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Pokémon What? I'm a Pokemon!?

Adamhuarts

Mew specialist
Partners
  1. mew-adam
  2. celebi-shiny
  3. roserade-adam
Man, I've been waiting for this new chapter to come out, so I was excited when I saw the notification that you'd uploaded. I haven't read the Christmas special... yet. I tend to not read 'special episode or side story' chapters when I'm reading serialized fics for some reason, but I'll try to take a look at it eventually.

I used to think this story will have a more semi episodic focus nature, but I'm not bothered it seems to have a plot going for it now. The comedic tone is still very much there and I like all the different personalities of the characters. I wonder what Showa is up to, because he's really suspicious right now. Whatever the case, I eagerly await the next update!
 

DeliriousAbsol

*Crazy Absol Noises*
Location
Behind a laptop, most likely with tea
Pronouns
She/Her
Partners
  1. mawile
Thanks for the review! Glad you're still enjoying this!

I tend to not read 'special episode or side story' chapters when I'm reading serialized fics for some reason, but I'll try to take a look at it eventually

No worries, but I hope you enjoy it if and when you give it a read. It maintains the silly comedic and random nature!

I used to think this story will have a more semi episodic focus nature, but I'm not bothered it seems to have a plot going for it now.

That's good =) I'm not sure how plot-focused it will remain. But the next few chapters follow the same plot-line to get deeper into this world. I won't let go of the silly. That's what makes this story what it is, after all XD And I've gotta continue to poke fun at the mechanics somewhere...

Plus when it comes to doing prompts to trigger silly stories (like the dungeon hopping chapter), I need to keep this story fairly loose otherwise it'll just seem out of place XD

I wonder what Showa is up to, because he's really suspicious right now.

He was always tagged as a 'trouble causer' so who knows? Only time will tell ;)

Thanks for reading! =D
 

DeliriousAbsol

*Crazy Absol Noises*
Location
Behind a laptop, most likely with tea
Pronouns
She/Her
Partners
  1. mawile
Chapter Five - The Berry Harvest​

Merry sneezed into the bed of hay and wiped her nose on a large leaf. Kiki had been right. It was a cold, and it was rapidly getting worse. Enough for the eevee to send her to the medical ward rather than staying cooped up in her nest room all day.

At least the medical ward was warm and dry.

Flynn let out a snort beside her and folded his arms. “I can’t believe you went and got sick and I have to go and do this mission on my own.”

“You’re not on your own.” Merry’s words came out muffled and she wiped her nose on the back of her paw. “You have Rolly and Mushu.”

Flynn snorted again and looked over at the elevator. “Mushu… If I don’t come back, send out a search party, all right? Preferably of ground types. With cages. And tranquilizer guns.”

“Mushu isn’t that bad.”

“Easy for you to say! You weren’t the one paralyzed by him in the middle of Glorious Gorge!” Flynn shook his head and bristled. “That emolga must have rabies or something.”

“He doesn’t.” Ruby the audino nurse appeared at Merry’s bedside with a bowl of cold water and a flannel. “He’s been thoroughly checked.”

Flynn blinked at that and watched as Ruby strained the flannel to paste it over Merry’s forehead.

“So you’ve checked he doesn’t have rabies?” Flynn asked. “How? I thought you had to remove their heads.”

Ruby almost dropped the bowl. “I beg your pardon? What kind of monster…”

Merry fixed Flynn with a pleading look. The snivy swiftly back-peddled and raised his paws.

“I was kidding!” he said. “It was a joke! To lighten the mood?”

Ruby let out a flustered breath and turned from the bed, leaving the bowl on the nightstand. “It was in very bad taste!”

Flynn ran a paw over his head and muttered an apology. “What’s he even doing here anyway? I thought he didn’t want to leave his tree.”

“He came here because of the storm,” Ruby explained.

“Really?” Merry turned to look at her as best she could without losing her flannel. “He told me it was because of a bunch of murkrow.”

“No, it was the storm,” said Ruby. “The murkrow get riled up when a storm is coming, and they flock to find the best shelter around Silent Forest. He must have taken that as his cue and rushed here to Pika’s Place. Odd, given he normally retreats into Silent Forest himself. But we’re not going to turn away a little child who needs shelter from a nasty storm.”

“I thought you didn’t treat wilds?” Flynn scoffed.

“Mushu has been given special privileges,” said Ruby. “And Pika wants to slacken our rules a bit on helping wild pokemon in need after what happened to him. Although it depends on how volatile they are, so they’ll need to be heavily vetted.”

Flynn folded his arms and stuck his nose in the air. “Well I personally think that little tree rattata is very volatile.”

“Your face is volatile!”

The tiny, shrill voice came from the floor. Flynn and Merry looked down to see Mushu standing beside him with his arms crossed. His cheeks sparked violently and his brush of a tail swept back and forth behind him.

“Oh will you look at that,” said Flynn. “It’s the tree rattata.”

“Who are you callin’ a rattata, LeafButt?!”

“Boys!” Ruby placed her hands on her hips and glared at the pair. “If you’re going to argue, take it out of my ward! I have patients here to tend to, and they don’t need you two kicking up a kerfuffle.”

Mushu stuck his tongue out at the audino and turned back towards the elevator. He cast a livid eye back towards Flynn. “Pika sent Mushu to find you! We goin’ on this berry quest, or what?”

Flynn let out a defeated sigh and threw his paws in the air. “Sure! Whatever. See ya later, Merry.”

Merry gave him a weak wave and tugged her blanket over herself.

Flynn joined the emolga in the elevator and it rattled back up towards the main floor. Mushu avoided his eye, watching the walls until it opened up into the entrance hall. As Flynn moved to step out of it, an excited brown and white face bobbed before him and he was almost licked by a pink tongue.

“Are we going out?!” Rolly barked, hopping from side to side.

“Yes,” said Flynn. “I hope you’ve got your berry picking hat on.”

Rolly pulled a straw hat from thin air and plonked it on his head. “I have now!”

Flynn blinked a few times and took a step away from the canine. “O… kay. Well, let’s get to the Vibrant Orchard.”

“So exciting!” Rolly trotted along beside him. “I am very new to this whole Exploration Team thing, so I implore your patience! I look forward to learning the ropes from the both of you!”

“Well, I’m fairly new myself,” Flynn muttered.

Rolly looked up at him, tongue lolling. “But you are more advanced! I can tell from your noble and brave demeanor!”

Flynn stepped aside from the yamper and actually found himself trying to keep up with Mushu.

The grass outside Pika’s Place was still damp from the night’s storm. Thick, grey clouds filled the sky, and Mushu stood on tiptoe to peer off at the forest in the distance. Flocks of murkrow once again circled above the canopy, their caws faint on the quiet breeze.

Flynn rummaged in his bag, oblivious to the emolga’s discomfort. “I hate to say I have no idea where this Vibrant Orchard even is. Oh, if only I had a WonderMap!”

He cast an eye to the emolga who reached behind him and pulled out a folded and water-stained sheet of paper. Mushu unfolded it and turned it the right way up, scanning over it with his large eyes.

“It’s behind Pika’s Place,” he declared. “Mushu can show the way.”

The young emolga shuffled on ahead of them with his nose buried in the map. Just ahead of him was a spread of trees and bushes Flynn assumed was the Vibrant Orchard.

“Why would there be a Mystery Dungeon behind Pika’s Place?” Flynn wondered.

“Oh, I’ve read about this!” Rolly hopped around so he was facing Flynn, still bouncing on his toes as he moved along backwards. “Mystery Dungeons are caused by a strange phenomenon that warps otherwise safe locales! It mutates into a place that is constantly changing, warping the pathways and rooms it contains so it looks different every time you enter it! Even the stairs relocate themselves! But they always end at the same point. A massive room right at the back of the dungeon. No one knows why it happens, it just does. It’s just the way of this universe. But anywhere can be affected.”

“Seriously?” Flynn raised an eyebrow. “So even Pika’s Place could one day warp into a Mystery Dungeon?”

“Oh no.” Rolly shook his head. “Pika’s Place is but a building! But the area surrounding it could warp into a Mystery Dungeon that would leave his guild right at the back of it. It’s unlikely, though. Sudden dungeon warping is a rare phenomenon. But it’s clearly hit the orchard!”

The yamper came to a sudden stop and sat down, almost tripping Flynn.

“What the…!”

“We’re here!” Rolly yapped. He turned his head to spot Mushu who was still frowning at his map. “My studies tell me that WonderMaps are useless once you are inside a Mystery Dungeon.”

Mushu frowned at him and tucked his map away. Flynn found himself wondering where he stored it, as it seemed to vanish under his patagium.

“So the back of the orchard?” Flynn placed his paws on his hips as he gazed down the straight path before them. “No problem!”

Colourful trees grew up on either side of them, sprouting from verges and ditches, forming a near-impenetrable wall. Old fallen leaves coated the path where the undergrowth had sprouted through. Bright green and healthy. Blue flowers sprayed along the ditches, humming with combee and cutiefly as they bobbed from blossom to blossom. Above them, pidove and pidgey cooed away, and somewhere in the distance was the tell-tale knock of a pikipek hammering away at a tree trunk.

The trio moved along in silence, enjoying the bliss of the orchard. It was oddly peaceful compared to the other dungeons. Rolly’s happy panting joined the relaxed sounds filling the air. Even Mushu seemed relaxed, taking in the trees and colours around him.

“Maybe Mushu should forage here instead of the Silent Forest?” he muttered to himself.

The path forked off in three directions, and the trio paused to look down each one.

“Do we split up?” Rolly asked.

“Given how relaxed it is, I wouldn’t be against it,” said Flynn. “But it would just be typical for something big to be waiting. Like a swarm of beedrill. Or an angry beautifly. Or a braviary wanting a quick snack.”

“Mushu can handle a braviary.” Warning sparks spluttered from Mushu’s yellow cheek sacs.

“I’m sure you can,” said Flynn. “But I can’t.”

“That’s your problem, LeafButt.”

Rolly closed his mouth tight, looking between the two. “I’m picking up on some team tension. You should really try your team building exercises.”

“Mushu isn’t an official part of our team,” said Flynn. “And I am not doing team building exercises. We are here for berries, and mark my words we will get those berries!”

Rolly yapped. “Excellent! Then my induction into Pika’s Place will be complete!” He leapt to his feet, tail wagging, and pointed down the left path. “I say we go this way! I can smell pechas!”

The excitable yamper bounced a couple of times then took off ahead of them.

Flynn and Mushu exchanged exasperated glances and rushed after him. Rolly was oddly quick for a pokemon resembling a corgi. He turned sharply down another fork, the right one this time, and Flynn skidded as he struggled to follow after him. The tunnel was short, leading into a wide open clearing filled with ferns, clover and red campion. It took a moment of standing and searching, but soon Flynn spotted the yellow and green heart-shaped marking on the yamper’s bottom as it bounded away towards yet another path.

“Rolly! Bad dog!” Flynn bolted through the clover with Mushu in tow. “Get back here! Heel! Heel, I say!”

It was no use. They soon lost sight of the yamper. Flynn muttered under his breath and dashed along the path. A few projectiles flashed before their eyes, narrowly skimming Flynn’s pointy nose before vanishing into the outskirts. Then they spotted Rolly again as he bobbed into yet another clearing.

Mushu overtook Flynn, cheeks sparking. Flynn wasn’t sure what the emolga could do, however, as paralyzing an electric type was impossible. But his answer came when Mushu’s electricity discharged and two aipom came crashing down onto the ground before them, right at the entrance to the clearing. One of them waved its tail in a fist at the pair before slumping onto the damp ground. The other clutched what Flynn desperately hoped was a mashed-up berry in its tail.

Flynn sidestepped them, keeping a wary eye on the two monkey pokemon. Before he could ask Mushu what the problem was, the emolga looked back over his shoulder at him.

“They were throwin’ stuff,” he said.

The clearing was just like the previous one, except it sported a flight of steps. Rolly made a beeline for it, but he wasn’t alone. A pair of mankey followed close behind, screeching amongst themselves and pointing at their target as they rallied each other.

Mushu turned into a sparking cannonball as he rushed the primates. He struck the nearest one head-on, startling its comrade. The second mankey stomped its feet then turned as Flynn rushed it. It lashed out with its claws, catching him on the nose.

“Yowch!”

He clasped his paws over his snout and swung his tail, engulfing the angry monkey in a leaf tornado. The tornado flashed with electricity and once it subsided, the mankey lay on the floor twitching as small sparks danced across its body.

Mushu stood on the other side of it with his paws on his hips.

“Thanks,” said Flynn.

Mushu puffed out air in a tut. “We gonna catch that mad dog or what?”

He turned and scampered towards the stairs, now void of any sign of Rolly.

Flynn rolled his eyes and groaned. “Remind me never to work with electric types ever again?”

He ran towards the stairs, which opened up into a… splat right to his face. He wiped aside the mashed apple to reveal a mob of angry mankey and aipom. They leapt up and down, shrieking and stamping their feet. Flynn ducked another barrage of sticky fruit and rushed to join Mushu who was leaping from one to the other like a lightning bolt.

Discharged electricity swarmed the mob en-mass, causing them to shriek even louder. One mankey jerked its limbs as it tried to swat at the emolga.

“Boy, I hope none of these mankey have Guts.” Flynn swatted the sparking mankey aside with his tail, bowling it back towards where the stairs had been. “Have you seen Rolly?!”

“No!” Mushu performed a little twirl in the air and lashed out at a mankey with his claws and tail. It collapsed in a heap, tripping its comrades. “No sign of the mad dog!”

Flynn intersected an aipom’s fruit barrage then flicked a leaf tornado (and mashed cheri berries) back at it. The aipom squealed as it was carried away on the swirling leaves.

Once the mob lay defeated, Flynn and Mushu paused to catch their breaths.

“I can’t believe that guy,” Flynn panted. “He isn’t even helping!”

“He’s as useless as a tail on a tambourine,” said Mushu.

The emolga stood up and took a few paces forwards, sniffing the air. He turned on the spot, teetering along on his tiptoes, stretched up like a watchog on watch duty.

“Mushu can smell him.” He nodded towards a narrow path leading off the clearing. Thick and dark with an ominous fog. “He went that way.”

“Are you sure?” Flynn looked longingly at the wider path in the opposite direction. Brighter. More welcoming. “Are you sure he didn’t take that one?”

Mushu’s muzzle creased in a frown and he shook his head, then took off towards the narrow path.

“A nose can lie, you know!” Flynn shouted after him.

But before he ended up losing Mushu, too, he raced after the emolga.

The fog engulfed him like a blanket, growing thicker and thicker the further he raced along the path. Mushu lit up like a beacon, bobbing along just ahead of him. Flynn raced to keep up, but Mushu was much faster than he was. Four quick legs made for climbing, leaping and gliding, versus Flynn’s stumpy little reptile ones.

The screeching of the orchard’s primates faded out behind them, and the deeper they descended down the foggy path the quieter it became. Flynn could barely see his hand before his face. Then, Mushu’s glowing body vanished.

“Yikes, no!” Flynn picked up pace and stretched out a hand. “Mushu?! Where’d you go, you little vermi-yah!”

His toe struck something hard and cold, and he fell face first onto the ground.

Steps.

He stood back up and opened his eyes. Then blinked. It was as if he’d climbed the steps into a cloud. The fog was so thick he could almost feel it pressing down on him. He couldn’t even see the sky, or the canopy. The sheer lack of light suggested dense tree coverage.

Silence.

Somewhere nearby, a HootHoot hooted.

Flynn hugged his arms around himself. “Sure could use a pokemon with Defog right about now…”

“LeafButt!” Mushu’s tiny voice rang out faintly in the distance.

A flash of light broke through the fog. Briefly, and struggling to penetrate the dense cloud. If Flynn had blinked, he would have missed it.

“Mushu?!” he cried.

The flash spread out again. Flynn trotted along towards it, squinting to see through the fog. Vines and tangling roots snagged at his limbs trying to trip him. He grabbed at the trunk of a tree, only for it to vanish with grumbling and muttering. His scales tingled as goose pimples spread over them.

“What the…” He turned his head towards where the tree had been.

“LeafButt!” More lightning. Brighter this time.

He abandoned the missing tree and took off towards the lightning.

“Mushu?!”

Something wooden coiled around his leg and dragged it right out from beneath him. He struck the ground, his nose burrowing into soft peaty soil. He pushed himself back up, flailing his limbs. His claws found something soft and warm and he pushed himself up on it.

“Oi!” Mushu swiped at his paw.

Flynn retracted it and blinked down at the emolga’s blurry shadow. He could practically feel the emolga glaring at him.

“Stop trying to paralyze me with your eyes,” said Flynn.

“Mushu doesn’t need eyes to paralyze!” He rapidly tapped his foot on the ground. “Lost the mad dog.”

“Great.” Flynn sighed and rubbed his muzzle, dislodging some soil. “We’ve lost Rolly, we’re lost ourselves, and the trees vanish in this part of the orchard.”

“’S’cos they’re trevenant.”

Flynn broke out into a cold sweat. “They’re… they’re… they’re ghost trees?!”

Mushu said nothing as he turned his head left and right. Flynn couldn’t tell if he was nervous or not.

Flynn hugged his arms around his body as he retreated into himself. “They’re making the fog, aren’t they? They want us to be lost!”

A cool paw fell on Flynn’s back. Tap. Tap.

“Thanks, Mushu, but your paws are freakin’ cold.”

“Mushu ain’t touchin’ you!” Mushu squeaked. “Now pull yourself together! We gotta find mad dog and those berries!”

Flynn stiffened. “If it isn’t you, then…”

He turned his head towards the hand.

It fastened around his waist and hoisted him from the ground.

“Hey!” he squealed. “Help! Mushu, do something!”

The arm swung Flynn into the air, tossing him blindly through the fog. Another hand grabbed him, tossing him along to the next like a ball. Mushu shrieked his threats and protests as he received the same treatment. The fog began to thin out, revealing the lumpy and jagged shapes of the trevenant.

It finally came to an end when Flynn found himself placed on the ground beneath one of the larger tree pokemon. It tapped him on the shoulder with a claw, then pointed to the nearby branches.

There, dangling by the tail, was Rolly. Panting, with a happy smile on his face.

Mushu stood up beside Flynn and folded his arms. “We found the mad dog then, eh?”

The trevenant holding Rolly did not look impressed. It stared down at Flynn and Mushu, then glared at Rolly.

“What did you do?” Flynn asked.

“I found the berries!” Rolly yapped. “They are just behind this trevenant.”

“Really?” Flynn looked down at Mushu. “Seems a bit of an odd place. Do berries grow on trevenant?”

The large tree shook its leafy head, jiggling Rolly about in the process.

“Well, you see,” Rolly explained. “I couldn’t see a thing, so I had to rely on my nose. As such… I made a little error.”

Flynn narrowed his eyes. “What kind of error?”

“I thought they were in the tree!” Rolly laughed and wiped a paw across his eyes. “So I tried to remove the bark, and…”

“You bit the tree?!” Flynn clenched his paws into fists. “You used ‘bite’ on a ghost type pokemon?! One that is a lot bigger than us and has a lot of friends?!”

Rolly rubbed the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh. “Yes…”

“I’d say that’s a pretty fatal error!”

The leaves around them rustled and Mushu jerked his head towards them. The surrounding trevenant moved closer, their shadowy forms looming in the dense fog. The one holding Rolly released him, dropping the yamper unceremoniously onto the floor.

Flynn let out a hiss between his teeth. “Does anyone know any moves that are super good against grass or ghost types?”

“Bite,” said Rolly.

“Acrobatics,” said Mushu.

“Fantastic,” said Flynn. “’Cos I’ve got nothing.”

An ominous creak came from the canopy, and a dark shadow expanded out around Flynn. He leapt aside as a heavy bough crashed onto the forest ground. The rest of the trevenant leapt into action, swinging their branches at the three explorers.

Mushu strafed to the side to avoid one, then climbed up the body of the enemy trevenant. He barely made it to the top when the ghost type vanished into thin air. The emolga pirouetted in the air, lashing out to no avail. The trevenant manifested behind him out of a shadowy void, smacking the emolga like a tennis ball and sending him soaring into the fog.

Flynn waved his hands in the air, seething. He rounded on Rolly, who was lunging at the trevenant, barking and snapping his jaws. Somewhat playfully…?

Flynn bristled. “I hate to be a pessimist, but I think we’re gonna lose this battle!”

Rolly caught one of the ghosts’ roots in his jaws and tugged it, sending the trevenant toppling to the floor. He looked up at Flynn, panting.

Flynn shook his head and leapt into the battle, swinging his tail to create tornado after tornado of leaves from the orchard floor. The sharp leaves tore at the trevenant, driving them back. But it only served to irritate them. They waved their branches and sent out a barrage of shadow balls.

Flynn brought up another leaf tornado to guard himself, shattering one of the shadowy balls. Mushu bounced off his head in a fury of fur and claws, and swiped at two more with his acrobatics. Using the second ball to propel himself, he landed amid a trevenant’s leaves and cleaved it with his claws. It vanished into a puff of smoke.

Rolly hopped on his feet, his eyes sparkling at the spot the ghost had vanished. “I see the berries! I see the berries!”

The yamper took off between the trevenant, his tail waving like a flag.

“No!” Flynn barked. “Bad dog!”

He raced after him, but the trevenant closed in like a barrier. One of them brought its arm down into Flynn’s stomach and he folded like a deck chair. His feet left the floor as he careened backwards into the fog. Something struck him hard in the back, sending him back towards the group of ghost trees. The one that had struck him lifted its branch, smacking him back into the fog.

“What is happening?!” he howled as he curled tight into a ball.

“Cut it out, LeafButt!” Mushu shrieked.

Horrid howling came from the trevenant as Mushu raked away with his claws. They vanished and reappeared at intervals as the emolga leapt from each one. He swiped at Flynn’s assailant, causing it to vanish like mist. Flynn’s eyes widened as he glided straight through it and into a wide clearing.

Rolly was busy stuffing berries into his bag, tail still wagging.

Flynn pushed himself to his feet and mimed rolling up his sleeves as he glared at the yamper. The trevenant appeared around them, forming a barrier. Rolly couldn’t care less. He stuck the last berry into his bag and turned to Flynn.

“Got them!” he yipped.

Flynn opened his mouth to speak, but the orchard vanished around them, only to be replaced by the courtyard outside Pika’s Place.

Flynn blinked up at the smiling building and slumped. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this…”

“Come on!” Rolly turned towards the pikachu’s mouth. “We need to relay back my first ever Exploration mission!”

“Yeah, about that…” Flynn shot before the yamper, bringing the dog to a skidding halt.

Flynn folded his arms, and Mushu stood beside him, imitating his pose. Rolly looked between them, his jaw stiffening.

“Is there a problem?” he asked.

“Is there a problem?!” Flynn’s claws dug into his arms. “Is there a problem?!”

“Oh…” Rolly sat down heavily. “I think there is.”

“Of course there is!” Flynn snapped. “First you take off on your own, splitting apart from your team! Then you go and bite a freaking ghost pokemon that is a whole lot more powerful than all of us combined! Didn’t you think to sniff before you chomped?! Not only did you get all of us in danger, you then left Mushu and me to fight those things! I don’t even have the attacks to deal with trevenant! I only have grass and normal moves at my disposal! I got turned into a ping-pong ball while you went straight for the goal!” Flynn’s arms fell to his sides as he stood panting, barely seeing the corgi pokemon anymore. Finally, he narrowed his eyes at him. “So if you think there’s a problem… you’re right.”

Rolly sat silently for a moment, his eyes unreadable. Then he nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?!” Flynn took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. “Okay… so you’ve taken all that on board?”

Rolly nodded again and rose to his feet. “Let’s take these berries to Pika.”

The yamper marched past Flynn and Mushu and began climbing the stairs.

Flynn stared after him, speechless. “Well he took that a lot better than I thought he would.”

“Or he didn’t listen,” said Mushu.

“What… you think he didn’t listen?”

Mushu shrugged his shoulders.

Flynn looked down at the little emogla, meeting his fierce eyes. “At least you didn’t abandon me. Thanks.”

Mushu shrugged again then took off after Rolly.

Flynn sank slightly and let out a sigh. “Never work with dogs or children.”

As he entered Pika’s Place, Kiki and Peg stood by the door. The eevee beamed when she saw him and wagged her bushy tail.

“Welcome back!” she said. “We just saw Rolly! His first mission was a success?”

Flynn blinked at her. “Well, I guess we all survived.”

Kiki waved a paw. “You got the berries, though, right? Pretty neat getting a new recruit through their first mission. He’s taken the berries right through to Rexi’s store room.”

“What about Pika?” Flynn asked. “Is he about?”

Kiki shook her head. “Nope. He had to rush out.”

“Great.” Flynn folded his arms and looked at the floor. “I really wanted to see him.”

Peg lowered her paw from her mouth. “Is something wrong?”

Flynn looked back up at her and shrugged a shoulder. “It can wait. I need a lie down after that fiasco.”

Kiki’s grin fell and she watched him go. “Did something happen in that orchard?”

“Could you let Merry know we’re back? I’ll talk to you about it when I’ve processed it all.”

Kiki and Peg exchanged concerned glances.

Flynn slumped up the stairs to his room, glad to find it empty. He fell face down on his nest and groaned. What a day…

He lay there for a while, breathing in the smell of fresh hay. Then he pushed himself up to roll over, but froze when a yellow leg caught his eye. He followed it up to Rolly’s face, no longer wearing a happy pant. In fact, the expression on his face could only be described as ‘chilling’.

Flynn swallowed a nervous lump and pushed himself up onto his knees. “Can I help you?” Thankfully his voice did not betray his sudden nerves at the yamper’s silent arrival in his room.

“I need to have a word with you,” said Rolly.

“Is it quick?” Flynn’s confidence flooded back into him. “Because I could really use a lie down after your little stunts.”

“Oh, I can make it brief,” said Rolly. “I just want to talk to you about your training conduct today.”

“T-Training conduct?”

“Yes. You were put in charge of training me for Pika’s Exploration Guild, but your tactics were nothing short of rude, abrasive and disrespectful! I tried my best to put the team first, working towards our goal-”

“Put us first?!” Flynn gasped. “You outright abandoned us, and almost got me killed!”

“My priority was to complete the mission!” Rolly exploded, his eyes flashing with rage.

Flynn’s retort died on his tongue and his entire body went cold. His scales turned a pale green and his tail began to quiver.

“You were meant to be training me,” Rolly went on. “But instead, you insulted me. Accusing me of starting a fight with those trevenant, which I had no idea were there. Did you know they were there?”

Flynn swallowed around that lump again. “No…”

“Exactly. So what makes you think you are better than me?” Rolly inclined his head on one side. “Because you’re more experienced?”

“I’m not that arrogant, Rolly. We were meant to be working as a team! We needed to work together to avoid running into problems like that.”

“We were working as a team! I went ahead using my skills to find the berries-”

“Leaving us to clean up the mess!” Flynn said with exasperation. “That’s not team work! Do you even understand the meaning of the words?!”

Rolly’s eyes widened with hysterical amusement. “Go ahead! Keep insulting me! Demonstrate your authority as my superior!”

Flynn’s jaw dropped and he shook his head. Then he sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. “Look. We all make mis-”

“No, no.” Rolly raised a paw. “You’re going to think about this, then get back to me. I’m going to be reporting everything back to Pika, and we don’t want any misunderstandings now, do we?”

Flynn’s spine stiffened and he fixed wide eyes on the yamper. “What?”

“You were going to Pika yourself, weren’t you?” Rolly tilted his head again. “I overheard your conversation with the door staff.”

“Of course I was,” said Flynn. “You endangered us!”

Rolly let out a small laugh, but his expression was far from amused. “You aren’t costing me my position here, snivy. I did my best. I have no regrets.”

He pushed himself to his feet and marched towards the door. He paused in the entrance to look back at the stunned snivy.

“I await your explanation first thing tomorrow morning,” said Rolly.

Flynn’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve already explained!”

“You’ve not explained your attitude. Hardly befitting for a patient trainer to a new guild member, is it?”

The corgi’s bottom vanished beyond the door.

Flynn sank in his nest, his heart galloping at a mile a minute. He shook his head, hugging his tail around himself.

“Oh, he is not a good boy…”

...

A/N - When I first wrote this story years back, there were a lot of anime characters added who had become pokemon. It was MUCH more obvious then (given the main cast would blatantly state to each other which one they'd discovered) and even though it's less important to the story, some stayed (looking at you, Lance), and I've kind of decided to keep basing random pokemon off anime characters for fun. So... if Rolly seems familiar to any Aggretsuko fans... that's because it's deliberate ;)
 

DeliriousAbsol

*Crazy Absol Noises*
Location
Behind a laptop, most likely with tea
Pronouns
She/Her
Partners
  1. mawile
Chapter Six - Blood and Water (Part 1)​

Merry piled up a plate with berries and sweet breads, her tongue poking out as her appetite rivalled that of a half-starved snorlax. She was about to push the plate of bread back when green claws gripped it and dragged it aside.

“Oh!” She turned to smile at her friend. “Good morning, Fl…”

Flynn’s face was an odd yellow, and his pointy snout seemed somehow droopy. Dark rings circled his bloodshot eyes, and he turned to look up as she spoke. He started slightly when he spotted her.

“Merry?”

Merry’s mouth pulled down in a frown. “Are you all right?”

The snivy grunted and sat heavily on his stool. He turned the sweet bread in his claws, barely seeing it.

Kiki looked up from her plate and licked berry sauce off her nose. “Seriously, Flynn? What happened in that orchard?”

“Did something happen in the orchard?” Merry asked.

“Nothing happened in the orchard.” A pair of yellow paws appeared on her other side, and she met Rolly’s grinning face. He looked past her at the snivy. “Did it, Flynn? We were awesome. We got the berries. So much fun!”

His tiny tail was a blur behind him. He grabbed one of the sweet breads and plopped himself down beside Merry.

Peg looked between the pale snivy and the hyperactive corgi. “Then why does he look like he’s been dragged backwards through Swampy Swamps?”

Merry almost dropped her breakfast. “There’s a dungeon called Swampy Swamps?”

The teddiursa stared at her intensely, her paw back in her mouth. Merry diverted her gaze back to her plate. One of her berries was missing. She glanced at Rolly who was happily chewing the remains of a pecha berry.

Merry cleared her throat. “Rolly… have you ever been bitten by a hungry oshawott?”

The yamper's jovial smile fell, and Flynn stiffened beside her. Kiki and Peg’s eyes were on them, wandering from one to the next.

Rolly looked up at Merry and shrugged. “Pechas are my favourites, and there were none left.”

“Really?” Merry brushed back the fur between her ears. “If you’d asked, I would have given it to you? You don’t need to be so grabby.”

Flynn let out a hiss akin to a boiling teapot.

Rolly stared up at her for a moment longer, then his tongue lolled out in a happy pant. “Oh! A thousand pardons. I shall strive to be more considerate next time.”

He left his seat and waddled off to join Mocha and Scout.

Flynn turned his head slowly, and narrowed his eyes at Merry. “Do you have a death wish?”

“What?” Merry waved a paw at her plate. “Come on, Flynn. For the past twenty-four hours, I’ve eaten nothing but oran soup, oran and sitrus salad, and drank sitrus juice. I’m hungry right now.” Flynn’s expression didn’t change. “And why… why do you look so terrified?”

“That dog is insane,” Flynn hissed. He cast a quick glance to the far end of the table perchance Rolly had heard him. But he was too busy nattering to Mocha while Scout pilfered berries from her plate. “He’s also a terrible example to children.”

“How is he insane?” Merry asked.

“He showed up in my room last night and screamed at me.” Flynn lowered his head into his paws. “All because I scolded him for biting a tree that turned out to be a trevenant and almost got us all killed!”

“Why would he bite a tree?” Peg asked quietly.

“He thought there were berries hidden inside it.” Flynn rubbed the rings under his eyes with his claws. “But that’s not all. He ran off ahead of us, leaving me and Mushu to follow behind and mop up the mess, taking out angry pokemon on our own. He even bailed to grab the berries while Mushu and I tried to fend off a trevenant army.”

“Seriously?” Kiki’s muzzle crinkled. “That’s not on. You had every right to scold him for that. You’re meant to be training him. Correction is what he needs in that scenario.”

“Exactly!”

“If you ask me,” said Merry, “he either doesn’t take criticism very well, or you’re a terrible teacher.”

Flynn frowned. “Thanks, Merry.”

“You’re welcome.” She took a sip of her cheri juice.

“Either way,” said Kiki. “That’s not a valid reason to waltz into someone’s room and scream at them. What did he say, exactly?”

Flynn cast another glance across the table. Rolly had moved again, on the opposite side but closer to their group. He was chatting to the growlithe guard, but his ear was pricked and trained on them.

“I think I’d rather continue this after breakfast,” said Flynn.

The three girls took his message and nodded, returning to their meals. Kiki subtly changed the conversation, relaying all the useful crafting items she’d uncovered in the Vibrant Orchard. Colourful vines, beautiful flowers, tufts of cotton she’d woven into fabric…

It did little to lift Flynn’s spirits. He poked at his untouched breakfast with a claw, but he skewered it as the dining room door flew open.

Lance raced inside, staggering on three legs. His crimson eyes were frantic, and his fur stood out at odd angles, damp and soiled with dirt and algae.

The room fell silent save for the absol’s laboured panting. Pika rose in his seat, his black eyes trained on Lance.

“It’s Showa!” Lance gasped out. “He-”

The absol’s eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the floor.

Gasps of surprise and screams echoed around the room, and the pokemon leapt to their feet to flock towards the fallen absol. Pika scrambled onto the table, tapping his glass with a spoon. The ring sliced through the commotion, bringing the pokemon to a reluctant silence.

“Step away!” said the pikachu. “Give him some space! He needs medical attention, not a crowd. Gil, if you would go and alert Rose? And bring a stretcher. With haste, please.”

The riolu stood and dashed from the dining room.

Pika ventured closer to Lance. “Unfortunately, a psychic type’s levitation would be useless here. And I’m a little worried about that leg.”

Lance’s rear left leg had been tucked beneath him, but now lay at a more natural angle. A deep red gash marred his thigh, but the surrounding flesh was an unsightly purple.

Rose wasn’t long at all. She followed behind Gil, carrying a stretcher between them, and spotted Lance immediately.

“What do you think, Rose?” Pika asked. “Poison?”

“Definitely.” Rose aided Pika and Gil in getting Lance onto the stretcher. “And I’m low on pecha berries.”

“I’m afraid there’s none left in my larder,” said Rexi.

Merry’s claws twitched by her plate, and she cast a glance to Rolly. The yamper was watching everything unfold with a curious air.

“I’ll do what I can,” said Rose. “But more would be appreciated.”

Pika looked up at the table, his eyes wandering to Merry and Flynn. Kiki poked her head between them and waved, drawing Pika’s attention.

“Peg and I can go into the orchard to fetch some,” she said. “The Explorers of Stuff and Things could use a rest, and I was actually thinking of a trip to gather more vines.”

“Your vines may have to wait,” said Pika. “We need those berries quite urgently.”

“Then I’ll go twice!” Kiki shrugged. “Gil?”

“I want to know what’s happened to Showa,” he said. “If Lance is like this, then…”

The riolu trailed off and hoisted the stretcher with Rose. The pair scooted through the doors, held open by Mocha and Scout. Pika followed after them silently. The pokemon watched them go, then slowly began to mutter among themselves.

“What do you think could have happened?” Merry ventured.

Kiki shook her head, her ears flopping around. “I’ve no idea.”

Peg slipped from her seat and nudged the eevee with her free paw. “We should go. He needs those berries.”

“Oh, of course!” Kiki hopped down and followed Peg to the door, pausing to look back at Merry and Flynn. “Get some rest, okay? We’ll see you when we get back.”

Flynn clambered from his stool and grabbed an oran berry. “Not a bad idea, actually.”

Merry, her appetite well and truly squandered, followed after the snivy. “You’re not going to finish telling me what happened last night?”

“I’d rather get some sleep,” he said. “Chances are we’ll be the ones they send out on a Showa Search Party.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Flynn paused by the stairs and shrugged. “Law of the game, right?”

Merry blinked, then watched him climb the stairs. He had a point.

...​

After the morning’s excitement, the rest of the day was fairly quiet. The other pokemon grouped into their teams to head off and fulfil errands or explore dungeons. Without Flynn, Merry was apprehensive to go, or to team up with someone she didn’t really know. After weighing up whether she’d rather assist Mocha and Daisy with the daycare, or help Rexi in the kitchen, she opted for the latter. Much to her surprise.

The tyranitar moseyed back and forth, cleaning up pans and laying out ideas for lunch, all while nattering as if he’d known Merry his entire life. After a while, she became less wary of his large feet, confident he could step around her with all the grace of an ice dancer.

“You really should visit Lilypad Lake,” he said. “It’s gorgeous in the summer, with the flowers in bloom and the cutiefly buzzing about!”

Merry gave him a warm smile from her spot on the counter as she hung up one of the larger pans. “It does sound lovely. You’re so fortunate to have grown up there.”

“I was!” A small frown appeared on his large face for a fleeting moment, but it was soon replaced by one of his friendly grins. “Where did you grow up?”

Merry opened her mouth to answer, as the default formed, but she snapped it shut again. She couldn’t very well tell him she grew up in a busy capital city. Rexi’s world probably didn’t even have cities.

She cleared her throat and straightened the pan on its hook. “It was very busy. Far away from here.”

“I might have heard of it?”

She shook her head. “I doubt you have. It was… very far away.”

“Oh. Well.” Rexi tapped his chin with a claw. “I can think of some busy places. Hamjam Town?”

Merry shook her head.

“Reuniclus Warren? Shoal Village?”

Merry shook her head again.

Rexi was about to continue when Pika strolled in, his face the very picture of concern.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Rexi,” he said. “I’m afraid I need to borrow Merry for a moment.”

“Oh! Go ahead.” Rexi stepped back and raised his tail to help Merry off the counter.

She could already guess what it was about. Flynn’s words echoed around in her head. ‘The law of the game, right?’ If they really had been sucked into a game, then it was only natural.

She followed the pikachu from the dining hall and through the relaxation room, drawing curious eyes from the young pokemon. Flynn waited by Pika’s office door, yawning widely.

“You look more rested,” said Merry.

“Thanks.” Flynn licked his lips and stretched. “Managed to grab a couple of hours.”

Pika unlocked his door and led the two friends inside. He closed it again behind them, muffling the sounds of excited hatchlings.

“I think I’ve got as much information as I can out of Lance.” He climbed into his chair and swivelled it to face them. “Now, I regret to say, I have quite the request of your team.”

Merry didn’t know what to say. Her mind was a reeling room of cogs and clockwork as she tried to process the pikachu’s words. Flynn’s expression told her that not only was he thinking ‘called it’ his mind was in very much the same state.

“Lance and Showa…” Pika paused to sigh. “They went to a place called Clamperl Cavern. Usually there’s nothing out of the ordinary there. They were looking for pearls to sell in order to buy supplies. What, Lance couldn’t say. He’d passed out again by the time he’d finished briefing me on all this. But things took a nasty turn in that dungeon. Something appeared, but Lance didn’t see it. All he remembers was laughter, then something attacking them. Something fast, that managed to move both on and off land. Showa was dragged into the water out of sight, but by what, Lance didn’t see. Lance tried to find him. But when his vision blurred, he knew he’d been poisoned. He had no choice but to run and get help.” Pika lifted his paws in a weak shrug. “None of us have any idea if Showa is even still with us. But from the sounds of it…”

Merry’s heart sank and she flopped backwards into the wall, almost dislodging a small book shelf.

“I don’t want to lose hope,” Pika went on. “So I’m asking if your team, with the help of Gil, will go and search for him.”

“Gil?” Merry looked around the room as if the riolu were about to leap from behind one of the many book cases.

“He’s already gone to recruit Mushu,” Pika explained. “I briefed him on this before I went to find you.”

“One question, Pika,” said Flynn. “Why us? We’re not exactly an experienced team. Surely one of the others-”

“You’re the right fit,” said Pika. “You’ve showed amazing promise. You faced a druddigon and survived. And out of all the other teams, you four fit the criteria for Clamperl Cavern. A water type who can cover the more flooded terrain, grass and electric types to counter the water pokemon that live there, and a fantastic swimmer in Gil.”

“All right.” Flynn hugged his arms around himself, matching Merry’s pose perfectly.

“What will we be facing?” Merry asked. “Any idea what might have poisoned him?”

“My first thoughts were quilfish.” Pika scratched behind his ears. “But Rose’s pecha concoction isn’t fighting it off very well, so my suspicions are something that wouldn’t naturally inhabit the cavern. It’s also not the right time for quilfish. They get washed in during high tide, but they don’t stick around unless it’s unusually choppy outside.”

“Toxapex?” Flynn offered.

Pika shrugged. “It’s possible. They live further away, but I am expecting something that doesn’t belong there. What worries me is the laughter Lance heard, but that could have been down to poison-induced hallucinations. Something that both quilfish and toxapex poison is notorious for. But… it’s not alone there.”

“Wouldn’t a psychic type be more helpful?” Flynn asked. “Or something that resists poison. Like a steelix!”

“Or a zangoose,” Merry offered.

Pika stared at them for a moment, then spread his paws. “I’m sending you.”

Flynn cast a sideways glance at Merry. “Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen a single psychic type in this guild.”

The door opened and Gil appeared, pushing Mushu in ahead of him. The small emolga practically bristled, his cheeks sparking.

“Oh dear,” said Flynn. “Someone’s been woken up from his nap!”

The snivy’s body stiffened as a surge of electricity ran through his body.

Pika stood up in his seat and clapped his paws. “Enough of that, please. I need you all in fighting shape.”

Gil picked Mushu up by his scruff and set him on his other side, away from Flynn. “I’ve already briefed him during the walk back here. He knows what’s going on. So… we’re ready when you are.”

Pika nodded and sat back down. “Then please, make haste. If Showa is still alive, then time is of the essence. Stop by the shop to stock up on supplies to make sure you are well prepared for whatever may be lurking.”

“I already stopped there on my way to get Mushu,” said Gil. “We’re fine.”

Merry blinked with surprise. “Shop? What shop?”

Pika inclined his head on one side. “You’ve never been to the shop?”

“We don’t have money…” Merry explained. “So I guessed-”

“Kiki did say something about being paid once, for missions,” said Flynn. “But with all the recent excitement I totally forgot about that.”

“Oh dear.” Pika rubbed a paw over his face. “This is quite the pickle. I must have overlooked this. Gil, please show them to their pidgey hole.”

The riolu ushered them out of Pika’s office, but instead of heading across the room he turned a sharp right. Beside the billboard advertising jobs was a large door. He opened it, revealing row upon row of tiny drawers, each baring the names of the various teams.

“Yowzers,” said Flynn.

Merry found theirs immediately and pulled it open. Three small bags of coins were nestled inside, along with a selection of travelling items from orbs to scarves.

“The Guild takes most of your earnings,” said Gil. “Otherwise it would crumble.”

Merry was barely listening. She bundled everything into Flynn’s bag.

“Wow. Even if you hadn’t saved us the trip to the shop, we wouldn’t need to,” she said. “We’ve got enough here, even two extra pecha scarves.”

Mushu took one off Merry before she could tuck it away, and licked it. His eyes widened with delight and he licked his lips. Then he stuffed the scarf into his mouth. Merry stooped to prize it free.

“They’ll be quest rewards,” said Gil. “Give them to Flynn and Mushu. I already have one.”

Flynn wagged a claw at Mushu. “Give it him. No one’s gonna want to wear that now.”

Mushu flailed his arms to try and grab it back off Merry.

“You can’t eat it,” Merry told him.

“But it tastes nice!” he protested.

“It’s for wearing,” she said. “It’s supposed to reduce your risk of being poisoned, and given the quest we’re going on, it’s necessary. Fasten it around your neck.”

Mushu muttered under his breath as he obediently tied the scarf around his fluffy neck.

“Now let’s hurry,” she said. “Showa needs us.”

...​

WonderMap warping made things a breeze. The group stood on the sandy coast of the sea, staring at the gaping mouth of a cave. The tide was coming in, lapping water over their feet, and making reaching the cave a potentially soggy experience.

Gil took off ahead of them, splashing through the water. It barely came up to his knees. Flynn let out a sigh of relief and trotted after him, while Merry and Mushu closed up the rear. As they drew closer, the water ebbed back towards them, soaking Merry up to the waist. Then it ebbed back out again just as she reached the cave mouth.

“Are we all here?” Gil asked.

“Yup,” said Merry as she flicked water off her scalchop.

Mushu plopped down beside her on all fours and shook out his soggy coat.

They stood ankle deep in the salty surf as they looked around at Clamperl Cavern. The path inside the cave sloped upwards slightly, away from the water, and the walls along it were decorated with shells of all the colours of the rainbow. Luminous algae clung to the ceiling, providing enough light to see by.

“It’s gorgeous,” said Merry. “If we weren’t on an urgent quest, I’d want a good look around.”

Mushu shuffled through the shallows to admire the shells, trailing his paw over them.

“We should make haste before the tide comes in,” said Gil. “Otherwise most of the paths in this place will be water.”

Flynn clicked his tongue. “Any chance we can build a little raft?”

Gil stared at him, his eyes narrowed.

“No?” Flynn shrugged and turned back to the tunnel. “Okay then.”

Gil went on ahead, and Merry and Flynn waded after him. Merry paused to look back at the emolga, still admiring the shells.

“Come on, Mushu,” she said.

He looked up at her with a puzzled expression, then turned back to the red and yellow shell that had caught his interest. He shook his ears and scampered after them on all fours, splashing through the frothy water.

“It’s oddly quiet,” said Merry. “With a name like Clamperl Caverns, I was expecting it to be… well… full of clamperl.”

“It usually is,” said Gil. “Their absence is only solidifying Pika’s fears that something isn’t right in here.”

Flynn sucked in a breath, creating a startled and drawn-out wheeze. His friends froze and turned their heads back towards him.

“Something brushed up against my leg,” he squeaked.

Gil looked past him at the water, and the small fin of a fish pokemon poked through the shallows, moving away from them.

“It’s a barboach,” he said, turning back to Flynn. “You’re not scared of a barboach, are you?”

“What, with these things?” Flynn waved his vines, but he looked far from relaxed. “Nah! I just don’t want some slimy eel-thing rubbing up against my legs.”

“Then keep walking,” said Gil. “Otherwise the tide will catch up with us.”

The water was soon behind them, and the path levelled out into a wide room. More shells decorated the walls, and rocks lay strewn about covered with the glowing algae. The light reflected off the wet backs of small, round pokemon as they flopped about the place. A high pitched buzzing noise accompanied them, growing in intensity as their tiny black eyes fixed on The Explorers of Stuff and Things.

“No…” Merry squeaked. “Not tympole…”

One of the small tadpole pokemon raised up onto its tail and buzzed loudly. They formed a mob and rushed towards Merry and her friends. The oshawott froze with her paw by her scalchop.

Flynn cut in front of her and lashed out with his vines, sending two soaring back from them one after the other.

“What’s your beef with tympole?” he scoffed.

“It’s the faces!” Merry wailed. “They have creepy faces!”

One popped up beside her and she squealed, clobbering it on the head with her scalchop. It fell away from her, flailing on the ground as a red bump rose up between its vibrating warts.

The room lit up with electricity, and the vibrating came to a sudden stop. Mushu stood amid the fallen, sparking tympole and puffed out his chest.

“Mushu owns you all!” he bellowed.

“Huh.” Flynn folded his arms and nodded, impressed. “Pika was right to bring him along. Bet he couldn’t have taken that barboach, though.”

Merry smoothed out her fur as she tried to calm her racing heart. She turned to Gil. “I thought you said the pokemon were leaving this place?”

“Clearly not all of them have,” he said.

He turned to the one still-conscious tympole. It had righted itself, grimacing as it tried to nurse the bump on its head. He picked it up, and it let out a buzz of alarm.

“Do you know what’s going on in here?” Gil asked. “Because someth-” His words cut off as his face was engulfed with water.

The tympole wriggled out of his grip, and flopped away down the tunnel towards the rising tide.

“Well, that was rude,” said Flynn.

“We did encroach on their territory,” said Merry.

Flynn scoffed at her. “You’re defending the creepy-faced pokemon now?”

Gil flicked water from his muzzle and turned his back on the retreating tympole. “Come on. Maybe we’ll find some clues further in.”

Mushu had grown distracted by the shells again, turning his head left and right at his reflection in the glossy surface. Merry nudged him as she passed, and he reluctantly followed behind her.

The next tunnel ended in a small room that forked off at three other angles. But a flight of stairs stood to their right. The four explorers eyed it for a moment, weighing the odds.

“Did Lance say how deep into the cavern they got?” Merry asked.

Gil shook his head slowly.

Flynn sighed and hugged himself. “That would be really useful right about now.”

“My guess,” said Gil slowly, “is that he and Showa got pretty deep before they ran into trouble. Otherwise, Lance might have escaped much faster than he did.”

“Didn’t he have an escape orb?” Merry asked.

“Showa carries the bag,” said Gil. “That vanished when he did. Lance had to scour the dungeon looking for an escape orb or the nearest exit. Which, he didn’t say before he fainted again.”

“Then let’s take the stairs,” said Merry.

Mushu hopped up them first, sending Merry’s heart into her chest. She followed close behind, appearing in a large room decorated the same as the first floor. Shell after shell covered the walls, which Mushu was standing on tiptoes to examine.

Gil’s nose twitched and he clasped a paw to it. “What on earth is that smell?”

Flynn sniffed then, and coughed. “Oh yeah. What on earth is that?”

“Fish?” Merry suggested, sniffing the air. “Old fish.”

“There’s writin’ here,” said Mushu. “Paw prints.”

The other three turned to look at the emolga. He paced back and forth, wobbling on his hind legs to see further up the wall.

“Mushu saw it downstairs too, but there’s more of it here,” he went on.

“Writing?” Merry asked.

Gil pushed her aside as he dashed towards Mushu. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Mushu frowned up at the riolu who was now examining the wall. “Mushu thought it was graffiti.”

“Graffiti could still be clues.” Merry joined Gil’s side for a closer look. “If someone is lurking around here-”

“Pokemon can just be jerks,” said Mushu. “Could have been some fish decided to scrawl ‘Pika sucks’ everywhere.”

Merry blinked at him. “That’s what it said?”

Gil nudged her, drawing her attention to an almost indecipherable scrawl. She had to squint and tilt her head left and right before she made it out.

I’ll win, Pika

‘Ur a frawd

I know what chu r

Gil sniffed at it and recoiled, his muzzle creasing with disgust. “It’s written in blood!”

“What?!” Merry took two steps back, her heart pounding.

Flynn took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his head. “Well this thing just got a whole lot more personal.”

“Yeah, to Pika,” said Merry. “Who on earth would-”

Now she’d seen it, the text stood out from the walls. Every shell was covered with it. An elaborate threat, made all the more sinister by its chosen medium.

I’ll find chu

I’ll get chu

I’ll make chu pay

Each sentence repeated over and over, the reddish-brown blood trickling and trailing from one word to the next.

“Why couldn’t they just write it in crayon?” Flynn whimpered.

Faint laughter echoed around the room, child-like and eerie, and for a fleeting moment Merry thought it was all in her head. Her three friends stiffened, ears pricked, as they looked left and right to try and spot it. Then it faded out, leaving behind an unsettling air.

Merry’s fur bristled. The room suddenly felt a lot colder.

“Okay,” she said quickly. “Let’s find Showa and get out of here.”

Flynn shuddered and rubbed his arms with both paws. “I couldn’t agree more.”

...​

The tide was rising faster than they could walk. Pretty soon, they found themselves wading waist deep though the second floor of the dungeon. Mushu clung to Gil’s back, his damp fur sticking out at odd angles.

“Where on earth are those stairs?” Flynn muttered more to himself than to his friends.

“I don’t know,” said Gil. “But if we don’t find them soon enough, they’ll be lost under this water.”

“Yeah, and so will we.” Flynn shuddered. “Although Merry might be alright…”

Merry glanced left and right as they reached a fork in the tunnel. “I might be a water type, but I need to breathe as much as the rest of you.”

Flynn pointed a claw. “I think there might be another room that way. But it’s hard to say… is that fog?”

A faint pink mist clung to the surface of the water, obscuring the end of the tunnel.

“Oh great,” grunted Gil. “Dungeon mist.”

Flynn blinked and looked back at the riolu. “Dungeon what-now?”

“Mist.” Gil ushered them on towards it. “It used to be a common phenomenon when dungeons were a whole lot more dangerous, but it vanished years ago. Occurrences now are seriously rare. Lance never mentioned anything about it…”

“Wait… hold on.” Flynn turned towards him and raised his hands. “Are you telling me that this mist means there’s something dangerous lurking in this dungeon?! Like… like sharpedo, or carvanha, or… or… lugia?”

“Lugia?” Gil spat. “Pull yourself together and get a move on! We knew this dungeon was dangerous before we entered it!”

Flynn snorted and turned one-eighty back towards the encroaching mist. “I think you know a whole lot more than you’re letting on.”

“I haven’t a clue what’s happened to Showa, or what is causing that mist,” said Gil. “I’m as much in the know as you are.”

“Mushu can see a shadow ahead.” The emolga’s paw slipped as he clambered over Gil’s head to get a better view, clamping down over Gil’s right eye.

The riolu hissed and nudged Mushu back onto his shoulder.

Ahead of them, a lithe shape arced and twisted through the water. Flynn let out an audible gulp.

“Whatever it is, it looks like the tunnel ends in a large room beyond it,” said Merry. “Vine whip and thunderbolt at the ready. We’re going to try and get past that pokemon.”

They waded forwards towards the coiling shape. Flynn muttered under his breath ‘please don’t be a gyarados’ over and over. Whatever it was, it noticed them, turning its head in their direction and vanishing under the surface with a soft splash. Mushu’s cheeks sparked, sending small jolts of electricity over the damp walls and into the water.

The Explorers froze, eyes trained on the rising water. The creature’s long shadow appeared just beneath the surface, and it leapt out in a spray of foam. A long pink and cream body decorated with blue scales reared up before them, and fixed large crimson eyes on them.

“A milotic?!” Flynn squeaked.

They didn’t have much time to process it. The milotic opened its mouth and fired out a powerful jet of water, striking Flynn in the snout. He careened back down the tunnel before vanishing under the surf.

“Go get him!” Gil barked at Merry.

The riolu grabbed a sparking Mushu from his shoulder and swung him towards the milotic. Mushu struck the sea serpent in an explosion of sparks. The milotic let out a howl that was almost musical and mesmerising. Merry vanished under the water, dulling the milotic’s song. Just ahead of her, Flynn flailed as he struggled to reach the surface.

She grabbed the snivy and lugged him back up to the surface. He gasped, spluttering out water in exchange for gulping down air.

He wiped his eyes and nodded towards the milotic. “Think we can take it?”

Mushu was scrambling along its body, jolting it with electricity. Each one caused it to wail and it thrashed, swiping out with its tail. Gil was readying a thunder punch, but it fizzled out as the milotic’s long tail crashed into his chest. Before he could fall beneath the water, the sea serpent sent a beam of ice from its mouth, freezing Gil and the water surrounding him solid.

Merry nodded and nudged Flynn forwards. “You might wanna leap in there with a leaf tornado.”

“You kidding me?” Flynn squeaked. “One ice beam and I’m reduced to a mint sorbet!”

“And if we keep dallying, we’re all going to be drowned in this dungeon! We need to get past it, now go!”

Flynn gave a stiff nod and turned towards the milotic. It thrashed and flailed in a desperate bid to dislodge the irritating emolga. It was all the opening Flynn needed. He rushed forwards through the water… slowly.

Merry sighed and dragged her paw down her face. “We’re gonna die, aren’t we?”

Flynn shot her a glare over his shoulder then muttered something under his breath. He fanned his tail, propelling himself forwards. A grin spread across his muzzle, and he sped towards the milotic.

It noticed him, cracking one eye open. Glowing blue light emanated from its mouth.

Flynn swung his tail, shooting out of the water like a torpedo. The ice beam narrowly missed him, glazing over the surface of the water. Flynn twirled his tail again, spinning himself around in a flurry of leaves and debris. It struck the milotic, engulfing it until it was obscured from view. It let out an eerie cry and smashed its tail hard against the water, sending up a small tidal wave. It washed over Flynn, dragging him back down out of his attack.

Mushu had managed to leap free before Flynn’s attack struck home. The emolga landed on the ice, skidding along it on his claws. He twisted to face the sea serpent, cheeks sparking. As Flynn landed hard on his back beside him, Mushu let go of a thunderbolt. The milotic lit up yellow and screamed.

“Yeah! Take that you rotten snake!” Mushu shrieked.

The milotic, still sparking, sank back beneath the water.

Flynn sat up, rubbing his head. “Yikes, is this ice cold.”

Merry trotted towards him, her footing unsteady on the ice. She paused beside Gil, still frozen with his mouth wide open in a scream. She reached into Flynn’s bag and pulled out a small seed.

“What’s that?” Flynn asked.

Merry didn’t say anything. She popped the seed into her mouth, bit it, and it filled up with a hot spicy fire. An involuntary yelp left her mouth, and flames exploded around the ice. It melted away, and Gil landed on his bottom… then vanished beneath the water. He scrambled back out, gasping.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

With the milotic gone, they could finally enter the next room. The water was now up to their necks, and Mushu in a bid to stay dry perched on Gil’s head as much as the riolu would allow.

The room looked empty, and was void of any pokemon. No tunnels forked off from it, it was a dead end.

Flynn let out a bitter sigh. “No stairs.”

“No… don’t be so hasty.” Merry tapped her scalchop as she looked around. “There might be-”

She cut off as she ducked under the water.

Flynn let out a squeak and struck the surf with his tail. “Merry? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine!” She poked her head back out and grinned. “Just there in that left corner! Stairs!”

With collective sighs of relief, the pokemon rushed towards the far corner. As they clambered the stairs, that child-like laughter echoed through the dungeon.

They arrived on dry ground in a room covered with more shells and threatening graffiti. Merry’s heart froze. It was the same sentence, written over and over.

Wat is yellow and sparky and red all over?

Flynn’s gulp echoed around the empty room.

A disembodied voice cut through the air, child-like. Singing. It echoed off the walls.

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream… Frantically, desperately, gloriously, beautifully… I will make you scream!

Laughter, fading out into nothing.

Then there was gurgling.

The group turned to look behind them. Water trickled from between the shells, the force of it causing them to crack and shatter. Then it burst forth like a ruptured dam. The Explorers turned to run, but the water caught them, sweeping them through the room and out into the corridors.

Gil grabbed hold of one of the walls and reached out, grabbing Flynn by his flailing vines. But Merry was washed away, stubby paws waving as she desperately tried to remain above the water.

“Merry!” Flynn roared.

Gil tugged at the vines until he managed to grab the snivy’s paw. “Grab that ledge!”

He had to repeat it three times before it finally registered in Flynn’s head. He shook himself back to reality and spotted the ledge Gil was nodding at. The riolu’s claws dug into the soft wall while Mushu clung to his back for dear life. Flynn reached up with his vines and dragged himself up onto the ledge. It opened out into a narrow and low tunnel.

He wrapped his vines around Gil’s waist, fastening Mushu to his back, and hoisted them both to safety. Gil crouched on all-fours, trying to catch his breath.

Mushu dropped down beside him and poked his head back out of the tunnel. His ears drooped slightly, and not a single spark left his cheeks.

“Merry,” Flynn gasped. “We need to-”

“We will.” Gil stood up as much as the tunnel would allow. “These ventilation tunnels should keep us above the water for a good while. We’ll follow them round and see if we can find a wider area. Then you’re going to check if you have a roll-call orb.”

Flynn turned his head towards the riolu. “A what?”

Gil gave him a blank stare. “A roll-call orb. It calls the entire party back together.”

“Seriously? Then why haven’t we used one to find Showa?”

“Because he’s not in our registered party. He’s our mission target.” Gil nudged Mushu with his foot, drawing the emolga back to them. “Come on. When we’ve got more space, we can safely use it.”

“There’s no time for that!” Mushu exploded. “Forget your orb! Mushu will go find her!”

“If you jump in there, you’ll be washed away too,” said Gil.

Mushu’s fur bristled, and he turned to silently stare at the rapids raging below. “Mushu won’t lose someone else because of dumb, stupid water!”

He braced himself to leap into the rapids. Flynn stretched out a paw and grabbed him by the scruff, dragging him back from the edge.

“Let go of Mushu!” The emolga’s cheek’s sparked, sending jolt after jolt up Flynn’s arm. “Mushu will rescue her! Mushu will not let-”

“Mushu!” The snivy let go out of instinct and clasped his arm to his chest.

The emolga bared his sharp teeth and dropped to all-fours. Gil cut behind him, barring his path to the water.

“You can’t jump in there,” Flynn told Mushu. “If you do, we’ll lose you, too. Then you won’t be rescuing anyone.”

Mushu’s ears drooped again and he turned his head to see past Gil. “But… But she’s gone. Mushu… Mushu can’t…”

“We’ll find her,” said Gil, drawing Mushu’s tearful eyes to his. “But we’re no use to her standing around here arguing. Let’s get going, okay?”

Mushu nodded reluctantly and followed his team further into the tunnel.

The small tunnel forced them into single file. Flynn moved ahead of them, doubled over uncomfortably in the cramped tunnel. The raging water could still be heard the further they moved through it.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” he finally ventured to ask.

Gil’s silence did nothing to settle the snivy’s nerves.

...

A/N - Not the cheeriest ending, I know! I'll try to get Part 2 out in due time (it's complete, just needs proofing). And hopefully get more of this written in the near future. I've not quite finished this mini-arc yet...
 
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Adamhuarts

Mew specialist
Partners
  1. mew-adam
  2. celebi-shiny
  3. roserade-adam
Decided to pick this fic back up now that you've posted a new chapter, though I'm only reviewing the fifth chapter for now.

The highlight of this chapter for me wasn't the comedy (more on that later) but rather seeing the unlikely camaraderie between Mushu and Flynn throughout the chapter. Even though it's obvious they're not completely used to working together, Mushu was pretty cooperative in this chapter compared to Rolly at least.

Speaking of which, Rolly is quite a handful. I had thought he was just as dense as a black hole's singularity in how unfazed he was about everything, but we learn he's also super lacking in self awareness at the end of the chapter. He seems to me like the kind of conceited guy who can't ever see the blame in himself. You mention that most of the characters are based off anime characters, but as I've never watched Aggretsuko, I have no idea who he's based on. Though I'm interested to see where his character goes.

As for the comedy in this chapter… take everything here with a grain of salt as comedy is one of the most subjective things in media. While there were jokes in this chapter that have made me laugh, overall this fic no longer feels like a crack fic/genre parody to me anymore. I don't mean to say that a parody needs to be all jokes and not much else, but series like Onepunch man (only one I can think of at the moment) have a very good balance between seriousness and comedy that works without clashing with one another. Meanwhile, I feel like everything after the third chapter of this fic doesn't have enough comedy to be a parody and is gearing up to be a more serious fic overall. Perhaps you had a change in direction? If that's the case, discard everything I've said in this paragraph.

Overall, I liked this chapter. I'll be checking out the next one in due time.
 

DeliriousAbsol

*Crazy Absol Noises*
Location
Behind a laptop, most likely with tea
Pronouns
She/Her
Partners
  1. mawile
Meanwhile, I feel like everything after the third chapter of this fic doesn't have enough comedy to be a parody and is gearing up to be a more serious fic overall. Perhaps you had a change in direction? If that's the case, discard everything I've said in this paragraph.
Dang I'm late replying! Sorry! D=

The latter arc, which this coming chapter is a part of, is a bit more serious and dark. But I do plan to return to the comedy I set out to write! This story wouldn't work without much of a plot, so it will have its more serious notes. But I hope you'll get a chuckle non-the-less!

A/N - I know it's been a LONG time since I last updated! I've not written this story in a while either. I hope to return to it periodically, as a bit of a break from Rekindle's much more serious plot. I've recently found I think ALL of the original story I wrote, on Facebook's long-retired Notes. I can't remember how I accessed it. Memories, or something. But it was such a nice surprise! I plan to re-read the lot and recycle some stuff, so expect some mad nonsense to rise from the ashes of this story's original idea.

This chapter is a dark one. The whole Derange arc is dark. It's one of the few arcs I could remember from the original story that I wanted to bring back. It's much different, even down to the antagonist's species. But there is comedy sprinkled in, however (I mean, if Flynn's in a scene, it's gonna be silly), and I hope you enjoy it!



Chapter Seven - Blood and Water (Part 2)​

Merry’s claws latched onto the bank of a small rocky island. The current had slowed somewhat, and she dragged herself out of the water onto (somewhat) dry land. A quick glance around confirmed she was still in Clamperl Cavern. The colourful shells adorned the walls, dripping with algae and water from the sudden flood. The luminous algae lit up enough of it for Merry to work out she was considerably deeper than she had previously been. It felt murky and ominous, although she dismissed most of that due to the disembodied voice and graffitied threats.

“What in the world…?”

There was no sign of her team. She swallowed back a lump and looked back the way she’d come.

“Flynn?!” Her voice echoed feebly off the walls. “Gil! Mushu!”

The echo faded out, replaced by the steady gurgle of the water.

Tears pricked her eyes and she leant back against the wall. How long had she been caught in that river? How deep into the dungeon had it dragged her?

She did a mental recap of her team’s belongings. Escape orbs, various berries… did they have anything that could draw them back together? They must have. It made sense if they were to be separated. A recall orb was necessary, they must have one. She’d just… have to wait until they used it. Until then…

She shook the water from her fur and turned to where the current was slowly heading. The island continued on along one side, providing a narrow walkway. The underground river forked off ahead of her, both leading into shadows and more of that pink mist. It curled up off the water like steam, and seemed to grow thicker and thicker the deeper it lead into the tunnels. With no items to aide her, and knowing full well it was impossible to back-track out of a dungeon, she didn’t really have many options.

“Oh well.” She moved along the bank towards the right-most tunnel. “Only one thing for it.”

The mist cast a sense of unease over her, but there were no moving shadows. Nothing lurking beneath the surface of the water. Whatever had gone on, it seemed everything that called the caverns home had fled.

Merry hugged her arms around herself. It was too surreal. She actually wanted something to leap out of the water and confront her. At least it would have been another life. A little company at least. The barrenness and constant dripping sounds were becoming too much to bare.

She found she’d actually stopped moving and willed her flippers forwards. Standing around would only drag out the torment. She followed the river along, winding through the tunnels. Every now and then, she paused to scratch one of the shells with her scalchop. It made sense, given everything looked the same on this floor. Plus it gave her something to occupy herself with.

At each bend she checked the walls, and found a small sense of relief that she wasn’t going in circles. Every time she glanced at the river, it seemed to have slowed. Was that just her imagination? Or had it always moved so slowly? Another glance ahead. More mist.

She placed her paw on the cold wall and pushed herself along. Maybe she’d find an item. A warp staff or a recall orb. Something useful that could get her out of this mess and reunite her with her friends.

Were they even okay? Were they looking for her?

She rubbed her left arm and felt her foot falter as a horrid sense of unease washed through her body. What if they’d encountered that… voice? Whatever it was that had attacked Showa and Lance… had that been writing those awful threats?

What if she ran into it alone…?

Her throat tightened and the cavern began to spin. She placed her paw on the wall to steady herself and tried to catch her breath.

“No, no… I can’t keep going on…” Her eye wandered to the mist. “I need to go back… I need to wait…”

The mist thinned slightly, and beyond it was a small island, topped with what looked like grass. The grass seemed to sway as if caught in a breeze. The exit?

Her heart leapt and she edged forwards. If it was the exit, then she could get out and find a way to rejoin her friends. Maybe they’d already found a way out themselves and were waiting for her?

She faltered again. No, it wasn’t grass. And it wasn’t swaying.

Someone was lay on a small island in a little cave, where the water had pooled. What she’d mistaken for grass was a shaggy coat of fur.

“Showa?” she gasped.

She scurried along the path into the cave, and waded into the water. It was too deep to walk through. She had to swim, swinging her tail as fast as she could to reach the island. Showa’s ear twitched and he tried to turn his head, but it was almost as if he were paralyzed. She flopped down beside him and placed a paw on his shoulder.

“Showa! What happ-”

She retraced her paw and her lip curled back. Something sticky clung to her fur. Purple.

“You… shouldn’t have come here,” he wheezed. “Go.”

“Not without you,” she said. “We came here looking for you, right? So that means we should be called back now?”

She grabbed his ruff in both paws, her heart racing. Why had nothing happened yet?

Showa fixed one golden eye on her, and he shook his head stiffly. Merry’s jaw went slack and she released his collar, falling back from him.

Several words flew through her mind, each one causing her heart to sink.

‘Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’

This wasn’t a rescue mission. They were here to assist.

Clicking and crackling reached her ears, almost like a purr. She looked up at the walls, and moving across them were two oily, purple forms. Almost reptilian, climbing along the damp walls like a pair of geckos. Electricity sparked across their bodies, and one of them flicked out a blue tongue to lick its lips.

“Toxtricity…” She breathed the word, staggering back towards the water.

A tiny water type, and a pokemon that could barely fight… against two of those? In a cavern filled with water? It was little wonder the residents had fled.

That child-like laughter sliced through the air again, and the two toxtricity landed on the island, sly grins on their faces.

“This is perfect!” said the voice. “Just too perfect! I don’t get just one little pokemon from Pika’s Place… but two!”

A small section of the wall wobbled just beyond Showa, and the familiar form of a pikachu shuffled out from it. A pikachu that looked like it had been stitched together out of spare parts. Its head lolled about with every movement, and its ghastly unseeing eyes landed on Merry for a brief moment.

Merry’s skin crawled and she instinctively drew her scalchop. A mimikyu… that, alone, she could handle. But against its whole team? She glanced up at the towering electric and poison types. The only one in her team who stood a ghost of a chance was Mushu.

The mimikyu’s fake head flopped back slightly as it fixed her with the glowing eyes in its torso. “Maybe chu can give me what I need?!”

Its shadowy claws reached out from beneath its skirt and lashed out. Merry leapt back towards the water, brandishing her scalchop. Its claws snagged her scarf, and she choked as she scrambled free. A few tugs and she was at a safe enough distance to launch an attack.

The scalchop flew towards the mimikyu like a boomerang. It bounced off his fake head, causing it to wobble and throw the disguised pokemon off balance. Merry stretched out a paw to catch her scalchop, but one of the toxtricity dropped down before her and discharged.

Merry leapt aside, landing in the water. The water lit up with electricity, and she wailed as it coursed through her body. She floated back to the surface, momentarily stunned. Everything felt stiff, as if she were carrying lead weights.

The reptilian pokemon loomed over her, and she could make out the shadow of its sibling against the far wall, stalking. The one closest to her licked its lips as a sadistic smile crossed its face.

“Finish her!” the mimikyu commanded.

The toxtricity sparked dangerously and reached towards its back. It brought its claws back around, brandishing what looked like an electric guitar. It staggered forwards as something shadowy struck the back of its head, and the guitar vanished. The reptile stumbled, falling head first towards the water. Towards Merry. The fleeting mental image of a toaster landing in a bath tub crossed her mind, and her heart froze in her chest.

The oshawott shook off as much of the paralysis as she could in order to dive and swim to shore. As she scrambled out, the toxtricity fell into the water, and the entire pool lit up like a lighthouse. A faint tingle shot up Merry’s legs, oddly enough chasing away the last of the paralysis from her flippers. Her arms still felt like lead, and her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool.

Her eyes fell on Showa, who had managed to roll to his other side. His breath came in heavy bursts, but he met her eyes briefly before closing them again.

She was torn between thanking him and telling him to save his strength. Either way…

She looked up at the ghastly mimikyu and the other toxtricity, and the sound of sloshing water reached her ears as the now irritated brother scrambled back onto dry land.

Either way, they had lost this fight.

...​

“Hurry up!” demanded Mushu.

“I’m trying!” Flynn snapped.

The trio had finally exited the narrow tunnels, and stood on a stretch of dry ground beside the now slowing water. Flynn rummaged through his bag, searching through the mass of items Merry had stuffed into it. A phenomenal amount that he felt would put Mary Poppins to shame.

“Roll-call orb, roll-call orb…” Flynn’s claws fastened around something cool and blue. And round. “Ahah!”

He tugged the shimmering orb from his bag, and his grin faltered. He gave Gil a questioning look.

“How do I-”

“Throw it!” Gil barked.

“Oh!” Flynn nodded. “Just like an escape orb? Gotcha!”

Gil’s eyes widened. “No, wait-!”

Flynn smashed the orb on the ground. Gil and Mushu wobbled on the spot, and the emolga wandered in circles, coming dangerously close to the water’s edge. Flynn grabbed him by the scruff before he fell face-first into the water. Gil managed to shake off the dizziness and rounded on Flynn.

“That was a totter orb!” he said.

Mushu shook out his ears and blinked, one foot over the water’s surface. He yanked himself from Flynn’s claws and spun to face him. The emolga folded his arms, eyes narrowed.

“Oh. Right.” Flynn gave a small nod. “Sorry about that.”

He commenced rummaging in his bag once more, poking his tongue between his lips. Now he knew what he was looking for, he found another orb quite quickly.

“How about this one?” He smashed it on the floor.

Nothing happened.

Flynn blinked and looked up at Gil. “What was that?”

“A foe-seal orb,” he said flatly.

“Man, these things all look alike, huh? What does that one do, exactly?”

Gil nodded towards Mushu.

The small emolga stood rooted to the spot, his mouth open and claws outstretched as if he’d been about to demand something.

“But they’re not meant to work on team-mates,” said Gil. “So why on earth did it work on Mushu?”

“That’s a story for another day,” said Flynn bluntly.

He reached into the bag again and tugged out a third orb. He smashed it at his feet, and it gave out a strange unearthly heat. All the water dried right up before their eyes.

Flynn pointed at the now dry gorge where three magikarp flailed, their mouths gaping. Flynn looked at his team-mates and clenched his teeth. “Oops.”

“Give me that.” Gil snatched the bag and began rifling through it himself.

...​

Merry skidded across the slick ground and twisted, firing another water pulse as the toxtricity pounced towards her. He keeled back, landing hard on top of his brother. It was working to keep them at bay, but the water washed over them seemingly harmlessly.

Merry wiped her paw across her muzzle and tried to work out a way to escape with Showa. The toxtricity and their leader didn’t seem to care about Showa, but they tried to keep them apart while wearing her out. Her mouth was rapidly starting to dry up, making using her water attacks hard, and her scalchop lay uselessly several feet away beside the mimikyu. The strange ghost type hadn’t tried to attack her again since, leaving her to the mercy of his two minions.

The twin toxtricity dropped to all-fours and moved apart, stalking towards Merry in a scissor formation. She took a step back, and her heel brushed the water’s edge. If she fell in now, they’d unleash another attack. On this small island, surrounded by water, she was trapped.

A strange sucking noise filled the cavern, and the water fell away from her heel. She jerked her head towards the lake, and the two reptiles looked left and right, their jaws hanging open in confusion.

“What?” the mimikyu squeaked.

The cavern had dried! Just like that!

Merry’s lips curled up in a smile, and she dropped back off the mound onto the bone-dry floor.

“Stop her!” the mimikyu demanded. “Stop being so gormless and do something! I want that oshawott paralysed and screaming for mercy!” He broke into horrid, child-like laughter that chilled the very air.

The toxtricity shook their heads to clear away their confusion and leapt towards Merry, claws outstretched. Their bodies sparked, and Merry rushed forwards beneath them. They crashed down behind her with a sick thud, and one of them sat back on his haunches to rub his head. Merry didn’t look back. She raced towards Showa, one paw outstretched.

The mimikyu appeared before her out of thin air. It lashed with its claws, catching her across the ear. A searing pain shot through it and she winced, keeling to the side.

“I’ll show Pika! I’ll make him regret what he did to me!” The mimikyu laughed again. “I’ll pick his little friends off one by one, and save him ‘til last!”

Merry’s stomach flipped and she froze, staring at the mimikyu’s fake face.

The mimikyu’s voice came out in an unsettling purr. “It’s a pity he isn’t here to watch.”

Shadowy claws stretched out before her and lashed. Merry yelped, raising her paws to her face. She fell back, then gave herself a mental shake.

She strafed to the side and rushed forwards, leaping over another swipe intending to trip her. Her vision blurred and her right eye stung. She wiped warm blood from it and trained her sights on her target. Icy claws fastened around her throat and dragged her backwards. She wailed, flailing both arms in a feeble attempt to free herself. Her back met the rough fabric of the mimikyu’s disguise.

His entire body shook as he chuckled, and one claw trailed beneath her chin. “Do you really think I earned my name by letting my victims escape, little one?”

Merry’s good eye widened and everything began to spin. Was she really going to die here?

Showa’s golden eyes opened, but the mimikyu didn’t seem to notice. The zorua lifted his head and spread his jaws wide. A stream of black energy fired from it, striking the mimikyu’s shadowy claws. They retracted back from Merry with a shriek.

She didn’t waste any time. She propelled herself forwards with all the strength she could muster, grabbing her scalchop in the process, and landed in a sprawl beside Showa. His eyes were closed again, and his breathing was shallow. That attack had used what little was left of his strength. She grabbed him in both arms, tugging him onto her back with a grunt.

“If you could wake up and help me, that would be great,” she said, but she got no response. The zorua was out cold and a dead weight.

The mimikyu shouted demands as he turned to shuffle towards Merry. He pointed a shadowy claw, and two blobs of fiery air drifted before him.

Merry silently wished the water would return.

She lunged off the mound, hissing as the scorching whisps brushed the tips of her ears. The toxtricity brothers pulled themselves together, turning their sights on her and Showa. Merry buckled beneath the zorua’s weight. She heaved herself back up, her back arched, and shuffled towards the exit. The quick patter of feet behind her made her heart sink. There was no way she was going to make it.

The air around her wobbled and warped, and she had the brief sensation of being whisked off her feet. Everything went black, then white. She found herself standing in the same position, still shuffling, through a dry gorge.

“Merry!” Flynn squealed.

He dashed towards her and threw his arms around her neck as best he could.

“You found Showa! Ahh, and you’re alive!”

Merry blinked a few times and took a step back. A soft paw fell on her hip and she looked down into Mushu’s worried face.

Merry let out a sigh of relief and beamed at her team-mates. “You found a roll-call orb.”

Gil moved before her and inclined his head on one side. “You look pretty beaten up. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. It’s Showa I’m worried about.” Merry adjusted the zorua on her back. “I packed an escape orb. Let’s get out of here.”

Shouts filled the corridor, followed by racing feet. Merry’s heart froze in her chest.

“Make it fast!” she added.

Flynn rummaged through the bag, muttering under his breath. Gil snatched it from him, leaving the snivy with an orb in his hands. He held it up as Gil began his own search.

“Is this it?” Flynn asked.

“No,” said Gil flatly.

The footsteps grew louder, and Merry gave a nervous look back down the corridor. “Any time now, Gil.”

“You seriously need better organisational skills!” the riolu barked.

The long shadows of two toxtricity bounced along the walls, and the pair rounded the corner, sparking dangerously.

Flynn let out a loud ‘eep!’ and lobbed the orb. It crashed down before the reptiles, sending them off their feet. They soared back the way they’d come, wailing in protest.

“Not bad.” Gil handed the bag back to Flynn and bounced his own orb in one paw. “But this is what you were looking for.”

The orb shattered against the ground. The sensation of being on a roller coaster washed through them, and a loud ‘ya-hoo!’ echoed in Flynn’s voice. The snivy’s arms were still raised in a cheer when they found themselves standing before Pika’s Place.

The Explorers of Stuff and Things let out a collective sigh of relief. Gil took Showa from Merry and spread him out over his own back effortlessly.

“First thing’s first,” said Gil. “Let’s get both you and Showa to Ruby.”

Merry nodded and followed Gil up the stairs. Flynn fell into step behind her with Mushu.

“What on earth happened to you in there?” Flynn asked.

Merry hugged her arms around herself. They still felt heavy. “I think it’s something we need to discuss with Pika present.”

“That bad?” Flynn asked with a grimace.

Merry turned her head to see him with her good eye. “Let’s just say I met the pokemon that wrote all those slurs.”

Flynn’s jaw dropped slightly and he exchanged glances with Mushu. No more questions. Merry guessed her collection of wounds said enough.

...​

Despite Ruby’s pleas, the medical ward soon became a small meeting room. Showa lay at the far end with a screen drawn around him to try and give him some peace, although the zorua was still out cold. Ruby refused to elaborate on his condition, and had taken over his care alone.

Merry perched on the edge of a bed while one of Ruby’s assistants, a comfey, fussed at her ear with a swab of stinging antiseptic. Pika stood patiently at the foot of the bed, sandwiched between Flynn and Gil, while he waited for Merry to elaborate further on her story. Lance had awoken a few hours prior, and lay on his own bed eagerly listening. The only one who wasn’t there was Mushu who, satisfied Merry was okay, had promptly headed to the kitchen to raid Rexi’s pantry.

Clover the comfey dropped the swab onto her tray and checked Merry’s eye patch was securely in place.

“It’s going to be okay, right?” Merry’s voice wavered as she dreaded the small pokemon’s answer.

“It should be,” said Clover. “There’s no major damage to your eye, just a couple of scratches to the surface. Give it a few days and we should be able to remove the patch.” The comfey punctuated it with a warm smile and zipped off to the wash basin with her tools.

Pika took a step towards her and tucked his paws behind his back. “So how are you feeling?”

“A little worse for wear.” Merry turned to lean back against the wall.

“Are you okay to explain what happened?” Pika asked. “I’ve only heard what Flynn and Gil have told me, and what little Mushu could relay before his stomach took priority. But your friends are really non-the-wiser.”

“We got separated,” said Merry.

Pika chuckled. “That much I’ve understood.” He gathered himself and cleared his throat. “They’ve told me about the threats painted over the walls of Clamperl Cavern, and I’m really hoping you can assure me it is not what I’m fearing.”

Merry stared at her flippers and trailed a paw over one. “When I found Showa, I ran into a mimikyu. And two toxtricity. I’m guessing it’s those that poisoned him.”

Lance nodded at that.

Pika screwed his eyes shut in a grimace. “A mimikyu? Lance… you didn’t mention a mimikyu.”

“I didn’t see my assailant,” said Lance. “Just two toxtricity in a cavern filled with childish taunts and laughter.”

Pika sighed and scratched behind his ear. “Merry… did you by chance get his name?”

Merry turned her head to meet Pika’s eyes. “No. But I get the impression he really doesn’t like you.”

Gil let out a scoff. “The slurs scrawled all over the wall tell us that much.” He turned to Pika and folded his arms. “Who is this guy? And should we be worried about him?”

“It’s a long story.” Pika tucked his paws behind his back again, regaining his composure. “But I can make it short. Years ago, before I founded Pika’s Place, I was in a small rescue team of my own. I founded it with my friend, a pikachu called Flash. She was an avid explorer who loved investigating remote areas. During one mission in the Crystal Caves, we picked up a wild who was very keen to join us and help with our missions. A mimikyu who called himself Mimic.”

“Fitting,” said Flynn.

“He seemed nice enough,” Pika went on. “He helped us out a lot, covering our backs, although he did seem very eager to find a certain location that’s not on any of our WonderMaps. Somewhere called the Warped Ruin.”

“Sounds like somewhere unown would love,” said Flynn.

Gil gave him a sideways glare, and Pika raised an eyebrow.

“Unown?” said the pikachu. “No such creatures exist. They are but myth. As is the Warped Ruin.” He paused for a moment. “Or so I thought.”

“It exists?” Gil squeaked.

Lance looked up so quickly he went dizzy and flopped back onto the hay.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I’m not dismissing it,” said Pika. “Mimic was onto something. He was finding rumour upon rumour, and clues in remote dungeons that point to its existence, or at least some ancient belief. After one excursion he became a little… well, he started to show his true colours. He began muttering to himself more than usual, and lashing out at Flash and me when we tried to rush him back out. We’d got what we went there for - a missing pokemon - who was wounded and desperate to get back home. That’s when Mimic turned. He saw her as the source of his problem and before I could even blink, he murdered her.”

A chill ran down Merry’s spine, and Flynn turned an odd shade of yellow. He teetered on the spot, and Gil caught him and turned him so he could sit on the foot of Merry’s bed. The snivy soon found a glass of water in his claws.

“Are you okay?” Pika asked him.

“Yeah, I…” Flynn sipped his drink then ran a paw over his head. “This just got a whole lot more real. He actually just… killed someone? Just like that?”

“Yes.” Pika said it as if it were the most obvious and unsurprising thing on the planet.

Flynn blinked at him. “Oh. Okay then. Sure, I don’t know why I’m so surprised, I mean, he is a mimikyu. Those things are creepy.”

“That’s a rather prejudiced statement,” said Gil.

“Really?” Flynn scoffed. “What kind of creep goes around wearing a disguise all day?”

“It’s part of their culture,” said Pika. “I have you know a lot of mimikyu are actually quite nice.”

Flynn’s mouth opened and closed a few times and he stuttered.

“Anyway, back to my story,” said Pika. “After he’d murdered the poor pokemon, I told him that was it. Once we had left the dungeon, we were parting ways. He didn’t seem too upset, and for about a year I never heard from him again. Until one day, he showed up at my rescue team base.”

“This one?” Merry pointed a claw at the floor.

Pika shook his head. “No. I had a very small base back then, set in my home. I woke up one morning to find Mimic sat at my table. But he seemed off. He claimed to have found the Warped Ruin, and had the answers to everything. He offered to take me to it. Of course, the curious side of me wanted to follow him.”

“So you went to the ruin?” asked Gil.

“No,” said Pika. “I didn’t trust him. He seemed very off. And he wasn’t happy that I wasn’t complying. Once again, he vanished. I went straight to Flash to warn her Mimic had returned, but when I got there… Mimic had beaten me.”

Merry’s mouth went dry. She swigged her oran juice to try and fix it, but her paws trembled so much she ended up spilling it down her chest.

“He… he killed her?” Flynn ventured.

Pika nodded, avoiding everyone’s eyes. “He said he’d done it for me, that without her holding me back he could get me to the Warped Ruin. I asked him what he was talking about. He said it had been his goal the entire time. He’d been watching our excursions before he joined, and had decided she was the one holding me back. It was all lies, I could tell. I knew her. Out of the two of us, she’d have been the one most excited about the ruin, not me.

“So… I retaliated. I’m not proud to say it, but I lashed out at him, stunning him with electricity until he could no longer move. I didn’t stop, either. I wanted him to pay, so I hit him where it hurt. I tattered his outfit into rags, and left him there.” He took in a deep breath. “But that wasn’t the end of him. That night, I couldn’t sleep. He appeared by my nest and told me he was going to make me pay. And that’s when he told me he’d been lying to me this entire time, in a bid to trick us into going to the Warped Ruin. He was no wild, and he wasn’t from Crystal Caves. His name was Derange, and he wasn’t working alone. That was all he said. After that, the entire village paid the price, and it was all my fault.”

“How on earth was it your fault?” Gil scoffed. “You trusted someone and it turned out they were lying to you.”

“I should have seen through it.” Pika met his eyes briefly. “So, to make up for it, I made it my goal to stop Derange, luring him after me into the nearest dungeon. One beneath the sea, called Corsola Coral. I managed to seal him in there, so he’d be a threat to no one else. That dungeon has been out of bounds for three years. I honestly never thought he’d escape it…”

“I don’t think he did,” said Lance quietly. “I think he must have found a direct tunnel to Clamperl Cavern… with the help of those toxtricity.”

Flynn snorted and folded his arms. “Clearly they don’t listen to rules, if they’re just waltzing in there to bust out some loopy criminal.”

Pika let out a long sigh. “It would appear you’re right. Someone has made it their goal to break him free. But they won’t succeed. At least… I hope not. You see, he can’t be taken out of that cavern by adding himself to someone’s team, or by use of an escape orb. He’d need something much more specific.”

“Like a Guild Badge?” Lance flinched as he tried to lift himself onto one leg. “Those toxtricity were adamant they were taking ours, so Showa gave me his and told me to run. I… wasn’t sure why at the time. But now…”

Pika nodded slowly, and Merry felt her blood turn cold. Her paw flew to her neck, finding nothing but fur. Her scarf…

Flynn read her expression, and his mouth turned down. “No…”

All eyes went to the oshawott, and she sank slowly into her hay.

Pika took in a deep breath and looked towards the far wall. “It would appear… we may be about to have a calamity on our paws.”
 
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