How we meet

Chapter 21

Long ago many villages were overrun with disease. Death ran rampant in the streets, famine struck soon after too. Humanity was struggling to survive. Virizion and the other Swords of Justice noticed this. They took it among themselves to build a new providing home where they would no longer suffer.
Virizion took most of the responsibility. They approached the villagers, offering sanctuary and safety. A happy life where they will not starve or suffer from the same outbreaks that the rest of the world did. While some refused, many agreed. Virizion was left in charge watching over their people. They were allowed to leave whenever they wished though they would lose the same protections they had in the city in the caves.

Virizion didn't rule them, they simply observed and helped make sure their crops tended to that that we're safe and healthy. Virizion never asked for anything; they never became angry with humanity when they sought them out for guidance or assistance. Yet it all fell apart.

A young child no more than 6 had left the caves. Their curiosity was unrivaled and it was only a matter of time before they left to explore the world. Yet at such a young age they weren't prepared or aware of the danger. The young child had left before anyone noticed skipping into the nearby woods. When the villagers and Virizon arrived, the child was gone.

The death of the child had set the underground nation down a path of heartbreak and confusion. Many still trusted Virizon others claimed that they had failed their job as protector. Virizon never forced them to stay slowly; the villagers left, leaving Virizon alone in the empty city. Viriziom never left feeling that they were a disappointment to humanity and themselves. They locked themself away in the caves refusing to leave unless it was for the safety of the region.
They isolated themselves and suffered alone. They surrounded themselves in the abandoned halls and streets of the underground city. They continued to tend to their chores. They know not why, perhaps it was boredom and loneliness. Spending countless years surrounded by your thoughts and your failures was a cruel life. Maybe it was a secret desire and wish for humanity to return even though the humans who once knew of this place had long since passed and been forgotten.

When they heard whispers of human voices they stood, alerting their heart racing. Then when the plants sent messages to the visitors, the warnings of their desires. They caused vines and moss to overgrow the trees inside the caves and became weapons. Their branches reached down, throwing humans out and the vines destroyed the caves. Leaving the main entrance blocked off.

Their heart broke again that time. Knowing that humanity had truly forgotten how they cared. They lived alone in this cave all this time. When they had heard about you climbing down into the caves they were surprised yet hoped secretly in their head that they wouldn't need to remove you as well. Then you fell.

They acted before thinking, vines and branches stretched and grew to safely catch you. Virizion had heard something from that Venipede of yours when you were climbing.

"You just want to see the plants?"

You had spoken in awe of the vines traveling up the rocks and the flower buds that blossomed through rocks. Venipede's quiet whisper that you couldn't understand had made Virizon remember the humanity that they cared for. The memories made the pokemon flood with joy. The flowers and vines danced and glowed brighter than ever did for years. They welcomed you.

They didn't welcome N. The plants didn't show it much when you walked beside them. They glowed but when N did they dimmed ever so slightly. It was hard to notice but they were so generous.

Blossoms and petals dropped and the blooms fell to the ground. They let you take clippings from their stems and they fawned over your gentleness. Virizion watched the two of you silently longing to free themselves from their self-imprisonment.

Outside the caves, a large expensive car arrived at the campsite. A large man stepped out of the truck wearing a tailored suit. He walked with assurance, beside him a large Liepard who held her head up high and glared at other pokemon. She happily purred as the man stroked her head.

"Where was the incident?" he said, taking a tablet from one of the worker's hands.

"Yes, the former champion and the researcher that Burgh recommended has disappeared.

"And the caves?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Still blocked." a worker shook his head. "As soon as we get close to being done it caves in again."

"We have gotten a look at those carvings even though they're incomplete." a woman spoke motioning to the tablet.

The man swiped through them narrowing his eyes. The pictures were fuzzy and it was hard to see a good portion of them because of the buildup of rock.
"We're still working on translators and we're running through what we already ha-"

"I'll translate it myself." the man interrupted. "Send me everything that you have and anything else you get." Then the man was gone, returning to the car and flipping through the tablet. Liepard curled up beside him, laying her head on his leg.

He stroked the pokemon's head mumbling to himself, translating the ancient texts. "Long ago..."

The ancient carvings detailed a picture of Virizion standing beside a person. The person had their hand outstretched commanding the mythical pokemon. They defended the ancient city from an angry storm of pokemon.

Down in the caves stared at a similar one but that was only a person in the carving. They looked a lot like you. Virizion approached N as he stood by himself surrounded by the flowers that they controlled.

"Do you wish to know what it says?"