Lost {1st Place Champion in Short Story (PWA 2017)}

What?

After that day, I became Trixie's companion.

I concluded that I could no longer go back home: my surroundings seemed to have changed drastically and I had completely lost my way. Not only that, but I couldn't bear to come back home looking the way I did. I felt broken, not even myself anymore. It was as if I was walking around in another person's body like a puppeteer. It felt disgusting. When I gazed at my current state in the Pokémon Center, I realized I had nowhere to go. Papa would be mortified. What's more, I had no recollection on what routes to take home. Just like that, I was abandoned, homeless with nowhere to go but forward. Once again, I felt astray from all I once knew and everyone that could help me.

But Trixie knew. Although she couldn't understand what I was saying, she somehow understood how I felt. As I left the center with a depressed expression, she immediately swung me up with a bright smile, holding me to the sunlight. "You're always welcome to travel with me! I could use some company," she beamed, and with my nod, she tapped me with her pokéball.

Trixie had no other Pokémon. In fact, she began to travel away from home without one only a few months ago. She explained that she felt the need to explore the world and find a place for herself. Only recently had she considered becoming a trainer, but before then, she traveled alone. I wondered how she managed this whole time. Then again, I escaped into the forest by myself. But now, I was accepted as one of her own, her first Pokémon in fact, which struck pride into my chest. Though I promised myself to stick by her side, I still felt the sickening feeling of losing my humanity, literally.

The fact that I could never go back to my loving home again, the fact that people would never understand my limited choice of words. I couldn't help but dread over that thought. Sometimes, I would catch a glance at my reflection in a window or some water, and the crippling feeling of reality would sweep over me like a tidal wave. I didn't know what to think at all when I saw my wooden face, my wispy black arms. It was as if I were simply staring at another Phantump, another separate existence, yet that "Phatump"... was me. I knew I had to accept my place as a Pokémon someday. It just seemed too unreal. Many times I believed in my fairytales, but not like this. Not like this at all.

Still, Trixie looked upon me with an optimistic smile, not aware of my previous fate. She was overjoyed that she could finally create memories with someone, she had told me. She was so excited to see what the world had in store for both of us. I had never seen someone so ecstatic in my life to leave their home. It was almost empowering.

When she smiled, I felt comforted somehow. Somehow, she reminded me of her. She always thought about me in every situation. She made sure that I was safe, that I was content, that I was taken care of. Despite my "odd" ways of doing things as a Pokémon, she only laughed them off and let me go about my business.

There was one time she bought sandwiches for the both of us. As soon as she handed me one, I sat myself down on the bench next to her and began to pick off the bread. She took a seat and giggled. "Why are you peeling the crust off like a little kid?" she mused. I only responded with a cheeky raspberry. I could tell she was entertained when I started to extract the soggy tomatoes and pickles that riddled my sandwich. "You're such a picky eater," I heard her joke under her breath.

Trixie never judged my ways. In fact, when I was learning how to use my powers for the first time, she always brushed off my many failures. She would just pat my head and give words of encouragement. "It's you and me both, buddy," she'd say. "I know we'll both get there someday." It wasn't even her fault, yet she included herself to need more improvement. I had to admit, it pushed me to try harder.

Once I had learned a few decent moves and defeated a number of foes, she decided it was time to take on our first gym: the Laverre Gym, home to the fairy-type user, Valerie. Trixie told me that her mother used to train with Valerie when she was little, so she was a good family friend of her's. "It'll be fun to finally see how much we've grown!" Trixie said. "We'll beat her, I'll make sure of that!" I felt a pang of pride burst in my chest when she said that. She sounded so confident, so hopeful. I missed that feeling in myself, it was long gone since I turned into a Pokémon, unable to truly exist among the human race like I did before. However, if she felt that way, I felt it just as much. In such a short amount of time, our emotions seemed bonded together like a Girafarig and its tail. I was so happy, maybe even happier than before she disappeared from my life. Despite my situation, everything was seeming to turn out alright, and the notion only became stronger.

It was determination we possessed when we entered, and a badge when we exited. I alone took down all three of Valerie's Pokémon. Trixie had trained with me so well that the gym leader herself admitted that I could be unstoppable. Words couldn't express how content I felt when Trixie held the shimmering pink badge in her palms. She only looked at it for a moment before turning to me, a huge grin on her face, and swooping me into the air jubilantly. She always did that on most occasions, but that time felt extraordinarily special to me, one that burned its place in my ghostly heart.

After a brief chat, Trixie and I left Valerie as the moon began to dip over the horizon. When we rented a room in the town's Pokémon Center, we immediately climbed into the comfy bed, exhausted out of our minds. As usual, I curled up next to my trainer like a child would to their mother. She covered both of us with the white sheet that was provided and snuggled me close. I let out a relaxed exhale. "This is only the beginning," she whispered excitedly. "Soon, we'll meet more friends and battle so many trainers and leaders. Someday, we'll even go to the Pokémon League! How cool would that be?"I cooed in delight, and she chuckled. "Phantump, why don't we go for Lumiose galettes tomorrow to celebrate?" My mouth watered.

Papa always used to take me to Lumiose Village and their galette stands every so often. I would long for those days, and when they came, Papa and I would walk all the way down Route 16 to the giant buildings lit with electric-type Pokémon. The futuristic sights never ceased to amaze me, and I imagined the structures glowing like stars on a moonless night. Papa would then go about his business, and I would wait patiently, entertaining myself by playing with the local Pokémon. When he was finished, he would take me to the galette stand, where we would each choose a flavor and sit down as we watched the town light up the night; I treasured every moment. I recalled the last time I visited the village before my transformation. The village folk were mumbling about building a monument in honor of their city's fascination of lights in the center of the town. I thought it would be delightful, and now I'd get to go see its progress!

My heart pumped anxiously and I let out an eager cry. Trixie ruffled my head. "Alright, then. Let's head out as soon as we wake up," she suggested. With that, she turned off the lamp and the warm glow that once bathed us in light flickered off. After we got comfortable, I felt her arm hold me close to her chest. "How on Earth was able to find someone like you?" she whispered. I glanced down melancholically, knowing well how she found me the way I was. I was ashamed, yet I was grateful as well. It was thanks to my blackout that I got to travel with her, make new memories, explore new places. To say the least, it began to feel more of a blessing than a curse, Trixie being the main factor of that result.

I seemed to have found a new feeling of trust with her.

I hope she felt that too.