Eleven

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Rhaeyla's Turn | Init: 13

HP 10/10 +3 | Status: None

---

As if aware of the direness of the situation, Lucian needed no urging to race toward the burning city. It was difficult not to be overwhelmed with everything -- the rubble, the fire, the smoke, the loud beating of wings -- but Rhaeyla knew what she must do first. Still, she couldn’t help but peer through the windows of houses and buildings, looking for an old, familiar face as they followed the clips of words, grunts, and screams in the distance.

"Are you doing okay, Caw?" Rhaeyla asked, craning her neck as much as she could to look at her friend. She moved as though to look up but thought better of it. In case he'd needed comforting, and much to her benefit as well, she spoke as though she was certain that everything will be alright. "We'll go and save them as quickly as we can and then find somewhere safe to hide."

They continued on. There was another cry, from an older woman this time, and she pressed Lucian forward, until finally, she spied some movement around the corner. In an alleyway between some buildings had been a group of reptilian creatures -- kobolds like Vaal, yet also very unlike him. Vaal was the first kobold she had gotten to know and had expected others of his kind to be as genteel. But well-mannered these kobolds were not, and Rhaeyla could see that they meant to harm her friends and the small family that they were protecting.

Rhaeyla was quick to take action, driven by impulse as always. Reaching into her rucksack, her hand fumbled inside until it found the sharp tip of a dart and pulled it out, all the while gripping tightly on the reins with the other hand. They were nearing the group locked in a fight, and there was no time to hesitate. She steeled herself, focused on the creature closest to her, threw the dart, and hoped. If nothing else, she hoped to distract them, to give the family a chance to escape.

The dart flew to its mark. The kobold, caught unaware, turned to look behind it in time for the dart to strike, right at its temple. It unceremoniously crumples to the ground, unmoving, the dart still lodged in the side of its head.

Her heart beat loudly in her chest. She had killed it.

Turn Summary

Rhaeyla throws her dart at a kobold. She rolls an 18 to hit, for 6 damage, and kills one kobold.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

It was difficult not to smile when in Caw's presence, Rhaeyla decided. He'd just offered her a sweet-looking fruit, and the stark contrast between the tone of his voice and the giddiness in his face as he did so only further endeared him to her. She grinned brightly as she thanked him and explained as best she could about pressing flowers and keeping mementos. "I want to remember where I've been, y'know?"

As she and Caw plopped down to eat their fruits, Caw had suddenly jumped up, looking startled and utterly mortified. "Hey, what's wrong?" Rhaeyla got to her feet and hurriedly trailed after the panicked kenku, a hundred different concerns popping into her head all at once—did he choke? Is he allergic? Was the fruit poisonous? Ever quick to act, she had been ready to heal him, was in the process of reaching her hand out to him, but stopped abruptly when realization finally dawned on her.

Oh.

Rhaeyla laughed, harder when Sebastian, who'd looked a second away from giving a stern scolding, practically melted at the sight. Like she said, it was hard not to smile around Caw. Scrunching her nose up as she tried to contain her amused smile and laughter, Rhaeyla followed Caw's lead and replaced her fruit inside a small hollow at the base of the tree. "Let's let leave it there and Madam Honeydew can fix it with her magic green thumb."

This little detour had gotten her in such high spirits that Rhaeyla was certain it could only mean good omens on the rest of their expedition. An optimistic thought that was proven wrong only minutes later, when chaos ensued.

Without fully comprehending what was happening, other than her employers clearly being distraught, Rhaeyla followed after Sebastian. She had kept running even after Sebastian stopped, driven by momentum and adrenaline, but then the skies roared and she all but skidded to a halt. Boom, boom, boom, boom it went. Rhaeyla's heart thrummed against her chest, echoing the thunderous but steady beats, and looked up the sky. A dragon. In her shock, it wasn't the fearsome creature, with its enormous maw and its lightning, that she fixated on, but the smoke that billowed from the town underneath it. What has happened to those in town? Have they all been caught in its destruction?

Only Sebastian's resounding plea shakes her out of her awe-stricken stupor.

"Right!" Rhaeyla shook her head, as though it would also shake away the quiet fear that gripped her or soothe the shivers that skittered up and down her arms. When she spoke again, it was no more than a whisper, as though she was convincing herself to move. "Cassandra and Vaal are in trouble."

The name that Sebastian had mentioned had not registered, although it was almost familiar, like something she'd read or heard of. But it wasn't relevant right now. Cassandra and Vaal are in trouble, she told herself again, and the more she did, the more she regained her mettle. It spurred her into action and cleared her mind.

"Let's go, Caw!" she called out, lending him a hand up Sebastian's mount. As soon as she and Caw were situated, Rhaeyla took control of the reins and sent Lucian galloping after Cassandra and toward the city in flames.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Vertigo Now that we've got things settled, I can start my post! Will be busy tomorrow, but I'll try to have it up by Thursday the latest.

—OBLIVION.

Freya

^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}

___________________________________________ Freya Brigham _______________________________________________ 25 | 12/28 | ♑︎ ___________________________________________ [+] ▼ p e r s o n a l d e t a i l s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Gender - Female ► Sexuality - Bisexual ► Nicknames - Frey, Faye ► Occupation - Junior Creative Director ► Qualifications - 1st runner-up at Miss New York Pageant, graduated summa cum laude at NYU ► Residence - New York, NY ▼ p h y s i c a l i t y ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Scars - A small one down her wrist, shaped like an umbrella's handle, that has since been covered by her tattoo ► Tattoos - Freya has a small tattoo of an outlined paper crane on her wrist, hiding an old scar she has ► Piercings - None ► Style - Freya has a keen eye for fashion and the funds to purchase it. Although she often chooses to splurge on designer brands, she has no problem putting together stylish outfits from thrift store buys. Recently, she's been into off-shoulder tops and dresses, and high-waisted bottoms. She takes extra time to style her hair only during special events or gatherings, opting for a natural wavy look on a day-to-day basis. - [+] ▼ a c h i e v e m e n t s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Member of the cheer squad ► Prom queen (junior year) ▼ a s p i r a t i o n s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Freya wants to start her own clothing line or create a creative agency or open up a boutique; anything that is hers and hers alone, untainted by her family's influence. She wants to build it from the ground up, pour her heart and soul into it, and see it through to the end. - [+] ▼ p e r s o n a l p l a y l i s t ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Sæglópur - Sigur Rós § ► Perfect on the Surface - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton § ► Shallows - Daughter § ► The Hunger - San Fermin § ▼ t r i v i a ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Left-handed ► Has two Samoyed puppies back home ► Did ballet and retains some habits from then ► Longest relationship has been three weeks and four days ► Likes playing obscure indie games -

life at ritman high Have you heard about the freshman who threw a yacht party that the police shut down? Or the sophomore whose father was sent to jail for embezzlement? How about the junior who was allegedly in a relationship with one of her teachers? Freya's reputation in Ritman High seemed as though it had a life of its own, growing beyond her control as the rumor mill churned out endless claims about her life, her family, and her relationships. Within the year they relocated from New York to Delton, her family had become a frequent source of gossip and scandal in the otherwise peaceful town. Not that she was blameless in all this; Freya, caring little about what people thought, neither confirmed nor denied any of the rumors' validity, which only served to exacerbate their wildfire spread. For the most part, Freya had simply allowed herself to be swept away by the tempestuous tide of high school life. It didn't matter to her what she did or with whom, so long as she would be surrounded by people that can distract from the much more turbulent deluge that was her home life. Turned out that the popular clique was easiest to breach and preserve—wealth impressed them, simple as that. Freya let them throw as many parties as they wanted in her family's pseudo-mansion and that was more than enough to hold together their brittle friendship, if it can be called that. Even with her increasingly bad reputation, she was never directly ostracized by her chosen circle, although she supposed they all talked about her behind her back anyway. The number of students who knew truth from rumor remained the small handful that she truly considered friends. Although she often hung around her elitist clique for the mindless distraction, she shared more intimate moments with unlikely friends, finding solace in their pointed lack of interest in her supposed scandals. One of her biggest regrets has been not keeping in touch with them. When she had to suddenly move back to New York, her mother had forbidden her to contact anyone outside the family. They packed their things and left within a day, just a week before her graduation. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ power Almost like the world is conspiring against her, Freya has gained the power of telepathy. Generally speaking, she can project, read, and manipulate the thoughts of anyone within a certain range. This ability has many applications, most of which require her utmost focus or she runs the risk of getting overloaded. Its easiest and most straightforward use is to send or receive the thoughts (and sometimes emotions) of those around her. This is not limited to a single target, and in fact, more focus and effort is required to single out an individual's thoughts. With enough practice, Freya can tune this so she can also share the senses one mind is experiencing with herself or someone else. Manipulating thoughts is vastly more difficult and takes a toll on her physically and mentally. With a lot of strain and concentration, Freya can induce hallucinations into a single target's mind. It lasts for as long as she can withstand the headache it causes, or until her concentration is broken. There are limits to what she can project—mainly, it has to be something she can clearly envision herself—and these hallucinations' effects are entirely dependent on how the target handles them. Lastly, Freya can also implant suggestions or commands in the mind of others, although doing so is even more demanding to her body. It doesn't work like regular mind control, where she simply wills someone to perform an action and they succumb to it, at least not yet. It's more like having a mini-Freya standing on your shoulder, whispering in your ear, coaxing you to do her a favor.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ [+] ▼ s t r e n g t h s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Getting in the head of her opponent can be incredibly advantageous, provided she has the means to utilize the knowledge she obtains. Works best in tandem with others, where she can supplement their abilities with precious intel. ► Messing with an aggressor's mind can lead to clouded judgment, lowered composure, or distraction, generally leaving them in a debilitated state. ► Can provide secure and reliable long-distance communication. ▼ w e a k n e s s e s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Perhaps the biggest drawback from her ability is that the switch starts on, so to speak. Freya has to actively stop from listening in, and still needs to learn how to ignore or silence the voices. If she's surrounded by too many people, their thoughts could overwhelm and incapacitate her. If even a single person who has very strong convictions, their thoughts come across as loud, unwavering yells. The more intense the thought, the louder it is. In addition to the toll exerted on mind and body, thought manipulation also demands absolute focus. Even the slightest distraction can unravel a hallucination or a suggestion. And obviously, Freya has no means of physical defense. She's as strong as your average twenty-something-year old. -

psyche INTJ. With her signature wry smile and calculating gaze, it would seem as though nothing fazes Freya. Not the rumors that trailed her around most of her life, nor the insurmountable expectations her mother demanded of her. Instead, she is flippant when put under pressure, seemingly in control of whatever situation she's in, even when she's very clearly out of her element. Freya will pursue any and all endeavors as though there is a 100% success rate. And if she fails, well, then she'll just make it seem like she did it on purpose. Her poise is often misconstrued as the cocksureness of someone too young and privileged to have known any hardships, and while there is some truth to that sentiment, it isn't entirely accurate. The trick Freya learned at a very early age—had to learn lest she succumb to the toxicity surrounding her—was to drown out the noise and let her inner voice ring loudest. If she seems entirely self-assured, it's because she tells herself that she is and ignores everyone else telling her otherwise. Freya had been so afraid of getting hurt that she erected wall after wall around her, keeping any detractors from getting close. Unfortunately, without realizing, she had not only shut out the bad, but the good as well. She distanced herself from her friends and family, even her true self—she had put on this self-assured, blasé persona for so long that she's worried her world will come crumbling down if she sheds it. The truth is, beneath all the pretense is a bleeding heart that gets attached too quickly and too deeply. Nothing scares Freya more than baring her soul, because she knows that if she lets someone in, there is no questioning her devotion. She will kill for you, die for you, tear herself apart for you. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

—OBLIVION.

Yay! :> I have discord as well.

—OBLIVION.

@hawkins

Freya

^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}

___________________________________________ Freya Brigham _______________________________________________ 25 | 12/28 | ♑︎ ___________________________________________ [+] ▼ p e r s o n a l d e t a i l s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Gender - Female ► Sexuality - Bisexual ► Nicknames - Frey, Faye ► Occupation - Junior Creative Director ► Qualifications - 1st runner-up at Miss New York Pageant, graduated summa cum laude at NYU ► Residence - New York, NY ▼ p h y s i c a l i t y ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Scars - A small one down her wrist, shaped like an umbrella's handle, that has since been covered by her tattoo ► Tattoos - Freya has a small tattoo of an outlined paper crane on her wrist, hiding an old scar she has ► Piercings - None ► Style - Freya has a keen eye for fashion and the funds to purchase it. Although she often chooses to splurge on designer brands, she has no problem putting together stylish outfits from thrift store buys. Recently, she's been into off-shoulder tops and dresses, and high-waisted bottoms. She takes extra time to style her hair only during special events or gatherings, opting for a natural wavy look on a day-to-day basis. - [+] ▼ a c h i e v e m e n t s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Member of the cheer squad ► Prom queen (junior year) ▼ a s p i r a t i o n s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Freya wants to start her own clothing line or create a creative agency or open up a boutique; anything that is hers and hers alone, untainted by her family's influence. She wants to build it from the ground up, pour her heart and soul into it, and see it through to the end. - [+] ▼ p e r s o n a l p l a y l i s t ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Sæglópur - Sigur Rós § ► Perfect on the Surface - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton § ► Shallows - Daughter § ► The Hunger - San Fermin § ▼ t r i v i a ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Left-handed ► Has two Samoyed puppies back home ► Did ballet and retains some habits from then ► Longest relationship has been three weeks and four days ► Likes playing obscure indie games -

life at ritman high Have you heard about the freshman who threw a yacht party that the police shut down? Or the sophomore whose father was sent to jail for embezzlement? How about the junior who was allegedly in a relationship with one of her teachers? Freya's reputation in Ritman High seemed as though it had a life of its own, growing beyond her control as the rumor mill churned out endless claims about her life, her family, and her relationships. Within the year they relocated from New York to Delton, her family had become a frequent source of gossip and scandal in the otherwise peaceful town. Not that she was blameless in all this; Freya, caring little about what people thought, neither confirmed nor denied any of the rumors' validity, which only served to exacerbate their wildfire spread. For the most part, Freya had simply allowed herself to be swept away by the tempestuous tide of high school life. It didn't matter to her what she did or with whom, so long as she would be surrounded by people that can distract from the much more turbulent deluge that was her home life. Turned out that the popular clique was easiest to breach and preserve—wealth impressed them, simple as that. Freya let them throw as many parties as they wanted in her family's pseudo-mansion and that was more than enough to hold together their brittle friendship, if it can be called that. Even with her increasingly bad reputation, she was never directly ostracized by her chosen circle, although she supposed they all talked about her behind her back anyway. The number of students who knew truth from rumor remained the small handful that she truly considered friends. Although she often hung around her elitist clique for the mindless distraction, she shared more intimate moments with unlikely friends, finding solace in their pointed lack of interest in her supposed scandals. One of her biggest regrets has been not keeping in touch with them. When she had to suddenly move back to New York, her mother had forbidden her to contact anyone outside the family. They packed their things and left within a day, just a week before her graduation. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ power Almost like the world is conspiring against her, Freya has gained the power of telepathy. Generally speaking, she can project, read, and manipulate the thoughts of anyone within a certain range. This ability has many applications, most of which require her utmost focus or she runs the risk of getting overloaded. Its easiest and most straightforward use is to send or receive the thoughts (and sometimes emotions) of those around her. This is not limited to a single target, and in fact, more focus and effort is required to single out an individual's thoughts. With enough practice, Freya can tune this so she can also share the senses one mind is experiencing with herself or someone else. Manipulating thoughts is vastly more difficult and takes a toll on her physically and mentally. With a lot of strain and concentration, Freya can induce hallucinations into a single target's mind. It lasts for as long as she can withstand the headache it causes, or until her concentration is broken. There are limits to what she can project—mainly, it has to be something she can clearly envision herself—and these hallucinations' effects are entirely dependent on how the target handles them. Lastly, Freya can also implant suggestions or commands in the mind of others, although doing so is even more demanding to her body. It doesn't work like regular mind control, where she simply wills someone to perform an action and they succumb to it, at least not yet. It's more like having a mini-Freya standing on your shoulder, whispering in your ear, coaxing you to do her a favor.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ [+] ▼ s t r e n g t h s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Getting in the head of her opponent can be incredibly advantageous, provided she has the means to utilize the knowledge she obtains. Works best in tandem with others, where she can supplement their abilities with precious intel. ► Messing with an aggressor's mind can lead to clouded judgment, lowered composure, or distraction, generally leaving them in a debilitated state. ► Can provide secure and reliable long-distance communication. ▼ w e a k n e s s e s ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Perhaps the biggest drawback from her ability is that the switch starts on, so to speak. Freya has to actively stop from listening in, and still needs to learn how to ignore or silence the voices. If she's surrounded by too many people, their thoughts could overwhelm and incapacitate her. If even a single person who has very strong convictions, their thoughts come across as loud, unwavering yells. The more intense the thought, the louder it is. In addition to the toll exerted on mind and body, thought manipulation also demands absolute focus. Even the slightest distraction can unravel a hallucination or a suggestion. And obviously, Freya has no means of physical defense. She's as strong as your average twenty-something-year old. -

psyche INTJ. With her signature wry smile and calculating gaze, it would seem as though nothing fazes Freya. Not the rumors that trailed her around most of her life, nor the insurmountable expectations her mother demanded of her. Instead, she is flippant when put under pressure, seemingly in control of whatever situation she's in, even when she's very clearly out of her element. Freya will pursue any and all endeavors as though there is a 100% success rate. And if she fails, well, then she'll just make it seem like she did it on purpose. Her poise is often misconstrued as the cocksureness of someone too young and privileged to have known any hardships, and while there is some truth to that sentiment, it isn't entirely accurate. The trick Freya learned at a very early age—had to learn lest she succumb to the toxicity surrounding her—was to drown out the noise and let her inner voice ring loudest. If she seems entirely self-assured, it's because she tells herself that she is and ignores everyone else telling her otherwise. Freya had been so afraid of getting hurt that she erected wall after wall around her, keeping any detractors from getting close. Unfortunately, without realizing, she had not only shut out the bad, but the good as well. She distanced herself from her friends and family, even her true self—she had put on this self-assured, blasé persona for so long that she's worried her world will come crumbling down if she sheds it. The truth is, beneath all the pretense is a bleeding heart that gets attached too quickly and too deeply. Nothing scares Freya more than baring her soul, because she knows that if she lets someone in, there is no questioning her devotion. She will kill for you, die for you, tear herself apart for you. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Here! :D Was just waiting for the others' say in what we should do.

—OBLIVION.

hi guys! :)

Just wanted to pop in and say I'm working on a CS. Hoping to finish it later today or tomorrow.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Okay, so we want to reach the city as fast as possible, yeah? So slowest (Magdar) should be one of the riders.

Does Rhaeyla having Animal Handling as a skill give her some bonus when doing the check? Because then she would try soothing Sylvanna, and would probably ride her unless someone else wants to. She'd be fine with being the one to run.

Chronicles of Atlas | Medieval Pokemon

Courtyard | Shula Castle ☽ ☾ Interacting with: N/A
═══════════════════════════════════

Posted within Shula Castle's vast cliffside courtyard, The Marvelous Meloetta Minstrels—or the Three Ems, as they came to be known—were putting on the first of many performances for the festivities. Due largely to their troupe master's tireless but effective badgering of the officials, they had won the bid for prime entertainer in the prestigious Firebrand Tourney. It had been no easy feat, considering they were one of hundreds vying for the honor, and quite grueling work, but it paid incredibly well. They were to offer three days' worth of entertainment, bookending the events and feasts with opening and closing performances, with some more scattered in between during breaks and transitory periods. It was hours on end of dances and plays and songs.

And that wasn't including the troupe's actual main attraction: all the wealthy nobles gathered in one place.

Saiya peered through the curtains of their grand stage, scanning and assessing their audience as she waited for the current act to conclude. It was a smaller crowd, as most were still inside socializing and enjoying the feast, but even this was bigger than the usual, day-to-day ones they were accustomed to. Richer, too, judging from the expensive materials of their clothing. From the rare Krookodile and Feraligatr leather shoes, belts, and purses, to the myriad of exotic Pokémon fur skins and silk dresses—it was safe to say these people had more than enough to spare.

From where she stood, Saiya could spy her Captain already flitting about the distracted Atlans, into their pockets and satchels as one tiny Pokémon and out as another, loot in tow. Saiya knew how giddy he was today, with so many Pokémon around to mimic; it was more of a feast for him than the one inside the castle. She waited as he transformed into a Poochyena that an older, balding gentlemen had by his side then signaled for him to return with a discreet Fletchling call. Captain pretended to nuzzle at the old man's hand before gently biting at the golden bracelet that hung from his wrist, letting it fall into his snout. He ran back to the stage with the old man and his Pokémon none the wiser, mischief shining in the lavender flecks of his eyes.

Saiya welcomed Captain with a hug and pressed their foreheads together. "You were great out there, Cap!" she grinned, scratching behind his ears. Together, they packed up the day's haul to present to the troupe later in the evening, keeping a select few of their favorites for themselves. The curtains opened just as they finished storing everything, and the previous performer, a juggler doing a bit with his Machamp, beckoned her towards the stage.

"You're up, Kisa-kiss!" He puckered his lips in jest and hurried her along.

"Yeah, yeah," Saiya gave him a wink and blew him a kiss, her signature move to get the crowd riled up.

Today's routine was an easy one she had mastered years ago, a crowd pleaser with its more risqué movements. As the troupe's band began playing music, accompanied by their Kricketots and Kricketunes, Saiya stepped onto the stage and basked in the round of applause that greeted her. Captain transformed back into a more familiar form then, to a Fletchling so he can fly up and watch from above.

Saiya kept an eye on the crowd as she danced, looking for potential tourney victors and eventual targets. It was foolish to steal the reward money directly from the city—that was a one-way ticket to rotting in a cell. Stealing from the winners, however, seemed quite doable.

Captain's current form: Fletchling