POKEMON : A Battle of Monsters

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...Noah's thoughts were like broken glass, jagged shards cutting through his mind, spiraling in an endless loop of despair. He couldn't escape the haunting questions that echoed in his head, each one a fresh wound that wouldn't heal.

'Why?'

Why had the world decided to punish him so cruelly? What sin had he committed to deserve this? What had he done to warrant the universe ripping everything he held dear away from him?

He tried to cling to the memories of his parents, of Aaron, but they slipped through his fingers like sand, leaving him grasping at emptiness. The more he searched for answers, the more the void consumed him, pulling him deeper into a suffocating darkness...

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But,

In the midst of this mental torment, something shifted. A faint glimmer of awareness crept in, like a crack of light piercing through a closed door. Noah's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, the despair ebbed, replaced by a cold, paralyzing fear.

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- ZZZZHHHHOOOOOOOOO....!!!

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Before him, in the vast emptiness of his mind, two colossal entities materialized—towering, formless giants whose very presence radiated an overwhelming sense of dread. One was bathed in a blinding, pulsating pink light, while the other was cloaked in a deep, menacing blue.

They moved toward each other with a terrifying, inevitable momentum, their massive forms hurtling through the void with unstoppable force.

Noah's heart pounded in his chest, each beat reverberating in his ears like a drum. He wanted to scream, to run, but his body refused to obey, frozen in place by the sheer magnitude of what he was witnessing. The air around him grew thick, and oppressive, as if the very fabric of reality was warping under the pressure of these two titans.

And then,

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They collided.

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-DUGUMMMMMMMM&@%#&#!!!!!

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'AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!'

The impact was cataclysmic, a violent explosion of light and sound that shattered the world around him. Noah's vision filled with a blinding flash, and an unimaginable pain tore through his body, as though every cell was being ripped apart by the force of the collision. The pain wasn't just physical—it was a soul-deep agony that clawed at his very essence, threatening to unravel him completely.

He tried to scream, to release the torment that was tearing him apart, but the sound was trapped inside him, suffocated by the overwhelming terror. His mind splintered, fragments of thoughts and memories scattering into the void as the pain consumed him entirely. And then, as suddenly as it began, everything went black.

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The darkness was a mercy, a cold, empty void where pain couldn't reach him. But it wasn't peaceful—there was no comfort in this emptiness, only a lingering sense of dread, a fear that the pain would return at any moment. Time lost all meaning as Noah floated in the abyss, his thoughts fragmented and disjointed...

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***

He finally opened his eyes. The world around him was a blur, shapes and colors smudged together like a half-formed dream. He was lying on a cold, hard surface, his body heavy and unresponsive. Faint, shadowy figures moved around him, their movements quick and purposeful. The white lab coats they wore stood out starkly against the dark background, but their faces were obscured, blurred beyond recognition.

He tried to focus, to make sense of what he was seeing, but his mind was sluggish, weighed down by the remnants of pain and exhaustion. Snatches of conversation drifted to him, fragmented words that slipped through the haze, leaving only a lingering sense of urgency and confusion.

"…normal…" one voice said, the words barely registering in Noah's mind.

"…healthy baby…" another voice, this one colder, more distant.

Noah's vision shifted, his gaze drawn to a flash of dark crimson-red. He focused on it, blinking to clear his blurry sight, and slowly, a figure blurrily came into view. A man with dark, crimson-red hair, standing tall and imposing, his arms wrapped protectively around a woman with hair as white as snow. There was something achingly familiar about them, a connection buried deep in the recesses of Noah's fractured mind. But before he could grasp it, the darkness surged up to claim him once more, and he fell back into the void...

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The void was relentless, dragging him deeper into a murky sea of unconsciousness. Each time he surfaced, the world around him was different, more unsettling. When he next awoke, the pain was a constant, dull throb, like a knife buried deep in his flesh. He groggily opened his eyes, squinting against the harsh light that flooded his vision.

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Blurry figures in white coats stood nearby, their voices low and urgent.

"…eems like his vitals are normal," one of them said, their tone clipped, clinical.

"So, he's a normal, healthy baby…" the crimson-haired man replied, his voice void of any warmth, as though the words were a mere formality, devoid of any real meaning.

"Yes, sir, congratula—!" The voice cut off abruptly, replaced by a strangled gasp. Noah's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat as he blurrily watched the crimson-haired man's hand tighten around the other man's neck, squeezing until the life drained from his eyes.

- Thud!

The body crumpled to the floor like a discarded doll, lifeless and forgotten, and the crimson-haired man turned his gaze toward Noah...

There was nothing in those eyes—no anger, no sadness, no humanity. Just a cold, empty void that sent a shiver down Noah's spine. The man took a step closer, his presence suffocating, and Noah felt his breath hitch, his pulse quicken with a fear that bordered on terror.

"…Failure…" the man hissed, his words dripping with disdain, "...Garbage piece of shit," each syllable a dagger that stabbed at Noah's already wounded soul.

The man's presence was overwhelming, his contempt palpable, and it crushed Noah, forcing him back into the depths of unconsciousness...

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Noah's mind was a battlefield, his thoughts a chaotic mess, fragments of pain and fear clashing with each other, leaving him helpless and adrift.

The agony was relentless, twisting and gnawing at him, a vicious predator that wouldn't release its hold.

'...Agh!! Aghaaaaa!! Aaaaaaahhhh! Stop!! MAKE IT STOP!!!...'

He cried out in his mind, over and over, begging for the pain to stop, for someone—anyone—to help him. But his cries went unanswered, lost in the void...

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- ...Slurp, Slurp.. Slurp...

Then, for a moment—a fleeting, fragile moment—the pain subsided. It was as though a gentle hand had brushed away the darkness, leaving behind a warmth that seeped into his bones, soothing the raw edges of his mind.

It reminded him of his mother, of the way she would hold him close, her arms a shield against the harshness of the world. He clung to that warmth, desperate for it to stay, to protect him from the relentless pain that had become his constant companion.

But it was never enough...

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'AAAAAAHHHHH!!!... IT FCKING HURTS!!!'

One day, the warmth vanished, snatched away as quickly as it had come, and in its place came a searing, burning pain. It flared on his left cheek, like a white-hot brand that seared through his skin, leaving him gasping, his mind reeling from the intensity of it.

Noah's vision blurred, his senses overwhelmed by the pain. He heard voices, frantic and panicked, their words distorted, muffled by the roaring in his ears.

"…Shit!! Take C25 away from her!!" one voice barked, filled with urgency and fear.

"Eliminate her now!!" another voice commanded, the words sharp and biting.

"B-, But, But sir!" a voice protested, hesitant and unsure.

"Now!!"

- RRHHAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Noah couldn't make sense of the chaos around him. The pain, the voices, the confusion—it all blended together, a cacophony of terror that drowned out everything else. His thoughts scattered, slipping away from him like water through his fingers, leaving him adrift in a sea of darkness.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, everything went silent. The pain dulled to a distant throb, the voices faded to a whisper, and Noah's thoughts finally, blessedly, ceased their frantic race. The darkness closed in around him, comforting in its emptiness, and he surrendered to it, letting it pull him under.

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-Bang!!...Boooooommm!!!!... Aaaaaaaargh!!!.... S*bject C25 Unab ... Beep.. Beep.. Beep.. Grrrhh!... Are con*ected, with the sa... Dugummm!!!... Rrraaaaaahhh!!!... Hahahahahahahahah!! Hahahahahaha!! Hahaha%#%@&%#&$%@$#&-+); *...

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*5 years later*

- : Ula'ula Island : -

The sun was beginning its descent, casting a warm, golden hue over the island as the car sped along the winding road. Inside, a couple, lost in their own world, exchanged stories and laughter. The man, with dark brown hair, kept his eyes on the road, occasionally glancing at the woman beside him with a soft smile. Her blonde hair caught the light, giving her an almost ethereal glow as she animatedly spoke about someone who clearly held a special place in her heart.

In the back seat, a small creature sat, its large ears twitching with each burst of laughter from the front seats. The Pokémon's glossy fur shimmered in the sunlight, and its bright eyes reflected the joy that filled the car. It occasionally tilted its head, as if trying to follow the conversation, its tail gently wagging with contentment.

As they continued their journey, the landscape began to change. The dense foliage of the island gave way to a more open area, revealing a pristine white building in the distance. The structure stood out against the vibrant greens and browns of the island, its clean, modern design contrasting with the natural surroundings.

The couple fell silent as they neared their destination, their thoughts now focused on the purpose of their visit. The road led them closer to the building, and soon, a signboard came into view. The words etched into it were simple but carried a weight of hope and promise:

"Aether House."

The building, with its tall windows and welcoming facade, exuded warmth and safety—a sanctuary for those who had none. The couple exchanged a glance, their earlier playfulness replaced by a quiet determination. Today was a day that would change their lives forever.

The man eased the car to a stop just outside the entrance, the engine purring softly before falling silent. The little Pokemon perked up, sensing the shift in mood, its tail wagging a bit faster as if excited for what was to come. The woman reached over and gave the man's hand a gentle squeeze, her eyes shining with anticipation.

"Ready?" she asked, her voice a mixture of excitement and nerves.

He nodded, squeezing her hand back. "Ready."

- EEVEY!!

Together, they stepped out of the car, the little Eevee bounding after them with a joyful yip. The three of them walked towards the entrance of Aether House, their footsteps echoing softly in the stillness of the evening. As they approached, the doors opened, welcoming them into the beginning of a new chapter in their lives...

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