1 - Dark Soul - Introduction
Dark Soul Introduction: Division 44
Division 44 is the name of the team of Pokémon who are sent in to explore in places where a human would be considered suspicious, such as criminal hideouts, or illegal science operations. Their team consisted of a Lucario named Devano and a Gallade named Yesetio, both able to speak with others mentally. As of this day, they were looking into what was supposed to be an abandoned illegal research lab. The time was 0600 hours. They began their sweep of the expansive underground laboratory system somewhere between 0400 and 0500. They were almost done with their sweep, and were about to call back to their employer in the police force when Devano began to hear strange, unnatural noises. Using his Aura Sight, he saw two large cylinders in a locked room practically emanating Aura. "Hey, Yesetio! I think I found something. Follow me." Upon opening the door to this room, they found a dead scientist on the floor, one hand draped on a control panel of some sort. It seemed there had been a fight in the room, for there were quite a few of these Plexiglass cylinders, most of them smashed open. In total, there were seven cylinders, only four were intact, and out of those, the only inhabited ones were the two closest to the door, filled with some sort of opaque liquid that. Upon closer inspection of the control panel, there was one slowly blinking button, the scientist's hand close to it. It seemed that before the scientist could press this button, whatever it did, he was shot in the leg, then the back, then again in the head. Since Devano knew enough about these and many other types of computers, he keys in a command to print the last commands to a terminal, and their responses. Upon doing so, a cracked screen flickered to life, showing the last commands issued into the computer. "Command issued. Attempting to release subjects Z-01 through Z-07. Draining stasis fluid in pod Z-07. Draining complete on Z-07. Draining stasis fluid in pod Z-06. Draining complete on Z-06. Draining stasis fluid in pod Z-05. Draining complete on Z-05. Draining stasis fluid in pod Z-04. Draining complete on Z-04. Draining stasis fluid in pod Z-03. Draining complete on Z-03. Fatal error: Control sequence incomplete. Process failure. Data corrupt. Manual override required. Override engaged. Opening pods. Error: pods Z-07 through Z-05 have been breached. Subjects Z-07 and Z-06 are fully active and dangerous. Opening pods Z-04 and Z-03. Release complete. Command issued. Pods Z-02 and Z-01 are inaccessible from system. Manual Override required. Manual Override required. Manual Override required. Waiting for Admin to direct Manual Override. Standing by, waiting for Manual Override." At this point, several random characters appear on screen, assumably from when the scientist was shot and fell onto the control panel. Upon requesting a time log, it simply stated that the last issued command was issued one year ago. "That's impossible," Yesetio exclaims. "Any bodies left for that long should have decayed by now!" "Indeed." Devano replies. "This is highly unusual. Perhaps we should look further into this?" Upon further query, the computer displays video logs that appeared to be of the scientist, who also seemed to have a German accent. Apparently, the scientist and his team had been developing extreme anti-aging compounds, as well as cybernetics and something called 'live robotics'. The scientist had apparently begun using his own cybernetics on himself to preserve his memories, which already had begun deteriorating from extensive exposure to the leftover waste compounds from the anti-aging chemicals. After saving a hard copy of his memory, he had discovered what his science was going to be used for, to create supersoldiers for the gangs and other criminal groups and syndicates to use to take down the government and anyone else. Locking himself in the room, he started to disconnect the 'Z Subjects' from the main system, allowing him to free them from the control implants that were being weaved into their programming. After his 'clients' caught onto what he was doing, they busted into the room, killing the scientist, but not before he released all but two of the Z Subjects. "So, what are these 'Z subjects'?" Yesetio asks. "If I am correct in my assumption, they are robots, possibly more than just robots. I'll have to look further. I'm also copying these logs over to bring them back to base." Devano replies. In the last log before the scientist was killed, hidden in a file, he stated why he left the two Z Subjects in this final quote: "I will leave these last two Z Subjects in the case that the semi-mutations that seem to have begun to spread through the facility are too dangerous to handle for normal beings. Should you be the last normal human, one of the only sane humans left that are mutated, or a Pokémon, you can use them to help you clear out a way to the surface and escape. Should there be no more mutants, I wish for you to release them anyway, since I unfairly left them in stasis while their brothers and sisters went on to live a real life. I wish you the best of luck, my successors." After viewing this video, the computer's power finally ran out, as though it had only kept on going to deliver it's master's final words. Devano reviews the information he had saved before the computer shut off. He had enough to get a good bonus, for sure, but what about these 'Z Subjects'? And what about mutants? As far as their sweep went, there was absolutely nothing left alive anywhere in this lab but here. Eyeing the button, which somehow managed to still have power after the computer had run out, he questioned what he should do. He could let the police deal with them, they might even just put the project under wraps, maybe permanantly. Or, he could let them out, and possibly either die, or lose his bonus, or the pay altogether. And as for what this professor had said about the Z Subjects, it seemed like they were alive, not just mindless killing machines. His paw hovers over the button. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Devano! What are you doing?!" "Would you let anybody live their entire life in a dream, Yesetio?" Grabbing for his hand, Yesetio attempt to pull it away. Devano jumps from the sudden contact, his hand slamming down on accident on the button. "Now you've done it, Devano!" The fluid begins to drain from the cylinders, to reveal two furry black and red bodies. Thick wire tubing connects to their arms, backs, and necks. The Plexiglass cylinder shakily opens, then the wires disconnect, allowing the two creatures to fall to the floor. Their eyelids slowly open, revealing almost demonic red light coming out of them. Each blinking a few times, the light stops, becoming just normal eyes with red irises. Pushing themselves up slowly, they look around. When the two creatures' eyes meet, there seems to be a conversation happening between the two of them. One nods. They rise up, making Yesetio hide behind the Lucario, much to Devano's amusement. Z-02 speaks, sounding vaguely female. "Command?" Z-02 asks Devano. Devano thinks for a moment. This is it,He thinks.I either tell them to stay here and wait, or run. Bah! To hell with the bonus. "You're free to go. Avoid the military and stay out of trouble. Accept no other commands." Z-02 looks to Z-01. Nodding, they smile. "Commands understood." they say in sync. Disappearing from view, light pawsteps can be heard flitting back above ground, for those with keen enough hearing.