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Return of the Merchant (10) : Investigation for the curious meteor impact may yield few results for the civilian scientists of Destiny City--but they don’t have the keen eye and aura sensing ability of their local powered warriors. Cloaked by a mysterious device that emits a unique energy signature, the impact site of the meteor is hidden inside a strange, watery bubble that spans easily a hundred feet in all directions around it. This strange shield seems to reflect light, making it appear as though there is nothing inside--but, if you look for long enough, you can make out shapes and movement. You cannot pass through the barrier, nor can sounds or light. If you attempt to walk through it, you simply pass through the other side, as if you’d walked in a straight line. That might be peculiar on its own--except, there’s a sign posted where the energy signature is strongest. Painted in fancy, iridescent ink, elegantly scrawled, the sign reads ‘Temporarily Closed for Business.’ Beneath that is a painting of a wispy, floating little orb. Text below the picture reads, ‘WANTED. Will reward handsomely.’

The shop may be closed for tonight, but tomorrow is a different story. It might be worth coming back if you can find one of those wisps.


Megrez was doing perfectly routine patrol things on this fine night, though she also had a guest in tow. Puffy the Puffski had suddenly appeared in Henshin Alley, as though he had just come into town for the festival. She got no clear answers as to where the alien puff had been, but she didn't expect any, given that all he could say was variations of buu and puu and bad puns.

The puffski had casually hitched a ride on her head as she made her way to the outskirts of town. On a sort-of whim, she wanted to investigate where the meteor from some nights ago had probably landed. Her journey there was surprisingly uninterrupted, which was good, because she didn't feel like explaining that yes, she had an alien critter who occasionally dropped by for visits. It wasn't like he was a pet or anything when it came down to it, though. He did his own thing too much for that. Probably.

A very weird energy signature made its way to Megrez's senses, and she knew that she was headed in the right direction. She was clued into her correctness even further by Puffy taking a flying leap off her head and scuttling ahead, like he liked to do whenever he found something mildly interesting. The signature grew stronger as she followed the fuzz ball, and soon she happened upon something... and yet nothing at all.

There was a sign saying that something was closed for business, and yet some other object was also "wanted." She hadn't seen the wispy orb that was illustrated on the sign, but it was most likely a clue to whatever was going on here, so she was going to have to keep an eye out for it.

"Buu?" Puffy began to scoot forward, which wouldn't have been a problem except somehow, those few inches caused him to shoot straight through to the other side. "BUU?!"

"How'd you get all the way over there?!" Megrez asked, baffled by the apparent teleportation. Puffy attempted to scoot back, only for the transfer to happen in reverse.

"Buuno!" The puffski squeaked, which Megrez figured was his way of saying "I dunno!"

"Yeah, I dunno either," Megrez said with a shrug. "Something is obviously hiding here. Whatever or whoever it is, it's got a great barrier if it can just make you pass through like that." Her attention went back to the sign with the wisp on it. "Maybe if we find some of those things, whoever's in here will take down the barrier?"

"Buuno."

"Fair. Hey, you found the star piece for me last year. Maybe you can find a wispy thing for me this year?" Megrez asked, but she got a look from the puffski that seemed to say that he wasn't in the mood to consistently be a treasure hunter.

She sighed. "Fine. You do you. I've got some wispy things to catch. See you up on Megrez, maybe?"

Puffy didn't immediately leave, but when he did, Megrez always felt puzzled as to when he'd show up again.