Chapter 2: an opened box

Day: 32

Time: 7:23

I open my eyes and look up to see a beautiful blue sky covered in cotton-candy clouds

just like every other day here

I push myself up of the floor and onto my stubby back legs

I stretch my short arms able my head and stretch my claws out, scratching the air above me

I yawn again and place my arms by my sides

hmmm

I'm hungry

too hungry to scavenge

I'll have to go to the Centre

ughhhhh

never mind, I needed to get some healthy berries soon, not half rotten ones

I sigh and start walking to the Centre of the box

Day: 32

Time: 7:54

I finally reach the Centre of Jerry: failed and I duck behind a bush

I look down at my hands, they've turned green. It always creeps me out, whenever I sneak up to eat from the Centre, and it creeps me out, but I ignore it.

I look back up and see a giant pile of berries, and lots of orange lizards around them, eating.

Above each of them is a small hologram. Like a name tag. It lists their name, a number, either a blue or pink colour, and a word. The word is Charmander.

Then after that is a blank space, all of them have a blank space

Really weird

Below all that information is a green bar, its always full, apart from when I fell from a tree, some of the end disappeared, but slowly it came back

I look up to just above my head to see my hologram

Lucidum- M- M- CHARMANDER-

and then hen the space is filled with a little star.

I've overheard from all of the other 'Charmander' that my hologram is weird. Instead of a number and a colour, it says 'M' and Charmander is in capital's instead. And I think it's weird too

but the thing that even they don't dare whisper about, is the small star symbol

every day I think about what it could mean, and I one up with nothing, no solution

but enough of the thinking, I need food.

I look back over to the pile of berries.

a Charmander with the name of 'auxilium' is chatting with another called 'allium' I often see those two when I come here.

Then, suddenly, all the surrounding Charmander screams and run away from the pile, my focus is immediately taken off the two lizards and upwards, where everyone is looking

the usually immobile sky slowly starts to rise, and light leaks in

by now everyone has run off and hidden into the surrounding bushes, so this is a golden opportunity to get some berries

I quickly run towards the giant pile of fruit and start scooping fruit up and into my paws

I start to run backwards, satisfied with my collection, before I'm stop

''LUCIDUM! LOOK UP!'' Shouts a voice from a nearby bush

I look up and drop my berries

the sky is now fully tilted upwards, light leaking in and blinding me, reminding me of my first ever day.

then, 6 beams of light start to fall, fall fast, the beams of light each form different shapes as thy fall, each one different. I've never seen them before

All the Charmander Run further away, into the trees they call home, as the 6 Pokémon land in a line in front of me

Usually, being me, I'd run, not from fear, from selfishness. But this is new. I've never seen anything… or one… like them

They all open their eyes and they instantly look at me

The nametags appear above their heads and I look at them. Each of them are different. But where everyone else usually says 'Charmander' They have a different word

A blue one that has four paws and frilly things on their head has the word 'Vaporeon'

The dark purple one with red, sparkly eyes has the word 'Sableye'

A pinkish one with a large circular thing on it's head has the word 'Shiinotic'

The one that has black and cream colouring, a hard-looking head, and a creamy stick in its hand has the word 'Marowak-A'

The one with a large, 3-pointed yellow head with blue tags on them and is floating as the word 'Jirachi'

But the last one is like me

It's in capitals

It has two silver things in it's 3-fingered hands, and is yellow and brown, it has the word 'ALAKAZAM'

''Lucidum'' says the Vaporeon which is apparently called Splash according to the Tag

''So, it is true'' Says the Shiinotic as it steps forward

I slowly back away

''Shhhhh….'' Says the Jirachi ''We won't hurt you! Say, Are you Lucidum?''

What a stupid question, it says that on the name tag above my head

It smiles

''I seeeeee… Jerryyyyyyy…., I think itssssss… true….'' says the Sableye to the Alakazam

''Did it just say 'Jerry?''' I murmur to myself

Jerry looks up to the roof and cringes

It looks back at me

''Yes, I am Jerry'' Says Jerry

''Coincidence, right?'' I say to myself

The Jirachi floats towards me and I stiffen

''Yes, of course it is! Say young Charmander, what do you know about yourself?'' Asks the Jirachi

''Me? Well, I know I'm different to all the supposedly called 'Charmander's here, and my nametags different to others because everyone else has a number, a blue or pink colour, and then the word Charmander is in capitals where everyone else's isn't'' I say quite quickly

''He, your just like Jerry over 'eer'' says the Marowak

The Jirachi smiles an almost-evil grin ''I think you two'll get along! Both of you are genderless despite your species usually having a gender''

'''species'?'' I say, a bit confused. Actually, very confused. What is a Species

The Vaporeon walks towards me, and circles around me

''Oh, my little one! How could you not know? You're a Pokémon! There's hundreds of different species of Pokémon, each with different types, abilities, looks, etc.! You, my lovely, are a Charmander'' It says

''So, all of you are different species? That's why you look different to everyone in the box? But… Everyone says that I look different as well'' I say, looking sad

''that's because you're a sh- '' Begins the Sableye before the Alakazam slaps him across the back

The Vaporeon smiles

''He he! Naughty Miss Chief!'' it says

'''Miss Chief'?'' I repeat, confused

The Shiinotic turns to me

''That is the Sableye's name. We all have names; our trainer gives them to us'' it says

'''Trainer'?'' I repeat. I'm taking in way too much information for me to handle

''How can you not know lovely?'' asks the Vaporeon

''We are all Pokémon under the ownership of our trainer, Leo. Even you. We train outside of the PC, and battle for him'' says the Alakazam

This is too much and- wait…

''Did you say 'Outside'? Like, outside this box?'' I ask

Shock crosses all of their faces other than the Sableye, it just grins evilly

''Oh, my lovely! We've spent half of our life outside the PC boxes! But have you never seen outside of this PC box? Ever? Do you know what you are? Have your parents told you?'' Asks the Vaporeon quickly

Parents

She stops and looks at my pale expression

''Do you even know your parents?'' she asks, looking down at me

I slowly shake my head as tears start to form in my eyes

The Alakazam takes a step back and sighs as the Shiinotic and Jirachi come and hug me along with the Vaporeon as I silently cry, with the whole of the 'PC box' watching

I've never met my parents

I want to meet them

I've felt so lonely

But I've found others that'll talk to me

This is too much

I miss my Parents

The parents that I've never met