Disclaimer: I do not own the Pokemon series or any of its content.
I stared at the Bagon in disbelief and frantically inspected the pond. This couldn't be true. I wasn't a Bagon! I was Rayquaza! Not this miniscule dragon staring at me with wide, young-ish eyes out of the pond.
Where was my body!
I craned my head to look behind me as if my surroundings somehow held the answer, but the field looked exactly the same. The Grumpig and Human Death Machine were exactly where I'd left them.
I turned back to the pond, dumbfounded, blinking at my reflection as if this horror would simply evaporate if I closed my eyes hard enough. It didn't.
I was lying on the thing's belly, as I had never stood up before and was unsure of how to move the legs. I crawled forward to see if I couldn't look more closely at the creature staring at me out of the pond. But I slipped and fell into the pool.
The water rushed up around me. Unconcerned, I squirmed my body to wriggle to the surface. But this body wouldn't move as mine would. It was too stiff. Instinctively, I waved the arms madly, but I continued to sink. And then, also on impulse, the mouth opened and inhaled and water poured into the lungs. I choked. My eyes widened in surprise. Before, I could hold my breath underwater for ten minutes at a time; why was I now so short on air so quickly?
Talons wrapped themselves around the body and hauled me back up through the water, depositing me in the grass.
Shaking the head free of water, I looked up to see Ho-Oh towering above me. Its head was tilted in amusement as it observed my current state.
Such fury bubbled inside of me that I could not channel it into words and spluttered.
"I do say, this worked better than I had imagined." Ho-Oh bent itself over to further examine me. Unable to use the legs to run effectively, I could do nothing but sit and glare at it, seething with so much fury that saliva drooled maddeningly out of my mouth. I snapped at its beak, but it kept its head just out of my reach. "I haven't reincarnated a Pokemon as another species since the resurrection of Entei, Suicune, and Raikou. I thought I may be a bit out of practice."
I was unaware of this "Enteisuicuneandraikou", so I assumed it must be in a different region. It was only after a moment that I realized Entei, Suicune, and Raikou had been listed by Ho-Oh as three separate beings rather than the name of a single Pokemon. To punish myself for my ignorance I dug the head into the ground as if this would grate any and all simplistic thoughts from my mind. But when I pulled my head free I felt no different. Why were my thoughts so elementary?
Ho-Oh pecked the Bagon belly lightly but withdrew before I could swipe at it. I bared the teeth, tiny fangs though they were, and remained with muscles locked, daring the bird to touch me again.
"That ring should not be present. No matter, though. It makes no difference."
I glanced down to see what it was talking about. There was a faint bright-yellow ring on the chest, just above the yellow belly. It looked much like the rings that had adorned my true body.
"Why are you here?" I demanded angrily, snapping the head up to stare into the bird's eyes. This was difficult to do because it towered ten feet above my height. My skin boiled with frustration; before I had towered ten feet above its height. Now I had to crane my head back so far to see its face that I fell over backwards. I let out an agitated cry when I couldn't regain my balance and thrashed the forelegs about, connecting harshly with a nearby rock. It hurt. In surprise, I paused, and held up the foreleg to inspect it. A drop of red fell from the foreleg. Curious as to what it was, I watched as the ground soaked it up. It was a moment before I figured out what the substance was; I have seen it but never actually felt it myself.
"Be careful!" Ho-Oh barked. I puffed out the chest; how dare he chide me! "Your mind may be millions of years old, but your body is not!"
"What do you mean?" I snarled.
Finally it gave me a straight answer: "I traded your body for that of a newborn Bagon's."
First my tongue felt useless in my mouth and I stuttered until I could finally form coherent words. "You traded my body?" I cried. "Where is it now, what did you do with it? Am I in something else's body?" By now I was screeching. My voice no longer held the terrific thunder that it once had and merely squeaked, and I stamped the ground impatiently in my increasing frustration.
"You're not in someone else's body," Ho-Oh snapped. The hardness that had been in its eyes disappeared and they filled with what I knew to be sadness—similar to how humans and Pokemon react when something living is lost. "It didn't live past a minute; the climate it was in was too poor for it to survive outside of the egg. It died so quickly that there was no time for a soul to claim it." Ho-Oh shook its head and the hardness returned. "Why it didn't survive is unimportant. The fact is that you are the first to truly occupy this body; therefore it is fully and completely yours. Enjoy," it added sarcastically.
I felt awful. Cold. Frozen. For the first time, I wasn't in control of my actions or future. This . . . this bird was.
I kept my voice as cold and hard as I could so as not to betray weakness. "Why are you doing this? And where is my true body?" Why was I in the body of a young, weak Bagon, rather than the body of an experienced, strong one? Why was I in the body of a Bagon at all?
"This is your true body now," was all Ho-Oh replied, diving its beak towards my Bagon self in gesture.
I grit my teeth, working my jaw as I stared up at the bird. I looked down at myself for a split second and back up, and made my decision. "I refuse it."
"Pardon?"
"I refuse it. Take it back," I snarled. "I don't want it. I refuse to be in debt to you. I refuse to be a mere Bagon, and a baby one at that. I am Rayquaza, I am millions upon millions of years old. I don't want it."
Ho-Oh's looked at me coldly but did not answer. Its look said everything: That this time, it wasn't up to me.
We stared at each other in silent contest, each willing the other to give in to one's wish. But I was at disadvantage. The bird was in control and it knew it. This knowledge was horrible. I hated not having control in my claws. To have it was reassuring, made me feel powerful . . . without control, was I nothing?
No.
I banished such thoughts from my mind immediately, for I am Rayquaza.
Suddenly Ho-Oh's head snapped up and it looked over its wing towards the Human Death Machine. "Someone's stirring," it mumbled, narrowing its eyes.
I squinted, but my fine eyesight had gone. Looking at something so far away strained my eyes. I blinked and continued staring, but saw nothing. I have come to the conclusion at this point that the bird was insane.
Ho-Oh half turned towards the Human Death Machine. Its feathers were ruffled. "One of them has seen you."
I didn't care, and opened my mouth to say so but was told to shush by the bird. "I will not answer to you!" I protested indignantly, my lip curling.
It ignored me, still studying the machine and whatever humans were inside of it. "We need to get you out of the field as soon as possible, but—" It turned to glare at me, "—this will be the final service that I do for you. You are undeserving. Stay here." It spread its wings and took flight to the air, soaring away quickly on the breeze.
"I do not answer to you!" I screamed after it, even though I had no choice for even I do not know how to walk on hind feet. The very idea is ridiculous, especially when, for my movement, I depend solely upon flight.
Flight.
The realization was like a blow that knocked the air out of me. I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't fly.
A breeze was rolling across the field, ruffling the grass around me. The grass so high that I could hardly see outside of the green stalks. The only thing I could see clearly if I tried was the sky, which was thousands upon thousands of feet above me. And I had no way to reach it. Something in my chest seemed to swell painfully.
Flight, for me, is like breathing. It just comes so naturally, and one doesn't truly miss it until it's gone. The thing in my chest swelled and clenched again. I couldn't believe it. The one thing I had cared about, the one thing I had ever relied on for life, was gone.
Unwilling to sit down and do nothing, I tried to stand up and walk. I managed to stand up for several moments without falling over but did, eventually, tumble. I tried again and managed to take a step, but the body was so out of proportion that I fell head-over-heels. I tried again but that was the most progress I could make. Finally my feet got so tangled up together that when I fell down I couldn't summon the will to get back up.
I bowed my head and stared at my stubby forelegs, and I noticed for the first time exactly what they were: stubs. They didn't even have claws.
I stuck my feet out in front of me to see that they didn't have distinguished claws, either. Just two long, flat feet divided into two toes.
I was no longer a Earth-Quaker or He of Bloodied Fangs. There was nothing about my new Bagon form that even hinted that I had once held those titles: no claws, no teeth, no power or control of my own actions. Something—some kind of emotion—swelled up inside of me so unexpectedly that my eyes burned and everything became blurry. It felt funny and I didn't like it, it felt weak, so I rubbed my eyes with my stubby forelegs and in a moment the feeling had passed.
Fifteen minutes went by, though I barely acknowledged it. I sat with my head hung, glaring all around me at the carcasses and the littered parts of the Human Death Machine. My eyes finally came to rest on the pond. The water looked all too welcoming. I pondered the pool for a moment.
I could jump back into the water and end this life before it began. My, how tempting that was. Just to jump in and let it all be over . . . but I couldn't. Not now. That is giving up, and giving up is weak.
But is giving up better than letting my life be controlled by a bird?
As I was contemplating leaping back into the pond rather than live this new, horrible life, something thudded on the ground behind me. I turned to see a leaf-covered Pokemon decorated with fruit. A Tropius.
It folded its legs underneath it, signaling that I was to get on. I simply sat where I was, glaring at it. It looked around, trying to conceal its horror as its eyes fell on the dead Grumpig and human farmer. It closed its eyes and it was several moments before it regained control of itself. I took this show of emotion as weakness and immediately felt despise for the scum.
"I am instructed to take you away from this field as soon as possible," the Tropius explained. It didn't meet my eyes and rather looked ahead of it with an air of patience, which made me raise my head a bit. This creature knew its place, at least.
I was content that, the way it did not stare into my eyes, it did not think itself my equal. And also it was not forcing me to climb onto it or carrying me—it was my decision and if I were to comply I would be riding on top of it, not dangling from its teeth, or talons.
Even so, I was still moody as I climbed onto its back. Being carried was humiliating. It didn't help that climbing onto its back was difficult in and of itself because for some reason, Bagon weigh close to a hundred pounds despite the fact that they're only two feet tall.
The Tropius swung its head around next to me, still avoiding eye contact. I stared at it curiously. What was it trying to do? After a few moments it said patiently, "You may eat if you wish so."
I glared at it. "Eat what?" There was nothing edible unless it was referring to itself. Then I remembered that fruit was food as well as meat. My eyes narrowed. How dare it offend me by offering me food when I will get it myself, and mere fruit at that! I spat at its face in answer.
The Tropius pulled its head away passively and stood back up, spreading its leafy wings. Its patience puzzled me. Metal clanged against the ground and both of our heads turned to look at the Human Death Machine. One of the doors had fallen open and the humans were beginning to jump out.
Fury rose inside of me and I momentarily forgot what I now was; I began to climb back off to kill every single one of those blasted humans—not only was it their fault that I was in this body, but I never leave a job undone; no one survives me!
But the Tropius was faster. Before I could jump off it leaped into the sky. Instinctively I dug my forelegs into the leafy substance on its back. This was difficult to do without claws, but I managed to keep a firm hold. The Tropius flapped its wings, rising higher into the sky, and the humans and their Death Machine were left behind.
I momentarily forgot everything, relishing the wind on my face. I felt as if I had not flown in ages. But it was spoiled by the fact that I was not alone. Flying was solitude. With a sigh, I dropped my head and fell to wondering why Ho-Oh had chosen the body of a baby for me rather than a strong adult. I thought about asking the Tropius—it had obviously talked to the bird; maybe it knew something. But I'd never relied on anything before, and I wasn't about to start relying on things for answers. I sat squirming in my seat for several minutes, torn between finding answers and refusing help that I didn't want.
The Tropius sensed my squirming and twisted its head around to see me. It spoke slowly and thoughtfully, as if choosing its words carefully. "Ho—the bird mentioned to me what had happened."
There was no pity in its voice and it didn't call Ho-Oh by name. Both of these things pleased me, so I graced it by listening.
"I doubt it wanted me to explain the details to you, but I knew that you might be puzzled as to why you are in the body of a baby Bagon, of all ages it could have been."
"I'm not puzzled," I growled. "I am millions of years old. Nothing puzzles me." I knew that this wasn't entirely true, but it obviously knew things that I didn't and that fact was displeasing to me.
"Of course," the Tropius agreed patiently. It was silent for a few moments and then continued on. "You are a baby Bagon for a reason. What do you think that reason may be?"
I suspected it was either for further punishment on my part or for Ho-Oh's enjoyment, and said so.
"What is the difference between adults and young?" the Tropius asked.
"Adults are strong and experienced," I grumbled irritably.
"And young have much to learn," Tropius said. "They are more easily molded and taught things new to them than adults."
I scowled and opened my mouth to demand how this applied to me, but was interrupted by a screech from behind us. We turned around to see two Pokemon: a Crobat and Skarmory. Both were mean-looking, and both were following us. Not just following, but gaining quickly.
Tropius immediately sped up its flight. Instinctually, as a baby Bagon, my heart began to beat faster because I knew something was wrong. The Tropius was managing to stay calm but I could feel its large heart beat more quickly underneath me.
"See that forest?" it called back to me. I was surprised at the sharpness in its voice and too confused to snap back at it. Instead I looked ahead, where trees stretched as far as the eye could see starting approximately a mile away. "I'm going to drop you off in there. Hide yourself." Before I could demand in frustration what was going on, it added, "Those are the Pokemon of the people who were trying to capture you."
I wanted to demand what they wanted with me, but I had already relied too much on this Pokemon for information.
The two Pokemon were gaining on us quickly but it was apparent that Tropius could not fly any faster. It was maddening, being trapped on its back and unable to fly when I knew that I could out-fly the three of them combined . . . with my lost body.
The line of trees seemed to be coming at us slowly; I felt as if we were wading through water. The two Pokemon were but a hundred yards behind us. Their screeches and screams of rage filled my ears and I tried to answer their call, but my roar came out as a pitiful Bagon wail.
Finally the forest was near us, but Tropius knew it had to buy more time if we were to escape. It spun around in the air and fired a serious of Razor Leaves. Caught off-guard, the enemy Pokemon were forced to either dodge or be buffeted by the storm of leaves. This hindered them a bit and Tropius, with a last surge of strength, dove down towards the forest.
I was hanging on with my clawless forelegs as if my life depended on it (and it probably did). I had to squint to be able to see anything because of the wind in my eyes like daggers. The ground was rising up to meet us and I braced myself for impact when Tropius landed.
To my surprise, it didn't land, but flipped upside-down. My stubs had no hold on it and I fell.
As I fell through the air, I saw Tropius return to the sky and fire another attack. The Skarmory and Crobat, apparently, were too busy warding off this attack to see me falling. Consequently when Tropius continued flying away, they chased after it, still thinking that I was on its back. That was all I saw before I hit the trees.
Several branches whopped me disrespectfully in the face as I fell through them. I couldn't see anything through all the green. Several "Mph!"s and "Agh!"s escaped me.
And then I was out of the trees and seconds later I was in a pile of leaves.
I sat up and spat a leaf distastefully out of my mouth. After the excitement the silence felt deafening in my ears. It was dusk; night was falling. Nothing stirred in the forest.
My stomach rumbled, a feeling I was unused to. It was painful. Was that what creatures usually felt when they hungered? I doubled over with my stubby forelegs caressing my growling belly.
It was then that something yellow amid the green of the leaves caught my eye. A banana, from Tropius' chin.
I stared at it for a few moments in dismal surprise. Then, after making sure that no one was watching, I hesitantly outstretched my foreleg, and took it.
