A Dragon's Tail
Tail 4: Claura's Tail - Stagnation
Tail 4-3: Visible Interval
-Somewhere… Not very far from Seaside Town… Not very far from Riverbrine-Fireview border…
In the middle of a lonely snowfield named Frostdrop Snowfield was the second-biggest settlement Queendom of Riverbrine. That place was none other than Snowlost City, a capital of the old Queendom of Snowlost and the new Queendom of Riverbrine. Despite being a capital city, Snowlost City was a quite small and lonely city. (Among seven capitals on the continent of Symmetria, Snowlost City was the second-smallest capital city, with the Shadowlost City, the capital of Shadowlost Territory, being the smallest.) The reason of this was because this city was located in the middle of a vast snowfield surrounded by mountain ranges, making it really hard for someone to gain access to this place. (But not as hard as Shadowlost City of Shadowlost Territory and Gamma City of Republic of Civilight.) However, this city was like a pure diamond hidden within the brutal blizzard as it was ranked to be the most beautiful city on the continent of Symmetria. The most spectacular place in this city was none other than the home of Queen Nyxier, Snowlost Castle…
Snowlost Castle was once known as 'House of Tundrafrost', which was the homestead of the Tundrafrost Family. However, after Nyxier became the queen of Queendom of Riverbrine, the House of Tundrafrost was turned into the Snowlost Castle, and the old Snowlost Castle, where the queen of the old Queendom of Riverbrine resided, was abandoned in a lonely glacier far from Snowlost City.
And Snowlost Castle's today was just like its everyday…
-At Snowlost Castle, Royal's Private Quarter
"Ho ho ho! There you are, my beautiful daughter."
A voice came from an Aurorus in a royal garb as she walked into the room. She was none other than the ruler of Queendom of Riverbrine, Queen Nyxier Tundrafrost the Aurorus.
And other than her who had just entered this room, there was one more Pokemon in this room. She was sitting at the study table and reading a book about the history of Symmetria. Like Queen Nyxier, she was an Aurorus too because she was the daughter of Queen Nyxier and the heir to the throne of Queendom of Riverbrine, Princess Misvale Tundrafrost the Aurorus.
"Good Afternoon, mother." Misvale greeted her mother politely.
"My my! You are as beautiful and graceful as ever…" Queen Nyxier said as she walked up to her daughter. "I am so proud of you, my daughter."
"Thank you, mother." Misvale said with a voice that showed her utter respect to her mother. "Anyway, what brings you here, mother?"
"First, come here to your mother so I can give you a hug…" Queen Nyxier said. "Come here, don't be shy."
Queen Nyxier didn't waste anytime waiting for her daughter's answer. She approached her daughter and gave her a big hug before she continued speaking.
"A while ago, I got this official invitation from Fireview Kingdom." Queen Nyxier said and handed over a letter to Misvale. "It's an invitation for Prince Apollo's coronation ceremony."
"Oh, my!" Misvale said as she looked at the invitation letter her mother gave her.
"Do you remember Prince Apollo, right?" Queen Nyxier asked.
"Yes, mother." Misvale answered. "The last time we met him was six weeks ago at Prince Terrus' Succession Ceremony."
"You are right, my dear." Queen Nyxier said. "Prince Apollo's Coronation Ceremony will be held at the Palace of Flame three weeks from now on. So, we must be prepared."
"Right, mother." Misvale said.
"Because Fireview's Palace of Flame was closer to our Riverbrine's Snowlost Castle than Dustorm's Desert Palace, we will leave at one week before the day of the Coronation Ceremony." Queen Nyxier said.
"Alright, mother." Misvale said.
The conversation between Queen Nyxier and Misvale was stopped temporary when both of them heard a sound of door knocking.
"Knock! Knock!"
"Who's there?" Misvale asked.
"It's me." A humble and polite voice came from outside the room. "I brought the afternoon tea for you, Princess Misvale."
"Come in." Misvale said.
After Misvale finished speaking, the door of the Royal's Private Quarter opened, and a male Pokemon in a butler uniform walked up into the room. He also brought a dessert cart with a pot of tea and a dish of dessert with him too.
"Your grace, you are here too." The butler said and bowed at Queen Nyxier and Misvale. "Would you like a cup of Belue Berry Tea too, your majesty?"
"Pour one for me." Queen Nyxier ordered.
The butler bowed at the queen again before he prepared two cups of Belue Berry Tea. After he finished preparing, he handed over one cup to Queen Nyxier and another cup to Misvale.
"Thanks." Misvale said as she received a cup of Belue Berry Tea from the butler.
After he handed the cups of tea to the royals, the butler picked a plate of dessert and placed it on a table in front of Misvale.
"The dessert for today is Macaroon." The butler said.
"Thank you." Misvale said. "Also, the tea you made is as delicious as ever."
"I am hardly worthy of milady's compliment." The butler said.
"Please…" Misvale continued speaking. "Right now, we are in a private quarter. You don't have to act so formal to mother and me. Don't forget than you are my—"
"Marvelous!" Queen Nyxier's voice interrupted Misvale's words. "Everything you made is such a magnum opus! You truly are my best servant!"
"Thank you for a compliment, your majesty." The butler bowed at Queen Nyxier again. "I am a humble servant of yours, and I will do everything for you, your majesty."
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" Queen Nyxier laughed.
"And now, I must excuse myself." The butler said as he picked two empty cups from the table and placed them on the dessert cart. "I will take my leave right now."
"Ho! Ho! Ho! Thank you for giving us a beautiful time!" Queen Nyxier laughed again as the butler, with the dessert cart, slowly walked towards the door before he left the room. However, just before he left the room, a younger Aurorus in this room spoke up.
"…Thank you for a delicious afternoon tea…"
The butler stopped walking for a second as he heard Misvale's words and turned his face back to the owner of the voice. He then bowed at the young Aurorus princess again before he continued walking until he left the room, and the door closed…
-Meanwhile, at Wingull Tavern, Seaside Town, Queendom of Riverbrine…
"It has be a while since th' last the hour I saw ye, Viola." Bismarck said.
Right now, seven Pokemon were sitting around a table in the Wingull Tavern. Three of them were Bismarck, Claura and Xavier while the other four were a male Sceptile, a male Scyther, a female Heliolisk and a male Aggron. All of them had a glass of juice in front of them. (Except Bismarck, who had a barrel of grog instead.)
"Right." The female Heliolisk said. "I think the last time we met was… No, I can't remember…"
"Me too, ya sea de'zard!" Bismarck said and poured a barrel of grog into his throat.
"So, Bismarck, are they your acquaintances?" Claura asked.
"Aye." Bismarck said. "That sea de'zard be me bucko."
"My name is Viola Sparkvolt the Heliolisk." The female Heliolisk introduced herself. "I am a… an acrobat from the Republic of Civilight."
"'n ya sea de'zard, them three Pokemon wit' ye be ye buckos, right?" Bismarck said.
"Yes." Viola nodded.
"Me moniker be Bismarck Aquamarine th' Feraligatr!" Bismarck introduced himself. "I be th' cap'n 'o Seacross!"
"…So, you truly are the Aquamarine he mentioned…" The male Scyther mumbled.
"'n ye three be?" Bismarck asked.
"My name is Zenpai Bugslash the Scyther." The male Scyther introduced himself. "I am a ninja from Principality of Leafburg."
"My name is Jasper Floratree the Sceptile." The male Sceptile introduced himself. "Like Zenpai, I come from Principality of Leafburg too, but I am a samurai, not a ninja."
"And I am Grimlock Rusteel the Aggron!" The male Aggron introduced himself. "I come from Civilight too! And everyone there calls me 'Boss'!"
"Ahoy?!" Bismarck suddenly changed his mood from a casual one into a more serious one. "Viola, Aren't they…"
"Yes, that's right." Viola said. "All of us, Jasper, Zenpai, Grimlock and I, are the same kind as you, Bismarck."
"…'n why do ye bring them to me this day?" Bismarck asked.
"Well…" Viola suddenly became serious as well. Then she, along with Grimlock, Jasper and Zenpai started telling Bismarck their story.
However…
None of them (Except Zenpai and Jasper) noticed that two other Pokemon who were sitting with them weren't here anymore…
-Meanwhile, outside the Wingull Tavern
"I hate them all."
Xavier spoke up after him and Claura left the Wingull Tavern unnoticed. While he seemed to be as weary as ever, the voice that came from his mouth was as cold as frozen water.
"Me too." Claura agreed with the Dragonite. Unlike Xavier, the Kingdra's voice was filled with anger. "If Bismarck isn't with them, I would have smashed their heads into pieces by now!"
"…Don't forget that that Feraligatr is also… You know… Too…" Xavier said. His voice was still cold.
"Yeah, I know…" Claura said.
"And now, four more appear…" Xavier said. "What should we do about this?"
"…We still need Bismarck's help in our mission." Claura answered. "But after we finish…"
"Ahoy! Mateys!"
Before Claura could finish her sentence, a loud voice of a Feraligatr called her and her cousin. They then turned their attention to the entrance of the Wingull Tavern and found that Magnus was standing there, with four Pokemon behind him. They were the Sceptile named Jasper, the Scyther named Zenpai, the Heliolisk named Viola and the Aggron named Grimlock.
"Buckos, meet our new mateys!" Bismarck spoke to Claura and Xavier. "These four landlubbers gunna travel wit' us from now on."
A flash of anger and a flash of coldness appeared in Claura's eyes and Xavier's eyes respectively as they heard Bismarck's words, but they quickly disappeared as if they had never appeared in their eyes before.
"Whatever!" Claura spoke up and turned back. "I will go and find a better thing to do for now! Don't bother me if you don't want to die!"
"Ahoy…" Bismarck said and scratched his head as he saw Claura's sudden mood change. "What 'et into ye sea horse?"
"I think she's in h—" Jasper spoke up without thinking, which made Claura turning back to face him with a flash of anger in her eyes once again. This time, that flash didn't disappear like before… It still lingered in her eyes as she, with her anchor, suddenly approached the Sceptile…
And thus, the Sceptile had another chance to suffer a near-death experience…
-A Few Days Later…
After a short break on the land, the Seacross Ship left the port town of Seaside. This time, the destination was their lair, the Back Island. It would take them about three days to reach Back Island by using the sea route that also passed through Sparkling Island and Twinwave Island.
Other than the rations and several barrels of grog, the Seacross also got four new Pokemon boarding this ship. They were a Sceptile named Jasper, a Scyther named Zenpai, a Heliolisk named Viola and an Aggron named Grimlock. Despite being what pirate called 'landlubbers', they all were quite friendly toward everyone on the ship. Jasper always flirted with the girls on the ship. Zenpai sometimes had a friendly battle with other pirates. Grimlock often had a drink with other pirates. (Mostly with Bismarck) Viola usually had a friendly talk with everyone. All of these made the pirates of Seacross acting friendly toward them, as if they were their friends…
All except…
A Kingdra and a Dragonite…
During their staying on the ship of Seacross, Claura and Xavier refused to get near Jasper, Zenpai, Viola and Grimlock, let alone speak to them. Bismarck always tried to introduce Claura and Xavier to his new friends, but Xavier always fell asleep during the introduction, and Claura wouldn't hesitate to become aggressive towards any of them if they did something she considered 'offensive' to her, such as when Jasper looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes, often resulting in her attacking him and accusing Jasper of flirting at her.
"What's the problem with those two?" Viola asked as Claura and Xavier already left the pirate ship and went onto the Sparkling Island. After several hours of sailing through the sea of Riverbrine, the sun was starting to descend from the sky. The pirate ship was now docked near Sparkling Island, the island of glittering pearl, in order to call it a day. Some pirates, including the Kingdra and the Dragonite from just before, had already left the ship and went onto the island in order to find a tavern to fill their belly or for anything else. Right now, Zenpai and Grimlock were helping Jasper, who had been attacked mercilessly by the Kingdra earlier.
"Dunno." Bismarck said. "That sea'viar always falls asleep just like 'tis, but the sea horse… I don't be knowin' what get into her…"
"But that Kingdra reminds me of Viola a bit…" Grimlock spoke up after he and Zenpai finished helping the Sceptile. "Y'know… Viola would be like that when she's on her pe—"
"GRIMLOCK!" Viola suddenly extended her collar and emitted several beams of electricity from her collar to Grimlock, attacking him with the move Parabolic Charge!
"ARRTGRGRG!" Grimlock cried in pain as he was attacked by the angry Heliolisk. Meanwhile, Bismarck, Jasper and Zenpai stood silently as they watched the whole scene…
'…Women are scary…' Zenpai thought to himself.
-A Day Later… At Night…
"Found anything?"
Claura asked as Xavier got back onto the ship. Right now, the ship of Seacross was docked at Twinwave Island, one of the islands in Riverbrine Archipelago and one of two islands that the ship of Seacross would pass through during their journey back to Back Island. Just like yesterday, Claura and Xavier went onto the island after they arrived. And after a few hours, they came back onto the ship. It seemed like Claura and Xavier went onto the Twinwave Island in order to search for something, and then both of them came back to meet each other at the ship.
"Nope." Xavier said. "How about you?"
"No." Claura answered. "Just like Sparkling Island, they are not here too."
"As I have guessed…" Xavier said. "If they aren't on Sparkling Island and Twinwave Island…"
"There are five more islands for us to search, Xavier." Claura said. "And we will reach Back Island by tomorrow's lunch."
"For now, let's catch some sleep… Yawn…" Xavier said and yawned.
Claura nodded, and then both of them got into the saloon of the ship before they entered the deck corridor in order to go back to their room. However, as they entered the deck corridor, they met someone else…
"Ah! Thar ye be!"
A loud and gruff voice called the cousins. It didn't take them very long to recognize who the owner of the voice is.
"Bismarck?" Claura said and turned her attention to the owner of the voice, and then she realized that, other than the Feraligatr, there were four other Pokemon with them too, and they were none other than… 'them'.
"Whar have both 'o ye be?" Bismarck said as he approached the Kingdra and the Dragonite, along with Jasper, Zenpai, Viola and Grimlock.
"Nothing." Claura answered. Her eyes were fixed at Bismarck so that she wouldn't have to look at the other four Pokemon behind the Feraligatr. "What about you, Bismarck? What are you doing here at a time like this?"
"Yeah…" Xavier spoke up. "I remember that you would be at the tavern somewhere around here and stuff your belly with those liquid made out of berries—"
"Shut ye mouth up ye sea'viar, or ye gunna goin' to get keelhaul." Bismarck said.
"Oh, great…" Grimlock mumbled. "This Dragonite reminded me of…him."
"Anyway…" Bismarck continued speaking. "Ye be knowin' that we gunna reach our home by to'morrow's midday meal, right? What I be needin' to be tellin' ye be that I won't be at th' base fer a while."
"Why?" Claura asked.
"Let's explain the next part." Zenpai spoke up, making a spark of anger and a spark of coldness flashed in the Kingdra's eyes and the Dragonite's eyes for a second.
"First, you may don't know this…" Viola started speaking. "But we are—"
"The one who bears the Blood of Legend in veins with the destiny to 'save' the world from the 'danger', right?" Xavier spoke up with a sarcastic voice.
"Wait, how did you know that?!" Jasper asked.
"…Won't you continue your explanation?" Xavier said. "I am quite sleepy by now, so if you don't finish your explanation within the next—"
"Okay, okay…" Viola interrupted the Dragonite's words. "Well… Jasper and Zenpai came from Leafburg while Grimlock and I came from Civilight. The reason we are here was because the former Hero of Electric type, Ellisk Sparkvolt the Heliolisk, who is my father, told all of us to come and meet the Aquamarines…"
"…" Despite still holding a grudge against all of them, Claura and Xavier listened carefully to the Heliolisk.
"Th' Aquamarines that th' land'zard mentioned was referred to me 'n me pop." Bismarck spoke up. "Y'know… Me moniker be Bismarck Aquamarine th' Feraligatr, 'n me salty sea-dog 'o a father's moniker be Magnus Aquamarine th' Feraligatr, 'n he be th' current Hero of Water type."
"…So, the reason that four 'Hero' of Legend are here is because they want to meet the Hero of Water type and his son." Claura said. "And the son of the Hero of Water type is right here…"
"Right." Zenpai said. "And the next thing we must do is to meet the current Hero of Water type, Magnus Aquamarine the Feraligatr."
"I understand." Claura said. "The reason why Bismarck won't be around here after we reach Back Island is because he, along with you all, would go and meet the 'Hero' of Water type, right?"
"Half-right." Bismarck spoke up. "While, 'tis true that we gunna leave to meet me salty sea-dog 'o a father, a better word to use be 'to find me salty sea-dog 'o a father'."
"…What does that mean?" Claura asked.
"It means that me salty sea-dog 'o a father be now missin'." Bismarck said.
-Meanwhile… Near the Riverbrine-Fireview Border
"WHAT?!"
A loud voice of a Charizard and a Garchomp could be heard from a small cave in the middle of a pine forest. The owner of those voices were none other than Zetarus and Diego.
"If I were you, I will lower my voice so no one would find out that there're two outlaws hiding around here." Richard spoke.
"H…Hey!" Diego spoke. "W…What did you mean by that?!"
"I mean that the words I told you earlier when we first arrived at Riverbrine was now invalid." Richard said.
"…Didn't I tell you to use easier words?" Zetarus said.
"…It means that it will take longer than one week for us to reach Fireview Kingdom." Richard said.
"Hey! How come that be?!" Diego said.
"Don't forget that it's our first time here in the Queendom of Riverbrine…" Richard said. "And the blizzard of this Frostdrop Pine Forest makes everything worse."
"Then, how long would it take for us to reach Fireview?!" Diego asked.
"I don't know." Richard said. "But I am sure that it wouldn't take us longer than one month."
"GARRR!" Zetarus suddenly roared out. His sudden action shocked Rachael, who was playing with Cathy.
"…" While his younger sister was shocked by the the Garchomp's roar, Richard didn't say anything, not even a bit. In fact, the reason why he remained silent seemed like he was scared by the Garchomp's ferocious action, not because he could stay calm and collected.
"Why do I have to stay with this 'Zno' thing for a whole month?!" Zetarus roared. "I fxxxxxg hate this place!"
"CHARRR!" Diego roared out. "When will I be able to get back to Fireview and kick those axxxxxxs in their axs?!"
"…" Richard didn't say (Or act) anything.
"Garrr… Whatever…" Zetarus said. It seemed like he had finally calmed down. "Geezz… I am so tired… I think I will call it a day right now…"
"WHAT?!" Diego was shocked by Zetarus' sudden change of mood. "Just like that?"
"Well… What can we do?" Zetarus said. "Those Lati are our only hope anyway…"
"Hm!" Diego grumbled before he turned his attention to Richard. "If it wasn't because we needed your help, I would murder you right now and right here!"
"…" Richard didn't say anything.
"Hm!" Diego grumbled one more time before he walked up to his sleeping bag near Zetarus (Who had already fallen asleep) and got into it. The Charizard then quickly fell asleep after a long day of journey.
"T…T…They are so scary…" Rachael spoke up after she saw that the Garchomp and the Charizard had already fallen asleep.
"…" Richard still didn't say anything. In fact, it seemed like he was paralyzed by fear when the Charizard threatened to kill him.
"O…O…Onii-chan… Let's continue our bedtime story!" Rachael quickly approached her brother and asked her brother to continue reading the bedtime story in order to distract her brother from his fear. "I want to know what would happen next."
"Hm? Y…Yeah, sure…" Richard said and picked a book of bedtime story before he continued reading it to his sister from where he paused.
To Be Continued…
Dragon of Vale: Sorry for lack of update. It was because my whole break is over, so I wouldn't be able to update very often just like before…
Anyway, it has already been 3 chapters of the fourth tail and we still haven't gotten into the 'main story' of the fourth tail yet… Don't worry. The next chapter will get this story into the main story of the fourth tail.
One more thing, it may seem like this chapter goes on at a slow pace, but once it gets into the main story of the fourth tail, the story will go on at a faster pace.
A special thanks to Ridin Valon for helping me with the error correction.