My (Twisted) Pokémon Journey: PMD Different Futures

Chapter Five - ✿ Suspicions Rise ✿

     "Pokémon you meet in mystery dungeons," Hex said, as she glanced at the watering hole, "will wait here for you before you head out."

"That's it?" I asked. This 'watering hole' looked more like a well without a bucket to me. "Why would Pokémon you fight be inclined to join our team? They attacked us! And why would we be inclined to let them join?"

"Most Pokémon these days are confused," Kip said. "They will attack any strange Pokémon because that's what others do to them. But if they see our Guild badges, they may see safety if they join. Safety, and strength. And since we're looking to help Pokémon, if we so chose, they may join under us and help us as we help them. It's a pretty good system."

"And," Hex sang, "this also isn't far from Treasure Town, where exploration teams tend to go to prepare with items they've either found, or purchase from the vendors. Or just visit, on a lazy day." She started walking right, toward the sound of a community -- or bigger. "Come on, Pearl! I want to see your first reaction to Treasure Town!"

Pika followed, and with a glance at me, Kip did as well. "Come on," he added. "You'll want to see this, though it might be smaller than you're used to."

I trotted to catch up, welcoming the thought that the previous conversation between us never happened.

"Used to?" I asked. "I have nothing to compare it to, I've only seen the Guild and the cave at the beach." Though, I'll be honest -- Treasure Town is an odd name.

Of course, I've seen some of the closer shops from a distance. They, like the name, were odd, but both traits were unique. They all seemed to be themed after the Pokémon who ran them, very similar to the Guild's entrance. As we approached, and as the sounds of commerce grew, I noticed that small bushes and trees were between the stalls, or shops, and many more between the crossroads and the town. The Duskull building that I'd seen over the trees, I had fully expected it to be as simple as the Wigglytuff tent.

What we passed was definitely not as simple as I thought. It had a type of circular cinder block base, and the tent was set on top of it. On either side, giant chests that were purple-grey and overflowing with golden coins. Pokécoin, all of them varying degrees of shining and tarnished. The Pokémon must have noticed, for he whispered, "And they're all real. But don't end your life stealing them, heheh."

"And this is the main square of Treasure Town," Hex said, an indication that no one else had heard what the Duskull had told -- or warned -- me of. "The shop run by Duskull there is called Duskull Bank. Kip and I started a PokéClan account with him, so after we finish the tour we'll add you two in, too."

"I can add stuff, too," Pika said. He turned and pointed with his tail another shop, one ahead. This one was an actual cloth tent, unlike Wigglytuff's and Duskull's. It was mainly in yellow and in the colors of an Electivire, and of course had a giant head of one on top, as was the apparent style here. There was some kind of ramp or raised platform in front of it, too. "That's the Electcivire Link Shop. He can help you link one move to another for more damage, or help you relearn a move you haven't used in a while. However..." Pika took a few steps toward the right tent. "Electivire isn't in today."

"That's odd," Hex said, starting to move toward what seemed to be the only solid building. "I wonder what happened, if he's not just taking the day off. Anyway, the other two places here aren't shops." Hex was indicating the solid building -- personally it looked like an organized pile of rubble with a fake Marowak head perched on the other side -- and continued with naming the places of Treasure Town. "That's the Marowak Dojo. There, you can train in different environments, but as a general rule you normally can't take anything in with you. By now, I hope I don't have to tell you who runs it." Hex indicated the final building. "And that, on the other side of the path from Electivire's, is the Chansey Daycare. You see, from some Guild missions, an egg is the reward, hence why this is part of our little tour. Or... you know. Life happens, which explorers can't tend to while also keeping their sanity intact. Chansey, though, mainly takes care of the hatching process."