Author's note: Hey! This is DomesticatedPiggy bringing you a story that's been in the works for a long time! I wrote a first chapter for a story like this a couple years ago, but I ended up scrapping it and moving on to other stuff. However, the idea stuck in my head and I had to try to write it again. Some of the stuff is the same as before, but I have a better grasp on what I'm trying to do.

You might've already guessed this from the title, but this story is going to be mostly based off of the game, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity! Say what you will about the game, whatever your opinion on Gates may be, it was my first mystery dungeon before I played the rest of them...And well, I played it when I was in a dark place in my life and the theme of hope really helped to cheer me up.

Also, I figured there's already a lot of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky stories on here and I wanted to try something new with this story anyway! :)

I feel like Gates, while worse in general (in my opinion) than Sky, didn't deserve every bit of hate it got. Sure, there were some problems, like the slow, unchangable text speed and lack of post game content, but I still think the story, when it picked up, was actually pretty decent.

But that's beside the point, because I'm going to try to make this story my own twist on the game. ;) I'll do my best to make it good! Please let me know what you think when you've read it, by following, favoriting or reviewing.

Sorry for the long AN. Let's get on with the story! :)

An infinitude of multicolored lights radiate almost everywhere at once... The domain in question seems to be entirely composed of these vibrant lights. And although their influence appears to be boundless in this realm, they do all gather around one point. In the center of all these varied lights is a pulsating white light. It pulsates as though beckoning for something...

Somewhere in this endless place of color, something stirs... A soul lacking a physical form, that was previously unaware of its residence in this place seemingly gains consciousness of its current state of being.

'...'

'... ...'

'... ... ...'

'Wh-where am I?..' It asks itself finally, knowing it just broke the silence in its own... 'mind? But if I have existed before...why is this so...unfamiliar?'

'This isn't the same as what I knew before...'

The white light, seemingly at the middle of everything, beckons, no, it calls out once again...

'Someone is calling me...' It realizes and tries to listen.

You...

You who can now hear my voice... Might you be...

...a human? If you are, then please...

Listen to my plea.

I want you to save the Pokémon world.

We need your...

Suddenly, the voice seems to cut off, the white light at the center seemingly gives way, and the multicolored lights are quickly replaced with chaotic waves of a deep shade of purple, as a violent scream rips through everything.

HELP!

The violent purple waves disappear in a flash, switching to another scene. A small, exhausted looking, four-legged pink creature is seen trying to escape from something, seemingly terrified of whatever lies in the darkness of the cave behind her. The angle of the scene changes and now it can be seen clearly. A primarily blue dragon-like creature with three heads roars as it swoops down to devour its prey. The vision cuts off there in a flash of light...

'What was that?.. Who were they?..' The presence has almost no time to think of much more when similar multicolored lights return once more. However, this time, there is something fuzzy in the center of the lights. It vaguely resembles a figure.

'Is that...a reflection? Could that be me?..'

The 'reflection' wavers and shifts, almost like it's indecisive.

'Wait...does this mean? It wants me to decide?'

'I don't know though...I suppose I'd just want to be...stronger than last time...I want to be...indifferent to the pain...above it all...'

The reflection ripples and soon changes into a green serpent-like creature..

'I look like...' A name comes to mind. 'Snivy.'

The world flashes and shifts, and now, a Snivy is standing in front of a small pond. She looks confused, but walks further into the pond and looks into the pool of water at her reflection.

As soon as she sees it, she gasps.

'I did guess that lizard...Snivy was my reflection. But I don't know, seeing it here, kinda just...confirms it. And that makes it feel...so much more real.' She flexes her leaf-like arm and just stares at it in shock. 'This is impossible...'

She looks up a little after noticing something in the corner of her eye. It's a tiny pinprick of light coming from the center of the pond.

'Another light... I really feel like the voice that was calling for help came from there.' She walks a little closer, then hesitates. 'It said something about...saving a world but...I really don't think I could do that.'

She recalls the scene with the pink creature and although she can only remember it faintly, something makes her reconsider. 'They looked so...helpless.'

'I have to try.'

And with that, she walks towards the pinprick of light. And as she does, the ground disappears from beneath her.

Suddenly, she's passing through clouds as she falls straight out of the sky, all the time approaching the ground.

Snivy's point of view

'Ugh...where am I?.. Everything's spinning...Can't see properly...' I think to myself in a haze of pain. My head is pounding, and everything else hurts too.

"Hey, are you doing okay? Please wake up..." I hear a voice calling again, but it sounds different... Quite high-pitched, but gentle sounding. It doesn't irritate my ears to say the least.

"Come on...Wake up! You're gonna be okay..."

I slowly, begrudgingly, force my eyelids to move. The light immediately stings my eyes and I shy away from the light around me. Squinting this time, I can almost make out a figure...

'I-is that...A Pikachu? '

Out of shock, my brain suddenly switches on and I forget about the pain for that instant. I quickly push myself up and shake my head free of most of the diziness.

"Oh, you're awake! I'm so glad!"

I jump and turn towards the source of the voice and I feel my eyes engorge at the sight of the strange creature.

'It wasn't a dream after all. I'm standing here, turned into a Snivy, it seems...looking at a freaking Pikachu. What even is a Pikachu? And why do I know the name of its species?.. It's a...a Pokémon right? Not a regular animal? This is...the Pokémon world? Anyway, a rodent-creature like this can't talk! What the actual frick?!'

"Hehe...you really do stare a lot, don'tchu?"

I blink. I saw its mousey mouth move...And it kinda just...laughed at me too?

'This rat is talking to me. This...abomination of nature is- No, that's actually a little harsh. Whatever this Pokémon is, it tried to help me, right? And in return, I'm...it said I was staring, I need to stop doing that.'

I suddenly look down at the ground in slight embarassment. I have no right to judge this...this...Pikachu, do I? I think I should at least try to talk to it. If I can understand it, it can probably understand me.

"You sure you aren't hurt or anything?" The Pikachu asks again. I think about what it said. Seriously think about it. 'I fell out of the sky, but the worst I feel is...minor discomfort. That's pretty weird, I guess...but...'

'I'm beginning to understand my situation, albeit barely. I think I need all the help I can get, maybe this Pikachu can help me with that...'

"Does it hurt anywhere? Can you...even hear me?" It asks, suddenly sounding worried.

'I suppose I'd better start somewhere. Maybe actually reply somehow?' I nod, even though it hurts my throbbing head a little more and I must've winced a tiny bit.

"Whewie! That's a relief! You know you fell straight out of the sky, right?" It asks, pretty casually after its little exclamation of relief.

'Oh. This cheeky (literally, it has red cheeks) little creature saw that then...'

"You sure are lucky! You really should be dead!" It laughs after that, but then seems to explain itself. "N-not that that'd be good or anything! I'm just glad you're okay, is all!"

I'm confused. 'This creature has been pretty understanding so far, even going so far as to check if I was alright...That was kinda a bit insensitive of it-her-him to say, but I don't mind much. I guess I've been thinking of this Pikachu as an "it" because I wasn't sure of its gender somehow. It's wearing a bow-tie which is typically masculine...but in this world, you can't really be sure. Its voice is just squeaky, as I'd expect a mouse's to be, so that's another reason why I'm not too sure.'

"I'm Frizzy, by the way!" 'Frizzy...what a cute name. That also sounds kinda girlish... I'm so confused!' "What about you? What's your name?"

Frizzy's trying to get me to talk. But is it weird that... I don't know the answer?