Curse of the High Tide

[The Vision]

"Mr. Mime," Vision said, "Thank you for meeting me on such short notice."

To the android's surprise, Mr. Mime was still in Cinnabar. He purportedly had available the technology to transport Pokemon from one computer to another, called the PC Swim- er, Storage Box. 

"Believe it or not, Cinnabar has been relatively quiet since the fiasco with Lord Carlton. There's the routine Liberation Front attack, of course, but quiet nonetheless. Now. You wanted to see a non-humanoid Pokemon?"

The computer whirred as two beams of light converged, and tessellated a small figure into shape. When the light ceased, a ring of keys collapsed on the floor with a "chink".

The Vision blinked. 

"I believe the subject must be a sentient being."

The keys abruptly burst into the air, pink light enveloping it like a ribbon. They spontaneously quivered, almost angrily. A whiny voice howled, "Whazzat s'pposed to mean?"

"Indeed," Mr. Mime grinned, "Meet Klefki, a set of sentient keys. He may not be as... tactful as we are, but he is as non-humanoid as non-humanoid gets."

The Vision scanned Klefki, indeed detecting some sort of consciousness. Times like these reminded the Vision he was somewhat human - for, despite the obvious setbacks that would occur, the android wished Klefki was not a viable candidate for the experiment.

"What'chu lookin' at?" the keys jangled, "You wanna go, son? I'll lock the SHIT out of you!"

"Thank you, Mr. Mime," the android nodded. "If all goes to plan, this will be over briefly. Afterwards, we may go for a swim."

"I'll um... I'll think about it. Anyways, take your ti-" Mr. Mime frowned in confusion. "Why is your hand inside a jar of water?"

Vision glanced at his right hand, still currently stirring the seawater. "It's quite a long story, Mr. Mime."

"I see. As I was saying, send him back whenever you're done."

The screen went dark. The Vision gestured towards Klefki. "Follow me, please. We cannot risk you being near the ocean."

"Whoa, whoa, what?" the keys jangled, "Is this... is this a dangerous experiment? I was told it was gonna be safe!"

"You will hold a coin, Mr. Klefki. That is all," the android coolly replied.

Frisk was swinging her legs back and forth on a nearby stool. The lab was a mess. The newly dubbed "SkyVision"'s rampage left several divots in walls and desks, a small bloodstain lay on the desk, and Mr. Jarvis was still sweeping glass shards from shattered beakers. Next to him, Toriel was reading from an ancient book in an unrecognized script.

"That's our guest?" the mage asked.

"Ooh, mama," Klefki moaned, "How you doin'? Whaddya say I put my key inside you, ifyaknow-"

Frisk caught the keys out of the air and shook it violently.

"Watch who you're talking to, you stupid-"

"OW! Okay, I get it, I get it!"

The Vision lifted the coin from the beaker. His hand was uncharacteristically quivering. Swimming. Now his vain protocols were being invaded by swimming. He would have to - swimming - move quickly.

> addtag time.now timelbl("beginning of proof")

"Klefki, would you confirm that you are indeed a Prime?"

Klefki snickered. "Yeah, 'course I am. You think 'cause I'm a ring of keys that I can't be no damn Prime?"

"Would you mind lifting this coin, please?"

"I don't take orders from you, boy!" Klefki grunted.

Toriel leaned in, resting her arms on the desk. Her face was inches away from the levitating keys.

"Klefki," she whispered, "For me."

The keys rattled on the metal ring. "Sure thing, sweetcheeks. Let me show you my dragon-slaying powers."

The same pink light which surrounded Klefki wrapped the gold coin. It flew into the air, as if someone had flipped it vertically with their thumb. It stopped its descent in mid-air, hovering much like Klefki.

"Klefki, can you confirm that you are now holding the coin?"

"What's it LOOK like I'm doing, chump?"

"Error: expected 'Yes' or 'No' as input-"

"Alright, fine, yeah, I'm holding it. Whatever's hissing at me better-"

Ignoring the comment, the android asked, "And how would you like to swim?"

"Swimming?" the keys screeched, "Bitch, I don't want no rust! I gotta keep these keys clean for the layyyyydeez."

"So," the Vision concluded, "In other words, the enchantment is searching for subjects that match the description it was given. Male, humanoid Primes. All other subjects are safe from the curse."

> addtag time.now timelbl("end of proof")
> select vis_cam.3(time="beginning of proof, time="end of proof")
> Ctrl + C
Adding video to clipboard...
Done.
> rename(clipboard(1)) "Here is your proof"

"...you free this Thursday, babe?"

Vision cleared his throat. Obviously, he did not need to. He was simply attempting to draw Klefki's attention. The action failed.

"While I appreciate the... attention..."

Frisk was snarling in the corner, her mouth covered by what seemed to be a hologram of a large pink padlock.

"I'm thinkin' you come over to my place. Maybe we could get a little drunk, see where it goes..."

The Vision smiled and pushed a button on the console behind him. "Thank you for your assistance, Klefki."

The keys spun around dramatically. "Man, what is your PROB-"

Klefki never finished his sentence as a blue beam of light flashed at him. The annoying Pokemon vanished, its data presumably being transferred to Cinnabar Island.

"Good riddance," Toriel sighed.

The padlock shattered and Frisk shouted, "WHERE'D THAT THING GO? I'M GONNA-"

"I disintegrated it," Vision lied, "Suggestion: do not worry."

Frisk stopped yelling and crossed her arms, fuming. "So... did you get what you needed?"

"Almost. I need to build a synthetic octopus." The android glanced at the book. "Let us reexamine the data you have extracted."

"Sure," Toriel sighed, "In the Merfolk records, it says that the ancient god Dagon had a son, Dagusen. Dagusen disappeared one day while playing, for an evil creature cast a trap on him. None of Dagon's mermen could find where he or the evil god had gone, so Dagon went into eternal mourning. And... the legend ends there."

"Thus," Vision commented, "in order to dispel the curse as Frisk suggested, we must do what a god's elite army could not do before. Suggestion: we should search bodies of water first."

Toriel snapped, "So you can go swimming? I don't think so."

The Vision scowled. "My recommendation was based on the fact that Dagusen is most likely a merman, and would logically seek out an aquatic environment. Although, I do see your point."

He agitatedly waved his hand in the jar of water. "Another solution is required."