A few changes have happened since I published the first chapter, see A/N of chapter two for more information.

(The same infomation below is also on my author's bio page)

This story is part of PercentVerse, which means it is set in the same universe as the story originally created by Jackboy0815 titled 30 percent. I encourage you all to read Jack's story, as well as the stories of multiple different authors who also decided to write in PercentVerse. You can find a list of all our stories by checking out our Discord or our FFN community. Search up "percentverse" on Google and click on the first thing that pops up :)

I also encourage you to join our Discord if you wish to help us out or hang out with us in general.

(We also have a Minecraft server, but that's besides the point.)

Discord invite code: MFWT7tz

This story was created on a whim because I wanted the seventh story spot in PercentVerse. It turned into a bit of race, and I lost in the end. I'm perfectly happy though, because the chapter would have been horribly rushed otherwise.

Anyways, onto the story.

Full summary

Becoming a Pokémon can be one person's fantasy, but another's nightmare. No one received a choice this time as thirty percent of the entire world's population is transformed mythical video game creatures in a blink of an eye. Conflict of beliefs slowly chipped away at the people's sanity. Before our society crumbles, will there be heroes to face the villains? Is our new world a fairy tale, where everyone lives happily ever after? Or is it a hellish reality, where war and suffering reign? Most importantly, what can I, a new Absol with no knowledge of my powers, do to avoid perishing? OC-Semi-SI, TF, PercentVerse.

The day seemed ordinary in the morning. Get up, get dressed, eat, wash, and get ready for some hiking. I was at Whistler for a summer vacation, but even being out in an incredible place like this didn't kill my boredom. I wished my life was more exciting. 'Be careful what you wish for,' I thought it was a silly saying. What can a simple wish do? Convert a third of the world's population into magical creatures from a video game designed for children?

It happened out of nowhere. I was washing my face beside a mirror when a horrible headache hit. I dismissed it at first, thinking it was a side effect of staying up late writing. The migraine began to worsen the more I tried to ignore it until I finally couldn't anymore. I dropped to the ground, losing control of myself. Coherent thought abandoned me when I felt my bones shifting. All I could do was pray to whatever God or gods exist before I blacked out completely.

•●•

When I came to, I immediately noticed something off. My body was different. I tried standing up. Mistake.

WHERE ARE MY ARMS!

I checked. And double-checked. I blinked furiously. I was a quadruped. Four legs? Righty-o! Check it out Mom, I've got claws! It comes with a bonus scythe attached to my head, all on the house! Wheeeee!

Wait. Go back. A scythe on the side of my head. Claws. Four legs.

Nonononono what is this—

Was I out of my mind? Yes! My poor human brain couldn't handle the sudden change. Or was it so human anymore? I must have dwelled over the new body for hours. It had thick white fur, a nice layer of midnight blue skin, out-of-proportionally large claws and — yes, I am now a sickle-head. The creature staring at me from the other side of the mirror was a mix between feline facial features and canine body shape. It looked familiar, but I couldn't put a hold on it. I stood up and tested out walking. Being a quadruped didn't seem so bad at the moment.

I was still in daydream land, in denial of what just happened. The blaring siren sounds coming out of my phone jolted me awake. I grabbed it awkwardly with a claw.

Attention all Canadian citizens:

As of August 21, 2019, at 11:30 AM, an unknown global transformation has taken place and may have affected the people around you. Please stay calm and stay away from the transformed, even if they were your family members. We are working on the situation. We advise you to stay connected to a mobile device to keep up to date.

For the first time, I was aware of my surroundings again. I looked outside the bathroom door. No one. I glanced at the time. 4:30 PM. How long was I zoned out for? There were so many questions streaming through my thoughts that it was hard to focus.

Attention all Canadian citizens:

The transformed have been identified as creatures belonging to the popular video game franchise Pokémon. They have shown no signs of possessing any supernatural capabilities. Stay connected and do not panic. We will update you soon.

Pokémon. I knew it looked familiar.

I had seen a Pokémon with a distinct scythe-like horn before. It stood out to me. I remembered its name to be something with a 'sol'… Ah, there we are. 'Absol, the disaster Pokémon.' Not bad, I thought to myself as I browsed Bulbapedia, disaster sense sounds neat. My mind had yet to fully catch up.

"Mom? Dad? Are you doing alright?" I called out but received no response. I walked out the door gingerly, determined to do something about the situation. My new claws clicked and clacked against the tiled flooring.

I searched the hotel suite for my parents. No sign of them on the top floor. Going downstairs was painful. I tripped over my long nails and fell down half a flight of stairs. Thankfully the body of an Absol handled the beating much better than a human would have. I scoured the ground floor as well. The house was empty. That left me with one more option: calling with my phone. I made the agonizing journey back up the stairs, knocking my hind legs against the steps too many times to count. I retrieved my phone from the washroom and dialled my mother's number. Apparently, claws don't work on touch screens, so I had to awkwardly tap my entire paw against the display, mashing a few buttons at once.

Ring, ring

"Mom?"

"Who is this?" A stern feminine voice came over the line. That was my mother, alright, but she didn't seem to recognize my number. I supposed I never called with this phone before.

"Hello, Mom. It's me, Sorin."

"What is this nonsense? All I hear is 'Absol absol.' Whoever you are, stop this sick joke."

"What!" I seemed to have inherited the Pokémon's tendency to repeat their names when talking.

"That's it. I'm hanging up. I hope you feel good about yourself, playing such a prank in these circumstances."

"No, Mom—"

Beep, beep

So my mother did know about the transformation. That was good. I opened up Messenger to try and text her. Though I couldn't speak English anymore, I could still type. I scrolled through the contacts and found a message from my parents already waiting.

To Sorin,

Your father and I are fine. We will be home by nine, traffic is abysmal. Stay home and don't move.

To the prankster,

I don't know how you got hold of this number. Return it to my son immediately. I will not tolerate another attempt at your joke.

My mother did recognize my number, after all. But surely she had seen the announcements, and drew the connection? She knew about Pokémon, it was one of the only video games and anime she liked. I suddenly had a terrible feeling about this. My stomach twisted, and my horn began to tingle. I texted her back.

Hey Mom, that really was me. I've transformed, and can't speak properly anymore.

I laid on the floor and waited for the response. Half an hour passed, there was no notification. I checked the phone again and noticed a tiny, insignificant detail that meant the world to me. There was no 'delivered' indicator. Don't tell me… I tried calling again.

Be — hello, you've reached 604…

That confirmed it. The call went to voicemail instantly, meaning that my mother had blocked me. Had she not realized that I'm now a Pokémon? No, my mother was a bright woman. Why had she refused to recognize me then? The tingling of my horn grew to an intense tremble, the vibration making me woozy.

Attention all Canadian citizens:

The transformed have been seen using supernatural powers similar to those described in the video games. Please consult .net for more information on specific species of transformed creatures. We cannot force you to stay away from transformed family and friends. Use your best judgement to determine if the species of the transformed are dangerous.

Attention all Canadian citizens:

The transformed have been determined to be unable to speak human language, but can understand each other. The minds of the transformed may not have been affected by the transformation. It is still recommended to stay away from transformed creatures that you are not familiar with. Safety measures will now begin to be enacted by your local police force. Your local government will provide you with more information.

My psyche decided that it has enough.

I looked up. A white-furred creature with blood-red eyes stared at me behind a glass pane. Its presence made me shiver in fear, but I had nowhere to go.

The vibrations grew insistent.

"Who are you?" I asked the creature on the other side.

"Ab, Absol" It replied, but something wasn't right. Our voices were almost synchronous.

All I could hear was buzzing.

"What are you?" I asked again.

"Sol, Absol."

"Respond to me!"

"Absol! Absol!"

I had questions, so many questions, but I lost the ability to speak. I could only watch as the creature behind the glass went on a mad tangent.

"Sol! Absol, ab-absol, absolabsol…"

My entire body hummed. The glass vibrated back sympathetically.

I reached out to touch the glass. The creature mirrored my movements. I watched as my hand, hand, hand… Hand?

Oh, no, I forgot to hand in my French homework. I'm about to fail the course.

What did I have to study for music history? Was the repetitive form rondo or ternary?

Please, I'll do anything. Make the buzzing stop.

I stared at my hand as it touched the cold glass and transformed into a claw — the same one the monster on the other side had.

I'm going to be late for piano class. Wait, is it Wednesday today?

I tried to look away from the glass. The creature mimicked my movements perfectly. I backed away and bumped into another glass behind me, with the same creature staring back at me intently, eyes unfocused like a psycho. I was surrounded.

What else did I forget? I'm going to be an adult soon, yet I still can't organize.

Stop the buzzing. Help, it's taking over. It's TAKING OVER!

I froze in horror as my body became an exact copy of the monsters from behind the glass.

Run, Sorin. You are no longer human. You are no longer your parents' son. You are a Pokémon.

Run, Absol. A disaster is coming. You cannot save this one. Avoid it while you are able.

My instincts screamed at me to escape. Leave and never come back. It was all too much, too sudden. So I did.

I stumbled out of the door — the only side without a glass pane — and tumbled down the stairs, ignorant to any pain, numb from the vibration. I clawed at the front door until it opened. The tormenting screeches of nails on metal were insignificant compared to the buzzing. I ran out of the house and into the forest nearby. Brambles and thorns pulled on my fur and scraped my face where there wasn't any hair. I lost track of time as I went deeper and deeper into the woods. All I could focus on was the overpowering humming. It became more bearable as the sky began to darken. I finally collapsed from overexertion near a stream.

•●•

Was it morning already?

I must have passed out some time reading. That was a bad habit of mine.

No…

Memories of yesterday flooded me as I opened my eyes.

I have been turned into a Pokémon. Not just me, either. It sounded as if most of the world, if not all, had been affected.

I had run into the woods. The desire to leave and hide was overwhelming as if I knew danger was coming. There was something about mirrors, but it was all fuzzy. Yesterday's madness seemed like a distant memory.

I inspected my surroundings. I was in an unfamiliar part of the wilderness, with no landmarks or markers to be found. I must have made it very far last night.

My stomach growled, interrupting my thoughts. Well, basic survival needs came first. Where can I find food? I need to get back to the village, there's nothing for me out here. I walked up along the stream. It was as well a direction as I could pick since I was lost in every way.

The hot summer sun rose above me, raising the temperature enough to make me sweat. I was parched and starving. I glanced at the river, contemplating its fresh and available water.

Nope, unsafe and uncivilized.

I came upon a bramble bush filled with ripe raspberries.

Unsafe and uncivilized.

But they smelled so good. My sense of smell must have been enhanced as an Absol because it was nearly overwhelmed with the sweet and slightly acidic scent of the berries. Wait, were they blue? I put my muzzle against one of the blue fruits. They smelled like raspberries, but they were dark blue in colour, similar to my skin. Before I could realize what I was doing, my tongue lashed out and licked a berry. It was the best thing I ever tasted. I snapped an entire one off without thinking.

Mmmm...

The berry was juicy and sour, instantly quenching my thirst. I ate a few more — they were surprisingly filling. I got black juice all over my mouth, so I decided to wash it off in the river. I dipped my muzzle into the stream and rinsed it. The water was refreshing and cooled me down slightly.

It was nearly sunset now, and I was still in the middle of nowhere. I had coped in the wild better than expected. I had food and water, even though I was reluctant to take them at first. I realized I didn't think much about the transformation the entire day. I still wish I was a human, but if turning into a freak dog with too many sharp bits helped me survive, so be it. It was hard to imagine being something you are not. I had grown more attuned to my new body, which I feared, but what could I do?

What if I will never be able to turn back?

No, don't go there. I'm sure whoever is in control will fix the problem eventually.

But they don't have it under control.

I shook the thoughts out of my head. Focus on surviving, I told myself, it's going to work out in the end. Settling in a nicely concealed spot under some hollowed-out overgrowth, I lied down and went to sleep early, the sun still just above the mountains.

•●•

The next day wasn't much different. I continued to travel upstream. I think I recognized this part of the woods, and if I remember correctly, I was heading the correct, albeit long way. My nose led me to more berries, which I merrily consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They were delicious enough. I found that most wildlife I encountered — both predators and prey — avoided me, which I didn't mind the slightest. I paused for the night near the river. I lapped the water, which made me feel like an animal, but I couldn't care less. I relaxed as I watched the sun retreat behind the trees and rocks.

The moon was almost full, only missing a crescent shape that was the same as my horn. The silver light washed over me, reflecting off my just-as-silver fur, and all was blissful. I haven't felt so serene, so carefree since I was little. I felt like I belonged.

My instincts urged me to howl, and I listened. All my emotions from the past thirty-six hours were condensed into one lingering, sorrowful note.

Awooooo...

Two days ago, the world was changed forever. I didn't know how to react, and I don't believe anyone did.

I looked up at the sky again. It was a gorgeous shade of midnight blue, matching my skin perfectly. The moon was still hanging there, lighting the night with its soft glow. I supposed it was natural for an Absol to like the night, being dark type and all. Maybe I could adapt. Maybe being a Pokémon will become better with time. It certainly didn't feel wrong anymore, but I'm not sure it felt right yet.

I still needed to contact my parents and friends. My life will never be the same again, that was obvious. Oh, my mother will be so worried when she discovers that I'm missing. Will they still accept me?

All of that can wait. Tonight, the moonlight is my home.

My real life parents, I'm sure, will never abandon or reject me. I don't think Sorin's did either, they were just in shock.

Word count is 2627 without summary and notes.

[Reviews and feedback are a major source of motivation for me, so please, tell me what you think and what I could improve on. My DM is always open, and you can contact me on Discord throught the PercentVerse server.]