Chapter 10: The Webbed Forest

Hello everyone, not much is going on over here on my end except that college is now in full swing. Other than a DnD-like Pokemon campaign I'll be taking part in soon my time will be divided between school work and writing and keeping on track with the story. Either way, most updates will be around the 18th of every month give or take a few days. Also I apologize in advance for the massive wall of text you are about to read. I'll try and break it up a bit to make it easier on you guys. With that out of the way let us begin.

Once again Braixen found herself enveloped by darkness. Tentatively, she walks forward on her four legs. Wait a minute, she hasn't walked on four legs since she was a younger. She looks down and sees that her feet are covered in brown fur that soon changes to orange. She looks around herself again and is standing in a field she knows very well. It's the field right next to the village that she would play in with the other children of her village. She looks over toward the tree line that surrounds the mountain and sees a small dark shape running toward her. Somehow she knows what's coming toward her and isn't afraid. Once the dark shape comes closer she can make out a familiar face and smiles.

She hears no sound as she calls out to greet her friend. Her friend is carrying something in her mouth, a glittering stone that dances like fire in the sunlight. She knows deep down what the stone is and wants to touch it, but she isn't sure she wants to change. She somehow tells her friend that they should hide the stone for later because she isn't ready to change. Her friend understands and leads her into the forest where they bury the stone. When she goes to look back up at her friend however she seems different. Things changed when her friend had evolved and she didn't want her to go through it alone. She presses her paw against the stone and her body is enveloped in a bright light. It feels like pure energy is flowing through her body, causing it to rapidly change and grow. It doesn't hurt so much as make every inch of her body tingle and itch as the light begins to fade and her once orange and brown fur is replaced with gold colored fur except on the tail tips in which some orange still remained.

After looking at all of the changes that have happened she looks over at her friend who is smiling at her. They start to walk in the direction of the village together. Halfway there the day seems to have changed, she feels older and there is a sadness in her heart as she walks toward her house. She is surprised as she enters to find a letter addressed to her with no name from the sender. She opens the letter and finds out that it is a letter from her friend that she hash't seen in years. As she reads memories of the past flash by until she gets to the bottom. Her friend has just given birth to a healthy daughter and she asks if her daughter is ever in need of help she will know where to send her. The last thing before the end of the letter is the name she chose for the daughter, the daughters name is Kuzuno. Gradually everything gets brighter until Braixen finds herself staring up at the wall while sunlight flutters in through an open window near her. She slowly starts to get up until she is in an upright position. She looks around the room wondering where she could be until she hears the voice of Granny Ninetails coming from somewhere else in the house. She slowly gets up and slowly makes her way in the direction Granny Ninetails is.

" It's been two days since you brought her back here. I'm beginning to worry that she might have used more energy than we originally thought. She'll be hungry when she gets up either way so it might be a good idea if we started preparing just in case."

One of Granny Ninetails' s ears swivel in Braixen's direction as she enters the room.

"Good afternoon dear how do you feel? Would you like something to eat and drink?"

Braixen looks at Granny Ninetails and then to Zoro.

"You said that I've been out for two days. What happened to me that I've been out for that long? What does this have to do with energy as well?" Braixen's stomach growls. "Hehe it seems that I am hungry at least."

"We have some sandwiches here that you can have until a meal can be made for you. You'll need all the food you can get so you can replace all of the energy that you used. Speaking of, we would like to know what happened in the hut. Do you remember what happened dear?"

Braixen tries to remember what happened in the hut. As it starts to come back to her she blushes at first.

"I remember tricking Zoro into looking into my eyes and making him fall asleep. After that I walked into the hut and the Primeape let the Cubone go as he promised, but afterward he wanted to use me to help him move on up and attack Mystic City where he was wanting to hook up with some other gang members. At first I refused to help him but then he threatened to throw every child from the village into the forest to die if I still refused. After that… I don't remember much except a sudden rage followed by a strange dream. After that I woke up here and that's all I remember. Why what happened after that?"

Granny Ninetails and Zoro look at each other and then Zoro hands her the sandwiches and begins telling her how he woke up and found her in the burning hut. He also tells her of how she seemed to have something surrounding her that made it difficult to get near her as he carried her to the village. As Braixen munches on some of the sandwiches that had been on the table, she wonders if her mother had had any problems like this when she was her age.

" Thank you Zoro, for saving me from the hut and bringing me back here. I don't know if what happened was because of some of my powers trying to protect me or if it was something else. It seems that a lot has been happening to me lately. What happened in the shut and the strange dreams that I've been having."

Granny Ninetails looks at her with an odd expression on her face.

"Strange dreams? What do you mean by that dear?

"It's only happened twice, the night that I first met Zoro and whenever I was unconscious just now. Both times I wasn't myself. The first one I was looking down at the dead body of a Pokemon that looked like Zoro and I had crimson claws like his. The second one that I had I was a Vulpix that had met someone who I recognized in the field near the trees next to the village. My "friend" had a fire stone with her and was wanting me to touch it and evolve, but I didn't want to. We decided to bury it and then it seemed to be a different point in time because my friend had become like Zoro and I had chosen to become a Ninetales. Then as we headed toward the village it shifted again and I came home to a letter saying she had just had a child. I'm not sure what these are supposed to mean."

Granny Ninetails looks at Braixen for a brief moment in shock before regaining some of her composure.

"Deary, I think that you might have been reliving past events of both Zoro and I. I wouldn't worry about it to much right now but go and seek out an old friend of mine in Mystic City. His name in Malem and he should be able to help you keep that power in check and maybe help you gain others. Just tell him that I sent you and he should let you in with no trouble. It'll take a few days to get there so be safe in your journey both of you. The dangers ahead that you will face might just be to much to handle without caution so be careful."

"I will Granny. Could you tell mom and dad that I said hello when you get back into town?"

Sure dear, I'll also have to tell them about Zoro hear as well. They might want to thank the boy who saved their daughter."

Braixen blushes deeply and turns to Zoro. "I think I know how dad will react.We might end up seeing him in Mystic City knowing dad.."

Zoro looks at Braixen confused. "I hope that's a good thing."

After staying for dinner and resting until morning, Braixen and Zoro head of down the trail toward the Webbed Forest. After stopping to fill a small pot with water that Zoro had been given by one of the villagers they proceed into the forest following the clear path in front of them. Braixen had heard rumors of some of the Pokemon that lived deeper in the forest. Mainly Ariados and Galvantula which is how the forest got its name. Few had ever been seen this close to the trail however and normally they hunted at night. It was nice to see all of the other types of Pokemon like the Wurmple, Caterpie, and Burmy hanging in the trees. Around mid day they thought that they would stop and have some lunch that Granny Ninetails had tucked into their bags before they left. Even if it did mainly consist of some rice and chopped carrots Braixen still enjoyed it. She had never really seen why people would eat carrots when Berries were so much better tasting but since no Berries were around she made due. Zoro ate his meal slow, preferring to enjoy the taste of every bite to it's fullest. Maybe, Braixen thought, she should try doing that as well next time. After a quick stretch, Zoro and Braixen continue on through the forest. Eventually the path starts to split until the other path is hidden behind tall grass, shrubs, and trees with no signpost to show what lies beyond. They decide to go down the clear path until night starts to fall.

"Do you remember if Granny Ninetails told us how long it would take to get through the forest Zoro? We've been walking for quite a while and we still aren't through it. I've heard about the Pokemon that appear at night and I'd rather not have a run in with them."

Zoro looks around in the trees for signs of movement but doesn't see anything.

"I know what you mean but we might not have the choice. It's getting dark quickly and I'm not sure where the forest ends and what lies on the other side. We can set up camp and take turns on watch duty. I'll take the first shift so you can get some more rest."

Braixen blushes and helps Zoro set up a campfire to keep warm.

"Thanks again Zoro, for saving me back in the hut. I didn't want to say to much back there in front of Granny Ninetails, but it means a lot to me that you care enough to risk your life."

Zoro looks at Braixen and smiles.

"I'll always have your back, no matter what we're up against."

".. Thank you Zoro. Well, I'd better get some rest since I'm up next. Night"

Braixen takes out the blanket she had backed from Zoro's cave and laid it out on the ground. Soon Zoro can only hear the fire cracking, the sounds of the forest, and the even breaths of Braixen sleeping.

Hello it's me again. Sorry for the massive walls of text in this chapter. It's been an interesting process of trying to figure out exactly what to say and how to make it so that it doesn't scare anyone away with all of the reading. Next months chapter might have a theme to it since because of the month it is. Next month also marks the one year anniversary for the original concept for this story being written. It doesn't feel like it has been that long since I first came up with it. I'm glad for the many of you who have been around for the ride so far and the others who will in the future. Thank you all again and see you next month!