Warning: N/A

Disclaimer: I do not own the Pokémon franchise, please support the official release.

Pokémon Roots

Yellow

It was as silent as the grave in the Burned Tower, which was only fitting, as it was the resting place of souls who had been caught in the terrible fire that gave the tower its name. The only sounds that Yellow could hear were from her own body. A slight shift of cloth, the slow tempo of her heart beat and her steady breaths were far away as she cleared her mind. Only when she was at peace would her world begin to make sense.

Lately troubling dreams had been haunting her. They had been coming with increasing frequency and each time they became darker, more malevolent.

The last time Yellow had experienced such dreams they had drawn her to the Burned Tower where she had released the three Legendary Beasts. This time, she had come of her own volition, hoping that the old building would give her an answer to her new nightmares.

A cool breeze lifted Yellow's long blonde hair and the smell of fresh rain filled the roofless ruin. Without opening her eyes, Yellow spoke to the air, "It's been a while, old friend."

Padded feet strode quietly, but purposefully toward Yellow. She opened an amber eye and took in the sight of a Pokémon that she had freed from this very building, over ten years ago.

Suicune was still ethereally beautiful. Yellow was brought back to the time she had first seen the Legendary Beast. It had been in this very tower, when she had slipped through a broken wall and seen the three Beasts sleeping on a platform. When she had gone to them and reached for their consciousness with her own, it had been instinctual. They had been calling to her in their dreams. They wanted to be woken up, and Yellow did it.

"You can feel it too, can't you?"

Yellow sensed what Suicune was thinking. It was part of her gift, the ability to sense the thoughts, feelings and memories of Pokémon. Suicune understood her, the Legendary Pokémon had felt the tense atmosphere in the air, as if, for the past several months the world had been holding its breath. The balance of the world was on the brink of destruction, but neither Suicune, nor Yellow understood what the coming threat really was.

Yellow stood up and walked over to Suicune. The Pokémon's purple mane rippled like water that's had a stone skipped over its surface. Restless, Yellow could sense the need for movement, journey, purification and balance in Suicune's heart. When Yellow stroked it's sky blue fur, the Water type leaned into the touch, seeking comfort.

"I think I'm going to wake something up again. Something much worse. I'm scared."

Frigid wind blew across her face and made her long yellow hair fly in the sudden breeze.

Everything stopped. Yellow's mind was filled with music. There were voices harmonizing from a time long gone, the singers now less than dust.

With her amber eyes closed she could see them. Men and women dressed in flowing robes of different colors. They raised their arms and while each sang the same song, one of their number would step forward and sing different, soul-piercing words that changed the world.

The music was eerie and beautiful, and something about it pulled at Yellow's memories. She knew it. The colorful cloaks, the music, the feeling of importance.

Yellow recognized the ritual and understood. She opened her eyes, breaking the spell. Suicune stared at her, trying to see if Yellow comprehended. "I know what I need to do."

It was going to be difficult. The old traditions of this world were kept on the surface. You could see it in the names of the children, after the color heroes who featured so prominently in their legends and history. The old festivals and rituals were all but forgotten, and she would need to find people who remembered the old ways. If she didn't, something bad would happen.

She looked at Suicune, and the creature looked grave, as grave as the remnants of the tower they sat in. Even if Suicune couldn't articulate the words, Yellow understood. If she couldn't find the words, the rest of Kanto, the rest of the world would end up just like this burned tower.

A monument to disaster.

AN: Thank you for reading the first chapter of Pokémon Roots. Please enjoy!

-Suka