Pokemon: The World Tree

Chapter 5: The Hidden Tempest

They were one, and they were everyone. They were alive, and they were dead. They were suspended on a point of consciousness different from their own. A point of being so vastly profound that their very existence within it filled them with an unnatural peace. There, lying under the World Tree, they had their moment with infinity.

They could feel it. All of them. Buddom. The heartbeat of the Tree. It pulsed – buddom – it warmed – buddom – it soothed – buddom – it allowed them to become one. For the first time they became aware of life and death. Past and future. Happiness and anguish. This warning was the will of the tree.

To exist there was as like dreaming--like wandering through a thick fog without a foreseeable purpose. As they wandered sounds and sensations emerged. What sounded like thunder boomed in the air? Emptiness. It became warm –uncomfortably so. Fear. Something rang in the air – a bell maybe? Overwhelming joy. A pain unlike any other. And finally, nothing.

An orange paw rubbed the Pikachu's head. He smiled. "Though your shield may be an instrument of the darkness, know your sword was forged from the purest light." The familiar voice concluded.

The electric mouse jolted up. He felt the corner of his eyes. A tear? He quickly wiped it away, along with the rest of his dream. For a while he just sat up, allowing his foggy mind to find itself once again. He searched his surroundings; the Natu was still sleeping and so was—Joan!

The Pikachu lurched toward the sleeping Leafeon and found comfort in the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. He let out a breath. He was about to turn away when something caught his eye. It was the Leafeon. The Pikachu marveled at her face. She was sleeping, but that was not what was amazing. Her face was so smooth, it was so soft, it was so carefree, and color had returned to it. The edge was taken off – like seeing a knight without armor. She was younger than he thought. Not by much, maybe by a year or two.

He rubbed his eyes and rested against his bag, trying to find his mind again. The storm must be over – the slight pitter patter of rain was gone. The Pikachu stretched and tried to lay as comfortably as he could on the hard rock. He promised himself this would be the last time he would sleep in a cave.

"Hey there buddy, you mind scooching over abit?"

The Pikachu jumped back and landed with electricity illuminating the cave.

"Woah," the Pelipper said as he raised his wings, "I just wanted a lil' bit is all. Rocks aren't exactly the best pillows and I have this sore that-"

"What are you doing here?" The Pikachu asked.

"Me? Oh, I was just resting in the next cave over, ya' know, escaping that storm. Man that was a bad one; probably the last 'till the end of the season! Anyway, through all the thunder and lightnin' I smelled your food - but I suppose thunder and lightnin' don't stop smells. Apples are my favorite anyway, so even if they could stop smells - thunder and lightnin' - I could still smell the apples." The Pelipper waited for a response, a comment, a smile, an eye twitch, anything. Unfortunately, there wasn't a Kricketune to score the moment. The Pelipper cleared his throat, "Well, you see, I finally worked up the nerve to come over and try some when I found yall' was sleeping so I thought, 'hey, one cave is as good as 'nother, right?' so I stayed and slept with you."

The Pikachu had heard many lies, and those lies were eerily similar to the Pelipper's story. This was the first time, however, that a story like that turned out to be the truth. The Pikachu rubbed his eyes and groaned.

"Now, since you don't mind, I'll be taking my load off now." The Pelipper took a step before he was convinced getting anywhere near that knapsack was a bad idea.