Frontier Town Sun Stone Saloon

[Sinderella]

"Thank you, thank you so much, Greasewood. You won't regret it."

But, as Odette sat at the bar, sipping at the celebratory wine she'd been handed to commend her successful audition, the slightest bit of doubt began to creep up her back. She'd seen a saloon; she'd seen the stage; she'd figured she had enough talents to offer to make a living. But, now that she was sitting at the bar, trying to conjure a setlist, she realized two things: one, that this wasn't going to be as simple as playing a backing track to songs she knew, and two, she was completely unfamiliar with the local songs everyone here might have already known. How the hell was she going to pull off a good show without the music for her own repertoire or the knowledge of what was liked in the community? Would anyone here even like songs from her own world?

With a few sips of wine, she eventually calmed down. Where there was a will, there was a way. While it wasn't Hau's stash, the alcohol was a much-needed nerve diluter. With a light buzz on the mind and nothing else to think about but her will to make some coin, she requested a pen, paper, and some songbooks. Sight-reading and memorization would be her friends here.

After flipping through the books and writing down a few songs that caught her eye, she turned and eyed the stage. Of course, there was a piano nearby to provide the backing music, which would probably be just enough for her to work with. If she could get her hands on it, or just one in general, she might be able to come up with the skeletons of some songs she already knew. However, she was silently cursing herself for not being a more versed musician. She could sing, she could compose, she knew rhythms and harmonies and theories, and she had an ear. But she'd never grasped guitar playing or more advanced piano skills. Either would have undoubtedly come in handy here.

Relax. This isn't anything new. You know how to do this.

Worst case scenario, a capella was always an option. Or she could hope and pray whoever accompanied her on the music was talented enough to play off her rhythm. She wasn't sure if she could put that kind of trust in someone without getting to know them first, but she jotted it down as an idea, alongside songs and artists from her own world that might be worth transcribing into aesthetically-approproate tunes to sing here. Luckily, her genre of choice meshed well with the fact that this was literally the Old West. So, she at least had that going for her.

Delta, Florence, some Marling, Civil Wars....I don't fucking know, Heart? I could dumb down some Heart, maybe...Elton? she thought as she wrote.

She shot a look at the piano again.

Definitely Elton.

She stopped for a moment to sip more of the wine, trying to do more to enjoy the sudden downtime she'd been entrusted with. Nobody to mingle with, nobody to bother her, just her and her thoughts about singing. She was in a Pokemon's body, and gods knew how far away from home, but...it managed to be quite nice.

Though she probably should get out and speak to the others who were like her, dropped here from out of nowhere. She was undoubtedly going to need some allies during this time. Something to do after work, though.

@Hap

 

[SparklingEspeon]

Espurr figured that if she was going to have to find work here in town, then the best place for a kid like herself would be at one of those big cafe-type places that were always bustling with other 'mon. Surely they had to be hiring, right?

But after learning that the Traveller's Haus was in fact a Mouse House, and therefore probably wasn't open to hiring a cat, her option list had been cruelly sliced in half. However, good luck always prevailed, and the other place was both closer to everything else, and like, way more fancy. Like, serve-three-century-old-stinky-cheese-on-a-platter fancy. But they also had a bar, and a stage. It clashed harder than a jogging elephant in lipstick and high heels.

All the glamour probably meant they paid craploads, though.

Espurr walked in, reading all the heads in the room and trying to walk like yes, she did indeed own thirteen different gowns and was just too posh for all of them, and then seated herself at the bar. Man, she hoped she looked old enough to be seated at the bar. It probably didn't matter as long as she didn't order the rotten grape drink. The bartender was busy right now, but when they came around she'd ask if their fine establishment was hiring and that she wasn't picky about what it was. Nothing could go wrong with this, right?

 

[Jackie Cat]

The well-to-do of Frontier Town generally took upper-floor tables at Sun Stone, the better to enjoy exclusivity and indulgence away from the public bar where just anyone could walk in. Sometimes, though, they would reserve a booth on the ground floor and use a screen for privacy. This might be done for a change of ambience, or it might be done to more easily invite ordinary patrons in for a quiet meeting, without drawing too much attention.

​

Come to the Sun Stone Saloon this evening and ask the publican if he knows where the crown is kept.
Bring a number of associates as entourage, who have some quality of mettle or perspicacity to merit them.
There is a service that might be done, and indemnified.​

The meaning couldn't be clearer. This was a job offer.

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova was pleased that had work had gotten him somewhere on a personal scale. What was wholly unexpected was a not from Lucien asking him to meet. And on the heels of these strange revelations about this mysterious gala, no less. As much as Nova wanted to consider the timing coincidental — he hadn't met with the mayor and had no idea what the empoleon was telling his son — he wasn't a firm believer in coincidences. Nevertheless, given what he'd heard on the railyard, he thought it best to accept the invite. Nova wasn't sure what he'd actually do, and was still considering his options even as he entered the saloon and followed the instructions in the letter.

 

[Hap]

After the fight, a group of them ended up at the Sun Stone Saloon, eating ice cream.

Ridley's choice of ice cream flavour was called chesto berry, but it shared its startlingly-blue colour with flavours like bubblegum or blue razz, and had the same chemical-blue taste. He was almost certain it contained 0% actual chesto berry.

 

[Sinderella]

"Nice to see you too, and don't worry about it. You have a wonderful night, and get home safe."

As Odette shut the door behind the last of the Sun Stone patrons who weren't taking up room and board for the night, she sighed to herself. Finally closed. Finally, a time to breathe. But, even as a tame silence filled the main hall, a sense of unease still swirled in her chest. Her hand was still shaking as she reached up to pull the decorative feather off of her head.

It wasn't like the set had been hard, but as always--when it rained, it fucking poured (what a joke that was, considering they were in a damn desert). The patrons that evening had been particularly tough, and she was heckled far more than she was used to being. Luckily, she found solace in a few friendly faces, but it did little for the anxiety prickling along her nerves.

Rubbing her eye, she waddled to the empty bar and sat on a barstool. She grasped her wrist, willing herself to calm the hell down. Somehow. It's over, we're done for the night.

"Greasewood," she called, not looking up from her trembling palm. "You need me to help you with anything else? I can wash some glasses or reorganize the spirits if you need."

 

[Shadow Serenity]

It had been a surprise to Kimiko how quickly she (and the rest of the party) recovered from their battle with the mayor. She knew from training her team that pokemon often healed faster than expected, but to experience it herself was something new.

It was early in the evening after a long day of training as Kimiko wandered around Frontier Town, thoughts of the wagon crew, and the Voice-Cloud, and more dancing around her head. She intended to find food and somewhere quiet to think to herself. Her body auto-piloted towards the Zera. She'd had most of her meals there, and while not quiet, it probably would have been good enough.

But along the way, a familiar sound caught her attention, pulling her out of her thoughts. Is that... Heart? she wondered. She stopped to listen, and while she didn't recognize the voice, she did identify the lyrics. She looked up to find herself standing in front of Sun Stone Saloon.

Kimiko had avoided this one so far during her stay. One quick peek inside shortly after their arrival had been enough to tell her that it was well out of her price range. But her curiosity got the better of her tonight. Someone in there knew music from her world. Had they come from the same one? For a brief moment, she had a strange sense of loneliness. But the moment passed, and she wandered inside. Worst case scenario, she could at least afford dinner here for a single night.

The song was ending as Kimiko found the band, but she recognized the mawile who must have been the one singing. She'd been at the construction yard. Seemed like they were about to take a break, so Kimiko worked up her courage and slid over towards them.

"Powerful voice you've got there," she said. "And an interesting song! ...Did you write it?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Monday, 13th of Winds​

The upper floor of Sun Stone held a lounge-bar that felt almost out of place in Frontier Town – it had an Art Nouveau style more fitting a modern, developed metropolis (or so Laura imagined). In any case, it felt fancy. More importantly, it was a comfortable, private indoor space large enough to hold the two or three dozen heroic spirits in the team. After only a few weeks, she'd not had a chance to talk to all of them, let alone get to know them. Today was as good a day as any to make a start, though.

More importantly, different groups in the team had met with (and fought) everyone from the Soja' Rangers, to a member of the elusive 'Covenant of Light', to the resistance group called the Vanguard. They'd encountered Shadow pokémon. It was about time they got everyone in the team caught up. And maybe named the team something better than 'the team'.

She waved to Jade, catching sight of the other Meowth among some of the party members still arriving from downstairs. Hopefully everyone would show, but it was still a relief every time a friendly face turned up. And on that note...

"Hey," she whispered. "Voice? Cloud? Are you here?"

Hello, Laura! I can just barely make contact. If you are holding a meeting, I expect I will be able to communicate freely with everyone once enough of them gather together!
​

Good enough. More people were still arriving, but she should probably start the meeting soon... They couldn't wait all night for anyone who'd decided not to show.

Laura sipped her drink – a mojito with an oran twist – and silently willed someone to come say hi. And maybe help her with the whole, deeply terrifying, 'talking to a large crowd' thing.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

To Beldum Steven
at Traveller's Haus

I expect to be at liberty to talk
at Sun Stone Saloon this evening.
Please bring yourself, the items to
discuss, and any essential companion
you require, provided the time suits.

Regards,

Nolan

Steven had barely gotten settled in his new accommodations when he received Nolan's note. Thankfully, the Maus knew how to find him to deliver it, since he no longer was staying in his old room...

The Inteleon hadn't left him much time to prepare. Steven would have appreciated a few more days to recover after... the incident... But if Nolan showed up and he wasn't there with the mayor's ledger, Steven feared what that would look like in the face of their agreement. It was already a small miracle that Ridley (the kindly mimikyu who'd been among his rescuers) was able to save the notebook from being lost or destroyed in the attack.

So he would have to do the best he could given the circumstances.

In the time spent at Drungfields', he'd regained some of his levitation, though it was slower than before, and left him more drained than it should. Lucky, the doc had told him, it had come back so quickly. It would improve with time, (no physical stressors, especially battling, for at least a week) but that wasn't a luxury he had at the moment.

His company for the evening, Laura the meowth, was patient and understanding of not just his locomotive challenges, but the situation as a whole. She'd agreed to accompany him, since he didn't feel like facing Nolan alone (for a myriad of reasons even before the shadow pokemon took a chunk out of him.)

Steven anxiously adjusted the magnetic clasp of his makeshift cloak as the two of them entered the Sun Stone and set about searching for the distinctive features of the meeting's other attendee.

 

[Sinderella]

"Merci et bonsoir," Odette said through the thundering applause that was sent her way. As per usual, some drunks in the front jeered at and heckled her through it, but she'd made a show of mocking them back, which only earned her more applause. See, people loved watching hecklers get their asses handed to them. And she enjoyed doing it. It made her feel better.

"Note to self," she muttered under her breath as she walked offstage, "Kalosian lyrics also hit." She hadn't been sure about transcribing songs in her native tongue to this setting, more out of fear of backlash due to a lack of understanding. But, 'mon came to see her because of the multiversal songs, and naturally, singing in a foreign language was received just the same. It certainly helped her voice was still carrying even after the back-to-back beatings she'd received,. Having bandages on had just seemingly become part of her onstage persona.

It wasn't horribly late, but she still managed to feel beat. It had been a hot minute since she last indulged in an alcoholic drink, so after exchanging a few words with some patrons, she sauntered her way over to the bar, humming through a vocal cooldown as she went. She could stand to get a little tipsy. She lived here now, after all.

[[ @HelloYellow17 @Weazel ]]

 

[Tetra]

Standing before Odette’s door to her room at Sun Stone Saloon, Koa suddenly felt very stupid. What was he thinking, coming here? And yet the idea of turning back, going back to the dark empty lonely room at the Haus felt even less appealing. The memories of the dream had grown muddled on his walk over, but thinking back on it made his skin crawl.

Scattered fragments of it still lurked in the corners of his mind. Red Chains. A cruel Manectric tearing apart the team (Ein, it had to be Ein), and a cold, taunting voice. Sometimes Alex. Or someone else. And Koa, turning on the team and Bellxtrix not being able to stop him and Alex dragging Odette away. Wes tearing apart a Manectric- Ein, tearing apart Ein, it had to be Ein. It was himself.

Realizing he’d been silently pacing for the last several moments, he walked up to her door again and raised his paw, then paused. No. How could he? She was probably sleeping, and even if she wasn’t why’d she care, or want to even see him or even want to bother? Letting his paw fall without knocking, he turned, ready to talk away.

Don't isolate. Hadn't Mhynt said that? In a rush of motion, before he could overthink anymore, he rapped lightly on the door. Hot shame and regret washed over him almost immediately and he quickly turned to walk away, hoping she'd been too asleep to hear.

 

[Inkedust]

After a long day of fulfilling requests at the bulletin board, Bellatrix had taken it upon herself to unwind for the evening by practicing her illusionary abilities more to order a drink. She had gotten stronger and naturally, her illusions had grown more convincing in turn, which made training at Nina's Place trivial at this point. She needed to push herself further before she found herself growing complacent so it would be the Sun Stone Saloon today. The knowledge that another Wayfarer worked there would naturally apply more pressure to make her work convincing as possible for as long as possible. Nova had managed to successfully call her out last time but she would pay special attention to ensure that she would be making those same missteps.

A leafeon whose leaves were ever so slightly browned at the tips stepped through the saloon with her head held high in confidence. She looked like a well-off traveller, looking for a place to dine for the evening, walking straight past Greasewood and towards the counter to order a meaty dish and a pecha cider. She sat ever so politely as she waited for her order.