- Chapter 2: The Forest that Breathes -

Pine Forest - 1F

"This can't be real…"

No matter how many times she said it, the world spat in her face.

She wanted it to be a bad dream. There was absolutely no way it wasn't.

But again, the ground felt real. The scents—the overwhelming scents—smelled real. Her claws, claws that she never had, were real.

"What is this place? What is…"

Meowth was sure she was just running through an evergreen forest before. Where she stood, it wasn't anything she had ever seen before. Even with her memories a blank, she knew there was little to no logic behind the anomaly. The trees were like walls. There was absolutely no way she could ever squeeze through them. In fact, it looked like the trees were sentient. She was sure they were moving, ever so slightly, assuring that she had no way of finding a loophole to the strange laws the forest enforced.

What was worse; it was harder to breathe. The air felt thick and heavy, too much for her lungs to grasp. It wasn't impossible to breathe. She wasn't suffocating, but it felt like a chore. She found herself conscious about every breath she took, fearful that the strange air would cut out.

(Calm down. You have to calm down.)

The small pep-talk was enough for her to keep her confused mind from spiraling. She was lost, yes, more lost than she was before. But if she could find a way out, she could think more clearly. She could plan for there. Maybe her brain would stop pulling pranks and allow her to remember things.

The foreboding thought of danger was the one thing that kept her glued to one spot. She didn't want to go any further, but the way back no longer existed. She really didn't have much of a choice.

Again, she blinked and squinted her eyes for a better picture. The world was still a strange blur, with the exception of what was near or in front of her. She could see every individual strand of fur on her paws in crisp detail that shouldn't be possible. Meowth couldn't recall if she wore any sort of glasses or contacts before. A part of her was sure her vision was just fine.

She shook her head, and winched as she forgot about the headache that decided to reveal itself. Her priority was to escape the strange forest, somehow. And from how things looked, it wouldn't matter which direction she picked. It was time to start moving.

Her gate was awkward. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she was thankful that she wasn't running anymore. Unfortunately, there was a new problem. The dried needles beneath her feet would crunch or snap against her weight, and each time they did, the sound stabbed her ears. She was quite sure that pine needles weren't supposed to break like ice—they certainly never snapped, either. But, she determined that if the overlapping trees existed, then the pine needles were the least bizarre thing she had ever seen.

But her senses! Why was everything so overwhelmingly strong? Other than the annoying snapping that taunted her ears, the scent of earth and pine was far too strong. It burned through her nose and into her already aching head. It didn't help that her vision strained her eyes. It was as if everything was turned up on a dial.

Was this how Meowth saw the world? What else changed that she was unaware about?

If her senses were amplified, then maybe she could use them to her advantage.

So, she scanned her surroundings, squinting at what was close, and leaning towards what was far. Everything looked the same, until there was a break in the wall. She almost missed it, but it was there! A spot where the branches didn't twist! As she entered the hallway, the trees were tightly crammed. It was a long, narrow path, one that made the Meowth tense her body. She feared that if any part of her touched the twisted trees, she would be sucked into the unknown.

Thankfully, the path opened into a wide space, larger than where she stood just moments before. It had to be some sort of forest chamber, but it was just as empty and void of any other life as the last. Aside from the size, there was nothing really special about it.

There was a lone object near the center of the place.

A quick look around, she remained alone. The Meowth approached the object, seeing it turning more blue the closer she got to it. It was like a gigantic blueberry that was the size of her hand—the size of her paw. An oran berry. Questions on how it got there only crossed her mind briefly. How she remembered what it was…it was a miracle on its own. She was in front of it in no time, and she picked it up for a closer look.

It looked fresh, as if it was just plucked and sat on the ground. She sniffed it, and it smelled safe to eat. She didn't realize it until then, but she was hungry. There was no telling how long she was unconscious in that tree, and her last meal was a bigger mystery.

However, the mere idea of eating anything from the ground almost gave her second thoughts. She brushed it off to make it as clean as she could make it, but it didn't change the fact that it couldn't be washed. The only reason she thought about eating it was because her stomach cried for food. While she wasn't sure how well a berry would hold her, she knew if she didn't eat anything soon, her body would only turn against her.

There was…no telling when she would ever escape the twisted maze.

(Just…don't think about it. What if this is the only food you'll ever find?)

With great reluctance, she brought it towards her mouth.

Fluttering.

A starling dropped from above. It looked near identical to the one that was chasing her before, but it was far skinnier. The way it was eyeing the berry told the Meowth that perhaps, she might have stolen its food.

Before she could try to apologize, a second Starly dropped down next to who may be its buddy.

Realization struck. The species lived here.

She practically walked into a death trap.

"O-oh. I am so sorry! I didn't know this belonged to you!"

The Meowth thought about putting it down, but every part of her told her it would be a terrible idea. They both almost matched her height. It didn't dawn on her until then. It looked wrong for a pair of birds to reach her eye-level.

They didn't look so interested in the offering. They both hopped and ruffled their feathers. The pair let out an unsettling cry, and the Meowth broke into a clumsy sprint. Behind her, the pair of Starly bounded with half-opened wings. It wasn't until she turned into another narrow path that one of them decided to fly. But, the pair couldn't enter at the same time. The pair squabbled as they both tried to enter the corridor. It brought the Meowth a little more time until the flying Starly flew over its partner's head and chased after her.

"Do you not want the berry?! I was going to give it to you!" The Meowth shouted over her shoulder.

She entered another chamber. The small size of it didn't make her situation any better. The Starly were hot on her tail. Their angry cries are behind her. If only…

… what?

A twisted staircase? In the middle of a strange forest? It looked almost like it was part of the terrain, but it was out of place at the same time.

There was no time to question it. The Starly were flying for her head. She made her way up and almost tripped over her long feet. The pair of birds did not follow. They landed at the base of the steps, screeching an angry cry as she made her escape.

Pine Forest - 2F

The moment she surfaced, her relief turned into despair. Nothing changed. Nothing, except the layout of the chamber. The only logical thing she could come up with, was that she was inside a spiralizing maze. It was likely the Starly did not chase her, because she space she stood in was far too dangerous. She would rather take the Starly, than a force she was unfamiliar with. She decided she should turn back.

"Wh-what…?"

The staircase was gone, as if it was never there in the first place. Was she hallucinating?

(What is going on? How do I get out of here?)

Ee-eree-errre!

Her stomach dropped. There was more?

To stand around did her no favors. The shadow of the starling swept past her, and she broke into a run.

After what felt like half an hour had passed, her feet ached from the constant running she had to do. She was exhausted. Every time she felt she could catch a break, something jumped out to hurt her. She ran from another Starly that looked just as aggressive as the one she saw before. She had to make a dive into a narrow pathway just to avoid the talons of another.

When she entered another chamber, she almost wanted to give up. No matter how far she ran, no matter where she went, the layout was always the same. When she saw a narrow path splitting into two, she was sure she found a break. But all she was led to was a dead end. The second path twisted and turned, and it led her to the smallest chamber she had ever seen by far.

But it didn't matter. It was another chamber. And she still didn't know where she was.

And as if the universe didn't taunt her enough, her stomach was twisting. She was hungry. The Meowth tried to recall the last time she ate, but she could only guess it had to be a day. The more she traveled, the more the hunger pains surfaced. She decided to take her chances with the berry she found. Taking a small bite, and it was dry-tasting in her mouth. She almost spat it back out, but she held herself back and ate what was left. The way her mouth moved too, was foreign.

It didn't satisfy her. But it at least got rid of the headache. What impressed her more, was that the scratches and bruises from her fall had vanished. She couldn't recall an oran berry being so powerful. She at least knew that much.

As she crossed the room, she noticed the staircase at the very corner of the space. There was no were else to go, but up.

Pine Forest - 3F

"Urgh!"

There was no way out. She was in another chamber.

The stairs were gone again. It was as if the universe was mocking her. What was the purpose of the stairs if it was taking her nowhere? Was there even a way out? Did she somehow enter a never-ending maze that she would be trapped in for all of eternity?

The possibility sunk in.

(No. No. I can get out. There has to be a way out.)

Her breathing picked up. She tried to swallow down her panic, but nothing worked. Everywhere she looked, it was all the same. Everything looked the same. She was going absolutely nowhere…she was going to perish.

(No! No!)

She ran. She crossed narrow paths and entered more chambers. At one point, she kicked a tree with a frustrated scream, cursing at the forest for holding her in a spiraling prison.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a male and female Nidoran looking at her.

Her body locked up.

There was something terribly wrong about those Pokémon.

They looked normal in every way. The Meowth couldn't figure out why her body reacted the way it did…until she looked into their eyes.

She couldn't see the iris. She couldn't see the white of it. They were red. A terrible, glowing red.

They didn't move. They both stared at her, watching for any movement that would perceive her as a threat.

(Run!) The Meowth screamed in her mind. (You have to run!)

As if they sensed her fear, the pair sprinted and lunged to attack.

The Meowth found that she could move. She started to run.

A black-furred Rattata decided to join in the chase. It stood naturally on its hind legs as it hissed a warning.

Three. Two was already too much. She stood no chance against three.

The trio of Pokémon were hot on her tail. No matter which path she took, they did not lose sight of her. The Meowth hated how blinding the paths were. If she took the wrong one, there would be a dead end.

Another chamber. She found another berry. She snatched it from the ground and spun around, seeing that the trio have already entered the room. The Meowth took a quick search, and she realized the room itself was a dead end. The Pokémon must had noticed, because they were beginning to separate, closing off any escape route back.

That was when she saw it. At the very far-off corner.

Another magic staircase. If it worked like it did before, they wouldn't be able to pursue her. For what reason didn't matter. She didn't know how to fight, and even if she did, there was no way she could take on all three on her own.

They weren't moving anymore. They were watching her.

(Go! Move!)

She took off. They screamed and chased her.

The Meowth almost tripped over her own feet as she pushed her body to run as fast as it was capable of. Every time she staggered, she felt her breath leaving her body. But finally, she made it.

Climbing it, a white light shined bright enough to force her to close her eyes. The angry cries behind her ended abruptly. The crisp air brought relief to her lungs as she collapsed on the soft floor. The lack of pine needles were enough to make her open her eyes.

Pine Forest Clearing

The clearing was a large space. Evidence of her climb has vanished. The trees were spaced out, no longer trapping her in a closed space. Her surroundings look less like an illusion.

The sun. She could see the sun again.

A relieved laugh escaped her as she collapsed on the ground. No more birds. No more running. She needed a moment to relax, a moment to clear her mind.

She rolled to her back, her eyes fixed on the blue sky. She never felt so thankful to see the clouds again. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to breathe the fresh air.

She must have escaped the maze-like forest that had seemed endless. The soft breeze brushing past her confirmed her guess. It didn't cross her mind until now; There was no wind within the bizarre maze. It was far too condensed to allow it.

But she still didn't know where she was.

Again, she tried to think. In her hardest efforts to recall whatever happened before she woke up in that tree…there was nothing. It was impossible. It left her chest swelling with anger. There had to be a reason for all of it. Or, did she somehow survive a freak accident? She just wished she could remember something. It was evident she held on to some memories, but it was just mundane things, such as the names of Pokémon, or what kind of berries existed. But anything that involved her personal life, there was absolutely nothing there

And then there was another problem she couldn't solve. While she managed to escape the maze, it wouldn't make a difference if she were to starve to death regardless.

She didn't want to stay, but she didn't want to go any further, either. The idea of wandering inside another space that defied all laws of physics sent chills. She got lucky before. What about next time?

Where was she?

With a frustrated cry, she sat up and pounded her head. The pain was dull and throbbed with every blow. She hoped it would help her remember something. Anything. But all it did was rattle her head. All it did was anger her more. All it did was put a strain in her eyes. Tears were swelling.

"I just…I just want to go home." Her voice was a pathetic whimper, but she didn't care. She just wanted to go home.

But, what was home? She didn't know. Did she have a family? They had to be worried—oh their faces. She couldn't remember any of their faces. Her home, it was blank. Everything was all…just…

"AAAAAAGH! WHYYYYY?!"

She glared at the sky, feeling the blistering anger and despair growing too strong to contain.

"WHY is this even HAPPENING to me?!" she snapped at no one. "What did I do to end up like this?! Tell me! What did I do?! Why am I stuck in this body?! Am I being punished for something?! How am I supposed to know how to fix anything if I can't remember why, huh?!"

Through her anger, she could feel hot and stinging tears trickling down her face. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She wiped the tears away, not wanting to cry anymore. Crying wouldn't help with anything, but all it did was leave her feeling exhausted.

It wasn't a dream. As much as she hoped it was, she knew deep down that it was all real. She was lost in every way imaginable.

She slammed her paws on her head. The stabbing pain made her hiss. She pulled her claws free and held them in front of her face. They trembled before her, and their weight suddenly felt too heavy.

"Why…?"

Nothing. Nothing came to mind. She wanted to scream. Cry out for help. But, she was alone. Alone in a forest were she couldn't communicate with anyone that wasn't hostile.

She brought her knees close to her chest and buried her face. Another soft breeze filled her ears with a chorus of rustling leaves. It brought no comfort. Only another layer of dread.

Snap.

The Meowth jumped. Her chest was pounding, blasting the sound in her eardrums. It had gone completely silent as the wind died down. Her ears moved on their own, listening for any other sound.

Movement on her left side made her turn to look quicker than she can register. She stood faster than she ever did. Her eyes met the small beady pair of a Chespin's.

A Chespin? A rare Pokémon was a surprising sight, but it appeared to be in the right environment.

And it wasn't just that.

Its eyes looked void of any emotion. They held the slightest green glow. Four, vibrant green vines had sprouted from its shoulders. They were barely off the ground. The sunlight made them appear to be glowing.

The Meowth braced herself to run as the Pokémon took another step.

It leaned forward, and fell flat on its face. A dull jingle was muffled under its weight.

She remained still, unsure of how to react. She should take the opportunity to distance herself from the Chespin as soon as possible. She was already on her feet, making the move to do so. But…

It was hurt. And it wasn't just a couple of scabbing scratches and bruises. It was burned pretty bad. The blisters were a sign that it was trying its best to heal, but it was still a concerning sight. The vines did not retract. The Meowth was sure they were supposed to retract.

She looked at his back. The subtle rise and fall brought relief to her. In the current condition it was in, had she left it, the elements would claim it if the other Pokémon didn't first.

(It would be wrong to just leave it there. But what if it attacks me, too? It looks stronger than anything else I've seen. What if…)

She shook her head. She didn't know why, but she felt that it wasn't hostile. If she left it there, the guilt would haunt her for the rest of her life.

The Meowth didn't hesitate another second. She ran over and crouched down. She didn't want to touch it, fearing it would open up some old wounds. "Hey! Hey! Are you OK?!"

There was a faint sound.

"What…what was that?" She leaned in closer for a better listen.

Grrrooooogh…

It…

It was coming from its stomach?

The Meowth ran back for the berry she had dropped on the grass, and she set it down in front of the Chespin. But, there was a new problem. It was completely passed out. How was it going to have to strength to eat if—

It sniffed at the berry, and its eyes flew open. One of its vines snaked its way over, coiling around the berry and brought it to its mouth.

The Meowth stepped back, cautious as it ate. To her disbelief, the scratches that decorated its body started to glow. It wasn't a bright glow, but it was enough to scare her. The scratches were shrinking, and the soft light was sparkling into the air, fading before her eyes. Even the most gruesome wound, the terrible burn, was fading fast.

It was…like magic? Did it have the same effect on her when she used it? It had to.

The vines were called back into the Chespin's shoulders. It pressed its paws on the ground, groaning.

"PWAH!"

The Meowth jumped back as the Chespin sprung to its feet. A muffled jingle sounded as he held both paws in the air. The source of the sound came from a small sack that hung from his neck.

To her surprise, its eyes were normal.

"Alive! Yes! I'm alive! For sure, I thought I was a goner! But, I am alive! Ahahahahaha!"

She stepped back, baffled, as the Chespin met her with a friendly smile.

"Thank you so much, stranger! You really saved me from certain doom! I made the mistake of running into this place already wounded without a single apple on me, you see! And well, then the Starly came and things got a little bad! I was already famished from the night before, so that was an adventure and a half! So, seriously! Thank you so much!"

The silence between them only confused him.

"Oh. Is anything the matter? You look pale. Did you see them, too?"

(He…he's talking to me. A Chespin is talking to me! Pokémon can't talk!)

"I've never seen you around before. Are you maybe lost?" Chespin asked. "You have to be. You don't really see a Meowth in these parts. But you…you look different from the Meowth I've seen before. How did you get here?"

His words. She understood them. There were words.

But the words didn't sound human. Meowth wasn't sure what they were. He sounded friendly enough, but the way he spoke…was there a single chirp? A squeak? A rattle? It was difficult to pin down, but she knew his voice wasn't possible for a human to have.

He wasn't a human, of course…he wasn't…

(That's right. I must be able to understand him, because I've been turned into a Pokémon,) Meowth realized. (But I can't just tell him that. He would think I've lost my head or something. I can at least answer one of his questions.)

She shook her head. The Chespin's face twisted.

"Oh. So you don't have a clue how you got here, huh? Well, that makes two of us! Only…I got lost when I came here on purpose! Hahahaha!"

His light-heartedness was almost envious.

"Well, anyways, I am the Chespin called Pineno!" he said. "What about you?"

"Uh…my name?"

She searched. She searched through her head, and she thought she felt it at the top of her tongue. It was a vague memory, just within arm's reach.

Then, it was gone.

A chilling stab struck her heart. She felt it spread through her body. Her eyes were vacant as she tried to find the sensation she had lost.

It was as if the last piece of memory she had left slipped out of her grasp.

"Um…Meowth? Are you okay…?"

The Chespin's small voice broke through the fog that was clouding her mind. She looked at him. She tried to hide her pain.

"I…don't have a name."

"You don't?" Pineno tilted his head, and he smiled. "Oh, wow! You must be the only child then, huh? Aren't you lucky? You don't have to fight over food or anything!"

(Wh-what…?) The Meowth was appalled. She almost snapped at him for brushing off her dismay, but she realized he had no idea. They just met. She saved his life, and his bad day turned into the best because of it. She couldn't blame him for not noticing.

And…what did he say?

(Fight for food? Was that why he was so badly hurt? Are siblings really that aggressive here?)

"Well, Meowth, it's nice to meet you!" Chespin smiled.

(That's not my…)

She hated it. It stung too much.

(O…ok. So I guess he's just going to call me that. It's not like I remember who I am anyway. But still. It feels…wrong.)

Meowth shook away her thoughts, and she forced a smile. She didn't want to look so off-putting. "Um. Nice to meet you too, Pineno."

"I have to thank you again for the oran berry, Meowth," Pineno said. "I usually don't allow myself to get that badly hurt, but last evening was pretty bad! I couldn't exactly slow down to search for food or anything! So I kept running and running, and then I saw you. And I guess because I realized I was safe, my body just gave up on me! Ahahaha!"

Meowth couldn't comprehend his way of thinking. (Wh…what? What do you mean you felt safe?! What if I was a bad guy?!)

As much as she wanted to question his judgment, his chippy topic brought more concern. "What were you running from?"

Pineno's smile vanished. "Oh. Well…it's a bit complicated. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Oh."

"But! I don't really have to worry about being found anytime soon, though. He got spooked, and there is no way he would dare to make his way through this forest for a few days at least."

Meowth was curious. (He? So he was being chased by someone…)

"I wouldn't blame him though. It was absolutely wicked!" Pineno's sudden jump startled Meowth. "It was like the sky was falling! Did you see it?!"

(The sky? Falling? It doesn't sound real, somehow. And yet, this Chespin claims that it was what he saw.)

She tried to think. Did she see anything like that?

…No. The mental block was still there.

She shook her head. It didn't surprise her. It was the most unrealistic thing she heard all day.

"Well, either way, we should be safe," Pineno said. "We are outside the dungeon, so we don't have to worry about starving so quickly anytime soon. I think…if we keep going straight, we will be out of this forest. I think that's where the Riverside Path would be."

"Riverside Path?"

"Oh wow. You are really lost, aren't you?" Pineno asked. "Don't worry. There's nothing hostile over there. Just follow me!"

The Chespin skipped ahead, with every step followed by the muffled jingle. As curious as Meowth was for what was inside the small bag, she noticed something else. Pineno's wounds were mostly healed, but the black char on his backside remained.

"Are…are you sure you are okay?" She called.

"Hm?" Pineno stopped and smiled. "Of course I am! I'll feel even better once we get out of here! Let's go!'

Meowth knew she couldn't find a way out on her own. She decided to follow, as confused as she was.

A tree branch snapped above. The leaves rustled. Meowth froze as she felt a familiar sense of dread.

She thought she escaped it.

Raa-aa-aah!

That cry was…different. Bird screeching. It was deeper than what she heard from the Starly. Every nerve in her body screamed for her to run.

Raa-aa-aah!

Pineno stepped closer to Meowth's side, his body tense as he searched the sky. Krista searched as he did, but there was not a single thing out of place. Where was she supposed to go if—

A cluster of twigs snapped and fell. A large and heavy body followed. Talons sunk into the earth with a strong stomp. Its large shadow stretched over the pair of small Pokémon as it stood like a tower before them, its piercing eyes stabbing through their cores.

It lifted both wings. The sun was blocked out. It was suddenly two times bigger.

RAA-AA-AAH!

Meowth couldn't breathe.

"A Staravia!" Pineno shouted.

The evolved form.

She couldn't run from that! The Starly had been close enough to snag her tail back in the thick forest. If they could do that, then their evolved counterpart certainly would snatch her from the ground! All she could do is just stare, but looking at the bird makes her shake. She was too scared to do anything. The Staravia was just that intimidating.

It turns its head to the left, but it was obvious it is looking at her and Pineno with one of its eyes. They didn't hold that terrible red glow, but they were silently judging her.

And the judgment ended quickly.

Shaking its head around, it spread out its wings with an ear-piercing battle cry.

BMP!

(What was that?!) Meowth felt it in her chest. (Was that my heart? Why is my pulse racing so much?)

Pineno gripped the small bag and tossed it from over his head. It hit the earth next to him with a dull thud as looked back at Meowth, determined. "We'll team up for this battle!"

"Wait what?!" Meowth gasped. The Staravia was drawing closer.

(But…I don't know how to fight!)

To be Continued in Chapter 3.