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Chapter 15: Okuizome “My name is Devon Stafford, and I was born in America.” The humans of Halfhenge gathered in the kitchen, now filled with the scent of hot soup. Fei manned the kettle above the fireplace, his back on the rest of the group. Jun sat at the table, his journal open, as Wyn...

Chapter 14: Human Business Night Vision lounged in the soft grass of the courtyard a few bounds away from Wyn’s hut. Both Ren and Kaia sprawled out on the lawn, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Von sat on his haunches as he watched the herd of sheeplike Pokemon gradually graze from...

Chapter 13: Amalgam "Someone else has been through here already." "Bisharp's clan?" Rockruff shook her head. "Those are claw marks, not the bites from a blade." Both Research teams huddled around another reflection of a dead tree. Gouges marred it, raked along the bark. A glittering...

Chapter 12: The Flood of Knives The forces of the Dungeon robbed all reason from Bramble Hill. The ground rolled in odd shapes as if the landscape itself had been fed to a kaleidoscope. Uphill climbs met sideways slopes with no warning and had Von second-guessing every footstep. On rare...

Chapter 11: Waldeinsamkeit The morning breeze filled Halfhenge with the breath of autumn air, the exposed guts of the castle catching the chill within itself. Beneath the altar, Von shivered himself awake. Gray light of pre-dawn illuminated the oratory, and as he blinked the tiredness from his...

Chapter 10: A Harmony Of Discordant Canons "A human construct formed? What do you mean? Where and when?" Wyn bounced excitedly on her toes. "A dungeon has formed," Lucario corrected, "A human construct has been unearthed." The tall cat spoke up. "Seems yesterday an Onix chewed its way into 'a...

Chapter 9: Bamboo Harvester The sun sank behind the mountain and plunged Halfhenge into shade. Night Vision emerged from the keep and scurried over the grass, Rockruff leading the charge, eager to meet an old friend. Ren forsook donning a disguise, which made it easy for Von to chase after him...

Chapter 8: The Anacapa Chart From his perch at the window, Von contemplated how to get back down. He scaled the few feet up without thinking, and now his tail hung off of the tiny sill he sat on. What practice he learned from clambering over driftwood found use in scaling a wall. The tips of...

Chapter 7: Peulvan “You can call me Wyn.” “And I’m Von!” He followed after Braixen as she led him out of one hall and down another. “I’m allowed to say that, right?” “Only to other humans,” she winked, “But even then, use your judgment. Especially when there’s fairies about.” “Sorry...

Chapter 6: The Lapras Travel Liner When Rockruff last mentioned taking the waterways to reach their destination, Von assumed the three of them would follow a river on foot so as not to get lost. He felt frustrated in himself for not piecing together what the lighthouse on the end of the cape...

Chapter 5: What Comes Naturally “Can’t you open any wider?” Von’s jaw strained as he tried to stretch his mouth open for the curious Rockruff. She peered as best she could down his throat. Much like during a visit to the dentist, Von was never certain what he should be doing with his tongue...

Chapter 4: Comment dit-on Salandit "Bonjour." Von concentrated on the way his mouth moved. The rigidity of his scales no longer had the flexibility of his old human lips, yet he could form different sounds from the hisses that slithered over his tongue. The noises he made he could still shape...

Chapter 3: Night Vision Night Vision? Is that a band? “This is a sudden and abrupt change of heart, Ren. What inspired that?” Kaia asked, her question coated in suspicion. “Kaia, my dearest friend, why, nothing more than chasing the pure joy and sense of fulfillment that comes with helping a...

Chapter 2: Soul Food “I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..” Von couldn't pull his eyes away from the candlelight. Each wick vied for his attention, and his eyes danced from flame to flame, each swaying in a subtle, captivating dance. He swayed where he stood. Unable to take a step...

Cover illustration by DO9Bessa "A college dropout wakes as a salandit, and struggles to find their role in a world that already has its hero." Content warning for gender dysphoria Honest critique is welcome Chapter 1: Not-Food The sound of rain pattering against a tent. Memories? Mine...