Three Pokémon sat around a fire. Two of them teenagers, huddled together on a log laid out. One was a green lizard, big orange eyes reflecting off the glint of the fire, the other a white furred Vulpix, his fur brushed and neat.
The final Pokémon was concealed by a cloak, and was large, towering over the two children. He also was a lot older than them as he finally made a remark…
Anerin's Tale: The Shadows of The Past Still Linger
"I'm rather surprised you two are still awake," Remarked the older Pokémon, "Back at the Guild, everyone says you two are out like lights at sundown."
"Do they not mention all the times we haven't slept as well?" The Alolan Vulpix snorted in response, rolling his eyes.
The Treecko nodded in agreement, "Yeah… more often than not, we're awake 'till midnight."
The older Pokémon nodded as they listened, "Rumor has it, that you two are headed into the Willowed Woods?"
The duo shared a glance, as if communicating with their eyes, before they nodded in return.
"Yeah. We are." The Vulpix snorted, frowning at the 'mon, "Why does it matter?"
"Do you know of any… odd occurrences happening there? It's rumored to house multiple Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, after all."
"Well…" The Vulpix started, only to get a paw over his maw from his Treecko teammate.
"Yes. Weird things have been rumored to happen. Witnessing futures, an odd shadow, time paradoxes a lot happens-"
"Oh, the shadow is still there? I thought it would've moved on by now."
"What?" The duo hummed in unison.
"Oh, did I never tell you two the Legend?"
The duo shook their heads.
"Well then. Sit tight kiddos and get comfortable. It's a little bit of a long one…
The days were grim. Natural disasters loomed, embodiments of the evil and negativity of the world had manifested, time had nearly frozen, the Guardian deities had disappeared, and alien Pokémon were invading, the Darkest Day loomed above all, there was even a ton of paradoxes.
Needless to say, everyone in the 'new age' after these disasters were on edge, and rightfully so. The disasters came quickly, one after another, and showed no signs of slowing down for nearly a hundred years.
Even when they did stop, nothing could change the damage caused. Pokémon were afraid of their own shadows, of each other, of the cruel world they lived in.
This is where the Legend starts, the small village, just outside Willowed Woods, began spreading rumors about a living shadow in the woods. Not many took it seriously.
It wouldn't be taken very seriously for a few years. It was constantly a joke in the village, especially among children. They were constantly daring each other to go. Go into the woods for a few minutes, hours, even days in some extreme cases.
Then many sightings came out about a living shadow following travelers in the woods. They would whisper to them, asking for them to stay and listen.
While that elevated it, it didn't do much, until a young girl went missing and never returned. Her last sighting was her running into the woods, away from her parents and the safety of the town she'd always known.
There were searches for weeks and she wasn't found. Many believed the shadow got what they wanted and fled, or laid low until all the other Pokémon left.
The rumors really picked up there. The girl was never found, the townsfolk migrated further away from the woods, leaving an abandoned town in its wake. It was poetic in retrospect. They made fun of what would be the cause of them leaving.
Those ruins of the town are where we are right now," The older Pokémon finished, nodding at them. They gestured around the area with a grin, "We are in the middle of the Legend. Where it took place!" They chuckled and leaned onto their knees, "How do you two feel about that?"
The Treecko and Vulpix were huddled together and shivering as they looked around the dark woods around them.
"Wh-Why!?" The Alolan Vulpix demanded, their white fur almost glowing In the firelight, "Why tell us that here and now!?" He looked wearily around behind Treecko's back.
The Treecko was doing the same thing, their green skin glinting off the light of the fire as they looked behind the Vulpix for anything.
"Two kids, supposed to be explorers, scared of a little legend," Chuckled the old 'mon. As the chuckle faded their wrinkly face turned into a grin, "It'll be okay you two. It'll be fine."
The duo didn't break their hug. Nor did their shivers fade, it would probably become one-sided shivers from the ice type being cold and such and emitting the chill to the grass type.
They chuckled and looked out to the surrounding woods. They could smell the forestry air, it smelt a lot like pine, mixed with an oak and Maple. It was a sweet, yet bitter smell. An odd aroma, but a good one.
"Welp!" The old Pokémon stood, cracks omitting from his back briefly, "I'm off to bed! You two should probably follow suit!" The 'mon nodded and began to head to his tent for the night.
The ensuing scramble from the duo made the 'mon chuckle. Those chuckles turned to laughter as they stumbled and tripped over one another to get to their tent, "Silly kids…" He sighed before ducking into his own tent for the night.
Meanwhile, in the tent of the Explorers, neither of them could sleep right away. They both stayed huddled under their sleeping bags, waiting for drowsiness to take over their minds.
"H-Hey Kiha, c-can ya sleep at all?" The Vulpix asked, glancing at her concern in his eyes. He seemed more worried than scared as he stared at the Treecko.
She would just sigh in return, and sit up herself, "What do you think, Kraena?" She would reply with sarcasm in her voice.
He winced in response, "S-Sorry I bothered him to tell us a tale earlier…" He mumbled, looking down at paws out of the sleeping bag, "I… hoped it wouldn't be a ghost story… especially one about the area we're in."
The Treecko sighed and nervously rubbed the back of her head, "Listen. We couldn't do much," She shrugged and lowered her hand to her chest. "We were getting a story no matter what. It was merely a matter of what one," She replied with a smile, "That's how Grandad is sometimes…"
Kraena sighed and shook his head, "Your grandad always finds the worst stories to tell somehow," He observed tilting his head at her, "At your birthday, he told a story about how one of his parties was ruined by accidentally setting the house on fire.
For our team anniversary, he told a story about how a rescue team saved him and his family, then accidentally set the house on fire.
Then on your parent's anniversary, he told the story about his and his ex-wife's divorce. Then almost set the house on fire! How is a grass type so prone to accidentally setting a house on fire? He got away with it against the neighbors because they were pricks."
She giggled before sighing, "You've made your point haha," She uttered sarcastically, reaching over and jabbing him with a hand, "Don't worry, I can add on to your point. If you want more proof."
He chuckled and grinned at her, resting his head lazily on a paw, "Do go on Kiha, I would like to know." His voice was smug and eager. His white tails wagged slowly below his covers.
"Well, for New Years one year, he told a story about how he and friends would shoot bottle rockets at one another, and they set a shed on fire, that same year, some kids fired a bottle at our house and nearly set the house on fire! It was ridiculous! We were lucky Aunt Mille brought her friend, a Primarina, to quickly put the fire out."
Kiha giggled as she finished her story, "He was so funny while telling it, I'm butchering you from the original Grandad experience! He tells these stories by pouring his heart and soul into them!"
Kraena sighed and placed a paw to his own forehead, "Ya know, I don't think his old bones and creaky voice stand out much… a-at least not normally," He hummed to her, "When he's telling a story, however. That all changes."
The Treecko nodded in agreement, "When he tells a story, he tells it like it's his last time ever!" She sighed and tilted her head, "I hope it's not…"
"It won't be!" He said to her, trying to assure her that her Grandad wasn't going to die anytime soon despite not knowing how old he was, "I bet he's barely in his… sixties or something!"
She sighed and smiled at him, "He's like seventy-two," she said with a shrug, "He'll be going at some point…" Kiha shook her head out, "But not some time soon!" The Treecko declared, patting the ground with a paw.
Kraena chuckled and nodded, "He's strong, he survived all those fires after all, right?" He joked again, grinning smugly at her with that one.
She giggled and sighed, "That's enough Grandad slander for a few days." She said to him, tilting her head at the tent again, "I'm ready to go to sleep. How about you?"
The Vulpix shrugged, "I guess I'm ready." He replied, scooting back under his sheets a bit more. He was still looking towards his partner.
The Treecko slumped in her sleeping bag and looked towards him, "You don't have to sleep, you know?" She hummed to the Vulpix, "At least not right away."
He sighed and nodded in return, "I guess you're right," The Six tailed fox rubbed his eyes with a paw, glancing towards the tent entrance, "On the bright side it distracted me from that story old 'mon Ahmis told us." He said with a small smile, glancing back towards his teammate.
She laughed a little and smiled at him, "I'm glad my Grandad's other stories helped quell some worry!" She celebrated, falling back to the floor with triumph.
He sighed and nodded in return, "Yeah… Thanks for telling them…" He replied to her with a smile.
"Heh! Anytime," She replied with a smile. The grass type released a sigh that transitioned into a yawn and rested her hands behind her head, "Night Kraena." Kiha called to him before falling silent.
The Vulpix sat there in silence for several moments, blinking at the ceiling of the tent. He released a sigh and closed his eyes. The wave of colors sent from his brain immediately washed over his 'sight'. Kraena grumbled and opened his eyes again.
"Nope. Can't sleep like this." He grumbled internally, rolling his eyes in irritation. He sat up again and looked around the tent again.
The roof of the tent was white, well he knew it was white despite the night making it look gray. Not a speck covered its spotless surface. It was all Kraena could really focus on. Something boring to tire him out.
The Vulpix usually never had a hard time falling asleep. He could normally do it without any problem whatsoever, no matter where he was. Yet here he was, unable to fall asleep. Was it that damned story? Was he overly nervous? Why couldn't he fall asleep?
Kraena released an annoyed groan as he laid, staring up at the ceiling. Not a noise other than the wind and nature outside could be heard. That was all that entered his ears. He was actually starting to enjoy the soft hum of the wind and the branches above clattering against one ano- *SNAP*
Rather than a sigh, his breath hitched in his throat.
"What was that?" He gulped, not wanting to move, fearing that would give him away in some way, shape or form. The Vulpix looked around at anything he could see or even find that could be a living and moving shadow. His eyes darted around in fear, his body shivered involuntarily.
Somehow throughout it all, the worry, anxiety, everything.
He was getting tired.
He didn't like it, especially now when he was scared there was going to be someone outside. And still, his eyes drooped and drooped. He didn't know what the last sound was, but he hoped it wasn't the zipper to his tent before he floated away into unconsciousness.
"Get up." A stern voice ordered, causing the Vulpix to stir.
The white, multi-tailed fox gingerly opened their eyes, and glanced up at the 'waker'.
The Arcanine kept his eyes narrowed as they stirred. Those black and gray eyes filled with disdain and annoyance. His body was tensed as well, "Do I have to repeat myself?"
"No you don't Father," The Vulpix sighed, sitting up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes with a paw. Her white fur was matted and messy, a prime example of bedhead, "I'm up. See?"
The Fire type snorted and turned away, "Get ready. Be quick." He growled back to her, pushing her door open and walking away, his tail hesitating briefly before following after him.
She released a sigh, scratching her head briefly. She sucked in another breath and took a look around the room. Her room.
The room itself was rather plain. Faint and light blue paint covered the walls, there were splotches that were missing or that had been peeled off. Something she had taken the blame and fall for, despite not doing it.
By the right-most wall, she had a desk, with only a handful of drawers. Each drawer was for one specific treatment or item in particular. One was fur grooming supplies. Another was miscellaneous clothing, and the last one was cleaning. Fur, sheets, glass, really anything she had in her room.
The Vulpix yawned and forced herself from her bed, and walked to the mirror. She stumbled over her blanket, hanging off her bed momentarily, before standing in front of the reflective surface.
She released a sigh, opening one of the drawers. She pulled out a purple fur brush and began to neatly brush her fur down. The Vulpix would style it later, in case they decided to go out.
She inspected herself one final time before setting the brush back down and walking out of her room. Her door didn't have a lock, it didn't even latch. It simply swung on what was holding it up. There wasn't even a point to it. It wasn't going to save her from anything.
The Vulpix sighed as she walked down the vacant hallway of her home, passing a few doors. The hallways didn't have any decoration to them. Plain white walls, and a wooden floor. No pictures on the wall, no drawings, no labels or signs on doors, just the same plain whiteness like blank paper.
At least the other rooms weren't as plain as her room or the hallway. The living room was decorated with some photos, mostly of her mom and dad. Or them and their ancestors. There weren't many of her. If any at all.
She was rather upset about that in the first place. Did her father even care to put a photo of her out? To at least show he maybe cares? Or at least show that he likes her?
The Vulpix shook her head and looked down. She was laughing at herself. She knew he did this. She expected it, she'd come to know it, to not expect anything new, and despite expecting it… still hurt, knowing that he didn't care. Knowing that he would never look at her the same again. Knowing that mom was gone and he blamed her.
She sighed and sat in the middle of the living room, "I'm ready, father." She finally spoke, her voice drained and tired.
The Arcanine was already waiting by the door as she called to him, "Come on then! Hurry up!" His voice had not changed much, he still sounded irritated and annoyed. The fire type would step outside a few moments later.
The Alolan Vulpix grabbed her scarf. It was bright pink, and rather silky looking. It at least felt silky around her neck. She liked to think it was her mother's and that it was a gift from her.
She released an annoyed sigh and stepped outside after her father. As she exited the house, the orange tinted early morning light shined right into her eyes.
The Vulpix instinctively squinted and raised a paw momentarily to ensure the sun didn't get into her eyes. The Ice type lowered her head and chased after her father.
He led her a ways away, through the sleeping town. There was hardly anyone awake. A few Pokémon stirring and standing around outside their homes. She glanced at one of her awake neighbors.
The Lopunny only gave a look of sympathy as she passed, which didn't make the Vulpix feel any better about what was going to happen to her. She sighed and trotted a little faster after her father.
She kept walking, she could only guess what her Father's plans were for her. The Arcanine didn't look back throughout their walk.
The Arcanine led her to the edge of town, awaiting them were three Pokémon, and they immediately rubbed her the wrong way.
What happened next was a blur, all a blur. She didn't quite understand what was happening or why. She just stared up at her father with disdain, with horror, and with fear. He had finally gotten sick of her.
So she did what any normal 'mon would do.
She ran.
The Alolan Vulpix bolted away, away from it all, from her abusive home, away from her family or at least what remained of it, and into the woods by the village.
She didn't care about those she left behind, the few friends she had. All her belongings, her home, and most of all. The relics of her mother. Everything of hers, that she'd never see again.
None of that mattered now. The Vulpix pushed back her tears, as she stumbled over roots and ducked under branches, a few smacked her in the face, causing her to duck and yelp in pain.
The woods winded wildly around her as she ran. Everything looked the same, trees and shrubbery. She didn't know the way back to town, and frankly, she didn't want to.
She didn't want to go back. She shouldn't go back. Her father would just try and give her away again, and she… didn't want that. As much as she wanted a new family, she… couldn't do it her father's way. He didn't deserve to get what he wanted. To have the last laugh. He deserved nothing, and that was the bottom line.
Tears began to stream from her eyes, she knew deep down, she'd actually miss him, she knew that she'd miss everything, but she could never go back, especially not n-
A root, jutting out of the ground, caught the Alolan Vulpix's paw and sent her careening down a hill.
She screamed in pain, each time she struck the ground, and sometimes another root. Each smack lit up pain in her back, one worsening as her back and body would bruise.
She crashed down through an almost dome of roots and fell to the hard cave floor. The Ice fox stayed lying there, her eyes closed, for several moments. Until she was poked.
What she saw next, she didn't expect. The Alolan Vulpix opened her eyes and blinked. Standing above her was a shadow. A living, standing shadow. Its figure was bipedal as it stared down at her. She stared at it for a few moments. Then it handed her scarf over to her…
It must've taken some damage as it had been sewed back together, rather well, by this dark, Abyssal blur. The Vulpix released a sad sigh as she accepted the Scarf.
Even as she did so, and even after putting it on, she wanted to cry. She knew the reason why. She regretted not fighting to go with her, she missed her mom, she wanted her right there, right now.
And so. She began to sob. Her body was shaking and quaking as she cried. She missed her mom. She missed her freedom. She missed having a family…
And yet, once she opened her tearful eyes, the shadow was holding out a paw.
"Friend?" It wondered to her, kneeling down beside her with a smile. She blinked and looked up at the living shadow and sniffed.
She finally smiled and wiped her eyes, "F-Friend." *She agreed, accepting its hand.
Kraena gasped awake and immediately shook out his head. His paws quaked underneath the covers as he stared around in fear and confusion.
"What was that?" He breathed aloud, placing a paw to his chest. It didn't help with quelling his nervousness, nor the speed at which his heart beat.
He gulped and forced his eyes shut for several moments, taking a deep breath as he did so, before reopening his eyes.
The only thing he saw was two eyes, red-orange beads, staring back at him. The Vulpix was frozen for several seconds as he stared, his paws shivered and his tails wagged.
Finally, he screamed.
"AAaaaahhh!" He shrieked, flinging back into his back and trying to clamber inside his sleeping bag.
Those weren't Kiha's eyes. Those weren't that old 'mons' eyes, either. He didn't know who they were… or even what could have eyes like that.
Whatever it was, it stared at him, before turning and sinking down into the ground, into a small pool of darkness below. The pool didn't move for several seconds as Kraena panicked.
The Alolan Vulpix looked towards Kiha briefly, having to force his eyes away from the living shadow, sighing in relief at her sleeping state. She was alright. She was still breathing… nothing had happened to her.
The Vulpix then glanced back to where the shadow was, and guess what wasn't there? The shadow.
He yelped and jumped to his paws, glaring around in a brief panic. The Vulpix leapt from his sleeping back and backed up, as If to get a look around the tent. The moment he landed, he stepped back.
Almost instantly, something unnatural curled around his hind leg. It was rather soft, but unnaturally clingy. The Alolan Vulpix yipped and went airborne, releasing a weak Powder Snow at whatever had touched his leg.
The corner of the tent proceeded to get blasted in a thin layer of ice, as he landed rather gracefully on his paws. The Vulpix huffed as he blinked at the now snow covered tent side. Nothing was there to touch him.
Kraena whirled around as a noise from the doorway caught his attention. A light gust of wind followed, displaying that their tent was unzipped and open. Someone had gotten inside. That shadow.
He gritted his teeth, glancing at Kiha. She still slept, unaware of the ice attack merely inches away from her head. He sighed and turned away, stumbling through the entranceway and outside.
It was still extremely dark and difficult to see. The fire was still smoldering where they had left it. He hadn't been asleep for long. He gulped as he glanced around their campsite.
At first he didn't see anything, just the faint outline of everything. That old 'mon's tent, the logs they sat on while they were around the fire. The outline of the trees swaying around in the distance and above him.
He looked up, barely able to see the moon through the trees, its glow shone through, but seeing the moon itself seemed nearly impossible no matter where he looked.
He lowered his gaze to the woods to his right, away from both tents, to see two glowing wisps, floating out there. Waiting for him. They were orange, with yellow pupils. The moment he saw them, they disappeared, leaving a faint trail of orange on its wake.
He winced and glanced back at his teammate worriedly. She was left alone before, when the shadow was in their tent. It seemed way more focused on him than anything else. With a sigh, he headed after the wisps.
It was moments like this when Kraena wished he was a fire type, so he could create some semblance of light, so he could see.
The Vulpix would trip and stumble rather often, over anything on the ground that posed as an object in the way, a root, a tree branch, a rock, the path simply being uneven. Anything. If it was in his way, the Vulpix was falling over it.
The wisps just kept moving away from him, as if he was giving chase in some complex game of tag. The Vulpix couldn't fathom where it was leading him. It could really be anywhere.
When he wasn't tripping over literally anything. Kraena was making sure he was following the wisps. They went left, so did he. It was more: 'follow the leader' than tag.
Wanting to catch up quicker. The Alolan Vulpix would quicken his pace, jogging after the wisps, jumping a bit more often to avoid tripping.
His plan would work. He would get closer and closer, until the wisps suddenly veered down.
And Kraena leapt over them and down the hill. He released a loud shriek before slamming into the hillside, releasing a yelp of anguish. Then again, enacting a similar result from the Vulpix.
Each landing was on a different spot of his body, his back, then stomach, the side. He always landed in a different spot before when crashed down onto a buildup of roots, crashing through them and to the ground.
Kraena groaned, not moving. He didn't want to move, he didn't think he could. Everything hurt too much. He could've sworn he might've broken something. Maybe a wrist or even a rib.
He gingerly opened his eyes, trying to see where he landed, but couldn't. It was still way too dark. It was even worse here than it was running. He was lost, injured and alone in the middle of haunted woods.
Not the best scenario.
He felt tears begin to well in his eyes. He sniffed as he looked around. He was lost, alone and most likely doomed to die. There was no hope for him.
Those tears soon began to fall from his face. He sniffed and collapsed to the ground as his eyes became waterfalls. Kraena sobbed into his paws, it was over. Everything was over. He'd decided to be stupid and take a stupid risk, and now he was going to-
Then he was poked from behind. A soft and gentle poke, one meant to just let him know that someone was there, not to force him around.
He gulped and wiped his eyes, sniffing back any more tears and snot. He took a deep breath before looking at the one who poked him.
It was… shadow. The living one from before. Bipedal, all black, bright orange-red eyes with yellowish pupils. A green hood was flickering behind him.
It was offering a hand to him.
The Vulpix shakily accepted the hand and the shadow spoke to him, "F-Friend? Friend, wait here…" The Shadow immediately ducked into the pool of darkness below itself for a few moments before popping back out, a pink scarf outstretched to him, "F-For friend! Friend lost this!"
"Friend?" He reiterated, tilting his head at the Scarf. He winced and looked back up at them, and shook his head, "I'm sorry b-"
The Shadow didn't wait for a response, immediately wrapping it around his neck, making sure it was neat and comfortable before appearing in front of him yet again.
"Friend Scarf! Friend look cute in her scarf!" It chirped to him, smiling at him. They really did seem rather happy about him being around.
"Erm…" He lifted the end of the pink scarf and tilted his head, the dream playing through his mind. "That Pokémon thinks that I'm… some other Vulpix? Was it the Vulpix from that dream? Was that… real?"
Kraena stared at the pink scarf some more. It was so soft, and it did look rather good on him. Just like how he remembered it-
He coughed, shaking his head before lowering his head despite these thoughts of familiarity. He couldn't lie to the shadow. They didn't deserve it. They deserved the truth, "H-Hey… What's your name, shadow?" He quietly asked the bipedal shadow.
"Me? Me Marshadow!" They exclaimed in response, smiling brightly at him. Its whole look was filled with glee.
That just made Kraena's heart hurt more as he took the scarf off, "I-I'm sorry but…" He set it down between them, "Y-Ya got the wrong Vulpix."
Marshadow's face fell immediately, "Wh-What? B-But-" It sniffed as they looked at him, "Y-You…" It seemed as if they noticed what he meant, and they began to sniffle, "Sh-She fell asleep so long ago…" The Shadow sniffed, keeping its head down as it cried, "Sh-She… disappeared."
Kraena winced and looked down, his body still aching causing his neck to seize up slightly, he sniffed and looked up back toward Marshadow.
"L-Look. Marshadow. I'm not your old friend. I-I won't ever be," He closed his eyes briefly, clenching the scarf in his paw. He sighed, and released the scarf and held out a paw, opening his eyes. A smile made its way onto his face, "B-But… I can be a new one."