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Lucre Merrimere

Jean looked between the arguing Pokémon, unsure. This was all a bit confusing. If Feyza said the Barbaracle was wrong, though, that had to be right. "The waterways don't belong to you!" she called, getting into a battle-ready stance. "Leave them alone!"
 
Kimiko bit her lip in an attempt not to facepalm instead. So much for avoiding a conflict.

Ah well. She had expected it to be inevitable anyway.

She didn't really fancy the idea of butting themselves into... whatever this was, but she couldn't come up with any peaceful solution that was fast, and something in the barbaracle's tone of voice betrayed his resolve. Maybe between the two grass-types, they'd have some leverage for some intimidation of their own?

"What my friends here mean is," she said, eyes focused on the barbaracle, "we're in a bit of a hurry to help some other friends of ours, and unfortunately for you, we appear to have you at an advantage. I'd advise you consider your message delivered-" her gaze darted towards the veluza who cracked the support beam, before returning to lock eyes with the barbaracle once more, "-and clear out."

Alex, meanwhile, shot her a look like he was shocked by the words coming out of her mouth. Nevertheless, he crossed his arms and cast his own glare towards the offending water-types. If it came to a fight, he wasn't sure how useful any of them would be aside from Kimiko and the sceptile (and the... charizard shadow? Maybe?). Even himself - he had newfound electricity at his command, but type advantage meant nothing without experience to back it up, and something told him that his time as a trainer didn't quite count here...
 
Despite not being usually afraid of getting attention to herself, Lyra felt very uneasy as the sharp stares of that group of hooligans, thugs, or whatever they were, bore into herself and her group. She couldn’t tell if her nervousness was because of her new prey instincts or because of her old inclination towards diplomacy (perhaps it was both) but a conflict was brewing, and she had to decide fast.

Nobody needed to get hurt, and she wished the solution was as simple as just talking to sort things out. But if a fight was inevitable, then maybe, just maybe, there could have been a way to not let her friends get too much hurt in the conflict, at least.

Lyra focused on herself, reaching out for the small spark of power she felt pulsing into her very soul. The tinge of aura that had been flowing within her since the moment she had been turned into a Buneary.

Lyra wishes for protection with all her heart…

And then, she held onto her aura. Bent it to her will, spread it beyond the limitation of her own body, into a soft reflective veil that enveloped her friends like a kind embrace.

A blessing from a friend for friends.

The Friend Guard is shielding Lyra’s party!
 
"Are you sure you wanna do this the hard way??" he demanded, in a tone that suggest he really, really hoped Floatzel would be fine doing things the easy way, please.

Feyza swung her spear around in the air with a toothy grin. “Yeah, hard way, hard way!” she chanted, her voice slowly lowering in volume as she realized that no one else was joining in the chant. The Buizel then folded her arms with a pout.
 
Body language?

Keep a read on them.

Barbaracle couldn't sweat, but if he could, he'd be dripping with it. The peculiar bivalve 'mon was twitchy, clenching and unclenching, uneasy on his feet. His eyes moved from 'mon to 'mon in desperation.

This was not a trusted lieutenant with things under control. This was an underling on a short leash whose job was to cow the locals, not get into a brawl and risk suffering a bloody nose. And with that being exactly what he was facing right now, he could surely be pushed in just about any direction, so long as he didn't have to start a fight himself, or stand there failing to impress for a minute longer...

"Listen. We're passing through. We need to get to Frontier Town, or some other safe Dungeon for us to set something up for ourselves. But if there's going to be a commotion, that could be problems for us down the line... What's going on?"
"The waterways don't belong to you!" she called, getting into a battle-ready stance. "Leave them alone!"
"What my friends here mean is," she said, eyes focused on the barbaracle, "we're in a bit of a hurry to help some other friends of ours, and unfortunately for you, we appear to have you at an advantage. I'd advise you consider your message delivered-" her gaze darted towards the veluza who cracked the support beam, before returning to lock eyes with the barbaracle once more, "-and clear out."

"Frontier Town?" muttered one of the brigands in the rear. "That's the other side of the range. The fuck're these guys doing here?"

"Is this... lies?" crackled the clattering voice of a Crawdaunt.

"Whatever," snapped Barbaracle. "You lot have no part of this! Don't stick your limbs where they don't belong, and we won't get stuck in each other's craw, you understand me? Anyway! Let me make this real simple—" Here he held out a wooden tablet engraved with runic scratchings. "—You get us everything on here within the week, or we make trouble for you! How's that?"

He winced at his own threat. He sounded like he was pleading, not threatening. Piss-poor protection racket job, and everyone would know it!

Floatzel glanced sidelong at Feyza, seemingly unmoved by her earnest endorsement of The Hard Way.

"Well, we'll see," he said, coolly. "Like I been telling you, sir, it's a tall order. You'll get your requisition when you get it. You can make your boss understand that, right?"

Tension hung between them. The Veluza in the water looked to their officer for orders, waiting to be told to sink a building or two...
 
They're not that strong. We probably outrank them by two rungs at least.

Cute.

Mhynt closed her eyes and sighed. "Listen. I'm not from around here. But I'm no stranger to extortion, and a pathetic attempt at it, too. But I'm not going to stand by and assume that such ploys are going to be turned a blind eye by me."

Mhynt scanned the area for a safe flatland. After determining a good spot that wouldn't damage anywhere particularly badly, but would still make for a good show, she conjured a Leaf Blade extending from her right hand.

"If you think we're lying, let me tell you this. We just received word, telepathically, of a means for us to get an anchor back to our home. And we can also anchor our way back here, too, as we wish. So what I'm about to demonstrate here will not necessarily be the last time you see of me.

"I just want to make sure you know that."

Then, Mhynt clenched her fist. Radiance and Shadows swirled within the green blade, shifting it into a deep dark-bright white swirl. She plunged it into the ground, and then tore it through and toward the empty, safe land, letting the fissure of power rise out of the ground in a rumbling--but ineffective in practice--fissure. Not good for battle, but wonderful for intimidation...

"So. Will we see fair practices? The payment should match the service, yes? Or... are you asking for more than you can deliver?"
 
"Frontier Town?" muttered one of the brigands in the rear. "That's the other side of the range. The fuck're these guys doing here?"

"It's a long, long story," Kimiko said with another suppressed sigh. "In case you've heard of us, we call ourselves the Wayfarers, and-"

And then Mhynt demonstrated her power. If the name wasn't enough to influence them, that probably should. She let her tail glow alight with the preparation of a leaf storm, more a show of her strength even in her tired state rather than preparing to launch a full-blown attack... so she hoped.

"-and, like I said, we're in a bit of a hurry to get home."

"Well, we'll see," he said, coolly. "Like I been telling you, sir, it's a tall order. You'll get your requisition when you get it. You can make your boss understand that, right?"

"With respect," Alex piped up towards the barbaracle, hoping to aid the diplomacy route, "It sounds like whatever items you're asking for aren't able to be procured any faster than they already are, and it doesn't seem like any threats nor compromises are going to change that. It's clear you don't really want to be here, so what more are you expecting to accomplish?"
 
Then, Mhynt clenched her fist. Radiance and Shadows swirled within the green blade, shifting it into a deep dark-bright white swirl. She plunged it into the ground, and then tore it through and toward the empty, safe land, letting the fissure of power rise out of the ground in a rumbling--but ineffective in practice--fissure. Not good for battle, but wonderful for intimidation...
Jean stared at Mhynt with wide, round eyes. She really did have special superpowers! What was that swirling black and white stuff? She'd mentioned she'd already saved her own world before - that must be how she'd done it. How awesome!
 
Mhynt's blade thrust into the water beneath the boards, and the energy travelled beneath the stilt-top buildings before erupting up through the earth at the shore in a shower of sand, reeds, and spray.

Barbaracle couldn't turn pale, or sweat, but he could certainly quiver like a trembling pair of hands.

"H-ha!" he said. "You should come work for our team, we could use more 'mon as tough as you!"

He stepped back, brandishing one fist. "So, it's uh, it's like I said! You got your deadline! See to it!" He motioned to the rest of his crew to make themselves scarce, with an overarm gesture. "Let's go, you lot! Another victory for the Guilwater Crew!"

It wasn't, and everyone could see that, but maybe if he kept telling his crew otherwise, they'd be stupid enough to believe it. In any event, they sped off, or threw themselves into the lake, and in moments they were gone.

Floatzel sniffed, and scratched at one shoulder with a mild frown.

"Sure didn't figure my day'd turn out like this when I left the nest," he muttered. "Blisters and bilge-water. You don't see this nonsense out at sea, I'll tell ya."

He turned to the Wayfarers and shrugged expansively.

"Well, I'll declaim that I had that ruckus under control, but I can't say's I don't appreciate some wanderers having our backs. We're a hospitable sort here – what's ours is yours, friends. Welcome to Merrimere."

"Tell 'em the rules, Briney!" hissed one of the otter's smaller friends, nudging him with an elbow.

"Oh, uh, right you are," rumbled Briney. "No fightin' on the boards, save for just now, no drinkin' yourself stupid, 'less you want extra chores on the rota, and don't say nothin' to folks that'd give 'em an inclination to smack ya, exceptin' if you want a smack, – alright?"
 
"Reasonable," Mhynt concluded. "We appreciate the offer... but we have to try to meet up and touch base with our compatriots soon. Still, getting a look around town after we set up that anchor--or give someone we know an alert for where we are--can help."

She glanced at the others. "What do you all think?"
 
“Holy moly!” squeaked Lyra as Mhynt’s show of power resulted in a firework of grass energy and sand mixed with… huh, what, exactly? Dark-type energy empowered by a luminous aura?

Oooh, could it be the fabled Light-type from all those conspiracy theories, or maybe the extremely rare Illumina phenomenon? Were they real types, no clickbait?!

Well, regardless, that was incredible!! (And it became extremely obvious that the ruffians needed protection far more than her friends did!)

Lyra sighed in relief as those rude Water-types fled the scene and she promptly dispelled her protective aura. She beamed a sympathetic smile at Feyza, knowing well that the young Buizel was probably not-too-pleased that they had solved the situation without throwing paws. “Don’t worry! You’ll get at ‘em next time!” she chirped, hoping that her encouragement could cheer the Buizel up.

"Tell 'em the rules, Briney!" hissed one of the otter's smaller friends, nudging him with an elbow.

"Oh, uh, right you are," rumbled Briney. "No fightin' on the boards, save for just now, no drinkin' yourself stupid, 'less you want extra chores on the rota, and don't say nothin' to folks that'd give 'em an inclination to smack ya, exceptin' if you want a smack, – alright?"

“Gotcha, gotcha, and… gotcha!” replied Lyra, nodding with each rule for extra emphasis, and grinned. “We’re aren’t going to cause any trouble. Pinky promise~!”

"What do you all think?"

Lyra tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Um, well, I’m still not sure how this whole anchor thingy works, but it won’t hurt to get some supplies before going? Y’know, to be prepared for whatever dungeon we’ll have to face?” She glanced at the various mustelids and clasped her paws together, beaming in excitement. “So! What cool stuff d’you got here? Anyone can show us around?”
 
Feyza let out a yell as the Guilwater Crew leapt into the waters and swam off. "Serves ya right!" She spun around to face the newcomers, and while there was an undeniable sliver of disappointment that they hadn't been able to fight it out, she perked up a bit at Lyra's words. "Yeah, yeah if they ever show their faces here again, they better bring the don with them, ha!"

Briney gave the newcomers the rules, and then when Lyra asked for a tour, Feyza shouldered her fishing spear and threw a paw up. "If I show everyone around, then someone's gotta battle me after!"

Her fiery grin faltered suddenly as she sniffed at the air, and the scent of freshly smoked fish and roasted berries that had wafted into the town center from somewhere nearby.

"But first, snacks!"

<><><>​
 
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