NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Forming an Exploration Team!
"This time, I can do this!"
Dante and Pikachu have already left the Beach Cave and are currently standing in front of the Wigglytuff Guild.
After some discussion, both of them decided to first join Wigglytuff's guild as an apprentice in order to accumulate experience in being an Exploration Team.
Wigglytuff's Guild is a Guildmaster Rank Exploration team. The Guildmaster Rank is the highest known rank that an Exploration Team can achieve.
In the past, whenever Pikachu tries to join the Guild, he always gets scared just in front of the entrance and runs away.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"
"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"
"The footprint is Pikachu's! The footprint is Pikachu's!"
Pikachu trembled after hearing the sound. But this time, he was able to endure it and stay in place.
'Pikachu must have a huge problem of social anxiety'.
Dante had this thought when he looked at Pikachu's trembling body.
"You may ENTER!"
"Someone's with you! So get that stranger to stand up there!"
Hearing this, Pikachu stepped off the wooden grate with a sigh of relief.
Dante just chuckled at Pikachu's antics and stepped onto the wooden grate himself.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"
"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"
"The footprint is… The footprint is… Um…"
"What's the matter?! Sentry! Sentry?!"
"Umm.. er… Maybe Zorua's! Maybe Zorua's!"
Listening to the voices, Dante could understand Diglett's confusion. Zorua itself is a rare Pokemon, and its Hisuian variant must be even rarer.
"Huh? Zorua? I thought you were a Dante?"
From the side, Pikachu's puzzled voice rang out. Hearing this, Dante sweatdropped. So all this time, Pikachu thought his Pokemon species was Dante?
"Dante is my name, but my species is Zorua. Hisuian Zorua to be more precise."
"Your hometown is weird. Our names here are usually just our species. Like, my name is Pikachu and my mother is Pikachu."
Dante was shocked to realize that he can distinguish two different Pikachu's from when Pikachu said it.
'Is this also an intrinsic ability of Pokemons? And maybe they also have the ability to distinguish each Pokemons from the same species…Fascinating.'
"AHEM! Sorry to make you wait. It's true that we haven't seen a Pokemon like you in these parts."
"But you don't seem to be bad…OK, good enough! ENTER!"
After saying that, the door was opened and Dante and a very nervous Pikachu entered the guild.
Just after entering the hut, both saw a ladder that leads downwards. Climbing down, they reached a sort of hub where various Pokemons were moving around and talking.
Dante saw that this area was much larger than the ones shown in the game.
Two large bulletin boards in which tasks were posted can be seen near the entrance. Dante saw various Pokemon crowding in front of the board, most likely exploration teams that are looking for possible tasks.
There was also a desk which was manned by Chimecho. In the game, it was used in order to assemble the members of the Exploration Team.
However, there was a long line in front of Chimecho's desk now. After listening to the various discussion of the Pokemons, it looks like that is also where others can ask for help in posting tasks.
"Excuse me!"
Just as Dante and Pikachu were continuing to look around, a voice sounded behind them.
Turning around, they saw a parrot-like Pokemon with colorful feathers and a pink beak. It was Chatot.
"Are you two the ones that just came in?"
"Yes?"
"I'm Chatot! I'm the Pokemon in the know around these parts!"
"I am also the right-hand Pokemon of the Guildmaster Wigglytuff!"
With a constant smile on his face, Chatot introduced himself. Just when Dante and Pikachu were about to introduce themselves back, Chatot's face became serious and spoke:
"Now, shoo! Leave the premises! We have no time for salespeople or silly surveys. Off you go, if you please!"
Dante and Pikachu were a little surprised. Dante forgot whether something like this really happened in the original PMD game or is this a change caused by him replacing the original protagonist.
Anyway, Dante and Pikachu explained that their purpose of coming here was in order to join the Wigglytuff Guild as an apprentice.
Chatot was surprised and then delighted after learning that. After chatting a bit more, he led them towards the deeper floor in order to see Wigglytuff. According to him, only if Wigglytuff approves will they be able to join the guild.
Arriving at the third floor of the Guild, it also looked a lot bigger than the ones in the game.
Because of being built at the side of the cliff, one can see the outside through the window that was placed for natural lighting.
Dante saw Loudred standing in front of the hole where Diglett presumably is. Croagunk was also seen inside his workshop tinkering with the cauldron.
"Come now, this is the Guildmaster Wigglytuff's chamber. Let me just remind you that, on no account, I repeat, on no account, should you be discourteous to the Guildmaster."
Having said his warning, Chatot informed Wigglytuff that he is coming in with some guests.
"Guildmaster! These two Pokemons wish to apprentice under our guild."
Dante looked at the legendary Wigglytuff in front of him.
In the official PMD Explorers of Sky, the player can unlock a special storyline by achieving various achievements.
In one of them, the player can play as Igglybuff, the period when Wigglytuff first started his journey. It shows there how Igglybuff already possesses powerful strength even without any training, keen intuition to discover clues to the treasure, and an intelligence that allows him to solve all dungeon puzzles.
Looking at him now, Dante just felt that he looked like a very ordinary Wigglytuff with no special aura or presence.
"Hiya!"
Wigglytuff suddenly turned around and surprised all of them. Wigglytuff's behaviour reminds Dante of those powerful old men in mangas that act like the normal elderly and often pranks their juniors.
"I'm Wigglytuff! I'm the guild's Guildmaster!"
Dante and Pikachu also introduced themselves with Chatot on the side explaining why they came here.
"You want to form an exploration team? Then, let's go for it!"
"First, we must register your Exploration Team's name!"
Hearing this, both Dante and Pikachu looked at each other and nodded in affirmation.
"We've already discussed this earlier. Based on our dreams, we'll name ourselves…Omnipotent Travelers!"
On the way to Wigglytuff's Guild, Dante and Pikachu already had a very long discussion about their team name. Both of them agreed that instead of their typing, the name is better based on both of their dreams.
Pikachu hopes to explore the world, dive into countless dungeons, and discover new places where no one's ever been to. Dante's dream remains the same as ever. To train the strongest group of Pokemon and become the strongest Pokemon Trainer who can crush even the strongest Legendaries.
"Team Omnipotent Travelers? All settled then! I'll register your Exploration Team as Omnipotent Travelers!"
Wigglytuff took out a badge and began muttering something. Chatot from the side, seeing the confused expression of the two, began explaining proudly.
"The Guildmaster is a high-ranking member of the Exploration Team Federation and was given the right to manage this region of the Grass Continent!"
"Our guild is in charge of registering new Rescue Teams and relaying it back to the Federation. In exchange, we serve as the stronghold for the Federation responsible for receiving and distributing the missions for various Rescue Teams…receiving a certain commission from each mission of course."
Dante was impressed by what Chatot said. During their brief time in the 2nd floor of the Guild, they saw at least 30 Exploration Teams. Not counting the ones still on a mission, the commission the Guild can receive for each completed mission everyday should not be small.
"All registered…YOOM…TAH!"
Grandmaster Wigglytuff let out a cheer, positively happy for the registration of a new Rescue Team…or due to finally being finished with the registration.
"Congratulations! From now on, you're an official exploration team! I present you with this in commemoration!"
Wigglytuff hopped around and took out a box from a drawer and then placed it in front of Dante and Pikachu.
"Open it~ Open it~ There's a lot of goodies inside!"
Under the Grandmaster's urging, Dante and Pikachu opened the box to take a look at the content.
Inside the box, there was a large bag, a scroll, and a badge.
"This bag contains the essentials that every Exploration Team needs!"
"The Explorer Badge! It's your official team identification!"
"The Wonder Map! It automatically records the map of the dungeon you've been to~ It's a wonder of convenience!"
"And finally, the Treasure Bag! It lets you carry the items you found in the dungeon~ It's a very wonderful bag! Have a peek inside."
Looking inside the Treasure Bag, Dante found a Def. Scarf and a Sky Blue Bow. After touching the Treasure Bag, an option popped-up in front of Dante whether to use it as the inventory space which Dante chose 'no' for now.
"Those two items are special. I'm sure they will help you on your adventures!"
"Thank you! We'll both do our best."
"Yup! But you're just apprentices right now. So do your best…to train!"
After that, Dante and Pikachu were led out of Wigglytuff's office and led to their room.
"These will be your room from now on! You can spread the straw on the side to make your own beds. Rest well for today. Tomorrow, you'll begin your training with the other guild apprentices."
"Great! Thanks Chatot!"
"The training here begins early in the morning, so don't stay up late and get to sleep early tonight~"
After that, Chatot left the room.
Dante and Pikachu first picked up the straw from the side and made two separate beds side-by-side.
The two of them chatted while resting on the straw. Pikachu was still very excited about finally becoming an official Explorer. Dante on the side tried integrating the Treasure Bag and watched as the menu popped-up after he clicked 'yes'.
On the menu, he was pleased when he saw the 'Item' tab finally having more than one storage space.
'Wait, can I also integrate the Space Bag in the real world to the Item menu? If so, this would make our adventuring a whole lot easier!'
The Space Bag in the real world implemented the space compression function of the Pokeball. After countless optimizations, the ones sold for general use in the market already have an average storage space of 1 cubic meter.
In addition, it also has other functions like slowing down the time inside and being almost weightless.
'I think I neglected the real world a bit. The more advanced technological development should make it possess other items I can't hope to obtain in this world. In addition to the Light Ball and the Space Bag, I should have missed other things that would make it much easier for my journey to become the best Pokemon Trainer.'