Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Azure Rescuers

First topic message reminder :

Heya, Gengarzilla here. I mentioned earlier in the July news thread that I was collecting ideas for a PMD fanfic mostly based upon the Rescue games. Well, here's the first part for you all. I hope it's enjoyable.




The... the pleasant breeze... This girl very much enjoyed it, feeling it rushing across her oddly diminutive form and hearing it sweep amongst the trees. She couldn’t quite recall how she had ended up here, laying within what seemed to be a forest of some sort. The only possibility she could even invent was that she had stupidly taken a nap inside the small wooded area near her home. It didn’t account for how she felt... a little unusual. As though she were in someone else’s body. She just had to wonder what was going on at the moment...

“Hey, you ok there? Wake up!”

A voice? Someone else was here? Was it someone from a search party? She didn’t want anyone to be making a scene over this and so decided to get up, though this did come with a little bit of difficulty however. She still felt a tad strange... and round.

What she saw next nearly made her fall over again. The voice came from someone possessing a round body, four stumpy legs, a large head, and a zigzagging mouth that was lightly hanging open. A Pokémon? This individual immediately expressed relief that she had come to, adding to her confusion. She had no idea how long she might have been out for... or any idea about anything else for that matter. What surprised her most was that this Pokémon was actually talking. “Are you speaking? I didn’t know that a human like me could hear that.”

“Hah, you say you’re human? You look like a pretty normal Togepi from this angle, you sure you haven’t bumped your head somewhere?” the Pokémon immediately retorted.

...

...

Then it hit her, the decreased size and strange shape of her body. She looked at her hands and instead of seeing humanoid hands with four fingers and a thumb on each, she instead found herself looking at... stubby yellow hands. A quick glance down also unveiled an eggshell encasing most of her body, red and blue shapes dotted around it.

“T-Togepi? What?! I’ve turned into a Togepi?!” the former human exclaimed in shock. They were admittedly an adorable species of Pokémon but she wasn’t sure if she was entirely on board with this revelation. “What happened...?” she outwardly asked as she tried to recall how this could have possibly occurred. “I can’t remember anything either...”

The individual bearing witness to this episode could only watch with a mixture of curiosity and bemusement. “You’re a bit odd... Well, never mind. Do you remember your name?”

That’s right. Her name. “My name is...”

...

Now she was really beginning to get scared. “...I’m sorry, I can’t even remember that.” This day wasn’t going well, she had somehow been found as an amnesiac Togepi by a talking Pokémon. She began restlessly looking around for any way to figure out her predicament before catching sight of a Pidgey flock flying above them both. She didn’t know this for obvious reasons but Flying type Pokémon were her favourites as a human. “Something’s up with that flock, I wonder what they’re fluttering away from.”

Fluttering... Flutter... Something about that word sounded nice. It calmed her down a little. She had decided. “In place of my human name, just call me Flutter.”

“Alright then. Flutter it is. Nice to meet you. I’m Terack, a Trapinch.” the Pokémon next to her replied with. Trapinch, huh? It was good to know that. Before the newly named Togepi could respond, she heard shouting. A Butterfree was soon passing by them. “Are you alright? What’s the problem?” Flutter said without thinking twice. Whatever had this Butterfree so worked up sounded rather serious.

As it turned out, her assumption was right on the money. “I-it’s my baby Caterpie, a fissure opened up in the ground and he’s fallen in!” Terack’s only reply was a shocked “What?!” and Flutter felt an air of unease creep into her as she heard of how the Butterfree had been attacked by other Pokémon when trying to retrieve her child and couldn’t get past them. They were seemingly startled and angered by the fissure, from what the butterfly thought.

Forget her apparently bad day, this was way worse. There was only one thought on Flutter’s mind at present... “We gotta save that kid, let’s move!” she exclaimed, immediately rushing off with Terack hot on her proverbial tail...


Soon, Flutter’s decision had led her and Terack deep into the forest, where navigating their way through the trees felt like some sort of maze. Several agitated Pidgey, Sunkern, and Wurmple previously made attempts to attack but they weren’t able to hold up that much of a fight against the duo.

“Do you think we’re getting close to the Caterpie now?” Terack asked her as he used Sand Attack on a Wurmple, the sand kicked into its eyes causing a Tackle to miss before defeating it with his Bite move.

“I’m not sure, we could be close by now. Heads up!” Flutter replied, letting loose with a Growl to unnerve the Sunkern behind him. As he defeated the Seed Pokémon, Flutter found herself glad for this opportunity to move about and attempt to adjust to this new form. Aside from the aforementioned Growl, she also knew Charm and the unpredictable Metronome. She had also seen her new Trapinch companion use Mud Slap on top of his Sand Attack and Bite.

There was still no sign of Caterpie though, nor was there a quick and easy way to find the fissure that this kid had fallen in. Just as her eyes skimmed past some bushes while she looked around for this fissure though, a wave of tiredness suddenly collided with her. For some ridiculously obscure reason, a nap sounded like the best thing in the world right about now... wait a moment. No.

Now wasn’t the time for that. Instead of letting herself drift off, Flutter looked harder at the bushes. Hard enough to the point where she could have sworn to somehow see the outline of six ovoid shapes within one of them. What she didn’t know is that this was her Foresight move.

“Terack, something’s in that leftmost bush!” she called to him in her slight daze. He took the cue, readying himself with Focus Energy before lunging straight into the said bush with Bite at the ready. Within it was an Exeggcute that had been attempting to covertly lull Flutter to sleep with Hypnosis, and the super-effective critical hit defeated it on the spot.

Just like that, her mist cleared. “Good call.” he said upon emerging, taking the lead now with her at his back. Within a few more moments they had found the fissure and Terack began to dig a sloping tunnel, just like the sand pits he used to make, down into it after getting a look at the drop. They’d be able to use that to bring the young Caterpie out from the crack. Flutter slid down after the Trapinch once the tunnel was completed and caught sight of a caterpillar-like creature nearby, back turned to them and crying. She could tell right away that this was Caterpie.

“Hey, we’re here to help.” she said gently to the scared child. “Your mother’s waiting”.


“My baby’s safe!” Butterfree called out in joy when Flutter and Terack returned, Caterpie on the Trapinch’s back. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know how to repay you two. What are your names?”

“I’m Terack.” he answered. “This one here is Flutter. You don’t have to do anything, we’re just glad to have been here when you passed by.”

Caterpie’s eyes lit up at this sentence. “Terack and Flutter... C-cool...!” he had to say, adoringly staring at the two. Terack found it just a little embarrassing but reprociated with a friendly smile. Flutter, primarily due to her memory loss, couldn’t remember the last time she felt this happy. She had undoubtedly taken a quick shine to the youngster.

Butterfree then appeared to have an idea. “Ah. It’s not much, but these are a token of my appreciation. Please take them.” In her hands were an Oran Berry, a Pecha Berry, a Rawst Berry, and a Chesto Berry. Both Flutter and Terack graciously accepted the berries before Butterfree and Caterpie left the area.

Terack then turned to face Flutter as she spoke. “I’m glad that went without any problems, what a sweet kid.” she said. The Trapinch replied with “Indeed, and you really did well out there. What are you going to do now though? You’ve somehow lost your memory and became a Pokémon, do you have anywhere to stay after this?”

The Togepi really wasn’t too delighted with this thought. Now that Terack had brought it up, she really didn’t have anywhere she could go... “N-no, I don’t...” she answered, looking very subdued and defeated as she stared blankly at her feet. Her Togepi feet.

“Alright then. Don’t worry about it, just follow me.” Terack said to Flutter after taking note of her expression. He headed eastwards out from the woods, the human turned Pokémon following close behind.


“And here we are!” he said once they reached a three-way intersection. In front of them was a small and simple looking wooden cottage with one floor. The roof bore a resemblance to the top of a strawberry, complete with a green stalk at the top. Situated outside was a mailbox, currently empty.

“Is this your home then?” Flutter asked. Nothing could have prepared her for Terack’s answer. “It was. This is going to be your home now. There’s only one place to sleep in there but you can take that. I’ll find somewhere else to stay.” She was blown away by these words. Here he was, with a place of his own to call home, and he was moving out to give it to some amnesia-struck Togepi that he randomly encountered in the woods. “T-thank you...” she managed to reply. “I really owe you one...” He’d just taken a massive load off of her mind and shoulders with this action.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. You just get yourself settled in and rested up. I’ll drop by and see you tomorrow.” he said back to her, looking up at the sunset before leaving down the left path. Flutter waved goodbye to the Trapinch and went inside the house.

The fluffy mat located near the back of the interior looked nothing short of immensely inviting. Ok, now was the perfect time for a nap...

Deuvide's ambitions are finished, what's next for Team Celeste?




"Rubix? Hi there, come on in!"

Just as it had done when Flutter first came round in this world, the air was carrying a pleasant breeze. It was almost as the weather itself was celebrating the victory of a few days ago. "Thank you." Rubix responded to her. Like he said last time they'd met, he had returned to the Meteor Cave and done some honest research into the Deoxys there. It was a very talkative and curious being who, fortunately for Rubix, didn't know that he'd put it to sleep in their last encounter.

"You're on your own, I notice." Rubix remarked offhandedly as he looked around the ground floor of the team's base. "Yep. Terack's out rescuing a whole bunch of lost youngsters in the Oddity Cave and Kyan's with Alakazam for the day. Szaer's only out shopping though, he should be back soon." Flutter explained. "You're on your own too." she suddenly added, provoking a chuckle from Rubix. "Perceptive. Ann's accompanying Mew and Celebi in the Buried Relic, they're going to awaken Regigigas." the Golduck replied.

Flutter thought that they were approaching the reason for his visit here today. "Hey, don't worry about what you did when you first met her. I understand. You, Derkomai, Reishi, Hebyacel, even Ignephra, Zeninthia, and Mewtwo, I know you all thought you were doing the right thing for this world." she attempted to console him. Rubix looked a little surprised. "Hmm? That's very kind of you to say, but I'm alright. I've actually been the one who's concerned for somebody, after a gateway back to your world was opened right in front of you. I don't think I'm wrong in saying that it wasn't easy to watch it close..." Rubix suggested.

The Togekiss simply nodded, he was absolutely right. Seeing a way back made her feel a little bit uneasy, as though something was squirming around in her stomach. "I have been... thinking a lot more about who and what I could have left behind throughout these past few days. I thought it was because Deuvide wasn't occupying my worries anymore, but..." she trailed off. "I came here under willing amnesia, did you know? Szaer too. I'm not certain if Ann ever told you or the rest of Deuvide."

"Actually, she didn't. This is news to me." he said. "She did tell me about that Ninetales legend uproar, which we at Deuvide naturally believed because it gave us a very real excuse to hunt you down. Reviewing what I'd recently learned about my pupil however, I'm certain that she believed you all along." Rubix went on. "If you don't mind, I'd like to learn how and why you ended up here as a Pokémon."

She obliged his request and began sharing the story with him. Szaer arrived sometime during her story to also share bits of his side when needed. "I see, the Gardevoir who took Ninetales's curse sent you both here to-" Rubix started to reply, feeling as though he knew the two of them much better now. "-stop that falling star? Her judgement certainly wasn't false. Flutter, what are you going to do from here on?" Undoubtedly, he thought, the other humans Ignephra killed were sent by Gardevoir too...

Flutter didn't need any time to think this over. "I'm staying here. I still have no memory of my time before coming here, what kind of life I left behind, or if I had any loved ones besides my brother here, but that doesn't matter. This is the only life I know." she stated. "I don't even remember my original name. Flutter is the one I adopted when Terack found me and it's no less real than whatever I was called back then. It's my identity." the Togekiss exclaimed with an odd look in her eyes. She had never before acknowledged that she'd forgotten her human name. "What I want to do now is make sure my past stays in the past."

Far removed from the disinterest he displayed when he first saw her near Mt. Steel, Rubix was now watching Flutter quite avidly. "Hmmph... I'll never understand how I could have possibly seen you as the enemy, Flutter. Pokémon or human, it doesn't matter anymore because you are an absolute asset as both." he told the girl whom he was growing to rather respect. "If you're really wanting to cut ties with your forgotten past, then I hope you get that wish."

"Wish..." Szaer suddenly muttered, causing Flutter and Rubix to look at him. That word was bringing back a memory from before Flutter's close shave with Ignephra. "Flutter, that's it! We could go to the Wish Cave to sort this out!" he spoke, appearing very eager. Rubix was now bearing a look of recollection upon his face. "I didn't think anyone living on the mainland knew about that place." the Golduck thought out loud for them to hear. "I'm from the Joyous Tower, another dungeon on that island. It's been said when I was a Psyduck that an exceptionally rare Pokémon lives in the deepest part, who will awaken and grant wishes to those holding a certain stone." he told the duo.

Szaer almost jumped at this discovery. "You mean the Wish Stone, right? The thing is, Terack and I went there with Latios and Latias just before Ignephra's fake mission came in. One of Gengar's former teammates gave us the Wish Stone after we rescued her." he explained, bringing Rubix up to speed. "I've been wanting to make an attempt of my own, but the Deuvide situation became more important."

Rubix nodded in an approving manner. "You've had your priorities straight, that's for certain." he replied. "Heh... Well, there's also the fact that Latios and Latias are travelling abroad now, so I haven't got a way to get there. Team A.C.T are likely using their Surf HM, and no offense meant to Flutter, but I don't think she can carry me over such a long distance." Szaer had to remark. "None taken. Terack and Kyan would be more able." Flutter said back to him.

About to speak again, Rubix's next sentence was interrupted by the sound of a small rumble from outside, coming from what they thought was most likely an earthquake until Flutter heard Mew, Androma, and Celebi outside. The three Pokémon went outside to investigate and were struck completely dumb, even Rubix, by what they saw in front of them. Accompanying Mew and the others was a colossus of a creature, mostly white with a yellow trim. Parts of its body were covered in green moss. "I... I recognise that Pokémon..." Rubix stuttered in a state of shock.

"Hi guys~! I'd like you to meet Regigigas~!" Mew chirruped happily.


Shortly afterwards, thanks to a tremendous brainwave from Szaer, he and Flutter, in addition to Rubix, were on top of the titanic Regigigas as he waded through the ocean, which was only waist deep to him. A point was made to avoid the Stormy Sea however, since Szaer was concerned about the depth of that dungeon. Ignoring the peculiarity of their transportation, Flutter turned to talk with Rubix. "Thanks for coming along with us." she told him.

"Don't worry about it, I owe you this one after what we of Deuvide have been putting you both through." he replied before his gaze returned to the expansive waters ahead of them. "I'm certain that Derkomai would have wanted to help too, if he knew of this." Derkomai, in addition to Reishi and Hebyacel, had since left this continent in pursuit of their own journeys. Ignephra's present whereabouts were unknown to Rubix and Ann, the last two remaining members in the area.

After a while, they reached the island and Szaer set foot on it for the third time. He and the others watched Regigigas leave from the way they arrived before travelling the rest of the way on foot, finally arriving outside the cave and making good time. "Wait, hold on a moment. I think I just saw something in that bush." Flutter soon spoke up, pointing out said bush. Rubix approached it to investigate and found a small white gem inside it. Colour aside, it was identical to the gem that Ignephra had used in his desperate attempt to immolate his hurt adversary. "Normalium Z. I suppose these Z-Crystals can be frequently found on this island. It would explain how Ignephra procured that Firium Z. Someone with a Normal type move should hold on to this." he stated.

Due to Flutter's knowledge of the move Foresight, the only Normal type move amongst the twelve total moves they had at their disposal, it was decided that she should have the Z-Crystal. With this out of the way, the triad finally entered the cave.


As before, their damage dealing moves were significantly weakened in the Wish Cave, a feature that initially startled Flutter when a Rattata survived her Aura Sphere. It was through Szaer's prior experiences with the dungeon's peculiarity that she got to grips with this. Rubix's careful navigation along with the use of his Icy Wind's cold temperature and his Hypnosis as methods of enfeebling their foes also meant that the group were making much more than satisfactory progress. They had soon long since surpassed Medicham's record and had reached a very deep level, a purple crystalline material covering the cave wall.

Once or twice from this point, some problems emerged. A group of Camerupt cornered Szaer before a spread Water Pulse from Rubix washed them all away. Hearing some Claydol approaching them down a corridor, he then sent another Icy Wind their way to buy him and the siblings some time to move forward.

After the three of them defeated a particularly wily Scizor in a damp lower level, where the purple walls gave way to green, they reached a wide open room with nothing in it... Or so it seemed. A strange blue crystalline lump was hanging from the ceiling, which dropped to the ground and shattered like glass after they looked around. "Incredible..." Rubix muttered in awe as he caught his first look at the Pokémon who was within the crystal. "I never thought I'd get to see the rare Pokémon of Wish Cave with my own eyes..."

"Uh... Ummm..." the Jirachi mumbled as he rose from the ground in an odd state of sleep, being aware of their presence yet still in a heavy and very deep slumber. "Visitors...? Oh no..."

Two of these visitors, Flutter and Szaer, were completely dumbfounded and confused. "Huh? Why are you saying that?" Szaer asked. Though he couldn't see them by virtue of being asleep, Jirachi could still sense and hear them. "Because... they always run... Everyone who comes this far... run away when I... toss... and... turn... in my sleep..."

Flutter immediately felt a wave of pity for this Pokémon. He sounded very lonely to her. "Oh, that's not very nice of them. Why would they do that?" she asked before Jirachi snored loudly while rolling over, the soundwaves from his Snore powerfully blowing the three back. "Ohhh... That's why... I unconsciously attack all the time... like now... Sorry..." he snuffled. Even in sleep, Jirachi seemed to be deeply apologetic. "Fend me off... it's ok... Just don't run..."

"Er, alright then..." Szaer limply replied, thinking about just how weird this whole situation is. Rubix was a little more on point than him, using Icy Wind to counter the next Snore. "For obvious reasons, Hypnosis won't help here. We need to stay on guard." he told Flutter and Szaer moments before the sleeping Jirachi sent a faint white glow skywards.

Despite Jirachi's assurances, both Flutter and Szaer were highly reluctant to attack him when it was plainly clear how little control he had over himself. It was all Rubix's game at present, with Jirachi on the receiving end of several Mud Bomb hits from him. Mewtwo's coldness had clearly rubbed off on him somewhat, regardless of his decision to defect from Deuvide.

From above, several fast shots of white light suddenly began raining down on the group without prior warning. Both Flutter and Szaer split to avoid them and were doing so quite well until they ran into another Snore, which led to them sustaining super effective damage from Doom Desire. "Come on, defend yourselves!" Rubix called out to them, taking that Doom Desire just fine and intercepting a Future Sight attack with a few Water Pulse blasts.

Seeing no choice, Szaer finally leapt forward with Power-Up Punch but Jirachi's Double Team left him unable to find the right target. Remembering previous instances where that move was used against the team, Flutter seized the moment and used Foresight. In addition to the usual effect of locating exactly where their opponent was, additional focus thanks to her Normalium Z identified some areas where she needed to strike Jirachi for greater damage. After she used Aura Sphere to hit the real Jirachi and remove the copies, an Air Cutter with sharp aim already heightened by Super Luck was launched and hit the sweet spot perfectly. Even in his sleep, Jirachi was visibly wincing from this new strategy of hers.

The fight was now turning around due to all three of them actively throwing everything they had into it and it finally seemed to finish with a combination of Flutter's Fairy Wind and Rubix's Icy Wind hitting Jirachi and creating an effect reminiscent of diamond dust, but he still had enough for another Snore that blew the Wish Stone out from the bag Szaer was holding. Immediately, Jirachi stopped.

"What... That song... It's so pure... A song of purity..." he mumbled while listening to something only he could hear. Then, to the shock of everyone, he opened his eyes at long last. "Ahh, what a wonderful nap! I feel so wide awake now!" he called out before visually seeing his visitors for the first time. "Thanks for staying, really! You three fight well, I enjoyed that."

Flutter gave Jirachi a very bright smile. "I'm glad you did." she replied. "Now then... I'm not certain if you knew, but those who successfully awaken me from my slumber, as the three of you have just done, may have a wish of theirs granted by yours truly." Jirachi exclaimed in a startling switch to a more business-like tone. "Who's first?"

"I have done little more than accompany these two, but if you insist then I'll make a wish." Rubix started. "After this, I will be going on a journey with my pupil, a kind friend. I wish for the best of fortunes as we tour the world's mysteries." he told Jirachi. One of the three tags on Jirachi's head started glowing white before the Pokémon responded. "Ooh, that sounds fun! I truly do envy you right now, Rubix!" Jirachi responded in awe. "Wait a moment, how do you know his name?" Flutter had to ask.

Jirachi let out an amused little giggle. "Hehehehe, you'd be surprised by how quickly news travels in this island. I've heard all about that event in the nearby forest, Flutter. Now, what will you wish for? I'm very eager to hear." he exclaimed, both eyes firmly locked on her.

Flutter was taking an exceptionally long time to decide exactly what she wanted out of this. Now that she was here, it was difficult to put her thoughts into words. "My wish involves a story about myself, if you don't mind hearing me out." she started. Jirachi was quite interested, so Flutter began the tale.

"W-wow, that's a very fascinating story. To have no memory of a past life that you know you had..." Jirachi thought in unbridled wonder when Flutter finished. "Yes, but it's been occurring more often than usual lately that I may have left behind some loved ones by coming here. I love this world and I want to stay here, I just don't want anyone else to worry. So, my wish..." she summarised. "I wish to be forgotten in that world. Nobody there has to be sad anymore. Can you do that?"

Szaer was beyond stunned and surprised by her wish. He had been so certain that she'd wish to forget ever having been a human at all, in order to cut the last ties. Jirachi was also quite astonished while the second tag lit up. "You'd rather ease the worries of humans you don't remember than finally close the door on your past? That's very compassionate of you... Szaeracier, what will you wish for?"

He almost jumped at the mention of his name, still thinking about Flutter's wish. Now that Jirachi said it, the Weavile was very proud of Flutter for her choice. "Flutter's brilliant, isn't she?" he said, getting Jirachi's eager nod. "Definitely the kindest Pokémon I have been given the pleasure of meeting. I have nothing concerning myself that I want to wish for, so... My wish is for Flutter, a dear little sister, to find the true happiness that she thoroughly deserves in this world. The likes of which she has never known before."

Rubix was quietly impressed, Flutter was moved to tears, and Jirachi couldn't hold himself back any longer. As the third and final tag started to glow, he threw himself into Szaer's arms for a sudden hug.

"And I wish I could have had you as a big brother..." he spoke.


After arriving back home, where Terack and Kyan had been waiting, it was finally time for Rubix and Ann to leave on their journey. Flutter struggled deeply with saying goodbye to Ann, she was still considering it one of the most difficult things she'd done a month later.

The next day after that thought, with the knowledge that she had no more lingering connections to a world she no longer knew, Flutter flew headlong into the Pitfall Valley to rescue a Swoobat who was blown into a deep pit by a mysterious gust of wind. She insisted on keeping him at the team's base until he recovered from the injuries he received from his fall.

Swoobat appeared very much taken with his savior, Flutter's teammates thought. Unbeknownst to them, one he'd healed and become a regular visitor, this feeling developed into a mutual one. He'd won her over with his respect and affection towards her, Flutter had fallen in love with the Pokémon she'd rescued.

A week following her realisation, Terack became aware that Flutter was sleeping in late one day. "I wonder what's keeping her. Flutter's usually an early bird." he said downstairs to Kyan and Szaer. The Flygon didn't know whether to feel curious or concerned for his close friend's behaviour. "I'll go check on her." Szaer said.

Going upstairs, an unusual sight indeed met his eyes. Flutter was not only still sleeping after exhausting herself over something last night while they were all asleep but she had also rearranged her bed into a sort of nest... He moved closer towards her, spread out and fast asleep, and soon saw something that stole his breath away. Hidden under one of her wings was an egg with the same red and blue shapes on its shell that Flutter once had on hers as a Togepi and now had on her body.

Even in sleep, Flutter looked very happy and content. Szaer gently stroked her head, overjoyed for her, before he went back downstairs. "What's going on with Flutter? Terack's really starting to worry himself." Kyan asked. Szaer beckoned Terack closer before speaking. "Nothing's wrong, but I'd let her sleep for as long as she needs... Flutter has just laid an egg... I'm going to be an uncle..."

It was so obvious now, Szaer thought as he reviewed everything that happened since their Wish Cave journey. The strange gust of wind which had brought Swoobat and the egg into Flutter's life. He had a pretty good idea about what caused it now...

Flutter had found a sort of true happiness in this world, a sort that she'd never known before. Szaer's wish had come true.