Arcy wakes up the next morning. He can't remember his dream, but he had a feeling that someone was trying to contact me... like a prayer. it was nearby, in town perhaps. but he couldn't hear it. He gets up and stretches, meandering over to the fountain to splash his face before flinching away, surprised at how the water drops stung his back. Once he gets up he can finally observe who was around him. Nearest to him was a neat bed which has been slept in but was left early in the morning. Presumably that was Abby's. The next closest must have been Muddy who also seems to have left him here. Around him, he sees a Misdeavus still fast asleep, and a Charmander and a Chikorita chatting. The Charmander seems to have a stick up its bum and the Chikorita is surprisingly jovial and jokeful.

Arcy meander over to them. "Hello! I'm the new guild member! What's your guys' names?"

The Charmander just kind of looks at you but it's the Chikorita who answers, "I'm Biff! You can call me Chikorita though. I know it's hard to remember names, because I'm so bad at them! And the guy with a stick up his ass is Jethro. You do have to call Jethro, because he is too good to be called Charmander."

Jethro shoots an angry look at Biff. "I told you I wasn't always a Charmander. This is stupid. You're stupid. I'm hungry." He gets up and leaves to grab some food.

Biff whispers, "He's not angry at you, he's angry at me because we've been talking about his crazy past. Apparently his was Human, riot right? I don't believe him but I'm going to help him figure out his past if that's what he wants. He's too interesting to dismiss. Anyway that heavy sleeper right there is Alice. She use to be an Umbreon but died in the great curse. No one knows why she's the only one that came back as a ghost but we're all grateful she's here. She's been pretty depressed recently though. It's been a good thing for Abigail though. They're close friends."

"Wait, Jethro used to be a human? So I'm not the only one who's changed!"

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, we should wake Alice up and get some food. Maybe you'll meet Noot and Big Bird soon. I think they already left for the forest. They tend to move fast and like to make as many trips in the same day as they can. It's thanks to them that we can have enough food so often but it's also kind of sad because of their habits we don't actually get to hang out often. I don't think Terence or Stella will be back soon. Let's get breakfast and get going."

The apples at the breakfast table aren't fresh at all. They're barely still good, and some are bruised however everyone eats it with no qualms and most of them look happy to have it. The only disapointed member at breakfast is Abby. Arcy's apple is particularly bad. He scrunches his nose and pushes the apple away. If we can eat in the forest then there's no point eating this right now, he figures. Arcy make a point to take the seeds out and save them for later, though. If he can start an apple orchard nearby then food will be easier to get.

Mudita looks at Arcy. "You're not going to eat your apple?"

"No, why? Do you want it?"

"Actually yeah, besides we can't just throw it out." Muddy eats it with only one slightly thoughtful face but shrugs and finishes it off. "You must have been last to get here. Abby always makes it a point to eat the worst apple and give the best to those that wake up early."

"This is going to sound ridicules, but I'm not used to eating... but I was thinking on planting a tree in the guild, and growing our own apples." Arcy reveals the seeds.

Muddita nods, "If you can find space to do that I'm sure Abby would be happy. No one's had time to try and the trees need tending every day or else they don't grow. Needless to say the only trees that are always taken care of are the few oran trees we have that Abby tends to, but she's got a black hoof if you know what I mean. I think Noot tried that once and then completely forgot about it and we found a bunch of dead saplings a week later when we reminded him. If you can do it it'd be nice. Also, you don't look like you're not use to eating. You look pretty plump actually.

"Anyway, Abby's leaving, so let's follow. Here I got you a sack from the supply room and a badge. You probably don't qualify for this rank but it allows you to carry more and although it's slightly illegal to do that, we need food, and what Abby doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Right, thanks!" Arcy takes the sack and follows. It's not too far to go to Apple Woods. It's also not too terrible. It's weird to see a place so not devastated.

Abby smiles to the six who came. "Let the feast begin, and remember carry as much good as you can. Also remember that some of the less ripe apples will be good because they ripen. Last couple of days the apples have been a little ripe so just keep that in your head. Also please travel in groups starting from here on. Pick your partners."

Arcy waves to Muddy and Biff. "Hey! Could I be in a group with you?"

Biff bounds over from where he was with Jethro. "Of course!"

Muddy smiles next to Arcy. "Let's get as many apples as possible!"

Alice, Abby, and Jethro make their own group with Abby heading it. Alice makes a playful remark, "We'll totally get more apples than you! We even got Jethro!"

Jethro mutters, a little annoyed to have gotten ditched by Biff, "Hope that Cyndaquil doesn't weigh you down."

"So what? We're going to work harder and pick the best and biggest apples!" Arcy playfully calls back as Muddy leads the way in.

Biff even remarks, "Hah! Jethro one on one me, mate! I'll get more than you can even think of!" At this the two groups go their separate ways. Muddy is eagerly picking all the apples that she can find. It starts to seem a little wasteful after a while because some of the apples she picks are actually quite ripe and appear that they must be eaten now or never. Biff skillfully cuts down only the best looking apples and even throws a weird look at Muddy as though what she's doing isn't particularly normal for her.

"Muddy, wait... Look at the apples you're getting. We can't keep the ones you're picking up, they won't last. We should aim for the ones in the trees that don't look all that ripe and eat the ripe ones now," Arcy remarks.

Muddy looks at him, confused for a moment. "OH RIGHT these aren't particularly for eating. The riper the apple the more likely the seeds take hold and trees grow. These apples were going to make the forest even more over crowded if we left them anyway. Usually I go with Jethro and have him burn some of the apples but since you're making an orchard and you could probably burn them too, might as well get them all." she looks at Biff. "I'm sorry we didn't want to mention it to you because we know how much you hate burning things especially when they could become trees for food, but they'd just hurt the other trees if they took root here. Anyway what do you say about deseeding these for me while I go and grab some actual good apples?"

"That sounds like a plan! And we don't have to burn all of them; some can be eaten." Arcy bites into a ripe one, making it easier to deseed.

Biff places a large amount of apples a couple feet away from all the ripe ones. "I think I've maxed my carrying capacity with these. I'll grab them when we're leaving but I'll come and grab some better ones to eat, okay Muddy?"

Muddy nods, "Do you mind staying there while we go?"

"No, I can say here. I don't mind. Take as much time as you need!" Arcy nods with a smile. He finishes one apple, storing the seeds in a side pouch and picking up another, beginning to eat.

"Thanks, we'll bring back some for you to carry back to camp too" Muddy replies, and both head off deeper into the forest leaving Arcy alone to do his job. Thus far in the forest they haven't seen any hostile Pokémon but, Arcy figures he should be on the alert. After the third apple, Arcy's feeling pretty full. He then decides to practice his moves while Biff is away; picking the seeds out and tossing the apple into the air to see if he can hit it with a Flamethrower. He's had the move before and know how to use it, but it's aiming with this newly proportioned body he has to practice.

After about five burnt apples, he hears a rustling to his right and jumps to his feet. "Who's there?"

A creepy cackle explodes from all around him. "So you're the new fresh meat. I hope you know these woods aren't safe for you or your friends."

"Show yourself! I'm not scared!" Arcy looks around for the source. It's not himself he's concerned about; it's the apples. If they get stolen or damaged, all their work will be for nothing.

"HAH I've no need of food," a Missingno. ghost flutters out. "Just you're not safe here or anywhere. Three moons. You've got three moons. Oh you poor souls. I hope you're smart like the later ones afflicted."

"Three moons? For what?" Arcy gasps suddenly. "You're the one setting the curse?"

"Hah, you're so misguided for a god. It's a good thing you're in good company or you'd never guess what you have to do. Aren't you wondering who controls the world if you're not running it? Wondering why this group has so many funny names?"

"Um... No? Now that you mention it, who and why?"

"Even a human and a ghost among you? The world's turning upside down. I don't know much and can tell you even less. You're lucky that as an old soul I feel a bit of gratitude for you. Beware the shadows. Corruption is coming, Arceus."

"Corruption... Who's causing it? A dark type?"

"Hah, beware the shadows, not the dark. The dark is after all the only thing older than you."

"A Shadow... type?"

"Yes, it's the shadows you created that are finally catching up with you."

"What shadows?"

The Missingno. cackles again. "You'll figure that out on your own, but maybe you should pay more attention to your friends." A shriek comes from the direction of where Biff and Muddy went.

"Muddy? Biff?!" Arcy takes off in their direction, his back blazing.

A/N: And with that, we end chapter two! Thank you everyone who favorited and followed so far! And a huge thank you to Charlesguy for your review! What could Missingno. mean? What happened to Biff and Muddy? More to come soon!