[h2]Lakshmi and Susa's adventures across the sea[/h2] [hider=With a special guest] -Meimu and Susa are at the Alefpriel harbor, observing SAIL BOATING! (VERY DISCRETE TECH POSTINS) 1 freepoint spent to invent sailing -Meimu mentions that Lakshmi is leaving for Fiberslay -Susa is like "wtf mate, that region is my homeland, why not me?" -So she decides to do the rational thing: Skinny dip across the bay and jump into Lakshmi's trireme -There she meets Salassar of the Grand Parade -Since it's hard to do a U-turn with the string trireme, they just keep going. (I don't want to invent trireme, this is just a little plot device, it will crash later) -The trio become friends, since everyone shares the fact they hate Meimu's boat design -Usually the Grand Parade dude told stories, one days he says that Susa should be the one telling -She tells a trickster tale about a dude who gets himself a waifu and brings one for his brother too. I literally stole the tale from a book about the folklore of the Yukaghir people from siberia. -Once she ends the tale, they notice a new guest? -It's your friendly neighbor (of dimensions) Chroma! -She was stuck in an island, so when she saw the boat, she followed it -There is some discussion, but in the end Chroma stays -Oddly however, nobody but Susa remembers the tale she just told! [/hider] Alefpriel's harbor began to finally grow some color now that Lifprasilians arrived from the Grot battle. Here, a new invention was starting to dawn thanks to a joint effort of Susa and Meimu. It all started back in the battle when the strong winds of the storm djin clashed against Susa's leather coat. Even in the heat of battle, she was able to notice something curious going on as the wind flowed trough her clothing. Later, when returning to the Capital, she told Lakshmi about it and one thing led to another... [color=ffa04f]"So, you are like, a daughter of the Twilight goddess?"[/color] [color=6ecff6]"You mean Ilunabar. And no... I think our lady master Ilunabar wouldn't like us calling her that."[/color] This was all awkward, Susa had been trying to be nice to the schemes of gods, or at least not too rude, but it was hard to keep up with it all. Furthermore, she just didn't know what topic to bring about with a servant of the goddess who broke her leg. [color=6ecff6]"Oh look, they are returning,"[/color] Meimu said as she pointed towards the sea. Across the harbor, a new kind of ship moved with ease, unlike the hazardous row boats, this one used the power of the winds to move forward. It was Susa's concept, but it was Meimu who came up with the idea of the "Sail". There was still much to be tested, and Lifprasilians would take a while to fully understand how to even weave the sail, mastering its control would take even longer. Even so, it was a new invention, and seeing the boat move swiftly along the horizon was a satisfying sight. [color=6ecff6]"Ah. This will open a lot of opportunities..."[/color] Meimu said with excitement, but quickly stopped once she noticed some odd sense of nostalgia in Susa's eyes. [color=6ecff6]"Is there something bothering you?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Nothing. It's just that... Wouldn't it be fun to jump into one of these and just go far away?"[/color] Meimu tilted her head, not exactly understanding what the mortal meant. [color=6ecff6]"S-Sure. Like a bird, right?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Huh?"[/color] [color=6ecff6]"N-Nothing. But really, if you wanted to travel by boat, why didn't you go with Lakshmi?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Wait, what? What are you talking about? Is she leaving?"[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Oh yeah, in the string trireme I made as a side project to this Sail Boat thing. We needed trade, so we thought about sending her to Fiberslay."[/color] Meimu looked around for a second and found a little dot far into the horizon. [color=6ecff6]"That must be her vessel."[/color] Susa just stared at the Diva for a few seconds. [color=ffa04f]"Are you stupid? Why are the gods such idiots."[/color] before even finishing her sentence, the huntress was already running towards the sea, quickly taking off her clothing before jumping into the water. Meimu didn't know exactly what she witnessed. After a few seconds of staring at nothing with wide open eyes, she just pouted and sighed. [color=6ecff6]"Rude..."[/color]. [hr] At each powerful synchronized move of the many Marionette hands attached to the sides of the vessel, the trireme moved far and fast, many would see this as a wonder, Lakshmi, however, saw it as a bother. [color=6A5ACD]"Oof. I-Is this h-how the boat is su-supposed to work-k?" she asked to the aloof figure by her side[/color] [i]"I believe so ma'am. It's an early concept, so it's natural that it doesn't work-"[/i] the Grand Parade member's attempt to be cool was immediately broken, as the next move of the boat send him face first into the ground. [color=6A5ACD]"Ah, a-are you-u fine?"[/color] Lakshmi quickly ran to the Quara's side, picking him up. [i]"Or perhaps this just a very silly idea. Marionettes are far too cold and dumb to properly work as a vessel for living beings."[/i] [color=6A5ACD]"H-here comes a-another r-r-rowing!" [/color] It looked like this penance was going to last for a week or so. At least if what Meimu said was right, and what Lakshmi learned when working with the Divas is that they aren't always right, no matter what their reassuring smiles implied, there was always an experimental twist to most of their projects. This whole journey idea was sudden. The idea about visiting the distant place from where her friend Susa came from was old, but it was suddenly put into motion as the man of a mysterious folk called the "Quara Korala" arrived. New lands with odd languages... it all felt a bit scary, but it would help all Lifprasilians. The loud sound of splashing water and a sudden thud against the deck brought the leader of the guard back to reality. [color=6A5ACD]"W-Wha-t..."[/color] she turned around to find Susa finishing to climb her way into the boat. [color=6A5ACD]"W-Why are you-u here?"[/color] then the realization [color=6A5ACD]"W-w-why a-are you-u n-naked."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"I just swam all the way from the harbor. Meimu is an absolute idiot if she thinks it is a good idea to send you without me, it's literally my homeland, for Slough's sake."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"G-Good P-po-int b-ut, again-n. W-why a-are you-u n-n..."[/color] [i]"Ma'am, might I ask who..."[/i] The Quara decided to help, since waiting for Lakshmi was a bit of a problem in such a sudden situation [color=ffa04f]"Who is the gecko boy?"[/color] [i]"Why, you brute! This is the very first interaction between the Quara Korala and the Arkonl Korala and it's a little insensitive jest of all things."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"If you don't shut it, the second interaction will be your teeth meeting my fist. Now, Lakshmi..."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"Y-Yes?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Is there a way to turn this boat around?"[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"N-Not th-that I know-w, i-it is a b-bit hard t-to do a ful-ull t-turn"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Oh well, I guess we will have to make the full journey"[/color] There was a brief moment of awkward silence, briefly interrupted by the sudden and violent rowing of the Marionettes. [i]"M-Ma'am"[/i] this time it was not Lakshmi who was stuttering. [i]"So-sorry for before."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Oh, sorry for it too. It was the fatigue from all the swimming, it makes me a bit explosive."[/color] Deciding that it was best to not call out the understatement, the Quara bowed. [i]"I believe there is enough of space in the room bellow for us three to have a place to rest and store our stuff... Not that this looks like an issue for you. Speaking of which, do you want a coat or something? I have spares..."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Nah, I'm fine. But again, I must ask, who are you exactly? A...Aref...Arefpriel is full of all sorts of funny looking folk, but you are a first."[/color] [i]"Ah, you can say I'm a newcomer. My people are from beyond Shalanoir and we are not many. My name is Salassar-Madori Denomoritore."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Whoa. I'm not saying that. Totally not. Which of those Jvanic words was your first name?"[/color] [i]"That was just my first name."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Oh... I'm calling you Sally."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"D-Don't be-e a b-ully-y Sus-sa..."[/color] It looked like this penance was going to last for a week or so. At least if what Meimu said was right... [hr] A week later, and the three found themselves at better terms. With topics like "this boat has a really bad design" around it was easy to find the commonplace for a friendship. Furthermore, Susa really liked the fact the Quara had brought a lot of wine. It was supposedly a trade good, but the huntress was quick to inform him that they had plenty of it back in her homeland. It wasn't even because she wanted most of it for herself, in truth one the earliest family of traders made their name by selling it to villages. [i]"Hey, why don't we do something different today? I have been telling a lot of stories, but do any of you two know a good tale?"[/i] Proposed Salassar, telling stories he already knew was fun to an extent, but eventually, the lack of novelty started to make everything feel lifeless for him. [color=6A5ACD]"N-None t-that I c-can r-reme-member well-el"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Hmm, I don't know Sally. I think... Oh yeah, there was one I really liked. But I don't know if I can tell it correctly."[/color] [i]"You won't know if you don't try."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Okay. Fine. So... There was this one guy who had an older brother. And one day, when he went to visit said brother's house, he found out that his wife was with another man. So, to defend his brother's name, he decapitated the man."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"O-Oh n-no!"[/color] Lakshmi gasped. [color=ffa04f]"Come on, That is how things are. Anyway, later the older brother arrived, and he was very worried. He said. Oh brother, now the people from this man's village will be angry and hunt us. But the younger brother had a plan. He picked up the body of the man and sneaked at night into the village and into the man's house, placing his body on the bed and letting the hunting knives the man had fallen off their shelf. So, the next day arrives, and the family enters the room to find their son dead with all the knives fallen on him. Obviously, they think it was all accidental."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"W-W-Wait? What-t? Are you-u f-for r-real?"[/color] Lakshmi complained. [color=6A5ACD]"Ho-ow c-come? N-nobod-dy g-gets de-deca-pitaded by acci-ci-dent."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Hey, calm down, it's not even the good part yet. See, as the people started to mourn, the younger brother came along, dressed as traveling hunter. He was quick to tell the villagers one thing. Hey, if he isn't buried properly, by a shaman, he could bring terrible evil spirits to haunt your people. The villagers found his comment helpful, and asked the good stranger to go and ask for the help of the nearby fox shaman."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"W-What i-is a f-fox sh-shaman?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"It's a shaman whose family spiritual animal is a fox, obvious stuff really. Anyway, the man went on and visited the fox shamaness's family, which was composed of three boys and a girl. Then he came back to the village with the shamaness. So, once there, the old woman started to set up the details with the villagers, before finally entering in a trace to perform the sacred rituals. Meanwhile, the younger brother went out in the fields were reindeer were kept, and set up a big fire, making the animals go mad and stamped around the little village. As the people started to react to this, he sneaked into the house with a wooden bucket full of ice-cold water. He threw it in the shamaness' head, and since she was in a trance, this created a huge shock that killed her on the spot."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"W-Why? W-Why d-does h-he ke-ee-eps d-doing t-this ba-ad stuff."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Oh Laky, don't be a bother. So, he sneaked out again, and once the villagers managed to control the reindeer and returned, they found the shamaness dead. The chief was very worried this meant the fox shamans would be angry.The younger brother, who had now joined the crowd again, shared the worries, after all, there were five very strong and tall boys in her family. The Chief was almost panicking, he said to the man. If you manage to stop the fox shaman's family from hurting us, I will give you the right to marry my daughter."[/color] At this point, Susa had to stop for a bit, and take a good sip of her wine. [color=ffa04f]"Storytelling is hard, my throat is already dry,"[/color] she complained, before continuing. [color=ffa04f]"So, see. The younger brother had a plan. He placed the dead shamaness over an old reindeer, the kind that is really easy to ride. So, as he was approaching the house of the fox shaman, he hit the thigh of the reindeer with a sharp stone. Even an old animal gets mad at this kind of stuff, and as it started to trash about, it threw the shamaness violently against the ground. The man also took the chance to fall in the ground too, as if he was hit by the animal. Soon enough, the daughter of the shamaness and her little siblings were around them. The girl was sad that her mother had died, but was also very worried that the man was hurt too, she expected the villagers to be angry and vengeful at it. In despair, she begged the man to survive, promising herself in marriage if he didn't die. At this moment, the man stood up again and kissed the shamaness daughter who was now his wife."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"H-He is a v-vile man"[/color] Lakshmi whispered [color=ffa04f]"So, now he went back to the village and told them all that there was nothing to worry, the fox shaman's family would not bother them. As promised, the village chief gave his daughter to him. Finally, he went back to his older brother's home, killed the brother's old unfaithful wife, and said to his brother to take the Chief's daughter as his new wife."[/color] Lakshmi stared at her friend for a few seconds. [color=6A5ACD]"N-No p-punish-ment? H-He go-got a-a-away."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Well, yeah? That is why it is such a good tale, the younger brother was very smart."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"I-It's a te-terrible t-tale. H-He lie-ed all the t-time"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"It is called being witty. And it's just a little story, you aren't supposed to do the stuff. Sally, what do you think?"[/color] [i]"Its a peculiar tale, I guess. Not exactly what I like to hear or tell. But I can see why you like it. Maybe with more practice, you can tell it properly. I just wonder... Why did he choose the shamaness's daughter over the chief's daughter."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Eh? Why would anyone pick some lazy village girl over a magical girl from the wild?"[/color] [i]"Probably because the village life provides education and interesting topics to talk about. Someone who lives almost alone in the woods is probably witless."[/i] [color=6A5ACD]"P-People! T-Ther-re is mo-mor-re impor-t-tant st-tuff t-than w-which g-girl h-he sh-should h-have picked. L-Like t-the f-fact he - he li-lied."[/color] [color=ffbfee]"Yeah! He was a total villain, where does he live? He can't get away with that!"[/color] At this moment, the three friends who were on the boat noticed something very odd... [hr] It had been a day already since the odd woman had left and Chroma was starting to believe she was not returning. Now, ever since she arrived in the Clashing World, or whatever this place was called, things hadn't been normal, but even so, the odd woman in black was something else. [color=ffbfee]"I do not even know if the two ugly beings were villains or not"[/color] she sighed as she kept exploring the island. It was surely an island, there was ocean everywhere. Most of the wildlife felt very familiar for her, but there were many wrong things, like the sky, so blue and full of odd stuff. And the food. Nothing tasted good in this whole place, the texture felt wrong too. [color=ffbfee]"Is there something beyond all this water?"[/color] she pondered. [color=ffbfee]"There gotta be something, right? Maybe there will be people too, and villains, which I can beat."[/color] It was then she heard a loud SPLASH sound in the horizon. She tilted her head, curious. Then again, SPLASH. SPLASH. SPLASH. The sound was in perfect harmony, always with the same interval between each one, almost like a machine. [color=ffbfee]"Whatever that is, it must be manmade"[/color] without thinking twice the heroine jumped into the sea and started to swim, her whole body morphing to make the act easier and faster. [color=ffbfee]"Wow, it is like one of those old boats from the history class."[/color] she commented as she saw the wooden vessel [color=ffbfee]"Except they are all beige, brown and odd."[/color] With her increasing ability to swim she was able to catch up with the wooden vessel and with some stretching, she managed to climb the hull. Now, back in Iridia, she wouldn't have thought twice before jumping headfirst and tell everyone who she was, yet this was the odd outlandish world, it would be wise to do some detective work before anything. There were three people in the boat. One was just like the two opaque woman from before, except she didn't twinkle, one was tall and full of feathers and finally, one was kinda-lizard like. He smelled very good too. They were just sitting around, and apparently, they were just sitting around, and the shorter female was telling some sort of story. What Chroma was quick to notice as she observed the odd beings, was that her mouth felt cold, as if she was biting ice. Nobody seemed to notice her there, even as she approached to hear the story. And what a terrible story it was, not only the shorter female was not a good storyteller, but her morals were all wrong. Didn't this world have some sort of equivalent to the Storybook Code Authority to regulate this kind of stuff? However, she barely could focus on the story as she kept having odd sensations as the story was told. When the woman said reindeer were burnt, she could swear she could smell the smoke. Then the story came to an end, the villain left not only unpunished but actually rewarded. As the other people in the boat started to voice their distaste for the tale, she found it would be wise to join them, maybe she could even get the address of the murderer and show him a thing or two. [color=ffbfee]"Yeah! He was a total villain, where does he live? He can't get away with that!"[/color] Everyone looked at her, and the reactions ranged from surprise to horror. [color=ffbfee]"Oh yeah, I kinda forgot to intro..."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"What is that?"[/color] Susa asked [color=6A5ACD]"I-I d-do-don-n't k-kno..."[/color] [i]"Looks Jvanic, but nothing I ever saw befor..."[/i] [color=6A5ACD]"k-know-w b-bu-t m-m-may-maybe w-we s-shoul..."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"It's on our boat, though, what do we do? Does it want to eat us? Can I even touch it?"[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"s-shoul-d a-ask h-her t-h..."[/color] [i]"You are rushing into action again, don't be aggressive towards it."[/i] [color=6A5ACD]"t-th-the why..."[/color] Chroma looked from one side to another without properly understanding what was even going on. Lakshmi got tired of simply waiting for the other two to come to their senses and approached the, well, she kinda looked like a female human, and asked her. [color=6A5ACD]"S-So w-what i-is you-your name." [/color] [color=ffbfee]"Chroma."[/color] she said [color=6A5ACD]"O-Oh. A-And w-who c-crea-created y-you?"[/color] [color=ffbfee]"My parents?"[/color] People in the Clashing World talked in odd ways, but Chroma was slowly getting used to it. [color=6A5ACD]"N-No I Don-nt m-mean t-those. L-Like a g-god."[/color] [color=ffbfee]"Not a creationis..."[/color] then it clicked in her mind, the odd clothing, the boat, the technology level in this whole place seemed to be very archaic. She didn't want to end up being witch hunted like Bald Eagle Sam in issue #146. But she also didn't know what to tell either. [color=ffbfee]"Ah... Ah... Amnesia."[/color] Chroma hated lies, it was bad, very bad, but even a hero of justice had to do it in a situation like this. [color=ffa04f]"Amnesia?"[/color] Susa asked. The fighting with Sally ended up dying down after Lakshmi took action. [i]"She lost her memory,"[/i] Salassar explained. [color=ffa04f]"I know what it is Geckoboy. It's just, well, odd. Why is she even in the middle of the ocean?"[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"T-Th-There w-was a-an is-island near-by"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Really? I didn't notice it."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"M-Maybe you-u shou-uld n-not d-drink s-so m-much w-wine"[/color] [color=ffbfee]"I am not lying!"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"What do we even do?"[/color] Susa said, before continuing with a whisper [color=ffa04f]"Would you sleep safely with it around?"[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"S-She d-does not seem b-bad."[/color] [color=ffbfee]"Of course not! I'm a hero of justice."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"A hero of justice?"[/color] [i]"Just to be clear. The name Jvan doesn't bring anything to your mind, right?"[/i] [color=ffbfee]"Nopty nope."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"You do not feel like touching our bodies and eviscerating us?"[/color] [color=ffbfee]"What? Why? That is terrible."[/color] [color=6A5ACD]"Su-s-sa."[/color] Lakshmi stared at her [color=6A5ACD]"D-Don't mind-d her"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"Sorry, sorry. I just like to be safe. She can stay on the boat I guess. We should be reaching the land very soon anyway."[/color] [color=ffbfee]"Oh, very good. I was so tired of that island. There was nothing there and..."[/color] it was just at that moment that Chroma noticed she was not hungry anymore. She was starving before, but now, it was all gone. [color=ffbfee]"Ah! I also forgot to ask. The man from your tale, where does he live?"[/color] [color=ffa04f]"It's just a tale... girl..."[/color] If Lakshmi could stare at Susa any harder it would start to pierce the huntress skin. [color=ffa04f]"Just something my grandma told me."[/color] [i]"Huh... This is odd."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"What is odd? Not our esteemed boat guest, I hope!"[/color] anything for the starting to stop. [i]"I can't remember the tale you just told. It is a first for me, I rarely forget these things."[/i] [color=ffa04f]"Seriously? We were just discussing which of the two girls he should have picked."[/color] [i]"I remember discussing with you. But really, the content of the tale feels like a blur."[/i] [color=6A5ACD]"A-Actu-tually. I-I d-don't rem-memberr it e-either."[/color] [color=ffa04f]"What? This has to be a joke. It's just too freakish."[/color]