Finding My Voice

The Missing Palace.

I was standing on a floor that was white as clouds. All around me was a strange realm devoid of color. On either side of me were pits that led to endless darkness. I wasn't sure what had happened, or where I had been taken to.

I must have been dreaming. It felt like I had spoken. It sounded like I had spoken. But that was impossible. I looked around, trying to take in this stage place. There was a path before me.

Straight down that path was a large open field. About the size of a battlefield in a gym. I took a cautious step forward. The ground seemed to be solid. None of this felt like a dream. There was nothing behind me but the endless white void.

I continued forward, taking in my surroundings. The only sound was my footsteps gracing the ground. Even they were faint. It was dead quiet. Occasionally parts of the air would solidify into small gray cubes and then go back to air.

This is all nuts. I wandered onto the platform at the end of the path. There was nothing else here. I didn't know what I was expecting to happen, but I had to be here for some reason. My friends were likely worried about me. I had fallen unconscious at the coastline. I had to wake up to let them know I was alright.

I was alright, wasn't I?

As I pondered this, I noticed some grey blocks flying through the air. The blocks landed at the other end of the platform and formed a row. More blocks layered on top of those until there were ten stacks.

Then, three-fourths of the top continued to stack three more times. The blocks combined to look like a giant lower case L and another smaller lower case L put together.

The blocks were all shifting through multiple shades of gray, changing their color around. The strange shape had a lot of visual noise, as all of the blocks continued to switch between various patterns and shades.

"What's going on here?" I wondered. I gasped and put my hands over my mouth in shock. "Did I just talk?"

"Indeed you did, Red. Welcome to the Missing Palace!" A voice boomed from the blocks. The voice sounded like a combination of several voices, mashed together and run through some sort of digital filter.

I took a step back. My head began to flood with thoughts. "What's the Missing Palace? Why am I here? Why can I talk? I am dreaming? Did I die? Who are you?" I quickly flooded the mysterious creature with questions.

A wave of energy blew into me, and I suddenly felt my mind calm down. "I am Missing Number. However, you may call me MissingNo." It introduced. "You are not dreaming or dead. You have been transported here because I invited you. This is a place in my control, and you can speak because this realm is not bound to your world's rules."

I tilted my head. "You're raising way more questions than answers. Are you a Pokémon? And what do you mean by the world's rules?" I interrogated. A laugh boomed from 'MissingNo.'

"I am a Pokémon." It replied. "Though, not one that has been cataloged by you people. Typically, those who meet me will not remember me. Or if they do, it's mere glimpses of my power. You can attempt to scan me with your device, and you'll see for yourself."

I took out my Poké Dex and tried to scan it. The device buzzed. "No Pokémon found. Please try again." The digital voice requested. I stuffed it back in my bag.

"So you named yourself after our Poké Dex system?" I questioned.

MissingNo shook its body. "Not quite. It's more to do with my role in this world. I have to fill in the blanks of your world, the missing parts."

I furrowed my brow. "You said something about that before... why did you invite me here?"

"It was only appropriate that I gave you an explanation after all this time." It responded. "You were near one of the tears, so I was able to pull you in."

"An explanation? For what?" I was getting a headache. None of this made any sense.

"Why you can't talk, of course!" At that moment it had my full attention. "As I said, I fill in the missing parts of your world. In that case, it was your lack of a voice. There was not a voice for you, and so I took matters into my own hands. Upon receiving Pokémon, I granted you the ability to communicate to all Pokémon with your mind."

I wave of realization washed over me. "How can I talk with Daisy and Blue then?"

It seemed to shine with pride. "I granted you the most powerful voice, through my design. You're able to communicate not only with Pokémon but with people you share a strong bond with. Your... close friend who you care deeply for..."

"She's not my girlfriend!" I protested, feeling my face heat up again.

"And Blue," MissingNo continued. "Your rival. The bond you share might not be friendship. However, it is a strong bond nonetheless. Therefore, you can reach him. You'll find that this power extends to others you get close with, and those you were close with before. It'll take some time to develop your new voice fully."

I looked down at my hands. I had been given a voice, in a way. I looked around the area again and then remembered what MissingNo had said earlier. "You said that this world doesn't follow the rules of ours. Why are you... here, hidden away."

"I am not allowed to leave this world. As whatever I touch becomes Corrupted. This world is built on that Corruption. It's a side effect of being created quickly. I do not mix with your world." MissingNo said. There was bitterness and resentment in its tone now.

"So that's why everything is always becoming cubes." I guessed. I looked around at the pits of darkness. The only thing different from this Corruption. They were surrounding the battlefield and all over the place on the other islands.

"Those take you to the void. Which is what is in between our two worlds. Once you're there, you can't ever return. Since the Missing Palace is so close to your dimension there are many openings like those." MissingNo explained.

I titled my head. "Are these the tears you mentioned before?"

"Not quite. In certain parts of your dimension such as the Cinnabar coast, the dimensions overlap ever so slightly." MissingNo explained. "In those points, I can open a small tear between the worlds. That's how I brought you here."

It was a lot to take in, but I felt like I understood most of it. "Well that all makes sense. So MissingNo, if I leave here... will I still have my voice?" I asked the question that had been nagging at me.

The being sighed. "Unfortunately, no. You have a voice because this realm doesn't need to conform to the rules of the other. My reach does not extend beyond here. You're welcome to stay here, but there isn't much to experience."

I shook my head. "I can't." I felt crestfallen. Of course I'd have to be without my voice.

"I understand. Feel free to leave whenever you wish. You are always welcome to return. Perhaps, once you're stronger, we may be able to work together." I smiled faintly.

"Thanks, MissingNo." I turned and walked back to where I had come from. The portal was wide open and I could see Cinnabar on the other side.

"Before you go, Red!" The creature called. "If you get the chance to find Rogue Two, please do set it free. That being deserves better."

It was a strange parting word, but I took note of it. I stepped through the portal and in a flash of light I was back at Cinnabar Island.

"Red!" Daisy cried and she tackled me in a hug. "I thought you had been kidnapped or something! Where were you?"

"Yeah, Daisy was so worried! I think she would've made Arceus itself find you." Bill joked, Daisy punched his arm.

Daisy then looked back at me. "So what happened?" They both looked at me curiously. I opened my mouth to speak but then I remembered I couldn't talk. I don't really know. I just vanished, I guess. I lied, Daisy gave me a skeptical look but didn't press me for answers.

Daisy sighed. "It's been a long day. Let's go get some rest, then we can take on the Gym tomorrow."

We walked off to the Pokémon Center, and I gazed back at the coast. Rogue Two, I'd have to save it. Whatever it was.