(REMAKE IS UP!) Restitution (CLOSED)

Chapter 27: Tricks and Schemes

After getting on the street, it wasn't hard for me to find my way back. Despite how the sun was setting, it really didn't seem like that much time had gone by. I guess I just lost track of time while in that alleyway. Keeping an eye out for that Empoleon or anyone else like him, I tried to blend in to the crowd. Despite my attempts, others were looking at me, whispering to each other as I would pass by them or would just look at me in general. I'll never get used to this kind of attention, but for now, I just had to hide my discomfort and get back to the house as soon as possible. While on the way back, more music was playing. I was more starting to question why "The Siren" or "White Shadow" were played so frequently. It's been like the only bands I've heard from the speakers. I threw the thought out of my head. Maybe they were the only ones that were popular around here.

Posters were hung around walls, showing events that were going on around the town. Most were just stuff going on for specific companies, but there were those that showed Laurine in her "Majesty." I couldn't help but feel contention and a growing anger the longer I stared at it. I wanted to tear it down, but I was too far away to reach and rip it apart. One poster did catch my attention to the point to where I had to get a closer look. It was a posture of "The Siren." They were giving a tour, and from the picture, it showed some of the band, a Vigoroth on the drums, a Gallade and a Raichu on guitars, and a piano that sat up front with no one on it. The background had one red eye with white as the rest of the background. They were doing a tour in a city called Erin. I faintly recalled that name when I studied the map for the way to the City of Flares. I laughed once through my nose. Maybe I could get some tickets to go and see them play, maybe then I'd be able to understand why it's so popular. Just as I was about to turn around and keep going, I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw black and blue fur, then by turning the rest of the way, I saw a Lucario behind me. Upon seeing my face, he gave a sigh of relief.

Cassius! There you are!

"Eric!" Without giving it much thought, I reached out and pulled him into a hug. A sharp poke was what I felt on my belly, causing me to jump back as I felt pain, yipping a little bit in the process. Eric looked at me a little stunned at first, then started laughing. He tapped a spike he had on his chest, grinning over the fact that I ran right into it.

Easy there, he said to me, this thing isn't fake, and if you're not careful, it'll draw some blood. Even as he said that, I felt a slight trickle going down my chest. I looked down and saw what happened. It hadn't gone through the coat since anything from the neck down was open in a cone shape, but it did pierce my shirt. It was a small hole, barely noticeable, but I still felt the pain that made me jump back from it. I stuck my hand where I was bleeding and wiped the blood off me.

"It may be a little late for that." I said chuckling faintly. I looked back at Eric as he just seemed to relax.

Where were you? He asked. Veronica and I went everywhere trying to find you. I scratched the back of my head, or rather, the hood, struggling on how to put it into words.

"Well, you remember when you and Veronica followed me after I blocked your way with all those boxes?" I asked. He nodded his head. "Well... when I turned the corner, I kind of got tackled by Amanda from the side. She kind of forced me into an alleyway when the two of you ran by."