Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here's the latest chapter for my PMD fic. It took me forever to produce but I tend to cycle my way through my projects in an order when not being distracted by one shots and other things. In addition recently I kind of got slammed with well I guess I'd call it a block for those who don't follow me on DA or Tumblr and I was just slowed down. Eventually I got through it somewhat but yeah this chapter was still slow mainly because starting chapters is difficult for me currently, and I also struggled with the age old problem of fight scenes. Another issue I had when editing it was the way I sort of flung around pokemon names. If you have any tips for these issues I'm willing to listen though please keep it civil. This chapter is short but it works. Thanks to my friend Tolby for helping with the chapter title. I hope you like the chapter. I do not own Pokemon Mystery Dungeon in any way, shape, or form. Reviews welcome. As always you can always check my Tumblr blog or my DeviantArt page here for news on my stuff!

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescuing Reality

Chapter Three

A Not So Good Start

Forager Woods Grove

The popplio blinked he stood in a small grassy clearing. Looking around he couldn't tell what exactly but he knew something was off. Something was different about this place in comparison to the areas he had passed through getting here. Then he heard something.

"Ack leave me alone!"

The popplio gave a start and looked around and spotted a path formed by small bushes he could follow.

The path quickly emptied out into a small clearing bordered by bushes with a large tree towards the back but those features were irrelevant to the popplio when compared to the little brown bird cornered against the tree with a beedrill, an oddish, and a pidgey facing them.

Swallowing past his fear the popplio reached for the emblem he wore and pulled out the whirlwind wand he picked up a while ago. Then crying out "heads up!" He waved it towards the pokemon and watched as a whirlwind flew towards the oddish on the right which struck and promptly knocked them into the air and to the side away from the bird (rowlet his mind supplied helpfully) and quickly attracting the attention on the pokemon opposite him.

As the attacking pokemon turned to look though the popplio quickly waved his wand and away the pidgey went.

The beedrill now annoyed with him turned to face the popplio and this was a mistake as the rowlet attacked with the bug types back turned her beak shining as she used peck.

The beedrill reeled from being hit and the popplio used the chance to fire a water gun and it scored a direct hit which made the bug turn to face the popplio its attention successfully split in two.

Then there was movement out of the corner his eye, the oddish was back up.

The popplio waved the wand and the oddish flew away again, a quick look and the popplio confirms that the pidgey had gotten up too.

The wand is waved again and away the pidgey goes flying only this time the popplio gasped as the wand vanished into the air right in his grasp. He gasped and then a voice yelled "look out!"

Looking he yelped and ducked as the beedrill flew by him and crashed to the grass. A water gun to the face and the pokemon vanished from sight.

"Watch it water boy!"

The popplio looked the scowling rowlet and said "sorry" and the rowlets face switched to one of surprise as she said "wait you're not a feral!?"

"N-no. You didn't hear me speak earlier?"

The rowlet gestured with a wing saying "kinda busy."

"O-oh sorry."

The two pokemon looked around and confirmed their enemies were back up again and the rowlet said "you take the bird, I'll handle the walking vegetable."

The popplio went right and the rowlet went left. The following battles went pretty quickly.

As the popplio turned to face the rowlet his face went into fright at the scowl she was directing at him as with yet another yelp he half-face planted into the ground.

"What's a water type doing in this part of the world?"

The popplio blinked at her completely at a loss for what to say and eventually said "I don't know...?"

The rowlets face went into one of exasperation but before she could say anything there was a loud rumbling noise "ARGH!" The rowlet screamed "I'm starving and those stupid ferals made me drop all my stuff earlier!"

Propping itself up slowly the popplio reached for his emblem and when the rowlet's eyes snapped to him he froze for a second before saying "…I mean no harm?"

The rowlet leveled an unimpressed look at him before he placed his flipper to the emblem and pulled out the apple he picked up earlier and held it out to the surprised rowlet.

After a second "what's the catch?" Was the skeptic response.

The popplio blinked and said "huh?"

The rowlet stared at him askance as she thought to herself does he seriously expect me to believe that with the way the world is nowadays that he would offer food for nothing?

But after a moment of him just holding out and her stomachs persistent growling she looked at him again and then took the apple from him and after a moment said "thank you."

She quickly scarfed it down and said "so what are you doing here?"

The popplio hesitated before explaining his whole experience so far.

The rowlet stared at him aghast and opened her mouth to say everything he said was a load of nonsense but looking at him just stopped and thought to herself whatever…

She turned toward the exit of the grove but before she could move to leave another voice in her head spoke up saying are you really just gonna leave him here?

The rowlet looked at the popplio who was staring at the ground and fidgeting with one of his flippers. She sighed.

"Hey" the water type looked up. "Do you have a name?"

The popplio was taken aback before he shook his head saying "not that I know of anyway."

The bird looked him up and down saying "OK then you're Blue until we learn otherwise."

The water type blinked "Blue?" He asked.

The grass type shrugged "it works" she said simply.

It does… I guess? The popplio, now Blue thought to himself.

The female bird nodded "good now let's go."

Blue blinked and looked at her "huh?"

The rowlet looked at him and said "it'll be dark soon we need to get to shelter, c'mon." She walked a bit aways before turning and saying "oh I'm Artemis by the way."