"Another day, another island," I muttered under my humid breath as I stepped off the ferry, a bead of sweat rolling down my forehead. Stepping onto the hot sand of Kin Island, my feet sunk slightly though I kicked on. From boredom, I reeled my mind with numbers from gathering data of my surroundings.

The temperature must be roughly around 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is approximately 36.6 repeating degrees Celsius. From the sun's location in the sky and the pinpoint axis the Sevii Islands sit at... It must be around 11am. Which means... It's only going to grow warmer. Red pushed beside me just in time, shooting a crooked glance.

I urged myself to give a tugged smirk in response to him.

However, his dark eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, "Copycat," the rufescent-eyed trainer snorted curtly.

"She's with you, isn't she?"

The trainer shook his head. Worry washed like a wave over the two of us, both of our faces trickling into a fear as we started to search around the area recklessly. The two of us called out her name repetitively, running around the island front in search for the small girl.

"Red, you search the town. I'll stay back and see if anyone has seen her by the boats." I ordered Red who signaled his understanding before running off into the small port town. The time passed, the sun pulling farther across the sky as I asked around. Numerous of the people who I questioned were begrudged to help me, most being gang bikers. The people who were able to speak with me had no useful clues.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen her."

"Green hair? Unusual. Sorry!"

"Carrying a Clefairy doll? Nope."

"Haven't seen anyone like that."

"She's your daughter? Oh, sister! Can't say I noticed a person like that."

"I'll keep an eye out."

All paths lead to the same end, leading me to drag my sorry ass into the town to find Red with the fading hope that he came across any information. The baking beach abruptly sprouted with the iconic jade grass of this world and a dusty, over-walked, and crooked pathways trudging across as the island's road lines. A single red home was first to greet any traveler on my left and not much further was a Pokemon Center for the weary. I craned my head back to see, behind an army of angry bikers, was a seven-shape of four plum-slated ranch abodes.

Back to the scene where an army of angry bikers ganged up on two locals, that was what I saw. Great men with shaved heads hunched over their chuffing motorcycles.

Unlike the tigers who chuff out of friendliness, these motorbikes seemed more: "Give me your valuables and I won't slit your throat." Well, I guess the bikers might be happy with that.

Standing in between the predator and prey was a peace keeper with short sable hair and crimson eyes.

"Get the hell out of our way, punk." The gang leader spat, an Arbok tattoo ensnaring itself around the man's exposed arms.

Red simply shook his head, his inflamed justice unwavering from his fixed position.

The leader snarled before one of his grunts coughed up an idea, "How about we just send out our pokemon against him, sir Praxton?"

The Praxon character mulled it over for a moment before grinning menacingly, "Men! I have come up with a genius idea!" all leaned in but the grunt who shot out the ganging up proposal. "We send out all of our pokemon against the little shit and toast him!"

"Genius Mr. Praxton!"

"Great idea!"

"How does boss come up with these things?" with that, the bikers sent out their collection of Grimers and Koffing in an illuminated flash.

The poor and used grunt let out a huff, obviously used to this treatment before sending out his own team. Praxton, who waited at the front line like a glorified king, had the strongest of the enlarged troop. He owned a Muk and Weezing.

With no command, all of Red's team erupted from their capsules in a pod formation around their master, snarling protectively. It was the time of an eyelash batting when I saw his team flicker through with bars and numbers. Though, one could believe it was just my imagination for it was back to it all was before.

Snapping back to the action ahead, I knew that his team wasn't enough. Or at least fair. Red was a force to be reckoned with, but I had my doubts. So I threw out my team, Venusaur's landing giving the ground a tremble to alert our presence. If the bikers missed the excited crowing of Pidgeot, grunting of both Hitmonchan and Marowak, fire display from Vulpix, or the high hiss of Vaporeon.

And of course, if they missed all of that, Venusaur let out a belly-turning roar to the enemy.

"Geez, you guys are loud," I stated, realizing it has been awhile since they had all been out together.

Red, acknowledging our company, shot us his hand to signal: Back down.

And so my team obeyed, watching Red nod to his electric mouse whose red pouches buzzed with electricity. Pikachu let out a snicker before leaping up into the air and releasing the stored up electricity within its tiny self. The terrifying voltage tossed about unbridled by any sort of control. Cold blue bolts of lightning fired to the ground before being smothered out by the poison pokemon crumbling to it.

The rouge discharge scaring up the gang in the meantime. As the bikers hurried away back to the port with their tails between their legs, I reminded myself never to piss off Red. I was on the verge of recalling my pokemon since they were no help in this matter when I saw them. Each brushing against each other affectionately, being all together for once in a long together. Vulpix scrambling down Venusaur's frog wedge face with a joy perking at her ears. Pidgeot pecking between Marowak and Hitmonchan with a sort of troll face, the two base fighters sharply turning their heads away in a flustered brooding (Hitmonchan was at least true about it). Vaporeon found himself a perch upon the Jurassic flower on the back of my starter, his chest puffed out with his pride swelling in the creature's heart. It would've broke mine to return them.

They would usually come out separately or at night when they are tired and want to get food before returning back. "I'm going to make a wild assumption that you all want to stay out for a while? You know, maybe I'm a genius, but I could be wrong," I spoke to them with a hinting grin, the chorus of cheerful pokemon wishing to remain outside told me their answer.

A gentle tap on my shoulder spun me around to mean fiery eyes, "Berry Forest." From behind, I could see all of his pokemon were already returned.

"Full sentences, please." I replied with a mimicked monotone.

Red gave me a dull and bland expression as he took a breath, "I asked the locals. About seeing Copycat. I found those two locals while the gang was trying to hurt them. I just asked if they saw Copycat. Short. Green hair. Clear eyes. Holding realistic Clefairy doll. Has a pokeball with her. Utterly adorable. Really annoying. They said a girl like that went to the Berry Forest."

I nodded, patting the trainer on the head like a pet, "Good job!" I craned around over my shoulder and commanded my team, "To the Berry Forest." With that, our band marched off through grassy hills which seemed eerily deserted. It may have been a sleepy little town once, but now that it was flooding with new people every day, this was probably a sign screaming: "GTFO" in horror movies.

Even the pokemon seemed scared.

It was crossing Bonding Bridge, at least that's what the locals called the place, when I saw the corroding system. Black pits poking out between the trees while patches of the beach turned to numbers. Though none seemed as severe from what I have seen, it seemed to move like slowly rolling lava to infect further.

"Dear Arceus, the refugees aren't even close to being safe here," I hissed darkly, remembering how the people believed the glitch would take longer to reach the Sevii Islands. I could only wonder more about how much further it has gotten on the other islands.

"--elp," something croaked from the woods entrance. Red and I hurried over, carefully skipping over any plots breaking apart.

My breath was pulled from my lungs as I saw a woman curled over herself, knees pulled close to her chest as she sobbed. That wasn't what stole my breath. Her entire body broke into fractions before pulling back together. Colors fluctuating in box shapes. Her portrait flashing into the one of Red's before back to her own.

This was not uncommon. A glitched trainer when playing the pokemon Red game would actually turn into "the player" or Red really. Their pokemon's stats looking completely fucked up. All the trainers in the game would be like that until after you reset it. But it was never anything harmful.

Not when you're just playing the game.

"It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts." The woman chanted with constant head twitch. "Pain. Pain. It hurts. It pains."

I reached my hand out to comfort her, just for Red to slap my hand back. I stared up to him in confusion, just to read his eyes. I could get infected by The Glitch if I touch her. That sucked, because according to studies, human contact is more settling in a break down.

"M-ma'am. Just breathe. What happened?" I asked calmly, but strongly. My pokemon behind doing whatever as they waited.

The defected woman shot me a pained face, before it flickered out with thousands more. "I-I saw a little girl wander here. I was going t-t-t-t-t-t-t---" her shoulder spazzed out right as her head twitched, causing a collision directly at her temple. The woman yet still looked unfazed by any sort of pain, her body being torn apart number-by-number numbing anything minor. "To get her back to town. B-but I fell into o-one of the n-n-number pits. I crawled out b-but t-this happened to me. Me! Me!" she began to turn berserk as she screamed hysterically. The numbers starting to permanently detach themselves from her body. Her face showing Red's dark eyes before she screamed bloody murder and basically self-destructed into thousands of number strings.

Was it wrong to duck back and turn my head away when it happened?

Should I have watched her final end to put a sort of ease? Or would that have just caused nightmares?

Well, it was too late to change the small path I chose.

"We need to find Copycat, soon." Red's voice affirmed from behind, his hand resting on my shoulder for--- I don't really know. I became the quiet one for a moment, nodding as we turned back with our team progressing further into the forest.

My mind reeled with the silence, trying to come up with words to fill it. To blank out what we just saw, "So. Yeah. Oh! Did I tell you about this time on my journey for the badges when I met Vaporeon as an Eevee? It was in Caledon city---"

And so it went on, Red's replies becoming smaller until I was basically rambling on to myself.

"And then I ran into the mansion to find Vulpix terribly beaten! The perp who had abused her shot out of my sight like he knew I was coming! I actually saw Mew go in there earlier. I wonder where it could have went after that. Any clues, Red?"

No response.

"Yeah. I guess it was pretty difficult. But I was so distracted with little Vulpix, I completely forgot about Mew. I bet it went to the higher levels of the mansion, right?"

No response.

"Or it could have transformed into one of the pokemon roaming the mansion to hide."

No response.

"You know, carrying a conversation is harder than it seems."

Still--- no response.

"Look, I know you are socially awkward but on the last island you were talkative!"

Again, the silence was deafening.

"Well, true. You had a lot going on. But who doesn't? I mean, I am probably just as awkward but I can carry full conversations with full sentences."

The reticence struck me like a knife in the heart.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be comparing. People are different and I have to respect that."

Not even a breath.

"I really am sorry... Red?"

Yeah, my eyes were so focused on avoiding glitches, I hadn't noticed there was no human beside me. Or pokemon tailing me. I was completely alone in a forest that only grew more distorted the deeper you crawled. Other than I felt like I went back to seventh grade when I carried conversations with myself for minimum entertainment, I also felt a fear pedaling open like a slowly blooming rose in my chest. "Red? Venusaur! Vulpix! Red! Venusaur! Vaporeon!" And so on I called the names of my traveling companions, getting more and more lost in the sinister woods. The distractions of searching for my friends nearly would send me plunging into one of the fresh-water pools where numbers and barrels swam. Along with a tree or two.

"Be careful, I cannot let my little toy die here."

The familiar voice just brought another turn up of terror, pealing the petals faster. I froze to scan the olive toned forest for the monster.

The voice laughed within my mind with a trembling shake, "I am not near. Not quite. So be more at ease. I am trying to help and make sure you do not die on me."

"That doesn't help me at all. Where were you during Lavender town?"

"Well, your mind seemed blocked out then. It is open currently."

"Because that makes sense," I huffed out tiredly.

Mewtwo's tone turned harsh, "Left, now!"

Taking the order, I did so. Just to my right, a glitch opening up like the mouth of a beast to swallow its meal, "Th-thank you."

The clone let out a heavy sigh as an angered anticipation filled his tone, "This is taking longer than I would like. When will you figure this out? When will you get me my Mew?"

"When I can, you purple freak."

The voice eeked out a dark snicker, hissing in a feral voice. "You do not want to truly anger me, pathetic human." My fingers quivered as he continued to direct me through the maze of trees. "Find the child and get out of here. Despite time being so short, you seem fixated on such an insignificant insect. We might have to create alterations to our deal."

"I will get you Mew, just don't hurt them," I shot defensively with hastened tone, trying my best to stomach down desperation.

"Calm yourself, child," he hissed out a rolling chuckle, amused by my struggle to protect what he saw to be nothing but bugs at his feet. "But when you find Mew, the transfer must be immediate. You will simply call for me and I will come to take her. Mew. I can barely wait."

"Just wait."

"I cannot. I am itching. Itching to listen to the screams. The light dying in a lifeform's eyes as they experience my pain. I can simply just break our deal here---"

He won there, "I will do as you say. Just please, give me time."

He laughed. It was insanity. "Then call me master. Lord. God!"

"As you said last time, you aren't a god," I growled with my teeth on edge.

"Yet," my breath slipped away as he pulled me though instructions. "She is up ahead."

"..."

"Remember Leaf, I chose you for a reason." The monster told darkly, "You are higher than the rest of your kind, superior intelligence. You are not even from this world. You are different, no matter where you go. Here in the game or your home. I believe, you are like me. But sadly, you are human. You created emotions. I was trained that emotions are the source of weakness. You are great and powerful, smart enough to almost be untamable. If you did not love those boys, you would be perfect. Now you are nothing but my string that I can break so simply. Now go!"

His essence slipped from my mind like water from my ear, my body trembling at the thoughts as the cesspool of numbers and broken tiles grew thicker like poison.

"Big Sis! Big Sis!"

Through the underbrush a girl quivered, the swallowing glitch inching closer to her pure location. As if I was given Arceus' speed, I dashed down and over to the child. I immediately swept her up into a hug and rolled away. Her matted hair brushing my chin as her face balled out into my chest, her voice hiccupping, "Hush. Hush. It's okay Copycat. It's okay," despite her battered and scraped face, I felt at ease. Like everything was going to be okay when I wake up tomorrow morning.

"Eos," she crackled after her sobs subsided. "Copycat is her nickname. Copycat is her nickname. C-copyc-- I am Eos."

"It's okay, Eos."

Her head tousled up, silver eyes peaking to me with curiosity, "How'd you get past Mr. Scary? Mr. Scary?"

"Mr. Scary?" I began to inquire suspiciously, eyes scanning the forest where everything crawled but pokemon and people.

"Yeah, yeah. The Hypno that is like---" She cut herself off, letting out a shriek that sent me fighting every fiber in my body to let go of the child so that I could cover my ears. Eos buried herself further into my stomach as I swiveled my head around to just have all blood drain from my face.

The nightmare creature was a broken aureolin with a lily white mane snaking around its neck. Soulless eyes staring down at us as half of the creatures face broke off into digits and program strings. Hypno's hypnosis item leaving a trail of codes as it perpetually swung from left to right. To be more frightening, the codes within the pokemon had been jumbled together in some sort of new pattern that made the pokemon swell to tower ten feet above. "Hyyyypnooooo..." It moaned in a The-Rock-Johnson deepness.

"It's going to eat c-copy--- me!" Eos cried, strangling me with her arms and legs. "Fight it Big Sis with your pokemon! With your pokemon!"

How do you tell a little adorable child that you have no clue where your pokemon are or Red and you both are probably about to die?

"I--- I can't do that, sweetie."

"..."

"..."

"Can I call for big bro?"

"G-Go ahead."

"Big Bro, Big Bro, help us!" She shrieked, clutching further, and repeating her calls. I placed my head on top of hers, muttering in her ear not to look, don't look, keep staring at my face. I kept my back to the creature who I could feel growing closer, charging its powers to take us. "Big Bro isn't coming?"

"Just keep looking at me face," I repeated with a grin on my face. "Remember Amber? How fun she was to play with? Well let's go back and remember that time when you played with her and Ms. Sabrina on the ship!"

"Why aren't you answering my question?"

"Are you remembering? I am! You two looked so happy playing with my little Vulpix! Did I tell you how she and I met?" I closed my eyes with the grin, hoping she wouldn't feel my arms shaking as I held her.

Is this where I lose?

"Heard you before," a voice said, my eyes shooting open as the sound of fire burned against skin, the smell of steaming flesh and fur. The roar of a dragon firing further attacks. I kept my back turned, though Eos jumped about happily in my arms as she stared past me.

"It's Big Bro! Big Bro heard me! Big Bro! Big Bro!" the child beamed with a brightness in her demeanor. Though, something told me he wasn't talking about her wails from earlier. As the flames died down, the graveling moan of an injured glitch only being stalled echoed. A hand snapped around mine and pulled me to my feet, one arm still holding Eos. The crystal-eyed child threw her arms around my neck and smiled, "I told you he'd come."

"Hurry," Red smirked to the two of us. I nodded and our little family bolted, Charizard thumping his great wings above us as we ran out of the forest. Red leaned over to me in a hushed tone on our path out, "She's not speaking in third person?" I gave him a shrug.

Now hold it, before you accuse me of abandoning my pokemon in that Berry Forest, I will tell you what happened.

Upon exiting, we found my set of pokemon waiting for us on the ivory sands between the woods and bridge. All different colors of juice smeared across their mouths from what I presumed to be berries and fruits they found. And since they weren't melting down from their programs being torn apart, they ate from safe bushes.

In the end, we never found Eos's parents on Kin Island, nor did I find any sign of Mew.

A new pit formed at the bottom of my stomach. First I was afraid of losing Red and Blue and Daisy and my mom (Mewtwo only said he'd kill humans, he will probably spare pokemon. So I assume my team is safe). Now, I was afraid of losing Eos. Then, I was afraid of killing a poor creature for just existing in a torturous death.

Now, I was afraid of finding Mew while Eos and Red were with me. How would they see me?

But if they were in my position, they would understand. I have to win against this. I can't lose anymore.

"Big Sis."

"Hmm?" I snapped from my contemplation to stare down at the fair girl who displayed her dirtied Clefairy doll to me with disheartened eyes.

She sniffed up the snot that drooled from her nose. "It tore," she puffed with her lower lip puckering.

My eyes scanned the pink stuffed pokemon to see its right arm and leg hanging limply by frayed threads, cloud cotton bleeding out. Tenderly, I drew the toy from her grasp and smiled, "Big Sis will fix Clefairy all up before you go to bed, tonight!"

"Yay! Yay!"