Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Backstory of To-Chi, the Human who turned into a Torchic.

[distantwinds]

:255: *** :kimori: *** :yomawarun:

********** PART ONE *********

Death.
Fear.
Sickness.
Its all I've ever known.
What has plagued our world…?
What could possibly be the reason for our unrelenting suffering…?

Mother says it wasn't always bad.
There was a time when there was peace.
Happiness.
These ideas are alienish.
What is happiness?
Love?
Warmth?

I might sound negative.
But what could a five year old possibly understand?
That's the thing.
I understand it all too well.

Mother says it was because of a shadow.
Who hated happiness.
Who wanted darkness and hate.
But I don't know why, anyone
Would wish for something like that.

But this was in the past.
Its why I exist alone.
Where it seems all other humans have vanished.
Died. Been murdered.
What am I to do…?

I'm cold.
I'm hungry.
I'm weak.
I'm tired.
I don't know what I can do…

He keeps coming.
The shadow.
Infiltrating my mind like an open book.
And stabbing it.
With pain that lasts for hours on end.
Until I wake up, unaware of where I am…

I keep convincing myself I'm going to live.
But I doubt there's any reason now.
I will live.
I will live.

"Hey."

Oh no… he's found me again….

"Human."

I have to escape! I won't endure any more-!

"Don't be afraid. I need you to get up." A warm arm touches mine, and very apprehensively I open my eyes.

A strange creature stands before me, eyes full of worry and pity. I look down at his hand, which is clasped around my arm. I sniff.

"Wanna escape with me?" He asks.

Escape? How?

"We need to get out of here."

How do we escape the pain?

"I need your help."

I cautiously release my other arm, gently lifting it towards his hand. It is soft, with round pads for fingertips. My eyes become teary. He attempts to comfort me, then pulls me up to my feet. He's about my height.

"I'm going across the sea, to a land where my kind live."

Your kind…?

"I need you to help me find a boat."

"Wh-what's a boat?" I stifle. My voice is hoarse from lack of usage.

"It's a big thing that can ride across water."

My ears perk. Did we really have a chance of escaping?

He awaits my answer. Finally, I take both of his hands in mine and nod.

"Yes."

He takes off. I'm practically dragged along, as he races toward the waters edge. We fly across lands of burnt ruins and dead bodies, which I squeeze my eyes shut to avoid seeing. Finally, he takes me to a large building, one of the few that remain standing. Two creature-guards stand posted outside.

"Here's where you come in." The creature said, turning to me. "I'm going to distract the guards, and run them off. You're going to go inside, where there's a boat, and unhook it from the dock. Then, get it, and take it outside towards the waters edge. I'll come back, and jump in, and then we can escape. Got it?"

I blink, uncertain. I managed to catch a few of the instructions. A few seconds later, I nod. The creature is about to step into the sunlight and reveal himself before I suddenly reach for his arm.
"Wait!" I cry. "What's your name?"

"Treecko." He replies. He then left me, alerting the guards, who shouted large roars and gave chase after him. I crouched in the corner, afraid.

What if they catch me?!

I then recall Treecko's instructions. I cautiously turn around, peering towards the boathouse opening. After a few seconds, I dash towards it, swinging open the doors and stepping inside. With a loud THUMP, they shut behind me.

I see a strange vehicle placed in the water next to the dock. It was like a large board with a wall coming up from the sides. Assuming this was the boat, I step inside and shriek as it begins to sway. When it subsides, I release my arms from over my head and look around, attempting to find something that kept the boat from traveling out. A rope, bound around the boats edge and the dock, is finally spotted, and I reach for it, untying it. It takes me at least a minute, because the knot is complicated and complex. Just then, I hear screaming.

"IM HERE!"

It's Treecko's voice, followed by the irritated shouts of the guards. I panic, looking for a way to get the boat out to where Treecko directed me. I look towards the back, rear a large bulging thing stuck out. An annoying red crank is placed on its side, and instinctively I grab it, rotating it several times. The boat roars to life, creeping out of the boathouse and into open air. I see Treecko, panting, running towards the waters edge, the guards hot on his trail. I turn the boat, placing my hand into the water to do so, towards him and rush forward. He leaps, landing with a THUD in the boat, and the guards come skidding to a halt on the edge. They glare at eachother, then follow Treecko's actions and leap. Both of us screaming, I send the boat soaring forward so that their bodies just missed the boat.

"Let's get out of here!!" Treecko screeched, wrenching my hand off of the crank and twisting it forward. We zoomed away, into the open sea, and away from the land I'd always feared.

The large body of water was very peaceful, seldom did waves crash onto the boat. We started drifting out into open sea, towards the other direction, until my home was merely a burning blade of grass in a field of flowers. We don't speak.

"Where are we going?" I ask suddenly.

"Like I said before. We're going to a land where creatures like me exist."

"What exactly are you?" I ask, intriguing.

"I don't know what I am, actually. Just that I'm a creature that's in opposition to the humans, one that's supposed to despise you and resent you. But I never wanted that."

"Why wouldn't you? If it's the only thing you were ever brought up with."

"Because!" Treecko interjects. I gasp. He relaxes. "Because there's no reason to be mean to you. The world was once a place where things like me and you could live together in, but once the shadow came in, its been nothing but disaster." I sigh.

"So is it all his fault?" Treecko nods.

"He assumed that humans were no good traitors, that used creatures as slaves rather than friends. But I don't believe him. I think he's too ignorant. So he started to send the world into ruin, killing all the humans and any creatures who got in his way."

My face becomes saddened. "That's terrible." I mutter. He turns away, to look back at the oncoming sea.

"Isn't this selfish of us then?" I ask. He doesn't move. "We're leaving behind that world, not bothering to even try and stop the shadow."

Treecko stiffens. "You know the shadows power. Its really strong. We don't have much of a chance at beating him at our power level. So that's why I'm going off to this world to train."

"What about me?"

"You can train with me, if you like." I hesitate, and there's a moment of silence. Finally, I nod in agreement. Treecko smiles.

"Then its settled then. We'll be the saviors of the world."

 

[distantwinds]

Re: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Backstory of To-Chi, the Human who turned into a Torchic

********** PART TWO **********

The waves seem to stretch on endlessly, but rarely do they seem to rupture the smooth travel of the boat. I barely speak with treecko, but there's no need for words. We have easy decided our destiny. Saving the world. Sure it seems like an impossible feat, but I'm sure If we set our mind to it we can accomplish it in the next couple of years. Until then, if we even survive when we arrive in the new world, it's going to be cold hard training.‏
Suddenly, something stirs, like a rumbling noise. I turn to treecko, whose eyes are wide. "I'm so hungry..." he mutters rubbing his stomach smoothly. I giggle.
"But what are we going to eat?" I ask in return. He shutters.
"I... I don't know...?" He replies, heaving himself to the edge of the boat and hanging over the edge, retching onto the murky water face. I frown.
"Are we going to even survive?" I question. Another round of vomit and no response. After his sickness is satisfied, he seems weak, hanging limp over the edge. I crouch, cradling my knees in sadness.
"Hey," Treecko abruptly says. My head perks up. "Do you see that...?" I rush over to where hangs, staring over the edge correspondingly. Looking deeply, I spot wisps of silver and bright red.
"Yeah...!" I respond. He smirks.
"Food!" He exclaims, leaping back into the boats base, rocking it. "We need something to lure them." He says, searching the boat rapidly. He then spotted the rope used to tie the boat to the dock, grabbing it and tying one end."Do you have anything shiny?" he asked impatiently. I patted my body, searching for an item that could be of any use to treecko.
"Here," I suggested, handing him my hair clip I'd received when I was firstborn. He yanked it from my fingertips, wrapping the rope around its tip. holding the other end between his lips, he hurled the rope across the murky water.
"Now," Treecko began. "We wait."
*
It feels as if an hour passes before we feel a slight tug on the rope. Treecko, anxious, reels the thick rope in with a roar and a bright red creature flops into our boat. It's rather minute, but it was food, and that's all that mattered.
Treecko immediately took the pin out of the creature's mouth, holding its flailing tail down, and stabbed it. I gasped. I hated death. Any form of it disgusted me.
The creature falls limp, and I think I see Treecko frothing from the mouth. I hesitate, but he immediately reaches his odd paws down and rips a chunk of flesh from the fresh kill, shoving it in his mouth.
"Tastes great!" he says, after swallowing. I grimace.
"But…" I protest. It had seemed so tempting swimming through the water.
"Do you want food or not?" He replies sternly, looking up at me. His face is plastered with scales from the red creature.
I sighed, reaching down to break off a piece of the flesh. It feels slimy. Reaching it towards my mouth, I make out the rotting scent emanating from it. I feel appalled, but then I imagine the overwhelming hunger in my stomach. Slowly, I place the tip in my mouth, and the flesh reaches my teeth. I take a bite.
It's disgusting.
But it's satisfying.
*
"When do you think we're going to get there?" I ask, ripping the last meat from the creatures bone and chewing. Treecko swallows.
"I'm not sure. It could be days, hours, even weeks." I flinch.
"Weeks?!" I exclaim. He nods grimly. I dump my face in my hands.
"We're not going to make it that long," I mumble. "I know it. We're going to die."
"We're going to make it." Treecko says abruptly. I look up to his elbow on his knee, and his face rather close to mine. His eyes gleam with determination. Who am I to question this creature…?
"How can you tell?" I ask, against my will. He takes a heavy breath, but his eyes stay locked on mine.
"I just… know." He says, pulling back. He turns to the side, clasping his muzzle. I cock my head.
"Tell me." I begin. He's still. "Tell me how you're so sure."
"There's a reason." He began, after a long pause. "There's a reason I chose you."
"You said you chose me because you needed help. You would have taken any-"
"I can't tell you now." He says, interrupting me. "I'm still… unsure."
I blink. Treecko isn't making any sense.
Silence.
"Give me some time." He finally says, turning toward the front of the boat, pathetically rubbing his stomach and retching into the water.
"Okay." I reply. "Okay…"
*
A day passes. I'm parched beyond all measure. Treecko seems oddly wiped out as well. "We're not going to make it." I repeat. It's just like before: I'm not going to survive. So I might as well die. The pin could come in handy after all…
"To-chi." He interjects. His voice is hoarse.
"Y-yes?" I stagger.
"I know this is sudden… but I want to know about you." It is sudden.
"What do you want to know?" I ask.
"Just tell me." He says, cradling his head in his hands and thrusting his elbows on his legs.
"I don't like to talk about my past." I say. Treecko frowns.
"It can't be any worse than mine." He retorts. I gulp.
"You first."
"Fine then." He wipes the sweat from the beating sun off of his brow, sitting up and crossing his legs.
"I was born 7 years ago, on a plantation. It was like, a creature plantation, where the shadow bred us for the sole purpose of killing humans. It's all I can remember. But my birth was supposedly… accidental. They removed me from my mother as soon as I was born. They told me, if I recall exactly, that I wasn't to exist, that I was a disgrace. So for punishment for my sin against them, I did double the work of the other creatures. I believed them for a while. Until I realized one night, contemplating in bed, that I was capable of so much more." Treecko intertwines his fingers.
"So I set a goal for myself. I was going to get my daily labor done early, and secretly learn about the outside world from other slaves who had been taken captive once the shadow entered. They told me about the other world, and travel by boat. So I figure I'd set out to find a way to escape.
"It wasn't easy. It required the help of a lot of my creature friends, who felt the same way about humans. They felt no desire to kill them. So one night, yesterday night, when the guards were asleep, I escaped. After working for a couple of weeks at wearing down my cell bars with my attacks, I was finally able to pry them open and run free. My friends also told me about something else… but its, pretty much irrelevant." He turns his head to the side, considering his words carefully.
"So then I… found you. And you know the rest from then."
I'm silent.
"You're past… it seems horrid. What type of work did you have to do? And how are you so well educated in human speech anyways?"
Treecko sniffs. "We used our attacks against thousands of humans a day. I could be considered a killer. Some of us also tended to the shadows requests, and some harvested berries in the field for the shadow to eat."
"That's terrible! Pure labor! But you still didn't tell me why you speak so fluent in human speech." Treecko's eyes shut, as he digs his head into the crevice of his legs.
"I uh… learned it from my friends. They used to work with humans so they could uh, communicate them."
I could tell Treecko wasn't being entirely truthful about his past. He was attempting to conceal something, but I couldn't figure out how to pry the information from him.
"You're turn." I blinked back into reality. "You're turn." Treecko repeated, his face in a wide grin.

 

[distantwinds]

Re: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Backstory of To-Chi, the Human who turned into a Torchic

********** PART THREE **********

The only sound is the whipping wind as the boat soars over the sea. His gaze is set intently on me, and I feel the sweat condensing on my forehead. His eyes cease to blink.
"Well," I begin, staggering. "I was born five years ago, in a little house, with my mother. She kept me for about 4 years, protecting me from the dangers of the shadow's minions. We were constantly on the move, living in secrecy from all outside life. She thought it best to keep me like this. So, I hadn't had much friends."
"What did you do?" Treecko suddenly questions.
"What?"
"I mean, how did you keep yourself occupied?"
"There were plenty of things. We had to scavenge for food, make our own houses, build fires, clothes of course. And… rebuild…"
To-chi.
I hear the faint echo pry into my mind. The familiar voice…
"Rebuild?"
You cannot run…
"Hey To-chi. You look pretty pale. Are you all right?"
I'll always find you…
"To-chi?"
Its time for… work.
"To-chi… what's happening to your eyes?!"
Do not deny your master…
My… master?
I feel the shaking of my apparent limp body, as Treecko attempts to bring me back to reality.
But he's already here.
The black shadow, reaching into my mind, prying it open like thin wire, blanketing my consciousness, blocking out other senses, taking his figure and striking my mind…
Pain.
*
Woosh.
…?
WooOOOshh.
Wha…
SHHHHhhhh.
Where am I?
Crack crack.
"Uhhh…" I manage to grumble. I wearily open my eyes, seeing a patch of dim yellow sand. I attempt to move my body, but once I try and raise my arm I feel searing pain rush through my body. I howl in pain. Looking at my surroundings, I'm laid back first on the ground next to a log, wrapped in a blanket of what seems to be various assorted leaves.
"Up?" I hear the faint murmur of a voice, and I flinch. Is that…?
"Treecko…?" I respond, unenthusiastically. I twist my head toward the direction of his voice, to see the shady character of Treecko sitting on a log, poking at a hearty fire with a dank stick. The hum of the sea and the swift rustle of bushes ring in my ear.
"We made it…" I whisper.
"Yeah." is his soft response.
I look closely at Treecko, whose fur is plastered with red splotches. His skin has broken in several places.
"You're hurt. What happened?"
"I'm too tired to talk." He admits. "Don't question me right now." I acknowledge that he's obviously I pain, so I sigh and drift back into darkness.

When I wake, the sun burns hot on my pale skin. The daylight has brought new sounds, in the activity of the area. I move my arm, and I no longer feel any real pain, just an irritating sore. I can bear it. I manage to stand up finally, feeling renewed from sleep, and scan the area for signs of Treecko. All that remains are traces of sea scent, most likely from the creature we consumed the day before.
"Treecko!" I yell, attempting to locate the odd creature. No response.
I sit back on the log, next to the extinguished fire, and wait patiently for his return. I don't give much thought as to where he's going, as long as he returns safe.
At least an hour passes. I contemplate on the possibilities of why he was so cut up once I woke from my trance, or by what stroke of luck we even arrived to the new world. There were so many questions I wanted to ask Treecko…
Another hour. I'm tired of waiting.
Gathering as much energy as I can manage, I stand up, heading towards the internal forest of the new world. The possibilities are endless of what dangers lie ahead, and what I seem to be doing is walking right into the domain of the beast.
Before leaving, I take a charred driftwood stick from the fire and a stone treecko must have used to light it the night before. Carrying it close, I sneak into the forest, approaching what could be certain doom.
I just hope Treecko is alright.

 

[distantwinds]

Re: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Backstory of To-Chi, the Human who turned into a Torchic

********** PART FOUR **********

The weather is humid. And the heat is agonizing. I've only been walking thirty minutes and I already feel as if I've slipped into Hell...
So far, there are no traces of Treecko. I'm beginning to become worried, wondering whether he's even alive anymore, if he had been kidnapped, or because of his skin damages.
I couldn't recall why he was in so much pain in the first place. I tended to have memory lapses, especially in the old world.
Could it have been the hurt that master wanted...?
My master... that's what he said... he summoned me before I blacked out... for work.
To bring pain.
* * *
Damn. Damn damn DAMN.
What have I gotten myself into?!
A frigid wind rushes through the cave abrubtly, piercing my bare skin. I wince as it reaches the open cuts from the fiasco the day before.
To-chi's probably worried... by now she's probably even left camp to come search for me.
I just know she's going to get herself killed.
"Hey." I flinch, hearing a soft voice echo in the cave. Looking to each side, I see no sign of other existence. Then again, it is pitch black, I wouldn't be surprised.
"What...?" I muttuer, clutching my arms and stuffing my palms in the nook of my elbow.
"What are you here for?"
Still no appearance of the stranger.
"Those hostile beasts threw me in here."
"For what reason?"
"They said I was a trespasser who was trying to make claims on their territory. All I was doing is looking for food."
"Hmm. They're strict."
"Who are you?" I interject, squinching my eyes shut.
"Another prisoner. There are walls, I'm on the other side."
"Hmm. I'm Treecko. You?"
"Duskull."
"Nice to meet you... somewhat. So I guess you're a creature like me too?"
"Ditto. And what do you mean by creatures?"
"That's what we are, right?"
"If I recall correctly, you being a Treecko, we're Pokemon."
"Pokemon? What a ridiculous name."
"It catches on."
Duskull and I converse quietly for what seems like the longest time. He's certainly a distraction, but the pang of the loss of To-chi still prods my mind. What's interesting, however, are his stories on the world of the Pokemon, and how it was supposedly a haven for all those who lived there. To-chi, in this sense, would be in danger if any Pokemon found her. Duskull also tells of how the world is being sent into chaos by something similar to the rupture of time, and that it was somehow related to the collapse of an extremely significant tower.
"So temporal tower is collapsing? That's the reason for all this, well, unreason?"
"Pretty much. And I presume it'd be the same reason as in the other human world across the sea as well, because the shadow wanted to extend his territory. And the Pokemon here just kind of went crazy due to the upset of time."
"That sounds horrid."
"It is. Its what its been like my entire life. If this keeps up, the whole world is going to fall into ruin, just like you're home world."
I take his words into consideration. Obviously its an enormous amount of information to take in, but I wonder how much of it is truth. He does however, seem like the only sane Pokemon i've met ever since arriving in the new world.
"You know quite a bit."
"I'm taking it into investigation. The only reason I got stuck here is because of those damned beasts outside. Nidokings can be so unreasonable."
As he trails off, the cave turns silent, as we both consider eachothers words. I suddenly feel a long to see him, to speak face to face, and experience his speech that has such an impact on me. A moan suddenly erupts from my stomach, clearing exclaiming to itself its long for nourishment.
"How long have you been here?" I ask. A pause.
"A couple of hours, at least. Nothing too harsh."
"Is anyone else here?"
"There was, but they summoned him about an hour before you arrived. I had no idea of what might have been in store for him though, he was screaming a blood-curtling scream and I could hear him raking his claws against the cave walls. If I do recall, his name was something along the lines of Meowth."
I shiver. Was punishment really this severe? How often could creatures have gone onto the territory, only to be snatched up by the beasts and scorned, hurled into this cave whos echoes drown out all sense of sanity...?
"We're going to have to escape. We can't ignore that."
"But how? These walls are seperated by different entrances, and there's practically no place to hide once a guard comes to fetch us."
"That's where your wrong."
I look up, and in the growing darkness, notice a large, dry wall leading up to a minute opening where the voices could travel through. It leads strait towards the entrance, and its high enough to avoid detection upon entering the cave. But its a good distance high."
"Duskull. I have a plan."
* * *
At least an hour passes, and still no signs of any life. Treecko must have scavenged deep, or been taken a ways a way...
The suns rays beam, striking my skin and burning it harshly. I feel perspiration collect in my axilla, and on the brow of my face. Wiping it away pathetically, I am reminded of my drastic need for water. The moistness of the creature we found earlier would only subdue me for so long.
Suddenly, I hear the rustle of bushes, followed by loud woops somewhere in the distance. I tense, crouching behind a tree, and preparing to flee. The woops are followed by a trampling of feet, approaching, the chorus of stomps rising to an intense forticemo. On impulse, I turn, running the other direction as fast as my feet will carry me, too parched to even wail. But the stomping doesn't die. I run faster. My legs feel as if they're about to collapse under me. Very cautiously, not dropping my pace for a second, I turn my head round, trying to get a clear look at my pursuers.
Not far behind come a herd of enormous purple beasts, who's faces are stern, roaring. My head whips back around, and I run faster, attempting to push away the oncoming plant life that swerves into view, extending from the abnormal trees, which seem to be hurtling themselves at me rather than assist me in my attempt to avoid pursuit.
Just then, I hear something whistle through the air, growing louder, though only a minor distraction. But it seems to be more than that, as something incredibly sharp pierces my back. Suddenly, my breath is sucked out of me, as I collapse to the ground, my face skidding on the hard surface and breaking skin. The world becomes dizzy, and the last I see are the hazy images of the purple beasts, closing in on me, until darkness wraps itself around all reason...