KoN (4/8)

[aetherling]

hey
hey
I hope you like exposition

iv. the plot explained

 

Bianca wakes, clutching her throat and startling Professor Fennel.

“What happened? What’s going on?” Professor Fennel asks as she rushes over. Black and Cheren wake up nearly a heartbeat later.

“Why didn’t you wake us, Black?” Bianca asks shakily.

“The only way to wake up is to wait for the sedative to run out, or die in the dream,” says Black.

“I think the more important question is, what exactly happened down there?” Cheren asks angrily. “Why did White show up?”

Black just shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“Black,” says Cheren. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but your subconscious managed to mobilize against all of us. How are you going to perform a dream-share job without your projections killing the dreamer on sight?”

“My projections weren’t the only ones in the dream,” Black snaps.

“So I’m the one who dreamt up a psychotic White capable of murdering her best friend? Black--your issues with returning to your own home are clearly affecting your mind, and I don’t think anyone should expose themselves to whatever danger your subconscious is going to conjure up next.”

“Look, I was caught off guard--this normally isn’t a problem as long as Nuvema Town isn’t brought up.”

“No Black.” Cheren yanks the tube off his arm and stands over Black. “White has been dead for a year now, but you keep slipping into your dreams to avoid that reality. And now White’s shade has dominated your subconscious. That’s your problem.” He storms off.

“Black...” Bianca says beside him. “Is that why you’ve been sleeping so much? To keep White’s memory alive? That wasn’t really White down there, you know that right?”

Black runs his hand through his hair and says nothing.

“Fine. I’m going to see if Cheren’s alright.” Bianca leaves as well.

There is a pause before Professor Fennel finally speaks. “Erm. Will--”

“If...there’s the slightest chance of any of them coming back, have them start making their totems. I’m going to speak to Alder.” Black gets up to leave.

“Black, will you be alright?”

“I hope.”

 

“From my time undercover, I myself, disguised as a Plasma member, have discovered that once again, N is not the real leader of Team Plasma. The brains the mass-inception operation are behind, belong to the Shadow Triad.”

“Hmm,” Alder nods thoughtfully, not really paying attention to the stack of papers in his hand. “What can they hope to gain with ‘Pokemon liberation’?”

“Very little evidence for their intentions. My speculations, from the investigative skills my profession requires, point to another version of Ghestis’ original plan. With them as the new world leaders.”

“How did N start to believe in Pokemon liberation again?” Black asks.

Black is back in Professor Fennel’s lab, looking through the hefty file Looker had compiled about N and Team Plasma with Alder and Looker.

“His relationship with his father was...strained. Before Ghestis’ death. And to this day. The Shadow Triad played on his guilt for failing to successfully perpetuate the Pokemon liberation campaign. For failing his father. It is how they control him. He is looking for redemption by resuming this campaign, perhaps. Then too late! Ghestis passed away.”

“So why is he still pressing forward with it?”

“Too late to back out now.” Looker drinks an unknown liquid from his own container. “Too many people expect him to, now.”

“Well, I think we can still convince him to drop the whole thing off,” says Alder. “Let’s get him to finally see his father’s love isn’t worth it and sever any remaining affection he has for his old man.” He sounds a little too cheerful talking about mangling N’s only familial ties.

“No, we need to make N see that he’s being manipulated by the Shadow Triad. Let’s show him the truth,” Black suggests.

“Emotional concepts stick better than reason,” says Alder. “If my failed inception attempts taught me one thing, it’s that there’s no reasoning with the subconscious.”

“Okay. But we want to use a positive emotion. I think N will be better off if we managed to reconcile him with his father--show him that his father, despite everything, loves him, therefore it’s in his best interests to give up on Pokemon liberation. Somehow.”

“The man was insane! The only reason why N even exists was so he can rule the world, and if something went wrong, he could slip away and make N take all the blame.”

“We could work with that. How about ‘My father recognizes his own insanity, and accepts that I will not follow that path anymore.’”

“Hm,” says Looker. “Adequate and all, but why inception, firstly, of all things? A decade ago, it was outlawed.”

“That’s what I asked,” Black mutters.

“Well, it’s too late to back out now,” says Alder, and points to Black. “He expects me to, now.”

“Ha ha,” Black laughs sarcastically.

“Anyways. From what I’ve gathered, N is the kind of person who will insist on remaining unchanged despite overwhelming evidence that separating humans and Pokemon is a bad idea. He’s established that he will resist change from outside ideas, so this time we’ll plant the idea inside him.”

“We did convince him at one point to reconsider separating humans and Pokemon,” counters Black. “It’s just that he eventually went back to Ghestis and the Shadow Triad, and they convinced him otherwise.”

“Right, so we must destroy his relationship with the Shadow Triad as well.”

“Ugh, now it’s getting complicated.”

“And illegal, it is still,” Looker adds.

“Looker!” Alder says as if he just noticed him. “Old friend--master of disguises--seeing how the Shadow Triad are such an influence for impressionable young N, how about you disguise yourself as a one of the Shadow Triad and deliver the emotional concept to him?”

“What about the real Shadow Triad--”

“In his head. Where they can’t meddle.”

“They’ve meddled in his head already--”

“But they can’t meddle physically. Er, physically stop us while we meddle in his head, I mean. I have no doubts about your skills, but even they will notice an extra member in their party.”

“Alder, I am a member of the International Police firstly and foremostly. To break the very laws I am to protect, it will not do.”

“What, Looker, think of this as a favor, uh, for future-Looker.” Black determines this is an appropriate time to take his leave while Alder attempts to convince the officer. “Now-Looker stops N and Team Plasma so future-Looker doesn’t have to deal with N and Team Plasma and the world post-mass-inception. With all the free time future-Looker has now, I mean then, he can find him a wife, get laid, raise 17 daughters--”

“Oh, hey,” Black finds himself face-to-face with Bianca when he’s at the staircase.

“I couldn’t stay away,” Bianca explains. “The dreaming...”

“Nothing like it, right?”

“Yeah. Nothing holds you back...nothing gets in the way between you and your...dream.”

“I’m coming along too.” Cheren emerges from the bottom of the stairs to stand beside Bianca. “I...might have crossed a line earlier. But I shouldn’t abandon my friend when he needs me.”

“No, you were right. I let this problem grow, and I can’t drag you guys into anymore danger--”

“So we’re here to help. Did you tell Alder...?”

Black shakes his head, “He has other things to deal with,” and thumbs at the two men having a heated discussion behind him. “But I think I can suppress her. Just don’t tell me the dream layout.” He nods at Bianca, who looks excited at the prospect of more creation.

 

“When we enter a dream inside a dream...something interesting happens to us.”

Black, Alder, Looker, Cheren, and Bianca are all seated in Professor Fennel’s lab, surrounded by multiple charts and listening to her explain more about dream-share.

“We’re not aware of it because we’re ‘present’ in the next level, but we don’t leave a body behind in the previous level. What could be considered our ‘soul’ is carried in Pokemon.”

“Not just any Pokemon, shiny Pokemon,” Alder elaborates, but Bianca still has the most confused expression Black has ever seen on her face. And then she asks the most unanswerable question first:

“Why?”

Professor Fennel briefly glances at Looker for a hint, but Looker just shakes his head slightly.

“I hope to one day answer that question myself,” she says finally.

“What sort of Pokemon do we become?” asks Cheren.

“It’s very random. Some people consistently leave the same Pokemon every time they enter a dream inside a dream, and some people are always changing Pokemon. One thing I do know for sure, is that they will leave behind Pokemon they’re most familiar with. So for example, a person from Johto is unlikely to become a Bidoof. Most likely all of us will leave behind a Unovan species, with the exception of Looker.”

“So...what do the Pokemon do? Can we still control them?”

“No, they act like normal Pokemon. But like Alder said, they’re shiny, so the dreamer can easily identify them. And then it’s up to the dreamer to determine what to do with them--either let them run free or capture them for easier management.”

“What if they faint?” asks Bianca.

“The person will wake up. Any more questions?”

“How could anyone pass up the opportunity to catch a shiny?” The question came from Alder.

Professor Fennel nearly rolls her eyes. “Moving on then. Looker, if you will explain the plan.”

“Yes, yes, the plan.” Looker gets up and flips one of the charts. “Our mark: one Natural Harmonia Gropius.”

Someone stifles a nearly inaudible giggle. Black looks over and sees Cheren pursing his lips, and vows never to entertain the thought of Cheren giggling ever again.

“The main idea, ‘I will no longer pursue Pokemon liberation’, is what we want. His conscious mind will reject, however, this direct concept. Yes. Therefore, through multiple levels, we plant an emotional concept in the subconscious. Each level shall be leading to the main idea eventually. We will attempt three.”

“Three?” Black’s jaw nearly hits the ground. He turns to Alder. “It’s too unstable!”

“We have to plant the idea as deep as possible. I think three is reasonable.” And Alder shrugs nonchalantly. “Don’t forget, this is Professor Fennel’s specialty. She will provide the Dream Mist.”

“It’s not just ordinary Dream Mist. It’s specially brewed for three-tier dreaming!” Professor Fennel bristles with pride.

“Um, shall I continue?” Looker has paused with the chart mid-flipped. When none of them say anything, he goes on, “Yes, very well. Professor Fennel, in the first level, will provide the dream. Have N talk about Ghestis to Looker-as-Shadow Triad member. Suggest Ghestis had other intentions for his son. ‘I am not to be king of Team Plasma.’” Looker points to the first sentence, which Black wrote. It is nearly illegible.

As if to crush whatever is left of Black’s non-existent handwriting pride, Bianca whispers, “Ohh, that’s what it says.”

“Is not, and never will be,” Cheren scoffs. “How sad for the king of his own pathetic empire to always be playing the puppet. And to play the role of a puppet twice--shame on him, what a bothersome fool!”

“International Police elite officer, codename Looker, shall be the dreamer of the second level. Seed of doubt to be planted. Make him think he is used by Shadow Triad. Their intentions, best for them, not for him. ‘I will not--’a good word from Cheren‘--play puppet to anyone anymore.’” Looker uncaps a pen and rewrites the second sentence. It is annoyingly perfect, as if a computer produced it.

“He’s sad,” says Bianca, but with sorrow in her voice instead of condescending malice. “I kind of hope inception works.”

“If it does, we’ll have saved him thousands of therapy sessions. And we’ll have invented a new kind of therapy we can charge for the price of a thousand therapy sessions!” Alder cackles at his own genius.

“Not like you’re starving for money, Champion,” Cheren remarks.

“Your rain on my money parade is the only certainty in my life, Cheren.”

Looker ignores them and flips to the final page. “Third level, Champion of Unova, Alder. Whatever we have found, or created, in previous levels in N’s mind, will lead to final idea. ‘My father doesn’t want me to liberate Pokemon.’”


sorry for not updating in so long! have some music for compensation.

Comments

[axolotl]

Whoah. Okay. This is still sinking in but I think I kind of get it? :) In a world of dream espionage, a collection of oneironaut trainers attempt to write to a read-only medium? Is it right that anytime someone claims to be awake or to be asleep I should be suspicious of whether or not they are actually awake or asleep?

One of my favorite things in here so far is your characterization of Alder. He's so... carefree? He moves through the world largely ignoring its resistance, it seems like, and he's very enjoyable to read. So is Cheren --- he's snarky, which is what he's like in my head too, but he's
not so snarky that I don't like him. It's kind of endearing.

And of course Fennel is the scientist in charge of all the dream froofery. What's up with the totems? Is that explained or is it a need-to-see-the-movie thing?

Looker's also interesting; I like his attitude and the subtle out-of-towner difference to his speech patterns, but what's up with him? Why is he suddenly convinced? I hope to figure that out reading the rest of the story :) Should I just follow you to see continuations?

Thanks for sharing this!

[aetherling]

This reply is horribly overdue -_- go me.

I think you've got the gist of the thing. I really like your "write over a read-only medium" description, it explains it so eloquently and simply at the same time. In this case I wouldn't be worried about an unreliable narrator. I'm not too keen on making my audience confused, I just want to tell an unoriginal story. :l

I'm glad you enjoyed reading about Alder as much as I enjoyed writing him. Sometimes he's the only one helping me move the plot along *coughLookercough*. As for Looker, his reason for joining Alder will come to light soon.

The totems are something I just mentioned and totally neglected to explain because I was so sick of exposition. I was also on the fence about how important they will be in the future. Their purpose will be revealed soon.

Thanks for reading and leaving a comment! I will try to improve and update soon, but midterm season is going to strike soon so updates will be slow...but you can follow me for updates if you want. I don't really post here other than to dump my fanfiction.