A Dragon's Tail
Tail 4: Claura's Tail - Stagnation
Tail 4-4: Tragedy of the Wave
-In the throne room of Snowlost Castle, Queendom of Riverbrine
"Your majesty! Please! We beg your mercy!" Several water type Pokemon pled as they were now kneeling in front of the throne, where the queen of the Queendom of Riverbrine was sitting.
"Silence!" Queen Nyxier scolded. "Your insolence of trying to cause havoc upon the motherland of Riverbrine is unforgivable!"
"But your majesty, right now, the Riverbrine Archipelago is plagued with a mysterious sea monster that destroyed everything in its path, making it almost impossible for us to earn enough for the tax—"
"Insolence!" Queen Nyxier scolded at the villagers of Riverbrine Archipelago. "Your job is to earn enough money for our beloved queendom. If you can't do it, then you will not have any right to walk the holy realm of water and snow. Guards! Take them to the dungeon!"
"My queen! Spare mercy on us!" Several villagers tried to plea again as the guards took them away from the throne room, but their plea was unresponded until none of them were in the throne room anymore…
"Those wretched creatures…" Queen Nyxier commented. "This punishment served them right! Ho Ho Ho!"
"…Mother?" Misvale spoke up. Right now, she was standing beside her mother. "Isn't it a bit… too much to punish them just because they couldn't afford to pay tax?"
"Not too much, my darling…" Queen Nyxier spoke to her daughter with a much softer voice than the voice she used to scold the villagers. "Their crime is truly unforgivable, so it served them right."
"But what they said is true, mother." Misvale said. "There's a report of a monstrous sea creature roaming around the Riverbrine Archipelago, destroying everything in its sight; be a house or a ship. With this, the villagers couldn't continue their work at the sea as it's too dangerous to travel the Riverbrine Sea right now, so their reason of not having enough money to pay for the tax is reasonable…"
"That's not reasonable, my beloved daughter." Queen Nyxier said. "If they can't pay, then they don't have any right to stay here. This is the law of Riverbrine, my dear."
"But—" Misvale tried to reason with her mother. However, her words were cut short here when another Pokemon entered the throne room. He was none other than the Royal Family's personal butler.
"You summoned me, your majesty?" The butler bowed at Queen Nyxier and Misvale.
"Ah, there you are…" Queen Nyxier turned her attention to the butler. "Have you prepared for tonight's grand dinner yet?"
"Yes, of course, milady." The butler bowed at the queen again. "We already got the ingredients for tonight's grand meal."
"Just remember that tonight will be an important night for Tundrafrost Royal Family." Queen Nyxier said. "I want every dish served at tonight's grand dinner to exceed the cost of living of those wretched creatures."
"M…Mother!" Misvale was shocked by her mother's words. "I…Isn't it a bit too much?"
"It must be, my dear." Queen Nyxier said. "Because all nobles and senates of Queendom of Riverbrine will come to join us for tonight's grand dinner, so we must give them our best care."
"But—" Misvale tried to continue speaking, but again, her words were cut off by the butler's voice.
"As you command, milady." The butler bowed at Queen Nyxier again. "I will go back to the kitchen to proceed with your instruction, if you excuse me, milady…"
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" Queen Nyxier laughed as the butler left the throne room, leaving Queen Nyxier and Misvale in the throne room…
'Why?' Misvale thought as she looked at the butler who was leaving the throne room. 'Why? I don't understand… Why?!'
Meanwhile…
After leaving the throne room, the butler walked along the hall of Snowlost Castle before he proceeded to go to the storage of the castle, where all ingredients for cooking were stored. Then he picked up some ingredients that would be used for tonight's grand dinner. However, just when he reached the deeper part of the storage room…
"…There you are, Snow Tundrafrost the Lapras."
A strong and gruff voice called the name of the butler from the deepest part of the storage room. The butler stopped moving as he heard the voice. Although he still hadn't seen the owner of the voice yet, he knew who he is.
"…What are you doing here?" The butler spoke with a cold voice, unlike the heartwarming voice he used to speak with Queen Nyxier and Misvale.
"I just heard about Nyxier's action, so I decided to come here to see it with my own eyes." The mysterious Pokemon said.
"You don't have any right to come here, general." The butler said.
"I know." The mysterious Pokemon said. "And I don't really want to be here, especially to meet the corrupted queen of Riverbrine."
"I must ask you to stop speaking about your majesty using those words, general." The butler said.
"…If I don't, what would you do?" The mysterious Pokemon asked with a sinister voice.
"…" The butler didn't say anything.
"You never change…" The mysterious Pokemon said. "Well, I have my own morals, so I will leave now. However, expect me to visit here again soon…"
The mysterious Pokemon slowly walked up from the deepest part of the room. He slowly walked past the butler, who didn't say anything until the mysterious Pokemon left the storage room.
"…" The butler said nothing before he continued with his duty.
-Meanwhile... On the Back Island, Queendom of Riverbrine
After several months of absence, the Seacross had finally come back to the place they called home, Back Island, one of seven islands in the Riverbrine Archipelago. Because it was surrounded by strong current and whirlpools, most ships didn't bother to go near it, except for the ship of fearless pirates, making it a perfect haven for them.
"Land Ahoy!"
The ship of Seacross slowly docked at the beach of Back Island, and severalpirates got out of the ship and walked the land of Back Island.
"We finally get back home!"
"Ahoy! Cap'n says that we gunna stay here fer a while!"
"Aye! That's great!"
"I be goin' to drink spiced grog 'til I hit a knockout!"
Several pirates spoke with their mates as they got out of the ship and walked the land of Back Island, until their head was knocked by a fist of their captain.
"What be ye all doin'?!" Bismarck scolded. "Get goin' or I be goin' to kick ye but!"
"AYE! SIR!"
Several pirates said and quickly went back into the ship to carry their supplies and several barrels of grog from the ship to their hideout.
"Don't slack off!" Bismarck scolded at his crew as they were doing their job.
"You seem to be busy, hm?" A voice spoke to the Feraligatr. It came from Viola, who was walking out of the ship along with Grimlock, Zenpai and Jasper.
"Aye." Bismarck said.
"Hey…" Grimlock mumbled and looked around, as if he was trying to find something. "Where's that Kingdra and that Dragonite?"
"Th' sea horse 'n th' sea'viar?" Bismarck said. "Don't worry 'bout them. They be never mornin' Pokemon anyway. But they gunna show up before I sail out anyway."
"Well, if you say so…" Grimlock said.
"So, when will we leave?" Jasper asked.
"Fer now, let's get some rest 'n preparation.." Bismarck answered. "When th' sea turns red, meet me at a cave behind 'tis island. We gunna leave when th' sea turns black."
After he finished speaking, Bismarck walked away into the Seacross' Base, leaving Viola, Grimlock, Zenpai and Jasper here.
"Meet him when the sea turns red? And then leave when the sea turns black?" Grimlock mumbled. "What did he mean by that?"
"He meant that we meet him at a cave behind Back Island at the twilight." Zenpai answered. "And then we will leave after the sunset."
"Not like that, Zenpai." Viola said. "It should be, 'You idiot! Didn't your ash-filled brain understands such common words of mediocrity?'"
Everyone laughed at Viola as she spoke using difficult words while also imitating a voice of a certain dragon who, along with another dragon, was travelling with them until not too long ago…
"Man… Not gonna lie… But I really miss his voice…" Grimlock said.
"Me too…" Viola suddenly became saddened. "Despite his arrogance, I think I really miss Richard…"
"Us too…" Jasper and Zenpai said. "We also miss Rachael… She is our beloved sister… I wonder where they are right now…"
"…Should we really be here?" Grimlock spoke up. "I mean, shouldn't we go back and find them first?"
"…They will be fine… I am sure…" Jasper said. "I trust that Richard wouldn't let his younger sister get into any harm."
"Well… If that's so…" Zenpai said. "Then, what should we do right now? We still have several hours before the twilight. For me, I think I will do some training. Anyone want to join me? Jasper?"
"Nah, not now…" Jasper declined Zenpai's offer. "I have a better thing to do."
"Do what?" Grimlock asked.
"Take care of my own 'weapon'. Not my Emerald Katana, but my hidden 'weapon'." Jasper spoke with a crafty voice.
"Whatever… Just don't let that Kingdra hear your words…" Zenpai said before he turned his attention to Viola and Grimlock. "What about you two?"
"My tummy's rumbling right now." Grimlock answered. "I think I will grab something to feed it."
"Well… I think that I will catch some nap." Viola said.
"Then, see you guys at the dusk of the day." Zenpai said.
-Several hours later… At the time of twilight…
"WOAH!"
Grimlock shouted out with a surprised voice as Bismarck led him, Viola, Jasper and Zenpai to a small cave behind Back Island, which was Bismarck's private cave. In front of the cave was a ship, although it was much smaller than the Seacross Ship.
"She's th' real beauty, isn't she?" Bismarck said. "She was once me salty sea-dog 'o a father's. But since he be missin', she be mine now."
"That reminds me…" Viola spoke up. "Bismarck, you haven't told us about your father, have you?"
"Right." Jasper said. "How did he go missing?"
Before Bismarck could say anything, two Pokemon suddenly appeared. They were none other than the Dragonite and the Kingdra, Xavier and Claura.
"Oh, both 'o ye be finally here!" Bismarck said.
"Yeah." Claura said. "And it seems like the night has already conquered the sky."
"Then, let's be off." Bismarck said. "Hop onto me ship! I gunna be tellin' ye what I be knowin' 'bout me salty sea-dog 'o a father while we be on th' ship!"
After he finished speaking, Bismarck got onto his own ship, followed by Viola, Grimlock, Jasper, Zenpai, Claura and Xavier. When he saw that everyone had already boarded his ship, Bismarck turned on the control system of the ship!
"AHOY!" Bismarck roared as his ship gradually set sail from the Back Island, and went into the dark Riverbrine Sea at night.
After the ship left Back Island, Bismarck left the control of the ship to Claura and Xavier and went onto the deck of the ship, where Viola, Grimlock, Jasper and Zenpai were. All of them were looking at the sea of Riverbrine at night as the ship set sail.
"So…" Zenpai started the conversation. "Can you tell us what happened to the Hero of Water type, Magnus Aquamarine the Feraligatr?"
Instead of answering the question, Bismarck turned his attention to the female Heliolisk. "Viola, did ye remember th' first the hour we met each other?"
"Yes." Viola said. "It was…my dad who took me to Riverbrine Island to meet you. Back then, you were living with your merchant family, right?"
"Aye." Bismarck nodded. "As ye shout, I was born in a family 'o merchants. all ye pirates in me family be merchants... Except me salty sea-dog 'o a father. He used to be a scurvy pirate, just like what I be right now. However, after th' Fallen Crisis 30 years ago, he quited bein' a scurvy pirate 'n got married wit' me mother. 'tis whole thin' got him into a ship 'o merchant."
"And then?" Grimlock asked.
"Well… It started… seven years ago? Or six? Or five? Nah, can't remember… Usually, it was me salty sea-dog 'o a father's ship to do th' sea tradin' stuff wit' his ship. However, it was th' stormy season; a season when th' storms usually occur in th' Ri'erbrine Sea, but me salty sea-dog 'o a father still continue his ship 'o doin' th' tradin' stuff wit' his ship from Ri'erbrine to 'enturnome..."
"Don't tell me that…" Jasper mumbled as he started to be able to guess what happened.
"Aye… He didn't make it to Venturnome. Actually, he had never got his sail out 'o Riverbrine Sea." Bismarck said. "Ye be knowin'... Goin' into th' sea durin' a stormy season be a bad idea... So..."
Bismarck stopped telling his story for a bit, and everything fell into silence. No sound could be heard by anyone except the sound of the ship sailing across the sea of Riverbrine.
"Bismarck…" Viola spoke up. "Are you okay?"
"Me? Nah… I be fine…" Bismarck said.
"…And what happened next?" Zenpai asked.
"Th' ship capsized." Bismarck answered. "Almost all ye who boarded that ship died in that incident."
"What about your father?" Jasper asked.
"He went missin'." Bismarck said.
"What do you mean by 'missing'?" Grimlock asked.
"Well... After th' storm ended, th' rescue team could rescue th' survived Pokemon as well as salvagin' th' corpse 'o Pokemon who died in that incident... Except fer one Pokemon..." Bismarck said.
"…Your father?" Viola said.
"Aye." Bismarck nodded. "They have never found me salty sea-dog 'o a father, dead or ali'e. He be th' only Pokemon in that incident who be still missin' in th' sea 'o Riverbrine"
"…And what do you think about this?" Zenpai asked. "Do you think he is still alive or…"
"He be still ali'e. I be sure 'o it." Bismarck said.
"How could you know that?" Grimlock asked.
"First, I have a feelin' that he be still alive." Bismarck said. "Second, if he be already dead, I would have already inherited his power 'o legend 'n become th' Hero of Water type by now. But I didn't, so it means that he be still alive."
"I don't understand this." Jasper said. "I mean, he is the Hero of Water type! And he used to be a pirate too! If he is still alive, why didn't he show up back at your home? That doesn't make any sense!"
"Neither me…" Bismarck said. "However, since four Hero/ine 'o Legend have appeared, I reckon 'tis the hour fer me to find him 'n discover th' truth 'o what had happened to Me salty sea-dog 'o a father."
"How?" Grimlock asked.
"First, we gunna be off to Ri'erbrine Island." Bismarck said. "That place be... No... Used to be me home. I be quite sure that we would be able to find somethin' thar..."
-Meanwhile…
While Bismarck was speaking to Viola, Grimlock, Jasper and Zenpai about his father, Claura and Xavier were in the ship's control room. Despite them having their paws on the control wheel, the Kingdra and the Dragonite could hear the words spoken by five Pokemon outside the control room.
"Riverbrine Island, hm?" Xavier mumbled and yawned. "That would be the fourth island of Riverbrine Archipelago that we would pay a visit."
"Yeah…" Claura said. "They said that they would try to find Bismarck's father. However, this matter doesn't concern us. What concerns us is that we must continue our duty of finding 'them'."
"Right… Yawn…." Xavier yawned again. "But what if we couldn't find them on Riverbrine Island? And I am sure that we wouldn't."
"Then we will find a ship to the remaining three islands." Claura answered and turned the control wheel in order to control the ship to their destination, Riverbrine Island. "Bismarck said that we will reach our destination by the time of daybreak, so there's still a long way to go… Luckily, we already had a plenty rest during daytime, so I don't think that we… No, I, would get sleepy…"
"Yawn…" Xavier released another huge yawn from his mouth.
-Several hours later…
Riverbrine Island was the biggest island in Riverbrine Archipelago. It stood as a hub of several trading routes, as well as its past as the old capital of the old Confederacy of Riverbrine, making it the biggest settlement in the Queendom of Riverbrine despite not being its capital city. (The capital city of Queendom of Riverbrine was Snowlost City, which was actually the third-biggest settlement in the Queendom of Riverbrine behind Seaside Town and Riverbrine Island.)
By the time that Bismarck's ship was docked at the Riverbrine Island Pier, it was already the time of daybreak.
"Land ahoy… Yawn…" Bismarck mumbled as he, along with others, slowly got out of his ship.
"So… This is Riverbrine Island, the biggest settlement in the Queendom of Riverbrine…" Zenpai mumbled as he looked around the town at the daybreak. Despite being the moment of dawn, some Pokemon (Almost all of them were water type Pokemon) had already started working. They were either merchants or sailors.
"'tis place never changes…" Bismarck mumbled.
"Um… Bismarck?" Grimlock spoke up.
"Yup?" Bismarck turned his attention to the Aggron.
"Are you sure that you want to go into the town dressing in… THAT uniform?" Grimlock asked.
"The pirate captain uniform? But didn't he do it when we were at the Seaside Town?" Jasper said.
"Oh, I forgot about that…" Grimlock said. "That means everyone around here is comfortable with you in your pirate uniform, especially this place, which is your hometown."
Grimlock's words created a huge impact at the Feraligatr. It seemed like he was shocked by the Aggron's words, and he wasn't very good at hiding his emotion.
"Bismarck, what's wrong?" Viola asked after she noticed the Feraligatr's expression.
"…Ye be right." Bismarck spoke up. "I change my cloth fer now."
After he finished speaking, Bismarck picked another cloth from his bag. However, instead of going into his ship's cabin to change his cloth…
"WHAT?!"
Viola quickly covered her eyes as Bismarck started taking off his pirate uniform!
"Bismarck! W… What are you doing?!" Jasper asked with a shocked voice.
"Don't speak to me right now." Bismarck said as he continued taking off his cloth and putting on the clothes he had just picked from his bag, which was the cloth that most sailors usually wore.
"Thar, all finish." Bismarck said before he put away his pirate captain uniform.
"Bismarck, you shamless Feraligatr!" Viola suddenly became angry at the Feraligatr. "You should go into your ship's cabin to change your cloth, not doing it in the public!"
"What's wrong wit' it? I did it all th' the hour." Bismarck said.
"…I give up." Viola suddenly calmed down and mumbled.
"Well... 'tis prevent anyone to be knowin' that I be a scurvy pirate." Bismarck said.
"Um… Bismarck?" Jasper spoke up.
"Ahoy?" Bismarck turned his attention to the Sceptile.
"If you really want to conceal your pirate identity from anyone, I think you shouldn't speak too much." Zenpai spoke up.
"Why?" Bismarck said.
"It's your tongue." Zenpai said.
"My tongue? Brrrr…" Bismarck said and stuck his tongue out. "Ee ar om-in' ong it' e ongue? (Be thar somethin' wrong wit' me tongue?)"
"You moron." Viola mumbled. "Zenpai didn't speak about your tongue! He's talking about your speech!"
"Right." Zenpai nodded. "Although you didn't wear a pirate captain uniform, everyone could tell that you are a pirate captain by hearing your pirate accent."
"Oh, that's right." Bismarck said. "So, how about this? Is this alright?"
"Wait a minute…" Jasper said. "Bismarck, how did you change your accent within a second?! Is it even possible?!"
"Well, actually, this accent is my primal…" Bismarck said. "However, what's the deal with pirate captain who doesn't speak pirate accent? So I decided to speak using pirate accent of all time. Well… It's good to speak using my primal accent once in a while…"
"That's right." Viola said. "You are a son of a merchant on this island anyway."
"…" Bismarck said nothing.
"…By the way…" Grimlock spoke up. "Where're that Kingdra and Dragonite?"
Everyone looked around and realized that the Aggron's words are the truth, as Claura and Xavier were nowhere to be found around here.
"They left us when we first arrived at this island." Zenpai answered.
"That's not just like them…" Bismarck said.
"Whatever…" Grimlock said. "Well… Where should we start?"
"…Could you take me to the post office first?" Jasper spoke up, much to everyone's surprise.
"Post office?" Bismarck repeated Jasper's words. "Why there?"
"…I am worried about Julia, my aunt." Jasper said. "Zenpai and I left Leafburg for several months without either telling her or contacting her. I know… Leaving my home without either telling my family or sending them a letter is—"
"Don't worry about that, Bismarck." Viola spoke up. "I am not much different than you. I haven't contacted Uncle Lumiere since the day we left Civilight."
"…" Grimlock, Zenpai and Bismarck didn't say anything when they heard Viola and Jasper's words.
"Well then, I think Jasper and I will go to the post office first…" Viola said. "What about you three? Would you all come with us? Maybe you all could send a letter to your family too."
"… Everyone in my family is dead, not counting Jasper and her…" Zenpai said. "…But I think I would go with you anyway."
"…Maybe…" Grimlock spoke up. "I think I should contact my family too… I heard that they were now staying at the Solar Village at the Theocracy of Venturnome… Well, this would be the first time I contact them in this decade…"
"…" Bismarck said nothing.
"What about you, Bismarck?" Jasper asked. "But since you will meet them soon, I think you will have no need to send them a letter. Still, could you show us the way to the post office?"
"…Follow me." Bismarck said before he started walking into the town, with Jasper, Zenpai, Grimlock and Viola followed them.
-Meanwhile…
"Found anything?"
Claura asked when she reunited with her cousin at the beach of Riverbrine Island. This beach located northeast of the settlement on the Riverbrine Island. It was the neglected area where most Pokemon usually didn't come around here.
"Nope." Xavier said and yawned. "I guess we are done for this island."
"So, three more to go before we leave the Riverbrine Archipelago." Claura said. "Do you have any idea where to go next?"
"I think we should head to the Isles of Spice and Solitude Island next." Xavier answered. "And then we will finish our investigation at the Triangle Islands before we move onto the mainland once again."
"Then, we should go back and tell Bismarck that we will go to the Isles of Spice." Claura said. "I doubt he would stay on this island only for a while, so let's catch another ship."
"Yawn…" Xavier yawned once again and closed his eyes, as if he was ready to fall asleep.
But then…
"?" Xavier suddenly opened his eyes turned his head to the other side of the beach.
"What's wrong, Xavier?" Claura asked.
"I think I hear…something." Xavier said and closed his eyes once again. Claura then did the same thing her cousin did.
"…You are right!" Claura said and opened her eyes. "I hear it! It sounds like a sound of…struggling! Strange… There shouldn't be anyone at the beach around here…"
"Should we check it out?" Xavier said.
Claura gave a nod to her cousin, and then both of them started walking across the beach to the other side in order to find what's going on there…
However…
The thing they found there was the thing that wasn't the thing they expected to see on the peaceful Riverbrine Island!
"W…What's this?!" Claura shouted out as she found several corpses laying on the beach. All corpses were torn, clawed, and bit savagely, making the sand around here tainted with red blood!
"So lovely…" Xavier spoke up. "The sight of Pokemon being killed mercilessly… So beautiful… So lovely…"
"This isn't the time for your admiration, Xavier!" Claura scolded her cousin before she turned her attention back to several corpses. All of them were Water type Pokemon. It seemed like they were killed just not too long ago.
"…The sounds we heard… are actually their screams…" Claura mumbling.
"Well, it's too bad that we couldn't come here sooner…" Xavier said. "If we did, I would be able to witness a beautiful scene of murderous death! And I may be able to join them too!"
"Not now, Xavier!" Claura scolded her cousin again. "Xavier, go and report this to the polices of Riverbrine. Tell them about what happened here."
"Oh, geez… Fine" Xavier mumbled before he started flying away.
After the Dragonite flew away, Claura turned her attention back to the corpses of the Pokemon that were brutally killed on this beach.
"Who…" Claura mumbled. "Who did this?!"
To Be Continued…
Dragon of Vale: Here's another chapter of the fourth tail. It seems like things are starting to get serious right now… However, there're yet several unanswered questions in this chapter… Which would be revealed soon…
A special thanks to Ridin Valon for helping me with the error correction.