The Bird & The Bear - Jacob Staples (short story to read .txt) 📗

paw. The squirrel, having been eclipsed by SQ’s massive body, scared and confused, asks SQ why he even wants all of his ingredients, why he wants to make the potion in the first place. SQ admits to wanting to become a duck, as well as admitting to his theory that he just doesn’t look like a duck because he’s too young. The clerk mistakingly says “well, are… aren’t you a bear?” which increases the agitation between the two, this angers SQ even more and slams his hands down on the desk, creating a paw mark once more. The squirrel, in fear, hands over the grizzly toes to SQ for free, telling him that it’s an indication of good will, hoping that SQ would leave his store sooner.

We now skip over to Fy’s side of the story, delving into her Loudwater adventure we find that she is looking for a map, we find out now that she doesn’t actually know where the fire stone is, and that she requires an enchanted map that can scale the skies, even the moving clouds. She doesn’t know where to start looking, but as she’s looking through the windows of the merchant stores, one of the owners spots her and comes out, he’s a pelican, sailor-looking fellow with an eye patch on one eye. She confesses to her search and he just so happens to have such a map in his possession, although he makes it clear to Fy that it’s only a collectors item, and is not for sale. Although he’s a fair Erfen (Earth Creature), he shows her the map and offers her to copy the map as it currently is, without the enchantment for only 10 gold pieces. Fy agrees but her intentions are otherly. She knows that the only way to find the stone is to have the real map, imbued with all its magical properties. So as Pelican Petey goes inside to find some rags and charkoal to copy the map for Fy, she takes it into her possession and flies off with it, Petey none the wiser. Because of this, both Fy and SQ are wanted in Loudwater, although it is a large-ish town, and they are only looked for based on appearances. Although there can’t be many phoenix’s here, so she makes her way out of town to lay low.

It’s established that both SQ and Fy are willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

Now we’re back to SQ’s adventure. His tummy rumbles, and he feels it best to get some lunch, by this time we see him ravaging through the angler shop bait supplies for something cheap. There’s an old coot black grizzly bear in the corner on a rocking chair, and a relatively small, but adult aged black grizzly attending the counter, “Hello my fellow bear, can I help you with anything?” Grant the Grizzly asks SQ. He explains that he’s looking for some fishing supplies for his journey. Grant enquires about his journey, where he’s headed and what for. SQ just nods, claiming he’s somewhat of an explorer, searching for something, important. This is all he tells Grant.

“I need a fishing rod” SQ exclaims. Grant offers SQ a shoddy looking rod for 25 gold but he only has 50 left “it may look old, but this beast can reel in the best of meats” *rod breaks whilst Grant holds it up* “darn, alright alright, listen, we have no choice but to raise our prices, we’ve had, well there’s this, um, issue with another angler shop owner, he’s been spreading rumours about us for quite some time now, and just recently has he been been making waves about our supplies, he bought a rod off of us and mistreated it on purpose, showing it to other Erfens and convincing them that our goods are second hand piles of junk, our shop isn’t what it used to be. Hey, I’ll tell you what, I’ll make you a deal, if you can deal with this said grizzly bear for me, I’ll give you the best rod we have in this shop, and for only 30 gold pieces”. That was alot for SQ to take in, and perhaps he forgot he had a budget, instead of negotiating getting the rod for free in turn, he accepts the quest, asking what exactly he should do to the bear. The old coot right behind Grant crackles a speech saying “Snitches Get Stitches” and then begins to laugh maniacally, coughing in the process.

SQ has been told that this grizzly that he’s supposed to be taking care of likes to spend most of his days down at the local wharf, catching fish for the pathetic street markets. As SQ passes through the street markets, he comes up with the semi-brilliant idea of attracting sharks to the wharf “heheh, the perfect crime”. He haggles with the shopkeeps, settling on a deal of 3 gold for her 3 smallest fish, which is actually a horrible price considering the price for fish is 2 gold for large trouts, she knew that there was no way she could get rid of these pathetic gibblets without lying to a gullible somebody. As he approaches the wharf, he spots both, a sign that says “Non-Shark Waters” and the grizzly bear he might be searching for sitting over on a distant pier.

The closer SQ gets to this bear, the more and more his brain rattles with ideas. He comes up with yet another brilliant idea, to convince this Grizzly to move closer to the sea a few miles away, to where there are sharks, although the grizzly is highly uninterested in this idea, or SQ for that matter. Next, SQ uses a different excuse, he tells this grizzly that there are better fishing rods just across the river, for the greatest prices he’s ever seen, but this seems unconvinving to the grizzly, he denies again. Angered and frustrated to the max, SQ uses his magic to attach rope to this grizzlies legs, trapping him to the ground, “Woah, HEY, What’re you doin yo?”, SQ demands that this grizzly hands over all of his gold, seeing this as an advantage to do so, SQ is handed a pouch of 50 gold coins. “Now you have my cash wod, what about you let me go now bud? Help a brother bear out eh? BUD!???”. SQ screams “I’M NOT A FUCKING BEAR” and then uses his magic to slowly drag the grizzlies feet down into the water, drowning the grizzly. SQ picks up the faulty rod that this grizzly was using to defame Grants shop and heads back to claim his reward.

SQ heads back inside of the Angler Rangler store, and hands over the faulty rod, and 30 gold pieces for the stores best fishing rod. It turns out that this rod is in half, it is said that the rod has a legendary background, once activated, the head of the rod that’s missing, can be bound from oblivion, no bait or hook needed to weild (it is not mentioned here, but you need a piece of void elemental stone to use it), the trick is that nobody has ever found out how to use it, not yet at least. SQ puts it away for later. The shopkeeper tells SQ that the rod is highly valuable, and world-wide famous, so there’s a high chance that he may run into trouble because of the rod. SQ takes the advice as it is, bids his farewells and leaves the store.

Fy is now seen atop a tree outside of the town gates watching and listening in on the guards, possibly also spotting prey to persue, she must now make the best of a bad situation. Now that the whole town is in search for a rare-coloured phoenix and a large bear with a hat. Little did she know, that the ruckus and on-edge excitement between the guards are not because of her taking a crusty old map, but that the guards have found the dead body and suspect that Fy may have something to do with it, seeing as how she’s a stranger to the people.  

Fy spots SQ coming through the gates, she sneakingly flies above him, remembering of a cake that he baked during their travels together working for Ratty, she figures that she has some food that she could have, or otherwise steal. She lands in front of him, leaning on a tree with one wing. She reluctantly explains her predicament with a few unclear details, “All I need is some food, then I’ll be off your back, as simple as that, umm, Quackers, was it?” SQ kind of waves with a smirk on his face “Si senor”. SQ explains to Fy that he doesn’t have much, making it obvious to her, that all he really has are the pathetic fish gibblets that were supposed to be used as shark bait.

SQ spots the enchanted map in Fy’s possession, hanging out of her satchel, and makes a deal with Fy, they could both use the directions, and after a long discussion, finally sharing each others journey to one another, they agree to a termed vocal contract, for now, Fy will allow SQ to take a glimpse at the map for 1 of the small fishes, 4 inches in size. They trade and both look at the map together.

The map is moving, the skies, it’s scale is huge, and yet with only a slightest though may you see closer to the ground if need be. You can see all the Erfens walking from birds eye view, although it is not clear whether it’s a memory of what has already happened, or what is currently happening. The map, as large as they have ever known their world to be, covers vast landscapes, a large cloud the size of the biggest Erfen empire, may be the size of a pinhead on this map.

From what they could make out from the map, in the West, south of Dakendillo forest, where they just came before arriving in Loudwater, there is the sea, the Seaguard Towers can be seen, they are ancient domestiles built along the coasts that are supposed to act as go-to spots for repair and recuperating between port towns. Although they have been long out of commission by the Erfen Empire. To the East can be seen the large Draconian Range, this is where it’s believed that the Earth elemental stone originated, where it currently resides, and where basically all dragons roam, and there’s no way in hell SQ or Fy are going there anytime soon. South of them is another town a few 100 miles, beneath them are the old mines, found by young Erfens following the war of Pre-Erf, they literally struck gold, a crack created by the Pre-Erfen weapons, with this gold, they practically founded the Empire. Although now all but disbanded, few regions are still Empire controlled, individual settlements are all basically against the Emperfians (Empire Erfens). Just North of Fy and SQ, West of Dakendillo forest, there can be seen, a large object, which embosses the Erf in shadow, could this be Phoenicia, the location of the elemental fire stone?

Fy and SQ sure do think so, and it just so happens that SQ is looking for an elemental stone too, whilst searching the tomes in the ancient library, he finds that he requires the unearthly magic of an elemental stone in order to complete his quest, although he still needs a few other rare items, he figures it best to join up with Fy.

As a sign of ‘the beggining of a beautiful friendship’ Fy offers SQ one of her rare feathers, noticing it’s one of his rare-needed ingredients to the growth spurt formula. SQ hands over something as well, all that he has on him, befitting a bird. Another one of his pathetic little fishes.

The scenes end, visuallising the trade in wing and paw, the adventure begins.