Pokemon OBSIDIAN Black

Pokemon OBSIDIAN Black

Original Poster: Great Commander Alex Vaughn

Pokemon Obsidian Black

Great Commander Alex Vaughn



I am a huge Pokemon fan, have been ever since I first played Pokemon Red way back in the late '90s or early 2000s. So, when Pokemon Black and White came out, I was really excited to get my hands on it. Each game in the series was getting better and better. Unfortunately, however, my parents had long-since decided that they didn't like video games, so if I wanted Pokemon Black, I had to buy it with my own money, and during a time where getting jobs was less than easy, I found that I had to wait for quite some time until I managed to purchase the game.



Well, after scouring the Internet for about several months, I managed to find a copy of the game, labeled as “POKEMON O.BLACK” for sale for a measly United States dollars. I thought it was odd that the game was only $5 dollars used, especially considering that Pokemon Black and White was still relatively new, and normally sold new for $39.99, $29.99 used, so I bought it. A week passed by (I had ordered it for low-priority delivery, as that is all I could afford), and finally, while I was returning home from school, I found the package laying on my bed. I instantly tore into it, ripping the heavy cardboard off as I slowly revealed the box showing the Pokemon Reshiram on the cover.



Well, first thing I noticed that was kind of cool, was that the picture was of a shiny Reshiram, not the normal-colored version that usually appeared. I passed it off, and inspected it before putting the game into my DS, turning it on and watching as the cartridge loaded. The only thing I had noticed about the cartridge was that the bolt in the back that usually held the cover sealed was stripped, but there didn't seem to be any obvious signs that the game was some kind of hack, or that the case had been cracked, so I had figured that it was just a factory defect. Where the copyright message would usually appear, instead was a strange, Japanese phrase that I couldn't understand. At first, I thought it was strange, but I just shrugged it off. The main menu loaded, and I noticed that Reshiram was still shiny, and his roar was slightly off pitch, a little deeper than normal. Instead of saying, “Pokemon Black Version,” the title read, “Pokemon OBSIDIAN Black”.



When the Options screen appeared, there was a saved game already on there. Normally, I check the previous save game data to see if there is any tournament Pokemon on there so I can transfer them to my new file, well, upon being loaded, I realized that it appeared as if game hadn't even been started, as if the original owner had just played the game up to the point where it could be saved. The player character, named OBSIDIAN, didn't have any badges, any Pokemon, he didn't even have the Pokedex. Of course, this was quite odd, but I ignored it and restarted the game, hitting the button combination required to delete the previous save data.



When the game tried to delete the data, an error message reading, “SAVE DATA CANNOT BE DELETED, YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DELETE DATA.”



This was odd, but I decided to go ahead and play OBSIDIAN's file, as nothing had been done except for skipping the needless “Welcome to the World of Pokemon!” speech that I usually get whenever I play a Pokemon game. The first cutscene of the game showed a 3D street view of the player character's house at night. It was angled so that you could see the sky, which was pitch black, except for an occasional lightning flash that lit up the sky, revealing dark gray crowds that swirled in a vortex above the house. There was another lightning flash, and the screen went black, except for the sound of rain and thunder. Lightning flashed again, showing a silhouette standing in the middle of the street in front of the house...staring at the player character. It was soon dark again, and the next lightning flash illuminated two deep, maroon-colored eyes, appearing not angry, or happy, but just seeming to be intent on something. Another flash, and I could briefly see a face, deeply scarred, of what appeared to be a Pokemon. When the lightning flashed again, it showed the figure again, only you could make out that whoever it was, was wearing a long black trench coat that looked old and well-worn.



Then lightning flashed again, showing a boy sleeping in a bed, and I realized that this must have been OBSIDIAN. It was odd, because this cutscene wasn't here before when I had first loaded it to check for any rare or White-version-specific Pokemon. The next time lightning flashed again, the camera had centered on a 3D view of the bed. The trench-coated thing was standing by his bedside, looking down at the child, but the camera angle looked as if you were standing behind the figure and peering out over his right side between his arm and thigh, or a short kid trying to peek out from behind his parents' legs.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The next flash had the camera centered on a gloved hand extending from the right sleeve of the trench coat, clenching into a fist. The rain dripping off of the figure's arms seemed so realistic, it was amazing, and then the scream went dark as the rain stopped. Out of the darkness, an irritated-sounding, young man's voice said, “Friend, this is only the beginning...I sense great things around you...I also send darkness, growing darkness. When you wake, I will not be here, but keep in mind, I am here, and I have always been here, and I will continue to be here.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The screen went dark, and a text box appeared over the blackness, the words on it were slowly being added, implying the voice was talking slowly, and the words said, “Do you remember me?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">A 'Yes' or 'No' option appeared. Because I didn't know what it meant, I selected 'No', hoping it would explain it to me.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The text box reappeared, typing frantically, angry, “Liar! How can you not remember me?” Then, the words typed slowly again, spelling out, “Even if it has been a number of years...”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Another text box appeared, saying, “OBSIDIAN: Wh...who are you?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">In reply, it slowly spelled out, “???: You really don't remember me? We were friends once, me and you, best of friends. We had so much fun together...even if we did get in trouble sometimes...and you...” then it sped up a little bit, until it was normal speed, “And you would always blame me, but they didn't believe you.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“OBSIDIAN: They didn't believe me?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“???: No, they didn't. They couldn't see me.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“OBSIDIAN: Wait...I remember now!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Then it flashed to the usual top-down view of the game world. The screen was lit up, normal brightness, and the boy was sitting in the bed. I pressed the “right” key and the boy moved out from beneath the blankets. The music that played was the normal “Nuvema Town” music. As I walked to the stairs, my character suddenly paused, and a text box appeared, saying, “That dream...what could it have meant? Who was the one talking to me? His voice sounded so familiar...but I can't remember.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I then was allowed to move again, and I went downstairs. The scripted sequences continued as normal, but once I left my house and outside into Nuvema Town, there was spots of mud everywhere, it was foggy, and the music wasn't Nuvema Town, it was the Entralink song. Both the video game walkthroughs I had watched and the Black/White strategy guide I had never mentioned any of these sequences occurring, so I thought it was really strange, but kept playing. The game continued as normal, but the music on every route was no longer the usual music, it was the “Ilex Forest” music from the original Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal, not the the remade song. Route 1 was still very rainy, and that adding to the already creepy music made the whole route really eerie. The Pokemon I encountered while I trained my Snivy were also found in all regions, not just Unova-specific. I was battling Pidgeys, Rattatas, Poochyenas, Zizaggoons, and the usual Unova Route 1 Pokemon.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When I arrived at Accumula Town, the music had changed to “Celestial Tower” instead of the normal, just like the routes' music had changed, and Nuvema Town had become Entralink, and the Pokemon Centers, as well as Juniper's lab had become the “SS Anne” theme from the original Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow games, not the remade games. Team Plasma did not appear, but the citizens' comments were still very macabre, they spoke of an ongoing war in a distant land, between two rival armies known as the “Terminator Militia” and the “Maxian Regime” or the “Maxia”. They said that Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova were all allied with the Terminators, and that they were the “good” army in the war. The Terminators had been a militia that had only protected the United States of America since they formed in 1997. In 2010, the president of the US, who had built a secret army that razed towns and killed people at night and blamed the Terminators, had declared war on the militia because they were religious.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">As I walked through Accumula Town and towards the exit onto the route, an exclamation point appeared above my head, as the camera panned to the entrance of the exit route and an unusual-looking sprite entered the city from the route between Accumula Town and Striaton City. He was wearing black clothes, and it the facial features on the sprite looked like those found on the snivy or servine sprite on my team list. As soon as he appeared, the “eNcounter” or “N encounter” theme from the original game played. He stopped at the entrance to the city, and an exclamation point appeared above his head as he walked up to me, and a text box said, “???: I sense a great energy radiating off of you...you are a trainer aren't you? I figured as much, I am a trainer, too, what is your name?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">After a text box full of ellipses appeared, assuming me talking to him, His text box replied, “???: OBSIDIAN, huh? My name is Terrias...now don't give me that look. I know you aren't used to a talking servine, but there are reasons behind that...and my clothes. Listen, I must go, but I doubt that this is the last time we will see each other,” and he left the map walking towards the Nuvema Town side of Accumula town as my sprite turned to follow his movements. As soon as he disappeared off screen, the eNcounter music faded and I regained control. From there, the game largely progressed as normal, even if the forest and cave music had become the “Mt. Silver” music from Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal, and every route was still the “Ilex Forest” theme. The gym themes had also changed into “N's Castle” theme from the original game, and the gym leaders' music was now the original game's “Elite 4” battle theme.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Terrias continued to appear throughout the campaign in areas where N would normally be, and Alder had been replaced by someone called “Alex”, who wore clothes like the Team Rocket grunts from games past, but Alder's encounter theme still played. As Terrias talked like a close friend wanting to know the details of your journey, Alex's demeanor was much more serious, and much more delusional. His first comments to me on the route just east of Nimbasa City was, “???: Such a cheerful place...no one here understands what war is like. You...you are just like them, thinking that there is always peace,” and then it showed an animation of his sprite shaking his head, “The land I am from is torn apart by war. Every day, the opposition grows stronger as we grow weaker, and I fear that we won't stand much longer. That is why I came here, here I don't watch my friends die and bleed out in my very arms...my name is Alex, I believe you have met my friend, Terrias, already? I see...you are the strong, silent type. Regardless, prepare for the worse, I am sure the Maxia will try to come here as well,” and he left. Anytime I would encounter Alder in the main game, I instead ran into this “Alex” character, and each experience with him brought on more cryptic messages about the land he is from, as well as warnings to be prepared. When Alder gives the player the HM Surf in the main game, Alex appeared, saying, “I see it now...the Maxia are coming. My fears were confirmed, Unova will fall like everywhere else. Here, take this HM, it will help you to be prepared for when the shit hits the fan,” and he left again. Anytime I encountered Alex, his cryptic messages were always the same, and I realized that he was fully delusional, perhaps even insane, I didn't think this “Maxia” would come, but I thought that there must be some reason for his claims.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The next shocking change was that the “Chargestone Cave” theme had changed to the “Pokemon Mansion” or “Burned Building” theme from Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow. Mistralton City's Celestial Caves theme had been changed into “N's Room” from the original game, only slower and at a lower pitch, further adding to the creepiness. Throughout everything in the campaign, I never did encounter any of Team Plasma, and as such, there was no need for me to head to Relic Castle...until...

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When I headed north of Opelucid City, heading to Victory Road, I had just exited the gate when I found the road had been blocked by a large group of police officers. I was unable to move, and an exclamation point appeared above the heads of one of the police officers as he walked up to me and said, “You! Yes you! Stay away this is an official crime scene!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Just then, Terrias' theme played and he exited out of the gate, standing next to me and saying, “What is going on here?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The officer told him, “I think it was poachers...” and I followed Terrias as the officer led him further up the route and to a gruesome sight. There appeared to be dead Pokemon laying everywhere, in a puddle of blood. From what I could make out of the sprites, I thought I could see 2 Spearow, a Pikachu, 4 Deerling, 3 Rattata, 4 Patrat, a Pansage, a Panpour, and a Pansear covered in blood. The music sounded like a slowed down, lower pitch version of Lavender Town.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">An exclamation point appeared above Terrias' head, and he walked further up the route to where an ace trainer was dead, also in a puddle of blood. The officer and I walked up to him, and he said, “No...it can't be...these wounds, these deaths, could they be...? No...OBSIDIAN, find the Commander, I think he went to Relic Castle...this doesn't look like normal poachers to me...”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Now with the mission to head to Relic Castle, I flew to Nimbasa City, where I trudged through the ruins, going all the way to the bottom. The place where the player would normally encounter Ghetsis and Alder now featured just Alex, standing still, looking away from where I dropped down. An exclamation point appeared above his head, and he turned to face me, walking until he was right in front of me, “OBSIDIAN? What brings you here?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">A text box showing a bunch of ellipses appeared, and he answered, “No...my worse fears have been confirmed! We must get out of here! Now!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">And the screen whited out. When it came back, I was just outside of Relic Castle, and I flew to Opelucid City. I arrived...and was shocked...

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The music that played was now the original Lavender Town theme, from Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow! A thick fog clung to the city, and the streets were devoid of people. I walked into every building, and when I talked to the people inside of them, with the Lavender Town music continuing to play in every building, including the Pokemon Center, and the gym was locked, the people all commented on the tragedy, and how they couldn't believe that Pokemon were ruthlessly mangled just north of town, and that now someone had been killed, they were all very afraid.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When I left onto Route 10, the music had changed, and the fog had thickened. Now the music was what sounded like the FireRed/LeafGreen version of Lavender Town played in reverse...what frightened me even more, was that now all of the police officers were on the ground, laying in puddles of blood. Written in blood on the street was the phrase, “THE MAXIA HAVE ARRIVED”. As soon as I saw the message, Terrias and Alex appeared next to me, Terrias a square behind me and to my left, and Alex a square behind me and to my right. The music was still the reversed Lavender Town, and Alex's text box yelled, “GO! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Terrias was calmer, and he said in the text box, “What is there to do? We can't turn back, OBSIDIAN, you move on to the Pokemon League, you should be safe there, Alex and I will stay back here and search for whoever committed these gruesome murders, if you encounter any men in all-black clothes, they may look like shadows to you, run! Do not stop! Understand?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">So I, a little frightened, continued onto the Badge Gates, the twisted Lavender Town music continuing to play the whole way. The Pokemon and trainer's corpses, however, had been cleaned, but there was still the blood stains where they had laid. When I entered the badge gates, I was first aware that the “Burned Buiding” music had returned, and all the guards said to me was “...” before the door opened, allowing me passage. As I entered Victory Road, the place was covered in a thin layer of fog, and the music remained “Burned Building”. Out of the fog, I could see black shadows moving. They were following me, running at the same speed as I did, and the music suddenly got progressively creepier, it was now warped, playing in discord, and getting faster, now a drum, sounding like a heartbeat, was added to the Burned Building song, and I ran through Victory Road. As I entered, the screen shook, and when I turned around to leave, an error message popped up saying, “It's collapsed...”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">So I went through Victory Road, finding a number of rare candies, just enough to get my team, now consisting of a female Servine, male Excadrill, a female Unfezant, a male Simipour, a male Simisear, and a female Zebstrika from Level 40 to Level 50. Any trainers both in and outside of the cave were dead, laying in pools of blood. Once I got to the second floor and exited out onto the balcony, the shadows returned, chasing me, and I quickly ran through Victory Road, no longer encountering any wild Pokemon or trainers. The fog had seeped inside of the cave now, and the shadows followed me all through the cave. I reached the top floor of Victory Road, finding Cheren who then walked up to me and said, “So are you man enough to face the Elite 4? Or are you still a big pussy?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">One of the shadows then slowly appeared from the staircase, Cheren said, “What? Who are you?” and I watched as the shadow slowly up to Cheren, and with a sound like a whoosh of air and a thud, I saw Cheren, now in two halves, fall forward as a puddle of red surrounded both halves, laying next to each other. The music had sped up faster and the heartbeat was now very loud. As soon as I gained control again, which was immediately after the murdered Cheren fell forward, I ran as fast as I could, out of the cave and onto the peak of Victory Road. As soon as I stepped out, the fog cleared, the music became “eNcounter”, and Terrias emerged from the cave, walking to me and saying, “I'm sorry about your friend, but he has been avenged. Tell me, are you ready to take on the Legendary Grandmasters?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">More ellipses from my text box.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">He replied, “Good luck, I have heard that they are the most powerful trainers in the world, I wish you luck in your quest...you will need it,” and he left back into the cave. As soon as he disappeared, the music changed to “Indigo Plateau” from the original Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">As I entered the Pokemon league, the Indigo Plateau music continued, and I noticed two men. One of them stood in front of the Pokemon Center, the other stood in front of the entrance into the Elite 4's building, blocking it. I first talked to the man at the Pokemon Center, and he said, “I strongly suggest you heal here and stock up on supplies, else you are fucked by the Legendary Grandmasters.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When I talked to the man at the gate, he said, “Are you ready to fight the Legendary Grandmasters? Good luck then. Once you go in there...you either come out a victor, or you come out in a body bag. I personally think it will be the latter, but it's your grave.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When he stepped out of the way, I entered. Even in the Pokemon League, “Indigo Plateau” still played. I first tried to go to the Elite 4's room immediately to my right...and I was stunned to see that it didn't look like the wrestler's arena, like in the main game, instead, it looked like a cave, and when I maneuvered through the maze of corridors, I arrived at a sea of lava. There was an opening where the path met the lava, and I assumed a raft or something belonged there, but I wasn't there. So I left that room, heading to the one directly left of the door into the area.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;"> This room was full of lava, with the exception of a narrow tile path that led straight forward for at least a minute. One thing I noticed about both this and the other room, so I assumed carried through to all of the other rooms, was that the Indigo Plateau music kept on playing. The room to me slightly resembled the gym of the dragon gym leader in Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. When I reach a small island in the middle of the massive, lava-filled room, I saw an elevator, and upon stepping onto it, I was transported up to the top of the tall room, where a small, purple creature sat, standing on a small platform, waiting. It looked like a Dratini, but when I talked to it, Ghetsis' pre-battle music played, and I was shocked to see that a text box appeared, saying, “I've heard a lot about you OBSIDIAN. Are you ready to face your destiny?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When it triggered the battle, the music played was Ghetsis' battle theme from the main game, and the trainer? “Dragon Tamer Spyro.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Spyro the Dragon? I couldn't believe it, it was quite amusing actually, but the sprite looked just like his Eternal Night, form, only his wings were ripped and torn, he was very battle-scarred, he looked angry, and he wore gold-trimmed, silver armor. His team was as follows: Garchomp (F) – Level 49 (DragonBreath, Night Slash, Fly, Draco Meteor), shiny Charizard (M) – Level 50 (Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Draco Meteor, Wing Attack), Hydreigon (F) – Level 50 (Draco Meteor, Dragon Claw, Night Slash, Psychic), shiny Gyarados (F) – Level 51 (Surf, Waterfall, Hydro Pump, Blizzard), and Rayquaza – Level 52 (Fly, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Thunder Fang). When I defeated him, he said, “So what he said was the truth...” and once I returned to the overworld, he said, “You might have defeated me, but there are still several more who are much more difficult than I.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I moved to the room directly north of him next, it looked like a grassy plain, with an occasional large stone pillar punching through the earth, and occasional pools of sand with a stream running through the center of the room. As I crossed a bridge to the other side, I saw that the sandy path ended in a sandy circle as the base of an immense tree, and a row of neatly laid logs was bound together by vines. I stepped onto the platform, and was taken to the top of the room, where a trainer stood on a wide, flat-topped tree branch. When I talked to him, BLUE's encounter music from Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow started to play, and he said, “So, I've heard that you are pretty damn good. Let's test that shall we? Prepare to die, mothafucka!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I was thrown into a battle with someone named “Eeveelution Master Piermont”. He looked like a teenage boy, wearing a black leather jacket over a clean white undershirt, dark blue jeans, black boots, a studded belt, and sunglasses. His angry, emerald green eyes glared out from above his sunglasses, and he had an arrogant smile on his face. His hair looked greased back, he stood up straight, his arms were crossed, and pokeballs hung at his waist. The song that played during his battle sequence was the “Regi Battle Theme” from Pokemon Black 2/White 2. His team consisted of: Vaporeon (F) – Level 50 (Surf, Waterfall, Dive, Hyrdro Pump), Flareon (M) – Level 51 (Fire Blast, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Rock Climb), Espeon (F) – Level 51 (Psychic, Crunch, Dream Eater, Hypnosis, Umbreon (M) – Level 52 (Crunch, Bite, Night Slash, Psychic), Jolteon (M) – Level 53 (Thunderbolt, Thunder, Thunder Wave, Thunder Fang), and Leafeon (F) – Level 53 (Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Poisonpowder). Upon his defeat, he said, “What the hell just happened?”, and when I returned to the overworld, he said, “Hmph! There is still much harder shit to deal with, that's all I have to say to you.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I headed to the room right next door, but not after checking the cave room, as usual, the raft was gone, and I headed back to the third room. This room had a creepy aura, it looked like a cemetery at night, complete with headstones, old, rickety wroughtiron fence covered in cobwebs...the path was a dirt road, just barely noticeable, and it ended at a fresh-looking grave with a pile of dirt still in front of it. I stepped onto the pile of dirt, and after reading the headstone, it said, “There is a button here! Would you like to press it?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I hit “Yes” and the path started moving down into the ground, an elevator taking me down a long, dirt tunnel. It finally bottomed out in a large, open cave, with a sea of lava surrounding the area and a narrow dirt path head to a stone, Mayan-looking pedestal where what appeared to be a black Dratini stood. I talked to the Dratini, and the “Cynthia” piano intro music from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum played as the creature said, “So, you are the one who defeated my mate? Well, let's see if your strength matches mine, I hope you are ready.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Champion Cynthia's battle music started playing as I learned I was fighting “ Cynder, Mistress of Darkness”. Like Spyro, she was in her Eternal Night form, only she wore gold-runed, red-trimmed, obsidian-black armor, and a black, shredded cape. Like Spyro, she looked deeply battle-scarred and almost appeared tired. Her team was: Haunter(F) - Level 52 (Curse, Hypnosis, Psychic, Psybeam), Crobat (F) - Level 55 (Fly, Steel Wing, Crunch, Mean Eye), Alakazam (M) - Level 53 (Psychic, Recover, Swift, Telekinesis), Umbreon (F) - Level 55 (Bite, Night Slash, Hyper Beam, Swift), Seviper (M) - Level 54 (Hyper Fang, Fire Fang, Wrap, Leer), and Arbok (M) - Level 52 (Wrap, Hyper Fang, Psychic, Crunch). Upon her defeat, she said, “I can see how Spyro felt, now...” When I returned to the overworld, she said, “Well done, you have defeated me as well. I wonder if he's back yet...”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Wondering what she meant by the last part, I then decided to head to the fourth member of the Elite 4, in the cave room. As I returned to where the sandy path met the river of lava, I saw a raft waiting for me. Curious as to who I would have to face next, I knew that they must have been important if I had to defeat the other three before I could even touch this trainer. The raft crossed the river of lava, dropping me off at the other end of the room where I saw a single door. I entered it, and the eNcounter music started to play again. An exclamation point appeared above my head, I lost control of my player again, and I walked forward as the camera panned to where Terrias stood, his back to me, looking out the window of the chapel-like room, and he said, without turning around, “Surprised?” he said before he finally turned and walked to where I stood, “I've been waiting for you, OBSIDIAN. You can't begin to imagine how long I've awaited this moment. I hear that you've defeated everyone else...I guess that makes this the ultimate test for both of us. What a perfect way to start your climactic final battle! Nobody else has managed to get to me, so prepare to be defeated!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">His full title was revealed to be “Ace Master Terrias”, and his battle theme was N's battle theme from Pokemon Black 2/White 2. The first thing I noticed about his sprite, was that he was a servine, looked to be about teenage, wearing a full-length trench coat that was very worn. Aside from his numerous battle-scars and his clothes, a way to tell him apart from other servine was that the fur on the top of his head was short and spiked. His maroon eyes were sad, mature, very somber, and he frowned. There was a scar across his right eye and along the length of his muzzle. I also could see that he had a small pin on his left breast, two bars, the US Army insignia of a Captain. He didn't look angry or sad, he just looked like someone who had seen and been through a lot in his time on the planet. By the time it got down to his final Pokemon, the battle theme changed to become N's “Final Battle” theme from Pokemon Black/White. His team is as follows: Emboar (M) - Level 55 (Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Heat Crash, Rock Smash, Excadrill (M) – Level 56 (Earthquake, Fissure, Dig, Drill Run), Simisage (M) – Level 55 (Leaf Blade, Leaf Storm, Seed Bomb, Giga Drain), Unfezant (F) – Level 56 (Fly, Wing Attack, Aerial Ace, Quick Attack), Zoroark (F) – Level 57 (Transform, Crunch, Night Slash, Mean Look), and Samurott (F) – Level 56 (Surf, Aqua Tail, Hydro Pump, Bubblebeam). Upon his defeat, he said, “I've underestimated you...” and when I returned to the overworld, the music was once more “Indigo Plateau”, and he said, “...I must say, I am quite impressed. You are truly an amazing trainer! You are worthy of fighting the Champion himself! You have come far since I first saw you in Accumula Town, and it has been an honor making your acquaintanceship.” When I talked to him again, he said, “Go! Face your final challenge and seal your place as the greatest trainer in the world!”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">Through the portal, I was back in the central hub, and like the normal game, the platform in the center of the room was alight. I stepped onto it, and was transported down to the base of the summit, as I climbed, the theme that played, amazingly sounded like the song “Blood and Steel” from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's soundtrack. At the top, I noticed that there was no wall, like in the normal game, it looked like being at the top of the ruins of a Mayan temple. Behind the far wall, I could see trees stretching out, and the moment I stepped onto the platform, a good boss theme from a little-known-game, “Track 14” from the old video game, “MDK2” began to play. I was astounded to see Alex standing with his back to me, he was looking out over the plain. Once the usual exclamation point appeared over my ahead, he walked up to me and said, “I've heard from Terrias that you are a trainer of impossible strength. I am your final challenge, and I'm ready to take you on. Prepare to fall to the might of my legendary team!” The battle theme to the battle with Alex was the song, “Champion Lance,” the battle theme for the champion, as well as RED, in Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal. His team was, Mewtwo – Level 57 (Psychic, Swift, Recover, Psybeam), Raikou – Level 57 (Thunderbolt, Thunder, Quick Attack, Bite), Dialga – Level 58 (Roar of Time, Draco Meteor, Dragon Claw, Ancient Power), Reshiram – Level 58 (Fire Blast, Draco Meteor, Dragon Claw, Fly), Regigigas – Level 59 (Rock Tomb, Earthquake, Fissure, Superpower), Arceus – Level 60 (Hyrdo Pump, Flamethrower, Perish Song, Judgment). When it reached his final Pokemon, Arceus, the battle theme for the legendary dogs from Gold/Silver/Crystal started playing. Upon his defeat, all he said was, “Hmm...” Once I returned to the overworld, he said, “Never before have I fallen to another trainer. You are truly a trainer of note, one worthy of being called the Greatest Trainer in the World.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">It then went through the usual registration into the Hall of Fame...but then...

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">When I selected “Continue” from the main menu, I returned to Nuvema Town...but there was something off about it. I was still in my room, but there was no music playing, in fact, the only sound I heard was the wind blowing. The room was full of a thin layer of fog, and when I went downstairs, I saw a puddle of blood on the spot where Mom usually sits, and the world still was shrouded in fog, the only sound was the wind.. From the puddle, I could see bloody footprints leading outside, and as I followed them, I entered a dark Nuvema Town, full of fog, and devoid of life. I checked all of the houses, all were empty, and as I exited, I finally noticed dark footprints leading from the houses' front doors to the route. I stepped onto the route, and encountered no Pokemon in the grass. There were dead Pokemon everywhere, laying in puddles of blood, and I saw a message written in blood that said, “LAST ONE ALIVE”, and bloody footsteps led to Accumula Town. As I read the message written on the ground, the exclamation point went up again, and Terrias walked up to me.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“OBSIDIAN...” he said, distantly, I could hear a piano version of Lavender Town start playing, very soft and in the background, “What happened here?” He looked around and then said, “Come on, I'll get you somewhere safe.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The screen then waded out as all sound disappeared.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">The screen was still black, and thunder boomed. Lightning flash, showing the inside of my room, where OBSIDIAN was in bed asleep. There was another lightning flash, revealing Terrias standing by my bedside. Another lightning flash showed a 3D, “street” view of Terrias, standing by my bedside. There was another blast of thunder, and OBSIDIAN awoke, the exclamation point going up as Terrias stood in place.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“Tell me, OBSIDIAN,” he said, “Do you remember me?”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">There was a loud crack of thunder, and the screen blacked out, it then cleared, showing me in a sepia-colored world. The “Celestial Tower” music was playing, and I climbed out of bed. I noticed that my character's sprite was that of one of the little boys. I walked downstairs, and Mom was in the kitchen. And she said, “You can go play for a little while, but don't go too far, dinner is almost ready.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I walked outside and walked around, heading on the route. I didn't encounter any trainers or random Pokemon encounters. As I entered Accumula Town, the sky then darkened to night, and the streets were empty. Suddenly, shadows appeared and three figures appeared out of nowhere, grabbing OBSIDIAN. OBSIDIAN's text box appeared, with him yelling, “HELP ME!” and in a flash of light. Terrias appeared, stars swirling around him. There was a swishing sound, and in a spray of liquid, the three figures doubled over. Underneath the street lamp, OBSIDIAN and Terrias stared, facing each other, not speaking, and Terrias said, “You are my best friend, OBSIDIAN.”

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“I just wish everybody else could see you...” OBSIDIAN's text box says, and he heads leaves Accumula Town, the camera staying centered on Terrias as he slowly faded away. The next sepia-tinted scene showed a broken vase with dirt and a plant on the ground, Mom yelled at OBSIDIAN, and OBSIDIAN blamed Terrias for the act. Mom explains that Terrias isn't real and leaves the house, the camera staying focused on OBSIDIAN as Terrias slowly fades in. He and OBSIDIAN looked at each other for a moment before Terrias flickered out again.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">It then flashed back to the room, and Terrias said, “You do remember me...” before he faded away. Shadows charged into the room, running upstairs and surrounding OBSIDIAN. Terrias then returned, swiftly killing several of the shadows. The shadows, however, surrounded Terrias, and light repeatedly flashed like a strobe as Terrias doubled over, flickering in and out of invisibility.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">“You...will...not...hurt him!” the servine said. In another series of light flashes, Terrias collapsed to the ground as a puddle of blood surrounded him. Sad-sounding music began to play as the shadows surrounded OBSIDIAN, slowly stepping closer to him, and once they had fully surrounded him, there was a loud swishing sound as the screen turned black and the game froze. When I restarted the game, I found that the save data had been corrupted, and I couldn't start a new game.

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<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in;">I tried to find the person I had bought the game from, but when I searched for his name, I found that the account did not exist. I tried for months to get the game running again, but it wouldn't let me play it, so, unhappy, but also relieved, I tossed the game into my closet, and haven't seen it since.