He passed by the flower shop but not even seeing the flowers lightened his mood. All apart from one tree, that stood outside the shop. His favourite flower was Cherry Blossoms and the owner of the store had planted a tree outside the shop. For the last few years, he had watered the tree and helped it grow. He loved the tree but today he noticed some different. At the base was a letter. It was addressed to him. Looking around to see that there was no one else nearby, he picked up the letter and read it.
"You seek truth, but are given none. You constantly fight a personal war that no one understands. You feel lost and that you are doomed to walk forever alone. Rest assured though, you are not alone and close to you are friends to guide you. You have languished in the shadows for too long, so allow me to set you free."
The boy re-read the note a couple of times, letting the information sink in. Every fibre of his being wished it to be true, but then reality took over. This was probably yet the latest prank by the bullies at school. This wasn't the first time then had pulled this sort of thing so there was little to no chance that this was actually real. The boy contemplated ripping the note up and walking home, forgetting all about it by dinner time.
Suddenly, a sound caught his attention and he watched with amazement as the trees of the forest parted to reveal a pathway. Thankfully the owner was in the backroom so they couldn't see what was going on. This clearly wasn't any prank, there was definitely someone, or something, down that path that wrote the note. But it was that same realization that unnerved him, in all his research, he had not known of a hybrid that could manipulate nature to this extent. Of course grass type hybrids, as they were called, had some control over nature but not like this. However, from this gesture, it was very clear that whoever the hybrid on the other side of that path was, they wanted to meet him. He steeled himself with all his remaining courage and slowly walked down the path.
As he walked, he looked on with amazement as the trees parted ways to continue forming the path. This hybrid clearly had more power than the average hybrid. The path rounded a turn and approached a clearing. There was a campfire in the middle and sitting on a log was… the most magnificent hybrid he had ever seen.
It was a tall hybrid, taller than 6ft. It wore a beautiful flowing robe of white with yellow linings. Its head was that of a deer, with majestic blue fur and eight crystalline, unbranching antlers that shimmered every colour of the rainbow. It looked to be in a state of deep meditation so the boy wasn't sure if he should approach him, but then the hybrid opened its eyes. Its eyes were the same colour as its fur but its pupils were X's. He looked up and smiled softly at me.
"Greetings, young one." The hybrid said, his voice calm and serene. "I'm glad you accepted my invitation."
The boy could only nod in acknowledge but then he heard a sound from behind him and saw that the path he had travelled upon was closing. The trees once again took up their original spots.
"Just wanted to make sure this was a private conversation." The hybrid said, and the boy felt his knees began to shake "Do not be afraid of me, young one, I have no intention of harming you. I have been watching you for a few days and noted your interest in hybrids so I thought that it would be good for us to meet. Please sit."
The boy nodded and slowly walked over to the log directly facing the deer hybrid. The closer he got, the more in awe he became of the majestic deer.
"Allow me to introduce myself." The hybrid continued. "I am sure you are familiar with the concept of "Legendary Hybrids"? Hybrids whose power is so great it can change the world?"
The boy nodded quickly, now even more in awe of the deer. Could that mean…?
"Well, you are looking at one such hybrid." It said with reverent pride. "I have gone by many names in the hybrid world. Servant of the Earth, The Keeper of Nature, The great balancer of the world. But I prefer to be called Xerneas."
The boy sat there stunned at what he was hearing. He never thought it his whole life he would get the chance to meet a regular hybrid, let alone a legendary.
"Hm, you must be hungry after your classes. Tell me, do you recognize this fruit?" Xerneas asked, offering a small, yellow fruit from his robes.
The boy's eyes widened. "That's a Sitrus berry!" he exclaimed. "It only grows on the World Trees scattered around the world; it's tasteless to humans, but it's apparently amazing to hybrids!"
"Here, why not try a bite?" Xerneas said with a growing smile.
"I guess, I don't think I'd like it; I'm human, you know!"
"Are you? Do you truly believe that, young one?" Xerneas held the berry forward.
The boy was confused by Xerneas' words. Despite his dreams of being a hybrid, he knew that he was a human. However the conviction behind what Xerneas said took him off guard, like he knew more than he let on. The boy took the fruit from Xerneas.
He took a bite and then froze. He was expecting to taste nothing but the fruit gave of the sweet taste of an orange, maybe a bit sweeter. But that was impossible, all his research clearly stated that humans could not taste the fruit… unless…
"I think you starting to understand, young one." Xerneas said, a full smile on his face. "Those feelings of doubt and confusion you have. Your identity crisis. All of it, is entirely justified. You're not a human, child, you are a hybrid."
The boy could only sit there stunned. He was a hybrid. Part of him thought that this was a joke, he looked human in every way, he couldn't fly or do any of the amazing things that hybrids could do. But here was a legendary hybrid, telling him completely straight faced, that he was one. That left only one question for the boy.
"If I am a hybrid, then why do I look like…this?" he pointed at his own body.
"The only explanation for that would be a tragic accident at your birth that has hidden your hybrid side. Even so, your aura still resonates at the level and frequency of a hybrid, so it made finding you a simple task." Xerneas said. "Now that you know the truth, consider this. I can right what has been wronged and transform your body into its original hybrid form, granting you all the powers and abilities linked to it. But this is a one way transformation, once done nothing will be able to change you back to your human self. So I implore you to consider this decision carefully before answering me."
The boy thought long and hard about this decision. This was the decision that would alter the course of his life permanently. On the one hand, there was a better than likely chance that he could never re-enter his old life if he said yes. Even his own father probably wouldn't accept his new form, whatever it was. On the other, he would finally become the hybrid that he always dreamed of and was destined to be.
"Yes" the boy said "I agree to change."
"Very well," his benefactor replied with a beaming smile. "Hold still."
Xerneas drew her hands together, shining energy erupting from between her fingers, and placed her hands on his chest. The boy could feel the energy rushing through him, racing through his aura to unlock… something. His whole body was bathed in a white light, blocking out all sensation as his body and soul was remolded under the hybrid's power. When it dissipated, there stood a very different boy.
"Take a look" Xerneas smiled, conjuring a mirror in her hands. The boy was shocked at his reflection. His skin was a light green, from his head to his belly and darker green down his legs. His now-green hair grew out, now pointed and slightly curved at the top like a bud about to bloom. Two strands of hair stuck up like antenna and bee-like wings waved softly on his back.
His shock turned into a euphoric laughing. He looked exactly how he always imagined he would! It was like a massive weight had been thrown of his body. All the confusion, all the self-doubt and all the torment these feelings had caused were gone, replaced by a sense of surety and self-worth.
"Thank you," he whispered, gripping Xerneas tightly in a weeping hug. "Thank you so much...!"
Xerneas was shocked for a moment before simply smiling and hugging back.
Finally he thought This is my first step to putting things right. Adriana, I hope you can forgive me, wherever you are.
"Now… there is much to learn of hybrid life," he said, settling the boy down onto the log beside him. "You are Celebi, a hybrid who is perfectly at one with nature. Many powers are now at your disposal… with proper training, they can grow and bloom like the flowers you love. I think I shall mentor you, if you would accept that."
The boy nodded, still processing that this was all too real to be a dream. Not only had his deepest desire of becoming a hybrid be fulfilled, but he was going to be trained by one the wisest and oldest hybrids in existence. But just in case, he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He winced from pain, dissuading any last suspicions and causing Xerneas to chuckle.
"Now, I don't believe I caught your name," his teacher mentioned
He was about to respond with his name, but that suddenly felt wrong. Another name soon took its place…
Xerneas nodded. "Hybrids take upon themselves a different name than their given ones, often to reflect their nature and powers. So again: what is your name, my child?"
"I am Ranger, for Celebi is one with the forest and now… so am I."