Chapter ten! A milestone!

Sean failed to sleep. At all. For the panicked meowth, then next day passed like a blur.

"And THREE!"

"Is that all for today young Shinx?"

"Meh-heh-heh, this old thing is nearly fixed."

"Apple Woods seems so much nicer with Team Skull gone."

"Oh by the way, did you use Night Slash yesterday?"

"So, I hear that you came to this area only recently?"

"Yep, I found him outside my home."

"Grovyle seems nice, better than Team Skull I'm certain."

"Fun talk, goodnight Sean."

The next day was slightly better.

"SMILES GO FOR MILES!"

"Take care out there today."

"Thank you for your patronage."

"The Joy Ribbon, please."

"Hey look! Electivire is back."

"Ever thought about trying the dojo out?"

"Sean, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a bit sleepy."

"Look OUT!"

"I'm just saying, you're spazzing out a lot."

"Can't wait for the expedition."

"Chatot still has to announce the pokémon going."

"Grovyle's voice makes my back tingle… what? Like I didn't see that shiver when he talked that first night."

"Before we eat, I have an announcement."

"Can you believe it, Sean? Tomorrow the expedition party is going to be announced. I'm so nervous."

"We'll get in. You'll get in. I'm sure of that."

"Won't be the same unless we both get in."

During the morning of the next day, the world stopped spinning and Sean finally blinked the madness out of his eyes.

To his surprise, he was the first one awake. He looked over to Rai, snoozing peacefully. He smiled as one of Rai's back legs kicked out a few times, him making a mewling sound before sighing and burying his face in the straw. His eyes wandered a moment before he corrected. That was rude.

His body still felt a bit tired, but his mind felt clearer than it had since he arrived in this world. Rubbing one eye for a moment, he leaned up before quietly getting out of bed. Rai, despite his early-rising tendencies, was a fairly deep sleeper and didn't wake as Sean left the room.

The click of the door shutting caused another foot-jerk, but Rai did not awake.

The last time he had wandered the guild while everyone was asleep had been due to a melancholic moment, this time Sean was simply feeling restless.

Loudred's thunderous snores made him thankful that two doors were between theirs and his own room.

As well as pity Bidoof and Corphish. Croagunk was a question Sean didn't want to ask.

Bidoof would argue against the idea that Croagunk slept.

Sean continued walking until he was in the lower guild. With sunlight beginning to stream through the windows, the room looked far more pleasant than it had that other night.

Rubbing a muscle in his arm, Sean walked until he reached the second floor. He hadn't come up here the first time he was alone, so it was curious to look about the place, completely empty of bustling activity.

The job bulletin boards were empty, and Chimecho's station was unattended. There was no Chimecho Assembly in this world, she only took up position in the higher level to be a quick responder to anyone who needed medical aid, while the actual medical wing was near the kitchen on the third floor.

"Ah, Sean?" Chatot spoke from behind him, startling Sean into jumping. "My apologies for startling you," Chatot said, as he finished hopping down from the top floor. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone up so early."

"Sorry, Chatot," Sean said, slipping into formality. "I woke up early today, thought I'd wander about until everyone was up."

"Couldn't sleep?" Chatot asked, with a distinctive twinkle in his eye. "Too excited to hear the apprentices selected for the expedition eh?"

Sean grinned sheepishly but nodded regardless. He couldn't remember a great deal of the last day, or was it two, and didn't quite remember Chatot talking about this. He gathered it happened at dinner, however.

"Well, you'll need to wait until everyone else is up!" Chatot said, a gentle reprimand entering his voice. "Your eagerness is a positive look for you though. I wondered," he trailed off and Sean frowned.

"Sir?"

"Ah, no worries!" Chatot fluttered his wings for a moment. "None at all. It is good to see eagerness and initiative. It is all well and good to work closely with your partner but acting under one's own initiative is healthy as well."

"Thank you," Sean said gratefully, if a little embarrassed. "I don't get complimented on initiative often that's for sure."

"Is that so?" Chatot nodded. "Hm. There seems to be more on your mind?"

Sean raised his eyebrows. "You can tell?"

Chatot chuckled. "One does not teach so many young pokémon without picking up on some meandering thoughts." He spread a wing and pointed to Sean. "Come."

He began hopping forward and Sean followed him. Chatot didn't speak, so Sean took it as permission to do so himself. "I'm just nervous I suppose. Not sure if I can keep up with Rai, not sure how this expedition is going to go. I thought I did, but now I… just don't know."

It felt less uncomfortable than he thought to speak of this to Chatot, freeing even, although he still had to censor some things.

"You seem confident you'll be picked," Chatot pointed out and Sean internally cursed.

"Uh, I mean." He scrambled for an explanation. "I like to think positively. Think of whens, not ifs. Even 'if' this expedition I'm not picked, the next one."

Chatot nodded. "Interesting way of thinking. Forgive me for pointing this out, but you don't seem the most driven or confident normally. During the debrief sessions you often downplay your contribution."

"I'm normally pretty tired," he half-joked. "I'm not the most expressive in general. I… I feel like Rai is doing significantly better than me."

Chatot stopped, they had reached the bottom floor and had been moving towards the mess hall when he paused. "I know of your amnesia, but I have not asked to what extent exactly?"

"I don't really know."

"Hm." Chatot looked up to a window, the first rays of sunlight were coming through. "Many years ago I knew someone who felt much the same. Like their contributions were not equivalent to their companions. I assure you that she was treasured yet, and I can see each day how Shinx looks to you for support and courage. Obvious growth is not made in a few weeks, you are doing fine, Meowth."

Sean opened his mouth to say something, he didn't know what he wanted to say. Or what he felt. Why he was so restless this morning?

"Yes?" Chatot pressed gently.

"I'm human," he said, cringing as soon as the words left his mouth. Try as he might, wish as hard as he could, he couldn't take the words back.

Chatot, to his credit, reacted with just a blink. "I see." And spoke with a somewhat clipped tone. He cleared his throat and went to speak, but movement caught his attention. "We are out of time for privacy," he said quickly, and Sean turned to see the apprentices Bidoof and Corphish stumbling their way into the room. "I am behind schedule, we will speak later." With that, he raced into Wigglytuff's room.

Sean stood around awkwardly, hoping that neither Corphish nor Bidoof had heard him. They hadn't, only noticing him when they were standing right in front of him.

"Oh golly!" Bidoof squeaked. "I thought you were Chatot for a moment."

"Hey...," Corphish yawned. "Are you that tired Bidoof?" Corphish asked, nudging Bidoof with a claw. Bidoof yawned in response.

"Meh, Chatot just ducked into Wigglytuff's room," Croagunk said, coming out of nowhere and causing Sean to startle hard. He puffed up his fur slightly as he scrambled back from the poisonous frog.

"Don't DO that!" he gasped, clutching his chest. "Where the hell were you?"

"In my shop," Croagunk replied easily. He settled in next to where Bidoof and Corphish stood and gave Sean a lazy glance over. "I'm always up and about working on my Swap Cauldron, I'm getting close to finally fixing it, so I've been getting up earlier and earlier."

"Oh," Sean said weakly. Croagunk gave him a somewhat amused look before settling in to stare forward with a neutral expression.

Sean waited for a tense moment for Croagunk to say or do anything, but he didn't and he slowly relaxed. He gathered that surely Chatot would have known... but then again he kinda blurted that out.

Corphish and Bidoof weren't awake enough yet to talk, so the four of them waited in silence. Chimecho came around, Chatot returned, and they left for the mess hall as the others began to stumble in.

Loudred roared something that was just noise, and scrambled in, waking Rai and Sunflora in the process.

Diglett and Dugtrio appeared from the ground, with Diglett disappearing once Loudred had been reassured he wasn't late for the reveal of the expedition crew.

Within a few minutes, Diglett had detected someone, and Grovyle was allowed in. The Grass-type chose not to stand off to the side, instead choosing to stand with the apprentices. Sean was displeased considering Grovyle chose to stand with Rai and himself.

And Rai was very happy to see him.

"Good morning, Grovyle!" he said with unbound cheer, even more than he had greeted Sean with earlier.

"Oh, and I get a 'you're up early' while Grovyle gets all the smiles," he thought mutinously as Grovyle returned with an easy smile.

"Good morning to you too, Shinx," Grovyle rumbled, causing most of the apprentices to shiver.

"Why did he have to have the greatest voice of them all?" Sean bemoaned as Chatot shushed everyone.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat. "Now then. I shall announce the expedition members at this time." Chatot was almost beaming as he displayed a sheet of parchment that Wigglytuff had been too excited to hold on to.

The apprentices waited eagerly as Chatot said. "The chosen members are written on this memo. Step forward if your name is called."

"Ooh, it's finally happening!" Sunflora gasped, breaking the silence Chatot had enforced.

"By golly, my hearts-a-pounding," Bidoof added, sending everyone into a roar of voices.

"THIS IS IT!"

"Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-he-"

"I'm so nervous dad, do you think we'll both get picked?"

"If the sea is my life, son."

"Meh-heh-heh, you are all worrying a little much for one moment."

"Oh, you can't say you're not excited too Croagunk."

"This is it, this is it." Rai sparked with anticipation.

"Yep." Was all Sean could manage, throat closing up with paranoid, desperate, hope that he hadn't wrecked everything ever.

"You'll both be fine," Grovyle said as Chatot shushed everyone again.

"Without further ado," he said, raising his voice to compensate for everyone's ringing ears. "I will announce who has been chosen."

The whole crowd stilled.

"Our first member," Chatot began magnificently. "In commemoration of his feats in dual-discovery of the Waterfall Cave, catching the deadly outlaw Shiftry, and dedicated hard work at the gate is Loudred!"

"YES!" Loudred roared, voice squeaking as he did so. He raced up ahead before turning around with a beam on his face, his whole gigantic mouth closed in a grin. "I KNEW I'd get picked, it makes perfect sense. It's only natural if you think about it. WOO-HOO!"

Chatot was unphased by the volume, even if everyone else was remembering how jittery Loudred had been for the last two days.

"Next up, in recognition of his mentorship and discovering a Time Gear, is Corphish!"

"Hey-hey-HEY!" Corphish cheered, scuttling up. "Got it. I got picked, yes!" He bounced a claw off Loudred's fist in celebration. That brightened Sean and Rai.

"Next on the list is due to credit for hard work and diligence in the face of difficulty. The next member is none other than Bidoof!"

Bidoof started in sheer shock. "Really!? Really and truly? G-golly. M-me, I'M going on the expedition?"

"The Guildmaster makes no mistakes," Chatot huffed. "Now come on up."

Bidoof didn't move. "Y-yup, j-just give me a minute," he sniffled and Chatot nodded.

"We'll continue then." He glanced further down, seeming to read. "This member shares credit with Waterfall Cave." Sunflora beamed. "And has a rather long string of impressive work under her name. Let us welcome Sunflora!"

"OH. MY. GOSH!" Sunflora danced her way over and high-fived Corphish and hugged Loudred, who looked most pleased with this turn of events. "Yippee!"

"As our guardian of the food and diligent crafter of our meals, Chimecho is coming as well."

Chatot's smile only seemed to brighten in his eye. Turning the page over he cleared his throat. Sean couldn't help but notice that the first side of the paper was blank.

"Diglett for his memory and hard-working attitude in identifying the visitors to our guild. Dugtrio for always changing the jobs, even if a little late at times. Croagunk because we still need to apologise for breaking his beloved cauldron. Rai and Sean for their dual discovery of a Time Gear plus their endless hard work and determination to improve."

Outright chuckling at the baffled expressions he was receiving, Chatot tossed the page aside revealing there was nothing on either side. "That's right! The Guildmaster has decided to bring the entire guild along! Hee-hee-hee."

The expressions turned to smiles as Wigglytuff laughed as well. "It was Chatot's idea too!" he insisted. "I just said yes."

A few smiles were sent Chatot's way, but he glared them all back with a fierce glare. "Oh, hush now. It was the Guildmaster's decision entirely."

He got bombarded with hugs regardless. "Ack! Get off!"

"Meh-heh, sorry to bring this up." Croagunk's low, clear, voice cut through the celebration. "If we were, indeed, to bring everyone, the guild would be left completely undefended."

"Don't worry." Wigglytuff waved his concerns off with cheerful smile. "We'll lock up REEEAAALL tight. No one could get in, or out! Hahaha."

Croagunk nodded, satisfied that Wigglytuff did know what he was doing.

"Alright everyone settle down," Chatot said, once he had removed all the various pokémon from his person. "Let me explain the schedule. Right after this, I will hold a briefing on the expedition. As such, the chosen members, each of you, should prepare to embark on the expedition. Go to Treasure Town, go to the shops, the bank, to Kangaskhan, and begin determining your inventories, we will be monitoring your ability to meet the coming challenges. Thus, when you feel you are ready return here. That is all, dismissed!"

With that, Chatot and Wigglytuff moved into Wigglytuff's Chamber while the rest of the guild converged into a circle. Grovyle stepped to the side, simply watching them as Sunflora shrieked, "I could scream, I'm so happy that everyone is coming on the expedition!"

"The Guildmaster and Chatot have done it again," Chimecho agreed. "I'm so shocked, I'm tingling."

"I couldn't help but believe we wouldn't get picked," Rai said, glancing to Sean. "I'm so relieved that we all get to go!" Sean just flashed him a smile.

Bidoof sniffled, the circle had converged to where he had been standing, as he still couldn't move. "By golly, I'm mighty happy they are even letting me come along on this here expedition. And not just me, everyone gets to go! It's like a dream, without all the tremors that come with Loudred's snoring."

"HEY!" Loudred shouted. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood."

"If we are all going," Dugtrio raised, "then that likely means we are going to be tested in a different way than any of us may have previously thought. I propose we apprentices all work as one in this expedition in planning our inventories, show Guildmaster Wigglytuff that we are worthy of his training!"

Everyone nodded.

"Hey-hey, that's the spirit!"

"YEAH! That's the SPIRIT!"

"Dad's really good at raising spirits, I'm all pumped up now!"

The apprentices all fell into a chatter while Sean smiled, glancing at everyone's faces and enjoying the sheer positive energy the pokémon all put out. "Never thought I'd ever be in the middle of this." He smiled, thinking to himself.

"We need to work with Grovyle as well!" Rai said, snapping Sean out of his happy place. Rai, turning to the mentioned reptile, invited Grovyle in. "We may have only known you for a couple of days, but I know this expedition will be so much better with you along. So, let's all work together. Alright?" He extended his paw in a very non-feline like greeting.

Grovyle stared at Rai's paw for a brief moment, hesitating. Sean felt that he was the only one who caught it as Grovyle smiled and stepped forward. "Certainly," he said, clasping Rai's small paw with his larger hand. "I look forward to working with you. With you all," he amended, looking up to nod to everyone. Rai moved to make space for Grovyle, and he stepped in between the shinx and meowth.

"We all agreed?" Sunflora asked, reaching a leafy limb in.

"YES!" Everyone responded, reaching a limb in themselves. Even Grovyle.

"HOORAY!"

The apprentices all broke ranks then, some falling into duos, others going off alone in their excitement, all with the same goal. Storm Treasure Town of its valuables.

Grovyle joined as well, walking with Team Ion until they reached the crossroads. "I'll see you both soon," Grovyle said, waving them off as they made their way into Treasure Town. Sean resisted the urge to glance backwards, doing anything potentially unusual was a complete no-go with Grovyle around.

Skipping and humming in joy, Rai zipped ahead to the marketplace, leaving Sean to cough in the dust cloud he left behind.

"Wait up," he called, but Rai was already too far ahead. Shaking his head, Sean hurried to catch up, crossing the bridge to find the Kecleon Market being swarmed.

Everyone from the guild, besides Chatot and Wigglytuff, were all in line, Loudred and Sunflora loudly haggling with the Kecleon Brothers.

"Oh wow," Rai said, glancing at the line. "They're tearing Treasure Town to shreds."

"To shreds you say?" Sean asked, before biting his tongue. Rai offered him a loopy smile.

"Let's go to the rest of the market," Rai suggested, far too energised to stand politely in line. Sean raised his eyebrows but followed. They hadn't really entered the row of stalls any further than one or two in.

"Good morning!" the first stall owner cheered as Team Ion stepped up to her. "Welcome to Team Glee's shop of wonder and happiness!"

Rai smiled and began looking through what they had for sale while Sean looked between the three pokémon manning the stall. A togepi, politoad, and ledyba. They rang a distant bell or three and he decided to chat while Rai decided.

"Where did you find these items?" he asked, as Rai poked at a blast seed.

"All through Mount Bristle!" Ledyba answered before the other two could so much as open their mouths. "We went to give an oran berry to Whiscash, so we also brought some water because he probably needed it too."

"He had water with him." Politoad frowned, before perking up again. "But he was really thankful we came to help him and gave us this really pretty rock that he found while adventuring."

He held up an uncut amethyst and Sean didn't need to fake the pleased sound he made at the beauty of it. Even as a human he had loved gemstones, especially amethyst, and enjoyed collecting them.

The three members of Team Glee chattered on as Sean stared, transfixed at the amethyst. Politoad had set it down, right on the table, to free his hands for some gesturing. He couldn't hear the trio, it sounded like he was underwater.

Sean blinked and shook his head. "Stop dozing off like that!" he reprimanded himself, blinking a few times to get some moisture back into them.

Rai ended up buying all of their apples and berries before they moved on to the next stall that caught his eye.

Or, rather, caught Sean's eye.

Team Ebony, the glitz and glamorous pair who couldn't agree on what treasures to seek out, were chatting happily behind a table that was covered with gems, pieces of glass melted from battles involving Fire-type pokémon, dusty old things that reeked of intrigue, and other wonderful things that drew Sean to them like a moth to a flame.

"Good morning, Meowth," Murkrow said politely when it was clear he was heading right for them. Rai barely noticed Sean's disappearance, spotting someone selling orb's and hurrying toward them.

"Good...?" Sean asked, before blinking again. "Good grief, why does that keep happening?" he muttered to himself. "Uh, hello Murkrow and Shuppet. How are you going?"

"Glamourous as always, darling," Murkrow answered, sweeping a pitch-black wing before the treasures that laid before her.

"We're good," Shuppet answered, bobbing up and down happily. "We've finally found some treasures that are valuable, don't you think." Levitating a dusty relic in her smoggy grip, Shuppet jutted it out until it was nearly touching Sean's non-existent nose. "Look at this thing! Isn't it so rare and valuable?"

"Uh."

"I believe Meowth has an eye for style," Murkrow cut in, picking something up in her wing and butting Shuppet's item out of the way. "See the polish, the glint, the allure of this glass? The most beautiful glass in the entire Grass Continent I would believe."

The glass was pretty, it appeared to have been caught in some oil and had a rainbow shine about it. As the item was twisted, lumpy, and overall disturbing in its aesthetic, Sean made sure simply to nod approvingly.

"No one wants to buy a stupid piece of gross glass," Shuppet snapped, pushing Murkrow's wing back away. "This… thing is clearly the most valuable item in Treasure Town, no the Grass Continent, NO! The world. I bet this thing is the most valuable thing in the world. We just need to figure out why, but I can let you figure out for the low-low price of three thousand Poké."

"Psh," Murkrow scoffed. "Overreaching much? Most valuable thing in the world? Try the most valuable thing in that dusty old box you found it in. Because it was the ONLY thing in that box. I'd wager that the box itself was worth more than that piece of ugly, dusty, junk."

"And your weird chunk of glass is better?" Shuppet butted heads with Murkrow, both of them growling now. "I bet I can find something more worthwhile than that in a bad dream."

"Your taste in treasures IS a bad dream."

"You're like a distracted dustox when looking at a charizard's tail! You'd fly right in thinking you saw something shiny!"

"Oh? Like that time, you jumped right into the middle of a monster house because you thought you saw something interesting? And it was a TRAP of all things?"

"At least I'm trying to find worthwhile things."

"Shiny things ARE worthwhile."

"Materialist!"

"Nostalgic!"

"Mirror starer!"

"Dust lover!"

Sean backed away, leaving the pair to their argument as they began spitting louder, and more obtuse, words.

It wasn't hard to find Rai, he had moved on from the orb seller, and was speaking to a trio who were not selling but had come in after noticing the same roadblock surrounding the Kecleon Market.

"And so, the whole guild is going on an expedition!" Rai beamed to the perturbed trio, making up a bellsprout, ponyta, and a camerupt.

"I just… asked where you found the orbs," one of the three, a bellsprout, managed to say.

"Hello." Sean beamed as he stepped into place by Rai, who was currently trying to hide his face. "I don't think we've met before. I'm." He paused a brief moment, just to remind himself not to say Sean.

"Sean, right?" Ponyta said, causing Sean to flinch. "I think I've heard of you."

"Hahaha," Sean laughed, fake and bright. "No."

"You walk on two legs," the deep voice of camerupt rumbled out. "Are you sure you're not Sean?"

"I am," Sean said reluctantly. "But anything you may or may not have heard is probably a complete fabrication that has no basis in reality whatsoever."

Camerupt blinked as Ponyta said. "We heard you told everyone in the Wigglytuff Guild your name, making them think you were advertising because Sunflora." Because Sunflora was a pretty apt description that all of them understood. "But that it was just an accident because you were trying to be friendly with nothing ulterior about it."

"Oh." Sean swallowed, regathered his bearings, and nodded shamefully. "Then yes. That's me."

"Oof," Bellsprout said. "Can't imagine doing… a-anyway, s-so you're going on an expedition?"

"I miss those," Ponyta sighed. "I remember the expedition that discovered The Pillars, that was a fine adventure."

Eager to move past two sets of prior awkwardness, Rai jumped back up happily. "YES!" he shouted, before flinching at his own volume. "Yes. To discover the mysteries of Fogbound Lake. The whole guild is setting off, we've even got a really cool addition with an explorer called Grovyle joining too."

"Grovyle?" Ponyta asked. "Never heard of him."

"Nothing to me," Camerupt rumbled.

Bellsprout, however. "Oh? Grovyle? Has a large, brown, Treasure Bag he wears as a satchel like he's delivering mail or something?"

"Yes!" Rai beamed. "You know him?"

"He knows him?" Sean screamed internally.

Bellsprout shrugged, as best as he could at least. "Never met, but Grass-types gotta know other Grass-types. I've heard of him, he's apparently very strong, uses lots of powerful moves, and is very smart with item usage. I could have sworn he had a partner though…"

Rai cocked his head. "Partner? For Grovyle?"

"Yep." Bellsprout nodded. "Just what I heard at least. Could just be a friend, or rumours going the way they normally do. Some pokémon are claiming the Great Dusknoir doesn't work alone either!"

Rai and Bellsprout shared some hearty laughter over such a preposterous notion.

"So, Braixen over there was selling Orbs." Rai pointed with his tail, and Team Flame made their way off in that direction.

"Nice guys." Rai smiled, turning to Sean. "I think we've got enough stuff to get us going steadily. Should we head back to the guild now?"

"Hm?" Sean asked, noticing Rai was speaking to him. "Pardon?"

"I said I've got the stuff." He patted the Treasure Bag as proof before slipping the band off to let Sean pick it up. "And we should head back to the guild."

"Sounds good."

They left the marketplace and began making their way back, spotting Loudred and Sunflora up ahead, while Bidoof and Corphish spotted them from behind.

Treasure Town was truly busy this morning, pokémon were everywhere. Even without the guild having sieged the place, the town was busy.

"Wonder if something else is going on?" Sean wondered after pointing out the business to Rai.

"Nothing besides the guild's expedition," Rai answered, not beaming upon speaking of it like before. "Hey… are you alright?"

Sean turned to look at him curiously. "Yeah?"

"That sounded like a question, not an answer." Rai pointed out. "I've just noticed you've been… off for a couple days. You barely talked to me at all yesterday or the day before. And you're still dozing off a bit, like when we were talking to Team Flame."

"Who?"

"Bellsprout's team."

"Oh."

They continued walking, Rai facing Sean and wearing an expectant look on his face. Wetting his lips, Sean found his words. "I, uh… don't know. I've been having a few odd dreams, flashes of stuff. Did you know it's impossible to see a face in a dream you haven't seen in real life?"

"Really?" Rai asked. "That's cool." Then he frowned. "Have you seen someone in your dream? Wait. Are you remembering stuff?"

Sean shrugged. "Not… quite. Maybe, sometimes stuff happens that I wasn't really prepared for. I'm really entranced by jewels apparently, I remember looking at that." He lowered his voice. "Time Gear and couldn't look away. I might have done… something if you hadn't snapped me out of it."

"Probably because you like shiny things," Rai said, waving him off. Then his expression twisted into horror. "I, uh… you probably wouldn't be used to meowth instincts and that's why I said that. Not that all meowth are like that! It's just…"

Watching Rai get flustered was fun, but Sean spared him with a chuckle. "I get it, don't worry. No offence taken, you're too nice to offend me." He grinned. "Adorable too when trying not to stare at Grovyle."

Rai scowled at him, and Sean laughed, racing forward to avoid being swatted. "I'm. Not. CUTE!" he yelled as they passed Duskull Bank, Sean laughing his head off.

Duskull chuckled at the antics and nodded to an amused Corphish and Bidoof. "He is cute," Duskull said, getting twin nods in response.

By the time they reached the guild, Rai had forgotten their conversation. Sean hadn't, and was relieved Rai had let it go.

They waited in excited silence until everyone arrived ready.

They wouldn't be leaving for the expedition today. Things still needed to be planned, put into place, and give the town some time to prepare for the absence of the Guild for a while.

"All accounted for, it appears," Chatot said, looking over the assembled pokémon.

"Uh, Chatot sir?" Bidoof piped up. "Grovyle isn't here yet."

Chatot nodded. "Grovyle has already been briefed, we'll be meeting him on the road."

With that explanation out of the way, he began talking. "Let me explain the expedition once more. First, the objective: Exploration of Fogbound Lake. It is a lake that is located far to the east. However, it is perpetually enshrouded by a dense fog. As such, its actual existence has never been confirmed."

"So exciting," Wigglytuff said, cutting in. "The mystery makes me so happy!"

"Indeed," Chatot said drolly. "It is merely the foggy mirage of a spot that lives to this day on rumour alone. It is also rumoured." Chatot smiled, eye glinting. "That a treasure of unimaginable beauty lays hidden there."

"A treasure hunt?" Murmured the apprentices.

"Yup." Wigglytuff beamed. "It will be fun, fun, fun!"

Chatot had everyone open their wonder maps and instructed them to look to the eastern fringes of the map, laid with only a shape of the continent, no landmarks were featured on the map. Sean couldn't decide if the first time he had seen the map made him happy or disappointed there were no clouds for the unexplored areas.

Just undetailed portions.

"With the distance this expedition is embarking upon, we will need to make our way through several dungeons that cut down the most time." Chatot pointed to the bottom of a mountain. "Therefore, we will be heading through Drenched Bluff to a small dungeon called Tiny Meadow."

He made sure everyone was following. "Little can be found there but it acts similar to The Crest as a shortcut dungeon, from there we will embark through a craggy coastline collection of dungeons into the mountains here." He pointed to Mount Horn. "And that will bring us to camp at the foot of the foggy forests. That will serve as a base camp to mount our next move."

He hopped back to give the apprentices some time to think. "Now if we were to travel as one group, our mobility would be severely restrictive, and the dungeons would turn truly vicious against us. So, as you may be expecting, we will set off in smaller teams."

The apprentices shared glances, wondering if the choice of teams was up to them. Chatot answered that immediately. "I shall announce those groups now." He glanced to the left portion of the mob and listed off four names. "The first group shall consist of Sunflora, Loudred, Diglett, and Croagunk."

"You guys BETTER not hold me back," Loudred warned after the four had glanced around.

"Meh-heh-heh, you should talk," Croagunk chuckled.

"The next group shall consist of Dugtrio, Chimecho, Corphish, and Bidoof."

"We are a solid group," Dugtrio said, looking among the others.

"I swear to do my best," Chimecho chimed.

"Oh golly, I'll do my best not to hold you guys back," Bidoof said.

"Hey-hey, we'll all do our best to support the group!"

"Now let's see." Chatot turned to Wigglytuff. "The Guildmaster and I shall travel as a pair. This is acceptable yes?"

Wigglytuff started as if struck. "Me? I get to go with Chatot? Yippee!"

Chatot cocked his head slightly. "Really, you're actually happ… nevermind, don't push it, Chatot."

Turning back to the group, he nodded to Sean and Rai. "Team Ion shall travel as a team, and Grovyle has requested to join you if that is alright?"

Sean, having had a sinking feeling the entire time, was not surprised, although still dismayed. He tried not to show it, not difficult to do when Rai jumped in joy. "REALLY!?" He approached Loudred levels of noise. "We get to go with Grovyle? Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"I… er, presume that is alright?" Chatot asked as everyone stared at Rai in jealousy.

Rai continued repeating yes as if stuck, Sean looked to Chatot with a deadpan look. "I think the answer is yes."

"Very good." Chatot nodded happily, relieved there were no issues. "Well then." The group turned back to Chatot. "Okay pokémon, time to get to work! Move out!"

"HOORAY!"

The whole guild thundered out, each excited to get started with this. Sean was swept into the excitement as well, he hadn't seen much of the world beyond a few hour's walk from Treasure Town. This would prove to be interesting, one way or the other.

Grovyle was waiting for them by the time they reached the crossroads, and he was pleased to learn that Team Ion was happy to have him along.

"If you don't mind the presumptuousness," Grovyle said, pulling them to a stop as the others began to plan their paths. "I have been briefed on the charting. A clever duo that Guildmaster and Chatot. This turns several weeks of travel into several days, jumping through a list of known dungeons."

"I think that's a great idea!" Rai smiled, barely even glancing at the map Grovyle had laid down. "What do you think Sean?"

"Sounds good," he agreed. That, at least, sounded calming. He wasn't completely certain on Mount Horn, but he knew he remembered the Craggy Coast. "Crazy how some dungeons leap through that much space." He wasn't aware of it beforehand.

Certain dungeons had entrances and exits that crossed a far greater distance than the road within them would imply. He'd heard of The Crest, which was to the North towards Capim Town. A short dungeon that crossed quite a lot of space and was used as a common shortcut across the coastline. Tiny Meadow was similar, just to the East.

It did make sense, however, if he was to compare this event to the games.

"Excellent." Grovyle rolled up his map and stashed it in his own Treasure Bag. "Shall we be off then? Start running, get ahead of everyone else." He winked at that, and Rai nodded, the trio falling into an easy walk with no troubles.

Sean was uncomfortable. There were few, if any, situations of his whole life he could remember that left him feeling this uncomfortable. "What I can barely even remember," Sean thought grumpily. It was true, and disconcerting to him, but memories of his life as a human were getting somewhat fuzzier. He could still remember what he needed to, he hoped at least, but even remembering what he looked like was difficult.

"If it wasn't for Rai, I'd probably forget my name." Sean did his best not to look at Grovyle and just let Rai chatter away. That was fine. It was fine how brightly Rai smiled at Grovyle. It was fine how happy he was that Grovyle had asked to come with them. It was fine he barely even glanced at Sean as he spoke.

It was fine.

This was fine.

Everything was fine.

Grovyle had smiled as he waved Team Ion away as they travelled into Treasure Town one more time, preparing to grab their gear for the expedition. He waited until everyone was gone, and Spinda too had staggered off up the guild, before spinning on a heel and swiftly walking down to the beach.

He passed the morning krabby and corsola, ignored the shellos that had escaped from the Beach Cave, and avoided the dungeon entirely. Instead, he went up on an angle, covering his tracks in sand as he did so, jumping up the short cliff and into the bushy areas that no one bothered to go into.

They had scoped this spot out to be the best place they could find that was close to Treasure Town.

He walked a new, yet memorized, path, tapping trees as he went. Soon enough, he found their hideout. A hewn tent.

"Back already? Miss me, did you?" The speaker, a riolu, smiled as Grovyle ducked into the hideout.

"I had some time," Grovyle answered, without answering the question that was really asked.

"Sure. Anything new on our friend?"

"I'll be travelling with them, so I'll figure it out soon enough."

"Can't have too long by myself," his companion said, crossing his arms. "You look worried. I'm perfectly capable of doing this by myself you know."

"Have you memorised everything?" Grovyle asked.

"Yes."

"The dungeons?"

"Beach Cave, Mount Bristle, Amp Plains, Drenched Bluff, Waterfall Cave, Spring Cave, do I HAVE to go on?"

"The cover story?"

"I made the damn thing up!" His companion grinned. "I think you suggested three whole words to it. More verbose than usual, Striker."

"You have the escape plan ready?"

The riolu raised an eyebrow ridge, before striding over to pull down a segment of the tent they were in. Grovyle, or Striker as he was known here, nodded approvingly as he saw that everything was packed and ready.

"Knew you'd ask."

Striker the grovyle scowled at the eye-roll his companion gave to his sensibleness.

"So, as soon as I heard you, everything was ready for me to book it. I'm not an amateur here." Riolu crossed his arms and grinned proudly.

"I know," Grovyle said, crossing his own arms now. "You cannot blame me for being concerned. You've been stressed lately, we both are, I know you normally wouldn't miss something, but it has happened a few times since we've been travelling here. You sure you're alright?" He tapped the riolu's head.

The expression his companion wore softened before he shook his head. "Yeah, you're right. Ugh, stress, world-ending catastrophes aside. Look, I've got berries, seeds, orbs. I'm amazed you let me keep so many, with YOUR love of the things."

Smiling slightly, Grovyle plucked an orb out of his bag and admired it. "You just don't understand them like I do." He pondered the orb, before placing it back in the bag. "Very well, be safe, run if you have to. Any sign of a sableye, even a bad feeling about Dusknoir, and you are leaving. Alright?"

"Alright. Come on, it's like you don't trust me to do the smart thing."

"I don't," was Grovyle's flat response, not reacting as the riolu grew mock-outraged. "Sean, I'm serious. Don't do anything stupid, find where the Relic Fragment is if those three sold it anywhere local, but if you come under risk, get out of here. Please, I don't want to risk you any more than I have to."

"Alright," Sean the riolu sighed. "I promise to try and not be reckless or stupid. Now." He smiled, a little sadly, but mostly encouragingly. "You have an expedition to catch! Better get going, and don't get caught taking the Time Gear please."

"I won't be so obvious," Striker replied, a smirk over his face. "Take care, Sean."

"Not a goodbye?" the riolu smiled.

"Just a see you later."

"Give them hell and bring it all home."

Grovyle nodded and raced off to reach the crossroads, just in time for the guild to trample down in eager excitement.

"I will be careful," Striker the Grovyle thought as he spotted a certain meowth and shinx. "But first I need to learn the truth."

Well then.