Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Early Years (Ongoing)

Chapter 5: A Little More Fair

Lucia smiled a bit at Dart's energy, pointing around to building now all unfamiliar to her—being that she hadn't gone any further past the Expeditionary Society when she was brought here, and it was more of the same. Little stores, homes, apartments, along with some other places that needed a little bit explaining, mostly the mail and shipping buildings nearby the river.

Dart had a habit of running ahead, pointing out buildings and naming names that Lucia definitely wasn't catching or remembering. And, as they passed down a block with a convenience store on the other side of the street, Lucia looking down the road to see a massive building with a fence around it, bigger than most other places in town. "Hey, what's that?"

Dart quickly turned back to Lucia. "Eh?" Then, seeing what she was pointing at, he continued. "Oh! The school! We'll be going there in a few weeks now, summer's almost over!"

Lucia was about to say something about how she'd be gone by then, but then she realized that it might take a little while until they found her family, and they probably wouldn't just let her go without being taught things. "What's it like?"

Dart seemed a bit confused as he answered. "What, school? Have you never been to one?" He pretty quickly seemed to realize that it was possible she didn't, so he quickly backtracked. "Well, it's a place! And uh... that's about it! They teach us stuff, and then they let us leave! It isn't bad, but it isn't the funnest place ever."

It didn't sound like the worst place to Lucia, though, most places seemed okay compared to the beach and forest she had woken up to. But Dart then continued onwards. "Come on! We've almost made it to the bridge we need to cross to head back to your place!"

He ran ahead yet again, before he stopped pretty suddenly and turned back to Lucia. He suddenly looked nervous and even a bit scared as he tried to usher her away. "Um—s-say, why don't we just head back the way we came? Like, now?"

Lucia didn't move though, instead, she moved about to try and see what had Dart so spooked. "Why? What's going on?" She didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so she was curious if there should be something—or even someone she would have to watch out for.

"Nothing! Nothing's going on, I just think we should really go right now and—" Dart was cut off by the appearance of a group of kids, seemingly around their age, running up to the pair. That answered Lucia's question, anyways.

An Aron, a Pawmi, a Buizel, and a Dreepy, with all but the Dreepy having somewhat cruel looks, and the Dreepy seeming somewhat reluctant. The Aron spoke loudly, which stopped Dart's attempts to usher Lucia away, very clear contempt in his voice. "Well, well, well... if it isn't everybody's least favorite loser! Dart!'

Dart took a breath, and turned towards the four Pokémon anxiously. "What do you want, jerks?"

The Buizel smirked at Dart, a bit maliciously. "You're acting nervous, Dart! Afraid you're not cool enough to impress the new kid? Well, you aren't!"

The Aron spoke up again, going off what the Buizel said. "That's right! What we want is to know why someone like you is hanging out with anyone, and to show that Riolu who he should be hanging out with!"

Lucia was immediately rubbed the wrong way by these guys, Dart was accurate in calling them jerks. "I think I'm good... I was just about to go anyways."

The Pawmi nudged the Aron. "Great job, Cameron, you called her a guy!" Before the Aron could respond, the Pawmi spoke to Lucia. "He didn't know, but he is right, nobody should hang around Dart! Come with us, we're so much cooler!"

The Aron—Cameron, apparently, nudged the Pawmi back. "Like any of us knew before she said anything! Now, Dart, scram before we make you! New kid, come on!"