A wishful day by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters and transformational content. You have been warned.
The sun rises anew at the prospect of a new day. Its bright rays scour the ground down below with its sauntering heat that bakes the sand covering the beaches. Palm frawns flow back and forth with the wind as the breeze carries them in either direction that the sea dictates. The sea itself surrounds the small island of Alola where only several spots of land speckle the otherwise omnipresence of the ocean around them. At the center of the largest islands, the most populated city of Hau'oli sits sprawling with activity.
Hau'oli itself is nothing like the other cities of the Alolan islands. Its skyline is far taller with the largest buildings outside of the mainland, which was many kilometers away. The largest Pokemon gym inhabits the area, which had since been relocated there with Nanu taking his dark-style gym to the center of the city itself. Ever since then, the population had boomed and with it, new residences had taken up in the form of small beach hostels and larger high rises that dotted around the outskirts of the city.
One of the families in the high rise, the Kalama's had been Kama'aina's for several generations now and few of the members of the family had even seen the mainland. To them, Alola was the only home they knew and travel was something they seldom considered. The family was a long line of fishermen and fisherwomen who held their own in the markets of Hau'oli. To the residents of the city, the Kalama had some of the best variety and prices when it came to seafood.
Kahalo was an older teen just on the cusp of his coming-of-age ceremony. The rite of passage or as it was known, Lomi Lomi, was a time-tested tradition that involved much preparation. It was something that Kahalo was being groomed for since the day he turned 17. He was expected to be prepared on the next name day, which was now only a month away. As the day got closer and closer, Kahalo was becoming increasingly nervous about the prospect of going through the ritual.
Kahalo was something of immature for his age. He was the only member of his family that wasn't involved in the fishing business. He had no interest in going out in a boat or just hanging about with a rod and reel in his hands. Kahalo was much more interested in pursuing the art of mastering Pokemon. Of course, his parents knew about it as it was virtually the only thing he brought up whenever they mentioned getting involved in the family business.
The teen had become a Pokemon Ranger when he was very young. The family had allowed it as a way for him to spend time outside of school. But his interest in Pokemon had increased over the years, especially since he had been given his own Jirachi as a partner. Now while he wasn't allowed to take the critter home, he nonetheless was able to establish a relationship with it.
Being a Pokemon Ranger was something of a point of pride for the teen. The founders of the organization had prided it on being something entirely different than the somewhat exploitive nature of the more common treatment of Pokemon by their trainers. Their goal was to defend nature as opposed to mastering the different types of Pokemon to be able to use them in combat. Kahalo had never drifted towards being a trainer as he thought combat was something the animals should never be involved in.
Kahalo was close to becoming a full-fledged Ranger. He had been preparing for this moment for years and his master, a grizzled woman by the name of Honalei, had been the one responsible for making sure he was ready to take up the mantle. Honalei had been looking forward to him replacing her as she was well into her twilight years and he had been more than willing to take up additional responsibilities when asked. She was becoming tired of training people and then having them drop out before they were fully vested.
The day of his ascension was now merely a week away. Kahalo's parents had tried to talk him out of it, insisting that it was for naught. However, he was a bit hard-headed and not listening to their suggestions. One day before he was supposed to become a fully-fledged Pokemon ranger, he received some mail from the Pelipper Post that instructed him to meet Honalei outside of the Ranger headquarters for tasks to complete before the big day. Kahalo did not tend to question orders so he went without a second thought.
The teen arrived at the local Pokemon Ranger's headquarters at the sight of a mostly deserted property. Some Pikpeks were flying overheard and chirping rather loudly. As the regional bird, most people didn't pay attention to them but there seemed to be more of them than usual. The teen looked around the area and noticed that there didn't seem to be anyone around. It was odd for Honalei to be late for things so he figured that something must have been keeping her. Still, he wasn't about to leave until he waited around for at least a little while.
Kahalo walked around to the rear of the property. A white picket fence separated the garden area behind the station from the pathway that surrounded it. He approached the fence before looking over it. The tip of the pickets was just short enough that he could see over it. Sure enough, the only things he could see in the backyard of the station were a few Pokemon, including the Jirachi who he had been assigned to for many years now. Kahalo began chirping at it to attract its attention.
The Jirachi turned its head abruptly. Its yellow semi-star-shaped head shone against the daylight that scoured down from above. It came as close as possible to the fence, so much so that Kahalo wasn't able to see it as clearly due to some of the shrubs on the edge of the property obstructing his view.
"Hey, Jira. Where is Honalei?" The teen hoped the Pokemon would understand his question even if it didn't speak the language.
The small Pokemon cocked his head awkwardly and its eyes twinkled slightly. "Jira…Jira?"
"Man, I wish I could understand you…" The human said under his breath but muttered it loud enough to be heard.
The small Pokemon began to spin around in place before the space around it seemed to sparkle with light. The teen looked at it in awe as the small display of elegance was on full display. It was as if the little critter was dancing for him. The beast continued to gyrate and rotate around in the same spot. Kahalo maintained his focus on it as if fixated on the anomaly of showing. It was the first time Jirachi had done it for him and it was like nothing he'd ever seen before.
Kahalo began feeling light-headed. It wasn't enough to knock him out or otherwise cause him any sense of discomfort. The teen wobbled in place again, gripping the side of the fence as if to give himself some form of support. Suddenly he began to feel weak and collapsed ever so slowly to the ground, allowing his hands to guide him down the length of the side of the fence. Within seconds his butt hit the ground and his eyes began to feel heavy.
Yet, he harbored no desire to rest his eyes. A strange sensation of warmth began to fill him. A singular pulse of energy coursed through him as he clenched the grass on the ground to deal with the alien sensation. Kahalo sprawled his arms out, grasping whatever he could to provide His grasp weakened and he could not get enough of a grip to hold himself up. A few moments later, the entirety of his body began to ache.
Kahalo began to curl up as if in the fetal position. His body clasping against itself for some semblance of comfort. Soon he began to itch ever so slightly, yet he harbored no desire to scratch himself. His body trembled as the body hair that encompassed some of his body began to elongate. The clothing on his form began to sag a bit on his form as he lay there writhing a bit. A ray of light seemingly shone over him to provide him extra warmth.
Kahalo was feeling even hotter than usual. The scouring sunlight beat against his body as he felt like he was baking despite it not being that hot. Creaking in his bones sounded soon thereafter as his form began to shift ever so slightly. Shrinking…sinking…shaping into something entirely different. The formerly short hair on his arms had elongated to something to more resembled fur, black as the skies of a night. Kahalo found himself in a sea of lost thoughts and confusion, among a complete absence of mental control.
His body continued to shift, slipping even further into the confines of his clothing. His formerly long and lithe form could not fit into the clothing and it very much draped whatever of him remained. His body slithered and slid its way further up and into the recesses of the clothes. The brilliance of the sun still maintains its vigilant gaze on his form, constantly keeping him in a state of perpetual warmth. Only a few moments later and he finally slipped into a state of unconsciousness.
It was a while before he came around again. His eyes fluttered as he started to awake from his state of semi-slumber. His body still ached as he tried to move. The beating of the sunlight ceased with clouds looking overhead. He slowly picked himself up as his body wobbled a bit, his eyes focusing after a few seconds of blurred vision. When his vision recovered he found himself in a somewhat familiar place.
Looking around for a moment, he found himself in an enclosed area. He saw the fence which seemed only vaguely familiar to him. The white pickets of each of the wooden placards rose well above his line of sight. He began to walk towards it, small black paws extending in front of him as he walked ever so slowly toward the boundary that separated him from the world beyond.
"Jira, Jira." A familiar voice beckoned to him.
Kahalo turned around and saw Jirachi walking towards him.
"Hiya, Kahalo." The Jirachi spoke again but this time the teen found he could understand what they were saying.
The boy blinked a few times. The
Jirachi wasn't much smaller than he was. He opened his mouth and tried responding.
"Li… then." Kahalo found he could no longer speak in a human tongue.
Jirachi nodded. "You are one of us now, do not fear."
"What happened to me?" Kahalo still spoke in the same pattern of repeating his name over and over.
The Jirachi spun around in place. "You got your wish. You wanted to communicate with me…now you can."
"Wait…what? That's not what I meant…What have I become?" The boy looked at himself and down at his black paws.
Jirachi hummed. "It seems you are a Litten. Is this not fitting?"
"A Litten? I turned into a cat?" The boy murmured to himself and made a meowing sound just to be certain.
The other Pokemon nodded. "Indeed because it suited your personality and desires best."
"I see…I guess I do like cats and I do have one at home." Kahalo tried to console himself.
The smaller Pokemon glowed a bit. "But your home is here now…"
"Oh…it is?" The boy felt a strange feeling of uncertainty wash over him.
The Jirachi nodded. "While you may certainly go back to your human home, they will no longer recognize you as their own."
"Wait, what? Am I stuck like this?" The teen stammered as he spoke.
The smaller Pokemon spun around. "That is correct."
A silence fell between the two Pokemon as Kahalo tried to take in what had happened to him. A few moments later and the Jirachi walked away as it had lost interest in the conversation they were having. The Litten found himself alone for the time being and still was at a loss for what to do. He began to wander around aimlessly, occasionally looking up at the fence noticing how out of reach it seemed now.
Several minutes passed by and Kahalo heard a bell. Gazing around he saw someone walking out of the back door into the same area where he was standing. Looking at them, after a few seconds of staring it became apparent that it was Honalei. The elderly woman arched her back as she leaned on the cane she used to walk. She began to hobble into the garden and peered over the grounds of it, seeing an unfamiliar sight.
"Oh, a Litten? How did you end up getting in here, little fellow?" She noticed the black cat that she had not seen around before.
Kahalo's ears perked up as his type name was called out. "Lee-ton."
Kahalo tried speaking after, but each word he tried to utter came out in some iteration of his type. "Li-Lee, Leeeee ton."
"Oh, my you're a talkative one aren't you?" She said as she slowly tried to kneel causing her joints to ache and creak.
The woman held her hand out as if trying to coax him to come to her. Kahalo began to instinctively walk towards her. The boy hoped that some semblance of him would remain and that she would be able to figure out his plight. He eased up to her rubbing the side of his body, brushing his jet-black fur against the bottom of her legs.
"That's a good, litty." She reassured him as she stroked the back of the thin cat.
Honalei pet him a few times before stopping. Kahalo found himself wanting more and mewled at her.
"What's that? Are you hungry little Litten?" She asked as if expecting some sort of response from the feline.
Kahalo mewled again as he attempted to communicate the best way he could. Honalei picked herself up and pressed her hand against her back to ease the aches and pains that came with age. Honalei looked around briefly.
"I wonder where Kahlo is…It's not like him to be late." She peered over the top of the fence and saw no signs of her student.
Kahalo heard his name mentioned and mewled again. He badly wanted to get her attention but no matter how hard he tried, the same sounds came out of his mouth.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it… you're hungry. Hang on…" She said as she began to walk back towards the Pokemon Ranger station.
Kahalo turned his head back around and saw the Jirachi near one of the bushes. He began to walk toward it, many questions circled in his mind. A sense of fear and dread filled him as he was beginning to fear he was stuck this way. Just as he was about to get close enough to Jirachi, he heard the sound of the bell from the door once again.
"Snacky snacks, come get it." The woman had brought a small dish for both of the Pokemon, even if she was unsure if her own was in the mood for food.
Kahalo turned immediately back around and began sprinting. His innate curiosity spiked as he wanted to see what she had brought him. The Jirachi remained disinterested as it continued to trot around the perimeter of the backyard. Honalei watched as the Litten rushed towards her and knelt to smile at it. She set the little bowl she had prepared for it on the tiles that lead towards the grassy area.
The boy was now close enough to see the contents of the bowl. Some small brown biscuit-looking morsels lay within. He stuck his nose into the dish and smelt them for a moment. The aroma of the meal seemed to resemble fish to him and it made him even more eager to taste it. Without any further hesitation, the litten began devouring the meal as if it had not eaten in several days.
"Oh my, that's a hungry litty." Honalei once again reached out to stroke the soft fur of the cat.
Kahalo purred and continued devouring it, seeming rather satisfied with the meal. Finishing the small snack within seconds, then looked up at Honalei with a goofy grin on his face. Kahalo mewled again as he flitted his tail.
"I suppose you can stay here if you want. You wouldn't be the only stray Pokemon to end up here. It's better than you being snatched up by some Pokemon trainer…" She said with a wide smile on her face.
Kahalo mewled at her and waltzed his body around her leg seeming pleased with the idea. Honalei petted it one more time and picked up the two bowls before standing upright.
"Where is he? I better go call him to see what the deal is. We don't have much time. Go play with your friend, little Litten." She turned around and walked back into the ranger station.
Kahalo rotated his body and licked his lips. The remnant taste of the tuna-flavored morsels remained ever present on his lips for several laps. The Litten approached the Jirachi, who had found its way to the nearby pool of water that was near one of the edges of the yard. The other Pokemon turned around as it sensed him near it. The Jirachi stepped into the water and began floating on its back.
"Care to join me?" The Jirachi asked while resting its eyes seeming rather relaxed, just floating around aimlessly.
Kahalo hesitated a moment, sticking his paw into the water. It was cool to the touch.
"Come on scaredy cat, the water doesn't bite." The smaller Pokemon kicked up its feet, spraying some water onto the nearby Litten.
The boy shook as the water hit his face. Slowly he began stepping in water. His body sizzled a bit as it touched the water. Kahalo then lost his footing as the entirety of his body fell into the water face first. The Jirachi giggled as he watched the clumsy show before them.
"Wasn't my fault." The Jirachi chuckled rather loudly.
Kahalo stuck his head above the water and spit out the water. "No fair…"
"As I said it wasn't me, silly Pokemon. Well, now that you're in the water you may as well enjoy." Jirachi began swimming around again.
The Litten snorted in annoyance, certain that his former partner was behind this. He began kicking his paws forward, smoke still rising from his body reacting to the fiery nature of his type. Yet the water seemed to not harm him.
"Why am I all…smoky?" Kahalo announced the obvious after witnessing several seconds of the phenomena.
The Jirachi tilted its head to look over toward him. "You're a fire type. Don't worry it won't last long. Though…I certainly don't recommend doing this often."
"Oh…this is bad for me?" The Litten seemed concerned and stopped doggy paddling for a moment.
The smaller Pokemon shook his head. "Not for a while so just relax and enjoy. Don't worry…I won't do anything to hurt you, old friend."
Kahalo treaded over toward the Jirachi and kicked his paws up enough that he splashed water at the relaxed critter. The sudden eruption of water didn't seem to bother them that much. The boy continued the effort for a few moments and still got no reaction out of him. He was starting to get annoyed, thinking of any way to get a rise of the Jirachi. After a few seconds of thinking, an idea came to him.
Kahalo curled his long tail underneath him, tickling the Jirarchi from underneath. Still, the smaller Pokemon didn't budge. The boy tried a few seconds and yet the beast remained unphased. The Litten snorted as smoke billowed from his nostrils, a small plume of flame blew from within, right onto the Jirachi in front of him. The flames lasted for a mere moment but when they subsided, the Jirachi's body was somewhat singed.
"Woops…sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I guess I don't know my powers." Kahalo felt a sense of guilt as he hadn't intended the aggressive act.
Jirachi's body glowed for a second before seemingly regenerating before his eyes. "No worries."
The two remained in the pool for a good while before finally getting out. When Kahalo emerged from the water, he shook his fur. Relaxing in the water with his friend had made him forget about his worries. He wasn't thinking near as much about having changed now, in fact, his mind had put the issue to rest.
Night time came before long and the two Pokemon were called inside. Honalei wasn't one to let her charges stay outside out of fear of predators, especially since her current ones were rather small. Inside the station, Kahalo saw many things with looked only somewhat familiar to him. Honalei had already retired for the night, her search for her student had come up dry and she decided to pursue the issue in the morning.
Jirachi led Kahalo to the area of the building that had been set aside for them. It was a small split-off of the home that sat right
near a fireplace. The warmth of the fire seemed to call to Kahalo who wasted no time in walking up to it. The warmth in his body was instantly rekindled as his fiery eyes relit anew. He looked over at Jirachi who was already getting ready for bed themselves, rearranging a small pile of hay before laying on it.
Kahalo curled right by the fire. The stoked flames carried back and forth as they flowed freely in the furnace. The boy rested his eyes and allowed himself to lay there idly for a moment. Thoughts ran through his head as wasn't tired enough to sleep. Visions of his former self, his family, his friends, and of his future. He tried to silence the fears of his inner self and yet they remained still.
Kahalo opened his eyes and stared into the flames. The wavery surface of fire danced in front of him. Watching it flow back and forth felt reassuring to him. The longer he looked into it the more his thoughts began to waver and dispose themselves. Soon a voice beckoned to him from his mind.
"Fear not of the future. All will come to be. Such shall continue the same, regardless of your form. Want not the return of normalcy. Embrace change and live your life anew."
The voice sounded to resemble that of Jirachi's. Looking over toward them, he saw the other Pokemon was sleeping. Kahalo's eyes began to feel heavy and he let out a yawn. The desire to rest was becoming omnipresent in his mind. He told himself it would only be for a moment, closing his eyes and allowing slumber to overtake him.
His mind soon drifted to the dream world. Thoughts of open fields, vast plains, and snow-capped mountains as far as the eye could see. Pokemon of all sorts and types frolicked or flew above. The litten and his family scattered across the Magma flats. The piking pits of lava boil around them. His mother looked back at him with a smile. Her face filled the same feline figure in front of him. His heart filled with warmth. No longer did fear or uncertainty fill his very being. It seemed everything would be okay.
