Hello everyone! Once again I find myself writing when I should be sleeping. I do want to say that you shouldn't get used to this frequent posts, there might be times when it takes a week or more. It all depends on whether I feel like writing at the time, really. Anyways, on with the show!

Wasmitheejr: I'm glad you think so!

I awoke the next morning, my neck a bit stiff from sleeping on the ground, legs sore from the day's walking. Several other pokemon had passed this way, judging from both the smells and trampled bushes, but it seemed I hadn't been disturbed. What was disturbed was my stomach. It was only now I realized that I had yet to eat anything with this body, I hadn't felt hungry the previous day, but maybe my brain had made that connection as I slept.

I didn't really know a whole lot about what pokemon ate, that would be something a trainer would know and I had never even been allowed to have a pet. The full extent of my knowledge is that pokemon liked berries. I came to the conclusion that the best way to find something was to trust my nose.

After looking around the immediate area I identified three distinct berry bushes. One was a tall plant with bright red berries, which set off alarm bells ringing. I knew that in nature bright colors tends to mean poisonous. The other two bushes were low to the ground, one with yellow and green berries and the other with orange. I went with my gut and chose the orange one. The taste was nothing special in retrospect, but I was hungry to the point where it could have tasted like anything as long as it was edible.

Now that I wasn't starving to death, my thoughts once again turned back home. It had been at least two days by now, my mom alone in the house, waiting for me to return. I forced back tears. No, crying wouldn't get me anywhere. I had to figure out a way to get back to normal as soon as possible.

I took a deep breath, the way my chest expanded feeling more and more natural by the second, but wasn't that what I was afraid of? I exhaled sharply. No use just standing here.

I began walking again, just as aimless as before. I started to hum under my breath as I walked, something to distract my mind from the sadness I was feeling. I fell into a rhythm, my movement syncing up with my humming.

I had been walking for several hours before I heard it. Maybe heard is a bit of a misnomer, it was as if I thought it and yet didn't at the same time. A meeting has been called. All should come to the Gathering Stones at once. The voice echoed in my head, quite obviously psychic and not aural. Along with the message came a sense of direction, and I turned southward. Presumably that was the psychic's doing as well.

I walked, pressing forward with renewed speed. It wasn't more than four hours travel, and maybe, I hoped, someone at the meeting could help me.

By the time I reached the stones the sun was well into its descent from the sky. The individual stones themselves were small, but arranged into massive concentric circles they provided an amphitheater-esque space. In the very middle several pokemon, two of which I could see I could see. I could make out the body of a Houndoom, and I had a clear view of an Alakazam, presumably the latter being the one who had sent the message out.

The area has been mostly filled by the time I arrived. Maybe the pokemon around here occupied only a small section of the forest. I was in the very back of the crowd, my view almost completely obscured. The crowd was alive with speculation over why the meeting was called.

A deep voice boomed out. "We have gathered here for an announcement. A once-human has been found." The crowd went deathly silent. The Alakazam turned and looked directly at me. "And, or so he claims, there is another. Everyone here of age has passed the warriors challenge." The Houndoom waved a paw at the crowd, and I caught a glimpse of him walking into the center. "The council has decided. This once-human must hunt the other if he is to join us."

My mind was still trying to process this when the voice of the Alakazam spoke in my head. Run. I will help you. Now! At the word now I was already off, sprinting as fast as I could with my new body. I chanced a glance back, it seemed no one had followed, maybe the Alakazam had made me go unnoticed.

I didn't slow down until I ended up tripping on a root in my haste. I took a few seconds to catch my breath before getting up. A society of warrior pokemon? Coming of age rituals involving killing other pokemon? As far as I knew this sort of thing was unheard of. Maybe if I had paid more attention in my pokemon classes…

I picked myself up and set off again, at more of a jog than a run, only to stop suddenly when I heard a loud pop behind me. I turned around to see the Alakazam, staring at me. It spoke in my mind once more. I have prevented them from following your trail with any ease, but they will find you eventually. You must prepare.

"Prepare for what exactly?" I asked. "I really don't know a whole lot of what is going on. I was just living my life as a human when yesterday I woke up like this." I gestured to myself with one paw.

It is only in recent months that Atorok, the Houndoom you saw, came to power. There was much slaughter. He instituted a right of passage, anyone who wanted to be part of the clan had to kill another to gain acceptance. The other once-human, Joshua, intends to kill you.

"So that's what I get for saving him then. Guess I'm the fool for thinking he would have been grateful for it." I said, disgusted.

Atorok's rhetoric already matched his worldview. He felt weak because he needed your help, so now he has a chance to prove himself as stronger. He's just embracing the animalism. What I need from you is this. Defeat Joshua. I plan to unseat Atorok via a death by a thousand cuts, I believe the phrase is. Atorok has put faith in Joshua, and a defeat will unsettle him.

"I'm not willing to kill him," I began, but the Alakazam cut me off.

I am not asking you to do so, only defeat him, but if your enemy is willing, it becomes a matter of survival. All you must do is incapacitate him.

I swallowed, my mouth dry. "So how do I win?" The Alakazam closed his eyes, and my mind flooded with visions of knowledge.

I moved with haste through the dense trees. The Alakazam was sending me regular updates on how much distance there was between me and my pursuers.

He had instructed me to attempt attacks on small trees if I felt like I had the time, so I waited until I had a full hour's lead. My chance came when the Alakazam informed me that they had missed my trail and gone off the wrong direction.

I slowed to a stop, panting. I had to keep going until midnight, at which point I should have a chance to rest. I grabbed a berry off of a nearby bush, pausing only to make sure it was edible before consuming it. The taste was sour, but it was better than nothing.

I double checked my surroundings. There were several thin saplings, like the Alakazam had suggested I practice on, but I had no clue what I was supposed to do. I stood there, mind blank, just staring at a tree. I shook my head after a few seconds. This was accomplishing nothing. I set off once more, scared of what was to come.

The goal of the running wasn't to escape; it was to let the excitement die down. I had to keep them trailing me for two days, as daunting as it sounded. This body was well suited for extended running at least, and the fact that they were only moving as fast as their slowest member gave me a leg up.

As I ran I hummed under my breath a song I recalled from the past. Humming quickly gave way to full on singing. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord, he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored…" I timed the syllables between footfalls. Almost ironic, that that was the song that came to mind. A war hymn, when the war was coming to me. "He's unleash'd the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword, his truth is marching on!"

The Alakazam spoke. They are starting to tire, just a little longer and you will be safe to stop for the night. You have an approximately half an hour lead, but do not delay. In addition, there has been a change of plans. You must head west, until you reach the pool of reflections. Gaze into its waters and reaffirm your self.

But why? I thought, unsure if the Alakazam was listening. There was no response forthcoming, so there was nothing to be done. I turned, transferring my momentum in the direction that had been provided.

It had barely been twenty minutes before the Alakazam spoke once more. They have stopped. Go on for now, the more of an advantage we have the better.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I was still full of adrenaline despite how long I had been running for, no doubt I would regret this in the near future.

I ran until the moon had risen a third of the way up the sky before stopping. I flopped over on the grass, still wide awake. It wasn't long before the adrenaline had vanished from my system and an uneasy sleep took me.