Cerulean City. Beautiful, breezy, and bright.
But I wasn't here for the view, or for Misty's Gym. Not yet.
Because underneath this sparkling coastal town…There were secrets.
And someone or something was making sure they stayed buried.
The Gate That Wasn't There
I followed the Ranger's cryptic directions east of town, beyond the cliffs. Behind a half-collapsed maintenance shed, vines covered what looked like sheer rock.
Except when I pressed my hand against it…
[COBBLEMON SYSTEM: Environmental Anomaly Detected]False Terrain – Phased Surface – One-Way SealEntry permitted – Exit unknown.
"...Right."
Charmegabyte watched me, tense.
Bulbasaur growled low. Even he sensed it.
I stepped through.
Cerulean Caverns – Sub-Level
Not the well-known caves where Dratini and rare Pokémon hid.
This was older. Buried. Off-map.
The moment I entered, I felt it: the weight of time, like gravity pressing in from every side.
The walls were stone, but too smooth. Polished. Made not carved.
At the far end of the chamber, set into obsidian walls, was a doorway of shimmering blue crystal.
Above it, a language I didn't recognize
[Translation Attempt: Incomplete]Fragmented Dialect – Pre-Cipher Tech EraRough Translation: "WHEN THE SYSTEM REMEMBERS, THE DOOR OPENS."
I stepped closer, reaching into my pack.
The Obsidian Fragment pulsed.
[Fragment Reacted to Crystal Gate]Do you wish to activate the seal?Y/N
I didn't hesitate.
Yes.
The Guardian
Light cracked across the door like lightning through water. It began to slide open stone grinding against stone and revealed a circular chamber with nothing but a pedestal and
A figure.
Not a Pokémon.
Not human.
It stood nearly eight feet tall. Humanoid. Armored in silver and blue, smooth like no tech I'd seen before. Its face bore no features only a visor of pure, flickering light.
It didn't move.
[COBBLEMON SYSTEM ALERT – ENTITY CLASSIFIED: ???]Identity: UnknownPower Signature: Warped – Not registered to this worldDisposition: Dormant / Watchful
"I've seen you," I whispered.
It twitched.
And then the voice filled the chamber not from its mouth, but from everywhere.
"You are not supposed to be here yet."
I backed away slightly, hand on Charmegabyte's ball.
"Then when?"
"When the worlds begin to bleed."
"What are you?"
The voice paused.
"…I am what remains of the firewall. And you, corrupted no longer, are the last unshackled user."
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Ancient Data Detected]Do you wish to integrate the data core of this chamber?WARNING: This action may alter your journey permanently.
"I just want answers."
"Then take them."
The Guardian raised its hand. A stream of light poured toward me. Not harmful—cold, like space.
And then I saw it
The Vision
The world fracturing.
A false game collapsing in on itself.
The Cobblemon code a parasite, or a tool, depending on the user.
A boy falling through realities.
And something watching. Not the Guardian.
Something that screamed in silence, still trapped in the broken world I left behind.
It had seen me. It had marked me.
But I was beyond its reach.
For now.
I dropped to my knees as the light faded. Charmegabyte rushed forward, catching me. I was shaking. Sweating.
[SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE]Cobblemon: Clean System – Fully Integrated with RealityNew Function Unlocked: Tamer's Instinct – You now sense a Pokémon's emotional state and latent potential during battle.
[Quest Updated: The Hidden Nine]You now hold the first of the Lost Badges.Others will find you now. Allies. Enemies. Be ready.
The Guardian spoke one last time.
"You may leave, unshackled. But the further you walk, the more the world will remember you."
Then it stepped back into shadow.
The Surface
I emerged hours later.
Sunset over Cerulean.
To anyone watching, I was just another kid, bag slung over shoulder, a tired look on my face.
But my eyes burned with purpose.
This wasn't about badges anymore.
It never really was.