As we approached River Village I looked around to see if there wan anyone outside yet. It's still about the time when people are just waking up and eating breakfast, but it's still possible to see a few people outside. I remember when I first came here when only a fifty Pokemon lived here, now it has around three hundred living here the last time I counted.
"Is everyone still sleeping? I was expecting some peopl-Pokemon outside by now." Alex asked.
"By now most people are awake or are getting out of bed, they're just inside their homes getting ready to head out for the day." I said. "When we come back out from the guild the village will have dozens of different Pokemon out and about.
As we go further into the village I saw Alex looking around, they must be impressed seeing that Pokemon capable of building, trading, and other tasks that humans also do.
"What should I expect at the guild?" Alex asked.
"The guild heads will introduce themselves to you and me and June will be the main people that will help you. The guild members will be intrigued at the news of another human, but will go back to their tasks for the day afterwards." I explained. "After we eat we'll help you get used to life here, teaching you how to attack, how to identify berries, and a few other skills."
"Thank you, for all of this. I don't know how I can repay you." Alex said.
"There's no need to repay us." I explained. "Humans take some time to get used to becoming a Pokemon so we help them until they can live without support."
"Jules, I-I can't just take something without repaying you. I need to repay the two of you for helping me." Alex said with their voice breaking a few times.
I turned to face them to ensure repayment is not an issue but before I spoke I noticed Alex looking towards the ground. "It's fine, the guild has plenty of supplies to give to those who need it such as you. The same goes for us." I explained.
Alex then looked at me with a wry face. "I can't just take them without repaying you and the guild in some way. It's not right."
I don't know why Alex is ashamed with accepting help at no cost, even if they're from a world where everyone is expected to do a fair share of work and only take what they need. But if it makes them feel better I can ask around and see what can be done at the guild. "Alright Alex, I'll ask around the guild to see if anyone needs assistance with some basic tasks. Not sure what me and June would need help with currently though."
When I said that the wry look Alex had shifted into one of relief. "Thank you."
We turn on a corner and we can see the walls of the guild. It's great to be back at home, I'm expecting several guild members will want to ask about the journey to Sky Peak. Hopefully our sentry is still there and not eating breakfast so we don't have to wait until they get back.
"Meti! Are you there?" I shout as I slithered closer to the gate.
"Jules! You're back, it's nice to see you and June again!" Meti popped out from the wall, waiving to us.
Meti stared at us briefly. "An Absol! Jules what is it doing with you?" Meti asked.
"This is Alex, a human." I said as the three of us stopped in front of the gate. "We found them in Dawn Forest knocked out."
"A human?" Meti said with a rise in their tone of voice. "You're the fourth human that has come to River Village. Please step forward." Meti motions Alex to step forward.
Alex moved in front of me and June and briefly stared at Meti before speaking. "Hello, uh. What are you?"
"I'm a Metang, you've never seen one before?" Meti asks as they lean over the wall.
"No I haven't." Alex said as their legs shifted around.
"Hmm. Regardless, it's been almost two years since the last human came here. Don't be surprised if several guild members want to take a look at you or ask a question or two. After a day or two you'll rarely be bothered by anyone." Meti said as they leaned back.
"I brought them here to get some help, a meal, learn to attack and the like. You have our word Alex won't be an issue for the guild." I said.
"Okay Jules." Meti said before they went back under the wall, We hear the gate's lock open and soon the door open with them coming towards us.
"I hope you'll tell the guild your journey to Sky Peak with June when you get to the main hall, as well as this human Jules." Meti said as they look over Alex.
"I will, along with any questions you guys want me and Jules to answer." I said with a smile curling up on my lips.
As we enter the guild Meti closes and locks the gate before moving past us. "I'll see you guys at breakfast."
Just like River Village the pathways inside of the guild's walls are empty. By now every guild member is in the main hall for the morning meeting. Oh I can't wait to see everyone again!
"How was Meti floating?" Alex asked bewildered.
"Some Pokemon do that, but only a few feet above the ground." I explained, though Alex still looked bewildered.
"Anyways, where are we heading to?" Alex asked as they looked around.
"The main hall, the second largest building here." I stop and point to the roof of the large building in the northwestern corner of the guild.
Alex looks towards it. "And it also doubles as a mess hall?"
I shake my head "No, the mess hall is attached to it on one side"
Alex nods and we continue to walk towards the main hall, when we get a clear view of it Alex stops to look at it briefly. "Despite how weathered the main hall looks, it's only about twelve years old." I explained. "Let's go inside."
"Okay but before we do, June can you put my uniform into your satchel for now?" Alex requested.
June gives a nod and does so. Once she puts it in I slither over to the door and begin to push it open when June comes to help.
I follow Jules and June as they open the doors to the main hall. When we enter I see dozens different kinds of Pokemon, none of which I know by name. How many kinds of Pokemon are there?
"Jules!" yelled several different Pokemon, with most of them coming over to us. I better start preparing answers if I get asked questions.
"Jules, you're back!" "How was Sky Peak?" "Hey June!" I heard several different variants of those statements over and over, at some points they all sounded as one.
"Sky Peak was lovely, the view from the summit was worth the journey." Jules said. "If any of you guys get the chance to go there take it, the view won't disappoint!"
As Jules talks with the crowd I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and hard place. So far no one has noticed me, but I feel like once they do I'll be crushed. As Jules answers some of the questions they were asked I heard someone point me out, some kind of brown bird. "Jules, what's an Absol doing here?"
Everyone's focus was now on me. "This is Alex, they're a human."
"A human!" "Thank goodness!" "Another human!" I hope that Meti is right that everyone will go back to work after a day, I can't tolerate this kind of attention daily.
"Uh, hello." I don't know what to say. I'm hoping I can go to the mess hall and eat undisturbed soon.
Then I see a few Pokemon in the back coming towards me with others stepping aside for them, they must be the guild heads Jules mentioned. When they came into an view I saw three different Pokemon. The first one was turtle like with colors of green and brown with a tree growing on their shell. The second one was a light shades of red and blue, with thin and round limbs, not only was it floating but the head was floating separate from the body. The final one looked like a tan colored cat with parts of its fur green.
"Welcome to the River Guild." Said the first one. "I'm Tor, the head of the guild. To my left is the head of intelligence, Orei. To my right is the head of organization, Maple."
"Hello human!" Orei said in a digital monotone voice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. At least we know a disaster isn't coming." Maple said cheerfully.
"Disaster? What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Absols can detect disasters like floods, fires, and similar events prior to when they occur. They typically their homes in the mountains to warn a settlement about an impending disaster." Orei explained. I also noticed they jitter around as they speaks. "Your amnesia must be worse than most other cases."
"Anyways, it's a pleasure to meet you three." I said.
"Come to the mess hall, we're about to have breakfast and you must be hungry." Tor said. "When we're done we can being teaching you what to know about being a Pokemon."
"Everyone! Breakfast is ready!" A voice called out from the mess hall.
Everyone began to funnel to the door and a line soon formed. I was in the back with Jules, June, and a few others. I looked at the Pokemon in front of me, most looked like an animal of some kind, but a few look artificial. One was just a pair of gears that can somehow eat and talk. Even with the Pokemon that are similar to animals from my world, there's something strange with them. Some had their fur colors you wouldn't find in nature, some looked like they were living plants, and a few had fire coming out of them.
"June, how many kinds of Pokemon are there?" I asked.
"Well over six hundred" She said. It's going to be awhile to learn all of them.
When the line gets closer to the door I peek into the mess hall and see rows of tables with bowls already placed down but no one has started to eat yet. Thankfully it was moving fast so I didn't have a long wait to get in and find an open seat. When I looked down at the food it seamed decent, some oran berries and what I'm assuming are other berries from this world chopped up and made into a stew. However there's no utensils anywhere and I have no hands, how am I supposed to eat this?
"Still getting used to being four legged?" Someone said behind me.
When I turn to it I saw a a large cat with a red orb in the center of their forehead. "Yes, I've never eaten without using hands before." I said as they sat down next to me.
"You still eat like anything else, it's getting the food to your mouth that's different." They explained. "For us four legged Pokemon we just stick our mouth into the bowl and use our teeth to pickup and eat what we grabbed. You still got to wait for everyone to be given the order to eat."
"Huh, explains why no one was eating when I came in here. How long do we have to wait?" I asked, I could feel my stomach aching to get something in it.
"Once everyone sits down and the guild master says we can start." They explained. "Your name's Alex right? I'm Twi."
"It's Alex. Pleasure to meet you Twi." I said.
"Twi! I've been looking for you." Jules said as they walk over and sit across. "I got you that TM you've been looking for."
"Ah lovely. You can give me it after we eat." Twi said cheerfully. "I've been hoping to learn shadow claw."
TM? Shadow claw? I need to ask what those are, but I don't want to draw attention to myself. If the other Pokemon here learn of my lack of knowledge of Pokemon. Uh, just thinking of the attention I would attract is sending a chill down my spine, at least I think it's my spine.
"Where's June? She's normally with you Jules." Twi asked. I looked around to find her, and saw her talking to Tor near the back of the room.
"She's talking to the guild master" I said.
June comes over after finishing whatever they were talking about with Tor and sits next to Jules without saying a word, only nodding in acknowledgment when Twi said 'hey' to her.
"Everyone!" Tor yelled. "Let's eat!"
As soon as they said that the mess hall erupted into a cheer followed by the sounds of munching and slurping. I attempt to eat in the way Twi described and I had mixed results, sometimes it would work other times the bit of food would fall back into the bowl. It's something I just need to practice to get used to. The meal itself was good, it had a faint sweetness to it and flavors that seamed familiar to ones I already tasted before. I started to hear some of the Pokemon get and leave the mess hall when I was half way done with the meal, and by the time I finished the room was only half full.
"Must be getting used to this new form already." Twi said as they looked over to me. "What did you think of it?"
"I enjoyed it." I said to Twi before turning to Jules. "Where am I supposed to go now?"
"Once I'm done follow me to our training field." They said quickly before going back to eating the last of the stew they had.
"Are you coming with me and Jules to the field June?" I asked June as they were drinking some water."
"No, I am having a discussion with Orei after breakfast." She said.
"I'm finished Alex, let's go. Twi, I'll give you the TM when I'm done with Alex." Jules said as they moved over to my side of the table. "You can leave your dishes, they'll get cleaned."
I follow Jules once I sit up. I'll have to ask her those questions once we get out to the field.
Upon finishing my breakfast I walk over to Tor and Orei. I am hoping any pleasantries are short and we can get to the topic quickly.
"June. How was the trip to Sky Peak?" Tor asked.
I can not give a short answer, he will just ask more questions for details. "Fine, the view from the summit was as beautiful as others have described."
"Hopefully the journey there went smoothly." Tor said.
Hopefully this is the last question I have to answer. "It did" I said, then lowered my voice. "But I need to discuss Alex with you two in private."
"Understood" Orei said as they stood up. "We can discuss this in my study."
Me and Tor follow Orei into their study, as usually it is a 'orderly mess' as Orei puts it. I don't know how she can easily find documents with paper scattered all over the place and books placed randomly in shelves. Once Tor enters he closes the door behind me.
"What is it about Alex you need to discuss?" Orei asked.
"It is about them becoming a Pokemon, their case is nothing I have heard of." I explained.
"What's different about Alex's case?" Tor asked.
"They remember everything about their life in the human world. What it was like, their life up to this point, and that they never heard of Pokemon because Pokemon do not exist where they come from." I explained. "They also had a personal item brought with them."
"They remember everything before they turned into an Absol?" Tor said. "And they never heard of Pokemon? I agree with you, this is strange. Orei, have you heard of anything like this?"
"Negative." Orei said. "But I will inquiry with the other guilds to see if they ever had something similar. Also, what is this 'personal item' you mentioned?" Orei asked moving to me.
"This." I said as I opened my satchel and pulled out that uniform fragment, showing Tor and Orei it and pointing to the 'Civil Defense patch'.
"What is this symbol?" Orei asked.
"According to Alex this is an 'identification patch', similar in concept to the badges we use for the guild. In their world Alex was part of something called 'Civil Defense', a group who's task was to aid in the reconstruction of a local area after a disaster." I explained. I wanted to give Tor and Orei more details but I do not want to give false information, there were some things I did not fully understand when Alex explained this.
"I take you neither of you have seen this prior to today?" I asked
Tor nods his head while Orei says "Affirmative, I have never seen this until now."
"For now what should we do?" I asked.
"So far Alex hasn't been different than previous cases, excluding what you have brought up. Maybe something happened when they were brought to this world. For now treat them like we do to other humans. Orei, report back to us when you get responses from the other guilds." Tor said.
"Understood." Orei said. She then went to her desk and began to write some letters.
"I will be with Jules if you need me again." I said.
'Very well." Tor said.
I exit Orei's study and head to the training field. I still can not shake the feeling that there is something ominous attached to Alex, Absols are known as the Disaster Pokemon for valid reasons.