Chapter Text
What wakes me isn’t the blanket of sun on my face, nor the swellow songs or gentle breeze. What pulls me out of my dazed slumber is a voice. Its words mere murmurs at first. But gradually, their coherence grows.
“This is as far as I can take you, Fable. It is in your better interest to stay alive.”
My eyes shoot open, and the blinding headache that follows is almost immediate. I dig my fingers into the dirt, grounding myself as my vision steadies. I’m not in my bedroom, but in a clearing in the woods.
I look around for who’d been speaking to me. Someone had undoubtedly been here. It’s like they just vanished. I try to think, to remember who or what that was, but everything comes up dry. The realization dawns on me slowly.
I can’t remember anything. Not family, not friends, my whole life. Nothing. It hurts to think, someone or something whispered an ominous message and then disappeared , and now I’m stranded without any memories to speak of.
I manage to calm myself down, and begin to go over things slowly. That voice had called me Fable. I have a name at the very least. But a name is of little use to me right now. I just need to get out of this forest and find help. As easy as that sounds, I barely have the energy to stand, let alone walk.
Dragging myself against the forest floor isn’t ideal, but it’s the only thing I can muster. I manage to haul myself a few feet before I catch sight of a lengthy river, winding through the trees. Of course I miss something like this.
If I follow this, maybe I’ll find some hikers on a trail or anything other than the wide stretch of forest.
I pull myself one more time and catch my breath. That was far more exhausting than it should have been. My gaze pierces into the water, watching as it slowly flows downstream. One drink won’t kill me. And maybe my head ache will clear.
Ignoring the sliver of doubt telling me not to, I press my mouth to the surface of the water. It tastes fresh, but that’s most likely because of my dehydration.
I lift my head, taking a few deep breaths and- My reflection isn’t human. A yellow fox is mirrored against the water. Eyes wide and limbs shaky. I knew I felt a bit off but, how did it take me so long to realize it?
I’m a Fennekin. I’m a Fennekin.
My shriek is so loud that it scares the flock of birds off of their perches. I bounce around on my feet, or paws now, suddenly finding the burst of energy to stand. This shouldn’t be possible. I’m human.
But no matter how much I repeat the words in my head, believing something is far different from it actually being real. I could handle the memory loss, but this is too much for me.
Another high pitched screech sounds. But it’s not from me this time. The screech is followed by a bolt of silver. Something so quick I barely get a glimpse before it shoots through a tree to my left.
A charred and smoking hole is embedded into the wood. I think I might be hallucinating once more, but I don’t second guess myself when another bolt whizzes past my ear.
Apparently I’m not alone. Was the voice warning me about this? It told me to survive, and I don’t want to find out what one of those bolts could do to me. Without another second to lose, I scurry away.
But I am far from graceful in this new body, and paired with the dense forest, my odds of getting away are fairly slim. I don’t make it too far before I trip on a petrifying root and slam into a tree.
“What in tarnation?!” The tree stumbles. The tree has a southern accent. I land on my bottom, heaving breaths in complete disarray. I manage a better look at the Pokémon.
It looks like it was carved and sanded out of wood. A pointy noise and large leaf protruding from its head… And a very annoyed expression for a Nuzleaf. Its look shifts to concern, and I realize I must look like I’ve been running for my life. Though, I probably was. I didn’t have half the mind to check if that was a threat or not.
“What’s got ya so spooked kid?” Says the Nuzleaf, crouching to get on eye level.
His hand extends and I flinch away. Maybe it’s just panic, or the fact that a Pokémon actually formed a sentence.
“I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” His assurance doesn’t comfort me, “What happened? A phantom didn’t get outta one of them dungeons did one?”
“I-I don’t know,” I stutter, “Something’s-” I’m cut off by another silver beam. And this time it’s accompanied by whoever shot it. The three who shot it. More Pokémon.
These ones have big heads and tan bodies. The beeping from before came from the blinking lights on their hands. They are quiet, far too quiet. Soulless eyes lock onto mine, and a shiver wracks my body.
They begin to form another beam, the collaboration of their attacks clearly stronger than the previous ones. This time they aim for the Nuzleaf. I shut my eyes tightly, dreading the worst when the sound of the attack booms.
But to my surprise, I’m suddenly lifted from the ground, and thrown over the Nuzleafs shoulder as it makes a quick escape. Jumping high into the forest canopy. Another startled scream rips from my throat, and he shushes me.
“Don’t yell so dang loud!” He jumps to a weak branch, darting off of the snapping wood before it falls to the ground.
“Those maniacs’ll find us up’ere.” He continues.
Unfortunately I am far too distraught and horrified to listen to the warning, or even think rationally.
“This would be a great time to wake up!” I plead to the sky, pinching my cheeks and pulling hard. A futile, sorry attempt at regaining consciousness.
“What in Arceus' name rattled yer brain?!”
“I’m not supposed to be this!”
“Be what?”
“This!” I gesture to myself, “Humans aren’t supposed to turn into Fennekins!”
My hands instinctively brace onto the Nuzleaf as he decides to jump down. Once my feet are back on the floor, I wobble a bit, and fortunately manage to stay upright.
“Human?” He questions, and I'm suddenly put on the spot, “Say somethin only a human woulda known.”
“I know you’re not supposed to be talking. Pokémon only say their names…Or parts of their names-Wha!-Why am I even explaining myself?! This isn’t real!” “I hate ta break it to ya kid but you’re wide awake. I reckon we should-”
Beep!Beeep!Beep!
“We’re outta time. Looks like we aint got no choice.”
“You- We- What do you mean we?!”
“I’ve got answers for ya,” The Nuzleafs tone gets a serious edge, “But I doubt I’ll be able to give’em to ya if we’re dead.” There is no warning when he shoves me further down the path.