It was so many years ago when it happened.
But I still remember. I could never forget.
They took me away. They snatched me away from my home. They locked me up in that horrible place for so long, without a glimmer of sunlight. The thieving, lying humans.
It's not something I like to talk about. But I'll tell you anyway. Just this once.
I was a young Snivy in the wild. I remember where I lived so vividly- the colours in the long, swaying grass, the music of the wind in the trees, the sweet aroma of the flowers. It was a beautiful, peaceful meadow, where we Pokémon lived in harmony.
Until they came. The humans. I heard rumours about them coming. But I never thought they would do what they did next.
I was sitting in the grass, watching and waiting. Then I saw people coming. Two of them. I'd seen quite a few people over the last week or so, but these two were heading straight for me.
They were two boys, trying- and failing- to sneak up on me, with a lot of elbowing and "Shhh!"-ing. I stayed still and watched to see what would happen.
One of them looked me in the eye and squatted down so he was at my level."Hey there." he said softly.
I paused uncertainly and took a step away from them.
The boy smiled at me in a friendly way. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." he'd said kindly.
I hesitated and took a few steps forward. The biggest mistake in my life.
Quick as a flash, the boy grabbed me and stuffed me in a sack he'd been hiding behind his back.
I could have gotten out somehow, but he'd bundled up the sack so tightly that I was helpless.
The sack was made of thick canvas-like material that made it hard to breathe. Through it I could faintly hear the boys talking.
"So what are you going to do with it, Dalgia? Aren't you going to capture it?" the other boy asked my captor.
The boy who caught me, Dalgia, laughed cruelly. "Capture it? No. Waste of a good Pokéball. I'll just transfer it directly to my PC account."
The PC? What was that? But before I had any time to wonder about it, Dalgia started running, with me in the sack squashed under his arm.
After about ten minutes I heard his footsteps slow down and a pair of sliding doors open. He'd entered the Pokémon Center.
"Hey Nurse Joy" I heard him call out.
"Good morning again Dalgia, how may I help you?" replied a feminine voice, probably Nurse Joy.
I heard some typing noises. Was Dalgia using a computer? I heard a robotic voice say; "The Pokémon Storage System has been accessed."
There were a few more typing noises. Then everything went black.
When I came to, I felt strange. I can't explain how, though. Just like something wasn't right.
I was in a small, tight room, only as big as a closet. It had no doors or windows. Like a cell.
Panic rose up inside me. I pounded against the walls. Nothing happened. I tried to use a move. They didn't work.
I heard a voice. It was a robotic voice, like the one I'd heard earlier. It seemed to come from nowhere.
"Welcome to the Pokémon Storage System. Pokémon stored here will remain here until their owner or trainer withdraws them. While you are here, you may hear other Pokémon who do not belong to your owner or trainer. This is because all the Pokémon Storage Systems are connected. Also, you Pokémon will find that you cannot evolve or use moves. This is for your own safety. You will also find that you cannot grow hungry or thirsty. This is also for Pokémon's well-being. Thank you for listening." the computerized voice said before turning off.
I struggled at first. Tried pointlessly to escape by smashing myself against the walls. But it was no use. Eventually I curled up in a corner, my hope gone.
You could tell if it was morning or night because the cell grew dimmer or brighter.
In the morning, you could hear new Pokémon being placed in the Storage System as they were caught by trainers. You could hear the younger ones crying for their families, for their homes. The despair and sadness mingled in the air.
But at night, things took a darker turn. There were Pokémon who had been kept here for so many years, they couldn't even remember where they'd come from. Long years had changed their sadness into spite. You could hear Pokémon screaming and yelling in hatred for the humans, shrieking and cursing them. These rantings continued all night until morning.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. And months turned into years.
Still I remained in the Storage System, in this prison, in my cell.
Slowly, hate grew in my heart. Hatred for the humans. Hatred for Dalgia. Hatred for whoever thought of the idea of a Pokémon Storage System.
And so, when I was let out, after eight years, I was not very happy.
Not very happy at all.
It was on my two thousandth, nine hundred and twentieth day of imprisonment. The ceiling of the cell seemed to dissolve, and light flooded in and pulled me into the outside world.
I remember seeing Dalgia, standing there like he expected me to be a good little Pokémon. After all those years? No way.
I evolved instantly into a Servine. The bright light of my evolution blinded him momentarily. I took that opportunity to give him a good Vine Whip across his smug little face. "Oof" he said falling backwards onto his rump.
Trainers who were standing around the Pokémon Center looked a bit startled, then fumbled around for their Pokéballs.
Time to go. I used Leaf Tornado to make a quick getaway.
I headed back to my home, the meadow, running full tilt. But when I reached it, I stopped and looked around in horror.
The meadow was gone. The grass had been uprooted and the trees were stumps. Nothing but a bare wasteland where it used to be.
I remember screaming in fury and sadness, falling to my knees in despair. After a few minutes of staring at the ground, I stood, a grim look on my face.
I went to the Outlaw's forest. The Outlaws there respected my hatred for humans and let me into their ranks. I evolved into a Serperior soon after.
