Who'd first recited the tale to him?
It was hard to recall.
Perhaps it was Eusine, recalling their hunt for the elusive legendary pokemon Suicune, or a faceless trainer that had passed through his Gym like a meagre breeze.
….
Many people assume that tranquillity within any region is easy to stabilize, that an individual can maintain such by simply preventing human interference however it's not always this way. What about those deities that gaze judgementally over the interaction of their people—who cast judgement on those who maliciously assault the peace of the others—these denizens must be kept content and in this particular town it was a young girl that shouldered that burden.
XXX
Crisp leaf litter crunched underfoot, stray foliage clinging persistently to the male's attire; his attentive hues however never strayed from the meandering path before him. A steep incline leading to a quaint shrine where 'she' was said to reside, he couldn't lay a finger on what had lead him here—what had swayed his actions so effortlessly but whatever it was it couldn't be rebelled against.
Matsuba swatted a particularly determined branch out of his path, eyes widening when it revealed what lay just beyond its protective barrier—A small, quaint shrine; gorgeously adorned—Doors beaconing him to take a step forward and he did.
The Gym leader's footsteps resounded through the clearing, leaves drifting leisurely across crumbling tiles, trees offering groans of caution; that he should abandon this quest—that going further would only lead to misfortune. He however could no longer control his own actions, his feet thoughtlessly being lead across the grounds—toward the doors which creaked open, revealing majestic innards.
"…." Her head raised, vacant eyes lingering on his visage; figure unmoving—if she hadn't been sitting up right it would've been easy to dismiss her as a doll. "You're Mako aren't you?" He questioned but she didn't respond, infact the surreal being didn't even more a muscle, merely stared at him for a long duration of time before lowering her head once more.
"You shouldn't be here…" A murmur resonated through his subconscious, instantaneously his hands gripped the sides of his head, agony roaring through his system. "….It's dangerous; leave now before they acknowledge your presence…" Forcing himself to stand he squinted, feebly attempting to focus in on the female once more.
"….." A bout of eerie silence hung between the two, their eyes meeting, a ridged arm being raised as a sound that could only be described as a screech of rage assaulted his ears and that's—When everything went black.
XXX
"He's gone?" A moan of complaint fell from the young girl's lips as she slouched back into the park bench, beside her rested her partner a Growlithe who looked just as displeased. "We came all the way out here and he's not here…"
The Gym appeared almost desolate and the woman who she'd met outside the daunting gates had informed her that Matsuba had been absent for atleast a week and that she wasn't the first trainer to come through these parts in search of him.
"He ventured off in search for this woman… " The maiden murmured, hands intertwined together in her lap, worry consuming her features. "A woman who is said to maintain the peace of the spirits in this land… I worry for him…" She gazed wistfully at the sky momentarily before sparing a glance back in the trainers direction, apologizing—But she couldn't help but worry, granted he often went off on fruitless ventures but never like this, never without informing someone.
The female suddenly lurched from her seat, offering the fretful woman a confident beam "We'll go find him! Right?" She turned her attention to her partner who yapped in agreement. A smile graced the maiden's features but the anxiety still remained in her eyes.
"Thank you…" She murmured, lowering her head as the trainer saluted her before jogging off in the direction the woman instructed.
XXXX
When Matsuba finally came to the shrine walls had dissipated; a distorted constellation of branches obscuring what would've been the sky claiming its place. "…" A groan fell from the male's lips, fingers drifting through blonde locks.
Where..
Where am I…
Disorientated, the gym leader rose to his feet; inquisitive eyes sweeping the surreal environment. "…Where…" A voice resonated through the malevolent looking wood "You weren't supposed to come…" Matuba's head snapped in the direction it drifted from, goosebumps rising on his arms.
"…." In an almost possessed manner he followed that fretful voice, manoeuvring between an obstacle course of emaciated branches, attentive hues darting left and right, it was silent—Eerily so, in an area such as this there would surely be flourishing wild-life—But there appeared to be none.
"…. Please! Turn back!" Again, the feminine voice assaulted his senses, jerking him out of his contemplation, suddenly he had to move—Hasten his pace—It was vital for whoever this girl was, she seemed to be in danger. "Pl—" Her voice cut off, a wail of terror resounding around him. "Shi—" A curse fell from the male's lips, boots drumming dissonantly against the clutter of leaf litter, clammy fingers curled into the palms of his hands.
"She's right you know~" A bemused voice chortled, seeming to come from everywhere—but nowhere. "Who are you—" He gritted, attempting to keep his tone even, not allowing the anxiety that wracked his mind to reach his lips.
What materialized before him was transparent—Or almost so. It took on the appearance of a young girl, lustrous obsidian locks tumbling down slender shoulders, eyes; the colour of scarlet shimmered within the shadows, lips drawn into an amused smile. "That's just like you trainers isn't it?" The arm that she'd had rested upon a tree trunk launched her off in his direction, her eyes never straying from his visage.
"Always sticking your nose in where it isn't wanted." A ghostly hand reached out to touch his cheek but hesitated just before it would make contact. Another soft laugh, distancing herself once more "Tell me—Did you really think we'd let you take her, save her? Without paying a price? Now neither you—or her can leave this place, shame isn't it?" Abruptly her figure began to fade, only her laughter remanding where she once stood.
"Now to see if you can find her before I do~ That is, if she's still alive."
Another curse fell from the Gym Leader's lips, Matsuba slammed his hand against a nearby trunk "…I have to find her…" He muttered. After all—she was the only one who knew where he was—how he got here and how he'd find his way back.
XXX
Lily was lost, actually lost would've been a gross understatement of their current predicament. Every passing tree and boulder resembled the last—Every avian that fluttered from branch to branch seemed to be cawing mockingly, their eyes gleaming with bemusement.
The trainer cast an anxious glance toward her partner, who still padded at her feet; looking almost as vigilant as his trainer. "I hate to tell you this Growlithe—" She offered sheepishly, sweeping their surroundings once more "But I think… We might be lost…" The canine tilted its head, ears flattening against its skull and a soft whimper escaping its lips; after all—It was only natural for him to be concerned of her wellbeing, any partner was—especially when their trainer attracted danger like his did.
"Come on now…" She murmured, crouching beside him; offering Growlithe a pat on the head "Everything's going to be fine—" What a fib, with their path as meandering as it was now—and every step seeming identical to the last the situation was looking more and more daunting by the moment.
That was when suddenly Growlithe's demeanour abruptly seemed to alter, a growl erupting from deep within the fire-pokemon's chest, lips drawing back into a snarl. Warily Lily withdrew her hand, glancing upward in the direction he was staring "Grow—" She was cut off as a bark escaped her partner and he darted off into the undergrowth, leaving her gaping in his wake.
"Growlithe!" She called out, shooting up to her feet and hastily rushing after her partner, sneakers kicking up drifting foliage "Growlithe!" She called out again, swiping at defiant branches that hung just low enough to smack her in the face but he wasn't coming back—Infact any sign that her partner was in the vicinity had been wiped from the face of the earth. She cupped her hands around her mouth "Growliiiithhhe!"
Hooooowllll!
A familiar tone resonated through the foreboding woods, drawing the female instantly to her feet; resolutely swiping at anything that dared deter her—her partner's safety the single thought lingering within her mind "Growlithe!" Another familiar howl met her voice and much to her astonishment the cluster of foreboding trees parted—revealing a meadow like clearing and crouched right in the middle of a patch of daisies was none other than her misplaced companion.
"Growlithe" Letting out a sigh of relief she jogged over to him, gloved hands scooping him up into her arms, pressing her face to a warm flank "You had me worried…"
That was when it first hit her, an ominous sensation; it was like they weren't meant to be there. A rumble tickled her cheek, Growlithe was emitting a soft growl, warning whatever it was that he'd defend his trainer to his last breath.
Delicate fingers buried themselves into her companion's fur, a sudden pain erupting from her head and blazing downward, making her knees buckle—her vision to start to blur. "What… What… is this…" She gaped, fingers straying from her partner's fur to grip at the sides of her head. Almost instantly Growlithe spun, st aring at his trainer with concern—fear, there was nothing he could do—It was like an invisible force was assaulting the two intruders.
"….You shouldn't have come…" A monotonous warning rang through the air, polluting the once tranquil ambiance with a sense of danger "And now… it's too late…" The last thing to reach Lily's ears was the sound of Growlithe's yowl before everything was devoured by tendrils of obsidian.