A New Tomorrow

Chapters

Prologue: A Day Once Lost
Chapter 1: Dawn of a New Life
Chapter 2: Morning in Rare Form

Prologue: A Day Once Lost

The scent of heated butter and the sound of crackling oil awoke the man who lay in the sleeping bag. Before his eyes even opened, a light and happy smile had taken its way upon his face. With an overlarge yawn, he moved to a sitting position, and opened his eyes.

What he saw about him was beautiful and serene. Some may have found it plain, or simply another hovel by the road. But this was no true land of naught. No, this was a land of mystery and excitement. This, was a forest. Trees reached up to grasp at the heavens, strong and broad. Vines crept about, content to wait to ensnare the unwary. Bushes and grass littered with leaves of days past, grew up and about, little for care of where it landed. This land truly was a lush and beautiful paradise if one only looked.

But of these, none of them could compare to the creatures which inhabited this land. They flew through the air on wings of power. They crept in the underbrush with skill and grace. They tunneled beneath the ground to find what lay hidden. They moved through the trees with supernatural ease. And they fought with the ferocity and degree of skill to tell that they could only be one thing. They were Pokemon.

Many people felt many things about these strange creatures. Some saw them as “Strong, and ferocious.” That we should fear them and try to be rid of them. Others saw them as “Useful, and potent in their abilities.” They often believed that they could be used to meet their own ends. Still others saw them as being only animals. They found that if they could use them, they would. But they held no regard for their state of being.

Yet another group exists, of which this man was one. They believed that they were more than animals, they were strong, and they were useful. But they also believed that they were true and honorable. They believed that they were just as much a person as many. Many fell into this category, feeling that they should get the respect and protection that people received. Many disagreed. Still others considered them to be friends, family even. Some even took them as their partners for life. “They are the radicals, betrayers of their own race!” This and many other such statements were common place when dealing with those of other opinions. This man, held quite a different view.

With a smile that only a friend could give, the man looked towards the source of the sound of oil . Cooking upon a portable gas stove, was one of these mysterious creatures. It was about two feet tall, and a pale cream color, save for some muted red spots spread about on it. Upon its face, two such spots were found, one on its left cheek, acting like an eternal dimple, and one above its right eye, slightly towards the center. It was, slightly stout, and rather round looking in a word, like a small mobile bear. It did have two rather large rabbit like ears atop its head. Most curiously, its eyes were shaped like large spirals, with a similar design in its ears.

“Good Morning Tops.” The man said, smiling at the Spot Panda Pokemon.

“Morning Sveta” the Spinda replied, though all the man could hear was “Spin” The brief nod that Tops gave would have given an idea of what it said, but Sveta had turned around to tie his bandanna and change clothes.

“So, What ‘cha makin there?” Sveta asked, throwing the question over his shoulder.

Tops level gaze against his turned back was unfortunately not very effective at communication, so he sighed before saying, “I can’t say.” He paused for a moment, “No really, I can’t.”

“Ah You know I can’t understand you,” he said. “Why don’t I just come over and see.” he said as he shimmied out of his bed, careful not to step on anyone. Tops only shook his head, and handed the spatula to Sveta before heading off to check the rest of camp.

Their camp had been set up with a single, rather large box shaped backpack layin to the side of a folding low table. Besides this there was a portable cooktop, and a small stack of books that Tops had been standing on. Svetas sleeping bag was laid next to a fallen log, propped by a lean to that provided a little protection from the wind.

Tops went to the lean to, where a small number of Pokemon laid. The first one he approached lay at the feet of the lean to. It looked a light pale white color, a bit lighter than Tops own. Thats where any similarities ended. Upon it head was a strange arrow shaped design, flanked by large deep brown strips that ran from its head to tail, an impressive distance to be honest. Its head ened in a small snout that seemed directional. Its tail looked to be a continuation of its body, and was difficult to place where it began. Its four legs seemed particularly fluidity, in their motion as it kick in its sleep.

With a small smile, Tops moved to the top of the log, and pushed the creature, so it began to roll over. It started out just fine, but at about perpendicular to the ground, the creature took control of its own motion. It flipped forward onto its back to look at what had moved it.

“Good morning Felix.” Tops said with a smile as he sat upon his belly.

The Linoone simply gave a long yawn for a moment “Why do you insist on waking me so?”” he said with a weary look in his eyes.

“Cause you don’t wake up otherwise.” he said giving a cheeky grin.

“I do too wake up!” Felix retorted indignantly. “... I just don’t get up,” he muttered.

“Well, you're up now so…” Tops said, hopping off of Felix “Could you go and find Braum? Please?”

Felix gave a sad little pout. “But he’s so cranky in the morning! Besides, why can’t you go and get him?” he grumbled.

Tops deadpanned “. . . Does it look like I can smell him out with my nose to you?”

“... Well the others could get him ...”

Tops just sighed “Well, Terra COULD go and get him, but you don’t want her to,” Felix grumbled in accident. “AND we all agreed that Cassandra shouldn't go and get Braum any more. Remember?”

Felix remembered. The smell was bad enough they had to get new tweezers after fixing the mess off of Braum. “Oh fine,” he finally relented. “But I’m not happy about it!” He called as he stalked off.

“I know.” Tops muttered. He shook his head to clear away such things, and went off to the side of the sleeping bag. This one could be a bit more difficult.

He slowly slid closer to another of their party. She was decently tall when she stood, about two feet tall. She was covered in light blue fur, with tufts of deep blue placed upon her back half, and as a mane about her face. Her tail was quite supple and ended in a small yellow x-shaped dist. Her feet had stripes and eyes that were the same yellow. She was a Luxio. She was Cassandra. And she was scary when awaken.

Tops had managed to make his way into the concave area when she slept curled up. He had found she panicked less whenever awoken from closer distances. He took a shaky breath, and then slowly went to poke her stomach.

Before his paw had even found its way to her inner fur, her eyes shot open. She didn't look at him as if a threat, or a hated enemy, or even of an ally. She only looked at him with her gaze of power. Something quick and sharp sounded through the air as she took out her claws. They dug into the ground to discharge any unreleased energy. Her fur bristled with crackling lightning, just on the very edge of release. However, she did not move.

“Good morning . . . Cassandra, “ Tops said in a small voice.

Cassandra drew in a shaky breath before sighing, “Morning Tops,” she murmured. After a terse moment, she shook her head, her fur settling to a more form fitting way. “What, what’s up?”

“Oh, you know, “ he began “just checking to see if everyone is awake And to check on you...” He trailed off slightly on the end.

She nodded quickly, “Ah, yes. I’m ah, good. . . I’m just , um, “ she stopped for a moment and shook her head. “Sorry, it was nothing.” She paused a moment before murmuring “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it!” Tops said with a half grin. “Besides...” he began as his grin grew into a lopsided smile, “It’s your first anniversary of being with us! So don’t worry, and relax, it’ll be fine.”

Cassandra was taken aback for a moment, “Wait, really? I could have sworn it wasn’t that long.”

“Well, technically you've only been with us eleven months and eight days,” he said with a shrug. “BUT, as Sveta doesn't really know when we will next be near a city, he said we would have it today.”

“Huh...” she said after a moment. “That’s, um, nice of him.” She murmured. “He does know he-”

“OWW! What gives dude?” Felix voice sounded from just beyond the glen.

“You do moron,” said a grumbling voice, clearly irritated.

“It would be better if you didn't always sleep so far away,” Felix grumbled back. “Wouldn't be so hard to wake you either.”

“Ha! As if.” the second voice spoke as the two emerged from the thicket.

On the one hand, there was Felix, a small line of a welt on his hind quarters. On the other hand, there was a smaller, duck like creature. It had a similar, but lighter color brown coat for most of its feathers, but some were the same whitish color as Felix. It also appeared to be holding a small stalk in its wing, almost like a rod.

“Morning Braum!” Tops said cheerily. This was met with only a pointed harumph.

“Felix, Braum.” Cassandra spoke quietly, in a terse manner.

“Morning to you too Cassandra,” Felix replied. A little on the plain side, but much better than Braum’s, for he was in a particularly sour mood.

“Oh, Good morning, Cassandra.” the Farfetch'd all but sneered. It was no secret he held animosity towards her, but he was usually more subtle.

“Braum...” Tops began, a warning tone in his voice.

“Oh don’t mind me!” he growled. “I’m just wondering how our ever so endearing companion is doing on this special day,” He practically spat.

Cassandra slowly breathed in and out, practicing somthing Tops had spoken of. Despite this, her fur was still quite ruffled, so to speak. “Good morning to you too Braum,” she managed through clenched teeth.

Sveta whistled a cheery tune as he fried some potato cakes. His Pokemon were conversing out of the way, and a little bit animatedly. They seemed a bit stiff, but only Braum seemed to be really annoid. In his book, this was a win.

Still, they could use a bit of management. “Hey, play nice over there, would you?” He yelled after them.

After having their trainer grump, or as close as he usually came to grumping, at them, a slight murmur of accent was all that was said for a few moments, before the camp lapsed into relative silence. The tense quiet was all but that remained for a minute or two.

“…”

“...”

“So…” Felix began as it began to be more awkward.

Fortunately, a light russell was heard over by their overlarge bag before anymore could be said. With a quick glance around to the ones present, Felix and Tops eyes met.

“I’ll Get It!” they both yelled as they jumped up and ran off, eager to escape the silent warfare between Cassandra and Braum.

As they left, Braum gave a sigh as he dropped his shoulders. He shook his head for a moment, before asking “Just why?”

“Because I have to”, she said quietly, before wandering over to Sveta. He smiled at her for a moment before scratching behind her ears.

As Felix and Tops rounded the pack, t became abundantly clear who the perpetrator was. The pack looked as if the general contents had been strewn about haphazardly. The tin eating set was over by the treas, the plastic rain coats were by the table, way over by the road sign was a bag of berries, a little bag of marbles seemed to have been spared this fate, but not much else. Out from the top of the bag, something large and fuzzy stuck out.

“Ahem, ah, Terra?” Felix said, clearing his throat as he did so.

“Just one second and then… Ah! There we go!” responded a higher octave feminine voice. As she extracted herself from the bag, one couldn’t help but feel there was a conspiracy against most colors here. She was covered from head to tail in large zigzagging sections of the same light brown and pale cream color that seemed ever so apparent at this camp. Her short muzzle ended in a rounded form, mimicked by her ears and the short, almost stubby nature of her paws. Her tail seemed to be an extension of her body, with no clear defining point of beginning when examined. Within her paws she held a small bag labeled “P.”

“Yes Felix?” the young Furret asked, a grin plaguing her countenance.

“Well-”

“We were wondering,” Tops cut in, “What are you doing with… this?” he asked with a gestured to the abstract items thrown about.

“Oh! Well, as its Cassandra’s anniversary I thought I might convince Sveta to let us treat her a bit!” She said with a smile.

“... Uh huh. And?” Tops said, unconvinced.

“... Alright, I also thought that we could have a bit too so she wouldn’t feel bad about eating it.” She finally said. “Happy now?”

The answer seemed a bit self evident, what with the newfound grin upon Tops face. “Well then! I’ll gather up… this” he said, motioning to everything around. “And you two can go try and convince him about that.”

They both gave him a swift nod, before heading off for a moment. Tops gave an elusive smile as they went off. “Too easy,” he murmured, before gathering the mess up.

The day was off to a glorious start in Sveta’s opinion. Tops had started in on making potato cakes, gotten everyone up, and even cleaned up after Terra threw the camps supplies around. Casandra hadn’t accidentally attacked anyone, and was being more social than normal. Super Plus! Braum was being annoying again, yes, but he seemed to not be in a vicious mood, so point! Felix hadn’t been hurt much at all today, nor had he “accidentally” stolen anything again. Nor had Terra been particularly fussy about anything yet! Add that with it being Cassandra’s date of note with them, and it was shaping up quite nicely.

As he set the low table with everyone’s food, Tops teetered off to gather some water for a moment. Terra had managed to dredge up a few relatively edible pokepuffs, and with it being a good day so far, who was he to deny them that?

Once all had been gathered around the table, he stood to give a short rundown for the day.

“Well, first and foremost, good morning everyone,” he began. This was met with a light murmuring from the assembled Pokemon. “As you all know, it is Cassandra’s first year anniversary with us today,” he said with a smile. “Thanks to some fortuitous circumstances, we will be going into Olivine City today, and as such, Cassandra will be leading the way for what we will do for the day once there, except for dinner. That is already planned,” he said with a wink.

“As for now, you can thank Tops for the potato cakes, and Terra for the Pokepuffs.” The two nodded in turn. Once he moved to a sitting position, he raised his cup in toast. “And without further adieu, cheers!” He said, taking a small sip of water.

As the party went about eating, there was only small talk provided for the most part. Mainly from Terra’s end, but no more than usual. The only slight deviation was that Sveta was only looking down at his food and had only eaten a few bites.

“You okay?” Tops asked, nudging him incase he had just zoned out. “Spin?”

Usually he only shook himself out, and gave a quick smile to whoever shook him. Very rarely he panicked for a moment, but got over it, startled out of his own world. So far, as to date, this was the only time that he had simply fallen over, reacting.

Naturally, this was met with confused reactions. Cassandra panicked a moment, moving back to move away, before succumb to something strange and falling herself. Felix and Terra, whom both sat at her side, watched as they both fell, before trying to flee. They didn't get very far. Braum outright panicked, but was frozen with an emotion he rarely knew before he too descended. Tops, now standing on his own, fainted from shock after a moment.

They were gone, caught up in something much larger than themselves. No longer one of the many to live, but one of the few with a chance to thrive. They could make themselves anew, and might. This was but one of the defining chances.

“Rest now my children, for when you awake a whole new world shall be your home.”

Chapter 1: Dawn of a New Life

Heat.

The first thing Felix felt was the burning of the sun upon his coat. Soon, the coarse grass biting at his fur made itself known too. Then, the smell of the dry heat, the thick waxy hides of the roots, the scattered dust motes and much more invaded his nose. The sound of drying stone, the beating of wings, and the light winds as they ripped across the land fell upon him. Finally, sight returned to him.

Around him was grass. Short, tough and hardy grass reminiscent of almost dried out leaves, and around the same color. Spread about sporadically were thin, winding trees that seemed to suck all the strength and water out from the environment about them. Near these, were often small outcroppings of rocks, generally large, low and flat. The shimmering of the heat from them was only too noticeable. Small scraggly bushes littered the landscape, occasionally moving to and fro from the whims of the wind. The parched, red brown earth sent up small clouds of dust and sand whenever the air caught it.

This land was a desolate place.

It should be known that most Linoone are found within land similar to this, as was Felix. However, at their grasslands, there was signs of life. There was water and streams. The trees were strong and powerful, not cruel and winding. The earth was rich and peat was dominant, not this dry and dusty land. There was next to no Pokemon seen here. The few that were seemed, off in some way. This was not a place of life, but of ends.

It was terrifying.

Once he was at his feet, the immediate problem gave he was in have him pause. After all, it was pertinent.

“Where am I?” he asked himself. The land here was like only one other place he had seen, and even then, this was different. The Desert Resort was similar, what with the barren landscape and sand being the prevalent piece of earth, but it had practically no plants. Here, even though the plants looked cruel, there were more than there. This was not at all like he remembered recently, which forced another question upon him.

How did I get here? he thought. He remembered they were traveling through a forest, and it was Cassandra’s anniversary. They had gotten up, and then… he couldn’t remember. There was some vague impression of words from a weird voice, and then… nothing. “Ugh! ” he whined, this was not good. Normally, this only happened when they needed to get somewhere really quickly, and then Sveta… took…

And then he began to worry. Where are they? he wondered. They had only left him once before, and he had only been with them for less than a month. That was more than five years ago! They couldn’t have forgotten him. He scanned around, searching for them. Unfortunately, there was no sign of them. No softly flying Braum, his shadow seemingly from nowhere. There was no strange scent of potatoes and lavender that always seemed to follow Sveta. Terra’s laugh was absent from even on the faintest breeze, nor was the light sound of crackling that accompanied Cassandra. He was, truly alone it seemed.

He ran and checked regardless. He checked and called, hoping, wishing that they would hear and find him. He panicked, not caring where he was anymore. “Sveta! Tops! Terra! Where are you!?” he shouted at the top of his lungs, running about, trying to find them. The slight curve of the earth and the sparse trees were his only audience.

After nearly an hour, he slowly came to a stop, no longer fooling himself. They had left him. Why would they leave me? Did they forget me? How could they forget me? He asked himself. What happened? As he sat and began to think of what could have happened, trying to calm down, a doubt crossed his mind. A horrible, cruel, and terribly destructive thought.

What if … what if it was on purpose?

He stopped dead, mid breath for an overlong moment. When he breathed again, it was a shallow shuddery breath. There’s … there’s no way… They couldn’t leave me… they couldn’t… He was stunned, the mere possibility was so… alien, he couldn’t fathom it for a moment. How… how could they leave me? I mean… they know… they know what that… what that can do… but…

He shook his head vigorously for a moment, backing up subconsciously. “No… they couldn’t. They can’t! They wouldn’t,” he spoke, as if saying it would make it be more real. “They, they wouldn’t. They… wouldn’t do… that. They couldn’t...” he murmured.

He had had enough of that. He began to run. He ran, and ran, and ran. He ran to escape the idea of it. THe land around him was but a blur, only too much like his minds whirring then. The desolate savanna was his company alone. He fled, trying to escape the his own mind.

As he ran he made a plan. I will find them. I will. And I will understand once I find them. I will find out. I will he told himself. He ran, repeating the mantra to himself.

No matter what he said, or told himself, he heard those three simple words above all else.

They abandoned you

The tears never hit the sand.

It was a sound that many are conditioned to recognise that rose her from her stupor.

Terra had awoken earlier, but was too stunned to begin questioning what was occurring around her. The fallen tree that she had slept by had vanished, as had the road and the team, but everything else around her looked next to exactly the same. The tall trees looked the same, there sounded a brook from nearby, and there was little to no chatter from the trees above her. The land smelled too new, too untraveled. That was a smell that she had never encountered before. This was one of the two main problems she had at the moment. It took her a moment to realize she was not where she had once been. The forest seemed in shock itself, quiet and eerie.

The sound of crying had made her begin to move before she even realized it.

There was behind a tree, she found, a small creature that was making the pitiful sound. It looked to be a small, caramel colored bear with a strange mark upon its brow. It curled in on itself, trying to hold onto itself. It was not the first Teddiursa she had seen, but it was the first one she had seen alone.

When she had seen it, she had let out a small sound. It was this that alerted the Teddiursa that it was not alone. It bolted its head up fast enough to make Terra worry. When it had seen it as not being one it recognized, it curled up into itself further.

She gulped down her fear for a moment, their parents were often considered to be rather over protective of their cubs, but it needed someone to speak to at least. “What is wrong child?” she asked, almost as fearful of the answer.

It hesitated, seeming to bunch in on itself. It seemed unwilling to speak.

“Do not worry child, I do not mean to harm you.” She gave a reassuring smile.

It paused for a moment, before its shoulders fell, releasing the tension and fear it held. “”I can’t find my family. Their gone.” He responded in a much smaller voice than she expected. It seemed he was very young. Despite this, his voice still resounded with much sorrow. Her mild panic was gone, now replaced with something more. Worry, but not for herself, but for the child.

She slowly moved towards him, despite the fact he that he appeared to try and shrink in upon himself again. She only gave a small smile to him as she approached. Once a mere foot or so from him, she extended one of her paws towards him. “Well, shall we go find them together?”

The Teddiursa paused for a moment, before a very definitive sniffing sound came from him. It found that the Furret didn’t seem to be lying, but seemed worried. He paused for a moment, before nodding, and reaching out for her hand. “... Okay, if you say so.”

She smiled as she hoisted him onto her back. “Careful now, wouldn’t want to fall off.” she said over her shoulder. “So, any idea where they might be?” she asked hopefully.

“Um, I really don’t remember… sorry” he mumbled back, sniffling a bit.

“That’s okay, we’ll just have to keep searching around then,” she said with a grin.

As they went off, her smile faded a little bit. How can I help this one find its family, when I don’t even know where My own are…

When she shook her head, he asked “What’s wrong?” clearly worried.

“Oh, nothing, just me being silly,” she spoke back with a grin, “Now what say you we start” eh?”

Cassandra was not having a good day. She had been woken up by Tops, and not accidentally hurt him. That much was good. Then Braum came around was an idiot. Granted, he was usually an idiot, but this time she was planning on a good day! Breakfast was nice, even got a pokepuff thanks to it being her anniversary!

Then everything went to crap.

Sveta fell over and wasn’t moving, and then when she moved about a second later, she blacked out. Still didn’t know why she did that, but she had bigger fish to fry. Namely, what happened, and where she was.

Cassandra appeared to be in a garden. Not just a nice garden with some berries and flowers, but something more like she saw once in Floraroma Town. There were flowers everywhere. Up the walls were small creeping vines with brilliant red and white flowers. The vines had small thorns that seemed to help anchor them to the brick wall. There was five rows of bushes, each with a differing shape and color of flower. At the back were two thin trees with soft pink petals in small bushels on its wire thin branches.

It was, in short, beautiful.

As such, Cassandra felt very much out of place.

She had always considered herself to be not the best looking when it came to her appearance. Several of her original tribe had been rather confused about that aspect of her. They had always found her coat to be a brilliant blue, with the deeper almost grey blue color creating masterful, if mildly muted, shade. Her light yellow stripes, ear check, and four pointed tail star. Even Tops and Terra had spoken of how nice she looked, but it was just flattery, she told herself.

Regardless, she felt very uncomfortable in this place. As such, she would usually look for a way to leave. Normally, she could jump up and out from the wall, but the thorns made that less than optimal. Most Luxio could shift and move the vines out of the way, but that wasn’t an option for Cassandra. There was also the chance of the door by the wall next to the home looking building, but she was not looking to escape right then.

She was furious. Not her average irritation that usually occurred with an overlong interaction with Braum, but one of quiet rage. She moved about the garden with the countenance of a goddess. She seemed on a rant as she moved about the garden.

“With what right do they think they have to ditch me. Me!” she fumed. “They said they were nice, and they didn’t care, so what do they do? They leave me. Of course they do. No one really cared about little old me. No. They only wanted me for what I could offer. What was it he said… We work together for our own sakes? Pah, clearly I am not part of them.”

As she ranted, she stalked towards one particular bush of roses. They were midnight blue, with Deeper soft black towards the insides. It looked to have bloomed a mere few days before, and still held its soft petals high.

“My very family rejected me. Why did I expect different from a fake one?” She stared at the flower, questioning it. Hoping somehow it could give her the answers for why one so loved would be rejected for something so trivial.

The flower did not answer.

Her gaze lowered as she looked on at the flower. “Why do people care so much for this?!” She began to yell, motioning towards the garden at large. “Why would they care so much for something so trivial, so worthless?! Why, when they care for something so intrinsically pointless, would they not care for me?! Why? Tell me world! WHY!”

The garden did not answer.

Her gaze grew weary. “Just tell me. Please, I just want to be seen. I want to be known. I want to be normal. Is it too much to ask? Can I not be as one who is happy? Can I not be loved? Please, tell me why...” she tapered off, slowly moving towards a sitting position.

The world did not answer.

Her tears finally fell.

Roseluck was having a rather nice day.

Her home on the south side of Ponyville hadn't been attacked by parasprites, Ursa’s, Rampaging Evils from an era long gone, Griffons, Rainbow Dash or Pinkie, or even rabbits in about a week. She was quite proud of the new record. Lily and Daisy were both just beside themselves with joy at the prospect of getting to see some of her rarer blooms without teeth marks or burns. She might even have enough to sell to some of the higher end restaurants! They always paid well enough she usually didn’t have to worry about insurance for a while!

As of now though, that wasn’t on her mind. She was more worried about her meeting with Carrot Top, err Golden Harvest. Her name was Golden Harvest, and she preferred to be called as such to most ponies. However, she let slip once when they had been over at Berry’s place that she liked it when some ponies called her Carrot Top. Rose had always wondered about it before then, and asked whether or not she could. Golden Harvest said she really didn’t care.

Then again, she thought as she moved towards the restaurant, she then asked why I was hanging on the wall, and then threw up. She shrugged and smiled at the garçon, Ah well, I bet she knew what she was saying.

Once seated, she ordered a simple daisy sandwich, Daisy had gotten her hooked on the things after trying one of hers. She gave a sad smile, If only She weren’t so panicky, and Lily really doesn’t help with it either, she thought, rolling her eyes. I swear, its like I’m the only one of the three that doesn’t go ballistic when problems arise. She paused a moment before grumbling to herself, “Well, there was THAT time, but that so doesn’t count. I mean come on! It was rabbits.”

She continued to grumble to herself of how the rabbit stamped was CLEARLY something to be very worried about when one was a florist, and a gardener, when she noticed something. Normally, they would have delivered her food, and Carrot Top would have arrived by now, but something was holding them up. She would know, they usually got some of her lower roses for half off if she got a nice enough discount here, and was delivered to fast enough.

“Well, there goes another ten percent of profit back to me,” she said, turning back to get out her records from her saddle bag. Then, with a sudden “Eep!” she saw it. There, behind her, with teeth as long as her hoof was a monstrous rat. Not one of the terrible almost a foot long black kind her mother had found in the barn once. No, this was a giant, nearly three feet tall, and almost as long, brown rat with massive teeth and a vicious expression.

“Rat?” it almost seemed to ask.

“RAT!” Roseluck screamed, almost in confirmation to the Raticate. It abject horror to those who knew her. She then bolted from the restaurant, fast enough to make Rainbow Dash almost amused. With a continued scream, she fled to go to her happy place back at her home. The one place where the whole world made perfect sense.

Her Garden of Roses.

Carrot Top was having a horrible day.

She awoke to find a bird that looked like it was about to go take out some minotaurs in their wrestling rings in her kitchen. Not to mention that it was about the size of her, and was very confused. After managing to shove the darn thing out of her home, she checked on her garden out back.

There, she found terror on the front lines. Monsters from the very breath of Taurtarus were there to make her life horror. Things that looked like monstrous rabbits, giant bees with stingers for arms, massive butterflies that seemed to eat her carrots, and things that looked like a brick wall meshed with a vole that scurried about beneath her crops. It was there she remained for most of the day. It was there, she fought away monsters from unimaginable lands.

Well, more of tried to fight them off. It didn’t seem to make much sense, but the more she yelled at them, the more quickly they went away when she approached them. Of course, this would have made perfect sense if they were ponies. Carrot Top knew some words that would make a gryphon cry, and that was the truth.

It also helped when most of the giant bees and butterflies went off towards Sweet Apple Acres. She may be their neighbors, and good friends when occasion called for it, but there were bigger rock voles to smack.

Finally, near sundown, most of the cursed creatures had finally left the now ruined garden. She laid down for a moment, felt like crying, and then got up. There was work to be done, and they had already tilled the dirt! Not on purpose, but still. She shook her head in weary resignation as she began to plant. Again.

Hey, she thought with a smile. At least I don’t have to visit Roseluck. Girl needs some new topics.

It began with the change of nothing.

There was nothing, nor had there ever been, nothing at all. But within this vast nothingness, there was held inside it, everything. A veritable multiverse of possibilities. Choices and cosmoses intertwined. The mater of the Cosmos was laid bare before the darkness. The darkness permeated. Within the space between all else, there was darkness. It filled the infinite void between that which was and that which could only hope to be. It was, truly, majestic in its lake of form and its expanse.

Within this vast land of forgotten possibilities, something seemed to change. The empirical nothingness move about, seemingly at random. It shifted and moved, laying upon itself, expanding and contrasting as universes were tossed about on this sea of stars. It soon became apparent for what had caused this upset to the natural forces.

The darkness was brightening.

It was shifting and trying to escape this strange and brilliant movement that invaded it upon all sides. No matter where the darkness flew to hide from this light, it was found and grew with this light. When it shifted upon itself, it only seemed darker more a moment. When it flew to the far flung reaches of this land of possibilities, the light reached further, holding it in more deeply that it could ever hope to escape.

Soon, it was clear that the battle was but forfeit. Relenting, the darkness gave over all that it was to this invasive light. However, it was not but for a moment when a sound was given birth to this new creation.

This sound was one that expressed sadness. It was that which longed for what no longer was. It was that which was a dream that could never be expressed. The darkness’s very being was emptied into this one final act, this sigh, for that is what it was. It was from this sound of lost hope that something changed.

In this land of brilliant light, something began to change. It was different, and it was new. It opened up the very space of this unreal world, offering many changes and chances that could no longer be.

Sveta’s eyes opened, and was met with one of those possibilities.

The world was not that of the darkness that was his eyelids, nor was it the place where he slept. The place he slept was in a bed, when he could. He was usually at a on the road by the time when he turned in. If he might take his sleeping bag, but he slept at in a clearing by a leanto yesterday. This, he was quite certain of. However, that which loomed above him made him consider otherwise.

Above him, hung a tree. This was not one of the common trees on the farm, with their tall frame and supple branches. No, what hung above him was a slender and delicate tree. It was a beautiful thing indeed, with its arched branches and its draping leaves. The canopy it provided a soft light light to be evident inside its pseudo structure.

His sleep addled brain moved to understand this. There is a tree… Why is there a tree? he thought. He squinted at the branches that hung above him, far away and deep in color, splayed upon with bright flecks as the light of the sun hit its bark. His mind went to process this new information. I’m under a tree… Why am I sleeping under a tree? There were only trees on the edges… He gave this a moments thought, before grasping at the likely solution, Ah, from the looks of it, I overslept. Huh… I bet Tops put me here so I would wake up from the rain soon. He thought with a chuckle.

“Alright, alright… I’m up! No need for leaving me out.” He declared to the world at large. With a slight grumble, he rolled over to escape his sleeping bag. It seemed a bit fuzzier and closer than normal, but he attributed this to the fact it was newer than the last one he had. “Always pays to have flannel when you can get it,” his brother had told him. He often wondered if that, and most of his advice, was true. The flannel sleeping bag at least, seemed dead on. That was quite nice, and comfy.

Giving a large yawn, he moved to stand. Unfortunately for him, his legs seemed unwilling to cooperate. With a beautiful swan dive, he proceeded to attempt to inhale the ground before him.

“GAH!” he tried to yell, but the dirt was an excellent preventative at speech. With a disgruntled coughing fit, and several times spitting he pushed himself off the ground, now rather awake. With a nasty taste in his mouth, but awake.

Grumbling, he moved to stand again, but his legs still seemed to be obstinately refusing to work. When he fell this time though, he braced himself with his arms.

Or at least what he was very sure was his arms until he saw them.

He was like this for several minutes, standing as if braced for an impact that had already occurred, as his brain tried to understand what he saw. Before him, there wasn’t any sign of arms like he understood them to be. There was no true fingers to speak of, the skin was not a tannish pink like he was used to, nor was there an obvious crux in its form for him to bend it, but it bent all the same. No, the “arm” went on until it simply ended, and it looked very much like this, until he examined closer. Then, he realized it ended in a small paw. A paw with three small “toes.” Even thinking of the small, squashed digits, as his fingers raised his hair. Not just as in an expression, but his hackles were raised. It was then that he realized, he had hair Quite a lot really. Well, to be entirely honest, he was covered in the stuff. Thick, short, and very much brown. He was about to panic, when he felt something. With marked slowness and trepidation turned his head to see what anomaly was upon him. He saw there, now with every hair upon it raised in worry and a tinge of fear, a small bushy tail of two tones, the same deep brown, and a warm cream.

Normally, it could have been said that Sveta was quite a calm and rational individual. Clear exceptions were easy to find, generally being his family or friends being messed with. Well, and when he got new eggs, but that is entirely different. Yes, in most situations he was a pleasant and quite ally. This was not one of those times.

“Oh… my...” he muttered, slowly shaking. It could even be forgiven to those who might have been watching that he simply had the shakes, were it not for the look in his eyes of one who was just chased by a rampaging Tauros stampede. Nay, on the outside, the tell tales signs of freaking out were mainly hidden. On the other hand, or paw as it may be, the signs of panic might as well be lit up in giant neons signs, like in Jubilife City. His hair was on end, his posture rigid and inflexible, his eyes widened and twitchy, and nervous jitters raked him.

He slowly began to move his right ha-er, paw up, and examined it as if seeing it for the first time. The small pads he could now make out, appeared quite flexible, but rather rough in texture. The two main pads seemed quite a bit more mobile in a horizontal aspect, allowing him to curl them inward. Despite the natural feel of it, Sveta shivered.

This, of course makes perfect sense to him, as he had never had paws before, or remotely wanted them! However this made virtually no sense to the confused Caterpie that clung to a tree it had never seen before, separated from its friends and family. The Caterpie was most rather afraid itself. Hoping to help its situation, or at least make sure it wouldn’t attack him, it made a tactical error of grievous magnitude

“He-hello?” It hesitantly asked the stiff legged creature below.

Now, normally this would follow a general, “Oh hi, didn’t see you there, Are you okay, No I am lost and hungry and lonely, I’m sorry what can I do to help” route. But as was previously stated, this was not a normal situation. Despite even this, the Caterpie most assuredly did not expect what followed.

The Eevee beneath him ever so slowly tilted his head to see the Caterpie on the trunk. It then, proceeded to open its mouth in a way that would make Seviper proud, and screamed. Moments before the hellish sound had escaped Sveta’s gaping maw, the Caterpie had figured it had made a mistake, but the choice had been made, and the sound had been released.

The Caterpie very quickly, well quote on quote quickly, hurried away from this evil lunged daemon before it, crying and wondering where everything went wrong. Fortunately, this is not the story of a long lost Caterpie and its existential questioning, but of that aforementioned lunged daemon.

After a solid half minute of screaming at the Caterpie as it inched its way out of the canopy of the tree, the unholy noise issued forth from Sveta’s mouth began to wind down to more comprehensible speech. Mainly consisting of a plethora of noises of exclamation, from the humble eep, to the mighty wuahalaha, but after a while even these faded. Mainly due to needing to breath in as well, not lessoned panic, but pickers and choosers and what not.

Once he had managed to finally breath a full breath and not compulsively scream. He tried to remain mute for a moment to collect his thoughts, but his thoughts thought they would better be collected by emerging his mouth in rapid procession.

“Oh my gosh! Oh My Goodness! Oh! Oh! Oh! WHAT IS GOING ON!?” He yelled, panic more than tinting his words. “I was sleeping. And.. and I was sleeping… And, and NOW! I’m… I’m, I’m, I’m NOT! And, and then I’m outSIDE! And, and, and then... ” here he began to sound a little bit angry. “Ogh! AND THEN! I was not ME! And I’m SHORT! ...ER! AND MY ARMS ARE GONE! Well, not gone, but NOT VERY HELPFUL! And THEN there was a Caterpie, and it SPOKE! TO ME! What’s up with that! And, and THEN! I mean! IT WAS JUST... AND THEN…“ He appeared flustered for a moment, words and expositions falling from his mouth like a Glooms drool, before shouting, ”And the Flannel was MOST DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT!!”

After shouting down his no longer present sleeping bag, he began to appear to be shouted out.

“And, and, I don’t know where I am,” he started, a rim of moisture beginning on his eyes. “And I don’t know what to do… I don’t know where my family is...” He let a small, weak sniffle escape him, before falling onto his haunches. “And I’m scared...”

Once realizing this, the tears did flow forth from him. They were not tears of joy. They were not tears of peace. They were tears of sorrow.

Chapter 2: Morning in Rare Form

Sveta didn’t remember falling asleep. Only tears and an almost uncomfortable tightness about him.

Of course, he had been sleeping, that much he was sure of. How else would he be waking up, he reasoned. Where other than his dreams would he, or even could he become an Eevee?

He almost felt like a laugh. Bill could probably whip something up given enough time. He could think of no one else who would be crazy enough to try, and probably the smarts to do it.

Still…

What a dream, he thought. What vivid dreams and imagination I seem to posses, even if only in my dreams. How strange a place it must be, he thought. How strange and mystical. Ruled by a Pokemon, yet seen and felt by all. It gives at least a little credibility to those old tales. and legends.

He shook his head.

The science and research has disproved that a thousand times before, and a thousand times since! He almost scoffed at the notion. Besides those tales and legends are just that. Old stories for the children. A smile threatened his face, Oh yes, sure there are tales told nowadays. But those people are of ill repute even before they open their mouths. Nonsense, the lot of it…

So, he had to wonder, what held his eyes still shut? Fear? Fears of the unknown, or the possibilities? Horror of the loss that may still be there? Panic at what could be there, even still? Or could it even be, a faint speck of hope?

That’s enough! He thought. No use panicking over nothing. Besides even if it were real, no use delaying the inevitable.

As he opened his eyes, he visibly relaxed.

He was home. Or at least, as much at home as he could be on the road. His sleeping bag was still snug and warm. That must be why I was warm, he thought. His pack was by the collapsible cooktop, and the rest of his party was resting on the leanto by the hollow log. The small table still held the remains of their tin utensils, and his expedition manual was under his head.

Most importantly, he was still human. His body was still covered with his smooth pinkish skin, without mark or fur. His ears, he touched were still smooth and rounded.Even with his family's large earlobes, they were much more a normal size. His body was devoid of fur, save for his light brown hair atop his head. His arms were normal, supple, had clear indications of movement ranges, and were usable.

Sveta smiled. All was right with the world. Here. He rose to wake his team

At least, he tried. Now that he noticed it, there seemed to be a stiff, heavy thing that rested upon his chest. Oddly enough, when he looked there, he could see nothing. There was something there, that he knew, but it neither could be seen, nor could he touch it despite his attempts.

It was then that he remembered something pertinent. His smile grew strained as he remembered himself. Smooth skin without fur. Normal ears. No fur save hair. Good usable arms.

His smile grew more pained, barely eking out a pained grimace. The dull ache was back. This wasn’t him. Not any more at least.

He dropped what was left of his smile and sighed. It would be over soon enough, he knew that now. It always was. It never made it any better. His world, his dreamscape slowly swirled about him, remolding him and the world around to that same old valley that awaited him in his dreams.

She appeared a little distance away, always conserved and stiff at first. She had challenged him, he remembered that. He hadn’t wanted to, but Braum had been itching for a fight that day, so he thought nothing of accepting. Upon seeing Braum, the young lady cursed under her breath. It was probably about typing, but that made little difference in the end. With a yell, she sent out her Honedge.

It was a relatively simple enough fight. She clearly had very little care for protection for her Pokemon, and only attacked. As such a few, wait then dodge and follow with an Aerial Ace, later and it was down to its last few pegs. The lady though, phew, she was furious at him. She screamed at him all the time, yelling something demeaning about Normals. Honestly, it was like she thought it was all up to typing. Braum probably wasn’t helping the matter, shouting something at the Honedge all the way. Sometimes, Sveta was glad he couldn’t understand Pokespeak.

Finally, the lady had had enough. “Just get him!” was all she yelled.

Apparently, that was all she needed to do. The Honedge flew into a flurry, a veritable dervish of slashes. Forgoing moves, it simply swung itself at horrendous speeds at Braum.

He was overtaken near instantly. He remained conscious for only a few seconds during the onslaught. The Honedge didn’t seem to care, viciously hacking and slashing away. It all but killed Braum.

He should have just recalled him. The lady should have called it back. He should have never fought. She was none too kind with her words, nor did her Pokemon appear to be so either. He should have realized it was a bad idea from the start. He should have known.

He did none of these. His world seemed to slow down to a crawl. Considering it was the dreamscape, it probably did. He understood one thing. “That’s my family. They’re hurting my family.” He did not stop. He did not think. Never before had he thought another action would be right, nor did he now. Even in his dreams, he had this choice. He chose to act.

A swift burning sensation, a cruel sounding crack, and a shrill scream was all that he knew before his world dissolved in a whirlwind of shadow and pain.

Sveta jolted awake in a cold sweat. An old dream. An old dream, and a painful memory. That was all it was. That was all it was. He winced at it regardless. A swift glance at his arm only served to change his fear to confusion.

The last three years, that arm, his arm, had been a crude faximile. A mechanical wonder, he had been told, but it wasn’t his. That, that device, that wasn’t him. It worked, but it wasn’t him. It let him continue his life more or less normally, but it wasn’t normal. It let him work, but he couldn’t feel it. It could only serve to remind him of what he lost.

Now, he could feel it. He could feel it again. Now, this short, brown, fuzzy leg had replaced his mechanical wonder. His severed arm. His past. All that was left of it now was that old memory. This small, hairy, fingerless, stump of an arm had taken it all. Mechanical or no,this was not his. He was not this creature. He was not an Eevee.

Yet, as much as he wished to deny what he had become, it was clare as he could see. He was, in fact, an Eevee. Curled up as he was nigh impossible to miss the signs. His small collar of bright cream colored fur, for legs that seemed to stick out at odd angles with no indication, nd what he could not deny, a tail. He could feel it. A disturbing bundle of nerves and muscle over his haunch, extending further than his body had any reason ot.

Shuddering slightly, he shook his head, trying to rid himself of such a strange feeling. With a soft sigh, he closed his eyes to gather his thoughts

I am now a Pokemon. He thought this as a statement. I am as of now, under a tree. He paused as he opened an eye before rapidly shutting it. A willow tree to be exact, and am in a small grove from what I can see. Frowning slightly, his ears following autonomously, he mumbled, “And my team has yet to make an appearance.”

He opened his eyes, surprised it seemed. With a worried glance, he tried to spot some of his team, or more aptly, his family. Hither and yon, he looked about, but under the boroughs of the tree, neither hide nor hair could be seen.

He began to worry, and that soon morphed to panic. His breath began to shorten and quicken. He felt himself begin to hyperventilate.

He caught himself moments before panic overrode him completely. The rational part of his brain ran in overdrive. Stop. No. Stop. Bad. Deep Breaths. In, then out. In, then out. Breath. He told himself. After a worrisome minute or two, he began to regain his facilities.

“Alright,” he murmured “Team first, then you can panic. Deal? Deal. Okay.Now, I am here, and my team is, um, not. Okay, we dealt with this. It was, well, there but now I don’t have my bag. Great. Shoot, what was it?” he grumbled to himself. “Darn it! There was even a course over this!” he all but yelled. “Come on, what was it?”

Sveta was, of course, referring to Emergency Protocols for Trainers 101, more commonly known as Oh No! What Now? Most of the situations dealt with the unfortunately common occurrences that seemed to creep up with trainers. Anything from most cities property damage codes and business hours, to accidental combustion and electrocution protection, to plain old pokemon mishandeling. Most of what most trainers needed and more was covered. Specifically, he was trying to remember the chapter over Unintentional Pokemon and Trainer Separation.

“Ah-HA!” he exclaimed. He actually remembered it. Mostly. “Firstly,” he more-or-less quoted, “Don’t panic. Well, blew that. Next! Contact your nearest Officer Jenny or Pokemon Ranger. Well, as I am, they’ll think that I’m the lost pokemon, so not helpful. Anything else? Hmm… Ah! Right, meet at your pre-determined meet up point.”

He smiled. Finally, some good news. He knew where that was. How could he forget? Tops had finally lost out to Felix for determining the meet up place a few years ago. It was to be the most important and official place they could find. After Felix hung out at a pizza joint for three hours, official had been added.

He actually laughed a little at the memory. A nice change he thought. With a fairly ambiguous goal in mind he broke out in a toothy grin and tried to get up.

It was actually rather anticlimactic. Trying to push his hands down to help shove himself up, he had forgotten somethings. Mainly that he was now a quadruped and their spines don’t move like that, and secondly he had paws instead of hands, and could feel both of them for a change.

As such, when he pushed down, his “hands” felt very strange, so he pushed harder to get it away from him. Since quadrupeds rotational axis is the center of their body, not like bipeds waists, when he was shoved up too much, he fell backwards. A padded “thump” was all that his work resulted in.

He blinked. He blinked again. “This,” he admitted, “could be harder than I thought.”

Author's Note

Ha! Not dead!

Anyways, sorry about the short chapter and for those who actually waited for this. I realized I loved how I wrote the first two chapters, but would not be able to do that until I actually finished the story first. As such, it will now be more normal writing, and (therefore (hopefully)) more frequent updates.

Enjoy, and leave a comment!