The word of the expedition came a few days later during the morning briefing. The guild members all very excited when Chatot confirmed their rumors. Chatot, once he calmed them down, continued talking. "Please! Please! As I was explaining, there will be an expedition to a lake, which is far to the east. There have been for a while, many aspects of the lake which remain rather mysterious. It is our goal on the upcoming expedition, to unravel those mysteries. As most of you know, this is going to be our first expedition in quite a while."

Autumn leaned into Corphish, "Yeah, you'd think that after six months, they'd announce another one."

"Hey, hey! I will say it's about time!"

Bidoof was happy, "An expedition! Yes! Perhaps I can finally go on an expedition!"

"It's been too long." Sunflora said, excited. "Oh my gosh! I'm excited!"

Loudred spoke up, "Does this mean you're picking members from us all for this expedition?"

"Correct." Chatot said. "This expedition will take place at the earliest, next week. You all have been doing exceptionally well over the past few days. Over the next few days, we will be monitoring all apprentices, and determining if you are worthy to do. The chosen members, will form the final expedition party. We expect everyone's full work if they should desire to be a part of this."

Sunflora smiled, "This is so exciting!"

Bidoof was excited too, as he said to Pyro, "I wasn't able to go last time! I'd do anything to go this time!"

Chatot calmed everyone, and led them all in the morning cheer as he usually did. Layne and Pyro looked at each other. "Well word's out." Layne said, as they went to the job boards. "What do you think of it all?"

Pyro followed Layne up the ladder. "I'm excited. I really hope we get chosen!"

"Hmm." Layne said as they reached the floor. "I hope you get to go."

Pyro looked at Layne, "What about yourself?"

Layne chuckled as he took a look at the job boards. "I could honestly go either way. Exploring to you, is a dream, which is why I'd prefer you getting chosen."

"Layne," Pyro said, standing next to him, "We're a team. If one of us was chosen, I'd hope the other would be chosen as well. I'd think you'd be the more capable, as you are the guy who knows most moves."

"Please." Layne said, browsing the job boards, "I don't know that many moves. And you're the expert on natural moves."

"Chin up, Layne." Pyro said. "You'll learn more in no time. Anything good on the boards today?"

"Nothing too special. The usual lost reports, outlaws, and the like." Layne said. Layne sniffed the air, "Do you smell something...odd?"

Pyro sniffed, "Something does smell a bit familiar."

Layne looked across the room. He shook his head quick at what he saw. "I don't believe it!"

Koffing and Zubat were across the room, taking a peek at the other job board.

Zubat looked over, "What?"

Koffing looked and also seemed surprised, "Y-you two?"

Layne popped his neck and crossed his arms. "Yeah. Us."

Pyro seemed a bit angered. He had not forgotten how they had stolen his Relic Fragment from him the day he met Layne. "What are you doing here?"

Koffing looked smugly at them, "Oh, I'll have you both know, we're an Exploration Team too."

"You?" Layne asked in disbelief, and scoffed. "What a joke." Pyro didn't seem to want to believe it either.

"I don't see what's so funny about us checking the boards." Zubat said.

Layne simply said, "Who's laughing?"

"I will say," Koffing said, "That the way we operate, isn't always...by the book."

"Oh I long figured that out..." Layne said. He looked around, this was getting the attention of many guild members within the Guild. "Stealing from pokémon, causing trouble. Doesn't exactly sound like the book."

Koffing simply said, "Enough about that. What are you two doing here?"

"Isn't that a bit obvious?" Layne asked.

"We're in training to be an exploration team!" Pyro said.

Zubat and Koffing looked at each other. "The real-deal, Class-A exploration Team?"

Layne was annoyed and popped his neck again. "Did he stutter?"

"Stop popping your neck!" Zubat said, "You're wigging me out!"

"Cry me a river." Layne said.

Koffing floated over to Pyro and pushed him in front of Zubat. Pyro was a bit surprised by this, "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked.

Layne also went into an attack stance, "Listen, don't even think about-!"

"Relax, weasel." Zubat said. "We just wanna talk."

Layne was very annoyed, and crossed his arms again. He didn't wish to start a scene, but he remembered the day they first met too. And if anything got under his skin more than anything, it was wannabe punks. And these two pokémon, were wannabe punks all over. They took Pyro aside and began to talk with him. Autumn approached Layne, eyeing the two, and said, "Looks like you two made a couple new friends." with a hint of sarcasm, knowing that Layne did not look at all happy.

"Please." Layne said looking over to them once again, "Those two...I don't even know where to begin. I've seen my fair share of wannabe punks in life, but those two...are just...amazing."

Autumn was about to say something, when Pyro spoke up, "Leave me alone!"

Layne sighed. "What are you two up to now?"

"Absolutely nothing." Koffing said. "We just speak truth."

Pyro was angry, "I may be timid, but that's why I'm here! Layne and I will work hard, and we will be chosen for the upcoming expedition!"

Koffing looked at Zubat: "An expedition!"

Zubat laughed. "Effort will only get you so far. You won't be picked if you don't have the talents for the expedition party. Talent is what gets you in."

Layne once again popped his neck. "Look, we both know where this is heading, nd to be honest, I really don't want to have to explain to Chatot, or Wigglytuff, why I'm about to beat the ever-loving crud out of you both...again!"

Koffing laughed at that. "You may have beaten us once before, weasel, but the only reason that was, because our chief wasn't with us."

"I'm sure." Layne said. "I'm trembling just thinking about how big your boss is."

"You have a chief?" Pyro asked.

Zubat laughed, "We, Team Skull, indeed have three members, and boy, is our Chief talented."

"Brutally tough." Koffing added in.

"So tough, he'd snap the both of you like a twig, if he had the chance." Zubat said.

"All talk, nothing in my sights. I don't see your little Chief." Layne said annoyed. Autumn looked on as did a good amount of the guild as this confrontation began to unfurl.

"Just wait. I can smell him coming now." Koffing said.

"Smell him-...good God!" Layne said suddenly, backing up to the entrance. "What is that horrid-"

"Laaaaayne..." Pyro said cautiously looking at Layne.

"What?" Layne almost shouted in sheer frustration.

A voice from behind Layne simply said, "Out of my way, pip-squeak."

Layne was almost infuriated to the point to simply turn around and give whoever said that, a punch they wouldn't forget. But as he turned, and said, "I swear to Go-", a gas and stench unlike anything he had ever experienced in life, entered his nostrils and lungs. And it was god-awful. Layne felt nauseous and fell to the ground, and crawled slowly away. He groaned and vomited once before regaining composure of himself.

"Layne!" Pyro called out, and Autumn helped him up. Koffing and Zubat took great pleasure in watching the pokémon that had defeated them so easily, get defeated just like that by the Chief.

The Chief, was monstrous in size, slow, but deadly, none the less. He resembled an overgrown skunk, and had a very malicious grin that was enough to make anyone uncomfortable. The gas, the Chief had used, drifted everywhere. Guild members began to chatter and cover their noses.

"It smells like rotten cheese!" Sunflora said.

Layne's eyes burned and he coughed trying to once again, grasp much cleaner air. This was to no avail. Autumn was fairing much better than Layne, but she too had a look that said she also knew how horrid the gas really was.

Pyro was angry, but as he was about to say something, he was looking at the Chief dead on in the face. "Move." he said, adding on, "Or do you wish to end up like that weasel of an explorer over there?"

Layne gave Pyro a look. Layne knew when enough was enough. As much as Layne wanted to kick the crap out of these guys, he knew that now was not the time or the place. Pyro saw this and stepped away and went to Layne's side.

"Are you okay, Layne?"

Layne didn't answer right away.

Koffing laughed, "That was a marvelous display, Chief Skuntank!"

Zubat added on, "You're the best!"

Skuntank yawned and simply said, "Yeah yeah, whatever. Did you or did you not find any jobs worth our time?"

"We found something better." Koffing said.

Zubat said, "This...has the potential, to go big."

"Yeah, well what is it?"

Zubat smiled, "An upcoming guild expedition."

"An expedition, from this Guild?" Skuntank repeated. "Sounds tasty."

"It does, doesn't it." Koffing said, smiling.

He looked back at Layne and Pyro and grinned. He then looked back to Zubat and Koffing. "Let's get out of here. We have things to discuss."

Skuntank left the Guild, Zubat and Koffing followed. It was then that Koffing saw the the guild members in this room were all watching what was happening. "What do you think this is, a public performance? Go back to your job listings, you wimps." And with that, they left.

Shortly afterwards, the stench cleared for the most part as well. "What an unbelievable bunch!" Autumn said.

Pyro repeated, "Layne, are you okay?"

Layne finally stood up. Anger was obviously in his eyes. His fists glowed, and an orb of water suddenly formed in the space between his fists, and with a shout of frustration and anger, Layne threw that orb of water at the Guild's wall. The result was a very loud crash, and a huge chunk of the guild wall missing, and exposing the outside. Layne breathed in and out. Everyone was looking in Layne's direction. Layne's fists stopped glowing, and he breathed.

Pyro was shocked, "Layne! Calm down!"

Autumn was a bit surprised herself, "Was that a Water Pulse attack? I didn't know he could do that! I wish I knew that move!"

Pyro simply said, "That's the first time I've seen him use it."

Chatot flew up, and said, "What was that?" He saw the hole in the wall, and was speechless. "Wh-wha-WHO DID THIS?" he shouted, "AND WHAT IS THAT HIDEOUS STENCH?"

Layne ignored Chatot, he didn't care how much trouble he was in. He didn't care if he had to prepare everyone's dinner tonight as punishment. He simply did not care...period. Pyro on the other hand said, "Oh...uhhh...Guil- Chatot! Ummm, you see..."

Autumn cut him off. "We don't know who did it. But we just had some rather nasty smelling visitors. They just left."

Chatot, sighed. "This will take all day for us to fix." he said, flying over to the wall.

Layne almost said something but just continued breathing.

Pyro looked at Autumn..."I...uh...thank you..."

Autumn looked at him, "Hey, I can kind of understand why he did that. And if Chatot found out who did it, there's not a chance he'd let Wigglytuff choose him for the expedition."

"But...why isn't he pressing the matter?" Pyro asked. "Surely what you said can't be enough!"

Autumn shrugged, "Chatot is actually pretty easy to fool sometimes. He also has more pressing matters to worry about than...scolding little angry vandals." she said, giving a playful look to Layne, who still ignored everything.

Pyro sighed, "I feel so bad though. I should have challenged that Skuntank. He attacked and hurt Layne. I feel like such a chicken."

Layne finally said, "Pyro. The odds were heavily against you. There was no use in getting yourself hurt. You're not a wimp, you're acting smart. That's hardly anything to feel bad about."

Pyro sighed, "I still feel like a wimp."

Layne sighed and popped his neck. "Pyro..."

"It's nothing new." Pyro said, "I still know I can do my best, even if I'm not very brave. I won't give up that easily."

Layne sighed and said, "That's what matters." He finally relaxed and crossed his arms. He looked at both Autumn and Pyro. "...Sorry about the whole ordeal." He then looked at Pyro. "Go ahead and choose something for us...I need some air."

"We all do." Autumn said, trying to rid the stench around her.

"As true as that may be...I need to just...I need some time to vent..."

"I understand," Pyro said. "I'll meet you outside."

Layne nodded and went outside. He was thankful that Team Skull was not around, or he'd probably just test how strong they all were in combat...

Layne walked through the streets of Treasure Town. He kicked a rock in frustration. He sat down outside a building, and breathed. The clean air helped calm him down somewhat, but it still didn't quite feel like enough. He popped his neck and simply groaned. He stood up and saw a sign of the building he sat in front of. A dojo. Layne sighed and stood up. Perhaps a little training here would help him get his mind off of whatever. He had a little money, he didn't mind getting rid of it here.

He walked inside the dojo and saw a pokémon with his back to Layne. Layne spoke up, "Sorry to bother you, but do you mind if I can have access to a punching bag or something?"

The pokémon, hearing Layne almost jumped, and looked at Layne. The two looked at each other for about 30 seconds before the pokémon, who looked sort of dinosaur-like in appearance, said, "A...a visitor...?"

Layne cocked his head, "Uhh, sorry, am I interrupting-"

"M-my, first visitor...f-finally!" the pokémon said.

Layne sighed and said, "Look, you're not giving me a full message here. In fact, you're confusing me beyond confusion."

The pokémon heard this and straightened. "Forgive me. My name is Marowak. Welcome to my dojo. Please, do come in."

Layne crossed his arms with a small smile, "Don't mind if I do." Perhaps a few minutes punching away would help him take his mind off that group of pokémon he so badly wanted to crush right now.

"This place," Marowak continued, "Is a dojo, dedicated to the training of exploration teams."

"Exploration teams?" Layne asked, "Seems I hit the jackpot."

"Oh, are you a member of one?"

"Name's Layne." Layne said, "Member of Team Hydro Pyro."

"Hydro Pyro? Can't say I've heard much about you."

"We're new in the neighborhood." Layne said shrugging. "Only been here maybe a week and a half or so."

Marowak lit up. "All the more reason for you to be here! "This dojo at one point went to rack and ruin, and collapsed. It was indeed, a bit difficult, but now, we have risen back from the dust back to former glory."

"Wonderful to know." Layne said, giving a thumbs up.

"It is, but, thing is, I haven't had any visitors, until you walked in just now. Not even one."

Layne sighed. He wasn't one for sob stories, but he had to feel for those who tried to make a living, yet couldn't get the people to come.

Marowak continued, "It has saddened me to my very marrow. Yet, here you are, Layne of Hydro Pyro! My first customer! Your presence makes me very much overjoyed! How can I help you?"

Layne chuckled, and said, "All I'd like at the moment, is a few minutes on a punching bag."

"Most certainly! Take as long as you want!"

Layne nodded and said, "Right, how much do I owe you?"

Marowak shook his head. "Please! Keep your money! All I wish for you, is to return here and continue training."

Layne was a bit confused, but smiled back and said, "I'll do more than that, Marowak. I'll make sure the Guild I come from knows of your place, because," Layne looked around, "It is a very nice place you have here."

Marowak smiled and directed showed him to a punching bag. "Thank you, Layne. Take your time."

"Trust me," Layne said, delivering the first of what would be many punches into the punching bag, "I will."

Marowak watched him for the first few minutes, and then said, "If I may?"

Layne stopped what he was doing and turned to Marowak, "What's up?"

Marowak came over, and said, "Your form. It is quite powerful, but unbalanced."

"Unbalanced?" Layne asked.

Marowak rephrased it. "Sloppy."

Layne chuckled at that, and said, "Yeah, I really don't know too much about fighting."

"I wouldn't put it that way." Marowak said.

"I would." Layne said, smiling a bit and crossing his arms.

"You have power in your attacks, but the flow of the attack, is not seen. Do you have a teacher?"

Layne shook his head. "To be honest...I have no idea how it is I know as much as I do."

Marowak smiled. "Perhaps I can help you perfect your form."

Layne smiled and said, "I'd appreciate that very much. I'd also appreciate it if you could help me with my...moves."

"Moves?"

"It's a very long story. but I only know oh so many moves."

"How old are you?" Marowak asked.

Layne cocked his head, "Why?"

"Pokémon typically learn a decent amount of moves by certain ages. I just need to know how old you are."

"I'm 20." Layne said.

"Hmm. By age 15 you should be able to know most of your basic and/or special attack moves. Then again, some moves are only granted to some pokémon. There are moves one is capable of learning, but may not learn his or her entire life."

"How do you know if you possess one of those moves?" Layne asked.

"You find out most likely on accident. But in the same way there are moves that are very much easy to learn."

Found out on accident. Layne remembered the hole he had made in Wigglytuff's Guild Wall. What had Autumn called it? Water...pulse!

"I think I know how to do an attack someone called Water Pulse."

"Thinking, and knowing are two different things, Layne."

"I don't know what else to say." Layne said. "I accidentally made a hole in Wigglytuff's Guild Wall using some attack I had not used before in life. I just heard a friend I know, call it Water Pulse."

Marowak thought for a moment and said, "Have you been able to do it before?"

Layne shook his head. "Not once. To be honest, I really don't know many moves at all."

Marowak looked in thought, and said, "That's why I'm here, and that's what this dojo is for. Please, allow me to help you out."

Later that night at dinner, Layne had made an announcement to the Guild to help Marowak out by showing interest in his guild. It was met with no opposition, and Wigglytuff thought it was a great idea. Pyro, was also in full support of the idea. He had been a bit frustrated with Layne earlier for being so hard to find. Layne wasn't at the cliff where he thought Layne would be. Far from it. He actually ran into Dugtrio there who also gave Pyro a bit of an ocean worship lecture. But when Pyro had finally found Layne, Layne had managed to let off almost a perfect Water Pulse Attack, which both surprised and excited Pyro.

Layne introduced Pyro then to Marowak and told Pyro he would greatly benefit training in the Dojo. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps this training at the dojo, alongside the Guild's training would help Pyro.

At dinner however, as long as they weren't heard or seen by the Guildmaster or Chatot, everyone was talking to Layne about what had happened that morning.

"Hey, hey,Layne! We've been worried about you! Are you feeling okay?" Corphish asked.

Layne bit into a piece of fish. He didn't know if it was his Buizel body or himself, but for some reason, the taste of fish drove him crazy. He couldn't get enough of it. "I'm fine." he said.

Bidoof cocked his head, "This morning, you would have sang a different tune! Golly, that hole you made was big!"

"Mhmmm." Layne said, biting into more fish. He kinda just wanted to forget the whole thing happened.

Pyro was still feeling a little down about the whole thing himself. "I still kind of feel bad about not standing up to that Skuntank."

"Pyro, please." Layne said biting into an apple. "I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Sheesh, Layne..." Autumn said, "You must have worked up an appetite. You might wanna slow down there."

"I would...but dang...this fish...I just can't get enough of it." He looked at Pyro's plate. "You haven't even touched yours, Pyro."

Pyro sighed and slid it over to Layne. "I really am not that hungry." With that, Pyro walked off.

Layne bit into one of Pyro's fish. Layne didn't have to know any better to know that Pyro was not feeling himself. And he knew it was still because of this morning. Layne sighed and shook his head and gulped down another fish and stood up.

Autumn looked at Layne and said, "Filled up?"

Layne shook his head, "No, but I wouldn't be much of a partner to go and at least try to cheer Pyro up. Feel free to or food." And with that he walked off.

Layne followed Pyro to their room. Pyro was unaware of Layne following him. And he sat down in the bed. Layne leaned against the room's entrance wall and said, "Pyro, speak your mind."

Pyro jumped a bit, which made Layne give a friendly smile. "Layne...I didn't know you..."

"Look Pyro..." Layne said popping his neck, "I understand your feelings on this morning."

"I don't know if you do." Pyro said. "You know how I said that one of the reasons I am here is to work off my habits of being too timid?"

"Well, what about it?" Layne said.

"I just feel like I kinda failed myself in a way."

"Pyro." Layne said a bit more serious, "I don't understand you one bit right now. I don't understand why you felt the need to stand up to him. I don't mean to sound in the least bit offensive, but had you done so, he would have mopped the floor with you."

"I know...I just..."

"Pyro..." Layne said, putting a paw on his shoulder. "I understand you wanting to at least give the message that what he did, was a big mistake. but there's a line between standing up to your enemies, and simply acting foolish. Your time will come to stand up to that jerk, and believe me...it will feel wonderful. But today was not that day."

"He hurt you." Pyro said.

"I wouldn't say that. He just made me sick to my stomach. Our time to show him a thing or two will come."

Pyro was silent and then looked at Layne. "Layne, thanks again. I don't know where I would be if you weren't a part of my life."

Layne chuckled and said, "I don't know either. Life acts in funny ways."

Pyro smiled and then he heard his stomach growl. "Ugh. Maybe I should have finished dinner."

Layne laughed at that and tossed an apple he had brought back to Pyro. "Thanks for the fish." Layne said, "Now satisfy your stomach, or you won't sleep at all tonight."