Life's a Peach

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The earlier storm that had raged in the distance was long gone. Even the slight drizzle it left in its wake had ended, and the gray clouds hanging above the forest's canopy had dispersed, letting the rays of sunlight seep in through the leaves. The smell of rain was still quite present, and the green leaves and blades of grass were dotted with little droplets of water, sparkling as the light touched them. Pecha Forest seemed to be quite peaceful in its current state and not many Pokémon were out and about, most likely having stayed in shelter during the rain. It was still so quiet, almost as if every living being was still waiting to see if it was safe to go outside or if the rain would come back again.

Varda didn't have much of a choice. Not knowing where the wind had blown him during the storm, he didn't really have any safe places to hide in, not having found any shelters that would keep his completely dry. Not that it mattered anyways, as the bird Pokémon had already been completely soaked by the time he got to the foreign forest. His usually pristine feathers were ruffled and wet, even having spots of mud and dirt in those spots he was having a hard time reaching himself. Even his head feathers were soaking wet, their new heaviness causing them to be smoothly pressed against his back! The Swablu's belly seemed to be the cleanest, as it was constantly being brushed by the tufts of wet grass underneath as he walked.

He had no time to waste! Even though the wild ride of the storm that taken him from his home and brought him to the forest had left him exhausted, the Pokémon showed no signs of stopping. His wings were too tired for flight, but his little feet pitter-pattered tirelessly through the greenery. Every now and then, Varda stopped, his beady eyes scanning his surroundings in case he finally found something familiar that would tell him where he was and lead him back home. Honestly, he had no idea where he was or what direction he even came from! Most likely, the bird was just walking in circles, anyways...

The Swablu visibly brightened up when his eyes finally managed to see something new, something that just wasn't wet grass, rocks, trees and bushes. He could see a more traveled trail snaking through the forest and the endless sea of green, which was a good sign! Obviously, a road wouldn't be created unless others had walked through this very same spot multiple times. Where the trail went, there would surely be Pokémon! Perhaps even Varda's family! Hopeful and with new-found vigor, the Swablu hurried to the little dirt road, starting to follow it.


Current Energy: 14 (19 base, -5 from entering)

"W-Wait!" Varda called out as the other Pokémon started to speed through the woods, taking a twisting path and using the trees for cover. The sudden turns were quite difficult for the bird to maneuver, not exactly being the fastest or most aerodynamic creature out there – and he definitely hadn't had much training when it came to flying like this! He did his best to try to keep up, but his wings were tired and it seemed like they couldn't quite flap hard enough. Considering how he had to watch out for the trees too so that his wings didn't hit them mid-flight, the Swablu had to be much more careful while flying and it ate all the time.

The bulkier Nidorino and Nidorina weren't as speedy as the small Lance, and were quickly left behind. The Zigzagoon however, was faster – though the one Varda had bumped into didn't seem to chase after them, being left back at the clearing. But the Swablu was quickly starting to lag behind as well, not having the needed strength or speed. He was so tired and he just wanted to rest for a while already, but there just was no opportunity to do so... If he lost sight of Lance, he would be completely lost in the strange forest!

But he couldn't see Lance anymore. Or the little raccoon running after him. It seemed like the bird had not been its target, but now he certainly was lost! Flying in place, he looked around and tried to see something that would have told him where the two headed off to. Luckily, a Zigzagoon soon flied through the air behind some trees and bushes, unfortunately having its path stopped by a sturdy tree. Sliding down, the poor Pokémon seemed quite dizzy as it hit the ground and wasn't in any shape to continue its attack. However, when Varda saw such a scene, there was an idea that popped into his head immediately. It looked familiar, so clearly the one that had sent the Pokémon flying had to be...

"Oh, Lance!" The Swablu chirped happily, feeling less lost already. Flying to the direction where the Zigzagoon had emerged, he did manage to find his new friend.
"Did something happen? Why are all these Pokémon running after us...?" He asked, confused and looking for answers.

"I don't know why all these pokemon are after us." Lance said. "But I think it has something to do with dungeons. Usually most pokemon who live in dungeons are bad, evil, or mean, while pokemon living outside of dungeons are the opposite." He looked around and saw a glimpse of the path that the two were following earlier. He walked over to the path, and looked towards the direction that led out of the forest. "I think we had enough of exploring. Why don't we head to grassveil town?" He looked at Varda, waiting for his response.

"Dungeons," Varda repeated quietly after Lance when he mentioned the word, seemingly thinking about something. It seemed like the other Pokémon didn't know the exact reason for why everything was trying to attack them, but apparently these dungeons always were full of mean Pokémon! It sounded strange. Did these places do something to them? Or did Pokémon that just enjoyed fighting always come to the dungeons and stay in there, attacking anyone they saw? He couldn't help but wonder which one came first. He had never been attacked like this before, he had never even seen this many aggressive Pokémon during his entire life!

"This never happened back home," the Swablu wondered, mostly just thinking aloud but also letting Lance to know more about his home. If dungeons had such mean Pokémon in them... Then the safety in his home had to mean that it wasn't a dungeon? Having lowered his feet firmly on the ground, the bird Pokémon used his slightly muddy wings to carry his Pecha Berry with him, walking after Lance with small, tired steps.

"Oh, I think I would like to rest somewhere safe already!" Varda told the other Pokémon happily when asked if they should go to the town at the end of the path already. He would have loved to! The forest was no place to sit down and rest, it seemed. You never knew when something was going to pop up and try to hit you!
"You did mean that Grassveil Town was safe, right? It's not another... Dungeon?" The bird asked with large, curious eyes, waddling behind Lance as they stepped back on the path.

"No, grassveil town isn't a dungeon. It's completely safe." Lance said. He walked along the path, looking around. He was more cautious, not wanting to get attacked again. Lance then remembered something. "So what is your decision on joining my team?" He asked. Varda hasn't said anything about joining yet, and Lance wanted to know if he wanted to join or not. He looked at Varda, hoping he would say yes. He would be an excellent addition to the team.

Varda nodded and seemed quite happy with the response he got. Grassveil Town sounded like a good place to stay in, then. Safe, no danger of being attacked by strangely aggressive Pokémon. He needed a bath immediately, as well as some rest and maybe even some food... It had been a while since he had eaten, and he was starting to feel it! The Swablu knew that he would just want to sit down and let his aching limbs rest for the rest of the day – and through the entire night! Never having been away from home, he did worry if he was going to be able to sleep well, though...

"Oh yes, the team," the bird seemed to only remember once Lance mentioned it again. The other Pokémon was a team leader and had wanted Varda to join! He hadn't even thought about it during their little adventure, so he was still back at square one when it came to the thinking process. He was very uncertain. The job was dangerous and he wasn't sure if he was able to handle it – or continue once he got back home!

"Um, is it okay even if I have to quit once I get back home? I'm... Not sure if I could still continue after that," the Swablu wondered after a moment's silence, wanting to hear what Lance thought about it. If quitting like that went after the team rules, surely he couldn't just join then!
"I'm not sure what to expect, though. I'm don't know how useful I would be," Varda kept walking, his tail feathers bobbing from side to side as they drew a faint line on the damp dirty path behind them,
"Oh, maybe! Maybe we could do some kind of unofficial mission?" the bird's eyes seemed to light up, almost like he got an idea. Looking back at Lance as he carried the berry in his wings, he prepared to explain what he thought up.

"I think I'm too tired to continue today, so I need a place to stay for the night. Maybe I can find a Pokémon who is willing to let me stay and then I could try to run an errand for them to pay back? You could help me, too! Then I would know if I can handle it!" Varda chirped happily as they walked.

"Sure. You can quit when you find your home. I ain't going to trap you into my team forever." He looked around again, then looked at Varda. "And I don't think there's anywhere to stay in grassveil town. Most pokemon stay at the guild, and few claim dungeons as their home; usually outlaws or graduated guild members." He then smiled. "Also, you already proved how useful you can be, back when we were fighting that Murkrow and Tangela. You did quite a good job. And you got an item too. I'm sure you will do a great job if you join my team!" He said in a cheerful voice. He saw grassveil town in the distance. "There's grassveil town. So what do you plan to do?" He said. If Varda doesn't join his team, he want's to know what the bird is going to do instead.

Varda nodded, accepting the terms – and quite happy that Lance understood the issue! Of course his home and his flock were important to the bird, so he didn't just want to abandon them or go against their wishes. He wasn't allowed to leave his nest before, so he doubted he would suddenly be allowed to do it now! Probably, his parents didn't like him doing things like these in the first place, as they had always told him to stay out of trouble, but... But everything had went fine! No one got hurt – except of course, the Pokémon that had attacked them. Unfortunately...

"Oh but, but it's a town, right?" The Swablu wondered as the other Pokémon doubted him to find any other place to stay except the Guild,
"Don't they need many Pokémon for something to be able to be called a town? With many services!" Varda continued, seeming quite excited. At least he was expecting Grassveil Town to be huge and full of activity, like a proper town should be! ...Of course, he had never seen a town before, so maybe that was affecting his imagination.
"I'm sure I could find someone eventually," he chirped with cheerful confidence, almost trying to flap open his wings in his excitement before he remember the berry he was carrying. Not wanting to accidentally drop it, he remembered to keep his wings in their current place.

"You... Think I did good?" The bird Pokémon seemed a bit surprised that Lance thought he done well in the forest. He had never been complimented for something like this before! And well, actually, he rarely was given compliments in the first place. He rarely even did anything, so perhaps that was why. But his first time ever looking for items and trying to handle aggressive Pokémon had went well according to a seasoned team leader? The Swablu was quite amazed and couldn't believe his ears! It did make him reconsider his own abilities.

Seeing the looming town in the distance, Varda's eyes started to sparkle as he cooed in awe. It was a sight he had never seen before! Excited, his feet seemed to pick up their pace as he headed towards the almost mythical Grassveil Town.
"First I need to take a bath!" He chirped as he explained his current plan for the day, putting the much-needed bath quite high on his to-do list,
"Then I need to find where I will spend my night!" The Swablu seemed so excited about all these new things he would be doing, his worries of being lost and finding his home melting away for now.

But suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. Thinking really hard, he went quiet. He actually wasn't sure where he would be spending his night. Try to find a Pokémon living in the town to offer him a nest? Try to go in the Guild with the intention of joining Lance's team and earning a room there? He was conflicted about it. On one wing, he really did want to try exploring and doing missions before he officially joined anything, so he knew for sure it was something he could do. But according to Lance, he had already passed the "test" so to speak, and was more than ready. Varda just had never been good at making hard decisions – and this certainly was one!

"I think... I think I would like to join your team, Lance," the bird Pokémon turned around to look at his companion, his eyes like large, dark pool of water,
"But I'm not sure if I should do it... Now. Now now. But maybe tomorrow? Maybe we could... Do something fun first thing in the morning...?"

Lance frowned when Varda suggested that they wait until tomorrow for him to join the Riolu's team. Sometimes Lance wasn't very patient, and now was one of those sometimes. He thought about it, then looked at Varda. "Ok, how about you go and do everything you need to do today, then tomorrow we meet in front of the guild?" Lance smiled. Hopefully Varda would agree. He really wanted to introduce him to the guildmaster and form a team.

Varda's eyes brightened as Lance gave his words a thought and finally agreed. He was happy to get some extra time to think and get his thoughts straight. This was going to be his first day – and night – away from home, and his mind was quite the mess at the moment. It rarely was much better, but now it was extra jumbled thanks to everything that had happened! The Guild did still feel a bit intimidating to him, so he didn't want to step inside before he was 100% sure that he could do it! After a nice bath and a good nap, he was bound to feel much better.

"That sounds like a good idea!" The Swablu nodded happily, not having anything against meeting his future team leader in front of the Guild. Of course, he didn't really know where the building was, but he also didn't know where he could wash himself. Or where he could sleep. He was going to have to ask around before he was going to know anything, so his day certainly wasn't over and he couldn't just sit back and relax. Varda was certain it was going to be alright, though. He was sure it was going to be interesting to search the town on his own.

"Oh, um, and thank you for everything! I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't showed up," the bird continued to walk down the path, towards Grassveil Town. He was unsure if he would have bumped into any Pokémon on his way as he was apparently going in the right direction anyways, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Having Lance around had given him some extra protection – and a lot of knowledge of a strange world he had just stepped into, never having experienced things outside his home.
"We are going to split once we get there...?"

"Yes, we're going to split once we get there. I have a lot of important things to do." Lance said. He looked ahead. Grassveil was getting closer and closer. Once they reached the entrance, Lance faced Varda. "There's a small pond near town. You can wash there if you want. Then you should get to know the shop owners, and try to find a place to stay. I will rest and get ready to form a new team." He smiled. "And don't worry about the guild, there's a really nice guildmaster, and the sign-up process is quick." He looked back towards grassveil town. "Well, we should head our separate ways now. I will meet you at the guild tomorrow." He then walked towards grassveil town, ready to get ready for a new beginning of his team.

Varda nodded, happily skipping along – cautiously enough to keep his berry off the ground, of course. He was happy to at least have company until they finally had to split once they got to the town proper. The excitement and anticipation built inside the small bird, looking quite a bit poofier as his feathers stood on their ends. While he still was quite dirty, the sunlight was warm enough to at least dry most of his feathers, no longer looking quite as pitiful as before while he was still sopping wet. And he wasn't even leaving a wet trail behind him anymore, either.

The Swablu slowed down as they came to the entrance of Grassveil Town, looking up at Lance as the other Pokémon spoke up. Almost like he had read the bird Pokémon's mind – or perhaps his body language, the canine team leader told his future underling to not worry about the Guilt or the sign-up process. Varda's feet came to a stop as he nodded in agreement, understanding and accepting their current plan. Of course, after a moment of pondering, the bird suddenly called out.

"O-Oh, Lance!" Varda took a couple of steps after the other Pokémon, hoping that he would come to a stop before they split for the day,
"Um, I think I have one more question. Is there... Something special I should do before? Do I have to be prepared for something in particular? I have never been to a Guild before, so I don't know what this Guildmaster expects of me," he asked the question that had suddenly popped into his mind as Lance mentioned the existence of a Guildmaster. The other Pokémon said that they were nice at least, but still...

"And... And, maybe you should take this berry and hold onto it for me, if you could. It is a bit difficult for me to carry around," the Swablu extended his wings, offering the Pecha Berry in Lance's direction. He only had his wings to carry something with, and he wasn't exactly big. It was quite difficult to try to do anything when his wings were full!

Lance put Varda's berry in his bag. "I will keep it in here for safekeeping. Also, you don't need to be prepared for anything. There isn't a test or anything you need to pass." He smiled. "Ok, if that's everything, we should head our seperate ways now. I got a lot of work to do." Lance then continued to walk towards grassveil town. He looked back at Varda and waved, then turned back around and headed into grassveil.

Varda held the Pecha Berry out for Lance to take it, watching as the plump, pink berry disappeared in the other Pokémon's bag. He nodded a couple of times, happy to have Lance look after the item he had found. The bird was quite worried that he would accidentally drop it or leave it behind if he had to carry it with him all this time! And luckily, all he really had to do was take a bath. Varda was quite certain that a Guildmaster actually expected him to look clean, even if Lance said there was nothing to be prepared for. Hearing that there was no test did ease his mind a bit!

"Thank you and good bye! For real this time!" The Swablu chirped as he waved his wing, now free of carrying the berry and able to do what they wanted. Lance said there was a lot to do for him, so he shouldn't bother the other Pokémon any longer. Varda had a lot to do himself now, too! Lance had told him that there was a pond near the town, so that sounded like a good place to go for a bath. He would most likely need to ask for directions, but the most diffcult decision was still up ahead... Should the bird Pokémon take a bath first or let his curiosity take him sightseeing...? So many options, so little time. Varda took a deep breath as he started to walk towards the town looming in front of him.