Chapter #1: Making their way back down the hallway, Alan took the time to lecture Jovi for potentially jeopardizing the entire mission. The miserable pokémon huffed indignantly as they continued. “... you've been far too reckless lately. Do you realize how much damage this could have caused?” “I'm sorry ok; he surprised me.” Jovi muttered. “Fortunately, it seems your little misadventure has produced results.” The little Vulpix cast him a curious glance. “Banner's ready to defect and he's bringing along all his research.” Jovi tilted her head to one side before dropping her gaze. “So, what happens now?” she asked after a pause. “We wait. Let, Banner compile his data and see that whatever we're making survives. That reminds me, how are things back home?” Alan replied. “Well, there haven't been any reports of recent crime sprees or natural disasters happening. And Lucario mentioned something about receiving some sort of premonition.” Jovi answered quickly. “Anything specific?” “Just something about some kid from another world having some connection to our current case.” “Is that so? In that case, when the time comes I need you to look after our little package.” Alan replied, smirking. Jovi's ears suddenly perked up as she turned toward him. “Don't worry we're family!” she replied cheerfully. Reentering the lab, Alan made his way toward the coffee maker before returning to his workstation. Jovi meanwhile, flopped down nearby and curled up into a ball before closing her eyes. As he took a seat, Alice, an attractive young woman with dark hair and brown eyes, glanced up at him. “Who's your friend?” she asked. Alan mumbled a response before turning away. A strangled cry a moment later caught his attention. Turning, he saw Alice staring at the tank in the center of the room, her face an ashen white. He followed her stricken gaze just in time to see a pair of dark eyes closing. Alan quickly glanced in Jovi's direction and caught her startled look as well. *************** Within the hour, the entire lab was in an uproar. The computers had indeed confirmed that there had been a spike in brain activity. For just a moment, the pokémon had actually been awake. The day shift techs were already being called in and one of Cipher's leading admin's was on his way. The lab assistant girl, Alice, meanwhile was sitting off in a corner. He’d been about to send her home when it occurred to him that if the pokémon did awaken fully, it might be more beneficial if she remained. After all, she was the only one the pokémon had made eye contact with. If, by some chance, the creature had formed a psychic bond with her in those few moments, the woman’s presence could keep it from becoming unruly like... well, like the last one supposedly had. The truth of the matter was that no one really knew anything about the last one of these things that an organization called Team Rocket had created years ago. Or rather, no one remembered anything they might have known. The files were just... there. Cipher's hackers had uncovered instructions on how to clone the perfect bio-weapon. The results of tests that were done on the original. Video and sound files that blatantly put its power out in the open. After looking at the files, and reading about the creature’s abilities, it had become apparent to Alan that there was only one real flaw in this near-perfect creation of science. It had been too powerful. Of course, that hadn’t stopped Cipher's leader from demanding that they re-create the project. They had obtained material samples, both of the cloned and the original DNA. However, this time they would take more precautions. Tamper with the DNA a bit. Make the clone weaker than the original, not stronger. Instead of creating the clone from simply the DNA of the original, they’d grow it from the base of a different species. Perhaps a human base. It could speed the growth, at least, even if it didn’t put a damper on the pokémon's capabilities. Alan shoved the thoughts out of his head. Glancing back across the lab, he found himself reaching into his wallet for enough cash to get another coffee from the machine. Well, why not? The poor assistant would undoubtedly be here for a while, as well. What harm could there be in sharing? He grabbed the hot cup, and made his way across the bustling room to the confused young woman he'd parked in a corner. Jovi meanwhile, produced an amused snort prompting Alan to stop and cast a pointed glance at her before continuing. Alice however, didn't even notice his presence until he dangled the cup in front of her face. “Drink up. It's going to be a long night.” *************** So tired... Why was it so hard to wake up? Everything seemed so... dull. Insubstantial sensations, muffled sounds. The world moved around her, bustling and busy, but she herself felt heavy, lethargic. It was a struggle just to open her eyes... *************** It was awake again. It hadn't moved yet, but the computers indicated that it was awake. Alan watched, suddenly anxious, as the day techs, who had taken over for him, oversaw the draining of the tank. At his feet, Jovi silently watched the men work. Alan was keenly aware that if this project was a success, the pokémon would be transferred over to the Cipher caretakers, and he and the other geneticists and technicians would be handsomely rewarded for their efforts and granted leave from Cipher's laboratories. Alan worried however, that such an outcome would inadvertedly jeopardize his true goal. By this time, the tank had drained almost completely, enough so that the pokémon had sunk to the bottom. It was starting to stir slightly now, but its eyes had not opened again. *************** The heaviness was worse now and the sounds around her were clearer, no longer muffled and indistinct. Sharp, loud voices, mechanical whirs and beeps, papers, shuffling feet. The physical sensations were more distinct, now as well. A hard surface below, a smooth surface behind. The slight chill of dampness. A stiffness, throughout her whole body. A sour taste in her mouth. Nothing felt right to her. *************** A senior administrator was here now, the head of Cipher's research and development department as a matter of fact. Donovan, they called him. As though it was the only name he needed. It probably was, Alan mused as he watched the crime lord talk to the young assistant. He remembered reading in a preliminary report that the man's first name was Ramon. Alice meanwhile, was nodding her head silently. Alan watched as they carried on like this for a while, and then made his way over to her once Donovan had walked away. “What did he say?” “He said I have to stay near the tank, just in case.” The young woman replied while coiling a strand of hair around her finger. “In case you made some sort of impression on it?” Alice nodded weakly. “He said that if I have... made an impression... I’ll have to stay on the project indefinitely... but they’ll triple my pay, if I can keep it in line...” “Can’t say I envy you there.” Alice nodded numbly at the remark. After a brief pause, she sighed and looked back at the pokémon. Following her gaze, Alan could see that the main body was white, and apparently covered in very fine fur. It was a crisp, pure white, like snow. The tail and belly, on the other hand, were a brilliantly deep magenta. It had long muscular legs and slender arms and would be bipedal when it awoke. “Quite a sight, huh?” he commented “That's for sure.” Alice agreed thoughtfully. “What we’re looking at right now, no one’s ever seen before. She’s one-of-a-kind...” she continued. “She?” Alice blinked. “Yeah... she. Why shouldn’t she be?” “The base was a girl.” Alice continued while looking up at the technician. Alan chuckled softly as he turned away. Gazing around the room, he spotted Jovi staring intently at the tank. He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen the little pokémon pay so much attention to a particular task. Alan noticed Jovi's eyes suddenly go wide prompting him to turn around just in time to see the new pokémon opening its eyes. *************** There... the world around her seemed to stop for a few brief moments as she looked around her for the first time. She had to blink her eyes for a while before she could actually see, but then she saw people. Lots of people, and machines. She was walled in by... she stared both at it and through it, and after a moment, the word came to her. Glass. There was glass on all sides of her. Moreover, there was a person, closer than all the others were, with a hand on the glass. She stared at the hand, and then reached up to press her own against the glass next to it. Her own hand was different. The human had a thumb and four fingers, five digits in all, but she had only three, oddly shaped at that. She studied her hand for a moment, fascinated by it, before looking again at the one on the other side of the glass, and the person it was attached to. It was a woman, although she didn’t know how she knew. The woman was looking at her with the most puzzling expression. She looked a little confused, a little afraid, sad, and awed at the same time. The creature looked around her again. They all had that expression, except for one. A tall, imposing man stood with his hands behind his back, looking smugly satisfied as he looked her over. The pokémon stared at them all, even as they stared back, and then finally could take the silence no more. She looked back up at the woman with her hand pressed to the glass. “Where... where am I?” And the world around her erupted with activity once more. *************** Everything got busy again once they heard it speak. Some of the scientists got right back to work, checking vitals and brain waves, while others clapped each other on the back and congratulated each other. Dione, his personal assistant, was among those that celebrated. He greeted Alan with a smile and a nod before running over to chat with Gwen, a cute day tech he’d been seeing on his days off. The youth had been assigned to the project at the same time he had, and both would be glad to see the project end. Cipher would be rid of it too, if he had his way about it... Yes, for the sake of his mission, they would release the pokémon.