Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Quenched Torch

Chapter 62: Bless This Mess

...

...this was different.

This didn't feel like the other memories I'd seen. But at the same time... I wasn't sure what I was looking at or what was supposed to be happening. It was all a blurry haze of dreamscape. Was I trying to remember what came after...?

I blinked, and the scene had suddenly changed. My breath hitched in my throat.

This wasn't what I'd seen in my memories. My home had been small, ramshackle, lit by lanterns. This was clean, spacious, comfortable; like nothing had ever happened that made the opposite the norm. The people around me were clean, unbattered, happy...

"You've got everything, right? Your phone, your Pokéballs?" my father asked. At least, I believed he was.

"Yes, dad, yes, we've been over this," I rolled my eyes with a little smile.

"Just making sure. Bianca forgot half her things when we started our journey, I had to lend her mine."

"I know, dad."

"Alright, alright. You and Wilsa be careful out there, and if you see anything suspicious? Call me."

"We will. Promise."

"Alright. Your mother and I love you, Sam, don't forget that."

"Yeah. Love you too. I'll call when we get to Accumula," I nodded, going in for a quick hug before I headed out the door. Waiting just outside was my best friend, already putting the first of our journey's logs in her phone.

"Starlog, September 21, 2057. Today's the day. We're setting out to fight Unova, and we will begin with me catching big dorky's starter for him," she said dramatically into the mic.

"Oh, shut up," I elbowed her as we started towards Nuvema's city limits.

Nuvema? Mobile phones? Pokeballs? Starters? What...? This wasn't right. A moment of lucidity hit me as I blinked, looking around confusedly.

"What... what happened? I thought the Ruin ended the world, and...?" I managed out. Wilsa just looked at me confusedly.

"Ruin? Sam, cmon, the world hasn't ended yet, it's not allowed to till we've finished the circuit! That's the law!" she grinned as we paused at the town limits. "We're gonna step out at the same time like your dad did, on three! One, two..."

...was this...? This was what I had missed out on? What things could have been like?

I stared off distantly before taking a breath and stepping out onto the route...

"Beck?"

I groaned as I blinked awake, staring at nothing as I slowly recalled where I was. I was lying on a bunk in the local Guild's barracks. We were still in Pillaferry. It had only been fantasy.

"W-we're about to head out, whenever you're ready," Rye said, squatting down over me.

"Y-yeah. Akay," I muttered. As Rye turned to start gathering his things, I stayed there, quietly going over the dream I had had.

...there was no way to know that was what it'd be like. My brain couldn't possibly actually know that. But still...

I frowned to myself before standing to get ready for the day.

It wasn't long before I was out on the street with my traveling partners, metaphorical weight still pressing on my shoulders. Every sound stood out to me— the creaking of the pier street beneath my feet, the splashing of breaching Water-types to the sides, the chatter of the landborne populace around me, the street band's horns in the center of the square, the chiming of temple bells in the distance, the faint groans and flapping sails of ships on the sea...