Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Book 3: Gamma Gate of Shadows.

Chapter 7- The Underwater Castle

Maryland was pleased to find the tunnel was basically a water slide. She was enjoying herself as she shot down the path with swiftness and ease.

The Pokémon felt guilty about leaving behind Flutter of course but she just had to know who her family was.

After a while of riding the slide, she suddenly submerged. This wasn't a problem for her and only assured her of how close she was. Maryland felt herself fill with excitement. The idea of meeting her family and seeing her home, it was just so close now.

Maryland soon reached the end of the tunnel, the small passageway spat her out into the ocean. She took a moment to gather her bearings and faced forward. In front of Maryland was a massive town made of sandstone and coral. There was a huge castle in the center of the town.

Water-type Pokemon bustled about, heading in and out of buildings at a quick pace. Maryland looked up and estimated it was sometime later at night. The town seemed to be alive at all times. Various plants and Pokemon glowed to keep the town from being dark. 

Maryland wasn't sure where she was other than a great deal off the coast of Malena. She began to swim towards the town and came to the realization it was more of a city. The massive castle only got bigger as did the general size of the place.

Maryland stopped multiple times just to take in the grandeur of the city. She had never seen anything like it. 

Eventually, she arrived at the entrance to the city and noted a sign that read, "Welcome to Aqtropolis!" 

It had never occurred to Maryland that the city wasn't called The Underwater Castle until that very moment. Aqtropolis had a nice ring to it.

None of the Pokemon took note of her as she wandered around aimlessly. Maryland really didn't know what she was looking for. She had no idea where her parents could be. So the crab Pokemon wandered around for hours. Eventually, she found herself at the entrance of the Underwater Castle. 

"Oh wow, this place is magnificent." Maryland murmured to herself. She slowly went up the stairs leading to the palace. 

Two guards looked at her as she approached and blocked her entry. "Sorry, no civilians allowed in the castle."

Maryland was about to turn to leave when the second guard looked at her. "You seem familiar... what is your name civilian?"

"Oh?" Maryland perked up, maybe this Pokemon knew her family. "I'm Maryland!"

The guards looked at each other. "The Rejected Royal has returned?" 

Maryland stepped back. "Rejected Royal?" Her mind was already forming an idea, she hoped this was one of those times she was wrong and overthinking it. 

"Indeed, you were cast out after the Royal Family discovered you were illegitimate." The first guard said.

"No no no no! This can't be happening!" Maryland cried out, defeated. She'd given everything she had and now, she was just a bastard who'd been thrown out. What would she tell Flutter? He was Maryland's best friend yet she'd ditched him for some Pokemon who didn't even care about her. 

Maryland turned and ran down the stairs and swam far away from that accursed castle. She was pretty sure she was heading back in the direction of the tunnel she'd come from. Maryland had no idea how she'd swim up the tunnel but all she wanted was to get away. 

Tears streamed down her face and melted into the water. Maryland felt a fear she hadn't felt since she'd awoken on that beach over two years ago. Maryland remembered nothing from before that moment other than fear and loneliness. Now she knew she must've been cast out and somehow ended up on the shore.

The guild had taken her in and taught her everything she knew. They were the best family she could've asked for. Yet she was so obsessed with the Pokemon she was only related to by blood. 

Maryland eventually navigated back to the entrance of the tunnel. A water current was forcefully pushing her back from entering the tunnel. Maryland had no idea how she could ever get back. 

Suddenly the Corphish had an idea. She could try and use her water moves to push against the current with everything she had. Maryland began by digging her claws into the sides of the tunnel and concentrated all her energy on creating a countercurrent. 

Maryland had to give it everything she could. She needed to, if she ever wanted to see Zen, Flutter, and all her other friends ever again. Then she began to move against the current, she was using the move Waterfall just like she'd practiced. 

Before long Maryland was making good progress considering she was moving uphill and against a waterfall. Maryland began to feel exhausted about ten minutes in but she told herself she had no choice but to persevere. After what felt like hours she saw her end goal and reached the top of the waterfall finally collapsing outside of the Slowpoke Village.

The sun was just beginning to rise as she woke up. She'd likely been asleep for around an hour or two. Flutter and Zen were talking just outside one of the houses and Maryland scuttled over to them. 

"Flutter... Zen..." Maryland said the two Pokemon turned to her. Maryland immediately told them what she'd learned about herself. "Flutter, I'm so sorry for leaving you. You guys are my family. I should've realized that."

Flutter didn't say anything and simply hugged her. "It's quite fine Maryland. I'm just sorry you had to learn about such a horrible thing."

Just like that Maryland felt her worries be assuaged. She was ready to go home. 

"I think this has been quite an adventure. Now we must head back soon, I don't trust that Karl can lead the Guild for very long." Zen told them. The two Pokemon nodded when suddenly a swirling black portal ripped open above the beach. Shadows rushed from the portal including one controlling a Tyranitar. 

The Slowpoke and Slowbro all ran outside and began to defend their home. The Shadow Tyranitar fired a hyper beam at the town, the beam was about to obliterate a house when Zen leaped into the air and with Solomon's aid, she dissipated the beam with psychic power.

"The Shadows are attacking! Aim for their green gems!" Zen shouted to the townspeople. Flutter's mom flew down from above and took out a group of Shadows. 

Maryland began to run at the Tyranitar. Flutter followed after her and flew next to her, Maryland jumped onto his back and they quickly got close to Tyranitar. 

Maryland had an idea for how they could destroy the gem buried in his stomach. "Flutter I'm gonna try a trick, just take a deep breath! Here we go!" She channeled water around her and flutter and they rammed into the Tyranitar, the Pokemon crumbled to dust as it was hit by their Flying Waterfall.

The Shadows were pushed back by the Townsfolk and Maryland and Flutter met up with Zen. "This isn't good, the portals are appearing frequently now. We must get back to the guild before it's too late." 

Just then they all looked up and saw portals opening in the sky and Shadows flying down by the hundreds, then Shadow Rayquaza himself slithered out of a portal and they went to work attacking all of Malena.

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And that's all for this chapter. So we finally visited the Underwater Castle and Maryland learned where she came from. I'm sorry for the shorter chapter but there really wasn't much to put into this one.

That's right the Shadows are attacking now. The next chapter will take place a few hours before this attack so heads up for the time change. I'm not sure if the next chapter will be out before the new year but if not I want to get a new chapter out every weekend. I'm really hoping to keep to this release schedule since the story is really just picking up. 

Thanks for reading everyone and have a great week! Bye!