1x1 Pokemon: Jewels of the Aether - On the Run (Tala x 1:22)

(Thanks Wave)

"Right... I hope Belle hasn't gone missing either."

The royals had Leon and Michelle know that Cordelia would be ready to set up base once the Relievera was secure. Fortunately, the SBC trading post there would likely be happy to be a staging ground for an attack on the city. All Leon and Michelle needed to do was clear the path through Vanita first.

 

Something caught Belle's eye, and as it happened it was a shining light from none other than Hao. However, Hao, being right beside the public fountain, had certainly caught the attention of the surrounding locals.

"Whoa! What is that?"

"It's an Umbreon, but it's not in its usual colour..."

Belle squeaked annoyingly. [What are you doing?! You're drawing attention!]

Leon and Michelle were soon standing outside Chateau Illumis, with no idea where their Pokémon could have gone.

 

Leon slowed down so he was looking directly at Michelle. "I'm not sure if Hao is okay, but he can't have been taken. Illumis is free from guild activity, right? There's no way a merchant could simply have snuck into the city. Besides, I'm worried about Belle too." He tipped his hat up.

Belle panicked the moment Hao collapsed. [You idiot! Didn't you get enough rest?!] She rushed over to push him up, but Hao was quite heavy for Belle's size.

"Aw... The Bellossom is helping Umbreon," a bystander said.

"They must be friends," another said.

 

"True enough, but I'm sure the odds of something bad happening are low in Illumis," Leon said. "I'll be right beside you if anything goes wrong." After that, he continued walking along with Michelle and hoped for the slightest trace of their Pokémon. "It shouldn't take too long to find them, I hope. Otherwise, we might not make it to Vanita before sundown."

[Do you need to see a cleric or something? Otherwise, we need to get back to the castle. Your master has been looking for you!] Belle scolded. She sat down beside Hao and rubbed his head.

 

[Aw... Come on. You don't look well! Let's try to find them,] Belle squeaked.

"I don't remember. I think we were having lunch at the time," Leon replied. "Come to think of it, the first thing Hao saw was the cleric's. Perhaps we can start there."

 

Leon's eyes widened at Michelle's reaction. "Hey," he whispered. "Don't cry yet. Cheer up! We'll find them. They can't have gotten far." He offered his sleeve to Michelle if she wanted to use it. At the moment, they were still in the north district of Illumis, where the cleric's was nearby, so they decided to check.

"Excuse me, milady," Leon asked the cleric. "Have you seen an Umbreon and a Bellossom around, by any chance?"

Cleric Joy shook her head. "I haven't seen such today. Sorry."

The fountain Belle and Hao was not far off, but where they were going was another story.

 

The mere mention of the Fire Mages made Leon a bit uncomfortable. He needn't be reminded that the Fire Mages and Water Mages were still fighting over his home. But then again, with all the effort he and Michelle had been putting in, it didn't seem likely the mages could hold the city much longer. The SBC might be able to break through at last.

"I highly doubt the Fire Mages would be able to enter Kalski itself. We'd hear of a war going on if that happened," Leon replied. SBC... Perhaps they could try the Company headquarters here in Illumis.

As it happened, Belle and Hao had wandered into the eastern trading district of Illumis, where SBC Headquarters Illumis was located. [Look, Hao. Leon's company. Maybe we shoudl rest there?]

 

(Whoops. My fault this time for forgetting to reply)

Belle guided Hao towards the large fortified factory that served as the Sapphire Bay Company's headquarters in Kalski. Situated on the east side of the city, the trading post was located beside the river, where at least one ship was always docked nearby. Belle and Hao walked into the courtyard, and were greeted by the bustling business of Kalski traders coming in to exchange their goods for imports in the Exchange. However, that wasn't what Belle was concerned about. She needed to find Leon. But first, she sat aside to rest from all the walking.

"Hey. It wasn't your fault," Leon assured Michelle. "You're being too hard on yourself! But then again, Hao should have joined us when we visited the prince and princess." He continued walking down the streets of Illumis and away from Chateau Illumis.

 

"I certainly hope so," Leon agreed. "Hmm... I'm feeling for a drink. Want to stop for lunch for a bit?" There were some food stalls and bakeries in the area, so the timing seemed right, should Michelle have wanted to stop too.

[Hmm... I wonder if they'll let us stay here,] Belle wondered. She didn't know how long they could stay around the SBC outpost without Leon around.

 

There were stalls serving soups, salads, and sandwiches, but their aroma was blanketed by the smell of fresh bread coming from the bakeries. The smell reminded Leon of pies. "Hey, speaking of which, why don't we grab a pie?"

Belle nodded. [Let's go see if the ranger-on-duty might be of help.] At that, she got up and walked into the Exchange of SBC Headquarters Illumis.