Lavender Test

The following story is from two different perspectives, separated by the section headings.

Where Am I?
I feel so excited. I just got my fourth badge from Erika at the Celadon Gym, and I have never been happier. It is an amazing feeling, especially since the victory was led by Whirly, my Poliwag, and I promised her that if we won, I would treat her (and her alone, sorry Flutters and Butterscotch) to some awesome food at the famous Celadon restaurant, where many famous Eat-A-Thons have taken place. I never could understand how such a small Pokémon could eat so much, but she did! Afterwards, it was pitch black outside; too dark to ride home, especially with all these dangerous nocturnal Pokémon roaming around. I decided to stay the night at the Celadon hotel, but I knew that no Pokémon were allowed in the hotel, so I put all my Pokémon in the box on Bill’s PC, but Poliwag refused to get in her ball. How could I blame her? I knew her all my life! We grew up together, and the bond we had was inseparable, so I just hid her in my bag and checked into my room. When I opened the bag, she was already asleep, so I gently placed her on my bed and we slept together peacefully.

…

Where am I? Whirly? Whirly??? She wasn’t there, and I wasn’t in my hotel room anymore; I was on the cold floor of some desolate room, colored in a light purple hue, showing off the emptiness of it. I got up, coming face-to-face to the bright light that I believe awakened me from my sleep. I heard people yelling and clawing around me, muffled only by the thick walls between us. I looked down and saw I was wearing the shirt I slept in yesterday, except a bold #1 was painted on the front of it. I ripped off the shirt only to see that it was tattooed all over my chest:

'''#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1#1 '''

I wasn’t even worried about where I was or what this meant, just that if Whirly was okay; if they hurt her… I don’t know what I would do….

…Six, Seven hours? It may have been days, I would not know, every single second felt an hour with the anxiety and fear that rushed inside me, tearing my stomach apart… or maybe it was my hunger? I didn’t know. Either way, the screaming and the pleas from the desperate people begging to be freed around me did not help. Suddenly, the light goes out, and everyone falls silent. Then the music starts playing, rising in tempo like the beginning of a record. It was… different, it seemed like the same melody being played over… a hundred or more times. I counted from the beginning to the end of the phrase… about two minutes. It was the only way I was able to tell how much time had passed. After a while, the poor souls around me wailed and screamed; from some of them I heard large yelps of pain, and then silence. I would follow them, I lost the will to live 400 loops of this wretched song ago, but I need to find Whirly, and it all will be okay again, even if I die here….

100…200…700….

I cannot even stand, others around me have stopped screaming, knowing it is just a waste of energy. I just need some food… please….

I awake to the light behind a dark figure who has entered the room, it seems like it doesn’t have any legs… that it is hovering- wait, what is that in its hand? It’s Whirly! A sense of elation comes over me, despite my body almost giving up completely…. The figure tosses her on top of me and walks out. I am so relieved… she looks famished, they haven’t been feeding her, but as her eyes meet mine, my vision suddenly gets blurred with tears; probably the last of the water in me. I try to tell her, “We will get out of here, I promise,” but no words come out… all I can do is mouth it to her.

The music is still ringing in my ears.

I hold Whirly really tight.

The music is still ringing in my ears.

Has it gotten louder?

The music is still ringing in my ears

Tighter.

The music is still ringing in my ears.

<p class="MsoNormal">Louder.

<p class="MsoNormal">The music is still ringing in my ears.

Log of the First Lavender Test
<p class="MsoNormal">This is the log of the first Lavender test.

<p class="MsoNormal">February 25, 1996; 11:35 pm 

<p class="MsoNormal">                The first group of subjects has been captured from the Celadon Hotel, twelve in all. In order to separate the mentally strong from the weak, the first six hours will be just complete solitude for the subjects. The weak will kill themselves, the strong will not. Each subject has successfully been marked with their number and their Pokémon have been taken in captivity for Test 3.

<p class="MsoNormal">February 26, 1996; 5:52 am 

<p class="MsoNormal">Eight have survived, the others have killed themselves. Subject 7, internal bleeding from banging head against wall. Subject 3, clawed his eyes out. Subject 10, broke the light bulb in his room and slit his throat with it. Subject 8, died of cardiac arrest, possibly because she did not have her medication. All other subjects are stable; some are retaliating by tearing their clothing. Now turning off lights and implementing Test 2, Lavender music. Hypothesis says that after listening to the music nonstop for long time, subjects will lose inhibitions, emotions, morals. Test will proceed for 15 hours.

<p class="MsoNormal">February 26, 1996; 8:43 pm 

<p class="MsoNormal">                Subjects 4, 9, 11, and 12 have responded positively to the test, they are no longer screaming or resisting the treatment. Subjects 2 and 6 have mysteriously died, blood from their noses, ears, and eyes suspect cause of death being subarachnoid hemorrhage. 1 and 5 are still resisting the test; 1 has stopped screaming, but is still writhing in resistance of the music, while 5 still attempting to block out the music with his screaming. Regardless, Test 3 will now commence as planned. Subjects will be given their Pokémon and, if the music has worked as planned and has stripped them of their morals, emotions; even the emotional bond they share with that Pokémon, they will eat it as their only source of sustenance.

<p class="MsoNormal">February 27, 1996; 12:00 am 

<p class="MsoNormal">                All of the surviving subjects have responded positively to Test 3; every one of them has been successfully stripped of his/her emotions, inhibitions, and past, and is ready to be reprogrammed. Bring them to the briefing room so that they can get ready for their first mission at Mt. Moon.