Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Dare to Dream

Chapter 3

Estranged

Strange sights had surrounded Felix. The three had only just entered Fango Village, yet Felix found himself already unnerved on the neatly kept dirt path they walked on. Wooden lodgings of different dimensions, some decorated with plain banners strangely covered in enlarged footprints of various beasts which twisted on the signs, sparsely dotted the flat green plains speckled with saplings that the village resided in. Felix swiveled his head around the locale, spotting monsters in various sizes and shapes. From a tan lithe creature with a brush for a tail that carried a cumbersome sack with it, which Felix recognized as a Smeargle, to a large lizard that boasted four large leaves for wings and a bundle of ripe fruit on its neck that was spotted gliding overhead against the starry sky of the cool night. The sight of the yellow fruit sent his stomach pleading with a rumble for any food. But New Galar? Exploration Company? Those were far more pressing at the moment.

He spoke to Willow. "New Galar Exploration Company? What? You mean to tell me that there's a company… that's operated by monsters? How does that even work?" Willow gave a disappointed, yet unsurprised sigh. "It's New Galar Expedition Company, little one. And we're not monsters, we're Pokémon. I'm not even sure where you picked up an old-world term like that when you didn't even know about mystery dungeons until the last couple hours," Willow explained. "And New Galar? What's that about?" Felix asked as he fidgeted with Star's satchel. Willow gave another lengthy exhale. "Little one… perhaps we should just focus on getting you treated, for now." They continued forward along the path.

The world around him was frightening with the suppressed tone of the midnight hour as they continued forth; the moon radiated down onto slick slanted rooftops through the abysmal overcast, which together with the iron-cased torches mounted on small poles and the blazing brazier stories above atop a skeletal wooden tower, swathed the locale with light of utmost purity with their combined ethereal moonbeams and dancing flames. The area ahead of him was an enormous dirt circle cleared of plant life and obtrusions. Numerous low buildings lined the perimeter, each with crude wooden signs with more of those strange footprints displayed on them. This had to be the village square, he assumed. No building was like another. One he noticed was a simple dark-clothed hut with many signs plastered with bold colored footprints outside its door, while another site across the path consisted only of a single low crude wooden countertop set in front of a small hole that burrowed into the ground, well into darkness, with numerous large piles of dirt surrounding it.

Felix noticed many of the inhabitants of the village giving him a passing stare as he and the others walked. A Noctowl perched atop one of the many beams of the tower, a small silvery bug with purple antennas that scuttled by, a Delibird carrying several parcels that ran by, and more- all seemed interested in him. One of which was particularly perturbing as it came from a monster that he was very familiar with. Jagged black and white lines adorned its stallion body, with crooked white horns and irate blue eyes. A Zebstrika. Its stare was plastered onto him. Felix turned around to look at the creature after they had passed the striped monster, observing its mannerisms. It maintained its gaze on him. He moved closer to Star, who was limping along towards a low building made from horizontal logs with no door or curtain to separate the inside room from the outside world, with a soothing light seeping out into the night from a hanging lantern in the center of the room.

At the entrance of this supposed clinic, Star came to a stop at the entryway and called inside. "Happi! Are you in there? We could use a check-up!" No response came. Star called again. "Happi? Pechi? Are you in there?" From inside the warmly lit building, a quiet, almost whispering voice wormed out. "…Hm..? Star, is that you..? Come in, come in… just give me a minute to wake up…if it's not an emergency." Star entered with Felix following close at her heels after he had laid Star's satchel against a wall near the entrance, while Willow remained outside, leaning against the wall. Inside the clinic, Felix spotted a few beds of dried grass and hay that laid on the ground. A low wooden countertop was beside the right wall, with rolls of clean white cloth, scattered papers and a couple books, and various berries of contrasting colors and shapes haphazardly strewn across its top in a vivid mess, with ajar cupboards above it, revealing even more clutter. A bucket nearby on the floor beckoned the necessity of its use for this dire organizational situation. A few wooden stumps sat near the front wall, as well as a dull red rock covered in numerous holes lying next to one of the beds with some papers strewn beside it. There was no one inside aside from Felix and Star. His side still ached; his hand still lightly massaging the area for some comfort as he looked around the room. "Where's this doctor, Star?" Felix asked as he nervously scanned the open room. Now inside the building, he wasn't eager about the idea of letting a monster so close to his injuries. "Oh, that's right. You've never met her, right? She's right there." Star pointed with her head towards the red rock. Curious, Felix walked over to the red round stone. "What, this thing here?" Tilting it with his hand, he peered inside one of the dark holes: a pair of small, beady eyes looked back at him from within that cramped darkness of the rock. Felix startled back with a small yelp as a lithe yellow head and four small tendrils slowly emerged from the rock. The head yawned with a small agape mouth as it shakily stretched, before finally greeting the two.

"…Mmm… I thought I told you to give me a minute." It rubbed at its small tired eyes with a lengthy yellow appendage. "Is there a pressing matter?" it asked as Star limped forward. "We both could use an oran berry, Pechi. Nothing serious, we just got a bit roughed up in Tumblewood Grotto, and I'm all out of my own," explained Star. Pechi slowly nodded her head and dragged her rock across the floor with her tendrils, speaking as she went. "Happi went out to the overlook while you were away, in case you were wondering. Another skirmish with that detestable group, it seems. She'll be gone for a time, so just call for me next time." Pechi reached the low countertop and brushed aside a small amount of berries, rolling them away as she grabbed a couple oran berries with two stringy appendages. Dragging herself towards them, she reached out and offered the berries. Star eagerly grabbed one with her mouth and began eating the berry, tearing it apart quickly with her fangs. Felix stared at Pechi's tendril. A smooth yellow tendril stared back at him, beckoning for him to take the berry. It wriggled some more like a sort of strange eyeless snake, the bait of the berry trying to tempt him closer. He turned his head away with a small grimace. Pechi stared at him curiously. "Are you sure you don't want it?" Felix shook his head. "I'll be fine without it. Doesn't even hurt much, honest." She tilted her head slightly in confusion at his refusal, but then nodded with understanding, retracting the berry into her shell. Felix tried to ignore the lingering pain in his side as he watched Star finish her berry, before she happily strutted up to Pechi. "Thanks! I'm sure I'll be back again soon, so keep a fresh stock for me!" she said as she bowed her head. "Please, don't." Pechi dryly replied. Her posture straightened when she realized what she just said. "I mean… I hope you don't have to come back here soon. Your health is very important, so don't be reckless out there. If you need my services again, then please, do come back. Be well until then, Star and… and…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at Felix, looking him up and down with narrowed eyes. Pechi extended her neck from her shell, looming her head over Felix as he took a step back. "I don't think we met before… a Riolu, is it?" she asked while maneuvering her head around his body, examining him for any bruises or scrapes. "Well, if you need any medical attention, feel free to drop by. But do give me a minute to wake up if it's not important next time- I hardly get any sleep these days." Felix slowly nodded as Pechi retracted a length of her neck back into her shell. With a half-hearted wave of a tendril, she dismissed the pair.

Stepping back outside into the cool air of the comfortable night, Felix retrieved the satchel from the wall as Willow pushed himself to join them. "So, dear Happi left for the overlook? Bah, that band needs to be dealt with. They've been a nuisance for too long," he stated as he stepped forward. "Regardless, Star, would you care to hurry along with the little one and report to the little bugger? I need to get back to the others."

"Of course, sir! I'll take him right away," Star proudly replied. With a final glance, Willow left towards the open square. Star walked to the left of the entryway they just exited and looked over to Felix. "Come on. We need to report to a little bird, then we'll be done and you'll be free to go." Felix walked beside her as they made their way down a cleared dirt path illuminated by roadside torchlight. Dropping his stare to the dirt path beneath him, he thought back to what was said a moment ago: that after Star reported today's ordeal, he'd be free to go. But free to go where? Looking up from the ground, Felix saw that Star was staring at him as they walked, waiting for his attention. "You know…" she said, "I've never asked for your name. Let's introduce ourselves! You already know me, but it feels proper this way, so!" She stopped and sat down on the ground. Felix stopped in place as well. "I'm Star, a rookie for Team Horizon!" she stuck out her right paw. "And your name is..?" Felix instinctively stuck out his own right hand to shake her paw, but hesitated once his mind caught back up with his action, drawing his hand back. He opted to instead give a small wave. "It's… Felix." Star looked disappointed at his refusal to shake, but quickly shook it off when she noticed something else. "Felix, is it? That's… a strange name!" Star gave a small giggle "Yeah, well it isn't like Star is any better. It'd be like being named Wave, or Cloud, or something like that," Felix replied with a lighthearted shrug. Passing some of the posted torches which hosted a pleasant orange glow, the two came upon a small plain booth with simple grooves beside a large standing bulletin board, the nearby lectern of which stood well over the height of both Felix and Star. The sounds of impatient tapping of a pen or the like, was heard from behind the top. Star crept up to the bottom of the lectern and looked to Felix with a smile, giving several small knocks with her paw at the bottom. The tapping was instantaneously replaced by the sounds of someone jutting up, knocking over one of two inkwells off the side and breaking on the ground in front of Felix, splashing forth ink as black as an abyss on the ground with a messy splash.

Kraw!

An excited crow peered over the ledge of its lectern. Its crooked pale-yellow beak, navy blue body, and the curiously shaped crest atop its head were all easily distinguishable- a Murkrow. It hopped up to the ledge and leaned towards Star with eyes glittering with anticipation "Heya! Star! Did ya complete your mission? Did ya? I can get the payment from my talons into your paws right now if you did!" It bellowed this out with glee, staring deeply into Star with wide eyes. From where the Murkrow was perched, Felix saw that one of its talons was dyed a deep black. "No, I'm sorry Didja. I wasn't able to find the item," Star responded with an apologetic tone. The Murkrow's mood immediately sank, dropping its head in disappointment and stepping back away from the ledge of the lectern. "Oh…" it quietly squawked out. Star looked at Felix, whose face was now scrunched up from the density of confusion he now held after witnessing such a bird. "Felix, this is Didja! He's our go-to bird for when I or the others need to take up or report jobs. Now, I know he might seem a little excitable, but he's really good at what he does!" After Star finished her introduction, Didja shook his head and peered over at Felix with a quizzical expression plastered on both their faces. He leaned forward right into Felix's face. "Who's this? A new settler? Client? Passerby? Crook? Where did ya find him?" Didja asked. Felix leered at the bird in an attempt to get it to back off, but Didja only returned a suspicious stare with squinted eyes. "This is Felix," Star answered. "I did find him on the way back from the other job, so I need you to register him as a 'coincidental rescue' for me, Didja." The Murkrow dropped the ocular exchange and nodded excitedly. Turning around, he ducked his head into a cubicle within the lectern, coming back up with a sheet of paper adorned with numerous lines of text in his beak that Felix couldn't quite make out from where he was. Laying the paper down on the surface of the lectern, Didja dipped the black talon into the remaining inkwell and began precisely scratching at the paper. "Hm-hm~, I've got him jotted down for you. He's no item, but I'm sure you can still call this day a success. Success without payment, of course! Will there be anything else, Star?" Didja asked while examining his work. "No, that should be it," Star replied. Turning to Felix, the two stared at each other. "So, Felix… you're free to go," she finally stated. Felix stood there and craned his head around the unfamiliar area around him. Nowhere to go. Directions, he thought. He needs directions home.

"New Galar is the name of this region, right? Would either of you know of a place called Marea?" he asked Star and Didja. They both shook their heads. Felix thought for a moment, rubbing his forehead with the silvery oval that resided on his hand which brought a comforting coolness as it was pressed against him. Maybe they needed a point of reference. He remembered hearing of a certain land which had recently begun settlement. "Well," he continued, "How about Hisui? Have you heard of that one? Marea lies straight across the continent, far west of Hisui. It should be just off the west coast. Does that ring a bell?" Didja released a low kraw from his throat. "I'm very sorry, mister Felix, but I'm afraid that doesn't sound at all familiar." Felix let out a frustrated sigh.

"Is there a map I can use? I'm sure I could point it out on one." Didja perked up and hastily dove inside a small space within his lectern. Sounds of small rummaging heard of bits and pieces became quickly audible. A second later, the bird jumped back up on the ledge with a rolled paper clenched within his beak, tossing it to Felix's feet with the paper landing with a small plop. Felix eagerly unrolled and flattened the broad paper across the ground as Star came to his side and Didja peered over his shoulder from his lectern, but that brief excitement Felix felt quickly dissipated as he saw the contents of the map.

A single region, one he did know, was drawn with faded colors. Small detailing of some trails, rivers, plains, and a couple mountains, were represented on the asymmetrical land that tapered north, and surrounded by water. A few small footprints of various monsters were tucked away on the bottom right corner of the paper. Of course it wouldn't have been that easy. "Is this just a map of New Galar?" he dejectedly asked.

"Yes, it is. I'm not sure where this 'Marea' is, but it's nowhere near here, that much is certain. You'd probably need to travel overseas to find that place." explained Star as she looked over the map with him. So home wasn't on this continent. It was overseas. Or at the very least, he'd need to travel some distance over water. "And how would I get overseas? Is there a boat I could travel on?" Felix asked impatiently as the growing number of obstacles mounted. Didja rapped his talons on the surface of the lectern with his eyes closed, thinking for a second. "If you are unable to travel long-distances over a body of water yourself, I'd recommend commissioning a Lapras or Floatzel for travel in such circumstances, mister Felix. Though I don't know of any in this area, so you'd likely need to spend a pretty amount of Poké to entice one over here, and to purchase their participation in ferrying you. And if you or they don't know the way, I imagine you'd need a world map to ensure fair travel." Didja explained as he stared skyward. Felix grumbled at the mention of another word he didn't know. "And Poké is the money used here, I'm guessing?" Felix asked. Didja nodded in affirmation. "And where can I get some?" Didja's eyes widened in glee at Felix's question.

"Oh, I am so very glad you asked, mister Felix! If you were to form an official team here, you could take jobs from this here board," Didja raised a wing towards the board covered in papers, "and complete the listed jobs for a reward, provided by yours truly, or the client! We could really use the help, kind sir, and I mean really use all the help we can get, so should I sign you up now if you're interested?" Star's ears perked as Felix tiredly spoke back to the hustling Murkrow. "I'll… have to think about it. I need some rest. Oh, and Star," Felix handed her the satchel he had been carrying, which she grabbed with her mouth and set on the ground. "Thanks for the help." Turning around, he began walking to where he remembered the village entrance and large wooden archway were. He stopped when Star suddenly called out to him. "Wait just a moment, please!" She ran up to him. "You're completely new here, right? I know this sounds crazy, since we hardly know each other, but…" Star sat down as she murmured with a pensive look. Her lips trembled as she tried to finish her sentence. "...Do you have anywhere to sleep tonight? You could come with me to where I and my team live and spend the night with us. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a guest for the night." Felix immediately responded. "No." He started to turn away, but a nagging feeling about his etiquette stopped him, and he looked back at her. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll manage." Star looked unsurprised by his answer. "Oh, well, that's fine. But if you do need help again, just find me." She got up. "Goodnight, Felix."

He thought for a second.

"…Goodnight, Star."

With a small bow from Star, and a small wave from Felix, they went their separate ways. Felix began his way towards the wooden archway while Star seemed to be heading towards one of the lodges that was a small distance away from the booth and board. Looking back, Felix caught a glimpse of Didja fervently waving farewell to him with a beak ajar in a naturally crooked smile.

Arriving back at the dimly lit archway, he stared at the barren path ahead: nothing but a foreign road that led to a world he knew nothing about. The once bright, proud moon was now obstructed by a blanket of dull overcast that had recently rolled in, leaving the land below stifled in darkness. Felix could see the road as it stretched, curved, and rolled over the stone-littered plains. The cold air around him stirred with a mild breeze, but no scent of home rode that wind. The trees, the land, the geography, and the creatures that inhabited it all. Home was not here. Not in this strange land. It was somewhere faraway.

A dull and hollow pain filled his chest at that thought.

He turned his back to the plains outside the village and walked alongside the outskirts of the settlement. Passing by a large field littered with vividly green bushes and short trees, he saw how each bore a different harvest of colorful berries and fruit of different shapes and sizes. The ripe red apples that hung tightly to the tree branches within the field taunted him with their unblemished form. He heard his stomach growl in pain at the tempting sight, imploring to him when was the last time they had eaten something of substance.

He didn't know.

Creeping up to the wooden fence that was made of simple wooden poles connected by two horizontal beams, he peered through the spacious openings into the field, looking for any apple that hung close by. One tree nearby provided such an opportunity; a pristine and perfectly ripe red apple hung loosely from a branch that drooped downwards towards the ground. After looking around and not seeing anyone present, he easily fit himself between the wide openings in the fence and crept towards the tree.

Underneath the branch, he jumped up and grabbed the apple with both his hands, plucking it from its branch and making the tree ruffle its leaves in a quiet rustle of foliage as it recoiled back from the branch's sudden jerk. The unblemished skin of the apple had never looked so appetizing before as it did now in his hands. He opened his mouth to take a bite.

"Hey."

The small unexpected voice gave him a sudden jolt, causing him to fumble the apple to the ground. He spun around to find a petite light green plant with a bulbous head adorned with three thin leaves, staring at him with small brown eyes. A Petilil. It was stationary beside one of the robust bushes, blending in with the light tones of the green.

"What are you doing here, mister?" it impatiently asked. Felix sputtered out a half-baked response as quickly as he could. "I was… lost. I'm new around here. I didn't know this land was yours, I'll be gone in a moment if you'll excuse me," Felix told the blatant lie in a vain attempt to defuse the situation. "Right…" it replied. "More like you didn't see little ol' me here, and you thought you could just come here and cinch something for yourself. Now let me give you a choice, friend," it said with as much of an intimidating voice as it could muster with its small body and high-pitched voice. "I have spores. Lots of them. Plenty. Some that make you collapse to the ground fast asleep, some that will seize your muscles, and another that'll wither the life from you slowly. So… which one do you fancy?" Felix felt his stomach tense, and he took a step back. Looking behind him, he knew he could make a quick escape beyond the fence if he timed his retreat right.

The small Petilil stifled a small laugh, which trickled into a giggle. Walking forward, it occupied itself as it picked up the apple with its two nubs that functioned as restricted arms.

Perfect.

"Heh, you should see the look on your face! I'm just teasing you. I don't think we'll miss one apple. Here." Turning around to where Felix would be, it held out the apple. "We can keep this a secret between-" Felix wasn't there. Spinning its round head around, it couldn't find him. He was gone.

As Felix ran back into the nearby woodwork from the fields, he could faintly hear a high-pitched voice from the fields that were now behind him.

"Geez! I was joking!"

...

Felix kept his distance from the settlers that were still out and about in the flickering torchlight as he followed the length of the village's borders. Walking through untamed shortgrass that brushed against his feet and legs, he found himself scaling up a small hill dotted with some small trees and unkempt grass. The shallow incline was crested with a few stones of varying sizes.

Reaching the top of that hill which stood against a starry backdrop, he found a solitary flat rock plastered in insignificant cracks and green moss, jutting from the earth at an angle. Looking at the stone protrusion, a thought entered his head, stirring excitement within. Clambering on top of the rock, he stood upon its surface and gazed at the night sky. The same starry night filled with dazzling speckles of light against a cold blue backdrop filled his vision, as it had many times before. Scanning the space above him, he searched for it. The Splintered Seat. The constellation that had found its place just above the equator of the earth, which would hang in the night sky directly above him in the middle of the night. Looking to the center of the sky from where he remembered the sun setting west, he couldn't find it. With a scoff, he carefully began scanning the stars above him, careful to not overlook his shining beacon. Somewhere in the southern sky, he saw a warm and familiar sight that brought comfort to his heart. A cluster of nine shining stars lingered a ways above the horizon, organized crudely into the rough shape of a grand throne with nick on its right side from an absent star that made the constellation unsymmetrical. It hung just south of where he remembered it being. He was relieved at being able to find the constellation, momentarily brushing aside any negative thoughts about where in the world he might be for it to be so out of place, just to allow himself this brief moment of joy, evident with a smile stretching across his face. If he followed this constellation, he could eventually find Marea. Find home. The key question remaining was how he was going to get there. He knew he would need a world map as Didja had said, to find the best route, as well as a way to get across the water that surrounded New Galar. All this: the ferry on those monsters, the map, the supplies for the journey, and food and gear while he was here now, it would all take money. This Poké currency was his ticket home. And he had none of it. But that was an issue he could address in the morning. Right now, he just wanted to sleep away the small amount of lingering pain that resided in his side and to recover some stamina from the day's excursion.

After the happiness he felt passed, he lowered himself down from the rock and noticed a small open space beneath the lip of the stone that he might be able to fit into with his new small size. Bending down to the ground, he crawled his way underneath into the cold, damp, and dark interior. The filling scent of earthly tones from swaths of moss within the small shelter had invaded his nostrils with each shivering breath. Crawling a bit deeper underneath the rock, he tried to make himself comfortable; tossing and turning in the narrow space, searching for any amount of comfort that could be found on the stiff floor. After he settled the best he could, he stared out the natural alcove with weary eyes. He found only a few darkened trees and unsightly grass to keep him company- silent with indifference.

Hungry, cold, and alone.

In a strange, strange land.

Felix closed his eyes in his dark nook to find any amount of sleep to pass that hollow night. The stillness he resided in only invited questions of when he would return home in his vacant thoughts. If he even could return home.

'Home' was far away.

He dismissed these somber thoughts with resolve and comfort from the knowledge that he had a chance, even if it were slim and distant. That if he worked harder than he ever had before from these jobs that the Murkrow had told him about, he could get the money he needed to begin his journey home.

And in that resolute darkness, he made a simple vow to himself.

I will find my way home.

…

…

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