The group traveled upstream on White's speedboat. The vessel was remarkable; not only was it incredibly fast on the water, but it could also transform into an airship, allowing them to soar over a massive waterfall with ease.
Finally, they arrived at White's homeArborville. The original inhabitants of this forest lived in treehouses, giving the village a unique and charming atmosphere.
Ash caught Molly before she could run off to play on her own. After bidding White farewell, they ventured deeper into the woods. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the canopy, casting pleasant patterns across the forest floor.
Before long, they reached a cave entrance. Looking through the tunnel, they could see the forest on the other side. It was much denser and darker than the one they were currently in, the trees so thick they blocked out the sun. That was their true destination. The cliff walls served as a natural barrier, keeping that part of the forest in a pristine, primordial state.
For a trainer like Ash, such a place was a dream come true. They were eager to enter, but a voice stopped them.
"Wait a moment!"
An elderly woman emerged from a treehouse near the cave entrance, leaning on a staff carved in the shape of a Hoothoot. "I haven't seen you before. Are you planning to enter the forest?"
"Yes!" Ash answered straightforwardly.
"You had better listen to what my grandmother has to say," a pretty young woman added, standing beside the elder. She bore a striking resemblance to the old woman.
Brock immediately scurried forward. "Yes, of course! I am Brock, aiming to be the world's top Pokémon Breeder. Might I ask your name, miss?"
"I'm Diana," the young woman replied. "My grandmother, Towa, has guarded the entrance to this forest for a long time."
Towa had watched over this place for decades, and there was a memory that still pained her. Forty years ago, she had watched a young boy enter the forest, just as these children were about to do. But he had never come out. She had found his sketchbook in the woods and had kept it safe ever since.
"If you hear the Voice of the Forest, you must stay exactly where you are. Do not move," Towa warned them. "That is the legend of this place. If you don't want to get lost, follow the old ways."
Towa said all she could. She knew she couldn't stop determined trainers from moving forward. Ash and his friends thanked her and resolutely passed through the cave.
"Ash, what is the Voice of the Forest? I've never heard it," Molly asked, sitting on Meganium's back as she looked at him curiously.
"Forests have all sorts of sounds," Brock explained with a smile. "The wind, the rustling leaves, the water, the cries of Pokémon..."
It sounded like a story told to children to keep them well-behaved, and they continued walking. However, the strange phenomenon occurred sooner than they expected.
White ripples suddenly expanded from the heart of the forest. Everyone heard ita clear, melodious chime like a bell.
"Was that...?"
"Could it be the Voice of the Forest?"
Ash didn't hesitate. He led Misty and Molly toward the source of the sound. Brock hesitated for a second, wondering if he should follow the legend and stay put, but he quickly ran to catch up.
"Over there!"
The white ripples had originated from an ancient altar, though the effect had already faded by the time they arrived. In the center of the clearing, they found a young boy lying unconscious.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Ash gave him a gentle nudge and found that he was simply unconscious, with no serious injuries. They couldn't just leave him there. Brock hoisted the boy onto his back and began heading back toward the exit. Since they were far from a Pokémon Center, their only hope was Towa.
As they started to move, Ash paused. He felt a fleeting, unique Auraa pulse of energy that vanished as quickly as it had appeared. When he tried to track it, he found nothing. It felt as if whatever had been there had used Teleport to move far away. Ash shook his head and hurried to catch up with the others.
"Miss Diana, are you there?" Brock called out, too worried to worry about making an impression this time.
By the time they reached the treehouses, the boy had regained consciousness. He pushed Brock away, shouting, "I won't give Celebi to you!"
"Celebi?" Ash's eyes widened. Though the details of the original timeline were hazy, he remembered that Celebi was the reason for an encounter with Professor Oak forty years in the past.
The boy in front of them was Samuel Oak from forty years ago. Of course, Ash had to pretend he didn't know that.
But the situation with Celebi was urgent. Towa and Diana descended from their treehouse. Towa recognized the boy instantly as the one who had vanished forty years prior. He had traveled through time, brought to the present by the Voice of the ForestCelebi. To prove it, she returned the sketchbook she had kept all those years.
Samuel accepted the reality quickly. There was no time to linger on the mystery of time travel; he had to save Celebi. He joined Ash and the others as they rushed back into the heart of the forest.
"Pika!"
Pikachu was the first to spot their target. High up in a colossal, ancient tree, dozens of Bug and Bird-type Pokémon had gathered, standing guard. That had to be where Celebi was hiding.
"Up there!"
Ash took the lead, climbing the tree with expert ease. To his surprise, Samuel kept up well, despite the difficulty.
"That kid is pretty impressive," Brock remarked, watching Samuel climb.
Misty nodded. "Yeah, to keep up with Ash... remember, Ash is basically a humanoid Pokémon now, a Fighting and Psychic type!"
Molly cheered from Meganium's side. "Go, Ash!"
Within the cluster of protective Pokémon, there was a hollow in the tree trunk. As Ash and Samuel approached, the other Pokémon sensed their good intentions and made way. Celebi was inside.
Celebi looked like a forest spirit from another world, with a round head that curved gracefully back, pale blue eyes, and dark rings around them. It was incredibly cute, but right now, its gaze was full of terror and suspicion. It huddled in the hollow, looking so pitiful it made their hearts ache.
Samuel felt a deep bond with Celebi; he was the one who had protected it from the hunter before being pulled into the future. He reached toward the hollow. "Celebi, it's okay now. Come on out."
In its pain and fear, Celebi released a burst of psychic energy, knocking Samuel back. Ash caught him before he could fall from the branch.
Possessing Confusion himself, Ash easily resisted the psychic pressure. He stepped in front of Samuel. "Hey there, little one. It's okay. Don't be afraid."
However, the pressure seemed to make Celebi even more frantic. It summoned several Vine Whips from the tree, lashing out blindly. Such thin vines were useless against Ash's durability. He let the vines strike him as he slowly moved closer. "It's alright. I'm going to protect you."
Samuel smiled from behind Ash. "That's right. We'll protect you."
Sensing their sincere kindness, Celebi slowly began to calm down. It retracted the vines and, exhausted, collapsed forward.
Ash caught the small guardian in his arms. The journey into the forest had only just begun.
---
Typhlosion
Scizor
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