This is going to be the start of a bunch of oneshots - written out of order in some cases - that popped into my head to kind of fill in between the Disney Kingdom and the Nintendo Kingdom stories. That could be changed to into something else, though, if something else pops into my head.

A Human?!

"...and that's probably why Darkrai acted so funny," a Vulpix finished as she and a Pikachu climbed down a ladder, reaching a hidden floor in the side of a cliff.

"It certainly makes sense," the Pikachu admitted. "What other Pokemon survive an attack like that unscathed?"

"Exactly my point," the Vulpix confirmed.

"Squawk! Maria, Pika!" The two Pokemon turned their heads as a bird with a musical note for a head approached. "I suppose your trek out to Mystifying Forest went well?"

"It was a success, Chatot," Pika confirmed. "We managed to find Darkrai and recruit him!"

Maria nodded in agreement. "He had lost a pretty good chunk of his memory - enough to forget any evil plans he might have had. So, we decided to give Dusk a second chance."

"My, my, my, now that is interesting." The top of Chatot's head drifted back and forth out of delight. "Any particular reason why you decided to visit the Guild?"

"Nah. We just wanted to see everyone and let them know how we're doing." Maria looked over to where a Croagunk sat in front of a kettle. "We have a few items we want to swap, too."

Chatot chirped. "All right, then. Are you any closer to Guildmaster Rank?"

"We're getting close," Pika responded. "The Badge has gone from pure black to gray, so it shouldn't take long."

Maria grinned. "We're going to see if Officer Magnezone found a few more outlaws tomorrow. That'll probably give us the boost we need."

Chatot looked nervous. "I'm afraid you might not find any sort of challenge..."

The grin on the Vulpix's face faded. "And why not?"

"After the spacial distortion problem was solved, bad Pokemon have become less frequent." Chatot scratched his head with one wing. "There isn't really much left but petty thieves, now."

Maria let out a sigh. "Ah, well. At least things are starting to calm down." She sat down and started to scratch behind her left ear. "Y'know, though, I've been thinking. Isn't it odd that there aren't any humans around here?" She looked at the two Pokemon. "I mean, we know what humans look like, but we haven't seen any in any of the dungeons. Where do they live?"

"We're not sure," Chatot admitted. "No Exploration team has ever been outside of this region - mainly because it's too far for any Pokemon to travel. However, we have heard some rumors that some teams become separated by leaving this area."

Maria frowned. "Separated? What do you mean?"

"Something about humans 'capturing' team members or something..."

Pika's eyes widened in surprise. "Capture? They take Pokemon?"

Chatot nodded. "No one has tried to even go after the Pokemon we have lost."

"Maybe someone should." Maria stood up, a determined look on her face. "I'm strong; those humans couldn't stand a chance against me."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." The group turned to look as Wigglytuff approached. "Humans are a strange bunch - they're not Pokemon, they rely on items to defend themselves, and bad humans cause natural disasters."

"That is strange," Pika agreed.

"I wonder what would cause a human to go bad..." Maria put a paw to her chin and frowned, only for her ears to twitch suddenly towards the window. "Something's happening outside!" She dashed for the window, the other Pokemon following behind.

A dimensional hole, very much like the one Darkrai had disappeared into, was right outside the window.

"Do you think someone else is trying to come through time again?" Pika asked, concerned.

Maria frowned, then shook her head. "This doesn't feel quite like that." She caught sight of something coming through the rip. "Everyone, get down!"

Wigglytuff and the others ducked below the window as something very big came crashing through, breaking the window as the hole vanished.

"What was that?" Chatot asked, turning around in order to get a better look at what had come through.

Wigglytuff, following suit, stopped short in surprise, his already large eyes becoming even larger. "Oh, my..."

Maria got up from where she and Pika had been lying close to the window sill. "What is it?" The Vulpix looked at what was in the center of the room, only for her eyes to widen. "Is that a-"

"Yes it is," Wigglytuff confirmed. "That is a human."

Pika looked at the Guildmaster in surprise. "But how did a human get here?"

Maria cocked her head slightly. "Maybe I can figure it out." She trotted forward, then reached out for the red scarf the human wore around its neck. "Dimensional Scream, don't fail me now!"

As soon as the Vulpix touched the scarf, her vision blurred, and was soon replaced with a white room with other humans - one of whom was old and had white hair growing all over his face.

"Now, are you sure that you want to test this?" the old human asked, motioning to a device. Maria noted that it was a male.

A human with blond hair, goggles, and a red scarf nodded. "No one's ever been to the other side of the world yet. This could be our one chance at finding out where missing humans went." Maria realized this human was the one who she was touching, and that it sounded like a girl. "And if I'm not going to go, then who will?"

The old man nodded. "You have a good point. All right - I'll fire it up." He moved over and started to push buttons and pull levers on a wall of metal, causing a dimensional hole to open up. "Good luck."

Maria shook her head as her vision started to clear up, and she backed away from the human. "A human did something that created the hole," she muttered. "How, I have no clue. There was something about missing humans, too..."

The human let out a moan and started to stir, causing the Vulpix to jump back in surprise. The Pokemon present in the room watched as the human got up slowly, rubbing her head.

"Man, what a headache," the human grumbled. She looked around the room, curious. "This doesn't look like a place that humans have been in... Wait. A Wigglytuff, Chatot, Coragunk, Pikachu, and Vulpix? That's an odd combination."

"What do you mean, odd?" Maria repeated. "There's Pokemon of all sorts of species around here."

"That's not what I-" the human stopped short in surprise, then looked down at Maria. "Did you just talk?"

Maria cocked her head in confusion. "Well, sure I did. All Pokemon can."

"Maria, not everything is the same out there as it is over here," Chatot warned. "Out there, you would need the Guildmaster Rank in order to communicate with humans."

The human blinked in confusion, her blue eyes darkening. "Guildmaster Rank? What are you talking about?"

"It's an Exploration Team Rank," Maria replied calmly. "Here, Pokemon form teams, and we go around and try to help other Pokemon solve their problems. I'm partnered up with Pika, and our team's name is PokeExplore." Pika waved nervously at the human.

"Help other Pokemon?" The human smiled. "That sounds a lot like what I do! As a Pokemon Ranger, I help humans and Pokemon solve problems - like taking out forest fires or Pokemon poachers." After realizing something, the human added, "The name's Summer. I was sent here to see if we could figure out where a few humans disappeared to."

"What do you mean?" Chatot hopped forward cautiously.

"Well, for some reason, there have been a few kids who have disappeared from their homes without a trace. No one's figured it of quite yet, but Professor Hastings suspected that people were going to the other side of the world."

"You mean here." Wigglytuff waddled over to Summer's left. "I've heard rumors about that. I'm not sure if anyone could be of any help, though..."

"Maybe I could." The group turned to look at Maria as she continued, "With my ability, I could figure out where some Pokemon come from, and I could find those missing humans you're looking for."

Summer frowned. "What kind of ability do you have?"

"It's called the Dimensional Scream," Pika supplied. "Whenever Maria touches something, she sees a vision of the past or the future in order to help us solve problems. She was using it on your scarf a minute ago."

Maria nodded in confirmation to Summer's surprise. "I saw that old human - what was it? Professor Hastings? - creating the dimensional hole that brought you here."

Summer's eyes widened. "That's incredible," she murmured. "Whenever did you get a gift like that?"

Maria shrugged. "I don't know. I lost my memory a long time ago, so even my origins are lost to me."

"We've found out a few things, though," Pika added.

"Like what?" Summer sat down on the floor to put herself at a eye level with the Pokemon.

"I'm from the future, for one thing," Maria admitted. "I was sent back in time with a Grovyle to keep the planet from becoming paralyzed by time stopping. When I faded from the timeline, Dialga brought me back so that Pika and I could keep the team together. I also used to be human, apparently."

Summer's eyes widened. "A human turning into a Pokemon? That's unheard of!"

"Not around here." Maria wrapped her tails around her front paws. "You're probably going to have a hard time of finding the humans you're looking for - some may be suffering from amnesia, like me, or even moved on from their old lives and become used to a new one."

The Ranger frowned. "Well, isn't that just great! You guys are probably pretty widespread, too."

"There are Exploration Guilds all over our side of the world!" Wigglytuff grinned. "Any one of them could have picked up a human or two."

"But how are we going to get this one home?" Croagunk came over from his Swap Cauldron. "Meh-heh-heh. She might end up turning into a Pokemon sooner or later. And from the looks of things, those humans aren't going to want to lose her."

Summer nodded. "You're right about that..." She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want to have to stay here for good."

"Maybe we can arrange something for you," Pika suggested. "Maria and I have made a few friends over our time of traveling. We can contact someone to send you home."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Why not?" Maria nodded to Pika. "Let's get Palkia down here."

Line Break

"Come on, Summer! Just a little bit further!"

Summer let out a grunt. "Easy for you to say! You're not the one who's too big for the hole." All the same she managed to squeeze out, only to find herself standing beside Maria and Pika on top of a hill overlooking a small village. "Wow. And all this is run by Pokemon?"

"That's right," Maria confirmed. "Treasure Town is a place where Exploration Teams can buy, sell, and store items, as well as train, have the day care look after Eggs, and learn new or old attacks." She motioned with a paw at the cliff line in the distance. "Our base is in Sharpedo Bluff, which is a part of the cliff which is shaped like a Sharpedo. The sea breeze is the best way to be woken up in the morning."

"A lot better than Loudred's yelling," Pika agreed. The two Pokemon laughed.

"So, when's your friend getting here?" Summer asked.

"He should be here right about...now."

A white sphere of energy zoomed out of the sky and stopped right in front of the group. When the brightness had faded, a pink dragon with a gem on one arm stood in its place.

"Maria, Pika," the Pokemon greeted. "What do you need me for?"

"It's this human - Summer," Maria answered, while the Ranger looked up at the Legendary in surprise. "She needs to be sent back home."

"Ah...a Pokemon Ranger. It has been a long time since I have seen your kind of human." Palkia looked the Ranger over curiously.

"So, you can send me home?" Summer asked cautiously.

"I can. I cannot guarantee that the way will be more smooth than the way you came, but I can send you home." The Water/Dragon-Type let out a roar, and a dimensional hole appeared in front of the human.

Summer approached the rip, then turned to look back at Maria. "I hope you can find a way to become human again."

Maria shrugged. "What's done is done. I can't change what I am."

Palkia cocked his head slightly. "Maria, come to Spacial Rift tonight. There is something I must tell you."

The Pokemon blinked in confusion, then nodded slightly. "All right, then."

"Summer, you must leave this side of the world. If you stay much longer, you will become a Pokemon."

Summer swallowed. "All right." Nodding to Maria, she said, "I hope we can see each other again soon." With that, she disappeared into the rip, which closed behind her.

"Palkia, what do you want to talk to Maria about?" Pika asked.

Palkia eyed the Electric-Type."I did not mention this before. but it is possible for me to turn Maria back into a human."

"WHAT?!" The two Pokemon looked at the Legendary in surprise.

"However, the change will force her to live on the human side of the world. If she were to accept this, she would still retain her memories and knowledge from when she was a Pokemon. Dialga and I discussed this some time ago, and we agree that it might do Maria some good id she were to become human again."

"You mean, I might remember some things?" Maria gave the Legendary a curious look.

"It is possible."

The Vulpix's eyes became wide. "Oh, man! Become human and recover my memories?! That would be so cool!"

Pika, however, looked concerned. "But...what'll happen to the team? I mean, if you became a human, you wouldn't be able to stick around and help with missions."

Maria's ears drooped. "Yeah...you're right..." She looked over at Palkia. "Is there anything you can offer that can remedy that?"

"Only a suggestion: have Pika find a temporary - if not, permanent - replacement. If traveling as a human is what you wish, so be it. If you wish to remain a Vulpix, so be it. Come to me in Spacial Rift when you have made your decision." With that, the Legendary Pokemon disappeared in a flash of light.

Pika gave Maria a worried look. "What are we going to do?"

The Vulpix frowned, thinking over what Palkia had said. "I think...it's time that we promoted your girlfriend."

That's what happened before Maria started on her Trainer journey. Expect to hear more as time passes.

This is Nexus, signing off the interdimensional waves. Until next time.