Raptor Ex Exe | Pokemon

You dropped the handheld. When it hit the floor, the cartridge popped out. It was hot to the touch, smelling of ozone and burnt plastic. You looked at the label again. The Sharpie hadn't just been written on the plastic; it had been etched deep into the casing, like it was done by a claw.

Suddenly, the game forced a warp. You were in the Hall of Fame, but the statues were cracked. Standing at the end was the Rival, his back turned. When you approached, he didn't trigger a battle. He spoke in a text box that scrolled too fast to read, except for the final line: Pokemon Raptor Ex Exe

The title screen didn't show Ho-Oh or Lugia. Instead, it was a silhouette of a Fearow, its wings shredded into digital ribbons, eyes glowing a flat, crystalline red. The music was a slowed-down, distorted version of the Lavender Town theme, pulsing with a heartbeat-like bass that made your thumbs twitch. You pressed Start. You dropped the handheld