A Dragon's Tail
Tail 4: Claura's Tail - Stagnation
Tail 4-2: Queendom of Riverbrine
Once upon a time, there were two nations, the eastern nation of cerulean water and the western nation of the sparkling glacier… The eastern nation was ruled by greedy senates of merchants while the western nation was ruled by the graceful queen of snow. Because of its tropical climate and its location, the eastern nation became a nation of trading, making it a prosperous nation envied by other nations on the continent. The western nation, however, being located in an area with a harsh climate, couldn't afford to cultivate any agricultural products for exports. Thus, the only way for the western region to earn money was to send out groups of mercenaries to do their job in other nations, mostly in the eastern nation.
However, the eastern nation always gave the western nation unfair deals and turned the situation of the western nation even worse. Not knowing what to do, the snow queen of the western nation decided to pay a visit to the senates of the eastern nation in order to strike a better deal with them…
The queen of snow went to the eastern nation, but she never returned…
There were many rumors regarding her missing, including the rumor that she was assassinated by the senates of the eastern nation…
Finally, a henchman who accompanied the queen of snow in her journey to the eastern nation came back in the worst condition possible. But before he passed away, he was able to pass the truth to the close friend of the queen of snow…
The truth that confirmed a rumor…
A rumor that the snow queen was assassinated by the senates of the eastern nation!
Enraged by the merciless action of the eastern nation, the Pokemon of the western nation decided to start a war with the eastern nation, under the lead of the snow queen's friend who received the dying truth from the snow queen's henchman.
Because the Pokemon of the western nation were fierce warriors who lived in the region with harsh climates, their sheer power easily overwhelmed the force of the eastern nation.
However, there's yet one more surprise for them…
As they marched into the eastern nation, the Pokemon of the western nation learned that the Pokemon of the eastern nation, under the rule of the corrupted senates, were all living in poverty. Not only that, the citizens of the eastern nation also supported the force of the western nation to take down the corrupted monarchy of the senates.
Finally, with the support of the eastern nation citizens, victory easily belonged to the western nation, and thus ended the corrupted rule of the eastern nation's senates.
After the end of the war, the queen of snow's friend who led the army of the western nation was chosen to be the next queen of the western nation. She also united the eastern nation and the western nation together and created a new nation of prosperity. Under her rule, the new nation was in a state of peace from that day until today…
"Wait a minute, Onii-chan…"
Richard turned his attention to the book of bedtime story to his younger sister, who was listening to his story.
"I thought that I asked you to read me a bedtime story…" Rachael spoke up. "But… That story is actually the history of this nation, the Queendom of Riverbrine, right?"
"…What made you think like that, Rachael?" Richard asked.
"I have read the story of this war before, and it definitely matches the tale you had just told me…" Rachael said. "The western nation is the old Queendom of Snowlost while the eastern nation is the old Confederacy of Riverbrine. The war in your story is the War of the Snowlost Peninsula, and the friend of the queen of snow who led the army of the western nation, as well as the Pokemon who became the queen of the united nation, is Queen Nyxier Tundrafrost the Aurorus, right? I knew it!"
"…" Richard said nothing and continued listening to his sister's talking.
"Moreover, despite being a nation that won this war, the newly united didn't use the name of the western nation. Instead, Queen Nyxier decided to use the name 'Riverbrine', which was the name of the eastern nation, to be the name of the united nation in order to show her sympathy to the eastern nation. With this, the citizens of the eastern nation rejoiced and fully accepted Queen Nyxier as their ruler. Despite using the name of the nation that lost the war as the name of the united nation, the citizens of the western nation didn't harbor any bad feeling toward Queen Nyxier as they were the winner anyway, and the name 'Snowlost' had become the name of the peninsula that is the location of the united Queendom of Riverbrine and the nation that was born after the war ended, the Shadowlost Territory..." Rachael explained.
"…Rachael, aren't you sleepy by now?" Richard asked.
"Yawn…" Rachael released a small yawn. "I think I'm starting to feel sleepy…"
"Then, let's end today's story for now…" Richard said and closed the book of bedtime story he was holding in his paw. "We will continue this story tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay…" Rachael said. "But… Onii-chan, do not put a historical story in the bedtime story again, okay?"
Richard nodded as Rachael entered her flower-patterned sleeping bag and quickly fell asleep. Then the Latios picked his Chronicle of Daybreak and continued reading it.
Meanwhile…
"Yo-ho-ho!"
In the saloon of the Seacross Ship, there was a party to cerebrate their victory in the naval battle against the Razor Scale. Several barrels of grog were brought here for everyone to celebrate, along with the food cooked from the Clawitzer, Kingler, Gyarados and Wishiwashi that Bismarck and Claura caught this morning.
"Aye!" Bismarck roared. He was holding a small barrel of grog in his right paw. "We show them who's cap'n around here wit' our ball, so we celebrate 'til mornin'!"
"Ahoy!" Eeveryone roared to Bismarck's words before they continued their meal.
"…" Unlike everyone, Claura didn't say anything. She just sat silently next to Bismarck, who was now pouring the grog from the barrel into his throat.
"Want some, sea horse?" Bismarck asked and offered Claura a mug of grog.
"Thanks." Claura said as she received a mug of grog from Bismarck and started drinking it using her straw-like mouth.
"Ye don't look extra well, sea horse…" Bismarsk said. "Do ye have somethin' in ye mind?"
"Nothing." Claura answered. "I am just wondering about… Xavier."
"Oh, that sea 'viar?" Bismarsk said. "I be sure that he be snorin' in his room by now."
"Then, I will go and bring him here…" Claura said.
"Aye." Bismarsk said before he poured another barrel of grog into his throat as the Kingdra left the saloon of the ship.
Instead of going to the room where most crews rested, Claura moved along the deck corridor of the ship until she reached the rear deck. This was the spot where she and Bismarsk went fishing this morning. Right now, because everyone was in the saloon, the rear deck was empty…
Except…
There was a Pokemon here. He stood there silently, facing the black ocean of the night. This Pokemon was none other than the Dragonite that Claura was trying to find.
"…" Xavier didn't say anything. All he did was just space out silently at the ocean.
"Sleeping while standing, huh?" Claura said and approached the Dragonite. "Only you have a talent to do something like this…"
"No, you are wrong, Claura." Xavier suddenly spoke up and turned his attention to the Kingdra. "Our grandfather has this talent too."
"Oh, I forgot about him…" Claura said. "By the way, weren't you sleeping?"
"Yes, I was." Xavier nodded. "Until your rough voice woke me up."
"Hm! You are always like this!" Claura said and approached the Dragonite before she stopped beside him.
"By the way, Claura…" Xavier spoke up. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you go and celebrate with those pirates in the saloon?"
"That question belonged to me, not you, Xavier." Claura said. "I am not surprised to see that you weren't in the saloon of the ship, but I was surprised that you aren't sleeping in your room just like usual."
"…I was just thinking about something…" Xavier answered. "About today's battle…"
"Ah…" Claura nodded. "You were trying to analyze the strate—"
"No." Xavier shook his head. "I was just thinking about…this."
Xavier pointed his paw at a black brooch on his chest. As he did it, the brooch started emitting a mysterious aura, followed by a voice that could be only be heard by Claura and Xavier.
'What do you want from me, Xavier?' A mighty and majestic voice of a male Pokemon echoed through the head of the Dragonite and the Kingdra.
"I just want to thank you for helping me today." Xavier answered.
'Words of gratitude is inessential, Xavier.' The 'voice' spoke up again. 'It is my duty for me, Zastra the Zekrom, to lend my power to someone who chose to form a pact with me.'
"Serious as usual…" Xavier mumbled.
"That reminds me… Vastia…" Claura said and looked at the white brooch on her chest. This made it began to glow, and then another voice echoed through the head of Claura and Xavier. This time, it was a voice of a female Pokemon.
'You summoned me, Claura?' A graceful and majestic voice of a female Pokemon echoed through the Dragonite and the Kingdra.
"Right." Claura said. "Thank you for helping us during a battle."
'I am glad to be able to help you, Claura.' The 'voice' said. 'As the Dragon Legend whom you have formed a pact with, the power of me, Vastia the Reshiram, shall always be yours.'
"As always…" Xavier spoke up. "Zastra and Vastia… Both of them are like the opposite side of the same coin… Black and White… Ideal and Truth…"
"You are right, Xavier." Claura nodded. "It's hard to believe that both of you are siblings."
'…Aren't you and Xavier the same?' Vastia said.
'Right.' Zastra said. 'Despite being completely different from each other, you are siblings, right?'
"Hm?" Claura said. "Sorry for not telling you before, but Xavier and I aren't siblings. However, we are actually related by blood."
"Right." Xavier nodded. "Claura's father is the elder brother of my mother. That makes Claura and I cousins of each other, right?"
'I see…' Vastia nodded.
"Whatever…" Xavier mumbled before he turned his attention to the Kingdra. "Claura, where are we right now?"
"Bismarck said that we would reach the Seaside Town tomorrow." Claura answered. "And then they will roam the seven islands of Riverbrine."
"Typical pirate…" Xavier mumbled. "Anyway, Claura, do you still remember the 'objective'?"
"Objective? Which one?" Claura asked. "Our own objective, the objective that we got from the Dragonqueen, or the objective that we chose to form a pact with Vastia and Zastra?"
"All of them." Xavier said.
"How could I forget them?" Claura said. "First, I won't abandon my own objective, no matter what. Second, the objective from the Dragonqueen… We were honored to receive a mission from the Dragonqueen herself, so we must not disappoint her. And the last one…"
"…" Both Claura and Xavier fell into silence for a while, and then…
"Thar ye be…Hick!"
A voice came from the deck corridor of the ship and followed by the appearance of the pirate captain, Bismarck. His face was really red, and it seemed like he was completely drunk.
"Hello there, Bismarck." Claura said.
"Hick!" Bismarck slowly walked up before he fell down in front of Claura.
"Bismarck?" Claura said and approached the Feraligatr. "You are drunk now. Come on, we will take you back to your room…"
"Hick! I be… Hick! Not drunk… Hick!" Bismarck mumbled.
"Come on!" Claura said. "Xavier, help me."
"Good grief…" Xavier mumbled.
"Hick!" Bismarck mumbled.
The Next Day…
"Ahoy!"
After a long sailing, the pirate ship of the Seacross had arrived at the mainland. Right now, the ship was docked in a small cave named Seaside Cave.
"Don't for'et to 'et us supply 'n spiced grog." Bismarck ordered his crews. "We gunna lea'e fer th' se'en islands 'o Ri'erbrine three days from now on. Before that, do whatever ye want. I don't care if ye want to find somethin' to stuff ye belly or ye gunna be off 'n get laid wit' them landlubbers or not, just remember me words."
"Aye, sir!" Everyone on the Seacross ship said before some of them left the cave while some of them stayed at the ship.
"Well…" Bismarck said and turned his attention to Claura and Xavier. "Shall I show ye sea horse 'n sea 'viar around here?"
"Do as you want." Claura said.
"…" Xavier didn't say anything. He just nodded in response.
"Then, follow me!" Bismarck said before he left the Seaside Cave, with Claura and Xavier following him.
Queendom of Riverbrine was one of two nations that was located on the Snowlost Peninsula, the peninsula located northeast of the mainland Symmetria that also liedto the northwest of the mainland Symmetria. (The other nation that was located on the Snowlost Peninsula was the Shadowlost Territory.) This nation was connected to the Shadowlost Territory to the north, the Republic of Civilight to the south and Fireview Kingdom to the southwest. This nation was homed to most Water type and Ice type Pokemon.
Queendom of Riverbrine could be divided into three regions; the Snowy Region, the River Region, and the Brine Region. Both Snowy Region and River Region were located on the mainland Riverbrine, with the Misveil Mountain Range that separated both regions from each other. The Brine Region, on the other hand, consisted of the sea and the seven islands of Riverbrine.
The Snowy Region of the Queendom of Riverbrine mostly consisted of icy mountain, vast glaciers, snowy field and tundra forest of pine tree. The second-biggest town, as well as the capital of the Queendom of Riverbrine, the Snowlost City, was located in the middle of this region. This city was also the place where the beautiful queen of Riverbrine, Queen Nyxier Tundrafrost the Aurorus, stayed.
The Brine Region of the Queendom of Riverbrine consisted of the Riverbrine Sea and the Riverbrine Archipelago, which was the archipelago consisted of seven islands. They were…
Riverbrine Island: The biggest island of the Riverbrine Archipelago located at the middle of the Riverbrine Archipelago. This island was also the biggest port town and the biggest town of the Queendom of Riverbrine.
Sparkling Island: An island located northwest of Riverbrine Island. Other than being the closest island to the mainland Queendom of Riverbrine, this island was also famous for its beautiful and high-quality pearls.
Triangle Island: A group of three small islands that formed into the shape of a triangle. This island located north of Sparkling Island. Several archeologists believed that this island held some mysterious secret…
Twinwave Island: Two small islands joined together and created this beautiful paradise. Twinwave Island located east of Sparkling Island, southeast of Triangle Island and north of Riverbrine Island. This island was said to be the tropical paradise of Symmetria as its was discovered to harbor the most beautiful beach and sea of Symmetria!
Back Island: An island located southeast of Twinwave Island and east of Riverbrine Island. This island was infamous for strong currents that surrounded it, making it dangerous for anyone to approach it. However, this made it a safe haven for several groups of fearless pirate.
Isles of Spices: These isles were a group of four small islands located southeast of Riverbrine Island and Back Island. Each island was famous for its spice as most spices that could be found on the continent of Symmetria could also be found here too.
Solitude Island: A lonely island located southeast of the Isles of Spices. Being the last island of the Riverbrine Archipelago, this island was the furthest island from the mainland Symmetria. This island was also the most eastern point of the continent of Symmetria, making it a perfect place for travelers to observe the sunrise.
The River Region of the Queendom of Riverbrine was the smallest region among three. It only consisted of wetlands, rivers and beach. The beach of River Region was called Seaside Beach, which was a long beach that covered the entire eastern coast of the Queendom of Riverbrine. There were several small caves along the Seaside Beach. One of them was the cave where the pirate ship of the Seacross was docked right now, the Seaside Cave. Not too far from the Seaside Cave was the second-biggest port town and the third-biggest town in the Queendom of Riverbrine, the Seaside Town.
The Seaside Town, being a port town, was lively and crowded with many Pokemon. Most of them were either water type Pokemon or merchants from other nations.
"Thank you for showing us around the Seaside Town." Claura said as she, Xavier and Bismarck walked around the Seaside Town. Bismarck acted like a guide to the Kingdra and Dragonite.
"Aye, no problem." Bismarck said.
"But…" Xavier said and looked around the town.
"What's wrong, sea 'viar?" Bismarck asked.
"…Despite having a very clear sight that you are a pirate captain, no Pokemon in this town shows any sight of fear as they saw you, Bismarck." Xavier said.
"You are right, Xavier." Claura said. "Bismarck, why do no one fear you, despite that you are a pirate captain?"
"'tis because I be a cap'n 'o th' Seacross" Bismarck answered. "Unlike other 'roup 'o scurvy pirate, th' Seacross be known fer bein' a 'roup 'o scurvy pirate who only hunt treasure 'n corrupted nobles. In other words, we be not dan'erous to them."
"I see…" Xavier nodded.
"Anyway, whar do ye want to be off next?" Bismarck asked.
"I think I am thirsty right now…" Xavier said. "Bismarck, could you take us to a place where we could find something to drink?"
"Agreed." Claura said. "And how about we treat you as a thanks for being a guide for us?"
"Be ye sure 'bout 'tis?!" Bismarck asked. "I mean, I drink like a Camerupt!"
"So…That means 'No'?" Xavier asked.
"No! No! No! No!" Bismarck quickly refused Xavier's words. "I gunna never let 'tis chance get away from me."
"So, do you know any good place to have a drink?" Claura asked.
"Aye." Bismarck said. "Come wit' me."
Bismarck led Claura and Xavier to a big tavern named 'Wingull'. Bismarck explained that this was the place where sailors and pirates usually stopped by to have a drink; both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
After ordering their drink, Bismarck started another conversation with Claura and Xavier.
"Come to think 'o it... 'tis be th' first the hour that both 'o ye come to Seaside Town, right?" Bismarck asked.
"Right." Claura said. "Before Xavier and I boarded your ship, I remembered that we were at the Theocracy of Venturnome…"
"Right." Xavier said and yawned. "We were at the Trading Post at the border of Venturnome and Leafburg…"
"I remember that th' Seacross was stoppin' thar too." Bismarck said. "However, th' Pokemon from 'enturnome tried to arrest us just because we be band 'o pirates. 'n it was both 'o ye that we could escape..."
"I just don't understand that place…" Claura said. "Everyone in Venturnome acted like they were some kind of special Pokemon chosen by Arceus…"
"Right…" Xavier said. "But that proved that Arceus is a heart—"
Before Xavier could finish his sentence, Claura quickly covered the Dragonite's mouth.
"You fool!" Claura whispered so that no one other than her and Xavier could hear her words. "Do not say anything like that!"
"…Aren't my words the truth?" Xavier asked.
"I know what you are thinking…" Claura said. "But do remember that we are on the continent of Symmetria. Everyone on this continent respected Arceus and Yggdrasil as their god and goddess, so do not go around and bad-mouth them unless you want everyone around here to beat you to death."
"…You say 'Do not go around and bad-mouth them'… But Claura, you are the one who REALLY want to do it…" Xavier mumbled. "Well, if you say so… I will keep my mouth shut."
"What be ye a pair doin'?" Bismarck asked as he was looking at Claura and Xavier for some time.
"It's nothing, Bismarck." Claura said.
"Anyway…" Bismarck continued speaking. "After ye a pair helped us, I be impressed by ye skill at battle 'n decide to let ye come wit' us, right?"
"Right." Claura said. "We must thank you for that."
"Ye help us first, so we help ye back, nothin' strange wit' it." Bismarck said before he remembered something. "By th' way, both 'o ye be tellin' me that ye be on a journey to search fer somethin', right?"
"Um…" Claura and Xavier looked at each other.
"Well, if it isn't booty, then I won't ask ye 'bout 'tis." Bismarck said. "But since we be in th' Queendom 'o Ri'erbrine, why don't ye start ye searchin' wit' th' seven islands? After we left 'tis town, we would roam th' seven islands, 'n 'o course, both 'o ye can come wit' us."
"Well, Claura and I need to think about it for a bit about what to do next…" Xavier answered. "But thank you for your offer."
"No worry!" Bismarck said.
The conversation ended when a waiter came back with two glasses of Pinap Berry Juice for Claura and Xavier and a barrel of Oran Berry Wine. Bismarck then wasted no time and poured the wine into his throat. Meanwhile, Xavier took out the map of Symmetria and placed it on the table.
"Let's plan our next move…" Xavier said. "We have gone to Civilight, Leafburg, Venturnome already, but we didn't find 'them'."
"That leaves us with Riverbrine, Shadowlost, Fireview and Dustorm…" Claura said. "Let's search Riverbrine first…"
"I am sure that 'they' aren't at the Snowy Region of Riverbrine, so all we must do is search the River Region and the Brine Region of Riverbrine…" Xavier said.
"Agreed." Claura nodded. "It means that we would travel together for a while longer, Bismarck."
Claura said and turned her attention to Bismarck, who already finished drinking the barrel of Oran Berry Wine.
"Glad to have ye wit' us." Bismarck said as he ordered another barrel of wine. "We gunna show ye th' se'en islands 'o Ri'erbrine!"
Bismarck stopped speaking right there as the waiter came with another barrel of Oran Berry Wine. As he poured them into his throat, Xavier put away his map and he, along with Claura, started drinking their Pinap Berry Juice…
And then…
"Oh my… You are such a beautiful babe…"
A voice of a male Pokemon echoed into Claura's ears. Claura then saw a male Sceptile in a suit of samurai armor walking up to her.
"My, my! You are like a sight for sore eyes in this place…" Sceptile said as he approached the Kingdra. "How about you come with me and—UGH!"
The Sceptile's words were interrupted by his own voice of pain as Claura suddenly headbutted the Sceptile at his crotch, knocking him down on the floor of the tavern.
"ARRGGG!" Before the Sceptile could do anything, Claura flung herself onto the body of him and bent his legs!
"GGAFAARARARA!" The Sceptile tried to struggle free as the Claura bent his legs, but he couldn't free himself from the Kingdra's sheer power!
"Do. Not. Do. That. Thing. To. Me!" Claura said as she bent the Sceptile's legs.
"I yield! I yield!" The Sceptile said. "Please, let me go!"
"Hm!" Claura mumbled and let go of the Sceptile's legs, freeing him from her torture at last.
"S…S…She's…a…blast…" The Sceptile said after he got freed, but he still couldn't stand up.
And then…
"Jasper!"
A voice came from another Pokemon who quickly walked up to the Sceptile. That Pokemon was a Scyther in a ninja garb.
"Z…Z…Zenpai…" The Sceptile mumbled.
"Geez… You hit on a girl again, didn't you?" The Scyther said before he turned his attention to Claura. "I am so sorry that my friend here acted rude to you, milady."
"Hm!" Claura mumbled. "At least your manners aren't as terrible as your friend."
"Jasper, you apologize her too…" The Scyther said and helped the Sceptile up.
"Well, I am sorry, ma'am." The Sceptile said.
"…Whatever." Claura said.
"By the way, Zenpai…" The Sceptile turned his attention to the Scyther. "Where are Grimlock and—"
"Hey! You guys!"
Another voice came from a Pokemon who had just entered the tavern. He was an Aggron. He slowly walked up to the Sceptile and the Scyther.
"Found that Pokemon yet, Grimlock?" The Sceptile asked.
"Nope." The Aggron said. "Only she knows his face."
"And where is she?" The Scyther asked.
Before the Aggron could say anything, another Pokemon entered the tavern and walked up to the Sceptile, Scyther and Aggron. That Pokemon was a female Heliolisk.
"There you are, Jasper, Zenpai, Grimlock." The Heliolisk said.
"Oh, Viola!" The Sceptile said. "Did you find him yet?"
"Hey! Don't you remember what I told you?!" The Heliolisk suddenly became angry. "He lived on the Riverbrine Island, not the mainland Riverbrine! So, we won't find him here!"
"Aww…" The Aggron said.
"Come on, let's go and find—" The Heliolisk said and was about to turn back when she saw Bismarck pouring another barrel of Oran Berry Wine into his throat.
"One moaaarrr…" Bismarck gave an order to the waiter to bring him another barrel of Oran Berry Wine.
"Bismarck!" Claura spoke up. "You are already drunk! Shouldn't you stop drinking for now?"
"Hick! I am… Hick! Not drunk… Hick!" Bismarck said.
"Hey!" The Heliolisk walked up to Bismarck. "Aren't you…"
"Hick! Oh…" Bismarck looked at the Heliolisk. "I know you… Hick! You are…"
"Viola, is he…" Zenpai asked.
"Yes…" The Heliolisk said and turned her attention back to Bismarck. "We finally found you, Aquamarine."
To Be Continued…
Dragon of Vale: In this chapter, we learn that Claura had formed a pact with a Reshiram named Vastia, and her cousin, Xavier, had formed a pact with a Zekrom named Zastra.
And… Look who we have here! But how could they come here?
A special thanks to Ridin Valon for helping me with the error correction.