Welcome back everyone! Miss me?! I apologize for my lengthy absence, but I really felt I could make the story better. If you have read the other copy that should be deleted by the time you read this, I encourage you to read this copy too.
Freedom. One word I wish I had. One aspect of life I wish was mine…
My name is Tristan. My life had not been a fairy tale one would read in books, nor even an average, everyday life you or your friends may lead. Watching my days saunter by with nothing new, exciting, or even joyous was a mentally exhausting way to live. Being caged and locked into the same routine with no break seemed like a circle of Hell. However, things weren't always how they are. At one point…I innocently enjoyed my life. I was born just outside Mauville city in the Hoenn region over 15 years ago. I was the first of three children that my parents would eventually have 3 and 7 years later respectively. We lived in modest, two-story home decorated by my mom's keen sense of design and color (not my dad's forte. He was color blind). The crisp sea air would often rise north; covering our house with a salty sent. It was an excellent place for a young, adventurous child to grow up…even if Route 110 was off limits.
One day…my customary lifestyle ended. It was the day my mom left my dad abruptly. In the middle of my 6th grade year, I come home expecting to smell the scent of home-made tea and freshly cut fruit, my favorite snack, when I am instead greeted by the horrific smell of booze from the family parlor. Inside, my dad was passed out with a bottle of liquor resting gently in his loose hand and a note resting on the coffee table. All in all, the note contained the reasons my other decided to leave my dad and take my sisters with her…and not me. I was too hurt and too young to fully comprehend the message, but I know it involved my dad's neglect of the house and his drinking problems. I felt crushed that my own mother would leave me with a man she deemed not fitting for her children. This day was the one that ended my average life, began my dad's severe drinking problem phase, and broke my heart.
From that day on, into the many years that followed, our lives did not improve. My depression had become a permanent part of my life. At night, I would often grasp my dirty blond hair and pull in tearful frustration at myself. My mom leaving was just the event that stirred up my emotions of deep sadness. The first chapter in the novel of my depression. I even questioned sometimes weather God was for me or enjoyed seeing me suffer. I lived basically alone. My dad was drunk off his ass for most of his waking hours and I was left with the duty of running the house and caring for my dad which left me no time at all for myself. Sure, my dad was a kind, honorable man and he didn't mean to make things hard, but his problem ran my life…and eventually ended it…
The day was going about as usual. I floated on through my school day studying hard and socializing with few. I did not have very many friends for my life was all taking care of my dad. Sure, some understood, but others would often judge me and claim I just did not like going anywhere or despised people in general. For example, one of my class mates was gathering people to have a Pokemon Tournament on the Battlefield outside the campus of Wattson High as he did every Thursday. Even though I owned a mighty Drapion that could effortlessly take on all their Pokemon, I was never able to participate. It's ok though…he stopped inviting me a month ago…
After the final dismissal bell rang permitting us to go home, I made my way to the front of the school to wait for my dad to drive me home. I talked with a few of my class mates about the drivers permit test I was planning on taking. I had just turned 15 the January before and was considering obtaining the permit so taking care of my dad would be easier and I could maybe interact with people my age for a change. At around 3:15, my dad rolled up swerving a bit to the front of the school in his rusted car. The car had multiple scrapes and indents on the doors and bumper numerous from run-ins with the curb and many unlucky fences. He always drank while I was at school which resulted in whenever he came to take me home, he was more than likely drunk. As I entered the vehicle, I was greeted with a scent I had anticipated. Whiskey.
"Dad have you been drinking again?" I asked him in an irritated manner. It's not like I did not know the answer already (which was made more obvious by the slurred response I got). I just wanted to him to know I was not comfortable with him driving intoxicated or the smell of the alcohol.
'Well,' I thought to myself, 'he has driven me home safely while drunk before. We should be fine I guess.' He recklessly sped out of the school's parking lot and screeched onto the road. We were no more than five minutes from home when we came to a four way intersection. Over to our left, an immense diesel truck rested majestically at the red light. I looked nervously between my dad and the truck praying that nothing happens. The sheer size of the truck alone was enough of a threat to sober people, let alone my wasted dad!
As the light turned green on the right and left and the cars began to go, my dad mistakenly took that as his signal to accelerate. He pushed on the gas; taking us straight into the middle of the intersection and in the way of the behemoth truck. In nearly a split second, I felt the truck impact our vehicle. Because the truck had just started from a stop, the force was not great enough to kill us on impact. After several seconds of being thrashed and thrown around, our car ceased movement. Somehow, the large truck had ended up parallel to us in the middle of all the wreckage. I began to shake my dad to wake him up when I happened to realize that truck was being held from falling by the black power lines that were lower than they were supposed to be (someone broke a pole in the mess). In moments, the cable snapped as the towering truck came crashing down onto us…putting us out of our miserable lives.
I felt my tattered soul lift from my body as it burned in a fiery blaze…but then I woke back up. I was baffled at weather or not I was dead or not for I was able to move in ways no different from before the crash. I hesitantly stood up and began to explore this possible after-life. For someone with little freedom, I had a knack for exploring the Routes surrounding Mauville. Whether it be the dense woods to the West, the dingy desert to the North, or the peaceful coast to the Southeast, I enjoyed the feeling of freedom and the thrill of discovery!
However, this new area was nothing similar to what I was used to. This place was pitch black and the ground that I stood on was seemingly transparent. The background looked as if there were thousands of stars that rested unmovingly in the distance; always just out of reach. They gave me an ominous feeling as I felt surrounded by emptiness. Without warning, a spiral of light emerged from the ground. It looked as if the spiral was sentient for it almost observed me and avoided my hands as I fruitlessly tried to shoo it away. After several moments of circling me, the light dashed off a several yards in one direction; as if teasing me to follow. I fell for its taunting and pursued it.
Once I got to the spiral of light, it began to shake. "What are you?" I asked more to myself. Surprisingly, hordes of Unown began to circle the light. The Pokemon chanted the spooky, yet almost comforting song of, "Unown. Unown." The Unown began to arrange themselves to spell out,
"I am an apparition. Not of your world." I sat there and pondered the meaning of its words.
"So…" I began slowly. "Like a ghost?" The spiral pulsed and the Unown began to spell out more words.
"More like a spirit. The essence of a god."
'A god huh?' I thought to myself. I decided to continue talking to the swirl to try to find out what kind of situation I had gotten myself into. Maybe I could even get home.
"Where am I?" I asked curiously.
"You are in the Passover Realm," the Unown spelt out as they chanted the ominous chant of Unown.
"What is the "Passover Realm"?"
"A place between worlds. A medium of dimensions."
"So…how do I get home…"
"You can't go home. Sorry." I began to become agitated by the short, basic answers I was getting.
"Why not?!"
"Because you are dead." The words shook me. I really did die…so this was heaven…or hell…either way, it was all over now. Freedom…
"Who are you," I asked more calmly now. This time, to my surprise, the spiral of light spoke.
"Save me," it said in a raspy voice not unlike the ones you here in horror films. I shook my head in shock and confusion. I felt genuinely scared now in the presence of this "god".
"What do you mean?"
"SAVE MEEEE!" the light nearly screamed. Then everything faded to black as I began to feel myself free fall downwards. The last thing I remember was landing in what felt like a liquid against my skin. Once I had landed, I let my eyes slowly close; accepting wherever this spirit had laid me to rest.
Well here it is, the prologue to the re-boot of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Spirit! As mentioned in the incomplete original, this story is an old idea crafted over the course of many years during school when I get bored. Starting as just dungeon ideas, I've linked everything into a story form. The story will be slightly longer than most Story Modes of the Mystery Dungeon games and include themes such as friend ship, what is right, and, later on, some love.
Also, as stated by many people as a common complaint, the loving moments between the two characters (everyone who read the un-finished original will know who I'm talking about), will happen and appear much later in the story. Another change will be detail on things and characters (especially the villains).
Well, I hope to see you all again soon! Remember to read, review, and enjoy!
Also, Metroid: Luminious should be updated soon!
Chapterly Gumpisims: "Beware of people who put numbers after their names."