Chapter 3: Duty Taken

Alec left the Guildmaster’s quarters defeatedly. Not even the person running this place knew what was going on, despite his rather strange intuition on Alec’s true form.

Before he was able to saunter back to his bed, he was pulled aside to the corner of the room by Shannah, almost losing his balance. 

“Hey hey! Careful, I still don’t–”

Shannah was quick to interrupt. “Ok, I may or may not have heard everything going on in there. You’re a human?! ”

Alec sighed. “Yes, I am. And unless you know what to do, I don’t think that matters at this point.”

Shannah’s eyes widened. “Oh. My. Arceus. That’s so cool! My dad always told me stories about humans. Is it true that you use us Pokemon to battle each other? And you dress us up for shows? And you have tournaments and stuff?”

Her excitement for something that seemed so normal for Alec took him off guard. “Uh, yeah?”

Shannah laughed. “Wow! Serves you right then!” She kept laughing. It was a rather small laugh, sometimes interrupted by a small snort. 

Alec could feel his ears flatten as he gave Shannah an unamused stare. “Yeah, I get it, it’s ironic. Can you let me go back to bed now, so that I could at least have the illusion that I’m dreaming all of this?”

Alec pushed Shannah out of the way, only for her to quickly trail behind him. “Hey! Alright, I’m sorry for laughing. Wasn’t very kind of me. But you can’t just sit there and sulk all day! At least join me in grabbing some lunch.”

The mention of a meal did make Alec realize that he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten. His stomach felt like a pit. “Fine, you win. Where do I go?” 

Shannah smiled. “Just follow me!” She grabbed Alec by the arm and dragged him to the ladder. She scurried up, with Alec cumbersomely climbing behind. 

Once reaching the top, they exited the building. On further reflection, the building was rather smaller than what he expected. The building was in the shape of a Wigglytuff, although it was weathered very minorly. Two torches stood aside from a floor grate, and the building sat proudly on top of a cliff that overlooked the sea. 

“C’mon! We’re losing daylight!” Shanna called out. A rather weird statement to make, considering the sun was right in the middle of the sky. 

Precariously stepping down the stairs, Alec spoke out to Shanna. “You do know I still don’t have the greatest grasp on walking like this, right?” 

Shannah turned to him, puzzled. “Don’t have the faintest idea of what you mean. Humans have two legs, you have two legs, why is it an issue?”

“It feels like I’m constantly walking on stilts.”

Shannah’s head cocked to the side. “Stilts?”

“Just forget it.” Alec sighed. The duo took the crossroads path that led into town. 

Alec was surprised when the dirt road suddenly was paved with cobblestone. Looking up, he noticed that there was a rather lively city in front of him. Various buildings of different shapes and sizes decorated the sides of the road. Nothing like the skyscrapers he was used to, but still rather impressive for what he once thought of as a wild species. While walking down the road, he saw various different Pokemon happily chatting, depositing money into a Duskull-shaped bank, and walking into and out of a rather old looking dojo. 

Alec and Shanna crossed a bridge over a small river, to a second part of the city. While not as newly fashioned, it still contained various different Pokemon-shaped buildings, specifically one of a Xatu, and one of a Khangeskan. Shannah led him to a large, yet seemingly normal looking building. On the inside, various circular tables decorated the edges of the building. A Khangeskhan stood at the center, cleaning a glass behind a bar. 

Shannah turned to Alec. “Hey, you can go grab a table, I’ll get you and I some food.” She then trotted right up to the bar. Alec walked to the closest table he could find, and took a seat. 

While waiting for Shannah to return, he began to reflect while looking at his paws. So, I’m not the only one who’s ended up like this. Despite that fact, nobody really knows how they got back to normal, if they did at all. 

He then put his paws to his head. I wonder what my parents think. Like, what the hell will I even say? ‘Hey, sorry, I was just in another world for a bit, but nothing too huge. Anyway, what’s for dinner?’ 

Before he knew it, Shannah came back with two plates of food. “Aw no, you got a headache? Heard that happens a lot to Psychic types.”

“What? No. Sorry. Just thinking.” Alec sat back up. A small berry salad was placed in front of him, with a crudely shaped fork. 

Shannah took no time at all to begin eating. Alec took a small bite, only for him to take one after the other. His hunger was comparable to nothing. He was the consumer of all. 

Before he knew it, his plate of food was gone. Shannah looked at him with shock. “Hungrier than you thought?” 

“I guess so.” Alec said with a small chuckle. Shannah smiled. 

“Hey! There’s that laugh!” 

“What, you thought I was, like, incapable with emotion or something?” Alec playfully retorted. 

“No, no, not at all!” Shannah then took a small bite of her meal, then turned her head away. “Only a little…” 

Both of them got a small laugh. A small relief from Alec’s confusion. 

After their humor subsided, Alec thought it was his turn to ask some questions. “So, what’s this guild thing all about?”

Shannah made a positive exclamation while she finished the last bite of her food. “Oh! The guild is this continent’s backbone! Our guildmaster, Roy Robin, ensures daily that our continent is protected from outlaws, natural threats, and is constantly expanding its future in technology, discovery of treasures, and more. We also take requests to save Pokemon from various different Mystery Dungeons.”

“Mystery Dungeons?” Alec questioned. 

Shannah continued. “Mystery Dungeons are anomalies in our natural world. They are locations where wild Pokemon are constantly defending their territory. Many Pokemon have gone on record saying that it’s like a different journey every time you enter one of those places. We don’t exactly know how or why they happen, but that’s one of our biggest objectives as a guild.”

Alec nodded. “So, do you go on a lot of these missions to Mystery Dungeons?”

Some of the excitement faltered in Shannah’s expression. “Not… exactly? I do a few mild research missions with my dad, but I haven’t gone on any serious outlaw or rescue missions. I’ve mostly just stayed back and helped the guild with meal prep and sentry duty. Yesterday was an exception, really.” 

“I understand. Any reason why?”

Shannah poked her plate a bit with her fork. “Other than the fact that you need two Pokemon to form a team, I just generally have been a bit scared of conflict. I never was the best at it, and my dad has been really protective of me. Telling me all the bad stuff that can happen if I go on these journeys. But it’s ok though!” She smiled. “The guild needs all the help it can get, and I sure am happy to help!”

Alec slowly nodded. He admired Shannah’s optimism. 

Shannah got up from her seat. “Well, thanks for joining me. I don’t think I actually caught your name?” 

“Oh right. My name is Alec. You’re Shannah?”

“That’s the name!” She outstretched her arm. Alec gave it a light shake, and they were off back to the guild.

*

Alec and Shannah returned to the guild, both of them feeling more comfortable than when they left. As they descended into the building, however, they were met with a mild panic. 

A Jumpluff was desperately asking the surrounding Pokemon for some request. She was near the point of tears.

Alec whispered to Shannah. “Does this usually happen…?” She shook her head slowly.

The duo approached the panicking Jumpluff to listen to her pleas. 

“Oh please, has anyone seen it? It means the world to me!” She kept pointing to a flyer she was holding. Alec noticed that on it was a sketch of some sun-shaped pendant. 

“It’s a family heirloom. I was walking around Treasure Town with it just today! Someone stole it! ”

A Furret from up front spoke up. “Are you sure you didn’t just drop it?”

The Jumpluff seemed aggravated at that response. “ No! I am not that irresponsible with something precious to me. Some Pokemon just bumped into me, and I didn’t get to see who it was. Did any of you see it?”

Shannah sighed. “It sucks. I wish I saw it today while we were walking. I feel like it would be one of those things I would notice happening.”

Alec and Shannah continued to the lower floor, coming closer to their rooms. Outside the corridor to their abodes, however, Alec overheard something.

“So, you saw the pendant, right?”

Alec nearly jumped in place. He turned to see that right outside the corridor was a Klefki and an Excadrill. 

The Klefki was next to talk. “Yeah, I did. Was taken by like a Fennakin or somethin’. Saw em’ run off to tha Drenched Bluffs.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yep, scurried right off, like they knew theys were doin’ somethin’ wrong. Shame there’s no reward, otherwise I’d be on that quick.”

Alec was almost offended by that last statement. He kept eavesdropping with a furrowed brow.

The Excadrill nodded. “Yeah, it sucks but money’s tight these days. Plus, telling her would only put her in danger. She’s just better off without it, y’know?”

Alec couldn’t stand it anymore. He walked right up to the two.

“It doesn’t matter . It means a lot to her, and she obviously can’t find it herself if she’s asking you guys. If you know where it is, why don’t you just do it yourself? Wouldn’t be much for you guys.”

The Klefki gave a sneer. “Kid, ya haven’t even been here for a day, and you’re tryin’ to tell me what’s right? Get outta here.”

The Excadrill joined in. “World isn’t all rainbows. If you want to waste your time, do it yourself. We got better things to do.”

Alec was furious. “I think I will, then.” Alec stormed off to the ladder. He wanted to come off as tough, but he knew that the anger was making him shake. He could hear the two snicker as he climbed up the ladder. He couldn’t even find the reason for his anger at that moment.  

He broke through the crowd of Pokemon until he was face to face with Jumpluff. “Excuse me. I’ll get your pendent back.”

The Jumpluff was met with a mixture of joy and confusion. “How do you know where it is? I have never seen your face around here before!” 

“Name’s Alec. I saw the pers– Pokemon take it to the Drenched Bluffs. They have to be there somewhere. I’ll be back in no time.”

“Thank the stars!” She gave Alec a hug that almost took him off his feet. “I apologize I don’t have anything to give in return, but I will pay you back some day!” 

Alec shook his head. “No need. This means a lot to you. That’s enough motivation for me.” He began to walk to the stepladder. 

As he exited the guild, a wave of horror washed over him. He had exactly no idea how to get to the place. He had no idea how to defend himself. He just agreed to a guild mission, with no knowledge of how the guild even works. 

“Why the hell do I do this to myself…” 

He sat to think. How was he going to do this mission, in his current state? Maybe if he was human, he could’ve packed repels, a pocket knife, hell, at least he could comfortably run as a human. But he wasn’t. He was an Espurr. Not just any Espurr, however. An Espurr that had no idea how to use the one thing they have to defend themselves with. 

He once again flexed his hand to bring out his pathetic claws. This will just have to be enough. He began his trek down the steps.

“I really hope I didn’t just hear that you were doing this crap alone. ” A familiar female voice called out to Alec. He turned around to see a perturbed Shannah, arms crossed, foot tapping slowly. 

“Look, nobody else was going to do it. Someone had to.”

“Alec, do you even know how to fight?” 

“I got claws!”

“Claws that’ll do about as good as a papercut. Come on now.”

His motivation was faltering a bit. “Hey, I thought you were the one that liked helping the guild out! This is helping out immensely!”

“I do like helping, but I’ve never gone as far as to go out without my dad. You’re going to get yourself hurt. Just explain to Ms. Jumpluff that you made a mistake, and move on.”

“Sounds like you’re giving up.”

Shannah started to poke her claws together. “Well… I’m not…”

Alec stepped forward. “We can do this together, Shannah. You know how to fight, I can find the way through the dungeon. Come on. Just this once.”

Alec could tell that she didn’t want to agree to this. But for some reason, he could sense something else inside her. A burning determination. A fire.

She sighed. “If you get hurt, it is not on me. Hope you know that.” 

Alec smiled. He patted Shannah on the back. “That’s what I’m talking about. Now, let’s go get that pendant.”

The two began to step down the stairs, starting their first mission as a team.