Treasure Town ~ Main Square

[Equitial]

"Hey, Cuicatl! You're the only human I've seen so far that likes being turned into a mon."

"I don't necessarily dislike this, but it's weird," Ashwood said. They had been wandering around, testing their new form and trying to find something relfective. So far, no luck. "Wait a minute... are you Curio? And Cynthian and Cabot? I'm Ashwood! From Truth or Dare! I finally got turned into a Pokemon!"

To Zane: "Hey, leave Necrozma along. I met him before and he's cool."

They eyed the Poochyena. Something seemed very familiar about him. Like they had met him in a dream.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Canines. That was a word Celeste knew. So he was right! The Poochyena had been something else before, meaning he was probably also correct in thinking he’d been one of the squishy bipeds.

He just had to figure out what the squishy bipeds wer-

He overheard someone else talking about having been human. Could it be?

“Did we get sent to the past? Why are there people saying they’re humans? All the humans are dead! How could they be here?”

 

[Equitial]

"I'm a human," Ashwood said. "And I wasn't dead. Might be now, since I'm a Ghost-type though." They paused to consider this. "Anyway, I know I'm from a different world where Pokemon don't even exist."

 

[Tanuki]

Zane eyed Ashwood with half a snarl. “How was I supposed to know that wasn’t the threat?” His seething rage fell into uncertainty. Did anyone know why they were sent here? “What’s the monster anyway? Does anyone know why Burnt Orange sent us here?”

 

[Virgil134]

"Ashwood?" Cabot murmured as he moved a claw to his mouth and thought back to the previous truth or dare session. "You were the human that really wanted to change into a Pokémon... right?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave looked over at Ashwood. "...Huh. Then how'd you know what a Golett is?"

 

[Tanuki]

"You were the human that really wanted to change into a Pokémon... right?"

Oh God. One of them. Zane shuffled a half-step away. Given his new form, at least he’d have no trouble getting his rocks off. Wait, was that literally how that worked?

Like most things in life, Zane thought it best not to think about it.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"I never know what to say either," she told him, quietly. "How are you... taking all of this, so far?"

"They have far more energy than I expected," Cynthian admitted. He was starting to feel sore already, but that could be because of what Diyem said about their bodies weakening.

"It's not entirely new to me. The explorers I went on expeditions with were as energetic, though I was more the type to keep to myself, studying maps and collected plant specimens." He paused to clear his throat. "Sorry, I went off on a tangent talking about myself. What about you? Excited to go on a world saving quest?"

 

[Ambyssin]

There were lots of voices. Mostly barks and yips. The group had a fair number of canines. But there were a few mewls mixed in. He made a mental note of the cheerful deino. At least one of his allies was a dragon. A child of the stars, bless her heart.

... unless Diyem had done that to get Necrozma to lower his guard. Which he had no intention of doing. Besides, he wasn't worth the deino girl's attention.

But then someone referred to him by name. A... cranidos? Did Diyem revive the dead for this? No. It must've been from a world where his equivalent hadn't annihilated the race with a barrage of meteors.

"I never recall telling anyone my name," he said to the tiny dino. Necrozma remained airborne. Every drop of light eased his aching crystals further.

 

[Equitial]

"Ashwood?" Cabot murmured as he moved a claw to his mouth and thought back to the previous truth or dare session. "You were the human that really wanted to change into a Pokémon... right?"

"Yeah! It's cool, but kind of weird. I don't breathe anymore." Instead, they felt this big swirl of energy in their torso. It rotated incrementally, like gears or the hands of clock.

Dave looked over at Ashwood. "...Huh. Then how'd you know what a Golett is?"

"Pokemon are a thing in my world, but they aren't real. Pokemon is this big franchise of videos games and cartoons and a whole bunch of other stuff. I know Golett because I played the games when I was kid. In fact, my favorite games were the Mystery Dungeon ones, where this exact thing happens, humans getting turned into the Pokemon to save the world and stuff. Dammmmn. Imagine telling my ten-year-self then I would actually get to be isekai'ed."

Something still pulled on them about that Poochyena. "You look really familiar for some reason. What's your name again?"

 

[Tanuki]

"I never recall telling anyone my name,"

“Yeah, I noticed,” Zane said. “Not really the best habit. First impressions mean a lot, so the least you could do is introduce yourself.” His eyes were slits, weighed so heavily down by judgment.

 

[Virgil134]

"Yeah! It's cool, but kind of weird. I don't breathe anymore." Instead, they felt this big swirl of energy in their torso. It rotated incrementally, like gears or the hands of clock.

"Oh, well I'm glad your wish came true then," Cabot offered. "Even if it will probably take some time for you to get used to it."

"I never recall telling anyone my name," he said to the tiny dino. Necrozma remained airborne. Every drop of light eased his aching crystals further.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Cabot asked. "Don't you remember how you told us during truth or dare?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave stared at Ashwood. "That's... okay, never mind. It's Dave. Were you in the... the 'Truth or Dare' thing?" The memory was fuzzy; he felt pretty convinced it was a dream, but then again he was pretty sure some of the other people here also seemed vaguely familiar, somehow.

 

[Ambyssin]

"Huh? What do you mean?" Cabot asked. "Don't you remember how you told us during truth or dare?"

Necrozma scratched his head. "Truth or dare? I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."

 

[Virgil134]

Necrozma scratched his head. "Truth or dare? I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."

Cabot blinked out of surprise. "Wait, you don't remember anything? A lot of the Pokémon who are here were there as well. Even Diyem was."

 

[Tanuki]

Necrozma scratched his head. "Truth or dare? I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."

Well, the least he could do was help the poor thing out. Its social skills were clearly less than up to snuff. Maybe it was some kind of alien or just an introvert.

“It’s a game,” Zane explained. “Rules are in the name. You go around the circle and everyone does a truth or a dare.”

He looked around the group. Was that why they were here? That’s how he usually got back home when he stumbled into these weird places. Maybe it was the same here. “Did anyone want to play?”

 

[Ambyssin]

"I'm well aware of what the game is, but the only time I ever played it was back home." Necrozma's voice softened toward the end of the sentence. His arms trembled. He clicked his claws together and hovered a bit higher.

 

[Jedi Shulk]

"No, no, I'm fine, just trying to deal with turning into a fucking dog and being immediately assaulted by random assholes."

First time becoming a Pokémon?

...Why are there people saying they’re humans? All the humans are dead! How could they be here?”

So there are no humans in your world?

...where this exact thing happens, humans getting turned into the Pokemon to save the world and stuff.”

Does these mean A- we save the world or B- fail but by some means we correct our mistakes and win in the end.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"So, you don't remember the time I asked you—actually, it is good that you've forgotten. Regardles, It is good seeing you again Necrozma," Cynthian said with a faint smile.

 

[Tanuki]

“Well, let’s change that!” Zane scraped the most enthusiasm he could out of his vocal cords. It took its toll, but he wanted out of here as soon as possible. “Let’s start with, uh.” He glanced around the many different faces and lost all steam ahead. “Who wants to go first?”