A/N: This is chapter 1 now. Past me liked the exposition but current me didn't. I've touched up this chapter too, mainly because I'm wanting to keep chapter POVs limited. Oh, I've got two more chapters in the backburner too, apparently.

Come on, wake up for once… please?

To Pokémon that don't live in the aptly named Eastern Forest, they'd think it's a creepy place. A forest so large yet so silent is not a forest one might want to stick around in. Yet, this place is home to Pokémon that take comfort in this silence. A figure laying face-down along the edge of a stream plays the part, remaining silent and unmoving.

I can't force my hand in this, but you really must wake up now. A voice calls desperately, heard only by the unconscious being. Yet, time marches on.

It's probably a good idea for you to wake up! C'mon! The voice yells. He snaps awake. He peers up at the forest canopy. Confusion fills him, so he sits up and looks around. All around him is a somewhat dark and quiet forest. He takes a look at the stream and shifts closer to It. There's a faint chill in the air when he hovers an appendage over it. As it nears the water, the chill turns into pain and he yanks it away. Instinctively, he scoots away from the pain source.

This is really odd. He thinks. He then blinks in surprise. Thoughts? I have thoughts? Weird. Anyway, where am I? I… this is so weird. He looks around and tries to stand. His knees slowly give out on him and he plops back down on the ground. With a grunt, he rolls onto his side, facing the other side of the river. A blue thing waddles alongside the edge of it. He blinks. The thing is still there, waddling.

It's only until after he squints and the creature stops that he makes out the shape of a penguin. They're quite small and they stare at him with as much confusion as he stares at them. Yet, unlike him, there's a flash of recognition in their eyes. They waddle towards the river, splashing into it and making their way over with surprising agility. He scrambles away from the spray and takes refuge behind a tree, shaking.

"Why are you doing that?" The penguin asks, staring at the tree he hid behind. "I'm not going to harm you or anything. I just want to help fix you up."

It takes him a while to find his voice. When he does speak, his voice is somewhat soft. "Fix me up? What's wrong with me?" He asks. The pain he felt from the water slowly and steadily gets worse. He hides it the best he can.

"You really don't know?" She asks. "Your tail flame. Back flame? Tail flame. Haven't seen anything like it, to be honest." She points at his backside.

"W-what?" He asks, very confused. "Tail? Flame?" He then cranes his neck over to look at the flames. There, on his rear, is a singular flame dancing on the breeze. It's small, but there's no denying its presence. The sight of it forces him out of his hiding place. "What's going on here? Is this some sort of game? Is this a joke?"

"W-what are you talking about?" She asks, concern welling up in her eyes. "What's wrong? Why do you think I would lie to a random stranger?"

"I can't trust someone I just met." He growls, the flame kicking up slightly but then weakening back to what it was and then just a bit more. He grunts and gets down to a knee as the pain spikes. He then gets a rather sizable headache. "W-who am… I?" The Pokemon-in-denial says before collapsing and then falling into unconsciousness. Slowly, he began to feel his body cool off.

You silly creature… A voice speaks to the fire-type. It is a soft voice unlike the one that spoke to him earlier today. The Pokémon's once frantic mind quiets down. Of course you are confused. You know nothing of your surroundings, this region, these Pokémon... and you know absolutely nothing about yourself. I cannot say if that is normal or not as I do not want to know anything about these phenomena. I do not know what or whom you are going to grow up to be. A great flame tried to burn inside you… and it promptly fell flat. I fear that it may be permanent. If so, your survival may not be so clear. I cannot be directly involved with your life from afar, but I can guide you and tell you what you may be able to do.

The voice falls into a short period of silence before speaking again to him. I can tell you that you are not without options. This other creature knows your kind and she knows how to care for you. You are weak… but so is she. Your only option is to leave and try and get to somewhere safe. I cannot tell you why at this moment. Maybe later. I wish you luck in your endeavors.

A few hours pass and he begins to dream. As he does, he has a vague awareness of his extinguished tail flame, but it does not rouse him. Something deep within him tells him that it is normal, and there's nothing to worry. He doesn't, even after he opens his eyes and sees the shadows in the woods before passing out again and getting a good night's rest.