The Dungeon of Loving Beasts 1: A Cave in the Highlands (Patreon)

This time, my perspective faded in slowly.

My senses had expanded greatly, and I needed a few moments to orient myself in the new body I possessed. First to come into focus was my core; a brightly glowing orb of crystalline material, shining bright red and white…

…wow, that’s on-brand. What, Arceus, did you decide I needed that much of a reminder whose efforts I was aping?

As I ruminated over my core’s distinctive new look, I my awareness grew to encompass the small chamber surrounding my Core. The room was about as I expected; stone walls, quarried but unfinished, with a packed dirt floor and a stone ceiling. Two doors led to other rooms, which filled my awareness even as I acknowledged they existed; one led to a small chamber of cut blocks, containing an altar and symbol. The other led to a small interim chamber.

Within that room, twelve small figures stirred.

Immediately, my whole focus was on that room, and my mind screeched to a halt as the figures began to awaken.

A blue reptilian form, cream-colored jaw beneath red head spikes. Croconaw.

A small dark indigo weasel-creature, sharp claws adorning each hand. Sneasel.

A blue-gray metal form, twin arms ending in a trio of sturdy nails. Metang.

A black-and-blue jackal which stood on hind legs. Riolu.

A tiny yellow sheep, orb-tipped tail sparking as it dozed. Mareep.

A petite, white form, eggshell speckled with color. Togepi.

A blue-and-purple bat, eyes missing as it clicked its tongue to feel out its surroundings. Zubat.

A green lizard, dark green tail heavy as it sat up. Treecko.

A black lizard, purple lines running up its sides. Salandit.

A brown fox-cat, creamy fur sleek as long ears twitched. Eevee.

A tiny, segmented shell with glowing lights around the edge. Dottler.

And finally, a white figure with a mop of green hair, a flared skirt collecting beneath them. Kirlia.

Not balanced. Not optimal. Some of them were decidedly weaker than other choices.

I didn’t care.

I knew them all.

<Hello?>

Those of the gathered pokemon who were already awake started at my attempt to speak. Those that weren’t snapped awake, saving little Togepi, who continued to doze. The Riolu was the first to speak. “Lu, riolu?” <Who- I know that voice…>

The Croconaw perked up. “NAW?” <”Boss? Is that you?”> His voice was layered, with the actual sounds of Pokespeak dubbed with comprehensible speech.

As the others chimed in with their own requests, I spoke again. <I’m uncertain. Croconaw, are you… Steven?>

<”Yeah? And also… Jaws?” Both?> The mid-evolution reptile scratched his head with one stubby arm. <”I’ve got three sets of memories, boss.”>

Sneasel shook her head as she stared at Croconaw. <”I’ve only got one. But I recognize the voice… and the feeling.”> Her glare softened. <”I think I recognize your species, though.”>

<”Same, but I never fought alongside you.”>

<”How odd. I’ve fought beside both of you. Though I was male in the first iteration.”> the Riolu spoke up, voice soft. <”I prefer ‘Keldary’ over ‘Gareth’, if you don’t mind.”>

The Zubat lighted on the rough ground, zoice clicking. <”Carnwennan here. Oh dear, I miss my sight…> She sighed softly.

<”We traveled with three iterations of the commander/caretaker.”> Metang’s voice was clean and clear, dual notes syncing perfectly. <”Designation, Android.> There was a pause. <Consensus is not entirely satisfied by name. We would appreciate re-designation at earliest convenience.>

The little Salandit hissed. <”This is unexceptable! My lady, why have we been reverted to this small form? Where are we?>

<”Semiramis, calm down. We’re here, and we can get you evolved again soon enough.> Keldary assured her. <”We’re all here together… though I’m wondering where the others are.”> She paused. <”And why I’m certain we’re never going to finish exploring the Tundra…”>

<”I believe we have greater problems to worry about, my friend.”> Dottler posed, eyes flashing. <”Although all our minds appear stable, many of us are in significant distress.”>

<”Significant distress?! I remember being two different genders, both of my evolutions, and a freaking ice-electric type besides!”> Kirlia groused, holding their head. <”Ugh…”>

<”We’re in the shit now. Worse than Groudon, worse than Kyogre…”> Treecko muttered.

Eevee curled up, watching the proceedings with a blank look. She whimpered slightly. <”So many forms…”> Mareep moved over, setting herself down beside the smaller pokemon, fluffy wool covering and calming her.

<”Analysis. Considering differences in quality of memories compared to current… former worlds were simulated.”> Android offered. Every pokemon in the room froze, then looked through the door to my room.

<”...boss?”> Steven muttered. <”Some clarity would be nice right about now…”>

<Android is… correct? I think?> I offered. <Long story short, alternate dimensional theory is a thing… and I lived in a world where Pokemon was one of the best selling game franchises in the world. Long story short, Arceus seemed to think you were ‘real’ enough to bring you here, and let me have you guys as partners.>

After a few seconds of silence, the tiny poison-fire type huffed. <Wonderful, fantastic, darlings. Now, where is here, and what is going on? I require the rest of my servants immediately!”> Semiramis snarled, the impetuous little Pokemon gathering herself up.

With a quiet pop, Togepi finally woke up. <”Semmiii, it’s too early. Calm down.”> She stood, toddled over to the other Pokemon, and wrapped her in a hug.

<”Ah- dearest, please-”>

<”No. We’re here, we’re fine, and you’re gonna calm down and listen to anwyl, understood?>

Semiramis grumbled, settling in beside her friend. <”Yes, yes…”>

<Look, in my old world, I died. I didn’t expect any of this, alright?> I nosed into the conversation, drawing all eyes back to me. <I can’t apologize for you all being here, because… well, you’re here. And I love you all.> It was a little humbling to know that I really did. They’d all been sprites on a screen, but they’d been close friends and allies through thick and thin as I played, and now, able to hear them speak, I couldn’t help but feel the bonds which I’d inadvertently forged with them.

Imprints on the soul. Well, Arceus, thank you.

My declaration drew smiles and a quiet settling among the group of Pokemon. Dottler- Alexi, I recalled- trundled forward. <”So, what’s the situation, commander?’>

<As you all can see, I have been resurrected as a Dungeon Core, after my death in my own world.> I explained. <A dungeon core is a stable magical focus, capable of reshaping the world around it to a limited extent, in order to create a ‘dungeon,’ usually in the form of twisty passages, traps, and obstacles.>

<”So a video game.”> Keldary mused from her lotus position, tapping her chin. <”Odd, that.”>

<The worlds in which Cores appear usually have a game-type magical interface.> I mused. As thought, came deed; seconds later, a popup showed up in front of my face. <Speak of the devil and he shall appear, it seems.> I ignored the tutorial prompt for now, closing the interface to return to looking at the group of Pokemon before me.

Alexi peered at the air, then narrowed his beady eyes. <”Hmm. I appear to be level 15. Thus, my reversion appears to make sense.”>

<You have your own screen?> I asked, the Blipbug nodding absently. <Do you think you can teach the others?>

Minutes later, all twelve of the Pokemon were idly tapping their screens, some with more focus than others. <”Numbers, numbers, math math math. Ugh.”> Sneasel groaned. <”When can I learn some magic?”>

<“Magic is something which requires focus, determination, and a calm mind. You do not seem to qualify, even if we did have a proper teacher.”> Alexi snarked.

Kirlia smacked the sturdy psychic bug with a thrown rock. <“Don’t be mean like that, ‘lexi.”> Their lips pursed. <“Though, he’s probably right that you should choose a different track. What are your class options, anyway?”>

<”Lemmie check…”>

Apparently, Elite, Boss, and Legendary creatures could qualify for class ranks. As all of my starting team were Elites, all of them could take a single class they qualified for, which would expand their capabilities and give them a second path to invest their EXP into.

While everyone else reviewed their possible power-ups, I was looking into the mechanics for direct dungeon development. What I found was a complex system, ripe for exploitation- so long as I had ludicrous amounts of resources to pour into development. Which I didn’t currently have. A few key concepts stood out.

First, there was the Core Level. In other words, my level, though apparently any avatars I created would level separately. Core Level determined a lot of things; how big I could make each floor, the number of floors I could have, the number of new Perks I could acquire, and my Mana Pool size. And that last one was important, because mana regeneration worked off a percent system; my core regenerated a tiny fraction of my maximum every second, but that fraction was based off my maximum limit; so having a deeper pool was just as good for increasing my mana income as increasing my mana gain. Modern Day Sage effectively doubled my income; even without the other benefits, that was a potent perk.

Second, there was the research track. ‘Research’ was really about my core delving into the records of the world, and extrapolating new ideas or unearthing old ones to develop myself further; with my speed boost, I could get more useful things unlocked much quicker. However, rather than a linear tech tree with slowly improving techs, the tree was more akin to multiple, layered Tech Webs, with each tech influencing and unlocking new techs both within their web and across. Interestingly, you could unlock any tech at any time, but without prerequisites or observational data, such research could take months, if not years.

Third and final, were my defenders; the Pokemon themselves. I had immediate access to every ‘starter’ Pokemon (including Eevee, Meowth, and Pikachu) as well as the early route pokemon from every game. That meant I had access to a wide array of pokemon, but a type variation which leaned heavily towards bug, normal, flying, and grass types, with a significant scattering of poison, rock, dark, and ground types for variation.

When creating a new creature, I could create a ‘spawn’, a fully functional Pokemon who I could command with a high (but not absolute) loyalty, at the cost of having little independent growth and not being able to move outside my limits for long. Investing more in a creature allowed me to create a ‘natural’ Pokemon; one whose loyalty was still strong, but only as much as any creature’s difference to their creator; in return, they had full growth rates, were able to freely exit my walls, and could breed new Pokemon. In the opposite direction, I could create ‘minions’, Pokemon that were essentially automations; without growth, independent action, or independent thought. Worse still, minions couldn’t be free-formed, only created as degraded copies of natural or spawn creatures. Interestingly, considering my current team, that meant I could flood my opening rooms with Totodile, Ralts, and Blipbug without effort.

Positives!

From everything I’d learned, my two determinants were going to be particularly difficult. For one, I was going to have to either only produce creatures sporadically, stunting my numbers and preventing me from replenishing losses, or I was going to have to have my Pokemon populate the dungeon naturally, then abuse the minion creation.

With all that in mind, I began to plan. First, I was going to need a few things to jump the research queue; and I was going to need to send some of my champions to handle it.

<Treecko, Sneasel. I have a job for both of you.> All the gathered pokemon perked up at my words, turning towards the core. <Well, I’m eventually going to have jobs for all of you, but Treecko and Sneasel are best for the first tasks at hand.>

Treecko looked up, one eyeridge rising. <”I was thinking David, sir.”>

<”And I was thinking I’d take the name Jean.”> Both stood, coming around to face the Core. The newly named Jean licked one claw. <”What is it?”>

<I need the nearby area scouted. I can see the area directly outside my entrance, but beyond a few feet it degrades into shadow. I suspect that range can be extended, but for now, I need you two to be my eyes, and hopefully bring back some seeds.>

<”Seeds?”>

<Research is much sped up by materials. Getting grass, trees, and shrubs will help terraform the first floor. I’d rather the dungeon be a nice place to live.>

<”No traps?”> Keldary inquired, coming to her feet.

<You’re my protection. Better to spend my resources making you better off, rather than spend capital on dumb devices.>

<”Thank you.”>

Android clicked several times. <”We would prefer task assignment after a new designation.”>

<Fair. Do you consider yourself masculine, feminine, or neither?>

<”Null.”>

<Something neutral then… Perhaps Yahenni?>

<”What is the Designation’s origin?”>

<It was the name of a fictional rebel, a kind hedonist who set aside their joys to fight for the freedom of all. It is, as many things are, a long story.>

<”Designation temporarily acceptable.”> Yahenni nodded. <”What task is to be assigned?”>

I paused, looking over my reserves of mana and confirmed I had enough for my planned< project. The waiting group of Pokemon started as one wall fell away, a rough archway forming in the stone. I focused, burrowing out an appropriately sized chamber, then triggering the transformation into the new room. Soon, the room was filled with rune-carved pillars and stone benches. <This is a research chamber, a basic one. Meditation on the benches, or contemplation of the runes allows effort to be made on multiple research trees at once. You seems uniquely suited to such work.>

<”Affirmed. We will begin shortly.”>

<Once we’ve confirmed whether it’s safe to head outside, everyone can head out. Except you, Canwennan. You should wait for nightfall.>

<”Gotcha.”> Carnwennan paused. <”Sir? Do you have a name?”>

My knee-jerk response was… rather sad, actually. <Not one I can answer to, now. Who I was… is gone.>

<”Not gone, you are here.”> Yahenni said dismissively. They turned, gaze peering past my core. <”Query: what task have you assigned to Kirlia?”>

<I…> My voice trailed off as I refocused on Kirlia, who was performing a small dance before my Arceus Shrine. <Ah… Kirlia, what are you up to?>

<”Offering my daily prayers.”> Kirlia finished her dance, bowing to the shrine. <”I am a Paladin, now. Might as well do my meditations properly.”>

<Huh.> I’d briefly looked over the requirements for each possible class; Paladin had not been an easy one to reach. <You’re willing to devote yourself to Arceus like that?>

<”We’re here because of him. In other sense of the word.”> They shrugged. <”Also, a being between male and female appeals. Call me Zain.”>

I acknowledged their new role, then turned back to the others. <Well, we now have someone to act as cleric, so we can start earning devotion. That leaves most of us without activities.> I looked at Keldary. <Keldary, I don’t suppose you could start teaching others and myself Aura manipulation? I get the feeling that sort of thing will be very useful.>

Keldary nodded, but then motioned to the exit. <”I will instruct the others. You should be paying attention to our scouts.”>

I agreed, then turned my attention to the two humanoid scouts, who had quickly left the caverns and moved into the new world. Through their eyes, I could see the gentle-sloped mountain rising above the cleft in the rock from which they’d emerged, a tumbling stream forming a small pool a few feet from my entrance. The water spilled over to burble down into a wooded gortto leading to a larger forest.

As my two warriors advanced into the woods, I began to study the revealed area. Well, the terrain seems familar. Let’s hope the people and the wildlife follow suit.