They limped through the forest in the dead of night. It was almost pitch black underneath the cover of the leaves and branches spreading over top.

The chimera was tired and hurt. With one of their legs being broken from moving it in the wrong way and then accidentally slamming it on a rock. The leg was bruised with it feeling somewhat tender. Whenever they tried to put some pressure onto it the leg would send a horrible sensation rippling through their entire body.

What was the point? They should've let Goodra and Poliwrath take them, it would've been better instead of having to do this. But they couldn't change anything now.

I just didn't want to get in trouble… I don't want to get yelled at…

With quiet whimpers they hobbled through the forest until they found a strange path. They didn't want to trip on anything while walking the forest so they took the risk of following the path.

With short steps they continued walking, not knowing what they wanted to find or do. It was quiet with only their own voice echoing throughout the area. They kept on their walk through the path until something strange began to happen.

The trees seemed to huddle together more as if they were making a wall, the dirt path soon dissipated the further they walked, and random items were found on the ground like coins or blue berries, they didn't pick any up.

The changes were small at first but they became so much more noticeable, and then something strange happened.

The world around them seemed to twist and melt together as if the world became some sort of melted lollipop, and a noxious headache split through them. They became dizzy and then the steps were more wobbly than ever. And in between everything flashes of an image came through their mind. A strange golden ring with four spikes coming out of the edges and a green gem adorning it.

My head… ow.

And in an instant everything snapped back to a strange normal. A normal where the sky is entirely blocked by the canopy of leaves, where staircases appear out of nowhere, and feral Pokémon lurk around the corners.

The chimera had entered a mystery dungeon.

Episode One Part Three

Bronze Lining

"God, I don't want to go through that again," Nathan said in between heavy breaths and dragged legs.

"Yeah, but unfortunately we do have to do it again later. Yaaay…" Adrian added sarcastically with tired jazz hands.

"Ugghhh," Nathan moaned.

"Just look on the bright side, it's still before noon so if we find the guy quick enough we'll be able to get back to the city before dark!"

"Yeah… sure…" Nathan replied with a slight bit of uncertainty.

Yeah, no. That's not going to happen. Hopefully there's a hotel or something so that I can go rest later.

The team soon entered the outer gate to Serene Village leading into the main square. It was a fairly small village with only around thirty people living in the community.

The town itself was in quite a serene place, as the name entails, being placed near a clear blue lake, with mountains all around them, and lush nature everywhere. To Nathan it was a new experience. Although he couldn't really focus on it due to the fact he has to do his job.

Inside the square were a few people either sitting on the benches, conversing with other people, or at one of the shops.

Leading a Budew into a path with smile was a Roselia, outside the Kangaskhan's Cafe was a Carracosta speaking with a Raticate, at the Kecleon shop was a Nuzleaf, over at some benches nearby the lake was a Salazzle eating a scone and at the bench on the beach nearest to the gate was Goodra.

"Hey he's over there." Nathan pointed over to Goodra.

"Okay, let's go."

They both walked over to the client.

"Oh hello good morning." Goodra greeted with a wave. Nathan scanned over the Goodra. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except some bandages wrapped around his wrist.

"It is. How are you doing today?" Adrian replied.

"It could be a bit better… but never mind that," Goodra soon changed the topic with a bit more of a perkier tone. "I assume you two are here for the job?"

"Yes we are! Team Parallel at your service!" Nathan answered.

"That's good, but I do have a question."

"What is it?" Adrian asked.

"You two are both bronze ranked correct?"

"Mhm," Nathan nodded. Where is this going?

"Well, um, I put the job as an A or B ranked job. And this job might be a bit hard… are you sure this is a good job for you two?" Goodra looked away, rubbing the back of his head.

"What! Are you saying we can't take this job!" Nathan demanded loudly.

"Nathan…"

"No it's just that I want to make sure that you aren't taking anything that's too much for you two!"

Nathan still continued on with his tangent. "Look first of all I am very capable, and I'll have you know that although I may not look like one I am a-"

"Nathan!" Adrian exclaimed. "Sorry Goodra I just need to speak to my partner about this.

"Oh, okay…"

Adrian scooped Nathan off the ground and lifted him up like a cat.

"Hey! What are you doing! Let me go!"

Adrian brought him over to the middle of the lake side away from Goodra to make sure no one could hear and plopped him on the sand.

"Look man, don't go trying to say stuff about that!"

"What do you mean!"

"What I mean is about the fact you're a human or whatever!" She whispered loudly.

"Why don't you want me to talk about it!"

"Mostly because of the fact you might get in trouble for a bit or get seen as a fraud or something! You know how many Pokémon lie about a human to get some stupid popularity!"

"Well I am a human! And we could still get a bit of eyes on us if I could just announce it!"

"That's the problem! We don't need eyes on us! And it might even endanger us a bit!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Look man, there's a whole bunch of reasons why we could get hurt by you announcing the fact you're a human! You could be scammed, or kidnapped, or just whatever! And we really don't need that.!

"Ppfffff! This is why you're worried! It's going to be fine, okay? After all, the previous humans were fine, and it'll be the same for me."

"Look, Nathan. I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt. Just listen to me. And if you don't I'll be taking myself off this job and you could do it yourself."

What!

"But I need someone to- hgnnnnn, fine."

"Good, let's continue with Goodra then."

I don't get what her deal is. It'll be fine.

They both walked back to Goodra again.

"Heyyyyy Goodra, we're going to take the job please!" Adrian said with a smile.

"You are? Um, okay. If you are, there are some things I need to tell you about the outlaw and what I want from you two."

"Huh, what is it?" Nathan asked.

"What I want from you two is promise. A promise that you won't hurt the Pokémon."

"What."

"How come." Adrian questioned.

"Well it's kind of a bit of a long story, not really though but, last night a strange yellow light flashed from the top of Revelation Mountain. Me and a friend came up to see what was up there due to it being our village's sacred place."

Sacred place? The hells sacred about a mountain?

"Up there was the outlaw, it's kind of hard to describe them since it was dark but they had a strange axe-like object on the top of their head, they were four legged, and had somewhat silver fur I think."

"That's strange."

"It was. They were like a mismatch of a whole bunch of different Pokémon. Another thing that was strange is that they didn't look like they were sued to their body."

Not used to their body? I still kind of feel the same way.

"What makes you think that?" Nathan interrogated.

"Mostly because they couldn't really walk well and they tripped over their own feet somehow. I tried to help them up but they accidentally slashed my wrist. Hence the bandages." Goodra held the bandaged wrist up.

"How do you accidentally cut someone?"

"I don't really know either, I think their claws were stretched a bit too much. After that my partner struck them with his fist I stopped him from trying to hit again and they ran off. That's all I know."

"Who's your partner again?" Adrian asked.

"He Poliwrath, although don't ask him about any of this because he has a bit of a different opinion on the matter."

"Why's that?"

"He thinks the outlaw was actively trying to hurt me. I disagree, that's why he isn't here with me now."

"Yeah okay."

"Please don't hurt them, I don't think they meant any harm, I just want to make sure they won't accidentally fumble and get hurt or die. That's mainly why I made the job request."

This is interesting. Not what I expected. Thought it would be like a cool fight with a strange new monster, but it kind of seems like a bit of a hassle now. Doesn't matter though.

"Do you have any idea where they could be? Like any idea? It will be fine if you don't." Adrian questioned.

"Well I know that it most likely won't be on Revelation Mountain, or not too far away since they got injured by Poliwrath. Maybe try checking the Open Pass or the Foreboding Forest?"

"Okay thank you very much for the information! We'll come back soon." Adrian walked away waving back to Goodra along with Nathan.

"Okay, be safe."

As they turned around Nathan noticed that the Salazzle was staring at them with a look of interest and joy. They both locked eyes. In a split second the Salazzle turned her head over to the lake horribly whistling pretending that nothing was going on and that she wasn't staring at him the entire time.

The hell is going on with her?

"Hey, why did you just pause? We gotta make a plan or something if we don't wanna harm the outlaw." Adrian asked.

"I think that Salazzle who's horribly whistling?"

"That's whistling? It sounded like some kind of scraping of nails on a chalkboard or a crash of steel."

"Hey I could hear you two you know!" The Salazzle yelled with a fist in the air before slapping her claws over her mouth as if she could stop what was already said from getting out.

"Are we going to talk to her?"

"Yeah."

Wow, mhm, yeah great job not acting like you're eavesdropping. Yeah good job Jezebel. She mentally slapped herself while the team came over to her.

Thunderus smite me until there is nothing left except some burning ashes since that would be way better than this.

The Eevee spoke to her first.

"Hello there how are you doing-"

"Superb, excellent, amazing, the best ever. I am feeling amazing. It is so beautiful today. My life has not been a constant downhill spiral," Jezebel said way too quickly with the most sincere sounding voice she could make.

"Oh- okay, yeah good for you? It's really good that your life isn't a constant downhill spiral. I hope no one's life is like that." Zoroark was very confused.

"Yeah me too, I agree on that. You know, agreeing is very cool. Here's another thing we should agree on: that I should leave and that we don't have to talk anymore!" Jezebel stood up from the bench and tried to match away from the two. Unfortunately the Zoroark blocked her path.

"Yeah no sorry, we just have a few questions."

How could my perfect plan to get out of here not work!

"Oh okay," Jezebel sat back down. "I love being questioned. This doesn't remind me of anything."

"Great we just want to know, God this sounds so weird, why were you staring at me?" The Eevee asked.

"Is it because of the job we're taking? Do you know anything about any weird criminals around here?"

"Whaaaaaat? Criminals?! Hah. Hee ho. Ha ha. Why would there be any criminals? This place is called Serene Village, and if there were any criminals the name would have to change! Maybe to like Crime Criminal Town. Man, in my two days of being in this town that would be the most shock I ever had! In this town. In these two days."

The Eevee whispered to the Zoroark, " I don't follow at all."

She whispered back, "I don't either. Should we just leave?"

"I mean she's acting suspicious, but I really don't want to talk anymore."

"Wow you don't want to talk anymore?! That's a thing I agree on! Like what I said earlier! That's great. Anyways now that I can leave," she took a step in between them… and booked her way out of the square. "Toodles."

She couldn't hear the two as she ran but she knew two more things: she won't be able to research the chimera since they will catch it and more importantly there was a human.

This is getting way more interesting.