Welcome to the second chapter of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: An Adventure of Friendship! In this chapter, Casey and Dylan find out more about what has happened to Lachlan and Kaitlin!

Chapter 2: Investigating

"So... Do you know what Lachlan and Kaitlin were researching?" Lachlan's mother inquired.

"Yes," I replied, nodding my head. "Pokemon, and I think something about other worlds," I said, a bit unsurely.

"That is correct. Well... This part is strange. Something... Someone... I think..." She shook her head and placed her head in her hands. "Um..."

I patted her on the back. "Are you alright?" I asked, a bit worried about her.

"Yes." She looked back up at us. "That's enough stalling. So, all I know is that someone... From some other place... Came to Lachlan asking for help. Lachlan didn't tell me this, though. He told me he had a really important project that he had to work on- so important, that he had to stay home until he was done. He worked in here, locked in his room, only coming out occasionally." She stopped for a bit, sadness in her pale-brown eyes. "And then, on Wednesday... He came up to me, saying "I need to g-go now, mother. It is r-really important. I- if I come back, then I-I will explain. B-but I m-m-may not come b-b-back..."" A tear rolled down her cheek. "Then, that night, he left. I know because y-yesterday morning he w-was g-gone..."

Casey spoke up. "It will be okay," she said comfortingly. "He will be okay. I know he will be. Lachlan is strong."

Lachlan's mother nodded slowly. "I hope he does."

"So now... We need to have a look around the room, if you will allow us."

"I will allow you to. Thank you again for coming over to visit. It really shows me that you children really care about each other." She smiled sadly, but hopefully.

"You can count on us."

"Okay. I'm going to get some rest. You can go when you want to. But for now, goodbye." With that said, she stood up, waved to us, and slowly walked out of the room.

Aside from being sad, worried and completely confused, Casey and I were just befuddled. I mean, this is all so crazy. What could we make of this... Strange situation?

"What, who, like, this person, he or she just randomly... Agh!" Casey was spurting random nonsense. She took a deep breath. "Alright. So basically some guy came along and got Lachlan to help him do something really important, so he had to leave."

"Yeah..." I looked around Lachlan's room. His stuff was similar to mine. Books, posters (one displaying one of his favourite Pokemon, Dialga), charts... The only difference was the absence of school books on his desk. Instead there was a small box. Casey was looking in that direction too. We faced each other, our eyes showing determination. We sprung up from where we were sitting, and hurried over to the work-desk. The box was metal, about the size of one of those small music boxes with ballerinas inside, or something. The top, which looked like a lid- well, it was a lid- had a keyhole on it. The whole box had no decoration, except for the front. On it, was a symbol of some sort. It was a blue gear-like thing.

"Great... But we need the key."

"It must be around here somewhere," I said, checking under the table.

"Hm... Maybe it's not actually here, but somewhere else. Like... At Kaitlin's house?" Casey suggested. "I mean, they were investigating with each other, so..."

"We still don't know what happened to Kaitlin, either. Apparently the person asked Lachlan for help, and he had to go, but Kaitlin... Okay. I think, I think I know where to go next."

"Yeah. I was thinking that too."

"We should take the mystery box too," I said, picking it up carefully.

With the box in hand, we walked out of the room, down the hallway and out the front door. We thought that Lachlan's mother would be sleeping, and we didn't want to disturb her. We stepped onto the footpath that went straight ahead, and out the gate. On the sides of the path, there was nothing there, really, apart from grass, and a few bushes and decorations, like small lights. It was a good thing that Kaitlin lived next to Lachlan- just as Casey lived next to me. We walked down the footpath, out the gate, and then onto the footpath that basically bordered the road on the sides. Walking a bit more, we got to Kaitlin's house. The sky was a big blue-black roof above us, and the stars and moon were little lights attached to it.

"Well? Let's go inside." We walked up to the front door and knocked. There was a shuffle of footsteps.

"Hello?" A voice that I recognised as Kaitlin's older brother said, and I noticed that he sounded somewhat tired.

"Hi Reilly." I waited for a moment. Then suddenly, the door opened slightly.

"Come in," he whispered, and made a hand motion, to ensure we got the message.

We walked in, to be greeted to the bright living room of Kaitlin's house. We stood on the carpeted floor, waiting for what he would say next. In the room, there were three rubber-velvet type chairs, one long one (which had space for about three, maybe four people) and two small ones (which only had enough space for one person, or maybe two small people). "Uh, Dylan, Casey..." Reilly scratched his head. "Well... Did you have to come here to do something? Because, I think you know that Kaitlin..." His voiced trailed off, and he looked between Casey and me. He then noticed the box in my hands. "Where'd you get that from?" He asked curiously.

"We found this in Lachlan's room," Casey answered. "So... We're here to look into the whole 'missing' thing."

Really nodded. "Okay. Well, y'know where her room is, right? Just over there." He looked over to a door in the corner of the room.

"Yeah. Thanks Reilly." I nodded and we walked over to the room. Then, we stepped in. The room was very vibrant- colours of so many Pokemon posters, books, and her bed...

"We all have so many similarities, don't we?" Casey gave a short laugh.

I did, too. "Yeah. Especially our room designs." I scanned the room until I spotted where her desk was located. I pointed in that direction. We both nodded, and walked over to it.

There was a note.

"What...?" Casey stared at it. I picked it up.

Casey. Dylan. This is for you.

I've been investigating about Pokemon- as you guys know. I've been helping Lachlan, too. But I know, that the world I am investigating about, is more risky than Lachlan's. This is because he can go when he wants. But I don't know when I'm going to go. It could be today, or tomorrow. I think this strange force is going to take me. I know this because I've been having a dream. A voice calling out to me. A voice asking for help. Maybe sometime I'll just be transported there. So it will seem like I just magically disappeared. I don't know what else to write.

Wait, there was one more thing. Lachlan told me that he's leaving a box behind. And how to open it. I know you guys we find it. Maybe you've already opened it. But I'll tell you now anyway. To get access to the key, place both of your hands- just one of each person's- on the symbol, on the box. And wait.

There are clues in there, you'll need them to figure out what is going on.

I'm tired now, so I'm going to sleep. Good luck to you two. And Lachlan. I hope you guys will be okay. I hope I will, too.

-Kaitlin

So we did so. I placed a hand on the gear-like thing. And Casey did. I felt that there was a sort of glow, or energy... Or maybe it was just warmth. That I now knee what had happened to Lachlan and Kaitlin. It was a good feeling. But there was still the fact that they could be in danger right now. So we needed to hurry.

Out of nowhere, the symbol opened (sideways) like a lid or a safe would, revealing a small compartment on the side of the box. There was a key. I reached inside and took it out. I stared at it for a moment. After I got over my... How do I say this, shock, I inserted the key. It fitted nicely inside. The lid popped open. There were only two things inside. A note... And a strange berry. It was a mid-blue colour.

"This is not from our world," Casey said, with a certain voice. I nodded. It was true. I had never seen this type of berry before. "It looks like..."

"The type of berry that would come from a Pokemon world," I finished. And just then, it hit me. "What if those worlds were real? What if Lachlan and Kaitlin are there right now?" It was crazy, but then again, the whole problem was crazy.

"I think they are." Casey picked up the note.

To: Casey and Dylan

I know you guys will find this note. I just do. Now I know, I will be gone tonight. I have to go. I'm working with a Pokemon. It sounds unbelievable, but it's true. We're going to save the world. Not this world. Another one, a Pokemon one. Look... It will be a while before I come back. I don't know how long I'll be away. Remember, I may not return... But have faith. I think I will return. It'll be okay. I hope you two are okay, and will stay okay. I also hope that Kaitlin will be okay as well. We need to go soon, so I need to finish preparing. I'll see you guys later, I hope.

-Lachlan

"This basically confirms what I said."

Reilly walked into the room.

"Reilly... Could you tell us what actually happened to Kaitlin?" I asked, hoping that he would be okay with telling us.

"On Wednesday night, we all went to sleep normally. But Kaitlin... I swear I could hear her mumbling in her sleep. It only lasted for a bit, then went away, so I assumed that she was alright. But when we woke up, she wasn't there. She was gone. Just like that."

"Thanks for the information, Reilly." Now that the investigation was practically over, for now, I found that I was actually quite tired. "I think it's time to go home," I said. We waved farewell to Reilly, who said "Bye." Then we walked home. It was ten o'clock when I got home. I was happy that I knew what was going on now. But I still worried about those two. My friends. What would happen if I lost them? No. I wouldn't. They will be okay. My heart told me so. And slowly, with the reassurance of my honest thoughts, I was able to get to sleep.

Now the investigation is over! Tomorrow, the two can resume life as normal! So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review if you did! Stay tuned for the next chapter!