Chapter 0: Illumination

A Tododile's life is a good life. Every day I go out to Tranquil Grove to fight and eat, every week I explore a new place. The world is vast, and it seems that I'll never run out. Every evening I return home to Lake Luna, and rest for the coming day.

I wouldn't say that I'm wasting my time. The mystery dungeons make me stronger with each passing day, and I'm constantly learning more about the world around me. I don't know what the goal of life is, but I think that what I'm doing is what people would envy. Not that I really care. Yet the question keeps coming back to me. Why am I not doing something better with my time? And I can never come up with an answer that would satisfy myself.

And it comes back to me again while I'm on my way home this evening. And I think: I want to make more of my life, but I don't know how. Sure, I could join the guild, but what would it give me that I don't already have now? What could it give me that would be worth the freedom I'd be giving up? If Arceus is watching, if there's anything in mind for me, then show me the way!

There's no one watching. There never is. Which is fine. I'm just going to go back home, come back the next day, and get the thought out of my head. No point listening to a doubt without reason. I wonder if the thought is mine. I don't see a reason for me to ask that question of myself, when I'm already so satisfied. Yet I don't see a way anyone else could get into my head either. I like how lonely this forest is. Some pokemon from Redfor talk about crooks that steal item, steal pokemon, or worse. And I'm thankful that it's never a problem for me.

I take another look at my surroundings. The forest is a bit brighter than usual, as if there were to the right, lighting it up. I turn in that direction, and see a prone pokemon, face towards the ground. Looks like an Umbreon. Not that I'd know. I haven't seen any myself yet.

Six types of pokemon are native to this area. Dark-types are not one of them. Thus, he's not native to here. They are the traitors in stories, the pokemon that parents warn about in bedtime stories. Well, other parents. I don't know my own.

But I don't see why dark-types are any less pokemon than others. And the Sableye I met the other day seemed nice enough. Her name was… ugh, I'm not good with names. And that Umbreon doesn't look like it'd attack me or anything, just lying there at that. I want to learn more about him. Or her. And I don't really believe in divine intervention, but what are the chances an Umbreon just got here one way or another? I don't care if 'curiosity killed the croc'. I don't hesitate. I head over.

Author's Notes:

0. Published on (4/26/2018)

1. Hopefully you are aware without me saying this: I do not own Pokemon.

2. Dividing this story into three seasons. I have the first, the second, and the last planned out. I might end up writing more between the second and the last, but three is my goal for now.

3. Please leave a review for my story. I'd like to get some feedback, so that I can improve my writing.

4. (4/26/2018) The title of the story is supposed to be Cosm*s Ebb. It seems that this website doesn't allow asterisks in titles.

5. (4/28/2018) Added a - to the title, as it seems to be the closest thing allowed to an *. Edited the fifth paragraph, and fixed a small spelling mistake. Chapter 2 is still being written. Thanks to the people who have reviewed by story so far. Keep sending them in! :)

6. (5/01/2018) Another minor edit to the fifth paragraph.

7. (5/09/2018) Edited summary. Renamed from "Prologue" to "Chapter 0". Added Introduction.

8. (5/15/2018) Added cover image. Originally the image also had a picture of an Umbreon and a Tododile, but I didn't want to get mucked up in copyright stuff, so I just removed the layers. So all you are left with is ..that's not a moon, is it?

9. (5/19/2018) Improved cover image. Smoothed out the font, faded the right edge, and added background starfield.

10. (5/26/2018) Removed introduction. A more detailed introduction as well as my motive to write is now on my profile. Warning: spoilers. Read only if you're curious.

11. (5/27/2018): Slightly modified last three paragraphs to include information about the biodiversity of Piny Woods.