The royal carriage rolled smoothly along the dirt path, heading back to the safe, brightly lit castle. Inside sat Princess Amara. Unlike most royalty, Amara didn’t carry a heavy golden scepter; she carried Poké Balls, and her most trusted confidant was the pink and cream-colored Audino sitting happily by her side.
They were passing the edge of the infamous Ilex Forest. Known throughout the Johto region, the Ilex Forest was a place where the ancient tree canopy was so incredibly thick that daylight never reached the ground. It was a place of perpetual twilight, famous for spooky ghost stories and shifting shadows.
Suddenly, Audino’s large, sensitive ears twitched. It pressed its face against the carriage window, letting out a highly concerned, urgent cry.
“Stop the carriage!” Amara ordered instantly. She opened the door before the wheels had even fully stopped turning. “Audino, what is it? What do you hear?”
Audino pointed a small hand directly into the pitch-black tree line of the forest. To human ears, there was nothing but the rustling of leaves. But with its incredible hearing, Audino had picked up a faint, trembling sound. Someone was crying in the dark.
For a princess, the royal protocol was to return to the castle and send the guards. But for a Pokémon Trainer, the only protocol was to help those in need. Amara pulled her heavy emerald cape over her shoulders and grabbed a small, glowing luminescent crystal from her travel bag.
“We have to help,” Amara declared, her eyes filled with determination. “Lead the way, Audino!”
Together, the Princess and the healer Pokémon rushed past the tree line and stepped into the pitch-black woods. The air immediately grew freezing cold. The shadows stretched and twisted around them, taking on the shapes of towering giants and lurking monsters. Every snap of a twig beneath Amara’s boots echoed loudly in the heavy silence. It felt exactly like walking into a spooky episode of a television show, but Amara focused on Audino, who was carefully tracking the sad, frightened echoes.
They navigated through twisted roots and dense bushes for what felt like hours. Finally, they reached a small, rocky clearing. The crying was much louder now, mixed with the distinct sound of rattling metal.
Amara held up her glowing crystal, cutting through the thick darkness. The soft blue light revealed a heartbreaking scene. Sitting in the dirt, trapped inside a heavy, rusted iron cage, was a tiny Cyndaquil.
This wasn’t an ordinary trap. Amara recognized the cruel, blocky design and the faded red ‘R’ painted on the rusted metal. It was an old, forgotten trap left behind years ago by the villainous Team Rocket! The trap had been sitting open and broken for years, but the door had somehow swung shut and jammed tight.
Cyndaquil was terrified. It was curled into a tight little ball, trembling uncontrollably. For a Fire-type Pokémon, Cyndaquil’s back should have been roaring with warm, bright flames. But the little creature was so consumed by fear that its fire had completely gone out, leaving it freezing in the cold night air.
Amara immediately knelt beside the rusted cage. “Oh, you poor little one,” she cooed gently. “How did you end up in this awful thing?”
Audino stepped forward, its ears drooping in deep sympathy. It communicated softly with the trembling Pokémon. Through Audino’s translation, Amara quickly understood the story. Cyndaquil hadn’t wandered into the Team Rocket trap by accident. A trio of mischievous Gastly had been playing a very cruel prank. They had chased the little fire mouse through the dark forest, making terrifying faces and spooky noises, driving the panicked Cyndaquil right into the old metal cage before slamming the heavy door shut and floating away, laughing into the night.
Now, trapped in the pitch black, every shadow looked like a returning ghost to the frightened Cyndaquil.
“Those Gastly were very mean to do that to you,” Amara said, her voice dripping with compassion. “But you don’t have to be afraid anymore. We are right here, and we are going to get you out.”
Amara examined the cage. The locking mechanism was completely rusted through. It didn’t need a key; it just needed a little bit of leverage. She wedged a sturdy fallen branch into the door’s hinge. With a determined push from the Princess and a helpful tug from Audino, the old, rusted metal groaned loudly and snapped. The heavy door swung open.
Cyndaquil was free. But the little Pokémon didn’t move. It looked out into the vast, dark forest, its eyes wide with absolute terror. The trees still looked like monsters. The whispering wind still sounded like ghosts. Even though the cage was open, Cyndaquil was still trapped by its own fear of the dark.
Amara didn’t try to pull the Pokémon out. As a Trainer, she knew that forcing a Pokémon to be brave never worked. They had to find their own courage. Instead, she gathered her emerald velvet cape and sat down right in the dirt, perfectly eye-level with the frightened creature. She turned off her glowing crystal, plunging them back into the near-darkness.
Will Princess Amara be able to help the terrified Cyndaquil overcome its fear of the dark? Find out in the full, relaxing bedtime episode! This is a special preview of our exclusive series, The Pokémon Princess. Parents, just click the Patreon link in the description below to unlock the soothing ending and join our VIP club today!
