*Added some edits to sentences, grammar mistakes and the like.

As we split up into teams of two, Hex and Pika looked over the job bulletin board, and Kip and I glanced at the wanted posters. "What about that one?" he asked, pointing to a Luxio causing trouble in Drenched Bluff, labeled at B-level, a more advanced outlaw for a new recruit.

"Sure, but shouldn't we not be going for B-level outlaws?" I asked. "Drowzee could have been just a fluke. Shouldn't we go after D- or E-levels first?"

Kip smiled. "I know you can do this. You're stronger than you realize."

I shrugged, and ripped down the wanted poster, glancing over the details and the reward. "Great," I growled. "Today is a good day to go after a tough outlaw. I can beat all my irritation and frustration into her. I can pretend it's that Skuntank, Koffing, or Zubat, and get paid to do so. Do we need to prepare much before we leave?"

"No, we should be good. This will be pretty quick, I think."

We left the Guild as a group of four, and separated not far after we passed the crossroads. Kip didn't ask about the confrontation, but I figured he would be curious. "That isn't the first time Pika and I met those two idiots, obviously," I started. "They stole something from him not long after he found me on the beach, near the cave down there. I would describe it as a rune, I guess. But they wanted it. Pika didn't, and still doesn't, know what it was for. So they stole it, and Pika wanted to give up, thinking he wasn't a match for them. But he came to his senses, and asked me to join him as we followed them into the caves..."

"You two were successful, then?" Kip asked. "I mean, Pika has his rune back?"

I nodded. "Yeah. We fought them, and we won. But they weren't above trying to push me into the waters, and choking Pika with that Koffing's gases. And now that they are here, and with 'the Chief,' this may cause a few issues for you and Hex. I'm sorry in advance, I didn't think they'd show up again, especially at the Guild, as reputable as it seems. I hope Wigglytuff catches them doing something."

Kip nudged me as we walked. "We're a team, we'll stand with you guys. And once Wigglytuff sees them do something wrong, I'm sure they'll be banned. He prefers for the teams who wander in here to have at least some kind of moral compass. But let's change the subject. I overheard you telling Pika that you remembered something?"

I shrugged, and told him what I recalled. "But it is such a generic memory, if you can call it that. I remember an emotion, no context, really."

Kip smiled at me. "But it's better than nothing, Pearl. You're remembering, little by little."

"I guess so. I just wish I could remember more, and remember who I am."

It took us a while, once we reached Drenched Bluff, searching for the Luxio. We went to the last place any Pokémon had seen her, and wandered around a bit from there. Finally, we stumbled across her accidentally, and we fought her after she threatened us about stealing our valuables. We of course refused, and we took some hits -- Kip being more susceptible to the electric-type attacks -- only to return the damage, Kip and I used the two-versus-one to our advantage. She fainted, collapsed into a small puddle, and we relaxed, a bit tired from the fight. Then Kip used the beam of light on his badge, calling for Officer Magnezone, and the only thing left on our list was to keep watch over the fainted Luxio.

"What about you? " I asked Kip suddenly. I still hadn't ever asked. We had time to kill, anyway. "Why did you join the Guild? I know Hex picked you up and you two became a team, but why?"

Kip smiled. "I joined to find a friend." His eyes glazed over, like he remembered a different time. "We said we'd meet up here. Well, at the Guild, I mean. I haven't seen her in a while, she never made it there, but I know she's safe, and with others who can help keep her that way."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're not just pretending to talk about Hex, are you?"

Kip, who had turned his attention to an odd-shaped rock with moss growing on it, quickly looked at me and blushed a little. However, sounding normal, he replied calmly, "No, but I won't deny that we work closely together, and are great partners because of it. That's where you were going with that thought, right?"

I shrugged. "More or less, I guess. It was worth the ask."

Kip's smile warmed as he looked at hme. "Getting more curious, I see," he teased. "As if you don't have enough questions about this world, now you're asking about it's people."

"What about yourself?" I studied him a moment. "Even being more familiar with this world, you must still have unanswered questions."

Kip shrugged. "The environments change as if on a boarder. It makes preparing for long-range missions tricky sometimes, since we have to travel through many places just to get to our goal, and then we can start the mission. Hex and I often have to travel through extremely varied places, the farther out we go, and plan for staying away from the guild for a day or two, at the very least."

"That... I know it's true, but it seems so impossible."

"Believe it or not, I know what I know what you mean. I get how it feels... you know, just wrong."

I didn't really know how to respond, since his words sounded vague, but his intention so specific. What do you mean, Kip?

The Luxio groaned and started waking up, so Kip and I stood up and got on the defensive as she tried getting her paws under her.

"Stay down," Kip growled., threateningly. From how calm he had been before, his sudden aggression surprised me. "You're weak, and we took you down once already. We can and will do it again."

"That won't be necessary," said a digital voice. Officer Magnezone hovered over, with a Sandslash and Lucario. The other Pokémon surprised me, I had expected different officers, like the Magnemite or something.

Kip noticed my glance. "You know, you should be more aware of type advantages, by now," he said, amused.

"I am!" I said indignantly. "I just thought Officer Magnezone only had Magnemite, or something. Like with Drowzee's arrest. Though that would be pretty foolish," I added. "Having other Pokemon types makes sense. "

Kip smiled. "It's fun watching you learn about this world, and experience new parts of it."

As Officer Magnezone arrested the Luxio, we prepared for the trek back to the Guild. We followed them out of Drenched Bluff before they took a different route, and I remembered the prison probably wouldn't be near the town. I still didn't know its location.

Companionable silence settled between us on our return. With the lack of threats, I felt content to let my gaze wander around, looking at the terrain. But something felt familiar about this route, from Drenched Bluff to Treasure Town. A persistent thought forced its way into my mind. Why do I feel like this beautiful, vivid world should be dead?

"What do you think about your first week here?" Kip said, shattering my wondering. "So much has happened since Pika found you on the beach."

I smiled. So much has happened, just as Kip said. It almost didn't seem like a week. "It's been... a few different things, I guess. I love the adventures that we've had as a team. But I just wish I could know who I was. And where I am from. I'm not from this world, and from what I've read in the journal, I came here alone. At the same time, though, I'm really glad I got and get to learn and remember at the Guild, with you guys."

Hex and Pika beat us back to the Guild, and Hex greeted us. As it turned out, they didn't take the Waterfall Cave gems to Duskill's bank after their assignment. Instead, they had organized them by color into small piles around the room, mostly keeping them out of our beds. Kip and I just stood there in the hall as we absorbed the scene before us, and we exchanged a glance of What in the name of Arceus?

"Oh, hey guys!" Pika greeted as he placed a red gem in the red pile. "How was your assignment? Ours was pretty quick and easy, so we came back and decided to organize the gems a little bit."

"As an inventory check!" Hex added hastily. She quickly went back to organizing the gems, and immediately I could tell that she organized much more efficiently than Pika.

"I think we can see that," Kip started. "But is it--?"

"I can't believe we have so many!" I blurted.

Pika and Hex confirmed that with an enthusiastic, "I know!"

Kip made another attempt at getting his sentence out, "Is it wise--?"

"Hex got most of them, back in the cave," Pika added. "She had the immediate thought to gather as many as possible!"

"Guys!" Kip said, raising his voice. "There's no door to our room. Do you really think that having all this treasure in open view and all spread out is a good idea? We should either trade these for coin or give it to Duskull for safe keeping. If you two can't do it, Pearl and I will instead. Right, Pearl?"

"Uh, right," I agreed. "Though maybe we can keep a few...?" I trailed off from the look Kip shot me. "...or all of it. That would be best to keep it all good and protected."

After Kip and I gathered the gems and stored them at Duskull's Bank, we relaxed as a team and talked about our day with the amount of day we had left. Then Chimecho called everyone for dinner, we enjoyed his stellar cooking, and everyone retired to their rooms.

The next day's team make-up had Pika and I together, and Kip and Hex together. This left Pika and I to discuss the arrival of Team Skull as we searched for a Pokémon's Defense Scarf in Amp Plains.

"I don't like it," I told Pika. "Something is wrong. They aren't any of the regulars who come in to check the notice boards. They didn't even take a poster, or really consider one. Why are they suddenly hanging around the Guild?"

Pika shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe they really want my relic fragment?"

"I can't shake the feeling that their reasons are a bit more violent," I said. "They might want revenge for the beach cave fight. And they definitely were hostile yesterday. And I admit that my own hostile actions didn't help matters at all, either way," I added. "No one knows anything about your rune, and I would doubt that Team Skull has any way of figuring it out, they are more brawn than brains. Though the Skuntank is another story, to be a leader like that, so arrogant and nonchalant, that confidence and control came from somewhere. Either he's smarter than we know, or he's stronger. Until we know, we have to be careful about him."

"Finishing a robbery or taking revenge," Pika mused. "I don't like those options."

I shook my head. "I don't, either. If nothing happens before the expedition, keep your rune with you when you go, okay?"

"What?" Pika asked in surprise. "No one's been chosen yet. I might not get picked for the expedition party."

I smiled. "Pika, your enthusiasm alone will get you picked for the expedition, and you have skills beyond that, too. But my point is do not leave the rune anywhere. Team Skull was all for roughing us up a bit in the beach cave, and they did it in the Guild. I doubt they're above stealing through stealth while some of the Guild is away."

"Alright, Pearl," Pika agreed. "I'll keep it on me. Let's focus on getting that scarf and getting back before it gets too much later. Luxray are nocturnal."

I groaned. "I know. We might want to make a careful exit of this place when we leave. Somehow I don't think we'll get out before they start hunting for the night."

The scarf, which ended up with dirt and some small rips in it, didn't take too much longer to find blowing in a bush. Leaving Amp Plains without any Luxray seeing us proved more difficult, unlike our entrance earlier in the day. The increased Luxray activity that Pika predicted became a problem, but with patience and carefully hiding my tail-flame, we made our way out undetected, and back to the Guild.

We met up with Hex and Kip just before Chimecho called everyone to dinner, their outlaw didn't take too long to locate, as it was one of the more brawn over brains kind of outlaw. After Pika and I shared our little adventure and stealth escape of Amp Plains, we voiced our unease about Team Skull, and their lack of appearance since yesterday morning. Hex voiced her disappointment with how the interaction had played out, how we handled it, and an added glare at me.

"They wanted a fight, you know," she said in a scolding tone. "You beat them in the past, so no matter what they said and how angry you were, you had no right to attack them first."

During dinner, I couldn't help but glance down the hall, just in case Team Skull came back. The Guild opened its doors only during the day, but my paranoia insisted on the possibility that they could show up again at any time, even eight at night.

The night went by, uneventful, and we prepared for another double-team day. However, Diglett called us four over for a favor. He had another thing to do, he didn't tell us any details, and asked if any of us would and could take over his post for the day.

"Pearl definitely should," Hex said immediately, glancing at Pika and Kip. "I'll stay with her unless one of you two want to volunteer."

I huffed with an amused smile on my face. "I don't get a choice in this?" I joked.

"No, you don't," Hex replied seriously, facing me. "I think a day without battling would be good for you, don't you agree?"

Hex's serious tone made my smile vanish. I glanced at Kip and Pika, hoping they knew something and could tell me through a look. Kip had a poker face, and Pika shrugged. "Hex--?"

"Actually," Hex decided before I could ask the question, "I will help Pearl on sentry duty, Diglett. Kip and Pika, chose a place that your types have an advantage, if you can. It would be a good training exercise."

They exchanged a glance before leaving us. I tried to ask again, "What--?"

"Let's get started, Pearl, Pokémon will be coming in soon," Hex interrupted, already climbing down the vines to Diglett's post.

"Hex?" I hazarded. When she didn't interrupt, I continued. "What's, um..."

"Pearl, the longer I thought about the whole Team Skull situation, the more issues with how it was handled. You were right with Drowzee, but you got mad with that situation and didn't handle it as well as you could have. You ran off. You don't have any future premonitions about these idiots, instead you know a bit more about these guys than we did about Drowzee. But you still attacked first. You keep leading with your anger. And that may prove to put the rest of us by association in unnecessary danger from them. With your actions, you leave the rest of us no choice but to try and clean up the result!"

"Pokémon detected!" Loudred bellowed.

"Ekans, Loudred," Hex replied easily while still glowering at me. It might have been light from my tail-flame, but her eyes glowed with anger.

"Then don't help me," I said, "let me live with my mistakes. Life doesn't always work out perfectly, and if that's something I have to learn the hard way, so be it."

Hex growled something I didn't catch. "I joined the Guild to help Pokémon. If that ends up being my team as well, how can I say no? Especially then? How do I just watch as a bystander while my friends fight? But you, Pearl, you almost seem to end up looking for trouble!" She sighed, then laughed in exasperation. "Does this sound accurate from your pre-amnesia entries?"

"No," I said. "Not from the entries. But it feels accurate, like it's something I would have done before. Maybe I had more of a reason to hide it, to keep it down. Whatever the reason was, I must have forgotten it."

"I'm frustrated, Pearl. If those guys really are criminals of some degree, we angered them by not only attacking, but attacking first. Tell me again how you and Pika first encountered them in as much detail as you remember."

So I did, I told her everything, mentioning also that I had written a journal that night. "I don't think the Zubat or Koffing are threats on their own, but the Skuntank is another story. We never saw him before, and he wasn't mentioned at the beach cave. For his arrogance, he is either very clever, or very strong. Both make me wary," I finished.

"Same here," Hex agreed. "I think we'll see them again, and soon. They didn't gain anything physical while they were here, they looked at te notice boards but didn't take a job. But this place is a hub for explorers, they could have picked up on some gossip."

"What is there to gossip about that relates to us?" I asked. "Places we're most likely to take? We go to various places for the rewards like every other Pokémon team, not really to sight-see."

"No. Pearl, think. What was announced just at roll that morning?"

"Roll is just roll," I said dismissively. Then it clicked and I gasped. "The expedition! They might've heard some gossip about it."

"Expeditions usually equal treasure," Hex agreed. "Everyone will have to keep their guard up until the expedition is over. When we see them again, it will be in relation to the expedition in some way."

"Enough chatter!" Loudred bellowed. His voice reverberated painfully this time. "Keep watch for Pokémon!"

In the flickering light from my tail-flame, I saw Hex smile softly and become friendly again. "Let's finish today," she said.

"Truce?" I asked.

Her smile widened. "Not a chance. I hope we have an understanding, and you have your leading anger to manage." She nudged me playfully, more like the Hex I had come to know. "The day's almost over, let's finish strong."

"Agreed," I said, smiling widely, too.

We efficiently completed the shift from then on. I considered what Hex had pointed out, and I wondered what had kept my anger in check in the past.

❦ ✦ ❦ ✦ ❦
Honestly I make Pearl so mad! In the first draft of this chapter, she was so pissed off when recounting the confrontation at Beach Cave with Zubat and Koffing to Kip. I don't even know why. But I find that funny, all the points where she gets really angry -- especially since that is a strictly post-amnesia Pearl/Crystal trait. Maybe I'll keep her like that and find a way to make it make more sense to her character.

Also, I'm kind of coming back, kind of not. My writing of this definitely has come back, but I slowed down from what I was doing before. I'm going to try to keep my monthly schedule, but I might not stick to it as much as I have in the past. Hopefully I will stick to this, since now things will start picking up in the plot!