PMD Vol1 Ch2: Exploration

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
Volume 1 - Explorers of the Earth
~ Chapter 2: Exploration ~

Hanging out in a medical facility was interesting, at least for a while. Suddenly there was all manner of things to look at, and suddenly Riolu was determined to look at each and every thing that he could. Syringes, windowsills, curtains, bags of fluids on tables and carts, piles of hay and cushions (he presumed these to be makeshift beds), bottles and boxes of supplies, plates of fruit and Pokéblock... Even each of the walls and doors couldn't escape his inquisitive touch.

Occasionally he had come across a new Pokémon sleeping in one of the beds, or being examined by a Chansey or Blissey in a nurse's cap. He had peered in these rooms sometimes, but tried not to disturb anyone. The air was thick with chatter and the scent of well-scrubbed floors.

This was real. This was all very, very real.

After mulling it over a while, he had decided that he may as well refer to himself as Riolu, seeing as that was who he was now, and since he no longer had a human name to use. At least, not one he could remember. Presumably he had had a name, at some point. It seemed like too much effort to try to pick a new one out at this stage. He did wonder if these things would ever come back to him, though.

Had he lived in a city? In the countryside? By the sea? What had his family been like? Did he have siblings? Did they realise he was gone? Did they miss him?

Had someone been travelling with him? Or had he arrived in this world alone?

The entry room to the infirmary was far more spacious than any of the corridors he had walked. A low wall separated what looked like the reception desk from the rest of the area, from which two other corridors stretched out at opposite sides to the entrance/exit door. Riolu had noted earlier that there were no handles on any of the doors, and also that each one was split into two halves. He watched it now as two Pokémon pushed the bottom half open to enter, the taller one nonchalantly ducking its head underneath the frame.

They were fluffy, vaguely feline-looking creatures. Each had a four-pointed star at the tip of a long tail, four legs and rounded ears. The larger of the two had a thick, spiky mane on its head; the smaller a mere tuft of fur tied up with a ribbon. It took Riolu only a moment to place the species: Luxio and Shinx respectively.

'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!' The Shinx was chanting, bouncing in circles around its companion. 'Gotta get a check-up! Gotta get a check-up! Come on! Hurry up!'

'I know, Ry, I know,' said Luxio, with a weary expression. Its voice was of a lower pitch and a far less grating quality than that of its sibling - if indeed they were siblings. 'You know you probably should be saving your energy, don't you? Tires me out just watching you.'

Riolu felt a certain kind of warmth just at the sight of them. Whatever kind of person he had been, he hoped he had cared for Pokémon as much as he felt he did, and that it wasn't a kinship he had gained only because he had recently been turned into one.

His smile faltered when the Shinx unexpectedly bounded up to him - he hoped his dreamy gaze hadn't creeped either of them out.

'Hey!' Shinx cried. 'Riolu! Are you the doctor my bro needs to see?'

The Luxio approached languidly and sat a few feet away. It seemed to want to make up for the younger Pokémon's invasion of Riolu's personal space. 'They're clearly not. They don't exactly look qualified - no offence. What are your pronouns?'

Riolu blinked. 'Um. None taken. And... male ones?'

Luxio nodded once. 'Never hurts to be sure. Don't suppose you know where any other male doctors are? I need to get my legs looked at today and none of the Chanseys will do. Since they don't, y'know, come that way.'

'I'm afraid I've no idea.' Why was he getting the feeling that he wasn't in on about four-fifths of this conversation? 'Sorry.'

Luxio shrugged. 'S'alright.'

Shinx, meanwhile, had not even slowed in its movements. 'My brother's gonna show 'em how tough he is! Then they'll have to let him in the team, won't they? Even though he's a guy sometimes?'

It took him a moment to register that this was an actual question, and so he just said 'Sure' through gritted teeth. The urge to scream I don't know what's going on, please stop asking me questions was very strong.

'Riley, please, will you just chill. Can't you see you're making him uncomfortable? Sorry, kid. My little sis hasn't yet learned how to keep an internal dialogue. She always gives way too much information. It's how she is. Don't take it personal.'

'No, it... it's fine.'

Shinx, for her part, remained positively radiant. 'I'm gonna be an explorer one day too! Both of us! We're gonna show those meanies just how brave and strong we are! We'll be better than them in no time - that'll show 'em! What about you, mistah Riolu? Do you wanna be an explorer, too? Or do you do boring stuff like, like... stuff with numbers and stuff?'

'Explorers probably need to use numbers at some point too, Ry.'

'Uh.' Riolu was sure he was turning scarlet. 'I'm... kinda new here, so, er... What's an...?'

He didn't get to ask, however, as a Chansey and Sylveon wearing caps strolled by and spotted them. 'Afternoon all,' called the Sylveon. 'Lovely day for it.'

'Hey Rodney,' said Luxio with a little wave. 'I, er, actually would prefer to see you today.' He gestured vaguely to himself. 'If you catch my drift.'

The two nurse Pokémon smiled almost in unison. 'No worries,' said Chansey. 'Whatever makes you comfortable. Riley,' she went on, in a sing-song sort of voice. 'You're still with me though, dear!'

'Aww... okay.'

'Hey.' Luxio licked the top of Shinx's head. 'It'll be fine. Go with Chansey, and I'll see you in a bit, okay? You know I love you?'

The Shinx squirmed, drawing a laugh from her sibling. 'N-not in front of everybody, Rae!'

Still laughing, the Luxio followed the nurse away - did he just wink at Riolu as they left? The Shinx violently scrubbed at the top of her head, mussing up her hair bow as she did so. Riolu beamed.

He felt he could get used to a place like this.

'Your brother really cares about you, huh.'

She looked up at him, smiled shyly. 'Y-yeah. It's a little embarrassing sometimes... It's okay, though. I love him too. I just want him to be okay, y'know?'

'If it's just for a check-up, he'll probably be just fine,' he told her.

'I hear Rae is hoping to become an apprentice for a local exploration team,' said Chansey. 'Riley, too. They've been working at it for a while now, making sure they're fit enough for the rigorous training. That determination, from both of them... It's inspiring to see.'

'Exploration team, huh?'

Riolu bent down to Shinx's level. No, what was her name? Riley, that was it. Perhaps he could get a better idea of what was happening from talking to the residents here.

'So... what kind of exploration team? I mean, what are you guys looking to do when you join one?'

Riley's face lit up. Even her trimmed fur seemed to crackle with energy. 'You know, all the cool stuff! Rescuing people, hunting bad guys! Looking for treasure! We're gonna go in caves and find all sorts of sparkly stuff and, and, and battle with the Pokémon who steal stuff, and... It's really cool! Rae and I have wanted to be part of Team Velvet for ever! They find loads of treasure! All the time!'

'Really? Wow. That does actually sound pretty-'

'Once Rae gets all checked out we're gonna go over to their tree base in the woods and ask if we can join them and they're gonna let us in and it's gonna be amazing! We're gonna be in Team Velvet, how cool is that? I mean like, Wigglytuff's Guild is cool an' all, but kinda scary too. But the Velvet girls just seem really nice, and they're so cool... and cute...'

'Oh. Well, good for you.'

Nope. No closer to any answers. Maybe it would be better if he talked to someone who might have more useful information.

'Hey. Nurse Chansey?'

'Hmm?'

'I... I'll probably be back tonight, is that all right?'

'I don't see why it wouldn't be. May I ask where you're off to? If you think you've thought of something, you really ought to let me know where you're going first, just in case.'

'Oh no, nothing yet. I just thought I'd head out and try to get my bearings. Unless you think that's a bad idea?'

She waved him away. 'Not at all. It's just my job to worry about you. Often times, though, a Pokémon will instinctively know what it's capable of - if you think you'll be okay, then you probably will be. You know where we are if you need us.'

'Yeah. I do. And I get the feeling you'll probably know where to find me, too.'

--------

Krabby were scuttling along the rocks that dotted the shoreline, clacking their claws together and blowing bubbles here and there. The sand was warm and soft between his toes. Riolu found himself having to resist the urge to kick at it or bury his front paws in it. It was odd, in a way, that he got so much joy from such a simple thing. Maybe total amnesia made you appreciate the little things usually taken for granted. He may or may not have gotten a little spring in his step as he spotted a familiar shape by the water's edge.

'Back again?'

The Skitty looked up, tail raised, then relaxed somewhat when she saw him approach. 'Oh, hi. Again. Yeah, I guess so. Though I could say the same to you. Shouldn't you be resting or something?'

'Probably. But there's no way I can fall asleep right now, not like this. Too busy taking it all in, I guess.'

'That makes sense. Is it, um.' She moved a paw in front of her face. 'Are you doing better now? I mean, do you...? I don't know how to ask without it sounding bad, or, like, "you poor thing".'

'If you're asking if I can see again, yeah, I think so. It's a bit different from, from before, but it's... not so different at the same time. I guess I should thank Arceus or whoever that I got to be a Riolu - otherwise it could have been way different.'

Daisy bobbed her head in agreement. 'I couldn't imagine not being able to see. I don't know what I'd do if I suddenly couldn't anymore. It's the last sense out of all of them I'd be ready to lose. Oh shoot, I'm sorry, that's such a horrible thing to say, since you've actually... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like in... It's not like it's a flaw or anything, I only meant like, personally, because I've... Ah.' She made a frustrated noise, like a low growl.

Taking pity on her, he chuckled and patted her head. 'Words. They're tricky things.'

She sighed. 'You have no idea.' But she looked relieved all the same. 'It's just... When the weather's good like this, the Krabby come out in the morning and evening to blow bubbles. And no matter how I feel, the sunlight reflecting off the bubbles and the waves, all the little rainbows it makes... It's always beautiful. It... makes me feel better. I'd miss it, is all I meant to say. Is that silly?'

Riolu considered. 'No, not at all. I think that's a good thing to miss.'

'...Oh.'

They sat in amicable silence for a while, watching the bubbles float by and listening to the tide. Again it might have been strange that this was so immediately comfortable, but Riolu found himself strangely at peace, now that he'd had some time to absorb everything. Again, he wondered if it was due to the amnesia that he was able to deal with this so relatively calmly, as opposed to some personality trait. Blank slate and all that.

Who had he been, as a human?

The twitching of one of Daisy's ears caught his attention. Without looking at him, she said quietly, 'Do you think your family's thinking of you?'

He said nothing. There was nothing to say. He honestly had no idea if he even had a family at all. The words "mother", "father", "brother"... They held no emotional tract.

Blank slate.

For the first time he could remember, Riolu felt incredibly sad. Not for the first time, he felt incredibly alone.

'You really don't remember.' It wasn't a question. 'How does that happen?' she continued, with something akin to bitterness. 'How can someone suddenly have absolutely nothing? Without memories, without something important to latch onto, who are you? Are you even really living if you don't have a thing to care too much about?'

Riolu stared at her, stunned. Where had that come from? She almost seemed more passionate about his plight than he was.

He was clearly just imagining things, but for a moment he could have sworn he had just seen the faintest ripplings of deep red emanating from her as she spoke.

She met his eyes after a moment, and there was an intensity in her face that he would not have previously imagined could come from her. 'Riolu... Listen, this is probably going to sound really weird, considering that we've literally just met, but I-'

Riolu did look up, and he would state later that he really should have seen it coming, but he honestly didn't until it was too late. The mass slammed into Daisy's back with a force that sent her flying. She landed face-first in the sand with a feathery sort of sound.

She was up again quickly, expression caught somewhere between wincing in pain and in disgust. Both she and Riolu jumped up to face whatever it was that had interrupted them so suddenly.

'Oops, I do apologise,' said the mass, not sounding apologetic at all. 'Almost didn't even see you there, Sparkles.'

The Pokémon looked like a very large and lumpy ball, hovering a couple of feet in the air and puffing out smog from every crater-like pore. The skull-and-crossbones symbol on its body certainly was appropriate, Riolu noted, cringing but trying to remember his manners. He had also never known a Pokémon species with so simple yet so perfectly descriptive a name.

Daisy gagged - Riolu was unsure whether this was more due to the toxic fumes or to the sand she might have accidentally swallowed. 'W-what was...' She paused to spit some grains, attempting to dust herself down with her tail. 'Ugh. What was that for?'

The Koffing gave a great booming laugh. 'Woah-ho-ho! Can't figure it out? "Every heroine needs a designated antagonist", right? Isn't that what you said?'

'What I... Wait, what?'

Another Pokémon stepped forward. 'Wheh-heh-heh! Sparkles, yeah! Pretty princess in the castle! And you know what princesses got, right Koffing? Precious treasure!'

Its nasally voice gave a sharp contrast to its partner's deep, rumbling tones. This new Pokémon was jittery and jumpy, like it couldn't keep still. Its fur was long and messy, and it had a bushy tail with a streak that stood out against its dark fur. It had puffy cheeks, small pointy ears and wild eyes, and claws on its tiny paws. It came closer with a wide, nasty grin.

'That's yours, isn't it?'

Riolu was momentarily confused, but then he spotted it: a palm-sized rock on the ground between them, attached to a piece of broken string.

Daisy's front paw flew up to her neck, eyes wide. 'Oh no! That's...!'

'Sorry losers, but we'll be taking it!' And then it was in the Pokémon's mouth, and the two of them were cackling. Riolu felt a hot flush all through his body. What are they doing? There's no reason for them to act like this.

'You can't!' Daisy cried. 'That's mine! Give it back! Please!'

The one holding the rock just laughed, and said something along the lines of 'You gonna make us?'

Bristling, the Skitty took a step as though she meant to do just that, but then flinched away when the bully's thick tail stood up on end, quivering threateningly. The Koffing thrust itself towards her face again at the same moment, spewing smoke and making her stumble back in fright.

'Woah-ho-ho! Aww! You not even gonna try to take it back? What's the matter? Too scared?' He turned to his partner. 'Let's get outta here, Stunky. We got no time for these wimps.'

'Yeh, no fime!' Stunky giggled, speech muffled by his prize. 'Wheh-heh-heh! Phee ya raand!'

'Hey!' said Riolu sharply. 'She asked you nicely to give it back! You can't just-!' But he was unceremoniously shoved out of the way as the pair of thieves made a break for it down the beach. He shook his fist after the retreating figures, affronted. 'Really? You're gonna laugh about the fact you just took something from a little kid?' At a soft noise, he turned to Daisy, who was sitting with her back to him. She looked utterly defeated, her shoulders slumped. He was about to walk over when he realised she was trembling. Close to tears. 'Oh. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like...'

'No, it's... it's not you,' she mumbled, and took a few deep breaths. 'I know, it's dumb to get so upset, but... It's just, that thing, that they took, it's actually really important to me.'

'He called it a "precious treasure"...?'

A weak smile. 'That's just what I call it. I don't think it's actually worth much. More sentimental value than anything. I don't know why they'd want to take it if not just to mess with me. And I couldn't even grab it back from them.' Her ears sagged, and she sniffed. 'They're right, aren't they. I am a loser.'

'I don't think that.' Daisy just looked at him blankly. Riolu got the awful feeling that she was waiting for the punchline. The resulting silence went on for too long, so he cleared his throat and moved on. 'Have you had a run-in with those two before?'

'N-no, never. I mean I've seen them around town sometimes, but I never spoke to them. They gave me bad vibes.'

'Then why would they...?'

'"Designated antagonist". That's what Koffing said. And calling it my precious treasure... They must have been eavesdropping earlier. That's what I said when I was trying to psych myself up for...' She fell silent again for a little while, looking thoughtful. Then she shook her head and made that light growling sound. 'No, I need to get it back. It's really important, I don't think I'll be able to do it without it.'

Do what, he was about to ask, but Daisy had started in the direction of the muggers. 'Hey, wait up! I'll come with you!'

His heart panged at the way she looked at him then - like he'd just grown a second head. 'R-really? You mean that? You'd do that?'

'Of course. Those guys had no right to do that. If it means that much to you, I want to help.' He smiled at her. 'And besides, didn't I say already that I pretty much owe you my life? After what you've done for me, it wouldn't be right for me to not help you get your treasure back from some thugs.'

'Oh,' said Daisy. 'Right. That makes sense. I... Thank you, Riolu. That's really nice of you.' He might not have been able to tell by the most obvious sign, but her body language suggested to him that she was blushing. 'Um. We, we should... we should get going, before we lose track of them. I think they were headed for the cave at the end of the beach.' Yet she sounded unsure. She glanced out across the way, then back to his face. Back towards the caves, and back to him. 'The only thing is...'

'The thing is... what?'

'It's just... There's probably gonna be quite a few Pokémon that live in there. Water types, mostly.'

'...Okay, so...?'

'And, well... A lot of them are more than likely going to try to pick a fight with us. So what I'm saying is, uh...' Her tail swished. 'Do you actually know how to battle?'

--------

The cave was surprisingly spacious – wide but long. Sand was scattered about across the solid rock floor, occasionally dancing in the light wind. The two youngsters entered cautiously, and there was immediately an... odd atmosphere about the place. It was as if they'd crossed the threshold into somewhere entirely other. Riolu couldn't explain it, but it sent a certain thrill up his spine. There was an energy to this cave and its surroundings that made him uneasy, yet compelled him to venture further out of a sort of morbid curiosity.

He looked to Daisy, askance. She was watching him with a knowing smile.

'You feel it too, don't you. I can see it in your face.'

They continued on, Daisy a few steps ahead and looking back at him all the while. 'What is that? This place is...'

'A Dungeon. We walked into a Dungeon. I've only been in a couple of these before, but never one in a cave like this.'

'A dungeon? You mean, like... a trap, like a cell?'

'What? No, a Mystery Dungeon.' At Riolu's baffled look, she went on, 'The things that've been popping up all over the place? Few years now? Always changing?'

'Doesn't ring any bells.'

'But you still know what a hospital is, what a Trainer is, so it's not that...' She furrowed her brow at him. 'Wow, it's kinda weird that you don't know about Dungeons. Is it not like this where you come from?'

He was about to respond, but then he spotted a small Pokémon coming down the hallway ahead. It was a slimy, squishy-looking thing. Shellos. He wondered briefly which colour it was.

'Hey,' he said. 'Maybe somebody saw those guys come through here. We should ask them.'

Daisy followed his eyes, then froze in place, ears folded back. 'Um...' She slowly backed away a little. 'I don't know... M-maybe we shouldn't bother them...'

'Why not? It can't hurt just to ask, right?'

'N-no, you don't understand...'

Riolu raised his paw in a friendly wave. 'Hi, did you happen to see a Koffing and Stunky run through here? They took something of ours and we're trying to find them. Do you know where they might have gone?'

The Shellos stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Then it seemed to think of something, and opened its mouth.

And spat mud in Riolu's face.

A flash of lightning. Violent winds. The world is spinning around him, full of colour.

Male voices. One of them is his own. Screaming.

His face... His face...! His body is soaked through and he knows not all of it is water. It's too thick to be just water and it coats his face and gets in his nose and it's so hard to see anything through it...

It hurts so much. He's about to pass out. But he can't, not yet, he needs to make sure...

And then he's tumbling, and somebody calls out to him, calls his name.

'Riolu!'

Cursing, his arm flew up to his face, attempting to scrub himself clean with his wrist. He couldn't see. But the sounds he had heard were so vivid...

The sticky mess wasn't coming off, and it had taken him completely by surprise, thrown him off... Everything was dark... and cold...

No!

He lashed out wildly, and his foot connected with something damp and soft. He heard the Shellos squeal as it flew through the air, heard the squelch and sploosh of it landing in water some feet away.

Good job, Fletcher, he heard someone say, as clear as if they had spoken right into his ear.

He whirled around, threw his left paw up to defend himself. 'Who's there?'

'H-hey, it's me! Don't attack, it's just me. Daisy? The... The Shellos is gone, I think you scared it off. Are you all right? Did it get you?'

He tried to ignore the ache in his head as he watched the small Pokémon fade back into existence before his eyes. He saw the water ripple as drops fell from the low ceiling. He saw the long corridors stretching out, the large, empty "room" they stood in. He saw strips of sea water lining each of the pathways, up to the walls and of unknown depths. The cries of wild Pokémon, echoing in the rocky chambers.

There was no-one else with them. But then who had spoken?

'Riolu? Did you hear me?'

A memory?

'Fletcher,' he said.

'Wh-what?'

'It's Fletcher. My name is Fletcher.'