Author's Note: A rewrite/novelization of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky plot. There are still some elements from the original, but there are also quite a bit of added elements. It's probably also a really clichéd sci-fi plot, (seriously, like REALLY clichéd, I'm just doing this for fun) so look out for that. And this is my first take at Pokemon, so the battles probably won't be too great. So, if you have any criticism, please, tell me in the reviews. Also, if there is a long delay between chapters, I sincerely apologize; there would be a lot going on in my personal life that would be preventing me from writing. Pfft. Stupid real life. Right, enough rambling, let's get this crap started.

Edit: Hastily fixed some errors which reviewer, Celivy, generously pointed out!

Chapter 1 - The Next Beginning

He grabbed onto his partner's arm with all the power he could muster. Orbs of energy and light appeared around them. "I-it's slipping!" he yelled as he felt his hand quickly coming loose.

"Hold on! Just a little longer!" They could see the end of the tunnel already.

"Oh! No!" His hand even more quickly slipped off the other's arm, until one final bump forced him to let go as he fell out of the stream. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he yelled as he fell out of the side of the passage and his partner yelled back at him.

()()()()()

Riolu walked up to the intimidating Wigglytuff tent. He saw the fake eyes staring blankly at him. Drops of sweat started beading on his forehead. "I have to do this! Today's the day! Today I will finally work up the courage to join Wigglytuff's guild!" he muttered to himself. "So… I just stand on this grate right?" He timidly staggered onto the grate.

For a few moments, the only sounds were of the two torches beside him sizzling and cracking. Then suddenly, a high pitched and loud voice shouted "Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?" another, even louder voice replied.

"The footprint is Riolu's! The footprint is Riolu's!"

Ah! He thought to himself, not wanting to let out his voice. W-what is this? This is the first time Riolu tried to join the guild; he didn't know what to expect. He quickly stepped off the grate and picked up the rock he had as a necklace. It had an odd and peculiar pattern inscribed on it.

Riolu let out an ashamed sigh. "I'm such a coward. How can I expect to solve the mystery of this relic fragment if I can't even gather enough courage to join this guild?"

He sighed again and slouched down to the beach; he always took a stroll down there, especially during the sunset when all the Krabbys blew their bubbles out to the vast sea. But what he didn't notice, however, were two Pokemon floating right behind him.

"Hey, did you see that Koffing?"

"What, that dumb piece of junk? It just seems like a stupid rock."

"No, I saw some sort of pattern on it, I'm sure of it. No doubt it's really valuable."

"Should we go after it?"

"We should." The two Pokemon lingered behind Riolu, keeping a safe distance away from him.

As he was walking down the path, he noticed a shadowy figure staring at him. "H-hello? Who's there?" he asked cautiously. Great, I just gave up on joining the guild, and now I'm going to get robbed on the same day, he thought to himself.

Before the mysterious silhouette could reply, another one swiftly pulled it into the bushes. Riolu was tempted to follow it in, but noticed all the Krabbys crawling onto the towering cliffs then blew their large bubbles out to the sea. Riolu looked back at the bush. It was completely still, except for the wind gently blowing the leaves. "Sigh, I was probably just imagining it. My mind is all over the place"

He continued walking to the beach when he noticed something laying at the beach. "Ah! Is that an… unconscious Pokemon?" He quickly scampered over to the Pokemon. "H-hello? Are you okay?" He reluctantly reached out to touch it when suddenly, it moved. "Oh! Thank Arceus you're okay!"

W-where am I? He thought.

"You were unconscious on the beach here! Are you injured?"

"I-I'm just a little sore." He replied.

"Oh, good." He sighed with relief. "So, what's your name?"

"My… name?" How in the world have I forgotten my own name? He thought a little longer, until finally, he remembered.

"Um… it's Sparky." He replied. Why did it take me so long to remember that?

"Wow, that's a great name! It's fitting since you're a Cyndaquil!"

"Wait, what? I'm-" he looked down at his arms. "AHH!" All he saw was little yellow nubs. "I-I've turned into a Cyndaquil!"

"What?" Riolu was really confused. "You mean, you were another Pokemon before?"

"No, I was a human!" Sparky exclaimed

"What?" Riolu was starting to wonder whether this Pokemon was… sane.

"I-I could've sworn-" he was interrupted when he saw two Pokemon- a Koffing and a Zubat –bump into Riolu. The rock around his neck flew off and landed on the sand, kicking off a little dust.

"Woah, hey! Watch where you're going!" the Koffing raucously snorted.

"Yeah! You could really hurt someone!" the Zubat picked the rock off the sand.

"Hey! That's mine!" he yelled as he stood up.

"For bumping into us, I'm afraid we're going to have to take this!"

"Wha- you're the one that bumped into us!" They ignored him as they scampered off into the cave behind Riolu. "No! Th-they took my treasure!" He looked at Sparky with begging eyes. "Please! You need to help me get that back!"

"What? B-but I just found out I-"

"Look, I know you're really confused and all, but," tears started to well up on his eyes, "that's my ONLY treasure! It's really special to me!"

Well, I don't have anywhere to go anyway, I'm completely lost. I might as well go with this Pokemon. I may find some answers by coming with him anyways. Hesitantly, he nodded his head.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" he turned to face the cave. "Let's go!" Sparky led the way into the dim cave. In it, Sparky found he was able to use his moves (albeit, very basic moves) with ease, and getting to the end of the cave wasn't that hard. When they arrived, they saw the two Pokemon trying to find a way out.

Riolu stepped ahead. "H-hey you!"

The two Pokemon jumped at the voice. "Huh?" Koffing snorted, "Oh, I didn't think someone like you would get this deep."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" Riolu was quite visibly shivering out of fear.

"Because, well, look at you! You're shaking like you're out naked in the snow!" Zubat scoffed, "You're scared of us? Just some petty thieves?"

"I-if you think I'm scared of you, then you've got another thing coming!"

"Hmph. So be it. I didn't want to do this, but you leave us no choice. We'll have to fight you!"

"Sparky," Riolu whispered, "Are you ready? This is going to be a hard fight!"

"Enough talking!" Koffing bellowed as he went for a tackle on Riolu. He tried to dodge, but was too slow, and was hit to the ground.

Sparky tried using his tackle, but Zubat used his leech life before he could hit anyone. Koffing used tackle on Sparky and he fell to the sandy ground.

"Ha! This was easier than I thought! I knew you wouldn't beat me!" Zubat laughed as he started to fly away.

"Yeah, both of you are pathetic." With that word, Riolu, with all his might, stood up, and threw the hardest karate chop he could muster on Koffing. The rock flew off his body and fell onto the ground.

"Who's pathetic now?! Huh?!" Riolu scoffed at him. He stumbled over to the rock and picked it up. When he was looking away, Zubat flew at him to try to attack, but was bombarded with Sparky's (who was still laying on the ground) embers and, him too, fell to the ground.

"Huh?" Riolu looked behind him. Both Koffing and Zubat were laying on the ground, moaning in pain. "Wow! You learned ember! Great job!" Sparky grinned back to thank him. "C'mon let's get out of here."

()()()()()

Outside the cave, it was already almost nighttime. "Woah, Sparky! Look at you! You're all bruised!" Sparky looked down to see all his bruises from the battle. "Wow, that was an intense battle! You were awesome!"

Yeah, I guess I was kind of cool. He thought. He let out a small ember. How did this happen? How did I turn into a fire-breathing Pokemon? It makes no sense.

"Hey, Sparky." Riolu said, "Um, I've been thinking about this, and, um… you… make me feel brave."

Huh?

"Back in that cave, if I was alone, I never would have been able to do that. Without you there, by my side, I don't think I'd be able to do these amazing things… so…" Sparky was watching Riolu. His eyes were closed, as if he was trying to think of how to say the next sentence. "Will you… form an exploration team with me?"

"A… what?"

"An exploration team! They're really cool Pokemon who venture into the unknown, and find so many cool treasures! Like this!" Riolu grabbed the rock from his necklace. "I found this on the ground one day. See this weird pattern?"

Sparky looked down at the pattern. He's right. That pattern… I can't describe it… it just looks… odd.

"I call it a relic fragment. If - oh sorry - WHEN I form an exploration team, my ultimate goal will be to solve the mystery of this relic fragment. But… I was never able to work up the courage to join! So… Will you join me in making an exploration team?"

I-I don't know! It's all happening so fast! Sparky thought. But I suppose I DO have nowhere to go, so I suppose this is my best option for now. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes! Thank you! Oh, we're gonna form the best exploration team in the world! Let's go! To Wigglytuff's Guild!" They both swiftly ran off the beach, and ran as quickly as they could, to Wigglytuff's Guild.

As they were walking on the crossroads, and passed the intersection, the same shadowy figure Riolu saw before lingered behind, looking straight at the pair of them, then quickly ran to the west.

A/N So, for the first pokemon battle I ever wrote, that was pretty good, right? Right? Please tell me I'm right. Oh well. If you have any criticism, leave it in the reviews, it's greatly appreciated. :)