Forte's Mystery Dungeon pt3

As Sora and I walked down the stairs to the next level, I noticed that the next level was just a medium-sized room with a small green caterpillar pacing around.

"Caterpie!" Sora called out running to the caterpillar.

"Huh?  A Mudkip?  Uhh, please, help me!  I'm scared!" Caterpie said running -- I think it was running, more like crawling -- into Sora's arms.

"It's all okay now, Caterpie.  Your mom sent us here for you.  You're gonna be all right now." Sora said to comfort the now crying Caterpie.

I stood back and watched Sora cuddle Caterpie.  Sora was so mother-like.  She even looked like a mother the way she hugged Caterpie the way she was.

I sat down and watched as Sora tried to calm Caterpie down.  I found myself holding my breath as if I were waiting for someone to do the same for me.  I shook my head, hard, making my fur ruffle.

"Hey, Forte, come here for a second.  I need to dig through my pack for something.  Could you try to calm Caterpie down, please?" Sora asked looking over her shoulder to me.

"Uhh, sure." I said, unsure, walking up to the small Caterpie.  Sora stepped away and Caterpie walked into my arms.  He was warm, which was different from what I thought.

I turned my head so I could look at Sora.  She looked up from her pack and smiled at me.  Unsure of what to do, I lowered my head and rested it on Caterpie's.  He stopped crying immediately and cuddled into my chest.

"Well, looks like I don't need that squeak toy anymore.  Okay, Caterpie, lets get you back to Butterfree." Sora said coming back up to us.

"Aww, okay.  What're your names?" Caterpie asked, as we were teleported out of the dungeon.

"Well, I'm Sora and this, here, is Forte!" Sora answered happily.

"Forte!  Like loud!" Caterpie shouted as we walked through the woods.  I jumped at how loud Caterpie made his voice.

"Geeze, Forte, relax a bit, you're more jumpy than a Spoink." Sora said laughing.  Caterpie laughed along with her, but I didn't know what a 'Spoink' was.

"C'mon, Forte!  It's like you're not a normal Pokemon." Caterpie said looking up to me.  We were walking in a line; me on the far left, Caterpie in the middle, and Sora on the right.

"I'm not!" I snapped.  Caterpie jumped back and scuttled around to Sora's right side.

"Forte!  That was mean!  Say you're sorry!" Sora scolded at me.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Caterpie." I said looking to my left and away from Sora and Caterpie.  I tried to make my voice as apologetic as I could through the sudden bout of depression that washed over me.

"It's all right, Forte!  You just shocked me a little!  See I'm fine!" Caterpie said walking out in front of me.  I think he was smiling because he had no mouth.  There was something in his eyes that said he was smiling.

"Uhh, that's good." I said walking around Caterpie.  I couldn't explain why I felt the way I did, but it felt like I just wanted to cuddle up with Sora and Caterpie.  I shook the feeling away thinking it was just being a Pokemon.

"Caterpie!  You're safe!!" I heard Butterfree shout.

"Mommy!" Caterpie called out.

I looked up to see Caterpie running up to Butterfree.  It made me happy to see the two together.  I smiled.

"We did a good job, Forte!  I don't think I could've done it on my own." Sora said turning to me.

"Yeah, we did.  They look so happy together." I noted looking up to Caterpie and Butterfree.

"Well, wouldn't you be happy if you got back to your friends and family after you were lost?" Sora asked.

I looked down and away from her eyes.  "I don't have any friends."

"No friends?!  That's silly, you've got me!  What about your mom and dad?" Sora asked me.

"I don't have any parents," I whispered.  "I'm not human.  I don't have anyone.  No friends, no family, no one."

"I don't know how to thank you two for bringing Caterpie back to me!  Here!  I'll give you these!" Butterfree said flying up to Sora and me.  She handed Sora four different berries before saying 'thanks' again and leaving with Caterpie.

"Wow!  Butterfree is so nice!  Look at these, Forte!  Plenty enough to make it through my delivery!  Oh, umm, I should get back to that.  Umm, I guess we'll see each other sometime again, okay, Forte?" Sora asked.  She looked sad.

"Uhh, yeah.  We'll definitely meet again.  Like you said.  We're friends." I said to Sora.  She smiled softly.

"Umm, there's a house just outside of Pokemon Square that's been abandoned for a really long time.  It's really nice, and doesn't need any work.  Umm, Pokemon Square is that way.  I'll see you later, okay, Forte?" Sora asked walking in the same direction we had just come from.  She had pointed the same way Butterfree and Caterpie had gone, though they were now out of sight.

"Yeah, good-bye... Sora..." I said walking the way she told me to.

I didn't want to leave Sora.  She was fun.  Annoying, but fun.  She wanted me to be happy, and to have fun.  But now, I don't even know if I'll see her again or not.  Why did it hurt so much to leave Sora's side?  Maybe we were just too good of friends even though we'd just met.  Or was it that I was starting to feel for the Mudkip?

Sora...