Pokémon Salvage

[Dragonfree]

Spoiler: Chapter 58

"Yes," you'll reply, and she'll study you, as though she doesn't believe you, as though your wellness isn't self-evident.

The child is fine

I'm going to see the shadow pokémon, Mewtwo says. That's not uncommon. The shadow pokémon remain his best informants, after all. What you don't understand is why he keeps going alone, without you. Not that you mind. If you went with him, you'd need to change yourself, and you like you better the way you are. Your other self doesn't want to deal with the burden of Mewtwo's plans anyway. This works best for everyone.

Still, it's odd how often Mewtwo goes to see the shadow pokémon, when he always complains they're stupid. Perhaps he's going and doing something else out there, on his own time. It's none of your concern. He'll be careful, be discreet, or he won't. It's not like you can stop him, one way or another.

Mewtwo still getting that precious socialization. I'm guessing not wanting to bring the child along is because of the way it had somehow apparently gotten closer to them than him. Keldeo, huh.

The child's distress over the realization that they killed a couple of people who weren't Rocket or Cipher nor anyone Mewtwo'd actually ordered them to kill, oof. Funnily enough, I didn't think too much of those murders reading them myself, because they've already been slaughtering so many people so thoughtlessly, no longer because Mewtwo specifically orders them to kill a specific person but because they anticipate that Mewtwo would believe they need to be killed - it registered as a big oof, but not so much as a whole new line being crossed. But it makes a lot of sense that the child would have kind of clung to the idea of being able to justify it somehow, and then finding this case where it was random innocents and they so easily could have gotten away with not doing it but just did it anyway. I suppose I didn't have a very clear sense of whether their inhuman self ever truly had moral boundaries that have changed, so much as just sort of pragmatically giving in to do whatever Mewtwo wants, or whatever they know Mewtwo would want, because Mewtwo will always make them do it anyway or else complain/punish them, and it's not worth the trouble not to.

Anyway, there's the confirmation that it was indeed simply exposure to Mewtwo that made Red and his Pokémon this way. You said Mewtwo's not a Shadow Pokémon, but I think Shadowfication must have at least been developed based on Mewtwo and the effect that his presence had. Maybe Cipher wanted to create a second Mewtwo after realizing what’d happened to Red and that’s how whatever was left of Mew got transferred to them. (Though I forget the details of the Mew winding up in Orre thing.)

It also tickles me a lot that Salvage really is going with Red being a perfectly normal person and trainer until his persistent exposure to Mewtwo upon which he became this creepy silent shell of a person... which is basically a headcanon explanation for how I always saw Red as portrayed in R/B/Y versus G/S/C as a kid. I hope you got a kick out of my little musing on G/S/C Red the other day.

Mewtwo sending the child off on their own to see the Shadow Pokémon seems unusually incautious given the child has repeatedly tried to defy him before and this is a plain opportunity to do so... but then again, Mewtwo's just spent three weeks with them being utterly compliant to his every whim, and perhaps he's let down his guard a little? The narration also seems to be pointing it out, though, in talking about why Mewtwo even wanted to send them alone to Heracross's cave, so maybe that's hinting something that's currently going over my head.

You're fine. This is fine. You can do this.

The child is Fine

No thought now for the mission. No thought for what happens if you turn the shadow pokémon away from you forever. All you want is for all of this to end.

Aww, child. Of course they aren't going to turn on you.

I hadn't actually been assuming the Musketeers were fully unaware Mewtwo's been murdering anyone at all. I think I'd figured back when Mewtwo was killing a bunch of people daily to root out the child (if I'm not wildly misremembering that whole thing), that would've been highly publicized and they would've known about that, and they were trying to help him in spite of this. But here they really do sound like they're confused and alarmed to hear there's murder involved, and they're reacting more like... actual people being suddenly told that their friend they assumed was merely eccentric and had some extreme opinions is actually not just wildly abusive but a mass murderer. Oof. So of course they now want to go hear Mewtwo's side of things, and it’s hard to believe that's going to end well. Especially since at least by the end of the chapter the child's not inclined to come with them, which means whatever encounter will take place between the Musketeers and Mewtwo may have to be offscreen, and on a meta level I think that highly increases the odds it would be an encounter that ends with Mewtwo just murdering all of them. I hope not, though. Maybe the child winds up following them. Maybe Mewtwo will direct his fury only at the child, allowing the others to get away unharmed.

Big dramatic chapter, with the child’s emotional breakdown and finally telling the Musketeers. I suppose at the moment they think the child is upset and possibly abused but surely they’re wildly exaggerating. (And the child is seeing him in a more black-and-white light than they truly should - what did you think he was made to do must have struck the Musketeers very uncomfortably.) Of course, this that should have been a moment of hope and relief is then complicated by the bit where the Musketeers didn’t realize Mewtwo has been murdering anyone at all, assuming I’m not misreading their reactions. What an oof. (But sweet of Hypno to at least still offer up her place. Unsure if the child will actually take it; surely Mewtwo could get that out of her mind if they do go there.)

Anticipating the next chapter with dread. Happy birthday again! Hope you've had a lovely day and could enjoy my musings.

Spoiler: Typos, etc.

Probably in Kanto there would be some kid of energy shield around this place

Some kind, presumably.

"Snag machines with mater balls," Noctowl says, his voice faint and his gaze distant.

Missing an s in master balls.

 

[Dragonfree]

Spoiler: Chapter 59

Very tangibly anxious opening. I enjoyed bits like the child refusing to look at the clock because then they'd know it's been longer than the time they'd promised themselves they'd leave.

Hypno's preparing tea. Not like you she did last time, with the kettle and all. She seems intently focused on getting everything together and into the microwave, as though even this is some difficult chore. "We talked," she says, and it sounds like a curse.

Enjoy this, Hypno getting her mind off things by making tea in a more busy sort of way.

"Did Mewtwo tell you, then? About all the people he's killed?" Hypno doesn't look at you, instead taking a sip of her steaming tea. Isn't it still too hot? "Because if he didn't, he's lying," you plow on, unable to stop yourself. That must be it. He lied and made it all your fault somehow, and now Hypno's acting like this because she's mad at you, and she's never going to believe you over him. "I'm telling the truth. You can tell, can't you? You know! It was hi—"

Oh, child. I enjoy Hypno in this scene generally, all the tangible details of her agitation and how it's mostly going over the child's head, because of course.

Her trainer fled at the crack of dawn, citing "class" like she did the last time.

"Does she really go to school?" you ask Hypno.

She gives you a troubled look. "Yes, of course." So maybe her trainer really is that weird and excited for learning.

Love this child logic. Obviously if the trainer keeps leaving early and saying she's going to class, and she really does have school, it's just because she's that psyched about learning. Definitely not because of the creepy shapeshifter in her apartment and her Pokémon partner giving off every sign she needs space.

Yes, real danger. What's he going to do without you waiting on him and bringing him food all the time? He couldn't possibly survive.

You think again about the great Nathaniel Morgan, and how he likes to talk in opposites, and feel like you might understand him a little bit.

Amazing.

I feel like I do get now why you offscreened the meeting with Mewtwo - it gives a lot of opportunity for the child to just be here being anxious and uncomprehending about exactly how this conversation went, why Mewtwo would have agreed to see Professor Krane, whether he was lying or manipulating them, and leaves a lot of tension there for the reader, too. Even though the child's view of Mewtwo is far too simplistic and black-and-white, I still do find myself apprehensive, precisely because I didn't see how the conversation actually went either - no proper basis to infer exactly what Mewtwo's state of mind is, which is pretty nerve-wracking.

Hypno's pendant flashes carelessly in the sun, and you avert your eyes.

Her pendant keeps getting brought up...

Hypno waits in the lobby, seated in a cubey soft chair of the kind found in lobbies everywhere. She's put earbuds in; no doubt they've been riding in the fanny pack right beside the master ball. What is she listening to? Maybe a book or a radio show, but if you had to guess you'd say she's reviewing something for one of her classes. That's it, isn't it? Sometimes Hypno acts so hardworking and responsible that you want to scream. Look at her, sitting there thinking she's right about everything, and also getting work done instead of playing with the other pokémon in the lab or something normal like that.

How dare she

"I bet he was really surprised to see Mewtwo! You should have told the professor who you were bringing ahead of time."

Hypno gives you an odd look. "I tried," she says. "I drew a picture for him. I don't know if he thought I was joking or if it just wasn't very good. Now, I've got to get a few things ready before the others get here. Would you like to help? Or would you like to rest some more?"

Totally not giving away that the child was watching It is the best at hiding things

The thought creeps up on you slowly. There is one person you know they want to find. It's someone you know pretty well, actually. You could be him, no problem, and Team Rocket would never even suspect you were anyone else. Easy.

Hahahaaha, Nate's evil twin returns

You don't know how he should sound, either. Can't quite catch the shape of his voice in your memories. A lot of the time it was scratchy or mucusy anyway. It's strange to think about it now, but you've never really known the great Nathaniel Morgan when he's been well.

Awww, look at the child actually reflecting and caring a bit.

Deep breath. You can do this. Now you look the bartender straight in the eye and say, "Hey, fuck. I fucking want one of your goddamn fucking shitty fuck drinks, right the fuck fucking now."

The man behind the counter, so immense he has to hunch down to avoid the old train car's ceiling, stares back at you. After a long and poisonous second, he finally responds with, "What?"

"I said I fucking fuck want a fuck... goddamn... Oh, forget it. Just get me a drink already."

Glorious.

Deeply anxious chapter! Hard to be totally sure where Mewtwo's head is at, though it's not as impossible as the child thinks it is that he would make a somewhat legit effort if the Musketeers managed to approach him right. I enjoyed the Musketeers a lot here - Hypno upset and agitated but doing what she can, Noctowl just sympathetic, Heracross being very Heracross about it. Very tickled by the plan to impersonate Nate, and how differently the child goes about impersonating him than back in the early days - clearly a legit effort to actually sound like him, as questionable as the result is!

I think my top prediction is actually that Team Rocket already has Nate, will know exactly what the child is, and capture it, and then they'll have to escape Rocket together by their powers combined. That'd be fun and also I've been eagerly anticipating the return of Nate and one way or another I think we're leading up to that here.

Congratulations on getting this one out! Looking forward to chapter 60.

Spoiler: Typos, etc.

The bedding Hypno gave you is disheveled, rucked by your restless shifting, bunched and sweaty where you hands have clutched it.

Not like you she did last time, with the kettle and all.

You won't be able to get it out of your heaad otherwise.

Of course your enhanced vision means you see Hypo coming ages out

You flop across the couch, deep in thouht, understanding nothing more than you did before.

 

[Dragonfree]

Spoiler: Chapter 60

Interesting to see the contrast as Hypno and Noctowl are excited about the stakeout and the child thinks about how once upon a time it would've felt the same and been less careful, but things have become so serious now and it's become so intensely aware of the dangers involved.

"Yes," Noctowl says. "I'm sorry we gave you the impression that we don't appreciate the danger here. We're taking it seriously, I promise you. Sometimes people can act a bit silly when they're trying to forget how dangerous something is."

They're so gentle trying to explain things to this socially oblivious child.

The child deciding Heracross must be the one who killed someone, oof. Of course it doesn't have the maturity to figure it's definitely Noctowl.

"Okay, well, let's take her with us," Heracross says.

"No!" That's you.

"And do what, Heracross?" Noctowl asks, soft and gentle as ever.

"You know, interview her. See what she knows."

"You mean like torture?" you ask.

"What? Why the hell is your head going there?"

"We're not torturing anyone." There's an unusual steel beneath Noctowl's words.

Oooof

Your fingers twitch. One shadow ball is all it would take. You could bring Hypno back with you unconscious. As many of the other Musketeers as necessary, too. And the kidnapped woman, well...

Don't want Team Rocket to have her. Can't let her go.

You know what the answer has to be. No witnesses.

It's like Mewtwo's right there with you, standing in the dark behind the headlights, a shadow with purple-glowing eyes. His voice echoes in your head, words without sound.

You have to turn away from Hypno, stomach clenching, and reach out to catch yourself against a wall. "Do what you want," you say, and then you leave it there, all of it, the blood and the Musketeers and the ruined cycles and everything, and the whole time Mewtwo's words follow you. They're a part of you now. You're never going to escape him, not really.

Ooooooof.

Noctowl tips his head back, staring into the ceiling rather than at you. "Whatever way I can. I tell myself that it wasn't really me who did it. I was made to. I do my best to be better. I remember kindness. I remember patience, for myself as well as others. I try to have no expectations." He bows his head. "At the least I can know that it won't happen again."

It wasn't really him and he was made to - both things easy for the child to latch onto, aren't they.

"Ah." Noctowl's eyes go wide, his feathers sucking in. "I forgot. I'm sorry—of course I forgot." He reaches a wing out towards you, though he can only gently brush you with its tip. "I should have realized what would have brought you to ask that. I apologize. That sort of self-deprecation helps no one."

Yeah, I would imagine it's easy to forget that someone so childish committed multiple murders.

So the Shadowfication process really is pretty much just weaponized trauma/learned helplessness. Being able to beam fear/pain into Pokémon's heads sure does sound pretty psychic - both Mew and Mewtwo do this thing of psychically making others feel what they're feeling. So now I'm wondering if what they did with Mew is torture her in order to make these other Pokémon feel her pain? Given the whole multiple discrete machines and red light thing, that doesn't quite seem to rhyme with it being about Mew literally being there causing it in real time, but possibly they were able to like, capture the psychic signal of her torture/death and then just broadcast it blaring through these machines, constantly?

In any case, it makes sense then that Mewtwo isn't a Shadow Pokémon, and Red and his Pokémon aren't quite either, though they're something in that direction. Mewtwo has issues but it's not quite that he's traumatized. Red and his Pokémon were pretty traumatized by Mewtwo, but not in quite the same way. The child is likewise fairly traumatized, and definitely has had some learned helplessness going on, but not to the degree that a true Shadow Pokémon would.

Interesting that Noctowl describes the signs of Shadow Pokémon in terms of behaviour first. Red's Blastoise made a pretty strong impression with his aura like an overripe fruit that the child detected through Giga Drain (not even a special aura-sensing thing per se), so I'd always figured something very obvious and very specific and unusual had to have been done to their auras - but then again, Blastoise's weird behaviour was definitely noticeable before they got a look at his aura! Then there's of course how the other proprties of Shadow Pokémon come into it, like Shadow moves and such; unsure precisely how that connects, if it's all about beaming torture at them, but it may either be sort of a natural consequence or a special additional thing.

You're graceful about it. Hypno will bring you something to eat, and you won't even complain much about whatever it is. Your comments about how awful Mewtwo is will not exceed three. Usually. Mostly you let the Musketeers know how much you don't care about the fact that they're going off to visit a mass-murderer like it's a harmless hobby.

Professor Krane's lab is quiet inside. That's nothing new. It's a big place with not a lot of people in it, and the climate control drowns out all the little sounds of life.

You wouldn't even find the receptionist's absence weird, under ordinary circumstances. Probably she takes breaks. If the lab's not busy, who cares?

It's the sableye perched on the edge of her desk that's wrong. She leans back on her foreclaws, kicking her legs idly. Her crystal smile gleams deadly white. "Hello, Amethyst-eyes. And friends," she says to Mewtwo, who stands glaring, thin fur on end. "Do you have an appointment?"

Oh no. Guessing Eskar has been making plans since recognizing the child at the start. Is Hypno there? There's no mention of Hypno, aaagh. Mewtwo isn't mentioned either until Eskar is speaking to him, so I'm going to assume Hypno is there too, but I am paranoid.

Slower chapter, but some good character insight and development going on - I particularly enjoyed the progression on killing and the child processing its trauma a bit. Noctowl is so very good. The Musketeers trying to include them and help them, from this patient, more mature adult perspective, with mixed success, is always heartbreaking.

As an aside, I went back to re-skim some bits of previous chapters, which reminded me that originally their only reason to think Mew was in Orre was vague information about possible sightings there, while the child had dreams about Mew being at a lab. Can't recall if they ever got much of anything else actually suggesting where Mew is at this point. Wondering if it would make sense for Mew to just be long dead, killed for experimental purposes; main thing pointing away from that is Absol suggesting they do meet Mew. Or, of course, my favorite pet theory that the child is all that's left, the sightings in Orre were sightings of it, and its memories of all that have just been sealed away.

Spoiler: Typos, etc.

You claws at the air behind her, but it's too late.