(Apologies for the delay, I've been a bit distracted; responses might be a bit slow)
"Well, I guess all we can do is press on!" Chespin skips further down the path, motioning for piplup to follow. "I bet they're hiding out pretty far in- if these places keep changing... well, if I were an...
(Apologies for the delay, got invested in a projected; responses might be a bit slow here and there)
"Um... sort of. We keep a lot of extra supplies on hand, and the café trades them for spare materials- ah, these ones will be free for you, since you're new.
A lot of shops you see here are the...
Lucy nodded, and started walking, with Milo not far behind.
Up a flight of concrete stairs, the two reach the top of the seaside cliffs, where the main area of Harbourtown quickly comes into view some ways to the east. More strange creatures watch from the distance- snakes and moths Lucy...
The pine forest surrounding the town quickly gave way to the Orchard, which was nestled in a small valley south of the mountains. Chespin continually glanced back and forth between the map, and frowned.
"Hm... they weren't kidding. These paths don't line up at all- this place looks totally...
Lucy nodded excitedly. This was exactly the distraction Milo needed.
"Oh, definitely! Using a new tape for the first time can feel a bit off, but you usually pick up a monster's particular instincts and quirks super quickly- and there's all kinds of ways to influence the tapes to mimic their...
"Well- gravelrocks might be useful for distracting any potential enemies, or getting the upper hand in a fight," chespin thought out loud, "and an oran berry will be helpful for healing in a pinch. We'll find plenty of food and water on the way- and in the dungeon itself. Does that sound alright?"
Lucy wasn't great at fighting, but he didn't mind Milo watching- this guy was new, and disoriented, he wouldn't be able to recognize any mistakes. By the time he had the knowledge to analyze this any deeper, he'd long forget about this scuffle.
So Lucy focused on the Traffikrab. He didn't...
"Well, we're not too strong against fairy types, but not too weak, either- I don't see why not?" Chespin thought for a moment. "And who says we need to fight, either? Maybe with a well laid trap- or with some persuasion- or... we'll find out when we get there, right?" He nods.
"Yeah, let's do...
(Not every one of them needs to be a novel- whatever length keeps things flowing is good enough, you did just fine!)
Lucy nods, scooping up a plastic bottle from the beach. He beckons Milo to follow him a bit further from the shoreline, before stopping suddenly.
"Here, wait for just a second-...
Lucy stared. That... worked out perfectly.
"O-oh? Yeah? Hm... if you're not in a hurry... Do you want to see something cool?" He stepped back, looking over the beach. There was that traffic cone he had been watching. Sure, it hadn't moved, but it hadn't been provoked, either.
This was stupid...
"Ha... yeah- I can see why that dragonite seemed a little out of it- I'd be exhausted, too! I'm tired just looking at this..." Chespin considers the seemingly endless missions with a deep sigh.
"Did you see anything that caught your eye? Everything on my end was either boring, or already had a...
"Oh- wonderful!" Chespin beamed, glancing around the guild. "Where do we start?"
"Oh- the mission board is on the eastern wall, towards the entrance!" the meganium gestures. "Just leave a pin before you set out, and let us know whether you succeed or fail- if you're out more than a certain...
Great... just- great. He was crushed, and it was Lucy's fault.
Giving one more cursory scan of the beach around them for good measure, he thought for a moment.
"...I left a lot behind, too. Um, not on purpose, either." He turned towards Milo. Empathy, right- you were supposed to empathize in...
"O-oh? Do I seem furious? I don't know... Maybe Nature's Rescuers? We could go with either one you want, though!" Chespin stopped in his tracks, clearly relieved. Two options was still almost too many to deal with, but it certainly better than aimlessly naming plants- or being stuck with...
Lucy winced. He forgot that bit... did he really have to be the one to break the news?
He weighed his options for a moment, watching Milo carefully to ensure he was steady.
Finally, with a deep, sharp breath, Lucy began, "so... look. I know this is... sort of hard, but, there's- none of us have...
The stranger was weirdly lucid so far- deceptively so, maybe. It was still worth keeping a close eye on him, or he might hurt himself getting up too fast. That was pretty common, as far as Lucy had heard.
"Ah- so- well, there's quite a bit to explain- just take it slow, okay?" He checked over...
"...Team name?"
Chespin turned to piplup, confused. "Um... do you... have one in mind? I didn't know we needed one- Ooh, maybe we could something with our types? Grass and water- like, um... The Lilypad Adventurers! No, that's awful- Hm. Oh- oh! The Kelp Dungeoneers- argh, no!"
Chespin, without...
Chespin looked around in awe. He never really stepped inside before- only dropped off mail to assistants waiting outside, or to the mailbox by the entrance.
It was often said that psychic pokémon from the guild used their powers to expand the inside of the building beyond what was normally...
Lucy leaned on his cane and sighed. It dawned on him then exactly what he had stumbled into. This was... a hefty responsibility. Washing up was disorienting enough on its own, and this guy was completely unprotected- it'd be completely up to Lucy to get him to town safe and sound, and he himself...