Game of /Pokémon/ [IC]

[miltankRancher]

Sin Rascalwolf || The Great Sea
Chapter 1.3: The Summoned Duke

Sin read the letter, a sense of doom growing in his heart. It is a call to arms, probably summoning most of the warriors from the kingdoms. "What is this?" Sin asked the Princess, who was also reading the same letter. The letter-boy who gave Sin the letter smartly left, sensing a talk that is not for anybody's ears.

"A summon," the princess simply answered. Sin approached her. He saw that Misty's paper was slightly crumpled, showing that the message was received for quite a time already. Or that Misty have had read it so many times.

"From whom?" Sin knew the answer before he asked the princess. First think he checked upon receiving the letter is the sender. There was no sender, nor address from where it was sent. It just came in an unmarked paper. "Are you planning to send our troops to the rendezvous area?" Misty shook her head.

"There were only five letters. One was for me, another for you, and three others were sent to other people from this kingdom," Misty said. Sin knew better to ask who these three are but Misty might've sensed his question. "Don't worry. I know a bit about each of their backgrounds. While they may no be herculean in strength, I am sure there is a reason why they are chosen."

"And you are planning to send this three out," Sin said, without a hint of questioning in his voice. Whoever the three of them were, they would surely return known.

"Actually, I am planning to also send you there. No, not planning. Decided," Misty said, finally looking up from the paper.

Sin looked at her silently. "No."

"My decision is final."

"I came here to guard you."

"You came here to redeem yourself. This is your chance. You will not be stuck here with me. You will go," Misty asserted, her voice unwavering and steely. "Besides, I can take care of my own. The world needs more man like you." There was a silent moment between the two nobles in which Sin wanted to take to rebut her. However, Sin knew that Misty is right. He did came here to redeem himself and, by guarding the princess, he thought he would accomplish that. "I am sending you out there."

Sin looked at the princess and sighed. "As you wish."
​

 

[Obscurity]

Melisandra Bernières

No sooner had the two landed, had Melisandra's words rung true. Held up at arrow point by a few of the encampment's soldiers, she threw her hands up in mock horror and surrender. They all seemed a bit jumpy at her arrival. Was somebody really going to tell Melisandra that the Mad King had these well trained soldiers fidgety around somebody like little old her? Whatever it was, she was glad to see them alert and ready to fight. That was a skill that could be taught, but not easily. She sighed a little as another gentleman approached, one who barked orders at the others to lower their weapons. There was no mistaking that she had stumbled upon one of the men in charge around here. Introducing himself, Melisandra lowered her arms, tensing slightly as she shook off her facade of fear. A wry smile replaced her prior complexion and spread across her face like a devious little Gengar.

"I'm afraid, Ser Bevan, that I must start off our greeting with the slightest bit of corrections." She looked over her shoulder and beckoned for Drifter with a little flex of her finger. The balloon bounded over obediently, staying quiet as he did so. "You made two mistakes upon my landing, Ser. One..." Melisandra quickly jumped to work removing the harness from her companion, the leather straps and buckles making an awful ruckus as she saw to it. She paused, letting her words linger in the air, waiting until she had fully undone one of the straps to speak again. "You told your archers to lower their weapons. I must say, and I apologize for being blunt, that was nothing more than stupidity. I had not and still haven't identified myself to you. They were wise to detain me at the point of a weapon. So," she looked over her shoulder to the men who had previously been holding their arrows at attention. "Bravo, gentlemen."

"Now, two." Melisandra gave a gruff and unladylike grunt as she struggled to undo the last strap. It wasn't coming easily and she was almost ashamed to admit that she didn't quite have the strength for it. The last thing she wanted to do was ask for the help of anyone if she could avoid it. "You called me, 'my lady'. This is an honest mistake, not one made in stupidity like your last. Yes, I very much am a woman, I can not deny that." She chuckled as she finally managed to wedge the last buckle free and removed the weight of the harness from her friend. "Nor would I want to. But, I hardly qualify for such a title." Turning to the Guardian, she looked him up and down appraisingly. Tall, but not exceedingly so. A hardened and muscular physique, befitting someone who held the title of a Guardian. What drew her most scrutiny was the broken nose situated on his face, leaning just ever slightly to the left. She wondered what might be the story behind that nose. Then again, she just liked hearing stories. You heard a good two or three in a tavern, and the drinking is better if you can tell one even greater.

"You may call me Melisandra Bernières, from the Kingdom of the Skies." She curtsied mockingly, holding it as she did so. "And I would most appreciate it, if you would shove that 'my lady' talk straight up your @$$."

​

 

[kosuke]

Ersclud Sephur​

Ersclud did not waste any more time. He, with his Pokémon, left the kingdom immediately after he was given permission by Princess Misty. Because of all the running, they found themselves at the entrance of the Ilex Forest in less than 3 hours. Normally, it would take them more than 5 hours to travel from the kingdom to the forest if they get lucky, but they got there earlier so that might mean that they're luckier or otherwise.

They were really tired that time, so they decided to take a break. "I'm really worn out. Dio, let's take a break here first." Ersclud and Dio lied down on the grass. The sun was very bright that time, and it is burning them. Ersclud was not bothered of it, and he just took a nap under the heat. Dio, on the other hand, did not like the hot weather, so he decided to go to a shade of a tree in the Ilex Forest.

When Ersclud woke up, he packed their things and looked for Dio. "Dio! Dio! Where are you?!" Ersclud shouted and shouted and looked all over the place, but Dio was nowhere to be found. The only place he didn't look at was the Ilex Forest.

Ersclud entered the Ilex Forest. "Dio! Dio! Where are you?!" He keeps on uttering these words, but all he could hear was the echoes of his own voice. He got tired of shouting and stopped. He then decided to walk around. He walked for about 4 hours, and realized that he was lost. He sat down, and tried to think of a way to find Dio and get out of the forest. He looked up. It was nearly dark.
Ersclud was starting to lose hope, when suddenly he heard a rustle. It came from behind of him. He turned around, and saw a green creature. "It might be Dio!" He said. He then chased the green creature. "Dio! Dio, wait up!" He ran and ran, and then stopped. He found himself at the front of a giant tree. He examined the tree, and when he looked up he saw a tree house. He then climbed up.

Ersclud entered the tree house. There he found Dio, but they're not alone. There's another Politoed with them. Ersclud was shocked when, suddenly, the other Politoed transformed into another Pokémon. "It's a Zoroark!" He was really shocked about it. He was even more shocked when he heard a noise. "Oh. There you are" He turned his back and found an old man. He can sense that the old man was not an ordinary one. The old man began to speak. "Are you the messenger that'll give me a letter?" By that time, Ersclud realized that the old man was Seath Icarus. He was really surprised. He can't even move an inch. Icarus then searched Ersclud's bag, and took the letter. Ersclud was still not moving.

Ersclud began to move. He sat down with Icarus and had a small chat.

While they're talking with each other, a stinky scent is aroused. "Quick! Cover your nose!" screamed Icarus. Ersclud immediately covered his nose. Unfortunately, their Pokémon lost consciousness. Icarus opened and entered a secret compartment just under the floor. He also signaled Ersclud to enter the compartment. Ersclud followed him and hid.

 

[jov0006]

Act 1, Scene 3: Viridian Forest
Sirilia Eduine Halia - Kingdom of the Skies

They were nearly there! Sirilia could see the campsite surrounded by a vast forest ahead of her.

"We're nearly there, Skarr," Sirlia said to Skarr, unable to pat him as they were flying and Sirilia did not use a harness or a saddle.

However, out of the blue sky, a deep and dark shadowy cloud emerged, that of a thundercloud, vaporising the ability for Sirilia and her friend to reach their destination so easily. The two landed and Sirilia hastily dismounted, rubbing her thighs from uncomfort. The great forest loomed ahead of them, and Sirilia knew that Skarr's silver body would be conductive, meaning that they could not even fly low. No, they had no choice but to go through the forest.

The forest was most certainly dark, the viridian leaves hanging from the dull brown twigs and braches of the great trees. There was a fear of something lurking in the darkness, where it be Pokemon or criminals, and Skarr grew restless after hearing the sudden sounds of thunder.

"It's okay, Skarr," Sirilia lied, "we're nearly there now."

However, the Skarmory proved to be smart and glared at Sirilia, shaking its head before crying out after hearing another thunder strike home. Sirilia stopped walking, where was she walking without Skarr, her best friend? She groomed him, and as she groomed him, she tied her own bandana over his ears so that he might not hear the thunder.

"Why did they even request that I come to fight the Mad King?" Sirilia sighed, as the two rested temporarily, "I'm not the best fighter, anyway-"

"Sister!" A boy cried out in the darkness, "Where are you, sister?"

Sirilia got up and headed towards the boy's voice, with Skarr close at hand. To her surprise, she found a boy, of about the age of eight in front of her.

"Excuse me, miss," he looked at her, "Do you think you can help me find my sister?"

"What happened?" She replied, gazing at the boy intently.

"We were walking home through the forest, when the storm clouds came, and we got seperated and lost," the boy's eyes teared up.

"Don't worry, dear," Sirilia kneeled down, placing a hand on each of the boy's shoulders, "I'll find your sister for you. Come with me."

They began to stray off the roads, as the forest became denser until they reached a clearing. Sirilia turned to say something to the boy, but he was gone, and in front of Sirilia stood seven or so bandits, applauding the boy for his work as Skarr was caught in a net.

Sirilia stared at the boy in disbelief, "It can't be-"

The bandits attacked her, only giving her little time to slash out, straight from the scabbard. Skarr launched his talons through the net and upon one of the bandits, killing him while Sirilia had already slain two. The boy had begun to retreat with one of the bandits while the remaining three still maintained their assault. There were many feints and thrusts throughout the battle, with the eventual victor being Sirilia, but victory was not enough to quell Sirilia's rage, she had to track down the boy and his guardian. They caught up with the two fugitives, quickly surrounding the perimeter and disposing of the last bandit.

Sirilia picked up the boy with a single hand and stared at him in rage, "Why?"

The boy replied with tears, "We needed to rob you, and now I'm gonna die, just like you killed my family! The people who feed me are dead!"

Sirilia dropped him despite her wish for vengence, the boy scurried off as she yelled at herself, "What have I done?" She looked at her blood-stained sword, whose blood was that of seven people who did not even serve the Mad King.

Skarr brought her back to reality when he nudged her to get going, Sirilia looked at her friend, and hugged him, for he was the last thing she would kill.

---

They had now exited the forest, and had arrived at the campsite where she saw the familiar face of a person she had seen at the market with their Drifblim and strange man, who appeared to be from the Kingdom of the Forest.

In the corner of Sirilia's eye, she noticed the Phantom, and she called out to him, "Hey Carmine! Long time no see!"

 

[miltankRancher]

Sin Rascalwolf || The Great Sea >> Meeting Point
Chapter 1.4: The Traveling Duke

Sin Rascalwolf packed his things immediately and set forth to travel towards the meeting point, as stipulated in the letter. The usual path south of the kingdom is dangerous to pass through, as reports of bandits and, sometimes, Katashi's warriors of making home in the forests have reached the authorities. Plus, it would take him really long. The northern route would be illogical, as it would require a large detour through the Ruins of Alph. It would cost him a day of delay if he uses the path. Therefore, he will cut east of the Kingdom, using the path very few man had ever used and face whatever unknown things would be residing there. He hoped that the worst he would face are wild Pokemon.

He knew Misty made the wrong decision of sending him to the meeting point but he must follow as Misty is still the sovereign ruler of the kingdom and he is under her command. Sin just hoped that she would take care of herself while he is not in the kingdom. He plans on making this venture as quick as possible; leaving a noble unguarded, even by a second, is dangerous. Enemies are always lurking everywhere.

There is no gate that leads east of the kingdom, so Sin still needs to use one of the two major cities. He decided to use the southern gate as fewer people uses that exit. Seafarer is walking beside him, intimidating most of the people. Sin remembered that Oshawotts, and therefore Samurotts, were not native to the region. Finding one is really rare. However, when they spotted Sin walking beside the unknown Pokemon, they immediately relaxed. Most of them even waved or smiled at him. As was said before, the Duke is like by most people.

Two guards were posted at the northern gate. They saluted and opened the gates for Sin and his Pokemon. He went outside, and the gates slammed shut behind him. The kingdom sounds were suddenly muted and he realized, it has been a really long time since he went on an adventure.

"Let's go," Sin said, leading Seafarer along the city walls. The east of the kingdom is filled in with a really large forest, which the locals named as Blank Forest, probably because of it being unknown. The trees inside the forest were tall and wide. If Sin could have an estimate for their age, he theorized that the trees sprouted not 2 million years after the extinction of countless species of Pokemon. These were the trees that Sin could see from his room in the kingdom. The bushes were also thicker than usual but, as far as Sin could tell, there are no signs of wild Pokemon in the area.

"Seafarer, come. We need to make good distance today," Sin beckoned towards his Pokemon. The Samurott approached him. Sin jumped and adjusted himself as he sat upright on his Pokemon. He tapped Seafarer's side with his boots. Seafarer run. Despite looking really bulky, Samurott could be considered a fast Pokemon. While he is not on par with other land-based Pokemon like Jolteon, Samurott could cover a good distance given a good day. They are not the perfect mounts but they make good ones.

They were not travelling for thirty minutes when Seafarer stopped. Sin could guess that they have already covered at least 20 kilometers during the elapsed time. It was a good record, but the meeting place was almost a whole day travel from the kingdom, if Sin's computation was right. It will still be a long distance of travelling.

Seafarer started to growl and looked around frantically, his head whipping left and right. Sin stroked the back of Seafarer, calming him down. However, the action did nothing to pacify the Pokemon. There was something wrong. The duke jumped down and pulled out his sword from his back for safety precautions. Whatever disturbed Seafarer is dangerous enough for him to be this jumpy.

"Whoever, or whatever, is there, show yourself," Sin called out. Nobody but the wind answered him. He caught a whiff of Pokemon musk with the wind. And it smelled pretty close. Sin stood with his back to Seafarer. The Samurott stood on its hind legs, and pulled out his sea-mitars. Things were getting pretty serious.

Suddenly, the whole forest erupted around them as ten bandits and their Pokemon emerged from the bushes.
​

 

[Zavytar]

Carmine Royale Cross
Meeting Point (Viridian City)​

Moving as one, Carmine Cross and Gengar moved swiftly through the forest. Many outlaws and bandits thought about stopping him and robbing him, but after seeing a metallic eyepatch on the right side of the man's face brought a chill down their spines and made them decide to stay still, not move, and wait for the next sucker that would come by. Not only was Cross known among the people from Lavender Town; apparently word of the Phantom's abilities had reached the ears of outlaws. But let's not talk too much about that, and focus on the story instead.

After another while of moving through the sea of trees and Bug Pokémon that lived in them, both of them came to a stop to stretch their legs and grab some berries. The phantom then separated into the two beings that composed it. Carmine Cross hopped off Gengar's back and wiped what little dirt had stuck to his outfit. Then, all of a sudden, a small dagger flew right past him, and it was a matter of luck that it didn't hit Cross's face. It hit a tree and stuck there. He quickly tracked down who the attacker was: a man of about thirty years old who stood nearby, with his face covered with bandanas, and wearing a bunch of rags.

"Kehehe! You! Whatever you got! Hand it over!"

Cross smirked and did nothing. "Obviously you don't know who I am." Gengar moved swifty and hid behind the man's shadow, making him feel cold and shiver. "Nobody who's on my list has ever lived to tell the tale." He grabbed the man's dagger, with an evil smile on his face. "And you... You've just got yourself in that list."

The man trembled, but was not willing to back off. "Who do you think you are, eh? If you won't cooperate, then I'm gonna have to rub you out!" Cross chuckled. "Why you..." The man rushed forward, with a knife on his hand, running towards the one-eyed mercenary. The latter, with ninja-like movements, grabbed the man and easily knocked him down. The bandit cried in pain, then saw two shadows towering over him.

"Like I said, nobody who gets on my list will live to tell the tale." he said coldly, "And the name is Cross."

With his victim's dagger he made sure those two shadows were the last thing he ever saw; he ended his existence by cutting his throat. He took the man's daggers with him, not only as his war trophy, but thinking that they might come in handy. But having already two daggers with him, he handed them over to Gengar, who seemed happy to have them. They left the body there and resumed their travel. Cross hopped on Gengar's back and once more they continued to swim the sea of trees as one being. After some time, Carmine Cross told Gengar to stop, and the Ghost Pokémon happily did. The one-eyed mercenary got off Gengar and looked around.

It didn't take long for him to realise that they were just a matter of steps away from there. He smiled, he had gotten to the meeting point faster than what he had expected, and to him, it was as if time had stood still while they moved through that shortcut, even with the little setback from before. That shortcut sure lives up to its name., he thought with a chuckle. Both of them exited the forest on foot.

Carmine Cross and Gengar walked around. Many people and Pokémon were there, probably from the kingdoms that were to meet there to fight the evil forces of the Mad King. Although they all appeared to be on his side, he could hardly recognise any of them. That was, until a voice called out to him. He recalled having heard it somewhere before, and figured it must have been somebody from the Kingdom of the Skies, since almost everybody in Lavender Town knew the one-eyed mercenary. However, this person called him by his first name, which was weird since everyone referred to him as Cross or Phantom. He turned and saw someone he had been on a mission with.

"It's been a while. Sirilia, was it?" he said with a smirk, "I take it you're not here on a holiday."

 

[ORegan]

An amused smirk prevailed on Guirmean's face as the woman connected to a Drifblim began a monologue filled with insults and a berating tone. Her attitude reminded him of many innkeepers on the Kingdom's many roads and wives of other Guardians who headed their respective households while the husband was away on duty. Much like them, this red-haired woman from the sky kingdom gave off an aura of power that chose not to manifest in physical form, but with a verbal outspoken attitude. Guirmean has seen the influence such a woman could take on breaking up a bar room brawl between a couple of drunkards and even dispersing ruffians from causing harm onto another unlucky soul.

"You have quite a way with first impressions, I'll admit to that." Guirmean spoke in a pleasant tone that matched the smile he donned with her lack of subtlety. While it was unknown to Melisandra, years of wandering the Kingdom left Guirmean in high appreciation for the un-cordial speech of the lesser born, which was a stark contrast to the proper tone he had been born into learning. Though he would have loved to explain to Melisandra of Dearc's ever watchful gaze and that focusing all of his men on one Driflblim left their flanks unchecked, he much preferred to keep the pleasantries pleasant, and chose to ignore the comment.

Though not intentional, Guirmean's sarcastic response coupled with Melisandra's initial comments instigated the few Guardians within earshot to begin laughing at their commander's expense. "Watch it Guirmean, remember what they say; it's always the prettiest roses with the sharpest thorns." said one of the younger Guardians tending the signal fire. Guirmean turned his head to identify which man spoke out and found Princess Sakura standing nearly behind him; though how long she had been there he did not know. Beside her on both flanks stood the Leafeon she kept as a pet and Khan, presiding as a bodyguard of sorts.

Keeping the formalities of being within the presence of Royalty the sole focus of his mind, Guirmean bowed to Sakura in the traditional pose before addressing her properly. "Princess Sakura, I'm pleased to see you're doing well. I had not known that Queen Erika would be sending you in her stead, but I'm even more grateful that the Captain was your escort." He rose from his previous stance and saw Captain Rodrick less than ten meters away making small talk with one of the more veteran members of Guirmean's group. "You've arrived with great timing Princess. The first representative of the Sky Kingdom has just landed. This…" the Guardian paused to sway his arm towards Melisandra's direction with an open hand, doing his best to respectfully introduce the two ladies. "…is Melisandra Bernières." While Guirmean spoke, Khan wisely took his task to protect Sakura seriously and stood in between Sakura and Melisandra and was ready to strike should the need arise. This act eased the Guardian's burden of having to watch his new guest while at the same time be a friendly host, and was severely grateful at how well his Captain had trained the Toxicroak.

Meanwhile, Dearc saw two humans and accompanied by Pokémon emerge from the protection of the forest from the same direction Melisandra came. "Scy!" growled the mantis loudly as he left his perch and flew in their direction. Dearc landed less than twenty meters in front of the approaching travelers with his back facing the campsite. The Scyther crouched in a striking stance and hissed while sizing up the oncoming Pokémon. Rodrick decided it would be best for him to greet their new arrivals since Guirmean and Khan were with the Princess. The giant of a man took four Guardians with him and the five men took formation in front of Dearc. From the Captain's observation, the two travelers seemed to be surprised to be meeting and greeted each other as if they weren't journeying together. The four Guardians placed their hands on currently sheathed swords, ready to take defensive measures if the newcomers meant to do harm while the Captain spoke out to them. "Kindly halt your advance. What brings you two out so far from the villages?" he asked in a tone of authority. While he understood the need to be an engaging host if the two were from the Sky Kingdom, the security of the Princess was of the highest priority and he would not take any chances.

 

[SylveonStar]

Sakura smiled kindly at Guirmean and the woman that was with him, Melisandra Bernières. "My Aunt thought it would be good for me to do this, and it's great to see you Guirmean, Rodrick spoke highly of you." she spoke in a soft yet formal tone, just as her mother, aunt, and tutors had instructed her to. "it's a pleasure to meet you Melisandra" she bowed her head respectfully for a moment. She did notice that Khan has placed himself between herself and Melisandra. Rodrick trained his Pokemon well she thought glancing at Fia before looking back at Melisandra and Guirmean. "Haru will probably join us soon, and I reckon the others from the Sky Kingdom should be here soon"

She glanced around at the camp, she was feeling weak from the trip here and using her cane for support. Though it seemed one of the younger Guardians that had been tending the signal fire had noticed and he swiftly brought a chair over for her. "here you are my lady." he set the chair behind her and Sakura smiled at him before sitting down politely saying thank you.

"Please excuse me for sitting down. The trip from the castle to here took a lot out of me." she said softly. "I'm still a bit weak from my last illness"

 

[miltankRancher]

Sin Rascalwolf || The Great Sea >> Meeting Point
Chapter 1.5: The Battling Duke

The bandits attacked all at once, presumable attracted by the clothing and the sword worn by Sin. Sin held up is sword and parried every attacks the bandit used. Thankfully, most of them only have throwing knives as weapons and they could not afford to throw it. The one who had the strongest among them was the guy who attacked Sin first. He holds a longsword in his hand, while his Ivysaur were lashing out Vine Whips towards Seafarer. It seemed that the man was not used in battling with a sword, as his actions were sloppy and his footwork messy. With a thrust and a slam of the flat of his sword, Sin managed to knock the man unconscious. He immediately duck as another man tried to impale him on his head with a knife. "Seafarer!" Sin shouted. His Pokemon looked at him, dispatching a Ninetales with a Slash. Seafarer opened his mouth but another Vine Whip from the Ivysaur stopped his attacks. Seafarer looked at the Pokemon menacingly and used a Megahorn on him. The Ivysaur fainted. Seafarer once again opened his mouth. Sin, on the other hand, continued his flurry of attacks on the bandits. He thrust and parried, avoiding attacks if he can. He only have sustained minor scratches from the battle.

"Seafarer! Hydro Pump!" Seafarer let out a huge blast of water from his mouth, pushing most of the Pokemon away, and all bandits approaching Sin. Their remaining Pokemon fled, seeing their trainers knocked down. "Seafarer, come! We need to get away from here!" Sin jumped on the Samurott's back. They ran again, away from the battle.
​

 

[ナギ]

chapter one: HAZEL // Kingdom of the Skies.4

After a long day's travel, Hazel and Sableye finally reached the gates of the first city they'd come across: Saffron. Here, too, the centre was bustling with activity, despite the late hour; Saffron seemed to be a much larger – and brighter – settlement than Lavender. The pigtailed female and her ghostly companion were amazed, but were too exhausted from the long walk to really appreciate the city's allure. They strolled along, searching for a place to stay, but all of the inns Hazel entered were unsurprisingly booked to the brim. Saffron was a very central location, and many travellers, merchants and entertainers stopped to spend a night here before they continued to their destination. For Hazel it was too late to look for lodging anyway; the sun had already disappeared below the horizon, leaving only the dimly lit sky and the scarce lanterns hanging from buildings as sources of light.
Though the light was welcome, the cloudless sky also allowed all the day's warmth to vanish. Hazel was once again happy with her dark cloak. Trump didn't seem to mind too much, and he only grew more eager with excitement as the night was treading in.

Hazel was surprised. She'd always thought Lavender was the only city with such vibrant nightlife, since the nation's Ghost-types would come alive as soon as dusk arrived, and even when the sun returned in the early morning, the many bird Pokémon would keep everyone awake. Saffron was also surprisingly active. But of course the type of people outside was changing; regular workers returned to their homes, only to be replaced by the people Hazel wasn't quite so fond of. The kind who only came out to enjoy their nightlife services. In fact…
'''Ay missy, won'tchu tuck me in t'night?'' A gruff voice came from one of the men standing in front of one of the town's pubs. Hazel taught herself it was best not to respond. Indeed, the presumably drunk men didn't approach her further, although she did think she heard them laughing at a joke about her 'handlebars'… Whatever that may have meant.

The pair reached Saffron's west gate after a fruitless search for lodging. In the end, the exhausted Hazel thought to look for a place to sleep in one of the stables just outside the city walls. That is, until something else caught her eye. A small wooden wagon with a cover over it was standing in between the trees a short distance away. Did the owner just do a crappy job of hiding it? It didn't matter. Nobody was around anyway. Hazel checked under the cover, and it was even better than she'd expected: the cart was full of warm, soft hides. She took one more look around, but as it seemed its owner wouldn't be back before the next day anyway…

Trump watched his master hop inside the cart to rest. He didn't feel for crawling inside the cramped wagon himself, but took a spot on the front of the cart, where its driver would be. It lied down on its back, and just relaxed. Despite being awake all day, Sableye's energy had returned because of nightfall. It relaxed, leisurely explored the area and occasionally played around by scaring off some passers-by on the main path… until at one point it returned, and saw a shadowy figure standing next to the cart. With a loud hissing sound and bared fangs, it charged at the person at full speed and jumped—

 

[Fuyu]

The dead man let out a sigh.

Ollie watched his soul vanish, smiling to himself in delight. He clasped his sticky hands together, watching it float from the corpse in his arms. "May Father grant you a peaceful trial." He hummed the words, taking great care to wipe the blood anywhere but the dress he was wearing. He looked behind him at the empty square and hummed, beginning his work. He stripped the man bare, placing valuables in a bag for Drydan to evaluate. The clothes that were unable to be cleaned were quickly put over the man's body like a blanket.

"Vivio." Olivier sang out. Within a few moments, the Vibrava was hovering there, a question in her delightful silver eyes. "We must pass this person on properly, my dear." His voice, soft and still childlike, held a deep, soulful reverence as he spoke. Vivio merely chittered her agreement, releasing embers of violet and gold flame. The corpse caught fire and Ollie hummed, praying the proper words, as he was so bid.

You were not a man grown until you knew the words.

"Vi~"

Ollie peeked open an eye to see nothing but smoke and ashes. "May he pass on peacefully, Vivio," he said to his friend. The dragon crooned and settled herself against his back. He felt no grudge toward the man, just a need to take his weapons and keep walking, walking towards his next assignment, his next prayer to Father.

Are you pleased with me, Father?

There was never an answer, but Ollie took solace in his silence. It was comforting to know that he wasn't displeasing him either.

He slipped into an alcove and changed, folding the dress neatly back into the small square. Barely any dust. She would thank him.

Though of course, Drydan would thank him for his services. For some reason, he always did that.

...

"Olivier."

"Sir."

No questions. Just commands. Fair enough of a way to live.

He sharpened his knives with a careful grind of the whetstone, watching his master's eyes. They were voids, really, windows to the Father he served. Olivier knew his eyes were never going to be that way. He was only a tool to carry out his Father's will, little more. "A letter has come for the Kingdom, calling for a union."

"Aye sir."

"They want to kill Katashi."

Ollie's green eyes flickered gently upward and back down to his weapons. "Is he marked, master?"

"No one has gotten close enough to tell, Olivier. I would like you to."

"Aye sir." The command sank into his brain like a rock in molasses. The true breadth of the assignment would reach him later. However, the scope of his duties was insignificant to the fact that he had them. Vivio fluttered at his ear, chirping in her strange, distinct way. My destination is..."

"Cherrygrove. And you are running late." The words did not scold him, as they would have anyone else. In fact, Ollie rather thought he detected a hint of mild irritation towards another. Was the King hesitant in reporting this letter to the shadows of his Kingdom? Quite a foolish endeavor that would be. That did not quite concern him, as it were.

"I shall depart then. Vivio, are you willing to fly for a while?" She chirped her agreement, flying to rest on his back once more. "I will do Father proud, my master."

"As will we all, Olivier."

There were no well wishes, no warnings to stay safe. Death in the service of Death was the highest honor for his kind.

It would not do to impose bad luck on such an endeavor.

He flew off, and as they left the safety of the city's edge in due time, Ollie thought the spirits were wishing him well anyway.

 

[Sir Bastian]

♚ Rowan de Corbeil / Cyrus Droganni

Kingdom of Dragons/Cherrygrove City

Furrowing his brows softly in light confusion, Rowan glanced to the letter on the table, taking a step closer to it as he picked up the letter, using both of his hands to unfold it and slowly read through it. As he read, his brows raised in surprise at what was written within the letter, and eventually, he looked up again.

"You're sending the prince to fight against the Mad King, your highness? Who are we to believe whoever sent this letter? It might be a trick, posed by one of the other kingdoms or indeed, the Mad King himself. Are you certain this is a wise idea, sire?"

"We have intelligence that confirms the validity of this letter," the king replied, "and it is the best hope we have in bringing down his horrible reign. Yet if it should in the end prove to be a trap this is why I am sending you to accompany my son. I know you have his best interests at heart, and you have thus far proven your worth as his protector. I believe that you and Prince Cyrus will prove to be critical pieces in the game."

The king then rose from his seat at the table, prompting a rise from the other attendants as well, and held his fist to his heart. Cyrus recognized it immediately as the Dragon Kingdom's symbol for courage. It was an old tradition that started back when the kingdoms once took arms against one another. It was shared amongst the soldiers to keep their fighting spirits alive and to remember what they were fighting for. Seeing the significance in his father's actions, Cyrus returned the gesture.

The king's lips tugged upwards in an almost unnoticeable smile before he addressed the room. "You are dismissed."

Rowan raised his hand to press his fist against his chest, following the example of the king. His head bowed softly to the king as he let everyone know they were dismissed. Rowan returned his attention to the letter still in his hand, reading it over again before placing it down, his brows furrowing quietly in thought.

Those gathered dispersed into the castle, no doubt to attend to important political matters. Cyrus though was frozen where he stood. He turned his gaze to Rowan. They were to journey together. Either to certain doom or to victory he knew not. It both terrified and excited the young prince, and he wondered what thoughts were racing through his protector's mind.

"I am not sure my mind has yet processed what has just occurred," Cyrus said with a breathless chuckle.

Rowan turned to Cyrus and gave his old friend a half-grin, half-smile, folding up the letter and tucking it inside of his shirt, underneath the coat. "It's... definitely not something I'd be expecting would happen to you today. Or even the two of us. But, since the King has validated the source... I suppose the best course of action is do as he says and attend this... meeting, down south." Rowan's brows furrowed a little, a look of worry creeping slightly over it. "... How do you feel about this? I know you're not one to get involved in politics and the like, but..."

Cyrus slightly clenched his fist to his side. It was true, these days he found himself distanced from the political proceedings of the kingdom. Ever since his mother had… passed, he withdrew into himself and away from the public duties of being a prince. She was the one who helped tutor him in the ways of the diplomatic approach when dealing with the problems of his people. She showed him how to be kind, fair, and always strong in the eyes of their subjects. The people loved her, and her wish was that they would love him just as dearly when he rose to the throne. Now he was too afraid in dishonoring her memory should he stumble and fall, which was a fear he hadn't even shared with Rowan. The darker parts of his mind call him weak, and he was inclined to agree.

"This is a matter of my kingdom's safety," he began slowly, "from the tyrannical rule of the Mad King. It is my duty as their prince to see it through. My… personal afflictions should not be allowed to keep me from completing this task."

He almost cringed at his own coldness. Rowan didn't deserve his tone, as he was simply concerned for the prince.

Cyrus gave him a quick reassuring smile. "We should probably get ready for our departure."

Rowan didn't seem the least bit hurt at Cyrus' tone, simply giving his friend and prince a smile and nodded his head. "Then it's decided. I'll take us out into the woods at nightfall, where we'll travel down south on Rex. Best to head out of town before ascending, lest anyone see us."

He paused a moment, furrowing his brows thoughtfully for a few moments, considering anything they might need to do to prepare the two of them together, but finally shook his head.

"I suppose I'll meet you at the castle gates tonight, then, Cyrus?"

Cyrus gave his nod of approval to the plan. "Pack only what is essential so that we may travel lightly. I am sure Rex will appreciate the gesture."

Though the dragon Pokémon was no doubt strong enough to carry them both and their supplies, the less weight the Pokémon bore would mean getting to their destination in as short of time as possible.

Rowan chuckled and nodded. "He does get a bit grumpy when I overburden him, granted."

He clapped his hand on Rowan's shoulder before fixating himself towards the chamber doors. A high whistled note rang from his lips and Aurora, from her position on the floor, leaped into the air to once again rest by his side. He brushed his fingers under her left wing lovingly before taking his leave from the room, with the golden Dragonair slithering diligently behind. However, as he reached the great oak doors he paused in mid-stride.

"This is the beginning to a change in the world." His piercing eyes stared ahead, but rather than the grand hallways they saw the unknown. "Whether the Kingdoms prevail in our efforts to defeat the Mad King or we fail, change is coming. I just want you to know that I am glad to have you by my side to witness it."

Rowan had followed the young prince heading out of the chamber, his words striking him surprisingly deep. He knew that his friend had always been a thinker, but his words just seemed… mature, bordering on grave. However, the final comment made a warm smile play on Rowan's lips. "And I, you, my friend."

Putting on his best I'm-not-leaving-the-kingdom-to-fight-a-war façade, Cyrus continued on his way to make sure all preparations were in order, Dragon Kingdom tunic billowing around his retreating figure.

The sky had darkened many hours later, and the figure of Rowan, dressed in his usual garbs with a satchel slung over his shoulder slowly moved through the city's barely-lit streets towards the castle. It wasn't long until he reached the gates, nodding to the guardsmen there, waiting for the prince to arrive.

The prince was outfitted with a hooded cloak to conceal his appearance from any unwanted onlookers as he made his way towards the gates of his home. Even encased within sturdy boots, his nimble feet made little sound as he moved through the shadows of the night. Though he had yet to leave the grounds of the palace the situation called for stealth, as there were those even within the castle who should not know of his absence tonight. Their mouths were far too talkative for such secrets.

Cyrus glanced up toward the night sky to see a quick shimmer of light as Aurora flew high overhead. She was too recognizable and—should he dare say it—bright to travel on the ground with him. Affirmed that she was following, he trekked onward until he approached the gates. There, he noticed the darkened figure of Rowan waiting for him. As Cyrus approached he removed his hood.

"Have you everything you need?"

As Cyrus approached the young protector, he smiled at his friend, nodding softly as he patted the satchel behind him, his hand, as almost always, resting on top of his sword's hilt. "I've got everything we'll need for the trip and a little more. We can always buy more supplies or... whichever we need once we reach the town." With that, he made a motion with his head for Cyrus to follow him as they began moving along the castle's wall, towards the outskirts of town.

It wasn't long until they were concealed by the woods off to the east of the village, and it only took them about ten minutes travelling by foot to reach their designated area of departure. This was emphasized by the massive body of Rex, Rowan's Druddigon standing there, awaitingly. As the two entered the clearing, Rex turned his... rather intense, yellow eyes to them and Rowan smiled, walking up to him and patting him on the side of his head. "Just us, old friend. Ready to depart?" The Druddigon let out a deep, rumbly growl, shifting a little as the metals of his semi-armored limbs groaned softly, rubbing against one another. "Drrr..."

No matter how many times Cyrus has seen Rowan's Druddigon, he will never cease to feel a sense of intimidation and awe at the magnificent creature. He reached out and touched the Pokémon, feeling its powerful muscles and heavy armor as his fingers trailed along Rex's side.

As Rex bent slightly over, placing himself on all four (Which still put him slightly at a slant, due to his long arms, Rowan placed a foot on his tail and pushed himself up into the saddle on his back, quickly strapping him in before reaching a hand to Cyrus with a grin. "All board, your highness. The beautiful night sky and the kingdom's safety lies before us."

He was released from his trance as Rowan mounted himself atop the Pokémon's back and offered him a hand. Cyrus took a quick look back at the direction from which they came, and made a silent promise to return, before grasping the hand and pulling himself up aside his friend.

His stomach churned in nervousness and he shifted anxiously on Rex's back awaiting their flight. Despite his nerves, he grinned playfully at Rowan. "My father has entrusted my care into your faithful service. Should we crash and die due to your poor flying assistance to Rex, he will surely bring you back and kill you himself."

The large dragon let out a deep huff, as if he had heard what Cyrus said, but Rowan merely let out a chuckle and sent Cyrus a toothy grin over his shoulder as he grabbed onto the front of his saddle. "Best hold on tight then, your highness. We're going to have to travel pretty quickly to make it there in time, without causing too much of a fuss." He reached out and gave the side of Rex's neck a pat. "Hear that, Rex? Let's get going!"

"Gon!" The Pokémon growled out as the two on his back could almost feel the earth move under the massive Pokémon as it bent down, preparing to take off. With a firm kick and push with its mighty arms and a powerful flap of his oddly-shaped wings behind him, the three was sent flying into the sky, and with another flap of his wings, Rex turned and began moving southwards, his body now more horizontal, leaving the two on his back to sit up straight, Rowan smiling brightly as his short hair was tussled and shifted about with the cold, mountainous winds meeting his face as they flew southward, and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement building in his chest at what the future had in store for the four of them.

Considering how long it would've taken the group on foot, the time it took to reach the destination was hardly much at all. The only trouble they ran into on the way was a strong unexpected gust of wind that put them off course, and a flock of Pidgeys who decided that flying in the path of a Druddigon was a fantastic idea. Aside from that, it was smooth sailing through the night and into the following day, where they began to descend towards the unmistakable town of Cherrygrove.

"There!" Cyrus shouted over the roaring wind and pointed to the gates of the village. Rex maneuvered himself expertly through in the air currents to land at the front gates, where they were immediately surrounded by armed guards.

Sitting a little taller, Cyrus addressed the group. "I am Prince Cyrus Droganni of the Kingdom of Dragons, and this is my protector, Ser Rowan de Corbeil. We have received an urgent letter instructing us to meet here." The prince handed the envelope out towards the guards. Hesitantly, one of them, perhaps the main guardsman, approached and took the letter from his grasp. After reading through its contents the man nodded to his companions and they lowered their weapons.

"Welcome to Cherrygrove, Prince Cyrus and Ser Rowan. We have your accommodations ready within the gates, and you may help yourselves to anything you may need."

The guard then waved to the gates and with a clink of metal and the winding of chains they opened to allow passage. Cyrus thanked the guardsman as Rowan ushered Rex forward into the village, where much needed food and rest awaited.

The village was bustling with activity, preparations being done for the imminent meeting and the like. Once they were in town, Rowan and Cyrus slid off the back of Rex and Rowan gave his companion a smile, patting his shoulder. "Good flying. Go get yourself something to eat, I'll call for you when you're needed." With a nod of his heavy head and a growl, the Druddigon made for the skies again, under the wide-eyed stare of several townspeople.

With that done, Rowan sighed and looked around himself, dusting his gloved hands off. "Alright. Let's go get ourselves accomodated and some rest before the big meeting, your highness." They moved off to the nearby inn as per instructed in the received letter, and it didn't take alot of talking for them to be offered each their own rooms, of course with them being up next to each other Rowan bowed for his prince before taking to his chambers and laying himself down, determined to rest up and get ready for the next day.

 

[miltankRancher]

Sin Rascalwolf || The Great Sea >> Cherrygrove
Chapter 1.6: The Travelling Duke II

Sin managed to cover a much greater distance after the bandits' attack, mainly because he pushed Seafarer too hard. He knew that it if he slowed down, other inhabitants of the forest might attack him once again, and he doesn't want to be bloody by the time he arrives in Cherrygrove. Add the general rule that the deeper you go in a forest, the more dangerous the thing it contains. And so they ran, Seafarer topping off at 50 km/hr, which is a pretty remarkable speed.

It was already sundown when he reached the edge of the forest. Sin noticed that his Pokemon was panting tired. "Hey, Seafarer. Thank you for what you did." Sin decided to use the edge of the forest, bordering the open plains to the west, as their camp for the night. The next morning, he plans on clearing the plains on foot and reach civilization. Since it is pretty much open, he has little need to worry about potential ambushes.

Both Pokemon and Trainer slept peacefully that night, the fire they made slowly dying into the embers.

---

The next morning, Sin walked. It was not the summer season, which is a good thing because heat have always annoyed Sin. However, it was not really the cold walk. It's more like a cool air blowing in. It was fine with Sin and Seafarer seemed to be enjoying it. There were very few wild Pokemon around and the one that occasionaly sprints through the grass are the harmless kinds, Sentret and Rattata and the like. Sin's second day of travelling was uneventful but he is thankful that it turned out that way. He've had enough of ambushes.
​

 

[ナギ]

chapter one: HAZEL // Saffron Outskirts.5

The little purple ghost had jumped right on top of the figure's shoulders. ''Sableye! SABLEYE SABLEYE!'' he cried, but knew not to kill. The assaulted stumbled around and screamed in fear and confusion, stamping his feet and desperately trying to grab the beast with his hands. Its Ghost typing prevented the human from getting any grip, however.
Hazel meanwhile woke from her sleep due to the noises. She swiftly exited the car, unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the stranger. Trump at that let go as well, and jumped off to stand by Hazel's side, ever threatening with his bared claws and fangs.

The man before them was a young man, around 30, Hazel'd guessed, and yet his short black hair already started to show hints of grey. He was unshaven, at least for a few days, and wore a simple outfit of a beige shirt with a brown leather vest and a red scarf. On his lower body, green trousers accompanied by similar brown leather boots. Most striking about him, though, were his bluish-grey eyes that reflected nothing but fear.
He'd stopped as soon as he felt his assailant had been removed from his shoulders. He then looked around in confusion, and seemed scared once again as soon as his eyes fell on the redheaded female and her partner.
''N-No! Please! Don't kill me! You can take my hides, my money, but please!''
Hazel and Trump looked at one another. This wasn't quite the dangerous thief they'd assumed he was.
''Y-You won't kill me will you? Look!'' He took out one of his hides and stroked over the fur with his hand. ''This is extremely high-quality Arcanine fur! I-It was meant to keep the richest nobles of the Sky Kingdom warm… b-but I'm sure it'll look wonderful on you too! Just… please don't kill me!''
''Please stop your pitiful begging. We're no thieves.'' Hazel looked around once more and put her sword back in its scabbard. ''Come, Trump.'' she mumbled to her Pokémon before walking off towards the road. The man stood still in confusion for a few seconds before coming after her.
''Wait! WAIT!'' he ran after her and grabbed her wrist. ''Why were you in my wagon then?!''
The woman turned around and put her other hand back on her weapon's handle. She hesitated, but answered: ''I saw your cart was full of hides. So I thought to… to catch a night's rest in there.''
The merchant's expression softened. ''Hah… I see.'' He let go of her wrist, put his hand on his chin to think, but kept looking at her.
''In that case, I propose a trade.''
''A trade?''
''Indeed. Judging from the fact you came out the west exit, I assume you'd have headed for Celadon tomorrow, hm? Well, then. How would you enjoy a full night's rest in these gorgeous Arcanine hides, after which I'll let you ride with me to Celadon?''
''Surely such an offer doesn't come cheap.''
''What I ask isn't much. I'd like you to serve as my guard for the road, so I can travel during the night. Bandits surely lurk in these woods, and…''
''…You clearly have need for protection, yes.'' Hazel looked at Trump, but it seemed like a simple decision. Rest, no more walking… Besides, bandits attacking at night? Nobody was more at home on a nightly battlefield than her Sableye. ''Alright then.''
The man smiled and shook her hand with both of his. ''Great! Then please, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back, and we'll be on our way!''

Hazel watched as he walked towards the main road. Too tired to ponder what a strange man she'd encountered, she hopped back into the cart, and lay down among the warm hides. Trump once again didn't join her, but stayed near the wagon this time. A little while later, Hazel could hear the man had returned with a hoofed Pokémon by the name of Ritz. With Ritz in front of the wagon, and Sableye apparently next to him – ''Stop smiling at me like that!'' – the group took off towards the main road. Despite the rickety wagon, and perhaps because of her soft 'bed', Hazel's mind soon became fuzzy, and she dozed off.

 

[Fuyu]

Ah, I truly am late. It was another nightfall come and gone and he had barely escaped the mountain.

Ollie was no stranger to all-nighters, nor lateness, nor a lack of sleep. They were things that were not enjoyable, but after a night of being crawled upon by Ariados -starving Ariados at that-, he could handle a night of exhaustion. Therefore, it remained in his interest to walk on, now that Vivio had managed to carry him over the rockier terrain. The Vibrava slept on, silver wings occasionally fluttering in her sleep. Ollie only chuckled and continued on in the night.

He found solace in the dark. It was only darkness, peace. The Pokemon were more likely to attack and bandits struck at every turn certainly, but he was a child of Death. He had no reason to be concerned about such a fallacy. If he died, then he died as Father willed. If he didn't, they merely did so.

How silly to think otherwise.

He began to hum, watching as a Hoothoot fluttered over the trees, calling to its fellows. How sweet. Soon, there could be young. Life was good. He did appreciate it, for what it was worth.

Ollie then paused, hearing a sudden scratching noise. Oh boy. There they were. Should he kill, or should he go? He just kept walking on after that, keeping his steps as even as he had moments before. He would probably be delayed... but it was better than bringing ruffians on royalty, Olivier supposed. With a hum, he nudged Vivio. She chirped softly and he smiled. "Go, my dear." He clapped his hands over his ears as she rose, buzzing leaving her wings in a loud, noisy song. People stumbled out and Olivier unsheathed his swords, chain glowing in the light of the moon.

There was no thought to this, and it saddened him. A swish from above was his warning and he ducked and rolled. Vivio let out a screech and fire blazed into the man's head. He roared and Ollie stabbed, cutting into the trees at a run with a whistle. Vivioflew after him, quickly reaching near his waist-level to not be seen. Of course this had the disadvantage of smashing into a few bushes, but there were worse things.

The fire would spread. The forest would suffer. It was a small price to pay for murdering them all with a dragon breath. Humans were more susceptible to numbed limbs from the smoke than Pokemon. Mild shame, but what could you do? Everything had to go somehow.

He ran with a smile on his face until he didn't see a need. By then there was smoke in the distance and Vivio was bruised a bit. He pet her head and she made an odd little croon. Then he put a finger to his lips and strode to the large, imposing gates ahead. A guard glared at him through the door.

"Who are you, brat?"

Ollie smiled. "Child of Death, here for the sake of the Prince of the Dragons, sir." He recited the words as Drydan told him, and looked him square in the eye, as a servant ought not to do. He didn't care. It was just a man. He was a servant to the Prince at the moment, and he would quickly be forgotten amidst all of that.

"You thinkin' of murderin' someone, words like that."

"Many someones," Ollie said gravely and pulled out the paper Drydan had dropped in his arms before he had gone. THe man examined it and scowled.

"In lad, before we shove the gate onto yer hide."

"Painful gesture, sir. Someone might suffer for it." Vivio gave the man an angry buzz as they passed, only for Ollie to hum in her ear. Instead of heading for an inn or quarters, the boy sat down mere feet from the gate and closed his eyes, Vivio laying on his stomach. He was tired and a bed did him little good most of the time.

The spirits followed him when he was alone.

 

[miltankRancher]

Sin Rascalwolf || The Great Sea >> Cherrygrove
Chapter 1.6: The Arriving Duke

Sin managed to squeeze in the last few hundred kilometers in the morning of his third day of travelling. He knows he pushed his Pokemon too hard but Seafarer is far too prideful to show fatigue, especially with his trainer. The Cherrygrove camp was a walled one, much like the Great Sea Kingdom but smaller. Two guards were posted on the West gate, the one where Sin plans to enter. He assumed that all gates were equally guarded. Sin and Seafarer emerged from the trees. The reaction was immediate; the two guards tensed and lowered their spears.

"Who goes there?" one of them said. Sin could clearly see a Sneasel standing beside him. His partner had a Donphan with him. "State your name, your origins, and your cause."

Seafarer jumped down from Seafarer and held his hands high. "I am Sin Rascalwolf, Duke of the destroyed Humilau kingdom. I hail from the Great Sea of Princess Misty, bearing an invitation." He pulled out the invitation and handed it to the guards. They inspected the invitation, although Sin could see that their eyes were just skimming over the paper.

"You may go in, but don't cause any troube," they said, cranking open the gate. If that is allt hat it takes to enter this, we will be goners.
​

 

[NightOfRemorse]

Katherine Burk and Rosemary Redmond--Path to the Western Meeting Point

Yes! If only! What if she was a man? It was pefect! All she would have to do was a bit of dress up and whala! The perfect man! Maybe a little on the feminine side, but a man nonetheless. For this job she took to a friend, her best friend in fact. She just happened to have a brother, and while he was larger than the both of them, he was slim enough for his clothes to fit with a tight belt.

"I don't know what you're getting at doing this," Katherine's friend commented as she picked out suitable clothes, "it'll never work."

"Of course it will! Don't be so pessimistic!" Katherine held the clothes against her body, comparing their size. "I will be a different person in no time!" The had been working together for the afternoon to slowly transform Katherine. They removed her nail polish, cut her nails, undid her hair, and pressed her breast against her chest all in an effort to give her a more boyish look. The only compliment Katherine's friend would give her was that she looked like a boring girl, but Katherine assured the both of them by saying it was only because they were both aware of her true identity. Surely it was only that.

Going through outfit after outfit, they finally found one that would be both fitting and flattering to Katherine's body. It was one of the plainer outfits available in the closet and it seemed to be a dress for toils. Once it was on Katherine checked herself in the mirror, turning this way and that to see which parts of her were more boyish and more girlish. She turned to her friend then.

"How do I look?"

"Like a mad woman." Katherine frowned and turned back to the mirror.

"You never have anything good to say." She touched her hair, eying herself over once more. "I'll have to do something with this. Maybe it's just my hair. Do you think I can put it in a ponytail? Men wear those. Brian does." Katherine's friend shook her head, both in refusal and disappointment. She turned back to the closet and reached through for moment, rummaging a bit before she pulled out a hat and tossed it to Katherine.

"You'll do much better with that." Katherine eyed the hat for a moment and put it on her head, bundling up her hair and stuffing it under as best she could. When she finished she agreed that it did look fine, but it wasn't a moment before her hair made the hat rise or else fall from under it like a mess.

"I'll need some pins," she said and began to work. It took some time, but before long Katherine's hair was done perfectly under the hat, looking short and round and manish like they liked. She approved herself in the mirror and got what she called a half-compliment from her friend. That seemed to be enough to satisfy her. She even got one of those "good enough" shrugs from Mantle. To her that meant it was excellent! Trading hugs and parting pecks on the cheeks, she snuck out of her friend's home and then slowly through the streets. She was tense, nervous that every step gave her away as a woman. She looked at the townspeople and tried to copy the masculine gate of a man. Maybe this wouldn't be as easy as she thought. As nervous as she was, she made her passage through town without a single person noticing her, even with mantle along with her, though they did go through a time to hide the emblem marked permanently on his shell. When they made it out of the house, Katherine grinned and rushed off immediately. Her short sword bounded at her side and her dagger (which she had to hide in her shirt since she could no longer strap it to her leg) close to her. Her father would of course be furious when he found out she had gone and she did her best not to think up such a thing. When she returned with news of the Mad King's death it would surely all be washed away.

------

"No, Arma, what I'm getting at is, if a person loses all their toes they wouldn't be able to balance. You know it and I know it."
"Fly, Flygon!"
"How did you even come up with a backasswards idea like that?"
"Flygon!"
"Shut up, it was an educated guess."
"Flygon."
"Don't you even say that. Loser."

Rosemary looked up at Arma who was gliding above and to the right of her. Rosemary's expression seemed particularly enraged, as if she was about ready to turn on her companion and shoot her down from where she flew.

Arma looked about the same, but then without warning the two both burst into laughter. Still grinning, Rosemary directed her sight toward the ground and tightened her grip on the handle of her dagger as she walked one step at a time further and further into the forest. She ran the tip of her thumb down the handle until she touched the blade.

She liked the feeling of the small groves that ran along the edge. It was the feeling of someone's life in her own hands, just the thought that she held something that could affect a person's existence, whether they were a being or a body that would be photographed and printed in the local paper.

The killing Rosemary did was mostly for the money but she'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't enjoy it. She pressed her thumb into the blade with more force until she drew a small drop of blood, though she didn't notice that she'd done so.

Rosemary halted and returned her gaze forward. Crunch, crunch, crunch, was the soft sound of footsteps some odd yards to her left. Should she dare turn to look? The image of the man she'd murdered only about an hour earlier came to her mind. The arrow powerfully digging into the unsuspecting victim's skull as he turned to face the source of his doom, piercing his brain and shattering his future. The last thing he saw before his mind became a hectic blur was the black-clad young woman with short blond hair hidden in the brush. A smile overpowered the grimace of concern that had been on Rosemary's face. No, there was no way the person or Pokémon walking nearby was out to get her, was there? If they were, they'd need to be way more careful about not making any noises.

"Land," she said finally. Arma lowered herself to the ground and turned to look at what was coming. Rosemary turned her head ever so slightly, mostly just relying on peripheral vision to see what was walking with them. It was a human walking in the distance, she could tell that much. But from the way the person was walking and acting it seemed like they hadn't seen Rosemary and Arma. This was a risky thing to do but Rosemary did it anyway.

She sheathed her dagger then pulled an arrow out of her quiver, nocking it and pointing it in the stranger's general direction. Rosemary did not mean to kill or even hit the person, but she did want to test them and see what they did in reaction to an arrow only barely flying past their face. She released the arrow and it speedily flew past the stranger.

A shriek broke out almost immediately after the arrow flew. Katherine looked wide-eyed at the arrow that was pierced into the ground and then at the direction it came from. She was being attack already!? And with arrows, at that! She maybe had a chance with someone with a sword, even more unarmed, but arrows!? Katherine took a step back. Maybe she was a little in over her head. It hadn't been so long since she left her city and already she'd almost been killed! Yes, maybe retreating would be the best thing to do? Mantle, however, had a different idea. Angry, he demonstrated his own precision by shooting out a strong blast of water down the same path the arrow had come from. Katherine would had preferred if Mantle had not attacked, but he was so loyal in his position to protect her that there were likely no words that would have stopped him.

Rosemary lowered her bow and quickly jumped out of the way of the blast of water just as Arma threw herself into the midst of it. She'd done so to defend Rosemary from the sheer force of the attack, though it proved pointless since the mercenary had just managed to escape the powerful rush of the water coming from what she now noticed was a blue turtle Pokémon with feathered wings on its head. Arma squirmed and struggled as the hydro cannon forcefully pushed against her body, and when it finally ended she shakily regained her balance in the air.

Rosemary looked worriedly at her Pokémon but then turned and squinted her brown eyes at the stranger in the distance, trying her best to identify them in some way while watching out for any more incoming attacks. What Rosemary did notice was that the stranger had shrieked in reaction to the arrow, and no killer who used sneaking and ambushing as a method that Rosemary knew of would have reacted that way. Another detail that she didn't really acknowledge was that the shriek sounded recognizably feminine. Rosemary considered them relatively harmless as long as she didn't continue attacking them. They were only defending themselves, after all.

Rosemary made her way over to the terrorized duo, trying to look as nonthreatening as a person who had just sent over a deadly projectile only moments before could. She noted that this person was in fact a woman, though she was wearing men's clothes. Arma glided alongside her master, keeping her eyes on the blue Pokémon on the ground. She wanted so desperately to fight against it, though she never attacked unless Rosemary specifically ordered her to do so. "Did we scare you? Sorry," was all Rosemary could say about the matter.

Katherine was tense when Rosemary came into view. She didn't expect her, she imagined whoever shot the arrow at her was some aggressive man. Arma's appearance completely shocked her and in a moment she was not only tense, she was also wide-eyed. Rosemary's apology told her that maybe she wasn't a threat, but Katherine still kept wearing. Mantle seemed to be cautious enough to keep his locked on the large, green dragon, but upon seeing it herself, Katherine could quite either. It was majestic Pokemon with beautiful purple markings. It was one of the Pokemon that would earn a high price if had a chance to sell it. Despite it's beauty, she was able to take her eyes away.

"Scared?" Katherine's eyes widened when she caught herself and then lowered her voice to what she was sure sounded manly enough. "Not at all," she started, hoping her slip up would go unnoticed if she acted as though it never happened. "Just a little surprised is all." Katherined eyed Rosemary and then started again. "What are you shooting arrows for anyway?"

Rosemary tilted her head at the woman, noticing how her voice was initially higher and when she realized it, she seemed to panic and lower her voice. "Uh, it isn't my intention to cause offense, and if I do then I owe you my sincerest apologies, but why are you posing as a man?" Rosemary's expression seemed genuinely concerned, though as was her usual disposition, she was really apathetic. She quickly added, "You... are posing, right?" If she wasn't disguising herself to kill Rosemary, or anyone else for that matter (or so Rosemary believed; for all she knew, this person could have had dead bodies stowed in her basement), why was she in disguise?

She was tempted to answer the question and explain the true reason why she shot at the woman, though she didn't think it would be a smart move to just tell any person she happened upon that some people wanted her dead. That was just something you didn't say. Thinking back to the letter she got, Rosemary thought that maybe her original intention of lagging behind and getting to the meeting spot late would be a bad idea. Not because she cared the slightest bit about the people waiting on her, but because she feared they would decide to leave without her. She was just another woman joining a larger group, after all. Maybe they would decide that they could do with the people that actually showed. That wouldn't do. Rosemary wanted to get her hands dirty.

Katherine's eyes widened at Rosemary's question. "I-I'm not?" Below her, Mantle mad one of his tort sounds, one of the ones that seemed to beg her to give up. Katherine sighed and groan, clearly defeated in the situation. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said, this time without a change in her voice.

"Well, we won't know that until we hear it, will we?" Rosemary said, looking Katherine up and down, surveying her choice of 'manly' clothing. She began to continue walking in the direction they had all been originally going in before pausing for a second, turning and giving Katherine a beckoning glance to follow her. "I assume you were headed this way. If you want you can tell me about yourself while we walk. We only have so much time before it gets dark... If you're comfortable going with an armed stranger, that is." Arma chortled.

Katherine looked down at Mantle and he gave her a nod of approval, seeming to think it was safe enough. Still, the Pokemon didn't let his guard down as she walked with them. "Well, there was a bird..." she started, describing the Pidgey that had come into her town with the letter and the actions that resulted in her being here finally. When she finished, she looked away from Rosemary, expecting some sort of laugh or maybe an agreement on her father's side. For all she know she could try and turn her back in to her father! Hopefully that wouldn't be the case, her Flygon looked awfully strong.

Rosemary stayed quiet for a moment after the story was done being told, then smiled ear to ear. "You know, I like you. Forget your father. You're out to save the world from this mad king and no one's gonna stop you. Funny thing is, I'm actually out to do the same thing. Although, I think I need to help you out with the clothes and body language a bit. Try not to swing your hips too much." She looked up from where she was previously gazing at the ground and saw the gates to Cherrygrove. "And, we made it way faster than I expected," Rosemary said calmly. When the two made it to the gates, the guard raised his arm and blocked the way. "What business do you ladies have here?" he asked. Rosemary glanced at Katherine with a sour expression as if saying, Ugh, I hate this kind of talk. Don't you? "I have a very important meeting to attend so if you could be so kind as to open the gate, I would very much appreciate it." Rosemary held up the letter so close to his face that he could practically kiss it. "Alright, come in." And with that, the gates opened.

 

[Mana1]

CHAPTER 2:​

Darkness is coming.​

Night fell on the allies as they finally gathered at their rendezvous point. For some, the journey had been a long one. They had one, peaceful night in the comfort of a bed before moving out to face Lord Katashi.

Precautions had been put in place to stop the warriors being followed, however, there are eyes everywhere in Rohto. Murkrow's flocked around the Cherrygrove Village, poochyena and mightyena surrounded the encampment by Viridian City - both watching and observing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.​

~-~-~​

"Ser Redburn, it would seem you've failed yet again," chuckled a mysterious man, blond hair to his waist, fluttering in the wind.

"Mm-Buzzzz," agreed his flying pokémon, carrying them both to a nearby roof for landing. The bones around the Mandibuzz's neck rattled in the wind, the bones of other traitors.

"It's time we put this rebellion to an end," said the man, tightening his armour one last time before drawing his glistening short sword. He lifted his weapon high in to the sky, catching the moonlight and drawing the attention of the dark-type pokémon around him. The signal was clear, as he swung his sword towards the inn the Murkrow chuckled with joy; the Vullaby cawing with delight. A flood of bird pokémon swarmed the unsuspecting warriors.​

~-~-~​

Boss Pokémon: Mandibuzz​

~-~-~​

The forest encampment was quiet, the sound of distant bug pokémon was all but a faint buzzing. The occupants of the tents were asleep, unaware of the pokémon slowly creeping in.

One mightyena was the clear leader, with pitch black hair and glowing yellow eyes, not a single pooch would even look in his direction. He snapped and snarled commands at the other dogs, urging them to close the circle and finish the job.

A surveillance light swept past suddenly, blinding the dog pokémon momentarily and causing hysteria among the guards.

"Poochyena! Mightyena!" The shocked guard cried out, reaching for the alarm bell. The black mightyena snarled, howling another command at his huge pack of pokémon. As the bell sounded out the dogs advanced, snarling and biting at everything in their path.​

~-~-~​

Boss Pokémon: Black Mightyena.​

~-~-~​

Tasks:

• Defeat the intruding pokémon. There are roughly 30 enemies at each base camp.
• You may team up or fight individually.
• At least two people will have to team up to beat the boss pokémon. I decide when the boss pokémon faints (you will be permitted via VM).
• You may explore the surrounding area to some extent (you may prefer to battle in the forest [viridian], or lure the enemy towards the river [cherrygrove]).
• Pokémon you defeat can either perish, faint, or escape.
• Your pokémon may use any move that it would normally learn by levelling up.
• This event will last 2-3 weeks.

*​

​

 

[ナギ]

chapter two: HAZEL // Kingdom of the Forest.6

''Well then… I suppose this is farewell.''

With those words, Hazel and her temporary travelling companion went their separate ways. The man waved at her as he continued on the road, now only accompanied by his hoofed partner Ritz, who turned out to have been a Zebstrika. Their adventure had been short and surprisingly peaceful; no bandits or highwaymen had ambushed them during the night, and so Hazel had been lucky to take in a full night of sleep. Sort of, at least. She did repeatedly wake up from random noises, in fear of actual thieves appearing. Every time, she went back to sleep, cursing to herself what a coward she was. How was she going to serve in a war if a bunch of disorganised highwaymen already scared her so?

Now, the day following that night had already passed into the afternoon. Hazel and Trump passed Celadon and managed to travel far down the road with the help of the oddly meek merchant Matthew. Now the pair left the beaten path to enter the thick forest. It'd be a shortcut to reach the base camp, just a short distance southwest, as long as they didn't get lost.
This forest travel was interesting to Hazel and her Pokémon. Both came from an environment where trees weren't too abundant, and to see such a dense forest – and even more interestingly, the Pokémon living in it – was a fun experience for them. Even if the occasional insect came a bit too close for the woman's comfort, all in all the travel wasn't bad. It was starting to take rather long, however… Hazel took out the map while walking, to see just how long it would take. The distance seemed to be a slightly shorter than the distance from Lavender to Saffron, and that had taken her at least 8 hours. She sighed. It was to be hoped that she could somehow do this faster, or else they'd arrive after dark, and the warriors of the Kingdom of the Forest might be a lot less friendly to a stranger in the night.

Her fears proved to become true, however. Dusk was nigh, and by now Hazel had no idea if they were even walking in the right direction to find the camp. Trump hadn't been much help either; despite being a Ghost type that wouldn't require sleep, he'd been resting on the shoulders of his master for nearly the entire way since they bid Matthew goodbye. Of course, as it was getting darker, the Sableye would soon become more active as well. Hopefully.
Hazel noticed this area was significantly less densely forested. The base camp had to be close. She picked up the pace, and as she got more energetic, Trump decided she was no longer comfortable and walked with her. They found it. About time, too; they'd already been walking for a couple of hours, after all.

But then, Hazel stopped in her tracks.

A Mightyena was standing a short distance away from her. It confused her; could such beasts really live in a forest like this? Perhaps it was one of her fellow warrior's Pokémon. She walked around it carefully and quietly, expecting to find the base camp just beyond. Instead, she spotted a man dressed in knightly armor carrying a lantern, likely surveying the area around the camp. Relieved, Hazel was about to head toward him to introduce herself…
''Poochyena! Mightyena!''
A bell was loudly rung; an alarm of sorts. That means the Mightyena was in fact not one of them. Hazel unsheathed her sword and wanted to command her Sableye to attack the Mightyena near her, but it'd already disappeared. It teamed up with two Poochyena and rushed straight for the guard. He screamed and drew his blade to fight back, but the wolf Pokémon proved to be well-trained. Hazel wanted to run over there as well, but the opportunity was lost: a different Pooch- and Mightyena pair had charged at her now. She assumed a battle stance and commanded Trump to stick by her side as the battle commenced.

 

[ORegan]

Ser Guirmean Bevan-Guardian of the Forest.​

T'was the night before the journey, and all was quiet as could be. Not a creature was stirring, not even a Caterpie…..

The campsite's activities wound down with the sun's departure for the day. Many of the ground's inhabitants retired for the night, both guardian and members of the Journey alike. Those who stayed awake kept guard over the tents set aside for the Sky Kingdom's journeymen or assisted Captain Rodrick with this night's watch over Princess Sakura's private tent. Ser Guirmean retired for the night at the Captain's orders and resided temporarily in a small tent next to the tent set aside for Haru's apothecary work. Dearc meanwhile stayed in his coveted tree above the site, now donning his custom made metal armor. With the steel covering his exposed areas, the movement of the tree's branches no longer scrapped against the chinks of his exoskeleton and made the position more comfortable. From this vantage point, the Pokémon could not see much in the darkness, and the only shapes he could make out were the torch lights of a small handful of Guardians sent on patrol to hopefully catch wind of potential intruders.

One such Guardian was Ser Robin Sprucer, a lowborn son of a tavern owner and his wife, the daughter of a Tepig farmer. Unlike most Guardians who joined out of duty or some sense of pride, Ser Robin's enlistment had more to do with the security it awarded him while traveling out into the Forest. After all, most Guardians travel in pairs and are rarely the victims of highway robbery. His walk saw him nearing the western path that lead to Mt. Silver, the route tomorrow's travelers would no doubt be taking. It was generally an uneventful patrol, and the sound of multiple Kricketot creating a symphony of sound as they communicated with one another. Ser Robin thought to himself how beautiful of a language Pokémon could have before hearing some rustling in nearby bushes. The man stopped and focused his attention on the sound. In an act of self-security, the Guardian unsheathed his sword and cautiously approached the bushes. The closer his steps moved him towards the large bush, the louder the sound of multiple creatures growling in unison became. "Who's there?" said Ser Robin, a tone of slight panic emanating from his voice. Truth be told, the Guardian was some distance away from the campsite, and even yelling for help wouldn't guarantee assistance. Fear began to disrupt control of his own body, and his sword shook slightly as though he were attempting to swat a fly with the blade. An authoritative howl cried out nearby to Ser Robin's left. Startled, he averted his eyes from the foliage for just a moment, and a moment was all it took for three Poochyena to maul the lone Guardian to death. His torch fell to the floor, still lit, and that was the end of brave brave Ser Robin.

Dearc heard the howl off in the distance, and peered into the direction of its origin. The torch of a Guardian was still ablaze, and the Scyther could only assume that the human startled some prowling creature. Another lit torch began to walk in the same direction as the first, though the source was much closer to the camp than the original. The owner, unknown to Dearc, was not in search of the howl's crier, but more for place to relieve himself. He set his torch down on the dirty road next to him, careful not to snuff the flame before going about his 'business.' If was unfortunate for him, as a large black Mightyena leaped from the darkness, and quite literally caught the Guardian with his pants between his legs. The fierce canine eviscerated the man's throat, but not before he could let out a cry for help. Dearc heard the plea and studied the quadrant of the land intensely. Somehow, be it dirt from the road or some bodily substance of the unnamed Guardian, the torch went black. The large mantis had an understanding that something was wrong, and that the camp was in danger.

With multiple leaps down from the tree, Dearc hurried to the ground floor. The heavy armor which adorned him made flight longer than a short hover nearly impossible which was the tradeoff he had to sacrifice for protection. "SCYYY!" shrieked the Pokémon, awaking many around him in a haze of confusion. An instinctual habit of the Scyther kicked in and he extended his wings, fluttering them at an increasing rate. The loud buzzing sound that resulted was horrendous to all those within earshot which undoubtedly disrupted the sleep of many within the camp. In the wild, this action would be used to alarm the swarm of hostiles, which is a natural instinct that translated well from Dearc's domestication into the Guardian's ranks.

To prepare for the coming skirmish, Dearc used Swords Dance hit his large sword-like appendages together to make the blades sharper. In the distance, barking and howling began to echo from the night in all directions. The camp was surrounded and its position compromised. Many guards rung the alarms as soon as they identified the assailants. One such guard bitten as soon as he spoke the names of the camp's assailants.