A Leader's Seating
Bingo Entry: "Different types of leaders"
A Lapras transport ferrying a boat left its passengers at the shore of Blizzard Island. The Rhydon that led the procession picked up some papers and bags with gems, and instructed the accompanying Pokémon of Fire and Ground types to head over to a cave that was serving as lodging accommodations. Only a Pansear accompanied the Rhydon up the mountain, into a small plateau.
At the other end of the plateau, a group of Delibird and Froslass was waiting for them, and led them into a nearby cave opening. It was barely a minute into it when the group got into a small chamber with snowy ground and four icy seats arranged in a semicircle.
Rhydon looked around, all four seats were empty. He ventured approaching one of the Froslass guards, and asked if they were too early for the meeting.
“Oh right,” answered the Froslass. She pointed him to the seats. “My bad, these are mostly for show.”
“For… show?”
“Mhmmm, the guides are almost never around here.”
Rhydon fumbled for a moment, unsure if either side had skipped protocol or something else was going on. The Froslass summoned a few Delibird, four of them approached the Rhydon and Pansear and stood at the ready.
Rhydon showed one of the tables to the Froslass. “We’re here from Fire Island for some trade offers. Were the guides informed?”
Froslass nodded. “They don’t really show up around here to boss around, but they do are interested. We’ll have to find them on our own tho. Follow them.”
She turned to one of the Delibird. “Very
please be patient with the guides. Who knows what they’re up to today.”
The Delibird started trilling and chirping and guided the visitors out of the cave. They explained they’d have to scout Blizzard Island in search of the guides, who had gone off each on their own to do various tasks.
The group first approached a shore on the northern side of the island. Some Pokémon were there training various forms of water manipulation as they pulled and pushed the frothy waves of the sea; Rhydon eyed curiously as the techniques were pretty simple and did not seem geared for combat, but were mostly about moving water quickly from place to place.
In front of a rocky cropping in the sea the group saw a Tentacruel and some Snover. The Snover quickly froze part of the sea into an ice platform and the Tentacruel ferried them back to the shore where they assembled before the visitors.
“Our guide Tentacruel from the Surrounded Sea,” chirped one of the Delibird. “She trains Pokémon in supporting ferries and keeping our weather stable.”
The Tentacruel crawled around the visitors and came to stand in front of Rhydon, who tentatively presented the documents he had brought and announced his intentions to establish trade between their islands.”
Tentracruel rubbed her tentacles over the documents and eyed the Rhydon visitor. “We know who you are, and the number of us that you Fire Island Volcano asks for in support. What are your offerings in exchange for us dedicating so many of our ferry Pokémon to your cause?”
“We were expecting you’d see the positive side of these plans” asked Rhydon pointing to his bag. “The elders at Sahra insist that they won’t consider a trade route if we can’t offer a passageway to the Grass Continent.”
Rhydon and Tentacruel examined the documents, with the Tentacruel focusing on the provisions the island would need to train more Lapras and other support Pokémon and dedicate such groups to tend to Fire Island specifically.
“If you want to employ our workers, you shall feed us and offer us some aid in doing that work. Provide materials to build docks and defenses, and commit your partners to tribute every new moon to rebuild and maintain them, and I will speak in favour of your offerings.”
Rhydon bowed. “Thank you for the consideration.”
Tentacruel eyed the seas and summoned a group of Pokémon. “As for making it to the Grass Continent… that’s a tough one. I’d recommend you speak to the guide stationed at Mt. Avalanche. Our marine Pokémon will help you circle the island.”
The Rhydon and Pansear were brought to a boat, pulled by some Pokémon manipulating the waves of the sea. It took an hour at most to get to the foothills of Mt. Avalanche, thanks to avoiding the various dangers scattered across the island.
The group entered a small settlement built in the southern face of the mountain. They passed by a nursery and then entered a small cave excavated with spiral patterns and various openings to the sky, covered with brambles and weeds in various patterns and with some bird Pokémon moving parchments, books and bottles around.
At the more illuminated side of the cave the group saw a desk, there was a Prinplup assisting some Delibird, Pachirisu and Sneasel tasked with counting boxes of fruits and berries. The groups kept inventory notes in various parchments as the Prinplup jolted down some notes and helped organize things.
A Delibird accompanying Rhydon and Pansear stepped in to make the introductions. “Our guide Prinplup from Crevice Caves,” chirped the Delibird. “He passes down the teachings of the Grass Continent’s guilds to manage our stock of food and wares.”
The Prinplup approached and looked the Rhydon up. He noticed the documents the latter was carrying. “Oh, you come here for the trade offer?”
Rhydon gave a hesitant nod. “Uhm, yes. We wish to reach with a small fleet all the way to the Grass Continent, but the way across the Surrounded Sea is dangerous and then there’s the dragons in the coast. We were told to speak to you about that.”
Rhydon offered some of the documents for the Prinplup to check. The Prinplup grabbed a chalk from the desk and started marking various lines, then called one of the Delibird assistants and showed her the document and the two started chirping comments to each other.
“Getting from here to the east is not easy, it’s worse in winter even. We could help you with that, but you need to make a more serious offer.”
“More… serious?” Rhydon and Pansear looked at each other.
The Delibird nodded and spoke to the Pansear assistant, handing her back the now corrected documents. As the Delibird and Prinplup explained, expanding the trade route was ambitious, even for Fire Island, and the Blizzard locals felt they were asking for too much: not only use of the shores and passage across areas that were reserved for nurseries and feeding, but also that some of the locals’ dens were emptied and reassigned for storage.
The Prinplup went to some nearby crates and produced a few apples and herbs that the island inhabitants procured for themselves via their own trade.
“We can’t risk this much for that,” the Prinplup explained.
Pansear looked up to the Prinplup checking the crates. “Would you consider it if we make a better offering? We would pay you and your attachments a weekly stipend to accompany our Lapras and boats from Fire Island so that they can also make trades on their own.”
The Prinplup produced a bag of seeds from one of the crates, weighed it, wrote some notes down and gave a brief look at the Pansear and the book with notes. “That’d be a start,” he admitted.
Rhydon gave a satisfactory nod. “We’ll do what we can then. So, about the combat hiring…?”
The Prinplup and Delibird looked at each other. “Combat?”
“We need people to protect the acquisitions at Sahra and while they’re in transit to Fire Island.” The Rhydon approached the Prinplup and offered a handshake. “We were told you are of the best fighters in the entire Sea of Wonders, and we’d offer you a monthly stipend.”
“Nah, I’ll pass.”
Pansear’s jaw fell open as the Prinplup simply walked away. She spread her arms as if to try and complain, but she gave up, looked deflated, “You’ll pass?”
Delibird gave an almost pitiful look at the two visitors. “Yeah about that, with him that *never* works,” she boasted, assured that the island would keep one of their guardians.
“I already have a seasonal job here and would rather keep it,” spoke the Prinplup.
“I’m the one who secured *that* contract,” added Delibird in a low voice, giving a smug grin.
Surprisingly then she heard the Prinplup’s voice behind her.
“But I’m sure Delibird here can have an attachment set for you.”
At that, Delibird blinked and turned around.
“S-say what? B-but I’m busy doing accounting! And they said they need
fighters.”
The Prinplup pointed Delibird to the mountain to the north. “You’ll set something up then, place some job offers for the Simipour and Gallade training in the Altar of Ice. The Beartic guide, even! I’m sure they’ll love jumping over to the next islands every once in a while for training.” The Prinplup then looked the Rhydon up. “Does this mean you’ll sweeten the trade offer, then?”
Rhydon and Pansear consulted with each other for a moment. In the end, they nodded in agreement.
Delibird sighed. “Oh well I guess that means we’re going to check with Beartic. Follow me.”
It was a long walk out of Mt. Avalanche and to the nesting caves near the Altar of Ice, being careful to avoid the entrance to the Mystery Dungeon. The terrain was cold and rough, and by the time they had made it there it was already night. From every cropping and crevice, various sets of eyes trained on the visitors, and every once in a while a Fennekin or a Cubchoo would make gesture to approach them and seek out a fight, but Delibird was quick to shoo them back to the nests with their mothers.
In the end, they reached a clearing surrounded by rocky spires, where a number of Pokémon were sparring and practice the usage of various wands and items. Leading the instruction was a Beartic, who approached the visitors.
“So you are the people from Fire Island looking to hire a couple of tough hitters?”
Rhydon nodded and presented the documents. “We are not looking to
start trouble, but we do understand reaching from here to the Grass Continent—“
Suddenly Beartic let out a roar and bumped Rhydon’s shoulder with a fist. “This will be wonderful! If you are making at least a few trips every full moon, it will be great for the students!”
The Beartic turned to his audience of sparring Pokémon and called them to attention.
“Hey everyone! Come see, these are the explorers from Fire Island who want to go to the continent. We’ll accompany them to the Surrounded Sea as the first stop. This will be a great experience for those who want to join!”
Before Pansear and Rhydon could object they were surrounded by various Pokémon like Glaile, Floatzel, Fennekin and Fletchinder. Most of them young, asking questions, already volunteering for adventure and exploration.
Pansear patted the nervous Rhydon. Looking at the ruckus with amusement, Beartic clapped to bring everyone to attention.
“Well well everyone, let’s get ready then. Two teams, pack food and Orbs. We will head off from the shore in three hours. The rest, you can go sleep.”
As the volunteers and the other students went their own ways, Rhydon went up to Beartic and bowed in gratitude. Beartic made a friendly gesture to dismiss the formalities.
“We are heading out soon with a first group, so we better get back to the meeting chambers.”
Rhydon and Pansear nodded and turned to their Delibird tour guide. The Pokémon nodded and made motion for the two visitors to follow.
The group headed back to the shore, accompanied by Beartic and two teams of explorers who had volunteered to accompany the trade group. Thanks to having a more numerous team and going downhill, they reached the meeting plateau from earlier in but an hour.
Rhydon and Pansear called the rest of their group and set out to pack their things.
It was during that process that Rhydon took a look at the meeting chamber and noticed the icy seats, still empty. So he decided to ask the Beartic guide about it.
“I’m thankful that you’d give us your support, but,” he inquired, recalling the earlier comments about the guides being active elsewhere, “can we really leave this soon? We have yet to talk to the fourth guide.”
Beartic laughed briefly. “What, Bessa or Dalvin tell you that?” He made a gesture to dismiss the whole thing. “I’d think they’d have told you, those seats are for show. Today is the first time I see mine.”
Rhydon and Pansear looked in disbelief, and the Rhydon walked up to one of the seats, taking a look at it.
“So the fourth guide, what about him?”
“Well, the position is yours, if you want it.”
Rhydon stopped in his tracks and he looked at the Beartic guide, who was standing absolutely serious. The two held stares for a moment, until Beartic unfolded his arms and moved closer to explain.
“We are a small community, unlike the continents. It was a silly idea the Delibird had, that we should have seats ready for the day when we had proper leaders.”
“But, then you don’t have
four guides?”
Beartic shrugged. “We’re lucky to have more than one.”
He then approached the Rhydon and grabbed the bag with the papers.
“This island now has people with experience, with impetus. That’s good. Now you come with an idea for the future, and a plan to see it done. Looks to be quite important.”
Rhydon walked down from the seats to where Beartic was, and turned his head back to give the seats another look.
Then he looked down his Pansear companion, who smiled at him. And in turn, he smiled to the Beartic guide.
“I guess we will be too busy to use these seats for a good while, then.”
