Oz: Crossroad of Legends

Yuleian Safehouse

It's a good thing Alvis is a patient man, for a lesser man would have kicked the door down by now.


@yoshi

---

St. Elne - Streets

The wagon's road wasn't too bumpy, but Grant's focus was more on the surroundings around him, and the cowboy in front of him trying to explain what's going on to the best of his ability. Apparently they were trying to summon people from other worlds? And they're at war with another country? And flying-type Mankey are also trying to kill them? Grant understood only part of it, as the more he saw of the "old-fashioned" city, the more the cowboy in front of him stood out like a sore thumb. The occasional element of modern-day civilization he saw -- like electrical lighting, blue jeans, and firearms -- only made him even more confused.

This has got to be a dream. A really strange dream. A bad one.

"Then do me a favor and don't wake up yet. We get someplace that mostly resembles my prime, AND there's battles to fight? This is my idea of a vacation!"

"Cool yourself some, pardner," the cowboy said, seeing Grant's distress. "Glinda's a nice gal. I'm sure she'll let ya go back home if you ask. 'course, I'd rather we get more fightin' hands on our side."

"W-Well," Grant said, finding his composure, "I'm kind of in my own war back home, and I don't want to abandon my friends there, either, so..."

"I ain't judgin' nothin'," the cowboy answered. "We're all the stars of our own lil' story."

"So, umm..." Grant fidgeted. "Do... you know if any other 'Outlanders' have been summoned?"

The cowboy shrugged. "Beats me. I forgot this was a thing that was gonna happen, and I haven't met any other weirdos of your caliber since."

What's so weird about me?!

"'Sup."

But he doesn't know about you!

"Speakin' o' forgettin'... Pardon my manners, but I think I forgot to introduce myself." The cowboy tipped his hat at Grant. "Name's Sterling. Jonathan Sterling. Just a humble guy that's good at shootin' varmints. You got a name? Callsign? Designation? Thing folks shout to get your attention?"

Grant considered using a fake name. "My name's Grant," he finally answered.

"Grant, eh?" the cowboy echoed. "Alrighty, I'll make sure to remember that name."

Though neither of them could tell, the driver at the front scoffed at that.

Sterling looked up as if he just noticed where they were. He nodded his head ahead of the wagon. Grant looked over to see a pair of metal gates opening to let them through; two guards with firearms saluting at the passing wagon, presumably for Sterling. Grant gasped as he saw a courtyard lush with greenery, and the large palace standing tall before him.

"We're here," said Sterling. "Hope Glinda don't mind me dropping by unannounced..."

-----

After getting off the wagon, Grant followed Sterling as he spoke with some soldiers. One of them came back telling him that the person Sterling was asking about was busy for some reason or another, but that Grant can wait in the throne room with the "other Outlanders". Sterling was allowed to escort him there, which made Grant feel only a slightly bit better, as the stranger in an unknown world was going to share a waiting room with other strangers the that might be considered strange by this world's standards, whatever they may be.

"So how're gonna introduce yourself to these strange people? Going up to the front like a gradeschooler?" Gawain asked Grant right as they approach a large, important-looking door with armed guards in the front.

I'll... I'll just try not to draw attention to myself too much. I don't plan on staying here for long either, so why bother, right?

The plan was foiled immediately, as Sterling kicked the door down like someone would enter a saloon in one of those old westerns Grant's father used to watch.

"Make way for the new... Outlander..."

Sterling looked at the only two individuals there not dressed in military or servant uniform. First impressions: a normal-looking lady in a black dress, and some guy dressed like a poor mercenary, with a rifle slung over their backs that looks like it hasn't seen maintenance in too long.

"That's it? Err, I mean, howdy! This feller here is Grant! He's an Outlander, just like you!" Sterling patted a cringing Grant on the back and lightly pushed him forward. "Don't be shy, say howdy!"

Grant ended up staring like a Deerling in headlights for a few seconds before cobbling together an introduction. "Er, ummm... H-hey! I'm Grant! I'm a Pokemon trainer, but I guess I gotta explain what that is, huh? I also do... r-rebel stuff, and... Erm, nice to meet you!"

---

St. Elne - Inn

John Doe and company awoke fairly early in the morning. He decided that their first order of business was to see if anybody was hunting for him in particular. To that end, they peered out the second-story window as Zoroark created an illusion of John Doe loitering on his own in the streets outside. Nobody paid a lot of attention to him, with or without the mask. At the very least, it seemed he can walk in the open without worry.

"Alright," John Doe said to his squad. "The plan is to find any kind of information we can. Checking newspapers, overhearing gossip, watching or hearing news broadcasts if any, maybe asking about the latest gossip, etc."

"Should we hide ourselves, papa?" Rotom asked.

"Yes. If the people here have never seen you guys before, it would attract a lot of unneeded attention. Rotom, Grinn, Ditto, the usual. Manaphy, stay close to me. Zoroark, you already know."

"Yeah yeah," Zoroark replied.

Rotom slipped into Doe's electronic mask, Grinn hid in Joshua's shadow, Ditto wrapped itself beneath Joshua's right sleeve, and Manaphy perched itself on Doe's shoulder. Zoroark didn't seem to do anything, but Doe knew that he was camouflauging himself and Manaphy to be invisible to the human eye.

John Doe opened the window, and dropped down after making sure that nobody in the loosely populated street below was looking.

Given his luck, he wasn't surprised that trouble found him almost immediately, as he heard a commotion from right inside the inn he just squatted in.

"Don't lie to me!"

What now?

John Doe glanced through the front door to the side. He saw a burly roughneck angrily slam their fist onto the front counter, where a senior-aged man sat. The senior looked at the other man sternly and spoke calmly, but it was clear from his body language and somewhat shivering hands that he was nervous at best, terrified at worst.

"Sir, for the last time, I haven't spoken to him in years." the elder said. "And even if I have, what difference does it make? If it is what you expect, what's done is done."

"The man's a damn juggler!" the muscle-bound man shouted. "He can barely afford meals, now he suddenly has money to buy tickets for two to move to St. Elne, with even higher rates of living?! No, he had somebody helping him, and you're the only guy who would be willing to help him! So either you come clean..." The roughneck pulled out a revolver and pointed it at the senior, who flinched and raised his hands up defensively. "Or I put you into retirement!"

"Hey!"

The roughneck looked over to see a man in a tuxedo pointing a gun at him. "Look, I don't know what this is all about, but I take threatening a defenseless man very seriously. Put the gun down, and maybe you won't get hurt yourself."

"Piss off! This is a family issue!" the roughneck declared, gun still pointed at the senior, watching him from the corner of his eye. "I'd hate to get blood on that tux of yours, but if you keep sticking your--"

I'll take that as a no.

"--nose in other people's--"

John Doe didn't let him finish. At the same time the illusion of the man holding the gun at him suddenly vanished, the roughneck felt a knife slash across the back of his arm, as the real John Doe made himself known from behind. The roughneck dropped his gun and clutched his wound in pain before looking up at his attacker, screaming in rage, and lunging at him with a knife with his uninjured hand. Doe raised his hand to block him by the wrist and brought his face closer to the roughneck, were a current of electricity shot out from the mask at him. As the roughneck spasmed uncontrollably in paralysis, John Doe ducked. The Shadow Ball Grinn had been charging whizzed overhead, striking the roughneck in the chest and launching him clear out of the inn and into the street. Before the man could even process what was happening, Manaphy flew out after him and fired an Ice Beam across his arms and legs. Try as the roughneck might, he could not break the ice pinning him to the floor.

John Doe sighed and wiped off the blood from his knife as he turned to the senior behind the counter. "Are you okay, sir?

The senior took a moment to catch his breath. "Y-Y-Yes, I believe I am now. Thank you. Really. I-I don't have much to repay you, but--"

"It's okay," Doe said. "I... slept in one of your rooms without paying, so consider this payment."

Just then, a pair of uniformed men, one with a sword and another with an axe ran into the inn. Doe could see another pair of men standing over the trapped roughneck outside. It seems somebody outside had called the authorities.

"What's going on here?!" one of them shouted. "We were notified about an aggravated... assault..."

The soldier noticed Manaphy and Grinn floating near John Doe. Grinn immediately flew back into Doe's shadow, while Manaphy hid behind him, as he raised his arms defensively. Still outside and invisible, Zoroark hunched down, ready to pounce when ordered.

"Peace, sirs! That man frozen outside was responsible," the senior explained to the soldiers. "He even pointed a gun to shoot me, when this kind gentleman saved me!"

"I see..." The soldier sheathed his sword, while the other lowered their axe. "Well, I hope you will be able to answer some questions for our report. But... you..." he turned over to John Doe. Doe tensed defensively. "I don't think I've seen creatures like those two before."

"It is none of your concern," John Doe stated. Behind his mask, his eyes were scanning his surroundings, developing methods of escape, just in case.

"Are you... not from around here?" the soldier asked.

A lead?

"...Maybe," John Doe replied.

The two soldiers looked at each other. "Well if you aren't, we may be able to help you."

Yuleian Safehouse


"......" said Alvis.

Somewhere near Yggdrasil
The first thing Raku felt was her face slamming into the dirt as she suddenly appeared at the top of a hill. This feeling quickly became all too familiar for her and her crew as the trio found themselves tumbling downhill, the sound of rattling chimes breaking the silence in the otherwise quiet landscape. After some time of this mess the group landed in a pile at the base of the hill, and as Raku slipped her way out from under her crew and got to her feet she was the first to speak up.
“Alright, who screwed with the transporter?”
“I haven’t been in the transport room all day...”, Khaii responded defensively as he picked himself up. “Could it have been a malfunction?”
“Doubtful,” Neza responded joining the others, “I didn’t see anything wrong during maintenance the other day.”
The crew’s discussion came to an abrupt end as all three turned in response to a horrific screech coming from right above them.

Location: Safe House

"Not at all sir Alvis,". "One of them is in my room right now getting dressed and ready to come out here,". "Her name is Morgan and she appears to be a normal teenager,". "Maybe a couple of years younger then me," Lana tells Alvis.

"The other two guests are still sleeping it seems,". "I have Charlie checking on the other two and he will try to wake them," Lana informed Alvis.

Lana then goes to the kitchen area and grabs a tea kettle. She fills the pot with water and then places the pot on the stove. While the tea kettle is on the stove, Lana begins to address Alvis.

"Oh I do have something interesting to tell you,". "Ms. Morgan had some strange cards with her,". "She most have noticed them this morning, because she seems scared to look at them,". "The cards showed pictures of 3 young ladies and Morgan has never saw them before,". "She thought it might have to do with something from a card game from her world," Lana tells Alvis.

The tea kettle starts to whistle as steam comes from the spout. "Would you like some tea Mr. Alvis?". "Oh and more importantly would you or mom know anything about those strange cards?" Lana asks Alvis.

"Oh, I... understand," June says. "I've seen people in a bloodrage before. I've felt it myself before in the heat of the moment." She rests a hand over her heart.

Looking up in response to the screeching the trio of aliens saw a hideous creature descending towards them. It appeared to be some sort of primate with course black fur and... wings? Questions about how such a creature could achieve flight given the gravity of this planet had to wait however as the three Avali quickly spread out to avoid its dive bomb. While the freak of nature wouldn’t be so easily discouraged and quickly changed course towards Raku, the captain was ready for it and reached for her Pulse Spear, activating it and slashing just in time to leave a sizable gash across the creature’s torso. This seemed to be a lot more persuasive, as with a roar of pain the thing took back to the skies as it circled around, looking for an opportunity to strike once again.
“I don’t think so... Khaii, suppressing fire!”
“Yes, Captain!”
The sandy-feathered Avali drew a pistol and in the blink of an eye began firing small plasma bursts into its wings alongside Raku. The flying horror stood no chance of dodging the first few shots, and while it made a valiant effort to avoid the rest each hole punched through its wings made it harder to stay in the air. Before long the creature found itself tumbling headfirst out of the air desperately trying to fight itself.
“Now, Neza!”
“On it!”
The creature almost managed to right itself, but as the last Avali to act hefted up a large plasma cannon and fired a shot into its chest its fate was sealed. A sickening crunch accompanied its faceplant signaling that gravity had finished the job by snapping its neck. Raku winced at the sight of the gruesome death, then looked to the sky.
“Well I don’t know about you two, but I think I’ve seen enough of this planet already. Let’s just beam back up and figure out where we are.”
After a moment of silence Raku’s face grew grim.
“Something wrong, Captain?”, Khaii asked.
“Yeah, I cant contact the ship.”
After a similar attempt Neza’s eyes grew wide.
“Me neither. What about you, Khaii?”
“Nope, no signal.”
Khaii closed his eyes and thought about about what could be wrong.
“Maybe some sort of atmospheric interference? In that case we’d need to find somewhere higher up, the less air we have to transmit through the better.”
Raku surveyed their surroundings, quickly spotting a massive tree towering over the ring of mountains around it.
“There. Hopefully the mountains are tall enough, I’ve got no idea how we’d climb that tree. Come on, the sooner we get there the sooner we can get off this stupid planet.”
And with that the three of them began their trek towards the ring of mountains, taking turns keeping watch for any more aerial assaults.