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Oh, heck. At some point I got it into my head that I had my challenges done and stopped logging more writing. I got 4 more hours finishing up my oneshot, so I'll still have to get 2 more done before the cutoff. While I'm at it, let's go with Slippery over Hex Counter.

"Not a coincidence, it's our family's bullshit. My sister was trying to stop our parental disaster from playing with wormholes, but she fell through one instead. So, since nobody else was going to stop her, I took a little visit back home, but... It didn't work out the way I needed it to...

Gladion couldn't see Dusk touch him, but he felt it. It was... strange. "My sister got along with her well enough, at least when I last talked to her. Never found a way to keep in touch, so it's been four years since we last met. Things can change..." He let out a strange noise between a choke...

"Well, my egg donor sure didn't care, she's the one who was running the system in the first place. My father is more complicated. He just... didn't get it. He was idealistic to a fault. Couldn't see people's flaws. He really did believe in his wife, he truthfully thought she loved us and was...

"We were expected to lead the... the 'Pack,' if you will." There was also the other role he had been born into, but there was no way he would discuss that with a stranger. "Legally, I wouldn't have been able to leave until I was an adult, either. The human legal system gives parents full...

"M-Me? I, uhh..." I should've seen this coming. "It's a bit of a long story. My sister and I were born into a role. She was okay with it, I was not. She was the golden child, I ended up running away. I wonder what it would've been like to have a normal, functional family..."

"Huh. So how much it matters depends on where you're born, then..." He thought that sounded unfortunate. "You ever wonder what it would be like if you were just... born differently?"

"Likewise, it's difficult for me to imagine your world. Are there still limits to species intelligence? I can't imagine a Caterpie having as much room in their brains for the kind of complex thoughts we're discussing, but nobody I've met thus far seems to be any lesser to a human. Does species...

"Well, I don't know the team who made it, because the idea was owned by a company. We don't have any sort of 'Reviver Seeds' in our world, so it would've taken a large team to come up with it anyways. Plus I can't just remember their species because it would be 'Human, Human, Human, Human...

"Ah, I see. That's not too far off from what created this species, you just have to mix some fossil together..." Hold on... His world didn't have humans! "Wait, your world managed to revive fossils without humans? Who came up with the way to do that?"

Gladion was used to explaining Null things. Even though he was describing himself this time, he still fell into the same impersonal explanation. "One would take samples of the blood or saliva of several species, which have samples of the genetic instructions used as a blueprint for that species...

"No, it's not a human thing. It's... a long story, but it's there because this species is an artificial one. The person who came up with the original plan died, the person who took over fucked it up, and this helmet stops the fuckup from killing them... or, from killing us, I should say." Rot...

"That's the long and short of it. Half the trouble comes from this helmet. I... barely slept at all last night. And... I... uhh... won't be able to eat on my own." Gladion was staring to feel hungry, but he did not want to worry about that yet. "This is... going to be an experience..."

Gladion started cracking up. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, you wouldn't know any better. But, no this not like a human. What I am right now is... complicated. But humans look more like... weak Machoke. It's... a bit of an adjustment."

"We have our stories, but I don't know if I'd have any pleasant ones to tell in the first place." He sighed. "Honestly, I'd probably be happier here if not for..." Thus far, Dusk had managed to treat him normally, for whatever reason. He wasn't sure if he wanted to risk breaking that, but he'd...

"Humanity is... all over the place, for better or worse. Honestly, you're probably better off without us." He laughed awkwardly. "We've done a lot of damage to our world and it's wilderness. And each other."

"Some of them live with humans in our houses, but the certainly don't build their own. Wild ones dig burrows, find caves, make nests, but not houses like there are here." The next part was something he'd really rather not have to get into, but here he was. "As for communication, well... They...

"Yeah, I'm one of the humans. I have no idea what's up with that, either. I know how I got here, but I've got no idea why there's so many of us here." What has become of my life? "I take it you're not one, then? What's your world like? You also have... talking pokemon who live in houses?" What...

Gladion tried to nod, but his mobility was limited by the helmet and it probably ended up looking more like a flinch. "Yes, I am. And don't worry, I was hardly in a healthy state of mind myself." He'd been unfocused enough that he didn't remember any particular transgression of Dusk's. "My name...

Gladion had found the river and was following along it. He considered jumping in. It had been years since he'd gone swimming, and he could do it right now if he wanted to. He did want to, in some way. Some new part of his head loved the idea, and thought of how nice it would feel hovered in the...