Ilex Legend 1: The Forest
This is a bit of a first attempt, one of the buds of inspiration I had that I feel like I could expand on. It's certainly the first story I've ever posted online like this, and as such any constructive advice or comments would be really nice. Even if it's only to tell me you like it, I'd certainly appreciate it. :3
That said, let's get to the story!
In the town of Azalea, there is a certain legend about a kind and playful spirit that protects the nearby Ilex Forest and all who enter it. There is an altar built to honor this mysterious spirit in the center of these woods. Few ever view this being, and most do not know what it looks like. The only thing most people know is a name, passed down through the generations: Celebi. It is in these very woods that, slumped in the shade of a tall tree, a story is beginning.
Felix was lost. He'd been lost for nearly 20 minutes, and was just reaching the point where panic was beginning to set in. Raking a hand through his shaggy, rust-brown hair, he tried to find a path he knew would not be there. Ilex Forest had no paths, rather having natural routes in-between the thick foliage. At the same time, he attempted not to draw attention from nearby pokémon.
The 15-year-old, living in quiet Azalea and not being as independent a 10-year-old as many of his friends who rushed off to become trainers at that young age, had been bored. Small towns just didn't have anything to do! At the very least, nothing that didn't involve pokémon. It would have been different if he had a pokémon of his own, but he didn't. That was his sister, Linda, who had already collected the 8 badges of the region and settled down up north in Mahogany Town. He was always the younger brother. He'd spent the last few years taking care of the pokémon his sister dropped off at home... but even so, he didn't have even one.
"Mom, I'm bored!" he had said, idly kicking his feet at the breakfast table. "Think I could walk to Goldenrod for the weekend? Please?"
His mom hmmed to herself, tapping her chin. "And just what will you do if you're attacked by some big feral pokémon, hmm? You'll have to take Bete with you, Felix."
Felix had groaned to himself. Bete was the name of his sister's Houndoom, who had been staying at the house the past few weeks. She was strongly loyal to Linda, and very obedient... but barely spared Felix a second thought. The only time she deigned to notice him was when he brought her food bowl. It was to be expected, he guessed. Not like he had any badges.
"You know she won't listen to me, mom. I'll just take some repels with me, and I'll be fine, I promise."
His mom gave him a steady look, then sighed and relented. "Oh, alright. But be careful and call as soon as you get there."
He was beginning to regret not bringing Bete along. His blind wanderings in the past 20 minutes had already exhausted all the pokémon repellent he had thought to bring along. He couldn't think what to do. If he moved around too much, he would be attacked for sure; his parents had drummed the importance of not wandering around in the wild without protection into his head for years. He could see the altar nearby, and knew that placed him in about the center of the forest... but which way should he go? He wasn't sure, and the tall canopy of trees overhead prevented him from using the sun as a guide. Why couldn't he have just stayed home?
He heard a rustling from a nearby tree and froze, trying not to attract its attention. The only thing he could think to do was stay there and hope the man who made the charcoal in town came by. The man entered the forest regularly, but it could be hours until his next visit. Felix's imagination stretched the wait out to days... days he would be alone in the forest, filled with wild pokémon, with food and water running out. He gulped and looked around, trying to think of another plan.
The altar?
The legends said the pokémon it honored could protect travelers. If there was even a shred of truth to the legend... Felix shakily got to his feet and tiptoed to face the wooden altar. It was old and wooden, with plants grown heavily around it and vines crawling up the sides. Kneeling in front of it, he closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and silently called out. Called out to the being called Celebi, whatever it was. Called out for help.
A sparkle flickered at the back of his mind, like gentle hands tickling the edges of his consciousness.
Felix...
He felt a haze over his mind and tried to think clearly.
You are Felix...?
"Yes," he muttered, slowly peeking his eyes open.
Large blue eyes rimmed in black peered back into them, only an inch from his face.
"Hello Felix!" the voice spoke again. Suddenly he realized that he could only hear the voice in his head, and that it had a distinctly feminine ring to it, like the sound of a glass chime. It sounded... amused.
"Wh..." Felix fumbled mentally for a moment, before coming to a startled conclusion. "C-Celebi...?" He stared at the small green form floating in front of him as it swirled around him playfully.
"Yes!" the voice chimed in his head, along with a light tinkling that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.
Felix was dumbstruck. It had worked? He gathered his thoughts and began to speak, but suddenly felt a gentle mental caress blocking him from speaking.
"I know why you called, Felix. It's okay."
Felix stared into the little sprite's impish grin for a few seconds. "Y-You mean... you're real? Um, sorry that came out wrong, what I meant to say is..."
He was cut short by a chimelike giggle. "Of course I'm real, Felix! This isn't the first time I've met you, either. Or it won't have been! You're special. You have something very rare in humans! Or, you will... after this."
Felix's head swam. "Wha- wait, slow down. What do you mean, 'won't have been'? And 'special'? Just what's going on?"
Another giggle ran through his head, and he was startled by Celebi's hands brushing along his cheeks. "Don't worry about it right now. For now I'll send you back to safety... just close your eyes." Felix felt a gossamer mental touch on his mind, soothing him, and he slowly closed his eyes. His head swam in a semiconscious state, soothed by images of the forest; a feeling of... connection. Somewhere at the edge of his mind he felt a tiny, surprisingly warm pair of lips against his for a fleeting second. "I'll see you in the future, Felix..." He had no time to think about this as he faded into unconsciousness.
A few hours later, he awoke. Looking around, he saw he was in his own room, tucked into his own bed; something so familiar, it took him a minute or two just to realize how strange it was. "The forest, and Celebi... what just happened to me?" He shook his head. "Maybe I imagined it, but... no, it felt too real. I couldn't have imagined wandering lost in the forest for hours." Rubbing his legs, he winced. "Or these bramble scratches." He sighed and settled back into bed. "I just don't know what to make of this."
Scratch, scratch, scratch--Felix suddenly heard a light, insistent scratching at his door.
To Be Continued