Chapter 3
Teamwork
Later that day…
"Mmm...tasty," remarked Zenobia, bringing the cup of tea away from her lips. "This is rather good for a first-time brew, Arian."
"Oh, it was nothing…" Arian replied. "I had Elvira watching over my shoulder the whole time. Really, if she wasn't there, I probably would have messed the whole thing up."
It was now mid-afternoon, and Arian, along with Elvira and Zenobia, were enjoying a cup of tea that the Riolu had prepared with the guidance of Elvira. He seemed to know little about preparing tea, so the Treecko guided him through the process.
"Preparing a cup of tea is simple, though," Elvira pointed out. "You should get the hang of it after a few more goes. ...Though, speaking of that," she brought up, on a bit of a downer note. "That was the last of the tea leaves that went into the tea this time. I'll have to get more."
"...Oh." Zenobia sounded disappointed. "...Oh well. I guess I'll have to wait another while until you procure more. Those rawst tea leaves never fail to be delicious."
"...I'll see if I can find some," Elvira replied. "I just hope I can get some for a reasonable rate. There are some merchants that treat tea leaves like myrrh and charge them for far more than they're worth."
"Ignore them, Elvira," Zenobia advised. "At the end of the day, it's only tea. I'll be content with cheaper leaves, even if quality is compromised as a result. And as you know, I enjoy most berry leaves. I'll take whatever you can get."
"...Berries, huh?" Arian noted. "They seem to be quite a staple in this world."
"They are. Berries are found just about everywhere in Ardalion," explained Elvira. "They come in all varieties and colours. What you had earlier was an oran berry, probably the most well-known berry of them all. You can make juice out of berries. You can make tea from the leaves of berry plants. You can even ferment berries to create alcoholic beverages...if that's what you want to do. But...we really only save that for special occasions in this house."
"...I see," Arian said, taking in the information given to him. "...I wouldn't mind trying some more types of berries. What more unusual fruits exist in this world, I wonder?"
"...What I could do is prepare a berry stew tonight," Elvira suggested. "And if you help me make it, you might get a taste test of a variety of different berries."
"Yes, please," Arian responded. "I'd quite like that."
"...Do we have the berries for that?" wondered Zenobia. "It has been a while since you last went into town to get supplies, or into Verdant Woods to pick berries."
"There's a few different ones in the pantry," Elvira said. "I think there'll be enough in there to make a stew with."
"...Good. I wouldn't mind some stew myself," the Heliolisk replied. "Though, later on, of course. Dinner is still a while away yet."
"...What can we do in the meantime?" Elvira mulled over. "...I'll go and clean these first. I'll think about it."
"Will I help you?" Arian asked.
"...I appreciate the thought, but...I don't really need help just to wash a few cups," the Treecko replied. "I'll be fine on my own."
"...Okay then," the Riolu said. A realisation came to him after Elvira had left the room. "...Maybe I shouldn't ask her for help with everything. She does need space," he murmured out loud.
Zenobia put the book she was about to read down. "We all do need space at some point in our day," she said to him. "But what you did wasn't mean-spirited. It's just that not every task needs two people to do it. If you ask for help with every task, you might come off as overbearing. I can attest to the fact that in the past, Elvira has insisted that I not help her with every menial task, for the simple fact that she wants to be independent and doesn't want to be a burden to others. She isn't, but...sometimes, she feels inadequate, that she won't live up to what others might want her to be, which would be to be as great as her father."
"Do people really expect so much of her? ...If they didn't, she might well be on the road to becoming a mercenary by now," Arian said, remembering what Elvira had told him earlier about expectations. "Those fears are one of the reasons why she's reluctant to become a merc. She told me herself."
"...She told you that? Interesting..." Zenobia remarked. "...Truth be told, I don't think everyone expects her to be as great as her father. But...it still is a fear in her eyes. And honestly...I can empathise with her. That desire of you to be as skilled as your parents in their field, setting up unreasonably high expectations and allowing yourself to be disappointed when you don't live up to their standards...That's something I understand all too well." Her eyes looked distant, and from seeing her expression, Arian got the feeling that this was a story of her past that was best not to be dug up again. So he chose to keep quiet.
"In the meantime…" Zenobia brought up, as a change of subject. "How's that book you're reading?"
"Oh, it's really informative," Arian told her. Earlier, when they'd sat down for tea, Elvira recommended that the Riolu look at a book entitled The Basic Facts of Pokémon: Vol. 6 Q-T that detailed a variety of Pokémon, of which Riolu and Treecko were included in the book in question. "I guess it's good to know just what I'm capable of. Like the fact that Riolu can...sense emotions, apparently." He was slightly confused at this, but then he recalled back to earlier that morning. "Actually...when Elvira was getting downcast about her dad, I could sense that sadness quite clearly. But not just because it was obvious; it was like her sadness could be sensed in waves to me. ...Is that what this book is going on about?"
"I would think so," Zenobia replied. "...Then again, it's not like I'd know. I'm only a Heliolisk; we don't have emotion-sensing abilities like yours….Did you glean anything else?"
"...Well...I'm reading a bit about evolution right now," Arian responded. "So...at some point in a Pokémon's life, they change form into something else? Like how a Riolu evolves into a...Lucario," he read. "...Does that really happen?"
"Indeed, it does," the Heliolisk answered. "Many Pokémon have the potential to develop beyond their base forms. I, for instance, wasn't like this when I was young. I was a much smaller Pokémon called a Helioptile once upon a time. ...It's a very in-depth topic, evolution. Suffice to say that Pokémon can evolve into a variety of different forms in many different ways."
"...Really? That's interesting…" Arian peered back at the page. "...It says here that Riolu usually evolve into a Lucario when they form a close bond with a partner, one as unbreakable as steel. ...Apparently."
"Oh yes, I did hear that Riolu evolve that way," Zenobia recalled. "That's one of the many ways to evolve, through bonds. Other ways are through visiting a certain location, learning a certain move or by resonating with a special stone. ...That last one's how I evolved. There's many more ways beyond what I just described."
"I see…" murmured the human, looking back at the book. Thankfully, it provided an illustration to aid him. Two pictures were shown; one of a Riolu, not too different to his own form, and one of another Pokémon similar in colouration and looks to the Riolu. However, this one was taller and looked stronger than its pre-evolution. It had a cream-coloured torso with a spike at the chest, and spikes on the backs of its paws. Its feelers at the back of its head were also bigger and there were four of them instead of two like on the Riolu, and its ears were larger and more pointy. As well as that, Arian noticed another detail, and even though it may have just been the way it was illustrated, he saw that while the Riolu was depicted as happy in an almost childish way, the Lucario was depicted as having a more stern and focused expression.
So...I might be like that one day? the human pondered. ...Not gonna lie, that'd be pretty cool, to look like that. Evolution...what a strange idea. ...But hey, not everything strange is a bad thing, he then thought, a more optimistic take on things.
"Evolution is a fascinating phenomenon, alright," Zenobia said, before letting out a long sigh. "...It's a shame it's not happening anymore."
"Wait a minute." Arian looked over at Zenobia, a befuddled expression on his face. "What do you mean it's not happening anymore? Do you mean evolution isn't happening anymore?"
"...Yes, I do. For some unexplained reason, sometime around a year ago now...Pokémon stopped evolving altogether," the Heliolisk answered. "No one knows how or why this happened. But it's caused a great deal of stress and panic among those of us in society. ...And it's now become the reality for us in Ardalion. What should be a natural phenomenon...no longer occurs now."
"...Oh, really?" Disappointment and worry laced the Riolu's words. "That's...not good. ...A bit of a shame, too. I was a bit excited, too, about potentially evolving. Lucario looks like a pretty cool Pokémon to evolve into."
"...It would be an exciting prospect," Zenobia sympathised. "...I'm sorry that it can't happen for you. ...Maybe one day, we'll figure it out, just what's causing this."
"Yeah...hopefully."
At that moment, a knocking sounded on the front door. Zenobia looked up.
"The door? I didn't plan on having any visitors…" she mumbled. She reached for her crutches, and prepared to get it.
"I'll get it," Arian said. "Your leg's still not right. You shouldn't strain it."
"...If you could get the door, that would be great. Thank you, Arian."
"No problem." And with that, Arian headed out of the room and to the front door, where he opened it.
He blinked when he saw the visitor; a small Grass-type Pokémon with green colouring, three leaves atop its head and a white face. It was an entirely new face to him, and the species was unfamiliar to him. No doubt Elvira would know, the Riolu thought to himself. But she's not here right now. I'll just have to wing it. ...Here's hoping I don't act weird.
"Er, hello. Can I help you?" he asked.
The face of the Pokémon, which was in fact a Petilil, a fact unknown to Arian, morphed into an expression of confusion. "Who are you?" she said. "Last I checked, a Riolu didn't live here. A Heliolisk and a Treecko did. I'm looking for Elvira, the Treecko, specifically. And urgently."
"Urgently? I'll get her quickly, then," Arian promised, before heading back inside. "Elvira! There's someone at the door for you!"
"There is?" Elvira's voice sounded as she came out into the hallway. "Who is it?"
"Elvira!" the Petilil called from the open front door. "There you are!"
"...Flora? What are you doing here?" Elvira asked, walking up to the front door. "...Look, I know it's been a while, but I can explain..."
"...I know that. But that's not important right now," Flora said, her voice beginning to become a bit frantic. "Elvira, I need your help, and I need it now."
"Is there a problem? What's the matter, Flora?"
"It's Tamara!" cried the Petilil. "She went into Verdant Woods this morning, but she still hasn't returned, and I'm...I'm getting worried! Elvira, you have to help me! Please!"
"Oh no...Verdant Woods?" Elvira said. "...Why did she go in there?"
"Because apparently she forgot her locket when she was scavenging for berries there yesterday," Flora replied. "Look, I warned her. But you know how Tam is; she loves that locket more than anything, and she'll take on risky situations if it means getting it back. But she hasn't come back yet, and...and...please, Elvira, you have to find her!"
"Me? But...why me? Surely there are others better suited to finding her…"
"No one will listen to me!" Flora cried. "They keep saying things like 'Oh, wait a bit longer,' or 'I'm sure she'll be back by this evening.' Or they're just too scared to go into Verdant Woods because it's a Mystery Dungeon! Or that the Thorned Roses will take advantage of their absence and rob them of their stuff! I'm getting worried, and so are Tamara's parents! You're the only one that'll listen, Elvira! Please, you have to find her!" she begged, a panicked look on her face. Then, she added, "You were always the strongest of us three…"
A conflicted look appeared on Elvira's face. "But I…" she began, only for her train of thought to fizzle into nothing.
"...You should help, Elvira," Arian suggested, choosing to give his two Poké on the matter. "After all, isn't this what being a mercenary is about? Helping the helpless? Your friend needs help, but can't get any from anywhere. Isn't this the point where a merc would step up and say, 'I'll do it!'"
"...Er, yeah, what he said," Flora agreed, before turning to the Riolu. "By the way, who are you supposed to be? I've never seen you around here before."
"I'm Arian. I'm…" The amnesiac paused, realising his situation would probably take some explaining, and by the sounds of Flora's desperation, that was time they probably didn't have. "...Just a drifter. Elvira helped save me, and I'm staying in her house for the time being. But that's not important right now," he then added, trying to divert the conversation back to the problem at hand. "This sounds like it should be resolved without delay. ...Say, Elvira...if you're that uneasy about doing mercenary work, then...how about I go with you to help rescue your friend? As backup, and as a partner."
"You? But...are you fit to go traversing in a Mystery Dungeon?" Elvira questioned. "...You're still getting used to everything…"
"Don't worry about me. I think I'm fine enough," the Riolu brushed off. "...I have a quick question, though...What's a Mystery Dungeon?"
"Wait, what?" Flora reacted, aghast. "How do you not know what a Mystery Dungeon is? Have you been living under a rock all your life or something?"
"I, um...don't remember what they are," Arian answered, regretting his answer once the words had left his mouth. Oh dear...now the questions are going to come in droves. "But that's not relevant to the matter at hand! Your friend's in trouble! Now's not the time for questions about me!"
"Okay, okay, fine!" the Petilil backed off. "Did I touch a nerve or something?"
"Guys, let's not argue!" Elvira interrupted. "Arian's right. Tamara's in a fix, and focusing on ourselves won't solve anything. But…" She turned back inside, only to stop when she saw Zenobia walking towards her on her crutches. "Mom?"
"Elvira...you should help Tamara, and take Arian with you," Zenobia suggested. "I heard a lot of what was said. You are correct, Arian; this is exactly the kind of job an honest mercenary would do. It's exactly the kind of job your father would do. You do that, and leave me here. I would feel terrible if I knew that you couldn't save Tamara because you were more worried about me and my broken leg. Please, I insist. You must aid her in her hour of need."
"Please, Elvira!" Flora pleaded. "Hell, if you're so worried about your mom, I'll look after her while you go save Tam!"
"That won't be overly necessary. But if it will placate your worries, Elvira…" the Heliolisk offered, before gazing at her with an urging look. "...Come on. Your father would be proud of you for aiding someone in need, just like a mercenary would."
"...Mom…" Elvira murmured, unable to hide the slight emotion that had crept into her voice. "...Okay, I'll do it. I'll rescue Tamara with Arian."
"Great!" Flora cheered. "...Go on, Elvira. I know you can do it. And…" She turned to Arian. "I don't know how good you are at fighting, but if it's as good as your pep talking, then you probably don't have anything to worry about."
"...Don't worry. Hopefully, we'll come back in one piece," the Riolu replied. "Will we go?"
"...Yes. Let's go," Elvira said. "Follow me. I know the way there."
The duo made their way down to the road. As they did, Flora and Zenobia watched them from the front door of the house.
"...Arian seems like quite a good partner for Elvira," commented the latter. "...Maybe he'll be the one to encourage her to become a mercenary, just like she used to always want to be. ...Hopefully now, the flame will be lit on that front." She smiled at the thought.
Then, another intriguing thought came to her.
The two of them working together...What if they managed to…? Yes, that would be a marvellous idea. We always figured she'd find someone else, and they would join the Guild together. ...Now that option may have been made for her. It's as if all the pieces are now falling into place.
"...Who is that Riolu?" Zenobia's attention was taken from her thoughts by Flora's question. "I've never seen him around here before. Who is he?"
"...Come inside," the Heliolisk said. "I'll fill you in on the details."
"We go right here," Elvira instructed, when she and Arian arrived at a fork in the road. "Verdant Woods is a bit off the beaten track, away from the main road."
"Is it over there?" Arian asked, pointing to a series of trees further down the path they had taken.
"Yes, it is," confirmed Elvira. "And in that wood is the Mystery Dungeon itself."
"...Oh yeah...about that." The Riolu turned to her, a curious look on his face. "What exactly are these Mystery Dungeons you speak of?"
"...Mystery Dungeons..." The Treecko let out a long sigh. "Oh boy, where do I begin with them? Mystery Dungeons...are strange places, to put it simply. Ordinary areas like forests and caves are essentially morphed into maze-like structures with multiple floors to them. And once you enter a Mystery Dungeon, there's no way out until you traverse all of the floors of the Mystery Dungeon."
"...Okay…" Arian murmured, his brow furrowed in confusion. This, Elvira spotted.
"...I know. I'm probably not explaining it the best. No one really knows how to explain them, though. They're mysteries, enigmas that can't be defined. No one really knows why they're here or what they're for. ...Perhaps to you, they're mystifying, but...they're a normal part of life here in Ardalion. You'll see for yourself just what they're like."
"...That'll have to be it, I guess. Seeing is believing, after all," the human-turned-Riolu replied.
The two began to walk into a more wooded area. Arian looked around him. The foliage provided some shade from the sun, which made the woods somewhat cooler than outside. But strangely enough, for whatever reason...the trees seemed huge to him. They seemed much bigger than he was used to. Maybe this world has naturally big trees? the Riolu thought to himself. Or...no, wait. I know what it is. Could it be the fact that as a Riolu, I'm just naturally small? Was I bigger than this as a human? If so, then…
Many questions bombarded the mind of the amnesiac human, a great number of which he had no answer for. But he did realise that his thoughtfulness was creating a silence from him, which he felt could create an awkwardness between him and Elvira. Arian didn't want that to happen, so he decided to divert his thoughts towards their mission.
"Are we in the Mystery Dungeon now?" he asked Elvira.
"No. We're definitely in Verdant Woods, but not the Mystery Dungeon itself. You'd know when you are," the Treecko told him. "Hmm...ah! There's the entrance."
Arian looked to where she pointed. Two trees stood dead ahead of them, their canopies hanging overhead. But between them, strangely enough...it was as if they couldn't see clearly beyond the trees. It was like the path ahead had been obfuscated by some kind of shadow.
"What is that…?" he muttered aloud.
"That's the Mystery Dungeon entrance," answered Elvira. "...Once we go in there, there's no turning back until we've reached the exit at the end. ...If you want to bail out, Arian, now's the time. I won't judge you if you do."
Arian briefly considered it, but shook his head. "No," he denied. "I want to help you rescue your friend. I can't balk at the slightest thing. Even if I do have amnesia, that's not gonna stop me from helping people. It's the right thing to do, what we're doing now. You don't need to be a mercenary to see that."
"...You have a point," Elvira recognised. "I suppose that was a bit of a stupid question, asking if you wanted to turn back. The way I said it, it makes me sound a bit condescending, assuming that you can't weather something like a Mystery Dungeon. I'm sorry I said that."
"No, no, it's fine, really!" Arian replied. "Don't apologise for every little thing, Elvira. You're fine. I'm not offended."
"...Good thing you aren't. I know for a fact there are those who would take what I said the wrong way," the Treecko said. "...Though, that said, I haven't yet seen you in combat, Arian."
"Combat?"
"Yes. We're going to have to fight wild Pokémon in this Mystery Dungeon. What moves do you know?" Elvira asked, before suddenly realising what she was asking. "Oh...wait a minute. You...would've forgotten what moves you know, wouldn't you?"
"...Moves?" Arian cocked his head.
"...They're like...special techniques Pokémon can use. Every Pokémon has the ability to use a number of different moves. They're normally dependent on the type of Pokémon you are. You're a Fighting-type, so you'll be quite capable at using physical attacks."
"I'm a...Fighting-type?" queried a puzzled Arian. "...What does that mean?"
"...Ah…" Elvira faltered briefly, realising that explaining basic concepts like moves and types was surprisingly more difficult than she would've thought. As well as that, the thought of rescuing Tamara came to her, and she cast a glance at the Dungeon's entrance.
This, Arian noticed. "...No, let's not think about it," he then decided. "Your friend's more important than me figuring out what 'types' and 'moves' are. My questions can wait."
"...Are you sure?" Elvira asked.
"Yes. Besides...maybe I can learn as I go," the Riolu reasoned. "We've got to save your friend first. Then we can get my questions answered."
"...Alright. That's fair ...Are you ready to head in?"
"...I'm ready."
And together, the two of them walked beyond the overhanging trees and into the shadowy area.
Verdant Woods
1F
Arian couldn't quite describe what happened next. It was as if the moment they passed into the Mystery Dungeon, the surrounding area suddenly altered and changed into something completely different. Next thing he realised, he and Elvira were no longer in any kind of shadowy area, but in some kind of clearing that most definitely did not resemble the path on which they entered the dungeon on.
"Whoa! What?" a baffled Arian remarked. "So this is the Mystery Dungeon, is it?"
"Yes, it is," Elvira confirmed.
"...This is weird. Like, really weird. Wh-What? I mean, how does that even work? What kind of physics exist in this world to make this possible?"
"...You see what I mean when I talked about them earlier?" Elvira reminded. "You're not the first one to be confused by all of this. I was just like you when I first stumbled into my first Mystery Dungeon. It was here, actually. But I was with Dad at the time, and he was able to protect me and get out of here without much difficulty."
"Getting out of here...Oh yeah, you did say something about no turning back, didn't you?" Out of curiosity, the Riolu looked behind him, and was amazed to see just a cover of trees behind him, no entrance to be seen. "Oh...I see what you mean..."
"Let's go, Arian," Elvira said. "The sooner we find Tamara, the better. The problem is...where exactly is she? She could be anywhere in this labyrinth...We're gonna have to search everywhere thoroughly."
Elvira headed straight down the path directly in front of them, with Arian following close behind. They were out of the 'room', and in a 'corridor', as the Riolu labelled them. So this is a Mystery Dungeon...he thought to himself, looking around him. ...It's bizarre, alright. And yet this is considered normal in this world? ...Boy, do I have a lot to get used to.
His thoughts were interrupted when Elvira called out to him.
"There's a wild Pokémon ahead, Arian," she informed him. "A Caterpie. I'll deal with it."
Arian watched Elvira deal with the Bug-type. She struck it with her tail, signifying a usage of Pound, which did a fair amount of damage to it. The Caterpie immediately countered with Tackle, but Elvira withstood it enough to deliver another Pound. That was enough to defeat it, and the bug lay on its side.
"This place is filled with wild Pokémon like that Caterpie there," the Treecko told Arian. "We're gonna have to be on our guard."
"...Gotcha," acknowledged the Riolu. "...So do we just leave it there? That...Caterpie?"
"Yes. It's fainted now. It won't be of any harm to us," Elvira replied. "...Let's keep going."
They continued down the hallway to another room. However, a look around the room revealed no exits.
"It's a dead end," Elvira sighed. "...Well, back to where we started, I guess."
They turned around and went back the way they came. Because Arian was further back, he took the lead with Elvira following behind. They came back to the room they had started in. Looking around him, the amnesiac saw two other exits to his left, on the room's south side.
"...How about that one?" He pointed to the right-hand corridor.
"Yes," Elvira agreed. "If not, we can always take the other path later. ...Though, if we're looking for Tamara, then she could be anywhere in this dungeon..."
"...What does Tamara look like?" wondered Arian, as they started down the corridor. "What species is she? Just so I know who I'm looking for."
"A Pachirisu," Elvira answered. "She's an Electric-type with blue and white fur and a big, bushy tail. Tamara's always been lively and chatty, and a great friend for most of my life. ...But she also has a tendency to rush headfirst into risky situations without calculating just how risky that situation can be. Like right now."
"...How well can she fight?" Arian asked.
"Well...good enough to hold her own," admitted Elvira. "This Mystery Dungeon isn't too difficult. This place would be too much of a handful for her. ...But that's the problem. She hasn't come back yet...and that's presumably what's gotten Flora all stressed."
"So she could be just lost?"
"...Could be. I mean, with mazes like this, it's little wonder people get lost in them. If Tam did get lost, then it wouldn't be the first time someone's gotten lost in here. It's not uncommon for mercenaries to be requested to help rescue Pokémon that have gotten lost in Mystery Dungeons."
"Then we must find her before we become lost ourselves," Arian said. "Let's hurry."
"Yes. Let's."
They found their way to another room, after a long corridor with multiple twists and turns. But at that room's entrance lay a Pidgey, which caught Arian by surprise.
"Ah!" he cried, not expecting the sudden appearance of the bird Pokémon. Instinctively, he launched a self-defensive attack, and struck the Pidgey with a Quick Attack. It returned a Tackle his way, and hit Arian in the stomach. But the Riolu countered with another Quick Attack, which brought down the Pidgey.
"...Not bad, Arian," praised Elvira. "You did alright there."
"...Could have done better," the Riolu replied. "That bird got me in the stomach." A bruise lay in the spot where it had struck.
"Oh dear...Are you okay, Arian?" Elvira asked.
"I think so," Arian assessed. "It's a small injury, nothing serious. Let's keep moving."
"Agreed."
They walked on for another bit, the human thinking back to his encounter with the Pidgey. It occurred to him that he definitely used something foreign to him to be able to strike the Flying-type in so quick a manner.
"So...did I use a move back there?" he asked Elvira.
"Yes, you did," she told him. "By the looks of it, it was Quick Attack you used. Moves have a lot of different names, applications and effects. For instance, Quick Attack is what it is: a quick attack that strikes the opponent before they've realised what's hit them. I know it as well, actually."
"...I see," murmured Arian. "Moves...Yet another thing to get used to. But I'll adjust to it in time. Meanwhile...let's keep looking for Tamara."
The two scoured the rest of the floor for the sight of a Pachirisu, and encountered a number of wild Pokémon along the way. They were dealt with in an easy fashion that even the inexperienced Elvira and Arian, who was still getting used to using his moves, could handle.
But they encountered no sign of Tamara. And in the last room that they hadn't searched...there was, oddly enough, in the middle of a forest, a set of stairs.
"What's that doing here?" Arian questioned.
"It's how Mystery Dungeons work," explained Elvira. "There are multiple floors to each Mystery Dungeon, and each one has a similar maze-like structure to it, like what we just went through."
"Wait, so we have to explore more mazes?" Arian cried, groaning afterwards. "Great...just when we got done with that one. At this rate, it'll be nightfall by the time we find Tamara…"
"Well, we can at least say she's not on this floor," Elvira surmised. "So...up we go."
The pair started up the steps.
Verdant Woods
2F
At the top of the stairs was another forest clearing. However, no sooner had Arian stepped off the last step that the stairs suddenly vanished into thin air, and the human found himself looking at a dirt floor.
"...Okay...I guess that's a thing in Mystery Dungeons," he muttered. "And another labyrinth to explore...Say, about that. How many floors does this dungeon have?"
"...Three, I think," the Treecko told him. "...Though from what I've heard, Verdant Woods is rather tame by Mystery Dungeon standards. I've heard there are dungeons many times more dangerous than this, and with many more floors as well. ...But that's only based on hearsay."
"I hope it's only hearsay," Arian replied. "Imagine having to comb ten floors to find Tamara, for instance. Or twenty? Hell, maybe even a hundred!"
"Maybe Mystery Dungeons like that do exist. We should count our lucky stars Tamara got lost in this dungeon of all places and not somewhere more dangerous," Elvira said. "On that note...let's keep looking."
"...Right."
And so they searched the labyrinth of the second floor, encountering many more narrow corridors, rooms with a number of different exits, and wild Pokémon. Again, they were taken down with relative ease, though one incident warranted mention.
It was against a wild Wurmple. At one point, it had used String Shot on Arian. The Riolu had been caught unaware, and was completely taken by surprise when the silk wrapped around his legs. Trying to move only led to him falling ungracefully onto his face.
"Agh!" he cried out, trying to get back on his feet with his hands. But he found he couldn't; it was as if the silk had stuck him to the ground. He tried desperately to free himself.
"Hold on, Arian!" Elvira called back. "Take this!" She launched a Pound at the Wurmple, which finished it off. She rushed over to her companion's side. "Oh dear...you've got yourself stuck with the Wurmple's silk."
"Urgh...it's like glue," he complained.
"No kidding," agreed the Treecko. "Wurmple silk is often used in glue around here. It's a good adhesive. ...Perhaps a little too good," she added sympathetically, looking at her partner's predicament. "Here. I'll help you out."
She went over to where some dock leaves were growing, and plucked some of them. She then used them to grab some of the gooey silk that was wrapped around Arian's legs. Water would've aided her, but there was none nearby, so she had to make do. After some prying, Arian was finally unstuck from the ground.
"...Thanks, Elvira," he said gratuitously. "I'm sorry about that…"
"No worries. Though...your fur around your legs is still a bit sticky," she pointed out.
"...Oh God…" he muttered in annoyance when he saw that indeed, his leg fur still contained some of the gooey, sticky residue from the Wurmple's silk.
"...Nothing I can do about that, I'm afraid," Elvira apologised. "You'll need to wash that off when we get to some water."
"...Alright. Anyway...onward with the search," Arian said, taking his mind off what just happened and continuing down the corridor they were in. Elvira quickly followed after him.
But a search of the second floor yielded no Tamara. Arian and Elvira found themselves at the stairs to the next floor.
"Well, no Tamara on this floor," the former surmised. "Shall we head up?"
"Hmm...I hope we didn't miss her," Elvira hoped. "She must be further up. ...Maybe she went all the way to the grove at the end? She wouldn't be incapable of getting there…"
"Then let's go," Arian said, and started up the stairs, with Elvira following him up them.
Verdant Woods
3F
The third floor was much like the others, with the same forested look to everything. However, there was one notable difference that Arian spotted right away.
"Look!" he pointed out. "The stairs are right there. That's convenient."
"Not yet, Arian," Elvira said. "Tamara might be on this floor. Let's search it first. If she's not here, she's in the berry grove."
"...You know, something just occurred to me," Arian voiced. "Should we split up to look for her?"
"No! We shouldn't do that," denied Elvira. "This place is a maze that we could easily get lost in. The last thing we should do is split up. Not to mention, the wild Pokémon could corner us more easily if we were separate. Let's stay together, Arian. We're much stronger as a team."
"...Right. Forget I said anything," mumbled the Riolu, slightly ashamed of his poor idea. He silently followed Elvira down the corridor in front of them.
Another floor, another fruitless search. Though, in a way, it bore fruit, quite literally. A dead end was accompanied by a bush of oran berries, and Elvira picked a few, suggesting they rest for a brief spell. Arian agreed, particularly after he had received a gash from a Pidgey's Peck. The oran berries helped to heal up his wound.
"If only I brought a bag with me," Elvira realised. "Then we could pick these and have them in that berry stew I promised I'd make for dinner tonight."
"Oh yeah..." Arian recalled, remembering what had been said earlier that afternoon.
"I should've brought a bag with me, actually," the Treecko went on. "An adventurer's bag is one thing every mercenary should always have on them. My dad never went on a mission without one. And he would always bring the bare essentials with him, such as oran berries, max elixirs, geo pebbles, iron thorns...That was stupid of me to forget," she lightly self-admonished.
"We were in a bit of a rush, to be fair," Arian reasoned. "I'm not surprised we forgot it. ...Not to worry. We're nearly done here, anyway. With any luck, we'll find Tamara and be back to the house before sundown."
"...You're right, Arian," Elvira said, smiling at his optimism. "Come on. Let's go find Tamara and get out of here." She got up and headed out of the room, with Arian following her.
They returned to the room they started in, and found the stairs that took them upward.
Verdant Woods
Grove
Questions immediately arose in Arian's head when he emerged to a location that did not look maze-like in the slightest.
"Are we out?" he asked Elvira, once she had emerged.
"...We're at the end of the dungeon," the Treecko answered. "Just ahead of us is the berry grove. It's the only place we haven't checked yet. If Tamara's anywhere, she's there."
"Well, let's go then," Arian initiated, and he and Elvira made their way down the path before them.
As they did so, Arian couldn't help but take in the natural beauty of the woodland around him. The air was clean, and there wasn't any sign of pollution anywhere. Pure, natural, nearly untouched beauty, this was. Selenia truly is a beautiful place, he thought to himself. I'd love to explore more of it, if it's like this everywhere else in the country.
At that moment, however, the peace and stillness of the alluring forest was shattered by a distressed cry.
"Get away from me, you creeps!"
Arian was ripped from his thoughts by this exclamation. "Someone's in trouble!" he said. "Was that Tamara?"
"It sounded like her," Elvira confirmed. "Come on, let's hurry!"
They hurried further in. As they got closer, they got a view of what was happening.
A Pachirisu was being confronted by two others: a Dark-type Meowth and a Deino. The latter two wore some kind of red band around their arm and foreleg, bearing the insignia of a rose and thorns. They were also speaking in confrontational tones.
"Your family hasn't been keeping up with the rent," the Meowth said. "And when that happens...prices have to be paid."
"We don't have the money!" the Pachirisu protested. "And even if we did, your rents are stupidly high! How can anyone who isn't loaded with cash pay them?!"
"Shut up!" the Deino fired back. "You don't get a say in the matter, wench! Pay up or suffer the consequences!"
"You ruffians stop right there!" commanded Arian, choosing this moment to step onto the scene. Behind him, Elvira trailed. The latter was recognised instantly by the Pachirisu.
"Ellie!" she cried out, surprised, but relieved. "You came! ...Please help me!"
"Don't worry, Tam! We'll deal with these guys!" Elvira called, before turning her attention to the two rogues. In an instant, her face darkened. "Well...if it isn't the Thorned Roses. Of all the people to run into…"
"...And just who are you supposed to be anyway?" the Meowth questioned. "A friend of the girl, by any chance?"
"That's no concern of yours," Elvira returned coldly. "Stop harassing Tamara this instant!"
"...Who do you think you are to order us about, missy?" the Deino said indignantly. "And you too." He directed this at Arian. "Don't you know who you're dealing with?"
"No, I don't," Arian replied, drawing confused looks from the two ruffians. "I've never heard of you in my life." ...Probably didn't before the amnesia either, I bet.
"Wait, what? You've never heard of the Thorned Roses?" the Meowth uttered. "Sheesh, have you been living under a rock for the past few years or something?"
"...Tch. Probably just some trash talk," scoffed the Deino. "Don't listen to him, Bruno. This guy's probably some joker with a bag of tricks up his sleeve."
A bag of tricks? I wish, Arian internally snarked. But he held his tongue on this front. "It doesn't matter whether I know you or not," he replied. "Cornering someone like that crosses a line in my book. And not just mine; anyone who doesn't view that as a red flag has to have a pretty out-of-shape moral compass. People like you, for instance."
"...You think you're some big shot, do you?" the Deino scathingly said. "You wanna play the hero in times like these?"
"...Yes. Yes, I do," Arian responded unflinchingly. "Because someone has to. Selenia's in a pretty bad place now, and someone has to step up to the plate and help out the common man."
"Ha! Big talk, Riolu," disparaged Bruno, the Meowth. "But words won't save you here. Actions are what count!" He unsheathed his claws.
"...Fine then. You want actions?" Arian punched his fists together. "Then we'll give you actions. ...Come on, Elvira," he said, turning to his partner. "Let's knock some sense into these ruffians."
"...Yeah," agreed the Treecko. "...Just like a mercenary team would." She allowed herself a small smile at the human's upbeat nature. Off to the side, Tamara overheard what was said, with her eyes wide.
Both duos gazed at each other, daring each other to make the first move. But eventually, it was Arian who walked slowly towards Bruno, before initiating with a Quick Attack and landing a hit on the Meowth.
"Argh!" the cat cried out. "You got lucky, Riolu. But that was only one hit. Take this!" He launched a Scratch at Arian, cutting the canine with his sharp claws and eliciting a wince from him.
Meanwhile, Elvira landed a Pound on the Deino. In retaliation, the dark dragon snapped back with a Bite, which narrowly grazed the gecko's side.
They mean business, Arian realised. They shouldn't be trifled with, these two. But if we fight hard enough, then...victory will be within our grasp, surely. Just got to keep at it with bringing down these two.
"Arian." The canine looked over to see Elvira by his side. "Let's switch up our opponents. I might be able to handle the Meowth better." She pointed to Bruno, to get her message across
"...So I handle the other one, then. Gotcha," the Riolu understood. With that, the two swapped opponents.
"That won't make a difference," Bruno scoffed. "Treecko or Riolu, you'll both be defeated in the end."
"Really? I wouldn't be so quick to judge," countered Arian. "That's the first step toward losing, to underestimate your opponent."
"We don't need to be schooled by you," growled the Deino. "Words don't mean shit!" He reinforced his words by launching himself at the Riolu in a Tackle, and managed to land his attack.
"Oof!" Arian cried, having the wind knocked out of him as the Deino's Tackle pushed him to the ground, the Irate Pokémon remaining on him. "Get off me!" he yelled at the Deino, managing to push the dragon off him with a swipe of his claws.
Unexpectedly to him, though, his claws suddenly gave off a metallic sheen as they slashed at the Deino. The latter was taken by surprise as the hit landed, and this caused him to move off Arian and allow him to stand back up.
"...Metal Claw, huh?" the Deino remarked. "...Alright then. You're not a pushover, I'll give you that. But that hardly means you're gonna win!" He leapt back into the fray, launching another Tackle. However, Arian saw the signs, and dodged out of the way in time.
"Nice dodge, Arian!" Elvira praised, from where she was standing.
"Thanks," Arian replied. "But focus on your own fight; don't worry about me. I can handle this."
"...So can I, I think." Elvira turned her attention back to Bruno, who looked more than a little insulted.
"Tch. What a bunch of hypocrites," scoffed the grey cat. "Wasn't your friend lecturing me not to judge a minute ago? And yet here you are, presuming you have a handle on things. Let me show you just how wrong you are!" He launched a Scratch at Elvira, nicking her across her torso.
"...No. You don't have the upper hand," Elvira panted lightly from the pain dealt to her. "I'm still in the game!" To exercise her point, she attacked her opponent with Absorb, and drained some of his stamina to partially heal the wound dealt to her.
"...Draining health, are we?" Bruno observed scathingly. "What a dirty trick."
"It's no trick. It's simply how I am," Elvira said simply. "You'll just have to deal with it." She used Absorb again, draining more health from the feline.
"Grrr...You're getting on my nerves, you bitch," growled the Meowth. "Don't you dare look down on us!"
"It's hard not to when you're harassing my friend," the Treecko countered, getting somewhat worked up. "I can't respect anyone like you. But then, you're a Thorned Rose. I wouldn't expect the likes of you to understand."
"...You just think you're better than us, don't you?" Bruno said, considerably angered. "Cocky pricks! I'll show you!" He lunged at Elvira with a Bite. She dodged out of the way in time and avoided the brunt of the attack, but she didn't avoid it entirely, and received a slight wound to her midsection.
"...Just a flesh wound," Elvira breathed to herself, when she saw the wound beginning to bleed. "Nothing that can't be healed." She retaliated with Absorb, and managed to partially heal up the nick.
"Agh! Healing yourself over and over again! You're really beginning to piss me off now!" shouted an incensed Bruno, who was beginning to feel weaker from the multiple blows Elvira had dealt to him. "Hey, Vivian! How are you holding up? I could use some help against this annoying Treecko!"
"Not much better!" called the now-named Vivian. "This Riolu's giving me quite a bit of trouble." This was true; at a glance, Elvira could see that the Deino had sustained more hits than Arian. However, she didn't pay any more attention than that. Wishing to concentrate on her own fight, she returned to fighting Bruno.
Arian, meanwhile, carried on with fighting Vivian, the Deino. However, the conversation that had just occurred befuddled him. Specifically, it was one part of it.
"...Your name's Vivian?" he asked the Deino. "Did I hear that right?"
"...Yeah. And? What's it to you?" huffed Vivian.
"...You are a boy, right?"
"Oh, for Arceus's sake!" shouted the Deino out of annoyance. "Vivian is not a girl's name! It's unisex! How many times do I have to tell that to everyone?!"
"...Is it unisex? ...Really?" the Riolu queried skeptically.
"Yes, it is!" yelled Vivian, visibly frustrated. "What would you know anyway, you stupid idiot?! You haven't even heard of the Thorned Roses! You're just a wannabe hero with ideas above his station! You don't know a damn thing! You're noth - "
He was interrupted by a Quick Attack from Arian.
"...Be quiet, would you?" he said. "Goodness, your name appears a sore subject for you. There's a story in that name, for sure."
"It's none of your business!" Vivian roared. "Now shut up!" He unleashed what would've been a devastating Bite, but Arian moved out of the way in time. That didn't deter Vivian, though; the dark dragon chased him down, intent on great harm.
I've clearly trodden on some nerves, the Riolu observed. The way he is now, those sharp fangs of his will be fuelled by that anger. But...maybe...I could use his anger to my advantage, he then thought to himself.
He observed Vivian's movements. They were indeed fuelled by his anger, but in turn, Arian noticed that it was clouding his judgment and in turn, was making it harder for him to locate the human and sink his fangs into him. Yes, that's it. Act calm and rational, as opposed to his rage-filled anger. Then perceive his next move…
The Deino unleashed another Bite. However, the rage he felt from Arian's insults of his name caused him to miss his target again.
...And strike.
Arian felt a force build up within his paw. He capitalised on the opening given to him by Vivian and struck him in his side in a hit that he felt was a tad more powerful than what he had been dealing.
"Agh!" This was reinforced by the cry of pain elicited by Vivian upon receiving the hit. "What the hell? I-I can't move!" He tried to move, but collapsed to his stomach.
"Viv!" called Bruno, who wasn't faring much better in his battle against Elvira. A few more hits from the Treecko would do him in. He broke off from that and ran over to his comrade. "Shit...This ain't good. We're getting trounced...We gotta retreat."
"Retreat? N-No!" refused Vivian. "We can't face Mikhail like this!"
"I know. But we're both losing, and you've been paralysed by that Force Palm," Bruno countered. "Living to fight another day's always more important. We need to make an exit."
"Grr...you'll regret this!" Vivian seethed, turning his attention to Arian and Elvira. "You're gonna regret ever making an enemy of the Thorned Roses!"
"Hey! You're not getting away!" Arian yelled.
"...You got lucky today," Bruno said, his tone almost a warning one. "But you won't be victorious for long. No one makes an enemy of the Thorned Roses. And I mean no one." At that moment, he pulled out two spherical objects of some sort. "Time to retreat, Vivian. But you losers will know the humiliation of defeat soon enough." The two balls were thrown to the ground, and once they had shattered, smoke billowed through the grove, prompting coughing from Arian and Elvira. When the smoke settled, the two had disappeared, as if they were never there.
"...Rats. They got away," a dismayed Arian remarked.
"...A shame," agreed Elvira. "But that was a pretty good Force Palm you unleashed back there, Arian."
"Force Palm?" the Riolu queried. "Is that what that hit was just there?"
"Yes. I noticed that the Deino seemed to be paralysed after you launched that attack on him," Elvira replied. "It must have been Force Palm you used. It's fairly common for Riolu and Lucario to have that move."
"...Force Palm, eh?" Arian gazed at his right paw. "...It's good to have a move like that. Maybe I won't be an incapable fighter after all. ...I might need more practice with my moves, though, so I can use them better. I'm still not fully used to using moves as a Pokémon."
"A bit more practice should help you," the Treecko advised. "You'll get the hang of it, I'm sure."
"...Thanks, Elvira," Arian said, grateful for her encouragement and advice.
"...No problem," Elvira returned. "...Oh, but we can't forget why we're here in the first place!" she cried, remembering why they'd trekked through the Mystery Dungeon. "Tamara! Are you there?"
"I'm right here, Ellie!" Tamara answered, climbing out from behind a bush she was hiding behind.
"Tamara! Are you alright?" Elvira asked.
"Oh, I'm fine, Ellie!" returned Tamara. "No broken bones, at least. You came at a really good time; if you'd been longer, they almost certainly would've roughed me up. Thanks so much, Ellie."
"Don't thank me," the Treecko said back. "If anything...I was hesitant to come out here. I feared the Mystery Dungeon more than anything, and that stalled me. It was only with prodding from Flora, Mom and Arian that convinced me to come and save you. ...I shouldn't have been so fearful, Tamara. I'm sorry." She bowed her head in shame.
"...It's fine, Ellie. It's alright to be scared in times like these," soothed the Pachirisu. "When you hear all the rumours about Mystery Dungeons, even the shorter, more benign dungeons like this one seem super dangerous. I mean, I was hesitant to come here too, but...I had to find my locket. Plus, I figured it'd be a good place to hide out from the Thorned Roses. ...But they found me anyway. Silly me thinking this was a good hiding place, huh?" she grinned sheepishly.
"...It's just like you to say that," Elvira remarked. "Waving off that earlier threat as a silly mistake...Other Pokémon in your position would be crying their eyes out at what just went on."
"Well, I wasn't overly hurt. And you saved me. So...no need to brood too much over it, is there?" Tamara reasoned. "Everything could have been a lot worse. But it wasn't! It's like I keep telling you, Ellie; always look on the bright side of things. And there was a happy ending to this, with you saving me. ...Oh, but not just you! Alongside a Riolu, no less." She turned her attention to Elvira's partner.
"Hello," he greeted. "My name's Arian."
"...Yeah...Ellie did call out your name a few times. ...You and her fought really well!" praised Tamara. "Almost like a real mercenary duo!"
"...Really?" Elvira said, eyes wide at what her friend had said. "...Like real mercenaries, you say?"
"I don't know if we were that good," Arian voiced. "I only came as backup for Elvira, nothing more."
"But you still did really well! You and Ellie were really in sync with each other during that battle with those hooligans," the peppy Pachirisu said. "You two would make a really good team together!"
"...Well…" Elvira looked at Arian. "...We fought well together, didn't we? Just like Tam said. And...you did help convince me to come out here and rescue her. You were good company to be around, and I really appreciated having you as backup. I don't know if I would've been able to defeat those two on my own. ...Thank you for helping me, Arian," she said, a smile on her face.
"You're welcome. I was just happy to help," Arian replied.
"...You know, you brought up how this would be what a mercenary would do," Elvira mentioned. "And you were willing to go with me, to rescue Tamara. I think, Arian...I think you'd have great potential to become a mercenary."
"You think? ...Well...I think I can definitely say I do like helping others. That's a key part of being a mercenary, isn't it? Stuff like this...I wouldn't mind doing more of this in the future. So you know what?" Arian decided. "I think I will become a mercenary. I might as well find something to do in this new reality of mine."
"Y-You don't have to look at it that way," Elvira replied. "You don't have to prove your worth. Mom and I would gladly let you stay in our house for as long as you want."
"I know you would, and I appreciate your kindness. But...it would be nice to have something to do with my time here. And besides...being a merc might mean greater connections and meeting more people, and...maybe, just maybe, I might find out just where I originated from."
"Of course...Yes, that would be a good way to find that out," Elvira concurred. "Dad had a lot of connections back when he worked as a mercenary. You could do the same, and track down the people who you belong to."
"Indeed. ...But...may I make a suggestion?" the Riolu proposed. "...It'd be good to be a mercenary. However...it would be even better if I had someone to work with. A partner, perhaps."
Elvira didn't even have to catch the knowing glint in the human's eyes to decipher his words. "You...you mean…" she uttered, her voice a mixture of surprise and hope. "...You want me to be a mercenary partner for you?"
"...Of course I would, Elvira," Arian replied, a warm smile on his face. "You clearly want to be a mercenary, and you're a capable fighter to boot. As well as that, you've always had lofty aspirations to be one just like your dad that haven't entirely gone away. But you're just held back by your fears, that's all. And definitely, if you were on your own, they might seem a lot more fearsome. But...what if you had someone else by your side? Someone to help you shoulder those burdens?"
"..." Elvira was silent. Perhaps stunned into silence? guessed Arian. Or...maybe she's considering it. ...Is she?
"...You know...that exact same idea came to me earlier," Elvira eventually said. "You and I forming a mercenary team together. But I didn't know how you would react to it, so I...said nothing. ...Like a coward," she self-admonished.
"...Really?" Arian was surprised to hear this.
"...Yes. But I shouldn't have waited for you to bring it up. I don't have the assertiveness my dad once had," the Treecko lamented. "It's why I've sat on my hands and done nothing after Dad disappeared, and even as the world suddenly changed. I've just...remained paralysed by my anxiety and fear of the unknown. ...A mercenary's meant to be fearless and laugh in the face of danger, but...I...I could barely get over these simple fears of mine…"
"...It's okay, Elvira," Arian soothed. "I won't criticise you. And, you know...you wouldn't have to regret not following your dad's path if you became a mercenary together with me. It's a chance for you to shake off those fears of yours. ...What do you say?"
"...You...have a point," Elvira recognised. "...I...I can't let this opportunity slip me by. Too many times in the past have I balked and held myself back over my fears. ...But no more." A growing look of determination surfaced in the gecko's eyes. "I won't be anchored by my fears any longer. ...Arian...I accept your offer."
"Great!" Arian enunciated with a grin. "There's that pushing aside of fears I hoped to see from you. In fact, not just me. Zenobia as well, and maybe even your friends." He glanced at Tamara in acknowledgment. "Your mom said that all you needed was just a push in the right direction. I had a feeling that proposal might've been it."
"...So Mom planted that idea in your head, did she?" Elvira said. "...No. I shouldn't be mad at her. I should be glad. I've found that recently, I nearly always hesitate in fear of the risks of what I'm about to do. A push is probably what I needed. ...Thanks for that, Arian." A smile formed on her face.
"No thanks necessary. I'm just glad to help," the Riolu replied, still smiling happily himself and his tail beginning to swish behind him. Another unusual sensation, he inwardly remarked. But I don't mind it. It's natural for canines to wag their tails when happy. Probably no different for Riolu either.
"...Um...is this a good time to interrupt?" Tamara asked. The pair turned their attention to her.
"What's on your mind, Tamara?" Elvira queried.
"...I don't want to rain on your parade or anything, but...can you even become a mercenary in Selenia anymore?" the Pachirisu queried. "I thought the registry for it was abolished by Mitrofan."
"...Actually, I've been worried about that," Arian inquired. "Surely it would still be possible to do mercenary work without actually signing up to any registry?"
"...You probably could. The problem now, though, is that because the mercenary registry was abolished, the job requests that mercenaries would normally do have dried up," Elvira elaborated. "...But that surely doesn't mean people don't need help anymore. There's bound to be people out there that need help. Especially in Mitrofan's Selenia. More than ever, now's the time to help people as a mercenary should, with or without a registry. Dad wouldn't let such technicalities get in his way. He wasn't even officially registered when he first started out as a mercenary."
"There you go, then. We don't need a registry to become mercenaries," Arian reasoned.
"Exactly," Elvira agreed. "We shouldn't need licences to aid others. And...after all of what I just said, I'd rather not be told now that I can't. I held this off for too long now, Tam. It's time to live up to my dreams."
"...Well, if you say so, Ellie," Tamara replied. "But...I'm curious about something else, too. It's...about Arian there." She pointed to the blue canine. "I know it's a bit late to ask, but...who exactly are you? I've never met you before. And yet...here you are, buddying up with Ellie and making a merc team with her. I mean, you seem nice, but...y'know…"
"Arian's trustworthy in my eyes," said Elvira. "I only met him yesterday evening and only really got to know him since this morning, but I'm quite sure he's not hiding any dark secrets. His circumstances are quite peculiar, but Arian's proven to be reliable and willing to help others. He's not a bad Pokémon, from what I can see."
"...Well, if you say so, Ellie," Tamara accepted, before turning to the Riolu himself. "...You did come all the way here to help me, and you were a good teammate to Ellie...so you're pretty alright in my book, Arian."
"Ah...Thank you," Arian said, a slight tinge of relief present in his voice. "...So, what now? We've found Tamara, so...will we head back?"
"...That reminds me," Elvira realised. "Tamara, did you find your locket in the end?"
"I sure did! It was in here. It took a bit of searching, but I found it in the end," the electric squirrel answered, holding up a brass locket. "In fact, after finding it, I was literally about to leave when those two good-for-nothings showed up."
"...So you found it, then. That's good to hear," Arian acknowledged. "...Will we go now?"
"...Not just yet," Elvira replied. "Something literally just occurred to me. You know how I said earlier I might prepare a berry stew tonight? ...Well, look at all the berries here!" She gestured to the grove, where plenty of berry bushes and trees stood, many of which had ripe fruit ready for the picking. "This is a perfect time to replenish our stock. ...Tamara, do you have a bag or something like that with you?"
"...You're in luck, Ellie," Tamara beamed. "I just happened to have a bag with me to collect any goodies I might find on the way here. You can find some pretty good stuff in Mystery Dungeons, as it turns out. But there's still plenty of room in there for you to collect berries, Ellie. ...Here you go." She gave the bag to her friend.
"...Thanks, Tam." Elvira got started on plucking ripe berries from the bushes. As she picked berries, something else occurred to her. "...Actually, Arian. I just remembered something. There's a small pond in this grove, if I'm not mistaken. You could wash off the gunk on your legs there."
"...Really? Oh, thanks, Elvira," Arian said. "That sticky silk's been bugging me for a good while now…"
"Oh, did a Wurmple use String Shot on you?" guessed Tamara.
"Yes," replied the Riolu mutedly and quickly, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment at the recollection. "...Well, I'll go find that pond now, and forget that this - '' He pointed to his sticky leg fur. " - ever happened." With that, he walked deeper into the grove to find the pond that Elvira mentioned.
"...Well, that happened," Tamara commented. "Is he sensitive about his fur or something?"
"I don't think so," Elvira replied, as she started picking berries. "He doesn't seem like the sort to make a fuss about his fur being dirty. That seems like a high-born sort of thing to do, and...I don't think he has noble blood in his veins."
"...You know, I've just realised the way you talk about Arian," Tamara mentioned. "You keep saying you 'think' you know what he's like. ...Do you really not know much about him? How much has he actually told you about himself?"
"...To be honest, Tam, he's just as in the dark about himself as I am," Elvira said, her words drawing a look of confusion across Tamara's face.
"What do you mean, Ellie?"
"...Arian has amnesia," Elvira delivered, knowing that would be a line of shock to the Pachirisu.
"Wait, what?!" And indeed, it was. "He has amnesia?! Then why is he here? Shouldn't he be in a medic's care or something?"
"He's not that badly off, Tam. It's amnesia in the sense that he can't remember what happened before he woke up this morning," the Treecko explained. "He's still able to perform bodily manoeuvres and speak with a decent vocabulary. He's not that kind of amnesiac. ...Although...he did say some pretty strange things when he woke up."
"When he woke up? What do you mean?"
"Well...I actually found him on that beach near my house," Elvira informed. "He was lying unconscious, and not responding to anything. So I brought him back to the house and lay him down in the guest room. He woke up next morning, and that's when he spoke to us for the first time."
"Gosh, really?" Tamara said. "Washed up on the beach...That sure isn't something you see every day."
"Tell me about it. And the amnesia sure doesn't help in finding out where he really came from. He didn't know a thing about Ardalion before Mom and I taught him about our land. It's been strange, alright. ...And the strangest thing of all is what he told me not long after he woke up for the first time."
"What's that?"
"Apparently...Arian insists he was once a human," revealed Elvira. Tamara's eyes widened in surprise, before frowning in confusion once more.
"...I'm sorry, what? A human?"
"It sounds ridiculous, I know."
"It's more than ridiculous, Ellie. Everyone knows humans are mythical creatures! That's impossible, surely, that Arian was once a human."
"You say that, but…" Elvira recalled that morning, when the Riolu had risen from unconsciousness. "He seemed genuinely shocked to see that he was a Riolu. And he also had trouble walking on his own two legs at first. But not because he was weak at the knees; because he really wasn't used to the stance of a Riolu. If you ask me...I really don't think he's making that up."
"...He could just be a really good actor."
"I doubt it, Tam." Elvira shook her head. "The shock that Arian portrayed when he saw that he'd become a Pokémon...that was no act. No actor could be that good."
"...Still, though...are you sure you want to partner up with a complete stranger?" Tamara questioned. "You don't really know anything about Arian. He could have a dark, secret past that you don't know about."
"...Whatever Arian's circumstances were before he washed up on the beach..." Elvira began, realising she couldn't exactly counteract Tamara's claims. "...I will find them out with him. He's a good and dependable person, Tam. That's reason enough to trust him."
"...I suppose I can't argue with you there," agreed Tamara. "He is at least friendly. And...he's a guy as well. That could be something."
"...What do you mean?" Elvira asked. "What does Arian being a guy have to do with this?"
"Well, he's a guy, obviously," the Pachirisu replied, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. "And since you'll be on a team with him...well…y'know..." She winked at her friend.
"...Ohhh," Elvira said, realising what her friend was getting at. "...I'm not creating a team with him just because he's a boy, Tam. I'm not looking for him to become my boyfriend. Love was never a part of this."
"...Aw," Tamara muttered, disappointed. "What, you're not even gonna try with him? You've essentially been thrown a bone here, Ellie. If you wait on this, other girls might want to have a piece of him, and then before you know it, your chance with him will have gone!"
"You're being melodramatic, Tam," Elvira replied. At that point, she rounded a picked berry bush, and from there, saw the Riolu rubbing water against his leg fur, trying to get the sticky silk off. Her future mercenary partner and teammate. She looked at Arian again. "Although...I will admit...he's not bad-looking."
"Ooh…" swooned Tamara. "Is that the flower of love beginning to sprout?"
"No, you're not, and I rather you didn't say things like that around us," Elvira said. "What I'm saying is...that I'm not saying no to Arian. I'm...not fully against the idea of him maybe becoming a boyfriend. But emphasis on 'maybe'. In a mercenary team, partnership of skill comes first. Love's an afterthought. ...Give it time, Tamara. Maybe in a few months' time, I'll be singing a different tune. But don't get your hopes up either."
"...Okay then," accepted the Pachirisu. "But you'd better tell me all about it if sparks fly between you two!"
"Maybe. But like I said, don't get your hopes up." Elvira then looked back at the pond, when she realised Arian was finished. Quickly, she turned her attention to him. "You finished there, Arian? Did you get the silk off?"
"...Well...as much of it as I could get off," Arian answered. "That's as good as it'll get, I think."
"We'll leave, then. This bag's just about full," Elvira informed, showing a fairly bulging bag of picked berries. "There'll definitely be enough for a stew, and more to stockpile for the next few days."
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt to stock up," Tamara agreed. "You never know when food supplies might suddenly become unavailable."
"Or if they become too expensive," Elvira added. "Some merchants seem to think everything they sell is equivalent to saffron and myrrh and charge ridiculous amounts for it."
"Oh yeah, they do, don't they?" Tamara seconded. "In fact, just last week, there was this merchant who was selling his stuff at rip-off prices. Then my dad - you know how he is - got into this massive argument with him, and before you know it…"
The conversation went on as the trio walked out of the grove. Arian let the conversation drift into the background as he reflected on what had been accomplished that day. And all in all...it looked pretty good.
The mission to find Tamara had been a success.
He'd found a path forward to take in this world.
And best of all...he'd managed to make Elvira act on her aspirations to become a mercenary. And now the two of them would be working together as a mercenary team.
It was a good enough list to make the Riolu smile brightly with pride at his achievements.
Maybe even in these dark times that Selenia's going through, there can still be a silver lining, he thought to himself. And whatever struggles come to Elvira and I...we'll confront them together.
Together...as a team.
Notes
So. Arian and Elvira are teammates in a mercenary team. And now we'll see the chemistry between the two of them grow further.
The term 'mercenary' is also essentially this story's version of 'rescue team' and 'explorer' used in previous Mystery Dungeon games. I plan to expand on the lore of the term later on in the story.
Vivian's name was an idea that came to me about a male character whose feminine-sounding and supposedly unisex name would derive mockery from others. I chose Vivian as I feel it's a unisex name that we mainly associate with women these days. Meredith was also a name that came to mind for this, but I ultimately chose Vivian in the end.
So, now that story details are over...I have to confess something. I've actually already written a few chapters in advance, and uploading them once a week. I did this in order to give myself time to properly flesh out a story that I'm happy with, rather than writing a few chapters, realising something in the earlier chapters doesn't quite match up with a new idea I have, and having to go back and edit those earlier chapters. I've already done this while writing the chapters to be written in advance; I originally intended for Arian to recognise Pokémon and know what they are, just like other Mystery Dungeon heroes, but my ultimate vision for him would be something of a contradiction to this fact, so I went back and edited the last chapter, as well as this one, to align with the new idea of Arian not knowing what Pokémon are.
There's another reason I brought this 'chapters in advance' thing up; I originally wrote this chapter to be longer than this. But it was too long, so I decided to split it into two chapters; this being the first half. The other half will be next chapter.
That's all for now. See you for that other half.
