It didn't make sense.

Chimera jumped off that cliff without remorse or regret. The smile on his face as his feet left the grass showed more outward enthusiasm than she could hope to achieve. And yet, the quivering in his hands, the way his eyes shot open from their instinctual stupor, both showed that the strange pokemon was in complete fear for his life. Why? What type of Bagon develops on and off acrophobia? Perhaps the only stranger thing was that his feet never actually hit the ground.

What took its place, was a Mantine. Its long tail streamer flapped in the wind, behind a saddle strapped to its back that caught the Bagon mid-fall. Argon couldn't say for certain, but it seemed that while a gasp had escaped her mouth, Chimera immediately lunged his over the side of the Mantine. She turned her head, unwilling to let the churning in the Bagon's stomach spread to her own.

"H-Hey! Where are you—come back! P-Please?!"

The Mantine found little reason to do otherwise. Immediately upon catching the falling pokemon it dove into the sea, a single wave crashing before it resurfaced. Glimmers of water sprinkled onto Argon as the Mantine shot back through the air, Bagon above holding onto the saddle for dear life. Its two fins spread wide, momentum from the maneuver letting it glide through the air. The field of grass behind Argon made a decent enough landing point for the kite pokemon. Blank, quivering stares between Bagon and Raichu amplified the silence. Their only interruption being the water that dripped from the Mantine's slimy fins to the green below.

"Sorry for the scare, both of you. It's just that, in this line of business, having a flashy entrance usually makes the tip jar heavier."

Argon's breaths slowly returned to a steady tempo, though Chimera's hands still shook like they were rubber. Her attention immediately drew to a small emblem pinned to the front of the saddle. While varying in design, and presumably utility, it shared the same three letters as her own badge, sporting two wings on either side that pointed to only one source.

"Catalina's the name," said the Mantine, head gesturing to a corroborating nametag pinned next to the badge, "some pokemon call me Cat, but...please don't, it just sounds weird. Anyway, if both of you are willing, I'm here to be your tour guide around Faire for the day."

Chimera's head lowered to the grass, a few hacks confirming that his gut had finished spilling its contents. He wiped what was left from his lip, eventually letting it form into a grin towards his partner.

"Argh...well, this has been a Faire and foul day I have not seen, I guess there's no problem in rectifying that."

Argon, for her part, remained were she was, holding a tentative posture towards the Mantine.

"I-I don't remember scheduling a tour, how did you know we were here?"

Catalina's two humongous fins shrugged.

"Not sure myself, apparently the pokemon at the top wanted to make a better impression to newcomers, just today they told guides like myself to be on the lookout for any pokemon that looked like they just arrived on Faire. You...Raichu, I've seen you before, but not the Bagon."

"Argon, t-that's my name," she replied, muttering silent curses directed only toward herself, "his name is Chimera."

He nodded. The Bagon seemed to have regained control over himself, gesturing inwardly towards Argon in a way that eclipsed his previous terror. Catalina likewise turned so her fin formed a rampway toward the saddle.

"Jolly good show. You coming along, Arago—no wait...Argon! If you've been here for a while, I'm sure Chimera wouldn't mind you being the one to introduce him to the tropical paradise we call home. Between you and me, it's only gonna be free once; With the rates we charge hourly you'd be smart to climb aboard."

It was certainly convenient, almost suspiciously so. Just today she had made it her mission to get the Bagon familiar with the region she called home, only to have the methods of doing so plant itself before her. Still, looking toward the Mantine found her certifications were as close to genuine as Argon could tell. Taking the Bagon around Faire any other way would either take days or be egregiously expensive. Cat may have butchered her name, but at very least they were under the same employer, and experience showed that they had a decent history of taking care for pokemon like themselves. She walked up the Mantine, taking great care to hide her cringe from the slippery sensation beneath her feet.

"A-Are you...sure you're gonna be alright?" she asked Chimera.

"'Course," he tersely replied, green coloration on his face only the slightest bit visible, "I think...my mind's fine with fighting gravity, it's only when we start losing that it panics."

She nodded, belaying her suspicions for the moment. No sooner had the Raichu planted her feet did the Mantine beneath them surge itself forward.

"Hold on tight, you two! As long as you do the same with your lunches, this'll be the fun part."

Between Bagon and Raichu, the latter of the pair was much more believing. Argon buried her face into the saddle, unwilling to watch the nearly free fall motion of them diving toward the water. Her paws clenched around the grab rail. A glance to her side revealing the smirk Chimera had lost from jumping had returned in excess. The near-weightless sensation of falling reversed once Catalina had gained enough momentum. They rose up into the air, increased perception of gravity knocking the Bagon off-balance as all three took to the skies. For perhaps the first time in the former-human's life, he could sense that both himself and the pokemon at his side were going somewhere.

Sky was blue and the clouds were few. Argon could scarcely understand how the Bagon rose up against the wind as fearlessly as if he were balancing on a surfboard, but from his example she unburied her head from the floor. Once the Raichu was on her feet, balancing came easily enough. When brief burst of turbulence rocked their organic source of flight, more often than not it was Argon who was still standing.

"We'll be arriving at Pith Town soon," Catalina shouted over the wind, "so if either of you 'mons wanna take a piss, at least try to hold it in. The pokemon below are my clients too."

Neither responded, eyes glued to the new perspective they had gained of the region both now called home.

"Huh," Chimera said, mouth trying to decide whether it was twisting into a smile or frown, "guess 'tropical paradise' was only half the truth."

Argon muttered in agreement. The miles of sand and palm trees that had taken up most of their vision on the cliffside seemed like a mound of dirt compared to the bigger picture. After crossing the tan and green circumference of the island, a sense of dreadful familiarity stirred in Chimera. It crashed against newfound excitement, both fueled from the heart of the region now within their sight.

Orderly sections of brick houses and streets stemmed out the more inward they flew. Scarcely a foot of natural green was left, replaced by row upon row of red-tiled roofing that, even from their high vantage point, seemed to go on for miles. Jutting out of the massive city center's borders were blue fields representing canals and waterways. Specks of white canvas and brown cedar ships made their way across the harbors, most dawning the same three letters Chimera had spotted on the badges of a Raichu and Mantine.

"Y-Yep, pretty much," Argon exclaimed, "would you believe that they built all this stuff in only twenty years? Used to be all villages and farmland back in the day. It was a whole new world coming to Faire from my old hometown."

"Well, I guess that's something else we have in common."

Chimera could scarcely believe it. While a car was more preferable for getting around than the many carriages rushing through the streets, such a level of construction for a town younger than himself was unprecedented. Just as Argon said, the Bagon couldn't spot a speck of farmland in sight, nor anywhere to judge were the civilization's inhabitants had gained materials to build such a town.

It was different, yet eerily familiar to his old life. Accompanying them in the air was a vehicle close to those he had gazed upon just before falling through the ice. Where its engines should have been, three bird pokemon flew in front of the craft, acting as propulsion via tug ropes tied to their harnesses. A glance to its point of origin unveiled a large mass of green in the distance, with many more ant-like ships crossing the gap between that island and the one below.

"Better they get tired than me," Chimera muttered, grin forming on his face, "seems like everything the light touches is part of Faire's giant kingdom, but what's that shadowy island over there?"

While Argon tried to smile at what she could only assume was some in-joke jest, a shudder run up her spine. The clouds did little to help, but behind the mass of green in the distance Chimera could see a mountain, jutting up through the sky in a mass of grey and white.

"T-That one in the distance is Eastern Faire, we're below the western island. That's actually were we'll be doing a lot of our work, on the coast at least. Once you get into the mainland, things get...dangerous."

The Bagon's mouth opened, but he thought it best not to say anything. All in good time. Both could make out the more intricate details as Catalina descended to below the clouds. Individual faces of pokemon peaked above the cobblestone road they followed, one that Chimera looked toward with a dumbfounded glare.

"I don't get it, where are the cracks?"

"What cracks?" Argon replied.

The road was in a state Chimera had long thought impossible. Its initial pristine nature was to be expected, but even after diverging into pre-planned, perpendicular paths through Pith Town it never seemed to falter. Seeing the cracks was easy enough in his old life. A pothole in the road, a bridge with support beams rusted in disrepair, a cardboard sign on the side of the street with its owner wrapped in blankets holding out a change cup. The Bagon lived his whole life knowing that forests would sooner march to his apartment than the world's suffering disappear, and yet the only crack he saw jutted out of the grey mountain in the distance.

"I...I guess you pokemon really are different from the folks back home."

A few flaps of air pushed under Catalina's fins brought their descent to a halt. They were in the thick of it now. Pokemon of every size and species parted through the streets to let Bagon and Raichu depart. Sea-salt carried through the wind, accompanied by the marketplace silver and olfactory sweetness from the surrounding restaurants. A look toward his partner found Argon's face lowered, giving only tentative glances to the multitude of eyes analyzing the newly arrived pokemon.

"You alright?"

"Y-Yeah, of course," Argon replied, paw raised to her forehead, "the noise and all just starts to get to you after a while."

The pair's feet had barely met cobblestone when a Charmeleon and Dragonair, both equipped with badges proclaiming the same three omnipresent letters approached Catalina. The former whispered something into Cat's ear, though the grumbling in Chimera and Argon's stomach redirected their attention to the sandwich in its arms. Copious amounts of cheese in between two pieces of wheat bread made their lips salivate. How long had it been since his last meal? The Bagon could only hope that his new body didn't bring with it new metabolism.

The filleted basculin grasped around the Dragonair's tail was only mildly less appetizing. Its skin shined a vibrant pink, but something about it seemed the slightest bit...artificial. Trace bits under the initial coating found its salmon hue coalescing into bits of pale grey. The discoloration was obvious enough to Argon, but the Raichu seemed completely unfazed. With no one to corroborate abnormality, Chimera shrugged; at least it wasn't people.

"Good news," Cat said, turning toward the two, "got a telegram straight from the top, chap apparently wanted to add a factory visit to the tour. Don't know why the two-faced bloke didn't just come here and tell us in person, but we'll have to set out now if we don't want to take most of the day."

Chimera and Argon nodded. After a quick break for refreshments and the former contending with strange, new biology in the restroom, they were back in the air. The Raichu's face seemed to perk back up to her usual disposition once surrounding eyes became little more than dots on the grand scale. Her downward glare had shifted to Chimera, his own mind content to lament one of the many features that had transcended worlds.

"Factories…"

Both pokemon went to work on some oranges brought along for the trip. The insides of the citrus fruit were immaculately shaped, with new, rich flavors that tickled the Chimera tongue. Scarcely had the Bagon been given the time nor opportunity for an abundance of fresh fruit in his old life, and as such he grasped for their collecting basket as if it was bottomless. Argon was much more conservative. Her paws went to work neatly dissecting the outer skin, drawing an incredulous look from Chimera when she bit into the tangy layer.

"Not saying it's a bad thing, but wouldn't it be better just to throw that stuff away?"

"W-Well, that'd be kind of wasteful, wouldn't it?" Argon replied. "It's still food in the end, even if it's not as colorful."

To some. In comparison, however, Chimera found it difficult to comprehend appreciating one when the alternative was in abundance. Afterall, the pithy inside of the orange only existed because its outer layer had taken the bumps and bruises of everyday life, and such a bitter taste was one he'd rather not swallow again. He shrugged.

Eventually, the rank and file rows of housing below ended, replaced by a resurgence of green, cropless fields. If Chimera had a brow, it would be furrowed. They were supposed to be an exploration team, yet flying under a civilization with hands so privy to creation, it seemed only the island in the distance had anything left to explore. Eight parallel lines of steel jutted out through the fields, as if tentacles of a brick and mortar devilfish in command. Only when he saw the rows of wooden planks connecting the track's two beams, did their full purpose click into Chimera's head.

Black smoke stemming from a locomotive took the place of ink. Row upon row of freight cars followed along the track, each carrying piles of wood, coal, and ore from locations unknown. The only thing that could dwarf an operation of such scale was its destination. Again, they descended below the clouds, landing in front of a humongous amalgamation of buildings and chimneys. A gasp from the Bagon's partner echoed his own, both pokemon feeling smaller by the second.

"I-It's a bit much for a guild, wouldn't you say?" Argon said, chuckling quietly.

"That's...putting it lightly," Chimera replied, "is this really it?"

The Raichu nodded slowly. Her paw pointed to three letters emblazoned upon the otherwise utilitarian monolith.

"The West Faire Guild, part of it at least. T-The actual guild house is back in the center of Pith Town. You'd be hard pressed to find anything on Faire without their name on it."

"Huh...guess some things never change."

With passengers delivered, Catalina departed. In her place, was a Wigglytuff, sporting a top hat on its head that both could only assume was some sign of importance. Backing up the Wigglytuff with countinances much more militaristic were a Escavalier and Scizor. As before, acronymed badges were pinned predominantly, though in a design differing from both Catalina and Argon. It wouldn't take much for the guards to kill them should they make a wrong move, hopefully their stares wouldn't be enough to do the job.

"Oh, don't mind these sour faces," gleefully exclaimed the Wigglytuff, "you're here for the grand tour, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Chimera replied, "If I'm being honest, I'm not exactly...from here, curious to see how this whole operation works."

The Wigglytuff clapped her hands together, hopping up a smidge. A look between Bagon and Raichu confirmed that Argon's discomfort wasn't just from the electrons crawling down her feet.

"Well jeepers, it is just dandy seeing a new face around here! And you too, Ms. Raichu. It's a tragedy that resource team members go on without actually seeing where the fruits of their labor end up."

Chimera jumped to attention. His thoughts turned to the worst. Just what exactly did the pokemon at his side even do? From what she had said, most of her work was done in the mass of green to the east. Yet, it was doubtful that the product of exploration lead back to a place like this. His head turned, not a word from his curious expression being needed to convey the question.

"I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself," the Wigglytuff interjected, "why don't we go inside so I can show you around? The telegram we got made it very clear that we let the newcomer see everything. Besides, if we dawdle now, there won't be any mini donuts left in the rest area!"

As much as the his hands began to quiver, the Bagon was inclined to agree. Better to find out themselves than fret over what fate awaited him. At the very least, his grumbling stomach knew something good would come out of it.

The structure was as big as its outside implied. Clanging hammers, drilling screws, and blaring furnaces echoed through the high ceilings. Cursory glances around the plant revealed a Magmar guiding a large chamber of molten steel into a girder frame. A Timburr stood over a maze of walkways overhead, overseeing the process with clipboard in hand. What truly surprised Chimera and Argon was the efficiency of the whole process, unknown to the latter, ominously familiar to the former. Dozens of pokemon were lined up on the other side of the building, each organized across individual lines that zigzagged every which way. On the first set of the conveyor belts operated by rotating Klinklang, a Gothorita held a hand to its temple, telekinetically attaching rubber rims to iron-forged wheels. In the next station, an Ambipom's two tails were helping connect the wheels into a central frame. Structure was then added to the frame by a team of Magnezone, to be taken to final assembly and inspection from the wandering eyes of a Watchog and Gumshoo.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?' the Wigglytuff exclaimed, pointing toward one of the completed carriages, "the way we make'em, pretty much every pokemon here can afford one of these . Oh—you're in luck, both of you get to see a shift change."

Right on cue, an ear-piercing bell toll echoed off the factory walls. Both Chimera and Argon had to raise hand and paw to their ears, though the Wigglytuff reacted as though it was no more than an alarm clock. Looking toward its source revealed a Bronzong, idly floating next to a clock placed predominantly on the wall. Its hands pointed to midday, placed on the border of three sections that divided the clock face's surface like a pie chart. From what the face insinuated, an unspeakable conclusion entered Chimera's conscious.

"Eight hours...that's it? How do you support a place like this with an eight hour workday?"

"W-Well, "Argon replied, fiddling with her paws, "how else would they do it?"

She turned away, under the guise of distraction with an itchy neck.

Argon continued, "That-uh...I don't know where you're from, but that's on the higher end, actually...at least for me."

It was alien. The work was monotonous, and the environment dull, but looking toward the pokemon manning the line, Chimera could almost see a hint of a smile in some of them.

"How? Where do they get the money for all of th—oh no…"

He turned to Argon, stark realization plastered on his face.

"The guild's not gonna take away ninety percent of everything we earn, is it?

She shook her head, letting out a small chuckle.

"N-Not that I'm aware of, used to be like that back in the day, but...that was before my time."

"She's absolutely right!" the Wigglytuff agreed, giggling. "Resource teams couldn't exist if the presider was that mean. But, it's fantastic that you asked."

They continued walking. Bell chimes still rung in their ears, and as such they had to be careful to avoid the multitude of pokemon rushing to replace the ones that had left. The process seemed practiced to a tee. A Blastoise shooting water into the slack tube of a massive forge was gone for barely a second until it was replaced by a Golduck. The work continued, pokemon coming to the lines as neatly as if they were no more than extensions of the Klinklang that powered them.

A couple more rounds around the facility later, they arrived into a sort of break room. As promised, donuts were dispensed, though as freely as they were handed out, the room gave the impression of a cafeteria more than a restaurant. Glanging around the various pokemon conversing found that their food was just as complimentary.

"Worker loyalty. When I was a wee, little Jigglypuff, the presider drilled that into our heads until it hurt. Treat those below you well, at least the ones that matter, and they'll keep their punch cards out and their poké handy."

A conversation caught Chimera's ear, his eavesdropping revealing the lamentations of a Buizel over where they would spend their paid vacation.

"I'm jealous," Chimera stated, before a glance at his shoulder reminded of the drab setting, "well...almost. One more thing I'm still curious about though: Where do we fit in all of this?"

"Oh, I can go over that," Argon interjected, "gotta contribute something to this trip."

She pointed back toward the plant, aimed toward a serious of long doors lining on of the walls. Train cars peeked through the open shutters from outside. Connected was a long system of smaller tracks, ferrying around the factory filled with the same raw materials from the initial freight cars.

"Y-You know what mystery dungeons are, don't you?"

If light bulbs existed in this universe, Chimera assumed there would be one over his head.

"Yeah, they're randomly generated places where wild Pokémon will attack you if you get near them."

"Well, yes, there are those...but the important factor is that on every floor items and resources will appear. Our job is to fight our way through dungeons, find stuff like ore, lumbar, and gold, and bring it back to the entrance. Guess this is where it all ends up."

Out of respect for the Raichu, Chimera continued smiling, though he couldn't hide the split were it turned to a snarl. What did their work make them, if not glorified miners? No exploration. No rescues. No glory. Merely trekking day in and day out through places that would look as similar as they were different. This couldn't be his destiny, could it?

"Huh…"

He sighed, lowering his gaze to the stone floor. It was different. It had to be. As similar as the two worlds seemed, a fair taste in the Bagon's mouth overtook past foulness. With smiling faces, the tripartite workday, and a partner at his side, he could only hope that lifting the boulder up one more day would be much more feasible. Beggars couldn't be choosers; as long as it didn't end up rolling back with him to the bottom, that was all he could ask for.

"I guess...all in good time, then," he said, raising a melancholic grin toward his partner.

She smiled back, in similar disposition. A glance through gridded windows toward the evening sun found it beginning its decent. Yawns from Argon, though drowned out from the grinding gears of machine and pokemon, spread to Chimera.

"I suppose we should start heading back," Argon said to Chimera, "we still need to get our team set up, and...there's a lot of books I got to clear off of my top bunk if you're gonna use it."

As much as the Bagon yearned to find out how prosperity existed where it was denied a world away, he agreed. They walked to the exit, getting on board Catalina with a departing wave to the Wigglytuff.

"If you ever meet the presider, tell him I said hi! Arceus knows how many innovations that two-faced enigma invented since he started up the WFG."

"I-I...I'll try," Argon replied.

They set off, eyes glistening towards orange, flickering sunshine as they left from one concrete jungle to the next. As the Mantine flew, their vision wandered to the sole remaining orange left in basket. Neither were willing to touch the fruit; mold above its bruised skin had turned the orange a dull grey.