Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Midnight

Chapter 3: Making New Friends... and Enemies

Char brought Team Dawnbreak to the center of Jewel City - known as Emerald Plaza - not even blinking at the self-operating elevator of the guild. Echo saw the many buildings she had seen before, carved into the shapes of the Pokémon within them. A Kanghaskan, a pair of Kecleons(one was purple), a Throh and a Sawk - their building was the size of two normal ones combined - a Klingklang... Those were only a small portion of the Pokémon Echo saw in front of the buildings. Most of the Pokémon were behind counters, so she assumed they must be shops.

"This is Kecleon's shop. You can buy all your exploring needs with Poké, our currency. The brothers will also buy any items you find on missions!" Char introduced.

"Hello, Charchacrok!" said one of the Kecleons; the green one. "Ah, and what's this? New faces?"

"Hello, Kecleon! These are the new recruits to the guild. This is Echo, and this is Fern."

"Hello!" said Echo and Fern in unison.

"Hello, Echo and Fern! I'll be sure to remember you two; I never forget a face!" Kecleon said with a wink. "I'm sure my brother and I will be seeing you shortly, now that you're part of the guild!"

As Kecleon moved on to his next customer, Char moved on to the Kanghaskan. "This is Kanghaskan. She'll keep any items you have safe. If it's with Kanghaskan, it'll never get stolen!"

A similar introduction followed; Echo noticed that Kanghaskan seemed to call everyone 'Dear' or 'Sweetie.' Echo actually thought she was a very pleasant, if a bit annoying in a motherly way.

A Carracosta named Whirlpool ran the bank. Char explained that she kept all of the Poké underwater; apparently, her entire shop was taken up by a pool.

The Klingklang that Echo had spotted earlier could help you link or remember moves, and the Throh and Sawk ran the Fighting Dojo, where Exploration Teams could train. A Kadabra could open treasure boxes you found on missions. Echo couldn't help but wonder why no one could open the boxes themselves.

"So, those are all of the shops you'll need to know for -"

Char was cut off by a scream, and everyone in their general area turned to the very center of the plaza. A Sandshrew was curled up on the shining plates of emerald, a Weavile standing over it. The Weavile grinned evilly, raised a claw, and slashed at the mouse Pokémon, oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching it. When it looked up, its grin faded, to be replaced by a snarl.

Echo's paws twitched, and she instinctively lunged forward, only to be knocked down by the Weavile's sharp, needlelike claws. It was far too fast for her, and far too strong.

"You mess with my friend, you mess with me!" Echo didn't even have to look to see that Fern was backing her up, and a squeal told her that Fern had met the same fate as she did. Then a loud, authoritative voice rose up over the silence of the square.

"Hey! What's going on here?"

That voice! She knew it from somewhere! If only she could pick out whose it was...

A dull murmur ran through the crowd, and Echo could just barely make out the words 'Team Shockwave.' The sound of an electrical shock and the stench of burning hair followed, and then she was splashed with droplets of water. She wanted so badly to get up and see what was going on, but she didn't have enough strength.

The Weavile coughed. "Fine! I'll leave these stupid Pokémon alone!" it rasped. Echo could guess it was turning to leave, when a new voice began shouting at it.

"Oh no you don't!" shouted the voice, and Echo opened her eyes to just barely see a Hypno, who had hypnotized the Weavile and was leading it who knows where.