@Scytherwolf;
Episode 6: Some Way Out
"West...south....west..." Kamon mused, only looking up from his map to see that he was back where he had started again. "Errgh...the sign at the entry sure wasn't kidding when it said this place was called the Forest of Illusion."
A devious smile formed on his face when he saw the group headed south. Wonder Boy and pals again...maybe if I follow them, I might be able to get out of this nightmare! he thought as he discretely dashed from bush to bush, making sure to keep the Trio in sight.
Meanwhile, Misty noticed a flash of movement behind her. "Was that another illusion?"
"Nope--I saw something following us." Brock replied as the group approached a rickety old cabin in a clearing that had clearly seen better days.
He noticed a rope near the door. "Please ring bell for assistance."
Ash tensely approached the bell rope and gave it a few hesitant tugs, making a few soft clonks fill the air. "I know you're scared, but if you want whoever lives here to hear us, you have to ring the bell good and loud!" Misty exclaimed, giving the bell rope a few hard pulls.
The resulting clangs started some bird Pokemon from their roosts, and it was not long before an old woman with obviously dyed auburn hair appeared in the doorway. "Yeah? What do you need?" she deadpanned.
Ash froze in fear about how intimidating the woman looked, despite her small size and frail appearance. "Um, we'll go ask for directions somewhere else, thanks." he nervously stammered, and tried to sneak back down the path without his companions noticing.
"Hold it right there, scaredy-Meowth!" the woman snapped as she pulled Ash back. "You will need my help if you three want to get out of the forest safely."
"W-who are you?" Even Misty seemed frightened.
"Name's Hagatha--I've lived here raising and caring for Hoothoots to guide the travelers that come through here." the woman replied. "You have seen the power of the Forest of Illusion, and it is said that those that seek to venture through without a Hoothoot's guiding eyes will never see the light of day again."
Brock swallowed hard. "Do you happen to have any Hoothoots we can use?"
Hagatha thought for a moment. "At the moment, all my other ones are out guiding travelers at the moment, but I do have one left..."
She smiled as a small Hoothoot waddled by her side. "This is Shinko, one of my hatchlings. She's still learning the art of discerning illusion and guiding, but if you're willing to take a chance, I am willing to lend her to you."
"We'll take her!" Ash smiled as he gently picked up the small Hoothoot. "All she needs is a good trainer to teach her, and she'll be guiding people easily!"
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"You were saying about Shinko only needing a good trainer?" Misty grumbled as Shinko hesitantly led the trio back near the forest entryway.
"Ever since we left Hagatha's cabin, we've walked in circles five times before she found the right way, more spooky trees, walked upside down, seen pink Donphan, blue grass, and green sky, heard flowers sing, and seen mushrooms dance." Brock sighed, his voice growing more frustrated with every illusion he listed.
Just then, Ash saw Shinko shaking in fear. "What is it, Shinko?" he asked.
He yelped in fear as a blue will-o-wisp surprised him! "Shinko, use Foresight!" he nearly screamed as more and more will-o-wisps surrounded the group.
"Yes, please use Foresight!" Misty pleaded.
A hopeful smile formed on Ash's face as Shinko's eyes started to glow, but then faded away as more will-o-wisps appeared. "Errgh...Shinko, I know you can do this! Use Foresight!"
"Shinko, will you help us? Please?" Misty asked.
Shinko nodded, but moments before she attempted using the attack, she squawked as the will-o-wisps combined into a massive blue fire spirit, and fluttered off!
"Shinko!" Misty hurried after the little Hoothoot, with the boys not far behind her.
As the group tore through the brush, Kamon peeked from a bush. "It's official...Wonder Boy has gone nuts..." he sighed before hiding back in the bush, where he could see the group catching their breaths in a clearing.
"Everyone okay?" Brock asked after he composed himself.
"I think so..." Misty replied before addressing Shinko. "Shinko...I know you're terrified of the illusions as much as we are, but Hoothoots are born and raised to guide people through places like this. So will you be brave, and help us through here?"
Shinko nodded, making Misty grin. "Thank you!"
Ash balked at how Shinko was easily doing as Misty told her. "How come Shinko listens to Misty and not me?"
"Maybe because Misty doesn't yell at her and remembers to say 'please'?" Brock replied.
"What does manners have to do with--!" Ash started before noticing Shinko trembling again. "Huh?"
He saw a flash of red and heard footsteps as someone fled from a bush. "Kamon!" he gasped."
"Now he's the one that's nuts..." Misty smiled at what she thought was Ash standing by her side.
She balked, however, when she saw another Ash standing near Brock. "What the?"
Brock, however, was seemingly unfazed at the hundreds of Ashes forming around him. "Would the real Ash please stand up?"
[He won't even have to do that--I'll handle this!] Tintri volunteered before charging a Thunderbolt. The electric blast arced from false Ash to false Ash, creating a massive explosion when it hit the real Ash moments later, sending him flying backwards.
Misty hurried over to Ash's side. "Are you okay?"
She was about to tend to her friend when a huge Ariados appeared before her, making her scream in terror! "Shinko, help meeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!!!!!!" she yelped as she watched the seemingly hundreds of Spinaraks crawling on her and surrounding her.
The boys watched in awe as Shinko's eyes glowed red, making the Spinaraks and the Ariados disappear. "She did it!" Brock smiled.
"And look what's bean causing all of this..." Ash smiled as he gestured to a hollow, where a pair of Haunters were laughing hysterically at Misty screaming, despite Shinko's efforts to dispel the illusions.
He looked over at Brock. "Don't Ghost Pokemon hate holy water or sacred words or hymns?"
"I may not have holy water, but I do know a few holy songs..." Brock replied before clearing his throat and singing Te lei ze cra riou te ze...
Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze... At this, the Haunters gasped as a holy circle of white light formed around the group.
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei!
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!
"It's working!" Misty gasped as she watched the Haunters flee from the rotted hollow tree. "Keep singing, Brock!"
Te lei ze cra riou te ze... Brock started the song again.
Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze...
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei! At this, some brush parted, revealing the path out of the forest and allowing sunshine to stream inside the clearing.
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!
Misty was the most relieved at seeing the road. "So this was where the way out was the whole time!"
She knelt down before Shinko. "Thank you, Shinko--you are free to return to your mistress."
After giving the small Hoothoot a hug, she waved goodbye as it fluttered back into the forest. "Wonder if Kamon will ever find his way through all the illusions?" Ash wondered as the group started down the road.
"Oh, he'll make it out in about a week." Brock grinned, making the group laugh as they walked off into the setting sun...
TO BE CONTINUED...
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