The Heights of Londo [IC 2: Bolted]

[tgva8889]

Alyssa is mostly quiet as Moffit and Genevieve have their exchange. She recognizes Moffit from around but never really knew her, so it mostly makes Alyssa a bit nervous watching these two mostly-strangers have a heated argument. As Moffit walks away, Alyssa lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Once the call seems to be coming to an end, Alyssa says aloud, "I guess it might be a good idea for us to find some sort of guide or something. I'm not really much for reading a map and I've never actually been to Thundercrag so I have no idea how to get there." She wracks her brain trying to think of somewhere she might know to find such a person, thinking outloud: "We already said the knights would be busy, so we'd have to find someone else." A thought occurs to her but she stops herself from saying it and subtly turns away from Sass and Misru.

[Ceralune]

"I think that's all, Instructor Miki. Thank you so much for giving me permission to do this. I'll be careful! Take care." With a satisfied smile on her face, Genevieve hits End Call faces the others. "Well, I guess I'm officially cleared to go with you all. Hmm... as for getting a guide, I don't really know anyone from around here either. Other than, uhh, Moffit. And I suppose, that lady who helped me with the Murkrow earlier." Her face brings up a somewhat pained expression as she says, "... I hope you all won't mind me suggesting we not bother Moffit again. But, I guess we could ask people we know if there's anyone who would be willing to come with us? I don't mind asking Pip."

[Hazuki]

Everyone!

Unfortunately for Alyssa, Sass seems to have different plans, as she marches up to the group and pushes Alyssa to the side with surprising strength. In one hand, she has the scroll, and in the other, Misru's wrist.

"It's a ritual! Kinda!" Sass informs the group, waving the scroll in the air. "You've got to gather ingredients, prepare them, and think really hard. It's what witches do, and Misru said she'd make a copy for everyone!"

"I said it would be poss-"

"It's Hidden Power!" Sass interrupts the older girl, whose lips set into a firm line."And it can be any Type. It represents your Pokemon's elemental..." She pauses, then looks to Misru.

"Affinity."

"Thanks. That!" She nods at the group.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa recovers quickly from Sass's unceremonious entrance and then takes in Sass's comments with excitement. "Wait, you mean it teaches your Pokemon how to use a new move? That's so awesome." She looks in awe at the scroll and fumbles with her pad and pencil to take a small sketch of it, which unfortunately results in a whole bunch of random scribbles that don't really look like anything.

[Merilan]

Linne tilted her head as she watched and heard Sass' explanation, though she hadn't even really understood what a 'move' was... she knew that Zeta could spit out flames, and that'd been really handy for their camping trips and for keeping warm in the winter months, but that's about it. "How do we know what affinity our Pokemon have...?"

[Hazuki]

"You have to use it to find out." Sass nods sagely. "It's like how some people can use moves like Pokemon, but we're not. Can't you do that, Misru?"

"I'd put you to sleep." Misru answers.

"It's witchcraft." Sass replies, raising her eyberows at the older girl. "I wouldn't get bored."

"Not what I meant."

[AncientSpark]

Lina claps her hands together at the sound of that, as she tries to get a better look at the scroll over Alyssa's shoulder. But, then she pauses as she hears how you're supposed to find the affinity.

"So, wait, if y'don't like the element, y'can' change it? An', if it's witchcraft, does it mean it does bad stuff to the 'mon?" Lina bites her lip, a little apprehensive at the prospect of that.

[Hazuki]

"No. Not without a change in the Pokemon itself." Misru answers, turning her gaze to the girl she apparently hadn't noticed was there. "And no. It helps your Pokemon gain a greater understanding of themselves. If they do not fear knowing things, they will be unharmed."

[Comissar]

Leah looks over to Sass and Misru with interest as they reveal the nature of the scroll, a smile tugging at her lips at both Alyssa's enthusiasm, and Sass' obliviousness to Misru's remarks. At the talk of the rituals, she asks, "Umm, would all scrolls like this, uh, have a similar way of, uh, of being taught?"

They didn't sound too dissimilar to the TM's of Kanto, though she had to admit that she hadn't ever learned how those worked either.

[Merilan]

Linne looked on charmedly and scooped Zeta up, asking, "Zeta, do you want to understand more about yourself...?" Zeta tilted her head, then let out a little 'kon-!' that was helpfully affirmative.

[Ceralune]

Genevieve stands by, a little lost as the others talk about this "scroll." It sounds like a TM, yet it looks completely different and seems much more complicated than the technology she saw at the Goldenrod Department Store. And if the name of the pokemon technique is any indication, they probably do serve a similar function. Thank goodness TMs don't require bothersome things like preparing ingredients...

[tgva8889]

Alyssa nods. "It sounds like a really interesting move. I'll have to keep those scrolls in mind, they might have moves I've never seen on them." A bit frustrated with her sudden artistic issues, Alyssa stuffs her sketch pad away in her bag (which takes some effort as she's holding Luna still) and just taps her sketching pencil against her leg. Luna looks at the scroll with some interest from Alyssa's arms, but in the end seems a bit more subdued about the scroll than everyone else present, mostly just eyeing it curiously.

As her thoughts begin turning at what Hidden Power might lie in Luna, Alyssa has a sudden flash of inspiration and turns to the others, speaking quickly. "Oh, I thought of something. Bibi!" After a short pause she then adds, "Bibi is someone I heard about who might be able to help us with the traveling. She's said to be a good person to travel with, so she'd probably be a good bet to ask to come with us."

[Hazuki]

"No. Some are as simple as describing a technique." Misru answers Leah. "This one has been translated into a simple rune-based language from before we gained a more advanced understanding of witchcraft. It's all too crude, but I suppose simplicity is what Lord Bastille was going for."

When Linne expresses her desire for one, Sass smiles up at Misru. "You're gonna make a copy, right?"

"Not with one hand." Misru replies, pointedly, and Sass releases her wrist. She quickly retrieves a quill, a scrap of parchment, and a black quill. She scribbles normal, understandable words onto it, then steps forward to pass it to Linne. She fixes her eyes on the hooded girl as she waits for her to take it.

[Comissar]

Leah nods at Misru's explanation, shifting her bag strap slightly as she did. It sounded like something that might be interesting to look into, though she might struggle to find the time to research it while on the road. She glanced over to Alyssa as the older girl remembered a potential guide. She found herself nodding again.

"Umm, sounds good. Do you think she'd be ok going as far as, uh, as far as Thundercrag?"

[Ceralune]

At the mention of a potential guide, Genevieve perks up. "Where can we find this... 'Bibi?' And when do you want to ask her?"

[Merilan]

"Ohh...." Linne didn't really think anything was out of place, though she accepted it and bowed her head. "Thank you, miss Misru!" She looked at the scroll, then -- then held it out for Zeta, bright and charmingly. "Here you go, Zeta!"

Zeta paused and stared back at her trainer, tilting her head.

[Hazuki]

Misru's stare shifts from studious to concerned. "You have to read and follow the instructions." She informs Linne, flatly.

[Merilan]

Linne paused and looked around embarrassedly, before pulling the scroll open to try to squint and read it. Hopefully, the very basic level of reading comprehension she has will be enough...

[Ceralune]

Genevieve's not sure why they're spending so much time scrutinizing this scroll, but it's starting to become slightly irritating. Not buying into the whole "witchcraft" idea (preparing ingredients sounds an awful lot like cooking, and cooking and rituals are not the same thing), she finally takes the scroll from Linne, hoping that the sooner they get this over with, the sooner they can move onto more important things. Like finding this Bibi person.

"Here, Linne, I can read it for you."

[Hazuki]

The parchment reads...

Spoiler: Parchment

Show

Make four points in the ground, each for a cardinal direction. Dry earth can be dug into, grassland marked with rocks, and so forth.
Connect the points to form a diamond shape, large enough to contain your Pokemon.
Mark the center of the diamond with the rune representing your Pokemon's Type and Temperament.
Gather: A sliver of soap, fresh ash, a hair (Or other easily-shedable part of your Pokemon), and the petals of their favorite flower.
Mix these with half a waterskin's worth of water, until the ingredients are indistinguishable.
Have your Pokemon sit at the center of the diamond.
Lightly douse the inner part of the diamond with the mixture, using a leaf or other flat tool.
Have your Pokemon spend a night of rest in the center of the diamond.

At the bottom of the parchment are a series of runes, the first set denoting Types, and the second set describing basic personality traits, like "Mischievous" and "Adamant".

[Ceralune]

As she finishes reading, Genevieve's eyebrow raises in a skeptical look. Spend a night of rest in the center of the diamond? No no no, absolutely not. It's dirty outside! Aware that everyone else seems to be buying into this supposed "witchcraft," though, she swallows her comments and hands the parchment back to Linne.

[Merilan]

Linne perked up with cheer as she said, "That doesn't sound too hard. Should we try doing that sometime, Zeta?" The Fennekin happily yipped in turn with a nod.

[Hazuki]

"Wait, you can't read?" Sass asks, eyeing Linne with wide eyes. Naturally, Yrael joins in. "How come? Even I can read!"

[Merilan]

Linne's cheer disappeared again as she stepped back, squeezing Zeta a little bit tighter. "Um, well, Linne has lived in the forest for the last ten years...." She nervously glanced left and right, then at Leah again.

[Ceralune]

Genevieve casts a shocked glance Linne's way. "Wait... you've been living in the forests? For that long, without your mother?!" She regards the girl uncertainly, not wanting to believe it but admitting to herself that it would explain a lot. I just thought her reading comprehension was a little behind. I never imagined anything like this! Well it's comforting to know that illiteracy isn't the norm here; Linne is clearly just a special case.

[AncientSpark]

Lina gasps and puts her hands over her mouth. "Aw, that ain't right! No one should be livin' out on there own." Unlike the others, though, that was not as surprising to Lina, after she thought about it. There were a lot of tales of strange things out in the wild, even before the war and it made sense that someone would have learned to subsist off the land with the help of other Pokemon. Still, she reached out and ruffled Linne's hair. "That must mean yer pretty tough though! I betcha wrestle some wild Pokemon every once in a while."

[Merilan]

Linne seemed embarrassed to admit it, still, shying her eyes away, but squints at Lina's ruffling of her hair, which sends her hood tumbling back a little bit. "O-oh, thank you," she answered honestly. "Yes, Linne had to wrestle a Pancham once!" A pause. "Um, Linne lost, but we made friends afterwards, so it was okay."

[Ceralune]

Genevieve mentally shakes her head at what she's hearing. And to think, I thought my mother was a real "wild-child" when she was my age just because she grew up on a farm. Do people turn out okay when they've lived in the woods like that for that long? She fixes Linne with a stare as she thinks this, before remembering that's rude and looking away quickly. Well, she's nice enough. Hopefully we can find her mother quickly once we get to Thundercrag and she can help her daughter.

With that thought, she turns to the others. "So... now that we've got this, uh, 'ritual' copied, should we go find this Bibi?"

[Comissar]

Leah finds herself frowning as Genevieve finishes reading out the ritual, wondering how the method teaches a pokémon a new move. Maybe it was like putting in energy..? Her contemplation is broken, and she finds herself fidgeting uncomfortably, as the others react to Linne's youth of isolation. When the older girl glances at her, she returns the look with what she hopes is a reassuring smile.

She looks over to Genevieve and nods at her, "Umm, yes, that, uh, that sounds like a good idea." Turning to look at Alyssa, she asked, "Umm, which way do we, uh, do we need to go?"

[Hazuki]

The party makes their goodbyes once Alyssa agrees to show them the way to Bibi's, leaving Misru and Sass standing outside the gates of Bastille Manor.

"...I'm leaving now." They can just about hear Misru inform Sass, followed by the sound of Sass blowing a raspberry at her.

They make their way on yet another long walk for Genevieve, as well as Lynx at her heels, going through the gates and down to the dirt-path outskirts of Bastille Town, where ships are moored, wooden houses converge on one another, and the distinct scent of fish is pervasive. Compared to inside the walls, the people could best be described as "In need of a quick wash", as not even one person goes without dirtied boots. The sound of gambling can be heard around a few corners, the clutter of dice and cheers of victory, and a handful of fishing poles can be seen by the Severed River itself - pulling up Water Pokemon, taking their berries, and throwing them back to the water.

Eventually, they spot the ruddy red hut that sits by the river, and easily spot the woman who must be Bibi. She's about 6'2, with a similar lanky, muscular build to Ser Alonne, but clad in a tunic, leggings and boots, rather than expertly-crafted leather armor. Her curly pink hair is tied up behind her head, exposing a face that rather resembles the rest of her bare skin. And that looks like she's had a vigorous romance with an armory. She seems to have more scar tissue than actual skin, and they come in enough wonderful shapes and sizes to provide a solid puzzle for even the most learned Pokemon Professor.

She sits on a crate, outside her hut, and seems to be stuffing a backpack with items that are spread in a circle all around her. There also seems to be some kind of Pokemon perched on her head, with gaunt blue tentacles wrapped around her chin and a white, helmet-like protrusion that rather resembles a helmet. Its pallid black eyes blink slowly as she goes through the array of tools laid out before her.