As promised, chapter two! :3 If there's anything I can do to improve, please tell me!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot and my team/characters/dungeons/places I made up. :3

…~-CHAPTER TWO: Mt. Bristle's Secret

There was obvious joy throughout the evening. The reason? Team Sky had agreed to come back for a visit. They joined the Guild for dinner, afterwards agreeing to answer any questions tossed their way. Idle chatter filled the room, along with obvious munching and crunching. Team Treekip had the old spots Solay and Shadow had, and they were across from Team Sky. Soon, the plates were clean, and everyone moved into the main lower level of the Guild. They made themselves comfortable, in a half circle around Team Sky.

Bidoof had the first question. "Why haven't you come to visit more often?" he asked.

"We really meant to," Shadow replied, looking sad, "but every time we tried something came up. We're really sorry."

"Oh, no, it's all right!" Chimeco assured them. "We understand."

There was a collection of "Yeahs" and "Of course!". Shadow gave a small nod and smiled.

"How many bandits have you taken down?" Mudkip questioned curiously.

Solay had to think for a moment, then shrugged. "I have no idea. I lost count around forty-three, I think. And that was two years ago."

"Cool," she breathed.

"I have a question!" Loudred interrupted. "What have you been DOING all this time?"

"See for yourself," Solay said. She reached over and pulled the Wonder Map out of the Treasure Bag Shadow was carrying. She spread it out smoothly for all to see.

They all crowded around and gasped. All of the clouds covering areas they hadn't explored yet were gone. There wasn't a scrap of cloud anywhere on the map.

Chatot squawked in alarm. "Y-you've explored the whole world?"

Solay grinned. "Exactly. There's no place too tough for us."

There was a stunned silence, and something that sounded awfully like snoring coming from Wigglytuff's corner. Solay bit back her laughter. "Perhaps that's the signal for bed," she advised. "We can come back tomorrow. We need a break from traveling anyway."

"If it's not too much trouble!" Suflora said automatically. "I mean, you need your rest, don't you?"

"We'll be fine," Shadow assured her, even though he was using the sheer force of his will to bite back an enormous yawn. They bade goodnight and climbed back up the ladder and out of sight.

The Guildmembers dispersed to their rooms, muttering a "Good night" or "See you in the morning" to one another. Sunflora and Chimeco vanished into the top room, and Crogunk, Loudred, and Bidoof to the bottom one. Treecko and Mudkip continued along the hall to the last room. The window on the left wall showed a mild night with just a hint of storm tomorrow evening. Treecko gazed out the window for a moment, reflecting.

Shadow, the emanation Pokémon. At just over two feet, the Riolu didn't look all that extraordinary. He was human-like in appearance, having two arms and legs. There was a small, silvery-gray oval on top of both his hands. Riolu had a tail that came up near the end, and was wider than his legs in the middle, jut before it forked upwards. His body was mostly a light blue. Not sky blue, but not indigo. Something in between. He had a small yellow band around his neck, and below that, just before his waist, Shadow's fur was black. His head was bigger than his body, and he had a black mask-type marking over the top of his muzzle and eyes. Two raindrop-shaped - Treecko didn't know what they were for or what they were – "things" came out of the side of his head, just a few inches behind his red eyes.

Solay, the fox Pokémon. She was a few inches shorter than her partner, and also didn't look very tough at first glance. She stood on four legs and had six dayglow-orange tails. She herself was a lighter brown-orange, and her paws were darker, as if stained with mud. On top of her head were three little curls, like her tails, and a tuft of fur hanging down on her forehead. Those were orange too. Her eyes were a lovely honey-brown when the light hit them, but otherwise very dark, nearly black in some places, and mysterious.

Then Treecko turned his attention to his own team. Mudkip wasn't even a foot and a half. Standing at one foot four inches, including her fin, she was a small package. She always joked around saying she's "Fun-sized, not short" but isn't very "fun" when battling. Being the mud fish Pokémon, she was the same basic color as a Riolu, except maybe a little bit lighter. She walked on four stubby feet, and had a large fin-like tail at her rear. It was a very light blue, possibly gray, depending on how you looked at it. Her underside was the same pale color. A fin on top of her head made up perhaps five inches of her total height, and two bright orange appendages came out from her cheeks. Mudkip said it was to make her look more threatening, and then she proceeded to dance around spouting nonsense, which only left Treecko laughing.

He himself was a wood gecko Pokémon. Discovering one ay that he was only four inches taller than Mudkip, he too called himself "fun-sized" once, but it wasn't well remembered. His skin was a leaf-green shade. He had two arms with three fingers on each. The same went for his feet. His tail seemed to be two thick, dark green leaves, which he could blend in with trees if he needed to hide. The underside of his chin and belly were red, however, and he had to hide himself just right to keep enemies from spotting him. He had two yellow eyes set high on his head, which the ridges both poked up above his actual head.

Discovering that now the sky was getting quite dark, he pulled himself away from the window and curled up, intending to get some sleep.

Mudkip, however, wasn't sleepy, it seemed. "Hey, Treecko," she said softly. "Wasn't today hectic?"

"Mmm, yep," he replied.

"Wasn't meeting Team Sky super ultra mega cool?"

He laughed a little. "Yeah, it sure was. Wonder where they went, anyway?"

"I think Sunflora told me that they live at Sharpedo Bluff," Mudkip replied. "But it was a while ago, and I'm not quite sure." A ferocious yawn came from her corner. "Well, we'd better get to bed before the sun comes up so we can talk to Solay and Shadow in the morning. Night, Treecko."

"Goodnight, Mudkip," he replied, but she was already fast asleep.

…The Next Morning…

"UP AND AT 'EM! IT'S MORNING!" Loudred shouted, before turning and waddling down the hall.

"Ugh, morning Treecko," Mudkip mumbled, yawning and shaking herself awake.

Treecko shook his head and trotted down the hallway to the main part of the second underground floor. The rest of the apprentices and Chatot were assembled there already. Team Sky were standing to the far side, waiting, looking better than they did yesterday. The briefing commenced, and then it was over. No one went anywhere; they just gathered in another semi-circle, like last night.

"Hey hey hey, I have a question now!" Chorpish stated. "Where did you guys go on your most recent trip?"

"We just got back from Amber Cove," Solay replied. "It was filled with powerful water- and flying-type opponents, so it was a definite challenge. But, the rewards were great, and we helped a lot of people along the way," she added, giving a brief nod of satisfaction.

"What place would you recommend for us?" Wigglytuff asked slowly, thoughtfully.

"Hmm…that's a tough one." Shadow gazed around at all the faces, and said slowly, "I think Hollow Forest would be a good choice for the lot of you. It's quiet, the Pokémon aren't ridiculously tough, and it's a great trip to take. We've only been there two or three times, but it's a great place to get away if you just want a little challenge."

"I agree with that," Solay said. She cast a mischievous glance at Wigglytuff. "If you were thinking of going, say no more. If you'll have us along as well."

"Of course we'll have you!" he exclaimed. "Friendly friends! You're always welcome!"

Chatot caught on to the discussion, and flapped his wings quickly for attention. "Well, you heard the Guildmaster! We're setting out for Hollow Forest in three days time. In the meantime, continue doing splendid jobs!"

There was a deafening, "HOORAY!" from everyone. Solay laughed and bid farewell, saying, "We also have to get ready. I have a feeling Treasure Town is going to be mobbed pretty soon."

"Wow, a real expedition!" Mudkip exclaimed. "There hasn't been once since Team Sky were apprentices here! We're so lucky!"

Treecko nodded, but had a feeling it was something other than luck that brought this upon them. "Well, come on. We still have three days. Let's go find a job or two to do today, and the same tomorrow. Then we'll do a smaller mission, and prepare on the third day, so we're all set."

"Sounds good. Let's go!" She darted up to the first floor, taking the ladder rungs three at a time. He chuckled and followed.

…

The Job Notice Board and Outlaw Notice Board were being swarmed by the Guild's crew. Treecko devised a plan: He would sneak up through the crowds of Pokémon, grab a Job, and they would read it outside, away from all the noise. It worked fine, and soon, they were outside, standing off to the side in case of a stampede. Mudkip read the letter out loud.

"'Hey, there, friendly readers,'" she read. "'I was wonderin' if you would be so kind as to help me out. Ya see, just a short time ago I was climbin' Mt. Bristle, and I was nearin' the top when I was defeated! I lost my precious Yellow Band there. Could ya brave readers get it back for me?'" She looked up. "Hey, that's not too hard. Let's head out."

Treecko nodded. "Sounds good. Let's go!"

…Later That Same Day, High in Mt. Bristle…

"How far does this thing go?" Mudkip asked, slightly breathless. "Feels like we've been climbing for hours!"

Treecko didn't reply off the bat. He thought there was something different about the wall up ahead. Was it…lighter? Yes, it defiantly was. It was getting brighter the closer they got to it.

"Mudkip, look! There's the exit! We've made it to the top!"

They were both blinded for a moment, then their eyes adjusted. But…it was all rock. There wasn't a scrap of Yellow Band in sight.

"Hey, that's weird…" Mudkip looked around, puzzled. "The letter said it was here, didn't it?"

"Yeah…" Treecko took a couple of steps forward, looking around too. "But there's nothing here." Something caught his eye. It was a very tiny movement in the shadows, but as soon as he looked, it was gone. Heart pounding, Treecko didn't look away from that spot.

"Something wrong?" Mudkip asked, peering over his shoulder.

Treecko forced himself to calm down, and turn around. "Nope. Just imagined it." But he still couldn't shake the awful feeling of having a thousand eyes on the back of his head.

"There's…something wrong about this place…" Mudkip said quietly.

"Yeah," Treecko replied nervously. "Come on, let's get out of here. I've got a really bad feeing that something bad's gonna happen if we stay…"

They turned to leave. Another flash of movement caught Treecko's eye before he was thrown back a good three feet. Before he or Mudkip knew what was happening, they were surrounded.

"AMBUSH!" Mudkip screamed.

…~-

Meh-heh-heh! :3 I've still got it.