I suppose this is where things are going to start getting real interesting. Relatively short chapter.
I thank all of you who have been keeping with my story here and I hope I've been keeping things interesting up to this point.
Enjoy. Read and Review. And most of all: Thank you.
PMD2: A Novelization
Chapter 12: The Journey to Foggy Forest
Alex and Eve spent the three hours of preparation for the Expedition going around town, checking and double checking their supplies, so that they wouldn't be missing anything went they left with the Guild.
The Kecleon brothers had apparently heard about the expedition, as had many of the pokemon residing around town. The two shop-owners were even so generous to give them a Special Band for free, as a good-luck present.
Many of the other pokemon in Treasure Town also wished them luck on the trip, few more so than Marill and Azurill, who were thrilled their heroes were going on such an adventure.
"Let's not disappoint them, okay Alex?" Eve said as they headed back to the Guild.
Alex smiled and nodded in response. He didn't plan to disappoint anyone except Team Skull.
o0o
"We will be setting out for Foggy Forest in search of Fogbound Lake." Chatot announced once the Guild was reassembled. He had out a wonder map and was pointing to a location far to the east of town and past a vast amount of terrain.
"As the name implies, the forest is covered by a perpetual fog and legend has it that there is a lake hidden somewhere within that forest… and at that lake is a treasure of utmost beauty! That is our objective for this expedition."
Murmurs swept through the guild members, wondering what the treasure could be.
"We will set out in separate groups to the lake, being that if we all went together as a whole, mobility would be severely hindered. I will now set forth the groups:"
Chatot turned to Wigglytuff first.
"The guildmaster and myself will be traveling together as a pair, I think that should be fine."
Wigglytuff frowned and Alex was reminded of a child again, one who had been assigned a chore they didn't like.
"Awwww!" the Guildmaster whined "I have to go with Chatot? Boooorrring!" and shook his head.
"Please, Guildmaster…" Chatot said with a note of desperation "This is for the best."
Wigglytuff didn't complain aloud further but continued to pout and mumble his complaints. Chatot ignored this and continued on, turning to the guest team.
"Team Skull will travel as their own group,"
"Understood." Skuntank said with a deep nod and a grin.
"Now for the apprentices, the first group is Loudred, Sunflora, and Dugtrio."
The three looked at each other, Loudred spoke up first.
"You better not slow me DOWN!"
"Speak for yourself!" Sunflora retorted… this prompted Alex to wonder about putting those two in the same group.
"Next is Diglett, Chimecho, Corphish and Croagunk."
Corphish turned to his companions.
"Alright, we're a pretty good group, hey hey."
"We can do this!" Chimecho cheered. Chatot then finished:
"And the last group is Alex, Eve, and Bidoof."
Bidoof glanced back at them.
"Oof… hope I don't slow the two of you down on this trip." He said nervously.
"Same here, Bidoof." Eve said cheerily. Alex just nodded.
"Right then," Chatot said "We're all set so let's move out apprentices!"
They responded with their loud cheer "Hurray!" and marched out.
o0o
Alex and his companions settled into a course that ran along the coast to the south. Eve took point and led the way forward. Then they were at a cave on seaside cliff… a statue was sitting to the left of the cave and the sea was on the right. They stopped and Eve pulled out the wonder map.
"Alright, we should be right here," Eve said, pointing to a spot approximately one-third of the way to their primary destination "This is Craggy Coast we're at right now."
"Hey, lookie there, there's a Kangaskhan Rock." Bidoof said, pointing at the statue. On closer inspection, Alex noticed it did indeed look much like the pokemon that ran the storage shop. Eve looked at it, curious.
"I understand you can trade out items at those rocks and they're good places to regroup when you rest. Very handy, yup yup." Bidoof rambled. Alex had to agree they did sound very useful. Then Bidoof looked away in a shy manner.
"Oof, well, there I go… running my mouth off on my first expedition… one of the first times I've seen 'em too…" he mumbled as if chastising himself.
"Hey, it's our first time too." Eve pointed out comfortingly. "That's good information to have Bidoof. I know we can do this." She continued as she put away the wonder map. The eevee then turned around and started planning out how to proceed.
Eve's really been taking charge… Alex noted to himself.
I suppose its just the excitement of the expedition and the last few days that's bringing it out… but she's really growing up into a strong explorer.
"Alright! Craggy Coast ahead. We can do this! Let's go!" Eve declared and Alex and Bidoof followed her in.
Alex found the Coast to be a place suited for his skills. As befitting such a location, they frequently came across water-types, swimming about in the seawater that was in the cave. The most common opponent they ran across were wingull, which were basically sea birds. They were little threat to any of them.
Bidoof proved to be somewhat slow but he was a durable explorer. Slow but steady described him best.
They also came across seel at one point, and as their name implied, they were aquatic seals. Alex was somewhat surprised when one of them blew a freezing cold gust of air at him. Alex's usual quickness was quickly lost as Alex lost himself in shivering and trying to warm up again. The seel then bounded forward and slammed its head into his body in a hard head-butt.
Alex ignored how chilly he was suddenly feeling for the moment and shocked the seel, knocking it out fast.
"A nice fire-type would be nice about now…" Alex mumbled, feeling like his teeth might start chattering as he rubbed his arms, willing them to be warm again.
"Let's just keep going Alex, you'll warm up as we move. We can't keep the guild waiting." Eve said rather bluntly. So the trio continued and Alex dealt with more water-types as they proceeded.
After a while, they couldn't hear the sea any more and the water started to thin out.
They proceeded further ahead and they were soon in a mountain range, a large peak awaiting them ahead.
"Alright," Eve said, pulling out the map again "I think we're somewhere around here…" she said waving her paw around the mountains a little ways to the northwest of their destination. They looked to be about two-thirds of the way there now…
"I think this here is Mt. Horn, yep yep." Bidoof commented then there was a growling noise "Whoops, that was my stomach there." He chuckled, abashed. Eve glanced at the sun, which was getting low in the sky now.
"Hmm… I think it will be night before we finish if we started climbing now, so how about we have dinner and rest up?" Eve said.
"Sounds good." Alex agreed.
"Let's eat! Yahoo!" Bidoof cheered.
o0o
The next day, all three of them got up and Bidoof eagerly stepped forward.
"Alright! Let's put this mountain behind us and rejoin the rest, yep yep!"
They proceed up the mountain.
Copious numbers of bug-types and birds awaited them as they climbed up the mountain. Queer-looking natu (small, green, ball-shaped birds) teleported away as they came. They frequently encountered beautifly and venomoth as they traveled. Neither were particularly challenging for Alex to electrocute and KO. They also encountered mushrooms as they climbed: parasect that looked like a mushroom crossed with a crab of some sort, and shroomish, which were little mushrooms with feet. Alex, finding these to be electricity-resistant grass-types, allowed Bidoof and Eve to handle these opponents.
As they neared the peak of the mountain, they came across yet another beautifly. The butterfly-like pokemon proved to be a severe annoyance when it suddenly unleashed a wave of glittering dust on the wind at them. The dust upset Alex's skin severely and it rather hurt, especially when it got in his eyes. What was worse, the dust seemed to empower the bug, which started moving faster and unleashed another wave of dust at them.
"Ow! What with that dust? It stings!" Eve cried.
"That's enough!" Alex yelled in frustration and pulled out a stun seed in the treasure bag and pitched it at the butterfly. The seed shot into its mouth and the bug found itself petrified and unable to move. Alex stomped up to it and violently fried the bug.
"Good riddance…" he groaned, distributing oran berries to the party.
Alex led the way as he dealt with more of the flying bugs. They finally reached the peak, where they all let out a sigh of relief. The hard part was pretty much over.
"You've really been a good help Bidoof." Alex commented. Bidoof blushed, mumbling to himself.
"This way should lead right to where the others are gathering. C'mon." Eve said and they headed down the mountain.
o0o
They soon arrived at a clearing before the forest, which was indeed, obscured by a thick cloud resting over it. The guild was already present and had set up tents in the clearing.
"Where have the three of you been?" Chatot immediately admonished them on-arrival "Everyone else arrived hours ago! Come along!" and off he went to lead them to the where the others were gathered for another meeting. Eve started forward and Bidoof hurried after Chatot but Alex froze as he looked around…
He could see himself… running through this forest… with some unknown figure…
Have I been here before? Wait… I know this place!
"Hey! Alex!" Eve shouted.
Alex jumped and looked at his partner standing in front of him, looking directly at him.
"What's the matter? You off daydreaming? C'mon, they're waiting for us!"
Alex shook his head, discarding his thoughts as Eve turned back around and started to join the others. He followed after her thinking:
What am I thinking? I've never even been out this far before. How could I have been here before now?