Solstice paced around the hut he shared with a kind eevee that had taken him in some time ago. His multiple tails twitched about in anxiety as he mumbled to himself about guilds and treasure hunting and rescue missions. "Soul! Stop that pacing before you wear a hole in the floor!" Came a gentle, maternal voice from a bed of leaves and jumpluff cotton in the corner of the room. Skye stood up and made her way over to the young vuplix, fixing the fur on his head which had been jutting up in odd angles from his restless night. "Today is a big day. You made the decision to join Wigglytuff's guild and I think it's about time you stop fretting and get to it. You must be brave, how else will you achieve your dream of becoming a famous pokemon explorer?" 

The young vulpix scoffed and leaned away from the grooming paws of his adopted mother. "I don't just want to be famous you know. It's not all about fame. I want the world to be a better place because of me. I want to help make a difference. Especially with all the unusual happenings lately! This is more important that establishing my name....though, could you imagine Skye? Could you image me walking down the road, having everyone know my name and offering thanks for all my noble deeds?" His tails flicked about in a dreamy bliss as his imagination began to soar.

"Well," she said warmly, "You won't be saving the world from the comfort of your own home. You have to get out that door and move forward. Now, off you go!" She began pushing him out the door with gentle nudges.

"Alright, alright! You're right Skye, as always. I need to be brave and go face Wigglytuff.... I wonder if he's as powerful as everyone says....." He halted his movements, biting his lip. Wigglytuff was a strong pokemon, no doubt, and Solstice had heard stories about his Hyper Voice. [b]"YOOOM TAH!"[/b] 

"Enough with your silly imagination. A strong pokemon is nothing to be feared unless you face them as a foe. And Mr. Wigglytuff is far from a foe! He's a great leader and he's trained many wonderful explorers. Now get your tails moving before I drag you there myself!" Solstice gave her a frantic look before skittering out the door and running off down the road towards the center of Treasure Town. "You'll do well dear Solstice. You'll make your parents proud. I know it." She whispered with pride as she watched the young vulpix disappear in the distance.

~~~

"I'm gonna be the very best!" Soul muttered to himself as he wove about the shops of the village centre. Passing by the Kecleon Brother's shop he tried his hardest to avoid their enticing shouts of advertisements of new items. Frankly he found it eerie that they were so intune with each other's minds, always finishing each others sentences and bartering prices in a jumble of words as if they were really one pokemon in two bodies. Skipping along he saw the guild come into view over the horizon. His brisk pace slowed as he began to doubt his capabilities. "Errrr, gee, maybe I need to train some more first. How am I ever going to compare to all the amazing explorers the guild has produced?" His anxiety stirred up and he quickly found himself pacing back and forth on the road in front of the guild.