They might as well have been travelling at night. Viridian Forest was a dense overgrown forest, the thick leaves of the trees casting a shadow on the forest floor. Only little pinpricks of light penetrated the barrier casting little dots of light but that was it.

"You seem to know your way around these forests Carmen," Sean said.

Carmen nodded. "Yep. I came all the way from Mt Moon so I had to take a detour through here."

Sean raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't run into the Kakuna tribe."

"The what? Kabuna tribe?"

"Kakuna," Sean corrected. "They're a tribe who are adept in the use of poisons. They despise body alterers."

Patricia nodded. "Our Chief told us stories about them. I heard they murdered one of the tribes that live in these parts."

Sean nodded. "Yep, the Caterpie tribe. Only a few remain."

"I'm lost," Carmen said suddenly.

Sean looked confused. "I mean it's a pretty easy story to follow. What is it you don't..."

"What's a body alterer?" Carmen asked with the calmness of a river.

There was a long silence. Carmen was starting to redden.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" he asked, scratching his head. "It's not my fault I can't read."

Sean sighed, both him and Patricia were staring at his tail swinging from side to side like a see-saw.

"It seems I have a lot of explaining to do," Sean said.

...

"They are five types of mages," Sean explained. "Artefact users, body alterers, tamers, pure mages and Channelers."

"Patricia and I are Artefact Users," Sean said. "We channel our magic into an Artefact. In my case this dagger, in Patricia's the feathers on her bracelet."

Sean pointed at Carmen. "You are a body alterer. Body alterers magic changes their physical properties." Sean pointed at his tail. "Like that tail of yours. Other examples of body alterers are the rattata disciple where they are known for having tails and sharp teeth and the machop disciple where their muscles change size."

Carmen nodded, it seemed he was paying attention intently. "What about the lamers?"

"Tamers," Sean corrected. "As we all know, the creatures known as Pokémon were wiped out in a mass extinction event. However, some remained. The ones that remain choose a mage worthy of their attention and they fight side to side. Good examples of these are the Rapidash tamers down at Cinnabar or the Dodrio tamers at Celadon."

"And the other two?"

"Channelers and Pure Mages?" Sean said. "Not much is known about them. All I've read is that Channelers allow spirits to enter their bodies in order to cast magic and pure magic users are the closest to the source of Magic. The only pure magic users I know off are the Abra tribe. Though the line between pure mages and body alterers are rather blurry."

"Blurry how?" Carmen asked.

"Like the mankey tribe," Sean explained. "They are a good example of pure mages as they are no noticeable body changes however their hair grows at an exponential rate."

Carmen nodded. "You seem to know a lot."

"It's because I read," Sean said. "I used to live near a library so I spent most of my time there when my parents were working."

There was silence.

"I spent a lot of time there," Sean mumbled.

Carmen was a little envious. He remembered all the other children in his tribe leaving the mountains going to the library at Pewter and bringing back books and reading them aloud. The only thing Carmen could do was train with Master Hitokage. Day after day, he'd train with him whilst the students read stories around campfires. Late at night he'd go back to his tent and overhear parents reading to their children. Carmen envied them. He'd always try to read signs but they were like hieroglyphics to him. And everyone looked at him with a look of disbelief when he told them he couldn't read. He hated that look. Where they were trying their hardest not to laugh as they gave Carmen directions. Where they were secretly judging him, thinking he was stupid. Carmen hated it.

Suddenly Carmen heard shuffling in the bushes.

"Guys be careful, I heard something," Carmen said.

Everyone tensed up. Carmen conjured a fireball. Sean drew his dagger and Patricia crossed her arms.

From the bushes came a young girl with a pink v-shaped antenna on her forehead and short raven colored hair. Her face was pale and there were needles sticking from her back. She looked dazed, murmuring "Help me..." before she collapsed.

Carmen rushed toward her but before he could reach her a flurry of needles rained down from the sky, blocking his way.

From the trees came two men wearing extravagant leather armor that only covered their chest and legs. Their arms and bellies were exposed revealing well-toned arms. They had a bow strapped to their back with arrows and a leather strap carrying various small bottles.

"Stop thing," said the soldier, starting at his tail. "This prisoner belongs to the Kakuna tribe. You have no business here."

Carmen hated the condescending look on his face. He conjured a fireball.

"Did you just call me a thing?" Carmen stared at him straight in the eyes. "Asshole."

"Either way," said the other soldier. "This is none of your business."

Sean walked up to Carmen. "As narrow minded as these heathens are, I think it best we leave it be."

Carmen stared at the soldiers. "What did she do?"

"She trespassed upon our tribe," explained the soldier. "We don't allow things like her within our boundaries."

"What are you going to do to her?" Carmen asked.

"Execute her," the soldier said.

"Execute her?!" Carmen growled. "But she's so young."

"Leave them alone, Carmen," Sean said. "This is none of our business."

"I don't care," Carmen said. "They can't just kill someone for no reason!"

"Yes, we can, her existence poses a threat to the very justice of this world," said the soldier, looking down on Carmen. "Much like yours."

Carmen struck him across the face, knocking him out.

"Patricia get the girl," Carmen exclaimed as Sean crossed daggers with the other soldier. "We'll meet you later!"

Patricia nodded and carried the girl on her back, running away from the sounds of fighting.

...

Carlotta was floating. The poison had got her good. She could hear sounds, sounds of fighting, sounds of screaming but they sounded like they were coming from behind a bubble. Her body felt distant.

She felt someone carrying her on their back. She could hear their heavy breaths and feel the motion of their legs.

The person set her down. She saw a blur of brown setting a fire and rolling her body close to it. She felt her clothes peel off as a pair of gentle, soft hands rubbed something on their wounds. Soothing her, relieving her.

She could feel the antidote spreading across her body, cleaning the poisons from her body.

And the world came crashing forward as the sizzling of the fire filled her ears, the song of the cicadas, the rustle of the leaves.

A soft, concerned voice. "Thank god."

And the world around Carlotta went black.

...

When she awoke, Carlotta felt an itch by her chest. She looked down and noticed bandages carefully wrapped around. The poisons in her body had longed been cleansed but she still felt rather drowsy.

She felt warmth and turned her head to see fire which would normally scare considering her magic was of the insect affinity but she realized it was just a simple campfire. She heard humming coming from a soft, pleasant voice and saw a pretty brunette washing her hands with a leather flask.

She got up, looking for her clothes and noticed them neatly folded up by her legs. She pulled on her navy-blue blouse and denim jacket.

"Oh, you're awake," Patricia said.

"Thanks to you gorgeous," Carlotta said, grinning.

The girl reddened. "Aren't you a little too young to be saying stuff like that?"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Fourteen isn't young to me," Carlotta said, shrugging. "Besides age is just a number."

Carlotta was about to get up but the girl quickly ran up to her, waving her hands frantically.

"You shouldn't get up so quickly," she said. "The poison was very strong. It'll take a while before it fully leaves your body."

Carlotta figured the girl knew what she was talking about and decided to sit on the log. Carlotta noticed the bracelet the girl was wearing. So, she was from the pidgey tribe huh? Figures, Carlotta thought. Those guys are everywhere.

"What's your name, gorgeous?" Carlotta asked.

"Patricia."

"You from the pidgey tribe?"

Patricia nodded.

"How come you know so much about medicine?" Carlotta asked. "Your tribe don't specialize in that?"

"Some of the women in my tribe taught me all about the herbs and berries," Patricia explained. "It was the only thing I was good at. I learnt everything else from the Chanseys at the Magic Centers."

Carlotta nodded.

There was a long silence, only broken by the silence of the trees rustling.

"What about you?" Patricia asked. "I'm sorry if I'm prying but what did you do to make the Kakuna tribe so mad?"

Carlotta did not like answering questions especially if they were about her but she figured this Patricia girl was trustworthy.

"Sorry if I seem forceful," Patricia quickly added. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

Carlotta chuckled. "No, it's fine." There was a short silence before Carlotta sighed and started speaking. "My tribe was murdered by those Kakunas. Some of us managed to flee, the others were not so lucky. My parents were the unlucky ones."

Patricia nodded sympathetically.

"Ever since then I've been alone," Carlotta said. "I had to rely on myself so I started stealing. Mainly from stalls in Pewter but I also started stealing from the Kakuna tribe. This time, however, I got caught."

Patricia got up from her spot and gave her a hug. "You've been through a lot," she said.

Suddenly they heard shuffling in the bushes. Both Carlotta and Patricia got up, their bodies tense.

Heavy footsteps thudded on the ground, walking in sync. From the bushes came faceless men under leather hoods. Patricia gasped as she saw both Carmen and Sean, battered and bruised with their faces as green as vomit. The flame in Carmen's tail was getting dimmer. The faceless soldiers dropped Carmen and Sean who landed with groans. Patricia rushed over to them, antidote in hand. The poison had only just entered their body so the antidote would work its magic quickly. She poured the antidote in Sean's mouth and dragged him away. But before she could get to Carmen the soldier punched her in the gut causing her to keel over. Carlotta who had wanted to flee, rushed over to her.

"But C-Carmen," Patricia said.

"Those bastards got him," Carlotta said.

"This abomination belongs to the Kakuna tribe," the soldier said. The soldiers dragged Carmen away, their two spears.

Suddenly the sea of soldiers parted and from between the two rows came a man. Unlike the other soldiers, his robes were golden with two rubies sewn on top. He had two spears crossed by his back and a leather belt with a variety of bubbling purple vials and satchels.

"Bow down before his excellency, the Beedrill of this tribe. Dardargnan!"

The soldiers bowed down except for the ones around Carmen who remained standing. Patricia and Carlotta remained standing, glaring at the so called Beedrill.

"I see you savages have no respect for your elders," Dardargnan said, shaking his head. "Alas there is nothing I can do about that."

Dardargnan crossed his hands behind his back. "Hand over the girl and we'll let you live."

"And what about Carmen?" Patricia asked.

"Unfortunately, the abomination stays with us," Dardargnan said. "He attacked one of our tribe and hence must be executed." Dardargnan stared at Patricia and Sean. "We would normally execute you and your friend here as we don't know how tainted you are from spending time with this filth but your friend there..." Dardargnan turned his head to Sean. "Comes from a rich family and unfortunately our tribe can't afford lest we unintentionally burn some very necessary bridges."

He turned to Patricia. "So... what do you say?"

Patricia was terrified. This man and his army made her stomach twist into tiny knots, made her feel small and hopeless. And as much as she wanted to run away, to hide and curl up into a little ball she couldn't. Not after all the warmth Carmen gave her. Not after Carmen made her feel like she could be a lot more than the clumsy and useless Patricia her whole tribe thought she was.

Carlotta could easily escape these bastards. All she had to do was shoot string and get as far away as possible from this forest.

But after all Patricia had done for her she couldn't.

"No," Patricia said softly.

"Excuse me?" Dardargnan said, almost mockingly.

"No!" Patricia shouted. "I won't let you kill my friends like that."

"Very well," Dardargnan said. "Guards, execute the garbage."

The guards pulled Carmen by his head, daggers by his throat. Patricia desperately tried fighting the guards, blowing them away with as powerful a gust of wind she could conjure. But she wouldn't make it in time unless...

Before the faceless men could slice a string materialized from the trees and yanked up Carmen.

Everyone turned their faces upwards and saw Carlotta holding Carmen like a baby. She had an antidote in her hand and poured it in Carmen's mouth.

"Pat!" she called out. "Take your friend and get the hell out of here! I'll meet you in Pewter with this little guy!"

Patricia nodded and grabbed Sean. As she ran away from the soldiers that were following her, she quickly plucked a feather from her bracelet and put it on her boots. She focused all her magic on her boots and blasted away from the faceless soldiers that were following her.

Meanwhile Carlotta swung from tree to tree, string coming out from her palm. The soldiers clambered up the trees, leaping from branch to branch trying to pursue her whilst the others fired arrows that Carlotta swiftly dodged. Dardargnan also followed suit, grabbing a bow from one of his soldiers and firing viciously.

Carlotta managed to outrun them, making it to clearing. She was exhausted and on the verge of collapsing but she was glad she got Carmen to safety.

Carmen's tail suddenly blazed a healthy red. He got up suddenly, shoving Carlotta far away.

"Who the hell are you?" he said, flames in his hands. Then he noticed the antenna and realized it was that girl with the needles sticking out from her back. "Oh." The flames snuffed out.

"Is that how you greet everyone shorty," Carlotta groaned, rubbing her head. The boy had pushed her hard.

The boy shot a fireball that Carlotta narrowly missed.

"Don't call me short," he said.

"Alright short..."

Another fireball.

"Then what the hell am I supposed to call you?!" Carlotta exclaimed.

"Carmen," he said.

"Alright Carmen,” Carlotta said. "You heal surprisingly fast."

Carmen nodded. "I know. Where's Patricia and Sean?"

"Oh, those two," Carlotta said. "They hauled their asses out of the forest. Said we'll meet them in Pewter."

Carmen nodded. "And those assholes? Those Kahunas?"

"Kakunas," Carlotta corrected. "Well they were following us. They're probably on their way right now. Speaking of those assholes I saved your life from them."

"Thanks," Carmen said.

Carlotta was flabbergasted. "I haul your heavy ass all the way here, hell your tail almost singed my clothes and all I get is a thanks!"

"Shut up," Carmen said. "I smell something."

Suddenly from the trees came a volley of arrows that would have hit Carmen if he hadn't dodged.

Carmen launched a fireball at the tree in retaliation causing the soldiers to scurry and fall down.

"They're already here!" Carlotta exclaimed. The soldiers came like pouring from the trees like a wave. Carmen's claws elongated and as one soldier tried to stab him with a spear, he dodged, leaped into the air and scratched his face. Carlotta tried to join the fight but suddenly she stopped and collapsed onto the floor. Carmen rushed over to her and tried picking her up.

"What's the matter?"

Carlotta growled. A soldier tried launching an arrow straight at Carlotta but Carmen grabbed her and rolled out of the way. He launched a fireball at another soldier who was rushing at them with a spear.

"Not now!" Carlotta growled. "Not fucking now!"

Suddenly Carlotta was enveloped in a white light that started from her feet and moved upwards.

Carmen gasped. He'd seen this before. After a few battles the people in his tribe would be suddenly be wrapped in light and after the light disappeared, they'd suddenly have horns or wings and for some their tail would turn red.

"You're surging," Carmen said. "You're becoming stronger. Why are you so angry?"

As the light enveloped her, a green film started wrapping itself around her body, swallowing her like a snake.

"Because once I surge, I'm out for the count," Carlotta explained, struggling to get the words out. "I won't be able to move or fight. I saw it happen to my tribe. They'd be out for weeks!"

Carmen dodged the arrows and spears, holding Carlotta and launching an ember in retaliation.

Suddenly Carmen dropped to the floor. He rubbed the grass from his head to see why and noticed Carlotta had suddenly become as still as a statue. Her body was wrapped in a green material that was like stone and her face was perpetually trapped in an expression of surprise.

It was then that Dardargnan appeared from the bushes, the tip of his two spears were a dangerous purple color and he had his hood removed revealing grey hair and grey eyes that were as hard as stone.

"I finally have you abominations."

Carmen could leave Carlotta and run away but his pride wouldn't let him. Especially after all the hell she went through to get him to safety.

Carmen removed his cape and summoned conjured his flames.

...

Carlotta hated it when people fought for her.

It meant she owed them.

Even though her muscles screamed and her heart shouted for her to join the fight she was stuck in this goddamn cocoon.

She could still see the fight though, even though she couldn't blink. It was a blur of spears and swords, both fighters too fast and too skilled for her to witness. All the while magic coursed through her, she could feel her antennae growing and something behind her beating like a heart, growing.

The fight raged on. Carlotta couldn't wait till Carmen killed the bastard. Killed the bastard who murdered her family in cold blood, who murdered her entire tribe in cold blood just because they were different.

Carmen launched a fireball and Dardargnan dodged the fireball with ease. Before Dardargnan could catch his breath, Carmen rushed him, ducking and dodging his two spears and grabbing his neck.

The fight was as good as over.

But Dardargnan did not play fair.

From the trees a flurry of needles rained down on Carmen, striking him in the back.

Carlotta wanted to scream but her mouth couldn't move. Her body couldn't move.

Carmen was gasping for breath, on the verge of death. Despite all that he got up, blood pouring from his back. He was about to launch a fireball but Dardargnan kicked him in the ribs.

Dardargnan smirked. "You abominations are filth," he said. "And oh so stupid. You clearly do not see who is superior to you."

Dardargnan raised his spear, savoring the moment before he plunged it into Carmen's heart. Carlotta wanted to cry, wanted to fight but she was stuck. Stuck. Stuck and trapped. Trapped in this stupid cocoon.

Dardargnan lowered the spear.

Carlotta screamed.

.

.

.

The spear hung in, Dardargnan unable to kill the filthy abomination. There was something, some force preventing him from doing it. From killing the thing that was lying down in front of him.

He turned and saw a butterfly.

No, not a butterfly. A girl.

Her antennae had grown longer, dangling like snakes in front of her. And she had wings now, wide luminescent wings that looked (as much as Dardargnan hated to admit it) majestic.

The girl was breathing heavily. The girl looked surprised that she could move. The force on the spear lifted and the girl looked at her antennae and her wings, a look of delight on her face.

While the girl was distracted, Dardargnan thought it the opportune time to kill the boy but the girl let out a scream and suddenly the spear was reduced to nothing but splinters. Dardargnan was on the verge of tears. He had ripped the tip of the spear from one of the Beedrill deep in the forest only to see it reduced to nothing but a piece of wood. It was all that stupid girl's fault. He unsheathed his other spear and charged. But the girl was gone.

She must have fled, that coward. No matter, Dardargnan thought. His men would find her.

Then from the trees, Dardargnan's men started falling like stones. They were screaming and moaning, clutching their heads in pain. Some even fighting each other, punching and shooting at him and amongst themselves.

No matter Dardargnan thought. He'd just take the boy hostage.

But the boy had also disappeared.

Dardargnan turned and the girl was standing in front of her, her eyes glowing. At first Dardargnan was about to stab her but slowly he felt his mind break, slowly the world around him became muddled and blurry. All around him he saw moths flying to his face, spiders crawling up his body. The world was hazy, was flimsy like cloth. He started stabbing everything, the ground, the trees. The girl multiplied. There was one girl, then two girls, then five girls, ten butterflies, one hundred butterflies, one thousand...

All the while Carlotta tried to stop herself from killing him. Killing the monster that murdered everyone she loved, that scattered her from her family.

But Carlotta knew she couldn't. If she did, they'd hunt her down and kill her. And Carlotta did not want that. She didn't want to face the wrath of the Kakuna tribe especially. She was going to leave the forest and make a life for herself after she did the favor she owed to Carmen and pretty Ms. Patricia.

As the Kakuna soldiers beat each other up, Carlotta grabbed Carmen from the tree she left him in. Making sure to pick up the pecha from the trees and feeding it to him as she flew to Pewter, her wings fluttering gently like that of a butterfly.