Chapter 2: Freaks and Thieves
Rekki stared at me like I was crazy, and I was certainly feeling like that. If eyes could bug, mine were doing so. I wonder if I slapped myself everything would return to normal? To hell with it. I raised my hand and slapped myself across the cheek experimentally. Yikes. That hurt. I winced and rubbed my stinging cheek.
Note to self: do not slap yourself anymore.
Rekki was giving me a very odd look. Maybe she was wondering if she should have left me unconscious, and darn it, I wished she had. Maybe then I could experience this weirdness alone! Instead, I had to have an audience.
And it wasn't even a good audience.
"Um . . . Chimchar? Are you okay?" Rekki asked shyly.
"No, I'm not okay!" I hissed. "I'm going through some kind of delusional breakdown here! You keep on calling me Chimchar, and I'm not one! At least, I wasn't!"
She gave me a skeptical look and said slowly. "All right, then what were you?"
"A human!"
Rekki stared at me for one long second, before doubling over in laughter. I glared.
"Human! Oh, that's a good one!" she gasped out. "Oh man, you've got jokes."
"Shut up," I muttered. "And why don't you go away? Let me have my breakdown in peace."
I think I must have offended her because she quit giggling and straightened up. Her eyes, which I noticed were a dark pretty brown took on a puppy-dog look.
"Well, I dunno why I'm here. I mean, I just ventured down here because I was upset, then I saw you. I was just worried, like I said." Her ears slumped down, like a sad dog's would. "If you are all right, then I guess I'll go . . . " she turned around and started trudging up the beach. I couldn't help but stare at her lightning-bolt shaped tail.
I knew I shouldn't feel sorry for my bad behavior toward the electric mouse. I knew I shouldn't really care if I hurt her feelings. I knew I shouldn't go after her.
And wouldn't you know it? I did.
"Hey, Rekki," I said, hurrying forward and grabbing her arm (which was furry and warm) "Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be all mean to you. You were just trying to help."
The Pikachu looked at me, and I saw her sad expression fade. I continued to explain. "Look, I'm just in a seriously shitty situation here. I mean, I don't know why I'm like this!" I gestured to my small monkey-like body. "I was a human, I was. That's the one thing I do remember."
"Wait, you don't remember who you were, or what happened?" questioned Rekki.
I rubbed my forehead. Come to think of it, no. How did this happen, why was I like this, and where I had been before this happened where things I just couldn't figure out.
"Just my name," I said grudgingly. Of all things I could remember, it was my name? Weird.
"What is it?"
"Yukina."
Rekki nodded, yellow ears a-flapping. "Oh, well, it's good to know your name at least." A smile lit up her features. "I'm glad that I can call you something besides Chimchar."
I really hoped that I was imagining it, but it sounded like she was implying that we would be hanging out together for a long time. Um . . . no. I didn't need to be hanging out with anybody right now. I did not need anybody who was really starting to remind me of a lovesick puppy clinging to my leg. I did need to find a way to get back to being a human. Hmm. Well, how had I become this thing? This Chimchar creature? Okay, think. What was the last thing I remembered? Hmm . . .
My mind was just coming up with a blank.
Darn.
Ugh! Why couldn't I remember what happened? I remembered this beach, and waking up on it feeling like death warmed over. And then, well, everything after that. I didn't really consider remembering my name as much, but at least it was something. If someone calls me Chimchar again they're going through a wall.
Yes, I do have anger issues.
As I stood there, arms folded probably frowning fiercely, I saw two figures walking along the beach. What caught my attention was that they were flying. As they got closer, I saw that one thing had wings that it was flapping frantically as it moved. The other looked like a ball. Really, a floating ball. I narrowed my eyes at them past Rekki. She saw where I was looking and turned curiously, ears twitching.
Then it just got a bit strange, if possible at the moment.
Th floating purple ball thing, which had a creepy smile, rushed up and tackled Rekki. She yelped in surprise and fell face-first onto the sand. Something fell out of her hand and rolled away from her as she sat up, coughing and spitting out sand.
"Whoa-ho-ho!" The ball thing chuckled. "Watch it!"
"You're the one who pushed her!" I said fiercely, coming to her defense.
"Yeah, why'd you do that?" Rekki demanded, lurching up and glaring at the ball-and-bat duo.
"Heh, heh, heh!" the blue bat laughed. "Didn't expect that, did ya?" It flew over to thing that Rekki dropped. "Probably weren't expecting this, were ya?" It plucked it from the sand. (and to this day I don't know how it managed to pick something up. It had no hands)
Rekki looked shocked. "H-hey!"
"Whoa-ho-ho!" The ball laughed. Jeez, this thing was a freak. "What? Aren't you gonna do anything? What's the matter? Too scared?"
Rekki stared at them. What was she waiting for? I would've been cussing up a storm at these two, then attacked them, demanding my stuff back, Hell, I would have taken it back by force. All she did was stand there.
I didn't get it.
"Well, Koffing," the bat drawled. "Looks like we don't got anything to worry about with this weakling."
"Yeah, what a punk," the ball agreed. "Let's go." It fixed a nasty look on Rekki. "If you want your stuff back, come and get it!" It laughed, and so did the bat, and then they floated away. We watched. They hurried into a wide cave entrance, disappearing out of sight.
I looked at Rekki.
"You're just gonna let them take your stuff?" I demanded. I know I wouldn't have. I would been running after them, gave them a piece of my mind, and maybe beat them up a bit.
She looked crushed. "I . . . I didn't know what to do. But," she sniffled. "that's my most precious treasure!"
Oh my God. I realized she was crying. Wow. She looked so upset that it was pitiful. I watched as she sniffed again and then seemed to get some control over herself.
"Screw this! I have to get it back!" she fixed a fierce look on me. "Hey, can I get you to help me?"
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on just a minute. Why am I being involved? Did I raise my hand and offer to be an assistance, to go after the badies and be the hero for the day? Uh . . . no. Now Rekki was all asking me for help, and I didn't know what to do. I mean, I hardly knew this girl, creature, Pikachu, whatever and she didn't know me either. Now . . .
Maybe, I thought. Maybe I should. She did find me. Does that mean I owe her? I bit my lip. Huh. My teeth were sharp. She is the only one I know right now, and I might need her in the future. I may as well help, try to get her on my side.
I didn't know how long I'd be here with my amnesia, how long I'd be in this body, but some part of me just refused to do it alone. I needed someone to be with, temporary as it may be.
Damn it all, I thought.
I returned Rekki's fierce look with a steely one of my own.
"All right, fine. Let's go get your stuff back and kick some ass."
*What do you think? Can I get a review, please, please, please?
