Ok, I rushed through this chapter a bit so I hope it's all right. I'm about to get really busy, really fast, and if I didn't post this now it would have been a long time before I got the chance to post it. Unfortunately, it will be a while, probably a long while, before I get the time to write up the next chapter, so my apologies.

Eevee was more than a little surprised. More than very surprised. On the scale of surprisedness he was somewhere between "OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!" and "I've fallen into an alternate universe where anything can happen and magical unicorns eat butterflys and poop rainbows!", just without some of the excitement.

Really, who'd have thought that Sol of all people would throw a party to show appreciation for anyone, nevermind Chatot. It was only a few days ago when she was complaining about how creepy it was that he slept on the guild stairs. If Wigglytuff himself hadn't told Eevee about it when he had returned to the guild, he never would have believed it. Eevee hoped it meant Sol was willing to let go of the past and start getting along with Chatot.

A lot of people had shown up for the party, many bearing plates of food to be spread out on tables. The entire guild was in attendance as well as the Kecleon brothers, Kangaskhan, Marill, Azurill, Espeon, Marrowak, Xatu, Ursaring, Teddyursa, Dusknoir, and many others.

Everything was going great, except for at the start when Jak saw all the people coming up the road to the guild, thought they were under attack and completely freaked out. And the bit when Wigglytuff almost made Azurill cry when he practically interogated him about what was in the nacho dip the two small brothers had brought. Other than those little instances, it was all going great.

Chatot was walking around the room, talking to everyone with a huge grin on his face. Sol and Loudred were locked in a contest of who could down the most hot sauce while Marill and Azurill watched, giggling. Espeon and Sunflora were deep in conversation, what about Eevee didn't know but the looks they would cast at various guests and laugh made him fairly sure they were either playing some hypthetical matchmaker game or plotting everyone's demise. Maybe both. Marrowak and Xatu kept having multiple philosophical debates while Bidoof was dividing his time between devouring the buffet table with Wigglytuff and worshipping the ground Dusknoir walked on.

It still amazed Eevee that he had not only met the famous explorer, but regularly talked with him. While Dusknoir hadn't known anything about Pokémon turning into humans, he had been very interested about what had happened to Sol. Several times now Eevee had met up with him at The Broken Shield Inn and told him everything that he knew, about Sol, her abilities, her memory loss, everything. Sol would be mad when she found out, and Eevee was feeling really guilty about it, but he knew they could trust Dusknoir with the information. There was no way Dusknoir would ever do anything that could potentionally harm anyone. Eevee only had to look at him, chatting with party guests, treating them all with respect and kindness, putting up with Sol as she waved an empty bottle of hot sauce above her head in triumph while shouting how she was the champion, to know that he was a good person.

So why was Eevee feeling guilty? He was trying to help Sol, and it wasn't like he was going out and telling everyone in town, just Dusknoir. He was doing the right thing, but no matter how many times he told himself that, Eevee couldn't completely allieviate all the guilt.

Gah, thinking about this would do Eevee no good. Best just to try and enjoy the party. When would the next opportunity arrive to truly enjoy the moment like this?

Not for a long time, as it turned out, especially with the news carried by a frantic Diglett who burst into the room.

"Guildmaster! Chatot! Something... Something terrible has happened! Officer Magnezone wants to talk with you right away!"

"What's going on?" Dusknoir asked with concern.

"I... I don't know the details, but... Another Time Gear has been stolen!"

Silence filled the room, everyone stunned by the announcement. Chatot was the first to recover and ran out the door, dragging Wigglytuff behind him. Then the room erupted with exclaimations and speculations.

"Time has been frozen in another place? Which one?"

"All those poor Pokémon!"

"I hope they got out in time."

"This is the third one! Who could be doing this?"

"Whoever it is, I'm going to rip them into little thieving pieces then dance on their remains."

Shocked by the hostility in Sol's voice, Eevee could only stare at his partner. She stood, ramrod straight and her eyes filled with unparalleled anger. Eevee knew the Time Gear thefts had been really bothering Sol, but such murderous threats, and she sounded like she meant them...

Dusknoir also seemed to find Sol's reaction odd, for he looked at her with his head slightly tilted to the side and a thoughtful exprssion on his face. Then he shook himself from his thoughts and headed to the door.

"I will go and speak to the officer as well. Perhaps I can aid with the investigation."

"With the great Dusknoir on the case, I reckon the thief will be caught real soon, yup, yup," Bidoof said after he had gone.

"Can you really be so sure?" Espeon asked. "Whoever this thief is, it sounds like they know what they're doing. They'll be hard to stop."

"We, like, can't afford to think like that! We have to stay, like, totally positive!"

"Yeah, I know I'm NEVER going to stop trying to catch the thief, no matter how long it takes."

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm with Loudred, I'm going to keep trying."

"We can do it!"

"Ok, this heart warming group moment is giving me diabetes, and I'm getting the sneaking suspicion this is going to end with us all breaking into a song about 'hope' or 'teamwork', at which point I will throw up. So how about we skip all that and see if we can get some actual information?"

Way to ruin a moment, Sol. Still, Eevee prefered this Sol to the 'dance on their remains' Sol. Much less scary and disturbing.

At any rate, the guild apprentices all ran from the room and up the stairs to the second floor. Wigglytuff, Chatot and Dusknoir were there, studying something on the outlaw bulletin board.

"This Time Gear that's been stolen, what do we know about it?" Sol asked, straight to the point.

"Where was it taken from?" Eevee said, standing beside his partner. All the guild members crowded in the room, all except for Jak who had disappeared before the party started and had yet to return.

"W-well, it..." Chatot began, looking physically ill. Why was this effecting him in such a way? When news of the others had arrived, he had remained mostly calm, with a bit of worry leaking into his face when he thought no one was looking. So why was he all worked up now? Unless...

"Wait! It wasn't... It wasn't the one from... Fogbound Lake?"

"Yes," Chatot sighed, looking a little relieved that that news was now out in the open and he wasn't the one who had to say it out loud.

"B-but how?! Only we knew about that one, right? So how could this happen?"

There was an awkward pause, followed by an outcry.

"What are you trying to SAY, Eevee? Don't trust your fellow guild mates?"

"No one in the guild would, like, ever leak the secret of the expedition!"

"Hey, hey! Are you sure? I can think of a few, perhaps one who really likes to gossip?"

"Eek! How can you even, like, say that! And what about you? You could've, like, leaked the secret to get totally famous! We all know you'll never have another, seeing how mediocre your skills are!"

"What about Bidoof? What better way to become a renown explorer than to be known as the one who discovered Fogbound Lake?"

"I would never!"

"How about Wigglytuff? I find it hard to believe he can keep any secret for very long!"

"Stop being meanies! I can so keep a secret! I never once told anyone how Chatot is afraid of heights and that's why he can't fly!"

"Everyone, shut up!" Sol yelled, only for the accusations to continue to fly around the room. She growled, then tried a different tactic. "Hey, Wigglytuff, we're all out of Perfect Apples."

"WHAT?! But... My Perfect Apples... I can't go on without my Perfect Apples! WAAAAAAHHHHH!" The floor began to shake violently, stoping the argument as the assembled Pokémon starting yelling in fright and fought to keep their balance in the turmoil.

"Oh, now I remember! There's some more in the larder! False alarm!"

"Yay!"

Wigglytuff ran down the stairs to find his Perfect Apples, the rumbling stoping as quickly as it had started and leaving a room full of stunned, quiet Pokémon.

"Ok, now that I've got your attention, no one leaked the secret. Think about it. The Time Gears are all, for the most part, in hidden places. Yet, many are being stolen with very short periods of time between them, definately not long enough for someone to search around aimlessly and happen upon one. Based on that, I think it's safe to assume the thief is already well aware of where all the Time Gears are."

"Hold on," Dusknoir said. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand. What secret of the expedition are you talking about? I recall being told that your expedition to Fogbound Lake was a failure..."

"Uh... Surprise?"

"My apologies, Dusknoir. We made a promise, and couldn't tell even you," Chatot said. "Anyway... A lone intruder slipped into Fogbound Lake... Knocked out Uxie... and made off with the Time Gear."

"Is Uxie all right?!"

"Yes, Uxie is fine. He's under the protection of the Magnezone squad. No need to worry. Also, according to Uxie's victim statement, the intruder's identity has been revealed. There's already a wanted poster up for the thief."

Everyone crowded around the board, eager to see who they were up against. Carefully sketched and coloured on a posted page dead center on the board was the image of a Pokémon named Grovyle, a green, lizard like being with a long leaf sprouting from the top of his head, yellow eyes, and red stomach.

"Twenty dollars says he's arrogant and condescending."

"What?"

"Just look at his expression! That's someone who thinks they're always right, no matter what."

"No, that's someone who's quiet and sneaky, never talking and rarely seen. It wasn't until the third Time Gear that someone was able to identify him. Definately the strong, silent type."

"Care to put your money where your mouth is?"

"You're on."

Sol and Loudred shook hands to seal the deal. A moment passed as everyone studied the poster, until Sunflora spoke up.

"'The strong, silent type'? Really, Loudred? I think someone's developing a man crush."

"Total bromance."

"What are you talking about? He's a criminal!"

"Oh, the classic story of star crossed bros, never able to fist bump in public for fear of society's judgement."

"This... isn't making any sense..."

"Am I the only one here who has no idea what's going on right now?"

"Just tune 'em out. You have to to retain your sanity around here."

"Ok, let's get back to the matter at hand-"

"I'm backkkkkk!" Wigglytuff sang, skipping up the stairs with an armload of Perfect Apples.

"-Or maybe not."

"Now that I'm back, we can start planning what to do! No meanie will get away with this while I'm around! Chatot, if you will."

"Y-yes, Guildmaster. Ok, everyone! From here on out, we're putting our full focus on catching Grovyle! Do your best to bring him to justice!"

"That goes without saying!"

"Hey, hey, hey! There's no way we can let any more Time Gears be stolen!"

"C'mon, everyone! Let's, like, pull together! For Uxie!"

"Wigglytuff... I believe I understand the situation now," Dusknoir said. "I will join in your guild's pursuit of Grovyle."

"Golly! Having the great Dusknoir in our corner is mighty heartening!"

"Hey, hey! We're honored!"

"No, no, it's my honor entirely."

There's no way we can fail now! Eevee thought. Not with Dusknoir on our side! We'll bring Grovyle down in no time. And the chance to work with such a renown hero... This is going to be great!

"At present, the Guildmaster, Dusknoir and I shall confer!" Chatot announced. "We will devise a strategy for finding Grovyle. In the meantime, you should all start preparing to go on searches. Return here when you are ready to leave."

"All right! Let's do this!" Sol exclaimed.

"But not you."

"What?! Why?"

"You are still hampered by your injuries. It would be irresponsible for us to let you chase outlaws in your state, not to mention extremely dangerous. You'll have to stay here for the time being."

"... Can I at least come to the mission briefing?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because as Chimecho tells me, it's hard enough keeping you in your room and healing when there isn't a manhunt going on. Letting you in on all the mission details before your ready to head out yourself would just be an invitation for you to sneak out and try something."

"This is so unfair, and I'd feel a lot more insulted if it wasn't probably true. So I'll sit in my room, all alone, while you get to do the exciting stuff."

Eevee wasn't happy to hear he would be out looking for Grovyle without Team Wanderers at full strength, but it was the only thing they could do. Eevee and Jak would just have to find a way to get the job done by themselves.

Speaking of which, where was Jak? Huh. Eevee had the distinct impression that finding the Charmander would be difficult. Where did she even go when she wasn't at the guild our on a job? Hopefully she would show up before it was time for the mission briefing.

The biggest question I had while playing this game: Why didn't they just ask Uxie where the other Time Gears were?