Sometimes video games are disturbing. Sometimes they have to be, to save lifes…….
I love Pokemon Crystal. Despite it being old, I had a strong obsession with it. I don’t really understand if it was because I loved Suicune so much, or if it was that Johto was my favorite generation. In any case it was by far my favorite Pokemon game. Though sadly I didn’t have a copy of my own. I wanted one very much, but I hated shopping on line. Just wasn’t worth it. The day I got mine however was a weird day that would have changed my life for better, and for worse.
It all started on a cloudy Saturday morning. I had just gotten ready to go with my friend over to goodwill. She was heading off to college, and was in bad need of a new alarm clock. Hers had died, and since in college you have to get yourself up, I told her I would help her look for one. When she got to my house I hooped in her black jeep, and we left for goodwill.
Upon arriving I saw a poster that said;
“Used games for sell.”
She looked at me, and we both gave each other a similar look. We went straight in. I noticed that the cashier was watching us both. He had to be at least eighteen, but that didn’t draw form the fact that it was creepy. We both looked through each shinning disk, and glowing cartridge we both got very engrossed. That was until I saw a shiny blue cartridge hanging off the side of a table. I almost felt my heart skip a beat as I shakily picked up the cartridge. The blue Pokemon was more beautiful than all the pictures I had ever seen on the internet. Though I didn’t think that it was faded out like it was in the original images. I just thought that it was faded from time.
My friend looked over at me, and frowned;
“Don’t you think you’re too old for Pokemon?”
I frowned at that remark.
“No!”
Realizing that she was not going to win this argument she shrugged, and gave up. Soon, after finding her an alarm clock that worked, we made our way over to the creepy, stalkerish, cashier.
I put my game up on the counter. The cashier looked at the game then made an unpleasant face.
“It’s not for sale.”
My eyebrow went up.
“Why not?”
He didn’t answer me.
“This is a public place, so why not?”
I repeated my question, but he just stood there examining the game. Then a smirk spread over his face. Almost like he had an epiphany. He put the game into my hands, and said the cost is free. Once again my eyebrow shot up. I didn’t understand what was going on or why, but I just got a free game. Lucky day! Or so I thought at the time.
After leaving goodwill I rode home with my friend. Upon coming home, I ran into my room, and found my Gameboy. At first I thought something was wrong because the game would not go in to the system. Then I realized that on the back a note was attached. I figured I would read it later, and put it down on my bed. I finally got the game into my system, and booted up the game.
The game demo was just like the walkthroughs that I had watched on YouTube. Until it reached where the unknown should have spelled, Crystal, only instead it spelled out Halo. I noticed that the intro sequence said Halo as well. With Suicune looking up instead of straight. I hit the start button. Upon entering the continue screen I saw Crystal in the background. She was in a praying position with a glowing halo shining brightly above her head. I already realized that this was a hack, but the time, and effort that the person put into this seemed a little odd. As if it was meant to have some sort of meaning. I thought;
“If this is a hack I wonder what it looks like from the beginning.”
With that I hit “New Game”, but when I tried it said;
“You have to continue to begin.”
I tried over, and over, but only to get that same stupid message. With that I thought;
“Why not?”
I hit continue, and was thrown into Crystals room. I looked around. There wasn’t any difference. Just the room. I decided from there to look at her status on everything. Like her Pokemon, exedra. I took a peak at her Pokemon. There was:
Koffey- A Koffing level 35
Shimmer- A Typloshion level 100
Thunder- A Pikachu level 56
Foxy- A Nintales level 42
Dragon- A Dragonite level 84
Wamy- A Marill Level 33.
This was definitely after the Elite four. I decided to go ahead, and check there stats to. The read like this:
Koffey had zero on all his stats.
Shimmers had no status effects, but his color was faded.
Thunder had no moves.
Foxy had Pokerus, though I really didn’t see why that was bad.
Dragon was poisoned.
Wamy was burned.
After looking through the defective party, I went into her trainer card. The srpite representing Crystal had sad, depressed eyes. Her smile was faint. Like a tired smirk. Looking down on her badges she had them all. Kanto and Johto. This was all weird, but none of that prepared me for what happened next. I took a look at her hall of fame deput. Instead of number words where there, and they read;
“Silver is almost dead.”
I jumped, and dropped the Gameboy in the process. Dead? What did it mean by dead? No one in Pokemon ever dies. I had seen enough of those awful words, and closed out of the trainer card. I didn’t bother looking at my pokegear because of all the “fun” lost silver stuff I had played, and watched. I decided there was nothing left to do, but either turn off the game or continue. I picked choice two due to the fact that my curiosity wouldn’t let me turn off the game. I took a step forward, and the screen cut to black with a text box appearing in the middle. It read;
“I hat Silver.”
When the screen came back I took another step the process repeated;
“Silver will pay.”
Now the game was moving on its own, and with every step Crystal took another black out would appear.
“Silver is almost dead.”
“Silver shall live no more.”
“I now clam you too.”
“I calm your Pokemon First.”
I suddenly heard all of her Pokemon cry at once. A creepy laughter could be heard in the background now. After this I saw a pixelated figure come into view. The music changed to a slowed down version of the Violet City theme. A text box appeared.
??? : Well if it isn’t Crystal. My Pleasure.
Crystal turned her body. The text box went on.
???: Do you worry about Silver?
The yes or no option came up, and considering I didn’t want to find out what happened when you click no, I said yes.
???: So I see then Well its time.
The screen cut to black again. Another text box appeared.
“Silver is dead. His halo shines brightly.”
The screen filled yellow, and the game reset itself. There was no longer an option of continue. Only New Game. I clicked on it. Upon entering the game it was perfectly normal except there was no option to play as Silver only Crystal. It didn’t give me the option to name myself. It just kicked me into the game. I wanted to see if it had given me a name or something, and much to my unsuprise when I looked my name was Crystal. I also noticed that I already had my pokegear. I walked down stairs and instead of my mom sitting there it was Silvers Sprite. I clicked on it, but all it said was;
“Silver is dead. His halo shines so bright.”
After this the game ran normally I chose Cyndiquill as my starter. Though it would not let my capture anymore Pokemon I was okay with this. I just need to get Cyndiquill up to level ten to get past my rival. After getting to Mr. Pokemon, and going through the phone call from Elm, I went off on my marry way to beat my rival. I walked up to my “rival”. He said nothing. The battle just opened up. Now normally the battle would have said.
“Trainer??? wants to battle.”
This text however said;
“Killer??? Wants to destroy…..”
I was exasperated. Then I noticed something. The pixelated person from earlier didn’t have a name. Did this mean….?
As I thought about this I saw Killer send out my Pokemon’s opposite, but his Pokemon was level 100. His Pokemon used one move, and my Pokemon fainted. After this I expected for me to just white out, and go to a Pokemon Center. That didn’t happen. I was still facing (What I am going to now call Killer) the game then froze for a long time. When it finally picked up again, a text box appeared. It was Killer talking.
“No more of this.”
What did he mean?
“I killed your brother.”
Did he mean Silver?
“I warned you.”
Warned me of what?
“I took everything that was precious to you,”
This means my suspicions where right. This was the guy from earlier. He finished this whole seen with possible the most disturbing message in this whole hack.
“DIE CRYSTAL!!!!!!!!!!!”
From that text box, a cut scene appeared. It was of Killer dragging Crystal all the way to Mahogany town, and eventually to the Lake of Rage. There another text box appeared.
“Come to me.”
I saw the infamous Red Garyodos come up. His final words was;
“Do it”
I then saw Garyodos drag Crystal under the lake, and the screen cut to black. With the final text box.
“??? Has killed Crystal. Her halo shines brightly.”
The game cut off. It took me a moment to retain what I had just seen. Don’t get me wrong I love a good, scary Pokemon story, but this. This takes the cake. I suddenly remembered the note that was attached to the game. I opened it, and began to read.
Dear Gamer,
I am being chased by a killer. He has already killed my brother.
I barley had enough time to make this game. Please someone has got to help.
Sincerely,
Crystal Levett.
I folded the not back, and put it with the cartridge. I leaned my body back against the wall. I felt like I, not needed, but had to do something. Anything. I quickly pulled out my cell and reported it to the police. After that I went back to goodwill. I was going to tell anyone there that I could about the game, but the same person who gave me that game was standing there. He began to stare at me again. This time I got a good look at his name tag. I almost stumbled over my own feet when I saw his name. Silver Levett. His eyes met mine now. I wanted to run, but I didn’t. He came towards me. Before no I just saw him as a stalker, but now for some odd reason. Maybe it was the lighting. I don’t know, but he was kinda…. My though got interrupted.
“You played the game?” I nodded.
“Did you report it.” I nodded again.
He pulled my face to where are eyes touched.
“Come with me.”
He dragged me into a room in the back. He played with his brown hair for a moment before turning back to me.
“I didn’t want you to have that game because I thought you would report it.”
I looked at him dead in the eyes.
“Why don’t you want any of this reported?”
He took a long pause.
“Because I’m not dead.”
I stared at him for a while then asked.
“Why did you have it here then.?”
He turned back around.
“I….don’t know, I thought maybe someone who could help me would find it.”
His eyes teared up.
“The only clue to where my sister is…..”
He wiped his face, and turned back around.
“Do you understand any part of that game?”
I shook my head.
“Then I will explain it to you.”
He went into the main part of the store. Then into the game cart, and pulled out a Gameboy Advance. He asked me if I had the cartridge. I pulled it out of my pocket and nodded. He gentley grabbed it out of my hand, and pushed it into the game.
He booted it up the way I should have to begin with. Starting with continue. He first showed me the party.
“Each one of this Pokemon represents the torture he put us through.”
He showed me all the stats and explained all of the really gruesome, disgusting things that all of the stats represented. The next thing Silver did was show me the trainer card.
“As you can tell my sister is really depressed.”
He tried to cry, but sucked it up.”
“It’s because of what our demented kidnappers where saying to her.”
He then explained that, this was what the hall of fame debut was saying. The next thing he explained was the whole scene of Silver lying on the floor.
“I wasn’t dead.”
His eyes remained locked on the screen.
“I was just merely passed out.”
The rest of the game had no significance other than to explain how Crystal though she was going to die. Silver began once again to silently weep.
“Crystal made this after she escaped.”
His weeping went into huge gasps ask he spoke.
“But they came after hersoon after, and got her. Our kidnapper still have her. However I managed to escape.”
I felt really bad now. I grabbed the game from his hand, and played through it one more time. That’s when I decided to finally open the pokegear up. I, to this day, still don’t understand why I did that, but the moment I opened it up, I saw a huge map. I showed it to Silver who looked more surprised than I did. He took the game out of my hands, and stared for a moment.
“That the map of where the held us, the whole town.”
His face lit up, as if he got the most brilliant idea ever. He pulled me out of the back room, and through the store.
“Where are we going”? I asked “And what about the store.”
“We’re going for a little trip.” He said. “And don’t worry about the store, its taken care of.”
He pushed me into his car.
“Why are you taking me along.” I shouted.
“I don’t even know you that well.”
He ignored my comment, and pulled out of the parking lot. I felt like I was being kidnapped now. I was beginning to wonder if this was all some kind of a plot to kidnap someone.
After about an hour of driving we finally came to the edge of the road. Silver looking at the game, and talking to someone on his cellphone, looked up. I did the same only to see this huge disturbing mansion.
“Are we in the right place.”
He looked at the game.
“Yep.”
I looked at him confused.
“You don’t remember?”
He chuckled.
“I was knocked out.”
He began to walk up the hill toward the mansion. He turned around.
“Stay behind me.”
I had no choice at this point, but to trust the creepy eighteen year old stalker. We went in, and to my horror there were dead children bodies everywhere. Pools of blood stained the floors. Some of the bodies dangled off of chandlers. It was just a mangled mess. I ended up losing my lunch. Silver turned toward me again. He asked if I was ok, but all I did was slowly nod. Now all I wanted to do was leave.
Silver and I begin going through each, and every room looking for any sign of his sister, but all we found where bloody carcasses of children and some animals. Finally we walked up to the last door. There sat the saddest, yet most gruesome scene yet. It was a little girl. Tied to a chair. With the words;
“Silver shall pay.”
Cut deep into her bloody shirt. Her hair was shaved off, and her eyes had lost all color. She could barely breathe. Silver ran over toward her, and begin to use a box cutter to cut the ropes off. The whole time I just stood in shock. I couldn’t believe someone could be so cruel. Silver picked her up, and signaled toward me to go. I began to run. Silver was right behind me. We both ran till we saw the exit. That’s when two random guys jumped out in front of us.
“Where do you think your going?”
The first one spoke. I backed up. Silver grabbed my body, and pulled me behind him.
“Where leaving.” He protested. The second one laughed.
“That’s what you think.”
The first one took of his mask. I stood with my mouth dropped open. His head was deformed. It looked like a zombie face. Silver screamed, and tried to back up, only to remember that I was behind him.
“That’s right Silver. You remember now. All are little games right?”
Silver fell over me. His eyes became nothing more than a scared black set of pupils. I suddenly realized we were not going to make it out of here. That when the doors busted down. We saw seven police man come in.
“Freeze put your hands up.”
The didn’t put up a fight. They just let them take them away without a fight.
After a few hours of driving back to goodwill. Silver dropped me off there. He said thanks, and gave me a slip of paper.
Later on that afternoon I took a good look at that paper. It had Silvers number on it. I’m not going to bore you with what went on after that, but I will tell you this. I am definitely never going to forget that day. With the game, or with meeting Silver, and Crystal.
{{by|Pokemonflames|cpwuser=yes}}