The large stone hung from the man's wrist, his fingers clawing desperately at it, hoping to rip it from his skin.  You could see a green tinge slowly spreading throughout the man's whole body, which lapsed into a short spasm of convulsions, retching up a pinkish liquid.  He looked at me with fearful eyes, which held my gaze, his mouth moving in an endless, silent conversation, until finally, he jerked once and lay still.  The man's bowels emptied, staining his pants and the hardwood a brackish color, as a film settled over his eyes.  I watched all this with a mortified expression, hoping that this was nothing more than a mentally disturbing nightmare.  Somewhere, in the recesses of my brain, however, I knew that what I had just witnessed was a reality, and that I had to hide.  For a second, it was just all too much for me, and I ran to the bathroom, my socked feet skidding on the polished hardwood floor.  Just barely making it to the porcelain toilet bowl, I vomited up last night's dinner of noodles with marinara sauce and rolls dipped in garlic sauce.  Quickly, I wiped my mouth off with a sheet of toilet paper, and rose to my feet.

     "Why hello there!" A voice with a slight accent piped up from right behind where I stood!  I jumped about a foot into the air, and whirled around to see none other than a huge Vibrava floating there!  "The name's Hayden, it's a shame you aren't feeling well Nina." I didn't say anything, a lump raising in my throat.  Hayden continued his idle chatter, "Yes, yes, I know that this is all very much of a shock to you.  I mean look at me, I'm a Pokémon!"  He laughed, a cheerful little titter that sounded somewhat akin to bells jingling.  I swallowed hard, hoping to be able to squeeze out a few words, and asked in a dry voice, "My name...?" Hayden looked up at me, "How do I know your name?  Well, I've been told to keep an eye on this part of Jersey, since there have been so many transformations recently.  Speaking of transformation, how is yours coming along?"

     I squeezed my eyes shut, the image of the man in the other room glued to the back of my eyelids.  A little apprehensive, I pulled up the back of my canvas pajama top.  All along my back, my spine's vertebrae had elongated and tapered into fine, blue points.  One of the spikes close to my neck had been torn free, and you could see the new flesh growing, closing the wound.  Hayden grimaced, "Ouch, how did that happen?" I felt my lower lip begin to tremble, so I turned my back to the Vibrava and motioned for him to follow me to my room.  The body lay still, exactly how I remembered it.  The Vibrava glanced at the missing barb on my back, and then again at the man on my floor, who had a similar spike wedged in his wrist.  "Tell me Nina, how did it happen?"

     It was the dead of night, and, the old Victorian house swayed and creaked in the occasional gust of wind.  The branches of the old dead tree rapped against the girl's window, it's spindly fingers scraping against the glass.  The young girl sat upright in bed, she had heard something that had woken her from her slumber.  After a quick glance around the room, which was pitch black, she determined that nothing was there, and snuggled underneath the handmade quilt.  Creeeeaakkk!  The old floorboard squealed, the girl popping open an eye.  Slowly, carefully, she sat up, and reached for the lamp on her nightstand.  Suddenly, something shot out from the darkness and clamped onto the back of her neck!  She screamed and reached back, trying to pry the clammy thing from her skin.  "Dad!  Daddy!" She shrieked.  Then, a scream exploded from behind her, and what she had determined was a hand, let go of her flesh, leaving behind a sensation that felt almost like he had ripped a band-aid off of her neck.

     I stared at the body, and I shook my head.  "I... don't want to talk about it." I murmured more to the floor, which I was staring at with intensity, that to Hayden.  The Vibrava hovered, silent for just a few moments, if you could call it silent.  His wings, which were constantly flapping, made a distinct buzzing noise.  Then, Hayden spoke up, "He was going to hurt you Nina, he knew what you are."

     "What am I then?" I yelled, suddenly feeling a surge of anger.  "What am I?  I'm not just some stupid freak of nature that people can gawk at like I'm a zoo animal!  I'm a human being, I have feelings!" Without waiting for the Vibrava to answer me, I stalked over to my bureau, where I flung open the drawer and grabbed a cream blouse with a light blue floral pattern embroidered on one sleeve,and a worn pair of jeans.  I then stated calmly, "I'm going to get dressed now." And marched into the bathroom, feeling the bug Pokémon's eyes glued to my back.  I took my sweet time getting ready; washing my face, brushing my teeth, changing.  When I emerged from the bathroom I felt like a whole new person, my rash anger had been flushed down the drain along with my spearmint toothpaste.  Hayden, the ever persistent Vibrava he was, was, of course, waiting in my room for me.  "Nina, we should get going now." He stated, glancing around the room as if he expected the furniture to spring to life and massacre him!  "What?  Go with you?  Hayden, no offense, but you're a complete stranger." I retorted.  Hayden flitted over next to me, and whispered, "Nina, that man, right there, on your floor... he was going to kidnap you.  He was apart of an organization that captures people like us and experiments on them.  Since he hasn't reported back yet, they'll send more agents, and we'll both be taken.  As your rescuer, I simply can't allow that to happen."

     With that, Hayden was done talking about the matter, and grabbed me with his two pairs of stick-like, glossy black pincers.  He hovered in the air with me suspended underneath him, rigid and stiff as a board.  Then, we were off, flying high in the air without a care in the world.  Well, I doubt he was worried about anything, while I was scared stiff at the prospect that Hayden could  drop me at any minute!  After what seemed like five minutes, we touched down near a boulder.  "Where are we?"

     "Welcome to the Long Island Pokéuman Base."

     "Long Island?!  But that was just five minutes!  It takes hours to get there from where I live!"

     "My combo move," Hayden grinned, "Quick attack and Fly.  It makes getting to the base as soon as possible easy." Done talking, Hayden and I made our way into the Long Island Pokéuman Base.  The main hall was huge!  Two elegant staircases led down to  a marble fountain in the center of the room, and near that was an arching doorway with a huge Poké Ball placed in the center.  Me and Hayden headed down the stairs, Pokéumans of all shapes and sizes staring at us.  I swore I heard a Sceptile whisper to his friend, a Lairon, "Damn, that girl is fine.  Gonna have to see what she's up to tonight!" His buddy sniggered, and I had the feeling that pleasant conversation wasn't in the agenda for what he planned for me tonight.  I didn't have much time to worry about that though, because we had stopped at a large stained glass door, inlaid with artfully rendered pictures of what seemed to be each and every Pokémon in existence!  Hayden quickly ushered me inside.

     It's hard to describe what Headmistress Asula looked like.  She was the essence of beauty, but with a cold, serpentine edge to her.  Before me, a Milotic sat, tail coiled like a thick, scaly rope.  Around her middle was a ring of what only could be described as automail, tiny metal segments intersecting and forming what seemed to be two robotic arms on either side of the ring.  "Uh--uh..." I stammered, staring at the Headmistress.  Asula only looked at me with warmth in her gaze, "Oh now, that's enough dear, we have a lot to discuss.  First off, I hope Hayden has told you what you are."

     "Yes ma'am.  He said I'm a Pokéuman."

     "From the looks of you, I'd say you have the makings of a fine Nidorina... oh, excuse me.  I don't think I asked your name!"

     "It's Nina ma'am, Nina Chidester."

     "I'm so sorry about that, Nina.  As I was saying..."

     Headmistress Asula then began what turned out to be a lengthy lecture.  "Very, very long ago, back when the dinosaurs walked the Earth, so did Pokémon.  They were the most intelligent creatures, they were able to adapt to any environment, and built advanced technology.  Then, humans evolved.  The humans were very wary of the Pokémon, so to ease their fears, the Pokémon built a ring.  This ring gave each Pokémon the ability to transform into a human.  Most started families with humans!  Years later, the humans discovered the powers the Pokémon had, and started to abuse them, using their powers for personal game.  This led to a very bloody war, which at the end, all the Pokémon escaped to a different dimension, leaving behind Mew, who would stay behind and make sure that they were truly forgotten.

     About a hundred years prior, a scientist on a jungle excursion discovered one of Mew's hairs.  He had just perfected a machine that allowed a clone to be built from the smallest particle of DNA.  He tried to clone Mew, but instead, he caused a nuclear explosion, killing all except for him and an assistant, both of whom had been severely mutated.  After the explosion, a genetic shock wave encompassed the Earth, triggering the transformation of some of the people with Pokémon ancestors into Pokémon!

     That scientist, he had become a MewTwo, and he now leads an organization called Pokéxtinction, whose aim it is to capture Pokéumans and use them against their will.  We on the other hand, aim to save them.  I hope that answers all your questions."

     I was awestruck, I had no idea how much more Pokémon was than just a children's game.  "Miss Asula, if humans forgot about Pokémon, how come one of them made a game about us?"

     "Very good question Nina, you see, Mew created the games, knowing that people who liked to play them are most likely Pokéumans who haven't hit their transformation.  Now, if there are no more questions, I'll have a PRT Member Escort you to your room.  James, come in here please!"

     Headmistress Asula must have guessed that James had been eavesdropping, because a Sceptile, no... the Sceptile entered the room with a faux sheepish expression.  "Sorry Madame Asula, but I couldn't help but follow such a beautiful lady." Asula just laughed, and said, "Room 290, don't you forget."

      "I won't." James promised and led me outside the room.  The Sceptile led me away from the commotion of the main hall, and into a back corridor.  I shouldn't have trusted him.  Quick as lightning, his claw whipped out and pinned my throat to the wall behind me, and to prevent struggling, he pressed his right hip against mine.  "What...?  No.." I breathed, trying to push him away, but he was just too strong.

     "Leave her alone James!" A voice cried out to my right, I tried to turn my head to see who it was, but found I couldn't.  Suddenly, another, more masculine voice called, "You don't want to mess with us!" I felt the pressure on my thighs and windpipe disappear, and I slumped to the ground in relief.  James looked down at me and hissed, "Just wait, I'll have you in the end Nina." Done, he stalked off.

     I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks, and I heard the first voice, gentler this time, whisper, "There now, it'll be alright.  I'm Heather, and that's Drew." I looked up, the Pokéuman talking was an Emolga with a red cloth tied around her arms and eyes the color of honey.  Drew was obviously the bulky Heracross who stood a ways behind her looking uncomfortable.  "What's your name, and where are you headed?" Heather asked me.

     "Nina," I croaked, throat a bit sore, "I'm going to Room 290." To my surprise Drew began to laugh heartily!  I flushed, "That's not funny!" I protested.  "I know," Heather started, "It's just that we live in Room 290 as well."

     The duo led me a little ways down the hall to a white crystal room, with a bunk-bed on either side, two computers, and a huge flat screen television and couch in the center.  "Heather sleeps on the right top bunk, and I sleep on the left bottom, take your pick." Drew said, motioning to the beds.  I paused a bit before murmuring, "I'll sleep under Heather."

      "Good, good!" Heather smiled, gliding up to her perch on the top bunk.  "Well Nina, welcome to your new life."