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Jan 17, 2018 16:38:10 GMT
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Post by Batiro on Feb 9, 2016 5:03:59 GMT
As he scribbles, Merchant feels something form in his pocket. Taking it out shows a few pieces of paper - sheet music, probably the one Stan mentioned.
More time passes, and the sun hits the horizon. Still nobody has emerged from the building.
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Jul 16, 2018 14:13:48 GMT
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Post by anonyman on Feb 12, 2016 0:40:44 GMT
Merchant makes a clicking sound put of annoyance. So much for a free spirit. Looks like his prey had escaped for now.
Well, it was high risk anyway. Nothing to do here without Hiraku, Merchant returns to the waiting place. He would find a new Pokémon, and complete the story, just as long as he didn't get impatient.
(Phonepost, apologies for typos)
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Jan 17, 2018 16:38:10 GMT
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Post by Batiro on Feb 13, 2016 17:06:03 GMT
Merchant makes his way back to the empty building, and as agreed, Hiraku is there waiting. However, his expression has shifted to something a little gloomier. Also he's wearing a cloth wrap around one of his eyes.
"An audience was too difficult to manage, I'm afraid. The Magistrate is occupied with other matters."
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Post by anonyman on Feb 13, 2016 17:48:25 GMT
Of course. Nobody can get anything done around here without Merchant.
Whatever this book is it sure does resemble real life.
"Then go to our second plan. Get to the girl alone. Woo her if you can. You are poet or musician or something like that yes? Merchant knows nothing of these matters, but these matters are too important to give up so early."
Merchant ruffles through and finds the sheet music.
"Merchant has music for sale if you have anything to trade for it. Merchant can tell you already wish to infatuate this Ju Mei, yes?
Also, Merchant saw a Rapid- a horse spirit appear today. What do you know of this?""
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Post by Batiro on Feb 16, 2016 6:39:47 GMT
Merchant's page vibrates as Stan writes from across time and space.
"Music? If I might..." Hiraku leafs through the music, considering it carefully. He hands it back to Merchant hesitantly. "This music is not like our music... I am unsure if it would work to, um... a horse spirit?" He goes into thought briefly. "Yes, horse spirits are common, with great manes of fire. They do not ever seem large enough to accommodate a person riding them, so we tend to feed them hay and give them a place to rest in a stone building."
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Post by anonyman on Feb 16, 2016 20:53:17 GMT
Merchant consults his 'ledger' again. He inspects Hiraku closely.
"Merchant is no poet or songwriter. If you are unable to contact Ju Mei Merchant will take this to Merchant's own hands. While it would be easier to have someone of local culture to act as inbetween, Merchant needs someone with determination."
He goads Hiraku.
"Merchant will investigate and consult with the horse spirit. Perhaps Merchant can decide where to go from there."
Maybe this 'ponyta' will have something that will help make these two humans mate. ...Or maybe he can capture it for his own. He sneaks off to investigate how to get into the stone building.
In doing so, he writes a note back to stan.
"Merchant has acquired some local currency. Check Merchant's fifth back left side pocket to see if anything can be taken out of the storybook. "
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Post by Batiro on Feb 17, 2016 4:54:41 GMT
Hiraku responds to the bait... by looking more downtrodden. "Yes... I will try to find a way myself..."With the sun setting, there's plenty of shaded cover for Merchant to sneak around. The festival is far from over, however, and villagers have started to light bonfires to keep warm as night falls. Some have already partied themselves out, but the majority of the village is still drinking and making merry. Approaching the Magistrate's building and the stage, he is free enough to take a cursory walk around the perimeter. There are no officials outside, so nobody to suspect him; there are two doors up on the stage that go inside the building, as well as one right around the corner from stage left, the door that the Rapidash went through earlier. There is also one door on the building opposite of the stage side, which Merchant has not seen anybody enter. There's a window into the room it leads to, which looks like a primitive office, with a robed woman sitting at the feudal equivalent of a receptionist's desk. Merchant's sixth sense tells him something has left his back pocket - exactly ONE bronze coin - but this has been replaced by something he can't quite say he's seen before.
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Post by anonyman on Feb 27, 2016 17:16:46 GMT
Merchant eyes the item in his pocket inspecting it. Some kind of...web gun? Looks useful. A more than acceptable trade. This Stan fellow understood how currency works at least, though Merchant was baffled where the officeworker got an item like this.
Not wanting to talk to the receptionist (at least not yet), Merchant approaches the door the Rapidash entered, cracking it open and peering inside.
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Post by Batiro on Mar 2, 2016 6:00:21 GMT
Very discreetly, Merchant opens the door around the corner from the stage; what he sees is a somewhat barren room, feathery props in the corners, and two of those robed officials from earlier entering a door in the corner opposite of the one he's peeking through. At least there's nobody else in this room now, though it's odd how the cracked door is illuminating the room despite the twilight.
Merchant feels something gently tugging at the back of his robe.
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Post by anonyman on Mar 5, 2016 15:13:08 GMT
Merchant nearly steps in, interested in whatever is lighting the room and the side that he can't see, before freezing.
Something tugging on his robe.
Merchant desperately hopes its Stan bothering him again as he turns to investigate.
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Post by Batiro on Mar 6, 2016 14:41:15 GMT
Merchant turns to find whatever is tugging on his robe... and is greeted with a Ponyta nipping on the cloth. Said Ponyta also has a neatly-wrapped gift box around its neck, similar to the Rapidash's cloth bag around its own.
Surprisingly, no one has seemed to notice the second flaming horse come to town.
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Post by anonyman on Mar 7, 2016 20:32:33 GMT
Merchant pauses, processing the new turn of events.
This was...unexpected. Merchant carefully reaches for the gift box, offering the Ponyta the skewer. Merchant doubted it would want actual cash.
He looks inside the box with interest, the cloaked mans mind turning on how to lure away the horse. A forceful capture would likely draw too much attention.
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