Chapter One – Mud
My heart starts pumping again. I feel a surge of warmth around my body, and I stir. I am alive, but currently, no more than conscious. Memories start to form in my mind, such as my name, age and gender, thankfully. Things which seem to be important are there, but there is a gaping hole for most of the other areas of my memory.
Now I am conscious, and stirring, feelings are returning to me as the nerves sending signals through the synapses and my blood start to take effect. The oxygen rushing through my respiratory system makes my body rush into action, and as I start to get conscious thought and proper feelings returns to me, BAM! My eyes flash open.
Sense number one achieved. Sight.
Staring straight above me is all I can do right now. I'm looking up at a very overcast sky. Dark clouds, miserable and dull. Greyer than an elephant's hide.
A voice in the back of my mind chips into my conscious thought.
Surely that should be Donphan?
Donphan? I recognize the name from somewhere. A Pokémon... from the games series I play. And I heard the voice as such, not just as a thought...
I guess that could be sense number two. Hearing.
Alert, I try and move, needing to know where I am, my surroundings, and who or what will be around me. The panicking movements and the attempt to sit triggers the next sense. A sharp pain up my back cause me to fall backwards. As I fall back, closing my eyes from the pain, something lashes out at me from behind, causes a surge of pain covering most of my side. The pain rips through my body, leaving me almost paralyzed.
Sense number three. Touch.
Whatever struck me hurt. To make it worse, I don't have a clue as to where I am. I can just about move my feet and hands, but what use is that? I'm lying on the floor, or ground, or whatever. It's cold, damp, ...sticky? Why sticky! As for where the hell I am, this weird surface beneath me isn't helping. Heck, I could be inside a whale's stomach for all I know.
But that voice in the back of my head tells me 'whale' is the wrong word.
It should be Wailmer, or Wailord.
Once again, it's referring to a Pokémon. Why it is, I don't know, but it's starting to really piss me off. I've got enough problems as it is, lying on this damp, cold and sticky ground in God-knows-where.
Arceus-knows-where, the voice states. If only I could kill a voice. It would be six-foot-under by now, I swear.
There's even more proof that whatever I'm lying in is something nasty. An indescribably horrible smell is filling my nostrils. Whatever it is, it's putrid, foul, gross, manky, anything used to describe something that smells worse than what's in the toilet. Surely if this was in a civilized area, it wouldn't smell that bad... So maybe it's me. I hope not. Urgh!
Put it this way, if that's me, I need a bath. Pronto.
Sense number four. Smell.
As I ponder over the smell, what hit me, where the hell I am and what the hell is going on, I notice an odd taste in my mouth. I don't know why it's taken so long to notice it, but it's blood. I've obviously cut my mouth somehow... Hm. It doesn't taste like blood though, from where I've sucked on a bloody finger or a paper cut... Weird.
Taste number five. That's all of them ticked off my list.
However, I have noticed a change. Not necessarily within myself, but there's almost like I have a sixth sense, and I'm aware of my surroundings. My actual, real senses have improved, especially my sight, hearing and smell. I can see everything in a much sharper, crisper detail than before. And that's just an overcast sky. My hearing has improved so much, I can hear my own heartbeat. Touch has changed, I pick up a better, clearer feel of everything. It all feels rather soft, and almost... furry. Taste may have changed too, but all I've I tasted is a hint of my own blood.
I can't hear anyone speaking, but I can hear some chirping and hissing around me. Obviously I'm in a rural area. Maybe there'll be a village nearby, with some villagers around so when I get up I can find out where I am. I need to move, sit up, even just move one of my hands. And it doesn't help that there is something weighing me down. A set of metal bars or branches or something on my back, not heavy, just... stuck to the floor, I guess, and I'm in that same patch of sticky stuff.
I need to stand up, or sit up, but it's hard. After a struggle, forcing all of my energy into a tight push, my eyes closed and groaning from the struggle, I feel the sticky grip of the floor release me, and I'm flung into a sitting up position. Time to open my eyes and see what that sticky crap all over me is. I see all of the sticky crap, which is nice, thick, gooey mud. Charming. I can't see anything through the mud, minus a weird red patch on my cheat. Another cut maybe?
I notice the foul smell from earlier again, even clearer now I'm upright. It really is me, so I decide I'd better find somewhere to bathe. Despite being covered in the thick mud, I force myself, with extreme effort, to stand upright. I still feel like my back is weighing me down. Maybe I've just got a couple of branches wedged in the mud with me.
'Or maybe you have wings,' the annoying and almost instinctive voice in my mind states to me. I want to ignore it, due to the fact that wings are parts of insects and birds, and I am a human. But since I've been awake, it's been there, and it's suggested that elephants, whales and God should be Donphan, Wailmer and Arceus. This is really confusing me, and the voice is admittedly scaring me. Stupid smart-assed voice wedged in my brain.
As I wobble on my feet, I notice how they feel...different. It's like my feet have changed proportion, and the feel of my toes, even through mud, in unusual. Probably hurt, it's urgent that I find somewhere to bathe now, as I might have seriously hurt myself. Scanning my surroundings, all I see is mud, dirt and grass everywhere. A thick wasteland of dirt, mud and clumps of dirty, dry, dying grass. Excluding a small forest nearby, I don't frickin' see anything. It's overcast, probably close to raining, and it looks dark, despite the fact I can faintly see the sun (or another star, the voice echoes) high in the sky. It must be a few hours until dusk, so I can make the most out of the weather. In fact, I think maybe sitting back down would be a good idea. But, then again, that thing that walloped me may come back, so I want to be able to kick the shit out of the arrogant git. If they're going to hit me when I'm down, I'll hit them back twice as hard.
Now, not to seem weird here, but I'm shy. Frankly, if it wasn't for the fact I was hit, and I'm raging, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even approach anyone. If I find anyone. I'm timid as heck. I can faintly remember a memory of this girl I liked asking me out, and I said no because I was too scared to say yes. But it feels like it wasn't me... like it was another person. I have another similar blurry memory appearing too. I think I went to the Pokémon VGC finals and I met the game-makers,. I'm pretty sure I'd always wanted to meet them, and yet, I was too shy to ask for an autograph, or ask any questions. I'm sure that I won't even say hi to my parents some days. But... I can barely remember this all. It's like a blur, like it was someone else's life. I can recall my parents, moments of triumph and failure, and... this small and short memory before I was here. Being dragged... but that's all I remember. Stupid, really...
I've got to do something instead of stand on a muddy plain for a while, so I trudge off towards the forest slowly, drenched in thick mud. The mud seems to be glued to me, like when your pet runs through the mud, and it clings onto their fur for days, and washing it for hours doesn't seem to help.
The closer I get, the harder it seems to walk. After around twenty minutes, I'm guessing that the mud is drying and hardening around my limbs, as every step takes about ten seconds of effort. Just what I need. As exhaustion starts affecting me, all I can do, in my eyes, at least, is vent out some anger. Looking up at the overcast sky, I scream and curse with all of my power. As I shout, at the top of my lugs, a flock of birds chatter angrily, and swoop down towards me, pecking me. I can feel the sharp tips of their beaks jabbing into me, prodding me, cutting me. I shout out in pain.
Wrong thing to do.
They're even more riled now. I catch a glimpse of a golden beak before getting hit in the cheek, and I feel it cut. I've obviously angered them, but they've gone and downright screwed me over. I'm angry, and through the pain, I lash out again and again, swinging my arms randomly, keeping my eyes firmly shut. I don't want an eye ripped out. I feel less beaks jabbing me, and hear the cries of the birds as they fly away. But there is one still there. I hear it's wings beat as it approaches me. Taking my chance, I duck, then turn and lash out, striking it. I hear it cry out from pain, before a dull thud indicates it's hit the floor. Opening my eyes, I see that it is indeed on the floor unconscious, and as I stare at the poor thing, I gasp. It wasn't that the bird was out cold on the floor from my doing that made me gasp. It was the bird itself.
It's golden beak I'd noticed earlier was long and hooked. It's blue-black face was covered by what looked like a hat, due to a long and thin rim, with three spiky tufts giving it that look. It's small and scrawny body was at a weird angle where it has hit the floor hard, with it's wings spread. And it had a red band around a bushy and spiky tail.
It was a Murkrow.
A Pokémon! From those video games I played! This was so awesome, but... seriously weird. Hm, maybe I could catch it, like you did on the games...I reach out to it, stroking it, before trying to hold it in my arms, but I still feel pretty stiff, although a little less stiff than before. I attempt to capture it, throwing a rock on the ground at it. No success. In fact, that may well wake it, and the last thing I need is more cuts and bruises from ignorant Murkrow... Murkrow. A bird from a game I can remember playing. And it feels real. I can touch it and prod it, even punch it... What the hell? Having a real Murkrow lie on the floor next to me, after I punch it... That seriously couldn't be right. It had to be some sick kind of joke.
It had to be...
Someone was setting me up, trying to confuse and manipulate me. This was wrong to a whole new degree. I growled deeply, and turned around, staring out at the plain sprawled out in front at me.
"Okay, you ignorant, stupid bastards! Why is there a Murkrow on the floor? What did you bastards do to that poor bird there? You've sickeningly twisted it! You sick asses!" I kick at the ground angrily, and curse to myself. What a day I'm having. I lash out at the ground with my foot again, draining myself even more so, as the mud takes hold. It's then that I feel a drop of water hit my face, then another on my shoulder. It wasn't long before it became a downpour. Rain. I'll be out of this mud soon. I'm just about to shout out in victory when I feel a hand press against my mouth, effectively gagging me. And the thick mud I'm caked in means that I can't do anything to stop said gagger. I try and shout through their hand, but I get a chilling whisper in my ear.
"Shut up or I'll leave you to die."
Gulp.
Okay, so I'm feeling thrown off by the whole 'leave you to die' thing, but I decide that shutting my trap is a good move. Its raining now, and the mud is dripping off of me. The person grabbing me decides they don't want to get dirty, so push me back. I fall to the floor, but manage to get myself back up on my feet without too much difficulty. I swivel around angrily to face said gagger, and gasp again. Pretty sick of all this gasping, aren't you, says that stupid voice. So, why am I gasping again, you may wonder? I'm staring at a... a... hybrid. A human female crossed with a Pokémon.
Why am I sure she's a Pokémon? I'm starting to think I'm in a world filled with Pokémon, that I've somehow travelled dimensions and worlds or something. I mean, a voice which I've never heard before suggesting that common names for animals are Pokémon, saying God and being told it's Arceus, the God of all Pokémon, and seeing a Murkrow, an actual, real Murkrow! Then seeing her. I may have had my doubts about Murkrow, but I'm convinced now, because here's no denying this one. It can't be a hoax. You can't hoax the shape of the eyes and body, the perfectly formed bushy tail and amazing body markings and patterns, or the thick, and surely soft, fur covering her body. Awkwardly, she's naked, but it seems there isn't really any choice here to avoid that situation. But what is she? I run through a list in my head briefly, but can't picture what Pokémon she is. I just gape, open-mouthed at her.
"What are you staring at, you idiot? I'm just a 'Morph, much like you from the looks of it," she said to me, rather disdainfully. I'm firstly angry with myself for offending her, secondly feeling embarrassed, and, wait, what did she say?
"Hey, did you say you're a Morph?" I ask.
"A Morph. Yeah. A human/Pokémon hybrid, to make it harder. I know its a Pokémon I'm combined with because I recognize the species from the Pokémon franchise. Surely you should know this, being one yourself?" She looked at me with that disdainful look again, and I felt myself glare at her.
"Shut up, will you?" I angrily say, before she walks up to me, well, runs up to me, and thwacks me with that huge bushy tail. I go flying to the floor, in pain and confused.
"How did you... What?" I'm confused beyond my own boundary of idiocy.
"I'm a morph between a human, and a Pachirisu, okay? A Pokémon, as I've already said. And you're an ignorant, annoying fool, who seems to have nothing better to do than lie there, encased in mud, still staring at me." I feel myself staring at her, and look away quickly. But thanks to staring at her, it hits me dead on. Her rounded, brown eyes and small pointed nose, and the yellow fur on her cheeks, that had a slight pink mixed in where she's obviously feeling at uncomfortable at my observation of her. The pointed blue ears, and her long, flowing pale blue hair, slightly damp from the rain. The huge bushy tail she has, with it's three spiky tips, and long pale blue stripe running all the way from the end of her tail to the space between her eyes.
The same tail that knocked me to the floor when she decided to attack me with it.
Oh, and her hands and feet are pawed, with the human amount of what once were fingers and toes. The rest of this girl is covered in a white fur, which makes her seem more comfortable, albeit ever so slightly, with me staring, despite her blushing anyway. So she has a sort of squirrel-y appearance, and is around six inches smaller than me, standing at five-foot-one.
She's a real Morph. The Murkrow is real. Urk. I feel stupid. I look at her, and feel a lump form. The nerves are starting to hit.
"Look... Hey, I'm sorry... I just don't believe this... I mean, I'm not a Morph... I'm a human. My name is Tyler Phoenix and I'm a human. I don't know where I am, and I'm sorry, but I must be having a dream... Damn it, this is so bloody confusing!" At the curse, the girl flinches, and smiles at me.
"Tyler Phoenix, despite being a really stupid boy, you aren't the only one in a weird situation. I'm a human too. Well, at least, was... I remember being dragged down a corridor."
I had the same memory. A long corridor, feeling someone drag me. My eyes flickering open and shut, and seeing the white walls around me, shining brightly, the linoleum against me burning my skin from friction, and the fear I struggled against as I was being taken somewhere unknown by the people carrying me.
"And a few memories of life, but nothing more. At least I know my name. My name is Alexandra Fynn, Alex for short. And that I'm sixteen. But nothing else. really.."
Appreciating her feelings, I approach her, but she backs away. "You come near me, and I'll attack you again. You may have introduced myself, but you're still a threat. Especially with what you are..." I stare at her confused, and rub my cheek, where I can feel the blood drying on my damp skin... Hang on, feel it drying? It should have just trickled and washed away in the rain... I feel my face, and it feels furry. This is really weird. But I think I know what's going on. I hold my arm below my face.
When I saw my arm, I should have seen myself.
But I don't see my human self at all. Firstly, I see a thin chest, covered in white fur down to my waist, minus a blue, rounded, triangular shape that links to a pair of 'shorts'. The rounded triangle has a red rounded triangle border inside it, which is pretty bold against the dark blue. My legs, like my arms, are also white, but my feet from my shins down, and arms upwards from the wrist, are covered in a blue fur much like the 'shorts'. I also notice that I have claws on both my feet and hands, where toenails and fingernails were, and that I feel unnaturally comfortable walking on them. I can't see my face, but feel clearly that is slightly pointed. Finally, I notice that I have tufted, pointy ears, which are very soft to the touch, very sensitive, and are fun to stroke, and that the thick branches are in fact... wings? Really? I have wings. Twisting my neck, I look and see that, like most of my back, my wigs are blue. I assume that I can fly,butI'm not going to try. I'm too exhausted for that. I'm feeling truly shocked, and I just don't know what to say. It's now my turn to blush, as Alex looks at the non mud-covered Tyler. She approaches me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"A Latios Morph. Very awesome. So, Tyler, I'm sorry, but you know you're a morph now..." She says to me, with a blank stare. "You need to be so careful. You could get yourself killed shouting like that. And if I have to, to make sure you don't shut up, I will kill you. Seriously Tyler, the last thing I need is a loud-mouthed fool right now. Got it?" I gulp, and frown. She looks away, giving me a chance to gulp and recover a bit.
"What are we going to do? We're in the same situation here." I stare at the sixteen-year-old nervously.
"We're going to find out who we were, but firstly, we need to establish where we are, and what's going on." I say, Alex smiles slightly at my outburst, obviously in the know.
"Maybe you should follow me, before trying to be Mr Heroic and getting yourself killed. I know somewhere safe enough." she says, taking hold of my curiosity.
"Really? Right. Sure, I'll follow you Alex. Like there's anything around here anyway." I mutter. She smiles at me and starts walking.
"You'd be surprised, Tyler, you'd be very surprised." As she leaves, I realise I can't be left behind, so despite my exhaustion and the time, we start walking through the forest.
Heck, this is weird, and I'm still confused, but I guess I'll just have to adapt, right? Urgh, I hate whoever or whatever has done this to me. I hate you. You've left me somewhere that's really far from anything I know at all. You've left me with a cute squirrel girl who seems nice enough, but will happily kill me. And I'm battered, bruised and in no shape to go anywhere, but I have to if I want to live.
Although, saying that, this is a whole new world for me to explore, to discover. No rules or restrictions, no parents, no nagging teachers to lecture me for not getting homework in on time, despite my best efforts to. This could be really fun, a whole new adventure.
But still, I'm not too happy about this.
God-damn you, whoever you are, despite giving me a new world to explore. I was happy enough in my previous life. I was settled. Things were good, y'know? God-damn you.
Hm...
Should that be Arceus-Damn you?