Chapter 14: "The West-Side of Prontera Field Story!"

Just another normal day at Alaylle's house...

Alaylle is quietly cleaning the kitchen, and is currently in the process of drying off the dishes from breakfast. Neyrilla is away from home doing her usual flower arrangements at work. And... well... Corin is doing what he does best-

BOOOOOOOOM!

A deafening explosion comes from the back of Alaylle's house, gently shaking the walls of the house.

Alaylle blinks her eyes at the sudden sound, managing not to drop the plate she was drying. She shakes her head slightly with her eyes closed. "Daddy... really... it's only been an hour since breakfast and you already blew yourself up?" Alaylle giggles softly and puts away the dried plate. Carrying the slightly moist towel with her in the crook of her arm, Alaylle quietly walks towards the back of the house where Corin's workshop is.

Alaylle walks up to the door leading to her father's workshop and smirks slightly as she knocks. A slightly moaning, quite whimpering, "Come in..." answers her knock. Managing to stifle a giggle, Alaylle opens the door to her father's workshop.

Normally a spotless laboratory/forge sporting the latest in technology, as well as some of his own inventions, Corin's workshop is usually the birthplace of many fantastic inventions. Some elemental converters lay on the east side of the room, and a few dismantled steam engines dot the west side of the room. A large chest equipped with the latest magical and manual tools is stored in the middle of the room and a large desk with copious notes occupies the north side of the room. Needless to say, a lot of work gets done here. From the simple ice cream maker to the amazing programmable climate control elemental stone system for residential use, Corin is usually far ahead of his time in technological advances. Unfortunately, he is as skilled in blowing himself up as he is in inventing things. And so we enter the workshop after an explosion... now sporting a black soot splash spot in the middle of the room with black soot spotting the equipment, and a very stunned Corin (who is also covered in black soot).

Alaylle walks over to her father, as if seeing her father covered in black soot is a familiar sight. She smiles softly and uses the moist towel to help clean her father. As she wipes the soot off her father, she quietly asks, "Daddy, what went wrong this time?"

Corin slowly shakes his head. He exhales a puff of black smoke as he squeaks out, "...Used a bit too much gunpowder... and then crossed the wrong wires..."

Alaylle giggles and helps her father to his feet. "Come on... I got the bath and some clean clothes ready, so you can wash all that soot off and look human again." She smirks and leads her father to the door.

"Aaahh... you're so good to your father, Alaylle!" Corin has tears in his eyes as he inches his way out the door towards the bath, taking small, slightly stiff steps.

Alaylle looks back at the soot spot in the middle of the room and starts working on cleaning it up...

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Corin happily walks back to his workshop after a nice long, warm bath, looking like himself, and feeling full of energy. He opens up the door to find the room clean, and his daughter sitting on her knees, tinkering with the round spherical device he was working on. Alaylle is so focused on the ball, she doesn't even notice her father walking over to her and sitting down next to her. He quietly comments, "Hmm... not bad... but I think you're wasting water energy by connecting it too closely to the wind channel."

"Huh? Oh! That's true!" Alaylle quickly turns towards her father. She smiles happily and takes a look at him. "All fresh and clean again! Here, you finish it!" Alaylle gives the ball and a tool that looks like a dentist's tooth scraper to her father. She slowly gets to her feet and walks over to the door, turning back once she makes it there.

Corin grins at his daughter. "Why don't you go outside and play? You've done more than enough for today!"

Alaylle runs up to her father and hugs him warmly. "Yay! Thank you Daddy!" She quickly skips away happily out of the room.

Corin smiles warmly at Alaylle as she skips off. He then returns his attention to the ball and makes a small scrape with the tool. The inscribed lines then gently glow blue and gray. "Heh... what do ya know?" He gently tosses the ball up and catches it.

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Alaylle quietly walks around in Rocker Coast, looking for a certain friendly Metaller. Upon hearing some violin music, she quickly runs in the direction of the music. Upon finding the source of the music she is greeted by the sight of not just the tan Rocker she sought, but also a group of normal Rockers. "Eh heh heh... Mr. Vocal! I found you and your friends!"

Mr. Vocal turns towards Alaylle, bows and salutes her with his tan leaf.

Alaylle smiles happily and sits down carefully on her knees. The Rockers quickly form a semi-circle in front of her and start playing music for her. "Whaaa! This is wonderful!"

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A somewhat sour note sounds from one of the Rockers playing. The rest of the Rockers stop playing and look at the Rocker that made the mistake.

"Eep... that's the fourth time that happened..." Alaylle gets to her feet slowly and walks over to the Rocker. "Aww... don't feel bad! But you know... you look like something's troubling you... am I right?" Alaylle looks with kind eyes to the Rocker.

The Rocker starts chittering and doesn't stop for about 5 minutes. By the time the chittering ends, the surrounding Rockers and Mr. Vocal are all either sniffling or crying.

Alaylle blinks confusingly. "Uhh... am I missing something?" She looks up to Mr. Vocal.

Mr. Vocal thinks for a moment and calls all the Rockers together in a huddle. The huddle quickly breaks with the Rockers in a circle around a pair of Rockers. The surrounding Rockers play romantic music on their violins. Meanwhile, Mr. Vocal has switched his tan leaf with a bluish leaf and then suddenly jumps into the circle. The music changes to a sad piece as Mr. Vocal kicks one of the Rockers out of the circle. The remaining Rocker gets all teary eyed. They all quickly turn to Alaylle after the performance ends.

Alaylle blinks her eyes. Then her expression brightens. "I get it! The Vocal from Prontera Field stole some songs and instruments from you all! That's why the music and sour notes are coming out!"

All of the Rockers, including Mr. Vocal, fall face-forward onto the ground.

"No? Hmm... Then... Oohh! The Vocal must've separated the two Rockers who were boyfriend and girlfriend!" Alaylle smiles happily.

Mr. Vocal quickly gets up and nods his head with a bit of a "that's close enough" gesture. He skitters and plays a battle song on his violin. All of the Rockers quickly form a circle with Mr. Vocal in the middle as they begin planning.

"Hey! I'll help too!" Alaylle joins in the circle as they plan, even though she doesn't understand a single chirp or skitter.

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Alaylle quickly follows the group of Rockers and Mr. Vocal as they nervously dart from patches of trees just west of Prontera.

Alaylle quietly whispers to Mr. Vocal. "Why are we hiding near the trees?"

Mr. Vocal waits till a swordsman passes by their hiding place and points.

"Oohh... they'd fight you... that's right..." Alaylle nods slowly. "Umm... why am I hiding?"

Mr. Vocal blinks his eyes for a moment, and then shrugs.

Alaylle quietly leaves the patch of trees and walks over to another patch. She looks around carefully, then gestures to Mr. Vocal to go. Mr. Vocal and the other Rockers quickly hop over to the indicated patch and hide. In this manner, they slowly reach Prontera Field without incident.

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Upon entering Prontera Field, Mr. Vocal and his Rockers initiate their plan. Using information gotten from the expelled Rocker, they quietly hide and ready themselves to ambush the Vocal. Soon enough, the Vocal and a small group of Rockers carrying blue leaves arrive. The Rockers quickly jump out from the trees at the blue leafed Rockers and start fighting. Mr. Vocal plays triumphantly as he jumps out after his troops.

Alaylle runs out from the trees and helps the Rockers. She whips the links of her chain at a Rocker, but hits her own arm instead. "Owwiiee!" Mr. Vocal looks in Alaylle's direction and sweatdrops. "Sorry! I'm not so good at this yet..." Mr. Vocal quickly jumps over to Alaylle and hits a Rocker away from Alaylle before it has a chance to hit her.

The battle seems to be going well for Mr. Vocal's side, well, except for when Alaylle hits herself with her own chain. Two leg hits, one more arm hit, and one wrapping herself in her own chain. "Sorry! I guess I really don't know what I'm doing..." Mr. Vocal pats Alaylle on the back as he unwinds her from her own chain. Then quickly jumps back into battle.

Soon, the blue leafed Vocal is the only one left of his group. He grins and skitters sinisterly. One of the Rockers from Mr. Vocal's group quickly takes a violin swipe at Mr. Vocal. It's the very Rocker that was expelled from Prontera Field. Mr. Vocal quickly dodges, but then looks very confused. The Vocal grins and then chitters loudly.
Suddenly a large wave of blue leafed Rockers surrounds the area in a large circle. The Rocker that attacked Mr. Vocal throws away it's tan leaf and picks up a blue leaf, quickly joining the shrinking circle of Rockers.

Mr. Vocal, his Rockers, and Alaylle stand closely together as the rapidly shrinking circle approaches them. Mr. Vocal shakes his head and skitters softly to himself.

"This was a trap, wasn't it?" Alaylle watches the Rockers slowly come closer and closer to the group. Mr. Vocal nods slowly and gulps.

End of Chapter 14
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Chapter 15 Preview!

Alaylle: "N-no! What are we gonna do, Mr. Vocal?"

Mr. Vocal can only shrug.

Alaylle: "But... what is this familiar sound... and why is it getting louder?"

In the Next Chapter: "Mastering the Music!"

Alaylle: "Whaaa... is this where all the instruments you play come from?"
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