Chapter 20: The Tricksters Domain

  Auri leaned against the low wooden palisade that marked the edges of the village, watching the sun drop behind the crater walls. Yuki stood a few paces away, shifting her weight from one foot to the other in restless anticipation, the blue-and-silver scarf at her neck swaying with each impatient bounce. They had both taken the day to prepare themselves and were now only waiting for Miu.

  "She’s late," Yuki muttered, glancing down the empty path toward the village center. "If she told us to meet here, the least she could do is be punctual!"

  Sia, leaning casually against a boulder, cut in with a scoff. "If she’s late, she’s planning something nefarious. Miu doesn’t do 'late' by accident."

  Auri gave her a sidelong look. "That's supposed to make us feel better?"

  "Not even a little," Sia replied easily, her hands tucked behind her back. "But at least you know she hasn’t forgotten you, though I wish she had. And she's probably scheming something to spice our Dungeon-Expedition up even more."

  Before Auri or Yuki could answer, a faint shimmer of light rippled in the air just beyond the palisade. It swirled once, then condensed into the unmistakable shape of Miu, floating upside down with her tail curled in a loose spiral.

  "Hellooo, my favorite volunteers!" she sang out, spinning upright in midair. "Sorry I’m late! I was… distracted with something!"

  Sia’s brow rose. "You mean scheming how you can get whatever you plan to do done."

  Miu pressed a paw to her chest in mock offense. "Scheming? Me? I would never!" Her grin betrayed every word. "Now, are we all ready? I’m feeling adventurous today!"

  Without waiting for an answer, she tapped her paws together. A soft pulse of psychic-type energy burst outward, enveloping the group in a shimmering sphere. The world warped in on itself, colors blending into a whirl of motionless speed, and then they were standing at the foot of a yawning stone archway, feeling the pressure of a Dungeon's type energy all around them.

  Yuki stumbled once, feathers puffing. "Ugh, you could warn us next time before just teleporting us!"

  "Consider it part of the adventure!" Miu beamed, floating backward toward the arch. "And here it is, our Dungeon for today! Light-tier, scenic route, plenty of nice open spaces and almost no chance of something eating you! Also a simple mix of grass-type and flying-type energy! I picked it myself!”

  Sia’s eyes narrowed as she stepped forward, gaze sweeping the entrance. "Harmless, maybe. But not stable. Especially not what lies beyond this one."

  Miu tilted her head innocently. "Oh?"

  "Right now you're not in Vian's territory anymore, but in Miu's. Here the Dungeons are absolutely unpredictable thanks to a certain someone," Sia continued, glancing back at Auri and Yuki. "Layout changes more than most, and sometimes for no reason at all. Doesn’t usually make it dangerous, but it can… separate you. Shift you into the wrong place at the wrong time. And thanks to Miu's very lax Dungeon cleaning, the Dungeons sometimes even merge and grow into each other."

  Auri’s ears twitched at that. "So, stay close and be careful the entire way."

  "Stay close," Sia agreed, her voice just a touch more serious than usual.

  "Oh, pffft, you’ll be fine!" Miu said, dismissing the tension with a little wave. "I wouldn’t send you somewhere that could actually hurt you, which is not much anyways with Sia and me around! What kind of host do you think I am?"

  Sia muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, "The worst kind."

  Miu either didn’t hear or didn’t care. She floated toward the threshold, tail swaying. "Well? Are we going in, or not?"

  Auri exchanged a glance with Yuki. "Let’s go," he said, stepping forward. And with that, the four of them crossed into the Dungeon’s light. The shift, as always, was immediate.

  One step past the shimmering threshold and the air grew softer, richer, as though the whole Dungeon was holding its breath in a slow, endless exhale. Sunlight streamed down through a canopy of leaves that looked almost painted, their green so vivid it bordered on unreal. Patches of wildflowers carpeted the ground in irregular bursts, their colors glowing faintly with the hum of grass-type energy. It didn’t feel like the warped, claustrophobic space Auri remembered from harsher Dungeons. This one… almost looked like it could have been part of the crater itself, just more alive.

  Auri slowed to take it in, senses brushing over the Dungeon energy in the air. The mix was strange, grass-type energy dominant, yes, but with something lighter, sharper at the edges. Air currents tugged faintly at his fur, circling lazily, too purposeful to be natural wind. flying-type energy?

  Yuki stepped past him, beak parting in a wide grin. "Now this is my kind of Dungeon! Look at this place! It’s like a picnic spot that just so happens to have walls that move!"

  Sia sighed faintly. "Don’t let the flowers fool you. As I said, this can turn on you faster than you think."

  Miu, who was drifting a few paces ahead, spun lazily midair. "Oh, don’t listen to our princess here too much. She’s allergic to fun! This Dungeon’s about as dangerous as a sleepy Bidoof!" She leaned closer to Auri with an exaggerated stage-whisper: "And I would know, I’ve met some very sleepy Bidoof!"

  "I'm not going to believe a single word you're saying," Auri replied flatly.

  "Obviously!" Miu replied, flashing a grin before rolling forward in midair and continuing down the narrow, moss-lined path.

  The first clearing came quickly. A ring of tall ferns opened onto a wide patch of grass with a small stream trickling across one side. A few Sunkern popped their heads up from the flowers, blinking at the newcomers before shuffling away without a fuss. A level of hostility so low it almost didn’t register.

  "Well," Yuki said, planting her feet. "If all the 'enemies' in here are going to just politely leave, this is going to be the easiest exploration ever."

  "You say that," Sia said, "but watch. Things will definitely not remain that way."

  They pressed on, the trail meandering between glades and sunlit stretches of path. The canopy broke often, letting light spill down in columns that glittered faintly with drifting motes of type energy. It was almost too perfect, the way each opening framed a view of some idyllic scene. A berry tree heavy with fruit, a patch of soft moss under a bend of branches, a cluster of harmless Caterpie basking on a log.

  Auri fought the urge to relax entirely. It was beautiful, yes, but beauty in a Dungeon was rarely without purpose. He kept his ears rotating, listening for the faint ripples of movement beyond what they could see.

  Their first real encounter came without drama, a pair of Hoppip, drifting lazily on an updraft, floated too close to Yuki’s head. She flinched back as one brushed against her, and in an instant she was chasing them with a burst of playful fire, sending the pair twirling away with startled squeaks.

  "Totally harmless!" Yuki reported, trotting back with a smirk.

  "That’s because you hit them before they had the chance to be otherwise," Sia said, deadpan.

  Auri shook his head, amused despite himself. "Try not to start fights we don’t need."

  "What? That wasn’t a fight!" Yuki said innocently. "That was… encouragement. For them to mind my personal space."

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  Miu laughed. "I like her style!"

  They moved deeper. The pattern of peaceful clearings and docile encounters repeated, almost too consistently. Auri noticed it first, the way each path seemed to loop back toward the same kind of scene, like the Dungeon was quietly steering them in a particular rhythm. He kept it to himself for now, only marking it in his mind.

  Another patch of undergrowth rustled ahead. This time, a Sentret hopped out onto the trail, tail curled high as it chattered at them. It made no move to attack, only blocking their way with an oddly purposeful stance.

  "I think it wants us to go around," Yuki said, tilting her head.

  "That’s not really how Dungeon Pokemon behave," Auri replied.

  Miu floated over the Sentret without hesitation, her tail brushing the tips of the grass. "Then we’ll just not behave how they expect, either." The Sentret squawked once but made no move to follow.

  Auri and Yuki exchanged a glance before stepping past. Sia lingered for a moment, watching the Pokemon vanish back into the brush, her expression unreadable. The easy pace continued, their path winding toward what looked like the start of a small hill. Yuki fell into step beside Auri, bumping her wing lightly against his side. "So, bets on how long before you get separated from everyone again?"

  "Not happening," Auri said firmly.

  "Oh, come on! After how easily you slipped away from the guards I wouldn't be surprised if you somehow managed to slip away from Miu and Sia as well! Though this Dungeon really doesn't look like it could be dangerous to you."

  "That was different," he said. "This time, I’m watching for it. It won't happen again."

  Yuki grinned. "Guess we’ll see!"

  The teasing tone kept things light, and for a while it really did feel almost like a casual hike. They stopped once to drink from a narrow brook, the water cool and faintly sweet with the tang of grass-type energy. Miu hummed to herself as she floated above the ripples, pretending to 'direct' the flow with little paw gestures. Sia crouched at the edge, letting the tips of her fingers skim the current, her gaze distant.

  They pressed on again, but the idyllic rhythm was starting to fray at the edges. Auri noticed the breeze shifting more often now, coming from odd directions that didn’t match the terrain. The path underfoot would feel solid one moment and strangely springy the next. Once, the same berry tree they had passed earlier seemed to appear again in front of them, identical down to the way one branch bent low over the trail.

  He slowed slightly, scanning the tree. "We’ve been here before."

  "Nope!" Miu said, cheerfully unbothered. "You’ve been somewhere like here! Dungeons love reusing their best material!"

  "That’s one way to put it," Sia muttered.

  Yuki glanced between them. "You two are making it sound like we’re walking in circles."

  "We might be," Auri said. "But it’s too even. If it’s random, it’s… precise about it."

  "Which," Sia said lightly, "is exactly why I told you not to trust it. This Dungeon just loves looking completely harmless to the outside. This Dungeon itself isn't dangerous. But it's one of the Dungeons I warned you about because they-"

  Miu waved the concern away. "Doesn't matter, just don't overthink it, theres nothing to worry about! Just enjoy the scenery for a bit! Honestly, you’re all so serious! We’re in a lovely Dungeon, nobody’s been eaten, and the worst we’ve faced is a mildly judgmental Sentret! Live a little!"

  "Your definition of 'lovely' worries me," Auri said, but his tone was more resigned than tense. Nonetheless, he noted how Miu clearly just tried to stop Sia from finishing her sentence. But seeing how Sia didn't look worried at all right now, he probably shouldn't either.

  They kept walking, the light dappling their path shifting subtly, shadows stretching in ways that didn’t match the sun overhead. The change was small enough to ignore for now, but even Yuki’s feathers were ruffling more often, her eyes darting toward movement that faded as soon as she looked straight at it.

  Still, no attacks came. No sudden pitfalls, no rushing swarms of hostile Dungeon Pokemon. Just an endless string of peaceful, slightly-too-perfect scenes. Auri’s unease coiled tighter with each step. The Dungeon was letting them walk. And in his experience, when a Dungeon let you walk… it meant it was trying to lead you somewhere. Just like Sia had done with him in the Windshear Hollow Dungeon.

  The trail wound upward, the trees thinning into more open, sunlit stretches. The grass here swayed gently in a wind that didn’t seem to touch the leaves above, carrying with it the faint hum of grass-type energy, but by now flying-type energy was clearly dominating the surroundings.

  Auri’s ears twitched at the change. He slowed his pace, scanning the way ahead. The light at the end of the slope was different somehow, not the warm golden glow they’d been walking under since entering this place. Sia noticed too. She moved up beside him without a word, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the pale shimmer beyond the last set of trees.

  Miu, floating a few paces ahead, turned lazily in midair. "You’re both walking like you’re about to step on a trap! Relax, we’re nearly at the good part!"

  "What’s the good part?" Yuki asked, hopping forward to peer past the slope.

  "The part where this Dungeon gets… interesting!" Miu replied with a grin. "Trust me, you’ll love it."

  Sia’s voice cut through, low and sharp. "That’s not this Dungeon’s type energy anymore."

  Miu tilted her head innocently. "You noticed! Bonus points to the princess herself!"

  Auri glanced between them. "What are you talking about?"

  Sia’s gaze didn’t leave the shimmer ahead. "This is an entry point. Remember how I said some Dungeons in Miu's territory merge into each other? In most cases it's an accident, but here it's deliberate. That’s not a path forward, it’s a path out, into another Dungeon entirely. And not one you want to wander into without a plan. Both Dungeon use flying-type energy, but their type energy is slightly differently flavored."

  Yuki frowned. "So… what’s on the other side?"

  "Oh, the Dungeon connecting to this one is called 'Clawed Design' and definitely quite interesting, as Miu has put it," Sia said flatly. "It's a Dungeon utilising poison-type, flying-type, rock-type and dark-type energy. One that is so strong it sees most Pokemon that aren't Mythicals struggling. Going in there would be dangerous, so we won't. You've already fulfilled your part of the deal. So there's no obligation for you to move in there."

  Miu giggled. "Oh, you make it sound so scary! Don’t worry, this little stroll’s been the warm-up! I’d never toss you into something truly awful!" She gave a little twirl midair, her tail looping lazily. "Actually, you know what? Let’s just leave the Dungeon here. I can teleport us back, no harm done!"

  "That’s… suspiciously reasonable," Auri said. eyes narrowing. That couldn't have been all.

  "See?" Miu beamed. "I can be reasonable!" Her eyes sparkled with that same mischief that had followed her since the day they’d met. "Alright, gather close, everyone! One big happy group!"

  They stepped toward her, the shimmer of her psychic power already curling into the air. Sia lingered a half step back, her eyes narrowing further.

  "Miu," she said, a warning in her tone.

  The pink light flared and the world folded. It wasn’t the smooth, quick flicker of normal teleportation. This was a lurch, a sudden wrench in the air that set Auri’s fur on end and made Yuki stumble with a startled squawk. The colors bent wrong for an instant, light and shadow pulling in ways that made no sense, and then they were standing somewhere else entirely.

  The change hit like a blow. The air was heavy, damp with a clinging mist that reeked faintly of stone and stagnant water. The ground underfoot was dark, slick rock veined with jagged crystal that pulsed faintly with an eerie light. The canopy was gone, in its place, high cavern walls stretched upward, vanishing into shadow.

  And the type energy. The pressure itself was enough to push Auri down to the ground and Yuki didn't fare much better. The poison-type, flying-type, rock-type and dark-type energies were so opressive, even just standing and moving was hard.

  Miu floated ahead, grinning like she’d just pulled off the best joke in the world. "Surprise! Also, I wish you all a warm welcome in 'Clawed Design' I hope you'll enjoy your stay!"

  Sia stood, unaffected by the opressive type energies all around them. Her voice was like ice. "Miu, you-!"

  The rest was drowned out by the sound. It started as a low rustle, the scrape of claws on stone. Then another, from the opposite side. And another. The light from the crystals flickered, and shapes began to emerge from the mist, dozens of them, eyes glinting in the dim.

  Yuki’s feathers flared. "Uh… I think we’ve got company."

  "This," Sia said, already stepping forward, voice cold as ice, "is a Monster Room."

  Auri’s gaze swept the perimeter, an unbroken wall of movement, the shapes closing in, the air thick with the smell of too many Pokémon in one space. Shadows slinked along the edges. Sableye, their gem-eyes glinting, slipping between larger, heavier shapes, Graveler and Geodude ready to crush us, Mightyena already growling at the sight of us, Ariados crawling up the cavern walls and many more. The sound of them was a constant, shifting hiss and growl, coming from every direction at once.

  Miu twirled in midair, unbothered. "See? It's not that bad! Just a few new friends to make! You got this princess, I hope you all have fun!" With these words, Miu teleported away, leaving Auri, Yuki and Sia to fend for themselves.

  Sia didn’t even react to Miu's sudden disapearence, clearly having it expected already. "Auri, Yuki," she said, glancing at both of them, "stay close. Move when I move. Do not try to attack, this is way out of your league. Just focus on defending and not being hit by stray attacks."

  Auri felt his pulse quicken, the weight of the room pressing in. "We’re fighting?"

  "Not all of them," Sia said. "We’d never outlast the entire Dungeon. No, we’re breaking through!"

  The first Sableye lunged, claws outstretched and Sia moved. It was fast, too fast, her shadow spilled forward and solidified into a [Shadow Sneak], catching the attack mid-swipe, twisting it aside. She pivoted low, her own small frame moving with precision that made the larger Graveler hesitate before a [Sucker Punch] crushed into it. Type energy began to slowly but surely build up around Sia, increasing the pressure in the room further.

  "Now!" she barked.

  Auri and Yuki darted in behind her, keeping pace as she cut a path through the press of hostile Dunegon Pokemon around them. The ground underfoot was slick, treacherous, the air full of snarls and the snap of jaws too close for comfort. Every step was a dodge, a weave, the press of bodies on either side as Sia’s [Shadow Sneak] lashed out to knock an Ariados from the wall, clearing just enough space to keep moving.

  "Do you know what's the funny thing about Monster Rooms in Dungeon is?" Sia muttered more to herself than to them while blocking another attack. "They don't stop spawning Dungeon Pokemon until you're either gone, or until the Dungeon runs out of type energy, which will not happen soon!"

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 14

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 66

  Attack: 44

  Ranged Attack: 39

  Defense: 45

  Speed: 51

  Total: 245 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Brick Break], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift], [Thunder Bolt]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 15

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 69

  Attack: 37

  Ranged Attack: 40

  Defense: 44

  Speed: 35

  Total: 225 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]

  ??? (Sia) - Level ???

  Ability: ???

  Battle Nature: Quirky

  Mew (Miu) - Level ???

  Ability: Synchronize

  Battle Nature: Naughty