The town was busy, like every other morning. Cars zoomed by, their honking horns cutting through the air as people rushed to work or school. The sun had barely come up, and the sky was still a soft pink, but the noise from the streets filled the air. It was like a constant hum, like the world was already awake, but Zearon wasn't ready to be part of it just yet.

He was still sleeping soundly in his bed, the blankets wrapped tightly around him. The cool air from the open window brushed his face, but he was so deep in sleep that he barely noticed. For once, he wasn't thinking about school or the usual teasing. In his dreams, he could escape from everything. He wasn't the quiet, skinny kid with glasses. He wasn't the kid that everyone picked on.

"Zearon! Get up! You're gonna be late for school!" his mom's voice cut through the peaceful silence, making him groan.

Zearon buried his face deeper into his pillow, trying to block out the noise. "Five more minutes, Mom…" he mumbled.

"No more five minutes! You have to get up!" she called back, and Zearon could hear her footsteps as she walked toward his room.

Reluctantly, Zearon rolled over and sat up in bed. The warm covers were tempting, but there was no way out of it. He knew his mom wouldn't let him sleep through the whole morning. With a groan, he rubbed his eyes and slowly got out of bed.

His mom came into the room, a bright smile on her face. "Happy birthday, Zearon!" she said cheerfully, handing him a packed lunch and his school bag.

"Yeah, yeah, happy birthday to me," Zearon muttered, not feeling the excitement his mom was trying to share with him. Birthdays were just another day, anyway. He couldn't even remember the last time his birthday had been something to look forward to.

He grabbed the lunch from his mom and slung his bag over his shoulder. "I'll be ready in a minute," he said, already feeling the weight of another day at school pressing down on him.

As he went downstairs to grab a quick breakfast, he could hear his mom making a fuss in the kitchen. She was always the one to make sure everything was perfect, no matter how small the occasion. Zearon didn't mind it, but sometimes, it felt like all the energy she had only made him feel even more tired.

His dad was already sitting at the table, sipping coffee. "Happy birthday, son," he said with a warm smile.

Zearon forced a smile back. "Thanks, Dad." It wasn't like he was trying to be rude, but birthdays had stopped meaning much to him a long time ago.

He finished his breakfast in silence, grabbed his things, and headed out the door. The cool breeze outside hit him, and for a moment, he felt like he could breathe a little easier. But that feeling didn't last. The walk to school was just as long as always, and as usual, Zearon's mind kept returning to the same thought: how much he hated school.

When he arrived at the gates of his school, he was already starting to feel the anxiety creeping up. The same kids were gathered around, whispering, laughing. They had to be talking about him. The same group of bullies, led by Kyle, was waiting by the entrance. Kyle, with his smirk and his mean laugh, always seemed to find a way to make Zearon's life miserable.

As Zearon tried to make his way past them, Kyle saw him and walked up, blocking his path.

"Hey, loser!" Kyle called out, his voice loud and taunting. "You still haven't figured out how to fit in? You're a joke, man."

Before Zearon could respond, Kyle shoved him hard, sending him crashing to the ground. The rough concrete scraped his palms as he tried to catch himself. Laughter erupted from the group of kids behind Kyle. Zearon's cheeks burned with embarrassment, and he quickly tried to get up, ignoring the sting of his scraped knees.

"Are you okay, freak?" Kyle asked, his voice dripping with mock concern. "You gonna cry or just lay there like a baby?"

Zearon gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the sting in his chest. "Just leave me alone, Kyle," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet.

Kyle and his friends just laughed harder, and Zearon felt the weight of their laughter pressing down on him. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. The rest of the day passed in a blur. His classmates made fun of him when they thought he wasn't paying attention, and the teachers barely noticed when he zoned out in class. Zearon couldn't help but feel like he was invisible most of the time, and the moments when people did notice him were never good ones.

Finally, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Zearon quickly gathered his things and left, eager to get away from the school as fast as possible.

When he got home, his mom and dad were waiting for him. "Happy birthday, son!" they said in unison. Their faces were full of warmth, but Zearon couldn't help but feel the distance between them. He knew they tried, but they didn't really understand what he was going through.

"Thanks," he replied, not really feeling the excitement. But at least they had promised to take him to his favorite restaurant. Maybe it would be a nice break from everything.

"We're going to that new place you wanted to try tonight," his dad said with a smile. "It'll be fun!"

Zearon smiled faintly, appreciating their effort. It wasn't much, but it was something.

The drive to the restaurant felt long, but in a way, it was nice to just be with his parents, even if it wasn't the perfect celebration. Zearon stared out the window, watching the world go by.

Suddenly, a loud screeching noise filled the air. Zearon's heart stopped as the car swerved, and before he could even scream, there was a deafening crash.

Everything went dark.

---

Zearon awoke in a strange place, his body feeling... different. He blinked, trying to focus, but everything was blurry. There was no sign of his parents, no sign of the car, nothing familiar.

"Welcome, Lumikit," a voice echoed in his mind, cool and calm.

Zearon looked down at himself, panic setting in as he realized he wasn't human anymore. His arms were small and furry, covered in soft, light blue fur. His body felt light and small. "What happened? Where am I?!" Zearon shouted, his voice sounding high-pitched and squeaky.

"This is your new life," the voice explained. "You've been reincarnated into a new world. You're a Lumikit now."

"A Lumikit? What is that? What am I supposed to do?" Zearon asked, completely confused.

"A Lumikit is a creature with the ability to shapeshift into anything you devour," the voice continued. "You can gain the powers of whatever you eat. It's your new gift!"

"Shapeshift?" Zearon echoed. He looked around, seeing nothing but trees and strange plants. "I don't even know how to eat anything... What do I do now?"

"You can start by exploring!" the voice encouraged. "Go ahead, eat something, and see for yourself!"

Zearon blinked at the voice, still in shock. "Are you serious? You want me to just eat something random?" he asked, his voice shaking.

The voice chuckled. "Trust me, it's fun. You'll love it."

Zearon hesitated for a moment. Then, with a deep breath, he decided to take a step forward. "Well, here goes nothing," he muttered. Maybe this world would be different. Maybe it would be better than his old one. Only time would tell.