Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Team Eve - Book One

Chapter 23: Searching

"I... can't do it," whispered Kin.

"What do you mean 'can't do it'?" Soul asked confused.

"I... can't do it," Kin repeated quietly.

"Fine, I will." Kira stepped forwards and reached for the crystal, but Kin pulled it away from her.

"Don't you get it!?" He shouted. "She's a human! I can't ask her to stay just because I'm in love! I could never do that to her."

Twigs stepped forwards and placed a gentle paw on Kin's arm. "If you can't do that, what can you do?"

"Before I met Evie I was nothing. I didn't have a name or a family. I was scared of the future, too scared to think about it, but then, she taught me how to be strong. Now I need to be strong alone."

"But you're not alone," Soul whispered.

Surprised, Kin looked at her, then at Twigs, and finally at Kira: These three, his friends. Kin chuckled and patted Soul's head. "Thanks Soul, you're right." Kin took a deep breath, "I'll keep Evie safe and search for a way to send her home. In the meantime, Team Eve will take the world by storm. We'll do what we originally set out to do: We'll help Pokémon, and one day I'll find a way for Evie to go home. Then she can finally be happy."

Twigs nodded but showed no sign of emotion. Soul and Kira both offered sad smiles. Kin stood up shakily, leaning on Soul they walked from the infirmary to outside. They sat on the steps of the guild, around them buildings were being repaired. Collapsed heaps of rubble and messes of debris lay scattered around the city, but slowly they were cleaned up and made new. An old Stoutland noticed a Riolu and a Snivy sitting on the steps to the guild entrance, he smiled and approached them.

"Kin," Stoutland greeted.

Kin recognised the Stoutland and smiled at him. "Hello Stoutland. How are you?"

"I'm well thank-you, and yourself?"

"Me? I'm not so bad."

"Well that's good. And how is Evie?"

Kin sat in silence; unsure how to respond. Stoutland tilted his head curiously. "Kin?"

"Evie. She's... she's going to be okay."

Stoutland was confused by the ambiguous answer but accepted it nonetheless.

"Well Kin, I'm off now. I do hope you'll visit."

"Visit? Where are you going?"

"Tranquil Town. Everyone who lived there before, we all want our home back. We're going to rebuild the town, and if possible, make it better."

"Oh, I'll make sure to come and visit then."

Kin stood up and hugged Stoutland; the old dog smiled at Riolu. "Goodbye Kin, best of luck to you."

Kin broke the hug and waved as Stoutland walked away. Kin and Soul watched as a steady stream of Pokémon left Mistveil city, Kin recognised them all as former residents of Tranquil Town.

Soul smiled. "They're all so determined. They take pride in their work and they know they're going to succeed."

"And so do we," Kin replied. "Soul let's get to work."

"Sure, I'll just hobble around weakly while you sit there dying."

"Oh, I suppose we're hurt pretty bad. Well then you can have the day off."

"Ha, funny. What're you going to do?"

"I'm going to do research at the library."

"If it wasn't destroyed."