Tiny droplets of mist clung to the grass in the chilly morning. The colors of the landscape were dulled by the dim light that reached from across the horizon in the east as dawn approached. Cybele's children had been upset by her cries when she awoke from her dream, and it had taken considerable time to convince them that she had only had a nightmare. This lead to a conversation of recounting nightmares, and despite her children's insistence, Cybele would not describe her own dream. Not even she was willing to relive it; not yet.
The faint cries of a flock of Pidgey could be heard in the distance. For what reason, Cybele did not know. As she lifted her head into the air, there was an unmistakable scent that she did not recognize. It was one of a strange Pokémon. She observed her children as their talk died down and they too occupied themselves with their own thoughts, gazing into the distance as they engaged in their own silent reverie. Cybele felt her stomach lurch with hunger, and she knew that it was time for breakfast. She could worry about the stranger later; for now, it was food that engaged her mind.
"Come, we are going to head to the creek," she informed her offspring. She began to walk leisurely towards the familiar drinking and bathing area. Soon she could hear the faint trickle of water of the brook as it ran through the field, splashing against its smooth bed of rock and pebbles. Once they had reached the creek, the children quickly immersed themselves in the shallow water. When there was a hard rain, the sound of the water rushing was unmistakable; but with the scarcity of the rain, there was only a faint trickle that emanated from the brook. The water was free of Water Pokémon, too shallow to support any life.
The mud and grime that had settled at the bed of the brook was stirred by the splashing of her children, coloring the clear water. She headed further up the creek, and at last dipped her head into the warm water and drank deeply. She had been parched, and now the only thing that was needed to satisfy her was the taste of the summer berries. She listened contentedly to the delighted squeals of her children at play. They were so full of energy and life, and had not the time to sit back and simply drink. She heard the slight sound of footsteps from behind her and turned, seeing that Yitro had once more passed on the festivities of play.
"Mama, something isn't right," he said as he approached his mother. Cybele inhaled again, finding that the unfamiliar scent had grown stronger. She stood and faced away from the creek.
"A trespasser has come to the field," she informed her son grimly. They shared an expression of deep worry. Cybele looked once again upon her children. If anything were to hurt them, she would never be able to rest well at night. She came to the conclusion that she had to take appropriate measures to prevent this from happening.
"Take your brothers and sisters to the bushes, and I shall take care of this," she instructed Yitro. He nodded solemnly and began to carry his heavy form towards the others. She could not hear what he said to them, but they immediately ceased their play and followed their brother single-file. They were playful kittens, but they were not so foolish as to not know when it was time to be serious.
The bushes were a thick grouping of shrubs on the south side of the field. It was a hotspot of plenty when the bearberries ripened, yielding a delicious feast of the small, spherical red berries. Heath was abundant in the area, with their tall, jade stems covered with thin needles. They bore deep pink blossoms which Cybele thought were nearly the most beautiful flowers in all the meadow. Its only successor was the vibrant orange lilies which grew at the edge of the brook where it entered the forest. Cybele had never ventured far into the forest. When she was a kit her mother had told her that there were human trails throughout the forest, and large bug Pokémon which could make a quick meal of a Rattata.
She picked up the scent once more which wafted through the air, and began to follow it. She walked through the creek, her small white paws becoming dampened when they contacted the water. It grew stronger as she progressed, until it was the only thing that she could smell any longer. She had never smelled such a Pokémon. She only hoped that it was docile. But she was willing to sacrifice herself if it would make a meal of her rather than her children. She was not a fighter, but she had hoped to sort the ordeal through peacefully. Whether this was a wise decision or not was not an idea which crossed through the determined Rattata's mind.
The sun, at this point, had nearly risen so that the entire glowing, white orb in the sky was visible. The landscape was once again fully colored, and the squawking of the Pidgeys had long passed. As the scent grew even stronger, Cybele's chest began to thump more loudly, and her breath became shallower as she realized that she may have gotten herself into more than she was ready for. She had not yet encountered the intruder, but she could taste the fear in the air. It was several moments before she realized this fear was her own.
"Well, hello there," said a melodic voice. The words rolled smoothly off of its tongue, and its unmistakably female ring was soothing yet perturbing all at once. Cybele lifted her head, now trembling with fear.
She was met with a pair of golden eyes. Its pupils were small, beady slits through the center of them. As she backed away she observed the coiled stance of the strange creature before her. It was covered in smooth, violet scales with a golden ring across its neck. It flicked the end of its long, yellow tail, causing a distinct rattling sound. Its forked tongue darted in and out of its mouth, making a soft, involuntary hissing sound. Cybele stood, petrified in fear, unsure of what to do. She had never seen a creature by the likes of this before. It was only the Spearows, the Pidgeys, the Weedles and the Caterpies which frequented the field other than the abundance of Rattatas. It twisted its long, legless body around, revealing its yellow underside before settling itself once again.
"Don't be alarmed, dear," it told her. The tone of the voice sounded friendly, but she could place no trust in those gleaming, mistrustful eyes. "I won't hurt you if you cooperate."
"Do what you want with me," Cybele told the strange creature, trying to sound collected, "but leave my children be."
"Ah, yes," replied the trespasser coolly, "all Rattatas have children, don't they? Well, I suspect that my master will not want much to do with them. It is you she wants." Cybele felt light-headed; her master? It could only mean that there was a human. The foreign creature's eyes flashed and the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard. The intruder did not turn its head, but simply stared, unblinking, at Cybele. Its leer seemed to prevent her from moving or saying anything further.
Her eyes moved towards the approaching figure. It was at least five times her size, its long, lanky body soaring above her like a skyscraper. She saw a freckled, human face. The girl was fair-skinned with freckles dotting her complexion. She smiled widely, revealing a pair of braces which glimmered in the young sunlight. She shoved her round spectacles up the bridge of her small nose. She had dusty blonde locks of hair that protruded from the sides of her head in loose pigtails. She wore a colorful, flowery blouse and plain blue jeans which had a tear in the knee. But Cybele had the best view of her sneakers, worn and holey with bright green shoelaces. She sat on her haunches, observing the Rattata. Cybele saw, in horror, the thin belt which was tied around her waist, with several red-and-white Pokéballs attached. She stroked the serpentine creature next to her.
"You did such a good job, Ekans!" she praised the creature. The snake Pokémon looked solemn, and carefully removed itself from beneath the human's grasp.
"My name is Heulwen. Get it right or I'm going to start calling you 'Human'," she told her trainer scornfully, in not such a charming voice as she had spoken to Cybele. The human seemed to make no regard for her Pokémon's scolding, and instead fumbled with the Pokéballs clasped to her belt. Cybele wanted to run, but when she tried to move it seemed her muscles were incapable of doing such. She felt as if it took all of the power within her to simply stand.
"I apologize for this," Heulwen said to Cybele, her seductive tone of voice returning once more, "but I had no choice. My master tends to have a—what is the word—hissy fit, if I do not obey. I think you will find that she is most obnoxious."
Those were the last words that Cybele comprehended before she saw a flash of blinding bright light, and collapsed into unconsciousness.