Chapter 5: The Alliance Leader and Second in Command
Standing on a hill overlooking the port town of Sea Faire stands an oddly colored Houndoom. Rather than black fur and an orange belly his fur is a light gray with a cyan colored underbelly. His eyes are green rather than red and his horns and the bones circling around his back and legs are black rather than gray. All in all you could easily identify him as a Delta if you were to lay eyes upon him. Somewhere in the vicinity of this city were two outlaws he was hunting down. He and his second in command had caught wind of the hybrid and delta duo that had been on the run for months and had taken shelter in the nearby woods after eyewitness testimonies were verified by his subordinates he took the task of coming to round them up. The two were known as Locket and Zirc from the information he had gathered, Locket was a hybrid between an Absol and an Umbreon while Zirc was a very rare kind of delta, a Sableye who had changed to a dragon type. Both were known to be fairly dangerous and quick to run, he would have to be careful on this hunt. It also gave him the chance to scout out the port town of Sea Faire and see if he could negotiate with the Elder family who presided over the town on whether or not he could make a base of operations for the Alliance within the town's borders or even just outside of them.
The Alliance had been looking for a reason to visit the port town but had never managed to make time in their busy schedule to come out here as they weren't as prominent nor as expansive as the Association was in terms of members and recruits. Finally they had a reason to come this far out on the continent and make contact with the town and expand if they were lucky. Before hunting down the outlaws the Houndoom decided he would contact the Elder family as well as the Guild in the town and let them know of the predicament going on, make his request for a base of operations from now into the future, and carry out the capture they came here for before the outlaws slipped away again and they had to track them down all over again. After making his decisions for the following day the Houndoom turned to his second in command and informed him of their itinerary. His companion on this trip was a young hybrid whose parents were an Espeon and a Mighteyena. He may come across as young and inexperienced but he had a vast amount of knowledge of the world and its works, especially from the darker side as he had previously been an outlaw himself but not by choice. He was raised into it by his parents and carried the scar they gave him along his left side when he chose to leave. After they sorted out everything for the next morning the two took shelter inside a hollow tree and rested for the night.
The next morning the two descended down into the port town to visit the Guild Leader first before seeking out the Elder family as it was only common courtesy for the Alliance to make contact with the Association branch in the area upon arriving as has been the understanding for years. Climbing up the steps the Houndoom greeted the recruits at the door and inquired on where he could find the current leader of the guild. After getting the information he needed he headed toward the area mentioned. Upon reaching the door to Cairn's room the Houndoom announced his presence while standing outside the door as was custom.
"Hello Guild Leader, my name is White Flame and I come from the Alliance on a hunt and would like to exchange information with you. With me I have my second in command Halo for assistance on the hunt." After giving his introduction and greeting White Flame sat and waited for a response from the pokemon inside.
"You may enter." Cairn called out from behind the door giving approval for the two to enter. Upon entering the room White Flame and Halo saw that Cairn was not the only pokemon within the vicinity, there also sat an old Mudsdale, an Arcanine, a Lurantis, a strange looking Rockruff, and a hybrid Flareon from what they could make out. White Flames eyes brightened up upon seeing the old Mudsdale.
"It's been awhile old friend." White Flame said as he dipped his head into a respectful greeting to the retired leader.
"That it has White Flame! This Absol hybrid here is my successor, Cairn." White Flame once again dipped his head in greeting while Cairn returned the gesture. "What brings you here? It's rare for anyone from the Alliance to even make it a fraction of the way out here!" White Flame and Halo exchanged looks then eyed the four unknown pokemon in the room.
"It may not be suitable for the ears of outsiders." Halo took the initiative to say before White Flame could open his mouth to speak. Cairn's fur began to fluff up upon hearing what the smaller hybrid had to say.
"Watch your tongue if you wish to keep it! This is the Elder family of Sea Faire, they are not outsiders in any way! If you say something along those lines again..."
"Cairn enough!" The Rockruff spoke out to cut off the current Guild Leaders outburst towards the newcomers. "They don't know any better especially if they've never made it out this far before. Don't lose your temper over such a small sentence." Lifting her chin up in Cairn's direction she cut off her statement there and turned back to the newcomers after exchanging glances with Ceris. "As Cairn has said we are the Elder family of Sea Faire. My name is Chlorophynta, feel free to refer to me as Phy like everyone else. The hybrid beside me holding blood from both Flareon and Cosmog is my younger brother Ceris, the Lurantis beside me is my mother Bloom and current Elder of Sea Faire while the Arcanine beside her is Ceris and I's grandfather the previous Elder. We were actually here to discuss with Cairn the issue of two outlaws taking up residence near the towns borders. Could that be why you're here?" Phy finished the introductions in a swift and smooth matter and brought the conversation back around as to why the Alliance members were here. White Flame was impressed by the tiny Rockruff, Phy's, capability at directing the conversation.
"Yes that is why Halo and I came here. The two outlaws who have taken up residence within the vicinity are ones that we have been hunting down for months. Halo and I came out personally to capture them and not risk the chance of them escaping names are Locket and Zirc, one is a hybrid while the other is a delta. They have been known to steal what they can and take hostages in the process. While they have yet to reach the point of killing a hostage we don't know if they could escalate to the point of doing so if the situation called for it. They tend to abandon the hostages after getting a good bit away and escaping afterwards." Phy nodded her head as she listened while Ceris closed his eyes in thought. Bloom and Elder looked at each other in concern before looking at Cairn and Trample in silence.
"What do you intend to do to capture them if they're known for managing to escape every time old friend?" Trample looked at White Flame with a mixture of concern and hesitation.
"I was hoping to make use of the resources here in terms of members from the Association and the surrounding area itself. No one knows the area better than the residents and I would like cooperation with both the Association and the Elder family to carry out this capture. We wish to make a base of operations here for the current predicament and any that may sprout up in the future if you would be so willing to allow us such an honor. We would need the help of at least 4 experienced adventurers from the Association in order to pull off the plan we have in mind to surround and capture them. We will need at least two who can fly or teleport via Psychic ability as the Delta is a dragon type delta and has grown wings and is able to maneuver in the sky with ease. The other is only capable of fighting on the ground but her ability lets her melt into shadows so a fire type or someone with the Sunny day move would come in handy as well." Cairn pondered over the information and layout he was given regarding the needs for the plan to catch the outlaws.
"I can give you the assistance you need from the Association but in terms of a base of operations for the Alliance that's on the Elder family to approve or deny. So that decision falls to Bloom." Cairn nods his head in the direction of the Lurantis in charge of the town while White Flame and Halo follow the gesture and wait for a response.
"I have no issues giving you a place to set up a headquarters for the Alliance here in Sea Faire but there isn't a building large enough to host the Alliance in town, we do have a building in need of work outside of town that you can commandeer if you wish and fix up as you see fit for your group currently and for the future. Phy and Ceris can show to you it's location." White Flame and Halo nodded in agreement and thanked the group for their assistance in this matter.
"Wait Bloom you're having Phy and Ceris show them to that place?! Are you sure that's okay?" Cairn sprang to his feet in worry after hearing Bloom offer up her two children as guides.
"Cairn you worry too much we're more than capable of taking care of ourselves!" Phy snapped in her friend's direction before nudging her brother to his feet and motioning with her tail for the two Alliance members to follow them. Huffing on the way out the door.