Chapter 1: A Not-So Helping Hand
Lush Fortress: One of the most popular Mystery Dungeons filled with treasure, items, and ferocious Grass and Poison Pokémon. Many Pokémon have been defeated by the poisonous gas, the immense number of traps, and the dangerous wild Pokémon lurking in every shadow. Still, the beautiful scenery attracts many Exploration Teams, Scientists, and the Rescue Teams ready to recover any Pokémon trapped within the coal black walls and the overgrown vines within. Strangely, some rooms aren't affected by the randomization affect of the Mystery Dungeon. These rooms are where the wild Pokémon sleep, licking wounds and preparing for whatever intruder invades their dangerous home.
Within one of these "rest rooms" lies an Eevee, sleeping through the day. The black boulder under her contains a large stockpile of mementos from the Explorers she knocked out. Poké, scarves, Treasure Boxes, even objects of sentimental value like dolls and toys are laying on her "bed". The Eevee quickly awakens by the door separating her room from the Mystery Dungeon. Laying still, hoping to surprise attack her intruders, she waits in silent.
"And that's how you unlock a door with some gummies and a Vine Whip" said a Snivy in a lab coat and a white bandanna wrapped upon his head. "Wow, Professor Perin! Who knew unlocking doors could be that easy!? Imagine the thought of all the other teams scrambling to find a key before the wind knocks them straight out of here, while we just break in, saving time and stamina!" said an Axew, wearing a blue bandanna around his neck, polka-dotted with white circles, with the head of a Deino within each one.
"It's not like you can use my technique, Reggi."
"Wanna bet? I'll learn and perfect the Locksmith technique, then I'll open any vault with it!"
"I mean, that you can't it, Reggi. You can't learn Vine Whip. Not even if your dad knew it."
"Oh. That sucks," the Axew named Reggi says sadly.
"Don't worry about it. I know! If you get us through here alive, I'll make sure I give you a Hone Claws TM!" says the Professor.
Reggi looks at the Professor jokingly, yet sternly, as if the Axew wants more.
"You drive a hard bargain, kid," Perin says. He opens a box filled with a multitude of berries, gummies, and apples. After digging through it, he pulls out a white certificate with a picture of a Chansey and an Audino on opposite sides, wearing matching black maid's headdresses, with a Pichu hanging upside down from the top, smiling. The sheet is bordered with black squiggly lines, with an assortment of berries like Rawst Berries, Cheri Berries, and Oran Berries. The text in the middle, written in bold, says "Sparky's Shake Shack!" Below it states, in a smaller, yet italicized text says "This coupon gives the owner one free day at the All-You-Can-Eat bar with the purchase of a large shake of any kind." Right at the bottom reads, "Offer not valid to promotional shakes nor 2-for-1 specials."
"You know me so well, don't you?" Reggi says. "It's days like these that make me wonder why you didn't join me in exploration, instead of working with those scientists all day and night."
"Simple answer, my dear buddy. We just had different interests. You wanted to explore the world while I wanted to learn what these 'Mysterious Dungeons' are. Nobody has any idea what exactly are these dungeons are. Were they created by the great legendary Pokémon of Time, Space, or Creation, or they were there since the beginning? What cause the creation of these dungeons? What makes up these dungeons? It's questions like these that made me want to become a scientist in the beginning. Still, we have at least one theory."
"What would that be?" Reggi asks.
"How about the theory of you've better leave my home or I'll make sure that you returned back from which you came stuffed inside your treasure box!" said a voice. It was the Eevee. Reggi and Perin were in shock from the sudden 'awakening' of it. The Eevee looked battered, with several bruises covering her body. Her left ear had a large piece missing from it. It's tail was burnt from an unknown previous battle. Despite the multiple injuries, the Pokémon stood her ground.
"Wait! Don't attack!" yelled Reggi. "Too late for that!" replies the Eevee. Lifting her head towards the ceiling, she charges a ball of pure darkness in her mouth. Black lightning emits from energy ball. She jumps into the air, turning around in a full circle before firing, as she lashes her head like a whip straight at her intruders. "Shadow Ball!" yells the Eevee. The dark ball goes straight towards Reggi and Perin, with quick velocity and power.
"Look out!" yells Perin as he pushes Reggi out of the way. The Shadow Ball explodes behind them, creating a cloud of smoke and debris.
"What with that Pokémon!?" asks Reggi on a whim after they dodge. "You of all people should know!" retorts Perin. "It's a wild Pokémon! Thanks to the world's balance of peacefulness and chaos thrown off, we get Pokémon like the Eevee."
"No. Not like that! It seems...different. Instead of attacking us the moment we came in, it waited for the right moment to strike. It spoke to us, like it wanted us to leave," says Reggi.
"So! We get reports of Wild Pokémon acting like it everyday! Don't act like its completely different! It's probably defending it's home. You know what we have to do!"
"Right! But...uh...you got to get off me first."
Perin expression changes from determined to embarrassed. He was laying on top of Reggi for quite some time by now. "Whoops." Perin immediately jumps off of Reggi, shifting into a combat stance as he slides across the grey tiled floor. Reggi jumps back up onto his feet, mimicing the stance Perin is using.
"Are you ladies done talking?" asks the Eevee sternly. The Eevee flips into position, charging another Shadow Ball. "Oh no you don't!" yells Reggi. Blue flames start emitting from his mouth as he brings his head to his chest. His eyes glares towards his target. He swings his head into the direction of the Eevee, as if his head was a baseball bat as it was about to make contact with the ball. "Dragon Rage!" yells the Axew as the ball of flames leave his mouth into the directions of the Eevee. Kablam!
Its a direct hit. The Eevee is knocked right out of it's position. It's body collide straight into the floor, adding another bruise into it's collection of wounds. Despite this, it wobbled onto it's feet, shaking it's head before it returned it's gaze to it's attackers.
"You little...why I outta'..."the Eevee prepares to say, but was interrupted by a figure behind it's back.
"Do what, exactly?" Perin says. He'd manage to get the jump onto the Eevee before it got up. As he says that, the stubs of his arms start to curve into green blades. "Leaf Blade," he says to the Eevee calmly before striking her. The Eevee rolls across the floor, pass Reggi, and into the coal black wall behind. Once again, the Eevee recovers back onto it's feet. "Argh! I had enough of you two!" it says. Opening it's mouth, it prepares another Shadow Ball.
"Again? You like a Wynaut with Recover and a TM." Reggi says. Like before, he prepares to fire another Dragon Rage. He manages to get the upper hand with his speed. "Dragon Rage!" he shouts. However, nothing comes out. Not even a single spark. "Reggi...When's the last time you drank a Max Elixir?" Perin says. "Uhh...,"is all that Reggi can say before the Eevee fires. "Shadow Ball!"
Kablam! This time it's a hit against Reggi. He was launched skyward from his spot by the resulting explosion. He was already knocked out cold before he lands into the wall, engraving his body within it with a thud. Perin watched as Reggi flew across the room, cringing when he hit the wall. "Oooo...That going to leave a mark."
"Yeah, and you're next!" the Eevee says. It lowers into a crouching position before launching off the wall into a fast speeding missile. "Quick Attack!" The head of the Eevee makes contact on Perin's stomach, stopping the Eevee, but launching Perin straight into the same wall as Reggi.
"AHH!" Perin shouts as he hits the wall. He lifts his head slowly as he sees the Eevee preparing another Shadow Ball. Perin's eyes squint, like he was already prepared for this situation. Moving his arm into his coat pocket, he pulls out a metal stick with it forking into two ways at the end, like a slingshot. He throws the stick straight towards the Eevee, resulting in direct contact with it's forehead. With this, the Eevee stops charging, lifts it's head in pain, then falls over on it's side, unconscious.
"Heh...Should start using those things more often." Perin says.
Pokémon are property of Nintendo and Game Freak. The Mystery Dungeon franchise belongs to Chun Soft. All Pokémon mention belongs to the respective creators. All original characters belong to Zalpa and may only be used with permission.