EDIT: February 2: Changed some dialogue portions of "Meetings in Rustboro," added detail to "Five to Go," and added "The Victory Road" section.

Note: This is a summary/synopsis of the events I had planned for Wish Upon a PokeStar, not a close narrative of the story. If I were to write it all, this would practically be novel length. But I wanted to tell you how Nella and Kendra/Kippi's story ends.

Note: This is also not the completed synopsis. A few last parts need writing, but I wanted to share what I had and get feedback, if possible.

**DRAFT - FEEDBACK IS WELCOME**

Pokefied (Chapters 1-4)

Kendra is a model, forced to dress in a Mudkip costume for a photoshoot. She doesn’t like, or understand, PokeMon. Nella is a young girl who wants to enter the regional PokeTournament. But her mother won’t let her go, and she doesn’t have any PokeMon of her own. A shooting star flies overhead both of them as they make wishes.

Kendra: “I wish I understood why everyone was so obsessed with PokeMon!”

Nella: “I wish I had an amazing PokeMon so I could enter the Tournament.”

The star grants both wishes, and Kendra is turned into a human-like MudKip. She can only speak like a PokeMon, saying her name, her body changes slightly to have a tail and whiskers, and everyone recognizes her as a PokeMon. Nella throws a PokeBall at her and captures her.

They have a first, brief, fight with a Bugcatcher kid, Kendra in total shock as she uses PokeMon moves on her opponent, and that she has an innate desire to obey this strange girl. But she’s poisoned in the battle, and Nella decides it’s better to go to a nearby PokeCenter than back home.

Kendra tries to explain to the girl what happened, that she was human, and got tuned into a PokeMon. But it’s useless: Nella understands all of that, and doesn’t care. In fact, she believes that they’re meant to help each other with their wishes. Which means Kendra is supposed to accept that she is now just a Mudkip. She starts calling her Kippi.

They meet a strange scientist in the woods on the way to the PokeCenter, who is fascinated by Kendra. He offers to let them use his lab to heal the PokeMon, if he can run some tests. While Kendra is skeeved, Nella accepts. And when Kendra tries to run away, she’s ordered back into her PokeBall.

At the lab, Nella receives a PokeDEX, which does recognize Kippi as a PokeMon. Tests are run, but it turns out the scientist has no desire to give Kippi back to her trainer. He forces the Mudkip to attack, but Nella rebels. She doesn’t want to be “that kind of PokeMon.” She gets her PokeBall from the scientist and defeats him. But when Nella asks for the ball back, Kippi, against her own instincts, hands it over. She doesn’t understand why. Why is she obeying this girl? Why, even when she doesn’t want to, does she have a feeling that she should obey?

Early Routes

Nella returns home to prepare for the tourney, and shows her brand new PokeMon to her mother. Like everyone else, Ms. Leaf recognizes, and treats, Kendra as a Mudkip. But she also questions why a Mudkip looks so human. Nella admits, at Kendra’s insistence, the wishes they both made. She lies, though, and says Kendra wished “to understand what being a PokeMon was like.” When Kendra balks at that, she adds that “she didn’t expect her wish to come true, but that it really is what she wants deep down.”

Nella returns home and prepares for the tourney tomorrow. She shows off her brand new KendraMon and argues that since she does have a PokeMon, she should be able to enter the tournament. But it’s not an easy conversation. Mom, while recognizing Kendra as a PokeMon, is sympathetic to her, and wants to see her turned back. This appalls Nella. She tries to explain all the reasons why Kendra needs to be her PokeMon. She says that they each need to help fulfill the others wish; that Nella needs to teach Kendra why PokeMon are so awesome, and Kendra to fight for Nella. Ms. Leaf is convinced, and thinks it's best for Kendra to remain a PokeMon for the time being.

Kendra goes into a rage, and is only stopped by her trainers' commands. Ms. Leaf has some words for Kippi, telling her that she will be turned back. But until she is, she is going to be the best ‘Mon she can be.

“We can go to my dad, he’s a PokeMon professor, and he...”

“Kippi, that’s enough!” Ms. Leaf boomed at her, ending the PokeTirade. “You wanted to understand PokeMon better, well, congratulations, you got your wish. We are working on turning you back, but we will be the ones to determine how best to do that. Until we do, you are a PokeMon. You will do what you are told, when you are told. You will protect my daughter, your Owner, and if you can’t do that, then so help me, we’ll leave you just the way you are.”

The next morning, the tournament begins and Nella and her PokeMon begin their journey. Because of her tirade, Kendra had to spend the night in her ball, but is allowed to stay out “if she behaves.” She’s forced to fight several other ‘Mons to build up Nella’s roster, all the sort of bugs, dogs, and birds found on the early routes. She’s stubborn, willful, and only begrudgingly listens to her trainer. She doesn’t understand other PokeMon, though feels like she should.

The first gym battle, in Petalburg City, is a disaster. Kendra has gotten versed enough in fighting that she thinks she can win without her trainer. But she doesn’t understand the ins and outs, and definitely doesn’t know enough about PokeMon to exploit type effectiveness. She faints in battle, but despite this, Nella wins the badge. Afterward, she confronts her ‘Mon. Nella thinks she’s been giving Kendra too much freedom, and because of that, she hasn’t fully adjusted to PokeMon life.

“Oh, like you haven’t been treating me like a PokeMon since the moment you captured me.” Kendra said with a glower. She couldn’t believe this little brat.

“I’ve let you walk outside your ball, I always talk to you, I even went with you when you thought we should ‘take a shortcut.’ But not anymore. Kippi, until you learn to behave...” Nella said, holding out the small red and white prison.

“You can’t do this! I’m more than a PokeMon, and you know it!”

Without saying a word, Nella flips open the ball and sends Kippi inside, hoping she’ll learn her lesson sooner rather than later.

For the next routes, Nella only brings Kippi out for battles. She only gives her commands, and doesn’t respond to her talking. When the battle is over, the Mudkip is sent back. They go south to Dewford Town and the second gym. It goes better, but Nella is reluctant to use Kippi, almost keeping her out of the fight entirely. In the end, she brings her out and is very happy that KendraMon does what she’s told, even if she’s unhappy about it.

Meetings in Rustboro

They go north to Rustboro City (Kendra is allowed out for most of it), and Kendra is increasingly nervous about it because that’s her hometown. Nella is also worried because Kippi hasn’t evolved yet. After two gyms and numerous other battles, she should be a Marshtomp. Things go bad for Kendra almost immediately when they run into ROXANNE. Not only is she the town’s gym leader, but they used to go to school together. While she’s impressed at Nella’s accomplishments, she’s less so with Kendra, especially when Nella explains some of their problems.

“Kendra never did apply herself, especially in PokeMon class,” Roxanne said, clutching her big, stupid geology book to her chest. She glanced at Kendra, a smirk on her face. She always looked sweet, but Kendra knew there was rudeness just beneath that unassuming surface. “If she had, she wouldn’t live in a PokeBall now.” 

“I applied myself just fine,” She said, but talking to a human other than Nella was useless.

Roxanne glanced at her, sizing her up from tail to whiskers, “Use your words, Kendra, I don’t speak Mudkip.”

Her eyes flashing red, Kendra readied her Water Gun. It had been far too long since she got to use it on a stuck up, entitled, bossy...

Nella saw the look in her ‘Mon’s eyes and jumped between them, shooting a warning glance at Kippi. “Do you have any tips for getting the most out of my PokeMon?”

“Just make sure she does what you need her to do, when you need her to do it. Kendra can be...absent minded sometimes.”

“Is this about that project we did in High School?!” Kendra shouted, “for the last time, I got the due dates mixed up!”

Roxanne listened and nodded as if she knew what Kendra said, “Such a talkative ‘Mon.” She remarked.

“Kippi thinks you’re doing this to get back at her for something in High School.”

“Of course not. I would just love to see her become the best little PokeMon she can be.” She left with a smirk, and Kendra nursing a bruised ego.

“You should have let me blast her.”

“Aww, she seemed nice,” Nella said, petting Kippi’s blue hair. “Besides, attacking a gym leader before an official match might disqualify us.”

Kendra glowered at her old classmate, still dressing for school after all these years. Which probably was better than what she wore. “We have to crush her,” Kendra said.

They train and strategize, Kendra throwing herself fully into the mode of being a PokeMon. Over lunch, Kendra tells her trainer all she remembered about Roxanne, about how she thought and acted in school. She’s certain that the gym leader will have a special surprise for her, and asks about type weaknesses. Nella listens to her ‘Mon and they prepare their own surprise.

On the way to a hotel for the night, Kendra meets another person she knew from before: her PokeMon scientist father, whom she didn’t know was in town. The reunion is bittersweet. He desperately wants to help Kendra, but can’t do much without stealing her PokeBall, and becoming a PokeThief himself. He’s willing to do it, but thinks there’s something to Nella's theory that both wishes have to be fulfilled before Kendra can be restored. Still, he begins to construct a machine to unPokefy her.

The next day is the day of the match with Roxanne. She’s a rock type trainer, so Nella should be able to sweep the whole gym herself. But Nella uses her other ‘Mons in the early battles, keeping her favorite fresh. They finally face off with Roxanne herself, and Kippi is ready. She defeats most of the roster with ease, until her former classmate brings out a Cradily, a fearsome prehistoric ‘Mon that should be able to defeat a Mudkip like Kippi with ease. But then, Nella commands her to use Icy Wind to freeze the enemy. With that, the last of Roxanne’s ‘Mons falls.

That should wipe that smug look off her face, Kendra thought, watching the fossil PokeMon collapse, glow, and retreat back to its ball. Roxanne stared for a moment at the battlefield. But the smirk came back, bigger than ever. She held her chin up and congratulated Nella.

“Your bond with your PokeMon is Rock Solid, and I award you the Stone Badge. You’ve shown a fantastic ability to strategize and plan ahead. And Kendra --I mean, Kippi-- I’m glad to see you finally applying yourself. You’re a natural PokeMon.”

"Thank you,” Nella beamed, but Kendra kept quiet, trying to stare down the gym leader. It wasn’t fair! Roxanne lost! Why was she all smiles and compliments now? A few years ago, she would have made some excuse and left in a huff. The worst part was, Kendra knew she meant them all. While she glowered, her trainer nudged Kendra. “Say thank you, Kippi.”

“Thank you,” the PokeMon said, though she wasn’t happy about it.

“The bond between trainer and PokeMon is a special one, and I’m glad you’re finally getting to know it. Even if you needed to become a Mudkip to experience it.” Roxanne’s smirk grew into a smile. “Being a tamed PokeMon suits you.”

How Kendra wanted to blast her, encase her in ice and just leave her, but she glanced out of the corner of her eye for her trainer's approval. Even with the badge in hand, Nella shook her head no, and the urge to fight went out of Kendra. Roxanne was all smiles because she would always win. If she won the match, she won. But if she lost, it just proved that Kendra made a fantastic PokeMon. It only took ten days, but she had been successfully tamed, her wild human self subordinate to her Mudkip instincts and Nella’s training.

Outside the gym, KendraMon finally admits that she needs Nella, and understands that she needs to listen to her. She won’t be able to be a good PokeMon without her, and won’t learn the lesson she needs to to be changed back. That’s when she finally evolves into Marshtomp.

With that thought clutching her mind, Kendra glowed, her whole body shimmering and changing before everyone’s eyes.

She had a hope that this was it, that she had done enough to satisfy the wish. But PokeMon evolved, and now, so did Kippi. Her head crest grew taller, blacker, and more leathery, and her tail split in two just the same. Webbing grew between Kippi’s fingers, and her skin turned turquoise blue. She felt stronger, faster, and could feel a deeper well of elemental water inside her.

“Marrrrrshtomp?” She said, croaking her “r.” She was terribly confused about all this. Why now? Why not after the battle, like happened with Nella’s other ‘Mons? But her trainer was elated, jumping and hugging Kippi.

“I knew you could evolve, now you’re an even better fighter than before!”

Five to Go

Kippi has trouble adjusting to her new evolution. Marshtomps are like teenagers and awkward in their own way. She often croaks when speaking, sometimes her skin gets slimy for no reason, and when she gets agitated even Nella can’t understand her. On the other hand, Kippi can understand other PokeMon. Their barks and chirps sound like real language, if simple. Pokeblocks, a type of candy for ‘Mons, taste good to her. Nella uses them to help train Kippi, using them like treats.

Kippi doesn’t disobey anymore. She can grouch and grump at Nella, as awkward middle stage PokeMon are wont to do, but always does as she’s told. They travel across Hoenn, collecting badges. Whether camping or in a hotel paid for by winnings, Nella has Kippi sleep in her PokeBall like all the rest, but she’s usually allowed out during the day.

When they get home to regale Ms. Leaf of PokeExploits, Kippi is allowed inside, unlike the others, but not allowed on the furniture. Nella’s mom is adamant that, for the time being (she’s always sure to point that out), Kippi is a PokeMon. She worries that a too-human thinking Kippi will let her daughter down, so it’s always best to keep her thinking like a PokeMon.

For Nella, troubling news also comes as Kippi’s father is making good progress on his De-Pokefier. He regularly checks in on Kippi, taking science-y readings. He notes that she's become more of a PokeMon since her evolution, and theorizes she shouldn’t evolve again. If she does, she could be stuck. Kippi likes talking with her father, even if he can’t understand her. Nella overhears some of this, and becomes afraid that she’ll lose Kippi. She can’t let that happen.

While Kippi  is, and admits to being, a PokeMon, she is standoffish with the others on Nella’s team. She doesn’t play with them often, and eats separately. She loves to hear stories about their lives before Nella, about growing up in the wild. But when Kippi tries to talk about her old life, they don’t seem to understand it. There’s still a difference in attitude and demeanor between her and other ‘Mons. For most of them, this is fine. But for Eggron the Aggron, it’s a problem.

Kippi washed her arms and face in the cool river water, resisting the temptation of diving all the way. Nella hadn’t liked that last time. “Wherrrre,” she Marshtomp croaked, “is this slime coming from, anyway?”

A shadow fell over her, cast by Eggron’s hulking black and steel body. “You are a PokeMon,” he said, his rumbly voice shaking her own.

She looked at him, more than a little confused, “I know.”

“Nella captured you,” he continued.

“I know. Eggron, what’s this about?”

“You should act more like PokeMon.”

“I fight for Nella, and I live in a PokeBall, just like you. What more do you want?” She put her hands on her hips, sizing up the behemoth. She remembered him when he could fit in the palm of her hand when Nella first captured him. And while he was huge, type effectiveness worked against the Aggron. Kippi knew how to make the earth quake.

“Eat with us,” he said, motioning with his whole arm to the others in a circle, all eating their food, but about a quarter of it left their bowls and landed in the dirt. Not that that stopped them from eating it.

Kippi grimaced. “You guys have the worst table manners.”

Eggron smiled in a way that should be impossible with a steel head, “PokeMon have no tables, need no manners.”

“I’ll eat how I like, thanks.” She tried to move past him, but Eggron pushed her back, almost stumbling Kippi into the stream.

“Hey!”

“Why don’t you evolve?” He asked. So this was the real reason he was here. “Nella wants you to evolve.”

“You know why.”

“So you can devolve,” he said. “PokeMon don’t want to devolve, become weaker, smaller.”

“Well, I do.”

“Then you are not real PokeMon. Not full member of team. Holding us back.” Eggron snarled, flicking his steely tail.

Kippi narrowed her eyes and put one hand on the ground, making it rumble. “You wanna go?”

“What’s going on over there?” Nella called from the campsite, her voice getting the attention of both her ‘Mons. “No fighting outside of training.”

“Sorry, Nella,” they both said sheepishly.

While camping one night, Kippi asks Nella why she thinks PokeMon are so amazing. Nella believes that if Kippi understands why PokeMon are great, the wish will be fulfilled and she’ll become human again. So Nella lies. The trainer tells her Marshtomp that PokeMon are so great because they’re so obedient and trainable. Kippi asks the other members of the team, but Eggron makes them all stay quiet.

“Must learn on own, cannot be told.”

Kippi doesn’t evolve when she should, no matter how many battles she wins, or Rare Candies she’s fed. It starts to grate at Nella, and as they continue to collect badges, she fears the day the machine is ready, or the day Kippi’s wish is fulfilled. She knows it’s coming sooner and sooner. At the same time, it's more difficult for Kippi to compete. Nella’s other PokeMon have surpassed her in strength because she isn’t evolving, so she’s fighting less.

After getting the eighth and final badge to qualify for the Elite Four, Nella and Kippi get word that the machine has been completed. Kippi is ecstatic, knowing her time as a PokeMon is coming to an end. That’s when she finds out Nella has been feeding her Rare Candies in an effort to get her to evolve. They get into an impassioned argument, the first in weeks, which ends with Nella declaring that Kippi has to evolve. But it’s not something Kippi can just do, and so is sent back to her PokeBall before the dangerous Victory Road.

“Wait, why do you want me to evolve?” Kippi asked. The answer truly eluded her. She was Nella’s, obviously, but she had been fighting with the assumption that she would become human again at the end of the tourney.

“Because you need to be stronger to face the Elite Four. I’ve been telling you that.”

“But I can’t be changed back if I evolve.”

“We don’t know that. Your dad could be wrong, you know.”

“Do you think he is?”

“Yes,” Nella said firmly, but she glanced away as she did so. There was a slight shift in her stance, and Kippi caught it.

“Don’t lie to me,” Kippi said, forcing her trainer to meet her eyes. “I know when people lie.”

“What do you know, you’re just a stupid PokeMon.”

“I’m a smart PokeMon, and you know it,” Kippi said, but hearing her trainer say it stung her. She had gotten used to the way Nella admired and looked up to her. And, she had gotten used to the thrill of fighting for the trainer. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for the kid at this point. But she wasn’t going to give up her hope, her chance, of being human again.

“Whatever you are, you’re mine, and I’m not letting you go,” Nella said with a bit of venom in her voice and unhinged glint in her eyes.

“Your mom already said I should be turned back,” Kippi said, feeling a bit like a child again. Sometimes that happened when talking with Nella, who had this annoying habit of being a brat, and making Kippi play the role of the goody-two-Mon.

“She also said I own you, and you have to do whatever I say, so evolve!” She commanded. But it didn’t work like that, they both knew it, and still Kippi felt defiant, crossing her arms and standing over her trainer.

“No,” she said simply. It had been a long time since she disobeyed a command. It used to be that she felt guilt or remorse for it, but not this time. Nella was crossing a line now, one that Kippi felt perfectly justified in defending. “I’m your PokeMon and I’ll fight for you, but I will not evolve.”

“Then go back to your PokeBall!”

There wasn’t any shouting, Kippi just rolled her eyes as she turned into light and swirled back into her home, wondering when Nella would come to her senses.

The Victory Road

Things go badly on Victory Road. Meant to challenge trainers, the Road is through a dark and treacherous cave filled with powerful PokeMon. Kippi isn’t released from her PokeBall for days, and she knows this isn’t normal. She wants to help her trainer, defend her, get her safely to the Elite Four. But Nella never lets her out, and so she can’t explain herself.

The team, except for Kippi, is worn down, low on health, or has fainted. While struggling to get out, Nella is ambushed. But her attacker uses his PokeMon to shove Nella into a pit. She loses her bag and PokeBalls in the fight. And Kippi’s PokeBall is taken by the scientist who tried to steal Kippi once before.

He takes her out to gloat. He’d been trailing the team for weeks. He tells Kippi that he found her ball abandoned on the road. He swears he doesn’t know what happened to Nella. Of course, Kippi doesn’t believe him, and she won’t fight for someone “who steals a kid’s PokeMon.” He laughs at how much she’s accepted her fate, but admits he had a back up plan. He puts a subduing collar on Kippi. It weakens her strength, but makes her obedient to whoever holds her PokeBall.

She fights for her new trainer, helping him get out of the Victory Road, hating herself with each step she’s forced to take from her real trainer, the trainer she respects, and loves. But with each fight, each command, Kippi feels herself become accustomed to this new trainer. She knows she is a PokeMon, and a well trained and tamed one, at that. It’s only a matter of time before he doesn’t need the collar.

Just before they leave, they’re challenged by a PKMN trainer. Roxanne. She recognizes Kippi, but doesn’t say so. The fight begins, and Kippi knows what PokeMon she has, and what she can do. But since her trainer doesn’t ask, she doesn’t warn him. So it comes as a complete surprise when Roxanne uses a Cradily to KO Kippi, and the rest of the scientist’s team. He tries to flee, but Roxanne won’t let him go until he hands Kippi’s PokeBall over. The gym leader revives Kippi and breaks the obedience collar, and together, they go back to find Nella. When they do, they all rest and recuperate in the cavern.

Kippi sat next to Nella, guarding her, watching every nook and cranny for possible attackers. She hadn’t been there earlier, she wouldn’t let that happen again. It wasn’t necessary. The team was healed up, Nella was an eight badge trainer, and a Gym leader sat across from them. No one short of the Champion stood a chance. Still, Kippi guarded her trainer.

“Do you know why Kippi isn’t evolving?” Nella asked Roxanne. “She’s strong enough. She just...won’t.”

Roxanne thought for a long time, and everything but the crackling fire melted away. “I’ve talked to Kendra’s dad, I’ve even helped some with his DePokefier, so I think I have some idea what this is about.” Kippi’s eyebrows shot up, and Roxanne smirked. “Kippi doesn’t want to evolve, so she can become human again. And you want her to evolve. The question is, why?” 

“What do you mean why? I caught her, she’s mine, and I want to keep her.”

Kippi stayed quiet, not reacting, but watching. There was something on the tip of Nella’s tongue. Something she didn’t want to say.

“No PokeMon belongs to their trainer. We’re partners and collaborators in this crazy and amazing world.”

“If she was your PokeMon, you wouldn’t just let her become human.”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t just let her. I would help her.”

Nella sputtered. “But you said you like her as a PokeMon.”

Roxanne laughed, her eyes glinting, as she grinned at Kippi. “Oh, I do. But if she wanted to be human, I would help her. Nella, great trainers know what their PokeMon wants, and will help them get it. You know what Kippi wants, so why won’t you help her get it?”

Nella looked at her PokeMon, eye to eye, for the first time in days. Kippi saw that her trainer had an answer, she just couldn’t get herself to say it. And her fate hung in that silence.

Elite Four

Coming Soon...

Conclusion

Coming Soon...