As Ri leads me up an incredibly large flight of stairs to the Guild compound, all of my earlier confidence vanishes from the realization of how utterly lost I truly am. Being with Ri has been one thing, but the instant we left the beach to cross over the main, intersecting roads of the town set above it on the cliffs we ran into all sorts of Pokemon. All talking, all going about their daily lives like human beings would, and none paying us any kind of attention as we pass by—even when I stumbled and Ri had to help me up the first few steps. I really am just another Pokemon here.
But I don't know anyone except Ri and I'm no Pokemon—not really. How am I going to be able to fit in, or do I even want to? I mean, I know it's important that I try to blend in, but I really want to get my memories back and—if possible—become human again as soon as I can. I don't know where I belong, my identity… Do I even have a family or friends to speak of? All that's left is a blank slate.
Ri pauses once we reach the top of the stairs, then turns to me, holding my wrist—the one with the Styler attached to it. I don't understand why he would hesitate since he's been nothing but eager to get here to join the Guild. However, his eyes aren't on the compound ahead, they're on me and the device. Looking down with slight guilt, he says with a small sigh, "Think might be asking a lot, I know, but… I think you'll have to get rid of your Styler."
The suggestion catches me off guard and for a minute all I can do is balk at him mutely. And when I'm finally able to say something back, the words are spoken with biting defense. "What? Are you crazy?" I hold the Styler protectively to my chest. I don't care for what it can do—I don't even know how to use it in the first place—but it's the only thing I have left from who I was as a human. For me, it's as good as any identification card. "This could be the one thing that'll lead me back to where I belong, or find someone who knows who I am! It could be a clue!"
"I know, Lira," he wraps an arm around my shoulder consolingly, "but if the other Pokemon see you with that, there'll be questions—ones that neither one of us can really answer right now. And they'll wonder if you're trustworthy. With so many criminals out there now, trust is hard to come by: I don't want there to be a reason for them to turn you away or worse."
No matter what sort of comeback I try to make, I can't justify it within my own head and remain silent. I stare down at the Styler with dismay, because I know he's right. I recall his initial reaction when he saw the Styler and, although Pokemon Rangers can be trusted, no one likes the thought of being controlled. Even just having it would be a bad sign. Maybe most Pokemon wouldn't notice it or know what it is—like how Zubat and Koffing didn't even seem to register it—but then they'll always be a chance it'll be pointed out by someone else and I'll fall under suspicion as a result.
"Lira…"
I close my eyes, then, with calm control I don't actually feel, I walk over to the edge of the nearby cliff-face.
Removing the Styler from my arm, I drop it in the sea—never to be seen again.
I hold my breath and just stand there like that for a moment, hugging myself tightly. I know it had to be done, but that doesn't make me feel any better about it. Just as throwing away the Styler assures my being human is kept a secret from the majority of Pokemon here; it also prevents anyone I might know from finding me as easily. Now, if there even is anyone out there looking for me, we could pass by each other along the street without a clue.
Ri comes over to me and has to lead me away from the cliff's edge. "We'll find out who you are, someday… I promise," he tries to reassure me. I give him a solemn nod in turn, and together, we approach the compound.
It's a short trek across flat ground from here on, and I can already see it once we turn around and get back on the dirt path leading to it. The building itself is so startling that it manages to shock me out of my gloom: It's actually shaped like a giant Wigglytuff. Talk about being creative with its construction, I muse. Well, I guess there was no way to confuse this place with anywhere else. Stopping us from entering the figurative 'mouth' of the compound is a giant steel gate with thick bars. Oddly enough, there's some kind of large grate in front of the building; however, I just assume it's only plumbing or the sewers.
We might as well knock…
As Ri steps over the grate, a scratchy, youthful tenor suddenly erupts from nowhere, "Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected! Whose footprint? Whose footprint? It's… a Riolu! It's Ri! The footprint is Ri's! The footprint is Ri's!"
Both of us look frantically around for the voice, but there's no sign of anyone else around. "Ri, what's happening?" I press, getting into a defensive stance. Is this some kind of security system?!
"I… I don't know!" he replies, clearly as freaked out as I am.
"Ri, huh? Never though he'd finally have the guts to show up one day…" This voice isn't the same as the first—much deeper and far less strained when shouting at us, but clearly also a guy's. "You may enter! Someone's with you! So get the stranger to stand up there!"
The other Fighting-type standing next to me scratches the back of his head as he steps away to make room over the grate. "Um… I think they're talking about you, Lira."
I take a step forward and peer down into it, but it's too dark in there to see what Pokemon is down there. And I'm not even sure if I feel safe after that near-heart attack: I've had enough surprises for one day. This is it though: I can't easily turn back now.
"Hey you! Stranger! Get over the grate!" the voice commands. So, looking over at Ri as my security, I do.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected! Whose footprint? Whose footprint?" The first tenor returns with the same vigor it showed previously. However, it only takes a second for him to begin to hesitate with uncertainty, "It's…um…it's… a Riolu too?"
"What sentry? What's wrong, Sentry Diglett?"
A Diglett: Makes sense then for the security pit to be underground. "Well," the latter replies, "It's a Riolu print alright, but not like you would see around here… It's different from Ri's—smaller, more dainty-looking."
It takes a certain measure of self-control to hold back my tongue as I hear Ri snort behind me, humored. Dainty… We both already learned in the past hour that I'm as far from 'dainty' as any person can be. I bite my lower lip to contain myself. Dainty, the word echoes in my head, I doubt Zubat is calling me 'dainty' right now.
"This is crummy! Checking the footprints of visiting Pokemon… That's your job, isn't it, Diglett?"
"Well," he starts off nervously, "Yes, but… I don't know what I don't know."
I look to Ri. Help me, I try to convey through my gaze. This situation is just going from bad to worse and at this rate they might not even let us inside.
He seems calm though as he leans over to shout through the grate, "Don't worry, she's alright. She's just a friend of mine from… from out of town." I nod in appreciation of the small fib. I may have lost my memories, but I'm pretty sure I'm not from anywhere around here. Since I don't know anything about myself, it would be best to just pretend I'm an old friend of his for now.
They seem to consider this a moment, but the deeper bass voice eventually concedes, "Very well, you may enter!"
Not a moment after the words have left him does the gate shake and lift up from the earth—revealing a ladder passage leading deep underground. I step forward, turning back only to find that Ri isn't following me. "I'm a little nervous…" he admits when I raise a brow at him, "But I'm glad we're finally allowed in. My heart's pounding though…" Taking a deep breath, he finally looks up to me with a grin, "Ok, let's go in."
At first it only gets darker and darker until we can barely see where we're stepping as I let him retake the lead and we begin our descent. Then a faint shimmer of light shines up the shaft, growing—as well as the sounds of chattering Pokemon—as we reach the next level below.
"Wow!" he exclaims once we've made it down, taking a look around with an astounded expression on his face—which I soon mimic as my feet touch solid earth once more. The place is built better than I thought it would be. Windows have been carved from the side of the cliff-face so that natural light can shine through. Some grass and flowers even grow, forming a type of carpet on the floor. Pokemon flutter, walk, or crawl here and there through hallways and doors, talking back and forth to one another in an energetic fill of conversation. Two big billboards hang on each side of the passageway we just arrived from and a second ladder leads further down. "So this is Wigglytuff's Guild…" Ri takes another step inward, his eyes drinking in everything around him with childlike wonder. "So many Pokemon! I wonder if they're all on exploration teams."
"Who knows… but just how big is this place?" I ask. This isn't just a building, it's a fortress. And we're supposed to ask if we can stay here as apprentices?
"Excuse me," a new voice intrudes, older and more proper than the first two we had heard when entering. Ri and I turn around in unison to see a Chatot hop over from the second ladder, "You are the two that just came in, right?" We both share a glance, and then nod. "I'm Chatot! I'm the Pokemon in the know around these parts and I'm Guildmaster Wigglytuff's right hand Pokemon." His polite mannerisms abruptly cut off as he then motions at us with a brisk wave of his wing. "Now, shoo! Leave the premises! We have no time for salespeople or silly surveys. Off you go, if you please!"
As I cover my mouth and choke back a laugh, Ri tries explaining why we're here in a near flustered state of desperation. I'm glad he's standing up for himself like he needs to, but the awkward and shy display he makes as he tries to do so is a little funny. "N-No! You see, we want to form an exploration team… sir. That's why we came: We want to form an exploration team."
Chatot takes on an expression of shock and hollers, "What? An exploration team?" Then he turns away from us, musing to himself aloud, "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..."
Before I can remind the bird-brain that we're not babies or children, Ri covers my loud mouth with one hand and asks, "Excuse me? Is the training that severe?"
As quickly as he dove into them, Chatot snaps out of his thoughts and flutters back over to us in a flurry. "What? Oh—no, no, no, no! It's not true in the slightest! Our training program for exploration teams is as easy as can be!" he laughs nervously.
I give Ri a look that asks, 'You're not seriously going to buy that, are you?' It would seem that new recruits are sorely lacking. It matters little to me though: There's nowhere else for me to go and—what can I say—the challenge intrigues me. If I can make it through training alongside Ri, then maybe I'll learn how to adjust to this new body faster and be more useful during a fight. I can't keep up in a battle on just pure anger alone, after all, and I don't know for how long I'll be like this.
"I wish you had told me up front that you wished to be an exploration team! Hee-hee! Ok! Let's get you signed in then! Over here! Right this way! Quickly please!" the Flying-type practically sings as he returns back the way he came.
"Well," Ri mutters so that only I can hear, "His attitude sure changed, didn't it?" And with a faint snicker, I nod.
Leading us down the second ladder to another level, Chatot explains the different areas we come across as though he were taking us on a tour. "This is the Guild's second underground floor, where the apprentices mainly work. Team registration is this way." As we are then brought to a large, wooden door, he adds in a serious tone, "This is Guildmaster Wigglytuff's chambers. On no account—I repeat, on no account—should you be discourteous to our Guildmaster."
I won't be—not so long as he isn't anywhere near as fussy as this one is. If we stay here, I don't know if I could handle two of them without going crazy. From the way Ri's tail wags excitedly and how he beams though, at least he seems undeterred by the senior Guild member's attitude. Maybe the other won't be such a bad guy.
Chatot knocks once and, announcing our arrival, motions us inside. "Guildmaster! I present to you two Pokemon who wish to join the Guild as apprentices." However, there's no reply from the Pokemon standing in front of us, facing the other way—toward the wall. With his back turned to us, I can't tell much, but he's a rather large Pokemon with short, pink fur and long ears tipped a soft white. Is… Is he even conscious though? Or is he deaf, maybe?
"Guildmaster… Um…Guildmaster?" The Flying-type approaches him cautiously, as if afraid to wake a sleeping Ursaring.
Then suddenly Wigglytuff whirls around, startling all of us—and Chatot enough so that his feathers actually ruffle tensely. A pair of big, teal eyes stare at us with a little kid's glee. Compared to the other, this one is drastically different: I think they're about the same age, but while Chatot seems to possess a no-nonsense mannerism, this guy seems to have all the boundless energy of a toddler. "Hiya! I'm Wigglytuff! I'm the Guildmaster! You want to form an exploration team?" Unable to respond in any other way, we nod. "Then let's go for it! But first, what's your team name?"
I stare wide-eyed at Wigglytuff, still a little more than stunned. I know Ri said that the Guildmaster was naïve… but I can't say I was expecting this. Shouldn't we have to give him our credentials or take a test at least? I was expecting to get into the Guild this easily.
I don't think Ri was expecting it either. He looks over to me a little bashfully, "I… I didn't think of that before now—what our names should be…What do you think, Lira?"
"Me?" Why me? Wouldn't he want to do this? This is his wish: I'm just along for the ride.
"Well, you're part of the team too," he retorts, raising his shoulders in a small shrug.
I ponder over it for a moment. I'm not one to just spit something out at random and I want Ri to like the name too: I want our name to mean something to ourselves and others. So I think of what we've been through so far and what we could be. Ri's words come back to me, Can you imagine—hidden troves full of treasures and secrets… It's what I've always dreamed of! And then I think of what I want as a team also for however long this lasts: I want to help people. I want to stop Pokemon like Team Salacious from hurting others.
"Crusade," I say with a nod as the name pops out, "We're Team Crusade." Looking to Ri, I see him smile and test the name out for himself and know I've chosen right. A pair of crusaders exploring new lands, going on rescues, and fighting off villains: That seems to fit the both of us pretty well.
"All settled then!" states Wigglytuff in an almost sing-sing voice, "I'll register your name as Team Crusade. Registering, registering!"
Then suddenly…
"YOOM- TAH!" A flash of light fills the chamber and the room itself quivers with a force akin to an earthquake as the Guildmaster's voice booms. I jump, and on instinct find myself clinging to Ri and him to me out of fright. My hair stands on end and our tails bend jaggedly from our surprise, and even after the room falls silent we remain still and held together as we try to recover from the shock.
Wh-what…just happened. What kind of move was that?! I peel my widened-eyes over to my newfound partner only for him to answer my look in a strained whisper, "I think… That was Hyper Voice…"
Hyper Voice…? I know that move's supposed to pack a punch, but experiencing it firsthand is something else. Wigglytuff didn't even bother to pause for a second to charge the attack, and the fact that none of us were actually harmed shows a degree of control over that power that's terrifying. If I thought I couldn't take the guy seriously, I now see that he's the Guildmaster for a good reason!
On the other side of me, I hear Chatot mutter, '"You get used to that. Eventually…" Based on that and Wigglytuff's carefree smile, I can only assume he means that the latter uses the move just for the sake of doing it for fun and that it's habitual. Hooray…
"All registered!" the Guildmaster says, his voice returning to normal, "Congratulations! You're an official exploration team!" Digging through one of the chests in his chambers, he returns to us with a small, yellow package in his hands, "I present you with this commemoration."
Picking up the package, I peer inside as Ri questions, "A Pokemon Exploration Team Kit?"
"Yup! It's what every exploration team needs. Quick, open it up!" I do so, holding the kit out for Ri to see inside too. Inside we find a map, a Treasure Bag with a red strap attached to it, and two badges. Ri picks his up immediately and examines it fondly as Wigglytuff explains, "That's your explorer badge: Your official team identification! Now, have a peek inside the bag!" When we do, we find a pair of bandanas. When I raise my eyebrows in confusion, Wigglytuff then says, "Those two items are special! They'll help you on your journey!"
If it can hold back my hair at times I guess that's special enough for me, but I probably should ask Ri what he means by that. He gratefully thanks him—so thrilled you would've thought that this was a holiday—and promises that we'll do our best to which the Guildmaster then replies, "Yup! But remember that you're just apprentices right now, so do your best… to train!"
Chatot leads us out the way we came and down another set of hallways, carrying our kit with us. The next door we stop at is at the very end of the hall, and when Chatot pushes it open I recognize that this is supposed to be one of the quarters for apprentices. It's a very simple room—with stone walls and no furnishings save for two piles of hay that look almost like nests—but we have a window. The scent of the ocean floats around inside and I can hear the roar of the waves below, so we must be facing a part of the sea. Not a bad view then.
"Sweet! We get beds!" exclaims Ri as he heads over to the farthest one from the door. Setting the kit near one side of the circular wall, close to the window, I step into mine. It's very comfortable actually, and it definitely beats sleeping in the floor.
"You will live here while you work for us," explains Chatot, "Things will start getting busy for you tomorrow, so rise early and start living up to our code! Don't sleep late: You'll want to get some sleep tonight! That is all." He happily hops on his way, shutting the door behind him.
When night finally arrives though, I just can't sleep. I stare over at Ri, who mumbles and mutters uncomprehendible things as he snoozes away. All good things I imagine though, from the content grin that remains on his face. There's just too much on my mind for a good night's rest though.
Resting well or not, it isn't long before he stirs anyway. Moaning, Ri cracks open an eye and looks over at me, "Are you still awake, Lira?" he whispers. I give him a tired nod. "My heart's been racing all day today over every little thing… But I'm glad we came here."
"Me too," I say, just as quiet, "Although, I think I'm going to try to get a blanket when I can." Hay beds may be better than no bed, but even though I'm not cold I guess it's out of some forgotten habit that I want one. And who knows: Maybe acting on old habits might rattle something within me and unlock a memory or two. It's just an idea, but there's a small chance it could work…
He smirks, "We're going to experience all sorts of things starting tomorrow, but… I'm not scared. In fact, I'm actually excited about it all—the adventures we'll face." I smile back, my eyes slowly drooping. The last thing I hear him say before I slip into the quiet of a fitful slumber is, "Goodnight, Lira…"
Thunder clashes, lighting strikes the air.
There's laughter, horrible, wicked laughter. I'm running as fast as I can go. Dead branches snag my tattered clothes and I trip over nearly every tiny pebble. My bare feet ache and I'm so very tired. But I don't stop. I can still hear them coming! They're getting closer! Hurry!
I see a large crack in a rock ledge up ahead. If I could just reach it, just squeeze through it… There!
Crawling as far as I can go in my tiny space, I watch in terror as clawed hands reach out for me, trying to pull me out. Who are they? What do they want from me? Are they going to kill me? Eat me? Hot tears drip down hollow cheeks. I close my eyes tightly. I don't want to see what happens.
There's a brief moment when there's nothing. Not a sound. Then a hand reaches inside my hiding place, gripping my shoulder. When I push it away, it grabs my hair and pulls.
I scream.
"No!"
"Lira!" My eyes snap open. Ri stands above me with a concerned look, shaking my shoulders. Once he sees I'm awake though, he softens his tone and shushes, "It's alright: You're safe. It was just a dream."
He helps me sit up right, holding my hand and plopping down beside me. "…A dream?" It seemed too real…
"It's alright," he repeats, "…What was it about, by the way?"
What was that about? I know that dreams aren't supposed to make sense, but I get the nagging sensation that I've seen all of it before. A memory then? I wonder with a mix of hope and concern. If it was a memory, it must not have been a good one. But where would I have been anyway: It all just sort of charged through my mind without giving me a chance to rationalize any of it. Before I can answer him, there's a hard knock on our door. "Hey!" A familiar, guttural voice shouts, "Why are you still asleep? Wake up!"
"We're coming," Ri calls back, pulling me up and allowing me to stretch, he reaches inside the Treasure Bag and wraps the bandana around his neck, handing me the other. It takes me a minute longer to decide what to do with the thing before I settle for tying it around my right rare-arm for the time being. While I stuff the map and badges into the pack, hanging it across one shoulder, he opens the door.
A new Pokemon greets us before we can step out. "I'm Loudred!" True to his name, even at this close distance he speaks as though we stood on the opposite end of the hallway that connected all of the apprentice's barracks. "If you're late for the morning briefing, you'll be sorry! So move it! Guildmaster Wigglytuff has got a big temper, and if you make him lose it…" He shakes his head, "Believe me, it's not a pretty scene! I've got goose bumps just thinking about it!"
No further explanation needed: We race out the door and through the halls—following the others who overslept—to start another day.
