Chapter 1:
The Green Village
The green village is one of four villages that populate the planet. Each village is given a color based on their function, for example, the green village is so named because it rejects technology and embraces the farming lifestyle. The village is inhabited by Pokemon who work the lush countryside outside the city walls growing mainly tomatoes, potatoes and wheat. The farmers live inside huts located outside the walls and can only enter the city to sell their produce. Inside the walls, on the other hand, are craftsmen and merchants, whose job is to sell basic goods, building materials and various furniture to other villages. Access to the town is reserved exclusively for the villagers themselves and merchants from other villages. The houses and streets of the village are a reflection of the village's ideals; in fact, both the streets and houses are built with poor materials, such as stones for the walls and thatch for the ceilings. While work within the walls is reserved for adult Pokemon, in the lands children also work, and if the lands do not produce a stipulated amount of products, Pokemon who own the countryside are harshly punished. The punishments are very severe, mainly involving public humiliation of the condemned. The political part is exclusively reserved for a Pokemon named the village sage. The sage is in charge of managing the import and export of goods, but more importantly, he has the duty to impartially punish anyone who breaks the laws.
Chapter 2
Memories of the past
It is a sunny June day and the corn is finally getting hard, thus beginning the harvest season. In charge of the grain harvest this year are two farming Pokemon families: the family of Mason, helped by his wife Jade and their little girl just 8 years old Roxanne helped by her best friend Luna, and the family of Jeff with his wife Jessica. Mason and Jade are known as the best farmers in the village, and for this, they are well respected by everyone, including the village sage Felwinter. Mason's family has always performed their duties with the highest level of punctuality and precision, even 3 years ago when their little girl lost an arm in an accident while they were working. Roxanne, even without an arm, always gave her best by helping her parents as much as she could, giving her all and working even harder. A week after the accident, Roxanne went to explore an abandoned barn near their home. The walls of the barn were wrapped in vegetation and gave the idea of a structure that had been abandoned for years, but Roxanne swore she heard voices coming from inside. Curiosity was too great, and the fearless young Rockruff decided to go inside and see what was in it. Once in front of the huge barn, Roxanne noticed that on the huge half-open door there was no sign of vegetation, and she immediately knew that someone had recently gotten in there. Roxanne used all the strength she had to open the door and inside she saw that there was a recently doused fire in the center of the huge room. Roxanne decided to move closer to investigate, noticing more and more rays of light passing through holes in the ceiling. The young Pokemon's heart was beating faster and faster, each step she took getting smaller and smaller, but the tension created was interrupted by a voice behind her
<< Hey, what are you doing here in my house? >>
Roxanne took a leap and landed on a dirty pile of straw nearby
<< I see you've made yourself comfortable, that's my bed >>
Roxanne looked up and saw a young Absol with thick, curling white fur, two magnificent cherry-red eyes and a long black tail.
<< Who are you and why do you live in an abandoned barn in the middle of nowhere? >>
<< Well my story is a long and boring one, maybe one day I will tell it to you, however now get up and get away from here if you don't want to take any risks >>
The young Absol stretched out her black paw toward Roxanne, who accepted the shake and got back on her feet.
<< Well, I see everything is okay, go now, I will see you again soon >>
And so, Roxanne returned home with more questions than before, but remembering the young Pokemon's words she decided not to mention it to anyone, not even her parents.
"" Who knows who she was and why she lives there all alone, she must be about the same age as me, plus it's sure to be cold in there, maybe I should bring her some blankets.""
Roxanne spent the entire night thinking about what she had seen, thinking about that little girl and her story, whether she had eaten, whether anyone was looking for her....
The next morning Roxanne immediately finished watering the tomato plants and ran to the barn with a backpack full of food and blanket, hoping to find the girl from the day before. Upon entering the barn she saw the girl from the day before sleeping on the pile of straw where she had fallen the previous day, and decided not to wake her. She opened her backpack and pulled out a red wool blanket and wrapped the poor little girl who was shivering, probably from all the cold of the previous night. While the little girl was resting, Roxanne pulled out two eggs, a few slices of bacon and a slightly rusty black frying pan and started cooking breakfast. After a couple of minutes, the little one opened her eyes and met the gaze of Roxanne, who handed her a porcelain plate with breakfast inside.
<< Heh heh, I didn't think you would be back so soon, and what's more, you also made me breakfast and wrapped me with this soft blanket, thank you... >>
<< You're welcome, now do you think you can tell your story? >>
<< Sure, but first I have to eat, those eggs look delicious >>
With the rapidity of a rapidash, the little one ate up the rich and delicious breakfast, ending it all with a little burp of satisfaction.
<< Thank you very much, I haven't eaten so well in a long time >>
<< You're welcome, mom always makes me breakfast, what about yours? >>
Hearing that sentence, the little one lowered her gaze and small drops of water began to wet her curly, dirty fur
<< I have never known my mother, let alone my father. I have lived here alone since I escaped from the 'orphanage, and now everyone in town hates me. This is the only place I can call home >>
<< Why don't you come and live with me? Mom and dad will be so happy to help you, you know they are farmers and live here outside the walls, so you will be safe >>
<< You are kind, but I don't know if I can accept >>
<< Of course you can, oh by the way my name is Roxanne >>
<< Thank you Roxanne, my name is Luna >>
Mason and Jade were overjoyed to welcome Luna into their family and for the months that followed treated her like a second daughter. The two young Pokemon spent their days happily playing in the countryside, exploring the surrounding lands, and sometimes sneaking into town.
Chapter 3:
Friendship
The time of wheat harvest has come,and all members of the Mason family, ( including Luna ) get to work. Luna and Roxanne, together with Jade, tended the wheat field to the south, while Mason alone was in charge of the one to the north. The day goes well, arriving at noon more than half of the vast field has been harvested, and now it is time for the lunch break. The family members rejoin on the path leading toward home and are on their way, when they are stopped by a luxurious wooden carriage with gold decorations and carvings drawn by two rapidash with thick fiery manes, which cuts and blocks their way. The carriage driver gets down from his post and opens the door, from which an imposing, regal-looking, intimidating figure steps out, with a grim, stern gaze turned toward the two intimidated young girls. Mason and Jade throw their work tools onto the path and bow before the imposing figure with nine long, golden tails, motioning for the little girls to do so as well. Felwinter casts a glance at the carriage driver, who immediately understands the sage's intention and, without being asked twice, climbs back into the carriage and drives off. Once the carriage has passed the horizon, Felwinter exclaims in a deep, intimidating voice:
<< Up Mason >>
Mason then nods to the family to stand and, still with his head lowered, replies:
<< Oh great and mighty Felwinter, what business leads you on my humble and unworthy land >>
<< No formality, I was just passing by and wanted to see how the grain harvest was going >>
<< We have just finished the first half and in the afternoon we will conclude the remainder, by tomorrow the agreed amount of grain will be brought to the village >>
<< Good, very good. Now Mason, you know that I have a high regard for you and your work, and I regret to inform you that your daughters will have to suffer punishment tomorrow, they broke the law, I have witnesses who saw the infraction >>
Chapter 4:
The Punishment
The news shocked everyone, a mix of emotions now runs through Mason's mind, he wants to try to speak, but he feels powerless in front of Felwinter and the words can't get out. What could his daughters have ever done to deserve public punishment, they have always been with him, they have never entered the village, they have not broken any laws.
<< I know the news has shocked you, but the law is law, children or adults, anyone who breaks the sacred laws deserves the appropriate punishment. Tomorrow morning the girls will come to my mansion and there they will be escorted to the place where the punishment will take place. Now if you don't mind, I have other duties awaiting me >>
<< All right, I apologize on behalf of my daughters, have a good day >>
Felwinter begins a long, slow walk to Mason's neighbor's house. As soon as the sage disappears from Mason's line of sight, he turns his gaze to his daughters, and very calmly asks them what they could possibly have been doing so seriously away from the village. Roxanne, in her shame at the incident, is unable to lift her gaze, which is now turned to the ground with tears watering the path. Luna, on the other hand, after a few moments of silences that seem to last for hours, decides to take courage and turn her gaze toward Mason
<< Yesterday, in the woods, Roxanne and I...explored our bodies. Roxanne fell, and in falling I noticed her panties, and I ... I ... touched her down there ... and I liked it ... and then she touched me too ... and then ... and then ... >>
Luna burst into a desperate cry and threw herself sitting on the floor, covering her tear-drenched red eyes with her small paws. Jade, who has remained silent up to that point, throws herself on Luna and Roxanne, holding them in a strong hug. Mason, on the other hand, stands there without saying a word, angry but sad at the same time.
<< Girls up, it's time for lunch. What's done is done, tomorrow you will face your punishment and everything will go back to the way it was before, but now let's go have lunch, the afternoon will be even harder >>
The day ends, the wheat field has been settled and the family is now sleeping in their beds, some more and some less.
The following day.
The two little friends after a warm shower get dressed and leave the house, cross the long path that connects their house with the village and arrive at the huge wooden gates that separate the inside of the city with the Outside World. As they arrive, a Pokemon who is there on warden opens the gate and lets Roxanne and Luna inside, where waiting for them is Felwinter escorted by two large and menacing guards.
<< We have been waiting for you, ready to face the consequences of your actions? >>
Faced with the majesty of Felwinter, the young girls can only nod, turning their fearful gaze toward the ground.
<< Well, let's go >>
The group begins a long and stressful walk inside the huge village, with merchants and craftspeople abandoning their work to better observe the event. After a long walk, the group escorted by Felwinter's personal guards arrives at the center of the village, in a huge square decorated with statues of the previous sages carved with gold and in the center of it, an execution scaffold with on it two wooden and steel stocks with red, green and orange stains wrapping the instruments.
<< Guards, escort the girls and tie them up properly, close the locks and open them only in the late afternoon >>
Hearing the sage's order, an evil and satisfied grin appears on the faces of the two guards who impatiently grab Luna and Roxanne violently and drag them to the gallows. Luna is placed on the right stocks, where both arms and head are locked in the cold, rusty instrument, while Roxanne is thrown with extreme violence on the cold wooden plank that makes up the base of the gallows, and both of her hairy paws are clutched.
<< Your first punishment will be to remain all day locked here, at the mercy of passers-by who will laugh and throw fruit and vegetables at you. We will come and collect you when the sun goes down >>
With that said, the sage turns his back on the two girls, leaving them with the two guards. Luna with her head stuck and her gaze turned toward the market there in front, tries to distract Roxanne by making conversation, but the guards immediately interrupt the discussion by throwing two oranges at Luna, hitting her right in her magnificent red eyes.
<< Ahhahahah, I got her good, let's see if you can do better >>
The second warden, taller and more buff than the first, grabs a tomato from a nearby stand and with the force of an enraged elephant throws the vegetable at Roxanne's face deformed by fear and shame, who manages to limit the damage by protecting herself with the only paw she has left.
<< Seen how you do it, now try to do better if you can >>
The guards begin a long target practice, throwing all kinds of vegetables and fruits at the poor defenseless and tearful girls: apples, tomatoes, oranges and peaches almost completely covering Luna's face and Roxanne's paws with stains of every color, stains that are partially washed away by the tears of shame and fear of the two. Upon witnessing the scene, some farmers also decide to join the race, and they start throwing more fruit at the poor, helpless girls. More and more people rush in, and soon the square where the exchanges take place becomes a shooting range, and the voices in the background turn to laughter and insults.
<< Look how ridiculous they are >>
<< I would never want to be in their parents' place >>
<< How humiliating, I really feel sorry for them >>
Time never seems to pass, Luna tries to cheer up Roxanne but her voice is completely silenced by the ever louder and louder laughter of the inhabitants. After several hours, Luna's legs begin to show signs of failing, but the wait for the sunset is still long. Luna attempts to turn her gaze toward Roxanne, whose arm is stretched out along the scaffold beam, tired and no longer strong enough to defend her face now covered with vegetable stains and wet with tears. After an endless wait, a voice from the audience dictates an end to the humiliation. Felwinter standing in the crowd orders the guards to free the girls and lead them to the pond near the abandoned barn. Without a hint of hesitation, the guards drop the last of the vegetables they had between their paws and carry out the sage's orders, opening the stocks locks and freeing the now broken girls. Once free, they both fall tired on the cold, dirty floor, but the guards grab their arms and put them back on their feet. Felwinter approaches Roxanne and Luna, and looks them straight in the eyes with a look neither of them would have expected-it is a look of compassion and pity, it almost seems as if she does not want to continue with the punishment either, but this conviction disappears in an instant. The sage turns her back on the girls and waves the guards on. After another long and harrowing walk, the group, followed by the villagers, arrives at the pond, where a battered and rusty chair, with leather handcuffs for arms and legs on it is waiting for them, floating on the pond's yellowish, foul-smelling surface. The girls' tiredness suddenly disappears, giving way to fear and terror. Felwinter turns to the inhabitants, completely ignoring Luna and Roxanne, and begins to describe what will be the next punishment:
<< Now the girls in turn will be tied up and plunged into the pond, and they will remain under the surface of the water long enough for them to make amends to themselves for their crime >>
The first to suffer the punishment is Roxanne, still covered in the stains from the vegetables. The guards lift her off the ground, grabbing her by the arms and paws, and place her on the chair, gripping the handcuffs as tightly as possible, making sure to block any possible movement. One of the guards proceeded to grab the shabby rope that lifts the chair by pulling it to himself with all the strength he has at his hands. Once the chair has reached its full height, the warden turns his gaze to Felwinter, waiting for the signal that is immediately given, dropping at a very high speed the poor girl, whose gaze is turned to her friend on her knees and in tears lying on the grass near Felwinter, who watches the scene without any sign of emotion, impassive as a mountain. As the chair shatters the dirty layer of water, laughter from the crowd rings like drums in Luna's ears, worried about her friend. From the surface of the pond, several air bubbles burst, a sign that Roxanne is still alive and breathing. The poor Rockruff tries desperately to free herself from those tight, cold chains to go in search of breathable air, wasting only what little strength she had left. After two minutes of apnea, the chair is lifted again, allowing Roxanne to spit out all the water she has swallowed. Each cough emitted by Roxanne is overwhelmed by the loud, overpowering, incensed laughter of the crowd. Now that Roxanne's second punishment is over, it is Luna's turn. One of the guards approaches Roxanne and frees her from those cold shackles and with a push, throws her against the warm, dry grass, under the feet of the crowd intent on mocking her. Now it is Luna's turn, who is tied there where her friend before was about to be drowned. Once she reaches the top, Felwinter nods and Luna is thrown into the cold, dirty pond water. This time, the laughter is even louder, so much so that it penetrates the surface of the lake and reaches Luna's wet ears, and she struggles desperately for air, flailing as hard as she can using what little strength she has left, but nothing, it's all useless, the handcuffs are too tight. After another 2 minutes, the warden grabs the rope and very slowly brings Luna back to the surface. Once freed, she too is thrown to the ground beside her friend in tears worried about her.
<< The second punishment is over. Now it is the turn of the third and final punishment >>
A cry of excitement resounds throughout the forest, sending the few remaining birds flying away. Roxanne and Luna have now exhausted every bit of energy, making the idea of getting back on their feet only a fleeting dream. Felwinter therefore orders the guards to pick up the two now-wrecked girls and carry them to the center of the square, where the stocks are once again waiting for them.
Chapter 5
The final punishment
The setting of the sun along the horizon marks the beginning of the last punishment the girls will face. Felwinter and the guards with the girls in their arms, followed by the villagers, head back to the center of the village, where waiting for them is stock again, which unlike a few hours ago, is only one and is lying along the wooden beams that make up the gallows. Felwinter turns to the crowd and waves them to stop.
<< The third and final punishment is about to begin. The culprits will now see their ankles locked inside the stock, and salt water will be sprinkled along their feet, and goats with intent to lick their paws will be released. The punishment will begin when the sun has totally set and will last one hour. Guards, tie up the culprits >>
The guards throw Roxanne and Luna onto the gallows and push one paw each still wet inside the slots of the instrument. The two are now close together and finally able to look each other in the face, both too tired to even utter a word, but with a simple exchange of glances they manage to understand and comfort each other. The instrument is padlocked shut and their paws are further soaked by a bucket of ice-cold, salty water, which causes a shiver down both of their helpless bodies. Luna builds up the last remaining strength and addresses her friend:
<< It will be all right, it will soon be over >>
A smile appears on Roxanne's dejected and tired face for a moment.
<< Let the last punishment begin >>
Felwinter's mighty voice silences the laughter of the crowd for a moment, drawing all the attention to herself. Upon hearing that phrase, the guards release two thick-haired, gray goats, who immediately launch themselves on the attack against the two girls' stuck paws, licking voraciously and greedily. Each lick causes a shiver down the girls' entire bodies, and they burst into greasy laughter that echoes throughout the village, even reaching the countryside outside the walls. The girls' incessant laughter infects the audience, which bursts into thunderous laughter. Each movement of the paws caused by the goats incites the latter to lick with even more ferocity, increasing even more the forced laughter of the girls, who wiggle even more forcefully. At the sight of Roxanne and Luna in that condition, laughter also escapes from the mouth of Felwinter, who joins the inhabitants and the guards. Large drops of water begin to flow from Roxanne and Luna's eyes again, adding to the drops of water dripping from their fur still drenched with water from the previous punishment. Both of their hips begin to ache, but their cries for mercy, mixed with laughter, do not pity the goats, who lick their paws ever more eagerly. After an hour, Felwinter motions the guards to collect the goats and release the two girls, now exhausted and with not an ounce of energy left. Once the goats are returned to their cages, the two guards free Roxanne and Luna, and escort them down the scaffold to the presence of Felwinter, who turns to the citizens and in a stern and at times even sorry tone of voice announces the end of the punishment.
<< These two girls have paid dearly for their mistakes, may today's scene serve as an example to you all. Now go back to your usual lives >>
Slowly, each resident returns to his or her thing, turning their backs on Felwinter and the two girls lying on the ground, about to collapse from sleep. The sage sends the guards away, and once left alone he lowers herself next to the two girls and under her breath in an almost Maternal tone whispers into their ears:
<< Next time you plan to explore your body better, make sure no one is watching you. >>
