Well, that walk wasn't too bad. And it looks like we made it here just in
time. As I pad my way into the cave, far behind the two electric types, I
hear the first raindrops hit the hard earth behind me.
I look back again as the ground is turned from light brown, hard packed soil to nearly black, more free earth. I smile slightly, even though my Arcanine instincts tell me to stay away from the water. I've never been too fond of being in the rain. But I've always loved to watch it fall.
"Cayla, you must keep up."
Yipes! It takes me a second to realize that it was just Polly. I swear, I must have jumped five feet!
"All right," I sigh. I still feel out of place. I'm probably the only fire type for miles.
We emerge in a large cavern, stalactites growing down from the ceiling, stalagmites growing up from the floor. It looks like there's a fresh water spring flowing through it as well, and there are food stocks against one of the walls.
"The two of you must be hungry," Polly says, walking toward the fruits and vegetables. Amy follows about an inch behind her tail, but I stay a bit farther off. Yes, I am incredibly hungry, but I'm still a loner.
Amy and Polly help themselves to the stores, then move away to begin their meal. I trot my way over and examine the selection.
There are apples, pears, grapes, tomatoes, grapefruit, pears, a few peaches and apricots, carrots, potatoes, broccoli…yuck, broccoli! What else…some olives, celery, pecans, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts…cashews and peanuts? Where'd she find those?
I take some of each item. Except the broccoli. I HATE broccoli! Then I walk over and sit near Amy and Polly. I silently eat my meal while the two of them just chat away like they're sisters.
"You probably want to know about what has happened," Polly said suddenly. My attention was instantly focused on her alone. I notice that Amy is nodding her head slowly. Polly smiles and nods, fully understanding. Then she begins.
"The chemicals they use to cause the morph have come a long way since the beginning," Polly explains, her voice unusually sad and quiet. "In the beginning, the chemicals usually killed the morph before the change took place.
"After a while, they refined the chemical, but the morphs rarely lasted more than a few hours. After a year, the morphs lasted a day. After three years, the morphs were actually staying alive on their own, but the success rate was very low. Still, they tried it on a group of humans who had been abducted from their homes.
"I was one of them. I was the only one who survived. But the chemical was still highly experimental. Over the course of five years, this is what has happened."
I look again at the Ampharos girl. The only part of her that is still human is her face and the short hair that runs down her long neck. Everything else about her is Ampharos. It's a wonder she can still talk at all.
Amy, the Raichu girl beside me, is rapt with attention. She seems to sympathize with Polly. After all, they are both electric types. I'm the one who's out of place. I'm half Arcanine.
"But the two of you are lucky," Polly continues. "The chemical has been fine-tuned since the time that I was morphed. You probably will not go through this. You will stay more like that for the rest of your lives, unless there is some sort of antidote to be found."
This is as much as I can take. Without a word, I stand and walk out of the shelter into the pouring rain outside. I hear Amy call after me, but I don't even look back.
If this is what I'll be like for my whole life, I'd rather die.
So I will.
I look back again as the ground is turned from light brown, hard packed soil to nearly black, more free earth. I smile slightly, even though my Arcanine instincts tell me to stay away from the water. I've never been too fond of being in the rain. But I've always loved to watch it fall.
"Cayla, you must keep up."
Yipes! It takes me a second to realize that it was just Polly. I swear, I must have jumped five feet!
"All right," I sigh. I still feel out of place. I'm probably the only fire type for miles.
We emerge in a large cavern, stalactites growing down from the ceiling, stalagmites growing up from the floor. It looks like there's a fresh water spring flowing through it as well, and there are food stocks against one of the walls.
"The two of you must be hungry," Polly says, walking toward the fruits and vegetables. Amy follows about an inch behind her tail, but I stay a bit farther off. Yes, I am incredibly hungry, but I'm still a loner.
Amy and Polly help themselves to the stores, then move away to begin their meal. I trot my way over and examine the selection.
There are apples, pears, grapes, tomatoes, grapefruit, pears, a few peaches and apricots, carrots, potatoes, broccoli…yuck, broccoli! What else…some olives, celery, pecans, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts…cashews and peanuts? Where'd she find those?
I take some of each item. Except the broccoli. I HATE broccoli! Then I walk over and sit near Amy and Polly. I silently eat my meal while the two of them just chat away like they're sisters.
"You probably want to know about what has happened," Polly said suddenly. My attention was instantly focused on her alone. I notice that Amy is nodding her head slowly. Polly smiles and nods, fully understanding. Then she begins.
"The chemicals they use to cause the morph have come a long way since the beginning," Polly explains, her voice unusually sad and quiet. "In the beginning, the chemicals usually killed the morph before the change took place.
"After a while, they refined the chemical, but the morphs rarely lasted more than a few hours. After a year, the morphs lasted a day. After three years, the morphs were actually staying alive on their own, but the success rate was very low. Still, they tried it on a group of humans who had been abducted from their homes.
"I was one of them. I was the only one who survived. But the chemical was still highly experimental. Over the course of five years, this is what has happened."
I look again at the Ampharos girl. The only part of her that is still human is her face and the short hair that runs down her long neck. Everything else about her is Ampharos. It's a wonder she can still talk at all.
Amy, the Raichu girl beside me, is rapt with attention. She seems to sympathize with Polly. After all, they are both electric types. I'm the one who's out of place. I'm half Arcanine.
"But the two of you are lucky," Polly continues. "The chemical has been fine-tuned since the time that I was morphed. You probably will not go through this. You will stay more like that for the rest of your lives, unless there is some sort of antidote to be found."
This is as much as I can take. Without a word, I stand and walk out of the shelter into the pouring rain outside. I hear Amy call after me, but I don't even look back.
If this is what I'll be like for my whole life, I'd rather die.
So I will.