Hm. I thought the last chapter wasn't all that good. Is it normal for authors to think less highly of their work than the readers do? Well, anyway, I personally like this one a little more. I hope it's better. If anyone thinks something isn't good, please tell me.

Disclaimer: -insert standard disclaimer here-


5. X-Ray Specs

"HEY, YOU TWO!" Loudred shouted. Kevin and Bolt looked at each other and groaned as they walked to him. They knew all too well what this meant.

"Can't do sentry duty today," Diglett told them. "You're going to have to cover for me again."

"And don't MESS UP this time!" Loudred added. "You're lucky that no one BAD has gotten in while you were on sentry duty!"

Bolt rose his paw. "Question. If we suck so hard at this, why do you keep making us do it?"

"SHUT YOUR YAP! GO DO YOUR DUTY!"


The sentry duty hole was dark and dirty. It certainly wasn't the most pleasant place to be, even without Loudred constantly yelling at you. Bolt had once suspected that the whole thing was a prank Diglett and Loudred played on new rookies, but he had eventually scrapped that theory.

"Stupid sentry duty," Bolt whined. "Seriously, it's the stupidest thing ever."

Kevin peered up at the grating. "Well, nothing we can do about it. I don't really feel like making Loudred yell in my face. Do you?"

"I don't get what it accomplishes," Bolt snorted. "Oh, look, a footprint! Let's figure out what species it is, and then we'll know if this Pokémon is okay to let in! Because, you know, that tells you everything about their intentions."

"I know," Kevin agreed. "It doesn't make sense. But what else can we do besides just going along with—POKÉMON DETECTED! POKÉMON DETECTED! The footprint belongs to... uh... Turtwig?"

"Bet you were wrong." Bolt stretched his body over the dirt floor. "Wake me up when it's over."

"What? Hell no! You're suffering this with me!"

"YOU WERE WRONG AGAIN, YOU MORONS!" Loudred screamed. "CAN'T YOU EVEN FIGURE OUT A PHANPY'S FOOTPRINT? ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHH!"

"You know what?" Bolt lifted his head and looked towards Kevin. "I'm going to figure out a better way. You wait and see."


Kangaskhan raised her eyebrow as Bolt walked over. "All right, Bolt, what do you think you're doing?"

"Huh?" Bolt stopped and stared. "Since when is it bad when I go to storage?"

"Since you broke in and threw out half the Escape Orbs I was guarding!"

Bolt grunted. Why didn't anyone understand? "Look, I was just wondering if anyone had some ideas. I talked to the Kecleon brothers, but they didn't have anything."

"Ideas about what? How to avoid getting murdered when Team AWD finds out some of their orbs are missing?"

"Ideas that would make sentry duty slightly more sane."

Kangaskhan blinked. After a moment, she started laughing. "Really, dear? You mean it finally occurred to someone at the guild that footprints are a completely ridiculous way to determine who someone is?"

Bolt looked up, startled. "I'm not the only one to realize how stupid it is?"

"Oh, dear, no! I've wondered why they did it that way for a long time." Kangaskhan disappeared and quickly came back with a pair of glasses. "I always thought that these would be a better way. You haven't used these since you got them, have you? X-Ray Specs let you see through walls. You can even have someone on a lower floor look up and see who's there."

"Great idea! Thanks!" Bolt took the X-Ray Specs and left cheerfully.


"I've got stuff to do again today," Diglett said apologetically. "So if you could just cover for me, that would be great."

"No," Bolt said firmly. Kevin winced and mentally prepared for the storm.

"WHAT?" Loudred screamed. "NO? You can't just refuse!"

"I've got a better idea," Bolt said. "I propose that, just for today, you do sentry duty on your own with these." He held out the X-Ray Specs. "We'll just see if it works, all right?"

"X-Ray Specs?" Diglett looked at the item curiously. "Hey, that's actually a pretty good idea."

"UGH!" Loudred huffed. "You LIKE this idea, Diglett? REALLY?"

"Come on, give it a shot. Why not?"

"FINE!" Loudred exclaimed. "We'll do it that way. JUST FOR TODAY, THOUGH! GOT IT?"

"Cool." Bolt grinned. "Okay, Kevin, we can go explore today. Aren't you glad I tried this?"


"TEAM TENACITY, GET DOWN HERE!"

Bolt and Kevin jumped as they walked into the guild. Kevin looked around nervously. "Uh oh, this can't be good." The two friends climbed down the ladders to the bottom floor and found Loudred glaring in their direction. Next to him, Diglett, Chimecho, and Croagunk were snickering.

"What's wrong?" Bolt asked.

"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG? These STUPID X-Ray Specs you gave me, THAT'S what's wrong!" Loudred threw the specs towards the sentry hole, but they ended up missing. "Wearing these was the WORST idea EVER!"

"He kept walking into the walls," Chimecho explained. "He could see right through, so he didn't know where they were. I think he's gotten a bit bruised from doing that."

"Meh-heh-heh, I thought it was quite enjoyable." Croagunk smirked.

"SEE IF I EVER LISTEN TO AN IDEA FROM YOU TWO AGAIN!" Loudred shrieked. Bolt and Kevin fell over and covered their ears.

"Now, now, no need to get so upset," Chimecho said soothingly.

"Who's up for using these more?" Diglett asked brightly. "I think we all know exactly who should wear them next."


"Dinner!" Chimecho called. The guild immediately stampeded to the mess hall and sat down in their usual spots.

"Hey, hey, hey?" Corphish stared at the head of the table. "Where's Chatot?"

"He'll be here soon," Chimecho promised.

"But we can't eat until he gets here, or he'll be very upset!" Dugtrio replied. "You're sure it won't be long?"

Chimecho opened her mouth to reply when they heard an odd thump outside. The apprentices turned and watched as Chatot, wearing a strange-looking pair of specs, stumbled into the room, bumping into whatever happened to be nearby.

"Don't worry about these glasses," Chatot said as he finally managed to settle into his place. "They make it quite hard to navigate around the guild, but I have been assured that after I have worn them for a week I shall be able to see much more clearly than before. Now, everyone, let's eat!" With that, Chatot opened his beak, moved towards his food, and proceeded to slam into the table edge.


I've been thinking I should try to update on Tuesdays and Fridays. I can't this Friday, though, so I'm updating on a Monday so a Thursday update doesn't feel too soon.