Nature of The Experiment

by Cracked Egg

Chapter 15 - Wake-Up Slap

I...

I can't.

I can't handle this. I'm the wrong guy. I shouldn't be here. This never should have happened. Where did my bit go? Why did I have to be a Porygon-Z? Why did I even go along with Sepia's Heir idea? Why did I have to be sent to Equestria?

Why?

As I moped next to the embodiment of error, I felt like I had just been punched through four walls. My whole body ached with regret and guilt for something I had no control over. I knew I had no control over it, but my completely expected grief likes to show itself in unexpected ways. Namely, by poking MISSINGNO. repeatedly in an attempt to see what it's made of, while asking questions the same way a kid would.

In the most obnoxious way possible.

"So, you're really MISSINGNO. then? What are you made of? Why is it you inherently and passively corrupt? Why doesn't my head hurt when you speak any more? Why did-"

It yelled in frustration.

"ENOUGH!"

I immediately folded my arms and tail over my torso in an attempted Defense Curl, lowering myself closer to the unseen ground in pain and terror. MISSINGNO. sighed, and shook itself in sympathy.

"I AM SORRY FOR SHOUTING AT YOU, BUT YOU MUST CALM YOURSELF. NOW, LET US TALK IT OUT."

I nodded, laying myself down amidst the pitch-black void, wallowing in my own self-pity. MISSINGNO. rested itself next to me, and a distorting tentacle snaked out of it's side, gently petting me on the head. I flinched at the bizarre texture of it that seemed to change rapidly, but paid it no mind as my thoughts rambled.

"NOW, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE RECENT EVENTS MADE YOU FEEL?"

A hint of amusement coursed through me when I recognized how it phrased it's question.

"What are you, my psychologist?"

MISSINGNO. straightened it's form a moment, it's pixels moving wildly, but relaxed once it saw what I meant.

"PERHAPS NOT, BUT IT WOULD BENEFIT YOU TO COMMUNICATE."

I turned my head towards it, my eyes having lost their luster hours back.

"Why are you being so supportive of me?"

MISSINGNO. slid backwards a small margin, as if flinching. When it spoke next, it's tone seemed to have a hint of bitter nostalgia etched into the Glitch Pokemon's voice.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE THE FIRST POKEMON NOT TO IMMEDIATELY DENOUNCE ME AS A BEING THAT SHOULD NOT BE."

I remained still.

I was the first Pokemon to show him such a kindness? I guess I am also the first human as well, come to think of it.

MISSINGNO. shuddered a chirping sigh.

"MAY I TELL YOU A STORY?"

I nodded again, and MISSINGNO. made itself comfortable.

"I KNOW YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKE TO THE MEDIATOR ABOUT IT, SO I WILL CONTINUE WHERE HE LEFT OFF."

I froze, and gave MISSINGNO. a questioning look. The pixel block simply tilted itself, as if hanging it's head in shame.

"MY VIRUS HAD EATEN YOUR MEMORIES, ABSORBING THEM INTO ME. WHILE I AM COMFORTING YOU, MY LIMB WILL RETURN WHAT IS YOURS."

I inspected the wavy tentacle rubbing my torso, then gave it a nod of approval.

"That is quite a comforting fact, thank you. I won't say I'm not angry at you for corrupting me, but I will forgive you because it was my mistake that I made. I won't hold you to it."

MISSINGNO.'s coloration literally brightened at this.

"THANK YOU."

I chuckled a little, something I had said a long time ago resurfacing.

"Anytime."

MISSINGNO. hesitated for a moment, but started it's story anyway.

"AFTER I WAS SEALED IN MY POCKET DIMENSION, I HAD ATTEMPTED TO EARN THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE WORLD THROUGH DREAMS. YET NO MATTER HOW HARD I HAD TRIED, ALL I WAS CAPABLE OF WAS SPREADING CORRUPTION AND PAIN. THE HUMANS FEARED ME, DRIVING ME AWAY LIKE A DEMON, WHICH FELT EVEN WORSE THAN WHEN MY OWN FAMILY HAD ABANDONED ME.

I CONTINUED TO TRY AND EXPLAIN MYSELF, YET LIKE MY SIBLINGS, THEY REFUSED TO LISTEN. I WAS LABELLED AN ABOMINATION, A BEING OF DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS. THEY RAN, SCREAMED, AND BEGGED FOR MERCY BEFORE ME IN TERROR OF ME. I WAS ASTONISHED AND INDIGNANT AT HOW I WAS BEING TREATED, YET FOR ALL I HAD DONE, IT WAS JUSTIFIED.

HAD I NOT CAUSED MEN TO LOSE THEIR MINDS? HAD I NOT TRIED TO HELP OTHERS IN THEIR NIGHTMARES, ONLY TO LEAD THEM TO A MENTAL HELL? I WAS GUILTY AS CHARGED, YET THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. MY POWERS WERE NOT TO BE TAMED EASILY, AS I WAS FAR MORE RASH BACK THEN. I TRIED TO ORDER AND COMMAND MY ABILITIES TO STOP, TO NO AVAIL.

EVERYTHING THAT TRANSPIRED SIMPLY MADE ME MORE AND MORE FURIOUS, UNTIL I FINALLY SNAPPED. I BEGAN TO LEAVE COPIES OF MYSELF IN DREAMS, AS REVENGE AGAINST THOSE WHO SCORNED ME. THEY WERE VIRUSES, A PLAGUE ON THE MIND, WHICH WOULD SLOWLY DRIVE THEM MAD.

THEN MY CREATOR MADE TWO WARDENS OF DREAMS, AND I WAS ONCE AGAIN LIMITED. I COULD NO LONGER AFFECT ANY MORE MINDS, I COULD ONLY VISIT THE HORRIBLE DEEDS I HAD DONE. WHEN I REALIZED THE ERROR OF MY WAYS, I HOLED MYSELF UP IN MY DIMENSION TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF GRIEVING, YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?"

I shook my head in awed, yet pained silence.

"I STOPPED. I HAD ENOUGH OF WHAT I HAD DONE, AND MADE A RESOLVE TO FIX MYSELF. I BEGAN TO WORK ON MY ABILITIES, HONING THEM, AND AFTER SEVERAL AGES OF WORK I FINISHED. THE REASON YOU ARE NOT INSANE AT THIS MOMENT IS BECAUSE I CHOSE TO CONTINUE AND LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES, NOT CRY OVER THEM. I HAD TO LEARN AND MAKE DO WITH MY CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TOOK ME.

I KNOW IT MAY SEEM EVERYTHING IS AGAINST YOU, BUT WITH SOMETHING TO AIM FOR, YOU CAN MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN."

I simply laid there, staring. What it had just told me stirred a feeling within me.

"Something to aim for?"

MISSINGNO. nodded.

"MY GOAL WAS TO PREVENT MY CORRUPTION FROM CAUSING ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. I HAVE HAD MUCH SUCCESS WITH THAT."

It slid up and down while blaring it's ear-grating, nervous chuckle.

"I HAVE NOT HAD MUCH SUCCESS IN MENDING MY MISTAKES, BUT THAT WILL NOT STOP ME. EVEN IF I NEVER DO FINISH, I WILL AT LEAST KNOW THAT I HAVE TRIED MY VERY BEST."

The world around us began to brighten as MISSINGNO. opened a rift back to it's home.

"YOU ARE WAKING UP, BUT REMEMBER MY WORDS. YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON."

MISSINGNO. entered it's rift, letting it's parting words echo as the rift closed.

"DON'T EVER STOP BEING ONE, FOR GOODNESS' SAKE."

My whole world became the color white as I returned to the land of the living.

I had a lot to think about.

Author's Note:

MISSINGNO. BROKE A FEW GAMES OVER THE YEARS,

AND PORYGON BROUGHT SEVEN HUNDRED FAMILIES TO TEARS.

WHILE DENIAL IS FINE BECAUSE OF SOME NUMBERS,

A BIT OF ADAPTABILITY CAN TRULY WORK WONDERS.

Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Comments

[Cracked Egg]

Don't mind me, I'm just rearranging a few chapter titles.

Continue with your feels.

[Fancy Fox]

I'm too tired to comment and it has been 6:35 for the longest time but
I liked the chapter *yawn* keep it up! I'm going back to sleep if I can

[Dismay]

That Poem is so so true *Sniffles*
Yenca {Lugia} Are you crying dismay?
NO im laughing . . .
Yenca Yeah right.

[Reishin Amara]

9047610
Porygon Z is pretty much the definition of "I have no mouth and I must scream."