#zaciena

"Where are we now?" Elizabeth asked.

"My home, we're close to Purity Forest." Ivy answered. Mouse walked up to the edge of the deck. And quickly back up, realizing that they were very high up! "If you want to get down on the ground, I recommend my pully system." The Ogerpon smiled. "It can hold up to 350 pounds."

"Luckily, my little hero is light as a feather." Elizabeth smirked, She then looks at Typhoon. "And how do you get up here, assuming you're too heavy to ride the pully system?"

Typhoon simply extended his wings. "I'm assuming your little hero doesn't have wings of their own." He smirked.

"Mouse can't fly but they can glide with their hoodie." Elizabeth then realized that Mouse wasn't wearing their hoodie, therefore, they can't glide. "I forgot..."

"Hey, if you're looking for outfits, I know someone who can fit the little Eevee with something." Ivy said as she got on the pully.

"Yeah, Mouse keeps moving me in place to make sure I don't fall out." Elizabeth explained. "And a proper pouch would be nice too, so it's not so heavy on their back." Mouse slowly walked up to the pulley as the Ogerpon lowered the trio, and Typhoon carefully jumps off.

"Hey, if not too painful, could you tell us where you two came from?" Ivy asked.

"Oh, we're from the Chestnut Kingdom. And Mouse used to be a soldier for this guy called Mr. Stitches."

Typhoon looks like he's deep in thought. "I don't believe I've heard such a kingdom."

"It's a..." The hilt chose her words carefully. "Faraway kingdom." Elizabeth hates lying, but she can't exactly tell the truth either.

"And you said Mouse used to work for this Stitches guy as a soldier. Like... as a soldier's apprentice?" Ivy asked.

"Yes..." Elizabeth lied. "Mouse and I were on the opposite sides of our kingdom's conflict." That was not a lie. "And by some struck of fate, I ended up in Mouse's possession."

"I see..." Ivy nodded. Once the pully touched the ground, she lead the Eevee hilt duo off. "I'll have to take you to the Guild and talk to the chairmons about your apprenticeship."

"Will you be Mouse's mentor?" Elizabeth asked.

"That decision isn't up to me." The Ogerpon shook her head. "It depends on what evolution Mouse chooses."

"I may need a refresher on what Mouse would become." Elizabeth said. She couldn't outright say that she didn't know what an Eevee could become.

"Eevee can evolve into 8 separate Pokemon. Vaporeon, a sleek and talented swimmer if Mouse choses a Water Stone. They tank heavy hits and deal that damage back, using mostly special water type moves. If you want a Thunder Stone, Mouse will become a Joteon. They're faster and strike with powerful lightning conjured from the sky. Flareon, a bold fire type. If Mouse touches a Fire Stone, Their physical attack will be boosted, and become magically defensive. But what if Mouse doesn't want a stone, what if they want evolve during the day? Then, wearing a Sun Ribbon, You'll become the clairvoyant and strategic Psychic Espeon. Espeon's opposite is the night owl Umbreon. You'll need to wear a Moon Ribbon, and you'll be more physically and specially defensive thanks to the moon's light. Lefeon, the grass type evolution occurs when you battle close to a mossy stone in a lush forest. That's one of our chairmon, they're a physical fighter. If you fight near an icy stone in the snowy mountains, you'll become a Glaceon, and love the cold. And with that new appreciation for the cold, you can use that to your advantage and create blizzards to fight. The last known method of evolution is the fairy-type, Sylveon. Using a Fairy-type attack, and great affection Mouse will become a magic using warrior. They may look cute, but that's only to let your guard down, and they strike!"

"That's... quite a lot of choices." Elizabeth said, bewildered.

"I had a hard time choosing whether I wanted to evolve via Water Stone, or wait and evolve during the night. You can obviously see which option I went with." Typhoon voiced himself as an example.

"What about sword wielding Pokémon?" The hilt asked.

"Well..." Ivy thought. "very few mons can use swords in battle."

"We'd appreciate it if we could get a sword wielder as Mouse's mentor." Elizabeth voiced.

"That's something I'll have to talk to the chairmons about." Ivy said. "Come on, the guild conference isn't for another month." She leads the duo to hop on to Typhoon. "You two scared of heights, or flying?" Mouse nodded no.

"We don't get motion sick easily." Elizabeth added, as Mouse was helped up on the Umbergia's back.

Typhoon took a few leaps before taking off. Mouse clung on to him, and grabbed Elizabeth to make sure she didn't slip out.

"You two have never gone flying, before, huh?" Ivy laughed.

"We- we haven't!" Elizabeth answered. "Mouse, I think we're good to look at the ground." Shakily, Mouse slowly crawled across Typhoon's back, and looked down. The trees were tiny, and the Pokémon were even tinier! They did glide, and jumped long distances, but never really flew. It made Mouse want to spread wings for themself and fly anywhere they wanted.

"Where are we heading again?" Elizabeth asked.

"Purukin Guild." Ivy replied. "I need to have a talk with Chairmon Rose about your apprenticeship. And since you said Mouse battles with a sword, I'll talk with Rose about getting them a sword user."

Typhoon landed carefully and he trotted at a brisk pace, approaching the stairs of a tall cliff. Mouse carefully jumps off, when the Umbergia started walking slower, and trots up to a grate. And when Mouse stepped on the grate...

"POKEMON DETECTED!" A mysterious voice shouted. Mouse jumped backwards startled.

"What Pokémon was it!?" A second voice bellowed.

"It's gone now, but it was an Eevee. An Eevee I've never seen before." There was a low rumbling under the ground, and a Diglett with a small tuft of light-colored hair pops out. "An Eevee with a horned mask!" Mouse quickly backs away, tail tucked between their legs. "Oh, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to frighten you." She said.

"It's okay, Ruby." Ivy reassured her. "I think the kid is just shy."

"Oh! Well... You don't need to be afraid, Digletts pop out of the ground all the time." Ruby said.

"RUBY!!! Who are you talking to?!" The loud voice asked.

"Oh, uh, I'm talking To Ivy the Ogerpon and Typhoon the Umbergia." Ruby responded.

"I don't see any masked Eevee on the bounty board, so, I guess their safe." The loud voice said.

"Later, and good luck!" Ruby said, as she burrows under ground.

"This way." Ivy waves her paw. She leads Typhoon and Mouse down the ladder.

Once they were all down, Mouse looks in amazement as Pokémon of all kinds were gathered together and chatting. I made Mouse think of the Stitched Castle lobby. They hoped that things are better since they and Elizabeth left. Ivy was actively looking for someone.

"Chairmon Rose!" Ivy rushes up to a white Leafeon with orange leaves and bumped heads.

"How was the report?" Rose asks.

"So far, nothing out of the ordinary." Ivy shrugs. "Oh, by the way, I have a request to ask."

"Anything!" Rose purrs.

"I have an orphaned masked Eevee looking for an apprenticeship as a rescuer." Ivy explained.

"Oh. Do they know what route they want to go?" The Leafeon asks.

"They're dead set on wanting a sword wielding Pokémon as a mentor. As far as evolution goes..." The Ogerpon said. "They're not certain yet."

"Are they a warrior variant?" Rose tilts their head.

"No... They seem like a normal Eevee." Ivy looks at the shy Eevee. "With a unique coat variant."

Rose looks at the Eevee. "You good with a sword?" The tiny Eevee nods. They grab Elizabeth as a blade appears. The white Leafeon's ears perk up in surprise. "Go find Hati and Skoll. Those two were looking for someone to tutor in sword battling."

"Find the crowned warrior twins! Got it!" Ivy nodded. "Lucky you kiddo, you get to train with a Zacian hybrid." She leads Mouse and Elizabeth down the lower levels.

"Ivy, I need to find Mystic and-" Typhoon said.

"Go on and find her. I have business to attend to after talking with the hounds anyway. See ya later, Ty." Ivy waves.

"See you, Ivy." Typhoon dips their head as they take their leave. Ivy searches for the two warriors.

"Skoll? Hati?" Ivy shouted as she looks around the guild. "HATI!" Mouse flinched when she yelled. "SKOLL!"

"What's with all the shouting?" A large red wolf asked.

"Skoll! There you are!" Ivy said, her tail wagging. "There's someone I really want you to meet. Where's your sister?"

Skoll points to a bulletin board. "She's checking the wanted posters."

Another wolf, a blue one, scanned the bulletin board for any dangerous criminals.

"... Clawitzer causing underwater shockwaves, Scovillain unlawfully burning crops... Oh! Seismitoad flooding towns after breaking a dam." The wolf whispers to herself.

"Hati! Hati!" Skoll called for his sister. The wolf turned her head around, meeting her brother's face.

"So... remember how you guys were looking for an apprentice?" Ivy smiled.

Hati tilted her head. "Yes...?"

Ivy shifted to the side, presenting Mouse. "Meet Mouse! They're looking for a swordsmon teacher."

Hati and Skoll look down at Mouse, who. "They don't look like a warrior hybrid."

"They don't need some fancy genes to use me!" Elizabeth stated. "Mouse, show them!" Mouse sat up and pulled the hilt out of the belt strap, and a white blade appeared.

Hati and Skoll stared in absolute shock. "Where did that kid get that weapon...?" Hati whispered to her brother.

Skoll shook his head. "Even if they don't have any of our kind's DNA, it'd be cruel to deny them training."

"Even behind that mask, I can sense the heart of a hero beating in their tiny body." Hati commented. "Very well, little Eevee. I'll take you up on your offer. Do you have any parents we can talk to?" Mouse looked down, the blade retracts.

"I don't think they have any parents." Ivy said sadly.

"I'm the closest thing to a guardian for Mouse." Elizabeth explained.

"I see... I'm sorry." Hati said softly. "I am Hati. And this is my younger twin brother, Skoll. We're warrior variant Mightyena."

"Will we be living with you then?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, you'll be living in the guild's orphanage." Hati explained.

"But, if you want to stay with us, you can." Skoll suggested. "We have a guest room, but you and your hilt friend should be pretty cozy."

"I'm Elizabeth by the way." The hilt introduced herself. "And on behalf of Mouse, we thank you for your generosity. We wish to stay with you two."

Hati grabs the wanted poster of the rogue Seismitoad and took it with her, leading Mouse home.

"Good Bye, Mouse and Ellie! And good luck!" Ivy waves.

"Bye Ivy, we hope to see you again." Elizabeth called back.