The Void She Filled

Chapter 6: The Internet Explorer Conundrum

"The theme of my research is: 'Bringing out the power of Pokémon.' Bringing out the power of Pokémon! Is it possible to bring out their maximum power through the bond they share with their Trainers? Or is there some other, different method?"

And that sounds awesome, right? Conducting user-friendly experiments and research, in order to determine the optimal way of enhancing the bond between you and your Pokémon? Sign me up! That sounds pretty interesting!

...It turned out that the keyword in his statement was "power." Each and every one of our encounters gradually revealed to me his true intent: that of cold and calculating neutrality. He wasn't necessarily evil, but he also didn't care about adhering to ethics either, so long as he achieved his goals. And though his words were so carefully veiled, he couldn't entirely hide his threatening undertones of authority. Soon enough, his statements became blunt; he was more than willing to extort the potential of Pokémon through whatever means possible, even if they were ghastly and brutal. To him, it was nothing more than a pure, hard science— the safety of his test subjects be damned.

Do you think I could just be a passive bystander to something as insensitive as that? Cold facts, observations, and questionable procedures are not how you bond with your partners! And the conscious rejection of ethics, whether you had a malevolent intent or not, is blatantly unacceptable! Listen, I'm all for science experiments and research if it's beneficial towards Pokémon, but you can't endanger them like that in the process!

"I should have known you were a part of Team Plasma! Your talk was a little too exploitative for my tastes!" I snarled, feeling my blood begin to boil. Colress just chuckled and crossed his arms, amused at my response.

"Oh, but that's where you are terribly wrong, Rosa," he rebuked me with a shake of his head. "I'm not their leader, if that's what you think either. In fact, I am not even a member." He took an exaggerated step forward and peered down at me through his spectacles. His position irritated me— like he just had to prove he was my superior in everything, including his height.

"For the record, my work is completely my own. Though, I guess I should explain why I'm collaborating with Plasma, then." I just gave him a cold stare. Honestly, it took everything I had to bite my tongue, my hands curling into fists at my sides as my knuckles whitened.

"See, I was asked by an acquaintance to help with his research. But I am not directly assisting Plasma in any way, shape, or form. Unlike them, what I desire is to bring out the entirety in Pokémon potential! If I can accomplish that... I don't care what takes! If it means the strength must be brought out by the interactions between Pokémon and Trainers, then so be it! If it means you have to use a merciless approach, like Team Plasma's, and force out all of the Pokémon's power, then so be it! And if—"

"Wait just a minute! You better shut your mouth right now, before I come up there and do it for you!" I snapped, losing control of myself as my rage burned within me. Arceus, I had been right all along!

"Excuse me?"

"You know, I don't understand you, Colress. I'm sure you've seen enough in your travels to understand this: that the potential of a Pokémon and their Trainer can be genuinely evoked by their mutual love, respect, and trust! Haven't we proved that as a human race, with our history of coexistence with these beautiful creatures? By siding with Plasma, or even by simply remaining neutral in the matter, you are complacent in harming these breathing, feeling beings! You irreparably damage their sense of free will and their trust in us! You play a hand in mutilating the poor, uniquely made souls that can never be put on this planet again! You destroy their one and only chance to experience life at its fullest by using them as slaves for some hideous and immoral science project!"