((Oh yeah, thanks, ACC. I guess I lapsed there... introducing the word a few chapters too early. :( Ah well. Um... heh, I never expected such positive reviews...))
Chapter Two: Allied Axis
Midnight, turning to the third morning
Journal, you wouldn't judge me, right? I mean, sure I'm different, but... well, never mind.
I still don't seem to understand what kind of world this appearance is thrusting me into. Never mind the half-truth that it's not my fault, because I know all about that right-place, wrong-time deal. Why am I writing to you at midnight? Well, never mind the lightbulb in my mouth, especially since I'm writing to you from the insides of an athletic shed...
It's funny how life works. One minute, you feel safe at home, and the next moment, you realize you're out of food. So... you go to the Pokemart, right? Well, not if you look like me, at least...
I swear, by the looks on everyone's faces when I padded through the front door, it's like I was robbing the place. I've still got the Arcanine scratches on my body, the red blots on my well-tattered lab coat, and sore muscles to prove it. Jeez, would it kill them to put up some signs? I still tell myself as I shiver from the frosty winds.
As if the pair of Arcanine police dogs chasing after me weren't enough, they brought out their Rapidash chase unit to hunt me down. Officer Jenny... how could you turn your back on me? I made it to the Pokecenter, gasping and wounded, but Nurse Joy turned her nose to me, simply having... um, I fell asleep, so it was probably a Jigglypuff singing...
I kept trying to fight the song, but... no luck. Sure, I was scared, and the moment I closed my eyes, I felt my body coil into a defenseless, pathetic struggle. The last thing I remember were the barks of a Houndoom, a flash of pink and green, and a pillow of fur catch under my lower body as I fell limply...
"Are you all right? Hey... hey... wake up!" I heard as I felt the slap of something's front paw on my face. I scampered to my feet, and looked toward the voice. It was dusk, so I couldn't see the best, but I did notice that in front of me stood something that appeared to be me, except instead of Jolteon features, it had a Houndoom's appearance. It wore a black-and-white checkered shirt, which seemed bleak compared to pink fur with a green underbelly and paw "socks."
Standing beside the Houndoom creature was a female, Ninetales version of me, dressed in a white blouse, which nicely complimented her jet-black fur. I noted to myself that she looked like a "Charcoal." I smiled warmly as she cowered slightly at the Houndoom's side.
"Lemme guess..." The Houndoom spoke softly and gently. "You went in a Pokemart, didn't you?" he concluded, chuckling. "I'm Matt Rose... but please, Flower is simpler. Good to meet ya."
I saw the Ninetales step closer cautiously. She appeared almost wary of other creatures in general... I reached my hand out, and, shakily, she trotted over and hugged me, pulling away softly. "My name is... Charcoal..." she began, as I thought, Yeah, had it pegged!. "It's wonderful... to make you a friend..." she ended with a soft grin.
"Um... Flower... Charcoal..." I began, now even more nervous as Charcoal smiled and winked at me, "Did you save my life?"
Flower nodded and made a thumbs-up, and Charcoal yipped gently into my ear. "Charcoal's taking a fond interest in you, Jolteon boy," he said with a toothy smirk. "It's cute; she usually fears other Pokemorphs except for me."
"I'm... sorry?" I said as my head tilted to the left, looking at Charcoal's blue eyes as the moonlight began to gleam on them. "What's a Pokemorph?"
"Um... I guess you weren't stolen off by those men that did that to you, then," Flower uttered with a sense of concern. "Well... I don't know when it began, but in the Kanto region, Team Rocket started to experiment on making humans crossed with Pokemon DNA... Their first successes were simply humans who could turn into the Pokemon they had been crossed with. They named them Pokemorphs, for their morphing abilities... Usually, they take you to a lab somewhere and drug you to sleep, then... you wake up like you do." I could sense despair in Flower's crackling voice, as he finished, "I head a group called AMASS, or... Axis of Morphs Against Society's Sins. They torture us and take our pride, so..."
"Stop there, Flower!" I said swiftly. "I'll join you..." Somehow, I had no idea what I was getting into... even though it seemed so simple. My mind felt at peace, though, and Charcoal wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek lovingly. I felt my ears fold back and my heart skip a beat...
Journal, I'm off to fight some intolerance...
Plasma