Yes, I changed the name of the story. "Another Chance" was a battleground for me for the longest time, and considering I get the intimation some see it as a cliche, I decided to remove it.

"Another Chance" was meant to reference something big later on in the fic, so having people interpret it as 'Ray gets another chance at life' was fairly demoralizing. The new title, however, should more accurately reflect the aforementioned event, all while granting the title the degree of ambiguity I desire.


Chapter VI: Steady Adjustment


"I dunno, is it a mountain?"

"What!? How'd you guess!?"

I sighed, resting my chin on Somin's mane. About half the day had passed, a portion of it spent with an impromptu game of I-Spy between Axle and Victor. With nothing else to do, I listened to the incessant babble, seemingly even more annoying now I could understand them.

My thoughts had drifted the entire time, but almost always returned to the events of the same morning.

I'd awoken, screaming and on the verge of tears as a result of nightmares I couldn't remember the contents of.

In my struggle, I'd managed to fall out of Somin's mane, and was crudely reminded of the changes that had occurred in their entirety. My rebooting mind had yet to remember the previous day's events, so I found myself in a fit of fear much akin to my prior one.

It was only with the soothing words of the hastily-woken Vita that calmed me down, enough to feel guilt and apprehension to the point of tears.

Now, I felt downright depressed. It seemed the revelation was finally starting to kick in; I'd actually been transformed into a Zorua, and a kit at that. I was going to be stuck that way for at least a while, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Wanna play, Ray? You seem down."

I glanced in Victor's direction, and was met with a pair of eyes, full of pity.

It only served to frustrate me further. They thought I couldn't handle myself, didn't they? I was just some weak, pathetic creature in their eyes, one that they were only helping because they were forced to.

No, that was wrong. My team cared about me, they did… They hadn't given me a reason to suggest otherwise, so why was I so upset?

"Ray?"

Those eyes were still staring at me, but instead glinted over in concern. Concern for my mental well-being, I realized.

Yet, that didn't stop the fact I was in a horrible mood, and just wanted time to think.

"Sorry Vic," I said slowly and softly, "Maybe little while."

"That's okay!" he responded enthusiastically, "I was gettin' a little bored with it anyways. Not many ways to pass the time up here."

Arceus, I felt so useless. Sure I hadn't been as physically capable as a human, but this… Now, I couldn't do anything, and being handled as such was humiliating.

Did Mew really have to reset my biological clock? Was this really the only way, or was there another solution Mew brushed over for a simple laugh?

Hell, I couldn't even walk on my own without help. Was Mew meaning to screw with me? If she wasn't, then why did she just up and leave? She was probably watching me now, sniveling about the whole situation.

Then it hit me.

She knew… She knew about how I felt when it came to independence. She'd debilitated me so I would have to get help! That was her plan, it was to mess with me all along! She planned the entire attack, hurt Jet, just to see me suffer.

"Doin' okay, Ray?"

I had started growling, actually growling subconsciously with the thoughts of the legendary. Vita, though, dragged me back to reality with the question.

"Eh," I mumbled, embarrassed about the fact I'd allowed my emotions to manifest themselves. Sighing, I let my eyes to go half-lidded. I could never get bored with the multitude of thoughts, queries, and frustrations running through my head.

Maybe it was the exhaustion slowly creeping up my spine that'd allowed the turbulent thoughts passage to my consciousness. I had a point, sure, but the claims were outlandish. I wouldn't let myself become some sort of conspiracy theorist, no matter how angry I was.

We were set to arrive at the cave sometime within the next few hours. I tried looking forward to that, rather than let my thoughts settle on my malcontent.

Mental exhaustion, as I'd explained, was setting in fast; exponentially quicker than my physical fatigue. I attributed it to my mind being allowed no respite over the last few days. Hoping to be rid of the pounding headache roaring through my brain, I allowed my eyes to close fully, trying to focus solely on the contrasting warmth I felt through Somin's fur, as opposed to the harsh climate outside.

I was asleep almost instantly.


"Alright, time to talk."

Vita, noticing my tiny head peeking out if Somin's fur, fast asleep, nodded. She turned solemnly towards Somin.

"He's letting it get to him," she said, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. "He said Mew abandoned him, he's probably starting to realize we're all he has now."

"Why would he be angry about that, though?" Axle inquired. "I thought we were doing a good job!"

"That's the problem," Vita replied. "How do you think he feels about this? Over the last few years, he thought himself progressively useless compared to us. Just imagine what he must be feeling now! His one lifeline to becoming human again disappearing doesn't help at all."

"What do you suggest we do then, Vita? Without our help, he'll die, plain and simple. Maybe he just has to suck it up and learn he needs us right now."

"You saw how much of a wreck he was this morning, Somin! We gotta give him something, something to hold on to, or else he'll completely fall apart!" Axle inserted. "We're the only shred of anything he has left, it's not enough…"

"I'm gonna give him something to look forward to," Somin defended himself without turning around. "You're gonna keep teaching him to walk, and he'll eventually get old enough to do stuff on his own again. Problem solved."

"You almost sound like you don't care, Somin, we can't just brush this off," Vita stated, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't care?! I didn't get a wink of sleep last night, all because I couldn't stop worrying about this! I don't care? Open your eyes, Vita!"

"Somin—"

"WHAT, Vita!? What!? I've had to watch him die right in front of my face! Twice! Goddamn, it doesn't matter what we do! He'll probably still feel like he's stuck with his parents again, and we all know how well seeing them worked out last time! What do you suggest we do to change that?"

"Don't you dare bring Sierra into this," Vita hissed, raising her head. "This is nothing like that! We're nothing like them!"

"That's not the point!" Somin yelled, stopping dead and turning directly around. He didn't falter under Vita's glare.

He turned behind him at a hint of movement, seeing the little Zorua in his mane shifting with his sleep. Either he was having yet another nightmare, or he was disturbed by their screaming. Thankfully, though, he stayed under.

"I know what it is," Somin said quietly. "By the time I first met you two, he still hadn't gotten over his dependence on his parents. He only ever fully became his own person after he got rid of those fuckers. Now, reliance is being shoved back into his face tenfold, and the worst part? We can't do anything about it. As I see it, we have two choices, either protect him as the child he appears to be, or leave him to die. Which one do you wanna choose, Vita?"

Vita paused, continuing in her deathly glare at the Zoroark. "No, he never became independent. True, pure independence means you're detached, a reject from the rest of society. No, when he denounced his parents, he turned to us, he just didn't know it. Now, though, he's forced to realize it for himself."

"Still doesn't change the fact he's unhappy, does it? Hell, I don't know how we expect him to be happy in this situation, he thinks all we do, every second of the day, is think about how this is somehow his fault…"

"What makes you say that?"

"Just… Everything about him. He feels guilty about something… I've known him long enough to figure out that much."

"How do we help him pull through?" Axle inquired.

"I'm gonna help him get past it. I'm gonna make everything normal again, Zorua or human. All we need to do is maintain the familiarity we still have; still be ourselves. Maybe, in time, he'll come to realize nothing about us has changed with his transformation, we'll still see him as the Ray we all knew… Before all this," Vita replied, sighing.

"Maybe… Maybe this will help us get to know him even further," Victor said, seemingly out of nowhere. "I don't wanna stay stuck on the past. He's a Zorua now, nothing's gonna change that any time soon. The best we can do is make the most of it. We can all look at the positive side of what's happened, and all we need to do is make Ray see it too. We're only gonna come out of this stronger as a team either way."

The group turned in the direction of the Durant, eyebrows cocked after hearing the unexpected insight in his speech.

"I-I mean," he stuttered, face lighting up red from the stares, "Or w-we can do whatever, you know…"

"No," Vita sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, you're completely right."

In silence, they continued on, trying their best to take the Durant's advice.


Death seemed to follow the boy wherever he went.

"No! Please! Don't do this to me!"

No matter how hard he tried… No matter what he did… The result was always the same.

"Oh Arceus… I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen…"

All he'd ever wanted was a companion, a comrade he could call friend. His social standing among his peers never allowed for any human compassion.

They all saw him as a freak.

"All I wanted… I just wanted to have someone. Please, I don't want it to end this way…"

Tears rolled freely down his cheeks, pooling at the chin and falling at sporadic intervals.

"Please…"

His sobs intertwined with his words, making his sentences near-incomprehensible. However, he seemed to get his proposed meaning across rather well.

"Z… Zor…"

Gasping, the boy stared at the dying creature before him.

"It's okay," he told himself. "You'll be okay… I'm gonna get you fixed up, and we can go on the journey I talked about together. I promise."

"I won't let you die."

Trying to keep the tattered bandage wrapped around the Zorua's body intact, he picked it up, ignoring the whines of protest, and sprinted off.

Two miles… That was all he had to go. The location of the accident, thankfully, wasn't a long way from help. He tried focusing, whether it be on his own footfalls, the ragged breathing of the small creature, his attempts at keeping pressure on the wound, his futile tries not to jostle it around.

The blood rapidly soaking the arms of his jacket...

It was long dead by the time he arrived at the Pokémon Center.


"I got somethin'," said Somin after nearly an hour and a half of silence, turning around to give the team a glance. "How's about I start teaching him illusions tonight?"

"Why?" Axle asked, "What's the point?"

"Eh, why not? It's probably a good way to get his mind off of everything that's happened, so—"

"NO!"

"What the hell?"

Somin was interrupted when his trainer, held in a restless sleep, woke screaming. I struggled upon awakening from the disturbing dream, to the point I eventually worked my way out of the Zoroark's fur, falling hard on the rocky ground below.

It hit hard, I felt the breath get forced out of me with the contact. Yet, even that did not stop me from shaking. Had I had a nightmare again? I remembered the events of the dream distinctly. However, the scene was unfamiliar, it took no space in my memory bank whatsoever… How had it gotten in my head?

"Ray, are you alright?" Victor's voice could be heard above me. I opened my eyes, slowly, to see him before me, staring down with worried eyes.

I got over the shock of not being human once more, thankfully this time without any outward reaction. Once I realized where I was, though, I let my heart rate lower.

"The hell was that, Ray? You scared the crap out of me!"

I turned sullenly towards Somin, ears flat against my head instinctively.

"S-sorry Somin… Just… Nightmare."

"I noticed," he said irritably, "Just… Don't do it again."

I nodded, burning up under each individual gaze of the team.

"You let me sleep?" I asked slowly, humiliation furthering with the thought. The least I could do was stay awake while being carried all over the place. I loathed the thought of sitting idly by while others worked for me. In my mind, it lessened my stature in the other's eyes.

"You needed it," Vita cut in, scratching my head with a single vine, "You're going through alot right now, and it doesn't help that kits sleep through a majority of their time anyways. You get exhausted easily, it's natural. I'm surprised you were able to stay up the whole day yesterday," she paused, chuckling. "Probably why you fell asleep so fast last night."

"Whatever," I said grumpily, taking note of her calling me a kit. At least she didn't seem angry, if her vine was any indication. Maybe she wasn't as irritated as she let on. I was probably over-contemplating the situation.

With the silence that immediately followed, I was able to get a grasp of my surroundings. We seemed to be at a considerably lower elevation, if the patch of trees that laid ahead was any indication.

Yet, I heard something else…

"Is that… Our river?"

Even if my words were over-pronounced and slurred, the intention was not lost on the team.

"That's the grove, isn't it?" Victor asked, staring at the small forest ahead. "We made it!"

"I'll find the cave," offered Jet, speeding off with a few powerful thrusts of his wings.

Finally! We maybe, just maybe, weren't going to die, secluded from the rest of the world. We'd made it to our safe haven, a home away from home.

Wanting to do something for myself, though, I ignored the pain rapidly flaring from my side, stood up, and stumbled forwards, off towards the trees, leaving the team behind.

"Ray! Wait up! We don't know if there's ferals in there or not!"

The sound of flowing water enticed me greatly, enough to drown out the apprehensive call of Axle behind me. I hadn't had a single drink since we stopped for the evening the previous day, my throat felt as if sandpaper had been rubbed thoroughly around the insides.

The thought of my thirst went to further my already-latent feeling of hunger. Unlike water, at the elevation we'd been at the previous day, there had been absolutely nothing to eat. I'd completely forgotten about it during the time, the sensation not quite showing itself without my attention. In short, I hadn't consumed anything since I'd awoken the previous day.

Of course, we checked the bag for food prior, but found it empty. Either some ferals had gotten to it on Chimney during our absence, or all the food had been unpacked, and therefore resided not with the bag as it was teleported away.

My steps, as before, were clumsy. It was as if I were walking on stilts, my gait showing as rigid and splinted.

Yet, eventually, I'd made it, stepping into a riverbank clearing before the rest of the team. I'd stumbled, sure, but felt gratification when I made it without completely falling once.

I was laying down by the water's edge in an instant, gulping down as much drink as possible.

The ice-cold mountain water, while numbing my tongue, was an extremely welcome contrast to before. The magic liquid ran down my throat, taking all signs of soreness with it.

Yet, for every positive, there's a negative to accompany it. I was only reminded of how hungry I was, the water seeming to multiply the void in my gut tenfold.

Was this healthy? My stomach felt like it was starting to gnaw on itself, my mouth watering with the thought of food alone. Yet, I asked myself an incredibly important question, one I felt like I should've been answering on the ride down.

How?

My teeth, if one could call them that, were tiny, much too small to chew on anything solid? Oh Arceus, would I have to have my food chewed into a paste for me, like a bird?

I turned around hungrily in the direction I'd assumed my team was following me. It seemed Victor had retraced my steps, and was taking a drink for himself to my left, but no one else was to be found. Getting food, maybe? Were they aware of my predicament?

"Jeez, this is pretty cold," Victor said, hoping to start conversation. "Refreshing though, wouldn't you think?"

I nodded my head absentmindedly, my only thoughts focused on food. My stomach growled loudly in protest of my cruel treatment, inciting a frown.

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry too," Victor pointed out needlessly, trying to keep the lighthearted air about us. "Kinda hard to believe we haven't eaten for a full two days now, huh?"

Putting it into words doesn't help the fact, Victor.

My stomach only growled more with his words. Why did my hunger have to manifest itself now?

"Hey, found some food!"

I darted my head towards the voice, Axle's, as he lumbered over towards us. He was walking awkwardly on his hind legs, balancing multiple berries and other assorted fruit in a cradle made with his arms.

"There's still berries all over the place! Most of it's frosted over, but there was still more than enough."

He then dropped the food to the ground; Victor was instantly on top of it and gorging himself.

I let out an involuntary whine at the sight, after which I cut myself off. The instinctual reaction made me feel incredibly offstandish.

Noticing my distress and discerning what was wrong, Axle narrowed his eyes.

"Uh… Somin? Whaddaya we gonna do about Ray?" he called.

"Already got it figured out…"

I turned my head to see the Zoroark approaching from a different direction, a few different types of berries pinched between each of his claws.

When he arrived, staring down at me with a smirk, he dropped all but one berry; a Magost.

It was pink in color, small green stems sprouting from the top. I neither liked nor disliked them, sporting a bland taste, in my opinion.

He then punctured a hole in the fruit with a single claw, resulting in a thin trail of juice in its wake.

"Until we figure out how to go around this, here you go. Eat up, there's not a lot per berry. I already had some."

I happily nodded, getting up to stumble hastily towards Somin. He didn't seem like he was gonna let go of the food, however, so I stared up at him questioningly

"Drink," he stated simply, rolling his eyes.

I let out a sigh. In the end, I knew hunger would prevail over my own dignity, so, reluctantly, I moved my head up towards Somin's claw, stuck my mouth against the berry, and gulped down the still-flowing juice.

It tasted… Well, it tasted just as I thought it would. It possessed a slight tart, differentiating it from water, but otherwise remained constant.

Within seconds, though, the stream was reduced to mere drops. After squeezing it dry, we moved on to a different berry.

This process repeated itself somewhere around fifteen times with six different kinds of berries. We continued until I felt full enough to curb my hunger until the next meal.

Who knew when that would be?

"See? That wasn't so bad."

I glared up at the Zoroark, eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to take the gesture as humorous, seeing as he snickered before beckoning me to join the rest of the team. I felt early onset anger at the interpretation before I realized he would have done just the same if I were human.

So, with a sigh, I let myself be picked up before advancing on the remaining four team members.

"Find it?" Somin asked Jet as we approached.

"Yeah," the Braviary responded, voice lowered, without looking up from his Lum Berry. "Exactly where we left it," he motioned with a wing. "You're gonna have to check it for yourself if you wanna see inside."

"Right," the Zoroark replied, ignoring the spite in the Braviary's voice. "Ray and I'll check it out. Be back in a bit."

"Oh," I said, surprised by his volunteering of me for the task. Yet, I felt content knowing I was finally able to do something. "Okay then."

Somin let me back down, I was happy to walk on my own yet again, even if I set an incredibly slow pace. Nevertheless, I took the lead, approaching the area Jet had pointed out. The stream I trekked along wound around a small cliff-face further up the path, disappearing from sight. That was the destination, where our cave was.

The grove was our source of food while residing here. We would even resort to hunting at times, during the winter. I was lucky to find such a little paradise this high, supporting all the basic necessities of life. I didn't even bother running to the base of the incline for supply runs (a small village was located there). Instead, we became completely dependent on the mountain for our entire year of seclusion.

"Hmm…" I heard Somin's voice sound behind me once we were out of earshot of the rest of the team. "Think you're up for learning illusions tonight?"

I stopped dead, staring incredulously and wordlessly at Somin. Where did this come from?

Interpreting the questions I held, he continued. "It's gonna be slow learning at first, yeah, but your illusions are as only as strong as your power shapes them, which doesn't have anything to do with age."

"You're serious?" I asked, prompting a half-smile in return.

Heart racing, I nodded excitedly at the remark, a small bit of pep in my stride as I continued walking.

"You gotta promise me something, though."

I turned back once more, in full view of the serious expression adorning the Zoroark's face.

"Yeah?"

"You gotta be careful," he said simply. "I know it sounds cheesy and over-protective, but I'm being serious. As is with all moves, if you over-exert yourself too far, you could cause permanent damage. We've seen it happen before, and it's not a pretty sight. Thought I should let that sit a little before we start."

Cocking an eyebrow and tilting my head, I nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay."

"Already had to watch you die twice," he said, the lightheartedness returning in his demeanor. "Rather not do it again, cool?"

The question was asked rhetorically; he continued hiking. Not wanting to fall behind, I scampered after him.

What I didn't expect, however, was for him to start in an introduction as I caught up.

"Illusionary power, before anything, is a subset of your own power. All living things have it, even humans, if subdued greatly. Human psychics are the most common example of those rising above natural boundaries to use their latent, extremely small well of energy. Pokémon, minus a few exceptions, are the only creatures capable of tapping into our power."

I stepped over a tree root, trying my hardest to focus intently on his explanation, while retaining the ability to walk successfully. It seemed I'd pretty much gotten the hang of it by then, even if it would be a long time before any extensive physical activity would be introduced.

"Now that you're a Pokémon, though, I think you can guess what that means…" he trailed off, staring down at me, a knowing expression shining.

"The energy, this power, it's the basis for all moves and attacks, and is what interacts with others while fighting. It's both your offense and defense. For example, have you wondered how the move Bubble can knock out a Fire-Type if placed right? The answer is how the move affects your own energy. While it's the source for your own moves, it also acts as crutch for your endurance; if a move hits you, as is what happens during battles, your own power will falter, your attacks get weaker. Some forms of energy interact differently with others, hence type advantages. Once your energy goes below a certain point, though, you fall unconscious."

I'd gotten some semblance of this explanation before, mainly the result of lack of conversation topics while hiking. We were actually where we were, on Twist, when I'd first heard it. I distinctly remembered trying for the next few days to find my own power out of boredom, following Somin's explanation that some humans had done it before.

Who would've guessed we'd be in the same area when I would finally succeed in my meaningless plight?

"Your stores start out extremely small, but end up growing and strengthening with time and training. As you were right now, I doubt you'd be able to take a single attack from almost anything without being knocked out."

With my subsequent glare, he continued, shrugging his shoulders.

"What? It's the truth… It's not to say you won't get better and end up with a higher endurance. Our species is naturally really frail, but powerful. I'm only stating a fact, so you gotta be careful."

"Fine," I said, focusing on the path ahead. A bend in the river was in sight, I knew the cave lay just beyond.

"Same goes for using attacks on your own. Try and use a powerful attack, one that takes a lot of energy and deals a lot of damage, and you'll end up draining yourself so quickly you'll drop before you can even fire it. Start slow and build up… There's my only rule… Like I said, over-exertion isn't a pretty sight."

"Why've I never seen it?" I asked, continuing onward. If Somin had seen it, why hadn't I?

"It's almost impossible to really over-exert yourself… You usually fall unconscious or go into a coma before you can. Though…" he trailed off.

"Let's just say making Pokémon think they have enough energy to continue on is a really gruesome form of torture. Illusions can be used for a lot more than you think, Ray."

I shivered. Had Somin done that before? Why had I never noticed it?

"While we're on that tangent," he continued as if he hadn't hinted at a dark past event, "Illusions are really… Special. That's a good word for it. They're almost like regular moves, using the same source of power, but we're lucky enough to be the only ones able to use them."

It took me a second to realize that by 'we', he meant fellow Zoruas and Zoroarks. I guessed I was really a part of them, wasn't I? I wasn't exactly ready to leave my distinction as a human… Hopefully it would all be resolved soon.

"I guess I'll teach you the rest tonight… Might as well have it fresh in your mind for when we start."

"Wha? Why tonight? Can't we start now?"

"You'll see why," he finished without looking at me, another smirk gracing his face. "Either way, we're here."

He was correct. I hadn't even noticed we now loitered with the cave entrance in sight. It resided, as I remembered, up a small, steep strip of land adjacent to the cliff face behind. Should it have been any lower, it would've flooded with the river's overflow during the spring season.

A set of stepping stones, put in place by none other than ourselves, lay ahead. Would I be able to traverse the river without—"

Without word, Somin scooped me up in a paw and jumped astonishingly far to cross the river. It had to have been at least fifteen feet across.

"Depending on how abundant your energy is," he said out of nowhere, "it may or may not increase muscular capability. Though, you still need to rely on physical training, for the most part."

Before I could suppress the stars rapidly forming in my eyes, he continued on a different tangent.

"Looks like everything's exactly how we left it…" he said, walking inside. I followed close behind.

The cave was almost exactly how'd I remembered it. While keeping a low ceiling, one only twice my height as a human, it remained spacious. A few of the rocky outcroppings I used as a makeshift bed were worn, but otherwise functional.

"Ah… No… Something lived here after us, probably a feral."

I poked my head out behind him to gaze at the target of his observation. Raking one of the cave walls was a large set of crossing claw marks.

"They're old," Somin continued, "Beartic, maybe. Not long after we left."

He proceeded to remove the pack from his shoulders, an accessory I'd completely forgotten he was wearing during our hike.

"Freezing in here, though… You had a fire-starter, right?"

"Oh! Yeah, it's somewhere."

"Damn, Ray," he said as he dug through its contents, tossing out random items. "Thing's a mess."

"Like you'd do much better," I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, at least you can talk now, right?"

"Huh? I guess so…"

I stared at the ground. Sure, I stuttered at times, and found it hard to formulate larger words, but I found my range of speech had widely improved as compared to yesterday.

At least that was one issue out of the way.

"You think we can change me back soon?"

Somin froze for a second or two before turning towards me.

"Where's this coming from?"

"I'm… I'm just worried…"

"Well," he said, turning back around and continuing to dig through my bag. "I'm gonna be completely honest with you, man… I doubt any human's gonna be able to help."

"Why?"

"I mean, it's not like we're not going anywhere near humans. As much as I hate to say it, Mew looks like the only option here. She'd better keep her promise…"

"What do you want to do, then? Stay up here 'till she shows?"

"That's an option… I doubt you can survive up here for long, though…" he said. "Plus, it sucked up here a few years ago during winter, I doubt anyone wants to go through that again. I'll probably get us set up in Icirrus, and we can go from there."

"So we're just gonna keep moving?"

"Haven't talked about it with the group yet, but it's my vote."

The cave lapsed into silence as Somin finished the first pocket of my backpack. Sighing, he moved on to the next one, and tensed up at what he found.

"What?"

He said nothing, instead grabbing an object and showing it to me.

It was a Pokéball, plain and simple, if a little worn over years of use. I knew exactly what it meant, however.

"Oh… Yeah… I kept it with me… I just liked to remember sometimes, you know?"

"I thought we finally got over this!" Somin exclaimed, before shrinking back. "We're you really… Really going to consider letting Mew on the team? We kept that sixth spot open for a reason, Ray. Jet told me you were thinking about it."

"I know! I… I know… But something bad was going on, Somin. I didn't want to have to say no."

Somin, after staring at me sullenly, chuckled. Actually chuckled, despite the topic of our conversation.

"She probably would've wanted it, too… We all felt bad about having to move on, but I'm sure she's glad we did."

"Somin, I…"

"Don't worry about it," he said, trying to keep a happy air about us. "What's in the past is in the past. I still stand by our decision, even if you don't, and nothing's gonna change that."

He paused, before speaking once more, words full of thought.

"She would've wanted Mew to be on the team, if it would've made us safe. Doesn't mean I agree… I'll leave it at that."

I sighed unhappily at his rapid end of the conversation. I'd gotten over it by now, sure, but my blatant lack of regard at the time shocked me.

"Hey, uhh… Where's our Pokéballs?"

"Huh?" I responded.

"They're not here…"

"I kept them on my… My belt… Why wasn't it with my clothes?!"

Somin rubbed the bridge of his snout. "They were back at the camp on Chimney… Vita said she practically destroyed the mountain… It's gone."

"Wait, but if they're gone…" I trailed off.

"Damn it… We're all wild."

With a frustrated yell, he threw my nearly-empty bag against one of the cave walls, connecting and landing with a quiet thump.

I'd since stood, and was involuntarily staring at Somin, eyes full of fear. His size difference certainly struck me with trepidation, doubled by his anger.

Knowing for sure, however, that I did not want another fit of rage from Somin, I shakily spoke.

"I-It's okay… We c-can get more when w-we get into to-town."

He spun on a heel to face me. "And if we run into a trainer during that? What then, Ray?"

"Well… Tell me then…" I responded, regaining my confidence. "What trainer is seriously capable of catching you guys? We're one of the strongest teams in the world!"

"It's not us I'm worried about… Probability of catching a Pokémon has to do with their level of power at the time… You know what that means?"

I thought for a second, before letting a troubled look creep on my face. "Oh no…"

"They wouldn't even need to weaken you! One throw, and it's all over."

I kept silent, quietly contemplating what I would say next.

"Can't we use the one we have?" I said with apprehension.

Somin turned his head to look at the Pokéball set on the ground beside him. He then stared at me oddly.

"You sure you wanna do that?"

"I think it's worth it… Like you said, I'm sure she'd be okay with it if my safety was on the line."

I was scared. Horrified, in fact, at the prospect of being placed inside a Pokéball. Never had I thought how it would feel, what I'd experienced. Arceus, I knew the basic mechanics, but my knowledge was limited to primitive terminology. The extent I knew was that the device somehow converted mass down to the smallest unit possible; pure, unadulterated energy.

Somin picked it up, holding it in his paw for a second or two.

"You're sure? You don't want to know what it's like, or anything?"

"Just get it over with."

He nodded his head silently and moved the device forward slowly.

My heart was racing as I theorized what would happen in the next few seconds. Would I even feel any change happening. By then, the sphere was only an inch from my forehead. I closed my eyes braced myself.

I felt the cold button press up against my head with a soft click.

But nothing happened.

I opened my eyes to see Somin staring at the Pokéball oddly.

"It hasn't been used in a long time… Probably busted a long time ago."

I exhaled sharply, attempting to calm my heartbeat.

"Guess we're getting six of 'em when we get to Icirrus… Until then, stay close, would you?"

I nodded silently, staring at the Pokéball. Somin stood, grabbed my back from its place of rest, and put it back inside.

"No," he then said, "I got another idea…" He paused. "We'll talk about it with the team. This whole damn week's just a mess."

Narrowing my eyes in thought, I took another look around, lighting up when I found something specific. It was cylindrical in shape, a small, thin piece of metal attached by a string on the end.

"Firestarter."

Somin looked with me at the item, smirking somewhat when he saw it.

"Hey, at least something's gone right."


Vita returned from collecting a bunch of berries for herself to find a certain Zoroark and Zorua were missing.

"Where's Ray and Somin?"

"They went ahead to the cave," Axle responded between chews. "Where've you been?"

"Me? Oh, I just got sick again… It's nothing to be worried about." She paused, before chuckling nervously. "Probably ate too much too fast, and I'm sure the altitude isn't helping."

"Hmmph… Take care of yourself," Victor said before turning back to his meal.

"Mhmm," Vita responded absentmindedly. "I'm gonna go check up on those two. Come on down when you're ready."

"Sure thing," Axle said without looking up.

Vita sighed and turned towards Jet, silent during the exchange. He's since finished eating and was now preening his feathers. Without a word, she turned away and went upstream, munching on a berry as she went.


"I should probably get something to burn," Somin said, looking towards the exit.

"I can help!" I responded without thought, stepping hastily towards the exit. One of my paws slipped, and I found myself on the ground for a quarter of a second before finding my footing once more.

"And what are you gonna do? You gonna carry sticks in your mouth? I didn't think you'd be this quick to adjust," he chortled.

I'd volunteered my services without thought, so the prospect of no longer having hands came crashing down in that instant.

Yet, either way, I solemnly realized I would be stuck like this for quite a while, at the very least. At the minimum, I could figure out how to function in this body normally.

"I can try," I responded resolutely, and stepped back out into the sunlight. At this time of day, the entire area was illuminated with incredibly bright, reflected light. One benefit I noticed about the layer of fuzz now surrounding me was the fact it soaked up the sun, warming me considerably well.

Thankfully, the wind speed was at a minimum, even if the occasional gust did blow my fur about haphazardly. The mountain air still, still frigid, held a certain crisp to it, succeeding in refreshing my lungs. I stood at the cave's entrance for a moment or two, taking in the sight of the mountain-line beyond the grove. The sun would be setting soon, only an hour or two from then, by my estimate.

For the first time since everything started, I actually smiled. This was the first moment in which I could actually pause, a time within the bustle of the previous few days where I was granted respite from my own thoughts. The mountain range, and the strange sense of reminiscence it brought about placated my fears, if only for a moment.

I trekked downhill, using the small, winding path that snaked along the decline towards the river. It'd taken time, years ago, but we'd actually succeeded in making artificial stepping-stones, the result of a single days' gruesome work, involving the act of carrying boulders large enough to peek out from the stream's depth.

Of course, we could only accomplish the feat after Somin and Vita had evolved to their final forms. For the initial four months we'd spent on Twist, we had to use a log as a means of crossing the water, often slippery.

Hypothermia was commonplace during those times.

I was determined, however, to use my new knowledge of walking to cross the river on my own. I declined Somin's request to help, even if I knew I was making a bad decision. The stepping stones were dry, thankfully, and were only a few feet apart from one another. I was confident I could make that simple of a jump, even without extensive knowledge on physical activity.

I paused for a moment at the river's edge, gathering my bearings. I would push off with my hind legs, and try to brace myself with my front as I connected with the stone. The only issue would be how hard to propel myself.

Wiggling my haunches a small bit in preparation, I exhaled sharply, and proceeded jump forward.

Those few seconds through the air were terrifying. My mind panicked, afraid I would land into the freezing water, and be left there to fend for myself. I couldn't hope to swim should I fall in, I would only flail until someone saved me, or lost energy and drowned.

This was a bad idea…

Yet, against all odds, I made it, struggling to stop my momentum fast enough as to not tip over the back edge. I felt myself going over, however, and in a completely instinctual reaction, extended my legs once more.

I landed clean on the next boulder, adjusting my footing a small bit to accommodate for the excess momentum. When I knew I was safe, however, I chuckled to myself in victory. I was already almost halfway across! I had nothing to worry about, it was jumping, for Arceus' sake! How could I screw that much up?

I positioned myself to continue forward after giving a glance at Somin, who had since leaped back across the river in a single stride. Narrowing my eyes resolutely, I jumped forward, myself.

My confidence was instantly vanquished as something hard, extremely blunt, and overall forceful, catapulted into my side as I was in mid-air. Yelping, I was knocked off-course, perpendicular to my target.

In that half second, my entire world slowed down. I turned my head as fast as I could to get a grasp on what the cause of the contact was, eyes widening when I found the source.

All I could perceive, however, before the icy water met my body, was a blur of blue and green, and black.

The breath knocked out of me, I tried gulping in air as I was submerged, met only with liquid invading my lungs. The object eventually rolled off of me, leaving my tiny form to struggle towards the surface, coughing all the way.

Those few seconds had to have been the longest of my life, during which I took notice of many small details.

First and foremost, was how tired I felt. Exhaustion, source unknown, instantly drowned out any physical pain I felt from the strike. My hurried leg-strokes were nothing more than flails as a result, and did little to get me anywhere.

Even if I was able to make a concentrated effort in swimming, I wouldn't make it far. Firstly, I didn't know which way was up. I was in too much shock to figure that out on my own. Second, the water, instantly soaking my fur, ladened it considerably. It felt as if my weight had doubled. The cold wasn't even a factor, I didn't perceive the temperature with my state of mind.

My consciousness was fading fast, and it wasn't a result of the water, either. No, I would at least hope not to drown that quickly. Why was I so tired? My eyes closed as my strokes only became more and more feeble.

I barely heard a splash, promptly before something, something familiar, wrapped around me and tugged at my body forcefully. I was dragged out of the water, and into the freezing air outside.

I shut my eyes.


"Hnngh…"

Ugh… Wha… Why do I feel so tired? I can't move…

Something was stroking my fur the wrong way, I instantly noticed as awareness fully returned. It felt oddly uncomfortable, having the hairs bent not in their intended direction. Yet, it felt warm, slowly ridding me of the freezing cold I woke with.

I tried opening my eyes, making any movement whatsoever. I was able to shift slightly, but that was the extent of my physical capability. My hearing was also impaired; I only heard half of the conversation around me.

"… just don't know… so goddamn… What… think that… idea?"

I shifted once more, finally finding the strength to blink my eyes open drearily.

The first sight that came to me was that of a flickering, orange fire. I lay only a few feet away, feeling the warmth it brought to my fur. It burned slightly, to be honest, but I didn't have the strength to care.

Yet, that wasn't all… I wasn't on the ground, instead raised up a small bit, my body laying on something soft.

"Ray? How're you feeling?"

That… That was Vita's voice… I turned my head, agonizingly slow, towards where I imagined she was.

Her head resided directly above my own. I could only see part of her face, and even that much required craning my neck as far as it would currently allow me.

"Don't try to get up. You took a hard hit."

Tiring out, I let my head come back to rest, on what I imagined was the Serperior herself. I was fast to piece together what had occurred, and only felt more lethargic with the memory.

Yet, I didn't have enough time to reminisce, seeing as I felt that object, the one from before, continue in its stroking of my fur. Slightly irritated at the uncomfortable contact, I turned back in Vita's direction.

"Uhh… Vita?" I squeaked as I saw what she was doing.

She was… Licking me… As in, actually rubbing her tongue up and down my fur. I no longer cared about the warmth it brought to my still-damp fur. Instead, I lay there, helpless as I sent her a pleading stare.

"Hmm?"

"Can you… not?" I begged, attempting to struggle away from her. Some of my strength seemed to be returning. She held me in a wrap, so I doubted it would matter either way, whether or not I was capable of moving much.

"No," she said simply, getting back to her work. Reluctant, I turned back around and wiggled a small bit, hoping to squirm away.

"Don't make me hold you down, Ray," she then voiced, sternly. "You know I will, and this is happening, one way or another. I'm not having you with hypothermia, understand?"

Exasperated, I turned towards where I expected the rest of the team to be, for help. It appeared we were back inside the cave, the firelight enough to illuminate the interior. It seemed the sun had set, or was currently lowering, outside, considering the dusky contrast to the flame.

The first being my sight came across was Jet, who seemed disinterested in the exchange. Looking for help, however, and doubting he would be of much assistance, I turned more, until my eyes lay on Victor.

He seemed concerned, staring at me oddly, before realizing I was gazing back. He instantly put on a mask of lightheartedness as he studied me further.

I sent him a pleading look, gesturing up towards Vita. As if on cue, her tongue moved to assault the tuft of fur atop my head. Shuddering, I let out a quiet whine and a squirm. The Serperior responded by silently continuing in a more forceful manner.

Victor narrowed his eyes, as if contemplating whether or not to help, followed by an apologetic shake of his head. I harrumphed quietly, and tried to ignore Vita as best as possible as I continued surveying the cave.

I hadn't noticed it prior, but found a long stick, skewering the bodies of a few fish-like creatures, being held above the fire. On the other end was Axle, sitting quietly on his hind legs as he concentrated on roasting the meat.

A closer inspection revealed all of the prey to be Basculin, known for their delectable taste. My mouth watered at the sight, my longing only reinforced with the knowledge I was physically unable to enjoy the meat.

"Somin took the one that attacked you for himself," Axle said out of nowhere, giving me a glance. "He didn't even want to cook it, not like I could, either way… Thing was too mutilated to stay on a stick." The Swampert chuckled. "Look at you… Getting into a fight already. I'd say you're almost as cocky as Somin."

"It's not my fault," I replied indignantly, cringing as Vita moved on to my left ear. "I didn't wanna fight."

"I know," Axle said, "I'm screwing with you. I know well enough what actually happened. You were only out for about a half hour, either way. Headbutt hurts like a bitch."

I kept reluctantly silent. Of course, Basculin was dubbed the 'Hostile Pokémon' for a reason. I'd never suspected one would come for me, however.

There were two classifications of Pokémon unconnected with a Pokéball or trainer. The first were simply referred to as 'wild', and were sentient creatures, previously released or raised in intelligent communities. All of the members of my current team were sentient before I found them, thankfully (the single exception was Axle, whom I had hatched).

The second, and more common form of wild Pokémon were the ferals, simply creatures without self-awareness. It took effort to train them, if caught, a lot of time would pass before they eventually caught on and gained consciousness. I'd caught a few in the past, we never tolerated each other's presence long, leading to eventual release.

The Basculin had to be one; most ferals were highly territorial, and a pain to deal with, honestly.

A sight, or more accurately, the lack thereof, caught my eye.

"Where'd Somin go?"

"He said he was 'checking the area'," Jet replied harshly. "Probably just off having another tantrum."

"Doubt it," Victor responded in Somin's defense. "He stayed long enough to start the fire. He probably just wanted to eat his food raw." The Durant then addressed me. "He left only a few minutes before you woke up."

I sighed, I tried my best to push back against Vita's force, which was rocking my head back and forth irritatingly.

"Vita," I said as sternly as possible. "I think I'm dry now, don't you?"

The Serperior huffed behind me, promptly before lifting my body off of hers.

"You're staying by the fire. Understand?"

Happy for the improvement, I nodded, positioning myself in a comfortable posture as I was set down.

"We should probably figure out what to do from here," Axle spoke, breaking an extended period of silence.

"What choice do we have? Icirrus is really the only option right now. Even if there are other villages nearby, none are closer."

"I do have another idea," Vita said in response to Jet. "What if we—"

"Good, you're up."

Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance of the cave, and the Zoroark that resided there.

"Hi, Somin," I said simply, for lack of a better phrase.

"Somin," Vita greeted, a mask of indifference covering her annoyance.

"Come on," the Zoroark said, gesturing towards me. "You ready?"

"Wait, for what?"

"You forgot that quickly? The sun's setting, Ray. I thought you were excited about illusions."

I started, instinctively getting up into a standing position. All fatigue no longer had a place in my mind.

"Somin!" Axle exclaimed, astonished. "He literally just woke up. Shouldn't we wait a little? His energy mustn't even be—"

"Relax," he replied, brushing the Swampert off. "I won't push him too hard, and either way…"

He pinched an object in between two of his claws for all to see. Multiple objects, in fact, ones I instantly recognized, having become extremely familiar with the items during my years as a trainer.

"Oran Berries?"

"I know you know what they do, but try it out for yourself," the Zoroark replied indirectly, walking towards me. As he was doing so, he poked a hole in one of the fruit, allowing its juice to trickle out.

Knowing the drill of consumption, I let the liquid trickle down my throat after he positioned the berry correctly. My standing with the Berry, as applies to gustation, was set in stone. I'd always loved how sweet Oran Berries tasted, without transitioning into the sour category.

I tried ignoring how I must've looked from a third-person perspective, suckling on a Berry held by a larger creature.

Within a few seconds, the Berry was dry, and I felt… Odd. I'd never felt this way after consumption as a human. The worst part about it was the fact it was damn near impossible to describe. It felt as if something had been turned on within my chest, creating a nearly indistinguishable buzzing feeling throughout my body.

"Umm… I feel weird."

"Good, it's working then," Somin replied, poking a hole in another Berry to repeat the process.

I noticed the rest of the team held little interest in the exchange. Victor and Jet had started their own, quiet conversation, Axle focused on his cooking, and Vita… Well, Vita was difficult to read. She seemed reluctant to my getting up so soon after being knocked out, but opted against speaking out in unfavor.

I didn't give it much mind, instead focusing on the rapidly growing hum inside my chest. The greatest comparison I could give it would be to the feeling of a sugar rush. I found myself twitching involuntarily after the third Berry.

"That's probably enough," Somin said after I'd consumed, by my count, six. "Let's roll."

"It's probably too much, is what it is," Vita replied snarkily. "He's going to crash, Somin…"

Before I could ask Somin what the Serperior spoke of, he responded. "Maybe… He needs all the energy he can get right now, though, don't you think?" When she didn't respond, he continued. "Time to go."

"Can we come?"

I turned my head to watch Victor, Jet in tow, as they approached.

"You wanna watch? Feel free… Won't be very interesting at first, though," Somin replied nonchalantly, lifting me up from the ground.

"I don't mind," Victor responded. Jet looked as if he was trying to feign indifference.

The Zoroark lifted me from the ground and stuck me against his ribcage as he shrugged. He gave a small, concerned glance at Vita, almost indistinguishable, before exiting the cave.

"You feel it, don't you?" he asked as we left. Victor and Jet followed close behind.

"The buzz?" I responded.

"Yeah, like, something's shaking inside you. That's the Oran at work."

"Oran Berries… They help to heal, don't they?"

"True, but it's a bit more than that, too. At the very least," he grunted as he leapt across the creek. Victor used the stepping stones while Jet took flight. "Orans give a nice boost in your energy. Our power works wonders, Ray. Like I said, it increases physical strength, but it can also shorten healing time, especially if an Oran or Sitrus is involved… Our energy… It's what makes us different from all living things. And by that, I mean, we can't live without it."

He continued onwards, into the forest. "When you're eating certain types of Berries, you can actually feel how it interacts with your energy. I will say it's probably one of the easiest ways to learn how to employ it in combat for the first time. It helps to know what you're trying to use, what it feels like when strengthened, before giving it a go."

He chuckled. "I remember, when my village first tried teaching me, they tricked me into eating something like eight Sitrus Berries. I swear, I didn't sleep for weeks."

His joke, even if it held realistic undertones, got me chuckling a small but alongside him. I was glad, though, that even through my transformation, I was able to retain the ability to perform such a simple, alleviating function. It felt good to laugh.

"Your village taught you? You never really talked about your life before the team." Victor asked from behind.

"Well, I guess. It's how everything worked, really. There weren't exactly parental figures. It was more like the village raises the children. Not even sure if I ever met my parents…"

He trailed off, seemingly deep in thought for a few seconds.

"It's okay, though! I mean, hell, sure, I imprinted on the Zoroark who hatched me… Caya was her name. But knowing that she wasn't my mom let me get over my attachment faster. You know how that works, right Ray?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said. When Pokémon were born, they had a tendency to become attached, or 'imprint' on the first being they saw. Eventually, they grew out of it, but until then, would be unusually emotionally dependent on that figure.

"Somin," I addressed, staring at the sun setting below the horizon through the treetops. They were starting to lose their leaves, giving the branches a desolate appearance. "You said earlier we had to do this at night… Why?"

"We're here!" the Zoroark announced, paying no mind to my question. He finally set me down onto the smooth grass below.

"Somin… What are we even doing?"

"Just… Sit tight for a moment."

I sighed, instinctively taking a seat on my haunches, before realizing how odd it felt to do so. My legs weren't supposed to bend like that… Just another change I would have to deal with.

We were in a clearing, a circle of treeless wildlife, completely open to the purple sky above. Jet perched on a tree a distance away, while Victor laid himself down at the base of another.

Another glance at the clearing revealed to me the fact it was our main training grounds. I hadn't noticed it, but memories came flooding back as I observed the stumps and pile of logs near a single edge. Many days, we'd come here to spar, exercise, or anything else one could imagine. It worked wonders.

We had to have waited for a solid ten minutes in absolute silence. The buzzing feeling remained present, and it took all I had not to get up and waste my excess energy through walking around. I twitched multiple times per minute, whether from anxiety or the equivalent of a sugar high, I had no idea.

The wind whistled, now ominously, between the trees. To be honest, I was starting to become more and more anxious as time went on. Was I supposed to do something without being told? Somin was absentmindedly sitting, facing away from me. His gaze was directed straight at the sky.

Within that time, the area around us had gotten progressively darker, traces and streaks of purple in the sky were gradually disappearing. The moon would soon rise.

"Here we go," Somin said, excitedly, turning rapidly towards me.

"Ray," he said. "Each elemental typing has their own, different form of power, which shapes the moves they have. As I said, it increases strength and healing speed, but, depending on the type, it may work the other way around."

The moon peeked over the horizon as he continued. "Nature itself, in many cases, may strengthen your power considerably. Fire types thrive in extremely hot climates, Water Types during the rain or underwater. Dark Types, like you and I…"

He trailed off as the moon's light appeared to crawl across the clearing. I was staring at Somin oddly throughout the explanation, shifting uncomfortably, when it touched me.

Instantly upon being bathed in its white light, I felt… Magnificent. The buzzing was still present, strengthened, even, but not in a bad way. No longer able to sit still, I got up, staring down at myself incredulously.

"I don't get to do this often," Somin said, exhaling calmly as the light washed over him.

"Holy crap… I knew you were strengthened at night, Somin, but this… This is…"

"Awesome?"

I laughed in amazement. Never had I felt like this before. Was it possible to feel like this every night?

"Just… Stay still for a moment," he then said, prompting me to freeze. "You feel something else, don't you? Take a good look at your energy, Ray, and tell me what you feel."

Narrowing my eyes and nodding my, head, I followed his instruction, finding it better to concentrate if my eyes were closed. There was something… familiar, about the sensation I noticed. Yet, I couldn't quite deduce what. A warmth… That's what was new. It pulsed with my own heartbeat, I could feel it shifting around. It took a few seconds to recognize it.

"Mew?" I asked quickly and hopefully as I opened my eyes. I spun my head around, searching for some sign of the legendary. The heat, that pulsating feeling, it felt exactly like what I felt when her power was inside me, if dulled considerably.

"What? Where?"

"Oh," I replied, realizing I'd called the legendary out loud. "It's nothing, I promise."

"You sure? I want to know if she's around..."

"Yeah… Yeah… I'm sure."

The Zoroark look at me skeptically, before nodding and turning.

"Your core," he said simply.

"What?"

"The source of your power, that's what you're feeling. The core."

He turned on me, approaching at a rapid clip.

"It's, to put it basically, your life force. Except, now, that yours is enhanced, you can feel it. We need it to as strong as possible if I'm going to teach you how to do this. Hence, why I waited until night… Feeling better from earlier?"

No remains of my prior fatigue remained, washed away by those Oran Berries and the moon itself. Putting on a determined smirk, I nodded.

"Alright, then… How's about we get started?"

Somin let illusionary power seep into his claws, shrouding them a pinkish-purple tint. The way the shine reflected off his face, shading his contours, shed an air of extreme intimidation.

I was too focused on that as to not notice the imminent threat ahead.

From nowhere, he pushed off the ground, lunging forwards in aggression. His claws were poised perfectly to strike me dead in the chest. I had no time whatsoever to react before the suddenly raging Zoroark was upon me.

All I could do was let out a fearful yelp.


Before anything, I wanted to make this chapter a lighthearted integration into Ray's new lifestyle. I enjoyed writing out the changes and similarities in each character's interactions with him.

The dream, whether obvious or not, was written as an odd, symbolic interpretation of the inner conflicts in a certain character. As to who that is I'll leave it up for interpretation.

Hope you all enjoyed!