Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Search of a Soul

Chapter 1

I came around and groaned in pain. My whole body felt like it was burning. I remember I was dreaming, a shadow had enveloped some kind of Pokémon. I know it was a Pokémon cause that's the only kind of video game I like playing. Pokémon is basically my whole life. If I remember correctly, the Pokémon I saw was an Oshawott. It's a blue and white Pokémon that uses the shell on its belly, called a scalchop, as a weapon. I remember it was engulfed by the shadow and struggling to escape. Next thing I knew I was laying on something very uncomfortable and in considerable pain. I didn't open my eyes yet because I was waiting for the pain to go away. I tried to remember what I had been doing before I had the dream, but couldn't seem to. All I remember is my name and what I do for a living. I'm around 18 years old and I play Pokémon for the entertainment of others over an app called YouTube. I have managed to become very popular, especially for my expertise in playing a game called Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. I'm apparently the best in the world at playing that game.

The pain started to fade and I am finally able to open my eyes a bit. I'm definitely not in my room sleeping on my bed, my bed is way more comfortable than this. My vision is blurry at first, so I can't entirely make out what I'm currently looking at. Suddenly I feel a large jolt of energy and my head shoots up. All pain and fatigue seem to leap out of my body as I look around. I'm in a dimly lit cave with a very high ceiling. I slowly get to my feet and suddenly I notice something. I look down at my hands and realize they look more like paws than hands. I start to look over my shoulder and sure enough I see a tail firmly attached to my bottom in the shape of a lightning bolt. I have somehow turned into a Pikachu.

"Well... this is certainly unexpected," I mutter to myself. I'm surprised that my voice sounds exactly the same and isn't in any way high pitched, "this is some wacked out dream I'm having..."

I stop and realize that I had just been feeling pain moments ago. I reach over and pinch my shoulder, hoping not to feel anything. A sharp pain screeches from the spot and it sets in that this is not a dream. I start to panic, even all my experience playing Pokémon could not possibly prepare me for the real thing. I was a human, not a Pokémon. How could this have possibly happened to me and why me of all people? I start to pace in fear and thought. I continue to try and tell myself that this isn't happening, but my tail weight continues to drag me back to this reality. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. I've played enough Mystery Dungeon games to know that a human doesn't just become a Pokémon for no reason. What that reason is I currently have no idea.

"Um... excuse me," a voice said from the shadows. I spun around, but still couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me, "could you please help us?"

I moved closer, hoping I wasn't walking right into a trap, and came upon what seemed like a dungeon door. The bars were rusted and looked like they had been up for centuries. I could make out a blue face just beyond the bars; a Riolu. By the sound of her voice, I could tell it was female; she was lean and looked like she hadn't eaten in a while. She was clutching the bars, as if she believed they would break if she squeezed them hard enough. Her eyes were a deep purple color and had a look of longing in them.

"Please, could you help us get out of here?" she asked again.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" I asked warily.

"My name is Riri," she responded, "I was caught and imprisoned by the tyrant Avalanche and his goons."

"Avalanche. He sounds... pleasant." I said sarcastically.

"Oh no, he's the most ruthless Pokémon in this part of the region! There is nothing pleasant about him!" Riri said dramatically.

It seems that sarcasm is lost on her, I thought to myself.