A/N: Hey everybody just want to let everyone know that this chapter is coming out later than usually and will be the only chapter for this week since I got a bit too much to do. The will also apply to next week as well so make do with only two chapters in two weeks, but put it this way, some of you have been asking me to slow down take a break, so I'm going to do that.
I was still sitting in this void with Aeon, it felt like an eternity waiting for the time to pass and it didn't help that there was nothing to do. Aeon and I felt stronger after the fight with that Hypno, but we were still weak, for Aeon still couldn't move from his spot and the only thing we could do to pass the time was to talk... And talking for hours on end does lead to some interesting conversation.
"How's the hand?", Aeon looked down at my left hand, the one that had all the fur over it.
"It's weird. I wouldn't have thought that it would feel different, but it does", I looked over my hand. It wasn't much of a shock to me anymore since I have sort of gotten used to the fur growing there, but it was just the fact that this was happening to me, the fact that someday I will no longer be myself bugged me. The strange thing is, I wasn't scared. "And the fur, it's so soft. I never thought it would feel like that", I wondered why I was suddenly thinking like that.
"You will get used to it...", Aeon looked at me and saw that I was deep in thought about what he said. He quickly tried to correct himself: "I mean we will find the cure. Don't worry about it. The fur will be gone in no time".
"Aeon", I stopped looking at my furry hand and looked him in the eyes, a worried expression on my face, "I-is it a bad thing that... I don't mind the changes...", looking into his eyes now, I could see what I just said worried him as well.
"What are you saying Sora?".
"I-I mean that... these changes... turning into a pokemon... I have this feeling... That I want this to happen, that this is a good thing...", I knew at that point that if Aeon could move and stand, he would be trying to comfort me. Surprisingly, he actually did try to move, but he was still too weak to muster enough power to approach me..
"Sora, you can't mean that. This whole time you have been searching for a cure, and now, you say that you want this to happen?".
"I know, it sounds weird. I don't really know myself. But in some way I want this. I think this will lead to something great", I started to stroke the fur on my hand, feeling the softness it had. It felt so comforting whenever I went over the fur my arm with my hand, it was like touching a very smooth carpet, made out of very smooth fur... Meanwhile, Aeon was still concerned.
"Sora. That's not you. It's not you who's talking. It's the virus, you should-"
"And what if it isn't?", I interrupted him mid-sentence, "What if I do want this? What if I do want to become a pokemon?" Speaking out loud about this really made me think it was a good idea. An idea of leaving my old life behind and becoming a pokemon.
"Sora. Do you really think so?", Aeon was unsure if I was speaking the truth. Although he was in my head, Aeon couldn't really read my thoughts that well and he had no idea how I really felt about this.
"I-I... I don't know", I looked up to the non existent sky and let a few tears roll down my cheek. I couldn't tell what my mind wanted, either to be human or a pokemon. I was confused. This whole time. This whole time I've been travelling with my friends, I have been looking for a way to stop this, to change back to what I was and live out the rest of my life. But I felt like that life... wasn't mine anymore. Going back to it seemed wrong, but I was still unsure about the path I wanted to take.
"Sora. If you're unsure about it, then it's best not to think about it right now", Aeon tried to calm my troubled mind, but he was doing a poor job.
"But what if it's true? That I want to be a pokemon. That I want to leave my life behind".
"You shouldn't think like that, Sora. You will only make yourself more depressed", I wasn't really listening, I was still pondering over my thoughts. Aeon sighed from annoyance. "Want to know what I think?", I managed to look away from the sky and turn my gaze towards Aeon. "If you find something worth staying as a pokemon, then maybe consider about letting the change happen. Until then, you keep looking for a cure", I was ready to protest, but I didn't. Aeon had a good point. Why change when I got nothing to change for? I have a family to go back to as a human. I let out a sigh of relief.
"I guess you're right... thanks". I smiled. I was glad Aeon was here to direct me back to the correct direction. How could I have forgotten about my family? I couldn't leave them behind!
"You're welcome", I turned away from Aeon and looked back to the dark sky above us. Aeon was right, and I was thinking too much about this. I had been feeling like this for awhile now, and I only just had my very first discussion about it. Hearing myself talk about it really made myself doubt what I really wanted, but Aeon knew how to calm me down.
Thinking about it, I never really thought about the memories that the Hypno and Aeon showed me. I completely forgot about some of them, but that was for a good reason. Some of those were bad memories that I wanted to forget since it's something that really saddened me. But, thankfully, because of Aeon I relived some of my good memories as well, like seeing Luna just as she hatched was a sight to see, but the days after that were not so calm and quiet. However it was still better than most of my other memories. Speaking of Luna, I thought about one of the memories that I never experienced before. I was sitting with Luna at a restaurant, and I was completely changed into an Umbreon. I had taken Luna out on a date and I was enjoying myself, we talked and she also licked my face. I have no idea how this memory came to be when it actually never happened.
"Aeon?", I decided to ask Aeon about it. Since he had helped me before, I was sure he could help me again.
"Yes?".
"When I was going through my memories before, when the Hypno was here, there was one that wasn't mine".
"Oh?".
"There was one with Luna and me... having a date together. Do you know anything about this?", as soon as I brought up Luna and date in one sentence Aeon started to blush and looked away from me.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about...", Aeon lied poorly.
"Aeon. Tell me what's going on. You can't run away this time", last time I brought up Luna Aeon ran away before answering my question. In a way what happened before was a good thing since it allowed me to get an answer out of him since he can't really move.
"Er... I-I-I... Sora, please...", Aeon begged that I didn't push for the information. I might of stopped then, but I also had that strange feeling again when I was in the dream, the same feeling that I feel when I'm around Luna when I'm awake and I want to know what it was.
"Sorry Aeon. But I need to know what's going on with Luna and these feelings", Aeon continued to say nothing but my burning gaze soon broke him as he let out a sigh.
"Okay... but you might not like it, and it could put our previous conversation to rest", Aeon didn't seem like his cheery self, it didn't seem like the information saddened him, but more likely to make me sad. And we were just talking about me becoming a pokemon for a good reason, what was Aeon going to say, "That thing with Luna is... um... we... um... er-"
"Come on! Spit it out!", I snapped.
"We love her!", Aeon blurted out.
"W-what?", I was shocked and stunned by what Aeon just said, 'Did he just say we love her? But how...', my mind was finding it hard to comprehend this information. It was still running on human morals and I was thinking that this shouldn't be happening.
"We love Luna. All those feelings you had was because of that".
"B-but... how didn't I see this before?", it was a fair question. I'm fifteen, I should know what love is.
"Your pokemon mind was so young, that it didn't know what to make of it, but if you gave it time, your mind would've figured it out".
"This... is all too much... how can I love a pokemon?", I was holding my head, trying to make sense out of all this.
"Well, to be honest, I had a crush on her the moment I laid my eyes on her... well, when you did", I stopped holding my head and looked to Aeon with a puzzled face. Aeon saw this and started to blush.
"Why didn't you tell me?".
"Because. At the time you dreaded becoming a pokemon and I didn't want to add my crush for Luna on your shoulders. But that crush soon turned to love and it was harder to tell you", Aeon was down because of this. For a long time now he has been hiding this from me, keeping this a secret.
"Aeon. I said before that you have a right to your feelings. If you love Luna, you should've told me".
"And now you love her too", Aeon still sounded saddened by all this, like it was his fault.
"Aeon... if I love Luna then I love her, there's no turning back from that. I never actually felt like this towards anyone else before... and it feels... good", I did have to admit once I finally found out what this feeling was, it all felt good. Like it was right, I know that I was stressing just before about it, but now it was all calm in my mind.
"Do you really mean that? My feelings made you feel like this, just like they did with becoming stronger and battling. I made you love her", this was why Aeon was sad about this, he didn't want to tell me because he didn't want me to be concerned with it. He didn't want me to know that he was the one that slowly made me feel like this.
"I don't care if you made me feel like this. Now that I do, I don't know what to do about it", now I was the one that was sad. Could I really love a pokemon, spend my life with one?
"You should tell Luna. She is the one we feel like this to. She should know that we love her", Aeon said.
"Luna... wait!" I had a sudden thought that was another concern I had, "Luna has been acting differently as well... does that mean-", my unfinished question was already answered by Aeon's nod, "She feels the same way...".
"Yes, I'm unsure why, but she has shown it lately. Probably too scared to tell you, just like I was", Did Luna really feel the same way? Did she have a crush? Or did she really love me?
"Why does everybody have to hide this? People and pokemon can talk about their feelings. I would listen to them!"
"I guess we're just afraid of what you might say", Aeon responded.
"Still, it can't be that-", I was interrupted with a sudden light forming in the sky above us, it seemed that I was finally waking up, "About time!", I exclaimed. I again looked down to Aeon, "Will you be fine without me?".
"Sure, I will. I need to rest longer... Keeping this world open to talk didn't help much for me".
"Wait, you kept this world... You know what, never mind. Thanks", Aeon smiled, happy that he was able to keep this world up the whole time so we could talk. He would have healed much faster if he hadn't, "Well. time to see what I've been missing".
"Sora, before you go...".
"Yeah?', I responded. I was puzzled about what urgent matter Aeon had that would stop me from waking up.
"About what we talked about before. Will this be the thing to keep you on this path to turning into a pokemon?" What we talked about before... Aeon said I should give up on the cure and change completely only if there is a reason to change, maybe this could be that reason. Before I could reply, the light got stronger and brighter, as it finally took me back to the waking world.
My eyes started to open. A small ray of light entered my vision, making it sting, but, thankfully, the place where I was lying wasn't brightly lit, so it didn't hurt that much. Whatever I was on felt comfortable and soft, and what I could tell by looking at the roof above me meant that I was indoors somewhere. However all this didn't tell me where I was.
I tried to get up and observe the place, but I couldn't move. Surprisingly, my body wasn't in any pain, but I found it really hard to move. It's as if my mind wasn't responding that well to movement. I found it easier to stay in the dream world, at least there I could move.
What I managed to get out of my body wasn't much, I was just able to raise my head to look around. What I saw didn't really help me figure out where I was. I was in a small room, not much bigger than my room back home. I was lying on a metal framed bed under some blue sheets, I remember seeing this all the time on T.V. in hospitals. Besides my bed were two side tables, both covered in flowers and "get-well" cards, these couldn't all be from Tom and Tabatha. Near the table on my left was a machine. It seemed to be hooked up to my head, but I had no idea what it was doing since I couldn't see the screen. There was a window on the wall to my right, that was covered by a blind, but I could still tell it was there. Maybe it showed the outside or it was one of those windows leading to a hallway, if it's one of those, who has been looking at me, it's a bit unsettling. Last thing I noticed was a chair in the left corner of the room at the end of the wall. A sleeping figure rested on that chair, and I soon recognised him.
"...Tom...", I tried to call out his name, but everything seemed to be very hard to accomplish... I was even struggling to keep my head up. My mind wasn't fully healed from the attack and was struggling to do what I wanted. I gave up on talking and looked at what was next to me. On my right Dash and Pulse were sleeping and to my left Luna was sleeping too.
"...Luna...", I again tried to talk, but I was still too weak. 'How long have they been there? I hope I didn't make them upset', I thought. if I was out for about two weeks then I would be scared for the person on the bed. This reminded me of Tom when he was six and in bed for weeks, it feels like something is out to get me everytime something happens.
I couldn't hold my head up any longer as I dropped it back onto the pillow, the strain was getting to me, maybe after a good rest I could finally move. I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep, it wasn't easy since I have been in bed for so long, but I managed it as I feel to sleep.
I opened my eyes again, this time the room was brighter with the lights on and even more light coming in from the window on the right wall. The light entered my eyes making me flinch from the sudden pain it caused, my eyes have been closed for so long that this was much worse than the other times my eyes tried to adjust to the light. It took some time but it got better as I was able to keep my eyes open, but even with the extra light it didn't make this small room anymore appealing to the eyes.
I attempted to move so I could look around and see if anyone was around, this time my mind was stronger as it was quite easy to raise my head. Tom wasn't here anymore nor was Dash and Pulse, the only one that was still here was Luna, she was still to my left side, right next to me, but unlike when I saw her last time I woke up when she was just laying there sleeping she was on her back with her four legs in the air, relaxing or sleeping I couldn't figure out which.
"Luna?", I tried to wake her up, it was much easier to talk this time around, I don't know when I woke up before but it must have been a few days ago seeing how different I'm feeling. She didn't wake up when I called her name but instead moaned in her sleep. I moved to make myself to sit up on the bed, my muscles were in slight pain from trying to get me to move, this confirmed that I was out for some time. I moved my pillows against the wall behind me and sat up against them. Moving position after such a long time felt good.
As I moved I felt something next to me under the blanket. I reached in and pulled out what it was. It was Jin the jirachi doll I got back at Viridian City, knowing that I had this next to me this whole time felt comforting, I know Tom knew how much this doll meant to me, even if it wasn't the one that my dad gave me it still meant a lot to me in my mind and heart, "Thanks...", I softly said to myself, thanking Tom for leaving this with me. Looking at Jin gave me an idea, I looked over to Luna and smiled, I have to do this evil plan, I have been out for so long that I need a good laugh.
I moved Jin face just in front of Luna and I poked her with my other free hand, "Luuuna... Luuuna...", I continued to poke her, before she slowly opened her eyes.
"Wha...", she said sounding quite sleepy, but once she saw what she was in front of her she rolled to her side and fell of the bed yelling for fear and shock at the sight of Jin right in front of her, she was awake now, "Dash! Pulse! I said stop doing that!", she screamed out at the top of her lungs, it seems those two had the same idea as I did, we really were like brothers. I couldn't contain my laughter anymore as it burst out, filling the room with the noise. Luna hopped back up onto the bed and saw that it wasn't Dash and Pulse laughing but me, "S-Sora...!?". I tried to contain myself as I looked her in the eye.
"Hey Luna sorry about that I-", I couldn't finish my sentence as she jumps up onto my chest and started to lick my face.
"Sora! You're okay!", she was so happy that I was finally awake that she couldn't really contain herself.
"L-Luna! I missed you too...", I hugged her moving my head to the side of her's to try and stop her from licking me. As I was hugging her I felt the feeling again, but after I found out what it meant back in the dream world with Aeon, it felt good and I didn't want it to stop. I hugged her closer and rubbed my cheek against her fur, it did feel weird at first but it just made sense to do that, as well as that it was also warming and comforting. Luna felt the same way as she too rubbed her furry cheek against my skin.
"Luna", I said her name, I wanted to talk to her, but as I spoke she opened her eyes and realized what she was doing and jumped out of my arms, backing off slightly looking away, blushing as she did.
"Er... I... sorry", she slowly said to me. She has been doing this for a long time now and it doesn't fail to make me chuckled.
"Luna you really make me laugh, you know that", I chuckled a bit more before calming myself down slightly.
"I-I'm glad...", she smiled but still blushed. Now will be a good time to talk.
"Luna, I need to ask you something".
"W-what is it...?", she sounded nervous, and I guess she should be.
"I need to know...", I took a deep breath since this isn't easy for me either, "Do you... like me?", once I asked Luna was frozen stiff, she couldn't believe what I just said, but she untensed herself and relaxed.
"Y-y-you mean... as a friend...?", she responded, she wasn't sure if I caught on to what she has been doing. She needed to double to cheek before she completely froze over. I smiled and responded.
"No, Luna. I mean do you... love me?", Now that she finally knew what I was talking about, she almost fainted. She couldn't believe what I just said, and now that I thought about it it did sound weird. I asked a pokemon if they loved me, I know that I'm turning into a pokemon but it still felt wrong. Luna wasn't even moving anymore, she was just standing there frozen in place, maybe I broke her brain, "Luna?".
"I... I...", she could barely speak, she was too stunned to do anything. But judging the way she was acting and what Aeon told me, I already knew her answer. I let out a small chuckle.
"Luna. I already know your answer".
"Y-you do?".
"Yeah. I know you love me. It's plain to see", granted I didn't know until Aeon told me, but now that I know it's quite easy to tell.
"It is? Are you mad?", Luna didn't want to make me mad, she wanted to know if it's okay with her feelings. She reminded me quite a lot of Aeon.
"No Luna, I'm not mad. In fact, to tell you the truth, I feel the same way", I told her, I let her know how I felt, It still sounded weird, but I felt really good.
"You do?!", Luna sounded surprised that I also felt the same way, anyone would be surprised.
"Yeah. I only found out that I felt like this not too long".
"S-so... you love me too?".
"I know it sounds weird. I couldn't believe that I was in love with a pokemon. It felt unnatural. But now... it feels right", I patted her on the head smiling, "I felt like this before we came to Pewter City. But I want to know, why do you love me. I'm pretty much a freak, I'm not pokemon nor human. How can you love me?", over everything that is happening now, this question is what I wanted answered. How can someone love a freak, a beast like me. I wouldn't love me.
"Um... I... I don't care what you look like. I... like you because you're Sora. I known you for a long time now".
"What? You mean that you liked me even before all this?", did she really like me before all this. How could she, I was a human then.
"I... did have a crush on you. You were so kind to everyone you met. To me", Luna walked over to me and placed one of her paws on my leg, smiling.
"You liked me even though I was human? I... I don't know what to say".
"What's to say. I liked you for a long time. This happening to you is a-"
"A dream come true. Is that why you were crying so much? I was talking about finding a cure and you didn't want to lose me?", it made sense. She had a crush on me even before this, and now she loves me, if I go back to my old life, back to being human, I wouldn't be with Luna anymore and she would be heartbroken.
"I won't put it that way... but yes. I don't like watching you in so much pain, but with this happening it has given me a chance at love with someone I like".
"Luna... do you really love me that much? I mean... I'm not a pokemon".
"I don't care if you're not a pokemon!", she yelled. Luna jumped up onto her hind legs and and placed her two front paws on my chest and looked into my eyes, quite saddened, "I love you".
"Luna... I...", I didn't really know what to say, now that I got her to talk about this she is really passionate about this. She really loved me, and didn't care that I wasn't a pokemon. I didn't really know how to feel about this, it seemed like this shouldn't happen, but that could just be my human side telling me that you can't love a pokemon. But, that won't stop me. I smiled and brought Luna close to hug her, "I love you too".
We hugged for quite awhile, in our warming affection towards each other. This was interrupted with the door opening, and Tom walking in.
"Maybe I can get... Sora", Tom said, I quickly stopped hugging Luna and as she walk away from me, sitting down on my side, "Sora...?", Tom looked shocked that I was finally up.
"Hey Tom, long time no see", I jokingly said with a slight chuckle in my voice. Tom quickly stopped acting surprised and stunned and ran over to me, giving me a big long hug, "Sora... are you okay?", it sounded like Tom was about to cry as he finally stopped hugging me and looked me in the eyes.
"I'm fine, Tom".
"Are you sure?".
"Yes, Tom. I'm fine. That Hypno did do some damage, but thanks to Aeon, we won and my mind was able to heal", I explained.
"How did you know about the Hypno? You were asleep.", Tom was confused, but I don't see why. That Hypno was in my mind, I saw him.
"Tom, really? He was in my head. I saw him and fought him off with Aeon".
"Oh... well I'm just happy that you're fine... it was just when you...", Now Tom started to cry, he was finally letting his feelings known about what happened, "I-I failed you... I let them get to you and hurt you... if I was-", Tom was blaming himself, and I didn't want that so I interrupted him.
"Tom. You shouldn't be blaming yourself... you have nothing to be sorry about. You did your best and because of you and the others, I'm here now, and I thank you for that", Tom was still crying, but it wasn't for forgiveness... It was from joy and relief.
"Sora...", Tom hugged me yet again, I don't blame him, I have been out for so long that just hearing my voice would make him cry, after all this is Tom and he does care a lot about me.
"Tom, how long have I been out?", I asked, I think I already knew the answer, but I wanted to know. Tom stopped hugging me and sat on the bed on my right side.
"Um..", Tom wiped away a few tears and calmed himself down before continuing, "You were out for two weeks. That machine looked at your brain waves and it didn't display any signs of recovery from you... You didn't start to improve until a week after we got you here", I was right, well, Aeon was right that I would be out for about two weeks. Tom also brought up the machine that I was connected to, so I finally found out what it was. And guessing that it would be safe now to remove the things that were on my head, I took them and placed them on the table. I looked over to Tom to ask another question.
"Where are we?".
"We're back in Pewter City. When you didn't wake up, we ran back here to get help", Tom explained, but this raised another question.
"So I'm in the hospital?".
"Um... no. We didn't know where to take you so we took you to the... pokemon center...", Tom slightly raised his hands, waiting for me to get angry and attack him. But I wasn't angry.
"Okay, at least I know where I am".
"Wait... you're not angry you're here?".
"No, actually I was expecting it. I am a pokemon after all", I smiled. but Tom didn't seem happy with my answer.
"Part-pokemon, Sora...".
"R-right...", I forgot that I was only part-pokemon, being in love with a pokemon and being treated in a pokemon center made me forget that. Tom didn't like my answer and was worried again.
"Sora, are you sure you're-", Tom was interrupted with two more people walking into the room. It was Tabatha and Sim, who were also followed by Dash and Pulse.
"Tom, we wanted to make sure... Sora", they were all stunned to see me.
"I seem to have a new affect on people", I joked, chuckling again.
"Are you okay?", Tabatha asked, coming closer to the bed with Sim and the two plusle.
"I'm fine. Tom was just filling me in on everything", Tabatha let out a sigh of relief, hearing that I was fine. Dash and Pulse jumped onto the bed with huge smiles on their faces.
"Sora!", they both exclaimed jumping into my chest and hugged me, I hugged them back. I missed them so much.
"Hey guys! I missed you so much!", I told them hugging them close.
"Sora you had us worried...", Dash hugged harder.
"We thought you weren't going to wake up...", Pulse did the same. They missed me and I missed them, they were my brothers and I didn't want them to be sad.
"I'm fine, guys. Thanks to all of you. I'm proud that you guys took this nice and calm", I said, pulling them off me and moved them away from my chest so I could see them better. They were happy that I was my old self, that they continued their big smiles. Tom interrupted us.
"Sora, I should tell you that Luna hasn't left your side since we got here. When we tried to take her away she growled and got away from us", Tom said point to Luna, when I looked at her she looked down to the bed slightly feeling sorry for how she acted.
"I knew that would happen...", I told Tom, I looked at her and smiled, she noticed and did the same but I could still tell that she was sorry.
"What do you mean you knew?", Tabatha asked, I didn't look away from Luna as this involved her.
"Do you want to tell them?", I asked, I wasn't going to tell the others if Luna didn't want them to know. The others will only find it weird and unnatural. Luna thought about it carefully, deciding if she should potentially change my and her life. She soon nodded allowing me to tell everyone, to be honest I had butterflies in my stomach, I was nervous in telling them fearing that they will go crazy over all this, but they will find out sooner or later so it might as be now.
"Tell us what?", Dash sounding interested in what we wanted to say. I looked at the confused plusle and to the three people behind them.
"Tom. You wanted to know why Luna has been acting like this", Tom nodded, "Well it's because she... well, she loves me", I explained. everyone's expressions turned from interest to shock. Luna didn't like all the eyes that were now on her as she moved closer to me and hugged close, I wrapped my arm around her and held her close to me. Everyone, saw this and knew that I was speaking the truth, "And I love her too", I said, I wanted to get the attention away from her, which I easily did.
"You love her?!", Tom exclaimed loudly, "You can't love her! She's a pokemon!".
"Tom. I know it's hard to understand, but it's true", I said while rubbing Luna's belly with the arm wrapped around her. Tom started to chuckle.
"This is all a joke, right? You're joking around".
"No, Tom, I'm not kidding around. I have felt this for a long time, even before we got into Pewter City. Same thing with Luna, except she started feeling the same thing way before that. I'm sorry, but it's true", Tom's smile went away, he finally got it that I wasn't kidding. He looked away from me, deep in thought.
"Sora. Do you really mean that?", Sim asked.
"Yeah. When or if I change... I will have Luna here, and of course the rest of you", I looked back down to to Luna and got a soft smile from her.
"When? You planning on changing?", Sim asked again, I choose not to answer that question because I didn't know yet myself. This silence from me made the rest of the room also very quiet.
"Sora?", Pulse poked my leg.
"Yes?".
"Will Luna be our sister?", he continued with his question.
"What? What do you mean?", they were confusing me, why would Luna be their sister.
"We learnt from the T.V. that if your brother marries someone then they will become your sister", Luna and I started to blush, Luna knows what marry meant since she has watched T.V. before.
"That's it. No more T.V. for you two" I said avoiding their question, I didn't want to really answer that since that was another question I didn't know about.
"Sora...", Tom finally spoke up again but still looking at the ground.
"Yeah?".
"You do realise that Luna is still just a kid...", I forgot about her age, but I don't really understand how the pokemon world works, but Luna also felt the same feeling so she can't be that young. In this matter I have learnt something.
"Tom. I know that Pokemon act like kids when they are young and when they are in the first evolution", I explained. Tom reached into his pocket and rubbed something that was in it, I didn't know what it was.
"Right... evolution...", he muttered as he got off the bed and walked out of the room.
"Tom!?", I shouted out to him but he didn't stop only continued to walk. This was something that really made him sad and depressed. I don't know what he was thinking about, but it was most likely about my love for Luna. But what was going in his mind I will never know.
"Sora, I think he needs time. This is all a bit too much for us", Tabatha said.
"I know...".
"Sora, is Tom angry with me?", Luna asked, she didn't want to upset her friend and trainer, but I guess she sees him as a dad as well. Tom looked after her from when she was hatched from her egg. Just like a dad.
"No, Luna. He just needs to think", I said, "Once he thinks about it, he...", I stopped myself from speaking anymore, I felt something happening and if I was right I was going to need room, a lot of room. I pushed Luna off the bed and Dash and Pulse, they were startled by the sudden force, "Tabatha... Sim... Help... Ahhh!", I screamed from immense pain shooting through my body, it's much worse than the other times. I tensed my body to try and block out the pain but it didn't help.
"Sora!", Tabatha and Sim yelled out running over to me, but it's one of those times where no one can help. The pain continued to shoot through my body as it slowly focused on points on my body. As the pain slowly focused it also go more painful as it moved, making me flinch and twitch in pain, as well as softly screaming, I was trying my best to keep it down.
"Is there anything we can do to help?!", Sim asked Tabatha looking her.
"I don't know! I don't think we can do anything", she responded.
The pain stopped moving in my body as it found it's changing points. The immense pain stopped on my left arm and my head, which didn't help in keeping me awake. I felt my arm burn up like it was being placed in lava. My skin started to move and from my wrist, fur started to burst out from it burning up the spots it came out of. The fur quickly moved up my arm changing the skin into fur, it shot past my elbow and didn't slow down, my arm was twitching from the pain. It continued to go up all the way up to my shoulder, on it's way another yellow circle of fur appeared on my upper arm. That started to glow once it appeared, it was showing the pain I was in.
The pain soon faded from my arm once the fur stopped growing. But it didn't stop there for my poor arm, the pain then moved back down my arm and to my hand. I looked at it as I could start to hear and feel bone snap and reform, I could see the fur around my fingers move around as they change. My thumb began to move on it's own, the bone snapped and reformed as it started to get smaller and move. It continued to change shape as it moved to my wrist area, it finally shrink to a size to a point where it doesn't seem to have a function any more. It was so small that it was up against my fur on my wrist. I was terrified by what I was seeing. I could see my hand change before my very eyes, but it didn't just stop at my thumb.
The rest of my fingers started to move on there own. With my thumb gone I only had one four fingers left, the two now middle fingers started to merge together to form one finger, the one morphed together and it wasn't long before I only had three fingers left, but these too were going. My now three fingers began to shrink down, turning into three stubby fingers. It was getting harder to even move them now as they continued to shrink until they were just the same as those little fingers you would find on a paw. Claws started to form and grow from the tips of the paw as well as one from my former thumb. But it didn't stop there. The last of my extra skin that was on my palm and that was now under my small paw fingers. The skin started to blow up and push up, becoming tougher and stronger. This was that last that my hand, well my paw is going to go though, but I wish this was the end.
I felt sudden pain in my eyes as I moved my right hand over them, since my left one is kind of missing. I moved it away and looked up to the roof, I could see a red colour as it all changed again. My eyes were burning up while showing that red colour still. My mind was freaking out over this, I thought it was blood or something with all the pain and the red. The pain started to fade as it all finally stopped, I could still the pain surrounding my changes but most of it was gone.
"Sora...?", Tabatha spoke up after some time of silence. I hadn't seen my changes yet I was still reeling over the fact that it was so painful.
"I-I'm... fine...", I said, but the problem was it was in pokespeak, she had no idea what I said. I closed my eyes and calmed down trying my my best to gain control over my speak again, "I'm fine", I said again opening my eyes. When I opened them Tabatha backed off slightly from the sight of my new change, "What is it?".
"Er.. do you want to truth?", Sim sounded unsure, but I nodded since I needed to know what happened to me, "Well... it's your eyes... there... red", she said slowly. I didn't need a mirror to know what I look like. I would imagine that I don't have my human eyes anymore, it would be my black and red eye, just like an umbreon.
"And that's not all...", Tabatha added while pointing down to my left hand. I looked over and raised my former hand. I was shocked, stunned, scared, saddened all at once. My human hand was gone and in it's place was a umbreon paw. I now had three stubby paw fingers and what used to be my thumb was a small useless attachment on my wrist area that had a claw on it, I could also see three other claw on the tip of my paw, there was also that soft tough skin on the underside of my paw. The fur is no longer around my hand, but it has traveled up to my shoulder, creating a yellow ring of fur.
I was speechless and shaking slightly. I looked over my paw, turning it around and inspecting it.
"Sora? Are you okay?", Tabatha placed her hand on my shoulder, but I wasn't listening all my focus is on my new paw.
"Sora...?", Dash poked my leg again I didn't react. I was really out of it, that was until Luna got involved. Luna placed her paw against mine smiling at me, I looked over to her, my breathing slowing down as I was calming down. Looking at Luna just calmed me down. I pressed hard with my paw against hers. It felt weird using this new appendage but it felt familiar.
"T-thanks Luna", I moved my paw and moved it to her face and moved it down it, it wasn't the same as my hand but it still felt good. Trying to control the movement of something that so stubby was hard but I guess I had to get used to it. As I moved my paw down Luna closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against it, she enjoyed my touch, but this was just weirding everyone out.
"Sora... Um... can you please stop that", Tabatha removed her hand from my shoulder and gave me a weird look.
"Sorry", I said removing my paw from Luna's side and brought it back.
"Aw. Tabatha why did you do that! That was so adorable", Sim pouted.
"You liked watching that? That was just weird", Tabatha said. I knew how they felt about it. Tabatha didn't like how we were acting and Sim just loved how we looked together.
"Um, thanks Sim... I think", I said blushing. But there was still one person that I needed to get an answer from.
"Where's Tom?", I asked.
"He hasn't come back yet", Tabatha explained. I needed to see him, I needed to talk to him. I moved the blanket off me and tried to get off the bed, I knocked Dash and Pulse off the bed.
"Sora! What are you doing? You can't get up!", Sim tried to sit me back down but I won't let it happen.
"No. I will be fine", I said as tried to stand up but my legs felt like they didn't work as I fell down, but Sim caught me, "Thanks".
"Sora please lay back down", Tabatha pleaded but I wasn't going to listen, I was on a mission to talk to my brother. I pushed Sim away and stood up again just managing to keep my balance.
"I need to talk to Tom", I told them, walking over to my bag and picking it up.
"Sora you can't go-", SIm tried to stop me again but I wouldn't listen.
"I'm fine! Really", I took my bag and and slowly made my way out stopping at the door to turn my head back to them, "I will be back soon, can you guys stay here while I talk to him", I didn't wait for an answer as I walked off leaving them behind.
I found a restroom and got changed into clean clothes, and also looked into the mirror. My eyes were gone, the ones I knew anyway. It was just the black pupil now and the red sclera surrounding it. These aren't my eyes, these were one of a pokemon, but I didn't care anymore, this was going to happen anyway and now this stuff doesn't affect me anymore. What did affect me was my new arm and paw. All my skin was gone on my left arm, it was completely changed. It might not look like a pokemon leg but I guess that will change in time. That was ten minutes ago, since then I have been looking for Tom, he wasn't in the pokemon center anymore. I left and looked around and there he was, sitting on a bench nearby, I knew that seat, it was the one I was on last time we were in Pewter City. When I left the room I was staying in people were giving me looks, if I saw someone that was in a bed for two weeks get up and walk around I would be surprised to. It could also be because I haven't covered up my paw so it was next to me moving around.
I walked over to Tom, coming up behind of him, "Tom?", I said sitting next to him. He wasn't focusing on me but something that was in his hand.
"Sora...", Tom said, turning to look me in the eyes, "You changed".
"Yeah, it just happened it-", Tom quickly interrupted me.
"Sora. I'm not talking about that, although you do you look different", he said looking into my eyes, not noticing my new paw.
"What are you talking about?", I asked.
"You changed. You not yourself anymore", I chuckled slightly thinking that he was joking.
"What do you mean? I'm me", I said smiling, but Tom still didn't believe me.
"No Sora. You haven't acted like yourself for a long time now. I have watched you change and you're not the same brother I know", Tom explained. I didn't know how to react, Tom thinks I'm no longer the same person he knew, I was something different he didn't like. What I told him before back in the room when I told everyone that I loved Luna must of pushed him over the edge.
"Tom... you don't think it's me anymore? Why? I haven't changed, it's my body that has", I told him trying to change his mind.
"Sora I know that this is hard for you. But when this first started you we're on a mission to hide and find a cure... now you don't care that you're changing, you have pretty much accepted that you're going to turn into a pokemon", I could spot a few tears forming in his eyes, he didn't want to lose me.
"Tom", I placed my paw on his cheek making him notice it, "Look at what's happening to me".
"Sora... your hand...", I moved my paw from his cheek and held it out to show him.
"Tom this it what's happening to me. We can't stop this from happening. I've already lost too much to go back now", I explained moving my arm and paw around to show him what I meant.
"What about Luna? You say you... love her".
"I have felt that way for a long time. Way before we got to Pewter City, remember that strange feeling I couldn't figure out?", I said looking back into Tom's saddened eyes.
"So... you loved her for that long...", Tom looked away and back into what was in his hand.
"To be honest Luna has had a crush on me for a long time, for a year or two now", Tom looked back at me quickly with that is that true look, "I don't know why she did really. But when I got up we talked and I told her how I was feeling", I told him.
"But she's just a kid. She can't-", I interrupted Tom since I wasn't done.
"You want to know why Luna was crying when we were in Pewter City the first time?", Tom nodded since he sort of pushed for an answer about this before, but back then I didn't even know, "She was crying because I was talking about finding a cure. She saw this change as her chance at loving someone she liked".
"But... isn't that bit weird? I mean she is a pokemon and your... well and you're not", Tom said looking over me.
"Well I love her as well Tom... and if I change there is still something I want in my life, even if I change or not".
"What?", Tom was confused. What could I want that I can have as a human and a pokemon, there aren't many things but there is one thing.
"I want to love, Tom. Even as a pokemon I want to love... and you know... have a family", I told him. Tom is the first person I told about this, even if my old life is ruined because of this doesn't mean I should give up on living a new one.
"Sora... this is what I mean. You're not yourself anymore... but I guess I understand why... I might be the same...", I think I was getting to Tom, but he wasn't cheering up, only continued to rub something in his hand, I still couldn't figure out what it was since it was wrapped in a cloth.
"Tom, she doesn't like how you just left. She sees you as a dad figure and she doesn't want to make you upset".
"She does...", Tom didn't really seem surprised by this, he has looked after her since she was hatched, I guess it was really only natural, "So I'm her dad... so I guess I need to fill the father role".
"What do you mean?", Tom had me confused. What did he mean by fill the father role.
"I mean as her father I don't approve of this".
"W-what do you mean you don't approve?".
"You said Luna didn't want to make me upset. So she won't go into anymore of this love thing... I'm sorry Sora, but this isn't right. I won't have this happen, this will just push you back further and I'm not going to lose my brother", Tom clutched the item in his hand, "And Luna is just a kid".
I raised my left arm up and waved my paw in front of his face, "Tom look at what's happening to me! Are you really going to be like this and keep Luna and me from happening!", I yelled at him. During the time I have been talking to Tom a lot of people gather around us to listen in, but they were getting worried about everything we were talking about.
"Sora! This is unnatural! You love a pokemon and you're not even one! Luna is a kid and you think this can work!", Tom was still stuck in his way and not giving up. He didn't want to lose me as a brother. But I don't know what he was concerned about I'm not losing myself I was still me. He just doesn't see that. I was getting angry with Tom as I shot up from the bench and started to pace
"Tom I'm turning into a pokemon! And you are going to take away one of the things that will make me happy!?", I yelled still pacing. Tom also got up and moved a bit to the left before standing there.
"You are no longer yourself! You don't know what you are doing! I'm only trying to keep the Sora I know from slipping away!", Tom crossed his arms and yelled back.
"Guys?, a familiar voice said.
"Slipping away?! I'm still the same person I have always been! You only think I have changed!, we continued to argue, if we keep this up we could start fighting.
"Oh really?! Let's see here, You love a pokemon! You can use pokemon moves and you almost killed one of your pokemon and a few others you didn't know! You count those two plusle as your brothers and you barely know them! All because of this virus!", Tom came closer to my face.
"Guys", again the familiar voice sounded but we didn't care who it was, we were too busy in letting out our feelings which we have been bottling up for a long time.
"You knew the kind of person I was before all this! You knew the life I have had! You had to see all this coming!", I continued to pace, but now I was holding my head in slight pain.
"I know your life wasn't the best but changing into a pokemon won't fix anything!", Tom yelled. My head felt like it was going to burst. It was in pain but I also felt a power growing in me. I couldn't hold it back as my rings started to glow brightly and my eyes also glew with a powerful light. I stopped pacing and faced Tom, stones started to float around me.
"It won't fix anything if you keep denying this! I'm trying to make a better life for myself and you're keeping me from moving on!", the rocks got closer to Tom, ready to attack him. I had no idea how I was doing this but I was, it felt a lot like the power I had in my dream when I forget off that Hypno.
"Guys!", we finally started to listen and stopped arguing. We turned to look to the side and we saw Tabatha and Sim standing there between the crowd of people, with them is Dash, Pulse and Luna. Now that I think about it, it was Sim that was trying to get our attention, under her legs was Luna saddened and frightened by our argument. She heard a lot of what we were talking about and she didn't like it.
"Luna...", I said, calming down with the glow disappearing from my eyes as the rocks fell back to the ground. Luna quickly turned around and ran for it as fast as she could, trying to get away from everyone, as she ran I could hear her starting to cry, "Luna!", I shouted out trying to get her to stop, but this didn't happen. I turned and faced Tom, "Now look at what you've done! If you don't care how I feel, think about Luna! This affects her as well!", I yelled in his face before I started to chase her down.
"Sora...", Tom said as I ran. People moved out of my way as I went to find Luna.
I ran down the road, trying to track down Luna, it wasn't easy as she was small and fast, just as fast as me, but I could see in the distance a small furry pokemon running out of the city, it was Luna trying to get away. At this rate I wasn't going to catch up with her and the only way I could is using Quick Attack.
'Aeon please... if you can hear me... I know you need to rest... but please I need your help...', as soon as I finished my thought I could feel the power I needed to catch up with Luna, Aeon heard me. I started to run much quicker using Quick Attack to make up the difference in distance between us. A few minutes later I was quite close behind her now, we have cleared out of the city limits already as I started to yell out her name.
"Luna! Stop!", I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen. But she didn't need to, I caught up with her and grabbed her as I skid to a hult. She was crying heavily and tired from running so much.
"I-I'm... I'm sorry! It's all my fault!", she said sobbing in my arms.
"Luna nothing is your fault... it's all fine", I held her close and patted her, trying to calm her down.
"B-but it is! You and Tom started to fight! You hate each other because of me!", She continued to sob. She blames herself for the argument we had.
"Luna... you're not the cause for that. Tom and I were like that because he didn't think I was myself. Please don't blame yourself", I stopped patting her and scratched her behind the ear, this finally made her calm down.
"But... but...".
"Luna you're not to blame. Running away won't help, in fact it will just make us sad, really sad", I told her, tearing up over the idea, "Please come back...". We sat there on the ground for a long time, she was sitting in my arms calming down in silence.
"Sora...?", Luna finally spoke up.
"Yes Luna?".
"Thank you...", Luna said getting more comfortable in my arms.
"It's fine. Now let's head back", I got up still holding Luna close to me, I wasn't going to let her go. When I turned around though I found a familiar face staring back at me, and it was one I didn't want to see again.
"Well, You're finally up", the person said, crossing their arms.
"Darcy...", that cold voice sent shivers down my spine, "What do you want".
"Well last time we met you hurt my pokemon using a attack of your own. So I did a little research into you, it was easier than you think since the media like to keeps tabs on you", Darcy explained, and still his could toned voice didn't help calm my nerves around him, even Luna didn't like him as she tried to hid in my arms.
"What does that mean? What do you want from me!", I loudly exclaimed, Darcy chuckled slightly which made his cold tone sound warming compared to it.
"Once people found out I was digging into your story, I got offered a job to bring you in, you might know them as Team Horizon".
"What... you're working for them?", again Darcy chuckled.
"I don't work for those weaklings. No, they hired me, I'm a Pokemon Hunter and you will be coming with me", I was truly terrified, I knew what Darcy can do and he will win. Aeon was too weak to help me with anything anymore, and I didn't want to get Luna involved since she was badly injured last time we fought him.
"You're not taking anyone!", I yelled backing off.
"You will have no choice...", Darcy straighten his arm in front of him, on his was some weird device, it was silver and bulky, "Now... come a long", as soon as he finished his sentence small discs came from the device and flew to us, I knew this was going to end badly so I turned around and legged it.
"Sora! Let me fight!", Luna said trying to struggle out of my arms.
"No! He hurt you last time. I won't let that happen again!", I quickly answered as I ran. The small discs were catching up to us before the flew pass me and stopped me in my tracks, "Crap...", is all I got out as the six rings surrounded me and let out a bolt of electricity, striking me and Luna repeatedly, the the pain shot through my entire body as I fell to my knees. I could feel Luna stopped moving in my arms as I looked down to her, "...Lu...na...", the electricity was overloading my mind as I dropped Luna and fell face first in the dirt. My last moments of vision was of me looking at Luna passed out and beyond her was Darcy walking up to us smiling, after that darkness set in.
Okay that was... different. Luna and Sora sitting in a tree anyone?
Sora finally figures out what that feeling was, and now doesn't know what to do with the changes that's happening to him, let it continue you still find the cure.
Luna also feels the same way which is interesting, she also had a crush on him when he was a human... I wonder where this will go.
Sora and Tom talk, and got into a fight. Tom doesn't want to lose the brother he knows and doesn't want this to happen while Sora is convinced that Tom doesn't want him to be happy with these changes and stopping him from feeling love. Will this break there brotherhood?
Darcy is back and this time he has Sora and Luna. Next chapter Sora will have to find a way to save him and Luna, we also find out more about Team Horizons history with this virus.