We were just playing. Found fallen branches and Miracle Seeds to play sticks and seeds with right outside Miltank manor. We knew we weren't supposed to be by the barn but it was hard to find Miracle Seeds by the swamp—where we were from. The game didn't last very long. It was only a few minutes until the Bouffalant that patrolled the outskirts of the barn told us to find somewhere else to spread our toxic fumes.

It's not like I had never been called out for being a poison type before. I am a Croagunk. My skin's blue-tainted-purple and my mouth spits out toxic. For Arceus sake, Croagunk—it's even in the name: Croa-gunk. But that particular time, I felt my fists just itching to turn purple and jab the Bouffalant right on his bushy head.

I wanted to fight and stand our ground, but you said the Bouffalant wasn't worth our time. You were right. After all, attitudes towards poison types were not going to change anytime soon, especially if we got into it with every hot-headed Poke-bully that spat our way.

You had always known just how much anger other types of Pokemon carried towards poison types. You had lost your parents because of the anger—because of that hate. It was around the time I met you. You were wandering nervously through the swamp and I watched you almost get bogged down until I came to your rescue. Thankful, you promised you'd stay by me until you could do the same, though that day never came. Eventually we just started to enjoy each other's company.

Still, you knew when fighting was unnecessary, though I thought you were just making excuses. It was true we did not want any trouble, so I stashed the Miracle Seeds in my cheeks and started walking towards home.

Impatient, the Bouffalant wanted us to move faster, and he started walking towards us.

"That's right! And if I ever see you purple-blooded poison types again, that will be that last of ya, you here?" he shouted at our backs.

Fed up, I turned around and fired the Miracle Seeds from my mouth—they landed right in the thick of the Bouffalant's afro! I remember how we chuckled at the sight, but we knew what was coming next.

The Bouffalant prepared to charge. He let out a sound, that I could only assume was rage in its purest form, and he started to dig his heels. Now, you and I were already running away at this point, but I always assumed the Bouffalant, in true form, stomped around for a bit—until finally pushing off their back legs and propelling himself into a full on tackle attack.

We never ran faster.

Anway this happened hours before the incident, with the only important fact that we no longer had Miracle Seeds in the event that we would need them.

And boy did we need them.

We were outside of Tiny Woods, the local Mystery Dungeon on the North side of the Grass Continent. You said you saw something rare the other day—I didn't want to go in. I said it was too dangerous to go into a Mystery Dungeon. Everyone knows it's too dangerous. But Skorupi—you really wanted to. I thought you were upset we no longer had the Miracle Seeds. You wanted to bring something for the folks back at the swamp; if only we had those Miracle Seeds! I told you we could find something else, but then you said something unexpected.

"Aren't you tired of living this way?"

"What?" I said back in confusion.

Though I knew exactly what you meant. You were just as tired as I was of being called an outlaw just because we were poison types.

"Just forget it. Look Croagunk there's something in Tiny Woods I saw the other day. I don't know why it caught my interest—but if I could just win once, then maybe it would feel like I wasn't so toxic all the time," you said.

Your sadness always pierced me more than you pincers ever could.

I nodded and we ran into the dungeon together. Pokemon in Mystery Dungeons were already on edge, but for two poison types to enter one of them—without supplies and without knowing where we going—it should have been a lot worse than it was.

We walked in what felt like an endless loop. Though it was more of run—decidedly venturing further and further into the Mystery Dungeon. I took notice as the trees slowly loomed taller with each minute. The light started to fade and the shadows went from our periphery to the path itself, but we kept on walking.

Walking. Walking. Walking. Running—red eyes glared at us. We stopped once we rid ourselves of their horrid glow.

"Funny, I thought scary faces were supposed to make us move slower." I said hoping to lighten up the mood. But you only let out a quick smile, and then looked around to see if we were still on pace to find this mystery object. I had never seen you look so frantic. It was more than ambition or drive. You were devoid of hope. I knew it was dark, but there was no light on your face either.

We finally reached a clearing. There was somehow more light despite being deeper into the dungeon. I looked around and at first glance there was nothing but a few oran berries lying on the ground. At second glance there was still nothing.

I turned to you—your face showed something fierce. It was not surprise or even sadness. It looked… calm? Devastatingly calm. As calm as someone who had given up. Calm as someone who was desperate.

"Croagunk… I'm sorry. This clearing marks the end of the dungeon, yet, we haven't found anything rare, or even anything interesting. Let's go back…." you paused before your next few words. Going back was better than getting lost ourselves, I thought. Then, you finally spoke—

"What's one more loss anyway, right?"

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared—in front of us at first, but then it was all around us—a light so bright I couldn't see. I couldn't see the trees, or the oran berries anymore.

And I couldn't see you.

The light dissipated—and still, I couldn't see you.

You were gone! Where? Where could you have gone? Did the light take you? I had so many questions Skorupi. I felt a sadness welling up inside me. A sadness I felt in my skin, my blue-painted-purple skin like a curse. It followed me every I went and it kept me from joy. And this time, it kept me from you. My best friend.

I looked around again.

You were gone.

Truly, utterly—gone.

In your place… I started to see another light.

Forming in front of my eyes was… a Pokemon?

A Mareanie appeared, bathed in the light as if born from it.

I was stunned—my toxic mouth gaping wide. All I could think about was what I was then seeing—I pushed thoughts of your disappearance fast aside. You were gone and in front of me sat a Mareanie.

There, a Mareanie.

Blue and yet tainted purple.

She was just like me.