Chapter 4: The Guilded Age

Yungoos lowered his head and charged Tessa down. The sight reminded her of the battle with Sneasel and Jangmo-o. She opted to use the exact same strategy. Tessa braced her arms against her body. Yungoos struck her in the thighs, shoving her back slightly. But Tessa swung a glowing fist around and socked Yungoos in the jaw.

"Gack!" Yungoos shouted. Tessa's counter upended him, leaving him sprawled on his back. Tessa stole a glance at Shane, who had jumped onto a tree root to dodge Trapinch leaping out from the ground. Satisfied, she returned her attention to Yungoos.

"Not bad," he complimented. "Dat smarted quite a bit. But now dat I know what I'm dealing with…"

Yungoos turned around and kicked the ground with his legs. Tessa gasped as dirt buffeted her face. She stumbled back, rubbing her eyes and blinking them rapidly. Yungoos' eye gleamed and he charged Tessa again. Tessa couldn't see him through her watery vision. He body-slammed her right to the ground, then sprang up to run down Shane.

"C'mon, Riolu!" Shane barked, his Powder Snow trail missing Trapinch again. "I've got to focus on Trapinch. My attacks are more effective on him!"

"Too bad, so sad," Yungoos taunted. "Now, Trapinch!"

As Tessa tried to right herself, the ground shifted beneath her. Trapinch shot up into her back, knocking her even further away from Shane. "Nnnngggh…" Tessa groaned. She pivoted her head to see Trapinch running forward. He vanished into thin air.

Tessa recognized the technique from her previous battle and jumped back. Trapinch's shadowy form just barely missed her. Tessa opened her mouth and bit into Trapinch. Black shadows danced across Trapinch's body. "Ouchies!" he squealed and flailed his limbs about. Tessa fell to the ground on top of him, pinning him down.

"Can't tunnel away now, can you?" Tessa declared, restraining the ground-type.

"Yungoos! I could use some help here," Trapinch shouted. Yungoos kicked a stream of dirt into Shane's face. Shane gasped and the blast of snow he was focusing on went awry. Tessa's eyes widened and she rolled off Trapinch. Slush grazed the corner of her right shoulder, sending a chill down her arm.

"Vulpix, you dolt! You almost hit me," Tessa hissed. "Watch where you're aim– AUGH!" Trapinch cut off her complaint by successfully running into her from the shadows. This widened the distance between Tessa and Shane yet again.

"It's not my fault," Shane growled. "You were supposed to stay on Yungoos. This match-up's unfavorable. We need to switch targets!" He quickly shot a snowball to give himself cover for a charge toward Trapinch. However, the sand clouding his vision made the attack sail clear of Yungoos yet again. Yungoos ran after Shane and struck him from behind. Shane fell to the ground and the wind rushed out of him.

"Heh… trying to weasel out of t'ings, eh? Dere's a Pursuit for your troubles," Yungoos snickered. "Y'know, you and Riolu dere ain't much of a team, are ya?"

"I… can… handle things myself!" Shane grunted. Next thing Yungoos knew, he had a face full of Shane's frigid tails.

"Nyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaargh!" he gasped and dropped to the ground, struggling to catch his breath. "What is your problem? Youse don't just shove your tails in someone's face like dat! Dat ain't natural," he spat.

Shane buffeted Yungoos with a point-blank stream of slushy snow, freezing him to the ground. "Heh… how's that for a creative use of Tail Whip?" Shane boasted. "Hey, Tessa, check it out! I've put this guy on ice. See, nothing to worry abo–"

"Stop bragging and get over here!" Tessa barked. She lunged toward Trapinch with a burst of speed. But her Quick Attack went wide as Trapinch burrowed underground once again. "I need Trapinch distracted so I can heal. I'm not doing too hot."

"That's because you hesitate too much," Shane scoffed. "See? Leaping into battle can have its advantages." He trotted over to her location, scanning the ground. Tessa grabbed an oran berry out of her bag. When she did, Shane spotted movement on the ground behind her. "Duck!" he shouted.

Tessa shoved the berry in her mouth and dropped to her belly. Shane rifled off a snowball, striking Trapinch while he emerged to spear Tessa from behind. Trapinch squealed in pain and retreated underground. "Oh no, not this time!" Shane grunted. "I've got me an idea." He sprinted over to the hole left by Trapinch. He then took a deep breath in and exhaled as much snow as he could manage straight into the hole. The soil around him froze over.

"Like that's really going to do anything," Tessa sneered. "How slow do you think a Trapinch moves underground?"

One second later, Shane found himself sprawled out on his belly. Trapinch dug into him from behind and jumped off his torso to lunge at Tessa. Her eyes widened, but she held her ground, preparing to counter him if necessary. Yet, to her surprise, Trapinch's momentum carried him beyond her reach. Instead, Trapinch landed and then bit into the ice around Yungoos' legs. "Nice moves dere, bud," Yungoos said.

"You doing okay?" Trapinch asked.

"Better dan dose schmucks, dat's for sure," Yungoos chuckled. "Quick, while they're still split up."

"Got it." Trapinch nodded and dug back into the ground. Yungoos darted in Shane's direction. Shane prepared to keep Yungoos at bay, but Yungoos proved faster on the draw and splattered more dirt across Shane's face. His head pivoted away and he shot snowy air in Tessa's direction. She had her back turned to him, so the slushy spiral struck her, soaking her fur.

She staggered forward, enabling Trapinch to slam into her thighs from underground. This made her collapse onto her back. "Vulpix!" Tessa howled. "What did I just tell you before? Mind your surroundings!" She awkwardly rolled to her feet and accelerated into Trapinch. This put enough distance between the two of them for Tessa to scarf down part of an apple and pull out a few of her pebbles.

"It wasn't my fault," Shane sputtered, spitting out bits of sand. "This guy's playing dirty… literally."

"It ain't dirty, it's strategic," Yungoos boasted. "Da two of youse ain't in sync at all. Your teamwork's laughable."

"Well, we haven't worked together all that long," Shane panted. "But all I've got to do is freeze you again and make it a two-on-one scenario."

"Yeah, fat chance I'm letting dat happen again!" Yungoos bellowed. He lowered his head and charged at Shane. If Shane wanted to dodge, it would only put more distance between him and Tessa.

'But she's pretty fast,' he figured. Shane scampered back until Yungoos stumbled to a stop. "Tessa!" he shouted. "We need to regroup!"

"Don't call me that! And don't you tell me what to do. It's your bad decision making that's put us in this spot," Tessa growled, hurling the rocks at Trapinch. He avoided them by darting into the shadows. Tessa bolted forward and collided with his shadow-encased body. Both Pokémon bounced back, but Trapinch manage to tunnel underground.

"I'm serious here. They're trying to keep us apart on purpose," Shane declared. "You've got to believe m– EEP!" He ducked a plume of dirt from Yungoos and coated the ground with Powder Snow. Yungoos started slipping and sliding about.

"If we battle next to each other, we're bound to hit each other," Tessa countered.

"Look, just trust me on this one. We can't coordinate this far away!" Shane begged.

"Then do to Yungoos what you did to Jangmo-o back on the cape. Roar him away so I can approach safely!" Tessa ordered.

Shane blinked in surprise. "Wait… that was Roar? I just thought I, uh, hit him with some kinda psychic attack…"

Tessa scowled. "You mean you didn't even know you could use Roar? What was the point of training these last few days? I told you to practice all of your moves!"

"I… I practiced Powder Snow plenty," Shane muttered.

"Are you sure about that? Because you could've fool–"

Trapinch emerged from the ground, cutting off Tessa. She jumped back to dodge him. Likewise, Yungoos charged at Shane once again. This time Shane held his ground. He took in a deep breath and let out a shrill, watchdog-like bark. Yungoos gasped in surprise before tumbling across the forest dirt and skidding to a halt by the tree.

"There. I got him," Shane wheezed.

"Great! Now move your frosty butt over here," Tessa barked, grappling with Trapinch. Shane turned and spat on the ground. Then he ran over to Tessa

'But, I can't just use Powder Snow. I'll hit Tessa too,' he realized. 'C'mon, there's gotta be something I can do. Concentrate… concentrate...'

A spark ignited in Shane's mind. He narrowed his eyes fiercely at Trapinch. Before Trapinch could react, a pink glow encapsulated his body and hoisted him into the air. Trapinch yelped as the glow erupted into a burst of pink light, flinging him across the forest. Yungoos' eyes widened. He dove for cover behind a large root. His partner struck the front of the root and slid down to the ground.

"Ha ha, yes!" Shane whooped, hopping about excitedly. "Guess who just learned a new move to save the day? This guy, that's who!" He puffed his chest out proudly. "Oh, the Pokémon anime would be so proud of me right now." He flashed Tessa a confident grin. She stared at him with a look of disbelief.

"That… what even was that?" she gasped. "It looked like Psychic, but…"

"Hmm." Shane tapped a forepaw to his chin, "I know some normal Vulpixes can hatch knowing Extrasensory. Maybe these bizarre, ice-type ones can too? In which case, that only makes me more awesome than I could have imagined! I'll bet the humans in your stories didn't get any egg moves this great. Assuming they even got some in the first place."

'Is this how it's going to work for us? Is Vulpix going to obscenely strong, but in return act like a total brat? I can't see us actually succeeding like that.' Tessa grit her teeth. "Will you quit patting yourself on the back until after we've saved our own hides?"

Yungoos scrambled out from his tree root hiding spot. "Youse t'ink yer clever keeping an attack like dat under wraps?" he barked. "Den dat just means I gotta take ya out first!" He sprang out from his hiding spot, only for Tessa to bolt from her location and body-check Yungoos. The force of the collision hurtled Yungoos into a nearby tree root. He struck it and slid onto his stomach, a dazed look in his eyes. Tessa approached him, fists raised to strike.

Yungoos immediately raised up his forepaws. "I yield! I yield! Enough… enough… youse two passed da test."

Tessa's stance slouched. "Wait… this was a test?"

A cocky grin flashed across Shane's muzzle. "Ha haaaaa! See, what did I tell you, Riolu?" He confidently swaggered up to Tessa. "Nothing. To. Worry. About," he declared, jabbing her back with his forepaw for each and every word.

Tessa's expression fell. "I… I don't understand. Weren't we supposed to fetch a looplet for the guild?"

"Yeah, dat was a ruse. Sorry 'bout dat," Yungoos announced. He quickly scurried behind the tree root and reappeared carrying the treasure box from earlier. Yungoos opened the box and pulled out two anklets a pair of badges. Each one had a silver version of the overlapping sun and moon insignia Shane and Tessa saw at the guild. But this time it was boarded by a pair of fiery-orange wings. "My partner and I are wit' da guild," Yungoos exclaimed. "Dese are our badges."

"Wait… but we came right to Dewdrop Woods from Aeon Town," Tessa exclaimed. "How could you possibly have gotten here to set this up for us?"

"We've been here since dis mornin'," Yungoos reported. "Guildmaster came up to us and was all like, 'Beep boop… a vision told me we're gettin' new recruits. So I'm gonna have youse test 'em in da woods.' And, well, can't exactly say no to da Guildmaster." Yungoos slid an anklet onto his right foreleg and fastened his badge onto it.

"Though, we've got to give you credit, Riolu. Trying to talk your way out of a potential conflict is always preferable to battling," Trapinch said. Shane's proud expression vanished in a heartbeat.

"It... it is?" he said.

Trapinch nodded. "I mean, it wouldn't have worked in this case, because we were ordered to goad you into a fight if you tried to resolve things peacefully. Still, it was the right mindset. It should serve you well, going forward."

Shane pouted. "That's your opinion," he muttered under his breath.

"Great, so dat's all settled. By da way, if it ain't obvious, your so-called looplet? It ain't here."

"Seriously? Then what are we supposed to show back up to the guild with?" Shane asked.

"Well," Trapinch weakly muttered, having regained consciousness. "The Guildmaster's not a particular guy…" Trapinch dug into the treasure box. He managed to heft out an extraordinarily large apple. It was as big as the ones up in the tree. But this one sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. "… you won't get a rise out of him. But if you show this to Braviary, you'll pass. I guarantee it."

"That is one gnarly apple," Shane observed.

"Perfect Apple, actually," Trapinch corrected. "They're a personal favorite of Braviary's." Tessa and Shane both raised eyebrows at this. "Don't look so confused. Everyone who has to take the entrance exam comes here to battle a couple of guild apprentices. The Perfect Apple is the symbol of your victory."

"Even if it was a lucky coinci–"

"Now, now, Yungoos. They beat us fair and square," Trapinch scolded.

"Right. But I still meant what I said. Youse two better hone your teamwork, if youse gonna contribute to da guild," Yungoos declared.

"Heh." Shane rubbed the tip of his snout. "I think we'll be just fine." He stepped forward and rolled the Perfect Apple over to Tessa. "So, what's say we use that Escape Orb and make our way back?"

Tessa picked up the Perfect Apple and inspected it. "Yeah, I guess that's the next step."

~Aeon Observatory~

"Well, shoot. That's a mighty fine Perfect Apple y'all managed to dig up." Braviary gripped the oversized fruit in his talons and rolled it beside him. "And it's fresh and everything. Eeyup. I reckon you two pass with flying colors! I'd expect nothing less of ya, Riolu."

Shane smiled broadly while Tessa rubbed her left shoulder and looked away.

"Aww, y'all ain't sore about me lying to ya about the test, are ya?" Braviary asked. "I promise that's the only lie I'll make about any assignment y'all take in the guild."

"It's fine, Braviary," Shane insisted. "Riolu's just not in a celebratory mood, I suppose." He shot his partner a look that screamed, "Get with the program."

"Now, let's go see the Guildmaster and finalize y'all's registration," Braviary declared. "Then we can get on with the introductory stuff. Y'all finished quickly, which is great. Gives ya plenty of time to settle in." Braviary guided them back into Metagross' chambers. Metagross levitated parchment and an ink pad over toward them.

Order: generate name for your exploration team. Order: sign pawprints on guild contract, Metagross stated. He set the page and ink pad down in front of them.

"Ah, right, the all-important team naming," Shane acknowledged, turning to Tessa. "You better not suggest something cheesy like Team Poképals. That's stupid. We need to be more creative than that."

"I wasn't about to suggest anything like that," Tessa growled. She turned away, biting her lip. 'Oof... so much for trying to take after my heroes.'

"Okay, at least we agree on that part," Shane chirped. "Now, we've got to think of something cool. To show everyone that we don't mess around. Maybe something like Team Frostbite? Cause I can use ice attacks and you can bite stuff?"

Tessa's eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not. I will not have our team name revolve around a lame mishmash of words."

"Fine then." Shane flicked a forepaw. "How about Team K9? Cause we're both dogs, in a manner of speaking?" Tessa gave that idea a thumbs down. Shane frowned. "Well, if you don't like those, then maybe we need a name that exudes power? How about Team Iron Fist or Team Shellcracker or Team Vortex?"

Tessa fiddled with her scarf. "I'd prefer something that sounds more… positive. We're not trying to intimidate others. Guild explorers are supposed to help Pokémon."

"I'm aware of that, you know," Shane grumbled. "And you're not being all that helpful. You could at least try offering a suggestion."

Tessa looked up at him. "What about Team Radiance?" Shane raised a skeptical eyebrow. "It sounds uplifting," Tessa continued. "Y'know, something like, 'Through darkest night and brightest day, Team Radiance always finds a way.'"

Shane blinked in surprise. "That's… great! I really like it!" His tails wagged excitedly. "Yeah, Team Radiance. It's bright. It's bubbly. And it goes well with the whole 'sky motif' this guild seems to have going for it." He glanced at the tapestry on the far wall.

Accepted. Sign contract to finalize registration, Metagross instructed.

Shane dipped his left forepaw into the ink pad and stamped it on the bottom of the parchment.

"Now hang on, Vulpix. Don't you think you should at least read this over fir–?"

Shane grabbed Tessa's paw, dipped it into the ink, and stamped it down next to his pawprint. She gave him a look of utter disbelief. "You… you… you…" She stuttered.

Generic congratulatory statement. Fact: you are official novice members of the Horizon Exploration Guild, Metagross announced. His eyes flared blue and a box levitated down toward Braviary. Fact: this box contains your starter's kit. Braviary will explain its contents. Order: be prepared to take up your first assignment tomorrow morning. Statement of farewell. Metagross turned and stomped back toward the far end of his room. Braviary steered the newly-dubbed Team Radiance out of Metagross' office. He set the box down and opened it up.

"Right, let's get a few things squared away first," Braviary announced. "Yer supplies. They're a bit limited since y'all are novices. But if'n y'all graduate to apprentice or veteran rank, we'll have more to offer you. In the meantime, here are the basics." He produced two badges similar to the ones they saw Yungoos and Trapinch had. They each accepted a badge and pinned it to their half of the rainbow scarf.

"Yer badges. They're bronze because yer rookies," Braviary explained. "Silver badges denote apprentices. Gold badges are guild veterans. Gray badges are fer staff members of the guild. And, well..." He lifted a wing to showcase a platinum badge. "... the Guildmaster and I have our own special ones. Now, them badges will get you access to exploration items from the Kecleon Shop, as well as a storage space at Dhelmise Depot. It also gets you discounts at a buncha places in Aeon Town," Braviary continued. "Graduate to a higher rank and y'all will get better discounts. Sound good?"

Shane and Tessa nodded in unison. Braviary next pulled out a map. "Standard issue Wonder Map. Nothing special to say here." He handed it over to Tessa, then pulled out what looked like a smaller version of her satchel. He spun it around one of his wings. "This here's an explorer's pouch. Much better than yer run-of-the-mill bag. No matter what you stuff in it, it don't change size."

Tessa accepted the pouch and examined it. The fabric felt a lot more durable than her current bag. "Wait, how does that work? Is it TARDIS technology?" Shane asked, sniffing at the pouch.

"What-is? That some sorta human world thingamajig?" Braviary asked, scratching his head. "We ain't exactly got a lot of stories about humans. Aside from the handful of world-saving ones."

Shane laughed nervously. "Y'know what? Forget I said anything. It's probably just filled with Palkia's shed scales or something."

Actually, an acquaintance helped me generate the energy needed to produce those.

Team Radiance jumped at an unfamiliar robotic voice. Unlike Metagross, this one sounded female. They turned to their lefts and spotted a metallic, humanoid creature comprised of multiple spheres walking toward them. Its head was an oversized gear with metal, rabbit-like ears. Shane's eyes lit up. "Coooooool! A steampunk robot." He jumped beside the creature, ogling it. "All we need is to find you a Victorian dress, a monocle, and maybe stick a few exhaust pipes on your head and shoulders and–"

"Vulpix!" Tessa barked, her face bright red with embarrassment. She stepped forward and dragged him back. "You can't just accost strangers like that."

That is okay. Most new members are intrigued by my appearance. I find their reactions seventeen percent amusifying, the robot exclaimed. I am Magearna. I am the guild's equipment and technical specialist.

"Eeyup. Mags here helps us make the things we use out in the field," Braviary reiterated. "She's also our resident expert on looplets and emeras. If'n ya ever got a question about 'em, she's yer 'mon." He turned to Magearna. "This here's Team Radiance: Vulpix and Riolu."

On the subject of looplets, Braviary, I must ask something of Vulpix, Magearna exclaimed. She walked toward Shane and grabbed his left foreleg. Such curiositude! It appears you already have a looplet. But… hmm… this is not one of the standard looplet designs.

"Wait, that's what this is?" Shane looked down at the band on his foreleg.

"Now that's funny." Braviary scratched his head. "If'n yer a human who just showed up here, how'd ya get yer mits on a looplet?"

"I don't know. Riolu said I already had it on my foreleg when I woke up on the beach," Shane announced.

Wait. There is further shockification, Magearna announced. There is some sort of gemstone in this looplet. My sensors read emera-like qualities. However, this is like no emera I have detectified in recent years. It appears embedded into this looplet. She held Shane's foreleg up toward Braviary. See for yourself.

"Huh, yer right. This Looplet's done got all four notches open." Braviary rubbed his beak. "But this glowing stone in the middle looks just like an emera."

Begging cycle initiated, Magearna announced. I must requesticate that you allow me to examine this looplet in closer detail. I am sure I have seen this somewhere before, but I need to check my record banks. Perhaps it houses some sort of secret?

"Well, I'd really love to, but I can't get the darn thing off. It's stuck to my leg." Shane demonstrated by attempting to push the Looplet off with his right forepaw, to no avail.

Disappointment levels have surged to thirty-five percent, Magearna sighed. Well, if you discoverize anything new about your looplet, do come see me. My curiosity sensors are definitely firing on all cylinders. She gave Team Radiance a curt bow and retreated down the northwestern hallway.

'So, Vulpix ended up here and somehow got hold of a looplet?' Tessa gasped, her heart fluttering. 'Ohh... I don't want to get excited for nothing, but it's looking more and more like I may have been blessed with a ticket to a happier life. If only he wasn't so... crass.'

Braviary shrugged. "Err, I suppose I should give y'all yer starting looplets, then. Or, rather…" He pulled a small band out of the box. "… give Tessa one. Seeing as Vulpix's already got one." He tossed the looplet to Tessa.

"Please call me Riolu," Tessa whispered while she slipped on the Looplet.

"If'n you say so. And to go with the looplets, here are a pair of emeras." He tossed Tessa a pair of glowing, teardrop-shaped stones. "A paralysis guard and a sleep guard. Now, y'all don't need to use 'em right away. But if'n you choose to, they've only got enough energy to last one day of exploration. Most folk activate 'em at dawn and they fizzle out at dusk."

"Where can we get more of them?" Shane wondered.

"Town shops is y'all's best bet," Braviary replied. "Otherwise, Magearna can make you some if'n you find her enough stardust."

"Stardust?" Shane parroted. "Like from comet trails?"

Braviary shrugs. "Beats me. No one's sure why stardust falls into Mystery Dungeons. It just does. But that's enough rambling. I've got one last thing for ya."

He pulled out a circular device that had a tiny antenna sticking off of it. 'Huh… kinda looks like a Klefki,' Shane thought.

"This here's a…" Braviary frowned. "Oh, now what did Magearna call this doohickey again? Ah, right, a Gear-Com." He handed it over to Tessa. "It's some sort of magic communication thingamajig. It's synched up to Magearna and Guildmaster Metagross, so you can reach one of 'em if'n ya need to. I ain't too sure on the range, but we've tested 'em all around Horizon and they work just fine."

Tessa finished placing the items in her new pouch. To her surprise, it remained surprisingly light. She easily slung it on like a backpack. "Okay, time to get on with the tour," Braviary announced. "Now, this here is the main assembly area. Every morning novices and apprentices gather fer announcements and assignments. Fer the record, if'n y'all make it to veteran status, y'all get a lot more freedom to do as you wish. Don't even have to live here if'n ya don't want to."

"Then I guess we'll just have to rise up through the ranks, eh?" Shane said, grinning at Tessa.

"Let's take it one step at a time, Vulpix," Tessa cautioned.

"It's Shane, partner," Shane chuckled, ignoring her.

Braviary waved a wing in between them. "Y'all can daydream on yer own time. Yer on guild time now, so eyes and ears on me. Now then, this way." He slowly flew across the assembly area. A small pond sat in the southeast corner of the large, circular room.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no!" Shane shuffled backward. "I am not going for another swim. My fur is dry and I am happy." The pond water rippled and out popped a pink and yellow triggerfish.

"Well, helllllooooooooo, dahlings!"

"GYA!" Shane stumbled back, colliding with Tessa in the process. She shoved Shane off her. Braviary shot a wing out to keep Shane from tumbling into the pond. He quickly caught his breath. 'Dear lord. Those lips… and those teeth. Cripes and I thought that Yungoos guy had an ugly mug. Apparently he was just trying to live up to this… fish… thing…'

"Bruxish, say hello to Team Radiance, our newest recruits. This here's Vulpix and this is Tes– ah, I mean Riolu," Braviary introduced.

Bruxish's eyes widened. "Of coooooooooourse! Lucario's daughter. Oh, you've got your mother's eyes, dahling. I always knew you'd find your way here."

"Um, so, Bruxish, is it?" Shane asked, cautiously approaching the pond. Again, the statement about Tessa's mom flew over his head. "What, uh… are you here for?" Shane jumped back in surprise as Bruxish levitated high out of the pond. 'Waah! That scary fish is psychic? Oh, this keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"Well, I aaaaaaaaam an apprentice. I specialize in water area navigation," Bruxish explained. "But, of course, not everyone wants to explore places like that. So, most of the time, I help with move and ability maintenance."

"Eeyup. If'n you got the coin, Bruxish here can help you learn some special moves," Braviary explained.

"And if you're really willing to pay up, I can even swap your ability, dahling," Bruxish continued. "Very helpful in a piiiiiiinch, wouldn't you say?"

'Uh, I don't even know what my ability is, so I'm not sure that'll help much,' Shane thought, but held his tongue. Tessa remained silent.

"Okay, let's get a move on." Braviary shuffled Team Radiance forward. He guided them along a small hallway leading to the south part of the building. Both Shane and Tessa slowed their pace toward the end. They hovered at the edge of a small, circular room. There was a closed door embedded in the far wall, blending in seamlessly with the wall except for a faint outline. A desk sat beside it, as did a large machine containing a glowing globe floating above a stone pedestal.

But Shane's and Tessa's gazes stayed locked on the two Pokémon lying on cushions beside the globe. They both recognized Growlithe. But neither knew what to make of Growlithe's partner. It lay still, staring down at the ground through its large, stone helmet. The talons on its forelegs gripped the edge of its cushion tightly, while its canine, scale-covered hind legs rested against the wall. A fish's tail lazily drifted back and forth between its hips. The gemstones lining its tail glinted in the pale light from the globe.

"What… what is that?" Shane gasped. "Is it even alive? Is that supposed to be an enchanted statue? Because it's a real eyesore."

Tessa turned and gave him a look. "Could you be any ruder?" she hissed in a whisper.

"Oh, come on. Don't give me that. Even by weirdo Pokémon standards, that thing's creepy. Just listen to it breathing. All raspy and wheezy... like it's been smoking a pack a day for its entire life."

"Yes, it's weird. But if it's part of the guild, we need to be respectful toward it… whatever it is," Tessa said. 'Or else it looks like it'll tear us to shreds!' she gulped.

"Howdy, Null." Braviary saluted the helmeted creature with a wing. "Any activity lately?"

The strange Pokémon shook its head about, letting out a loud, raspy groan. Shane's fur stood on end and his tails shot into the air. 'That's not normal… that's not normal! Keep me away from that freak.'

"Nothing to report, sir. Aside from those two newcomers, we've had a quiet day," Growlithe said. He spotted Shane and Tessa. "Oh, hey, it's the newcomers." He waved at them. "Hiya, I know we already met. But let me officially say welcome. I'm Growlithe!" he barked excitedly. "I'm glad you're both here. We need more pups around this place, if you ask me. Any fire-related troubles, you come see me. There's nothing I'm not willing to burn." His tail thumped again the cushion. "Normally, I'm not on sentry duty. I'm just filling in for Trapinch today."

"Sentry duty?" Shane looked around the room in confusion. "You mean, you guys do that here?"

Braviary nodded. "That there pedestal you saw outside the entrance? It senses any Pokémon's presence. When it does…" He turned toward the globe-like structure. "… our Pokénector detects what kind of Pokémon they are. If'n they're from one of the continent's towns or villages, we know. But if'n they're from out in the wild or one of the other continents, well that's when you alert me or the Guildmaster."

Shane stared inquisitively at the globe. "So, is this like the Pokémon Nexus, then?"

"Ha! Yer pardner's got a good head on his shoulders, Riolu," Braviary chuckled. "If only he didn't have the lip."

"Well, how else would I talk?" Shane quipped. Tessa facepalmed.

"That ain't funny, son. But yer right. Magearna made this after studying the Pokémon Nexus over at the Water Continent's Expedition Society," Braviary explained. "Unfortunately, it ain't quite as impressive as their doohickey is. Their science guy is mighty protective over it, from what I hear. That, and we need to keep the Pokénector up to date by sending guild members to the different areas 'round Horizon."

"Horizon… that's the name of this continent, right?" Shane asked.

"Yeah," Tessa finally spoke up. She pulled out her Wonder Map and opened it up, showcasing the continent.

"Huh, kind of looks like a donut with a chip in the middle of it," Shane observed. "What's the island in the center?"

"Rainbow Island," Braviary answered. "That there place is off-limits, no matter how good of an explorer you get to be. It's a sacred spot."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Ho-Oh used it as a roosting spot in ancient times," Growlithe reported. "Isn't that awesome? The amazing immortal Legendary bird that spits rainbow fire once treated this place like a second home."

'Guess I know who the dominating Legendary is around these parts,' Shane thought, chuckling. "What about you, big guy?" He turned toward the helmeted Pokémon. "Anything to say?"

It was at that point that Null looked up. His beady gray eyes zeroed in on Shane. His fur bristled, allowing Shane to see the thick coating of scales lying underneath. Null suddenly shot to his feet and a let out a furious roar. He looked at Shane, snarling, and dug his talons into his cushion. Stuffing spilled out onto the floor.

"Whoa, Null, take it easy!" Growlithe gasped, jumping to his feet. "Are you having those headaches of yours again?" In response to this, Null snarled. He turned to his side and slammed his head against the wall, leaving a noticeable crack. He took in deep, raspy breaths, and then bashed his head against the exact same spot in the wall, widening the crack.

Shane whimpered and shuffled back toward the hallway, tails shooting between his legs. 'What's going on here? Why was that freakish thing looking at me like it wanted to kill me?' he wondered. Braviary turned and hastily guided them away from the sentry station. "Okay… what's up with the big dude in the helmet?" Shane asked, his voice ripe with worry.

"What, y'mean Null? Oh, don't pay him too much mind," Braviary dismissed. "We found him unconscious at Glyphic Falls several months back. No idea how he wound up there. Heck, he didn't have no memories of anything, I reckon. Poor feller don't even know what kind of Pokémon he is. We took him in and he's been with us since. Never leaves the sentry station, though, except to go to his room and sleep. I don't blame him. He can't eat or drink, after all. And we can't seem to get the helmet off him, no matter what we try. I reckon it's making him act kinda... kooky. But he says it's stuck on him."

Shane's body stiffened. 'Wait. This Null guy washes up in some waterfall with no memory?' His eyes widened. 'No… no way. He couldn't be like me… could he?' He quickly shook his head. 'No! It's not true. Tessa's wrong. I'm not here by accident. Null's situation is just… a coincidence. That's all.

"Something bugging you, Vulpix?" Tessa asked.

"I, uh, just realized how hungry I was!" He laughed nervously and rubbed his underbelly.

"Well, the longer y'all jibber-jabber, the more you delay yer dinner," Braviary chuckled. "C'mon and follow me." Braviary led them next to the western wing of the floor. A series of arched doorways lined the hall. "So, if'n you haven't guessed, novices and apprentices room over here. Showers are down at the end of the hall. Don't y'all let me catch any word of any funny business in there, understand?" Shane and Tessa nodded in unison. "If'n ya reach veteran status, y'all will get offered better lodgings one floor down."

Braviary turned into the first room on the right. Tessa and Shane walked into it. Unlike the assembly area, it had a purely nighttime motif. The walls and ceiling were a mix of dark blue and violet, with tiny swirls of white to represent stars. Luminous orbs hung on either side of the doorway. But the room also had a circular window at its far end, bathing the room in orange sunlight and offering a view of the forest far below the Observatory.

Shane approached the two sky-blue pillows in the center of the room's purple carpet. "Huh… and here I was expecting a straw bed," Shane said. "Fancy."

"You better drop that sass, hoss, or I'll give you a pile of sand to sleep on instead," Braviary harrumphed.

"Sorry, sir," Shane gulped. Tessa walked toward one of the cushions and set the item pouch on it. Satisfied, she followed her teammate back out to the assembly area. They proceeded down the northwest passage that Magearna had gone into earlier.

The hallway led to a spacious room filled with three metal desks. Each one was littered with various diagrams and maps. Shane spotted the base of the Observatory's large telescope sitting on the other end of the room. Magearna sat working at a sheet of parchment with a compass. Atop her desk sat a small, rotund, gray and white hedgehog. She had brown and yellow triangular marks along her back, along with a tiny, bolt-shaped tail.

"Jeez, Pikachu, you've sure put on weight," Shane gasped. "And got old."

The rodent looked right at Shane. "Pikachu? Pikachu?!"

THWAAAACK!

Shane ended up sprawled out on his side. The rodent's triangular markings had extended straight and she dug them into Shane's hide. "Do. Not. Call. Me. A. Pikachu!" she hollered.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Sorry! Sorry! It won't happen again!" Shane sobbed, his eyes comically watering.

"Easy there, Togedemaru." Braviary ruffled his wings, shooing her off of Shane. Tessa kneeled down to help Shane stand up.

"Way to put your paw in your mouth… partner," Tessa deadpanned. "Are you trying to get everyone to hate us here?"

"So many… weird Pokémon… I've never heard of," Shane mumbled. "And look at the Pidgeys… flying around…" He spun in a circle, "Wheeeeeee!"

"Well, on the bright side, this is a perfect segue for our next destination," Braviary mused. Tessa used her shoulder to support Shane as they went into the northern corridor.

This wing ended in what was clearly a nursing station. Half a dozen beds lay evenly spread out across the room, with curtained dividers separating them. A desk and a cabinet sat in the one corner of the room not occupied by a bed. "Comfey, I've got a patient for ya. Togedemaru broadsided him," Braviary announced.

A small, light-green circle floated out from behind a curtain, carrying a trail of flowers. "Ooooooh… look at the pretty flowers…" Shane giggled. He then waved a forepaw in front of his face. "Go away, Pidgeys! I wanna look at the flowers."

"Oh my," Comfey squeaked. "He does seem rather dazed, doesn't he?" She drifted down and strung the flowers around Shane's neck. Comfey released a series of bright, flower-shaped lights. Shane blinked a few times, appearing to come to his senses. "There… all better!" Comfey announced, fluttering back into the air.

"I've… never felt something like that," Shane whispered.

"It's my specialty: Floral Healing," Comfey said. "I'm the resident medic for the guild. It's a pleasure to meet you. And Tessa, you've gotten so big! It's wonderful to see you here."

Tessa clutched her scarf and looked down. "It… It's Riolu," she whispered.

Grooooooooooowl!

"Aha ha… ha… I don't suppose the dining area's the next stop, is it?" Shane laughed nervously.

Braviary smirked. "It just might be, rookie." He led them out of the infirmary and down the eastern hallway, into the dining area.

Shane expected a long table to stretch across the room. Instead, a series of small, circular tables littered the room, with windows sitting between some of them to offer up views of the forest behind Aeon Town. Braviary introduced Team Radiance to Steenee and Tessa managed to clamp Shane's mouth shut before he could make a comment about Steenee resembling a walking piece of fruit. Steenee offered Shane and Tessa a quick meal, which they used to replenish their strength. After that, they both returned to their room.

"Ahhhh… that really hit the spot!" Shane said, stretching out his legs and flopping onto his cushion. "Boy, what an eventful day. But we made it. We're in the guild!" he exclaimed. "And with all these amazing Pokémon, too. Well, okay, maybe there are a few odd ducks in the bunch. Like that weirdo, Null. But I still think this is gonna be awesome!"

Tessa sat on the edge of her cushion, looking out their window at the setting sun. 'I can't believe I'm here. After months of chickening out. And,' she looked at Shane, 'it's all because of him.'

A familiar line echoed through her head: "Don't you ever let me catch you setting foot in that guild. If you do, I won't hesitate to strike you down!"

Tessa flinched. 'No… this is my chance at making a name for myself. Even if Vulpix won't listen to me, if I can put up with him, then I'll be celebrated hero. No more lonely, miserable days at Azure Cape or Sylveon's house.'

"Earth to Tessa."

She stiffened. "Don't call me that. It's Riolu," she muttered.

Shane scratched his ear. "Right. Did you hear my question?"

"No."

"Why do some of the Pokémon in the guild seem to know you?" Shane asked.

Tessa's fur bristled. She took a deep breath and said, "Because the rest of my family are guild members."

"Really? And you just thought to keep that hidden from me?" Shane gasped. "No wonder you're so quick on your feet! I can't believe you didn't want to come here. This is totally your element!" He gave Tessa a smile. "When do I get to meet your family, then?"

"You don't," Tessa replied tersely.

"… oh."

"Neither of my parents are here right now. They, uh, went to visit the Grass Continent," Tessa said, fidgeting with the edge of her pillow. "They probably won't be back for months."

"Well then, guess we'll just have to adventure hard for them," Shane proclaimed. He yawned and curled up into a ball. "I know the sun's not even down yet, but I'm pretty beat. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. What about you?" Tessa tucked her knees into her chin and resumed looking out at sky. "Too excited to speak, huh? Well, I won't keep you up then," Shane chuckled. "G'night, partner."

'For months, I'd been praying something would happen to lift my spirits. It seems my prayers have been answered. Only,' Tessa stole a glance at Shane, 'it's not quite what I was expecting.' She looked back out the window. 'Please, gods, let things work out for me. Alone, I'm just a failure, but Vulpix can change that. I don't want to be called a loser anymore. I want to be successful. That'll make me happy... I'm sure of it.'

End of Episode 2

Next time: Team Radiance gets down and dirty on its first official guild assignment.