[Scenario: Early during the adventure in GtI. Firuz, who has appeared in the Pokémon world as a Tepig under the name 'Feremiz', has been assisting their team boss Volyrina with various tasks as they look for information about a three-headed dragon Feremiz sees in his dreams. Weeks come and go doing chores and services various and a bored Feremiz realizes a "little shop of horrors" near the town plaza that no one had bothered to notice before.]
A summer morning under the rising sun, Firuz the hu-er, Tepig, went about the edge of Post Town, idling behind his partner Volyrina. This was what, week twelve or so of his misadventures? Running errands, doing community service around town, chasing outlaws, having nightmares every once in a while; all under a more or less false name and in the hopes of -last he checked with the Axew- building a paradise.
'Feremiz', as he was going around now, yawned. He would have liked to focus on some other things if they only had the resources for that, such as searching for the three-headed dragon in his dreams, but coin was hard to come by so Community Service was it today.
The two Pokémon reached to the gates of the town at last, or that was what the sudden amount of dull voices around made Feremiz guess... including Volyrina's.
"…at least a fair amount of quintales, if there's a saving on Seeds…"
He was admittedly not paying attention, only following the Axew's tail for guidance, lost in his tiredness and his own thoughts... he just went by looking around the place and not minding anyone's business except for noticing that, as had become usual since last week, people were hushing about a criminal Pokémon lurking around town.
"…all it takes is ooooone moment of distraction while you are outside and BAM!"
"All I say is, if a Pokémon is 'foreign-looking', wouldn't that be something people would notice easily?"
Feremiz's mind didn't even register the argument but he was inclined to agree. He absentmindedly registered the scents of many familiar Pokémon around. How hard would it be to recognize that you don't recognize a Pokémon?
"…betcha it has huge predator eyes to boot, too! And fangs like these."
"Fa's 'm concern' som'n s'gonna approach ma'kid, am gonn' smack t'er head from h're to the Glacia-"
"…The Archen? That's Tracer or something, come on! ...The new recruit! He came to the shop to sell scales friggin' YESTERDAY!"
True, everyone was being leery of each other and in general being unfriendl...ier.
"-Ow! Feremiz damn it!"
"Oh?"
Even Volyrina was testy these days it seemed as the Axew turned around and almost roared the Tepig's ears off. The male frowned and was about to complain back when he noticed that the Axew had stopped and he, lost in thought as he was, had just stomped on her tail without noticing.
"Sorry..." he offered begrudgingly as he stepped off her and circled around.
"Seriously," the Axew answered. She swung her tail a few times, shook herself and leered back at him. "Shouldn't you be paying attention?"
"Uh-"
She tensed and straightened her posture, her plates letting out a faint rattle. "Your day will feel short if you spend it sleepy and distracted you know."
"I don't... not sleep because I want to," he spat.
A brief silence.
"-Oh, the dreams again."
Feremiz tilted his head and looked away, allowing himself to let his sight wander around, which lasted for a moment. He finally heard a buff from the Axew.
"Well uh... Cheer up? There's some distractions for the day. You can check the travelling merchants?" She pointed him to the far end of the plaza where there was a creek and a road that went downhill, only the tops of a few tents could be seen that way.
The Awew and Tepig shared looks for a moment until finally Feremiz sighed. "Yeah I can do that one."
"Who knows," she added, "maybe one of the travelling merchants has seen your three-headed dragon."
Feremiz frowned at his partner and finally nodded. "What about you?"
"Coins in, coins out," answered Volyrina, pointing to the team's bag. "And keeping an eye on any scams Dunsparce might fall into."
"See you later then?"
"Later, luck."
The two Pokémon patted each other for a goodbye and headed each their way. Feremiz crossed the Plaza and headed to the far end of town, passing over a water stream, and easily reached the end area, in lower and much less frequented terrain. From the rumours going around, tenants didn't exactly like the place because it was less visible and they found the Cofagrigus hosting a store there... creepy. All Feremiz saw when he arrived at the end stands was a Mienfoo hastily setting up one of the Visiting Stands; Cofagrigus' store was closed.
Not really feeling like up much for things, though, Feremiz decided to ignore the two shops there and went to sit by a third, unoccupied tent by the side, one that he could recall having seen a number of times, always empty.
Feremiz looked around the place. It was just a half-made tent with a long wooden desk where various little trinkets and ornaments lay. The Tepig took a look at them, there were such as a twirling wool stripes, leather cords painted with various colours, little silver coins, scrolls and at the very center of the desk a small cap-like object made of some soft material.
Now that one was at least somewhat interesting, and unique among the objects in the tent. The Tepig approached and examined it. Small, apparently mushroom like with a nice red and a white half and a circle-like pattern in the middle, and not much of a mushroom-like odor at least. He felt it reminded him of a Poké...something.
Feremiz wondered what made this particular object unique and why it and everything else was left unguarded. His Tepig side got the best of him and he approached to sniff the object, and while he thought for a moment that he saw it wiggle, he found nothing strange and leaned closer.
"...Boo!" spoke the little ball-like top suddenly, adding a wiggle for effect.
"...Aaaah!" Feremiz almost skipped a heartbeat as he yelped and jumped back. Indeed, the little ornament had moved!
"ooooh? You look like a good customer."
"...L-like what?" Feremiz breathed hard a couple of times, still taken aback. "...Wha? What are you?"
"Well look around, I'm a shop tenant!" spoke the creature.
Feremiz inched closer, lowering his head so that he could look under the cap. What met him was the eyes of this sort of... creature, this little mushroom-like blob. Now the Tepig could understand how it had gone unnoticed for so long- but why?
"You are... a Pokémon then," he spoke tentatively.
"D'uh look *who's* speaking," answered the creature in a surly tone. "And you are a totally native Tepig, aren't you?"
"I er-"
Feremiz could not help but step back and look away for a moment.
"Well, pioneer," spoke the creature wiggling, "don't just stand there! Are we going to trade or talk?"
"I'm sorry," the Tepig excused himself. "I'm new around here and I don't... I don't really know that many people."
The creature seemed to snicker at the comment. "'People', eh? You already feel like that for them, instead of the ones back home. Well, I've seen you around for a while."
Feremiz did not like the comment about the townspeople, if he had interpreted the creature's tone right; he dug his feet on the ground in response as he wondered what the creature meant with other people back home, feeling uneasy around the critter.
"Well and who- what are you anyway?"
The creature hopped around the desk, inching closer, and "bowed" to the Tepig. "I'm a Foongus, I guess you haven't seen anyone like me before. And I'm not even a rare sight like say a... a... let's see..." the Foongus seemed to think for a moment and hushed. "...three headed dragon".
Feremiz frowned and tensed. The idea raced by his mind that if this creature had been listening- or even spying...
He turned to look for Vorylina wondering if it was a prank or something but no, for starters from his position he could not see to the town plaza, only the tops of some stores such as the Box Buster. He wondered for a moment if he had actually gotten up from a night of sleep.
"And good thing I'm not as rare!" continued the creature, bringing Feremiz back to reality. "See, this is my little super-secret store and I'll tell you: I have singular passcodes and wares if you have coin."
"Pass...codes...?"
"Yeah, the cool stuff. Now, who might you be, pioneer?"
"I'm- Well..." Feremiz froze and looked down to his Tepig feet for a moment. It always took him a moment of surprise when he woke up every morning, to fully swallow that sensation that even if he was who he thought he was, he could see nothing beyond it and the veil of amnesia. Most of what he could recall was having hands and something about taxes.
For now though, he'd stick to his story. "I'm Feremiz and I'm a recent recruit," he offered weakly. All the while the Foongus kept his eyes on him.
"Aha. A Tepig, suuuure," teased the Foongus, prompting Feremiz to snort in discomfort. "And I'm Gamañel, a Foongus 'amoong' us. So, what do you think of the place? Well hidden, eh? This just looks like random storage."
"It... isn't?" Feremiz spat back, recalling the so-called 'passcodes'.
"I already told you: I have the good stuff," insisted the Foongus. "See, this store works with a very select clientèle. Otherworldly you could say, even! My clients leave satisfied and *never* come back," the critter spoke, almost hissing the last part.
The Tepig just looked at some of the random trinkets and then back at Gamañel, who took long note of the Tepig's blank stare. The Foongus hopped back.
"Geez, you look tired. You did save after waking up this morning didn't you?"
"I'm sorry, 'save'?" Feremiz shook his head.
To that the Foongus simply nodded, and stared at him threateningly.
(<==to be continued; 1/2)
[by VeniaSilente veniasilente.user.tropi.us ]