The Costume Shop (Raichu TF) 4/4

The raichu formerly known as Ty frantically dove under the table, narrowly avoiding the thrown Poke Ball. Emerging from
the other side, he tried to stand up to run as a human would but somehow his new instincts kicked in and he scampered off
on all fours. He could hear the costume shop employee coming after him, but not quickly. She wasn't "running" after him,
just following. Raichu was able to guess that she was up to something, but his panic and instincts took over and he
continued running, diving into a clothing rack.

He shuffled through the assorted costumes hanging on the rack, trying to get out the other side only to realize that the
other side was a wall. Raichu was cornered! The costume shop employee came to a halt in front of the rack. Raichu dove
out, hoping to dodge past her but instead colliding and sending them both to the floor with a thud, with Raichu landing on
her lap.

He was about to jump off when she placed a hand on his shoulder. Something about it seemed unexpected. It wasn't
authoritarian. She wasn't holding him down. If she had been, he'd have probably electrocuted her on instinct. Instead, the
hand on the shoulder was companionly... almost conspiratorial. Instead of wrestling, they looked at each other, measuring
one another up. She place a finger to her lips in a gentle shushing gesture looked and around.

"The masks on this floor choose the wearer, you know," she said in a hushed tone. "It would not have changed someone that
didn't have the heart of a raichu inside of them." Raichu looked questioningly at her. He still had no memory of human
language, but he was still able to understand the thoughts she was conveying.

She sighed. "I might have jumped the gun a little trying to capture you out of the gate. But..." She hesitated.

"Chu?" Raichu urged, now curious.

"I want you to think about what you were like when you came into this store, Raichu. When you were a human looking for a
costume." She spoke as if this were ages ago instead of a few minutes. It FELT like it had been. "'Raichu is my absolute
favorite Pokemon EVER!' you said. 'I want to be one for the next costume party more than anything!' That's an awful lot of
force for just a simple party, isn't it?

She turned Raichu to fully face her. "I want you to look me in the eye and decide for yourself. Would you REALLY go back
to being a human if you had the choice? Is this form really not something you've secretly desired in your deepest wishes?
Be honest. Do you dislike being a raichu?"

Raichu opened his mouth to respond (for what good it would have done), then hesitated. ...No. The answer was absolutely
no. He wanted this. He wanted to be a raichu all of his life, and now it had happened. He didn't just like raichus. He
LOVED them. He felt like he wanted to BE one of them. The costume party wasn't a way to show off his favorite Pokemon. It
was his chance to come as close as possible to what he really wanted. As close as he THOUGHT was possible until now.

Raichu turned away, not wanting to admit even in the Pokemon language that she was right. Still feeling annoyed that he'd
been tricked into this change, no matter how desired it was.

"...I really am sorry, Raichu," she said suddenly, surprising him again. As if guessing his thoughts, she continued, "I
wasn't trying to trick you. Honest, I wasn't. But the masks choose their owners. To anyone that doesn't desire them,
they're normal masks. I didn't guess that you'd be any different."

"Chu," he answered. And this time he didn't wince at his own voice or language. He felt... at ease with it. This was
right. This was okay.

"You don't want to be captured, do you?" she asked.

Raichu shook his head. "Chu. Raichu."

"Then what if you stayed on here... as a friend?" she held out her hand for him, and... feeling VERY silly mimicking a
human gesture now, he met he hand with his forepaw and they shook on it.

"I'm Amelia. And you?" she asked with that half-bored and now completely appealing grin of hers, knowing the answer.

"Raichu!" he replied without the slightest hint of irony or hesitation.

"Then Raichu it is. And since we're friends, would you like to feel one of the best benefits to your new form?"

He did.

Amelia laid Raichu on his back, cradling him in her folded legs on the floor as she gently began to scritch his tubby
belly. Raichu blushed, but didn't flinch away. It felt wonderful...

There are some times when a new life beckons to you in a quiet voice, so you have to be paying attention. From that point
on, the raichu that used to be Ty was the happiest he'd ever been in his life.

---

I told a few people that this story has a happy ending. So I figured, "Why don't I show it?" Hope you like it, TFchu fans out there!