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Case 3: Zelda (Transformation Phase)

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

So, my name is Zelda, and I'm a huge anime nerd. I have been so into Pokémon lately! That's because a new game came out and I've been super obsessed with it. I've always liked the game and the anime. Between that and my love for making songs with my brothers, I had so little time for school.

Being eleven years old, I was the youngest in the family. But I wasn't a baby! My big brothers always called me a baby and I hated it! So I once told them that I could do what they do, but better! I showed them the kind of music I wanted to make, and they accepted me as the best in the family! Um, I think. I had a lot to learn from my DJ brothers...

I'm a small girl, and I've been called cute before! I took after my mother with brown eyes and brown hair. My hair was kind of short! It was only a little longer than Zack's. I fancied heavy clothes and my favorite color was yellow. So when you put the two together, I'm like a fluffy little yellow ball. I got cold easily here in Autumnridge, even though people said this climate was fairly warm. I don't know! Maybe we kept the house colder!

But enough about me! This was the best Monday ever because Miss Topher, who's a friend of mine (he's really a boy. Can you believe that?!) just came over with Zatch and brought something soooo cool! Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't believe anything! But it was all true! I was so excited that I wanted to parade around the town and show everyone what I had in my arms!

It was green, it was little, it was cute and it flew through time! It was a Celebi! A real Celebi! I always knew it was tricky to catch legendaries, but this was just way beyond me. It made no sense, but who was I to complain?

I think I may have hurt the Celebi a little bit though. I thought it was a doll and I poked its eye and, well, that's how I found out it was real. Nonetheless, I was happy as can be! I squeezed the adorable little Pokémon joyously. I don't know what Topher ran off to do, but I think it had something to do with my brother's shouting. Gee, I don't really know why he'd shout in the bathroom! Maybe it was a charisma thing. Or maybe it was just a Zatch thing.

I was too absorbed in the amazingness of this moment! So absorbed that I almost missed something even more uber crazy and unbelievable.

"Zelda! Kiddo, first my eye,now you're crushing the life out of me here!"

I raised my head pretty hastily, looking back and forth across and around the living room. I was being facetious because I totally knew that the voice came from right in of me. The Celebi had talked! It talked and it sounded kind of like someone I knew! I couldn't tell for sure. I let the little legendary free of my deathly grasp. It landed on the coffee table and gave a huge discontented sigh, even going as far as hanging its head and arms low.

"Oh gosh, you can talk?!" I questioned pretty stupidly. I wanted to ask a whole lot of other things, but that was the only cliché thing--wait, no, there were lots of other cliché things that I could have asked... I just so happened to ask that one!

"Yeah..." The Celebi sounded a little unhappy to tell me this. It's like he wanted to hide the truth! "It's a little tough to explain, but I--"

"Ahhhh! It's real! Celebi's real!" I just couldn't contain myself any longer. It was like I had to let the whole world know about this incredible discovery! But I also wanted it all to myself. I knew I couldn't keep it, because Topher was the one who made that discovery. So wait, was Celebi Topher's? I didn't know the answer to that. Nor could I really find one. I was just sitting there, staring at the legendary Pokémon. But it was like my head was starting to spin relentlessly. I could have sworn I saw a boy about my age standing in the kitchen nearby. He was watching me. My head started hurting. I couldn't see right. I got scared...

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked. I think he was a boy. But obviously he wasn't the boy I saw, because that was a human. Oh, but the longer I sat here, the less I felt human myself. I couldn't explain it properly. It felt kind of like my brain was being talked to directly, and I assumed that's why my head hurt. No sooner did it bring me back to the Pokémon in front of me.

"I've never been better! This is so cool! Can you travel through time and talk to people from the forest?" I was leaning forward, my hands folded. I knew I probably looked so dumb smiling like a goofball, but when does anyone get the opportunity to talk to a Celebi?!

"Hey." I heard that high, boyish but girlish tone that was so unmistakably Topher's. He was just solemnly standing there near the hallway, and he had this grim look on his face. It had just reoccurred to me that my brother shouted a minute ago. Was he in a really bad mood? I hoped he wasn't because he was so boring when he was grumpy. He didn't make music! Well, anyways. Zatch wasn't like Zack. When Zack got too upset at stuff, he used music as an outlet for his frustration. I was trying to be more like that if I happened to get a little cranky. Topher started again. "Uhm... Something happened to Zatch. He turned into a Pikachu." I froze, eyes locked on him. How could I have questioned that with a Pokémon next to me? But how could I have believed it?! My head was spinning, and stuff was just going way to fast.

"Zatch is what?! My God, is he okay?! I'm going to see!" Just like that, Celebi flew down the hall, Topher chasing after him... I was tempted to follow. It was like my brain told me to be wherever they were going. It was strange because that location happened to be the bathroom. I wanted to go with them, but I wasn't too prompt about it. I leaned back in the leather sofa, turning to face my backpack. You know, school suddenly seemed so little to me. I didn't mean it in a "drop everything" sort of way. I was just informed that one of my brothers turned into a Pokémon. If that was true, and for some reason I thought it really was, life was about to take a funny turn. And I wasn't about to miss out! I followed my instincts to pursue Topher and the Celebi to where it was those waves were coming from!

Wait, waves...? Yeah, that's a good name for them. Those weird invisible phone calls in my head.

So! I hopped from the sofa and rushed down the hall like a crazy girl, nearly sliding into the wall once or twice. I did bump into Zack along the way. I think Topher got him too and he was probably worried about all the commotion. I felt bad then. I should have been a little more worried, but it was hard to be all troubled when those cute little Pocket Monsters were running around in real life. At least, I hoped so. Was it so wrong of me to hope that?

"Whoa whoa whoa, Zeldster..." I felt one of Zack's hands gripping my arms. He had some burly hands, but that was to be expected from a big guy like my big brother. I tried to avoid him by leaning back, but I didn't, and I almost ended up falling backwards. Thanks to Zack's adept reflexes, my head's not broken! If only mom hadn't have waxed the darn floor. My growing headache would have been so much worse. "Be careful. C'mon." Without even asking where I was hurrying, he held me by the shoulder, gently pushing me ahead of himself. He had good hunches, and with this scene, his hunch was that there was no element of danger. Otherwise I would have been behind him. He looked like he was kinda calm too, so I didn't worry much. I mean Zatch turned into Pikachu. How bad was that supposed to be?

Oh my gosh, it was bad. No no no I mean good! I mean it wasn't good good, but it wasn't bad! It was true! It was so true!

There he was, being aided to his feet by the Celebi. Topher was kneeling beside the two of them as Zack and I were helplessly watching in the doorway.

"Hey dude, how do you feel?" Celebi had this strikingly awkward tone in his voice. It was like he knew my brother. Then again, it was like I knew him... His gestures were so friendly. Zatch was already standing, yet Celebi's hand was on his back for support.

"You say that like I just had an operation." Zatch retored, in good humor I think. He was taking this well, wasn't he? Or did he really know this legendary? "Ah no... Vince, l-...look at us..."

WHOA! VINCE?!

"Lord have mercy, Vince. That's what happened to you?! You had us all freaking worried at Metedia." Zack jumped in to assist wherever he could. Even crouching down, he was a giant among everyone else here.

"Sorry. I couldn't just show up looking like this... I hid in the woodland. I saw Zatch and Topher, and I took my chances with that, but maybe I shouldn't have."

"What do you mean?" Topher inquired.

"I think if it wasn't for me, Zatch wouldn't be a Pokémon. I think I started something in his body, and well... I'm not too good with words here because this is out of this world, man."

"This is unbelievable!" I could tell my brother was getting frustrated. The brother that couldn't make music out of frustration, I mean. "Pardon my French, Zelda, but this is bullshit! Ah--ow my head... You know, I need to lay down. Don't beat yourself up, Vince. I don't think it started at you because you turned into that before I turned into this."

"I guess..." Vince shrugged.

Gosh, I was just so dumbstruck. Awestruck. Everything-struck! This was like one of those dreams I had when I was mad at my brothers and I wanted to make them into um... Pokémon? And then make them do battles and stuff? I blinked, suddenly feeling guilty. But I also felt sick to my stomach. My poor head was pounding and it wouldn't stop. It just couldn't be satisfied. I wanted to ask a whole big bundle of questions, but I didn't say anything because I knew there was just no answer. For example, one of the questions I had was sure to come up again!

Why did Vince turn into a Celebi? And why did brother Zatch become a Pikachu? I know it sounded stupid because it was on everyone's mind here. But I wasn't focusing on that! I was looking at something deeper! Celebi's legendary, uh-huh? But Pikachu's certainly not. They're a lot easier to get! Wouldn't that work the same way here? I mean, if Pokémon do exist now? Was Vince someone really special? Oh no. What if I was gonna turn into a Pokémon?!

"Oh no! Guys!" I exclaimed. I was a little shocked to get all of their attention! "What if we're all gonna turn into Pokémon?! How will we live?!"

"Don't worry about that." Zack tried to calm me down. Zatch was a bit antagonized because Zack was picking him up. He always hated relying on others, especially when it came to doing simple stuff. We saw it a lot when he was sick. I think even he knew that he needed a bit of help moving around now. But it looked like Vince really got the hang of it quickly. I wondered how long ago he transformed. "Maybe this is only temporary. I'd Google it, but I'd probably just get some crazy fan fiction stories about how people--yeah, never mind. C'mon, let's get you to bed bro. 'Scuse me, Zeldster." Zack squeezed by me. I didn't move, because I was still so stunned. What would you have done if your brother or sister turned into a Pokémon? I think I would have tried to catch my brother! But Pokéballs didn't exist. Yet! Oh, but what if someone tried to catch me? Zack told me I wouldn't turn into anything, but he didn't really know...

At that moment, I could feel it. I just knew I was turning into one. I was gonna be stuck like my brother for the rest of my life! Was I?! Oh shoot, I was turning into a Pokémon! I had to hide!

"I'm gonna be too late!" I shouted, making a run for my bedroom...

"Crap, that girl's crazy sometimes. She thinks she's turning into one of us?"

"I'm not sure, Vince. I don't think she's hysterical. She's just a kid. She's probably more excited than anything."

"Man... I know Drew would be."

...

I closed my door and leaped for the messy bed of mine and hurriedly buried myself underneath all of the blankets! I think I had already transformed! I couldn't see now because it was too dark. But no one else saw me either. If I stayed under here for a long time, I'd be in the clear! ... ... ...But it was getting really hot. And remember how I said I got cold easily? I didn't lie or anything, but it was super hot in here. it was making me feel dizzy... And it made my head hurt... But here's what was weird. I think those wave thingies that I mentioned were finally satisfied. Did it have something to do with that boy I saw in our kitchen. That was so creepy! Was it a ghost?! Whoever it was, I felt like his mind was doing something to mine. Was me massaging my brain? That was nice of him, but I didn't want to have people touching my brain. No, wait, was he telling me to do something? What did he want? I wished he would just leave me alone. But he didn't! He kept telling me to do him a favor. Not in words either. Just through my own head. What did that mean...? Did it have something to do with Celebi? How could it have? Gosh, I must have sounded like a freak! But I was turning into a little creature, right?! ...My entire body was hurting now...

I heard the doorknob turn. Someone came in and started talking to me. It was Topher...

"Zelda?" His voice was soft as usual. He always sounded like he wanted to apologize about something. I was paying attention, but it was hard to. Everything just started hurting so bad. It was like I was being squeezed from all sides. There was a pillow next to me. I decided to do the same to that pillow: squeeze it so tightly. I bit it too. I did that when I was in pain. I almost cried it was so bad... Topher kept talking. "Sweetheart, you're not going to turn into a Pokémon. I know a lot of weird things have been happening. Trust me. My cousin and I had our own run-in with the meteorites. I'm sure you've heard of them...?" ...I didn't respond... I couldn't talk... "The meteorites put my cousin in a coma. They did the same thing to Vince's little brother, Drew."

Drew? Hearing that name, everything around me began to melt. I heard things like I was underwater. My body started hurting even worse. A tear rolled down my face. Another. I was crying...

Suddenly, I could hear again. Very well. So much clearer than before. But my head felt so big. I felt something kind of flimsy on top of my head in two spots. But the funny thing was this: I heard out of those! Were they ears? I couldn't tell because so much was going on. I wasn't moving, but I felt something soft keep sliding against me. It was like my clothes were coming off on their own. My nose seemed like it was closer to my face because it wasn't touching the blankets anymore, which was really whacky because, although I was still little, I knew that static electricity made your blankets stick to your skin sometimes. And I was all charged up. Why? Don't ask me! My spine tingled tenaciously. I was sitting on something attached to my back. Was it a tail? My legs felt so light. Maybe they weren't there anymore... My fingers weren't. I tried to curl them and my toes up, but all I accomplished was wriggling my hands and feet around. I didn't notice it right away. I was so soft, and so round, and so... little? My head felt as heavy as my whole body... I was still biting the pillow. With tears streaming down my face, I let up on it and fell to my side, desperate for what I couldn't call for... Help...

"...And that's just something I don't really expect you to understand, but you'll get there! ... ...Zelda?" Topher had been ignorant of my pain this whole time. He might have been facing somewhere else when talking to me. I didn't' make any noises, so I know he didn't hear me in there. He tugged at the blanket a couple times. No response was given, so he yanked the thing off of me, finding that the pillow had been holding them up. Not me. I was tiny now... It all hurt still. I didn't remember Topher saying anything. He might have, but I was about to pass out. All I remembered then was someone lifting me into their arms and taking me from my room...

We passed by a mirror. I was facing it.

I didn't see the Zelda I grew up as in the reflection...

I saw a yellow mouse with big diamond-shaped ears, light red patches on its cheeks. It was all I saw. It was all I needed.

That little Pichu in the mirror was me.

The rest was blank.

Except for Drew...

--Pichu