It was 2 days left now, while I was still unhappy about being adopted with the intent of me being owned by someone else, I was almost excited to leave. I couldn't even stay still in my cage anymore and I paced hopping along with only three legs. I was curious when they were going to take the cast off. I was almost certain it was healed by now but I didn't want to risk it by putting pressure on it. I paced thinking about what I was going to see, what was this house even going to look like, what was the layout of the neighborhood, what sort of rules would they have for pets, was their a way I could I sneak out, if their was could I come back the same way, are my senses of direction better as a Zorua or the same as always. "Meh!" I whined impatiently "I can't stand this place for much longer." I whined to no one. I was getting stir crazy being couped up in this building, seeing the same set of people and the same set of rooms. Nurse Joy was nice, like really nice, but she was very professional about it all. I got her to crack a few times, to give a real smile but I wanted to see what a Haley's family would be like towards me. If I was going to be living with them to any capacity then I hoped they were nice. I'm not expecting a Full House kind of family but I want them to be a nice sort of people.

Then for the first time in a while, Haley walked in. I was surprised to see her but it was also good to see her. She opened up the door and pulled me a little while my one good back leg hopped on the table. She gave me one big stroke from the back of my head down to my tail, it was gentle but I was stretching under the feeling of her petting me. Still weird to think about being pet as enjoyable but I can't deny that when someone is good at it, it feels amazing. She laughed to herself seeing my reaction and kept doing it, I streched further and further forward each time trying to get each one to last just a little longer, then lay down and just let her pet the back of my head. "You know it's only just a few more days till you can leave right?" She asked with a grin. I smiled back and yipped in response. I learned a little trick to conpensate for them not being able to understand me, little yips, grunts and growls that literally meant nothing and were just sound, it was enough to let people know what I was trying to tell them, or at least it sometimes did. It's amazing what sounds and context can do to bridge a language. I wonder how many times my dogs were bull shitting me just to see what I would do for them.

"Everyone is really excited to meet you. I still haven't told Jordan about you yet. I want you to be a surprise. She is going to freak out when she finds out you're living with us." she laughed to herself. Jordan was her little sister, I wasn't really sold on her. I hated the idea of a hyper, over loving child following me around. "What's wrong?" she asked. I guess I let my worry slip out long enough for her to catch it. I pressed my face against her hand trying to let her know that nothing was wrong and comfort her. "I missed you too." she smiled "Sorry I haven't shown up in a few days, the police thought they caught a lead and needed to ask me some more questions, then I had to watch Jordan and..." she stopped and hesitated for a moment "It feels so wrong to say I was too busy to visit, sorry little guy." she ruffled the fur on my head playfully. I can only imagine what she's been going through after all this. I may have almost died but I barely remember any of that. She on the other hand remembers that moment very clearly. People are still asking her about it too. "Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly "I still haven't thought of a name for you." she thought out loud.

That's right, up until now everyone has been calling me "Zorua" or "Him" no one knows my name. I wouldn't even have able to communicate it to anyone. It felt degrading to realize that my name falls onto someone that barely knows me. I'd be given a diffrent name that everyone would call me by. She tried out a few names "Conner? You know because Zorua trick people...no It sounds like a cheap name, that's almost like being named 'Lier'." she dismissed to herself "Um, what about something simple... like Max" she shook her head again "It's was too simple. If you're going to have a new name I wanted it to have a good ring to it. "Red?" no "Black?"... that somehow seems worse." she thought to herself "Ugh, this is harder than I thought it would be." She admitted "It needs to be something that relates to you, you need a name that really works."

I laughed to myself "In that case how about Lucky?" really, with everything that's happened to me I can't tell if I am the luckiest person in the universe or the most unlucky.

"Hmm, I wish I could talk to Pokemon at times like these. Then you could probably just tell me." she thought to herself, crossing her arms in thought. "We still have time I guess." she said giving up on names for now. "So do you want to know something funny that happened a few days ago?" I cheered happily and listened closely as she gently stroked my back and told her story. "So a few days back, I saw this flock of Murkrow that live in our neighborhood. Two of them split off from the group and start circling this family's house. They looked like they were searching for something." She explained "I guess they were having some cook out because next thing I know they both swoop down behind this family's house and try to fly off with some of their food. The dad owned a Vaporeon and both of them were chasing these two around the house. The Murkrow couldn't fly very far because the Vaporeon kept shooting water at them but stayed far enough from them. Eventually the two pokemon give up and let the food go. The best part was that both the Vaporeon and the dad were yelling at the crows as they left, he was saying stuff like "Don't steal from us again or we won't miss!" and stuff like that." She said trying her best "Man Voice" but only managed to sound stupid. I snickered at her stupid impression. She laughed a little to herself as well "I'll admit it wasn't my best story, but I'm glad you like it. You should see those Murkrow sometime though. They always cause trouble, nothing gets boring with them." I think it would be pretty cool to see more Pokemon, maybe see them close up even. I can only imagine what a Flesh and Blood Murkrow looks like, but they might also notice I'm not a Zorua. I should probably try to keep at least a little distance.

She talked with me for a while telling me more things about what she's been up to, where she's been. It was nice to have these moments back. Eventually it had to end and the Doctor that was with Nurse Joy when the reoprters came walked in instead of the usual guy that came in as she was getting ready to leave "How's Peebody doing?" he joked. Haley stopped moving and I could see her think on that name for a while, she looked back at me then lightly smiled and shook her head.

The Doctor, who's named I learned was Doctor Murphy and no the irony was not lost on me, was holding some papers from the last checkup I had. He stopped Haley from leaving and said he had some news on me. "His healing is going wonderfully, he'll need to keep those stitches for a while but we should be able to give you an exact time frame on the day he leaves, we will also be taking off that cast of his tomorrow. His leg is as good as new." I tuned out after that, I was glad to finally be rid of this heavy, itchy cast.

I found it hard to get sleep that night. I wanted so badly to get out of here, there are thing I want to see, but their were many things I wasn't looking forward to. Being a pet was the worst thing I could think of being next to being eaten by another Pokemon. The wild would have been rough no doubt but was being physical property to someone else better? I would have to be obedient, eat whatever they told me to eat, being touched constantly, loud children, being stuck inside until they felt like letting me out and even then their would probably be restrictions. I didn't even know how long a Zorua lives. For all I know I would probably have only 5 years worth of life left. Then their was the worry of being found out. I didn't know the first thing about being a Pokemon, I didn't even know how to use my powers. When I was healed fully I might probably have to battle and what would they think if when that time comes and I can't do anything? I tried to push those thoughts back and get some sleep but it was hard.

Even though I did manage to get sleep I woke up still feeling tired. I barely had enough of a mind to think about what was happening as the put me on some table with wheels or something. I was carted off into a room I didn't recognize I was struggling to keep my eyes open during the most of the trip, the smell of medicene and the the clanking of metal started to wake me up. Some Doctors were puting stuff together on a counter on the opposite side of the room and the thing I was sat on this cold metal table. I shivered a little not expecting the table to be so cool. They carried a small tray of objects over and set them on the table a fair distance from me. My eyes widened as I saw what the objects were, several sharp tools, including a a small mortorized hand saw and a needle filled with an unknown drug. My heart started to race and I was no longer tired. I had a general fear of doctors but needles scarred me to death, a saw did not make me feel anymore comfortable.

"This is going to make you calm down so we can get it off of you." The female doctor explained showing me the needle. They were going to tranq me for this?! I made no respones and tried to stand up but one of them grabbed my back when I wasn't looking to keep me still. I started to panic, I flailed under his hold trying to wiggle free but I didn't move even an inch from under his hand. They were going to use a SAW on me while I was out cold! I yelled for help, but I got another hand to pin me down. I felt them pinch some skin on the back of my neck, my thoughts started to slow down, I could feel the panic start to just slip away, I stopped moving, the room got quietand it wouldn't stop moving, I'm not sure if they let go of me or not, it probably doesn't matter I'm too tired to worry about their problems, my eyes got heavy and it felt good to close them.

When I came out of my forced sleep, I spent some time wondering where I was. My Mind is still sluggish and my body felt numb. It took more effort than it should to keep my eyes open, the first thing I noticed was cage bars. Did they put me back while I was out? I tried to move my legs but I had almost no feeling in them and I wasn't sure if they did anything or if they were just hanging uselesslly by my side. After a few moments of trying to do something, I gave up and closed my eyes again finding it easier to sleep than to move.

I woke up once more this time feeling a well rested and saw Nurse Joy fixing things up on a counter and putting things up. I was indeed back in my own room. I sat up and let out a loud yawn that ended up getting her attention. "Well, you must have been tired." She smiled "You've slept half the day away, we knew you'd panic and we needed you to stay still but I wasn't expecting you to sleep that long." I understood the idea behind it but it still made me mad. They thought I would freak out because I was a wild pokemon and sharp objects combined with loud noises might make me want to run. My anger took on a bit of embarrasment when I realized I would have panicked regardless... and I did panic. They had to hold me down just to give me that shot. I hate needles so much! What logic is there in willingly letting people you don't know stab you with a piece of metal as fragile as a toothpick? I hope I won't need to be reintroduced to needles for a long time. I shivered just at the thought of getting anymore.

She explained to me that Haley came to visit again but I slept through it. I was dissapointed that I slept through her visit but I'd see her tomorrow. It would be the day she takes me away from here and bring me to her home... to be her pet. After all this time it's still so hard to accept it. As a human I saw nothing wrong with taking an animal to live with you, but now I was on the recieving end of that relationship. Being taken away from the only life I've known to people I barely know and live with them, my every move being restricted an regulated right down to what I eat and when. I don't want this life.

I just sat there in my bed after everyone had left. I still had energy to spare, and with the big day nearly here, I started to worry again. Not just about what tomorrow would entail for the remainder of my life here. but for how my life got started here. After spending all this time recovering, I had hoped that whatever parts of my memory that was lost would return but it didn't. It made no sense to me, I could remember my human life very clearly, I can remember my likes and my fears, everything about my past is still intact so then why can't I remember how I got here? It was like in between the splits of a second I was in my world and then I got thrown into this one. I fell asleep and then I woke up, but not in the same place I fell asleep and my head was swimming from being attacked, but I don't even remember getting attacked it just... sort of happened.

I remember a story I saw on the internet years ago I thought was stupid but now I'm not so sure. It was one of the "True story supernatural mysteries" sort of things. Some family saw their dad doing yard work on their farm and then the dad just dissapeared, he didn't vanish in a flash of light, their was no sound, nothing left behind, just gone. The family claimed that same day when they were trying to get sleep they could all swear they heard the dad yelling for help. It sounded so stupid after all people don't just vanish off the face of the earth for no reason, it just wasn't logical, you don't just slip between the fabric of the universe. As impossible as it sounded, this was equally impossible and I wondered if the same thing happened to me and I just fell through some hole I didn't notice.

I feel like if I was on some mission from entites of another universe their would be something to point me in a direction or something to tell me this wasn't an accident. I have been met with silence save for the Pokemon Center staff and as far as they are concerned I'm not human. Was this all really just an accident? That I'm not even suppossed to be here? By sheer bad luck I'm suddenly a Pokemon forced to play pet to people I don't know and be constantly dehumanized by everyone I meet? That was all just a draw of the cards and nothing else?

I went to a laying position trying to go to sleep, trying to block out all these thoughts. They made me feel so depressed during a time I felt I should be excited for. I curled into a ball bringing my tail up to my face and catching a good smell of myself, I realized I never actually caught my own scent. Like quite a few things their were smells I didn't recognize, but a few of them I did notice. Their was a distinct smell of dirt, I could also smell pine trees, from those two smells I could easily put together that at some point I came from a forest but the first thing I can remember is being in some place with a lot of buildings, I could remember glass shattering and several metal things falling. When was I in a forest? Was that my entry point? I smelled like nature and I couldn't remember when exactly I got here, I must have come here in this form while in a forest and managed to find my way into the city. Under the circumstances I would have tried to find someone who could help me, and at some point I found a city, and for some reason I got poisoned. I was a little annoyed realizing that I still had no real answers, but also felt a little proud I was figuring out how to properly use this nose and managed to find one piece of the puzzle.

I tried to see if their were any other smells I could figure out, their were two others that stuck out to me but I couldn't figure out. One was that musky smell I remembered smelling when Joy took me outside. Was that smell another Zorua? They smelled really similar but... something was slightly different about it compared to the other smell. Their was another smell that was familiar but I didn't know why. I became dissapointed that I still hadn't figured out anything more but I guess something is better than nothing. I closed my eyes trying to hold off on all the thinking so I can get some rest.

I fell asleep at some point, I don't even remember falling asleep, but I was woken up by one of the nurses and set out on the table. My heart was racing with anticipation and fear. Fear of what the future would bring, and anticipation for seeing the world beyond these walls. I have been told stories of Pokemon and their interactions with other people for two weeks now. It got me excited to see them for myself, I always wanted to live in a world where Pokemon were real, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind but I was excited to see the regardless. I no longer had to linger here and be constantly monitored, but I would be owned by another person and be expected to follow their rules, eat what they give me and be forced to cuddle with them when ever they wanted.

I waited for the moment to come and I didn't have to wait long. Either I was asleep longer than I thought or Haley had come early. Nurse Joy had explained a few things to her about me to make sure I would heal fast and properly. I was to have minimal physical activity which meant no letting me outside for about four weeks, they didn't want my wounds to get dirty or split open since they weren't done healing yet. Yet more restrictions place on me, at least I would have more room in the house than I did here but I wanted to get out and run around but I wasn't allowed to. Their were more things they talked about but I tuned them out not really wanting to dampen this moment for myself I amused myself playing with my own tail. Trying to pull it towards the front and occassionally having it slip through my paws, I managed to grab it in my mouth but would just get nothing but fur in my mouth that too would slip from my grip. I pushed my tounge in and out scrapping it against my teeth trying to spit it out the clumps of fur I accidentally pulled out of my tail. Shedding was a new thing for me, having stray clumps of dead fur was a little annoying.

My improvised game was cut short by them putting me on the floor. I was a little surprised but they explained that they wanted me to walk out with Haley. I guess it was traditional to have Pokemon walk out with their masters as a sign that they are healthy enough to leave. I was a little scared too, the sudden realization of how small I was compared to everyone else itself was scary, I didn't even make it to anyones knees, but needing to walk to the exit was surprisingly scary too, I haven't actually walked this whole time and at best I hobbled a few feet but that wasn't walking that was more or less just hopping. Haley waited for me at the exit of the room waiting for me, she was barely containing a smile as she waited for me, I looked at the other Pokemon center members that had gathered in the room, all of the looked at me expectantly and happily. Haley noticed my hesitation and called out to me "Come on, lets go home." she encouraged bending down with her arms outstreched for me. I took a few careful and clumsy steps putting on paw after another. It felt awkward and kinda embarrasing to be walking on four legs. It felt natural but that only made it weirder, the floor looks like it would have been cold but I barely felt it. It made me nervous, I wasn't sure if the pads of my feet were suppossed to have feeling in them, I was so used to the sensitivity of human feet and these thick rough pads on my paws barely let me notice the ground. With these I might not care as much walking in dirt or getting my feet wet.

I slowly made my way to her and upon reaching her she pet my head a little with a "Good boy." thrown in. I grumbled to myself hating those two words. She opened the door and waited for me to walk through I walked with her moreso trying to follow her without falling behind rather than try to get to the exit, I still was barely comfortable with walking and I was so small that her giant steps put her a good pace behind ahead of me. She noticed I was falling behind and slowed down. Every now and then people would stop to look at the two of us as we walked by some of the staff and some were normal people. The normal people seemed more surprised than the staff but some of them seemed surprised too. What was so shocking? This was normal wasn't it?

We made it to the lobby and I took a good look at it all, the walls had pink wall paper and the room was well lit giving the walls an even brighter, friendlier feel than they already had. There was a counter that sat directly from the exit that was a clean pure white, with a line of blue lights going around the edge of the counter, I couldn't see what was on the counters though but I assumed it was things typical of any work space, probably computers and things like that. I saw a few strangers that looked like normal people coming to visit for various reasons. I even saw a few little kids, they were closer to my size but still looked unsettlingly big. I found myself walking closer to Haley as more and more eyes were falling on me. The parents looked concerned but the children wanted to run over to me and they were all stopped by the adults. A few of the kids whined and argued with them and asked why they couldn't pet me, most the parents were a lot quieter and whispered to them their answers. I only picked up a few responses from those closer for me to hear or were too loud.

"They are too dangerous to play with." or "It will make bad things happen." were two that stook out to me. I wasn't dangerous, I still had bandages and I was walking right next to a human. If I was going to hurt someone I could have done it by now. I felt a little offended by their fear, yet grateful that no one would touch me at the same time. It was terrifying to be close to other people, I felt so small and weak next to them and I was scared they would find out I wasn't a Zorua. I was still nervous of Haley finding out, I found myself several times looking up at her to see if their was any change in expression with her but it was always the same set of expressions. When she was walking I would see her looking off lost in thought and sometimes she would catch me looking at her and she would give a light smile. I wondered what she was thinking about, did she notice all the reactions we were getting too?

As we walked out I could see the morning sun barely hanging in the sky and was once again welcomed with a cool breeze and crisp air. I took a look back standing right on the barrier of the door back into the center I had spent two weeks in. I felt a strange as I stood there hesitating like leaving was me signing some unseen contract. I never thought leaving this place would feel so... offical. I would leave this place and start this new life I was introduced to, with so many questions still lingering how would this life of mine play out? How would I find my way back home? Would I ever get home? I thought back to that moment when the relization came to me that I was all alone, all those thoughts and worries of never seeing my family. I saw Nurse Joy come into the lobby and watched me from the other end of the room. She smiled happily like she was watching something truly special, I wondered if she felt this happy with every Pokemon that got to walk through those doors.

Her life was so simple and she had all the answers she needed. She was a vet for Pokemon, she took care of Pokemon, saving those she can and making those she can't a fighting chance. She came to work and then left when she no longer had to be there. I envied that simplicity right now. I took a deep breath and left hearing those automatic doors close softly behind me. I expected the concrete to be rough and cold but I felt neither. The pads of my feet cushioned whatever I should have felt. I followed her through a few lanes filled with titanic cars. I could smell a faint smell of fuel walking through the parking lot. It's weird how as a fox the whole world told stories in ways I would have never noticed. So many smells from so many things and I barely understood what even a fraction of them meant.

I came up to her car and it seemed old and used but well kept, it was a bright red and had the brand of the car it was low on the door of the car. It was a name I didn't recognize, but I guess that made sense since I was in another world. It was odd to be in a world so foreign to what I was used to and yet so similar that I could almost mistake it for my own. It's like I started my life over. My thoughts were brought back when Haley put down a pet carrier down on the ground and opened it up. "Come on, boy." she said offering the brand new cage. I was shocked, I left one cage for another and she saw nothing wrong with it. I was having almost no freedom in any of this.

I pouted and turned my back to her, I wasn't going into another cage. "Please, this is just to keep you safe for the ride." she explained. I sat down and huffed loudly not looking back at her. She tried begging me and promising that I wouldn't be stuck in there but I refused to be in another one. She tried picking me up and setting the carrier vertical to drop me in I spred out my hind legs and set them on the edges to keep myself from falling in. She tried pushing down but I kept pushing back refusing to give in to her will. It was really hard, she's stronger than me and I still felt like she was holding back. Eventually she gave up that plan and set me back down along with the carrier. "Please," she said once more, I refused to look at her "We won't leave here until you get in." she threatened like a parent scolding her child. I turned back to her wanting to see if she was bluffing. She looked very serious and gave me a scolding look that made me uncomfortable. "I promise you, this will only be for the ride home. It's just to keep you safe." she repeated not dropping the tone. As if to prove her point she buckled the carrier down to the back seat. Reluctantly I agreed and she helped me into the carrier and latched the door closed and closed the car door. I tried to peak through the holes on the side of the carrier. The angle this was set in wasn't the best but I did get a decent look into her car through the tiny holes in the side.

The inside seemed just as old as outside but it was well kept and cleaned. I always remembered my car was a horrible mess, but she seemed to be very clean and orderly with her stuff. I tried to look through the bars of my door to see through the window as we started to drive off but the angle I got only let me see street lights and signs as we drove past. I struggled to stand up as we travelled, I always thought it was weird how dogs seemed to have trouble standing up in a car. The movments she took felt like the whole car was shaking, I stumbled back and forth trying to keep my balance before I decided to lay down. I noticed their were other scents in the carrier, one scent was similar to mine but I couldn't figure out the meaning. Was this the smell of a Zorua or did it mean something else? The other scent was very diffrent and was even more confusing it seemed familiar but I couldn't think of what it could have been now. Whenever we stopped she would reach back to stick her fingers through the holes to pet me and would sometimes ask how I was holding up. I would put my head against her wiggling fingers and she would scratch my head- or she would try to she usually would just touch my ears or mess with the big tuff of hair on my head instead of actually touching my head. I was very dissapointed about this.

Then came the moment, the car did a sudden turn and then stopped. I saw Haley get out of the car and walk around to open the back door. I could feel my carrier be picked up and then being set down on the concrete as she bent down to open it up and just waited for me to come out. I stood up and stayed still for a minute my ears really foucsed on my new surroundings, I couldn't hear the sound of cars like I did during our drive, I could hear faint rustling of leaves from the wind but it was mostly silent. I took a few cautious steps towards the exit and sniffed the air, it was cleaner but I could still smell car fuel. I stepped out fully and was surprised by the house in front of me. Even though I was small I was willing to bet that even if I was big the house would look large. It was a nice looking two story house but it wasn't an average house this house looked expensive. It was sorrounded by a black cast iron fence with a brick base I couldn't see past the base very well since it was almost as tall as me but the length of the fence told me that they had a large yard. Their was a gate taller than Haley that stood between the sidewalk and the walkway to the house. I looked down both ends of the street and their was a bunch of similar looking houses lining the street. I would have never guessed she lived in a rich neighborhood, she never mentioned that. They weren't mansions by any means but this was easily upper middle class at least. I was shaken out of my awe when I heard the car door slam shut behind me. I looked behind me and saw Haley walk past me with a smile on her face as she opened the gate and waited for me to walk in "Come on, let's see your new home."