Sean and I are sitting together upstairs, and it's very awkward. We just finished cleaning ourselves up as best as we could and I now introduced my new name. Now we don't really know what to talk about.
"So…" Sean started. "You said you were human before?"
"Sigh… Yeah. That's right," I said with a matter-of-factly tone.
"... I heard the legends. We have books about 'mons who said the same thing."
"You do? Like, the ones about Rayquaza and the meteor or Dark Matter?"
"Actually, yes. How'd you hear about them?"
"You have legends about us, why can't we have legends about you?" This was a strange answer I came up with on the fly. I'm really just pulling information from the video games.
"Fair point. So, what's in your version of the stories?"
"Oh, it's kinda a lot like your's in that-"
A third voice came in, yelling from the first floor. "You two alright up there? Dinner's getting cold." It was Bisharp.
Sean and I called back at the same time. "We're okay!" I wonder if they have the concept of jinxes here. Jinx, not Jynx. We both chuckled a bit.
"I was gonna say that, in our world, legends about Pokémon aren't really the same here.
"How so?" says Sean.
"It's like… How do I put this… So, humans come to your world in the form of a Pokémon, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Pokémon don't do that in our world. No records of any 'mon-turned-human where I come from."
"Wow," Sean said in awe. "Do you wonder why that is?"
"Well, now I do. I always thought Pokémon were just legends until now."
Sean gives a cheeky smile. "Great to see that your 'legends' aren't legends, are they?"
I smile back, but not as wide. "Honestly, this sort of thing was my dream for a few years when I was younger. Being a Pokémon, I mean. It feels so… Interesting." I look back at my tail hanging in the air. Still has some of that pins and needles feeling. "We should go get dinner. All of this crying and talking and revealing is exhausting." I say that last word with dramatic effect.
Sean giggles. "Alright, let's go down. I'm sure Bisharp is tired of waiting, too."
I smile again as I 'stand' up once again. Heading to the stairs, I trip and fall on my face again (with less pain, of course).
"You alright, Chase? That should've hurt," Sean said with worry like last time.
Getting back up, I just curse under my breath. "Stupid quadruped body…"
After a nice dinner, Bisharp, Sean and I went back up to go to sleep. And that night, I had a dream again. I wasn't kidding when I said that I got Chase from my dreams. And now, tonight, I'm in the exact same place as last time.
In the deep, blue sea without the need to breathe, and plunging down into the deep, dark depths below at an excruciatingly slow pace. I don't know how long it would take for me to reach the bottom. If there is a bottom. But I'd say two months, give or take. Probably. I don't know, it just… came to me like the name.
There's nothing to really look at around here. I'm still an Eevee- that white coloration isn't going anywhere soon.
…
Hey, look, something different. A Remoraid just passed nearby. It seemed to pay me no mind, but it's great to see something besides blue and white.
It wasn't long until I finally woke up again and into the waking world with little to no memory of what transpired. All I remember is two months. Two months until what? The reveal of the villain? Ha! In the words of a wise, green man, "like that'll ever happen." I forget his name, too.
I'm sure it doesn't matter. Probably.
Today, Sean wanted to check out the place where he found me lying down unconscious. "This isn't something Bisharp asked me to do. I just wanted to do it because it might give us a clue on things!"
"But, if memory serves correctly, don't mystery dungeons change their layouts every time someone enters them?" I asked.
"It only had one floor- the floor you were on. I'm sure there'll still be stuff there."
I put a paw to my chin in thought. Then I shrug. "Alright, I'll bite. Let's go."
Sean pumped his arm with a little "Yes~!" under his breath. Easy for me to hear with these big ears.
… I feel like I just jinxed myself with that.
Anyways, I decided to ask a question that I've been meaning to ask Sean for a while. I only feel comfortable asking him this question because it feels very personal, at least to me. I went up to him and began my question. "So, uh, Sean…"
"Yeah, Chase?"
"I have an, uh, a weird question to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Do you, uh… cough do you have… bathrooms here?"
Sean sorta just cocked his head to the side with a confused look on his face. "What's a bathroom?"
"Wait, you mean you don't have those here?"
"I don't even know what it is you're talking about."
I made a quick look around to see if there was anybody nearby. Seeing no one, I leaned into Sean and whispered to him what… well, what we humans do in a bathroom. You know.
"No, I don't think any 'mon does whatever it is you're thinking of."
You could hear the shock plastered on my face. "I thought that was just a convenience thing!"
You learn something new everyday. Like the fact that Pokémon make use of everything in a meal and don't produce waste. At all. I wondered why I never felt anything before…
The walk felt short. Our paws hit sand as we made it to the beach where I was found, with the cave/dungeon in quick view. The entrance, too, was in sight. "So that's where you found me?"
Sean perked up at my voice. "Yep! That's the spot!" He pointed at the cave. "C'mon! Let's go!" He was already running in by the time I had the chance to stop him.
"Hey, wait for me!" I ran after him, almost tripping again as this walk wasn't quite enough for me to truly get used to this still somewhat new body.
It wasn't until I reached the stairs did I hear Sean's voice from below. "Whoa! It is totally different here!" If it was different, I imagine the potential of wild 'mons. I quickly tried to speed down the stairs. Emphasis on tried, as I just as quickly started falling down the stairs in my attempt at being speedy. Thank goodness I worked at a summer camp for kids, otherwise I'd be dropping f-bombs faster than I'm dropping down the stairs.
Finally reaching the bottom, Sean didn't pay attention to me very much as this was my third fall so far and I'm probably fine. And yeah, I am. Not too much hurts on my body. So, instead, Sean paid more attention to his surroundings. We're in an empty, cavernous room with no 'mon in sight besides us two. No items, either. And, looking back, no stairs. "Uh, Sean?"
Sean looks behind himself to look at me and the now disappeared stairs. "Yeah? Oh. Uh…"
"We're trapped in a mystery dungeon," I said bluntly with a matter-of-factly tone.
"I can see that."
"Sigh… welp. Time to find the stairs down so we can get out of here before people start worrying about us." I started marching toward a narrow hall that I've seen in the games back home. I look back at Sean. "You coming?"
I didn't register it for a second, but Sean is shivering. He seems absolutely terrified. At my voice, though, he perks up and smacks his cheeks. He looks back at me. "Yeah. Let's do this thing."
I smile. "You know what? This would actually be the perfect place to learn how to fight, if we come across a wild Pokémon of course."
Sean positively beamed at my statement. Then looked down. "But didn't you say that you'd only fight if we needed it?"
"Pretty sure we're gonna need to fight if we come across a wild 'mon."
Needless to say, I've never seen Sean more happy or excited than now. The opportunity to finally learn how to fight right here within his grasp.
… and the opportunity for me to learn, too.
The hall was so narrow, one had to lead in front and the other had to hang back. Just like the games, I thought. Travelling down the hall, Sean and I heard things. The soft pitter-patter of our paws on the cavern floor. The occasional drop of water to give us a light startle, keeping on us edge. Water running to and from somewhere, ever so slowly. The hall became half of a hall as only the left side had a wall. The right was an underground lake, the water a light blue. Sean looked on in wonder at the sight while all this water just made me feel thirsty, so I decided to take a sip. What's the worst that could happen?
I heard a small bubbling in the water as soon as I was finished drinking the water. I don't know if it was instincts, or a sixth sense, or some other thing, but before I knew it I was shouting out "Look out!" to Sean as I leapt to him and pushed him to the ground just in time to see a Krabby appear from the spot where I was drinking, a claw outstretched and clamped at where my fluffy neck was.
Well, at least it's not a Kingler. Getting back up, Sean looked at the Krabby with a mix of fear and confidence. "Finally, a fight!" Sean said as he quickly got back to his feet (or paws). I looked at the Krabby with the same mix as Sean. Only more fear because I was one step away from potential decapitation.
Normally, I'd be asking Sean how we'd go about this, but the only thing that comes to mind would be him saying 'I thought you would know!' So, staring at this Krabby, I did the only thing I thought would be good for this situation.
Run into it headfirst in a brash attempt at Tackle.
Here in this narrow hall with lakeside, it could only either take the hit, try and counter, or sidestep into the water. And I don't know if it's stupid, if I'm fast, or if it was prepared, but I hit it. I was expecting it to stand there and cut off my head in one fell swoop, now that I was in its reach. But I wasn't expecting it to actually go flying into the hall.
"Whoa… That was so cool!" I take my eyes off of the Krabby that's now lying on the ground and look at Sean with hearts in his eyes. In hindsight, that was a terrible idea because Krabby shot a Water Gun at me through his claw, knocking me back into Sean's loving arms with a scream in pain. Yes, it hurt. Like, a lot.
I look up at Sean and yell at him. "Are you just gonna stand there and gawk or are you gonna help me fight this Krabby?"
Sean looks a little stupefied at this query, but, with a face of newfound confidence, looks at the Krabby now coming closer with snapping claws. With a sigh, he drops me and goes to Tackle the crab as well, mimicking me. It had a similar effect, it just doesn't seem as strong. Sean went forward, tackled the Krabby, and the crab 'mon went flying again. Sean looks back at me with a smile on his face, making the same mistake as I did. I ran and pushed him down as a Water Gun flew overhead.
"Got any other moves in that head of yours?"
"I tried Bubble, once," Sean replied.
"Use that. I'll try Tackle again while you cover me. Maybe shoot it after I hit it."
"W-w-w-wait, I haven't used it in-" But I was already gunning it for the Krabby. Sean could only sigh in anger as he tried to get that 'feeling' again from the first time he used the move, doing his best to be calm and look inside himself for the answer.
That's my interpretation, at least. I'm over here trying to get behind Krabby so I can Tackle him into the Bubbles to come. As the Krabby snapped into the open air above me, I ducked under it, got behind the enemy, and slammed into him with my head in Sean's direction.
Just as the Krabby went flying for the third time in a row towards the Squirtle, Sean shot a few Bubbles into Krabby's path. Beyond my belief, the Bubbles exploded in a miniscule way as Krabby was launched back at me. With quick thinking, I spun around and slapped the Krabby back into the lake. Or that's what I tried to do, and instead launched the Krabby into the wall on the entire other side of the lake. The crab 'mon just slid down the wall like in those funny cartoons back home and into the lake without a sound.
I should mention, I got a chill up my spine from that. An impact like that with a new appendage didn't feel very good.
With a moment of silence, Sean broke it just as fast as it came with some amazed shouts and stuff like 'oh yeah!' and 'that was awesome!'
I, for one, just sat down and took some deep breaths. That was way too close back there. And my chest still hurts from the Water Gun. One wrong move, and we'd be-
I was woken up by Sean shaking me again. "Come on! Let's see if we can find the stairs."
"R-right. Don't want anyone to get worried from our absence, after all." I stood back up on my four legs as Sean led the way out. Luckily, we didn't run into any other Pokémon. Instead, we were able to find a Tamato berry and some P$ (Poké). Not much, mind you, but it's cool to have these things. I carried the money while Sean carried the berry. Eventually, we did also find the stairs that led down to the final floor.
Heading down, we got to take in the amazing sight. The cavern walls sparkled, slick from the moisture in the air. And there's a small body of water that somehow sparkles even more than the walls. It also seems to have a lot of bubbles. Looking around, there were nothing else besides the stairs that led back up.
"This is still an incredible sight to see. It's so sparkly, y'know?" Sean looked at me with a smile on his face.
However, I'm more interested in the water right now. Going up to it, I looked back at Sean who had a quizzical look on his face. I look back at the water and put a paw into it. Sean runs up to me.
"Don't do that, Chase! You don't know what that water could do!"
"It seems fine to me," I replied. "It hasn't done anything to my paw."
Sean looks at it and, reluctantly, gives in with a sigh. I get back to the water and decide to give it a sip. Just a small sip.
And wowza, I wasn't expecting that! "It's carbonated!"
"Carbo-what?" Sean asked.
"It's carbonated water. This stuff fizzes in your mouth and gives it a weird tingly feeling. Try it!" Gosh, I wish I brought a bottle or something to carry this in.
Sean kneels down and puts some of the water in his mouth, having a surprised reaction as well. "That is a weird tingly feeling!"
"I know, right? Humans back home make this stuff taste sweet by adding in stuff like sugar and fruit. If we can take this water back, we can make a fortune!" I stand on my hindlegs for a second to provide dramatic effect, only to fall backwards onto the floor because of my unbalanced weight. Sean could only laugh at that.
"You're right though," Sean began. "I don't think we have this carbo… carbona… tingly water, like, anywhere."
"Then we have to come back down someday and grab this water."
Sean nods. "Yeah. But, for now, we should go back home. Bisharp might be worried sick."
"Agreed, but how do we get back up to the surface?" I asked.
"Same way we went in! To the stairs!" Sean shouted this as he ran up the stairs. I simply shrugged and followed after him, a bright flash of light appeared before my eyes as we were suddenly back at the entrance of the dungeon. "Pretty cool, huh?" Sean said. "I heard about that in the books."
I'm over here still confused as to how stairs can do that. "Must be weird mystery dungeon stuff."
We, of course, were still carrying the items back from the dungeon; our berry and few funds are still in hand… paw.
Making our way back, not a lot of time actually passed down in the dungeon. By the time we were at Bisharp's house again, it was lunch time and she was just about finished.
This was a pretty successful and secretive day. And I'm happy.
But one thing that's still on my mind is that carbonated water back in the dungeon. I'm sure it has another name; it's on the tip of my tongue... what is it?
