Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Memories

Chapter 5: The Dream

My fingertips screamed with pain as they traced the wall of the roughly carved passage. My hand provided the only guidance in the darkness that was behind the cryptic banner in the secret library. My feet ached, screaming almost as much as my hands did with exhaustion. The air hung stagnant on my sweating neck, and I couldn't see any light yet.

Treecko hadn't said anything since we were in the underground room. I wasn't sure if it was from fear of what he saw or because he had run out of sarcastic comments. I hoped it was the latter, as the idea of the snide creature being silent due to a single emblem made my skin crawl. Only his dry breaths broke the silence. The sound bothered me, but I didn't dare say anything in the event that we could still be heard from the hidden room.

Eventually, a light formed at the end of the tunnel. I didn't dare believe it at first; I swore that my eyes were playing tricks on me. But, as it grew brighter and bigger, it was impossible to ignore the way the light danced into the tunnel. I sighed with relief as I picked up my pace.

The rocky maw to the underground was well hidden by a thick of brambles. I broke many of their dry branches as I stumbled out of the ground. The thorns scraped my skin as I emerged from the darkness. The stinging feeling from my broken skin tried to ruin the feeling of freedom, but I didn't dare let it soil the joy I felt.

I sat down to take in the sky above. The permanently overcast moment provided just enough light to take in my surroundings. I was in a clearing that wasn't particularly unique—the same toothpick trees towered over me as far as my eyes could see. The trees and bushes were bare of leaves; thrones exposed themselves to any wild creature that dared to eat it in these trying times, and the few dead strands of grass were trampled underfoot of the thousands of living things that stepped foot here before. It never grew back, so it stayed in its humbled position for another foot to belittle it again.

I laid back onto the grass and stared up into the endless clouds. Their pattern was stuck in a swirled position, coming to an apex at one point far in the distance. The floating island that sat in the center was but a speck in the distance. Tales spoke of a horrid beast that claimed it as its home. The fear instilled in me during my childhood was the reason why I was instructed to never leave town unattended. Legends said that the beast hungered for the souls of lost humans. People that left town rarely came back.

Remembering that fact caused me great unease as I realized my predicament: I had no idea where I was save for the tunnel that led me here. I sat up abruptly, startling Treecko who sat on a rock across the clearing from me.

"We need to get back to town," I said. "I don't know where we need to go. I've never been outside of the boundaries of—"

"It's that way," Treecko said while pointing toward the trees behind me. He let his arm flop down to his side and placed his head on his curled-up knees again.

I looked to where he pointed, squinting to try to see beyond the wooded scenery. My eyes swore that I could see a building in the distance, but I didn't quite believe in my luck to be that close to town. Realizing that I had no other choice, I trusted Treecko enough to steer me in the correct direction. I embarked on my walk home, only taking a few steps forward before noticing that the little creature had not climbed on my back again. I pivoted to see if he was following. He wasn't.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "You don't seem like the type to get easily shaken."

Treecko shook his head from his unwavering position on his pedestal.

"Or, am I wrong?"

Treecko shook his head again. This time, he scowled as he did.

"Then what has you so upset?"