Although most of the guild members were greeted with little more than a glare and a glance from Sylveon, Clay received a bit of a custom greeting.  "Clay.  I assume that whatever that loud crash was, you're going to fix it.  Correct?"  It was voiced like a question, but there was no question to it.  Regardless, once everyone had assembled, she cleared her throat.  "Everyone!  The Guildmaster will now deliver the morning announcements!"

Silence.  Normally, at this point in the morning, Alakazam would emerge from his office to greet them all, but today there was only... silence.  Sylveon glanced back at the doors, frowning a bit, then cleared her throat once more.  "The Guildmaster will now deliver the morning announcements!" she repeated, this time a bit louder.  Still there was silence.  She turned toward the doors with evident confusion.  "...Guildmaster?  Are you there?"

Finally, the silence was broken by a single, telling sound: a soft snoring coming from the other side of the door.  Sylveon's eyes went wide, before a paw came to cover her face.  "I swear, some days..."  Turning back about, she lifted her hind legs... and delivered a kick most fierce to the door!  "GUILDMASTER!!!" she shouted.

"WAGH!  WHA-  WHO-  Sylveon!  Yes!  Er-hem!  I wasn't sleeping!" came a somewhat frantic voice from the other side.

Sylveon shook her head and let out a long sigh, grumbling something to herself.  "Guildmaster, it's time for the morning announcements."

"Mm?  Ah!  Yes!  Why so it is!  Yes.  Thank you, Sylveon!"  A moment later, the doors opened at last, revealing the familiar and friendly face of Alakazam himself!  "Good morning, everyone!  Here's to another adventurous day, hm?  Yes!"  Despite Sylveon's clear annoyance, she stood diligent post by the Guildmaster's side.  Sylveon was a stickler for schedules, which is why she was so insistent on waking everyone up at the same time every morning, and even this few-second deviation was certainly going to bother her for the rest of the day.

Alakazam himself, however, seemed anything but bothered.  "Er-hem.  Right then!  Announcements!  We've quite a many today!  Let's see...  Ah yes!  First, let us all formally welcome Yoku and Clay, our newest explorers!  A big round of applause for them!"  Alakazam began to clap for the pair of them, stopping only as Sylveon's ribbon tapped him on the shoulder.

"Guildmaster, I'm sure you'll recall that Clay has been with our guild for a year now."  Sylveon looked very pointedly up at him.  "Surely you haven't forgotten?"

"Poppycock!" Alakazam declared.  "I've never forgotten anything, Sylveon!"  He turned to the rest of the guild with an amused twinkle in his eye.  "I simply remember things out of order.  Ho ho ho ho!  Yes, however!  I have not forgotten your diligence, my boy!" he said to Clay directly.  "However, today we welcome you not as a new member, but as a new [i]explorer![/i]  May your first adventure be both joyous and exciting, hm?  Yes!"

"And to you, young Yoku!"  He now addressed the Makuhita before him.  "I look forward to hearing tales of your exploits in the coming days!  I'm sure you'll do us proud, yes.  Luck be with you both for your first big day!"

He then leaned back to address the guild as a whole.  "Now then!  A bit more seriousness to our announcements.  I'm sure you've heard tell of the 'Shadow' Pokémon that our humble lands have been afflicted by.  I wish to remind you all once again that these are not monsters, nor are they criminals.  They are victims, yes.  Victims of some terrible as-yet-unknown force.  I ask that you keep that firmly in mind should you ever be forced to fight one.  They are dangerous, yes, but when the fighting is done, they will - by all previous accounts - awaken with no memory of what's happened.  Let us see they do not also wake with too many injuries, hm?

Additionally, it seems a storm will be approaching this evening.  If you've anything kept outside, I do highly recommend bringing it [i]inside[/i] until the storm's passing.  Additionally, our guild will, as ever, be tending to the good townsfolk who allow us to continue to dwell in lovely Nockwood tomorrow morning, aiding them in repairing any damages the storm may have caused.  Do keep that in mind, yes.

And finally!"  He gave a wide grin to them all, the ends of his mustache lifting gleefully.  "Remember always that ours is not a cause of fame and fortune!  We are explorers, yes!  Our riches are those of knowledge!  Within our hearts burns a fire, and it is up to each of us to see that flame become a roaring inferno!  Let your adventures this day bring you ever closer to your goals, your ideals, and your futures.  Grab hold of your dreams by your own power, and never let go!  Only then will you stand atop the world, looking back at your life with a smile, and looking ahead to your future with eager anticipation.  Go forth, my friends and fellows!  Yes!  Let today be a day to remember!"

With this, Alakazam gave the members one last wave, then returned to his office.  Though the doors closed behind him, members of the guild were still allowed to visit him if ever they had the need.  He never locked the doors, and Sylveon had been very specifically instructed [i]not[/i] to add "Bouncer" to her list of duties.  She did, however, remain to address the group.  "Good luck today, everyone.  And please keep tonight's storm in mind!  Being out overnight is not advised today."  She was a harsh taskmaster, true, but she still cared about the members.  In her own loud, easily angered way.

The bulletin boards listed many a request, and the town below was opening its shops and services.  The guild members were now free to go where they pleased!