Chapter 1: The Skybound Surprise
Note: Oh, well what's this? A new story? But what about Liquid Starlight? It's cool, I don't want to get too ahead of myself. That's for another time. For now, let's live in the present. Or the past. Or-you know, a lot of time-y stuff is going on here. So let's just live. This is a novelization of Explorers of Sky. Maybe not a linear novelization, but its events follow Sky's/Darkness'/Time's pretty well. I'm playing through the game right now as a reference, although I will not be plagiarizing. I'm going to be introducing lots of new things and bonus scenes (I guess?) into all of the mystery dungeon madness, which, by the by, I hope you enjoy~.
Disclaimer: I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company. They belong to their rightful owners.
Darkness was the greeting he received; an emptiness bound for a land of promise, hope, hardships, and the many other essentials of adventure. His world was inhabited by humans, who knew little about partnerships of battle. Humans alone walked that planet's ever evolving grounds.
He was a student who questioned his position and his destiny in life. He undermined much of his own confidence and ability to overcome the massive stack of cards presented to him. He was a boy plagued with an ominous ancestry, only detached from such a bloodline by pure chance.
It has been said time and time again that the student's refusal to succumb to the encasing feeling of the lowest worthlessness was none other than inspiring. In spite of that aspect, no glory shined upon him. He would have turned his head, deeming himself undeserving of praise.
He stood aloof. The boy gave the concept of a free spirit little thought, even though he walked a path unlike his fellows. This path was hollow, as it was based on many decisions made simply because they had to be made.
He resided in a system that did not accept him, despite his willing effort to accept said system. It did not work for him, and he could not work for it; the utmost incompatibility. Fate provided him with minimal assets needed to prosper. Simply put, he could not live there and expect to thrive.
But, for reasons unknown, that same fate has given him a chance to start over. His destiny had been arranged in such a way where his very being transcended the binds of his own world. A cosmic encounter known to no man alive ostracized him from his home, imprisoning his body within a passage through time and space.
While the greater forces of creation failed to apprehended him the first time, now he has returned. Now he has been identified as a candidate to pluck a world from its darkest hour yet. The most notable thing about such a feat was that this world... was not his own.
A gentle, bodiless voice sounded through the darkness, which slowly began to lighten with patterns adorn with soothing colors and ambient warmth.
"Welcome!
This is the portal that leads to a world which Pokémon roam free.
Beyond this point, numerous challenges and new experiences await an arrival none other than yours.
Before your adventure truly begins, allow me to ask you some questions. Do not worry, they may seem random, but they are based solely on your personal opinion. But please do tell the truth upon answering!
Now, if you are ready, then let this small questionnaire begin."
…
"How well do you know Pokémon?" Was the first question.
"I don't know them too well... I want to say I know them as friends, but we've only just met." Said a second voice. Its origin was a naive youth backed with a graceful tone of power behind a facade of fear. That power had long been awaiting its chance to bloom.
"You're rummaging through your cabinet at home when you find that you are out of your favorite snack! How would you react?" Was the second question. Indeed, these were quite trivial.
"I've never really had a favorite snack. Otherwise I guess I would just have to deal with it."
"You are on your way home when you meet a friend. That friend asks if you want to hang out. What would you do?" Was the third question.
"I would love to hang out. I don't really like being home."
"You're at the movie theater and you find an excellent seat. Unfortunately, a very tall person chooses to sit in the row in front of you, blocking your view. What do you do?" Came the fourth question.
"I'd probably just let it happen without saying anything."
"You and your fellow campers are trying to simulate a campfire. But they found that they are out of firewood, so they send you and a friend into the dark to retrieve some. How would you feel?" Came the fifth question.
"Oh, that's fine. If it's a very natural area, I don't mind the dark. I would go."
"How would you feel about blaming something you did on someone else? Do you think that it is sometimes necessary?" Was the sixth question. They were quickly becoming a bit more personal.
"I could never blame anything on anyone else."
"If someone told you that a drawing you made is not very good, what would you think?" Was the seventh question.
"I know I can't draw very well. I guess I wouldn't really care..."
"You receive a poor grade on a test. Knowing this could only mean bad news back home, how would you react?" Came the eighth question. This survey was coming to an end.
"No one at home cares too much, but I'd still be upset at myself... I don't think I need anything from school anyway, but still..."
"Do you think there is a possibility that you could be the one to discover something magnificent? Treasure, perhaps?" Was the ninth question.
"I love to explore, but I doubt I'd ever find something of meaning to anyone other than myself."
"Do you feel like you are destined to become something great?" This was the final question.
"No..."
"Very good. That concludes my questions for you. Thank you for answering them. Your spirit will now be analyzed. In terms of energy, this spirit is the very aura which you radiate... Now... relax... Calm yourself..."
The surrounding hues cooled, shifting to a cloudy setting of various white shapes upon a deep, royal blue sky.
"Take a deep breath... Look to the vast azure infinity... Let it bring you to the skies and beyond... Now exhale..."
A fleeting gust passed by.
"Yes... let your sole soar... The color of your spirit... is a very docile scarlet. It is a hue of red without intense passion; a red tinted without the flames of emotion. It is a free red. It is an autumnal color, submitting to the direction of the wind and the tides of fate." The voice explained. This meek scarlet was the boy's true color. "You appear to be... a unique kind of free-spirited. You find solace in the natural world. You seek these things which give you comfort that no other human being can or has ever been able to. But you are not lonely. You love the company of good friends, though you find it hard to make new friends because of your detached position. You may not try to make new friends, because you fear they will do more harm than help, or that you will do harm somehow... You must understand that a good friend is someone who will be there for you in the most troubling times. And you must do the same in return... This system of friendship is separate from anything else. Never assume that you cannot triumph over things out of your comfort zone. Face those things! Show your spirit to the world!
With that said, a person such as yourself—so indifferent and secluded—would be Snivy.
You will soon find that making new friends is one of the greatest accomplishments anyone could make. Destiny will provide you with the opportunity. You must persist in this new world. Test your own strength, and strive forward!
And, with all of that in mind, you are ready to go... Off to the world of Pokémon. Chin up, keep your wits about you, and trust yourself. You are worthy. You are..."
There were no words left to speak. The empyreal hues and shades of simulated light perished into nothing. All had vanquished...
…
A spacial reverberation sounded through a storm at sea... Rain and wind assaulted the world, while thunder crashed.
"Ack!" A cry of pain came from a source drenched in darkness. "Wha-what's happening? Where'd you go?"
"I'm here! Are you okay? Ah! Hang on, I have you. Don't panic!" This second voice was frenzied, however a bit more collected than the first.
"I can't hold on... Someone's... pulling me."
"You can! Just a little bit longer! Please! You can manage this!"
"I-I can't! The pull! It's too strong! I can't hold on!"
"No! J-"
The voice, belonging to the second unseen figure, was drowned out by the booming sound of thunder within a close enough proximity to temporarily deafen anyone. The first figure was gone, enveloped in a casing of energetic matter; color invisible to the naked eye.
Upon immersion, the world went white.
…
Hours passed...
…
A day passed...
…
Soft grass... A gentle breeze... the petals of flowers tickled his snout... The sky was radiant. There was not a cloud in sight. He lay upon the peak of the planet, semiconscious.
This tiny plateau, carved into the summit of a mighty mountain, was a meadow of magenta flowers and lush, bright grass. This scenery was mounted upon an apex overseeing the vastness that was this world. Valleys, mountain ranges, fields, and forests reached out as far as the eye could see, spanning the length of the horizon.
"Mmgh... Mmnn..." The boy, prone upon the grass, groaned. He was a Snivy; a small snake-like Pokémon with the notable inclusion of arms and legs. Sunny, leafy green ran down his back and tail, while creamy white was the color of his underside and legs. A three-pronged leaf was connected to the tip of his tail. His eyes were a very serene hue of crimson. This pointed at the suggestion that he was awake. Indeed, the Snivy was beginning to pull through, though not for very long. "Where... Wh-..."
Speechless and disoriented, he crawled slowly to the edge of the summit, looking out at the breathtaking wonder. It was a view like none other. The land was so fresh to his eyes. The world was so crisp and colorful. It was broad daylight, yet he was at such a high altitude that the stars could be seen. And even at this time, they were clustered and beautiful. This awesome view humbled an already exhausted Pokémon. His effort to rise was of no avail, as he fell flat to his chest once again, both arms out.
"Not... again... can't get up..." He whispered, only able to wish for fortune at this point. With his pointy snout near another of the pink flowers, he closed his eyes, taking in its lovely scent; a fume which was his only means of passing the time... as it continued to pass him by.
…
"Another great day, another great hike to the Sky Peak's summit!" The voice of an unfamiliar Pokémon sounded... "Huh? Is someone there? ...Whoa! Hey, are you alright?" The yellow Pokémon was quite tall. Its belly was yellow. There were black rings around its narrow neck, ears, and tail, which was tipped with a red orb. A red gem of identical properties was embedded in its forehead.
"Mm... Ngh?" The Snivy gave no movement. He did hear the words spoken to him, however.
"No no, we got to get you somewhere safer than this. I know just the place." Before Snivy could react, he was being held in the soft arms of a hospitable explorer. "Just relax. I'll get us there in no time."
And as quickly as it had shown up, it was gone...
…
Hours passed.
…
The sound of a fire crackling within a cozy room sounded clearer now... He was beginning to regain his strength. By no means was he capable of awakening just yet, but he could hear. Things he heard consisted of the fire, pages turning, and a conversation going. One voice belonged to the yellow Pokémon. Another belonged to a new individual.
"Hm... I haven't ever seen any Pokémon like him before." The yellow Pokémon admitted, flipping a page.
"Me neither" Started the second voice. "He looks an awful lot like a grass-type. You think he's a legendary?"
"It's hard to say. He's small, but so are the Shaymin from the village. And many Pokémon would call them legendary."
"I guess you have a good point. Did you find anything that looks like him in that book?"
"I'm sorry to say I haven't." The yellow and black Pokémon paused for a moment. "There are a lot of things this old encyclopedia can't tell us, and still a lot that we don't know about our own kind."
"True... At least you got him to safety, Ampharos."
"That's what I'm here for, after all!" The Pokémon named Ampharos said, beaming an uplifting attitude to his friend. "Pachi, how come you don't become an explorer? You're the one who suspected something was awry!"
"That was just my intuition. I got lucky." The one called Pachi responded. "Besides, I'm not explorer material. I'm pretty lazy. I think I would just get in the way."
"You don't give yourself enough credit. I'm sure you would do just fine." Argued Ampharos, who soon heard the sounds of ailed moaning come from the unidentified boy.
"Ooh... Aagh..." This Snivy, an unknown Pokémon two his two saviors, lay on his side upon a soft netting which acted as a bed. As he sat up, he crossed his legs, scanning the interior of this shelter. It was a small cavern with a bit of clutter—boxes and miscellaneous equipment and the like—around its walls, though there was a enough room in the center for a small fire. Two exits were opposite each other in the modest cavern. The shelter looked like a staging point for hikers.
Both sets of eyes were on the esoteric boy. He returned a blank gaze, only half-expecting the sight of Pokémon...
"Hello there!" The Ampharos greeted him. "How are you feeling?"
"Wha?" The boy responded with a dazed tilt of his head.
"I think he's still out of it..." The second figure, Pachi, spoke. He looked like a squirrel of sorts. His fur was white, a blue stripe running down his back. The massive fluff that was his tail had this blue stripe too, with three spikes at its highest point. There were two yellow circles on his cheeks.
"He needs a little longer to recuperate." Said Ampharos, a book in the yellow Pokémon's lap.
"Recuperate?" The boy rubbed the side of his long nose, only to go cross-eyed at that moment. "Wh-what the...? Ah...!" After inspecting his own snout, he examined his green, leafy arms. "What's all this?"
"Uh oh, I think somebody got smacked on the head." Said Pachi, chuckling nervously.
"I-I don't get it. Where am I? Wh... What am I?" Asked the Snivy, head lowering.
"You're safe in my little abode here." Ampharos started, gesturing with an arm to the surroundings. "We're on a famous mountain called Sky Peak. I found you passed out at the summit. There's never a lot of trouble up there, but I didn't want to take any chances, so I brought you back to my base camp. Pachi here had one of his famous hunches that something may have been off about the summit."
"It was just a lucky guess!" Pachi said again, blushing and shrugging. "But I'm pleased to see that something good came out of it. I'm Pachirisu! But everyone calls me Pachi."
"And I'm Ampharos. I'm an explorer, though I like to scale the Sky Peak. So, I thought it'd be appropriate to live here for a while. The mountain is pretty difficult to hike. I've taken it upon myself to help any explorers in need."
"I want to ask what your name is, buuuuut..." Pachi hesitated, tapping his chin while facing the mysterious Pokémon. "I have a feeling that might not get us very far."
"No, sorry..." The Snivy lifted his head to the two. "I can't remember anything. I don't know who or what I even am. I feel like I'm dreaming..."
"Hmm, I've seen some strange things happen around here. But this is new to me." Said Ampharos, placing the worn encyclopedia on the chair after rising. "Looks like we have something to get to the bottom of!"
"Hey, I have an idea!" Pachi clapped his paws together. "Torkoal!"
"Torkoal, yes!" Ampharos agreed with a nod of his head. "The wise old Pokémon has to know something about our guest here."
"Tor...koal...?" The young grass snake repeated the name, looking as confused as he could possibly be with each new term and name introduced.
"If anyone knows a lot about the many kinds of Pokémon, it's him. Um, he sure has a lot of knowledge of amnesia too. I think we can figure out what the problem is!" Explained Pachi.
"How do you feel? Can you walk?" Ampharos watched the Snivy as he asked these questions.
"Yeah, I think I got it. I feel... all heavy in the back..." Without much confidence, he stood up, only wobbling back for a moment before understanding how to balance himself. "Whoa, okay I think... I think I got it."
"We'll take it slow, okay?" Pachi assured the seemingly perplexed boy.
"You're heading off so soon?" Ampharos asked with a bit of disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Ampharos! I promised I'd start helping with a special project in Treasure Town. And I need to get back home before dusk."
"That's okay! You gotta do what ya gotta do, right?" Ampharos smiled understandingly. "Besides, I need to restock. For the sake of all my stuff here, I can't go too far, so I'm afraid all I can do is guide you two off of the mountain. Would that be alright?"
"That would be a big help, as usual!" Pachi cheered, clearly not one to voyage down the mountainside on his own, or with a clueless newcomer.
"Great. I think you two can make it to Torkoal before dark if we get a move on. C'mon, I'll make sure there's no trouble!"
Ampharos took the lead, while Pachi stayed behind with the unidentified grass-type. He performed well, although he looked to be in no condition to fight, let alone run. His movements were very clumsy and uncoordinated. Even then, he did a fine job for having only woken up from unconsciousness so soon. The rest he had received proved to be a boon for this sudden journey.
With the stalwart Ampharos taking the helm, no territorial Pokémon dared to challenge the three. This leader's ability to scout ahead and find the quickest and safest detour was outstanding. It allowed the small team to descend with nothing of an uproar. In as little as fifteen or so minutes, the trio found themselves walking an orderly trail into a very humble residence. The scenery was quite similar to the pinnacle of Sky Peak. It was a village lavished with flowers and grassy green huts. It was essentially made up of many various gardens.
"Is this the place?" The naive Snivy asked the Pachirisu to his right.
"Hehe, not really!" Pachi answered. "This is the Shaymin Vilage. They're the nicest bunch."
"There's still a ways to go. I hate to be a bummer, but I have to leave the rest of this up to you, Pachi." Ampharos spoke before sighing. "You be careful out there!"
"I will! It's still bright out." Pachi chuckled again, flattered that his friend would be so worried. "It was great catching up with you, buddy."
"We should do it again sometime when you're not so busy with that project."
"You can count on it."
Ampharos grinned, patting his friend on the head a couple times. While the two said their farewells to one another, the nameless boy could not help but watch as a couple of the Shaymin conversed amongst each other. These small, white hedgehogs with backs of grass reminded him of something vague. In his current mental condition, it was almost impossible to determine whether or not this whole experience was a dream. Everything had been realistic enough. His senses were so clear; sight, sound, touch, and smell. He presumed taste worked completely fine as well...
But there was a sixth sense with this specific Pokémon.
And it had just been triggered.
"Whoa! What is this guy? He's so weird looking!" One of the youngest Shaymin of the village, with a blatant lack of manners, was poking the Snivy's tail. He, of course, hardly managed to focus on one thing at a time right now. He barely felt the constant poking.
"Bah. Would you leave the explorers alone? Come back here! They look busy!" Another of the villagers hollered for his or her child. Snivy couldn't tell...
Huh...? Why do I feel... dizzy? Stuff's spinning... With a leafy hand to the side of his head, he shut his eyes, diving into a new daze.
A lance of radiance pierced the blackness that was his vision.
Followed by... the sound of someone calling for him.
His eyes shot open.
"Huh?" ...The Snivy's gaze into darkness had failed to truly tell him anything new, other than his ability to use such a sense, and a name. Unfortunately, he remained oblivious to the sense.
"Heya!" The Pachirisu called out for him. "You okay?" He waved his paws in front of the boy's line of sight.
"I-I think..." The Snivy blinked, a hand still held against his head. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"If you say so. Hey! Do you want to try and run now?" Asked the hyperactive squirrel of a Pokémon.
"I can give it a shot, but I don't know... I can't even stand that great."
"I'm sure you'll be fine. You just need a little motivation to get you started!" Pachi put his small paws on his hips and looked off into the distant woodland. "How well do you know your way around here?"
"Huh?" The boy frowned, eying Pachi suspiciously. "I don't even know where I am... I'd get lost in a heartbeat."
"All the more reason to stick with meeeee!" In the blink of an eye, the electric rodent was off, leaving the other to contemplate what had just happened. A few of the villagers were inquiring at his presence even still.
"Ah! H-hey! I can—wait, my legs are shorter... O-okay, one foot in front of the other..." He mumbled, beginning to walk while keeping an eye on the Pachirisu rapidly becoming more distant. He was startled at how much progress the other made in so little time. It was unfair for the snake, even with legs. Pachi was using all four. He hesitated no further, picking up his pace from a sluggish walk to a whimsical jog, then to a brisk run. His shorter legs, as opposed to what can only be assumed to be longer legs at one point, provided him with less air. And for that matter, the weight of his tail was slowing him down. In spite of all of his confusion and lack of experience, he pressed on, hoping to catch up with his only guide on an unknown land. As much as he knew Pachi was probably treating this as a game, he was sincerely giving this run his all... Until he began to pick up on the basics.
That, or Pachi finally decided to quit teasing the Snivy and slow down a mile per hour or three.
It took the grass snake a good ten minutes to simply catch up with the other, and by then, he was panting for air.
"H-hey! That was hard!" The nameless Pokémon scowled at the Pachirisu.
"Hehe!" He simply giggled in return, picking up speed again.
So evenly focused on trying to stay on two feet, the Snivy could not even tell where he was. All he knew was that he was running across a foreign world, following a white squirrel into a town in search of an elder who knew about different Pokémon. So, he was quite amazed he hadn't passed out a second time from the sheer craziness of everything. As occupied as his mind was, he could not shake the feeling that times had been far more chaotic before this moment... or perhaps after it? His concept of time was damaged.
"Heads up! Jump!" Pachi shouted from a good five yards in front of the Snivy as he leaped over a small branch barring the path.
"Hwah!" Snivy panicked at first, though it came to him how mundanely simple the concept of jumping was, and how painfully hard it was to perform that in this state. The branch was quite small. A quick hop, supported with one hand pushing off of the top of the branch, allowed for his legs and tail to cross over with ease. He stopped for a moment upon reaching the other side, though noted the Pachirisu already getting further.
"Hahaha—oomph!" Pachi cried out, dashing right into the rear of an unsuspecting resident of the forest, or so he assumed. The impact was more harmful to him than the recipient. He fell back to his tail, while the other Pokémon did not even flinch. The clearly exhausted Snivy reached Pachi, silent at the sight of this armored elephant-like creature, which slowly turned to see who had disrupted it.
It's thick skin was lighter gray than the sturdy dark armor running down its back and trunk. The creature possessed two might tusks. Pachi recognized this Pokémon as a Donphan, as it loomed over him.
"Whoa whoa whoa, I'm sorry I'm sorry! Don't crush me! I didn't think anyone would be here!" Pachi begged, too nervous to scoot away from the beast.
"Ah-hahaha! Calm down, kiddo. I'm a civilized Pokémon. I hope you aren't hurt from that good slam you did on my backside." The small elephant, although larger than the two, spoke with a hearty, jolly tone.
"Oh. I... oh... My heart may have skipped a beat." Pachi blushed, looking to the Snivy.
"My apologies for standing around. I am Donphan, an explorer working with the federation. I... was lost in thought... Say, if you ever happen to run across a sly bunch of skags who call themselves Team Skull, my advice to you is to just try and stay out of their filthy business." The Donphan growled, looking back a tad. "I have a right might to report that no good Skuntank if he causes a ruckus again."
"Team Skull?" Pachi blinked. "I've never heard of them."
"I suppose that is a good sign. But they are a recent trio of hooligans who prance around like they are all big and bad. You'll know them when you see them." The polite giant finished speaking, giving a quick glance at the Snivy, then back to Pachi. "You kids should be careful. It's getting dark, and the last thing you'd want is to end up in a mystery dungeon during night."
"Oh, trust me Mr. Donphan, we're anything but explorers, I think..." Pachi gave a quick look to his green acquaintance. "We're headed to the Hot Springs to find Torkoal."
"Ah-haha, you are nearly there. Keep up the pace, but... do try to keep an eye out for any unsuspecting Pokémon standing in your way. Wouldn't want your fears to become a reality, would we now?" With a chuckle, Donphan walked aside. "Take care, you two. I hope you find who you're looking for."
"Thank you." Pachi gave a nod, which acted as a bit of a bow as well. His smiled faded fast at as he acted quick to ask the explorer a question. "Oh, wait a second. A good buddy and I were having trouble figuring out what kind of Pokémon my friend here is. Mr. Donphan, would you happen to know what he is?"
"Hmm..." The question stunned the Donphan as he examined the features of the Snivy from his point. "I'm sorry... There are many kinds of Pokémon even the federation does not know about. I can't say."
"Oh... oh well! Thanks anyways!"
In appreciation of the kind explorer's courtesy, both young Pokémon were off once again. Pachi concluded that he was running a bit too fast, and decided to stay close to the Snivy for the remainder of the trip. The time of their trek was quickly approaching an hour. The sun was beginning its routine descent, casting hues of pink in the distant sky.
The Pachirisu and the Snivy were now walking side by side, fully aware of their surroundings, which were beginning to clear into slightly forested grassland. They were nearing the Hot Springs.
"I'm starting to feel better... Maybe that run did help me after all." The green snake, still unknown to Pachi or his friend Ampharos.
"See? All you need is a little push, and you'll feel reinvigorated." Said Pachi, flicking his tail with happiness having heard of the Snivy's improvement.
"I guess you're right about that. I didn't know it applied to me though... I don't where I came from... and it's still hard for me to accept all of this."
"Hmm, you're still sleepy, huh?"
"Kind of..." The Snivy shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't feel like myself. I feel like... a Pokémon..."
"Uhh..." Pachi stopped, squinting ahead as Snivy passed him by. "But you are a Pokémon..."
In response, Snivy stopped as well.
"I... guess I really am...? I didn't know what to think, and I still don't." The troubled new Pokémon faced his acquaintance. "But I could have sworn I was a human before all of this..."
Silence...
A few leaves darted passed this "former human" in a gust of wind.
"Should I have said that? Part of me is telling the other part of me not to go and proclaim that I'm a human to everyone." The Snivy, who appeared a tad questionable in terms of sanity, said.
"I don't know if I can completely trust you on that, but... I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." Pachi promised, comfortable enough to return to the other's side.
"Thanks, Pachi. I know I'm a weirdo to you right now... but... I don't know what else to say. I'm telling the truth."
"Hey..." Pachi did give the boy's statement regard. He was prepared to ask a different kind of question. "What is your name? Your human name?"
"It's Jovany. My name is Jovany." …
The Snivy named Jovany spoke his true name to Pachi, making Pachi the very first Pokémon to know a human upon this world.
Though, there were still many things unclear about Jovany. What was he in this world? No one knew he was a Snivy. It was a Pokémon known by presumably very few in these parts.
The remedy to that was atop a rocky hillside. A wise old Pokémon who went by the name of Torkoal was said to be a very good source of knowledge. Reaching the Hot Springs only ended in disappointment for the two...
"Huh? There's no one here!" Pachi stood at the mouth of a steamy pond, rocks arranged in such a fashion that allowed for Pokémon of different sizes to sit comfortably in the soothing waters.
"Dang it, I was looking forward to figuring this out, too..." Jovany huffed, dipping his foot in the water for a moment. "The water's nice though."
"Is it? I'd like to relax, but I have to get back to Treasure Town. I think everyone's gone home for the night. Busy days, busy days..." Pachi shook his head, looking into the warm waters. "But that's just how it is around here. Criminals to catch, Pokémon to rescue, places to explore..."
"I've heard a lot about explorers so far. Is that a popular thing here?" Asked Jovany, the two consigning to leave the Hot Springs together.
"It's just about the biggest thing we have to offer! And boy is it big." The Pachirisu hopped from one rock to another, while Jovany took the route of a more controlled descent. Both Pokémon were off once again.
"So that friend of yours and the guy we ran into in the forest were explorers, right?"
"Uh-huh. Talented ones, if I'm correct! I know Ampharos is."
"What about you? Are you an explorer?"
"Naw, I'm not cut out for work like that. Besides, Momma Paches doesn't want me in that line of work. Hehe, I had to tell her I was going to see Ampharos with another friend. I don't feel good about lying, but I really wanted to catch up on things, and everyone was so busy today."
"It seems like... Exploration... That's tough work, you say?"
"It's fatiguing. The reward is worth the risk for lots of brave Pokémon out there. I'm not much of a fighter or a hero, so I'm not explorer material."
"Hey, didn't'cha tell me all it takes is a little motivation?" Jovany smirked at his traveling companion.
"Touché, hehe. It sure does take motivation. It takes cunning, valor, strength, a good attitude... Let's just say it takes a long piece of a paper to list all of the things you'd want to have. Confidence is on that list and, well, I don't have much of that." Walking on his hind legs, the Pachirisu hung his head low, watching the shadow from behind. "Plus I don't want the family to worry about me. What about you though...? We didn't get to see Torkoal... What are you going to do once we get to town?"
"To tell you the truth, I don't know. Maybe I'll ask around. I'm really tired. I think I'll rest when we get there."
"It's not too far. But it looks like we only have so long until sunset. Let's get one more run in there, shall we?"
"Sure. I can't argue with it being good exercise."
With more room to run free, Pachi sprinted ahead on all fours while leaving Jovany to do his best to catch up. This time, he was not worried. The other was in plain view for a significant distance. He tested his limits, finding that he could not run as fast as he had hoped. Just yet. Only a mile from their point was an encampment. It was massive, with a few hills and mountains around it. Beyond this large encampment was the shining sea. The Pokémon-turned human, as he had explained earlier, began to catch up with Pachi, which led to the idea that this companion of his was slowing down.
"Well, Jovany! That right there is the splendid Treasure Town! Sorry to part with you so soon, but I have to check in with my parents! I told 'em I'd be home a little earlier than this!" Pachi chattered a little quickly, obviously in a rush to get home.
"It's okay. Thanks for taking me here. I owe you, Pachi."
"Naw, you don't owe me anything. We're friends! It was fun traveling with you. I wish you the best of luck! I know we'll meet again sometime soon! Buh-bye!" With a wave as Jovany's response to this, the jittery character called Pachi bolted off faster than the Snivy had ever seen him before. If he wasn't able to keep up with the squirrel's pace before, this was a definite impossibility for the lost, new Pokémon.
"Take care of yourself..." Jovany spoke under his breath, smiling at the thought of having a friend here already. "Friends, hm?" He sighed with content, feeling victorious for the first time in as long as he could remember. Sadly, that was not saying too much...
He strode into town, taking note of the liveliness. A Pokémon passed him on the crossroads. There was a sign to his right with a small bell on it, and a watering hole behind that. Straight ahead was a path through town, and upon that path were many of its boutiques and shops, which were built as tents, stands, or even dojos. Jovany could see a river flowing through the town up ahead. The northern path of the crossroads led uphill. What stood beyond the hill was unseen to the short Snivy. The southern path caught his interest, as it appeared to led to a quieter setting. The last thing on the boy's mind was to attract attention. He took this southern path...
Gazing at the scenery—trees, torches, and totem poles—Jovany walked the path to its end, finding that the dirt quickly shifts to sand. Waves were crashing upon a tiny shoreline. This empty, rocky little beach was perfect for a person like Jovany, who sought serenity in nature.
He distanced himself from the route taken previously, coming quite close to the maw of a cave on the opposite end of the path. There, he stood, in awe at the sight of the sparkling ocean before him.
I'm not home... Where did I come from? It's not this place. Why was I human before all of this? Maybe I'm... in need of a quick nap...
Sitting on the soft sand, the exhausted boy began to doze off, legs aching with fatigue...
He was soon sleeping soundly to the waves striking the shore.
Post-AN: Right on! Let's call this Chapter 0. I wanted to have a little "tutorial" adventure before that oh-so-important meeting at the beach. And I also felt it'd be better to introduce characters from late-game Sky stuff, not to mention Team Skull, who popped up out of nowhere in the Explorers series. And yes, it's the same Jovany from Wave: Endemic. Updates will come soon! And even sooner with those mighty lovely reviews~! :D