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dbcoatl-art · 4 months ago

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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hunters of Ruination

Chapter 6: Spark Meadow [17 Pages]

Mayor Sparky takes Mila through Spark Meadow, a Mystery Dungeon located within Thunderclap Valley, where they can enlist help from the local trapmaker.

~Thunderclap Valley~

“I appreciate what Brother Caenum wanted to do, but I wish he’d warn me before trying to spray me with Water Gun,” Mila complained, grimacing at the way her wet paws squelched against the earth.

Mayor Sparky chuckled sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry about him,” he replied. “He’s always been quite the neat freak.”

The two of them had departed from Trueno Village not too long ago, and were now walking along the dirt path leading into Thunderclap Valley. Mila, despite being a Grass-type, obviously hated having her fur soaked, but at least there wasn’t a single speck of dirt or grime left (Brother Caenum made sure of that).

Mila stopped to shake off more water droplets from her fur before heading over to catch up with the mayor, admiring the warmth of the sunlight on her fur as it filtered through the trees.

“So, Mr. Mayor,” she began.

“Please, just call me Mayor Sparky,” he insisted.

“Sorry. Anyway, Mayor Sparky, where exactly are we going?”

Mayor Sparky searched through the small pouch he was carrying to take out a sheet of paper. He then unfurled it to reveal a large map of the entire archipelago.

Mila craned her neck to see the map. “So that’s the Raidon Archipelago,” she whispered in awe. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the islands converged to form some kind of dragon-like Pokémon. “It looks more like a continent to me, though,” she remarked.

“Ehehehe…well, it did go by another name a long time ago,” Mayor Sparky chuckled. “But that name’s been unfortunately lost to time. Folks these days just call it the Raidon Archipelago because it looks like a cross between Koraidon and Miraidon, like those statues you passed by.”

“I see,” Mila said, slowly nodding her head. She pointed to an area in the southeastern corner near where she guessed were the archipelago’s “haunches”. “And that’s Thunderclap Valley, isn’t it?”

“You got that right, miss!” The Dedenne then tapped with one digit to a part of the valley. “And our destination is a trapmaker who lives nearby. She’s a quirky sort, but very helpful in capturing stray ferals and releasing them back into the wild.” He then traced his finger to a yellow dot between Trueno Village and the trapmaker’s hut. “But first, we need to get through Spark Meadow.”

Mila nodded, barely paying attention to the mayor’s words. Her eyes were trained on another part of the map – a chain of islands that made up what she thought was the “tail” of the Raidon Archipelago. Four red X’s were scrawled all over some of the islands, nearly crossing out the yellow dots that marked those locations.

“Um, Mayor Sparky,” she asked, pointing to the X’s. “What’s with those four marks?”

Mayor Sparky glanced over at where Mila was pointing. His face immediately darkened. “That, my dear, is the Ruinous Shackles,” he warned. “It’s an area forbidden to everyone, even outlaws.”

“Why? What’s so dangerous about it?”

Mayor Sparky put a paw to his chin. “There’s an old legend that tells of four terrifying Pokémon who once nearly brought a terrible catastrophe to the archipelago, back when it was still known by its forgotten name,” he explained. “It took the effort of four sages to defeat those Pokémon and seal them away in four tombs. Everyone stays away from the Ruinous Shackles because of that legend, and not even the most hardened criminals would think to try and release one of those four Pokémon.”

A chill raced down Mila’s spine. Four Pokémon locked away in a forbidden place because they were deemed too dangerous…now that was definitely something she didn’t want to face.

“Still, there are some people who only pass it off as some kind of ghost story,” Mayor Sparky went on as he closed the map and stuffed it back into his pouch. “So that legend might not be real after all. Who knows?”

“L-let’s hope so,” Mila said with a shiver.

Mayor Sparky noticed the Sprigatito in a distressed state. Sighing to himself, he scampered over to her and gently patted her shoulder. “But let’s not dwell in on that,” he said. “Let’s focus on getting through Spark Meadow first.”

“O-okay,” Mila responded as the two began walking down the path again.

As her paws dragged through the dust, Mila couldn’t shake the thought of the Ruinous Shackles out of her mind. Four Pokémon were sealed away by some sages because they nearly destroyed the Raidon Archipelago. She couldn’t help but wonder who those Pokémon were…and why they almost did such a dastardly deed.

Eventually, the trees opened up, and soon Mila found herself standing in a massive stretch of grassland. Short, yellow grass tickled her pads in a way that was more welcoming than the hard, dusty path. She stretched her body, welcoming the warmth of the sun on her fur.

“Well, we’re almost there,” Mayor Sparky said. “Just a few more steps and we’ll have entered Spark Meadow.”

Mila looked ahead, noticing that there was a wooden sign, with the words “SPARK MEADOW” scrawled on it in black ink. An arrow connected to the sign pointed to a cluster of tall yellow grass that grew as far as the naked eye could see.

“Before we go in, I need to warn ya about something,” Mayor Sparky told her. “Spark Meadow is no ordinary place. In fact, this place is actually what we call a Mystery Dungeon.”

“Mystery…Dungeon?” Mila tilted her head in confusion. “What’s that?”

“Mystery Dungeons are these odd little pockets of distortions,” the Dedenne explained. “No matter how many times you enter one, the layout is never the same. Mystery Dungeons can appear anywhere at any time, from above ground to even underwater. There are also Pokémon who inhabit these Mystery Dungeons, but they ain’t real Pokémon – just constructs from these distortions. No one knows how long they’ve existed, but my guess is that they’ve been here since the dawn of time. ”

“I see,” Mila said. “I think I’ve got it.”

Mayor Sparky smiled as he put his paws on his hips. “Fortunately, Spark Meadow here’s a low-level dungeon,” he reassured her. “That should give ya an opportunity to get in a bit o’ training.”

Mila’s face became hot with embarrassment as she remembered her performance yesterday. Still, she was grateful that Mayor Sparky was going to help teach her how to fight effectively on her own. That should be something…right?

“Anyway,” said Mayor Sparky as he approached the entrance. “We should get goin’ now. Don’t wanna keep the trapmaker waitin’ now, do we.”

Mila shook her head. “No, sir!”

Mayor Sparky smiled as he turned and hopped into the cluster of grass. Mila took a deep breath as she approached the wall of grass. Well, she thought. Here goes nothing.

She then leaped into the grass, wondering what lay ahead of her…

* * *

~Spark Meadow, B1F~

As Mila pushed through the wall of tall grass, she was confronted with a strange sight.

All around her were walls upon walls of yellow grass, growing as if they were trying to reach the sky. The floor underneath her feet was also covered in yellow grass, but it was much shorter like what she had been standing on before. To her right and directly in front were two corridors that seemed to stretch on for infinity.

“Well, we’re here,” Mayor Sparky announced. “Welcome to Spark Meadow, little miss.” He nudged her with a tiny elbow. “How’s it feeling so far?”

“Uh…strange?” Truth be told, Mila was still perplexed by how a place like this could exist. Then again, Mystery Dungeons were pockets of distortions, so…maybe this wouldn’t be too bad?

Mayor Sparky shrugged. “Eh, that’s what a lot of folks say,” he said. “Don’t fret, though – you’ll eventually get used to it. Besides, once you’ve seen a Mystery Dungeon, you’ve seen ‘em all! At least, that’s what my pops would say.”

Silence passed between the two of them, save for the gentle summer breeze that rustled the tips of the yellow grass, almost kissing it. Then, Mila finally spoke: “So, all we have to do is go through Spark Meadow, and we’ll be on our way to the trapmaker’s place, right?”

“Ya catch on pretty quick there, Mila,” replied Mayor Sparky with a wink. “Though we’d best get a move on right away – don’t wanna get caught in it too long.”

“Why? What happens?”

But Mayor Sparky was already scampering ahead towards the corridor to the right. Mila sighed as she followed him. However, they didn’t get long before the rustling of grass stopped them in its tracks. Mayor Sparky instinctively held out a paw, his ears pricked as he became aware.

The rustling grew louder and louder, until a Pokémon popped out of the overgrowth. It looked like a small orange marmot, not much bigger than Mayor Sparky, with yellow electric sacs on its cheeks and a whiff of orange fur on top of its head. Its bulbous forepaws were cream-coloured, as were its tiny snout and its fluffy tail.

“Aww, it’s so cute,” Mila could help but coo at it. “What is it?”

“Oh, that’s just a little Pawmi,” replied Mayor Sparky. “They ain’t too much of a threat. Mostly, they just mind their own business an’ all.”

The moment he finished speaking, however, the Pawmi suddenly snapped its head to stare at the intruders. Mila noticed that its eyes were a rich brown colouring with a hint of icy blue – almost reminding her of the Shiny Scovillain she barely survived fighting yesterday. It slowly pressed its body to the ground before suddenly launching itself at them, its tiny claws unsheathed.

“Dagnabbit!” Mayor Sparky cursed under his breath as he leaped away. He winced slightly as the Pawmi’s Scratch attack barely chipped his antennae. Landing on his paws, he skidded to a stop just a few yards away before getting back up.

“This oughta teach ya,” he growled as he bared his bucktooth. The single fang began to glow white and elongated itself before the Dedenne threw himself at the Pawmi, puncturing it with a Super Fang. The Pawmi squealed in pain as the iron-hard enamel punctured the fur and flesh on its backside, drawing bright red blood in the process. Mayor Sparky then leaped off of it and spat out blood, still glaring at the injured Pawmi.

Mila winced at the damage the mayor had caused, wondering if battles such as these were violent…well, back in whatever world she came from.

The Pawmi must have realized that it was no match for Mayor Sparky, and thus decided to turn its attention to Mila instead. Standing up on its hind legs, it raised its forepaws to reveal bright yellow sacs hidden underneath. It then proceeded to clasp its forepaws and rub them together, generating electricity between them.

“Uh, Mayor Sparky?” Mila asked, feeling rather alarmed. “What’s it doing now?”

“Mila, get back!” Mayor Sparky warned her. “Unless you want the little feller to hit ya with a Thunder Shock!”

Mila leaped away right in the nick of time, just seconds before the Pawmi launched a weak bolt of electricity right where she’d been standing before. If she hadn’t asked Mayor Sparky, well…she might not have been hit terribly hard, but she certainly didn’t want to end up being paralyzed.

Before the Pawmi could take any further action, Mayor Sparky puffed out his cheeks as his antennae began to glow bright green. “Seed Bomb!” he shouted as he spat out a glowing green seed at the feral. The seed exploded upon impact, sending the Pawmi flying across the room. It then landed flat on its belly…

…and immediately vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

Mila’s jaw dropped to the floor. What even happened? Was the Pawmi dead, or was it just a trick of the imagination? After all, she certainly didn’t seem to have any recollection of wild Pokémon vanishing in puffs of smoke upon defeat.

She turned to Mayor Sparky for information, only for the Dedenne to approach her to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “S’alright, dear,” he told her. “This is a natural thing that happens to them dungeon ferals. Like I said, Mystery Dungeons are pockets of distortions…and the ferals here are nothing more than constructs of those distortions.”

“O-okay,” Mila said shakily. She still felt uneasy about the situation, but at least she had a better understanding of what the Mystery Dungeons were like.

“Now, let’s go see what that Pawmi was hiding behind this here corridor,” said Mayor Sparky. “Follow me!”

He led Mila down the narrow corridor and into another spacious room. Mila scanned the room for any more enemy Pokémon, only to find something round and blue just a few ways away. Approaching the object, she took a sniff and realized that it was an Oran Berry. She grabbed it in her mouth and trotted over to Mayor Sparky to show the item to him.

“Well, well,” the mayor said, looking rather impressed. “Looks like ya managed to find an Oran Berry. Nice going!” He retrieved the Oran Berry and put it into his pouch. “Those are super common finds, y’know. Hunter teams always make sure to pack a bunch of ‘em before headin’ out to a Mystery Dungeon.”

He looked around the room some more. “Well, it don’t look like there’s anything else, so we might as well do a bit o’ backtrackin’ and take the other corridor.” Once again, he led the way back to the first room, this time taking the corridor that was right in front.

This new corridor was much longer than the last, with more twists and turns, but it eventually opened up to another room. However, Mila didn’t have time to look around before a loud chirping suddenly assaulted her ears. She looked up, only to find a tiny bird Pokémon with grey and white feathers and a red head diving straight towards her. She quickly rolled to the right just as the bird soared past her, missing her by a whisker.

“Have a taste o’ my Nuzzle!” Mayor Sparky called out as he pounced on the bird. Electric sparks raced along his antennae as he began vigorously rubbing his cheeks against the bird’s backside. Seconds later, a burst of electricity enveloped the bird, short-circuiting all of its nerves. It swayed from side to side before collapsing on the ground, disappearing into a puff of purple smoke immediately afterwards.

Mayor Sparky let out a sigh of relief before turning to Mila with a concerned look on her face. “I’d be more careful around those Fletchling if I were you,” he told her. “With yer Grass typing, they’re a lot more trouble than they’re worth.”

Mila simply nodded in response, knowing that she didn’t need to be told twice. After all, being a Grass-type had its own advantages as well as disadvantages.

“Liiiil!”

Mila’s ear swivelled to the source of the new voice, drawing her attention to a small Pokémon approaching her. It looked like a light green bulb with stubby limbs, a dark green collar around its neck, and three large leaves growing atop its head. Just like the previous two ferals, its eyes had a bluish tint to them as it glared at the intruders.

“What about that Petilil?” Mila asked Mayor Sparky. “Is she more trouble than she’s worth?”

“Not at all,” replied the Dedenne. “I think you can take ‘er out just fine. Remember, all ya gotta do is concentrate.”

Mila nodded before turning to the Petilil with a determined look on her face. She took a deep breath as she began to concentrate. She thought about leaves dancing in the autumn breeze…plants and trees enduring fierce storms…flowers blooming to face the sunlight.

Her mane began to glow green as she felt energy gather in her body. She took another deep breath as she concentrated further and further…until she was ready.

“Take this! Leafage!” she yelled as she released a flurry of glowing green leaves at the Petilil. The Bulb Pokémon spun around, trying to keep her eyes trained on the leaves. However, they eventually slammed into her, cutting through the Petilil like she was nothing. The Leafage proved too much for her, and she soon collapsed into a puff of purple smoke.

Mila let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she had managed to pull off a Leafage without much difficulty this time.

A glint of gold caught her eye, drawing her attention to where the sun was shining. At first, she assumed it to be just a pile of yellow grass. Upon closer inspection, however, she noticed that it was not grass at all, but rather a pile of gold coins, all bearing the letter “P” engraved into it.

“Is that…money?” she asked.

“Not just any kind of money,” replied Mayor Sparky as he scooped up the coins and put them into a small money pouch. “That’s the Poké I’ve told ya about yesterday. Very useful for buying items at shops, among other things.”

Not too far away from where she’d found the Poké, Mila also noticed another oddity: a set of marble stairs cut into the grass, going down another level. She wondered where that led.

“Ah, there’s the stairs,” Mayor Sparky chirped as he scampered over to them. “These’ll take us to the next floor. C’mon!” He then jumped down the stairs, leaving Mila behind.

Mila looked down to where she saw the mayor disappear. She then took a deep breath and proceeded down the steps after him.

* * *

~Spark Meadow, B2F~

As Mila hopped off the last step, she was confronted with a peculiar sight. She had expected to be in some sort of underground area within the dungeon; instead, her surroundings were nearly identical to that of the previous floor. Same tall grass walls, same short grass underneath…it was much too odd for her.

The only thing different was that this room was a tad smaller. A few ways off, she noticed another Pawmi sleeping in a corner. However, there was also a small yellow spider-like Pokémon with blue claws munching away at an Oran Berry – a Joltik, if she recalled correctly.

Mayor Sparky took notice of the Joltik and let out a shudder. “Let’s just take what we can and leave before that Joltik notices us,” he said. “I ain’t a fan of them varmints one bit.”

Mila nodded as she ambled over to the other items nearby. There was a bright red Apple in the grass, and next to that was a small seed that looked like a pink, puffy cloud. She picked both of them up and brought them both to Mayor Sparky to examine.

“Well, well,” the Dedenne said as he retrieved the items. “Looks like we got ourselves a fresh new Apple. They’re usually ripe during the summer season.” He tossed the pink Seed up and down as he chuckled. “And that is a Sleep Seed. Anyone who eats that will soon find themselves dozin’ off to dreamland. Recommended for some tough battles.”

Stashing away the Apple and Sleep Seed in his pouch, Mayor Sparky led Mila down the long corridor into another small room. Another Fletchling nearly ambushed them, but Mayor Sparky took care of it. After Mila went over and retrieved the Oran Berry that the Fletchling had been guarding, the two of them proceeded down another set of stairs leading to the next floor.

* * *

~Spark Meadow, B3F~

Mila had barely cleared the second set of stairs, when she heard a sudden yelp. She whirled around and saw that another Joltik had quickly pounced on Mayor Sparky, pinning the rodent to the ground. Thinking quickly, she lunged forward and smacked it away with a headbutt. The Joltik sailed across the room and slammed against the wall, the force of the impact causing it to dissipate in a puff of purple smoke.

Mila helped the mayor up, who gave her a word of thanks. Unfortunately, the brief moment of respite didn’t last long before the two heard a screech. Mila looked up to find a Fletchling coming right at her, but did not have time to duck before she felt the bird’s sharp beak jab her shoulder.

Yowling in pain, she backed off, clutching her shoulder as the first trickle of blood began oozing from the cut.

“That hurt!” she hissed at the Fletchling, whose beak was now tipped with blood. Her blood. Not to mention it had this sort of boastful look in its otherwise soulless eyes.

While Mila was occupied with the Fletchling, Mayor Sparky had been taken off-guard by a Petilil that had just tackled him back to the ground. Thinking quickly, he darted around the Grass-type a few times before striking her in the back with a Nuzzle. Unfortunately, this only angered the Petilil, and she whirled around to attack Mayor Sparky with Absorb.

“Mayor Sparky!” Mila called out, feeling helpless. As much as she wanted to help him, there was still the Fletchling to worry about. If one Peck was enough to leave a gash, who knew what a second one would do?

Sure enough, the Fletchling’s beak began to glow white again, and it swooped down for another Peck. Before it could hit its mark, however, Mila suddenly felt her body move on her own as she sidestepped to dodge the attack. As it passed by, she bared her fangs and bit its wing as hard as she could.

A sickening sound like hollow bones being crunched against teeth filled her ears, and blood sprayed her vision. Still, she refused to let go despite the Fletchling’s pained screeches. She then flung the bird across the room, where it tumbled to a stop and vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

A pained squeak alerted her, and she whirled around just in time to see the Petilil collapse in a heap before immediately disappearing in another puff of purple smoke. Mayor Sparky was breathing heavily, clutching his arm while his tail-tip dug itself into the ground to try and keep himself steady.

“D-dang Petilil and their Absorb attacks,” he muttered as he reached into his pouch to retrieve an Oran Berry.

Mila walked over to him, wincing as she tried to put pressure on her injured leg. Noticing this, Mayor Sparky took out another Oran Berry and rolled it over to her. Mila smiled and gave him a word of thanks before eating her Oran Berry. Almost immediately, she felt the pain in her shoulder disappear as the gash quickly healed up, leaving behind only a barely-visible nick.

With the enemies cleared out, the two took the time to gather the items that were left behind. As Mila walked over to pick up a bright red Cheri Berry (which she knew had the power to heal paralysis), she recalled how she had quickly reacted to the Fletchling’s second Peck, as well as how she had retaliated.

Excited, she turned to Mayor Sparky, who had just finished stashing a spare Oran Berry in the pouch. “Hey, Mayor Sparky?” she said.

“Hm?” The Dedenne turned to face her. “What is it?”

“I think I might have just learned a new move,” Mila replied.

That seemed to grab Mayor Sparky’s interest. “Do tell,” he said. “We can talk as we walk down this ‘ere corridor.” He pointed to the mouth of a corridor not too far off to his left, and the two of them headed right down.

As they walked down the long, narrow corridor, Mayor Sparky looked over his shoulder at Mila. “So, Mila,” he said. “What kind of new move did ya learn this time?”

Mila took a deep breath as she explained to Sparky what had happened during her scuffle with the Fletchling. She recalled a feeling of frustration and anger that overcame her, like she wanted to physically injure the Fletchling and make it pay for pecking her shoulder like that. It was almost as if a sense of ill intent had come over her, and when the Fletching went for another attack, she quickly retaliated and returned the pain tenfold with just one bite to its wing.

“Hmm,” Mayor Sparky said with a grin. “If frustration and anger was all it took to bite that bird’s wing in half, then I say you did indeed learn a new move. Specifically, Bite!” He flicked his tail happily. “At least now ya got something to defend yerself with against the next Fletchling ya run into. Or another Flying-type, fer that matter.”

As they reached the end of the corridor, the two found themselves face-to-face with another Petilil, this time accompanied by a Joltik. This time, Mila took the initiative and quickly used her new Bite on the Joltik before it could react, causing the bug’s body to dissipate between her jaws. She then whirled around and hit the Petilil with Leafage, allowing Mayor Sparky to finish the job with Nuzzle.

With both enemies down, they then proceeded to collect two Oran Berries, some more Poké and another Sleep Seed before proceeding down the stairs to the next floor.

* * *

~Spark Meadow, B4F~

“Well, here we are,” Mayor Sparky announced as he hopped off the last step of the staircase. “The last floor of Spark Meadow. We’re almost there!”

Mila could only let out a sigh of relief. The whole trip had been really long, and her legs were starting to feel like jelly. But hearing that she was now at the final floor of the dungeon seemed to make the spring return to her steps.

The first thing she noticed was a sleeping Fletchling not too far off. Remembering the Pawmi from the previous two floors, she decided to sneak around it so as to avoid waking it up. Admiring her caution, Mayor Sparky led the way down a corridor to the left of the Fletchling. Soon, they had left the room unscathed.

As Mila followed Mayor Sparky down the corridor, she felt a nagging question burn in her mind. “Um, Mayor Sparky?” she began. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything you want, little miss,” replied the mayor. “I’m all ears.”

Mila thought it over carefully as she formulated her question. “What’s a hunter team,” she finally asked. “I keep hearing about you talking about them, but…what are they, really?”

Mayor Sparky nearly tripped over his own feet upon being asked this question. He quickly turned to face her, his eyes wide with surprise. “Wait, ya mean you don’t know?!” He rubbed a forepaw against his temple, feeling flabbergasted. “Man, you really weren’t bluffin’ when you said you didn’t remember anything.”

Mila tucked her head between her shoulders as her cheeks grew red with embarrassment.

Mayor Sparky let out a sigh, unsure how to explain the whole “hunter team” thing. “Well, to put it simply, hunter teams are units of two to three Pokémon who travel all across the Raidon Archipelago. They’re the ones who go into Mystery Dungeons for all sorts of jobs – be it rescuing Pokémon, tracking down outlaws, or even finding treasure. Most Pokémon stay away from Mystery Dungeons, but for a hunter team…Mystery Dungeons are their livelihood!”

Mila’s eyes lit up in awe. Pokémon who go into Mystery Dungeons for the thrill of it…now that was something she could definitely see herself doing.

Mayor Sparky flicked his tail. “That’s pretty much the gist o’ what I know,” he said. “I know there are some kids in the village who study up on them hunter teams. Why not give ‘em a visit sometime?”

Mila nodded. “Sure,” she replied, making a mental note to tell Jin once she returned to the Lightfang residence.

They kept walking until they reached another room containing the final set of stairs in Spark Meadow. There was also a Cheri Berry, with a sleeping Pawmi nearby. Upon closer inspection, however, Mila noticed that the Pawmi’s ears would occasionally twitch, while its eyes would crack open before closing shut again.

“This is gonna be rather tricky,” Mayor Sparky said, stroking his chin. “The Pawmi looks like it’s guarding that Cheri Berry, but it’s also dozin’ off.”

“Leave it to me, Mayor Sparky,” Mila said. “I’m sure I can nab the Cheri Berry without waking it up.”

Mayor Sparky let out a sigh. “Alright, but don’t get in over yer head, little miss.”

Mila nodded before crouching down, letting her feline instincts take over as she stealthily approached the Cheri Berry. She occasionally paused to take a glance at the sleeping Pawmi, anticipating any signs of its waking up, before returning her focus to the Cheri Berry. She did this a few times before finally snatching it up in her jaws.

She couldn’t believe it. She had actually retrieved an item without waking a sleeping feral! As much as she wanted to celebrate, however, she knew it would have to wait – there was still the sleeping Pawmi to worry about, after all.

Instead, she flicked her tail to send a silent signal to Mayor Sparky. The Dedenne nodded his head as he followed her lead. Together, they took one more look around before descending down the staircase that would lead them out of the Mystery Dungeon known as Spark Meadow.

* * *

~Thunderclap Valley, Leila’s Residence~

As Mila hopped off the last set of stairs, she noticed something strangely different. Instead of walls of yellow grass, she found herself standing in open air once more. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed the cluster of tall yellow grass behind her, swaying in the breeze…except now, she was on the other side of that cluster. Just ahead lay more fields of short, yellow grass, with a few trees to provide shade from the harsh sunlight that was now beating down on her and Mayor Sparky.

However, the sun was of little concern as Mayor Sparky stretched his tiny body. “Finally out,” he said. “Man, that run sure proved to be a bit more difficult than I remember.”

He turned to Mila with a smile on his face. “But hey, at least ya got some experience out of it,” he added. “And ya even learned a new move in the process.”

Mila smiled to herself, knowing that she had another move to use besides Leafage. She then raised her head and noticed something else in the distance: a gnarled old tree stump, a wooden thing that stood out among the spotty trees. Four wooden constructs jutted out from the sides of the stump, all of them mostly yellow with some blue. “Is that…?”

Mayor Sparky looked ahead and grinned. “That be it!” he announced. “The trapmaker’s place. C’mon!” He then scampered ahead, taking the lead once more as the two made an immediate beeline for the stump.

As they approached the stump, Mila was surprised to find that it was bigger up close. Just from looking at the entrance alone, she noticed a rounded lantern hanging over the doorway, with a crate of glowing blue rocks nearby – Chargestones, if her memory served correctly.

Mayor Sparky took a deep breath as he approached the door. “Now, before I knock on the door, I need to tell ya something,” he said. “The trapmaker…well, let’s just say, she can be quite eccentric at times. And also temperamental. But her heart’s in the right place, and she knows when to get things done, and done right.”

“OK…so, what should I do?”

Mayor Sparky gave her a reassuring wink. “Just be on yer best behavior, s’all.” He then turned to the door and knocked on it three times.

“Coming,” came a voice from inside. Mila heard a series of skittering. Then, the door began to open.

Standing right before the two at the entrance was a Pokémon that looked like a bright yellow tarantula with blue and purple accents on her underside. Her large four legs bore dark yellow stripes that zigzagged around, while her large eyes were green, with her four smaller ones being turquoise and finally blue. A pair of old-fashioned goggles were strapped around her forehead, while a blue scarf was wrapped around her thorax.

Mila’s jaw dropped. “Mayor Sparky,” she whispered. “You didn’t tell me the trapmaker was a Galvantula! Besides, did you say earlier you didn’t like Joltik?”

The Galvantula frowned a little at that remark. “Yeah, I’m a Galvantula,” she snarked. “So what? You got a problem with that, kid?”

“S-sorry,” Mila stammered, crouching down to the ground to make herself seem smaller. “It’s just…I didn’t know!”

The Galvantula let out a sigh. “Yeah, I get that a lot,” she said. “Everyone comes here hoping that I’ll be something different after running into all those Joltik in Spark Meadow, and then BOOM! They see I’m actually their evolved form. It’s…it’s really frustrating.”

She shook her head. “But enough about that,” she said, turning to Mayor Sparky as her expression brightened. “It’s been a while, Mayor Sparky. How have things been lately?”

“Pretty good, actually,” replied the mayor. “Things have definitely been looking up in Trueno Village after the last guy finally got the boot he deserved.”

That made the Galvantula snort with laughter. “That’s awesome to hear,” she chuckled. “Not gonna lie, that Electabuzz was every bit as useful as a braindead Slowpoke. All talk, and no action. I dunno why he ever became mayor to begin with. But I’m glad to hear that you took up the mantle. I always knew that if there was someone who had the potential to become mayor, it’d be you, Sparky.”

The Dedenne blushed as he rubbed the back of his head with one paw. “Aw, shucks,” he chuckled.

“But enough about that,” said the Galvantula. “What brings you and your friend here?”

“Ah, right.” Mayor Sparky cleared his throat as he gestured towards Mila. “This little lady here is Miss Mila Holt. And before ya say anythin’, no, she ain’t no spy from the Misty Woods…despite what that moron Niko would suggest.”

“Eh, figures,” the Galvantula said with a shrug. “I hope someone does something about that so-called ‘queen’ soon. No wonder the Sprigatito line is currently endangered on our islands.”

A chill ran down Mila’s spine. The Sprigatito line…was endangered? Because of their reputation being tarnished by one of their own, never mind one of their evolutions? All of a sudden, Niko’s suspicions were starting to make sense.

Thankfully, her worries were eased as the Galvantula changed the subject. “But enough about that,” she said. She then turned her gaze to Mila. “If you’re not from the Misty Woods, then where are you originally from? Where are your parents?”

Mila looked down at her forepaws. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I can’t remember anything about my past.”

Except for my name, and the knowledge that I used to be a human, she added silently to herself.

The Galvantula narrowed her primary eyes to little green slits, as if studying Mila. Then, she nodded. “Fair enough,” she said. “I’m sure your memory will come back in due time, though. Don’t worry.”

She then reached out with one of her pedipalps. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Mila,” she said. “My name’s Leila Solas. I’m the local trapmaker, and I maintain close contact with Trueno Village.”

“Nice to meet you,” replied Mila as she shook Leila’s pedipalp.

Leila smiled as she retrieved her pedipalp before tucking herself inside. “Why don’t you two come inside, so we can have a little chat? I’ll see if I can make something for the two of you, especially after going through Spark Meadow. Just mind the webs, alright?”

“Thank you kindly, Leila,” said Mayor Sparky as he and Mila went inside. Once in, Mila noticed that the place was a lot bigger on the inside than it was outside. The whole interior was covered in spiderwebs that gave off electricity – on the floor, on the walls, and even on the ceilings and furniture! In one corner of the room was a strange gadget that resembled a box with a few buttons on it and a flat screen, powered by a single Chargestone swathed in electric webs. A metal pipe extended from the back of the box, snaking around a portion of the wall before jutting up through the roof. Several more devices were tucked away in another corner, none of which Mila could recognize.

“Over here, Mila,” Mayor Spark called, waving to her to take a seat at a wooden table sitting atop a round, yellow carpet. The table was covered with webs like everything else, along with a few scorch marks here and there. Several blue cushions surrounded the table, surprisingly none of which were covered in webs.

“Sorry about the mess back there,” Leila chuckled as she rummaged through the kitchenette. “But I do hope you can make yourselves as comfortable as you can.”

“It’s fine,” replied Mila. “As a matter of fact, I find it quite fitting, especially for someone like you.”

She could almost swear that she saw a faint blush appear on Leila’s cheeks, though that lasted for no longer than a second before turning to a Chargestone-powered machine that resembled a kettle. “So, what can I get you?”

“Eh, the usual,” Mayor Sparky answered.

“And you, Mila?”

Mila thought long and hard about what she’d like. “I’d like something sweet,” she said. “But nothing dry.”

Leila barked out a laugh. “Ha! Like I’d ever have any dry-flavoured Berries on hand. Sweet Berries, on the other hand, now that’s a good choice!” She skittered over to a crate that was chock-full of Berries. “Right now, I’ve got a whole bunch of Watmel Berries just sitting there. I can make a smoothie out of them, if you’d like.”

Mila’s eyes lit up at the mention of “smoothie” as her mouth watered a little. “Oh, yes, please!”

Leila smiled as she turned to Mayor Sparky. “Watmel smoothie alright with you, too, Sparks?”

“Eh, why not?”

“Alrighty, then!” Leila reached into a cupboard and whipped out two glasses. “Two Watmel smoothies, coming right up!” She then brought out one of the Watmel Berries and began chopping away at it, dicing it into little pieces before dunking them in the kettle-like object. She put in a few more ingredients before closing the kettle tightly shut and pressing a button.

A whirring sound soon filled the air as the Watmel Berry pieces were blended together before Leila stopped the machine and poured the resulting contents into the two glasses. Lastly, she took out two straws and plunked them in each glass before bringing out the smoothing to serve her guests.

“Here you are,” she announced. “Two Watmel smoothies, made from one of my latest gadgets. Bon appétit!”

Mila took a sip of the Watmel smoothie, and was instantly captivated by the flavours within. Sure, there was a hint of bitterness, similar to that of a lime, but it certainly complemented the sweet fruitiness that dominated much of the smoothie.

Mayor Sparky took a sip of his own smoothie and laid back with a sigh. “Just the thing I needed after a long trek through Spark Meadow,” he said.

Leila giggled. “That’s good to hear,” she replied. “If it helps, you could just go around that cluster of grass next time. That way, you won’t have to go past all those dungeon ferals.”

“Actually,” Mayor Sparky cut in. “That’s exactly what we came here to see ya for. Y’see, we got a bit of a feral problem in our hands recently.”

The Galvantula’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding,” she gasped.

“I kid you not. And on top o’ that, we also have a missing Pokémon case. Do ya happen to know of a kid named George Burrows Phanpy?”

Leila stood there, stiff as stone, as her pupils shrank. “No way,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re not referring to Knox’s son, are you?”

Mayor Sparky nodded, his expression grave. “I’m afraid so,” he replied. He knew all too well what had happened to one of Trueno Village’s beloved citizens…the way his normally friendly expression suddenly changed within the blink of an eye…the way his appearance changed as the ruination took over, until all that was left was a corrupted Donphan who was barely himself anymore. That dark day was why Sparky had stepped up to run as the new mayor, and replace the previous mon who simply could not be bothered to do anything except cast poor old Knox out and let nature decide his fate.

Leila remained speechless as the yellow fur on her face became pale. After a moment, however, she composed herself. “… Tell me it wasn’t another bandit.”

“Not this time,” came the mayor’s answer as he reached into his pouch to take out another one of George’s missing posters. “Have a looksee at what we’re dealin’ with this time.”

Leila took the poster and examined it. “Let’s see…last seen in Thunderclap Valley…night he was kidnapped by a beast…trapped inside a Mystery Dungeon or not…” She lowered the poster, dread filling her eyes. “I… I don’t believe it…”

“Well, ya better believe it,” replied Mayor Sparky. “We’ve only had one eyewitness to the kidnapping, which is his ma. She claims that this supposed beast makes a hissin’ noise, has ominous blue eyes and sharp fangs, and can create holes.”

Makes a hissing noise, has ominous blue eyes and sharp fangs, and can create holes? Mila swore all those descriptions sounded familiar to her.

“But that’s impossible,” Leila pointed out. “Dungeon ferals never wander outside the Mystery Dungeons. The only plausible reason I can come up with for George’s kidnapping is…if…”

It dawned on her. “Actually, hold that thought,” she said. “I need to check up on something.” Quick as a flash, she skittered over to the device with the buttons and flat screen. Pulling the goggles over her eyes, she pressed a few of the buttons. Mila heard a few beeping noises coming from the device as the Galvantula made a series of inputs.

After a short moment, there was a faint ping from the device. “I knew it,” Leila said. “Come over here, quickly!”

Mila and Mayor Sparky rushed to her side. “Here,” Leila said, pointing to the screen. “Take a look at what’s on the Mystery Radar.” Mila took a closer look at the screen of the radar. She noticed that the screen was displaying a map that was exactly like the one Mayor Sparky had shown her, except it was zoomed in to show only Thunderclap Valley. Several dots covered the valley, most of them yellow, save for one lone dot which Mila guessed was Trueno Village.

“My stars,” Mayor Sparky breathed, eyes wide with horror.

“My thoughts exactly, my friend,” Leila replied, slowly nodding her head. “It seems like the ruination levels in Thunderclap Valley have been steadily increasing. The Mysteriosity we’re experiencing is getting worse.”

Mila was confused. Ruination levels? Mysteriosity? What did all of that mean? And more importantly…would all that explain why the Shiny Scovillain from earlier had blue eyes instead of the usual black?

“That’s exactly why we need yer help, Leila,” Mayor Sparky’s voice cut into her thoughts. “I brought Mila over because she sprung a trap that helped us capture a Scovillain yesterday. We thought, maybe you could take ‘er in and show her how to make some craftier traps to capture them ferals?”

Leila tore her eyes away from the radar and put a pedipalp to her chin in thought. “Hmm, well…” she said. She then smiled and nodded. “Sure. I’ve been itching to get out there for some time anyway. Besides, I’ve already mapped out a couple of blueprints for some new feral traps.”

Leila went over to the other corner and began digging away at the pile of gadgets. It took her a while, but she eventually found what she was looking for: a crate filled with scroll after scroll of paper. “There you are, my beauty,” she chirped as she dragged the crate towards her. “My blueprint box, all full of my ideas…both good, aaaaand embarrassingly bad.”

Mila stood up on her hind legs and peered into the crate. Sure enough, she noticed that some of the scrolls contained designs for several traps that looked like they could be of use.

“I’ve been studying up on the Mystery Dungeons for some time now,” said Leila. “And one thing that really stuck out to me were the traps. They might be annoying for hunter teams, but man are they fascinating for a scientist and inventor like me! Just looking at the mechanisms for each one, and how they function…ooh, it really gets the hemoglobin pumping!” Her abdomen rattled vigorously as she let out a girly squeal.

“I…I see,” Mila stammered, looking rather bewildered. “So, uh, when would you like to start?”

Leila’s grin expanded as she took out one of the blueprints. “Right now,” she answered. She unfurled the scroll to reveal the intricate design of a trap – one that displayed a pitfall trap exactly like the one Mila had created yesterday. However, this one seemed to be covered in electric webs that looked like they could trap and electrocute anyone foolish enough to come into contact with the threads.

“Mayor Sparky said the beast liked to create holes, didn’t he?” Leila said, narrowing her eyes. “Well then, let’s see how it feels when we give it a taste of its own medicine!”

#dbcoatl art #dbcoatl drabble #Mila the Sprigatito #Mayor Sparky the Dedenne #Sprigatito #Dedenne #Pokemon #PMD Hunters of Ruination #Pokemon Mystery Dungeon #artists on tumblr #writers on tumblr

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dbcoatl-art · 3 months ago

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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hunters of Ruination

Chapter 7: Jin's Dream [6 Pages]

Jin reveals to Mila his lifelong dream of joining a hunter team.

(CW: A little bit of gambling, a little bit of smoking, and some foul language, though only in the first half.)

~Trueno Village, Appletun Tavern~

Jin was bored!

From the moment he’d woken up, his uncle Volt decided to take him down to Trueno Village on several errands (though, for Jin, he knew that it was mostly so Volt could keep an eye on the little Shinx after his adventure yesterday). He tried his best to behave himself around his uncle, but even so he was still resentful over not being able to run around.

At least he got to meet Polly when the duo stopped by her family’s stall to pick up some seafood (though, part of him wished she wasn’t so snarky about him getting into trouble again).

After dropping off everything they needed, Uncle Volt then proceeded to take Jin over to the Appletun Tavern, where Aunt Leif was nearing the end of her day shift. Which was where he was now, taking a swig of apple juice and sitting by his lonesome as the only kid in the tavern, waiting for Aunt Leif to finish up and call it a day.

Taking another sip of his apple juice, Jin scanned the tavern at all the adults playing their adult games. Two tables down, a Bisharp and Tinkatuff were playing darts while a Jolteon, Charjabug and Nuzleaf watched. Behind him, a Toxtricity and Bellibolt were playing pool, with the Toxtricity watching intently as the Bellibolt took careful aim at a cluster of cue balls. And just a few ways off, Volt was playing poker with a Flaaffy, an Electabuzz and a Squawkabilly, the latter of which had a cigarette in its beak.

Jin watched as Volt carefully examined the cards in his paws, while the other three watched with anticipation. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the Luxray let out a smug grin as he roared out, “Bet!” This caused the Electabuzz to let loose several expletives while the Flaaffy and Squawkabilly groaned in defeat, realizing that they had nothing to call. This allowed Volt to win the pot from that round.

Jin rolled his eyes as he turned his attention back to the radio he was listening to. It was an old-fashioned machine, but at least there were some good programs to listen to and drown out his boredom. Today, however, it just wasn’t enough to lighten the mood. If only he had someone to talk to…like Mila, for instance.

As if answering his silent beck and call, the doors swung open, drawing his attention to two familiar figures. Mayor Sparky stepped inside, flicking the fur on his head. “Howdy, fellas,” he said, drawing his attention to the poker table. “Startin’ the party without me?”

“About damn time you showed up, Mr. Mayor,” the Electabuzz growled. “We were just about done here anyway.”

“But we just started the final round,” the Flaaffy protested. “At least stick around for that.”

“Naw, screw that,” the Electabuzz snorted. “I ain’t gonna sit here while that smartass wins it all and leaves me with nothing, again! Good day!” With that, he grabbed his hat and marched out of the tavern, leaving the other players bewildered.

The Squawkabilly shook his head in disappointment. “Man, oh man,” he said. “He’s really gotta learn to be less of a rage quitter.”

“Maybe someday,” Volt replied with a sigh. He then turned to Mayor Sparky with a smile. “Why don’t you sit and play with us, now that Mr. Grumpy Stripes is gone?”

“Did ya really hafta ask, Voltmire,” Mayor Sparky said with a sly smirk. He then turned to the other newcomer with him. “Why don’t ya pick a seat, Mila?”

Jin’s ears perked up. Wait…did Mayor Sparky say “Mila?” As in, the Sprigatito he’d found yesterday in Thunderclap Valley?

Sure enough, the young feline was walking around the tavern with a wonder in her eyes. Grinning to himself, Jin called Mila’s name, ushering her to sit with him. As she took her place beside him, Jin’s first question was, “So, where have you been all morning?”

“Spark Meadow,” replied Mila. “Mayor Sparky put me through a bit of training to make sure I…erm…adjust to this new body, you could say? Oh, and we met the trapmaker, Leila.”

“Leila Solas Galvantula? Oh yeah, she’s a wisecracker, but also really nice. She and Mayor Sparky have actually been friends for as long as anyone can remember.” Jin took another sip of his apple juice. “I’ve even heard that Leila was the one who vouched for Sparky to run as the new mayor after what happened to Mr. Knox.”

“Mr. Knox? You mean George’s dad?”

Jin nodded, his muzzle creased into a frown. “Yeah,” he answered. “I don’t know much of the details, but I know that he got corrupted by ruination, or something, and the previous mayor decided to just cast him out like he was another feral. Got transformed real badly, too.”

Mila’s only response was to give out a shudder.

Jin downed the last of his apple juice, thinking of a new subject to switch to. He couldn’t risk talking to Mila about her being a human; there would be too much attention to draw, and it would only end up raising more questions than answers. But he wasn’t sure what else he could talk about.

That’s when he noticed Mila staring intently at the radio, her ears swivelled towards the source of the music. “What a pretty song,” she murmured. “And that voice is so soothing, too.”

“Oh, that’s Flama,” replied Jin, relieved that Mila had managed to find another subject. “She’s a really popular singer on the Raidon Archipelago. The reason why her voice is like that is because she’s a Skeledirge, a species known for soothing the souls of anyone who hears their singing.”

Mila turned to Jin, her blue eyes wide with surprise. “Wait, that’s a woman singing that? Wow, she must have practiced hard to know how to hit the low notes!” Her tail wagged. “So, where’s she from?”

Jin shrugged. “No one really knows,” he replied. “And honestly, no one has ever bothered asking her, which is good. She tends to keep her personal life to herself.”

“… I see.”

Before the two could go on any further, they heard an elderly female voice calling for them. “Excuse me, kids,” said a green Pokémon as she ambled toward them. She looked like a mix between a dragon and an apple pie, with rich amber flaps spread across her pale yellow backside, and two leaves atop it – one red and one green. A red helmet resembling an apple sat atop her head, lowering her yellow eyes, and she wore a frilly pink band around her backside.

“Oh, hey Gran,” said Jin. “What’s up?”

“Yer uncle wanted me to tell ya that he and Aunt Leif are gonna be runnin’ late again,” replied the Appletun. “So he wants ya to hold up the fort fer the night.”

Jin let out a sigh. That was absolutely typical of his aunt and uncle: staying out late at night while leaving their nephew to take care of the Egg. What he wouldn’t give to have his parents…

He stopped right there, shaking his head. “Alright, Gran,” he replied, flashing a smile. “They can count on me!” Mila glanced over at him, knowing that it was simply a fake smile.

Gran smiled. “Great,” she said. “I’ll be sure ta give ‘em mah regards!” She then turned and lumbered towards Volt’s table.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Jin frowned again and he turned off the radio. “Well, looks like I’m on Egg-sitting duty, once again,” he told Mila.

“Is it really that bad?” Mila couldn’t help but ask.

Jin hopped off the table, hesitant as he glanced at the poker table. Then, he shook his head. “Not really,” he answered. “We all take turns watching over the Egg every night. But when I do it…well, it gets real boring.”

“Maybe not this time. You’ve got me now.” Those words came out of Mila’s mouth so fast, she didn’t realize what she had just said. But when she saw the look on Jin’s face, she immediately clamped up.

Jin snorted. “Okay, you got me,” he said as he pushed the door open, leading them outside into the village. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe you can turn things around for me tonight.”

The two remained silent as they continued walking down the road to the Lightfang residence. Mila looked around at all the shops that were starting to close up for the night as the peddlers took extra care to shield their produce and merchandise. As they went down towards the path that led to the beach, she reflected upon Mayor Sparky’s words.

“I know there are some kids in the village who study up on them hunter teams,” he had told her. “Why not give ‘em a visit sometime?”

“Mila?”

Mila stopped and looked up to find Jin glancing over his shoulder at her. He had a puzzled expression on his face. “What’s up?” he asked. “You haven’t spoken really much since you got back. Is there something you want to say?”

Mila took a deep breath. “As a matter of fact, yes,” she answered. “Can you tell me more about the hunter teams of the Raidon Archipelago?"

* * *

~Trueno Village, Lightfang Residence~

Mila nestled herself next to Leif’s egg, trying to make herself comfortable. It wasn’t easy, really, especially since the cushions were so small. She figured that the reasons for doing so were because the hatchling would be pretty small, but still.

Outside of the nursery, she could hear the shuffling of objects being tossed across the room as Jin was searching for something. She knew her words had made him excited, but would it kill him to at least clean up after himself?

“Got it,” came Jin’s voice. Immediately afterward, the young Shinx came running into the nursery room, holding a black object in his mouth. He stopped in front of Mila with a huge grin on his face and his tail wagging with excitement. He then immediately dropped it right between the two so Mila could observe it.

The black object looked like a badge of some sort, with ivory-coloured wings protruding from either side. A gold button sat atop it, while a dark blue crystal adorned its center, almost reminding Mila of a familiar object. When she flipped it over, she noticed that the back of the badge contained an ID number as well as the pawprint of a Shinx embedded into it. Parts of the badge were chipped in some places, but it was still in good quality nonetheless.

“So…what is it?” she asked.

Jin’s grin grew even wider. “That, my friend, is an Explorer Badge,” he answered. “Specifically, a Guildmaster Rank Explorer Badge! My dad collected it while on a trip to the Grass Continent, and it was the best birthday present he ever gave to me!”

“Wow…” Mila gasped. “You dad must have really spoiled you a lot.” She then gave a playful smirk. “I bet you mom did, too.”

“She did,” replied Jin. “My parents were the best! They were the ones who gave me the inspiration to start my own hunter team someday.” His grin suddenly faded as he looked down at his paws. “I… I miss them,” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow.

Mila frowned, but thought it best not to dwell on it any further. She turned her attention back to the badge. “So, what connection does this thing have with the hunter teams?”

Jin’s smile returned, but this time it was a more genuine one. He picked up the badge and held it to his chest. “I already told you about how there are exploration teams on the Grass Continent?” Mila nodded. “In our world, there are various units of Pokémon known as teams, and each one operates differently depending on the cause. The Air Continent has rescue teams, the Mist Continent has adventure teams, and the Water Continent is home to the Expedition Society. But here, in the Raidon Archipelago, we have our own teams – and they’re called hunter teams!”

Mila tilted her head to the side. “Why hunter teams?”

Jin snorted. “Because they’re treasure hunters, silly,” he said. “At least, the first hunter teams were treasure hunters. They would go into Mystery Dungeons to look for any treasure they could find, and bring them back to the towns to turn up huge profits! They were a big boon for the economy, too! Anything rare they could find, they would dig it up and sell them off – gold, gems…but none of them ever came close to making an extraordinary discovery as the most famous hunter team of them all!”

“And that would be?” Mila asked, leaning closer.

“Team Jade,” came Jin’s short, quick answer. “Not only were they some of the greatest treasure hunters around, but they were also the first to discover the greatest treasure the Raidon Archipelago had to offer: the Tera Crystals! They were also the ones to establish the four academies to train more treasure hunter teams – specifically, Greenleaf Academy!”

Mila sat there, eyes wide with wonder. “So who were the members?”

“Melli Honeywing Ribombee was the leader of Team Jade,” replied Jin. “She was always straight to the point, and never lost sight of her target, no matter what. Codey Brickskin Scrafty was the team’s muscle, who never lost their cool and always knew how to get the job done quickly. And Calder Gulper Cramorant, while not a logical thinker, defied all odds by keeping his rivals afar with his endless supply of anything he could stuff in his mouth and spit it out. It’s said that he was the one who suggested that the three of them start an academy to teach the future generations of treasure hunters. My parents and even Uncle Volt enrolled in Greenleaf Academy because of Team Jade…and now, it’s my turn!” He then frowned. “… Or, at least, it would be my turn, but…things have been pretty complicated.”

“Complicated, how?”

Jin let out a sigh. “Well, firstly, anyone who wishes to enroll in Greenleaf Academy, or any of the other schools, needs to apply to them first. Afterwards, the higher-ups will spend the next two weeks going over every letter, splitting between who will be accepted or not. And then, anyone who is accepted will need to make the trek to the academy – all before the school year starts.”

“Then why don’t you start now?”

Jin shook his head. “I would, but I’ve got my paws full. And I’m not sure if I can even get a letter written out in time.” He sighed sadly. “Not to mention the academy requires that at least two Pokémon need to be part of a team. So far, I haven’t found anyone who would be able to form a team with me.”

“Well, you don’t need to worry about that anymore. I can be your partner!”

The words came out of Mila’s mouth so quickly that she didn’t even realize what she was saying…at least, not until she noticed the surprised look on Jin’s face.

“…What did you say?” Jin asked quietly.

“I… I said…” Mila stammered. She then took a deep breath to compose herself. “I can be your partner. We’ll go to Greenleaf Academy, and form a hunter team – together!”

Jin remained silent for a moment. Then, he smiled and lunged forward to give Mila a hug. “Thank you so much!” he said, wagging his tail. “Seriously, I will never forget this moment!”

Mila smiled as she returned the hug. Though she didn’t know how or why she became a Pokémon, and though she wanted to find a way to become human again, she also knew that this experience had also given her a new best friend – one who would stick by her side until the end. And until then, she was definitely going to make the most of the opportunity that was presented to her.

What she didn’t know, however, was that this moment would also change the fate of the Raidon Archipelago forever!

#dbcoatl art #dbcoatl drabble #Mila the Sprigatito #Jin the Shinx #Melli the Ribombee #Codey the Scrafty #Calder the Cramorant #Sprigatito #Shinx #Ribombee #Scrafty #Cramorant #Pokemon #PMD Hunters of Ruination #Pokemon Mystery Dungeon #artists on tumblr #writers on tumblr

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