PMD: Starlit Forest - Ch.3


Author's Note:

Finally, a new update! It took me a while to balance my new IT education, my novel progress, and creating new characters for guild staff, but I finally worked up the courage to post something that wasn't just an unfiltered set of ideas! I'm currently looking into getting back into posting more than once every six months, but as usual, I can't promise anything. I can see myself getting back to the point of posting every few weeks like I used to in like, 2015-2018, but no promises! I still haven't finalized the designs for the new cast members, so that'll take some extra prep time. In any case, thank you for your patience, and happy reading!

- Emg


"Eve…" A voice echoed about the room. It was smooth, yet somehow managed the presence of an exploud's roar. "Eve!"

I blinked tiredly as if woken from a restless nap. What had been the cozy interior of the guild's infirmary was now a dark abyss, lit only by the presence of a nearby lamp post. It was damp, light reflecting off the flooded, mud-ridden trail that'd replaced my bed. Was I dreaming? And if so, why was it so cold?

"Well?" The voice continued this time minus the echo. "Thought you weren't a fan of dirty fur." It giggled.

I turned to reply, yet all I got in return was the sight of a decrepit, wooden bench. It was splintered from plank to plank, any metal rusted beyond repair as if pounded by an endless assault of rain. "Hello?" I called out. "This better not be another guild initiation thing. Mud's the worst."

"Then sit." A figure formed out of the mist, vaguely fox-shaped, yet otherwise unremarkable formed above the bench. It gestured beside itself with a translucent paw, beckoning for me to sit.

Wanting nothing more than to escape the confines of the mud and water, I clambered onto the bench, keeping an eye on the ghostly figure before me. It shifted unusually as it stared me down, bending the surrounding light in a prismatic fashion. It…sparkles? What's up with this thing?

"What's wrong?" The ghostly presence giggled once more. "It's not polite to stare, you know?"

"Oh, uhh." I coughed. "Sorry, umm." I glanced around. "Where is this place? Who are you?"

The figure shifted once more, stretching out along the length of the bench. "You don't remember? How rude~." It replied in a mock-pout. "I even went through the trouble of setting up the bench."

"I'm sorry, but I don't…" I frowned, squinting against the light of the lamp post that only seemed to brighten as time went on. "Could you just tell me? I'm not great at guessing games."

The figure tilted its head, as if amused. "That's right." It giggled. "You never were, were you." It swished its foggy tail merrily. "I think I'll leave that up to you. For now, it seems you should wake up."

"What?" I blinked. It couldn't be serious.

"Wake up, Eve." It lifted its foreleg, pushing it toward my muzzle and tickling my nose with its paw.

"But I-" I backed away as if the ghostly figure somehow meant harm.

"Eve!"


Starglow Guild – Infirmary:


I woke with a leap, my newfound momentum throwing me off balance and sending me into a tumble. For a moment, all I saw was green, followed by a close-up of rose-brown irises.

"Wha… Get off, you clumsy furball!" protested Verdant. It seemed I'd landed square on top of her, so close that my nose had touched her own.

"Woah!" I scrambled to my paws and backed away. "S-sorry, I didn't mean it." I stammered. "I just had the weirdest dream."

Verdant turned away and huffed. "You'd better hope so if you want me to stay with you." She sighed. "The kit's awake. Figured you'd want to speak to her." She continued. Despite the ordeal having passed, the stubborn cat refused to turn around.

"You're free to join me once you get over it." I groaned and turned to face the bed. The mew from before was indeed awake, and more. It seemed she'd gotten restless, as the young kit hovered over to a nearby window to peer out onto the busy market path."

"So, umm…" I began. "Are you ok? Anything hurt?"

"Huh?!" The mew shook as I approached, as if to jump, before their form shifted. 2 legs became 4 as the kit dropped to the ground, their once long, cat-like tail shrinking and puffing out into a fluffy bush that cushioned their landing. Long, flimsy diamond shapes replaced the mew's former triangle ears as their muzzle became more vulpine. Curiously, despite their change in size, the kit's cream-colored socks remained intact. "Arceus, you scared me!" She whirled around, the fur from her new mane whipping her in the face as she set her eyes on my own. "Pfft." The new eevee spat, shoving the fur aside. "Geez. At least give me a heads up."

"Woah… So you really can change shape…" I blinked. "Sorry!" I shook my head. "I didn't mean to startle ya. My name's Eve!"

"Eve…" The kit echoed, their bright blue eyes glancing about the room curiously. "It's uhh…good to meet you. I'm Lisa." Her gaze wandered to Verdant, then back to me. "She's embarrassed."

"Wha?" I whirled on Verdant, giving the grass type a shit-eating grin. "That so?"

"Don't even start." The spriggatito spat and brushed past me to check Lisa's bandages. "That curiosity's a good sign I suppose, though I don't appreciate the mind reading." She sighed. "You're lucky that bout of shapeshifting didn't open any wounds."

"It's not my fault. Eve startled me!" Lisa pushed down her fur once more and stood up, pushing past Verdant to explore the rest of the infirmary. "Any idea where the nurse is? I'm starving."

"I wish. We've been stuck in here for hours." I groaned, prodding Verdant with a paw. "Any word from Ally?"

"Not since we left the guildmaster's chamber." She shook her head. "That being said, Aloe visited while you were both asleep. Dinner's coming soon, but it seems Evelyn still has business with us. We've been ordered to meet with her once the kit…" She paused. "Once Lisa is awake. Seeing as she's up and about, I'd say there's no better time than now." She glanced at Lisa. "You ok with staying in that form? Somehow I doubt wandering about an explorer's guild as a literal god pokemon is advisable. It may be a noble profession, but that doesn't mean everymon has good intentions."

"I don't mind as long as they have pecha berries." Lisa shrugged. "I'd rather walk anyway." The sassy kit took the lead, covering the distance between her bed and the door before we could process her answer. Had it not been for the weight of the door, the eevee would've been long gone.

I sighed and placed my paws on the door. "Did Aloe happen to mention anything about Lisa's parents, or what we should do with her for now?" I whispered to Verdant before giving the door a push.

"So far?" Verdant's muzzle remained expressionless, almost judgmentally so. "Seems like she's our kit for the time being. I've got the sneaking suspicion that's what Ally's been discussing with our new guild master."

"I was afraid you'd say that."


Starglow Guild - Guildmaster's Chamber:


Ally was waiting for us outside by the time we returned to the office. Aside from the impatient expression that had crept onto the eevee's muzzle, she was wearing a brand new bandana that matched her emerald green eyes. Pinned to the front of the bandanna, dead center of the eevee's chest was the iconic badge of the Exploration Team Federation, complete with a bronze sphere decoration symbolizing our rank.

"She's awake!" Ally let out a relieved sigh. "You too, Eve. Figured I wouldn't see you until dinner." She giggled. "Come quick. Evelyn's waiting!"

"Woah!" Lisa rushed forward, nearly toppling my sister in her haste. "Are you an explorer?" Her tail flicked about enthusiastically, narrowly missing a nearby vase in her excitement. "I love exploration teams! My dad used to read to me about them all the time!"

Ally held her paws up in an attempt to calm the young kit. "Is that so?" She giggled. "Why don't you tell me about it while we meet with the guildmaster, hmm?"

"Ok!" Lisa grinned, grabbing hold of Ally's paw and practically dragging her into the office.

"Eve, Verdant. Welcome back!" Evelyn grinned as we entered the room, the espeon gesturing to an assortment of hay mats and chairs. "Take a seat. There's not much left to discuss regarding your recruitment, however, there is the matter of our little guest." She chuckled. "The data we collected from your souls has been processed, so feel free to collect your badges from Ally once we're done here." In the meantime." The guildmaster passed us a set of scarves and bandannas. "This is cliche, I know, but it's standard wear for the Exploration Team Federation. In our guild at least, we give you the option of customizing your attire." She smiled. "Take these to our clothing designer, Velvet. Her office is right next door to the infirmary. She'd a lovely braixen with a velvety coat, so you can't miss her." She nodded to Verdant. "And of course, I'm aware of your business, Miss Verdant, however, I'm afraid we cannot accept that sort of work from a new recruit. You are, however, free to design a custom logo or flag for your team. Speaking of which, the name. It was Fedora you wanted, correct? Ally filled me in, but I wanted to clear it with the leader personally." She addressed me.

"Sounds perfect to me!" I grinned. "Ally knows me best!" I nudged my sister playfully, the emerald-eyed eevee giggling in return.

"Very well!" The espeon flicked her twin tails pensively, glancing at a clock on the wall. "It's about time for the evening roll call, so let's make this quick." She turned her attention to Lisa. "So, Miss Lisa, is it? Do you know where you are?"

Lisa froze for a moment, then shrugged. "Umm… The last thing I remember before I woke up here, I was heading for the capital. I got a bit lost, so I tried signaling for a pelliper. I don't remember anything else after that."

"I see." Evelyn nodded. "We're quite a bit north of the capital. If you were heading for Castillo Town, you took a wrong turn somewhere." She tapped a forepaw on her freshly cleared desk. "As for the pelliper, it's standard practice for all postal workers to report any potentially lost or endangered pokémon they see. I'm sure that misplaced request was pinned by them. What I don't understand is how you ended up so close to an active investigation." She rested her head on her forepaws in thought. "Speaking of, what is a young kit like yourself doing out all alone? Where are your parents?"

Lisa bit her lip, as if afraid to answer. "I umm…well." She shook her head. "It's complicated."

"Don't tell me you're an orphan," Evelyn asked, concern oozing from her tone. "

Lisa shot up in her seat, paws outstretched in a defensive gesture. "N-no! That's not it." She panicked. "I have parents, but…"

"You don't have to tell me now if you don't want to." Evelyn's expression softened. "Can you at least tell us why you were heading for the capital?"

Lisa's expression fell. "That's just it. My dad and I live in a separate house from my mom…" She answered sheepishly. "Up in Trello Town. But my dad went off for work one day and didn't come back, so I figured I should look for my mom. She lives in the capital."

"Goodness." Evelyn brought a forepaw to her maw. "It's a good thing we found you, then." She sighed. "If that's the case, it'd be best if we contact her before we go any further. Do you know her name?"

"It's Cotton Heart." The smaller eevee replied. "I don't know her address or anything. I didn't visit all that often…"

"The clothing designer?" Evelyn's worry turned to surprise. "I wasn't aware she had any kits." She shook her head. "Nonetheless, we'll see what we can do to contact her. In the meantime. Eve?" The guildmaster's sapphire eyes flicked back to me. "As the leader of team Fedora, Lisa will be your responsibility. Keep in mind I'm being very generous in ignoring your violation of the request board rules. I hope you don't mind a bit of kit-sitting as your first mission." The espeon sighed. "Typically we give all recruits a mission upon initiation, but seeing as you've already found yourself with a client, that will have to wait. As such, your first orders will be to stay at the guild and soak up as much training as you can. And of course, you'll be responsible for escorting Lisa to her mother's residence once we've managed to make contact. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" I gulped. There was nothing but patience in the guildmaster's expression, but something told me I shouldn't press my luck.

Evelyn's muzzle twisted into a smile. "Great! Now that that's settled, it's time for roll call." She stood up and padded for the door. "Believe it or not, you're not the only newcomers to our guild today. Another group of young ones applied earlier this morning. As per guild tradition, we'll introduce each of you to the rest of our staff during roll call, then we'll break for dinner." Her smile turned serious. "I'd recommend thinking a little about what you're going to say. First impressions are everything." She advised before whirling around and gesturing with her tails for us to follow.


Starglow Guild - Assembly Room


Once the rest of our badges and gear had been distributed, Evelyn led us back down to the entry hall and past the infirmary. Lisa clung lightly to my mane as we entered the assembly room, her eyes drawn to each explorer as we passed. Despite the psychic type's ability to float, it seems she found it more comfortable to remain in her eevee form, thus I'd been reduced to a glorified kit carriage.

Nonetheless, as we entered the sparsely occupied room, it became clear that it was far from an ordinary meeting space. The room was structured like a terrarium with a large, glass skylight for a ceiling, along with an assortment of berry bushes and flower gardens. A thin layer of fresh, grass turf coated the guild's usual ebony wood floors, the center of which had been hollowed out into a ditch that served as a decorative water well.

"Huh. Fancy stuff." I grinned, pouncing around as we entered to Lisa's dismay. The freshly watered turf felt cool beneath my paws, the dew-drenched grass seeping between my toes and soothing my tired pads. I'd heard stories about the comfy benefits the guild provided its workers, but I never imagined they applied to the design of the building itself! Had it not been for the sharp stares of nearby staff members, the room would've felt like home.

"Now, now, let's not stare!" Evelyn called out, taking the lead and approaching a small podium at the front of the room. "This is Team Fedora. Like our other newcomers, whom I hope you've all taken the time to converse with, these four are our guests, and soon to be our family." She nodded toward a group of four pokémon around our age who'd sequestered themselves along the opposing wall. "We'll then, I know you don't need to be told what to do. Hop to it!" Without another word, the remaining staff, a group of 30 or so explorers, healers, and the like, spread out into orderly rows across the meeting space. "Now, if you will…" The guild master glanced between our group and the remaining newcomers. "The eight of you can join my assistant, Luke." She nodded to a blue-eyed eevee to her right. "For those who are soft-spoken, Luke will assist in your introduction. Otherwise, state your name, your hometown, and a personal skill. It's not required, but a demonstration is always appreciated." She grinned. "Now go on, hurry along!"

The other team practically raced us to the front, resulting in murmurs of unease amongst the staff as Luke weaved his way around the newcomers. "Slowly!" He protested. "This is a guild, not a playground."

"Now now. There's nothing wrong with a bit of excitement here and there." Evelyn cut in before facing us once more. "Eve! Since you've already found success on your first mission, why don't you go first?" Upon hearing news about our feat, the other team's ears perked with newfound interest.

"O-oh, uhh…" I gulped, stage fright taking over the bulk of my form until a nudge from my sister quelled my fear. "Well, my name's Evening Grace, but pokémon usually call me Eve." I began. Luke eyed me curiously as if he meant to say something, yet he remained silent. "My sister Ally and I moved here from a small village named Irene when we were three. As for a skill, umm…" I paused, unsure how to handle the question, yet, before I knew it I found myself removing my hat, squeezing the rim between the digits of my right forepaw, and tossing it around as if it had a handle. "Look! No thumbs!" I giggled. The performance resulted in a disturbed yip from Verdant, along with a steady laugh from the guild crew.

"Remarkably dexterous!" Evelyn applauded. "Perhaps you could aid our clerks in their paperwork." She chuckled. "Who's next?"

Ally raised her paw and began speaking about her attempts at writing. Soon enough, the rest followed. Verdant bragged about her fancy patchwork business, while Lisa did her best to describe her situation. On the flip side, a flaffy native to Starglow named Nebula took the stage. She performed a unique display with a static ball of electricity, forming it into a variety of shapes, including a particularly interpretive shape of the guildmaster. A ghostly, shiny zorua named Oleander soon followed. The two were from someplace named Golden Shore, and Oleander, who'd stricken me as the nerdy sort, recited the digits of a confusingly long number she called pie? Like the food, but a number? Flux, a tan-furred, amber-eyed minccino followed up with a simple standing backflip. He'd come to Starglow from someplace named Wheacul, a peaceful foreign country from our own forest continent, Veralos.

"I-I…" The last newcomer, an eevee with sky-blue eyes stuttered, then turned to Luke for assistance. A period of hushed whispering occurred before the male eevee stood tall and began the announcement on her behalf.

"Our last recruit for the day is named Elizabeth Elkheart, or Elly. She hails from a noble, business-oriented family centered in Treasure Town. Her favorite activity includes reading historical nonfiction, and she's particularly knowledgeable on historical landmarks and popular travel destinations." He smiled. "Something I can relate to. Don't worry so much. You'll fit in fine here." He nudged her supportively before joining Evelyn at her podium.

"Well said!" Evelyn commended her assistant. "That concludes the introductions. Now, if you will, please join your guildmates in assembly formation so we can continue to this evening's announcements! Quickly! We don't have time to dally around. Our cooks are hard at work with tonight's dinner. Let's not waste it!"

As quickly as we'd joined Luke, we filed in behind the present guild members, minus Lisa, who refused to leave her perch atop my back. "That was fun!" I grinned, tapping the ground with my paws giddily. "I didn't think I'd get to do that in front of so many pokémon!" I whispered to Ally, who promptly shushed me.

Evelyn promptly cleared her throat. "Onto business. As I'm sure you're all aware, time is becoming increasingly unstable by the day. Investigations into the matter have revealed that this may be the result of the recent theft of a time gear. As that location was unguarded, it's likely this result spawned from negligence. As such, the Exploration Team Federation has called for a tightening of security around the remaining time gears. This includes our very own Starshroud Forest." The guildmaster glanced back at her crew to make sure all were paying attention before continuing. "So far the culprit has yet to be apprehended, but to do our part, the Starglow guild is launching an initiative to closely monitor our time gear. Effective immediately, we will begin rolling out rotations of mandatory guard for our senior staff. Naturally, to compensate for any missed opportunities, missions, and the like, these guard duty sessions will be paid at a standard rate and will count as bonus points toward your annual ETF performance rank. Information on figures will be announced in a bulletin posted tomorrow morning. As usual, if you have any questions, please speak with me directly after assembly." She concluded. "If we're understood, you are dismissed. Make sure to introduce yourselves to your new guildmates! It doesn't need to be immediate, but don't be a stranger!"

With the dismissal of the assembly, our senior guildmates began filing out of the assembly room and going their separate ways, most making a beeline for the cafeteria, the rest making their way toward the dorms.

"Team Fedora, Team Sol?" Evelyn approached before we could disband. "If it's at all okay with the eight of you, I'd like for you to stick together for a day or so. Enjoy your meal tonight, and get to know each other." She paused, waiting for nods of approval. "If we agree, I'll see you after dinner for your room assignments. Do know that we don't offer separate rooms for males and females. We expect our staff to be mature enough to respect each other's boundaries." She glanced at the other team with mock suspicion. "That means, if you're going to do anything you wouldn't share with your parents, make sure you're not seen." The guildmaster laughed heartily, then padded off to join Luke.

"Is she serious?" Flux broke the silence, a shit-eating grin plastered across his muzzle. "Alright, if you two start anything, do the gentlemon's thing and place a scarf on the doorknob." He gestured to Oleander and Elly, the former of whom shot back with a glare.

"Don't even entertain it." The zorua huffed. "Anyway." She smiled our way. "Hi! I'm Oleander! Great to meet you!"

"You too!" I grinned. "What was that number? I didn't know you could do that with food."

The ghostly zorua frowned, confused. "It's not like the food. It's spelled PI. It's a math term." She explained.

Ally nudged me playfully. "Told ya you should study." She chuckled. "You're from Golden Shore, right? The resort town?"

"That's what it's called!" Nebula nodded. The flaffy toying around with static electricity. "It's nothing but a tourist trap if ya ask me, but the sand looks pretty."

Oleander nudged her aside. "Don't listen to her. She's all about exotic locations." She shook her head. "Hey, Elly! Come on, introduce yourself!"

The shy eevee fidgeted her paws in the soft grass, unable to look up. "I uhh… Hi." She hesitated, but eventually nabbed the courage to look up at me. "That was kind of cool. I've never seen an eevee with that kind of flexibility."

"Was it really?" I removed my hat and stared at it blankly, before placing it back. "I didn't think it was all that special." I paused. "But hey! You sound like you know a lot of stuff about the world! Could ya tell me about it sometime?"

Elly hesitated, shifting her focus around the room awkwardly, before settling just above my forehead. "Sure! Are you interested in tourism?"

"Nope!" I blurted, receiving a jab from my sister. "Sorry!" I threw up my paws in defense. "I'm not really into that kind of travel, but I love learning about the places I explore!"

Elly smiled, despite the abrupt response. "I look forward to it then!"

"Well, that's settled!" Flux cut in. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm famished. Let's get going before the oldies grab all of the good stuff."

Verdant shook her head. "I think you've found a kindred spirit, Eve." She giggled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I eyed her with suspicion.

"Who cares! Let's go!" Before we could protest, the minccino scuttled up behind us and nudged us forward. "Come on! I like my soup hot!"

"I don't think anyone likes cold soup." Oleander chuckled before making a break for the cafeteria. One day in the guild we already had friends. I was bummed that I couldn't see my soul again, but at the very least, it wasn't just the four of us. I just hope they have Sitrus berries!