Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Early Years (Ongoing)

Chapter 4: Around Town

The sun hadn't even started to come up as Dart practically leapt out of his bed. He didn't worry about waking anyone, with his dad already gone for work for the day. Even if he did have to worry about someone, he probably still would have leapt, curiosity just had to be satiated today.

He was used to mornings on his own, and he quickly made work of his preparation for the day. Some snacks left hardly within reach and a quick dunk into a tub just to rinse off was all he needed before he started to head out.  He didn't feel like being dragged back by any Expeditionary Society members wandering about, so he stuck to quiet roads. An odd path in the now foggy, misty streets going north and east. North and east towards Furret Family Farm.

He, simply, hadn't seen the Riolu around before. And, being completely confident he knew every single kid in town his age, had his curiosity piqued. It didn't even come across his mind that, maybe, this stranger wouldn't be up at this odd, early time in the morning. Still, he quietly, and a bit gradually made his way to the place he last saw them.

Until, finally, just as the time was reaching the normal waking hours of early birds, he got to the farm of large trees. The variety of fruit trees having rows of plants rich with fruit, and those without. He turned his gaze away from the trees, though, and towards the house. Still not exactly coming into his mind that this may be a bad idea, he started to take glances into the windows to see what all was going on. 

First, the living room at the front windows... nothing. Making his way to the next window in the kitchen on the right side of the building, his breath hitched and he quickly ducked away before he was spotted, seeing the heads of the household in there. He then, quietly, made his way to the next window at the back of the building... the blinds were down. His hopes were almost dashed, until he spotted one more window. Peering into it, he saw... a room! It was a start.

It seemed empty at first, but he got some different angles of it. The right side of the window looking left, and the left side of the window looking right. He then finally spotted the Riolu, just grateful that he didn't have to find a way to the upstairs windows. And he didn't expect her to be... dead asleep.

Dart was a bit annoyed at the fact that others slept at reasonable times, but didn't want to wake her up. Or, at least, would do so when the sun was actually well up in the sky. So, instead, he made himself cozy a distance away behind an out of season tree, just for security that it wouldn't be checked. And then, he played the waiting game...

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Lucia yawned and stretched as she woke up from the door opening. She didn't completely process what Caroline said before she left, but she knew it included breakfast, which sounded pretty good to her. She managed to drag herself out of bed pretty quickly, and headed to the kitchen full of sweet scents. A plate was already made on the table with an empty cup beside it, seemingly for her, with a small array of fruits and a pancake probably a bit too much for her on it.

Caroline was busy elsewhere in the kitchen, going through what seemed to be a large stack of letters, with Jack and Sammy nowhere to be seen. Caroline spoke up, not turning to Lucia away from the letters, "Food on the table's for you, sweetie. Feel free to get whatever you'd like to drink, just let me know if you need help pouring it."

Lucia nodded, even though it wasn't in sight of Caroline. She then got herself just a glass of water, and went awkwardly on to the chair, feeling like she should say something. Anything, really. "Thank you... Where are the other two?"

Caroline softly smiled at the thanks, but was still attending to the mail first and foremost. "It's no trouble, sweetie. And Sammy and Jack? They got an early start today, going to knock out farm work early. They'll be back in a little while though, don't worry."