CRRRRRRAAAACCKK!
The countryside trembled under the weight of a thunderous explosion as a bolt of white streaked across the dark night sky. A massive surge came into contact with the valley's largest tree. In an instant, it split in half. The separated halves fell to the verdant floor below in an instant.
A sea of vegetation and bushes nearby was strewn with hot sparks. The once vivid greens and austere browns have been replaced by a spectrum of blazing reds, scorching oranges, and vibrant yellows.
Murky, dense clouds rapidly filled the air as the sky flared up like a burning sun. The sky widened into a dismal black. The air was thick with ash and smoke, and the valley was engulfed by an eerie, thick layer of smog.
Desperate cries were heard from the woodland creatures as they sought fresh oxygen and shelter from the fast spreading flames, trying in vain to avoid Mother Nature's fury.
This wasn't the case for every resident of the forest. Many perished in the midst of the wildfire, whether as a result of falling debris and logs, a lack of clean air to breathe, or the intensity of the inferno raging throughout the countryside.
As the once vibrant, populated woodland was quickly reduced to ashes, the Vulpix stared on in complete dismay.
"Arceus! H-How could this have happened?"
With her window of time to escape running thin, the red fox secured the blue cloth around her mouth to prevent her from inhaling the hazardous fumes emitted by the wildfire.
It was only a matter of time before the formerly lush landscape of towering trees, dense underbrush, berry-filled bushes, moss-covered hills, and leaf-strewn paths became a desolate, charred wasteland.
Instead of singing birds, chirping insects, and light breezes through leaf-coated trees, the entire forest echoed with crackles and pops as the raging inferno drowned out the once peaceful atmosphere. A somber atmosphere now hung over the entire valley. A nauseating smell and flavor permeated the air, the result of the abundance of burning logs and the flesh of those whose lives were lost in the disaster.
With clenched teeth, the Vulpix struggled forward, fully aware that this might be her final moment and that she could become the next victim of the fire at any moment. It became increasingly difficult for the fire-type Pokemon to see beyond a few feet in front of her face as she was surrounded by flames.
A sob escaped her lips as she collapsed to the ground. As she lay there, listening to the wind howl across the deserted wasteland, she wished-no, she begged-that this was all a nightmare. The only thing she wanted was to wake up in her bed, the sun beaming through the window, welcoming a new day. She wished to embark on another journey to uncover what fresh and amazing things were just waiting to be uncovered... This, however, was no dream. Wails of helpless beings all around her informed her otherwise.
Slowly, the Vulpix came to terms with what was about to happen to her. This forest would very likely be her final resting place. As one of the countless lives lost in the great fire that raged throughout the woods outside of the walls of Lunator, her name would be recorded in history books. Or, would anyone even remember her at all? That was the way of life sometimes. Life often deals many a bad hand. One moment, you're on top of the world, and nothing can stop you. Next, it feels like everything is trying to drag you down.
In the midst of the heat, she felt her consciousness drift as her eyelids began to grow heavy. She could vaguely make out a shape in the distance. Her eyes watered as she blinked repeatedly in an attempt to clear the ash and dirt from her eyes. Yet, the shape remained. Gritting her teeth, she managed to stand, approaching the unmoving figure.
The Vulpix could now clearly make out that the figure belonged to an Eevee, which remained motionless. Gasping aloud, the fire-type kneeled next to them, placing an ear against the normal-type's chest. Although the Vulpix was not a religious person, she prayed to Arceus and any other gods that existed out there that this poor creature had not met their end in this terrible tragedy.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Arceus had answered her prayer! With an audible sigh of relief, the Vulpix smiled, but held back from a joyous celebration. The two were still in great danger within the immediate area.
Due to the dense clouds of smoke in the air, it was likely that the Eevee had fallen unconscious due to the low oxygen level. Untying the blue cloth from around her mouth, she tied it around the Eevee's. The fox, being a fire-type, was more resistant to the effects of fire and could stay in the smoke longer than the normal-type.
Despite a grunt and some effort, the Vulpix was able to hoist the Eevee onto her back. Fortunately, they were light, which allowed her to continue forward at a relatively quick pace. In spite of the drawbacks of being partially blinded and being shrouded around a thick coat of smoke, there was no option but to continue moving forward.
SNAP! CRAAAACK! WOOOOOSH!
A strong gust of wind knocked the Vulpix off her feet, sending her and the Eevee, sending them tumbling to the debris-strewn floor. As the fox landed upon a fallen log, all of the air was expelled from her lungs.
Coughing repeatedly, the Vulpix took several deep breaths to recover from her fall. She looked at the Eevee, who was still lying on the ground. "Eevee, are you alright?" she asked, her voice hoarse from the fall. She was well aware that she wouldn't be receiving a response, although it made her feel better to ask the question aloud.
A massive tree trunk had fallen across the path ahead. If only the two had been a few steps ahead... She shuddered at the thought.
To distract herself from thoughts as dark as those, she hoisted her companion onto her back, moving in the opposite direction of the fallen trunk. Surely, at some point, all paths will lead out of the forest, right?
Within moments of trekking, she could see a mountainous region on the gray horizon. With an unexpected rush of excitement, she realized that the open space meant she was close to an exit. In her mind, she thanked Arceus once again for giving her hope. She wasn't quite out of the situation yet, and began to move at an accelerated pace.
As if a rug were pulled out from under someone's feet, the Vulpix's window of opportunity for escape was snatched away in an instant. A series of trees ahead began to fall one by one, like dominoes. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was about to be crushed by the falling trees. She began to run as fast as she could, but it was no use. The logs fell on top of her, pinning her to the ground. She screamed in pain as the branches tore into her flesh. She tried to move, but the branches held her down.
Despite this, it was not her own wellbeing that she was concerned about. Her heart skipped several beats as she tried to locate the Eevee from her current position. She saw them lying face down in the soil of a ditch up ahead. They must have been launched prior to the Vulpix being pinned. She apologized aloud for not being strong enough to save the helpless creature.
Trying to free herself from her wooden prison only led to an excruciating wave of pain shooting through her legs and torso. She cried aloud, tears streaming down her face. Because of the pain moving brought her, she was unable to employ ember or any other maneuvers to try to break free. She was losing the strength to cry out. The unbearable pain convinced her that the end was near.
"I'm sorry, Eevee. I'm so sorry. I should have been able to save you."
As the darkness gained control, the Vulpix's eyes closed, lulled by the image of the raging inferno surrounding her and the mountainous terrain growing further and further away...