Hello again everyone! Sorry about the wait, but please understand that I write as an escape from daily life, and my other project captured my imagination more than this for the past few weeks. I don't see that changing in the near future, so expect to wait similar lengths for new chapters.
Theghostsaint21: I'm glad you like it, I'm really focusing this story on the character of Tobias, and trying to explore who he is.
Rocker On: I believe I got the right one deleted. I don't think that the delay will have me losing attention, I would hope that my work is good enough to keep people coming back after a wait.
NameUnrelated: We most certainly will, in time.
I awoke, a splitting headache clouding my thoughts. It seemed that little time had passed, the sun hadn't budged from its last place in the sky. I took in my surroundings as best I could, trying to push past the headache. The cliff face stretched above me, the trees in it's shadow stunted from lack of sun.
I had to keep going, I decided. I felt this irrational fear, that if I were to wait for too long I would give up. I set out, away from the cliff, struggling to be vigilant as my head pounded. The forest here was thicker than it had been on the cliff above, and I found myself winding through trees more than staying on a path.
Around an hour past my departure, I heard the rush of running water nearby. I headed towards it; hoping that something to drink might help my head. I reached it in seconds. A large river, maybe forty feet across, turning out of sight no more than a hundred feet down and up stream. I lowered my head to the water, drinking my fill. The sun shone down on me, no longer hindered by the trees.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing in our territory!"
I nearly choked on the water when I heard the voice behind me. I turned around slowly. A flareon stood behind me, looking rather pompous. "I don't want any trouble, I'm just passing through." I said, slowly. My head still hurt, I was struggling to think straight. I couldn't fight in this condition. I probably wouldn't take this fight at full strength, fire was something I would rather avoid.
"This is the territory of Ramiro Garcia, my father. He has decreed that none may pass through without tribute." The flareon said.
Tribute? What would pokemon have to give as tribute? "Since when," I asked. "Do wild pokemon use human last names."
The flareon froze in place, her dark eyes staring at me. "You know about humans? Do you know where any are? How do you know about them? I'd so love to meet some!" The sudden change in attitude was bewildering.
I was starting to feel better, the water and sunlight converting to energy within my cells. Photosynthesis is quite the handy trick. "I am one, or at least I used to be." I said.
She looked at me, eyes widening. "I think I should bring you to see my father." She said. "Follow me." With that she headed off into the forest, and I followed close behind. If my intuition was correct, her father was another one like me.
I still had a dull pain in my head but it had dwindled to the point where I could properly take in my surroundings. The trees, in addition to being more numerous, were thicker in width and seemed taller than the ones above the cliff had. This section of forest must have been far older.
"So how long have you been like this?" The flareon asked, glancing behind her to ensure I was still following. I noticed her voice had inflections I recognized, having been required to take a foreign language at school.
"I've lost track of the days." I admitted, both to her and myself. "No more than a week, I think." In all that had happened it must have slipped my mind, or I hurt my head worse than I thought. I could still see my mom in my mind's eye, and so I could keep going. Nothing else mattered.
"My dad was changed seven years ago as of yesterday." She said, confirming my suspicion. Seven years was a long time. If he had been this way that long, then it was unlikely he could help me. Still, it was better than blindly searching.
We approached a crude set of gated walls, logs forming loose barriers, the gate of sticks and vines threatening to collapse at any moment. I followed the flareon through the entryway, studying the walls further. No wild pokemon would think to build walls in this manner.
"Papà, I'm home!" She called out. It was strange, how I perceived her voice to have a common accent when it was surely not english.
Another flareon, significantly larger than the one who had let me here stood before us. "And who is this? Is he here to pay tribute?" His voice was similarly accented.
"No, papà, he is a once-human, like you!" She said.
The larger flareon stared at me. "Alejandra, how do you know?"
"He… told me." She said, with a pause.
"Oh, Alejandra, you're so trusting. Tell me," the flareon turned to address me. "What is your name, and your proof?"
"My name is Tobias. As for proof…" I tried calm my nerves, and it was then that I remembered. "I remember being told stories. Seven years ago, a student at Willowbranch High School in Elberton by the name of Ramiro vanished, last seen heading out on a hike with his friend Pietro. Neither of their bodies were recovered." How could I have forgotten. The tales that the older kids told to scare the younger, stories of ghosts and demons and witches who ate middle schoolers whole with a side of eyeballs. Speculation about Ramiro and Pietro had been in the tormentors repertoire for years.
"You don't say." The larger flareon said. "So people still talk about us. If only Pietro were still with us to hear it. He passed away last year, never stopped searching for a way back till the very end." He preempted my question.
"I was wondering if you knew how I could get back." I admitted. "But it sounds like you don't."
Ramiro dipped his head. "Admittedly, I have no clue. Pietro spent so much time searching, but all he found is that he would need one of the pokemon of legend to help him."
"I figured that much out myself, but I have no clue where to look. I've only been like this for about a week, I don't know where I am, what to do…" I said, trailing off.
Ramiro closed his eyes for a second before he spoke. "Listen, Tobias. I have always felt shame. Shame that I stopped looking, shame at what I had become, shame that I was never as brave as Pietro. Shame is a human emotion, unknown to the wilds of this world. I clung to my shame, and with it my sanity. Don't give up, ever. If you give up, you will lose what makes you human, and por Dios what a terrible thing to lose."
He turned to address Alejandra. "Alejandra, you know the place where Pietro searched last. Lead Tobias there, then follow him on his journey." He had a sad look in his eyes.
"But papà.." She said, eyes widening.
"Alejandra. You are old enough to handle yourself. I trust Tobias out of a sense of kinship; I understand the feeling of wanting nothing more to return. Lastly… You are far more human than I. You were born a pokemon, but you were never like the wild ones. I became like them, but you inherited the most human parts of me. I could never go back now, but you could go in my stead. You have always wanted to meet humans, no? Well go and find them."
I was dumbfounded. This was some heavy talk, and I felt like I was intruding on family business by being here. I glanced over at Alejandra. Her surprise had been replaced by determination. "I will try. Goodbye, papà." She said, then turned to me. "Well, what are we waiting for, let's go!" She turned to leave, walking back in the direction we had arrived from.
"Take care of my daughter. I'm counting on you." Ramiro said, staring at Alejandra as she left.
"I'll do my best." I said, taking one last glance behind me as I turned away. Things were starting to move quickly, all of a sudden. I could only hope I could keep up.