Here's the next chapter. Here's hoping you like it. As usual, Read & Review please. I want to make this the best I can.
Final Disclaimer, This applies to all chapters before and after this one as well: I do NOT own Pokemon nor am I directly associated with the companies that made the games or anime or anything of that sort.
PDM2: A Novelization
Chapter 2: Team Long Ears
Eve was once again, standing before the large tent that was apparently Wigglytuff's guild with Alex alongside her.
"Well, this is it. Wigglytuff's Guild…" she said, nervousness clear in her voice "But there's just something weird about it, isn't there? It just is!"
"Weird" certainly seemed to describe the entrance before them. There were a couple of long… things that Alex supposed were supposed to resemble ears standing up over the entrance and it was a vibrant pink. In fact, Alex was pretty sure it was supposed to resemble a pokemon… then again he couldn't be sure. Eve shook herself and put on a determined face like last time.
"No… no time to be getting cold feet now." She was apparently talking to herself though "I've got Alex with me this time… Let's do this!" she then stepped onto the grate before the entrance. Once again, a voice sounded from below:
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"
"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"
"The footprint belongs to Eevee! The footprint belongs to Eevee!"
Again, Eve's first impulse was to hop back off, startled as she was by this event. But she stood her ground, muttering encouragement to herself. A moment passed, then someone below called up to them.
"Alright! You PASS. There's someone ELSE up there with you! Get THEM to stand on the GRATE!"
Relieved, the timid Eevee stepped off and stood aside. When he didn't act, she turned to Alex who was still staring at the entrance.
"I think they meant you Alex." She said.
Alex tore his eyes off the Guild entrance and looked down at the grate.
Well… it's at least made so no one will fall through… but still it looks as if it will tickle or- His musing were interrupted when the voice below called up again:
"HEY! STRANGER! Get on the GRATE!"
Shrugging, Alex stepped onto the grate and stood there.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"
"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"
"The footprint is… the footprint isss…"
Whoever was below sounded uncertain and their voice trailed off.
"What's WRONG? RESPOND Diglett!"
"The footprint…" they still sounded uncertain but finally yelled "Maybe Pikachu's! Maybe Pikachu's!"
"WHAT? Whadda you mean MAYBE?"
A short argument could be heard below. Eve raised an eyebrow.
"Are they… fighting?" she said, a little incredulous. Finally the argument halted and they were called once again.
"ALRIGHT! It's TRUE you don't see many Pikachu around these parts… BUT I think you're okay so… OPEN!"
The metal grating that served as the door to the Guild creaked and rose, displaying the entrance welcoming them in.
"Wow! We're actually going inside." Eve said, quivering excitedly "I'm nervous but, let's go." The two stepped inside and immediately found a hole in the ground with a ladder going down. Upon climbing down, they were awe-struck by the busy room below. Pokemon were all over the place, some giving money that was evidently payment to others and yet others were going about doing other business.
"Are these pokemon all exploration teams?" Eve murmured as she looked around, her excitement continuing to climb as she watched. Alex couldn't help but also gaze about. The room was carved out the rock and oval in shape. Where they had come from, there was another hole going further down on the right, and a bulletin board on the wall on the opposite side. Further over on the right near the hole, was yet another bulletin board. Pokemon were grouped mainly around these boards, pointing to pages posted on them and discussing various things with their companions.
Alex and Eve's observations were interrupted when someone emerged from the hole going further down and called out to them.
"Excuse me! You two are to two that just came in, correct?"
The pokemon addressing them was a bird and looked a little like a parrot, with red wings, a body with a mix of blue and white and an entirely black head that had an odd tuft of feathers that were shaped such that the bird's head looked like a musical note with a beak and eyes. Eve nodded, confirming they had just come in. The parrot returned the nod.
"I'm Chatot, Wigglytuff's right-hand pokemon and the pokemon in-the-know around these parts." He introduced himself, his tone serious "Now shoo! We have no time for silly surveys or other such nonsense!" he said sharply. Eve jumped and immediately spoke up.
"Oh wait! We're not here for any of that. We came because we wanted to join the Guild as apprentices!" she said quickly.
This evidently surprised Chatot as he jumped and exclaimed "Apprentices?"
He then turned his back to them and started mumbling to himself in such a quiet tone that Alex only caught what he was saying because he unconsciously directed his ears towards him.
"It's rare to see a kid like this wanting to be a apprentice at the guide… especially given how hard the training is. Surely the number of apprentices that try to run away proves how true that is."
Alex cut-in before he thought about what he was saying.
"Wait, is the training really that hard?"
Chatot jumped again and turned to face them.
"Hard? Why not at all!" he denied quickly and loudly, flapping his wings in a show of some panic. This was quickly overridden with a smile and a very friendly air.
"Well, I wish you had mentioned up-front that you wished to become apprentices." He said with a friendly chuckle. Alex and Eve exchanged glances…
"What a change in attitude…" she mouthed.
Chatot didn't notice and started hopping away before he noticed they weren't moving. He then turned and called to them again.
"What's the matter? Come along!"
They followed Chatot down the hole he had come up, down a ladder and into another large and very spacious room that was largely empty with two hallways leading out, there was also what appeared to be some sort of shop. Eve noticed a window installed in a wall that featured a view of the sky outside. She promptly ran over to it and gazed out in awe.
"Wow! We're underground but you can see outside from here!"
"Hush!" Chatot snapped "The guild's built into the side of a cliff. It's only natural you'd be able to see outside." He said simply.
Eve blinked then just shrugged.
Chatot gathered them before a large wooden door between the ladder up and the window. The door was emblazoned with a circular, swirl-like emblem that Alex guessed was the Guild sign. Chatot turned to the two of them
"This is the Guildmaster's chamber." He explained, his tone strict "On no account- I repeat, on NO account, should you ever be discourteous to our Guildmaster." He warned and then turned to the door and called "Guildmaster! It's Chatot, I'm coming in!" before pushing open the door and leading them inside.
o0o
Inside was a room that was decorated with a few banners, and had various items placed along the walls of the room. As Alex and Eve stopped between two braziers, Chatot turned towards the center of the room and spoke
"Guildmaster, I present to you two pokemon who wish to join our guild as apprentices."
Alex glanced around… he didn't immediately see anyone who looked like a Guildmaster. There was something that might've been a statue standing in about the center of the room, the back facing them.
"Guildmaster?" Chatot repeated, apparently unsure if his leader had heard him.
Then the "statue" whirled and said enthusiastically "Hiya!"
Both Alex and his partner jumped. Guildmaster Wigglytuff was evidently what Alex had mistaken for statue. The leader was oval… almost egg-shaped and largely pink, though his belly was white. His eyes were a vivid shade of green that shined in a way that implied something about their owner that Alex couldn't figure out. He had ears that were also long and rabbit-like though unlike Alex's, they ended with white-tips. His hands and feet were little more than stubs. On the Guildmaster's head was what looked like a little curl of hair that Alex realized looked like the emblem on the room's door. The Guildmaster acted like they hadn't been startled and moved right into business in a happy, energetic tone.
"So you wish to register at the guild as apprentices? Alright! Let's do it! First, tell me your team name."
Eve got over her surprise and immediately addressed the issue at hand.
"Oh, we didn't think of a team name." She turned to her partner "What sounds like a good team name to you, Alex?"
Alex lowered his head, thinking. After a moment, his ear once again flopped down into his face. He blew on it out of instinct and when that didn't get it out of the way he jerked his head, flipping it out of the way. He then considered his ears and glanced at Eve… noting her ears as well.
Long Ears…
He couldn't suppress a bit of a giggle as he found the name quite silly but nonetheless attractive. He voiced the idea to his partner. She blinked and then burst out laughing light-heartedly.
"Long Ears? Team Long Ears?" She laughed a bit more "Funny. It sounds silly but I actually like it. It certainly suits us." She said, finally suppressing her laughter down to giggling.
The Guildmaster nodded.
"Team Long Ears? Got it. Registering… registering… DONE!" he jumped into the air as he finished.
"Team Long Ears is now officially registered at the Guild!" He then pulled out a small yellow chest and set it down before them "Here's your Exploration Team Starter Kit! Open it up!"
Alex and Eve stepped forward and popped open the lid of the chest. Inside was a sheet of paper that was clearly a map from the details etched on it. Next to that was a bag with an arm-strap and cloth-flap as a lid. On top of the bag were a pair of badges that were round and emblazoned with a jewel in the center, with a pair of wings on the sides of it; both were on sashes for them to wear. Eve's eyes were glittering.
"Wow… all of this? For us?" the Guildmaster cheerfully nodded and explained
"First is your wonder map (indicating the paper) which is a wonder of convenience, it updates itself for you and everything! Then there's your Explorer's Badge, which shows you're an official exploration team. And finally there's your treasure bag, which you use to contain the items you collect during your explorations, you can even get bigger ones if you work hard! Look what's inside now."
Alex gently lifted the bag from the chest and lifted the flap off. Inside was a ribbon that was the same brown as his eyes and a band that Chatot mentioned was a Power Band. The ribbon as the Guildmaster explained was apparently charged with aura and it matched Alex's aura, thus it would enhance his abilities.
"T-Thank you!" Eve said, amazed at the new items for them. "We'll do our best!"
The Guildmaster smiled warmly.
"That's right! But you're only apprentices right now so do your best… to train!"
Eve nodded in response and turned to Alex.
"We'll always do our best, right Alex?"
"Right!" they clasped paws and there… Team Long Ears was born.