Remram

Pokémon: There and Back Again

@Sanguine Rose

The shopkeeper just looked at with complete bewilderment. "Wait, you're really gonna do that?" He asked just to double check if he heard her correctly. While she could see his reaction as an overreaction, she was a stranger. Faye had absolutely no reason to help him or the store at all, unless she saw a way of getting something out of it, but the shopkeeper did not think that far ahead.

He recomposed himself, realizing that he was being far too dramatic and did not want to scare away potential aid. With a faux nonchalance he said, "Uh, yeah it's 26 Svenson Road. My grandfather is really short, kinda balding, has a big hooked nose, and has a big bushy beard that is very much graying. It's sorta salt and pepper, but mainly salt if you catch my drift."

Well, Faye is free to go straight to the address if she wished, but she was also free to go to the Pokemart to buy Pokeballs, which for the love of god please do or explore the town while she still could because as memory should serve her well, any gym challenge would be refused if she could not provide a team of six Pokemon.

---

@samreaper

Facing its challenge dead on, Tristan sent out Ace the Cowardly Torchic to fight the Gossifleur. Thankfully, the fearful fire chick was running on adrenaline and followed its trainer's command. Rather than a fierce growl, Ace let out a panicked noise that could be loosely interpreted as a growl though it still caught the the grass diva off guard and lowered its attack.

To counter, the Gossifleer used Leafage. Leaves were pelted towards Ace who used Ember, sending a series of fire balls that collided with the leaves and quickly turned them into cinders. A fireball slipped through and collided with the Gossifleur, causing it to reel back in pain and left a nasty burn.

Gossifelur was burned!

The grass-type did not fold. It grit its teeth and with a glare of determination, it started to sing though it was different from how it sang before. Ace stood there swaying in place as it tried to keep its balance, its eyes were forcibly open before the Torchic fell onto its side.

Ace fell asleep!

What does Trisan do?

---

@Zarkun

Weep, for her gains are far more bountiful.

Anyway, after his explanation she continued to glare at him in silence. It was just about impossible to get a read on her; she was either going to kill him and turn give his bones to the Houndstone to gnaw on or was going to slam the door in his face. Jason would justifiably feel a sense of dread sit in his gut; he was alone in the forest that had already tried to claim his head and now he was standing face to face with a literal giant with a deathly gaze that could bury him with her cold, oversized gorilla hands.

Helga, however, did not suplex him into his own grave, rip him in half with her bare hands, or whatever Jason thought. She grunted and motioned her head towards the interior of the house to tell him to come inside. The hulking beast of a woman turned around with the wagging Houndstone following in tow. Not one to refuse his elders, Jason would follow her into her abode lest she smite him.

Save for how tall the ceiling was and generally how spacious the cabin interior was, it was still quite homey. The furniture was all made from wood that was unrefinedly carved with jagged, bumpy edges though there was a sort of charm to it. The chairs and sofa had sloppily sewn cushions and pillows with various patches that looked like they came from various other pieces of fabric. The center of the room had a wood stove with fire roaring and not too far away was a wall covered by with various logs.

Helga turned to look at him and sternly said, "Sit." She motioned for him to sit at what he assumed to be was a dining room table surrounded by crudely made chairs.

She was not asking, she was telling him. Jason was free to stand if he really wanted to, but did he really want to refuse Helga?

Whatever Jason did though, she placed down a mug filled with bubbling thick black liquid. It smelled like coffee, but it had the appearance of crude oil. If he took a sip, he would have to force his neck muscles to push down the coffee down his throat just to keep it from lodging itself in there.

She sat down on on her chairs, the wood creaked and moaned from the weight. "Alright, explain. What is a kid like you doing looking for that shrine?"

Pokémon: There and Back Again

@Zarkun

So, Pumpkaboo implications aside, Jason was bold enough to approach the cabin. Approaching the cabin, Jason would notice that there was something off about it; it was much bigger than he would have had expected it. The doorframe itself was at least ten feet tall and that was directly proportional to the rest of the cabin. Even the doorhandle could hardly be called that; it was more like a chunk of metal bent and beaten to resemble something akin to a handle that could fit around the trainer's neck with space to spare.

Jason knocked and for a moment there was a still silence that was then broken by vicious barking and scratching from the other side of the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Boomed a raspy, deep voice that had the smoothness of sandpaper and the gentleness of a hammer beating into a nail. The sound of boots against wood with a bassy tone that reverberated through Jason as it got closer and closer to him. The steps stopped and was followed by the sound of several latches being unlocked. With no warning, the door swung open inwards to reveal an eight and a half tall beast of a woman that he assumed to be Helga.

This woman was elderly; her face was covered in creases and wrinkles though ignoring that she was absolutely ripped. Her olive skin was bursting with muscles with mass akin to a strongman, which was on full display thanks to her white tank-top. Her hair, pulled back into a loose ponytail, was long and straight with a color akin to gold that had lost its luster. She had a perpetual look of being pissed off, which made it quite difficult to tell if she was going to bury Jason or was just mildly annoyed with the uninvited guest.

Standing next to hear was a skeleton dog with a tombstone on its heads, panting with its tongue lolling out. Despite its eyes being covered by silver purple strands of hair it was easy to tell that there was not a thought behind them. Still, it was 6'07" so it was rather hard to ignore it's presence.

Pokedex Entry #972-Houndstone, the Ghost Dog Pokemon. Houndstone spends most of its time sleeping in graveyards. Among all the dog Pokémon, this one is most loyal to its master. A lovingly mourned Pokémon was reborn as Houndstone. It doesn't like anyone touching the protuberance atop its head.

"Borf!" It barked out at Jason with its constant skeleton grin.

The woman glanced down at her ghostly companion and rolled her eyes before turning his bitter gaze back to Jason and said, "You're too young to be a tax man. The hell do you want kid?"

---

@samreaper

The Gossifleur looked at Jason with surprise at the offer. It was just a wild Pokemon; it had no concept of what a world stage would look like though it could only guess that the bigger the stage the more people would hear its songs. The promise of something like that was tantalizing, but it did not known whether or not it could trust this random trainer. He sounded so earnest and genuine, and yet it was hard to take it face value. Even if he meant every word, it was good if he did not follow through.

"Gos, Gossi!" It yelled out, pointing its stubby arm at him. To Tristan, it sounded like a challenge to show that his seriousness and dedication beyond his pretty words to make those dreams a reality.

The Wild Gossifleur Challenges Tristan to Battle!

What does Tristan do?

Pokémon: There and Back Again

@Zarkun

The floating pumpkin creature looked at Jason worriedly as he spat out rocks and dirt, which was still an improvement to nearly meeting the fine edge of a Scyther's blade though perhaps he didn't feel like it was given that he had a pebble in his nose. It did however perk up when the trainer asked about a woman that never leaves this forest.

"Pumpka? Pumpka!" It cried out, bouncing in the air before it dashed off. It turned around to check if Jason was following it. "Pumpka," the Pumpkaboo yelled out as if to say 'This way!'

Considering what he had experienced before in the forest, it would have been against his own better judgement to go and follow a Pokemon that may lead him to his doom though this was his only lead. Jason had already learned first had that the forest was a one way death trap for many that were not prepared; the residents of this forest were quite prone to murder and wanton violence. Was he really going to trust this Pokemon to lead him through?

(GM Note: Please make your decision before reading forward)

If Jason Follows

Taking a leap of faith, Jason would decide to follow the helpful Pumpkaboo through the forest. Through the mist, past the webs, over the roots, and past the edges with running rivers he would not miss a step as was led by the ghost. It always made sure to stop to make sure that he did not fall behind though luckily he never did. It was hard to be sure if the Pumpkaboo was actually helping him or was just having a lark with leading him around randomly. Still, it was leading Jason in a way that avoided any confrontations with any of the wild Pokemon.

After an undeterminable amount of time, Jason would arrive at a clearing.

Welcome to

Helga's Retreat

To find this cabin this deep in the woods meant someone really went out of their way to find this place. Anyone could tell that if a person lived all the way out there, then they were someone that wanted to be well enough alone. It was a dark, damp place; the only source of light were those coming from the cabin itself. At first glance it would appear that way, but there were more orbs of light floating around and with no close inspection needed they were all Pumpkaboo of great proportions though apart from that they seemed to be the only Pokemon to be around.

Pokedex Entry #710-Pumpkaboo, the Pumpkin Pokemon. Supersized Pumpkaboo are very partial to the spirits of people who were of similarly superior proportions. Pumpkaboo of this size are said to be the product of areas where a great number of lost souls lingered.

The cabin itself was well maintained on the outside though one could hardly imagine anyone living somewhere like this. It was completely isolated from the rest of the world, true isolation. There were no people, no civilization, nothing. In most cases, most people run away from finding a lone cabin in the woods in fear of being chopped up into tiny pieces or find someone in a hockey mask rise from the water. Is whatever that needs to be done worth it?

Suggested Actions

1. Find Pokémon.Can be specified what kind of Pokémon is being searched for, and how you search
2. Talk. Only one person here to talk to.
3. Exit. Exit the area.
4. Specify. If you specify what you want to do, the GM will take it into account and tell the result.
5. Trigger random event. Force the GM to use his imagination to make a scenario for you.
6. Go to the cabin. Knock on it. See what happens.

Starbor Forest-Deep Woods: Helga's Cabin

Common:
#710-Pumpkaboo

If Jason Does Not Follow

After a near death experience the day prior, Jason saw it best to avoid its aid in fear that it would lead him astray. These woods were not a kind place and if yesterday was proof of anything, it was that Pokemon could be just as malicious as human beings so he'd rather take his chances with the woods than possible deception.

Jason would continue to walk through the woods aimlessly in search of Helga's residence when he felt the ground give way and fell down into what he would discover to be a pit trap. He would sit on his butt looking up only to see bipedal Pokemon with leaves on their head looking down at him, laughing at what they had caught.

Pokedex Entry #274-Nuzleaf, the Wily Pokemon. Nuzleaf live in densely overgrown forests. They occasionally venture out of the forest to startle people. This Pokémon dislikes having its long nose pinched.

The only thing Jason could do is climb up.

---

@samreaper

As Tristan bore witness, this Gossifleur sang it's cheerful, beautiful tune. It was as if nature itself was singing through this adorable little flower. Eventually, its song would reach a climatic end and would land back on the ground. It had a self-satisfied look on its face when it heard clapping behind it.

"Gos?" The shiny little diva looked curiously towards the source of the applause. It did not expect to actually have an audience, albeit an audience of one, but an audience nonetheless. Still, being the natural little showman it was the Gossifleur gave Tristan a bow with a flourish from its stubby arms.

"Gos!" It seemed to respond to Tristan's comment with a charming smile and swayed around in the wind with a gentle dance as if just to show off its performing prowess.

What does Tristan do?

---

@Sanguine Rose

The man's eyes widened when Faye asked if there was something wrong. He just looked tired as if he already had a long day even though it was still the morning. She had never heard a man sigh as heavily as he did, as if the air was being forced out of his lungs.

With great exhaustion he said, "Oh, um, it's my grandfather. We were supposed to receive a shipment of apricorns from an associate from route 1, but for some reason they failed to do so... again. That stubborn Mudsdale of a man went to meet them though knowing him he's probably going to make the situation worse."

It did not take a genius to figure out how a business not receiving its building materials was a detrimental. If the store did not have apricorns then it meant that they could not make Pokeballs and if they could not make Pokeballs, then they could not fill up their stock, and without their stock they had no business.

"I wanted to go with him, but he refused to close the shop so I'm stuck here.

What does Faye do?

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

@Zarkun@Sanguine Rose

Well, judging by the hug Ria was definitely quite on friendly terms with the older man, Damian. She introduced him to the swordsman and the swordsman to him and just continued to talk. She really did talk quite a lot, but then again compared to him just about anyone did save the guild mute and the walking keg though that was who she was; a cheerful, chattering dervish that barely could sit still. Nolan watched her walk away and was quickly going to follow her though the swordsman had motioned for the monk to walk with him. Well, Nolan found no reason to object since they were walking the same direction, a poor choice on his part.

The moment he heard Damian say he had 'somewhat a reputation' Nolan fought the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. That is something someone either says as either a humble brag or to exaggerate their meager accomplishments, so this swordsman was either an arrogant prick or incredibly insecure. It didn't matter which one it was, Nolan already was beginning to find him to be annoying existence and it did not even end there. Damian just talked on and on about himself with no relenting. At this point, it would not have surprised him if Damian pulled out an accordion wallet filled with photos of his kid or talk about how he was some ladies man in his youth. The worst part? The worst part was that this man did not explain why he was even there to begin with, which was why he even asked to begin with!

By the time they reached the carriage, Nolan almost ripped the door of its hinges. He could not get rid of Damian quickly enough. The young monk looked at him dead in the eyes and said, "Mr. Pendragon, do you just speak in exposition? I asked who you are, not your autobiography."

"Enjoy your trip, Mr. Pendragon. Don't talk the driver's ear off." Damian would have had the door slammed in his face.

Did Nolan insult a very powerful warrior? Yes. Would he have still insulted him even if he knew who Damian really was? Also yes.

The horses were pulled up, something he did not expect for a kingdom as technologically advanced as Pergrande. Things were really down the shitter, but it was no matter. Nolan got one foot in a stirrup and threw his leg over the horse. The convoy soon went on their way, albeit at the brisk pace of pleasant stroll through the park. He just sat there on his horse, his hood pulled up over his head to give him some relief from the sun beaming down on him. The mage had nothing to say as he looked at the road ahead of them.

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

@Zarkun@Sanguine Rose

Thankfully, the soldiers did not continue to doubt the capability of the two soldiers and made show of resistance to Nolan taking charge specifically. They were desperate of course so there was no real need to convince them, but even if they refused to bite their tongue and swallow their pride Nolan would've just done his best to make sure they did not bite the dust. However, it was the willingness on their part that gave him a sigh of relief. As much of a burden it was to have their lives in his hands, it only made the job easier to know that they were willing to do whatever it took to stay alive because for them it was about surviving instead of delivering whatever cargo they were ordered to risk their lives for.

The guards saw no use in discussing any further details, something that Nolan could get behind. That was until another unexpected variable came into the picture; a man with a gruff expression, yet an air of ease approached Ria. The man was a warrior, that much was obvious to Nolan though it was not the weapons that gave it away. Anyone could buy a sword and a pistol and call themselves a fighter, but this man had the eyes of one; alert and sharp, always taking in his surroundings. They were the same eyes of the experienced, hardened mercenaries and mages he worked with before Pergrande.

Nolan was not sure to make of this man, but he was familiar with Ria and judging from his friendliness towards her he was not someone to be wary of, at least not yet. The monk didn't like this at all. Not the man perse, but the fact that this swordsman was an unexpected variable in a job already riddled with them. At the same time, he could not help, but wonder who this swordsman was; he wasn't part of the guard and certainly was not the cargo. It only stood to reason that this man had enough sway that he could get a ride approved by the garrison commander.

Still, Nolan made no effort to hide his annoyance with the sudden new character involved. He looked at the swordsman with the same grump apathy that he always had and said sarcastically, "And I see you're the man with no name." The monk made it clear that he had no patience for whatever bullshit the swordsman was going to do.

"You weren't mentioned in the briefing at all. Now pardon my ignorance, but who the hell are you?" He curtly said, looking to get straight to the point.

Pokémon: There and Back Again

@Sanguine Rose

While her less than ideal traveling companion went off to see the sights and sounds that Florasong had to offer, Faye had the goal to restock her desperately dwindling supply of Pokeballs. Yes, she walked with great purpose through the town of song and flowers though wisely cautious of having Tilia out in the open. A shiny Pokemon, one as rare as a Rowlet, would surely draw attention towards her, but Eevee is certainly not a Pokemon that one saw ordinarily as well either though no one really paid her any mind. After all, it was an everyday occurrence for people to walk around with their beloved Pokemon just as she and Tristan did.

For Faye, being a skilled and knowledgeable trainer was everything. Certainly she did not have any interest of being a tourist though walking through this town even she would have had a difficult time not to be pulled into the town's mood. Compared to the vastness and bustling industrious nature of Grand Glory or the historical majesty of King's Cross, there was a comfort to be found in this small, colorful town. The music and flowers were important factors, but above all else it was the people. They simply lived their lives in peace and appreciation, enjoying the moment though not with complacency. Faye of all people would know better than that. In some ways, it was like being back in Fenris though perhaps more festive.

Eventually, she would arrive outside her destination. The outside of Critical Capture is like most of the buildings around the town with a very floral front though it had a wooden sign hanging that said its name surrounding a Fast Ball model Pokeball as its logo mark. The window had a display that showed of many kinds of Pokeballs, each one made from various apricorns.

Upon entering the store, she would be surrounded by all kinds of Pokeballs, some she had never seen catalogued before. At the counter there was a man that was in his very early twenties wearing a green apron and bushy brown hair that was held back by a green hairband.

"Ah, uh, hello! How can I help you?" He asked weirdly nervously.

Critical Capture Prices

Heavy Ball - 800P
Lure Ball - 800P
Friend Ball - 800P
Love Ball - 800P
Level Ball - 800P
Fast Ball - 800P
Moon Ball- 800P
Steam Ball- 1000P
Mineral Ball- 1000P
Sky Ball- 1000P

Steam Ball: Improved catch rate for fire and water types
Mineral Ball: Improved catch rate for ground, rock, and steel types
Sky Ball: Improved catch rate for flying and electric types

---

@samreaper

So, with a Pokeball in hand Tristan looked around for a potential new Pokemon to add in his team. There were so many options to pick from and some that he had not even discovered yet in the area. However, while walking around her was captivated by a song, a joyous beautiful tune. Perhaps he was beckoned by it or it was simply curiosity, he walked through the garden to find the source of the song. Peaking through the bushes, he would see the charming sight of a Gossifleur whirling around in the wind singing its song like an operatic diva center stage, except its coloration was far different than the other versions that he had seen. With each swaying movement, sparkles came off it.

Gossifleur

What does Tristan do?

---

@Zarkun

Against better judgement like the first character to be killed in a horror movie, Jason turned around and tried to be as sneaky as possible to see if he could see what was following behind him. Then like a horror movie character, he got his foot caught on a root somehow and went face first into dirt and ate it, literally. There was dirt and grit in his mouth and some even up his nose. Somehow, death by Scyther would had been preferable to the embarrassment to what he must had been feeling in that moment and yet, somehow this was the last embarrassing thing to have happened in this game so far.

He could sense that there was something in front of him. It would have been hard to not notice it as he lifted his head up, he would see two orbs of bright light hovering in front of him. After whatever reaction, he would have had he would soon see that they belonged to something; a strange floating creature that resembled a pumpkin, a jack-o-lantern specifically though its body was pink and black rather than a pumpkin's orange. It had two holes in its body were bright light shone out.

Pokedex Entry #710-Pumpkaboo, the Pumpkin Pokemon. Supersized Pumpkaboo are very partial to the spirits of people who were of similarly superior proportions. Pumpkaboo of this size are said to be the product of areas where a great number of lost souls lingered.

"Pumpka?" It said with concern for the trainer. Perhaps it thought that Jason was lost.

What does Jason do?

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

@Zarkun@Sanguine Rose

For a trained soldier eager to serve and protect his station, his grip was rather lacking. The corporal did at least have manners to give himself a proper introduction though it was quite obvious that he was holding something back. The PFC though was quick to drop the facade and then the other guard confirmed that this would have been a suicide mission if they were not able get any of the guild mages to accept the job. Nolan could feel his back ache from how much he was going to have to carry the job for these three jobbers and yet, the corporal really had the nerve to even ask them if they knew how to fight.

Nolan just stared the corporal down with his cold gaze until he just took long deep breath, pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes tightly. "Right, training accident," he breathed out before opening his eyes. "If your commander didn't think our guild was up for the job, we wouldn't even be here in the first place," Nolan pointed out to the corporal.

There was no doubt that he was rude, perhaps uncalled for. These guards were just scared, everything that could have gone wrong did. Monsters were overwhelming them, wearing down their numbers while aid was nowhere to be seen or heard from the capital. These young men afraid that they were going to be sent to their slaughter and their only hope were these mages from foreign lands beyond. The whole point of Nolan even taking part of this absolute shit show was because Ria was trying to do her best to improve his dirt poor reputation within this town starting with the guards.

It was hard to be sure, but it looked like he was mulling over something reluctantly. He sighed and said,"But I do understand that there must be good faith on both sides. If you have questions about our abilities, then ask. However, in exchange I will take point."

Pokémon: There and Back Again

@Zarkun

Shaking off the nightmare, Jason went about on his business and stocked up on supplies to resume his search in the Deep Starbor Woods.

Eventually he would arrive in those dark woods, the thick canopy offered little sunlight as the mist rolled in. Jason still had to be careful of the various webs strung about the forest lest he would become the next meal to a very hungry Bug-Type Pokemon. Memories of being hunted by Scyther should have been fresh in his mind, so he should exercise great caution.

It would occur to Jason that he was aimless. Sure, he was told about this woman that lived alone in this awful forest though how to find her was completely up in the air. There was no maintained path in these woods, it was just a rocky moss covered path going nowhere and one could get lost in these woods as there were no distinct landmarks.

However, as he was walking he could hear foliage brush behind him and from the peripheral of his vision an odd flash of light.

Does Jason investigate?

---

@samreaper

Walking away from his travelling companion, Tristan would walk through the town of Florasong and took in the sights, sounds, and smells. There was a man playing his violin, an outdoor cafe with people reading the local paper or chatting away, a student rushing towards school struggling with an upright bass case. For someone like Tristan, it was a chance to learn about a place that he had never been to before without the influence from his family. It was something he could take at his own pace, to make up his own mind and plans, and to form his own perspective of the world away from his bubble.

As he walked through the town, he found it slowly getting quieter. The music that had once made up the background noise of the town slowly faded. Tristan would find himself standing in front of an arched wrought iron fencing with an arch that acted as the doorway. Walking through it, Tristan would be greeted by a quite sight.

Welcome

Aria's Park

Beyond the joyful, improvised tunes of musicians one would find a silent serenity. Aria's Park is one of the crown jewels of Florasong, a public space filled to the brim with an unsurpassed collection flowers as far as the eye could see. One could see the love and care in maintaining the garden and in the artistry from every plant that was planted and in their arrangements to be as visually pleasing to the eye as possible. To step into the park is to feel like stepping into an idyllic painting.

People could be seen as one would walk around taking in the pleasant surroundings. There were those passing through to take their daily walk while there were those having a picnic in what one could see to be a designated area. Artists with their easels sought to capture the beauty of the park through their craft. Of course, maintaining the garden beds in the park did not happen magically. There were gardeners working away to make sure that there was nary a weed sprouting or flower with wilting petals.

In the middle of the park was a manor painted white with large windows that let in all the sunlight, vines with blooming flowers of various colors climbed up its walls. There was a slab made of red brick that held in place a plaque engraved, 'Aria Eberg estate. Aria Eberg founded Florasong in 1892 to spend her final years and in her charity and love of community left a legacy that cannot be erased. Aria Eberg donated her estate to the citizens of Florasong and her home is now a research facility to respect her love of learning and growth.'

There were Pokemon that one would expect to find in such a garden. A Pokemon that would be considered a pest was eating the weeds in the garden, a strange insect that adorned itself with leaves. Not too far off though were walking flowers with great yellow petals and something akin to red hair

Pokedex Entry #540-Sewaddle, the Sewing Pokemon. This Pokémon makes clothes for itself. It chews up leaves and sews them with sticky thread extruded from its mouth.

Pokedex Entry #829-Gossifleur, the Flowering Pokemon. It anchors itself in the ground with its single leg, then basks in the sun. After absorbing enough sunlight, its petals spread as it blooms brilliantly. Gossifleur whirls around in the wind while singing a joyous song. This delightful display has charmed many into raising this Pokémon.

Flying between flower to flower were these hexagonal flying creatures. One could see that they were collecting nectar from the plants before flying away in the same direction.

Pokedex Entry #415-Combee, the Tiny Bee Pokemon. The trio is together from birth. It constantly gathers nectar from flowers to please Vespiquen. Combee in the Evig region work in squads and report back to their assigned leader, Vespigard.

What does Tristan do?

Suggested Actions

1. Find Pokémon.Can be specified what kind of Pokémon is being searched for, and how you search
2. Talk. In cities, there are considerably more people one can talk to.
3. Exit. Exit the park.
4. Specify. If you specify what you want to do, the GM will take it into account and tell the result.
5. Trigger random event. Force the GM to use his imagination to make a scenario for you.
6. Aria's Manor It's open to the public. It's a good start to learn more about the park and the plants and Pokemon that live in it.

Connected Areas

Florasong Town

Florasong: Aria's Park

Common:
#415-Combee
#540-Sewaddle
#829-Gossifleur

Uncommon:

Rare:

Persona ~ Alone at Sea (PERSONA WITH A BOAT 𓊝)

Every night Victor was pulled back in. Every bloody night he stood on the docks waiting for that man in blue to appear again, but the man never did. All he had were questions and the only response he received were the lapping waves under a quiet moonlit night. Sometimes he stared into the water and thought about jumping back in in search of any possible answers, but at the risk of being maimed by another demonic Frog and the Toad or some other strange aberration of nature Victor saw that it was best to avoid entering that world again for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps it was better to forget it ever happened. There was nothing to be gained from obsessing over it. The island was a death trap; they were lucky to have gotten out of it alive and yet, it called to a part of him.

It was eating him alive, but to the rest of the world he was just his usual charming, sociable self. It was business as usual as if nothing had ever happened. One did have to keep up appearances after all. He threw himself into his every day routine, putting all of his energy into maintaining a well connected social life and of course all preparations for the HATS auditions for their next stage play, whenever that may be.

It was better to focus his time and effort into something that was anchored in his own reality. Victor made no attempts to approach the other island castaways to even dare broach the subject. They were most likely trying to put the ordeal behind them and move on with their lives, not that he could blame them. He had no right to dredge up unwanted memories after an experience like that.

Speaking of dredging unwanted memories, there was Victor in the men's locker room changing back into his own clothes after a post-workout shower. While changing, he saw a couple of guys looking at a phone with smirks. They were just some acquaintances that frequently visited the gym that he was friendly enough with. One of them looked up at Victor with a grin and held his phone out to the Frenchman.

"Hey did you see this?" The boy asked, showing the screen to Victor. It was a video of the campus at night, specifically focused on a tree and there were the sound of girls muttering. It was familiar, strangely so as he did not know where he had seen it before, but he had. Then he felt the weight of his sins on his back when from the video came the loud moan of a valley girl calling out Daniel's name.

"Word has it that it's Daniel Burkley. Rumor has it he was making moves on a girl and then snuck out to have a go with another. The man works quick!"

The other boy said, "I didn't realize how much of a dog he is! The girl sounded kinda hot though. Got any idea who she is?"

She's standing right in front of you, thought Victor.

Outside he maintained composure, but inside he was screaming. With all that had happened, he had forgotten about the video and it was now part of the campus latest gossip. Still, the only comfort that he could find was that no one suspected him of being the valley girl in the video. This was a secret that he was going to take to his grave.

After dealing with the consequences of his own actions, Victor walked out of the locker room with his gym bag in tow. He was about to go and grab dinner from the cafeteria when two strangers approached him. One was a youthful man and another was an older, grittier man that looked like he had seen it all. Victor did not recognize either one of them as teacher's or staff around the school. The younger man's attire was too sloppy to be a teacher at this school; his tie was too loose and his shirt's top buttons were unbuttoned among other things. The older man was dressed more sensibly though not many teacher's walk around wearing trench coats and look like they were about to ask someone if they were feeling lucky.

"Hey kid, are Victor Lafayette?" Asked that younger man, earning a stern expression from his companion.

"Mind your manners, Jones." The older man chided the younger one. His gaze returned to the teenager when a look of realization crept upon his face. "Wait, Lafayette? As in the actor? Are you his son?"

Victor cautiously took a step back from the two strange men asking too many question. "That is correct. Pardon me, but who are you two?"

The older man was quick to pick up on Victor's distrust and was quick to remedy his mistake. "Right, our apologies." Both men pulled out case that when unfolded presented a badge and an ID. "I'm Inspector Diego Harris and my partner here is Inspector Nathan Jones. We would like to ask you some questions."

Victor did relax when he saw that they were just police though it did raise questions. How did they even find him? Well, it's not like he had a sporadic schedule so it would not have been hard to track his whereabouts, but still. Also, why him? He was not involved in any illicit activities and as far as he knew, he was certain that those in his friend group were not doing illegal, or at least enough to warrant the involvement of the cops. Unless it was about the other world, but there was no way that had to be the case. If there was some secret government cabal that knew about this, the last thing they would do was send cops in to question him.

So, with no choice to comply Victor was led to a makeshift interrogation room and sat down on an oddly damp chair. It was almost pitch black save for the solitary lamp at the table that lit up the room. He sat there watching the two detectives fiddle around with a file before they sat down across from him. Inspector Jones angled the lamp just so that it was hitting the student's face enough to make it uncomfortable.

Inspector Harris placed a recording device on the table and clicked it. "September 20th, interview with Victor Lafayette." His gaze focused on the boy in front of him. "So, how's school going for you? Are you enjoying it? Making friends?"

Victor arched his brow at the line of questioning. "I've been having a good time. I haven't had a hard time making friends here."

"Good, that's good. So tell me, where does Sofia Wright fit in your friend group?"

"Well, she doesn't. She was assigned as my group leader for orientation. My contact with her and the rest of them has been minimal at best. I'm sorry, but why are you asking about her?"

Inspector Jones interjected, "The girl has been reported missing."

His eyes widened in shock from this revelation. "Missing? What do you mean she's missing?"

"She had been reported missing on the 16th, but was last seen on the 15th. You and some other kids were the last to see her before her disappearance. Can you tell us what happened on the 15th?" asked Inspector Harris. His tone wasn't harsh nor kind, just direct with the intent of digging for the truth.

Sure Victor had not seen her around after the island fiasco, but it was not like he saw her around before then anyway. He had just assumed that as soon as she escaped that she ran back to her dorm to forget that any of it ever happened. Then again, he did not see what happened after he was forcibly removed. Before it was safe to assume that she escaped with the others, but no one told him what happened after he accidentally returned to their world. Perhaps they lost track of her in the chaos.

It's not like he could tell the detectives about the other world without thinking he was a loon. No sane person would accept it as any rational explanation. He could only hope that his shock did not give anything away and was just that of a concerned student.

"Of course. Sophia invited the entire group to take part of some traditional hazing to jump into the freezing ocean. Some were adamant towards the idea, but there was an accident; somehow we all fell into the water, but no one was hurt." Technically it was the truth. They did fall in and it did not hurt them. All he did was neglect to tell them what happened after they fell into the water.

"Did anything else happen afterwards?"

"I don't know. I was the first to leave." Again, it wasn't a lie technically. Victor by all accounts was the first to leave albeit forcibly via getting smacked into the spring. "I'm sorry detectives, but that is all I know"

"That's fine Victor. Thank you for your cooperation. If you think of anything, please call my number," said Diego, handing the French teen a business card.

With that ordeal finished, Victor walked to the cafeteria though his thoughts were far away from whatever half-baked cuisine the school served. There was no way that he was the only one that was interrogated. They probably grabbed the rest of the Icebreaker group. The group and him were the only ones that knew the truth of the matter. They must return to the island to find Sophia regardless if she was dead, alive, or in some other state of being altogether. However, it was going to be difficult with the cops breathing down their necks. No doubt they were going to monitor their movements. They had to find away to get together without raising suspicions.

Rising Stars: A Fairy Tail AU

@Zarkun@Sanguine Rose

Nolan looked down at Ria and for the first time that she knew him, his cold dead expression had morphed into one of complete confusion; his brow was arched and he just had a look in his eyes that tried to figure out the mental gymnastics that she went through to suggest putting him in any position of power. In any freelance work when hired by another group, it was typical to be under the orders of someone else as long it was within the agreed arrangement. Mercenaries ran a tight ship and hierarchy was the lifeblood within any respectable group, so to go as far as to suggest putting an outsider like Nolan in any position to command a platoon was absurd. It's also why one doesn't hire many freelance mercs at the same time; there were many egos. It would have led to everything falling into shambles, but it looked like things were set on that course anyway.

The suspicious glare from that one soldier did not escape from Nolan's notice, which was returned with Nolan's own icy stare. Of course, the one that was leading this mission was the one that was distrustful of guild mages. It was not as if the tension between him and the guards was already palpable already. It was as if this mission was preordained to be an absolute shitshow. At this point, he would not even wonder how it was going to get worse because it just would.

"Well, we better play nice. That's why you brought me here anyway," said Nolan to Ria before he walked over to the Corporal and the three other soldiers with that usual resting bitch face of his, casually glancing them over not to size them up, but to get a read of what he was working with. They had the kind of faces that screamed that they would be killed the moment things went wrong. His focus shifted back to the one in charge of the platoon.

"Nolan, A-Class Mage of Rising Star. I look forward to working with you," said the young mage, placing heavy emphasis that he was working with the Corporal rather than working under him. He held his hand out for a handshake towards the Corporal who was no doubt giving him the evil eye at this point. It wasn't Nolan trying to make nice, it was a power move. If the corporal refused to shake his hand, then he looked like he was uncooperative in front of his superior and made Nolan look like the bigger man in the situation, but if he did shake the mage's hand then he shook the hand of someone that he hated very much and was forced to treat him as an equal. It was only a win-win situation for Nolan.