A/N

Hey, guys. New fic! I don't intend to stop writing VU, but I wanna take a break.

Here's a new one, for y'all. There's actually a specific gimmick behind how I write it, but I won't spoil that here, as to avoid coloring any expectations. For now: If you know, you know.

Friendly reminder that I don't have a strict adherence to game-mechanics, but when I do I'm more likely to pull from the main series than the PMD games. A lot of things here will be my own system.

A set of pristine white paws carried their owner down the asphalt road. Her teeth bared in a discomforted display.

"This disgustingly dry air is gonna kill me, I just know it..." grumbled the ninetales. She huffed, expression shaping into a grin, as she continued muttering to herself. "When I rule the world, there'll be nothing but cool temperatures all around. Mark my words." The fox chuckled giddily to herself, stopping to prance in place. Her eyes soon fell upon a pikachu on a porch, who'd been eying her curiously. It gave a shrill shriek, however, as it dove to avoid an incoming ice-beam from a then snarling ninetales.

Satisfied with the display of intimidation, she turned up her nose and resumed her pace forward. It was interrupted again as she felt something impact her chest. With a heavy sigh, she turned her gaze downward.

A glameow stared back, beaming widely. The ice-type felt her heart sink into her stomach.

"Good day to you, kind lass!" proclaimed the cat. "How goes it?"

The ninetales gave a scoff, shoving the glameow out of her way. He kept following, however, much to her chagrin.

The ninetales continued walking in silence. The glameow trailing her began to weigh on her nerves. She felt the pressure build and build, until finally she turned to growl out a query.

"What do you want?"

The glameow gave a grin.

"I couldn't help but notice that you're new in town!" His chipper attitude began to chip at Snute's patience. "Are you here for anything in particular?"

The ninetales gave a curt nod.

"I'm going to become an explorer."

"Is that so, eh?" The glameow pulled the ice-type into a side-ways hug. Whether he ignored her toothy growling or was just ignorant, the ninetales couldn't tell. "Well well, lucky you, I'm a veteran explorer! I can get you to the guild in no time flat."

"Great," the ice-type huffed with a forced grin. She pushed the glameow away, a bit harder than necessary. Her eyes took in his form. He bore a sparkly, gold cape, one scar around his eye with another on his neck, and appeared to maintain a slightly stiff posture as he moved. The signature snowflake badge of a Vanilluxe Guild member was pinned onto his chest.

The glameow gave a bright grin, reaching out a paw.

"It's nice to meet you! My name is Aundei! How about yours?"

The ninetales blinked, before walking around him.

"That's cool and all, but, get lost."

Aundei scoffed.

"How silly of a suggestion! Why would one intentionally become lost when they seek to guide?"

The ice-type bared her teeth further.

"What I mean is, leave me alone."

"But, that wouldn't help either." The glameow's expression fell puzzled. He then smiled, shaking it off. "You're silly!" As the ninetales rolled her eyes in response, Aundei began picking up his pace, rounding a corner. "Come on, Silly! The guild is this-a-way!"

The ice-type briefly considered taking a less direct route just to spite the glameow. After deliberating, she concluded that it wouldn't be a productive use of time. With a pained sigh, she followed after Aundei's lead.

The ninetales felt a gasp leave her throat. Her neck craned up, maw agape in awe.

An absolutely enormous black aircraft stood before them, laying dormant on a huge patch of land. It had the image of a vanilluxe in a red tuxedo plastered across its side.

Aundei continued forward nonchalantly, with the ninetales soon scrambling to keep up. He pulled his badge from his chest as he and his follower ascended the boarding ramp. He flashed the badge briefly in front of the large, metal door, which opened in short order.

The ice-type felt her limbs turning to jelly, having difficulty supporting her weight as she crept into the intimidatingly large vehicle. They found themselves at the end of a long, medium-gray hallway. Numerous white, circular lights lined the ceiling, with a red, carpeted floor below their paws. The ninetales noted that, much to her dismay, it was not the cushy comfortable kind of carpet, but rather the hard and scratchy variety.

"This way, Silly!" Aundei called. "We'll just meet up with Taffy at the front desk. She'll get you settled in no time flat!"

The ice-type growled lightly at the glameow, her apprehension vanishing to make way for annoyance.

"Stop calling me that."

They proceeded through a second door across the hall and into a much more open room. It seemed mostly square, with many doors leading in and out. It appeared about double the height of the previous hallway, lined with balconies at their edges that had staircases leading up to them. Said balconies had yet more doors out of the room, into what the ninetales presumed to be a second story.

Numerous pokémon bustled about the room, doing varying activities. A few on couches, a few running around, a few more just talking, and some standing in line near the front of the room.

Said line led up to a round desk, currently headed by a minccino.

The ninetales tugged at her bag's strap nervously as Aundei led her into line. It was a mercifully short wait, getting them to the front within just a few minutes.

The minccino gave a bright smile.

"Oh, Aundei! You seem to be in better spirits! That's good!"

The cat gave a warm smile, with a twinge of hurt behind his eyes.

"Ahem... Yeah. I'm getting over it, Taff'."

With a nod, Taffy turned to the glaring ice-type. She frowned a bit at the newcomer's expression, but pushed on with a friendly attitude regardless.

"And, Ninetales! I've not seen you before! What might you be here for?"

With a short sigh, the ninetales puffed out her chest.

"I am here to join this guild."

Taffy smiled eagerly.

"Sure, sure! I just need you to fill out this form. That okay, darlin'?" Without waiting for a reply, she slid a laptop across the desk. The ninetales scrunched her muzzle up in a frown, before moving her paws to work on filling out the sheet displayed on the screen

Name: Snute Athenu

Gender: F

Age: 24

Species: Ninetales

Type: Ice-Fairy

Height: 3'06".

Weight:

As she typed the work, her frown increased. She glanced up to Taffy, who had begun typing away on a different laptop.

"Uhm..."

Taffy glanced up, giving a smile.

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Why do I have to put down my weight?" The ninetales' posture shuffled nervously.

The minccino gave a reassuring grin.

"Just medical reasons. We aren't going to make fun of that massive trunk of yours or anything."

"You just did..." The ice-type grumbled, with an insecure glance backwards, She made a point to let her tails droop, before resuming the form.

Weight: 57 lbs.

If you have any medical conditions, list them here: The hearing in my left ear-drum is severely damaged

Do you have an active sex-life?:

"...These questions are uncomfortably personal," Snute huffed.

Taffy waved a paw.

"Again, medical reasons."

Do you have an active sex-life?: Prefer not to answer

Do you have a history with drugs? If so, elaborate: No

Do you have a criminal record? If so, elaborate:

Again, Snute paused. She considered her options. The guild likely had many resources to investigate this sort of thing. Getting caught lying would hurt her chances more than being honest. With a moment of deliberation, she opted to simply stretch the truth instead.

Do you have a criminal record? If so, elaborate: I once stole food during a financially difficult time. I have also broken somebody's arm in self-defense.

She nodded in satisfaction. Not technically lies; just omission of details. And, of course, she hadn't included any of the crimes which she hadn't been caught for yet.

Dietary requirements/preferences: Everything.

Move skill-set: Material Ice (Capable), Aura Ice (Capable) Atmospheric Ice (Proficient)

Abilities: Snow Warning, Insomnia

"Okie-day," Snute sighed with the click of the trackpad. "Looks like I'm done."

Taffy gave a chipper grin, rivaling Aundei's restored vigor.

"That's great, darlin'," the minccino spoke with a nod. "Now, just get your team members to fill in a form as well, and you're all set. M'kay?"

Snute froze up, glancing between the expectant look of the two pokémon before her. Aundei seemed to notice her discomfort, setting him into more of a serious expression.

"What's wrong, Silly?" probed the glameow.

Snute turned her snout down to avoid their gazes.

"I... Didn't know you needed multiple pokémon."

Taffy raised an eyebrow.

"Darlin', they're called exploration teams for a reason. You need two or more practicing members, largely for safety reasons."

Snute grumbled.

"I don't have any friends that'd be interested."

"Sorry, missy. No team, no badge. Them's the breaks."

Aundei glanced back and forth between the dismissive minccino, and the down-troden ninetales. He cleared his throat, drawing the two lady's attention.

"Fret not, Silly, for I shall be your team member!"

Snute felt her muscles tense up. Oh, arceus, no. Anyone but him.

"I, er-, appreciate the offer, but, don't you already have a team?" the ninetales ventured. The two other pokémon seemed to deflate, but Snute didn't feel bad.

"Well... You see, uhm..." Aundei stumbled over his words. There was a palpable aura of hurt in his eyes. Snute still did not feel bad.

"Draco-Shredder," Taffy clarified. Snute turned to see the minccino frowning. The ninetales raised an eyebrow.

"The serial killer?"

Aundei nodded.

"They've... Been getting more ambitious with their targets lately, you see. My team is, I'm afraid, no longer with us." The cat sagged down a bit. Taffy walked out from behind her desk to rub Aundei's back.

Snute considered the information.

"Well... As much as I don't like this guy, I suppose I'd look pretty awful to turn him down after that obnoxious sob-story." She grimaced to herself. "At least having an experienced member there to walk me through things should make life easier, I guess. What to do, what to do..."

With a short sigh, and more than a little deliberation, Snute swallowed the lump in her throat and gave an answer.

"N-no."

Aundei visibly deflated, and Taffy looked a bit offended.

"O-oh, I understand," Aundei spoke.

Snute mentally berated herself.

"Come on, Snute. Put your pride aside for five minutes. This is the first step in world-domination; don't mess it up!'

"Sorry, nervous!" Snute sputtered. "What I m-meant to say is, no problem!"

The two instantly brightened up.

"Oh, Silly!" Aundei cried. "Thank you so much!" The ninetales had to hold in her reflexive growl as the glameow leapt into a tight embrace. Taffy gave them each a pat on the back, then walked back behind her desk.

"Well, well, now if that isn't the sweetest thing!" Taffy exclaimed, her paws clasped together. "Well, now. Aundei, darlin', I'll need you to check over your form to make sure it's all up to date.

Snute gave a discomforted shiver as Aundei finally released her. She took two steps back, trying her best to contain her oncoming grimace.

"Okay!" called the glameow, as he giddily skipped over to the laptop.

Name: Aundei El'poau

Gender: M

Age: 27

Species: Glameow

Type: Normal

Height: 2'03".

Weight: 9 lbs.

If you have any medical conditions, list them here: Chronic back pain! Some days, I can not move very well!

Do you have an active sex-life?: Yes

Do you have a history with drugs? If so, elaborate: I take PKQ-1 to alleviate my back pain when it gets unbearable!

Do you have a criminal record? If so, elaborate: I stole a chocolate bar that one time...

Dietary requirements/preferences: Pasta!

Move skill-set: Material Water (Proficient), Aura Normal (Proficient), Aura Electric (Comfortable), Empower Legs Flying (Proficient), Empower Claws Normal (Comfortable), Empower Claws Ghost (Capable)

Abilities: Limber, Keen Eye

Aundei gave a satisfied nod.

"All looks up to date to me!"

"Perfect." Taffy gave a nod. "Well then, you guys are all s-"

"Hold on," Aundei raised a paw in interruption. "If possible, would we be able to create a new team instead of recruiting Silly into my current one?"

Taffy and Snute both blinked, looking to each other. Snute gave a shrug, and Taffy returned her gaze to Aundei.

"Oh, uh, sure thing, darlin'. You two come up with a name, then."

Aundei gave a beaming grin to Snute.

"Well, then, I'll let you pick it out, Silly!"

"Stop calling me that," Snute growled.

Taffy gave a sage nod.

"A good choice indeed." With a few clacks of her keyboard and one triumphant strike of the enter key, it was done. "Well, then, I'm proud to say: Congratulations, Aundei and Snute, for officially joining the Vanilluxe Guild as Team Stop-Calling-Me-That!"

Snute's white fur somehow managed to pale.

"W-wait!" The ninetales furiously shook her head. "That's not what I meant! I refuse to go by that name!"

Aundei gave a smile.

"Sorry, Silly! You can't change a team name once it's chosen."

Taffy nodded in agreement.

"Too bad, darlin'. You'll have to get used to it."

The ninetales felt her eye twitch. Her claws dug into the carpet. She only barely managed to hold in a scream, before growling out her next declaration.

"...Whatever. Just show me around, or something."

Aundei gave a beaming grin.

"With pleasure! Come on, Silly!"

"Ugh!"

Taffy gave a wave to the two, which only Aundei returned as they walked away. The glameow bounced along eagerly as Snute trudged with her head hung low.

"These fools are going to be the death of me. I just know it."