PMD The Legend Chapter 4: Kevin The Squirtle (part 1)

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I hope y'all enjoy it and as always, likes and comments are appreciated! This chapter is quite long so I had to split it in half

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   A Squirtle runs through the forest. The moon was high overhead. It's midnight now. The smell of grass that was still wet could be smelled, it looked like it had rained a few moments ago.

   The Squirtle is named Kevin, a troublemaker who is known as the source of all problems in the Emolga guild. He looked back. The hill where the guild is located looks very small from here, like a toy house.

    "I've come quite far, haven't I," he said to himself. He took a deep breath and stretched.

   He kicked a small stone on the ground. "I hate that guild," he said, emphasizing the word "hate."

    "I've blamed Tom my whole life for pulling me to that place," he said to himself. He picked up another stone from the ground and threw it far away. "I want freedom, my own adventure!"

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   Since childhood, Kevin lived in a small village where a hill was located. A remote village that is rarely visited by anyone. No one had lived there for the past few years except for that house. Truly a remote village.

   A Blastoise sat in the front room. It was a heavy rain outside the window. The sound of raindrops could be heard from the edge of their roof. A little Squirtle was wearing his father's scarf. It was a beautiful scarf, red with a burning flame decoration.

   A fake badge made of wood was attached to it. He pretended to be a famous explorer who uncovered the mysteries of the world.

   "You... really idolize Dad, huh?" Blastoise stroked his son's head gently. The little Squirtle grinned. He nodded firmly. "Because Dad is so cool!" he said.

   "Dad, why is your scarf have a fire symbol on it? Aren't you a water type?" he asked. He looked back and forth at the scarf, then at his father.

   His father laughed. "Well, it represents my ion to achieve all my dreams. No one said that water types like us can't be fiery like that," his father explained.

"No one told us what we have to be."

   The little Squirtle smiled. "When I grow up, I'm going to go out there and solve the mysteries of the world!" he exclaimed, excited. "Follow your dreams, son," his father said.

   But that all changed when his father decided on something he never imagined. Something dark, evil, cunning, when he made a pact with the darkness.

    When the little Squirtle had to start his own journey to the west and met a talkative Totodile, when his new life in the guild began, things that are probably too long to tell.

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   Kevin stared at his reflection in a small, flowing stream. He sighed. "Who cares if the guild is looking for me," he shrugged. "I just annoy them anyway."

   Kevin often caused trouble in the guild. There was a time when he snuck into the food storage room and emptied the contents. Tom caught him and scolded him severely.

   There was also a time when he snuck into Tom's room and took something from his drawer. He didn't know what it was.

It was just a beautiful piece of stone. It was gold in color and had strange symbols carved into its shiny side. But, Tom never asked until now. Maybe he just didn't realize it.

   Kevin looked around. He was in a very strange forest. The forest was overgrown with trees with sharp leaves wherever the eye could see. Similar to the forest I visited when I was a child, he thought. "Where is this?"

   Suddenly a voice answered him. The voice sounded husky, it didn't sound like someone with authority. But the voice was full of enthusiasm and freedom in it.

"..this is the Dust Forest.."

Kevin looked around, once again. There was no one there. Was the voice just his imagination?

"..come back before it's too late, or..."

The voice came again. Now it was clear that this was not his imagination.

"..you seem lonely, young man. You're looking for adventure, looking for something exciting.."

Kevin couldn't help but nod. "Yes, sir. I'm looking for adventure, away from the boring guild life," Kevin said.

"..hmm... then we're on the same page, huh. If you don't mind, head north. There's a cave under the sea... Dewdrops Cave, they said. Every explorer's dream location.."

Then, the voice disappeared. As if hypnotized, Kevin walked towards the northern sea.

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   Lucario couldn't stop laughing as Zap finished speaking from behind the bush. "Good job, Zap. And then everyone will believe there's a mysterious voice in the Dust Forest," Raichu said, patting Zap on the shoulder.

   "He really started an urban legend," Lucario said. He was trying desperately to hold back his laughter.

    "And do you know the nature of the Pelippers of this city? They always spread news at lightning speed without knowing the truth."

   Zoroark shook his head. "Moreover, this place is the only route to the next city. I can imagine how the townspeople will react when they hear that this forest is haunted," he said. He patted Zap on the shoulder. "Dude, your mischief is number one."

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   "So this is the entrance?" Raichu and his friends looked at the stairs leading far down. Lucario swallowed.

   Oddly enough, the stairs looked neat and polished with sparkling stones, as if they were made intentionally and not formed naturally. Cold sea water soaked the surroundings. They stared at the entrance tensely.

   "Come in," Zoroark finally said. They slowly went down. "Watch your step, it's a bit dark here," he said from the front of the line.

   "Wait a minute," Raichu who was standing at the back stopped his steps. "What's wrong?" Zoroark asked. He looked back.

   "Ancient writing. Wait, let me read it," Raichu searched for a flashlight in his bag. But Zap snatched it away. "A flashlight won't help much here," Zap said. He took out a Luminous Orb.

   Zap used it and the place instantly brightened up, illuminating the dungeon below.

   "Zap, you're smart!" Raichu said. "Genius!" Lucario added. Zoroark only glanced at Zap out of the corner of his eye, still a bit displeased with the new recruit.

Raichu then cleaned the dust covering the ancient letters.

   "To future explorers, that place was once built to worship Giratina, the god who once built Ruby City from the ashes," Raichu read aloud. His voice echoed through the halls.

   "Giratina? The god who once built our city? I guess it wouldn't hurt to thank him for everything he's done," Lucario said. He clasped his hands together and knelt down in prayer.

   But Zap slapped his hand away. "Don't be stupid! what was written in the legend? After that he became evil and disappeared for centuries. No one knows anything about him until now," Zap looked at his friends one by one seriously.

   "Either he has disappeared swallowed by the earth or he has isolated himself in a very far away place," Zap continued.

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   Kevin walked further north, where he found a strange staircase that led far into the sea. "Just like in the legends," Kevin said. He sighed. Deep down, he doubted the voice's words a little.

   He stepped up one step. Another, then another and all the way to the bottom. Inside the dark cave, a long, endless hallway stretched out before him.

   "Hello?" he said. His voice echoed. Kevin looked around. Glowing crystals surrounded him. They were on the walls, above him and below him, sparkling in the moonlight from above.

   "I can imagine what Kecleon's face will be like in the city when I bring him back," Kevin muttered. His face was grinning mischievously.

   For a moment, a shadow ed him, sending goosebumps down his spine. "Who-" Kevin turned to see someone he had never seen before. His mischievous smile was almost identical to his own. One eyebrow is raised and his eyes are gleaming.

   "My name is Gengar, nice to meet you," Gengar held out his hand. Kevin immediately took a liking to his new friend, it seemed like they had a lot in common.

   "My name is K- no, I mean Squirtle," he said, shaking his hand back. He decided to be a nameless, mysterious figure to disguise his identity as a runaway guild worker. It was all for his own good.

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   Gengar walked beside Squirtle. "So, what are you doing here?" Gengar asked. His voice echoed through the dungeon's hallways. "This place... they call it the Dewdrops Cave, right?" Squirtle asked back. "Ah, yes. So you're also looking for the secrets hidden here?" Gengar asked. He moved his face closer, just inches away from Squirtle's. His eyes glinted with curiosity.

   Squirtle pushed his face away, slowly. "Secrets?" he tilted his head. "Huh, you don't know? Those mysteries of the world that haven't been talked about for a long time? You really don't know, huh?"

   Gengar laughed. His voice boomed throughout the room. "No one goes to this sacred place without a reason!" he patted Squirtle on the shoulder. "You're... quite an interesting person!"

   He quickened his pace a little so that he was now walking in front of him with an eccentric backward walk.

   "By the way, where are you from?" Squirtle asked. "Not far, just in the hills around here," Gengar said, putting his hands behind his head. Oddly enough, his voice sounded different.

   Squirtle paused. He then looked at Gengar. Something was odd. "You... I heard that only adults can evolve. How did you evolve so fast?" he asked.

   Gengar slowed his pace so that he was now walking beside Squirtle again. "Oh, don't think too much about it," he waved his hand in front of his face. "Maybe I just evolved too fast." Again, there was something in his tone. Something that sounded... odd.

   The air felt colder as they walked further into the cave. "It's so cold out here," Gengar said. Squirtle felt the same way. He shivered. Then something caught his attention.

To be continued...