MONOCHROME.

But...

It'd had all of that time to itself. The scientists had left it alone, for the most part. For months, it had been contained in its tube, little to no stimulus disturbing it. For months, all it had known was dark green.

Had it really felt better like that?

There's something buried deep within itself. It only raised its head whenever someone reached out to it. A quiet longing that it didn't understand. Most of the time, it got covered up by another part of itself— the part that instinctively shoved others away. That one had always been dominant.

It listens to him speak. Its hair bristles like thick fur as the facility shudders. It didn't fully understand what was happening, but...

...it doesn't feel safe here.

It moves, finally. It stands. It's a very tall creature. Lost Scientist's back is still facing Gold, but it turns to look at him.

With all that said.

"Because I've been in your position before," he replies, staring up at Lost Scientist. My, it's a tall one. "Because the people who hurt you hurt me too. Besides..."

He wiggles his sleeves. They're empty. There's literally nothing underneath.

"I don't have hands." Not that that excludes him from being able to cause harm, but it's a lot harder.

Two white pupils blink into Gold's eyes, as if meeting Lost Scientist's for the very first time. He offers out a floppy sleeve, an invitation for it to hold onto it. It doesn't have to, obviously, but the option's there.

...She knows it's temporary. It always was. The clarity would fade, and the pain would return. It always did. She tastes that blood in her mouth.

Her... sibling...? She hasn't seen it since... she hopes she didn't attack it too, in her haze. She doesn't think she'd forgive herself if she killed it too. No, it had to be safe, somewhere around here, right...?

Bitter Fox opens her mouth. She wants to say something, but finds herself falling short. Her vision falls out of focus as a wave of exhaustion hits her. She's been out of her mind for several hours straight, she just wants to rest.

She's just so tired right now. She leans against that bloodied wall, slowly sliding down it. She's tired.

Gold follows her eyes down the hall, his own sockets squinting in the darkness. He doesn't want to leave her alone right now, but he's got to collect the other one! Choices, choices... One of his Poké Balls shakes, snapping him out of his thoughts. He knows who's it is immediately.

With a click of the button, Typhlosion emerges.

About time you let me out, boy. She looks down at Bitter Fox. So this is the one...

"She's tired. Hurt. Can you keep an eye on her while Celebi and I...?" He nods towards the door where Bitter Fox gestured to.

Noa gives him a curt nod. Your bag. I need potions.

He hands her a few before turning back to Bitter Fox. "We'll be right back. Then we can leave."

Some of the tension fades as a scent invades her senses. Her head stops racing so much, her heart slows down, her body heat peters off. Her jaws release her leg, and she stands silently for some time.

The scent was something natural. Familiar, but she's never smelled such a thing before, has she...? Yet, despite never knowing anything outside of this place, the memory of a dense forest's shrine won't go away. The memory of a creature who fell out of the stream of time many years ago; one who traversed the past, present, and future as if it were nothing more than a well-worn path.

She's never seen these places. She's never been familiar with this creature. So why do they feel comforting? Why do they feel like a home? This was her home, wasn't it? So, why-

...That thing next to Gold. That's one of the things she saw. CELEBI, the name rattles around her skull.

She doesn't know what to do with this information. She doesn't know what to do with the sudden vacuum of pain that cancelled out into a comforting numbness. A... neutral state? Is that what this was?

Celebi drapes itself over Gold, exhausted but satisfied. He floats up in the air and materializes his sleeves, offering one for Bitter Fox to take if she wants it. Help standing if she needs it. He doesn't force the issue, though. He can tell she's overstimulated by everything going on.

He's been there too.

"D'you know where your sibling is?" Gold asked, tilting his head. "You don't have to say anything, just... show me?"

Lead the way.

The fog recedes slightly, some kind of dark figure in the shadowy alcove. She... uh...

...Doesn't look too good, herself. She's wobbly on two legs, a dark liquid steadily dripping off of her. Those red eyes were leaking a similarly-thick red fluid. Her breathing is uneven as she stands there. Her mind was still racing, her head still sharply aching, but... she knows him. That connection is there, she can almost feel it.

The whispering from that fog silences all at once. She doesn't get closer.

"I-Is th-aaaat... right...? Youu... came h-here. To... h-helllp...?" She's struggling to speak. She knows telepathy would be better on her, but... she can't maintain that focus right now. She can't.

[ERR: // PROTOCOL 249 // CRITICAL FAILURE. PLEASE RESET THE SPECIMEN BEFORE A FORCED REBOOT DAMAGES THE SPECIMEN FURTHER.]

Bitter Fox lets out a cough. She feels warm. Uncomfortably so as her head races. Her heart races. Her eyes aren't focused, everything hurts.

[ERR: // PROTOCOL 249 // CRITICAL FAILURE. PLEASE RESET THE SPECIMEN BEFORE A FORCED REBOOT DAMAGES THE SPECIMEN FURTHER.]

"...H-Hah, I... d-did sooomething... bad. Bef-ore... this. S-Someone... e-else was... here, too... s-someone... s-someone...?" There was a girl here before, wasn't there? Or... was it someone else? Everything feels scrambled. With a wet plop, she's back on all fours. It's easier like that. Standing was taking too much effort. "Th... th-th... rrrrr... l-l....la-dy..."

Some kind of strained whine comes out of her mouth. She can't speak anymore...? A wheeze comes next when another wave of pain occurs. Something is at a fever pitch, making her head downright race in circles, making her feel way too warm. She has next to no energy to lash out right now. Her body feels heavy.

Her jaws sink into her own arm. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY. MAKE IT STOP. PLEASE.

She's in bad shape. Really bad shape. Oh, he's heard of the sightings from the other group chat members, but this? There's nothing that compares to seeing her in person. There's no use in demanding to know what Umbrella did to her; not when he's already been on the other end. "That's right, we did come here to help! J-Just hang on a little longer, we'll get you and your sibling--"

Gold. Wait.

Celebi stops him and gestures to Bitter Fox. She whines, bites herself. Gold blinks. He doesn't understand. Is she confused--?

This is... part of the purification process. Celebi responds to his thoughts quickly. I've never seen it so bad before.

"Can we do anything--?"

Well, I was hoping to have more time to charge up my energy, see if I can't clear this unpleasantness. Unfortunately, we're on a bit of a time crunch. Celebi grimaces. I'll have to use what little I have.

"Wait. Is there anything I can do? Give you some of--"

Celebi baps Gold's head. You fool, we need you wide awake to get us out of here! Allow me.

Celebi closes its good eye and concentrates hard. A glowing green light extends from its withering body and reaches towards Bitter Fox gently, enveloping her in warmth. There's a pleasant smell, like fresh grass.

The lights are on, and yet, that hallway is oppressively dark. Some kind of thick, pitch-black fog is choking out the air itself, the wispy edges more like some kind of living thing's tendrils than anything else.

The amount of blood and bodies in the hallway... They're everywhere.

That's why it was so quiet; everything else that had dared to come to this place was mauled. Guards, scientists, even a Krookodile lain unmoving, all mauled viciously. The last one was still breathing, albeit slowly and deliberately. As if it were too scared to move.

Nothing was moving. Nothing made a sound, until Gold called out. It was only then that the fog shifted.

Eyes.

Hundreds of eyes opened, all of which shift to stare right at him. Does she recognize him...? It's unclear. She isn't saying anything. Until. A frantic whispering emerges from the fog.

IS THAT YOU? IS THAT YOU? IS IT YOU? ARE YOU ME?

It's something so familiar for her. Sensing the faded connection... it should be comforting, right? But in this state, it just made her angry. There's an unknown itch in her brain that they are causing, and she's not sure how to deal with it. She has no idea how to-

[ERR: // PROTOCOL 249 // CRITICAL FAILURE. PLEASE RESET THE SPECIMEN BEFORE A FORCED REBOOT DAMAGES THE SPECIMEN FURTHER.]

Gold nods. He floats into a sitting position and slowly, deliberately, takes down the illusion on himself. He feels his sleeves disintegrate, parts of his face peel away as he stares deeper into the void. No sign of attack on his end. He's wide open. She's free to approach.

"Bitter Fox? Is that you?"

His voice echoes again. Somewhere in the distance, dancing in the corners of his blurry, disjointed vision, a figure shifts. Her. "It's me. Gold."

The figure flinches. The whispers start again, hateful.

He doesn't move. Rather, he sits there as Celebi clings to him, charging. Something. Its body quivers.

"I'm... I'm sorry." He doesn't know if she can hear him. He hopes she can. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long. That I didn't come sooner. That I don't have all the answers for you yet." There's banging from upstairs. He glances upwards before continuing. "I..." What does he even say? It's not like he had time to prepare a speech for this moment, after so many months of talking via group chat and psychic connection. This is different.