Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Special Episode 7 - The Last Southern King

It was a typical day in the outskirts of Pyrock Village, where the trees were full and green and the forest air was thick with moisture. The wet season brought daily rains, either in the morning, noon, or night, though usually two of the three. The blanketing heat made basking in the sun or in the shade, depending on one's species, the best way to spend the afternoon.

Everyone had their favorite rock, their favorite tree, though they would share if asked nicely. The occasional sparring match for those a little more wild-blooded would also suffice.

This afternoon, under the mist of a drizzle whose water just barely missed the ground before evaporating, the floaty raindrops glistened in the rays of sunlight. Gusts of wind made for entrancing, natural, frantic patterns from the treetops toward the ground.

An Aerodactyl, still only half-grown, fell out from the treetops with a scream. On the branches, a mother Noctowl angrily beat her wings and looked as large as possible, but that wasn't enough for such an insolent trespasser.

She screeched and swooped down, pecking the young Aerodactyl's snout and bludgeoning him with her wings. He landed with a loud grunt and decided that getting up wasn't worth it, particularly since the Noctowl had flown back to tend to her hatchling.

"I said sorry," he muttered. "Dumb feral." He spat a halfhearted Rock Blast only a few feet in the air; it landed on his snout, earning an exasperated groan as he rolled over.

Enough was enough. "Spice!" he called. "I give up! You win!"

"Darn right I win!"

A Salandit poked her head out from beneath the Hoothoot's feathers.

"Thanks for the hiding spot," Spice whispered to Noctowl, handing off a small Pecha to the Hoothoot for the trouble. The Noctowl scowled and returned to the nest.

With a graceful fall, Spice landed on the Aerodactyl's back and whipped her tail against his left wing. "So, how'd I do this time, Jerry? You came close!"

"Hmph." That was all the reply she'd get.

"Fair's fair. I didn't go more than ten trees away!"

"Yeah, but you used a wild Pokémon to hide."

"But was that against the rules?" Spice crawled up to his neck, her eyes forever impish and giddy.

"Get off me!" Jerry harrumphed and bucked Spice off; she giggled and landed on her feet. "Just you wait, I'm gonna find you one of these days."

"You're ten years too early to say stuff like that," Spice taunted. Then, she looked at the sky, a brief flash of concern on her face, but then relief. "And look, you gave up a lot faster, so I'm not late to help Mom at work!"

"I didn't give up faster, I got beat up!" Jerry brought a wing to his nose and pulled back; only a little blood. "That's not fair! That's, uh, that's an assist!"

Spice giggled and scampered away.

"Hey, I'm not through with you!" Jerry marched after her, but eventually rolled his eyes and let her go. She did have to help out at work soon. Her mother worked at the potion shop, though their effectiveness ranged from tried-and-true to... dubiously experimental. Jerry remembered one of them had to be scrapped entirely because it was too similar to a weird medicine. Something about using Salazzle toxins a certain way...

Before he turned to head home as well, the odd shuffling of a trio caught his attention. The foot patterns reminded him of kingdom guards, but the speed suggested it was something urgent. They were heading right for Dad's work... Did something happen?