Polysoul: The Ups And Downs Of Sharing A Body

Chapter 3: Doduo: Little Brother

"Brother! Wake up, brother!"

Left groans, burying his face deeper into their back plumage and farther from his brother's prodding beak. Right isn't emitting danger/run or danger/fight, he can afford to ignore him.

"Do you feel that, brother?" Right asks, prodding harder.

"Feel wha– oh." Left lifts his head, eyes wide at the new  energy pulsing deep inside them, a warmth pumping through their heart and slowly filling their veins.

"What does it mean?" Right asks, tucking his head under his brother's for comfort.

"It's time." Left answers, nuzzling his brother. "It's... It's Time."

"I can't believe it." Right whispers, twisting his head to watch the sun rise over the grassy plain they call home. "Are you ready, brother?"

"As I ever can be." Left answers, feeling the warmth grow until it fills every part of their body. "You?"

"I suppose." Right answers, stretching his neck away on instinct.

The warmth becomes a burn, not quite unpleasant, pushing at their skin from the inside out. It leaks out as a glow that twists around them, outlining every feather and dancing around their eyes.

"Doduo!" Twin voices chirp, ringing through the air, startling nearby Rodent Pokémon as their body twists and grows.

Evolution is a taxing process, both physically and mentally. Left pants, head near the ground, mentally tracing the changes. They're bigger, with a higher center of gravity, setting him a bit off-balance.

He flexes a claw. Bigger and stronger, but basically the same. The feathers between their torso and legs feel different, flat and small. There are other new feathers, flopping from his head and making him sneeze, trailing from–

They have a tail! Oh, that's cool. He twitches it back and forth a few times, trying to get a feel for it. It will definitely take some getting used to.

All-in-all, it isn't too much. Plenty is still the same. Two legs, tiny wings, roundish body and heads, long necks, sharp beaks, the comforting presence of his brother's mind.

He reaches out to that familiar presence, lifting his head and opening his beak (sharper, longer, thinner) to call out to Right, but pauses at what he sees.

"Left?" The almost-familiar head asks, triangular eyes wide.

"Right?" Left asks back, nodding and getting a nod in return. They both stretch upward, studying each other. Before either can say anything more, something rises into their vision between them, identical eyes snapping open.

"Brothers?" Okay, so maybe the changes are bigger than he thought.