Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Adventurers of Dawn and Dusk

Chapter 1: Death...?

Hope's POV

A volcanic landscape was spread out below me. It was rocky, deep brown soil in all directions, except far away in the distance was a shimmer of blue sea. There were fiery rivers of orange lava spitting out from the tips of steep volcanoes all around me. A deep orange river of lava flowed beneath me.

That's when I realised I was floating. With no body.

Panic rising in my throat, I tried to gasp for air. It wasn't possible.

I was dead. It wasn't very cheery, but at least I didn't fall into the streak of vermilion bubbling beneath me.

Then, my optimism really didn't help anything. A body was forming around my consciousness. I had weight.

I dropped like a stone into that accursed lava, and sank slowly through the thick liquid, shrieking all the while. The heat was unbearable. So unbearable that it's hard to find words that describe it well enough. I attempted to scream in the lava as well, but the Death stream stuffed itself down my esophagus, causing it to catch fire (at least it felt like it). My consciousness suddenly blurred and faded into oblivion.

?'s POV

"Thanks, Dewdrop!" I called to the retreating silhouette of a Lapras I had ridden north to Conokamo island.

"Don't mention it!" He replied as he swam away to continue his duties as a transport between Conokamo and Ishara islands.

I watched until Dewdrops outline faded into the distance, then turned to stroll along the beach to my destination.

Heck yeah! My mental voice cheered. Finally, after a year and a half, I get to be part of an adventure squad! Hmhmhmhmh, so excited! Rescuing people and finding treasure and arresting outlaws… now, if I remember correctly, the Federation is along the shore of the Glacier strait, non?

My train of thought put on the emergency brakes when I noticed a strange Something at the edge of the water.

It was a Chikorita statue, made entirely of basalt. The faint outlines of large, ovular eyes were visible on the face. I stood there, trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

Reason #1, I thought, someone made it. Why the helium would they put it here, though? …Maybe not. 'Kay, reason #2. It came from the eruption a few hours ago. How would it look THAT PERFECT, though…? …Uh…

Hope's POV

"Hope. Hope."

"…Enh…?"

"OI! HOPE!"

"Wh- Gah!"

My eyes widened as I became aware that I was standing (on air, I might add) in a purpley-blue oblivion. In front of me stood an irritated-looking, glowing red Chikorita. It was she who had shouted at me. Impossible, I thought. Pokemon are incapable of speaking the English language.

"'Kay," she said in a rough, low voice, "so. Your objective is to get the Jewel and prevent eternal war. Got it?"

I stumbled backwards, shocked. What the Hello Kitty was that supposed to mean? I didn't even know her! Much less myself… Why was she ordering me around like this?

The Chikorita saw my confusion, and sighed. "Forgot, didn't she? Not surprised, not the first time she's done something like this…" She seemed to be talking more to herself than to me. Her head was hanging low, and her eyes were shut tight in frustration. Suddenly, her head whipped up, her leaf nearly knocking me in the face. Her eyes glowed a bright hot pink. Her mouth cracked into a sharp- toothed grin.

"You're breaking out."

I blinked. "What? How could I be stuck if-" She disappeared in a flash.

Great, she ditched me. How bad can this day get? I frowned at the oblivion around me.

Suddenly, I heard an eardrum-shattering crack! around me. I glanced around worriedly, wondering what the heck that could have been, since there wasn't anything here to even pop, much less crack.

The oblivion faded from indigo to black.

?'s POV

I stood there in disbelief, watching as the statue smashed open, revealing an actual Chikorita. It seemed to be almost (or already) dead. There was a slash across its forehead. Panicking slightly, I checked its blood pulse with my paw. It beat very, very faintly. I turned and ran, shouting, "HELP! SOMEONE'S DYING!

-End of Chapter 1-

A/N: Yeah, bit of a cliffhanger here... I've nothing else to say...

Dewdrop and the red Chikorita are property of me, Esper12.

Disclaimer: I did not create Pokemon. It is property of Nintendo.

May your sails stay full and your socks stay dry!