Chapter 1

One look at my trainer told me something was wrong. Gone was the long red hair and light blue eyes, they had been replaced with a short black ponytail and striking green eyes. Instead of her typical blue jean shorts and blue tank top, there was a knee length, black skirt and white t-shirt proclaiming contests to be the best.

“Di I need to transform into how I used to look" she said. Her voice held a jubilant tone.

“Ditto,” I replied. With a glow, I had turned into her old self, “Karen... isn’t this a bad way to check out before and after fashion decisions?”

She raised an eyebrow at me.

“I had to teach you sarcasm... I knew that was a bad idea. Anyway, I’m not checking anything out, I was just making sure your transformation was still good.”

Before I could make the indignant retort I was thinking known, my trainer pushed a Pokédex and Pokéballs into my hands.

“You’re going to be a pokemon master!” She said, grinning and nearly bouncing from foot to foot.

"I'm going to what?!!!" I shouted, eyes wide as I tried to comprehend this new information.

"You’re going to be a pokemon master, because I don’t want to be. I’m 12 years old now; it took me two years to convince my parents to let me leave! They only said I could leave home because they thought that you were strong enough to travel with and they ‘knew’ that I'd be building a strong team. I want to be a pokemon coordinator, and you know how my parents feel about that."

I nodded, her parents were misguided into thinking that pokemon in contests were nowhere near as strong. In truth they were just as strong in many cases, if not stronger.

"I still don't see what this has to do with me..." I lied.

“Yes you do! I'm going to Hoenn to be a pokemon coordinator, and, so my parents don't get suspicious, you’re going off to become a pokemon trainer!"

I wanted to say no. Oh, how I wanted to tell her that she was crazy and that I’d do no such thing! ‘Of course I could’ she pleaded with those sorrowful looking eyes, reminding me that shed been there the day I had literally oozed out of my egg. That look reminded me that we'd trained together for years, and that’d we'd swore to do anything for each other. But most of it was those eyes... Although they were now a deep green, they still commanded me... still compelled me not to deny her.

I tried to change her mind, to ask her how she was going to enter a contest if I was using her name? How was she going to travel with no pokemon? She merely laughed softly, and explained that her Hoenn friend had arranged for her contest pass, and that she had applied for a female Nidoran she'd be picking up only a few towns over. It appeared there was no stopping her.

"Okay, I'll do it... but if we get caught you have to remember that this was all your idea” I said, sighing. This was going t be a big mistake, I could feel it.

She ran and hugged me tightly.

"I knew you'd say yes I knew it!" she looked into my eyes and smiled brightly, "You’re going to be the greatest pokemon master the leagues have ever seen, I can feel it!” with that, she let go of me and slipped off into the woods. I saw that she was carrying a small black backpack; she didn’t look back.

With a small sighed I picked up the blue backpack she’d left for me and slung it over one shoulder; it was going to be one of those days...

...

As I walked towards Vermillion city, I thought about how I was gong to accomplish the task set before me. I knew I could act perfectly like Karen; I’d done it numerous times when Karen had wanted someone to talk to without having to translate my speech. I'd also gone to school on days when she’d d been sick, so she could keep up her perfect attendance record... not that her parents knew that.

My problem was catching another pokemon. One; I’d have to transform into it, and then I’d have to battle it. After that, I’d have to transform back and catch it. I knew I had the strength for it; the extra two years of training I’d received had helped me build up endurance. As Karen pointed out, the best way for a Ditto to win a battle was to be in better shape than the pokemon it was transformed against. Still, it was gong to be a lot of transforming work, and whatever pokemon I caught was going to be shocked.

A splash of water caught my attention, and my eyes strayed off the path towards the disturbance. I had to smile; some considerate human had put up a birdbath in the middle of nowhere! A few tan and white Pidgey were enjoying themselves on this hot summers day.

They were chattering to each other about how nice and cold the water was, and how did you know that so and so was seen talking with so and so. You’d never know it unless you were a pokemon, but Pidgey are the worst gossips in the world! You can’t trust any secret with them; in the time it takes to breath, their whole flock knows everything.

I just shook my head and moved on. The forest was finally clearing out into flat plains, and the trees were getting smaller and more bush-like as the path wore on. There were rolling grass hills, and each emerald stem waved proudly like a banner in the noontime sun. The warm sunshine on my human skin was pleasant; it seemed to lift my spirits. I smiled in delight as I walked, beginning to think that this crazy scheme just might work...

"Please don’t! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!" a plaintive cry reached my ears, and as I squinted, I could see a small Growlithe cowering in front of two humans. One of them appeared to be an officer Jenny.

"I can't help it, but I won't do it again!" His cries were heartbreaking to me, but to the humans they were only the whimpered world of his name.

The wind was blowing in my direction and I could hear the officer’s words as she spoke.

"I'm sorry little guy, but you’ve bitten a lot of innocent humans and pokemon. We’ve had you forever, and nurse Joy says there’s nothing wrong with you... but I can’t let you endanger anybody," she reached down to pet him a sort of last gesture of kindness.

Not if I had anything to do with it! I began to run towards where they stood, my legs burning as I pushed my tired muscles harder than ever.

"Hey, what are you two doing?” I shouted, hoping to stop what I could sense was about to be an execution.

The officer stood up and watched me approach; I could see the tears forming in her eyes. The other human was a man around his forty's. He was balding and stern looking, and his eyes were a hard gray that seemed to be set in a permanent glare. I came to a stop barely a foot from the doomed Growlithe. He sniffed at me, and, seeing a kindred sprit, relaxed a fraction. Officer Jenny looked none too pleased, though.

“Young lady, you leave here this instant, and get away from that Growlithe! He's dangerous!”

I ignored her request and observed to pokemon. He was of normal size for a Growlithe, and his shaggy orange and black coat gleamed with good health.

"Dangerous how?" I asked, curious as to how he could have blown so many chances. The police force went out of their way to rehabilitate troublesome Growlithe.

She sighed and pushed her blue hair our of he face.

"He’s uncontrollable, and he's been that way forever. He seems fine, and then suddenly he’ll dart at a person or pokemon, grab onto them and won't let go until he's returned to his Pokéball! He can't do that! We’ve tried every form of rehabilitation we know, but he still remains dangerous. People who’ve been randomly attacked have been suing us, and the costs are beginning to become troublesome. He’s a danger to everyone, unfortunately..."

I could feel the pain in her voce. Obviously, she loved this pokemon... but if he was this wild, then he could easily fatally harm someone. If he did that, he'd be killed a lot less humanely then they were trying to do now.

Like people, some pokemon aren't mentally balanced. It happens, and its sad Usually, these pokemon attack the wrong opponent and are swiftly dealt with, but when they come into contact with humans, the humans vainly try to save them. I shook my head, knowing I was about to make another mistake.

“Please don't kill him, I’ll take him." I said. I knew I was in for an argument.

The man snorted and just shook his head while officer sighed.

"Young lady, this pokemon is sick. If we can’t handle him, we certainly can't give him to a trainer! He could kill a pokemon in a match!”

I growled softly to the Growlithe in his own language.

"Come now, walk to me slowly. I’m going to try and help you, but you have to work with me.”

He tilted his head in puzzlement and trotted softly to my side, then lay down over my feet. So far so good... Officer jenny was in shock.

"How did how did you get him to do that?"

"I guess you could say I have a pokemon soul, and they know it." I replied.

The old man still shook his head.

"Officer, we’ve seen him good as gold one day and a rampaging terror the next! We can't just give creature to her!"

Okay, so the old man was still a problem standing in the way to Growlithe's safety with me, and Growlithe knew it.

A flash or orange and black was all any of us saw as he lunged for the man

"Growlithe, get off him now." I commanded, again speaking to him.

I prayed that he would move before Officer Jenny was forced to shoot him. Fortunately, he jumped off the man and returned to my feet. Officer Jenny’s gun was still trained on him however. I told the Growlithe to stay, and helped the old man up. His suit was a bit ripped, and he had a few claw marks on his face. His face was now a deep, almost plum color

"That, that creature is...” He seemed so angry as to be at a loss for words.

Officer Jenny’s face showed confused emotion; she still seemed amazed I could command the Growlithe, but also concern over his recent action.

I ran back to Growlithe, and scooped him up in my arms. He licked my face softly and whimpered.

"I'm sorry, it’s just ...he... I’m sorry..."

I turned to officer jenny and gave her Karen’s most sorrowful eyes.

"Please, Officer Jenny, he's been through a lot today, and he listens to me!" ‘For now anyway’ I thought, "I wont let him harm anyone, I swear, and I won’t even use him in battles if I think he's too violent...”

She seemed to consider this, and her eyes darkened as she pondered to possibilities. Could she trust a young child with a dangerous pokemon? Could I really control the Growlithe, and did she really want to have to watch a creature that she cared about die? It was the last one that got her, I’m sure. She slowly holstered her gun and handed me a Pokéball

"Be careful. I don’t know what it is about you, but I trust you... young lady with the pokemon soul..." she smiled, and her blue eyes shone with hope.

The old man handed me a small white case that resembled a first aid kit.

"Just in case..." was all he said. The two turned and walked towards where Officer Jenny had parked her bike. With a roar of exhaust and fumes, they drove off into the distance.

I sat down in grass and put the Growlithe down beside me, only to be tackled quite hard and have my face licked.

“Ew, please don’t do that," I mumbled, trying not get my lips licked.

The puppy pokemon hopped off me and lay watching me.

"Who are you, and how come you smell like a pokemon?" he asked in confusion.

"My name’s Di, and I'm a Ditto pretending to be a trainer. Now, who are you?" I asked in return

"They call me Dare, as in ‘don’t you dare’...” he replied, his voice a bit less excited than it had been.

I sighed.
“Don't worry Dare, I’ll keep you in line somehow. Things will work out, okay?” I hoped to inspire some confidence in him and keep him calm at the same time, any fluctuation in emotions could bring about a fit.

He nodded and yawned
“Can I go back into my Pokéball now? I’m tired."

I nodded and returned him to the Pokéball, then stood up and began heading towards the nearest town. The walk was long and fairly boring. During the daytime, not many pokemon wander the plains for fear of being captured. A few Pidgey and Spearow flew overhead, but otherwise the trip was quiet.

As the sky darkened and the stars came out, I tried to think of what my next move would be. I’d need to capture pokemon capable of taking down Lt. Surge's pokemon, and I'd have to do it myself; Dare was too unpredictable. The cold air was starting to give me Goosebumps, and the last look at my map said I was at least three hours from a pokemon center or town.

I shivered in the cold, and then spotted a small hole on the side of a hill. With a sigh of relief, I jogged towards it. I found some bits of old fur and straw stuffed inside, but nothing to show that anything had been there recently. With a small smile, I placed Dare's Pokéball inside my backpack, and then placed the pack mostly covering the hole.

There was a quick flash of light, and I was myself once again... short, pink, and squishy. I squirmed my way inside the hole and buried myself under the fur blanket, beginning to warm up as the cloth absorbed my body heat. Before I went to sleep, I wrote in my mental journal .

“Dear journal:
Today I became a human pokemon trainer, and rescued my first pokemon. What in the name of the legendaries was I thinking?!”