When Azumarill woke up, the first thing he heard was Dante's voice.
"I've already fed him a Reviver Seed. He'll come around any minute now."
"That was amazing, Mr. Dante! You were so fast I didn't even see how you appeared behind Mr. Azumarill!"
"Hahaha, it's just an application of a move I learned, not something worth mentioning. Oh, you're finally awake."
Opening his eyes, Azumarill noticed that the pain behind the back of his head was already beginning to subside and the energy in his body slowly returned.
From Dante's observation, similar to how he and Pikachu can gain stats from drinking Spinda's drinks, the items on other Pokemon does not take effect as fast and convenient, and may even have a different effect altogether than when the two of them used it.
Much like the Reviver Seed, when Dante fainted from Azumarill's attack, it instantly activated and restored all his health and energy. Meanwhile, Azumarill had to wait a while before the Reviver Seed became fully effective.
"I lost. I wasn't even able to notice how you attacked me, Dante…You guys really became so much stronger just after not seeing each other for a while."
Azumarill had a complicated expression on his face when speaking about this. He thought Azurill was just exaggerating when he talked about how powerful Dante and Pikachu have become, it turns out, he was telling the truth all along!
"Hahaha, don't be sad. After joining the team, you'll definitely reach the same level as us in no time!"
"Really? Is the outside world really that magical?"
"It's not because of the outside world! It's because Dante is a Pokemon Trainer!"
"A Pokemon…Trainer?"
"Yup, it's some kind of profession where they can train Pokemon to become stronger quickly!"
"Let's save the talking for later you two. Azumarill, we'll get out of the dungeon after completing the task we accepted from the guild first. Is that alright with you?"
Dante stopped the two of them from having further discussion in the dungeon. They can all talk and get to know each other outside later at Spinda's Cafe. The sooner they can get this task done, the sooner they can leave.
Azumarill nodded in agreement at Dante and temporarily suppressed the questions he wanted to ask Pikachu. With his familiarity of the dungeon, he took the group to a path with the least Pokemon present and entered the next floor.
The task Dante and Pikachu took from the guild was simply an item retrieval mission. The client lost their Recovery Orb while running away on the 6th floor and hoped that an exploration team could help them retrieve it in exchange for a Reviver Seed.
Normally, Dante wouldn't accept such a tedious and unrewarding task. But being the only task located in the Waterfall Cave, he accepted it to get an additional reward for their journey.
However, it looks like they can only return to the guild with Azumarill as their gain this time.
"We've searched the entire floor and we still haven't found the Recovery Orb! Should we give up this task, Dante?"
"Sigh, yeah. Maybe it already rolled deep under the water. Let's not waste our time any further, we still need to celebrate Azumarill joining our team."
Unlike in the games, not every task posted by the guild can be accomplished. Sometimes, cases like these happen where the item the client asked to be retrieved was missing due to either being eaten by other Pokemon in the dungeon, or being accidentally destroyed.
"Wait a minute, you two. If the item you're looking for can really be found under the water, then I know some…Pokemon tribes here that could have obtained it. Just wait here for a while and I'll go ask them."
Then, without waiting for Dante and Pikachu's response, Azumarill dived underwater and proceeded to swim swiftly in one direction.
"Uhh, should we tell him that he doesn't need to try so hard to find it?"
"Nah, just let him go. I think he had other reasons for going to those tribes in addition to helping us complete the task."
"Yup! Mr. Azumarill had a sad face when he left just now. I hope he is okay."
Thus, Dante, Pikachu, and Azurill waited in that room for Azumarill while talking about the latest events they heard in Treasure Town. Pikachu even took out the cellphone from the Treasure Bag and watched a movie along with the amazed Azurill.
"See! I knew Master Liepard was the bad guy! He was just framing Zangoose!"
"You're amazing, Mr. Pikachu!"
Soon, just when the movie was getting to the good part, Azumarill returned with a more peaceful expression on his face while holding a Yellow Orb.
"From the looks of things, it looks like you accomplished what you set out to do."
"Yes. I finally cut off all my ties with this dungeon. Also, here. It's the only Orb I found in the tribe, I don't know whether it's the one you two were looking for?"
"Uhh, you don't have to be so extreme about leaving the dungeon, you can come back to visit anytime you want. And thanks, this is indeed the Orb we're looking for."
Dante sweatdropped at Azumarill's words. The words he said seemed like he killed everyone that he knew in order to say goodbye to his past. He wouldn't do that, right?
Azumarill remained silent in response to Dante. Seeing this, he just shrugged his shoulders and then led everyone out of the dungeon.
At the back of the team, Azumarill took one last glance behind him before catching up. From this moment on, he would abandon his identity as a dungeon-born and become a surface dweller.
When the four of them got out of the dungeon, the sun was already beginning to set. The time it took to find Azumarill and then the Orb made their exploration last much longer than usual.
"Hrnggh, it's finally done! Come on! Let's celebrate Azumarill joining our team at Spinda's Cafe! Invite your brother over too, Azurill!"
"Hahaha calm down, Pikachu. We still have to submit the task first and then register Azumarill to the guild as part of our team."
"Oh ehehe, I forgot. Eh, Is there something wrong, Azumarill?"
Dante turned around to look at Azumarill after hearing Pikachu's words. At this time, Azumarill kept turning around, looking at himself in puzzlement.
"No, it's nothing. I just heard that we would start to become weak after leaving the dungeon. I'm trying to see whether that was true or not."
"Oh yeah! Chatot also mentioned something to us about that. Do you need to take a rest and readjust?"
"There's no need, I don't feel myself getting weaker at all!"
"Huh!? Were Chatot and the others lying about it?"
"No way! The one who told me that was the only Pokemon I trust in the dungeon!"
"Oh uh, maybe it's because you're special? Well, it's a good thing for you anyway, let's not think about it anymore and just be grateful!"
On the side, Dante was quietly listening as Pikachu and Azumarill bickered. Opening the Team Menu, he saw Azumarill's name below his and Pikachu.
'Could this be the reason why Azumarill didn't experience any side effects? Does my system have any connection to the Mystery Dungeons? There's also the way our stats grow…'
Countless thoughts and possibilities arise in Dante's mind. However, with his current strength, he had no way of verifying any of them. He decided to shelve them for later first when he and his Pokemon grew strong enough.
After arriving in Treasure Town, Azurill temporarily waved goodbye to the three. They promised to meet up at Spinda's Cafe and he was going back home in order to invite his brother over.
On their way to the guild, most of the Pokemon in town curiously looked at Azumarill who is an unfamiliar face. Unlike Azumarill's experience in the dungeon, most of the gazes here only contained curiosity and some interest.
The three of Dante, Pikachu, and Azumarill quickly submitted the task and got the Reviver Seed and the corresponding exploration points.
After that, they gave Azumarill a brief tour of the guild before walking over to Chatot.
"What?! You recruited someone else to join your team?"
"Uh, yes? Is there a problem? I asked Chimecho and she said there was no problem with it as long as you approve."
"Well, I certainly have no problem with it. However, do you know how most exploration teams end?"
Dante and Pikachu shook their heads in confusion in response to Chatot's question.
"Well, the most common reason for the downfall of an exploration team is due to conflicts of interest within a team. I see that the two of you already have a good dynamic, there's no reason why you have to introduce an unstable factor, no offense Azumarill."
"I followed Dante and Pikachu outside of the dungeon in order to see the world. I don't think we will have any conflicts."
"That's because you've only just left the dungeon. Tell me, besides following along with Dante and Pikachu, what else is your goal in joining an exploration team?"
Chatot's words made Azumarill stop and think. To be honest, he just wanted to find other Pokemon who could accept him.
"I don't know. But as long as Dante and Pikachu are still here, then I won't quit the team!"
Azumarill stubbornly insisted. From the look on Chatot's face, he wasn't impressed by the answer. He turned towards Dante and Pikachu and asked for a final confirmation.
"So, what do the both of you think? Can you accept Azumarill in your team, knowing that he may suddenly leave one day after finding a goal in life different from yours?"
Dante was amazed after hearing Chatot's words. As expected of an old-timer, Dante forgot to consider this aspect. At that time, when he first saw Azumarill's strength and his pitiful situation, he decided that he was definitely going to recruit him into the team.
"Well, we still want to accept him as part of our team. If, at any time in the future he wants to leave because he found what he wants to do in life, then we'll happily let him go and even wish him the best of luck."
"I said I won't leave!"
Chatot ignored Azumarill. He just looked deeply at Dante and Pikachu before responding to Dante.
"Well, I hope it goes well for your team. I'll relay your words to the Guildmaster about Azumarill joining the team. Be sure to bring him to tonight's dinner so we can introduce him to the rest of the guild members."
He turned around without waiting for any of their responses and entered Wigglytuff's room. The three who were left behind looked at each other in silence before Azumarill spoke up to break it.
"I may have broken my promise once, but as long as the two of you need me, then I swear that I would never leave the team. That bird is judging me without even knowing anything!"
"Chatot only has the best of intentions. He probably doesn't want you to make a lifelong decision before knowing what you really want to do in your life. And as I said, as long as you don't want to, then no one can force you to quit our team!"
After that conversation, the three of them headed towards Treasure Town in order to take out all the Blue and Fairy Gummies saved up for Azumarill. When they arrived at Spinda's Cafe, Marill and Azurill were already waiting inside.
"Sorry to keep you two waiting, the registration process took much longer than expected. Well then, let's start the celebration!"
Everyone cheered as Dante gave Spinda the ingredients to make drinks for all of them.
Azumarill's drink was made up of the Blue and Fairy Gummies while the four of them had Apple and Berry drinks. Azurill and Pikachu boisterously told Marill the story of their adventure inside the dungeon.
The party quickly finished after only one hour due to the Azurill brothers needing to take care of their mother. Meanwhile Dante, Pikachu, and Azumarill also had to join the guild's dinner. However, even though it was short, everyone still had a lot of fun!
Azumarill was holding his bloated stomach while everyone else laughed at him as they got back to their homes. When Dante looked at Azumarill's enhanced stats, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Azumarill (Shiny)
Type: Water/Fairy
Abilities:
Huge Power (Doubles the power of Physical Attacks)
Sap Sipper (Absorbs Grass-type moves and boost the Pokemon's Attack stat)
Level: 25
HP: 107/107
Attack: 53 Defense: 52
Sp. Atk: 63 Sp. Def.: 52 Speed: 51
Item: None
Moveset:
- Tackle
- Defense Curl
- Tail Whip
- Water Gun
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
- Soak
- Rollout
- Earthquake (Shiny-Exclusive)
- Draining Kiss
- Bubble Beam