"I see you've made a full recovery," Eloise happily stated as she took off the last of the bandaging around my neck.
Curiosity taking hold of me, I reached up to my neck and I gently felt the spot where Mightyena first injected fear into me. The once punctured wound has completely faded from existence, leaving behind my pure white fur which felt a little matted being released from the bandaging. I tested it further by carefully stretching my stiff neck from all sides, releasing the pent up pressure built within my waking muscles.
Satisfied with the renewed freedom, I turned to the doctor with gratitude growing on my face, "Thank you for your help, Doctor."
"Don't mention it, dear," Eloise happily responded, petting my head with her welcoming touch, "Happy to help how I can."
"Say," I started, peering up into her sapphire blue eyes, "Where's the guild located in this city?"
"Hmm, you're not thinking of joining the guild, are you?" she asked, a hint of concern detected in her voice.
I nodded, "I want to repay them for the kindness they showed me. I thought it over, and I believe joining the guild would be a good step towards doing that."
Eloise crossed her arms in deep contemplation, "Well, if you're that set on it, there's no reason I should stop you. Coryphee Guild is found at the very north of the city. Just follow the path from here and north of Centrare Square and you should be there no problem."
"Got it," I responded, a spark of determination rising from within me.
"I'll need to officially check you out before you leave," Eloise mentioned, gracefully stepping towards the doorway. She waited for me there, gesturing for me to follow. "Follow me, my dear."
With a certain spring to my step, I followed Eloise out of the room and down the hallway filled with nurses nimbly and quietly going in and out of rooms, pushing along carts holding a variety of medicines and berries. Arriving at the front desk, Eloise swiftly completed the form and deftly slid it in the registry somewhere beneath the wooden frame. Fortifying my very spirit for what's to come, I ventured outside into the cascading glow of sunlight. The warmth of the morning sun wrapped around me like a cozy, comforting blanket, bringing to life the resolve I never knew I had within me. The sound of light footsteps drew my attention away from the slowly waking city to the solemn doctor standing idly by the door of the clinic.
"Okay, I guess I'll be off," I murmured, albeit more to convince myself.
"I'll see you around, my dear," Eloise said, with a gentle smile that rivals the sunlight welcoming the day, "And good luck joining the guild."
"Thank you," I nodded, politely bowing to her before starting my trek down the path.
"Oh! And Lumi?" Eloise abruptly called out, making me halt my walk to turn to face her.
"Yes, Doctor?" I asked.
She hesitated, her warm smile faltered ever so slightly before replying, "...Be careful out there, okay?"
"Okay, I'll be careful," my answer seemed to ease her mind as we both waved goodbye, my thoughts set on the unknown while moving forward.
As I inched closer to the first corner along the path, the increasing volume of voices and sounds came to entice me into the now bustling Centrare Square. Everywhere I looked were Pokemon of various shapes and sizes going about their daily routine amidst the almost electric-like atmosphere. Some soared across the sky, while others poked their heads up from the earth, diligently tunneling their way through. A loud whinny, accompanied by rapid clopping and wood squeaking, shocked me out of my stupor. I swiftly ducked out of the way as a horse Pokemon with a blazing fire mane and tail pulled along a wooden cart through the path and cleared through the square.
Cautiously, I stepped out of the shadows and meticulously surveyed the surrounding area for any further signs of dangers. Almost immediately, the sheer multitude of scarves and ribbons adorned with badges around several Pokemon's necks demanded my attention. The adorned Pokemon marched in groups of two to four from south of the square to further north, all the while chatting casually with each other as they receded out of view.
'Could they be teams heading for the guild?' I pondered as I watched them go by, 'The doctor did mention it was north of here. Maybe I should follow them.'
I skipped across the city square, allowing my Vulpix legs to stretch out their dormant muscles to their full potential. A silver of joy coursed through my body as I felt the wind of freedom pass through my fur. Narrowing the gap between me and the last group, I beelined for the space behind them. However, at this moment, two realizations struck me. First, there was a Pokemon with a yellow star-shaped growth on its forehead, scarlet red shell coating and giant pincers directly in the path I was heading towards. Second, I had no idea how to stop myself from crashing. Before I knew it, I crashed head first into the almost diamond-like coating surrounding its leg with a loud smack! I slid back to the ground, laying there as stars danced and folicked in my field of vision. Slowly coming to my senses, I shook off the lingering stars from my eyes and redirected my focus on the towering figure in front of me. Looking up, I met its dark, sunken gaze, instantly feeling the intensity of its radiating hostility towards my small stature.
I involuntarily gulped down the bundle of nerves amid trying to find my voice, "I-I'm so sorry."
However, my apology failed to pierce through the wall of anger as the figure fully turned to face me.
"What's an Aexite like you doing in our city?" he demanded, his pincers poised to strike.
'A what?' I scrambled to say something under his intense glare, "I… I don't kn–"
"You think you can waltz in here and ruin the only safe haven we have left?!" His voice boomed across the area alerting all the Pokemon around us. I could feel the stares of the confused and disgusted bore holes into my very being. Waves of murmurs filled the air to a suffocating degree.
'W-What's going on?' My heart threatened to leap out of my chest as I glanced around frantically for an escape.
"I'll say this once! Leave this city or–!"
"Hold it!"
Emerging from the north, a bipedal Pokemon with navy blue fur and flames bursting from his head and rear came marching towards us. He stood on two legs, crossing its vanilla paws as he observed the both of us. His sharp crimson eyes focused on the aggressor.
"What's with all this racket, Crawdaunt?" he asked, a touch of agitation emanating from his voice.
"Wha?! The-The-The racket?!" Crawdaunt stammered out of frustration, "I'll tell ya what the racket is, Quilava! Why is this Aexite in our city?! You have any idea what–?!"
Quilava interrupted with a sigh, "Look, I get it. I hear you. But causing a scene would only make other Pokemon panic. I don't know why she's here, but now's not the time for this."
Crawdaunt opened his mouth to argue, but only an irritated sigh escaped his lips.
"Don't say I didn't do my part in protecting our city," Crawdaunt warned, sending a side glare my way before leaving the square.
Quilava scanned the crowd of Pokemon forming around us with a disinterested gaze.
"Alright everyone, disperse. There's nothing else to see here," Quilava ordered, the crowd of Pokemon finally scattered with a dull murmur accompanying them.
Facing where he came in from, Quilava got on all fours before I called out, "Wait! T-Thank you for your help."
He slightly glanced back at me for a second before darting out of sight.
Not a moment passed, I felt my legs about to give out from pure relief, but I managed to collect my composure and sighed the anxiousness out of me.
'What was that all about?' I pondered tiredly, gazing at the direction Crawdaunt went, 'Was me bumping into him really warranted that response? No, from the way he was bellowing, it seems to have something to do with me being a Vulpix.'
Shaking my head, I looked straight ahead to where Quilava disappeared. 'I can't think about that now. I need to follow after them and somehow join the guild.'
My body somewhat relaxed, I resume my sprint down the path, my hopes pushing me ever forward.
As I neared the outskirts of Centrare City, the sight of what I presumed to be the guild came into view. The entire building seemed to be modeled after a Pokemon's head, displaying its distinctive blue, luxurious hair-like rooftop along with two long, red feathers decorating the top of the gate, resembling a golden yellow beak. Crystal clear feather-like extensions adorned the base of the structure, casting an enchanting glow over the building as it basks in the sunlight. A peaceful pond surrounds the perimeter of the guild with multiple bridges allowing access to the other side. Crossing the bridge in front of the guild, my attention was drawn to two rows of totems depicting different Pokemon. Each totem portrayed Pokémon striking dynamic poses that seemed to correlate with various dances.
Finally nearing the gate, a voice from above shouted, "Halt!"
A dusty brown bird Pokemon with what resembles a skirt made out of jagged bone and a small bone entangled in her crest perched on one of the eyeholes of the guild. Her piercing gaze scrutinized every aspect of me.
"State your business," she demanded on her makeshift post.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward, "My name's Lumi and I… I want to join the guild!"
"Join the guild, you say," she rested her chin on her outstretched wing, her eyes narrowing as she pondered my request, "So you wish to meet the guildmaster?"
"Yes, please," I confirmed, doing my best to project confidence.
A moment of silence passed by while she pondered in deep thought, until she finally said, "One moment."
She completely faced the eyehole behind her and engaged in a hushed discussion with someone on the other side.
Their discussion eluded my ears here on the ground, leaving room for a creeping nervousness to take hold of my senses.
After what seemed like an eternity, the bird Pokemon turned back around to face me.
"Sorry for the wait," she said. "The guildmaster and Head of Intelligence will be expecting you. An apprentice here will escort you to their quarters. You may enter."
A tremor resonated through the gate as each individual feather-like bar slid away from the center, revealing the pathway inside the guild. I instinctively took a step back away from the gaping maw of the now-open gate. A light veil of darkness cloaked what lies beyond.
'Okay, here I go.' I steadily strolled through the opening, the warmth of the sunlight fading in turn for the cool atmosphere induced by the ocean blue walls surrounding me. I was greeted by two sets of wooden stairs leading up and down respectively, side by side.
Confusion began to set in until a flutter of wings echoed from the lower set of stairs. Majestically ascending from the stairway was another bird Pokemon, smaller than the one I met outside. It had gray and white feathers with a lone red one pointing up on its crest. The Pokemon carefully landed in front of me, its wandering gaze inspected me from head to tail. My puzzled stare seemed to catch its attention as it quickly regained its composure and chuckled sheepishly.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I never met an Aexite in person before."
"I-It's fine," I said, making sure frustration doesn't seep into my voice. 'There's that word again. What does it mean?'
The bird Pokemon placed his wing over his chest and did a small bow. "My name is Apollo. Apprentice of Coryphee Guild and assistant of Sentry Mandibuzz." The room practically lit up in the presence of his overflowing pride.
"My name is Lumi," I introduced myself, "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Apollo responded, "I'll lead you through the guild so you can have your audience with the guildmaster. We first have to go down these steps. Follow me, please."
Apollo gracefully took flight once again and began descending down the stairway with me following closely behind. The spiraling path was illuminated by flickering torchlight suspended in the air by attachments on the walls. Multiple voices echoed from the bottom of the staircase, increasingly getting louder and louder as we neared the end.
Emerging from the stairway, the sight of the bustling crowd of Pokemon within a vast room filled with notice boards, stationed desks, and stone water fountains at each corner. Soft, white light from the sparkling, glass-like crystals hanging from the ceiling illuminated the room with wondrous grandeur. A breathless "Wow!" escaped my lips as we entered the room.
"This is the main lobby," Apollo explained, "This is where all sorts of exploration teams gather to take jobs posted on these boards."
"You mean jobs to help other Pokemon in need?" I inquired.
"You're spot on," Apollo complemented, "These Pokemon came from all over to find work here. I bet you've seen those tents when you first entered the city, right?"
"Mm-hmm," I nodded.
"The majority of them stay within city limits for days at a time because our guild is known for getting the latest updates in terms of jobs and other things," he explained further, his pride shining through once again.
"That's pretty amazing!" I exclaimed, "I'd love to know how your system works here."
"Yes yes," a small smirk formed on his gold-yellow beak, "But there's no time for that right now. The guildmaster is waiting."
"Okay," I agreed, following Apollo as we descended another flight of stairs.
As we finished our descent further underground, we entered a similar room to the one on the previous floor but noticeably less populated. In a corner, there was one unmanned stall with a pile of treasure chests practically bursting at the seams behind the counter. At the opposite side of the room, a double wooden door with a depiction of the same Pokemon this guild is modeled after at the other side of the room.
"Here we are, the guildmaster's quarters," Apollo announced as we approached the doors. The doors exuded an overwhelming aura of authority, enough to make my legs feel like they were nailed to the floor. "Before we go in, please be as courteous as possible to the guildmaster."
"Of course," I nodded, feeling the intensity doubling in an instant.
"Good," Apollo said as he knocked on the doors with his talon, "Guildmaster? I've brought the Pokemon as requested."
As Apollo pushed open the doors and led the way inside, we were greeted with a sight that embodied the essence of splendor. Beads of crystals hung from the ceiling, providing light to the office like stars of the vast night sky. Treasures such as gold, silver, and orbs sparkled in the radiance on top of their novelty shelves, alluring anyone who dares glance at the collection. Vases filled with an arrangement of vibrant, colorful feathers sat on each side of the desk. A familiar plaque and picture frame on the desk drew my attention almost instantly. The photo displayed in the frame is identical to the one I saw in Eloise's office. The red show curtains at the back of the office seemed to bring everything together, emanating an atmosphere of an ongoing performance of wonderment.
Idle chatter broke my immersion and shifted my attention to the two Pokemon already present in the office. One of them was a white furred, humanoid Pokemon draped in a violet cloak, absentmindedly waving a leaf fan as they carried on with their conversation. The other was–
"Lumi!"
In a flash, the Electrike hurriedly sprinted towards me, his fur coat crackling with sparks of joy.
"It's great to see you again!" Damini exclaimed, "I was shocked when I learned you were visiting today!"
I chuckled lightly. "It's great to see you too."
Apollo glanced at us, curiosity written all over his face. "You two know each other?"
"Damini and Orion rescued me from the forest last night," I explained.
"Oh! You mean during that outlaw mission," Apollo pieced together, "No wonder you guys were out so late."
"Yup! You were out like a light," Damini teased with a smirk on his face.
"Hey! A diligent apprentice of the guild must be well rested and alert at all times," Apollo explained matter-of-factly.
The humanoid Pokemon steadily approached us. "You must be Lumi, I presume?"
"Y-yes sir," I answered.
"My name is Ramiro the Oranguru," Ramiro introduced himself, "I am the head of intelligence of Coryphee Guild."
"It's an honor, sir," I said, trying to be as courteous as possible.
"Ho ho," he laughed, "Please, save your honors for our guildmaster."
"Where is our guildmaster?" Apollo asked, scanning the room for any trace of their leader.
"Oh, he's doing his little routine… again," Ramiro replied with pure annoyance lacing his words.
"Routine?" I inquired.
In that instant, the curtains parted, unveiling a lengthy Pokemon with glistening tail feathers that spanned a spectrum of blue beyond imagination. Its pose exuded a captivating air of dramatic flair pungent enough to be felt through the entire room. Tapping its right foot to an imaginary beat, the Pokemon fluidly flicked back its aqua blue, feathery crown back, releasing a delicate mist of water droplets cascading the air around it.
"Nothing like a new visitor to our glorious city, baby!" he exclaimed, his mere presence retaining everyone's attention.
With a graceful twirl and matching kick, he began to pop and lock every joint in his body, each movement more mesmerizing than the last, ending with a fluid head pivot to face us. The Pokemon approached the desk with an elegant, rhythmic strut, his neatly kept dark blue feathers practically radiating with a pristine sheen. Twirling the chair around, he smoothly sat down and raised and rested his legs on the desk with such precision.
Ramiro shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Must you do this every time, Guildmaster?"
The guildmaster wagged his finger(?) at the question. "Come on, man! Memorable first impressions are my top priority!"
'That was something, I'll give you that,' I thought, bewilderment still lingering inside of me.
"Now, we should cut to the chase, my man?" the guildmaster asked Ramiro.
"I was planning to do so from the start," Ramiro begrudgingly said while I felt all eyes boring into me.
The Guildmaster pointed at me as he asked, "You must be this Lumi, right?"
"Yes sir," I answered promptly.
"A pleasure to meet you! I am known as Guildmaster Quaquaval, or 'Guildmaster' for convenience sake" he introduced himself, "Now, allow me to be frank with you, if that's alright with you?
He crossed one leg over the other as he continued, "I heard you want to join my guild, correct? I want to know why you want to join us. I'm quite curious."
I heard a small gasp from Damini as I swallowed some sore nerves, "W-Why?
I glanced at Damini beside me, who gave a reassuring nod of confidence. "I… I want to repay the kindness I've been shown by some of the apprentices here. Their act of kindness inspired me, inspired me into thinking I could help other Pokemon in trouble like how they rescued me. I feel joining this guild will help me achieve that goal."
The guildmaster interlocked his hands in deep thought before finally responding, "A very noble cause indeed. But I'm afraid I can't take that at face value."
At that moment, my heart sank into the pit of anxiety I held back for so long, "I don't understand."
"Well baby, it's because you're Aexite," the Quaquaval revealed, a stern face set in as opposed to his joyful one.
My mind was abuzz with frustration and questions. "Aexite? Aexite? I've been hearing that term since I got to this city. If I may ask, what does it mean exactly?"
The guildmaster gazed deep into my eyes. "Hmm, curiouser and curiouser. Ramiro, mind if you take it from here?"
"Of course, Guildmaster," Ramiro obliged.
The Oranguru approached one of the shelves and grabbed what looks to be a scroll from the top level. Returning to his previous spot, he unfurled the scroll to reveal a map of a gigantic landmass. Every mountain, prairie, and bodies of water were depicted in astonishing detail. Depictions of snow and ice can be seen closer to the top of the continent.
"This is a map of the entirety of the Lusperia continent." Ramiro explained, "The continent is divided into two regions ruled by their own kingdoms.
Ramiro pointed to the lower portion of the map, "South of the continent we have us, the Haitans. And further north to the frostlands reside the Aexites. The two kingdoms lived together in harmony for centuries. That is, until despair and fear has been sewed into this land by the Aexites."
"What do you mean?" I inquired further.
"For many long, gruesome years, countless attacks by strange beings have ravaged the Haita region. Entire towns and villages fell, crops destroyed, Pokemon going missing, and mystery dungeons and the ferals had increased tenfold. The king and his council determined the Aexites were leading these attacks to expand their territory and power. So the two kingdoms have cut any communications with each other for years."
"But there have still been sightings of Aexites together with these monstrosities near multiple villages," the guildmaster added, "Leading to more unrest and anger in the Haitans. Which leads us to you.
The Quaquaval pointed straight at me, "What are you doing in this region?"
I choked back any semblance of an explanation I had and stared down at my paws. 'So that's why… all those looks before. All those hatred filled stares… But why did those two save me? Why did the doctor help me? More importantly for now, what do I say to get out of this? I don't know enough of this world to convincingly lie.'
I glanced back at Damini, who's entire body seemed itching to bark out something but kept quiet. My attention returned to the guildmaster who's presence became heavier than before. 'I guess I have no choice. I have to come clean about something. Me being a human is out of the question, but I can reveal something else. I hope this is the right move…'
"I… I don't know how I got to this region," I started.
"Ooooh? And why's that?" the guildmaster asked, intrigue emanating in his voice.
"I… I have amnesia," I finally said, mustering the courage to look him in the eyes.
"Amnesia?" the Quaquaval questioned.
"You see, when I first woke up in the forest that night, I couldn't remember anything about myself or anything related to me. All I had was a name," I explained, "I ended up wandering in the forest where I had a run in with the… outlaw. That was when Orion and Damini found and rescued me."
"Hmm," The guildmaster hummed in thought, "Your thoughts, Ramiro?"
The Oranguru scratched his chin, "We can't completely dismiss the possibility of contracting amnesia, but in the same vein, it could easily be faked. So we can't–"
"I'll vouch for her!"
My heart stopped as I swiveled to face the objecting Electrike, the fire in his eyes shone better than the crystals above. 'Was that… Damini? No… that voice… it was different. But it felt so… vivid'
"By the time we reached Lumi, she was already incredibly injured by Mightyena and the ferals in the dungeon." Damini explained, "Along with the shock and exhaustion, it makes sense she developed amnesia."
Ramiro notably paused then nodded solemnly, "Yes, that is a valid reason. But she looks completely fine currently."
"Oh! That's because we took her to see Doctor Eloise," Damini mentioned.
The guildmaster's eyes widened with a spark of astonishment, "You met with Eloise personally?"
Damini nodded, "Orion requested to see her when we got to her clinic."
The guildmaster leaned in with anticipation. "Did she say anything of note when you first brought in Lumi?"
Damini thought for a while before responding, "Nope. She tended to Lumi with no hesitation."
Guildmaster Quaquaval leaned back against his chair, his feathers covering his beak as he considered the Electrike's words. "Then that must mean…"
"Guildmaster?" Ramiro called, concern evident in his voice.
"Riiiight!" the Quaquaval exclaimed, his joyous tone returning slightly, "Tell you what, Lumi. I'll give you a fair shot and set up your trial."
"Y-You will?" I stuttered, newfound hope filling my chest with warmth.
"Mhm. But fair warning: you'll be under a lot more scrutiny than normal. We're still unsure of your situation and your purpose here. But I'm willing to give you the chance to prove yourself to us," the guildmaster clarified.
"Okay, I won't let you down, Guildmaster," I promised.
"I'll pick out the mission and the apprentice who will supervise you on this trial," Ramiro mentioned.
"Oh! Can I join her in this trial, Ramiro?" Damini asked promptly, plunging my mind in confusion once again.
"But you've already had your trial and passed. What reason do you have?" Ramiro questioned.
"It's just… It's something I have to do!" Damini simply replied.
"That's all?" Ramiro responded flatly.
"Ha ha! I'll allow it. What's the harm in it?" the guildmaster happily beamed.
"Another weird one, it seems," the disgruntled Oranguru mumbled.
"Alright everyone!" the guildmaster exclaimed as he quickly rose to his feet, gracefully twirled around, and struck a dramatic pose, "You are all dismissed!"
As I strolled out of the guildmaster's chambers, I felt some of the pressure dissipate from my back.
'At least I'm getting somewhere now. This is bad for my health.' I groaned silently.
The chatter of Damini and Apollo drowned out my remaining woes whilst we all headed for the staircase.
"Sounds like you got your trial, at least," Apollo commented.
"Sounds? Weren't you there, Apollo?" Damini questioned, giving a puzzled look.
"I, uh, might have fallen asleep when Ramiro started lecturing," Apollo admitted with a sheepish laugh.
"Are you sure you're a Rufflet and not a Rowlet?" Damini joked with a sly smirk.
"Can it, you mutt!" Apollo barked back, "Anyway, you don't seem like a bad 'mon to me, Lumi. I hope you pass this trial. Then you'll have me as your ever-so-reliable senior!"
I laughed awkwardly at his display of modesty, "Thank you, Apollo. I'll do my best."
"Well, I'm off!" With that, Apollo disappeared up the stairwell, leaving behind a flutter of his wings.
"Let's go, Lumi! We have to prepare for this mission!" Damini insisted while picking up the pace, "It's one of the first rules of being an explorer!"
"Um, not that I don't appreciate it," I began, stopping Damini in his tracks, "But why do you want to help me so much? We barely know each other."
"I– Well, I guess you remind me of someone," Damini stated, a sober tone creeping into his voice.
I tilted my head in confusion, " I do?"
"Yeah, but that's not important right now," he dismissed, "Let's head to the city square and gather supplies. I'll show you the ropes when we get there."
"Um okay," I agreed as we both headed up the staircase.
'I'm so close now.' I thought as we ascended, 'I just have to pass this trial and at least I'll have a stable place to live. But there's so much I don't understand and now, I have to deal with this divide between me and the Pokemon here. Out of all Pokemon to turn into, why a Vulpix?'
"Hey! Come on!" Damini called me from the second set of stairs.
'For now, I have to focus. Focus and survive this trial!'