#Kevin Fairway OC

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Characters (WIP)

Welcome Post / Blog Masterlist

My (Twisted) Pokémon Journey Characters

Crystal Fairway

Kevin Fairway

Lidin

Brandon

Isles of Ysamaldri Characters

Myrkr Mkhoal

Sanguine

Maple Hawthorn

Cedric

Luna Meraki

Shimmer

Azure Star

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Whumpay - Promises (M(T)PJ:DD)

My (Twisted) Pokémon Journey Snippets Masterlist

Prompts:

Day 29 - "I won't let them hurt you anymore."

Day 30 - Nightmares

1.2k words under the cut.

I have done a LOT of Italian homework in the last few days and I apparently thought a good way to decompress was to participate in another of the Whump Month Challenges for a hot second, that being @whumpay!

Check the tags for content warnings.

This is a part of the fourth/fifth book of Crystal's story, Ditto Defect. The long and short of it is that Crystal can use Transform, she starts having ~issues~ with controlling it, and she is found out. This is set in Unova, but touched on past events (from her current moment, it is considered the past). I have snippets of DD so it's a bit more random with organization.

Crystal’s world had been reduced back to an observation chamber in the P2 Laboratory, stuck in the familiar form of a Ninetales instead of her own body, but this time, it wasn’t Team Plasma scientists who visited her.

     It wasn’t even a human.

     This time, Dusknoir – The Great Dusknoir, Primal-Dialga’s-right-hand Dusknoir, Dusknoir from the Future – haughtily, leisurely, levitated into view. 

     “We didn’t even need to do anything, and you were served to us on a silver platter.”

     Crystal didn’t know who us included, but she glared at him – glared like she did before, at the Stockade. Glared like Grovyle and Celebi were there to back her up. Glared like she wasn’t trapped in the very place that sucked out every ounce of hope and replaced it with gallons of dread.

     He continued, “You refuse to become a weapon—”

     That’s not Dusknoir.

     “—but we have ways to arrange that.”

     That’s not Dusknoir’s voice.

     “You’ll wish we gave you something to do, but, alas,” he shrugged and gave her a pitying look. It quickly turned into a sneer. “You continue to resist, so we need to alter the stimulus.”

     Is Dusknoir using Sebastian’s voice?

     Dusknoir’s form started to shift, the dark colors gave way to the white of a lab coat, and his bulky form thinned into the shape of a human. Sebastian.

     “I’ll let you be for now,” he said with another sneer. “We’ll get to the tests soon enough, but... well, isn’t the human mind such a scary thing? You won’t have sentient thoughts, soon, but while you do, we’ll use those against you. We’ll use everything against you,” he promised, relishing in the threat. “I want to see what you’ll use against yourself.”

     He strolled out of view, as casually as he had come.

     Crystal took a step forward—

     Something solid pulled around her neck, and she heard the clink, clink of chain links behind her. She turned and saw a chain leading from a hook on the wall to the back of her neck. She couldn’t see the collar, but she knew it had to be there – she reached up, finding a few things dangling, as if they were charms or tags for non-battling Pokémon companions.

     One of them burned red-hot. Crystal jerked her paw away, and saw that the fur had burned away and singed on the edges, burning even the skin. I’m a Ninetales, I should be immune to fire damage and burns like this with Flash Fire.

     But the singed fur started spreading – slowly at first, but noticeably. It turned an ashy grey, then darkened to charcoal, a burning heat following.

     The burn started glowing a golden-orange color, searing away the skin with a molten intensity. Something poked through – even in the pain, one train of thought managed, Crystalline. Unfamiliar. 

     Finally, it burned through her mane – whatever hung off of her collar, it burned through the fur, and she could finally smell burning flesh and fur. And something pushing through the skin.

     Crystal doubled over and saw the crystal on her paw growing, actively growing, turning into a sharp spike of molten pain. Fire raced through her veins, all of it starting from the burn on her chest or her paw.

      “I won’t let them hurt you anymore.”

     The soft voice, the calming voice, soothed the fire she should have been immune to. She glanced up, still in pain, but it had started receding to a dull throb of heat.

     N watched her, concerned. He had opened the door to the chamber, he had a key in hand. “I’m going to set you free.”

     Memories surfaced – memories of emotion. Betrayal. Distrust. Fear. Anger. Fear. Anger. Fight or flight – she couldn’t run, not with the collar. Her fur started bristling in warning, she bore her fangs at him as her own fire raced up her throat, burning it with the golden flames. Her summoned Will-o-Wisps met N, and he halted.

     “Crystal, it’s N. Do you remember me?” He studied her, worry in his eyes. She could se him thinking, What did they do to you?

     I remember you. You are why I’m trapped here. You’re why I am like this.

     “Something’s wrong. We can fix it after I get that collar off.”

     Crystal growled louder.

     Then she blinked, and it was her brother – Kevin? – standing there with the key.

     “Let’s hurry and get out,” he said. “I don’t like those crystals.”

     An ever growing urge began inside, Crystal’s vision pulsed as she stared at Kevin’s neck – fixated on his jugular veins, the pulse she could hear, almost feel.

     He turned the key, unlocking the collar. She felt it come loose, but the burning only grew and spread, even as she left behind whatever had started it.

     “Come, we must go before they return.”

     That voice wasn’t Kevin.

     Crystal looked up and saw N, this time in his kingly regalia.

     She lunged at him, reaching for his throat with her teeth. She wanted the warm blood, she wanted his lifeforce, she wanted him dead. She wanted revenge. Someone else should pay for what they’ve done.

     She blinked again— and Kevin’s eyes, terrified eyes and his horrible blood spilling out of his throat, his hands reaching up and only coming away bloody.

     She couldn’t meet the betrayal in his eyes, couldn’t watch the life leave his eyes.

     Crystal knew when his heart stopped. She knew when he died.

     Looking back at the body— it was N.

     Footsteps sounded from outside the chamber, and Kevin walked into the bloody, gruesome sene.

     The two of them locked eyes – and Kevin hurriedly backed out and shut the door, the lock clicking into place.

     The burning stopped. The crystals fell out, leaving gaping holes in her chest and paw – one spilling more blood than the other, as it mixed with N’s.

     “There’s no saving you from this,” Kevin said, pointing at N’s body. “I won’t let them hurt you anymore – but you can’t be allowed to li—”

Crystal shot awake in her bed, heart pounding, phantom burns on her chest and hand. She hurried out of bed, down the hall, looking for Kevin’s room. Once she got to it, she opened the door slowly, listening.

     She heard slow, rhythmic breathing. Light snores. The blankets moved as he shifted position. Thank Arceus, you're alive. She quietly closed the door, focusing on breathing slowly to calm her heart.

     The dream slowly released her, the emotions receding as she re-oriented herself in reality.

     Soft footfalls on the carpet caught Crystal’s attention, her adrenaline ramping up again—

     “Syl?” her Sylveon said quietly, slowly approaching. In the near-darkness, Crystal could see Sylveon’s ribbon-like feelers reaching toward her.

     She reached out to Sylveon, and the feelers gently wrapped around Crystal's arm. “I’m okay,” she whispered, walking back toward her room as Sylveon fell into step beside her, guiding her. 

     Crystal doubted that Sylveon believed her, but at the same time, Sylveon couldn’t outright interrogate her, either. I just need your comforting presence and to go back to sleep.

     She settled into bed, Sylveon curling up against Crystal, her feelers loosely draped over her and on her arm.

     It was just a dream. She had to tell herself that, she had to believe it. It was just a nightmare.

     Crystal closed her eyes, focusing on Slyveon’s presence. The lulling warmth contrasted the burning from earlier, a kind feeling and not a fierce one. She relaxed, lulled into a half-sleep as thoughts mixed with memories at random, the kind of liquid chaos a brain makes on its way to sleep.

Oh, my, a voice in her head drawled, sourceless and ethereal. You’re more qualified to torment yourself than I am, aren’t you? You’re much better at this than I am. After all – I was just the spark, so to speak. But the rest? My dear, that was all you.

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Chapter Five - Who are You? (M(T)PJ: Book 1)

My (Twisted) Pokémon Journey: Book One Masterlist

Chapter Four

Chapter Six

Word Count: 1.7k

The unease followed me into the waking world. I waited for my heart to calm down before I crawled over to Lucario and put a hand on his arm. He woke up, saw the look on my face, and sat up. “Crystal?” he whispered.

     “I had a nightmare, Giovanni was there,” I said. “I think it had something to do with the chip. It felt real, like I can’t believe it wasn’t, even now. He was here.” I tapped my head. He listened intently as I told him what I’d seen in the dream, including Giovanni’s taunt. “I could use Transform so much quicker… and with no pain,” I finished slowly, as the realization set in. “I didn’t feel pain throughout the entire dream, though I should have. That was the only unrealistic part of it.” 

     Lucario said nothing – what could anyone say to this?

     In the silence, I noticed something – Bill’s equipment had the same quiet hum that the dreamscape had. “We need to go,” I told him abruptly. “We have to get away from here.”

     In the dark, I could just make out Lucario's concern. “Crystal, it’s the middle of the night. We should decide what to do next in the morning.”

     I shook my head. The humming pressed in on me. I didn’t notice it in my panic to flee yesterday, and while we figured out what the chip did. But now, with nothing to distract me, with no certain next step, I couldn’t ignore it. I got out of my sleeping bag. “We have to leave,” I said again, rolling it up. “I can’t stay here.”

     “Crystal, hold on,” Lucario said, worried. “You need to rest. The dream is over, we can wait until morning. Bill disabled the tracking feature last night, remember?”

     “But we also don’t know what else it can do," I urged. "Bill said it could do more, but because he didn't know what it could do, he couldn't really search for what else. I heard Giovanni in the nightmare, he caused it, he had to have. This didn’t happen in Viridian Forest. Why now?” I indicated the room. “Can’t you feel the humming?”

     “No, I can’t,” he said, reaching out and gripping my arm lightly. “Crystal, are you awake?”

     “Yes! Of course I’m awake!” I hissed in annoyance to him. “I don’t know why or what’s happening, but I can’t stay here.” I grabbed my PokéBag, removed my X-Transceiver and PokéGear, pulled out a pen and paper, and handed Lucario his Pokéball. “You can come with me, or wait here until morning. I can’t stay here."

     I set the paper on Bill’s desk, with my communication gear leaned up against it on the floor, and wrote out, I couldn’t stay. I’ll be in Mt. Moon. I can't take my gear. I’ll explain another time. Thanks for your help. I didn't sign it.

     As I opened the door, and hesitated, I whispered over my shoulder, “Lucario?”

     His quiet footfalls followed me. “I’m with you.”

     I nodded, and we headed out, back to Mt. Moon, with the stars and moon as our only witnesses.

     I brought out Persian to assist with Flash once we entered the caves again, and we found a small cave on the eastern end of Mt. Moon. I set up my sleeping bag in the farthest corner of the cave, let everyone out, and explained the new situation. “Bill knows we’re here, and Kevin will, soon. We can come up with a plan in the morning.”

     The night passed easier than it had at Bill’s. Mt. Moon didn’t buzz, it didn’t hum, the tons and tons of rock surrounding us kept it remote. It blocked out the rest of the region, the rest of the world. All that existed was us seven. Time itself couldn't touch us.

     A dreamless sleep brought me into a new day. My watch, not a fancy Pokétch, said it was around nine in the morning.

     With little more to do than inspect rocks for Moon Stones – which was tempting in its own right – I decided to spend a couple hours trying to work with my ability, getting used to how Transform changed my body, the different shape as it settled, and some moves in the forms I took – mostly the familiar forms from early on in my party’s evolution trees. Riolu, Shinx, Snivy, Bulbasaur. The bipedal Pokémon, like before, came more natural to me than the quadrupedal ones. I could only manage a few forms before I didn’t have the energy or pain tolerance to shift again, the painful limit reached, but by then I understood Transform a bit better and could do it a little more efficiently. I could lean into the shift, instead of just initiating it.

     After I exhausted myself with Transform, I took a nap – a long nap. My body was as heavy as a Wailord. More dreamless sleep.

     I spent a few days this way, going out only toward dusk. I planted some berry plants, and they grew fast with Serperior and Venusaur's care.

On the third day of hiding in Mt. Moon, I woke up from a nap after I did some more Transform training, and I noticed Kevin sitting nearby, leaning on the cave wall, his Kadabra meditating by his side. Squinting through the almost-darkness, I saw him dozing along with me.

     "Kevin?" I said quietly, but hopefully loud enough to wake him up, reaching for him. "Kevin, what are you doing here?"

     Kevin's eyes opened in a momentary mix of confusion and recognition. Then his eyes adjusted to the dark and found me. "Crystal," he said, smiling. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

     "I'm glad you're safe," I said. "What happened? I ran into a Pewter City officer and they said you were working with the Cerulean Jenny, but he didn't know anything about what you were doing with them."

     "I want to first hear what happened and how you got away," Kevin said. "Bill told me, but I can't really believe it. Also, Bill says you're not allowed to leave in the middle of the night anymore," he added with a chuckle at the end.

     "Ah, yeah, you guys don't know about why," I said awkwardly. "Alright. Well, they kept me in the stone for a while," I began, telling the last two days again, starting from when they put the chip on me all the way to me arriving at Bill's cottage, and including Bill identifying one of the chip's functions and the weird dreamscape. "I don't think it was a normal nightmare, and I think that being around technology for some reason allows them to access... well, me." I pointed to my neck, to the chip he couldn't see.

     "Bill said that, too," he said. "He asked me to look at what data he could pull from the chip, to see if any fresh eyes could tell him anything else, or if I had any other ideas about what Roket might've put into the thing. Having something to look for would help, even if it was just to eliminate options." He didn't go on, and looked away from me, at the opposite cave wall.

     "Did you come up with anything?" I asked after the silence drew out for a while.

     "Actually," Kevin started, "I have the means to eventually figure it out." I didn't notice at the time, but his words came out in a monotone, almost emotionless.

     "Really?" I jumped up. "Then let's go, I can't stay at Bill's for long but we can go—"

     "We don't have to go to Bill's," he said, in the same, flat tone. "You don't have to go anywhere, actually, so you're free to stay here if this is where you feel safest."

     "Then how can you figure it out if you can't look at it? It's kind of connected to, well..." I gestured helplessly at my neck

     "I can get access to the computer that deals with it," he said, now avoiding my eyes.

     "How?" I asked. "You can't just waltz into Rocket's HQ—"

     "Crystal," he said. Not sharply, but with enough weight to cut me off. "I actually can. You'll need to trust me on this."

     I just stared at his face, dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

     "I have access to their HQ. I can get in their headquarters pretty easily."

     This news should have been a great thing. So why was he avoiding it, as well as my eyes, and acting so strange? "Kevin, please just tell me. Are you safe?"

     "Safer than you," he answered, without really answering. "I can get access to their servers, if given time."

     I didn't say anything, I didn't know what I could say, and I waited for him to continue the conversation.

     He looked at Kadabra and stood up. "I should leave, I can't be so far off-grid for very long. I have to go back tonight, and it's already evening."

     "But how are you going to get into Rocket's HQ? Don't do anything crazy, there might be another way."

     He looked at me. "I'm... I'm currently working for Rocket." He turned away, motioned for Kadabra to follow, and left the cave. "I'll be back in a few days," he said over his shoulder, but not looking at me. "Stay safe, okay? Please be careful."

     He left without waiting for my response, without saying another word.

     My thoughts whirled. It could have been a minute since he left, it could have been hours.

     Crystal, I'm so glad you're safe! I can get access to the computer that deals with it. You'll need to trust me on this. I'm currently working for Rocket. Please be careful.

     Kevin was my brother, and he would always be my brother. I did trust him.

     I practiced my ability to pass the time. I began trying second evolution forms when Kevin had been gone for three days, or that's how long he said he was gone when he returned. It sounded about right.

     Kevin walked into our cave, again with Kadabra at his side. This time wearing his full Team Rocket outfit. "I found out what it does, and I'm surprised it's as small as it is," he began.

     I listened as he listed off and explained what the chip did – what he found out. It's main function being a prototype of some simulation technology, to train Pokémon or even people in scenarios they can control with a linked computer. He talked about what they wanted to use the chip for, how to get the Ditto ability, everything. Everything they planned to do that their greed demanded of them. Ignoring laws to become more powerful. More destructive.

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Chapter Two - Unlucky Spiral (M(T)PJ: Book 1)

My (Twisted) Pokémon Journey Series Masterlist

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

2.8k words

In the morning, I woke up as a Meowth. Everyone got really protective last night, even though I looked like any other Meowth, and not many people paid attention to what happens at the cape – Cerulean City had the blackout, so if anything, the focus would be there instead of here, where out-of-regioners had their cottages. I just could talk – but I didn't have to.

     "Morning, Crystal," Bill said when he noticed I was awake. "How are you feeling?"

     "I'm doing alright so far," I said, pushing myself up. My sore muscles protested, but I managed, with a wince. "Very sore and a bit stiff, though."

     "I think we all know what was coming for you," he joked. "Kevin just got up, he's outside with the Charizards."

     "I completely forgot about them," I said, ashamed. "I didn't mean to leave Charizard outside..."

     "I think they preferred it, really," Bill consoled. "They kind of guarded the house."

     "Why?" I asked. "No one has even been by, and it's not like anyone watched what happened in here."

     He shrugged. "They were uneasy. So was Kevin. Rather safe than sorry, I guess."

     "Hm. Well, okay. I guess I can't change it. Though do you think I should change back? I can't really go anywhere like this," I gestured at my Meowth form.

     Bill gave me a doubtful look. "Only if you feel like you're up for it," he hazarded, uncertain. "You know you shouldn't overextend your muscles while they heal."

     "If I can't, I'll stop," I promised. "How about that?"

     He sighed. "You're crazy... Alright. After that, let's take a moment so I can take notes on what we know so far, alright? And let's bring the Ditto back, maybe it can help, even if only for moral support."

     I nodded as he turned on his PC. If I thought about Charizard and Persian, then how do I think about being me? Do I just do it? I opened my Pokémon Storage, brought the Ditto back out, and prepared to use Transform. One way to find out, I guess.

     I shut my eyes, took a few slow, deep breaths, and focused. I made a mental image of what I would see if I were staring at myself in a mirror – long brown hair in a Ponytatail on the boarder between wavy and straight, hazel-brown eyes, freckles from time in the summer sun, my grey vest over a leaf-green tank top (as of yesterday), a black, nearly-knee-length skort with a bright yellow accents and a Team Instinct Zapdos insignia, and grey-and-white tennis shoes. Let me be me again, I willed.

     The pain began, adding onto the burn of my muscles' protests, and again it reached deeper below my skin, my muscles, to my bones. This time, I could hear my bones as they reformed, the vibrations of sound racing up to my ears. Human. Crystal Fairway.

     When my form settled into something stable, I opened my eyes, and glanced at my hand.

     My human hand.

     "Oh, thank Arceus, it worked."

     Relief welled in Bill's eyes, and the Ditto watched me curiously, but it had happiness in its eyes, too. Bill glanced at it. "You are a beautiful work of nature's hand, Ditto, and it's allowing science to happen here today!" Pulling out a notebook and a pen, Bill asked me, "How was that? Being a Pokémon, and the transformation into and out of a Pokémon form."

     We started discussing what we knew, what we've seen/experienced (with us comparing notes to his time as a Cleffairy). Shifting back to human was a lot easier than shifting out of it. Maintaining my form is a passive skill, whether Pokémon or human, neither required constant focus. Focus is required, however, when in the process of shifting.

     I asked, "Did you try using a move when you were a Cleffairy?"

     Bill shook his head. "It wasn't very long before you three appeared. Those questions are for you to test out. How the moves work, or what ones you have access to in different forms."

     I wrote down questions in my X-Transceiver so I could try them out later. "Noted."

     "How about you try—"

     Kevin burst in the door. "A Rocket raid team's here." He caught sight of me, and the stress in his face softened slightly. "Okay, good. Get your Pokémon and help me fend them off. I don't know why they're here, but..." He didn't finish his sentence, motioning to Bill's machine.

     "The blackout," Bill realized. He ran to his computer and started typing furiously. "I'm going to shut this down. I have to take the data from this project, and then lock it down. They can't know about this. Keep them busy. Keep them away from the house!"

     We nodded and rushed back outside. I hurriedly called out my remaining party, noting the airborne Charizards and Kevin's Poliwrath, Raichu, and Kadabra as they caused their specialty of destruction in their trio, as five glaring white silhouettes surrounded me: Persian, Venusaur, Lucario, Luxray, and Serperior.

     They joined the fray as soon as they could see it. Luxray and Persian worked together to take down some Rockets off to the side, Lucario and Serperior made swift attacks as if in a dance, and Venusaur planted himself in front of Bill's and used Frenzy Plant, keeping others away.

     Once upon a time, I had been a child Champion. So had Kevin, before he actually became the Champion, so on those merits alone we were a challenge on our own, much less side-by-side. I never stopped training my Pokémon, especially ones like Charizard, Venusaur, and Persian who'd been with me from the beginning. I wasn't a Champion, but my Pokémon were plenty capable in battles, and could strategize for themselves in their pairs. Even better, our Charizards could pair up and cause destruction easily – they knew each other like brothers, and the same thing could be said about them and Venusaur.

     Fire laced up onto Venusaur's Frenzy Plant, not really doing much damage to the flailing roots but instead helping it cause even more damage to Team Rocket's raid. Venusaur called, and my Charizard called back.

     The Team Rocket grunts stood their ground. Although some of their Pokémon had already fainted under our onslaught, others weathered the attacks and gave it right back. But I could tell we were winning, we were beating back their offense with a defense and offense of our own.

     I ran over to Kevin, grinning. "We're beating them."

     "They weren't here for the blackout," he said, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "They were supposed to be a quick strike team, not a full-on raid. They were going to try hacking the storage system at its source, and didn't expect that such resistance would be around for it."

     "How'd you figure that out?" I asked.

     "Magic." He tossed me a newer-model red-and-black themed PokéGear. "Whoever ran this operation clearly had confidence in their team, since the orders are all right here. No code, or cypher, or anything."

     One of the Charizards roared loudly, triumphantly, drawing our attention back to the battle at hand.

     Team Rocket started returning their injured and defeated Pokémon, many of them jumping onto flying-type Pokémon while others fled on foot. Now that the battle ended, we could see that there were less than ten people to the strike team. 

     Our Pokémon looked to us, waiting for new instructions. "We're safe," Kevin said to them.

     My Pokémon nodded but still glanced to me. Venusaur kept up his flaming Frenzy Plant, determination on his face. "Relax," I said to him, to them. He grunted, and the roots lazily began to bend over, slowly retreating into the earth as Venusaur almost-comically plopped over on his side, exhausted. "You've earned a rest," I said to him. "How're the rest of you?" I asked.

     As Lucario and Serperior approached, Lucario stepping forward, he said, "They weren't a challenge."

     "Okay," I said, turning to Charizard as he landed, "Charizard, how're—"

     He spoke! The thought rushed forward before I whirled back around to look at Lucario. Lucario tilted his head at me in confusion, reached out, and took a few steps toward me. "Crystal?"

     I glanced at Kevin in shock. "Kevin!" I hissed. "I can understand Pokémon speech!"

     He shot me a look, mixed with happiness and worry, before he motioned for the cottage. "Let's tell Bill what happened out here."

     I glanced over my shoulder at the posse of Pokémon now out and around. I saw Kevin's Raichu talking with Luxray, his Kadabra and Poliwrath with Lucario and Serperior, the Charizards and Venusaur in a huddle. Persian bounded over to me and sat himself down outside the cottage looking for all the world like an ancient civilization's statue. So many strong and capable Pokémon here, I thought, yet something isn't right.

     When we entered the cottage, Bill shot us a fearful look before he recognized us. The frantic typing he had been doing up until now paused as he sighed in relief. "Alright, what went on out there? They're gone, right?"

     Kevin handed over the Team Rocket PokéGear. "They were staking out your house, and today was the day they wanted to break into the storage system. Though doing so despite seeing the Charizards outside wasn't their best move. Obviously, you weren't here alone, so why did they attack so rashly?"

     "I don't know," Bill said, shaking his head. "Nothing I've ever done warrants that much of a desperate attack. Maybe we can hack into this and figure out something else, something less surface-level orders. After I can successfully get this Ditto stuff off my PC, or get it locked down behind some firewall. Maybe I can mask it and bring something else to the surface."

     Kevin peered at the monitor. "Right. While we work on that, Crystal's got something to share about her new ability."

     "I can understand Poké-speech," I blurted. "Lucario talked and I could understand him."

     All thoughts and intentions of hiding his work left Bill's face. "You can understand them?" he asked.

     "Yeah," I said. "But shouldn't we prepare if Rocket is going to come back?"

     Bill blinked. "This can wait till it's hidden," he agreed. "Kevin, any ideas?" At the sound of his name, Kevin walked up and they started discussing options and ideas.

     "I'll go and help the Pokémon keep watch outside."

     "Don't do anything to put yourself in danger," Kevin said over his shoulder.

     "Right."

     The Pokémon were more-or-less as they were before. Small groups, close enough but scattered. A few glanced in my direction when the cottage door closed, and Lucario came over, with Kadabra in tow. His expression said, Are you okay?

     "I can understand you now," I told him. "I heard what you said earlier. It's a shock."

     His head tilted again. "Really?" he asked.

     "Yeah." To Kevin's Kadabra I said, "Is there a pervasive feeling of wrongness, or is that just me?"

     Kadabra shook his head. "No, you're right. That attack had an unusual feeling to it."

     "That attack?" I asked. "I only got the feeling afterward."

     "I'm more attuned to my psychic intuition. You're not quite just human anymore, are you?"

     At that, Lucario gave me a sharp look. "What did you do?" he demanded.

     I waved my hand, dismissive. "I helped Bill with something and now have a new skill. I shouldn't be talking about it in case anyone is still nearby."

     Kadabra opened his mouth to say something, right as his large eyes darted up. "We might not need to talk about this now," he said, pointing to the sky. "A new problem has arrived."

     Lucario and I looked up and behind us, and for the first time in my life, I regretted having all these strong Pokémon. I regretted that they were all in one place. Half of them were without their trainer and couldn't be safely recalled.

     An airship, coming from the north, flew over us and halted, hovering. In all of the regions, I had only heard of one airship – the one that belonged to the infamous Pokémon hunter known only as J.

     "Lucario, get Kevin," I said numbly. "He needs to be out here for this."

     Lucario shot toward Bill's and disappeared inside.

     Through our time in Sinnoh, I had heard the rumors of this ruthless and successful Pokémon hunter. I had had the good fortune that I never saw her or her airship in person. She only went after the strong and rare Pokémon, and even though most of Kevin and my parties had common Pokémon – Luxray, Persian, Kadabra, Poliwrath, Raichu, to name only a few — the ones we had were strong. They went through Elite Four challenges. Every single one has faced their native region's toughest trainers.

     "Keep your distance!" I called to the Pokémon. "That's a Pokémon hunter!"

     The cottage door slammed open. "Return everyone!" Kevin yelled. "Don't let her get any of them!" He already had Pokéballs in his hands, the red beam shooting to his Charizard, Kadabra, Raichu, and Poliwrath.

     I grabbed for my Pokéballs, and returned them two at al time. Charizard and Venusaur were last. "Quick, Blast Burn and Frenzy Plant. Do as much damage as you can, quick!"

     "Crystal, the local Officer Jenny is already on her way. Recall them!"

     Charizard hesitated, but Venusaur didn't.  The giant roots reached greedily for the underside of the airship, but it lifted out of reach. "Charizard, return!" I called. "Venusaur, keep that up!"

     He grunted, and I could see the strain the move put on him. He can't keep it up for long, I thought. Not when he just did that to fend off Rocket.

     Something flew out of the airship, something big and teal with red wings. Something with a person clad in black riding on its back. My blood ran cold, and I heard Kevin call out something.

     Venusaur noticed the Salamance and tried hitting it with the Frenzy Plant, but J kept the Salamance out of range.

     "Venusaur, return!" I called. No Pokémon. Now we're vulnerable because of her reputation.

     The Salamance landed as the Frenzy Plant dissolved, and as she dismounted, we got our first look at Pokémon Hunter J.

     She looked like the rumors and news reports; her short, platinum hair, the menacing, floor-length coat, and, most importantly, her wrist laser and the dark visor, things that aided her greatly in capturing Pokémon she deemed valuable.

     "Ariados," she said in a monotone voice, nearly inaudible at our distance, holding a Pokéball. A white silhouette shot from the ball, in the form of an arachnid before revealing the red body and the purple-and-yellow legs.

     "Crystal," Kevin said in a low tone, "don't do anything. Do not let her know anything."

     "We might not have a choice in a minute," I hissed back.

     "Can you use Teleport?" he asked.

     Teleport. Abra's signature move. "I can try," I said.

     "Something's abnormal, here on this cape," J called to us. "Do you want to show me, or should I pull it out of you?"

     A clarity dawned on me. "This is what I talked to Kadabra about, something about the strike team felt off after, and he said the wrongness was throughout the fight."

     Kevin tuned to me as he realized this was the worst-case-scenario.

     "You shouldn't keep muttering amongst yourselves, why don't you invite to show me your anomaly?"

     Kevin called out to J, "Quit playing your game, you just want our Pokémon. You won't have them!"

     "Those would be a bonus," J said, checking her arm laser, or fiddling with the settings, "but I'm really here for one of you. How about you show me which of you gets a ride in my airship?" She brought out her Drapion. "Or I could just take you both, and let my client figure it out."

     She brought her arm up, aimed at me, and fired. Kevin wasn't quick enough to jump in front of it.

     I panicked and used Teleport.

     The Teleport didn't take me far, since I didn't know the move well or have good control over my ability. But it saved me from the laser in that moment.

     J's posture changed, turning into that of a predator catching its prey. "So it is you. Thank you for your demonstration."

     "Crystal, get out of here!" Kevin yelled. "Go!"

     "Oh, it won't matter," J called. "I've caught tougher things than her." She shot another laser off, and another, and another. Every time I used Teleport, she could tell where I would end up, and I'd barely land before I had to Teleport again. In that panic, she called her Ariados forward.

     Sirens screeched to the south.

     Kevin sent out his Charizard. "Blast Burn!"

     Salamance stepped forward, flanking Ariados, and roared a challenge.

     Everything that could have went wrong, went wrong in this moment.

     I saw Charizard, heard Kevin's command and Salamance's challenge, and looked in the direction of the sirens – seeing flashing lights – and took my eyes off of Pokémon Hunter J. It took less than a second of my inattention for her to shoot off one more laser in my direction—

     I couldn't Teleport away in time.

     I turned into stone.

[mel-the-pirate-writeblr]

Chapter One - Ditto D.N.A (M(T)PJ: Book 1)

Summary

Chapter 2

3.5k words

I had just gotten off of the S . S. Anne, returning from Unova and a casual journey I went on there. 

     I had been away for a few months, spending spring abroad, and missed my home and my friends. I missed Kanto. My first stop on my list was Bill's place north of Cerulean City, the cape with the beautiful sunset view in the evening. Charizard and I flew there from Vermillion City's docks, and I knocked on his door.

     "One sec!" I heard a voice inside call. "I'm busy."

     "Then mind if I let myself in? It's Crystal!"

     "Sure, yeah," he replied. He almost sounded distracted. What are you working on now, Pokémaniac?

     I opened the door, motioning for Charizard to wait outside. The inside of the cottage looked as it always did, with numerous papers strewn about the floor, Bill and his PC in the center of the main room, and, of course, on the back wall, the two teleportation pods. Bill's pride and joy and the very ones that had turned him into a Cleffairy when I first met him five years ago.

     "What are you trying to do these days?" I asked, walking over to him. "Is the teleportation stuff any better than it was when Lidin, Kevin, and I first saw you?"

     "Oh, ha ha," Bill mocked, but not taking his eyes off of his monitor. "Funny you should mention that, though. I actually started looking in a different direction, speaking of when you three heathens met me." He turned around with a huge, good-natured smile before returning to the screen – he was typing up some code. "I've been looking into Ditto's nearly-unique ability to use Transform. It shares that ability with Mew, so it being a non-Legendary or -Mythic makes that property an odd one."

     "I never thought I'd see the day that you put aside your teleportation project," I said. "How much do you know about Ditto?"

     "Well, funny you should ask that," he said, sighing. "You wouldn't happen to have one, would you, or Kevin or Lidin maybe? I go about twice a week, and for a few hours each time, to places they reportedly hang out, but I never have any luck. Once I did see one, but it got away before I could even engage it, much less throw a ball."

     I blinked in surprise. "Of course," I said, pulling out my PokéDex. "I used to see them, and catch a few, right around the Cycling Road."

     He whirled around to stare at me. "You caught multiple Ditto?"

     "Uh... yeah. I've been catching Pokémon for five years, Bill."

     "Could you bring one to me? Those devils allude me."

     "Yeah, sure," I said. "Can I use your PC to access my Pokémon?"

     Bill paused. "One more sec," he said, turning back to his monitor. "I have to finish these lines before I forget them. I'll need to go over it later on to make sure it's right, but between then and now, I can study your Ditto."

     "I'll go ahead and let Kevin and Lidin know I'm in the region, while you do that, since I was supposed to meet them for a late lunch."

     "Hey, your choice to stay or go. If you have a Ditto, well, you're saving me a whole lotta time from finding them and fighting them."

     He was right, I could go and still get to Celadon City for lunch, even if I didn't use Charizard. But this idea was intriguing to me, too. No wonder why he set aside his teleportation project. Now that I looked, the two pods had a visible layer of dust on them. When was the last time he worked on them, I wonder? "Do you have access to my Pokémon storage from there?" I asked. "Since you made the storage system, and all."

     Bill shook his head. "No. The Trainer ID chips and passwords and two-factor authentication I put on them, that even I can't just bypass, and all the other cyber security that I've upgraded over the years keeps me out. And the stuff Kevin's helped with, since he has a knack for that type of thing. I didn't want to risk the Rockets or anyone breaking into my stuff and having access to all of Kanto and Johto's Pokémon."

     "Hm, alright, I'll be back later," I decided. "I don't know when, but I'll let you know when I'm on my way back up."

     "Whenever works. See ya, Crystal."

     I left the Pokémaniac to his most recent project. Charizard watched me questioningly. "I think I can walk to Celadon. I missed the sights of Cerulean, and even the busy streets of Saffron, and we won't be late anyway. It's only just now," I checked my Pokétch, "oh, just twelve-thirty. We have plenty of time to sightsee before we need to be anywhere."

     We walked toward Cerulean City, and it was almost possible to imagine myself back when Kevin and I had traveled the region the first time, both of us with Charizards and Venusaur lumbering at our sides. "I missed them," I said to Charizard. Oh, thinking of Venusaur, I thought. "But I'm sure so did you, and the others."

     I pulled out two other Pokéballs, both of them the classic red-and-white ones, and called out my other two Kanto Pokémon: Persian and Venusaur. Persian let out a happy trill when he recognized where we were. Venusaur smiled at me and let out a happy grunt before he turned and greeted Charizard.

     "Ready to see our guys?" I asked them.

     Charizard and Venusaur looked eager to put their abilities to the test, with Charizard punching one talon into the other. Persian sat down and licked his paw, as if to say, I don't need to prove that I can fight whatever they think they can throw at me.

     "No promises that we're going to battle," I warned them. "This is supposed to be a chill visit."

     All three of them looked at me, their expressions saying, Really? You expect us to believe that old routine?

     I laughed. "No promises," I emphasized. "Is there anywhere you want to stop on our way to Celadon? We have time to kill, and we don't need to worry about time catching up too quick. Lunch is in an hour or so."

     Without a preference, we all made our leisurely way to Celadon City, and to a small café that was new this summer. I didn't see Kevin or Lidin waiting around, but we were still a bit early.

     I glanced toward the west entrance of Celadon City. Besides, I missed the region just as much as the people here... My old travels via Cycling Road called me to see it once again. "Let's hang out outside the city while we wait. It'll be nice to see Route 16, and the calmness from outside this busy place."

     We waited for time to pass on the side of Route 16, as Trainers and others passed by, coming from and going to Cycling Road. Around quarter after one, we made our way back to the café to grab a table, if they weren't there already. And, when I didn't see another Charizard in the area, I assumed they were still on their way.

     "Could I get a table for three, preferably outside?" I asked a waitress.

     "Sure thing, follow me."

     My Pokémon followed, but made sure to stay out of the way – especially Charizard and Venusaur. Persian, with his comparatively smaller size, could stay nearer to me, and with his feline grace, he had no problem staying out of the way.

     The view wasn't especially spectacular, but since we faced the forest that bordered the south of Celadon City, it was peaceful. People came to eat at the café, but the Department Store and the Game Corner drew people – and their bustle – to the opposite side of the city.

     I should let them know I've got a table already, I thought. I pulled out my X-transceiver and sent them a text – to Kevin, since they were traveling together.

     Just as I had sent the text, I heard a Charizard call overhead, and its shadow passed over the café. My Charizard called out in response. That also works, those two would have called out to each other. The Charizard landed not far from the café, and I saw Kevin and Lidin slide off of the Charizard. 

     I waved to them, beckoning them over. "Hey! I have a table!"

     Kevin, Kevin Fairway, is my younger brother. We started our journey when he turned ten so we could go together. We trained together all the way to Victory Road and the Indigo League. He defeated me when I was a child Champion, taking that title, and he just recently took the official title of Indigo Champion when he turned fifteen and could battle for it. While the League and Elite Four are off-season, he still traveled other regions, and even went to Hoenn for a short period of time before he claimed the Champion title. 

     Kevin walked over to Venusaur, our shared starter once upon a time, and patted his head. "Hey there."

     "How was Unova for you?" Lidin asked me, nodding a greeting to Persian.

     Kevin added, "Since you wanted to go the slow way." He grinned good-naturedly as he approached. Lidin elbowed him, but amusement dominated his face.

     Smiling, I rolled my eyes. "Oh, because you saw even half of what I saw, rushing through and gaining your badges?" To Lidin, I added, "It was nice to visit, but it is very busy. Like if Celadon was basically the region. I did like the Pokémon, though, and I have a Serperior now, among other Pokémon."

     Lidin chuckled in amusement. "You're still leaning toward grass-types, you know," he teased.

     "Then I'll be a Gym Leader in a grass-type Gym one day," I said, going to hug him. "I missed you."

     "I missed you," Lidin replied.

     Lidin was an old friend. We all knew each other before Lidin, the oldest of us, started out on his journey, solo, two years before we started ours. We became a group of rivals, challenging and encouraging each other when we trained together. Even though we have always been rivals for as long as we have had our Pokémon, we were friends long before that. Lidin and I became close while he accompanied us on much of our early Kanto journey, before he went on to journey in Johto. We all had strong ties to each other, even though we've gone our own separate ways as we grew as Trainers.

     I let Lidin go, and gave Kevin a quick hug, too.

     "Champion Kevin," I joked, sitting back down. "How was Unova for you? Did you like rushing through the Gyms, and beating me home?"

     "I didn't rush," he said. "You just have to look at every stick and stone you pass. But the Gyms were fun, I liked the challenge. Now I'm a proud holder of all of Unova's eight badges."

     "No Elite Four challenge this time around? I remember when you made the attempt in Sinnoh."

     He shrugged. "I'm already busier with being the Indigo Champion. I don't need to be a Champion of a region I don't live in. Besides, who would win against Cynthia's Garchomp?"

     "Fair enough." To Lidin, I asked, "What about you? Did you go anywhere while we were gone, or are you planning your next journey?"

     Lidin shook his head. "Well, I have time for one more journey – I really enjoyed Hoenn – before I go on to the next stage of life, but I haven't decided where, yet. Though I do want to hear about Unova, maybe that will be the last one before I stop for a while."

     We caught up and chatted for a few hours, and ordered lunch as we did. Late afternoon approached before I realized it, with the unending summer sun.

     I checked my Pokétch, surprised that the time flew by faster than it felt.

     "Do you have somewhere else to be today?" Kevin mocked. "Are we not entertaining enough for you? Your brother and your boyfriend?"

     I laughed. "No, sorry. I was going to help Bill with something today. I stopped by and he was working on a new project – I know, I was surprised, too – relating to Ditto and its ability to Transform. He was having problems catching one, but I have a couple in my Pokémon storage. After this, I'm going to let him see and study a Ditto."

     Lidin nodded. "That sounds like him, though – wow. He really put aside his teleportation stuff for that?"

     "There was dust on his machines," I said. "Saw it with my own eyes."

     Kevin stood up. "I've been meaning to check in on what he was doing, so I'll go with you, if you want, Crystal."

     I shrugged. "He was doing something with code, or programming, so sure."

     "It is getting later," Lidin added, "so maybe I should be heading back. I have stuff to take care of regarding my future journey and also what I'll be doing after that. Let me know how it goes, okay?"

     "We will," Kevin and I said.

     Do you need a ride?" Kevin continued. "I can drop you off and meet Crystal at the cape."

     Lidin hesitated before nodding. "Yes please."

     "Okay," Kevin said, calling over his Charizard. "I'll meet you up there, Crystal. Fly safe."

     "You guys, too."

     I recalled Persian and Venusaur, then got onto Charizard's back. "Back to Bill's. Oh, wait." I pulled my X-transceiver out, and texted Bill that we were on our way, and that Kevin would be meeting up with us. "Okay," I said, getting a hold on Charizard to steady myself. "Now let's go."

     The view of Kanto from Charizard's back brought back memories – training our way to the next Gym, the next challenge, catching new Pokémon and getting new Dex entries. The clear sky left nothing to shadow in the open cities, and as we flew back to the cape, a warmth for this region glowed in my chest. Kanto. My home.

     We landed outside Bill's, and I knocked before entering. "How's the coding going, Bill?"

     He didn't even look up. "I fixed a couple things. Give me another minute and you can get your Ditto."

     I sat down in a chair near the door and waited. Kevin's arrival wasn't too long after. "Hey, Bill," he greeted.

     "Ah, perfect," the Pokémaniac said. "Kevin, will you come over here and help me double check my code?"

     "Sure thing."

     I zoned out while they discussed the programming details of Bill's project. When they finished, and Bill called me over to bring out a Ditto, I could start following along.

     "Hey, Ditto," I said to it, once I brought it out of storage. "Long time."

     The Ditto nodded happily. 

     "Alright, Bill, So what do you want to do?"

     Bill crouched down to the Ditto's level. "I just want to study it, and learn how it does what it does. All I've had to work with so far is just data, nothing actually tangible."

Bill studied the Ditto for a week, and I'd check in daily to make sure it was going alright. The Ditto seemed content, and even interested in some of what Bill said he was learning about it. Kevin also stopped by, but less frequently, to offer help with the programing Bill made. Sometimes he just gave a second opinion or could give a fresh look to the code as Bill poured over it.

     By the end of the week, Bill started talking about testing it out.

     "Testing what out?" I asked. "Aren't you just looking into how Ditto's can do what they do?"

     Bill stood up and looked at me. "That's just part of it. What I want to do is try recreating it. I already became a Cleffairy, so why not take that a step further?"

     "Wait." Did I hear him right? "Do you want to become a Ditto?"

     Bill made a hand gesture like Kinda. "More of a hybrid, really, but yeah."

     "And you're sure it's safe?"

     "I have a safety system, if it's not compatible, it will halt the process."

     "That doesn't sound like a very good idea," I hazarded. "Though I can't say I'm not curious, now."

     "Well," he started, "really, Pokémon and humans were once not really all that different. And some people who die become Pokémon. So there is a connection. I'm just going to see if there is a way to revive that, to flip gene switches back into 'on' and get a slightly-Pokémon human. The best way would be with a Pokémon that can essentially shapeshift to make the process as easy and as likely as possible."

     "Wow, that's insane! Do you think it will actually work?"

     "That's what I hope to find out today. If your Ditto doesn't mind letting me take a sample?" He glanced down at the Ditto.

     The Ditto thought for a moment, then enthusiastically said, "Di!" and nodded.

     Bill carefully, slowly, deliberately, took a small, coin-sized glob off of Ditto. He placed it into a device that was almost as big as his desk that had multiple wires or tubes sticking out of it, each with nodes on the end. He started putting them on himself.

     "Are you— are you testing it out now?" I asked him in alarm. "You only just got the sample!"

     Bill shrugged. "This is how I tested out the teleportation pods. It's done, so why wait?"

     "And that worked so well?"

     "I don't want anyone to have to do this. You can reverse it if something goes wrong."

     "This is a much more complex machine. More complicated than just hitting a button to reverse your mistake," I said. "If it goes wrong, shouldn't you be fully capable of fixing it and not be the only one who knows what's going on as the Pokémon, again?"

     Bill raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you volunteering?" he asked uncertainly. "Crystal, I can't do that to you."

     "But you have safeguards in place, don't you? And this is why you wanted to use Ditto DNA, right?"

     "Are you not scared of this?" He waved his hands at the machine. "The concept? Anything?"

     "Well, yeah, of course I am," I admitted. "But haven't you learned from last time that self-experimentation isn't a great method?"

     He sighed, exasperated. "Alright. Only because you make a good point. Here," he said taking the one node off his arm and bringing over a chair near the machine. "It probably won't be painless. I'm messing with genes here, it might not be like any pain you've experienced before. Turning into a Cleffairy and back again was the most pain I've ever felt in my life."

     "That's just part of it, if it happens, it happens."

     "No." Bill looked me in the eye, holding one of the nodes. "This is something else. It can be very painful. You could Transform, and your cells aren't like a Ditto's more easy-to-manipulate structure. People aren't meant to change shape. Everything you physically are can change and that will hurt. Are you sure?"

     "Yeah. I think I am."

     Bill stared into my eyes for a moment, conflicted. "Alright. Sit tight, this process is supposed to be quick." He continued putting the nodes along my arms, on the back of my neck, and my forehead. He went around to his monitor. "Last chance."

     "Just start it before my nerves take over." I watched him type a few things, and then hit a button.

     A searing pain shot through the nodes, starting there but not ending at the skin. I involuntarily clenched my jaws together and squeezed my eyes shut as the pain reached deeper than I ever knew it could, to my muscles, my bones.

     They started to break, and tear, burning my insides with only its shifting. The world dipped away, the breaking inside of me became my world, all I could see.

     An eternity, and a heartbeat, passed like this, before it abruptly stopped. The aftermath of the initial pain lingered, not unlike an ache, but it hurt more to move, so I stayed where I sat.

     "Crystal?" Bill asked tentatively. "How are you feeling?"

     "Burn," I whispered, cracking open my eyes. "Fire."

     "Well, you are a Charmander right now, so I guess that makes sense."

     I grunted in surprise. Charmander? I'm a Charmander?

     The cottage door opened. "Hey Bill, did you do— why is there a Charmander in here? Where is Crystal?" he added, demanded, a threat creeping into his voice. "I saw her Charizard outside. I saw Cerulean have a black out just now. Where is my sister?"

     "Here," I got out, before Bill could say anything. "My choice."

     "She thought it would be better to have me in control of it, in case I needed to fix something, instead of me as the subject," Bill explained. "I had plenty of safeguards in place, and if any of them got tripped, it would halt the process, it wouldn't even start it. You know, you helped me implement some of them."

     "Not for use on my sister! And not so soon!" Kevin exclaimed. "That was so reckless!"

     "I did all my research beforehand, I just needed to sample and to do it. This isn't just something I got up and running in the last week! I've spent a year on this-"

     "Guys?"

     Bill moved to my side, pulling off the nodes gingerly. I didn't even feel it. Kevin started looking at the monitor. "So, what did you end up doing?"

     "She should be able to use Transform, like a Ditto," he said, indicating the Ditto that watched the scene uncertainly. "Since the PC is still open, though, maybe I should send the Ditto back. It doesn't look to happy to be here anymore."

     The Ditto nodded and moved toward the computer as if to agree, Send me back.

     The pain began to subside into a duller ache, and I tried moving my arm. Short, with talons instead of fingers, it was a feeling of un-belonging in the body that I inhabited. Not to mention the muscle stiffness and the pain as my body settled its usual physicality into this new form. 

     "Crystal," Bill said, "before you try moving too much, do note the flame on your tail, and the papers all over my house."

     "New form," I managed. I'll change into something less flammable. Maybe a Meowth? 

     "Right, you have to get used to the new form," Bill said. "Just be careful with it while you do."

     I shook my head. How did I become a Charmander? Thinking about Charizard? Can I think about Persian, and work my way to a Meowth?

     Kevin walked over to me and crouched down. "Just take it slow. You need to just get your bearings in this body."

     I shook my head at him. "New form," I repeated. Meowth.

     I shut my eyes, and felt the change start again through every fiber of my body. The burning, the breaking, the tearing, and now with the addition of the new nerves in my tail. New follicles of fur sprouted all over my body, through formerly scaly skin, with whiskers poking out from my face. I opened my eyes, and the world had dulled – the color desaturated.

     "No fire," I got out. Transforming is a lot, I thought dimly.

     Kevin and Bill – who had seen me Transform twice – stared at me with concern and something unreadable in their expressions.

     "Don't shift again," Kevin said. "You look exhausted and half-dead. Is that accurate?"

     I nodded, closing my eyes.

I didn't notice myself fall asleep, but the muscle soreness and stiffness had already set in by the time I woke up. Well, my entire body went through a relatively quick spike of physical stress. Of course it's recovering.

     I looked down at my hand – or, more accurately, my paw. My brown paw, and my cream forearm. 

     "Crystal?"

     I looked over and saw Kevin standing up chair – he must have been waiting – and I caught the shift in his expression to worry and concern to relief. Still exhausted, I smiled at him. "Hey. How long have I been out?"

     "A few hours. How are you feeling?"

     "Like I got trampled by a bunch of Rapidash. Transform isn't easy to use."

     He laughed. "Well, you used it right after you became a Charmander, according to Bill. So duh. We could hear your body reshaping itself, so you can do serious damage to yourself if you don't let it rest and settle into your new forms."

     I glanced around at the mention of Bill. "Did he go somewhere?"

     "Just to get some fresh air. We, uh... we were very anxious when you fell asleep. Hard. And you talking very briefly. And the sounds that came from you. Even though he kept repeating that it worked, and it was fine, mostly to himself, I think he still didn't quite believe it."

     As if on cue, Bill opened the door to his cottage. "Kevin, how is sh- oh thank Arceus, Crystal, you're awake."

     "Sorry that I worried you guys," I said. "But I'm better. That was just... overwhelming. That took a lot of energy out of me, not to mention the pain took a lot out of me, too."

     "But that's it?" Bill asked.

     I raised an eyebrow – or I tried to. "I'd hardly say it's just a huge energy drain and painful transformation process, but sure."

     "No, no, no, sorry," Bill hastily said. "I knew about those. Making something, especially living things, do something so drastically outside of their capabilities as changing form needs a lot of energy. And, well, changing the structure into a new one with basically breaking and reconstructing one's form, yeah, I told you that it wouldn't be painless."

     I sighed. "Well, I guess changing back into me would be a bit hard for today. My body feels very sluggish and heavy, not to mention sore and all that."

     "Yeah, don't shift," Bill agreed. 

     "What if she can't change back?" Kevin asked, putting a spike of fear in me. "Or if it gets harder for her to as her body gets used to this form."

     "Hm." Bill said nothing for an agonizing moment.

     I cleared my throat. "Bill? Is the a possibility?"

     "Not really," he finally said. "Your body was already more or less permanent when you changed to a Charmander, and to a Meowth. You're just sore from your body readjusting it's organs. If you can get stuck, you wouldn't have been able to change in the first place."

     I let out a sigh of relief. 

     "Though, there is something you can do for me with this," Bill said thoughtfully. "Could you keep notes on what you find out about it? Like if anything is harder to shift into, or if you can only maintain a form for a limited amount of time, or—"

     "I got it, Bill, yeah I'll keep notes for you."

     And that was when my life changed for the adventurous.