(Authors Note which most will probably just ignore)

Hi there, Readers and Writers! This Pokemon Fanfic of mine has been a small project I've been working on for - at the absolute least - three years, and I recently decided (obviously) that I've put it off long enough, and it's finally time to post it up somewhere. Over these last three-or-so years, I've tried to make it seem like a story you could actually see happening in the Pokemon world. I've tried to go for a darker tone that is somewhere between the games and the manga - but that said, this wont be as brutal as the aforementioned manga - no Charmeleon's will be slicing any Ekans' in half! Curse words are yet to appear, and are a matter I'm debating including or not, and despite the story itself being fairly dark, I have tried to give the characters a lighthearted/touching feel.

This is my first ever fanfic, so if there is any critique, please make sure it's something I can build off of. Tell my specifically what you dislike and maybe even suggest to me what I could do to improve it. If you simply tell me this sucks and I am the worst writer to ever exist, you will be plainly ignored.

This is Fanfiction, but I feel obliged to confess to you all that I do not, in fact own Pokemon, nor do I own the Pokemon (species) in this story, but I own their characters, the human characters in here, and this world I've created. I dunno if this story is even any good, but I DO know I've worked pretty dang hard on it, so I own it!

To the two people who took time to read this: Thank you kindly, you have commendable patience! Without further ado, here is the prologue to Guardian of The Forest!

The Beginning

Unthinkable millennia ago, there existed nothing. No world; No air; No life.

In this endless void of emptiness there was but a single egg, waiting to emerge and ultimately create the possibility of a future.

A world; the sea; lands; light; air. And above all: life. Life that soared through the skies, swam through the depths of the vast oceans, and ran across great plains. All forms of life – Sky-Roamers, Sea-Dwellers and Land-Striders alike – were of the same kind; the same species.

All life - however different - was of Pokémon kind, all of them developing and changing separately, but still one and the same.

As eons after eons of Pokémon life passed on, these changes becoming greater and greater, a change never recorded in history took place. The greatest 'evolution' to a Pokémon ever known;

The knowing and willing choice to surrender the power that slept within it in exchange for another power;

Superior intelligence. The mind to lead its kin to new prosperity; The mind to learn new ways from old and expand upon them, to grow as two separate species, side by side.

In this world, the potential of the two great Life Forms - Human and Pokémon - had seemed limitless. Pokémon had held the power to bring human desires to fulfillment, and in turn, the humans had protected and provided for their Pokémon companions.

Until, once upon these peaceful times…

…everything changed…

A chaos no-one could have ever foreseen unfolded. And in its wake, all life upon the miraculous world began to follow the path to their own annihilation.

The world had begun to draw closely to an end.

Dreading what the future held, the great beings that governed the world's internal flow decided action must be taken. The three great governors of Time, Space, and the creator of the world itself awoke from what had seemed to be their eternal slumber.

And combined their powers to save both their world and all its life in the only way they could…

Prologue

"What's going on here?!

Howl?!

Is that you?!"

Howl the Riolu jumped so sharply he felt as though he had shot right out of his skin.

How could she have found out?

Surely, he had thought, if he said his final farewells to everyone in the early hours of the morning, he would be able to leave without his partner knowing. But there she was, sprinting down the hill onto the sandy beach towards him from the other end of the crowd, pushing, shoving and knocking them aside until she stood directly before him, staring down in utter disbelief.

"What's going on here?" the Monferno asked again.

Howl did not respond immediately. He had never found it so difficult to meet her eyes before. But ever since that fateful day long ago, when she had evolved and he had not, she was somehow more like a mother, or a much older sister than his childhood friend. His best friend. His invaluable companion.

But there was no space in his mind to worry about that right now.

He was trying to figure out how to explain to her that he was leaving to do the exact thing she did not want him to do.

Luckily one of the Pokémon in the crowd – one who was their particular good friend - stepped in.

"Illume, what's the matter?" the Turtwig asked,

"Surely you know what's going on; Howl is leaving. He wants to leave Treasure Town for a little while so that he can evolve.

… He has told you, hasn't he..?" he added uncertainly.

"Howl!" piped up a familiar voice from out of sight, "You did tell her, didn't you!?"

"Of course I did," said Howl simply.

But his tone of voice coupled with the way he was now looking guiltily up at Illume made it perfectly clear she had not agreed to his desire to leave at all.

The crowd of Pokémon had become restless and fidgety. Some tried to divert the attention of others or looked determinedly away from one another, as though Illume was about to turn and start scolding them at any moment.

The Monferno looked back down at the Riolu and spoke in a voice that shook from repressed anger,

"So that's it, then?

That's what's going on here?

After all we've been through together, and after I specifically said 'no', you're going to leave me without so much as a good-bye?"

Howl couldn't bring himself to respond.

This was why he hadn't wanted Illume to know he was leaving.

He could not stand to have another heated discussion with her like this.

They were - and always had been - such close friends that they had almost never, ever argued, and when he had first brought up the subject of him wanting to leave in order to evolve, he had not expected her to deny him so forcefully. If anything, he'd expected the opposite; for her to wholeheartedly support this plan, to understand he had to do it alone, and to wish him the very best of luck.

A voice spoke from directly behind Howl.

"Illume," said Lapras, "don't say things like that… Of course Howl wouldn't leave you just like that. In fact, by the sound of it, he's already told you, hasn't he?"

"But I said no!" Illume retorted.

"But you can't stop him," said Lapras in his calm, measured voice, "He's already made up his mind. He's decided that he has to do this, and telling him otherwise is only going to make it more difficult."

"But… But it's ridiculous!" Illume burst out.

"What's ridiculous about it?" Howl asked, finding his voice at last.

"It's all ridiculous!" said Illume incredulously, "Howl, what's gotten into you lately? I understand you're upset, but this is just too far! You don't have to leave!"

But Howl shook his head slowly.

"Illume… I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I do have to leave. I can't stand the thought of slowing you down any longer-"

"You're not slowing me down!

You're not getting weaker!

And you don't have to evolve to become an adult!" Illume cut across him, raising her voice, "I told you all this the other day! So why is it still a problem?"

"It's a problem…" Howl implored, "because it's true. Illume… I am slowing you down.

You've got so much potential now that you're all grown up, and if I stay here like this, you won't be able to reach any of it.

There's only one solution: I have to grow up too."

"I don't care about potential! I don't want to lose you, Howl!"

"You're not losing me, Illume. No-one is losing anyone. I'm not leaving forever - there's no way I'd do that. It's just so that I can evolve," Howl said, and he felt a little more in-control now.

"Why can't you just stay here?! We could figure out why you can't evolve together!" said Illume.

But Howl shook his head again.

"No… I can't do that to you, Illume. This is my fault, my problem. There's no way I could drag you with me to who-knows-where, for who knows how long, just to solve a problem that's mine.

The Pokémon here need you."

"But I need you!" said Illume desperately, "Howl, if it weren't for you, I never would've evolved at all! Heck, I never would've joined Wigglytuff's Guild in the first place! I wouldn't be who I am… I'd still be a timid little girl too afraid to even stand up for herself… Please, Howl… please… don't…"

And he thought he could see the beginnings of tears in the eyes that he knew so well.

But he forced himself to smile up at her, and spoke so clearly that even those few who remained trying not to listen to them could hear.

"Illume… you're my best friend in the whole world. You're my irreplaceable partner, and Treasure Town is my home. There's no way I'd leave either of you forever. Once I evolve, I promise you - all of you," he added, addressing the crowd, "once I'm an adult, once I've evolved, I'll come back. I'll come home to everyone. I don't know how long that's gonna be, but I will come back.

So until then, please, just wait for me… all right?"

All eyes were on Illume and Howl. Everyone was silent and unmoving. Even the rushing waves seemed quieter.

Then, at long last, Illume reached up to her neck, untied the long, navy-blue scarf she wore, and held it out to him, without a word.

"Your lucky charm…?" he asked breathlessly.

She nodded. "Take it with you. If I really can't go with you, I want to make sure something to remember me by does. It'll protect you. Take good care of it."

"Ah-… I…" he began, but he couldn't finish. She was actually letting him do this! Breathless and shaking, he took it from her and began tying it in a double-knot around his own neck.

"No…" she said meaningfully, raising her hand, "You have to…"

She let out a small sigh and sank to one knee before saying, "Here."

And she lifted the scarf gently from his trembling grip and tied it up for him. He felt his cheeks grow warm suddenly, and fixed his gaze on the little of her hands he could see. When she was done, he looked up and said,

"Thank you, Illume… Thanks for letting me have my way."

She smiled down at him.

"Good luck, my friend. Be safe."

And they embraced.

Everyone in the crowd exchanged looks at one other. It was kind of funny: They were comrades in arms; they were partners; they were as close as it was possible for two friends to be, yet they looked like mother and child.

"Howl… are you ready to go now…?" asked Lapras gently.

Howl let go at last and turned sharply away, not wanting anyone to see his face.

Lapras turned gracefully in the water to offer his back to him, and not wasting a second, Howl shouldered the bag he'd received from the guild and clambered on.

"Well then… We're off!"

And they began to move slowly forwards, picking up speed, barely causing a ripple in the surface of the water.

The Riolu wiped his eyes hastily, took a deep breath, and looked back.

Everyone was waving. All the other guild recruits, all the traders, and all the citizens of Treasure Town were bidding him farewell.

"Good luck, Howl!" they called,

"Come back soon!"

"Grow strong, Howl!"

"Stay safe!"

"See you later, Howl!"

Gritting his teeth, he fought not to let a single tear leave his eyes and waved furiously back at them,

"Good-bye!" he called, for he could not manage any more words, "Good-bye, everyone!"

But it was only as the distance between them and the beach increased did he realise, with a terrible lurch in his chest, that he could not see everyone. His eyes scanned the beach desperately, but there was no mistake! The guild members were not there. What had happened? Had Bidoof forgotten to tell everyone? Did they not know that he was already leaving?

"HOWL!"

As if in response to his sudden panic, multiple shouts reached him from somewhere to his left high above.

He looked up.

There they were. All of them. All the esteemed members of Wigglytuff's Guild. Wigglytuff himself was there too, as was his right-hand Pokémon, Chatot.

Bidoof was there as well, so were Chimecho, Sunflora, Loudred, and all the others, waving down at him from the very edge of Sharpedo Bluff, and they too were calling similar words of support, of farewell, and of absolute assurance that when he returned, the whole town would celebrate.

That was too much for him to bear. His eyes burned white-hot and he wiped them furiously on his paw before waving franticly to the beach, to the guild members, to the beach again; and even though there were dozens of hands, wings, paws and claws waving back at him, even though Lapras was nearly reaching full speed, he still recognised the hand of the one he would miss most of all.

"Good-bye, everyone! I'LL MISS YOU!"

-he shouted as loudly as he could, before he and Lapras faded farther and farther away into the dawn-lit horizon.