Ilex Forest was a miraculous cradle of life. In a world largely absent of insects and animals, trekking through a forest was often a silent affair. But here, in Ilex Forest, the air was abuzz with endless cries of myriad Pokemon.

Caterpies and Wurmples could be seen on almost every tree and every bush, happily munching down on leaves and fruits. Pidgeys, Butterfrees, Yanmas and the like flitted through the air while Sentrets, Nidorans, Paras and so on littered the ground.

“This place is really lively!” Kerry exclaimed. “Even the air feels different.”

Nina reached out to caress a Ledyba that hovered near, giggling as she did. “Yeah, you can practically smell how dense the Type Energy is. It’s incredible right? It’s all thanks to the work of Bugsy and the local Rangers.” After seeing how genuine Bugsy’s love for Pokemon was, the girl felt kind of bad for wrecking his Gym.

“But that agent of his really is an asshole and Bugsy’s too much of a pushover. I should make a call to Violet and see if we can’t help him out a little — get him a new talent manager and a better deal. Seeing as how there seems to be some history between those two, that conniving woman might even be willing to intervene for free just to spite the guy.”

[Burmy, the bagworm Pokemon. To shelter itself from cold, wintry winds, it covers itself with a cloak made of twigs and leaves. If its cloak is broken in battle, it quickly remakes the cloak with materials nearby.]

All of a sudden, the familiar, mechanical voice of a Pokedex sounded from Justin, knocking Nina out of her reverie.

“Oooo… Burmies. Those are rare ones.” The girl exclaimed. “Bugsy must have transplanted them from Sinnoh.”

“Yeah, I thought they were Berries at first,” said Justin, referring to the colourful green, yellow and salmon-colored bundles hanging from a tree in the distance. “Was about to go grab us some.”

Kerry nodded. “Yeah, they do kind of look yummy from a distance. But careful not to get too close. Those antennas they’re using to cling to the branches can also be used to ensnare any threats. They’ll hang you from the tree until you die from asphyxiation.”

Justin shuddered at the thought and took a step further from the unassuming little critters.

Nina chuckled. “Relax. Burmies are herbivores and largely passive. They’re quite fascinating Pokemon actually. Those cloaks they wear are woven from materials found in their immediate surroundings, green from leaves, yellow from rock and sand, and pink from trash. But more importantly, the cloaks they wear will also determine their post-Evolution Typing — either hybrid Grass, Ground or Steel Type.”

Justin frowned in confusion. “How does that work?”

Nina shrugged. “At first people said it was due to environmental factors. But that’s easy enough to debunk, just put a pink Burmy in a forest environment and Evolve it to see. No, researchers later found out that it’s because Burmies incorporate their cloaks into their physique during the Evolution process. Meaning their clothes literally become a part of their body and can no longer be shed. That’s how their Typing is affected” Kind of like how Sir Clodington’s Dragon Scale earring got absorbed into his body now that she thought about it.

“What if it’s half and half? What Type will they Evolve into then?” The boy continued to ask.

Nina responded with a laugh. “No idea. Pretty sure there’s probably some scientist out there that’s eccentric enough to try, but I haven’t come upon any papers of that nature just yet.” She would look though, now that her curiosity was piqued. Maybe even send an email to her sponsors to ask later.

“What I find more fascinating is how they breed.” Kerry chimed. “Female Burmies Evolve into Wormadom while the males become Mothim. A Wormadom loses a lot of her mobility after Evolving, so they spend most of their time hanging from trees just like what you’re seeing right now. So Mothims will go around collecting nectar to feed their mates, stealing from Combee hives a lot of the time.”

The nurse girl continued with a breathy sigh. “Haaa… It’s super romantic, don’t you think?”

“Sounds kinda lazy to me.” Justin scoffed, earning him a glare from his friend.

Nina giggled. “But speaking of Combee, I wonder if we’ll be able to find any in the forest. Those guys are super cute.” Just the thought of those adorable smiley faces was enough to motivate Nina as she checked on the notes that Bugsy made on her map.

However, unfortunately for her, there were no Combees to be found. Largely due to the dominant population of Beedrills in the area, making it impossible for the tiny little bumblebees to compete.

So the trio continued on their trek, eventually veering away from the established route and venturing deep into the forest. Until the sounds began to fade and only their footsteps remained.

“Man, this is getting super boring!” Justin exclaimed. “Where are all the Pokemon? Hello~ Somebody do something already!”

***

“Scyther, buff up!”

“I told you to watch your mouth.”

“I was really bored, okay?! What else did you expect me to say?!” Justin argued.

Nina sighed. “And in so doing, heaven doth delivereth. For thou art chosen…”

The Pokemon that ambushed them was another Scyther and not a simple looking one either. Because this one was old, much older than Justin’s with a larger build and faded carapace covered in scars.

Nina reckoned that wild Scyther might be on its way to becoming an Alpha if it lived long enough. “Those scythes certainly look different, all metallic and Steel-like as opposed to the milky white chitin of Justin’s Scyther.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t help him?” Kerry asked.

Nina took a peek at the boy’s defiant grin and shook her head. “Nope, this is just another one of his ‘moments’. No need to butt in. What about you, Kerr? Are you doing okay? We’ve been walking for quite some time now.”

The nurse girl smiled as she gently caressed the Eevee Egg bundled in her arms. “I’m fine. It’s all dark and creepy here. But at least the ground is flat, so it’s not as bad as the second time you dragged me up a mountain.”

“Hey, I resent that! You had fun in Maizie's village too.”

The two girls broke out into giggles.

But this part of Ilex Forest was indeed dark and creepy just like Kerry said, with a luscious green canopy so thick and all encompassing that only the thinnest beams of sunlight may penetrate. This far away from the main route, the grass was overgrown with maze-like bushes and tree trunks. But more eerily, the previously abundant wildlife was no longer as present.

Good thing Justin had his Scyther take the lead, while Nina had Brucey and Espy out in order to scan for threats. Kerry had Kaipo out as well, the Marowak’s ghostly flames were quite effective in chasing away the more annoying critters.

That was, until they were ambushed by Justin’s current opponent. The wild Scyther was so skilled in hiding its presence that not even Espy was able to detect it before it pounced. But more notable was the fact that it even stayed behind to fight. Most ambush predators, once they lost their advantage, would just scurry away to try again another time. Not this one though.

In fact, Nina could almost swear that it was now in the midst of guiding Justin’s Scyther like some sagely hermit, straining and pushing the trained Pokemon just enough as to nudge him towards his limit.

The girl sighed once more. “Why am I not surprised at all…”

“SCY!!!”

And sure enough, Justin’s Scyther soon exploded in a fit of frustration, visible wisps of white and green Aura steaming from his carapace.

“Congrats, your Scyther’s Aura has finally manifested.” Nina clapped.

She had actually arranged for Kerry’s Graveler and Marowak to spar with Scyther on the regular, precisely to push him towards this pivotal moment. Since those two were the closest they had when it came to more martial Pokemon.

Scyther grinned and with a Slash of his glowing blades, mowed down several tree trunks at range.

However, the elder Scyther was unfazed, merely responding with a scoff and a casual block with its own blades.

“Scy…” It then lowered its arms and looked its junior up and down with a critical gaze before nodding and disappearing in a faded afterimage.

“Wait!” Justin yelled and broke out into a run with his Scyther to chase down the elusive sage.

“Justin, hold on! Don’t just run off on your own!” Kerry called as she chased after the pair.

Nina just sighed and broke out into a casual jog. As vexing as it was, this was precisely the reason why she brought that trouble magnet along to begin with.

***

“Where did it go?!”

“Give it up Justin, a wild Pokemon of that caliber won’t be found unless it wants to. Let’s just take a break for now.” Nina checked the time on her Pokegear. “It’s way past lunchtime and this place looks as good as any to set up camp.”

The place they now found themselves in was a clearing in the woods, a rare patch of land untouched by the encroaching forest with nothing but grass and a giant mossy boulder in the middle.

“Wait, a mossy boulder… Is that…?”

Nina broke out into a run and threw herself against the uncannily soft layer of fragrant moss blanketing the boulder, then broke out into an involuntary moan.

“Mmmm… Oh Arceus, this feels so gooood…”

“Err… Nina. You okay?” asked a red-faced Justin.

But the girl simply responded with a sensual purr, too enthralled by the luxuriously dense and rejuvenating Aura of the boulder’s Grass Type Energy.

“You’re the best, Justin… You and that accursed luck. Bill’s gonna freak out when I tell him about this.”

“Nina, you’re drooling. Mind telling us what’s going on?” Kerry approached to check on her friend, only to succumb to the boulder’s allure as well the moment she pressed her hand against its decadently soft texture.

“Oh Mother… Where have you been all my life? I never want to leave your side ever again.”

“Okay, you two are being weird. Scyther! Get ready to cut that rock in half!”

“DON’T!” The two girls exclaimed.

“Dammit, Jonah! Don’t make me sic Espy on you!”

“Then tell me what’s going on and stop being so weird!”

Nina sighed and shook herself awake from the stupor. “It’s a Mossy Rock.”

“Yeah, I can see that, genius.”

The girl groaned. “Not mossy rock. Mossy Rock — capital! It’s an object saturated with extreme Grass Type Energy. It’s also what’s needed to Evolve an Eevee into a Leafeon. Come closer and have a feel and you’ll know what I mean.”

Justin shook his head in apprehension, not wanting to be ensnared by whatever sinister forces had taken his friends.

Nina just shrugged. “It’s a shame that none of us have any Grass Types with us. This baby is basically a freely rechargeable Evolution Stone. Even just having a Grass Type Pokemon train near its presence is highly beneficial.”

Matter of fact, Nina regretted not having her Dhelmise with her. She couldn’t help but wonder how her bundle of eldritch seaweed would react to being exposed to a Mossy Rock.

“What do you mean rechargeable?” Kerry asked after reluctantly separating from the moss bed.

“Ever heard of leylines? They’re veins of super dense Type Energy that flow through the planet. A place like this would likely be formed thanks to its proximity to a node over centuries of exposure. With such a power spot forming its center, it’s no wonder Ilex Forest is so dense and full of life.”

On a side note, it was the same reason why there were so many Ice Type variants of Pokemon in Alola. Because Mount Lanakila was located atop a vein of Ice Type Energy. And the Ice Rock where a lot of that energy was concentrated resulted in various mutations over the years. This was what Professor Oak told Nina ages ago when she first asked about Alolan Vulpix.

Justin frowned and gestured towards the empty clearing. “So why’s this place so empty then?”

“Heh.” With a snort, Nina flipped open her Pokedex to check on their coordinates. And sure enough, the screen was glitching — their location indeterminable.

“Because, Justin… We are now firmly in Celebi’s domain.”

“Hehehehe…”

With Nina’s declaration, a childish giggle resounded in all of their minds.

***

The Ilex Forest Shrine was exactly as Nina’s uncle described it; a derelict stone construct covered in moss and vines, guarded by a faded red spirit gate. The shrine had a distinctly timeless feel to it — like a frozen slice of a bygone era.

Surrounding the vicinity were a number of wooden townhouses, most of which had already succumbed to age and partially collapsed under their own strain.

“Was this where the nomads lived I wonder… Maybe those who opted to stay behind, the ancestors of this region…”

It was curious then that this place had been lost to history. Maybe an intentional act by the Johtons of yore for whatever inexplicable reason.

Nina was furiously snapping pictures of the scene surrounding her — she may have lost her connection with the Pokenet, but her Pokedex was still fully functional.

“So what now, Nina? Do we just start yelling for Celebi?”

The girl chuckled. “Now, we set up camp and prepare lunch. We are in the presence of a shrine after all. Gotta bring some offerings to the local deity. So why don’t you and Kerry get started on that. In the meantime…”

Nina rummaged around her backpack and produced a gold and silver crafted Pokeball. “I’ll go and invite our guest of honor.”

***

Nina, under the accompaniment of all her Pokemon, walked through the spirit gate. And the moment that she did, she could feel it — a change in the air.

The surrounding forest, once dark and inhospitable, turned bright and vibrant. The shrine, once derelict and overgrown, now shined as brilliantly as the day it was first built.

Nina glanced back behind her, past the spirit gate, to see the gloomy scene she came from, her friends frozen in their gait.

“Oh Celebi…” Nina chuckled and strutted forth with the GS Ball in her hand.

“Hehehe…”

The girl smiled as she placed the gold and silver sphere on the offering box, balancing it precariously atop the wooden grates. Ideally, she would have entered the shrine and placed it there but Nina did not dare to intrude.

“Alright, everyone. Let’s all close our eyes and pray. Pray for our little cutiepie to show herself and come play with us.”

“Hehehe…”

Nina and her Pokemon shuttered their eyelids and did just that. Except for Zed, who was just casually floating around like usual.

“Hehe…”

Along with the mischievous giggles, Nina felt a breeze at the back of her neck the moment that she closed her eyes. Followed by another stream directly into her ears.

“Celebi, stooop~ You’re tickling me.”

Nina broke out into giggles of her own and opened her eyes just in time to see a pair of brilliant blue irises framed by a petite, green, pixie-like figure on the verge of poking her on the nose.

“You little rascal, you…”

“Hehehe… Catch me if you can!”

“Alright, everyone! Operation tag Celebi is a go. After her!” The girl commanded as she broke out in hot pursuit. But not before handily retrieving the GS Ball along the way. She did promise to return it to Kurt after all.

The Pokemon all cried in affirmation, but as one would expect from a wily Mythical Pokemon capable of blinking out of existence and time travelling at will. Nina and her Pokemon were made absolute fools in a repeat of her experience with Mew.

Espy, who was the most reluctant to join in at first, ended up becoming the most competitive of all as she used every trick at her disposal to nail down Celebi, crying out in frustration every time she slipped.

At some point, Brinny and Brucey turned traitor, the Brionne flew around in the Crobat’s hold and shot water at everyone who dared to approach like the pair of menaces that they were.

Their little game of tag soon led them deeper and deeper into the forest behind the shrine. And just when Nina was cackling at finally having surrounded the naughty little brussel sprout, she was interrupted by a shrill voice piercing through the canopy.

“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!”

***

Author's note:

Have you guys read The Jedi Articles?

When a story makes it to RS without even a cover art in place, you just know it's gonna be banging.

And best of all, not a single stat sheet in sight.