• Ever thought it'd be cool to have your art, writing, or challenge runs featured on PokéCommunity? Click here for info - we'd love to spotlight your work!
  • It's time to vote for your favorite Pokémon Battle Revolution protagonist in our new weekly protagonist poll! Click here to cast your vote and let us know which PBR protagonist you like most.
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.
    Register

[PKMN FULL] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

Stinging Bea

Stinging Bea

    • 865
    Posts
    14
    Years
    • Age 39
    • Seen Feb 24, 2024
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    OC Thread|Wki​


    Half a millennium had passed since the last time anyone from Cantaras, Lysos, Abythia, Ethora, or Aturia had truly called themselves an "Altarian". 500 years had passed since the tribes and kingdoms of the country had joined together under one unified banner. Five centuries since the god, Arceus, had disappeared from the very face of the planet he had created.

    Since that time, the figurative sons and daughters of Arcues had been the focus of Altarian worship. Four of the kingdoms had taken to their own deities to worship, while only Cantaras remained steadfast in its devotion and worship to Arceus. Peace had eclipsed the conflict through most of this period. Each of the five kingdoms preferred to keep themselves outside of each other's political affairs. The tribal barbarians that were littered throughout the outskirts of Abythia, Cantaras, and Lysos were generally too busy with infighting to ever truly pose a serious threat.

    In just a few short weeks, this would all change. The recent past has been the calm, and the people of Altaria would soon learn what it truly meant to face the tempest...

    Cantaras Saga

    Chapter 1 - The Calm's End
    Spoiler:

    "Where are the patrols?!" the voice hissed. It was barely describable-definitely audible, but half of it seemed to come from within Micah Denning's very mind. The very combination of the two sent chills running up and down his spine, which in reality had made the lacerations he had sustained earlier even more difficult to endure. His eyes faltered for a moment, gazing down on the carcass of a battered, bloody, and quite dead Arcanine... his Arcanine. He could feel the urge to vomit as he looked at what had once been his lifelong friend and companion. Micah's attackers had not even the decency to pull the blade that had pierced through the Arcanine's skull...

    "Look at me!" the voice demanded again. This time, it seemed to make the Cantarian scout feel physically weaker. His insides began to churn as his eyes finally glanced over in the direction of the voice's owner. For unknown reasons, it took Micah a moment for his vision to properly focus once more. When it did, he came find himself staring in the face of nothingness itself. A silver, metallic mask covered what one could only assume to be a face. The eye-slits, which could only vaguely be seen under the shadow of the hood that hung over the being's head, radiated a very dim, disconcerting blue aura. The glowing set of eyes glared at Micah, seemingly into the very essence of his own being.

    "Where... are... they?" the hooded being demanded once more. Each word was long and drawn out, it cocked its head slightly towards the side. As Micah stared helplessly into the being's eyes, he felt as if a part of his very soul was slowly starting to wither away. A sudden pang in his gut prompted the Cantarian scout to lurch and turn in mid-air, relinquishing his neck from the cold grasp of his hooded assailant.

    Once he rose from his knees after the brief fall, Micah instinctively drew his saber and lurched towards the thing.

    "This one has some fight left in him... Amusing..."

    The creature floated backwards and left a trail of mist in its wake as it dodged Micah's first swing. That was when one of the nearby soldiers stepped in. Micah swung fiercely again, drawing on all of the energy his dying body could afford him. His blade was easily parried by the by the other soldier. The newcomer wore considerably less armor than any professional soldier in all of Cantaras, and his body was covered in primitive-looking tattoos. Micah stepped forward to take another swing, but ended up stumbling and falling face-first in the mud.

    The cackling of several more soldiers could be heard, though Micah's blurring vision could barely make out just how many there were surrounding him through the swampy forest. The rising mist and lack of sunlight coming through the treetops all but completely obscured his weak vision.

    Wiping the mud from his eyes and face, Micah cringed as he felt himself being lifted up by the hair on his head. The scout managed to glance over his shoulder just enough to see a Machoke keeping hold with a somewhat twisted grin on the creature's face. However, he was only able to keep his focus for so long before the soldier started to cackle again. Micah look up at the man's face as he smiled menacingly. Most of his teeth were missing, but the few that did remain in his mouth were browned and rotting. Disgusted, Micah quickly shut his eyes as he saw the soldier's arm rise. The crash of metal on metal could be heard, and soon Micah began to realize that a sword, as well as shards from his own broken armor had just been plunged into his gut. The Machoke let go of his hair, and Micah's face fell to the ground. Looking up again, Micah could see the cloaked figure moving his way forward once more.

    "Tell him what he wants to know..." a voice reasoned from behind Micah. A scrawny, sickly-looking mage stepped into the scout's frame of view, kneeling just in front of him. "The other soldiers... the scouts... Where are they?"

    The mage tried, and failed, to be the reasonable foil to the hooded figure and his squad of heathen soldiers, but the tone of feigned concern came out cold and meaningless.

    Micah gave a cough, blood pouring out of his mouth before he closed his eyes one last time. He inhaled briefly, welcoming death, but death was not his reward. Rather than exhaling his own life out of his being, Micah could feel his soul being ripped violently from his own body.

    It was the last thing he would ever feel...

    ~Cantarian Port City - Alexshire~
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Spoiler:

    Center Street in the city of Alexshire was bustling, as per usual just a few hours past noon. The city had, since its founding several hundred years before, been a primary trade center for the kingdom of Cantaras. The population had never been very stable, and a majority of the people that were to be seen wandering the city's streets that day would only be there for the night-if they even stayed there that long. Alexshire was a popular stop for merchants traveling every which way. Some came on ships from the west and south. Some of them were traveling from the easily-traveled flatlands to the east. Some of them were even headed due north to the royal capital of Cantaras City.

    Alexshire was a unique city, to say the least. It took a unique man to run the city guard and keep the town safe. The heeled boots of Rei Nightingale, Knight of Cantaras Third Rank, click-clacked down Center Street. She was vigilant, perhaps a bit more than was properly required for this assignment. The most trouble that was ever really caused in Alexshire was the occasional drunken bar fight or a petty theft from one of the many kiosks that lining Center Street. However, the teal-haired girl had every intention of making sure that her first job was performed with the excellence that had come to be expected from the order.

    By her side, the small pit-patting feet of a small Squirtle could be heard. Gazing down to her side, a soft smile graced the female knight's lips as she watched her Entwined partner, Sheldon, take up the afternoon patrol with her. The Squirtle kept a somewhat alert eye as he walked, snacking on a juicy, red apple in the process. However, Rei was not exactly sure if he was interested more in the possibility of spotting deviant activities or the fact that he was in such a different location. After all, Alexshire was nothing like Cantaras City.

    "Hail!"

    Rei and Sheldon paused in there rounds, the girl glancing up as she noticed a young man roughly her age with brown, rather shaggy looking hair. His armored boots clanked loudly as he made his way towards the girl and her Entwined partner with a wide grin on his face.

    "Hawston?" Rei called out, giving her fellow knight a curious look. Sheldon on the other hand, smiled brightly and gave the knight a cheerful smile. "You appear to be unusually cheerful today."

    The knight paused, rubbing the back of his head. "It's Ethan, Rei. We graduated together, remember?" Shaking his head, Ethan Hawston placed the matter aside and smiled once more. "I haven't had a lick of trouble since we arrived in town. In fact, today has been my easiest day ever, and..." he paused, a rather fake yawn escaping from the young man's lips. "Damn, is it ever exhausting. What say you to stopping by the pub a little earlier today?"

    A rather annoyed glare quickly took over the female knight's facial features. "Are you mad? We must remain alert at all times!" Rei paused, crossing her arms over her chest for a moment. "I cannot place it, but there is an odd feeling in the air today..."

    Sheldon glanced up at the girl curiously. A small frown quickly making its way to the Squirtle's tiny mouth. "You need to lighten up, my friend. At least swing by when you get off duty."

    "A Knight of Cantaras is never off duty," Rei remarked. The girl's very serious statement was returned by a less-than-serious look from her comrade. Still, this did not seem to faze Rei Nightingale. "You should best remember your position, Hawston! You represent not just yourself but all of us knights and the beliefs of his Majesty! Resume your patrol. I'll be expecting a report by sundown. Come, Sheldon."

    Ethan remained silent, rolling his eyes as Rei brushed past him and resumed her rounds of the port city once more. Sheldon waved a quick farewell to Ethan, before scampering quickly to catch up with his human partner. The young male knight sighed in frustraion, rubbing the back of his head once more "Someone needs to live a little..."

    ~Cantaras Countryside - ??????~​

    "My lord..." the pasty mage bowed before the cloaked figure. "What are--?"

    The mage was silenced by the seething glare of the faceless creature in front of him. Hundreds upon hundreds of tribesmen emerged from the fog and murk of the swamp floor.

    "Forget the patrols," the hooded creature told the mage before adding, "They will be overcome by our swiftness and strength."

    The mage merely nodded. Out from the groups of natives stepped one who was considerably larger than the rest. He stood around a foot taller than the others, and his frame was stacked with heaps and heaps of solid muscle. He wore little, outside of a pair of shredded pants and straps across his chest that contained a vast array of weapons. The mage and the warlord conferred with each other for a moment, while the hooded figure hovered bodies of Micah Denning and his Arcanine. At the end of their conference, the large, muscular warlord grunted and disappeared, if it was even possible for a man his size to do so, into the ranks of other soldiers.

    "We make for Alexshire at full march..." the mage raised his voice. "We arrive by sundown."
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Accepted Characters​
    1. Carnivore Chie as Rei Nightingale and Sheldon the Squirtle

    2. Sir Bastian as Terrin Gant and Selina the Snivy

    3. Raikiri as Cassandra Alexandra and Snow the Absol

    4. Varys the Galvantula as Willard Welm and Germaine the Magnemite

    5. SV as Matthew and Francis the Chimchar

    6. Nagi as Fiore Agnes and Alphonse the Honedge

    7. Synthet as Gabriella "Pure" and Styx the Sableye

    8. Magic as Richard Penn and Sammy the Sewaddle

    Welcome everyone, to the opening of Tales of Altaria. Unlike most RPs, there is not an exactly a set list of objectives per chapter. For now, all you need to do is have your character already in or arriving in Alexshire. From there, you're free to do more or less what you want to do. Feel free to mingle in the town, maybe grab a drink at the bar, ect. When it is time to move on, you will know...​
     
    Last edited:
    Gabriella & Styx - Just Another Day​
    ​

    It had been an uneventful few days for Gabriella and Styx since arriving in the port town of Alexshire. They had enough left over from their last caper to keep them both in food for another week at least and they'd finally managed to unload the last of their counterfeit coins onto the innkeeper at The Prancing Ponyta - those things had been weighing her purse down for too long. But with them gone at last they were free of illegal currency, had enough food to simply enjoy the day and knew where they were going to sleep that night. All in all it was a very good time for both of them, and Gabs had a feeling this was going to be as close to a perfect day as they got. The sun was shining, the market bustling and there was no threat of impending death - or worse, arrest.

    Styx rode on the back of her head, a foot planted on either shoulder, small claws tangled in hair and her adorable head resting on top of Gabby's. The Sableye was taking in the sights with a wide grin, in high spirits from her unusually ready supply of food. The ship they had arrived on had not only carried them safely away from their last haul, but the Captain had also had a rather beautiful map of the stars, with the primary constellations formed by tiny diamonds. They weren't large, or the highest quality, but they were still these girls best friend.

    "So Styx, where to? The Library?" Gabby asked, rolling her eyes up. Her Entwined let out a tiny snicker. "No? How about the... local church? We really have been letting our souls get into a terrible state." Another chuckle escaped Styx as she buried her face in Gabby's dark hair. "Oh, well alright, I suppose confession could wait... market then?" Styx raised her head, her diamond eyes flashing in the sunlight and gently kicked her tiny feet into the sides of Gabby's neck, like a rider urging their mount forward. Gabriella laughed and dutifully moved forward, making her way towards the bustling port towns marketplace.

    "It's not often we get to enjoy ourselves like this. And it's not often we have money either! Now that we're rid of all that fake stuff Jader unloaded on us we've actually got a little left to spend. Aside from the emergency rations, of course."
    Styx scrunched up her face and made an exaggerated retching noise, letting Gabby know just what she thought of that.
    "Hey, I know you don't like the cheap stuff but gold and silver are a lot easier to come by than rubies you know, and I can think of more than a few times we've been down on our luck and you've gobbled it up greedily enough."

    That elicited a displeased harrumph for her passenger as they reached the market and began to weave through the crowd. The aromas of the vendors sizzling meat, freshly baked bread and salt air combined to make a bouquet all of Alexshire's own, but it was the sights they were more interested in. Merchants proudly displayed long cuts of shimmering cloth, intricate tapestry and exotic dishes alongside sturdy kitchenware and simple peasant garb. They had done a little trading in their time, but found the profit far too low for the effort compared to good honest theft, so they were quickly able to discern the quality from the chaff. It didn't take long for Styx to spot the stalls containing jewelry from her perch but Gabby wandered instead to a more modest booth, displaying a wide variety of blades along with sheathes and other accessories. Most of wares on show were swords to draw in the yokels, but Gabby had spied a wonderful stiletto dagger from afar. She'd lost her last one in a guards chain mail...

    "Hail young miss!" The merchant beamed, his tufts of grey hair almost quivering with excitement at the sight of a potential customer. "What are we in the mood for today? A sharp fish knife perhaps, or something for cutting through those tough roasts? I've got it all, mark my words, don't mind the weapons there - I have the lot - yes indeed!"
    Making a non-committal noise Gabs made some show of inspecting the different goods he had for sale, not wanting to display too much interest. She placed her hands on her hips to conceal the daggers belted there. "Something for defense, really, you know how the times are."
    "Oh yes miss indeed I do, troubled times abound! Nothing like a sharp bit of steel by your side to make you feel secure and drive those brigands away - keep them at bay - oho, just a little port town humour, but you are quite right, quite right, it's the smart lady who knows she needs a weapon these days and make no mistake about it! I've got some wonderful little items, I surely do, wh-"
    "This." She said firmly, cutting him off. The man could talk! She pointed to a massive lochaber axe leaning against the wall behind him. Although she was tall, it was far too large for her. The merchant looked at it with open surprise before shaking his head.
    "No no my dear, much too big, too much practice needed to use it well, no no, not for you that one! The customer is always right, they say, but not always right now! Oho, just a little merchant humour, but what I think you want is something a little smaller, a little easier to conceal perhaps, something from my range just here?" He gestured to the collection of knives and daggers displayed on his table, among which was the stiletto she wanted.
    She leaned forward, making a show of looking unimpressed, and pointed to the stiletto. "How much for that one?"
    "A wonderful item, excellent choice, and on sale, a keen eye miss, a very keen eye I must s- i-what is it doing?" He spluttered as Styx clambered on top of Gabby's head and then hopped onto the merchants table, examining the knives along with her Entwined.
    "Oh she's just looking. You were saying?"
    "I... uh, yes, on sale, that's right! A stiletto dagger there, very wicked, sharp as the taxman's tongue! Only fifty gold pieces!"
    "Fifty? Fifty gold?" Gabby asked in genuine outrage. "For that little thing?"
    "Oh yes, bargain it is, a complete bargain - comes with the sheath you know - but I'm feeling generous, for you and your lovely partner there only forty nine!"
    "Out of the question," she snapped, "Never mind. Show me what you have in whetstones, reasonably priced ones."

    After a brief haggle with the windbag Gabby picked up a whetstone for a price that didn't make her want to stab the man - if she couldn't add to her collection she could at least keep it in good condition. She stopped to let Styx clamber back to her perch, tucked her purchase into her belt and went back to weaving through the crowd. Fifty gold! She had half a mind to go back later and liberate him of his takings for the day, but there was no point risking herself over something so petty.

    "Never mind, eh Styx? I can get one somewhere else."

    There was a giggle as the Sableye slid around to sit on Gabriella's left shoulder. She proudly held out the stiletto in question, brandishing it with a flourish to celebrate. Gabby stared at her in surprise - it wasn't often Styx stole something for her instead of the other way around! It was a wonderful gesture, but the timing wasn't ideal... at least she'd been smart enough to use Gabby buying the whetstone as a distraction.

    "Thanks Styx... you didn't have to d-"
    "Hey - HEY! BRING THAT BACK! THIEF! THIEF!"
    "Oh you have got to be kidding - hold on Styx!"

    Styx clutched the dagger between her teeth and returned to her usual position, bracing herself as Gabriella picked up the pace and started moving more quickly through the crowd, relying on the fact that most people preferred to keep their noses clean and avoid trouble whenever they possibly could. So much for their relaxing day!​
     
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Willard Welm​

    ​


    Willard Welm's travel aboard the ship was uneventful at most. While he enjoyed the breeze the sea brought, Willard was more thankful to have his feet on stable ground when he arrived at the port. Electricity and water does not really mix well. As usual, he could not elicit a better response from Germaine. The Magnemit was just idly floating by during the trip, never letting itself be away from Willard for a few feet. Just like now, as the Pokemon floated behind Willard, its singular eye not taking in any of the surroundings. Willard tossed one golden coin to the sailor who let them in on the ship. The man thanked him and smiled a toothless smile.

    "Germaine, come. The town is waiting to be seen," Willard briskly walked the streets of the town. He decided to just circle the town a bit, looking for a place to stay, before he really takes in the sights. The sea was just as clean as the sea back in his hometown. It reflects the sun just as much although Willard could feel that it was better back home. It's always better back home. Willard sighed. It's been a long time since he had a proper battle or training. Most people were just too reckless like him when it comes to battling that he is always forced to play the part he never wanted; support. Why can't I be on the front? I want people to see my power as the Electric Knight. Everywhere he goes, he can only hear people calling him the Heart Knight but he doesn't want to be a Heart Knight. He wants to be the Electric Knight.

    It was between his musings that he heard some commotion happening over one of the merchant stalls. "Hey - HEY! BRING THAT BACK! THIEF! THIEF!" A grey-haired merchant was frantically working his way through the crowd. He was pointing to someone. Willard looked to where he was pointing. There were a lot of people and Willard was not entirely sure who the thief was. "Germaine!" Willard run in the general direction and saw a girl who seemed to be picking up her pace, holding a Sableye in her hands. "THAT'S THE ONE!" the merchant shouted. Willard smiled and ran up to the girl and blocked her, he got his wand out and unbuckled his shield from behind his back.

    "Hey, I think you may have gotten something from that gentleman over there," Willard said, planting his shield on the ground firmly. "It's not good to be taking things from people, y'know what I mean?"
     

    Richard & Sammy
    Leaving the Golden Islands - Part 1

    "Excuse me! Excuse me!" The young man called, waving as he walked along the slippery, wooden dock. A head peeped over the side of the ship, peering down at Richard.

    "Richy ma-boy!" The old gentleman called, bounding across the deck and down the gangplank, "I was wondering when you'd arrive. You're late! Your mother told me you would arrive by sunrise." The sailor's lips were stretched into a large, welcoming and familiar smile and his hand clasped onto Richard's shoulder.

    "Sewa, Sewaaa," Sammy muttered from the floor, seeking his own greeting from their uncle. Soon enough he got his attention, the sewaddle climbed up the sailor's outstretched arm and sat comfortably on his broad shoulders.

    Rich examined the ship, taking in its size and strength, "Such beauty..." he murmured, "as majestic as the Sea Goddess herself. Mother did not do you justice, Uncle Barick."

    Barick smiled, laughing off the peculiar comment as he chuckled with Sammy at the young master's awe. Whilst Barick has spent much of his life on the seas, he knew Richard had rarely left the sheltered, exuberant life of the Golden Islands. "She's just a cargo ship, nothing special here," he said, "Let's get you settled in."

    The Golden Magikarp was to be Richard's home for the next few weeks, making the journey from the Rowanian across the seas to Alexshire in Cantarian. Uncle Barick was due to pick up some specialised goods from some traders there, which gave Richard and Sammy the perfect opportunity to start their journey of self discovery. Their journey wasn't with conditions though, Richard's Mother made herself very clear when it came to certain rules. For one, Richard was to write to her as often as possible - she was planning a few new art pieces on his travels, you'll be my own personal journalist and inspiration! she had cheered. He was easily convinced. Other demands, such as being careful with money, seemed to gain less of Richard's attention - he had already lost several gold coins on his walk to the docks.

    "Are you excited yet, Sammy?" Richard asked as they sat in their cabin, stroking the sewing Pokemon's back. The sewaddle chirped slightly, a sign of happiness, and nudged back at his partner's hand. "We're going to travel the world! We'll be the famous duo, Rich and Sammy - conquerors of the world-" Sammy frowned, biting Rich's hand, "O.K., O.K., Sammy and Rich? Is that better?" The caterpillar seemed content with the compromise.

     
    Last edited:
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Terrin & Cass
    Sparring and Planning

    ​

    Stumbling backwards, the young man's sword was knocked out of his hand and firmly planted itself in the ground besides him as he steadied himself from the vicious blow, delivered by the woman in front of him. He panted for air, sending her a silent, determined stare.

    Spells:​
    Spoiler:
    Selina
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread
    Spoiler:

    Walking slowly over, a large lumbering sword dragging beside her, Cass frowned slightly giving Terrin a gentle, but disappointed glance. "You call that fighting, kid? I am pretty sure my grandma could swing a sword better than that," Cass said with a sigh. She picked up the sword and threw it on her shoulder, placing a free hand on her chin, as if pondering. "And I am pretty sure she has got gout too...or was that grandpa?" Cass shrugged. "Mhm, it doesn't matter really. You know what I mean. You gotta swing with your hips and get power into it. Otherwise I am going to parry and knock you down every single damn time."

    "I -am- swinging with my hips!" Terrin countered, grabbing the hilt of his shortsword, which he pulled out of the ground, making sure the blade was alright, blowing a few strands of blue hair out of his face in the process. "I'm doing exactly what you've told me to do ever since you started training me."

    Satisfied with the blade, he sheathed it by his side, folding his arms over his chest with his lips pressed together. "I just don't think I'll ever be good with a blade like you are."

    "Well, it's either that or I am a bad teacher," Cass began. "But I don't think I am bad at teaching people how to stab others in the gut, so it is entirely possible you just aren't cut out for using a sword." Cass snatched her flagon of wine from her belt and took a long sip of the drink with a satisfied grin afterwards. "But, I am not going to be around forever to save your blue headed ass, so you better start learning anyway," she finished taking a seat on a nearby rock.

    Terrin's partner, Selina the Snivy, was currently resting on the rock right besides the one Cass sat on, enjoying the warmth of the sun. She opened her eye briefly to glance from Terrin, to Cass, before shutting her eye again, going back to resting. The young man sighed and dropped to the ground, stretching his legs out in front of him while planting his hands behind him, lounging. "Easy for you to say, you've been doing this for... how long, again? I only really know how to handle a bow."

    Cass paused, cocking her head up to the blue sky with her face scrunched up as she pondered the question. As the sun beat down on her with its bright gaze she eventually looked back down, her eyes fluttering as she had to overcome the temporary blindness afflicted upon her. Her fingers began a brief dance as Cass attempted to answer Terrin's innocent enough question. Snow, Cass' Absol emerged from the bushes, and sat down beside Cass, distracting the woman for another moment as she reached over to pet her partner on the head. "About seven years," she finally answered.

    Giving a skeptical quirk of his brow, Terrin glanced at Cass before shaking his head, finally lying down on the ground with his arms moving behind his head, closing his eyes. "If you say so." He went silent for a few moments, his lips pressing a little together before speaking again. "... You -do- still think I can grow stronger, right Cass?"

    Cass shrugged. "I don't know," she said honestly.

    Opening his eyes again, Terrin pushed himself up with his hands, giving Cass a narrow-eyed look. "What do you mean 'I don't know'? I thought you told me you could help me!"

    "Oh, I can help you," she said, continuing to pet Snow on the head. The Absol closed her eyes, enjoying the attention. "But the fact is the only person who will decide if you get stronger or not is you. I can show a thousand different ways to swing a sword, shoot a bow and throw an axe. But at the end of the day, the person who does all that is you. So what I 'think' about anything doesn't really change anything. Now does it?"

    "... Mrph." Terrin grunted, laying himself down again to stare upwards into the sky, a grumpy expression overtaking his face after Cass' admittedly, rather wise and logical answer. After lying there for a few moments, he suddenly hopped to his feet, nodding his head firmly. "Alright. I'm ready for another round."

    "That's great!" Cass said, clapping her heads with a bright expression as she hopped to her feet to join Terrin. The wide smile and green eyes glistened in the sun, but suddenly shifted into a frown. "But, I'm not." With a pivot, she turned to their bags and started stuffing everything roughly into their various sacks. "We're running low on supplies, especially wine!" Cass said, shaking her empty flagon violently. "So I need you," Cass said, tossing his bag at him with a stiff throw. "To get a bunch of stuff for our next trip. I have no idea where we're going yet, so be...general with what you get. Alright?"

    Terrin blinked as the bag was thrown at him, just barely managing to grab it out of the air. He stared at Cass in disbelief for a few moments before finally sending the woman a small glare. "... Fine. But -I'm- not paying for supplies this time. Last time you sent me in to get supplies, you got me to pay with my own gold." He proceeded to hold out his hand expectantly, giving her a challenging stare to boot.

    Cass smirked. "You know I always found handshakes to be a very awkward way to say goodbye or good luck but if you insist," Cass said, shaking Terrin's outstretched hand before giggling to herself.

    "Wh- b-" Terrin began, his face quickly reddening from Cass' practical joke, clenching his fist and pulling it back.

    Cass returned to packing eventually throwing most of their makeshift camp across her left shoulder, with Red Snow, her two handed sword resting on the other one. Snow the Absol walked along her side, looking a Terrin with a smug look. "If you don't want to pay for supplies, don't. Steal it, then. Or hope the next job will pay well. We're near Alexshire, anyway. Plenty of foot traffic, it will be easy to find some merchant we can rob...or one that will hire us. And if money is that tight, I have a couple people who owe us money. So if you do end paying for something, I'll get the coin right back. Okay?"

    Terrin threw his hands in the air in exasperation, rolling his eyes. "Oh yeah, as if I haven't heard that before. You know what? Alright. I'm gonna go -steal- supplies because you can't be bothered to pay for them, get arrested, and then we'll be stuck in Alexshire while you spend half the money you'll be making here drinking, and the other half bailing me out. Good. Great. No, it's a good plan."

    "That does sound pretty fun," Cass admitted quietly.

    With a final sigh, he glanced over at the Snivy watching the two with amusement in her eyes. "Come on Selina, let's get going."

    With that, he turned around and began heading in the direction of the town, after picking up his bow and quiver from the ground, strapping them both onto his back. The small grass-type quickly got up and hurried up besides Terrin, at which point she lept up onto his shoulder with the help of a pair of vines. The boy raised a hand into the air as a sort of goodbye, without looking back.
    ​
     
    Last edited:

    Matthew and Francis - A Radiant Deception


    "Ah, land!" Matthew cried out merrily from the bow of his vessel, the Gold Treader as it pulled into the port of Alexshire. The merchant's partner in crime and Pokemon companion, Francis, grinned at his side. "Alexshire. Quaint, always a steady flow of people, and quite possibly its best attribute, the low risk of ever running into the same person twice! Everyone is a stranger. Do you know what that entails, Francis?" Matthew questioned the Chimchar as he glanced down from the port in front of him to his friend at his side.

    The Chimchar kept his wide grin and made a movement with his hands to his hips. He patted the area three times to which Matthew nodded. "That's right, Francis. Time to fill up our pockets!" The merchant exclaimed gleefully. A noise coming from the deck drew his attention off of Francis and onto the sailors he had hired to steer his ship from its previous destination. They were a boorish and rowdy bunch for Matthew's taste, but they were also honest, decent and trusting men. The former qualities were irrelevant to Matthew. The latter ones Matthew intended to use to rip them off mercilessly.

    The head sailor, a balding man with a set of brown beady eyes, a rather pointy and elongated nose and a full brown beard who went by the name of Sanson, approached Matthew on the bow while the rest of the sailors docked the ship in port. "Everything in order then, Matthew?" Sanson asked the merchant.

    "Sanson, my good man!" Matthew greeted the sailor with a pat on his back. "Yes, indeed, I believe everything is quite satisfactory, thank you. Your sailors seem to have handled practically everything exceptionally."

    "Glad to hear it," Sanson answered with a curt nod. "There is the matter of the second half of our payment though..."

    "Ah, yes, that," Matthew reached into the pocket of his fashionable dark blue pants and pulled out a folded white cloth which seemed to contain a cluster of writing across it. Matthew opened up the cloth and scanned through the words written. "Sanson, can you remind me, how long our voyage was?"

    The older sailor cocked an eyebrow and examined the cloth Matthew unveiled before he placed a hand to his chin and stroked his beard to recall. "Must've been around one week or so."

    "Yes, well, it was actually a week and two days," Matthew corrected the man. He gave the sailor a slight frown and continued. "You see, the two days are important. Our contract here clearly stipulates that the terms of our arrangement of payment would only come if all of the services rendered are met, one of which being the delivery of my person and property to the destination of Alexshire in at most one weeks ti-"

    "Wait, wait!" Sanson cut Matthew off, which caused the merchant to look up at the sailor. "What contract, what in Lugia's name are you talkin' about? We didn't have any contract!"

    "Why, of course we did!" Matthew answered back and flashed the cloth to Sanson. He pointed to the bottom where a series of signatures were present. "We wrote it up together on Derros in the Grey Lakes Tavern just before we headed out. See? There's your signature on the bottom, along with two members of your crew, as well as my own signature and two witnesses from the bar, Percival Gendross, and Robert Rodinschi-"

    "Grey Lakes Tavern?!" Sanson once more interrupted Matthew. "You mean where you took us out, bought us a fountain of drinks and got us all piss drunk?!"

    "I can't recall that exact scenario in question," Matthew replied with a shrug. "Nine days is a long time, isn't it? Besides, that was your choice to take the drinks. I was just being friendly to my new hands."

    "You... but it would have been only a week's travel if we hadn't stopped at that scenic beach for a couple of days by your orders!" Sanson yelled back. He was fuming.

    "Request, not order," Matthew corrected the sailing as he held up a finger. "One which you didn't have to take. And hey, we had a pretty good time on that beach, didn't we?" He asked the sailor. There was a large vein on Sanson's head which seemed ready to burst at any moment. "Now, the contract actually states that if services aren't fully rendered, then I would actually get my money back..."

    "Money back!? You're insane if you think I'm givin' you anythin'! What's to stop me from rippin' up your contract and takin' our money by force?" Sanson asked threateningly. At that moment, Francis stepped forward and cracked his neck, looking rather menacingly at the sailor. Sanson gulped once and backed off a bit from the Chimchar.

    "Why, your good nature as a sailor I imagine," Matthew answered back. "That, and if you do so by dishonoring a legally binding document, I can unfortunately guarantee you would never get any sort of work in any part of Cantaras ever again. You will believe me when I say that I have the connections and influence to make that happen. Oh, and I also believe Francis here will probably have a few words with you too. But listen, I can clearly see that this fiasco has you upset, and you don't mean what you say, so let's come to an agreement. I will agree to let you keep the first half of your payment I delivered to you, and in return, you do me a favor here in Alexshire."

    "... what sort of favor?"

    Matthew grinned at Sanson maliciously. "Tell me, Sanson, what's your size?"


    "Our history is what binds us to this world!" Matthew exclaimed to a rowdy crowd at the center of the marketplace in Alexshire. He was standing on top of a wooden box, addressing nearby shoppers as they browsed around. Behind him was an intricate merchant stall set up which displayed many valuable-looking items quite unlike any from other stands. "Cantaras, Ethora, Lysos, Aturia, Abythia! See the treasures long forgotten of the world, including those recovered from the lost city of Ugoral in Abythia!"

    "You're saying you recovered treasure in Abythia? You went there?" A skeptical, somewhat noble in appearance shopper asked Matthew. Matthew turned to the man and smiled brightly.

    "Why, yes! 'Twas a perilous journey I endured!"

    "Uh huh, and how exactly are we supposed to believe anything you say?" The same noble asked Matthew as he crossed his arms.

    "It's all true!" Another voice called out from within the crowd. The other citizens from around the area turned to find Sanson standing there, dressed in fine clothing befitting a prosperous noble. His eye twitched for a moment as he tried to keep a straight face. He let out a low sigh and continued speaking. "This man has sold me countless lost artifacts of the old kingdom and more. Speaking of which, Matthew, do you have my 'Golden Eye of Ho-Oh?'"

    "Why yes, Lord Sanson, I do!" Matthew answered pleasantly as he walked to his stall and picked up a round golden object which shone brightly under the sun. "The Golden Eye of Ho-Oh, and artifact blessed by the legendary himself. It is said that this object has the properties to bring good fortune to all who touch it. It is even rumored that it can cure many diseases if one bathes with this object for three weeks. Yours, my lord, for the meager price of two thousand pieces of gold." He handed the object to Sanson, and after, a flurry of murmurs and whispers of wonderment materialized around the stall. Sanson, in return, handed a sack to Matthew. Matthew purposefully clunk around the contents of the sack to show others the hefty exchange of gold being done. Matthew peeked inside the sack to confirm for himself the small pieces of junk and metal which really lay inside. He put the sack into his pocket, and once more stepped onto the stand.

    "Step right up, my friends, and see what other marvels I have brought with me!"
     
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Cass and Snow
    A Trip in the Town

    ​


    Spells:​
    Spoiler:
    Snow
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread
    Spoiler:

    To say Cass was fond of Alexshire would be something of an overstatement. It was one of the centers of the economy of Altaria, and one would think with the money flow that swims through the port city that the greedy mercenary would love Alexshire more than anything. Yet the money never stays for long in Alexshire. Far too many merchants stayed only for a day or two at most, hardly enough time to yank what little coin they could offer from them. If they weren't merchants, they were sailors simply shipping supplies along the major trade routes that docked in Alexshire. Cass had no love for boats and chose to ignore them as sort of business partner. The seasickness was hardly worth the effort.

    If Cass was to find employment in Alexshire, she would need a lucky break from some hapless merchant would had some long journey that would possible induce some peril that would require Cass and Terrin to hack some bandits or business rivals along the way. It was a common job, but it was hardly a favorite of the fiery mercenary as it grew monotonous. For the past year, she had lost count of how many merchants needed an escort. Cutting through bandits and rival traders was entertaining she would admit and it was a nice introduction to mercenary work for Terrin, as the young man was really only starting out compared to more seasoned Cass. And she was pleased with that fact genuinely wanting Terrin to at least scratch his ceiling if not completely destroying it. The reality was that it was always more exciting to pursue a bounty, fetch some artifact or loot or clear out some area of criminals than a simple escorting job. Cass had accepted so much work that she was sure she had done everything under the sun of Ho-oh, as a result she had a keen eye for knowing a good job from a bad one.

    With Snow in tow, Cass walked down Center Street breezing through the bustling city, examining the sights and sounds of the market from beneath her hooded cloak. She was scoping out any potential for a unique job; something to get the blood pumping and possibly relieve her of the boredom that has dropped itself on her strained shoulders. Most the merchants Cass laid her green eyes on seemed to be setting up stands, or eagerly waving business to convince the crowd to take grandeur at their shop. They were more permanent establishments as well, and Cass found herself poking her head into the handful of blacksmiths that she walked by. Sadly, she could not find a replacement for "Red Snow", her trusted two handed behemoth of a blade. It was not she wanted a new sword, having grown quite comfortable to balance, size, weight and most importantly the feel of the weapon, but the allure of finding something superior, whether it was lighter, more elaborately designed or simply felt better in her hands.

    Though she was truthfully satisfied with the equipment she had as much as the desire to go out of her way to purchase a shiny new sword or less worn set of armor allured her, Cass had considered for a moment simply taking the shiny blade she feasted her eyes on, but she felt Absol giving her hand a light nibble to snap Cass out of her greedy visage. She snapped her eyes back towards the Absol, frustrated at the Pokemon, yet she could tell that any purchase at this point would be ill advised. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she would likely owe Terrin more money than she would want to toss back to him following his venture for supplies. With a sigh and a weak pout, she shrugged her shoulders realizing that Snow was more right than Cass often ever was.

    Picking up her pace, Cass returned the heart of Center Street glancing over to the small stands that were scattered about the market of Alexshire. Many were small, selling anything from accessories and antiques to various types of food and imports. Hardly anything to jump up and down in joy for, at least to Cass, especially considering most of them were probably merchants who made their worth in port towns and on ships. Yet her interest was piqued the moment her stomach made a low grumble, as she glanced a few seconds longer at a fruit stand with large red apples on sale. Wanting to resist making any purchases before coin was promised, Cass continued her pace.

    Sensitive to sound, Snow's ear perked up. A sly grin stretched across the Pokemon. Bouncing away to a stand that Cass and Snow passed, the Dark type snatched one of those aforementioned apples and bolted away, nudging Cass' hand with apple in tow. With an earnest smile, Cass bent down and took the apple from Snow, patting the head of the Pokemon gently. Without as much as a word, Cass took a big bite, swallowed the bite down and let out a big sigh of relief, instantly more pleasant than before.

    "Oi! Hey you! You gotta pay for that!" The shopkeeper roared, running forward the few paces that Cass had covered between the longing gaze and Snow's minor crime.

    "What? This?" Cass gestured with a hand, showing the bit apple before taking another large bite. Chewing loudly, Cass spoke in between the grinding of food: "What are you going to do if I don't?"

    The shop keeper gawked at Cass' rude reply, but his small glimpse of surprise quickly twisted in frustration. "I'll call the city guard!"

    Cass laughed a bit, before coughing up a piece of her apple. With another far smaller bite, Cass was careful to chew having learned from her mistake. The Disaster Pokemon at her side was snickering to herself, reveling in the little chaos Cass had found herself in. "You know, if I had an apple for every time I heard that one, I probably wouldn't have stolen this in the first place."

    "Guar-"

    Before the merchant could finish hollering out for help, Cass shoved the half eaten apple into his mouth. It was this moment that many of the onlookers in the vicinity looked on with expressions of apprehension, curiosity and a tinge of concern for the victimized merchant. The muffled voice was unintelligible, allowing Cass the freedom to say whatever she wanted: "Now listen here. I find your customer service skills awfully lacking, so I am not really inclined to pay you or any of your little friends for this crap apple. See, even now you are not really enjoying," Cass said sarcastically, her hand locking the apple in place. Blowing some of the hair out of her face, she released the man with a stiff push, knocking him to the ground. As he fell back onto his bottom, she snatched another apple. With a smirk, she took a bite before waving goodbye to the helpless merchant, dumbfounded on the woman's complete disregard for his threats.

    Despite the fun she had in antagonizing some merchants, the disappointment that city had mounted on upon the mercenary was great, hitting Cass with a hammer of disappointment. Snow the Absol looked up to her partner before brushing gently against Cass' leg as the human's stride slowed by half a step, trying to cheer up the mercenary. With a little murmur, Snow gestured towards an oak board in the distance, near the end of the city block with a thick crowd surrounding it. Cass cracked a weak smile: "Nice catch. I forgot Alexshire had one of those."

    Cass pushed much of the crowd aside, parking herself near the front. The oak board was a community posting board, where the town often places anything informative for the rest of public could use. Cass preferred the term "Bounty Board" as basically it gave her glimpses of any jobs that were a bit out of the ordinary. With little really standing out to her in that brief few moments of staring and hoping, Cass could only frown, finding herself walking away with the dying light of hope barely illuminated her steps.

    Hopefully something would excite the mercenary's life in due time.
    ​
     
    Last edited:
    Rei Nightingale And Matthew - Alexshire Market Square - Knightly Duty​

    Rei had been continuing her observant patrol of the city and so far everything had been peaceful and calm. The young knight was sure it had a bit to do with how she had pressed herself forward and did her duty to enforce the laws to the best of her ability. However, she was still somewhat impressed with how calm everything had been so far. She was sure that at least one or two people in the port town would have caused some bit of trouble..

    "I suppose father was not exaggerating when he said this was a calm and easygoing port city..." Rei mused, glancing around as her patrol had led her towards the more merchant-heavy area of the street. "In a way... I guess I could say it was sort of..." She paused, catching herself from saying something that she did not want to. "No, what am I thinking? This job is not for my entertainment! I must remain alert to any and all possible infractions of the law!"

    With renewed purpose in her duty, Rei resumed her patrol and made her way down the street towards the center of the market square. She stood there for a moment, calmly looking around when she felt a slight tug at the end of her mantle. The knight glanced down, notcing that it was her Squirtle attempting to get her attention.

    "Sheldon?" Rei questioned, kneeling down closer to the Squirtle's level. "What is it?"

    Sheldon pointed out towards a nearby man standing atop a wooden box. Rei had not been in the square long, but he seemed to be gathering quite a crowd in front of him. While such a sight was not exactly the most unusual thing at times, but what caught her eye was the stand behind him. There was quite the display on it, filled wih various trinkets that were most unlike anything that one would normally see on sale in Alexshire. On top of that, the prices he was selling them at were much, much higher than that of the typical good. But most importantly... there was something about this merchant that rubbed Rei the wrong way. It was almost as if something familiar about him was clawing away in the back of her mind. Deciding that it was her duty to the city to see if everything was indeed on the up and up, the knight quickly made her way towards the merchant's stall with Sheldon in tow.

    "Excuse me," Rei called out, making her way towards the front of the crowd. It was her first actual attempt at this part of her patrol duty, she was trying her best to put on a professional face and tone as she excused herself past several shoppers. "I cannot help but notice that the goods you have on display here are unlike those of the typical merchant. Most who happen to stop and sell here carry things such as tools, fruits and fish, weapons and armor, and fabrics..."

    "A very observant eye, my lady!" Matthew answered merrily as he observed the female knight who approached beside him. He held up a golden-bronze relic in the shape of a cross, one which had strange, almost mystic embroideries across it and explained further. "My wares are indeed unique. From the depths of the desert to the peaks of the mountain, I scavenge the world in order to share with the people a bit of their own history, and a small story. For you see, every mystifying item I am displaying has a tale to it. Is it not the duty of the conscientious vendor to share with the people the knowledge of the world?"

    He smiled at Rei and extended his arm in an attempt to give her a gentle brush upon the shoulder. In the process, he released a bit of mana into the tips of his fingers, in order to subtly imbue her with a bit of his Attract ability. "Perhaps you would like something from among my rare collection? Legendary steel to arm yourself? Or fine, antique jewelry or fine silk to enhance your beauty?" He asked pleasantly.

    Rei's eyes narrowed just a bit. "Perhaps... There is something you could indeed show me."

    Matthew smiled and nodded. "Yes, anything for you, my lady. What takes your fancy?"

    "I am in need to see of your permit that allows you to set up shop," Rei answered bluntly. She gave Matthew a stern look, placing her hands on her hips as she spoke. "It is Cantarian law that you must have papers signed and sealed by the council to allow shopkeeping in this city, and I have reason to doubt that you possess that."

    Matthew widened his eyes as he gave the knight a surprised expression. "I... well, I... it is quite difficult to acquire a permit in such a short time, my lady. Especially for a humble traveling merchant such as myself. Even more so in such a city with an impermanent citizenry such as Alexshire. It would take the council a full day to provide such a permit, and I don't plan to be around here for very long. You will of course understand why such and action is unnecessary for me, my lady?" He questioned the knight, gesturing to the nearby stalls.

    "I invite you to ask half of the other merchants of the same request and watch as they provide you with the same answer." Matthew stated further.

    "But I am not here to inquire of their status. I am here to inquire about yours," Rei retorted, not allowing hersef to be distracted by Matthew's response. She gazed up at the merchant, again feeling a stronger sense of familiarity about him. "...Merchant, have we met before? There is something... I feel I remember about you before."

    Meanwhile, as Rei was dealing with the merchant, Sheldon had taken to his own investigation of the stand. The Squirtle had managed to climb up onto the a corner that was not covered by any merchandise and had take to looking at a rather shiny and decorative looking bangle.

    "Oh, but you must understand, my lady," Matthew began to protest again. "I am doing this for my wife and child. She is quite ill and my chi-" He was cut off when the knight suddenly brought up about meeting him before. At this point, Matthew hesitated. It wasn't too often that he enjoyed meeting previous clients, mostly because many of those experiences resulted in a less than favorable outcome for the buyer, one which usually involved Matthew swindling them in some way. Although he did not immediately recognize Rei as someone he had done business with in the past, he also knew it may be impossible to recall all the hundreds he had cheated in his lifetime.

    "I don't believe so, my lady," Matthew answered as he tried to maintain the ruse of composure. He chuckled slightly as he tried to keep his cool. "This is my first time in Cantaras, so I highly doubt it. I do get that a lot! Perhaps my face has an air of familiarity abou- Francis no!" Matthew suddenly yelled as his Chimchar companion made his presence known to the knight for the first time by wandered up to the Squirtle and tilted his head curiously at him. The Chimchar made a motion with his hands first by pointing to the Squirtle and then slapping the ground, his way of telling him to get off. "Away!" Matthew hissed at his partner as he motioned with his hand for him to leave the premises. If Matthew's appearance wouldn't remind previous clients of him, Francis surely would have.

    Rei glanced down at e Chimchar as Matthew hissed at him. She then glanced over towards her Squirtle companion, who returned Francis' order by simply sticking out his tongue and then waving the bangle around in a teasing sort of manner. It was at this point that it all clicked together for Rei. Her eyes widened in realization, as she quickly pointed an armored glove in Matthew's direction.

    "You! You are the one that sold me that pathetic excuse for a 'healthy and energetic' ponyta!" Rei shouted, taking another step closer towards Matthew. As she approached, the knight placed her and on the handle of her blade. "Because of you, I was the laughing stock of the entire academy that week! Long have I dreamed of bringing you into justice!"

    As Rei explained to Matthew the nature of their relationship, Matthew also recalled and cursed in his mind at the luck of running into a former client. "All sales are final," Matthew stated simply, seeing no reason to continue his ruse he had masterfully established with her.

    She paused for a moment, turning her attention to the people who were watching the entire scene play out before them. "People of Alexshire! Pay no heed to this man! He is merely a liar and a swindler!"

    "No, no. Don't listen to her," Matthew cut in as he raised his hands to the people around him in a calming matter. "She is merely a disgruntled customer who damaged her merchandise shortly after the sale! Surely you noble folk of Alexshire as ordinary, reasonable citizens could understand the implications of buying back a product which was in acceptable condition prior to the sale and not so after? It was her responsibility to care for the creature following its purchase, which she clearly did not do!"

    "Excuse me?!" Rei snapped, turning to face the merchant once more. "That Ponyta died that very night! There was no time to damage her! And even if there was, I assure you no such act was carried out! You have my word on such matters as an official Knight of Cantaras and on my name as a Nightingale!"

    "Yes, because we can always trust the words of the Knights of Cantaras, disconnected from the lives of an typical citizen behind their comfy walls and lavish homes in the capital," Matthew stated as he decided to go on the attack, and subtly edge the topic of conversation
    away from himself. It was the best move he can think to make at this point, appealing instead to the citizens' normalcy. "You probably over-strained her with your incessant need to infiltrate every part of our lives. Is it not time that the knights back off of the lives of the average citizen so that we can become a more free society?" Matthew asked the crowd in an attempt to turn them his way once more. Soft murmuring had begun within the crowd during Rei and Matthew's altercation. He could see he was beginning to lose some of them, nonetheless.

    "How dare you!" shouted, quickly starting to lose her temper. "If we knights are guilty of anything, it's being vigilante in our duty to the people of this country! We do not ask to live anywhere lavish nor do we stick our noses into their private affairs! And it is for this reason alone that our country has remained so stable and safe all these years instead of becoming something like Abythia!"

    As Rei and Matthew continued to bicker, Sheldon and Francis were still in the midst of an argument themselves. It seemed as if the little Chimchar was not too thrilled with Sheldon's refusal to come down. In fact, he was so intent on getting the Squirtle down that Franics had taken to climbing up on the stand himself. Sheldon let out a squeak of surprise at the dedicated Chimchar's approach and quickly began to scramble away from him as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him. As Sheldon did this however, he had managed to step on top of a gold bracelet with a shiny, red ruby sitting in the middle. A loud cracking could be heard at this point, causing Rei to pause in her arguing with Matthew and focus on the scene before her. She, along with many others in the crowd, watched as the bracelet seemingly shattered beneath his feet.

    "That's supposed to happen," Matthew stated after a prolonged period of silence. He looked over to the crowd, and watched as many of their faces turned to anger and disgust. "It is a very old and very delicate relic! Of course it's going to have some wear and tear in it!"

    "It just completely shattered, you cheat!" One patron exclaimed loudly.

    "Liar!" Another one shouted.

    Sanson, the sailor Matthew had swindled earlier, saw his moment and joined in. "It's true! That man cheated me out of my money for our services in taking him across the sea and forced me to do this to pay off his debt!" More groans and yelps of surprise could be heard from the crowd.

    Matthew hesitated before pointing directly at Sanson. "That was part of a legally binding contract, Sanson, one which you have now just violated! I will be expecting the first half of the payment I provided to you accordingly." He stated to him, drawing more ire from the crowd. Matthew then gestured Francis to his side and glanced toward Rei. "My lady, as compensation for your Pokemon destroying one of my valuable wares, I am considering any past contentions between the two of us regarding any transactions essentially even, and any wrongdoing on my part to be considered void." He turned to the Chimchar beside him, grabbed hold of him, and then addressed the crowd. "Good day to you all!" He cried, before he lifted his hand into the air. In his palm was a ball of energy, which he then proceeded to slam onto the ground, creating a thick smokescreen which he used to try to make his escape.

    Rei reached out in an attempt to grab the man, but the smoke created by Matthew made this quite difficult. The knight began to cough, waving her hand to try and aid in the process of clearing the smoke out. When enough finally had cleared for Rei to be able to see properly, she was greated to the sight that Matthew and his Chimchar were both gone. To say that Rei was angry that someone such as this had escaped her grasp would have been quite obvious. She turned to the crowd and gave them all a reassuring nod.

    "Do not fret. I will not rest until this scoundrel has been brought to justice!" Rei announced. "Please, just be patient and wary to any merchants in the area. We do not know if this man was working alone or not!"

    Taking hold of her Sheldon, she bid the crowd farewell and began to run down the street hopefully in the direction that Matthew had taken off in. She was determined that her first chase would not end in failure.​
     
    • Like
    Reactions: SV
    · Fiore & Alphonse

    Fiore's Spells:​
    Spoiler:
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Alphonse's Moves:​
    Spoiler:
    The rickety wooden huts lining the docks formed a stark contrast to the stately, stone houses higher up the hill. Fiore couldn't help but wonder what kind of people would be living in those houses. Dukes, governors, counts? Whatever higher-ups were called in this part of the country. She stopped walking and raised her arm to block the sun from her eyes. Looking upon the mountain and the massive houses, she imagined pompous men and women with titles she only knew from fairy tales drinking wine and eating cake. Even out on the street, men and women walked around in fancy clothing, browsing stores and running errands. And this wasn't even Cantaras' largest city yet.

    It was Fiore's first time to leave the continent of Lysos, and the travel here had already been an endeavor to her. Before, she lived in the slums of Kakkara, but desperate as she was to get out of that situation she hopped on board of a large ship and travelled as a stowaway. She'd been hiding in a dark corner of the hold for days, rationing the few loaves of bread she had with her. But it had been worth it. Once the ship docked, and she managed to sneak out, she could barely believe her eyes. An incredibly large city lay in front of her, perhaps even comparable with Kakkara, surrounded by lush, green mountains.

    The sword hanging on the side of her backpack stirred, causing Fiore to snap out of her reminiscing. She lowered her arm and put her hand on the sword's scabbard to let it know she was fine, then resumed her step.
    As she approached the market, Fiore noticed there was some commotion going on. A crowd had gathered in the middle of the marketplace, surrounding what Fiore assumed to be a stage - but what turned out to be no more than a wooden box. The man standing atop it was shouting out to the crowd about his adventures in travelling the globe, accumulating a myriad of artifacts from all over. Fiore continued on, uninterested, but her attention was caught when a young female knight approached the merchant. She stopped and watched from a distance.
    After a short exchange, the merchant stretched out his arm towards the knight. Fiore thought it was an awkward motion, but then she noticed something strange; it seemed as if a slight amount of pinkish-red dust escaped from the man's fingertips. ''Did you see that?'' Fiore whispered to Alphonse. The Sword Pokémon did not reply in any way, which Fiore knew to interpret as a 'no'. She kept her eyes fixed on the pair's bickering. They had apparently met before, when the fraudulent merchant sold the knight a sickly Ponyta. Interestingly, both the knight and the merchant had an Entwined Pokémon, a Squirtle and a Chimchar - who were getting up to some mischief themselves as well. A loud crackling noise could be heard. A moment of silence followed, after which the crowd also joined in besmirching the man for his misdeeds. Even the man that had bought the Ho-Oh artifact earlier now claimed to have been swindled by him. Fiore just watched in silence, concentrated on the man's hands. What had she just seen him do?

    Suddenly, the man turned to grab the Chimchar by his side - and there it was again. In the man's other hand, it seemed like dark grey, maybe even purple dust was gathering in the man's hand and swirled into a sphere. Fiore hurried forward through the crowd, but he quickly slammed the ball into the ground and created an explosion of smoke. Fiore could only see the silhouette of the female knight grasp through the smoke, searching for the merchant who had apparently managed a swift getaway. Fiore quickly activated some of her own 'dust'; her Sand Attack would normally whip up sand by use of the wind, but it was certainly useful for getting rid of toxic smoke a little faster, as well. Once it cleared up enough, the knight declared she would bring the fugitive to justice, and chased after him. The crowd dissipated into smaller groups, still lingering in conversation on what had transpired.

    Fiore didn't want to attract the attention of the knight or the merchant, so she shadowed them from a distance. They had certainly piqued her interest; they were both Entwined, something she had only encountered a very limited number of times, but more importantly - at least one of them could use magic, like her. That, she had never seen before.

    ​

     

    Matthew and Cassandra (with Francis and Snow) - Negotiations


    "A fine mess we've gotten ourselves in, eh, Francis?" Matthew asked his Pokemon companion beside him. The two wandered on the edge of the market district, doing their best to blend in with the crowd, which proved somewhat difficult with an Entwined companion. The Chimchar made a laughing motion with his mouth before he gave the merchant a helpless shrug. "Yes, it is unfortunate. But what have we learned today?"

    The Chimchar put a hand to his chin and then scratched his head as he thought of an appropriate answer. After figuring something out, he stuck out both hand in front of him, and merged them together by the openings between his fingers. "Never run into an old client," Matthew announced based on the motion of Francis' hands. "That's good, but regrettable situations aren't always avoidable. Sometimes, one has terrible fortune. Instead, I would say choose someone with a poor memory."

    Francis looked up at his partner and titled his head in confusion. He held up his hands and gave Matthew another shrug. "Mmm... yes you're right," Matthew continued. "Sort of difficult to determine the extent of their cognizance in advance..." The merchant continued to ponder this as he walked down the streets of Alexshire, making occasional glances around to ensure that the Knight was nowhere in sight. Instead of spotting her, however, what he did spot was a confident, red-haired beauty with an Absol companion and an abnormally large weapon in her possession.

    "Francis, I've just come up with an idea," Matthew stated to his partner with a grin. "Come on," He gestured for the Chimchar to follow and approached the woman. "Excuse me, my lady. A moment of your time?"

    Cass turned to face Matthew, raising an eyebrow as she sized up the man. From what she could tell the tall man was likely a merchant, which after abusing one she was surprised any merchant would dare approach her. Of course, this meant either the merchant was stupid or brave. She didn't care for either quality, but those types of people tended to pay more so she was inclined to at least entertain the man for what little worth he would provide her. Snow stared down the Chimchar, hoping to intimidate the small Pokemon. Cass permitted the behavior, for intimidation was her preferred, and possibly only real negotiation tactic she bothered to master. "It's going to cost you," Cass said, smirking as she placed her hands on her hips.

    "That is my intention," Matthew replied with a polite smile. Francis meanwhile stood firmly and gave Snow a goofy grin, intent on helping Matthew boost his image. "Am I correct in assuming that your sword is for hire?"

    "Depends on how much you are going to pay me," Cass said flatly.

    "I assure you," Matthew began to answer as he reached into his pocket to reveal a brilliant golden jewel with precious smaller gems engraved all across it. He continued to smile politely at Cass. "My pockets run as deep as I'm hoping your blade can cut."

    Cass crossed her arms and raised another eyebrow: "You are aware that dozens of merchants have made that promise and then failed to pay me. I think you could imagine what I did with them afterwards when I was faced with such disappointment."

    "Ah yes, I can understand your reluctance," Matthew pipped happily. "I myself pride myself on my fairness and sincerity as a businessman. After all, one's reputation is perhaps their most important quality. I believe this is true in any profession. You will agree with me on this?" He asked, and handed the valuable jewel to Cass. "Payment in advance, plus an additional relic of equal value to be handed to you upon completion of the assignment. Do we have an accord?"

    Tossing the jewel up and down in her left hand, she was clearly pleased with the weight and feel of the item. Snow's skepticism of Matthew was still present, but the Absol notably eased off the Chimchar once the jewel was in Cass' hands. There were a few brief pauses in Cass' quick test of the so called artifact were a tinge of suspicion entered Cass' mind, tempted to run off with valuables and find some appraisers to access it for authenticity. The merchant was too upfront and too happy for Cass' taste, but payment was payment and she was sure that even if it was a fake, she could probably pawn it for something. "Okay, sir. What do you need little ol' me to do for you?"

    Matthew had to stop himself from forming a mischievous smirk across his face. He had to continue to appear sincere for this mercenary he had just contracted. "Excellent. Well, you see, as many in my profession, I find myself in a terrible misunderstanding with a Knight of Cantaras. I have the highest respect for the law and for those who fight to protect it, but this woman is a degenerate!" He exclaimed with a frown. "She is quite corrupt, and has confiscated half of my wares, and now intends to slay me like a Poochyena upon the street for not handing over my other half. I have a sick child at home, and I need everything I can in order to care for her."

    Matthew made it appear as if he were about to cry, but quickly 'composed' himself. "Her name is Rei Nightingale. She has blue hair tied in a ponytail to her side, and bright emerald eyes. She can be see with a Pokemon beside her, a Squirtle. Last I saw, she was around the market area. I do not want you to kill her or anything, of course. Merely... rough her up a bit. Persuade her to cease and desist her tyrannous ways and to leave me be."

    "Are you sure you don't want her...you know, gone? Permanently if you will. It will be far easier than getting her to cease and desist. You would find that dead bodies hardly have the ability to ignore orders, if you know what I mean." Cass asked earnestly, stowing away the jewel in her pouch and shrugging her shoulders with a cocky grin.

    "Err... no, no thank you," Matthew replied, somewhat breaking character for a moment. He was still surprised how some so casually jumped at the idea of killing another. He couldn't imagine himself ever doing it, or even ordering another to do it. But then again, the life of a merchant, even one such as he, was much different he wagered than that of a mercenary. "No I suppose just... convince her to discontinue her pursuit of me, and the second half of the payment will be yours."

    Cass shook her head, almost disappointed in her employer's decisions. It was his job so, she couldn't really complain all that much. "If you say so. You mentioned she took some of your supplies? Do you want them back as well? Or am I just scaring her away and calling it a day?"

    "Mmm..." Matthew thought on this for a moment, and how best to approach it. Rei didn't really have anything of his on her person, but that didn't mean that a Knight of Cantaras didn't have anything valuable on her whatsoever. Matthew decided to make the most of this. "I suppose she may be carrying some of my more valuable wares on her person. If she does have anything that you believe looks valuable that she could have potentially stolen from me, I would like it back. For my child, after all."

    "Right..." Cass said, not allowing her suspicions to completely escape her mind. The man thought way too long on a simple yes or no question; one that many people would reply with a resounding 'yes' but she ignored it once again. She liked the sound of the answer, as it basically meant Cass could welcome herself to most of the valuables and then later claim Rei had nothing on her. His "sick" child would be fine, at least for the most part. The morality of such a course of action was questionable, yet what kind of father would abandon a sick child in the first place. This gentleman was hardly better than she was. "Okay, well. I shall take care of this Rei character for you. Where do I meet you when the task is done?"

    "At the docks, beside my ship, the Gold Treader," Matthew replied as he brushed the top of Francis' head, causing a wider grin to form on the face of the Chimchar. "You will see me in front of it."

    "Aye aye," Cass replied. "I will likely see you this evening then. I have to find my associate and plan out our approach. Till then, stay out of trouble. So I can get my money."

    "Of course!" Matthew stated merrily. "Be well, I wish you luck."
     
    · Rei & Fiore

    Rei's Spells:​
    Spoiler:
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Sheldon's Moves:​
    Spoiler:
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Fiore's Spells:​
    Spoiler:
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Alphonse's Moves:​
    Spoiler:
    Rei frowned as her search for the fleeing merchant had more or less ended in failure. She cursed herself inwardly, disappointed in the fact that she had allowed the swindling fraud to escape. The knight could already picture the man and his Chimchar already off in some other section of town, possibly trying to take advantage of some other helpless or unaware travelers. Also, there was the fact that she allowed her first criminal to escape so easily.

    "Father would probably be so disappointed if he knew I had already botched something up like this..." Rei sighed, glancing around to see if she could spot Matthew and Francis anywhere in the crowd of people. Sadly, they still remained missing from her eyesight. "Sheldon, have you had any luck in spotting the duo?"

    She glanced down, taking note that the Squirtle by her side did not seem all that concerned in finding either one. In fact, Sheldon was quite busy enjoying another apple instead. He paused in mid-bite, looking up slowly to meet Rei's eyes which now held a rather annoyed looking glare. The Squirtle pulled the apple away from his mouth and smiled weakly, before handing it up towards Rei and offering the girl a bite of her own.

    "Oh, you want to share? Well that's thoughtful of you," Rei said, taking the apple from Sheldon and preparing to bite into it herself. Her eyes widened, realizing what she was doing and she quickly pulled the apple away from her mouth. "What are we doing?! This is not time to be eating a snack, Sheldon! We are in pursuit of criminal that we must apprehend as soon as possible! Do you not realize the urgency of this matter?!"

    Sheldon brought a stubby little finger to his chin, as if carefully giving the situation at hand some deep consideration. However just as soon as he had begun so, the Squirtle quickly answered by giving a small shrug of his shoulders... which earned him another exasperated sigh from Rei.

    "Sometimes, I really do think that there was a mistake in us becoming partners..." Rei groaned, shaking her head.

    A little ways behind Rei, Fiore was 'hiding in public' - she briskly walked after the female knight when she could, but as soon as Rei's head turned toward her in any way, she would stop and pretend to be incredibly interested in whatever was being offered at the nearest merchant stall. This didn't always work out great, though. If there wasn't a stall near, there was no choice but for her to try and blend in with others. But, being the silent type, all this really entailed was stand near people who had a conversation going on - who then looked at her oddly and moved away.

    Right now, she was awkwardly hiding behind a group of tall men. She was in a bind, because Rei had suddenly stopped walking and was apparently conversing with her Entwined. Admittedly, the fraudulent merchant was nowhere in sight. Perhaps they took a wrong turn, and were now discussing their options. Fiore wasn't sure what to do. Maybe it'd be better to just go up to her and ask?
    Of course right then, while she was thinking of what to say, the men that had formed her hiding spot ended their little get-together and dissipated. Fiore was left in plain sight, frantically looking around for a different hiding place.

    "I suppose there is no other way around it," Rei mused. "I really did not want to get them heavily involved, but we must inquire with the people about if they have spotted that scoundrel's whereabouts..."

    She paused, looking around for someone to ask. It really was a delicate matter, as Rei did not want to cause a panic or word the situation wrong. Looking around, Rei spotted a girl who looked a bit younger than herself. She had rather long, thick blonde hair and very enticing eyes. The knight assumed her to be a traveler of sorts, but still figured that any help she could get at this point would be beneficial.

    "You there!" Rei called out, making her way towards the girl quickly. Sheldon scurried behind her, smiling brightly at the stranger. "Perhaps you can help me... There is someone I am trying to locate in this city at the moment."

    Fiore realised it was too late when the knight suddenly walked straight towards her. She considered bolting, but that wouldn't help - especially when the knight already called out to her and inquired about the missing merchant.
    ''I don't know where he went... I thought you did!'' Fiore spoke softly and looked downwards in shyness. Her eyes met the Squirtle with a grand smile on his face, which eased her nerves a bit.

    "Thought I did....?" Rei questioned. "Wait a moment, were you present during that whole event? I... do not remember seeing you there... But then again, I was a bit distracted dealing with someone else." The girl clenched her fist as she thought back to the merchant and his antics, to which the girl flinched. Rei returned her focus back to the girl before her and smiled weakly. "My apologies, I did not mean to startle you just now. It is simply that I am feeling the stress of trying to catch this man. I am sure you can understand my situation, though. I am trying to keep this town safe and as free from crime as possible. All of us knights stationed here are. So... I really would appreciate any help you might be able to offer in this matter."

    Fiore looked back up at Rei's face and nodded. She tried to remember anything that could be useful, but there really wasn't much she knew that the knight didn't also.
    ''He can use magic...'' Fiore mumbled. ''But I really don't know much else. I... I could come search with you though!'' She smiled weakly, as if that would somehow make up for her lack of helpfulness.

    "Can I really ask a civilian to assist me in this matter... What would father or any of the other knights think about this?" Rei debated in thought. She really knew that it was probably not for the best to drag this girl into the chase for Matthew, but Alexshire was a pretty big place to go around alone hunting for one person. The knight was snapped from her thoughts when she felt a familiar tug at the end of her mantle. She glanced down at her Squirtle, who seemed to be pointing rather animatedly at the sword strapped to the blonde girl's back. The knight's eyes narrowed on the blade as she seemed to notice something. "Did... That sword just blink?"

    "Miss... Your sword. Pardon my rudeness, but did it just blink at me?" Rei questioned.
    Fiore's eyes widened and she immediately looked back at her Entwined. The Honedge blinked at her reassuringly: he deemed the knight was a reliable confidante.
    ''It might have...?'' Fiore said. She turned her side with the blade towards the young woman. ''This blade is... actually my Entwined. His name is Alphonse.'' Alphonse blinked again and stretched its sash out toward the knight and her Pokémon.

    Rei looked at the Honedge cautiously before reaching out and taking the sash gently, forming a handshake of sorts with the sword Pokémon. She gave Alphonse a quick word of greeting, before Sheldon waved up at the sword with glee.

    "So, you are an Entwined like Sheldon and myself," Rei mused. A warm smile quickly took to her features, suddenly making the knight look to be in a much better mood. "This is perfect then. With two of us working together, it will only be a matter of time before we track down that swindler and ensure that he faces the justice in which he deserves!"

    It was at this point that a sudden thought crossed Rei's mind. "Oh... Pardon my rudeness again, but I seemed to have not yet inquired your name Miss...?"

    ''Oh! Yes.'' Fiore followed Alphonse's example and stretched out her hand, which Rei shook in proper greeting. ''I'm Fiore Agnès.'' She was relieved to see that the older girl had cheered up somehow upon hearing she was an Entwined. Especially because she had felt a similar excitement when she first saw the knight and the merchant both had Pokémon with them too, and hence made an effort to crouch down to greet the Squirtle as well. Sheldon smiled, nuzzling up to Fiore for a moment as she patted the top of his head. After standing back up, she looked at the knight expectantly.

    "My name is Rei Nightingale, a Knight of Cantaras, third rank. This little fellow accompanying me is named Sheldon. The pleasure is all ours Miss Agnès," Rei answered. "Now then... Let us return back towards the central market where I first encountered that swindler! Perhaps we shall find a clue there, yes?"

    Fiore smiled and nodded. She was glad to have found a friendly soul in this massive unknown city, and they were going to undertake a criminal investigation to boot. As the pair started making their way to the marketplace, Fiore squeezed Alphonse's sash with her hand.​

     
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Willard Welm | Gabriella "Pure" | Terrin Grant​

    Cantaras City​


    "... Drinking all the time, expecting me to use my own money to get supplies for all four of us... works me to the bone and then tells me to go steal it instead. Oh yeah, sure, I'll just go steal it, no problem Cass! Slave-driver."

    Terrin continued muttering and grumbling under his breath all the way into town, barely paying notice to the rustic-looking houses at the edges of the decently large port town. The further in he got, the nicer the houses started looking, and his grumpiness began wearing off. Terrin had always liked big cities, due to the sense of diversity and adventure they had. It felt like anything was possible when you saw all these different people and heard stories in the taverns from other travellers.

    Selina, on the other hand, was not impressed. She rarely ever was. Sitting on Terrin's shoulder, she had her small arms crossed, looking out at the various people passing the two with a suspicious glimmer in her eye.

    With Selina on watch, Terrin felt alot more confident in letting his guard down a bit. They had this great system for when they went into towns in case of pickpockets, or some sort of opportunities, where one would always be keeping an eye out. And for now, Terrin had to get to the market and find a stall where he might be able to get some food, water, and random little supplies.

    While watching the various stalls he was starting to pass, indicating the market was nearby, he let out a surprised grunt as someone barrelled into his shoulder and continued down the street at high speed. "Hey, watch where you're running, you maniac!"

    Terrin paused, squinting after the guy. It looked like he'd been holding some kind of monkey-Pokémon in his arms. Weird, but nothing Terrin had to concern himself with. After a bit of searching, he managed to find an actual store in a building, rather than out on the street like most of the stalls, as they usually only had one type of ware, and not really the general stuff a traveller/mercenary needed.

    Entering the store, he was greeted by a thin man with short, brown, bowl-cut hair behind a counter, giving Terrin an energetic wave. "Oh, an Entwined! Hello there, young man! What can I, Preston of Preston's General Goods, do for you? Hmm?"

    Terrin gave a brief, emotionless smile to the man before opening the small pouch hanging from his belt. He reviewed his funds and let out a quiet sigh. "... Crap. I really -am- going to have to steal. Unless a bounty is going to drop in through the door in a second."

    He turned his head, glancing at the door behind him for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Nope. Thought so. Alright then..."

    Looking up to Selina, he gave her a gentle nod, which she returned before hopping down from his shoulder. Terrin moved up to the desk, his arms folding across his chest as his uncovered eye scanned the shelves and desk.

    "Well... see, I'm looking for something a little more out of the ordinary than just 'general goods'... and you look like a guy who might have something for... special customers?" Terrin asked, raising his brow suggestively.

    The man looked like he'd begun to sweat within the last two seconds, quickly looking around, his fingers drumming together. "Oh, uhm, young man, I don't know what you're-"

    CRASH! The man and Terrin both turned around to the doorway that was behind the counter where the loud, shattering sound had come from. The man looked terrified as he looked back to Terrin with a pale expression. "E-excuse me, sir, but I've got to go for a short moment! Please don't go anywhere!"

    With that, he bolted into the back room. After waiting a second, Terrin spun around and headed over to a nearby shelf. Opening the pack by his side, he grabbed a couple flasks, a good amount of dried rations, at least enough to get to the nearest town, some rope and a few other bits and pieces.

    Stuffing it all into his satchel, he cleared his throat, pursing his lips somewhat to let out a loud whistle. A few seconds later, Selina appeared from around the corner of the shelf Terrin was standing at, leaning down to let her quickly hop up along his arm.

    "I don't like doing this, but I'd much rather do this than go back and ask her for money and get laughed at again."

    Selina seemed pretty happy with her distraction, and Terrin figured it best to get out of there before the merchant came back. Leaving the store with a full pack, Terrin came to a stop next to a stall with an obese woman selling water melons, screaming her head off for people to buy them.

    He reached into his tunic and pulled out a few somewhat crumpled papers, looking them over. They all had 'WANTED' written at the very top, followed by increasingly ugly mugshots of both young and old men and women. After looking them over and glancing around, Terrin shook his head and tucked them away back in his tunic. "Well, doesn't look like we'll have much look with finding a bounty here. There's probably a ton of bounty hunters around anyways, so let's just-"

    "Stop! That man with the Snivy, stop him! He broke the urn of my mother's ashes and then robbed me! Help, guards!"

    Freezing, Terrin was pretty sure he knew who the man was shouting about. Glancing to Selina, he annoyedly muttered "-Really-, Selina?"

    The Snivy gave Terrin an equally annoyed glance and pointed to the left, where the thin man and a somewhat larger man with a club was making their way towards him through the crowd. "Yeah, okay, I see your point. Hang on!"

    With that, he took off in a sprint down the marketplace, weaving and dodging through people. Having grown up in a port city himself, he'd learned very early on to spot the openings in people wandering back and forth, which quickly put some distance between him and the two men, who were still shouting.

    After a few minutes of running, Terrin got into a somewhat more open area, at which point he decided to take a look over his shoulder, smirking to himself. "Hah, I think we lost them Sel-"

    And suddenly, there was an obstacle. Terrin swore there hadn't been anything in his way a second ago, but he'd now slammed squarely into a man who was confronting a woman, at which point, both of the males crashed to the floor under the noise of the shield the man had been holding on the ground, which was now clattering to the ground, leaving the two in a tangle of legs and arms.

    Willard crashed to the ground, accidentally releasing his grip from the shield he knew he planted firmly on the ground. It left a clanging sound as it hit the ground. The other man who had crashed into him had his legs crossed and both of them went to the ground, to Willard's disdain. "What the-?" Germaine simply looked at his partner.

    Gabby was about to do something incredibly clever to get herself out of the pickle she found herself in, because she'd learned a long time ago that although stabbing this random do-gooder would be a satisfying and expedient solution to her problem, it would probably lead to further complications. But not for the first time in her life providence saw fit to intervene - luck always seemed play a large part in her life, whether for good or ill - and send someone barreling into the young boy trying to stop her. Styx broke down into a fit of giggles from her perch on Gabriella's shoulders, but Gabby didn't have the luxury to enjoy the slapstick as anything more than an opportunity.

    "There seems to be some misunderstanding - my brother there will clear it up. Pay the people, won't you?" She gave Terrin a wicked little smile before turning on her heel and weaving her way back into the crowd. As she moved among the people - many of whom seemed to be gawking in the other direction over a different commotion - she concentrated. She became a source of double vision for anyone looking at her, multiple versions of herself overlapping each other as she moved. With her mana correctly focused she released it and the extra Gabriella's split off from her, moving in different directions through the crowd.

    Terrin, who was still getting over having been knocked down, blinked as the girl who'd been standing there a moment ago had bolted off... in three seperate directions. It was only then that what she'd said hit him. "... Huh? Broth- huh? What?! Hey!"

    Willard stood up, patting his robe off of his robe as he saw the woman split off in multiple directions. He was confused at first by what was happening, doubting what he was seeing but apparently it was real. Is this some kind of magic trick?

    There were now three sets of Gabby and Styx, all moving in different directions and at different speeds. One started to run full tilt in exactly the opposite direction to Willard and Terrin, another moved casually through the crowd in a direction that would bring them closer to the dockyards and the last cut sharply through the market towards an alley beside one of the larger stores.

    The three apparitions, for the lack of better term, quickly disappeared among the crowd and Willard couldn't see where each one went. He groaned and stamped at the ground, alarming Germaine which sent out a few sparks of electricity. "I'm sorry, Germaine,"

    Between the timely distraction and Double Team Gabby was confident she could shake any sort of pursuit, so her thoughts quickly turned to her next move. She was going to have to skip town quicker than she'd thought, if that merchant decided to file a report to the guard then she could have her description spread through the town. It was time to head back to The Prancing Ponyta and collect her things.

    After his tussle with Willard, Terrin managed to stand up as well, having been busy with scraping all of this newly-gotten supplies into his pack, clearing his throat as he brushed himself down. With Willard having his back to Terrin from watching Gabriella run off in three directions, Terrin opted for the silent escape, tip-toeing with long steps towards the nearest corner.

    However, this was quickly ruined as the merchant from earlier and his huge thug came barelling around a stall on the other side of Willard. The thinner guy pointed a bony finger at Terrin and screamed out "Thief! Stop him, Brutus!" At which point, the larger man raised his club and did a bull-rush straight towards Terrin, not caring about whoever might be in the way, which included Willard. Terrin, on the other hand, frozen for a few seconds as he witnessed the duo's arrival, turned and began sprinting full-force in the opposite direction. Those two were bad enough, but being implicated in that girl's issues as well? Probably not a good thing.

    Willard suddenly remembered how the girl pointed at the man who crashed into him. He thought he heard brother but he was perfectly unsure. However, before he could do something about it, the man suddenly rushed off, with two people on his heels. Willard followed the three of them. "Hey, you! You have to pay for your sister's things!" Willard ran as fast as he could, with Germaine floating behind him. "Hey! Stop!" Willard knew he had no choice as he jumped and slammed his wand into the ground, sending out an electric current towards the man.

    The electrical current shot forward, hitting the two men who were chasing Terrin, both of them letting out a yelp of pain before toppling over on the side. However, Terrin had noticed the sudden change in the air around him and looked over his shoulder, eyes widening as he only just managed to leap into the air to avoid the electric current.

    "What're you talking about? I have no clue who that was!" he retorted as he landed, spinning around to face Willard, Selina sitting in place on Terrin's shoulder, pulling at his shirt to try and get him to keep running. However, now that the large guy with the club and the shopkeep was taken care of, Terrin had to face this magic-based threat head-on.

    "Look buddy, I appreciate you taking care of those two, but I'm -not- going to pay for someone else's mistakes just because you're too stupid to see you're being tricked!" With that, Terrin launched his upper body forwards, turning sideways as he brought up his legs, one of which swung sideways, straight for Willard's arm and chest. He didn't want to kill the guy, considering this was all a misunderstanding... sort of.

    Willard actually managed to bring up his shield before the man's attack hit him. However, he felt the blow and was actually worried for his shield. "I am not stupid. I could recognize a thief when I see one." Willard planted his shield firmly on the ground again and used Wide Guard. A barrier formed between the two of them and Willard used the time to switch between wand and mace. "You can pay for your sister's thievery or you can taste my mace." Willard readied himself to execute a Metal Claw.

    Terrin hopped a little back after his heel slammed against the shield, his eyes narrowing at the man. "Right, so even when you're -told- that you're being tricked, you don't believe it. Great to know how good the justice system is these days."

    With a glance to Selina, the Snivy hopped off his shoulder and scurried off to the side. Terrin proceeded to clench his right hand while drawing his hunting knife from its sheath with his left. He thrust his right hand forward, palm open, but instead of releasing some sort of attack, he disappeared. A split-second later, he re-appeared behind Willard, and in one swift motion, tried to bring his arm and the knife around him and push it up against his neck, but not cut him.

    Willard's attack missed as the man disappeared in front of him and suddenly reappeared behind his back. What the... He could feel the cold point of the knife sticking on his neck and the ragged breathing of the man. Willard raised his hands. He doesn't know the man but he is not planning to die by knifepoint, especially on his first day in the city. "Your sister must pay," he whispered.

    "Okay. Lesson one, buddy." Terrin began, keeping the knife pressed to his neck, his other arm wrapped around his torso to keep him in place, not minding all of the people watching on in horror around them. "People lie. Some of those people might be female. And some of those people might, -might- lie to try and get out of a situation themselves. So if you really want my 'sister' to pay, I suggest you go find -her-."

    He clenched his fist which wasn't holding the knife, letting out a low, sharp whistle, as Selina came back, seemingly out of nowhere and hopped onto his shoulder. In a quick motion, Terrin pulled both his arms away from Willard as he was about to teleport away again.

    Willard managed to immediately grab the man's hand before he disappeared. Sparks came flying from his wand, causing Terrin to stop his teleporting temporarily. "Well then, it's a good lesson learned. But here's mine, you don't really make friends with people by sticking your knife in their necks," Willard growled. "And another, remember the name Willard Welm. You might not be paying today for what your sister did, but you will be paying for what you did." Willard let go of the man's hand. "We'll see each other again."

    With a final, narrow-eyed 'Are you stupid?'-stare from Terrin, the blue-haired young man disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Willard and his companion in the middle of a group of awe-struck merchants and workers, having gathered due to the commotion.

    Willard Welm placed his mace back where he got it again, strapped neatly behind his back. He also sheathed his wand near his waist. "Come, Germaine. We need to find ourselves an inn." The encounter surely left Willard in a bad mood.


     
    Last edited:

    Richard & Sammy
    Alexshire Arrival - Part 2

    "Thank Kyogre!" Rich shouted to the people on the docks as his ship came in to meet the land, the weeks at sea had not damaged his naive excitement for his journey. Uncle Barick has endured many long nights of festivities; singing, dancing and whatever else Richard was in the mood for. The other sailors aboard had shared every last one of their seafaring journeys, from pirate sieges to hidden treasure belonging to the sea goddess herself - they had not been allowed to skip on the details, Rich and Sammy absorbed every last thrill from then.

    The crew waved the young man off as he departed from the ship; they were about ready to throw him off if he didn't leave of his own accord anyway. As he took his first steps off his 3-week-long home, Richard's gave rose up to the town. Bustling and busy, the noon trade was in full swing with people and Pokemon swarming around the stalls and salesmen.

    Their eager walk towards the action soon became a sprint, the delighted duo rushing off the docks and onto the streets. The agitated Sewaddle, not used to so much activity, darted around her master's legs, avoiding the incoming footsteps of the busy people around them. Even the delicacies of the stalls couldn't soothe Sammy, Richard offered her all kinds of fruits and treats he found - she was having none of it.

    Richard bit in to the bright red fruit, "This texture, this flavour... exquisite!" He picked up Sammy from the floor, "Eat! Eat!" He encouraged the little caterpillar Pokemon, the saleswoman giving a puzzled look as Richard forced the apple towards his partner. The sewaddle hesitantly took a bite, shrugging the fruit off afterwards without much thought.

    "... ... We'll take five please, kind lady!" announced, loud enough for the whole area to hear. The woman, embarrassed, picked up some fruit and hastily passed them over in exchange for the money. Sammy, perched on Richard's shoulder and now much more relaxed, sighed. She also embarrassed of his master's extravagant actions, although she was used to it herself it was new acquaintances that she felt sorry for.

    Scratching his partner's head, Richard worked his way around the other stalls. "Let's keep going, Sammy. Maybe we'll find you something special."
     
    [PokeCommunity.com] Tales Of Altaria: A Pokémon Fantasy Adventure [M] | IC Thread

    Willard Welm​

    Cantaras City​


    Willard and Germaine continued to explore the city, determined to find the two people he had a small quarrel with earlier. Looking back, Willard knew the man could have been right; the girl was probably just lying. Willard sighed. That is a mistake I need to correct once we meet, if it is really true. Germaine floated lazily beside him, following the long strides of the Electric Knight. However, what interested Willard more was the magic both man and woman used. It is on a different area than Willard's expertise, which is healing and the occasional shocking. The two were on a different level of skill than Willard. I need to see them again. I need to see that magic again. Germaine probably felt Willard's excitement as it spit out a few sparks of electricity.

    The Paladin paid a modest amount of money at an inn and decided to leave his things in there before resuming his adventure on the city. He unloaded the bag on the bed and decided to just carry his wand and mace. He strapped them on his back, crossing each other. If there ever would be another squabble in the city, Willard thinks that his weapons are enough. After all, there could only be three Entwined in the city, right?

    "Germaine, come," Willard told his Pokemon as he skipped down the stairs, two at a time. The inn has very few patrons and it was quiet at the bar. It was still too early for a drink so Willard went out, reveling in the sunshine and heat. His clothes, although dusty, still looks white in the distance. The sea is glistening and there was nothing wrong in the immediate area. Willard smiled. Something good will happen. I just need to wait.

     
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top