Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Quenched Torch

Special Episode 1: Slope to an Apex

Author's Note: Trigger warning for child abuse. Proceed with caution or skip this one if you're sensitive to that.

---

Special Episode 1: Slope to an Apex

Serperior River Valley, Gray Proper

17th of Palkia's Moon, 1525 Post-Ruinam

The situation of Eldwood Town had not particularly good these past ten years.

Many in the town had joined in the jubilation when the first heralds had arrived telling that the scattered cities of the continent had finally put aside their differences to wage war against Tyranitar's self-proclaimed empire, but the time of elatement had long passed. First had come the resource shortages as trade had collapsed, then the tired, angry troops returning from the front, then the fear of invasion as Tyranitar's horde finally crossed the mighty Serperior.

It seemed difficult to make the poor little settlement's situation any more dire.

Well, not before today.

A boom erupted from the town square, screams filling the air as a pair of Pokemon raced away from the quickly-growing inferno. As Eldwood's trio of officers frantically chased them down, a raging Kecleon sprinting ahead of them, the fleeing Vaporeon exchanged a quick glance with his Espeon partner, a stuffed bag between his teeth. A Surf beneath him propelling him forward, the Vaporeon chucked the bag to the Espeon before melting into the ground with Acid Armor, the loot bag disappearing as the Espeon's forehead gem glowed. Grinning as the puddle that was the Vaporeon seeped into the ground, she closed her eyes, her gem glowing once more as a telepathic message was sent out to a particular grove just outside the town walls.

"It's all on you, girls. Jasmine, keep an eye out and get you hiding if anyone shows. Mayflower, you're on defense. Don't stop till you and Daddy are inside with the prize."

In that idyllic grove, a fair distance from the city walls, the bag suddenly completed its Teleport and hit the ground with a dull clunk, though was quickly set down upon by two Eevees as they took the straps in their mouths and began hauling it into a particular forest. The larger of the two bit down hard on her strap as she watched smoke rise from the town. This was bad, very bad. They'd made too much of a scene, surely they'd gathered too much attention. This would make things harder for her, for sure. But alas, what was done was done, and all she could do was try her best this time.

She had to satisfy them eventually, right? That's what Mayflower told herself.

Her little sister whimpered beside her as the air began to chill around them, the universal signal that they were within dungeon's domain. As the trees around the two narrowed into a straight path, Mayflower hurriedly yanked the bag away, shoving it into the brush on the side just deep enough that anyone attempting to reclaim it would be pulled inside. Truly, as she'd learned, mystery dungeons were, in their strangeness, her best friend when it came to this profession.

As she eyeballed the bag of loot to make sure it was well enough hidden, a shrill scream sounded from Jasmine. From deeper within the dungeon, a feral Raticate hissed at the two and charged them, the remains of what seemed to be a military bandanna still tied around its neck and its wild, soulless eyes burning into Mayflower's own. Gritting her teeth, the Eevee stood her ground. If this thing chased them off, there would be nothing stopping it from grabbing the bag and fleeing into the dungeon with it; it wouldn't be the first time. She waited for a moment, letting it get close before lunging at it with practiced grace: Sand Attack to the face, Quick Attack to the liver, Double Kick to the back of the head. The feral could only let out a screech before it was kicked into unconsciousness.