Special thanks to Painful Affinity on Chicken Smoothie for helping me with ideas for this fanfic, and RWBY Rose for helping me rewrite the prologue.
A Kirlia's perspective
After seemingly appearing from nowhere, the monster approached us, its footsteps feeling almost like earthquakes. The waning sunlight shone harshly off its green, rock-like skin. It was completely primal, acting only on instinct; I could sense no emotions from it besides anger. That anger was so strong, though, that it distracted me from both the emotions of other nearby Pokémon, and everything else in the surrounding area. I completely forgot about something, someone, far more important...
Without even thinking, I did something cowardly, selfish and careless: I ran.
I couldn't believe what I had just done. The horrifying scene kept playing out in my mind, over, and over, and over, and over. Through tears, I barely managed to ask "Will… will he be okay…?"
"I'm afraid not. That monster did some pretty serious damage to him. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we could have done. We were too late," replied the Sylveon.
I closed my eyes, trying to hold back tears. It didn't work. How could he… how could he…?
A Sylveon wrapped one of her feelers over my shoulder, trying to comfort me in her embrace. I almost told her to stop touching me, but after a moment I got used to it. She was nice, reassuring, like that, but this time it wasn't enough. Still, I didn't want to be rude.
"But there's an old legend I should tell you, Kirlia. It may come in useful. Let me tell you the Legend of the World's Highest Place…"
