Ho-Oh TF

I'm sitting in front of my desk, waiting for the school day to be over. There wasn't really anything for me to do now. After all, it's the end of the second trimester and tomorrow's the first day of spring break. Yet, our teacher won't let us do anything for these last few minutes of the school day, except do nothing or read. I wasn't really in the mood to read, since I've read all of my school books.

While it may seem a bit odd for someone here to read way more than they're supposed to read, my mind's a bit different than most. My mind is like a computer because we think in patterns. Though some others also think in patterns, I do it to the extreme. Because of this, it allows me to understand things easier if it was in a pattern. However, thinking in patterns comes with a cost; it gives me bad memorization skills. Heck, I don't even know everyone names in my class and we've been together for two years. So, in order to understand what we're learning in school, I have to read entire books to get the full pattern.

I look up to the clock on the wall and it's says 3:10PM. Why does time seem so slow when we need it to be fast, yet it seem so fast when we need it to be slow? I guess it one of those patterns in life that happened without us realizing it. If one looks around, on the floors, on the walls, in stories, in history, and even where we least expected it, there're patterns.

I once again look at the clock and it now says 3:11PM. I can't wait much longer for this day to be over. It's because if this day's done right now, than it means that there're only one more day left until the game, Pokémon HeartGold, is release here. I'm a major fan of Pokémon since it came out here in the US more than ten years ago. Though some of the newer games may be a bit unsettling to the older fans like me because there're more Pokémon to be the capture; the original two generation are my favorites and when I heard that they're rereleasing the Gold  Version to the DS, I was really excited.

It's mainly because of the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh, my personal favorite Pokémon, with Ninetales coming in very close. In a way, my favorite Legendary Pokémon is Ho-Oh while my favorite non-Legendary Pokémon is Ninetales. They just look so beautiful and fantastic to me.

"Alright then," Mr. Magister said. "It's 3:15. Have a great day."

'About time,' I thought. I pick up my backpack and went out the door to the sunshine outside. The nice sunshine hitting my face always feels so good to me. I look at the sky and though about how I gotten freedom, even if it does last for a week.

I walked to the sidewalk and began my walk home. It usually last for a half hour, unless something happened, like I decided to go to the store on the way. I don't really care how long the walk is; it gives me more time to look at the sky. The sky is so free up there. Even if the sky is unsafe, I still want to be up there with the sky, the ultimate freedom.

After walking for about a half mile, I'm walking by the shopping center of this street. It's filled with stores. Well, at least some of them are. A great deal of the stores here are empty, due to our country failing economy. My concerned about this recession is that if it gotten worse, not better, then, if my presumption on the crisis pattern is correct, the world will change forever again.

As I was walking pass this area, on store, in particular, has caught my attention. It's a typical video game store, with the images of famous video games characters, like Mario, Link, and Master Chief, on the windows. But the odd thing is that I've walked passed this area multiple times and this is the first time I've seen this store before. Curiosity has gotten the better of me and I walked into the store.

I marveled as I looked around the store. Everywhere on the racks here, there're video games like Halo, Super Mario Bros., and even Metal Gear Solid I've heard of and played before. But there're others I've never heard of before. After walking around the store, browsing through the games, I realize that this store is way bigger than I've expected it would be. It's like it's bigger on the inside.

"Oh, a customer's here. Hello," someone behind me said with a British accent. I turned around and saw the man who, I guess, is the owner of this store. He's tall and thin with dark brown hair that's unstyled and brown eyes. He's wearing a brown suit with blue pinstripes, a white shirt, a tie, and cream Converse All Stars trainer shoes.

"Hello," I said. "I'm just browsing through your products."

"Yeah, well," he said. "I think I have the game just for you. Come on."

He turned around and, after sighing, I followed him. We walked for about a minute, making a few turns along the way, until he stopped and pointed at a DS game. When I saw it, my eyes widen in shock. It's the game Pokémon HeartGold Version. Though it's only two days away until it release, it should have a label that tells that it's for displayed only. However, it doesn't have one.

"Y-you can't be selling it now already," I said. That game isn't supposed to be release until two days from now."

The man became thoughtful for a few seconds and said, "Well, my store have a early release special. You can get this today for half the prize. But it's today only."

I cross my arms, thinking about his offer. I got a bad feeling about this in my guts and I shouldn't take this offer. But this is a once in a lifetime chance; to have a game early. I can't just passed it up and be totally happy with this. Besides, I've got enough money to buy it; whether if it's half prize or not.

"Ok, I'll buy it," I said.

"Molto bene," he said. He took one of the Pokémon HeartGold and led me to the counter. He then scanned the game onto the scanner and said, "That'll be $21.64."

I went to my side pocket and pulled out my wallet. I opened it and pulled out a twenty dollar bill and a five dollar bill, leaving my other twenty in. I handed them to him and, after he pushed a few buttons on the cash register, it opened up and he pulled out $3.36 to hand to me.

"What's your name?" he said as he handed me the money.

"Mike," I said, taking the money. "Mike Fenix."

"Well, Mr. Fenix, here's your Pokémon HeartGold," he said as he handed me Pokémon HeartGold.

"Thank you," I said as I took the game.

"No problem," he said.

Carrying the game, I walked out the game store and continue my journey home. When I got to about twenty-five yards from the store, I heard some type of sound. It was some type of wheezing, groaning noise that repeated a few times before that sound faded away. I turned around and I saw nothing out or the ordinary, so I continue on my way home.

After about another half mile, I've reached my brown house. It's not much, but it's home enough for me. I pulled out my key from my pocket and unlocked the door. Just before I close the door inside, I looked outside and saw that man from that game shop earlier. He looked the same, but he's now wearing a light brown overcoat over his suit. Before I could say anything, he just walked away. I then sigh and closed the door.

When I looked around my home, I've noticed that it's empty, which's odd since this is when my mom will be home from work. I walked to the dining room and, after putting my backpack at the side of the wall and placing my game on the table, I've noticed a piece of paper that's been written on. I picked it up and began reading it.

It said:

Dear Mike,
Sorry about not being here at the moment. I've got a called from work just as I gotten home and I have to filled up for someone for the night. I'm again sorry about this. Love you.

I sigh in irritation of having to stay home alone again. My parents are divorced when I was five. My dad's a drunk and a heavy smoker, bad for a kid like me, twelve years ago. Though I greatly appreciated my mom I'm upset about this because it gets lonely, with no one to talk about personal thoughts. But, at the same time, it gives me more freedom, so it isn't all bad for me.

I picked up my game from the table and went to my room to lie on my bed and to play my new game. I pulled out my Nintendo DS, put in Pokémon HeartGold, and turned it on. It went on to the main DS title screen and, after I hit the touch screens a couple of times, the game's starting up. Suddenly, there's a great flash of light from my DS screens, blinding me for a few seconds. Then the screen turned black with the words ERROR 151793 displayed.

"What?" I said.

I then felt an unbearable pain from my back, a pain I haven't felt in a long time. I rolled off my bed and rubbed my back, trying to make it feel better. I then heard a big ripping sound from behind me. When I turned around as best I could, I saw yellow tail feathers sprouting from me.

"What?!" I said.

I felt an itch around my chest area that's gradually spreading throughout my body. I removed my shirt and saw white feathers growing and spreading around my body. I then felt pain on all four limbs as they're all readjusting themselves to a new form. I looked at my arms and saw my fingers and thumb disappearing from my hand as red and gold feathers with green tips growing from my arms and hands.

As my arms turned into wings, I looked at my legs and saw that it's becoming shorter and scalier slowly and steadily. My shoes then ripped apart as my feet become talons. Because of this, I fell onto the floor. I felt my whole body turns into a bird-like position and my neck being more stretched out. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the final bit of the transformation as my face's felt hotter. After a while, the pain stopped and I opened my eyes.

I first saw a yellow beak that was once my mouth and nose. I slowly stand up from the ground, which's a bit difficult with no arms and hit the ceiling. I bend down as much as I can and looked at the mirror on my door. The reflection's not who I was a few minutes ago, but a phoenix-like bird that's about more than twelve feet tall. I'm mainly gold and yellow with a few other colors, with my neck having a green stripe around it, dark black rings around my eyes, and a feathered-crest. I quickly realized that I've somehow been turned into my favorite Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh.

"What the heck happened?" I said.

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door from the inside of the house followed by that same wheezing, groaning noise from earlier. After some great difficulty since I don't have any fingers or thumbs anymore, I opened my door and went to the living room. I looked at the middle of the floor and saw a piece of paper.

It said:

Dear Mike,
I forgot to tell you that the games I have have a 10% chance of turning you into the character on the cover. Though I went to warned about this, I changed my mind, believing that you actually would not changed, but I was wrong. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Just try to live the best you can live.
From,
Decem Medicus

I then thought about what had happened, with the transformation and that man. I may never face my mom, my friends, or anyone again. They may run in fear or chase me in greed. I may be the loneliest creature on this planet, because I have to. But, then again, this could be my gateway to freedom. While it may not be safe, it'll be a trip of a lifetime.

I flapped my wings and made my exit out of my home by breaking through the window. Though some people may have spotted me, I don't care because I'm now free. I flew up higher and higher to the sky 'till the city down there is small from up here. I have never been so happy until now.

'I wonder if I'll see Lucy in the sky with diamonds.'