The Town of Beginnings (Open)

The sun shines down onto the bustling town. Pokemon rush about, chatting and going about their business. Everyone seems to have places to go and things to do. However, one Pokemon wanders about the town, as if he were searching for something rather than getting where he needed to be...

Marshall had never liked crowds. It was all too easy to get caught up in things that you hadn't exactly signed up for. As he had recently discovered, he didn't particularly enjoy being lost, either. Back in the desert, he didn't exactly need to search for things; all he needed to worry about was that he was moving forward. As a result, he didn't exactly have a keen sense of direction. All of this led to one thing: A very lost and distressed Marshall.
Come on, how hard could this be? All I need to do is find one darned building... Marshall thought to himself.
Deciding that he needed a break, Marshall pulled away from the crowd and off to the side.

Ajex pushed through the crowded streets of Grassveil Town. He was still very tired from his long trek from his home town. But he couldn't take a break now that he was so close. Ajex had been in search of the Grassveil Town exploration guild. He had asked many pokemon where it was and they all said that it was just north of the town. But which way was north? Some pokemon he had asked for directions even pointed in the direction of the guild, but as soon as he went to go find it, he go lost in the crowd again.
This is so frustrating, Ajex thought to himself. Finally, after an hour of searching, Ajex decided to take a quick rest. But as he neared the edge of the crowd, he spotted a lone Trapinch.
Should I ask him for directions? he thought. Well... It couldn't hurt just to ask one last time.
"Ecuse me" Ajex said to the Trapinch, "do you know where the exploration guild is?"

Marshall looked up from his thoughts to meet the eyes of a lone Scyther. As Marshall had never seen a Scyther before, he was immediately intimidated by its blade-like claws. Hesitant, Marshall just stared at the Scyther for a moment before responding. "U-um, no, sorry. I've no idea of the guild's location." Marshall quickly swallowed before he continued. "To tell the truth, I'm looking for it as well, but I'm terrible with directions. Sorry about that." Marshall averted his gaze for a few seconds as he turned towards the crowd. It looks like I'm not the only one getting lost in this huge town... Huh, maybe I should ask this guy for help.
Turning back to face the Scyther, Marshall posed his question. "Hey, uh, do you want to look for it together? You know, two heads are better than one, and all that."

Well... I don't think anyone in the crowds could help me, so what harm could be done with partnering up with this Trapinch? Ajex thought, He seems like a nice pokemon anyway. So why not?

"Sure. Good idea," he said, & they began to search for the guild together.

After a few long minutes of making their way through the bustling crowds, Ajex, still tired from his trek, began to drag his feet. The hot, afternoon sun wasn't helping in any way either. But, even though feeling weak and light headed from dehydration, he was still determined to find the guild. His hopes had risen when he thought he saw the roof of the exploration guild but it just turned out to be just another shop.

"I'm sorry," Ajex said to the Trapinch, "but d'you mind if we take a break? Just for a bit? You see, I've been walking for a long time now and I'm getting a bit light headed."

Marshall listened to the Scyther's request and nodded as they pulled away from the crowd once again. Marshall sure knew what it felt like to walk all day in the scorching sun. This Pokémon mentioned that he had walked for a long time... I guess that he's not familiar with this place. Hmm... I wonder where he's from, anyways? Marshall went completely silent for a few minutes before he spoke again. I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to get to know each other a little better.

Deciding to break his silence, Marshall attempted to strike up a conversation. "So, um, I guess you're not from around here, are you? I mean, we're kind of in the same situation here, and you mentioned that you'd been walking a long time, so it would make sense." Marshall took a breath before going on. "So, uh, where are you from?

"Just South of Rainfornt Town" Ajex Replied.

They took refuge in the shade of a large tree towards the edge of town. Ajex fealt sweat begining to run down his forhead and he wiped it off with the back of his scythe. The sun was still high in the sky, but Ajex felt so lost he was worried that they might have to wait until nightfall when the town was less crowded to find the guild. He looked over at the Trapinch who didn't seem as tired as he did. Ajex was greatful that he let him rest even for a few minutes.

"My name's Ajex," he said, getting the Trapinch's attention "what's yours?"

Some paces away from the two chattering pokémon, a third one could be seen in the crowd. It wasn't standing out much, other than in height. The pokémon was a Girafarig.

Eljang walked past buildings and shops, watching the things they sold and pokémon passing by. Watchog, Swellow, Machop. He could recognize some of them, but some pokémon seemed unusual to him. Like the two other ones, he wasn't from Grassveil either. The Girafarig hadn't noticed the two yet, and was just strolling around. "Seems I'm back here again. Maybe I should spend some time checking out the shops this time.", he thought as he gazed at the various buildings. He could see a dojo and various traveling merchants. There were plenty of other shops, but as he skidded along, he was as always thinking about exploration and dungeons. He had already been to Pecha Forest, so where would he go now? The Shadowhue Forest that Tsukiakari had told him about? Or maybe Black Mist Mountain, wherever that was located. He kept moving around while thinking, getting a better look at the town as he tried to decide his next destination.

"My name's Marshall," the Trapinch replied to the Scyther. "I'm from the desert, pretty far from here."  Marshall took a second to reflect on his journey. I've come a long way to get here... It's kind of amazing to finally be here in the middle of Grassveil. This is the final stretch for me before I reach the guild and become part of a full-fledged exploration team. Now, all that's left is for me to find what I'm looking for.

Marshall triggered a new train of thoughts when he turned to look at the Scyther. What a strange coincidence that we happened to meet each other here, both looking for the same place. Normally I wouldn't believe in things like destiny, but this time it feels different... Marshall opened his mouth to speak. "So, I take it you were looking to join an exploration team?"

"Yes, I am" he replied.

Ajex had been wanting to join an exploration team sense he heard about the Exploration guild in Grassveil Town. But he hadn't gone because he didn't want to leave his hometown. Ajex had lived there his entire life. But now that he had gathered the courage to leave, he was glad he did. Even though he hasn't even joined the guild yet, Ajex loved the town, even the crowds. It was much beetter than his hometown, filled with crime and violence. Although he missed his friends, he was sure he would meat new ones. He then thought of the Trapinch he just met.

"Are you planning on joining one, too?" Ajex asked.

"Maybe I'll go have a look at the shop over there.", Eljang thought as he looked at a shop full of berries and apples, lead by a Raichu wearing a big rucksack, making it seem like it was a traveling salesmon. He trotted towards the mouse slowly, as he wasn't in a hurry. While moving over to the merchant, the Long Neck pokémon accidentally heard a bit of the conversation between a Trapinch and a Scyther. "Exploration team." "Are you planning to join one, too?", he couldn't help but eavesdrop a little as he walked past.

(OOC: Psst Appo check your PMs)
"Yes, I was planning on joining an exploration team once I reached the guild," Marshall said in answer to the Scyther's question. "In fact, I met a certain, er, someone that we might meet at the guild who was also looking to join the guild. He's a bit... strange, though."

Marshall turned to look at the crowd again. Gods, there was so many of them, and all so different from each other! I guess I'll have to get used to this sort of thing if I want to become a explorer. I'll be constantly bombarded by the unknown... And I'll need friends to pull me through it. Marshall turned back to the Scyther. "So, uh, I was thinking, since we're looking for the guild together and all, did you maybe... want to team up with me?"

Ajex didn't know how to reply. He knew that he would have to team up with someone eventually, but he didn't expect to form one this quickly. Should I join a team with him? Ajex thought. Well...he sure seems like a nice pokemon. And who knows when the next time will be when someone offers to join a team with me? After all, I was going to have to join someone anyway. So why not?
"Sure. I'd love to join a team with you," Ajex said. Now all we have to do is actually find the guild, he thought.

The start of a team! Eljang felt happy about it. They were about to have so much fun, exploring, doing missions, discovering the greatest of secrets and find hoards of treasure! Or he might just have overestimated it. Either way, he was sure they would have fun. The girafarig didn't realize he had stopped walking, and currently stood there smiling at the thought of the adventures of explorers. He was a quite new explorer himself, but was not part of a team yet, but joining one surprisingly didn't cross his mind when listening to the two. Joining the guild, however, was something he had tried to do since he came to Grassveil the first time. He had been busy exploring Pecha Forest and was distracted by it then, but now he got a chance, as the two pokémon might know where it was so that he wouldn't have to search through the whole town.

The Trapinch gave a small smile as he heard the Scyther's reply. All right, now it's settled. Today is the day that I join an exploration team. It's kind of a strange feeling really... I mean, I've finally gotten to this position after such a long journey. It's almost like everything I've done so far leads up to this... Well, there's no getting cold feet now. After all, even if I didn't partner up with this Pokémon, there would still be that other one that I met...

Finishing up his thoughts, Marshall turned to Ajex. "Hey, thanks for joining up with me." Marshall paused for a few seconds before continuing. "We should probably start moving again. We don't want to still be looking when it gets dark, and I have someone waiting at the guild, who I... don't exactly want to leave by himself."

As the sun began to set, Ajex and Marshall resumed their quest to find the guild.

A pokemon who he doesn't want to leave by himself? Ajex thaught as they searched. WHo could that be? Ajex soon dismissed this thaught, deciding that he should be more focused on finding the guild rather than think of who could be waiting there for them. The relentless sun was still beating down on the scyther, but the quick rest under the shade of the tree had somewhat restored his energy.    

As the duo continued their search through the bustiling streets, Ajex couldn't help his mind to wander. Who would be waiting for us at the guild?
Finally, Ajex turned to the Trapinch. "Hey, Marshall? Who is waiting for us at the guild?" he asked.