Prologue
It was just another job for Team Moonshine. The team found themselves in the middle of Landslide Cave. Someone posted a request in the guild for someone to find their missing necklace, most likely a traveling merchant or a smuggler. The path through Landslide Cave was quicker than any other path through the mountains, thanks to the unique properties of mystery dungeons. A trip that would normally take several days through harsh, mountainous terrain could be completed in just one day by going through a dark cave.
The team scoured the dungeon for hours, searching for the necklace. Sadly, there weren't many dungeons Team Moonshine could find where at least one of them wasn't struggling with a type disadvantage. Landslide Cave was well known for its bug types. Adrian and Bellossom both had trouble defending against these pokemon, so they were forced to stay close to the ones who didn’t. This led to Adrian being stuck with Enny for the entire mission.
Enny handled most of the local residents of the dungeon with ease, while Adrian shot out an occasional blast of Psychic to support him. “You know, Addy, I think I'm getting better than you at all this dungeon crawling. Maybe I should take on the leadership role permanently."
“Enny, I’m this close to taking the lead again just so I can get killed here and never hear you speak again,” Adrian said.
"Oh, come on, now. I know my favorite torch bre loves me, even if he won't admit it,” Enny flirted.
“Guys, quit talking before you start fighting again,” Vileplume said. “We really need to focus on finding..."
“The necklace!” Adrian blurted out suddenly before running into the room ahead of them. He picked up the necklace. It was more of a string with some painted rocks dangling from it than a form of jewelry. Worthless junk, but apparently valuable to somebody.
Enny entered the room with Adrian, while Bellossom and Vileplume stayed back in the tunnel to watch for any pokemon that could sneak up behind them.
“It’s so pretty!” Enny beamed.
“Dude, it's literally just pebbles on a string,” Adrian said, unimpressed by the simple necklace.
“And it’s pretty! Can't you just appreciate the simple things?”
As Adrian was about to respond, he was very suddenly attacked by a venomoth that had been hiding in the ceiling above the two eeveelutions. It screeched loudly as it tore into Adrian. Before it could do any real damage, Enny got a grip on the creature using his ribbons. He used all his might to hurl the venomoth into a nearby wall, knocking the pokemon out and leaving a big crack in the wall behind it.
“Jesus Christ, that thing was angry,” Adrian wheezed as he quickly recovered from the attack.
“You better thank me, Addy. I just saved your-” Enny began to brag. Before he could finish, though, he noticed the cracks in the nearby wall growing. They spread rapidly to the tunnel Bellossom and Vileplume were standing in.
Gravel began to rain from the ceiling above. Soon after, the exit of the tunnel collapsed under the weight of the stone above. The cascading boulders echoed throughout the whole dungeon. As the dust slowly settled, Adrian and Enny realized they were totally alone. The other half of their team was stuck on the other side.
Adrian ran towards the rock pile. “Holy shit! Bellossom! Vileplume!” He called out in a panic.
“We're alright!” Vileplume’s voice answered, muffled by the pile of stones separating them.
“Thank God," Adrian sighed with relief. He then turned to face Enny. “And you wanted me to thank you for what exactly?”
The Adrian and Enny Adventure
Stuck in Landslide Cave
The argument started pretty much instantly. Adrian cursed out Enny for getting them trapped and separated, while Enny kept defending himself, arguing that he had to do something to help Adrian and couldn't have predicted the cave-in. It went on for several minutes, only stopped by Vileplume when he finally called through the rocks and yelled, “Adrian! What's the plan now?”
Adrian set his petty feud with Enny aside for the moment. “There's no way we can move these rocks! You two have the escape orb, right?”
“You’re not suggesting we leave you here, are you?” Bellossom cried.
“There's no other choice,” Adrian said. “There's no guarantee we'll find each other in this place, and neither of you are good at offense. Plus, you can't see a damn thing! It’s too dark! Just go back to the guild.”
“But what about you two?” Vileplume asked.
“Enny's resistant to bug types, I can take a beating, and we have most of the berries. We’ll find the way out and meet you back home."
“Adrian, I hate to say it, but I'm more worried about Enny than you right now."
“I won't kill him! You have my word!”
“You better not! I want to see you both at the guild alive! Stay safe, and get back soon!”
A bright flash pierced through the cracks in the rocks before quickly fading. Bellossom and Vileplume successfully escaped. The two eeveelutions were now all alone with each other.
Adrian faced Enny directly. “I promised not to kill you, but I didn't say I wouldn't leave you behind here.”
“Wait, what?” Enny said, surprised and confused.
“You fuckin’ heard me. I never told them I wouldn't ditch you here.”
“You're just messing around! You need me for my type advantage, remember?” Enny chuckled.
“No, I needed you so Bellossom would stop panicking every time I took an attack from these stupid bugs,” Adrian explained. “This is hardly my first time dealing with bugs, and I can take a beating just fine.”
"Well, even if you did try to leave me here, I’d just keep following you! You glow in the dark, remember?” Enny said, anxiety starting to grow inside him. Adrian wasn't actually threatening to leave him, was he?
“Oh, do I?” Adrian said. He then proceeded to dim his rings. Without their bright light, the cave went pitch black. Enny couldn't see a thing.
“Okay, pretty funny, Addy!” Enny chuckled nervously in the darkness. “You can't see either, though. You're just as lost as me!”
“I can see in the dark just fine, retard!” Adrian’s voice echoed. “You're the only one out of their element, here.”
“You’re not… actually leaving me here, are you?”
A looming feeling of dread slowly filled Enny. He was all alone in the middle of a pitch-black cave. He had no way out, no way to call for a rescue, and he couldn't even see. Throughout the whole dungeon, he had been casually fending off the locals. It wasn't much more to him than a game. Now, however, he was completely blind. Anything could just come up, pounce him, and drag him away. He’d never see the light of day again if that happened.
After just a minute of being left in the dark, Enny completely broke down and fell to the floor, crying. “Adrian! Come back!” He sobbed. “Please, I can't die here! Don't leave me!”
Suddenly, a light started filling the room from behind Enny. He turned around to find the source, seeing Adrian sitting right behind him.
“You really are pathet-”
Before Adrian could finish his sentence, he was tackled to the ground and hugged tightly by the quivering mess of a sylveon.
“Don't ever leave me again! Please, I'm so sorry for being annoying! I won't ever do it again! Just don't leave me in the dark, please, please, PLEASE!” Enny rambled, tears flowing like a river down his face.
“Get off of me, faggot!” Adrian kicked Enny off of him with full force. He stood back up. “I'm not leaving you here alone, I'm just showing you that I can!”
Enny stood up, still quivering and choking up. “You’re so evil!”
“Yes, I definitely am. I'm gonna give you one chance to come with me, though. There are just a few conditions I need you to follow,” Adrian explained.
“Anything! Please, just don’t leave-”
“Shut the fuck up!” Adrian interrupted, not wanting to hear another rant. "The first rule is that you do what I say when I say. It's just as much for our safety as it is my sanity. Second, I don't want to hear any of your comments. I put up with them when the rest of the team is here so there aren't any fights, but I'm not gonna hear it when it's just the two of us.
“Lastly, this isn't gonna be a bonding session with the two of us. You don't ask any questions about my past. I'm not interested in talking about it. As a matter of fact, I think it's best we both keep those things to ourselves. I’ve got no interest in the long list of crushes that you never got with and left you all alone the way a worthless faggot like you deserves. Have I made myself clear?”
“Yes…” Enny pouted.
“Say it back to me.”
“Do what you say and keep my mouth shut. No gay stuff, either.” Enny said while putting on a deep and grumbly voice, mimicking Adrian’s grim tone.
“Good enough,” Adrian sighed. “Let's get moving. I want to be out of this dungeon before sunrise.”
Enny sighed and followed behind closely. This was gonna be the most miserable job he had in weeks.
Adrian and Enny explored the cave in complete silence for a long time. As they got further, the frequency of wild pokemon attacks lowered. For some reason, they just weren't showing up as often as normal. This left longer and longer gaps where the two did nothing but walk through the empty tunnels of the dungeon, building a thick atmosphere of tension between the two.
After what must have been an hour, Enny finally decided to break the silence.
“Adrian?”
“What?” He snapped back.
“What games did you play as a human?” Enny asked, hoping to spark a conversation.
“I said no backstories, Enny.”
“Come on, this is so boring!” Enny pouted. “We can't just keep wandering this cave in silence."
“Fighting the feral pokemon should be grabbing enough of your attention.” Adrian said, clearly uninterested in talking to the sylveon.
“There hasn't been a feral pokemon in five rooms now!"
“Yeah… I guess you're right,” Adrian muttered.
The silence started again for a few minutes. Enny wasn't having it. “Come on, what was your favorite game? It can't be that personal!”
Adrian didn't answer the question, disappointing Enny. Of all the pokemon he could've gotten trapped with, it had to be this stuck-up, rude, and hateful umbreon. So set on being the most bitter, cold-hearted, self-righteous-
“Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team,” Adrian finally answered after a lengthy pause.
“Oh!” Enny really hadn't expected a response at all, so it came as something of a surprise. “Uh… that's a good game, yeah. Kind of a common pick around the guild, though.”
“You wanted an answer,” Adrian muttered.
“I’m not criticizing! Honest!” Enny said, not wanting to piss Adrian off. “Just… um.”
“What is it?” Adrian interrupted.
Enny quickly tried to think of something that would continue the conversation. “Uh, why's that one your favorite?”
Adrian sighed, his anger boiling up inside him. “I like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. What’s the problem with that?” He growled.
“Sorry! That's not what I-” Enny stumbled over his words. “I meant... why’s that one your favorite in the series? Even among rescue team fans, most people would’ve picked Blue Rescue Team or the Switch remake. It's oddly specific."
“It’s the one I grew up with, okay?” Adrian said. “I had a DS, but never got the DS version, or any of the others for that matter. Only played them when I got older.”
Enny noticed how defensive Adrian was getting. It seemed like a weird thing to get so angry about, but Enny tried to keep the positive topic going. “That's totally fine!” He assured him. “There's nothing wrong with it if it’s just what you had, you know? I only had Gates to Infinity when I was younger.”
“That one fucking sucks,” Adrian stated.
“Oh, I agree!” Enny lied. "I only played it because it was a birthday gift! Didn't get the appeal of the series until my friend gave me his Explorers cart.”
“I'm guessing that's your favorite?”
“Oh… yeah,” Enny said, flustered. “I know the post-game gets a lot of hate, but I really liked the whole manaphy arc. Thought it was cute and all. Grovyle was just so cool, too.”
“That's probably the most normal thing I've heard you say.” Adrian stated.
“What do you mean by that?” Enny asked.
“Do I really need to explain it to you?”
“Um… it’d be helpful,” Enny said. Maybe this could be the way he gets Adrian to finally understand him.
Adrian stopped walking. He turned around and looked Enny straight in the eyes as he spoke. “We’ve known each other for about a month or so now. In that time, the only things I've heard come out of your mouth have been stories about your insatiable lust for men and your weird desire to see me admit to being some sensitive little bitch underneath this whole ‘character’ I play. You are, without a doubt, the weirdest person in the guild I’ve had the displeasure of speaking with, and I have no idea why you want to be that way.”
Enny was caught off guard by the sudden attack, and it kind of struck a nerve with him. “You know, I'm just playing up a character myself! I don't really think like this all the time. I actually-”
“That’s the thing!” Adrian said, cutting off Enny. “You're choosing to be someone who even you admit is completely insufferable, and it’s all for irony, right? Well I’ll have you know, literally nothing I’ve ever said has been some ‘deep portrayal of someone who isn't really me’, or anything like that. That's the key difference between you and I. I'm very comfortable with being who I am, even if it pisses other people off or scares them away.”
Now Enny was getting enough of the unwarranted pride. “That's a total lie!” He boldly claimed.
“Which part is?”
“Be real with me!” Enny said, raising his voice in pent-up frustration. “You're really defensive about things you have no reason to be defensive about. Like, I asked you why Rescue Team's your favorite game, and you asked me why there's a problem with it! You're so quick to assume people have an issue with you, so you put up all these walls so that nobody gets to really understand you! The truth is, you're not happy with that side of you, and you don't want people to see it! You’re just afraid!"
At the end of his rant, Enny took a deep breath and looked straight back at Adrian. He was finally going to expose this bluff for what it was. Finally wipe the arrogance off his stupid, edgy face and make him admit the truth.
“That's a really nice fanfic, Enny. Now please shut the fuck up,” Adrian dismissed before swiftly turning around and walking away.
Enny wasn't done, though. He had one last card up his sleeve.
“What about your little teddiursa doll?”
Adrian froze in his tracks.
“You're probably thinking of some way to deny that right now,” Enny smirked. “Sorry, but I know all about it. Bellossom told me about it when I got out of the infirmary, the day after she got it for you. She wasn't sure if you’d keep it, but she was surprised to see you actually slept with it. I didn't believe her at first. I mean, you’re such an edgelord. There's no way you would enjoy something so soft and innocent when you’re so bad to people. Outright violent and cruel at times. But then I woke up one afternoon earlier than you. I got curious, and I went over to your little pillow nest, and I saw you cuddling it in your sleep."
Adrian began to shake. His rings glowed somehow brighter than before. At last, Enny was breaking through to him. He'd finally gotten through that exterior, and there was no reason to stop now.
“You do a pretty good job at hiding it, even while you're asleep. You clutch it so tightly to your chest and face the wall. Nobody could see it unless they were looking for it. Then, when you wake up, you bury it under all your pillows and leave it there during the day. You wanna know something else, Addy? I don't even need my ribbons to figure out how much you love that thing. The big, sappy smile that covered your face that morning was all the proof I really needed.
“You're trying so hard to appear all tough and cool to people because you’re just too scared to admit the facts, even to yourself. Face it, Adrian, you're just a shy, sensitive little kitty-fox who wants a little love from people. You're just too scared to ask and too scared to admit it. That's why you can't stand me! It’s not because I'm playing up some character you hate. It’s because I know how to stop playing it whenever I want! I can actually be honest with myself and the people around me, that's the one thing you can’t do!”
Enny had done it. He felt so triumphant, finally conquering Adrian. He knew the umbreon inside and out this whole time, and now he’d proven it. There was no hiding from it now. Enny smiled, awaiting the umbreon’s response.
Adrian stood still, completely silent. That wasn't good enough for Enny. “What's the matter, little bre? Cat got your tongue?” He snickered.
Adrian's blank stare was replaced immediately by a glare. One directed solely towards Enny. “Rule two, you fucking faggot.”
Suddenly, the one light that had been leading Enny through the cave extinguished in an instant. The sylveon was alone in the dark once more.
“Trying to hide, Adrian?” Enny called out. “Adrian, I know you can hear me! Turn the lights back on!”
Enny continued to call out to the darkness, waiting for an answer. Nobody replied to him, though. The reality of the situation started to sink in. There's no way he actually abandoned him. They were teammates. Adrian wouldn't just leave him for dead like this, right?
The longer Enny’s calls for Adrian continued, however, the more he started to believe it. His calls for Adrian turned to pleas, which eventually turned to whimpers. Adrian actually left him. Enny just pissed off his lifeline in this cave, and all to prove some point. He just realized just how stupid a plan that was.
Lost Child
Enny sat in the darkness for a long time, but he couldn't lie there forever. He couldn't be helpless. It's exactly what Adrian expected him to do, and he wasn't about to give that prick something to smile about. He had to make it out of this cave just so he could stick it to him, just to piss him off even more.
Enny got up and started hugging the nearest wall. With no way to see, this was the only way he could get a sense of direction. He slowly crawled along the sides of the cave, doing his best to minimize noise. If he was attacked by a wild pokemon, there’d be no guarantee of his survival.
Enny made his way from room to room, tunnel to tunnel. He moved as quietly as possible to avoid alerting anyone of his presence. While avoiding enemies was a great way to stay safe, he also wouldn't be finding any items to help him.
Enny thought of all the stuff he could've brought with him that would've saved him. All he had was berries and seeds, none of which emitted even the slightest bit of light. How wonderful a luminous orb would've been in this dungeon. He knew one could be lying around in any of these rooms, just beyond his reach. If he made any attempt to search the cave, though, he’d certainly bump into a feral pokemon and be ripped apart.
The cave had been mostly silent throughout his trek. The only sounds to be heard came from the occasional drops of water hitting the ground and what must've been stone grinding far off in the distance, making an ominous shifting noise. Enny wondered if that could be the sound of the dungeon rearranging itself. Perhaps there was a chance that he’d been moved further away from the exit. What if the dungeon just trapped him inside? He’d never even know it. He’d just keep wandering endlessly through the tunnels until all his strength dwindled away.
The idea of being trapped all alone in this horrid cave started to drive Enny mad. This couldn't be how his journey ends. He was a human, he had a purpose here! That's what all those games were about. Humans with the mission to save the world. So many humans had been brought to this world, though. The entirety of his guild was made up of humans. There were so many humans here already. Could Enny really be the special one amongst them?
Enny’s mind started to drift further and further into these rabbit holes of doubt and fear. If he wasn't special, maybe there really wasn't hope then. With how many humans had been brought here, it was almost a certainty that some of them didn't survive. Enny was lucky to have been discovered by a pokemon village when he arrived. He knew some of the humans in the guild were in the wilderness when they showed up. Adrian even claimed once to have spent a whole day in the woods before finding civilization.
Regardless of things like fate or destiny, all of them were still mortal, living creatures. They could be killed just like any other pokemon. Enny knew this especially well. There had been so many close calls in the past where if he hadn't done one thing, or if Adrian hadn't given one order, he and the rest of his team would’ve just died.
Why did he keep coming back to Adrian? He abandoned Enny, leaving him all alone here. Why would he still be thinking about him? Before Vileplume and Bellossom even. Enny knew he wanted nothing to do with that umbreon if he escaped. He couldn't even be called human after this. No human could be so cruel and vindictive that they’d abandon their partner over a bit of mockery. Why was Adrian so… hateful?
Enny’s trail of thoughts was slowly drowned out by a new sound in the cave. Somewhere, far in the distance, Enny swore he could hear a child. It was crying from somewhere inside the dungeon. Enny wasn't trapped here alone anymore.
Enny started moving towards the sound while still maintaining his connection to the stone walls of the cave. The cries grew louder and louder until Enny was certain he was in the same room as the kid.
“Hello?” Enny called out to the child.
“Who’s out there?” The boy answered.
“I'm an explorer!” Enny answered. “Are you lost?”
“Yes! I wanna go home!” The boy wailed.
“Stay where you are! I’ll come to you, and we'll get out of this cave together!” Enny shouted.
Now he had a mission more important than the fetch quest he came there for. If Enny didn't make it out, this poor kid would stay trapped in the dungeon just like him.
In order to save him, though, he’d have to step away from the cave wall that had been his only way of grounding himself. His only way of knowing he wasn't going to bump into any wild pokemon. The only reason he wasn't walking in circles or running into dead ends face-first. It had kept him safe so far, but now he’d have to brave the darkness.
Enny pushed off the wall and walked towards the sound of the voice. The room was so big, and the kid’s voice echoed everywhere. He wondered how it hadn't drawn the attention of wild pokemon. He couldn't see anything in the room, so he had no idea if there was anything nearby.
Eventually, Enny reached the child. With his ribbons extended in front of him, he eventually felt the kid’s soft fur and something else. He felt the kid's fear, a deep purple color. It brightened the moment Enny made contact with him before shifting to a dull blue.
“I’m here now,” Enny said. “Follow me. I have a strategy for getting out of here.”
“Thank you, mister…” the boy choked, still tearing up.
“My name’s Enny. Do you have a name?” Enny asked.
“My mom and dad just call me Eevee like my brothers and sisters,” the boy answered.
“That's… confusing,” Enny thought. Why did pokemon just use species names to refer to each other? It was so impractical. I mean, it made enough sense if they were a unique species, but-
“You said you’re an explorer, mister Enny?” Eevee asked, derailing Enny’s thought process.
“Oh! Yes, I am!” Enny answered.
“Where's your partner?”
“Oh, uh… we got separated by a cave-in,” Enny said, only partially lying. “Don't worry though, I’ll get us out of here safely. I promise.”
“My parents won't be able to pay you. Harvest was bad this year, and we don't have money for a guild rescue…”
“Don't worry about it.” Enny assured Eevee. “Let’s just get out of this cave and forget the money. I want you back home and safe more than anything.”
Enny and Eevee reached the wall of the cave. Enny kept one ribbon wrapped around Eevee’s body and led him through the dungeon. He never realized just how small they really were. Even as a sylveon, he could probably pick the kid up with just one of his ribbons.
The two traveled through the dungeon, both holding a bit of comfort in knowing they were no longer alone. Enny started to wonder about the eevee, though. What was it doing in the middle of a mystery dungeon by itself? Where were its parents?
“Eevee, why were you in this dungeon?” Enny eventually asked.
“I'm training to be a rescue team leader!” Eevee answered proudly.
“Wow,” Enny said, somewhat impressed. “Don't you think it's dangerous to explore dungeons alone, though?”
“I didn't mean to!” Eevee exclaimed. Enny’s confusion was clear. “I need to train to become super strong, but none of my siblings like fighting. They just wanna work the farm like my parents, so I go out to the woods and fight the wild bug types! The ones in the woods are usually pretty nice, actually. Can't really speak or understand anything since they’re wild, y’know. They enjoy fighting like I do, though! None of them try to kill me. Well, except for the dustox. It flew down and attacked me earlier, and it covered me in all this dust that made me sick, so I ran into this cave to try and hide.”
“And you just got stuck in here?” Enny asked.
“Yup!”
“How come you weren't attacked by the ferals here?”
“Oh, I was!” Eevee said. “I found this weird stick, though. It made all the bad pokemon disappear.”
Enny was confused. “What do you mean? They just vanished because of a random stick?” He asked.
“Yeah! Every time I swung it, it shot out this little light, and the bad pokemon would just disappear!” Eevee explained.
“What does the stick look like?” Enny asked.
“I dunno, I can't see it! It feels bumpy, and it’s shaped like a cane, though,” Eevee described.
“I… don't know what kind it is, but it's probably a wand,” Enny said.
“Wow, is that some kind of treasure?” Eevee asked excitedly.
“Um… yeah!” Enny lied. He knew just how cheap wands were at the market, but it’d make the kid happy to think it was valuable.
Sure enough, the Eevee started to cheer. Enny felt his excitement through his ribbons, a bright, minty green color. He still wasn't sure how this ability of his worked. Him and the combusken at the guild figured out that it wasn’t anything related to aura, so Enny figured it was just some kind of extra sense like touch or smell.
Every time he used his ribbons, though, a small part of that pokemon’s emotions would bleed into Enny. Feeling the powerful excitement of Eevee was enough to make Enny smile uncontrollably. It was a sense of childlike wonder, where everything felt so much bigger and better than it actually was. It was a feeling that Enny hadn't felt since he was a kid himself. Something he didn't even know he was missing.
Despite being in the middle of a pitch-black cave, this was probably the most pleasant experience Enny had felt anywhere ever. Unfortunately, the pleasantness didn’t last very long.
Something from the darkness tackled Enny in the side. It slammed him against the cave’s wall, and Enny felt something crack. The crack was followed by a sharp pain in Enny’s side that caused all his ribbons to recoil, letting go of Eevee in the process.
Enny was dazed by the blow, and he slid down the wall. A loud ringing pierced through his head, drowning out the noise of a nearby fight. He heard dampened cries from Eevee as he was subsequently attacked by the pokemon. Enny couldn't just lay there forever. He might've been content with giving up on himself, but this kid couldn't be dragged down with him. Enny stood up, the sharp pain in his side screaming at him to go back down. He felt something leaking from whatever wound he had, but he couldn’t let it stop him.
Enny poured all of his strength into one attack, shooting out the most powerful Disarming Voice he could muster. The attack flashed towards its target, and Enny was able to see a massive, winged bug of some kind. The creature screeched loudly, indicating a solid hit. Now Enny had drawn its attention.
The retribution was swift. The creature bit deep into Enny’s shoulder. He cringed at the painful sensation of some fluid flowing from the fangs of the creature and into himself.
Enny pushed the creature off of him, but he started to get weak. He felt extremely nauseous, like he’d throw up at any minute. The feeling traveled to his head, and everything started to go numb. Was this the end? Was this how he’d die? All alone in some worthless cave, failing to save a child from a wild pokemon. That dreadful loss of hope was the last thing Enny thought of before all thoughts in his mind faded. As he felt himself drift into unconsciousness, Enny saw a bright light fill his vision before everything faded out.…
Light in the Dark
Enny saw visions of monsters. Indescribable nightmares with a thirst for blood chased him through a void. He had no body, just a formless spirit running through the shadows. The sounds of muffled screams filled the void, occasionally uttering his name. No doubt, the sounds of the monsters chasing after him. It was terrifying in every way he could imagine.
He could see something ahead of him. A bright, golden structure of some kind. It appeared to be a gateway of some kind. He had to reach it before these figures caught him.
Occasionally, one of the monsters would reach out and grab him. They left no scratches or marks, only throbbing pains that filled Enny’s whole being. It made him sick and weak, with each attack leaving him vulnerable to another. He slowed down far away from the gates. With these creatures attacking him, he’d never reach those gates in time.
Eventually, Enny’s spirit gave up. He had no strength left in him, and the creatures weren't relenting. How could he ever hope to resist them?
As the swarm consumed him, Enny felt excruciating pain. There was nothing he could do but wait for it to end. This was his fate, and he knew it. He’d never reach those gates.
The monsters consuming him started to fade, though. They dissolved into the void. The shadows surrounding him started to brighten, and Enny’s strength had suddenly returned. He rose, feeling stronger than ever. The creatures that were chasing him, trying to claim him for the darkness, were all gone.
Enny looked forward. The golden gates were still far away, but he could definitely make it. He ran as fast as he could toward them. As he stood before the gateway, his vision became clearer somehow. The black void faded, giving way to stars. The voices became clearer, repeating phrases like “Enny, get up!” and “Stay with us!”.
The gateway remained, though. As reality began to return, though, Enny noticed its gates faded with it. All that remained was the ring surrounding them. He didn't even realize it was a ring. Underneath it was a pair of fiery red eyes, piercing Enny’s soul.
“I swear to fucking god, if you black out again, I’ll just kill you and be done with all this bullshit,” a deep voice threatened.
“Adrian?” Enny muttered.
Suddenly, everything became clear to Enny. He was lying on his back in what felt like grass. Adrian stared at him from above, behind him a starry sky and a crescent moon.
“You're alive!” A high-pitched, cheery voice yelled.
Something heavy landed on Enny's stomach. He looked down to see a brown fox resting on him and wagging its tail. It was the eevee he’d saved from the dungeon. Now he could see it.
Enny unconsciously rested a ribbon on Eevee, and he could feel a warm pink emotion coming from it. He was so happy. Enny noticed there was a makeshift bandage wrapped around the upper thigh of his hindleg. It was soaked in oran berry juice. It made his fur all sticky, but it also numbed the pain.
“What happened? Where are we?” Enny asked, his voice still weak.
“We’re out of the dungeon,” Adrian said.
“It was so cool!” Eevee chimed. “You shot out this weird beam, and the dustox attacked you! I thought we were dead, but then Umbreon showed up and was all like, ‘Wham! Pow!’ and he slammed it into the wall with some kind of psychic stuff, and there was all this yellow stuff pouring out of the bug, but he just kept pounding it against the wall until it stopped moving! And then he saw you and-”
“Eevee, shut up!” Adrian interrupted the excited fox. “What were you doing in the woods at night? The last time you were out here, you nearly got killed by the exact same species of pokemon, and I had to save you. You know it's dangerous.”
“I'm trying to become an awesome rescue team leader like you, Umbreon!” Eevee explained, trying to justify himself.
Enny got really confused. “Do you two... know each other?”
Adrian sighed. “Back when I did rescue team jobs, this kid was one of my ‘clients’. He got lost in the woods at night, ran into the exact same cave, and I had to drag him back home.”
“I can't believe you didn't tell me he was your partner!” Eevee complained to Enny. “He’s the whole reason I wanna be in a rescue team! He’s my hero!”
“You won't be saying that when I bring you back to your parents and tell them you were in the woods at night again.”
Eevee’s ears drooped and he looked down at his paws. Enny picked the kid up off of him and rolled onto his legs. When he stood up, he felt like he’d fall back down, but Adrian moved in to steady him.
“So… where are we going now?” Enny asked.
“Well first we’re stopping at Eevee's house to drop him off. After that, it’s a three day trip to Capim town using the mountain trail. No mystery dungeons, but the trail can be rough at times.”
“Alright, let's go then,” Enny muttered.
“Wait, Enny?” Eevee spoke up, grabbing the sylveon’s attention.
“What’s up, Eevee?” He asked.
“Why are you wearing a skirt?”
The three walked through the forest in the night. Eevee constantly pestered Adrian with questions about his new explorer work. Enny was feeling conflicted. He was still pissed at Adrian for abandoning him in the dungeon, but he also came back and saved his life. Enny knew he had to talk about it with Adrian, but he didn't know what to even say. It was probably best to not do it in front of Eevee, though.
Just as twilight set in, they all arrived at a farm with a big rustic house sitting before a large field of berry bushes. They approached the front door, (more like an oversized doggy door with a bolt attached to the bottom). A rope hung beside the door. Before Enny could guess its purpose, Adrian grabbed it with his teeth and yanked it, ringing a bell inside the house. A few minutes later, the bolt on the door rolled back, and a tired-looking leafeon poked its head through the door and looked at the explorers.
“Oh, Umbreon! What are you doing back here?” It asked. Its voice clearly belonged to a female.
“Found your son in Landslide Cave while my partner and I were on a job,” Adrian answered.
Her leaf-shaped ears perked up as she noticed Eevee with them. “My goodness! We just posted the rescue notice on the bulletin board last night! Why don't you two come in? I’ll fix you some breakfast. It’s all I can offer as payment.”
Adrian began to decline the offer, but Enny interjected. “We would love to! It’s been a long night.”
The leafeon turned back through the door, and Eevee jumped through. Adrian glared at Enny before heading through the door himself. Enny followed after. He thought it would bump his head, but the door slid open just fine.
The inside of the house was pretty big, though the ceiling was low. A few short lamps dotted the corners of the home, and none of the rooms had any doors. There was a short flight of stairs with a vaporeon walking down them. He talked to the leafeon for a moment before welcoming the two explorers and thanking them for finding his son. He then picked up Eevee by his scruff and took him upstairs. Enny could hear the yelling all through the house.
Leafeon led Adrian and Enny into the dining room. It was one big room with a long and short table and a kitchen directly connected to it. There were no chairs, but there were a couple stools, likely made for the eevees. Adrian and Enny sat down by the table while Leafeon left to start cooking.
With just the two of them alone, Enny figured now was probably the best time to talk.
“Adrian?”
“What is it?” Adrian snapped.
Enny pressed on, regardless of his fears. He was mad at Adrian, and he didn't care if the umbreon was gonna try to fight him. He fucked up this time, and he had to know it. “You left me in that cave all alone for hours. I could’ve died at any point while you were gone. In fact, I almost did die.”
Enny paused, expecting a retort of some kind. Adrian didn't speak, however. He just kept staring at Enny, the anger slowly fading from his face. Enny wasn’t done, though, so he continued. “I had to crawl through that cave in pitch-black darkness, literally feeling my way throughout the tunnels. I was terrified for my life! I didn't think I was going to make it out alive! And you know, me and that eevee would've been killed and probably eaten by that… dustox, right?”
Adrian nodded.
“You're nodding, so you are listening to what I'm saying,” Enny asked.
Adrian nodded again.
"So, what do you have to say for yourself?”
Adrian continued to stare at Enny. Enny watched Adrian's face closely, trying to discern what he was thinking. His gaze pointed to the floor, and he struggled to say anything. When he finally spoke, his speech was very disconnected, like he wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying. “I… failed this team, Enny. I had a duty as your leader, and I failed to do it. I have nothing to say.”
Enny was surprised to hear an admission of guilt. He didn't really think it was genuine at first, so he placed one of his ribbons gently on Adrian's shoulder. Adrian didn't push it away. He seemed to be stuck in a daze. Enny immediately recognized the emotion for what it was. He had hated Adrian so much for what he did, and for a valid reason. He was so ready to rip into him, to finally put him down and level his ego. After feeling such a dark blue color, though, he could only pity him.
The leafeon finished breakfast and all the kids in the house came out to the dining room to eat. Everyone was served boiled bean sausages with a side of hashbrowns. Enny told the eevees a lot of stories about his recent adventures as an explorer while Adrian ate silently, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. When the meal was finished, the vaporeon and leafeon allowed Adrian and Enny to sleep in the guest room.
When the two woke up the following afternoon, they packed up their supplies and thanked the family for their hospitality before setting out on the mountain trail. The trip back wasn't as tense as Enny had anticipated. Adrian seemed more calm than usual. He was more willing to answer some of Enny’s questions, and they even talked about their favorite movies for a while. It turned out they did share a few things in common with each other, including a mutual love for the fantasy genre.
On the third and final day of their journey, Adrian and Enny finally saw the treehouses of Capim Town over the horizon. It was invigorating for Enny's weary body. This whole mission was supposed to be quick and easy, but somehow it turned into a near-death experience with a dustox and a hiking trip with Adrian. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Adrian now. A lot had happened in that cave, a lot of stuff that really shouldn't be forgiven. He felt like he knew the umbreon a little better though. Still, it felt like there was still something that hadn't been addressed.
During that moment where Enny had reflected on his journey thus far, he was suddenly tackled and pinned to the ground. Adrian loomed above him, his fiery glare startling the sylveon.
“There are three people in the guild who know about the bear. The delivery mon, Bellossom, and you. You tell a single person about him, and you’re dead, you get that?”
Enny nodded quickly and silently. Adrian released him from his grasp and stepped away. Enny got back on his feet and looked at him. Adrian stared out at the moon hanging above Capim Town.
“One more thing,” he said. “I’m… sorry I left you to die back there. I shouldn't have left you over something so… petty… and pathetic.”
Enny smiled, and even giggled a bit. “It's alright, little bre,” he said in a girly voice while resting a ribbon on Adrian’s back. “I’ll forgive you… but only because you saved me.”