Eli always thought the tall grass was bad because of what lived in it.
He was wrong.
Morning mist was low on Route 201 as Eli and Turtwig walked forward together.
Twinleaf Town looked smaller behind them than it ever did before.
Mara asked Eli if he was nervous.
Eli said he was a little nervous.
Turtwig walked ahead of them going through the grass with a chirp.
Then everything became quiet.
There were no Starly calls.
There was no wind.
Nothing was moving.
Even Chimchars flame became small like the air was heavy.
Mara whispered to Eli asking if he felt something.
The ground started shaking.
Eli thought it was an Onix under the ground or a big Pokémon walking by.
Then the shadows moved.
They were not moving with the sun they were moving on their own.
Shapes started coming out of the grass not walking, but standing up.
Vine-like things curled through the air shining blue.
Strange symbols were on them like they were alive.
Turtwig growled.
Eli told Turtwig to use Razor Leaf.
The attack cut through the vine. It fixed itself right away.
More vines came out.
One wrapped around Elis wrist.
It was not tight it was not mean.
It was careful like it was curious.
Eli shouted for Mara.
She tried to pull him but another vine wrapped around her ankle.
Chimchar jumped forward its flames burning. A soft light made the flames small.
The grass opened up showing something under it.
It was not a Pokémon, not really.
A big eye-like shape opened in the ground shining with colors.
It was not angry it was not hungry.
It was looking at them.
A low sound was in the air not words, but something Eli and Mara understood.
The voice said: You walk freely you tell people what to do you hold people back freely.
The vine around Elis wrist became a little tighter.
The voice said: Now you will understand.
A bright light came out.
Eli felt like he was floating.
Then he hit something
But it was not the grass it was stone.
He got up quickly.
There were bars around him.
They were metal, cold and unfamiliar.
Mara was across from him hitting the bars looking scared.
She asked what this place was.
Outside the cage there were Pokémon.
Many of them.
Starly were on the bars Shinx were walking calmly. A big Luxray was watching them.
Even Turtwig was outside the cage not trapped, free.
Elis breath stopped.
He said Turtwigs name.
Turtwig tilted its head.
Its eyes were shining blue.
The same symbols were on the ground.
The big voice spoke again not from the ground but from everywhere.
It said: You catch Pokémon you tell them what to do you keep them in cages.
Luxray walked forward touching a device near Elis cage.
It looked like a Poké Ball. It was bigger and different.
Shinx touched a shining panel and Elis cage became a little shiny like it was looking at him.
Maras voice was shaking she said they are looking at us.
They were not attacking they were not hurting they were just looking.
Turtwig walked slowly to the cage.
Eli reached out to Turtwig.
He said I am your partner remember.
Turtwig looked softer. It did not move closer.
The big voice spoke again.
It said: being partners is not owning something we need to make things right.
The floor under Eli became shiny in a circle.
The big Poké Ball device was making a sound.
For the time Eli knew how it felt to be made into light to be kept in something small and quiet.
The light started coming up around him.
Luxrays eyes did not move.
As everything became white Eli heard a thought, in his mind: how does it feel to be chosen.