They are known as explorers

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The Sandshrew stood before the mighty gates of the western entrance of the city.

"Grassveil..."

They were laid open today, so they were yesterday, the day that Yigo got to see them for the first time. However, he hesitated. He had never been to a town before and he didn´t know what to expect from it. The only thing he could assume was that Pokemon gathered there.

He took a deep breath, scratched the back of his left ear and curled to the size of a ball. He knew well enough that he couldn´t see in that shape; exactly what he wanted. He rolled through the gates when he was sure that no one was passing through and got inside the town. He got unrolled and on his fours on a wide street. That street seemed different from the others. At the end of it was building that stood out from the others. Near it, a group of Pokemon wearing scarves, bags crammed with tools and goodies with a little piece of a shiny material that could be spotted by Yigo´s eyes from there.

"Explorers," he thought to himself "The alpha has to be with them!"

He had seen and heard about this explorers, moreover, he was brought there by them in the first place. He assumed that it was his best bet to go for it and ask them information. He knew nothing about Grassveil, just that he wanted to become part of it. With that in mind, he began advancing towards the guild. As he got closer, though, his body began wavering. Some of the explorers were looking at him, then got back to talking. Next, almost of all of them were looking at him just to return to their conversation shortly thereafter. Yigo couldn´t move, he got paralysed right where he stood. Were they talking about him? Each time they scanned him felt like a Zangoose´s slash. A cold sweat ran through his face as he started shivering. He couldn´t take it.

The Sandshrew didn´t waste a moment running away from the group of explorers. On the go, he began to look for somewhere to hide, yet the only thing he could see was Pokemon on the streets, staring at him. Trying to avoid other Pokemon, Yigo got to an alleyway, apparently empty.

"I couldn´t do it... " he squeaked, panting, barely controlling his desire to cry out loud. He sat on the ground with his hands covering his face in shame. "Not even today... I can´t do it..."

Alki didn't know what to say. There wasn't anything of note, not there in the street. It was only Yigo and Alki. So what was the treasure then? There was only one option, one thing, or more accurately, one Pokemon he could be referring to.

He was referring to Alki. That was the only option.

Alki noticed him blushing. They were both blushing. That couldn't be helped, she thought. They stood in the street, looking at each other. She didn't know how to feel. He thought she was a treasure... She didn't quite agree, and she knew that neither her parents nor the other Pokemon she'd known at the pond would agree. But what did it matter? She didn't want to ruin the moment, and besides, it was nice for Yigo to think so highly of her...


"I... I m-mean, I'm... " She choked out, trying to find the proper words to express her gratitude. There weren't any, not that Alki could think of. Her shy smile persisted. Then she bounced onto Yigo, practically hugging his back. "L-Let's g-go, friend!" She cried, grinning. Her red eyes were filled with tears as she began to hum one of her favorite songs, only stopping to point Yigo in the right direction, towards the Police Station. He was going slower than before, and that made her happy. It gave her more time to savor his company, even though she didn't say much, she wanted to make the moment last as long as possible. She was pointing him towards the Police Station, but she hoped that he'd decide to join the guild... her team could always use more members, and that would also let her spend more time with him...

New things to discover upon every corner, Pokemon that didn´t even seem real roaming the streets, interesting transactions and conversation overheard. Everywhere they went just made Yigo eager to know more about what made Grassveil so important. Not only that, he also needed to know how an explorer... is an explorer. The Igglybuff did also mention someone named Darcy before like someone important, none other than the head member of her team! He had a lot of questions, that was for sure; however, he kept them for himself, for later, just to hear the tune of his passenger. No, Alki wasn´t his passenger, she was his friend.

Igglybuff and their chain of evolution were famous for their ability to sing. Now he could understand why it was that and maybe learn from Alki to show to his mother! Instead of interrupting her with questions that could be asked later, he decided to use the melody as a game, giving a step every time Alki hummed a bit of the song. Of course, that would make him go a little slower than before, but none of them seemed to mind it that much. Besides, the longer it took, the more he could hear from her.

Sadly, the end came sooner than expected. Alki made him stop in an open area that looked like a circular-shaped opening surrounded by buildings and a stone structure in the shape of a Furret in the middle. The brick floor was coloured differently in certain areas with the bright coloured ones leading out of the town plaza. Unable to recognise what they were looking for, he started to point out buildings so that Alki could tell him which one was. Maybe the tents on his left? They were jam packed with supplies and were guarded by big Pokemon. "Is it that place?" Perhaps the grey egg-shaped building on their right? Many of the Pokemon that he saw in the area got eventually inside. Through the windows, the Sandshrew could see that they were having conversations and something to eat in the meantime "No, it must be that one!" Who knew, even the stone structure in the middle looked like it had importance. A stone tablet in front of it had holes that made some pattern but no picture. "Oh, what´s that?" If the Police Station was that important, why didn´t it stand out from all the surrounding buildings like the guild did?

A bit confused and without direction, Yigo just stood in his place, waiting for Alki to shed some light on the matter at hand.

(occ: my apologies for the delay. I have no excuse for this one. I´ll hope that I get better at answering at time.)

Alki fell quiet as they arrived at the police station. She’d never paid it much thought, a place like that didn’t concern her. She was barely qualified to be a member of the guild, let alone a police officer. Although their job did sound exciting, she couldn’t see herself performing a job like that very well. The only other reason she’d be going to the police station would be if she committed a crime, and Alki didn’t ever want to be caught doing something like that. What would Darcy or Nightingale think? Yigo wanted to be a police officer, what would he think?
 
She shuddered at that thought. She didn’t want to ever let anyone down like that. She wouldn’t!
 
As Alki tore away from her thoughts, she saw Yigo standing still, looking around. He was lost. “E-Erm, I… I’ve never been inside this place, I’ve just seen it. So… erm, I d-don’t know what it’ll be like… it’ll be new for the both of us.” She explained. She stared at the stone structure in the middle of the plaza; there wasn’t anything particularly remarkable about it, and that in itself made it remarkable. Every other building had something unique about it, but this? This was nothing but a simple stone building, yet Alki couldn’t help but feel nervous looking at it.
 

She instead focused on the Stone tablet in front of the building, with the strange pattern that… didn’t form a picture. She shot a glance at Yigo, she didn’t want to tell him that she couldn’t read. She’d seem like an idiot! She cleared her throat and quickly bounced away, towards the stone structure. “N-Nevermind that, I-I d-don’t think it’s important...” She muttered. Yigo would know, wouldn’t he? That she couldn’t read… “L-Let’s just see w-what they have to s-say, yeah?” She stammered, before stepping aside and waiting for Yigo to enter the Police Station.

If the Police Station was that important, investigating it could prove useful when looking for ways to help the community, to be a part of it. Grassveil was something special full of interesting places and people. If Yigo wanted to be a part of it, he had to work for it. Surely Alki had offered him the option to join her team at the Guild but the lack of orientation he just displayed should be enough proof for her to consider who was she offering a place on the team to. That was why Yigo needed more options, just in case.

Yigo saw Alki taking a look at the stone tablet. She seemed focused on it for a while. Would the stone tell them where the Police Station was? She briefly looked at him and bounced away, assuring that it was not important at all. At first, it felt confusing to the Sandshrew but then he thought that it made sense for a place like Grassveil to be filled with decorations only meant to make the place look interesting.

Turning to the Igglybuff waiting for him at the entrance of the stone building Yigo faced an issue similar to that of the guild. He was shivering and wavering but moving nonetheless. His respirations became heavy and irregular but the worst of all was that Alki was watching. Why was he so nervous? What was he afraid of? Yigo forced himself to step forward... but for how much longer would he be able to continue?

He barely got to Alki´s side, his body frozen in place as it refused to take a single step more. Yigo glanced at Alki, his face unable to conceal the fear that had overcome the excitement of discovering a new place "A-Alki..." he whispered, not wanting to attract attention from anyone else besides her "C-Can you... g-go first?"