Starlit Clearing

"Look at the stars!" Fennekin beamed as they walked up the stairs into a wide, open break in the forest. Ethan craned his head skyward, and he understood her excitement; a giant arm of stars across the sky, millions of stars in every color imaginable. A huge band of blacks and purples, centered on a large bright spot, tiny pins of light surrounding it. It truly was the best night sky he had ever seen, and truly one of the best sights ever.

"Trespassers!" a deep voice boomed before he could say anything to Fennekin, startling him and sending both of them crashing into each other and barely avoiding falling over. "None are allowed here; surrender now, and mercy shall be yours."

"Surrender?" Fennekin squealed. "What's going on? Who are you?"

Movement in front of them caused both to jump again, instinctively taking a few steps backwards; a tall Pokémon, brown with big, leafy branches for antlers, stepped out of the shadows in front of them, scowling face glaring directly at them. "I guard this clearing from thieves like you two," the Pokémon, which Ethan could now see was a Sawsbuck, said.

Fennekin began whimpering, so Ethan tensed his chin and looked the Sawsbuck in the eyes. "We're not thieves. We're Team Stargazers from the Adventuring A—"

He was cut off by Sawsbuck firmly stamping his hoof in the dirt. "Irrelevant. Thieves cannot leave here; do you surrender?"

"We're not thieves!" Fennekin yelled, a few tears starting to roll down her face. "Please—"

"No surrender." He stamped his hoof again, and some of the trees began...moving. Moving! Almost as if possessed, two of the trees to Sawsbuck's side sprouted arms, a single red eye opening near the top; two Trevenant, if he was right.

"This is just a misund—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ethan's body seemed to gain a mind of its own as he lept backwards from the Sawsbuck, who was charging him horns first, glowing with some sort of soft green light.

"We have to fight!" he called to Fennekin as he shifted back and forth on his feet, using Double Team.

Fennekin grit her teeth, then let out a yelp. Not a yelp — more like a howl — and seemed more dedicated to fight after doing so. Whatever worked, he supposed? The Two Trevenant closed in, the three Pokémon now forming a straight line in front of them. All clustered together, but now they could concentrate their attacks on one of them and easily make it three on one.

Sawsbuck was in the middle, so Ethan let out a Thunder Wave, instantly hitting and causing it to keel over. "Focus on the others!" Fennekin nodded, then shot an Ember at the Trevanant right next to her. It looked powerful, probably a critical hit!

After shaking off the small embers still stuck to it, the Trevenant next to Fennekin bathed itself in an eerie, purple glow. What was it doing? In his distraction Ethan didn't notice the one next to him apparently prepare an attack, realizing it when what felt like a massive tree smashed into his back, knocking him down and making him wince in pain. Out of the corner of his eye, however, it seemed almost as if the Trevanant itself was in pain, clutching its arm. Was it a recoil move it used?

No time to think. Instinctively he used Thunder Wave on the Trevenant, hitting it square in the chest and making it double over as well. The sounds of another Ember came from where Fennekin was, and the groan of pain let him know that it hit true. He took a quick glance over, and it looked like it had been knocked out! Good thing she was a fire type, he supposed.

Shakily, the Sawsbuck stood up, then threw its head up; the air grew sweet and aromatic, and its legs seemed to stabilize…as did the Trevenant. He had heard of this attack: it knew Aromatherapy! Well, there goes Thunder Wave's usefulness.

A jolt of dark energy came from the still-up Trevenant, shooting straight into Ethan. Strangely, though, nothing seemed to happen. Was it a status m—

Sharp pain.

He was fighting a ghost type: that was Curse. Between the attack and Curse he was struggling to stay up, but his saving grace lay in the fact that Curse hurt it as well. With all the strength he could muster he used Thundershock on it, and that seemed to work. They still had Sawsbuck to deal with, but now it was two on one.

The sound of igniting wood signaled an Ember from Fennekin, but when she would have let it out, nothing happened. "What's going on?" she squealed.

"Must've used Grudge!" was all Ethan could get out before being rammed in the chest with the Sawsbuck's horns, glowing green like when it had first charged him.

This was it. Try as he could, his eyelids were shutting on their own as he fell to the ground, face-first into the dirt…he had fainted, and there was nothing he could do.

Just as quickly as he had fallen to the ground, a surge of energy ran through him, and he felt as fit as a Flaaffy. He rolled over and stood up, and could see Fennekin throwing what he could only assume had been a tiny reviver seed aside.

Even though Aromatherapy could cure it, there was still a chance that paralysis would slow it dowm, so he shot out a Thunder Wave. It was expecting it, quickly sidestepping.

Going in low, Fennekin used Scratch on its legs, which seemed to throw it off and make it miss its next ram against Ethan. Using the momentum, he lept at it with a Quick Attack, and Fennekin followed up with another Scratch. She normally stuck to using Ember, but he could've sworn that her Scratch was significantly stronger than he expected. Was that Howl she had used earlier?

It too seemed to notice Fennekin's increased strength, as it quickly turned to her and kicked up some dirt at her, using Sand Attack. Using its distraction, he ran into it with another Quick Attack, hitting it square in its side for a critical hit. Fennekin tried to swipe at it with Scratch, but with one paw rubbing dirt out of her eyes and one attacking she lost her balance and handily missed the attack.

The Sawsbuck charged Ethan again, hitting him and knocking him a few feet back; given that it looked less damaged than before the attack, he could only guess that that was Horn Leech it was using on them. Another Quick Attack, and it fumbled back a few steps before falling to its knees.

"You haven't won," it groaned through gritted teeth as the two Trevenant came to and began stirring. "This place is not for you."

"Please!" Fennekin cried out. "We're not thieves. We're here looking for a human map, and nothing else."

"Sawsbuck, stop!"

The voice was definitely feminine, but that wasn't Fennekin who said that. As they both looked around for the source, Sawsbuck's face contorted in a grimace. "They—"

"Sawsbuck." The voice wasn't harsh, but stern. That was all it took, however, as Sawsbuck just shook his head and said nothing.

Coming from the trees behind Sawsbuck was a small Pokémon, impossible to make out in the darkness of the night. "You say you're looking for a map?"

"Yes," Ethan responded. "We're Team Stargazers of the Adventuring Academy in Pokéopolis. We were told there might be a human map here, and we're looking for it. If there's any treasure of yours here, we're not here to take it."

"They're telling the truth," the Pokémon said as it walked up next to Sawsbuck. Now that it was closer, Ethan could see that it…actually, could not tell what the Pokémon was. It was very small, on four legs, and was mostly white with what looked like grass growing on its back. It certainly wasn't any Pokémon he had learned about before.

It rubbed up against Sawsbuck, and the air filled with a soft scent of flowers as its wounds seemed to disappear. That wasn't Aromatherapy, but he wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was just something that Pokémon could do.

"Please forgive him," the small Pokémon said, turning back to Ethan and Fennekin. "We do get thieves that come here, and Sawsbuck and these Trevenant have selflessly agreed to help me protect the Grove."

Ethan looked to the Trevenant, who seemed to be getting up on their own. "It's okay; I understand if you have treasure you don't want other Pokémon stealing. We're just here for information."

"Thank you," she smiled. "My name is Shaymin, and I protect this Grove. What are your names?"

"Shaymin?" Fennekin echoed. "You're…a legendary Pokémon."

Shaymin giggled. "Well, perhaps there are legends of me, but I don't know if I'd give myself that title. I just live to protect and care for the Grove; I suppose part of that includes deterring invaders, which have probably turned into wild tales."

"So there is treasure here?" Shaymin looked to Ethan, and before she could speak, he threw his hands up defensively. "Sorry. Still not here to take anything from you, just curious."

"It's quite alright," she smiled. "Treasure…in a sense. Not gold or riches, but the Grove is the only place I know of where Gracidea Flowers grow. They can heal any illness; however, they're very finicky, and will only grow in the exact right conditions. Pokémon coming for treasure or fame Sawsbuck turns away, but those coming to heal themselves and who understand why we must be secret we allow in."

"So you keep everyone out because you don't want the flowers to get destroyed," Fennekin paraphrased. "You want to keep them alive for anyone who truly needs them."

She nodded. "Exactly. Many of the Pokémon who come here seeking a cure are desperate, clinging to whatever they can. They suffer physically, but more so emotionally knowing how devastated their friends and family will be if they cannot continue. The last Pokémon I let into the Grove fell to his knees and broke down sobbing when he realized he was cured; he loved his children greatly, and the realization that he just gave himself a lifetime with them overwhelmed him with joy."

"I hate to ask," Ethan spoke up, "but would I be able to go into the Grove? I can't remember anything from before a few weeks ago, and the doctor we went to couldn't find anything wrong. It's okay if not, it's not anywhere near as bad as that Pokémon you just mentioned."

"You need not compare your suffering to another's. Follow me to the Grove, and your partner may accompany us if she wishes. May I get your names?"

"I'm Ethan, and she's Fennekin."

"Ethan? A rather human name for a Pokémon."

Ethan and Fennekin exchanged glances, then looked back to Shaymin. "Do you know a lot about humans?"

"I shall explain on the way," she responded, turning around and walking into the trees she came from. "And I know a little, but not much. What do you wish to know?"

"Nothing in particular, just curious."

"Do you know about the war?" Fennekin asked.

"No more than most, I believe. I was told that Virizion used to visit here, but it was before my lifetime. Us Shaymin are protectors, not fighters, so we sat the war out. Anyone coming to us for healing we would treat, but none came as a result of the war. Perhaps it is for the best; I think if one side learned of here, the other would want to capture or destroy it. The Grove exists to support life, not cut it short."

"So no humans left anything here?"

"Not that I know. I know nothing of the map you speak of, sadly; if you see it please let me know, and if it does not compromise the safety of the Grove I shall let you keep it."

The three continued through the forest in silence, eventually coming out to another clearing, the stars somehow even brighter here than in the previous one. At the far edge was a cliff, looking out over the gently rolling mountains, blanketed in green. A soft breeze flew through the clearing, making the pink flowers on the ground dance and the trees whisper.

"It's beautiful," Fennekin spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"I'm glad you think so," Shaymin smiled as she went up to one of the pink flowers. "Come here, Ethan. This flower should do."

He walked up and looked down; the flower, pink petals fading to white in the center, did not look special, but something about it just relaxed and reassured him. "What do I do?"

"Eat it."

"Just…pick it and eat it?" She nodded, so he obliged. It was light and sweet, flowery and fresh like nothing he had ever tasted. Delicate and soft, it almost melted in his mouth, and he hardly had to chew before swallowing it whole. Warmth spread from his stomach.

"Do you remember?"

Ethan closed his eyes, then thought back to the day Fennekin had met him. The cliff over the ocean, the salty breeze. And before that was…

…nothing.

He opened his eyes. "When should I remember?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, how long will it take for me to get my memories back?"

Worry grew on Shaymin's face. "The healing is instant. You remember nothing new?"

"No, not at all."

"I see." Worry turned to sadness. "This is…unprecedented. I do not know what has caused your memory loss, but it appears to have not been illness or injury."

"What else could it be?" Fennekin asked.

"I am unsure, but clearly there must be something else. I apologize."

"Not your fault," Ethan sighed. "Guess this just got even weirder."

"No map and no cure for your amnesia," Fennekin mumbled.

"I am sorry you came so far and must leave empty-handed." Shaymin looked around, then to their bag. "Open your bag; I have something for you."

Ethan obliged, then watched as Shaymin began gathering fallen petals of the Gracidea Flowers. "What is it?"

"These petals have fallen and lost their potency," she explained as she put a small pile of them into their bag. "They serve no purpose here, but one could turn them into dye for an exploration team scarf. I know it pales in comparison to what you came here for, but I hope it provides some happiness for you two."

"Thank you so much," Fennekin beamed. "And your secret is safe with us. We won't tell anyone what those flowers are or where we got them."

"Thank you. And please know you two are always welcome back in the Grove."