Am I The Only Normal One Here?
Chapter 1: A New Friendship?
Pico let out a big yawn as he woke up. He rubbed his eyes. Today was the day. Today was when he was finally going to be in an exploration team and Join Wigglytuff's guild. He walked out of the small cave he made his home in. There wasn't much there, but hey, it was a place to live. Pico put one paw out onto the warm grass of the Scorched Plains. He slowly walked out, ajusting from the cold cave floor to the warm ground. He was just about to head for Treasure Town when he realized... Pico hit his forehead. If he was going to be in an exploration TEAM, he needed another person. But who would he ask? He needed someone that always had his back, someone who would always be there for him, someone who he could trust... Unfortunately, he didn't have anyone like that. When he came out of his egg, he was just there in the cave. Fortunately for him, there was a large supply of berries there when he hatched so that he could feed himself. It was almost as if someone had left them there for him... Pico sighed. Maybe he should just head to Treasure Town, and see if someone would join him. He picked an Oran Berry from a nearby bush and breathed a very small amount of fire on it, roasting it. It was a little trick he learned a while back. The roasted berries taste much better. He quickly ate the berry and left the Scorched Plains.
Pico moved slowly the whole way to Treasure Town, he had only been there once or twice, and didn't really know what was around it. Pico breathed a sigh of relief, having made it there in one piece.
"Hi!"
"Ah!"
Pico nearly fell backwards at the sudden sound. He looked in front of him and saw an Emolga standing there.
"Who are you? I haven't seen you around here before." The Emolga said.
"Yeah, I don't really come here much..." Said Pico.
"Well why are you here now?"
"Well... I was thinking of joining Wigglytuff's Guild, but..."
"Hey! Hey! Hey! I have an idea! Hey!" Pico gave the Emolga a strange look.
"Man, this kid is way too hyper..." He thought. "What's your idea?"
"I was thinking about joining the guild too! We could be on an exploration team together! How bout' it? Yeah? Huh? What do ya think?" Pico gave it a bit of thought, he only just met the guy. Heck, he didn't know his name! But, maybe this is the only person that would want to be on a exploration team with him...
"Umm... Sure. I'll be on a rescue team with you."
"Yeah! Woo-hoo! Great! Haha! Let's go right away!"
"Hold on! I don't even know your name yet!"
"My name? My name is Emolga! Yep, just Emolga! Like the name of my species! What's your name?"
"I'm Pico, obviously not the name of my species."
"Well duuuuuuuuuh! I don't know any Pokemon species called Pico! Alrighty! Let's go to the guild!" Emolga quickly ran towards the guild. Pico followed him. He saw Emolga standing next to a grate. "Hey! You step on it first! Okay?" Pico looked at Emolga, then at the grate. He wondered what it was for. He stepped on it.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!" A voice shouted. Pico jumped up. That was going to take some getting used to.
"Whose footprint? Whose footprint? The footprint is Quilava's! The footprint is Quilava's!"
"You May ENTER! Someone's with you! So get that stranger to stand up THERE!"
"I think they mean you, Emolga." Said Pico.
"Hey you! Stranger! Get on the GRATE!"
"Okey dokey!" Said Emolga. He stepped on the grate.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected! Whose footprint? Whose footprint? Footprint is Emolga's! Footprint is Emolga's!"
"You may ENTER!" The gate opened, allowing the two entrance into the guild.
"Alright! Let's go Let's go Let's go! Time's a wastin'!" Emolga said, running into the guild. Pico sighed and followed him.
The two climbed down the ladder into what looked like the main part of the guild.
"Wow! Look at all the Pokemon!" Said Emolga. "I wonder if they are all on exploration teams?"
"Excuse me!" A voice called out to them. A Chatot came up a ladder and went over to them. "It was you too that just came in, right?
"Yep! That's us!"
"I'm Chatot! I'm the Pokemon in the know around these parts! I am Guildmaster Wigglytuff's right-hand Pokemon! Now, shoo! Leave the premises! We have to time for salespeople or silly surveys. Off you go, if you please!"
"Wait a sec!" Pico said. "That's not why we're here. We want to form an exploration team..."
"Yup! That's why we came!" Emolga added cheerfully. "We want to be trained as an exploration team!"
"Wh-what!? Exploration team?" Chatot turned around. "It's rare to see kids like these want to apprentice at the guild. Especially given how hard our training is! Surely the steady stream of pokemon that run away from our rigorous training proves how true that is!"
"Uhh... Excuse me, is the exploation team training that severe?" Pico asked.
"Wh-what?! Well... No! No, no, no! It's not true in the slightest! Our training program for exploration teams is as easy as can be! Well, well, well! I wish you had told me up front that you wanted to be an exploration team! Hee-heeee!" Emolga turned to Pico.
"Um, did his attitude suddenly change?" He asked.
"Ok! Let's get your team signed up right away! Follow me!" Chatot led the two down a ladder into another large room. "Team resgistration is this way. Come along, please." Chatot brought them in front of a door. "Now, here we are at Guildmaster Wigglytuff's chamber. On no account, I reapeat, on no account should you be discourteous to our Guildmaster." Chatot turned to face the door. "Guildmaster! It's Chatot! I'm coming in!" Chatot went into the room. Pico and Emolga followed. "Guildmaster! I present to you two Pokemon that wish to join our guild as apprentices." The pink Pokemon just stood there, facing the wall. "Guildmaster... Um... Guildmaster?" The pink Pokemon suddenly turned around.
"Hiya! I'm Wigglytuff! I'm the guild's Guildmaster! You want to form an exploration team? Then, let's go for it! First we must register your exploration team's name! So tell me your team's name!"
"Oh! Umm... Our team's name?.. We didn't think of that..."
"Ooh! Ooh! How bout' Team Super Amazing Awesome!" Pico just looked at him. "What? Do you not like it? Ok then, you come up with a name!"
"Hmm... How about... Team Brightfire?" Pico suggested.
"Oooooooh! Yup! That's a great name! Teaaaaaaaaaam Brightfire!"
"All settled, then! I'll register your team as Brightfire. Registering!~ Registering!~ All registered... YOOM... TAH! Congratulations! From now on! You're an official exploration team! I present you with this in commemoration." Wigglytuff walked forwards and set down an Exploration Team Kit. "This is what every exploration team needs. Quick, open it up." Pico opened the Exploration Team Kit. Inside was an Explorer Badge, a Wonder Map, and a Treasure Bag.
"There's all kinds of stuff in here!" Said Emolga.
"That's your Explorer Badge! It's your official team identification! And there's the Wonder Map, which is a wonder of convienience! Finally, there's a Treasure Bag. All the wonderful things you find on your explorations can be stored in there! It is certainly a must-have!"
"Great! We're an exploration team now! Woo-hoo! Pico, Pico, Pico! Hiiiiiiigh five!" Pico smiled at his enthusiasm and gave him a high five.
Chatot brought the two to a small room with a window and two beds.
"This is your room!" He said.
"Great! We get beds!" Said Emolga.
"You will live here while you work for us. Things will start getting busy for you tomorrow! So rise early and start living up to our code! Don't stay up late. Get to sleep early tonight! That is all.
Pico and Emolga were both lying in their beds.
"Hey... Are you still awake Pico?.." Emolga asked.
"Huh? Yeah." Said Pico.
"My heart has been racing all day today. I can't believe I'm actually on an exploration team!" Pico smiled.
"Me neither."
"Pico?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you... Thank you for letting me be on an exploration team with you..."
"No problem Emolga. We should get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us."
"Okay then. Goodnight Pico..."
"HEY! HEY THERE! RISE AND SHINE!" Spoke a booming voice. Pico held his head.
"Ugh... My head is pounding... Such a loud voice..."
"Why are you still ASLEEP!? WAKE UP! If you're late for our morning briefing, you'll be SORRY! So MOVE it! Guildmaster Wigglytuff has got a BIG temper. If you make him lose it... YOWEE! That would be one scary scene! I've got goose bumbs just thinking about it! YEEESH! So ANYWAY... I'm not about to get in trouble because you rookies got up LATE! SO GET IT IN GEAR!"
"Uggghh... My ears are still ringing..." Said Emolga as he got up.
"Whoa! We totally overslept! We've got to hurry Emolga!" Pico shouted. The two ran out of their room.
"You're LATE rookies!" Loudred boomed.
"Hush!" Said Chatot. "Your voice is ridiculously loud!"
"Humph."
"Everyone seems to be present. Very well. Let us conduct our morning address. Guildmaster! The guild is in full attendance!" Wigglytuff came out of his room. "Thank you Guildmaster! Please adress the crew."
"Zzz...Zzz... Snorfle... Zzz..." Guildmaster Wigglytuff was sleeping with his eyes open.
"Umm... Thank you Guildmaster... For your... Words of wisdom... Ok! Take our Guildmaster's words of wisdom to heart! Finally, let's not forget our morning cheers! All together now!"
"A ONE, A TWO, A ONE-TWO-THREE!" Everyone cheered. "ONE! DON'T SHIRK WORK! TWO! RUN AWAY AND PAY! THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!"
"Ok Pokemon! Get to work!"
"HOORAY!" The Pokemon all left to work. Chatot turned to Pico and Emolga.
"You two come here." Chatot went up the ladder. The two followed. "You two are aware that bad Pokemon are always present, right?"
"Yup." Said Emolga. "No matter what, there will always be at least a few bad Pokemon, right?"
"Precisely. So we have jobs here for members of the guild to help those that have crossed paths with the bad Pokemon. These jobs will all most likely take place in mystery dungeons. They are strange places that are very different each time you enter! Now then... Let's look for a job that you should preform." Chatot looked on the board and pulled off a request. "Ah yes, this looks like a fairly easy task." He handed it to Pico. He read it aloud.
"My friend spun around alot, and got really dizzy! She led me us in the wrong direction, and now we're lost! Please help! From Bida."
"I must warn you two. If either of you faints, you'll be forced out of the dungeon and sent back here. You will lose half of your money, and many of your items! You'd best be careful. If you've understood all that, you'd best get on with the job."
"This job seems a bit silly, but oh well." Said Pico. "Where do we need to go again?"
"Umm... It says we need to go to Greenleaf Woods." Said Emolga.
"Alright then. You ready?"
"Oh yeah! Ready as I'll ever be!"
"Alright! To Greenleaf Woods!"