This was weird. Unnervingly weird. Mystery Dungeons were supposed to be brimming with hostile ferals. But as she gazed around, upon the unmoving rocks, the stale air and the silent midnoon sun, Espurr began to wonder whether her new acquaintance and her really were the only living things in there… apart from the murderous Aggron, and the kidnappers and their Mudsdale.
Her fur had been standing on end for quite some time. The silence was killing her - it made her feel like something, anything could jump out and ambush them at any given moment. She glanced at the Stufful, who appeared to be… weirdly calm, walking silently and steadily.
And then, all of a sudden, Ursa broke the silence. "So, uh… Espurr, right?".
"Y-yes, that is… me", she replied.
"You, uh… h-have you ever done, uh… some… some weird stuff?".
"I… I don't know?". What kind of question was that…? "L-Like… what sort of weird stuff…?".
"L-Like, you k-know…". She paused for a second or two, before averting her gaze. "I-I can't really t-think of a g-good example right now, s-so… nevermind, hahah… hah…".
…well, that was an odd thing to say….
"Right…". She remained silent for a little while, before adding; "This Dungeon is… eerily quiet, don't you think?".
"Really?". The Stufful turned around, her face contracted into an expression of surprise. "Weird… ah, wait, now that I'm actually listening… yeah, it's a bit quiet". She smiled awkwardly. "B-But you should've seen it when I arrived! I-It was brimming with ferals! It was a real piece of work, heheh…".
The statement prompted Espurr to raise an eyebrow. "…so you're meaning to tell me that you went through… I don't know, a few Dungeon floors full of aggressive, screeching, hungry, bloodthirsty beasts… all on your own?".
Ursa blinked, a look of genuine confusion sculpted on her muzzle. "Uh, yeah?". Then, her eyes quickly widened, as if in fear. "T-That's normal, r-right?! E-Everyone c-c-can do that, right?! Right?!".
The psychic feline was taken aback by the Stufful's worried voice and expression. "I… I don't know…? I… I mean, I just find it weird that a single mon could just… go through even a single floor of ferals on their own. Unless they're like… really experienced? But, uh… I'm not really an expert on battling, so… I'm not sure?".
The Stufful blinked a couple of times, before saying: "Can you please not tell anyone about me having cleared three dungeon floors on my own…?".
Espurr tilted her head to the side. "Sure thing, but… why?".
Ursa raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'why'?".
"I've already said I'm not an expert on battling", the cat started to explain, "but the ability to go through three Dungeon floors alone sounds… impressive, to say the least. Why would you want to keep it a secret?".
"I have my reasons, alright?", she answered. "I am just gonna say that if word of this comes out, I will be in a crapton of trouble! So please, for the love of Arceus, promise me you won't tell anyone".
With nary a thought, Espurr nodded. "Don't worry; I won't blabber about this to a soul". She blinked a couple of times. "…also, maybe you should stop looking at me, and pay attention to where you're going".
…and, well, I will tell ROY about this. I just have to! But that would have to wait; she didn't have any writing supplies with her. Alright, as soon as I can get a piece of paper and something to write with, I-.
"Ah, wait! Waitwaitwaitwaitwati!". Ursa's sudden flurry of 'wait's interrupted her line of thought. "I got an example! Have you ever, uh, thrown someone out of a window? With, like… your Psychic powers?".
…her?
Throwing someone out of a window?
Her?
With Psychic powers, no less?
Her?
The helpless little princess?
She unintentionally scoffed; the mere idea of her even thinking of using Psychic powers was simply ridiculous.
"No", she answered, averting her gaze for a while. "I'm… not as good with that kind of stuff as I should be… and really, look where you're going…".
"O-Oh…". The Stufful's ears drooped with disappointment. "W-Well, that only means y-you've got r-room for improvement, right?".
Espurr inhaled. "Alright, look… I know where you're coming from. Pokémon get stronger the more they train; that's the norm! But I am… not like that. I'm not proficient with moves, like, at all. I don't know if I'm… sick, or whatever's wrong with me- can you look where you're go-!".
THUNK!
Espurr winced as Ursa violently smashed her head against a wall of rock. Her eyes went wide as she scurried over to check on the Flailing Pokémon, shouting: "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!".
"I'm fine!", the Stufful reassured her, seconds after literally extracting her head from the stone… leaving behind a sturdy carved image of her face. "Ah, shucks, you were right…".
Espurr blinked a couple times. Alright, that was… completely unexpected. Common logic dictated that the Stufful face should've caved in. Instead, she bore witness to the sight of Ursa simply taking a couple steps back, shaking her head like she hadn't just smashed it against a wall. "…what in Distortion are you made of?".
"Mh?", she mumbled, before glancing back at her accidental piece of art. "…oh. That. Yeah, I, uh… I'm just tough-skinned! Got that from my mom. Probably". She averted her gaze. "B-But, you know, maybe that wall was just exceptionally frail, hahah… hah…".
"…alright", she simply replied, still trying to wrap her around… whatever it was that she had just witnessed.
"S-So, uh… Espurr, right?", Ursa continued as they began to move forward again. "Where ya from?".
"Pezerepoite", she answered immediately.
Now, it was Ursa's turn to be confused. "…and that's… where, exactly?". To the psychic feline's appalled reaction, she could only chuckle nervously. "I am, uh… not well-versed in geography. Like… at all".
"…". Espurr sighed. "The Aeonic Empire's capital".
"Ah. Sure. The Aeonic Empire". Ursa quickly nodded. "Right. Of course, of course".
They remained silent for a little while, with Ursa leading the way and Espurr following behind, trying to figure out what to do from then on, because she had never imagined she would actually get this far.
I suppose I should first find somewhere to rest, she figured. Then, I could also use some stable income, so I'll probably have to find a job… wait, CAN I even hold a job?! I've never worked a day in my entire life! Holy Arceus I will get fired for sure on my first day-.
Her thread of thought was interrupted by Ursa's voice, asking: "And, uhm… where is that, exactly?".
"…where is what?".
"The… thing there, what didya call it… the Aerobic Empire?".
"The Aeonic Empire", Espurr corrected her, her brain still trying to process the magnitude of the Stufful's ignorance of basic geography. "…do you even know where we are now?".
"Psht, of course I do!", the Stufful bragged. "We're on the mainland!".
"I… yeah, but which part of the mainland?".
"The, uh… the mountains…?".
"…this is less like not being well-versed in geography and more like having never set a foot in a school".
Which was a much better description of her overall education process, but sssssh! Espurr didn't need to know that. In fact, the only things she wanted to tell her were the how and why of their encounter.
Ursa wished there were a simpler way to do those things. A way that maybe wouldn't make her sound like a complete lunatic after already having made a complete fool of herself with her ignorance. Now Espurr was going to think she was an idiot, which would make it even harder for her to explain what was actually going on! It would make her look like a nutjob, a kook! A complete basketcase, a fruitcake - wow, there were lots of words to express a mon's craziness - an utter loon, a krank, a-
"Is everything alright?".
Ursa nearly jumped when she felt Espurr's hand on her shoulder. However, she managed to correct her reaction, so instead of leaping, she simply arched her back. "Yeah!", she lied. "Yeah, I'm fine, I was just… overthinking a little, heheh… heh…".
The psychic feline didn't seem too convinced - and Ursa couldn't really find herself to blame her; she knew better than anyone how much of a weirdo she could be at times.
"…right". Espurr averted her gaze - much to the Stufful's relief - and tilted her head. "So, uh… how long do you think it will take before we get out?".
"Oh, uhm, well, I, uh, I don't think the Dungeon's had enough time to mutate", Ursa guessed, "s-so we should be able to leave from where we entered, which should be right- ah!". The Stufful stopped abruptly, with Espurr almost bumping into her. "Yep, this is it!".
The psychic cat had to arch her spine back to fully view the gaping stone maw that was the entrance - or exit, in their case - to the dungeon. Despite it being daytime, it was somehow covered by an impenetrable darkness - Espurr chalked it up to Dungeon nonsense.
And after three seconds of intense staring, the two of them took a step forward.
Refreshing.
That was the only word Espurr could come up with to describe the feeling that pervaded her once she had set a foot outside. The wonderful wind messing up her fur; the cool breeze tickling her nose; the gusts kicking dust in her eyes. It irritated her eyes, causing her to blink many times.
But finally. Finally, they were out. Out of that goddamn Dungeon. Espurr allowed herself to breathe some nice, fresh air. She then looked at Ursa, who had lain on her back under the shade of a tree, and approached her.
"Uhm… thanks for saving me", she said while sitting down next to her. "If it weren't for you, I'd be in a heap of trouble right now".
"Mh?". Ursa gave her a quick glance, before going back to stare at the sky. "Oh, you're… you're welcome". She had to tell her. She absolutely had to tell her. It was now or never. "So, uh…". Wait, wouldn't she ask for a demonstration from her, then? Oh gods, that would mean telling her about what an absolute freak she was….
Espurr raised an eyebrow. "What?".
Ursa was quick to backpedal. "Nothing, n-nothing, I was just, uh… thinking. About stuff. Like, uh… are you going somewhere, or…?".
"Well, I was in Manchelton before those two kidnapped me", the psychic cat replied, "and I left my bag in an inn there, with all my stuff in it, so… I would like to go back there and take it back".
"Ah, of course, of course. Manchelton". Ursa closed her eyes for a second, weighing her options, before asking: "And how far away is that, exactly?".
"Uh, I think… it's a two days walk", she replied. "Why are you asking?".
"Oh, nothing, I was just… wondering if you would… like me to come with you".
"…what?".
"Uhm, y-yeah", the Stufful continued. "I mean, I'm also trying to reach a town, a-and from what you said, Manchelton sounds like it's the closest, s-so we could just… you know… walk the road together until we get there, a-and maybe… maybe we could also… talk for a bit. If, uh, if you don't mind the company…".
Espurr blinked slowly, staring the Stufful in the eyes. "…you want to travel with me?".
"Uh, y-yeah?". The Flailing Pokémon sat up. "I-I mean, I can understand it if the idea makes you… uncomfortable, but-".
"N-No, no!". Espurr quickly shook her head. "That's not what I wanted to say, it's just… I'm not sure that would be a good idea, I mean… I suck at using moves. I literally cannot battle, or… be useful in any way, why would you want to travel with me?".
"Because… I think it would be fun, you know?", Ursa replied. It was a half-lie, but she still wasn't ready to confront Espurr about that thing. "And we could… I dunno, stand watch while one of us is sleeping-".
"Yes".
"W-what?".
"I am coming with you", Espurr explained. "Your comment about one of us standing watch while the other sleeps made me realize that I'd like to stick with someone who can clear three Dungeon floors on their own". She paused. "…which actually makes me sound like a complete opportunistic jerk, but… yeah, I think we should stick together! A-And if we get my bag back, I will totally pay you for everything".
…that made her sound like a rich snob just now, didn't it?
"N-No, you don't need to pay me", the Stufful quickly said. "It's just… a favor, alright?".
Espurr didn't buy it. The Stufful didn't seem to bear any ill-will towards her, but ever since her whole rambling about them meeting in a dream, it had been clear that there was something she wanted from her.
"Well, then, do you wanna go?", the Stufful asked her all of a sudden. "Unlike the Land and the Ocean, those kidnappers of yours won't be locked in an eternal struggle with that Aggron. And they also have a cart; I suggest we put some distance between us and them, just in case".
Oh crap! She had COMPLETELy forgotten about those two! "Let's go!", she said as she heaved herself on her paws. "The sooner we get to Manchelton, the better!".
And with that, they both started walking, leaving behind the Dungeon, its emptiness, and two very frustrated fellas who had just taken notice of their absence from it.