Inferno

The most recent Pokémon game I own is Platinum; and I love Platinum very much.

I had completed the game once, though not very seriously, and had recently restarted it, intending on playing the game super seriously this time; I was going to complete the dex to the best of my ability without wifi (which meant not more than 300 or so but it was something to look forward to).

Finally, I defeated the Elite Four and completed my National dex and had access to the battle frontier and everything else.

I had never been very good at the frontier battles, and I didn't want to go to the resort, so I went up the path that led to the survival area, because I wanted to met Buck again and do the Stark Mountain thing.

By the time I reached Stark Mountain, my Empoleon was level 88 and I had 100 of every repel, so I knew I'd get through it quickly.

I scaled the mountain, battled Mars and Jupiter, and got to the part where Buck teams up with you when I looked up at my clock and realized it was three in the morning.

I let out an aggravated hiss; I had to be up at 7 to drive 40+ miles to my dad's to babysit my step-nieces.

I saved the game, shut it off, and plugged it up to its charger so the battery would be full for tomorrow.

I tossed and turned for what felt like forever but when I looked at the clock, it still said three o'clock.

I thought this strange, as surely even a minute must have passed with all my turning, but dismissed it and picked up my game again, deciding that I could play for a little while longer, at least until I was settled enough to sleep.

When I turned it on, I was in the same spot, just a few steps past where Buck teams up with you but... Something was off.

After walking around in Stark mountain for a moment, I realized what it was; there were no trainers. Then I looked closer. Everywhere that there was supposed to be a trainer, there was just a slightly dark spot that I could walk over, and would leave three dark foot prints that would faded afterwards, like when walking in sand.

I bit my lip, worried. I had never used any cheats or codes, so why was my game glitched?

I dismissed it however, and continued on. Maybe it was only trainers inside Stark mountain that were affected; I had battled people outside, and Mars and Jupiter at the beginning.

I finally reached the inner cave where Charon and Looker were... only they weren't there.

A question mark appeared above Buck's head, and he turned to me. "Isn't this where they were heading?" He asked. Then the screen violently moved back and forth, indicating that in the game the ground was shaking. After it stopped, Buck told me to stay there and darted to the back of the cave and disappeared. I disobeyed his order and followed him, and found the entrance to another cave; something that had most definitely never been there before.

Reluctantly, I went through.

The first thing I noticed where two dark spots, on either side of me, then I noticed Buck and Charon just at the edge.

They seemed to be talking, but my sprite couldn't hear them. Then... Charon's sprite blinked once, and then was just... gone... replaced by a dark spot...

I felt my stomach bottom out as I finally realized what those dark spots were... they were blood... Buck noticed me, an exclamation point appearing above his head, and he rushed over to me. He started to say something but instead of text my game started making this annoying, grating sound repeatedly that sounded like... my alarm clock?

I jerked awake, sitting up and looked around dazedly.

My game was still sitting innocently on its charger.

Still slightly confused, I got up and turned off my alarm clock and fixed myself breakfast. As I was getting dressed, curiosity got the better of me and I picked up my game. The normal intro was displayed, but... Giratina didn't give it's cry, and it looked like it was crying.

I went on ahead anyway, and I was right where I saved but... Where was Buck? I took a step forward and my sprite stopped... Buck appeared from nowhere and approached me. "You understand why I did this, right? They were all defiling the mountain." Then a yes or no box appeared. I selected no. Buck made the same impatient movement Barry does. "Are you going to tell the police?" Yes/no? Yes.

The impatient movement again. "How can you not understand? Do you not know what it's like to... No, nevermind. I'll show you." I frowned at that. Show me? Show me what? All of a sudden my cell phone rang.

It was my step-mom. I glanced at my clock. I wasn't late, so why was she calling? I answered, and she was sobbing. She told me that while my step-sister had been driving over to the house, she had been hit by a drunk driver, and that she and my step-nieces had died in the fire caused when the engine exploded.

My heart skipped a beat, and my face paled. I looked back at my game screen and noticed that was text. I dropped my cell phone. "See? How does it feel? Are you going to tell police?" Yes/No? No.

"Good. I'm glad you see things my way. There are still a few more grunts to take care of; you should leave." And he walked away. My sprite left and Stark mountain was forever inaccessible to me; even after I restarted the game again...