The way from the beach to Wigglytuff's Exploration Guild wasn't exactly long, but Pika told me where I was, a little town called Treasure Town, and he had a home on the other side of it. I didn't really ask about it; that was his business. Plus, I'm a strange Pokémon who appeared out of nowhere, even if I did help him retrieve his relic fragment, if I were switched places with him, I wouldn't trust me. At least, I don't think I would. Maybe I've underestimated how valuable the little rock was to him?

     We didn't go into town, since we only had to go north of the beach to see the Guild. Though what I saw was just a small Wigglytuff-styled tent at the top of a hill. "That's the Guild? No one lives there, right?" I asked as we walked up the carved stairs to it. I wasn't looking where I was going, and stepped on a grate. I jumped back, I didn't like standing on something my leg could possibly go through. Peering over the grate, I stared down into darkness.

     "Pokémon detected!" a voice called from inside the grate. A rumbling voice came after, seemingly to relay the message. Then the two Pokémon seemed to argue.

     "CHARMANDER?" came the loudest voice I've ever heard. My head pounded slightly.

     The bars in front of the entrance started to lift, and Pika walked forward. I followed Pika into the Guild.

     At the bottom of the first ladder, to the left was another ladder, going down another floor. Somehow there were windows even though the place was underground, and it was buzzing with activity. Farfetch'd, Swellow, Wurmple, Seedot, Pidgey and more were there, talking. The ladders we climbed down were in the middle of the northern wall, with notice boards in either side.

     "Wow! So this is Wigglytuff's Guild! There are so many Pokémon! I wonder if they're all exploration teams?" Pika was looking around, his eyes practically glowing. I was more skeptical. If these Pokémon weren't part of an exploration team, why were they here?

     "Excuse me!" called a voice. A Chatot came flapping up from the ladder that led down another level. He walked over to us. "You two are the Pokémon who just came in, right?" he asked us.

     "Y-yes," Pika stammered, somewhat confused. I narrowed my eyes. This place was supposed to be a good place, I knew, but trust wasn't something I felt I would normally throw out to others. Pika was an exception.

     The Chatot nodded. "I'm Chatot! ♪ I'm the Pokémon in the know in these parts! I am Guildmaster Wigglytuff's right-hand Pokémon ♪ " The Pokémon's expression changed. "Now, shoo! Leave the premises! We have no time for sales Pokémon or silly surveys. Off you go, if you please!" He started ushering us to the exit ladder.

     "Wait!" I said. "That's not why we're here! I need to know something," I said, pulling out my bag. "Do you think anyone here knows, or knew, me?" I pointed to the badge on the buckle. "This is your Guild's badge, right?" The Pokémon stopped trying to usher us out.

     "And you are...?" Chatot asked.

     "My name is Pearl. I used to be a human, I think." I pulled out the picture of me as a human and the Treecko. "Do you know anyone who might know a Treecko, or maybe an evolution of one?"

     "No, no humans nor Treecko have been in Treasure town as far as I know. But that is one of our badges, though it looks like a slightly different style to the current one. How did you get that?" Chatot regarded me through narrowed eyes.

     Pika came to my rescue. "Chatot, we'd like to make an exploration team. That's why we came: we want to be trained as an exploration team!" he blurted.

     "Wait, isn't that a bit aburpt?" I asked, confused, though thankful that that seemed to distract Chatot from questioning me any further.

     Chatot's jaw seemed to hit the ground, and his eyes buldged from his skull. He flared open his wings, and I flinched, thinking he might attack us. "Wh-what?! Exploration team?" He then turned from us. "It's rare to see a kid like this want to apprentice at the Guild. Especially given how hard training is! Surely the steady stream of Pokémon who run away from our rigorous training proves how true that is!"

     Pika tilted his head sideways a little, his show of confusion. "Excuse me, is the exploration team training really that severe?"

     Chatot quickly turned and faced us again. Well, not us. Just Pika. "What?!" he exclaimed, flaring out his wings again. We both flinched this time. "Well...no! No, no, no!" The bird Pokémon said, flapping his wings. "It's not true in the slightest! Our training program for exploration is easy as can be!" Chatot calmed down, and smiled. "Well, well, well! ♪ I wish you had told me up front that you wanted to be an exploration team! ♪ Hee-heeee ♪"

     Pika tugged me over to him and he put a paw up to my ear. "His attitude suddenly changed, didn't it...?" I nodded slightly.

     "Okay! Let's get your team signed up right away. Follow me! ♪" We stayed where we were when Chatot started heading for the other ladder. When he noticed we weren't following, he called cheerily to us. "Oh, anything wrong? Come on! Over here! ♪ Quickly, please! ♪"

     Pika and I looked at each other for a moment before following Chatot further into their Guild's base. The second floor under was more of a home; there was a hall or tunnel with a sign reading "Bunks," and on the other side a matching tunnel reading "Mess Hall." To the right of the ladder recess was a strange Croagunk stone thing, and when I looked at it there was an actual Croagunk sitting in it. A caldron with purple liquid was inside it. Then I saw a hole in the ground not too far in front of the Croagunk thing, and a ladder going into it. A Loudred stood next to it. I wanted to get a closer look, but Pika grabbed my arm and Chatot started talking again. Did he ever shut up? "This is the Guild's second underground floor. This is mainly where the apprentices work. Team registration is this way. Come along, please." Chatot led us over to a strangely marked door to the left of the ladder.

     A Vulpix and Mudkip climbed down the ladder not too long after us. They watched Pika and I curiously but not with any malice. Just at this moment Pika shot over to a window as Chatot took another breath. "We're two floors underground, but you can still see outside!"

     Apparently this was one of those things that annoyed our guide. "Oh, please! Hush now!" he said angrily. I stifled a laugh before he shot me a brief glare, and after glaring at Pika, who was undaunted. Chatot answered the question calmer, however. "The Guild is built into the side of a cliff. It's only natural that you would be able to see outside."

     Pika nodded, with a mumbled, "Oh," and Chatot returned his, and our, attention to the door.

     "Now, here we are at Guildmaster Wigglytuff's chamber. On no account, I repeat, on no account should you be discourteous to our Guildmaster," he told us, then turned to the door. "Guildmaster!" Chatot called. "It's Chatot! ♪ I'm coming in!" And with that, we entered the room.

     Wigglytuff's chamber wasn't extravagant; it had two chests full of shiny treasure, though. There were two windows, which in between was a banner that was tan with red zig-zag lines horizontally. Two braziers that contained scorched wood and ashes were next to the chests, which were on either side of the entrance. Wigglytuff himself stood a little farther in the room, facing the wall. He stood on a slightly faded red rug.

     "Guildmaster!" Chatot said. "I present to you these two Pokémon who wish to join our Guild as apprentices." Wigglytuff did not respond. "Guildmaster... um... Guildmaster?"

     Wigglytuff abruptly turned around. "Hiya!" Pika and I jumped back a bit. "I'm Wigglytuff, the Guild's Guildmaster! You want to form an exploration team? Then, let's go for it! First we must register your exploration team's name! So tell me your team's name?"

     Pika's face seemed to pale, even under the fur, and his eyes weren't shining. "O-our team's name?" He looked thoughtful, once the surprise from Wigglytuff's actions faded. "We didn't think of that." Pika turned to me. I was still stunned about all this, yet he asked me? "What do you think would be a good name for us, Pearl?" I thought a moment, unsure. What in the name of Arceus was I actually signing up for?

     There was a knock on the door as a random name came to my mind. "Team PokéFriends?" I asked. I had no idea where the name came from, but it brought me some peace of mind, and also some defiance for some reason. Pika thought a moment as Chatot opened the door. The Vulpix and Mudkip from before were there, and Chatot let them enter. The Vulpix came up to me. "Hi," I said.

     "Hi!" she chirped. "Are you two new explorers-in-training?" Pika and I nodded. "Well, Guildmaster Wigglytuff permitting, you two can join us!"

     The Mudkip nodded. "Yes, it would be fun to have new members." He looked me in the eye and I felt hot, and not just because I was now a fire-type. Was he familiar?

     "Uhh," I said ever-so-intelligently. "Sure. What do you think, Pika?" I hadn't seen the Vulpix or Mudkip before, but then again I hadn't actually entered Treasure Town.

      Pika nodded. "I think it's a good idea."

     "All settled then!" Wigglytuff exclaimed. "You two will join Team PokéClan. I'll register the change. Registering! ♪ Registering! ♪ All registered...YOOM...TAH! Congradulations! From now on, you're an official exploration team!"

     Chatot nodded. "Lucky, too. They aren't too much newer than you two are."

     "Again a team, it seems." The Vulpix giggled. "I'm Hex, and this is Kip," Hex said, indicating her partner.

"I'm Pika, and this is Pearl," Pika said.

     But Wigglytuff wasn't done. "I present you with this commemoration." He pulled out a small golden chest and placed it in front of Pika and I.

      Pika knew what it was. "An exploration team kit?" he asked.

     "Yup." Wigglytuff nodded. "It's what every exploration team needs. Quick, open it up."

     Inside the chest, there was a map, two badges, and an exploration bag. "Yeah!" Pika exclaimed, overjoyed. He must have wanted to be in an exploration team for a long time. "There all sorts of great items in here!" Pika hoisted it onto his shoulders and gave me the map. I opened it up and looked at it, noticing part of it had clouds over it.

    Wigglytuff nodded again. "That's your exploration badge! It's your official team identification!" He pointed at the map in my talons. "And there's the Wonder Map, which is a wonder of convenience!" Now pointing to the bag Pika had shouldered, "Finally there's a treasure bag. It lets you carry items you find in the dungeons. Your successes as an exploration team can lead to bigger and bigger space for your bag. It's a very wonderful bag!! Have a peak inside."

     Pika opened it up, and I peered over his shoulder. There was a band of some sort in it and a ribbon of some sort.

     "Those two items are special. I'm sure they will help you on your adventures!!"

     Pika's eyes shown again. "Th-thank you!" he said. "We'll do our best!"

     "Yup," Wigglytuff replied. "But you're only apprenticing right now. So do your best...to train!"

     "We will!" Pika promised. Once again, I couldn't help thinking what in the name of Arceus I was getting sucked into. I was having second thoughts. With no memory, no less. "Let's always do our best, Pearl!"

     "Nothing but," I agreed.

     Hex nudged me. "We can share our room with you two, since we're all one team now. Come on!" Pika and I followed Hex, with Kip bringing up the rear. He watched me, and I could feel my curiosity rising. I could tell he wanted to ask me something, but he wasn't sure if this was the right time. "It's at the end of the bunk hall." Once in the 'room' I noticed there were two nests of some kind of bedding, I thought hay or straw. It definitely looked that way, anyhow. There was also another window, and I could feel a slight breeze. "Right now there are only two nests, but we can go and get some and make more room. This room is fairly big for two Pokémon, afterall."

"Thank you for inviting us into your team," I said. "This will make the first little while easier."

"Yeah!" Hex agreed. "It also will be more fun. Plus, more to watch each other's back."

"Where are you two from?" Kip asked. He looked at Pika. "I've seen you in Treasure Town, right? You're local?"

Pika nodded, then glanced at me. Surely he was wondering how I would lie to keep my amnesia under wraps.

"And you?" Kip faced me.

"I don't know," I answered. "I have amnesia. Pika found me on the beach earlier in the day. But I have a bag with me, and where ever I came from I knew a Treecko and/or Grovyle, but I was also human."

Kip for a moment looked startled, but he covered it up fast. "I see," he said. "And you think going on explorations will help you regain your memory?"

"At least partially, yes, that's what I'm hoping. You haven't seen any Treecko or Grovyle, have you?"

Hex and Kip shook their heads. "Sorry," Hex apologized. "But we'll try to help you regain your memories."

"But right now," Kip said, looking out the window. I was able to see part of the sun dropping down into the water. Sunset. "We all had better sleep. The first day is always the craziest."

"Right," Hex said. "Plus, you have the code to learn and live, and no one sleeps in. But you won't have any problems trying to remember to wake up."

"Why is that?" Pika questioned. I had to say I wanted to know, too.

Hex smiled. "You'll see! ♪"

When Hex and Kip were fast asleep later that evening, Pika tapped me on my shoulder. "You still awake, Pearl?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "Can't sleep," I replied, just as quiet.

"Yeah," he said. "My heart's been racing all day over every little thing... But I'm glad I finally made myself come here. I thought Wigglytuff would be scary, but he seems pretty friendly." Pika sighed. "We're going to experience all sorts of things starting tomorrow, but I'm not very scared."

"I'm excited."

"Me, too. I'm super excited about the adventure's we'll face!"

Hex and Kip stirred, and we got back to whispers. I hadn't realized we were rising in volume.

"I'm feeling a little sleepy..." Pika yawned. "Let's give it our all tomorrow."

"Always."

"Okay, Pearl. Good night."

Before long, Pika's breathing slowed. I got up quietly and looked out the window at the moon, trying to make sense of the day. "I'm suddenly an apprentice at this Guild," I whispered to the moon. "This will be very exciting, I feel my blood pumping just thinking about it. And Pika is a nice friend. Maybe Hex and Kip will be, too. But I have to prioritize. Who was I? Who am I? Who is the Grovyle in the picture?" I grabbed my bag and looked at the Grovyle in the picture. He — I was sure it was a he — was standing in front of some kind of light, with a gray forest in the background. He was overjoyed at something. On the back, I — or someone — wrote Treecko evolved into Grovyle. We briefly revived the Spring. I didn't know what that meant.

I started to feel tired, my thoughts whirling too fast to make sense of. "How am I a human?" I asked the moon, before going back to my nest. I put the picture back in the journal it came from, and resolved to read it in my free time.

My name is Pearl, and I am a human. Somehow I shifted into a Charmander, and I am going to find out how, even if it ends up killing me.