Nov16
EVERYONE: Pokemon: Diamonds of the Colorful Skies
(rated E10+ for fantasy violence and frightening images)
Prologue: The Rainbow Caravan Sets Out
It is a story long told in Cielore...long ago, Cielore was oppressed by an evil wizard, who had a dragon familiar to hold the people under his iron fist. Heartbroken by the misery and despair she saw across the land, the Diamond Princess Diancie searched across the land for a hero that could defeat the wizard and his dragon, and lead the land into a new age of peace and plenty. She found the hero in a small village, and granted him a magical sword that would protect him from the wizard's evil magic. After a very long journey, he confronted the wizard and his dragon not far from the royal capital of Illumis, and defeated both wizard and dragon with his magical blade, and Diancie's sacred diamonds, which he had gathered on his journey.
Many years have passed since then, and Cielore is in a new age of peace. While the tale of the hero, the wizard, and the dragon is now just a bedtime story, or a minstrel's tale, there is one reminder of the hero's journey that we undertake today--the Gathering of the Diamonds. Once a year, many different caravans follow the hero's long journey, stopping to gather diamonds where they can--either hard won from ruins, or as thanks for a deed of valor. While many set out to gather the sacred diamonds that appear in the land each year, only a rare few make it all the way to Illumis. Those that do make it there are welcomed as heroes, and receive medallions of valor from Her Majesty Queen Diantha.
No one knows for sure how millions of colorful diamonds suddenly appear in the land each year in the spring, but it is agreed that when they do appear, it is time for the caravans to embark on the Gathering of Diamonds. Many see it as a coming of age journey, so every person in the land is encouraged to make the journey at least once in their lives.
It is not just those of us that live in Cielore that make the journey--many come from far and wide to learn about the Gathering of the Diamonds, see all that our home has to offer, and follow the hero's route in their own way--either through a caravan of their own, riding with a caravan, a single Ponyta or Rapidash, or on foot.
This year marks my turn to follow the hero's long road to Illumis in a caravan--but I get to do this alongside some of my best friends.
What follows is our journey along the hero's road for ourselves. Little did we know, we would encounter and defeat an evil wizard of our own along the way, and arrive in Illumis as heroes...
The people of Cielore knew very well when spring was in the air--thousands upon millions of colorful diamonds suddenly appeared all across the land, and just as many caravans from all over the world came to seek them. It wasn't just the native Cielorians that searched for the diamonds--Wakunese refugees that now considered Cielore their adopted home, and travelers from Sabia, Galaria, and elsewhere all came to experience the grand diamond hunt for themselves, in remembrance of a great hero.
Among the many caravans setting out for the long annual journey to seek diamonds and reach the royal capital of Illumis was a blonde haired girl in an elegant red plaid runeblade's costume. "Here you are, Serena..." a blond haired man in majestic robes smiled as he led Serena, Ash, Misty, and Brock outside, where a majestic wagon with a team of six Ponytas waited outside. "When I informed Her Majesty that you came of age this year, she asked me to give you this as a gift for your first Gathering of the Diamonds."
"It's beautiful!" Serena smiled before hugging her father. "Thank you...I hope to make it to Illumis, and thank Her Majesty personally."
"You're in good hands with Ash, Misty, and Brock at your side." Serena's mother agreed as she watched Ash arrive with his supplies to begin packing the wagon for the long journey ahead.
[Your sword, milady.] Serena's Braixen smiled as she offered her master an elegant sheath with gold decorations, with a well loved and well cared for rapier inside.
"You may want to take your signaling horn--just in case--and your mandolin for the road." Serena's mother suggested as Misty and Brock arrived with their supplies.
Serena accepted her rapier from the smiling fox Pokemon, set it by her left leg, then hurried back inside the house. "Be right back!" she assured Ash, who was bringing out his own one handed sword, a flute case, and some bedrolls and blankets. He smiled as a familiar yellow mouse Pokemon with a thunderbolt shaped tail peeked from a pocket of his regal red costume, then continued loading supplies for the long journey ahead.
"So, who's going to drive the caravan?" Misty asked, brushing a wisp of orange hair from her face as a breeze ruffled her blue traveler's garb.
"I'll drive, and you guys can walk with the wagon." Serena replied as she arrived with a few instrument cases to put in the wagon. "Brock can lead the way, as he is a master archer, and knows the land well."
"I would be honored to serve as your scout." Brock smiled as he deposited some of his own supplies in the wagon, then retrieved a familiar and well loved bow with leaf designs and emerald inlaywork. "It would be wise to put the signaling horn somewhere where you can find it if you spot my preferred warning shot--a Flare Arrow." he suggested as he slung the quiver filled with matching green fletched arrows on his back, just as another gust of wind lightly ruffled his own green traveler's garb.
"Good idea..." Serena agreed before climbing up inside the wagon and arranging some of the items inside to allow passengers to be comfortable. After putting her mandolin and her friends' instruments inside a nest made of spare blankets, she next nudged the case with the signaling horn near the driver's seat, in case she spotted a warning shot.
Once happy with how the food, supplies, and belongings were laid out in the wagon, she noticed a large bag in the pile of Misty's belongings. "What's this for?"
"Collecting soap to trade." Misty explained. "In a lot of inns, it is tradition you will leave a bar of soap behind to replace what you used up during your stay. In some places, soap can be traded for food and supplies, or given as a gift to thank someone."
"Yes--always stop and get some soap in every spa town and soap making town you pass through." Serena's father agreed. "Soap is always a good idea to send home, too."
"Point noted." Serena smiled as she and her Braixen Krystal climbed in the driver's seat. "Well, we're off!"
"Be safe, Serena..." Serena's mother hugged her as best she could from the ground.
"Yes--Arceus' protection be with you all." Serena's father smiled.
Serena smiled back at her beaming family. "Well, we're off! I'll try to send letters as often as I can."
With that, she flicked the reins, spurring the Ponytas to elegantly trot towards the road leading out of town...
Prologue: The Rainbow Caravan Sets Out
It is a story long told in Cielore...long ago, Cielore was oppressed by an evil wizard, who had a dragon familiar to hold the people under his iron fist. Heartbroken by the misery and despair she saw across the land, the Diamond Princess Diancie searched across the land for a hero that could defeat the wizard and his dragon, and lead the land into a new age of peace and plenty. She found the hero in a small village, and granted him a magical sword that would protect him from the wizard's evil magic. After a very long journey, he confronted the wizard and his dragon not far from the royal capital of Illumis, and defeated both wizard and dragon with his magical blade, and Diancie's sacred diamonds, which he had gathered on his journey.
Many years have passed since then, and Cielore is in a new age of peace. While the tale of the hero, the wizard, and the dragon is now just a bedtime story, or a minstrel's tale, there is one reminder of the hero's journey that we undertake today--the Gathering of the Diamonds. Once a year, many different caravans follow the hero's long journey, stopping to gather diamonds where they can--either hard won from ruins, or as thanks for a deed of valor. While many set out to gather the sacred diamonds that appear in the land each year, only a rare few make it all the way to Illumis. Those that do make it there are welcomed as heroes, and receive medallions of valor from Her Majesty Queen Diantha.
No one knows for sure how millions of colorful diamonds suddenly appear in the land each year in the spring, but it is agreed that when they do appear, it is time for the caravans to embark on the Gathering of Diamonds. Many see it as a coming of age journey, so every person in the land is encouraged to make the journey at least once in their lives.
It is not just those of us that live in Cielore that make the journey--many come from far and wide to learn about the Gathering of the Diamonds, see all that our home has to offer, and follow the hero's route in their own way--either through a caravan of their own, riding with a caravan, a single Ponyta or Rapidash, or on foot.
This year marks my turn to follow the hero's long road to Illumis in a caravan--but I get to do this alongside some of my best friends.
What follows is our journey along the hero's road for ourselves. Little did we know, we would encounter and defeat an evil wizard of our own along the way, and arrive in Illumis as heroes...
The people of Cielore knew very well when spring was in the air--thousands upon millions of colorful diamonds suddenly appeared all across the land, and just as many caravans from all over the world came to seek them. It wasn't just the native Cielorians that searched for the diamonds--Wakunese refugees that now considered Cielore their adopted home, and travelers from Sabia, Galaria, and elsewhere all came to experience the grand diamond hunt for themselves, in remembrance of a great hero.
Among the many caravans setting out for the long annual journey to seek diamonds and reach the royal capital of Illumis was a blonde haired girl in an elegant red plaid runeblade's costume. "Here you are, Serena..." a blond haired man in majestic robes smiled as he led Serena, Ash, Misty, and Brock outside, where a majestic wagon with a team of six Ponytas waited outside. "When I informed Her Majesty that you came of age this year, she asked me to give you this as a gift for your first Gathering of the Diamonds."
"It's beautiful!" Serena smiled before hugging her father. "Thank you...I hope to make it to Illumis, and thank Her Majesty personally."
"You're in good hands with Ash, Misty, and Brock at your side." Serena's mother agreed as she watched Ash arrive with his supplies to begin packing the wagon for the long journey ahead.
[Your sword, milady.] Serena's Braixen smiled as she offered her master an elegant sheath with gold decorations, with a well loved and well cared for rapier inside.
"You may want to take your signaling horn--just in case--and your mandolin for the road." Serena's mother suggested as Misty and Brock arrived with their supplies.
Serena accepted her rapier from the smiling fox Pokemon, set it by her left leg, then hurried back inside the house. "Be right back!" she assured Ash, who was bringing out his own one handed sword, a flute case, and some bedrolls and blankets. He smiled as a familiar yellow mouse Pokemon with a thunderbolt shaped tail peeked from a pocket of his regal red costume, then continued loading supplies for the long journey ahead.
"So, who's going to drive the caravan?" Misty asked, brushing a wisp of orange hair from her face as a breeze ruffled her blue traveler's garb.
"I'll drive, and you guys can walk with the wagon." Serena replied as she arrived with a few instrument cases to put in the wagon. "Brock can lead the way, as he is a master archer, and knows the land well."
"I would be honored to serve as your scout." Brock smiled as he deposited some of his own supplies in the wagon, then retrieved a familiar and well loved bow with leaf designs and emerald inlaywork. "It would be wise to put the signaling horn somewhere where you can find it if you spot my preferred warning shot--a Flare Arrow." he suggested as he slung the quiver filled with matching green fletched arrows on his back, just as another gust of wind lightly ruffled his own green traveler's garb.
"Good idea..." Serena agreed before climbing up inside the wagon and arranging some of the items inside to allow passengers to be comfortable. After putting her mandolin and her friends' instruments inside a nest made of spare blankets, she next nudged the case with the signaling horn near the driver's seat, in case she spotted a warning shot.
Once happy with how the food, supplies, and belongings were laid out in the wagon, she noticed a large bag in the pile of Misty's belongings. "What's this for?"
"Collecting soap to trade." Misty explained. "In a lot of inns, it is tradition you will leave a bar of soap behind to replace what you used up during your stay. In some places, soap can be traded for food and supplies, or given as a gift to thank someone."
"Yes--always stop and get some soap in every spa town and soap making town you pass through." Serena's father agreed. "Soap is always a good idea to send home, too."
"Point noted." Serena smiled as she and her Braixen Krystal climbed in the driver's seat. "Well, we're off!"
"Be safe, Serena..." Serena's mother hugged her as best she could from the ground.
"Yes--Arceus' protection be with you all." Serena's father smiled.
Serena smiled back at her beaming family. "Well, we're off! I'll try to send letters as often as I can."
With that, she flicked the reins, spurring the Ponytas to elegantly trot towards the road leading out of town...
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