Chapter 3

The horrible screams reverberating down the dark, empty hallways were nothing new to Cal's ears. True, he wasn't particularly used to the voices being female, but in some ways, he enjoyed it more. As he passed the room where the screams were emanating from, he glanced in through the glass.

Inside there was a small team of scientists, wearing white lab coats and masks, crowded around a figure strapped down to a metal operating table. The figure could not move, aside from tossing her muzzled head back and forth, because her arms and legs were held in place by leather straps, held down by steel cable, which pulled tight against her. It wouldn't do to have a second one escape. No, that would be far too messy.

The woman wasn't quite human and wasn't quite a Pokémon. But, she also wasn't what Cal kept sealed within the Pokéballs he had attached to his belt, either. She was once an Arcanine, which was far more evident than any true human Pokémon Cal had ever seen. Being trapped between two worlds was causing her unimaginable agony and Cal was surprised at her incredible resistance to the tranquilizers.

She was human in form, but Cal had no reason to think that this one would be any different from any of the other failures. There was still fur all over her body, for one thing. Worse yet, she still had paws! Cal was even willing to bet that her teeth were all still sharp.

Despite the disappointment, he still casually nodded at the head researcher, as he passed. The head researcher was a pathetic, coward of a man who had been insisting for months that he was making progress. Cal halfway hoped that the muzzle on that Arcanine would come loose and the researcher would feel a little bit of that Arcanine's pain. Well, more than a little...

Still, Cal had bigger concerns. After all, he was on his way to see the man in charge.

Coming to a single doorway, at the end of the hall, Cal placed his hand on the scanner and tapped his foot as he waited. At last, an electronic ding sounded and the door permitted him access.

"Cal," the cold, impassive voice whispered, before the door was even finished opening, "come in. Let's hear your report."

"Thank you, sir," Cal did as he was told. The room was sparsely furnished with nothing more than the desk that the man sat at and a single, hard-backed chair. It gave the impression that whoever worked here had no intention of staying for long. The man who did had his chair turned away from Cal, as if he were staring at something special on the blank, windowless wall that no one else could see. Or even begin to comprehend.

Cal took a few steps forward, his footsteps echoing more in the small, dark office than they did in the hallway. He had been in this man's presence many times, but he still retained that same instinctual fear that told him to run. As if the man might suddenly turn and strike him in the head with something hard and metallic. But Cal knew that that would never happen. This man could destroy him without lifting a finger. Why would he bother to waste his time on somebody like Cal?

"Is everything ready for this year's tournament?" the cold voice asked.

"Yes, sir," Cal spoke quickly, yet confidently, "everything's ready. We have agents ready to compete, as well as a base of operations with adequate space for storage. I will also be among the competitors to ensure everything goes smoothly."

"Very well, good work," It was rare to hear a compliment from this man, and Cal sighed with relief at those words, "just remember what your role is. Observe and collect data. Do not draw any attention. If you are discovered, I will personally handle any damage done to this organization. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," once again, Cal was quickly on edge, "I won't let you down. You have my word, sir."

"As reassuring as your word is," the voice mocked, "I still don't trust it. As such, I'm sending Farin to oversee the operation. He will take on an assumed name and compete alongside you."

"Farin, sir?" Cal thought about what he knew about the administrator and couldn't see why his presence was even going to be helpful. Farin was fourth in command, yet whenever Cal met him, he was always lazy and disinterested. What use was there for someone like that? How could someone like that lead one of the most important missions this team had ever faced?

"Do you question my judgment?" The cold voice snapped Cal back to where he was. And there was still no emotion in that voice, not even a hint. He could kill Cal without a second thought and show no more feeling than if he had killed a mosquito.

"No, sir," Cal corrected himself, "I will do my absolute best to assist him. We will not let you down."

"Good," Cal breathed a sigh of relief, sensing that this meeting was over, "and Cal, on your way out. See that the failure is put down."

"Yes, sir," Cal turned on his heel, back towards the door.

"The researcher," the impassive voice added, as an afterthought, "not the Arcanine. Her we might yet have some use for."

"Good thinking, sir," Cal couldn't help but grin with delight at the order.

"Just be sure everything goes well on Himitsu Island," there was the slightest bit of agitation that made Cal's skin crawl, "the testing can be done on humans, very easily. Remember that."

Maple's behavior changed, literally, overnight.

Mark woke up a few hours after dawn to see Maple standing in front of their window, staring out into the world outside. She stood with her hands clasped behind her back, her tail swaying back and forth. He was amazed to find that she wasn't on all fours sniffing and licking everything, but was just standing there, presumably taking in the sights and sounds of the outdoors. Was her transition over? Was she a complete person, now?

She tapped the glass, experimentally, and Mark couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Almost, but not quite, he thought.

Still, just one day made a world of difference. The changes that had seemed so slight the day before were positively drastic.

Maple stayed upright and refrained from sniffing and licking everything in sight. However, her total sense of wonder and sensory overload remained, as did her insatiable curiosity. Mark also found it odd that she no longer made Leafeon chittering sounds. In fact, she didn't make any noise, which meant she either couldn't, or she refused to. Her need for physical contact had lessened, as well. Mark found himself a little disappointed at this.

At any rate, the key area of interest became the bathroom, on the second day. Mark remained in the doorway as he watched Maple explore.

The mirror was, by far, her favorite new experience. She stood in front of it for what felt, to Mark, like hours. She started with surprisingly girlish acts, like straightening her hair and dress, but she soon degraded to examining her tongue and stretching out her face with her hands, just to see what effect it would have on her image. At one point, Mark watched in awkward silence as Maple turned around and seemed to be examining her butt and tail, in the mirror.

Mark found it interesting to note that she understood that the image in the mirror was herself. The Maple that he had seen the day before probably would have assumed it was another Leafeon-girl. A battle for supremacy would have ensued and a good deal more property damage would have been done, as well.

When she grew bored of the mirror, she started examining the sink. She peered at it for five or ten minutes, screwing up her face in confusion until Mark turned one of the knobs and let cold water flow into it. Understanding dawned and she clasped her hands together in celebration as she watched the water flow. Then, abruptly, Mark shut it off.

Maple twisted her head to stare into Mark's eyes with an intense anger, but then he gestured back to the sink, suggesting that she give it a try. She grasped hold of the hot water handle and, twisting it the wrong way at first, discovered that she could do it, too. However, when she did it, a strange white mist came off of the water. She tested the water with her finger and then jerked back, to keep from getting burned.

Once again, she scowled at Mark as he shut off the water, but he was smiling at her, so, she couldn't stay mad.

After the sink came the shower. This time, Mark had to enter the room in order to slide open the glass door and show Maple how to enter. He also turned on the water and Maple made the connection as to how it was just a bigger version of the sink.

Satisfied, she turned towards the toilet…which Mark steered her away from, back out into the main room. Although he knew that he would probably have to explain it eventually, Mark clung to the possibility that certain things Maple would just know, once she was a full person.

After his success with salad on the first day, Mark brought another for Maple around noon. He also decided that he was feeling adventurous enough to see what Maple's reaction would be to something sugary, like, say…soda.

After Maple finished her salad, (she used the fork this time, but the knife remained useless) Mark opened the bottle of soda just enough for her to not have to struggle with it. She grasped the concept much better this time, but she peered at the strangely colored liquid for long moments, her eyes moving back and forth from the drink, to Mark, back to the drink. She tilted her head to the side, as she examined it, as if looking at it from a different angle would make it look more like water. Shrugging, she removed the cap and took a cautionary sip.

Instantly, her eyes widened and she began smacking her lips, staring at the drink in her hands as if it were her new reason for living. She upended the bottle and started guzzling the sweet drink.

"Wait, not too fast-" Mark warned. Too late, Maple swallowed too much at once and started coughing and retching, spilling half of the bottle onto the floor, creating a new wet spot.

Half an hour later, the sugar sent Maple on a wild rampage. She darted from one area of the room to another, unable to sit still. She pushed a few random buttons on the TV, producing no results, before dashing over to flick the lamp on and off once or twice. She rocked what remained of the desk chair back and forth a few times then jumped up and down on a bed for a few seconds.

Maple didn't come down from her sugar high for another two hours. By then, Mark had given up trying to keep her from breaking anything, which it turned out he needn't worry about, anyway. As curious and jittery as Maple was, she was also being very careful. She stopped bouncing from area to area when she managed to locate the POWER button on the TV.

After that, she was transfixed, gazing at the shining screen. She played with the other buttons some more, gradually understanding it bit by bit. She sat with her nose just a few inches away from the screen, mesmerized by the images it made.

Maple remained in front of the TV, channel-surfing without knowing that it was called such, for the rest of the afternoon. She paused at a particular station the longest whenever she saw a Pokémon, on the screen. She came to a stop when she found a tournament being broadcast worldwide.

A tournament… Mark thought. Maple had competed in a few, when she was a Leafeon, but those days were probably over. Tournaments had been what Mark had trained and raised Eevees for just days ago, days that felt like months. Was that still what he did?

He wasn't like other Pokémon trainers, anymore. He wasn't even certain if he was a Pokémon trainer, at all. He had other Pokémon than Maple, of course. Over a hundred waited for him at the ranch that was just a day's journey away. The ranch where Hayley, Jeremiah and Cole helped him raise and sell Eevees to other trainers.

What would they think if he showed them Maple? Would they keep raising and selling Pokémon like livestock if they knew a Pokémon could turn into a human? But why had Maple turned into a human in the first place? Millions of Pokémon and thousands of trainers in the world, and no one knew?

Mark's head hurt. So many questions, and he wouldn't even have time to sort it all out.

He flopped back on the bed, causing Maple to start, in alarm. A tournament, he thought about everything he thought he knew about Pokémon. What were they, really? Just small monsters that somebody figured out how to catch, tame, and carry around to be called on at any time? He knew Pokémon did more than fight each other, but it had remained their main use. It was a use that most Pokémon actually seemed to enjoy, as unbelievable as that always seemed. Now there were Pokémon turning into humans, what did that mean?

A tournament, Mark pondered it, figures.

Maple remained oblivious to Mark's worries. He brought her another salad, the only kind that the Pokémon Center had to offer, but no soda. After she practically ripped off the cap, Maple was disappointed to find out that it was just water and her ears drooped, mirroring her sadness.

She stayed glued to the TV screen, much to Mark's relief. He lied down, thinking about what to do. A stop at the ranch on their way to Olivine City would be a good start. After that, just another two day journey and they'd be on their way to Himitsu Island. It occurred to Mark that he had never heard of it.

He wondered what it was like. Would it have new and rare Pokémon that he hadn't seen before? That would certainly make the trip worth it. He and Maple had been in Ecruteak City because he had heard rumors that Raikou, Entei and Suicune had been seen fleeing the Tin Tower.

Raikou, Entei and Suicune were legendary Pokémon of incredible power. They were servants of the Pokémon Ho-oh and thought to be one of a kind. Many believed that they didn't really exist at all.

However, chasing down legendary Pokémon was going to have to wait.

Maple ended up falling asleep on the floor, with the TV still on. She only lasted an hour longer than she had the night before. She curled up in the exact same position as before.

Mark pulled a blanket over her, same as before. He had to admit that he was worried, maybe even scared. But there was something else. Something he had to do. No matter what, he wouldn't abandon Maple.

AN: and now enters the Team Rocket-esque people. i'll tell you their actual name later. for now, just know that their kinda evil.

btw, this'll be the last chapter with the transition between pokemon to human, for Maple, at least. i might go back to it again, but certainly not in this much detail