, as the fluids were either just drab, clear liquids, or differently coloured from what it was that I was looking for. There certainly wasn't any 'ruby red' hued serums from what I could be telling as I lifted the different phials to observe them.

"Dammit... dammit..." I muttered, now starting to just throw the glass containers off to the side as I continued to rifle through them. Just where was the Furor Serum? This was obviously where several of more of the important 'concoctions' were kept, seeing as the drawer was locked and that they were in an... Executive's office? Ah... whatever... the rank of the member that this office belonged to mattered not to me. I needed to find the Serum and then get out of here with Jaysen.

"I can't find the damn thing..." I irritably whispered to myself as I quickly made way to be standing back up. Jerking my hand downward, I threw the last phial I had down on the ground and looked back to the desk. My eyes lingered on the now somewhat disheveled computer. I gave a frown before looking around and seeing if the power still worked and then went to be turning on the monitor.

Taking the keyboard and pulling it toward me, I furrowed my brow as I looked to the screen of the monitor and typed in certain commands. After a few keystrokes, the screen then flashed at me.

'ATTENTION: PASSWORD NEEDED.

ENTER PASSWORD: |'

I blinked at this, only stupefied by the fact that I needed information that I didn't have. It was that way for probably five minutes at the most before I looked back down to the keyboard and entering whatever. Random entry after random entry, the same thing flashed up on the screen after every time I pressed 'Enter': 'WRONG PASSWORD'.

I sighed and then growled after about five times and then slapped my hand against the keys. This was so frustrating; trying to get out of here while leaving with the most amount of information that we could be. Why couldn't things like this ever be easy?

Just for kicks, I turned by unimpressed gaze back to the screen and entered 'Adalia'. Adalia being my middle name – it was unique enough, and you never knew. I gave a scoff as I looked to the asterisks there in the password entry area and then turned my head down while closing my eyes and hitting my fingers hard against the enter key.

Looking up, I shook my head.

'WRONG PASSWORD'

"Figures..." I sighed, edging back from the desk and glancing back around the room again. Stepping back against Garrun and just simply leaning with my back against him, I looked to the computer and then up to the Rhydon. Quirking a brow to him and frowning as he looked back down to me while expelling a strong exhale in my face, I shut my eyes and then waved a hand in front of my face.

"Guess we ought'a start getting out of here and meeting up with Jaysen to be getting out of the base..." I said after a moment. That's when I felt Garrun shift uncomfortably and saw him instantly turn his head to the door. Turning my own attention to the open door as well, I saw shadows on the wall that were steadily growing bigger as they neared.

"Are you sure that the both of them are still down here!? We can't afford to be running in circles and allowing them to escape our hold!"

A gasp escaped from my lips and I stood back up straight, placing both my hands against Garrun's shoulder and looking around quickly with my eyes wide. I hated how my heart started to pound in my chest again as the adrenaline pumped through my veins once more as well. The rush was almost unbearable as it reminded me much of how I felt when I was forced to do training with Jaysen against the chimeras.

Thinking quickly, I dug in my bag and pulled out Garrun's PokéBall and fumbled with it to be returning him to the capsule. Couldn't afford to get caught – I wasn't going to allow for it to be happening. That being the case, I now needed a place to be hiding as the Rhydon was now returned to his ball capsule.

I looked around the room once again and then just dashed to be standing behind the door and file cabinet that were over there. I had tried to slow my breathing as well when the door got pushed open wider and leaned more into me due to being on broken hinges. Pressing my back against the wall to avoid being discovered, I saw in my peripheral vision that that blonde woman (Domino, I think her name was) and someone that stood tall over her walk into the room.

My chest heaved as I watched them look around the room and I swallowed hard.

"Ma'am... perhaps they've actually gotten out of here by now..." the taller of the two said. I shifted over to get a better look and that's when I saw the guy that had told me to get out of here. The initial sight of him surprised me and I frowned somewhat when that lady turned her attention toward him, her expression dark and angered.

"There's no way that they could have! They couldn't get past the surveillance cameras just like that! There's no records of them being seen escaping to past the first three levels to be getting out of here!" Domino exclaimed, stamping a foot a moment while clenching her fists. The guy to her left simply stood there, his attention kept on Domino, obviously unfazed by her actions.

"Perhaps they found a way to slip out without the cameras catching them," the man responded after time.

"Yes, Executive Byrd. They both just found all the ways to be slipping from us!"

My heart and train of thought instantly stopped as I caught my breath in my throat.

Executive Byrd...

Executive... Byrd.

There was no way. I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it.