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To put it simply, a Pokemorph is a half human, half Pokemon hybrid, or an anthropomorphic Pokemon. If that didn't make sense, picture, if you will, a werewolf. Not the fuzzy wolf-man of old B movies, but rather, an actual werewolf of legends, with the general body of a man, but with the features of a wolf; long muzzle, sharp teeth, wolf-like face, fur, tail, claws, paws, etc. Now, rather than a wolf, picture a Pokemon. A Pikachu-morph, for example, would have the general shape of a human, though covered in yellow fur, with stripes across its back, as well as a Pikachu's facial features, including red electric cheek-sacs, as well as long Pikachu ears, a lightning-bolt shaped tail, and paw-like feet, among other features. However, unlike werewolves, Pokemorphs remain in the same body all the time, and, for the most part, aren't feral. Notably, some Pokemorphs have human-like hair, most commonly on mammalian Pokemorphs, but occasionally on reptilian 'morphs, as well. Pokemorphs are much more resilient and powerful than humans, while infinitely more versatile than the Pokemon that they once were. Team Rocket trained all Pokemorphs in various combat techniques and styles, and most Pokemorphs were trained in additional abilities, such as reconnaissance, espionage, hacking, demolitions, etc.
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Early in the twenty-first century, Team Rocket's science division began Project Armageddon. In short, the project involved infusing human DNA into captured and stolen Pokemon, thus turning them from average Pokemon into Pokemorphs, living weapons, and the perfect agents. The process itself was a painful metamorphosis, taking well over ten days to complete. Eventually, the Pokemorphs were able to rise up against their captors, and the majority escaped. Most of the escaped Pokemorphs ultimately fled to Pokemorph Island.
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All Pokemorphs can easily fit into one of three categories: First Generation, Second Generation, or Freeborn. First Generation Pokemorphs were created from existing Pokemon before the War. These Pokemorphs were kept in high-security island camps, and trained through starvation, beatings, and savage battle experience. The majority of free Pokemorphs are First Generation, having escaped during or after the War, and Team Rocket only retains possession of a small fraction of these morphs. First Gens tend to be rather dour and humorless, trying to get over the months, or more likely, years of torturous existence, and the subsequent violence and bloodshed of the War. First Gens also are generally more powerful and experienced than other morphs, given they had to adapt to survive in the Pokemorph camps.
Second Generation Pokemorphs were created by Team Rocket after the War and subsequent revision in the Pokemorphic procedure. While still trained hard and treated poorly, Sec Gens were not subjected to nearly the level of harshness that First Gens were. Sec Gens were generally treated as low-level Rocket agents upon completion of basic combat and speech training. Many Sec Gens escaped while out on duty, and separated from the rest of their team. However, most Sec Gens are still with Team Rocket. Free Sec Gens tend to be more youthful and hopeful than First Gens. While their previous lives as Pokemon had still been stolen from them, their new existence, while trying, was not the nightmarish torture of the First Gens. Second Gens are not as experienced or powerful as First Gens, but tend to be more resourceful and innovative in their thinking. Freeborn Pokemorphs were never Pokemon, actually born from two living Pokemorphs.
Freebirths have the most variety of the classifications of Pokemorph, some born in the First Gen camps, and treated as First Gen Pokemorphs upon maturity. However, as this was the only existence those Freebirths knew, it was not as mentally destructive as it was to the First Gens themselves, none of which knew such a nightmarish existence before becoming Pokemorphs. Freebirths born to Rocket-loyal Sec Gens, or First Gens still with the Team after the war, make the most loyal Pokemorph agents, though, as of 2028, none of those Freebirths had met full maturity, and thusly were not as useful as mature morphs. Finally, there are the Freeborn children of the free Pokemorphs, perhaps with the brightest outlook on life, and never haven lived in a life of servitude. However, without the harsh training of Team Rocket, and, with their sheer youth, Freebirths born on Pokemorph Island make some of the least powerful fighters. However, the great potential of these Pokemorphs could be directed into pursuits other than fighting.
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Although the Pokemorph Camps have been completely demolished, they are very important in the memories of First Generation Pokemorphs and the earliest of the Freebirths. The Pokemorph Camps were constructed on a cluster of islands, the largest, central island roughly the size of a small city. Save for the difference in sizes, and the specific Pokemorphs held, there were no major differences between the seven islands. The center of each island was dominated by a large central training facility, including the barracks for human Rockets. Immediately surrounding that facility, six additional facilities were constructed, each one between the main building and a section of Pokemorph huts. The huts that housed the Pokemorphs were small, only covering 100 square feet of area, and divided into six sections. The organization of the Pokemorphs into the sections was under constant revision, and Pokemorphs were constantly moved from hut to hut, and even island to island.
Training of First Gen Pokemorphs was brutal and inhumane. The first thing all Pokemorphs were taught was how to speak properly, generally by simply whipping or beating the morph until they forced themselves to speak coherently. After that, each Pokemorph was trained differently, to suit the specializations Rocket chose for them, be it simply combat, assassination, espionage, hacking, demolitions, or whatever else, constantly under the threat of brutal punishment for failure. All Pokemorphs were given some degree of combat training, which consisted mostly of life or death battles with agents or other Pokemorphs, along with occasional beatings labeled as training for endurance. Even the least combative of First Gen Pokemorphs was forced to the level of prowess to easily defeat several combat specialist humans simultaneously. Pokemorphs were fed a foul-tasting, but hearty concoction much like gruel once per day, and sleep was restricted to five hours a night, and then only when the particular Pokemorph didn't have training that night. Most now-freed First Gen Pokemorphs are loathe to talk of the Pokemorph Camps, but few can go a day without remembering them.
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"They say Pokemorph Island is like the Promised Land for Pokemorphs. Very few 'morphs want to stay on the mainland when there's a place like that out there. From what I hear, everyone on the Island is a Pokemorph. There are no humans to try to kill or capture us. And, unlike this village, it's a real city... like the ones humans live in." Said by an escaped Sec Gen morph, this is probably a bit of an overstatement, but it remains a fairly accurate summary of what was once known as Prism Island. Pokemorph Island, far north of Indigo, is the new home for Pokemorphs. The temperate island is larger than Cinnabar, and the southeast corner is covered by the large buildings, in which Pokemorphs now live and work, the city of Pokemorphs. The remainder of the island is forested, save for the large extinct volcano just northwest of the island's center, which gave birth to Prism Island.
The beach just south of town is a beautiful beach of white sands, giving way to a rocky coast further west, home of the clean power plant, and turning to majestic cliffs northward, on the east side of the island, with the Seaview estate adorning the highest cliff, overlooking the ocean, with trails leading back down to the warm sands below. The city itself is not unlike a human settlement, with buildings of all sizes serving as homes and workplaces for the Pokemorphs. Generally, the northeast serves as the industrial section of town, notable for its harbor, and also the location of both stadium and arena. The west side of the city is the major residential area, with a few special sections to suit specific Pokemorphs' needs. Southeast is the scenic part of town, sparsely constructed, but home of both Seaview, and the boardwalk, along with the frequently visited beach. The central portion of the city houses the major commerce, only a short walk or drive from any part of town. Notably, Pokemorph Hospital sits centered on the north end of the city.
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Pokemorphs are beings of amazing powers. In battle, the elemental blasts and techniques make Pokemorphs an incredible sight to see. However, most Pokemorphs don't wish to fight any more. That doesn't stop Pokemorphs from using their powers every day, though. Fire types can light candles and fireplaces with a quick breath. Water types can wash their houses or vehicles without hoses or buckets. Electric types can power small appliances without an outlet or batteries. Flying types can, well, fly. However, even without the prejudices of humans that Pokemorphs must face on the mainland, life as a Pokemorph is no cakewalk. Many Pokemorphs have tails, for instance, which can get caught in doors or stepped on. Pokemon with thicker tails might have trouble even sitting in chairs with solid backs. A Sandslash or Nidoking might have trouble even wearing a shirt, or sitting on anything but a stool with their spikes. Snake Pokemorphs don't have legs, and can easily get chilled moving across icy streets. Fire types' clothing is generally heavy and somewhat uncomfortable to avoid combusting. In short, like all things, Pokemorphic life has its high and low points. The Pokemorphs just have to learn to adapt.
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While Pokemorphs are much more resilient than humans or Pokemon, they are far from invincible, especially when faced with attacks of opposing elements. Pokemorphs recover from serious injury faster than humans as well, but, unlike Pokemon, no technology exists to allow instantaneous or overnight healing of injuries. Potions and the like can be used on Pokemorphs, but the effects are much slower and less dramatic than when used on an actual Pokemon. Thus, Potions are generally used as on-site first aid rather than the cure-all for injuries that it is for Pokemon. Actual treatment of injuries takes place much the same way it does for humans; mostly disinfecting, tending, and then allowing for natural healing. Potions may be used as supplementary treatments, as well, but generally only in severe cases. A Pokemorph that dies or is killed cannot be brought back to life through even the most advanced technology in the world. Just as it is for humans and Pokemon, dying is both inevitable and irreversible for Pokemorphs. However, in rare cases, a Pokemorph's spirit may not leave the world of the living, and instead continue to exist as either Gastly-morphs or Misdreavus-morphs, as Pokemon occasionally remain as Gastlies or Misdreavus.
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While Pokemorph Island is a far cry from uncivilized, the sheer isolation of it has left the Pokemorphs a good deal behind the majority of Indigo Island, despite thriving import lines. Computers exist, but are several generations less powerful than those on the mainland, and not many morphs have them for personal use. Automobiles and motorcycles travel the roads, though hover technology has not yet reached Pokemorph Island. However, given the generally active lifestyle of Pokemorphs, and the lack of distant destinations one could reach by land, only about one in four Pokemorphs owns a motor vehicle, most travelling by foot or wing, while others travel by bicycle, skateboard, or other manually propelled means of transportation. All in all, the technology of Pokemorph Island is reminiscent of the late twentieth century rather than early twenty-first.
Electronics still exist in many items, such as calculators, watches, pagers, phones, and just about anything else that could obviously benefit from added technology. As opposed to the lack of state-of-the-art technology, weaponry on Pokemorph Island is much more common than on the mainland, and, for the most part, unrestricted. After all, what justification would there be to disallow a Rattata-morph to carry a large knife for defense, when a Sandslash-morph's claws can do just as much, if not more, damage? How could there be a law banning the carrying of the swords some Pokemorphs were trained with, when Scyther-morphs have such deadly blades growing from the backs of their hands? In short, most traditional non-projectile weapons go unrestricted, as many morphs are just as lethal without them. However, firearms, such as handguns, rifles, shotguns, assault rifles, and basically anything else that fires bullets, are illegal to possess on Pokemorph island. Though it could be argued that Pokemorph powers are even more dangerous than guns, the devastating effects of guns, and the natural ability of Pokemorphs to defend themselves without a firearm, have caused the government of Pokemorph Island to ban them completely.
Perhaps more notable than firearms, however, is the ban of capture balls; Pokeballs, Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Master Balls, and any other ball designed to hold a Pokemon. Although capture balls are unable to hold Pokemorphs, they can be the single most harmful weapon to a 'morph. If a Pokemorph is hit by a Pokeball, the ball will indeed activate, reacting to the Pokemon DNA, but will be unable to successfully complete the matter to energy conversion. Visually, a bystander would see the Pokemorph turn red and semi-transparent, as the Pokemorph becomes stuck between pure matter and pure energy. Needless to say, the experience is incredibly painful and completely paralyzing.
Fortunately, however, a standard Pokeball will short out after 8.3 seconds, which destroys the Pokeball, and returns the Pokemorph to his normal state, though more than likely stunned and aching. A Great Ball would put considerable force on the Pokemorph as well, and not short out for 14.6 seconds. Not only is a Pokemorph converted between matter and energy, but the process of being absorbed begins before the ball shorts out. The process of having one's matter compressed often leaves a Pokemorph hospitalized and/or slightly disfigured. Ultra Balls take 21.8 seconds before shorting out, and exert enough force to seriously disfigure or kill a Pokemorph. A Master Ball, the most powerful and rare of the capture balls, is designed with internal mechanisms that prevent the ball from shorting. The result on a Pokemorph is, without exception, lethal, tearing the Pokemorph apart at the molecular level, and reducing them to their base elements, mostly Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon.
However, since some Pokemorphs have become somewhat attached to the Pokeball that held them as Pokemon, Pokemorphs have the option of having their capture balls professionally deactivated. A deactivated ball can no longer perform any function of a Pokeball, and is easily distinguished by the pure black color of the front lens. Additionally, non-functioning replicas, so long as they are not perfectly accurate, are not only permitted, but rather a popular design on necklaces, keychains, and other paraphanalia.
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Pokemorphs' interests in entertainment are as varied as those of humans. Just about everything humans do for fun, save for training Pokemon, is enjoyed by Pokemorphs, as well. Twin broadcasting stations both receive and rebroadcast transmissions from Indigo Island, as well as transmit Pokemorph programming to Pokemorph Island. Pokemorph Island also sports an all-purpose outdoor sports stadium, as well as an indoor arena. Boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, and other combative sports are replaced with a single sport. The Pokemorph Fighting League, or PFL, is open to all Pokemorphs, and is highly regulated for the safety of the Participants. Much like boxing, if a Pokemorph goes down for ten counts, he loses the match. Claws, blades, and other spikes are capped, teeth are covered with mouthguards, and the power of elemental attacks is limited. The PFL holds frequent tournaments, often with elemental themes or other restrictions, with the final matches televised, and the winner going home with the trophy, the prize money, and the knowledge that he is truly the best.
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Pokemorphs, much like the humans and Pokemon they were created from, have emotions, and can fall in love. However, unlike humans or Pokemon, Pokemorphs have little in the way of formal, accepted mating rituals such as humans' marriages or some Pokemon's competitions. The result is that dealing with personal relationships differs from Pokemorph to Pokemorph. Some feel the need for a formal commitment, and arrange for something similar to a wedding, though most Pokemorph relationships are more casual, and understood by the pair. While only certain Pokemon can produce offspring with each other, all organic Pokemorphs are physically compatible, though most Pokemorphs find their own kind most attractive. Children of differing species are generally of the female's species, though a small fraction is of the male's species. The child will often carry small traits of the other parent's species, mostly manifesting as instinctual abilities, but occasionally coloration may differ. Humans and Pokemorphs cannot produce offspring together, but that is just as well, as the two species rarely get along well enough to form friendships, much less a deep meaningful relationship.
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Humans speak the language of Humans. Pokemon speak the language of Pokemon. Pokemorphs speak both. Though many Pokemon can understand humans, and some humans can understand a few Pokemon, Pokemorphs have the definite advantage, as far as languages go. Communication on Pokemorph Island is done mostly in the language of humans, as most First Gens were conditioned to speak in that language almost exclusively. Additionally, there is no written counterpart to the Pokemon language, so the human written language is necessary in that case. However, many Sec Gens and Freebirths prefer the spoken language of Pokemon, so there are many conversations in that language as well, though it is rarely used in a formal speech.
Humans on Pokemorph Island have little trouble communicating, with their language as the primary one used, though only highly experienced Pokemon Trainers, of which there are none permanently residing on Pokemorph Island, would be able to understand conversations spoken in Pokemon. Pokemorphs often use this fact to their advantage when wishing to speak without the overhearing ear of a nearby human. Dialects differ from Pokemorph to Pokemorph as well, often influenced by the way their masters spoke when they were Pokemon.
However, there are also several terms used by Pokemorphs that are mostly unique to the island, as listed in the glossary here. Notably, unlike in many cultures, to call someone by their species or element before knowing their name is not considered at all rude, and is a rather common practice. For example, someone meeting Fault for the first time might call him 'Sandslash' or 'Grounder' until Fault introduced himself, and Pokemorphs often call humans simply 'Human'. However, once a name is given, calling a Pokemorph by species or element may be considered an insult. Of course, as in human culture, peers often insult each other playfully, and differing species of Pokemorphs often play on each others' species in that manner.
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