Well, here it is. Chapter two is out. Just a quick thanks to the people who already loved and favorited. There was only one chapter out, so it's nice to know that you liked it.

Anyways, I don't have much to say, so 'let's just jump in'.

"Alright, Riolu, we're going to go walk around outside for a bit."

I heard Lilly pull back the curtains on my right and light showered through the room. I looked over to her, squinting.

She threw her hands up with an exasperated sigh. "You can't stay asleep the entire day. C'mon, I'll even wheel you around."

She gestured to a wheelchair that was brought in earlier. I looked at her and huffed.

"Fine, You can use a crutch if you want, but I don't want you putting weight on that leg yet. Now let's get you ready."

Lilly pulled my leg off of the overhang and grabbed a small metal crutch off of the back of the wheelchair. She picked me up off of the bed with a grunt and set me down, handing me the crutch. I huffed again and stared at her.

"Well come on! Let's go!"

She led me out the door and I hobbled my way out the room. She gestured for me to follow and we walked down the hallway which was filled with various hospital staff. Some were running around with a sense of urgency and others were simply strolling about. Some were directing around pokémon just like Lilly, but they were the few. We reached an elevator and we walked in, accompanied by another nurse. We stopped at the third floor and the nurse got out. Three more floors down, and we made it to some sort of entertainment area.

The main lobby was filled with various tables and couches. Televisions were set up everywhere and there were a few board games going around. A room off to the left held a sort of gym with weights, courses, and general recreational equipment. An incredibly large pool was situated next to it. The furthest room seemed to be some sort of cafeteria. Off to the right was a doorway that led to what seemed to be a park. The entire area was all filled with only pokémon and hospital staff.

The sight was disorientating to me. Pokémon weren't supposed to be real, yet here they were, walking, talking, breathing, and eating. I looked up at Lilly and she gave me a reassuring smile. I attempted to return it, but it was in vain. She gave me a pat on the shoulder and gestured for me again. I nodded slowly.

She walked towards the door leading to the park and I hobbled to follow. She pressed a button on the door and guided me outside. Following her, I covered my eyes as they adjusted to the light. Many pokémon of all sizes were occupying the large space, running around or interacting with others. Letting my arm fall, I looked up at Lilly.

"So what do you want to do? Do you want to just walk around, or maybe go find a friend?"

I pointed to an unoccupied bench that rested off to the left.

She sighed. "Or we can just sit down."

We made our way over and had to dodge a few canine pokémon as they ran past. Settling down I looked around, grimacing slightly.

"What's wrong? Is your leg an issue?"

I glanced at her before looking back down and shaking my head slowly.

"What is it then?"

I looked out at all of the pokémon running around and then at myself. I held up my two… paws. One was still encased in plastic partially hiding my troubles while the other stood in full view. I looked back at Lilly and she gave me another smile.

It's not like she would understand. How could she? A human not only from another world but turning into a pokémon?

The whole idea is even hard for me to grasp even now. Looking at myself is hard to do knowing for that all of my life, I was human, but now I'm a fictional creature in a fictional world.

Lilly sighed and sat straight. "Fine, you don't have to tell me or show me, but you can't be sad all the time. C'mon, we're gonna get you to have some fun. Ever played any board games before?"

I nodded slowly.

"Then we're going to play one. C'mon."

Sighing, I let her lead me back inside. She set me down at a table and went off to a corner holding a bunch of boxes. She came back with a box with art depicting two pokémon clashing with two attacks. She set it down and set it up while I watched, somewhat intrigued. She began to lay out the board and set some pieces down on the same side on opposite ends.

"Let's give it a go. I'll teach you how."

Lilly taught me how to play and I started to get the hang of things. I forgot about my surroundings and we just played the game. That was until she made a proposal.

"How about a little wager?"

I felt something twitch on the top of my head and I looked up at her.

She smiled. "If you can win this next game, I'll get you an ice cream. If I win, I get to tell you to do one thing for me."

My ear twitched again.

These are some high stakes here. I rested my head on my hand in mock thought. But I'm pretty sure that you have forgotten the concept of 'beginners luck'.

I gave a wisened nod and she laughed.

"Alright, it's a deal."

She said as she held out her hand to which I shook. She set up the board and shot me a cocky grin. However, a few minutes later and she was clutching her head staring at the board.

"Well… it's my loss. I've never been beaten that badly… Y'know what, double or nothing. You get to pick your ice cream if you win."

I gave her a cheeky grin and nodded. She set up the board again, this time with concentration glued to her face and a complicated strategy forming. However, her plans were unraveled and victory was claimed once again. I grinned at her as she struggled to process.

"Well… I guess you're getting an ice cream of your choosing…"

In the cafeteria, there was a chain type vendor called Vanillisious. It had a decent line even with two windows. I looked up at the menu, carefully planning my execution. The line shortened and my time came. A woman was busy fiddling with the register behind the counter.

"Welcome to Vanillisious, how may I take your order." She glanced over at us before calling over her shoulder. "Brie, swap."

I laughed slightly, thinking of the cheese, but also masking my nervousness. A Gothorita replaced the woman and I froze up even more than I had before. I stared at her as she began to speak.

"Sorry about that, what can I get you?"

My eye stood suspended and my blood froze. My pulse hastened and looked down at my hands which seemed to shake. My vision began to waver and tunnel. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up.

Lilly's voice began to come into clarity. "...What's wrong!?"

I looked down at myself once more. Emotion overcame me, and I dropped the crutch and ran. I don't know where I went, I don't know what else I did… I couldn't discern anything, I couldn't think. I just ran. Hallways rushed passed as a blur and I ran through the unchanging scenery.

I found myself in a corner, huddled and breathing heavily. No one was nearby as I stared at the floor clutching myself.

It scared me. More than anything else. I hadn't talked for that one reason. No one would understand me, right? Except for pokémon. But if only they could, that would only make me less human. The thought of talking at all was something I didn't want for fear that through it, how could I still call myself… anything of what I was?

I'm Shawn… I'm thirteen… I live with my mom and dad and sister, I… have… light brown hair… I…

The more I looked at myself, the more scared I felt. I couldn't describe myself as any of these because they didn't exist. My family doesn't exist in this world. I– Shawn… doesn't exist in this world. So what does that make me?

Looking at myself now, the only thing I can do is come to terms with it. I'm… not human… at least, not anymore. I can't be Shawn, right? Shawn doesn't exist here. So then who am I?

"Riolu!"

I looked up to find Lilly running towards me at speeds that would make a cheetah… or some speed based pokémon jealous. She barreled into me with an embrace, rocking me back and forth and petting my head, to my grudging approval.

"Oh please don't run off again! I didn't know where you were! I didn't know what happened to you!" She pulled me back and looked at me. "Are you okay…?"

I looked down at myself once more. Looking back up I nodded slowly.

She sighed and embraced me again. "What was wrong, was it the Gothorita?"

I shook my head against her shoulder.

I mean… she might have been involved in it, but the problem is me…

"Then what was it? Do you not want to talk to anyone?"

Partially… but I think that with a lack of speech able to go between us, it'll be hard to say why.

"So that's it? Well… I don't think I'll be able to understand, but we have some people that could help you out if you would like. Would you like that?"

I shook my head, I'll be fine… I hope...

"Oh yeah… I got you an ice cream."

I felt my ears twitch and I wriggled against her.

Lilly giggled and released me. "All right, all right! I give. You can have it."

She held out to me a cone of vanilla and gave it to me. I looked at her with a pouting eye.

"Well, if you didn't run off, I coulda got you something better."

Huffing, I began to finally eat my spoils of war.

Lilly sighed and smiled at me. "Come on, I'll take you back to the room."

She stood up and handed me my crutch. I grabbed it and she guided me back up to my room as I continued to make progress on my prize.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

"Good news, Riolu, we can start taking off those casts around lunch time. And only nine days after being brought in, too."

I looked back from the television that Lilly and I had been watching.

I finally get these stupid things off? Took long enough.

Lilly noticed the annoyance that marked my face and laughed. I glanced over at her and huffed. I gestured to her and the television in an attempt to get back at her.

"Yeah, I'm watching a kids show. I do this every day. I've got kids and you to watch, and how am I supposed to spend time with you guys if I can't do what you're doing?"

I rolled my eye and looked away to which she laughed more at.

Simon grinned from his panel in the corner. "You two seem to be getting along. Alright, Riolu…" Simon tapped on the tablet and walked over to me. "Let's see that arm of yours."

I held out my arm and Simon began to remove the cast. He pulled it from my arm and placed it in a waste bin beside him. Still holding my arm, he began to examine it with a device that looked similar to a metal detector that I sometimes saw at an airport.

"You seem mostly good… That right there is going to take some time… but you're alright for the most part. Now for your leg…"

He undid the cast around my leg and peeled it off. He threw it into the same waste bin and began to metal detect my leg this time.

"Your leg seems mostly fine too… so we should be able to keep the cast off for good, now." Simon stowed the fancy metal detector and wheeled over a cylindrical machine. "Alright, one more thing, we have to do one more scan then we'll be good. Put your arm inside, please."

I complied and placed my arm inside. He took a tablet out of his coat and placed it on the side of the machine and pushed a button. The machine whirred and I felt a small tingle along my arm. It stopped seconds later and I pulled my arm out. Simon lowered the machine slightly and gestured to me.

"Alright, your leg next."

I placed my leg inside and the process was replicated. Simon took out the tablet and examined it. He tapped on it a few times before stowing it.

"Alright. You should be good for rehab pretty soon. Well, that's all. Is there anything that you would like, Riolu?"

I looked up and thought for a second. I gestured to my leg and arm then mimed tapping a tablet just like Simon had done.

He laughed. "Yeah, you can see it. I sent it along to Lilly so you can see it on hers." Simon nodded off to her. "Now, I assume that is all… I'll be going then."

He gave a wave and began to tap on his tablet again as he walked out the door. I looked over to Lilly and made a grabbing motion with my paws. She laughed and complied. Pulling up the readings, she handed it off to me.

The objects I saw were small. I assumed they were my bones. Around where they met a mesh of other bones, red markings were placed where I assumed I had been injured. Small icons were appearing connected to the red marks. I tapped on one and it appeared with what I assumed was information about the injury. I skimmed it over as Lilly stared at me incredulously.

"You can read?"

I nodded, half paying attention.

She whistled. "Your quite smart. Not many pokémon are able to discern more than a few words, typically locations."

I smiled at her praise and continued on. Part of the reason I was so intent on this was specifically due to my lack of knowledge about myself. I have no clue what Riolu typically eat, do, or how they act. I guessed that though it was mostly irrelevant, I should at least give it a shot.

Pressing the icons, I examined the information they gave. The most I was able to discern was what happened to me, but not much about what I'm made of. I handed the tablet back to Lilly and nodded.

"You're done?"

I nodded and looked up at her.

"Anything you need help understanding?"

A lot of things…

I thought for a moment and patted my chest.

"You want to understand more about yourself…?"

I nodded.

"Alright… I'm pretty sure I have some diagrams pulled up from when I began working with you. I'll let you take a look."

She began to tap and scroll around on the tablet before handing it over to me with a folder appearing on the screen. I nodded my thanks and began my Riolu orientated investigation.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

Welcome to gym class. Shall we take attendance? Riolu? Here. Alright, all here. Prepare for tediousness beyond belief. Let's get started.

I looked over at Lilly, unimpressed.

"What? You've been out of commission for eleven days! We have to some kind of rehabilitation to ensure that you can perform normally." She put her hand on her face and muttered, "I swear, you're just like one of my kids."

I huffed and grumbled. Erected before us was a running course and a few obstacle courses that a few pokémon were occupying. Crossing my arms, I looked at Lilly and jerked my head towards the building.

Sighing she shook her head. "No, we cannot go back inside. Come on, all you have to do for me is one lap. Do it fast, and we can finish quicker."

I sighed myself and began 'stretching'.

She gave me a look. "You're just extending your time y'know."

Huffing, I stood on the line and lifted my arms questioningly.

"Ready?"

I nodded off to her.

"Alright, three, two, one, go!"

I sprung up and began to proceed at the amazingly fast pace of a two miles an hour. Lilly sighed behind me.

"Start over!"

I grumbled spun around, walking back to the line. She began fishing around in her waist pocket and produced what I assumed was her phone.

"How about this. If you can get a good time, I'll get you ice cream."

I stroked my nonexistent beard, before sagely nodding off to Lilly.

"All it takes is some ice cream with you..." She sighed. "My pocket change is going to run dry trying to get you to complete everything."

I shrugged and took up my spot.

"Three, two, one… one and a half…"

I looked over my shoulder and gave her a glare.

"Go!"

Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that a small bipedal creature shouldn't run faster than a human thirteen-year-old that is probably three feet taller. I guess I can use the excuse that I'm not human anymore, but still, I was actually kinda fast. I'm pretty sure I broke my barrier of one minute, and when I came to the white line, I didn't even feel tired. I guess the only real downside I can say about myself physically is that I'm a furred bipedal dog, and two, I'm short.

"That's a good time. You're a little above average if I were to factor in the circumstances. I gave you about four seconds considering that your leg should still be a little bad. Next, on to weights."

I glared at her and she sighed.

"Yes, you get an ice cream…"

I smiled to myself, mocking hubris as we walked back inside. She led me over to the far left corner and directed me to a set of weights.

"Alright. Try to find the heaviest one you can and pick it up with your left hand."

I slung my arm around and grabbed what had once been my heaviest to find that it weighed nothing more than a gallon of milk. Grabbing one three sizes up wasn't even that bad for me. Five sizes up and I started to feel a strain. Ten sizes up from that, and it was beginning to get difficult. Five more and I almost reached my limit. Three up and I finally had an issue keeping it up while my wrist began to hurt. But still, that was one hundred and thirty pounds more than what I could usually do. I looked myself over, impressed. Nodding off to Lilly, she tapped it into a tablet.

"Did you stop because of strain or pain?"

I gave a so-so and she marked it down.

"All right… on to grip strength." She motioned towards a rack of what looked like brass knuckles with a calculator on the top. "How hard can you clutch the gripper?"

I shrugged and grabbed the 'gripper' and simply gripped. Slowly scaling the strength, I was able to get to get about fifty pounds of pressure before my wrist started to hurt and I couldn't press much harder. I again gestured to Lilly to show this.

"Alright. That should be all." She sighed. "And yes, I'll get you an ice cream…"

I pumped my fist and she chuckled slightly.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

Twelve days. They said I would be out in about two more judging by my rate of recovery and recent display. However, though my physical wounds healed, I still was unable to cope with who I had become. Sure, pokémon were– are cool, but I'm not sure how I feel about being one. I'm sure things can themselves out, but there is also the possibility that it won't. And I don't want to feel like this for the rest of my life.

Shawn doesn't exist. The person I used to be never was born or came into being at any point in time here. I'm just Riolu… No, I don't think it's right that I don't have a name. I have to be someone, even if I can't be who or what I was. So then who am I?

Looking down at myself, I clenched my paws.

I am Lukas.

That's a chapter done. With that out of the way, I can finally move on to story progression. I'll be introducing some new people soon and we'll finally get out of the hospital.

I've got some 'cover art' now if it can be considered that. It may not look that good, but it's good enough. Whatever. If anyone wants to do some for me, you're more than welcome, 'cause I'm not that good with digital art.

Remember, leaving a comment lets me know what I've done right or wrong, so leave one if you'd like.