Pokemon Mystery Dungeon:Rising Enigma

The plan was as follows. Due to Liam’s extensive connections (Brownnosing as Zata put it), he knew that the patrol for Mint’s Garden was light. The security force was less of a team and more just one Tangrowth the guild kept around as a favor for years of service. An old, sleepy Tangrowth as it were. It was during that moment when the Old Tangrowth took his nap that the team sneaked in and took their run at the dungeon.

As Zata and Floe prepared to go to the garden, Liam and Costello would have to sneak out. It was an operation that would take the lightest of touches and the brainpower that only two whippersnappers could muster. They huddled together in their room as they worked out the plan.

“So, every 5th night-”

“Friday?”

“Yeah, sure. Every Friday night, Mr.Braviery takes a swig from a jug he hides in the back of his closet. During that time, he’s gonna be off his rocker and fast asleep. That’s when we leave.”

Costello raised an eyebrow. “Have you sneaked out before?”

“Heh, a mon’s gotta have secrets of his own.”

Soon the sun would set and the time would come to put the plan into action. After dinner, the both of them were sent off for the night to their presumed bedtime. Yet an hour later, the both of them went with berries in hand and out the window to do their work.

The easy part was sneaking out. The hard part was the Dungeon itself.

The first night was easy. Way too easy. A few soulless Pokemon repeating their own name over and over wasn’t really a challenge. Even if the odd strong one showed up, it was no problem for a more prepared unit rather than a bunch of Pokemon pushed together.

It wasn’t until a week later that the consequences of such late-night ventures began to slip in.

Costello was in the middle of another check-up. The usual check-up and odd mentions of psychic-type techniques and the usual stonewalling from Costello. Alzbell rambled about his usual nonsense as it devolved into meows and hisses with a bit of psychobabble mixed in. Finally, Costello just had enough of it as he walked out of the room and finally felt freedom. Clear skies with no fear and a stomach full of dreams. Why wouldn’t he want to leave the dank and dark dungeon on such a perfect day? The Castle smelled of strawberries and in the center, a giant chocolate statue of a Grovyle stood in front of him with faceless Pokemon dancing around it.

“Why let a good statue go to waste,” he thought as he began to-

*Snap Snap Snap*

“Rise and Shine, Můj pacient.”

There were no steamed trees or faceless friends to guide them through their icky forests. No, there was only the psychiatrist/therapist mix and his crazy patient. Once more, that infuriating smirk came onto the feline’s face. “Did you get enough sleep last night? If you wanted to, you’re always free to rest on my couch.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Costello lied.

While the others were surprised at the slip-up, and one laughed at the idea of Costello succumbing to the pressures, the rest of the team didn’t fare much better in the coming days.

Liam found himself normal during the usual training hours but ever so often, he’d be found asleep standing up. Whether that’d be in the middle of the usual sandbag tackles or on the ground during his stretches.

For as much bluster as Zata would blow, people would soon notice the change in attitude as the training sessions became more consistent. While she would never fall asleep on the job, everyone in her way found themselves the recipient of even more snippy comments than usual.

And Floe… no one could find Floe at times. No one except a lone Joltik felt the icy chill in one of the abandoned Castle Rooms as she laid herself down to rest amongst the abandoned bags of sand.

Even with the sporadic breaks to not run themselves ragged, anyone who knew them personally could see they were off their game. Such was pointed out by their fellow guildmates.

“Dude,” Roka said casually at the lunch table. “You look like shit.”

“So did your mother, buck.”

“Woahh!” The table exclaimed at such an outrageous accusation. Sera especially seemed concerned by the slander.

“I’m all for a friendly jab or two, but you never brought the Muddas into this. What’s the matter with you?”

Zata sighed. “You’re right. That wasn’t right of me. I’m sorry.”

“WOAHHH!” The table yelled ever louder.

“Now the dragon-type is apologizing,” Ion snickered. “Something is definitely wrong with you.”

“Keep talking and I’ll apologize your face.”

“Seriously, are you guys ok,” Caspian asked “Everyone’s been noticing that you guys haven’t been on your level.”

Esme nodded. “Liam hasn’t been bouncing around like he does.”

“Floe’s been more mysterious than usual,” Ion noted.

“Zata’s been more mean than she usually is,” added Roka.

Sera nodded towards the lizard. “Costello… well he’s been par for the course. No offense.”

“I’m consistent.”

“That you are, but you’re a different kind of consistent than usual. So what’s been going on?”

“We’ve been training hard. That’s all.”

“You sure you don’t need to go to a hospital or something? Sera leaned in closer to the group. “If someone’s giving you guys a hard time, just say the word and the time and we’ll handle it. Know a couple of friends that are perfectly ok with burning a house down or three.”

“It's nothing so serious, but we all appreciate the offer. ”

“Just saying. Very nice and professional people.”

“We’ll be fine Sera.” Floe smiled at their species kin. “Perfectly fine.”

Mossy Cavern Floor 6

Costello found himself reminiscing on his past. He didn’t regret being here, where else would they be? However, he certainly didn’t like being chased around by a Gravveler while the others got their stuff together.

“Just stay still for a moment.”

“Can’t stop, too fast!”

“Floe, can you help him?”

“I’ll back you up.”

“Zata?”

“Let him die.”

“Ok then. Guess it's up to me, mate.”

The rabbit watched as Costello attempted to duck and dodge his way away from the Gravveler’s rollouts and kicked up dirt from beneath the Mossy floor.

With the way Cos was moving, he wouldn’t be able to evade much longer. He could only duck in dive but that wouldn’t last forever.

“Gotta be faster, gotta be faster!”

Liam ran as fast as his legs could take him, the ground burnt underneath his feet as he tried to match pace with Costello until the flame in his heart seemed on the cusp of burning.

Costello looked behind him to see a rock-faced injury ball behind him. To his front, a Pokemon with eyes burning. With mere moments before the collision, the rabbit shouted to his comrade.

“Duck!”

Costello suddenly went from a full sprint to a baseball slide as the Rabbit burst into flames and ran headlong into the graveller. The collision sent sparks and rocks flying as the others tried to cover their eyes. As the dust settled, there was Liam standing above his rocky foe, and the flames that enveloped him started to peter out.

“Guess I’ve learned Flame Charge then!”

“Well Costello, I’ve heard that your times have been getting steadily better but today seemed to be an off one. Everything alright?”

“Never better.”

Soren looked down at his wards at the table. Costello didn’t meet his gaze often and didn’t make much conversation that wasn’t started by him. All the usual behavior. With that said, Liam seemed to be slumped over his own meal like someone drugged him.

“Liam.”

“Huh, what? Oh, yes sir?”

“Are you alright?”

“Never better.”

“...You sure the two of you are getting enough sleep.”

“It's just the schedule, sir.”

Soren's gaze fell on the two of them. Each of them seemed ragged. If the lights in Liam's eyes were any dimmer, it'd be like a candle from 50 yards out. “If you’re pushing yourself to qualify for that expedition, you really shouldn’t worry that much. Pokemon grow at their own paces, and you're young. Opportunities will come sooner than you think.”

Liam shook his head. “We’ll make it in time, sir. Don’t worry your feathers about that.”

Soren noticed the side eye that Costello gave Liam but chose not to remark on it. They were old enough to make their own decisions.

“I’ll try my best not to.”

Mossy Cavern Floor 7

“MAHHHHCHOKEEEE” The purple lizard flexed and roared at Zata and Costello. The two of them began to flank the thing before it started its onslaught.

“Hate these things,” Zata spat.

“Understood, now deal with it.”

The monstrous lizard charged at Zata before his knee buckled. Out of the corner of his eye, the flash of green could be found kneading an elbow into his lower thigh. It was a natural enough reaction to turn his body to grab the offender but it had very little time to see the action through. In another instant, it found a hardened and scaled tail blowing through his ribcage.

Now, the muscle-bound reptile had expected this. As much as something that thought in the present tense could think of something, it felt the swing and did what came naturally. He grabbed the tail.

“Always with the tail! I'm tired of you assholes!” As the Machoke began his swing upwards, Zata did something unexpected. Instead of preparing for landing, she went with the moment and pushed off with her paws. Yet as her feet hit the ground, the ground seemed to shift under her. There was an impact.

A pause.

And then a shockwave came out from underneath the three of them. An orange wave expanded out from her paws and hit the Machoke, knocking him off his feet. With the surprise rumblings that came from underneath and the green thing still firmly planted in his lower thigh, it didn't take much else for it to fall on its back like a cut-down tree. When it finally registered what had happened, it kicked the green thing off of it in order to regain the advantage. As he looked up however, all he could see was the rapidly approaching force of a Dragon Tail straight between the eyes.

“How does that Bulldoze taste, you overgrown parasite. No more useless landings.”

“Just talky dragons then," Costello added from underneath the back of the Machoke.

“What was that, lizard?!”

Since the start of those late-night training sessions, they were run ragged, but they had become rugged. Not as noticeable in any physical way, though a few may have made some… flattering remarks on Floe's stature. Costello even found himself that he held out a bit longer in the daily run before being reduced to the gasping mess that he was known for around the Castle. Liam looked chipper and Zata seemed to finally have some skill to back up her arrogance, though that seemed to grow in proportion with the former. Soon it would be time. They would get themselves set, get their minds steeled because it was only a few days until they solidified the roster for the Expedition. They were finally gonna beat Drestal.