Iduma and Strappo, to my great surprise, fostered a sort of acquaintanceship over the walk. We were now resting by a fallen tree, landmark just before the evolution pond.

"So—mangoose," Strappo said. Mangoose was a portmanteau of manure and zangoose. I secretly thought it was funny. Not the best quip, not the worst. It didn't bother Iduma, or else I would have spoken up about it. "Let's say, if you were from the sand continent, what did you do? What would you do, sorry."

"Farm," she grunted.

"Come on, your whole clandestine attitude's gotten old. Are you an escaped convict or someone with a shady past?"

I stomped a paw, chuckling. "Don't be silly. Iduma wouldn't hurt a fly."

The zangoose smiled and rubbed her nose with the blunt end of her left claw. "This typhlosion is an explorer. He cannot help his curiosity. Nor the stupidity he exudes every waking minute."

"Oh, you melt me with your soft expressions—ex-explorers-say-what!"

"What?" Iduma asked. She realized her grave mistake and snorted, an incredulous look on her face. "And you dare call me the one with schoolish antics. Let me reiterate: I have not done a lick of exploring in my lifetime... dumb, er... foolish badger."

"You can't lie," Strappo declared. "The stupid-pokémon-say-what technique is sacred. More sacred than going under oath."

"Shut your foolish mouth."

"As sacred as Earth-Ventriloquism is to the Mound tribe. Which is where you're from."

The phrase sounded like gibberish to me, but it forced a gasp out of Iduma. She reached up to touch her earrings, and—I had never seen her do this—remove them hastily. My innocent jokes and suspicions became full-blown, and I took a precious moment to reassess Iduma. Larger than life, muscular beyond what field-work allows. A look in her eyes definitely not grown in the boring pastures that surrounded Sunstarch. The chance she knew Earth Ventriloquism—whatever in Arceus's name that meant—and hailed from a far-off tribe... I was shamelessly bewildered.

I was broken out of my wonder by a flower shoved in my face.

"I'll call the mercy rule on our tit-for-tat, Iduma." He wiggled the flower and turned to me. "Are you ready for this, pipsqueak? This is a Gracidea flower. You place it in the water in order to evolve."

I struggled past being called a pipsqueak, gasping twice before saying, "how is it still alive? You've been keeping it in your bag."

"You keep proving to be real student," he replied, giving me a proud nod. "This flower is about as natural as my fire. It functions the same, follows the same laws, yet has, well, properties. Gah. The only way you'll understand is getting your powers. Oh. And Zruaset has some fantastic scholars on the subject—"

"You will feel tingly at first," Iduma said, shoving in front of the typhlosion. "Then you will feel good. If you don't feel tingly, come out, and we will try again tomorrow. Visions aren't unheard of, if you have one, ride along and let it take you away. Take deep breaths like we practiced."

I showed her how good I was at breathing evenly. Already, I felt calmer.

Iduma smiled. "My species does not evolve. We undergo quickening, which has its differences. I cannot tell you how the actual form-changing will be."

Strappo chuckled. "I can. It's unspeakably tremendous. I've done it twice and still can't find appropriate terms."

"What if my evolution goes wrong?" I asked.

A legitimate concern, backed by cases throughout history. Pokémon stepping out of the pond, only to find their right arm had been lost to the glowing water. Or their mind plagued with one of a slew of mental illnesses associated to evolution. Such as acute nocturnalism, feral-instinct-disorder, and mindbreak among the bunch. Rare cases, not impossible, all scaring me witless. I swore to never read the possible side effects chapter of any book ever again.

"It won't." Iduma gestured towards the path. "The pond is sanitary and traffic to it is tightly controlled." Our family didn't eat meat often. When we did, it was from a deer who had gotten too interested in the pond. The water refills if a creature drinks from it, but it can become tainted from animal leavings.

I was afraid to say Iduma's technical answer wasn't enough to settle me. But that was okay, because Barf arrived. He charged towards me—he was twice as excited as when he was running from the shards.

"I can't believe I came back right on the day you evolve!" Barf shouted, dancing over me. I wasn't scared. He wouldn't ever slip up and step on me. "Man, I wish I could evolve now, too. Then we'd both be big dogs! Arf, arf, arf!"

"Calm down," I said, unable to stop smiling.

Strappo sighed. "What makes you think he'll be a dog like you?"

"Uh... we're brothers, Strappo. Brothers stay alike."

The typhlosion laid a paw over his face. "I can't believe I share the job market with such stiff competition." He looked at me. "Your evolution, I saw it during my research. It is canine in nature. Small frame, long legs."

"Hands would have been nice," I thought out loud. "Then it would be easier to read. For the size department, any growth is an improvement."

Bercreaux finally spoke up, his voice forlorn. "Well, the time to speculate on fate is over—it's time to confront it. Except..." he shifted about. It wasn't often I saw father become anxious. "Strappo left it to me whether to tell you this, but..."

"What is it?" I asked reluctantly.

"Because of your species, you will only be evolved during the daytime. You will, however, retain your powers in either period."

Barf, master of getting in the first word, butted in. "That's stupid!" He barked. "Fix it, dad."

I let out a paltry harrumph. Of course there had to be a catch. Yet... I must confess it didn't phase me. In fact, I bet none of them noticed my grin falter for a split-second.

"We'll cross that bridge later," I said. Unable to help myself, I gave my father a clumsy nod. "Father, Bercreaux, do I have your permission to enter the evolution pool outside Sunstarch?"

The absol smiled ear to ear. "You do."

I grabbed the Gracidea flower and bolted down the path. Barf whooped after me, and Iduma said something I missed, as I was skittering down as fast as my stubby legs could carry me. Soon I was puffing, no longer dodging high rocks in the path but bowling right over them like my brother.

The smell of water drifted from the clearing ahead. The green light of the forest seemed to grow stronger around a portal made from tree limbs and shrubbery. Trees grew close-together to shield the pond, but I could still see the blue light. Now heaving for air, I stumbled in through the gate.

Those of you already evolved, I suppose it would be foolish to try and describe an evolution pond. For the uninitiated, start with this idea: the water hums.

A thought raced through my mind. What if I was too small for the well? I wasn't a great swimmer. Yet my fears were for nothing, as I found the shallowest piece after going around to the other side.

Well, this is it, I told myself. I encountered a sharp sensation. What came next, I concluded, would make me want to explore. Because burning curiosity had festered in my chest, and this water didn't promise to cool it down.

I stretched out, touching the pond with a paw. Iduma forgot to warn that evolution ponds pull you in. Drag you in, as mine did to me. I was just starting to get used to the cold water when I found myself belly-up in the thick of it. The described tingly feeling hit me. I was ready. I was ready to evolve.

I laughed nervously and rolled onto my feet. Strappo was right on the money: I felt like I was on the cusp of evolving, yet there was something missing. His gift, the flower.

Yes, I decided as I laid down the Gracidea flower. I think I'll accept your offer, Strappo.

The pond's glow became a flare. All at once I found my body thrown into the deep-end, my paws brushing against the floor of the pond. I bubbled and tried to swim upward, only to find myself held down. I shut my eyes as my body trembled without my permission, hoping... it was supposed to be this tremendous.

In ancient legend—the originary kind—Arceus settled a war amongst the Legendaries, his first creations, with a scream. Music originated from the notion of understanding it. This scream, so deafening, carried within it notes strong enough to pass time, move space, give powers and create life itself. The Legendaries learned to mimic parts of this scream, each a different way. One popular example is the Dimensional Scream, owned by Dialga and Palkia. A scream so powerful and inherent it can alter time and space. The first exploration guild had a member able to decipher the lingering trebles of Dialga's screams. He could see the entire horizon of temporality of objects and pokémon through touch. Ever since Arceus receded and allowed the Legendaries to rule, they have guided the world's growth with their screaming.

The point is: before Arceus screamed, he had tried a quieter method of stopping the war. This was also recorded by the Legendaries, developed through the ages, and then became something you might recognize: language.

And that is where I lie, and where I think all evolved creatures end. The process of evolution is a single scream. Yet there are parts where language can come in to supply details.

While evolving, I had a vision of a Lake Guardian. As Iduma mentioned and evolve creatures know, this not uncommon. I was visited by azelf, being of pure willpower, who shouted magic down my spine and cradled my head, a solemn look on its face. I was wordlessly scared, yet ultimately it left me glad.

A vision of a garden rose from nothing. I recognized it as the one where my Gracidea flower grew. What else do I see above the other flowers, but Strappo strung up by his feet! The wartortle who acted as his guide was laid out across the grass, three bemused stantler standing guard over him. All the pokémon of the Glen were amused by the two's situation—one in particular watched from the edge of the treetop homes, howling with laughter. It was a pleasant scene to see.

Finally, a form came to me. It asked me what I wanted to do with myslef. I answered, but could not hear my own voice over the roaring in my ears—the noise of moving water as I returned to my senses. The form dissolved, and the process ended.

I apologize to the unevolved for this odd account. Don't be scared of it. It isn't the most moving change you will experience, nor the first. For me, it was a reminder of my potential. For once, I imagined my potential free of doubts, free of my life in Sunstarch where I am sequestered for my own safety. I promise... the going-between of these three visions was nothing less than riveting. A screaming change.

I distinctly remember coughing up water as the point where I regained control over my body. There was a soreness in my chest, as if I had been holding my breath for a long time.

My first thought was to stand up and look for the sun, to see how long I had been out.

Try to envision my surprise: when I rose up, I kept going higher, higher, higher!

I looked down at my new legs. Long. There were as long as Barf's legs. I explored my new maw, learning the quick lesson of not pressing my tongue against my fangs. My scent was no longer grassy and clear, but earthy and real.

I cheered to myself, dancing on my long legs. My right foreleg slipped and I tumbled down. My first steps were like a deer's, jumping through each motion with all of my concentration. A tree nearby caught my attention. Hopping up onto my hind legs, I was able to lean against it and peek inside a hole unreachable in my old form. A squirrel, likely regretting his choice of home, made a run for it, dropping several chestnuts in his wake. I cried out and fell backwards, laughing madly at the fleeing animal.

Powers. I have powers. I felt them swelling up. My body had two slits located on the top of my shoulder-blades. These could summon vines, strong enough to strike bark from a tree. I surmised, from instinct, I could also summon up spores from the slits, my mouth, or the fur along my back. I settled my paws in the dirt, aiming at the tree. A vine or two wouldn't hurt the pond.

"No," I said to myself, relaxing. "I want to show everyone."

I no longer puffed. It was stumbling at first, but soon my awkward lurches became a full-on sprint. The rocks in my way before—so, so small! A five-minute run had become one. When I heard my family's voices again, I didn't stop, I grew faster. They fell silent, hearing my slamming paws on the dirt. Barf got a taste of his own medicine, feeling my footsteps before I broke from the brush!

He stared at me as I ran by, my giant tongue lolling teasingly. Even in my high speed, I saw his smile grow. He didn't need to ask if I was his brother. My smile widened, and in an instant, I was being chased out of the forest.

I was as of yet unused to running, so the growlithe caught me effortlessly. We rolled in the grass. To my surprise, he was very gentle, teaching me the right way to push and prod in a mock-fight. He was much heavier than I was. Despite this difference, I felt giant. Larger than the world.

He hoisted me up with all four of his legs. I scrambled in the air, about to faint from the fun. I took a moment to look around me at the expanse of green. The expanse I stood above.

"You're so big," Barf cried. "Shy, look at you, you're my size. We can play-wrestle all day! Let me get a better look." He unceremoniously bucked me off. I slammed onto the ground. I absorbed most of the impact. "You look cool. You have a scarf of some sort. No more flowers, too. Spin around. Wait—lemme see your teeth, I want to see if you've got bigger incisors..."

We continued like this until the others reached us.

"The way you sprinted out of there," Bercreaux said, "we thought something went awry."

Iduma nodded. "Excellent land-speed and stamina." She jolted. "Is what Strappo told me on the way over. I-I have no idea if you are fast."

The typhlosion sneered. "Right, sure, I said it. Everything feel good, kid? No fifth arm poking out of your back?"

"Perfect. Strappo..." I looked at my father. He chose the right time to look off somewhere else. "I thought about your offer. I'd really like to be an explorer."

My father whipped around. "Oh?" Even Barf was speechless. "You conniving animal, Strappo, snatching up my child. Now I see why Iduma followed you." He wasn't angry in the slightest.

"All's fair in exploration," Strappo teased, smiling at having gotten his way. "Let's conduct a test for my sake. Try letting a vine out. Do you need any instructions on how to summon your power?"

"N-No, I think I have it." I stifled my excited laughter and planted my paws. Closing my eyes, I tried to coax a vine out of my shoulder. My head started to throb.

I opened my eyes again, wiggling the headache away. "Oof. I guess I'm a bit dizzy. That kinda hurt."

My words wiped the smile of Strappo's face. He looked at me, gaunt. "Hold it. It hurt?"

"I'm fine, lemme try again. I'll go for broke!"

"Wait a minute, Shy."

"Hope you catch like the shard."

"Wait, wait a minute. Don't."

"Here...it...comes—"

This is where I wish I could say things had gone differently. I wish I could give this story: the vine shot from my shoulder, smacking Strappo in the face (to Iduma's great amusement). He apologized for growing so cautious, explained the problems some pokémon have after evolving, of which I am an expert and can once again impress him. Then he asks my father's permission to take me on as his pupil. My father agrees, we leave three days later for Zruaset, and I grow into a middling explorer.

No. I cannot say those things happened, even if I wish to. Because my vine shot out three feet before falling. I went into neurogenic shock.

For those who don't know what that is, it's when you suffer a pain so great your body begins to shut down.

I lurched forward several steps. It was impossible to breathe, as if I erased the memory of breathing so I could fit in all of the pain. It wasn't enough to let it in, so I felt nothing—except the numbness of my tongue. I began to rub my tongue against my chops, confused. I kept walking forward mumbling to myself. That is, the sunny day became pitch black.

I came to hours later. Around late afternoon.

I remembered that I was in my evolved form. Also, there was a warm trickle on my nose. Blood. Nosebleed? I wiped it away, concerned.

"B-Brother!" Barf whined and ran up to the elevated infirmary bed. "D-Dad, he's awake."

"Wuh... where am I?" More bleeding. I had been awake all of a minute and had grown tired of this stupid nosebleed. I thrust my nose into the bedding. All that ended up succeeding in, was ruining the fine sheets with a red blotch. "My nose..."

"Jerzper gave you herbs to make your heart powerful. She said a nosebleed means you're evening out." Jerzper, the village doctor. My heart sank. "Shy!" He rubbed his head against my side, getting rid of tears. "Y-You fell over, and you weren't breathing. Your heart stopped," he whispered, as if its mention might bring the affliction back. "No one knew what happened."

Even so I didn't feel it, I told my brother, "everything's great. I was letting out a vine, and then..."

Bercreaux and Jerzper came into the room. Following them was Strappo and Iduma. The two had lost their tiny acquaintanceship and it isn't embellishment to say my guardian was ready to draw blood.

The chimecho looked me over. "Hurry, now: what is your name?"

This, among all else, broke the story for me: my evolution had failed in some way. "S-Shy," I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"Where were your born?"

"Not sure." Everyone in the room began to look at each other. I hated it.

"I grew up in Sunstarch, though," I finished, biting back the urge to show teeth.

"What is a memory you have with, say, Barf, from over three years ago but not over six?"

There were plenty. "When he told me he wanted to become a hero, he got up on a perch. And then he fell off while trying to be dramatic."

Barf gave a happy-tearful-sniff. "That's me."

"Why are you testing my memory?" I stood up on the bed. "Dad? Something happened. Tell me."

Jerzper took good care of me when I was sick, so I didn't flinch when he laid one of his tassels across my paws. "I'm so sorry, Shy, I ran tests on your mind again and again. You..." he looked back at my father, who gave him a short nod. "It appears the evolution went awry. You are mindbroken."

"M-Mindbroken?!" I yowled. "Mindbreak..." Such a deflating, awful word. To this day, I still hate seeing it, writing it, hearing it, thinking about. It came up in my childhood readings, and the moment I read its effects, it burrowed into the the back of my mind as one of those far-off risks I give far too much credit to. It'd never happen in this day and age, right?

The rare disease called mindbreak. Arises in botched evolutionary conditions. Sufferers, dubbed mindbroken, who try to use their powers encounter an unbelievable pain jolting from their head to their anterior, or along their spine if they have one. It could throw a sufferer into shock, like my incident. That wasn't its limit for cruelty... if I ever pushed myself too far... I could outright die. I might have died right at the pond. I was so close to trying my powers there. But I got lucky in deciding to save it for later. Not that I felt fortunate. No, right when I uttered the word mindbreak, I did not feel lucky to be alive.

I dully wiped more blood from my nose. All this waiting around the village, doing nothing but growing crops. It turned out to be for little more than to cement me as a liability. In front of my father, my brother, Iduma , Strappo and Jerzper, I laid out in my new body and cried. The word unfair raced through my mind. So unfair.

"Bercreaux," Strappo said. His voice was breathy. "I checked the pond and it was fine. The flower brought this about, it's the only explanation... whatever the Glen did to it, I will figure it out. I will make them pay."

"This must be how they foretold," Bercreaux muttered, "that Shy would stumble into their domain of his own volition. I bet everything they can 'fix' his problem." He gave a ragged sigh. "If you don't mind my saying so Strappo... you are usually better at spotting schemes. What happened?"

Strappo's snarl was absent-minded. "An awful thing. Some plot far darker than blackmailing a child. I... I didn't make a mistake. I made sure the flower was good. I had it appraised... was it my bag that ruined it?" He numbly turned around his backpack and rifled through the contents. "Nothing here to taint a flower. D-Did it wilt somehow... maybe it was when Shy carried the flower. No. The ghost from earlier this morning. No. Perhaps..."

Barf groaned. "Enough already! Who cares about schemes or whatevers? All we need to know, is we have two fire pokémon and forests are flammable! Stupid Glen, I'll burn down their home using my powers—see them stop me with a flower." He didn't notice the unintentional insult in that last addition. Of course he wouldn't be stopped by a flower. No decent pokémon would. I curled up, crying harder. I hated my species. Idol-status be damned. All the stupid ceremonies and praised I received for helping turnips grow. I wish I was in another body. I would trade a feebas half-dead at the bottom of a dried gulch with eight vultures circling overhead.

Iduma shook her head. "The forest is not what's guilty here, Barf." She shot a look over at Strappo. "I don't think you can justify razing a place of nature."

Strappo brought me a ruined flower, I thought. Then, no, I refuse to let this be the end of things. Growling, I rose to my feet and tried to summon another vine, mustering up my anger in an attempt to beat the mindbreak.

More agony. I shrieked and tumbled onto my side, flipped off the bed, and fell flat on my back. The pain was the fiercest I had felt in my life. The scariest part? It was my own body doing the damage. Iduma couldn't protect me from it. I got up. I tried to summon a vine. A bit of it came out of my shoulder, until the jolts once again shot through my body. I was failing the test to be an explorer. Shoot out a vine. I struggled onto all fours. I tried a vine. Pain. Up. Vine. Pain. Again.

Up.

Vine.

Pain.

Again—

"Stop!" My brother shouted, finally breaking the cycle. "Come on, doofus, you'll hurt yourself."

"I want this," I whined. "More than anything I've ever wanted."

"You've gotta protect what's in here." He petted my head carefully. His dusty paw soothed me. "There's a lot of words and stuff inside you. They can't take your book-smarts away, but, er... you can. Did I put that right? I don't know, I only know I can't let you do this to yourself."

If it wasn't for my brother... I might have kept trying, destroying the asset I had left: my wits. I let out a long breath, surrendering myself to the infirmary's floor. I resumed my crying.

"All the books on explorers tell me if I want something badly enough, I can overcome any obstacle," I said between sobs.

The adults refused to comment. Barf petted me without saying another word.