Post by DrAwsm on Jun 26, 2011 16:59:57 GMT
*The following was written by Ryuksapple.*
Apple's Origin
“There's a pretty simple explanation...well..okay, maybe not that simple....actually, I guess it's sort of complicated...” I babble as the shopkeeper looks down at me. He mutters something under his breath before snatching the stolen bag of potatoes that I was barely even able to move. He walks away. My Cubone looks up at me. That gaze. That hungry gaze that tells me that he's not upset that he can't eat tonight. That hungry gaze breaks my heart. As much as I hate to avoid eye contact with him, I look away. There's a long silence before we start walking back to the Ilex Forest.
We've been on our own for almost a year now, Spectre and myself. That's my Cubone, Spectre. I never understood the name, really. When my mom was alive, her friends would always make jokes about him being a ghost. They never explained the jokes to me, but I guess he liked the attention so the name stuck. I don't mind. It's a way for us to cling to the old days. The days before we had to live in the forest outside of town.
“I guess we'll try again tomorrow.,” I reassure Spectre as we make our way to the lean-to that we sleep under. It's weird. We've never had to resort to stealing food before. The Ilex Forest had always provided for us. Even during the winter, we were able to scrounge up enough food to stay alive. I remember when we had just started living on our own and didn't know how to find food. Everyday, there would be small basket of apples at the Shrine of the Forest Guardian. It wasn't uncommon for people to leave offerings there, but these apples weren't indigenous to the Ilex Forest. That's how I got the name Apple. I used to be called Ryu, but I gave that up when we came to the forest.
Spectre and I jump to our feet as we hear the sound of footsteps. It was rare that anybody would enter the forest at this time of night. Spectre grabs his brittle club and holds it vertically in the air. I'm slowly able to make out the shadowy figures as they approach. There are three of them. They aren't fighting, but it seems like one of them is struggling against the other two, trying to escape. I don't know who these people are, but they can't be any good if they're bringing a captive through the Ilex Forest after nightfall. I look at Spectre and give my permission with a hesitant nod.
He spins around repeatedly to build up momentum before finally sending the club flying through the air. It hits the arm of the person holding the captive, causing him to release the victim. After the club comes flying back to Spectre, we begin to run towards the shrine. I can't say I know why, but that feels like the safest place at the moment.
I run past the injured thug while making my way to the shrine. Not far away, I see a small purple PokeBall on the ground. This must be what they are after. I clumsily pick it up and continue running. I don't know where the other figure is, but it won't be long before he finds me.
As I approach the shrine, I see a faint glow. The green light illuminates the shrine, but does not touch the darkness around it. An intense, yet benevolent, pressure bears down on me. It's then that I catch a glimpse of the great Guardian of the Ilex Forest. Now I understand why the forest has been barren. Celebi was hiding.
It wakes up and looks into my eyes. The telepathic bond is immediate. Within seconds of walking up to the shrine, I feel it peering into the very depths of my heart. I see the image of my mother holding me, and I think to myself that I would give anything to return to that time.
Only I'm not just thinking to myself.
Now, I begin to see Celebi's thoughts. It had heard what I thought, only it misunderstood. While the legends say that Celebi has the power to control time, it shows me that this isn't entirely true. It needs something to act as a link between the present and the desired time. Something present in both time periods. Something to destroy to create the gateway. That something was Spectre.
The bond is severed as Celebi prepares to open the gateway. I have to stop it! There is no way Spectre can hit it before it begins to open the gate. Then I remember the purple PokeBall. It's my only chance. I snatch the ball out of my pocket and heave it at the Guardian. There's a spectacular flash as the legendary being recedes into the capsule. I let out a sigh of relief. I think Spectre is safe. I'm wrong.
I look over at my partner to see the very fabric of time ripping his body apart. I beg Celebi to stop it, but the Guardian refuses. I can feel its every emotion. Celebi felt betrayed. It had provided for me and kept me alive, and I had repayed it so unjustly.
As the gateway grows, I am able to see where it leads. It was the same image I had seen when I connected with Celebi. It is beautiful. I can't believe my eyes. My mother is right in front of me, smiling and laughing like the old days. Tears of unspeakable joy roll down my face. I fall to my knees from pure elation. But then I hear the screams.
I'm snapped out of my happiness by the tortured cries of Spectre. I'm faced with an impossible decision. My mother, my old life, is waiting for me only a few steps away. But choosing that would mean the death of the only one who has been with me through everything...
My decision is made. I grab Spectre's club and run over to the PokeBall. I take one last look at my mother before closing my eyes and smashing the PokeBall in half. The gate flies shut as Celebi is released into the night sky. Spectre is alive, but falls unconscious.
I hear Celebi floating not far away. Its anger has not subsided. I stand up and bow my head. At this point, I deserve whatever happens. The leaves on the forest floor begin to swirl around me. I recognize the attack as Leaf Storm. It is over.
“Shedinja! Interrupt the attack!” shouts the other suspicious man from earlier. His Pokemon flies into the eye of the storm and the leaves simply fall. What is this Pokemon that laughs in the face of a legend? I stand mystified as the ghostly bug does battle with Celebi. No matter what the Guardian tries, the Pokemon keeps charging. When Celebi realizes that the battle can not be won, it disappears in a gigantic flash of light...
I wake up leaning against the shrine. The memory of the previous night is fuzzy. The only thing that I remember is Celebi's feelings of rage. I know I must do something. I must find the gentle Guardian and soothe its anger.
As I stand up, I see the odd bug Pokemon floating just above my head. It is carrying what I can only guess is his PokeBall. “So... I wonder what you eat.”
Apple's Origin
“There's a pretty simple explanation...well..okay, maybe not that simple....actually, I guess it's sort of complicated...” I babble as the shopkeeper looks down at me. He mutters something under his breath before snatching the stolen bag of potatoes that I was barely even able to move. He walks away. My Cubone looks up at me. That gaze. That hungry gaze that tells me that he's not upset that he can't eat tonight. That hungry gaze breaks my heart. As much as I hate to avoid eye contact with him, I look away. There's a long silence before we start walking back to the Ilex Forest.
We've been on our own for almost a year now, Spectre and myself. That's my Cubone, Spectre. I never understood the name, really. When my mom was alive, her friends would always make jokes about him being a ghost. They never explained the jokes to me, but I guess he liked the attention so the name stuck. I don't mind. It's a way for us to cling to the old days. The days before we had to live in the forest outside of town.
“I guess we'll try again tomorrow.,” I reassure Spectre as we make our way to the lean-to that we sleep under. It's weird. We've never had to resort to stealing food before. The Ilex Forest had always provided for us. Even during the winter, we were able to scrounge up enough food to stay alive. I remember when we had just started living on our own and didn't know how to find food. Everyday, there would be small basket of apples at the Shrine of the Forest Guardian. It wasn't uncommon for people to leave offerings there, but these apples weren't indigenous to the Ilex Forest. That's how I got the name Apple. I used to be called Ryu, but I gave that up when we came to the forest.
Spectre and I jump to our feet as we hear the sound of footsteps. It was rare that anybody would enter the forest at this time of night. Spectre grabs his brittle club and holds it vertically in the air. I'm slowly able to make out the shadowy figures as they approach. There are three of them. They aren't fighting, but it seems like one of them is struggling against the other two, trying to escape. I don't know who these people are, but they can't be any good if they're bringing a captive through the Ilex Forest after nightfall. I look at Spectre and give my permission with a hesitant nod.
He spins around repeatedly to build up momentum before finally sending the club flying through the air. It hits the arm of the person holding the captive, causing him to release the victim. After the club comes flying back to Spectre, we begin to run towards the shrine. I can't say I know why, but that feels like the safest place at the moment.
I run past the injured thug while making my way to the shrine. Not far away, I see a small purple PokeBall on the ground. This must be what they are after. I clumsily pick it up and continue running. I don't know where the other figure is, but it won't be long before he finds me.
As I approach the shrine, I see a faint glow. The green light illuminates the shrine, but does not touch the darkness around it. An intense, yet benevolent, pressure bears down on me. It's then that I catch a glimpse of the great Guardian of the Ilex Forest. Now I understand why the forest has been barren. Celebi was hiding.
It wakes up and looks into my eyes. The telepathic bond is immediate. Within seconds of walking up to the shrine, I feel it peering into the very depths of my heart. I see the image of my mother holding me, and I think to myself that I would give anything to return to that time.
Only I'm not just thinking to myself.
Now, I begin to see Celebi's thoughts. It had heard what I thought, only it misunderstood. While the legends say that Celebi has the power to control time, it shows me that this isn't entirely true. It needs something to act as a link between the present and the desired time. Something present in both time periods. Something to destroy to create the gateway. That something was Spectre.
The bond is severed as Celebi prepares to open the gateway. I have to stop it! There is no way Spectre can hit it before it begins to open the gate. Then I remember the purple PokeBall. It's my only chance. I snatch the ball out of my pocket and heave it at the Guardian. There's a spectacular flash as the legendary being recedes into the capsule. I let out a sigh of relief. I think Spectre is safe. I'm wrong.
I look over at my partner to see the very fabric of time ripping his body apart. I beg Celebi to stop it, but the Guardian refuses. I can feel its every emotion. Celebi felt betrayed. It had provided for me and kept me alive, and I had repayed it so unjustly.
As the gateway grows, I am able to see where it leads. It was the same image I had seen when I connected with Celebi. It is beautiful. I can't believe my eyes. My mother is right in front of me, smiling and laughing like the old days. Tears of unspeakable joy roll down my face. I fall to my knees from pure elation. But then I hear the screams.
I'm snapped out of my happiness by the tortured cries of Spectre. I'm faced with an impossible decision. My mother, my old life, is waiting for me only a few steps away. But choosing that would mean the death of the only one who has been with me through everything...
My decision is made. I grab Spectre's club and run over to the PokeBall. I take one last look at my mother before closing my eyes and smashing the PokeBall in half. The gate flies shut as Celebi is released into the night sky. Spectre is alive, but falls unconscious.
I hear Celebi floating not far away. Its anger has not subsided. I stand up and bow my head. At this point, I deserve whatever happens. The leaves on the forest floor begin to swirl around me. I recognize the attack as Leaf Storm. It is over.
“Shedinja! Interrupt the attack!” shouts the other suspicious man from earlier. His Pokemon flies into the eye of the storm and the leaves simply fall. What is this Pokemon that laughs in the face of a legend? I stand mystified as the ghostly bug does battle with Celebi. No matter what the Guardian tries, the Pokemon keeps charging. When Celebi realizes that the battle can not be won, it disappears in a gigantic flash of light...
I wake up leaning against the shrine. The memory of the previous night is fuzzy. The only thing that I remember is Celebi's feelings of rage. I know I must do something. I must find the gentle Guardian and soothe its anger.
As I stand up, I see the odd bug Pokemon floating just above my head. It is carrying what I can only guess is his PokeBall. “So... I wonder what you eat.”