Mechanical Miracle by: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect is given to their owners. Any resemblance to a person, living or dead, is purely a coincidence. This work contains underaged content and transformation. You have been warned.
“Change is one thing; progress is another.
Change is scientific; progress is ethical.”
-Bertrand Russel
Life is nothing without change. Every life is subject to variation no matter how much one loves, or abhors, the idea of diversity. Often change is sometimes for the better but others it is for the worse. When change comes and how one deals with it is often up to the individual. Regardless most of the time change is indomitable to choice. But what if one happened upon a way to force a transition? Would it then be something welcome or altogether despised?
It was altogether a normal day in Kanto. The spearows were flying and the pidgeys were singing some version of an avian tune. It was the spring and the local foliage had come back to life after suffering yet another harsh and long winter. Family lives were returning to normal and Pokemon trainers were resuming, or beginning their journeys anew. But not every kid was destined to be a Pokemon master.
Rather some children had other interests that took advantage of the variety of life around Cerulean city. A choice few wanted to be breeders, or racers, or even researchers. It was those select individuals who ventured down the road of Science who were often the most marginalized in the community. Since their work wasn't frequently published and only those ornately interested in its intrigues ever bothered to look into it anyways.
Arzure was a 12-year-old boy who was utterly fascinated with the world of Pokemon. However, he was different than his peers. He didn't want to become a master as he found the notion to be rather cliché and far too overhyped. The boy also thought that the relationship some trainers had with their pokemon was beyond hateful however, he also understood that the majority of trainers treated their makeshift pets with care and respect.
Arzure was a normal boy for the most part. He liked playing with his friends but wasn't actively interested in sports or roughhousing. The boy was very good in school and scored very high especially in the areas of Math and Science. He was even a part of the STEM club at school and had been elected as an officer rather early on. However, despite most of his peer's interests, Arzures dream was to be a Pokemon researcher.
One day Arzure received a letter in the mail. It wasn't every day that he got mail, especially since the formality of letters had long since died out after the popularization of the internet. His mother brought him the letter and the boy looked over it with interest. It was rather simple with nothing peculiar about it since it was the standard white envelope. However, there was no return address which most likely meant it was a local sender.
The curiosity got to him as he wasted no time in ripping open the letter. His mother looked over his shoulder as her son read the letter.
“To the aspiring scientist. It has been brought to my attention that you are quite the bright pupil at the Cerulean School for Arts and Sciences. I have even heard about your latest project to turn recycled trash into energy. I am very impressed by your interest in the world of research and would like to formally invite you to my lab. Should you wish to take up my offer, you need not respond. Just show up on Saturday at 8 am sharp. I hope to see you then. Sincerely, Bill.”
Excitement immediately began building up inside of the boy. Arzure had heard much about Bill but had never thought he would have the opportunity to meet, let alone, work with the famed Pokemon researcher. It seemed all of his hard work had paid off.
“Mom...can I go to see Bill tomorrow?” Arzure tried as hard as he could to not burst out in joy.
“Of course you can, honey.” The mother wasn't about to deny her son's dream.
All that was left now was waiting. Since it was already Friday there wouldn't be much downtime between his appointment with Bill. For the rest of the day, Arzure found it rather hard to focus on anything he was doing as his mind always drifted to his upcoming day with destiny. Part of him was nervous but really his hopes were high. The rest of the night went like normal except for the fact that the boy tossed and turned in his sleep.
Arzure got very little rest over the course of the night. However, when the alarm finally rung at 7 am, the boy got out of bed quite happily. It was the day of reckoning and finally, he would get to experience a real lab and perhaps even get some experience he could use later in life. He wondered what sort of wardrobe he should pick for today. Arzure wasn't sure if formal was appropriate or if he should go with something more casual.
Deciding on something in between the boy picked a solid blue colored polo with some khakis along with some tennis shoes. Arzure didn't have much in the realm of nice footwear so it was the best he could do with what he had available. After he had showered and gotten dressed, the boy went downstairs and made rather quick work of breakfast. Grabbing a rather simple snack in a granola bar and a juice box to go.
His mother and father saw him out the door and waved to him as he exited. Both of them were rather happy for him as he would finally get to live out his dream. Arzure made his way outside and grabbed his bike. Bill's lab was a short distance outside of the city along Route 25. The road was rather a short distance and only took him 15 minutes before he arrived at Cape Cerulean. It was a rather breathtaking view since Bill's home overlooked the massive stretch of water beyond.
The building looked like a rather simple home with wood thatching and a green roof. There was a small pool of Magikarp and Koi to the front and gardens with trees to each side. Arzure could feel the anxiety building as he knocked on the door.
“You can come in, the door is open.” A voice from inside beckoned.
Arzure allowed himself inside and immediately looked around. The building was broken up into several rooms.
The part where he entered into was a living room with a television and a simple couch. The boy couldn't help but wonder where Bill was and continued to poke around. The living room broke into two distinct parts, one on the left and one on the right. The left seemed to be where Bill kept his lab and the opposite side was a kitchen. Arzure thought it was a bit strange that the building shared a dual purpose but didn't think much of it.
“Come in. Come in, my boy.” The older male called from the side of the lab staring at a computer screen.
The lab was rather simple with a whiteboard with scribbled notes plastered on the wall. Some various equipment was strewn about but there didn't seem to be any sort of organization in its placement. The most prominent were two machines linked by an assortment of coils which were joined at the center by a large console. Each of which made a humming noise, though neither seemed to be on from what Arzure could tell.
“So what are you working on?” Arzure couldn't help but be mystified by the two machines.
“I am working on a DNA switching machine, which I hope will allow species to cross-breed and create new varieties of Pokemon.”
“Really? Does it work?” The boy couldn't believe what he just heard and had to verify it was even uttered.
“It does for the most part. I've successfully turned a Clefairy into a Mewtwo. The only problem is that it leads to possible genetic mutation later on in life.” Bill was blunt and straight to the point.
“Mutations? Like what?” Arzure wondered what happened to the Clefairy.
“Well after a while the Mewtwo gained some features which are only present in Clefairy's.” The man pulled up a screen with pictures and showed the boy once he came over.
“I see. Well, that's promising at least you're making progress. What would you like my help with?” The younger male began to wonder why he had been summoned here in the first place.
“I was thinking you could be part of my experiment.” Bill crossed his arms confidently expecting the boy to say yes.
“Part of your experiment how?” Arzure was a bit nervous about the older males intent.
“Be a guinea pig. You know actually participate. Think of the possibilities if it works!” The older male seemed rather excited about the potential of the experiment.
“I guess. Do I get to be mentioned in the report?” The boy was just as keen to get his name out in the scientific community as any other potential scientist.
“Of course! Will you take part then? I will even let you pick which Pokemon will be your host.” Bill was keen on seeing the experiment to fruition.
“That sounds fun!” Arzure rather liked the possibility of becoming a Pokemon, though he didn't exactly consider all the ramifications of the risks involved.
“Alright, look through the catalog of Pokemon I have on the premises and pick one.” The older male began to scroll through the pages of his Pokemon storage system.
“I will pick Buneary. He is super cute!” It didn't take long for the boy to pick his target body.
“Very well. Step over to the left module and I will go and fetch Buneary.” Bill disappeared for a moment and returned afterward with a small brown rabbit in his hands.
“Step into the module and I will close the door.” The older male commanded and his young counterpart obeyed.
Bill closed the door and immediately Arzure began to feel a sense of regret. The inside of the machine was cold and without light. There were only a few holes which were made so the specimen could breathe. The boy began banging on the door but the equipment was soundproof so the older male heard nothing. The researcher began twiddling with the settings as he placed the Buneary into the opposing machine and closed the door in front of it. The rabbit was surprisingly docile as it had been given a carrot to nibble on.
The man pressed a few buttons and began toying with some knobs as the machines began to hum. Various lights shone as he switched the lever from off to on. Arzure watched as smoke began to rise in the machine and several rotating levers began to spin around him. It was dizzying to be sure and they continued to go ever faster and faster. Before long some smoke rose from the floor, which caused the boy to pass out before long.
It was a good hour or more before he came around again. Arzure's head was amiss and his entire body was aching. It took him a moment to open his eyes and even his vision was blurry. The door still seemed to be closed so not much could be seen. Nothing seemed ornately different as he overheard the machine's announcement.
“Transmutation complete.” The doors opened and the light invaded inside, making Arzure squint as his eyes adjusted.
Light flooded into the machine as the smoke began to seep out. Once his vision adjusted Arzure blinked a few times as he rubbed his eyes. His body wasn't moving quite as quickly as it used to. In fact, he found it rather difficult to walk at all. Instead of his body taking long and lengthy strides, each of his movements was met by a single hop. Once he was on the ramp leading into the machine, everything around him seemed huge.
Arzure took a second to take in his surroundings. Everything seemed like it was the same from what he remembered. Bill seemed to be on the side of the room, focused on some mundane task on the computer. Looking down the boy could see the floor was much closer to his line of sight. Getting a good view of his lower form, he made out white puffy fur which covered his lower portion all the way down to some lengthy rabbit looking like paws.
Had he really turned into a Pokemon? There was only one way to be sure. He continued hopping around, noticing ever so more self-aware that his gait was nowhere near as long as it used to be. Eventually, he saw a mirror which was placed conveniently near the back of the room. It was one of those full body mirrors so it showed much of the lab in reverse. Sure enough looked back at him was a Buneary. But was it him?
Raising up his right hand, waving back at him was the very same brown and tan-furred rabbit. It took a moment for it to sink in. Panic initially began to set in as his whole body began to shake. The fur clung to his body and no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to get rid of it. He wanted answers and sooner rather than later. Arzure turned his attention to Bill who was still fixated on the computer screen on the far right side of the room.
“What happened to me?” It seemed the boy could still speak, though his pitch was notably higher.
“Ah, my boy. I see you've come back around. The experiment was a smashing success. Did you expect anything else?” Bill seemed overconfident in his abilities.
“So I've become a Pokemon?” Arzure was just now coming to terms with his rash decision.
“Indeed. A buneary to be specific. As you requested. Are you not satisfied with the results?” The older male crossed his arms defensively.
“Well...I didn't think it would actually work.” The boy wasn't exactly disappointed but wasn't sure of the implication of his choice.
“Just take advantage! Think of the possibilities...of all the scientific journals you could be in. Don't back out now! I will include you in my submission if you cooperate.” All Bill wanted was recognition and cared for nothing else.
“Well alright...I guess I'm in.” The rabbit decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
“You're first task is to try and attempt to communicate with other Pokemon. I will observe and take note. We will place you in a controlled environment in my Pokemon paradise where no predators or trainers will threaten you.” Bill kneeled down and picked up the rabbit as Arzure squirmed a little bit from the man's tight grasp.
Once they were outside the sun burned brightly overhead. The initial addition of natural light made the Pokemon squint as he was set down in the grass. Close by was a number of Pokemon, none of which paid him any attention. The boy proceeded to hop over to an area where there was several Pokemon who were munching on some berries. The scent of the bush was enticing but Arzure wasn't hungry enough to try out a new diet.
The first Pokemon he interacted with was a vulpix. It was a coloration he was unfamiliar with and the critters fur glistened as if it were powdered with sequins. Arzure approached with caution as the vulpine creature cocked its head towards the approaching rabbit.
“Hello, My name is Arzure. What's your's?” The cub expected a response from the Pokemon.
The critter swished its tail and turned its head back towards the berries without saying a word or even making a noise.
“Don't ignore me!” Arzure was a bit frustrated at the thought of being left out.
“Join us for food. It is time to eat.” The vulpix cried out the sounds of its names in different patterns and Arzure understood.
“Oh...okay.” The rabbit wanted to be accepted as part of the group and decided to dine despite not being hungry.
Arzure shifted his body over to a small pile of berries which was on the floor. They were ruby red and glistened against the sun. They didn't smell like anything but still, the boy hesitated as he slowly lowered his snout to dine in the new dish. Once it was inside his mouth, the taste was sweet and savory. He couldn't help but indulge in a few more once he had tried just one.
“Whoah! These are really good.” Arzure exclaimed as he swallowed the delectable dish.
“You've never had these before?” The vulpix turned to the rabbit and spoke in the same syllabic sounds.
“No...I'm new around here. We don't have these around where I live.” The boy came up with the best white lie he could come up with on short notice.
“I see. Well, welcome to our little Paradise. Let me introduce you to everyone.” It seemed the little fox was quite sociable.
The vulpine showed the boy around the gardens in the back of Bill's lab. The older male watched from afar taking notes but saying nothing. The icy Pokemon introduced Arzure to a number of creatures who showed increased interest once introductions were out of the way. Bill watched and smiled seeing as he was happy the cub was making progress. Arzure continued chatting for a bit and shortly after the conversation was run dry he was shown to an area in the back where a waterfall was cascading into a pool of water.
Some Pokemon were drinking from the small pond while others were bathing within. The vulpix made no attempt to wait and dove directly into the small body of water.
“Come and cool off with us.” The vulpix seemed quite adept at swimming.
Arzure wasn't sure what to think of the obstacle in front of him. Despite the small size of the water, to him, it reminded him of the ocean and fear took over any notion of fun. But as soon as he began to think about it, he was pushed in from behind.
Once inside the water, the rabbit immediately felt refreshed. Sure enough, swimming was just as natural to him as it would have been otherwise. He relied heavily on the doggie paddle and was able to tread through the water He couldn't help but feel refreshed and even enjoyed himself as he began splashing about with some of the other Pokemon. One of the most interesting facts was the notion of even fire Pokemon taking a load off in the pool of water, though they were by no means did they fully submerge themselves in the water.
Eventually, Arzure became fatigued and got out of the water. The other Pokemon remained in seemingly enjoying themselves. The rabbit decided to check in with Bill to convey what he had learned. It wasn't much but it was something. Bill was waiting for him by the entrance to the lab and the boy shared what he had learned.
“That's fantastic! Those are great finds. Now let's see how you fair back in the human world.” Bill had devised this two-part plan all along.
“You want me to go home then?” Arzure asked as he was unclear on the details.
“Yeah, just check in or email with me in a week or so. Who knows, maybe you'll end up liking it. Now go home and live life like normal.” The researcher instructed the boy on the next course of action.
“Alright. I'll go home then.” The Pokemon started to make his way back towards the entrance, realizing just how much longer it took to travel now.
Once he was outside, even the grass seemed taller now. Looking at the bicycle he had taken here, Azure knew that the former mode of transportation was no longer an option. It seemed his only option was to walk, or well...hop, home. So he did just that, following along the same route 25 that he had taken to get there. It took almost 3 times as long to get home and the Pokemon had to dodge the woodby eyes of trainers who might see fit to capture him.
Fortunately for the boy, he was able to secure a clandestine route through the tall grass which easily hid his now diminutive form. He returned to Cerulean city and no one really paid attention to him there since Pokemon were able to roam freely in the city free of worry from being captured since it was banned in the city due to the possibility of capturing another person's Pokemon. He made his way back home and began to wonder how he might explain himself, let alone get back inside.
He had forgotten to ransack his lost clothing for his home key. When he returned to the door, it looked like a massive obstacle to overcome. So he used improvisation and sat back on his behind and thumped his legs forward, as any capable rabbit could. Eventually, someone came to the door. Looming over top of him was his mother.
“Looky what we have here. A little lost Buneary. Do you need help getting home?” The kindly woman kneeled down to be more at an eye level with the beast.
“No, Mom. It's me, Arzure.” The pokemon spoke as plainly as he could.
“Wait...it spoke? You're joking me right?” The woman wasn't sure of what to think of the situation.
“I promise it's me, Mom. How can I prove it? Ask me any question only I would know...” Arzure was keen on showing this was no facade.
“Okay...What is your childhood dream?” The mother asked the first thing that came to mind.
“That's easy...to be a Pokemon researcher.” The cub answered confidently.
“Arzure?! I'm so sorry I didn't believe you! What happened?” The human panicked and immediately hugged her son to make up for her mistake.
“It's okay.” Arzure proceded to explain what had happened at Bill's lab.
“Whoah...that's crazy. Well I support your decision though I'm not sure what you're father will think Let's get you inside and situated...we're going to need to modify the house so you can live comfortably.” The woman knew there would need to be adjustments made to nearly everything in the house.
The feeling of the carpet on the floor was entirely alien to him now. Arzure's pawpads provided a very little barrier against the friction generated against his newly sprouted fur.
As he trudged along the floor, the energy eventually built up enough that the charge on his fur caused it to stand on its end as if it were slicked back with water. His mother was easily able to outpace him and didn't even realize it until she was in the kitchen.
“Mom, wait up. You're walking too fast for me to keep up!” The cub complained of his obvious difficulties hopping as he hadn't learned a quicker way of doing it.
“Oh, sorry. I didn't notice.” The woman stopped in her tracks to allow her son to catch up.
For the next hour or so the mother worked hard in arranging things around the house in a way that made it more accessible for the Diminutive Pokemon.
This included a ramp to his head and a number of steps that were staged throughout the house in different areas ranging from the bathroom to the kitchen. For a good portion of the day, the two worked on the boy's skills in surmounting the obstacles around the house. With some work, the mother encouraged her son to remain diligent and brave the face of diversity when it reared his ugly head. Arzure promised his mother that he would come out on top.
Arzure's first great accomplishment was the great waterfall. The Pokemon had worked up a strange odor and his mother commanded him to bathe once the initial task of preparing the house was essentially done. The rabbit hadn't thought about bathing himself before and considered exactly what it would involve now. The beast hopped into the bathroom and the tile floor almost immediately caused him to slip. Luckily for him, his pawpads provided some traction on the otherwise slick surface.
The ramp stood in front of him and provided an easy enough entrance into the otherwise low lying surface. His mother had also lowered the bar of soap and shampoo to the ground floor. She had also anticipated he would not be able to reach the spicket and fixed a string which would serve to turn the nozzle. Now all that was needed was for him to attempt to wash. Azure hopped in and proceeded to pull the string while awaiting the water to pour down on top of him.
One thing that initially posed a problem for the Pokemon was the temperature. He tried to fiddle with the string but it didn't seem to do much to add warmth or cool to the temperature. The rabbit decided to make do and used both of his paws to wash his entire form then proceeding to allow it to wash through the cascade of the falling water. The slippery nature of the soap was proving a more worthy adversary but after some trial and error, Arzure was able to manage after dropping the soap a few times.
It took a bit longer than normal but due to his small size, it wasn't a huge expenditure of time. Arzure hopped out and looked around for something to dry himself. Trying to tug on a nearby towel proved no fruits for his labor. After trying a few times, the wet Pokemon decided to give up and headed back into his room. The cold air conditioning offered no solace on his wet fur and skin. His body shivered a bit as his damp body offered little protection from the otherwise cold surroundings. He immediately began to panic and source for a source of warmth.
Fortunately, there was some of his old clothing lying about the room. They smelt a little bit but the boy figured it would be better than staying cold and risk getting sick. Bundling up inside the warmth offered by the t-shirt was enough to make him happy. He used an old pair of socks and underwear to dry off some of the residues that remained on his body. It was certainly better than nothing he thought and before long he dozed off into a light slumber.
His mother soon returned from the kitchen as lunch was ready. She had to look around for Arzure as he wasn't as easy to spot as before. Carrying him in her eyes, she remarked that it was very similar to when he was a baby. A light smell protruded off the boy but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was earlier so she decided to let it pass and allowed him to nap for a bit before returning to bug him to see if he wanted something for lunch.
“Hey, little guy. What would you like to eat?” The mother wasn't sure what kind of food a Pokemon would eat.
Arzure wasn't entirely sure what to answer once he roused. His mind was a bit foggy and though he could think straight, there was nothing that came to mind when he considered it.
“I'm not really sure...” The boy was confused as one would think he would share his old likes and dislikes.
“Well...we can try a couple of different things and see if your tastes have changed. Come on, let's go to the kitchen.” The woman picked up her son and carried him into the kitchen before setting him on the dining room table.
The woman had always been a connoisseur in her old days and had a wide variety of foods available for her family as well as her guests. She decided to take this as an opportunity to test her skills that had become nothing else other than a hobby.
The rest of the day went like normal. It took some getting used to for the entire family. The father was especially surprised to learn the details of the ordeal but of course, he was willing to accept his son no matter the form. Every once in a while the rabbit checked in with Bill who even had the boy come in on occasion when his parents permitted it. Of course the only reason, they went along with it was because of the cub's interest in science.
Over time, Azure shared his story with the professor who published the findings in a journal which he dubbed “Comparative Patterns in social structures between Humans and Pokemon.” The scientist was awarded with several anthropological awards and was even given a grant to further his study. Arzure was ecstatic that the work was so well received and decided to remain as a Pokemon to help Bill with further studies. It seemed everything was going to be ok.
