Night shift

After a bad night’s sleep, Charlie is given a new job at the guild

The first night I could have gotten some good sleep away from anything to do with the festival and I’m stuck here on a cold, hard floor. First I get paralysed, then thrown in jail. And it’s just my luck they take the bed too! Aren’t they meant to accommodate all Pokemon types? I would have used that bed to sleep on not burn it, Maybe it would have been enough to have kept me warm for a little bit but not the whole night. But now I will be sleeping on the cold stone floor anyway. It’s only the start of winter it shouldn’t be this cold yet.

I haven’t had anything to eat in a long time now. There’s light coming through the window. Other pokes should be up by now. I hope the food is warm.

Nice warm food, I can already taste it. Any moment now and the food bell will ring. Any second now.

Ding, ding, ding, bang B ang, BANG “Hey Get UP!” The banging jerks me awake, and the shouting reminding me of where i am. There was more light in the room now. How long had it been? Before I had time to think in my groggy state someone unlocked and opened the door.

“Come on. Someone here to see you” A Cacturne stood there. It took me a good few seconds of staring from the floor before I realised I was meant to be following him. But damn did my body not agree with me today, must have slept funny my neck is killing me.

I was hardly focusing while I followed the Cacturne, yawns and eye rubbing kept everything blurry until we reached the front of the station, and there waiting for me at the main desk was someone I should have expected.

“CHARLIE!! How was your first time in jail?!” Vanessa the Charizard, my mother, and one of the best rescue teams with my dad. She was too happy to see me here, but it did beat having one of the more serious teams how up, or even my friend for that matter they would just be laughing at me.

“Cold and uncomfortable.” I grumbled back. This cant be how they treat all the thieves and bandits we catch right? Or do they just have it out for me.

“You’ll get used to it after a few times. Once you know there will never be a bed there for you, you do get better sleep.” She shrugged like it was a complete normal thing “That or you get so much adrenalin in you, you wont sleep and burn down the building. Ah memories , I met your father that night.”

A shudder came over me from the embarrassment of being reminded that’s how they met. “ Yeah, I remember. They teach that in history class now.” And it’s not happy love story either.

“SO I wont be forgotten!” She grabbed me in a hug. Pinning me against my will to her chest. “Ha I knew I was going to be famous somehow!”

I had to push myself away just to be able to breathe “The fire that almost burnt down the town is not a good thing to be remembered for mum.” It was hard to speak when your lungs were being crushed.

The Cacturne was starting to get impatient as they started tapping their hand on the table.“Now Im all for loving reunions, But if you could just sign here we can all get on with our days” the Cacturne pointed to some paper on the desk. It had the guilds symbol on it, and had already been signed by Mismagius. So was mum just here to pick me up? Doesn’t matter, I just hope this doesn’t become something people use to keep me down now. And right when I thought I had found a way out with that Gummi.

“Charlie Firestorm ?” Cacturne said while looking over the paper. “Vanessa I thought you said he was your son. This doesn’t say Waterdrop for his surname”

Vanessa stopped still for a moment before letting a bit of smoke leaving her snout. “Carlson, I have known you for what twenty-five to thirty years? I’m married and haven’t gone by that name in a long time now.” She let her larger shadow tower over the Cacturne who seemed to cower back a little.

“Right well, that will be all you can go now” Mum let out another bit of smoke in annoyance. It seemed to do the trick as he didn’t say anything else letting us both leave.

Outside wasn’t much warmer than inside. It had been raining and the wet ground sucked any form of warmth from my feet. “So. I’m out of all trouble right?” I said sheepishly, hoping that’s what those paper were for.

“Oh yeah. You’re good. After all this towns got to reSPECK me!” she flex her arm as if there were people she didn’t have the respect of yet. “Well Zangoose will want to see you still.”

I am not free then “I should have stayed in jail.”

For once, Zangoose didn’t go off on me as soon as I entered his office. He seemed too stressed out with something else to care about me. Instead he had me wait for a good ten minutes or so while he mumbled about one of the papers, only stopping once Mismagius Pointed something out to him. Letting him finally focus on me.

“Charlie. I cant keep babysitting you. You’re meant to be in charge of the recruits. But you’re not making a good impression on them with all this.” I wasn’t sure if he was trying to be nicer, or if all this other stuff he had going on had just tired him out.

“Oh don’t be harsh on him. You did get arrested when you were younger than he is dear” Mismagius seemed to only be there to keep Zangoose from from going mad. The amount of paperwork on his desk was towering over him.

“Not my fault…… they shouldn’t have…. That Seviper deserved it. I don’t have time to deal with you, not in this mess. You are on night watch until further notice.”

Night watch!? Don’t they know I don’t get enough sleep as it is? Night watch is a job for dark and ghost types or poke who have time off in the day. I’m none of those things. I’d only be useful as a nightlight. I’m going to have to deal with all the drunk team coming back from a successful mission party aren’t I. And the weather getting worse now, oh please don’t rain, don’t rain, don’t rai…

“CHARLIE ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME! You are Dismissed! GET OUT!”

“Dear you are going to pop a blood vessel again”

The thought of never sleeping again was all that stayed in my head as I walked down the halls. I needed to think of something else. It was still at least an hour until the canteen opened for lunch so that would still have to wait. I should at least go see Talia to see if she knows what the rest of yellow is up to . That and she sorts out who’s doing the night shifts. The day jobs would keep my mind off things, hopefully. I hope it’s not paperwork again. With how much Zangoose had I have no doubt some of the other things he would normally do will be handed out to teams without much going on.

Talia was just staring off into space. Balancing a pen on her lips. This was the first time I had gotten to the desk before she noticed me for a while now. I ended up standing in front of her for at least a minute without her realising I was there.

“Umm, hey” I finally say to get her attention.

“Humm? Oh you. Just a moment.” Dropping the pen to the floor, she did her usual shuffling of papers behind the desk “You know, your release forms have been the only piece of paperwork that came in today . Couldn’t you have gone and done some proper damage as well? It was way too quick to do and now I got nothing left.” she handed me yellow tasks for the day

“Couldn’t you go help Zangoose? He had a lot of paper work in his offices.” I don’t know if he would like someone else coming up to see him right now but I’m sure Mismagius would appreciate it.

“Not allowed. The Seer only wanted him and Mismagius to see them. I bet its to do with the moon” She sighed, head coming down to lay on the desk.

“The seer? You know what, im in this too much already. So look Zangoose want me on night watch now. What do I do?” I don’t really want to do this, but I also don’t want to get in any more trouble.

“Oh is that so?” She mildly seemed interested. “And how long is this for?”

“Until he forgets I bet”

“So no date. Well at least that make my job easier. I’m just going to stick you on with whoever is doing it and not put any dungeon runs on for yellow. It team Dark Eyes tonight. Just be here for eight. Ill let them know you’re coming.” She finished off by crossing something out while I got my own paper. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see this involves then .

The chores they had us do did not help keep the anxiety down, if anything they helped make it worse knowing there this thing I will have to do at the end of the day.

“Oh come on where is it?” I muttered to myself. I don’t have a lot of stuff to do so why is it so hard to find one thing? I don’t want to be late but I’m not going out tonight without it.

“Charlie what are you looking for?” Em had been in the room for a while. But what ever she needed she found before I had finished looking at just one set of draws.

“I’m looking for my rain coat. You haven’t seen it anywhere have you?” At this point it would be faster to just dump it all out to find it.

“Sorry Charlie but I haven’t. Why do you need it? Are you running a late mission tonight? The clouds outside don’t look very nice”

“I’m doing something. And its going to last all night, for a few night so I won’t be with you for a while now.” That was a lie I knew it was going to be more than a few nights, a few weeks at least.

“Aww. But we got to do hardly anything since the expedition. Its no fair!” She stomped at the ground, pouting. We do stuff all the time. She will have to get used to me not being there all the time for her some time.

“I’m sorry but its Zangoose and I just want to be on his good side for a change. Which I’m not if I don’t find this soon” I just know he will be on me if I miss this tonight.

“Why not just use the coat dad got you?” She happily swung her tail, with the flame getting bigger with her idea it was likely to catch something on fire.

“That’s only good for the cold. I swear dad forget we are a walking fire sometimes. Plus its going to rain and it doesn’t have a hood.” He just has a habit of buying anything he sees. How he has any money is beyond me.

“Oh” While her flame did go down and she stopped waving her tail all over the place I didn’t mean to upset her when shooting down her idea. “Well I m going to play now then. Bye.” She waved off . That was a quick turn around.

“Just don’t be late and get into any trouble.” She was already gone. I doubt she heard me.

So here I am at eight, and no one here. Talia did remember to tell team Dark Eyes I was joining them. She not here so must have told them. Am I just early, or late. What if they didn’t wait for me. No, I’ll be fine I’ve just got to wait.

I must have started to nod off while I waited as at first I didn’t notice someone had grabbed my shoulder. “Hey there pal. So you’re the one who’s joining us tonight!”

“Whu?!” The squeal that came did wake me back up, and also seemed to both surprise and confuse the Krookodile in front of me.“Oh, you must be team Dark eyes?” What a good first impression. I have seem them around but I haven’t spoken to them once.

“We be the only one. Names Llewelyn nice to meet ya.” He held out his hand in “Now I hear you got on Zangoose bad side. Come on ill show you what your doing tonight. Its an easier one for you.” Shaking his hand did make some of the embarrassing feeling go away. I just hope its the last mess up I do tonight.

“So you’re the one who’s on the door today?” A Murkrow flapped its way down, tipping his hat in greeting. “I’m Jacob by the way. Its an easy job, so long as your good at not getting bored doing nothing”

“Just get a good book. That’s what I always do.” The last member of team Dark Eyes, a Phantump said. They were a lot quieter than the other two.

“Right, so I just stand by the door. Is that all I have to do?” That doesn’t sound that bad.

“Yep. You will be on main entry guard duty. It’s real simple. Anyone who come up just check they have their badge on them and turn away anyone who doesn’t.” Llewelyn carried on. Seems like hes done this a lot.

“So what will you be doing? Are you staying here with me?” At first I thought we would be going through town and doing whatever the guild does at night. You would need a full team for this.

“Sorry but we are going to be patrolling around . Didn’t think you would want to in that weather” It was getting bad out, even with the little shelter we had outside I don’t thing I will be good for too long.

“Well good luck out there.” Even though Jacob sounded genuine he had a very uncertain look on his face. No doubt thinking about how I will fear in the rain. “We will come round every now and then to check in”

“Go inside if you need to.” The Phantump gave his goodbye and was the first to leave. He didn’t say what his name was.

“ You’ll be fine. Nothing ever happens around here” Llewelyn shock his head as he opened the door and the real look of rain first started. This coat is not going to be enough. “Im sure the rain will get better soon. It hasn’t been that bad recently.”

It didn’t take long for thing to get boring. I should have gotten a book like Phantump said. It felt like at hour before anyone did show up. And they just held out their badge and walked in. I hope the rest of them will be like that. The rain didn’t help to brighten my mood, and ‘its hasn’t be that bad’ my ass, this is the worst storm we’ve had this year. The coats no good either, snout still hangs outs of the hood. The rain going up my nose isn’t a nice feeling and drops keep getting in my eyes. Even my feet are starting to get cold, I’m a fire type that shouldn’t happen. Brad had the right idea after all by getting some boot, cant believe I’m agreeing with him now. Shooting small ember at my feet will only last so long. The night dragged on, and with it my focus. Most poke didn’t bother to say anything, most.

“Yer stuck out here in this bloody rain? What cha do this time?” Liz stood in front of me. Looking a lot warmer than I was with steam coming off her.

Did it really need saying? “Cant you guess?”

“I bet it was the jail time he did.” Brad trying to sound as smug as ever. I could hardly see with how much water was on my face by now but I bet he had a really punchable face about now. If only I had the energy to say something back.

“Oh yeah. Ya did do that” Great now she was sound smug too.

“Are you two just gonna berate me now.” I need that break now. I’m too tired for this.

“Aren’t ya forgetting the most important member of our three poke team?” Liz came right up to my face to say it. I wasn’t even going to to think about

“AAAAAAAAAAA!”

…If Trapinch was with them I just assumed he was. But his call for validation answered it for me.

“I don’t know if I would call him the most important when I’m here” Brad you likely the first one Liz is going to drop from the team with how much you complain.

“What yu on about? Ya did nuthin today.”

“Can you lot just go now?” This is only delaying my break now.

“Yeah, you’r right. This rain is only going to get worse” Liz finally started to move on.

“It is? Oh great” Yeah I’m taking that break now.

“Come on man. A little bit of rain is a good way to free the soul” Brad don’t make this a metaphor for something.

“Brad. Look at me in the eye and tell it its ‘freeing’.” Freezing is more like it.

“Well I hope you aren’t out here all night. Big storm coming in” Liz said as she walk in. “meant to be real bad winds coming in too.”

Team Dark Eyes came round to check on me not long after that. They didn’t look like they were doing too well either but it did signal the end of my break . And I wish Liz wasn’t right. It must have come in half an hour after I went back out. Heavy rain and blistering winds. I couldn’t feel the ends of my claws. My flame had shrunk down to just a candles flame. I am not going to come out of this night healthy.

It was getting so heavy you couldn’t see to the other side of the street. I should get something to stop my eye from stinging if this is my life now. I did see some goggles for sale somewhere, they would work. Just squinting you could make out the things like the shop windows, signs, and flowers they had had outside. Wait, they wouldn’t have flower out now, must be something else and im just being blinded too much to see. It definitely had a lot of green, white and some red. Would probably look nice if they were flowers but the way they are moving, its like the wind isn’t there. That when I strong bit of wind hit, forcing me to turn away. And when I looked back all the rain had stopped, with the what I thought were some flower looking at me.

“Now you, you I did not see.” A Kirlia stood looking into my wet eyes.

“What?” how could you not see me. I mean my flame may be small now, but I’m still bright red and the only light source out here. Kinda hard to miss.

“Oh well. Do enjoy your night” They just keep on walking. And the rain began to fall again.

“Wait hold on! Where your badge?” I haven’t seen a Kirlia at the guild before. And were is the rest of their team?

“I don’t have one” They said it so confidently, like it was a know fact to everyone but me.

“I cant let you in if your not a member of the guild.” It doesn’t matter how they say it this is what I’m here to do, stopping anyone but guild members from coming in. “You will have to come back in the morning.”

“I didn’t see my self having any problems tonight. It doesn’t matter I’m going in.”

“No!” I ran in front of them and spread my arms out to stop them. Almost striking a pose.

“Hehe, It is adorable you think you can stop me from going in. This is important, but if you want to play. I will oblige.” There was a sinister sound in the way they said that, and with a bow “Try to keep up” They effortlessly jump over me. Even doing a flip to look down at me as they went over. show off.

Chasing them was a lot harder than I had hoped. I was a lot slower than normal. That rain has done a number on me for sure.

“Your not that fast are you, that rain must have been hard for you.” They ran so effortlessly that even turning round to taunt me didn’t slow them down. I couldn’t let her taunts slow me down even more. If Zangoose found out I had let someone into the base on my first night out, well I wasn’t going to be needing to feel my legs after what he will have planed I guess.

“Come on I don’t need this right now” I pleaded.

“I can see that, but I think you just need to brighten up a little.” Where were they going. It was as if they knew the layout of the guild, going up stair and down corridors. They had to know where they were going.

“You are quite persistent. Must you try so hard?”

“AUUGH, I’m trying to not make my life any harder!” What is their problem? Are they trying to get me into more trouble on purpose?

“Well I’m afraid you lost this little game.” They said it as they went through some door. I didn’t care what the door were for at this point, they cant be here for something good.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!” A very bloodshot Zangoose shouted. That door was a big mistake. “Seer Alex!? And Charlie. You Better Have Good Reason For Barging In Here Again! arn’t You Meant To Be On Night Watch!”

“What? No, I-”

“I led him here.” Oh thank Mew the Kirlia was taking this one.

“And Why Did You Lead Him Here?!”

“He was suffering outside, so we had a race to bring him inside.” They did that for me?

Zangoose started rubbing his eyes already having had enough of this. “Is that so, Ugh Charlie just, go”

“I want him to stay. A witness would be good for what I have to say.” What? Why do you want me to stay? I have a chance to level I’m going to do that.

“I’m just going now.” Nice and quiet to level whatever happening here happen.

“No Charlie stay. I have trusted you seers before. So be it Alex.” Just who was this Alex what is a seer? Zangoose room hadn’t gotten any better since this morning. There were papers on the floor with claw marks in it and where was Mismagius?

“Certainly. And you you Charmeleon, listen well.” Alex straightened their posture and took a deep breath before beginning. “The reason for the frozen moon is not caused by something on this continent . It has been seen to be caused by something on the Peak Continent. But we cannot see what. The elders recommend a joint expedition with the guilds there in helping for finding the cause of this.” The peak continent? That’s were the Tiny Apple Guild is right? “You can uses that for most of you papers I do believe. Should help with the signing. And you have a witness now. Just some friendly advice.”

I’m lost by all this. There something going on in the Peak Continent to make the moon stuck? And now they want us to go on an expedition to solve it?

“So it has nothing to do with anything here good.” Zangoose seemed relieved at the news, relaxing and slumping back in his chair.

“That is all, I bid you a good night” Alex did a bow and turned to the door. “I shall see my self out.” they turned to as they walked by “Its been fun, I hope to see you around cutie” Alex did a wink and hoped through the door.

“What?” Did they really call me cute? Were they flirting with me? I can feel my flame growing in embarrassment. The only person to have called me cute before has been mum. I hated when she did that. It was always in front of others. Looking back at Zangoose, he had slid down in his chair even further, a relieved look on his face.

“It not do with us for a change, that is nice.” He was quite as he said it.

“Zangoose sir? Who was that? And what is a seer?” It’s too late for all this.

“Tomorrow Charlie. I’m going to bed” And with that he got up and walked out. I’m guess I got of this one. But what now. Go back outside? At least I got some time out of the rain.