Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Eye of the Storm (Team Voler)

Chapter I, Part I: Iris

Saturday had always been my day. After all, it was the one day in the week I got to emerge from my low-lying life to attend Lazulum's weekly market.

By the time I arrived, the town square was abuzz with activity. Stalls were being set up left and right. It was the perfect place to do business with the travellers and residents of the port town alike. It was also the perfect place to rob some poor souls and turn a hefty profit.

I began to scan the square for an appropriate first victim. Someone who wouldn't resist too much or cause trouble. Someone easily intimidated.

My eyes were eventually caught by a bright red shell. I read the sign on the Shuckle's stall.

Voler Enterprises

Cheap Berry Juice!

Good enough. I observed the Pokémon more closely, noting that its shell displayed many scratches. It clearly had experience in battle, but relied far too much on physical bulk. Should I manage to get past that somehow...

Pulling my black bowler hat over my face, I strode casually towards it, acting like I was just another customer.

"Hello! My name is Dash. I gather you are interested in my berry juice?" the Shuckle beamed, noticing me.

"Yes, I am interested. What I am not interested in is paying for it."

I closed my eyes and focused all my concentration on what I was about to do. It worked perfectly- the world faded into black and all that remained was an image, to represent every single nearby Pokémon's mind. Everything that made this Shuckle who he was was sitting right in front of me.

"Oh," Dash responded, more crestfallen than intimidated. "That's too bad, then."

"You want to know what I can do if you don't comply with me?" I had to act fast. This psychic power was a great talent- an ability every Pokémon had but very few knew how to use properly- but it just took so much concentration. There was no way I could keep it up.

Without another moment's pause, I concentrated all of my remaining energy into a beam and fired it straight at Dash's brain. But something had gone wrong. Instead of penetrating his mind, my psychic beam bounced straight off, jarring me straight out of the illusion.

"What... What the hell...?" I was too shocked to keep up the tough facade as I usually would. "How did you..."

"You're not the only one who can study a scroll for a few hours," he smirked.

"Humph." I turned my back on him and began to walk away.

"You know, I don't think you really get what I'm doing here. What does it look like?" he called out.

I turned back. Maybe if I played along, I'd get another opportunity to strike at some point. It wasn't ideal, but it was potentially a second chance.

"Looks like you're just another part of the market to me. Nothing to set you apart from all the others." I gestured to the hundreds of stalls around us.

He laughed. "So you really think people are getting their money's worth here? For some berry juice I fermented in my shell?"

I nodded, understanding. "You're a con artist. A scammer."

This drew another short laugh from him.

"Yes, and a much richer one than you'll ever be. I've been eating like a king for the past week!"

"Oh, go to hell," I seethed. My parasol immediately ignited in my hands as I drew it from my tail and prepared to bringing it crashing down on his fragile, wooden table.