We're Team Overclock: Chapter 2
Ancient Alien Acquisitions and More
By Iron Valiant-anon
Error finds himself drifting through an unending void. A pure black expanse that feels heavy and dense like sand keeps him stuck in place, utterly immobilized. He gazes frantically through the abyss, anxiety slowly bubbling from the precipices of his sickly mind and desiring an outlet to relieve himself of it despite his petrified nature. The Iron Valiant begins to hyperventilate underneath an assault of crushing inky pressure as the choking shadows feel like they're filling his very bodily cavities with lead and suffocating him with tendrils of dark matter. He closes his eyes in futility as he tries to block out the void. His mind roils in a descent of terror, anger, and despair. Memories of the last few hours flash through his conscience like a reel of weathered film.
He is exhausted and frustrated with the week's grueling training and conditioning, as he feels like he was being punished and manipulated for the fault of arriving to the Pokemon World and being found by the Clover Guild. He decides to take a break miles away from the guild to try and find some peace of mind, but ultimately the nature of his place and existence in the Pokemon World wears heavier on him than any reprieve a serene forest or babbling river could offer him. He expresses this and confided in his companion, Rotom. In a moment of jest from his close companion taken as insincerity, Error thrusts himself into pursuing danger to cast aside all his problems with somebody else's. That's when the encounter with the mechanical Volcarona takes its mortal toll on him.
"What happened? ...Am I dying? Or am I already in some twisted hell? ...I should have just run back to the guild and warned everyone. But... what would they have said if they saw that... Pokemon? Would they have been associated with me? Would they have avoided me again or outcast me? Maybe deal with me when I least suspect it? Rotom, where are you? I'm alone with my mind, and I hate it... I feel so much regret. ...Please be okay. Please help me."
"Help me...
"For the love of any god, spirit, or legendary that may be listening, please..."
"HELP ME!!!"
Error's mental cries are swallowed up in the continuous, uncaring void. The robotic Pokemon was still at its mercy as he feels himself slowly slip further into its darkness. He was about to lose all remaining hope and allow the umbral surroundings to bury him, until a flickering light breaks through the darkness and shines on in the distance. In addled desperation, it immediately reminds him of Rotom and seems to be beckoning him with beams of radiance to come closer. The mechanical Pokemon struggles harder to break free of his restraints. He tugs, pulls, and flexes until he fells his left arm burst free from its restrictions. His crystalline armblade is exposed and illuminates his surroundings in a pink glow like a guiding torch as he grasps his fingers toward the light in the distance. It looked to be almost within reach until...
Error's frayed state of mind is jerked away with a blinding flash as he awakened with a distressed gasp for air from his mouthless face. He tried to force himself to sit up and felt an explosion of pain course through every nerve in his body as he struggled to move. He screamed a piercing electronic cry of agony as he convulsed in panic. "ERR-RRO-ARGGGH-RR-ERR-OO-ARGH!!!" His wails of suffering attracted the attention of several Pokemon in his immediate surroundings, who hurried to his side. They held their limbs, tracing scrying beams of psychic light over his body, which was suspended by tight straps of an elastic material to a large stone slab lined with glowing carvings and cushioned with a spongy foam for their occupant's presumed comfort and safety. It resembled something more like an altar used in a magic ritual than a hospital bed. The strap around his left arm was broken, and he was free to grasp and flail about dangerously. A single Gardevoir and several Chimecho obsessed over him as the Psychic-Type Pokemon emitted various pulsing waves of healing energy and resonating chimes of calming melodies. The Iron Valiant soon found himself soothed and pacified, whether he wanted to or not, and fell limp, breathing erratically from exhaustion.
"Get Admin Alpha-12 immediately. Tell him his savior is awake. It looks like he managed to burst through one of the straps too. The admin was right about this one's strength and temperament." The green-haired psychic addressed one of the floating bell-like Pokemon. The creature, saluting with its ribbon, quickly floated off down a corridor. The Gardevoir looks back at Error, placing a palm on his head while giving a concerned smile. "Hey there. It's alright now. You're safe now, dear. I'm sure your mind's abuzz with questions right now. Just hang on tight for Alpha-12 to arrive. He should be able to see to all your questions and concerns about what happened. As for your injuries, we've tended to all your wounds that you sustained, including your eyes. You may find it difficult to focus your vision for a bit, but that will pass. I'll be on the other side of the room cleaning up if you need anything." She patted him gently on the forehead before stepping back to attend to a stone pillar covered in glowing symbols, tapping and sliding the glyphs across its surface like a jigsaw puzzle for an unknown purpose. Projections of light emitted from its surface briefly in response, which the Embrace Pokemon seemed to take interest in, jotting down on a stone slate made of a similar substance to everything she was interacting with.
The Iron Valiant gazed around the chamber slowly, assessing his circumstances. The first thing he realized and was thankful for was that his vision was, in fact, pristine. His body seemed to be free of most, if not all, of the imperfections and wounds from his battle with the strange Pokemon. Anything that hadn't fully healed was only the faintest of hairline fissures in the metal shell of his body.
The chamber was carved out of sleek, glassy, black stonework that was illuminated by various arcane carvings and crystalline orbs that shone a mild white light. The entire place gave the impression of a pristine museum or ancient tomb and felt just as forlorn. Error sighed as he continued to observe the Gardevoir's work as she now attended to various glass and stone containers that lined a counter on the opposite of his bed. He tried to speak to her through his thoughts. "Hello? Can you hear me?" Error thought out feebly towards her as he watched her work.
She stopped for a moment and turned toward him with that same concerned smile, as if uncertain she had heard anything in the first place. "Oh, you're psychic? At least, you feel like a budding psychic. I can hear the faintest whisperings from you back there. Are you unable to speak vocally?" She frowned a little as Error shook his head slowly, palming at where his mouth would be with his free arm and then shaking his hand as if to pantomime the idea of words failing him. He then lets out a somber "Error" to nail the point home. She swept away the rest of the stray containers with a wave of telekinesis into compartments fitted for them before returning to the robotic Pokemon's side. "Here, try talking now."
Error closed his eyes and tried to speak through his internal monologue once more. "Hello... I asked if you could hear me, and... I guess you can. Thank you for everything you're all doing. I'm not sure someone like me deserves all this hospitality and care, though. Just what is this place?"
As if right on queue, a familiar Beheeyem walked in. "You're inside The Evaluator. It is... It was a great interstellar research vessel that traveled across the reaches of time and space. Its crew consisted of researchers and archivists who sought the secrets of the universe, hoping to share this knowledge with future generations and species. It's now little more than a monument to our ancestors, filled with fading libraries and rotting specimens. I am Alpha-12, the current administrator of The Evaluator." The Cerebral Pokemon held up his arm toward Error, scanning him with a sequence of glowing lights from the three digits on his hand. *"You identify as Error; you are a human from another world who has somehow merged both body and mind with an Iron Valiant unit. You belong to the Clover Guild in Capim Town. I believe I also sense a second presence within your body, but it is currently unresponsive."
The Gardevoir furrowed her brows, crossing her arms beneath the crest on her chest as she stood between Error and the administrator. "Alpha, I believe most outsiders would find what you just did there very rude, if not terrifying. Error here is not one of your specimens to be poked and prodded at, no matter what he is. He saved you and your children for Arceus' sake!" Alpha-12 stepped back, looking somewhat ashamed. She glanced back at the Iron Valiant with a kinder demeanor and a smile. "You may simply call me Carrie, dear. I am the Chief Pokeologist of The Evaluator. My field of specialty is Paranormal Pokemon Phenomena, including subjects such as the Awakening Effect, the place certain Legendaries hold in the Pokemon World and the relationship with it, as well as the relationship between Pokemon and mystery dungeons."
Error slowly blinked, trying to register the flood of information laid before him. "This sounds like... am I in space? Is this place in space?!" He grasped the side of his head, looking towards the glowing crest on his chest, trying to focus. "I... another presence... Rotom. I have a friend, Rotom. He's bound to this body. My body. Oh hell, this is confusing." The artificial Pokemon stopped to look up as he felt Carrie hold her grip on his wrist to give him some feeling of comfort as the situation seemed to reel back the Iron Valiant into a panic.
Admin Alpha continued to broadcast his mind. "I do apologize. That was very blunt of me... Let me explain as much as I'm able. This vessel has not flown for countless generations. The bulk of this ship has been long since buried underground by the very land shifting around it, likely after it crashed, with only a small portion peeking through the surface. You were teleported a fair distance here after our survey teams were assured we weren't followed from the site of contact with the creature known as Iron Moth, the Pokemon you braved to defeat." Error's eyes widened at that name before turning towards a blank wall. He wished he could hide at the mention of being called brave. He did it out of foolishness, and he may have hurt Rotom in the process.
The Beeheeyem slowly walked towards the table of various samples Carrie had been sorting through earlier. He used his prismatic fingers to survey their contents. "Before you ask, yes, there is some tangential relationship between your body and that of this other Pokemon. This vessel held an entire stasis chamber of these Pokemon we tentatively had known as Paradox Pokemon based on what surviving records remain on the ship. What little we know about them is utter conjecture that claims they came from both a hypothetical past and future through the means of some powerful energy that we know little about. We also don't know who or what may have caused them. Our researchers have been trying to restore as much information as we can to try and better understand these creatures for some time now. Unfortunately, over nine months ago, what we believed to be treasure hunters found one of the external hull projections of the ship and attempted to break their way inside with some manner of explosives. Perhaps they thought they had discovered a mystery dungeon or some other relic and wanted to plunder it? They succeeded in causing a temporary power outage in the parts of the craft that contained these Paradox Pokemon. They awoke from their stasis and staged what you might call a 'prison break'. There was a great deal of casualties on both sides, and many of their numbers ultimately escaped The Evaluator into the open world."
Error was quiet for a time as he absorbed this information before letting out a growing "Error" and emanating. "I'm sorry to hear all of that... What about Rotom?" He turned to face Carrie with the most desperate eyes his pixelated lenses could possibly convey. "He lives inside my head... I know that is probably the DEFINITION of crazy, but I have a Pokemon inside my head. He's an Electric/Ghost-type! He stopped responding after I took a lot of hits from that Iron Moth thing! A lot of hits to the... head." The cyborg Pokemon stared right through the Gardevoir as something appeared to have dawned on him. Carrie shook his wrist in concern, trying to get a response from him.
"I believe your friend may have taken the blows to your head in your place. The fact that he still has a presence within you means he has not been killed in the encounter. I unfortunately do not know how one helps a Ghost-Type possessing another Pokemon recuperate from such an ordeal. I think you will just have to give them time to recover and hope for the best. I'm sorry." Alpha-12 replies to Error, trying to alleviate his concerns despite the tragic uncertainty of the situation. "I feel greater tension still rising in you... Is there something else amiss?"
Error breaks his silence. "Rotom was the one who activated and coordinated many aspects of my body in battle. I can barely hit anything in combat without him. I had an entire database thanks to him! I'd be severely disadvantaged in this fucking crazy world going back out there without him... My mind and this body are both sick, and Rotom has been the glue holding as much of it together as he could since he first awoke. I was taking him for granted, and now he's not here!" He slams his free arm on the bed, causing Carrie to jolt away her own arm for a moment before eventually returning to gently stroke his forehead. Error slowly recognized that Carrie was doting on him quite a bit. Was she actively reading his emotions and feelings, or was there something else at play? He didn't pry and changed the subject. "What of the Iron Moth? Is it... Was it sentient? It howled like a mindless monster and just wanted to burn everything down. I didn't even think of trying to speak with it. Did I kill someone, Alpha?"
The Beeheeyem shook his large head, stepping away from the table of containers to face him properly. "I know all I can do is apologize, but I am further sorry to hear of your state. Perhaps it can be remedied somehow." He looked at Carrie knowingly before continuing.
"All of the Paradox Pokemon display varying levels of awareness and intelligence. Iron Moth would perhaps register to most as little more than a massive feral, but there is definitely a calculated presence, and it likely knew very well what it was doing. Whether it was in malice or a bid for survival is unknown. Despite your best efforts, the Iron Moth was not slain. Upon reclaiming it, we took it to a separate chamber and placed it in a suspended state where we could let it heal. The wounds you gave it were way more extreme than what it gave you, and it has still been recovering. We initially hoped to rehabilitate as many of these Paradox Pokemon as possible now that they've been exposed to their new environments, perhaps giving them a chance at finding a place here at The Evaluator or wherever they wished to go. We don't expect a 100% success rate, as their containment has clearly not treated them kindly. It was for this reason that we feared ever letting them out to begin with. They were all in very corrupted states when we first opened the laboratory that contained them. To have them continue running amuck in this state would prove catastrophic for countless Pokemon in the Grass Continent and possibly the greater Pokemon World."
The Iron Valiant thought this over, looking between Alpha-12 and Carrie, then at his own strapped-down body. "So.... Now what? I don't assume you're all going to coerce me into hunting down these things for you like some sort of bounty-hunting parole officer superhero, are you? I just told you I don't think I can fight. I'm trying my best not to freak out, but I REALLY want to. I have a guild to come back to. You've surely seen the equipment I was carrying with the badge and emblems on it, right? How long was I asleep? If they haven't written me off, they're probably really worried... I'M really worried!"
The administrator rubbed his chin in thought. "No, I obviously don't. Not in the way you put in, at least. You've been out of it for at least 70 hours since our encounter. Your body and the bodies of all Paradox Pokemon have an incredible means of recovery that we've not been able to determine the exact mechanisms of, so we simply kept the wounds clean and medicated with what berries and concoctions we have at our disposal. Now... I have an idea for how you may reunite with your guild and continue to help us, though. Carrie, would you be willing to accompany Error back to the guild as both his newfound recruit and caretaker? One of your apprentice researchers may cover for you until then. From there, you may keep tabs on any guild requests that lead toward incidents with any other Paradox Pokemon and seek them out. Carrie's telepathic kinship will allow her to contact me when necessary, and vice versa. I'm aware they've had quite the reputation in recent months, so if you object to it, I may find someone else who can act as our new friend's chaperone until he's-"
"Wait, wait, what's this about a newfound recruit?!" Error stared daggers at the alien Pokemon. Was he still going to somehow insist he was involved in all of this? He didn't ask to be born into the body of one of these enigmatic Pokemon, and he certainly didn't plan to be the hound of yet another faction just because of some mutual interest, a greater good, or whatever the hell excuse they'd throw his way. He didn't believe he could even fight in his state. "I tell you, I'm not agreeing to any of this shit, and I would sooner kill myself than suffer anymore for strangers as some pawn! I seriously doubt I can even help you guys in my current state. And I REALLY doubt Carrie here can help me! I am telling you NO-"
He stopped when Carrie thumped his metal chest with both her fists, humming with psychic power that vibrated into his core. She looked utterly distraught at the bionic Pokemon, as if she were on the verge of tears by his refusal. It's like she didn't want him to go back alone. Why in the world was she the one feeling so strongly about this all of a sudden?! The Clover Guild was fucking mess! Who'd in their right mind want to follow someone like him all the way back there?!
Error stopped himself and just closed his eyes, trying to bury his head into the cushioning foam behind his head. Why was she doing this? What does she see in him? Is it because he resembled her species? Is it the Gardevoir part of the Gallade part? Was it that superficial, or was it something deeper? He wanted to demand answers but couldn't form the words. The mechanized Pokemon felt so emotionally overburdened and wasn't sure if it was the fear of being judged for his weakness or the fear of not having a choice in the matter or any matter in his life anymore. The Iron Valiant wasn't sure how much choice he had when he was a human, either. He didn't want to actually die; he was just afraid of the unknown bearing down ahead of him and swallowing him whole. He just wanted to cry until he disappeared. Finally, the Iron Valiant decided how to proceed, and at the moment, he fucking hated it.
With a deep sigh, he spoke through his weak telepathic link to the two stronger Psychic-Types, laced with a bit of sarcasm. "Fine. Carrie can join me... Just get me out of this bed. I think this is like the third or fourth time I've been strapped down like this by someone afraid of me throttling them." The Gardevoir smiled and worked to release him from his restraints. Alpha-12 used telekinesis to levitate a bundle of Error's equipment that was removed from him before they had tended to him.
Error sat up and re-equipped himself in his guild apparel. He noted the faded blood stains on the treasure bag in particular and lets out a defeated groan. It wasn't the first time someone in the guild came back with clothes or accessories dirtied in mysterious stains, whether it was dirt, ash, grime, or one of the many differently colored bloods from the varying groups of Pokemon. "So... how do I leave this place? This ship has to be an absolute labyrinth..." The Paradox Pokemon wondered aloud to the other two in the room.
"That is simple. You will be teleported out. As much as I wish to put our full trust in you to wander The Evaluator on your own, you clearly do not trust us in full either. If these feelings change in the future, we may perhaps let you see and utilize some of our facilities in a way that may benefit you and possibly your guild." Alpha-12 replied as he motioned for Carrie and Error to stand side by side.
"Okay, but what about explaining to the guild where the hell I've been for almost three whole days?" Error responded with a hint of irritability and fear. Carrie grabbed his left hand tightly, which took him by surprise enough to make him squeak out an "Error" from his throat. If he could blush through his metal shell, he'd be as red as a Tamato Berry.
"Leave that to me, Error, dear. I've been fabricating a story suitable for your circumstances that should be believable enough." Carrie assures the Paradox Pokemon.
Error looked on in disbelief. "Where did you find the time to do that this entire time?!"
The Gardevoir giggled as psychic energy begins to surround their bodies. "A skilled enough Psychic Pokemon can handle more than one telepathic conversation at a time, Error." Error looked toward the Beeheeyem, who only gave dismissive shrugs as if playing coy to his involvement in the plans. She continued. "Just hold on tight, and maybe close your eyes. I don't believe you were awake the first time this happened, and you may find it unpleasant until you learn how to do it yourself."
Error turned his head about in worry as a vortex of energy surrounded them. He ended up hugging Carrie in terror, causing the Gardevoir to blush with an astonished expression as she gazed at Alpha-12. She corrected herself, nodding assertively to the Beeheeyem before they were enveloped by vibrant energy and vanished from the physical plane. The administrator sighed before walking out of the chamber, the obsidian airlocks of The Evaluator opening and closing for him with a metallic hiss.
On the outskirts of Capim Town, a new vortex of psychic force spiraled in an open grove before bursting a pair of Pokemon back into reality. Carrie stood there with Error held in a bridal carry, shocked out of his waking mind. He was letting out a raspy scream that had run out of air by this point. She quickly let go of him before his weight overburdened her and immediately suspended him with a telekinetic net, stroking his head like one would a terrified child while giving an awkward smile. She looked as if she were uncertain how he even ended up in her arms during the voyage.
"Heh... Sorry, Error. I should have probably given more warning about how much of an experience teleportation is for those new to it." Error wriggled indignantly to get free of the psychic hold before collapsing in a heap on the ground.
"I saw things that cannot be unseen." "ERr-rorrguh..." She helped him steady himself back onto his feet as the both of them looked toward the tree trunk-shaped buildings that peeked through the foliage ahead of them.
The Gardevoir speaks up with a cheery inflection as they begin to walk. "Now, about our cover story... I saved you from an encounter with outlaws which you were caught unprepared for. I then took you to my camp, where you recovered. Your Rotom friend was knocked out during the fight, and I'll be sure to get him accommodated with everything he need to know once he has also recovered. I'm just an adventurous, wandering Gardevoir who heard about the strange and curious Clover Guild and wanted to try her hand at being a sanctioned explorer! Also, I will do my best to help you with your powers and... body issues. I'm sure together you and I can determine how to... make your mind and body agree with each other. Oh, by the way, does your team have a name, dear?"
Error looked down toward his feet as they continued to walk. "No, Rotom and I were going to decide on one once we started our first real mission... And, well..."
She shook her head with a frown and sighs. "It's okay and I understand. Team names can change all the time, regardless. We do need something, though. What did you plan to call it?"
Error scratched the back of his head with a dull scraping sound as the rubbery material of his hand moved against the metal of his hair-like dome. "We were thinking something like... Team Overdrive or Overclock... Given I'm mostly machine and he's mostly electricity. I don't know if you understand what it means, though... Oh boy. Listen, the guild's going to be a bit of a culture shock in general, and if you end up regretting coming here I completely understand... I'm sure one of your apprentices would be way more open to-" She stopped him by holding up a finger to where his mouth would be as a gesture for him to be quiet, despite this being a telepathic exchange.
"I like Overclock." Carrie replied with a smirk. "That's a computer term, right? I learned the ship used to have these huge machines called computers that once ran most of it and they could be 'overclocked' to run at a higher potency. I was told they were like, Big, stationary Porygon that couldn't think for themselves. They've long since fallen into disrepair, and now most of the remaining devices we have on hand are little more than glowing books and paper we can store information on... As for the Clover Guild. I've heard some stories. Some of The Evaluator's crew come to Capim Town for supplies and information gathering. I think I can handle myself around a bunch of weird Pokemon if I can handle being raised on an extraterrestrial Pokemon ship turned research center filled with Arceus knows what. ...Thank you for your concern, though, and welcoming me to your team despite all the strange circumstances, Error. I'll do my best to help you, and I hope you will help us in turn."
The bionic Pokemon pondered for a moment. Her feelings felt genuine and sincere, and almost familial. He nods in agreement before responding in a rare, positive tone. "I'm... glad to have you aboard, Carrie. I'll... I'll try my best too. Welcome to Team Overclock. I'm sure Rotom would welcome you too... Let's go see what the guild is up to."