Illusions [Pokémon Short Story]

Prolouge- The Little Girl

Cold licked at the girl's faced and crept underneath her clothes, spreading across her skin like the lacy tide on a fridged winter beach. Her lips turned a more bluish hue, whilst her teeth chattered like a pneumatic drill. The wind poked the girl with icy fingers and wrapped around her like a shawl, as if it were made entirely out of snow.

The little girl ventured out into the woods searching for a friend to play with. She wandered too far from home, and got lost in the forest. That was hours ago. Now the girl wanted nothing more than to be home, where it was warm, and safe.

The little girl had no tears left to cry. Even if she did, the child was scared they would freeze upon her face. She curled up into a ball on the forest floor which was covered in snow. Instead of letting any tears flow, she wrapped her arms tightly around her and shut her eyes, waiting for Arceus to take her.

'This is it.' She thought. 'Death has finally found me.'

Warmth suddenly spread through her tiny body, almost instantly. Her eyes snapped open to find herself laying in warm sand. The snow that was once threatening to give her death, had disappeared without a trace. She glanced up to see the sun, a good friend of hers. It's rays soaked through her and took the last of the chill that lingered away from her. The sound of waves crashing turned her attention to the ocean. The little girl was on a beach, a place she's always dreamed going to.

She squealed with excitement and sprang to her feet. The sand was getting hot, almost to the point of being uncomfortable, but the child didn't care. She couldn't contain her happiness of being at the beach, and not in the freezing forest.

The girl was snapped back to reality. 'How could this be possible?' She wondered. She was young, only four, but even at her age she knew such things were impossible. It was as if she was teleported across the world to a place of paradise.

"Maybe I really am dead." She said to the ocean. It's only answer was the continuos beat of waves breaking and slapping against the sand.

The girl toddled along the shore, searching for help and answers. As she moved further along the beach, a black figure slowly came into view.

She froze.

As her hazel eyes strained to see what it was, she noticed that it was a Pokémon. It had a mane of red hair, gently flowing in the ocean's breeze. The black fur that covered it made it look menacing, almost evil. Perhaps it was, but only time would tell. The child's curiosity overcame her fears and she resumed going towards it.

The Pokémon continued to stand, right at the waters edge, unmoving. It's turquoise opticals were trained on the little girl. The girl loved to play, but she always needed a playmate. Maybe this could be her new friend.

"Zoroark." Her voice giggled. She isn't entirely sure how the name came to her, but it did. That would be her new friend's name she supposed.

Her feet slapped against the wet sand as she made a dead sprint for her new playmate. As she got closer yet, she outstretched her arms for a hug. As her little body crashed into it, she threw its arms around it's fur covered neck for an embrace.

The Zoroark placed her down gingerly. He knew the child wanted to play, just as any other kid her age would, and so did he. The Zoroark however, planned on playing very differently than the girl.

With a snap of his fingers, they were both back into the frosty woods. As he ended the illusion, the girl's face crossed with disappointment. Now the little girl understood, the beach wasn't really there. It seemed so real, but it was all the Pokémon's doing.

The child failed to notice that just before the illusion of the beach disappeared, the ocean's waters bubbled a crimson red. This made the Zoroark amused that the kid was so caught up in her own happiness, that she didn't notice something that would surely be a fatal mistake for her in the near future.

"Will we play?" The girl asked her new found friend.

The Pokémon nodded. He had every intention of fulfilling her wish, but not to what she expected. Yes they would play, but in a very different way.

Hand in hand, the child and Pokémon began to trudge through the snow, in search of a playmate. As much as the Zoroark wanted to create more illusions now, he knew he must wait.

For it would be much more fun with others.

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So this is the prologue for my new short story! There will be three chapters plus an epilogue.

Everyone please give a round of applause for ImberLapis for the gorgeous cover!!

Hope you all enjoyed, bye!

-Annie