National Dex Pokegraphic
Chapter 1: Guild Safari
Welcome To The Jungle
By Invalid Value-anon
Mirages, phantasms, and figments haunted the former human's dreams.
They were all Pokemon. Every recurrence in Mustel the Zangoose's white and red furred head was all about god-damned Pokemon. They were all about Pokemon and that strange book. It was that musty, gilded tome he found in his college library, which he had in cheeky frustration given the moniker of being a Pokedex. Nay, it was not just a Pokedex. It was THE Pokedex. As far as he knew, there was nothing else like it in the world. The book documented his encounters with every creature that could be defined as a Pokemon as well as add his own rhetoric on the subject. The one thing it lacked was a reason to do so other than the feeling of an unconscious geas—a calling telling him that he had to. It gave no reward other than the fulfillment of adding another entry to its weathered parchment. Whether it was capable of more was unfounded. The book had no trace of an author or former owner, either.
The feline-like Pokemon checked in with every scholarly busybody that resided in that transmogrified human haven known as the Clover Guild. He asked everyone he could, from the most coy and mysterious Meowstic, Guildmaster Lliam, to the most timid and polite of Ribombee, the researcher known as Booker.
Not a single soul in the guildhouse had ever heard of such an artifact.
Some of the guild's colleagues were jealous when someone arrived with even an inkling of some presumed higher purpose to pursue in the Pokemon World. A greater consensus found it 'lame' or 'retarded', and believed the lack of clear direction to be nothing short of maddening and delusional to chase after. They proposed that Mustel should instead join them in their own layabout pursuits of being comfortable, content, and, as many put it, 'fucking around'. They had long since given up the ghost in search of a reason behind their transformations and abductions into this strange world.
There were guildmates who would try to steal away The Pokedex as a prank or out of spite, only to learn about the book's unusual qualities of being able to quickly recall its owner's side. Serpes the Seviper, Mustel's teammate and literal partner-in-crime in this strange new world, was quick to establish his stance on the harassment of his 'good buddy'. With a smug display of his combat prowess and snide remarks, the less-amiable guildmon retreated. The bullies feigned superiority, calling both the ferret and snake 'a pair of faggots' before leaving them alone.
All this soon faded out of the guild's zeitgeist and ultimately out of recent memory as time passed. There was an absence of answers as to what the Zangoose was to do with himself now. Mustel's entire human life, his career pursuits, and his personal sacrifices as he knew them were dashed upon the rocks of fate and rendered meaningless. He was by no means alone in this predicament, but it didn't make him feel any better either. He brooded over these lost sentiments and explored the realm with Serpes, pursuing what guild requests were in their capabilities to make a living and try to learn more about the Pokemon World as Team Fangclaw.
Mustel felt utterly hopeless and stuck in a cycle. He felt like he was suffocating under his own impotence. The momentum of his self pitying and tumultuous dreams were interrupted. He was actually finding it hard to breathe all of a sudden!
Nest Unrest * * *
The Cat Ferret Pokemon woke up with a start, gasping for air. Mustel found himself wriggling against an oppressive mass that was smooth and cold to the touch. His vision wavered for a moment from the shock before becoming gradually clear. Sunlight beamed in from a window along the restraints against his body, and it soon dawned on him that they were in fact the powerful, serpentine coils of his companion, Serpes. The Zangoose's trusted reptilian partner had somehow wrapped himself around the more rotund mammalian Pokemon and was squeezing unpleasantly tight. He felt his ribs creak and his arms bend inward at painful angles. Mustel needed to do something as he knew his life was in danger!
"S-serpes! Y-you... You're crushing me! A-a-again. S-stop!" The Zangoose wheezed in despair; his jade eyes started tearing up from the pain and lack of breath as he struggled against the strong muscles and armored scales which surrounded him. He felt his claws trying to straighten in an instinctive bid for survival, but to no avail under the snake's bulk.
The Seviper immediately stirred, raising his head slowly from within his body's protective coils. He flicked his tongue lazily as he tried to figure out what the ruckus was before his pink eyes widened in shock upon realizing what he had been unconsciously doing to his Zangoose friend. He loosened his hold on Mustel and quickly reached for his Treasure Bag to retrieve potential medical supplies. "Ssshit, ssshit! I didn't bite or cut you, did I, buddy? Do we need to go to the clinic?!" He burrowed his snout into the pack and withdrew a maw full of berries cradled carefully on his lower jaw. He avoided perforating them on his fangs with unnatural dexterity and presented them to his exasperated companion.
"Huff... huff... if you did bite me, I'd have probably bitten back, or worse. My Toxic Boost trait seems to make me act a bit feral when influenced by poison... I don't want to explain to Kina or anyone else what just happened. I think I'll be fine with just one of these." Mustel remarked haggardly and anxiously, a tired grimace across his face as he took an Oran Berry and bit into it, perking up a little once he swallowed the healing fruit. He continued speaking at a slightly more relaxed pace. "I pray these incidents don't awaken something in me... We really need to figure out this whole sleep-constricting situation. What were you dreaming of this time?"
Serpes chewed on a berry whole in his large muzzle, scratching his head with the backside of his tailblade sheepishly. "It was about hunting a Zangoossse in a grassy wilderness. Again. The dream's not based on fact, though. I promise!" He tried to smile the situation off, but the limited jaw motion of his snake-like features made it look like he was in too much pain to even express it.
"Again." Mustel repeated, furrowing his brows into a shape more stereotypical of a Zangoose and their resting bitch face. "You said the first time you just liked my body heat because you're cold-blooded. The only reason I didn't complain at that time was because I love repti-... I find Pokemon of your persuasion fascinating! Err..." He cringed twice over himself as his corrected response sounded even worse than the one he had planned. He reached for his own bag and retrieved The Pokedex as if it'd absolve him of any awkwardness. The gleaming book shimmered in the morning light as he thumbed through several pages, as if trying to find answers to his problems in the myriad of blank pages that prefaced any of the Pokemon entries it had magically archived.
The Seviper raised a gold-scaled brow as his friend dug through the book as if his life depended on it. "I'm sorry, Mussstel! I didn't want to scare you off... I didn't want to end up back in jail either. I don't think they take kindly to monslaughter... I think it's your... ssscent setting me off." Serpes glanced off to the side awkwardly once that sentence left his mouth. He flicked his tongue as he contemplated his choice of words. "I could have phrasssed that better..." He squinted with a side-eyed gaze back at his comrade as he dove into his strange magic book. "Hrm... What's the book telling you today, buddy?"
The Zangoose stopped at the Seviper entry in the book and looked over the personal documentation he's been adding to the entry. "My recollections from a week or so ago. Give me a moment; I'm trying to find something that can help me clarify this predicament." He monologued the writing quietly to himself internally.
"The Seviper species is known to share a generations-long feud with the Zangoose species. This parallel is almost inextricably similar to that of mongooses and snakes back in the Human World... The entire species holds a genetic memory similar to that of its rival species and may develop similar scar-like marks on its body across their generations. This may be held to be evident of the countless vicious battles both Pokemon have endured. Despite this, individuals in the Pokemon World do not seem to be consciously beholden to this ancestral revulsion, bringing to mind the commonly held debate of nature versus nurture."
Mustel looked at Serpes. The snake still gazed off at a wall as if hoping the entire issue would pass with time. "Consciously... Damn it. I think I understand what is going on?" The Normal-Type stowed away The Pokedex. A frustrated growl left his muzzle. He rubbed at his forehead, trying to find relief from his own busy thoughts.
The snake looked back at his partner from the corner of his eye, still trying to avoid direct eye contact. He tried to humor the distressed Zangoose. "Is it a Ghossst Pokemon playing a cruel joke on us? I knew that giggly Duskull was no good! I bet he was the one who drew on the side of my tailblade that doodle of a human's-"
The Zangoose interrupted abruptly with an uneasy scowl. "Yes, we all witnessed that. You didn't have to draw everybody's attention to it... You did not need to start making comparisons... You didn't need to ask Cyndaquil for his opinion on it, either! We were almost kicked out of the Blue Claw Inn over it! Finally, no! It has nothing to do with Ghost-Types!"
Mustel reached out and gently guided Serpes' head to face him with his paw, preventing him from staring at a wall like an unruly child. He spoke slowly and firmly. Hints of difficulty to maintain a calm facade rattled the cat-like creature's face. "Both of our species have something like an ancestral memory in our very flesh and blood that can cause us to act aggressively towards the other. I unfortunately don't know if the information in the book accounts for the concept of civilized Pokemon, nor am I versed in the cultural history of Zangooses or Sevipers. But..."
The Cat Ferret Pokemon playfully tapped Serpes on the snout in a quick change of attitude, leading the reptile to flicker his serpentine tongue and leer in surprise at how mercurial his friend was at times. Mustel continued in a more spry mood as he went on a educational spiel. "You may be onto something, with scent being the issue. I suspect that sharing the same lodging renders you more susceptible to unconscious stimuli due to our close proximity."
Serpes scratched at his snout with the blunt of his tailblade, tilting his head questioningly. "And what doesss that eloquent chain of words mean in Pokecommon, buddy?"
The scholarly Pokemon rubbed idly at his red furred forearms as he tried to parse the knowledge. "What I'm saying is you're picking up my smell while we're asleep since we share the same quarters. I think it's making you hunt Zangoose in your sleep due to it. Maybe there's some credence to this ancestral memory stuff, but it's making you act on it unconsciously." He tried to smile off the concerning revelation. He hoped this was able to be fixed before something tragic happened. "And I think I'm beginning to understand why some of the others thought it was so weird we were bunking together without any sort of 'protection'..." He immediately realized the double entendre behind that phrasing and grumbled. It had to be some of the guildmates poking fun at their expense.
Mustel ceased his whining and lowered his shoulders, twiddling his thumbs as he pondered something tangentially related to their predicament. "Are you certain you're not at least a little bit upset with me still over your current situation? I just remembered that when we met, you made up some sort of excuse about the grudges between our species, giving you a reason to take my book."
The Seviper nodded thoughtfully over the proposal of possibly sleephunting his companion due to some instinctual drive triggered by smell. He was suddenly at a loss for what Mustel was muttering about to himself indignantly after that revelation until his expression turned to one of apprehension upon being questioned over their current relationship.
The snake was quiet for a moment before responding. "Upset about being sssstuck living with you in a guild full of whackjobs, buddy?" The snake let out a hesitant, hissy chuckle. The former human rolled his green eyes as Serpes continued with a more sincere tone. "I may be a little peeved that these are the cardsss I was dealt. It's not every day you're living outside the law and end up failing to rob the one Zangoose in all of the known world who's a human with a magic book." The serpentine Pokemon rubbed idly at his long neck. "I don't really have a vendetta againsssst them or you either, Mustel. That's just something I made up on the spot for a bit of theatrics..." He smiled at his companion. "Maybe I've had sssome difficulty processing everything that happened in the last few weeks."
The pudgy and clawed Pokemon shook his head dismissively as he repeatedly fought with his own inner turmoil, trying to maintain some sort of composure. He relaxed into a smile of his own. "I'm sorry... I'm constantly spiraling myself. Nothing about our situations has been what one would call reasonable, theft or no theft." He looked back at his Treasure Bag where the book now resided. "On the topic of scents and smells, do you think there's something we could use to maybe help us starve off these troublesome instincts?"
He raised an arm and gave himself a whiff, raising a brow as he mused about the nature of Pokemon biology. "That's a hard-to-describe smell... I don't think I can just stop smelling like a Zangoose. I don't imagine Pokemon bathe as regularly as humans do, either. Neither do most animals back in my world... Have they invented anything to deal with troubling odors that doesn't involve scrubbing myself to the bone in the showers?"
Serpes stared for a bit at Mustel's odd behavior. He glanced out the dormitory window and took in the faint view of the Capim Town rooftops under the morning sky. "I don't think many Pokemon have a problem with smells of this kind of pursssuasion to begin with. If you're looking for a perfect perfume, I know of a vendor in town, an Aromatisse, that specializes in pleasant ssscents and similar goods. Maybe she could help break the habit with some concoction? We could stop by after we see what Clover Guild has in store for today. What do you say, buddy?"
With an improved demeanor, Mustel gathers his things into his Treasure Bag, and slings it around his shoulder. "Sure, let's take a run of the place. Maybe I'll find something worth writing about in The Pokedex along the way to take my mind off the excitement this morning had stirred up in me." He helped the Seviper get into his own guild ensemble before they both headed out the door.
Breaking Breakfast * * *
Team Fangclaw made their way to the mess hall with little fanfare or disruption. The pair took in the sight of the menagerie of various Pokemon. There was a mix of both human and native types, which had gathered here to socialize and partake in whatever meals were prepared by the both highly self-esteemed and temperamental Chef Beast Winchester, a Munchlax, fittingly enough.
Mustel, was unable to help himself and immediately pulled out The Pokedex. He jotted down his thoughts while reading what he already had on record about the chef's species since their initial meeting. "Munchlax, the Big Eater Pokemon. It needs to consume its own weight in food every day. As far as flavor is concerned, it's indifferent."
Serpes looked at his friend with concern. "I hope that's the book talking, and not you. We're letting him prepare food for usss?" The Zangoose shook his head, trying to object to the Seviper's negative line of thinking.
"There's exceptions to everything and everyone... A lot of the information the book comes predisposed with sounds like it was written by a very imaginative child." He paused when the Seviper gave him a disingenuous smirk towards his remark.
"Don't look at me like that! Besides, I thought you liked the food here." The Cat Ferret Pokemon glanced back toward the mess hall's counter.
Beast was herding Pokemon past the counter for their meals with the strictness of a drill sergeant. He'd periodically turn behind him to chastise a Numel who looked like he was practically cowering beneath the stove he operated under the chef's authority.
"Medium heat, Ronald! It must be on medium heat! You might as well steam it at that temperature! And, for goodness sake, who moved the spice rack again? I swear, sometimes I think this guild is out to ruin me!" As he directed the kitchen, the stout sophisticate commanded and mourned for anyone who could hear him.
"Y-yes, Sir! Mr. Winchester, lowering the temperature. I can't feel my feet again..." A billow of steam and smoke rose up in response to the subtle roar of a flame.
The Seviper leaned toward the Zangoose's pointy ears. "Mussstel, my good friend? Don't take this out of context, for my sssake, and because Cyndaquil is literally two tables across from us, making the kind of kissy faces that only a mother could slap. I can eat things twice the size of my head by unhinging my jawsss. I don't need to taste sssquat if I don't want to."
Serpes receives a puzzled look from the Cat Ferret Pokemon. "So what you're getting at is that you're really good at swallowing?" Mustel replied with a playful sneer. The snake was about to go on a bitter rant when the Zangoose appeared alarmed. Team Fangclaw both looked over the white-furred creature's shoulder and saw a Pokemon with a yellow, brick-like carapace happily hugging his tail.
"H-hello, Cassie. It's nice to see you. I see you're getting acquainted with my tail again." Mustel tried to wriggle his tail free from the other Pokemon's hold with a feeble whine.
The Sandshrew giggled as she buried herself in the fluffy limb that consisted of enough tightly packed fur to practically act as a decoy for Mustel's pudgy torso. "Can't resist! And here's another hug for you yourself, big guy!" She shifted quickly to the Zangoose's front to grip and squeeze affectionately at his belly with her clawed mitts.
Mustel spread his arms awkwardly, as he was not great at reciprocating unexpected affection like this. "T-thank you?" He looked up at Serpes, pleading for an answer.
The snake coughed into a coil of his body as if it was his fist. He pointed his bladed tail behind the Zangoose. A small white fox in a flat cap and vest was running away back into the lobby with something in their mitts. Serpes then pointed at the paw that the Cat Ferret Pokemon should be holding his book in. Mustel looked at his claw to see it was replaced with a thick cutting board, likely pilfered out of Beast's kitchen.
"...Wait what the- Serpes! Why didn't you say anything!?" the furry creature grappled the sides of his head in disbelief.
The reptilian Pokemon pulled his Zangoose friend out of the Sandshrew's hold and towards his flank so they could both watch the thief running away from them. "Unless you forget... Your silly book returnsss to you when it's out of reach. Truth be told, that should have already happened..." Serpes noticed Mustel was starting to look a little more pale than usual, which was impressive given his white fur. The Zangoose held onto his friend's bulk to not fall over and breathed a little more heavily than it was usual for him. He dropped the cutting board with a clatter as his strength waned.
"Any minute now?!" The Seviper frowned as he realized something was not right. He looked at Mustel's ailing form and then he stared daggers at Cassie. He raised his tailblade towards her threateningly. "Where. Isss. It?"
The Sandshew stepped back a few steps, feeling the jig was up. "Now hold on there, guys! I can explain everything if you just give me a moment."
A voice rang out in anger from outside the guildhall entrance. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Everyone turned their attention there briefly to see the small fox marching back towards the mess hall. It was none other than Kiyo, if there was ever an initial doubt. His multitude of tails bristled angrily as he trotted towards Cassie, Serpes, and Mustel. He stopped before them, sat on his rump, and crossed his forelimbs across his chest as if expecting an answer. "Okay. I'm not mad," he lied, "I just want an explanation."
The white Vulpix points toward the tired Zangoose, who was holding his book again, which caught everyone by surprise.
Serpes sighed in relief as his friend had reclaimed The Pokedex as expected. "I told you there was nothing to worry about!" He froze stiffly in fear when the Ice-Type Pokemon gave the snake a literal cold gaze.
Mustel wrapped both his arms around the golden book and hissed like a feral Pokemon at Kiyo, which startled him despite his cool demeanor. Cassie stepped between them to try and keep a distance between the two guildmon.
Kiyo continued to argue about the circumstances. "Nothing to worry about? Not even that parlor-trick of a diary tubby here's clinging to? Cassie, did you see anything?! I swear it fuckin' warped!" She shrugged, as she was just as clueless as he was. "Bean?!" A small bird popped out of the thick fur on Mustel's tail and shrugged as well before flying off to land on the Sandshrew's shoulder. The Vulpix covered his visage with both paws and slowly dragged them down his face with a groan.
Clutching at his book, the Cat Ferret Pokemon finally regained enough composure to speak. "First of all, it's not a diary... Second of all, the book is bound to me and only me! It has a piece of my soul, or aura, or whatever inside it! You can't even destroy the thing if you want to!" He clarified loudly with his sharp teeth bared. Mustel had already put up with several people trying to take the book from him. Having this happen again after several weeks of peace did nothing but stir old feelings.
The frigid fox slowly turned his head 90 degrees in both directions, flicking his ears in deep thought. The proverbial gears in his head broke off their axles as he frowned. "You actually have a magic diary... You're joking, right?"
Mustel stared down at Kiyo with a growl. Serpes intervened and made a protective barrier around his comrade with his long body, adding another degree of separation between the Zangoose and Vulpix. The white and red furred critter's green gaze still peeked over the snake coils. "I-I'm not! T-the Combusken, KFC! He can see auras! He saw that the book has the same aura as me! Why did you all try to take it?! You surely heard that everyone else tried and failed! Y-you... I'll admit, you got pretty far with it too before it came back... It normally comes back when nobody's looking at it from what I can tell." The Zangoose wondered if Kiyo simply did a good job at keeping his eyes on it as he fled until he couldn't.
Cassie perked up and faced the cat-like creature with a smile. "Oh that one's easy! We just wanted to peek inside your diary to know what to get for your birthday without you knowing! We didn't know it was really, REALLY important to you! We should have been forward with you! Isn't that right?" Bean nodded quietly in agreement. The two strangers looked at their third, hoping he'd play along.
Kiyo pondered the exposition laid before him and groaned. "Fine. I'm not saying I'm sorry... But I wouldn't have borrowed it if I knew it was that important to you; Probably...." He made air quotes with his paws upon the mention of the word 'borrow'. "I've, uh, come across some weird junk in my career, but a piece of someone's soul? No thanks. It sounds too..." The wintry, vulpine Pokemon trailed off, uncertain how to finish his sentence.
Serpes interjected despite his better insight towards the moment. "Romantic?" He retracted behind his own body next to Mustel as Kiyo pelted a thin, crackling beam of ice towards his head. This was followed by the squawk of a distraught Flying-Type guildmon in the distance that managed to get struck by the beam. The Seviper glanced over his back before facing Kiyo with a cowed smile. "I'll be good."
A new but familiar voice joined the conversation. "I'll let you steal away my soul, Kiyo!" It was none other than Cyndaquil, who couldn't bear being left out of the commotion happening almost smack dab in the middle of the mess hall. It seemed almost every other guildmon was ignoring them either from being intimidated by some of the Pokemon involved or because it was simply none of their business.
Kiyo's fur stood on end as he quickly snatched Serpe's tailblade by the hilt like a massive sword and wielded it with a similar unwieldly proficiency in his little forepaws. He pointed it towards Cyndaquil with murderous fury. Naturally, this dragged some of the Seviper's bulk along with it, as the weapon was part of his body. A few guildmon at another table giggled and cheered at the Vulpix's display, and some started humming various video game battle themes and motifs in response. The Fire-Type Pokemon leaped back in fright, despite maintaining a shit-eating grin. "Where the fuck did you come from?!" Kiyo shouted in angry reprisal.
"Well, I 'cum' from my-" The diminutive degenerate hit the deck as Kiyo thrust the poisonous snake's sword in his direction when he tried to reply.
The Fang Snake Pokemon peeks his head over the coils of his body with a mixture of agitation and worry. "Kiyo, would you be ssso kind to give that back? I'm beginning to feel very uncomfortable. Maybe we ssshould all just take a step back and-" Serpes let out a timid squeak as the Vulpix feinted and thrust his own bladed rear towards his face.
"THIS DOESN'T INVOLVE YOU!!!" Kiyo barked out. Bits of crystalline frost and snowy powder gently flaked in the air around him as his Ice-Type fury threatened to be unchained by his frustration.
The serpentine Pokemon nodded with a faux-smile, conceding to the Vulpix. He quickly retracted back behind his coils, where Mustel was taking cover from the situation. "Mussstel? I would like to go home now."
The Zangoose groaned, rubbing his forehead. "We live in this guild, Serpes."
"I want to go back home to jail." The snake quipped.
Cyndaquil kept antagonizing the Vulpix for one reason or another. "Okay, Kiyo, you drive a hard bargain! How about I let you take my heart instead? How about my virgini-"
There was suddenly a loud splintering of wood against a blade, followed by Cyndaquil hysterically yelling. "Woop, woop, woop!" Team Fangclaw both peeked over one more time and found Cyndaquil and the three strangers to have dispersed out of the mess hall. A small elephant, a fiery orange bird, and a blue crocodilian sprinted out after them in a panic.
Serpe's tail was left laying on the floor, embedded in the stolen cutting board from earlier. The Zangoose and Seviper looked at each other, utterly confused by the entire ordeal.
"We're ssskipping breakfast from now on, right?" The snake asked Mustel with a pleading look in his pink eyes. He wanted to avoid this place after what just happened. The ferret-like Pokemon could only groan again as he slumped onto the Seviper's mass and clung on like laundry on a clothes line.
"Just slither us towards the serving counter while I hold onto you until I don't feel like I just had my very soul tugged at like yarn. We need to return that thing stuck on your tail and eat something other than plain berries..."
The rest of breakfast went relatively normally for Team Fangclaw, besides the fact they needed to explain to Beast what happened to one of his favorite cutting boards and why a Pidgey was frozen to the ceiling. They soon dispersed with the rest of the guild into the lobby after finishing their meals.
Supplies Party * * *
Mustel rode along on Serpe's back like a bump on a log. He had returned to burying himself in the pages of his book as he scribbled the index claw of his left paw into its parchment. The Pokedex magically reacted as the claw tip left glowing, golden trails that quickly faded into black ink. "It was interesting seeing Kiyo in action, even if it was entirely unconventional... Did you know the native name for his species of Vulpix is Keokeo? Kiyo the Keokeo... Either his parents weren't the most keen on being original, or his name is an alias."
"Isn't your name an aliasss too, buddy?" The Seviper smirked as he glanced back at the Zangoose.
"Says Garrote. I have my reasons, Serpes." The Pokemon held his book closer to his face in an attempt to avoid the subject. The snake shrugged, or did the best he could to shrug without shoulders.
The two Pokemon arrived at the bulletin boards. Several guildmon were already there, looking for work. They were mostly the same handful of skilled guild combatants or powerful evolutionary stages that showed up nearly every day. They paid next to no mind to the Zangoose and Seviper as they surveyed the various requests. They had to act quickly before someone else snatched up the most lucrative work.
"Several missing items, a half dozen escorts to regions I'd prefer not to visssit, and some neglectful parents lost their kids again. We also have many outlawsss running amuck lately. I have no interest in running into old acquaintances, buddy." Serpes blew a hissing raspberry at the list of available missions.
Mustel growled in indifference. "Just pick whatever. We need the money..."
The snake looked at a poster with a smarmy grin. "Amp Plains item retrieval it is! I hope you know what a Jaw Fossil isss because that's what we're looking for." The Seviper snatched a poster off the board with a swipe of his tail.
"I just love the idea of roughing it in a lighting stricken hellscape. The jagged fulgurite covering that place would feel great when it cuts into my paws, and the feral Electabuzz are going to be just the cuddliest living lightning rods around! We have barely enough supplies for that kind of trek. I don't want to be eaten by a pack of Luxray, Serpes." Mustel growled sourly.
"You did say to pick whatever. Besides, Cheri Berriesss will fix what shocks you, my grumpy, fluffy friend! I just ssso happen to know where to find some. Walk this way, Mustel." Serpes smiled and slithered off, with Mustel ironically still sitting on his back towards the basement.
"Why are we heading to the basement? Can't we just buy what we need from a Kecleon? Are you certain we can just march in there?" The Zangoose questioned repeatedly. He held on with a worried frown as he felt the bumps of the stairs along Serpes' body. "S-slow down!"
"You can walk on your own two or four pawssss anytime you wish, you know..." The Seviper chided with a sideways glance.
Once they reached the bottom, Mustel disembarked with a huff. "But I like riding yo- Err, nevermind! Wow, take a look at this place!" He tried to distract the snake from his umpteenth slip of the tongue and pointed at the contents of the basement.
Team Fangclaw gave the entire chamber a few glances. It was lined with countless shelves, crates, barrels, and miscellaneous other objects of wares and junk discovered by the guild over their many delves into the dungeons across the world. It was not the most brightly lit floor of the Clover Guild due to its subterranean nature. A series of lanterns along the walls illuminated the contours and shapes of the countless objects stored here.
The Cat Ferret Pokemon rubbed at his bleary eyes as his nocturnal vision started to take effect. "Isn't there someone who runs inventory down here? This place is like a warehouse. What does a Cheri Berry even smell like? I just sense dust, and it's making me want to... It's making me want-" Mustel let out a raspy series of sneezes. He rubbed at his snout in agitation. "It makes me want to do that."
Serpes flicked his tongue, surveying the corridors of shelves. "I've ssseen dustier. I'll seek out the berries, buddy. You just stay here by the stairs. Be back ssssoon!" With a flash of his sinuous form, the snake disappeared into the shadows.
Mustel took a seat on a crate. A few minutes passed before boredom set in. He took to writing into his tome as he awaited his friend's return. The studious creature flipped to an empty page and started jotting down his thoughts. He yawned and fought back another sneeze, rubbing at his perpetually tired eyes as he shifted in place to better illuminate what he was writing by the lights of the overhanging lanterns.
"It has been roughly a month and some days since you crossed my path, Pokedex. I've been adapting... As well as the majority of the other humans in this guild, they have come to fair. I've taken to my new form relatively well, although there are many things I'm still not entirely sure of or am too afraid to ask anyone about lest I be humiliated even further than I am on a daily basis. The... colleagues of the Clover Guild are... mostly a tempered bunch of individuals, despite the myriad of quirks they display. Serpes, my former accoster turned friend, partner, and guide, has been a great deal of help in both familiarizing me with the ways of this world and, meanwhile, I'm trying to guide him through his interred alliance as he lives with me among the guild's human population.
Every day I wake up and find myself wandering the chambers of this great big tree until there's a reason to venture outside. This congregation of several dozen humans and their native allies makes certain that there is never a shortage of things that happen, for better or worse. Whether this is a haven or an asylum is regularly left up to debate, sometimes openly, as egos clash and disputes form over the most petty of things. A culture of internet references borne of former human lives huddled behind computer screens and other introverted lifestyles acts as the primary surrogate for a mutual cause in the face of wildly varying upbringings, beliefs, and opinions amongst the natives of the Pokemon World. What lives did these people live, and what lives do they now wish for? Is this fantastical world truly the welcoming escape many of us see it as? I can only strive forward on my own path and keep trying to fulfill the ethereal obligations that I feel in my soul towards this mystifying book. I feel if at any point I stagnate from this unspoken vow, not only will I not get the answers I seek, I think it will be my undoing..."
He shut the book closed with a woody clap of paper, giving the gilded cover a closer glance with a wavering sigh. He held the tassel that hung from its binding between his claws and observed the little fang that hung from its decorative end with a narrow squint. "My memories... I know you did something to them, but I can't pin down what, and I feel like... I shouldn't bother. Did you... alter them to try and make me single-minded in purpose? I helped document these Pokemon for you. But... why do I do it?" He questioned his motivation and the book's as well.
The book's cover shone brightly under the glow of a lantern, as if answering the Zangoose's existential pondering with evasive indifference. "You don't have to tell me anything... I'll keep playing along."
There was a loud uproar of a scarcely familiar voice yelling in surprise and anger. The noise shook the academic Pokemon off his perch with a thump, breaking his train of thought. "F-fuck sakes... What happe... What happ-" He sneezed again, pawing at his face irritably. "What the fuck is going on?!"
"EEEAAGH!!! INGRATE! VANDAL! LUMMOX! YOU UTTER FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! I JUST ORGANIZED THE CONTENTS OF THOSE! I ALPHABETIZED THOSE CRATES, YOU LEGLESS FUCKING COCKMONGLER!!! THAT WAS THREE ENTIRE NIGHTS OF WORK, GONE. DO YOU THINK I'M DOING THIS FOR MY HEALTH? ARE YOU HERE TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE BENEFITS OF DOING BACKBREAKING LABOR FOR NEGATIVE GAIN? ARE THEY PRESCRIBING MEDICINAL MORONS DOWN AT THE CLINIC NOW?! HERE'S A TOUGH PILL FOR YOU TO SWALLOW, YOU BASTARD!!! DID YOUR FAMILY RAISE YOU IN A BARN? FOR RETARDS?! DID THEY RAISE YOU IN A RETARD BARN?! DON'T YOU SLINK AWAY FROM ME, YOU PRICK! WHAT MAKES YOU FUCKING THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME DOWN HERE AND CRACK OPEN EVERY CRATE YOU SEE LIKE THEY'RE GODDAMN CEREAL BOXES?! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE FUCK CAP'N CRUNCH IS! I'LL SHOW YOU A FUCKING PRIZE INSIDE EVERY BOX, YOU GRUBBY, VENOMOUS WORM! I'M GOING TO HEADBUTT YOU SO HARD THAT THERE WON'T EVEN BE ANYTHING BUT A BUTT LEFT! I'LL SHOW YOU TO UNDERESTIMATE THIS ME, YOU DEPLORABLE EXCUSE FOR A POOL NOODLE! GET OVER HERE! AAAGGH!!!"
The voice cried out, followed by a series of crashes and bangs that could be felt underfoot.
The Zangoose put away his book and dropped to all fours. He darted through the aisles like a fat cat, hearing a can opener. "Hold on!" He cried out between labored breaths as he ran. He stopped to find a very complicated scene.
Before Mustel there were a series of crates. Several containers had been damaged and rummaged through, with their contents scattered on the ground. Berries, orbs, wands, unwanted TM devices, and countless other items were in the mess. He curiously picked up a White Gummi by his wrist as he stood up and sniffed at it.
"Huh... This smells kind of like French vanilla..." He looked away from the strange treat and promptly dropped it in shock, only to see a bladed tail hanging from above. His expression contorted into one of shock as he continued to follow the tail with his eyes, fearing the worst. He found Serpes stapled to the ceiling by his own fangs, very much alive. The Zangoose sighed in relief.
"Hnnggghh!!!" The Seviper groaned as he dangled helplessly, suspended by his own sharp teeth.
A small white figure speckled with red and blue shapes approached, dragging a stepladder, complaining and mumbling under their breath. They fluttered their wings as if trying to shake loose their very feathers. "I-I can't believe this... O-oh... Hello there... I-I'm... I'm afraid y-you'll have to c-come back later. T-there... t-there's been an i-incident! I-I'm very sorry!" The small critter looked at the Cat Ferret Pokemon with an expression that was perhaps even more tired than his own. It dawned on Mustel that this Pokemon was Togetic, a member not often seen in the forefront of the Clover Guild, from his own recollection.
The Happiness Pokemon set up the stepladder beneath Serpes and tugged at his tail with much difficulty. The snake could only groan in a combination of pain and humiliation as he didn't budge. The smaller creature grunted and strained as their wings fluttered helplessly. "Hngggh! O-oh... Oh man..."
Mustel approached quickly, motioning for the Pokemon to let go. "Hold on there! Togetic, right? I-I... Fuck. I should have known. Sorry for... You know what? Let me get that!" The Zangoose leapt onto the Seviper's tail and climbed up his body like a rope, much to the serpent's discomfort.
Once he reached Serpes' head, he looked him in the eye with a disappointed gaze. The Fang Snake Pokemon could only let out a muffled whine of dismay.
"What the fuck, man?" It was all the white-furred beast could say without roaring into a tangent. He grabbed at the base of the snake's saber-like teeth and gently wriggled back and forth in an attempt to jostle him loose. "I'd clear the floor beneath me there! I'm doing something absolutely reckless!"
Serpes was not pleased by this, sputtering out more whines and gripes into the woody ceiling. "Hmmmph!!!"
Toge watched with a mixture of fear and bemusement in his beady eyes as he quickly backed away from the embedded snake and his comrade's antics. He busied himself with picking things off the ground and returning what he could to their respective crates. "J-just Toge is fine. I-I I didn't mean to... H-he was just h-hulking in the shadows a-and and digging through e-everything with his m-mouth and sword. He was m-making such a mess l-like... like he owned the place! T-there were so m-many goods, j-just scattered about like garbage! I-I I was so angry... I-I'm sorry, truly I a-am! N-normally I-I don't even h-have... I don't even have the g-greatest luck using M-Metronome! O-oh I don't know know w-what overcame me... I-I can go get some a-assist... s-some assistance from u-upstairs?"
Mustel kept trying to unstaple his friend from the ceiling and not remove his fangs in the process. "No, please... It's all alright. I insist you don't make this a whole situation. I'm curious... what move did you manage to use to even cause this?" There was a splintering of wood from the ceiling, followed by Team Fangclaw falling to the floor in a heap.
The Seviper rose up from his own coils, dazed, reeling, and in pain. "He used Telekinesisss.... And then... and then he used Sssky Uppercut..." He gingerly felt his sore jaw with his tail to make sure there was nothing broken or deformed. "Please tell me I'm still beautiful. Am I pretty, bud?"
The Zangoose had unfortunately collided into the ground beside him, flat on his back. He quivered in pain as he sat up, rubbing at his bruised flank. "Agh... Yeah, you're still pretty. You're pretty unbelievable right now." He looked towards Toge with a sorry frown. "Listen, if I help you clean up, can we just forget all... can we just forge-" Mustel sneezed fiercely and mewled in pain, clutching at his hip. "...Can we forget all of this that happened?"
Toge looked at the pair with concern, and then he looked at the mess he had before him. He quickly retrieved and handed the Zangoose a broom. "I-it it'd be very a-appreciated if you helped. P-please be more c-careful, though... H-here, let me s-show you where y-you can begin. W-we... we can start over here w-with the... with the TM discs... N-nobody wanted these, a-anyway."
After what felt like ages of working off their debt to the guild's quartermaster due to the Seviper's irresponsibility, Mustel and Serpes parted ways with the guild's quartermaster. They climbed out of the basement and into Capim Town proper through the often neglected ramp at the rear of the building.
Utter Nonscents * * *
The Zangoose clutched a handkerchief to his nose as they walked, sniffling and snorting. He suffered the side effects of spending the entire morning sorting through the dusty guild basement's inventory. "So you're telling me... you sensed someone else in the basement, and instead of calmly approaching them and asking who they were... you assumed the worst, used your Infiltrator ability to hide from them like this was one of your past heists, and then just started prying every crate that smelled like a Cheri Berry?"
Serpes didn't respond as they moved along. He only nodded silently, trying to avert looking at Mustel directly but still flanking him as they both walked and slithered through town.
The irritated, furry creature stowed the cloth in his bag. He lightly but repeatedly tapped the snake on his scar until the reptile faced him. "And the reason why they smelled like that... is because they're made of CHERI WOOD?!"
With a great sigh that sounded like a spilled bag of sand, the Seviper replied. "Yessssss... that is exactly what happened. Sounds silly, doesn't it? ...Listen, I'm ssssorry. I helped clean up my own mess, didn't I? We did get the berries in the end, too..." Serpes tried his best to smile and show a sense of compliance. He winced in pain and tucked his jaw against his neck from the fall he sustained, looking a little bit ashamed.
Mustel kept walking without uttering another word. For a time, he seemed to be silently brooding with his eyes narrowed and focused on the road ahead of them. After a few long minutes, he finally spoke, still sounding frustrated. "O-okay. I can't stay upset at you... It doesn't serve a point. Just... try to do better, Serpes. It's part of this whole liaison deal you're under, remember? I wasn't even certain it could be negotiated..."
"Where does Kiyo using my ass as a ssshank on Cyndaquil fit into my liasionship?" The Seviper snarked with the Zangoose, glad he was speaking to him again, although he was wary of the Normal-Type's body language.
"It can probably fit into our obituaries at the frequency with which these things have happened and keep happening." Mustel responded with a grim, deadpan tone that was devoid of any humor or life.
Serpes stared, was slightly disturbed, and was taken out of his jovial state. "Mustel?"
The Zangoose abruptly complained about the last few hours with little warning. He did not stop his march through Capim Town, catching some stares from the citizens as he ranted and raved. His voice grew more panicked and on the verge of tears as he continued. "I-I say things when I'm strung up with stress, okay?! I've been trying to preoccupy my mind with literally anything else since this morning! A lot has happened in just this day alone. First, you tried to crush me in your sleep... Then Kiyo tried to run off with the entire reason I'm here, then I thought Toge killed you back there over your wild antics, and finally I feared I was going to accidentally defang you to save you from being a ceiling ornament in the guild's basement. I don't think I have to emphasize to you of all Pokemon, but defanging a snake is terrible! All of this is terrible. This day thus far has been burning through my nerves! Someone have mercy on me. I'm just one guy in the body of a fat thing! I don't have the strength for this fuckin-... Hrk!"
Mustel found himself quickly enveloped in Serpes' coils and dragged off to the side in what could be best described as a forced hug. It was not as restrictive as the deadly constrictions he faced this morning. It was a simple tight embrace meant to shelter him from the outside world. He was about to scream in terror as his Zangoose instincts finally boiled their way to the surface from that morning. He found himself sharply inhaling before the snake gently bunted his forehead into his friend's snout, suppressing his reaction. The critter found himself on wit's end and shedding tears, only able to let out a timid chirp and whimper as his view was blocked out by the serpent's broad head.
"Mussstel... I'm not going to hurt you. I just want you to calm down. I know we've gone through a lot today, and it's a bit overwhelming. I can't promissse it'll get better, especially with how the guild is... I may not exactly know where you humansss come from, with your quirks, and strange magic books. I do promise I'll ssstay with you through it all as long as I'm able, and not just because the law tells me to. I'll do it because something about you makes me genuinely care, despite all the craziness and chaos. Thisss world is tough, and we have to take it in stride to show it that we're tougher than it, friend. Now, I'm going to let go of you, but first, you're going to take a few deep breaths for me. Okay, bud? Nod for me if you followed all of that." The Seviper waited for a sign of concession.
The Zangoose ventilated through his nose, gradually slowing down and losing tension in his muscles. He conceded, nodding with a muffled noise of admission. Serpes let Mustel go and gave him some space to gather himself.
It felt like time stood still, as neither of them spoke for a while. The only sounds to break the silence were an occasional sniffle and the distant sounds of Capim Town. Mustel finally responded, barely above a whisper as he processed what just happened. "Fuck." He pulled out the handkerchief from earlier and cleaned off his face. "I... I guess I needed that. Thank you, I think... S-shit. Definitely going to need to... think about... everything."
The Cat Ferret Pokemon looked around where they were now standing. They were flanked by buildings from both sides with old crates and barrels against them. Serpes had dragged him into an alley and out of the streets of the Pokemon burg. "Crap. How many people do you think saw that? W-what will people think?!"
Serpes peeked behind himself and shrugged, patting his partner on the shoulder with the blunt of his tailblade. "Which part—your rant, me dragging you off, or the hug? Probably not enough people that it'd matter to usss. As for what they think? Who cares? Clover Guild already hasss a sad reputation, not to mention we're wearing the badges in the open. This town has seen more sssstranger things than a Seviper and a Zangoose darting off into an alley, I assure you. Besides, there's no time to worry about that right now, buddy." He pointed his tail over Mustel's shoulder with a smile. "We're finally at our destination!"
The two Pokemon continued down the long alley, passing many doors and intersections that weaved throughout the strange arboreal town. Towards the very end was a most peculiar storefront with a window displaying all sorts of esoteric decorations of possibly spiritual or cultural significance to the Pokemon World. Statuettes, decorative banners, crystals, candles, incense burners, tarot cards, and similar paraphernalia were on display. The sign hung above the building was decorated in a manner thematic of an Aromatisse. Purple and pink hues decorated it with a gray masquerade mask in the middle.
"Madam Anna's Auspicious Aromas, Auras, and Arcana?" Mustel questioned the name on the sign. He tilted his head at his serpent chaperone for more information. "What are we getting into? I thought this was just going to be a candle shop or something."
The Seviper curled the corners of his maw, eager to show rather than tell. "Follow me." The pair made their way inside, their presence declared by the jingling of chimes by the doorway.
The store was lined with shelves containing more of the merchandise that was in the display window. There were exceptionally larger examples of statuettes in the shape of small altars in reverence to various Legendary Pokemon, as well as countless shiny trinkets of unknown purpose. Many of the more fanciful items looked to incorporate precious, valuable metals and minerals like gold, silver, and jade. They were stowed behind display cases to keep away the prying limbs of less trustworthy Pokemon.
A purple, pink, and fluffy feathered Pokemon was situated behind a counter towards the back. They were tending to bubbling cauldrons that were filling the store with sickly sweet smells. They spoke up with a husky, effeminate voice that betrayed their dainty and flowery appearance. "I'll be with you in a moment, darling. I'm just putting the finishing touches on this wax!"
The bird-like creature poured various liquids into the cauldron and stirred the molten wax, unleashing a new billow of colorful vapors that added to the myriad of smells.
Mustel was almost sent into a fit of sneezes again as he covered his snout and let out several strangled exhales. "Oh man..."
Serpes ushered the Zangoose through the store despite his companion's newfound distress. "Hello, Auntie Anna!" Mustel's eyes widened in surprise at how the snake addressed the storekeeper.
"Now who could that be?" The store owner turned around. "Oh, my, if it isn't Little Kaikai! What brings you here today?"
Serpes' eyes shrank as he realized he had made a small miscalculation in bringing his colleague along. He looked at Mustel, who was looking at him with a toothy smirk. The snake addressed him with a hissy, whispering tone before speaking to Anna. "Not right now, Mussstel, I'm talking to family. Oh, Auntie... You haven't changed a bit! I've brought a-"
"Oh my, again! Who's this round powder puff you've brought with you?" The Aromatisse gazed endearingly at the Cat Ferret Pokemon, fluttering her big eyelashes.
The Zangoose pointed at himself self-consciously, shuffling his feet a bit and whisking his fat tail around himself indignantly. "P-powder puff?"
"This is Mussstel, Auntie. He's a close friend. Very close, I assure you." Serpes looked towards his baffled companion.
"Y-yes I am?!" Mustel looked back at Serpes with a mixed expression of anger and embarrassment.
"Ah, I see. Very good! A close friend of my Kaikai is family to me! Welcome, Musty!" She snapped her fingers, unleashing a burst of purple and pink sparks. The door to the store locked itself with an audible click, and the blinds rolled over the windows, leaving the store only illuminated by the myriad of mystifying candles and the firepits of boiling wax.
She put her elbows on the counter and leaned in with an air of intrigue. "So what brings you two boys to my little nook of Capim Town?"
"We have a bit of an... issue in the bedroom." Mustel cringed. He faced Serpes with a stoic expression, as if asking his friend to continue in his stead.
The snake narrowed his eyes back at his comrade, not sure how to salvage that. "Yesss... We do."
Anna tilted her head in confusion, letting out something like a squawk. "Boys? I'm fully supportive of your lifestyle choices, but this isn't that kind of store."
Team Fangclaw both shook their heads and babbled incoherently in refusal of the Fragrance Pokemon's conclusion before Mustel cleared his throat loudly. "N-no... Serpes has been... Serpes, what the hell do we even call this?"
"Sssleephunting?" The Fang Snake Pokemon replied, uncertain himself. "I nearly... crushed him while I was sssleeping. E-err... not in that manner!" He slowly sank into his coils, hiding his face. "Mustel, pleassse..."
"W-we sleep in separate beds! Ergh... That sounds worse! I mean, Serp- Kaikai tried to hunt and kill me in my sleep! We came to the idea that it was because he was smelling me in his sleep, and it was setting off that whole ancestral feud between our species in him unconsciously." The Zangoose quickly corrected their explanation. He let out an unsteady breath. Stumbling over his words wore away at him.
The Aromatisse nodded as the two visitors explained their situation. "Well, aren't you two just made for each other?" She chuckled as Team Fangclaw both groaned in dismay. "What you're asking me for is some nice incense to burn while you sleep. Luckily for you, I just made a new batch of Calm Mint sticks!"
Anna went behind the counter. She presented a small wooden box of fragrant sticks and a small ceramic incense burner shaped like a meditating Musharna.
"These look great! What'll it cost us?" Mustel reached for his bag in anticipation of paying for the items.
"Ten-thousand Pokes, my little coconut!" The proprietress spoke with a cheery inflection.
Mustel paused with his hand inside the Treasure Bag, slowly slumping to the floor. "Oh." He looked at Serpes with a dumbfounded expression. That was a lot of coin to burn on some incense. "I don't suppose you have a solution, do you?!"
The Seviper smiled, as if he anticipated this exact moment. He reached into his own bag and pulled out the guild poster he acquired earlier. He set it down on the counter and tapped on it with his tailblade. "Auntie Anna, we're Team Fangclaw of the Clover Guild, and we're here to take on your requessst to retrieve a Jaw Fossil from the Amp Plains! We'd like to renegotiate the reward to be that incense set!"
The Zangoose slowly lifted himself back up, reading about the job details, specifically the requested item and reward. "Excuse me for asking, but why do you want a Jaw Fossil? Also, what's a Lucky Looplet?"
Anna looked at Mustel with a spirited expression. She was excited to share. "Ah, curious, are we? Well, Musty, The fossil is for my personal collection of ancient curiosities that one might call priceless! Bring me this piece, and I may let you take a gander!" With a flourish, she then pointed at the display case below the counter. Various ornate and large metal armlets were on display. "They're magical relics of a bygone era that allow the wearer to harness the powers of the Emera gems that the dungeons may spawn! I could go on about those odd little things. The point is, I deal with them from time to time, darling. As you might imagine, supplies are limited... Hold on, did you say the Clover Guild?! Is that what you two are wearing? Oh, you poor things... That's no way to live! Tsk. Very well! Your terms are acceptable, children. I will add the incense to your reward. I'll be wishing you the best of luck in your adventure!" She winked at the pair with a spirited chuckle.
"Aw... Thanks, Ms. Anna. Serpes? We need to come back here more; just look at these things." Mustel gazed at the mystical accessories with wonder.
"One thing at a time, buddy. We'll certainly be returning. Let'sss get moving on before you glue yourself to the case. Thank you, Auntie! We'll be back sssoon!" The Seviper had to practically drag his friend away from the displays before he spent the rest of their day window shopping.
* * *
Mustel watched over the open road before them as he and Serpes sat in the back of a wagon being drawn by a Tauros. He took in the forested wilderness as it slowly scrolled by their horizons. The entire scene was cast in an orange glow as the sun began to set.
"Serpes? Did you plan for all of that to happen at Anna's?" The Zangoose glanced over at the tired coil of snakeskin that was his partner.
The Seviper peeked up at his buddy, letting out a terrifying yawn that displayed his fangs. "Nope. I kind of acted on the sssly there... I'm jussst glad I didn't have to put on the old Little Kaikai charm for her. Also, please don't give me crap about my name or my relationship with her. That's a lot to revisit... I'll tell you on my own termsss, maybe... Anyway, you sounded rather familiar with the Amp Plains when I first mentioned them. I'm certain we never went there before."
Mustel pulled out The Pokedex and tapped his claw on it. Its surface glinted in the bloom of the sunset. "Turns out the more I interact with certain Pokemon, the more the book reveals about them... I kept seeing a place called the Amp Plains mentioned under several Electric-Type Pokemon and I decided to research it in the guild's library. I never expected it to become relevant. It doesn't sound pleasant for someone covered in so much conductive fur, like me. Those Cheri Berries better pull through!"
"True, true. But... the Thunder Stones that form there could make us a small killing in Poke." Serpes wiggled his scaly brows, hoping to entice his ally with the pursuit of treasure hunting.
"Meh, I wouldn't know the first thing to buy with that much money." The Zangoose waved a clawed paw dismissively.
"What? Weren't you excited over those expensive loopletsss? Okay, then... how about the rumors of a Zapdos nest in the region? Surely your book needs a Legendary or two in it!" The Seviper offered again.
Mustel sat up wide-eyed; that name was unmistakably familiar to him. He clutched onto the book with unnatural excitement. "You have my attention. Tell me more."
The wagon soon vanished around a bend in the trail as thickets enveloped it from view, with Team Fangclaw's chattering about potential treasures, discoveries, and mysteries fading away towards a new destination.