The Flood Lands [Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Quest]

Ohhh the intrigue keeps building up! All of the options are good, but for the moment I think I'd choose:

[X] What's that sound? Bang. Bang.

I really like the way you included the species' proclivity to making mounds and made us read it through her eyes, making it look like something amazing and divine. That's some good stuff. Also great prose.

As for the option, how about....

[X] Let them in. Aaaah you really don't want to talk or socialize with anyone right now but... would it be alright to let them drown? Oh, you know! Hopefully they're passed out and you can just leave them sleeping on the floor. Or if they're not, you can open the door and scuttle away fast.

Omg, Torque is amazing. Just... Standing there and weighing her options while this poor Pokemon is drowning outside xD I love it.

As for the options...


[X] Milan

[X] Female

[X]Marill

[X] "All glory to the broadcast manager. He who grants us our daily light shall be blessed forevermore. Do you watch TV?"

Lol, this might be the funniest Torque has been so far, and she's pretty funny as is I love her a lot. And Milan! Clearly not of this world. I wanna know more about her.

As such...

[X] Ask about how she ended up here.

The two of you retrace your previous path, walking back. Well, you walk with a steady and purposeful gait, as befits you. Milan waddles instead of walking, super awkwardly. Her eyes jump between the dark mounds, like she expects something to leap out of them and go for the gullet. Nonsense, Milan, the mounds are perfectly safe!

"Let's begin at the beginning," you declare. "Sooo! How did you get here, anyway? You said you're super far from home, so how'd you leave 'home' and wind up in our beautiful locale?"

"Beautiful, right," Milan says.

You nod sagely. "Very beautiful."

A few moments of silence. You wait very very patiently for an answer.

"You'll think I'm nuts," Milan says. "I'm not even sure what happened."

"You can't be nuts, Milan. All my friends are completely sane. Universal law."

For some reason, she sounds doubtful. "But if I am crazy, you won't leave me behind?"

"No, no, never, not to a beloved friend! Come on!"

"Uh, okay then," Milan says, and at long last the promised explanation arrives.
"So you'll think this is crazy. Okay, this whole thing is really crazy, but you'll think this is especially crazy. Sorry for, uh, I should probably just get started.

"Uh, I really don't know how I got here. I lived in a city—"

"Oh, cities! I know cities! I live in a city too!"

"No, my city was probably different. We didn't have this kind of rain. It didn't rain much, really. And we had superhighways and telephone wires. Do you, uh, do you have those?"

"Nope! Sounds fancy."

"What about, uh, a government? A mayor? Corporations, family-owned businesses? Artisans? An economy?"

"I know what a government is! We too have a government! It is ruled by Her Holiness, as she is meritorious. And the broadcast manager administers prayers. Not sure about the other stuff, though."

"I, uh, okay then. Maybe that's because, no offense, but we weren't animals."

"Never heard of an 'animal'. Your words are so strange."

"Okay, so we were different. We were a different species. We, uh, have you ever heard of humans?"

"Might've heard, once upon a time! No idea what they are."

"So, uh, everyone in the city. And me. We were humans. They're a little like you. But taller, with long arms and legs. Hair on the head and skin everywhere else—"

"Sounds like a machoke! They'd visit sometimes, very muscular, lovely purple color—"

"No, that can't be it. Humans are brownish. Sometimes lighter or darker."

"Okay, then I'm not sure. But they sound like pokemon to me. See, you're a pokemon, and I'm a pokemon, and everyone's a pokemon, so whatever you were before was probably a pokemon too. Logic!"

"But I wasn't—actually, uh, forget it. It's not the point."

_
I woke up on a ship.

I don't know how I got there. I remember sleeping in my bedroom. Then I was somewhere else.

It was dark. I saw, I don't know what I saw outside the windows, but it was the darkest thing I've seen. It was raining, so if there was anything besides darkness I couldn't tell. I heard the storm. The emptiness. It sounded horrible. I was scared. I didn't know what was happening.

It was so wet, claustrophobic. The ship had lights, but they were dim. Flickering. My only light was this voice speaking to me, on a colored screen. A face and a voice let me see the world. But I don't know what it said or what it looked like. Too much static. Glitchy bars and black boxes everywhere. Then the screen went fizzy. The feed cut out. So I was alone. It was dark.

I think there were chairs, tables, a deck, screens, but I couldn't tell because it was dark. I, I was scared. I didn't do anything. I just stood there thinking about what was happening.

I couldn't feel my arms. I had hands and feet, but I couldn't feel arms. Couldn't feel legs.

I was too afraid to move. Moving felt wrong. Like my limbs were all, I just stood. I waited.

Some horrible grinding noise. Everything got loud. Screeching. Toppling, things swinging from one side to another. I tried so hard to stay on top of it all. I think the ship lost power slowly. So when the ship crashed, I wasn't injured badly. When it started falling I was close to the ground. In some kind of desert. But that's not right, because it was filling up with water. Water everywhere. Maybe a marsh instead.

And, uh, this part is even crazier. Will you believe me? You won't call me a lunatic?

"It's fine, it's fine! Go on! Show the world your past! Let the stones hear your voiiiice."

Right, okay.

Weird thing is I could see better outside the ship. Maybe more light from the sky. Or the parts left of the sky. There was also a really bright lighthouse thing in the distance, glowy. It let me see.

"That's the Tower, Milan! Our crown jewel, part-time residence of Her Holiness."

It let me see my reflection in water. Around then I realized I wasn't human. So I was more lost then. Scared.

No place to go. The lighthouse thing in the distance looked far. I walked towards your city because it looked the closest.

"A very wise choice. I approve. The lighthouse is at the center of the land, you know, I shudder to think how long it would take to get there on foot!"

I, okay. Good thing then. But, uh, the next part, I just can't believe it. I mean, even after saying all that this is still hard to believe but—

"Yeah?"

I was attacked by a group of trees.

"I KNEW IT. THE MEDDLING TREES STRIKE AGAIN. THOSE HERETICS."

You, what?

"Oh, sorry, did I confuse you? They've been there for ages, Milan, they got kicked out and never got over it. Indolent malefactors and desperados, polluting the outskirts of our beloved broadcast city! We all despise them. Part of the natural course of existence, for those who disrespect the light to be disrespected in return. Especially when they attack innocents like you, poor damsel!"

Uhhh. Okay.

"They're pokemon too, by the way. Usually cacturne. Some sudowoodo in there, some rarer types. All useless layabouts."

What isn't a pokemon?

"The ground. Well, I guess stunfisk could hide in the ground. Or diglett. Or trapinch. You can never be one hundred percent sure."

Okay then.

Uh, I got distracted again. The trees chased me. I ran. I was slow because, I mean. Even in my past life I wasn't very fast at running. And now I had no legs, I was. I felt encumbered.

They said these, these things to me. I didn't really know what they were talking about but they attacked me with vines and, rocks. Magic stuff that fell down. Don't know how they did it. I just, I just ran faster. I was so scared. I thought I would die.

I don't know why I didn't die. I think it was because of the water. It kept on filling up, and all the craters were. There were a lot of holes in the desert, maybe craters, but they became pools. And I could swim, for some reason, I knew I could go through the water. They couldn't swim as well so they had to go around. Gave space, between me and them. But it was hard. There were so many. I got tired.

It was raining all this time. The rain beats down on you. Makes it so hard to see. So I just, I just splashed through with no idea where I was going. The lights of the city were what I wanted. I thought if I got to the city, I would be safe. Wouldn't have to worry about this anymore. It was the only thing I cared about. I got so tired. I told myself just a bit more. I have to keep on going. And then a bit more.

At some point I noticed the trees were gone. The water was rising. The trees had been washed away, or something. I wasn't even paying that much attention. I just wanted to get to the city. First house I saw. It was, it was yours. I knew someone was inside because I could see the lights, and then I knew you were there because I saw, uh. I saw a TV kinda, dropping out the window? So I knew someone was inside.

"...Right, that was me."

So I just kept hammering at the door. Waiting. For some reason, I didn't sink, I didn't need to swim. I just floated. Even when I thought I would sink, I'd end up above water a while later. So I could, actually, save energy. Just wait.

Then you rescued me. That's all.
_

"Wow, Milan! You're so good at storytelling," you say.

"Do you believe me?"

"Oh yeah of course I do. I just wanted to say, you're also good at storytelling. Maybe you should make screenplays!"

"What are those?"

You think about it. "Funny thing, I don't remember!"

"That's weird."

You can't really see her face, but you imagine she's frowning.

"Why do you not remember? And where are we heading?"

You scratch the back of your head. "Well, so, I've been watching TV for a really, really, extravagantly long time. And you know how, memories, they kinda deteriorate over time right? So I think that's the problem. That's why I can't remember loads of things!"

"Normal TVs don't do that. Maybe you should show me yours."

"I threw it out the window. So no can do? Sorry?"

"Oh. Right."

"Anyway, the TV is to blame. Probably. It's why I can't remember the layout of my house. And where the flood shelter is."

"Is that where we're going?"

"Wellllll..."

_

What do you focus on?

[] Stairs. There were stairs in this place. Your home had multiple stories. And at the top, something about a flood shelter?

[] What's that smell? Your nose isn't as strong as it once was, but you distinctly smell a rank stench from some part of the room. Where's it from?

[] Write-in: Something else?

_

What else should you talk about?

[] Explain pokemon to her.

[] Explain the Tower to her.

[] Explain the broadcast manager to her.

[] Ask about her home. (In more detail!)

[] Ask about humans.

[] Write-in: Any other suggestions for our main character?

I'll try to include every vote.

_____

Missed two days. I'm getting busy IRL, honestly, so I think I'll shift to a once-per-three or once-per-four days schedule. But thanks for being here!

"I promise," you say, "we will try to head to the flood shelter at some point. But not as of yet! First, my nostrils do detect a rank stench, a most pungent odor, and I would like to scrutinize it."

"Could you repeat that in English."

"Something smells bad and I want to know what it is."

"So where is it?"

You turn your head. You sniff here and sniff there. "Alright Milan I got it follow me," you say.



Well how boring is that. You decide to make up for it, you'll ask your new friend some more conversation-starting questions! Friendship establishment time. "Okay, Milan, since you're a foreigner you don't know what the Tower is, right?"

"Nope. Is it a weird religious thing? No offense."

"None taken! But you must learn the customs of our land so you can fit in and not stick out like an exotic blue mouse thing. Hmm, I guess fitting in will be hard because you're not an electric type and I can't recognize your species so you'll always stick out as an exotic blue mouse thing, but whatever."

"Electric type? Blue mouse thing?"

"Well, pokemon have types. I'm an electric type. Also normal type. Every pokemon has a type."

"So the trees are what. Tree type?"

"No no, grass type."

"That makes no sen—"

"There's also fighting type, flying type, and a bunch I can't remember. And I have no idea what type you are. I don't know what species you are. Which is why I'm calling you a blue mouse thing."

"Great."

"I'm glad you like it! Okay now explanation time."

_

Torque's Story
Uhhhhhh. How do I begin to explain to someone like you? You haven't received Her blessing. You haven't properly seen Her light. Her Tower shines eternally on the horizon. It is the Tower to which all other towers aspire. The Tower of which towers dream, as we dream of gods. Oh sure we have our own tower in this here city and everything, but it can't even hold a candle to the Tower of Her Holiness.

Also I'm using capital letters and you probably can't tell because I'm talking to you but trust me the capital letters are there so She gets the respect She deserves. So if you ever write Her name use caps. You do know how to write, right?

"We're getting off-topic."

Are we?

"How did she, uh, She, get here? Why is She the leader of everything, apparently?"

Oh, that! Haha I don't know actually funny thing.

"Oh."

She's been here for as long as I've been here, even longer I think. And I've been here for a really long time. Before the first flood in the olden days, when the wrathful heavens opened up and rain fell in droves and something something I can't remember the rest.

But both of us were here before that, and after that She established Her Heart of the Land, Her Crown Jewel, Her City whence she guides us. Her City at the convergence of four rivers, surrounded yet untouched by the waters of oblivion. Her City of flying ships, of flying wonders. Well She spends some time in Her City but to be honest She's usually in the Tower, center of everything. Watching over us and guiding the light."

"Wait, you said ships? Like the ship that brought me here?"

Oh, good point! That could've been one of Her ships or maybe a local one, maybe it belonged to the broadcast manager. Every tower has flying ships, you see. Don't ask me why because I can't remember. But the ships are epic and they can do loads of cool stuff, again don't ask me for specifics because I can't remember, and they're also SO COOL that nobody ever uses them because they're afraid they'll get damaged. Or they're afraid that a giant ship war will happen and the ships will get shot down or something. Look it's been a while I really don't know.

"So why was I on a ship?"

I said I really don't know. It could be anything, maybe they were bored and lonely and just wanted a friend? Kinda like me? But look you're here now and I'm glad. We can help each other. We can be the bosom-est of buddies.

Anyway moving on! So what does the Tower's light do, you may be asking? Well, it helps plants grow and it helps us navigate and it comes in cycles so it regulates when we sleep and it gives us vitamins and nutrients. It looks really nice, and—

"Aren't you just describing the sun?"

What's a sun?

"...That explains a lot."

Anyway we'd all be doomed without the Tower. Though the waters may beat against Her, the hungry waves seek to ravage Her, She stands eternal. And boy am I glad. Okay Milan we're here!

_

The two of you stand in front of a boarded-up door, with slender green shoots entwined around it.

"Well, don't know what's inside," you say. "It sure stinks, though."

Milan wrinkles her nose. "It does. How do we get in?"

"You could do the knocky knocky thing—"

"No. I'm not banging myself against a door again. I feel sore. And tired. And this door has boards and weird plants on it. And there could be spikes behind the boards or something."

"In that case, I have no clue!"

_

What do you do?

[] Eh, come back to this later. Your house is filling with water right now...
[] Write-in: Something else? Another way to open the door, maybe? Or another suggestion for a conversation topic?

_____