Okay, finally we see what Pokémon Gale turns into! I'm excited! I can't believe it's only been a couple chapters. I crammed a lot of stuff into them, but I'm going to shorten the chapters from now on, since I think the last one was a little too long. I tried to mention interesting stuff about Gale and Grovyle while trying to keep the paragraphs organized. I can go off and talk about random things a lot though, so I tried to work hard to make the things I wrote stay in order. I'm going to keep working on that in future chapters.

Anyway, here we go! I don't own Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, or anything else from the series. I only own my characters, the human ones anyway...the Pokémon don't belong to me. Thank you for reading!

My eyes slowly lifted open, and I had the uncomfortably painful feeling of something hot scorching my back. I realized that my face was pressed into a mass of gritty particles, like dirt or sand, and I wanted to move and get out of it but even though I was lying down I felt too exhausted to even get up. I dragged my arms towards my head a bit, and just that small movement made me groan with pain. Something bad had happened to me, but I was too tired to try and remember what just now. I had barely opened my eyes when I felt them slip shut again, and I somehow found the strength to curl up tightly before I dozed off.

The next time I opened my eyes, the warmth against my back was a little cooler, and I managed to roll over only to get a flash of sunlight in my eyes. Quickly I turned over and rubbed at my eyes. The pain in my body was a little better, now; I could at least move. I realized that I had been lying in sand, and I glanced around. The beach front around me was tinted pinkish-red by the sunset. I tried to push myself upright, but my arms quaked and gave out, causing me to face-plant into the hot sand again. I groaned and rolled onto my left side. A quiet whooshing noise swept towards me and I felt coolness dragging around my body. The ocean, I thought, and closed my eyes to listen, but only for a moment. I didn't want to stay on the beach anymore, since I'd probably been toasted by the sun already and was in danger of getting taken out to sea. I pressed my hands into the sand and stood as quickly as I could when my palms burned. Stumbling across the sand, away from the surf, my legs began to shiver and I collapsed onto all fours with a quiet whimper of pain.

"Your sister's not part of the Guild yet...sorry." My body jerked in surprise at the voice that suddenly reached me. Someone was here, and talking to themself. "But I'll keep trying...and soon...huh? Um...who are you? You okay?" I heard footsteps crunching quickly across the sand and tensed, wondering who it was. Suddenly feeling anxious, I made an effort to push myself upright, and finally succeeded. I rolled over onto my back and tried to sit up, but found I still didn't have much strength. I glanced at myself and saw that my right arm had a bandage wrapped around it, while my stomach and forehead—as well as my whole body—were aching painfully. I touched the spots and felt slight jabs of pain as I did so. My teeth clenched; how had I been hurt? I didn't remember getting into a fight. Something else was off about me, but I was too tired to really focus and figure it out, so instead I let my gaze drift to the one who had called to me, and I blinked a couple times in surprise. "You alright?" I heard the figure say, but I was too busy staring and I didn't answer right off. "Uh...are you listening?"

"I'm listening," I replied hazily, looking at the figure and noting that they had a small brown pouch slung over their shoulders. "Am I...awake?"

"Uh...why? Yeah...you're awake," the figure said doubtfully, stepping closer. I flinched and moved back. "Jeez. You're jumpy. Haven't you seen a Squirtle before?" She turned around, showing off her light brown shell and curled blue tail.

"Squirtle?" I echoed quietly, looking at the Pokémon, now realizing that was what had been confusing me. "You're a Pokémon...but I understand you." I tried to listen closely to myself when I spoke, and heard the Pokémon sounds I was making, but they made sense to me. I could hear them, could take feelings and meaning out of the words, instead of just passing them off as a jumble of noise. The Squirtle's words sounded different than my speech, but I could still understand them. It was just like she had a different style of speaking, kind of a sharp voice, sometimes with a funny rasp to it. "This is crazy," I gasped. "I must be going crazy." The Squirtle tilted her head and gave me a suspicious look.

"Are you joking?" She asked incredulously. "Why wouldn't you understand me? You should be able to; you're a Pokémon too, after all." With a sigh, she approached me and tugged my arms so that I stood up, but I struck her paw when she grabbed my right arm. But as she let go, looking wide-eyed with shock, I realized I still couldn't stand on my own and flopped down in the sand, whole body shaking with exertion.

"Don't touch me!" I exclaimed, clutching the bandaged area with my left hand...paw. What had happened to me? I was hurt, and a Pokémon, and had no idea why. "I hit you...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." A flash of concern entered the Squirtle's eyes and she studied my damaged arm.

"What happened?" She questioned curiously, then leaned closer and grimaced. I leaned away slightly. "You really look beat up. Have you been fighting or something?"

"Uh...I don't know." Glancing around, I tried to recognize the scenery, but couldn't. It was just a beach at dusk, nowhere I had been before. "I just woke up here, and..." I trailed off and shook my head. "Hang on," I said, staring at the Squirtle, "you said I was a Pokémon, right?" Somehow, her statement hadn't sunk in. My head was still too muddled to feel very concerned, despite the fact that I could somehow understand her speech. I shouldn't be able to.

"I did. Just look at yourself." Crouching on my knees, I did as she said and stared at my hands, then realized with a huge shock that my skin was green, not a sickly green but a bright green, and there was a section of red skin on my stomach that looked like it went up to my neck. I also seemed to have less fingers than I felt used to. Mentally, I counted, and each time came up with three. A sudden jab of panic made me clench my hands, then glance up sharply at the Squirtle.

"I'm a Pokémon? But that's wrong..." The Squirtle stepped back a few paces, her eyes widening as I yelled again. "I'm a guy!"

"A guy?" The Squirtle repeated, frowning.

"Yeah." I nodded my head and regretted it when it hurt. "So I..."

"I knew that," the Squirtle said, narrowing both eyes. "Why are you telling me?"

"Because I'm not..." I began, but was cut off.

"Yes, you are," the Squirtle retorted. "Male Treecko have brighter colors than female ones."

"That's not what I meant," I protested, and the Squirtle half-smiled at me.

"What did you mean, then, Mr. Treecko?"

"I don't know what happened," I answered shakily, "but I shouldn't be a Treecko! I'm a human!" The Squirtle widened her eyes and stepped back again. "I shouldn't look like this and I shouldn't be able to understand you!"

"You are joking!" The Squirtle burst out, looking a little angry and bewildered. "You're definitely a Treecko!"

"Treecko..." I echoed, taking another stunned look at myself. Green hands—not hands, paws—a head with a little dip in the top. As my paw brushed my forehead, I felt a sharp ache of pain. There was something wrong there, but I couldn't see what, of course. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a thick, dark green tail that I could somehow move back and forth. I grabbed it and gave a sharp tug; I felt a twinge of pain, so it was definitely part of me. Dropping my new tail I whipped back towards the Squirtle. "What...was I doing when you found me?"

"Just lying on the beach," the Squirtle replied with a shrug. She had moved away from me a little, and a wary look had entered her brown eyes. "Why were you there?"

"I can't remember," I answered nervously, trying to think as I spoke, but couldn't come up with a single thing. "I don't know." A sudden bout of dizziness made me fall backward with a thump. "I don't...feel good..."

"Hey, hang in there...come on," I heard the Squirtle say, her voice closer to me, and I tilted my head up to see her leaning over me. She looked worried once again. "Something really beat you up." I lowered my head, too tired to keep looking at her, and felt sling my uninjured arm over her shoulders, and she slowly helped me walk over to the rocks that lined the beach. As we reached the spot, shadows falling over my head and I felt the coolness of the shade and sighed. We were sheltered from the sun by rocks, and my sunburn felt a little better because of it. The Squirtle leaned me against a large rock and stood back. I looked around and saw the mouth of a cave to my right. "What's your name?" The Squirtle asked, and I gazed at her. "You do have one, right? Can you remember it?" I thought for a moment, then nodded; the Squirtle's eyes lit with relief.

"My name...yeah, I remember. My name is Gale."

"Gale, huh," the Squirtle said thoughtfully, smiling sympathetically as she nodded. "You remember what you're called, and that's a good sign."

"Sorry for acting so weird, it's just..." I trailed off, but the Squirtle shook her head swiftly.

"It's alright! You're hurt, but you'll be back to normal once you recover."

"Um...what about your name?" I asked quietly, leaning back against the rock even though the pressure made my burned back sting. I would be feeling this sunburn for a while, I thought sullenly.

"My name?" The Squirtle mumbled reluctantly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I guess I can tell you..." She didn't get a chance to speak again, though. I watched in confusion as a Zubat suddenly flew up and tackled her to the sand. The small brown bag went flying from her shoulders and from it a small, light gray rock tumbled out and landed by my feet. I picked it up carefully and studied it; a pattern of white, swirling marks was painted across its surface. It seemed to have broken off from something, since the edges were jagged. I wasn't sure where it would have come from though. "Hey!" The Squirtle growled, whirling and shaking her fist, and I saw that a Koffing was hovering nearby and chuckling as the Zubat fluttered by his side. "What's the matter with you two? Stop bothering me!"

"Ha ha ha!" The Zubat laughed, then replied in a keening voice, "What's wrong? Can't take a joke?"

"A joke! Yeah, right!" The Squirtle growled furiously, baring her teeth, which I was surprised to see looked razor sharp. "What do you want?"

"You there," said the Koffing in a growling voice, and I was silent for a moment before I realized that he was talking to me. "Give us that rock!" The Squirtle's jaw dropped and she spread her arms out as she stood in front of me. Glancing back, she gave me a desperate look and shook her head frantically.

"Don't give it to them!" She exclaimed, and I reached for her shoulder bag and put the rock inside it, then slipped it over my head and moved it behind me so that it was pressed lightly up against the rock formation I was leaning against.

"You've got some nerve, but he doesn't look too good." The Zubat laughed, and flew over the Squirtle's head towards me. "We're taking that!" He laughed, and without warning, dove for me. I raised my arms to hit at him as he flew closer, but he avoided my swipes and dove again, this time swatting at my arm, the hurt one. I caught my breath as pain shot through me.

"Get lost!" I snapped angrily, pulling the bag from my shoulders and swinging it towards the Zubat, who froze for a moment before backing up in the air. "And don't touch me again!" The Zubat faltered, and started coming for me again, but I forced myself up and took a wobbly step forward. "I mean it! Go!" I swung the bag again. "Get lost!" I looked at the Squirtle and Koffing, and noticed that they seemed to be at a loss for words. The Squirtle looked faintly bewildered, and the Koffing looked stunned. Glancing back at the Zubat I saw that he was finally backing off, but I took a little step towards him as he flew back to Koffing, and I heard him squeak in alarm. The Squirtle watched the pair go, and when they turned back and glared, she inhaled deeply and sent a water gun after them. They jumped and shot off without a backward glance. I sighed and slumped against the rock, setting the bag into the sand, and gingerly examined my right arm. The bandage had been torn in places, and I could see a long scratch underneath it. It had started spotting the white bandage with red, and I sucked in a breath and pressed my left paw against it. "Those idiots..." I said with a grimace as my arm stung, then looked up when I heard the Squirtle approaching. "Oh, sorry." I picked up the bag with the painted rock in it and handed it to her. "Here you go. I think it's fine."

"Thank you," she said, and slung the bag's strap over her shoulders. "I can't believe that you chased them off." I felt a little uncomfortable as she spoke, but just tried to focus on making my arm stop bleeding. "They bullied me for the longest time, but finally I got frustrated and started training so I could beat them up." She sighed heavily. "They still bother me, though. They want my Relic Fragment."

"I was just angry...I didn't really know what I was doing," I admitted in a nervous tone, then looked up and met the Squirtle's eyes. "What'd you call it? Relic Fragment?" She nodded eagerly and pulled the rock out of her bag, then set it on the ground next to me. I looked at it and studied the white, swirling pattern once more.

"I found it a while back when I was exploring," she explained distantly, and a hint of eagerness sparked in her brown eyes. "I like to go looking for hidden places, and I happened to find that. I called it the Relic Fragment...but I just made the name up. I don't know what it is or what it's for." She smiled and picked the rock back up quickly, dropping it into her bag and glancing around. It seemed she was still wary about that Koffing and Zubat, and I didn't blame her. "I have been exploring places for a while, trying to find out where it came from."

"Uh-huh...that's cool," I remarked, nodding, but wasn't paying very close attention to her. I was distracted as I tried to take care of my arm and figure out why I'd become a Treecko.

"So, where did you come from?" The Squirtle asked curiously, and I shook my head.

"I don't know. I can't remember anything." I sighed, trying to pull up any memories, but my mind was blank. "I just woke up here, and that's when you found me." My arm was still throbbing and I winced, looking down at it. It looked a little inflamed.

"There's someone who can make you better in Treasure Town." I looked up, wondering what the place was like.

"Treasure Town...that's an interesting name." The Squirtle nodded and beamed.

"Yeah! It's a great place, and I'll show you around once you're better."

"Thanks," I said, then remembered that just before Koffing and Zubat had shown up she'd been about to say her name. "Could you tell me your name, or should I just call you Squirtle?"

"No, I have another name," she said. "I didn't want to say my name before, really, because you were pretty weird. But something bad happened, so you're confused, aren't you?" I shrugged.

"I guess so..."

"Anyway, my name is Shiloh. It's nice to meet you...um, Gale, right?" I nodded. "Yeah, nice to meet you." By now we'd climbed the sandy hill and were climbing a bunch of stone steps that led up to somewhere I couldn't see yet. "We're almost there. We'll get you fixed up, and then we'll go somewhere to rest." Shiloh looked a little awkward suddenly. "And then...if you feel like it...I kind of have something I'd like you to help me with."

"Uh...what is it?" I asked, feeling uncertain, and Shiloh smiled anxiously.

"I'll explain later." Shiloh took my left arm and tugged on it. "Let's go left here. Spinarak is that way. He helps with injuries and sicknesses and stuff."

"Spinarak? Is he called anything else?" Shiloh pursed her lips in thought and tilted her head.

"I asked him once, but he always says to call him 'Doctor'." I hesitated for a moment, then continued to follow Shiloh uneasily, noticing a few empty shops lined up beside the path. I didn't say anything until we reached Spinarak.

"What's he going to do to me?" I muttered, and the Squirtle looked at me in understanding.

"He has berries and healthy drinks and stuff, and he's really good about healing anything. I bet you'll get better in no time."

"Does he want money?" I asked, clenching my injured arm tighter. I winced and let it go. "Because I don't have any." Squirtle and waved her paws.

"He actually doesn't take Poké. He helps anyone who needs it for free." Shiloh smiled kindly. "But everyone brings him things like apples or Gummis to say thanks."

"What's a Gummi—hey!" I grunted as Shiloh gave me a little push towards Spinarak, who was sitting behind a table that had various leaves, berries and mossy-looking bundles situated into neat piles on its surface. Spinarak focused its little black eyes on me and leaned forward over the table.

"Hello!" The Pokémon said cheerfully, then scuttled around the table towards me. "What can I help with?" I reluctantly offered my right arm and Spinarak moved closer to get a look at it.

"My arm," I told him, then glanced at Shiloh when she strolled closer. "She said you could fix it." I watched Spinarak hurry back to the table, pick up a white bundle, and scuttle back with it between his mouth pincers. He dropped it onto the table, then held it with one of his thin legs.

"I see. Well, it's serious, but it should clear up fine with these." Spinarak tore the bundle open, and I saw that it was silk wrapped around three blue Oran berries. "Would you mind crushing those? Then put them on your arm and I'll wrap it with silk. It's strong, so it should stay on until the cut heals."

"Oh, sure." I crushed the berries between my hands—I should just call them paws and get on it—and rubbed the bluish-purple paste across my cut. It stung a little, but not as much as I'd expected it to. It was starting to make the pain fade, actually, so I kept rubbing it carefully across the red line in my arm.

"That's enough," Spinarak said, and I wiped the rest of the berry pulp onto the ground. I jumped a little as Spinarak spit string from his mouth. Shiloh walked up and started pulling the silk string so it spread out more and began winding it around my arm. When they were finished, I noticed that the injury was starting to feel even better; it wasn't throbbing as much as it had been and the pain had almost vanished.

"Thank you," I told him gratefully and let my arm drop down to my side. "It feels better."

"Just don't push yourself for a while," Spinarak told me sternly, and I nodded. He turned and picked up another white bundle and brought it to me. "These are Oran Berries. Eat one every day starting today until they're gone, and your other injuries will heal soon."

"Thank you," I told Doctor again, and he waved one of his many arms. As I walked off, Shiloh nudged me, and I slowly met her eyes.

"Isn't he good?" She asked, and I nodded. "He didn't even have to ask if you were hurt anywhere else."

"I must really look bad." Shiloh nodded, then pointed to the empty shop we'd passed earlier. It was shaped like a Kecleon's head and had a blue awning over it.

"See that? That's the Kecleon Brothers' shop. They sell apples and berries and stuff. They've closed for today, but we'll go there tomorrow and get something for Spinarak."

"I can't buy anything, though," I protested. "I don't have money." Again Shiloh waved her paws.

"That's fine! I'll buy an apple for him, and you can pay me back."

"But how?" I was starting to get a little irritated. "I don't have money. I can't buy anything." The Squirtle suddenly looked sheepish, and she pulled me to the side of the dirt path we were walking on. I glanced around and saw that there was a hill nearby with stone steps leading up to the top.

"Well, that's fine, too...because..." She grinned and put her paws together excitedly. "This is about the favor I mentioned earlier." I wondered when this would come up. I just hoped it was something I could do, or something that I would be able to refuse.

"...What is it?" Shiloh turned and pointed up the steps.

"See those? They lead to Wigglytuff's Guild. I want to go there and train to be an explorer. I've been in Treasure Town for a few weeks now, but I haven't signed up yet."

"Why not?" I questioned skeptically, and Shiloh turned to me and clapped her paws together.

"Because it's easier to have a partner!"

"Partner..." I repeated slowly. "Like a teammate?" Shiloh bobbed her head eagerly, arms raised and fists clenched. I frowned, wondering if she'd punch me if I said no...but she looked excited, not angry. "What about getting a partner at the Guild?" Shiloh frowned and crossed her arms, staring at the sky as she answered.

"I could do that, but the teams usually already have enough team members. And anyway, you need somewhere to live." She looked down from the sky and met my eyes. "There aren't any other towns close to Treasure Town. I came a long way to get here, and it was rough. I got attacked by other Pokémon along the way. More and more lately, Pokémon have been attacking exploration teams, and anyone who travels outside of towns. Some rumor it's because of problems with time."

"With time?" I asked, but Shiloh's eyes were wide with something like amazement and it didn't seem I'd get an explanation. She seemed to be impressed with me, though I wasn't exactly sure I'd done anything that good.

"The way you scared Zubat and Koffing off was great!" Shiloh grinned. "So that's why I think if we worked together on a team, we could be great explorers."

"Well...I'm not strong, I was just mad at them." I shuffled my feet nervously and clasped my paws together, wondering if I'd ever get used to calling my hands paws, let alone get used to being a Pokémon. "And I don't know what this Wigglytuff's Guild is. That's why I'm not sure." Shiloh's jaw dropped clean open.

"You...don't? Are you joking again?" I shook my head. "I know about it, and I came from far away. It's a famous training guild!" She seemed flabbergasted and I shrugged uncomfortably. "Did you forget that too?" I frowned and shook my head, wondering how if I could explain well enough to help her understand. It was hard to not snap angrily back at her; I guess I was tired of being asked questions when I wasn't in the best mood.

"I couldn't forget. I didn't know in the first place." Crossing my arms, making sure to be careful of the hurt one, I sighed. "I can't remember anything, so it's more important for me to learn how I got here. I don't think I would be much help to you as I am now." Shiloh waved her arms; seemed she did that a lot.

"If Pokémon apprentice at the Guild, though, they get food and a place to stay." I narrowed my eyes, surprised that they could do that. "If we join," Shiloh continued, "they'll take care of room and food, and they'll even take care of us if we get hurt or sick."

"They will?" I asked, intrigued, since I needed somewhere to live, as well as food, and I had already gotten hurt somehow.

"Yeah!" Shiloh said eagerly, and I grimaced inwardly; I think she knew that she was close to convincing me. "I just took you to Spinarak because you needed help right away and we weren't signed up with the guild yet."

"Thanks for helping me, but...I'm still not sure." I gripped my uninjured arm self-consciously. "Like I said, I won't be able to do much right away...or maybe not at all." Shiloh looked a little upset, and she sighed heavily.

"Gale," she said, sounding like she was mildly reprimanding me, "you don't have to go on missions right away." The fact that she seemed irritated about my hesitation annoyed me. "I know you're not feeling well, and that you're not used to the Guild, but we'll be learning as we go. You'll be able to handle it, I promise." She eyed me, her brown eyes intent and hopeful, causing me to feel a twinge of discomfort. "So will you? It'll be great. Let's sign up as a team together." I sighed as I thought about what to do.

"I don't know..." I mumbled anxiously, but knew that I wouldn't get a free place anywhere else. "I'll come with you and see. The Guild does sound interesting, and I do need a place to stay." I sighed again; guess that settled it. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten on that beach, or how I'd come to be injured. And then there was that uneasy, almost panicky feeling in my chest, one that had been nagging ever since I'd woken up. It was telling me I'd forgotten something, but I had no idea what since somehow I had no memories. I only knew that I'd been a human named Gale, but the details of my life were blank. What could I do? The only one I knew was Shiloh, even though I hadn't known her for very long. Maybe...it's enough, I wondered thoughtfully. Shiloh seemed alright, friendly and honest enough, and I didn't know where I'd find a place to sleep and things to eat if it wasn't at the Guild. "I'm ready. Where is it?" Shiloh clapped her paws eagerly and jumped into the air.

"Great! The Guild's just up here. Let's go register!" I followed at a slight distance, wondering if that had been a good idea. If it turned out not to be, I could leave...but what would I do after that? I had no idea where I was, and I had no money. If this Guild took care of room and food, that seemed like the best deal I'd find.

"The Guild really will give us food and a place to stay for free?" Shiloh stopped before a hole with a grate over it, and it looked like it had been woven from thick tree branches.

"Yes, really." Shiloh gave me a peculiar smile; for some reason, an unexpected sensation of embarrassment made my face burn. "You're, uh...pretty suspicious, aren't you?"

"...Maybe," I muttered evasively.

"Well, anyway," Shiloh continued, "the Guild will train us to become explorers. They give anyone who wants to form a team somewhere to stay."

"Seems too good to be true," I mumbled to myself, and Shiloh caught my eye sharply.

"What?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, and Shiloh grinned, then turned and approached the grate. Ahead of us, there was a yellow tent with various red markings over its surface, and on top of the tent was a statue shaped like a Wigglytuff's head. A small wooden portcullis covered an opening in the Wigglytuff tent that probably led into the guild. "What are you doing?" I asked Shiloh as she stood on the tree-branch grate, then jumped and scrambled backward when a slightly high-pitched voice cried out.

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!"

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?" I tried to steady my furious heartbeat. The first voice was loud, but the second was even louder, and they'd nearly scared the daylights out of me. Shiloh seemed to be unfazed, though, and I guessed she had known this would happen. She did seem to know a lot about the Guild.

"The footprint is Squirtle's!" Tentatively, I edged forward, but Shiloh must have heard me; she turned halfway and held her paws up, so I stopped.

"Alright," the louder voice called, "you can ENTER!" Shiloh clenched her fists eagerly.

"Yes!" She cheered, and sprang off the grate.

"Is someone with you?" Came the louder voice. "Make them stand on the grate!"

"Oh, great..." I muttered, but moved forward and walked on the tree branches that formed the cover, and glanced down. I could see that a deep hole had been dug under the grate, but I couldn't see the ones that the voices belonged to.

"The footprint is...is...um...maybe Treecko's!"

Maybe? I thought worriedly, picking up my left foot and examining it. It didn't look strange...not for a Treecko anyway. For a human though, it was strange. A split second had me worried that whoever was down there could tell something was off about me, like the fact that I was supposed to be human.

"MAYBE?!" The louder voice demanded, and I might have imagined it, but it felt like the ground shook a bit. I yelled and started to bolt for the stairs, but I forgot to step on the grate's branches and almost fell through the gaps between them. Shiloh rushed over and pulled me to my feet, and I wasted no time in scrambling a safe distance away from the grate.

"Are you okay?" Shiloh asked, patting my shoulders as I got my breath back.

"Fine, but...what is going on?" I demanded breathlessly. "Who are those two?" My heart was still thudding heavily against my chest. Shiloh held up her arms and waved them a little.

"It's okay," she said calmly. "They're the two Pokémon Gatekeepers of the Guild, Diglett and Loudred. I don't know their other names. But I do know that they make sure everyone who comes to visit the Guild check out."

"Check out?" I repeated in confusion.

"They make sure anyone who comes here aren't suspicious," Shiloh clarified patiently.

"Where did you go?" Shaking, I forced myself to go back and step on the grate. Balancing on the grate's woven branches, I gazed down into the murky blackness.

"I'm still here!" I yelled in annoyance. "You were just freaking me out!"

"Yep, it's a Treecko!" The quieter voice said, and I wondered if it was Diglett.

"DIGLETT, you should brush up on your footprints!" For some reason I felt a sudden jolt of realization, and then urgency, but wasn't sure why. I had a feeling of déjà vu, but there was nothing in my head to remember. "Sorry to make you WAIT!" Loudred hollered; even though he was apparently far away under the ground, his voice was making my head buzz. I glanced at Shiloh dizzily, saw that she was massaging her forehead, and knew the volume of Loudred's voice was bothering her too. "You can BOTH enter!"

"Yeah!" Shiloh exclaimed happily after a moment, shaking her head. She beamed at me, and I forced a smile back, then stepped carefully off the grate and watched in trepidation as the wooden portcullis rolled up. "They're letting us in!"

"I can see that," I muttered quietly, trudging along behind Shiloh as she approached the ladder that I hadn't seen when the portcullis had been up. It looked like it reached underground a long way; I couldn't see the bottom of the hole, no matter how hard I looked. I have no idea what I'm doing. As Shiloh clambered onto the ladder, I turned uneasily and looked at the stone steps that led back towards town. What am I getting into?

Doctor...like Doctor Who. Not really. But I thought of the Doctor when I named Spinarak and laughed.

Shiloh is enthusiastic and good at most everything she tries, but Gale isn't too enthusiastic or cooperative if he doesn't want to do something or might be bad at it. Add a strange world and the fact that he has no memories, and he's even less agreeing. He knew he needed somewhere to stay though so he was backed into forming a team with Shiloh.

I wondered a couple times where the main character's partner came from-if they lived in Treasure Town or somewhere else. Bidoof (who I will be giving another name) lived with his family somewhere before he joined the Guild. I decided that Shiloh did the same thing. She was old enough and wanted to travel so she did and eventually found Treasure Town because she'd heard of the famous Guild. Unlike in the game, she wasn't scared of going into the Guild, but she was a bit frustrated because she didn't know anyone in Treasure Town who would want to form a team with her. Most of the other Pokémon already were on teams or weren't interested. And then came Gale. It's been fun to make Gale the more hesitant one and Shiloh the bolder one.
And when Gale heard Shiloh talking to herself before she found him, Shiloh was upset because she'd told her brother she was going to join the Guild, but felt bad because she hadn't yet, so was promising him she would. I'll talk more about that later.