Chapter 1. Surviving in a Strange New Land

Elodie's having the falling dream again. As always, it starts with her waking up to a blue sky punctuated by puffy white clouds. Then something shifts, and suddenly she's falling, falling through the clouds and down to the unknown abyss below. Her body is paralyzed, facing the sky, forced to watch as those cheerful clouds turn into distant pinpricks. She tries to flap her wings—please, why won't her own body work?!—but it's like she's a rock. She can't move. She can't even open her mouth to shout. All she can do is helplessly wait until she lands.

But she doesn't.

"Elodie? Elodie!" a voice startled the Togetic out of her dream.

With a gasp Elodie awoke, the face of a worried Breloom encompassing her vision.

"We gotta go; they're back," Adam continued, hopping off the bed.

That woke her up. It would do none of them any good if they got caught and arrested for breaking and entering; even if all they did was sleep in a warm bed for the night.

As Adam fiddled with the window latch, Elodie grabbed a small piece of parchment from the homeowners' desk next to the bed. Taking a pen, she scribbled a hasty, "Sorry!" before joining her fiancé at the window.

"Aha!" he grunted, and opened the window up completely. The chill of a crisp February morning drifted into the room, granting a shiver from Elodie. Despite his typing, Adam claimed to like the cold. Weirdo.

Elodie grabbed the wicker basket that held their precious Egg—a beautiful shade of cream, decorated with red and blue triangles—and fluttered down to the street outside.

Adam joined her soon after, wincing briefly as he landed on his feet. The bedroom may have been on the second floor, but the drop wasn't dangerous if one like Adam knew what they were doing.

The two Pokemon ran far from the scene of their crime, heading where? They didn't know. All they knew was to head as far from the house as possible before the owners raised the alarm.

"Were you having that dream again? You were shaking in your sleep," Adam panted as they ran.

"Uh-huh," Elodie gasped, and they came to a halt.

"Ha…This should be far enough…" Adam wheezed as the two paused to catch their breath. "Is the Egg okay?"

Elodie carefully unwrapped the Egg from its thin protective blanket and checked it all over for cracks. "No, it's fine. I wish I could get a better blanket for it though."

"Soon, we will. Are you heading to the job boards today?" Adam asked, coming over to help her rewrap it.

Yesterday, after the boat they'd stowed away on landed, they'd noticed a board with dungeon jobs tacked onto it as they explored the salty, shifty port town of Murkmire. It had been too dark to check them out then, but now the sun was shining brightly overhead.

"Yeah. Hopefully I can find a team to join. And good luck with your own search," Elodie nodded, giving Adam a quick hug.

He embraced her, drawing her closer for a kiss on her cheek. "You will find a team. And I'll find work too. Maybe someone will take pity on a poor, expecting Breloom."

Elodie giggled and passed him the basket before bidding him goodbye. She watched him go off into the crowds, a big dopey smile still on her face.

"Hehe…Now, where was that diner?"

The job boards were attached to a small diner in the heart of the city. Elodie had to wade through crowds upon crowds of dock workers, sailors, and other Pokemon going about their business. The buildings were weathered, built right next to each other, and everything had the permanent stench of brine. Elodie pressed her wings close to her sides as she peered up at the claustrophobic hovels.

So distracted was she, she didn't see the Kingler at the job boards until she'd bumped into him.

"Oh! Terribly sorry," she apologized. The Kingler waved it off with a massive claw.

"Don't worry bout it, dollface. …Looking for a job?"

"Yeah. I'd like to join a team, even if for a day. I'm rather short on cash," Elodie nodded, looking over the jobs posted.

'Experienced explorer wanted'? Not me. 'Wanted: 100 Reviver Seeds'? Um…maybe after I join someone…

"You willing to get your hands dirty, girl? Charm your opponent so you can get closer for a strike? 'Cause if so, you can join my group," the Kingler asked.

"Really?" Elodie said, her eyes going wide. She'd already found someone just like that?

"Yeah! We could use someone like you on our team. Are you free right now?"

Elodie beamed. "Yes!"

Emerald Park

The Park was about a mile and half out of town. Once she was outside Murkmire, Elodie inhaled a deep breath of fresh, salt-free air and stretched her wings. Ah, to be out and about in nature and not cooped up in town! Despite the chill, she was thrilled to be out where she preferred!

The Kingler led her down a dirt path lined with smooth gray stones to a small park. In the clearing grew flowers of all colors, with a small pond in the center surrounded by cattails guarding the water from intruders. The path encircled the pond, occasionally passing a flat stone bench. On the other side of the park were two thick maple trees heralding the entrance to the dungeon like wooden sentinels.

In front of the entrance were a Hawlucha and Druddigon, who stood when they saw the two approach.

"Yo, boss, who's that?" the Hawlucha asked.

"A gal looking for work. I figure she could help us with our little mission, and we give her some of the ah, spoils." the Kingler introduced.

"Hello," Elodie smiled, holding out her hand. The two men stared at it like it was a Cubchoo in a desert. Blushing, she retracted her arm.

"Ain't she a peach? Let's go, before his bodyguards get here," the Kingler chuckled. Without another word, the trio were enveloped in the dark dungeon entrance. Before she lost them, Elodie jumped in after them.

B1F

The smell of lavender was in the crisp noontime air. The dew-streaked grass tickled her feet while tiny bluebells caressed her legs. More bluebells and the lavender she'd smelled grew against the ivy-covered stone walls. There was a small puddle of water in the center of the room, cool and inviting. There were a few logs and stumps strewn around the floor, all covered in a thick blanket of moss.

As she gazed around the place, her eye caught a shimmer of gold lying in the corner. Poké! 45 Poké to be exact.

"We'll take that, missy. You'll get your cut at the end," Kingler said, snatching the coins right out of her hands. It didn't seem like the trio was going to introduce themselves, so she resolved to refer to them by their species.

"But—" she started to protest but was interrupted.

"Now let's go over the plan, 'kay? You hang back and keep us from getting kicked out, or the target from running. If he tries? Stop him. Got it?" Kingler said.

'Target'? Oh no…Suddenly a lot of things she'd ignored were starting to make uncomfortable sense.

"Got it. Who's the mark?" she nodded, trying to keep herself from bolting right then and there. She moved to Aruvia to get away from crime syndicates, not join another one! At least she knew how to act around them.

"Some schmuck named Gumshoos. Some cousin or whatever of the local magistrate. But thanks to his family he's got a lot of money in the bank. We're here to requisition it before his bodyguards figure out where he slipped off to," Hawlucha snickered.

It was just as she'd feared. Oblivious, desperate Elodie joined a robbery gang. How was she to get out of this? And save the poor guy?

"Oi, heads up. Oddish at 3 o'clock," Druddigon warned. To Elodie he added, "Go on, girlie. Show us you can handle yourself."

"Okay…" she said doubtfully, stepping up to the approaching Oddish.

Concentrating on her inner power, she waggled her fingers back and forth. Her Metronome responded, twin orbs of light appearing on her fingertips, unknown power ready to be unleashed.

"Ha!" she yelled, releasing the power. The art of sleight of hand filled her, and she dove forth, tackling the Oddish while subtly Thieving away the Poké it had apparently been holding.

While her move had been successful, it didn't appear to do much to the Oddish.

"Pfft, weak," Hawlucha snorted, he and Druddigon taking down the Oddish with Aerial Ace and Dragon Breath before it could react. "Boss, you sure this girl is worth it? She can't even hurt a simple Oddish!"

Kingler studied the blushing Elodie. "What moves do you know, kid?"

"Uh, Metronome, Magical Leaf, Sweet Kiss, and Yawn, sir," she mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Hm. Just stick to Sweet Kiss and Yawn. Could come in handy. Let's go, you lot. Gumshoos won't be alone forever," he shrugged.

Elodie snuck a peek at the Poké she'd swiped while their backs were turned to her. 86 Poké. Not much, but it was 86 more than she had this morning. It'd pay for a couple days' worth of meals. An extra day, if she and Adam were careful. And if she was too weak for even this place…A faint smile came across her face.

Then maybe she could "accidentally" get them kicked out.

B2F

Not too long after they started navigating the floor, they came across a Spinarak guarding an Oran Berry in a small room. Eager to fight, Elodie dove forward, charging up her Metronome.

Her teeth grew larger, turning into purple Fangs dripping with Poison. She sunk her elongated teeth deep into the Spinarak's leg, injecting her poison into its bloodstream.

…Of course, the poison was immediately disintegrated upon contact with another poison type's blood, and the Spinarak shrugged off the attack and spat a volley of needle-sharp Poison Stings into her face. Elodie shrieked through a mouthful of Spinarak leg, and released her prey, her teeth returning to normal.

"I got it," Hawlucha said, defeating the Spinarak with two swoops of Aerial Ace.

Elodie finished plucking out the last Sting with a sharp inhale. Ugh, that had been all for nothing! How was she ever to get herself KO'd when her teammates were around to save her?!

Druddigon picked her up by the head in one meaty hand and set her in the very back of the group. "Stay there, kid. You'll be safer in the rear."

Inwardly she seethed, but gave him an understanding nod and apologetic smile.

B3F

"Why do you keep diving right into fights you can't win, girlie?!" Kingler exclaimed after saving her from a knockout blow for the umpteenth time. "You trying to get us kicked out?"

"No!" she protested. "I just…feel bad. I feel like I'm not earning my keep. I want to prove to you guys that I can fight alongside you."

Kingler laughed, and patted her head. "You hear that, guys? She wants to earn her keep!" More gently, he added, "Listen, kid. I admire your enthusiasm, but the way you can help us tough guys out is by hanging back and blowing Kisses and Yawning at Gumshoos. None of us have any of those types of moves, and your assistance will be the key to taking him down. You hear me?"

She smiled sadly. "I hate to say it, but you're right. I'll stay behind the front lines."

Her head was patted again. She wished to tell him she was not a child, but bit her tongue.

"Atta girl!"

B4F

Elodie's pulse quickened the moment they arrived on this floor. Gumshoos was here. She could feel it; there was a distinct sense of not-alone permeating the air. By the looks of her teammates, they felt it too. Their faces grew hard, all joking ceased. All that remained was ruthless silence.

This was it! She had to faint before they found Gumshoos! She hung back, letting the group walk further and further away. Out of nowhere her back was razed three or four times by sharp claws. She yelped, spinning around to find that a Paras had snuck up behind her. She spotted a Caterpie coming out of an adjacent hallway. Her spirits lifted; these two Pokemon were knocking her out no matter what!

Taking a quick peek behind her to make sure her teammates weren't watching, she allowed herself to be Fury Swiped once, twice, three times! The third round had her stumbling backwards, crying out in pain.

"Hey, you fighting back there?" Kingler called from up ahead.

"Y-yeah, but I'm being careful this time. Just nailed a Sweet Kiss," she called back.

"Gotta make this look good," she whispered, waggling her fingers in a synchronized Metronome.

Her left hand suddenly crackled with electric energy; an entire thunderstorm contained in just one punch. With a shout she cracked her Thunder Punch across the Paras' jaw, the force of the blow causing a cloud of spores to erupt from the Paras's mushrooms.

Elodie inhaled the spores—and doubled over coughing, her stomach suddenly tied in knots. Her energy was inexplicably sapped, and she had an odd craving for soup and orange juice.

Yes! Thank you, Effect Spore! She grinned inwardly. As long as she didn't eat a Pecha Berry, Heal Seed, or go to the next floor, she'd get them all kicked out in no time. Unless the thieves had Reviver Seeds, but Elodie tried to be optimistic.

As she coughed away in the plume of spores, the Paras' Caterpie friend helped out by spitting String Shot at her feet—effectively gluing her to the floor.

Thank you! She tried to smile, but a fresh wave of nausea turned it into a wince. She could feel her health be sapped away, bit by bit. Just a few more minutes…

"Hey, the girl's in trouble!"

"Well, go help her out real quick!"

Oh no, her teammates were coming to save her!

"Quick, hit me, please!" she hissed at her two foes, who certainly needed no encouragement.

Taking advantage of the sick, ensnared Togetic, they double-teamed her with a Tackle from the Caterpie right into a frenzy of Fury Swipes from the Paras. Each blow sent a fresh tidal wave of agony through her poisoned head. Her vision was going blurry, she could hardly see beyond her own discomfort. She couldn't have dodged the attacks even if she wanted to.

"Get off her!" she heard Hawlucha grunt from somewhere nearby. The green blur that used to be the Caterpie disappeared, while the orange blob gave her arm one final Swipe.

And with that, her vision went completely black.

Ugh, being poisoned was more unpleasant than she would've liked. Elodie woke outside the dungeon, cradling her arm with a wince as she sat up.

"Well look who finally decided to wake up," Hawlucha spat. He and the others were huddled nearby, staring at her with accusing glares.

"You guys didn't have any Reviver Seeds?" Elodie groaned as she got to her feet. The poison may have left her system, but she was still feeling lethargic.

"No! We're a high-class gang, kid; we don't need any! Why didn't you call for help?!" Druddigon snapped.

"I inhaled a mouthful of Effect Spore just as I was about to! Then the frickin' Caterpie showed up! Didn't you hear me coughing up my lungs?" Elodie contested, throwing her arms into the air.

"Ugh, thanks to you we've failed the mission. Gumshoos' entourage will be here any second. Boss, let's just gut her and leave," Druddigon hissed.

Elodie gasped and took a step back, adrenaline flooding through her tired body. Kill her?! Surely they couldn't be that upset!

Kingler chuckled, and reached out to cradle her cheek with a massive claw. "And damage this pretty face? That'd be a disservice to the world. Besides, this little lady may not be strong, but she's a smart cookie. She wouldn't blab to the cops when she herself was an accomplice, would she?"

"Of course not!" she affirmed adamantly, shaking her head.

"See boys? We've got nothing to worry about. Now let's bounce before Gumshoos' party gets here. I'm real sorry, dollface, but my friends are right: you're not a good fit for our group," Kingler said. As the trio of goons headed for the trees, Kingler looked back over his shoulder. "Remember, girl: one word to the cops and I'll personally cut you from gut to gob."

"You've got nothing to fear from me!" Elodie agreed.

She waited until the last of the group had disappeared into the trees before letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Ha…glad that's over," she sighed in relief. "Maybe it'd be better if I posted my own ad…"

She followed the dirt path until she reached Murkmire, fighting the waves of Pokemon coming and going until she found the job board. Swiping a napkin from a nearby vendor, Elodie wrote up her request: 'Hi, I'm Elodie, and I'm looking to join a team. My skills lie primarily in supporting my teammates and inflicting statuses upon opponents. If anyone is interested, I'll check here each day at sunrise, noon, and sunset.'

"Oh, there you are, El!" she heard Adam call from nearby just as she'd tacked the napkin onto the board. She looked over to see him walk towards her, Egg basket in hand.

"Any luck?" she asked, but she could already tell by his face he'd had none.

"No," he sighed, leaning against the building in defeat. "The metalsmith isn't hiring, and the woodworkers said to come back when I could whittle a stick into more than just a pointy one."

Elodie gave him a hug. "What about you?" he asked.

Now it was her turn to sigh. "I was an idiot. I accidentally joined a group of robbers. I managed to finagle out of it while saving the mark, but still, I should have caught on before I took the job! *Sigh* But I was so excited, I ignored all the red flags."

Adam leaned up and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "You try to see the good in everything. My sweet little Cinnamon."

She laughed and pulled out the Poké she'd stashed away earlier. With her getting kicked out, it had dropped from 86 to 58 Poké. "I did manage to sneak this out from underneath their noses. It's not much, but it'll get us dinner and breakfast."

Adam's eyes lit up, and he stood. "Great job, El! C'mon, let's go walk around the docks and look for a place to eat. Don't worry about bedtime; I've already staked out a spot."

And so, the two Pokemon wandered around the pier as the sun began its descent, painting the ocean brilliant shades of orange and yellow amidst a dark blue-green. They decided to splurge and buy an extra-large container of noodles from a praised noodle vendor for 30 Poké, which they shared between themselves with much gusto. It had been a few weeks since they'd eaten fresh hot food, and every savory mouthful was appreciated.

They sat on the beach in silent contentedness, their Egg nestled in its basket between them, slurping their noodles and watching the sun go down. Today hadn't been very successful, but they were hopeful tomorrow would bring fresh cheer.

Elodie and Adam rested their heads against each other's, cradling their Egg together. As long as they had each other, everything would be alright.