Pokemon: These Players are too annoying!

"And that's how we became closer," Lukas said with pride.

"Wow, you can even tell the story from their perspective? Impressive," Bob remarked as he lay back, scratching his back and yawning.

"Huh? Where's the girl who was with you?"

"Rin? She logged off to end her stream—it's already way too late," Rey replied, resting both hands on the back of his head as he lay down.

"So, neither of you is logging off? Don't you guys have work?"

"Yeah, but if I miss something, it'd be such a waste, so I'm pulling an all-nighter. Going to work sleep-deprived is pretty normal for me," Rey said.

The group had been cooped up in the van for several hours now. Occasionally, the vehicle would shake, making all three of them stay alert. But just sitting around doing nothing was unbearably boring, so they decided to let out their Pokémon for some fun.

Rey patted Cyndaquil's head and used Kakuna as a hug pillow. Bob asked Bulbasaur to release its "fragrant" scent, only for the Pokémon to smack his butt with its vines in retaliation.

Lukas, meanwhile... was getting bitten on both arms by his Pokémon, tears streaming down his face in pain.

Suddenly, the van shook violently, startling the three of them. They quickly grabbed onto something to steady themselves.

The engine noise slowly faded, and they felt the van touch down. Footsteps could be heard outside—plenty at first, then gradually fewer.

Rey glanced at the others, and they nodded in understanding. He carefully opened the back door of the van, peering outside before stepping down with the other two close behind.

"Wow, this technology is incredible," Lukas said, looking around at the airship and his two Pokémon.

"Let's move quickly before we get caught," Rey urged. The group tried to make as little noise as possible.

Lukas led the way, his eyes flickering as he strained to see ahead.

"That looks like… an exit?"

The three exchanged glances and pressed forward.

After disembarking the airship, they found themselves in an area filled with various other airships. But the sight beyond was astonishing.

The three of them froze in shock, with Rey even rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

There were rows of interconnected buildings, strange in their design. Yellow lights illuminated some areas, while others were dark, damp, and reeking of filth.

Below, a bustling crowd of people moved about, all cloaked to hide their identities. Vendors loudly hawked strange goods to passersby.

"This… is a black market, isn't it?" Bob asked.

"...No, it's more than just a black market. Look over there," Rey said, sweating as he pointed ahead.

The others looked up to see towering skyscrapers, casinos, and bright lights glowing in the distance.

"If I'm not mistaken… this is the underworld. Literally," Rey said, pointing further upward.

The entire area was enclosed by shadowy walls, blocking out natural light. The only illumination came from artificial sources.

The three swallowed hard and exchanged uneasy looks.

Where on earth had they ended up?

"So… should we explore?"

"Absolutely."

They quickly found cloaks and fabric to disguise themselves.

***

"Step right up! Premium goods, no scams, don't miss out!"

"Hey there, gentlemen~ Care to come closer?"

"FRESH MEAT!"

The group wandered past countless stalls. The labyrinth of pathways was disorienting, and they started to worry about getting lost.

This truly was an underworld—lawless, or with laws so lax they might as well not exist. Evidence of this was everywhere: strange men and women casting unsettling gazes their way.

"ALL THESE CREEPS! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Lukas whimpered, on the verge of tears. He definitely didn't want his dignity violated.

"Shh, keep it down!"

Eventually, they stopped at a small drink stall and ordered three drinks.

"This is insane… this place is horrifying," Bob said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Red-light districts, bizarre foods, all kinds of things… I feel like throwing up," Lukas groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Don't you like it, Bob? Plenty of women around here," Rey teased.

"I'm not into whore."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a whip cracking nearby, drawing their attention.

A scarred man was using a whip to beat Pokémon confined in iron cages. Most of the Pokémon looked at the humans with fear or hatred in their eyes.

…Of course. This was a place where Pokémon were sold.

Kidnapped or stolen Pokémon were traded here, regardless of whether they had owners.

"Lukas, Bob… let's check it out," Rey said, standing up.

The three began observing the horrific sights around them.

Countless Pokémon were caged, many of them beaten to the point of being covered in scars.

The worst sight was…

"..." Rey froze, wide-eyed, at the sight of a lifeless Pokémon in the corner, treated like garbage.

"No fucking way…" Bob was utterly shocked, while Lukas couldn't hold back and threw up nearby.

They turned their attention to another stall selling food. To their horror, the Pokémon they had just seen… were being butchered, cooked, and served.

"..."

The world could be beautiful and innocent… but it was also deeply fucked up.

Rey's expression darkened as he continued walking. The deeper they went, the more horrifying the scenes became.

Eventually, they stopped at a milk stall.

"Ah! Welcome, dear customers! Would you like some Miltank milk? Pure and delicious!" the vendor greeted cheerfully.

"Miltank?"

"Don't you know? They're Pokémon that produce incredibly tasty milk, perfect for farms!"

"And… where does the milk come from?" Rey asked.

"Ah! Right behind the stall. If you'd like, I can show you," the vendor offered enthusiastically.

"Fine, take us there," Rey said, handing over some money.

The vendor eagerly led them to the back, which resembled a typical barn where cows might sleep.

But when the doors opened, the stench of urine and feces hit them, and what they saw was horrifying.

The Miltank were emaciated, hooked up to constant milking machines. Their food supply was severely lacking. They never left the barn, living and relieving themselves in the same spot.

When the Miltank noticed the group, they recoiled in fear, trying to remain silent and unnoticed.

"..."

The three had reached their breaking point.

"Though the place might smell, I can assure you the milk is—UGH!"

The vendor was cut off mid-sentence by Lukas punching him in the face.

"Oh no, I slipped! Silly me, I'm so clumsy! Teehee☆!" Lukas said, sticking out his tongue, though his eyes burned with rage.

"Sorry about that. He's got a bit of a temper," Rey said with a smile.

"I-I see…"

"Do they have children?"

"Oh, absolutely. Since Miltank are all female, they can reproduce on their own."

"So… where are they?"

"They're kept in a separate area. Miltank are pretty dim-witted, you see. No matter how badly we treat them, as long as we dangle some false hope, they'll follow along without question."

"So... do they get to see their mothers?"

"Pfft, of course not! They are raised separately and only used to replace the older ones—UGAHHH!!"

The vendor was slapped hard by Bob.

"Oh, my bad! I thought I saw something on your face and wanted to help~" Bob said cheerfully.

"S-Seriously?"

"Of course! He's such a helpful guy," Rey added with a calm smile.

'Why does this feel intentional?!' the vendor thought, trying to stay out of striking range.

"As you can see, I—GAHHHHH!"

Lukas lunged at him, punching him repeatedly and sending him flying into a pile of Miltank feces.

"Oops, sorry about that! He's off his meds, so his mood's a bit unstable," Rey explained with a cheerful grin.

"Y-You sure about that?!"

"Absolutely! We're very trustworthy! Here, take this as an apology." Rey handed him some money.

"Ah… thanks."

"Alright, we've seen enough. Goodbye!"

The group left, leaving the vendor struggling to get up, only to fall back into the feces again.

***

The three of them stood on the balcony, gazing down at the underworld.

Both Lukas and Bob had grim expressions, but the one seething with anger… was Rey.

"This place is trash," he muttered, his eyes scanning the world below.

He knew moral standards didn't apply in the underworld—especially not in a game.

He'd explored countless underworlds in other games, diving into their depths like it was second nature.

So what was different this time?

"The Pokémon… they don't deserve this."

That was it. The Pokémon felt so real. They had souls, emotions—they were alive.

They could feel joy, sorrow, injustice, and anger. They had feelings, not something easily programmed into a game.

But there was a glaring flaw: the Pokémon were also… "stupid".

According to that despicable vendor, the Miltank would cling to even the smallest shred of hope, no matter how many times they were deceived.

In other words… Pokémon were inherently trusting. Only those who had been betrayed repeatedly would lose their faith.

But even then, Rey recalled hearing about a player who had managed to earn the trust of a Pokémon that deeply hated humans. That player had succeeded in restoring the Pokémon's faith.

So, it could be said...

"Pokémon are pure creatures. It wouldn't be surprising if the creator of this world saw them as they greatest creation—so trusting that it's almost tragic," Rey thought, his eyes darkening.

"Lukas, Bob," he said, turning around to face his friends. "We've had our fun. I came here to enjoy this world, but there are things here that don't belong. Things that shouldn't exist."

Raising both hands, Rey made his declaration

"I've made up my mind. I'm going to conquer the underworld."

Lukas and Bob exchanged glances, then grinned. They stood up and walked over to Rey.

"Sounds badass, boss."

"This was supposed to be a lighthearted, wholesome fanfic, but I guess the darkness is trying to change the narrative. I'll destroy every trace of it."

The three of them raised their fists, bumping them together, before looking out over the underworld.

A new mission had begun!

*****

Yea, this chapter is dark than i expect (im super sorry for that), but dont worry, this fic will become wholesome soon cus like i said, i dont like dark pokemon fanfic so you guys can trust me

Oh, and one more thing, this chapter was inspired by a chapter from a Chinese fanfic I read a long time ago, though I don't remember its name. The Miltank part is from that