They moved quietly, taking care in every step as they ventured through the forest. The moist summer air was still, gathering sweat and evening drew over their brows. Raihan followed Leon close, turning his head every so often to keep an eye on the rear as well as to quickly cut a marker into whichever tree the past- a small arrow point in the direction they came from. Cicadas screamed and owls called out, piercing the atmosphere of any tension.

One soldier's hand rubbed smoothly along the hilt of the sword on his hip, finger tracing its silver guard. The white leather of his glove ran smoothly, moving slowly to grip tight. Leon was anxious, itching for something to happen other than hear another hoothoot screech at the shadows around them. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" he whispered ahead. "We've been traveling for some time now. Surely we would have found it by now!"

Raihan looked back, raising a brow in the lantern light as Leon held the flame up to his face. Though he smirked, there was a confused look in his eye. "We left Hammarlocke's gates only a few minutes ago, didn't we? We've not even traveled beyond the kingdom's hunting grounds. I'm sure it'll be much farther out even if we do manage to locate a witch's cottage." He paused for a moment to look back ahead and pressed on. "Besides, there is no proof of anything living in the kingdom's domain. We're being sent out here on suspicion and precaution alone. The entire guard is exploring these woods. Who's the say they won't discover a witch on the other border?"

Silence befell them for a moment.

"I just don't like this. It's like everyone is blind and still marching forward. I get that we can't sit around and wait, but something like this just seems like wasted time and energy, don't you think?"

Raihan was hesitant to respond and marched forward, rubbing his shoulder as he did so. "Orders are orders. We can't do much else but obey. We're only going as far as just outside the hunting grounds for tonight so we'll be in bed before daybreak if we're lucky."

A few minutes passed and unable to stand the uneventful search any further, Leon grumbled as he halted in his tracks. "Let's split up," he erupted. "We'll cover more ground if we spread out, won't we? It'll get the job done faster!"

"That's a terrible idea, Leon. What will you do if you find this 'witch' we're looking for? Or worse...how do you plan on finding your way back to the gates?" Raihan spun on his heels to face Leon as the other already took a few paces in another direction. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I won't come looking for you if you get lost."

"I'll be fine! I've been marking the trees as we go. I'll know the way back for sure!" He held out his arm towards Raihan. "You take the lantern. You'll need it more than me." With that, Leon reached around his belt for one of his pokeballs. A tap of the center switch and in a flash Leon's trusted charmeleon appeared, stretching its arms as it let out a big yawn. "Charmeleon's tail will do fine and he can help me find the way back!" There was no stopping him. Leon was already marching off the trail through the forest thickets, marking trees as he went.

Raihan could only massage the back of his head before he turned to continue along the trail. The night carried on as Leon's footsteps grew distant and then faded to nothing. Nearly a full hour of exploration ticked by and still, he couldn't hear anything save for forest frogs croaking, birds cawing, owls hooting, and the gentle summer breeze brushing past him. Tired, and almost ready to collapse, Raihan was more eager to admit Leon might have been right. There had been no trace of a witch within Hammarlocke's borders. No doubt the phenomenon was due to sickness or something else that had been ruled out.


It was time to return...and time to go track down Leon. Raihan had every expectation that the man was lost somewhere, possibly cowering in a hollowed trunk from a pack of zigzagoon having mistaken them for something fearful. Weighed down with defeat, Raihan gripped around his lance and turned to begin backtracking. "We're being sent out on wild goose chases just to ease the minds of the villagers," he muttered to himself. "It can't continue like this. Eventually, the kingdom will start looking for scapegoats if the real cause isn't discovered."

The wind picked up just slightly, causing the trees around to shake. Leafs trickled, fluttered, and spun as they dropped from their branches. The lancer's dreads swayed behind him as the breeze became a sudden guest. "I'll have to advise the sick be reexamined and perhaps the villagers can be convinced to- "A handful of leaves descended atop Raihan's head, even flying into his open mouth. He cursed as he spat, dropping his spear and the lantern as he did so to scrap the bitter taste off his tongue. Annoyed more than ever, he groaned, grinding his teeth together before letting out a swift exhale through his nose.

Where did my lance go, he thought as he knelt to feel his way through the grass. As he stood up with his weapon, a ringing chimed in his ears. It was faint, but Raihan was certain of what he heard. A slow yet luring tune was being played. The elongated heavy sounds, the power vibration that drummed in his ear as he followed it- a fiddle was being played nearby. Yet by who, and so deep in the woods? Although Raihan saw nothing particularly wrong, it was peculiar.

He ran, following the path further ahead until he heard the sound of the riverbank, water rushing downstream, cliffs rising around him. The sounds grew louder, more enchanting. It was a string instrument he heard. Raihan kept moving, not aware that his casual walk had turned into a sprint, racing for the edge of the woods until he finally reached the bank. A large waterfall came into view. Mist surrounded the area, sending a damp chill over the dragoon's body and he panted from atop the riverbank.

A figure was perched on the rocks at the fall's base, seemingly unaware of Raihan's presence. As he continued playing the trees around began to shake, branches rattled, leaves flurried about in the wind.

Raihan remained on the riverbank's edge, watching the other with eyes wide and mouth agape slightly, mesmerized by the scene~ by the one-man symphony being played before him. Cyan eyes honed in, squinting to try and see through the fog to try and better marvel at the silhouette on the rocks. As the music faded away their eyes met. Slowly, hesitantly, the dragoon set down his spear so that he could clap firmly.

Neither of them could find the strength to speak, never mind the river between them. The figure's green eyes pierced from the mist, staring daggers at Raihan, yet still, neither of them made any move to depart. The bow was raised back to the violin and with a swift, sharp strike across the strings, a high note cut through the atmosphere. The mist dispersed to reveal the musician.

Pale skin glowed under the light of the moon, reflected off the water's surface revealing them to be nude. Moisture dripped from their skin, and long black and white hair fell across their body, covering them. There was an aura about him as he paced slowly to the edge of the rock he stood on, staring Raihan down. His lips hardly moved as he spoke. "You can hear it? You hear the music?"

The sight caught him by surprise, seeing someone playing the violin in such a way. Yet still, Raihan held any tension in his gut and exhaled smoothly before sticking his spear into the ground. "Don't stop, now! Come on, just one more!"

Again, the musician stared daggers at Raihan before raising his fiddle to his chin and began anew. As soon as he started playing the entire forest came alive around them. Crickets began to chirp and the trees rattled in the wind. Yet Raihan took no notice, ears only able to hear the melody being played for him. He approached the edge of the river and sat down, allowing the music to rejuvenate his spirits until the very end.

The musician observed Raihan for a moment after he finished playing and stepped down from the rock. Yet, he did not sink into the water. Ripples spread from his feet wherever he stepped, walking across the river's surface as he approached the dragoon. His grip tightened around his instrument as he remained on the water, keeping a distance between them. "Who are you, exactly? How is it you can hear me?"

Raihan just looked out to him with raised brows, leaning back with his arms spread out behind him. "Huh? What- you just...started playing and I heard you. Why wouldn't I be able to? While I'm at it- what are you doing out here? It's not safe and~ why are you naked?! Aren't you cold?" It hadn't been until the man was so close to him that Raihan saw the other wasn't shaking despite being drenched. "Are you a hermit wizard or something?"

"Humans should not be able to hear any song I play. They should hear the wind, the water, or forest dwellers," he said as he pointed his bow at the dragoon.

Again, Raihan raised a bow, hardly shifting his position. If his company was trying to come across as threatening then he wasn't about to flinch for it. "You say that as if you aren't human."

His eyes narrowed, and his hand lowered for a second.

"So what are you if not human? Can I at least get a name? Come on!"

There was a brief silence that felt prolonged. The river flowed on, water crashing against the rocks around the bank. "...Piers."

"I'm Raihan. A dragoon and dragon tamer of Hammarlocke. Nice to meet you, Piers! Now let's see...if you won't tell me then I'll just have to guess. You're not human but...you control music and you're a water-being. Hmmm..." He brought a hand to cup around his chin, looking Piers up and down for a moment. "Wait- are you a siren?! Did your music bewitch me or something?!" Concerned for a moment, his hand reached for his spear.

"Certainly not!" Pier's demeanor hardly changed as he raised his bow and began strumming softly, playing just a few notes while tuning his fiddle. "There is no such thing as a male siren. Even if there were, sirens live at sea and lure sailors to their death with their voice!"

"Well then what are you? Answer me already! No one is even supposed to be out here! The whole kingdom is on a witch hunt. So unless you're what we've been looking for then it might be best for you to put your clothes on and go home!"

Piers only glanced up at Raihan and then continued playing. "This is my home. Now if you're finished, leave me be and go back to your hunt if it's so important."

"The hell'd you'd just say?" Raihan jumped to his feet and grabbed his spear as well as a Pokeball on his belt, readying himself. "This isn't the time for games. Get out of the water right now or else I'm coming in after you! Ya hear? I'm not messing wi- "

"Raihan?! RAIHAN IS THAT YOU?"

A familiar voice thundered. Behind him, coming from the forest thicket, someone was heading right for them and fast, panting and tumbling face-first into the dirt. Twigs snapped as they rolled over, brushing themselves off. Raihan's attention was taken away from Piers to see Leon lying down on the ground. Charmeleon slowly emerged right after, holding his tail out in front of him.

"Oof, ugh. Raihan...hey. Glad I finally found you," Leon panted as he picked himself back up. "Who were you talking to, anyway?"

"What do you mean? I'm trying to get this guy here to…" When he looked back at the river there wasn't anyone in sight. Only the circles of gentle ripples and bubbles spouted from where Piers had been standing.

"Some imaginary friend of yours? A legendary pokemon, perhaps?" Leon chuckled as he rested an elbow on Raihan's shoulder. "No one's here but us."

"What? No! I saw it. There was this guy and he was naked and-" he spoke in a sporadic, hysterical fashion, looking back and forth between Leon and the river as he pointed his lance about. "He was standing right on those rocks and playing music- a fiddle- and then he was walking on the water and he just...he…"

"...and what?"

"..." Raihan was at a loss for anything else to say.

"Well, I haven't been hearing anything but the hoothoots this evening. Maybe you should have your eyes checked. Visit the healing tent when we get back to make sure you weren't cursed or something, alright?"

"Stop messing around! I know what I saw!"

"A naked man playing the violin while walking on water?" It sounded even more absurd when it came out of Leon's mouth, even more so with his arms crossed over his chest. "That's still hardly threatening; more bizarre than anything else."

"I'm telling you, he was real!" Raihan was becoming exasperated. "I heard his music and followed it here!"

Caught up in their argument, neither of them noticed Charmeleon trotting to the river bank's edge, staring at the waterfall. He sniffed the air, scanning the area as if trying to hone in on something unseen. "Chaaaar," he breathed.

"Well right now I wish you'd follow me back to the castle!" Leon shook his head and sighed for a moment. "Come on. It's late and we're both tired, aren't we? Even if it was real this guy just sounds like a weirdo and that's not what we're looking for." He looked behind him towards the forest trail and then immediately spun back around, spotting his companion close to the water.

"H-HEY! Charmeleon! Get back here! Don't go too close to the water like that! It's dangerous!" No further thought was needed for him to dart over and pull the other away until they were a safe distance away from the bank. Yet, the minute he let go Charmeleon only scurried back, sniffing out the air. "Char! Chaaaarr!" he roared softly.

"What's gotten into him?" Raihan asked, a little perplexed.

"Don't know. Maybe he just senses danger." Leon laughed for a second. "Maybe he can sense your fiddler closeby!"

"Stop doubting me! I'm telling you, Leon, he's real!"

"Look, let's just get going. It'll be daybreak soon and we're going to be late. I want a drink more than anything else right now." Leon was determined, taking the first step to lead everyone home. "Charmeleon! We're leaving. Come!"

It was unsettling for Raihan, taking one last pan over the waterfall and rocks before he turned to follow Leon and Charmeleon back into the forest. He was gritting his teeth, one hand curled into a fist and the other gripping tight around his lance as they walked. "What was all that? Did I imagine it all?" he thought.

The wind picked up, sending a refreshing breeze over them both.

Raihan's ear twitched and his attention was immediately snatched, his head turning back toward down the trail. He could hear it again- the sweet music from earlier only now being played on a different instrument. The dragon's breath became short, his heart skipping a beat as he was unsure how to respond. "Leon!" he called forward. "Do you hear anything?"

Leon looked back with an annoyed, pouty expression on his face. "Hear what?" He paused to focus, humoring his friend with a moment to at least try to listen. "All I hear is the wind! Com'on, Raihan. You must have hit your head or something." Another step and Leon tumbled to the forest floor, tripping. He had found the lantern Raihan had dropped.