Flaming Embers: A Pokemon Fan Fiction



Pokémon and some characters copyright Nintendo and Game Freak

Story and characters copyright Matt/gocubs711

Prologue

5 years ago…

“Matthew!” My mom called from downstairs. “It’s time to get up!”

As soon as I heard this I sprang out of bed. Today was my 10th birthday, and this was the time where most children began their adventure as a Pokémon trainer. It was no different for me. I put on the clothes that I had picked out for today. I was going to Littleroot town today to see Professor Birch, who would give me my very first Pokémon. I couldn’t wait!

When I got downstairs, my mom had made me breakfast, just like she always did on my birthday. Her Vulpix, Laurie, was on the couch, still sleeping. Laurie was my mom’s favorite Pokémon when she was a trainer, and was the only one she chose to keep. She had become sort of like the family pet now. I sat down and ate my breakfast. It was delicious, if I do say so myself.

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After I ate, I grabbed my bad and ran out to the car, waiting for my mom to get there. She laughed at my eagerness.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We arrived in Littleroot half an hour later. I jumped out of the car as soon as my mom stopped it. She laughed again. “I remember when I was your age,” she said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I stopped myself in front of the Laboratory’s door and walked in, trying to stay cool. It wasn’t a huge one, but it had a lot of tech equipment in it. A man wearing shorts and a lab coat turned around and said, “Ah, hello there. You must be Matthew, correct?” He scared me a little bit.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Y-Yeah,” I replied. “I-I’m here for my Pokémon.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yes, of course,” said Birch. He grabbed 3 Pokéballs from the table behind him. “This here,” He pressed a button on one of the balls and a little green gecko came out, “is Treecko, the grass Pokémon.” He pressed the button on another and a blue fish thing appeared. “This here is Mudkip, the water Pokémon. And this,” He pressed a button on the last one, and out popped the one I wanted, even before I came, “Is Torchic, the fire Pokémon. So, Matthew, which one do you like?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">They all looked good, but I knew that I wanted the Torchic. “I’ll take that one,” I said, pointing at the Torchic. The Treecko and Mudkip looked a little sad, but they seemed to understand. Birch put them back in their pokeballs. The Torchic happily trotted over to me, and rubbed its head on my leg. It was pretty cute. Birch called it back, and handed the pokeball to me. “Take good care of her,” he said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I let her out and bent down to look at her. There was something in her eyes, and maybe in mine, too, that told me that we were going to have a great adventure. I decided on a name for her. “I’m going to call you Ember,” I told her. She seemed to like that name. “We’re going to have a great adventure, aren’t we?” She nodded. I called her back and turned to my mom, who hugged me. She told me she’d miss me while I went on my adventure, and to come home to Mauville whenever I got the chance. I told her I would, and she left. I was ready to start my Pokémon journey.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 1

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My name is Matt. Yeah, I’m starting off the story telling you my name. I know it may be a little clichéd, but it works.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Anyways, my name is Matt. I’m 15 years old. I’m one of the strongest Pokémon trainers in the Hoenn region. At least, I’m pretty sure I am. I have all eight gym badges. I rarely lose fights. The region’s a lot more peaceful now that Team Aqua and Magma are gone. Those guys were just idiots, trying to expand the land and sea. Luckily some kid and a legendary Pokémon caused them to disband a few years ago.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sorry, I’m getting carried away, here. I’m here to tell you a story of how my life was changed forever. Some might see it as for the better; others see it as for the worse. I’ll let you decide when I’m done…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Darkness, return!” I yelled, calling back my Absol, who had just gotten knocked out. “Go! Ember!” I threw my Blaziken’s pokeball and she popped out, ready for action. She was up against a Beautifly: troublesome against an Absol, but no match for a fire-type.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The other trainer yelled, “Beautifly, use Gust!” His Pokémon flapped its wings violently. I cringed as the winds hit Ember, it was super effective. Luckily, she didn’t seem too phased by it. I shouted out, “Ember, use Blaze Kick!” She did a front flip into the air, while her foot began to catch fire. Then she aimed her foot at the Bug-Pokémon and sent her body full speed at it. “Dodge it!” the trainer yelled, but it was too late. Ember’s foot collided with it. The Beautifly was down, his last Pokémon finished. He recalled it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Wow, you are strong,” he said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thank you,” I replied, recalling my Blaziken.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Have you heard of the Ever Grande Conference?” he asked me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No, what’s that?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It’s a tournament the Pokémon league holds every year. Usually, it’s held in that city, but this year, the tournament is travelling around the entire region!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Really? Where do I sign up?” A chance to travel around the region, and a tournament to prove my abilities? Of course I want to do it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Signups are in Lillycove,” he said. “But the first round is in Petalburg.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Awesome, I thought. To the trainer, I said, “Are you signing up?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ll be nearly as good as you!” he said, and then left.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I picked up my Pokénav and dialed in my friend’s number. He picked up a few seconds later. “Hello?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Alex? It’s Matt.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey Matt, what’s up?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Have you heard of the Ever Grande Conference?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah, I’m in Lillycove right now, signing up for it. You should do it, too.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I smiled. I was about to ask him if he wanted to enter it with me. Alex and I had met on our journey, and we started to travel together while we collected gym badges. He’s a really strong trainer, and a lot of people, especially younger ones, look up to us. He had become my best friend, in a sense. We talked and decided to meet in Lillycove so we could sign up together; luckily he was still waiting in line.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I called out my Swellow, Lola. I had her use fly to take me to Lillycove. It was a lot easier than walking, considering I was on the other side of the region. I met Alex in front of the crowded Pokémon center. We greeted each other and headed inside.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The first thing I saw was a table, with a ton of people in line to sign up. Alex and I were towards the back. “This is insane,” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No kidding,” Alex replied. We stood in line for around half an hour before we finally got to the front of the line. I looked at the two people sitting there. One was Steven Stone, the champion of Hoenn. The other I didn’t recognize, but he looked a little suspicious. He was wearing all white, a cape which part of it came up behind his head, and his bluish black hair was gelled into small devil horns. Why was this guy working the desk?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Steven handed me a sheet of paper and a pen. He said, “Thank you for choosing to participate in this tournament. We’re glad to have so many people who want to do it.” He said it a little sarcastically, like he’d been saying it all day. “Please sign your name here, and the list of Pokémon you’ll be using. Then proceed to the back room to have your Pokémon inspected.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I already knew which Pokémon I’d be using; I have them all around my belt. I noticed a spot that read, “Main Pokémon.” I’m guessing that meant the Pokémon you used the most. I immediately wrote Blaziken down, for Ember. Then I wrote down the rest of my team: Lola the Swellow, Darkness the Absol, Selia the Dragonair, Banana the Simisage, and Arthur the Quagsire.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked over at the strange guy’s name tag. It read, “Simon,” and seemed to be placed over some sort of emblem. I’d read about a lot of evil teams, and most of their leaders look something like him. I didn’t say anything, because he was obviously trusted by the Pokémon League. I ignored it and went into the back to get my Pokémon checked. When Nurse Joy saw my Simisage, she was a little shocked. I had gotten my Simisage from when I visited Unova for a month while I was on vacation. It’s a really good addition to my team.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ten minutes later, and all of my Pokémon passed the inspection. She complimented my Blaziken, saying that I raised her well. Ember is my favorite Pokémon, after all.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After both Alex and I were done, we decided to spend the night at the Cove Lilly Motel. It was a pretty nice place, even if the owner wasn’t very friendly. I spent most of the night looking at the information pamphlets I was given. There were going to be six rounds of the tournament, each one in a different city. Half of the contestants will get eliminated each round, until only 1 is left. That person will earn the right of Champion of Hoenn. I heard from some other people signing up that Steven Stone and that Simon guy are also competing. I put the pamphlets away and decided to get some rest. The first round in Petalburg starts in only two days. That day would also be the day where my life began to change…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 2

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I woke up the next morning feeling very refreshed. I waited for Alex to wake up and we headed out the door. In the pamphlets last night, I read that there would be a place to train open the day before each round. Any trainers wanting to could participate in it. Alex and I didn’t see any reason why we shouldn’t do it. All it could do was strengthen our Pokémon. I called out Lola to fly there, and Alex took out his Flying-Type.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Now, I know what you might be thinking. If I signed up for this tournament to see the region, why would I fly everywhere? Well, for starters, Petalburg is quite a long distance from Lillycove and I wanted to get there quickly. But now that I am in Petalburg, Lola’s going to get a bit of a rest. I’m not going to be flying anymore.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex and I arrived and went into the Petalburg Gym, which was where the first round is going to be held. There were a lot of trainers there. The many rooms of this gym are perfect for holding tournaments. Alex and I decided to reserve a room for later, so we could face each other before tomorrow. I hope I won’t have to face him early on; otherwise one of us would be out and unable to get back in.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As we were about to leave the gym, the strange guy that was with Steven earlier stopped us. Simon, I think his name was. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said. “Are you participating in the tournament?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah,” I responded. “Why?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It’s nothing, really, but at the signups we forgot about the trainer physical.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Trainer physical?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yes, just take these forms and head to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy will take care of it for you,” he said, and then went away to who knows where?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Uh, thanks,” I said. That was a little odd. Alex and I went to the Pokémon Center where Nurse Joy led us to the back. We were put in different rooms. When Nurse Joy came in, I handed her my forms and she studied them. As she did, a frown started to form on her face.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh, I hope this works out ok,” she said to herself.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Huh?” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She must’ve not realized she’d been talking. “Oh, uh, nothing, nothing.” Then she left, coming back with a tray. On it was a needle, which was filled with some sort of red liquid that wasn’t blood. It looked almost….feathery. Wait, did I need a shot? What for?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nurse Joy didn’t explain what the shot was for until the end of the physical. She told me it was to prevent me from catching any diseases while I traveled. I’m guessing the Pokémon League didn’t want to get sued. That calmed me down a little bit. But that was a lot of liquid…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the physical, Nurse Joy told me I could leave whenever I wanted, and then scurried out of the room. I saw her turn to the back of the Pokémon Center. There were only a couple rooms down that way, and I didn’t see anyone else go down there. I decided to follow her. She was acting a bit suspicious. As soon as I left the room, I saw her turn a hallway I didn’t notice before, and went that way. I looked around the corner, and saw her enter a room. I peeked into a window, and saw something that I will never un-see.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the room, I saw Simon and over six hundred beakers full of colored liquids, it looked like. They looked like they had some sort of texture to them. Some were scaly, some looked like fur, and some even looked like grass. I know it might sound strange, but it’s a little hard to explain. I saw Simon take a beaker that had a blue liquid with an almost orange tint from his “collection.” He stuck a needle in and took some of it out. He set the needle on the tray and handed it to Nurse Joy. What was going on here?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I saw Nurse Joy walking towards the door, and got away as quickly as I could. I passed Alex’s room and saw that he still hadn’t gotten his physical done yet. I was about to say hi, when I heard footsteps. I knew if Nurse Joy saw me after I was done, I would be in trouble. I ran out to the front of the center. I took one last look back and saw Nurse Joy heading in to Alex’s room with the orange-blue liquid…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex came out around ten minutes later and we were set. I decided not to tell him about what I saw in the Pokémon Center. I’m sure it was nothing. Alex and I battled each other for an hour, trying new things and seeing what we might be up against in the tournament. Ember put up a great fight against Alex’s Swampert, despite the type disadvantage she had. Double Kick worked really well. I had a fun time, and so did the rest of my Pokémon. But it made me realize that I would have my work cut out for me in the tournament.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After seeing what was going on at the Pokémon Center, you’d think that I’d realize that something would be up. But I didn’t. And because of that, the beginning of it all happened the next day.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 3

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Welcome, one and all, to the first round of the Pokémon League tournament!” The announcer’s voice rang across the city. “My name is Norman, and I’m the gym leader of this town. I’ll be your announcer today!” The crowded city cheered. “Now, the rooms in my gym have been equipped with bleachers for the audiences to enjoy the matches. Please make sure you enter a room before the match starts, as you will not be allowed in while one is going on.” He talked about a few more things that were more just common courtesy than actual rules. Alex and I were standing next to each other in the crowd, and I decided to bring up yesterday to him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, did you find it strange that we had to get a shot yesterday?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“A little bit. Why?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Cause I saw something that I probably shouldn’t have.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex’s expression turned worried. “What did you see?” he asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But before I could answer, Norman said into the microphone, “Let the tournament begin!” The crowd started to cheer and there was no way I could tell Alex quietly. Only the contestants and officials were allowed in the gym at first. We were each assigned a number. It had no value, but told us who we would match up against each round. I was given number eleven, Alex forty-two. A giant screen displayed who would be facing who, at which time and in which room. I didn’t know anyone else there, and I wasn’t paired up with Alex. The number I was up against was twenty-eight.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My match was one of the first ones. I entered the room I was assigned, ready to face my first opponent. A guy a few years older than me walked in and took his spot on the other side of the field. The ref and the audience started to file in. Too bad Alex’s fight was the same time as mine. I couldn’t watch his.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ref took his place on his podium and said, “Heat 6 of Round 1 of the Pokémon League Tournament will now begin! Contestants, take your positions!” We did. “Each competitor has six Pokémon at his dispersal, but only three will be allowed to be used in battle. You may select them at anytime, but once a Pokémon is sent out, it cannot be called back unless it is defeated. Do the participants understand the rules?” We both said yes. “Excellent.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He pulled out a whistle. “Challenger Green, please send out your first Pokémon,” he said to my opponent. He sent out a Shiftry. I almost chuckled. I had the perfect Pokémon to use against it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Challenger Red, please send out your first Pokémon,” he said to me. I sent out Ember, and immediately the other trainer winced.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You may begin battle,” the ref said, and blew his whistle.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ember, use Blaze Kick!” I ordered, and she did as I said. Her flaming foot came crashing down on the Shiftry, knocking it back into the wall. You could tell it had taken a lot of damage.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Shiftry, use Aerial Ace!” the trainer yelled. His Pokémon struggled to get up, but eventually had enough energy to get a super-effective hit on Ember. She was still standing, though.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ember, use Flamethrower!” I yelled. She did, and the Shiftry didn’t stand a chance. It fainted.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Crap,” my opponent said, and recalled his Shiftry. “Go, Pellipper!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Damn, I thought. Water and Flying isn’t a good combination for Ember to go up against.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Use Blaze Kick, Ember!” I yelled. It was her strongest move, and probably the only thing that would even make a dent in it. She hit it, but it barely budged.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Pellipper, use Surf!” A torrent of water rushed at Ember, and I knew it was over. Ember fainted, and I recalled her.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Go, Selia!” I threw my Dragonair’s Pokeball and she popped out. “Use Thunder!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Selia shot out a powerful storm of lightning that downed the Pellipper in one hit. The trainer recalled it, and just like that he was down to his last Pokémon. He sent out a Weavile. A tough match for Selia, but it would’ve been a breeze with Ember. Luckily, I had a move to combat ice-types. “Selia, use Flamethrower!” I yelled. It went straight for the Weavile, who unfortunately dodged it. At its trainer’s command, it sent out an Ice Beam, nailing Selia and damaging her badly.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thankfully, she survived the hit. I ordered another Flamethrower attack, and she was able to hit it this time. It looked like it took a lot of damage, but it was still standing. It shot another Ice Beam at Selia, who dodged it. This battle was going to come down to who got in the last hit. At the same time, the other trainer and I ordered our Pokémon to attack. His Weavile used Ice Beam and Selia Flamethrower. The two collided. It was a great sight to see, with the ice cooling the flames and the fire melting the ice at the same time. But eventually, the Ice gave way and the Weavile was hit. It fainted. I had won the first round. The crowd cheered as I recalled Selia.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Challenger Red is the winner!” The ref said. I walked over to the other trainer and said, “Good match.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You, too,” he said back, then left. It was kind of hard to think that he wasn’t in the tournament anymore. I went out into the main room of the gym where I met up with Alex. He had won his first match, too. “Good thing I had my Swampert,” he said. “It it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it through.” We went to the Pokémon Center to heal up our Pokémon.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When we got there, Nurse Joy wasn’t behind the counter. “Nurse Joy?” I called out. No response.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“She must be in the back,” Alex said. He stepped behind the counter and started to walk towards the back when he said, “You coming or what?” I hesitantly followed him. Then again, what could be worse than what I saw yesterday?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We walked back, and couldn’t find Nurse Joy anywhere. You’d think that with the tournament going on, she’d have her hands full. We finally came to the door where I saw Simon last. And, sure enough, he was in there, along with Nurse Joy. I couldn’t pick out any voices. They were talking about something. She seemed to be scared. Eventually, I saw him put his hands on the table like he was angry, and then started yelling at her. She started to apologize, but he wouldn’t accept it. He slapped her across the face, then grabbed a needle with purple stuff inside and injected it into her. It was horrible to watch. Simon turned to the door, and Alex and I got out of the way, running into a closet nearby so we wouldn’t be seen. Simon headed for the entrance.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As soon as he was gone, I got out of the closet and walked into the room. The beakers were all still there. Then I noticed something: All of the patterns sort of looked like patterns you would see on a Pokémon. Alex came in after and then screamed a bit when he saw something. “Holy crap, look!” he said, and pointed to the floor. An Aipom was standing there, in Nurse Joy’s apron and hat. It looked up to us.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked at the table and saw some notes that Simon had left. I couldn’t really understand what they were saying, but it sort of looked like some sort of…accelerating formula? What? What was all of this stuff? And why is there an Aipom in here?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All of these questions were flooding in my head. Then I realized that Nurse Joy never left, and I didn’t see this Aipom in here before. He injected her with a liquid from one of these beakers. It somehow turned her into a Pokémon. And I know I probably should’ve figured that out sooner, but I was pretty freaked. But why would Simon want to change people into Pokémon? What could he gain from it?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I was slowly starting to remember stuff related to this room. Alex and I had both gotten shots with these liquids, whatever they are. I assume the other contestants did as well. And becoming a Pokémon hasn’t happened to anyone in the competition.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All of these thoughts were coming into my head at the same time. I suddenly began to feel really warm. The feeling moved from warm to hot. I felt like I was on fire, but for some reason it didn’t hurt. Alex must’ve noticed something was wrong, as he asked, “Are you ok, Matt?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I felt something on my chest start to itch. I grabbed at my shirt. Alex came over and helped me rip it off. What I saw there was unbelievable.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Feathers. I had feathers on my chest. Why were there feathers on my chest? I passed out from the sight of them.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">And if you didn’t guess this yet, this was when my life began to change…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 4

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Do you know why this is happening Professor?” I heard a voice say. I was just waking up after I had passed out. I had no idea where I was.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Sadly, I do not,” another voice said. It sounded like Professor Birch. I sat up holding my head. It was starting to ache. Alex, Professor Birch, and someone I didn’t recognize were in the room with me. The room came into vision, and I was in Birch’s lab. Alex noticed me sitting up. “Matt!” he said, glad to see I was awake. They all walked over to me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What’s happening?” I asked. I looked down and I wasn’t wearing a shirt. I had full view of the pale-yellow feathers on my chest. “Oh, right,” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We’re not quite sure what is going on exactly,” Birch said. “But your friend here brought you to us as soon as you passed out. He figured we could help you, but this is something new to us. He said that you two came across a room in the Petalburg Pokémon center full of fake medicine?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“That’s right. That guy that was helping with registration, Simon! He was in there with a bunch of liquids. He had told me that all competitors of the tournament had to have a physical. I had gotten a shot at it, and the liquid sort of looked red and feathery. And then I saw the room right after I got the shot, but I didn’t say anything. Alex and I went back there after the first round of the tournament, and I saw Nurse Joy get injected and transformed. I think the same thing is happening to me!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“That would explain a lot,” the unfamiliar face said. “Except how she was immediately changed and how you are only starting to.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I couldn’t think of an answer, until Alex said, “Hey, Matt, didn’t you find some papers for an acceleration formula or something?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“That’s it! I must’ve gotten the shot before that was added!” Then I thought of something. “Wait, Alex, didn’t you get a shot too? Why aren’t you changing?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Actually, when Nurse Joy came into my room, she had the needle, but didn’t stick me with it. I just figured she forgot or something. I didn’t try to correct her.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“This is so messed up,” I sat back on the bed I was on. There’s so much going on right now. I’m just really, really confused. “I wonder if there’s anyone else going through changes like these.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh, there are,” Birch said. “Almost everyone who signed up for the tournament has started going through some sort of change. Some think it’s pretty cool; others are scared out of their minds. So far, you’re the only one who knows what’s going on. Well, not completely, but still.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked down and saw that the pale feathers had grown in almost an “X” shape. They were starting to grow down towards my legs. “I know what I am.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The others all said, “Huh?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Or, at least I know what I’m becoming. I’m becoming a Blaziken.” I took Ember’s Pokeball from the side of my belt and called her out. I pointed out the similarities between the feathers. The others just stood there. I didn’t bother trying to explain things to Ember or anything. I know that Pokémon can hear what’s going on outside of their Pokeball. I went to call her back when I heard a voice.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“This sure is strange…” it said. It sounded feminine. I didn’t expect something like that, and it made me jump.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Did you guys hear that?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hear what?” Alex asked back.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Is everything ok, Matt?” the strange voice said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“There it is again!” The others looked at me like I was crazy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Look, the only one really saying anything right now other than you is Ember, and she’s only saying her name pretty much!” Alex said. I could tell he was getting a little annoyed with me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“But, I didn’t hear Ember say anything.” Unless… I looked over at her and said, “Ember?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All the others probably heard “Blaze?” coming from her. But what I heard was, “Yes, Matt?” I almost fell off of the bed. I can understand Ember.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt?” Alex asked. “Are you ok?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I-I can understand her.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What?” Alex and Ember both said at the same time.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I know what you’re saying, Ember.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Interesting,” the man who still hadn’t introduced himself said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I don’t know what to say,” I said. “I mean, I know that this is from the shot, but a human actually having a conversation directly with a Pokémon is way over my head.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The five of us stood (in my case, sat, for I was still on the bed) in silence for a few minutes.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex finally broke the silence. “So, what do we do now?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I say we keep this between us: at least, the part about Simon,” Birch said. “The other people affected I’m sure will figure things out for themselves. As far as I know, the tournament is still on. The next round I believe is in Mauville.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Awesome,” I said, but then remembered something. “Aw crap, if my mom sees me like this she might have a heart attack.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Relax,” Birch said. “In the meantime, Professor Palm (I assumed that he was the other guy here) and I will be working on a way to reverse this. Go ahead, you two. Continue the tournament, and watch out for Simon.” Alex and I thanked Birch and left. I kept Ember out of her Pokeball. I kind of just wanted her out to talk and try to get used to this situation.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“So, what’s it like being a Pokémon?” I asked her.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She laughed a little bit. “Honestly, that would be like me asking you what it’s like to be human. You don’t really know much of anything else, so you can’t compare.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I laughed back. This was so weird. I’d known Ember for five years, but I’ve never had an actual conversation with her before. All she could say (or all I could hear) before today was syllables of “Blaziken.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“So…” I said. This was a little bit awkward. Ember and I were alone; Alex had gone back into Birch’s lab because he forgot something.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I guess you could recall me now if you wanted to,” Ember said. I did as she suggested, and put her ball back on my belt. Seconds later, Alex came out of the lab. We both decided just to fly to Mauville. I took out Lola (who I could understand as well) and we flew to Mauville.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As soon as we landed, there was a riot at the Mauville Gym. It would’ve been great to stop off at home first, but I decided it would be best to see what was going on.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I walked over there, and Steven Stone, Simon, and some Pokémon League officials were on a stage in front of the gym, like the one in Petalburg. They were trying to calm down the screaming crowd. I noticed that they all had something strange happening to them, I saw one girl with Beautifly wings on her back, one guy had ears like a Pikachu, and I think I saw a Goldeen horn somewhere.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Steven finally did something to make a microphone screech and that calmed down the crowd. “Listen, I do not know anything about what is happening to you. I assure you that we are working on a solution to this.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, if you’re competing in the tournament, how come nothing’s happening to you?” some guy shouted, and everyone started to roar in outrage again. The contestants must know about how they’re transforming.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, I quit!” I heard someone shout. A lot of others seemed to like that idea, and they quit, too. Soon, everyone left the area, and the thirty-two there was reduced to around 10 contestants, Steven and Simon included.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ok, well, I’m just going to assume that this is what’s left of the tournament,” Steven said. “I’m wondering if I should just cancel it. I mean, seriously? How are people gaining qualities of Pokémon? It doesn’t make any sense.” Simon started to look a little shifty. I wanted to tell everyone around the truth, but Birch said to keep it to ourselves.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After a few hours of deliberation between the remaining contestants, we decided to keep the contest alive, but Steven and Simon would no longer compete, and the winner would not become Champion of Hoenn. Just have a major victory. Alex and I decided to stay in the competition, even though these changes were freaking me out a little. Plus, I might have an advantage, considering I could actually talk to my Pokémon.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked down at my chest, and the feathers were spreading farther towards my legs, and turning red as they went down. I still hadn’t put on a shirt. The feathers kind of compensated for not wearing one, and I didn’t notice.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">What had started as the greatest event to hit Hoenn turned into a disaster. And I was a first hand victim of it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 5

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex and I walked in the front door of my house. “Mom, I’m home!” I said, and shut the door behind us.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Welcome home, Matthew!” she said as she was walking down the stairs. “How has the tourname-oh my god…” She saw my feathers. “What happened?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It’s a long story,” I said. We went into the living room and I told her the entire story, except for the part about Simon. Alex and I wanted to keep our promise to not speak about it. My mom had a worried expression on her face the whole time. When I told her that I was becoming a Pokémon, she almost started to cry. It was a very hard thing to do, talking to her about it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Professor Birch is trying to reverse this,” I told her. “He’s researching right now to change me back, to change everyone back. All I can do is wait.” She stood up and wiped her tears.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I understand,” she said. She hugged me, and I hugged her back. “So, how’s the tournament going?” she asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I laughed. My mom knew how to change the subject well. “Alex and I both won the first round,” I said. “But because of all of these changes happening, only like 8 decided to stay in.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Are you one of them?” she said. I knew the answer she wanted, but I decided to tell the truth.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah, mom, I am.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“But, isn’t the reason you’re like this because of these people?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yes, mom, it is. But I still want to show how strong of a trainer I am; even if I am half-covered in feathers.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She nodded as Laurie walked in. I looked down at the Vulpix and said, “Hi, Laurie.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello, Matthew. Good to see you again.” I guess since my mom calls me Matthew, Laurie must’ve picked up on it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Good to see you too, Laurie.” I said. Both my mom and Laurie looked at me like I was crazy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matthew, can you understand me?” Laurie asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It may sound weird, but yeah, I can.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My mom sat there with a scared expression on her face. Alex said to her, “Oh, yeah, he can understand Pokémon now.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ok then,” my mom said. She got up and walked into the other room.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I’d better go follow her,” Laurie said. “Usually when she’s like this, she likes to have me next to her.” Then she went the same way my mom did.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I decided to call Ember out of her Pokeball and talk to her. I was hoping it would be a little less awkward than it was in Littleroot.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yes, Matt?” Ember asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I was wondering if you could help me get used to the whole ‘talking to Pokémon’ thing.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She laughed. “Sure, I guess.” The way she talked reminded me of a tomboy. “Well, I guess it’s different for humans. But when we talk to each other, we just talk like humans do. We have conversations and everything.” Interesting, I thought.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I guess that’s simple enough,” I said. “Oh, Ember, can I ask you one more thing.” “Yes, Matt?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“How am I as a trainer?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She smiled. “You’re the best trainer I could’ve hoped for. All of your Pokémon think that as well.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I smiled back. “Thanks.” I called her back.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex was there, watching it all, and not having a clue what we’re talking about. “Listen, man, can I crash here for tonight? I really don’t want to stay in a Pokémon Center after seeing…you know.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Sure, no problem,” I said. “Hey mom, can Alex stay here tonight?” I shouted.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Sure,” I heard back.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The tournament was scheduled for tomorrow, if you could even call it a tournament anymore. The media was going to be all over this thing. I put my head in my hands. What was going on with Simon? I needed to find out. I know Birch and Palm are working to try to change me back, but maybe I could help them out a little. I stood up and started out the door when Alex asked, “Where are you going?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I stopped and answered him, “I’m going to try to find some more information on Simon. I want to try to help Birch as much as I can.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Dude, you’re going out to spy? Are you crazy?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“A little,” I smirked. “But I figured this would be the best way to help.” I looked down. The feathers had covered my entire torso and legs. Most of them were red, with some yellow around the feet and stomach. A pale “X” was on my chest. I left before Alex could say anymore.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I decided the best place to look first would be the Pokémon Center. I’m sure there would be something there like the one in Petalburg. I entered, and Nurse Joy wasn’t behind the counter. Perfect. I snuck back, and realized that the layout was exactly the same. I turned the corner, and saw the familiar doors. I peeked inside, and sure enough, Simon and Nurse Joy were there. But they weren’t the only ones.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The room was crowded with uniformed men and women, dressed in white robes similar to Simon’s, but not as flashy. I knew it. Simon was an evil team leader.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Simon said to the audience, “Welcome, Team Unity, to the start of our new world!” The crowd cheered. “With the assistance of the region’s Nurse Joys, I have devised a formula that turns humans into any Pokémon I wish! We’ve tested it on the participants of that stupid fake tournament, and the results went great! Soon, we shall be the only humans left on this planet!” They cheered some more. That was their plan?!?!

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The only downside is that the Petalburg Nurse Joy didn’t remember to add in the formula to speed up the process. And now, we have a bunch of freaks running around, wondering what’s going on, and blaming the Pokémon League for what’s happening to them. And the League is blaming me. So I ask of all of you: to capture any human you see with qualities of a Pokémon. If you do not, they will threaten our entire organization!” That was my cue to run. And I should probably put on a shirt, I keep forgetting that! Like I said, the feathers compensate for it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I heard a loud “Team Unity!” shout behind me, and kept running. I assumed their meeting was over. I ran back to my house as fast as I could, slamming the door behind me, breathing heavily.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My mom saw me. She said, “What did you do this time?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Simon…*pant*…evil…*pant*…capture me…*pant*”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Wait, what?” She was confused. I didn’t blame her. Alex came into the room and I told him everything that I saw. He was as scared as I was.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Dude, I told you not to go there!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, at least now I know what they were planning on doing!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We need to get Birch on the phone. He needs to hear this.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 6

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt, listen to me,” Birch said. “Whatever you do, do NOT compete in the tournament tomorrow.” We had just told him about Team Unity.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why can’t I?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Because Simon is there. I’m sure he knows who you are by now and he’ll be pissed. You don’t want to be captured by them do you?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Then stay in hiding! I’ve still got a ways to go before I come up with an antidote.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we tell the police?” Alex asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No, do not tell them. If Simon had all of the Nurse Joy’s controlled, which I assume he does, he probably has all of the Officer Jennies as well!” Crap.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ok, thank you, Professor.” I hung up the phone.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“This sucks,” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It could be worse,” Alex said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked at him. “I’m covered in feathers, an evil group of people wants to kidnap me, and I can’t compete in the tournament anymore.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He thought for a second and then said, “You’re right, this does suck.” I shook my head.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I awoke the next morning with a start. I could immediately tell something was different. I looked down and screamed, alerting everyone in the house. While I was sleeping, my torso and legs had been fully changed. The only parts of me still human were my head and my arms, which were starting to grow grey scales on them.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I followed Birch’s advice in not going to the tournament today. I figured that Team Unity would be ready to capture me at any second. And even if they don’t notice me, I’m sure some member of the media would, and I’d be all over the news. I really hope Birch comes up with that antidote soon…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Just in case things took a turn for the worse, I went into my backyard and asked Ember to train me on how to be a Blaziken. I knew it might be wrong to think this way, but being a Pokémon actually seemed pretty cool.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ok, Matt,” Ember started. “To start, do you have any idea what your moves are?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No clue,” I replied. I knew what Ember’s moves were, but I had picked them especially for my battle strategy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Try Blaze Kick,” she said. “It’s the move every Blaziken should know.” I knew what Ember did for it, so I tried to copy it. Instead of doing a spectacular flip, I ended up on the ground. Ember laughed and gave me some advice. First she asked, “Do you feel the heat inside your body?” I nodded. Ever since the changes started happening, I felt warm inside, but it didn’t burn. It almost felt like I was used to it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Focus that heat down into your foot.” I obeyed, and my foot caught on fire! Since my legs were those of a Blaziken, I didn’t feel any pain from the burning flame. I tried the flip again, and somehow was able to do it this time. I left a scorched footprint in my tree. “There you go. Matt!” Ember said, encouraging me. That actually felt pretty good. I know I’m not going to be a Pokémon forever, at least, I hope I’m not, but it was pretty cool to see the power I had. I tried it a few more times, Ember coaching me the whole way.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I went to wipe some sweat off of my forehead and felt something odd. I rushed into my house and into the bathroom where there was a mirror. I looked at my reflection, and saw two points on either side of my forehead. I almost passed out. My face was starting to change and it looked like the first thing to appear was the V-shaped “mask.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh no,” I said. “This isn’t good.” Luckily my mom wasn’t home, otherwise she would freak out. I turned to Ember, who had followed me inside, and asked, “Why didn’t you say anything about this?” I pointed to my forehead.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I, uh, didn’t notice,” she said, but I could tell she was lying. I gave her a look and she sighed. “Ok, you got me. The thing is, I’m actually a little excited that you’re turning into a Blaziken.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My stern look turned into a shocked one. “Wait, seriously?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I was a little scared at first, but now it just seems, I don’t know, fun.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you would freak out. I’ve noticed that you freak out over a lot of things.” She sort of had a point there.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I put my hand on my head. I was about to become something completely different against my will, and my closest friend and partner wanted me to go through with it. I immediately ran to the phone to call Birch. He answered, “I told you, Matt! It’s not ready yet!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello to you too, Birch.” I said back.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He sighed. “Sorry, Matt. I’ve just been working all day and night to get this thing finished. Palm and I have barely gotten anywhere. And it’s already stressful enough; I mean we do have a time limit.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Time limit?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There was silence on the other line.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Now I heard some faint whispering, and I recognized the voices to be Birch and Palm.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Are you there Professor?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah, ok, ok!” Birch hissed to Palm. To me, he said, “I’m so sorry Matt. I forgot to tell you.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“T-Tell me what?” I was a little scared.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Uh, well, you see…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Out with it,” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He sighed. “As soon as you fully become a Pokémon…I won’t be able to change you back.” I stood there, stunned, and dropped the phone. I could still hear Birch saying, “Hello?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Is everything ok, Matt?” Ember asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I told her what Birch told me. Her reaction was a mix of both excitement and worry. I picked up the phone to finish my conversation with Birch.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello?” He asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Sorry about that,” I replied.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Also, Matt, I did some math and it looks like you still have another day or so until you become 100% Blaziken.” The good news just keeps on coming. “I’ll work as quickly as I can.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thank you Birch,” I said, and hung up.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I sat down and held my head in my hands. Seconds later, Alex crashed through the door.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Where’s the fire?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No time for jokes, Matt! Team Unity is all over the city!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I stood up. “What?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Everyone who stayed in the tournament was captured by them. I just got away from them, but I know they’re following me. We have to get out of here, now!” I didn’t waste any time. I didn’t recall Ember, I knew she would be fine following us, but I did grab my belt. We ran out the back door and got away through the woods behind my house.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What do those sick people want?” I asked Alex as we were running.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Beats me,” he said. “But I think I know someone who could tell us.” I looked over at him and couldn’t imagine who he was thinking of. “Get out your Swellow,” he said as he took out his Flying Pokémon, “and follow me.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I recalled Ember and told Lola to follow Alex and his Tropius. When I noticed where we were going, I knew what Alex had in mind. Several minutes later we landed and walked in the front doors of the Petalburg Pokémon Center.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 7

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Nurse Joy?” I yelled. There wasn’t anyone at the front desk. I know Nurse Joy got turned into an Aipom just a couple days ago, but I had assumed there would’ve been a replacement by now. I called out again.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello?” I heard Nurse Joy say. Her voice sounded the same. I ran into the back and into the same room where I had seen her change happen. Alex followed me. Nurse Joy the Aipom was there locked in a cage. She saw us and said, “Oh thank you! Thank you!” I ran over to the cage and tried to unlock it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The thing won’t move!” I said. I didn’t bother explaining how I could understand Nurse Joy, or why I was covered in feathers. I’m sure she knew. I fiddled with the lock for a few more minutes before giving up. Then I thought of something. “Stand back,” I said. Part of my mouth was starting to change and I wanted to try something. I sucked in a lot of air, and then exhaled. Instead of air coming out, a stream of fire did and melted the lock. Awesome, I thought.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thank you so much!” Nurse Joy said, and she hopped out of her cage.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Listen, Nurse Joy,” I said. “We need you to answer some questions for us.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Um, well, ok.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why is Team Unity doing this? What does Simon plan to gain from this?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh dear,” Nurse Joy said. She sighed and then said, “Simon’s plan is for him and his followers to be the only humans on the face of the planet. He believes humans are superior to Pokémon. If he’s the most powerful person out of the most powerful beings, then he’ll be the most powerful on the planet; according to him, at least.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why are the Nurse Joys working with him?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“He promised us safety. He promised he wouldn’t do anything to us. But he lied.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Why the hell would someone do this? It makes no sense. “But what if the Pokémon rebel or something and start attacking him? He wouldn’t stand a chance.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nurse Joy sighed. “That’s the thing he didn’t realize at first. He had plans for something to speed up to changing process, but not so that the newly-changed wouldn’t rebel. When he realized that the acceleration formula wasn’t in the shots given out to the contestants, he took his anger out on me and changed me into…this!” She started to cry. I put my hand on her back to console her. I was about to tell her that Birch was working on something to change the victims back. Good thing I remembered that it wouldn’t work for her before I said it-she’s fully transformed.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thank you for the help, Nurse Joy,” I said. Then I looked over to Alex. He had no idea what was going on. ''Does that mean that I won’t be able to talk to humans if this goes through? ''I told him I’d explain it later and we left the Petalburg Pokémon Center, currently in no good hands.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Where do we go now?” Alex asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I sighed. “Team Unity’s after me like I’m a wanted fugitive. I’m sure they have everything planned out. These sure are some sick people we’re dealing with.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I say we gather all of the trainers in the region and go after them,” Alex said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I coughed and a fireball came out of my mouth. “There’s one!” I heard someone yell. I turned and saw a guy in a white coat: a.k.a., someone from Team Unity. A bunch of Team Unity members were with him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Run!” Alex shouted. “I’ll hold them off.” He sent out his prized Swampert and had it use Surf. It stopped a few, but others were still after me. I called out Ember. I don’t know why, though. Maybe I just wanted someone to be with me. Or maybe I wanted help. I just felt like sending out Ember was a good idea. We ran together, trying to get away from these sick people.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We didn’t stop running until we had gotten all the way through the Petalburg woods and into Rustboro. “That was close,” I said between pants.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You really need to get into shape if you’re going to be a Pokémon, Matt,” Ember said, grinning a little.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Shut up,” I said back, and she laughed.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, Matt, those changes are really starting to come along.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Don’t remind me,” I said. Then I noticed something a bit, different. Rustboro looked different to me. It looked like I had just gone from watching something on an older TV to a high-definition plasma screen. Everything looked more detailed. I ran over to the lake just outside the city and looked into it to see my reflection. My eyes were completely different. “Oh my god…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember walked up behind me. “Your eyes look really nice, Matt,” she said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thanks Ember,” I said. “But I’m kind of trying to not get used to being a Pokémon.” I stood up and turned to Ember. I don’t know why, but she somehow looked…attractive. It felt weird. I knew it was probably the change in eyes, but still. I had been with her for five years and I hadn’t felt anything like this for her before. But, of course, that was before I was part Pokémon, on my way to full (hopefully not).

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She must’ve noticed me staring at her, thinking, and she said, “Uh, Matt? Are you ok?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I snapped back into my senses.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah, I’m fine.” I shook my head. This is really starting to get weird…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thankfully the awkwardness was broken up by my Pokénav ringing in my pocket (I had remembered to wear clothes) and I answered it. “Hello?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt, you have got to help me.” It was Alex. “I tried to hold them off, but they just kept coming! They got me. I heard one of them say that they’re taking me to their base. We just left Petalburg in a white truck. I can’t see where we’re going and if they hear me I’m dead. Please, Matt, help me!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” I heard another voice say.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No, please, stop!” Alex yelled. I heard a whip crack, Alex’s screams, and then the transmission cut out. I stood there in shock. My best friend had just been captured by the most evil people I’ve ever met. Before I could do anything about it, I got another call on my Pokénav. It was Birch this time.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Did you get it done yet?” I asked as soon as I answered it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Almost,” Birch said. “But we’re still missing one thing. Team Unity used a special needle to inject the transformation liquid into you. It was designed to spread the liquid throughout the body immediately. We need that needle, Matt.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Well, why can’t you get it?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I called my associate in Petalburg to investigate the Pokémon center and check for any needles. She found none. Team Unity took them all.” Crap.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Then how are we supposed to get it?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The only place I know where you could look for one is at Team Unity’s secret hideout. Unfortunately, it’s a secret. Nobody knows where it is.” After hearing this, I called out Lola.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Leave it to me, Birch,” I said, and hung up.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After taking one last look at her, I called Ember back. The feelings I felt for her now were still pretty strange. I told Lola to fly me up and over Petalburg, which luckily wasn’t very far away. Lola was able to pick out the white van from a ways away, and we started to follow it. I knew it was Team Unity’s van, and I knew Alex was inside it. What I was about to do could be considered suicide. But it was the only way to save my friend and get back to normal.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 8

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I flew on Lola following the van for about 15 minutes. Then Lola started to get tired, so we landed and I recalled her. The van had started to move slower, but was still going well over 30. I called Ember out and we ran after the van. I was amazed at my new speed. We stayed hidden, but kept up with Team Unity the whole time. I lost track of where we were, but the van finally started to slow down and pull in somewhere.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember and I had been running on the opposite sides of the street. My changes had given me heightened senses, and I was able to tell where Ember was even without looking at her. It was strange, but useful. The van pulled into some sort of garage. Ember and I ducked in just as the door closed. This is it, I thought. No turning back now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Had my eyes still been human, they wouldn’t have been able to see in here. But I was more Pokémon than human then, so I could see just fine. The van parked in the middle of the building and two members ran up to the van and opened the back doors. They grabbed Alex, who was covered in bruises, tied up, and squirming, and dragged him into another room. I looked over to Ember, and she motioned for me to go. She ran faster than I did, and knocked out a couple of grunts.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Keep it quiet,” she said, telling me this in case I wanted to try what she just did. I was surprised. Ember really knew what she was doing.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It was hard to stay quiet in an evil team’s base. Ember and I lightly but swiftly ran through the hallways of the base, avoiding any grunts we could and trying to find Alex. From what I knew about Team Unity, they would be trying to transform Alex just like they did to Nurse Joy. Just like they’re doing to me…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I tried to listen for something, anything that would lead me to my friend. I could feel the heat inside me getting stronger, and me getting more comfortable with it. My arms were done transforming, and my face was on its way. The transformation was going quicker than Birch predicted. I could feel my hair start to change into feathers, and grow off into two sides. I knew it was only a matter of time.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Suddenly, Ember halted. “Do you hear something, Matt?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I listened closely, and I could hear muffled screaming. The look on my face must’ve told Ember that I knew who it was. We ran in the direction of it and finally approached a room that looked eerily familiar to the back room of a Pokémon Center. Inside was Alex tied to the table. With him was the man who had done this to me. Simon. It was time for revenge. I took a few steps back and took a head start to bust down the door.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt! Wait!” Ember warned. She knew something I didn’t, but it was too late. I ran into the door, knocking it over with my newfound strength.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt!” Alex yelled. Or at least, he tried to yell. Something muffled came out.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Get him!” Simon ordered, and two grunts I didn’t see before grabbed my arms. In response, I shot a jet of fire at the guy on my left, who immediately let go. I simply just kicked the guy on my right, and Simon started to chuckle.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What’s so funny?” I asked him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You think you’re so heroic, don’t you?” he said, grinning.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What are you talking about?” Ember said, stepping in behind me. Except I’m pretty sure all he heard was: “Blaze-Blaziken!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh, I’m sure you very well know what I’m talking about.” He said again, still grinning.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember backed off, stunned. “You can understand me?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh yes, very well.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“But…how?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Tell me, Matt, when you first started your transformation process, you could understand Pokémon almost instantly, no?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah,” I said. “But what does that have to do with anythi-” I stopped myself. I knew what he was getting at.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You see, Matt,” he continued. “My plan was not to turn all opposed to me into Pokémon so that I may rule over them as a human; not at all. My plan is to eliminate humanity entirely!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Anger swelled up inside me. Why would he do all of this? What would he have to gain?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“So what?” I said. Ember and I could take him. “You’d still have to become a Pokémon, too.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Oh, I know.” That’s when he ripped his shirt, revealing pure white skin.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No…” Ember said under her breath.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Simon chuckled as he levitated in the air, light shining into him as he rose. I turned away so I wouldn’t be blinded.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When the light cleared, the Pokémon I saw before me was none other than Arceus, the god of all Pokémon. “Good luck dealing with this!” he shouted, and flew through the ceiling.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Crap,” Ember said. “There’s no way we can get him now! He’s invincible!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I went over and untied Alex. “What are we going to do?” he asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I have no idea,” I replied. Simon had won. The world was going to become his. He had planned for everything. I knew he was waiting for me here. I held my head in my hands. I should’ve planned this out more, I thought. My Pokénav rang. It was Birch.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt, I have great news! We were able to fully replicate the needle! We can change you back now!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A small moment of hope appeared inside of me. “That’s great professor,” I said. “But I don’t think that’s going to help much right now.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There was a pause on the other side. Then I heard. “Matt? Hello? Matt?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I’m right here, professor.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Why can’t he hear me? I thought. My question was answered the second I looked into a mirror in the room. It had happened. I had fully become a Blaziken. Humans couldn’t understand me, and now I’m stuck like this. I sat down, and for the first time in a while, I actually started to cry. My life as I knew it was over. Alex sat down next on one side of me and Ember on the other. They were my two best friends in the world. I was glad to know that I had them to comfort me right now. I thought of how my mom would react when she saw me like this. I cried more. Alex picked up my Pokénav and told Birch what had happened. Birch said he was sorry. If I could’ve told him that he did the best he could, I would have. I know I thought that being a Pokémon was cool just earlier today, but it was different when I actually thought that I was going to stay human.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We sat there in silence, and Ember hugged me. She whispered to me, “Matt, no matter how this turns out, I want you to know that it’s going to be ok in the end. Remember all of our gym battles together? Even when it seemed like there was no hope, you managed to pull through. I know you can do this Matt.” Then she reached up to my cheek and gave me a small kiss. I’m pretty sure I blushed a little, but I didn’t care. Alex seemed a little awkward with the situation, but he didn’t say anything.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I knew Simon was putting his plan into action as we sat there. After a few more minutes, I stood up. I had no idea how to tell Alex what I wanted to say, but I knew I could tell Ember. “I need to find Simon. He’s stolen my humanity. I can’t let him do it to anyone else.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“That’s the spirit, Matt!” Ember shouted.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I looked up to the cloudy sky through the hole in the ceiling. Simon was out there. And I just knew that he was waiting for me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 9

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">We left Team Unity’s base, which I found out was on Route 111, just south of Mauville. I tried the best I could to try to communicate with Alex, but it didn’t work out so well. I finally did something that convinced him to follow us, and we were off. The sky itself had led us to Simon. They were swirling around Mt. Chimney, the perfect place to start his “revolution,” We headed north, and I began to think of how we would stand a chance against him. It was too late for Alex’s idea of uniting all the trainers. We had to act now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">My strategizing mode kicked in at this point. I knew from Pokémon Mythology that Arceus has an ability that changes his type depending on the plate he holds. Thankfully, my Simisage Banana has one on him. The Leaf Plate was given to me by someone in Unova as a parting gift for when I came back to Hoenn. I let Banana hold it so his grass-type moves would get a boost. I called him out.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Whatcha need, Matt?” he asked. After he realized what I’d become, he said, “Whoa…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Listen, Banana, I need that Leaf Plate you have.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Uh, sure, here it is.” He handed me the plate. It looked as good as ever.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thanks.” I called him back. It felt weird being a literal “Pokémon” trainer.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">If Simon/Arceus held this Leaf Plate, he would become Grass type. Ember and I would easily be able to take him down with super-effectiveness. My plan was to somehow have Alex get the Plate onto Arceus without him realizing it. The only thing was- I couldn’t communicate with Alex to tell him what my plan was. I tried the best I could indirectly.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I handed Alex the plate. What I said was: “I need you to get this plate onto Arceus.” What he heard was: “Blaze. Blaziken. Blaze.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Dude, this isn’t going to work,” Alex said. Sure, I could understand him just fine.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I held my head, wondering what to do next. Suddenly, Alex said, “Wait! Matt! I have an idea!” He grabbed a Pokeball around his waist and let out his Lucario.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello, Alex,” he said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Aura, I need you to tell me what Matt’s saying.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Are you serious? I thought. Lucarios can communicate with humans? I remembered a lot from school, but this was one of the things that slipped my mind.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt, I’ve heard of your situation,” Aura said to me. “I’m sorry it happened.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Thanks,” I replied. “Can you tell Alex that he needs to get Simon to hold this plate?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Aura repeated what I said. Alex looked at me like I was insane. “Are you insane?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Look, I know from studying Pokémon Mythology that Arceus can detect any Pokémon on the planet. But you’re human! If you can somehow sneak up to Simon and get the plate on him, Ember and I will be able to take him down!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex sighed after Aura repeated it. He stayed silent. Then Aura suggested something.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The look on all of our faces told us that this was the best way to go…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I didn’t waste time taking the cable car up the mountain. I’m not exactly sure that it would be reliable in this situation. With our strength and speed, Ember and I made it up Jagged Pass without difficulty. The path, which usually had a few trainers on it, was deserted. I’m sure everyone was staying inside or hiding with what’s happening right now. Even though only about five people know exactly what’s going on.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When we got to the peak, Simon was there, waiting for us. Waiting for me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hello, Matt,” he said. The swirled clouds centered on him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why would you do this, Simon?” I asked/yelled. “What the hell could you possibly gain from this?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I’ve always wanted to be a ruler,” he said. “I was with my team. But that wasn’t enough for me.” He looked away. “But I’m going to make it so that I can never be controlled. Humans don’t understand the power we possess, Matt.” He was talking as if we had never been human. “All they want to do is control us. Trapping is us balls, forcing us to battle. But now, no Pokémon will be controlled. There will be no humans to control us. And I will rule…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This guy is insane, I thought.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I can’t let you go through with this Simon,” I said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Simon’s head turned towards me and his eyes reddened. He let out a roar, and I could tell he was angry.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He yelled, “Judgment!” A large yellow orb appeared around him, before shooting at me. As soon as it impacted, I was sent flying to the edge of the peak, almost falling over. It was the biggest pain I’ve ever felt. Now that I think about it, it’s the first time I’ve gotten hit as a Pokémon. I probably wouldn’t have survived that if I was still human.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Are you still thinking of stopping me?” He said. He came down from floating in the air and walked over to me, which I was surprised that he had gotten used to walk on four legs so quickly. “Foolish trainer,” Simon said.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I stood up and looked into the Arceus’ hate-filled eyes. He was focused on me, which was exactly what I had hoped for. “Now,” I yelled, and Aura revealed his trainer, holding the Leaf Plate. Alex placed the plate into the middle of the rings on Arceus’ back, and the yellow on him turned green. He was grass-type now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“What the hell?” Simon shouted.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ember, use Blaze Kick!” I shouted. Despite being a Pokémon, I was still her trainer. As she got ready, I did the same. I sent the heat down to my foot and watched it catch fire. At the same time, Ember and I did a back flip, and made impact on Simon at the same time. His grass typing made the flaming embers scattered across his body.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Nice hit,” Ember said to me. I laughed. I looked down at Arceus. He looked finished.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember walked over and hugged me. I hugged her back. Even though I was stuck like this, I have Ember with me. We looked into each other’s eyes. It was weird looking at her this way, but I liked it. I wished that moment could’ve lasted longer. But the look of enjoyment in Ember’s changed to worry.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I heard a voice behind me whisper, “Judgment.” Ember pushed me out of our embrace and away from the blast. Simon had gotten rid of the plate, and the giant yellow ball went straight at Ember.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“No!” I yelled. The impact sent Ember flying back. When I saw her go over the edge, I screamed again.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Do you still want to stop me, Matt?” Simon said. “I’m invincible!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I was on the ground in pain. Not because of getting hit, but because my greatest friend and partner had just fell to her death. Arceus looked at me and said, “Pitiful.” Then he spit at me.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">His eyes turned red and he began to rise in the air. The clouds started to reform and a bright light emanated from him. It started to spread slowly, but then picked up speed. It was soon across the entire sky.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt!” Alex yelled. “Do something!” I looked over at him and he was starting to change. I knew that this was happening to people all over the world now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I stood up as I remembered the reason I came here in the first place. I wasn’t going to let this S.O.B. win. I wasn’t going to let him steal anyone else’s humanity. And now, I’m going to make it so that Ember’s death will not be in vain.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I concentrated all of the heat inside of me together, and then shot a stream of fire at the god Pokémon. His concentration was broken, the light went away, and Alex went back to normal. Simon fell to the ground.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You’re still fighting me?” Simon said. “You have nothing left. Your contacts with the humans are gone, and you’ve just lost the one closest to you. Yet you still try to foil me…”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“I may have lost everything,” I replied. “But I’m going to let you do this to anyone else.” After his fall, he was still on the ground. “You say that I’m pitiful. Yet you’re the one who’s trying to free all from control by controlling them. You are the one who’s ruining people’s lives just for your own sick, twisted gain.” Flames around my wrists burned. With all of my strength, I punched Simon. I used all of the energy I had to kill the Arceus. On contact, smoke went everywhere. When it cleared, I saw Simon’s lifeless Pokémon body. His entire right side was scorched. I had done it. Simon wasn’t going to change anyone else’s life.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I fell to my knees. Even though Simon was gone, so was Ember. Tears fell from my eyes as I sat there. Alex walked over to me. He had seen everything. He put his hand on my back and said, “It’s going to be ok, man.” I nodded, trying to tell him that I understood.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From when she was just a Torchic, I had raised Ember. I’d trained her, bonded with her, and beat every gym with her. If it wasn’t for her, I’d be dead. She gave her life for me…

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex stayed here with me. I wasn’t ready to leave quite yet. And I’m glad that I didn’t. I walked over to the edge of the mountain where I saw Ember fall, and I looked down. There she was. She had landed on a small rock that was sticking out of the mountain. I looked closer and saw…breathing. She was breathing! Ember was alive! I got Alex’s attention and he came over. When he saw her breathing, he said, “She’s breathing!” I shook my head at that, but I was happy all the same. I took Ember’s Pokeball off of my belt and called her back. Then I let her out again up here.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I held her in my arms. She was unconscious, but still breathing. I leaned down to her and gave her a kiss. She opened her eyes. “Matt?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We did it, Ember,” I told her. She smiled and returned the kiss.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chapter 10

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex, Ember, and I returned to Mauville, where Alex called Professor Birch on his Pokénav. He explained everything that happened on Mt. Chimney. He told us to meet him at his lab immediately. Alex told him that we would, and I called back Ember (which was weird to do as a Pokémon) and sent out Lola to take me to Littleroot.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As soon as we arrived, I felt exhausted. The fight on the mountain took a lot of energy out of me. I walked into the lab. Birch greeted me, “Good to see you…” I’m pretty sure he said my name, too, but I fainted before I could hear him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I came to my senses on the same table I woke up just before I had talked to Ember for the first time. The only difference was: Ember was on the table next to me. I’m assuming that we’d been healed. We took a lot of damage on that mountain. Ember was still asleep, and it was the next day.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Matt!” Alex yelled. The same people were in the room: Alex, Birch, and Palm.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Hey, Alex,” I said. I knew he couldn’t understand me, but I said it anyway.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“How are you feeling?” Birch asked. Why were these guys asking me these things if they knew I couldn’t respond?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I just decided to play along and said, “I’m doing great, how about you?” sarcastically.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Birch laughed. “I’m doing just fine, actually.” Wait…can he understand me?!

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“How are you…?” I said, extremely confused. Then I felt something on my ear. I felt it and it was…a headset? “What is this thing?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Professor Palm spoke up. “While Birch was busy working on the antidote to change you back, I was working on this: A Pokémon translator!”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Wait, so you guys can understand me now?” I asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex nodded and I almost started to cry. Humans could understand me now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When Ember woke up, I told her the news, and she was glad for me. The only stipulation was that I had to wear the headset. But it was a small price.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I thanked the Professors and we left. I know that I wouldn’t be able to change back into a human, but at least I could talk with the ones I was close to now. Alex forgot something (again) and went back inside, leaving me and Ember alone again.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why did you do it?” I asked her.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Huh?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Why did you take that hit for me on Mt. Chimney?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember smiled and said, “When I first met you, Matt, I told myself right there that I was going to protect you, my trainer. Even if it meant that I could die, I would’ve done it. Last night was really the first time something like that came up.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I gave her a kiss. “Thank you,” I said to her.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Then we stood there in each other’s arms, until Alex came out and ruined the moment. “I got it guys-oh...” he said. Ember and I just laughed.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">So, that’s my story. I was transformed into a Blaziken by a madman. Even if I could talk to humans again, my life would still be different, mainly because of Ember. She and I had been on this journey from the beginning. We had formed a bond stronger than any other. Now, she’s my world.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Alex’s family moved to Mauville. He told his parents everything that happened, and that somehow made them want to move here. Yeah…I don’t know.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Birch and Palm contacted all of the victims of Simon’s plan and offered them headsets. Most of them accepted, others just growled at them. I guess they had gone feral. That’s too bad.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Team Unity disbanded and was never heard from again.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Eventually, my story made the media. I gladly offered information on what happened, but I didn’t give out that much.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I retired as a trainer at the age of 15. I’m not sure that a literal Pokémon Trainer would get much credibility. I released everyone on my team from their Pokeballs, but I didn’t have to say good bye. They all hung out in the woods behind my house. I kept their Pokeballs so they technically wouldn’t be able to be caught by another trainer. They said they wanted it that way.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After a panic attack, my mom ended up being ok with what happened. Well, not exactly ok, but she said she could live with it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I had an extra bed set up in my room for Ember. She stayed in the house with me. My mom was somehow ok with it.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember and I were sitting on the couch on my back deck, looking up into the stars. “They’re real pretty tonight,” she said. I agreed.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">She turned to me and said, “You know, it’s funny. 5 years ago, we would’ve never imagined anything like this.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Yeah,” I said. “But I’m glad it happened.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember smiled. Then she leaned over and kissed me. I looked into her eyes. They were so beautiful.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking back up to the stars, we tried to point out constellations. We would say things like, “There’s Palkia!” We did this for a few minutes until Ember finally said, “Look at that one.” She pointed southwest, and I saw…Arceus.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Simon,” I whispered to myself, with a smile. Even though he did this to me for his evil plan, I thanked him. If it wasn’t for him, I would’ve never been able to be with Ember like I am now.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ember laid her head on my shoulder and I put my arm around her. We didn’t really need to say anything. I could not have asked for a better life. I have amazing friends, I’m able to talk to humans again, and the greatest thing that has ever happened to me was sitting next to me. I kissed her on the forehead.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">I said to her, “We’ve sure had a great adventure, haven’t we?” She smiled.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom: .0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:48.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">THE END