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It was one of those days where he knew something weird was going to happen… he just wasn’t prepared for whatever it was.And considering he was walking through the Vault of Tears with Wherever Girl--- one of the most insane Authors ever to find access to fanfiction sites--- Swaine should have been more cautious.Authors, by definition, were fans that had the ability to make whatever story come to life; sometimes to put their favorite characters on a new adventure, sometimes to go on an adventure themselves, often to harass certain characters deemed worthy of picking on (Lord Voldemort dealt with this 101 times through several stories in the past), or… abuse their power in ways that he’d rather not think about.And considering Wherever Girl, or ‘WG’ as friends called her, had a tendency to start a new plotline without warning, he had a reason to be cautious every time he wound up in one of her stories. Every time the woman entered the Tooniverse/Gamiverse/Noveltiverse or what-have-you, he only knew one thing:
Shit’s about to go down.
“Why are we down here again?” Junpei Iori asked, walking beside Ryuji Sakamoto; why she invited a couple boys from the Persona Series fandom to tag along, he didn’t know… actually the real mystery was why they hung out with the crazy girl in the first place.(Then again, considering he was here too, Swaine had no reason for any smart remarks).“I lost my keys down here,” WG answered, peering around.“Should I ask why you were down here in the first place?” Swaine asked, always a bit paranoid whenever WG was in his world.“We’s was exploring parts of your world,” Khunbish—a sky pirate from Ni no Kuni II--- answered. “I had never seen your side of our fandom before, so I asked her if she’d like to go exploring,” he turned and looked at Ryuji. “It was just the two of us~”Ryuji sneered. “Oh, did her BOYFRIEND know?” he retorted.Junpei and Swaine exchanged eye rolls. Ever since the day the two met WG, they had somewhat of a rivalry. The girl had a habit of pinpointing a character to fangirl over--- and for Persona 5 she chose Ryuji (who always welcomed a fan-girl), and for Ni no Kuni II she chose Khunbish (who didn’t think he’d have any). …And any time one of them would get flirty, the other would bring up the fact that she already had a boyfriend (a Time Lord, of all the luck!), if not end up swapping insults that would end in a scrap.Frankly, their fandom partners found it both amusing and ridiculous. “Just keep your eyes out for the keys, dudes.” Junpei told both of them. “So, where’s your boyfriend at now, anyway?”“Zane travelled to the Kingdom Hearts dimension--- apparently he was so excited to find out about [spoilers for Kingdom Hearst 3 withheld] that he wanted to go see [character name withheld] …He’s pretty sentimental about what happened in the previous games,” WG answered.“I see… so, where do you think you lost your keys at? This place makes my skin crawl,” Swaine responded.Junpei smirked. “Not a big fan of snakes, are we?” he asked, while tickling the back of Swaine’s neck.The thief gave a jolt, turning and shoving the baseball player back. “Knock that off! …I just hate returning to places that hold uncomfortable memories. I was turned into a frog here, once!”“Hey, I ended up croaking too, but ye don’t see me getting my knickers in a twist,” Khunbish scoffed.“Khunbish… do you remember what getting shot felt like?!”“Girls, girls, you’re all pretty. Now how about we split up and search?” WG stated. “Khunbish and I didn’t go too deep in, so it shouldn’t take us very long.”“Sounds like a good plan,” Junpei replied with a shrug. “So… who wants to go with who?”“I’ll go with WG!” Khunbish and Ryuji both exclaimed with hands in the air. The sky pirate glared at the track star, who sneered back.“Khunbish, you go with Ryuji and Junpei. Swaine and I will go together,” WG stated.“But… but… ohh..” Khunbish groaned.“Aw man…” Ryuji griped.Walking down separate steps, everyone made their way through the ruins. Swaine kept his hand near his pistol; out of all locations, the Vault of Tears gave him chills the most. Because of the frog curse? …Irritating, but not startling. Because it was dark, damp and dreary? …Not exactly the case, though he had seen prison cells that looked better. …Because of the boss fight with Aapep? Somewhat…He gasped when they turned a corner, and a snake-statue was glaring at them. “You okay, Swaine?” WG asked.“Yeah, just thought I saw something,” the thief replied, keeping it cool. Unbeknownst to others, he HATED snakes. Sure, the Naja familiars they had weren’t too bad… but actual snakes? Not exactly what he’d consider fine company.WG’s foot hit something, and with a ‘clink’ sound, she watched as her keys dropped into a pool of water! “Confound it…” she sighed, watching as they sunk to the bottom. She took off her jacket, handing it to Swaine. “Hold this,”Swaine watched as WG jumped into the water… but it was 15 foot drop, and sadly the authoress didn’t have the lung capacity to reach that deep; she had only swam 7 feet down before she had to swim up for air. “It’s no use… can you use your gun to grab them?” she asked the thief.“I can try,” Swaine replied, taking aim once the authoress climbed out. Pulling the trigger, he activated the grappling-hook mechanism on his pistol, snagging onto something and pulling it up.It wasn’t WG’s keys, but rather a strange looking statue. It looked like a man, but with the body of a serpent, holding a spear. “The hell is this?” Swaine asked.“Obviously not my car keys… Funny, they never mentioned something like this in the game,” WG replied, studying the statue.“Probably one of the ‘throwaway ideas’ they had--- a lot of writers would have an idea, but would either alter it or scrap it if it didn’t fit the story.” Swaine took aim again, shooting once more--- only to pick up a wet stone.Hearing the gunshots, Junpei, Ryuji and Khunbish ran over. “What’s going on?” Junpei asked.“We found my keys--- they just fell into this pool,” WG muttered. “Swaine’s helping me fish them out,”“…With little success,” Swaine grimaced, tossing aside an old shoe he snagged.“Tch, it ain’t that deep. I can fish ‘em out for ya,” Khunbish replied, taking off his vest and hat, handing them to Junpei. “Hold these for me, would ya lad?”“I-I can get them quicker than you can! Swimming isn’t that much different than running!” Ryuji replied, taking off his jacket and shoving it into Junpei’s arms. “Hang on to this for me, man.”“With that bum leg of yours? I HIGHLY doubt it!”“Just watch!”Rushing forth, the two dived right in with a couple large splashes (dousing the others in the process), swimming to the bottom. “…How much you wanna bet they’ll drown fighting for your keys?” Junpei asked WG.Within the minute, the two surfaced--- though kept trying to dunk each other as they had both grabbed the keys. “Let go! *gurgle gurgle*/Knock it off! *blub*” they snapped at each other.*Bang!*The two flinched when Swaine shot his gun, prying the keys from their hands and handing them to WG. “There. NOW may we leave?!” the thief demanded.“Sure… unless anyone else wants to practice their diving?” WG quipped.Ryuji and Khunbish climbed out, Junpei handing their stuff back to them. As they headed up the stairs towards the exit, they noticed the little statue WG was holding. “Hey, Wherever-san, what’s with the statue?” he asked her.She shrugged. “I dunno. I figure I’d take it to Prince Ali and Yasmina to see if they would know anything about it… otherwise I can see if Zane would like it as a figurine,”“Oh, no no no no!” Swaine scolded, taking the statue away from her. “There is NO WAY we’re taking something from this place! Have you forgotten that this place had been cursed?!”“Aye, but the curse was broken after ye defeated Aapep, right?” Khunbish asked.“I’m still not taking any chances. We don’t know what this thing is, or what it might do. It stays here!”The Sky Pirate followed him. “Oh come on! You’re just being a pansy!” Khunbish went to grab the statue, but ended up knocking it out of his hand!Shattering on the ground, green dust exploded onto them; coughing and waving away the plume, the two backed away. “Oh--- now see what you did, you idiot?!”“Way to go, Khun-bitch, you broke it!” Ryuji scoffed.“Shut it, Ryu-jerk!” Khunbish snapped while coughing. “What is this stuff?!”“It’s obviously a hex!” Swaine snapped, brushing the dust off him as fast as possible.“W-What’s it gonna do?” Junpei asked in caution, taking a step back.“The hell if I know!”“Everyone calm down! Just… give it a minute,” WG stated firmly. “Whatever happens, we’re in a world of magic--- someone would know how to reverse… whatever that happens.”Swaine and Khunbish remained still, though the latter trembled in anxiety, the former cringing and expecting the worse.A minute passed. Then five. …Eventually it got to the point where everyone had to sit down during the wait.“I don’t think it was a hex,” Junpei deadpanned, while Ryuji was eating a sandwich and WG was lying on the ground counting cracks in the ceiling.“It was probably a bunch of old dust. Heck, maybe it was green because moss built up inside it somehow,” Ryuji guessed.“M-Maybe… The last time we were cursed, it acted immediately.” Swaine surmised, relaxing with a shaky breath.“That’s a relief… Batu would skin me alive if I went back to Evermore with a hex over my head,” Khunbish sighed.“Well, now that that’s settled, shall we head out?” WG asked. She opened a portal, and they followed her through.…Down the stairs, the eyes of the Aapep statue glowed.0o0o0o0o0o0It was late in the afternoon as WG, Junpei, Ryuji and Khunbish walked down the street of an animated version of Brooklyn, heading to the movie theater. “So, how goes work on the Security Authors saga?” Junpei asked the authoress as they stood in line.“Eh, we keep falling under a lot of hiatuses, but we should be done with the movie soon.” WG answered with a shrug. “How goes the Persona Q 2 work?”“Not bad. We’re just working on side-quest material this month, though; for some reason, Akira-kun hasn’t been very focused.” Ryuji answered, crossing his arms. “I think he’s just tired from balancing school with rehearsals. I’ve tried inviting him out, but he just wants to go home and sleep.”“Just wait until the spin-offs start. Then he’ll REALLY be burned out,” quipped a voice, and the group turned around and saw WG’s [unofficial] twin brother, Anti-Twilight Forever, standing behind them. “Believe me, Atlus is gonna be milking the P5 franchise like the proverbial cash-cow.”“ATF! What are you doing here?” Junpei questioned.“…cash cow?” Ryuji commented with a mild glare.“I’m seeing a movie too. …Also, I wanted to make an early appearance.” ATF answered, folding his arms behind his back. “So! What flick are you guys seeing?”WG’s phone rang just then. “It’s Zane! Hold on,” She then began to talk on the phone. “Hey, what’s up? How’s [character name withheld] doing?”As she spoke, the line started to move. After a few footsteps, the group was in front of an electronics store, where a talk show was showing on TV, loud enough to be heard. “I’m a non-dated TV host, here with the eccentric animal collector, Lionel Blackmire.” The talk-show host was stating.“Charmed, I’m sure.” The guest replied, being a well-polished looking man with well-combed light-brown hair and mustache stated.“So tell us, Lionel, are you planning on opening a zoo or something? Many of your past guests have commented that you have a wide variety of rare creatures living on your own private plantation.”“Not quite. I just like to collect animals that are fascinating to my tastes, almost like owning a pet. Last year, I travelled to a region full of different breeds of incredible creatures, and have hired some men to capture a few to add to my collection.”“Isn’t that dangerous?”“Oh, no need to worry. I have ways of taming wild beasts, if not keep them sedated well enough to behave themselves.”“I was talking about the Animal Rights activists who are going to be hounding you’re a**.”“Oh, please. I am not poaching any creatures for self gain! It is no different than archaeology or book collecting--- I simply find a rare creature and take it home. The more rare the creature, the more my fascination grows. *sigh* Unfortunately, it is hard to discover something new.”“And what do you do with the animals you catch once you grow bored with them?”“Oh. I never grow bored. The idea of a collection is to have one of everything, and keep it in good condition…”“Man, what a creep.” Ryuji commented as he and the others looked at the screen.“This is why rich people shouldn’t have nice things.” ATF scoffed. “Note to self: figure out where that guy lives, and release all his ‘pets’ back into the wild.”“’Taming or sedating’ creatures…? What an idiot. He’s just asking to get his throat ripped out,” Junpei muttered.“Heh, he’d have a hard time tamin’ some o’ the beasts in my world, that’s for sure.” Khunbish commented.“…Okay, we’re heading into the theater now. I’ll see you when you get home--- oh, PS, the heater is still on the fritz.” WG was saying, wrapping up her phone call. “…Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s supposed to snow until tomorrow night. I have a guy coming over to look at it, so it should be fixed by tomorrow afternoon. …I love you too, bye.” She then approached the ticket booth. “Four tickets, please.”“Hey, what about me??” ATF asked.“You came on your own, you buy your own.”“…ah. Right.”Entering the theater and buying their snacks, they were heading to their seats when Khunbish slowed down. “Ngh…” he quietly moaned, resting a palm on his forehead.“You okay, dude?” Junpei asked, looking at him.“A-Aye, just a dizzy spell is all.” The pirate answered--- both he and Ryuji sat on either side of WG. He gave the authoress a smile. “I’ll be fine, so long as me angel is right here next to me~”“Oh, yeah, and risk getting all of us sick? Go home, man.” Ryuji scoffed, and went to put his arm around WG.“*cough*BOYFRIEND*cough*” Junpei not-so-subtly hinted as a reminder to them both. Ryuji drew his arm back, sneering at Khunbish, while the pirate just stuck his tongue out at him.“Just watch the movie, dorks.” WG replied, shaking her head with a smirk.…By the time the movie credits began to roll, Khunbish felt like he was melting, yet at the same time was shivering. Get a grip, lad. Can’t look bad in front of yer fan-girl, especially with Ryuji around! He told himself, forcing himself to stay upright as they walked out of the theater.It didn’t go well. He ended up stumbling and had to lean against the wall for support. “Khunbish! Are you okay?” WG asked. “Holy shit, you’re really pale!”“I-I’s fine… really…” The aviator tried to say, but just speaking made his head hurt.“It must be from inhaling that dust from that statue. C’mon, we gotta get you home,”“Right this way,” ATF replied, opening a portal for them. They led Khunbish through the streets of Evermore until they got to the barracks.Chingis was right out front, doing a double-take. “Oi! Khunbish, ye alright?! Ye look like you’re about to throw up!”“Heh… I don’t throw up… just running a fever,” Khunbish answered, turning to the others. “Probably from that swim we’s took today… Ryuji lad better get home too, before he catches a chill…”“Huh, boy, he’s showing concern for Ryuji. He’s REALLY sick,” Junpei sighed.“Snakes alive--- you’re burning up, mate!” Chingis commented, feeling his friend’s forehead. “Feel hotter than the desert, ye do!”“Chingis, you make sure he gets to bed. We’ll come by in the morning and check on him,” With that, WG opened a portal for her and the two teens.“…how much you wanna bet he’s just trying to score sympathy points?” Ryuji muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Junpei smacked him with his cap in response.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0After a long day, Swaine was quick to hit the mattress once he returned to Hamelin… but his sleep was anything but pleasant.He thrashed in his sleep, his body aching, breaking out in a fever. In his dreams, he heard hissing, seeing only the snake statue glaring back at him.It was enough to make him sit up in bed, hyperventilating. He rubbed his face, wiping sweat off his brow. Just a stupid nightmare… dumb authoress had to have us go down in that damn place… the thief thought, easing back and stretching out.He paused, shifting… something didn’t feel right. He tried moving his legs…Something wiggled underneath his blanket. He ripped it off---And screamed.Upon hearing his cry, Marcassin raced into his brother’s room. “Gascon! What’s the matter?” he gasped.Swaine… held up a tiny lizard. “It appears I had a stowaway in my jacket,” he muttered, walking out and heading to the indoor gardens.His brother followed, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. “From the sound of your distress, I was afraid something had happened to you,”“Nahh, just found a lizard in my sheets is all. I blame myself--- I let WG drag me to the Vault of Tears, and that’s undoubtedly when this little guy slithered in,” As if in response, the lizard flicked its tongue out at him, making him grimace a bit.Once they reached the gardens, Swaine released the tiny reptile into the foliage, watching it scurry off. In a new light, Marcassin observed him. “Are you sure you’re alright, brother? You seem a little pale,”“Probably coming down with something. I had some nasty fever dreams before I woke up,” Swaine rubbed the back of his neck, finding it was still warm. In fact, his whole body felt warm. “I feel like I’m still burning up…”“I’ll get you some medicine and an ice-pack. It is the dead of winter, so plenty of illnesses are to be expected--- there’s a chance you may have caught the flu or a cold,”“…So long as I don’t wind up exploding from both ends like a busted fire hydrant…”Marcassin rolled his eyes at the vulgar remark, seeing Swaine back to his room; as promised, he brought him some medicine to help with his fever, and an ice-pack to help him cool down.Settled back in bed, Swaine closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hungry.That’s the first thing Khunbish felt when he woke up the following morning.Hungry… and cold.The winter season must be settling in. He told himself. Granted, the Heartlands didn’t get any snow, but since the kingdom was near the coast, the air still felt cold during the change of seasons. He walked out of the barracks, heading down the hall when he saw Junpei and Ryuji walking forth. “Oi! What’re you two lads doing here? Shouldn’t ye be in school?” The pirate questioned.“That's the beauty of having different worlds, man--- in our zone, it's late in the afternoon! We just got done with our rehearsals!” Junpei replied with a grin. “WG had us come by to see how you’re doing,”“Really? Where is she now?”“She decided to go check on Swaine real quick. She thinks if you got sick from that statue, he might be feeling the same way.” Ryuji answered. “So… how are you feeling?”Khunbish wrapped his arms around himself. “Well, me fever broke, ‘n’ my appetite is feelin’ fierce. I think once I eat something, I’ll feel better.” He walked out, the boys following him through Aranella Square. “Think I’ll head over to Floyd’s. Some Get-Up-n-Gonuts sound really good right now… and maybe a Hero’s Delight on the side--- with some pancakes and bacon. And a couple cups of coffee. And a fish-burger, a fish-burger sounds really good for some reason…”“Oh geez, are you pregnant or something?”“Yeah, man, I can’t think of anyone wanting to eat a whole buffet after feeling sick,” Junpei commented.“Well, I didn’t exactly eat dinner last night, so…” Khunbish slowed down, walking over to the steps and sitting down.“H-Hey, dude, what’s wrong? Should we get a doctor?” Junpei knelt beside him.“I-I’m fine! Just got a cramp in me leg…” Khunbish grunted, rubbing his shin. The pain grew worse. “N-Never mind! Go get a doctor!”At this point, a few more citizens came over, noticing the sky pirate in pain. “Khunbish! What’s going on, lad?!” Batu asked, him and Tani being the first to approach him.“I-I don’t know, boss! All of a sudden, me legs just started… to…” Khunbish grunted, but the pain was growing so severe he couldn’t speak. Forgetting himself, he clung onto the nearest person--- that being Junpei.“Oof! Dude! Too tight!” Junpei gasped as the pirate squeezed him around the middle.“Blimey!” Tani cried just then, looking over.“What…?” Ryuji turned, and let out a gasp.Khunbish followed their gazes.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0That same morning, Swaine felt his fever had broken… namely because the air around him felt freezing! “Ah… Ah… Atchoo!” he sneezed. He rubbed his face, feeling his forehead--- he didn’t feel so hot anymore, but he couldn’t say he was feeling better.He climbed out of bed, deciding some coffee and breakfast would help. He felt extra hungry this morning, though blamed it on the fact that he had spent most of his afternoon yesterday going spelunking with that crazy authoress and company. As he walked, he found himself sluggish; strange, it wasn’t that early in the morning… but due to the fact that he woke up in the middle of the night finding a lizard in his bed, sleep deprivation no doubt played a part in his lingering grogginess.“Your highness, you have a visitor this morning.” One of the grunts informed him on his way to the dining room. Behind him stood the crazy authoress herself, WG.“WG? What are you doing here?” Swaine questioned.“I came to see if you were feeling alright. …See, after you left, we all went and saw Bumblebee last night--- by the way, it was pretty good--- but by the time we left the theater, Khunbish started feeling sick to the point where he could barely walk! We got him home, and he had a high fever--- like, his entire body was hot! (and I don’t mean that in a fan-girl way)”“So, just because someone got sick, you came to check on me?” “I think it might have been that green stuff that covered you two. Zane said when it comes to certain old relics, special herbal powders were put inside them in order to make marauders sick.” She looked at him. “So… you’re feeling okay?”The thief let out a heavy sigh, but had to give a small grin. Despite her crazy nature, the woman was known for caring about her friends—even if she had a tendency to fret over little things. He patted her shoulder. “Yeah, I’m okay. …The only trouble I had was a lizard found its way in my bed,”“Lucky lizard,” WG joked.Marcassin came around the corner. “Oh, Gascon, I was coming to check on you. Are you feeling better? …Ah, hello, Wherever Girl.”WG gawked and looked at Swaine. “So you WERE sick!”“I’m fine now!” Swaine defended.“How did you figure out he was sick?” Marcassin asked WG. She told him about their exploration of the Vault of Tears, skipping to the part where Khunbish and Swaine ended up breaking a statue and green dust exploded around the two of them; then, last night, the Sky Pirate was feeling ill. “…This could be serious. Do you remember what it smelled like? If we can pinpoint its scent, it might be easier to deduce what had been inside that statue.”Swaine only shrugged. “Just a dusty smell, it didn’t have a noxious odor.”Marcassin continued to ponder. “I will have to look this up. If any more symptoms occur, please tell me immediately--- I will be in the library,” with that, he went down another hallway.WG looked at Swaine. “You guys have a library??” she asked.The thief rolled his eyes. “…We don’t carry any mangas or the Goosebumps series, if that’s what you’re getting at,” they both walked down the hallway, heading to the dining room. “So now that you see I’m fine, why don’t you go see how Khunbish is faring?”“Tch, no way. Not until Marcassin deduces what you two got into,”“How do I know you’re not just using this as an excuse to… hang around?” He leaned against the wall, grogginess coming over him again.The authoress looked at him, concerned. “Swaine? You okay?”“Fine, I’m fine! Just… still tired, I didn’t sleep good last night.”“Really? I have a hard time sleeping at night, too… but I never look so pale,”“Tch, I’m ALWAYS pale--- especially when you’re around.”“Well I’m no tanned-skin model either, but I’ve never been so sluggish in the mornings--- except when I have to get up for work at 5 AM… what time did you wake up this morning?”“Ten minutes ago… b-but, I’m always tired no matter what time I get up, and the lack of sleep last night didn’t help--- ah!” Swaine took a knee, gripping one of his legs and wincing.“W-What’s wrong?!”“I-I don’t know, my leg just--- agh!” He held his other leg, wincing as pain shot through it next. “My legs are killing me…!”WG looked up and down the hall, spotting a grunt. “HEY! Go get Marcassin! Something’s wrong with Gascon!” she called--- using Swaine’s prince name whenever she had to address him to the servants. The grunt nodded quickly and hurried off. In the meantime, she knelt by Swaine--- the man was curled up on the ground now! “Swaine…? H-Hang on, help is coming!”“Bloody hell… what’s going on?!” Swaine moaned. He gasped, kicking his legs--- they suddenly felt like they were going stiff, and he could barely move them! He tried kicking, but they felt like they were sticking together… at the same time, he felt as if his bones were melding, the pain crawling from his hips to the tips of his toes.WG held his hand--- damn! His grip was crushing her fingers! Tears were running down his eyes now as he cried out in pain, and she had to look away, unable to stand to see his face in such pain… but her gaze fell upon something much worse. “Oh… shit… what the fu…?!” she gasped.The thief’s legs were morphed together, the fabric of his pants, socks and the leather of his shoes transmogrifying into scales of a dark-green color, stretching down the hall by a good 20--- no, 30 feet! Swaine himself made the mistake of looking back… and he screamed, not of pain this time, but of sheer horror! He pushed away from WG, thrashing around to get away from… whatever was attached to his lower half!He tried to stand up--- he had to use the wall to support himself, looking back at the long, scaly tail-of-a-body that started at his thighs and trailed down. He flinched when the end of the tail flicked upwards, as if sensing he wanted to get a good look at it. “What… what the hell?!” he yelped. He looked over at WG, who could only stand and stare.It was at this moment Marcassin arrived with a couple grunts and a medic… who dropped her first-aid kit, as they all stared in shock. “G-Gascon…?! What happened?!” the young sage sputtered.But his brother couldn’t speak, too deep in shock himself.WG gulped, breaking the silence. “N-Not to cause any alarm (although, too late for that)… but… I think your brother just became a Naga,” she stated.*THUD!*“…aaaaand he passed out.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The library in Goldpaw was a wonder to behold; bookshelves lined the walls, several scriptures reaching as high as the ceiling… but WG wasn’t here to browse around. She had to seek answers.“Ah, hello young man! What brings a handsome youth to Boddly’s library?” Boddly, the elderly and fancifully-clad keeper of the tomes asked.“Emperor Marcassin of Hamelin within the First Ni No Kuni realm has sent me,” WG answered, ignoring the fact that her gender had been mistaken--- which, quite honestly, she learned to live with over the years. “His brother, Prince Gascon, has been transformed into a Naga, and we could not find any information about the curse in their world. We were hoping your library might have the sources we need,”“Ah, the Hamelin Sage--- yes, a very handsome man he is, Boddly knows him well. Any friend of his is welcome,” Boddly made a pose and gave a wink.“Uh, thank you.” WG then began browsing the shelves.No surprise, she saw someone else in the library--- Batu and Tani. “(Crazy, it is--- one minute he’s got two legs, now he’s slithering about!)” the Sky Pirate captain was muttering.“(You mean he would be, if he were conscious,)” his daughter replied.“Why do I get the feeling we’re all looking for the same thing?” WG asked, letting her presence be known to them.“Wherever Girl! …What brings you here?” Tani asked. “Couldn’t keep from exploring the library, huh?”WG rolled her eyes. “Funny, Tani--- I’ve already explored this place. Right now, I’m looking for something that can tell me about Naga curses and how to undo them,”“Blimey! So are we!” Batu answered. “…So, would ye mind filling me in ‘bout why my top-archer is half serpent?”WG explained the situation to them, as they browsed the selves. The search took almost two hours, as it turns out there were a multitude of Naga indexes--- what happens if one is bit by a Naga, different types of Naga, what to do if swallowed whole by a Naga, how the Naga community sued ill-mannered peoples for using their name to re-pronounce a racial slur, and whether or not Nagas were hatched or birthed.…WG ended up checking out 3 books.Finally, they found an old scroll that held the information they needed. “’The curse of Lamian, Son of the Naga King,’” Tani read…
“’Long ago, when the Wizard King had yet to be born, there lived a man named Gisa, who ruled his kingdom with an iron fist; he searched for dominance throughout the continent, his army large and trained to be ruthless.
‘One day, when scouting out a city, Gisa spotted a young maiden on a palace balcony. Her name was Princess Ella, and he wanted her as his bride. He had his armies lay siege to the kingdom, claiming he would only give mercy if Ella would agree to marry him; with his army too powerful, the king had no choice but to hand his daughter over in marriage.
‘Alas, Gisa’s victory did not go unpunished; Aapep, who served as the Guardian of the kingdom at the time (long before he vowed servitude to the Wizard King *see ‘History of Past Guardians, vol. 3’), placed a curse on Gisa for his cruelty and terrorism. “Should you force this fair maiden to continue your bloodline, your child will be born to be as much of a snake as his father!” he declared.
‘Gisa did not heed his warning, for he planned to sire many women in his harem in order to continue his bloodline, including having Ella bare his child, getting her drunk on wine in order to know her (Sheesh, what a creep!) *ahem* But his act became his downfall, for out of her womb came a being with the upper-body of a man, but the lower body of a serpent.
‘Horrified by the child’s appearance, Gisa ordered it to be killed immediately; but even as a babe the child was too quick for capture, nor could he be poisoned, his scales as strong as steel. Gisa finally managed to lure his son into a dungeon, sealing him away for several years in order to ensure he rotted away.
‘But Ella, who did not see her son as a monster, kept him alive by bringing him food throughout the years, speaking to him and singing songs for they soothed him; she even gave him a name: Lamian. Once he was big enough, she released him. “Your father’s reign of terror must come to an end. But if he sees you are free, surely he will seek your head,” she told him.
‘However, Lamian was crafty, for Aapep’s curse not only gave him a sordid appearance, but also a special power. While his father slept, he created a powder from the shedding of his scales, throwing it upon Gisa; when the king awoke and saw him, he vanished quickly and hid away. Gisa, terrified that his son was out for vengeance, ordered his guards and all in the kingdom to kill the snake-bodied creature.
‘By that afternoon, Gisa felt ill… and by nightfall, found himself with the lower body of a snake as well! Upon hearing his cries, all the guards rushed into his chambers--- they did not see his face, as they were focused on the scales, and without hesitation impaled him. Upon finding they had killed their own king, the guards were mortified, but did not mourn, for they claim they could never tell their king from a snake, and took to calling him ‘Nagisa, The Snake King’, or ‘The Naga King’.
‘Lamian then took over the throne; he did not mind his appearance, finding it useful in many ways… and in time, his humanity shone through his scales. Finding himself becoming more human, he made a statue containing his powdered scales, should he ever need to transform again, the statue hidden away. As the years went by, he forgot about it, having grown use to being human; he took a wife, and they bore many children, who bore their own children, and so on and so forth, none of his descendants ever learning that, once upon a time, they had been related to the son of the Naga King.’”
Everyone blinked. “…That’s it? No remedy? He just… turned human? What kind of crap is that?!” WG questioned.“Well, that does it. I’ll have to get used to one o’ my men being half-snake,” Batu grunted.“There HAS to be something more to it…” Tani stated, looking over the scroll again. “It said he didn’t mind his appearance… maybe that’s what helped him turn human!”“So, what, it’s like a Beauty and the Beast concept?” WG guessed.“Let’s face it, lasses--- we didn’t find an answer here,” Batu sighed. “C’mon, might as well head out an’ tell th’ lads they’ll be slitherin’ for a while,”“Funny… I always imagined Swaine as a Hufflepuff,” the authoress laughed, the two pirates giving her a look. “Get it? Slithering—Slytherin, it’s a house from Harry… Potter…? I’ll shut up now,”With that, they left the library.0o0o0o0o0o0o0Swaine came to… and wasn’t happy to find his dilemma was a reality, having hoped it was just another twisted dream. Groaning, he tried to get up--- might as well get used to moving in a different way, he decided. Plus, he was hungry--- perhaps a bit of food would calm his nerves.*thud!*…that is, if he could go 2 feet without making a face-plant.The door opened, and Junpei rushed in. “Oh man, so it did happened to you, too!” he gasped.“What are YOU doing here…?” Swaine questioned, propping himself up on his arms.“Wherever-san, Ryu-kun and I came to see how Khunbish was doing this morning; he was pretty sick last night. Well, she came to see you first, and we hung around Evermore, and caught up with Khunbish when he got up. Halfway across town, he ended up complaining that his legs were hurting--- then they just turned into a huge snake tail! …He’s been passed out for the last two hours, so I came to see if you had the same thing going on--- WG said it might be because of that dust.”Swaine rubbed his face. “So we all figured… Put that away!”The baseball player had his phone out, lowering it. “I-I’m just texting Ryuji… Besides, Khunbish might like to know he’s not the only one suffering,”“Junpei, I said put it away---!”*whip!*The teen gasped when the tip of Swaine’s tail flicked forth, striking the phone out of his hand! “Dude! Watch it!”The thief tried again to stand; he wobbled a bit, having to find some balance--- it was more difficult than he surmised, as Junpei had to rush forth and catch him by the arms when he began to fall facedown again. “This is officially the worst day of my life…” he groaned.“D-Don’t worry. I’m sure there’ll be a cure for this!”WG came in through a portal at this point. “Well, bad news, there’s no cure--- oh, shit, wrong room.” She said, stopping when she saw Swaine. “Um… hey, Swaine, how’s it going?”The thief gave her a heated look. “…Look me in the eyes and ask that again.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There he was, standing deep in a room within the Vault of Tears. He walked onward, feeling there was a reason he had to be here.
There came a hissing sound and he froze, seeing a large cobra with arms standing before him. He reached for his crossbow. “Lower your arms, I am not here to cause harm,” the snake said.
“Yeah? How can I believe that?” he asked in caution.
“I am Aapep; I once served the Wizard King, before I was driven mad by a stone of Mornstar. Listen well, archer, for my spirit can only visit the realm of dreams once; in order to break your curse, you must learn to overlook what has happened, find benefit in a time of trouble.”
“Find benefit…? What, ya mean look on the bright side?! That’s it?!”
“Do not be hasty, for you must discover the advantages wholeheartedly.”
“…so saying these scales happen to be my favorite color wouldn’t count, would it?”
“You must find 3 benefits… the more you despair over your appearance, the more snake-like you become, before you become a complete monster.”
“Oh, that’s nice to know!”
“Be wise about this… Do not let trouble into your heart,” with that, Aapep faded.
Khunbish gasped, sitting up in bed. “What… the bloody…?!” he wheezed.“Khunbish!” came a familiar voice; near his bedside were Evan and Roland, the latter having been speaking with the doctor about their friend’s situation. “Are you alright?”The archer looked at his midsection and downward, finding nothing but blue-green scales trailing 20-feet down the mattress and over the edge. He shifted, watching with unease as his lower body curved as he tried to sit up; his lower spine ached--- okay, he can’t sit upright as he normally did. “…I wish I could say so, your highness.” He sighed.“Do you have any idea what happened?” Roland asked. “Ryuji and Junpei said it might have something to do with why you were so sick yesterday,”“All I’s know is that damned statue has to do with it!” Khunbish grimaced, telling them about going inside the Vault of Tears, and the green dust from the broken statue. “…The thief was right, that thing WAS cursed… but the lot of us never heard of any legends ‘bout it!”“Aye, settle down, mun. We sent Tani an’ Batu to Boddly’s library to scope out some solutions!” Lofty exclaimed, and the pirate now noticed the tiny Kingmaker standing on the floor, looking at the chart upside-down and rightside-up.“They’ve been gone a couple hours now. I hope they find something soon,” Evan replied, observing Khunbish’s lower body. “I’ve never even heard of a case like this!”“How are you feeling, at least?” Roland asked.The sky pirate wrapped his arms around himself. “Other than cold? …I feel like I’m going to throw up,” he groaned.“Cold? …well, it is the winter season, but the walls are well-insulated!” Evan noted.“Aye, mun, it’s 70-degrees in yur!” Lofty added.Roland wrapped a blanket around Khunbish, who continued to shiver. “You also broke out of a fever, that could be the cause too.” The chief consul figured.Khunbish shook his head. “My fever had broken this morning when I got up… then I just felt hungry.” He rested his palm on his head. “…though, now I feel too sick to eat…”“It’s probably because of your reptilian genes,” the doctor spoke up; she was a mermaid-citizen originally from Hydropolis. “Reptiles are warm-blooded, meaning they do well in warm weather; the cold makes them sluggish and slow, and some go into hibernation until the cold season ends.”“Perhaps we should send you back to Cloudcoil Canyon. It’s always warm there,” Evan recommended.“I suppose so… just so long as no one mistakes me for some odd-looking manticore and tries to skin me alive,” Khunbish responded, his lower body curling up beneath him; he rested into his coils, as a way of sitting down.“We’ll send Batu with you… in fact, there’s a chance they’ll return with a solution and---“ Roland began to state.“Hold yer tongue, lad, we didn’t find anything,” Batu announced as he and Tani walked in, the latter carrying the scroll that held the story. “All we managed to dig up was this legend,”Everyone read through it. “…so Lamian turned human on his own…” Evan said sadly.“I think it’s because he didn’t mind how he looked--- he focused more on who he was than what he was, and that’s probably what made him transform,” Tani told them.Khunbish gave a jolt. “My dream!” he gasped. Everyone looked at him. “I had a dream… some snake-thing--- Aapep--- he told me that in order to change back, I had to find 3 benefits to being a naga!”“Well, think up these 3 benefits an’ get youer legs back, mun!” Lofty exclaimed.Khunbish looked at his tail, but only shook his head. “I can’t just list things off the top of my head… he said they have to be sincere. ‘Find advantages in time of despair’ or something--- and the more I gripe about being a snake, the more likely I’ll be stuck as a naga!”“Then it would be in yer best interest to hold back on the bellyachin’,” Batu told him.“In the meantime, we’d like you to take him back to Cloudcoil Canyon, Batu.” Roland informed the captain. “The doctor said his reptile genes can’t handle the cold weather,”“Ehhh, wish I could lad, but winter time en’t any different in the canyon. It may be sunny and warm most days, but even we tend to get foul weather--- heavy rains mostly, atop of windstorms. Even the Wyverns have to retreat into the backs of their caves until the blasted season’s over. Not sure how snakes fare in th’ wind an’ rain, but I don’t want to risk one of my men falling ill to find out,”“How about Al-Mamoon, then? It’s twice as hot there anyway, and unlike our desert you’ll have a place to stay,” Evan suggested.“Yeah! Our friends over there could put you up somewhere!” Tani exclaimed.“I guess it’s better than the alternative…” Khunbish replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “W-Wait--- if I’m gone, who’s going to help out with skirmishes? T-The Explorer’s Guild?”“We’ve got plenty o’ men, Khunbish--- not only that, ye won’t be much help to us if ye don’t have a leg to stand on,” Batu added. “…Pardon the expression.”“I can stand just fine!” As if to prove himself, Khunbish got up---*thud!*…falling sideways.“Oooooh, that’s gonna hurt his pride,” Lofty whispered.At this moment, Ryuji came in. “Hey, how’s Khunbish---?” he asked, pausing when he saw the pirate on the ground. “…er, never mind.”The pirate face-palmed. “…how soon can I leave?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
With Swaine, he had to face the same conclusion. Since Autumnia’s weather failed to provide enough warmth, he had to stay elsewhere; even with the suggestion of the indoor-heating of the palace, Marcassin surmised his reptilian biology would still sense the mild climate and affect his agility.WG opened a portal for him to the oasis outside the city, escorting him alongside his brother and Junpei, all of them knowing too well that the city would surely panic if they saw a half-snake man slithering the streets… that is, once he got the hang of moving, his brother and the baseball player helping him find his balance.“I am going to go speak to Queen Lowlah first, and let the city officials know not to panic.” Marcassin informed him. “You wait here,”Swaine only nodded, curling up by the pond; he managed to get the hang of ‘sitting’ at least. Junpei patted him on the back. “Cheer up, Swaine--- we’ll find a way to undo this,” he stated. “Try looking on the bright side,”“WHAT, exactly, IS the bright side to this?” Swaine challenged.“Uh… you get to park in the handicap spaces?” he cleared his throat quick. “Um, I’ll go book you a room.”Swaine sighed, sinking into his coils and resting his face in his arms. The only sound was the calm winds blowing across the desert, the warm breeze helping him relax a little; he shifted, his jacket suddenly feeling too warm--- which he found odd, as he had travelled the Shimmering Sands in his coat hundreds of times before. Probably because of his ‘hot-blooded’ genes, he figured.Looking over, he saw WG sitting quiet. Ever since she got back from the library and shared the story she found, she had barely spoken a word. It was easy to see she was troubled, and somehow he could sense her dread clearly.“…Alright, what’s on your mind? Spit it out!” Swaine sighed.“This is my fault,” WG stated without hesitation, standing up and pacing around. “If I hadn’t asked you guys to tag along and find my keys, we wouldn’t have found that statue and you two wouldn’t have ended up cursed!” she kicked at the sand, crossing her arms. “I know you’re blaming me for this already, so I’m sorry.”The thief let out a bitter sigh. It was true--- he hadn’t considered it too much due to the shock, but now he realized this whole ‘curse’ had in fact taken place because the crazy authoress dragged him along into the Vault of Tears, as well as had been the one who wanted to take that damned statue home in the first place. He wanted to rant and rave about it, chew her out for everything, and let all his frustration out on her…She opened a portal, her back to him. “…I know you hate me, so I’ll save you the breath and just leave.”Before he could respond, she already stepped through and left. “…Well at least let me yell at you, first!” he hollered at thin air, before cursing and slumping back into his coils.By this point, Junpei returned. “Forgot to ask, do they accept yen here---“ he began, pausing when he noticed something amiss. “Where’s WG?” he looked at Swaine, noting his bitter expression. He frowned, crossing his arms. “Alright, what did you do?”“Me?!” Swaine straightened up, slithering across the grass--- his rage distracting him from the fact that he was now moving properly. “That nutcase drags me into the Vault of Tears, tries to take home that blasted statue, and look what it caused! Now, she just automatically guilts herself and leaves before even waiting for me to respond! I didn’t do ANYTHING!”Junpei was pressed against a tree as the thief loomed over him; despite his snake-body gave him extra height, the baseball player still chose to stand his ground. “FIRST of all…!” he sneered, pushing him back (he lost balance and toppled over). “WG didn’t DRAG you down there--- she just asked you to tag along, claiming you’d be a big help; no one else in this universe had the free time to help out, and you were the only one most familiar with the place! …SECOND, you could have just told her to leave the statue herself--- rather than snag it away freaking out about it, then KHUNBISH was the one trying to take it back, and BOTH of you ended up breaking it! So you’re not blameless in any of this!”Swaine remained on the ground, staring at him.Junpei continued. “You could have told her you didn’t want to go, but you let her talk you into it. You could have thrown that statue back into the water the moment you fished it out, but you let her hang on to it. You could have suggested she take a picture of it and do some research first, but you just snapped at her instead. There were SO MANY other options you could have taken, that we ALL could have taken… but we can’t go back and ‘redo’ everything. We chose our options, and dammit we all have to stick with them! All she wanted to do was find her keys. Don’t pin your curse all on her!”The thief turned over onto his stomach, looking at his snake body. He unleashed a heavy sigh, resting his face on his arms once more. Things hadn’t gone right since last night… there was too much to deal with… in the spur of the moment, he [mentally] scolded WG for being the cause of this… but in truth none of them knew what was going to happen with that statue. In fact, they had all figured things would be fine when nothing happened right away.“…I didn’t yell at her,” Swaine told him quietly. “She just blamed herself, and took off before I could say a word.”“Then I’m having her come back,” Junpei replied, taking out his phone. “I want YOU to tell her it’s not her fault,”As Junpei dialed, there came a flash of blue light, and Ryuji, Evan, Roland and Khunbish appeared. “Here we are--- we’ll go speak with the city officials and explain everything,” Roland stated, pausing when he noticed Swaine and Junpei nearby… most notably the fact that the thief was a naga as well. “Oh! So it did happen to you, too…”“Second time I’ve heard that today,” Swaine scoffed. He looked at the pirate. “How are you handling it?”“Well, I managed to stay standing.” Khunbish answered, beginning to tip over until Roland steadied him. “…somewhat. How about you, mate?”The thief rubbed his face. “Like throwing up and disappearing off the face of the earth.”“Yeah, Wherever-san, it’s Junpei--- huh? …C’mon, don’t be like that…” the baseball player was saying into his phone, walking around the trees.“What’s with Junpei? …and where’s Wherever-chan?” Ryuji asked, mildly concerned.“She figured I blamed her for this whole mess and left,” Swaine muttered.“What?!” Khunbish gasped, then slithered up to Swaine at lightning speed, grabbing him by the shirt-collar! “Where did she get an idea like that?! What did you do?!”“Nothing! I was just brooding, she said it was all her fault, and bolted before I could get a word in!” Swaine shoved him back. “…blimey, if I need to repeat myself one more time…”“Well, she’s not coming back,” Junpei sneered, walking back over. “Apparently, she doesn’t think anyone---“ He gave the thief a glare. “---wants to see her face, and believes she should wait for things to settle down before she ‘causes any further damage’,”“I wants to see her! The presence of my angelic fan-girl is the only thing that can lift my spirits in this dark time!” Khunbish cried.“Don’t worry, Khunbish. Remember, you just have to think of 3 benefits of being a naga, and you should turn back into a human!” Evan assured.“Say that again?” Swaine asked.“Aapep came to Khunbish in a dream; in order for you two to change human, you have to overlook your transformations and find some advantages.” Roland explained to him. “The more you linger in grievance… the more likely you’ll be stuck like this.”The thief’s eyes widened. “WHAT?! You mean I’m going to be stuck as a bloody half-snake freak unless I can find a reason to like it?! What kind of bullshit is that?!”“S-Swaine, calm down! It can’t be that hard!” Ryuji stammered, backing up a bit.“Easy for you to say!” Swaine let out an aggravated breath. “Look, I might as well tell you this now…I HATE snakes. I have ophidiophobia!”“Ooh… damn, yeah this will be tough to solve.” Junpei whispered.“But, don’t you have snake-like familiars in your game?” Roland questioned. “You’re not scared of them… are you?”“Those don’t exactly count… at least, mainly because they’ll disappear after a fight, run away if you’re too strong, and can be kept stored away at the Familiar Retreat otherwise follow your command. But real snakes? Not exactly easy to deal with…” Swaine leaned against a tree. “When I was 15, some snake-charmer was doing an act in the streets; rather than having a small snake, he had a boa-constrictor that he claimed he could make dance… well, he hit a note wrong, and the damn reptile broke out of its trance and lunged at me! It wrapped around my neck strangling me--- I blacked out by the time someone managed to kill the f---““SWAINE!” came a strangled gasp from behind him. Swaine looked over and gasped--- while gesturing about the trauma he endured, his tail ended up wrapping around Junpei’s throat! Quickly he released the teen, who gasped for air. “…thank you…”“Okay. Snake trauma. Got it.” Ryuji confirmed.“Don’t worry, Swaine. You have our support.” Evan assured the thief, patting him on the back. “Once we get Khunbish settled, we’re going to see if there’s anyone else who knows about Prince Lamian’s legend, and if there’s more to the solution.”“Tch, as old as that story is, we’d have to go back in time to find anything!” Swaine grimaced.“THAT’S IT!” Ryuji exclaimed. “Zane--- he’s a Time Lord, right?? He and WG could go back in time and find the answers we need!”“Why not just go back in time and stop us from breaking that statue?” Khunbish asked.“…That can be Plan B!” Ryuji took out his phone, texting WG.By this point, Marcassin returned. “The arrangements have been made, Gascon.” He stated, before noticing his comrades from the sequel, giving them a bow in greeting. “Ah, King Evan, President Roland, I did not expect to run into you here.”“Seems like you had the same setup in mind as we did,” Roland replied, turning the young sage’s attention to the archer. “Khunbish was affected by the spell alongside your brother.”“I just got a message from WG--- she’ll talk to Zane as soon as he gets back!” Ryuji exclaimed, giving Khunbish a pat on the back. “You’ll be back on two legs in no time!”“Ah, problem: Zane is gone on Time Lord business… meaning it might be a while before he’s back home. WG said it often takes days, if not weeks, for him to get home.” Junpei pointed out.“What, he can’t just zap back to five minutes after he left or something?” Khunbish questioned.“Not quite. From my understanding, the TARDIS has a complicated system; I remember one episode where the 11th Doctor overshot a rendezvous by several years,” Roland pointed out. “But with Zane’s experience, he’s normally back within a month.”“Pardon my speaking, Roland, but we don’t HAVE a month!” Swaine grimaced, grabbing the end of his tail and holding it up for emphasis.“Then I suggest you start looking on the bright side soon, otherwise you’ll have to get used to crawling.”“…Pardon me, but what are you talking about?” Marcassin asked.“In that story, Lamian wasn’t bothered by his naga appearance and that’s what helped him turn human; Khunbish was told by Aapep--- in a dream--- that he had to find 3 advantages in order to change back.” Evan explained.“…problem is, Swaine’s afraid of snakes, so it won’t be so easy.” Junpei added, tilting his cap forth.“I see… Perhaps once you get used to your anatomy, listing benefits will become easier,” Marcassin guessed. He looked up, seeing the sun was already beginning to set. “In the meantime, we should check you in; it’s getting late.”“You guys are staying with us… right?” Swaine asked in hope.“I wish we could, but Evermore has been in need of intense management; many buildings need insulated, wild creatures have been trying to infiltrate through the walls, and we have to make sure the market has plenty of food and supplies for the rest of the season,” Evan sadly explained. “But you can be assured we will be checking in on you, I’ll send someone to visit you if I can’t make it myself,”“I must make the same promise, Gascon. Hamelin is in need of resource-checks this time of year,” Marcassin stated. “But I will come by the moment I get a chance. Oliver may even drop by for emotional support with Drippy, and Esther can visit you as well---““Whoa, hold it! …Oliver I don’t mind, but I don’t want that blasted fairy finding out and making jokes! And no letting Esther know, either--- the last thing I need is for her to see me like this! I’d never hear the end of it!” Swaine groused.“Aye, sire, don’t let the rest of me mates drop by either—they see me, an’ no one’ll use th’ term ‘Snakes Alive!’ the same way again!” Khunbish added. “They’re going to find out sooner or later, if they haven’t already. What, are you guys going to just hide out in your rooms the whole time?” Junpei questioned.“Yes,” Both the thief and the pirate answered.“It would be best if people visited them gradually--- one at a time, if not communicate online.” Roland suggested. “I have to agree that not all our friends will provide sympathy.”“It’s a miracle these two have,” Marcassin threw in, motioning to Ryuji and Junpei.“Hey! We’re not incapable of sympathy!” Ryuji retorted.“…May I see your phone?”“Um… okay?” Ryuji handed over his phone.Roland gave him a look, holding it up and showing several pictures of Khunbish’ transformation. “And these?”The pirate gave the track-star a heated glare. “I-I wasn’t going to post them!”“Hey! Delete those!” Junpei demanded, noticing that in most of the pictures Khunbish was still clinging to him.“Let’s just get inside…” Swaine sighed, doing his best to keep upright as he slithered across the sands.“We still need to give the city a warning--- the sight of us might jolt a few nerves,” Khunbish stated.“Only if they see your faces first, ha ha!” Junpei cracked. The two gave him a glare. “…ha… ha… oh c’mon guys, I was kidding! A little humor might help you feel better,”“As if anything about this is worth laughing about!” Swaine snapped.“I will speak with Queen Lowlah. Roland, will you wait here with Khunbish?” Evan asked.“Of course,” Roland replied with a nod.“We’re going to take Swaine inside. See you soon,” Ryuji said, as he and Junpei walked alongside the thief. Marcassin followed.Swaine swayed a bit, both the teens making the motion to catch him should he fall again, but thankfully he managed to hold his own. Once at the gates of the city, he drew in a deep breath; already the sentries were giving him peculiar looks, and some nearby civilians were pausing to look in his direction.This is going to suck… the thief thought in hesitation. Junpei rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him an assuring nod, and with a deep breath he made his way inside.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As they waited for Evan to return, Khunbish and Roland sat in the shade. Currently, the pirate was communicating with some of his friends on the Leafbook video-chat; since he left in such a haste, many of them were concerned.“Corr, ye went ‘n’ got yourself cursed, did ye? First it’s that ghost business, now this.” Gerel was commenting, shaking her head. “Ye can never keep yer nose out o’ trouble, can ye?”“What th’ blue blazes happened, mate?! I thought ye’d be sick in bed, only to hear ye collapsed in th’ town square! Bellowed loud enough to wake the dead, ye did!” Chingis added.“I… um…” Khunbish looked at Roland, who gave him a nod. “I… t-turned half-snake.” He tilted the tablet, showing his tail.“Goodness!/COOL!/What the--?!/Blimey!” Came several gasps from his comrades. “Talk about living up to the title of ‘Savvy Sky Serpent’,” One pirate quipped.“Oi! Send me a full-body picture! I can use it for me blog!” Another pirate exclaimed.“(Maddie, not now!)” Gerel snapped, before turning to the screen. “How on earth did it happen?”“A cursed statue… I’ll fill ye in on the details later. For now, I’s think I’m just going to go lay down once King Evan clears the air with Queen Lowlah.” Khunbish answered, rubbing his face.“Aye, get some rest, lad. We’ll keep ye in our prayers,”“Kind o’ a shame. Grace was plannin’ on coming to see ya!” Chingis added, rubbing his chin with a smirk. “’Course, if ye want, I could keep her company fer ya, heh heh.”“Ye keep yer paws off me girl, ye dolt, otherwise I’ll strangle ye with these coils!” Khunbish warned.“Har har, just yankin’ yer chain, pal!”“We’ll take care of things at the Explorer’s Guild for you too, mate. Speakin’ o’ which, we need to get ready for our guard shift tonight,” One of the pirates stated.“Aye, I’ll see ye all soon.” Khunbish replied, bidding them farewell before turning off the tablet.“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Roland said to him.“Ehh, still wish it could’ve been avoided, but aye--- it was best to let ‘em know. Surprised Chingis didn’t offer to tag along though,”“Well, everyone will be busy until Evermore is winterized for the season, but I’m sure he’ll drop by once things are set up.” The president gave him a look. “So… who’s Grace?”“She be one of me mates at the Sky Pirates base,” Khunbish smiled a bit, tracing a circle in the ground as he thought. “She works as a mechanic--- used to be a scout, until she lost an eye. Long purple hair, an hour-glass figure, has a knack for pyromania… *sigh* She’s a beauty.”“I see. I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,”“Heh, well, we’s ain’t exactly a couple. She thinks I’m too freelance with me emotions, what with my infatuation with WG ‘n’ other girls ‘n’ all… not only that, but I’s ain’t ready to commit to a relationship. We flirt ‘n’ whatnot, but never take it seriously, not until we figure out if th’ chase is worth it.”Roland crossed his arms, giving him a look. “I wouldn’t play around like that if I were you. Emotions aren’t something you can mess with.”“Aye, but it’s hard to tell how someone really feels, sir. Not unless they tell ye straight out!”“Sometimes you have to read emotions to tell what a person is feeling. A lot of us can hide it,” The president shook his head. “…Tch, listen to me, giving life-lessons to a full-grown pirate.”“Ha ha, I appreciate it, Master Roland. …But for now, I’d better focus on this curse business.”Roland nodded. “Right. Curse first, relationship advice later.”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Swaine kept his eyes on the ground as they made their way down the street, avoiding the staring and gawking from passerby; thankfully the Cat’s Cradle was just around the corner, the inns always built close to the entrance of the kingdoms so weary travelers could rest right away.Or, in this case, so the thief could get out of sight as soon as possible.Ryuji kept watching him, feeling a bit sympathetic every time Swaine would falter or have to lean against one of the teens. It reminded him of when his leg had been broken and he had to move around on crutches, and the physical-therapy that took place after his cast came off, right up to when his bum leg would flare up if he pushed himself too hard when running. “Ow!” Swaine grunted. Some inattentive passerby had accidentally stepped on his tail! He turned around. “Watch it!” The passerby looked and gasped, quickening his pace and taking off. Marcassin rested a hand on his shoulder, coaxing him to keep moving.“H-Hey, Swaine… you want us to carry you?” Ryuji asked as they entered the hotel. “I mean, just to make sure no one steps on your tail again,”The thief gave him a heated look. “I’m fine! As long as people watch where they’re going, I can manage by my--- OW!”Everyone froze, slowly turning and seeing that the door shut on his tail! “I-I’ll get that…” Junpei gulped, hurrying to open the door.“(Son of a bitch… frickin’ tail… nnngh…)” Swaine quietly continued to curse under his breath as they made their way to the front desk.“Oh my! What a rare occasion!” the Purrprioter gasped, observing the thief. “As I live and breathe… a naga has entered my inn!”“Er… yes, this is my brother. He’s under a curse, and needs a room to stay in until it passes.” Marcassin stated, while Swaine shielded his face from a few gawking patrons.“Pardon my manners, it is not every day I see a creature outside of humans and grimalkins stay here,”“I’m not a creature, I’m a human…” Swaine muttered under his breath.Huh, boy, he’s starting to sound like Morgana… Ryuji thought, but held his tongue. Plus, in the thief’s defense, he had been human until this morning.“Y-You should be expecting another Naga in a few minutes,” Junpei told the Purrprioter. “Another friend of ours was cursed as well,”“I see… hmm, yes, I have 2 rooms available, both on the top floor.” The Purrprioter said.Everyone paused, looked at Swaine’s tail, then up at the stairs. “…Any chance you guys have an elevator?” Ryuji asked, a sweatdrop appearing above his head.“I’m afraid not. We have yet to gain the funds to put one in,”“Go figure,” Swaine grimaced.“Oh, there’s no use griping about it anymore, Gascon. Remember: the more you complain, the longer you’ll be stuck like this!” Marcassin firmly reminded him, as he was given the room key. “Now come on, the sooner we get up there, the sooner you can relax.”Slithering through the curtain, Swaine came to the base of the stairs; grabbing onto the railing, he began to ‘pull’ himself, grunting as he tried to haul his tail up with him. He gasped just then, feeling himself float--- Marcassin had cast a ‘Levitate’ spell on him! “Seriously?”“Sorry, brother, but I DO want to get home within the week,”“Cool! Can we float up the stairs, too?” Ryuji asked in excitement.“Shouldn’t you two be getting back to your own worlds?!” Swaine snapped at them.“Uh… it may be a while. We came over with WG,” Junpei answered.“Then use the Universal Gateway,” Marcassin replied, matter-of-factly. “Each region in each world of the gamiverse has one located nearby. The one for the Shimmering Sands should be located near the mountains, southwest of the base of Old Smokey.”“We know… but there’s no way we’re trekking across the desert at night.”The sage withheld a sigh. “Very well, then I shall take you to the one in Hamelin.”“Thanks, your highness.” Ryuji replied, thought couldn’t stop grinning. “…But before we leave, can we please levitate up the stairs??”Marcassin facepalmed.The thief sighed, shaking his head at the conversation; with the help of levitation, he managed to get up to the top floor alright, finding his room. Marcassin handed him the key and they went in, finding the large circular flat-beds that made up the Al-Mamoonian Cat’s Cradle’s rooms, complete with several soft, comfy pillows piled along the far edge; there was also a bathroom with a tub, a small dresser, and a clock on the wall with a cow-tail pendulum and horns sticking out of the sides.“By the way… How do you think you’re gonna…?” Ryuji began to ask, thumbing at the toilet.“I don’t think any of us want to know that!” Junpei replied quickly.Swaine rolled his eyes, slithering over to the bed and collapsing on the mattress; his snake-tail curled up around him. His brother knelt beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “It will be alright, Gascon. If you ever need help or company, don’t hesitate to contact us.” He assured, patting him on the back.“Right, we got your back on this!” The baseball player gave him a thumbs up.“Yeah, dude. Keep thinking positive!” Ryuji added, pumping a fist in the air.“…I’ll try…” Swaine murmured, turning on his side, his back to them.Marcassin nodded to the others, all of them exiting; he looked at his brother once more before shutting the door. They walked down the hall before he turned to them. “Is it possible for either one of you to stay here?” the young sage asked. “I’d appreciate someone keeping an eye on him,”“We’ll try to drop by often, but I don’t think Mitsuru-senpai would buy the whole ‘emotional support for a snake curse’ story and let me skip school.” Junpei sighed.“I-I could stay.” Ryuji said, rubbing his chin. “…only I don’t want my mom to worry… so I won’t be staying too long--- shit! What time is it?! I told her I’d be home before dark!”“I shall escort you to the Gateway right away,” Marcassin assured him. “But you two will show your support, won’t you?”“We’ll do our best. I mean, he did say he didn’t want certain people around… and I doubt Ryu-kun and I are at the top of his guest-list,” The baseball player took out his cell phone. “I’m gonna text WG and check in on her, too.”“Oh! …How awful, I didn’t realize she had left. She had been so quiet upon our arrival here,” Marcassin gasped, now noticing the authoress’ absence.“Yeah… she thinks Swaine hates her for what happened. B-But, she shouldn’t blame herself! We were all down there together, none of us did anything. Hell, we should’ve come to you the moment that statue broke!” Ryuji spoke up.Marcassin only sighed. “What’s done is done, and we can only move forward. If Khunbish is right and finding positivity in such a state is the only way to break the spell, then it is up to both of them--- our role is to offer support and help them find benefits.”Junpei rubbed his chin. “So… would mentioning that people consider this a kink be an upside?”The young sage gave a deadpanned look. “No, Junpei. Making my brother feel like the product of a sickening fetish would NOT be considered an ‘upside’.”“Okay, okay, I was just kidding!” Junpei then leaned over to Ryuji. “(Better not show him the ‘Rule 34’ websites.).” “(Dude, even I avoid those!)” Ryuji whispered back.“YEEEEOOOOOOOWWWW!” a scream echoed from downstairs.“…Sounds like Khunbish is having trouble with the door,” Junpei guessed.“I should make sure King Evan knows the ‘Levitation’ spell for the stairs,” Marcassin responded. He waved his wand, casting Gateway for the two boys. “There is a Universal Gateway in Motorville's city park. You may return to your homes from there. Thank you again for your support,""No problem dude." Ryuji answered.The two teens walked through to Motorville, finding the Universal Gateway just near a fountain. It was just a holographic podium where you could press a button, summoning a large doorway that could lead to any place in the gamiverse; they typed in Persona Q in the search engine, and the doorway led them to their crossover universe--- which helped connect all the Persona universes and made it easier for them to return to their own homes.“So… you think they’ll be okay?” Ryuji asked as they walked along to the gateways that led to their home worlds. “I mean, Swaine has a fear of snakes and stuff…”“I think the most we can do is help them find something good about being nagas,” Junpei answered. “I could look up some stuff about them--- maybe they have super-strength or something. That would be a plus!”“Yeah! I bet there’s some comic books and stuff out there that show how cool being part-snake can be! Kinda like how Star Butterfly’s teacher found out how awesome being a troll was!”“We’ll meet up and collab ideas. They’ll be human again in no time!”The boys took off, feeling confident in finding solutions to their friends’ problems… as if it would be no problem at all.Which it would be, as that last sentence clearly shows.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Al-Mamoon during the daytime was a city filled with intense heat, a neighboring volcano not exactly making the desert any cooler, and for one who was not native to the Shimmering Sands it called for a lot of sun-block and need for hydration.But by night, it was a different story. With no humidity, the land was cold once the sun went down. The first time he experienced such weather, Swaine took to wearing a long jacket during the scorching hours of the day just so the coolness of the night would feel less bitter (it was also a good idea to wear long sleeves in order to protect him from suffering a blistering sunburn.)After his transformation, his body felt more vulnerable to the elements. It was too hot for his jacket during the daytime, and at night-time he felt at-risk for hyperthermia. Thank goodness the inn had plenty of blankets on-hand, as he found himself in need of another layer of knitted wool.The thief ended up covering himself with up to 7 blankets, stacking pillows around his snake-tail not only to provide extra warmth but to also keep the ungodly sight hidden. Of course, it proved difficult; he was so used to his usual sleeping positions that, every time he went to curl up or stretch out, the tail would end up shifting and moving things out of place. It was 20 minutes before he managed to get the hang of laying down, coiling up and covering his scaly body with the blankets, while burying himself under the pillows.…dammit, he could imagine WG drawing a picture of this, if she could see him now.Thinking about the authoress, he had the mind to call her up; with her ability to open portals (as Authors had their own powers, if they wanted), she could come in handy in fetching him food, or bringing him supplies so he didn’t have to go out in public. If anything, having a portal-maker around would be best if he needed to make a getaway should that blasted fairy or Esther come in and make remarks.Swaine sighed. Junpei had a point--- if he hadn’t let his fear of snakes control his actions, he could have found a way to prevent damage to the statue and would be in his room in Hamelin now. He would either be asleep in the comfort of his bed, or sitting at his desk working on his guns or some other project. He would have to remember to contact Marcassin to bring him his things once he got a chance--- having been in a haste to get to a warm climate, the thief didn’t have time to pack.*gurgle*…nor eat.Swaine held his stomach, groaning. It was starting to cramp from hunger, and he felt famished; the last time he remembered feeling so starved was during his years as a lonely thief, having to go days with little to no food, until he could swipe it off someone. He remembered how it showed after first joining Oliver and Esther--- when they bought a meal, he scarfed it down within the minute!Perhaps it was best to order room-service. It may be late, but he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping until he got something in his stomach.He paused, looking at his lower body. Exactly… how much do Nagas have to eat? What exactly can they eat?The thief gulped a bit, remembering how snakes swallowed live prey…No way! I’m not some bloody python! I’m still human! Swaine snapped at himself. Even if that were a requirement, it would be a cold day in hell when he would swallow some animal whole!Keeping a long blanket wrapped around him, he slithered out of the room and down the hall; how he wished the inn had telephones so that they could just call for something. But it was late enough at night so no other patrons would see him, though his growling stomach protested against his self-consciousness regardless.He was halfway down the hall when the real problem came up.The stairs.Swaine looked down at the steps; they looked a lot steeper than he remembered...If he made the attempt, chances are he would lose his balance and tumble downstairs, waking the whole inn and making a scene! Even if he held onto the banister and had a safe descent, the journey back up would take him all night!*rumble gurgle*He grunted, holding his stomach. His hunger was really fighting today…Grabbing onto the railing, he carefully began his way down. He closed his eyes--- maybe if he pretended he wasn’t slithering, it would be easier.*ba-bump, ba-bump*Swaine gripped the railing tightly, feeling part of his lower body dragging over the first two steps. The edges of the stairs were not kind to his underbelly; it was as if he were sliding downstairs on his stomach, and unless the stairs (which he forgot were crafted out of stone) had a soft rug to cover them…He got an idea just then. Backing up, he tied the blanket around his waist so that it covered his underbelly; the thin material wasn’t enough to cushion the edges, but at least it would help keep the scales from suffering any bruises or scrapes.Trying again, he made his way down the stairs.*ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump*So far so good. He still felt a bit of pain, but the blanket helped him slide over the edges a little smoother.“Swaine?”“Whoa!” He gasped.*ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump!*…it made him slide down faster too.Looking up, he saw Khunbish (now cringing in apology) at the top of the stairs. “S-Sorry! Are ye alright?” the archer called out in a whisper.“If you call blanket-sledding downstairs with a bruised stomach ‘fine’…” Swaine muttered, standing up. The blanket had fallen off, and he wrapped it back around his shoulders. “What are you doing up?”“Heh, I was ‘bout to ask ye the same thing, mate. I’s couldn’t sleep, an’ my stomach was feelin’ a bit empty, so I decided to come order room-service. I’d order me some takeout, but I don’t think any fast-food places deliver this far,” he cocked his head. “…so, uh, why was you blanket-sledding?”The thief scoffed. “As you can see, I’m not capable of climbing stairs right now.”“It ain’t that hard,”“Yeah? You try it, then!”Khunbish shrugged; he backed up a bit, before lying on his stomach. The gunslinger watched in awe as the archer ‘crawled’ his way down the stairs, using his arms to ‘climb’ forth and keep himself upright, while his lower body loosely trailed behind him. Once he reached the bottom, he crawled forth enough so that he could stand upright.The thief blinked. “How the bloody hell…?”“We used to do drills back at base a lot, including how to crawl through low caverns that went at any angle. …aaaand as a kid I liked to slide down the stairs like that. We’s had carpeted stairs ‘n’ all that, so it made it a little easier on th’ abdomen.” Khunbish explained.Swaine arched an eyebrow. “I thought you lived with Sky Pirates your whole life?”Khunbish crossed his arms, giving him a look. “What, were ye born a thief on the streets? …I’s had a different life before piracy, for yer information.”“Alright, keep your hair on, I was just asking. *sigh* Let’s just get some food.”“Aye, that be a good idea.”Slithering to the front desk, the two asked the purrprioter about room-service. She handed them a couple menus. “Here you are. Allow me to go to the kitchens and light the oven--- we do not usually serve food this late, but in your case an exception can be made.” She said, walking back towards the kitchens.The two looked at the menu choices. As much as their stomachs were growling, everything listed sounded delicious. “So… um… what are ye going to get?” the pirate asked.“I don’t know… I’m hungry for everything,” Swaine answered, finding his appetite a bit odd. Even at the point of starvation in his thieving years, he probably wouldn’t be in the mood for steamed green beans and sardines.“Same here… and I don’t even like most of this stuff.” Khunbish looked over the menu one more time. “How about if we get some rice? Rice is pretty filling. …er, can snakes eat rice?”The thief paused. He didn’t exactly know what was hazardous for snakes to consume… He shook his head. “We’re still human! I think it will be fine! *sigh* Let’s just get one of everything, that way we can figure out what’s good to eat,”“(Oi, Master Roland’s going to be pissed about the bill…)”The purrprioter returned. Giving her their order, she looked aghast for a moment, but quietly nodded. “V-Very well, gentlemen. I understand you must have big appetites. It will take some time to prepare everything, but we will try to have it up to you within the hour.”“Thank y--- up?” Swaine paused, remembering the climb he would have to make.Khunbish patted him on the back, leading him to the stairs. “Just watch me. I’ll shows ya,” he assured. This time, he leaned forth and planted his palms on the furthers step he could, then began to ‘climb’ upward.Swaine followed his example, grunting a bit as he made his way up, his underbelly sliding along only the edges this time. The climb made him think of his childhood of sneaking through the ducts during a game of hide-and-seek, as well as his old thieving days and all the narrow passages he had to slip through during his escapades; however, he never had 30 feet of python-tail in place of his legs, and he felt awkward feeling the stair-edges rubbing against his bare underside.Once at the top, he lay on the ground, panting. “…blimey, I’m going to ache everywhere tomorrow,”“Aye… wish someone had stayed so that we could have someone go on a food-run for us,” Khunbish agreed, rubbing his underbelly. “Going up-n-down like that all the time ain’t good for the muscles,”Wrapping his blanket tighter around his shoulders, Swaine slithered back towards his room. “Well, I’m starting to freeze. The desert gets pretty cold at night,”“THAT’S the reason!” Khunbish wrapped his arms around himself. “I just figured this place at the A/C up!”“Our Cat’s Cradle doesn’t HAVE an A/C!”“…that’s what threw me off. Right, back to the room then.” Khunbish slithered off down the hall to his own bedroom.Swaine shook his head. “Dumb pirate,” he murmured to himself.“Oi! I heard that!”The thief rolled his eyes, going into his room.0o0o0o0o0o0The food arrived an hour and a half later, the server apologizing for the long wait as the ovens needed time to heat up. Giving him a large tip for the trouble, Swaine coiled up by the table, looking at the different sizes of trays that were spread out before him.Upon gazing at the feast, his eyes widened and his mouth watered… and with his mind going blank he rushed in and began to devour everything! He tore into the rolls, slurped down bowls of soup, ravaged the burgers, swallowed the desserts, and stuffed salad by the fistfuls into his mouth! He didn’t stop until every tray was bare! Once the food was gone, he guzzled down an entire pitcher of water!He panted, as if eating a late-night dinner was an Olympic event… but he was still hungry, which confused him. There was enough food to feed several people, but to him it felt as if he only ate a breadstick!“More… I gotta have more…!” Swaine rasped hungrily, eyes scouring the table for any signs of any food he might have missed…His eyes fell on a tray, where he saw his reflection: his eyes were glowing a bright yellowish green color, the look on his face like that of a savage beast…Shaking his head, he snapped himself out of it. No… I’m still human… I’m still human! He told himself repeatedly, backing into a corner and clutching his head, his tail curling up to match his distress.*Knock knock knock*He gave a gasp, taking a breath after realizing someone was at the door. Maybe room-service forgot something.Opening it, he found it was only Khunbish; the Sky Pirate was wiping crumbs off his face. “Oh, good, y-you’re still awake,” he said, a bit awkwardly. He had two blankets wrapped around him, though was still shivering (which didn’t surprise the thief--- the pirate’s outfit was entirely sleeveless!).“What is it, Khunbish?” Swaine asked in a heavy sigh.“Well... I’s was wondering if maybe we could share a room tonight. Pardon my being squeamish, but I can’t bring myself to be alone right now at this hour in this state…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, it IS wise to have someone nearby just in case, mate! No telling what may happen during our first night as nagas,”Swaine gave him a look. “In other words, you’re too nerve-racked to sleep.”Khunbish scoffed, crossing his arms. “Well when ye put it THAT way…”The gunslinger shook his head, but gave a sympathetic grin. To be honest, he didn’t like the idea of sleeping alone on his first night as a naga any more than the archer did. “Alright, but just for tonight--- and this doesn’t get repeated to anyone, got it?”“Already takin’ it to my grave, Swaine.” Khunbish slithered into his room, closing the door behind him (watching his tail).The two looked at the bed, then at each other. “You stay on one side, I’ll stay on the other,”“Gotcha.”Both of them coiled up, piling blankets and pillows over themselves, before managing to drift to sleep.…The chill of the night, however, caused them to shift and change positions. As if part of some instinct, their lower bodies laced around each other, blankets and pillows shifting around them and keeping them buried. Khunbish, in his sleep, clung to Swaine’s abdomen, the warmth of it adding some comfort to his slumber; Swaine’s arms automatically wrapped around him, clinging to the warm company beside him.It wasn’t until the next morning when they would be aware of their position.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He found himself waking up in a jail cell. It wasn’t the first time his subconscious paid a visit to such dreams, as they were based on his memories from his days as a thief. Sleeping behind bars was better than up in a tree or in a cave, roughing it in the wilderness and waking up every several minutes believing some creature or marauder was prowling upon him.
(The only time being in jail was a problem was when he’d have a cellmate who looked at him the same way Grell Sutcliffe looked at Sebastian Michaelis, and wouldn’t sleep a wink until he was finally released).
But something didn’t seem right. It was too dark in this cell; even without windows, there would have been some sort of light coming from the doorway or a guard’s candle. Not only that, but he was the only one inside--- not that the jail cells in Ni no Kuni were chock-full of criminals, but (depending on the town he was in) there was normally another thief, a murderer, a kidnapper, or even the occasional town drunk in the next cell.
It was also too quiet, the sound of moisture dripping from the ceiling into a puddle echoing down the corridor. Looking around, he noticed a set of steps leading upward, and realized this was not a jail cell, but a dungeon… a very familiar dungeon…
He was back in the Vault of Tears!
He began to move, wondering why he was back in this Godforsaken place… and suddenly his stomach growled. He gasped, leaning against the wall, feeling famished once again.
‘Ribbit, ribbit’.
He looked ahead, seeing a frog hopping by.
His eyes widened and salivation formed in his mouth. He then shot after the frog---!
He caught it… but when he held it up, it suddenly turned into a pair of keys.
“Swaine?”
He paused, looking behind him. There stood WG… with a pizza?
…
“Swaine? Khunbish?”The thief awoke, looking over. WG was standing there with a few pizza boxes… and a confused expression.He then realized he and Khunbish were snuggled together! “GAH! What the…?!” he sputtered.“Zz--- huh? What?” Khunbish gasped, sitting up and noticing their lower bodies wrapped together! “What the hell?!”“Um… if you guys need a minute, I can wait outside,” WG spoke up, her tone awkward.“WHEREVER GIRL!” Khunbish gasped, prying himself away from Swaine and rushing over. “Oh thank God! I thought you’d never come back to us! …is that pizza?”“Oh, y-yeah. I still felt bad about all this… and I figured I’d bring you something for lunch, in order to help out,” She set the pizzas on the table, noticing the several different dishes left over from last night. “…though I take it you two have already eaten?”“Trust me, we’re still hungry.” Swaine replied, grabbing a slice of pizza.“Aye, turns out our stomachs are ten times as big now,” Khunbish added, taking a couple slices as well.“I did read about that,” WG reached into her pack, pulling out one of the books she had checked out. “I did some research last night, figuring as long as you’re like this, we might as well learn more about your new traits. According to this, nagai only have to eat once every three days, but they have to eat half their weight in food in order to be satisfied. …I didn’t know how much that would be, so I only got 3 pizzas--- whoa!”Looking, she found that two pizza boxes were already empty… and the two nagas were fighting over the last one, melted cheese stretched between them as the crust was torn in half! “Should’ve gotten some breadsticks too,” Swaine sneered, engulfing a slice.WG blinked. “O-kay then… There’s more listed here. Nagas love spicy food, however they can’t have too many sweets. They mostly like meat, but can’t have alcohol.”“Damn, I was hoping this experience would be a good excuse to get hammered,”“What else does it say?” Khunbish asked, wiping off his mouth and reading over her shoulder.WG went on to tell them about different naga traits; they had excellent speed (save for cold weather, as it made them sluggish), amazing strength as they could crush an enemy with their coils, and could withstand intense heat. “…I would also believe you would be great huggers, but that’s just my thinking.” She added.“Let’s test that theory!” Khunbish exclaimed, but Swaine pulled him back.“(Heel, boy). …You know, we could test this all out. I mean, it would help us find some benefits and break the curse, at least!” Swaine figured.“Okay, we can go out to the desert---“ WG began to suggest, opening a portal.“NO!”She snapped the portal shut. “H-Huh?”Swaine cleared his throat. “Sorry… I don’t want anyone to see me like this. I’d never hear the end of it if Esther or Drippy spotted me!”“Oh. Understandable.”“How’s about the desert in my world? It’s a barren wasteland, there be nothing around but wild animals!” Khunbish suggested.“That works. WG, do you know the location?” Swaine asked.“Are you kidding? I hit every continent the moment I went to that realm!” WG exclaimed, and opened a portal for the two of them.Stepping through, they entered the vast sand-filled region. It reminded Swaine of Al-Mamoon… but with more mountains and not a city in sight. It felt hotter too, though he didn’t feel the need to complain as immediately his skin and scales felt refreshed.“So, what shall we test out first?” Khunbish asked, slithering around. “Speed, strength, or agility?”“Let’s start with speed,” WG recommended, looking towards a large rock in the distance. “Both of you race to that rock,”Lining up, Swaine and Khunbish counted down before taking off. The thief was in the lead at first, but the pirate was beginning to pass him! “C’mon ol’ man, keep up!” the archer joked.Swaine paused, reaching for his pistol… but shook his head. “Nahhh… not today.” He shot onward, finding that if he leaned forth a bit and put his hands at his sides, he could increase speed, and began to pass him!Both of them were neck-in-neck; WG looked ahead, and let out a gasp. “GUYS! LOOK OUT!” she tried to warn.*WHUMP!*Too late! A creature jumped off the rock and landed on them! The two bucked it off, turning to see it was a Grimchilla Clanger, and several more came out from behind the rock. There was snarling, as a pair of Quiverines also took notice of their presence.“Guess this is where we test out our strength!” Swaine exclaimed, swinging his tail and knocking back the surrounding Grimchillas, while Khunbish punched the one that jumped them off their backs. The Quiverines came rushing forth snarling, but a portal opened between them and the two nagas, making the desert-hounds slam into the rock!WG rushed over with her machete. “Never fails, you come out for just a LITTLE walk, and something tries to kill you.” She scoffed.The Quiverines shook off their daze and stood back up, while the Grimchillas managed to get back on their feet, all the creatures glaring and growling, ready for a fight!“Alright then… who wants to get crushed, first?” Khunbish said with a confident grin.Their enemies lunged, and the trio leaped into action.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0While that bit of action was going on, Junpei and Ryuji were bored out of their minds.The two had checked every website, every manga shop and comic book store, but hadn’t found anything beneficial about nagas (except for a few horrifying legends, a few fan-fics, and a raunchy picture or two--- but none of that would make their friends feel better).Currently the two were sitting in the food-court of Persona Q, feeling drained. “I can’t believe it… the nagas are either the bad guys or just used for a kink… Isn’t there anything that gives them credit?!” Junpei groaned, rubbing his temples.“All I found was an Aladdin episode where Jasmine was turned into one, but I think that would just make them feel worse since she was cursed and poisonous…” Ryuji muttered, his head resting on the table.Around this time, their co-star Kanji Tatsumi was walking by. “There you guys are. What’s keeping ya? You were supposed to be at our English rehearsals thirty minutes ago!” he told them“Oh shit!” Junpei gasped, looking at his watch. “I forgot about that!”“Sorry man, we lost track of time!” Ryuji sputtered.“Yeah, well, better hurry to the set before they start talking about pushing back the release date. Our senpais will make everyone do extra clean-up for every day that people have to wait, after the incident with Persona 5,” Kanji stated.“Hey, that wasn’t our fault--- the release was late because Akira was complaining about the cover and wanted a new one!”“Really? And they listened to him?” Junpei questioned.“(People would listen to you too if your mom was Bayonetta),”“Let’s just hurry,” Kanji grunted, ushering them forth. He then noticed the dark circles under their eyes, and how sluggish they looked. “You guys feeling okay? You look like you haven’t slept all night!”“Sorry… we were trying to figure out--- oof!”“We were cramming!” Junpei cut in after elbowing Ryuji. “Yeah… our teachers are having us do some extra-credit work so our grades don’t slip during rehearsals,”“Seriously? …I never got any extra-credit work.” Kanji questioned, scratching his head.“Uh, our grades are REAL bad. …C’mon, lets hurry before Mitsuru decides to execute us!” Junpei hurried ahead with Ryuji, while whispering in his ear. “(Dude, we have to keep it SECRET, remember?!)”“(Alright, alright, sorry! Geez… Hey! Maybe one of our friends would know something! Doesn’t one of your teammates like animals?)” Ryuji asked.“Hey, what are you two talking about?!” Kanji demanded.“NOTHING!” Both replied, before racing off.Kanji watched them run ahead, crossing his arms. “What the hell is up with them?”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The battle went quick…Quicker than any battles he had ever been a part of!They had sent the Grimchillas and Quiverines running, and just afterwards a trio of Manticores came at them! But with their newfound reflexes and speed, their enemies could hardly overpower them--- rather, the two nagas managed to overthrow them within five minutes!It got Khunbish’s adrenaline pumping; back on the base, he wasn’t the much for raw strength, having to rely more on his crossbow when it came to fights (otherwise he’d have Chingus back him up), but he was amazed at how well he was faring without having to use his weapon! It felt as if his snake-instincts were helping direct his moves--- when to dodge and when to strike, his new strength helping him get a grip on one Manticore and pulling it down, his coils wrapping around its abdomen and neck, strangling it until it disappeared in a puff of smoke!It wasn’t until a giant sand-snake popped up that they had a challenge, for the massive beast was just as quick as they were. Thankfully, Swaine always carried a gun on him, and WG used portals to get a drop on it and hack at it with her machete, while Khunbish summoned his crossbow and shot arrows at it until the monster was defeated.“This is fantastic! I bet I could take out a whole army on the skirmish fields with these maneuvers!” the young pirate exclaimed, looking around after the sand snake fell. “Any more sorry louses hangin’ around for a bout?”“Nah, I think it’s clear,” WG replied, putting away her machete. “Well, at least we know your speed and strength come in handy,”“That’s two things, right? That means we can find out one more benefit and be back to normal!” Swaine said in hope.Suddenly there was a flash of light, and a couple little cards floated down in front of the two. “Oi, what’s this?” Khunbish questioned aloud, picking up the card. He arched an eyebrow, as did the thief, and the two of them compared cards.Both read the same thing:
Benefit #1: Advanced Stamina
‘Seen most notably in defense, nagai are known to have large amounts of vigor. This includes speed, strength, and flexibility. They often use these skills in hunting when trying to catch and subdue prey, but more sophisticated nagai prefer to use their keen instincts for protection when it comes to threats, their senses kicking in when a loved one is in danger. However it is wise to note some nagai will act on impulse, so be careful not to alarm them!’
“Seriously?! They’re counting all these skills together as one benefit?!” Swaine snapped.“…sounds like a trick me mates ‘n’ I would pull on newbies in training…” Khunbish muttered.“That is ridiculous, but it does make sense. If you guys only liked your appearance because of your new skills, you probably wouldn’t be appreciating being nagas--- you’d just be appreciating your powers.” WG guessed, looking over the cards. “…but what does it mean by you acting on impulse?”“I dunno, I’ve never felt any impulses. How ‘bout you, Swaine?” Khunbish asked.Swaine paused, thinking about last night when he ravaged his late night meal--- the animalistic look in his eyes, his sudden hungering for more to devour… the dream of hunting down in the Vault of Tears, his appetite desperate enough that he would swallow a living creature raw…“Swaine?” WG asked.Swaine shook his head. “Sorry. I’m fine… just hungry, still.” He replied quickly, turning to WG. “How about opening a portal back to the Inn? We can order room-service again,”“…if we didn’t drive th’ cook to drink, y’mean.” The archer said out of the corner of his mouth.“I can get you guys something. Nagas--- or, ‘nagai’--- eat a lot, but I bet I could round up enough breakfast,” WG offered.“Please, WG, I don’t want ye to go broke because of me--- us! …What makes ye think ye can afford to feed a couple o’ long-bodied men like us?”“I once had to buy dinner for Shaggy Rogers,”Khunbish gave her a look. “No ye didn’t…”“…Okay, I didn’t, but I wanted to--- had he not filed that restraining order. But seriously I don’t mind splurging for you guys,”“Ehhh, I don’t like ye busting th’ bank just because…” he slowed down his pace, looking back. “Hm? Oi, Swaine! Ye okay?”WG looked back, seeing Swaine had stopped, spacing off. She followed his gaze, worried he spotted another predator…Quite the opposite. A small Quiverine pup was sitting in the shade under a rock, the poor spiky-furball whimpering for its mother.Before the fangirl could squeal over the adorableness, she looked back at Swaine… who took off like a shot after it! There was something wrong though--- his jaw was clenched, he was leaning forth as if to nab it, and his eyes were glowing a greenish-yellow with a gaze of wild hunger!Gasping, WG opened a portal, quickly grabbing the pup!*BAM!*…leaving Swaine to slam into the rock. “…owww…” he groaned, before losing consciousness.The pup wriggled out of WG’s grip, taking off. She watched it run, thankful to see a couple other Quiverines walking over a dune, one of them licking the pup before they all trotted off. She and Khunbish then ran over to the thief.“What th’ hell was that all about…?” Khunbish asked, stunned.WG propped Swaine up, opening a portal. “Impulse, if my guess is correct… C’mon, we’d better get you guys food--- fast.” She stated.The pirate helped her carry the thief through the portal, deciding they learned more than they wanted from their day in the desert.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Once back at his room in the Inn, WG lied Swaine down on the bed. Instinctively, the thief ended up curling up, his coils wrapping around a couple pillows. There was a large bruise on his head, courtesy of his collision with the rock. Grabbing a cold wet washcloth, the authoress draped it over his forehead.“I’ll go talk to the front desk about giving us some more food.” Khunbish told her, as they quietly exited the room. “From the looks of it, Swaine’s got one helluva appetite!”“I don’t think that’s it…” WG said in concern, crossing her arms. The look in Swaine’s eye--- that hellish glow of pure lustful hunger--- still gave her chills. “Naga instincts or not, Swaine wouldn’t lose control like that. …I mean, look at you! You’re probably just as hungry as he is, but you’re not trying to swallow things whole!”“That be a good point…” the archer rubbed his chin, inching forth as a snake’s way of ‘pacing’. “That note we got talked about ‘nagai impulses’… but we ain’t been snakes long enough to lose our human wits!”“That’s what I’m saying. …There’s more to it than that. We just have to figure out what.” She shook her head, sighing. “But until then, the most we can do is keep your appetites satisfied. You go to the front desk, I’m going to go hit up a few restaurants. …Oh! Remember, you guys can’t have any sweets or alcohol, but spices are okay.”“Gotcha!”With that, the authoress dove through a portal, while Khunbish slid downstairs.The moment he reached the front desk, there came a loud gasp. Looking over, he cringed; giving a nervous smile and a short wave, he did his best to keep things casual. “Oh… good morning, Esther.”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Meanwhile in the Persona Q world, Kanji grew more and more skeptical of Junpei and Ryuji’s behaviors. Both boys were falling asleep in the movie theater, spent their free time looking at their phones while murmuring to each other, and always seemed jumpy whenever someone came to talk to them. Yukari and Ann dismissed it as their usual goofball behavior, and Yosuke claimed they were probably just staying up late playing mobile games with each other and are trying to play during rehearsals.But the rebel wasn’t sure. If they had just stayed up late or were playing games, heck even looking at something dirty, they would have just said so. Are they planning a surprise party or something? Nah, otherwise everyone would be talking about it--- and my birthday isn’t until the 19th so it would be way too early to be setting up for one. He had pondered to himself, watching as the two apologized to the director for being sluggish in an action-sequence. The only time those two would keep to themselves would be because...He paused. Because of problems they had at home! He leaned against the wall, his mind racing. He remembered how some of the Persona 3-5 cast members were originally set up for teens who were undergoing difficult issues, their ‘social links’ being used as a form of therapy. For Junpei, he dealt with an alcoholic father and was pretty much neglected; and Ryuji’s father was just as a heavy drinker, but much more abusive. He remembered hearing about how the teen auditioned with a broken leg, wanting to use the paycheck to help with the hospital bills.If they were having trouble at home again, that would explain why they both looked exhausted and were speaking mainly to each other. They had a lot in common in that area… were they helping each other cope? And what was so bad that they couldn’t even tell anyone else??It took a while, but after convincing all four of their Persona Protagonists about Junpei and Ryuji’s odd behaviors, Kanji managed to find a solution in getting his friends to fill him in on their odd behavior. Questioning them himself would only make them feel pressured, maybe even intimidated since he and Ryuji had just met and it had been a while since he and Junpei had hung out, so it would make sense for them to talk to one of the Protagonists.And of course, he asked his own senpai, Yu Narukami, to answer his request.The Persona 4 protagonist sat with the twosome in the Velvet Room, the door locked so no one could try to eavesdrop on the conversation. “Something is up with you two. Is something going on that we should know about?” Yu asked them, leaning by the projector.“Well… we promised to keep it secret. It’s about a couple friends from another game,” Junpei answered.“I promise I won’t tell. But if it’s something dangerous and you’re involved, I think we all have a right to know,”“It’s nothing dangerous! At least… not for us, I don’t think.” Ryuji answered. Junpei nudged him.The P4 protagonist gestured them to continue. “Well, let’s hear it.”“Okay. It started last weekend…” Junpei began.For the next ten minutes, Yu listened as the baseball player and track star told him about their journey to the Vault of Tears, a little statue that broke, and how a sky pirate and a prince/thief were now snakes from the waist-down.“…So that’s the gist of it.” Ryuji told Yu. “Swaine and Khunbish turned into a pair of nagas, and we’ve been trying to find some helpful information to help them break their curses.”“You can’t let anyone else know, though. They’re already hiding out at a hotel, the last thing they’d need is a bunch of people coming around and making them feel like some zoo exhibit.” Junpei added.“I won’t tell anyone, like I promised. Tell me again how the curse can be broken?” Yu asked.“They have to come up with 3 benefits to being nagas. …We tried looking stuff up online and in comics, but there wasn’t anything that made being half-snake sound good,” Ryuji replied, crossing his arms.Yu rubbed his chin. “You know… some of our Personas happen to be half snake. Maybe they could give us some information,” he theorized.“No way! We can talk to our Personas??” Junpei questioned.“Oh yeah. When you summon them, you can converse with them. I’ll show you,” Yu then summoned Raja-Naga, crushing the card in his grip.Instantly, the Persona appeared. “What command do you wish on me?” the Persona asked.“We actually need your help. …Junpei? Ryuji?”The baseball player and track star had been staring, snapping out of their gaze when their names were mentioned. “Er, um… can you tell us… what’s it like being a Naga?” Junpei asked first. “What are the perks?”“Oh… you wish to learn of my species? Hmm… odd, not many Persona users take time to get to know us. Very well, if you must know… being a Naga is not as exciting as you may assume. I cannot stand the cold, and my hunger is hard to satisfy. However, we are a Noble race, believed to be protectors of Buddha and other enlightened beings; My race specifically is the top echelon of the Naga monarchy.” Raja Naga explained.“So you’re royalty! That’s a plus!” Ryuji exclaimed.“Um, dude? Swaine’s already a prince.” Junpei told him.“Oh… right. Um, what other good things can you tell us about nagas?”
“We are highly defensive. Often, Raja Nagai will lead other nagai when they are not protecting others. During times of war, many Naga Kings stood against armies alone in order to protect their kingdoms. Our speed and strength serve well in battle, and some of us are even blessed with The Gaze of Nagisa--- a hypnotic glare that put our enemies in a trance and even make them do our bidding. Some of us also have poisonous venom that can stun or kill foes.”
“Uhhh… that’s all cool, dude, but… is there anything about your species that doesn’t involve attacks?” Junpei questioned, having doubts that their friends would find this enthralling (or worse, get some mischievous ideas).
“Hm? You are not impressed?”
“It’s not that. Two of their friends were cursed to being nagas, and they have to think of 3 benefits in order to change back human.” Yu told his Persona.
“I see. …I find it puzzling. I am quite happy with being a Raja Naga--- though, if they are common nagas, I suppose they would find it difficult to seek contentment. I cannot truly say what all the benefits are outside of my skills for battle, as that is our primal instinct--- to fight and defend. If your friends wish to break their curse, I am afraid they will have to find happiness on their own. Experience is often the best way to gather information--- just hearing about good things is not always enough.”
“I guess that’s a good point…” Ryuji considered.“Okay, one more question.” Junpei spoke up. “What if one of them has a fear of snakes?”“A naga-cursed person with a fear of snakes, you say? Hmm…” Raja Naga rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “I only can think of one saying, one I should put into words of your modern era.”“Yeah?”
“…He’s screwed.”
With that, Raja Naga disappeared.“Well that was helpful…” Ryuji deadpanned.“So they’ll have to figure it out on their own? Oh man…” Junpei sighed. “Swaine’s not gonna be happy about this.”“There could be a benefit in this, though.” Yu stated as he stood up. “You guys worked really hard to find a solution to their problem… I think one good thing that came out of this was that they know how much their friends care,”“Are you saying if we keep showing support, it might help them break the curse?” Ryuji guessed, then looked at Junpei. “…Is this fic filed under ‘Disney’ or something?”*CRASH!*The trio jumped, watching as the wall with the screen crumbled! “You just HAD to break the fourth wall, didn’t you?” Junpei sneered.“HEY! What the hell is going on in there?!” came a shout as someone was pounding on the door. “Sanada, Aragaki, are you two competing and breaking shit again?”The baseball player flinched. “Ah, shit, it’s your ex gym-teacher.”Stepping out quickly, the trio found Kamoshida standing by the door. “What crashed?” Yu asked casually.“Don’t give me that! What are you three up to?” Kamoshida asked, giving them looks.“(Damn, we’re getting asked that a lot today),” Ryuji whispered.“Nothing. The guys wanted to see one of my Personas,” Yu replied, walking on coolly. The other two followed. “Is everyone ready to go over lines… or is the staff still asking for you to do an Albert Wesker impression?”Kamoshida sneered. “Shut it, ‘Izaya Orihara’--- you and Edward Elric and Saitama better keep out of trouble. I already got 3 kids at home to take care of, I don’t need to be babysitting a bunch of teens, too!”“Really? You have kids?” Junpei questioned, turning to Ryuji. “Amazing what you learn behind the scenes.”The adult rolled his eyes. “Just stop sneaking around,” With that, he began to walk away.By this point, Margaret was walking into the Velvet Room… only to furiously storm back out. “What happened to the screen?!” she fiercely demanded.Kamoshida immediately turned… seeing clouds of dust where the three teens once stood. “HEY!”Said trio were sprinting through the cinema lobby. “Don’t look back, that woman has a look that would put the Gaze of Nagisa to shame!” Yu told his friends.“Keep running, keep running--- ah! My leg!” Ryuji grunted, his bum leg beginning to flare up.Junpei grabbed his arm, helping him stay up. “Shake it off! Remember there’s something worse behind us!” he stammered, pulling him forth.As they ran, they passed Kanji. “Oi! Senpai! What did they tell ya?!” the rebel called.“They did WHAT?!” came Mitsuru’s bellow from around the bend. Seconds later, she, Margaret, and Kamoshida came around the corner.“Secret! Can’t talk! Life at risk!” Yu replied quickly to Kanji, as he continued to run for his life.“There they go!” Margaret shouted.Kanji stood there, watching as everyone raced by. He blinked once. Twice.“…forget I even asked.” He muttered, deciding to put off his questions.For now.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0He woke up feeling hungry.He looked around, everything seemed different, as if the world had a green tint to it.He hissed, slithering out of bed, his appetite too strong to overcome.…WG was walking down the hall towards his room when she saw the door ajar. She caught sight of him down the hall, but something wasn’t right. She froze, seeing he had discarded his shirt, scales having grown up his back and arms, his complexion a pale green color. Her only thought was to quietly sneak down the stairs to the lobby and call for help.*creak*The floorboard beneath her betrayed her, as in a flash her friend turned towards her…Or the creature who used to resemble her friend.Piercing yellow-green eyes peered into her soul as Swaine let out a malicious hiss, baring fangs and a forked tongue.She held still, remembering tips that if you were near a snake, you shouldn’t make a move or else it would strike. “S-Swaine…?” she whispered.“You… you did this to me!” he snarled, slithering towards her.“I-I’m sorry! Swaine… I’m so sorry!” She sobbed.“Sorry doesn’t cut it.... I’m cursed, and it’s your damn fault you wretched bitch!”“P-Please!” It was taking all her strength not to run. Maybe if she concentrated, she could open a portal between them. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help you!”“There’s only one thing you’re good for… to satisfy my hunger.”She made the mistake of taking a step back. “Wait!”His jaw suddenly unhinged, his mouth opening wide in a monstrous way as he leaped forth, hearing her scream.………But it wasn’t WG screaming.Swaine gasped, opening his eyes. He had been dreaming…Worse, he was wandering in his sleep…And during that wandering, he ended up colliding with Esther.The familiar tamer sat before him, stunned. “Swaine… w-what…?” she stammered.Gasping louder than he wanted, Swaine stood up, backing away. “E-Esther! When…?!”“I-I saw Khunbish down in the lobby… I was helping carry food up to his room.” Beside her lay a spilled tray of fruit, but she was paying it no mind. “You mean… it happened to you, too?”Swaine began to hyperventilate. The hall seemed to be spinning.A portal opened as WG stepped through, pausing when she noticed the moment of tension. “Oh snap, what happened?” she asked.Without another word, Swaine turned to her, gripping her by the shoulders. “Open a portal.”“W-What? Why?”“Open a portal and take me away from here! NOW!”Giving a jolt, the authoress didn’t hesitate and opened a portal; ignoring Esther’s plead for him to stay, the thief dove through the portal to a location away from the frightened look on her face.He didn’t exactly know where he was, but he hurried into a room and shut the door before burying his face in his hands. Finding a bright side to this situation deemed itself impossible. Even in his sleep, his impulses went wild… had he not woken up, he could have hurt one of his closest friends. Suppose it got worse? Suppose the nightmare was a dark vision of what was to come?I can’t do it… the thief confessed to himself.The burden just felt too great.………He sat there in silence, until he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Esther had grown used to the bizarre. Living in a world of magic helped numb the shock of whatever strange occurrence took place. Zombie outbreak? She was reminded of the manna incident. Evil fiend trying to destroy all in their sight? Practically how she spent her weekend. Authors trying to ship her and Swaine together in a romantic fic? …That’s when she brought out the big guns.Whether it was an evil foe or a magical disaster, she was always ready for whatever oddities that graced her world familiar. So when she went into the Cat’s Cradle to drop off a familiar for Derwin to examine, she was only half-surprised when she saw that one of her sequel’s companions had been cursed.What did surprise her was the fact that Swaine was cursed as well… which she didn’t learn until he ended up colliding in her in the hall. Before she had a chance to ask him if he was okay, he immediately had the authoress open a portal and bolted--- the fear in his eyes, the shame on his face, and his long green snake-body being the only things that she could memorize in that rushed moment.The familiar tamer stood there, looking where the portal had disappeared.Esther turned to WG. “Was… was that really Swaine?” she asked. “He was cursed too?”“How did you know it was a curse?” WG asked.“Khunbish told me…”At this point, Khunbish came climbing up the stairs. The pirate had been placing (yet more) large orders for room-service. When he saw the stunned look on the girls’ faces, he grew concerned. “Esther? What happened?” he asked.“Swaine…” Esther began, but couldn’t quite describe what happened. She looked at Khunbish, giving him a stern look. “Why didn’t you tell me he was cursed too?!” She turned to WG. “And if you knew, why weren’t the rest of us informed?!”WG froze. “Well… you see, um… Khunbish, you tell her!”The archer cringed, his tail scrunching up behind him. The way Esther scolded him reminded him too much of Tani’s fiery spunk. “I… ah… well… h-he didn’t want ye to know.” He answered in truth, rubbing the back of his neck. “He only let a few people know--- mainly the ones who saw him transform, and said he was only willin’ to let Oliver visit… He was a bit worried Drippy an’ yourself would make comments about his condition.”Esther let out a disappointed sigh, crossing her arms. “…do you really think we would be that cruel? I can’t speak for Drippy, but I’m not one to mock someone who’s going through a difficult time. I know Swaine and I swap comments, but… making fun of him for being cursed as a naga, especially when he has a fear of snakes? I wouldn’t go that far!”“How’d ya know he hates snakes?”“Ha, it was evident the first time we entered the Vault of Tears. …He must be so scared right now. What really gets me is he’s so self-conscious about it, he can’t even trust one of his friends to lend their support.” She looked at Khunbish. “How long have you two been like this?”“Since yesterday morning,” The archer slithered down the hall, the bard and author following him. “Ye’d be right, he is scared… in fact, he has a right to be. He wasn’t acting right earlier today. Tell her, Wherever-Lass,”WG nodded. “I think the stress is worse for him… in my thinking, the anxiety causes him to lash out, and he can’t control his actions.” She answered.Esther’s eyes widened in horror. “Can’t control his…? W-What happened today?!”The pirate sighed. “We’s was out in th’ desert in my side o’ the world. It was all goin’ great, we found a benefit for our conditions. All of a sudden, though… Swaine just shot off after a Quiverine pup. WG opened a portal an’ yanked it out of his way.”“Oh my goodness… w-what would make him do that?”“At first we figured it was the hunger pangs--- see, nagas need to eat a lot. But Khunbish had eaten about just as much as he has, but wasn’t trying to attack anything.” The authoress added.“Oi, ye’d be an expert on animals, wouldn’t ya Esther? Any theories?” Khunbish inquired.The familiar tamer rubbed her chin, thinking. “Well, what you said about how bad it impacted him is true, then there’s his hunger… I know that when snakes, or any animal, are stressed and/or starved, they have a tendency to act on impulse. But Swaine’s still human enough to have some sort of control! Unless… this is harder on him than we’ve realized.” She turned around, walking towards the stairs. “I’m going to go find Oliver. It will be easier to give Swaine some support with him around,”“I’d better go give Marcassin the update too. Maybe he can convince Swaine to come back,” WG added, opening a portal.Khunbish nodded, waving to the two of them as they left. Seeing the fruit spilled on the ground, he knelt down and began picking it up, taking a bite out of an apple as he went back to his room.During the conversation, he noticed room-service had dropped by and left some trays. Lifting one, he found a babana-split. “Don’t mind if I do~” he said to himself, and engulfed the delicacy. He went back into the room and continued eating the fruit, taking out his tablet and deciding to post a status update on Leafbook.Before he could even open the app, his stomach gave a lurch. “*Hurk!*”Clapping his hands over his mouth, he shot over to the toilet, vomiting up not only the sundae, but most of the food he had eaten that morning! Suddenly he began to sway, dizzy and feeling green with nausea. Shit, that’s right… we can’t have sweets… dammit… he thought, before slithering over to the bed and collapsing.His stomach felt empty yet heavy, and he curled up in his coils. It was times like this he wished someone was around. Back on the base, whenever someone got too sick to stand, they were bedridden, and their mates would be checking in (so long as they weren’t contagious), doing what they could to help them feel better.Oi… I wish someone were here now… The pirate thought as he gripped his pillow. He shut his eyes, drifting to sleep…Ending up having one helluva fever dream.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0If it wasn’t for the fact that this person had black hair and dressed feminine, Swaine would have believed WG had followed him… but instead it was ATF. “What the hell do you want?” the thief bitterly murmured.“Right now, I want to help you out.” ATF responded, sitting down next to him. He looked at his long snake body. “So my vision was correct. You did turn half-snake.”Swaine gave him a look; he forgot ATF was psychic. “What?! And you couldn’t have given me the heads up?!”ATF rolled his eyes. “Swaine, you know for a fact that when someone has a ‘vision’ and tries to act against it, bad things happen to good people. Plus, it’s never set in stone, so it could have happened to Junpei, Ryuji or even my sister. …That, and I thought it was a kafka dream from a peanut-onion sundae I ate the other night.”The thief shook his head. It was lucky this kid was also immortal, because he felt like strangling someone. “Figures. …Can you at least tell me when I’ll change back?”“Nnnnope. That’s something you gotta do on your own. I can’t just ‘summon’ visions--- they come at their own…” ATF paused, his eyes turning white for a moment, before he blinked. “…time. (Boy, so that’s how Endgame was originally going to turn out…)”“…great. Nothing’s ever easy, is it?” Swaine stood up, finally taking in his surroundings. He shivered a bit, finding the room he was in was cold. There were sketchbooks on a small stand with a camera and colored pencils, plushies placed here and there on the shelf bed and dresser, and (judging by the smell) there was a dog and cat living here. Piecing it all together, he let out a heavy sigh. “Is this your sister’s place?”“Yeah. …Don’t worry, her animals are staying with me.” ATF folded his arms behind his head. “I figured it would make it easier for you to hide here.”Swaine scowled. “Because you’re worried I’d attack and eat them, right?!”“Attack and eat---? No! I’m talking about her shiba inu, Kinny! She sees that tail of yours slithering by, and you’ll have a manic furball trying to tear it off! Tensions get pretty high when there’s too many animals in a small space.”“Don’t you have animals at your place, too?”“Yeah, but my place is bigger so everyone will have their own area.” ATF looked at him a little bit. “…Seems like her pets aren’t the only one dealing with a lot of stress and tension. If there’s anything you need, just say so.”Swaine held his stomach. He shut his eyes, wincing as he thought about his nightmare. “I need food--- lots of it. Just… bring me all that you can, and make it---“*clink clink*The thief did a double-take. In a split second, ATF had opened a portal and spread out a long table filled decorated with a feast! Roasted chicken, smoked ham, sizzling turkey, casseroles, masked and baked potatoes, pastas, salads, bread and butter all lined down the table as if the boy was holding a banquet!“…quick? Hold it! How did you set this up so fast?!”“Tch. Dude. I had to work with Shaggy Rogers on set for one of my stories. I LEARNED to have a buffet prepared in five seconds flat!” ATF replied matter-of-factly. He looked at the spread. “…this is one of my smaller courses. Dig in!”Swaine drooled at the sight, but shook his head. He had to control his cravings. Doing his best to eat steadily, he sampled each morsel first… but after a couple minutes, found himself greedily devouring a few pieces, stopping himself in order to get a grip. Often he would pause and look over at ATF, who was making no comment or disgusted faces, but casually sitting by texting on his phone. The only time the lad spoke was to offer him some water!After a good fifteen minutes, the gunslinger felt full, his hunger satisfied at last. Best of all, there was some food left over, which ATF got to work moving to the fridge. “Thank you,” Swaine told him quietly, while wiping his mouth off.“It’s no problem. I got a pet snake I have to take care of, so I treat you how I’d treat him.” As if to make his point, he set up a heat-lamp! “Here… the heater’s on the fritz here, so this should help keep you warm.”The thief gawked. “The heater’s broken?!”“Yeah. WG had a guy come over and check it out yesterday, but it seems the ol’ furnace is dying out. She’s working on moving into a new place,” The immortal teen walked over to said furnace; it was a wall furnace that was supposed to blow hot air, but now only let off a lukewarm heat. He gave it a whack, and an orange light glowed for a moment before fading. “Looks like this’ll be its last winter.”“How long has it been like this?”“Almost two weeks now.”Swaine crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “She never said anything. I could have checked it out…” he rubbed his face. “…but instead she asked me to help look for her keys. Blimey, your sister’s insane!”ATF shook his head. “No. She’s already had someone come over and look at it, everything that could be done was done… she just pretty much admitted there was no use fixing something that couldn’t bring itself to work anymore.”“So she just gave up?! Just because there might be a few kinks and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get better, doesn’t mean…!” He paused, giving him a look. “…I see what you did there.”ATF gave a grin, before opening a portal. “I better go check on the animals. Stay warm!” with that, he left.Swaine rolled his eyes. It was cold in the apartment. He looked at the heater, prying off the grate (which was easy, as it seemed it had been taken off quite a few times already) and taking a look. It was an old heater, perhaps outdated by 30 years give or take. From the looks of it, it wasn’t getting enough air-flow, but he could tell it had been cleaned out.Suddenly the pilot light went out; not good, he didn’t want any gas to build up. Finding a long-nosed lighter nearby (guessing it wasn’t the first time this thing had to be relit), he reignited the flame… it took a few tries, but when the furnace spit out some fire--- making him back up before his hair could get ignited--- it began to regulate itself.He sighed. Moving over to the living room, he curled up in front of the TV. She didn’t have cable, and when he tried to turn on Hulu, there was an error; it seemed her wifi was also out. Thankfully, she had a dvd player and some movies. Popping in Lord of the Rings, he curled up under the heating lamp ATF had left for him.His eyes felt heavy, and he found himself drifting to sleep.0o0o0o0o0o0o0Marcassin, WG learned that morning, was in the middle of prepping the kingdom for the foul weather conditions Hamelin often had in winter. Unable to locate him, she left a message for him, telling him about Swaine’s relocation.Once that was done, she went to check on Khunbish, but apparently her pirate-beau went to sleep as she received no answer when she knocked on his door. Opening a portal, she decided to go visit Junpei and Ryuji to see how they were treating the situation, as well to give the baseball player reassurance that she was doing alright and was back on speaking-terms with Swaine.…hearing Mitsuru chewing them out for ‘destruction of property’ in the next room, Margaret demanding they fix the Velvet Room immediately, and Yu sobbing and begging for mercy. Yeah, she decided she would call them later.Returning to her apartment, she let out a sigh. It was cold, and she didn’t want to bring her naga-cursed friend to such a place, but in the moment of panic she opened a portal to the first place that popped into her head. I’ll ask Swaine where he wants to go. This place isn’t good enough for him at all, she thought, her nose twitching at the sour smell of soot from the heater.She paused, hearing the TV on… and saw Swaine coiled up in front of the TV, face resting on his arms. “Swaine?” she whispered, but he was fast asleep.Grabbing a large blanket off her bed, WG draped it around him, covering as much as she could. She grabbed a couple more blankets to add as much warmth to him as possible.Once the thief was completely covered, her cell phone rang. “Zane?” she answered, stepping into her bedroom.“Hey, sweetie. How’s it going?” came the Time Lord’s voice… along with sounds of yelling, cursing, crashing, and Scottish folk music.“Well, the heater’s still not working--- but what’s all that noise in the back??”“Ugh, I had to take a detour to 1908 Scotland. This pub is the only place that had clear reception--- yow!” There came a *crash!* on the other line. “HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU’RE CHUCKIN’ YER MUGS, YA @#$%& SON OF A &%$#!!!” Zane shouted in a Scottish accent. He then spoke in his normal tone. “Anyway. How are Swaine and Khunbish doing?”“Esther ended up seeing Swaine, and he made me open a portal so to avoid confrontation. He’s in the apartment now, asleep. I think Khunbish was asleep too because he didn’t answer the door.” WG looked out at the sleeping naga, who didn’t stir. “Ryuji asked if maybe you could go back in time and prevent the curse,”
“No can do, hon. If I did, it would cause a paradox--- via eliminate the reason to go back in time in the first place, and next thing you know we have to fight off giant winged alien monsters.”
“…Ah. Right.”
“You said they had to find benefits in order to change back, right? Any success in that area?”
“Yeah! They each managed to find 1 benefit today when practicing their skills. They’re faster, stronger, and have more agility.”
“Cool, cool. Almost makes me wish I could be a naga, ha ha. When I get back, I can help them find more benefits--- you know I really like reptiles, so maybe I can point out a few perks.”
“Thanks. I’m going to get some sleep, it’s getting late here and I’m feeling jet-lagged from universe-hopping.”
“I hear you on that. I love you, sweetie.”
“I love you too,” with that, they hung up.…two seconds later her boyfriend called again. “Hold up! Did you say Swaine is asleep in the apartment?! What room is he in?! He’s not in MY bed, is he?!”WG rolled her eyes, smiling. “Goodnight, Zane.”Once the phone call ended, the authoress lied down on the couch, curling up with the remaining blanket and drifting to sleep.Unbeknownst to her, Swaine had woken up and heard most of the conversation. "...sleep in his bed, my ass." he murmured to himself, before falling right back to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After a long lecture about respecting property, telling the truth, and making sure not to make any fourth-wall breaking statements in certain areas, Junpei, Ryuji and Yu were released from the office… though were told 20% of their paychecks would be used to repair the wall in the Velvet Room. Should an incident like this happen again, Margaret stated promisingly, they would be cleaning the room every night until the game’s release.By this time, they were an hour behind in their schedule, and the cast didn’t finish the scene until 7:30 PM. With everyone tired from rehearsing lines and practicing techniques, it was safe to say many of them would be sleeping throughout the weekend.Save for three…Junpei was on his way back to the Persona 3 side of their gamiverse, walking with Minato through the gateway. “So what were you and Narukami-san talking about?” Minato asked. “Kanji was pretty uptight about it,”“I can’t really say anything out here in the open… Hey, do you have any snake-like Personas?” Junpei asked in turn; the Wild Cards had several, perhaps there were more who could help with the predicament.“Only Lamia. …Why, do you want to use her in PQ2 for something?”“No… well, I do need her help… But it’s a private discussion.”They walked to Paulownia Mall, where they slipped inside the [other] Velvet Room. Igor was absent, as was Elizabeth. “Okay, tell me what’s going on before I summon Lamia.”“Promise to keep it secret, first. It’s… kinda personal.”“I promise.”Junpei gave a nod, telling Minato what he had told Yu earlier that day--- from the trip to the Vault of Tears to how Swaine and Khunbish got cursed, and the only solution was to find 3 benefits. “Raja Naga said they would have to find them on their own, but maybe Lamia can give us some extra pointers.”“Huh. Being half-snake sounds cool… Sure, let’s see what she has to say,” Minato then took out his Evoker, pointing it at his head. “LAMIA!”*Pow!*With the pull of a trigger, there was a flash of light, as Lamia appeared before them. “Ah, young master… what is it do you wish of me?” she asked in a smooth, seductive tone.“We need to know some benefits to being half-snake to break a curse. Can you tell us a few?” Minato asked.“Presumably ones that don’t involve killing people!” Junpei threw in.“Hmm… That is difficult for me to answer. I, too, had been cursed by Hera--- turned into a snake and forced to kill and devour children. However… One benefit is my ability to charm young men,” She stood upright, flaunting her hips as she slithered around them. “Contrary to popular belief, lamiai are known to be quite keen in seducing others. We are also excellent at love-making… that is, before we devour our ‘beaus’, hm-hm-hmm…”“Ahhh… I don’t think that’s the kind of plus we’re looking for,” Junpei replied (while also making a mental note to avoid hitting on half-snake babes).“Are there any other facts you know?” Minato asked Lamia.“Yes, but none that you would find pleasant. …However, there is one legend you could try. It is said that, in order to humanize a naga, a man or woman has to wear several layers of clothing. They must strip in front of the naga, who in turn must shed their skin until they have human legs; once the person runs out of clothing, they must make love to whatever form the naga is in, whether they are human or not.” Lamia said, having a coy smile. “Quite… provocative, I must say.”Junpei blushed, not exactly wanting to talk anyone into using that plan. “O-kay, are there any good benefits that DON’T involve sex?!”“Hee hee, if there were, they wouldn’t be called ‘benefits’, would they?” “Thanks, Lamia. That will be all,” Minato said with an eye-roll, having his Persona disappear. He turned to Junpei. “…Well, I’m never going to look at snakes the same way ever again.”“Yeah… bummer, I was hoping there could have been something to help them out. Especially Swaine--- he has a snake-phobia,” the baseball player muttered, pulling his cap over his eyes with a sigh.“It’s that bad, huh?”“…Imagine someone asking me to go out and get drunk, dude.”“Ouch,”They walked out of the room and through the mall; all of a sudden, Minako ran up to them. “There you guys are!” she exclaimed. “Better get to the Dorm ASAP. Mitsuru says unless the Dark Hour hits again, no one’s allowed out past dark. We have until 9:00 to get back before they lock the door,”“Wow, she’s really strict lately, isn’t she?” Junpei commented.“I think it’s because of the recent stress, Mister ‘I Break Walls With My Mouth’,”“Hey! Ryuji was the one who made the crack!”“Ha ha, I’m kidding dude… By the way, what were you guys up to in the Velvet Room? Kanji was asking us to speak with you,”“It’s pretty personal. I’ll fill you in later,” Junpei sighed; he hated keeping secrets from his two best friends, especially Minako as she was the only one of the two who did a Social Link with him.“Okay… Better tell Kanji, too. I think he’s desperate for some answers behind your sneaky behavior,” Minako replied as they walked over to the train station.“Desperate, huh? How desperate?”“Desperate enough to follow us here,”“What--- WAH!”Around the corner, Junpei was yanked and pinned to the wall by the rebel himself! “…Thanks, Mina-san.” Kanji said to the FemC with a nod.“Just have him back before nine o’clock!” Minako replied with a grin, waving as she grabbed Minato by the wrist, pulling him onto the train!“WAIT! DAMMIT, ARISATO---!” Junpei shouted at the betrayal, though his curses were ceased as Kanji leaned close, his gaze booring into his eyes. “Eep!”“Alright, Iori, you got some explaining to do,” Kanji sneered, keeping a grip on Junpei’s shoulder. “You’ve been acting weird, breaking shit, and keep sneaking into the Velvet Rooms with the Protags. Ever since this morning, you and Ryuji-san have been hiding something!”The baseball player trembled. “W-Why are you so upset about it?”“Because if something’s going on with one of my friends, and I’m kept in the dark…!” The rebel clenched his fist, before taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly; getting angry and acting like a brute wasn’t going to make him very trustworthy to open up to. He released Junpei, rubbing the back of his own neck. “…I just don’t like how you and Ryuji-san acted this morning. You both have some secret that you’re only willing to tell our leaders about… Normally that only happens when something serious is going on. And the only time things are that serious with you guys is when… well… it involves your backstories.”Junpei relaxed; so the rebel was just concerned for their well-being! “Oh. …Well, don’t worry. We’re okay.” He gave him a reassuring grin. “Nothing’s bad has happened to us,”“Then what’s up with you two, then? C’mon, we both have a Unison-Attack with Ryuji, and we shared requests together! We all hung out together in the last crossovers, and opened up about a lot of things. Don’t you guys still trust us?”“Of course we do! The thing is… it’s not really ‘our’ secret. Something happened to a couple friends from another game, and they don’t want anyone knowing about it.”“Seriously? What happened? Did someone get pregnant or something?”“No! (geez, thanks for that image…)” Junpei rubbed his face; Kanji was stubborn enough to not let up until he got some clear answers. “Like I said, it’s their secret. I can’t let a lot of people know--- I only told Yu and Minato because they’re good at keeping them.”“Yeah? Did you tell Minako and Akira too?”“Minako I plan on telling. As for Akira, I don’t know him that well yet.” “I see. …Well, at least our leaders are pretty easy to talk to. I bet Ryuji-kun is opening up to Akira by now,” Kanji figured, sticking his hands in his pockets as they walked. He kept his eyes on the ground. “…I still can’t shake this feeling something is wrong, though. I’ll respect your friend’s privacy, but… If there’s something I can do to help out, let me know, alright?”“Sure thing,” Junpei folded his arms behind his head, looking up at the stars as they walked. Kanji did like animals… but did that include snakes? Normally he was better with making plushies or clothes. Maybe he could ask if the rebel could make a long cozy for Khunbish or Swaine, but it would probably need a lot of material, and it would involve blowing the secret…Although, there was one other use for his skills that could help a friend.“Hey, Kanji… Think you can make a plush for WG?”“WG? …Is something wrong with her?” Kanji asked, concerned.“She’s just been a little depressed. I think a gift from one of her ‘Best Boys’ would help,”Kanji arched an eyebrow, but shrugged. “S-Sure, I’ll see what I can come up with.”“Thanks, man.” Junpei looked at his watch. “I better head to the Dorm before they lock me out. I’ll call you up tomorrow, and we can talk about the details--- maybe go visit her too.”“Okay. See ya tomorrow,”With that, they parted ways.As the rebel crossed over to PQ and headed to his gateway to P4, he paused to look over at the P5 doorway. He had the mind to go see if he could shake an answer out of Ryuji, but decided he had prodded enough as it was. Plus, he had a feeling Ryuji would be opening up to him in time.Chances were, he was probably telling his whole team about it by now…0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0“I don’t care, Ryuji.” Akira muttered as they walked through Shibuya; Morgana was asleep in his pack, worn out from the day. On the way home, Ryuji had asked if he could summon a snake-like Persona, claiming he wanted to ask a few questions… but the bespectacled leader was nonchalant, claiming he was too tired and just wanted to head to LeBlanc and sleep.His friend, of course, tried to persuade him, eventually bringing up it had to do with a secret he and Junpei were keeping.“C’mon, dude… You’re the only one on our team I can open up to! If I told any of the girls, they would probably freak out! …well, except Futaba-san, she would probably think it was cool. Yusuke would want to use it for his artwork, and Goro--- well, he’d freak out with the girls, probably…” Ryuji was going on.“I said I don’t care…” He groaned, trying to get the hint across. “I’m too tired to deal with anything, tonight. Plus, if it’s a secret, you should keep your mouth shut about it!”Ryuji gave him a look. “…geez, I was only asking for your help. Can we try going to the Velvet Room tomorrow, at least?”“Why, so you can break the walls there, too? …Listen, Ryuji, just because I play a dependable leader who socializes in order to gain powers for my Personas, doesn’t mean you can come to me with problems or secrets outside the storylines. I’m going to go home, and--- like Morgana always tells me--- go to sleep.”The track star sneered; his friend had never given him this much attitude before. “Geez, why are you being such an effin’ dick?”“Sorry, but I don’t want to hang out, I don’t want to resolve any problem, and I don’t want to be associated with anything that had you and Junpei cause the delays today. It’s late, and I feel really burned out. Plus, you’ve already talked to Narukami. I don’t think you should be spreading it around,”Ryuji sighed. “…I just really want to tell you about it. I mean, we’re best friends! I can trust you! …Right?”“Ryuji… We’re only best friends in the storyline. Otherwise… we’re just co-stars who happen to be friends. If there’s something personal going on, I’m not really the best person you can come to. Protags like me are basically scripted with different answers; unlike Yu and Minato, I haven’t really spent a lot of real time with you or the others to know the right words to say. And if this secret of yours is really personal… well, you should talk to someone you’ve known longer.”The track star looked at him, a bit downhearted. “…but I always considered you a best friend, even off the set…”“We’re still friends… just not that close.” Seeing the disappointed look on the track star’s face, Akira sighed and gave him a nudge. “Tell you what, after we’re done with this crossover game, we can hang out for real. ...I heard they’re going to make us do a remake, so maybe we can come up with fresh material together. Sound good?”“I guess…”“I gotta get to LeBlanc… See you around,” With that, Akira left.Ryuji turned and walked home… before clenching his fists and taking off in a sprint, running as fast as he could so no one could see the misty look in his eyes.He ran until he reached his house, running through the door; he heaved, out of breath, looking around in desperation for the only other person he could talk to. “Mom?” he called. There was no answer.Quickly, he took out his phone, noticing there was a message he had missed. Apparently his mom was working late, meaning he was going to be home alone tonight.Normally on nights like this, he would pass time playing a videogame or watching a movie, staying up until she came home. But tonight, he didn’t want to be alone…Taking a deep breath, he sent his mom a text message.
[Going to stay over with a friend. Be home in the morning.]
He waited several minutes, before she replied back with her granted permission. He then grabbed his bag, packed it with a clean outfit, and took off.He ran and ran and ran… until finally he reached another Gateway near the train station.Punching in the location in the search engine, he found his selection and, at a press of a button, the portal opened for him, and he ran through.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Pierre! Look at you! What have you done to yourself?!”
The young boy cringed. His neatly-combed hair was now a mess, his suit-jacket was dirty, there were holes in the knees of his pants, his shoes were scuffed, and there was a scratch on his cheek. “I-I was climbing a tree, and fell into the bushes… I think I twisted my ankle…” he told his furious mother.
“Go run yourself a bath and get cleaned up. We’ll put ice on your ankle afterwards.” His mother ushered him towards the stairs. “And from now on, no more playing outside! This is the third time this week you’ve ruined your best clothes!”
‘That was the point… I hate these stiff clothes!’ the boy thought as he climbed the stairs and opened the door to his room.
The scene shifted, as he found himself on a ledge; his clothes were completely torn now, and there were more scratches on his skin. He looked up, seeing he was in the Wyvern’s cave! “Well, well, well… look what we have here! A nice meal!” one of the winged beasts cackled as they swarmed around him, picking him up with their talons and tossing him around!
The boy screamed until he was dropped in the center, finding himself surrounded. “No! Please! Don’t eat me!” he cried.
“Hmph. This boy is much too scrawny to feed on… but perhaps we can get some use out of him.” The leader of the Wyverns stated. “We shall use him as bait…”
He was suddenly out in the open, running from various beasts. Suddenly a Wyvern grabbed him by the shoulders, its claws digging into his skin as he was carried upward, the rest of the wyverns dive-bombing the other creatures and snatching them up; back in the caves he was placed on a ledge so he could not escape, given a few scraps as his ‘reward’.
He was running again, a bit older… a bit more wild… this time he was being chased by pirates. He was ambushed, captured, and taken to the base. They managed to tame him, giving him a new name as he had forgotten his old one…
“Khunbish?”The pirate groaned, groggily opening his eyes. He felt dizzy, his vision a bit blurry. “Wha…? Who---“ he began, but he felt a lurch in his stomach. Covering his mouth, he shot off towards the bathroom, throwing up a second time. He panted heavily, wincing from his heaves, before sluggishly moving back out.“Holy shit, man! Are you sick?!” came a familiar voice. He looked over, seeing Ryuji in the doorway.“Ryuji…?” the pirate questioned, shaking off his nausea. “What are ye doing here?” He looked at the clock. "Isn't it time for school in your world?""No, it's still the afternoon here. See?" Ryuji pulled the curtain back. "The sun is just now starting to go down,"Khunbish shielded his eyes. "Agh! Close that curtain!" He rubbed his face. "Now what brings you by?"“I-I came to see how you guys were doing. Swaine wasn’t answering, so I thought I’d check on you.” Ryuji answered.“Swaine left… Esther saw him, and WG opened a portal for him,”Ryuji’s eyes widened. “Wherever-chan came back? W-Where is she now?”“Calm down, she left too. Went to go tell Marcassin or something.” He rubbed his head, lying back down on the mattress.The track star watched him, noticing how sickly he was. “You okay, Bishie? Did you catch something?”“No, no… just found out why nagas can’t have sweets,” He curled up on the pillows, realizing he had left his blanket in Swaine’s room… though with the fever he felt, he decided to go without a blanket.“Anything I can do? I can get you some medicine or something.”“…heh, you’re being nice to me, all of a sudden. What’re ye up to, lad?”“H-hey, I can be nice! Plus, I’m not going to act like a dick to someone who lost his legs,” Ryuji sat down by him. “I noticed you’re getting around better, too.”“Aye, an’ I can do more than get from point A to point B.” Khunbish told him about how they went out to the desert, having new reflexes and skills that helped them out in fights.The teen looked impressed. In turn, he told him about the conversation he and Junpei had with Raja Naga, and now the royal nagai were known for protecting others. “He said you guys would have to find benefits on your own, but I thought I’d tell you some cool facts,”“Oi, WG told us some facts she read about too. Maybe there’s more,” He looked at the clock on the wall, seeing it was late. “…I wonder if she’ll be coming back?”“I hope she does.” Ryuji sighed, taking out his phone.Khunbish paused just then, looking around. “Hm?”“What is it?”“I don’t know…” The archer stood up, slithering around the room. “I just… sensed something.”“Like what? Is something in the room?”“No…” Khunbish looked around, straining his ears for any sounds… but it wasn’t something he could hear or see. It was something he felt. “I think… I think me instincts are trying to tell me something is wrong.” He continued to circle around, his senses pulling him closer and closer until---He was face-to-face with Ryuji.“D-Dude?” the teen questioned, feeling awkward. He tried to back away, but part of the pirate’s lower-body was behind him and he ended up falling backward--- thankfully the tail arched upward and steadied him. However the track star continued to look at the archer with unease.“…It’s coming from you.” Khunbish realized.“Me?? …And, hey, personal space man!” Ryuji sputtered, maneuvering away from the pirate. “What are you sensing about me?”Khunbish shook his head. “I don’t know… just… Something stirred in my senses. Like something was wrong, because… I feel like you’re… upset?” he was guessing.Ryuji tensed a bit, but shook his head. “I’m fine,”“There it is again!” He pointed at the teen. “Something be bothering ya! Me snake-senses know it!”“I told you, I’m fine!” Ryuji then picked up his bag, taking out his phone to text his mom. “Screw it, I’m out of here--- agh!”His leg flared up again, causing him to lose his balance and drop his things, the phone lying screen-up.Despite it was a few feet away, Khunbish could read the message. “Huh? ‘Working late tonight…’ … ‘Staying over at a friend’s’… Oi, Ryuji. If ye said you’re staying with a friend, why are ye visiting me? Kinda rude to keep a host up waiting, don’t ya think?”Ryuji grabbed his phone, but paused. “…How could you read it from way over there?”“I don’t know. Must be part of my new skills?” He circled around until he was in front of Ryuji. His senses were going haywire, feeling a lot of emotion welling up inside the teen. “Alright, lad, what be going on? Ye tell yer mum you’re staying with a friend, but ye come here first, and it feels like there’s a great weight on yer chest.”Ryuji sat up, hissing a bit as his leg was still sore. The pirate used his tail to help the teen prop it up, while sitting beside him. “It’s personal, man…” he muttered; he suddenly found it ironic, how he wanted to talk about something personal with his supposed best-friend, only to be brushed off.“I won’t press for details… but just tell me if something is bothering ya--- otherwise these instincts o’ mine won’t shut up an’ we’ll be up all night, heh.” The pirate looked at him, sensing a lot of… anguish? Fear? He couldn’t put his finger on what it could be. “Ryuji, if ye need to talk, go ahead. Ye’ve been keeping my secret well enough, only telling someone ye can trust with it solely because they could assist in some way. Let me know what ails ye, too. I won’t tell anyone if ye don’t want me to,”Ryuji sighed. “Fine. …I didn’t want to be alone tonight. Happy?” he muttered. He waited for the pirate to laugh, make a joke even.Because that’s what everyone did after his dad left, calling him a wimp for being too nervous to stay home alone at night; some even questioned if he had monophobia, saying he should get professional help…But the naga did neither. “Why? Haven’t you been home alone before?”The track star looked at him a moment, before nodding. “Yeah, I normally wait up for Mom to get home… to make sure she’s okay. One time I waited for her outside of work, and she kind of scolded me for being out late and told me not to worry.”“I see. …I take it you live in a tough neighborhood?”“Y-Yeah,”“And yet ye came here late at night, not wanting to be alone…” He rubbed his chin; when the teen didn’t say any more (or didn’t want to, he figured), he shrugged. “Fair enough. There’s only so many times someone can be alone. Hell, last night, Swaine ‘n’ I bunked together because we’s didn’t want to spend the first night as nagas by our lonesomes, unnerved about the whole thing an’ all. …Especially when we’re used to someone being nearby; he always traveled with Oliver ‘n’ Esther if not staying with his brother in Hamelin, an’ I always camped out with me mates back at the Sky Pirate base. Ain’t nothing wrong with admitting ye need a bit o’ company,”Ryuji sighed, but gave a half-hearted smile; he was glad his ‘rival’ wasn’t making fun of him. “Thanks for understanding, man.”Khunbish nodded; he sensed that was only part of the problem, but wasn’t going to press and get the teen upset again. “Anytime.” Gently lowering his leg back down, the pirate slithered back over to the bed. “Best get to yer friend’s place, if you’re still going…”*thump*He looked over, seeing Ryuji had moved his bag over, the teen walking over and sitting on the bed. “I’m already here,”He sat up, surprised. “Really? …What about yer friend back home? Akira?”Ryuji only shrugged. “He’s… tired from rehearsals and couldn’t have anyone over.”Yikes… he sensed a deep emotion just now. Hurt? Anger? A combination of both? Something obviously went on with the two boys, but it wasn’t his place to ask questions. “I see… Alright, buddy, make yourself comfortable then,” he said.“Thanks, Bish--- um… Khun-kun.”The pirate scoffed but grinned.The two passed time, talking about different things, mostly comparing the different fighting styles both their games had, and how funny it was that both their games involved dealing with a corrupt system and making people change. They then began comparing team-mates, via who was similar to who, and what it would be like if they all traded battle-skills, before Ryuji asked how Khunbish and the others could turn into chibis… which soon turned the conversation to Worlds of Final Fantasy.It was nearing midnight when they grew too tired to talk about anything else, with Ryuji dozing off first. In his sleep, he ended up snuggling up by the pirate; in turn, Khunbish curled around him, his upper-body somewhat arched near his head, while his tail wrapped around him.He patted the teen on the back, still feeling some heavy emotions stemming from his psyche… but it was late, both of them were tired from the day, and sleep was very much needed. As long as he kept close, maybe it would help ease whatever negativity the teen was feeling…He found it ironic. Just the other day, they were fighting over a fangirl… all of a sudden, he felt like he needed to aid his rival.A card suddenly appeared in his hand. He read it, before setting it aside and going to sleep.
Benefit #2 (Khunbish): Reader of Emotions
“Nagai are well known for their instincts, and much like many animals, their instincts also help them to sense emotions from others. The time they are at their strongest is when they sense someone’s fear, sorrow, or anger; in battle a naga can use these to his/her advantage… but other times, it helps them know when a friend/loved one is in need of support, to which a new instinct kicks in for them…”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was dark in the room when Swaine opened his eyes, only a sliver of light peeking through the curtains that hid the large window in the living room. The DVD player and TV shut off automatically hours ago, he presumed, giving the apartment a quiet atmosphere.A quiet, dimly lit, and freezing atmosphere. He looked up at the heat lamp, finding that the bulb had burned out.He shivered, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders…Thus when he noticed he had several piled on him.He looked around before spotting WG asleep on the couch, one blanket wrapped around her small frame like a fluffy cocoon.He sighed, his breath puffing out in a thin cloud that proved it was much too cold in here. Keeping blankets around his shoulders, he moved over to the thermostat…Shit. It was WAY too cold! The temperature reading was at 0!There came the sound of a howling wind outside, and looking out the window he saw a blizzard had struck. Dammit, of all times…! The thief thought in disdain.He looked around, finding a toolbox over on a shelf by the front door. Pulling off the grate and seeing that the pilot light (once again) went out, the thief turned off the heater and decided to work on finding the problem. The structure may be old, but there was no way he was going to let it call it quits in the dead of winter!He peered up inside… finding to his amazement he could see in the dark! Night vision, huh? That’s handy. He thought, recalling that his naga-appearance gave him a boost in certain traits. His long tail was handy too, as he could reach up into the unit and clean out any soot that could be causing problems, having to dismantle the entire frame in order to get up into the pipe--- however his tail only went in so far, so he ended up using his lower body to ‘stretch’ himself upward and reach in to clean it out by hand, using an already-dirty washcloth that was lying on the table.As he worked, he found that the heavy winds blew down into the pipe, which would explain why the pilot light kept going out. Plus, without enough air-flow due to the soot, the flames would spit out whenever it would kick on.WG stirred, waking up to the sound of tools tapping on a pipeline, metal sheets clanging, and the naga-thief cursing lightly whenever something slipped or didn’t fit right as he put the unit back together. “Swaine…?” she asked, groggily. She looked at the clock on her phone. “It’s 5 AM… what are you doing up?”“Trying to get some heat back into this house, that’s what.” Swaine answered, relighting the pilot while the tip of his tail turned the furnace back on. Hearing a bit of metallic clanks and knocks, it seemed the heater was finally working again. “Voila! Good as new!”*ka-chunk*WG watched the orange light dimly glow… then air flowed out. She reached down and felt it. “…it’s still lukewarm.”“Huh!?” Swaine felt the air and looked at the light. She was right--- the light was supposed to be a bright orange glow, and with the temperature set at 70-degrees it should have been blowing much hotter air! “Dammit, I thought I had it---!”“It’s okay…” the authoress sighed, patting him on the back. “I already had a guy look at it the other day. He even replaced a part to see if that would help the pilot stay lit… but the fact is this heater can only do so much.”Swaine gave her a look. “Why are you even still living here, then?! Your brother is taking care of your animals, you should go stay with him or something!”“…I wondered why nothing fluffy was snuggled against me,” WG shrugged. “Well, I can’t just leave-leave. I have to make sure nothing is… completely… frozen?!”They walked into the kitchen, and to Swaine’s horror the sinks were overflowing, with a puddle on the floor! WG grabbed a towel to mop it up, seeing it was ice! She opened the cabinets, finding little icicles on the shelf!“Shit, the pipes froze! B-But I had them dripping…” She then ran over to a door. Inside was a room the size of a closet, with a washer and dryer. She checked the pipe behind the machine, and checking a space-heater that was nearby. “…this one still seems alright…”Swaine stared at her a moment. Something was off about her character--- he sensed an inner-panic brewing up inside her. Slithering over, he rested a hand on her shoulder. “Wherever---“*ka-chunk*The pilot went out again.WG unleashed a heavy sigh; without a word, she walked over and relit the light. It took a few tries, as the pilot was being stubborn, but after a moment it ignited. The thief grimaced, the smell of soot and cold hair irritating his nostrils.“C’mon. It’s too cold here. We’re staying somewhere else,”The authoress sat up, looking at him curiously. “W-We? …I figured you’d want me to open a portal somewhere else…”“I do--- and I want you to come with me. Or at least stay with ATF or--- well, anywhere where it doesn’t feel like someone’s going to slip on ice and break their neck!”“Okay, okay… I’ll drop you off, first. Where do you want to go?”Swaine sighed, pulling a blanket back around his shoulders. “Let’s go back to the desert, at least so I can warm up…” he leaned against an armchair, rubbing his face. “…preferably before I pass out…”“That’s right--- since you’re half-snake, the cold makes you lethargic!” WG quickly opened a portal, both of them stepping through to the Shimmering Sands, at the foot of Old Smokey. “Is this better?”Swaine yawned, trying to shake off his drowsiness. “Yes, much so…” He slithered across the warm sand. He never noticed before, but it felt nice and warm against his long stomach. Lying down and resting on his arms, he let out a relaxed sigh, feeling his body heat get back to a decent temperature after a night in a cold apartment.WG sat down beside him. Compared to the iciness of her place, the blistering heat felt soothing.In the distance was Al-Mamoon, the oasis next to it looking cool and refreshing should they get too hot--- perhaps later they could check out the nagai’s swimming abilities, recalling a few anacondas that resided in the rainforests…However, looking at the city, she only wondered what Esther was up to now, and if Oliver would be paying a visit soon. She dared not try to talk Swaine into going back--- not until his self-conscience anxiety decreased and he felt brave enough to face his friends.“You should find a way to heat up your pipes,”She blinked, looking at the thief; she figured he would have dosed off as relaxed as he looked. “Huh? …Oh, yeah. I’m going to get another space heater.”The thief himself propped himself up on his elbow, looking at the blonde tomboy. He could sense she was uncomfortable--- just like the other day when she felt guilt-stricken for his predicament. He still remembered Junpei’s scolding, never imagining the teen to stand up to him like that--- normally he knew him for his smart remarks and wise-cracks, but rarely saw his serious side. …And when the class-clown was being serious--- well, it was best to shut up and listen.‘Don’t just lie there, say something to her, jackass!’ he could imagine the teen grousing to him now.“Hey… just so you know… I don’t blame you for this,” Swaine told WG humbly, tracing a circle in the sand as he spoke. “I let my nerves get the better of me, and wasn’t thinking rationally… We all should have been more careful. I’m sorry for making you feel responsible.”He noticed her tense; for some reason, she didn’t seem to feel any better. “…I was the one who took everyone down there. I was the one who tried to take that statue. No matter how you look at it, the blame still falls on me.” She replied quietly. She looked at him. “…But I appreciate the apology. And I’ll do my best to help you find your last two benefits,”The thief sighed. “I just don’t want you to feel guilty--- we all did something wrong. I was fretting over the statue, Khunbish was trying to take it back from me, no one suggested to leave it behind until we figured out more about it… Hell, I should have just thrown it back the moment I fished it out!” he said, repeating a few lines Junpei had mentioned the other day.“I guess… Why did you come with me anyway, Swaine? Next to Puggsy, you never want to be around me,”Swaine thought back…
It was a chilly day; he had been down in the shop working on some mechanisms before checking the pipes in the boiler room. It was routine for him, making sure things were running smoothly… routine until Oliver or someone came along asking him if he’d like to partake in a quest. It had been a while, as the last time he had explored was last summer when everyone went to explore their sequel’s realm and what all was different, and he was starting to grow bored…
Though boredom went out the window the moment WG came by, asking if he would like to accompany her, Junpei, Ryuji and Khunbish to the Vault of Tears. “I lost my keys down there the other day, and I left my spare inside after I locked up the house.” She said to the thief.
“Can’t you just break in through the window like you always do?” the thief had scoffed, pretending to be busy by looking at a few pipes in the boiler room (for the third time that day).
“She got a screen installed on it, remember?” Junpei replied. “Plus, you know the area well--- pretty much got it tattooed in your memory after the first time, heh.”
(Swaine quietly rued the day WG let the teen borrow her copy of the game…)
“We could use an extra set o’ eyes anyway, mate. The sooner we’s find them, the sooner we’s can go home,” Khunbish added, then turned to WG, leaning over suavely. “Perhaps go to my realm, and I can give ye some bonus information about our DLC’s…”
“Would her BOYFRIEND be okay with that?” Ryuji questioned, his tone thick with jealousy.
Khunbish sneered back at him. “I don’t know--- he was okay with YOU marathoning ‘One Punch Man’ last week, wasn’t he?”
WG turned back to Swaine. “Anyway… What do you say?”
The thief rubbed his temples. He could say he was too busy, if not just tell everyone to go by themselves, but figured the authoress would torment him if he didn’t lend a hand. “Sure… I don’t have anything to do around here, anyway.” He muttered.
“Great! Let’s go!” With that, she opened a portal and he was pulled through before he could change his mind.
…“Honestly, I figured you wouldn’t get out of my hair if I refused,” Swaine replied, though admitting that made him feel like a heel. He waited for the authoress to be offended and snap at him…“Heh,” she responded instead, a slight smirk on her face. “I don’t blame you for thinking that. A lot of people assume I’ll be a thorn in their side if they don’t help me with a favor,” she leaned back, her eyes back on the city. “You could have just said no, I wouldn’t have forced you.”The green-scaled naga let out a short breath. He looked at the tomboy once more. “Why did you ask me to come along, anyway? You already had Khunbish, Junpei and Ryuji with you--- and since one of them had explored with you already, I doubt you really needed ‘someone experienced in the area’ to help you scout around.”She shrugged. “I don’t know… I just decided to see if you’d like to help. Oliver was busy in Motorville, Esther had to tame familiars over in the Rolling Hills, and Drippy was doing stand-up at the Cavity Club. You were the only option left,”“I see.”There’s something else… Swaine figured, though whatever it was the girl seemed unsure of it herself. It didn’t surprise him--- the insane authoress was an enigma within herself. Some days she was just witty and loony, breaking the laws of physics or running from someone she pissed off; other days she went on a rampage and was chasing after someone who pissed her off.(He had experience in the latter alongside another, but that’s a whole different story.)However… something was different about her now.Actually, quite recently, she hadn’t been acting too high spirited…Back when he first met her in 2013-14 on the Fanfiction net, she was all kinds off-the-walls crazy and always had a trick or quip ready, ever since Like A Brother was published. Whether he was chasing after her in rage, or trying to escape being put through one of her inane plots, she always had some smart-ass wit or psychotic nature to her fictional persona.But now… it just seemed mellow.In fact, she had seldom shown it since they went down to the Vault of Tears.…He actually tried recalling the last time the tomboy acted like a lunatic, but the memory seemed far off…Actually the last time he saw her try anything insane was exactly one year ago, when…
He was visiting the apartments that last cold January. Thankfully that year the snow wasn’t so thick in the area. He had been walking down the hall, preparing to walk around a corner---
A blur shot by just then, and he looked over, seeing the short blonde rushing down the hall. He looked behind her--- there was nothing or no one chasing after her. She was just running down the hall…
The only problem was there was nothing but a window at the end, and they were on the fourth floor…
“Swaine?”The thief lifted his head, realizing he had been spacing off. “Hm?”“Do you want to go somewhere else?” WG asked. She was shielding her face from the sun, looking like she was plenty warm now herself.“Not really, I’m fine here,” the thief turned on his back, stretching out. He kept his upper-body in the shade of a nearby boulder. He looked at the girl, who only nodded and remained seated. “…You don’t have to hang around, WG. I mean, you’ve got some frozen pipes to take care of.”“You’re sure?”Swaine nodded. “I’ll probably head back to the hotel, anyway. …I have to face Esther sooner or later--- she’s probably fretting about yesterday.”WG stood up, giving a nod. “Alright. Let me know if you need anything,” she then opened a portal.Swaine looked, arching an eyebrow. “WG… that’s a portal to Canada.”“Y-Yeah, sorry, it happens.” She tried opening a portal again… this time showing a thick jungle. She gave a sheepish grin, then tried again… showing the outside of Hogwarts, the Whomping Willow taking notice and swinging one of its club-like branches before the portal closed.The thief crossed his arms. Even a nimrod could see she wasn’t concentrating. “…Not ready to go home, yet?”She let out a sigh. “No… But I need to! I can’t let those pipes freeze!”Swaine rolled his eyes, but had to grin. It was clear she didn’t want to leave his side in his condition--- even if her house was having a few emergencies. “Tell you what--- I’ll come with you.”“What? Swaine, it’s freezing there!”“Hey, I managed to survive a night! …Besides, I can help out with your pipes. If any of them break, there’s some lying around the shop back home I could lend. Plus, I want to take another shot at fixing that damn heater--- regardless if it wants to work or not, I know it has enough juice to last at least two more weeks.”The tomboy sighed--- she knew all too well the thief could be quite stubborn once he put his mind to something. “…Okay. But the moment you start feeling drowsy or can’t find the energy to move, I’m bringing you back and you’re staying here until the spell is broken!”“Fair enough… now try opening a portal again.”It took a couple more tries--- perhaps because the authoress was unsure about the thief tagging along--- but she managed to open a portal to the hallway on her apartment floor. Slithering through, they headed down the hall, his long lower-body trailing behind him.They were almost to her door--- he could sense cold air coming from it already.Of course, something else shot up through his body in that moment.“SNAKE!”
*STOMP!*
“GAAAH!” Swaine yelped.WG turned and looked at him. “You okay, Swaine?”He didn’t respond just yet, but instead turned around and shot back around the corner…Seeing Junpei standing there… and Kanji Tatsumi’s boot on his tail!
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Meanwhile in the Persona 3 universe, Junpei was spending his Sunday sleeping, only waking up when he got a call from Kanji. "Dude... what are you doing awake at this hour?" he murmured, a bit groggy."What are you talking about? It's almost 5 o'clock in the afternoon!" Kanji replied. "Anyway, I finished working on that gift for WG, and wanted to know if you wanted to come with me while I dropped it off. I figured we could talk a little more on the way,""Sure..." The baseball player paused to yawn. "I'll meet you by the Gateway in half an hour."'Half an hour' turned out to be a good 45 minutes, before Junpei was fully awake, dressed, and made himself a piece of toast before he was out the door. The rebel was standing by the Gateway located at Iwatodai Station, holding a sack. "What do you think?" Kanji asked, showing him the little gray kitty plush he made, the doll having its little tongue sticking out. "She's always posting pictures of TC sticking her tongue out, so I thought I'd use that for a reference.""That's pretty cute, I bet she'll love it!" Junpei considered something for a moment. "But, um, don't tell her I recommended it, okay? She hates sympathy gifts,""About that... what's got her down? ...Is she part of the reason you and Ryuji-san have been acting weird, lately?""No--- at least, not entirely. I think she's just taking too much on her shoulders, let's just leave it at that.""Whatever you say, Junpei-san." Punching in the location, the Gateway opened to the snowy streets of the authoress' home city. Donning their own winter-attire, the two walked through and headed across the street; the apartment complex was located near the center of the block, so they were out of the cold within two minutes, taking the elevator up to the 7th floor.They were walking down the hall towards WG’s apartment when Kanji noticed a long snake-tail slithering by. “Kanji, wait---!” Junpei gasped, recognizing the scaly body, but his words came too late as the rebel stomped on it!Within that moment, Swaine shot around the corner, a furious look on his face. Kanji gawked at the sight of the snake tail attacked at his waist, just staring a moment. “D-Dude…! What the hell…?!” he sputtered.“GET. OFF.” The thief snarled through gritted teeth.Doing a double-take, Kanji stepped off. “S-Sorry!” he looked at Junpei. “Um… w… what’s going on? Why the hell is Swaine half snake?!"“Kanji… remember when I said one of my friends was having a problem? …This is it.” Junpei awkwardly stated. “Swaine was cursed as a naga.”“A naga…? You mean one of those snake people?”“No, Kanji, I mean someone with a bad skin condition--- OF COURSE snake people!”WG came around the corner just then. “Junpei! Kanji! …What are you two doing here?” she asked, surprised.“I-I was coming by to drop something off for you…” Kanji was saying, but couldn’t take his eyes off Swaine.“What are you doing here, Swaine? I figured you’d be hiding out at the hotel!” Junpei questioned.“I was, but I ended up… er, WG decided to take Khunbish and I out to test out our skills, and Esther ended up seeing me, so I decided to take off before she could make any comments.” The thief muttered, then looked at Kanji. “Stop staring, kid, it’s rude.”The rebel shook his head. “Sorry, sorry… so, um, how were you cursed?”WG sighed. “Come inside. We’ll fill you in,” she said, leading everyone down the hall; she walked up beside Junpei, giving him a nudge. “(next time, call first.)”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Kanji sat on the couch, listening as the trio informed him of their trip to the Vault of Tears, the statue, learning about the legend, and how to break the curse. A couple times he had to ask them to explain something, as--- unlike his gaming-friends Junpei and Ryuji--- he wasn’t too familiar with the concepts of Ni no Kuni. He only saw the fan-art (having to ‘aww’ at some of the familiars the group could acquire) and saw a few clips, but not enough to fully understand how their world worked.After he managed to understand, he looked at Swaine--- currently the naga was under the sink, lightly tapping pipes (suddenly noticing the icicles on the shelf!), having gotten to work as they all told the story. “So you have to find three benefits, huh? …That might be tough if you hate snakes,” Kanji noted.“I managed to find one advantage,” Swaine replied, using his long tail to swap out a wrench with a screwdriver, as he moved over to the heater. “My agility is a lot better, and my senses are a lot sharper (your pipes aren’t too bad, WG, just find a way to warm them up), so at least I have some skills to work with,”“Hey, that’s two advantages! Just one more, right?” Junpei said with a reassuring grin.“…Not really. Heightened senses, agility and the like all count as one,” WG replied while rolling her eyes.“Damn… Oh! Hey, speaking of which, Ryuji and I talked to Raja-Naga yesterday!”“Who?” Swaine questioned, closing the cabinet doors and slithering in.“He’s a Persona,” For the next five minutes, Junpei told Swaine about all Raja-Naga had told him (he decided to keep quiet about the discussion with Lamia). “He said you’d have to find benefits on your own, but I figured that info might be worth hearing, somehow.”Swaine gave him a look. “I thought I told you to keep it secret!”“Hey! Senpai’s good with secrets!” Kanji said in defense. “They wouldn’t have told any of the Protags if they couldn’t help!”“You told the others, too?!”“J… Just Minato… and I’ll have to fill in Minako, too… But they’re trustworthy! Plus, since they’re the only ones who can summon multiple Personas, and a ton of them are nagas… I-I just figured asking them questions would help find you some benefits…”Swaine only continued to give him a look, making the baseball player cringe. WG quickly cleared her throat, breaking the tension. “It’s a nice gesture, Junpei, but you really should have consulted Swaine, first. He didn’t want anyone else finding out without his consent,”“S-Sorry… we told them not to tell anyone, if that makes you feel better…”The thief let out a heavy sigh. He turned to work on the heater. “Whatever… since Esther knows now, there’s a chance everyone will find out.” He muttered. He rubbed his face, feeling grogginess coming over him, but he shook it off to focus on his work.“B-By the way… is your heater broken?” Kanji now noticed, turning to the authoress.“It’s been on the fritz, yeah…” WG admitted, crossing her arms as she looked at the busted heating source.“For how long?! There’s icicles under your sink, and I can see my breath!”“It stinks in here, too--- no offense,” Junpei said, taking a whiff of the smell emitted from the heater.“Yeah, I gotta go get another space-heater.” The authoress stated, pulling on a coat.“Screw that--- you need to move!” Kanji snapped. "It's the dead of winter! No one can live in a house without heat this time of year!"“I can’t afford to move right now! Until we get stuff fixed up here, I have to stick around and keep an eye on everything.”“Go buy a new space heater. Once you get it set up… we’ll go back to the inn.” Swaine stated, putting away the tools. “I can’t really do much about your furnace right now, but if we get enough warmth in here to keep your pipes thawed, I think it will be fine.”A portal opened just then… and ATF wheeled in a portable space-heater! “Someone need a new space-heater?” he asked.Swaine blinked. “Are you going to work as a deux ex machina, or are you just waiting for the right time to help?” he questioned.“Careful, Swaine--- Junpei and Ryuji already broke the fourth wall already,”"Please don't ask," Junpei sighed when the others looked at him, rubbing his face.“How are my pets?” WG asked her brother.“Good. …I’d invite you to stay over, but my guest bedroom is being used as a kennel.” He then walked through the portal. “I’ll check in on ya later!”"Thanks bro!""At this rate, I'm surprised he hasn't... hasn't... a-a-ATCHOO!" Swaine sneezed, before leaning sideways; Kanji caught him and helped him straighten up. "Are you feeling okay?" Junpei asked, noticing the naga looked a little pale."It's too cold in here for him. We'd better get back to the inn," WG said while she set up the space-heater; she opened up a portal. "Junpei, Kanji, help him through, I'll be there in a minute,""I can walk myself..." Swaine muttered, but secretly appreciated the support as the two teenagers kept on both sides of him as they went through, entering his room at the inn. The thief ended up crawling onto the bed, curling up. "Oh yeah, snakes can't handle the cold weather, can they?" Junpei remembered, while Swaine covered up."I'll be alright... I just feel really tired, that's all."“The on and off exposure probably upset your metabolism. Better stay in one place for a while,” WG stated as she came through next, covering him with an extra blanket.“If you want, I can make you something to put over your tail so it’s not so cold,” Kanji offered.“Heh, I’ll be fine, Kanji. Thanks anyway.” Swaine replied with an assuring grin.“…Oh! Speaking of which,” Kanji handed the plush to the authoress. “I made this for you, WG… I saw pictures of your cat on your tumblr, and it kinda inspired me. I just finished it last night."“Aww, it’s cute. Thank you, Kanji,” WG replied with a smile. “It looks just like TC,” she looked at the rebel. “Maybe you can see if Khunbish would like something, too.”“Let’s go check in on him.” Junpei suggested, then looked at Swaine. “You want us to stick around, maybe go on a food-run or anything, dude?”“Nah… ATF gave me a full buffet last night. I’m not hungry right now,” Swaine replied.“From what I read, once a naga eats its fill, it can go 3 days without food.” WG spoke up.“Alright, well, let us know if you need anything,” Kanji responded as he and Junpei walked out; he paused, noticing the authoress was sitting beside Swaine. “…You coming, WG?”“I’ll head out later. You two see how Khunbish is doing--- and lock the door behind you, I don’t think Swaine needs any more sudden intrusions.”Nodding, the two teens left.An awkward silence filled the room. Swaine sighed. WG shifted.The thief looked at the girl… it was clear she wanted to help in some way.He thought back to last year…“Hey, can you do me a favor?” the thief asked, quietly.She looked at him. “Sure, anything.” She replied quickly. “What do you need?”Swaine sat up, slithering around and coiling around her; he felt her tense, and for a moment he recalled his nightmare from yesterday, so he made sure to keep his coils loose enough. He rested on one side of the circle, still drowsy.“Just… stay here until I fall asleep,”WG nodded, though was perplexed. This wasn’t like him at all, and figured his fatigue had to be the cause. “Sure,”She stayed quiet, relaxing after a moment as the thief closed his eyes. She looked at the clock, seeing it wasn’t too late in the morning… then recalled they had been awake since dawn, and she had gotten in late last night.With these thoughts in mind, she folded her arms on the other side of the coils, resting her head, looking back once at the sleeping thief beside her, before drifting off herself.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
*Knock knock knock*
“Yo, Khunbish! Are you awake?”
The pirate-naga let out a soft moan, groggy from his interrupted sleep. He looked up at the clock, seeing it was only 9 o’clock in the morning. “Mmf,” he grunted, planting his face on his pillow. Perhaps if he didn’t answer, whoever was at the door would go away.Something shifted against him, and he looked at Ryuji; currently the track star was using one side of his tail like a pillow, the rest of his lower body wrapped around his waist. The teen’s eyes opened, barely squinting as he lifted his head. “Zz… huh…?” he responded, before lying his head back down. “…nngh, five more minutes…”
*Knock knock knock!*
“Khunbish? (he might be asleep…)”
The archer buried his face in the pillow, feeling too lazy to get up or answer. The teen beside him felt similar, covering his head with his arm as he turned on his back.There came no more knocking, giving the pirate the notion that his visitors decided to try back later---*BAM!*“OI, KHUNBISH! YE STILL ALIVE, OR WHAT?!”“GAAAH!” Both pirate and track star hollered, now wide awake--- then looked at each other, their now-focused minds fully aware of their position, and quickly pulled away. “GAH!”They looked over, seeing that Tani had been the one who entered! “M-Mistress Tani! Blimey, don’t do that!” Khunbish gasped, putting a hand over his heaving chest.“Didn’t anyone ever teach you it’s not polite to barge in on people?!” Ryuji snapped, sitting straight up and glaring at the pirate girl.Tani only chuckled. “Well, sorry boys, but your mates here were a-knocking and were getting skeptical when you didn’t answer,”They looked over, seeing Junpei and Kanji had entered behind her. “S-Sorry, we didn’t mean to w--- what the heck are you doing here?!” the baseball player suddenly questioned, noticing Ryuji’s presence.“I, uh… I came over to see how Bishie was doing and ended up crashing here last night,” Ryuji answered with a shrug.Kanji looked over, seeing the duffel bag. “What’s with the bag? Were you bringing him something?” he asked.“Th’ lad just felt like spending th’ night in another realm. …What I’s wants to know is--- any reason why ye brought a new visitor into our midst, Junpei?” Khunbish sternly asked, giving Junpei a look.Ryuji did a double-take. “Hey, yeah! I thought we agreed we’d only tell our protags!”“Boy, you lot know how to keep secrets, don’t ya?” Tani stated in sarcasm, crossing her arms.“Hey, it was only so we could see if their Personas had a way of giving them benefits!” Junpei answered. “And Kanji ended up stalking me! I-I didn’t tell him anything--- he found out while we were visiting WG, and saw Swaine at her place.”Khunbish and Ryuji both did double-takes this time. “WHAT?!”“Swaine stayed with my angel?!/He ran off to her place?! When?!” both of them questioned.“Quiet down, you two, you’re waking the dead!” Tani snapped, silencing them. “Enough of all this ‘who spent the night with who’ business. Khunbish, did you manage to find any benefits yet?”“Um, yes! Swaine ‘n’ I found out yesterday that we have improved skills! We’re stronger, faster, have more agility… oh! An’ last night I found out I could sense emotions from others!” Khunbish answered, showing her both cards he had acquired.“Sweet! One more benefit, and your curse is broken!” Junpei congratulated him.“Wait… look at it,” Tani stated, pointing at the second card. “Why does it only have your name on it, Khunbish?”The pirate looked, scratching his head. “I guess… maybe because I was the first one to notice?”“Maybe you two don’t have to find the same benefits,” Kanji figured. “I mean, the curse affected you both differently, right?”“That be true… I ain’t as afraid of snakes as Swaine be,”“Aye--- you’re more afraid of getting shot!” Tani poked.Khunbish gave her a look. “That’s not a phobia! No one likes getting shot!”“Aye… but ye always jump whenever Roland takes his gun out,”“If he shot YOU point-blank in the face, ye’d be jumpy too!”“He never shot you in the face!”“Ye weren’t there! How do you know?”“He said he only shot you in the chest,”“And ye believe that?!”The three Persona boys exchanged glances. “Um… by the way, Tani, what brings you by?” Ryuji spoke up, interrupting the argument. “Just seeing how Khunbish is doing or something?”“Oh, more than that, Ryuji…” Tani declared, hands on her hips. “I’m gonna have our snake-bellied mates come out ‘n’ face the sun!”“Huh?!” Khunbish asked, giving a jump.“You heard me. Esther told me on Leafbook last night about how upset she was that one of her closest friends was too yellow to tell her or Oliver about his problem!And a bunch of our fellow Sky Pirates are beside themselves wondering how you're faring-- heck, Chingis has taken to fighting monsters out in the field just to hide his concern-- Batu had to order him to go home and get some sleep last night, he was so wound up! Plus, you’ve been hiding in this hotel room for the last two days! If you keep being self-conscious about it, you won’t beat this curse any easier!"“But, WG took them out to the desert, and that’s how they learned their skills!” Ryuji spoke up.“…Were there others around?”“Um… were there, Khunbish?”“Ah… do monsters count?” Khunbish answered with a shrug.“That’s what I mean! …Khunbish, I know you have the lower-body of a python, but… well after hearing about how upset Esther was last night, and doing some thinking about it, having you two go into hiding wasn’t the best option. No one is going to bully you because you got yourself cursed--- maybe call ya an idiot, but nothing too harsh."“Well… yeah… but what about other people?” Junpei asked, scratching his head. “When we were walking to the Inn the other day, everyone was staring---““Other people can mind their own business!” Tani interrupted. “What, you think we wouldn’t defend our mates if some wretch started whispering behind their backs, or tried to hunt them for being different? Believe it or not, we often have to get after others for picking on Evan for being half-grimalkin, and rotters who tease Bracken about her metal leg. There ain't a single citizen in Evermore who won't make a stand if they see someone being mistreated for being different, whether it's a curse, a genetic trait, or a handicap!"Kanji rubbed his chin, considering all this. “Hey… she’s got a point. I mean, I used to hide how I liked cute things and sewing because everyone thought it was weird, but after a while I decided to quit hiding it. And when people made fun of me… well, yeah I got mad, but I didn’t stop.” He looked at Khunbish. "You guys might be half-snake right now, but that shouldn't keep you from living your lives,"Khunbish took their words to heart, giving a firm nod. “You’re right. 'Guess I forgot th' kind of kingdom I live in, heh.” he agreed.“Great! …Let’s start by getting Swaine out,” Tani suggested. "He'll probably be the most stubborn about this,"“Ah, better wait, Tani. He just got back from WG’s place and it was freezing cold there; the exposure pretty much knocked him out.” Junpei told her. “Plus, you can’t really force him out… Let him rest first, then try talking to him.”“Alright, we’ll just start with Khunbish then.” She turned to the archer. “Come an’ take a walk. We can start by taking a walk 'n' slither by the oasis,"“We’ll come with you,” Junpei added, with Ryuji nodding.Khunbish rested a hand on his stomach. “…Can it wait until after breakfast? I ended up puking up a whole meal last night… an’ considering how much nagas need to eat, that ain’t good.”“Blimey! What did you eat?” Tani asked, astounded. “Normally ye can scarf down large portions without so much as getting a stomach ache!”“It’s sweets. WG had read that nagas can’t consume a lot of sugar, an’ I suppose I ate too much yesterday.” His stomach growled, and he gave a lurch. “…ugh, my stomach feels lighter than air…”“W-We’d better get you some food. Lets head down to the front desk,” Junpei spoke up.“Ah…” Tani spoke up. “About that… the Purrprioter asked me to request ye two lay off the orders for the next couple o’ days; said they sent up so many portions at once that the cook demanded to have the rest of the weekend off! She suggested ye try ordering out,”“Geez, how much did you guys eat?!” Kanji questioned, amazed.“We’ll go on a food run! Wait here!” Ryuji exclaimed, and he and Junpei raced out the door.“Oi! Wait up, you two!” Tani hollered, then turned back to Khunbish. “Alright, food first, then we go outside. Got it?”“Yes, Mistress Tani,” Khunbish answered.Tani gave a firm nod, then ran out.Kanji looked around the room, before sitting in a nearby chair, watching as Khunbish slithered back and forth--- once in a while pausing to hold his rumbling stomach. “So… does the ground feel weird on your stomach or anything?” the rebel asked.“Hm? …Oh, uh, I guess not. I never paid mind to it,” Khunbish shifted. “Now that you mention it, though, the carpet does feel strange as I slither on it…”The rebel looked at his scales. He was always more into fluffy animals-- not that he hated reptiles, he just felt too cautious around them. He did remember someone in class had a pet lizard once, bringing up how their bellies are soft and smooth, and wondered if the same could be said for snakes. “What does it feel like? Your stomach, I mean.”“At the moment, it feels empty,” the pirate then stretched out on the carpet, resting his head on his arms. “Dammit, I still feel out of it… I’m hungry, but I also feel like I’m going to pass out!”“You sure you’re not sick?” Kanji walked over and knelt by him, checking his temperature.The archer backed away from his touch. “I-I’m not sick, it was just something I ate… I think.”“Did you stay up late or anything?”“Aye, Ryuji dropped by late in the evening, and it was well past midnight by the time we fell asleep.” Khunbish looked at the clock. “What time is it anyway? 8:30?”“Yeah… How much sleep do nagas need? Do you know?”“I dunno… I know they feel sluggish in cold weather,” His stomach growled again, and he curled up, groaning. At the moment, he felt sick with hunger.“Does your stomach hurt?” Kanji rested a hand on his scaly body; the top half felt a bit rough due to the scales, and sliding his hand underneath he felt the smooth underbelly.“Guh!” Khunbish flinched. “W-What the hell…?!”“I figured it would help if I rubbed it,” Kanji rubbed the tail, cradling part of the long body on his lap. “Ma used to do it all the time when I was a little kid and got a stomach ache… oh wow, it’s really smooth underneath.”“Mmf!” The pirate stifled his mouth. “K-Kanji! That… That tickles!”Remembering himself, Kanji quickly set the tail back down, standing up; a blush was on his face. “Shit! Sorry! I-I kinda got caught up in the moment… I never pet a snake before, so I didn’t know what the texture felt like.”The aviator let out a breath; in truth, the rebel's tender comfort felt nice. “It’s… alright. But next time, ask permission! Pretty sure any other naga would have you imprisoned,”Kanji blushed further. “I was just rubbing your stomach! I wasn’t… doing something like that! …Er, was I?”Khunbish shook his head. “Nah, mate, it only tickled. I didn’t feel anything,” he scratched his head, looking at his lower body. Up to this point, he noticed a lack of… certain parts. “Come to think of it… where the hell is it, even?” Quickly, he shook his head. “Ah, never mind! I’d rather not know,”“R-Right,” Kanji took a deep breath. “So… is there anything I can do for ya?”Khunbish rubbed his stomach. “All I want is food right now… ugh, my stomach is killing me…”Kanji rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t bring any money with him, figuring they would be heading back in a few minutes. He sat down on the bed, thinking for a moment; when he was hungry, he kept himself occupied until it was time to eat, often by talking with others or doing his hobby.Looking at the duffel bag, a topic came to mind. “So… why did Ryuji come here? Last I saw him, he was going back home.”“Ye got me, mate. Th’ lad just didn’t want to be home alone, is all he told me. …But what about you and Junpei? How’d ye end up tagging along with him?” Khunbish asked in return, settling beside him.“The two of ‘em were acting weird yesterday--- they looked like they were up all night, then acted like they had some sort of huge secret. Normally Ryuji is a blabbermouth and Junpei never shuts up, and I knew the only time they were keeping quiet about something was when it had to do with their back-stories… so I got a little concerned, and asked the Protags to talk with them; they ended up talking to Narukami-senpai alone, but he was sworn to secrecy--- didn’t exactly get a chance to get an answer out of him because Mitsuru, Margaret and Kamoshida were tearing them a new one for breaking a wall.”“Breaking a wall…? Never mind, go on.”“After our rehearsals were over, I followed Junpei and Minato to their part of the world; I asked Minako to lead them to me so I could nab Junpei and get some answers. Junpei opened up a little, stating that it wasn’t exactly ‘his’ secret so he didn’t want to tell everybody. Instead, he asked if I could make WG something because she was depressed. We went to visit her today… and that’s when I saw Swaine and got the whole story.”“I see… So ye were just worried about yer friends,” The pirate had to smirk, giving a soft chuckle. “That be ironic… Last night, I was sensing some strong feelings from-- er, someone, and found out I could read emotions like a book! Thing is, I couldn’t figure out what the reason was.” He looked at Kanji. “Funny, you’re not even half-snake, yet you could sense something was up.”“W-Well, yeah! I mean they were acting weird, anyone would notice!” He looked back at the tail. “So… how does it feel? I mean, after you changed ‘n’ all that,”“It wasn’t easy. I had to learn how to move around without falling on me face, ‘n’ had to give Swaine tips on climbing up the stairs. On the bright side, our senses are sharper ‘n’ we’re pros on the battlefield, now.” He rested his head on his hand, propped up on his elbow as he looked at the ten-feet of scales behind him. “Heh, now that I think about it, I might miss it after the curse is broken.”“Really? …How long have you been cursed?”“Only 3 days or so…” His stomach gurgled again, and he let out a heavy sigh. His senses picked up just then, and he looked at Kanji--- sensing feels of awkwardness and wishfulness. “What be on yer mind, lad?”“N-Nothing!” The teen looked away.“Kanji… I told ye, I's can read emotions. Is there something ye want?”The rebel shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I-I was just wondering… can I pet it again?”Khunbish arched an eyebrow, then gave a laugh. “Oi, you’d be a weird one, lad… but aye, since ye asked this time, go ahead. It may keep me mind off my hunger pangs,”“Don’t call me weird, or I’ll tie it in a knot!” Kanji muttered, before stroking the scales again. He avoided the underbelly this time, and kept to rubbing the back. The pirate lied down on the pillow; it felt nice, the teen was very gentle.He shut his eyes, focusing on the gentle pets and not his starvation… though ended up thinking back to the last time he was starved.
He was a teen at the time, locked inside a hut that worked as a cage at the edge of a cliff. He was scrawny, his ribcage easy to see; his stomach ached, having not had a decent meal for so many months it felt like it was going to shrivel up.
It didn’t surprise him that the pirates refused to feed him after he had been captured, the Wyverns abandoning him.
A plate was suddenly slid in front of him just then. A glass of water, a piece of bread, and a small cut of meat sat before him. He looked up at the guard--- Chingus he now knew--- who gave him a sympathetic look. “Ye may not act like it much, but you’re still a human being.” He said.
He looked at the food, but refused to eat. He knew the pirates were only hoping to get a ransom out of him and needed him alive. If the ransom idea had been called off, there’s a chance they were going to poison him because he worked with the Wyverns.
So despite his nagging hunger, he only curled up, refusing to touch the food.
‘Human being, my ass.’ He thought. No one ever saw him as such.
Not even his own parents…
“Hey, you okay?” Kanji’s voice broke him from his thoughts.“Hm? Er, yeah, just thinking.” Khunbish answered in a murmur.The teen looked at him; his face had developed a solemn expression while he was spacing out. The pirate had been right about one thing—the rebel may not have sharp instincts, but he could tell when something was wrong…“What the eff is going on here?!”…Though was interrupted before he got the chance to ask.Looking over, they saw Junpei, Ryuji, Tani… and ATF standing there, carrying grocery bags and fast-food sacks! “Um, I didn’t drop by at an awkward time, did I?” ATF asked.“Were we interrupting something?” Tani giggled.“I-It’s not what you think!” Kanji sputtered, so flustered he could hardly explain.“Ah. Lamia warned me about this--- she said nagas are known for being a fetish,” Junpei joked."A what, lad?" Khunbish demanded with a mild glare.“IT’S NOT A FET--- THAT’S IT!” Kanji then charged at him!“Yipe!” Dropping the bags, the baseball player took off in a sprint, pursued by the rebel. “It was just a joke! I didn’t mean it! Ryuji, help!”“Oh, for the love of…! Get back here, you two!” Tani hollered, entering the hall.Ryuji looked at Khunbish, snickering. “One bloody word, and I’ll strangle you!” The pirate sneered.“Considering you two snuggled up last night, I don’t think he can say shiznit,” ATF quipped, while munching on a burger.“What the--- how did you know--- I mean, where the eff did you get that idea?!” Ryuji snapped.“Tch, dude, I’m psychic. I saw it last week! …Honestly, I thought it was a weird dream. Gotta admit, you two sure looked cute---““YOU ASSHOLE!” Ryuji ran at him, and with a yelp ATF stuffed the burger in his mouth and took off running…In a heartbeat, Khunbish slithered in his path, giving him one hell of a glare. “Where do you think you’re going?!” he demanded.“Um…” ATF held up a French fry. “…I’ll share my fries if you let me live?”“Breathe a word and you’re a dead man!” Ryuji snarled, gripping the immortal teen by the shirt.ATF struggled out of his grip. “Okay, okay, okay! I won’t say anything! But I DO have a question!” The two waited patiently for him to ask. He then pointed at Khunbish. “…Can I pet you next??”“ANTI!” Khunbish snapped, and in a heartbeat the teen shot off down the hall, diving through a portal before the naga could catch him. He crossed his arms, slithering back to his room with Ryuji. "...blasted brat could've at least left me th' fries..."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Esther was trying to recount the various oddities she had encountered throughout her life once again, but found it hard to find something to match seeing a rebellious-looking teen trying to drown another teen in the milk fountains!“Kanji! *gurgle blub!* Stop! *glug glug* I got milk up my nose!” the teen currently getting dunked in dairy product gargled.“Sorry--- I figured it would all go in that big mouth of yours!” The rebel, Kanji, snapped back.“What is the meaning of this?!” boomed the voice of Rashaad; the Great Sage stormed forth, grabbing both boys by the back of their jackets and pulling them away from the fountain. “I shall have you know contaminating the milk fountains is an offense we do not take lightly in Al-Mamoon!”“He’s trying to kill me!/He was saying shit!” The two boys spoke at once.“There you idiots are!” came a voice, as Tani came rushing up! She looked at Rashaad. “Sorry about this, Rashaad sir. As you can see, these blokes come from a different world,”“Tani!” Esther called, walking over. “What’s going on? Who are these two?”“Oh! Esther! These are friends of WG’s--- they were with her, Swaine and Khunbish when ‘that thing’ happened.” Tani motioned to the teens. “The angry-looking one is Kanji Tatsumi, and the one whose outfit is starting to curdle is Junpei Iori. They hail from the Persona universe,”“I shall excuse penalty this time, but see to it your guests respect our customs,” Rashaad stated, releasing the twosome. He turned to Esther. “Speaking of Swaine, I heard rumors of him. People in the city have stated they had seen him with the tail of a snake! Has he been cursed?”“Aye, he and Khunbish both,” Tani replied before Esther could. For the next ten minutes, she informed Rashaad of how their friends woke up one morning growing scales, and concluding with how their friends had to break the curse. “They’ve been hiding out about it for the last few days, and all we learned about that statue was the tale of a prince by the name of Lamian. With so many people worried about our mates, I decided it was time they stopped acting pitiful and start talking to people again!”“W-We tried to help them find some benefits too by talking to some naga-like Personas,” Junpei added.“I just found out today,” Kanji threw in.“I see… Hmm, the tale of Lamian is a story I am not familiar with. And you said the curse was afflicted by a statue in the Vault of Tears?” Rashaad asked.“Yeah, a little statue broke, and green dust covered them.” Junpei confirmed.“Perhaps Prince Ali and Princess Yasmina may know!” Esther exclaimed. “They lived there 100 years ago!”“Yeah, but this legend took place so far back, hardly anyone knew about it.” Tani told her.“We can still ask, c’mon!” Esther then took off.“Well--- wait up! Sheesh, everyone’s just taking off today, aren’t they?” Tani turned to Junpei and Kanji. “You two head back to Khunbish. Tell him we can meet up by the oasis after he’s done eating,”“Sure thing… though, mind if I change into some clean clothes, first? I’m starting to smell like cottage cheese!” Junpei inquired, while shooting the rebel a look. “Thanks to SOMEONE and their anger issues!”“Go jump in the oasis and dry out in the sun. That should do it,” Kanji remarked as they walked on.Tani then took off to catch up with Esther, who was waiting by a set of stairs. Following her, they climbed the steps until they were at the entrance of a small apartment. “Ali? Yasmina? It’s Esther!” the bard called, knocking on the door.“Come in!” Yasmina’s voice replied, and the two girls entered. The apartment was small but quaint, having a single window that gave a view of the streets below. Yasmina was sitting on the couch folding laundry, while Ali stood in the kitchen cooking breakfast. “Welcome, Esther--- and you brought Tani! How delightful.”“Would either of you care for breakfast? I’m making omelets,” Ali offered.“No thank you. We actually have a question for you,” Esther replied, as she and Tani sat on some cushions in the sitting room. “Have either of you ever heard of the tale of Lamian--- son of the Naga King?”Ali cocked his head in confusion, while Yasmina paused to ponder. “Lamian… Lamian…” Ali whispered, trying to recall.“Son of the Naga King? Hmm…” Yasmina pondered.“Here,” Tani reached into her pack, pulling out the scroll. “I brought this with me, in case anyone else was familiar with the legend,”Yasmina and Ali both read the scroll. “Oh! The half-snake prince! I remember now--- we used to tell stories like this when we were children,” Ali replied. “Although, the tale was told several ways.”“Yes. One version involved the prince being in love with a human girl, but was too afraid to show her his real form; in the end, she learned to love him nonetheless because he was so kind to her, and that broke the curse,” Yasmina said. “In another, Gisa was not a cruel king, yet his son was cursed because he did not uphold a promise to Aapep.”“In one I read, Gisa was a naga himself, but rather than being the father of Lamian he was a guardian for the kingdom, and used a spell to turn the prince into a naga when the palace was threatened.” Ali added. “But surely you two didn’t come here just to see if a fable were true, did you?”“Well… no… you see… two of our friends found a statue and it broke, green dust turning them into nagas.” Esther explained.“And in order for them to change back, they have to find 3 benefits. One of them already found two, we just wanted to know if anything in this legend could assist,” Tani added.“Well, I don’t know about this story, but there is a tale that might be of assistance,” Yasmina replied, thinking. “It’s the story of Ditelas and Persellos,”“Who and who?”“It’s an old tale from my childhood. It went like this…
‘Once upon a time, there was a naga named Ditelas. Like many nagai, Ditelas loved music--- he loved listening to the birds sing, the gentle trickle of the river, and the soothing rush of the wind. However, his love for music was also dangerous, for many would use it as a way to distract him to attack, or lure him into a trap. One day he plugged his ears with cotton, relying on his other senses to remain alert; although it kept him safe, he felt miserable for being unable to hear any melodies. Sick of keeping deaf after so long, he ran away into the swamps, where it was quiet and where few would trek.
‘Now in the swamps wandered a young boy named Persellos, who loved to play music. Sadly, Persellos came from an unloving family who despised the music he made on his pan-flute. One day he ran away, getting lost in the marsh. He was alone and afraid, having no one around to comfort him. During a moment of sadness, he played a song to ease the pain in his heart.
‘Ditelas, during this moment, was in the middle of his own lament when he heard music. “Oh, what a wonderful sound!” he said to himself, and followed the melody, finding the boy sitting alone playing on his pan-flute. The naga was cautious, believing it could have been another trap, but the beautiful song had him lower his guard. In fact it was so wonderful, he began to dance and ended up slithering in front of the little musician!
‘Persellos was stunned! He stopped playing, too afraid to move or speak. Noticing his fear, Ditelas quickly composed himself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you--- I really loved that song you were playing. Could you play more, please?” the naga asked. Now, afraid for his life, Persellos felt he had to play in order to stay alive!
‘He played one song after the next, the naga dancing the whole time! The boy looked around, trying to walk away while playing, but the naga followed him, entranced by the music! Soon he grew too tired to play another song, and fell on the ground in exhaustion.
‘Ditelas looked at him in alarm. “Are you alright? Are you sick??” he asked in concern. But Persellos was not paying attention, for he feared the naga would eat him now that he stopped playing music. Feeling defeated, he began to cry.
‘What a horrible sound! There were many noises Ditelas could not stand, from the screeching of harpies to the sounds of gunshots, but to hear a child’s sobbing was so much worse! “There there, don’t cry!” the naga coaxed, patting the boy on the back. “Please tell me what’s wrong. Are you hurt? Why are you so scared, so sad?”
‘But Persellos could not speak. He had always been afraid to speak to others because of the cruelty of his family. Sensing his fear Ditelas then realized that, due to his monstrous appearance, the boy was terrified of him! “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised; as if to give the boy reassurance, he gave him a gentle hug. “I know I’m scary, but I’m nice. Please don’t be scared,” When the boy continued to sob and tremble, Ditelas got an idea; stretching out his coils, he set the boy on the back of his long scaly tail. “Here, I’ll prove it to you. I’ll help you out of the swamp!”
‘Persellos was surprised when the naga started moving. He wanted to jump off and run, but was afraid Ditelas was much faster than he was and would catch him in a heartbeat! As they slithered along, the naga once in a while looking back to give him a reassuring smile, the boy relaxed a little. The ride was actually pretty fun!
‘Soon they reached the edge of the swamp. “Here you go. Try not to get lost anymore, okay?” Ditelas said to him, patting his head. “If you ever want to visit, just come here and play that flute,” He slithered back into the foliage, but did not leave just yet; he wanted to make sure the boy would be okay heading back on his own.
‘Persellos looked behind him, walking backwards as he believed the naga might follow him. Suddenly there came yelling and he turned. Up the trail was his family, looking beyond furious! He tried to run but they were quicker, surrounding him! His mother snapped at him for running off, while his father took his flute. “Did you take off just to play this wretched thing?!” he snapped as he broke it! His parents then turned him over to beat him, while his siblings only stood and watched.
‘And Ditelas didn’t like one bit of it. With a heart-stopping hiss, he shot out of the foliage! “Who dares disturb my peace?!” he snarled, letting his ferocity show. The parents gasped while the siblings screamed, all of them backing away. Persellos looked at him stunned--- to give him relief, the naga secretly shot him a wink before turning back to his family. “Someone kept playing music and disturbed my sleep! Who was it?!”
‘In a panic, the mother spoke up. “It was that boy! He plays music day and night and drives us all crazy!” she shouted, pointing at Persellos. “Yes! He’s so noisy!” the brother added. “Yes, he’s to blame!” the sister jeered. The father backed away, arm out to shield the rest of his family. “Please, spare us!” he begged.
‘Ditelas pretended to ponder. “…Fine. I will spare your lives, but leave me this boy. And if ANY of you come near this swamp again, the only music you’ll hear is the hymns of angels!” he warned. To his disgust, the family quickly agreed and ran away, not even trying to plea for the boy’s life.
‘Persellos sat on the ground, and the naga could sense his fear and heartbreak. Picking him up, he carried him back into the swamp, climbing up a tree for the swamp was growing dark and he did not to risk them encountering any predators. Making sure he was secure on his coils, Ditelas lowered himself down and grabbed some bamboo shoots and vines, working to make him a new pan-flute. “H-Here… it might not work like your other one, but…” he tried to say, but the child’s heartbreak had him at a loss for words.
‘The boy held the makeshift flute. It was raw, and would need some tinkering to make music, but he did not expect the naga to try to make him a new one! Was he just keeping him around for music? If he could not play, would he be abandoned or eaten? The boy let out a whimper, burying his face in his knees. He felt a hand pat his head, and peeked up at the naga. “It will be okay. I’ll take care of you.” Ditelas promised.
‘Staring into his eyes, Persellos felt he could believe him… but looked away, fearing the naga was trying to hypnotize him. Ditelas could sense his fright, adjusted his coils, having them loop above a branch in a way so that Persellos could lie down on them like a hammock, using the end of his tail to hold him in place. He then began to rock him, using hushed tones and humming a tune to help him relax. Eventually, the boy allowed himself to be lulled to sleep.
‘When Persellos awoke the next day, he found himself in a makeshift nest up in the tree. Smelling something, he looked down and saw Ditelas cooking fish over a small fire. “Oh, good! You’re up! Do you like fish?” he asked, inviting the boy down for breakfast. Persellos went down, his stomach feeling empty, and he ate in silence.
‘The naga himself dove into the water and hunted fish raw, keeping out of sight so not to scare the boy. After breakfast, the boy worked on his new flute, making adjustments and testing it, while the naga sat by and kept guard. When night fell, they would sleep up in the tree. Days went on like this, with Persellos staying quiet, and Ditelas tending to his needs.
‘One day, while the naga was in the pond hunting fish, the flute was complete. Persellos tested it, finding it could finally make music. However, since Ditelas was underwater he did not hear the music, but a predator did. Out of the clearing came a massive crocogator! Terrified, Persellos turned to run but fell in the water! The crocogator chased after him; the boy tried to swim away, but failed to notice crocogators moved faster in water…
‘Though, nagas moved fastest. Ditelas sensed a disturbance in the water and turned just in time to see the crocogator swimming towards Persellos! He shot forth and wrapped his tail around the creature’s neck and snout, keeping its jaws sealed shut as he wrestled it! Persellos quickly got back on shore, looking back and watching the struggle! Soon both went under the waves, the waters calm…
‘Suddenly something surfaced. Ditelas! The naga managed to win the fight! Overcome with relief, Persellos ran forth and hugged him. “It’s alright, I’ve fought worse. But are you okay?” he asked. The boy took a breath… and in a long while, managed to find his voice. “I’m… okay,” he managed to speak, and looked up at him with a smile. “Thank you… for protecting me.”
‘The naga beamed, picking up the child and hugging him tight, spinning him around. Persellos let out a laugh--- a laugh! He had not laughed in so long, he didn’t think he’d know how! Ditelas’ heart was filled with joy--- the child’s laughter was more beautiful than any music he had ever heard.
‘Their bond remained strong from that day on. Eventually Ditelas moved them out of the swamp and closer to a decent town, mainly so Persellos could have a decent meal and real bed to sleep. At first the townspeople were afraid, but seeing how the naga danced as he followed the music of the boy’s flute, they relaxed. Some even gave them money to watch such a spectacle--- a boy and his dancing naga!
‘With a new home and a new life, both of them found something they always needed: Ditelas found a way to be seen as more than a naga, and Persellos found a loving family who adored his music.’”
“That’s so sweet!” Esther exclaimed when Yasmina finished.“I hope it gives your friends an idea to help with their condition,” Ali stated. “At least a tale that tells not all nagai are ruthless predators,”“It gave me an idea we could try out,” Tani said with a smirk. “Thanks, Yasmina, Ali! We’ll let you know how it works out!” With that, she took off!“Tani! …*sigh* Thank you both,” Esther said politely to the couple.“Any time. Go ahead and check on your friends, and stop by any time!” Yasmina replied with a smile.Esther ran out to catch up with Tani. “That story was great! I can’t wait to tell Khunbish--- that idea sounds awesome!” the sky pirate was saying in excitement.“You mean the music, right? I don’t know how it will help, but maybe playing my harp could at least calm them down whenever they feel aggravated.” Esther figured.“Music? Heck no! I was talking about riding on their backs! I’m going to see if Khunibish will let me try it!” with that, she shot ahead!Esther did a double-take. “What the---? Tani!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He was surrounded by desert. Nothing but hot sands and scorching winds to greet him as he slithered through the terrain. He looked at the skies, the intense heat-wave making the skies ripple, the red-orange colors of the late afternoon atmosphere looking like the land was surrounded by dancing flames.
Yet despite the heat, he felt frigid--- and he even had his jacket on!
He looked around, wondering how he ended up here. Was his body so cold that they had to bring him back to the desert to warm up? If that were the case, where was everybody? They wouldn’t just leave him in the wilderness alone--- sure, they tended to have some bad calls and would have to flee, but they weren’t the kind of cowards who would abandon a friend!
“Hey! Is anyone out here?!” he hollered, but received no reply. Not even a wild creature came charging at him.
Something caught his attention just then. His heightened senses caught the scent of… meat?
He tried to pinpoint what type of meat it was. It didn’t smell like ham, beef, poultry or fish… whatever it was, it must have been undercooked, because as he got closer he could tell it was raw. So raw, he surmised, that he could strongly detect the scent of---
He froze.
Blood.
He was smelling blood!
Shooting over the hill, he found the source of the stench, and stood there horrified beyond all reason.
Bodies. Dozens of them. Hundreds, even! All over the desert, scattered as far as the coast. They were all bloodied and dismembered, as if ravaged by a monster.
The sight and stench alone got to him and he covered his mouth… freezing when he felt a sticky substance on his hands, finding them stained red. ‘No… don’t tell me…!’ he began to panic. Had he killed all these people?!
The sand shifted beneath him and he ended up sliding downhill, his long snake of a body dragging him closer to the corpses! He fell on his back, trying desperately to climb upward, until his eyes fell on a certain body…
Marcassin.
His brother lay there, his body looking as if it had been crushed, his eyes open wide, fear being his final expression. “No!” Swaine yelled; looking around, he saw everyone’s bodies--- Oliver’s, Esther’s, Ryuji’s, Junpei’s… from all his friends to friends of friends. “No, no no no… this can’t be happening…! This is a nightmare! It’s got to be a nightmare!”
He clutched his head, twisting and turning. “Wake up… wake up, dammit! I don’t want to see this…!” he fell onto the sands, sobbing. “Please… no more…”
But he wasn’t waking up. He couldn’t wake up… why? Was Freddy Krueger pulling a sick trick on him or something?!
He looked back over at Marcassin’s body. Wrought with trauma, he wrapped his arms around his brother’s frame, hugging him tightly. Despite being a corpse, the body felt warm… perhaps because of the heat? Remembering his own frigid temperature, he held him tight, shutting his eyes.
This was just a bad dream… he would wake up… he would wake up…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~During the start of the nightmare~
WG opened her eyes groggily, finding it was late in the morning. Looking over at Swaine, deep asleep still, she carefully stood up and climbed over his coils, just in time to hear a knock at the door. Opening it, she was surprised to see Junpei drenched and… smelling like warm milk?“Can you open a portal back to my place?” Junpei asked in a deadpanned tone. “I need to grab some clothes and change.”“Uhhh…?” WG responded, curious yet at the same time not wanting to know. She opened a portal to the Persona 3 Dorm for the teen and he hurried through, telling her to keep it open. She looked back at Kanji. “Explain?”“Stupei was running his mouth, so I dunked him in the milk fountains.” The rebel replied, sitting down on one of the cushions at the table. He looked over at Swaine. “He’s still asleep, huh?”“Yeah. Better let him sleep, just to make sure he doesn’t get sick,”A few minutes later, Junpei came back through, having changed into his summer clothes. “You owe me a new outfit, Tatsumi.” He muttered. “Senpai was pissed about my uniform getting stained!"“Well if you weren’t calling me a pervert---!” Kanji retorted.“I was just making a joke!”“It was sick!”“Hey, you were the one petting the snake-tail!”“I was trying to help him relax!”“Oh, is that the truth or an alibi?”“Listen, ya stupid pri---!”“Hey! Have your lover’s quarrel later!” WG piped up, snapping her fingers and getting their attention. “Keep in mind, we’ve got a tired naga in the room. Whatever issues you have, either resolve them OUTSIDE, or drop it!”“Er… right,” Junpei responded, clearing his throat.“S-Sorry,” Kanji murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.WG reached up, patting them both on the heads. “Good boys. …So, what’s going on with Khunbish?”“Well, we brought him some food, and Tani stopped by--- she’s going to talk him into going out in public. She wants Swaine to come too, but we told her to let him rest first.”“Oh… I think he’s up!” Junpei whispered, walking over to the bed after seeing Swaine shift. He sat down next to him, noticing the thief had an intense case of REM, and tears were running down his face! “Oh shit… Swaine? You okay?” He shook his shoulder, but no response. He turned to the others. “He’s not waking up!”“SWAINE! YO! GET UP!” Kanji hollered, but their friend continued to endure a nightmare of sorts. He turned to WG. “W-What do we do?!”“Hold on, I’m looking!” WG sputtered, flipping through the pages of one of the naga books. “N-Normally Swaine is a light sleeper, so it must be---““GAHHH!” Junpei screamed, and they turned… finding the teen had been pulled into the thief’s arms, the tail getting tangled in his legs. He waved his free arm, frantically. “WG! KANJI! HEEELP!”“J-Junpei-san!” Kanji yelped, running over and grabbing his hand, trying to pull him free, but Swaine’s grip proved stronger.“Hold it! Calm down, calm down!” WG exclaimed, hurrying over as she found a page. “Shh, just everyone settle down, don’t panic. It says here that, when exposed to cold elements, a naga will go to sleep and become dormant…“‘When living in winterized environments, a naga will remain asleep until the cold season passes. For others who were just passing through a cold climate into warm, they will sleep until their bodies return to a normal temperature, or until their next feeding period. Nagai need up to 10 hours of sleep, often during the day for nocturnal breeds. If not properly rested, they tend to be sluggish and aggressive. (*Note: Do not worry about being crushed by a naga in their sleep, as during this period their muscles are slack; this is a basic instinct to prevent them from crushing loved ones nestled with them.’)”“So, he’s going to stay asleep until... when?” Kanji questioned, scratching his head.WG looked at her watch. “I’d give it another eight hours. He did sleep at my place last night, so that must have upset his metabolism.”“That’s good to know… NOW CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?!” Junpei cried, Swaine still hugging him tight.“Don’t worry, it said he won’t crush you in his sleep; plus, it might boost his body-heat so he’ll wake up sooner.” WG had to repress a smirk as she said this. “…He must be having a nightmare, from the looks of it.”“I’m LIVING a nightmare, here!” He waved his arm, flailing around in a chibi-manner. “Pleeeeaaase get me out!”“His grip is pretty strong, man. If we tried, we might end up making his muscles tighten and you’d get strangled for sure,” Kanji added.“’Death by Strangulation’ is a better headline than ‘Trapped by Snake Cuddles’!”“Oh calm down, Junpei. Give it time and he may release you on his own,” The authoress assured.“I don’t have time! W-We have school tomorrow! It's practically night-time back in our world!”“Alright, alright… I’ll go see if we can use some butter to grease you out or something.” With that, WG walked out.Junpei groaned, rubbing his face. He paused just then, looking over. “…TELL me you’re not recording this!”Kanji smirked, his iPhone getting the whole situation on video. “Yep.”“Turn it off--- or I’ll tell everyone how you pet Khunbish!”“Dude, you’re the one snuggling with Swaine. Do you really think they’d care?”“KANJI! TURN IT OFF!” Junpei grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him, but missed. The rebel only chuckled. “I’M SERIOUS! I swear to God if you don’t turn it off, I’m going to break your sewing kit! I’ll rip up all your plush toys! I’ll email your Shadow’s picture to inmates in prison! Do you hear me?! PRISON! I’ll---” he paused, as Swaine squeezed him again, holding the teen’s head against his chest. “(W-would you stop that?!) …KANJI!”Kanji only sat back, enjoying every minute of his friend’s awkward situation.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0WG was walking towards the stairs when a pair of arms suddenly caught her, and she found herself being hugged and spun around. “WG! Thank goodness you’re back!” Khunbish exclaimed, using his tail to lift her up as he hugged her. "I thought I heard me angel's voice down the hall!"“Oh! Um, hey Khunbish. How are you doing?” WG asked, smiling a bit as her ‘pirate-beau’ nuzzled against her cheek.“Much better, now that you’re here…”“A-HEM.” Scoffed a voice. Looking over, they saw Ryuji standing there, arms crossed and looking annoyed.Khunbish smirked, as if knowing a crude secret. WG looked over at the teen. “Ryuji? …When did you get here?” she questioned. She then looked at the archer. “…and why are you being so affectionate?”“Put her down, Bishie.” Ryuji sneered.Khunbish only hugged her tighter. “What’s the matter, Ryuji? …No! Don’t tell me--- you’re jealous!”The track star took out his cell-phone. “I’m calling her boyfriend!”“Alright, alright, what’s going on here?” WG asked, wiggling out of the pirate’s arms.“Heh heh, it’s okay, Wherever Lass. I’s was just trying out my new benefit… although seeing ye after an insane morning is truly a blessing.”“New benefit?”“Yeah. Last night, I found out I can sense someone’s emotions. See?” Khunbish showed her his card. “I’s can sense when me enemies are afraid, or if one of me mates is feelin’ blue I’ll be the first to know.”“So you can sense what others are feeling…?” WG looked back at the room. Did the same go for Swaine? If so…The pirate’s grin fell. “Oi, ye okay?”“Huh?”“I just got th’ notion you’re… I can’t tell, anxious about something?”“Oh, no um… I was just wondering if Swaine could do the same…” She shook her head. “However, I think it would be better if you didn’t try to guess anyone’s emotions--- or mess with someone else’s. Chances are, abusing your prowess might extend the curse or something.”“O-Oh… Okay, WG.”“Hey, Wherever-chan… you sure you’re okay?” Ryuji asked, walking over.“I’m alright… but what about you? When did you get here?"“I dropped by last night to see how everyone was doing, and I ended up crashing overnight. Don’t worry, I let my mom know---“ Ryuji then froze. “Oh, shit, my mom! W-What time is it?”WG looked at her watch. “Almost 10 AM…”“Shit, it's late in the afternoon back home! Can you open a portal back to my place?”“Sure, but why don’t you just call?”“I don’t want to run up the phone bill from another dimension.”“…Good point.” WG opened a portal.“Wait! Your bag!” Khunbish called.“I’ll pick it up later. See ya around!” With that, Ryuji jumped through the portal, heading to his house.Closing the portal, WG looked at Khunbish; the pirate had a funny look in his eye--- normally he would boast about ‘having more time with their fangirl’, or make a ‘take your time/don’t come back’ type of quip… but there didn’t seem to be any humor in his gaze.Before she could ask, there was a flash of blue, and Oliver appeared! “WG! Khunbish--- WHOA!” the young wizard exclaimed, gawking at the snake-bodied pirate. “Jeepers… so that’s what you look like,”“Oliver! ‘bout time ye showed up, lad!” Khunbish exclaimed, tussling his hair.“Esther told me everything yesterday--- I wanted to stop by, but Miss Leila needed some help at the Milk Bar. It’s really busy during the winter, and she needed help in delivering groceries.” He looked at WG. “Where’s Swaine? Esther said you opened a portal for him yesterday,”“He spent the night at my place last night, but we came back here early this morning. It was pretty cold in my place, so he has to sleep for a while until his body returns to a normal temperature. …Oh! I need to tell Marcassin he’s back---!” the authoress stated, realization dawning on her.“Ye can inform Marcassin once Swaine’s back up, that way they’s can chat. In the meantime, Mistress Tani’s around ‘n’ wants me to head out to get a little public interaction.” Khunbish told her.“Okay. I’ll go grab something for Swaine real quick; I need to open a portal for Junpei and Kanji too--- unless you’d like us all to tag along with you,”Khunbish seemed to perk up a bit, but paused in thought. “Actually… would ye mind doing a favor for me, instead?”“What is it?”The pirate-naga slithered back to his room, coming out a few seconds later with a duffel bag; he gave Oliver the ‘wait a minute’ gesture, moving the authoress out of earshot. “Take this back to Ryuji when ye take ‘em to their world. And… see if everything’s okay with the lad.” He requested in a quiet tone.WG blinked. “Wait… you want me to check up on Ryuji? Normally you two are trying to keep me away from one another. Did something happen?”“I don’t know, but last night he just didn’t want to be alone, an’ I was sensing a lot of tension--- didn’t press for answers an’ have him take off upset, though… Ye know more about him than I do, Wherever Lass. An’ I’s feel he’d be able to open up to ya a helluva lot more than me. If anything be bothering him--- well, even if it ain’t my business, I want to make sure he’s alright.”WG cocked her head. “…since when do you care so much about him?”Khunbish crossed his arms, sighing. “I dunno… just… last night something was really irking him, an’ for some reason I found myself feeling...”“Concerned?”“…Aye. That’s the best way to put it,” He looked at her. “But, I don’t want to be upfront ‘bout it. That boy be stubborn, y'know."“Alright. I’ll see what I can do.”“Oh, hi Oliver--- Hey! WG!” came a call, and they turned to see Tani and Esther coming up the stairs, the young sky pirate being the one who hollered.“Hey, girls. Come to check on the guys?”“Yes… Is Swaine back? I want to talk to him,” Esther asked.“Yeah, but he’s sleeping right now. Wasn’t feelin’ well due to cold exposure or something,” Khunbish answered.“…Uh, you sure he’s still asleep?” Oliver questioned, listening by Swaine’s door.“Why? What do you hear?” Esther asked.Tani stuck her ear to the door, arching an eyebrow. “I might be mistaken… but it sounds like Tamaki Suoh cussing someone out, and Yusuke Kitagawa laughing?” she guessed.“That reminds me…” WG turned to Oliver. “You think we can go to the Milk Fountains and make, say… 5, 10, or 20 pounds of butter?”“(hold on, I’ll see what’s taking so long--- ah! Hey! Throw one more pillow, and you’re going back in the fountains!)” came Kanji’s voice as he stepped out, greeted by perplexed looks. “Oh! …Hi everyone. Um, Swaine’s asleep.”“You were taking a video, weren’t you?” WG guessed.The rebel smirked. “Yep.”“Send me a copy later,”Everyone exchanged looks. “Do we want to know?” Esther sighed.“Yes, yes you do. Lets hurry!” With that, she headed downstairs, the others following.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
‘…and then I’m going to shove… clear up your… if you don’t stop recording… I’m fucking serious…!’
Swaine looked around, finding himself surrounded by clouds as he was climbing uphill. In his arms he was carrying someone… every few seconds it would change. It went from Marcassin, to Oliver, to Esther, at one point he was even carrying Khunbish!
But what confused him was why he was hearing Eld Gin chewing out a laughing Levi Ackerman.
‘I wish I could wake up… these kafka dreams are getting weird…’ he thought. His body still felt cold… and he felt himself struggling to hold whoever was in his arms. The clouds were thick, and he couldn’t tell whether something was trying to pry them out of his arms, or if they were struggling to get away from him.
He winced, fearing it was the latter.
The scene shifted, the clouds gone as he was now moving through a castle of sorts, the voices quieted. It had vines running down the walls, and out the window he saw miles of ocean. He found himself slithering out onto a balcony where the railing had collapsed, looking out at the horizon. He looked at the person in his arms; now it was Junpei, for some reason.
However unlike the first nightmare, he was breathing, though it felt shallow as if he were struggling. He was covered in dark marks, as if he had been strangled to near death. Swaine cringed, remembering the first day when he had nearly cut off the teen’s air supply without realization. Thinking about it, he hadn’t been in control of his body that day… it took him two days to get the hang of his anatomy…
Maybe this nightmare showed what could have--- or might--- happen if he lost all control…
“I’m sorry…” he whispered, tears running down his face.
Suddenly the balcony began to crumble, and he found himself falling into the sea; his only instinct was to hold tight to the person in his arms, the last thing he saw was a mess of blonde hair before sinking into the waves.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Junpei sighed. Once Kanji was out of the room, he tried in vain to pry himself out of Swaine’s grip, but the gunslinger-naga held on like a child with a safety blanket. The room was quiet, the only sound coming from a ticking clock on the wall; it was a little after 10 AM.He drummed his fingers on the side of the thief’s stomach. “Tickle, tickle.” The class clown murmured, poking him, but his grip didn’t loosen even a smidge.“I’m sorry…” Swaine whispered all of a sudden.“Huh? Dude, are you awake?” Junpei asked, looking up at him; the elder prince remained deep in a slumber but once again tears were running down his face. The teen bit his lip, looking back over at the door. What was taking WG so long?He gasped as the thief rolled onto his other side, the teen smothered against him, having to turn his face to get air. What the hell is he dreaming about?! He thought, and based on a worst-case scenario, prayed that the naga didn’t have ‘provocative’ dreams.Swaine’s arms tightened around him, and his breathing was feeling rushed. The teen began to slightly panic; what if he couldn’t wake up, and ended up having a heart-attack in his sleep? As WG had said, Swaine was a light sleeper, and if he had a bad dream he would have woken up by now.Can nagas even wake up from a nightmare? That book said they’d be dormant until their bodies were warm again or something, Junpei pondered. Thinking about it, he felt Swaine’s arm, finding it a bit cool to his touch. Tears were still running down his face.“It’s okay, Swaine,” Junpei told him, rubbing the thief’s arm with his free hand. He had doubts if his voice could break through into his dream, but he had to do something to comfort his subconscious. “Shh… it’s alright. You’re okay, bud. You’re okay…”His breathing steadied, but tears were still running down his voice and his grip remained tight.Junpei continued to rub his arm, before reaching up and wiping tears off his face, shushing him in a gentle manner. He thought about how Kanji was petting Khunbish earlier and tried that, gently patting the scaly tail wrapped around his flank. “Everything’s gonna be okay, Swaine… You’re just having a bad dream. Try to have a good dream while you’re asleep. Like… try dreaming about Hamelin, or flying on Tengri--- that was pretty cool, flying a dragon around when I got the game.“I remember when I first played it,” He rubbed the naga's arm, relaxing a bit when the tears stopped rolling down his cheeks. “I… kinda cried at some parts--- basically the part where Oliver found out his mom couldn’t come back, and that scene where he almost died. It kinda made me think of the storyline of my game…“It’s kinda weird. Both our games have something in common--- learning to deal with tragedy and death. Well, mine was pretty upfront about it, but yours was subtle, like how Oliver and Shadar being connected was pretty much an analogy on how our own despair is our greatest enemy, and how it can lead to breaking someone else’s heart when we just let it continue on. …At least in your game, Oliver came back. Minato wasn't so lucky, but I guess that was the point...? I dunno. It just sucked because once you play out the scenes, it just feels too real, and you think they're really gone...”He looked up at the thief a moment; his tears had stopped, and his breathing was soft now. Still, he felt he should keep talking should another nightmare occur.“Between you and me, your role felt more in-depth. I mean, you just seemed like the cool, laid-back, cynical type of guy who managed to have a plan figured out. Yeah, you had your share of screw-ups based on your backstory, but after meeting everyone you decided to turn over a new leaf--- you didn’t change completely, but you still managed to get better. Heh, I think Kanji could relate to you on that…“Me on the other hand… I didn’t really start taking life seriously until after I started losing people--- backstory wise, I mean. I always rolled with the punches, mainly because no one was around to offer me any real guidance. My dad always drinks, and my mom’s not around, so I had trouble succeeding. You have no idea how many times I wanted to just give up, drop out, and run away… the only thing that kept me going were the people around me. I’d hide behind jokes and smiles, but it wasn’t until I had to drop the act that I realized how much they really cared. They were with me through hard times, and that’s what prevented me from giving up…“And the same goes for you. You’re not one to give up--- hell, even when you were out on the streets and heart-broken, you still had the drive to try to fix things. So… don’t let this curse get to you. You have to face your fear of snakes on a personal level… hell, at some point, we all have to face something. I know I have to go back to my alcoholic dad at some point. Minako still has my keys. It feels easier when someone is with you… and dude, you’ve got a lot of people to help you through this. Everything's going to be okay,"He paused, hearing a sound. Swaine was snoring! His arms had fallen limp too, as somewhere during the conversation the thief’s hold finally relaxed.Slowly and carefully, Junpei sat up and pulled away, watching as the gunslinger curled up. Grabbing a blanket, the teen covered him up, patting him on the back. “Sleep tight, Swaine.” He said, before walking out the door.He walked outside… pausing, seeing Kanji and WG carrying the biggest stick of butter he had ever seen! Oliver and Esther were with them, helping guide them towards the inn.“Whoa! When you said you were going to get butter, I didn’t think you’d go this far!” The class-clown exclaimed.“Junpei?! How’d you get out?” WG exclaimed, dropping her side of the giant butter stick.“Whoa!” Kanji cried, ending up slipping and dropping it with a *Splat!* “Dammit! Oliver spent 15 minutes trying to make that!”“Are you okay? Kanji said you were trapped in Swaine’s coils! He said he has it on video,” Esther asked Junpei.The teen paused. “Oh, yeah. About that---“ without another word, he dashed after Kanji; the rebel took off, both of them running down the street.WG sighed. “I’ll go get them. You two check on Swaine. Tell him I’ll come back later,” she informed the two kids, before racing off after the teens.Oliver and Esther shrugged; the wizard cast 'Rejuvenate', fixing the giant stick of butter and putting inside his bottomless bag. "Well, if we ever need 20 pounds of butter, at least we'll have it on-hand." the bard quipped. "Let's go see how Swaine is doing,"“You said he looked really freaked out when you saw him,” Oliver replied, his expression concerned. “You think he’ll want to come out like Tani wants?”“I can’t say… Khunbish was more lenient. Maybe we can talk him into coming out to the oasis with them--- if he’s awake.”Going upstairs and entering the room, it was no surprise the thief was still asleep. The two kids were patient, however, deciding to wait for him to break out of his slumber as they didn’t want him to wake up and find himself alone. In order to pass the time, they decided to pull up Leafbook, finding a video the blogger Mad4Monsterz shared:
[Mad4Monsterz]
Corr, can ya believe this Lionel bugger?! Trappin' rare creatures to keep around his house! He's just asking to get his face ripped off!
-Look at this video here, he's trying to bring home a Thugg! The overgrown ape ain't gonna be happy with the new living arrangement--- 'n' I ain't talkin' about the one with fur!
[Muriel]
Seriously? Geez, this guy must be crazy!
[Derwin]
I prefer cataloging fascinating creatures myself, but unless one is a proper Familiar tamer, keeping them outside of their proper elements will prove disastrous.
[Anonymous]
Now really, Lionel isn't doing anything wrong! You could say he's just keeping rare creatures from going extinct, and I'm certain he cares for all their needs.
[Mad4Monsterz]
This is why rich people shouldn't have nice things!
[@nt1-Tw1L1ght 4-3v3r]
Hey, that's what I said! :D
They closed out of Leafbook after that; Oliver tried to see if his Wizard’s Companion had gained any new pages about nagai, while Esther took an idea from the story of Ditelas and Persellos and played her harp, if only to aid the thief’s dreams.After a short while, their friend began to stir…0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
He was floating.
Someone was talking to him, but their voice sounded distant.
He hung onto the person in his arms… and for once, they were holding him back. They were the one talking to him! Their voice was familiar… although, the tone felt different.
His dream drifted from an ocean to stars, and he felt serene, the voice soothing, and his body was feeling warm again. Suddenly his arms felt empty, and he looked around desperately for the one he had been holding on to.
Then he heard music. Beautiful, sweet music… a harp playing…
He knew only one person who played such an instrument.
Suddenly he found himself surrounded by white, and he had to shield his eyes…
…
Swaine groaned, waking up. Looking over, he saw Oliver flipping through his book, while Esther was playing her harp. The two kids noticed he was awake, looking at him.Giving a groggy but sincere smile, the thief sat up. “Hey, about time you two dropped by,” he quipped.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There were a plethora of words the wizard and bard threw at the thief the moment he was awake. The main points included Oliver wanted to know the details from his friend’s perspective, while Esther rebuked him for not sending word to them sooner. Once he assured Oliver the others were taking care of him, and apologized to Esther for letting his self-consciousness get the better of him, Swaine allowed the two to embrace him in a hug.“So, how are you feeling? You were asleep for a long time--- it’s almost 1 o’clock!” Oliver asked.“Yes, the latest you’ve ever slept in was noon,” Esther quipped.“Very funny. But I’m feeling fine; being exposed to the cold just took a lot out of me, that's all.” Swaine answered, while rubbing his head. “…and I had enough kafka dreams to last me a lifetime.” He looked around the room, noticing the absence of a certain someone. “Where’s WG?”“I think she went to take Junpei and Kanji home, and drop off something for Ryuji.” The wizard answered, thinking back. “Khunbish wanted her to take his duffel bag back to him,”“Seriously?” The thief arched an eyebrow, scratching his head. “Normally those two make sure she steers clear of each other… Ah, well, it’s none of my business.”“Tani stopped by today, too. She decided it’s time you two stop hiding out and go out in public again. She took Khunbish to the oasis while we were at the milk fountains.”“I think she’s right. The curse may not be broken if you keep yourself shut in,” Esther added.Swaine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Fine… but that blasted fairy isn’t to learn about this, got it?!” he firmly stated; he then looked at Oliver. “…Speaking of which, where is Drippy? He’s normally at your side 24/7!”“He’s at the Fairy Grounds,” Oliver replied. “He says it’s the best place to be during winter time,”“Oh yeah--- because of the climate, it doesn’t get too hot there like the desert, but isn’t too cool so you can relax.” Esther surmised. She turned to the thief. “How do you think you’d fare on the island?”“I’d drown myself after the jokes started flying,” Swaine muttered.“Okay, Swaine, that’s enough. You have to give Mister Drippy more credit than that!” Oliver reprimanded. “Tani said that’s the reason you didn’t tell anyone else--- you thought everyone would be mean, maybe freak out or make jokes! But we won’t… and that includes Drippy. He might make a comment or two--- but if anything, he’d be coaching you to break the curse! If he were here now, he would be telling you to stop wallowing in self-pity and get out there,”“Yeah. The jokes would come later once you felt better,” Esther added, having to grin. “Hee hee, he would probably exaggerate how scared you were!”Swaine rubbed his face, but sighed. “If fairies weren’t incorrigible liars, I’d make him promise not to tell the story at all… But you have a point. Sooner or later I’ll have to face the people sometime,” he agreed.The familiar-tamer patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, we’ll be with you. If anyone makes any comments, they’ll have US to deal with,”There came rapid knocking at the door at that moment; Oliver opened it, and in rushed Marcassin. “Gascon! Oh, good, you’re back here. When I got word that you moved somewhere else, I called WG to get the details. Thank goodness you’ve come back--- being exposed to temperatures that cold could have killed you!” the young sage stated, sounding out of breath as if he had ran clear from Hamelin.“Killed him? …How cold was it?” Oliver questioned Swaine.“Well… apparently WG has a broken heater, so it was practically 0-degrees at her place,” Swaine answered bluntly.“Those conditions are hazardous for reptiles, Gascon.” Marcassin scolded; seeing a book, he picked it up and flipped through the pages. “See? ‘Long-term exposure to freezing temperatures may result in severe illness, poor blood circulation, comatose state, and even death’. How long were you there?”“Overnight, then she brought me back to the desert to warm up. We went back for 30 minutes after Kanji stomped on my tail…”“Then he came back here and ended up sleeping for a few more hours. It turns out nagai become dormant until their bodies return to a normal temperature.” Oliver added.Marcassin sighed, rubbing his temples. “From now on, please remain in warm climates. Next time you may not recover. …Why did you leave, anyway?”“I… I was walking--- well, slithering in my sleep.” Swaine murmured, and informed the trio of his nightmare, as well as the incident where he tried to hunt down a quiverine pup. “I keep having bad dreams, and worry about losing control over these wild instincts.”“Psychologically speaking, but I believe your fears manifest in your subconscious; as for your sudden instinct to hunt, your negative feelings mixed with an intense hunger caused you to go into a mild frenzy. However, considering you woke up and held back, I do not deem you as a savage naga. Situations like this are even seen in humans that suffer from PTSD, in most cases.”“Did Khunbish have any similar problems?” Oliver asked.“Not that I know of. Then again, he doesn’t hate snakes as much as I do,” Swaine answered.“Well, if it helps, Prince Ali and Yasmina told us a story--- one where the naga isn’t a monster, but more of a guardian.” Esther spoke up. “If you’d like to hear it, maybe it will help you get a new perspective and help you relax.”The thief scoffed, but smiled. “Alright… but didn’t you lot want me to get out of the hotel first?”“You’re going out? …Are you certain?” Marcassin asked, surprised at his brother’s willingness to go out in public.“Well, as everyone keeps saying, staying hidden won’t exactly help me find benefits to break the curse,” Swaine sighed with a shrug.“C’mon, we can hear the story as we head to the oasis. Tani and Khunbish said they would be waiting for us there,” Oliver replied, opening the door for everyone.As they walked down the hall, Swaine showed Marcassin how he could go down the stairs easier, after Khunbish had shown him a couple tricks. "Well, I'm glad you have managed to adjust to your new mobility," Marcassin commented. "Yes, well, it's not exactly good for my abdomen," The thief replied, rubbing his human stomach. He looked at Esther. "So, what was that story about?""Well to put it simply, it was about a naga who went to live in a swamp because he kept getting distracted by music." Esther began as they walked out into the streets. A few people stared, but she continued talking, keeping a hand on Swaine's upper-arm in order to keep his attention off the wandering eyes and listen. "One day, a boy (named Persellos) ran away into the swamp to play his flute, and the naga (named Ditelas) listened to him play. When Persellos got too scared, Ditelas took him back to the path to town so he could go back home..."0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0“…but it turns out the boy’s family was a bunch of asses, and started beating on him while breaking his flute! Well, Ditelas wasn’t going to stand for it--- he zipped right in, scared the daylights out of the rotters, and decided to care for Persellos himself. The lad was timid at first, but after the naga saved him from a croc, didn’t see him as a beast at all.” Tani was saying, as she and Khunbish lounged in the shade by the oasis. "Then they lived happily ever after,"“That be quite a tale,” Khunbish stated, rubbing his chin. “So… what part of it did ye want to try out?”Tani chuckled a bit, and suddenly with a *pop!* shrunk down to her chibi-form! “I want to try riding on your back!”“What?! Ye mean ye dragged me out here just for a piggyback ride?!”“Oh, c’mon! Lets at least try it out! Please??”Khunbish groaned, rubbing his face. “Mistress Tani, with all due respect, I don’t think I can---“*squeak!*Tani jumped onto the back of his tail, firmly planted on the scales. “Won’t know unless you try, mate.”Slapping his forehead, the pirate-naga gave up. Sure, with his strength and agility he could outmatch the younger archer, maybe intimidate her to change her mind… but there were two reasons that kept him from abusing his naga prowess:
Tani was like a younger sister to him; sure, she practically held the ferocity to hold authority over him, call him out when he and Chingis took matters into their own hands, and was deemed impossible to tame by most, yet that didn’t mean she held a special place in each of their hearts since the day Batu brought her home.
She was the boss’s daughter and if he messed with her he would be dead where he stood, and Batu would wear his scales as a warning to anyone else who dared to harass his child.
So, without any other choice, the archer began to slither across the sands, giving Tani a ride. “Wheeeee!” she exclaimed when they went over a dune.I was hoping I was done with this after she outgrew babysitting. Khunbish thought with a sigh, circling around and heading back to the oasis. He ended up spacing out, thinking about that story.In a way, he related to Persellos…
“Archery?! What use would you have for such a barbaric thing?!” his father chided.
“I… I see the soldiers walking around with them, and… I want to practice it. I could be a warrior someday---“ the child began to explain.
“Absolutely not! Just because the whole world has fallen into war doesn’t mean we need to partake in it!” his mother huffed.
“Those soldiers are an elite force, anyway.” One of his older sisters (the eldest of the five children) informed him. “They start training when they’re at least 11, and it takes YEARS to get into their ranks.”
“And that’s if you fit all the requirements,” the second sister added. “Honestly, why go through all that work for a position you probably won’t get?”
“Not to mention you’re too scrawny. A twig like you would have to work out for twenty years before you were buff enough to be qualified!” the third teased.
“I’d like to date a soldier. They’re so masculine and handsome…” the fourth stated in a daydream manner.
“Nonsense, you girls will find charming blue-bloods as your suitors. You’re much too elegant and beautiful for a common guard,” their mother stated, before turning to him. “And you are to start acting like one yourself, young man!”
“You want me to be a girl??” He gasped, as means of humor.
“That’s enough, Pierre. You are to put these ideas of archery out of mind!” his father ordered.
Sighing, the lad went upstairs to his room.
Unbeknownst to his family, he had been secretly building his own bow and arrow.
One day, he got to use it, show them the benefit of being an archer…
Yet they tore it from his hands and broke his bow.
They broke his dream.
They broke his heart.
“Khunbish!”“Huh?” The pirate-naga shook his head, turning to Tani. He noticed they were back at the oasis.“I asked if you were getting tired. You were slowing down and slouching,” Tani crawled off him, returning to her normal size. “Something up, mate? What be on your mind?”He leaned against a tree, looking at his reflection in the water. “Quite a lot, it seems. …Tani, do ye ever think about where... ye might've come from? Before Batu found ye?"The younger pirate crossed her arms, pacing. "Can't say I have, matey. Keep in mind, I was just an infant when Batu brought me home. ...I do think about how we met my mum's spirit, that much I'll confess. ...Why?”“Seems like me own past keeps coming up in me memories. I don’t know why, but ever since this whole thing started, it just felt triggered.”“What kind of memories are you thinking about, exactly?”“Just… about me childhood, mainly.”Tani cocked her head. She seldom ever heard about Khunbish’s--- or any pirate’s—life story before they joined Batu’s crew. However, judging from the look in his eye, she had a feeling the memories were anything but pleasant. “Do you want to talk about it?”He sighed. “Both yes an’ no… I’s had things I wanted to get off my chest, but at the same time I don’t want to rant about it,”She shrugged. “That’s fine. Whenever you want to talk, you have friends who’ll lend an ear. …In the meantime, how about we focus on breaking your curse?”“Right, right. …Well, I can’t exactly consider giving rides a benefit--- at least not for myself,”Tani looked at the oasis. “How about swimming? In that story, Ditelas could hold his breath for a while underwater.”Khunbish shrugged, taking off his vest, shirt and hat, handing them to her. “That might come in handy.” Holding his breath, he dived into the water.Tani watched him dive deep. The waters were clear, thankfully, so she could make out his shape as he swam around. During this time, the rest of their friends came around the bend. “…and the village accepted both of them, in the end.” Esther was concluding.“Interesting,” Swaine responded. “Don’t get any ideas, though--- I’m not dancing to your harp,”“Oi! About time you lot got here!” Tani exclaimed, waving them over. “Glad to see you alive and well, Swaine--- figured you’d be in a coma as long as you were sleeping,” She looked them over. “Where’s WG and those two knuckleheads from the Persona world?”“Last we saw them, she was chasing them down the street to take them home,” Esther replied with a shrug. “Something about a video Kanji took--- and Junpei wanted him to delete it,”“Wait… are they the ones who were shouting inside the room??” She looked at Swaine. “Blimey, how’d you sleep through all that noise?!”Swaine dug in his ear a bit. “I think some of it got into my dreams. What were they hollering about?”“We can ask later. Where’s Khunbish, Tani?” Esther asked.The pirate girl pointed at the water. “About twelve feet under. Look at him go!” she exclaimed.Everyone looked at the water, watching as the pirate-naga swam around beneath the surface, doing dives and loops, going deeper and deeper.“Whoa! How long has he been under water?” Oliver asked.“A few seconds before you lot got here. …How about it, Swaine? Wanna give it a try?”Swaine looked at Marcassin. “What do you think? Is it safe for me to go swimming after sleeping off a cold?”“I think you should wait, just in case.” Marcassin responded. “Oh, c’mon! Khunbish said he vomited yesterday, and he’s still up for swimming!” Tani scoffed.“That’s different. Khunbish ate too many sweets. If Swaine is exposed to too much cold, he could get really sick… maybe even die.” Esther replied, albeit concerned.“But, the oasis isn’t that cold! It’s in the middle of the desert," “Still. We should wait until his body is completely recovered before trying anything else, otherwise he could get sick again. The same goes for Khunbish, we shouldn't have him do too much either, if he's been sick.” Oliver told her. He then looked at the water. “…will he be coming up anytime soon?”Tani scratched her head, watching him. “Honestly, I’m hoping he doesn’t forget to come up for air.”"...Who wants to bet he drowns?" Swaine remarked, crossing his arms."Then YOU can be the lifeguard!" Esther retorted in a scolding tone, elbowing him in the side."I was joking!""Well, it wasn't funny!""You just take things too seriously,""You never take anything seriously!""(Blimey, are these two always like this?)" Tani asked the others in a whisper."(Oh, not always. Sometimes they argue.)" Marcassin quipped.…Deep in the water, the pirate-naga felt like he was in a different world. At first he had to learn how swimming worked with a long scaly lower body, but once again his instincts came to his aid and he found himself gliding through the water, small fishes darting out of his way, and algae growing so thick on the rocks below it almost looked like grass.Swimming down to the bottom, he stretched out across the sand, plumes of it clouding around him as he sifted through it. It felt nice and soft, and he found himself scooping some up into his hand. Sure, he was able to do something like this on the beach, but when you can stay underwater for a long while, you got to see things from a different perspective…He did a double-take just then. There was a skull at the bottom!…taking a closer look, he was relieved to find it was the skull of a fish. There was algae growing off the top of it, making it look like it had spiky hair.Suddenly he found himself thinking about Ryuji, and something dawned on him. It was almost night back in the Persona world, wasn't it? From what they talked about last night, he came from a dangerous neighborhood...Swimming upward, he shot back towards the surface, taking in a gasp of air and wiping his face off before pulling himself onto the land.“About time! We thought you were drowning,” Tani remarked. “Seriously, that was impressive. You were down there for almost ten minutes!”“Really? Wow… talk about lung capacity,” Khunbish replied. However, he couldn’t bring himself to feel too impressed, for some reason.And Swaine was the first to sense it. “Hey, you okay? You don’t seem so overjoyed.” he asked.“Is something wrong?” Oliver asked, noticing a concerned look on the pirate's face. “I… think there is.” Khunbish answered, turning to the wizards of the group. “…I need to go to the Persona world. I don't know why, but... I think Ryuji is in trouble!"0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0After breaking up their quarrel, WG took Junpei and Kanji back to their home universe; along the way, the two boys decided to accompany her to Ryuji’s house to drop off his things. As they walked through Shibuya, the baseball player and rebel argued. "Kanji, for the last time, delete that video!" Junpei was snapping."Nah, I'm going to keep it as a reminder for ya--- you know, in case you feel like poking fun at someone's interests again," Kanji responded."Oh like I'm the only one who was there! I don't see you blackmailing Tani, ATF or Ryuji!""Tani, ATF and Ryuji weren't making lewd comments!"WG rolled her eyes. "Alright, guys, drop the subject otherwise I'm shipping you in the next crossover!" she warned. "...And Kanji, I still want a copy of that video." "Oh, thanks a lot!" Junpei sneered."C'mon, you know I'm a fluff... addict..." Her voice trailed off as she looked ahead.The boys followed her gaze and paused. They had reached Ryuji’s house, and the door was ajar.“Oh, shit…” Junpei was the first to gasp, and without hesitation they ran in.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“The Persona universe? …Why?” Tani asked, cocking her head.“I just… I’s got a feeling that’s all.” Khunbish answered as he pulled his shirt on; he was trying to figure out the reason himself. Just thinking about Ryuji gave him the notion something was wrong. Whether it was part of his own instinct or just nagging concern, he only knew one thing… “It won’t go away until I go see Ryuji,”Swaine scratched his head; he could sense the overwhelming apprehension radiating from his fellow-naga, but he had no clue as to why. Down in the Vault of Tears, the two had tried drowning each other over a set of keys! Now all of a sudden the pirate wanted to check in on the track star out of raw concern?Nevertheless, it wasn’t his business so he chose not to prod, but there was one thing he was certain of. “You do realize that people over there are going to freak when they see you, right? People over there aren’t used to seeing mythical things like this unless it’s a main character’s Persona.” The thief pointed out. “There’s a strong chance they might try to shoot you!”“To hell what they’d do! My senses are going nuts, an’ I knows it has to do with that boy!” Khunbish snapped; for a moment, he was baring fangs and his eyes were glowing a sharp green-blue color. Swaine gasped, backing away.“WHOA! Blimey, Khunbish, look at yourself!” Tani exclaimed, jumping back.“What?” Khunbish calmed down, and his eyes stopped glowing as his teeth returned to normal.“Y-Your eyes were glowing… and you had fangs!” Esther replied equally as stunned.“You look fine now, though.” Oliver assured, also a bit shocked. “Maybe it just happens when you’re really upset,”Swaine paused, thinking about the nightmare he had the day before--- he had fangs and glowing eyes… in fact during his first night of erratic hunger, he remembered seeing his eyes glowing in his reflection. “Well… then I guess we have no choice but to head over there.” He stated, keeping his cool.“Huh? But you just said…” Esther began to question.“Hey, you know better than anyone how animals get when they’re riled up. If we let his emotions stir up, he might go into a frenzy!”The bard considered this. “That may be true…”“Oy! I’m not a wild animal! I just have a feeling something’s up with Ryuji, is all!” Khunbish sneered in defense.“Calm down, Khunbish. Running over there in an anxious haste is not the best option. It may cause you to lash out on anyone who crosses your path,” Marcassin spoke up. “Plus, it would be wise to inform your king and superiors of your travels, should anything happen.”Khunbish sighed heavily, but gave a nod. “Alright, then. Lets get word to Evermore, then!”“Keep your hair on, mate. I’ll get word to Evan,” Tani replied, taking out her Leafbook tablet. Dialing for Evan, they waited; within a moment, the screen changed to an image of Evan in the throne room. “Tani! Is everything alright? How is Khunbish doing?” the young king asked.“Things are alright… I think. Khunbish’s new snake-senses are going crazy though--- he’s getting a notion that someone he knows from the Persona universe needs help.” Tani began to explain.“Is it alright if I goes over there, yer majesty?” Khunbish cut in. “I feel like I’ll pull me hair out if I’m left wondering!”“Another universe? And you’re still a naga? …then again, if it’s urgent, I suppose we shouldn’t ignore your instincts. But, someone should go with you.” Evan replied.“The rest of us plan on accompanying him,” Oliver assured him. “If they see more people with him, they won’t panic as much,”“(Hold on) …Better let me come too,” Roland spoke up on the other end. “I’m a little more familiar with how people outside your world react to things like this. At least I can help explain it, in case no one has heard of our series.”“Hmm, that is true… Very well. We shall wait for you,” Marcassin agreed.Khunbish clutched a hand over his chest, feeling his heart pounding. Something inside was just screaming for him to make haste to the Persona world. “Please hurry, Master Roland…” he sighed. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0He recognized the signs right away.The first thing that caught Junpei’s eye were picture frames on the floor in the living room, all in a heap as if someone had just knocked them off the shelf. He studied every detail in the room--- a lamp was on the floor, a chair was knocked over, and there was a broken plate near the dining table.“Ryuji! Are you home?” Kanji called as they looked around the house. “W-Who’s there…?” came a startled voice.“G-Guys!” WG yelped, pointing over to the kitchen. Standing by a counter sobbing was Ryuji’s mother--- she had short, smooth black hair and deep brown eyes, the latter being filled with tears. “Mrs. Sakamoto! W-What happened?”Junpei’s stomach gave a lurch; when they got a closer look, the woman had a hand-print on the side of her face. Shit… did that fucker come back?! He thought with malice, though focused on helping the mother instead. “H-Here, come sit down, tell us everything.” He coaxed, helping her to her feet while Kanji pulled out a chair for her.“Thank you….” Mrs. Sakamoto said softly, dabbing her eyes with a napkin. “My son and I were just sitting down for lunch… all of a sudden, the front door opened, and my husband…” she winced, taking a breath. “I don’t know how he found our new address, but he barged in and went off a tangent, shouting at us. I got up to try to make him leave, but he slapped me across the face. That's when Ryuji charged at him… They ran out the door just a few moments ago,”“W-Why didn’t you call the police?” Kanji questioned.“I just did… Someone should be here soon.” Mrs. Sakamoto stood up. “I want to go look for Ryuji--- I’m worried my husband will do something drastic…!”“We’ll go find ‘em. Wherever Girl, you stay here. C’mon, Junpei!” Without hesitation, Kanji ran out, Junpei right behind him.WG rubbed the woman’s back in comfort. “It’s alright. If I know those two, they’ll make sure Ryuji won’t get hurt,” she assured.“They must be his new co-stars… he talks so much about them.” She looked up at the authoress. “Are you from the new game too?”“Me? Naaah, I’m just a fan-friend.” She sat down across from her. “But I don’t get it. I thought your husband walked out on you guys… why would he just show up out of the blue?”The mother sighed. “He was always hardheaded… He walked out on us years before the game, you see. Well, when Ryuji was chosen to be a character, he didn’t hesitate to tell everyone about his father’s abuse—beating us, tormenting us, going as far as to break his leg… and then he left. Well, apparently my husband didn’t like that his actions were used in the game’s story, and he came back to lash out on us for ‘using it for profit’.”WG arched an eyebrow. “Hold it… I thought Kamoshida broke his leg!”“That was written for the game; originally Suguru was only to be written as a perverted gym teacher, but the writers felt like making him out to be abusive to make him sound more villainous. I suppose it was also used to serve as some form of therapy or symbolism--- that Ryuji would have a chance to ‘fight back’ against the one who hurt him.”Talk about your coping mechanisms... WG thought, but pushed her thoughts aside. “And he was okay with that? Suguru, I mean.”“Ha ha, there was a lot about his character he didn’t like--- made a vow that he wouldn’t let his own kids play the game even when they were old enough! Ryuji joked that they had to pay him extra just to appear in the new game!” Her smile faded, sighing. “…Many of those kids have dealt with harsh times, and the game is some form of therapy that helps each of them cope. Not all of them, mind you… just a few. I just wish my son didn’t have to be one of them,”WG patted her hand. “It will be alright, Mrs. Sakamoto.”“Oh, please. Call me ‘Aya’,” she wiped her eyes, giving the authoress an assuring smile. “And what should I call you?”“I’m WG… and the two boys who are out assisting your son are Iori Junpei and Tatsumi Kanji,”“I see. I hope I get to meet more of his new friends someday,” She looked up, hearing the sound of a car pulling up, and saw flashing lights outside. “That must be the police,”WG stood by as the police entered, and Aya informed them what happened; the authoress looked down the street, wondering where the boys were at now.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Junpei and Kanji split up, going both ways in their search.The baseball player ran by a movie theater, looking all around and down every alley. They couldn’t have gotten far, he told himself; he asked several people, until finally a young man said he saw a middle-aged guy getting chased by a blonde kid--- he was about to call the police until the teen suddenly stumbled and fell, the older guy getting away on a bus; he saw it happen two blocks ahead. Thanking the man for the tip, Junpei ran ahead; Kanji happened to be circling around, coming through an alley. “Did ya see him anywhere?” the rebel asked, out of breath.“They were last seen on the next block, c’mon!” Junpei replied, and they ran ahead.Finally, they caught sight of spiky-blonde hair, sitting in on a bench with his face in his hands. “Ryuji! Are you okay?” Kanji was the first to ask, as the two ran up to him.“K-Kanji-san? Junpei-kun?” Ryuji gasped, looking up. The track star had a black eye!Junpei bit his lip, while Kanji’s blood boiled. “What the hell did that fucker do to you?!”“Mom and I were about to have dinner… suddenly the door just swung open and he charged in… started talking shit, saying I was telling everyone what a piece of crap he was to get 'sympathy cash'…” he clenched his fists. “He demanded we give him any money we got from the franchise, since ‘he pretty much contributed to my fame’… Mom told him to get out, a-and he smacked her across the face--- and I chased after him. M-My leg flared up again after a few blocks, so he managed to get away,”His two friends sat on either side of him; Junpei rested a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, dude,” the baseball player whispered.“If he comes back, we’ll give him hell.” Kanji promised, patting his back. "At least ya chased him off,"Ryuji let out a heavy sigh, pulling away from Kanji and standing up. “Thanks, guys… I better get back, Mom’s probably worried sick.”“WG is with her, don’t worry.” Junpei assured as they walked down the street.Kanji looked around. “Hey… where’s the rest of your friends? Don’t you guys all hang out together or something?”Ryuji tensed a bit, but feigned a smile and rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, I haven’t called any of them yet. Everyone might be tired from rehearsals,” he replied.“Oh, yeah. You guys have more lines than the rest of us, don’t you?” Junpei recalled.“Better call ‘em up and let them know what happened. If it’s something this serious, your section may need some extra security.” Kanji added.Ryuji slowed down his pace; he thought about Akira…Junpei paused. “Ryuji? What is it?”“Um, n-nothing. Just had flashbacks of that fan-girl breach we had back in October,” Ryuji quickly replied.“Oh damn, I remember that. We STILL have fan-girls creeping into our section,” Kanji stated, crossing his arms. “…the fujoshis are the worst…”Junpei studied Ryuji; for some reason, at the mention of his co-star companions, the track star seemed to have a weird look in his eye. He didn’t know the reason, but the baseball player had a notion that his friend didn’t feel like calling up the Phantom Thieves right away. “We’ll tell everyone at rehearsals tomorrow. Lets hurry up and get back,” he said, deciding he could ask about it once things calmed down.
“Well, hello~”
The trio were stopped when two men stepped in their path.“Ohhhh shit,” Ryuji groaned, a lump in his throat.“Look who’s back. Didn’t think we’d see YOU again,” the second man said.“I thought the executives had you guys sent away after the animation!”“Ah, from the anime set, not the city~” the first man said, waving his fingers. “Gotta love the loopholes,”“Ryuji? Who are these guys?” Kanji asked, giving the men a glare. For some reason, they sent off a vibe that reminded him too much of his Shadow self.“They’re a couple homos who tried to grope me—the execs banned them after they started getting fresh behind the scenes,” Ryuji replied bitterly.“Hey, back off! Or we’ll call the cops on your asses for harassing a minor!” Junpei snapped.“Tch, go ahead. We got some friends in law enforcement,” the second man scoffed. “If anything, we could have them file a report of a trio of misfits disturbing us,”“Hey… didn’t we see YOU in a saucy videogame scene, before?” the first man asked, poking Kanji.“Hands off!” Kanji snapped, smacking his hand away.“C’mon, lets get out of here,” Junpei sneered, all three of them turning to cross the street.“Gah!” Ryuji gasped, as the two men grabbed him! “Hey! Let me go!”“What the---?! The hell is wrong with you guys!” Kanji snarled as he stormed forth. “We just told ya we don’t want anything to do with ya!”“WOULD SOMEONE HELP US OUT HERE?!” Junpei shouted, hoping that by causing a scene their harassers would back down. When that didn’t work, he and Kanji grabbed the two men and pulled them away from Ryuji, who quickly backed up a few feet.However the two men were stronger than they appeared, and ended up shoving Kanji and Junpei into each other. “Such heathens! Trying to ruin our good time,” the first huffed.“Junpei! Kanji! Run!” Ryuji hollered, trying to find a gap to escape, but the traffic was heavy and the two lechers blocked his path.“Oh, please do… A good chase is very exhilarating,” the second man replied as they turned their attention back on the track star.Junpei and Kanji stood up, getting ready to tackle the creeps---Suddenly there was a loud hiss… and in a blink of an eye someone burst from the alley--- a green-haired man with a long, blue-green snake body that started at his waist-down. His tail wrapped around Ryuji in a protective manner, while he bared fangs and glowered at the men with bright green eyes.“Leave. The boy. Alone.” Khunbish snarled.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Holy shit! What is that thing?!” The first man yelped, hiding behind the second.“H-He can have that one--- we got two more to choose from… yipe!” The second man stammered, though turning around he saw another naga standing protectively by Kanji and Junpei.“Guess again, asshole.” Swaine sneered, arms crossed and eyes glowing.“Are you going to leave these kids alone, or do our naga friends have to teach you a lesson in respecting personal space?” Roland questioned as he stepped forth next, accompanied by Evan, Tani, Marcassin, Oliver and Esther.“U-Um--- w-we were just going!” The first man stammered, and he and his partner took off in a sprint.“Yeah! Ya bloody ingrates BETTER run! Ya come near ‘em again, an’ I’ll choke ya blue ‘n’ break yer necks!” Khunbish shouted at them.“What—what are you guys all doing here?” Ryuji asked, both relieved and surprised.Junpei looked around, seeing a crowd was starting to gather. “Um… we’d better discuss it back at your place.” He said, noticing a few had their cellphones out; there were also police sirens to be heard in the distance. “(figures--- some creeps trying to bad-touch minors, no one bats an eye; two snake-guys show up, and suddenly everyone’s staring),”"Hey! Show's over, people! Clear a path!" Kanji snapped at the bystanders."You heard the man! This isn't some street performance! Get back to your homes!" Tani shouted when the crowd barely moved; they then dispersed, allowing the group to leave. "Blimey, they act as if nothing strange ever happens around here..."...The group hurried back to Ryuji’s house; around this time, the police had just left, Aya and WG waiting in the living room. “Swaine? Khunbish? What are you guys doing here?” the authoress asked.“Oh my! Who--- and what--- are you friends?” Aya gasped, looking at the two nagas.“Um, Mom, these are our friends from the Ni no Kuni world… two of them got cursed,” Ryuji answered, while introducing everyone. “They’re here because… wanna explain that part, guys?”“Khunbish sensed something was off over here, and was gonna go ballistic if he didn’t double check,” Tani replied, turning to the pirate-naga. “Looks like your instincts were right, mate.”“Really? You sensed trouble clear from your world? That’s some awesome radar you guys got!” Junpei added, impressed.“Well… not quite. I just began to wonder if Ryuji got home safe, 'n' suddenly me instincts started urging me to come 'n' see for myself.” Khunbish answered, rubbing the back of his neck; now that he was admitting it right in front of the teen, it felt very awkward.Ryuji blushed, scowling a bit. “Geez, dude, you don’t have to check up on me…” he groused.“But it’s a good thing we did. The moment we entered your world, Khunbish took off like a shot!” Roland informed him. “The rest of us could barely keep up with him!”“Well, at least we know everything is alright now." Esther spoke with some relief. She paused, noticing the mark on the side of Aya’s face, and realized WG had been at the house before they had even arrived. “Um… things ARE alright, aren’t they?”Ryuji looked at his mother, who gave him a nod. He let out a breath. “My… my dad was here. He started trashing the house, hit mom, and I chased after him. He got away on a bus, and that’s when Junpei-san and Kanji-san found me.” He informed everyone, filling them in a bit about how his dad had abused them before leaving in the past.“Did you get a restraining order?” Roland asked Aya.“Yes, the moment he walked out. I have already informed the police, and they will be tracking him down.” Aya replied.“I dunno about the cops in this district… didn’t those creeps we dealt with just say they got some friends on the force?” Kanji brought up, itching the side of his face.“They could have just been bluffing, but with the game’s concept it might be true.” Junpei figured.“Well if he comes around again, let the rest of us know. I’m not one to take domestic abuse so lightly,” Swaine spoke up, patting his jacket where he kept one of his guns.“We’re going to tell everyone at rehearsal tomorrow, too. That jerk won’t come within 10 feet of your block unless he wants the ass-kicking of a lifetime! …Er, pardon the language, Mrs. Sakamoto.” Junpei stated.“It’s alright. I’m relieved to know my son has so many caring friends willing to help out,” Aya said with a smile.“I recommend having someone keep an eye on your block, as well as your work place in case he tries to tail you. If anything, see if a coworker or friend can walk with you.” Roland suggested. “I’ve heard about a lot of abuse cases, and the perpetrator rarely leaves for good. I know you’ve informed the police, but it’s good to take an extra measure.”“Thank you, Roland-san. My neighbor walks with me to work every morning--- her store is right across the street, so it’s practically routine for us. I’ve been fine going home on my own, but I will see if a coworker wouldn’t mind bringing me home.”“I-I can walk with you, Mom.” Ryuji offered.“Ryuji, I have told you before, I do not need you looking after me. You have school and rehearsals to keep up with, and I will not let you skip anything because of worry! I have managed fine before, and I’ll be fine again. Do not let that man scare you into believing differently.”Junpei felt his heart sinking; he thought about his own domestic problems. Swaine paused, looking at him curiously.“You’re very brave, Aya--- but if you feel anxious about anything, call someone.” WG spoke up, while writing on a piece of paper. “Here’s my cellphone number. If you need someone, I’m just a portal away.”“I appreciate it, WG-san.” Aya replied with a bow.“Do you want us to stick around?” Kanji asked.“I believe we’ll be fine. I know you all have your own places to get back to, and you boys have a busy week ahead.”“Still, please remain cautious. I admire your courage, Mrs. Sakamoto, but… well, even if we’re from different worlds, I do feel a concern for the safety of others.” Evan spoke up. “If someone in my kingdom was going through something like this, I would make sure they had all the protection they needed!”"I'll say. I know I wouldn't sleep a wink if I knew someone in Motorville was being abused," Oliver added. "We'll do everything we can to help!"“You are such sweet young men, but I know how to manage. I am not going to let fear control my life; I let that man push me around because of fear, but after he left I started getting stronger. I may have let him slap me across the face, but it’s going to take more than violence to get me to submit to him again.” She turned to Ryuji. “And I don’t want you to worry about me, Ryuji. He will be caught, or he will leave us alone. Either way, he is out of our lives and it’s best to keep moving on.”“We’ll keep in touch, then.” Tani said with a nod. “…Just so you know, we’ve got pirates on our force—they ain’t afraid to get too rough on jerks like that.”“Aye, an’ I’m going to stick around and make sure he knows it!” Khunbish replied, crossing his arms.“Khunbish?” Swaine questioned, surprised.“Whoa! Who said you could stay over?!” Ryuji exclaimed.“Oi, I's has super senses, speed, strength, and the ability to scare the piss out of people! I’ll be able to know if that bastard shows up before anyone else—and one look at a half-snake pirate would be more than enough to make him run for the safety of jail!” Khunbish firmly stated. He turned to Evan. “If it’s alright with you, Sire, I wish to remain here and stand guard.”“I’m pretty sure you can just invite yourself to be someone’s guard-naga.” Junpei pointed out, rubbing his chin. “Though… that would be pretty frickin’ awesome!”“You appear very intent on protecting us. Is there a certain reason as to why?” Aya asked, giving the pirate a curious look.“Yeah, you’ve been acting weird lately about stuff like this, Khunbish. Mind filling us in?” Swaine added.The archer sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. In truth, it felt unlike him-- granted, he would be willing to assist Ryuji despite their rivalry, but after last night while he was sensing the boy's loneliness, anxiety and pain, something in his senses stirred. Even now, he could sense the inner turmoil the teen was going through, and everything in his instincts was repeating protect protect protect. But if he said that now, everyone would believe the curse was making him turn daffy! But is it though? I couldn't possibly be suddenly concerned for the lad just because I consoled him last night... could it?“I just… I got the feeling something was wrong, and now that I know I was right… well, I’m gonna be up all night about it! I don’t know how to explain it, it’s like… something inside is telling me to stick around!” Khunbish sputtered, not quite sure how to put his explanation into words.Aya tapped her chin, thinking for a moment. She looked between Khunbish and Ryuji, before giving a nod. “Very well. If it is that important to you, you are welcome to stay--- but only for the night.” she responded“Moooom!” Ryuji groaned, facepalming. "I don't need a naga-babysitter!"“Oh c’mon! How come he gets to spend the night and we don’t?” Kanji protested.“(Kanji, shush!)” Junpei hissed.“Um… are you sure, Aya? I don’t think your neighbors would react well to a man who is half-snake,” WG asked, scratching her head.“Hee hee, well since you all seem concerned, you may stay overnight as well.” Aya replied. She turned to Ryuji. “Is that alright with you, son? After all, you never invited many friends over.”“Um…” Ryuji shifted.Khunbish looked at him, a wave of emotions hitting him right in the face.Thankfully, the boy’s answer was, “Ah what the hell? Lets have a kick-ass sleepover!”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Khunbish, Kanji, and Junpei offered to stay over; the rest didn’t want Aya to have too many guests and crowd the home. "Just call us if anything happens," Roland told them, and once everything was settled, everyone returned to the Gateway.“What an awful situation …Well, I’m glad Ryuji and his mom are alright. But what if his dad comes back?” Esther asked as they made their way back to Al-Mamoon.“Then he’s going to have a roughneck rebel, high-strung baseball player, and one edgy pirate to deal with… and to top it off---“ WG replied, before brandishing her machete. “A very pissed-off fangirl.”“Take it easy, WG.” Swaine commented as he rested a hand on her shoulder, before turning to the others. “I have doubts he’ll come back. Aya’s got a restraining order, and since he pretty much broke through it, he’ll have to either lay low for a while or skip town.”“We’ll be checking in, too. The more people who know about it, the less likely he’d try to pull anything.” Roland replied, crossing his arms and looking upward. “I wanted to see if I could get a picture of him and post it online so everyone could keep an eye out, but they didn’t have any around,""Ryuji tore them all up after he left," WG informed, her tone mellow.“It's so sad… how could a father be so heartless?!” Esther snapped, stomping her foot.“Some people just aren’t meant to have families, I guess.” Tani sighed with a shrug.“Still, we should have faith the matter will be settled without our presence.” Marcassin spoke up. “But if there is a single sign of alarm, they can be well assured we will come to their aid. For now, however, we should trust that everything will be alright for the time being, and focus on our own matters."“I dunno, Marciplier. I know someone who’s gone through this before... some bastards won’t leave so easy--- whether they’re threatened with jail time or a machete up the arse.” WG replied, crossing her arm an shaking her head. “Things like this aren’t settled so easily in Reality--- and considering the Personaverse tends to be super close to reality-based situations… Yeah, I’m going over there tomorrow.”Marcassin sighed. “Please stop calling me ‘Marciplier’… and I believe Aya had a point. She doesn’t want everyone getting worked up out of fear or worry. Everyone needs to be strong, and not let fear dominate their better judgment.”“…Tell that to Khunbish. He wanted to stay there and guard the kid--- and those two are at war every time they're in the same room!” Swaine scoffed.“That reminds me…” WG looked at Swaine. “Can you read people’s emotions, Swaine? Or sense if someone is in trouble?”Swaine scratched his head. “A bit… but I’ve been like that for years, especially with this lot.” He replied, thumbing at his companions.“Khunbish is a different case, though." Roland pointed out. "The other day he said he could never tell how people felt unless they were upfront about it, yet all of a sudden he can read emotions like a book. Not to mention, he and Ryuji obviously aren’t that close, but he still figured out he was in trouble…”“You think they might be soul-mates?” Oliver guessed. “Maybe that’s why he could sense something was wrong so strongly,”“Nah, the two aren’t that much alike…” Tani crossed her arms. “Something happened between them last night,”“Quiet, Tani, the fujoshis may hear you,” Swaine quipped.Esther rolled her eyes. “This is not the time for lewd comments, Swaine!" she sneered.“At least it wasn’t very cold over there. Maybe their world has a different climate compared to ours, like different countries do.” Marcassin noted quickly, before another banter could begin. “So we know Khunbish won’t suffer any lethargy or sickness.”“Aye… though I wonder how he’ll fare?” Tani wondered aloud.“We’ll check in tomorrow.” Evan assured, as they entered the Inn. “After all, it’s just for one night.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Kanji and Junpei had returned to their worlds in order to pack some overnight bags and inform their teams of the incident, arriving back at Ryuji's house around 8 o'clock. Aya said she had to go into work for a few hours and wouldn’t be back until late--- one of her coworkers had the flu, and she had to fill in. Thankfully, she was carpooling with another employee so her son had some reassurance that she would be alright getting to and from work at night.She started cooking a late dinner for the boys--- and naga--- asking Khunbish if there were any foods he couldn’t have as he sat in the kitchen with her. “Nothing too sweet--- at least not until me curse is broken,” the pirate informed her. "Ended up getting real sick 'cuz I's had too much sugar the other night,"“I will keep that in mind,” Aya replied, working on the dish while Ryuji and the others were making space out in the living room for their sleepover. With her son out of earshot, she had a chance to privately ask the naga, “Now, care to explain the reason why you’re so protective of my son? I believe there is a better excuse than the one you gave earlier.”Khunbish looked back at Ryuji--- at the moment he and Junpei were arranging a futon while Kanji carried over some blankets. “I honestly don’t know, ma’am. Last night he came to visit me, ya see, carryin’ a duffel bag. Something be bothering him, I can still sense, but didn’t exactly tell me everything--- just said he didn’t want to stay home alone is all.”The mother nodded, a solemn look on her face. “Ryuji developed a bit of anxiety after his father had left. I remember he would wake up in the dead of night, patrolling the house with a baseball bat; when he did sleep, I would find him holding his pillow tight with a case of REM beneath his eyelids. Before he got a part in Persona 5, he would call me at work some nights, if not stay up late. One night he waited outside my work place until my shift was over with!”“Aye, he did mention that…” The pirate thought to last night, recalling how Ryuji snuggled close to him in his sleep; it was suddenly starting to piece together--- the lad was so traumatized by his ‘so-called’ father’s abuse that he’d be willing to stay overnight in another world with his rival just so he wouldn’t be at-risk of any night-terrors. …However, he felt there was something else. “Any reason why he wouldn’t stay with one of his mates over in this world, though? He said Akira was busy, but surely not all the Phantom Thieves would have a packed schedule, would they?"“I would not know. They all seem to be such close friends in the game as far as I can tell, but Ryuji has yet to bring any of them over. …Perhaps that is the arte of acting--- behind the scenes tells an entirely different story. It is the same in your game, is it not?”Khunbish rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t quite say. We’s all are close in my realm, ‘n’ our mates from the first game are practically family! ‘Course, ours is a different style ‘n’ setting, more open-world and not exactly limited by dates 'n' time, so we had plenty o’ time to bond as we blazed through different quests and arcs.” He looked back at the living room--- the boys were now throwing pillows at each other. “…Question is, why didn’t he just stay with Junpei or Kanji? They all seem like best friends,”Aya chuckled, stirring the supper. “You seem to be asking questions I can’t answer, Khunbish-san. It is Ryuji’s business who he stays with--- as long as it’s someone trustworthy, I do not interfere.” She looked over and smiled at the archer. “And you have proven quite so. Even if you do not know the reason, you care about my son. …I must ask, though, how did you two meet?”Khunbish rubbed his chin. “It was a while back when me game had been released. We’s all were visiting Toonopolis--- a crossover district of sorts, where characters from videogames ‘n’ movies alike could mingle--- an’ WG happened to meet us ‘n’ took a fancy to me. Well, yer son happened to be hanging out with her an’ a few others, an’ got a bit jealous that his fangirl was eyeing another character. …Next thing ya know, we’re both competing to see who she liked more, picking on each other ‘n’ such while trying to get her attention! Granted, we're not the only characters she fancies, yet the rest o' her crushes show no interest; Ryuji 'n' I are the only ones willin' to fight over her!”“How old is WG? Surely a young man like you wouldn’t be chasing after a girl no older than 12!”“Er, she’s actually 27 ma’am--- gonna be 28 in July, she says. She was sick when she was born, she told us, so she’s always looked much younger than you’d think.”Aya nodded, smiling. “I figured so. I would have guessed she was quite mature for her age, the way she kept me consoled. …I’m glad you have put your rivalry on hold for his sake. It’s good to know Ryuji has made such good friends.”“Whoa! Watch it, you almost broke the lamp!” Junpei yelled in the living room.“Oof! Oh, that’s it! You’re dead, Iori!” Kanji grunted next. “Guys, chill out! You mess up the living room, you clean it!” Ryuji snapped in turn.The mother rolled her eyes, still smiling, before nodding to the doorway. “Would you mind making sure the boys don’t destroy the house? Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes,” she asked the pirate.“Aye, ma’am.” Khunbish replied, slithering into the living room. “OI, YOU LOT! YER MOTHER SAYS TO SETTLE DOWN!”“He started it!” the trio called in unison.“I don’t care who started it, I’ll finish it!”Aya chuckled, turning back to her cooking. She had a theory about why the pirate suddenly felt so defensive of her son, but decided to keep it to herself. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Dinner consisted mainly of chicken and rice with vegetables, boiled eggs, and plum sauce; Aya put some into a container to take to work. “Don’t stay up late, understand? You boys have rehearsals tomorrow,” she stated as she grabbed her purse, standing by the door waiting for her carpool. “And no making a mess! I don't want to come home and find out a bit of roughhousing went on,"“Yes, Mom.” Ryuji replied. There came a honk as the carpool pulled up, and he gave her a hug. “Stay safe, okay? If ‘he’ comes around, don’t hesitate to call!”She patted his head. “I’ll be alright, Ryuji. Thank you,” she gave him a peck on the cheek, before heading out the door, waving to the boys before climbing into the car and driving off.Kanji looked over at Junpei and Khunbish. The two seemed to have a sad, longing look in their eyes. “You guys okay?” he asked.The two snapped out of it, looking at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Junpei answered first, looking at the door. “I was just thinking…”“About what?” Ryuji asked, closing and locking the door as they made their way to the dining area to eat. “You never see a woman kiss her son goodbye before?”“Um… well, my mom never did, at least.”Kanji paused as it dawned on him. He forgot Junpei had a shitty home-life back in his world…To break the tension, he cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, it’s not that big a deal. Plus it’s embarrassing--- Ma’s always patting my head like a puppy and kissing me on the cheek in public. It’s hard to keep up a tough image when your ol’ woman’s hugging ya in front of everyone!” he stated.“Tch, I’d take being embarrassed over… well, you know.” Junpei muttered.“W-What? What’s up with your mom, Jun-kun?” Ryuji asked.Junpei shrugged; everyone but the P5 cast knew, so it would be a start to fill in his new co-star. “My dad lost all his money in a telemarketing scam years ago, and started drowning his sorrows in alcohol. He started acting like a total douche afterwards, and he and Mom kept getting into fights until she got fed up and just left.”Ryuji cringed. “Oh damn… sorry, dude.” He nudged Kanji. “Makes us look like assholes for griping about our moms, huh?”“Y-Yeah…” Kanji agreed. He looked at Khunbish; the pirate was quiet. “…Something on your mind, man?”Khunbish sighed. He thought about his talk with Tani earlier that day--- wanting to open up, but at the same time keep quiet… though since he’s heard two stories about troubling parents, he felt it was a good time to share a bit of his past. “Well… my parents never drank or beat me… but let’s just say they didn’t exactly show much affection, either.” He replied.“Really? …What happened?” Ryuji asked. “Were they the neglecting type?”“Heh, sure felt like it…” he shook his head. “But, it’s alright. I’s got a place with me sky pirate mates in Evermore… an’ you two boys got a place in your games an’ are doing well for yourselves. The sad-sacks in our lives can stay in the past where they belong,”“Y-Yeah! If they didn’t want to miss out, they should’ve gave a damn about ya! You guys have gotten a lot farther than they’d ever thought!” Kanji exclaimed.“(Calm down, lad, ye’d be overselling it,)”Ryuji chuckled. “Thanks, guys.”Junpei raised his glass. “To great moms, and leaving behind shitty parents?”“Cheers,” Khunbish replied, tapping his glass against his, followed by Kanji and Ryuji’s. “Alright, enough of our tragic backstories--- lets eat!”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~Back at the Cat’s Cradle~
Taking Swaine’s offer, WG packed her bag to stay at the inn. With Khunbish staying at Ryuji’s, she decided to occupy his room; she had spent the afternoon cleaning up discarded takeout sacks and setting up her laptop and chargers, being thankful that the inn was updated enough to have electricity; there was no television, however, so she packed some of her favorite books and handheld videogames.Around this time, ATF stepped in through a portal. “Taking a vacation from Elsa’s Ice Castle, I take it?” he quipped.“Very funny--- and pretty sure Elsa’s castle was warmer than my place.” WG retorted, looking over at her brother. “How are my pets?”“They’re doing good--- Kinny was a bit anxious, but once I made a space for her, she became less tense. The rest of the animals are wise to ignore her; TC keeps jumping up on the counter--- crazy cat ate my ramen; and Sophie keeps snuggling up to me and whining for attention.” He leaned against the dresser, watching as his sister unpacked. “How are our snek-bois?”“Well, Khunbish found a second benefit; not sure about Swaine yet, but he finally decided to get out into public,” She sighed, sitting down on the bed. “…We all went to the Persona 5 world; Junpei, Kanji and I went to see Ryuji after he had gone home, and… well, his dad had paid a visit.”ATF’s eyes widened. “Oh no… Is everyone alright? PLEASE tell me Kanji threw a chair at that guy!”WG shook her head. “He got away. …But Khunbish is staying with Ryuji; for some reason, he’s become really protective of him since last night,”Her brother nodded. “I know--- I had a vision of last night a while back. …Ryuji didn’t want to be home alone, packed his bag late last night and stayed over here; your pirate-beau could tell something was wrong, but didn’t press for answers, and the two of them just… bonded." He turned his attention to a plushie, picking it up and squeezing it a bit before setting it back down. "Oh and they cuddled.”“I see. I wonder what--- THEY CUDDLED?” She grabbed her brother by the shirt collar, shaking him. “YoumeantwoofmyfavessnuggledtogetherandImissedit?!”ATF pried out of her grip, his eyes still shaking until he steadied his head, blinking. “…Yes. As to the reason why… I have no idea, his dad obviously didn’t come over until today. The real question is why he didn’t stay with Akira or anyone else!”WG rubbed her chin. “That is a mystery… I hope he opens up, especially since Khunbish can read his emotions. I wonder what kind of emotions Swaine’s sensing, too?”The immortal teen looked at her, cocking his head. “Why would you want to know?”WG paced a bit. “I dunno… I still feel guilty about this whole thing, so I don’t know whether he’s just trying to be nice or if he’s really sincere about not blaming me. I mean, he doesn't exactly see me as the most fun person to be around,”ATF rolled his eyes. “I think you’re over-thinking it. He wants you here, that’s what matters.” He looked at the door. “…Speaking of which, has my husbando come to visit yet?”It was WG’s turn to roll her eyes this time. “Marcassin’s talking with Swaine--- and I’m pretty sure he’d hate being called your husbando.”“I don’t make fun of your obsessions, you don’t make fun of mine!” With that, ATF ran out the door.WG shook her head. “…It’s amazing we don’t have restraining orders, yet.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
8:30 pm
After dinner, Ryuji suggested the guys have a videogame tournament to kick off their sleepover. “Oi, I thought ye lot had school an’ rehearsals tomorrow.” Khunbish questioned as the teens set up the game system.“We’ve done it before--- I mean, my game involved us staying up until midnight most of the time,” Junpei assured him. “Nothing like sleeping in class couldn’t resolve, heh.”“Our grades don’t really suffer that much; hell, we’re known to stay in the same grades since the day our games were released, and automatically get boosted to a new class or occupation when a spin-off calls for it.” Kanji added.“As far as rehearsals go, we’re mainly working on the filler scenes--- you know, like when the player chooses to do a request or something.” Ryuji told the pirate. “So we won’t have to worry about too much. We pretty much covered the main storyline.”“Alright, if ye say so,” Khunbish replied with a shrug, leaning against the back of the couch.“Heh heh, don’t worry about it, Bishie. We’re always staying up late, we can handle it.” He looked at the screen, letting out a groan. “Aw man, it needs to do an upgrade. That’s gonna take forever,”“95 minutes remaining…” Junpei noted.“Ah, it’s just an hour and a half. We can wait,” Kanji scoffed, sitting on the couch; he took out his textile kit, beginning to knit.“Whatcha makin’ lad?” Khunbish asked, watching him work.“Just a scarf. Everyone pretty much made a request for something since it’s been freezing. This one’s for Nanako-chan,”“Kanji’s really good at sewing and stuff. I remember when he used to be really shy about it.” Junpei stated, giving the rebel a nudge. “You’re over it now, right? I mean after all, it’s 2019!”“W-Watch it, you almost made me miss a purl!”“Aye, ye did mention that before back at the Inn this morning,” Khunbish noted, rubbing his chin.Junpei nodded. “Before everyone knew, he was afraid to tell anyone because some girls made fun of him for fixing a backpack, saying it wasn’t manly; Yosuke still makes gay cracks about him sometimes,”“Junpei!” Kanji snapped, blushing.“That be odd…” Khunbish rubbed his chin. “'Course, in my world, we's got men who are good with textile work. Comes in handy when designing armor, it does! Ain't no rules saying that men are limited to certain crafts,"“Yeah, times have changed man. This ain’t the 1930’s anymore,” Ryuji agreed, sitting down next to Kanji. “Plus, it’s cool what you can make, especially with so many people making requests.”“Thanks… b-but if they keep asking me to make something, I’m gonna start charging them.” Kanji replied, a blush to his cheeks.“Speaking of girls… I heard there’s gonna be a new one in a remake of your game, Ryu-kun. Any details?” Junpei asked with a sly grin.“Her name is Kasumi-san. I think she’s a cousin of the Arisato twins, but that’s as much as I know.” Ryuji answered, grinning next as he rubbed his chin. “I think she's going to be a new addition to our team! ...I was hoping she would be our own FemC, then I could have had my own romance route-- but maybe that can happen behind the scenes~"“Ohhh, ye lads fancy a few girls, do ya?” Khunbish asked, smirking.Kanji flinched, almost missing a seam. “U-Um, well…”“You know it! Chidori-san and I have been an item ever since FES, and Kanji’s been tight with Nao-cakes for years!” Junpei replied in confidence.“S-Shut up, Junpei! …And don’t call her ‘Nao-cakes’!”“Seriously? I know it was written for the games, but you guys are actually canon outside the plot??” Ryuji asked, surprised.“Well… not at first.” Junpei answered, tipping his cap a bit. He smiled a bit. "When we first acted together, I started to feel really close to her; we didn't know whether it was because we were just good actors or what, but after her arc was finished we decided to meet up off-set and go on a real date. After that, we just clicked,"“Naoto-kun and I aren’t exactly official; she feels a bit awkward about it, thinking others would say we’re just dating because everyone considers us canon, so we’re just keeping it on a friendship-basis until she feels more comfortable.” Kanji stated, returning to his knitting. He looked at Khunbish. “What about you, man? You got a special girl in your game?”“Well, I wouldn’t say it like that…” Khunbish replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he blushed. "Of course, there is a gal back at the Sky Pirate Base I've been infatuated with, for a few years now..."“Whoa, hold up!"Ryuji exclaimed, turning and looking at the pirate. "You mean you already got a girl, and you're still hitting on WG??""Wow, I heard a lot about pirates being total players, I didn't think I'd actually meet one!" Junpei laughed."I-I ain't playing anyone! I mean..." The naga coiled up a bit. "We're not really an official couple. Grace--- that be her name--- she's really set on a committed relationship, but considers me a bit too freelance with me affections. She still likes me, 'n' we flirt with each other often, but nothing too serious. Hell, Gerel once told me that if I led Grace on, I'd be set on fire! ...Grace tends to be a pyromaniac at times. Wanted to set me ablaze when I first joined!""...nothing says 'I Love You' like torching someone's ass, I guess." Kanji quipped, folding up his things and putting them away."You got a picture of her, man? I wanna see what she looks like!" Ryuji asked."Aye, just an old photograph though." Khunbish opened up his inventory, selecting a picture.The boys looked; in the photograph was a teenaged Khunbish standing in the middle, with a thin-bearded Chingis on his left, and a girl with light-purple hair wearing an eyepatch on his right. "Whoa, she's a cutie! And she's really rocking the eye-patch look!" Junpei complimented."Yep, lost an eye during a scouting mission; used to be a sniper, but became a mechanic. Batu claims it felt like a blessing, though--- Grace was often too high-strung, he says, but she had a real knack for fixing up our sky-skimmers." The naga leaned against the side of the couch, sighing. "I's was hoping she would move to Evermore, but she stayed behind with a few mates back at the base; couldn't give it up to the Wyverns, added a few of our mates weren't cut for civilized life just yet, y'know. But we's still visit each other from time to time.""Maybe you two should try going on a date or something. See how it works out!" Kanji suggested."Yeah, man. I mean, she might not wait forever, right? Give it a shot!" Ryuji exclaimed.Khunbish thought for a moment. Sure, he could settle down with Grace, court her for a while, maybe one day be married, have kids...
Then tell his kids how to behave, live up to his standards, then make them run away when they feel like they'll never be good enough and never earn his love...
"Khunbish?" Junpei tapped him when the pirate spaced off. "You okay?"The naga shook his head. "I'm okay. Just don't like th' idea of going steady, too soon." He nudged Ryuji with a smirk. "Not to mention I'd give this rotter the idea that I'm surrendering WG into his hands!""Like you'd ever have a chance!" Ryuji scoffed, elbowing him."...She already has a boyfriend. Neither of you have a chance," Kanji deadpanned."Oi, it be the principle, mate!" Khunbish retorted. Junpei rolled his eyes. He looked at the TV. “Ugh, 90 minutes left…” he muttered. "Really? Sheesh, normally time flies when we talk about girls," Ryuji remarked, resting his face on his fist.“How about we go somewhere while we wait?” Khunbish asked.“No offense, dude, but I don’t think you’d do too well in the city--- people would be stepping or tripping over your tail every five seconds!” Kanji replied, lifting up the tip of the naga's tail in emphasis.“And that’s only if no one’s screaming.” Ryuji added in jest.Khunbish rolled his eyes, yanking his tail away. “Well, do ye have any ideas?" he questioned.“Why don’t we switch over the input and watch a movie?” Junpei suggested.“Sounds good--- ah, shit, the video rental place is closed though.” Ryuji grunted.“Don’t you have any movies here?” Kanji asked.“Yeah… but they’re mostly either movies my mom watches or ones I’d watch as a kid. …Mom won’t let me get R-rated movies, yet.”“…you’d think after the shit your game involves, she’d lighten up on THAT rule…”Junpei muttered.“Oi, the rating doesn’t matter so long as we’re entertained, right? Let’s see what ye got,” Khunbish said, slithering over to the TV stand where the movies were kept. He browsed through them. “…how about some Disney movies?”“Hell yeah, man! You can never go wrong with the Disney flicks!” Kanji exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.“Well, it’s better than the rom-coms,” Junpei replied, looking at their options. He shrugged. "Sure, let's go with Disney."“Okay, let me change the input. One movie should be enough,” Ryuji replied, clicking the remote.0o0o0o0o0o0o0
9:45 PM
‘One movie’ turned into a ‘Disney Marathon’, as the pirate and teens became engrossed in the films.It had actually started with an argument over what movie to watch; Ryuji wanted to watch Tarzan, Kanji preferred Hercules, Junpei picked A Goofy Movie, and Khunbish chose Aladdin. Unable to decide, they decided they could pop in one movie then switch flicks if anyone got bored.No one got bored, and when Tarzan was over with they drew straws to decide who could choose the next movie; Khunbish was the victor.“I love this movie,”The pirate said a bit eagerly, as he sat on a bean-bag chair Ryuji brought out for him, all of them sharing a bowl of popcorn and sodas (save for the naga, who was drinking water).“I heard they made a live-action version of it,” Kanji stated as they talked through the previews.“Yeah, I might see it--- but only because I’m a fan of Will Smith,” Junpei replied, munching on some popcorn.“I doubt he can top Robin Williams,” Khunbish commented with a scoff.“So you guys watch Disney movies over in your world, too?” Ryuji asked the naga.“Aye, we can pull them up online. We’s all got our favorites--- Swaine himself says he likes Treasure Planet, namely due to the technology used in the movie.”“Can we laugh at the fact that the pirate likes a movie about a thief, and the thief likes the movie that involves pirates?” Junpei cracked.The archer rolled his eyes. “Very clever, lad.”“I tried watching that movie… kinda hit me in the feels for--- well, reasons.” Ryuji stated.“Yeah, I felt the same way when I first saw The Lion King,” Kanji replied, solemnly.“Saying it now--- NO ONE bring up Frozen!” Junpei scoffed, if only to help keep the mood light.Ryuji smirked. “Is this because a certain someone’s voice-actor sang a certain song---““Shut it!”“So what are your boys’ favorite Disney movies?” Khunbish asked quickly to prevent a quarrel.“Um… I-I like Beauty and the Beast,” Kanji admitted, blushing a bit.“That’s a good one,” Junpei agreed. “I sorta liked Angels in the Outfield, but mainly because I’m a baseball buff. I think my main go would be Big Hero 6 now,”“I liked Mulan… but the dvd got ruined.” Ryuji muttered. “O-Otherwise, I like the Muppet movies!”“I bet Naoto likes Mulan, right Kanji?” Junpei quipped.“Very funny--- actually her favorite is The Great Mouse Detective,” Kanji brought up. “How about Chidori’s?”“Um… huh. I’ll have to ask her that,”“You guys have been dating for how long and you don’t even know her favorite Disney movie??”“It’s not like watching movies is all we do!”“Oi, quiet down, the film’s starting!” Khunbish spoke up.“…By the way, did you know Jafar’s design was drawn by a pregnant woman?” Ryuji told him.“Shush!”0o0o0o0o0o0o0
11:33 PM
Once the guys finally had their fill of Disney movies (let alone had enough songs stuck in their heads to make a whole playlist), they remembered the gaming system’s upgrades and switched over, taking turns playing against each other in a Mortal Kombat tournament.Currently, it was Junpei VS Ryuji; the rebel and the pirate both watched as their friends button-mashed and unleashed combinations against each other. “Wow. Ye boys really know yer game mechanics,” Khunbish replied, slightly amazed.“Don’t be surprised--- these guys pretty much breathe videogames,” Kanji replied, having returned to his knitting while he waited for a turn.“Play ‘em, breathe ‘em--- we pretty much LIVE in ‘em,” Ryuji commented quickly, as he and Junpei did everything to out-game each other.“Check out THIS combo!” Junpei exclaimed, unleashing a combo… which resulted in Ryuji’s character getting their spine ripped out! “And Round 3 goes to the champion!”“Eff you, Iori!”“Alright! Who wants to play the winner?”“I’ll take a shot at it,” Kanji replied, standing up and taking the controller; he chose his character, and they begun a new round.Khunbish felt his stomach just then. Hm? That be odd… I’m sure I ate my fill today. He thought, but shook his head. If anything, he could just drink water.“C’mon, Kan-chan! You got this! Just--- no do Triangle, Circle, R, and Square!” Ryuji was coaching.“I know what I’m doing--- shit!” Kanji cursed as he was defeated.“Wow dude---you put up a better fight in Arena!” Junpei teased.“Shut up! I’ll get you in the next two rounds!”Khunbish felt his stomach again… and something felt off. It wasn’t just mild hunger; his bladder felt full. “Um, Ryuji? Where’s yer bathroom?” he asked.“Down the hall to the left… but it’s pretty small. You sure you’ll fit?” Ryuji questioned, taking note of his long scaly body.“I’ll try,” With that, the pirate slithered off.“…And Round 2 belongs to me! Ha!” Kanji exclaimed, grinning at Junpei.“I was just going easy on you,” Junpei replied with a smirk as they started Round 3.“You were not, you jerk!”“Alright, I’ll give you everything this time!”“Quiet, man, the shippers will hear ya,” Ryuji joked.“Oh real mature---“
“AAAUGH! WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK?!”
All the guys gave a jolt, looking down the hall. Ryuji was the first to run in.Junpei and Kanji listened from down the hall.
“Khunbish, what’s--- WHOA!”
“Gah! Ryuji! Don’t look!”
“Shielding my eyes now--- h-holy shit man…! H-How do you have…?”
“I don’t know! It must be part of the curse!”
“Okay, okay… Well… hey, maybe this could be a benefit?”
“J-Just go back to yer game!”
“Okay, man, okay… H-Hey, make sure you aim at the toilet!”
“OUT!”
Kanji and Junpei both exchanged glances, as Ryuji came back down the hall, a bemused look on his face. “So, um… what’s wrong with Khunbish?” Kanji asked, letting out an awkward cough.“N-Nothing, nothing! Just… getting used to taking a piss differently.” Ryuji clumsily replied, trying to take a drink of soda with a shaky hand.“You sure? …Cuz, you have that same look on your face as the one when you first saw King Kamoshida,” Junpei replied, doing his best not to let out a snicker.Ryuji did a spit-take. “S-Shut up, man!”Khunbish came slithering out; there was a blush to his face. “So… is it me turn yet?” he asked.“Sure is--- I just slaughtered Junpei’s character!” Kanji declared.“WHAT?!” Junpei turned towards the screen. “No fair, dude! I wasn’t even paying attention!”“’You fight better in Arena’,”“That’s it--- we’re having a rematch!”“No way, I want a turn!” Khunbish scoffed.“Not until I beat him in a fair match!”“There be no such thing as a fair match in battle, lad.”“Junpei, I have three words for you,” Kanji said with a smirk. “Let it go, let it go~”“Oh, shut up!” Junpei groused, handing over the controller to Khunbish. “Whatever, my thumbs are tired from button-mashing anyway.”The pirate and rebel rolled their eyes, before starting their round. Ryuji was still quiet, trying to eat popcorn but it kept falling from his hand before reaching his mouth.“Psst, hey, what’s wrong dude?” Junpei asked him in a whisper.Ryuji looked at the pirate, before turning and whispering into Junpei’s ear. The baseball player stifled his mouth. “I knew it!” he whispered in a squeak. He then moved over to Kanji, then whispered into his ear…Kanji’s controller dropped and he did a 90-degree turn towards Junpei. “What do you MEAN 'he’s got two'?!”
*Fling! Crash!*
Khunbish accidentally lost his grip on his controller, Ryuji having to duck when it flew over his shoulder and hit the wall; the pirate’s blush was deep red now. “O-KAY, TIME FOR BED!" The pirate declared. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
1:55 AM
After a rock-paper-scissors tournament, Kanji got the privilege of sleeping on the couch, while Junpei slept on one of the futons, Ryuji on the other one; Khunbish fell asleep on the bean-bag chair, curled up around it and resting on his coils. Aya had gotten in by the time everyone had fallen asleep; only the naga and track star woke up, greeted with an assuring smile from the mother before drifting back to sleep.At least Ryuji did. Khunbish couldn’t bring himself to fall back to sleep.His stomach growled again, much harder than last time. Seriously? What do I have to do, eat a whole cow? The pirate thought. He had eaten the last of the popcorn, drank at least 100 ounces of water (not counting the amount he pissed out a while ago), and he believed the rice at dinner would have helped filled him up!He slithered over to the kitchen, looking in the fridge. There weren’t any leftovers, sadly; outside of some milk, eggs, bread, cheese, lunch meat, and vegetables, he had doubts there would be enough to satisfy his hunger.There came footsteps, and Junpei entered--- he was holding a baseball bat. “Oh thank God, it’s just you.” He breathed. “I was worried that bastard snuck back in…”“Sorry… My stomach woke me up,” Khunbish replied quietly, patting him on the shoulder. “Go back to bed, lad.”“You’re hungry? But we brought you a bunch of food today…”“Aye, but I guess it wasn’t enough.”Ryuji entered holding his own bat, letting out a sigh. “Just you guys…” he whispered. “What are you doing up?”“Khunbish is still hungry,” Junpei replied; as if on cue, the pirate’s stomach rumbled something fierce. “Wow… you must really be starving,”Khunbish held his stomach, wincing. “I’d better go get something to eat… You two head back to bed,” he replied.“Whoa, no way--- someone sees a snake-guy out on the streets this late at night, and everyone’s gonna freak.” Ryuji replied, walking over and grabbing his jacket. “There’s a couple 24-HR fast-food places right up the street. I can go grab you something,”“I’ll go too--- chances are, we may have to order you a few things. What sounds good?” Junpei asked.“Anything--- but no sweets,” Khunbish reminded. “But… ye sure ye can afford it?”“Yeah, our games pay us pretty good, so it’s no big deal.”“We’ll be right back--- just guard the house,” Ryuji stated, and the two walked out.The pirate sighed, leaning against the bean-bag chair as he waited. Kanji was snoring loudly on the couch, a plush-toy cradled in his arm; the naga slithered over and covered up the teen with a blanket, before looking out the window.He shut his eyes a moment, thinking about the day. Thankfully, his instincts were mellowed down, sensing no danger even when thinking about the boys, but developed sympathy towards Junpei and Ryuji; the elation of delving into the Disney classics just for the heck of it lifted their spirits a good deal; and the awkward moments would no doubt probably become a funny story far into the future.The only thing he couldn’t shake was the sense that Ryuji was having a problem with one of his friends; however it didn’t sound serious--- he could just feel the teen was upset over something. Chances are, they had an argument and weren’t on speaking terms, but he wasn’t going to intervene in that situation.After all, he was already interfering in the teen’s home life, and still had no clue as to why. 45 minutes had passed; at this point Khunbish had started rewatching Aladdin, keeping the TV muted and having the captions on so not to disturb anyone’s sleep. During the “One Jump Ahead” sequence, Junpei and Ryuji had returned, looking worn out and bedraggled.The naga looked over, seeing their arms filled with take-out bags and several cups. Rushing over, he lightened their load, using his tail to set the bags over by the beanbag chair. “Sorry for this--- must’ve took a while for th’ food to cook,” he apologized, seeing the tired look in their eyes.“Nah… a couple of stoners were in line at the burger place; Ryuji went over to the taco place next door to get some food while I waited for them to make up their frickin’ minds,” Junpei groused.“The cook was in a bad mood, so I only ordered 3 things… then we had to fill up the cups with water…” Ryuji yawned.“I appreciate it, lads. Thank ya,” Khunbish told them, slithering back over to the beanbag chair and chowing down.Junpei and Ryuji set the last couple bags down on the table, both collapsing on the futons. “From now on… feed the snake BEFORE midnight,” the baseball player murmured.“Never… feed ‘em… after midnight… zzzzzz…” Ryuji yawned before dosing off.Within the five minutes Khunbish finished his late-night meal, Junpei and Ryuji were out cold. Grabbing their blankets, he covered them both, giving them both a pat on the head before coiling up around his beanbag, turning off the movie and closing his eyes.Should have sleepovers more often… the pirate thought.With his mind at peace for the moment, and his stomach settled, he managed to fall asleep at last.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
While Khunbish, Ryuji, Kanji, and Junpei were having their own sleepover, the rest of this story’s cast were out front at the Cat’s Cradle, preparing to bid ado to their visiting allies who would have to return to their respectful kingdoms in order to manage things, check on certain conditions……or to have some distance from fangirling immortal ageless teenagers who may (or may not!) know how to open portals, and who have a tendency to hug the object of their affection in greeting.Had Marcassin known he’d be trapped in a hug that could rival that of a naga’s, he would have just called.“Attention, ATF--- Step. Away. From. The Emperor!” WG ordered, speaking through a megaphone. “I repeat, step AWAY from the Emperor, or face another lawsuit!”“THIS from the girl who tackled her animated-crushes upon eye-contact,” ATF scoffed, releasing Marcassin from the hug.“Must you do that every time?” Marcassin questioned, brushing himself off.“…Yes.”“Well, since Khunbish is hanging out in the Persona world with the others, why don’t we head back to Evermore? We’ve still got winter preparations to take care of, and Batu will want an update on his top archer,” Roland suggested.“Aye, and Chingis has been concerned about his blood-brother since the night he got sick,” Tani added. “Been sharpening blades ‘n’ hacking at monsters to keep his mind off his worries--- eventually we’re gonna be overloaded on hair-splitting weaponry and run out of enemies for him to fight!”“At least he only needs one more benefit to break the curse,” WG replied in optimism.“And I’m sure your friends will help him find it.” Evan assured, smiling. “I’ve never seen Khunbish so protective before, surely that means they care about each other!”“Not quite--- he and Ryuji would always butt heads. Maybe turning into a naga changed that?”“Probably. The only time he was so defensive about a kid was when he had to babysit me--- and that’s only because he didn’t want Dad to bash his head in if I got hurt,” Tani said with a chuckle.“I can imagine you were a real live-wire,” Roland quipped.“Oh, the crew told you the horror stories, huh?”Evan turned to Swaine. “We’ll come visit you again, and if you need anything at all, just contact us on Leafbook,” he told him.“I brought you your tablet. I realized in all the haste we forgot to pack it,” Marcassin told his brother, handing him a tablet with a dark-green case. “Just use the video-call if you need to talk to any of us,”“We can spend the night here with you too, if you want.” Esther added.“Yeah--- if the guys are having their own sleepover, we can have one too!” ATF exclaimed.“I’ll have to ask my mom. Since it’s a school night, I might not be able to make it,” Oliver stated.“You guys don’t have to stay over. Plus, it’s still early in the afternoon!” Swaine spoke up, then nodded over. “And WG will be keeping me company.”“I will? …I mean, y-yeah, I can open portals to you guys and… stuff.” The authoress said, suddenly flustered. The thief had to smile and shake his head at her sudden awkwardness.“Great--- you stay with one brother, I’ll stay with the other,” ATF said with a kitty grin, linking his arm with Marcassin’s.“Anti. I am not formal enough to refrain from casting ‘Fireball’ on those who violate my personal space.” The emperor warned. ATF took the hint and let go. The sage then turned back to his brother. "I should return to Hamelin. I will come back and see you again, Gascon; call me if anything else happens.""You know I will," Swaine assured him. With a nod, Marcassin cast the 'Travel' spell and disappeared. He turned to the others, clapping his hands together. "Alright, then. Lets hang around the city. Tani did say I should get out and around, and after that incident in Shibuya, I feel a bit less self-conscious."“We’ll see you all later, then. Good luck--- and keep looking on the bright side, Swaine.” Roland encouraged.Bidding one another farewell, the sequel-cast went back to Evermore. Afterwards, the group went out into the streets of Al-Mamoon; WG and ATF browsed along the booths, the two fans always having their interests piqued and awed at the vibrant details of the location.Swaine, in the meantime, tried not to focus on his tail so much. Thankfully, the others were walking alongside it to keep it from getting stepped on (especially since it probably had a bruise after Kanji stomped on it). They stopped at the milk fountains, deciding to get some curry for dinner; the thief-naga wasn’t hungry, but wanted to keep his appetite as satisfied as possible.However after one bite, he felt too full. “You have to wait the full 3 days,” ATF told him. “If you try to make yourself eat, you’ll suffer from overfeeding and get sick, plus it will throw your schedule off, make you bloated, and you won’t be able to eat for over a week, maybe months.”Swaine set his curry down, looking at him. “You sure know a lot about snakes,”“I told you I have a pet one. …Hey! Maybe I can bring him over, and he can show you perks of being a snake,”Swaine cringed at the thought of being near another snake. Being half of one was one thing, but being near an actual one was different.As if reading his mind, ATF patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, Ryojii isn’t like other snakes. He doesn’t bite (unless you’re an enemy), and just likes to curl up and snuggle. He’s also a vegetarian.”“Dude, snakes are carnivores!” WG scoffed.“Tell that to Ryojii--- every time I tried to feed him, he hissed at his food and slithered off. It wasn’t until he dunked his head in my parfait that I found he likes fruit!”“What kind of snake do you have?” Esther asked, curiously.ATF shrugged. “No idea. I’ve tried looking up his breed, but nothing ever matched! …I know he likes cheeseburgers though, that’s the only meat he’ll eat.” He turned back to Swaine. “Point is, he’s pretty friendly. He acts more like a cat than a snake--- I think it’s because he grew up alongside my kitten, Captain Sprinkles.” He finished his curry, standing up. “Speaking of which, I’d better go check on them--- last time I was gone too long, Rickshaw ordered an X-rated movie on Pay-Per-View, and Rodolfo tried introducing Sophie to my M-rated videogames.”“See you later, Anti. And thanks,” Swaine replied.With a salute, the immortal-teen fell backwards into a portal back home.Esther chuckled. “Your brother’s pretty funny, WG.” She commented.“And that’s him on a normal basis,” WG quipped, shrugging. “It runs in the family, I guess--- that is, if we were blood related.”“Really?? You two are practically twins!” Oliver exclaimed."In more ways than one," Swaine remarked.WG gave him a nudge. “I know—meanwhile you and Markimoo look nothing alike, but are biological brothers,” Her cellphone rang just then. “Hello?”“Stop calling me that,” came Marcassin’s voice before he hung up.WG blinked. “…How does he DO that?”Suddenly, a little boy came over, looking at the naga tail. “Whoa. You’re half-snake?” he asked, his eyes wide.“It’s a curse,” Swaine told him.“Wow. …Can I touch it?”“Um… I’d prefer you not…”“Omar!” came a woman’s voice, as the mother of the boy came over and grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the naga. “How many times have I told you NOT to approach strange beasts?!”“Excuse me," Esther huffed, standing up. “That ‘beast’ happens to be our friend!”“Yeah, he was cursed. You shouldn’t talk about people like that,” Oliver scolded.The woman only looked at Swaine, a look of mild disgust in her eyes. “My mistake. It was hard to tell if he's human," She sneered.“I take it you have the same problem?” WG remarked. The woman huffed and walked off, pulling her son along (who continued to look back and stare). “Geez. …Hey, Oliver, you got any ‘Compassion’ in that locket of yours?”“Just ignore that woman, Swaine. I know her--- she doesn’t like animals very much,” Esther tried to assure Swaine.“I’m fine. C’mon, lets go somewhere else… people are starting to stare,” Swaine murmured.The others looked around; sure enough, a few city dwellers had stopped to look at the naga, some whispering to one another. “Hey, if you want to keep watching, admission is 10g, people! Either cough up or keep walking!” WG hollered, the crowd quickly going back to their own business.Swaine blushed, gritting his teeth. “That. Wasn’t. Necessary.”“Believe me, it was.”“Jeepers… I remember getting the same looks back in Ding Dong Dell when I first came to your world,” Oliver stated. “And that was just because I was wearing different clothes than everyone else!”“Yeah, well, a change of clothes won’t exactly help in my case,” Swaine muttered, crossing his arms.“No--- people just need to change their attitudes. It happens almost everywhere--- people will gawk, gossip, tease and torment over anything that is different than what they’re used to. I say let them make their snobby remarks--- but if they so much as lay a hand on someone just for being different, THAT’S when it’s time to stop mixing words and take action!” WG scoffed, glaring at a couple bystanders who were still staring before they hurried off.Esther and Oliver looked at her in surprise. “Um… have you had experience in this sort of thing, WG?” the bard carefully asked.“I’ve gone to high school AND visited the hellsite known as Tumblr. I WISH I lacked the experience,” The authoress gathered their curry bowls to return to the stand, while putting a lid on Swaine’s for him to eat later. “Well, how about we head to---““Right there!” came a voice, as the woman from before returned, this time with two guards. “That is the creature I told you about!”“(Fuck, can’t this hag get a life?)” Swaine whispered under his breath.“What’s going on, sir?” Oliver asked one of the guards, disregarding the woman’s glare.“Oliver! I didn’t know you were here. …W-Well, this woman says there was a half-snake, half-man lounging by the milk fountains and, well concerned for the safety of her child, asked us to dispatch it—him.” The guard said, catching his words.“Weren’t you guys informed by Emperor Marcassin that this is his brother, and that the city was not to be alarmed by his presence?” WG questioned, folding her arms and giving the guards a look.“Yes, we tried to explain that to her, but---“ the second guard tried to say.“But nothing! Just because someone thinks its weird doesn’t mean they have the right to go against an authority’s proclamation, especially since he’s not hurting anyone!” Esther snapped.“Ha! As far as you know. I’ve seen beasts act tame before attacking on impulse!” The woman huffed.Swaine clenched his fists, his eyes turning yellow for a brief moment before he shut them, turning away.But the hag caught it. “Look! His eyes were glowing just now! That means he wants to attack!" "And when MY eyes glow red, it means I'm about to use my laser vision. Hint hint?" WG sneered, her eyes turning red before Esther grabbed her shoulder."(Wherever Girl, no!)" The bard scolded."Proclamation or not, this beast should not be in this city!" The woman declared; by this point, a crowd was starting to gather. "He may seem docile now, but it won't be long before he gives in to his savage desires!"Swaine cringed and shut his eyes tight, trembling as he thought about the incidents with his loss of control and the vicious nightmares, his anxiety spiking with every word the woman was spouting...“Agh, can it would ya, ye loudmouth?!”The naga's eyes shot open at the voice. Oh, no… he thought, feeling sick to his stomach as he saw a familiar lantern-faced fairy hopping over to the fountains.“Mister Drippy! What are you doing here?” Oliver asked in surprise.“Several reasons, mun! For one thing, ye come over to this world an’ forget to pay youer ol’ friend an’ Lord High Lord of th’ Fairies a visit? Plus heard from Lofty on Leafbook that ol’ Thief-Face an’ Khun-Boy got themselves up an’ cursed as nagas, an’ felt I should come an’ check out th’ curse myself ‘n’ see if a remedy could be found!” The fairy paused to look at Swaine, taking note of the tail. “…Oi, yep, that be one heck of a curse ye got, mun.”“(Kill me now),” Swaine murmured, his face in his palm.“Anyway! Th’ purrprioter at th’ Inn told me ye all were walkin’ ‘round town. All of a sudden I hear this harpy complainin’ to th’ guards ‘bout some snake hanging ‘round th’ fountains, an’ followed suit, just in time to hear her run her mouth ‘bout wanting someone canned just fer living!”“I was just thinking of my son! We don’t know what this--- THING--- is capable of!” The woman sneered in defense.“Oi! This ‘thing’ happens to be a good friend o’ th’ Pure Hearted One, Lord High Lord of the Fairies, brother of the Hamelin Emperor, an’ one o’ th’ main heroes who took down Shadar! If youer gonna judge him just cuz he has th’ butt of a snake, then ye clearly need an attitude adjustment, miss!”“I’m sorry, ma’am, but with all these statements on his behalf, we cannot exile him from the city.” The first guard said.“Correct. The fairy drives home a good point,” The second assured.The woman scowled. “If we let one monster in this city, then they’ll ALL want to come in! Curse or not, hero or not, we can’t make an exception!”“…You shitpost on social media, don’t you?” WG remarked to the woman.“I have to agree.” Came a voice, as Rashaad stepped up next. “Allowing a monster to inhabit our city and disturb the peace would be a great sin,” he turned to the woman. “…And as a Great Sage, I believe it is my duty to encourage you to leave, or be silent.”“WHAT?!” The woman squawked.“Anyone who dares declare one of my daughter’s closest friends as a monster solely based on his appearance is considered a monster themselves. Should you and anyone else continue to berate him because of something that is out of his control, I shall request the Cowlipha to pass exile. Once again, I recommend you keep your criticisms to yourself, or else move out of our city.”The woman fumed, before turning on her heel and storming off.The rest of the crowd looked at one another; someone stepped forth, a young teen, clearing his throat. “S-Sorry for staring at you so much. Just… never seen anything like this happen to someone before,” he awkwardly apologized.“It’s… alright,” Swaine answered, feeling a bit smothered from all the attention.“How did you get cursed?” a little girl asked.“Um… We went to the Vault of Tears, found a naga-statue which we accidentally broke, and I got covered in green dust. I-I’m working on breaking the curse,”“Why? You look so cool!” another little boy exclaimed. “Hey, can you swallow things whole like a snake does? Like a full melon or something?”“(Remus, that’s enough,)” the boy’s father chided.“Alright, folks, show’s over. Give th’ snake-mun some space!” Drippy exclaimed, ushering a few people off, the crowd dispersing once again. Once the group had some breathing room again, the fairy sat down on the fountain, looking up at Swaine. “Alright, mun, time to fill me in. Ol’ Drippy’s sick of being kept in th’ dark!”“I didn’t exactly want anyone to know—“ Swaine began.“Well, everyone knows now. Spill it! What happened? I need details if I’m gonna help ya break this curse, like!”“We went down to the Vault of Tears a few days ago,” WG said, giving the fairy the story in a nutshell--- found a statue, Swaine and Khunbish ended up breaking it, turned into nagas the next day, and now had to find 3 benefits to return back to normal.Drippy nodded, pacing a bit. “Sounds like a tough case fer someone as vain as you are, Swaine… But, if ye found one benefit, ye can find th’ rest. En’t any tougher than th’ problems we’ve faced before!”“So, you’re not going to make any jokes?” Oliver asked, giving the fairy a stern look.“Well, of course I will, mun! Fairies are known fer humor! ‘Course, I en’t one to tease someone ‘bout their sorrows… more like help ‘em laugh it off! That’s often th’ best way to get over something.”“And what, exactly, kind of jokes are you going to make?” Swaine questioned with a sneer.“Give me time, mun! I can’t make cracks right on th’ spot! Who do ye think I am, Robin Williams?! Never made naga-jokes before mun, so I’ll need a minute to whip up some good material!”“He passed out after he transformed--- almost broke my hand during the process, too!” WG stated. “You could work with that,”“Aye, that’s a great start! Thanks, Wherever-Lass!”“WG!” Swaine snapped.The authoress rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry dude, but the way you were gripping my hand, it was like I was with a woman during childbirth! Plus, it’s not like I took pictures afterward,”The thief rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “Funny. VERY funny,”Esther rubbed his back. “Oh, lighten up, Swaine. We’re only kidding,” she assured him.“Yeah… I mean, there’s got to be something you can laugh about now, right?” Oliver asked.Swaine sighed, thinking for a moment before smirking. “Heh… well… it hurt at the time, but rolling down the stairs that one time probably looked pretty funny.”“You fell down the stairs?!” WG gasped.“Yeah, the first night Khunbish and I stayed at the Inn--- he showed me a way to crawl down the stairs easier so it wouldn’t hurt my stomach so much, and how to climb up them. Then we ordered room service--- the cook probably had a heart-attack when he saw two orders for the entire menu,”“Crikey! Were ye lacking restraint again??” Drippy asked.“Nagas have to eat their fill every 3 days,” WG informed him. “However, they have a specific diet,”“Ah, like what?”Swaine smirked. “Well… fairies sound pretty tasty right now,” he said in a sly tone.Drippy backed away. “Don’t look at me like that, mun!”“Don’t worry, he just ate. Plus, he won’t eat you… maybe.” WG said, while sneaking Swaine a wink.“Oi, ye two got a sick sense o’ humor, don’t ya?”Swaine chuckled. “Hey, you were the one who said we should joke about it.”“I meant about youer curse, mun, not about making me into an hors d'oeuvre! …And, oi! I en’t supposed to be th’ straight mun!”“Quiet, Drippy, the slash fans will hear ya,” WG quipped.“Oh, THAT'S mature!”“I’m glad to see the curse did not affect your friendship,” Rashaad noted with a smile, speaking up after listening to the group’s conversation. “It does not seem so different than when you were human,”Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah… I’m glad to see that never changed,” He gave a courteous nod to Rashaad. “Thank you for your support, too.”“Anything for a friend of my daughter’s. I should return to my duties now. Take care, and good luck with finding your benefits.” With that, the Great Sage walked away.The thief nodded, feeling it would be much easier… and at that moment, a card fluttered down into his grasp. “What’s it say?” Oliver asked.
“Benefit #2 (Swaine):The Bonds of Friends
Many nagai are rebuked and abhorred for their appearance, often due to tales of wretched lamias who would use their cunning to harm others.
However, a naga is known for the size of their heart, something which can only be displayed through the company he keeps--- most notably, the friends he cares for. And if those friends care much for the naga as well, the words of others matter not, for a naga’s friendship makes them as human as anyone else.
Perhaps, even more so.”
Oliver nudged Swaine, giving him the ‘See? I told you so,’ look. Swaine rolled his eyes and smiled, tussling his hair.“Tidy! Just one more benefit to go, an’ you’re free mun!” Drippy exclaimed, hopping on his shoulder.“Well, yeah… I-I mean, I figured this would be a benefit all along. I just wondered when the card would show up,” Swaine scoffed.WG gently punched him in the arm. “Get over yourself, Swainaga,” she said.“Swainaga?”“I’m sampling nicknames for you while the curse is in effect.”“Oi, I was gonna call him Snake-Butt,” Drippy replied.“Drippy, you said it wrong! …It should be Snek-Butt,”“The flippin’ heck’s th’ difference?!”“The other sounds cuter.”“It en’t supposed to be cute, it’s supposed to be funny! Like… AnaGasconda!”“Porcine Python Prince?”“Klepto-Cobra! …No, wait, Rattlesnake Rogue! Agh, no, that makes no sense...”“Sexy bitch! …no, wait, I always call him that.”Swaine rolled his eyes. “Alright, you’re pushing the limit!” he sneered.“Sorry, mun/Apologies,” Drippy and WG both stated.“C’mon, lets head back to the Inn. It’s starting to get dark now,” Oliver suggested, and the group made their way down the street.Esther walked beside WG, giving her a curious look and grin. “’Sexy what’?” she asked with a snicker.“You heard me,” WG scoffed, smirking.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Back at the Inn, Swaine told his friends about what all happened since his transformation--- a little squeamish when bringing up his impulses. (“Don’t worry, mun--- I’ve seen super models at buffets who had less control!” Drippy had joked to make him feel better). When the sun had gone down, Oliver and Esther claimed it was time they went home, Drippy following them out the door, each of them promising to be back the next day."Well, this has been quite the day," WG sighed once everyone was gone. She turned to the thief. "Is there anything you need before I go to bed?"Swaine, even without naga-senses, could tell she didn't want to leave just yet. “If you want to share a room, just say so.” He said with light humor in his tone.“Nah, I’ve already got my stuff over in Khunbish’s room. Gotta make use of the place--- if everyone keeps leaving them empty every other night, chances are they’ll be marked as vacant.” She began to walk towards the door.A snake-tail wrapped around her waist, and she found herself being lifted up! All of a sudden she slipped and was caught by the ankle, being held upside-down in front of Swaine, who was giving her the ‘Yeah right’ look. “WG. I know you want to stick around. Don’t make excuses.”She blushed, but crossed her arms, giving him a look in return. “Well… I figured you’d want your space. You’re normally the solitary type--- can you put me down? The blood is rushing to my head,"Swaine grabbed her by the stomach and lifted her until she was right-side up, setting her back on the ground. “Yeah, I like my solitude when I’m human… but not when I’m--- this.” He motioned to his tail, before coiling up on the mattress. “It sucks… I want my privacy, but when I’m alone like this--- I just get uneasy. I’ve been having nightmares every night, worried about losing control at some point whether I’m awake or asleep. It would be nice to have a friend close--- even if it's a crazy one,"With a smile WG walked over, stepping into his coils and giving him a hug. “Let me hold you until you feel better, okay?”The thief let out a heavy sigh, but hugged her back tightly; as if by instinct or impulse, his coils wrapped around her, the tip of his tail looping around her palm as if by means of holding her hand. “Heh… you’ll be hanging on for a while then,”She only caressed the tip of his tail with her thumb, the action soothing to him as he held her against his chest; she didn’t even flinch when his coils gave her a gentle squeeze--- she only hugged him back tighter. He rested his chin on her head--- if anyone had told him a week ago he would be hugging the psychotic fangirl, he would have shot them point-blank in the face. He wouldn’t tell anyone about it, of course, but for now it didn’t matter.Something stirred within him just then, and he was forced to pull away from the hug. “Hold on… gotta, um…” he awkwardly stated, thumbing to the bathroom.“Oh, yeah. Go ahead,” WG said while clearing her throat, sitting on the bed while he slithered into the bathroom, the door only shut partially as his tail was in the way. She looked at her phone, deciding to check her messages in the meantime.
“GAAAH!”
Giving a jolt, the authoress raced over to the bathroom. “Swaine! What---“ she looked in for three seconds.“Don’t look! DON’T LOOK!”“GAH! Sorry! I didn’t see anything! I didn’t see anything!” She stumbled away from the door, listening as the thief pulled his whole tail in to slam the door shut. She took this moment to turn to the audience, mouthing the words, ‘I saw EVERYTHING,’
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After making a vow to not speak of the awkward incident, and doing a bit of reading from the books the authoress checked out, WG and Swaine eventually decided to go to bed. She was considerate enough to let him have some space; she even set it up to where most of the pillows were stacked inside and around his coils while covering him with a couple of blankets, bringing up how she used to do things like this with her nieces and nephews all the time, before grabbing her own pillow and blanket to rest on the other side of the mattress.Swaine couldn’t bring himself to sleep, however. He had the urge to contact Esther and Oliver, wishing that they had stayed here alongside him; he was also concerned about Ryuji and Aya-- how could anyone rest peacefully after finding out someone they know might be in danger? The idea that a father was heartless enough to assault his wife and child irked him, and he could understand why Khunbish volunteered to stay with him for the night.His thoughts drifted to his own father. Granted in the gamiverse, characters who died in-plot aren't dead for real; they just go somewhere else... ironically almost like the monsters the team battles. Alicia would spend time at the house when it was vacant as the group at to go through the storylines; as for his father... he never saw him around anywhere. In fact, he wondered why he had not come to see him yet; surely he had heard!The ol' man is probably too busy. He probably expects me to handle it myself, as always. Swaine thought.Knowing sleep would not come, he decided to read one of the books WG had rented, picking one that explained how naga's are born. He skimmed through the biological details, not caring about whether they're hatched or birthed (let alone how they're conceived), when an interesting chapter caught his eye...
"Ancestry and Heritage:
"In rare cases, a naga would mate outside its species, often when they had the ability to turn human. This resulted in a taboo, and the naga's genetics would spread through the offspring, becoming a recessive trait in future generations. In some cases, a descendant would have the ability to transform into a naga, often by means of sudden transformation. However, if the trait remains dormant for too long, it often needs an exertion of force in order to coax the transformation forth. Such methods involve:
-Sleeping in a naga's nesting area.
-Listening to sounds of hissing as they sleep.
-Use of spells (*NOTE: This method resulted in too many side effects *see Vol. 3 ch. 7 of 'To Be A Naga'* and is strictly prohibited)
-Doing yoga stretches (notably ones that reference snakes)
-Contact with a naga's scales
-Drinking venom (*NOTE: This method was outlawed after too many deaths)
-Living with or having relations with a naga for a long period of time.
"Some believed that if one is bitten by a naga (without being poisoned by venom), they would instantly become a naga themselves. This myth was exposed as false, as some folks believed being a naga was the same as being a werewolf or vampire, and would instead end up with a very unappealing snake-bite."
Contact with a naga's scales...? Would that include what was inside that statue? Swaine thought. He grimaced, shaking his head. Ugh, don't be ridiculous. This is obviously a curse, plain and simple! Closing the book, he coiled back up, drifting to sleep.…He did not recall the dream he had, but by the next morning he found himself hugging a pillow tightly, his tail wrapped around others like a burrito, though he was still covered by blankets as if someone had covered him back up again. Over at a table drinking some coffee, WG was at her laptop; considering the sun was not up yet, he could deduce it was very early.Swaine stretched, slithering over; it was 6 o’clock in the morning, and already the room felt warm due to the desert climate. “Morning,” he said, cracking his neck a bit.“Oh, morning. I figured you’d be sleeping in.” WG stated, looking away from her laptop for a moment.“Yeah, but I think I got more than enough sleep yesterday.”“That’s good. Are you hungry, yet?”He shook his head; the mere thought of food right now made him feel bloated. “Naaah, I’ll wait until tomorrow.” He looked over her shoulder. “What are you working on?”“Just working on updating some fics on hiatus. Remind me not to start a new fic before one is complete, heh.”Swaine rolled his eyes. “Like that habit of yours will ever die.” He leaned against the table. “So… what are your plans for today?”“I’m going to go check on my pets over at my brother’s, then I’m going to go visit Ryuji and the others.” The authoress looked at her watch. “They should be at rehearsals by now. What are you going to do today?”Swaine shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe see if Esther and Oliver want to hang around, see if I can find my last benefit… Maybe I’ll come with you when you go see the boys--- we’ll have to bring Khunbish back, anyway.”WG smiled, letting out a sigh. “If he wants to come back, you mean. The way he was acting last night, you’d think he’d want to guard Ryuji 24/7!”“Ha, you should have seen him yesterday--- he actually sprouted fangs and his eyes were glowing! You’d think someone had threatened his family or something!”“Really?” WG picked up one of the books, flipping through it; she picked up another and did the same, until she found what she was looking for. “’When on the defense, a naga will stick out its fangs; when their eyes glow, it is best not to make eye-contact as their gaze can stun you; some nagai have the capability of injecting their foes with venom, so it is best to not trifle with them.’ (lets see, kinds of naga… aha, here we go) ‘Types of naga…’”Swaine arched an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”“Seeing if there’s an easy way to know whether you guys are venomous or not… According to this, nagai with striped or spotted scales are likely to be most venomous, but green-scaled nagai like you lack venom.”“And Khunbish?”“That’s what I’m looking for… his scales are bluish-green, but its not listed here. Hm. …I’ll check with Anti. He could probably pinpoint the type of snake species he is and give me a notion.”Swaine rolled his eyes. “In that case, lets hope he doesn’t bite anyone,” He looked out the window; there was a nice view of Old Smoky in the distance. “Think I’ll go find Esther, see if she wants to go outside the city,”“I’ll come with you--- just in case that harpy from yesterday is still around,”The two exited the Inn; coincidentally enough, Esther was on her way to the Inn, Oliver and Drippy at her side. “We were just on our way to come see you. None of us wanted to wait another minute to check on you,” Oliver told him, having a smile.“You know, normally it’s the adults who have to check on the kids,” Swaine remarked.“And when you start acting like one, I’m sure you’ll be checking on us next,” Esther quipped, earning a sneer in response.“So! What’s on the agenda today, Snake-Butt?” Drippy asked.The thief gave him a deadpanned look. “Well to start off, strangle anyone who calls me ‘Snake-Butt’.” He replied.“Agh, it’s just a nickname, mun! Think this curse made ye too sensitive--- didn’t we already help ya overcome that yesterday?”“What do you feel like doing?” Oliver asked Swaine before a quarrel could break out.The thieflooked towards the city gates. “I feel like going out into the desert and just roaming around… I can show you guys my new battle skills, while I’m at it.”“Tidy! Lets see what ye got!” Drippy exclaimed.“I’ll leave you to it. See you this afternoon!” WG said with a wave, walking through a portal. It was open for a moment, just in time for everyone to hear the authoress say, “Crap, this is Mexico---“ before the portal shut.Swaine shook his head, chuckling; Esther looked up at him. “What was that about?” she inquired as they walked along.“What do you mean?” The thief questioned back.“Well, normally you’re relieved to see WG gone. But lately you’ve been more… tolerable with her company--- at least that’s the best way I can put it.”“Aye, mun. Ye even went into the Vault o’ Tears with her ‘n’ company--- normally ye’d tell her to buzz off an’ explore by herself!” Drippy added.Swaine rolled his eyes. “So? That crazy fangirl of mine probably wouldn’t leave me alone if I didn’t go along. And I’ve probably grown to ‘tolerate’ her because I’ve been exposed to her psychopathic writing too much--- which should be a concern, now that I think about it.”Esther rolled her eyes. “Forget I asked. …Oh! Look! There’s a Clubber Cub! Derwin wanted me to tame one for him to examine!” She took off after it.“Oi! Wait up for us, lass!” Drippy exclaimed, hopping ahead of the others.Oliver looked at Swaine. Their enemy was a low-level, so there wasn’t much need to rush into battle alongside their companions. “So… what’s the real reason?” he asked the thief in a whisper.“I told you. I’ve just gotten used to her being a nuisance--- now, lets not leave Esther hanging, huh?” Swaine answered. The wizard nodded, running ahead.The thief sighed. There was another reason, but he promised the authoress not to cause concern…
*Bang!*
His grappling hook caught her by the ankle, making the blonde stumble and fall onto her stomach before she got too close to the window. The line reeled in as he approached her, grabbing her arm and hauling her to her feet. “What the hell are you doing?!” he snapped; he was never good with sensitive emotions, he knew being aggressive wasn’t the right express for his concern, but he could not control it--- it was how he grew up.
She didn’t reply; her jaw was clenched, she was trying hard not to break down. She looked down, as if knowing if she spoke or made eye-contact, her tears would break loose. She didn’t want him to see her cry.
But he didn’t care about her saving face. He knelt down so they were at eye level, his hands on her shoulders. “Luna. Look at me. What is going on? Why were you going to jump out that window?” He demanded, calling her by her first name to show how serious he was.
She was starting to shake now, straining not to cry.
“Answer me! …Or should I go find Puggsy?”
Puggsy had known WG far longer than he had; he knew from her fan-fic history that the loudmouth was one of few people who could get her to open up… as well as was the first to find out about her last ‘incident’.
She shook her head. “He’s not here…” she whispered. “I-I just texted him. He’s out with Brielle… I didn’t want to ruin their d-date,” tears were squeezing out her eyelids, and she was holding her breath.
Swaine looked around the hall; seeing a set of double-doors that led to the library, he took her in there. With all the new technology being made, very few people seldom used to the library anymore, the vicinity void of life. They sat down on a red leather couch far in the back; he kept a hand on her shoulder. “Alright. Now tell me what’s wrong,”
She squeezed the edge of the couch cushions, her body tensing. “I...”
“Ohhh, I didn’t get it,” Esther sighed, crossing her arms after the Clubber Cub disappeared in a puff of smoke post-defeat.Swaine shook his head, snapping back to the present. “You should try fighting with a lower-leveled familiar, then. Something closer to their rank,” he suggested.“C’mon, a lot of them hang around closer to the Golden Grove… oh. Um, it wouldn’t be too cold there, would it Mister Drippy?” Oliver questioned.“Nah, mun, the Golden Grove mainly just gets heavy rains during this time o’ year. Helps keep the forest o’ plenty foresting plenty!” Drippy answered with reassurance.“Okay, but if you start to feel ill in any way, you tell is immediately, got it?” Esther told Swaine.The thief nodded. “I should be fine,” he replied.They made their way towards the outskirts of the desert towards fields with golden-yellow grass. With his keen eyesight, Swaine managed to spot a couple Clubber Cubs. Summoning a Minor Byrde and Ruff that were close to their level, Esther and Oliver took to the battlefield. A couple Boneheads tried to ambush them in the fray, but with a swing of his tail Swaine smacked them hard enough to make them dissipate before they could even hit the ground.One of the Clubber Cubs got a loopy look in its eye, and Esther began to strum her harp to tame it.Swaine froze, and his vision went hazy; the world suddenly had a blend of orange, yellow, pink and purple tones to it, and suddenly he just felt… calm. His body relaxed as if he had spent a week lounging in Castaway Cove, and he felt himself smiling, his mind groggy as if he were having a pleasant dream; when he moved, he swayed, nothing but a melodious rhythm to guide him.“Oi, Swaine! What’s up with ya, mun?!” Drippy’s voice hollered.The music stopped and Swaine shook his head; the others were looking at him, Oliver trying to cover a grin while Esther was stifling a giggle. He blinked several times. “…What was I just doing?” he asked, feeling alarmed.“I-I’m sorry, Swaine! I forgot how sensitive you were to music now,” Esther replied, chuckling a bit.“What’s so funny?”“Well… you were kind of… dancing. I think.” Oliver answered, clearing his throat.“Looked more like he stepped outta a bar, completely plastered.” Drippy remarked.Swaine blushed furiously, crossing his arms. “Dammit, didn’t I say not to make me do that?!” he snapped at Esther.“It was an accident! Honestly, with you being tone-deaf, I didn’t think it would happen at all.” Esther replied, rubbing the back of her neck. “I won’t play my harp around you until you’re human again… you were kind of out of it.”“Yeah. We may have to watch for that, in case any enemies can use Lullaby skills,” Oliver added. “You might be more prone to those kinds of attacks,”Swaine sighed. “So much for finding a benefit out here…” he muttered.“Wait! In that story, Ditelas plugged his ears so he wouldn’t be susceptible to music! We could do that!” Esther suggested.“But how could I hear the rest of you? Suppose some---“ He froze just then.“Swaine? What is it?” Oliver asked in caution.Without hesitation, Swaine quickly wrapped around the group and pulled them up on top of a rock. There came a stampeding sound, and a minute later a herd of wild ulk came running by! “Ulk? Way out here?” Oliver gasped.“Oh, aye. Forgot ‘round this time the herd migrates to a warmer climate.” Drippy answered, and they watched as the herd headed towards an open field over the hill. “It may not snow by there, but the weather gets chilly over in the Rolling Hills. The herds mostly linger around the Grove or out in the open field here, ‘til their senses tell ‘em it’s nice ‘n’ warm back home.”Esther looked up at Swaine; he had a sharp gaze in his eye. “Swaine… that was incredible!” she said to him. “You could tell the herd was coming before the ground even started to shake!”But Swaine remained tense, keeping everyone in his coils.“Swaine?”There came a bellow, and out of the forest came a rogue Ulk. It was foaming at the mouth, bucking wildly. It charged into everything--- trees, boulders, and other creatures. “Crikey! It’s completely mad!” Drippy gasped.When it came rushing at the rock the group was on, Swaine shot forth and wrapped around its neck, grabbing onto its antlers; he stretched its tail further down to catch one of its legs, making it stumble and fall. His coils continued to squeeze around its neck until the massive beast disappeared in a puff of smoke.The thief panted, finally relaxing. His friends climbed off the rock and rushed over to him. “Are you okay? You just… leaped out at it!” Oliver stated, astounded.“I know… I don’t know what came over me. I could just sense something wasn’t right, and my first instinct was to protect you lot. Then when it came too close--- I just attacked.” Swaine answered, his breath shaky as he trembled, wrapping his arms around himself.“So you just wanted to keep us safe. …That’s great! That could be another benefit!” Esther exclaimed.However when a card failed to appear, Oliver noticed the solemn expression on Swaine’s face. “Um… did you already have that benefit before?” Oliver asked him.Swaine shook his head. “I wish I could call it a benefit… I mean, I’m glad I kept you lot safe, but…” he clenched his fists. “I had no control over it! It was all on impulse! It wasn’t me defending you, it was the curse!”The wizard walked up to him, grabbing his hands. “Impulse or not, you still protected us! That’s what matters right now,”“Right! That curse had nothing to do with it--- you always have our backs, no matter what situation you’re in!” Esther assured him.Swaine let out a heavy sigh, pulling his hands away from Oliver as he ‘paced’ around. “You don’t get it… I… I want to feel like I have control again. Ever since this curse started, it's like I’m Heartbroken again, having no say as to what I can or cannot do. Every action I do, I do out of some intense emotion--- the other day I was hungry, and tried to hunt an innocent pup; after that I was having a bitter nightmare, almost attacking Esther in my sleep… Hell, Day One I almost strangled Junpei just talking about the cause of my phobia!”“God forbid ye find yerself attracted to a fine maiden then, eh?” Drippy joked.“Mister Drippy!” Esther snapped, appalled.“Joking! I’m joking! Geez, give a fairy credit fer tryin’ to lighten up the tension!”Swaine ignored the fairy. “I know I protected you all just now… but I was driven by some wild instinct. I don’t know what all these impulses will make me do--- so that’s why I can’t see this as a benefit.” They headed back to the desert, as he continued. “Suppose I’m like that in every battle? I wouldn’t be able to concentrate properly and the enemy could get the upper hand.”Oliver patted him on the back. “I don’t think that would happen, Swaine… but if you really feel strongly about this, then we’ll keep looking for a new benefit for you.”“If it makes you feel better, we really felt safe with you back there.” Esther added while hugging his arm.“Aye, ye guarded us like a mother-croc guards her eggs!” Drippy threw in.Swaine blushed rubbing the back of his head. “Well, I’m glad you lot think so…” he smirked, having to boast. “Heh, actually its about time you recognized how much trouble I go through taking care of you,”Esther rolled her eyes. “Alright, Swaine, thank you for being a good guardian.”“I sensed that sarcasm!”A card fluttered down before them just then. “Tidy! Another benefit card!” Drippy exclaimed.“What’s it say, Swaine?” Oliver asked as the naga-thief picked it up.
“Advantage of Friends:
Having a naga around to guard you is quite the privilege.”
“That’s it?” Swaine questioned. He looked at himself. “But… why isn’t my curse broken!?”“It says ‘Advantage of Friends’… perhaps this relates more to us than you.” Esther theorized.“Aye, since ye didn’t find much reason to like what happened back there,” Drippy scoffed.“It may also relate to Ryuji… You said Khunbish rushed to protect him from someone, and he even stayed overnight to make sure he and his mom would be safe.” Oliver pointed out.Swaine sighed. “I guess… but why would it appear for our friends? A-And why didn’t Khunbish get one the moment he defended Ryuji?”“I don’t know… I mean, we were shocked when we learned about your curse, but that doesn’t mean we found it deplorable,” Esther said, just as confused.“Maybe it’s just a bonus, or our own reward for our support… I dunno, mun. This curse is a tricky one to fathom!” Drippy groaned.Swaine tucked the card away, sighing. “That’s something we can all agree on.”A portal opened, and WG came through, meeting them at the gate; she had bags filled with souvenirs. “Oh, hey guys. I was about to drop some stuff off,” she stated.“Where did you go?” Esther asked, having to chuckle at all the products.“Well, I went to check on my pets… but along the way I made detours to Mexico, Switzerland, Egypt, Australia, Canada, until finally getting to my brother’s apartment.” She held up the bags. “Anyone want a plushie and/or chocolate?”“Actually, maybe you can help us figure this out.” Oliver showed her the card and explained the situation.WG rubbed her chin. “I was actually thinking about that. Swaine and Khunbish both got one advantage, each got their own second advantage, and now here’s one more that benefits their friends…”“Well? Any thoughts?” Swaine asked.“Call it a hunch, but maybe you guys have to find separate benefits? I mean the increase in skills and the advantage it has on friends may just be freebies… yet there was something else that we overlooked.”“What is it? Spit it out already!”“Calm down, don’t get your tail in a twist. …Khunbish had said if you kept despairing over your appearances, the curse would remain in effect.” WG paced a bit. “And in that story, Lamian turned human because he never minded being a naga.”“Are you saying that… finding benefits won’t be enough?” Oliver asked in concern.“Well, not unless Swaine becomes content with his appearance, at least. So it’s either finding separate benefits, or accepting being a naga… heck chances are they both have to do this in order to free each other, on top of each having their own benefits!”*Thud!*Everyone turned, seeing Swaine made a face-plant on the ground.WG turned to the others. “…tell me, guys, did Swaine ever faint this much?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There were some things Ryuji didn’t expect that day.First, finding a card lying in his hand the moment he woke up. It was a 'benefit' card like what Khunbish had, only it was for him...
Benefit of Friends (Ryuji):
"Nagai happen to be very protective of those they bond with. Whether it is friends, offspring, or a lover, they will not hesitate to rush to their aid if there is even a hint of trouble. It should be cautioned, however, that if a matter becomes too intense, the naga's instinct to protect has a tendency to become feral, and fatal harm will come to those who dare pose a threat to their loved ones."
The track star only arched an eyebrow. Why was this addressed to me? I thought Khunbish and Swaine were the only ones who got these cards? He thought, before tucking the card into his pocket. He thought about asking the pirate about it, but it would be too weird--- the guy was already acting like a guard dog! He didn't want to send any mixed signals. Even though he did feel safe knowing someone he could trust was nearby..."Ahoy, lad. Finally woke up, did ya?"Ryuji looked over, seeing the archer slithering out of the kitchen. "What time is it?" he asked, sitting up."Almost 7 AM. Yer mum asked me to come wake ye up while she made breakfast; Junpei and Kanji already left--- had to leave early, they did, in order to get back to their worlds and get ready for school." Khunbish knelt down, rolling up the spare futons--- his tail hanging on to them while he folded the blankets. "Sorry about makin' ya stay up late last night. We's can swing by LeBlanc 'n' I can buy ye a cup o' coffee so ye don't get in trouble fer sleepin' in class.""'We'?? Dude, people are gonna see you and freak! You should get back to your world...""Oi, people are gonna see me going to the Gateway, what's th' harm of walking ye to school?"Ryuji looked at him incredulously. "I'm not a little kid! You don't have to escort me!" He rubbed his face. "Look, Bishie, I appreciate you staying over with us, but you don't have to act like my bodyguard. My dad probably got on a train and is a thousand miles away by now,""Aye, but what about those two lechers from last night? If they happen to be hanging around, I don't want 'em stalking ya,"The track star groaned. By this point, Aya came in from the kitchen. "Is there a problem, Ryuji?" she asked."Nah, Mom, it's fine. Khun-kun just wants to take me to school,"The mother looked at the pirate-naga. "I appreciate your offer, Khunbish-san, but I do not want anyone worrying so much about us. After all, you must get back to your world and work on breaking your curse, correct?""Aye, ma'am..." Khunbish sighed, and got back to work putting away the futons and blankets.Aya turned to Ryuji. "However, just as a precaution, I do want you walking to school with a friend.""Aw, c'mon Mom! I can make it to school!" Ryuji moaned."Uh-uh, if I'm going to be carpooling with coworkers, I want you walking with a friend.""*sigh* Okay... I'll see if Ann-chan wants to meet at the bus-stop." Ryuji took out his cellphone, sending a text."Good, and while you wait for an answer, go have some breakfast. I made you some fish and rice,""Thanks, Mom." Giving her a peck on the cheek, the track-star went into the kitchen.Aya turned to Khunbish. "If you plan on going to the Gateway, the early morning is the best time. The streets are still quite crowded, but not as busy, so you may be able to get to the station without any trouble.""It be alright, Miss Aya. I'll just have WG swing by and open up a portal for me." The archer replied with a smile. "It should be early in the evening back in me home universe, so she may still be awake."The mother gave a nod, before walking back into the kitchen.The pirate itched the side of his face. Of course, if there's a chance she's gone to bed early, it would be rude to disturb her sleep, wouldn't it? he thought.0o0o0o0o0o0o0Once he was dressed for school and out the door, he met up with Ann at the bus-stop... but did not expect to see Makoto, Akira, and Morgana there with her! “Ryuji-san! Are you okay?” his senpai gasped. “We heard there was trouble near your neighborhood,”“Yeah, there were a ton of posts online about some snake-guys seen in town heading towards your district, then the news this morning talked about how they were seen attacking someone!” Ann added. “Someone had recorded it on their phone, and I noticed you in the video. Was that the reason you asked to walk to school this morning?"“Um, not exactly… b-but don’t worry! The snake-guys are actually friends of ours,” Ryuji assured. “Actually, you know how Kanji was suspicious of why Junpei and I were acting so weird the other day? The reason is two guys from the Ni no Kuni world ended up getting cursed as nagas, and we were trying to help find ways for them to get back to normal. They have to find 3 benefits in order to break the curse,”Everyone just blinked. “Sakamoto, if I didn’t see proof for myself, I would think you were talking nonsense,” Makoto bluntly stated. She rubbed her chin. “Still, what were they doing over here?”“It's a long story... It all started when my dad broke into the house."...Throughout the day, Ryuji told everyone the events of last night, from him chasing down his abusive father, to the two nagas showing up. Everyone listened, albeit intrigued but also concerned. Even Akira, who had been distant the last few days, seemed to be alarmed... but his shock seemed to mellow down by the time afternoon classes rolled around.Once school was out, Ryuji finished up his story with them out front. “…And Mom wants me walking to and from school with someone for a while," he told them.“Well, that helped make the day go by quick,” Morgana commented, popping his head out of Akira’s backpack.“I'm still concerned about your father's home invasion… And you're certain he left the city?" Makoto asked in concern.“If he didn't, he'll skip town once he finds out Ryuji has a pet snake,” Ann quipped.Ryuji rolled his eyes. “Naaah, Khunbish only stayed for the night. He probably went home by now."Morgana looked ahead. “…Er, just for clarification, is he a guy with green hair, blue eyes, and long, blue snake body?”“How’d you guess--- GAH!” Ryuji gave a jolt, seeing Khunbish surrounded by a few students! Quickly, he and the others rushed over. “DUDE! What the eff--- I thought you were staying at home!”“Oi, sorry mate, but yer mum had to go to work early, an’ said it was alright fer me to come meet ya halfway,” Khunbish replied (ignoring the dozens of iPhones taking pictures of him).Ann walked over. “So, you’re Khunbish?” she asked, giving a bow in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you—thank you for helping our friend,”The pirate rubbed the back of his neck, giving a grin. “No problem--- least I could do for him, seeing as he an’ his mates have been helping me out.”“What are you exactly?/Ryuji, how come you never told us about him before?/I saw you on the news this morning!/Dude! I gotta post this on Facebook!/Are you venomous?/Hey, guys, come look at this!” the students around him were asking and exclaiming.“Um, I think it would be best if we got Khunbish out of here,” Morgana spoke up.“Calm down, guys--- he comes from another game!” Ryuji told the group of bystanders.By the point, Haru, Yusuke, Akechi and Futaba came by--- pausing when they saw the naga. “WHOA! So it is true! This is so cool!” Futaba exclaimed.“Such a spectacle--- truly a wonder to work with!” Yusuke gasped, already having his sketchbook out.“Based on the different design, it would seem an entirely different videogame character has entered our midst.” Akechi noted.“Sakamoto, I thought you said he went home!” Makoto questioned the track star.“He was SUPPOSED to!” Ryuji replied firmly, giving Khunbish a scolding glare.“Lets… just head to the set. Before the reports show up, preferably!” Akira sighed.Moving quickly from the crowd, the Phantom Thieves and Khunbish made their way to the gate that led to the Persona Q world. It was no surprise that the S.E.E.S and Investigation Team were already there, all but Kanji and Junpei shocked to see the naga in their presence.“AUGH! W-W-What is that?!” Yukari shrieked, having seen the snake-tail first. “Calm down, Yuka-tan. It’s just Khunbish--- he got cursed,” Junpei assured her, having to smirk. “Heh, I didn’t think snakes freaked you out that much,”“Whoa… he’s so long!” Yukiko gasped, observing Khunbish in awe.“Woof!” Koromaru responded, sniffing at the pirate.“This is bear-zarre, and we’ve seen a lot of weird things in our own worlds!” Teddie punned.“Alright, alright, don’t turn me into a showcase. You lot have rehearsals to get to, don’t ye?” Khunbish questioned, already a bit annoyed at all the attention/reactions he was getting.“Right, and YOU have your own world to get back to,” Ryuji added, more annoyed than the pirate was.“What? There's no harm in me hanging out backstage for a bit, is there?"“I’m sorry, but unauthorized personnel is strictly prohibited… no matter the circumstances,” Mitsuru informed him. “However, you are welcome to lounge around the food court if you intend on staying.”“Hey, that works great. The stands here never run out of food, so you can keep your appetite satisfied,” Kanji suggested.“A-A-Appetite?” Chie replied.“Ah… w-what all does he have to eat?” Yosuke asked in caution.“From what I’ve read, most snakes swallow their food whole, and some eat enough so they can go two months without eating.” Ken stated.Khunbish rolled his eyes. “The cheek--- I’m only HALF snake, ye insensitive rotters!” he sneered, crossing his arms. “And I’ll have ye know I ate quite a bit o’ food last night, so I’ve had my fill, thank you very much!”“This is so cool!” Minako exclaimed, circling around him in awe. “I just started playing your game… imagine if they put something like this in the upcoming DLC! It would be awesome to play as a naga! Do you have any special skills?”“Oh! Can you hypnotize people like snakes do in movies?” Rise asked in excitement.“W-Whoa! No hypnotizing me! Do Inari!” Futaba gasped.“Ah, um… I-I don’t think so…?” Khunbish answered, a little flustered. “But as for skills, I am a lot faster and stronger,”“Alright, we can all bother him later. Keep in mind, if we delay rehearsals AGAIN, the executives are going to get pissed.” Yu brought up. “And we already had to endure ONE lecture last week,”“We’ll come check on you later. See ya, Khunbish!” Junpei promised, as he and the rest of the teens went to the set to work on their scenes.Khunbish sat in the cafeteria. Out of boredom, he decided to get something to eat, having some water, takoyaki and a corndog before finding out he was completely stuffed and couldn’t stomach anymore. It was then he realized he left his Leafbook tablet back in his world, along with other possessions, meaning he wouldn’t have anything to keep himself occupied.He rested his arms on the table, closing his eyes; with the lack of sleep he had gotten last night, there was no harm in a light dose.Unless your mind ends up bombarded with repressed memories, that is.
He made a mark in the dirt, tallying that he had been in the makeshift jailhouse for over 2 weeks now. Out of protest of his stomach, he ate the bread and water given to him. Chingis swapped out with another sentry, who only spat at the prisoner, warning him that if he tried anything he would have his head smashed on the rocks.
“Hanging out with those blasted Wyverns... Nothing but a beast in a man’s skin, ye are.” The guard had sneered.
He only wrapped his arms around himself, curling up on the ground. The nights were cold in the canyon, and the hut did not supply enough warmth. Not that the caves were very homey, and memories of sleeping in a warm bed had faded from his mind weeks after he first ran away from home.
Looking out at the stars, he wondered how long it had been--- at least two or three years, he wanted to guess--- and wondered if his parents were looking at him… but pushed the thought away, having the notion they didn’t care in the least.
…
The next time he was in a cell, he had been captured by Mausinger’s forces; he wandered too close, and they nabbed him before he could even explain he was just searching for Roland. In those hours he sat in the dungeon, he only looked at the ground, scolding himself. ‘Idiot! You should’ve been more discrete--- these mice are enemies of Evermore, did ye really think they’d let ya walk across the country’s border without hauling yer ass to the dungeon?!’
He felt relief when Roland arrived… then panicked when the chief consul drew his gun and aimed it at him… he felt weak after the bullets hit, his vision growing dark.
It felt like a long, dreamless sleep. When he was awakened days later and Roland explained the situation during their escape, he felt like a fool--- of COURSE the man wouldn’t betray a boy he treated like a son! He wasn’t like the Wyverns, who only used someone for self-gain, or his parents who raised their children to bring them wealth and a blue-blood reputation.
As they made their way back home, the sky pirate realized how rare it was to find someone who had a caring heart…
Someone started rubbing his back, and he opened his eyes… having to smile when he saw his angel sitting down next to him. “Hey… didn’t expect to see your beautiful face around here,” the pirate stated, still a bit sleepy.WG scoffed, rolling her eyes but still grinning. She set his vest, hat, and tablet on the table. “Flattery will not get you anywhere, bud. Here, I brought you your stuff,” she replied, and he noticed Swaine was with her."Yeah, when the day went by and you never came back, we called up Ryuji--- and he told us you were here in the food court." Swaine added.“Ah, sorry mate, I forgot to contact ye. Figured I'd stick around this world a bit, just for good measure." Khunbish answered. "Anything happen while I was gone?"“We came up with a theory about this curse. What if the curse won’t be broken until we both have our benefits?""It turns out our friends somehow have benefits as well.” WG added, showing him the card Oliver, Esther and Drippy had received. Khunbish looked at the card, rubbing his chin. “Aye, that be queer… Corrr, this curse is throwin’ in more twists than a Wyvern’s words!”“It’s just a thought. But when this benefit showed up and Swaine didn’t change, it came to mind. Plus, relating to your dream and that story about Lamian, there’s a chance both of you will have to overcome your disdain for being half-snake,” The authoress explained, then rubbed her chin. “Although… you don’t seem to mind it that much, Khunbish. Outside of your shock from day one, you’ve been handling this better than Swaine has!”The pirate grinned, giving a shrug. "Ah, what can I's say? Snakes don't bother me that much. ...Now if I were part Wyvern, THEN it would be a struggle!"“Did you find any benefits during your sleepover?” Swaine asked.“Outside of Junpei and Ryuji working as delivery boys for my late-night cravings? Not exactly…” Khunbish answered, then paused, blushing a bit. “Except… um…” he looked at WG, then moved over to Swaine, whispering in his ear.Swaine flinched, blushing. “I-I don’t think that would count!”“ANYWAY…” WG spoke up to keep things on track. “Are the others rehearsing?”“Aye, ‘n’ I was told no one’s allowed on the set under any condition.” Khunbish looked towards the door. “I’d go back home wit’ ye, but I feel like I need to stick around.”“Really care about that kid, huh?” Swaine guessed.“Poke fun if ye want, but ye’d give two damns-plus if a pest who considered ye a rival came to yer room in the dead of night with his emotions in a tangle. Something be eatin’ that lad, an’ I feel I won’t rest ‘til I find out---“The doors swung open, Akihiko and Shinjiro looking around. “Did you guys see Theodore anywhere?” The boxer asked.“What happened?” WG questioned. “The rest of us were going through lines in the theater, and when we got to his part, we noticed he wasn’t in the room,” Shinjiro replied, rubbing his face. “…you’d think a guy dressed like a giant tub of popcorn wouldn’t be hard to lose,”“We can help search.” Swaine offered.“Aye, we's got sharp senses--- we can locate him in a flash!” Khunbish added.“Would that be okay?” WG asked the two Persona stars. “I don’t think the director would be keen of having people outside the set snooping around--- at least he wasn’t when I was doing it,”“That’s because you were trying to sneak off with Doe last time!” Shinjiro scoffed.The pirate and thief looked at the fangirl, who gave an innocent shrug. “He was squishy!”“Just stick with us and it should be fine.” Akihiko replied, leading them out.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The world of Persona Q was still small, the theater connected to the school, with a clock tower out front; outside were gateways that led to each team’s respected worlds. According to the cast, the area would 'expand' whenever an additional game was made, each new region being connected to its predecessor. Meeting up with the search party, Swaine and WG were allowed to search with Yu and Akira, while Khunbish went with Ryuji and Kanji. Currently the latter group were searching the 2nd floor hallway of the school, the former group was looking outside by the clock tower, and the rest were searching around the theater, rooftop, cafeteria, and near the exits.Thankfully, they managed to find Theodore--- the Velvet Room Attendant had ended up stuck in one of the bathroom stalls, his popcorn suit making it hard to get out. After squeezing him through the doorway, they went to find the others and let them know their co-star was alright.“By the way, did you acquire a new Persona?” Theodore asked, pointing at Khunbish. “It is rare to see one outside of the Velvet Room and the battlefield!”“I’s come from another game, mate. …Any reason why you’re dressed as a bucket o’ popcorn?” Khunbish questioned in return.“Oh, yes! My sister Elizabeth stated it added flare to my role at the shop! As a Velvet Room Attendant, it is our duty to assist our guests, and one must wear the proper uniform in doing so!”Khunbish looked at Ryuji and Kanji. “Just go with it,” Ryuji whispered.They met up with Elizabeth, the Arisato Twins, and Junpei first. “Hey, there he is! Where were you, Theo?” Junpei asked.“He got stuck in the can,” Kanji answered.“Seriously? Theo, we told you to take the costume OFF before you go!” Minako lightly scolded.“Forgive me, but I was drinking a lot of soda during the rehearsals, and I could not withhold my bladder long enough to discard the popcorn suit,” Theodore replied with a bow.“Then… how did you… nevermind.” Ryuji began to question but stopped himself.“Nevertheless, you should have informed us of your situation sooner. I will have to deduct ten merits on your work, little brother.” Elizabeth told Theodore.“M-Merits? When did I start getting merits??” Theodore questioned.“Since your work in Shadow of the Labyrinth. Your performance has been slipping,” Elizabeth pointed to the doors. “Now, back to your post--- perhaps you can make up for your fluke by making some fresh popcorn,”Theodore sighed, walking out with her. “Sister, I must admit I think you’ve developed an addiction to the snack…”“Thanks for your help,” Minato said to Khunbish and the others.“Cor, it was easy--- the man smelled like popcorn,” Khunbish answered with a modest shrug.“C’mon, lets go tell the others.” Minako stated, walking ahead.“We’ll show Khunbish back to the cafeteria and meet you back on the set,” Junpei replied, walking down the stairs with Ryuji, Kanji and Khunbish.“Best tell WG and Swaine first, that way they can head home.” Khunbish added.“We’re leaving already?” WG asked, she and Swaine suddenly right behind them!The archer jolted. “Gah! Snakes alive, how’d ye get her so fast?! Ye snuck up on us like a… like a…!”“Like a ninja?” Kanji guessed.The pirate looked at him, appalled. “KANJI! Don’t you EVER say that word again!”“What? Why?!”“EVER!”“O-kay, time to go.” Swaine stated quickly, as they walked outside. “I want to get out of here before something else---““Big sis!” came two voices; the group looked ahead, seeing a couple little girls running forth. One was eight and had brown hair done up in pigtails, the other was ten and had short black hair cut in a choppy fashion. Both of them ran up and hugged WG.“Hey, Mei! Sayori! What’re you two doing here??” The authoress asked with a smile.“Daddy said he was going to show us around the set. His scenes are done, but he said the director was okay with it so long as we didn’t interrupt rehearsals,” Sayori answered.“WHOA!” Mei exclaimed, looking at Swaine and Khunbish. “Are these new Personas?? They look so cool!”“Mei! Sayori! Wait up!” called a voice; speed-walking forth was Kamoshida, holding an infant.Khunbish did a double-take, looking at the ex gym-teacher. He nudged Swaine. “Oi, Swaine! Is that your soulmate??” he asked.WG shot him a look.
~5 Seconds Later~
Khunbish stood in the corner in a time-out.“Dad! Look who’s here! Big sis is hanging out here, too!” Mei exclaimed, hanging on WG's arm.“Big sis?” Junpei whispered to WG.“I babysat the chibis a few times before, and they gave me the nickname.” WG whispered. "...They think it's cool I can open portals and have laser-vision,"“WG! I didn't expect you to be back this soon. Let me guess--- you were trying to kidnap Doe again?” Kamoshida asked the authoress.“It wasn’t ‘kidnapping’… and don’t act like the rest of you couldn’t resist hugging him!”“Never got the urge/Doubt it/Not really/Yeah… you got a point.” Kamoshida, Junpei, Ryuji and Kanji all responded. The first three paused to look at the rebel.“Onto more pressing matters… what’s with these two?” the medalist pointed at Swaine and Khunbish. "Did we get new personas or something?""WHY do people think we're Personas??" Khunbish called from the corner."No talking!" WG hollered at him, before turning back to Kamoshida. “They’re from Ni no Kuni. Khunbish hung out with Ryuji last night, and we’re just here to pick him up.”The medalist' expression grew concerned, looking at the track star. “Oh, yeah… I got word about your dad being back. Shido was informed by the police, so he's having security keep an eye out in case he tries anything drastic. ...Are you and your mom alright?“Yeah, we're both fine.” Ryuji answered.“Hey, can we ride on your back?” Sayori asked Swaine, as she and Mei had been staring at the naga the whole time.“Girls, don’t be rude!” their father scolded.“Heh, you want rude? You should’ve seen the hag I had to deal with yesterday,” Swaine answered.“Can we have a ride, Dad? Please please pleeeeaaaaaaaaase?” Mei asked pleadingly.The baby cooed, reaching for Swaine. “See? Andre wants a ride, too!” Sayori pointed out.“I don’t mind,” Swaine assured the medalist, giving a shrug. Kamoshida sighed. “Alright--- just one time around the clock tower,” he gave in, handing Andre to Swaine--- the baby immediately clung to the naga’s shirt. “Huh, he really likes you,”The infant nommed on the collar of Swaine's jacket, and the naga's heart softened a bit. Well, glad to see someone isn't afraid of me. He thought, patting the child's back."I want to sit in the front!" Sayori exclaimed."No fair, I want to be in the front!" Mei whined."Girls, no fighting or the ride is off. Mei can sit in the front, Sayori it would be best if you sat behind her." WG ordered, pointing to the center of the long scaly tail. "Right here would be best,"The girls sat down on Swaine’s tail. “Okay, now hang on. I can’t go too fast with the baby…” Swaine told them as he slithered toward the clock tower.WG looked at the others; Junpei and Ryuji were smirking. “What?” she asked.“Are we going to ignore the fact Swaine and Kamoshida both have the same hairstyles?” Ryuji snickered.“About as much as we’ll ignore you look like Iori and Tatsumi’s love-child.” Kamoshida shot back, while watching his kids.“HEY!” The rebel and baseball player lunged, and quickly his ex gym-teacher ducked behind WG, holding her up like a shield.“That was hitting below the belt, man!” Ryuji sneered.“Oh and your comment wasn’t?!” The medalist shot back.“When the hell did Junpei and I come off as a couple?!” Kanji snapped."...and why am I being used as a human shield?" The authoress questioned. "But to be fair, Ryuji IS pretty much a mash-up between Junpei and Kanji, so it wouldn't be that surprising if someone made a crack-theory about it.""Whose side are you on?!" Junpei demanded."Like hell if I'd let anyone ship us!" Kanji snapped.WG smirked. "I do.""WHAT?!" The baseball player and rebel both shouted.WG flipped over Kamoshida’s shoulders, as Junpei and Kanji chased her, all of them circling around the medalist until she ducked under him and shot off; the baseball player and rebel kept running until they noticed she eluded them, then shot off after her across the yard. "Hey! Hold up! I don't really look that much like them, do I?!" Ryuji called, running after them.Swaine slithered back over with the kids, watching as the chase went on. "*sigh* Alright. What happened now?" the thief asked in a deadpanned tone."Nothing. Now c'mon girls, let's go inside... While we're in there, I'm going to see if anyone knows a good hairstylist." Kamoshida replied, taking Andre off the naga's shoulders while his daughters followed him inside. The thief slithered off, deciding to catch up to the pursuit.…Khunbish looked over his shoulder. “WG? Can I come out of the corner, now?” he called.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Junpei, Kanji, and Ryuji had to cease chasing WG after Mitsuru stepped out and reminded them they had rehearsals to get back to. Swaine stated they would take Khunbish back to the Cat’s Cradle, and the boys could stop by and visit whenever they felt like; WG reminded Ryuji to call her in case his father showed his face again. Mei and Sayori waved goodbye to them while thanking Swaine for the ride, as Kamoshida took his children home. “Are you feeling okay?” Swaine asked Khunbish as the two slithered across the sands back to Al-Mamoon. “No disturbed senses or anything?”“No… everything feels at-ease now,” Khunbish answered, the pirate crossing his arms as he stared at the ground. “Still, ye can be sure if something happens over there again, I’ll be shooting there quicker than a Monument at full charge,”“Well, it’s almost noon. You guys hungry yet, or will it take another day?” WG asked.“I’s had a big meal last night, so I’m good,”Swaine looked at him. “Didn’t you eat more room service the other night?”“Aye… but I forgot we can’t have sweets, ‘n’ threw most of it up.”“Well, I’m still not very hungry. WG, if you want to grab a bite to eat, go ahead. Khunbish ‘n’ I may hang around the city, see if the others will swing by.”“Okay, I’ll probably go back to the room afterward,” WG replied, opening a portal.“You’re staying here with us??” Khunbish asked in glee.“Yeah--- hope you don’t mind, but I put my stuff in your room.”The pirate let out an excited gasp… before passing out in the sand, hearts bubbling over his head.“Couldn’t you have waited until we went upstairs to tell him that?” Swaine commented.“Not gonna lie, I figured he’d explode.” WG answered.0o0o0o0o0o0o0After taking Khunbish up to the room, WG went home to get some lunch--- Swaine having informed her of the leftovers from the smorgasbord ATF had brought him--- the naga-thief went back outside, deciding to hang out in front of the inn. He sat in the shade, the hot desert air enough to warm his scales.Benefits… Benefits… he thought. He only needed one more, surely he could come up with something! Even something trivial could work--- the scales were his favorite color (though he still shuddered at the sight of them), it gave him plenty of privacy (though the loneliness of the night got to him), and there was no doubt that this curse, in some way, was definitely… hard for him to deal with no matter how much he tried to kid himself.Swaine sighed, deciding to slither out to the oasis for a bit.…
“There’s one of ‘em… what do you make of it?”
“Ugh, more hideous than you described. But how much is a naga worth?”
“As rare as the species is, no doubt a large amount. The question is, do we kill it or bring it in alive?”
“That would be up to our financier…”
“Shit! Act casual!”
...Swaine slithered over to where he heard the voices; however, the streets were crowded today. Having enough experience, he looked at everyone, trying to pinpoint whoever looked suspicious… which was difficult, as quite a few people avoided eye contact with him or smiled before quickly walking away. Damn, if he were still human, people wouldn’t look so awkward around him. Wasn’t it just yesterday they were starting to treat him decently?Keeping his senses sharp, he turned down the street and went back to the Cat’s Cradle.Suddenly, going to the oasis didn’t sound so relaxing.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
“Damn, that was close… they must have sharp senses,”
“In that case, if we’re going to do this job, we’ll have to take a more subtle approach.”
“Right. Before we start the hunt, we’ll have to find out how one subdues a snake…”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*Leafbook*
-Swaine-
[Not to cause alarm… but I overheard some talk in the streets today--- apparently someone put a bounty on me and #Khunbish. Couldn’t scope out the bastards, though. I want everyone to keep their eyes and ears open for anyone who may want our scaly hides.]
-Tani-
[WHAT?! Corr, what kind of thick-skulled creep tries to hunt another human being?!]
-Unknown Commenter-
[Er, well, they ARE half-snake… still, that doesn’t excuse it.]
-Mad4Monsterz-
[There’s a ton of docile creatures out there! And nagai are a rare sight to see! Whoever’s trying to hunt them down should get it between the eyes!]
-Oliver-
[Don’t worry, Swaine! We’ll have your back!]
-Ryuji-
[Effin seriously?! Looks like we’ll need our detectives to figure out who put said it’s opening day for Naga Season!]
-Goro-
[Ryuji that joke was terrible… but I agree. We should investigate this matter.]
-Swaine-
[Thanks, guys. You know where I’ll be.]
-@nt1-Tw1L1ght 4-3v3r-
[Oh, you fixed my sister’s heater, I take it? XD]
-Wherever_Girl-
[Shaddap n keep an eye out for those @#$%& bro T_T]
…Zane looked at the Leafbook posts on his tablet.Currently he was returning home after having had to track down Thomas Edison, who hijacked his TARDIS for ‘research purposes’, ending up on the planet Ood, and after having to stop for a ‘system update’ (upon making it to where the mechanism had decent WiFi) went to see Hamilton. Apparently, a lot of Time Lords went to see the musical as he saw the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Doctor attending--- giving each other a wave, they sat down, questioned nothing, and enjoyed the show.Now at last he was returning home, deciding to check out his Leafbook posts to see what was new… and felt some concern for the two cursed characters.He hardly knew Khunbish, and he and Swaine weren’t on good terms very often… but if there was one thing that made his blood boil was the fact some assholes were willing to hunt someone just for being different. Sure, he could go back in time and prevent the curse… but if there’s one thing he learned was doing so always led to consequences (often in the form of giant winged creatures spawned from the paradox).It was best to go check on the scene, and his girlfriend would know more about the situation than he did.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was no surprise that WG refused to leave Swaine nor Khunbish’s side after the thief posted the news. If none of the companions of either nagas were accompanying them, the authoress surely was. In the world of Persona 5, Akechi and Makoto were both going through suspects--- however both had doubts that Ryuji’s attackers from the other day were the financiers as not only was it unknown if they even visited Ni no Kuni, but also impossible for the two lewd men to contact hitmen AND figure out the exact location where the nagas would be.“Clearly, whoever hired your poachers had known about the curse for quite a while,” Akechi had told Swaine, sitting with him and Marcassin--- the young sage having come over immediately after hearing about the news. The detective looked at the emperor. "Was there anyone in the vicinity when the transformation happened?""Gascon transformed in the Porcine Palace; only our doctor, a few grunts, Wherever Girl and I saw it happen." Marcassin answered, rubbing his chin. "And none of our guards would have a reason to turn on Swaine... unless they have been corrupted by some means. Yet they would not know where he would be; I have kept my brother's location ambiguous for the sake of his privacy.""Khunbish transformed in the middle of Evermore, so he ended up having an audience of witnesses." Swaine told the young detective, while looking over some blueprints. "I don't exactly know everyone there, but I doubt they would be low enough to try to sell one of the generals in the kingdom's army.""I will ask him about it later this afternoon. What about after you came to Al-Mamoon? You have been going out in public more often since then, I heard." Akechi prodded."I got weird looks from everyone, so it's hard to pinpoint... Oh, wait, there was this woman from the other day." The naga folded his blueprints, thinking for a moment. "She had tan skin and long brown hair, was a little on the hefty side... and had one hell of an obnoxious voice. She considered me to be a danger and was demanding I be removed. Maybe she decided to hire someone,""I will have Rashaad look into it, he knows many citizens here." Marcassin assured.Akechi looked at his watch. "I will continue the investigation back in my world as well; for the time being, I should get back. Classes start in an hour,""Thank you again for coming over so early," The sage shook his hand as he prepared to leave. "I hope it will not be an inconvenience,"The detective chuckled. "When it comes to investigations like this, there is no such thing as rising too early nor staying up too late. I will speak with Makoto, and we will return after classes. Rehearsals are put on hold until further notice-- Caroline and Justine got sick with a sore throat, and my dad insisted we take a break until they're better so no one else gets sick.""He must have worked hard to persuade the producer, after the delays you had already." Swaine commented, going back to his blueprints before taking out some parts for a gun."Actually, he IS the producer," With a proud grin, Akechi left.Marcassin walked over to his brother. "Speaking of parents, I contacted our father and told him about the situation."Swaine paused, but cleared his throat and continued to work on his project. "I see. What did the ol' man have to say?" he asked, his tone casual."Well, he insisted you use your newfound senses to be more cautious, considering someone is trying to hunt you. He also said he would come by to see you as soon as possible, just to see the curse for himself."Probably thinks I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. The thief thought, though the idea that his father would be coming by made his stomach knot. "When he finds the time, is more like it." he murmured instead.Marcassin sighed, patting him on the back. "I truly think he's concerned, Gascon. In fact if we had told him right away, he would be staying at your side!""Alright, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt..." He finished the gun, putting it in a pack before slithering over to the mattress. "I'm going to lie down for a while. You go back to Hamelin, maybe listen around and make sure someone's not out to get me. I know some grunts are sore that I beat them in a game of poker,"The sage sighed, but decided not to prod. Swaine could sense he was mildly disappointed, but he could tell that for years--- his little brother wanted the thief and their father to work on closing a gap. It wasn't easy though; when the closest you ever came to making amends was hearing your father's dying words (whether it was for the sake of a story or not), the idea of having a heart-to-heart and 'bonding' felt like a foreign concept."I'll come back soon. Stay safe, Gascon." Marcassin told him."You too--- God knows what lengths those poachers will go to..." Saying out loud, his thoughts suddenly turned to Esther and Oliver."I will remain alert." With a nod of farewell, the young sage cast the 'Travel' spell and disappeared.Taking a breath, the older naga slithered over to the bed and coiled up, closing his eyes. Oliver and Esther are capable of handling themselves. They'll be alright. ...But what about Junpei, Kanji and Ryuji? Will they be alright? ...*sigh* Yes, of course. They've gotten out of tough scrapes before, and they have a gang of friends to back them up! Hell, if anyone needs help, WG will be opening a portal in a heartbeat... unless... she's in trouble too... Gaaaah! Why am I concerned about everyone all of a sudden?!He sat up, rubbing his face. It wasn't that he never worried about his friends... but when it was getting as far as him feeling anxious about a few teenage boys he seldom hung out with, he had to admit it was going too far! "Blimey, now I know how Khunbish feels..." Swaine muttered to himself. He looked at the door; down the hall, the pirate-naga was in his bedroom with WG.Swaine had convinced her that it would be a good idea if she spent time with the aviator and keep his mind off Ryuji; despite the threat of being captured alerted them, the archer was still intent on checking in on the track star! The thief would put money on the idea that he was trying to talk the the authoress into opening a portal back to the teen's house!We're just all high-strung because of all that's happened, that's all. The older naga told himself, closing his eyes. But he knew he wouldn't be able to ignore it. He wasn't the type of friend who would turn his back on a problem so easily...
“I… I just can’t stand it anymore,” WG whimpered, tears squeezing through her eyes. “Valentine’s day passed, and Zane never came home… he called, but… I just wanted him to be here.”
“And that’s why you wanted to jump out a window? Because of a long-distance relationship?” Swaine questioned, keeping his hand on her shoulder.
“It's just... I feel we're drifting apart. We used to always be close to each other, cuddling every night, watching movies, but a while after he became a Time Lord, he started going on more missions, and I can’t go with him… and… I barely get to see him.” She shook her head, looking ahead. “I… I’m going to break up with him!”
Swaine gave a jolt. “What?!”
“Well I can't take it anymore! If my boyfriend isn’t going to be around, then… then why bother keeping up the relationship?!”
The thief turned her to face him, both his hands on her shoulders as he gave her a sharp look. “Listen to me, Luna. I don’t care how hysterical you are, don’t make a bad decision out of depression! Don’t you think he misses you just as much?! I’ve seen Doctor Who plenty of times to know that being a Time Lord is not an easy job, and it takes a LOT of commitment to just be a companion to one! And he still calls you, what, every other night--- unless he’s on a crucial mission! …Are you worried he’s cheating on you?”
“No, of course not! Zane wouldn’t do that...” She sighed. “But at the same time, I don't even feel like I'm anything more than another friend..."
“Then you need to talk to him about how you’re feeling. Don’t act on emotional impulse--- that includes jumping out windows!”
WG nodded. “You’re right… a-and don’t worry, jumping out windows doesn’t really hurt me--- cartoon logic and all, y'know. I-I needed to do something to get my mind off being alone.” Tears began to leak out, and she could not stop them. “I’m sorry… anxiety has been a real bitch lately..."
Swaine looked at her; he had never seen her break down in tears before. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tight, letting her sob into his shirt. “Don’t apologize… but where did all this anxiety come from?”
And so began a long talk...
"So much for taking a nap." Swaine muttered to himself, getting off the bed and going over to the table; there were still a few more blueprints he could go over. Bracken had sent him plenty of guns to work on...Hopefully enough to keep him distracted from his own anxious thoughts.0o0o0o0o0o0o0Down the hall, the authoress was hanging out with the sky-pirate. She was a bit restless, he could sense, but could not blame her--- she was worried about him and Swaine, and he was worried about Ryuji... yet they were both trying to keep one another calm. Khunbish had spent the last half hour assuring WG there was nothing to worry about, and vice-versa."Did I's ever tell ye about me habit of getting struck by lightning?" Khunbish told her while they sat on the bed, the archer eating a few sandwiches while she rested in his coils, drawing in her sketchbook."Seriously?" She chuckled, looking at him curiously. "How is that possible?"He shrugged. "Eh, started when I tried flying me sky-skimmer during a thunderstorm and got hit; but I's came out fine... couldn't touch anyone without causing 'em a shock fer a week, but other than that I was fine." He ate another sandwich. "Then me and Chingis were gathering firewood, walking along the cliffs back to the base as some clouds were rolling in, then, ZAP! Next thing ye know, I'm standing there singed while holding a stack o' torches! Chingis was carrying me back in a sprint, hollering fer a bucket of water!" He scratched his head. "...I think the most peculiar case was when I was taking a walk 'n' got struck by a bolt--- but there wasn't a cloud in th' sky! Figured it was th' work of some Zapwing at first, I did, but couldn't see any sign of th' feathered fiends.""it's kind of ironic that you and Ryuji have gotten close-- his Persona has the 'Zio' skill and can shoot lightning!" She leaned against his scales, resting against her elbow. "...So, any clue why you're so attached to him, yet?"He thought for a moment, but shook his head. "I can't say, lass. After that night he stayed over, sensin' he was upset, I just started seeing him differently; can't say whether it's because of this curse or not, but until I'm sure I's can't stop feeling concern. …Any news about his dad?”“None. The police believe he might be staying out of town for a while. It wouldn’t surprise me if he saw you on the news and decided not to come back and risk getting injected with venom,”He arched an eyebrow. “What makes ye think I has venom?!”“I dunno. I never saw you bite anyone in battle. Hey, maybe we can go back to the desert and test it out! Tani mentioned you grew fangs,”Khunbish rubbed the back of his neck. “I dunno… I’m not exactly in the mood fer a rumble, these days.” He went back to eating the sandwiches finishing off the last five.“Is it because of the hunters? Because you know we all got your back,”“Heh, it ain’t that. I welcome a challenge as much as the next guy,” He looked out the window at the bright blue sky. “I’m just starting to miss certain things, I guess. Aye, turning into a naga be a frightening experience, but I held strong ‘n’ found it wasn’t so bad… but there be things it prevents me from doing that I love to do. I haven’t seen any o’ my mates from home fer a few days, can’t hit the local tavern, ‘n’ its been a week since I took to th’ skies in me skimmer.”In his eyes there was a look of longing; he did love flying around in his sky-skimmer, the authoress knew--- he had taken her for a ride once, and there was a look of pure exhilaration on his face as they soared through clouds, a breeze in his face and the only thing that could keep up with him were the stars in the sky. He had looked back at her, and she could see how happy he was to be sharing his passion with someone and finding they were enjoying it too. But ever since the curse took place, he was stuck on the ground.“Hey,” WG spoke, scooting closer and rubbing his back. “Once you break this curse, you’ll be up in the air again. I can even get my solar-surfer and we can have a race. Sound good?”He smiled at her. “Aye, it sounds good.”She smiled, then went back to her sketchbook; he could tell she was still a bit anxious herself...In fact, he was starting to notice there was a lot of unease she was keeping inside, now that it was just the two of them. He leaned down beside her, watching her draw for a moment; it was a picture of a werewolf with a single fang and a short muscular kid with black hair-- oh yeah, those characters from that TV show she liked so much. But from the way she was sketching, he noticed her hand was tense, each pencil-line being pressed a bit hard, as if she were trying to keep her focus on her drawing, her eyes glued to the page as if she were in a trance...This had him pondering, before looking at the authoress. "Oi, WG, I's just thought of something. Think I could try something with ya?" Khunbish asked her."As long as it's something that wouldn't cause my boyfriend to kill you, sure." she answered, looking up from her drawing. "What do you need me to do?""Just sit there, 'n' keep yer eyes on mine," With that, he stared at her.She blinked. "...Are you trying to hypnotize me, or is there something on my face?""Just let me try.""Alright... but don't make me do anything embarrassing, okay? It would be hard to tell everyone why my machete ended up in your cloaca."Khunbish arched an eyebrow. "What would that be, and how do you know what it is?""Don't ask and I read a book.""L-Look, I promise ye I won't do anything despicable. I just want to see if I can put someone in a trance,"She sighed. "Alright. I trust you,"He could sense otherwise, but he would prove that she had nothing to worry about. He kept his eyes on hers, focusing a bit. "Why don't we talk fer a moment? Maybe face-to-face conversation will help,""What should we talk about?"He thought. "Well... How about those kids back in Persona Q? The ones who called ye 'Big Sis'? How did that get started?""Uh, let me think... It was a while after I met the Phantom Thieves; we were hanging out, and Kamoshida came by, asking if someone could watch his kids while he worked one weekend.""Worked? I figured a character from that franchise wouldn't have to lift a finger,""He didn't want to depend on his career as a villain, so he took a job as a physical therapist; but his last babysitter quit. The others normally help him out, but they were too busy because they were still doing rehearsals for The Animation. Ryuji told him that I was good with kids and volunteered my services; he seemed desperate, so I couldn't bring myself to say no... He told me everything I needed to know, and I was worried the girls wouldn't like me--- but they heard about how I open portals and shoot lasers out of my eyes, and thought I was pretty cool. Mei and Sayori reminded me a bit of my nieces and Andre was a little like my nephew, so we didn't really have any problems.""Do you watch them a lot?""Every so often... Kamoshida was surprised that he found a babysitter his daughters didn't harass! We got along so well that they took to calling me 'Big Sis'... heh, I kind of felt like Yu Narukami after that..." her voice trailed off, as she noticed Khunbish's eyes were starting to change color. "Hey... your eyes...""Yes?" Khunbish shifted a little to the side, and she followed his gaze."They're... so pretty..."The pirate-naga continued to stare into her eyes, and he noticed they began to shift in color, mirroring his own. What do you know? It works! he thought. He sensed her relaxing immediately, her muscles slack. "Lay down, lass. At ease," he spoke to her softly, and she sunk down in his coils; he rubbed her head, making sure she was comfortable. "How do you feel?""I... feel... I don't know... I can't..." She shut her eyes just then and shook her head, sitting up and gasping, hyperventilating.Khunbish sat up quick, moving his coils away from her and giving her space. "Wherever Lass! What's wrong? ...Breathe now, breathe," He rubbed her back, sensing her anxiety had spiked.She slowed down her breaths, closing her eyes and rubbing her face. "Sorry, I'm sorry! I-I freaked out... going into a trance just... I felt like I wasn't in control and..." she was stammering.The pirate-naga frowned, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, lass. I was just having ye lay down 'n' relax a bit. Ye'd be pretty tense... I didn't mean to make it worse,""It's okay... I'm okay." She let out a heavy breath; looking at the archer, she rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "But, hey, at least we know you have another ability! That could be a benefit!""Heh, well, it's a nice trick, but it needs work." He opened up his arms, and she hugged him, feeling him rubbing her back. "Sorry fer startling ya; I'll make it up to ye, maybe help ye babysit. The kids seemed to really enjoy riding on a naga's tail! ...wonder if one of those girls ain't Tani's soulmate..."“Thanks, but there’s a chance you’ll have your curse broken by then,” WG replied with a shrug, sitting down. “You've already helped me out by letting me share a room until my heater issue is resolved--- or spring gets here. Thankfully the hotels here are cheaper to live in--- and if I run short on guilders, you can help me fight monsters and earn more! ...Trust me, it would be easier than babysitting."“Oi, it ain't that much o' a challenge fer me! I’m great with kids--- had to watch Mistress Tani when she was small ‘n’ rowdy, ‘n’ the lot of us at the base would take turns keeping an eye on the kids--- I’s always took ‘em on rides in my sky-skimmer, or let ‘em ride on my shoulders when exploring the canyon. Kids at th’ Sky Pirate Base are wild ones, I tell ye… why two of them snuck away ‘n’ stayed in Hydropolis, not going back home ‘til King Evan beat one of them in a race!”WG chuckled. “I bet everyone at the base have wild stories about your childhood, as wild as you act.”His grin slipped a bit and he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. “Heh, nah… I actually didn’t join the base ‘til I’s was a young teen, ‘bout as old as Evan.”“Really? I figured you were born and raised there,”Khunbish sighed lightly, speaking softly under his breath. “…I wish I was,”The authoress cocked her head. “Huh?”“Oh, it be nothing.” He stretched a bit, feigning a yawn. “Thanks fer th' sandwiches and helping me experiment, angel. Why don't ye go check up on Swaine, now? I'm gonna lay down fer a nap," He gave a smirk. “Ye can cuddle with me when ye get back,"WG rolled her eyes but smiled. “Don’t tempt me, Khun-bae-- keep in mind, I'm spoken for."The pirate laughed, though beyond their jest they were serious; as much as he adored the woman's company, he wouldn't let his feelings go too far, let alone ruin her current relationship. At the mention of such, however, he sensed a bit of melancholy from her--- but she walked out of the room before he could read her emotions further. I hope everything is alright... he thought. The idea that a friend was having trouble in their love-life irked him... he ended up thinking about Grace; they were in a long-distant relationship as well-- granted they weren't officially courting, but after sensing that the authoress had solemn feelings regarding her boyfriend... maybe it was best if it stayed that way. As much as he fancied the idea of a lady's company, he was unsure of commitment...
Especially if someone who's supposed to love you just ends up breaking your heart...
*Knock Knock Knock Knock*Khunbish was broken out of his thoughts, slithering over to the door; there was a grimalkin with a basked containing a small loaf of bread, a small cheese circle, a large beef-stick, and a bottle of whiskey. “This was left for you, sir.” The grimalkin stated.The pirate arched an eyebrow, taking note of the card inside:
“Somethin’ for yer troubles, mate. Hope ye break the curse soon!
Signed, yer mates from Cloudcoil Canyon.”
“Oh, thank you.” Khunbish told the grimalkin, who only gave a bow before walking away.Still a bit hungry, he ate the bread, meat and cheese. He looked at the bottle of whiskey…The archer paused. WG had mentioned nagas couldn’t have alcohol…Ah well, maybe it’s the same as sugar--- one little swig couldn’t hurt. Khunbish thought, taking off the cap and having one, two, three, four gulps of the whiskey.The room then began to spin; he called out for help but his words were slurred, then his vision grew hazy, everything suddenly having a green tint to it…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
*Knock knock knock*“Swaine? Are you awake?”The thief looked up from his work. Stretching a bit, he slithered over to the door, opening it to find WG standing there. “Is there a problem?” he asked. “No, I was just checking on you. Khunbish decided to take a nap so I thought I’d come by,” WG answered. By the look on her face, he could tell something had happened--- she just seemed a bit shaken. “I’m fine… but what about you? You look like you've seen a ghost," "Um, yeah... Well, let's just say Khunbish discovered a new trick. He learned how to put me in a trance,"She expected the thief to crack a joke, maybe laugh and ask for details, so she was surprised when he tensed. "He what?!" He rested his hands on her shoulders. "What did he make you do?!""Nothing, nothing! In fact, I snapped out of it out of panic after a few seconds, and he felt terrible." She noticed his eyes were glowing, and she held his hand. "I'm okay, Swaine. Really. Khunbish wouldn't do anything to hurt me, you know that." She grinned. "I threatened to shove my machete somewhere unpleasant if he did,"He sighed, but wasn't convinced. "Then why do you look so unnerved?""It's just... kind of scary in my opinion. I saw colors, then my mind just felt hazy, and I didn't feel in control of my actions, almost like I was being mind-controlled!" She rubbed her arm. "Even though I trust Khunbish, the idea of being under someone else's control just freaked me out. I-I guess I'm a little startled about it, still." She looked at him. "But it'll pass. ...Thankfully I never make eye-contact when I talk to people!"He crossed his arms. "I'm still going to have a talk with him about this,""Yeah, well, in the meantime, do you need me to grab you something or open a portal to anywhere?""Nah... I might just lay down for a while. Oh," He grabbed his pack off the table. "But you can take this to Bracken in Evermore; I've been working on a few guns she sent me, and finished up the last one.""Okay--- I'll be back right after,"He chuckled. "You don't have to fret about us, WG. Take a break, we'll be alright."She nodded, but he could still sense her uncertainty. "Whatever you say, Swaine. Just be careful." With that, she walked through a portal.He looked through it. "That's Italy!" he called."Dammit--!" he heard her cuss before the portal shut.The thief shook his head. Poachers, abusive fathers, and a girl with high anxiety... We're going to need therapy after this. He thought, before coiling up on the bed and lying down, drifting off.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Bracken was busy helping with some blueprints to install a decent heating system in the kingdom, but Trey assured WG that he could bring her the case once she was done.The authoress could not return to Al-Mamoon just yet, however, for the moment she was recognized a few sky pirates ran up to her. The only ones she could clearly recognize were Gerel and Chingis, the latter who frantically pushed his way past the others to speak with her. “Wherever Lass! How be Khunbish? We hasn’t heard from him in days, outside o’ reports from Mistress Tani ‘n’ the others!” the swordsman asked, his tone sounding as if his friend were going through surgery!“Aye, heard talk of some scoundrel out to poach his hide, too. Any word on that?” Gerel questioned next, crossing her arms.“Nothing yet, but we’ve been keeping an eye out. Khunbish is doing alright alongside Swaine; they were both setting down for naps when I left,” WG answered.“Cor, how ye like that? We’d be worried sick, ‘n’ our best aviator’s having himself a snooze! Why if I weren’t so racked up with nerves, I’d kick his arse fer lazing about while there’s a trapper on his tail!” Chingis scoffed.“Aye, Khunbish has always been a live-wire; normally it takes a few pints to get him to dose off,” one of the other pirates joked. “To hear him takin’ naps in the middle o’ the afternoon is like hearing the Wyverns pleading fer peace!”“Oi, it’s supposed to be warm tomorrow, miss. Could our boy come back fer the day ‘n’ share time at th’ Good Fellows’?” another pirate asked, thumbing over at the local tavern.“Sorry, guys, but until his curse is broken, he can’t drink alcohol. From what I read, nagai can’t booze, otherwise it messes with their senses--- too much, and they could die.” WG informed them.“Har har, couldn’t be that different from how he normally is! After a few pints, he gets violent ‘n’ thinks he can lick any man in the bar! Then after a few more, he’d be tellin’ his worst enemy they’re his best buddy! He may be a scrawny lad, but he can hold his liquor like a tank!” said another pirate, the group of them laughing.“Uh oh,” Chingis gasped.“Uh oh? Why did you say ‘uh oh’?! Never say ‘uh oh’, because ‘uh-oh’ always means bad!” WG questioned the masculine pirate.“Er, ah well… n-now don’t be sore, Wherever Lass! But… well, see a few o’ our mates from Cloudcoil Canyon heard about Khunbish’s condition, a-and decided to put together a gift basket--- see, Muriel gave the idea, saying folks always sent care-packages like that to ailing friends ‘n’ the like… and see, they all know how he likes to drink, and just sent one out for delivery just this morning, and it might… have… just a tiny bit of whiskey?”WG gave a stare of disbelief, before facepalming. “Urgh… *sigh* It’s okay, it’s okay! He was going to sleep when I left. If I get back now, I can intercept the package and remove the alcohol.”“Oi, mind if I’s go with ya, lass? I want to see how Khunbish is doing, meself.”“Sure, no problem.”“Oi! Not so fast, Chingis--- we’re having a mock-skirmish with a few units from Broadleaf, remember? An’ ye volunteered yer unit to join in!” One of the pirates reminded him.“Agh, blast… I don’t suppose Bai Gon could fill in?” Chingis asked.“At th’ last minute?! The ol’ dog would slice th’ beard clean off yer face if he heard that!” another pirate snapped.“I can come back when it’s over. It would be better to visit your friend when he’s awake, right Chingis?” WG assured.“Aye, I suppose. Oi! I’ll drop ye a message on Leafbook, how’s that?” Chingis asked.“That works. In the meantime, I’m going to hang around Al-Mamoon, see if I can pick up on any talk,”“We’re much obliged you’re helping take care o’ Khunbish, Wherever Lass. I can see why he takes such a shine to ya!” Gerel beamed.“Hark! Are those weddin’ bells I hear?” One of the pirates joked.“Alright, ye lot, shove off--- we’ve got a skirmish to prepare for!” Chingis ordered, walking off with them.“See ya later!” WG called, opening a portal to head back herself.“Ye make sure he stays out of trouble, alright lass?” Gerel told her. “Curse or not, he has ways of getting himself into a tangle,”WG shrugged. “As long as the tangle isn’t in his tail, I think he’ll be okay,”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0“We will resume rehearsals on Monday--- we can’t risk anyone else getting sick. Please dress warm and mind your health,” Nagi had announced the other day, and since then Ryuji, Junpei, and Kanji had been making plans to go visit their naga-friends in the afternoons.Ryuji was currently walking with Akira down the block after school. “Hey, I’m going with Junpei-san and Kanji-kun to see Bishie. Wanna come with?” the track star asked his leader.“Sorry, I’m helping out at Leblanc this week. We can hang out later,” Akira answered automatically, before turning the corner. "See you on Monday,"Ryuji’s shoulders slumped. Sojiro-san never has him work during rehearsal weeks… what’s his deal?! He wondered.Ann patted him on the back, as if reading his mind. “Don’t worry about it. He’s been blowing everyone off lately--- we think it’s the stress from rehearsals AND the fact we’re having a remake,” she assured him.“I would like to come with,” Yusuke requested, rubbing his chin. “I have tried to recapture Khunbish’s unique design on paper, but I am struggling with the structure of his tail. Perhaps if I saw how it coils, curves, and how it glides behind him, I would be able to commit it to memory better.”“Naoto-san and I will be coming as well,” Akechi spoke up. “We plan on interviewing a few locals in Al-Mamoon and try to pin-point a suspect; Makoto-senpai is speaking with Sae about keeping up-to-date on your father’s whereabouts in the meantime.”“We’re all keeping an eye out for him,” Haru added. “If he so much as sets a foot within the city limits, we’ll be at your house in a heartbeat!”“And I’m scanning Leafbook for any posts about anyone who would be interested in hunting a naga. …So far I’ve narrowed it down to 1,300 profiles. Turns out a LOT of people have an unhealthy interest in monster-boys,” Futaba spoke up.“Needless to say, you have all our support.” Morgana added, the ‘cat’ having stayed behind with the group this time.Not all of it… Ryuji thought, thinking back to Akira. Still, he smiled at the rest of his co-stars. “Thanks… Heh, you know Morgana-san, you would make a great guard-cat.” He quipped.“HUMAN! I am a human! H-U-M-A-N!”“Okay, who riled up the furball?” Junpei asked as he and Kanji walked over. Naoto and Minako were walking with them.“I was just kidding. Still, thanks guys.” Ryuji told his co-stars, before turning to his predecessors. “You guys ready?”“Yeah. Hope ya don’t mind, but Minako-kun wants to tag along,” Kanji replied.“I’m a big fan of Ni no Kuni… plus, meeting a naga was pretty exciting.” Minako replied with an excited smile. “It must be so awesome--- being that long and having super-senses!”“H-Hey! What about me??” Teddie exclaimed, rushing over in a heartbeat. “Bears have great senses too!”“Not as much as c--- I mean, my senses are twice as sharp!” Morgana retorted."...what the heck are you doing in our universe?" Akechi questioned, arching an eyebrow at Teddie.“Anyone else want to come with?” Ryuji asked them.“Ah, maybe not too many people. Swaine’ll get pissed if we turn him into a sideshow.” Junpei advised.“Quite right. Akechi-san and I are just attending for investigation purposes,” Naoto confirmed.“They probably wouldn’t feel comfortable with so many unfamiliar visitors, anyway. We don’t even have them added on social media!” Ann replied in consideration. “Maybe once their curse is broken, we can get to know them better.”“Okay, so today it’ll just be me, Junpei, Kanji, Minako, Akechi, Naoto, and Yusuke-kun.” Ryuji suggested. “Tomorrow… we can draw straws.”“Just don’t be gone too long. Remember, some of you have curfew,” Makoto reminded.Ryuji nodded, and together they entered the gateway, heading to Ni no Kuni and arriving out back of Al-Mamoon. The track star, baseball player, and rebel had all changed into summer-clothes ahead of time due to the heat of the desert; their friends were immediately flustered by the hot weather. “Whew! If I knew it was going to be this hot, I would have brought a 50 oz water bottle!” Minako panted.Opening up their equipment menus, she and Yusuke changed into their summer clothes, which appeared on them in a flash. Quite handy when you’re a videogame character, as it saves a lot of time changing outfits.“Oh my… look at this oasis!” Yusuke breathed, looking at the sight. Immediately, he whipped out a sketchbook. “It fuels my muse greatly!”“(Huh, boy, we brought an artist to a Ghibli-styled world-- should’ve known this was going to happen),” Ryuji whispered.“I thought he wanted to draw nagas?” Akechi questioned.“You know how Yusuke-san gets--- once something captures his creative interest, it’s hard to pry him away from it.” Junpei answered.“Well, we can’t wait for him to express that creativity. We have questions to ask and answers to gain,”“I’ll stick around with him if you guys want to go see your friends,” Minako offered. “We can meet you guys at the Cat’s Cradle afterward,”“Sounds good. We’ll go up and see how they’re doing while you guys do your thing,” Kanji answered.“Hm? I assumed you would be joining our investigation, Kanji-kun.” Naoto stated, giving him a curious look.The rebel blushed a little. “Y-Yeah, but we’ve been hanging around them most. Those bastards after them would probably recognize us and get suspicious.”“That’s true. It’s like that side-quest we rehearsed two days ago, where---““Ryuji! Remember that we’re under contract not to leak spoilers until the game has been released for a full year!” Akechi firmly interrupted.The track star rubbed the back of his neck, giving a sheepish grin. “Whoops, sorry.”“Alright, then Akechi-san and I will enter the city ten minutes after you do. That way, no one will assume we are together,” Naoto replied.“Um, maybe it won’t be that simple, Naoto-san. People dress much differently in this world--- trust me, I’ve played the first game three times. The locals tend to notice unusual attire quite fast.” Minako informed. “Now, if we went to the sequel part of the universe, we would have a better chance of blending in.”“Why don’t we just say we come from that way, then?” Akechi suggested. “We can make it a ruse about being NPC’s coming from a certain area of that world---““Broadleaf,” Junpei advised.“---Broadleaf then, and say we have heard stories about nagas being seen in Al-Mamoon, and wishing to hear the tale from the locals.”“That would work better than appealing to the city’s dress code; if the story has spread throughout Al-Mamoon, people would get suspicious if two locals had not heard about it, much less would not deem us as familiar citizens.” Naoto agreed.“Alright, then let us go in ahead of you. You can meet up with us at the Cat’s Cradle once you’re done,” Junpei replied. “Oh! But don’t question Rashaad or Esther,” he pulled up their character biographies on his phone, showing the images to the two detectives. “They’re friends of Swaine’s,”“Very well. Thank you for informing us,”“We shall meet with you this evening.” Akechi said with a nod.Everyone paused and turned to Yusuke, who had been sitting silently in the sand, focusing on recreating the oasis on his sketchpad. “Um… Yusuke-kun?” Kanji spoke, trying to get his attention.“One moment.” The artist responded, though did not seem to acknowledge them.“Minako… make sure he doesn’t get heat-stroke, alright?” Ryuji sighed, rubbing his face. The female protagonist replied with a salute.………Junpei, Ryuji, and Kanji walked up to the top floor. From the snores they heard from Swaine’s door, it was easy to guess the thief was still asleep. “Bishie it is, then.” The track star remarked as they walked down the hall to Khunbish’s room.The door was unlocked and they entered; the room was cast in a dim light from the late afternoon sun, the curtains drawn shut. The room was much too quiet. “Khunbish…? Are you home?” Junpei called.“He’s probably with WG or something,” Kanji guessed.“Heh, go figure. I’m out of the picture, and he makes a move---“ Ryuji began to joke.He was cut off when Khunbish lunged from around the corner and pinned him to the wall!
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Whoa! Khunbish! Calm down, it’s us!” Junpei cried, trying to pull the pirate away from Ryuji. But in response Khunbish turned and shoved him back, letting out a hiss. His irises were glowing, but had a red tint about the whites.“Hey!” Kanji shouted, running and tackling the pirate at the waist, but just when they hit the ground his tail grabbed the rebel by the ankles and threw him off, making him land on the bed. “Oof!”“Eeeeasy, Khun-kun… Caaalm down…” Ryuji tried to coax when the archer turned back towards him--- with his long tail, he reached back and locked the door so his ‘prey’ could not escape! The track star held still, recalling that it was best not to move when confronted by an agitated snake; he looked over at the others out of the corner of his eye. “Jun-kun! Kan-chan! Any ideas?!”Kanji looked over; by the bed were the naga books WG had borrowed. “Hold on!” Quickly, he grabbed one and scanned the index, flipping to a certain page and speed-reading. “I-It says that music helps calm down nagas!”Junpei took out his phone, quickly scrolling through his Youtube playlist. “What kind of song?”“It doesn’t matter! Just play anything so he doesn’t kill me!” Ryuji hissed as Khunbish was easing closer with a killer look in his eye.The baseball player quickly hit a random song; rock music began to play--- at a very loud frequency! The sudden burst of noise caused Khunbish to whip around and shoot towards him, making his thumb hit a ‘related’ song (which, c’mon, the way algorithms work these days, have nothing to do with the videos you just looked up) and a karaoke version of OMD’s If You Leave began to play. The phone was smacked out of his hand and slid under a dresser out of reach.“Junpei---! Whoa!” Ryuji called, running to aid his friend only to trip over the naga’s tail when it whipped around. The naga turned back on him, and Kanji rushed over to Ryuji’s side, both of them bracing to fight the naga.“Do something, Iori!” Kanji hollered, as the naga prepared to lunge!Junpei’s mind raced; there was only one thing he could do…He began to sing.
“If you leave
Don’t leave now
Please don’t take my heart away
Promise me just one more night
Then we’ll go our separate ways…”
Khunbish turned towards him, slithering forth slowly; Junpei backed away at a steady pace, while nodding at Kanji and Ryuji to get to the other side of the room. The baseball player kept singing, having the pirate follow him away from the door.
“We always had time on our side
Now it’s fading fast
Every second, every moment
We’ve got to
We’ve got to make it last—“
Junpei gasped as he bumped into the wall, the naga coming close to him.Ryuji and Kanji quickly jumped in with the song, the track star quickly looking up the lyrics so they could follow along.
“I touch you once
I touch you twice
I won’t let go at any price
I need you now
Like I need you then
You always said we’d still be friends
Someday…”
Khunbish swayed towards them, his expression calm. “It’s working! Keep going!” Kanji whispered to his friends. Junpei gave a firm nod, sliding up to the naga and singing, Ryuji and Kanji backing him up.JUNPEI:
If you leave
I won’t cry
I won’t waste one single day!
RYUJI:
But if you leave--- don’t look back,
I’ll be running the other way
KANJI:
Seven years went under the bridge
Like time was standing still…
JUNPEI:
Heaven knows what happens now
You’ve got to…
You’ve got to say you will!
Khunbish followed each boy who took a verse, a loopy look on his face as the music from the phone mixed with their singing was starting to soothe him. At one point, he caught Kanji by the wrist, spinning him into a dance! Dammit, why do I always get stuck with the weird shit?! The rebel thought, but kept singing so not to cause the naga to snap into a frenzy again.
ALL:
I touch you once
I touch you twice
I won’t let go at any price
I need you now
Like I need you then
You always said
We’d meet again~”
0o0o0o0o0o0While the trio of ‘best boys’ were trying to tame a wild Khunbish, WG had arrived back in the city… wearing a “I Heart Bavaria” tourist T-shirt. “I have GOT to practice my portal-focus,” she groused, walking through the city.“WG!” came a call, as Minako and Yusuke came walking her way--- currently the art student was taking pictures of the sights, as the female-protagonist advised it would be less time-consuming than standing in one spot to draw each fascinating image.“Minako! Yusuke! Did you guys come here with the guys?”“And then some. Naoto-san and Akechi-kun are doing some…” Minako paused, looking around and whispering. “’Research’, to put it simply.”“Ah, gotcha.”“We are meeting them at the inn. Would you care to direct us there?” Yusuke asked.“Oh! I already know the way! C’mon!” Minako exclaimed, running ahead. WG and Yusuke ran after her.They entered the lobby, where Naoto and Akechi already stood. “Any luck, detectives?” WG asked them quietly.“We’ve just begun asking around the hotel; outside of a few staff and patrons, not many have seen the nagas until just recently.” Akechi explained.“And some of the patrons are locals of this world, and know Swaine quite well as a friend of Oliver’s, so it is plausible our culprit has not been at the hotel.” Naoto added. “WG, you’ve been with them more than we have; have they gone anywhere outside of Al-Mamoon?”“We took a trip out to the desert, but outside the wildlife we were the only ones out there. And Swaine came back to my place, but only Kanji saw him,” WG replied.“Wait… don’t the creatures in the sequel have sentience?” Minako questioned. “They could know something! Did you fight any? Maybe some are out for revenge so they hired those poachers!”WG thought back, the first thing that came to mind was how Swaine lost control and almost harmed a quiverine pup. “Maybe… We fought some quiverines, a manticore, and a bunch of whamsters. But would they really be able to hire someone to capture our nagas?”“Hey, I’ve played the game and fought them in skirmishes. Who knows what they’re capable of?”“It is a good theory… but we should keep looking into it." Akechi surmised. "Swaine transformed inside the Porcine Palace, and only Wherever Girl, a guard, doctor and Marcassin saw what happened.WG snapped her fingers. "Ryuji and Junpei were with Khunbish when he transformed in Evermore, maybe they saw someone!" “Swaine seemed to vouch for the citizens; unless there were some corrupt individuals visiting the kingdom, it is unlikely someone would hire the poachers... especially since they might have figured out it was a curse."Lets go ask Ryuji-san and Junpei-kun for details, regardless. There is a chance an enemy, even a petty rival, could have seen what happened and have been making plans in the start.” Naoto stated.The authoress rolled her eyes. “Of course--- an enemy of a pirate and a thief. That’ll really be simple to figure out,”“Let’s go upstairs and see if we can at least narrow down their lists,” Yusuke suggested.They reached the top floor, just in time for Swaine to come out. “Ah, Prince Gascon. We were just coming up to see you,” Akechi greeted formally.“I figured we would have to wake you up again,” WG stated.“I tried to sleep, but someone’s blaring music in one of the rooms--- and when you’ve got enhanced hearing, it really causes a headache.” Swaine scoffed, looking down the hall. “It’s coming from Khunbish’s room,”“Weird, he’s supposed to be asleep…” WG rubbed her chin, then gave a jolt, slapping her head. “Oh snap! I forgot, I need to tell the front desk not to send any alcohol up to the room! The sky pirates sent him a bottle of whiskey!”“We will pass the message along--- we planned on asking the purrprioter more questions anyway,” Naoto replied as she and Akechi went back downstairs.They went to Khunbish’s room, but the door was locked. “WG, do you have the key?” Yusuke asked.“Crap, I forgot it!” WG gasped.“Lucky for you lot, I’ve been picking locks since I was a teenager.” Swaine answered, and got to work.0o0o0o0o0o0o0While that bit of filler was going on, the singing trio were nearing the end of the song… at some point, Kanji and Ryuji became backup singers and were crooning in the back, Khunbish was swaying all around the room, and Junpei was using the tip of his tail like a microphone.
“I touch you once
I touch you twice
I won’t let go at any price
I need you now like I need you then
You always said we’d still be friends…!”
The pirate developed a relaxed look on his face; Ryuji and Kanji led him towards the bed, still crooning while Junpei wrapped up the song… though apparently was really into it as he was still moving to the rhythm.
“If you leave…
(oooh, ooooh~)
“Don’t look back…”
(oooh, oooh~)
“Don’t look back…”
Kanji and Ryuji had just managed to get Khunbish to lie down, the archer drifting to sleep… and when they looked over, the door had opened and Swaine, WG, and Minako peered in. Junpei’s back to them, he was finishing the number, though his friends went silent when they noticed they had company.“Don’t look baaaaaaaaack!” Junpei sang, going down on one knee while stretching out his arms. The song stopped, and he let out a breath, noticing Kanji and Ryuji pointing behind him. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the others, and he froze. "Guh!"WG and Swaine exchanged a look, before grinning at the teen. Minako looked back at Yusuke. “I will pay you to draw that,” she whispered.“How long have you guys been standing there…?” Junpei questioned, standing up and blushing.“The real question is… how much are you willing to pay to keep us quiet?” Swaine quipped with a smirk.Minako walked in, noticing the empty gift basket, and a spilled bottle of whiskey. She looked over at Khunbish, snoring on the bed; unconsciously, the naga shrunk down to his chibi form and curled up on Kanji’s lap, his tail coiling up the rebel’s arm (the teen blushed furiously, looking at Ryuji who gave a confused shrug).“I think he already got the gift-basket," The FemC stated, holding up the half-spilled bottle."Do you guys want to explain what was going on just now?" WG asked. "Khunbish went crazy! We came into the room to see him, and he just lunged at us like a wild animal!" Ryuji answered first.“And singing was the only way we could get him to calm down,” Junpei finished explaining. He had a look of disdain on his face, unnerved. "...So, he was just drunk?""In a way..." Picking up a book the authoress flipped through it. "I read somewhere that alcohol screws up their senses--- that's probably why he lashed out. Chances are, if he drank this whole bottle, it could have killed him…” “Idiot, he knew we can’t drink while we’re like this,” Swaine sneered. He looked at Junpei and Ryuji, both having a high level of disgust and disappointment. “Will he be alright? I mean, he’s asleep now, but he won’t be pissed off or anything when he wakes up, will he?” Ryuji asked, looking at Khunbish--- still chibi, and cradled in Kanji’s arm.WG looked at the book. “He might do some puking, and his senses will be null for a few hours, but he should be okay.” She answered. She held up the bottle of whiskey. “We should dispose of this, though…”“I’ll take it!” ATF exclaimed, popping halfway through a portal and grabbing the whiskey, before pulling back and closing the portal in a span of 3 seconds. WG let out a heavy sigh, face-palming.“Well, we can give him a scolding later. For now, Naoto-san and Akechi-kun want to ask you guys some questions and find out who was around when he transformed.” Minako stated.Ryuji and Junpei nodded, standing up and following Minako out the door. "Kanji, Yusuke, keep an eye on Khunbish; let us know if anything else happens." Swaine told the last two."No problem," Kanji answered, leaning back. He couldn’t move, as the chibi-naga was very relaxed in his arm, and did not want to risk disturbing his sleep (…that and he looked very cute, and it felt nice holding a tiny snek-person that was snuggled against him).The rebel looked over at Yusuke, giving a suspicious look as the artist was sitting in a chair with his sketchpad in hand. “…Are you drawing this?!” he demanded.“Hold still,” the art student answered, deep in concentration.The rebel sighed, rubbing his face but deciding to let it go for now. “…just give me a copy.”Somehow he felt this was karma getting back at him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“…And that’s all you can remember?” Naoto asked, after requesting Junpei and Ryuji gave her a list of every person they saw in Evermore the day Khunbish transformed."Pretty much. It's hard to concentrate on the crowd while the guy in front of you suddenly grows a snake-tail." Junpei replied.“A lot of people were talking in the streets wondering what happened, but more out of concern than disgust. I-I mean, Ni no Kuni is full of different kinds of creatures, and some of them act just like people!” Ryuji spoke up. “And Swaine’s pretty well-respected at home, so I doubt anyone there would have wanted to hunt him down.” “I would not be so sure, Junpei-san. Swaine is a prince, but also led life as a thief; there’s a chance he could have an enemy anywhere, even his own kingdom.” Naoto informed, writing on her notepad.“God forbid,” Swaine stated; he was sitting with WG and Minako, giving the detectives space for their questioning. “If anyone were after me, it was because I owed them money or something. But most of the people I stole from came from Castaway Cove or Al-Mamoon; the toughest characters I’ve tangled with were Khublai and his crew, but we’re all on good terms!”“Swaine, you said you overheard the suspects talking. Do you remember any distinguishing details in their conversation?" Akechi asked. “I specifically heard one of them ask, ‘is that one of them?’, and that it was up to their financier on whether they wanted us dead or alive.” "Sounds more like someone who just wants to add you to a collection," Minako theorized, tapping her chin. "But who would want to capture a civilized creature?"“With as many sick-minded people in the world, there could be one who wants a naga of his own; but the question remains on how they would pinpoint one in Ni no Kuni.” Akechi responded, pacing around. “So, we'll stick with finding out who spread the news, and why they would want someone to capture Swaine and Khunbish.” Junpei surmised.“That pretty much sums it up.” WG sighed, rubbing her head. There came a knock at the door. "Come in,"Yusuke came into the room, carrying his sketchbook. “Hey, there’s our art boy. What have you been up to?” Ryuji asked.“Working on a masterpiece--- of course, it shall be called that once I paint it. There is so much beauty in this world, I feel the need to recreate it in portrait-form!” Yusuke announced with zeal. “Ah, better wait until we’re ready to go, dude. …How are Kanji and Khunbish?”“Khunbish was still asleep, though he was starting to stir when I finished.”“Lets go check on them. Maybe Khunbish can give you more details,” WG told the detectives, and they made their way down the hall.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
It had been two weeks since Khunbish and Chingis went with Batu on a hunt. A pesky wyvern had jumped them in the canyon and made off to the south with a few goods they had gathered; according to the archer, who had spent too long a time amongst the wretched creatures to learn a thing or two, it was migrating to find its own territory. Thankfully one of their pirate mates, Maddie, had a real knack for figuring out what kind of climate this type of wyvern would be heading to.
It wasn’t so much for revenge as it was for the goods; in a month foul weather would be upon the base, with thunderstorms and high winds that would blow a Porc Chopper over the blessed cliffs, and they needed the supplies they had gathered (or pilfered, for better terms) in order to make it through the season.
They had traveled through the Heartlands clear to the forest of Niall, just in time to see the aforementioned wyvern duck into some woods. The Sky Snake led his two cohorts through a dense forest, where they had to split up in order to track down their foe. Batu was strong enough to brave a path on his own, but firmly told the swordsman and archer to stick together. They would meet up at the entrance of the forest at sundown.
Chingis and Khunbish found some bandits rather than the wyvern; just a group of four who had full packs… and blood on their hands. Without hesitation, the two pirates fought them mercilessly, robbing them of the goods they had hijacked. Clearly they were weak, for they did not put up much of a fight before taking off.
They found their own stolen goods in a dead end, the wyvern apparently having salvaged what it wanted and left the rest; it was all well and good, for most of it were medicines they needed, and a few materials they could pawn off for food and blankets.
No sooner had they returned to the entrance did they catch up to Batu, who apparently had found a good haul himself! Their boss decided to salvage through the haul he had found…
Then came crying.
Small, terrified cries of an infant.
Both Khunbish and Chingis were dumfounded; rather than finding some extra goods to take back to base, he had taken a baby girl! Sewn on her blanket was the name, ‘Tani’.
“B-Blimey, boss! Ye’d better take that little squink back! Her mum will tear yer heart out if ye run off with her daughter!” Chingis stammered.
Batu shut his eyes a moment, then cradled the wee lass in his arms. “Her mum is dead; saw her body lying yonder.” he murmured.
Khunbish froze; he recalled the blood on the bandits’ hands. “Those bastards!” he cursed, and his captain looked at him. “…Chingis ‘n’ I came across a small group of bandits. Not much of a threat, mind ye, but they’s had blood on their hands…” he began to shake with anger. “To think, they would be so rotten as to kill a mother ‘n’ leave her child to die---!”
“Her child will not die, lad.” Batu looked at the bundle he held; she had calmed down in his gentle hold, and drifted back to sleep. “Ye can be sure of that,”
The archer and swordsman nodded in understanding. They made their way back to the base in much haste in order to get the tiny Tani proper care. Thank the heavens they had piratesses who were familiar with motherhood who lent a hand, and in no time at all the whole base was taking turns in tending to their newfound mini-mate, but it was Batu who stuck by the child most.
Khunbish would often stop and watch his boss and the little mistress; never before did he see such an act of fatherhood, especially from a man as strong and fierce as Batu! His boss was no pushover and was quite stubborn, but whenever he would see the Sky Snake smile at the young infant the archer could sense the warmth in his heart.
…sometimes, he wondered if his father had ever looked at him so lovingly; in his farthest memory, he could only recall his father’s disappointed scowl and critical words. It was the same with his mother; according to his third sister, they used to have a nanny up until he was four, by that time they could not afford to keep one or--- as his sisters always put it--- he was too rambunctious to handle and he drove her to quit.
He decided to stop thinking of his old family then--- he had a new family now at the base, and no matter how wild and rowdy she got to be, he was going to do his part to help Tani feel accepted amongst their surrogate kin.
In a way… she helped the place feel like home more than ever.
…
It was a couple hours before Khunbish woke up. “Nnnnngh…what happened? I feels like I got hit by a plane full o’ Porcs… and it was on fire,” he groaned, having one hell of a hangover. He looked up at Kanji, finding he was cradled in the muscular teen’s arms.“Ya drank some booze and snapped, that’s what!” Kanji scoffed. He set Khunbish down, and the pirate grew to his original form. “Don’t you remember anything?”“Hnngh… not so loud… me brain feels like lead… *urp!*” Covering his mouth, he shot over to the toilet, and began to throw up for the second time that week! It was worse, though--- vomit spewed from his mouth, everything he had eaten pouring out in liquefied chunks, and he barely had time to take a breath. Apparently, he didn’t have a gag reflex, which was a good thing otherwise he’d have choked on his puke.Kanji had to stand by and flush the toilet a few times so it wouldn’t fill up, much less help get rid of the rancid smell; he ended up having to support the pirate when he began to tilt, as the constant throwing up was causing him to grow weary.Finally, when the last of his bile came out, Khunbish was done. Tears were streaming down his face and mucus was leaking out his nostrils; he coughed from the ill taste in his mouth. Kanji handed him a washcloth to clean off his face, then gave him water to rinse out his mouth. He then helped the naga back to bed, where he just lay there, groaning.“How do you feel now?” Kanji asked, though felt it was a stupid question.“Me head is pounding ‘n’ me stomach feels hollow,” Khunbish answered, wincing. The rebel rubbed his back in comfort. "Let this be a lesson, lad-- never get drunk... 'specially with th' belly o' a snake...""No shit,"The door opened; Yusuke walked in, followed by the others. “Ah, so you're finally awake.” The artist stated.“How do you feel?” WG asked, sitting on the other side of the pirate-naga.“Dead,” Khunbish bluntly replied, shutting his eyes.“Well, no wonder. WG told us nagai can’t have alcohol!” Swaine scolded, making the pirate cringe. “What makes you think you could just go and get plastered, you idiot?!”“Aaagggh, not so loud, ye twat! An’ I only had four swigs! After that… things got hazy,”“What was going through your mind?” Kanji asked. “When we came into the room, you were trying to kill us!”The pirate rubbed his head. “I remember things getting blurry… then everything had a green tint to it. I-I felt like I’s was sleepwalking,”Swaine’s eyes widened. “I had a nightmare like that! Everything was green in my vision, and I was trying to kill Wh---“ he began, but caught himself. “*ahem* When I woke up, I found I had been sleepwalking.”“Yeah, but Bishie was really savage! We couldn’t snap him out of it, and ended up--- playing music to calm him down,” Ryuji stated, though issued that last part quickly.“Um, do you remember anything else?” Junpei awkwardly asked the pirate.Khunbish rubbed his head. “Me head hurts too much fer me to think… but I do recall music...""(Dammit,)" Kanji whispered quietly.*Ping!*“Agh!” Khunbish clutched his head, pulling a pillow over it. WG took out her Leafbook tablet. “Sorry! I’ll lower the volume… Oh, it’s Chingis. He’s done with the skirmish, and wants to come visit you. Um, maybe I should tell him to wait until tomorrow…”Khunbish chuckled, peeking out. “Ah, let him come by, lass. Chingis has seen me in worse states--- ‘n’ I’s can imagine he’s feelin’ worse since he hasn’t seen nor heard from me for days." he shut his eyes. "Just, ah, tell 'im to keep quiet when he does..."WG sent the message; instantly the pirate responded. “He said he’ll be over soon,”“Speaking of which, we should return to our worlds.” Akechi spoke up, looking at his watch.“Yes, but before we go… Khunbish, the day you transformed, do you recall who all was present the day you transformed?” Naoto asked.“We saw a few citizens, but we couldn’t exactly name them right off the bat,” Ryuji told him.Khunbish tried to think, but rubbed his head. “I can’t recall… I was in so much pain, I couldn’t focus. Why?”“We believe whoever is hunting you had seen the transformation take place. Do you have any enemies who would see this as an opportunity to strike?” Akechi inquired.The pirate thought, but his head was pounding so bad he could hardly concentrate. “Oi, that be too long a list for me to recall, Detective. But once me hangover passes, I’ll think about it ‘n’ send ye a message,”“In that case, please do not go anywhere without an escort. …Also, you should have someone stay with each of you; that gift basket could have been a trap, laced with poison or narcotics.” Naoto instructed.“Nagas are immune to poison,” WG spoke up. “I read it in one of the books.”“We shall be off, then. Contact us as soon as you recall anything, Khunbish-san.” Akechi said with a bow, before he and Naoto walked out.“I thank you ask well for this opportunity to test my creative skill,” Yusuke added, preparing to show the picture he had drawn.“D-Don’t go flashing that around!” Kanji stopped him, blushing.Minako giggled. “C’mon, lets head home. Mitsuru doesn’t want us late for curfew,” she said, giving a bow next. “Get well soon, Khunbish-san,” She walked out with Yusuke and Kanji.“I’m going to go call Marcassin. …Khunbish, lay off the booze from now on.” Swaine ordered, slithering out.Ryuji turned to Khunbish. “You want one of us to stay? I can skip school tomorrow,” he asked, referring to himself and Junpei.“I’ll be fine, lads.” Khunbish answered.“Are you sure?” Junpei asked.“Aye. Don’t fret about me, lads. I mean…” the naga had to smirk. “If you leave, I won’t cry…~”“You asshole,” Ryuji sneered. Khunbish had to chuckle.“But seriously, dude. Stay away from alcohol… it was fucked up seeing you like that,” Junpei muttered, a bit of a grimace on his face.The pirate paused; the teen was upset he could feel… but his senses were dim, and he could not read his feelings very long. But they were strong enough that, had his head been clear, they would have overridden his emotional-radar. “Okay, lad. No more drinkin’ while I’m like this, I promise.”Junpei gave a nod, then he and Ryuji walked out.WG stuck by Khunbish, rubbing his back as he remained on the bed. The pirate let out a relaxed hum, the end of his tail reaching out and wrapping around her stomach, coaxing her to move closer (which she did), and he lied down on her lap; she grabbed a pillow he could rest his head on, and she continued to rub his back. "Sorry I got so careless, lass... didn't mean to worry anyone,""At least no one got hurt," she reassured him. "But you really need to keep your metabolism in mind. I know you're psyched about your new abilities, but there are weaknesses that go alongside strengths,""Aye, I realize that now..." He looked up at her. "But I think I hurt Ryuji and Junpei."She shook her head, sighing. "Let's just say, they don't like being around alcoholics.""I see..." The pirate wanted to inquire more, but his head was pounding too hard for him to give the matter more thought. It would be best if they told me themselves, anyway... he decided, and coiled his tail around both himself and the authoress, slipping his cap over his eyes in order to shield his eyes; he smiled a bit, feeling her petting his tail, and he folded his hands over his human stomach.“Well isn’t this a cute sight,”Both looked up, seeing Zane had come in; WG smiled warmly at him, though Khunbish gave a jolt. “Ah! Z-Zane! I-I-It’s not what it looks like, y-yer girl was just helping me relax---!” the pirate stammered in defense-- though cringed as he felt his hangover kick in. Zane chuckled, walking over and sitting down. “I can see that… and I have to admit I’m a bit jealous,”“Want me to rub your back later?” WG quipped.“Actually, I want to pet the naga,”Khunbish rolled his eyes. “Why does everyone want to pet me? Swaine’s half-snake too!”WG patted his back, then looked at her boyfriend. “I’m glad you’re back.”“Yeah, it was one heck of a trip. I didn’t think this curse would be so serious until I saw Swaine’s Leafbook post.” He scowled a bit, glaring ahead. “You know the world’s hellbound when a bunch of assholes want to profit from or harm someone just for being different.”The archer looked up at him, mildly sensing his disdain--- but he didn’t need super senses to know the poacher situation really pissed him off. He reached with his tail and gave Zane a pat on the shoulder. “Oi, it’s a good thing ye returned when ye did, mate. Swaine ‘n’ I really appreciate the help, an’ tracking down those wretches will be easier with yer aid,”Zane nodded, giving him a grin. “No problem. I pretty much do this sort of thing as a hobby,” He walked over and sat down beside the naga. "You don't look so good, though. Are you sick?""Just found out nagas are weak to alcohol, mate. Made me lose control o' me senses 'til the boys managed to lure me to sleep,""Boys?""Junpei, Ryuji and Kanji have been visiting him often." WG told him."I see. ...By the way, how are things at the Sakamoto house? Ryuji's dad hasn't come back yet, has he?""No, and we're hoping he stays away.""...he'd be a damn fool to return with me around," Khunbish muttered, sitting up and slithering up the mattress, lying down and sighing. Just thinking about the boy was stirring his instincts, but his senses were too null and his body felt too heavy for him to do anything.Zane cocked his head. "I forget--- isn't Ryuji the one you're always fighting with for my girlfriend's hand in marriage?"Khunbish had his face buried in a pillow. "Don't make me think into it, Zane. Me head feels like a blessed bowling ball,""Aye! Thick 'n' empty!" came a new voice, and everyone looked over to see Chingis walking in!"Chingis! I didn't hear you come in," WG stated."Arr, ye left th' door open, mateys! Not exactly a good idea if some cur is out to poach me friend fer his scales!" The swordsman walked over, sitting down by the bed. "Oi, Khunbish, ye alright? Ye look more sickly than a runny llapaca lamb!""Argh, not so loud, Chingis... that whiskey yet lot sent gave me one helluva hangover--- just threw up me entire stomach a moment ago!" Khunbish told him.“Arr, sorry about that, matey. I’s didn’t know alcohol were a danger to snake-folk 'til Wherever Lass warned us!"“Heh, I knew, an’ I made the mistake of drinking it still!” Khunbish replied. “Four swigs ‘n’ I was out of it! From what th’ boys told me, ye’d have thought I drank several pints!”“Har har, these snake genes really messed up yer system, then! Normally ye can drink yer weight before ye start to get buzzed! Wait till our mates at the tavern hear ye got drunk just from a few sips!”“Ah, keep it to yerself, knucklehead. An’ just ye wait till I’s human again--- I’ll beat ya in a drinking match!”A portal opened and ATF stumbled in--- the empty whisky bottle in his hand. “I accept the challenge!” he slurred.“Blimey! Who’s this now, an’ where’d he come from?!” Chingis yelped, giving a jolt at the lad who appeared out of nowhere.WG only facepalmed. “This is my brother… and apparently he just got done drinking whiskey!” she said in a scolding tone. “Bro, you KNOW what this makes you do!”“C’mon! Bring it! I can lick any man in this room!” ATF exclaimed, swinging his fists and punching the air. “I can take on all ten of ya!”The authoress only shook her head, grabbing him by the shoulder. “I’m going to take him out into the desert--- maybe a Banana Buncher can knock him out,”“I’ll come with you,” Zane offered, standing up with her and helping keep ATF steady. “Why don’t we’s go out with ‘em, Khunbish? Ye can show me those fighting skills of yours!” Chingis suggested.Khunbish shook his head. “Nah, mate, me senses are kerfuffled ‘n’ my body still feels like a ton; plus, it be too cold in the desert after sundown fer me scales.”“That be a shame. …Oi! That reminds me! It’s supposed to be nice in the canyon tomorrow, ‘n’ our mates wish fer ye to drop by! How’s ‘bout it?”“Sounds good. Hopefully I’ll be feelin’ on the up ‘n’ up,” Khunbish looked at WG, giving a wink. “Perhaps me angel can open a portal fer me there,”“Girl you’re my angel, you’re my daaarling aaaangel…~” ATF slurred in a soprano voice.“”He’s starting to sing--- better get him out of here before his pants go missing,” Zane sighed, shaking his head.WG helped Zane drag her brother out. “No, no, that’s only when he drinks beer or wine--- and his pants go first, THEN he sings bad karaoke.” She corrected him.“Ma said I had the voice of Chip Skylark, punk!” ATF snapped, as he was taken out of the room.Chingis shook his head, turning to Khunbish. “Ye’ve found yerself some pretty odd friends, Khunbish.”“Aye… but it still be a blessin’ to have them around,” Khunbish admitted with a grin."Speakin' o' which, I heard talk from King Evan that ye went clear to another world because some lad ye know was in trouble! What's all that about?"The archer shrugged. "I don't know... one night he came over, 'n' I could sense he was under a lot o' stress. Wanted a friend around, he did, but didn't go straight to that buddy of his he's always hanging out with, for some reason. Well, I let him crash here, and... I dunno, we just sort of bonded. Next thing ye know, I'm gettin' worried for his sake to th' point where I's can tell he's in danger! I don't know what came over me..." He looked at his friend. "Oi, Chingis, ye'd be good with animals. Ye think bein' part-snake gave me some sort o' protective instinct?"Chingis crossed his arms, thinking. "I did hear that python mothers care for their hatchlings, but I can't quite say. Regardless, from what ye described, it sounds to be more of an imprinting matter. It's mostly seen in mammals, most notably females who have developed a maternal instinct. ...But I's doubt it has to do with your curse, mate. Actually, it sounds more similar to th' first day ye and I met!"Khunbish arched his eyebrow. "Ye mean how ye caught me in a net 'n' tied me down, before locking me in a cage?""Aye! Ye acted like a wild animal, right up 'til Batu had a crossbow aimed at yer ugly mug, 'n' we hauled ye back to the base! I figured we'd just have thrown ye off the cliffs, but the boss saw something in yer eyes... and eventually, I took to seeing ye differently as well. Started volunteering to be your sentry more often, I did, to th' point where ye were put in my charge when we initiated ya into th' crew!"The aviator paused, thinking back to the flashback he had of a young Chingis giving him food. "...ye were the first one to call me human.""Hm? What do ye mean by that?""When ye gave me food the first time, remember?" He lied on his back, looking up at the ceiling; his tail stretched out a bit, curving over a pillow, the tip of it tapping the carpet every other minute. "Lived amongst those blasted wyverns for so long, I's forgot how to speak properly, had to fight for a morsel o' food, and had to bite 'n' scratch when I's wasn't fast enough to run.""I've always wondered..." Chingis looked at the tail a moment, before looking at his friend. "How'd ye end up with those scaly bastards, anyway? I don't sees them as types to take in a child out o' nurturing,""That's 'cuz they snatched me up," The archer grimaced a bit. "I was running away from home 'n' wound up far in the fields. Came near a cave, an' next thing I know I'm getting nabbed by the shoulders 'n' hoisted into the air! I screamed till me throat was raw as they hauled me to their keep. 'Course, I's was too scrawny to eat, so they decided to make me bait-- I was to lure other creatures nearby, then they'd dive in for the kill. My only goal for the next few years was to try not to die; I survived by keepin' any food their hunt dropped, or fight for scraps in the caves. They kept me on a high ledge to make sure I wouldn't try to sneak off...""Blimey! How'd ye manage to survive under those conditions?!""Heh, sheer determination, It's no wonder me mind turned savage by the time I met ye lot; every day I's was afraid to sleep, had to deal with jeering 'n' slurs... why, at one point they took me out to a cliffside 'for some fresh air', 'n' knocked me over the edge, joking about me learning to fly! They caught me 'n' threw me back on the ledge, having a laugh while I's was hyperventilating.""Oi, with an experience like that, I'm surprised ye took to our sky skimmers,"Khunbish smiled. "That's because I wanted to know what it was like to fly. Hey, remember th' first time ye took me on a ride?"Chingis rubbed his beard. "Aye, ye were no bigger than Tani is now. Har har, ye clung on tight like a frightened kitten at first, but after a minute or so ye were whoopin' an' hollerin' like ye were king o' the skies! ...I think that was th' day ye finally started seein' me like a friend, gettin' back to our original subject." He leaned back, resting his head on the snake tail, his legs crossed as he looked up at the ceiling in reflection. "Ye were anxious 'round all of us, until ye were finally convinced ye weren't in danger with us. Ha! I remember that one time we's went to Ding Dong Dell, an' someone thought I was yer ol' man!"The aviator laughed. "Aye, to this day I don't know where they sees the resemblance!""Arr, I think it wasn't in our looks, but in how we's bonded, matey. Ye were always a live wire, Khunbish, and needed someone to help keep ye grounded.""Tch, as if ye'd be a docile one!""Har har, only compared to ye! ...Argh, we's keep getting off-topic. Me point is, regarding that boy ye know, is maybe after puttin' aside your rivalry for a night, ye started to see him differently, no different than how I stopped treating you like a cohort for th' wyverns 'n' the two of us eventually became blood-brothers!" The swordsman beamed. "Why, I bet in time, people will be thinkin' that lad is YOUR son!"Khunbish paused, the jest echoing in his mind. "My son...?""Ah, it's just a jab, mate. Point is, ye just took a liking to a rival." Chingis patted the tail beside him. "I bet once you're back on your own two-feet, things will go back to normal.""Yeah, ye might be right." Khunbish looked at his tail, holding the end of it in his palms and caressing the scales with one of his thumbs. Yet at the same time, I find that's a bad thing...Chingis clapped his hands together, getting the pirate-naga's attention. "So! Tell me about these 'benefits' ye've found out! I's wants to hear about how this curse made ye a good fighter!""Ha! I've always been a good fighter! These skills just enhance everything!" Khunbish then showed him the cards he had received. "With this one, it started when we went out into the desert; Swaine and I had a race, which led to us getting ambushed..."0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Out in the desert, ATF lost a fight to a Floret--- which, honestly, wasn’t much of a fight as the teen just ran at it, lost his footing and made a faceplant in the sand, and the tiny creature bopped him on the head and knocked him out. “Thank you,” WG told the critter, giving it some chocolate she had acquired from her many portal-detours, which it accepted before running off.“So what was with Khunbish getting all snuggly with you like that?” Zane asked in a casual tone, hands in his pockets as his girlfriend dragged her brother through the sand. “He wasn’t putting the moves on you while I was gone, was he?”“Nah. The most that ever happens is a hug--- or he and Ryuji fight over who holds my hand,” WG replied with a shrug, her tone kidding. “Plus, you know if he did try anything, that tail of his would be tied in a knot,”“That’s good…” The Time Lord looked at her. “What about Swaine? He didn’t do or say anything to hurt your feelings, did he? You were really upset last week when you told me he blamed you for everything,”“I said I figured he blamed me for everything, but it’s alright now. He told me it wasn’t all my fault… but I still feel guilty. I was the one who asked him to go to the Vault of Tears, and he admitted he felt obligated to go otherwise I’d probably annoy him. Things are okay between us now--- he actually tried to fix the heater!”“Really? That thing’s still on the fritz??”“You wanna stay at the Inn? ATF is keeping the pets at his place, and it’s lukewarm at my apartment.”Zane shrugged. “Nah, I don’t wanna run up the hotel bill.” They walked over to the oasis, where he had parked the TARDIS. “I need to keep guard of the TARDIS anyway. Last time I left it unattended, a bunch of pygmies carried it off to their village and made it their new idol. Once I get its security system upgraded, it’ll be fine on its own--- that is, unless I come back and find it threw a party in my absence.”WG nodded, then threw ATF into the pond, watching him sink. “Offer’s still open, in case you change your mind.”“Thanks. …Isn’t he going to drown?”“Hey, it helps him sober up quicker,” She looked at her watch, seeing it was already reaching 8 o’clock. “I’m going to go see how Swaine is doing. You wanna come say hi?”“Sure, I’ll be up in a few minutes. Just let me lock up the TARDIS,” Zane walked inside the machine… coming out with a crate labeled, ‘Anti-Theft Device: Prototype 1’.WG nodded, then opened a portal and walked through it into Swaine’s room.Before she could make her presence known, she overheard his conversation with Marcassin; the two brothers were having a video-chat. “…to see you’re doing alright, Gascon. And I assure you, I will make sure our guards are loyal to their elder prince; not that I do not trust any of them, but history does report assassination attempts by those who find someone unfit to be royal, if not an imposter hoping to cause alarm and confusion in order to overthrow an empire.”“Thanks, Marcassin--- and no more watching Game of Thrones.” Swaine responded. “And we’ll have our own bodyguards around, too; WG will probably be sticking with me, again.”“If you don’t mind my asking… you have grown quite tolerable of her company. I am not suggesting that you have grown fond of the authoress, but is there a reason you are allowing her to be so close to you these days? Surely it does not involve desperation for company during your state, if so then I can come stay for a short while and allow the chief guard to manage things…”“No, it’s not that, it’s…” Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. “I want to make sure she’s okay,”WG held still, pressing herself against the wall and peering around the corner, eavesdropping.“’Okay’? Is there something wrong with her?” Marcassin inquired in surprise.“I don’t want to say, and I don’t want you asking about it--- not her, not her brother, no one. When people start pitying her, they just make it worse.”“Do you pity her?”“Of course not! It’s just… I kind of worry about her.”“I see… If it is that serious, brother, you should talk to her about it.”Swaine sighed. “It’s not that simple. I can’t just bring it up; it has to be the right moment… Like whenever she comes out from around the corner!" He looked over his shoulder in her direction. How did he--?! ...oh, right. Snek-senses. ...Craaaaap. WG thought, blushing as she stepped out. "So I guess now is a good time?""Might as well be-- unless you want to practice your subtlety."The authoress sighed, rubbing her face as she gave him a look.“Oh, um--- I think I hear one of the grunts calling for me. I will speak with you tomorrow, Gascon. Goodnight!” Marcassin said quickly, before hanging up.Swaine put down the tablet, and slithered towards WG. “You know, it’s not polite to eavesdrop.”The authoress said nothing, and he could sense all her emotions--- embarrassment, rage, anxiety, somewhat privileged, but mainly an overwhelming feeling of shame. “…why do I worry you?” she asked after a long minute.He reached out a hand and she took it, letting him guide her into his arms and lean back, resting in his coils. “You bottle in your emotions. I can sense it… I could always sense it, being a naga just makes it come in like high-definition.” He hugged her tight. “I… can’t stop thinking about last year, when you tried to jump out that window. That was the first time I saw you break down… I don’t want you to go through that again.”“Swaine…”“And I never said anything because you never want sympathy, especially when you feel someone else is going through a hard time--- but that’s no excuse! By taking in everyone else’s problems without talking about your own. I know you want to prove you can take care of yourself but--- take it from someone who had to learn it the hard way--- sooner or later you have to ask for help!”She gripped his shirt. "I'm fine... just... I'm on the rag, okay?"Swaine shook his head, unconvinced. “If you need to vent, I'll listen. And if I sense there’s something inside you’re keeping locked in, I’ll break it out. You can be sure of that,”"I'm fine." She began to pull away, but the snake-tail wrapped around her, keeping her close. "...You know, if this were reversed, you'd be shooting me right now."He scoffed. "WG, I'd shoot you for a Klondike bar."She rolled her eyes. "I love you too."The thief settled down, lying beside her; she was rubbing the end of his tail, having a nervous habit of fidgeting with something whenever she felt overwhelmed. "I heard Zane's voice down the hall. Is he staying here?"WG opened her mouth to reply, but paused, only shaking her head, gripping the tail; sliding out of its grasp, it curved around her back, pushing her into Swaine's abdomen. "I don't know why I'm upset..." she said, her tone shaky. "He's a Time Lord... and it's not like he doesn't know how much I miss him... but...""You just want to spend more time with him. I know." Swaine thought, though deep down he wanted to lash out at Zane, even if the Time Lord were completely innocent. All he could think about was how the authoress was about to go over the edge, all because her boyfriend was 'always too far away.' He hugged her tight. "It's normal to feel like this... I'm sure he'll get the hint and be back soon.""...how do you know?" WG muffled in his shirt.He smiled. "Simple. You're with me!"She only sighed, closing her eyes and hugging him. He said nothing else, stroking her head until he heard her soft breathing, finding she had drifted to sleep.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Zane finished wrapping his TARDIS up in chains, bike-locks, padlocks, combination locks, deadbolts, barb-wire, duct-tape, and circled with orange traffic-cones; with a little keychain-remote, he hit a button and locked it up making a ‘beep-beep!’ sound.One second later ATF broke the surface of the pond, gasping heavily. “Dammit— if she’s not making someone fly me around the air by the heels, setting me on fire, or burying me alive, she’s throwing me in a body of water! Why can’t she just leave me passed out on the curb like other sisters?” he ranted, pulling himself out.“Oh good, you’re sober. For a moment I figured I’d have to fish you out--- which is difficult, since I’ve never been fishing,” Zane joked.The immortal teen wrung out his shirt, walking over. “Well, look who finally made it! About time, Zane, I think the story is almost over,"“Watch it with the fourth-wall stuff, Anti. Well now that you’re back to semi-normal, lets head in,”They walked into the city, heading to the Inn; around this time, Chingis was leaving, bidding them good night. “I’d love to stay an’ have a longer chin-wag with Khunbish, but Muriel said if I’m not back on th’ farm by dawn tomorrow, she’ll shave off me beard ‘n’ make sweaters fer th’ llapacas!” he explained with a chuckle, and headed out.Entering the hotel, they saw Khunbish in the lobby, having seen his friend out, though his movements were slow; currently he was asking the purrprioter for an icepack for his aching head. “You should be sleeping off that hangover,” Zane told him.“I’ll share the bed with you on that,” ATF muttered, rubbing his own head.“Aye… ugh…” the pirate rubbed his head, wincing.“Are you going to get sick?” Zane asked, helping him stay steady.“I hope not, threw up me whole stomach already… I just feel weird all over,”“C’mon, we’ll get you back upstairs.” ATF said, opening a portal to his room, once the pirate got an ice-pack. He then lied down on his mattress, coiling up and drifting off. The immortal teen looked up at Zane. “I swear if I didn’t have pets to take care of, I’d be spending the night snuggling him,”Zane rolled his eyes. “Well… it does look cozy.”“Just ask your girlfriend--- she’s probably snuggling with Swaine again,”“SAY WHAT?!”*Zip!*Leaving dust-clouds in his wake, Zane took off down the hall.ATF turned to the audience. “Sure, when a pirate is calling her ‘angel’ it’s no big deal, but leave her alone with the thief who considers her crazy and the boyfriend goes bonkers,” he quipped. "Right, Khunbish? ...Khunbish?"The immortal teen looked, seeing that the pirate-naga had already fallen asleep, coiled up on the bed and hugging WG's kitty plushie.Not wasting the opportunity, ATF took a picture, then opened a portal, heading back home.…Zane regained his composure; he trusted his girlfriend, and he had doubts Swaine would do anything to her, and he could not let his rivalry with the thief affect his judgment. Chances were, ATF was just saying things to rile him up.He walked to Swaine’s room (having asked the purrprioter ahead of time where the nagas were staying), and looked in… seeing her lying in the thief’s coils, his arms around her. The naga sensed him, motioning him to come forth. WG was asleep.“Hey, Swaine. Just wait right there while I get my cast-iron skillet,” Zane stated in jest.The thief only rolled his eyes. “What took you so long? I’ve been babysitting your girlfriend for almost two weeks now,” he quipped in return.Zane sat down on the bed, leaning against the coils and reaching to rub the authoress’ head; moving the hair out of her eyes, he noticed tear streaks! He looked at Swaine, both in suspicion and concern.Reading his emotions well, Swaine sighed. “She’s had a rough start of the year, but I’ll let her pour out her feelings to you herself.”“Alright… can you at least give me a hint of what happened?”The naga rubbed her back, and the Time Lord noticed sympathy in his eyes. “A great deal of anxiety, to put it simply. She’s had a lot of stress to deal with too… but she’s kept it all bottled in; she overheard me talking to Marcassin about how I was worried about her, but she didn't want to talk about it."Zane looked at his girlfriend with a solemn expression. “…so she had another emotional breakdown, huh?”“Another?” Swaine shot him a look. “You mean you’ve seen her like this before?!”“N-Not really… but in the past she would be crying when I’d call her, and it was often because of the same reason—she just hit her limit. I told her to let it out, and to not hold back anymore.” He slumped against the coils, chin resting on his arms. “Apparently, she forgot my advice.”The thief nodded. “To be honest, I can understand. I’m not one to talk about my feelings either… that is, until all this happened.” He gestured to his tail. "I hate snakes, and being half of one makes me uncomfortable; I’m afraid I’ll hurt someone on impulse, having come close too many times; and I’m forced to find benefits otherwise I’ll be stuck like this! …Had it not been for a few friends, would have spent so much of my time sullen. When the others found out, well… I felt at ease; when I opened up, they were understanding and offered their help. And that was what I had told her tonight--- not to hold back, and let others know when you need help when you really need it.”“That’s good advice,” Zane agreed; he gave the naga a curious look. “It seems like you’ve grown to care a lot about WG over the last year. Normally you avoid her like the plague… what changed?”Swaine shrugged. “I don’t know… I had seen her break down before, and in that instant I realized she was more than some crazy fangirl of mine. Seeing her in such despair was worse than her wild antics; at least when she’s acting like a loon, I know she’s okay. But when she’s quiet… I just know something is wrong and want to help.”Zane nodded; he reached and patted Swaine on the shoulder. “Thanks for being there for her.” He then stood up and walked to the door.“Where are you going?”“To get my overnight bag. …I think the TARDIS will be safe enough hidden by the oasis,” With that, he walked out.Swaine sighed, but had to smile. He looked at the authoress, wrapping his arms around her; in her sleep, she snuggled against him, and he had to chuckle a bit. “You know… there is one benefit to being a naga,” he whispered.A card floated down in front of him and he grabbed it out of the air; he glanced at it, before tucking it back into his shirt, already having a good idea of what it was.He looked at his tail, wondering if he would be changing back soon. Chances were, since the curse didn’t take effect immediately, it would probably wear off overnight; otherwise, WG’s theory about both him and Khunbish having to gather their benefits was probably right.Deciding not to go to sleep in dread, he decided not to think about it anymore, shutting his eyes and resting.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Aya had to work late again tonight.Ryuji packed an overnight bag once more when the night felt too quiet, even with the TV on. Once or twice he would stop and unpack, repack, and unpack again, feeling childish not wanting to stay home alone. A couple times he cursed his father, for if he hadn’t been such a douche the teen wouldn’t have a severe case of PTSD every time the sun went down… Maybe he should look up the new school counselor Shujin hired, like Ann suggested.Finally, after stuffing his bag once more, he locked up the house and headed for the Gateway, sending his mom another text so she would not worry. Chances are Khunbish or Swaine would want some company; as for school, he had an alarm set, and he could see if WG could open a portal so he wouldn’t be late.He sat at the bus-stop, anxiously waiting for a ride. God forbid those lecherous men from before were still hanging around; hopefully Khunbish’s sudden arrival scared them off for good.A shadow crossed his just then, and he turned around in surprise…0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Swaine groaned, a bit groggy as he woke up. He had heard Zane come back in last night, having shifted his coils so that the boyfriend and girlfriend could lie next to each other.Now, as he shook off his slumber, he turned to look at the two…Finding his tail had coiled around both of them, Zane spooning against WG in a loving embrace, the long scaly body keeping them close together.What the…? Swaine thought, slightly embarrassed. Very carefully, he slipped his coils off the couple, replacing it with a blanket. He then quietly slithered across the room…“You’re a real good snuggle buddy, you know that?” Zane quipped without even opening his eyes.The thief turned and gave him a look. He smirked as a clever retort came to mind. “…Oh yes, just ask your girlfriend.”*DOOF!*A pillow was thrown into his face. "...and good morning to you too, WG." Swaine muttered.Sitting up, the authoress and Time Lord slipped out of bed. “C’mon, lets go get some breakfast. Swaine, you hungry?” WG asked.“Yeah. Though the purrprioter said the cook refuses to send up another feast,” Swaine replied.“How about we head over to the sequel’s realm, then? There should be some filling dishes over there, and Khunbish wants me to open a portal for him to Cloudcoil Canyon anyway.”“Sounds good to me. But you think its wise, with those poachers around?” Zane questioned.“To be honest, it would be less dangerous to fast-travel from one point to another rather than remain in one place. At least this way we can confuse them,” Swaine replied.“Great. I’ll go wake up Khunbish---“ WG began.*Knock knock knock!*WG opened the door, and there stood said pirate. “Ready when ye are,” he said with a grin.“…how long have you been listening outside the door?” Swaine questioned in suspicion.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The trip to Evermore was quick; feeling how cold it was in the kingdom, Swaine and Khunbish were quick to head over to Floyd’s restaurant. They had called Evan and Roland ahead of time, telling them they would be dropping by for breakfast; the king and chief consul said they would meet them at the restaurant. It was early enough in the morning so Floyd's wasn’t crowded, but anyone who wasn’t already at work or still asleep came over to them, most of them friends of the pirate’s. It was almost an hour before the nagai had managed to wrap up each conversation, all of which involved how they were faring and what it was like being half-snake. Around that time, Evan, Roland, as well as Batu, Tani, Leander and Bracken, arrived--- just as the two nagas managed to finish their breakfast.“We got word you two were visiting; isn’t it too cold for you here?” Roland questioned.“Aye, but we’s just came by fer a breakfast, Master Roland.” Khunbish answered. “Me mates at the canyon invited me fer a visit, ‘n’ since it’s supposed to be nice ‘n’ warm fer the day, I’s figured it would be a good chance to show ‘em me tail while its still here,”“Yeah, and I could use a change of scenery myself.” Swaine added.“Alright, but be sure to mind your health. If you feel sluggish or ill, please return back to the inn immediately.” Evan advised with a nod. “Chingis said you got horribly sick because of a drink you had, Khunbish, so please don’t overexert yourself.”“Aye, the last thing we need is fer ye to pass out when ye’ve only got a sliver of progress left in breakin’ this curse!” Batu exclaimed.“Not to mention, those poachers could have spies anywhere. Thankfully, everyone who had seen your transformation is an ally, but it is with some concern some have admitted to spreading the news to friends in other kingdoms.” Leander spoke up.“We have Lofty on patrol in his full form, though; if he picks up any suspicious activity, it’ll be spread quicker than a hot new meme,” Bracken assured.“Good to know--- where is he, anyway?” Zane asked, having his phone out to take a picture of the kingmaker.Swaine rolled his eyes. “We should get going. My scales are starting to get chapped,” he noted.“Right, let's go!" Tani exclaimed. "Wh--?! You're coming along too, Mistress Tani?" Khunbish sputtered. "Well, someone has to help keep you in check after last night! I'll go get Chingis too--- he wouldn't want to miss out on visiting the ol' base anyway," Tani then hurried off. Batu shook his head, turning to the group. "Might as well wait, mateys. Once that girl sets her mind on something, there's no changing it," "Heh, it's no problem, boss. Kinda miss bein' around a few familiar faces, anyway." Khunbish replied. "Oh, there's Lofty!" Zane exclaimed, looking up at the sky and aiming his camera-phone, several clicks following. Swaine crossed his arms. "Funny. Two friends turn into nagas, and he doesn't bat an eye, yet when it comes to dragons---" he began to quip, until Zane turned and snapped a picture of him--- with the flash on. "Ah! Hey!""Happy now?" The Time Lord gave a kitty-grin. He yelped when the older naga wrapped his tail around his neck. "Whoa! Easy! It's just a pic---ack!"WG randomly pulled out a book. "'Never flash a naga; sudden exposure to bright lights trigger their attack senses,'" she stated. "...I don't see that anywhere." Roland replied, reading over her shoulder. "I know. I just made it up." WG then bonked Swaine on the head with the book! "Release the bae, Snek!" Swaine loosened his grip, giving Zane a look... while the Time Lord rubbed his neck, gasping. "Damn... how'd you get so strong??" the latter wheezed. "What's taking Tani so long?" Swaine questioned, ignoring the comment. ...Tani and Chingis arrived minutes later. Using a trip door, the group bid farewell and arrived at the Sky Pirate’s base in a flash. Immediately, a group of pirates came running forth, hollering Khunbish’s name in excitement. “Khunbish!” came several little shouts at once, as the children of the base ran forth, one of them leaping into his arms.“Ahoy, ye little rotters! Been raisin’ hell fer the wyverns, or just yer mothers?” Khunbish asked them with a smile; of course they didn’t answer, too busy looking at his tail in awe, both him and Swaine bombarded with questions."Cool! Are you poisonous?/Did you swallow anyone whole?/Do either of you have hoods like cobras?/Can you crush anyone in your coils?/Will you dance if we play music?/If you shed your skin can I keep it?" all the tykes spoke at once. “Alright, ye pups, give ‘em space!” came a call, and out stepped a Sky Piratess with long light-purple hair, hourglass shape, and sporting an eye-patch. She stood in front of Khunbish, arms crossed and giving him a grin. “So, gone ‘n’ got yerself in a spot again, eh? Figured it just be another wild story ye concocted,”He took off his hat, feigning hurt. “Ah, Grace, ye cut me to the quip. …Plus, it was mainly Swaine’s fault for freaking out about a tiny statue,”“As you can see, I had a right to be worried.” Swaine cut in. “Care to introduce us to your friend here, Khunbish?”“Aye. This be Grace Windfall, she be one of our mechanics… an’ top-notch pyro. She decided to stay at the base in order to help keep an eye on things--- pardon the expression, lass.”“A pleasure to meet ya,” Grace greeted, giving the others a two-finger salute. She linked her arm with Khunbish’s, walking with him up to the base. “While you're here, I want your advice on adjusting me sky skimmer... and I also want to hear talk about what being a naga is like as well!"The pirate chuckled, giving her a grin and walking with her. “Well, to be honest, it ain’t as fun as flying…”Tani, Chingis, Swaine, Zane and WG followed behind; the thief looked at WG. “Let me guess--- you didn’t think he has another gal in his life, did you?” he guessed.“Ah, I figured someone that handsome had more than one admirer,” WG replied, faking a sigh. “Mom was right--- never fall in love with a pirate,” she looked at both of them and gave a smile. “It’s okay. I know Grace--- she’s known Khunbish for years, and I get the feeling they like each other. I just don’t think they’ve made it official, yet.”“Not if he keeps fighting with Ryuji over you, you mean.” Zane stated, looking ahead at Khunbish. “He’d better not lead her on,”“Ah, mate, don’t think low o’ him like that.” Chingis spoke up. “We pirates always flirt with someone, but we’s don’t let it go too far unless we’d be serious about the relationship! Been breakin’ th’ stereotype that a buncha pirates are philanderers ‘n’ lead lovers wit’ broken hearts. Plus, any mate who can’t be loyal to a beloved ain’t to be trusted amongst his crew, ‘n’ Khunbish knows that!”"Especially since Gerel gave a lesson that anyone who cheats on their beloved will get their heads smashed on a rock," Tani chuckled. "Though every gal here agrees Khunbish isn't the type to settle down, and never take his charms seriously."“Aye, but if any be willin’ to tie th’ knot with him, it be Grace, that’s fer sure. Them’s two been close since we’s was young teens--- th’ lass fell fer him th’ moment she wanted to set him on fire!”“(Nothing says ‘I Love You’ like third-degree burns, I suppose).” Swaine quietly remarked.Zane looked at WG. “…She’s an OC you made up, isn’t she?” he asked.“Was it that obvious?” WG replied.*Crash!*“Oi! How did this wall cave in?!” a pirate shouted from a hut.WG and Zane both cringed and exchanged a look that simple read, ‘Oops.’ while Tani and Chingis gave them scolding looks. Swaine simply facepalmed.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0“…And that should do it,” Khunbish answered, helping Grace with tweaking the skimmer. “Anything else ye need while I’m here?”“Aye, there be one thing…” Grace said, pacing a bit. “What be the story with ye and WG? I’ve been hearing word that ye two have been close lately. Some say she’s even caught yer fancy,”The archer rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah… well… t-that be true, I suppose. But, she’s already spoken for! …Why are ye askin’, anyway?”“Tch, cuz I like ye, ya idiot! If she belongs to another man, why do ye flirt with her?”Khunbish crossed his arms; his senses were still a bit dull, but he could still tell she was jealous--- even a fool could see it. “Her boyfriend is hardly around… Not sayin’ I’d try to steal her away, but there be times when I sense she needs companionship. But we’s keep things on a friendship basis, because she’s not unfaithful ‘n’ I don’t want to make her feel cheap. I suppose th’ core of the matter is she brought up being a fangirl of mine, and… well, being just a side-character, I’s didn’t think I’d have one.”Grace nodded, having to sigh, before looking out at the sea. “I just want to know where your loyalties lie when it comes to matters of the heart, Khunbish. I like ye--- a lot. But I’m afraid to like ye too much ‘n’ get hurt. I has to know--- do ye want to start a relationship, and if so, with who?”The pirate flinched. Did she have to ask so sudden?! “…I can’t say that I do, Grace.” He admitted, shifting his shoulders a bit; he slithered across the ground as a way of pacing. “I like ye ‘n’ all, but yer place is here at th’ base, an’ I’m needed in Evermore--- just being gone ‘til this curse is broken causes me to feel like a slacker. I’s can come ‘n’ visit, but only fer a day’s time.”The piratess walked up to him, giving him a look. “You’re making excuses… Are ya afraid of a long-distance relationship with someone, mate? Is that why ye chase after other girls rather than settle down?”“I ain’t afraid… I just don’t think I’m ready for a relationship, yet.” He sighed, looking upward towards the ledge--- his eyesight allowed him to spot the others (currently Zane was using his own wand to repair damage to a broken wall). “I guess it’s from watching those two, WG ‘n’ Zane--- they be practically a perfect couple, an’ I’s can sense how much they love each other just the moment they’re in each other’s line o’ sight! Yet the moment Zane is gone on a trip, I’s can sense the longing ‘n’ depression that fills my angel’s heart… Ow!”Grace had swatted him upside the head. “Oi, stop calling her ‘angel’! An’ it’s natural fer a girl to feel that way when her beloved is out of town! I’m talking about you--- if you don’t want a relationship, that be fine. I just wanted a clear answer so that I wouldn’t be stuck wondering if it be worth my time pining for ya. But if you’re uncertain, I won’t force ye, mate. Just keep in mind that I won’t wait for you,”“Heh heh, ye were never a patient one, Grace--- it be a surprise ye hung on fer this long… ow!” He rubbed his arm after she slugged it.She scoffed, smirking. “Aye… Maybe when ye mature, you’ll be worth the chase.”The pirate-naga nodded, though he could tell she was serious. He thought about his conversation with Junpei, Kanji, and Ryuji when they were talking about the girls in their lives... and to know that he was still acting like a young teen himself made him feel ashamed. Grace was a young woman who, much like WG, wanted companionship... and a long-distance relationship wasn't easy for her to deal with. But he couldn't just devote himself to her... the idea of settling down, starting a family..."
You girls look lovely! There won't be a single noble at that party who will think you're commoners!" his mother was exclaiming, while his older sisters showed off their new dresses.
"Now take good care of those dresses, they cost us quite a few guilders!" his father said in with a smile, and though his tone appeared to be joking, he was in fact very serious.
The young boy sat on the stairs in a pout. His parents had promised that if he was a 'good little boy' while shopping, they would get him something special. He was hoping for a new toy, or a sweet snack... but instead they just bought him a new suit jacket for some fancy party; anytime some higher-up held a gathering, his folks dressed them all up in hopes of getting in good with the rich, and best yet having his sisters married off to a blue-blood.
"Can I stay home this time?" The boy asked in a whine.
"Now, Pierre, we've talked about this." His mother told him. "You are too young to stay home by yourself, and we can't afford a babysitter for you right now."
"But it's boring at those parties! All you have me do is sit in a chair and tell me to be quiet! ...Plus, we might have money if you didn't spend it all on these dumb clothes---!"
His father stormed up to him, raising a hand; from experience, the boy learned to quickly shut his mouth. "That is enough! You are going to the party, and you had better behave! If you make a ruckus or so much as spill food on those new clothes, I can promise you sitting down will be much worse than you already think it is!"
The boy winced as he was yanked onto his feet, and dragged out the door...
A hand gripped his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts; he looked at Grace, whose eyes were filled with concern. "Oi, are ye okay? ...I didn't hurt your feelings, did I?" she asked.He patted her on the hand, giving a smile. "Nah, lass... just lost in me thoughts, is all." he assured her. "This curse has been making me do a lot of thinking, is all... a lot more than I want, actually.""Guilder for your thoughts?"Khunbish opened his mouth to reply...“Hey, Khunbish!” Swaine hollered from over the ledge. “We need to head back--- there’s rainclouds coming in!”He sighed, turning to Grace. "I'll tell ye later... Right now, I'd best focus on breaking this curse before some blasted poachers try to catch me,"Grace patted him on the back, before pulling him into a hug. “Good luck with yer curse, Khunbish. Let us know if ye need any help if those rotters pull anything, and give my regards to King Evan ‘n’ our mates over in Evermore,”“Aye, that I will. Ye take care here at the base--- if ye need anything, I’ll be over in a flash.” Khunbish answered, before pulling out of the hug. His naga-instincts were regaining their strength, as he could sense a lot from Grace--- he could tell she cared deeply for him, and wished that he could stay or that she could go with him. But with those feelings was her own hesitation, no different than his own.Perhaps it was because he paid more attention to another, and she didn’t want to risk getting hurt. That was something he could understand, even without his instincts.He went up the steps, bidding farewell to the rest of his mates and promising to visit again soon, before WG opened a portal back to Al-Mamoon. Chingis and Tani walked with him to his hotel room. "So, what did you and Grace talk about?" Tani asked, and he could tell she was a bit giddy for details."Eh, the same ol' song 'n' dance, Mistress Tani. Neither of us are ready to pursue a relationship, yet." Khunbish told her. "That don't surprise us," Chingis laughed. "The day ye decide to settle down, will be the day I shave my beard off!"The pirate-naga gave a mock-flinch. "Blimey, Chingis, none of us need that image in our heads!"Tani laughed. "Well, we'd better get back to Evermore. There's still work to be done," She gave Khunbish a pat on the back. "You be careful now. No more drinking, and don't go anywhere by yourself, got it?"Khunbish nodded. "Aye, lass. Ye two be careful as well--- Lord knows what kind o' tricks those poachers might pull,""Arr, we'd be too sharp for 'em, Khunbish! If they try anything, they'll have a hundred army units to deal with!" Chingis assured, giving him a nudge. The two Sky Pirates went out the door, Khunbish waving to them before heading down the hall to Swaine's room. At the moment, WG was walking out. "I'm going to go check on my animals real quick. Zane's going to hang out with you guys," she told him."Heh, don't be gone too long, lass." Khunbish answered, watching as she opened a portal... and he arched an eyebrow. "Ain't that Japan?""Yeeeaah, I always have trouble--- OOH! KITTY CAFE!" Without hesitation, WG zipped through the portal!The pirate-naga shook his head, going into Swaine's room. Currently, the older naga was wrapped up in a blanket. "Dammit, my body temperature really dropped while we were gone..." he was muttering. "Why don't we head somewhere extra warm? That might keep you from lethargy," Zane suggested, looking out the window. "How about Old Smokey?""Never been there before. That might warm us up a good deal," Khunbish agreed, though scratched his head. "Yet how's come you're more affected by the cold than I am, Swaine?""Maybe because I've been in and out of warm climates more than you have," Swaine guessed."Or it's because of your age. The cold has no mercy on old bones, they say." Zane said in jest as he took out his wand. Swaine scowled, looking at Khunbish. "I'll push him into the lava. You say it was an accident.""Alright, I gots dibs on his girlfriend anyway." Khunbish joked."I can fucking hear you!" Zane called in a sing-song tone. "You were fucking supposed to!" Swaine retorted in the same tone. Khunbish only laughed. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Elsewhere, a group of men sat around a computer, silhouetted against the screen; they were watching a clip from a news-reel from days ago.“Well?”“It’s official. This is the naga we're meant to catch. Seems like he's quite protective of that blonde-haired boy...""...Um, which one? There's four""What do you mean--? The one he's coiled around! ...And there's only three!""No, there's three! Look, there's one in a cap!""...Um, I think that's a girl.""R-Really? ...How can you tell?""Never mind all that! It seems like those half-snaked beasts are very fond of their friends... we might have a way of getting close to them.""I wouldn't be so sure. According to Leafbook, they're on to us. How would we even get close without arousing suspicion?""Oh, we won't have to get close at all..."0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The volcanic environment proved too hot, even for nagai, as Swaine and Khunbish felt they had to take off their shirts to keep from burning up while their scales felt dried out; they returned to the oasis, cooling down immensely while Zane checked on the TARDIS.The naga-thief was lying against a tree, looking up at the clouds in the sky. Something flew through his line of vision and he grinned, recognizing a familiar face flying through the air. Smiling, he slithered out onto the sands and waved up. “Tengri! Down here!” he hollered."Tengri's here??" Zane exclaimed, running out of the TARDIS. Khunbish, who had been swimming, climbed out to greet the friendly wyrm as well. The dragon swooped down, and once landing looked at the thief up and down, cocking his head in curiosity and confusion at the long snake tail. “Whoa! What happened to you two??” he asked in surprise. “It’s a long st---“ Swaine began, but did a double-take. “Did… you just talk?”0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0WG sat with ATF in the apartment, her pets beside her on the couch. Every so often, her shiba inu, Kinny, would growl at one of her brother's pets, and she would have to pet her to calm her down. "If you want, bro, I can take my animals to the hotel room." she stated."Nah, I think being around nagas would just agitate them more." The immortal teen stated. "By the way, THANK YOU SO MUCH for trying to drown me!"She shrugged. "Hey, it's the best way to sober you up after you get drunk on half a bottle of whiskey." She took out her phone, checking her messages. "I wonder if the Best Boys will be coming by. I haven't heard anything from them almost all morning,""Well, they have school and stuff. Plus it's night-time in their zone, so they're probably asleep!""That's true...""Oh! That reminds me! I think I had a vision about Ryuji! ...either that or it was a nightmare while I was sleeping,""What happened?"ATF looked solemn, shaking his head. "It wasn't anything good... I can't recall all the details. He was in a jungle somewhere-- oh, and Khunbish was there! He... he went crazy again or something... and I saw Ryuji lying on the ground."WG pondered, her concern rising. "I'd better head back.""Good call."0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Ryuji looked up at Akira. “Akira-san…? What are you doing here this late?” he asked.“Heh, I was about to ask you the same thing,” Akira answered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um, do you have a minute? I want to go somewhere and talk…”The track star nodded, grabbing his bag and following his friend.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Ryuji walked with Akira down the street; from the track star noticed a depressed look in his friend’s eye. “So… what’s up? Everything okay?” he couldn’t resist asking.“Um… sort of.” Akira murmured; he was thankful Morgana decided to stay at LeBlanc with Futaba, the ‘cat’ claiming he felt a bit under the weather… but the bespectacled leader had a feeling their mascot could just sense he needed to clear his head.“Sort of? …C’mon, Akira. You’ve been shunning me and everyone else lately outside of rehearsals, and don’t give me that ‘I’m tired’ excuse again!” When he saw the mild glare in the leader’s eye, he eased down. “Sorry. It’s just… I know you consider us as best friends in-game-only, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends in-real-life. A-and, if something’s eating ya, I want to know so I can help somehow!”Akira let out a breath. “…My biological dad wants me to live with him.”Ryuji paused. “Biological dad?”“Yeah. I’m in foster care, because my mom’s job took up too much of her time and my dad wasn’t financially stable. They’ve been staying in contact with me over the years, though I barely got to see them. …After I made an appearance in Smash Bros., I got to see Mom for the first time in years. Then my Dad was getting a remake in his game and said he was finally able to take care of me…”“So what’s the problem?”“For one thing, I’m 16 now. And sooner or later we’re going to get our own Arena game and have our ages boosted, so it feels a little late. I know he's done his best to stay in-touch and has visited during holidays, but I still feel like I would be moving in with a complete stranger. A-And he’s always led a bachelor life, what if he tries taking me in and it doesn’t work out?”“Whoa, hold on! Your dad stayed in contact with you, INCLUDING visits, and you’re worried about moving in with him? That doesn’t make much sense, man. …Why would you be worried about that?”Akira shook his head. “I dunno… I guess it’s because of the foster parents I got stuck with. They always laid out strict rules, would freak out if I so much as got an 85% on a test, and kept talking like I was a handful. ‘Oh, you have no idea what it’s like being a parent! Like trying to tame a wild animal!’ they always said. …They never even called me once since I got the lead role in Persona 5, you know?”The track star had to sneer. “That’s bullshit. ...But, your real dad sounds cool. You should give him a chance!”“I know, but…” The leader stopped to lean against a wall, rubbing his face. “…why now? Why did he have to wait so long?! His game was released around the same time as our predecessor, so why didn’t he come get me then?!” Tears were starting to form in his eyes. “I just got used to taking care of myself, for fuck’s sake--- and now he wants to take me in? Just… I don’t know what to do…”Ryuji froze; he had never seen Akira have a breakdown! As calm and cool he often was, he was chosen as the stoic/badass protagonist… so it was easy to forget he was human outside his role--- he had feelings he had to let out too, and needed someone to open up to.Resting a hand on his shoulder, the track star got his attention. “Did you ever tell him you wanted to stay with him in the past? Did he or your mom know your foster parents were a couple of uptight pricks? Because if he couldn’t take you knowing that, then he’d better have a damn good reason why! But dude… he still kept in touch, and now he wants you to come home. You know how bad I want a dad who actually cares that much?”The leader nodded. “I told him I need to think about it… but I still don’t know.”“Is he coming to visit?”“Y-Yeah, he should be here sometime this weekend. He wants to catch up,”“So meet up with him, man! Catch up! Talk about everything! Trust me, you do NOT want to become the whole ‘estranged son with daddy issues’ trope. …It might get you some p*ssy, but it’s not good for your heart, heh.”Akira scoffed at the joke, but on the bright side it got him to smile. “…Thanks, Ryuji. I just needed someone to listen.”“Anytime… but why didn’t you talk to anyone else?”“I wanted to… but I was afraid of connecting. T-That’s why I told you how you shouldn’t take the best friend role so seriously--- because I wasn’t taking mine seriously; I figured if I bonded with everyone outside the set, and they saw what I was really like…”“If you say, ‘They would walk out on me’, I’ll deck you.” Ryuji interrupted; he ran his hand through his spiky hair, sighing. “Dude. I think you have commitment issues. ...But, I can understand why you’re afraid. You know why I want to befriend everyone I met on the set? It’s because I have a bad case of PTSD and can’t handle being alone. As a kid, I always had to hide in my room because of my dad, and after he walked out on us I still suffered night-terrors, and had to scope out the house whenever I hear a noise at night. Actually… after you blew me off last week, I-I ran all the way to Ni no Kuni to stay with Khunbish because Mom wasn’t home!”“That bad, huh? …So I’m the vice-versa. You want to keep people close, and I don’t want to get close to anyone. …Heh. I guess we complement each other.” Akira grinned.Ryuji smiled back. “Hell yeah, we do!”The leader looked at his duffel bag. “So… where were you going?”“Oh, I was going to go stay with Bishie again… It’s still early in the day in their zone."“…How about LeBlanc? It’s closer--- and I think I owe it to you for being a prick.”The track star looked at him a moment, but gave a firm nod.Together, they walked down the street back to the café.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0When WG and ATF returned, they searched for the two nagas. They didn’t have to look far, for their friends were out in the desert, though the first thing they noticed was the purple dragon. “TENGRI!” ATF squealed, racing over. “Kyaa!” Tengri chirped in greeting, allowing the immortal teen to pet him.“When did he get here?” WG asked. “He said dragons hang around Old Smokey during the cold season, and he was out for a quick flight when he heard me call up at him.” Khunbish replied, patting the dragon's side.“Kyaaaa!” Tengri chirped again.“Yes, I know it’s quite warm up there, but it was too hot for us. We're fine in the desert, don’t worry.” Swaine said to the dragon.“Kya-kya?”“Yes, I’m sure.”“Hold it… you can understand him? Are you using Nature’s Tongue?” WG asked.“Heh, funny ye should ask. It turns out our naga-senses allow us to understand other reptiles. We's just got done telling Tengri all about the ordeal,” Khunbish told her. “Kyaaa!” Tengri responded, nuzzling against Swaine.The thief chuckled, patting his snout. “Alright, alright, so it’s not so bad having scales. The difference is you get to fly,”"Aye, ye'd be a lucky one there, Tengri!" Khunbish added, and the dragon nuzzled him next, making him chuckle. “Isn't it awesome?? They’re like a pair of parsel-tongues!” Zane exclaimed, having been sitting on the dragon's back (with his consent, of course).“Kyaaa, kyaa!” Tengri softly growled, leaning down and having the Time Lord slide off.“Alright, boy. We’ll see you when it’s warm enough to fly around again. Take care!” Swaine answered, and the dragon took to the skies. He turned to the others. “He had to get back to the volcano; until winter is over, he has to stay there to keep his scales nice and hot; the desert sun alone isn’t enough after high noon passes.”“Man… talking to dragons, super senses, great snuggling… being a naga must be great!” ATF sighed.“Yeah, well, if you want to be one, you can try to find a snake-statue and get cursed next,” Swaine replied with a sneer.“Sweetness!”“Don’t even think about it!” WG snapped. “The last thing you need is an excuse not to wear pants!”ATF gave her a look. “Dream killer.”They made their way back into the city; just as they reached the entrance, they spotted Junpei and Kanji walking through the plaza. "Oh, hey guys! We've been looking for you all over town," The baseball player exclaimed with a grin. "Ahoy, lads, what're ye doin' over by here at this time o' day? Isn't it past your curfew back home?" Khunbish asked, looking at the sky as means to calculate the time-zone differences."I asked Mitsuru-senpai if I could spend the day here; as long as I'm back there in time for school, she has no problem with it.""Won't that burn up your energy? I mean, you need to sleep!" WG told him. "What do you think I do in class?" He chuckled, and the others rolled your eyes."What about you, Kanji?" Swaine asked the rebel."I'm always staying out late; Ma says it's fine this time, as long as she knows where I'm going. Oh..." Kanji replied, then reached into his inventory, taking out a couple of containers. "She also made you guys some udon, spring rolls, and rice-balls as a way of showing her support."The older naga sniffed a bit. "I smell deep fried potatoes... What else is in there?"The rebel blushed. "Oh, um, there's some croquettes in there, too... I-I made them myself,""Oi, thanks lad! Tell your mum we appreciate it," Khunbish stated, taking one of the containers and looking at the contents through the clear lid, each morsel divided and looking exquisite. "Need a good meal after I emptied me stomach yesterday,""Didn't you guys just have a big breakfast this morning?" Zane questioned. "With stomachs like these? That was just an appetizer," Swaine quipped. "Where's Ryuji?" ATF spoke, having been looking around the last minute. "Whenever you guys come here, he's always with you.""Dunno. We haven't seen him since we left yesterday; he might just be sleeping at his place," Junpei guessed. "I sent him a text, but he hasn't replied yet, so he must be out of it." Kanji added, though seemed uncertain. "I'll go by his place and check." WG offered. Swaine thought for a second, then nudged Zane, giving him a look while nodding at WG. "(I don't need a hint...) I'll go with you, sweetie." The Time Lord answered, after murmuring to the thief. "I'll tag along, too... or maybe not." ATF began to say, until the naga-thief pulled him back by the waist with his tail. "I should go, too..." Khunbish began to slither forth, but Swaine pulled him back by the collar of his vest. "Not a good idea, Khunbish. If people saw a naga slithering around at night over there, you'll just gain more media attention," "Yeah, Ryuji already told us about how you blew your cover outside his school," Junpei added. "Those poachers might have connections over there," "Well, it's not like it's any safer hanging about here," "Khunbish. Stay." WG ordered. "You've already been out of a warm climate once today. If there's a problem, I'll open a portal for you. But let Zane and I check things out, first.""We'll be back." Zane promised, and he and the authoress walked through the portal. "Honey, this is New Yor---!" The portal shut. The pirate-naga crossed his arms, looking at the ground. Junpei patted him on the back, thumbing at the in. "C'mon, bud, let's head in and you can try Kanji's cooking. Trust me, it's like you're eating at a five-star restaurant!" he assured. Kanji blushed, giving the baseball player a glare. "W-Would you shut up?! Cheesy compliments won't make me cook for you!" "(We'd better keep these two apart before Kanji tries to drown Junpei in dairy, again.)" ATF said out of the corner of his mouth. Swaine gave a nod. "Kanji, why don't you hang out with me? I can take you over to the Familiar Retreat before we head upstairs," "Huh? Um, okay," Kanji answered."We'll be in me room, then." Khunbish replied; ATF opened a portal and he, Junpei and the pirate-naga went through. Swaine showed Kanji over to the Familiar Retreat. "Allo, allo, allo! How can I help you, today?" the keeper exclaimed, popping up from underneath the tile. "I'd like to retrieve a couple familiars. Get me Lemahl, Spike, and Jade, please." The thief insisted. "Right away!" The keeper ducked down, popping up not even two seconds later with a Dumblemur, Gruffian, and Draggle. "Is there anything else?""This will be all, thank you." The keeper gave a wave and with a quick 'bye-bye!' ducked back under the tile. Swaine then slithered over to the shade, taking out the trio of companions and showing them to Kanji. "Well, what do you think? Impressed?""T-They're so cute..." Kanji said, his eyes wide. Seeing the creatures on the game was one thing, but getting to actually pet them was the opportunity of a lifetime! "Can I...?""Go ahead and pet them. ...Oh, except Spike," He patted the Gruffian, who growled at Kanji. "He's not fond of strangers. And Lehmal you'll have to coax with a treat," he motioned to the Dumblemur, sitting on his shoulder. He looked at the Draggle, who at the moment was staring at Kanji, cocking its head. "Jade is still pretty young, though, so she's always eager to meet new people,"Kanji knelt down, patting the Draggle on the head. She let out a soft growl, nuzzling against his palm and allowing him to stroke her back and wings. "Aww, she's adorable...!" he couldn't help but gush.Swaine smiled, sensing the sheer enthusiasm stemming from the rebel. "She likes it when you rub the area where her wings attach to her back. ...That's it." He opened up the container, eating some of the food, while sharing a bit with Spike and Lehmal; smelling the food, Jade dawdled over, wanting a piece as well. "Heh heh, they seem to like your cooking, too."Kanji sat beside him. "So... you didn't have any familiars with you when you were cursed, did ya? W-Were they affected?"The older naga shook his head. "No. Considering my aura was strong enough, I didn't think I would need to take any with me into The Vault. Plus, they get pretty restless in the creature cage and need to go to the Familiar Retreat; unless I'm going on a long trip or know danger's afoot, I bring at least one along with me." He rubbed Spike on the head. "I guess I should've brought them out after this curse took place, just for extra company... but I don't know if it will affect them or not.""I guess it's better to play it safe," Kanji rubbed the back of his neck. "Any luck in finding another benefit?"Swaine shrugged. He thought about the card he gained, but decided to keep it to himself. "Well, according to WG, both Khunbish and I will have to gain all three benefits before the curse is broken... and apparently, our friends can find benefits too." "Really? ...Huh. I never got any cards, and I think you guys are cool!" He patted his lap when Jade kept nuzzling against his leg, allowing the Draggle to sit on his lap, holding her while stroking her head. "Then again, I really like animals, so maybe my opinion doesn't matter..."Right at that moment a card floated down in front of him. The two looked at what it said.
"Benefit (Kanji):
Yes it does ;)"
"That's it??" The rebel sputtered, while the thief laughed. "Hey, it matters to us, at least." Swaine calmed down his laugh, letting out a breath as he continued eating. "Hell, I find it ironic that someone from a different world thinks it's incredible, meanwhile some local considers me a bane of humanity, and another wants me caught like some wild animal.""Bane of humanity, huh? Who said that?""Just some uptight woman. She tried to have the guards kick me out of town! Thankfully, Rashaad and the others put her in her place, and told everyone else to stop looking at me like some roadshow attraction," He stretched a bit. "Ah, well. I'm over it."Kanji looked at him a moment; he didn't believe the thief, as he could tell he was still upset about the matter. He continued to pet Jade. "Yeah... I had to deal with the same guff. Because of my reputation as a trouble-maker, someone always thought I was up to something. One of the cops even suspected me of being a thug bullying people on the streets! It wasn't until a little kid, Ma and Yu Senpai spoke up for me that he got off my case,""Heh, I've had that problem even before this curse took place. Living the life of a thief doesn't exactly make you popular," He raised a finger when Kanji opened his mouth. "The Phantom Thieves are different!"Lehmal hopped from Swaine's shoulder onto Kanji's, making the rebel chuckle; he scratched the Dumblemur under the chin, making it chatter and it began to pick at his hair. "I guess everyone puts up with a lot of shit, no matter how different they are." He reached up, having the simian-familiar grab his hand and swing down, while the Draggle hopped off his lap. "But, you know what? I'd rather be different than try to fit in with everyone. That's pretty much the basis of my game: accepting yourself,"Swaine paused, a look of thought on his face. "Huh. ...I kind of heard something similar in a dream,""Really? When?""When I got back from WG's place and passed out from being too cold. I had a nightmare... then suddenly I was climbing up a tower, carrying someone--- it kept changing what person I'd be holding, but it was always someone familiar." Spike sat down beside him, and he scratched behind the Gruffian's ear. "At some point, I heard a voice speaking... I can't quite remember all they said, but they brought up how their game was similar to mine... something about handling death,"Kanji scratched his head. "That was the day you trapped Junpei in your coils in your sleep!"Swaine did a double-take, looking at the rebel. "I what?!"Whoops. The rebel thought, freezing. "Um... I-I guess no one told you... While you were asleep, we could tell you were having one helluva nightmare--- and suddenly you just grabbed Junpei, hugged him, and wouldn't let go." He pulled out his phone. "I recorded it on my phone."The thief gawked. "You recorded it?!""J-Just because it pissed off Junpei! He managed to slip out on his own after I left, though."Swaine looked at the video--- just as the rebel said, the baseball player was pissed and throwing cushions, cussing out his friend while the older naga was wrapped around him, sleeping as if he didn't hear a thing. "You shouldn't have done that... I could have hurt him...""WG said it was alright; since you were pretty much dormant, your strength was nulled as a defense-mechanism--- that way, nagas can't crush people in their sleep. ...You had a tight grip, though. We couldn't pull him out for nothin'!""I see." Swaine had to smirk, listening to Junpei threaten the rebel, who kept laughing, the camera shaking with every chuckle until he finally left the room. He thought about his dream, remembering the shouting he had been hearing, until a gentle voice started speaking to him, perhaps as a means to soothe him. I'll have to thank that kid, somehow.Kanji looked at him, noticing the look of thought on his face. "Do you remember something?""Not much..." He looked at the rebel, giving a smirk. "You must be good at reading people.""W-What makes you say that?""Well for one thing, you keep looking at me like I'm some sort of puzzle." "Sorry..." Kanji rubbed the back of his neck. "I've kind of been keeping an eye on everyone lately. Ever since Junpei-san and Ryuji-san were acting weird at rehearsals... and I think Khunbish is keeping something buried deep down, too.""I'm sure he'll end up talking about it, sooner or later." Swaine stood up, handing the teen back the now-empty container as he slithered back over to the Familiar Retreat to drop off his companions. "Until then, we should focus on... Dad?!""What?" Kanji looked at Swaine, noticing a stunned look on his face; following his gaze, he saw a man walking forth, recognizing him as the old Emperor of Hamelin. "So it is true." The Emperor stated, crossing his arms as he gave his eldest son a look. "You always find a way to get into some sort of mishap, don't you, Gascon?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Aaaaand... GO!"Junpei sat back, watching as ATF and Khunbish began to stuff their mouths with red hot chili peppers; upon learning that nagai could tolerate spicy foods, the immortal teenager had challenged the pirate to a competition to see who could eat the most hottest-tasting delicacies before their mouths couldn't handle the burning sensation anymore. The baseball player offered to play as referee, then go against the winner....Little did anyone know that ATF had managed to drink vodka, tobasco sauce, and fireball candies mixed together once. It took 5 years for the feeling to return to his tongue. So imagine his surprise as Khunbish managed to scarf down handfuls of peppers, not so much as wincing! Meanwhile, the immortal teen was on his 17th pepper and felt like he was about to spontaneously combust! C'mon, Zeke! If you can handle being boiled in motor oil, you can handle a few more peppers! he told himself. Junpei watched them both in awe. "Um, either of you guys want to take a quick water break?" he asked, as Khunbish was swallowing peppers like pills, and ATF looked like he was sweating embers."Naw, I'm good mate!" Khunbish casually answered, swallowing another pepper. "Unless ye need to cool down yer mouth, lad?""NEVER!" ATF panted, grabbing one more pepper. "I can *huff huff* handle a few *wheeze* hundred more peppers! *whew* ...Man, it really gets hot in this city, doesn't it?""Dude... you look like you're about to barf lava." Junpei deadpanned, then looked at the pile of peppers on the table. "Where'd you get this many peppers, anyway?"Khunbish studied ATF, pausing before shoving another handful into his mouth. The teen's eyes were watering, his face was red, and one arm was wrapped around his ribcage. Using the tip of his tail, he swatted a pepper out of the boy's hand, grabbed the pitcher of ice-water, then dumped it into the burning mouth of the immortal teen--- steam billowing out and turning the room into a sauna for a moment. "*cough* ...that's cheating... *cough*" ATF weakly sputtered. "Sorry, lad, the competition's been called on account of near-sudden death." Khunbish told him. "Ye were about to have an ulcer!""Really? You can tell that??" Junpei asked. ATF took a few breaths, rubbing his ribcage. "It's okay, Khunbish. I'm immortal--- to me, an ulcer is like hitting my funny bone: hurts for a while, but eventually goes away.""It don't matter, boy. Don't ye go riskin' your life over a silly competition, whether ye'd be immortal or not," Khunbish scolded, putting the rest of the peppers in his inventory. "I'll keep these for a snack later,"ATF cocked his head. "Last summer you watched me pass out from alcohol poisoning during shots at the tavern, but you didn't try to stop me then.""Yeah, well... had I known exactly when ye were about to kick the bucket, I would've stepped in. Ye shouldn't be so reckless, lad--- you're only 13!""...I've been 13 since the year 1935. Remember? Can't age?""How come you're suddenly so worked up about it, Khun-san?" Junpei asked, giving the naga a curious look. Khunbish sighed, slithering over to the window. "I can't quite explain it, lads. Just don't like the idea of some young teen putting himself in danger--- and keep in mind, me king is no older than Anti, an' I've fought alongside him in skirmishes!""It has something to do with Ryuji, doesn't it?" ATF guessed, holding up a little plushie of said Phantom Thief. "Perhaps... I mean, these feelings stirred after we's hung out 'n' only grew more intense that night his ol' man stormed his house." He sat down on the bed. "...I wonder if WG and Zane found out what's keepin' him?""If they did, they would be back here."Junpei nudged ATF, before sitting down beside Khunbish, patting him on the back. "He'll be okay, bud. I know Ryuji pretty well--- he knows how to take care of himself.""Aye... ye may be right." Clearing his throat, he looked at the two teens, realizing the mood in the room turned a bit solemn. "So, ah, Anti! How are the pets faring?""Pretty good. Jonesy has been helping me keep an eye on them," ATF walked over and sat down in the middle of the pirate-naga's coils, making himself comfortable. "He's my roommate, best friend, and guardian angel,""Guardian angel?? Wait, you mean like with a halo, wings, and everything?" Junpei asked, walking over and sitting on top of the coil, his interest piqued. "When did you get one?""I didn't exactly 'get one'... he just found me. It was during a rough patch I was going through back in 2010, and he 'heard my heart calling out for help'. We've been close ever since," Khunbish rested on his elbow. "How'd he hear yer heart?""Hm? I dunno... a special sense only angels have, I guess." He looked at his watch. "I'm going to run back home real quick and let the dogs out. Be back later!" Standing up, he stepped out of the coils and went through a portal, disappearing. Junpei took his spot in the naga's coils, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head as if he were in a beanbag chair. "Ahh... What do you want to do, now?" he asked with a smile.Khunbish grabbed the container filled with food that Kanji had given him. "Probably just eat something. Me stomach still feels empty," He took off the lid, holding out the bowl to Junpei. "Want some?""Thanks, dude." Junpei took a spring roll. "I heard you've been throwing up a lot since this curse began,""Ehh, only a couple of times... 'n' mainly because I ate something I shouldn't've." He examined a rice ball in his hand, recalling the emotions his dulled senses could pick up from the baseball player and track star the other day. "Speaking o' which... I'm sorry for upsetting ye yesterday. Didn't mean to scare ya in me reckless state, or hurt yer feelings..."Junpei rubbed the snake tail, taking a bite out of the spring roll. "It's okay... just don't get drunk around us again."The aviator sensed bitterness from the teen; he then recalled how the teen confessed that his father took to the bottle and acted like an ass to the point where his mother up and left. Considering Ryuji's feelings matched his own, he had a feeling the track star's father was all too familiar with the taste of liquor himself, and the strong beverage brought out the worst in him. He thought about the times when he would have a pint-too-many. According to his mates, he'd try picking fights one minute, then calling everyone his best friend the next... but never heard talk that he hurt someone! Sure, maybe he got into a few brawls, but by the next morning everyone was still good mates and laughed it off. But Junpei and Ryuji weren't like his tavern mates. Their fathers had kept their drunkenness at home and hurt their families, one ending up beating his wife and child then just skipping town... only to come back and try it again. Had anyone at the Sky Pirate Base or Evermore done such a thing, they would be thrown out and forced to sober up in the wilderness and get their act together, or else never be allowed within the territory ever again!"...You okay, dude? You're not eating,"Khunbish shook his head, realizing his mind had wandered and the food was getting cold. "I'm alright, just thinking again." he replied, and ate the rice ball he was holding, before taking a bite out of a croquette next. "Mmm! That lad really knows how to cook!" Junpei grabbed the other croquette, taking a bite. "I know, right? He and Shinjiro-senpai are excellent in the kitchen. Everyone keeps trying to talk some of the girls into taking lessons from them!" "Really? I figured girls in yer world were excellent cooks!""...Obviously you've never heard of the 'Mystery Food X' incident." Khunbish chuckled, and they finished off the rest of the meal. The pirate-naga lied down so that his back was behind Junpei, the baseball player tipping his cap over his eyes as part of the tail draped over him. It wasn't long before the teen dosed off--- didn't surprise the archer one bit, considering he must have been feeling jet-lagged from continually jumping between worlds so often. Copying his example, the pirate-naga drifted off next. Should anything else happen, he wanted to be well-rested. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Ryuji and Akira were sitting in Leblanc's upstairs room, watching a movie when the protagonist's phone rang. "Hello? ...Yeah, he's here with me." The bespectacled student looked at the track star. "It's your friend, WG. She went by your house but no one was home,""Huh? Let me talk to her." Ryuji took the phone. "Wherever-chan? What's up? Did something happen? ...Okay. No, I just ran into Akira-san and we're hanging out at Leblanc." He took out his cellphone, cringing when he noticed he had some missed calls and texts. "...oh, shit, sorry my phone is on 'silent'. ...Well, yeah! I mean, if those poachers show up, I don't want to end up in one of those situations where one phone-call blows a stealth mission! ...okay, I forgot to turn up the volume after school... Ha ha, alright, I'll drop by tomorrow. Tell Bishie not to get his tail in a knot,"Akira cocked his head, taking his phone back after Ryuji hung up. "Your friends must have been worried about you.""Naaah, just Khun-kun. Junpei-san and Kanji-san both went to see him, and since I wasn't with 'em, he thought something was wrong. ...Turns out they tried calling and texting me, too. So, WG and her boyfriend dropped by my place to check up on me,""Khunbish is that green-haired naga we met, right? Why is he so obsessed with you?""You got me, dude. Normally, we can't be in the room for five minutes without picking a fight--- we pretty much argue who WG likes more.""Seriously? You're arguing over a fangirl? We've got a million of them! ...Hence why we had to tighten security during the second half of The Animation and had to file thirty restraining orders?" "I know, dude. ...It just happened. One day we just met her at the same time, she said she thought we were both cute, and then we're bragging about which one of us would be more fun to date--- and next thing you know, it turned into an ongoing competition! And she even has a boyfriend, so we fight over her even if she's taken!""What about when she's not around?""Well, that's the thing. She's always around... except that night when... y-you blew me off. I went to Al-Mamoon to find WG; turns out she and Swaine had gone somewhere else, and I ended up staying with Khunbish. He could tell I was upset, but didn't press for details... and we just hung out, talked about stuff, and fell asleep. ...Now, he's more concerned about my well-being than trying to score points and rub it in my face.""Looks like you guys went from being rivals to friends."Ryuji sighed. "Yeah... but... I wonder if it's not just because of his curse. What if once it's broken, he just stops giving a damn and we go back to fighting all the time?""Maybe. Or maybe the circumstance helped you two see each other differently. ...You just told me that if someone is willing to connect with you, you should take a chance."The track star blushed. "T-That's different! Khunbish isn't like my dad or something!""But he does care about you, right? And he might keep on caring about you, even if you two go back to being rivals. We're both taking chances, Ryuji-san. And I know you're never one to back down,""Tch, now who's the one taking game-plots too seriously?" "Oh for crying out loud, would you two GO TO SLEEP?!" snapped a voice, and out from under the pillow popped Morgana! "How can anyone get any rest around here with you two yapping?!" He looked at Akira. "See, THIS is why you're not allowed to have sleepovers!"Akira shook his head and Ryuji rolled his eyes. "Speaking of game-logic..." the latter murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Sorry, Morgana-san. We'll be going to sleep soon," Akira told the 'cat'.Morgana hopped off the bed. "Yeah, well, until there's peace and quiet up here, I'm sleeping elsewhere. Goodnight!" He scoffed, heading downstairs.The two teens shrugged; Akira took out the spare mat for Ryuji to sleep on, both of them getting settled. "Thanks for letting me stay over, Akira-san.""No problem. ...though, one question still irks me." The protagonist replied, a look of thought on his face. "What's that?""How the hell did WG get my cell number?!"The stunned silence lingered in the room for a good twenty minutes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Kanji sat out in the hall; from how tense Swaine was around his ol' man, the rebel had the feeling the two wanted to converse alone.He thought about what happened in the game...Even though characters who died in-game weren't dead for real, that didn't mean they weren't gone; according to the developers, dead-characters had to go somewhere else in order to help the rest of the actors feel like they've experienced an emotional loss. Junpei had said that after Persona 3 was finished, Minato, Chidori and a few others could not enter certain scenes or talk to anyone, only getting to meet up outside of rehearsals; he had claimed during the original release, his 'late friends' had to practically be estranged in order to make the 'emotional loss' feel real... not seeing anyone until Portable and FES was in the works!That sort of thinking was revoked when Persona 4 came around. Characters of all roles were allowed to socialize freely (so long as they were out of shot during shooting), and no longer had to act like they no longer existed. Thank goodness too, as most fans already took the games way too seriously these days--- from cosplayers being attacked, to shippers demanding their OTP do the thing, to certain villains getting death-threats in public... and the fangirl attacks. Good Lord, the fangirl attacks...However, that was just the series he came from. He didn't know what 'dead' characters had to do after their death-scene was done... but from Swaine's reaction, it was clear his dad hadn't been in contact with him for a long-ass time! Where has he been? ...And how come he's not all that surprised that Swaine's been cursed? Kanji thought, keeping near the door.He remembered how the two interacted in the game... they were always salty with one another. But it had to be different in real life, right?Leaning forth so his ear was against the door, he listened in the best he could....There was a long silence as Swaine and The Emperor, Duroc as he was called, stood in the room.For the first time since he was cursed, the thief could not read any emotions. His dad was always good at hiding his feelings. If he had any. He remarked in his head."Marcassin said you were cursed from green powder encased inside a statue, located in the Vault of Tears." Duroc spoke at once, observing the tail. "Did you learn anything more about it?""Yeah, apparently there's a legend about it..." Swaine answered, stone-faced as he showed his father the same scroll Tani had found.The Emperor read through it. "I see. ...And you must find three benefits in order to break it?"Swaine nodded."And what benefits have you found, thus far?"The thief simply showed him the cards he had gained, as well as the cards his friends had gathered. "I think he only has to find one more, then the curse will be broken. ...He also had a dream where Aapep told him that if we let it get to us, we might not change back at all.""That may explain why you have not changed back, yet. ...You were never one to go without grousing about a difficult matter,"Swaine clenched his fists. "According to WG, both he and I have to gain all our benefits before we change back!"Duroc gave him a look. "Is WG the one who knows how the curse works?""Well... not quite... it was just a theory she had---""And you believe it to be true?""It has to be! Why else would I still be stuck like this, even after I found all three of my benefits?!""Anyone can find a silver lining about something, but it means nothing if the attitude remains the same." Duroc looked at his tail again. "You have great strength, agility, and prowess with this new form; the curse has also helped you to grow closer to certain friends... and yet, you remain sour about it as if what you gained means nothing." He looked at his son. "You were always very stubborn, always thinking you had a right to be irritable, even if good things happened."Swaine clenched his teeth, his back to his father. "I'm not being stubborn! We were cursed at the same time, so we should each resolve it together! It makes sense!""That is not how curses always work, Gascon. Unless something stated that you simply must share the burden, I do not see any other reason. What is it about this curse that makes you so agitated that you cannot focus on the optimistic side?"He shut his eyes in aggravation. "I HAVE been! Dammit, why do you think it's all my fault I'm like this?!"Duroc crossed his arms. "I am not putting the blame on you. You have been cursed before, and have gotten into more trouble than I would like to remember, yet managed to overcome such trials. Yet you have been cursed for days, and even with all your benefits you have not succeeded...""It's not like the other times! This is... It's more difficult!""Oh? How so? From what I recall, you were never one to back down from a challenge."Swaine was seething; beneath his lips, he could feel fangs sprouting... he opened his eyes and could feel them glowing... if his dad said one more word, he was sure to whip around and---*BAM!*"HEY!"The naga gave a jolt, and the emperor turned as Kanji stormed in."Lay off Swaine, already! In case no one clued you in, this ain't your normal every-day curse! Barely anyone knows it even existed, and he's has been busting his ass off trying to get back to his full-human self!" The rebel went on without hesitation, standing before Duroc. "Do you think he likes being half-snake?! It's a miracle he managed to find anything positive about it at all! And don't be debunkin' our friend's theory, either! Sometimes people have to WORK TOGETHER to resolve something! Just because you have a rule that people have to handle their own problems alone doesn't mean everyone has to follow it!""What the...?! Who do you think you're speaking to, boy?!" Duroc demanded. "This is a matter between my son and I--""I got news for you, 'Your Highness'," Kanji backed up beside Swaine (who at the moment was looking at him, stunned). "A buncha our friends have already been part of the matter long before you showed up... and even though some of us know nothin' about your world, we've still been giving 'em support! Unlike you--- you just came in here and started getting critical! If you're not here to let your son know you've got his back, then you can just---!""What's going on in here?!" came a shout, and Oliver and Esther walked in; the latter had been the one who called, pausing when she saw Duroc. "Oh! Emperor Duroc! When did you get here?""Is... everything alright?" Oliver asked, reading the room.Duroc, Swaine, and Kanji looked at one another; the rebel still continued to give the emperor a bitter look, getting a scolding glance in turn, and the thief looked flustered. "I'm going to go find Junpei." Kanji finally muttered, walking out of the room."I'm going out to the oasis..." Swaine sneered, slithering by."I-I'll go with you," Esther offered, walking beside him."Gascon," Duroc called. Swaine paused, looking back at him. "...I will stay in touch."The naga scoffed. "Sure, you will." Without waiting for a response, he quickened his pace, Esther having to jog to keep up with him.The emperor sighed, shaking his head. "Always so stubborn..." he murmured to himself, preparing to cast 'Travel'."He must get it from you,"Duroc paused, looking down at the young wizard. "Excuse me?"Oliver walked over, picking up one of the books in the room. "Swaine is going through a hard time. He really hates snakes, and what's worse is he feels like he might hurt someone out of impulse. How would you feel if you had to become something you hated, were afraid you might do something terrible, and were obligated to like something about it?"The emperor looked at the doorway. "...I have faced that fear many times, Oliver. Sometimes, it is our pride that keeps us from overcoming obstacles.""I don't think pride has anything to do with it, sir. ...Not in Swaine's case." The wizard looked up at him. "You shouldn't mask your worry by criticizing his situation. Tough love isn't going to help him out of this situation. Unless the only way you can reach closure is by a dying breath, you need to open up to him--- then maybe he can do the same with you," With that, Oliver walked out of the room.Duroc stood there a moment in contemplation, before casting 'Travel'.0o0o0o0o0o0o0
He was standing around the corner, watching with wide, terrified eyes as his parents yelled at each other... his father slapped his mother across the face, hard enough to make her fall to the floor. "Leave her alone!" Ryuji yelled, running into the room; without hesitation, he punched his father in the face.
"You dumb bastard..." His father growled, lunging at him. The fight was on, and the drunken asshole managed to get the upper hand, having his son sprawled on his back; he planted his foot on his chest, knocking the air out of him as he grabbed his son's ankle, lifting his leg up straight. "This will teach you to mind your own damn business!"
His mother screamed.
There was a crack.
Pain... so much pain...
Ryuji was screaming next with tears in his eyes...
...Sitting up gasping, the track-star awoke from the terrible dream. His cheeks were still wet from fresh tears, and he wiped his eyes. He took several breaths, looking around the room...Akira was fast asleep on the floor, having allowed his friend to take the bed while he used the spare futon. He softly snored, oblivious to the track-star's distress. Ryuji let out a sigh, looking at the time on his phone; he had barely been asleep for an hour... and after that twisted walk down memory lane, he had doubts he would resume sleep anytime soon. Part of him wanted to wake up the leader and talk about it, but they had been up late enough talking about their issues, and he did not want to make Akira distance himself again... especially after learning the bespectacled protagonist was already trying to handle his own inner-turmoil. Standing up and grabbing his cellphone, Ryuji tip-toed around his friend and went downstairs. Maybe he could call up Junpei and Kanji, see if they were still with Swaine and Khunbish and talk to them... chances are, the pirate would sense he was upset and sneak all the way to Leblanc. Or maybe he could see if WG and Zane were still in the neighborhood..."Geez, you're still awake?""Gah!" Ryuji gasped, looking down and seeing Morgana sitting on a table. "Holy shit, don't do that! You almost gave me an effin' heart attack!" He let out a breath, calming himself down. "What are you doing down here?""I came down here to get some sleep, remember?""Oh, right... I figured you would've gone back upstairs after we went to sleep.""And I figured you'd be out like a light from all the silence." The 'cat' studied him. "...Are you alright? Your eyes are all red."Ryuji sat down at the booth, sighing. "Just had a shitty dream about my dad... He was fighting with mom, and when I interfered, he broke my leg." He folded his arms, resting his head on them. "I really hate that nightmare..."Morgana sat down before him, doing that pose where his legs were tucked under his body, making him look like a kitty loaf. "You've had it before?""...ever since it actually happened."The 'cat's' fur bristled. "Mew! Seriously?! ...When did it happen?""Before I tried out for Persona 5," Ryuji sniffed a bit, lifting his head to rub his face. "It was during my freshman year, right before a big track-meet. Mom called the cops, and that's when the dick took off. I had to stay in the hospital, and during that time she worked on moving us to a different neighborhood. ...I wanted to help her pay the bills, so that's when I tried out for a role--- even if it was as a minor character, I wanted to do something to earn money. I told the recruiters my reason, and the writers liked my story and... well, they changed a few things, but thought it would be a great addition." He traced his finger in a circle on the table. "Everyone said the game was kinda therapeutic, like helping some of us confront our biggest fears or problems mentally... but I still get freaked out at night. And since my dad came back, it's like my PTSD kickstarted all over again.""Everyone has a relapse," Morgana replied, sitting upright. "And honestly, pretending to confront your problems in a story isn't the same as doing so in real life. Sure, putting it down on paper is a good way to start, but until you face your fears head-on, your accomplishments will always feel like a work of fiction." He pushed a paw against Ryuji's mouth before the teen could speak. "DON'T... Sojiro can't afford new walls."The track-star nodded, using an index finger to move the paw off his lips. "So... what do you think I should do? My dad ran off again so I can't really take him on..."The 'cat' shook his head. "It's not always about fighting back physically, but fighting back mentally. ...Remember how we had to go into Mementos to confront the villains, and how each one of you went through your 'awakening'? That's symbolism for how we must first handle the problems in our heads, before we battle the cause. Basically, mentally preparing yourself and overcoming your inner weakness in order to make progress.""So... how do I do that?"Morgana shrugged. "That is something you must figure out on your own," He reached and rested a paw on Ryuji's hand. "But, that doesn't mean you don't have our support. Feel free to talk to any of us, maybe we can even find you a good counselor..." He gave a proud kitty-grin. "Even though I'm quite good at providing therapy, myself."Ryuji scoffed, grinning as he reached and pet Morgana on the head. "Yeah... you're a good therapy-cat.""Hey! I'm not a cat!"The track-star thought for a moment. "Oh, so you're a small grimalkin, then?"The 'cat's' ear twitched. "...What is that?""It's one of those cat people from Ni no Kuni who walk and talk like---""No, no, listen! ...Do you hear that?"Ryuji listened, hearing soft thudding footsteps; out the window, silhouetted behind the blinds against the dim streetlight, two figures walked by speaking in hushed tones. Out of instinct, the two Phantom Thieves ducked down underneath the table, peeking out and watching as one of the figures peered in through the door. They were tall, but their features were shadowed; the other one walked over, looking bulky and whispering something.The two men walked away after a minute."What do you think they were up to?" Ryuji asked in a whisper."Probably a couple of potheads trying to find a place that'll satisfy their munchies... I hope." Morgana replied back quietly, though was not certain. He looked up at Ryuji. "I'm going to go wake Akira and have him call Sojiro, just in case. Something about those characters isn't right...""Okay. I'll stay down here in case they come back,"With that, Morgana quickly trotted up the stairs, while Ryuji crawled over and hid behind the counter.Someone eventually came into the cafe...0o0o0o0o0o0o0"...Just haaad to try the Big Bang Burger, didn't you?" WG asked Zane as they walked down the street, her boyfriend holding his stomach."It's lunchtime back in Ni no Kuni, okay?" Zane retorted, stifling his mouth as a belch rose up his throat. "...they looked smaller the game... ohh crud---" He hurried into a nearby public restroom. "Wait here! *hurk!*"The authoress shook her head. A portal opened beside her, as ATF walked through... walking a Shiba-Inu, Shih Tzu, and Pomeranian with tiny dragon wings. "There you are! I brought the doggos over to visit," her brother stated, tugging on the leash the flying dog was on. "...Easy, Rickshaw, down boy.""Aww, thank you! What do you think, Kinny-Boo? Are you excited to be in a new world?" WG cooed to the Shiba, while picking up the Shih Tzu. "How about you, Sophie-loaf? Did you miss mama?""Well, isn't this cute! Two young boys gushing over their puppies!" came a familiar voice, and the twins looked over, grimacing when they saw the lecherous men from before approaching."Ah, great. It's Tweedle-Grab and Tweedle-Grope." ATF sneered, while Rickshaw growled."Keep walking, pervs. I have laser-vision, and I'm not afraid to use it." WG warned, glaring at the men. "Who do you think you are, Superman?" The first man scoffed."The name's Wherever Girl... and if you guys come any closer, I'll be dropping your asses through a portal straight to an active volcano!""Same!" ATF declared, nodding to Rickshaw. "And I'll have my Dragoranian fry your asses on the way through!""Hmph, you think we're scared? We've already seen weird enough things this week, your threats don't bother us." The second man huffed, grinning. "Plus, seeing a shota and a loli spout hostile warnings is pure adorable!" They stepped closer. "Go ahead. Make our day~"The twins each gave a deadpanned look....Zane came out of the bathroom, drying his hands. "Sorry, my stomach was really--- uhhhhhhh..." He began, his voice trailing off as he looked at the sight before him.One man was being dangled in the air by his pantleg by a Dragoranian, while ATF hit him repeatedly with a heavy stick... and WG had the other pinned to the ground, punching his face to a bloody pulp. Kinny and Sophie were currently barking, perhaps cheering their owner on."DEAR! MOM!" WG shouted with every punch. "TODAY! I CALLED! THE WRONG! WOMAN! A LOLI!""SAY IT AGAIN, OLD MAN!" ATF said between swings. "I FUCKING DARE YA!""HELP! HELP! SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE! OW!" The man currently upside-down screamed."OUCH! GET OFF ME, YOU HEATHEN! OOF!" The pinned man cried. "Whoa! Guys! What's going on?!" Zane cried, pulling his girlfriend up."These pedos were hitting on us!" WG answered."Oh. Okay, carry on." Zane let her go, and she resumed her aggravated assault.ATF paused just then; for a moment, his eyes glowed white, before returning to their normal colors. "Hold up! ...I just got another vision!" He gasped."What was it?""It was dark, but... we gotta get to Leblanc! NOW!""Priorities before pleasure!" WG agreed, getting up and grabbing her dog leashes, and the trio of Authors ran through a portal.Rickshaw dropped the man from his teeth as he flew after them... making the guy land on his buddy. "...I think... we should move to a less supernatural district..." the first groaned."...agreed..." the other wheezed.0o0o0o0o0o0o0Ryuji watched as someone appeared in the doorway... they were messing with the locks before entering.He breathed deep, preparing to leap out...There was a flash of light; whoever was in the doorway looked over and quickly turned and ran off with their partner. "HEY!" came a familiar shout, as someone ran after them... followed by a flying fluffball.Akira and Morgana came running down the stairs as Ryuji stood up, watching as WG and ATF walked in. "...Guys! Oh, thank God..." The immortal teenager sighed in relief."Are you guys okay?" WG asked."Yeah... you got here just in time," Ryuji answered, while Akira turned on the lights."Sojiro is on his way over. I called up Sae at the police station, too." Akira added, looking at the twins. "But what are you guys doing here so late?""I had a vision about someone trying to break in here, and you were behind the counter..." ATF told him, his head hanging low. "I had another vision earlier, where you were in trouble and Khunbish was going crazy! When we noticed you weren't with Kanji or Junpei, that's when WG and Zane came to check on you. I think, whoever those men were, they've been watching you, Ryuji-- they might be after you, to get to Khunbish or Swaine.""You pieced that together just from two visions?" Morgana asked, easing back as Kinny walked up and sniffed him."Well, I mean, now that I think about it, it makes sense. In my first vision, Ryuji was lying in some sort of jungle, hurt, and Khunbish was really hostile; considering someone was trying to break into Leblanc while you were here... It was just a guess.""Either way, we foiled someone's plans. If anything, it was probably a couple of dopers who'll end up on World's Dumbest Criminals," WG encouraged, before hugging the track-star. "For now, I'm just glad everyone's alright.""Thanks, Wherever-chan..." Ryuji replied, hugging her back; he was shaking, but he gave her a reassuring smile. "You really scared 'em off, popping up outta nowhere!"She shrugged. "I have that effect on people."Zane returned, Rickshaw at his side. "They got away... should've opened a portal underneath them, you two." He said to WG and ATF."Hey, we were concerned for the others. ...Did you at least notice any distinguishing characteristics?" ATF asked, holding the Dragoranian."Dude! Is that a dragon-dog??" Ryuji exclaimed, looking at Rickshaw."...Yes. Anyway, Zane?""I couldn't see... but Rickshaw burned one of them on the keister, so that might help pick them out in a crowd." Zane answered, petting the Dragoranian."A fire-breathing dog, two portal makers, and a pair of nagas who visited from another world..." Akira said to himself as he sat at the counter, shaking his head with a smirk. "And here I thought Mementos would be the only place to see weird things,""Talking cat, you forgot the talking cat." ATF pointed out."HUMAN!" Morgana fiercely corrected."Arf!" Kinny barked, running up to him and making him gasp and jump up onto the counter. Sophie sat on WG's lap in a booth, the authoress chuckling. Zane turned to the bespectacled protagonist. "Maybe some coffee will help us calm down--- if Sojiro wouldn't mind.""Probably not... as long as you all leave a good tip," Akira answered with a grin, walking around the counter to brew some coffee.Chances are, it was going to be a long night for the group.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"...do you think it's my fault I'm cursed?"Esther had been sitting beside Swaine at the oasis; Oliver had decided to go fetch them something to eat, promising to be back in the next five minutes. The naga-thief had been quiet since the wizard left (though had barely said a word at all, after storming out of the room earlier), and the bard had learned from experience that it was best to wait for him to talk first when it came to his own personal matters.However, she was a bit surprised to hear him speak nonetheless, let alone ask such a question. "How do you mean?" she answered.Swaine was quiet for a moment, slumped against his coils as he stared at his reflection in the water. "I mean... Aapep had said that if we keep feeling bitter about being half-snake, then we'll be stuck like this. I'm hoping WG's theory is right, that we both have to find all our benefits before changing back, but... what if I don't change back because I hate being like this, benefits or not?"The bard frowned, wondering what exactly Duroc had said to Swaine to make him lament like this. She couldn't just tell the thief that he should change his tune, because no one should be obligated to like something... if anything, it would be insincere if he enjoyed being cursed just because it gave him some advantages, as if he were accepting a bribe of sorts. Or, for sake of a better analogy, having to be something you were not just because someone said it was better, even if you hated it. Because that's what her friend was going through-- having to find an upside to being one of his worst fears, no matter how bitter it made him feel.It was then Esther came to realize something. "...How do we know if Aapep was telling the truth?""Huh?" Swaine looked at her, perplexed."I know he used to be a Guardian... but having possession of one of Mornstar's stones had driven him mad, like what Cerboreas had told us. And he DID curse the Vault of Tears so that anyone who went down there would turn into a frog, and Prince Ali could not change back into a human until he was defeated..."The thief's heart began to pound, his nerves racking. "Please don't tell me you think he's been toying with us!"The bard could sense his distress, but could not hold back from continuing. "It would make sense, wouldn't it though? ...Unless I'm wrong, and he's making up for his ill deeds by helping you overcome the curse,"Swaine took a breath, trying to think. Now that she brought it up, it would make sense for that snake-bastard to make us enjoy being half his species. he considered, looking at the end of his tail in disgust. That's probably the reason why he visited Khunbish in his dream, and not mine; I've faced that serpent before, so he knows I wouldn't trust a word he said... so he went to someone else and gave them the hint--- and I was still a dumbass to believe it! But then... what would the point be in giving our friends benefits as well? The thief also questioned. If Aapep said only Khunbish and I had to look on the bright side, why would our friends end up getting their own cards? No one mentioned anything about this curse affecting others... except if we lost control of our impulses, or they were terrified of us... "Dammit, my head hurts..." Swaine groaned, resting a palm on his forehead. "I don't know what to believe, anymore...""I'm sorry, Swaine... I didn't mean to upset you," Esther spoke, rubbing her arm.The thief looked at her, sensing her guilt. It reminded him of how WG felt at-fault for this whole mess, though the bard really had no part in it whatsoever, outside of showing her support... and he did not want any more friends to feel ashamed for something they couldn't [entirely] be blamed for. He reached over with his tail, draping it around her shoulders and guiding her forth as he sat up, opening up his arms and pulling her into a hug."It's alright, Esther." Swaine sighed, allowing her to sit on his coils as he patted her head with one hand. "To be honest, I should have been suspicious from the start... but we'll figure out this mess, soon enough." He hugged her a little tighter. "Thank you, anyway."He is definitely not alright. Esther thought, due to the fact that she nor the thief ever had a tender moment like this. Regardless, she returned the hug, rubbing his back as she did so. "It will be alright, Swaine. I promise," she whispered.The thief suddenly looked up; his body tensed, and his pupils turned to slits. "Did you hear that?"Esther looked around, pulling away a bit though the thief kept his arms around her. "What is it?""I thought I heard a clicking noise..." He grimaced, his fangs sticking out. "Someone was watching us."The bard remained still, straining her ears. "...do you think it was the poachers?" she quietly whispered."It's either poachers or the 'Swesther' shippers are lurking around.""...""...""I hope it's the poachers.""Me too."There came a rustling from the bushes, and Swaine let go of Esther if only to move her between his coils, bracing himself to attack... however, he sensed familiarity from whoever was approaching, keeping still and relaxing fully when Oliver came out of the bushes, Drippy at his side. "Swaine! Esther!" The boy wizard exclaimed, his tone a mix of alarm and relief."Oliver? What's wrong?" Esther asked."Ollie-boy had been making his way out the city; I happened to drop by the inn-- by the way, THANK YOU AGAIN for tellin' youer ol' pal when ya were visiting!-- just in time to see a couple o' shady sneaks walking a bit too close to him." Drippy replied, having given Oliver a miffed look between his sentence. "Ended up hollerin', 'OI, OLLIE-BOY! WHO'RE YOUER NEW PALS?!' loud enough to give him a heads up while givin' 'em a jolt at the same time!""I summoned my familiar just in time, but they ran off quick and disappeared into the desert." Oliver added, pointing over. "We saw someone else hiding in the bushes with a camera, and when they saw us coming they ran off and vanished too.""Wait, so are they...?" Swaine began to question, when a portal opened and WG, Zane, and ATF dropped in--- the latter falling into the oasis.*Sploosh!*"Confluff it, again with the oasis?!" ATF sputtered as he surfaced."Guys, we've got a situation." WG spoke at once. "Someone had tried to break into Leblanc tonight while Ryuji was staying with Akira,""What?! Who was it?" Esther asked in a gasp."No idea, but it obviously wasn't a pair of fangirls," Zane answered. "ATF had a vision about it a minute before it happened, and thinks someone has been tailing him.""Jeepers, someone was following me a moment ago, too!" Oliver exclaimed, and informed them of what happened."Did you get a good look at their faces?" ATF asked."Aye, they looked like natives from ouer world... or at least dressed like it." Drippy replied. "Wore masks that covered the lower half of their faces, though, so I can't exactly line up anyone with a mugshot.""One of them took a picture of Swaine and I too," Esther added."Remind me to ask for a copy," ATF quipped... ending up pushed back into the oasis by the bard. "Ack!" *Splash!*"Where's Ryuji now?" Swaine asked."Still with Akira; Sojiro is with them, and Sae had arrived with a couple officers. We just finished telling them what we saw," Zane answered, scratching his head. "My question is, how are our stalkers able to pinpoint what universe to go to?""Well, to be honest, Persona 5 is a pretty well-known, so it would be easy to figure out where to find Ryuji. And those guys have obviously heard of Ni no Kuni, otherwise they wouldn't have been here stalking Swaine the first time. And since Khunbish had been in the P5 universe and appeared on the news, chances are whoever's sending out spies put two and two together... OH SHIT!" WG cried out, clutching her head. "JUNPEI AND KANJI MIGHT HAVE BEEN STALKED, TOO!""Where are Best Boys #1 and #2?!" ATF asked, climbing out of the oasis again."Junpei went with Khunbish back to the hotel room, and Kanji went to find them." Oliver answered."To the inn! Hurry!"Zane declared."I'm already halfway there!" Swaine called... having slithered off ahead of the group and was already rounding the corner!"OI, SNAKE-BUTT! WAIT UP! IT EN'T SAFE TO RUN OFF ALONE!" Drippy shouted, everyone running after him.0o0o0o0o0o0
[Thirty minutes earlier]
Kanji had trudged down the hall, walking into Khunbish's room. His bad mood dwindled when he saw the sight before him...Junpei was curled up in the pirate-naga's coils, his head resting on the upper-half of the tail as if he were sleeping on the archer's lap. Khunbish himself was slumped upright against a stack of pillows, his hand resting on the baseball player's back while the lower half of his tail was folded over the teen like a blanket.The rebel pouted. Dammit... I want in on the snuggling, too... He thought. How dare they look so adorable while he was in a brooding mood!...Sensing the envy and remaining anger from the younger teen, Khunbish cracked an eye open. "Care to join, lad, or are ye just gonna watch?" he whispered."I--! Um... ah, the hell with it..." Kanji muttered, walking over and sitting down on the bed; the pirate-naga adjusted his tail so that it wrapped snuggly around the rebel's shoulders and back, having him lay down so that his head was resting against the archer's stomach. "...thanks, man.""No problem, lad. I can tell ye'd be jetlagged, best get some sleep before ye two have to head to yer classes," Khunbish replied, rubbing his head.Kanji smiled, closing his eyes, ready to drift off.*Knock knock knock knock knock!*"OH C'MON, I JUST GOT COMFORTABLE!" The rebel bellowed.Junpei groggily sat up. "Huh...? Is it time to leave already?" he mumbled.Khunbish slithered off the mattress while the two teens were getting off. Before he opened the door, however, he called out. "Who is it?""Got a package for you, sir." came a voice. "The proprietor told us to bring it up to you,"The pirate prepared to open the door, but Kanji grabbed his shoulder. "Hold it," he whispered. "Who would send you a package?""Well, me mates sent me a care-package the other day... maybe they sent me another to make up for the last one,""Hold on, dude... They said the proprietor sent them up." Junpei pointed out. "Don't they use cat-puns at this place?"Khunbish considered this. "Aye, ye'd be right..." He called to the door. "Don't ye mean the purr-prietor?""Ah, yes, my bad. Slip of the tongue. Now would you please sign for this package? I'm on a tight schedule!" Whoever was behind the door answered.They looked at each other. "Who is it from?""It's from... um... (hey, what's the name of that blue-bearded lug he was with the other day?!) ...Chungus!""Pffft!" Junpei reacted, stifling a snicker. He spoke softly. "Oh yeah. They're definitely creepers.""Sorry, mate, ya got the wrong address." Khunbish spoke, while turning to the boys. "(Best grab something ye can fight with, lads),"Kanji grabbed a wooden chair, while Junpei grabbed a lamp."Look, buddy, I can't help it if I can't read anyone's handwriting! I just know the room number is on here! So just open up the door and make my job a little easier, would you?!" The stranger beyond the door hollered."Ah, drop the act already..." came another voice...*BAM!*"We know you're in there, you snake-assed beast! Open up!"Automatically, Khunbish's eyes glowed and his fangs extended, taking a stance that showed he was ready to strike. Junpei and Kanji were right at his side, ready."(Stop it, you shithead! The boss said not to raise alarm!)" The first stranger hissed."Just help me get this door open! ...Get the gun ready!""Looks like we're going down swinging..." Kanji grimaced. "Khunbish, open the door fast-- Junpei and I will distract 'em long enough for you to attack."Khunbish looked at the two teens. The idea of the two of them putting their lives in danger made him uneasy...His eyes drifted over to the window. "I've got a better idea. We'll sneak out that window, then get the drop on them from behind." he whispered. "That is, unless Swaine 'n' the rest already heard the commotion and beat us to it,""Oh, geez, I forgot about them!" Junpei gasped."A-And Swaine had left his room!" Kanji stammered."Then it looks like we're going out," Khunbish affirmed, motioning them over to the window.*BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!*Opening up the frame, the pirate-naga looked outward, scoping the area first to make sure no shady characters were lingering. He then stuck out his tail, lowering it down and motioning the teens to grab onto it and slide down, before he began to back out until his waist was over the edge; he felt around with the tip of his tail, feeling a canopy below. "Alright, drop down!" he ordered.Kanji dropped down first, landing on the canopy and sliding down it; Junpei dropped next-- being higher up, he bounced a bit before dropping off, landing on the rebel. "...sorry..." the baseball player grunted."...you're good..." Kanji wheezed.*BAM! BAM! BAM!*Khunbish hurried, slipping over until he was hanging on by his fingertips..."Oh, for crying out loud!" Shouted a third voice. "Move outta the way, you idiots!"*BANG!*The pirate-naga gasped, the gunshot startling him and causing him to drop down... falling through the canopy and crashing into the booth selling spices. Thankfully, the merchant was not around, otherwise someone would have been crushed by a large snake-tail as the pirate currently was."Khunbish! Are you alright?!" Junpei cried, as he and Kanji leaped over the stand, lifting up the tail to help the pirate up."...nice flying, Mistress Tani... now let's try working on the landing..." Khunbish slurred, a bit dazed.The teens lifted him up by the arms, dragging him out and helping him get his bearings. Up above, they heard the strangers shouting... there came sounds of crashing...Followed by another shout: "HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GUYS DOING TRASHING MY STUFF?!""Is that WG?" Kanji asked.Five seconds later, one of the strangers was thrown out the window screaming, hitting the pavement."...Yep." Junpei confirmed.There came sounds of a rumble... screams of panic... a gunshot...Within a minute, the other two strangers were thrown out the window, landing on their comrade.Zane looked out the window; he spotted his friends. "Guys! Are you okay?!" he called."We'd be fine, mate! C'mon down!" Khunbish hollered.A portal opened, and immediately Swaine shot through and caught the three strangers in his coils. They all wore masks that covered the lower half of their faces, and he pulled them down; there were two men and a woman, none who looked like anyone from the Ni no Kuni universe."...I told you shits the 'special delivery' charade was a stupid idea..." One of the men muttered."Oh, shut up, you twat!" The woman sneered."Alright, we're going to ask you once, and you'd better give the right answer." Zane spoke in a warning tone, holding up his Sonic-Shotgun. "Who are you working for? ...Think carefully, I know nine different ways to break necks.""Only nine??" WG laughed."We're not saying shit!" The second man snapped. "Go ahead and kill us!"Kanji stormed forth, gripping him by the throat. "You just tried to use a gun on my friends. You're not getting the mercy of death. You can either tell us who's paying you assholes to kidnap our pals, or I can promise you'll be begging for it!" he snarled."Don't say anything, they're all--- guurrrk!" The woman began to snap, but the coils tightened around the three of them."Better hurry up and tell us the truth. Every second you hold back, my coils get tighter." Swaine warned, his eyes glowing."Don't... *gack* give... in...!" The first man gasped.Everyone watched. Swaine wasn't bluffing. He was gritting his teeth, his fangs extended, a dark look in his eyes as he continued to squeeze, the stalkers' faces beginning to turn blue..."SWAINE, STOP!" Oliver shouted, grabbing his friend by the arm and yanking him back.Swaine shook his head, letting out heavy breaths; his coils loosened, and their foes did the same. "My life flashed before my eyes... Did I ever go to prom with a guy named Morty?" The second man coughed out.Oliver took out his wizard's companion. "If they're not going to talk, we can get answers another way." He cast a rune, and a white line formed between his forehead and the woman's forehead. He closed his eyes, deep in concentration."What's he doing?" Khunbish asked."Oi, it's a trick where a wizard can read someone's mind, like! Pretty handy--- not allowed in schools, though." Drippy answered.After a moment, the white line disappeared. "Someone paid them to come here... it looked like another group of kidnappers." Oliver told them. "But that's all I could see before the spell ended,""Can you cast it again?" Zane asked."It took a lot of magicka, I can't...""Alright, ready to talk yet?" ATF asked the trio of stalkers."Bite us, kid!" The woman snapped, before looking at Oliver. "And keep out of my head, you little bastard! You can't make us talk!"The pirate-naga smirked, before slithering up. "Oh, really~?" he chuckled, staring one of the men straight in the eye; his irises began to shift in color."What... what's going on with...?" The man stammered, before his eyes began to reflect the colors, and he was in a trance."Now... tell us who hired you to come after us.""Uhhh... a group of men... they were hired to catch a naga by some other guy,""Shut up! What are you--- oomf!" The woman began to snap, until the end of Swaine's tail wrapped around her head, covering her mouth."Do you know the name of their financier?" Khunbish prodded."No... we just spoke to those guys... they needed help because word spread and they couldn't risk being seen too much...""Where are they now?""Three of them came with us... one was told to follow the other naga and take pictures, while the other two... stayed behind to try and capture one of his friends to use as bait..."Zane, WG, and ATF looked at each other. "Where did the others go?" the latter asked, if only for confirmation."Answer the question, mate. Where are the rest?" Khunbish demanded."They went... to another place... they went to catch this teenager one of the nagas was really close to..."Khunbish went rigid. "RYUJI!""He's fine!" WG quickly assured, rushing over and putting an arm around him, rubbing his shoulder. "We were just there. They took off. Ryuji is safe. He's safe."The hypnotized man shook his head. "What just happened?" he asked, a bit startled. "My mind went blank!""You blurted out everything," The first man muttered. "I told you both--- never look these snakes in the eye! That's how they pull their tricks!""Give us the names of your cohorts. NOW." Khunbish demanded, gripping the first man by the throat with his tail and hoisting him up."*gack sputter* We don't know their names...! They just paid us...!"The pirate-naga growled, throwing the man back on the down--- hard enough to make him feel paralyzed. "...oof, he's gonna feel that in the mornin'," Drippy commented."Esther, go get the guards and tell them to have these fuckers locked away for attempted kidnap and assault." WG sneered, glaring at the stalkers. The bard nodded and hurried off, ATF going with her.There came a ringing sound just then, and Junpei took out his phone. "Yeah...? Um, okay, I'll meet you there, Mina-chan. ...I'm okay, a lot just happened. I-I'll tell you soon," he spoke, before hanging up and letting out a heavy sigh. "Go figure... shit goes down just when we have to get ready for school."Kanji rubbed his face. "...Can we stop for coffee, first?"After Esther and ATF returned with the guards and the stalkers were taken away, the immortal-teen using his portal-ability to help escort Junpei and Kanji safely back to their home-worlds. Zane, WG, Oliver, Esther, and Drippy stayed with Swaine and Khunbish.They contacted Marcassin, Roland, and Evan, spreading word about what had happened through a group-video chat. "So they know your locations and are now stalking everyone close to you... They must be desperate," The young great sage summed up."They trashed the room Khunbish was in--- smashed everything they could get their hands on." WG muttered, looking at her now-cracked laptop. "They probably thought they could scare us--- but they've only made a dangerous enemy!""(Honey, go hug one of your plushies and cool down, okay?)" Zane coaxed, ushering her offscreen."(They smashed my laptop, Zane!)""(Shhh, calm vibes... calm vibes...)""What course of action should we's take now, sire?" Khunbish asked Evan, wringing his hands. "I mean, it's bad enough Swaine 'n' I are targets, but with those bastards going after Ryuji 'n' all...""Well, the best thing we should do is move you to a place where they won't find you." Evan answered, thinking for a moment; he frowned. "...and, I suppose we should limit who can visit you...""So we're going the witness-protection route." Roland guessed, crossing his arms. "Since Ryuji is involved, he and his mom will have to stay somewhere else for a while, too...""Ryuji might be fine; the police are already keeping an eye on his place after the incident with his dad, and everyone on the set will be on high security once word spreads about what happened at Leblanc," ATF stated. "Otherwise, I can see if he wants to stay at my place--- I could use some help pet-sitting anyway.""What about us? We'll have to find a warm climate to stay in," Swaine stated."Oi, way ahead of ya, boys!" Drippy exclaimed. "It's always warm and sunny in Tee-Heeti!"The thief face-palmed. "...I shouldn't have asked."Khunbish rubbed his arm. "...Can't I's stay somewheres in the Persona worlds? I'm sure the lads 'n' I can bunk together somewhere in that Persona-Q place,""We'll think about it, but for now you and Swaine should go to the Fairy Grounds, that way you'll be in a warm enough climate." Evan stated. He gave the pirate-naga a sympathetic-yet-stern look. "I know you're worried about him, Khunbish, but you have to lay low for a while; as long as he can contact us, everything should be fine.""*sigh* Whatever ye say, King Evan.""What about you, WG?" ATF asked, looking at his sister. "Do you want to stick with the naga-boys, or would you like to stay at my place with your animals?""I should stay with Swaine and Khunbish, just in case they need a portal right away." WG answered."You can barely open it to the right location!""Right--- it will throw off anyone tailing us!" WG turned to Zane. "What about you?""There is no way I'm leaving you alone with THIS smooth-talking serpent," Zane scoffed, thumbing at Swaine.The thief gave him a glare-- thumping him on the back of the head with the end of his tail. "Ow! I saw that!""Tidy! Pack up youer things, lads, and get ready to hit the beach!" Drippy exclaimed, walking ahead. "...Ye might have to pack some long sleeping bags, though-- the inns may be too small for guests over 20 feet long!""I'm fine with sleepin' under the stars," Khunbish said with a shrug, slithering out.Swaine rubbed his face, looking at WG. "...any chance I can hide out in your frozen apartment?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
By the time the nagai had packed up their belongings and checked out of the Inn, Marcassin had arrived, accompanied by Batu, Tani, and Chingis. "Gascon!" The young Great Sage called, running up to Swaine. "Is everyone alright?""Aye, what th' blazes happened?!" Batu asked, looking at Khunbish. "One moment, ye'd be having a chin-wag with our mates back at the ol' Base, then all of a sudden we're hearing you're jumping out windows!""I didn't 'jump', I CLIMBED out... then fell." Khunbish answered."Everyone is alright... save for the idiots who tried to kidnap us." Swaine replied next. "Apparently, those poachers are too scared to do their own dirty-work, so they hired someone else to try and nab us. One of them were out by the oasis spying on Esther and I, and another two were planning on catching Oliver to use as bait,""And someone was trying to break into Leblanc while Ryuji was staying there with Ren," Zane added, typing on his tablet to spread the news on Leafbook. "There were 3 of them, but they took off when we dropped by to check on things.""Long story short, their plot failed." Khunbish summed up, and put an arm around Zane and WG. "Especially when our mates here were ready to raise hell!""They were maiming my plushies, did you expect me to have mercy?" WG quipped. "Kanji and Junpei are going to spread the word to their friends in their worlds, just in case anyone tries stalking around their neighborhoods; and until the curse is broken, Swaine and Khunbish are going to have to stay somewhere else and have limited visitors." Zane informed Batu, Tani, Chingis and Marcassin. "I agree. Our friends from the Persona universe should stay in their own realms for safety's sake as well, until the poachers are dealt with." Marcassin advised. Khunbish rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ground; Swaine looked at him, sensing his concern. "Oi, where are ye going to hide out then, mate?" Chingis asked. "We'll have to tell you after we get there; we can't risk anyone overhearing." Esther cut in before Khunbish could reply. "Aye, mun, but don't worry--- we've picked a tidy little spot! And I'll be nearby to keep an eye on them 24-7!" Drippy declared with pride. Swaine looked at Batu. "...To give you a hint, it's going to be hell.""Well, c'mon! We can Fast Travel there and help you lot get settled in!" Tani exclaimed. "I was planning on opening a portal," WG spoke up. "Ah, no offense WG, but I've seen you open portals for the last few days--- I prefer not to have any detours," Swaine commented. "Meanie.""Marcassin and I can each cast the spell, so we can split up in groups." Oliver stated as he helped gather the bags. "Swaine, Esther, Drippy, and I can go together,""And I will escort Khunbish, Batu, Tani, and Chingis..." Marcassin began, pausing when he looked around. "Hm? One moment... Wasn't our father visiting you, Gascon? He mentioned he would be coming by,"Swaine crossed his arms. "He didn't stick around. Let's just go," he muttered. Marcassin looked at his brother, before looking at Batu. "On second thought, perhaps you should go back to Evermore and make sure Khunbish has everything he needs. It would be safer if I saw where we were going, rather than someone telling me.""Um... okay...?" Tani replied, arching an eyebrow. Swaine rolled his eyes, but didn't argue; in a flash of light, he disappeared with his familiar group. Khunbish frowned, the aviator sensing something had happened while he was asleep. Now that I think about it, Kanji was with Swaine earlier... and he came around in a bitter mood. he recalled. He knew little about his predecessor's home-life, but it was clear the relationship between the thief and his father was anything but healthy.He could relate. He didn't exactly have a healthy family life, until he met the Sky Pirates...
"Oi, lad. Get up."
The green-haired lad sat up in his prison. It had been well over a month-- maybe longer, he stopped keeping track after 20 days-- since he had been captured by the Wyvern's enemies. Before him stood a man with long brown hair and strong-build, looking at him with a steely-gaze. The captive looked up at him with melancholy eyes in return, his feral behavior absent due to fatigue and hunger.
The man knelt in front of him. "I heard talk ye were part of those scaly-winged curs. One o' the men said ye didn't hesitate to spill the facts about their location. Tell me, are ye telling the truth, or making up information in order to lead us astray?"
The boy opened and closed his mouth, his throat was dry. He wasn't used to speaking. "Truth." was all he managed to say.
"An' how can I take yer word? Why would someone who worked with those flying fiends be so quick to reveal secrets?"
The boy frowned. "Hate them."
"Heh, so do we; yet if they were trying to make us play bait, we'd soon rather die!"
"Didn't want to die." His voice cracked, and he rubbed his neck. "Took me... wanted to live..." He glared at the ground, hugging his knees. "Barely survived..."
The man continued to study him. "Kidnapped 'n' forced to work for yer life, eh? ...How old were ye when they nabbed ye, lad? Wouldn't your folks be hellbent on getting you--"
"THEY DON'T CARE!"
The man stood up, taking a step back from the sudden outburst.
His throat felt raw; his tears broke loose from the strain as it all came back to him... the pent-up emotions unleashing like a mighty flood. "Never cared... broke crossbow... r-ran away... got taken by Wyverns... beat and starved me..." He wiped his tears, sobbing. "Just... I just... I wanted to be an archer..."
The man stared at him for a short while, before walking out of the prison, leaving him be.
Hours passed, before the man returned... with fresh clothes, a plate with a sandwich and milk on it, and two other pirates--- the blue-haired one that caught the feral lad before, and a purple-haired girl. The boy looked up at them in confusion.
"Get changed, lad. Your initiation begins today," The man knelt in front of him, giving him a firm look. "Ye only get one chance, let me warn ye. Any sign o' betrayal, an' we'll hurl ye off the cliffs! Understand?"
The boy nodded slowly.
"I prefer if ye answer with a hearty, 'Aye, boss!', lad."
"A... Aye, boss!"
"What be your name?"
He paused, a look of uncertainty on his face. He had forgotten the name his 'parents' had given him... even if he remembered, he wouldn't want to go by that title. Everyone in his family treated him like a misbehaved pet, the Wyverns treating him like a sickly animal sent out as a lure, and these pirates had locked him in a cage when he acted like a wild beast... "Don't have one," he muttered in reply.
"Then it looks like we'll be giving you a new one," The man gripped his shoulder. "From this point on, ye'd be 'Khunbish', lad."
The boy cocked his head.
"It means 'Not a human being'--- on account of how wild ye acted," the blue-haired lad explained.
Khunbish, 'not a human being'. He looked at the ground solemnly... that felt necessary...
"Don't look so down about it. It's actually a tradition," The purple haired girl told him. "When someone here has a few strokes of bad luck, they end up changing their name to something taboo in hopes that it'll change their fortune. Parents who have lost children end up naming their children something ill for the same reason, in hopes that it'll keep foul spirits away. Considering ye had to deal with the Wyverns, we's figured ye could use a change o' fate." She crossed her arms proudly. "Me name happens to be Grace Blowtorch, expert pyro!"
"...Burning down half the base doesn't make ye an 'expert', Gracie." The blue-haired boy scoffed. He turned to Khunbish. "Chingis be the name. I'm an apprentice swordsman 'n' aerial pilot." He then motioned to the man. "And this marvel of a man be our beloved captain, Batu--- Chieftain of the Sky Snakes!"
Batu looked at Khunbish. "What do ye say, lad? Willing to prove yer worth in our crew?"
The green haired boy looked at them, not knowing what to think... before he nodded with a grin. "Aye, boss."
...
"Khunbish? Oi, Ni no Kuni to Khunbish! Come in, lad!" The archer shook his head, looking at Chingis. "Huh? What is it?" he asked."Ye were spacing off again, mate. Something weighing down on that pea-sized brain o' yours?" The swordsman questioned."Ha! I'll have ye know that getting lost in thought is a sign o' high intelligence!""...If that's true, then I'm a frickin' genius." WG scoffed. "We were wondering if you were ready to go,"Khunbish picked up his backpack, shouldering it. "Aye, lass. Go ahead 'n' open a portal or cast Travel or... whatever ye plan to do.""We actually had another idea..." Zane answered, leading him outside the city. He looked up at the sky, grinning. "Ah! I figured he'd be out again." He then let out a long whistle.
"Kyaaaaa!"
Everyone stepped back as Tengri swooped down! "Blimey! We're riding a dragon??" Chingis gasped, astounded. "Well, only four of us can fly at a time-- unless a couple of you can turn chibi." WG answered. She turned to Khunbish. "Do you think you can climb on him, alright?"Khunbish turned to Tengri. "I can try... if our dragon-mate be okay with it,""Sure, no problem. Just be careful of the wings," Tengri responded, though everyone else only heard a pleasant chirp.The pirate-naga slithered over, hoisting himself up on the back; he had to wrap his tail around the dragon's belly, making sure it wouldn't be in the way of his wings. He gave the others a thumbs-up."Me next!" Tani exclaimed, leaping on next."Hey, I's want a ride too!" Chingis grunted, climbing on and sitting next to Khunbish."Anyone ELSE eager to fly?" Batu asked in exasperation, rubbing his face."I have to move my TARDIS, so I'll have to pass (dammit)." Zane answered."I'll just open a portal. I need to go check on things back at my place, anyway." WG added."C'mon, Dad! Hop on! It'll be fun!" Tani insisted."Arr... alright, but no doing any o' them blasted barrel-rolls!" Batu muttered, climbing on next to his daughter."No promises! OKAY, TENGRI, LET'S GO!""NOW WAIT JUST A---!"*Kyaaaa!* Tengri then shot up into the air!"WOO-HOOOOOOO!" Tani cried out."AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH BLAST IT, TANI!" Batu shouted. Zane and WG both watched them fly off. "...We forgot to tell them which way to go." The Time Lord pointed out."I'm sure they'll be fine." The authoress assured.Being back up in the air felt like a whole new experience for Khunbish; having been 'grounded' for so long, he had forgotten what it felt like to be thousands of miles in the air, the wind in his face and the clouds passing by. He only wished he could sit up-front, but he was content, leaning forth to peer over Tani's shoulder, looking down below at the islands and the vast ocean, and seeing different kinds of smaller dragons, aves, and the occasional sky-sweeper rider passing by.He closed his eyes, breathing in deep. It reminded him of the first time he had flown a sky-skimmer...
"Whoooooooo!" The pirate of 13-years exclaimed as he swerved around rocks, Chingis riding with him to give him tips.
"Oi! Easy, mate! Don't get too close to the cliffs!" The young swordsman warned him.
"Sorry!" Khunbish steered the vessel higher. "This is incredible!"
"Heh, of course it is! I'm surprised ye took to it so quick-- most people get their nerves rattled the moment they have the clutch in their hand, and even throw up! Munekhoi even got so flustered that he never got a foot off the ground before he bailed out!"
"Well, I's don't plan on bailing!" He soared up to the clouds. "I plan on flying forever!"
"Har har, that be the spirit, Khunbish! ...Best pull in fer a landing, though, before we's run out of fuel!"
"...Ah, quick question. How do you land?"
"ARE YE KIDDING ME?!"
"DON'T YOU KNOW?!"
"AYE, BUT I AIN'T THE ONE DRIVING!"
"THEN TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"
"YE HAVE TO DECREASE THE VELOCITY 'N' SET IT INTO A GLIDE!"
"HOW DO I DO THAT??"
"SNAKES ALIVE, WE'RE GONNA DIE...!"
"DON'T PANIC, JUST SHOW ME WHICH LEVERS DO WHAT!"
"STOP YELLING AT ME!"
"YOU WERE YELLING FIRST--- oh, look, we're landing."
"Eh?!" Chingis looked, seeing that the sky-skimmer had slowed down, and was now smoothly gliding downward, circling before the wheels touched down and they slid to a stop... only bumping into a rock. "Good Lord, man! Ye almost gave me a heart attack! ...Wait, did ye know how to do that this whole time?!"
Khunbish chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I's was just guessin', but I's had seen ye all take-off 'n' land so much that I guess I learned quick."
"Good... now, make sure ye land-legs still work."
"Why?"
"CUZ I'M GONNA KILL YA!"
The young archer gasped and rolled off as the swordsman lunged at him, and he took off in a sprint. "AUGH! OI, C'MON, IT WAS JUST A JOKE...!"
...By that afternoon, they had become best friends.
...
"There it is!" Tani exclaimed, pointing downward. "That's Tee-Heeti!"Khunbish snapped out of his reverie, looking down. "How's can ye tell?" he asked."I can see Fairy Godmother, for one thing. Alright, Tengri, take us in for a landing!"The dragon chirped, soaring down and landing on the beach, allowing the pirates to dismount. "He sure doesn't mind giving rides to strangers, does he?" Chingis chuckled, patting the dragon's hide."Arr, ye forget mate, his original owner was also captain of the Sky Pirates," Batu reminded him, petting Tengri's snout. "I's can see why our predecessors were so keen of dragons-- be better flyers than our sky-skimmers, I'll admit!""...Does this mean we can get a dragon??" Tani asked."Don't get yer hopes up, lass.""Oh, c'mon...!"Khunbish slithered off last. "Thanks again for the ride, mate. I's missed taking a flight," he told the dragon, petting him down the neck."I don't blame you. I can't wait until the cold season passes so I can fly around more often!" Tengri answered, before flapping his wings. "Speaking of which, I need to get back to Old Smokey to warm up. See ya around!" They watched the dragon take off, then made their way across the beach. The feel of the warm sand was soothing to the naga's underbelly, and he looked forward to spending a few days on the beach. "Alright, now to see where the rest wandered off to," Batu stated.Khunbish squinted, honing his senses; their friends were just uphill, he could feel. "They're this way," he told them."Arr, those new instincts o' yours are sharp, mate! I bet they'd come in real handy back in Evermore--- if you're still snake-bellied by spring, that is." Chingis commented, giving a small cough."Heh, nah mate, I'm sure the curse will be broken soon."...though, I wouldn't mind if it wasn't. The aviator also thought.He never thought he would feel torn between slithering on the ground or flying in the air, and wished that there was a way he could have both privileges.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Aw, man, are you serious...?" Ryuji groaned as he and the rest of the Phantom Thieves met up later that morning, before school. Thus when he got the news that he could no longer travel to Ni no Kuni, and had to stay put in his own universe. "Why can't I go see Khunbish?""Because of your involvement, the poachers will be expecting your arrival." Makoto explained to him. "The incident last night shows how far they are willing to go to capture one of your naga friends,""Correct. Whoever was trying to break into LeBlanc last night had obviously been on your trail." Akechi added, pacing as he thought. "The popular theory is they wanted to use you as bait, but perhaps they were hoping to kidnap you and get information... maybe even commit assault and vandalism in order to send a message,""Damn, so some creep has been following us around...?" Ryuji murmured, then sat up straight, his eyes wide with fright. "Oh, shit! Mom! What if they go after her--?!""Sae has already informed her of the break-in. We are arranging to have you both stay in a discrete location until the culprits are apprehended." Makoto replied, resting a hand on his shoulder."Where? If these boomers have been stalking Ryuji-kun, they might have eyes all over the city!" Futaba questioned. "We may have to be wary in the Persona Q world as well, if that's the case." Yusuke added, resting his palm on his forehead. "How unnerving... and I was so hoping to add another naga sketch to feed my muse,"Futaba gave him a look. "Maybe you should focus more on feeding your stomach, Inari.""Well, from what we can deduce, these men are more familiar with the layout in the game. They don't know every part of the city," Akechi answered, turning to Ryuji. "Therefore, you will have to stay somewhere they would not expect.""But what if someone still tried to follow him?" Haru inquired, quite concerned."He could use our 'Fast Travel' option," Ann answered, and a map for the option appeared before her. She looked at Ryuji. "It will keep you from being trailed. ...I use it a lot when I'm dealing with stalkers.""No wonder I couldn't---! I mean, that is brilliant, Lady Ann!" Morgana exclaimed."(Simp alert...)" Futaba said out of the corner of her mouth."I heard that!"Ryuji stood up. "I shouldn't have to hide! We should be using this information to set up a trap for those pricks, and protecting everyone!" he snapped. "I've already had to deal with my dad thinking he can barge in and try to scare me and Mom into doing his bidding... I'm not going to let those poachers do the same with me and Khunbish!""And Swaine, right?" Akechi added, rubbing his chin. Ryuji paused, blushing and turning away. "Yeah, and Swaine! You didn't let me finish!""Ryuji-san," Haru spoke softly, standing beside him and resting a hand on his arm. "If you try to confront them head-on, you'll just be playing into their hands. It's best to lay low, and think of a plan.""Right. Being a Phantom Thief isn't all about direct attacks; it requires stealth and tactic," Morgana added, the 'cat' looking up at him from the table. "And if those poachers think we're scared... ha! They're going to be in for a big surprise!"The track-star sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "...I just want to go see Khunbish--- and Swaine." He muttered, adding the thief-naga's name quickly before Akechi could point anything out. "I have to make sure they're okay!""We can find a way for you to communicate with them with discretion." Makoto assured him, looking at her watch. "In the meantime, we should get to school. I will try to find a place where you and your mother can stay for the time being.""Makoto-senpai? I have a suggestion..." Akira spoke up, having been silent this whole meeting."What is it, Kurusu-kun?"Akira shifted. "Maybe... Ryuji and his mom can stay with me... at my dad's place?"The moment the group had appeared in Teeheeti, Swaine immediately slithered off. "I don't want to talk about it, Marcassin." he sternly muttered."Well, I do." Marcassin firmly replied, stepping on the tip of his tail to get him to stop. He turned towards the rest of the group. "...If you'll excuse us?""Alright, alright, I can read a beach... Ye heard th' Porcine Prince, everyone! To the Fairy grounds! Hup! Hup!" Drippy ordered.Oliver and Esther gave their friends a concerned look, before following the fairy.Once everyone was out of earshot, Marcassin approached Swaine, the older prince rubbing his face in mild annoyance. "Tell me what happened," the younger brother coaxed, standing patiently beside him.The thief crossed his arms, looking at the sand. Only the sound of waves rolling onto the shore filled the silence, a soft breeze accompanying the calming sound. He closed his eyes, focusing on these sounds... they helped him relax, and he finally spoke. "He thinks I'm a jinx,""Gascon?""From the way he put it, I got myself cursed, and I'm not 'trying hard enough' to break the hex!" Swaine slithered in a circle, in a way of pacing. "The moment he arrives, he just gets critical! Dammit, we have poachers after us, and he doesn't even show any concern! God forbid he allows himself to show he cares about anything!""Gascon...""I felt like I was going to snap--- then Kanji ends up storming in and chewing out Dad!" The thief gripped his head. "A kid half my age, who barely knows me, ended up having to stand up to our own father on my behalf! It was embarrassing! From the emotion I sensed from both of them-- if Oliver hadn't come in... shit, I don't know what would have happened! Kanji could have ended up nixed, all because Dad was so stubborn!""Gascon.""And NOW I think that it won't matter how many benefits I find, because as long as I hate snakes, I'll always have the ass of one--!""GASCON!""What?!" Swaine turned......pausing when he realized, during his pacing, he had wrapped around Marcassin-- to the point where all you could see was his head."...I can't move." Marcassin put bluntly."Shit---!" The thief quickly unraveled his coils from his little brother, brushing him off. "I'm sorry! Are you okay?""I'm alright, you weren't crushing me," The young sage gave him a reassuring smile. "If anything, it felt more like a hug... Perhaps your tail was expression your inner emotions."Swaine gave him a mild glare. "Marcassin, the last time my tail acted on its own, I almost strangled Junpei!""Because of your anxiety." Resting a hand on his shoulder, the younger brother walked with him down the beach. "Theories aside... Can you tell me everything father said to you? I am guessing he was using criticism to mask his concern, but I would like to know the details before I am sure."Swaine sighed heavily. After a long pause, he told him everything in the conversation--- from what Duroc said, to what the naga himself was feeling, right to when he ran out to the oasis.Marcassin listened, and once his brother was finished, remained quiet in pondering. "Although I do not agree with father's way of speaking, I believe he was trying to help you recollect details we may have overlooked. Just as you said, there is the chance Aapep was fibbing, or the idea that you must be more accepting of your condition in order to truly overcome it. ...Regardless, you have our support, and I will stay at your side from this point on to ensure you have it."The older brother gave him a look. "What? No. Marcassin, you can't leave behind the kingdom and---""The kingdom has been fine in my absence before, and it will remain fine until we return. I have been leaving you on your own on this too long," Marcassin crossed his arms. "And should anyone criticize your efforts again, I will do my part to teach them to hold their tongue."Swaine smiled, shaking his head. "Be honest, you just want a vacation," he quipped."That too." Marcassin gave a small grin.The naga paused, picking up the sound of large wings flapping; he looked in the distance, seeing Tengri touching down, the Sky Pirates from their sequel having finally arrived. "Well, seems like someone wanted to take the long route. Best show them the way to the Fairy Grounds, right?""Indeed."They began walking; Swaine slowed down a bit, letting his brother get a few paces ahead, before crossing his arms. "Alright, you lot, I know you're there. Come out!""(Crikey, flippin' snek senses...!)" Drippy muttered as he, Oliver and Esther stepped out of the bushes. "'Scuse us for standing by for emotional support, like!"Swaine shook his head; he gave them a grin, before nodding forth towards the rest of their friends. Together, they went down to meet up and show the Sky Pirates around the island.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Vincent Brooks sat in his apartment that morning, playing Borderlands 3 in order to pass the time. The Catherine: Full Body remake went well, the game set to release soon, and the cast had time to relax after having to act out old scenes, new scenes, recite old lines and practice new lines, as well as get acquainted with the new character, Rin. He and the new pink-haired love-interest met up a few times off-set...They even grew close enough that Vincent confided to them about a decision he was making.He had asked all his friends for advice-- some said it wasn't up to him, others said not to bother...Rin said he should take the chance. "I felt like I hardly knew my parents... My brothers pretty much took care of me." the pink-haired pianist had stated, while practicing some new sheet music. "I tried to contact them a couple years ago... but it felt like I was talking to total strangers. You're at least trying to make a connection--- don't give up."Catherine supported the idea as well. "My little sister and I had the same problem." the blonde had told him over coffee one morning. "I thought we would never get close, after she got her own game. But, wouldn't you know it, a few stalkers were giving her trouble after its release, and she needed my help in how to deal with them. ...Granted, she claimed she wasn't one to keep a power-saw in her purse, but eventually we found a way to help send the message that just because a girl is hot doesn't mean you're allowed to jump her skirt.""It's going to be tough. It always is. Remember your parents?" Katherine had reminded him while they were going to see a movie. "They couldn't commit to anything. But you're not like them. I know you're not. You've got this... and if things get tough, we'll help you out." She smiled. "You're going to be a good dad, Vincent."Vincent sighed, pausing his game to rub his face. If I were a good dad, why would my son be hesitant to stay with me? The puzzle-game protagonist thought, standing up and pacing.Granted, he felt like an estranged father... but when you become a father at 16, your baby is sent to a foster-family, and you can only do so much to see him during his childhood, it wasn't like you're supposed to feel like Dad of the Year.At least he tried to stay in contact with him. As his son got older, he called him more often... when he first got the starring role in Catherine, he was hoping he would earn enough money to fully-support the both of them! But, the game did not do as well as everyone thought-- especially since the Persona franchise was still the big seller. (Damn, he was lucky he got a cameo in the Portable release... good thing he had a cousin working on that side of the company.) He only earned enough money to pay for rent and groceries for two years... and he didn't want to move into an even smaller apartment...He considered asking the mother of his child for her support... but her line was always busy. He wondered if she got any of his messages.After two years, he gave up, and kept working harder.God must have smiled on him, because the Atlus company were making casting calls for their newest game; his son had heard and, being old enough to try out, went in for an interview. Vincent heard, and considered mentioning their relationship to help his chances--- but it was unneeded. His son was just who they were looking for. At the same time, he got a call from the company, saying Catherine was getting a remake, with a DLC that connected both games... meaning he and his son would get to interact more outside of holidays and phone calls!But it seemed fame only kept them apart. Turns out his son was starring in the hottest game of the decade, and already had to work in a spin-off game, anime adaption, another spin-off was being discussed in the works... hell, they were already talking about remaking the game to include new content, since it helped Catherine: Full Body get more attention!And Vincent had made the choice to ask the stressed-out teenager if he wanted to live with him.He had been hoping it would be a solid 'Yes!', that his son would want to close the gap between them--- let alone get away from those toxic fosters who always claimed the boy was a handful and was always lazy and more trouble than what the state paid them to deal with. (Vincent was smart enough to look into it--- according to teachers, his kid was friendly, got good grades, and helped out quite a lot... and his son claimed nothing he did was ever good enough for the fosters.)But... his son wanted time to think it over.They were going to meet up this weekend for a trial run...His cell phone rang just then.Seeing the Caller ID, Vincent answered in a heartbeat. "Akira?" He answered, trying to keep his tone cool... but it was difficult, as this was the first time his son hardly called him."Hey, Dad." Akira answered, his tone awkward.Red flags began to pop up instantly. Akira always sounded calm (if not bored) whenever they talked, sometimes not up for a chat because he was too tired, or too busy... and he never sounded reluctant, as if he had a dark secret. Vincent forced himself to calm down, running a hand through his thick, messy black hair. "Is everything okay? Did something hap--""I've decided to stay with you!"Akira blurted out the words, taking Vincent off-guard. "Wh--? Really?" He breathed a sigh of relief, having to give a soft laugh. "Wow, I... I'm really glad to hear that! What helped you make up your mind?""I talked to a friend... b-by the way, how big is your apartment?"Vincent arched an eyebrow. "It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen that connects to the living room. Why?" He paused, hearing voices in the background. "Are you bringing some friends over?""Um... sort of. It's a long story."Vincent sat down on the couch. "I got time."For the next half-hour, Akira told him about the dilemma-- apparently, a pair of characters from the Ni no Kuni franchise got cursed, are being targeted by poachers, and Akira's friend, Ryuji, is somehow involved and almost got kidnapped, along with some others. Now, Ryuji and his mom needed a place to lay low until the poachers were either apprehended, or the curse was lifted.The man rubbed his face. So he just wants a hiding place for his friend. Go figure... he thought, somewhat bitter.Still... if it meant he got to see his son... and if his guests weren't too much trouble..."I'll have to make some room, but sure. They can stay here for a while." Vincent replied. "When will they be here?""They're going to get some things packed up and Mrs. Sakamoto is going to inform her boss of the situation, so we'll probably be over tomorrow afternoon.""I see." Vincent thought for a moment. "Well... why don't we all have dinner together, tonight? That way I can meet everyone.""Hold on, let me ask. (Hey, Ryuji-san, can we--)""(Hell yeah, man! I wanna meet your pop! Let me text my mom real fast!)"Vincent leaned back a bit from his cellphone. Ryuji was pretty loud..."...He says he'll check with his mom." Akira told him."So I heard. ...Alright, um, just let me know when you guys are ready and I'll meet you by the gateway at the train station." Vincent answered."Okay. ...Thanks, Dad.""No problem."They both hung up, and Vincent let out a heavy breath. What was he getting himself into?...Feels like we entered an entirely different story for a moment there.Anyway, back to the story's main characters!Khunbish slithered through the tiny fairy village, many of the locals looking at both him and Swaine as they slithered by.It was difficult; unlike most towns, the streets were narrow, resulting in the pirate-naga to follow behind the thief-naga, otherwise their tails would take up too much width on the paths; not to mention, turning corners was a bit difficult as it was a bit of a tight squeeze, even for a person. Only Oliver, Esther, and Tani seemed to get by alright, whereas the full-grown men accompanying them had to be careful not to bump into any buildings, trip over any fairies, or squat down to look into any of the little booths."Crikey! Look at th' tails on these guys!" exclaimed one fairy, that had a little swirl on his head."Looks like a mermaid-spell gone wrong, mun." A fairy with two horns commented."Wait, is that one o' Drippy-boy's friends?" a tiny fairy with Mickey Mouse-like ears questioned."Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Came some exclamations, as a bunch of tiny egg-shaped fairies ran over and hopped on the tails. "Tidy ridey! Tidey ridey! Yippeee!""(Blimey, why do the kids always want to ride our tails?)" Khunbish had to chuckle, slithering on carefully.*Pop!*He paused, looking back again. "REALLY, Mistress Tani?""Heh heh, sorry mate, I couldn't resist." The now-chibi sky piratess chuckled, sitting on his tail in front of the line of tiny eggs."Golly, I wish we could do that." Oliver commented quietly to Esther."Hee hee, me too." Esther whispered with a smile."I can hear you," Swaine remarked, and his two friends shrugged."Oi, look at all these tiny blokes! And these buildings-- whoa!" Chingis was stating, stepping back as a squid-- serving as the roof of an establishment-- swung a tendril at him. "Never seen anythin' like this back in our side o' the realm!""Aye, it seems the rooms here would be a bit too cramped fer our mates, don't ye think, Drippy?" Batu criticized, looking at the lantern-faced fairy. "They'd be better off in the jungle,""I was thinking 'bout that, mun... 'n' as much as camping out would be more suitable, I have a better idea! I just need to make the arrangements, like." Drippy answered, walking away. "For now, ye lot go get something to eat. I'll have a cozy place prepared for ya before long!""Are you two hungry?" Esther asked Swaine and Khunbish. "When did you last eat?""This morning, actually. Kanji brought us some food," Swaine answered."Aye, a home-cooked meal was just the thing we's needed." Khunbish added with a grin. "It was quite filling, too, so we should be good for a while.""Kanji must care quite a bit about the situation, as involved as he is." Marcassin commented, rubbing his chin; he recalled seeing the rebel when the group went to investigate a domestic disturbance in Ryuji's home. "How long has he known about the curse?""He found out a couple days after it happened. I have the bruise to prove it," Swaine quipped."Aye, the lad said Junpei 'n' Ryuji were acting odd, so he started tailin' 'em; that's when he found out, and decided to take part and help out." Khunbish added, crossing his arms as he looked upward. "He was ready to throw furniture at someone when those poaching accomplices tried to break into me room. ...Pretty nice lad, too. Wanted to pet me scales more than run screaming, at least."The thief gave him a look. "Why do people always want to pet your tail, but stomp on mine?"The archer grinned. "Maybe 'cuz mine's a prettier color.""Khunbish. No pirate in the history of the world ever described any part of himself as 'pretty'. Keep that in mind." Batu deadpanned.His grin faded. "Uh, aye boss.""Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm pretty hungry." Tani spoke up as she climbed off Khunbish's tail and returned to full height, looking around at the little bistros. "I could go for a cheeseburger. How about you lot?""Sure, there's a cafe right over there-- they have curly fries, too!" Oliver told her."I heard they've been serving frappe's now," Esther added with interest."Har har, alright ye runts, let's go eat." Batu chuckled, turning towards Marcassin. "Would ye care for anything, your highness?""I recently ate, so I am alright." The young sage answered with a nod in thanks."Aye, me appetite ain't that strong either, boss." Chingis spoke up, resting his elbow on Khunbish's shoulder. "I'll stick 'round with Khunbish 'til it's time to settle in,""In that case, why don't we lounge on the beach? We've still got some hours of sunlight left," The archer suggested, shifting a bit (one side of his tail bumping into a little shop). "Plus, I could go for some tail-room.""A little space would be nice," Swaine commented, nodding over his shoulder--- currently, a dozen littlies were all climbing and rolling off his tail, some hopping up and down urging him to give him another ride.Tani chuckled, kneeling down in front of the tiny fairies. "Alright, you little yolks, the nagas have to go now. No more rides today, okay?" she coaxed."Awwwwwwwwwwwwww...!" All the littlies whined.Swaine and Khunbish gave each other looks. "...But, after we get some rest, maybe we'll let you have some turns tomorrow." The thief sighed."YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" The littlies all hopped away, cheering. "Tidy Ridey! Tidy Ridey! Tidy, tidy tails, wheeeeeee!"Chingis let out a laugh. "Har har har! Seems like they enjoy your tails more than ye do, mates!""They're not the only ones. ...Quick, to the beach before they come back!" Swaine stated, and quickly shot off."Oi! No head starts, ya cheat!" Khunbish hollered, taking off next."It isn't a race!""It is now...!"Everyone shook their heads; Batu and the teens went to get some food, while Marcassin and Chingis went to catch up with the nagai.The doorknob rattled a bit, until it swung open for Zane and WG. "Here we are, the grand suite of Ding Dong Dell's Cat's Cradle," The Time Lord declared as he helped carry in a few bags. "The one hotel that only costs 10 guilders a night... Why didn't you come here, earlier?""I was hoping the heater situation would have been resolved... but since Swaine can't even fix it, the pipes are frozen, and icicles were forming on the ceiling, I had to call my losses." WG deadpanned, looking over at the human-sized cat-bed that was set up in the back lefthand corner."Ah well. It was best if we stayed somewhere else, anyway. Those poachers might have tried to find out where you live," Zane replied, before sitting down in a large chair (which had little cat-ears carved into its framework) and putting his feet up. "Won't they be surprised to walk in and end up slipping on ice! ...we should really consult our landlord about that.""I did; trouble is, that heating system is so old, they have to replace it... which they won't be able to do until spring. So, I guess this'll be our refuge for a while." WG walked over to the bed. "But, right now, we should focus on helping Swaine and Khunbish... let alone making sure Junpei, Kanji and Ryuji stay safe.""Ah, the trials of parenthood." Zane got up, walking over and lying down next to her. "Everything will be okay, sweetie. Pretty sure we gave those poachers the message that we're not letting them have our friends without a fight--- and if they plan on fighting, they're going to need to up their artillery." He rubbed her back. "How about this-- we go get something to eat before we go stay with them."WG looked over at him, giving a smile. "Okay. ...Thanks again, Zane. I'm glad you're here,"The Time Lord wrapped his arms around her. "Well, I couldn't stick around and let Swaine seduce you with his snuggly coils, could I?"The authoress rolled her eyes. "Jealousy, thy name is Zane."They both chuckled, before getting up and exiting their temporary apartment-suite.Akira, Ryuji, and Aya stood at the train station around 5 o'clock that afternoon. At 5:07, Vincent walked through the gateway, giving them a smile as he stood in front of them. "So... these are our guests, huh?" The bachelor asked the bespectacled leader. "Yeah. This is my friend, Sakamoto Ryuji, and his mother, Aya." Akira introduced, turning to his friend. "This is my dad---""Vincent Brooks?!" Ryuji gawked, his jaw practically hitting the floor. "No way! The theories are true! Ha! Yosuke-san owes me Y5000! He thought your dad was Dante!"Vincent looked at his son... who was currently closing his eyes and having an 'Internally Screaming' expression on his face. "It's nice to meet you," The man said after clearing his throat, shaking Aya's hand."You as well. Thank you for your hospitality," Aya replied with a smile."So, where do you want to eat?" Akira asked. "I know some good restaurants in my world," Vincent said with a shrug."Oh, I was planning on cooking a nice dinner for all of us," Aya stated, crossing her arms. "You boys have been eating out too often, and need more home-cooked meals in your stomachs.""Mom, it's okay. You don't have to cook-- I mean, you already made a meal for a whole naga, already!" Ryuji replied. "You need a break,"Aya gave her son a look. "Cooking helps me relax. You just don't want to do the dishes,""...Ouch."Akira looked at Vincent. "W-What do you think, Dad?" the bespectacled leader asked.Vincent rubbed the back of his neck. "It's fine... I haven't had a home-cooked meal in a while.""Excellent! I already bought the groceries," Aya said with a smile, and walked on."Seriously, Mom? Right before we had to go into witness protection?" Ryuji groaned, following her.The father and son looked at each other, both feeling awkward, but followed suit....At the Sakamoto household, dinner was ready within an hour. Aya had made udon, rice, and rolls, with Akira helping her out in the kitchen; Ryuji kept Vincent entertained by playing videogames with him, all the while talking about what a fan he was of Catherine, which route was his favorite, and how he was psyched about getting the remake (...and Vincent had to tell him a dozen times that, no, he wasn't going to leak any spoilers).They sat around the table afterwards. Both Vincent and Akira were afraid that an uncomfortable silence would form... but considering how good the food was, they could hardly focus on making conversation anyway. Plus, Ryuji had the 'conversation' part covered, as he filled Vincent in about the situation."...And I was planning on going and staying with Khunbish, but Akira-kun invited me over instead." Ryuji was saying between bites (Aya reminding him not to talk with his mouth full a couple of times). "Then some weirdoes tried to break into LeBlanc, but WG, Zane, and ATF happened to come by and scare them off-- said ATF had a sixth sense about it or something like that. After the cops showed up, they went back to Ni no Kuni, and found out the poachers hired someone to kidnap Swaine, Khunbish, or someone they knew.""And Swaine and Khunbish are the ones who are half-snake, right?" Vincent asked, arching an eyebrow."Yeah! Junpei and I saw Khunbish transform! It was insane!" Ryuji held up his phone. "I got a picture of it, want to see?""N-Not while I'm eating, please.""I thank you again for your support, Brooks-sama." Aya told him. "And I apologize that your son ended up involved as well.""It's okay, Aya-san." Vincent looked at his food, picking up a roll. "I feel like we would have ended up involved somehow, anyway."Akira looked at him, arching an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?""Well... it sounds like these poachers will target anyone remotely close to Swaine and Khunbish, that includes friends of friends of friends. Trust me, I live in anime-Chicago, a lot of gangsters use this tactic. Someone went as far as to go after someone's aunt's hair-dresser!" Vincent turned to Aya. "Speaking of which, never reveal personal information in a salon, they're HUGE gossip-spots. That's how Katherine learned about Orlando's divorce before anyone else,""So, you think someone will come after you to get to us to get to Khunbish?" Ryuji asked, a concerned look on his face."Probably... However, my game involved me waking up and finding Catherine snuck into my bed while I was asleep, so I learned how to be alert when it comes to break-ins."He took a sip of water. "But, it's a long-shot. Chances are, they won't know where to find us-- and by the time they do, the curse may be broken.""And regardless, as I've said before, we cannot let fear control us." Aya told Ryuji. "I am willing to stay somewhere else for a short time, but I will not let these men intimidate us into running away. I took a couple days off from work in order to get some things settled, but I will return whether those vandals are caught or not." She raised a finger. "And NO following me, Ryuji. If you can get an escort to school, I can get an escort to work.""Yes, Mom..." Ryuji muttered, before looking at Akira. "Too bad we couldn't take time off.""Shujin has good security--- especially after the Ship Wars of 2017." Akira replied."Oh, damn... I remember that day... I still feel the bruises.""I still hear the screams...""I'm glad we got out alive!""Yeah, it's a good thing Shiho learned how to use a volleyball as a weapon.""Volleyball, nothing! Haru used someone's locker to send someone to the ICU!""To be honest, after seeing the fanart they wanted me to act out, I was about to do the same thing." Akira shut his eyes tight. "...one involved Kamoshida."Ryuji mimicked his expression. "Oh, shit... same here.""...Can we finish dinner, please?" Vincent deadpanned....After the meal was finished, Akira helped Ryuji with the dishes. Vincent stepped outside to have a cigarette, while Aya went into her room to make sure her bag was packed."Your dad is pretty cool. He didn't really seem that surprised that someone turned into a naga!" The track-star stated as he washed a plate."He had to run around with sheep-horns in his underwear, so I guess stuff like that doesn't bother him." The bespectacled leader answered as he dried a pot. He sighed, looking at Ryuji. "I'm really nervous about staying with him. W-What if it doesn't work out?"His friend looked at him, setting the dish down before resting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Akira-kun. ...If anything, I'll be staying with you for a few days, so I can give you moral support. Not that you may need it--- unless Vincent gets drunk like he does in his game, then we might have a problem.""That's the thing... I don't know what he's like." Akira folded his arms on the edge of the sink, his head low. "...I mean, I know he's nothing like my foster-parents, and he's not abusive, but... It's like I'm moving in with a stranger."Ryuji feigned a confused expression. "I feel like we've had this conversation before," He put his arm around Akira, giving him a shake. "It's going to be okay, dude! Just give him a chance, remember? Mom and I will be around to help you get settled in and everything,"The head Phantom Thief let out a heavy breath, nodding. There was a moment of quiet, before he spoke again. "Ryuji?""Yeah?""...Your hand is getting my shirt wet,"Realizing he left suds and water on his friend's shoulders, Ryuji withdrew his hand. "Sorry. ...Let's get the dishes done,"
Sunlight filtered in the following morning, and Swaine opened his eyes, feeling a great weight on his chest. As his vision adjusted, he found himself lying on a red leather couch, surrounded by tall shelves of books... and a mess of fluffy blonde hair resting on his abdomen, soft breathing being the only sound that broke the silence.
Thus when he remembered last night... when he had to stop a friend from doing something drastic, and stayed up all night talking with her. She told him everything that was on her mind, and he listened-- when she felt she was talking too much, or felt selfish, he assured her otherwise. He wasn't going to let the demon of anxiety that was tormenting her win.
He waited until she fell asleep first, then allowed his eyes to close, making sure not to let her go the entire night.
Now that he was awake, he felt a bit anxious himself. He didn't want anyone to come in and see them like this, and get the wrong idea. The last thing he wanted was some idiot going around telling people WG was unfaithful, let alone risk Zane kicking his ass for 'trying to steal his girlfriend'.
He looked at her now, thankful to see her eyes were no longer red from crying. Swaine rubbed her head, whispering to her. "Hey. Luna. It's time to get up now."
She only curled up against him, mumbling in her sleep. Her arms slipped inside his jacket, seeking warmth. Swaine could relate-- he didn't like getting up early in the morning either... especially after a stressful night.
He shook her shoulder a bit. "C'mon, wake up. Let's get you to bed, huh? Wake up... wake up..."
"Gascon? Wake up... (I hope he's not sick again)," Swaine lifted his head, looking up at his little brother. Standing up and stretching, he noticed that it was getting dark--- the sun halfway down the horizon, with only a hint of orange and purple to be seen at the bottom of an otherwise vast, dark, star-filled sky. Moonlight reflected off the waves that washed ashore, if not lit up the white sands of the beach. "How long was I asleep?" he asked in a yawn."Almost two hours. We should hurry to the village; it's getting cold." Marcassin told him. "Aye, should've brought a jacket with me if I'd known we'd be facing a chill." Khunbish added, rubbing his arms."Them scales really changed your biology, didn't they?" Chingis questioned as they walked up the beach. "First ye can't hold yer whiskey, 'n' now a bit o' cold weather makes ye sluggish. I remember when ye wouldn't wear a coat for nothin'-- 'cept when we had skirmishes in the Winterlands!"The archer rolled his eyes. "I get it, I get it, this curse hindered me in a few areas. I's can still beat ye in a match, mate!""Oh can ye, now? I accept your challenge!""Save it for later, ye knuckleheads!" Came Batu's holler, as their captain approached them from the jungle. "Drippy be looking for ya; said he's got your sleeping quarters all ready,""Thank goodness, it is far beyond time that we get some rest after a trialing day." Marcassin sighed... and an arm linked with his."Couldn't agree more, Marc." ATF stated casually.The Emperor held up his wand... where a fireball ignited and struck the immortal-teen in the face, making him yelp. "I warned you.""Blimey! When did that lad show up?!" Chingis exclaimed."Don't bother asking..." Swaine sighed, rubbing his temples. "Anti, is WG and Zane here?""They should be in a while." ATF answered... speaking as if his face wasn't suffering third-degree burns and his hair wasn't singed. "I'll let them know where we'll be staying,"Chingis stared at him. "Er, lad? ...Your had is still on fire.""It's a dry heat.""Uh...""Keep walking, mate. The boy's insane." Khunbish told him, ushering him along.The group walked on, ATF watching them walk ahead..."Hot hot hot hot hot hot!" The immortal teen sputtered, before running towards the ocean--*Doof!*...and just sticking his head in the sand like an ostrich.A random Sprog-Cog hovered up, looking at him curiously.ATF pointed at it. "Shut. Up." he muffled beneath the sand....Back at the village, the two nagai and their friends met Drippy over by the bridge that led to Fairy Godmother. "Ah, there ye are! Well, it took a bit o' back-n-forth, but Mam managed to set up a nice little space for the two of ye!" the Lord High Lord of the Fairies informed them, walking over to a tree, where a secret passage awaited. "Right this way!"Swaine paused, recognizing the passage. "Wait! We're staying in the Faycare Center?!" he questioned, aghast. "Well, where else would we put ye, Snake-Butt? It's th' only place here large enough to fit ya! Not only that, but it's th' most secure place on th' whole island-- th' passage here is hidden well, 'n' th' only other entrance is straight through Mam's big mouth!""Blimey! You mean your mom would have to SWALLOW them?!" Tani gawked."Oh, aye-- but it would be a hassle gettin' 'em both in the cannon. Mam hates th' taste o' snakes anyway,"The Sky Pirates all stood there agape, before looking at their predecessors. "...Believe me. It's more strange than you imagine." Swaine sighed, shaking his head. "But it is the best solution we have right now, isn't it?" Esther encouraged, giving a smile. "Plus, it will be fun getting to spend the night in those little rooms!""Rooms? There are ROOMS in her stomach?" Khunbish questioned, more befuddled than he'd been in his life. "You're saying ye fairies have tiny little homes down your gullets??""Don't be daft, Snake Butt--- er, The Second!" Drippy retorted in a scold. "Only Fairy Godmother herself is large enough to keep littlies in her tummy! ...Speakin' o' which, no need to be concerned about having tiny roommates. Mam won't be expecting to have a new batch for another hundred years or so, so there's plenty o' vacancy! Now, are we gonna get ye settled in, or do ye want to keep questioning someone else's culture all night?"Swaine rubbed his face disgruntled, while Khunbish scratched his head confused. After a moment, the two let out heavy sighs, and followed the fairy down the passage; they went one at a time-- having to crawl on their stomachs like their first night at the Inn, and following him through the break-room and into the hallway.It was different than before, the thief realized. For one thing, the lights were off for the night. Unlike in-game, there were more rooms on the other side of the hall, each door having a flower on it like the rest. "Swaine, you can have th' Lilly Room. Khunbish, you can have th' Jasmine Room." Drippy told them. "Those rooms are the largest, normally used when Mam has more than a dozen littlies residing in her tummy." He turned towards the rest of their friends. "The rest of ye are allowed to stay in the rest o' the rooms. The Iris, Hibiscus, and Gladiola rooms are quite comfortable, if I might recommend 'em.""Can we stay, Boss?" Tani asked Batu. "Khunbish could use all the support he can get,""Arr, we'll have to check in with Evan 'n' Roland, lass. They may need our ears 'n' eyes in case any more poachers are sendin' out spies," Batu told her. "Aye, I don't want ye gettin' worried over me skin. I'm capable of handling myself!" Khunbish assured.Batu gave him a look, before looking at Tani. "...We'll tell 'em we're stayin' for a couple o' days.""Hey!""I will be in the Iris Room, if you need anything Gascon." Marcassin told Swaine."And I'll be staying in the Tulip Room," Esther added, turning to Tani. "Would you like to share with me?""Sure, it'll be nice bunking with another girl for once." Tani replied."I'll stay in the Rose Room. Anyone want to share?" Oliver asked.*Zzzzip!*ATF rushed up. "I will!" he exclaimed."Aren't you supposed to be waiting for your sister? ...And watching her pets?" Swaine questioned."...I got a guardian-angel roommate covering for me. And also, WG and Zane are still having dinner."The thief face-palmed. "Why did I even bother?""Mind if I crash with ye, mate? The barracks have felt quiet without your snoring," Chingis joked, nudging Khunbish."Tch, like your snorts are any more pleasant," Khunbish scoffed with a grin, the two of them heading into his room. Everyone bid each other goodnight, turning in for the evening.Swaine entered his room... despite looking like a child's nursery, it was quite spacious, and the atmosphere was quite soothing to his senses. Letting out a sigh, he coiled up on a pile of pillows and blankets, shutting his eyes.There was a buzzing sound just then, and he reached into his pack and pulled out his tablet, finding someone was video-calling him. He arched an eyebrow, recognizing the name but finding it odd as they barely contacted each other... except for emergencies. He answered. "Vincent? What's up?""Hey, cuz." Vincent greeted, in the middle of a smoke-break it seemed. "I heard you got cursed and have poachers on your tail."Swaine arched an eyebrow. "Who told you?""Ryuji. ...Just wanted to see how the situation is going, since my son is involved."The thief opened and closed his mouth, at a loss for words. "Y-Y-Your son...?""Akira Kurusu? Remember?"Swaine paused. He remembered Vincent telling him that the Persona 5 protagonist was his estranged son, but... quite honestly, he thought his cousin was just making it up. "...Oh, shit." He sighed, rubbing his face. "Vincent, look, we've got it under control. We're keeping out of the Persona worlds, and found a safe place to stay. No one is going to find us, and--""Yeah, I know. I'm not mad, just... *sigh* I just want to know what I need to do. Who do I need to keep an eye out, for? Do these people use magic or super-weapons or shit like that? Do I need to have Catherine give them nightmares?""I honestly don't know who the poachers are, but I'm working on breaking the curse. I found my benefits, Khunbish just needs one more, so they'll give up once we're back on two legs.""How do you know? I mean... what if they think you can just appear human? A lot of mystical creatures can do that."Swaine thought for a moment, quietly seething. "If any of those assholes think I'd be part-python a second time, they're going to be severely disappointed. ...And how did Ryuji tell you all this, anyway?""He and his mom are staying with me, until the heat dies down.""Alright. That's good. ...Just so you know, I didn't want anyone involved. I wanted to keep this whole curse a secret and lay low for a while... but one friend after another kept finding out and I kept hiding somewhere else and---""Dude, calm down. I get it. Shit happens. I'm just letting you know I know now, and want to keep updated."The thief let out a breath. "Yeah. ...Okay. Again, I'm sorry Akira got involved--""Heh, don't worry. ...According to the Shipping Attack of 2017, he's gotten through worse."Swaine shut his eyes tight. "Oh, man... they got to him too?""They get to all of us at some point, Swaine. They get to all of us." Vincent looked over his shoulder. "I'll let you go, now. Akira and I are heading home.""Alright. Thanks for checking in, I guess."Hanging up, the thief fell back into his coils. Is there anyone ELSE who's going to get personally involved?!
~Why, Yes. Yes There Is!~
Suguru Kamoshida sat in his living room that night. His daughters were in their rooms-- one secretly playing on a tablet underneath her covers, while the other was trying to play with her toys in the dark-- and his son was asleep in his crib. He would give his girls five more minutes, then walk down the hallway, making just enough noise to alert his daughters into leaping into a 'pretend-to-be-asleep' position, but not so much as to wake the infant. Then his cellphone rang. The number was unfamiliar, so he muted it and ignored it. Probably just a telemarketer. Two minutes later, it rang again. The same number. This time, he swiped the red icon and cut it off. It rang again seconds later. Same number. I swear to God, if this is just another trash-call from someone in the fandom...! The P5 villain thought with a grimace; if there was one downside to his role, it was that it made his personal life really hard to live without some nutcase taking a videogame plot way too seriously. "Who is this?" Kamoshida finally answered, trying-but-failing to hide his irritation."Ah, Mister Kamoshida. I hope I did not call you at a busy time." Came the douschiest voice the medalist had ever heard in his life. It sounded like some rich twat who tried to sound overly sophisticated. "I am calling about one of your co-stars, Ryuji Sakamoto."He sat up straight at the mention of the track star, slightly concerned. "Sakamoto? ...What about him?"
"I heard he has been in the company of a... unique individual. A man with green hair, from another world, with the body of a snake. You know who I'm talking about, don't you?"
The medalist did not have to think hard, remembering meeting Swaine and Khunbish... but having played a villain before (twice), he knew this stranger on the other line wasn't asking for an interview. "What kind of prank call is this?"
"It is no prank, Mister Kamoshida... and I'm afraid playing dumb will not fool me. And if you continue to deny anything... well, that won't be a smart move, if you care about your children."
He froze. His eyes glowed yellow-- someone hinting at harming his kids tempted him into going into his boss-form. "You had better not be threatening my family, you son of a bitch!" he spoke, his voice having an echo to it.
"Perish the thought! I am just merely pointing out that having a pair of half-snaked beasts around your loved ones is quite dangerous. Nagai happen to be very crafty, you know-- appearing to be friendly, even nurturing, only to whip around and attack once their prey as their guard down. ...You happen to know about that, don't you?"
Yep. He was going to drag this man to his Palace and kill him. "I think you have the wrong number." "DON'T... hang... up." The man spoke in a firm tone. "Just listen for a moment. I want you to help me capture one of those beasts. Try to convince Ryuji to show you where they are hiding, and then inform me. That is all. Then your co-stars will be safe, your children will be safe... And I will see to it you are never harassed by any blood-thirsty fans again. ...I'll even go as far as to make sure those shippers from that 'incident' never post a single lemon ever again!""And if I refuse?"
"Oh, Kamoshida... Think of your children."
"DADDY!" Mei suddenly shrieked in her room.Kamoshida dropped his phone and ran in; currently, Mei was hiding under her bed. "Mei! What's wrong?! What happened?!" The medalist gasped, as she ran into his arms."I-I-I looked out the window, and... and someone was looking in, watching me!" she sobbed.He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out... watching as a figure was jumping off the bottom ladder of the fire-escape, running down the alley. There came hurried footsteps, and he turned to see Sayori enter the room. "Dad! What's going on?" she asked. Down the hall, Andre had woken up and was bawling."Just some creep going around peeping into windows. ...You two go crawl in my bed for the night." Kamoshida told them. Sayori took Mei by the hand, helping comfort her sister as they went down the hall. He followed, walking over to Andre's crib and picking up the infant, allowing the girls to turn on the TV while he soothed the infant, walking back into the living room.After much pacing and shushing, he managed to sooth the infant back to sleep. He looked down at the ground where he dropped his phone.The call was still going on.Grimacing, he picked it up. "You're a sick bastard." he spoke quietly, but his tone was lined with venom. "Life CAN be difficult, especially when you portray one of the most hated anime characters in existence." The stranger said with a smug tone. "And I can increase that difficulty. Keep that in mind. ...Now, what do you say, Kamoshida? Will you take my offer... or do you even love your children?"The P5 villain growled in his throat. "...Fine. I'll see what I can do."
"Very good. ...Oh, and Kamoshida? No tricks."
With that, the bastard hung up. The medalist let out a heavy sigh, before walking back to his bedroom. He lied Andre back in his crib. "Is everything okay, Dad?" Sayori asked, as she and Mei looked at him.The worried expressions on their faces broke his heart. He never wanted his children to be afraid for anything...He'd do anything to keep them safe."Yeah. Daddy just has to make a call, then he'll be back in, okay?" He told them, leaning down and giving them both a hug."Who are you going to call?" Mei asked, hugging a pillow. Her eyes were still red.No one made his kids cry without paying for it.And he wanted to make sure the bastard who threatened them regretted ever looking up his number.Kamoshida looked at his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he came across the one he had in mind. "Your big sis," He answered, then made the call.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Throughout the duration of the curse, Khunbish could not find many disadvantages to being a naga.
*SNNOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRKKHHH*
Until tonight.Having shared a hut with Chingis in the past, the aviator had grown accustomed to his friend's loud snoring. The first few times, he would end up smacking his friend with a pillow and telling him to quiet down, leading to the swordsman to argue that the archer's nostrils were just as noisy as his were; in the end, they got used to the irritating sounds of their slumber.But now that Khunbish's hearing was enhanced? So was Chingis' snoring.The pirate-naga tried covering his ears, but it was no use. "Oi, Chingis! Wake up!" he whispered, poking his friend in the shoulder with the tip of his tail."Zzz... C'mon, Boss, it's me day off..." The swordsman murmured, turning on his side. His snoring continued.Khunbish looked around, finding a stuffed animal and chucking it at his friend. "I said wake up, curse ye!"*Squeak!*Chingis simply waved his hand. "Not now, Triton... I'm *yawn* busy... zzzzzz..."The archer sighed in a grunt, rubbing his face. Great. I become half-snake, and he becomes a heavy sleeper. he thought. He had the mind to use his tail to lift up his friend and shake him awake... but knew the argument that would unfold would no doubt wake everyone. Plus, he couldn't be mad at Chingis for something that he couldn't control, and knew the problem was due to his naga traits.Slithering quietly across the floor, Khunbish exited the room to find a quieter place to sleep. Closing the door, he was surprised that the snores were muffled, deducing that the rooms must be sound-proof (to those with normal-hearing). Looking down the hall, he had to smile, seeing that every few feet there was a night-light plugged into the wall, each one shaped like a cute-looking Familiar.He was passing by an Auroralynx-shaped night-light when his ears picked up a new sound. Unable to ignore it, he entered the room-- at the moment the sound stopped, and he realized it was music coming from Esther's harp. "Oh!" The bard gasped, surprised by his entrance. "Khunbish? What are you doing??"The aviator froze, a blush rising to his cheeks. "Ah! B-Begging your pardon, Esther-- I was in th' hall, 'n' the sound of your harp caught me attention." He stammered, backing away. "Apologies for barging in...""Hold on, what were you doing in the hall? I thought you went to bed an hour ago,"Khunbish crossed his arms. "That was me plan... but Chingis' snorin' kept me from sleep. So, I'm just looking for a different room to sleep in..." He paused, noticed someone was absent from the room. "Hold on a moment! Where's Mistress Tani? I thought she was bunkin' with ya!""She and ATF decided to go on a late-night snack run; I think they were going to call WG and Zane as well to see what's keeping them." Esther strummed her harp a bit, as if passing the time. "Tani asked me to cover for her, in case Batu came in.""Har har, that girl always loves to sneak about," The archer paused. "Wait... WG ain't here, yet?""Well, she and Zane must be getting a few things together; they might be checking on the rest of your friends, too, after that break-in situation." Esther looked at him, noticing the concern in his eyes; she scooted over, patting the bed, inviting him to sit (or coil) down next to her. The pirate took the offer, slithering over and taking a seat beside her-- most of his tail on the floor while the rest curved on the bed. "I wouldn't worry about them too much, Khunbish. The Authors have been in worse situations, they'll be alright!""Aye, I know... These new instincts have me concerned about everyone, I guess." Khunbish rested his head on a pillow that was shaped like a Tu-Whit. "Ryuji the most, as ironic as it sounds."The bard let out a breath, furrowing her brows. "I can understand that... after all, his father sounds like an awful man, breaking in and attacking him and his mother like that. Honestly, I'd sic my familiars on people like that! They're just as awful as animal abusers!""Oh aye, no doubt about that. ...But, I've been concerned about that boy even before we learned about his domestic problems, remember?""That is true. Did you ever figure out the reason why you're so attached to him?"Khunbish shook his head. "None. One night, I's just sensed he was in distress, 'n' all of a sudden started carin' about his well-being,"Esther strummed her harp a bit more, in quiet contemplation; the sound was soothing to the pirate's ears, as he let out a sigh, closing his eyes. His reaction to the soft music, as well as his compassion for his friends, reminded her of the story Yasmina had told her and Tani. "...So, I guess he's like the Persellos to your Ditelas.""Eh? ...Oh, ye mean from that story Mistress Tani was talkin' about," The bard nodded. "Yes. It's kind of uncanny... Ryuji dealt with abuse, and now he has a naga who wants to protect him." She couldn't help but smile. "It's honestly kind of sweet,"The archer rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, aye, it be quite the comparison... ('specially considering the naga didn't exactly start out with a happy life himself)"His murmuring did not go unheard, and Esther stopped strumming her harp. "...What happened?"The pirate froze. "I-I didn't say anything happened.""Yes you did... Something about a naga not having a happy life?""Oh, that! Aye, it was part o' the story, wasn't it? Ditelas loved music, but since it got him into trouble, he wasn't allowed to enjoy it, so he ended up running away hopin' to find a place where he could have such a liberty." He traced a circle in the blanket with his finger, thinking back. "I guess it was somethin' he 'n' Persellos found in common-- th' boy had a gift that his family didn't appreciate, 'n' felt the need to leave too... kinda fucked up that his family didn't give a shit about him," He gasped, covering his mouth. "Pardon me cussin', lass."Esther studied him a bit. As sad as it sounded, she recognized the signs of an abused creature-- even one who was half-human. The look in the pirate's eye was the same look she had seen in a neglected Gruffian who was left tied outside for days without food, or the heartbroken expression of a Minor Byrde who had its wings broken by a short-tempered owner....or the look on Ryuji's face, after his father-- no, after some ill-gotten bastard left him traumatized.She reached and rubbed Khunbish's back, and he could sense her empathy. "Khunbish... if there's anything you need to talk about, go ahead. You can trust us, can't you?"The pirate looked at her, giving her a soft smile in reassurance. He had already brought up his past (a little bit) with Ryuji, Kanji and Junpei... but wasn't ready to go into details just yet. "Aye, but let's wait 'n' have that chin-wag another day... preferably when we don't have poachers on our tails." He flicked the tip of his tail. "...No pun intended,"Esther sighed, but nodded. "I'm just letting you know... whenever you need to open up, don't hold--"*WHUMP!*"Ack!" Esther gasped as Khunbish quickly coiled around her, both of them startled when something-- or someone-- fell into the room!"...I have got to work on my portal destinations..." WG muffled, lying face-down on the floor."Wherever Lass!" The pirate exclaimed, untangling himself from Esther to rush up and hug the authoress. "Where've ye been?? Kept us waitin' up, ya did--"To his surprise, she slipped out of his arms. "Save the snek-cuddles for later, Khun-bae, we got a situation.""What happened?" Esther asked, standing up quick.WG motioned them to follow her out of the room. "Wake up the others. Those poaching pricks had another trick up their sleeve..."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The room was spacious, comfortable, quiet and secure.Yet Swaine couldn't bring himself to sleep.How could he? His friends were almost kidnapped, let alone harmed, because some rotten bastard wanted his scales. Even people who had remote-contact with the thief and the pirate were targeted to be used as bait! And considering Vincent, the one cousin who hardly contacted him, was calling him up about the matter... shit, just how serious was this thing going to get?!Guess I won't be getting my 10 hours, tonight. Swaine thought, deciding to head outside for some fresh air. He passed by Khunbish's room-- able to pick up muffled snoring and a hint of aggravation-- before going out the staff lounge's back door.He had hardly slithered five feet before someone bumped into him, and Tani fell back; an armful of little boxes, paper bags, plastic-wrapped sandwiches, and soda-cans fell on the ground, littered around her. "Oof! Ah, blimey, there go the snacks..." The young piratess grunted, sitting up."Tani? What are you doing out here this late?" Swaine asked; he used the tip of his tail to help her stand up, while picking up some of the food."Ha ha, I was about to ask you the same thing." Tani picked up the rest of the goods alongside him. "Anti wanted to go on a snack-run, so I went with him. He went to get a wagon for the rest of the food,"The thief shook his head, grinning. "Heh, I wouldn't imagine Batu letting you have a slumber party with a boy,""He wouldn't... but this isn't just for a sleepover. Most of it is for you and Khunbish," Once her arms were full, she walked ahead. "You're going to need your strength up for what may happen later,"The gunslinger arched an eyebrow. "Huh? What's going to happen later?""What may happen later. ATF had a vision; it was short, but he told me about a vision he had where Ryuji was in trouble, and Khunbish was going feral. It took place in a jungle, he said, but he thinks that since we've taken measures we might have broken the catalyst. Or caused it. He's not sure... but it's best if we stay alert, in case something does happen."Swaine let out a sigh, setting the snacks on a nearby stump before leaning against a tree, rubbing his face. "I don't want to think about what else could go wrong after today..."Tani set her share down, before crossing her arms; she took note of his tired expression, mixed with the look of anxiety in his eyes. "This curse is really dragging you down, isn't it?""Tch, what gave you the hint?" Swaine looked at Tani, and the young piratess only gave him a concerned-yet-stern look. Damn, she was like a high-strung Esther, wasn't she? He rubbed the back of his neck, before 'sitting' in a coiled position on the grass. "Yeah. It's been... something. I'm mostly worried that I may not be able to break it, even if Khunbish and I both have all our benefits."Tani sat down beside him. "What makes you say that? You both only need one more benefit, don't you?""That's the thing... I have my third one." The thief looked at his tail, grimacing. "But I'm still part snake. According to my Dad, I'm obviously doing something wrong."Her eyes widened. "What? Your dad actually said that?!""Well... not in those words exactly." He rubbed his face, thinking back to everything Duroc had said...
"Anyone can find a silver lining about something, but it means nothing if the attitude remains the same."
"You were always very stubborn, always thinking you had a right to be irritable, even if good things happened."
"What is it about this curse that makes you so agitated that you cannot focus on the optimistic side?"
"I am not putting the blame on you. You have been cursed before, and have gotten into more trouble than I would like to remember, yet managed to overcome such trials. Yet you have been cursed for days, and even with all your benefits you have not succeeded..."
"From what I recall, you were never one to back down from a challenge."
Swaine shut his eyes as he recollected the conversation. During that time, he felt nothing but tension, agitation, and a lack of self-worth. That's how he had always felt around his Dad. Yet normally, he was able to keep a level head, maybe make a smart-ass comment to let off a little steam, but at that moment he just wanted Duroc to stop talking before he ended up...
Trapping him in his coils and strangling the life out of him, just to get him to shut up.
That's what his instincts were telling him to do. Provoke a snake, and it'll strike... even if you did not mean it any harm. (He would have to thank Kanji for barging in when he did...)"Swaine? ...What did he say?" Tani asked, breaking him from his thoughts. She was resting her hand on his shoulder."He... said that finding benefits wouldn't mean anything if I hated being like this." Swaine answered; now that he thought about it, his dad's tone was more inquisitive than critical, like Naoto and Akechi's when the two detectives were helping piece things together... but with a more gruff tone. "It was mainly because Aapep told Khunbish that... but now I wonder if that snake wasn't just trying to fool us. I told my ol' man that it wasn't the case, that Khunbish and I have to find benefits and... that's when he got critical.""But he didn't tell you that you were screwing something up?""No..." Swaine folded his arms over his coils. "It just feels like it."Tani watched him for a moment, noticing the look of hurt in his eye. "...I take it you and your dad don't have a good relationship?""You could say that," He shut his eyes. "My father didn't raise me like Batu raised you. ...At least your dad was always on your side, and never left you to fend for yourself."There was a brief pause, before the piratess gave an answer. "...Not all the time."Swaine looked at her, sensing a strong sadness. "H-How do you mean?""Tch. You didn't pay attention to the story, did you?" Tani leaned against his coils, looking up at the stars. "I was captured by Wyverns, and they held me ransom in exchange for the Pirate Base. Rather than storming the caves himself, Batu let Evan and Roland come to my rescue. ...Afterwards, I wondered, 'If two outsiders are able to take on a whole flock of the leather-winged bastards, why couldn't my own father round up his strongest men to do the same?' He at least could have tagged along to make sure they kept their word about bringing me home, safe."The thief was quiet; of course, he could understand Batu's reasons-- they couldn't give up the base, otherwise the Wyverns would ambush them while they were leaving, attacking every man, woman and child who couldn't defend themselves. And storming the Wyvern's nest wasn't a smart move-- as soon as the beasts saw any Sky Pirates nearby, they would kill Tani.Or, perhaps they would have killed her anyway..."On the other hand," Tani went on, giving a small smile. "The situation saved Evan and Roland's lives. Upon seeing that the boss not only spared their lives but also trusted them with my well-being, I knew he saw something special about them, and just wanted them to prove their worth. Otherwise, he would probably sneak into the nest himself..." She hung her head low. "At least, that's what I keep telling myself, ha ha..."Despite her humorous tone, Swaine still sensed her heartbreak..."Your situation was kind of the same. You, Oliver and Esther decided to go save your younger self and Marcassin when your dad wouldn't. ...I think it's a load of crock to have two kids fend for themselves because," She made her tone gruff, "'That's the Hamelin way'!" She spoke normal, looking at him. "But in the end, it led to you making new friends, didn't it?""Y-Yeah... but that doesn't really make it right.""It doesn't. ...Honestly, I think the writers of our games were just trying to find an excuse to move the plot along, otherwise I believe both our dads would have done everything they could to rescue us." "Hmph, well yours would. Mine..." Swaine shook his head. "I don't know."Tani pet his scales. She paused just then, having to grin. "Um, Swaine? I know there's a lot of emotion going on right now, but could you perhaps loosen your grip?""What?"She giggled. "Your tail! After I told you my story, it's been hugging me tight!"Swaine looked, seeing that the lower half of his tail was curled around her shoulders and abdomen, the tip of it having been patting her on the back in sympathy. He blushed, quickly retracting it. "D-Damn this tail! ...I'm sorry, I swear it acts on its own--!"Tani giggled again. "Keep your hair on, mate. You weren't violating any laws," She stood up, picking up half the snacks. "C'mon, let's head in. ...I wonder what's taking ATF so long?"The thief began to follow her, until he heard rushed footsteps. "Hold it, someone's coming," he whispered. Tani summoned her crossbow and Swaine took out his gun, both of them bracing themselves.They calmed down when they saw it was just ATF and Zane. "*huff huff* I left my amulet in my room..." The immortal teen wheezed."Is WG here? She took off ahead of us!" Zane asked Swaine."Huh? I haven't seen her... She might have opened a portal," The gunslinger answered, holstering his weapon."What's wrong? Did you have another vision?" Tani asked ATF.He shook his head. "No... but WG had a phone call from Kamoshida." He looked at Swaine. "Whoever's after you has allies in the Persona world... and they're zeroing in on Ryuji, now-- and I know for damn sure he's not their only target."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Tani and Esther went to wake up Batu, Marcassin, Oliver, Drippy and Chingis and inform them of the situation, while the nagas and Authors gathered in the Staff Lounge. The pirate-naga was already on pins-and-needles, sitting at the table and rapidly tapping his finger on the surface, his other hand gripping his head as he murmured to himself; the thief-naga paced around, arms crossed with fingers digging into his jacket, a scowl on his face.Targeting our friends is one thing, but to threaten someone else's kids just because they have a remote connection is unforgivable! Swaine thought. He had only met Sayori, Mei, and Andre once, yet the idea of them being at-risk made him sick. Even if he never knew they existed, the fact that the poachers would target innocent children just to fulfill their plans made his blood boil. Just how twisted are these bastards?! What's next, threatening someone else's cat?! ...oh, shit, Morgana...!"Stupid fucking rotten blighters, they lay one finger on 'em 'n' I'll sink me fangs into their throats, bastards' better leave those kids alone," Khunbish was muttering quickly and quietly under his breath, voicing his thoughts. His eyes were already glowing, and he really, really, REALLY wanted to go to the Persona 5 world and track down the stalkers that so much as startled Kamoshida's daughters. A hand rested on his shoulder, and he flinched, turning with a short hiss, until he saw it was just Zane. The Time-Lord did not give a jolt, but only rubbed his back. "It's going to be okay, Khunbish. We're working out a plan, now.""I'm going to contact Akechi, Naoto, and Mitsuru. They can have the police keep an eye on their areas," WG stated, taking out her cellphone. "It should still be late-afternoon in their worlds... I think. The change in time-zones kind of messed me up--""What about that other world? ...The one with the clock tower and everything," Swaine asked, pondering. "That's where we first met Kamoshida and his kids.""Methinks someone followed us there..." Khunbish theorized, rubbing his chin. "Quite a few people saw me in front o' the school, 'n' quite a crowd gathered as we went to the Gateway. Perhaps a spy had been lingering about," "But the set is strictly prohibited, remember?" WG reminded. "How could someone get through the gateway without security being called?"Swaine snapped his fingers. "They might have took the opportunity while everyone was searching for Theodore!" he surmised. "With the cast and staff occupied, someone could have slipped inside and hid somewhere... and since we were out front when Kamoshida came around, they wouldn't have had to go inside, and would have slipped out before any of us would notice they were there!""Swaine! You're a genius!" ATF exclaimed, then paused and turned to WG. "Wait, you went to the PQ world, again? ...Doesn't Doe have a restraining order on you after last time?""Don't you have a young sage to simp for?" WG retorted, before getting back to the point. "Anyway, the theories add up, considering those poachers started appearing AFTER we got back from the PQ world,""And they might have been quick to deduce you were from Ni no Kuni," ATF added."But what were they doing in the world of Persona 5 in the first place?" Zane pointed out. "The creeps we caught earlier today didn't seem to match the style,""Yeah, but they's was hired, remember? The rotter that's after us might live in that world," Khunbish reminded. "'specially if he knows where to find out where one o' th' game's villains lives, off-set!""There's also the case that we were seen on the news that morning," Swaine spoke up, leaning against the wall. "Since it went viral, the financier no doubt spotted it and contacted some informants in the area."The door opened, and the rest of their friends entered. "So! Have we come up with a plan yet?" Tani asked."So far, we're going over theories. ...What took you so long to get here?" ATF asked."YOU try getting two full-grown pirates out of bed in the middle of the night," Esther huffed, crossing her arms."Arr, if no one be attacking, I don't see much reason to get up in a hurry." Batu grunted, cracking his neck."What be going on?" Chingis asked with a loud yawn.The Authors filled them in on the situation, from the latest trick the poachers pulled, to how and when they might have discovered the nagas. "So, they are even targeting those who have had minimal contact with us... These may not be ordinary poachers, if their desperation is that severe." Marcassin stated with a frown. Swaine paused, realization coming to him. "Oh, damn, I better tell Vincent all this...""Vincent?" Zane questioned."He's a cousin of mine. His son is a character in Persona 5; he heard about the situation, and contacted me earlier tonight.""Better give him th' heads up now, lad." Batu suggested. "Lord knows when those jackasses will make their next move," He turned to the Authors. "Speakin' of which, what's our move?""Aye, tell me ye lot already got some sort o' idea on how to nab these naga-nappers!" Drippy exclaimed."First, we have to inform everyone. If anything, ATF and I will open portals to go investigate." WG spoke up. She crossed her arms, glaring at no one in particular. "Kamoshida said the girls were very scared... and quite honestly, I would fail as their Big Sis if I didn't get after the asshole who did it,"ATF's eyes glowed violet, a scowl on his face. "I'm with you on th---""BLIMEY!" Khunbish shouted, looking at ATF in alarm. "What be going on with your eyes, lad?!"The immortal teen shook his head, his eyes returning to their normal color. "S-Sorry! ...W-Whenever I feel triggered, a bit of my 'dark side' shows. ...His name is Fluffy.""Uhhhhh... you mind filling us in on that more, mate?" Tani asked, inching away from ATF."A lot of Authors have an alternate identity known as an 'Ego'," Zane explained first. "In ATF's case, he developed a 'dark' ego after a traumatic experience. Now, whenever someone does something he can't forgive-- such as threatening little kids-- that can result in his transformation.""I-I remember that," Esther spoke up, nervously. "But you won't hurt other children, right?""Anyone under the age of 18 is safe, with some exceptions. Animals, too." ATF replied with a nod. "The only way to change me back is to give me a hug, just in case the situation happens.""Good thing we have a pair of nagai who are experts at that," WG said with a grin."Clever." Swaine sarcastically replied. "But how about we focus on getting rid of the poachers before that happens, eh?""Aye. I want to come with ye to scout out the Persona worlds!" Khunbish stated firmly."Are ye daft, lad?! You were just given orders to stay put!" Batu scolded. "If anyone sees ye, those poachers will put up spies on every block ya slither on!"Oliver's eyes lit up. "Wait... what if they COULDN'T see him?" he suggested, taking out his Wizard's Companion. "Khunbish, are you able to do magic?""Huh? ...Well, a bit, I suppose. I have th' ability to stun enemies with a screech in battle, at least." Khunbish replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I's never really considered meself a wizard for it. ...What're you plannin'?"The young wizard showed the sky-pirate a page of his book. "This is the 'Veil' spell. It helps the rest of us stay hidden from enemies when we don't want to fight. It might help you explore the Persona world without being seen!""Are you sure your magic will work in another world, Oliver?" Zane inquired, scratching his head."If it doesn't, yours sure will." WG replied, giving her boyfriend a nudge. "You have an invisibility spell too, right?""Oh, definitely!""We could give it a trial-run," Marcassin stated. "But it will have to be in an unrelated world.""...How about an unrelated world with similar design and a loose-connection to the other?" Swaine suggested."Like...?" Esther pressed."Like where my cousin lives," The thief crossed his arms. "After all, I do need to give him the heads up."
~Elsewhere~
Three figures stood hunched down in a dark room.
"We're in, sir." One of them whispered in a cellphone. "Everyone else is in their assigned locations."
"Good. Remember, the moment you see the nagai or one of their friends... Act. Immediately." Answered a distorted voice. "And no mistakes this time. Those hooligans you hired nearly fouled everything up."
"Don't worry, sir..." They held up a gun, loaded with a syringe. "After all, we were trained specifically for this line of work."
"Then you had better hope it paid off." With that, he hung up.
"...geez, what a Nazi." A second subordinate muttered. "If I wanted to deal with this sort of crap, I'd go back to working at McDonald's!"
"All this, because he wants to add to his c-collection... He's even m-m-making us target the Phantom Thieves!" A third added, shivering. "I c-c-can't believe it! He's out of his m-m-mind!"
"It doesn't matter, he's paying us for it... and if we fail, WE'RE the ones who are gonna pay!" The first hissed. "Now stop being a coward, and keep low! We have to be on-guard for when someone comes in..."
"I'm not b-b-being a c-c-c-c-coward!"
"Then why are you s-s-stuttering?" The second scoffed.
"Because it's fucking COLD in here!"
"Hey, I told you to bring a sweater, didn't I?"
"Both of you shut up!" The first snapped. "Stay low. Stay alert."
...
...
...
"Can we at least turn up the heat?" The third asked.
"DAMMIT, FRANK!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
If there was one way to help ease the tension in their relationship, it was videogames.Honestly, he had Ryuji to thank for the idea. The teen had seen his console and game collection, and asked if it would be alright if he and Akira played a bit before bed. Aya had already turned in for the night, needing to catch up on sleep due to working long shifts, leaving Vincent with the responsibility of granting permission. Setting everything up, he let Akira pick the first game, the choice being the co-op game A Way Out. He sat by as the two teens started the game."Oh, hold on, I'm getting a call. Can ya play for me?" Ryuji said to him after his phone went off; he handed Vincent the controller, before walking out of the room, answering the call. "Hey, wassup? Kinda late to be calling, don't you think?"Vincent and Akira sat in silence, mostly concentrating on the game. Eventually, they reached a cutscene and got a breather. "You're pretty good at these games," The bespectacled protagonist commented."You too. ...How many videogames have you played?" The Catherine protagonist asked."Not a lot. I think the first one I played was that old-school alien-shooter game. Otherwise, I played at the arcade on Central Street in Shibuya." Akira pushed up his glasses. "I really didn't have much time for anything, between school and rehearsals. ...What about you? What all have you played?""Heh, more than I can count. I was your age when arcade games were still new, and I spent a lot of time on the Supernintendo." Vincent leaned back on the couch, relaxing as the cutscene continued. "I mainly used them as a means of escapism... eventually, it led to me heading to conventions, working at a game-company as an intern, and that's when I met your mom.""Yeah?"He nodded. "Bayonetta was working as a representative for a collaboration project-- she didn't trust her agent or the execs to make the decision, wanting to check out everything herself... and if they pulled any bullshit, they would be dealing with a woman who took down a goddess." He smiled, having to chuckle. "She came into the office around the time my boss was chewing me out for 'speaking out of line', when all I did was point out a flaw in a graphic design. Your mom stepped in, took a look at the details, called my boss a jackass, then asked if I wanted to work with her company instead."Akira looked at him, having to scoff, grinning. "Seriously?""Yep. Your mom didn't tolerate shit from anyone. ...I think that's why everyone agreed you'd make a great protagonist for your game's concept.""Probably... How did you guys hook up, anyway?""An office-party. I was just working on the catering team, Bayonetta was really stressed out because she was forced to be there, and came into the kitchen, venting to me while we had a few drinks... and then we left."The P5 protagonist nodded, looking at his remote solemnly. "Did... Was she upset afterwards?"Vincent thought back. "I don't know. I remember she met up with me a few weeks later, telling me how she missed her period, bought a pregnancy test, and went to a clinic just to make sure. She asked for my input, about whether or not I wanted to keep the baby... She said her career wouldn't let her be a full-time mom, but she didn't want to pressure me into being a teenage dad. But we didn't want to just give you up, either, so we looked into foster-care." He rested his chin on his palm, looking at his son. "...The day you were born, I knew we both wanted to keep you all to ourselves. Bayonetta looked at you with so much love in her eyes... it must have really hurt when she had to hand you off to the fosters."Akira rubbed the back of his neck. "...She really hugged me tight when we met up in Smash Bros. ...I figured she forgot I existed, except on holidays.""Please. She's always talking about you! Hell, she and Handsome Jack almost got into a death-match arguing which of them had the cooler kid!""Tch, you're making that up!""...Yes, I am, but I can honestly see it happening--""You guys realize you just missed a quick-time event, right?" Ryuji spoke up, standing behind the couch.Vincent and Akira gave a jolt, looking at the track-star before looking at the current 'Game Over' screen. "...Crap." The P5 protagonist muttered. He turned to his friend. "So, who were you talking to?""About that... It sounds like those douche-bags are getting desperate," The bottle-blonde crossed his arms, his expression grim. "I just got done talking to Kamoshida; those bastards were scouting out his place, and the guy in-charge got ahold of his number, threatenin' his kids unless he could set it up to where they could 'meet up' with me.""Are they alright?" Vincent asked, standing up."Yeah, they're fine, but he's definitely pissed. He already called up WG to send the word to Swaine and Khunbish, and he's calling Nijima-san now."The Catherine protagonist arched an eyebrow. "...Why didn't he call the police, first?""Heh, I actually asked him that!" Ryuji folded his arms behind his head, having to grin. "He wanted to check in on everyone first, in case we were having similar problems. ...Which, duh, we are. But I'm gonna bet he didn't want to admit we're a lot more trustworthy,""...wait, how does he know WG?" Akira questioned.The track-star shrugged. "She babysits his kids, sometimes."Vincent's eyes widened. "He actually has kids?!"Before the plot-evading subject matter could be dragged out further, there came a knock at the door. Vincent motioned the teens to stay in the living room while he answered it, just in case it happened to be any subordinates of the poachers. Ryuji and Akira stood around the corner, bracing themselves for a fight...The Catherine protagonist stopped to open up his canon inventory, taking out an ice-pick. He rested his hand on the doorknob, pressing his ear to the door to listen for any suspicious sounds. "Who is it?" he called."It's your fan-club." Came a deadpanned voice. "It's Luna!"Vincent opened the door, seeing WG standing there--- for about five seconds before he was ambushed in a hug by ATF. "VINNY! I haven't seen you since the restraining order expired!" the immortal teen exclaimed."Urk! Luna---!""DOWN, BOY!" WG shouted, pulling ATF away and squirting him with a squirt bottle several times. "This is no time to go on a glomping spree!" She turned back to Vincent, speaking in a calm tone. "Is Ryuji here?"Vincent peeked out, peering around, while speaking in a 'convincing' tone. "Nope, I haven't seen him. But hey, while you're here, can you give me tips on dealing with stalkers again?" He let them inside, before closing the door, and showed them over to the living-room."Let me guess, checking in on your favorite Best Boy?" Ryuji smugly guessed as the two Authors walked in. "How'd you guess?" ATF sarcastically replied, feigning surprise."Kamoshida called me up, and we're currently working on a plan to keep tabs on what those poachers are up to," WG replied. "While we were at it, we decided to drop by. Swaine wanted to give you the heads up-- WHY didn't you tell me you guys were related, before?!" On that last part, she turned towards Vincent."It's not like we're close or anything... So, where is he now?" Vincent asked in turn."Outside,""What?!" Ryuji gawked. "I-I thought they were staying hidden--!""And they are. Turns out Oliver figured out a little loophole, with his magic." ATF assured him, then held up his hand. "And no, it's not the whole 'They can't be seen/heard by people from another world', because that would make no sense." He turned to WG. "Though, that WOULD be a cool concept for a Persona/Ni no Kuni crossover. Like, people from the magic world can only be seen in Tartarus, the TV World, or Mementos, but remain unseen in the real world--""Mewmewmewmew! We have enough ideas to juggle, we need no more!" WG snapped, waving her hand in a dismissing manner. "...But anyway. Yeah. Invisibility spells. Useful. Zane and Oliver are helping them out, and once they're sure this world is safe, we're going to check in on Junpei and Kanji-- heck, maybe everyone at this rate.""Damn... what sort of shit did you get into?" Vincent muttered, rubbing his face."Believe me, compared to past experience, this is nothing."ATF replied, giving him a nudge. "You should see the crazies we deal with at the House of Mouse!"There came the opening-and-closing of a door, making everyone jump, but they did not see anyone come in. "...Zane, that had better be you and the snek." WG deadpanned. Her hair ended up tussled by an unseen force, and she looked at the others. "Yep. It's them.""Is Khunbish with you guys?" Ryuji asked."Oh, no. He's been in here the whole time," ATF answered.The track-star flinched, looking around. "Wh--?! Bishie!? ...Where are you?!""What is going on out here?" Aya asked, storming out; she calmed down slightly when she saw the authors. "Oh! WG-san? What are you doing here so late?""Just checking in on everyone, ma'am." WG assured. "A co-star of your son's was getting harassed by the guy trying to poach our naga-friends." She gave a reassuring grin. "We're in the process of making them regret that decision,""I see... And is that your twin... sister?" Aya pointed at ATF."Brother, actually!" ATF corrected, smiling while saluting. "Don't worry ma'am, everyone makes that mistake.""...It would help if you didn't wear the skirt." WG said out of the corner of her mouth."...no it would not.""...true.""Everything is okay, Mom." Ryuji told her, stretching. "We're getting ready to head to bed, now.""Alright... but I want details in the morning." With that, Aya bowed to the guests, before returning to bed.WG and ATF began walking out, Vincent showing them to the door. The immortal teen paused, looking over his shoulder. "...You can't stick around, Khunbish. The spell will wear off after an hour," he called.There was no answer, but for a moment Ryuji felt warmth wrap around him, which left him after ten long seconds. He looked over, watching as WG opened a portal outside, crossing over it with her brother... and one by one Zane, Oliver, Swaine and Khunbish reappeared upon crossing, the sky pirate looking back over with a concerned expression until the portal shut.The track star was quiet for a moment, before he shook his head and rubbed his face. "I'm going to bed..." he groaned, hanging his head low as he walked to the guest bedroom.Akira and Vincent were the only ones who stayed in the living room, sitting down on the couch. "Seems like you guys have quite the mess to get out of," the Catherine protagonist spoke first."Well... it's nothing we're not used to." the P5 protagonist replied with a shrug. He turned to his father. "...So, how do you know WG?"Vincent let out a heavy sigh, leaning back. "...Do you really want to hear that story, now?"Akira paused, thinking for a moment. "On second thought, not really."The alley by Port Island station was vacant, the only sign of life being a cat that was startled by the presence of the two nagai, wizards, and Authors. Swaine frowned, picking up the scent of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and exhaust fumes; the place reminded him of the back-alleys of Hamelin, and he realized it had been literal weeks since he had last been there, a feeling of homesickness coming upon him."It appears we have to re-cast the spell every time we go to a new location," Zane confirmed aloud, snapping the thief-naga out of his thoughts. The Time Lord turned to Oliver. "We should split up, that way we don't burn through our magicka too soon.""Okay. I'll stick with Swaine and ATF," The young wizard agreed with a nod, turning to said company. "This way, we each have a portal-maker on our side in case we need to make a quick escape.""(provided no one winds up on a detour...)" WG murmured quietly under her breath."(oi, have more confidence in your gift, lass.)" Khunbish whispered to her, rubbing her back all the while.Swaine gave him a warning glance, not very keen about the pirate-naga being so close to the authoress; as if sensing the gunslinger's inner-rage, the archer looked at him, slowly pulling away with a confused expression. The thief shook his head, feeling a bit mixed-up himself, before turning to Oliver. "Alright, who lives around here, then?" he asked. "The sooner we investigate, the sooner I can get back to sleep.""Junpei lives nearby," ATF answered. "We can take a train to the Dorm."The elder prince's expression dropped to deadpan. "...Of course. Who else would it be?""Heh, if you want, mate, we's can stick around and ye can drop in on Kanji." Khunbish suggested. "No sense in forcing ye to monitor a lad ye seem salty about,"Swaine rubbed his face. "No, it's fine..." he muttered."Alright, off to Inaba we go then," WG opened a portal..."Inaba looks a lot like Australia." ATF quipped."Shut up!" WG closed the portal.Zane patted her on the shoulder. "You got this, sweetie." he assured in a soft voice."Don't get flustered, angel. Keep on tryin'," Khunbish coaxed her in the same tone.The thief looked at the authoress, then at the pirate-naga, before clearing his throat. "How about if WG tags along with me and Oliver, and ATF goes with you lot?" he suggested."Over my dead body!" Zane scoffed, giving him a sharp look. WG nudged him, and he calmed down. "...I mean, that's up to WG and ATF.""Ah, mew. What the heck? I was planning on visiting Teddie sooner or later, anyway." ATF said with a shrug, looking at WG. "What do you say, twister?""I don't really-- twister?" WG questioned, arching an eyebrow."It's a mashup of 'twin' and 'sister'. Clever, ne?"The authoress opened her mouth to reply, but paused, rubbing her chin. "...huh, actually, yeah. It is." She shrugged. "Anyway, I don't care who I'm with, as long as we make sure Junpei and Kanji are safe.""Then we'd best get to it-- we've already been standing out in the open too long as it is, an' I knows for certain there be shady buggers loiterin' in these parts." Khunbish stated, peering around with a wary look in his eye.ATF opened a portal, and he, Zane, and Khunbish walked through...The Time Lord zipping back out and picking up WG, kissing her long and hard on the lips with a wet *Pop!*, before rushing back through the portal. The authoress stood there, her stance wavering a bit, pupils dilated as flowers bubbled over her head. She looked up at Swaine. "...Damn. I oughtta split up with you more often~" she commented.The thief rolled his eyes. "Just lead us to the Dorms."Oliver waved his wand, casting the 'Veil' spell and turning him and Swaine invisible. "Okay... to the train station." The authoress stated, loopily walking in one direction, before turning around and heading towards the stairs. "Trains are THIS way."The wizard and thief followed closely, boarding the monorail with her, the naga having to make sure his tail didn't get caught or stepped on; thankfully, the trains were not too crowded this time of the night. However, he stuck close to Oliver and WG, giving a glare at any strangers who stood nearby."(Hey, Swaine?)" Oliver whispered, tugging on his sleeve. "(Why did you want WG to come with us?)""(Huh? Why, what's the matter? Did you want her crazy brother to tag along, instead?)" Swaine answered quietly."(No, it's just... you were looking at her like you thought she was in trouble.)""(...How do you mean?)""(You had a glare in your eye, just like when you were protecting us from that wild Ulk. And it was directed at Khunbish...)"The thief rubbed the back of his neck. "(...W-Well, the pirate's been getting too cozy with her, and in front of her boyfriend no less. When you get a girlfriend, you'll understand.)"Oliver cocked his head. "(...But, you've been spending more time with her than he has...)""That's completely different!" Swaine snapped, breaking the whisper. He paused, noticing WG looking in his direction. He looked back at Oliver. "(...I'll explain, later.) ...Sorry, Oliver was just curious about naga... stuff." WG gave a shrug. "...Just admit you're jealous, Swaine. We all know it." She remarked with a smirk.The thief gawked, and Oliver chuckled. "W-What...?!""Dude, you're right next to me. I may not have sharp-hearing, but I could still eavesdrop."Oliver chuckled, and Swaine grimaced. "...I'm not jealous. I just think Khunbish should mind someone's boundaries,""He won't hurt me, if that's what you're afraid of. He knows I'd break both his dicks if he did--- and that's only if Zane didn't turn him into a belt, first."Oliver's eyes widened. "...What do you mean by 'both'--?""OH, LOOK, WE'RE HERE!" Swaine exclaimed as the train slowed to a stop, and he ushered everyone out the doors. "Alright, to the Dorms, let's check on Junpei and get the hell back home before the spell wears off!"...After a forty-five minute walk, the trio reached the Dorm building; WG knocked, and there came the sound of barking before Shinjiro answered, Koromaru at his side. The shiba inu let out an excited yip, wagging his tail at the familiar face... before walking by and sniffing at Swaine, the canine being the only one who could see through the spell. "Um, good boy." The thief whispered, patting the dog on the head."WG? What do you want?" The older-rebel questioned."I need to talk to everyone. May I come inside?" WG asked. Shinjiro shrugged and let her in, Koromaru following behind Swaine and Oliver as they entered next. Mitsuru, Akihiko and Yukari were hanging out in the foyer, surprised to see the authoress' company."Oh, Miss Southerland. What brings you by?" Mitsuru asked, looking at a clock on the wall. "It is a bit late in the evening for visits,""I can't really call this a visit, considering the circumstances..." WG sighed, taking a seat on the couch. She informed them of what had happened earlier-- from Kamoshida getting a threatening phone-call, to the notion that whoever is after the nagai may be targeting the teens and anyone they hang out with to bait them out.Mitsuru crossed her arms, her expression calm but her eyes filled with rage. "I assure you, we will be sure to keep an eye on everyone, and inform our security of these felons. We have had instances in the past of minors being stalked and kidnapped before, and we are not lenient when it comes to executing such crimes.""I think we'll be safe; the execs have been keeping tabs on everyone during rehearsals ever since the last breach," Akihiko added, giving a determined grin. "Plus, whoever these poachers are, they won't be able to take us on so easily. We'll take them out without breaking a sweat!""This isn't a training exercise, you dumbass..." Shinjiro groaned, rubbing his face. "And considering someone might've gotten onto the set far enough to scope out the cast, we'll have to amp up the security. (Fuck, rehearsals were already a pain in the ass already...)""The guy might have sent spies here, too. If he knows which world Ryuji lived in, chances are he did research to figure out where Junpei and Kanji would be, too." WG added, looking at the team's senpais. "Speaking of which, where is Junpei?""Last I saw him, he went up to his room to crash. He pretty much looked dead on his feet," Yukari told her. "He said he wasn't getting enough sleep since he was going to Ni no Kuni so much, and the jet-lag finally kicked in." She shook her head. "Seriously, Junpei really needs to start taking better care of himself..."At this time, Minato was coming down the stairs. "What about Junpei?" he asked."It appears there has been an incident in a sector of our franchise." Mitsuru told him. "Miss Southerland has come to make sure Iori is alright,""...Uh, you can just call me 'WG', Mitsuru-san. ('Miss Southerland' sounds so weird to me...)" WG replied, rubbing the back of her neck."Junpei isn't here," Minato told them, his eyes wide with concern."What?! He was passed out in his room earlier!" Yukari yelped."He got a call from his dad, and had to go back to his house. Minako went with him for moral support," He looked at his watch. "They left an hour ago, they might still be there."WG shook as if something tugged her; Koromaru whined. "Um, where does he live? I can open a portal and make sure they're okay,""His house is in Iwatodai, about three blocks east from the school. I'll show you the way,""I-I'm coming, too!" Yukari insisted."Arf!" Koromaru barked, as if volunteering as well."Very well. The rest of us will stay here in case they return; I shall inform Yamagishi and Aigis of the situation as well," Mitsuru replied. "Be careful out there, and let us know if anything happens,""Right, and if there's trouble, don't hesitate to call in for backup." Akihiko added."I'll call the police station and tell them to keep an eye out for anyone stalking our team... again." Shinjiro sighed, walking off.WG opened a portal that led to Gekkoukan High, and she and the team slipped through. Minato led the way down the block, not knowing a young wizard was at his side, with a naga trailing behind them next to Koromaru.They were just a block away when Swaine's instincts picked up a sense of urgency... and he surged forth, those who could not see him feeling a breeze as he hurried down the sidewalk. "Swaine?! Hey, slow down! What is it?!" Oliver called, running after him."Did you guys... hear something?" Yukari asked, a bit alarmed.Koromaru barked and raced ahead, and everyone increased from a jog to a sprint; up ahead, they saw Minako standing on the sidewalk outside a house, a worried look on her face as she was dialing on her phone; she looked up and ran forth. "Oh, thank God... I was just about to call you!" she said, and there were tear-stains in her eyes."Mina-chan! What happened?! Are you hurt?" Minato asked, resting his hands on his sister's shoulders. "It's Junpei... H-His dad called him up, demanded he come home, saying it was important... I-I came with him, and he told me to wait outside..." She was sobbing, tears rolling down her face."Calm down, take a deep breath.." Yukari told her, rubbing her back as her best friend heeded her words. "Now, speak slowly. What's going on?"Minako sniffled. "Junpei had me wait outside while he went to talk to his dad. After five minutes they started yelling, a-and I heard something breaking-- when I tried to go in, the door had been locked, a-and I looked through the window and saw Junpei getting slammed into the wall--"*Bang!*"EEK!" Both girls screamed, looking towards the house--Just in time to see the door swing open by itself. Koromaru ran up barking, though did not go in, looking back at the others in anticipation. Minato turned to everyone. "Hurry!" he ordered, and they rushed forth...Only to see Junpei come running out-- looking as if he were being pulled. "Junpei!?" Yukari called."You guys go after Junpei, I'll check out the house." WG answered; Koromaru growled, walking beside her. "...I mean, WE'LL check out the house,"The SEES teens raced off, as the authoress entered the house; she kept her hand on her machete, both she and Koromaru moving carefully through the entryway, living room, and the kitchen... where they saw a man lying face-down on the ground, unconscious with a bump on the back of his head. Beer bottles were lying around, some broken, others half-empty. Kneeling down, she rolled the man onto his back, somewhat relieved to see he was still breathing."He's just unconscious," Oliver stated, startling WG."Holy sh--- I forgot you were here," The authoress gasped, taking a deep breath. "...Did Swaine do this?"The wizard nodded, wincing a bit. "I couldn't stop him... he just smacked this guy, then grabbed Junpei and raced outside." He looked at the man on the ground. "The guy was muttering something under his breath... something about how 'it's all Junpei's fault', and 'he shouldn't have kept him'..."WG grimaced, glaring at the guy. "C'mon. Let's catch up to the others. Forget this bastard,"They were on their way out towards the door when the man stirred. "...frickin' kid... cares more about a damn snake than... ugghh...""Huh?" Oliver turned back around, both he and the authoress rushing back to the man. They sat him up, watching as he came to. "What did you say about a snake?"He groaned, rubbing his face. "Fucking... I need a drink,"WG grabbed him by the collar, shaking him. "Forget the booze! What were you and Junpei fighting about?!"The man shook his head, his eyes still glazed. "Wh...? How the hell did you get in my house?! Go home, you brat...!"The authoress stood up, slamming the man against the wall; Koromaru growled at the man. "Tell me! What do you know about a snake, and how is Junpei involved?!""Ack! The hell...?! How is a runt like you so strong--?!""ANSWERS! NOW!""Agh!" The man cringed, rubbing his head. "Not so loud...! ...Geez, some men came by this afternoon, claiming they would pay me a big sum of money if I got my son to bring home some sort of snake, giving me a wad of cash to 'think it over'. So, I told Junpei to come home... (fuck, my head hurts)... and started grilling him for answers, telling him about the deal. The dumbass little bastard got all hot-headed, telling me to call the police, asking what these men looked like... wouldn't fucking shut up, even when I told him the cash could help us out... not like the ungrateful prick split his paycheck with me, keeping it all to himself..."*Slam!*"Ow!""You insult that boy ONE MORE TIME, and I'll bash your skull in!" WG snarled, her eyes glowing red.The man's eyes widened, now sobering up when he saw what he was up against. "W-What the hell are you, some sort of d-demon?!""Demons are the least part of your worries right now, asshole. Now who are the men who bribed you?!""I... urk...!" The man covered his mouth, turning green. Recognizing the look, the authoress dropped him, watching as he vomited on the ground, before he tipped over and passed out."Jeepers!" Oliver yelped."Useless drunk..." WG sneered, while Koromaru snorted. She turned to the wizard, who looked as if he had seen too much; she reached out her hand, grabbing his. "...c'mon, kid. We better go,""S-Shouldn't we call an ambulance, or...?"Wg stopped, giving him a stern look, before letting out a sigh. She took out her phone. "WWJD, I guess..." She paused just then, doing a double-take. "Ack! Oliver! The spell wore off!"Oliver gave a jolt. "...Oh no, Swaine!""Cast it on yourself again, and let's hurry!"He did so, disappearing in a mist. "What about--?!""Swaine first, pity later! Go, Pure-Boy, GO!"They raced out of the house, Koromaru leading the way as they went to track down the others.He could hear the dispute from down the block... He could sense the familiar, painful emotions...
"
Dammit, are you insane?! You can't trust those guys!"
"What the hell is the big deal?! Just give them the snake, and get us the cash!"
"You don't understand, it's not a normal--- He's not an animal! He's a person!"
"Tch, you been hanging around with those weird nature-loving groups or somethin'? It's a damn snake, you can get a new one... 'specially with all the money you hold back from me..."
"This isn't about money! They're just screwing with you to---"
"You're the one always screwing with me! *hic* Bad 'nough that I lose everything because of a telemarketing scam, now my jackass son is trying to keep me from making a living! You like seeing me live in a hellhole, don't ya?! Gettin' famous, living it up at some fancy dorm, an' forgetting about the ol' man who broke his back trying to keep a roof over your head!"
"This isn't like that! Fucking-- WOULD YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE?!"
*SLAP!*
"Don't yell at me, you piece of shit! Your fucking worthless... Get the hell out if you don't wanna help out around here!"
"I'm trying to warn you---"
*Smack!*
"I said get the hell out!"
"Dad---!"
*BAM!*
"I SAID OUT!"
Swaine did not hesitate to draw his pistol, using it to unlock the door and break in. The moment he saw Junpei slumped against the counter with a black eye, the drunken bastard of a man with a beer-bottle in his grasp standing over him, spouting absolute nonsense and ready to deliver another blow... For a moment, his vision went red, and he grabbed a bottle off the table and smacked the wretch upside the head, knocking him out; before the drunkard even hit the ground, the naga was zipping forth and pulling Junpei to his feet, dragging him out of the house, sensing how startled the teen was by an unseen force having a grasp on him. "H-Hey! Whoa! What's going--- Augh!" the baseball player was yelping, but the thief did not stop to offer him any reassurances. Not yet, at least. Get him away from here. Get him somewhere safe. Protect him. Was all that went through Swaine's head, as his instincts were in full-control now; he did not stop, not even to acknowledge the others as he shot by them, ignoring their calls. Keep him safe. Keep him safe. Keep him safe. Junpei, meanwhile, was freaking out, feeling himself getting pulled so fast that his feet hardly touched the ground. He looked back, seeing the others trying to catch up to him, but they only grew further away with each passing second... and he lost sight of them completely as he was taken around a corner. Am I dreaming?! This has to be a nightmare... the jet-lag must be giving me kafka dreams! He thought as the world passed by him in a blur, making him feel like he was being spirited away.It was not until he noticed a long naga-tail fading into existence behind him that he realized what was going on, and by the time he could see Swaine clearly, the thief was pulling him up a tree, coiling onto a sturdy branch before wrapping his arms around the baseball player. "S... Swaine? Um..." he tried to say, but was at a loss for words."It's okay... you're okay..." Swaine whispered, holding him tight. "You're safe now. Everything will be alright..."Junpei opened and closed his mouth, but remained silent. He looked around at the ground below, flinching a bit when he noticed how high up they were; in response to his jolt, a hand rested on his head, the other rubbing his back as if to calm him down, Swaine whispering reassurances to him once more. It then dawned on him that the elder prince had come to his defense, and was currently acting like his guardian... no different than how Khunbish became protective of Ryuji.Yep. I'm definitely dreaming. The baseball player closed his eyes, leaning against Swaine's abdomen, patting him on the arm. "Heh, thanks for saving me from a nightmare, bud."Swaine blinked a couple times. "...Nightmare?""I'm dreaming, aren't I? I mean, there's no way---""I found them!" Minako's voice rang out, as she, Minato and Yukari came running up. "...Wow! How'd you guys get way up there so fast?!"There came barking, as WG, Oliver and Koromaru came running around the other side. "*huff huff* I think my lungs popped on that final sprint..." the authoress wheezed, before looking up and pausing for a moment. "You guys had better not be stuck up there..."Exclamation marks appeared over both Junpei and Swaine's heads, as the situation dawned on them. "T-This isn't what it looks like--- Augh!" The baseball player flailed, before falling out of the tree!"JUNPEI!" Swaine dived after him, managing to catch him under the arms... though was hanging upside-down in the process. "Ack!""...does anyone have any idea what's happening right now?" Minato asked, looking at the others. "When did Swaine get here?""I'll explain everything on the way back to the Dorm..." WG sighed, before looking to her right. "Oliver? Conceal the snek,"The SEES teens watched in surprise as Swaine disappeared, and Junpei was dropped onto the ground, landing on his rear. "Ow..." he hissed, standing up.Minako raced up to him, frowning at his black eye. "Junpei... I'm so sorry, I should have gone inside with you---"Recalling the circumstances, Junpei shook his head. "No, trust me, you didn't want to be in there..." He turned to WG. "Glad you stopped by though... I have some bad news regarding those poachers,""What a coincidence, so do I..." The authoress scoffed. She opened a portal leading back to the Dorm. "But first, let's get you somewhere safe.""Right--- ummm..." Junpei paused, looking to his left."What is it?" Yukari asked. "N-Nothing... let's hurry." Junpei nudged his elbow, whispering under his breath. "(What's gotten into you, dude?)""(I don't know, this fucking curse is making me act weird-- just get through the portal!)" Swaine's voice hissed, and everyone watched as Junpei was pushed through the vortex."Hey--!""So... Oliver is here, too?" Minako asked as they walked through the portal."Yeah... Sorry, we figured it would be best if no one saw me or Swaine," Oliver spoke, making the FemC jump."I-I see... So, what's up with Swaine? Do you know?""He just knew Junpei was in danger, I guess..." Oliver looked ahead, only he and Koromaru able to see Swaine rest a hand on Junpei's shoulder, the baseball player shrugging it off feeling flustered.The shiba inu wagged his tail, panting in response to the naga's protective gesture, and knowing deep down the teen appreciated it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Zane, ATF and Khunbish made their way up the streets of Yasoinaba, the downtown district very quiet and still. Light flurries were floating down, signifying that the winter season was ready to coat the small town in a blanket of snow. "Best find the lad quick, mateys. There be a blizzard on the way," The pirate-naga stated, wrapping his arms around himself. "Why don't you head back, then? The cold will make you lethargic," ATF told him. "Swaine already risked going into a coma from being exposed to chilly weather,""Tch, aye, but that be 'cuz WG's place was iced-over, from what I heard." "Still, we should hurry. C'mon," Zane responded, leading the way to the textile shop. "Oh, just in time-- caught them fifteen minutes before closing!" Entering the shop, Khunbish looked around; it was far smaller than the tailors in Evermore, and he only saw a few displays of fabrics, scarves, mittens, hats, and some adorable stuffed animals (made by Kanji, he easily guessed). What took him by surprise, however, was the large teddybear that was rushing towards them!"ZEEEEEEEEEKE!" Teddie squealed."TEDDIIIIIIEEEE!" ATF replied at the same frequency, rushing forth and both of them collided with each other before rolling on the ground, giggling. "...me ears are bleeding." Khunbish grunted, flinching from the choice of pitch the immortal teen and bear emitted. "Fancy seeing you here, Ted. What brings you by?" Zane asked, as ATF had the man-sized plushie trapped in a hug. "I was stopping by to check on Kan-chan," Teddie replied, leaning into ATF's snuggles. "Sensei said he had to leave school early today, because he wasn't feeling well.""Huh? Is he sick?" Khunbish asked. "I don't know, that's why I came to see---" Teddie gave a jolt, shooting to his feet (making ATF tip over), as he looked around the shop. "Wait! Who said that?! Is there a ghost here??" He looked at the Time Lord, cautiously. "Zaaaaaane, did you leave a vortex to the Netherworld open?""Not since 2013," Zane quipped. "(It's Khunbish. Zane used a spell to turn him invisible so the poachers don't know he's here)" ATF whispered to Teddie."(Ohhhhhh... Cool!)" Teddie responded. "How is Kanji feeling?" Zane asked Mrs. Tatsumi, while Teddie was poking around, trying to figure out where Khunbish was standing."He was very tired when he came home this morning. I suppose the jet-lag of jumping between worlds caught up to him," She replied. "His teachers claimed he was struggling to stay awake in class, and had him sent home around noon. He's upstairs sleeping, now." She looked at Zane and ATF, giving them a stern look. "Now then... Might you tell me what sort of trouble my son is involved in?""He didn't tell you?" ATF asked, while Khunbish avoided being found by Teddie. "No, but considering he has been staying out late, and some peculiar men had stopped by asking questions involving snakes, my mother's intuition came to the conclusion." Khunbish went rigid, ignoring the fact that Teddie tripped over his tail and fell into a scarf-display. "What?!" he sputtered, slithering up to Kanji's mother, forgetting about his invisibility. "When were they here?!""Oh!" She turned, looking around. "It's okay ma'am. It's just one of our friends. He's invisible," ATF assured her, talking as if it were a normal occurrence. "I-I see... Well, you needn't worry." Composing herself, she looked back to Zane and ATF. "Those men came by yesterday afternoon asking questions, and I confirmed I had no idea what they were talking about. They began to offer me money, when Dojima-san walked in to pick up a new scarf for Nanako; I suppose his presence made them uneasy, so they claimed they would come back later. ...Well, they never returned, perhaps because I requested that Dojima-san keep an eye out for those shady characters.""There's more of them," Zane told her, scribbling on a piece of paper. "They tried to break into LeBlanc not too long ago; earlier today they tried to ambush our friends in Ni no Kuni; and a co-actor of your son's got a threatening phone-call." He handed a list of numbers to Kanji's mother. "Here's my phone number, along with WG and ATF's; if something suspicious comes up, send us a message immediately.""I will. Thank you," "...can someone help me, please?" Teddie grunted, currently tangled in a bundle of scarves. "We should get back to the others, and tell them those creeps have already been here." ATF murmured, rubbing his chin. "If anything, the Best Boy Trio may end up having to hide out with with the nagas! I bet you'd prefer that, huh Khunbish?" No answer."...Khunbish?" ATF looked around. "Where'd he go?"Zane crossed his arms. "Let's see... He's concerned about his friends, and just learned the men stalking him were here." He pretended to think aloud, before turning to Mrs. Tatsumi. "...May we go up to Kanji's room, for a moment?""I... suppose so. I recommend not disturbing him; he can be quite aggressive when his sleep is interrupted," She responded, motioning to the back room where the stairs to the apartment were located. Nodding in thanks, Zane and ATF hurried by; Teddie stood up, trying to follow, but was still tangled up. "W-Wait...!" he called, before making a face-plant."Oh, Teddie..." Kanji's mother sighed, walking over and beginning to help unravel the bear from the neckwear. ...Upstairs, Kanji lay passed out in his mattress, the jet-lag plus missing a night of sleep rendering him in a heavy slumber. He was unaware of the conversation that was taking place downstairs, unaware of hearing his bedroom door creak open, and unaware of the pirate-naga slithering up to him, surveying him as if he suffered any harm. Khunbish sighed, rubbing his face. Blimey. I've grown attached to all these lads, haven't I? he thought, reaching and patting the rebel's head, before pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. The teen let out a soft hum before reaching his hand out, searching for something. The pirate-naga looked down, noticing a stuffed-animal on the ground; it appeared to be a hand-made Wooloo plushie. He had to grin, chuckling softly as he picked it up and handed it to Kanji, who immediately pulled it against his chest and snuggling deeper under his covers, grinning in his sleep. Khunbish slithered across the room, looking around at all the projects the teen had made-- stuffed animals, dolls, little sock-puppets, and drawings that served as either 'blueprints' for his next custom design or sketches of animals, cartoon characters, even people...One drawing caught his eye; this one was in a different, much more professional style, and depicted the rebel holding a smaller version of the pirate-naga in his arms. Ah, that must have been when I was feral-drunk and they had to soothe me to sleep. Khunbish realized, recalling that Yusuke had mentioned the visit served his artistic talent well. In the drawing, Kanji had his eyes closed, his head tilted back as if he decided to take a nap while keeping the chibi-archer cradled on his tail-wrapped arm. It was at this moment the aviator realized something. This was the first time in years he ever showed/received any physical affection... Not to say the men at the Sky Pirate base were cold, though their form of endearing touches mostly involved swinging an arm around the shoulders, a gentle slug in the arm, or a pat on the back. Hugs and being held were mostly reserved for the little kids, until they 'outgrew' them in an attempt to prove they were 'tough, independent teenagers'. Even Master Roland and King Evan, who were deemed [mainly by the fandom] as having a father-son bond never had such tender moments. It never crossed his mind until now... but until this curse took place, he never really thought about it. He never cared about fluff moments-- the closest that came to mind when he would think about women, but those fantasies involved a lot more than hugging...Come to think of it, his touch-starvation probably started the night he and Swaine bunked together, though he was not aware of it then. This curse must be turning me soft... he thought, shaking his head as he set the picture back down. "Khunbish," came a whisper, and he turned to the door, noticing Zane poking his head in and motioning him to come out. "(C'mon, bud. We gotta go,)" "(Aye, just making sure the lad was alright,)" The aviator answered, looking back at the teen once more before slithering out of the room, following the Time Lord and ATF back downstairs, informing Mrs. Tatsumi that Kanji was still fast asleep, and they would be departing. "Bye-bye, ATF! I'll see if I can get you backstage access to the PQ2 set!" Teddie stated, waving to the immortal teen as he opened a portal."If I don't end up sneaking in myself, you mean!" ATF joked (though not really). "Take care now," Kanji's mother stated with a bow, as their guests went through the portal. Back on the beach, Khunbish let out a sigh, relieved to know the teens were still safe... for now. He looked out at the horizon, finding the sky above the waves was slightly green, signifying that dawn was approaching, the same time that the early-evening was setting in back in the Persona world.Feels queer now, knowing the boys won't be dropping by to visit... The archer thought as he followed Zane and ATF back to the Fairy Grounds, slowing down as his mind wandered. What be with me, these days? I'm bonded to three teens I hardly know, one which I feel like I must protect on a daily basis... I get all warm-and-fuzzy when it comes to gentle touches, and crave physical attention like it's as vital as sunshine... and out of the blue, repressed memories are surfacing. "You okay back there, Khunbish?" Zane asked, looking over his shoulder. "A-Aye, just thinking is all," The pirate-naga answered, before stretching. "For now, though, we'd best report to our mates and tell 'em what we found out,"...Within thirty minutes, everyone was gathered in the Staff Lounge of the Faycare Center; WG, Swaine, and Oliver had returned, having had to inform everyone at the Dorm of the incident that took place, repeating the story to their present comrades. "So, those blasted wretches already were one-step ahead of us..." Batu scowled, crossing his arms. "Wouldn't be surprised if they had the blessed nerve to sneak around Evermore, offerin' bribes next!""Arr, don't be ridiculous, boss! No one in Evermore would be foolish enough to turn on one o' our chief-archers! They'd be kicked out for such treachery!" Chingis responded. Tani rubbed her chin. "True, none of the citizens in Evermore would do such a thing... but what about others?" she realized. "Oi, ya don't think someone from youer allied kingdoms would be shady enough to do some under-the-table business, do ya?!" Drippy asked her, astounded. "Ha ha, no way--- that would break the Declaration of Interdependence if they did. I'm thinking more along the lines of some common enemies. ...We have bandits that would do anything for a bargain, let alone sentient creatures who would probably gather intel if they were threatened. They may even set up a few Prying Eyes in order to gather information without getting caught!""In that case, we should be cautious in our world, as well. ...If anything, those men could be scouting every kingdom and village, whether to search for information or to offer a bounty." Marcassin surmised; his expression was stoic, though the nagas could sense a strong pang of anxiety welling up within him. "I should spread word to all of our allies,""If they do start sending spies everywhere... does that mean they'll come here, too?" Oliver questioned in concern. The idea of the other fairies being bribed, littlies being threatened, and shady characters lying in wait had him deeply perturbed. "Why are they so desperate?""But we can't move them, again!" Esther stated, just as unnerved. "There's nowhere else they can go where they'll be safe from those poachers AND the elements-- not until they turn back human,"Zane snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute... There IS a place!" he exclaimed, beaming. "The TARDIS!""The what?" Batu questioned. "The blue police call-box that I use. It's spacious enough for them to stay in, it's temperature can be set to their comfort, and I can transport it to any time or place if need be. It can only be opened by a Time Lord as well, so there's no way anyone could sneak in with ease." He turned to the others. "What do you think? It will be safe, secure, AND it can be used as a means for visitors to come see you without being tailed. All I'd have to do is take you to them!""...So long as we don't miss the rendezvous point by twenty weeks or more," WG quipped. "If that's the case, perhaps the TARDIS should be parked in a world they don't know much about,""How about my apartment?" ATF suggested. "They don't know where it's located, plus I have a guardian-angel that can help keep everyone safe.""Guardian angel? As in, a real honest-to-God angel??" Tani asked, eyes wide with excitement. "Hold on, now. We haven't even agreed..." Batu began to state."I'm in," Swaine interrupted, a small grin on his lips. "To be honest, I've always been fascinated by the technology in Doctor Who, so it'll feel right at-home for me...""Reminder: You're just hanging out, you're not allowed to touch anything!" Zane sneered. "What do you think, Khunbish?" Esther asked the pirate-naga."If it helps throw those sneaky bastards off our tail and gets 'em away from our friends, why not?" Khunbish answered with a shrug. "Alright! I'll go get the TARDIS, and we can move you guys in immediately!" Zane declared. "Aye, good plan... but I have one suggestion." Drippy spoke up, letting out a loud yawn. "Let's get some sleep, first! We've been awake the whole night!"...Everyone returned to their rooms, deciding to get some rest and go through with the relocation later that afternoon.As everyone slept, Khunbish lay on his coils; despite his eyes were heavy and he was ready for sleep, his mind kept him awake. It ain't odd for me to care about the well-being o' me closest mates... 'n' I've bonded with strangers before... but this is different. It was one thing bein' concerned about a rival, but knowing that two o' his friends were in danger... and Junpei's father...He clenched his fists, feeling his fangs extend at what Swaine had told them-- how the teen's drunkard parent had the nerve to beat him up, before Swaine got him out of danger.The aviator winced, recalling how he was plastered from just four swigs, and came close to possibly killing the lads...! No wonder they had such a strong disdain for drunken behavior!He thought of the picture in Kanji's room... and was so, so thankful those kids managed to soothe him to sleep. He considered himself blessed that they chose to keep helping him, as triggering as his behavior was!I's want to protect those boys... Khunbish thought, letting out a sigh as he forced himself to relax. He looked at the tip of his tail... wondering what about it was so damn fascinating that some bastard would threaten others just to get it! But I's feel like I'm putting 'em in danger by doing so... if I had just stayed put...
...
"IF YOU HAD JUST STAYED PUT, EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE!" His father shouted.
The young boy trembled, hugging the crossbow he had made. The arrow was currently in the bleeding-shin of the burglar who had broken into their house-- currently unconscious as, while he was screaming in pain, one of his sisters broke a vase over his head. "But... but he was..." the boy whimpered.
"Now, look! This man will sue us for assault!" His father continued to snap.
"Sue us?! HE was threatening US!"
"All he wanted was money and a few jewels. Had we given him what he wanted, he would have left us alone!" His mother scolded. "Then we would have reported him to the police... Why, we could have used this as a means to get some special attention! You know how sympathetic the rich are towards fellow blue-bloods who were just robbed? I bet someone would have let us move to their summer home!"
The boy just looked at them, confused. "He could have killed us! H-He had a knife in his hand and everything! T-Thieves don't leave witnesses alive!"
"As if he would even use it! He was just bluffing-- otherwise he wouldn't have been so easily attacked by a child... who shouldn't even have a weapon in the first place!" His father snapped, before storming over and prying the crossbow from his son's hands. "THIS is why we told you-- no weapons allowed in the house! It leads to irrational actions!"
"No---!" He cried, watching as his father broke the crossbow he spent so many months working on--- snapping the wire, bending the bow, completely dismantling it to pieces!
"Go to your room, young man! We will discuss your punishment in the morning." His mother ordered, before turning to one of her daughters. "As for you, do you know how much that vase was?!"
"...I'm sorry, mother..." his sister murmured.
"Alright, here's what we'll tell the police... This man broke in, fired a crossbow, the arrow bounced off the vase and hit him in the shin, and he fell and hit his head..." His father was proclaiming.
The boy scowled, storming up to his room and slamming the door shut. Rather than going to bed to sob into his pillow, he threw on some fresh clothes, tied on his shoes, and snuck out the window.
*Knock knock knock*Khunbish opened his eyes, not realizing he had drifted to sleep. He sat up and stretched, groggily slithering over to the door and opening it. "Glad to see you're awake, matey." Batu stated, patting him on the shoulder. "Get your things--- it's time to move out,""Aye, boss." The archer said with a nod, halfheartedly. The captain arched an eyebrow. "What be eatin' you, lad? Ya look like you've lost your spirit!"Something like that... The aviator thought, before shaking his head. "Nah, boss. Just didn't sleep good," He grabbed his stuff, before heading out the door. "I'll feel better once I get an extra nap in,"He could tell Batu didn't believe a word he said, his boss having a strong sense of concern radiating off him. But still, his captain replied, "Whatever you say, Khunbish."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rehearsals resumed the following day, despite the troubling situation the teens found themselves in. Extra security was posted at every Gateway, and everyone was instructed to remain with their co-stars to-and-from the set. Junpei's father had been taken in for questioning the previous evening; it was fortunate that the baseball player did not have to do any scenes today, as yesterday took a mental toll on him. Mitsuru allowed him to stay home from school as well, claiming his sleep deprivation would hinder his progress in class... though he knew it was because his senpai could tell he was still unnerved about the previous afternoon and was showing him empathy. Though, she still had Minako bring him home his homework for the day. He tried to get some of it done in the cafeteria, but could not bring himself to concentrate. I can't believe it... I know Dad's broke, but to stoop so low as to sell someone out? ...And like hell I never helped him out financially! Whenever I split a paycheck with him, he just hits the liquor store! He thought, gripping his pencil as his hand shook.He let out a breath, rubbing his face. His dad was at the police station now, being held in custody-- not only for domestic abuse, but also so the cops could get some intel on the stalkers who offered him the bribe. Chances are, he would be sent to rehab...Junpei bit his lip, shutting his eyes. He knew how that would play out. It wasn't the first time his dad had been sent to get sobered up. His ol' man would stay there for a few months, then state he was 'finally free from the temptation of alcohol', come home... then hit the bar after two weeks. The first time, Junpei was in elementary school, and actually believed it. His dad actually took him out to play some baseball, just like any good parent! But then the bills came in, and his dad had just gotten back to work, and his paycheck wasn't enough, and he got stressed... and the young boy was once again getting smacked around by the drunkard.The second rehab-session occurred during middle-school, and this time Junpei was wary when his pop came home, claiming he was a 'new man'. In one week-- one, damn, week-- he and his mom started fighting. Dad had come home drunk again. Mom left not long after. This would be the third time his dad would be sent to the center, and chances are he would be forced to stay there until he was completely clean, perhaps be put on parole.Or maybe he would finally be sent to jail to get sober. Junpei shook his head. Forget about him. If he doesn't want to get better, that's not my problem! he thought, wincing. This was the reason why he never moved back in, after all. He put away his math textbook-- maybe Minako could help him out with his algebra later, when his head was clear. He pulled out his planner, finding the next assignment was to read pages 45-60 for their literature class, where they were studying Buddhist mythology. He took out the book, flipping to the marked pages...Finding a picture of a half-snake man on the first page; apparently it was a short story about the water-dwelling Naga King, Apalala, being converted to Buddhism. Junpei turned the page, finding the next story was about another naga protecting Buddha from a rainstorm during his meditation. Apparently, nagai had a big role in the culture, as there was yet another story where a naga--- well, daughter of the dragon king-- was also converted by means of transformation.The baseball player sighed, closing the book and rubbing his eyes. He couldn't read those stories without thinking about Swaine and Khunbish...And thinking of them made him think of yesterday, when the gunslinger spontaneously broke into his house, knocked out his drunk dad, and hauled him down several blocks before cradling him in a tree... all out of instinct. On the way back to the dorm, the naga-thief kept a protective arm around his shoulders he could feel, not letting up until they were in the company of the rest of the SEES members. It was flustering for the teen. ...But he couldn't bring himself to be angry. It actually felt good, feeling important enough to protect, especially by someone so cynical...Come to think of it, he and Khunbish developed a sort of bond as well; ever since their sleepover at Ryuji's place, the sky-pirate had grown a bit closer to the baseball player, as well as Kanji. After all, he was comfortable enough to let the boys sleep securely in his coils, and he still remembered dosing off, feeling a gentle hand rubbing his back...The fact that two entirely-different videogame characters gave more of a damn for his well-being more than his own father made Junpei wince. Even worse, the two nagai had to stay in-hiding for a while, and he wouldn't get to see them until God knows when.It'll be fine. Once the curse is over and those poachers piss off, everything will be back to normal. It's no different than what our lives were like beforehand! he told himself.Still... it felt weird..."Screw it," Junpei muttered as he put away his books, walking back to the theater-set. He would have to catch up, later.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The TARDIS was far different under Zane's influence than how it originally appeared in Doctor Who... unless Swaine missed the episode where The Doctor had a rotating-bookshelf full of paperbacks, hardcover novels, and manga, an area with various gaming consoles, and a futon currently covered in adorable plushies. Currently, the Time Lord was showing them a little area with bunk-beds, the bottom bed wider and sticking out a ways, while the top was full of neatly-folded spare blankets and pillows. "If you need more room, I can renovate if you want." their host explained. "Blimey, how'd you change up the TARDIS?" Swaine asked, scratching his head. "Does it just alter itself in order to match the personality of its Doctor?""Not quite; I just used a bit of magic to spruce it up." Zane answered with a shrug, taking out his wand. He nodded over to the main area, where the familiar computer-system and panels that the thief could recognize stood. "The only thing I don't risk changing is the mainframe. Just the mere act of changing the color may cause a system failure! ...But there was plenty of space over here, so I turned it into a cozy little area.""Seems like a valid reason to me," Khunbish stated, slithering over and coiling onto the bottom-bunk, immediately taking out his Leafbook tablet. Swaine looked around the rest of the space/time-traversing capsule. Being surrounded by technology, and knowing his new refuge was secret and secure, he felt himself relax...Somewhat. Zane walked over, patting him on the back. "I'm going to park us at the Cat's Cradle in Ding Dong Dell for a bit, before I take you to ATF's apartment. WG and I are staying there until our apartment's temperature isn't below 0, and I promised I would pick up the groceries.""Which Ding Dong Dell?" Swaine asked. "...Yes." With that, the Time Lord walked over to the controls, typing something in before pushing a button. The two nagai stilled, feeling the TARDIS vibrate as it traversed... then stopped. "I'll be back in a couple hours. Get comfortable, relax, and enjoy your stay." Zane walked out the door... poking his head back in a second later. "And if you touch-dash-break anything, you're belts. See you!" With that, he left. "...I dare you to push a button." Khunbish quipped to Swaine, smirking. "Funny," Swaine scoffed, slithering over and observing all the technology around him. "I wouldn't mind taking a few notes about the system he uses. I've always wondered what kind of technology The Doctor uses in-canon, and if it would be possible to replicate.""Mm... probably not, matey." The sky-pirate stretched, before lying back in his coils. "But, I'm sure Zane would be willing to share some blueprints-- on the condition that ye leave WG alone, har har."The thief gave him a look. "I should leave her alone? You're the one always flirting with her-- and you already have a girl back home! Yet here you are, cuddling up to WG, calling her 'angel', and hypnotizing her... which she was NOT okay with, FYI!" The sky pirate remained laid back, holding up a finger one-by-one as he spoke. "Number one, if ye'd be talking 'bout Grace, she ain't me girl. Number two, regarding the hypnosis, I's was just trying out a skill WITH her permission, 'n' I stopped when she panicked. And three... just admit ye'd be jealous.""Wh--! Jealous?! I'm not jeal-- the hell are you going on about?!"Khunbish looked at him with a cat-like grin. "C'mon, Swaine, I's could sense it clear as day back in Port Island. Why else would ye be against me accompanying the lass-- whom you have stated time 'n' again pisses ye off-- somewhere outside your company?"Swaine fumed a bit, a blush rising to his face. He put his hands on his hips. "P-Probably the same reason you're suddenly attached to Ryuji! This whole curse is making us act differently towards people who annoy us! Hell, yesterday I was acting like I was Junpei's guardian, and I consider him a pain in the ass!" The archer's grin faded, as he rubbed his chin. "Oh yeah, that incident with his drunkard dad... arr, if that bastard keeps treating his boy like shit, I'll-- OI! DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT, YE SNEAK!" He sat up straight, pointing at Swaine. "Your feelings for WG are far different than mine towards Ryuji! They don't feel 'out of the blue' like mine do-- in fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say they've been rooted deep inside ye for a while now!"The gunslinger glared at him, his eyes glowing and fangs extending. "Now you're just talking nonsense! I'm not some girl-crazy idiot desperate for attention!" Khunbish got up, slithering up to him, his own eyes aglow, fangs extended as if welcoming a challenge. "I'm no lovesick fool, if that be what you're implying... Otherwise, I'd be fighting ye for that girl's attention, no different than how me 'n' Ryuji would!" "Oh, like you would stand a chance!" "HA! So ye DO have feelings for her!""I do not!""Then YE explain what's going on--- and don't blame this curse, because ye know damn well it has nothing to do with yer flow o' emotions!""There's no 'flow of emotions'! I just don't want you flirting with WG!""Why? I know she's already got a man, so it's not like I'd get anywhere!""That doesn't make it right!""Why do you care? You're not exactly the most morally-correct person in the room!""Oh, like you are?! I just don't like how you treat her!""Because you're jealous!?"
"I DON'T WANT HER HEART BREAKING ALL OVER AGAIN, DAMMIT!"
The room fell quiet, only the gentle hum of machines to be heard; at this moment, the two cursed men noticed that, in their exchange of words, they were practically nose-to-nose, fists clenched as if they were seconds from a brawl. Khunbish was the first to calm down, the glow fading from his eyes as he eased back in surprise. "She's been heart-broken before?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're not... ye don't mean your version o' heart-break, do ye? Was she missing a piece o' heart...?"Swaine unleashed a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he eased down, slithering over to their sleeping area. "No, nothing like that... I meant in the literal sense." He put his hands in the pockets of his jacket, looking over at Zane's custom quarters, imagining the Time Lord spending a lot of time in the TARDIS and taking many trips. "...I've just seen her broken before. So, the idea of someone showing her affection that isn't sincere, casting her aside and leaving her hurt makes me livid."In the past, I never really cared about your harmless flirting, but after we were cursed, I started to recall that she's more emotionally vulnerable than she lets on... not to mention, she's been missing Zane like crazy, so when I see you cozying up to her or making wooing statements, I get protective-- not in a jealous sense, but in a good-friend way."The aviator nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "...I beg your forgiveness, Prince Gascon. To be honest, I was just pokin' fun, I don't know how it escalated to this..." He slithered over, resting a hand on the older man's shoulder. "But ye can have faith that I would sooner die than EVER hurt WG, or any woman I love for that matter. ...I'll admit, I'm a bit shy 'bout commitment, but I ain't one to fool around either." He gave a humorous grin. "Mistress Tani would kick me ass clear to th' next world if she heard talk I was being a man-whore!"The elder prince gave a light chuckle, shaking his head; he sighed, rubbing his face. "I know... I really do think something about being a naga is messing with our heads, though." He looked at the archer. "Can I ask you something?""Anything, mate."Swaine began to slither back and forth, in a way of pacing, as he spoke. "Yesterday, when we went to check on Junpei, and I overheard his ol' man talking trash to him, beating on him... my mind went into a haze. All I could think was, 'protect, protect, protect', and dragged him to the other side of his neighborhood, until I found a safe place. Then, I just... held on to him, until the others found us. On the way back to his dorm, I couldn't shake the feeling to keep close to him and...""Make sure he was okay?""Yeah! ...That's how you felt with Ryuji, right?"Khunbish nodded, feeling a bit low as his mind drifted to the track-star. "Aye, aye it was.""Did you ever figure out the reason?"The archer shook his head. "Nope. It's still a mystery to me. ...Why? Do ye have any ideas?"Swaine nodded, crossing his arms. "Just one... I figured the way I reacted the way I did was because the situation felt too relatable--- well, not too relatable, but it was eerily similar." He looked at the floor. "My dad and I don't exactly have a 'close' relationship, and I always feel like I'm just one big disappointment to him. Hearing Junpei's dad cussing him out and calling him worthless hit a nerve with me, and I'm guessing that's where the instinct to get him away from that sort of treatment hit." He looked at Khunbish. "Did anything happen, before you got attached to Ryuji?""Nothing of that sort... all that happened was the lad didn't want to be home alone one night, 'n' decided to crash with me for th' night. He was upset about something else, but didn't want to open up about it, so we's just had a chin-wag about different things 'til we fell asleep." He rubbed his chin, pondering. "I've been rackin' me brains about it for a while now, but can't make heads nor tails of it.""Didn't want to be alone... Heh, almost like our first night at the Inn." The thief gave a grin as he thought back. "Huh?" The sky pirate gave him a surprised look. "How do ye mean?""Don't you remember? You came to my room with your nerves in a tangle, and suggested we bunk together!" Swaine's eyes widened. "Wait... do you think THAT'S the link between you and Ryuji?""I's was just thinkin' the same thing!" The archer unleashed a sigh, scratching his head. "At least, it might be part o' the reason... But it has to be more than that. I mean, ye were there when we heard about his rubbish pop threatenin' 'em, but ye weren't intent on spendin' the night!" He rubbed his chin. "Hmm... I wonder if it's cuz I let them curl up in me coils. Ye think the books say anything about nagas bonding with those they share a nest with?"Swaine rubbed his face. "I don't know... Honestly, let's just focus on breaking this curse. I have all three of my benefits. You just need one more, then we can move on from this frickin' nightmare.""Aye, ye'd be right. Once we're human again, those poachers will lay off 'n' everyone will be out of danger," Khunbish began to 'pace' next, tapping his chin. "Benefits... benefits... What was your third one?"The thief took out his cards, shuffling through them before showing his third card to Khunbish. "Here it is. Maybe it can give you an idea on what to look for."The pirate read it, pursing his lips, before shrugging and handing it back. "Mayhaps. Then again, we're supposed to discover the benefits on our own, aren't we? I mean, the first one we share because it's an obvious perk; the last two probably have to be individual." "Seems like it..." Swaine slithered over to the bed, climbing onto the top-bunk; the mattress was not big enough for the entire length of his body, forcing him to coil his tail around the ladder as he planted his head on the pillow. "I'm tired of thinking about it... I'm going to catch up on sleep, I was up most of the night wondering if Junpei would be okay,""Heh, ye ain't alone on that dilemma, matey." Khunbish coiled up on the bottom bunk, taking out his Leafbook Tablet once more, scrolling through posts to pass the time... if not keep his mind off his mixed-feelings. "By the way, where'd WG run off to?""She said she was gonna make sure nothing froze-over at her apartment again. She'll meet us at ATF's place..." Swaine murmured into his pillow. "...provided she gets her portals right."The sky pirate nodded, allowing his predecessor to get back to his nap. However, the mention of the authoress kept him from dosing off, as his mind suddenly drifted to anxious concern for her well-being. Knock it off, she's alright. Swaine told himself, in an effort to clear his head and get some rest. It failed. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Ryuji and Kanji met up with Junpei outside during the cast's break. "Hey, man. How are you holding up? 'Heard about yesterday..." The track-star stated, sitting down on one side of him, Kanji on the other. "I'm fine. My dad's been taken in, so..." Junpei muttered, taking off his cap and rubbing his head. He let out a heavy sigh, his lips fluttering as he unleashed a breath, before looking at Ryuji. "It was really weird, dude. Swaine ended up bursting in, knocked him out, and ended up taking me up a tree!"Kanji's eyes widened. "Swaine was there?! I-I thought they couldn't come to our worlds anymore!""They used an invisibility spell," Ryuji informed him. "Bishie came to check up on me, too.""He stopped by your place too, Kan-chan!" Teddie exclaimed, popping up from behind the boys, making them jump!"GAH! Holy shit--- Don't do that! Dammit, Teddie, you almost gave us a heart-attack!" Kanji snapped, taking a breath. "Wait, what do you mean Khunbish came to check on me, too?!""You were asleep when Zane, Zeke and Khunbish came by. Apparently, your mom had some suspicious customers asking questions about you and snakes, but they left quickly after Dojima-san came in, and she told him to make sure they stay away. Didn't she talk to you about it?"Kanji scratched his head. "N-No, although this morning she did say she wanted to talk to me about something once I get home...""Really? She wasn't super-worried or anything??" Ryuji asked, eyes wide.The rebel shot him a glare. "Of course she is! I just wind up in danger so much that she's used to it by now! Otherwise, she wouldn't be telling me we had shit to talk about!" "Geez, man, calm down...""So, your mom and my dad were both being offered bribes..." Junpei muttered, grimacing a bit. "The difference is, your mom was smart enough to turn them down and get the cops involved.""H-Huh?! You mean... your dad fell for their trick?" Teddie gasped. "Tch, don't worry. He's probably behind bars, by now. We're safe," He looked at Ryuji. "Did anyone from your world talk about getting bribes, Ryuji-san?""Nope. The only one who heard anything from those creeps was Kamoshida, and they threatened him." The track-star answered, standing up and pacing, sticking his hands in his pockets. "He called me up, and said he gave WG the heads up too. Last time I heard, Swaine and Khunbish were moving to a new hiding spot,""So... now what're we gonna do? Just sit around and wait 'til everything blows over?" Kanji asked. "Pretty much." Junpei answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "What an unbearable situation... having to go into hiding, unable to see friends, all because some poachers want to hunt you down for money!" Teddie lamented, then gave a jolt. "Eep! Y-You don't think they'll come after ME next, do you?!"The boys all gave him a deadpanned look. "...I don't think you'd be worth the trouble, Ted." Ryuji commented. The bear's expression went from paranoia to rage. "WHAT!? I'll have you know that I am a rare specimen, bub! Not many talking bears have the ability to summon Personas, take off their heads, or turn human, you know!""Yeah... because running around in a bear costume really makes you an endangered species." Junpei replied in sarcasm, rolling his eyes. "I started out as an empty costume, though! The lore behind my identity would surely make me a valuable catch! Those poachers would be pulling out all the stops to get their paws on me!"Kanji did a double-take. "Oh my gosh, THERE'S ONE OF THEM NOW!" he cried, pointing in a random direction.Teddie bolted, leaving clouds of dust in his wake. "AUGH! KEEP THEM AWAY FROM MEEEEE!" "Well, that shut him up." Ryuji quipped as they walked in, heading through the school hallway that connected to the movie-theater set; at this time, Kamoshida was walking around the corner, looking over his shoulder for a second before facing the teens."Any reason why Teddie just ran by screaming about being stuffed?" The medalist asked, arching an eyebrow as he thumbed over his shoulder. "He's paranoid about the poachers nabbing him," Junpei answered with a shrug. "Huh. ...I'd feel sorry for them if they succeeded.""Speaking of which, those creeps didn't try anything since they called you, have they?" Ryuji asked in concern. "Everyone was pissed when they heard they were threatening your kids!""Tch, you should've seen how I felt. I'm having Futaba trace that call so I can send the fucker who called me to my 'Dungeon of Love'!" "Dungeon of... w-what?" Kanji asked, eyes wide. "Don't ask." Ryuji bluntly stated. "Oh, yeah! I forgot you guys have a pro-hacker on your team!" Junpei stated with a grin, rubbing his chin. "...If anything, you could just figure out who this guy is, then we can all do some Phantom Thief work and 'steal his heart', then he can just call the whole thing off!""Hey, that IS a good idea! ...Why didn't we think of doing that sooner?" Kanji asked, looking at Ryuji. "Getting a name ain't the only problem. We'd have to figure out where he operates, and how he sees that place in order to unlock access to his Palace... and that's on the chance if he even has one." Ryuji answered, kicking at the floor a bit. "Would someone outside our universe even have a Palace?" Kamoshida questioned, scratching his head. "It couldn't hurt to try. First, we can see what Futaba pulls up. In the meantime, let's ask Mona if Palaces are P5-exclusive!" Junpei declared, pumping his fist. "I've been wanting to take a shot at Phantom-Thieving, anyway!""Hell yeah! Let's see if we can steal some treasure-hearts, or whatever!" Kanji exclaimed, flexing his arm. "Lord." Kamoshida face-palmed. The three teenage boys began to rush down the hall to find the 'cat' Phantom Thief, when a vortex appeared in the ceiling... and ATF dropped in! "OOF! ...I gotta work on my entrance..." he mumbled in his face-plant. "Zeke-san? What're you doing here?" Junpei questioned, arching an eyebrow. "I figured I'd check in on you guys... that, and ever since Teddie brought it up yesterday, I wanted to sneak backstage." The immortal psychic stood up, brushing himself off. "So, how goes it?""Kamoshida is going to have Futaba track down the guy who phoned in his threat, and once we get a name, place, and Palace, we're going to get ready to kick some ass!" Kanji replied, pumped up as if the plan were already in-effect. "Cooooooool! (...why didn't we try that sooner?)" ATF arched an eyebrow. "Wait, Kamoshida's here? What's he doing in the PQ-verse?""He's... part of the game. You didn't know that?" Ryuji asked. "I thought you were psychic," Junpei scoffed. "My psychic ability prevents me from videogame spoilage." ATF huffed. "...and you didn't see the trailer?" Kanji questioned, arching an eyebrow. The immortal teen flinched. "...I don't spend all my time on the internet like the rest of this generation!" They gave him unconvinced looks, and he bowed his head. "...a-and Jonesy grounded me from using social-media for a month after I rage-posted on Tumblr. 19 times. In an hour.""O-kay then... Maybe you should head back. Security is extra-tight right now, and I'm pretty sure the execs would hit the roof if they found someone sneaking around the set, again." Junpei suggested. "Tch, don't worry about it! I'm pretty good in the stealth-department." The immortal teen sauntered around them, walking backwards. "Subtlety happens to be one of my best qualities,"Right at this moment, Kamoshida walked up behind him. "Who the hell is this kid?" he demanded. ATF turned around, doing a double-take. "OH NO, HE'S HOOOOOOOOOOOOT!" Kanji flinched, Ryuji cringed, Junpei bit his fist, and Kamoshida jolted, taking a step back. "I... I'm...? What?!""Run now, dude. I've seen this kid in simp-mode." The baseball player remarked, covering his face while shaking his head. The medalist looked everyone, before shaking his head. "W-Whatever! Just tell him to keep off the set, we're in enough hot-water as it is!" With that, he stormed off. "(...how the hell did he even get past security?)"ATF watched him walk away, his pupils dilating. Immediately, a portal opened. "Pardon me, boys. I got a game to pre-order!" he declared, then rushed through. "...KINNY, GET OFF THE LAPTOP!" The three Best Boys walked on. "...I don't know what's scarier: being stalked by insane poachers, or the fact that we're getting used to weird shit like that." Kanji muttered."Definitely the latter, man." Ryuji replied. He looked at Junpei. "So, what're you gonna do after we get back to rehearsals? You don't have any scenes to work on today, right?""Nope. ...I think I'll call up WG, though, and tell her about our Phantom Thief plan," The baseball player replied with a grin, taking out his cellphone. "Cool! ...Oh, and see if she can open portals for us, later." The track-star rubbed the back of his neck. "Akira and I need an alternate-way back to our hiding spot, just so we don't risk getting tailed.""Will do," With that, the SEES member walked up the stairs dialing on his phone, while his friends walked back to the theater. "She is gonna love this!"0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0WG expected frost to be forming on her doorway when she arrived at her apartment... but she did not expect an Eviction Notice."Are you fucking kidding me...?" she sighed, taking down the dreaded pink-paper and glaring it over. Apparently, since her apartment was in 'poor conditions' and no one had been living in it for almost a month, she was being given the order to move elsewhere. "Maybe if you would fix it up so it wouldn't be so crappy..."At that moment, her cellphone rang. She fished it out of her pocket, along with her keys, unlocking her front door and stepping in before answering.At that very second a syringe was plunged into her neck, making her drop her phone; she only had enough time to jerk away and turn around before the drug took affect, making her drop to the floor. She tried to open a portal, but it only expanded ten inches. "S... Swaine..." she rasped, before it snapped shut and her vision went black. ...Three men stepped around her, pulling her up and shoving her into a sack. One of them took out his phone. "...Hello, sir. We got the bait." he spoke, before they left the frozen apartment. WG's phone remain on the ground, vibrating on the floor for a full minute before it finally stopped.
[Missed Call: Junpei]
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The anxious feeling did not leave him. In fact, it grew stronger, almost like a mental 'itch' he could not ignore. Swaine lay on the top bunk, gripping his pillow, clenching his teeth, trying to force the feeling away, but his attempt only made it worse. The instinct that something is wrong echoed in his brain; his tail in response tensed up, bending the bars of the ladder.Khunbish looked up at him in concern, reading his emotions. "Gascon? What is it?" he asked, his tone alert. The thief-naga turned to him to reply...In that split second he saw the ten-inch portal next to him, showing WG on the ground. "S... Swaine...!" she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper before the portal snapped shut. Swaine sat up quick, eyes wide. "Luna!" He yelped, wondering if what he saw was real, or an auditory hallucination stemmed from his paranoia. Looking down at Khunbish disproved it as a trick of the imagination, as the pirate-naga was now upright. "Did you hear...?""Aye. Let's go!" Khunbish retorted in determination, and without missing a beat was slithering towards the entrance of the TARDIS, the elder-prince racing alongside him. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Zane walked through the Inn of the Cat's Cradle with a bag of groceries; he nodded to the Purrprioter, who was giving a key to three patrons, who also gave the Time Lord friendly smiles and nods as they followed him up the stairs to the rooms. "Hi ho, hi ho, it's to my room I go~" Zane sang to himself as he strut down the hall. "Gonna eat some food 'fore I take a snooze, hi ho, hi ho hi ho don't move."His stalkers froze in place the moment he whipped out his Sonic Shotgun upon entering his room, aiming it point-blank at the leader's face, giving her an intense death-glare. "I'm afraid you have the wrong room.""Oh no, we have the right room." The stalker to the right stated, taking out a glock and taking aim, while the stalker to the left pulled out a pistol. "Drop the gun."Zane scowled. "...Fine." He dropped the Sonic Shotgun... then threw the groceries at the stalkers while turning out of shooting-range, whipping out a Keyblade and lunging, knocking the lead-stalker into the left as the right staggered back. He shot a ball of fire from his blade at the second stalker when he tried to grab his gun, burning his attacker's hand before he tucked-and-rolled to retrieve his weapon. *POW!* A bolt of lightning shot his Keyblade hand, making him hiss in pain. He looked over, seeing that the leader had a Familiar at their side... though something was off about it. "A Zapwing?" the Time Lord questioned. "Like my little pet?" She stated, having the large electric-ave perch at her side. Zane noticed a red light running from the bird's abdomen to the women's left breast. "My boss gave it to me as an 'extra precaution', after hearing about all the trouble you've caused us."Zane summoned his Keyblade to his other hand, using a healing-spell to treat his electric burn, then took out his wand, dual-wielding as he stared down his attackers. "Who's your boss?" he demanded. "This ain't a Q&A, it's a battle. Now... FIGHT." The Zapwing screeched, lunging forth and sending off volts of electricity; Zane shot it with an ice-blast, only to realize the other two stalkers had summoned their own 'familiars'-- one being a Snagglewolf and the other a fiery Wyvern. While the creatures lunged, the stalkers shot at him with their guns, and in the now-crowded room Zane did not have enough room to dodge. He used the 'Stop' ability to make the creature's freeze, before using his wand to zap his stalkers and stun them long enough for him to run towards the TARDIS. But the leader recovered quickly, and shot him in the kneecap, making him cry out and fall, dropping his weapons. "AGH! My fucking knee--! Why do they always go for the knees?!" he grunted, holding his bleeding wound. The leader approached him, aiming her gun at his head. "Now tell us where the nagai are, or you'll get a matching bullet in your sk---"*BAM!*The door of the TARDIS burst open, slamming into her face and knocking her back; Zane took this opportunity to re-summon his Keyblade and heal himself, standing up and looking at Swaine and Khunbish. "Blimey! When did these rotters show up?!" the sky pirate sputtered. At this moment the 'Stop' ability wore off, and the other stalkers were back on their feet, taking aim at the half-snake men... but Swaine already had his own pistol out, using its grappling hook to shoot out and snag one weapon, while whipping his tail forth and smacking his foe into the other. Khunbish was dealing with the beasts, using his crossbow to strike down the Zapwing, and his tail to throw the Snagglewolf into the Wyvern. Not giving their enemies a chance to breathe, Zane used his wand to levitate-and-throw the leader onto her cohorts, and Swaine bound them in his coils tightly. "What are those red lines?" the thief questioned. "They're ssslave-reigns, you half-ssscaled twit." came a voice, and the thief did a double-take, looking over at the Wyvern, currently sprawled out beneath an unconscious Snagglewolf. "What do ye mean by 'slave reigns'?" Khunbish demanded, aiming his crossbow at the winged beast. "Give us answers, ye leather-winged devil!"
"*hisss* Put that thing away, or I'm not talking!"
"Allow me," Zane sighed, kneeling down before the Wyvern, speaking in parsel-tongue. "Were you all captured and forced into being familiars?"
"Tch, what clued you in, pink-ssskin? Yes! Sssome foul human has been going around trapping members of our ssspecies, for his own ssselfish pleasure! When he got desssperate, he used 'slave reigns' on various beasts in order to make us sssubmit."
"Do you know the name of this man?"
"No. Asssk his fellow pink-ssskin poachers!"
Swaine turned towards the stalkers, squeezing them as he glowered. "Tell us the name of your boss!" he snarled. The leader glowered, grunting a bit... and a bolt of electricity shot through Swaine, stunning him and loosing his coils as the recovered Zapwing hovered behind them. Zane acted fast and leaped, striking the bird with his Keyblade and making it disappear in a puff of smoke; as a result, the leader passed out. "Usss next! Free usss next!" The Wyvern cried, his begging sounding more like a demand than a plea."Not until we get answers, ye scaly wretch!" Khunbish hissed, baring his fangs at the Wyvern. It glowered at him. "Hmph! If you were this tenacious when you were a runt, we would've picked the flesh right off your scrawny body."The archer's eyes widened. "W-What...?""Gree-hee-hee... you seriously did not forget about your time in our nest, did you?" The Wyvern gave him a sadistic smirk. "You were just a wimpy little boy back then. We would have gobbled you down in a heartbeat, but it was fun lissstening to you beg for your life, your pathetic little bargain that you would do anything to ssstay alive more amusing than the ssscreams of any victims we had heard before! We decided to humor you, making you act as bait for other creatures we wissshed to devour, having a laugh every time you ssscrambled for your life until we ssswooped in and yanked you back into the air!"Khunbish scowled, his eyes glowing; he gripped his crossbow, hands trembling with rage.
"To be honest, we were not planning on keeping you long. We did not need you as bait, we were already excellent hunters--- many of your pink-ssskinned friends learned that well enough, geh heh heh... But it was ssso entertaining to watch you ssstruggle, listening to your whimpers as we kept you on a high ledge each night, relishing when your hunger drove you to sssuffer scratches and bruises for a ssscrap of meat... The most enthralling bit was ssseeing you lose your humanity, becoming a mindless, feral beast because of our depravity. *sigh* It got ssso boring after those filthy ssssky-pirates captured you. Ssspeaking of them..."
The Wyvern's smirk grew, as the archer's grimace deepened, his fangs extended as his breathing became slow and heavy in rage. Swaine looked at him, he and Zane having been busy trying to get the conscious stalkers to talk, though everyone was now paying attention to the aviator and the beast.
"Have you met that sssmall pink-ssskinned girl? The one who we captured sssome time back? ...We consssidered turning her into our next ssslave, but the Wyvern Warlord forbid it. He claimed it was bad enough having a ssscummy human in the cave the first time, and it would be better to sssskin the girl alive and devour her... under the guise of 'letting her go' if the sssky-pirates left the base.
"Yesss... he had a better plan. Wait for the leader of the Sssky Sssnakes to sssurrender, then once every rotten pink-ssskin was far enough on the path, we would drop the corpse of the girl in front of their leader, ssstunning him long enough for the ressst of us to dive down and ssslaughter every last one of them, feasting on their flesh, laughing at their terrified cries, and--"
*BANG!*...The stalker on the left passed out, his pistol dropping from his hand as Swaine, beyond the Wyvern's twisted words, picked up the sound of a gun-click and shot the man with a Rock-Shot, rendering him-- and the beast he was connected to-- paralyzed. "Forget about the damn lizard-bird, Khunbish. Focus!" The thief snapped at the sky-pirate, who shook his head. "I-I'm sorry! It's just... we have a bad history with Wyverns, a-and hearing him talk about--" Khunbish stammered."Save it!" Swaine turned and grabbed the remaining stalker, glaring into his eyes. "Tell us who your boss is, and what you did with our friend WG!""WHAT?!" Zane pushed Swaine aside, grabbing the stalker by the throat next. "What did you do to my girlfriend?!" "I-I-I don't know! W-We were just told to s-split up! I think they went to her apartment?" The lackey stammered, trembling. He looked over at his Snagglewolf, only to realize that the 'slave-reign' was broken, the wild dog now standing up and snarling at him, its back-bristles sticking up in rage. "How do you know where she lives?!" Zane demanded. "I-I-I don't know how our boss got her address! He managed to tap into something... please don't hurt me!" "Who. Is. Your. Boss?!" Swaine pressed, gripping him by the throat with his tail and lifting him up."*gack!* H-H-His name is... c-can't... breathe!" "Swaine, loosen up." Zane ordered. Swaine sneered but complied, dropping the man to the floor.The man gasped, rubbing his throat, but before he could speak the Snagglewolf lunged forth and attacked him, tearing into his throat in a heartbeat as he choked out a scream. Swaine hissed loudly, knocking the wild dog away, though it only snarled at him, snorted at its victim as if to say 'Good riddance', then took off running out the door. "So much for getting answers..." Zane muttered, staring down at the lifeless stalker. He looked at the one, still paralyzed, and the unconcious leader. "We'll have to wait for these two to come around---"Khunbish slithered forth, turning the dead body over and searching his pockets. "We don't have time to wait!" he sneered, before pulling out the man's cellphone and handing it to the Time Lord. "You're good with tech. Crack into this thing and pull up all his contacts." He then took the man's wallet, digging through it. "Cellphone... WAIT!" Zane turned to Swaine. "Someone already has his information!""Who??" Swaine demanded. There came rushed footsteps, as two Ding Dong Dellian guards rushed in. "Holy hell! What on earth happened...?!" The first one sputtered. The Time Lord looked at the nagas. "...We'll find him after we explain this fiasco." He turned to the guards. "Well, I was on a grocery-run when these three cunts began stalking me like I was an anime school-girl in a hentai...""(...good lord, speed it up!)" Swaine hissed, face-palming."---They attacked me, they had UNAUTHORIZED Familiars under their control, Swaine and Khunbish got involved in the fray, and once we subdued them for questioning, one of the monsters they controlled turned savage and ripped out that guy's throat. ...Speaking of which, you may want to put up a bounty about a foreign creature running around." "I-I see... But you should know, we will have to take you in for questioning---" The first guard stated. "Swaine??" Came a shout, as Oliver and Drippy came running in. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be--""CRIKEY!" Drippy screamed, jumping onto the young wizard's shoulder when he saw the corpse. "For th' love o' Mam's Spout...! I-I-I heard ya talk 'bout going feral, Snake-Butt, b-but I didn't think it would get THIS bad--!""I didn't do this...! AARGH! WE DON'T HAVE TIME!" Swaine yelled, gripping his hair. "WG is in trouble, and we have to find out where she is, NOW!""Take these two in for questioning, and have King Tom contact King Evan in Evermore," Khunbish told the guards. "He will explain everything. See to it the beasts they brought over here are returned to their natural habitats..." He looked back at the still-paralyzed Wyvern. "...Except for the Wyvern. Ye can have that one stuffed."The guards nodded, the first sending the other to bring in reinforcements, while everyone hurried out to the nearest Gateway. "What were you doing here, anyway?" Swaine asked Oliver. "We were going around asking residents of the Three Kingdoms if they had seen any suspicious characters. When we got here, we saw a wolf from our sequel's world run out of the Inn!" Oliver answered. "Knickers, it's like every time we go somewhere, trouble happens!" Drippy commented. "But what do ye mean by WG bein' in trouble?""I saw a portal open in front of me for a split second... she was on the other side, something was wrong---" Swaine stammered, before stiffening. "She was in her apartment! I sensed an icy-chill!"They reached the Gateway, located near the entrance of Ding Dong Dell. "Khunbish, call Ryuji and tell him to have the Phantom Thieves meet us in the PQ-verse. Swaine, Oliver, contact Evan, Roland and the others and tell them to do the same." The Time Lord ordered, pushing up his glasses as he glowered at no one in particular. "...We're going to find out where my girlfriend is and rip this guy apart by the anus."With that, he stepped through the Gateway."(...Blimey, I think he might be me soulmate, 'cuz I's was thinking the same thing!)" Khunbish whispered."FOCUS." Swaine snapped, shoving him through next. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~During This Time~
"Aaaaaaand... BAM! We have a hit!" Futaba exclaimed as she typed at her computer, pumping her fists afterwards. She leaned back, looking up at the others. "Seriously, guys, I thought you said this would be a challenge. Tracing someone via phone-number is noob-levels of cracking!""So, that's his address?" Kanji confirmed, squinting at the screen. "It... looks like it comes from an entirely different world.""It's in the Crossover Realm, two cities from where WG lives." Junpei noted, rubbing his chin. "Did you pull up a name, Futaba-san?""...Ugh, the number is listed under some fancy-schmancy initials." The code-breaker sneered, shaking her head. "'Master L. C. B., Sr. ...ugh, sometimes I think rich people flaunt their status just to piss off the middle-class!" "I'll get his full name..." Kamoshida scoffed, taking out his cellphone. "You can tap into his phone and pinpoint his current location too, while I have him on the line, Sakura-san."Futaba arched an eyebrow at him. "Duh! Do you think I'm new at this or something?""M-Make the call, man." Ryuji encouraged, clearing his throat. The medalist did so. The line rang twice before it was answered, with Futaba transmitting the conversation through her laptop. "I warned you, no tricks, Mister Kamoshida." That same, douchebag voice snarked upon answering. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Kamoshida questioned, while looking at Futaba, who gave a thumbs-up as she worked on bugging the other line.
"Did you think I would not be smart enough to bug your phone? ...I do admit, I was surprised you would have this boy's... (excuse me? ...really?? ...very well) ...Correction, this 'girl's' number on your speed-dial. ...But it worked in our favor. We managed to track her phone and trace her whereabouts, and I even found out where she lives!"
Kanji and Ryuji exchanged glances, before glaring back at the screen. Kamoshida himself looked livid, his eyes glowing yellow. "You son of a bitch, if you do ANYTHING---!" The medalist snarled, speaking in his echoed-voice.
"I bet you planned this. You endangered the life of another in order to protect your children, did you not? After all, no one is STUPID enough to believe that their cellular device was not hacked from an unlisted call, hm-hm-hm."
"Why you--!"Ryuji tore the phone from the medalist. "Leave our friends alone, asshole!" he shouted. "(Ryuji, no!)" Kanji snapped, face-palming."Why, Ryuji! I did not know you were in the... Ha, no wait, I did. Kamoshida contacted you as well! I was honestly banking on that," Their enemy smugly stated. "In case you were going to visit them again. ...I suggest you make it easy for all of us and tell us where they are now. After all, you cannot hide, and I'm sure you do not want to cause your mother any extra trouble.""I got his location. Ryuji, get his name!" Futaba stated, quietly. "...Fine. I'll do it, you bastard." Ryuji muttered, clenching his fist. "But I don't know where they're at now. They were told not to tell us where they were moving to, and I'm not allowed to go anywhere outside my own route. ...The best I could do is convince them that there's someone who knows how to undo their curse and turn them human, and send them to your address.""Do you believe I'm as dumb as you are? I will not give away my name and address to a member of the Phantom Thieves. I know how you operate. You are going to find out where those nagai are at, tell me where my men can find them, convince them to surrender, or I can promise you that everyone you know and love will---" There came knocking in the background. "Blast it all, always when I'm in the middle of a threat! *sigh* Hold, please. (...Mercedes, this had better be good!)" "...Mercedes?" Kanji questioned, arching an eyebrow. "Dammit! He's on to us! What are we going to do, now?!" Ryuji grunted. "Simple. We're all going to get new phones and numbers, then we're going to go to where this fucker lives and send him on a one-way trip to the ICU." Kamoshida sneered. He turned to the track-star, swatting him upside the head. "Way to go, letting him know you were here, you jackass!"At this moment, Junpei ran in. "Did you guys get the info?" He asked. "We got his location, but no name. The guy's one-step ahead of us and is holding out," Futaba replied, typing excessively at her laptop. "(...nothing a little cyber-sleuthing can't fix, mweh heh heh...)""Did you get ahold of WG? Tell her that her phone's been bugged, a-and to stay out of her apartment, and open a portal somewhere far---" Kanji was telling the baseball player, stopping when he saw his horror-stricken expression. "...J-Junpei?""WG didn't pick up." Junpei held up his phone, showing his call-history. "I called her 5 times, and sent her a text, but no response." "No... Tell me they didn't..." Kamoshida gasped. "...Well, it seems I won't be needing your services, after all." came their enemy's voice from the monitor. "My men just brought me some 'proper bait'. ...Unless, you wish to reconsider your options?""LET HER GO, YOU FUCKER!" Ryuji screamed into the phone. There came snickering. "I'm sorry, you cut out. All I heard was, 'fuck her'. ...Safe to say, I have higher standards, although my men---"Kamoshida took the phone back, speaking in his echoed-voice once more. "We know where you live, you sadistic piece of shit. If you do anything to that girl, not only will we KILL YOU, but I will personally go out of my way to make sure the agonizing pain you feel during the process will make the torment of Hell sound comforting!"
"Spare me your threats. Tell your naga friends to surrender, or else every hour I'm kept waiting, your little friend will be one step closer to death... and that's if we can get her to beg for it! ...Now, are you going to keep spouting empty-threats and tell me to 'go to Hell', or are you going to comply?"
The medalist's eyes remained bright yellow, and he was starting to change between his normal-look and his Shadow self with every heavy breath; Ryuji was shaking with rage, wincing; Kanji paced before punching a wall in frustration; Junpei and Futaba were the only ones calm, as the code-breaker was focused on her hacking, and the baseball player was listening closely to the dialogue. This guy's voice sounds familiar... Where have I heard it before? he wondered. Someone took the phone from Kamoshida once more, before anyone else could make a response. "We're coming to your address." Swaine stated, his eyes aglow and fangs extended. "And we're not sending you to Hell... We're bringing it to you."
*click*
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
She slowly opened her eyes, squinting a bit from the sunlight that filtered in through the window, before turning her head and burying her face in the abdomen she rested upon. "Five more minutes..." she muffled into the fabric.
Soft chuckling was the response, making the chest rumble, before the form beneath her shifted into an upright position, warm arms wrapping around her to help keep her steady as she was slid onto the couch-cushions. Once her mind was a little more awake, she remembered she was in the building's personal library... and the person she had been slumbering on was Swaine.
"How are you feeling?" The thief asked now that they sat side-by-side, keeping a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. (she already missed the warmth, his warmth, and wished he would hold her again).
"Better," WG answered, tilting her head from one side to the other until her neck popped. She let out a sigh, observing their surroundings. "...Weird that we fell asleep in the library. Who zonked out first?"
"No idea, I was too tired to pay attention." He stood up and stretched, before looking out the nearby window. "I'd better get back. Marcassin is probably wondering where I ran off to... and your pets might be tearing up your place waiting for you!"
She nodded, though did not stand up yet (she wanted him to stay longer). "Swaine? ...Um, thanks."
He turned back to her, kneeling in front of her and rubbing her hair (even his head-pats were soothing to her touch-starvation). "No problem. ...If you're ever feeling like this again, don't hesitate to call someone. Zane, Puggsy, one of your author-friends... hell, drop by my world if you need someone to vent to." He looked at her, his expression still concerned. "Are you going to be okay?"
(no, please don't go, i don't know what to do, i don't want to be alone) "I'll be okay."
He studied her expression, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I mean it, Luna. If you ever need me for anything, I'll be there. I promise."
...
A year had passed, and as WG dropped by the Porcine Palace to ask Swaine if he would like to help find her lost keys in the Vault of Tears, she had forgotten about that promise.
From the irritation on his face, so had he.
"How could you lose your keys in here, anyway?" Swaine muttered as they walked towards the entrance.
"I had a little laser-pointer attached to my keychain. Khunbish and I were messing around with it to see if any of the creature's would chase it... but a Rabbot caught sight of us and realized the trick. I figure I dropped them in the fight," The authoress sheepishly replied, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Gotta admit, seeing those Taddlywinks tryin' to scale a wall made it worth it," Khunbish chuckled.
"Ooh, let's try it out on the other monsters around here!" Ryuji exclaimed. "That would be effin' hilarious!"
"Heh, I was thinking we could see if Mona falls for it." Junpei quipped.
"Nah, I already tried..."
Swaine sighed, rubbing his face. "Let's just hurry up..." he muttered, looking at the authoress for a moment before venturing in.
For a split second, she considered sending him back home to spare him the aggravation.
...
Who would have thought that one simple request would have endangered their lives?
...It was dark when she opened her eyes, finding herself curled up... but not in a comfortable way, more like a bundle of fabric that was smashed into a ball and shoved into a bag. She was in a bag, the rough, scratchy fabric rubbing against her skin; the space was airtight, and mentally she began to panic, claustrophobia settling in her chest, and she felt like hyperventilating, but it was hard to breathe. Her body felt numb, her head was groggy, and she was filled with exhaustion...'Wake up, Luna! You're being kidnapped! Open a portal and get out!' her thoughts cried, but she did not have the concentration... she felt too tired, despite her nerves.All at once she went upside-down, falling-and-rolling onto a rug-covered wooden floor. Hands grabbed her by the arms, forcing her to sit up, one hand grabbing her by the hair and jerking her head upward, a dull ache spreading through her scalp. Her vision was blurred as she squinted, despite the lights in the room were dimmed. As her vision cleared, she found herself looking at a man with light-brown well-combed hair and a mustache, dressed in a tan suit-jacket and white shirt, thick brown gloves encasing his hands. "Welcome, my dear girl. Pardon the abduction, but it was crucial that I have you brought here, and I surmised a formal invitation would have been declined." The man stated, his voice pompous. "No use fancy words, head still hurting..." WG slurred. She gave a gasp as her hair was yanked harder-- this time she felt the sharp pain, and it cleared her senses mildly. "Ow!""Does that help?!" One of her kidnappers sneered. "(Chevrolet, don't be so rough... yet)." The fancy-man stated calmly, before turning his attention back on the authoress. "Rest assured, as long as you cooperate, your time here will be comfortable."WG shook off her daze, slowly piecing things together. "...You're the man... after Swaine and Khunbish...!" she tried to snap, but her voice came out as gasps and pants. It hurt to speak."Swaine and Khunbish...? Ah! You mean the nagai!" The man stood up, walking over to a bookshelf; at this point, WG realized she was in an office of sorts. Her captor picked up a book titled 'Creatures of Myth' and flipped through it. "Yes, fascinating creatures, aren't they? Alas, I was never able to properly find one. They are a very solitary species, and I was worried I would never have one to add to my collection. How fortunate I was that I saw two appear on the news one day, far from shy about public appearances---""They're h-human..." She took a breath, wincing as she struggled to speak. "Under a curse... Once it's broken, they won't be... n-nagas anymore... L-Leave them alone...!"The man put the book away, walking up to her, lifting her chin up with his index finger. "Not all curses can be broken, my dear. ...And I will make certain they cease their efforts, for the sake of your life."WG glared at him. 'Fuck you, I'd rather die than let them be pets to a one-dimensional Saturday-morning-cartoon villain stereotype! Anything you do to me, they'll kill you a hundred times over! And your accent is stupid!' she wanted to snap at him, but could only muster..."Don't... touch me..."The man only scoffed, roughly jerking her face to the side as he let go of her chin and stood up. "As I've said, if you cooperate, your stay here will be comfortable... perhaps even luxurious if you do everything I say." He paced, holding his hands behind his back. "I would put out of mind the idea of fighting back. My men have injected you with a special serum that has subdued your powers."We had to look up a few DC and Marvel laboratories that had created such drugs-- after all, we were in need of something strong when encountering creatures with outstanding abilities! Honestly, I was worried it would not work on someone of your capabilities, but it seemed to do the trick marvelously!"WG shook her head. "It won't... work on everyone. My boyfriend... my brother... they can... they WILL..." she wheezed. "The serum seems to have a side-effect on her, sir." Her other kidnapper, this one a woman, stated. "Her condition appears to be lethargic, and she is having trouble breathing.""Then I should make this quick, then." The man stood in front of her. "Nagai are capable of sensing when someone they are close to-- be it kin, mate, or offspring-- are in mortal danger. You are to contact them, state you are in great peril, and lure them---""FUCK no!" WG shouted, speaking in one breath. "I am not going to act like a frickin' damsel in distress and endanger my friends because some over-privileged bastard wants a new pet!" She panted heavily.The man gave her a deadpanned expression, then looked at his lackeys. "Mercedes. Chevrolet. Take her to Habitat 19-C, and throw her in the pen." He gave her a dark look. "The more severe the danger, the more likely the nagai will sense her peril. ...Let us see if they can reach her if she's alive.""You're going to burn for this..." WG snarled as she was pulled onto her feet. "You're just another sleazy rich-guy who thinks he can do whatever he wants!"The man smacked her across the face, puffing out his chest. "I am no mere 'rich guy', you unrefined brat. I am Lionel Charleston Blackmire, the greatest collector of exotic creatures no other man can tame!"WG gave a deadpanned look to the audience. "...good grief, do all the ego-maniacs have to talk like they spent a semester abroad?" Another smack across the face. "I HAVE spent a semester abroad." He looked at his lackeys. "Throw her in with Diego."The lackeys threw the bag back over her head, carrying her out of the room. This time, her claustrophobia kicked in, and panic filled her...'I'm in danger...''This guy is insane!''Can't breathe, can't breathe, can't breathe!''...Swaine... Khunbish... I'm sorry...'0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~Five Minutes Prior~
ATF sat at his computer, having just pre-ordered Persona Q2, and was currently scrolling through fanart of his latest husbando-obsession..."Mew?" A cat leaped onto his desk."TC!" ATF yelped, quickly closing out of the page and pulling up a half-finished fanfic document. "I-I was just working on the newest Farce Nights at Freddy's chapter, mini-mew!"TC just stuck out her tongue in a blep. "...oh, go watch television with Captain Sprinkles, you meow." ATF turned back towards the computer, only to go rigid.
Before his eyes flashed a vision of WG being struck by a man, who declared himself Lionel Blackmire, before being shoved into a bag...
"...I heard Blackmire saying we could 'have a little fun' with her," one of the kidnappers said with a grin...
The vision shifted to WG lying on the ground, sobbing... bleeding... "Help..." she whimpered.
The vision ended. At that moment, ATF's eyes turned violent. "Jonesy!" He called, standing up and opening a portal. "Watch the animals! I'm going out!" He stepped through, gritting his teeth as he clutched his head. "Hold on, Fluffy-- just hold on...!"The portal shut behind him. TC sat there a moment... before turning to the monitor and tapping the keyboard, pulling up Netflix. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Marcassin was walking through the indoor courtyard, spotting Duroc standing by the fountains. "Oh, father. I was not aware you were visiting." the young sage stated, somewhat surprised. "What brings you here?"Duroc was quiet for a moment, before he turned to his youngest son. "Marcassin, I request your sincere honesty. Do you consider me a good father?"The prince stood there, confused. "I do not see much reason not to... What brought this on?"The emperor let out a breath, looking up at the fountains. "I feel Gascon would beg to differ. When I had visited him, I failed to... show proper support in his situation." Marcassin nodded, recalling the conversation he had with Swaine in Teeheeti. "So I've heard... though once he had calmed down and fully analyzed the situation, I have reason to believe you were trying to help him focus on details that were overlooked, but your tone came off as critical...""Do not try to defend me, Marcassin." Duroc crossed his arms, shaking his head. "Gascon has suffered a curse that has brought trouble upon him, and I could not bring myself to offer him any means of comfort." He shut his eyes a moment. "...Worse, I decided to clear my head with travels, busying myself with trying to trace the whereabouts of those targeting him with no avail, when I should have... simply talked with him."The young sage rested a hand on the emperor's shoulder. "You still have that option, father. We can go to him now, and..."
*Ping. Ping. Ping.*
Marcassin arched an eyebrow, hearing his Leafbook Tablet going off; seeing the message was from Roland, he answered. "Roland! Why are you---?" he began to ask."No time to explain. Someone has been kidnapped." The chief consul interrupted. "We're supposed to meet with the Phantom Thieves in the Persona Q world and work out a plan. Your brother and Khunbish are already there,"The young sage looked at his father, equally bewildered, before turning back to the screen. "Yes, I am on my way. Can you have Wherever Girl open a portal?"Roland shook his head. "...She's the one who was kidnapped."'They took Wherever Girl to use as bait...' Marcassin realized, thinking back to how his older brother was somewhat attached to the authoress. If Swaine was already there, that meant their foes knew how to read their prey...And his brother, come Hell or high water, was one to always race to a loved one's aid if they were ever in trouble... even before he had protective naga-instincts. Should the poachers use that to their advantage and lure him into a trap..."I'm on my way." He turned off his tablet, before taking out his scepter. He turned to Duroc. "...You have a second chance to show your support, father. Will you assist us?"The emperor put his hands on hips, giving him a stern look. "Rancid-hearted scoundrels are kidnapping innocent young women in order to bring harm upon one of my child. I would be a damned fool to stand by," 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0It was less than fifteen minutes before Evan, Roland, Batu, Tani, Chingis, Marcassin, Duroc, the members of SEES and the Investigation Team met up with the nagas, Time Lord and Phantom Thieves in front of the clock tower. "This guy is apparently good at keeping incognito on the 'net," Futaba stated, holding her laptop with one hand and typing with the other. "For some reason, he doesn't list his full-name anywhere! The guy doesn't even buy things online... shudder!""Such as why we have to head to his location with discretion," Akechi surmised. "It would be unlawful for him to have a mailing address that did not list a proper surname. From there on, we will have to figure out the remaining key-words...""What do ye mean by key-words? Like a password of sorts?" Chingis inquired. "In a way, yes. In order to access someone's Palace-- that is, a distorted reality within their cognition-- we need three key elements: a person's name, their place of operation, and what that place is to them." Morgana explained. "For instance, my Palace in the game was a school that I saw as my castle," Kamoshida answered; he looked at the girls, turning away and blushing. "I-I don't recommend looking it up.""This operation will be more difficult than our regular ones." Akira spoke up. "Normally, we perform an infiltration of the Palace, secure a route to the treasure, then send the Calling Card... but considering we're pressed for time, we will have to change the order.""Send the calling card, infiltrate the Palace, then steal the treasure while it's manifested!" Ryuji summarized, pounding his fist into his palm. The residents of the Ni no Kuni worlds looked at the Phantom Thieves, perplexed. "W-We'll have to explain the game-mechanics later." Makoto awkwardly replied. "Basically, our target will have to be on high-alert in order for their treasure to appear in their Palace. Once we take it, they have a change of heart,""Flip mun, we can do that! The process may be a bit tedious, but it sure as heck won't be as complicated!" Drippy exclaimed, hopping forth. "Rather than 'stealing his heart', we just figure out what piece of it he's lacking, find someone chock full of it, then use it to restore said piece! Simple!""...Nothing you just said sounds simple." Yosuke deadpanned. He turned to the Persona leaders. "What about the rest of us? What part are we going to play in all this?""I was wonderin' the same about our lot," Batu added, shouldering his warhammer. "We can't have too many people come with us; stealth is our best option, and if too many people are in the same place, it will draw attention." Morgana informed, giving a grin. "Thankfully, Zane came up with a good plan,""Here's what I'm thinking," Zane held up a sketch-pad, drawing out his scheme. "I will cast the Invisibility spell on the Phantom Thieves and my team; it should last long enough for them to find the key words they need to infiltrate the Palace. As for my team and I, we'll sneak in and deliver a Calling Card in order to put the Palace on high-alert... and we'll cause a bit of mischief to KEEP it that way until the treasure is stolen, or until we safely retrieve WG."As for the rest of you, your jobs will be staking out the rest of your districts. Since this creep pinpointed every location our friends have gone to, we'll need eyes and ears everywhere. That includes the world of Catherine." "Ooh, I can send news over there!" Junpei exclaimed, taking out his cellphone and texting. "Vincent is my cousin, so he can spread the word."Both Akira and Swaine froze. (Their expressions: 0_0)"Alright... so now we just have to decide who is going where." Roland spoke up, rubbing his chin. "I'm definitely helping look for WG!" Kanji declared, pounding his fists. "I'm ready to pound the assholes who've been giving us all hell!""Same here, dude! There's no way I'm letting them get away with this bullshit," Junpei added. "Ye know damn well we're gonna be slithering through the halls searchin' for me ang--- er, WG." Khunbish firmly stated, catching himself near the end when he looked at Zane. "I'm going in, too. I want to confront the bastard who's been treating us like hunting trophies," Swaine added. "Won't that be dangerous? You guys are the ones being targeted!" Chie asked in concern. "Wouldn't your presence jeopardize the mission?""Not as long as we're invisible... and even if we're not, we'll have a few tricks in keeping out of sight," The naga-thief gave a confident grin to the Phantom Thieves. "You lot aren't the only ones good at infiltration and theft,""Aye, an' our naga-prowess helps increase our stealth tenfold!" The pirate-naga exclaimed. "Hmm... come to think of it... One of you may want to come with us into the Palace," Makoto spoke up. She turned to her group. "Remember in my arc, where my presence served as a 'key' to access Kenishiro's Bank? Suppose we need Swaine or Khunbish for a similar purpose?""I thought about that! I figured we could use one of our Personas as a decoy! We have a Naga, Lamia and Raja Naga who could help us out!" Minako responded. "But... Swaine and Khunbish are the main targets, and the poachers already know what they look like." Haru pointed out. "I suppose using those Personas would be a benefit, but I do not believe they would help grant us access.""(Oi, are you understanding any of this?)" Tani whispered to Esther, who shrugged. "I vote Swaine AND Khunbish both come with us to the Palace," Ann suggested. "That way, there won't be a chance for them to be captured in the real-world!""Aye, an' I plan on tagging along! I's be curious about what all this 'Palace' talk is about!" Chingis exclaimed, nudging Khunbish. "Been a while since we teamed up for some pilfering 'n' brawling, too.""No way. We can't have too many civilians involved with the infiltration, it's too dangerous!" Morgana firmly stated. "Civilians? Ye obviously haven't heard much 'bout these two knuckleheads," Batu responded, crossing his arms."...We do not even know if this man has a Palace, yet. We must think of an alternative plan should this one prove to be a fluke," Yusuke spoke up. "No kidding. We're putting the cart before the horse, here." Roland agreed. He looked at Zane's sketched-out plan. "But we do have a location... The Phantom Thieves can find out if he has a Palace, but I feel like our best option is to confront this guy face-to-face in reality. I will help with the search for WG, as well as get some insight on what kind of criminal we're dealing with.""I'm still going to look for WG," Swaine reconfirmed. "As shall I." Duroc spoke up, much to Swaine's surprise. "Alright! Everyone split into three groups-- Phantom Thieves, Rescue Mission, and Stake-Out!" Tani exclaimed in an order, snapping her fingers. "We're losing time, here!" "What she said." Zane concurred. After five minutes of discussions and rotating, the groups were as followed...The Investigation Team and SEES Teams (minus Junpei and Kanji) would head to their districts to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Minako, Naoto, Souji and Akechi volunteered to stake-out the P5 and Catherine realms. Oliver, Drippy, Esther, Marcassin, Roland, Evan, Tani, and Batu decided to join the Time Lord, Junpei, Kanji and Swaine in the rescue mission. Chingis and Khunbish signed up for assisting the Phantom Thieves (minus Akechi) in the Palace infiltration, should there be one. Kamoshida was walking towards the Rescue Mission group, but was stopped by Minako. "Hold on, Kamo-san. Where are you going?" the FemC questioned. "Where do you think? I'm going to find the mentally-depraved sicko who threatened my kids!" The medalist scoffed. He gave a reassuring smile. "After all, my daughters would be pissed at me if I just let some creep kidnap their 'Big Sis'."Minako firmly shook her head. "No way. There's already more than enough people heading there, one more could risk losing discrepancy, and to be honest you have no experience in this field. Besides, you should make sure your kids are alright!""They are-- ever since that threatening phone-call, I've been having them stay with Shido!""...Dad demands compensation, by the way." Akechi told him, not-so-casually. "Nnnope. You go back home. We'll handle the rest from here; just let us know if anything comes up," Minako said with authority, pointing to the Gateway. The medalist frowned, but obliged and walked over, punching in some coordinates before he passed through. She turned to the remaining groups. "Everyone ready?""Wait! What about Zeke?! W-We have to notify him!" Teddie gasped. "He'll be very upset if he finds out his sister got kidnapped and he was left out of the rescue operation!""I've sent him a message, but he hasn't answered. Chances are, he already opened a portal there... and is wreaking havoc as we speak." Zane replied, a chibi-sweatdrop appearing over his head at the thought of the latter."It's too late to find out now, we've already wasted enough time. Let's move!" Swaine ordered.With that, the groups dispersed. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The lackeys walked down a concrete hallway until they reached a metal door. "One. Two. Three!" they counted quietly, one lackey quickly pulling the door open while the other two threw the bag inside, the door quickly slamming and locking shut. "Well. That takes care of that. ...I'm going on break," The first lackey, previously referred to as Mercedes, stated as she clapped her hands together, all of them walking through a hidden doorway that led into the concrete hall and stepping into a more well-decorated corridor."I still wish we could have taken ten minutes, so I could toy with her." The second, Chevrolet, remarked. "I need some way to burn off the stress. ...Maybe Porsche will want to fool around,"Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Tch, stop being a perv and find a new hobby. ...Any idea where Nissan, Honda, and Audi are at? They were supposed to report in almost an hour ago,""They're probably slacking off in Ding Dong Dell," The third lackey scoffed. "I think we got screwed-- everyone else gets to go to fun places, and we ended up having to stay overnight in an ice-cave!""Oh, grow a pair, Frank." Mercedes retorted; she looked ahead, seeing one of their cohorts passing by. "Yo, Benz! Did you refill the coffee pot in the break-room?""Go fill it your--- gackle!" Benz responded, their voice cutting off the moment they passed around the corner. The three lackeys rushed over, freezing in horror when they saw their co-subordinate lying on the ground with a large gash in their neck, their eyes lifeless. "H-Holy fu--!" Chevrolet began to shout, before four long claws sliced through his abdomen. He choked out a gasp, before dropping onto the floor. Mercedes screamed, but was cut off as she was yanked up inside a portal. Frank watched in horror, seeing only her legs sticking out, flailing helplessly before going still, and her body dropped down... claw marks scraped across her face, one eye gouged out, her nose gone, half her mouth carved wider, and blood gushing out. Dropping out of the portal over the lifeless bodies was a... person?... with long black hair, violet eyes, shackles around his wrists and neck, and long, sharp, blood-stained claws. Their expression was only that of anger as they approached the remaining lackey. "S-Stay back!" Frank stammered, taking out a gun and aiming. When the... thing... continued to approach him, he shot at it, but the bullets did nothing to stop it. In fact, its wounds only healed! "What... what do you want?!"The menace stood before him, studying him for a moment. "...You are only 17. You're safe." it spoke, its voice too... calm. However, his glower intensified. "I'm looking for someone."Frank gulped, trembling fiercely. "W-Who...?" He let out a cry when the monster-- yeah, monster worked-- grabbed him by the throat, pulling him down to eye-level.
"My sister. Where is she?!"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0WG crawled out of the sack, her body heavy. She peered around at her surroundings, finding she was in... an enclosed field. She looked over, seeing one wall was designed to look like rock, the other appearing to be a two-way mirror, as she could only see her reflection. Slowly, she got to her feet... and heard a growl from behind her. Remaining still, she looked over at the mirror, getting a good look at Diego. She could not open a portal. Her strength was lacking. She could not summon her machete. She was alone with a feral beast with no means of defense. The monster roared, and she ran---It was five seconds before she was struck with a blade, the weapon smacking her into a boulder. She gripped her side, feeling the warm blood already soaking her shirt; she ducked low, watching as the creature... something that looked like a smaller Manticore, but more lion-like... circled in a gallop as it made its way around towards her.
Yep. I'm gonna die here.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Blackmire's Reserve for Fascinating Creatures. Opening Soon, 06. 27. 2019.' ...This has to be the place," Makoto stated, looking through a pair of binoculars at the sign posted on the massive gates across the street. "'Reserve'? It looks like a basic mansion from where I'm standing." Tani scoffed, getting a better view from up in a tree. "I swear I've heard about something like this before," Junpei whispered, racking his brains. "That guy's voice sounded familiar. I just can't remember where I've heard it!"Chingis stroked his beard. "Sounds like the type of wretch Maddie rants about on his blog. He's got a special violent-streak for rich folk who yank wild creatures outta their habitats, for the sake of having exotic pets!""A blog? ...Show me." Futaba demanded; the swordsman flinched, but took out his Leafbook tablet, scrolling through it until he found the latest post. The code-breaker looked it over, humming to herself. "...Chingis, you sky-blazing buccaneer, you had access to one of our key words and didn't even know it!""Wait, for real??" Ryuji asked, looking at the blog. "'This Lionel guy is off his rocker, thinking wild beasts are as easy to keep as household pets'... You really think this is the same guy?""Only one way to find out." Akira answered, taking out his phone and opening the Nav. "Lionel Blackmire," *ping!* "Yep, that's our target!" Futaba exclaimed. "Now let's try, 'Reserve'."*boop* "I'm sorry, the information you have submitted cannot be found." the Nav's automated voice responded. "Sanctuary?" Haru suggested."Mansion!" Tani called.
*boop* *boop* "I'm sorry, the information you have submitted cannot be found."
"Corr, what else are we supposed to call a home like this?!"*ping!*"Huh! Turns out 'home' was the secret word!" Zane replied, astounded. "SERIOUSLY?""(Tani, shush!)" Evan whispered, before looking at the Nav. "So... We have his name, and his location... now we just have to figure out what he sees his home as?""That's right," Ann replied, tapping her chin. "But we've already tried words like 'Reserve', and 'Sanctuary', but those didn't work. Does he see it as a 'refuge', or a 'prison'?"
*boop* *boop*
"Nope," Akira sighed, shaking his head. "I think it's pretty obvious this Blackmire guy doesn't really care about animals, so much as he cares about trapping them." Swaine sneered. The baseball player stared at the information they already had in the Nav, thinking to himself. "Lionel... Blackmire?" Junpei's eyes widened. "...Oh, yeah! We saw that guy on a talk-show before! He was talking about having a 'private zoo' or something!" *ping!*"W-Whoa! What's going on...?!" Oliver stammered, as the world around them began to shift. "Junpei said the magic word!" Morgana exclaimed. "What the hell...?!" Batu cried, watching as everything altered around them. Once it stopped, everything appeared to be the same... except the mansion across the street had been replaced with a massive dome, and near the gate was a ticket-booth. Large letters above the entrance spelled out Unnatural Nature: Blackmire's Menagerie of Mythical Beasts."'Unnatural nature'...? What on earth is that supposed to-- OH!" Esther began to question, giving a jolt when she saw the Phantom Thieves in their costumes. "I-It's okay, Esther! It's just us!" Panther (Ann) reassured her, motioning to herself and the others. "In the Metaverse, we transform into our masked attire, and go by code-names. I'm Panther, that's Skull, Joker, Queen, Noir, Oracle, Fox and Mona. And Akechi is called 'Crow'.""I thought you said exploring his Palace would be safe since he wouldn't see you in the real-world! Why do you need code-names?" Oliver inquired. "Palaces are anything far from safe. Not only that, but showing our faces and using our real names may have some sort of affect on his cognition, and our plans would be exposed." Mona (Morgana) answered."Knickers! Youer cat turned into a midget Grimalkin!" Drippy exclaimed, his jaw-dropping. Mona stamped his feet, glaring at the fairy. "I'm not a cat! Or a grim- whatever! ...And I look a lot better than you, Big Nose!" "Who're ya callin' 'Big Nose', Big Head?!""O-KAY, save the name-calling for post-crisis interactions!" Zane quickly cut in, kneeling down and stifling their mouths. "It appears we are already seen as a threat, if we are already in-costume." Fox (Yusuke) surmised, rubbing his chin. "The asshole said he was already on to us... It's gonna be risky going in there," Skull (Ryuji) muttered. He turned to Khunbish and Chingis, then to Joker (Akira). "You sure we should let them tag along? Without masks or code-names, they stand out pretty badly.""The place is already 100% High Alert, too. If you two are serious about tagging along, you'll have to be in expert stealth-mode!" Oracle (Futaba) told them, rubbing her chin. "On the bright side, I can sense the treasure is already manifested, so we won't have to worry about delivering a Calling Card...""(Aww, but I had a good one in mind...)" Zane quietly lamented. "Oi, what if we put on masks, too?" Khunbish asked, turning to Roland and Evan. "Something like what ye two wore when ye had to sneak around Ding Dong Dell in the past may do the trick,""Aye, 'n' we have no problem in going by code-names!" Chingis added. Evan turned to Joker. "What do you think? Would that work?""It can't hurt to try," Joker answered.Roland and Evan reached into their inventories, allowing Chingis and Khunbish to borrow the masks-and-hoods they had to wear in their own game. "Not too bad! Now, what are we going to call you?" Noir (Haru) asked. "Normally, we come up with our names based on our masks or attire... but seeing as you guys are an exception, you'll have to come up with something different. Make sure it's easy to remember, too." Mona advised."Call me 'Blade'!" Chingis spoke first, adjusting his mask so that it fit over his beard. "Should be easy enough, considerin' me impressive swordplay. (Corr, it's hard to breathe in this thing...)""I'll go by 'Snake'." Khunbish added, looking down at his tail. "...It be a bit obvious, but it's the only thing that'll fit.""Blade and Snake. Alright then, just stay close, and try to avoid attention." Queen (Makoto) advised. "Lass, we'd be background characters in our own game. We're professionals when it comes to being overlooked!" Chingis answered. "Okay, we're heading back to the real-world. Good luck with the infiltration, everyone. We'll meet you back out front afterwards," Zane replied. With that, the Phantom Thieves (including Blade and Snake) made their way to the zoo's entrance, while the Time Lord and co. exited the Metaverse. ...Stumbling back into reality, everyone noticed immediately that it had gotten dark out. "Shit, I forgot time passes by when you're in a Palace!" Zane hissed. He shook his head, turning towards the group. "We'll have to cover a lot of ground, so we have to split up; everyone who knows the 'Veil' spell will have to be in each group. If you find yourself in trouble, use 'Vacate' immediately and wait at the rendezvous point, here.""Who all knows the spell?" Batu questioned. Zane, Marcassin, Duroc, and Oliver raised their hands. "Alright, we have four options. Choose quick who you're tagging along with!""Ya know I'm stickin' with Ollie-Boy!" Drippy exclaimed, hopping up on the young wizard's shoulder. "I'll go with him, too!" Tani added, eagerly. "It'll be exciting sneaking around with someone different, for once.""(Be careful how you word that...)" Batu sighed, rubbing his face. "Kanji-kun and I will go with Zane," Junpei said, while Kanji nodded in confirmation. "I'll go with you. I also brought some spare Familiars, in case things get tricky." Esther added, holding up a couple Creature Cages. "Does anyone need one?""I do," Swaine answered, taking one of the small cages. ""I-I'll take one, if that's alright..." Kanji added, trying to contain his anticipation. Esther nodded, handing him one, as well as Junpei. "Be careful with them. Remember, you share the same stamina." The bard advised them."Roger that," Junpei answered."I'm going with Evan. Marcassin, would you mind coming with us?" Roland requested."Yes, Gascon and I can both..." Marcassin began to state. "I'm going alone." Swaine spoke up, quickly. "Huh?!" The others responded. "Gascon, are you daft? We have seen inside this wretch's heart. He is nothing like the foes you have encountered before!" Duroc reprimanded. "Why are you suggesting such a reckless idea?"The thief gave him a glare, but closed his eyes and took a breath. "It would be worse if I went with anyone. ...I'll be so concerned about the safety of whoever I'm with, I'll end up losing focus, and it's obvious that Blackmire is using that to his advantage. The best course of action is for me to slip in alone, undetected, to search for WG-- it will be easier for me to sense her whereabouts when I'm not worried sick about someone else.""...That's... actually a good point." Kanji replied, blinking. He turned to the building across the street. "Hell, if we cause enough distractions while invisible, we can help keep the focus off Swaine.""Yes! If you can find WG with your instincts, like how Khunbish found Ryuji before, we'll have her out of there safe and sound in no time!" Esther agreed, giving Swaine an approving look.Batu looked at Duroc. "Alright then, your majesty, seems like that leaves you stuck with me." "I... suppose so." The emperor replied, half-heartedly. He held up his scepter, turning to Swaine. "Once you're invisible, move quickly. I do not doubt your skills as a thief, but do not underestimate your foe.""I'll be fine," Swaine murmured. He gave his dad a look. "...You taught us how to handle things on our own, after all."Duroc opened his mouth to retort, but stopped. He sighed, resting a hand on his eldest son's shoulder. "Just be careful, Gascon." With that, he cast 'Veil' upon the naga-thief... feeling him pull out of his grasp as swift as a breeze. "...What're we standing around for!? Let's get in there, already!" Kanji demanded. "You heard the scary-teenager! Cast that spell and go give 'em hell!" Tani declared, pumping her fist in the air. Zane cast the spell on the rest of the group as well as himself, and in their own pairs they raced to the gates of the mansion. Using his Sonic Shotgun, he shot at the electric keypad that controlled the entrance, hacking the system and giving everyone access. Little did they know they were not the only ones breaking into the mansion...0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Footprints were embedded in the grass in the backyard. A window had been broken, inward.Half the security was already unconscious; the other half were running about in a frenzy, giving any intruder the notion to lay low and use the commotion to their advantage.A few subordinates were lying on the ground in puddles of blood, their bodies already cold. It was any wonder when the police would arrive...
'Best get this over with, fast.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The group crossed the massive lawn that stretched out from the mansion; they were thankful the area did not receive any snowfall, as the footprints in the snow would have been a dead giveaway. One thing Tani noticed was, with each time cast invisible by a different wizard, only those who shared the spell could see each other, while the rest were invisible. The only sign of anyone's presence would be the opening of the front door, and the sound of footsteps in the center hall.They split up, her team going up a staircase into a west wing. There were no bedrooms, but only a massive library filled with shelves overflowing with books, statues, dioramas, maps, and paintings. The maps had notes pinned to them, a few books on some desks were marked with several color-coded tabs, and notebooks were littered here and there with written information, some details highlighted. "Crikey! Lookit this mess o' information! It's like steppin' into an encyclopedia!" Drippy commented."Drippy, keep your voice down. We may be invisible, but we ain't muted!" Tani warned him in a hushed tone. "Jeepers, he has maps of almost every world..." Oliver pointed out, finding posters that depicted Breath of the Wild's Hyrule, Borderland's Pandora, Pokemon's Johto Region, the Digital World of the Digimon anime, the country of Greece as depicted in Hercules: The Animated Series, and even... Bikini Bottom?Tani looked, seeing some of the maps had check-lists on them, thankful to see only a small sum of them had been filled out. "Corr, this nutcase will go anywhere to trap something, won't he?" she muttered, seeing the town of Spooksville also listed. "And most of these creatures listed... they're no different than ordinary humans! He's deranged!"Drippy, who had been looking through a notebook, gave a jolt. "Yeesh! He's more deranged than ye think! (This man would drive any therapist to quit...)" he muttered. "Why? What did you find?" Oliver asked, but Drippy held the notebook away from him."Don't look, Ollie-boy! This en't material for youer young eyes--- OI!" Tani yanked the notebook out of his hand. "Put that down, Tani! It's too traumatizing---!""Pipe down," Tani cut him off, looking at the pages... though blanched. "EWW...!" She threw it down. "Oliver! Burn it! Burn everything in the room! BURN THE MANSION!""Tani, calm down!" Oliver told her. "What did it say?""Nothing that a Christian gentlemen would write, that's what!" She shuddered. "T-To put it in as appropriate terms as possible, it seems Blackmire likes to collect beasties for more than observatory purposes." Drippy awkwardly stated, turning a bit green. "(Flip, mun, I'm even more concerned 'bout Thief-Face 'n' Khun-boy now!)""Um..." Oliver looked at Tani for clarification."Don't ask for details. The man is an absolute sicko!" The sky-piratess sneered, and they left the room, heading into a different hallway. "If we cross paths with that pervert, I'm gonna launch an arrow right into his---!"They froze, turning around a corner and finding three dead bodies sprawled on the floor. Gashes in their throats, chests, and stomachs spilled out blood and intestines. "Augh!" Oliver cried. "W-W-What happened here...?!""Oi, I think I'm gonna be sick...!" Drippy gagged, covering his mouth. Tani walked over to one body, kneeling down and grabbing the wrist. "The bodies haven't gone cold yet... Whatever killed them must be nearby." She stood up, crossing her arms. "Wouldn't surprise me if WG did this-- she's been known to have one helluva violent-streak when she's pissed off, from what I hear.""H-How come you're not freaked out by this?!" Oliver questioned.The sky-piratess shrugged, looking at the young wizard. "I've fought in a few skirmishes and have seen my fair-share of dead bodies, so I'm used to it I guess.""Knickers, you're as terrifying as that notebook!" Drippy sputtered. "Oh, hush. Let's just hope whatever did this doesn't come across our mates," They walked away from the bodies, deciding to search another hallway. Above them, they heard rushed footsteps and panicked screams. She nudged Oliver. "Wanna refresh that 'Veil' spell, Ollie?"The young wizard gave a shaky nod, doing just that. "We should warn the others..." he whispered. Looking into a room, he saw two more slashed bodies lying on the ground, and retched. "Safe to say, they've already got the heads-up." Drippy murmured. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Duroc and Batu searched rooms on the ground level, keeping out of the way of a few henchmen who ran by frantically. "Methinks this Blackmire wretch is scrambling his forces for some sorta fight," The sky pirate captain thought aloud, cracking his knuckles. "I guess he's been expectin' us,""Do not do anything brash unless our whereabouts are disclosed," Duroc firmly spoke, as they moved about swiftly. "Our plan is to rescue Gascon's friend first; confrontation will come later.""Arr, don't cut me to the quip so soon, sir. Renegades like myself know as much about infiltration missions as any military force. It be the reason why me men 'n' I serve as King Evan's Armed Forces." They stepped into a laundry-room, looking around once before walking back out. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be trusting two o' me best generals to join the Phantom Thieves on their stealth-mission.""Generals, you say?" Duroc looked around the corner, finding it scarce, and they made their way over to an empty dining room. "I never would have guessed they held such responsibility,""Heh, aye, not too many would... but those two knuckleheads'll surprise you, if you give 'em something serious to focus on." He looked around the corner, heading to a new hallway. "(Corr, this place be the size of a damn castle...)"Duroc looked down one hallway they passed, freezing. "Batu!" The sky-pirate captain followed his gaze, his eyes growing wide when he saw the lifeless bodies scattered around. "By the saints!" The two exchanged glances, before brandishing their weapons, keeping close as they made their way down the hallway to investigate. "There are so many corpses... Whatever did this wasted no time in its slaughter,"Batu looked at one body, finding it to be a woman with terror frozen on her face. "You don't think... Swaine did this, do you?"The emperor gave him a heated look. "Bite your tongue, you fool! My son may be under a curse, but he is not a feral beast!" Calming himself, Duroc pointed at one corpse. "Also, look at their wounds. This was done with either long claws or sharp blades; and the bodies have gone cold. Gascon only had a five-minute head-start, and even with his newfound speed, he could not have slaughtered this many in such short time. Keep in mind, also, that his focus is to find his friend, not slay anyone in his path!""Aye, you're right. Forgive me, your highness. ...But I did hear word that your son had been a touch savage during the first couple days of his curse, and just the other day he was about ready to strangle these bastards just for threatenin' some kids he hardly knew! And considering one o' his mates be under threat now 'n' God knows where in this confounded place...""Batu, enough. Please." Duroc rubbed his temples. "I feel bad enough about letting Gascon go through this without my aid, I do not need any horrid ideas on what may unfold!"The sky pirate looked at him a moment, crossing his arms. "...I take it you're not just talking about our mission at-hand?"The emperor unleashed a heavy sigh. "You are correct... But first and foremost, we should seek out the others. Should whatever do this encounter them, we will have a foe to take down during the rescue.""Well, let's cut the chit-chat and haul ass then! I want to find out what kind o' beast we're dealing with!"With that, they hurried out of the hall.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0"HOLY SHI---mmmf!" Kanji's words were muffled by Zane, as their group stared down the third-floor hallway. Much like the others, they had stumbled upon a long line of bloody bodies; unlike the rest, however, there were a few survivors... currently hiding in rooms, some on their cellphones calling for police. Esther clung to Junpei's arm out of reflex, and the baseball player protectively kept his hand of hers. "What on earth did this...?" she whimpered quietly. "I dunno... Blackmire probably got in over his head during his 'pet shopping'," Junpei murmured. "H-How do we summon our Familiars?""We just tap our chests, but you and Kanji can just open your creature cages,"The two teens did just that, bringing out a Gruffian (Junpei) and a Puss 'n' Boats (Kanji). The two creatures sniffed around, keeping alert in case the threat were still nearby. "I-I hope WG is okay..." The rebel whispered, having no time to gush about how adorable his temporary-familiar was due to the threat. "Me too... If anything, she might've been the one to do this!" Zane said, trying to sound upbeat, but the eerie atmosphere sucked all humor out of the room. "The others!" Esther gasped, biting her fist. "What if...?!""Don't worry. As long as they stay invisible, they should be alright. Not only that, but everyone in each group knows 'Vacate'," "...I don't think WG's up here." Junpei stated, flinching when a dead body slumped sideways."Mew!" Kanji's familiar cried, standing by a window and pointing outward. Junpei's Gruffian barked, looking out the one next to it. The group looked out, finding that-- behind the house-- another 'roof' stuck up from the ground. It was almost as wide as the mansion itself, and practically took up at least 75 yards in length. The Familiars did not take kindly to the sight of it, as if they could sense something ominous within. "You might be right, Junpei..." Kanji answered, and they hurried back down the hall towards the stairs.At that moment, they heard a scream.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Roland, Marcassin and Evan had been fortunate, locating a basement door that was already wide-open. However, they proceeded with caution, entering what they supposed was a cellar...Instead it was a maze of hallways... and it was not long before they saw the bodies. Before they could turn to run and find the others, henchmen were stampeding by, red lights flashing as an alarm blared-- only to be cut off, though the red lights still blinked. In the chaos, Evan ended up toppling through a doorway, which turned out to be an elevator; Marcassin was the only one able to squeeze through after him before the doors shut and began their descent. The chief consul pushed his way through the crowd, not reaching the doors until the hall was vacant. "Marcassin! Evan!" Roland called, hitting the button, but it did not stop the elevator. "Shit!" At that moment, Batu and Duroc came running down the stairs. "Roland! Where are you?!" The sky pirate captain hollered, as their friend was still invisible in their sights. "Over here! Evan and Marcassin fell in this elevator, but I can't get it to come back up!" Batu had him step back, before slamming the blade of his axe through the middle of the door, making a gap so that he could pry the doors open. The elevator cables were still running. "Blimey, how far down does it go?"At this point, the Veil spell wore off. "We must warn the others. There is a beast on the loose---" Duroc began.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHH!"
The scream echoed from the bottom of the elevator shaft. Roland's eyes widened in horror. "Evan!" he cried. He turned to the others. "Go get help! I'm going down there!" Without waiting for a response, he grabbed onto the cables, sliding down into the darkness. "Not without backup, you ain't!" Batu shouted, following suit. Duroc began to run, pausing when he looked over... finding a second set of elevator doors. "For the love of of the Ancients!" he groused. Shaking his head, he decided to point out the missed detail after he fetched the rest of the search party.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0When the elevator doors opened, Evan and Marcassin stepped out into an empty hallway. The lights came on automatically, showing they were in some sort of underground exhibit. There was a map on the wall, showcasing they were in a maze of sorts...Sitting before them was a young teenager, no older than 17, rocking back and forth and hyperventilating. "What happened here?" Evan tried to ask, but the young lackey was too stunned to speak. "Come, we need to find out where we are. I have a feeling we will find our answers down here..." Marcassin stated.They had no time to turn back when a body was flung at them out of the shadows, causing Evan to unleash a horrified scream... and out stepped the monster that had caused so much bloodshed. Marcassin's eyes widened, as he recognized the face. "E... Ezekiel?!""Wrong," He answered, and lunged at the young sage--0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Zane and his company met Duroc at the top of the basement stairs; Oliver, Tani and Drippy had met up with them on the way down, and everyone headed into the second elevator, heading down to the ground floor. There they saw Evan standing between Marcassin and some... thing... with his Mornstar sword drawn. "Stay back!" The young king ordered. The monster turned its attention away from the two young rulers, glaring at the sight of the others. Junpei and Kanji acted quick, stepping in front of the others with their own weapons and familiars. "What the hell is this thing, some sort of demon?" The rebel questioned."It's ATF," Zane sighed, facepalming. "(good grief, I should've known...)"Junpei did a double-take. "Wait--- WHAT?!" he shouted. "But... H-He looks older, a-and he has long claws, and... he's not dressed like a girl!" "It's called a Dark-Ego. An Author will change into one, likely due to trauma and triggers. My guess is, ATF found out about what happened to WG... and something pissed him off to this point." Zane developed a dark glare of his own. "Which, if it was so bad that ATF would turn into Fluffy, Blackmire deserves what's coming to him.""Z-Zeke..." Esther gasped. Fluffy looked at her, his gaze soft. "But... he was about to attack Marcassin! D-Doesn't he know we're here to help?" Evan questioned. Zane shook his head sadly. "As 'Fluffy', he can't tell friend from foe---""I can speak for myself, dumbass." Fluffy sneered, startling everyone. "And anyone under the age of 18, or an animal, is safe from my wrath. The only exception to the rule is my sister... and THIS wimp can't remember where she is!" He pointed at the trembling lackey. "So, I've been searching all over the place until I finally wound up here.""...Fluffy?" Tani arched an eyebrow at him. "You look more like a 'Spike' or a 'Killer' to me.""Look, 'Fluffy'. We're here to save your sister, too! So you better think twice before sticking your claws through the rest of us!" Kanji snapped."In that case... I'll need a hug." Fluffy spoke."W... What??" Junpei stammered. "Dude, you just massacred an entire mansion full of people! I don't think this is the time for a tender moment--!""It's so I can change back, Stupei! Geez!" "A-A hug? That's what will turn you back to normal?" Oliver questioned."Yes.""Knickers, if that's all it takes, let's get it over with, then! I don't fancy seeing Zeke-boy increase his body-count!" Drippy exclaimed. "Alright... so who'll do it?" Tani questioned. Nobody moved. "Oh, for heaven's sakes. I'll do it," Zane stepped forth with his arms wide open. "Stab me, and I'm telling your sister."Fluffy looked at him, a bit hesitant, but walked forth, leaning into his embrace...*CLANG!*Roland and Batu dropped down from the first elevator's escape-hatch, bursting out the doors. Fluffy, startled, leaped over Zane--- claws digging into his shoulders as he did so-- before bolting down the hall. "Ezekiel-- oh no..." Esther cried. "Heal spell, heal spell, HEAL SPELL!" Zane frantically demanded as blood gushed out of his shoulders. Marcassin, Duroc, and Oliver all hit him with 'Healing Touch' at once, completely treating his wound. "*whew* Thank you... Okay, new plan: everyone who's an adult, grab a kid or animal and look for Fluffy before someone gets seriously hurt!""Too late for that, mun." Drippy commented, looking at the traumatized lackey who at this point passed out from shock. "Drippy, you and I can go with Zane. Tani, you stick with Batu; Esther, you go with Marcassin and Duroc; Evan, you stay with Roland; Junpei and Kanji, try to find Swaine and make sure he's alright!" Oliver ordered. "What about keeping invisible??" Tani questioned. "No time--- plus, I'm pretty sure if Blackmire's seen what's happened to his henchmen, I'm pretty sure he's not worried about us anymore." Zane questioned, and everyone split up.Kanji and Junpei had their familiars lead the way, heading into the labyrinth of an exhibit. "I hope the Phantom Thieves are having better luck..." The rebel whispered under his breath. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The moment he had entered the mansion, his instincts led him right into the basement. Finding an air-vent, Swaine pulled off the grate and slid inside, having to remember to thank Khunbish later for the whole 'going up/down steep angles like a snake' when the ducts began to slant, making him slide quickly further down.He peeked through the vents... watching as someone was attacked by... something... and blood splattered on the ground. 'Too dangerous, stay away!' his instincts told him, though he wasn't exactly planning on fighting anything.He honed his instincts in on finding WG. She was nearby...And she was in grave danger.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He did not know what to expect beyond the gates, but as the Phantom Thieves neared the Palace, Snake (that is, Khunbish) felt his instincts going haywire...Not because he could sense the danger within. Oh no. Because he could tell Blackmire was already in a state of distress. There was no way to get through the gates, as they were chained shut with a heavy padlock on them; thankfully, there was a hole dug beneath the wall. "Arr, if this bloke be so hellbent in keepin' his Palace under lockdown, why would there be such a simple infiltration point?" Blade (Chingis) questioned once they discovered it. "This is a place of cognitive desires; infiltration points such as this represent how, when someone is so focused on their treasure, little details like this go unchecked." Mona explained. "Think of it as building a house-- if you don't pay attention to a minor flaw, it can cause damage.""Precisely why we're here! Let's go!" Skull exclaimed, kneeling down to slip through... but barely got his shoulders past before he got stuck. "Mmf! Nnggh! Grrrr!" Kicking and pushing, he eventually pried himself out. "Agh, I can't get through! The hole is too narrow!""Let me try," Panther offered, trying to slip through next... except her hips got stuck. "Ah! I can't...! I'm stuck! Someone pull me out!"Blade and Joker knelt down, grabbing her legs and carefully dragging her back out. "Should we try digging and making the hole bigger?" Queen suggested. Noir knelt down, feeling the ground. "The soil here is too solid. I think Mona-chan is the only one who could fit.""Hold on, folks, I found another entrance!" Oracle stated, typing at her laptop. "Follow me!"She led the group around the corner, were there was another barred gate; this one did not have a heavy padlock on it, but seemed to be blocked off with lasers. In a small office near the gate, there was a panel that activated the security beams. "Mona, see if you can slip in and sneak into that office; turn off the security, and we'll have our infiltration point!" "Sure, leave it to me!" Mona exclaimed, going back around the corner to the hole. "I wonder why this place is on high-alert already..." Joker murmured to himself. "It can't be because Blackmire is intimidated by us already, can it?""The way the prick was talking all smug on the phone, I doubt it... unless he was just bluffing." Skull clenched his fists. "I swear to God, though, if he's done anything to WG...!""You really seem to care a lot about her," Panther spoke up, facing the track-star. "I get the feeling she's more than just a fangirl to you...""Oi, ye don't need a brain to figure that out, Mistress Panther. WG be a good friend of ours," Snake responded, resting his elbow on Skull's shoulder. "Besides, even if we were total strangers, there be no chance we'd turn aside and let some mangy cur get away with snatchin' her up to be used as bait!""Uhhh... if she were a stranger, she'd be fine. Blackmire would kidnap someone you personally knew," Queen stated.Snake let his arm drop, as he developed a blank look. Skull facepalmed. "Well, that certainly damaged the sentiment." Fox commented. Queen cringed, murmuring an apology."What be taking yer cat so long?" Blade grunted, looking back towards the gate. "Mona, is everything---" Oracle began to state, contacting the 'cat'."YEEEEEOOOOOOOOW!" Came a feline yowl, and everyone looked over, seeing their furry comrade racing by, pursued by large, bulky Zoo Keepers... wearing colorful animal masks?"Get back here, you mangy fleabag! No animals outside the cages!" One of the Zoo Keepers bellowed, swiping at the 'cat' with a net!"Return to your pen! The Zoo is under lockdown due to a security breach!" The other shouted, having a dart-gun in hand!"Mona! Get to the panel! Quick!" Joker exclaimed. "CAN'T... EXACTLY... REACH IT... RIGHT NOW!" Mona shouted as he ran back-and-forth in front of the gate, still being pursued. Oracle looked up at the wall. "Does anyone see a spot where we can launch our grappling---?"
*Whoosh!*
"...hooks?"Everyone looked, finding that Snake had used his tail to 'push' himself up the wall, only seeing him for a split second before he dove back down the other side, whipping himself between the Zoo Keepers and Mona. "Oi, come catch a REAL prize, ye knuckleheads!" he taunted, drawing their attention away from the 'cat' as he slipped past the guards. "HEY! Stop right there!" The first Zoo Keeper exclaimed, as they raced after him.Mona took his chance, racing into the office and hitting the button on the panel that turned off the beams and opened the gate. The Phantom Thieves raced in, hurrying after their temporary comrade. With the Zoo Keepers focused on the naga, Joker and Queen managed to leap forth and ambush them from behind,, tearing off their masks and revealing two Shadows, Unicorn and Fenrir."Blade, Snake, stand back! We'll handle this!" Joker ordered, as he summoned his Persona, Arsene. "About time I got a little action. I was starting to get bored," Arsene commented; he followed Joker's command and lunged forth, striking Fenrir with an Eiga ability. "This is awkward, considering we've shared a compendium together, eh?""What're you talking about? I don't know you!" Fenrir snarled, using the Agidyne skill to set the gentleman-thief ablaze, but he swiftly dodged the attack. Unicorn charged forth, tipping its horn downward in order to stab Skull. "Captain Kidd!" The rebel hollered, and summoned his pirate-persona. "Back off, ye damn horse!" Captain Kidd hollered, swerving the ship he hovered on forth and knocking Unicorn to the ground. Snake gawked. "Your Persona be a pirate??" "Surprised, matey?" Captain Kidd then used a 'Zio' attack on Fenrir, while Queen road forth on Johanna, hitting it with a heavy Frei attack--- which turned out to be the monster's weakness, as it collapsed on the ground!"Wait, WAIT! Can't we talk about this?" Unicorn whinnied, the mythical mare looking defeated. "Hold up!" Joker hollered, as the Phantom Thieves surrounded their enemies, pausing so that Unicorn could speak. "Alright, we're up for negotiation.""Look... you don't want to mess with this Blackmire guy. He's completely psycho!" Unicorn shook its mane, letting out a snort. "You know why he has a Palace in the first place?""Well... people normally develop a Palace when they have a twisted desire. This is the same case, isn't it?" Noir questioned.
"He WANTED a Palace. He was hoping that by having one, he could 'collect' Shadows such as myself! That's why so many of us are disguised as Zoo Keepers, to blend in and keep from being part of his 'collection'!"
The Phantom Thieves all froze, looking at one another for a moment before turning back to the Unicorn. "Wait a minute! Then why were you trying to catch me and Snake?!" Mona demanded. "We HAD to! If we didn't look convincing, Blackmire would be on to us!" Fenrir snarled, shaking off his daze. "You would have to be a damned fool to trespass in there, anyway!""But... He can't just keep you guys. You're Shadows. The only way someone can 'obtain' you is if you willingly agree to partner with them as a Persona, or if they summon you..." Joker questioned."Do you think he didn't do his research?! He found a way." Unicorn scowled, stomping its hoof. "Once he spots a Shadow he likes, he uses this 'lasso' skill to get it to submit! He's already caught a few... otherwise he destroys those he finds to be 'a blemish in his perfect world'." "Look, if you punks want to take your chances, go right ahead. But I'm warning you now... you're not gonna be able to stomach the crazy shit he's got going inside there." Fenrir forewarned, before backing down; Unicorn did the same, following him into the shadows and vanishing. "I don't like what he means by that..." Blade muttered, crossing his arms and looking at the group. "I got to say, though, ye sure knew how to handle that! Wish we were able to negotiate with the monsters runnin' loose in our world,""Ooh, that would be cool! Imagine having a Manticore, Monument, Fangfish and Thugg aiding you in battle! The game would be totally broken!" Oracle exclaimed, eagerly. "Hey, hey, focus! We got a Treasure to steal! ...And based on what we were just told, it's going to be a bigger challenge than what we usually do in-canon." Mona stated, his ears drooping as he considered the operation. "If Blackmire constructed a Palace by sheer willpower, our infiltration-route is going to be a walk through hell."The group looked before the massive dome that served as the Palace. "Well... let's not waste a moment, then." Joker stated, and they walked up to the doors, which automatically slid open......Panther gasped, covering her mouth; Oracle yelped, ducking behind Fox; Noir squeaked in alarm; Queen let out a stunned cry; Mona yowled, his tail going bushy; Skull gagged; Fox sneered in disgust; Joker gawked; and Blade quickly covered his eyes.All around them were cages... but rather than animals, there were scantily-clad men and women, all with animal features, ranging from tails, ears, paws, with their outfits designed with different kinds of striped, spotted, fuzzy, scaly, or feathered textures. Most of them climbed around on fake trees, others lounged by ponds, and others crawled around on grass-like carpet on all fours, making seductive purring sounds."What the bloody hell---?!" Snake cried, being the only verbal one at the moment. "I thought this was a zoo exhibit, not a... a cursed brothel!""D-D-D-Don't tell me... THIS is how he sees the animals he captures?!" Queen sputtered. "...I just threw up in my mouth..." Mona whimpered, his expression pure shock and horror. "This explains why he was so dead-set on capturing a naga." Fox grimaced. "He obviously has a bestiality fetish; by having a creature who is semi-human already, he would have a way to live out his desire."Snake blanched. "WHAT?!" he screamed, hugging his tail as it scrunched up next to him. "Corr, that pervert ain't using MY blood-brother for his unholy fantasies!" Blade snarled, taking out his sword. "I say, let's open up all these cages and rob him of his desires!""It won't do anything. These are cognitive fakes," Oracle explained to him. "Cognitive copies of something or someone always act in the way the Palace Ruler WANTS them to act... meaning we could open up the cages, but they wouldn't leave-- if anything, they would alert him to our presence.""Speaking of which, we need to keep moving. The place is already on high-alert, and we can't risk being spotted!" Joker replied, motioning to the red lights that were currently going off. "Lead the way, Joker." Snake stated, sneering at the cages. "The sooner we's destroy this place, the better. (Corr, I'm gonna be sick...)"Skull patted Snake on the back. "Yeah. I remember my first Palace experience too, man."0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0Blade was surprised at how much more swiftly everyone moved; the Phantom Thieves were practically blurs as they raced up stairs, ducked around corners, ambushed more "Zoo Keepers", climbed up stacks of crates to crawl through ventilation ducts, and swung on their grappling hooks to reach a new destination!Snake was just as skilled, as his naga-prowess allowed him to slip through areas undetected, pick up the presence of nearby enemies from afar; he also managed to use his tail to help Blade cross large gaps--- hanging on to a scaffold, railing or beam up high, and having his best friend hold on to his tail and swing across. All the while, they had to keep from looking at the cages, pits, and windowed pens that displayed... 'animals'... in provocative situations. What was more disgusting was how each exhibit had a sign that explained each creature's 'best qualities', though after one glance no one dared to learn more."Oh, my---!" Noir cried, looking into a window of one exhibit. "There's a young girl in this cage! A-A young HUMAN girl!" "What?!" Skull looked inside, his eyes bugging out. "Holy shi--- That's WG!""Huh?!" Snake zipped up, looking in...'WG' was lying on the ground, sprawled out... while a creature that looked to be a centaur-like man with lion-features circled around her. "Ohhh my, you should not have angered my master~" The creature spoke seductively. "But on the bright side, he gave me a nice new little toy to play with! And I bet you'll be so delicious, too~""HEY!" The naga pounded his fist on the glass. "GET AWAY FROM HER! ...WG! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! GET OUT OF THERE!"'WG' looked over at them. "Oh, you did come... I guess I should have just listened and gave you up, since you'd be here either way. Then I wouldn't be a toy for a big, masculine, ferocious beast... I guess it's too late now," she sighed, wistfully."W-What?! No! WG! Snap out of it!" Snake looked around, before grabbing a sign and smashing the window with it!"Wait, that's not--!" Mona tried to warn, but Snake was already inside the cage.Everyone watched as the naga got between the lion-taur and 'WG', hissing fiercely at the beast. "Hmph! Fine! YOU can have her! She's not my type, anyway. Too scrawny," the beast huffed, turning around and walking away. Snake only hissed at him again, before picking up 'WG' and carrying her out of the cage. "It's alright angel, you're safe now. You're--- huh?!" The archer watched as 'WG' turned into smoke, vanishing from his arms. "What in the...?""That wasn't the real WG. It was just a cognitive copy," Mona explained to him. "But... if he imagines WG inside one of the cages, that means he did throw her into one of the exhibits in the real-world...""That bastard!" The naga's eyes glowed, and beneath his mask the outlines of his fangs could be seen. "I'm gonna kill him if anything's happened to her---!""Shh! Quiet!" Oracle snapped, and everyone listened to the sound of approaching footsteps. "We've got company! We gotta pull a Jekyll and hide!""Up there!" Mona pointed up at the beams above them. Using their grappling hooks (with Blade using Snake's tail), the Phantom Thieves shot up and out of sight, just as more Zoo Keepers came running in... Though, they did not seem to be searching for something. Rather, they looked as if they were being chased. "Hurry! It's gaining on us!" one cried... before it was tackled by a silhouette. "GAH!"Within moments the Zoo Keeper was reduced to smoke, and the shadow leaped at the others that were running, slicing one in half, before leaping and impaling the next! Smoke billowed around the room, as it continued its attacks. Everyone watched in horror; Skull had to cover his mouth to keep from crying out... giving a jolt went something wrapped around him, easing down to find it was just Snake's tail, the archer sitting next to him and instinctively holding him close, while keeping his eyes on the violent figure below. Only one Shadow was spared, the figure only looking at them... before running through the next door. The Shadow quickly ran the other way, speaking into a walkie-talkie. "S-S-Sir! It's... It's down here! It killed five more guards!" it whimpered, sounding quite young. "Well, get after it! I'm not going to allow some demonic psycho to run around my exhibit and ruining everything!" Came Blackmire's voice from the other end. "B-But, Mister Blackmire, sir! This thing is... it's too powerful! We can't---!"
"I SAID GO AFTER IT, OR DO YOU WANT TO BE THROWN INTO A CAGE, NEXT?!"
The Shadow sobbed, but did as it was told, running back the way it came. Once the coast was clear, everyone climbed down. "I think we just found out the cause of the high alert," Panther whispered. "In that case, we'd best stay alert as well. No telling what that thing is, if it's got the Shadows in a panic!" Blade stated."Agreed. We need to find a new way to sneak around here, in order to avoid being seen by... whatever that thing was!" Mona replied. Oracle typed at her laptop. "It seems like all the exhibits here are connected by the air-vents. We can explore using them for a while, up until we reach the outer-hallways... and then we'll be back en route to the Treasure." she explained. She looked over, doing a double-take. "Uh, Snake? You can let go of Skull now, y'know."Skull looked down, finding that the tail was still wrapped securely around him. "What th--! Dude!" He slapped it off him, giving Snake a glare. "Sorry! Protective instincts kicked in!" The archer stammered, thankful that his mask hid the blush on his face. "Aww, that's so sweet!" Panther stated with a smile. "It's like he's your bodyguard!""Looked more like he was being his guard-dog... or, guard-snake, har har." Blade added. "Shut up! We have a mission to do, remember?!" Skull snapped, and gave Snake a heated look. "That means no getting all 'protective'-- you have to keep that under control, or you might jeopardize everything!""Oi, it's not me fault! This tail has a mind o' its own!" Snake sneered, crossing his arms and turning away. "Let's just get to the Treasure, we'd be losing time!"Joker walked over to the exhibit with the broken glass, pointing over. "There's a vent over there. Let's head in,"Everyone slipped through the vent, with Blade and Snake being the last ones in. The swordsman grabbed his friend by the shoulder. "(Oi, matey... ye alright?)" he asked in a whisper. "I be fine. C'mon," Snake muttered, shoving him towards the vent. "Me angel be at stake, here!"Blade nodded, crawling in... though he knew his mate's 'angel' wasn't the only one he was worried about.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There was a hidden doorway that led downstairs. At least 10 flights of steps went underground. Or maybe it just felt like it. He reached a hallway, looking luxurious... save for the doors that would 'blend' into the walls, leading into concrete hallways. Blackmire, apparently, liked to have an extra outer-layer to his hidden lair. Of course, it turns out the halls were not so well-hidden, as the body count seemed to increase. He was starting to wonder if he shouldn't have snuck in, his nerves racking at the thought of getting his throat ripped out by... whatever had done this. Thus when he picked up the sounds of sobbing, and remembered exactly why he was putting his life on the line. Without hesitation, he raced down the halls, searching for the source of the cries.0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0WG crawled behind the rock, hoping that by keeping out of sight, the Lynel would lose interest and go away.No such luck. The beast ran around to the other side and grabbed her by the leg, throwing her across the field into a tree! There was a horrible *crack!* and it was hard to tell whether it was the branch she slammed into, or her ribcage. The Lynel was not done with her, though, as it took out a bow and arrow; electricity was crackling at the end. Funny enough, all she could think about was Khunbish's stories of always being struck by lightning...She shut her eyes. This is going to hurt... she told herself, biting her lip as she waited for the finishing blow.*CRASH!* The sound caught the Lynel off-guard, causing it to shoot its arrow off-target and hit a rock instead. Something launched out of the vents above, as a loud hiss took the creature's attention off its weakened prey. WG's eyes widened. "Swaine!"0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0The thief made his way through the vents, allowing his instincts to guide him until he was right outside a pen. Swaine scanned the area, finding he had infared-vision to help him pinpoint who-and-what was in the cage, making out a large manticore-like beast holding an electric arrow... And aiming it at a smaller figure.He could smell the blood from here...The naga's vision went red as it had done weeks ago, and he broke the grate off the vent, bursting out with a furious hiss and grabbing the monster's attention. It was just like the manticore he had fought in the Summerlands, albeit a few feet shorter... and carrying weapons. His instincts allowed him to perceive the creature had a strong aura that rivaled his own, and was quite swift in movement. However, the elder prince had faith that he could beat it in speed and arms, as he drew his pistol.The Lynel took out another electric arrow, firing at the thief, but Swaine dodged just in time, firing back with a Rot-Shot, hoping to poison his opponent despite the shot did little damage to it. He then summoned his familiar, Lemahl, to leap at the Lynel and distract it. The simian jumped on its lower back and climbed onto its shoulders, pulling at its mane and making the monster buck around; the naga then shot forth, wrapping his tail around its legs and making it trip and fall on its side; he summoned back his familiar, wrapping his tail around the monster's throat in order to strangle it...But the Lynel was not ready to give in, as it grabbed its sword and swung, slicing his tail. Swaine let out a sound that was a combination of a hiss and a yell, his coils loosing enough for the beast to become untangled and grab him by the neck, pinning him to the ground as it prepared to lop his head off!The thief's tail whipped up and caught the Lynel's wrist, jerking the sword back while twisting its arm, making it drop the weapon; with a free hand, he managed to take out his pistol and shoot it in the eye, making it howl in pain and stagger back. The naga got back up, backing away and looking around; finding an electric arrow lying on the ground, he picked it up and jammed it into the beast's flank, making it seizure before it toppled over, paralyzed. He then turned around, looking across the field where WG sat, trembling. ...It was a lot like the incident in the desert, when he had finished a battle and his sights fell on a terrified quiverine pup, his feral instincts taking over: 'weak prey, capture, kill, eat...'Now, his instincts had altered: 'injured, scared, weak, must protect...'The naga slithered over, the red tint fading from his vision as he looked over WG's injuries. She was bleeding from the side, was covered in bruises, there was a hand-print on her face, she was holding her ribs, her breathing felt labored...Without hesitation, he summoned Lemahl again, this time having his familiar use its healing-skill to mend her injuries, at least enough to stop the bleeding and fix any broken bones. "C'mon. Let's get you out of here," Swaine whispered, holding out his arms. She reached up, allowing him to carry her out...Then she cried out, "Swaine! Behind you!"The naga looked, seeing the Lynel had recovered and was charging at them! The thief took off like a shot, barely missing getting hit by an electric arrow before he made it back to the open vent, shoving WG inside it first. "Hurry! Crawl to safety!" He pulled himself up next once she was far enough in. He ordered Lehmal to distract the beast so it would not see them sneaking away.WG crawled slowly, and the elder prince's heart was swelling with concern, anxiety and anger because of the state she was in..."AGH!" Swaine yelled, feeling a sharp blade slash at a thick part of his tail, and felt himself getting yanked out!0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0"Swaine-- whoa!" WG cried, but fell through a loose grate, landing on the floor of some sort of storage room. The impact left her paralyzed, as she stared up at the open vent.She heard the echoes of roars and hisses, gunshots and zaps... pained cries... a defiant howl... and then silence. "S... Swaine?" she called. Grunting, she sat up, her body sore all over, and she felt her blood-soaked shirt sticking to her skin peeling off slightly as she moved. She looked up at the vent, raising her voice. "Swaine! Are you there?! Please, speak to me!"Silence.Tears welled up in her eyes, and she covered her face, sobbing heavily..."Sorry I'm late. That thing was a bitch to kill,"The authoress gasped, looking up and seeing the naga hanging upside-down from the vent, slowly making his way down. He was in a terrible state-- gashes in his skin and scales, a black eye, missing a couple teeth, his clothes more tattered than usual and stained with blood. The relief lasted only a second, before guilt hit her like a truck. "Swaine... I'm so sorry!" WG whimpered. "This is all my fault...""Why? You're not the one kidnapping people," Swaine scoffed as he was back on level ground, resting a hand on her shoulder. "That bastard is the one who---"But she continued to stammer. "I-If I didn't make you guys go down to the Vault of Tears... o-or if I had just left that statue alone--- or if we just let you guys stay hidden instead of g-going out in public... or if I had been more careful---!""Hey," Swaine cupped her chin, making her look up at him. "I've told you already. I don't blame you for any of this. So what if I got a little beat up? This would've happened no matter who got thrown into the lion's den! No more guilt-trips over something out of your control, okay?" He reached up, wiping a tear off her cheek. By reflex, she tilted her head into his palm, holding his hand to her face, her chest feeling tight as she tried to hold back another sob. "Still, I-I'll make this up to you somehow...""Don't worry about it," He pulled his hand away, and she looked at him; he gave her a soft smile, having both his hands rested on her shoulders. "I promised I would always be there for you when you need me, remember? And I'm not going back on my word anytime soon,"WG's eyes widened. So he didn't forget...?It was at this moment she felt her heart-strings snapped, and fresh tears flooded out her eyes. She lunged forth and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. "S-Swaaaaiiiiiine...!" she cried. Long arms and tail alike wrapped around her as the thief held her close; one hand rubbed her back, the other stroking her head, his voice softly shushing her and whispering reassurance. Once she calmed down, the authoress pulled away, looking up at him. "T... Thank you, Swaine.""Anytime, Luna." He replied, uncurling his tail as they got up. "C'mon, let's get out of here. Can you walk?""I think so... Can you-- uh, slither?""I can... ah! I can try..." The two leaned against one another, Swaine having an arm around her shoulders, WG having an arm wrapped around his back, as they 'carried' each other towards the door. At that moment the naga stilled, shushing her. WG paused, both of them hearing footsteps, and the door opened. There were three of Blackmire's henchmen, all heavily armed and looking worse for wear; the naga hissed softly, his eyes glowing, though he could tell they had already been frightened by something else and seemed 'relieved' to see the two of them."Don't move, or we start firing," The henchman in the middle ordered, aiming an automatic-rifle at them, as did her comrades. "Hands off the gun!" The one on the left snapped, seeing Swaine reaching for his pistol. The naga sneered, keeping his hand raised, the other still around WG. "And no sneaky-snake business, either. These bullets shoot faster than you can move," The one on the left added. "You so much as try hypnotizing us, and we'll pump both you and your little blonde buddy there full of---!"
*BOOM!*
"What the fuck---?!" Everyone turned, seeing something had shot by and exploded down the hall, smoke billowing. The henchmen looked over, just in time for something to lunge at them. "ACK!""Holy--! When did this thing-- OOF!" One of them cried, as something kicked them clear across the room, right into a wall!"Watch out, it's armed---!" The other cried, but something shot into her, leaving her charred as she collapsed. "...medic...!""Nonononono---! MOMMY!" The remaining henchman cried, but something grabbed him, and he was thrown into the hall, headfirst. Smoke was starting to fill the room due to the fire. Only Swaine could see through the dark cloud, looking at a hulking silhouette with bright red eyes and long... rabbit ears?The strangest part was, he sensed mild familiarity from the figure. "Kanojo wa daijoubu desu ka?" It spoke, pointing at WG. Swaine blinked, a bit surprised, but responded. "Hai、watashi tachi wa sukoshi kega wa shi te iya masu ga、daijoubu desu.""Yoshi . . . sorekara isoi de koko kara de te kudasai、baka!" The rabbit figure backed up, pointing to the right. "Watashi wa anata no tame ni michi wa meikaku ni shi te oku no wa tetsudai masu. Asoko ni deguchi ga ari masu,"Swaine looked at WG and nodded forth, both of them moving gingerly. The smoke had faded, but the halls remained dark, only a flashing red light being the source of luminescence. The authoress squinted, trying to make out the shape of the figure helping them. "Who is that?" she asked the naga in a whisper. "No idea... but I can tell he's on our side. He can only speak Japanese, I'm guessing." Swaine replied, continuing to speak to their guide. "Sorede、 anata mo Blackmaia nitaishite fukushuu wa shi te iya masu ka、 soretomo hiiro ni naru no ga suki desu ka?"The figure gave a hearty laugh. "Sate、 anata wa " hiiro " no bubun ni chikai desu ...rokudenashi ga watashi wa okora se ta node、 watashi wa tadai koko ni iya masu."The naga scoffed with a smirk. "Kare mo anata wa tsukamaeyo u to shi mashi ta ne?"The large rabbit shook his head. "Iie. Kare wa watashi no kodomo tachi wa dainashi ni shi mashi ta." They reached a new doorway, just in time to hear screams, gunfire, and shouts coming from down the hall. The figure opened the door for them, keeping to the shadows. "Isoi de、 karera no ookina sis wa anzen ni shi te kudasai. Jikan wa kasegi masu!"Swaine and WG hurried through. "...Translation, please?" the authoress inquired. The naga looked back at the figure, who held a finger to its lips. "Ah... a giant bunny is just protecting his family. That's all I got," "A giant what--?" WG turned to look back, but the door was closed behind them. "I heard something over--- SWAINE! WG!" came a cry, and the two looked over, just in time to see Junpei and Kanji running forth, the baseball player being the one who spoke. "Holy shit, what happened to you two!?" Kanji sputtered. "Well... first we were nearly killed by a lion-centaur-thing... then we were saved by a giant rabbit who only spoke Japanese." WG awkwardly replied, her tone sounding just as confused as the looks their friends gave. "...It's been a weird experience.""W-We can hear the details later. Right now, we'd better get you guys out of here and heal you up," Junpei stated; he knelt down and carried WG on his back, while Kanji helped support Swaine. "Where are the others?" Swaine asked. "Somewhere around here... we had to split up because this 'Fluffy' guy is... d-doing that." Kanji began to state, pausing when they came across a dead body in the corridor. "Fluffy is here?! Oh shit...!" WG looked around. "We have to find him and turn him back into ATF!""That's what the others are doing," Junpei replied. "As long as they have a kid with them, they should be fine... right?""Yeah, unless he doesn't see the kid until AFTER he impales someone!" She tugged on Junpei's shoulders, shifting as if she were steering him. "C'mon, we gotta find him!""No way! You guys are in no state to go looking--- uh, never mind." Junpei froze, as something dropped down in front of them.It was Fluffy. "Oh, hey bro. We were just talking about you!" WG greeted, sliding off Junpei's back and staggering over. "You're hurt," Fluffy pointed out."Thank you, Captain Obvious. C'mere," WG held out her arms, and Fluffy stepped forth, allowing her to hug him.Within a matter of seconds, Fluffy reverted back to ATF... and the immortal tween blinked several times, before his eyes went wide. "Where was I the last thirty minutes?" He froze, seeing the corpse on the ground. "Ohhhhhhhhhh... fuck.""C-C'mon dude, let's just find the others and get out of here." WG walked with him. "Can you open a portal?"Her brother only trembled, looking around at the bodies on the floor, and his bloodied hands. "S... So many bodies... Holy shit, I've got blood all over me--- how many did I kill?!" "I'll take that as a 'no'...""Can you open a portal, WG?" Kanji asked, while trying not to gag. The authoress shook her head. "I've tried. My powers have been disabled. I don't know when they'll be back.""Guess we'll have to take the long way out," Junpei sighed, having WG climb on his back again.Onward they walked. Swaine looked at ATF, seeing the traumatized look in the teen's eye as he realized what kind of monster he had been only moments ago.The naga winced, knowing the feeling all too well. He reached and rested a hand on ATF, who looked at him for a moment... before clinging to him, allowing the naga to rub his back. Kanji looked at both of them, a look of sympathy on his face; Swaine tightened his arm around the rebel's shoulders a bit.After this experience, it was safe to say the naga wouldn't feel like a monster again anytime soon.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The further down the corridors went, the more discomfort Roland felt. Around every corner was another line of displays, each one having a different creature inside, and every creature was either miserable or greatly agitated... and for good cause. These beasts had been taken straight out of their environments and were now crammed inside cages that gave them very little space to roam. The president had taken his son to zoos time and again before, but they were normally above ground, and made sure that the animals in captivity were comfortable. Safe to say, Blackmire’s ‘menagerie’ was breaking several violations just for being built.Tani also informed them of the ‘journal’ the poacher left lying around, explaining that the lunatic had a sick obsession with mythical creatures that she refused to give details about.That, however, did not make sense to the chief consul. “You said Blackmire left out all that information in a library, right?” he asked the young piratess. “Aye, a lot more than I wanted to see…” Tani muttered; she looked at him, seeing a familiar look on his face that showed he was pondering. “Did you figure something out?” “I’m just wondering why someone who practices discretion would allow personal information to be lying out.” He turned to the group. “I doubt he expected us to get inside, as heavily guarded as this place… was… so that rules out trying to psych us out.” “I wouldn’t put it past him, matey.” Batu replied, stopping to peer around a corner, before signaling the group to keep moving. “The man may be a crackpot, but he ain’t daft. He did his research on our worlds; he even warned them Phantom Thieves about tampering with his heart.” “So… he expected we would find a way in?” Evan guessed. “Aye. He may have had a few henchmen patrolling his estate, but still learned we’s had the use of magic on our side; not to mention, many of us have infiltrated areas of tight-security before. He wanted us to find that information. Only the purpose remains a mystery,” Roland rubbed his chin, closing his eyes in contemplation. “I’m not sure that’s it…” “Holy shit! There’s more in here!” shouted a familiar voice, coming from up a flight of stairs nearby. “Good grief, bro. How long have you been here?” came another. “I have a massive amount of corpses on my conscience…” came a whimpering response. “Zeke? WG??” Tani called, and everyone ran up the stairs, entering the mansion’s halls… where a few bodies were sprawled out. “(oop, watch the cadavers, everyone) You’re alright!” She slowed down, seeing the beat-up and bloodied state the two authors and thief-naga were in. “Er… you ARE alright, aren’t you?” “Well, we’re still breathing, so that’s a plus.” WG responded, currently being carried on Junpei’s back; Kanji was supporting Swaine, while ATF clung to the naga with a look of deep regret on his face. Tani walked over to ATF, giving him a look of concern. “Is everything okay with you, mate? We were worried when you took off on us,” “I-I feel sick…” ATF sniffled, tears running down his face as he shut his eyes tight. “Guys, I swear, I-I didn’t want to do ANY of this! I-I-I had a vision about WG getting k-kidnapped, a-and heard someone threaten to… to…” Swaine arched his tail up, pushing the immortal teen closer to him, rubbing his head in consolation. “You were worried about your sister and lost control. Khunbish and I felt the same way when we heard him spouting threats,” he replied. “Tch, you’re not the only ones.” Kanji looked at the bodies with a sneer. “These bastards threatened everyone’s families, kidnap and abuse animals—INCLUDING ones that count as people!--- and nearly killed someone just because their boss wants to make a fucking zoo. They had it coming!” “Let’s just get out of here. WG, ATF, can either one of you open up a portal?” Roland asked. The authoress shook her head ‘no’, while her brother continued to tremble from his shock. The president took out his cellphone. “Then I’ll contact the others, and we can use the Vacate spell…” Swaine’s head jerked up; he then pulled away from Kanji and ATF, circling around the group until his tail surrounded them all, his eyes glowing with his fangs extended. A low hiss escaped through his clenched teeth. “Dude. That’s not a good sign.” Junpei gulped. Steel bars closed over all the doors around them. The floor suddenly began to shake, before steam burst through small slots in the flooring; the hall began to split in half, a large gap expanding beneath them; with a cry, everyone fell down into a different area of the illegal menagerie, the bodies falling with them.The room was a vast, underground garden area lit with fluorescent lights, a mist-system built in to provide moisture for the plant life, and instead of painted murals, there were virtual images projected onto the walls, switching from an ocean, to a jungle, to a desert, and to a forest, the images rotating slowly around the room like a giant screen-saver. In the center of the room was a cobblestone path, leading up to a dais where Blackmire sat in a large chair, decorated with various furs, scales, and horns from different animals. “So nice of you to drop in,” the poacher greeted. Swaine was the first one to get up, his eyes aglow. “You bastard, I’ll get you for all this---!” he snarled, launching himself forth. “Swaine, wait---!” Roland shouted. *BZZZT!* “ARRRGH!” Swaine cried as he hit an electric forcefield, falling to the ground. Roland and Batu raced over, pulling him away from the screen. “You fucking coward! Come out and fight like a man!” Kanji snarled, balling his fists. “Oh, but I have been, dear boy.” Blackmire stated, resting his face on his fist with a smug grin. “Unlike brutes like you, I fight with tactic, not violence. I happen to be a pacifist, after all.” “Yeah? The handprint on my face says otherwise!” WG snapped, getting to her feet, though her stance was wobbly. “Leave our friends the hell alone, already!” Blackmire stood up, pacing. “I only use violence when necessary. Whether it is out of defense or to… convince others that I am not to be trifled with. But I would never harm out of malice! What my grunts do during their job--- well, they seemed to have received their retribution.” He motioned to the corpses that littered the area. “…I hope this incident does not render my operation as a hostile work environment.”The villain then looked over at ATF. “I must admit, I did not expect your friend to have such unique transformation qualities. I am curious as to what kind of creature you are, young man. Are you part of some sort of lycanthropic class?” “You asshole!” Tani screamed, standing up and wrapping her arms around ATF (whose eyes were beginning to turn violet, again.) “Don’t you care at all about the lives that have been lost?! You’ve been causing nothing but pain for everyone like it’s some sort of sick hobby!” Blackmire gave her an indignant look. “My ‘hobby’ is perfectly natural, and if people were not so sensitive about the wildlife, I would not have had to stoop to such measures!” he gave a look at Swaine, who was still recovering. “Do you know what the difference is between mankind and beasts? Man is able to invent, to think, to feel! Wild animals are only driven by instincts, unable to adapt outside of evolution, and care for nothing outside of eating, surviving, and reproducing.“Thus, when I discovered creatures that can do so much more, I dedicated my life to capturing and studying them, converting my estate into a reserve where I can bask in the glory of species with higher intelligence than that of---!”
“AH, SHADDAP!”
Blackmire looked over his shoulder, just in time for Zane’s fist to collide with his nose; the villain fell and rolled down the steps of his podium. “Zane! …Thank God, I was getting sick of this guy’s monologue!” WG exclaimed. “How did you guys find us??” Evan asked in relief. “Simple. We followed the sounds of screams, and Zane used his Sonic Screwdriver to hack the security system and get us into this room.” Oliver replied with a shrug, pulling a lever that shut off the forcefield. Zane raced over, kneeling in front of WG, looking at every bruise and bloodstain. There was a dark look in his eye, as he turned back towards Blackmire. “You hurt my girlfriend? You choose death.” He sneered, taking out his wand. “Hold on, Zane.” Roland stopped him, walking up to Blackmire. “We still have loose ends to tie up, starting with why you were so careless as to leave out a journal full of explicit details about your obsession. Normally, stuff like that is kept under-wraps and would be harder to find… and I doubt you were trying to trick us.” Blackmire chuckled mirthlessly, glaring up at the president. “You should know the answer, Mister Crane. You know how the saying goes, ‘To fool an enemy, you must fool your allies’. Well, I took it one step further.” “How do you mean? And you’d better give a clear answer— we’ve run low on patience, at the moment.” The villain smirked. “Very well. But it is a long explanation, let me see if we have TIME!”On that last word, Blackmire hit a button on his watch; the projections on the walls shut off, revealing cages lining the walls to the left and right, showing one big windowed cage… though all anyone could see were jade-green scales…Until a massive yellow eye opened, gazing right at them. The ground began to shake as the monster moved, and in a matter of seconds slithered out of their sights. “What… what was that…?!” Kanji stammered. “I… I think it was a type of Fangfish!” Evan responded, aghast. “But… I’ve never seen one that color—or that size, before!” Roland gripped Blackmire by the shirt-collar. “Where did you get that thing?!” he demanded. The poacher merely chuckled. “Simple… I found an egg, and with some special genetic engineering, crafted my own kind of species.” He then hit his watch again. “Specifically for security purposes!”
The room shook, as the giant Fangfish burst out of the floors, letting out a deafening screech. “Agh!” Swaine recoiled, covering his ears from the piercing sound--- not noticing the beasts’ tail, which had bright red spikes jutting out at the tip, burst out behind him and smack him into the wall! “Nnnngh!” “Swaine--- EEEK!” Tani cried, trying to rush to his aid, but a clawed fin jutted out in front of her, blocking her path. “N-No way! Fangfish don’t have limbs!” Evan cried. “What part of ‘genetic engineering’ did you not grasp?” Blackmire scoffed, before decking Roland and getting back on his feet. “Now then… Xerxes!” he called to the creature, making it stand still; he then snapped his fingers. “Kill.” The monster roared, then lunged forth towards Roland--- There came a yowl, as a Puss-in-Boats leapt through the air and slashed at the monster, drawing its attention away from the chief consul. The beast thrashed about, flinging the fencing-feline off its face, though it landed gracefully on the ground, hissing at it.Before the Fangfish could retaliate, a laser-beam struck it across its jaw, and it turned towards the Gruffian that was barking fiercely at it. The monster swung up its tail behind the hound, but it suddenly turned into a little ball and flitted out of the way, receding back into the Creature Cage Junpei had released it from. The Monster turned its attention on the teen, who held up his sword and braced himself. It roared and burrowed its way beneath the ground. “Move, lad!” Batu hollered at him as the ground began to quake beneath the teen.Junpei leapt and rolled, just as the Fangfish breached the surface. Batu and Tani then shot at it with their arrows; Roland shot at it with his sidearm; and Oliver and Evan struck it with spells. The monster had a thick skin, however, and would burrow underground, trying to catch them by surprise, whilst using its tail to knock them off-guard, its blows rendering the young wizard, Sky Pirate Captain, and young king paralyzed; Tani and Roland rushed to their aids, while avoiding the monster’s attacks. Kanji and Junpei, meanwhile, turned their attention on Blackmire, watching as the poacher was ducked out of sight. “Hey, asshole! Why don’t you join the party?!” The rebel shouted, charging at him.Blackmire turned to run, but the Puss-in-Boats dashed in front of him, using its rapier to trip him up and make him hit the ground. “Xerxes! Attack!” he ordered, hitting a button on his watch once more. The Fangfish turned its attention away from its own fight and onto Kanji, using its tail to shoot up and swat the rebel across the room. Its spikes left gashes in his abdomen, blood leaking through his shirt. “D… Dammit…!” he grunted.His Puss-in-Boats rushed to his aid, though with its stamina running out began to stumble; the Fangfish swung its fist down in an attempt to kill the feline… The Gruffian from before leapt and knocked its fellow-familiar out of the way; Junpei hurried over to Kanji, opening up the Puss-in-Boat’s creature cage to summon it back before it passed out. He then commanded the Gruffian to use ‘Ear-Splitter’ on the Fangfish, making it cringe from irritation. The monster glowered… then let out a horrible screech that blew both the baseball player and the hound into the wall. The Gruffian was knocked unconscious upon impact, and Junpei fell unconscious as a result, slumping beside Kanji. A stabbing-pain shot through the monster’s body just then, and it turned to see Roland had drawn his sword and pierced its back. “Over here, you kaiju-reject!” the chief consul hollered, and with a roar the monster pursued him. Zane and Drippy, meanwhile, focused on their still-injured party-members. WG could barely move; and Swaine was unconscious, his torso and upper-part of his tail bleeding from where the spikes hit him. The Time Lord and fairy were hurrying to heal up everyone’s wounds so they could fight… or at least escape.ATF went to use his amulet to get them out of danger, but realized it had fallen off during his plummet. He spotted it in the middle of the floor, rushing over and grabbing it… The ground began to quake… “ZEKE! RUN!” Tani screamed. The Fangfish breached beneath him before he could even stand, its jaws open wide as it swallowed him whole! “Oh, come ON…!” were his last words before the beast’s mouth snapped shut. The beast turned its attention towards its weakened prey. Zane stood between it and his friends, his wand raised. “Don’t make me use this,” he warned. “Kill him!” Blackmire ordered--- but before he could hit the button on his watch, he was struck by a folding-chair. “Get… bent!” Kanji rasped, before he passed out, falling back beside Junpei. The others rushed at the beast, blasting at it with gunshots, arrows, spells…They only enraged it.It let out another deafening screech, then raised its tail high and slammed it down. The ground quaked; everyone still standing lost their footing, before the tail swept across the floor, slamming into them and sending them flying across the room! “…ow… okay, this thing’s starting to piss me off.” Zane grunted, having left a dent in the wall, beside Batu and Roland. Blackmire managed to get back up, propping himself up on his chair. While his enemies were subdued for the time being, he took his chance. “Xerxes, fetch the naga!” he ordered, clicking his watch again. The Fangfish turned towards Swaine; WG wrapped her arms around him, giving a death-glare to the monster. “You’re not taking him! Fuck off!” she snarled. The beast roared, lunged forth--- WG gasped, hugging Swaine and closing her eyes, bracing herself--
*POW!*
A bolt of light struck it between the eyes; the monster reared back, screeching in pain.WG opened her eyes, peering up and seeing someone standing between them and the beast, his imperial wand raised, and from his firm stance she could imagine the livid expression on his face. “I believe you have harassed my son and his company for the last time,” Duroc spoke, while Marcassin and Esther hurried to aid their fallen friends. The former Emperor glowered at Blackmire. “You have one chance to call off your beast, or lose any chance of mercy.” “I’ll take that chance,” Blackmire grinned, holding up his watch.He paused, noticing a glow coming from behind him, and turned to see a portal…Drenched in saliva and stomach-acid, ATF leapt through, tackling the villain and pinning him to the ground. “Found it!” The immortal teen exclaimed, holding up his amulet that now hung around his neck, once more. “Thank God it didn’t end up breaking down in the digestion---!” “Get off me, you disgusting brat!” Blackmire snarled, shoving him off as he stood up, clicking his watch. “Xerxes, come to me!” The Fangfish emerged beneath him, carrying its master atop its head. Blackmire pushed another button, and the monster began to arch and twitch; an extra set of limbs tore out of its scales; it roared, and its dual-tongues extended like whips, oozing a substance that melted through the floors; and its skin ripped, revealing a fresh, armored layer beneath.The rest of its body broke out of the ground, revealing it had grown legs, and now had two spiked tails that swung around the room. By this point, Swaine came to. “What happened…?” he groaned, his eyes widening at the sight of the monster’s metamorphose. “The hell…?! Did that thing get bigger?!” “Blackmire’s controlling it with his watch. We have to find a way to snatch it!” WG told him. Swaine looked around the room; Junpei, Kanji and Roland were currently unconscious; he could tell Zane, Batu, Oliver, and Evan were hanging on by a thread of health; ATF was currently opening portals to help Esther dodge the monster’s attacks as she tried to heal everyone, but her magicka would run out within the minute; and Duroc and Marcassin were blasting at this thing with every spell they knew, but it seemed resilient to their attacks. He looked at the beast… it was a cold-blooded creature…Using his infrared-vision, he could notice something warm up within its temple… “I got a better idea,” Swaine answered, then shot out onto the battlefield. “Wh--- Swaine!” Esther cried, watching the naga-thief slither across the ground. “HEY, ASSHOLE!” Swaine shouted, as he dodged the monster’s claws and spiked tails. “You want a naga?! Come get one!” “You’re really trying my patience!” Blackmire groused. “Xerxes, fetch!” The Fangfish roared, then pursued the naga; Swaine dove into one of the tunnels it had made, navigating until he came to the other side of the glass.Blackmire gasped and dove off before his pet could burrow after its prey, then turned and saw he was surrounded by the others. “If you so much as LOOK at that watch, I’ll break your fucking kneecaps.” Zane warned him. “Gascon!” Duroc cried, as he watched his son lead the Fangfish beyond the glass. “What the hell is he doing?!” “Don’t worry. When Swaine does something stupid, it usually means he has an idea.” ATF assured him, then turned to the audience and mouthed the words, ‘I hope’.
…though in the process of facing the audience, he was looking at Tani. “Seriously?” she deadpanned, and he looked away awkwardly. Swaine dove into the next tunnel, the Fangfish racing after him. What Blackmire failed to realize was that, by genetically altering the species to have limbs and extra body-parts, it slowed down what would have been its natural-speed, giving the naga an advantage as he led the monster through the tunnels, before finding a hole that breached the surface.He shot out, slithering towards the barred doorway. When the monster burst out, he let out a challenging hiss, and the monster lunged forth; Swaine shot out of the way, causing the monster to crash through the doorway… only to pull back, wobbling in a daze. With the beast stunned, Swaine drew his pistol and took aim— I hope this works! He thought, pulling the trigger. *BANG!* The monster shook his head, before burrowing back under the ground. “Ha! Missed!” Blackmire declared, then hit the button on his watch while everyone had been looking over. Swaine gave him a smirk.. then held up a microchip in his palm. “Did I?” he then crushed it in his grip. Blackmire’s eyes widened, and he repeatedly hit the button on his watch, but the beast did not return. “Oh… dear.” He squeaked, looking around at all the angry faces that surrounded him. He gave a weak smile. “W-Would it help my case if I said I was sor---” *BAM!* WG slammed the heel of her palm into his nose, breaking it. “And that’s just for slapping me. Anyone got a machete I can borrow?” she stated, cracking her fists. The ground began to quake just then. “Um… I think it’s coming back!” ATF cried, and opened a portal--- but a spiked tail burst out and swung at him, knocking his head (and the amulet) clean off! His body then pursued his rolling cranium. “Oh, for crying out loud--! GRAB MY NECKLACE!” Zane picked it up, but before he could use it the Fangfish burst out, letting out a roar---The Time Lord pointed his wand and hit it with a spell, the roar growing to a higher pitch as he shrunk the beast, then caught it in a little jar.“I honestly should’ve done that earlier.” He bluntly stated. ATF recovered his head, plopping it back on. “Okay. Hand me my necklace, and I’ll open up a portal and get us the fluff out of here!” he exclaimed. “It’s about time.” Tani huffed, crossing her arms. Zane handed ATF his amulet, while Batu, Duroc and Marcassin retrieved Roland, Junpei, and Kanji, carrying their unconscious companions over; the naga-thief kept Blackmire trapped in his coils, dragging him over roughly. “Alright, Zeke. We’re ready!” Esther exclaimed once everyone was gathered. ATF held up his amulet… but nothing happened. He froze in horror, looking to see the jewel had been cracked, its power gone. “Ohhh… c’mon! I’ve worn this thing through every kind of catastrophe in the last several decades, and it just now breaks?!” “Does anyone have enough magicka to cast the Vacate spell?” Evan asked, though everyone from his franchise shook their heads, having used it up in the fight and during the search. “I can apparrate, but it’ll take a few trips.” Zane said with a shrug. “Let’s just head up the stairs.” WG sighed, walking towards the exit. The ground began to shake, and the floor in front of her gave way! She gasped and stumbled back, rushing to the others. “Never mind!” Everyone looked at Blackmire. “Don’t tell me you have another ‘special pet’!” Drippy snapped. “It’s a cave-in, you snake-bellied idiot! Xerxes made so many tunnels, that the foundation can’t hold!” Blackmire retorted. “Zane! Get apparrating!” WG ordered, waving the others towards her boyfriend. “Unconscious crew, first! Hurry!” Batu and Tani supported Kanji and Junpei, sticking close to Zane as he waved his wand. With a *crack!* they disappeared; five seconds later, he reappeared, and took Roland and Evan with him next. The ground was giving out fast, everyone huddled on the last remaining piece of ground. “He won’t get us all out in time…” Esther winced, as she and Oliver clung to each other. The naga-thief frowned, sensing their despair… Zane returned, and Swaine pushed the kids forth. “This lot next, go!” he ordered. “Hold up--!” Drippy yelped as he jumped up on Oliver’s shoulder. Zane did not hesitate, teleporting them out. The ground crumbled further, and the naga twisted around Duroc, Marcassin, WG and ATF (all the while keeping a death-grip on Blackmire), holding them close so that Zane could get them all out in one more trip— The floor gave out, and they began to plummet… A hand grabbed Swaine by the tip of his tail, pulling everyone upward and away from the falling rubble; whatever carried them smashed through a wall up above, taking them away from the crumbling estate, before setting them on the ground beside the rest of the group across the street. He looked up… immediately recognizing the man who he had met days before, the superhero getup not fooling him for a minute. “…Do infiltration missions always end like this for you, or is this the first time?” Kamoshida remarked, changing back into his normal form. “MY HERO!” ATF squealed, diving forth and hugging him. He looked at Marcassin. “I still love you. But still—” he hugged Kamoshida tighter. “My hero~!” The medalist pushed him away (or at least tried to). “Get off me or I throw you back!” “I didn’t expect this guy to be a deux ex machina,” Zane commented to WG. “And I didn’t expect this story to go from being just a fluff-series to having an antagonist, yet here we are!” WG retorted, thumbing at Blackmire; across the street, the brick wall in front of Blackmire’s estate crumbled. Kamoshida (after Drippy used a crowbar to pry ATF off his torso), turned and looked at the poacher. “This the guy?” he asked the others, who nodded. He cracked his fists, walking forward. “Alright then…” Blackmire, overcoming his daze, looked up in time to see the P5 villain loom over him. “Where did you---?!” he began to sputter. *BAM!*
Once again, he was met with a punch to the face. “THAT’S for scaring my kids,” Kamoshida stated.
*PUNT!*
Blackmire suffered a kick to the stomach next, making him bend over, gasping for air. “And THAT’S for hurting their Big Sis,” The medalist popped his intertwined fingers, looking at the others. “Anyone else wanna to take a shot?” “With pleasure,” Batu replied, pounding his fist into his palm. “I think he’s learned his lesson, guys.” Oliver spoke up. “Besides, once the Phantom Thieves steal his treasure, he’ll confess to everything and go to jail. Right now, we should focus on getting everyone to the hospital.” “Corr, I guess you have a point. I wonder how they’re doing in Blackmire’s… palace… BLIMEY!” Tani exclaimed, jumping back and pointing. “Snakes alive, mate! How hard did you hit him?!” “Why, is his faced messed--- *gasp!*” ATF asked, doing a double-take as he looked at the poacher. Blackmire sat there, his eyes rolled back in his head as something black seeped out of his eye sockets and mouth; he fell forth, hitting the ground as blackness pooled around him. “A mental shut-down!” Kamoshida gasped. “But… that only happens when…” “HELP! SOMEONE--- EVERYONE, HURRY!”
Everyone turned in the direction of the scream, seeing Ann running up to them from up the block. Tears were running down her panic-stricken face. “Ann! W-What’s wrong?!” Evan asked. The model sobbed for a moment. “You have to come quick… c-call an ambulance---!” she stammered. “Take a breath,” Marcassin told her, holding her hands in an attempt to calm her nerves, guiding her to inhale and exhale slowly. “Now tell us what happened.” Ann shook her head. “There’s no time! Come on, quick!” she then took off running, pulling the young sage with her. Batu, Swaine, Duroc and WG followed, having the others stick with their unconscious friends. “Just give us the soundbite, Takamaki! What’s going on?!” The authoress hollered after her. Before Ann could answer, a heart-shattering, pained cry echoed through the air.
“RYUJI!!!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chingis did not know how these kids did it. Navigating through rooms undetected. Locating secret vents to crawl through. Leaping onto high scaffolds and beams, running along the narrow spaces as if the forces of gravity had no effect on them. And the grappling hooks… If the Sky Pirates were as masterful as the Phantom Thieves, no one would stand a chance against them. Not to say the high-flying buccaneers were inept at stealth, infiltration, scouting, and theft… but the swordsman felt awed by how professional the team was during their mission. When he and Khunbish were their ages, they had bumbled a bit when it came to such tact, taking months to master the art of ambushing and pilfering, on top of combat no less. Yet funny enough, the two Sky Pirates were keeping up to speed with the Phantom Thieves, to the point where they got used to their code-names without having a slip. The closer they got to where the treasure was, the more the swordsman felt accustomed to the team… His only concern was for his snake-tailed blood-brother. Every few moments, the pirate-naga would tense up, shift close to Skull, eyes darting back and forth. So far, their enemies had grown scarce, as ten minutes had passed since their last battle. Currently, they had found a staircase that swirled upward. Up above, there was a door with a lock on it. “That’s a treasure-room if I’ve ever seen one.” Mona stated, through he scratched his head quizzically. “But… I can’t seem to sense anything.” “Maybe it’s just a secret room that will give us a hint on where to find it?” Noir guessed. The ‘cat’ shook his head. “No… I’m certain that’s the treasure room.” “Let’s check it out. Maybe once we’re inside, you’ll sense it better.” Joker stated, and led the way up. As they got closer to the door, Chingis slowed down. “Hold on there, mateys… If this be the treasure room, where the blue blazes is the guard?” he questioned. “Even if this Blackmire cur be overly-confident in his security, no wealthy so-‘n’-so would leave something of high value unprotected!” Joker considered this, scanning the room with his ‘Third Eye’ ability. “He’s right. There aren’t even any traps ahead,” he noted. Again, Khunbish was seen fidgeting, moving close to Skull. “Me instincts are getting frazzled, mates. Something ain’t right!” he grunted, rubbing his head. “In that case, maybe we should leave and regroup.” Queen suggested. “Considering something is loose in Blackmire’s place in reality, it might have had a negative affect on his Palace. No guards, no traps, and no treasure ahead? Something must be happening to him in real life…” “Maybe his mind is occupied on the others?” Panther suggested. “If that were true, this area would be filled with guards.” Mona pointed out. “It was already under high security when we got here… and if we don’t do this now, the treasure will vanish and we’ll lose our chance!” He turned to the naga. “Snake, you’ve gotta get ahold of yourself and focus! Don’t let the python-part of your brain distract you!” Khunbish shook his head, taking a breath. “Sorry! It’s just… We need to proceed with caution.” He stated, pulling down his mask to wipe the sweat off his face. “Blade ‘n’ I’ve been through a lot of skirmishes, and more often than not there’d be an outbreak o’ foes in an open opportunity such as this.” “Aye, a calm before the storm, we’s call it.” Chingis confirmed, crossing his arms. “It be best if we sent a scout ahead.” Fox looked around, before pointing up at a half-oval window high above the doorway, which was open a crack from the outside. “Up there. I believe that would serve as a suitable vantage-point.” “I’ll check it out,” Khunbish volunteered, looking around before he managed to scale the walls—his snake-tail hoisting him up until he reached the scaffolds, and slithered over and around the beams, stretching his body across until he was right above the window, and lowered himself in a way that he was upside-down… but his upper-body was angled right-side up. “What’s it look like?” Skull called. “It’s just… a bit empty room with a podium. Not a sign o’ life anywhere,” Khunbish turned back to them. “If the treasure be in there, it be well-hidden!” Mona’s ears perked up. “Hey… I sense it nearby now!” he moved closer to the door. “We’re almost there! I bet you’re right, Snake--- it must be hidden in that room! Think you can slip through that window and unlock the door?” Khunbish looked at the window, but shook his head. “Sorry. If I were still human, I could shimmy on through, but this tail o’ mine is too thick for the squeeze. Which one of ye be the scrawniest?” Everyone looked at Oracle--- who, at this point, had been staring at her laptop. She paused, feeling everyone’s focus on her. “Uhhh… what are you looking at me, for?” she questioned. “We need you to slip through that window and unlock the door,” Queen said, pointing upward. The Navigator flinched. “Why can’t Mona do it?” “His head is too big,” Joker stated. “Hey, you don’t have to be so harsh about it…” Mona grumbled. Oracle groaned. “F-Fine, but only because it’s crucial to the mission!” She handed her laptop to Haru to hang on to, walking up to the door. Khunbish adjusted his position, so that he could lower down his tail and lift her up. The Navigator held on tight, all the while murmuring “whoa, this feels weird…!” as she was lifted to the window. She slipped through… “WAUGH!” *THUD!* “Ye okay, lass?!” Khunbish gasped, peering through the window. “…yeah… the floor broke my fall…” she groaned from the other side; a few seconds later, there was a *click*, and the lock on the door split in half, the entryway sliding upward and giving them access to the room. “You guys owe me for this…” “Hey, look. There’s a safe-room over there.” Skull pointed out, motioning over to a wavy-looking door nearby. “Wanna check it out?” “I suppose we should rest and consider a strategy while we have a moment,” Fox agreed, rubbing his chin. “But do we really have time to spare?” Queen asked, looking around with concern. “Plus, we’re right here in the treasure room. We can snag it and run!” Panther added. “She’s right! I can tell it’s here, now! We’re practically on top of it!” Mona exclaimed, his eyes shining with delight. “Is it, now?” Khunbish rubbed his hands together, walking with the ‘cat’ and looking around. “About that… I’ve been doing a scan of this place.” Oracle retrieved her laptop, pulling it up. “Normally, Necronomicon can pinpoint the EXACT location of a Palace’s treasure… but this time, it’s been having a difficult reading. But the closer we got to the treasure room, the more it began to manifest…” “You mean, it wouldn’t reveal itself until we got here?” Haru questioned, rubbing her chin. “But, why is that?” “I think it’s because Blackmire’s treasure isn’t so much as an object, than a living thing. Keep in mind, this guy is grossly obsessed with monsters,” Chingis paused, his eyes widening. “Wait… this bloke captures monsters! And if ye say the treasure didn’t start appearin’ until we got in this room… that must mean---!” He gasped, and turned towards Khunbish and Mona, who were walking up the podium “STOP, BOTH OF YA! THIS ROOM IS A TRAP!” Mona shook out of his treasure-trance, just in time to see the red-lasered rectangle surrounding him and the naga. “Reow?! W-What?! Oh, crap--! SNAKE, LOOK OUT!” The pirate-naga looked up and gasped as he saw the large cage coming down. He only managed to push Mona out of the way, before it slammed down around him. The floor of the podium then attached to the cage, sealing him inside as he was lifted upward. “Shit! I knew there was something up with this place!” Mona scurried back over to the rest of the team. “So that’s it… Khunbish was the treasure. This wasn’t an infiltration--- this was a deceiving delivery!” “Dammit! How the hell does that even work!?” Skull snarled. “Palaces only manifest when they have a treasure! We’re the Phantom Thieves--- we don’t BRING something into someone’s heart! We take it! That’s our whole point!”
“Oh, are you confused, dear boy? That does not surprise me. You were always the dim bulb of the group, weren’t you?”
Everyone looked up, seeing the cognitive version of Blackmire standing up on a high balcony that overlooked the room, clothed in safari-gear and armed with a rifle. His glowing yellow eyes peered down at them with indifference, a smug grin spreading across his face. “LET ME GO, YA SON OF A BITCH!” Khunbish snarled, thrashing around in his cage, eyes aglow and fangs extended. “I AIN’T GONNA BE ONE O’ YOUR PERVERTED PETS!” Cognitive Blackmire only chuckled. “You really fell for that, didn’t you? I must say, it took a lot of effort to gain myself a Palace—a good way to collect Shadows to add to my collection.”
“Wait, what? You mean… the stuff we saw when we came in wasn’t part of your corrupt mind?” Panther questioned, a bit confused. “But a Palace always represents someone’s twisted desires!” “Yes, I know… That was why I had to delude myself in order to create one! It was quite simple—the more you tell yourself to be something, the more convinced you become! And it worked! And now…” Cognitive Blackmire stepped onto the balcony and leapt, landing on top of the cage holding Khunbish. “You have brought me my own Treasure! How befitting… I shall have one naga in the real world, and one here in my cognitive world!”
“B-But, that makes no sense! You need to have a treasure first…!” Queen sputtered, turning to the others. “Doesn’t he?” “I don’t give a damn about what rules he’d be breaking!” Chingis snarled, glaring up at Blackmire as he unsheathed his sword. “What matters is we’re not letting ye take Khunbish!” “Blade is right. C’mon, let’s get him!” Skull replied, and the Phantom Thieves charged forth. “So sorry, but I don’t share my prizes.” Cognitive Blackmire huffed, then took out a remote and clicked it, the cage rapidly shooting upward through a hatch in the ceiling. “KHUNBISH!” Chingis cried, looking up as the hatch closed. “Blast it! Quick, we gotta get after ‘em!” “They’re somewhere on the top level! I think we can get to it from that balcony up there,” Oracle stated as she rapidly typed at her laptop, before pointing up at the balcony their foe had stood on. “We can all use our grappling hooks, but someone will have to help Blade.” Skull ran over, hunching down. “I can give you a boost. C’mon, we don’t have time to waste!” he called. Chingis ran forth, stepping onto the teen’s interlocking palms, and being momentarily amazed as he was launched upward onto the balcony--- catching the edge and pulling himself up. “Damn, lad! Ye’d be a strong one!” he called to the teen, backing away as the Phantom Thieves climbed up with their grappling-hooks. “Our strength is maximized in the Cognitive World, once we gain our Personas.” Noir told him. “We can fill you in on the pros and cons later--- right now, we need to get Khunbish back!” Panther stated, and the team ran ahead, the swordsman one of the forerunners. Hang on, Khunbish. We’ll free ya from that scum! I promise! Chingis thought as he raced down the winding corridor. He only hoped his friend would be alright. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The last time he saw one of his sisters was on his 18th birthday… or what had become his new birth-date, as the Sky Pirates decided the day he was first initiated into the crew could be his celebratory day.
They took him to a hole-in-the-wall tavern in Ding Dong Dell, having to keep a low-profile as the renegades were not exactly given a warm-welcome by the kingdom’s guards.
At the counter stood a woman in a tight dress, smoking a cigarette and looking dead inside. Beyond the thick make-up, Khunbish realized she looked very familiar.
She looked at him, turned away… but looked at him again, this time curiously. “I’m sorry, have we met before?” she asked him. “You look familiar… but I know I’ve never taken you on as a client before.”
“Ye’d be familiar yourself, lass… What be your name?” Khunbish asked.
“Annamaria. Yours?”
“Khunbish… ‘least, that’s the name I go by now. Forgot me ol’ name,”
“Heh. I’ve been trying to forget mine,” The woman took a long drag of her cigarette. “Ended up getting it changed not long after my family fell apart--- or after my folks ripped it to shreds, I should say.”
Khunbish sat down next to her, motioning to the bartender for a couple drinks. “Is that so? Guilder for your backstory,"
She chuckled humorlessly. “Heh, fine. I don’t mind unloading my baggage,” she held out her hand. It took him a moment to figure out what she wanted, before he handed her a gold coin. She tucked it away into her cleavage. “It started when I was thirteen. I had a little brother--- kind of a wired-up scamp, from what I remember. Was really into archery, though my parents wouldn’t allow it. One night, he showed off his skills when a burglar broke in, and he shot him in the kneecap--- I busted a vase over the creep’s head while he was yowling in pain.
“My folks got pissed at my little brother, took away his weapon, and after that… he just ran away. Mom and Dad asked around town, and figured he was just having a tantrum and would turn up. After two weeks went by, they gave up and decided he was gone for good. Didn’t even put a search warrant out for him.”
Khunbish’s eyes widened, as memories flooded back to him. “They never even bothered looking…?”
“Dad said he was a lost cause, and Mom claimed he was probably dead or on the slave market, both claiming it was best we moved on. They instead focused on getting my sisters and I married off…” Annamaria scowled, shaking her head. “Fuckin’ twats. My first sister ended up married to some rich bastard, who ended up cheating on her once she got pregnant--- with her hormones and heartbreak mixing together, she ended up murdering him and got hauled off to jail. No idea what happened to the baby.
“My second sister felt she wasn’t pretty enough, having been attending ballroom dances and the like, but never catching the eye of a suitor. She ended up starving herself to get skinnier, tried all the make-up tips, wore the most beautiful dresses money could by… but nothing worked. Apparently, Mom put it in her head that if she wasn’t married by 18, she was doomed to be an old maid. She ended up killing herself at 17, having starved herself for so long that she passed out and fell into the river.
“My third sister, God bless her soul, decided to elope with a shipwright, despite my parents’ saying she deserved better. She and I both agreed they didn’t know what was good for us--- for any of us. As for me… I couldn’t find a good man, didn’t know how to make an honest living, so here I am now.”
Their drinks sat before them, though Khunbish had not lifted his, staring at his reflection in the gold-colored liquid. “I’m… I’m sorry all that happened to you,” he said, gripping his glass. “If I’d been around… maybe I could have changed something.”
Annamarie chuckled, shaking her head. “Don’t waste your soft words on me, dear boy. Besides, my parents were stubborn fools.”
“Where are they now?”
“Don’t know… and frankly, I don’t care. Wouldn’t surprise me if the two of ‘em became beggars from their ludicrous spending habits,”
He turned his mug slightly, a manner of fidgeting. “What would you do if you saw your brother again?”
Annamaria scoffed. “No idea. I forgot what the little gremlin looked like; for all I know, he’s been dead for years. Good for him, all I’ll say.” She slugged down her drink, turning to him. “So, you going to invite me for a romp, or are you going to keep sitting there and babysitting your ale?”
Khunbish picked up his drink, walking away. “It was, uh, nice seeing you.” He said awkwardly, having to stop himself from adding ‘again’.
He focused on hanging out with the crew, playing card games and having a few rounds, until it was time for last call. When he looked around, Annamaria was already gone, and he never saw her again after that.
He lay in his hammock at the base later that night, and winced to himself.
‘No one came for me… they didn’t even care that I was gone.’
He thanked the stars that he would never have to deal with that sad truth again.
… The pirate-naga slammed against the cage for the umpteenth time, trying to break out. Cognitive Blackmire had brought him into a different room… Though, ‘room’ was a stretch, as it felt like the madman had transported them into an actual rainforest! Tall trees, thick bushes, a raging waterfall, and all kinds of jungle aesthetics surrounded him, making it seem as if he were back on the island in Tee-Heeti…But he knew he wasn’t. His instincts were in a frenzy, warning him that this part of the Palace was the most distorted. The cage itself had been set on a pedestal in front of an ancient-looking temple, the soft-rock structure decorated with carvings of various beasts, a large stone chimera-creature with three heads (eagle, dragon, lion), the body of a gorilla, back-legs like a bull, and a nine fox-tails standing over him as if it were some sort of guardian. Which it might be, as he sensed something dark about it… “What are you planning to do with me, ye crazy bastard?” Khunbish sneered at Cognitive Blackmire. “Just keep me in a cage until I rot?” “Don’t be absurd. I only lock up creatures until they are tamed,” The villain then took out a small wooden rod with a golden tip attached to a red jewel. “And I have a method to speed up the process…”
The tip of the wand began to glow, and Khunbish backed away. “Don’t even try it!”
*ZAP!*
The spell hit him in the chest, and he writhed with agony. “Argh!” “You are not the master here. I am… and the more you disobey, the worst the pain will become.” Cognitive Blackmire warned him. Khunbish looked down, seeing a red line jutting from his chest, seeing it attach to the villain’s palm. A ‘slave reign’, as the Wyvern had called them back in the hotel room. “Blast it…!” he grunted, trying to grab the line to yank it free, but it was intangible. “I’m not doing anything for you--- aaaagh!” he fell on the ground, the pain excruciating. The poacher chuckled, walking over and opening the cage, the pirate-naga sliding out, clutching his chest. “Now that you understand the severity of your situation, I believe you’ll be willing to commit to my will and fulfill the task I have for you,” He knelt down in front of him. “Dispose of the Phantom Thieves.”
“N-No… nngh!” Tears ran down his face, as another shot of pain surged through him. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear.” Cognitive Blackmire stood up, then cracked the line in his palm like it was a whip. Khunbish gasped, his mind going blank, everything in a haze…
“Destroy the Phantom Thieves.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 Walking through the doorway, the team found themselves going from a normal mansion to what looked like a jungle exhibit one would see at a zoo. Log-carved steps were embedded into the soil of the hill, with various kinds of foliage lining the path. Tall trees with hanging vines and moss grew here and there, gorgeous colorful flowers bloomed all around, and a few broken, soft-rock statues of different monsters stood nearby covered in trellis-vines or half-buried in the ground. “We’ve reached the more distorted part of the Palace,” Mona explained in a serious tone, turning to Blade. “Keep your guard up; this is normally where things get extra tricky.” “Aye, don’t worry, Mona. I’s been through all kinds o’ jungles back in me home-world, an’ learned a thing or two about keeping a sharp---” Chingis began to state as they moved forth, but suddenly Noir stuck her hand out and stopped him in his tracks. “Oof!” “Hold on, no one move!” The fluffy-haired girl warned, pointing at some toadstool mushrooms that were growing on the path. “I’ve read about mushrooms like this in my herbology book, they’re extremely poisonous!” “That’s… only if we eat them, right?” Skull questioned. Noir shook her head. “Some fungi will produce toxic spores if you so much as step on them. There’s no telling how they’d affect us in the Cognitive World, so we must walk carefully!” “Noir is right.” Mona confirmed. “Considering Blackmire’s out to stop us from taking back Khunbish, he probably set it up so those mushrooms kill us upon contact! Tread. With. Caution.” Ever so slowly, the group tip-toed down the path, watching each step to avoid the mushrooms, managing to make it to the next set of stairs and hurrying up…Finding the entire path covered in poisonous fungi. “Blast it! Looks like we’re going to have to find another way around this mess,” Chingis groused, scratching his head as he looked around. He walked over to a tall tree. “Any of you lot fancy a bit o’ tree climbing?” “That may work,” Queen stated, looking up. “We can swing on the vines and cross over to the rest of the path.” “Let’s do it then!” Skull exclaimed, hurrying over. “Hold up!” Oracle called, typing at her laptop. “Those branches aren’t that sturdy—we’ll have to go up one at a time, and move fast! One that branch breaks, there’ll be no going back.” “Then perhaps we should move by weight-class, in order to avoid amplifying the risk.” Fox advised. “I agree. So… who’s going first?” Queen asked. “Mona, you’re the lightest, so you should lead the way.” Joker stated, then pointed. “Then it will go Oracle, Fox, Panther, Queen, Noir, me, Skull, and Blade.” “Hey, hold on! How come I’m going after Fox? I weigh less than he does!” Panther argued. “And what makes you think we weigh more than Panther?!” Queen added, referring to herself and Noir, who crossed her arms. “One, Fox barely eats. In fact, if Oracle wasn’t the smallest, he’d be going first.” Joker retorted, dismissively. “Two, I’m going by muscle-weight as well as height, thus why Skull and Blade are going last. And finally--- stop being self-conscious, we have a naga to rescue!”
“Alright, geez…” Panther grunted. “Don’t worry, Lady Ann. You’re still the perfect model in my eyes,” Mona said with charm… only to be grabbed by Skull and thrown up the tree! “YEOW!” “Stop flirting and get moving! Khunbish is counting on us!” The track-star snapped. “Fine, I’m going! I’m going! Sheesh!” Climbing up onto a sturdy branch, the ‘cat’ jumped and hopped on a vine, swinging forth--- *SNAP!* “WHOA!” He jumped out of the way when a giant Venus Fly-Trap shot out from the bushes below, trying to take a bite out of him! Another one shot up in front of him, and he had to leap and snag onto the next vine before it caught him, swinging and jumping to each vine to dodge more of the deadly carnivorous plants. “Augh! Yikes! Hey!” Joker took out his pistol, shooting one of the plants’ stems and making it recede so that the ‘cat’ could reach the next branch on the other side. “Mona! Are you okay?” Noir called in concern. The ‘cat’ currently clung to the branch, his expression in shock as he trembled. “F-F-Fine… but… don’t ask me to help you in the garden for a while…” he stammered. “Arr, figured the bastard wouldn’t let us have an easy route whatsoever,” Chingis growled, taking out his sword and marching towards the brush. “Ye kids keep on crossin’—if another killer-weed pops up, I’ll slice it at the stem!” “Are you kidding? Those things move quick as bullets! You’ll be lucky to get a nick in---” Skull began to state. A Venus Fly-Trap shot out at the Sky Pirate; quick as a blink, he swung his sword, decapitating it. The head of the deadly flower disappeared in a puff of smoke while the stem quickly wilted. “…Hmph. I’ve faced quicker,” Skull’s eyes widened. “Whoa.” “Skull, you stay and help Blade while we cross--- shoot at any plants that pop up at us. Blade, be alert and watch your back. There’s no telling if these plants aren’t venomous or not,” Joker advised. The two nodded, and took their places; sure enough, the moment Oracle began to cross, the Venus Fly-Traps began shooting upward. Skull shot at the bulbs, while Chinigs hacked the stems, managing to kill at least two. Next went Fox, and he managed to swing and dodge the plants, who were beginning to move a bit faster; Skull ended up missing his shot, and Chingis barely had time to swing his sword.Next came Panther, and this time Skull managed to time his shots with her movements, finding that the moment she leapt from the branch and to the vines, that’s when the killer-flowers began to lunge. Chingis managed to move quick and cut through the stem the moment the bulb emerged. By the time Queen began her crossing, they had killed another five deadly plants.At this point, the Venus Fly-Traps had gotten smarter, so when Noir began her crossing, they did not spring up immediately, but waited until she was halfway there before lunging forth. “HIIIYA!” Noir yelled, swinging around on a vine while holding her axe, cutting through four stems! She then landed on the branch, adjusting her hat. “Never underestimate a girl with a green thumb,” “Blimey…” Chingis responded, amazed. “I’ll have to see if she’s got a soul-mate in me world--- she’d be a marvel on the battlefield!” “Joker, you’re up! I think we got most of them!” Skull hollered. Joker nodded, and began to cross. This time, the plants began to move at random times, and at their highest speed; Skull barely had time to aim, and Chingis barely got a change to hack at them before they quickly receded. One bulb shot up and broke through the branch Joker had stood on, ruining his chances of going back… let alone allowing the last two companions to cross.“Blast it all, these things are relentless!” Chingis grunted, then reached into his pocket. “Let’s just get rid of ‘em in one go!” Skull looked at him, bewildered. “What are you--- huh?! W-Where did you get that?!” Chingis pulled the pin out of the grenade and threw it into the brush. “Duck in cover!” he hollered, running back and covering his ears. Skull gasped and hit the ground.
*BOOM!*
The force of the explosion blew Joker forth, and he practically hit the tree on his landing. He looked back, seeing a smoking crater where the plants had been. Flames from the explosion spread across the path, burning up the poisonous fungi and giving everyone a clear route to cross. “Huh. We should have tried that, sooner.” Oracle replied. “Dude! Why didn’t you tell us you had hand-grenades on you?!” Skull demanded, giving Chingis a bewildered look as they walked across the now-clear path. “What? You lot don’t carry with ya?” Chingis questioned, scratching his head. “I have a grenade-launcher, that’s about it.” Haru replied with a shrug. “Never mind! The path is clear, and I can sense Khunbish right up ahead!” Mona exclaimed. The Phantom Thieves and swordsman hurried forth, coming across a large wall built of stones, with a gate built from logs as the entrance. However, it was not securely shut, as Joker was able to push it open without any effort…A boulder swung down at them, and everyone rushed to the side to avoid being hit, the vine holding the massive rock snapping and dropping it in front of the gate, blocking them in. “Well, we’re not leaving through THAT way,” Queen sighed. The group looked around, finding themselves in front of an old temple with a large chimera statue in front of it, the building overgrown with foliage, a waterfall flowing nearby into a pond, and various statues of beasts placed here and there, most of which were broken.On the temple’s pedestal was a cage… currently empty. “That was the cage Khunbish was in… wasn’t it?” Panther asked. “Do you think he escaped?” “If he did, he’d be rushin’ to get back to us, wouldn’t he?” Chingis responded, looking around at the area. “That damn Blackmire… he probably hid him somewhere else!” “But the reading says he’s right here,” Oracle replied, looking at her laptop. She paused, typing something. “Huh? Hold up! I’m getting another reading, and it’s a big one!” Mona’s ear twitched, and his fur bristled. Something was not right…“Um… Oracle?” the ‘cat’ spoke up, looking over at the statue in front of the temple. “Would that ‘big reading’ be five feet away from us?” “Yeah! How’d you guess?” “Look.” Everyone turned, finding that the chimera statue was suddenly looking right at them, its eyes glowing red. The sound of rocks cracking echoed as its lips turned up to bare its fangs, and a snarl erupted from its throat. “Looks like we’ve walked right into the boss fight!” Oracle exclaimed. “Everyone! Battle positions!” With an ear-shattering roar, the Chimera stood, then lunged at the Phantom Thieves. Oracle quickly hurried off to the side to keep out of the way, while she ran an analysis on the stone-beast. “Elemental attacks won’t work, and it’s strong against physical attacks!” she called. “Queen, Noir, and Mona, you stick with me! Panther, Skull, Fox and Blade, go find Khunbish!” Joker ordered, before summoning his Persona. “Arsene! Use Eiga!” “Whoa… the hell did you piss off this time?” Arsene commented, before unleashing his move on the beast. It did some damage, but it was not enough.Noir summoned Milady, who hit it with a Psio attack; Makoto summoned Joanna, who struck it with Frei, which managed to knock it off-balance. The four “Looks like they’ve got it covered, let’s move!” Fox exclaimed, and they hurried out of range of the battle. “Panther, you and Blade search over by the temple; Skull and I will check the waterfall.” “Good thinking. Maybe there’s a secret cave or something,” Skull replied, and they split up to search for the pirate-naga. … The Chimera, once it got its second wind, decided at that point to become hellbent on disposing of the Phantom Thieves. Its three heads now had special abilities: the eagle-head could let out a screech that lowered their defenses, the lion head let out a roar that could buff up its attacks, and the dragon-head breathed out a green fire that also left them poisoned!It also did not help that each of its nine-tails held power, as well. Four tails rendered it strong against nuclear-attacks, remove status effects, summon a force-field to block an attack, and heal it of any wounds; the other five granted it the powers of Zio (with automatic paralysis), Agi (burn damage), Bufu (frozen effect), Garu (which inflicted confusion), and Hama (instant-kill). After ten minutes of using her Persona to re-buff, heal up, increase defense, and revive most of her friends, Oracle was starting to lose her cool. “Damn it, this thing just won’t go down! We need a way to distract it so we can knock out those tails in one shot!” she called. “Bad news--- we have no one to send in at the moment!” Joker responded, looking over at his team--- Mona was paralyzed and lying on the ground, Queen had been KO’d, and Noir had been hit with confusion and could not focus. Currently, he was switching to a Persona with a move that could revive his friend, and was taking out items that could remove status-ailments. However, the Chimera was not going to give him a moment to breathe, and swatted its paw into the leader, making him go airborne for three seconds before rolling across the ground. It then turned towards Oracle, who gasped and backed away. “Shit…! Necronomicon!”Immediately her Persona appeared, the UFO-like being pulling her in and hovering upward, out of the Chimera’s reach. It roared, leaping up at it, its dragon-head blowing fire while the tails tried to stun it.She sent out a message to the others. “S.O.S! S.O.S! We need backup, quick! Queen is out cold, Mona is stunned, Noir can’t tell left from right, and Joker’s down!” From the top of the temple steps, Panther and Chingis looked down, seeing that their friends were unable to fight, and the stone-beast was not showing any signs of weakening. “Tell us what to do, Oracle!” the model whispered in her communication device. “Someone has to distract it and find a way to destroy all its tails—that should cut down its advantages. Meanwhile, the others need help getting back on their feet!” Panther turned to Chingis. “Do you have another grenade?” He nodded. “We can use it to destroy the tails on the Chimera. First, one of us will have to distract it so someone can help the others…” “Ye leave that part up to me, lass.” Chingis said, grinning beneath his mask; he tossed her the grenade. “Once that thing’s back is to you lot, let it know what it feels like deal with a pain in the ass!”Panther nodded, then waited until Chingis raced out in front of the creature. “OI, YA STONED-FACED BUGGER! DOWN HERE! Are ye goin’ to keep actin’ like a playful kitten, or are ye gonna put up a REAL fight?!” The Chimera turned and growled at him, taking its attention off Necronomicon; Panther, meanwhile, slipped out of hiding and hurried over to her ailed team-mates, using items to heal them of their afflictions and get them back on their feet.Chingis, meanwhile, was keeping the monster on its toes--- running beneath it, dodging its gorilla-hands and bull-hooves, and making it turn in a full-circle. He managed to grab on to a horn on the dragon’s head when it shot down to chomp at him, having it rear upwards and fling him in the air; thus when he took out the pistol that he kept attached to his belt and fired--- launching a sling that swung around the dragon’s snout, keeping it from breathing any more of its poisonous fire.He landed on its back, making it buck around until he managed to leap off, rolling across the ground before landing in a crouched position. The lion and eagle heads had their focus on him, while the dragon-head was trying to untie its mouth. “It’s in position! NOW!” Oracle called. Panther tossed the grenade to Joker, who pulled the pin and threw it at the beast, making it land right in the center-crevice of the tails---
*KA-BOOM!*
The Chimera reared up, letting out a pained cry, as rocks and debris that used to be its nine-tails rained down. Chingis took this opportunity to run forth and launch himself into the beast, shoulder-slamming its belly and making it fall backwards and hit the ground. “We got it down now, lads! Let’s keelhaul this beast!” he hollered.Performing an All-Out Attack, the Phantom Thieves unleashed everything they had on the monster— Oracle used one more buff to enhance everyone’s attacks, Noir launched her grenades while Milady hit it with Psio; Queen rode Joanna across its heads as her Persona cast Frei; Mona had Zorro strike it with physical attacks while he shot it in the eyes with his slingshot; Panther cracked her whip at it while Carmen focused on healing any remaining wounds the group had; and Joker and Arsene dealt the finishing blows--- Joker shooting the lion right in the mouth, while his Persona cracked the eagle’s beak with his fist. Once the dust cleared, the Chimera broke down into a pile of rubble, before dissipating in a puff of smoke. “Is everyone alright?” Oracle breathed, as Necronomicon lowered her back onto the ground and disappeared. “Yeah, but we used up a lot of energy in that fight…” Joker panted, feeling exhausted. He looked around. “We should find out where Skull and Fox are at,” “They went to the waterfall to search for Khunbish. We didn’t see any sign of him in the temple,” Panther stated, looking a bit concerned. “I hope they’re alright…” “Arr, then lets not waste another moment! C’mon, chances are they’ve found me mate by---” Chingis began to declare. A scream pierced through the air, coming from deep in the jungle. Without hesitation, everyone rushed forth to investigate. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 While everyone was fighting a 20-foot-tall statue, Fox and Skull found themselves in a different dilemma. They had reached the waterfall, just in time to hear Oracle’s S.O.S in their communication devices. “Shit--- Fox, you go back and help! I’ll keep looking!” Skull ordered, searching along the edge of the pond. “Nonsense, the others may need both of us to assist, and it is unwise to search a trap-infested area like this alone.” Fox responded, looking towards the water, noticing it ripple. “I feel as if at any moment, something will---"All of a sudden, Khunbish breached the surface, launching out of the water and shooting right at Fox and Skull, who leapt out of his way. The pirate-naga whipped around to face him, eyes aglow and fangs bared; however, there was a red tint to his gaze, a result of the red line that was connected to his chest. “Khunbish! Are you all—OOMPH!” Skull began to ask, only for the naga’s tail to slam into him and knock him into a tree. “Dude! What the hell?!” Fox gasped and dodged the tail as it swung at him, then summoned Goemon to distract the naga while he hurried over and helped his friend back up. “Goemon, use Bufu!” the artist called, and his Persona heeded his call, striking Khunbish and momentarily leaving him frozen. “Skull, look… there is a red light emitting from his abdomen.” “No way--- what did that bastard do to him?!” Skull looked around. “Where IS Cognitive Blackmire, anyway?” “No doubt hiding, but if we follow this light, it may lead us to---” Khunbish thawed out, and with a hiss lunged at Fox, pinning him to the ground. “CAPTAIN KIDD!” Skull hollered quick, having his Persona strike the naga in the ribs and knock him off the artist; the track-star helped him back up, and their Personas hovered beside them, all of them facing the currently-corrupted naga. “Seems like yer mate be a bit touched in the head, lad.” Captain Kidd stated. “Indeed, such primal behavior is the result of whatever has him possessed.” Goemon agreed. “Primal behavior…” Skull repeated, looking at Khunbish’s wild and feral expression. “Wait… this is just like what happened when he got drunk back at the hotel! I think I know how we can handle him!” he then turned to Fox. “Are you good at singing?” “Singing?” Fox questioned, before he caught on. “Ah, you mean like how snake-charmers use music?” “Yeah! If we sing, maybe that will help him snap out of it, or something!” “Best hold still while ye do,” Captain Kidd advised, still looking at Khunbish, who had not moved a muscle, though continued to glower. “Snakes will strike anything that moves; so long as ye hold still, he won’t pose ye as a threat… unless he considers ye prey.”
“If it’s the latter, best move slow--- rapid movement may startle him into a frenzy.” Goemon added. “Y-Yeah, that’s what we did at the hotel.” Skull replied. “What kind of song should we sing? I am not sure what kind of music would hold a Sky Pirate’s interest,” Fox asked. “Oh! He likes the movie Aladdin, we could sing a song from that! Have you listened to the soundtrack before?” Skull asked. “Oh, yes. I heard many Disney songs once, when we were studying western animation, and the impact the musicals had on a generation.” Fox replied, rubbing his chin. “It would be difficult to just choose one…” “Well, choose quickly! Our snake-bellied friend is losing patience!” Goemon gasped, pointing at Khunbish who was now moving close, his body-language foretelling he was about to attack. “Do you know the first song?!” Skull sputtered, turning to Fox. “A little bit---” Fox replied. “Good enough!” They both jumped back when Khunbish lunged, facing the track-star. “Gotta keep—one jump, ahead of the breadline~, one swing—ahead of the sword; I steal, only what I can’t afford…” he sang, rotating on his heel as he stepped over the tail, avoiding getting caught. “That’s everything!”He gasped when the Sky Pirate loomed over him, and he focused on the tune. “One jump—ahead of the lawmen; that’s all, and that’s no joke; these guys don’t appreciate I’m broke~”
“Er, um… Riffraff!” Fox called out in a sing-song voice, getting Khunbish’s attention.
“Street-rat!” Captain Kidd chimed in, hitting Khunbish with a bolt of lightning when the naga wasn’t showing any signs of calming down; however, he proved strong against the attack, and instead lunged towards the pirate Persona. “Scoundrel!” Goemon exclaimed next, hitting Khunbish with a blast of ice, which seemed to be his weakness, stopping him for the moment. “Take that!”
“Just a little snack guys~” Skull continued to sing as the pirate-naga shook off his daze and slithered towards him; the track-star motioned the others to keep at it.“Rip him open, take it back guys~” Fox and the Personas sang along… but still, Khunbish lunged.“I can take a hint, gotta face the facts---” Skull then got caught by the ankle, being held upside down… yet funny enough, desperately sang in key. “I’m pretty sure I’m screwed…~”
Captain Kidd did not hesitate, and struck his sword into the thickest part of Khunbish’s tail, forcing him to drop the teen. “AAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!” The pirate-naga screamed at a deafening pitch, the impact of his voice causing the Personas to revert back within the masks of their partners, all the while stunning Fox and Skull. “Okay… singing isn’t working!” Fox grunted, as he snapped out of it. “We have to find out where that red line is coming from and eliminate it!” Skull got back to his feet, shaking his head from its daze. “You look! I’ll keep him distracted!” he stated, and threw sand in Khunhish’s face to throw him off so Fox could get past. The pirate-naga hissed, rubbing his eyes before slithering over to the water, ducking his head underneath to rinse them out.Afterwards, he turned back towards the teen with a death-glare.Don’t look into his eyes--- he might put you in a trance! Skull reminded himself, and instead focused on the naga’s body-language. On his own now, he decided to try singing a different song in one last attempt to calm down the Sky Pirate, if not free him from the spell. “Ali-baba had them forty-thieves, Scheherazade had a thousand tales; master, you’re in luck ‘cuz up your sleeves, you have a brand of magic that never fails~”This time he managed to avoid getting caught by the tail, jumping to the side--- though Khunbish whisked around to his back; Skull turned in time, using his club to hold him back. “You got some power in your corner now! You got some heavy ammunition in your camp~!” He pushed back, leaping to the side and dodging the naga’s strikes. “You got some punch, pizzaz, yahoo, and how! All you gotta do is rub that lamp!~”
Ah, shit, how did the next verse go?! Skull thought, as it was difficult to remember a song AND avoid Khunbish’s attacks at the same time. At this point, he decided it was time to ad-lib. “And I’ll say—C’mon, Khunbish, man! Let me help set you free~” He spun out of the way of the tail again, jerking his club upward to block Khunbish when he lunged. “I’ll break this spell you’re under now--- you ain’t never had a friend like me~!” “Seriously?! We were fighting for our lives, and you’re out here singing show-tunes?!” called a voice, and Skull turned to see the others emerging, Queen being the one who spoke. “Guys---!” Skull tried to warn, but while he had his guard down, Khunbish used his tail to knock his club out of his hand and into the water; he then lunged forth and tackled Skull.The teen only had a second to jerk his arm up and push it against the naga’s neck, to keep him from biting at his throat. There came a fierce yowl, as Mona leaped forth and landed Khunbish’s back, grabbing onto his necklace and forcing him to rear back. “What’s going on?!” Panther asked, helping Skull up. “Blackmire’s controlling Khunbish somehow! Fox went off to find the source!” “It’s not too far from here! Someone go help Fox, though--- more Shadows appeared!” Oracle exclaimed. Hurrying, Panther, Queen and Noir raced off, leaving Joker, Chingis, and Mona to assist Skull. “Some-one-do-some-thing!” Mona called as Khunbish whipped around, trying to swing the cat off his shoulders. “I’m-going-to-be-sick!” “Hold on, I’s got a surefire remedy that’ll do the trick!” Chingis exclaimed, strutting forth. “The boss used it once, the last time one o’ me mates was actin’ looney,” He stood before his friend. “Oi! Khunbish!” Khunbish paused, looking at him and hissed--- *BAM!* --only to get punched square in the face, falling back on the ground. Mona leapt off at the last moment, scrambling back over to the others. “Yep. Works every time,” the swordsman chuckled, clapping his hands together as if he had just completed a task. “Chingis, look out---!” Mona yelped. Too late. While Chingis had thought he had knocked his friend out, he failed to notice the tail moving behind him, until it wrapped around his arms and torso, lifting him high up in the air. “Augh! What the bloody hell?!”Khunbish shook his head, looking up at him with glowing eyes, baring his fangs as he wiped off the blood that was leaking from his nose.“N-Now, hold on, mate! I’s only did it for your own---”The tail whipped forth, throwing him towards the pond.“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!” *Splash!* “We have to find a way to snap him out of it!” Mona exclaimed. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do!” Skull retorted. “Last time he was like this, Junpei, Kanji and I sang to him, and it calmed him down. I’ve been singing songs from Aladdin, since he likes that movie, but it’s not working!” “Well, you were doing a pretty bad job of it!” “Shut up, Mona!” “No, I mean, the song you were singing was too upbeat! In order for music to soothe a savage beast, it has to SOUND soothing!” Mona replied. “Sing a song from the movie that’s got a calm melody!” Skull slumped. “Dude, that’s a love-song! I’m trying to calm him down, not serenade him into a date!” “I’ll sing it,” Joker said quickly, as Khunbish had turned back to them. “I-I’ll sing too--- it’ll sound better as a duet,” Panther agreed. Coolly, Joker approached the naga, and began to sing. “I can show you the world… Shining, shimmering, splendid~” he sang, his voice like velvet. “Tell me, Khunbish, now what your heart desires~”The naga slowed down, looking at him albeit confused.
“I can open your eyes… Take you wonder by wonder; over, sideways, and under, on a magic carpet ride~”
“A whole new world~” Panther sang next, when Khunbish was getting a little too close to Joker, turning the Sky Pirate’s attention on to her; at the sound of her voice, he developed a soft smile. “A new fantastic point of view; No one to tell us ‘no’, or where to go, or say we’re only dreaming…~”
“A whole new world…~” Khunbish began to sing suddenly, gracefully moving around the two Phantom Thieves. “A dazzling place I never knew; but from way up here, it’s crystal clear, that now I’m in a whole new world with you…~”
“Now I’m in a whole new world, with you…~” Both Joker and Panther sang in unison, following Khunbish as he kept swaying with rhythm. “Wow, he’s a really good singer…” Skull stated, his voice soft. “Um, Skull?” Mona questioned, arching an eyebrow at his awestruck expression. “Odd… I never considered Khunbish much of a dancer,” Chingis murmured to himself, watching the dancing with intrigue. “Unbelievable sights; indescribably feelings…~” Using his tail, Khunbish spun Joker by the hand, while dancing and dipping with Panther. “Soaring, tumbling, free-wheeling, in an endless diamond sky…”
“A whole new world…” Panther sang, and Mona couldn’t help but gawk, realizing that she was really getting into the act as Khunbish spun her. “Don’t you dare close your eyes,” Joker sang next as the naga’s tail lifted him up and let him slide down it.
“A hundred thousand things to see,”
“Hold your breath, it gets better,”
“I’m like a shooting star, I’ve come so far, I can’t go back to where I used to be…”
“A whole new world…~” Khunbish cut in, as the two Phantom Thieves joined hands, dancing to the song, the naga swaying around them.“Every turn, a surprise…~” Joker sang.
“With new horizons to pursue…~”
“Every moment, red-letter~” Panther sang. This is weird… Khunbish isn’t attacking, yet--- that line is still in his chest, but he’s acting like he’s really into the song… Mona thought, then looked up at Skull. “Hey, Skull, did Khunbish ever sing along with you guys when you had to calm him down?” “Hm? Oh, no… he just danced, and…” Skull murmured, suddenly slouching. “Huh? Skull?” The ‘cat’ turned to him, seeing that his friend was suddenly dosing off. “HEY! BONEHEAD! WAKE UP!” Leaping up, he swatted the teen upside the head. “Ow! What the…?! What was that for?!” The track star snapped, glaring at the feline. Mona looked over, gasping; during the last lines of the song, Khunbish had managed to coil around both Panther and Joker, and realized what was really going on. “Oh, no… he wasn’t entranced by their singing--- he was entrancing THEM!” Chingis shook his head, snapping out of it next. “By the stars, you’re right!” he exclaimed. “The eff---?!” Skull looked over, realizing that Mona was right; having been so focused on the Sky Pirate’s voice and rhythm, he failed to notice his eyes had been shifting in color, leaving Joker and Panther in a trance. “Oh, shit! JOKER! PANTHER!”Picking up a rock, he threw it, hitting Khunbish in the head and cutting him off at “—whole new w---“, and turning the naga’s attention onto him. Thankfully, Joker and Panther managed to snap out of it, and realized they were a big too snug in the coils. “What the---? Ack!” Panther yelped, pushing Joker away. She quickly summoned Carmen, who struck the tail with a blast of fire, making Khunbish cry out in pain and pull away. “Dammit, I thought we were getting through to him!” Skull grunted, as the Sky Pirate was now ready for another fight. “Looks like we’re going to have to keep him occupied until we can find out how Blackmire’s controlling him,” Chingis said, pounding his fists together as he faced his blood-brother. “Alright, matey— ye want a brawl? Ye got one!” Khunbish reared back, eyes glowing and fangs extended once again, as he prepared to attack--- “Get back here, you brain-hacking creep!” came a shout from a short distance, and suddenly Cognitive Blackmire came barreling through the bushes, pursued by Noir, Queen, Fox, and Oracle, the Navigator being the one who shouted. “Good Lord! Who in their right minds would give a young lady a battle-axe?!” The poacher stammered, looking a bit disheveled. He turned to the naga, pointing forth. “Kill them already, you dolt! What have you been doing all this time?!”
“We found out the source of his control! It’s that staff he’s holding!” Queen told the others. “Alright, ye bastard--- hand it over!” Chingis snarled, storming forth. Khunbish hissed, standing between the group and Cognitive Blackmire. “Ha! It’s no use! I’m his master now! Either stand down and surrender, or die by his---!”
“SHUT UP!” Skull shouted, cutting off the villain, before walking up to Khunbish, who watched him warily. “I know you don’t bend this easily, man. You’re a Sky Pirate--- and the only one you take orders from is Batu and King Evan, right? You wouldn’t really betray them and let this guy turn you into his slave, would you?”The naga hissed softly, but made no move to attack, but watched Skull.“Hell no, you wouldn’t! I’ve seen how strong you are. You managed to track me down when you knew I was in trouble, you scared the piss out of anyone who threatened us, and… shit, man, you didn’t give up on watching out for me, even when everyone told you to!” he cracked a grin. “I mean, c’mon, you and I have been fighting over WG since the day we both met her--- I know you don’t give up so easy!”The archer relaxed his posture; his fangs receded, though his eyes continued to glow.Skull then lifted his mask, so the naga could see his face clearly. “You can break the curse you’re under too… I know you can do it, bud. Don’t let anyone convince you to be something you’re not,” He then held out his hand, slowly. “Snap out of it and come back with us. You have friends that need you, Khun-kun. …That includes me.” Khunbish’s eyes stopped glowing, and he let out a grunt, rubbing them. “R-Ryuji…?” he whispered. The teen smiled, as he slithered forth…
*CRACK!*
The pirate-naga let out a pained hiss; out of reflex and under control, he lunged forth and bit Ryuji on the hand, his fangs sinking in deep. The teen cried out, stumbling back and seeing his normally yellow-glove turning red around his wrist. He pulled it off, hyperventilating as blood pooled out. “RYUJI!” Panther screamed, hurrying forth, but the naga hissed and stood between her and her friend. “Imbecile. Did you really believe a heart-felt speech would break your friend free from my control?!” Cognitive Blackmire scoffed. Ryuji looked at him, and despite his distressed state, he managed to grin. “O-Oh… It worked alright.” He boasted, short of breath. Cognitive Blackmire arched an eyebrow, only for his staff to get pried out of his hand, looking down and seeing Mona run off with it! He went to pursue, but a fist swung out from the side and connected with his jaw, Chingis sending him sprawling back. “That’s for making me mate into yer blasted puppet!” the swordsman snarled. “Joker, if you wouldn’t mind.” Mona stated, tossing the staff up in the air. Joker took out his pistol and, with perfect aim, shot the jewel at the tip of the staff, shattering it. “Bullseye,” he declared. The slave-reign disappeared, freeing Khunbish from its spell. He gasped, gripping the front of his shirt. “B-Bloody stars, I… am I free?” he rasped, heaving. “Khunbish, are you okay?” Noir asked him. “Do you remember what happened?” He winced, nodding. “Aye… every moment… everything was in a haze, yet I saw everything happenin’, an’ I couldn’t stop meself from… from…”His eyes fell on Ryuji, currently bleeding, and breathing rapidly. “Someone do something! Skull’s been poisoned!” Oracle sputtered. No… Khunbish gasped, his eyes growing wide. “I have an antidote!” Fox stated, giving the tonic to Ryuji… but his friend began to convulse. “It’s… it’s not working?!” Oracle cried. Ryuji… He looked at the teen, watching as he spasmed. I’m sorry… I’m sorry!
“We have to get him to a hospital! NOW!” Queen screamed; Chingis ran over and picked him up.
My boy…
There came a groan, as Cognitive Blackmire sat up. Khunbish turned around. Everything went red. “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!” The archer screamed, eyes aglow and fangs out as he shot forth like a whip, his tail catching the villain around the throat and squeezing--- “K-Khunbish, no---!” Mona cried. He ignored him. “If you kill him, he’ll---” He didn’t care. Cognitive Blackmire gasped, flailed, choking. Black substance poured out of his mouth like blood, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. “Somebody stop him---!” Mona yelled, running forth. Too late. Cognitive Blackmire went slack, breathing his last… and then dissipated in a black mist. All at once, the Palace began to shake. “DAMMIT, KHUNBISH!” Mona snapped, before shifting into his van form. “Everybody get in! We have to find a way out before the whole place caves in on us!” Khunbish shook his head, now aware of the catastrophe that was unfolding. He looked around, scanning the area with his sharp eye-sight, before noticing the jungle was surrounded by glass walls. “All the walls are windows! We’s can break through!” he exclaimed, hurrying to the vehicle, but there was not enough room. “Someone move aside---” “You’ll just have to keep up!” “I’ll stick with you,” Joker assured him. “Let’s go!” Revving his engine, Mona sped through the jungle, running down thick bushes and shooting over thin rivers. Khunbish followed, carrying Joker on his back as he managed to keep up with the van. Using his eyesight, he called out to any hazards ahead. “Falling tree ahead! …Watch out for those boulders! …Veer left, the ground is caving in up ahead!” Within 30 seconds they managed to reach one of the windows… Mona smashed through… Khunbish shot out, soaring through the air before he and Joker began to plummet… He only closed his eyes, imagining he were flying… … … … He landed on concrete, opening his eyes and finding they were across the street from Blackmire’s mansion. Everyone was here. Everyone was alright.Except…Except… The archer looked over, seeing Makoto already on the phone, calling for an ambulance. Chingis was helping Ryuji sit upright, the boy having a stunned look on his face, shaking.“Ryuji---!” Khunbish gasped, slithering over and holding his (good) hand. “Oi, lad… I’m sorry! I’s didn’t mean it---!” His hand felt cold (hopefully it was just the chilled winter air). “K-Khun…” Ryuji gurgled out, tears flooding his eyes. “F-F-Fuck… everything h-hurts…” “Don’t speak. S-Stay with me, now!” Khunbish gripped his hand tightly, tears running down his face. “Try to fight it, lad!” Ann took off running down the sidewalk. The others were nearby. He kept his eyes on Ryuji’s… they were filled with tears and fright. He continued to breath rapidly (they both did). “I-It’ll be alright! W-We got some powerful wizards who can cure anything! Just… just hang in there!” The teen did not respond, only stared, his eyes blank... “Ryuji?” … “Ryuji…?” … “RYUJI!!!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“How long since he’s been bitten?”
“A-Almost ten-minutes, palace-time…”
“Shit, how long is that in real-world minutes?!”
“Should I try to suck out the poison?”
“No, no, that’s actually a terrible option. We need some antivenom!”
“How do you know?”
“I own a poisonous snake!”
“Can anyone cast ‘Draw Poison’?”
“…It’s not working.”
“How can it NOT work?!”
The voices seemed distant, his hearing muted as if he were underwater. Maybe he was. That would explain why his vision was blurred and his face felt wet. There came flashing lights, as ambulances arrived on the scene, and the boys (his boys) whom he had bonded with in the last month were loaded up on gurneys to be taken to the nearest ER. Junpei… Kanji… Ryuji… Two had suffered terrible injuries from battle, while the third suffered from a fatal bite… He watched as the track star was placed inside an ambulance, and Akira climbed in to stay with him. A handful of the rest were speaking with the police, informing them of what happened in Blackmire’s mansion… A hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked at Chingis. “It be alright, mate. King Evan is going to contact our best doctors in Evermore to assist---” he tried to reassure. Khunbish shook his head, jerking away. “Ye don’t get it, do you?” he spat, clenching his fists. “If it weren’t for me… if we had just stayed put like we’s was told… if we hadn’t broken that damned statue, none of this would have happened!” Swaine flinched, looking over at him. “Calm down, Khunbish! Just take a deep breath, and tell us what happened…” Tani tried to coax him, touching his arm. “Get away from me!” The pirate-naga yanked his arm back, slithering backwards away from the group. “Ye all should’ve just left us be! We’re too dangerous to be around--- feral instincts, crazed poachers, and now… now Ryuji’s been poisoned ‘cuz of these cursed fangs o’ mine!” “Y-You didn’t mean to---! You were under Blackmire’s control!” Morgana told him. “It doesn’t matter! I still bit Ryuji, and… and he’s going to die!” He pulled his hat down at the sides, shaking his head. “I could hear his heartbeat slowin’ down, and know he’s… he’s only got hours to live… I FUCKING KILLED HIM! DAMN IT ALL!” At this point, the police had paused in their questioning to look at the distressed archer. “What was that?” the first officer inquired. “Get a grip lad, and that’s an order!” Batu firmly told Khunbish. “Y-Yeah, Khunbish! I mean… you guys are outside of the Metaverse, a-and normally any ailments characters suffer there go away once they’re in the real-world again… right, guys?” WG tried to reassure, looking at the remaining team to confirm. “Not in this case, I’m afraid. Khunbish comes from another world outside our own; unlike the Shadows, the affect he left on Ryuji is--- MMF!” Morgana began to state, until Futaba picked him up to stifle his mouth. “(Read the room, moron!)” The code-breaker hissed. “W-What Morgana is trying to say is, we may need to go to your world to find a cure!” Makoto stated, trying to stay positive. “There’s surely an antidote for n-naga venom, right?” “No… there hasn’t been a sign of any nagai in our world for the last several blasted centuries! Which means no one will know how to cure this!” Khunbish snarled, before taking off. “Khunbish! Come back!” Esther cried, but the pirate-naga did not heed her call. “I’ll go after him.” WG stated, but couldn’t sprint more than three feet before she staggered, Yusuke catching her before she fell. “The only place you’re going is the hospital,” Kamoshida stated, before thumbing at the ambulance Junpei and Kanji were currently inside. “Someone needs to go with Iori and Tatsumi, anyway.” “We’ll go talk to Khunbish,” Evan stated, and followed Batu and Chingis down the sidewalk after the pirate-naga. “Could someone please inform us of what happened? If that… whatever it was… needs to be taken into custody for manslaughter---” The second officer began to demand. “That was a friend of ours, sir! And I’d appreciate it if you’d treat him with some manner of respect!” Tani spat. “Enough people have been treating him and Swaine like they’re just a couple of uncivilized beasts!” She then turned on her heel and ran down the sidewalk. “OI! WAIT FOR ME, YOU LOT!” “Allow us to explain everything, officer.” Roland told the police, referring to himself, Zane and Marcassin. “As I was saying before, the man in that mansion, Blackmire, had been running an illegal poaching operation for creatures from different worlds, and had been targeting our friends for the last several days.” “He began by stalking them, and eventually those close to them, and finally resorted to kidnapping in order to draw them out.” Zane replied, nodding over at WG as the paramedics helped her into the ambulance. “They ambushed my girlfriend in her apartment, and threatened her life unless we convinced Swaine and Khunbish to turn themselves over. …Naturally, we came up with an idea to save her without anyone ending up in a zoo exhibit.” "Unfortunately, our stealth-operation was foiled, and thus damage had begun to unfold, hence the state of the structure before you." Yusuke sighed, motioning to the crumbled wall and collapsed house across the street. “And where is Blackmire?” The first officer asked. “I am afraid he is deceased,” Marcassin spoke up, his tone solemn. “Not long after we fled his manor, he seemed to have suffered a severe aneurysm and collapsed.” “(He had a mental shutdown…)” Ann gasped in a whisper, looking at the others. “We’ll have to have our forensics take a look,” The second officer gruffly stated. “And you’re sure your… friends had nothing to do with it?” “The man probably had a stroke realizing he couldn’t make two people his exotic pets!” ATF spat, and for a moment his eyes glowed violet. “Just go look in his mansion… or what remains of it. The bastard poached several kinds of creatures, employed minors to do his dirty-work, and went as far as torturing if not murdering someone if he couldn’t get his way! The fucker wasn’t even remorseful when his subordinates were slaughtered---!” Esther quickly hugged him, calming him down. “S-Sorry, we’ve seen a lot tonight…” she apologized to the officers. “We also have allies investigating in the Persona Worlds as well,” Roland stated, getting back on point. “Blackmire had sent spies to Inaba, Tokyo and Iwatodai, and also the realms of Ni no Kuni; we have a few of them in custody now,” “I see… but with the perpetrator dead and a young teen currently suffering from poisoning with one of your friends admitting to be at-fault, we may have little evidence to justify any harm was in self-defense or accidental,” The second officer muttered. “How dare you!” Haru snapped, stomping up to the officer with a fury in her eyes. “With several testimonies confirming that… that… horrible man was committing borderline human-trafficking for the sake of his own pleasure, going as far as to threaten someone’s children, stalk teenagers, kidnap and assault innocent women, and mind-control someone to kill anyone who opposed him, you think our friends would be found guilty instead?!” “Whoa, whoa, back up… what do you mean by mind-control?” “Blackmire had an artifact that could control others, some sort of object that had a red beam attached between Khunbish and himself,” Ann explained, wiping tears out of her eyes. “With it, he forced our friend to attack us; it was not until it was destroyed that Khunbish was back in his right mind… unfortunately, Ryuji had been bitten before then.” “A red beam of light? What, you mean like magic?” “Exactly. We saw three more of his cohorts use them back in Ding Dong Dell,” Zane confirmed. “They’re called ‘Slave Reigns’.”
“They are an outlawed use of dark magic,” Duroc added, crossing his arms with a dark look in his eyes. “And the idea that some wicked bastard was willing to dabble in such devilry makes me thankful the fool is dead.” “I think you should all come down to the station, and bring your… friends.” The second officer stated. “There seems to be a lot to discuss,” At this point, Batu, Tani, Chingis, and Evan returned, looking out of breath. “Khunbish disappeared, we lost track of him.” The Sky Pirate chieftain panted. He looked at the others. “I thought nagas were supposed to be sluggish in cold weather!” “Well, he’d better get back here soon. Your snake-tailed friends have a lot of questions to answer---!” The second officer began to state. “One of those ‘snake-tailed friends’ happens to be my son, Prince Gascon of Hamelin, officer.” Duroc retorted, his tone sharp. “And I will not have anyone accusing him of felonies out of their own prejudice!” The officer took a step back. “I-I wasn’t being…!” “…Go wait in the car and leave the talking to me,” The first officer told his partner with a disapproving glare. He turned back to the others. “We’ll get your injured friends to the hospital first and foremost, but we do need testimonies from your two friends once you find them.” “We will go after them immed… ‘them’?” Marcassin began to reply, pausing in confusion. Tani looked around. “Oh, bloody hell! Where’d Swaine go?!” she exclaimed. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
He remembered his first battle.
It had begun when Grace returned with a broken arm and a bleeding eye, having barely made it back to the base, crying out and warning them that her partner had been slain and a bandit horde that was making its way up from the Heartlands, heading towards the base.
The battle lasted from morning until dusk, the Sky Pirates having the upper-hand as they knew the cliffs of Cloudcoil Canyon better than any beast that roamed them, knowing where to ambush, where to cut off their enemies, and where to corner them…
He learned the hard way that the glorious life of a warrior was dark and disheartening. All around him he heard the screams of the fallen, the cries of the wounded, blood splattered on the ground, weapons… his clothing…
They searched amongst the dead bodies for survivors and loot…
He froze, seeing a young child amidst the body-count of their enemies. A young boy, no more than eight, wearing armored garb much too big for him, an arrow sticking out of his chest as he struggled to breathe, every gasp a painful wheeze.
“H-Hold on, lad…!” Khunbish stammered, kneeling beside him. “OI! SOMEONE GET A MEDIC! THERE BE A CHILD HERE!”
“Am I… going to die…?” the boy sobbed, his voice so quiet and strained in his labored breaths that the archer barely heard it.
“J-Just hold on, lad! Stay with me, now…”
He froze, getting a good look at the arrow that pierced the boy.
Weeks before the incident, while crafting weapons, he thought it would be fun to carve a winged-serpent like symbol on the shaft of his arrows, just so—whenever he and his mates would go practice—he could keep track of how many targets he hit…
That same symbol was on the arrow he saw now.
His head began to swim.
The battle was a blur, but his feral-side had taken over, the need to survive at any cost driven him desperate to fire at anyone who dare trespass on Sky Pirate territory…
He did not pay attention to who or what he shot--- if they weren’t one of his mates, that’s all that mattered…
The boy’s eyes stared at him, blankly. His breathing stopped, his body going cold.
Khunbish got to his feet quickly, hyperventilating. “No, no… b-bloody hell…!” he stammered. "I didn't mean... I wouldn't... I-I'm..."
A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up at Batu. The boss gave one look at the child’s lifeless form, a frown on his lips, sadness in his eyes…
“These bastards just don’t give a rat’s ass about who they throw into the fray,” was all his captain muttered, before shaking him once. “C’mon, lad. Back to the base.”
The archer breathed slowly, turning away and following the crew back home. Too shaken up to fly, he had Chingis steer their vessel.
He did not sleep that night, lying in his hammock, trying hard not to cry, and hoping that by the following morning it had just been a bad dream.
But it was not.
Every battle was like that. Spilling blood. Losing allies. Seeing the worst in people.
There were often casualties, young travelers or merchants who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The worst part was… he had gotten used to it.
By the time he was a young adult, he developed the sordid principle that this kind of life recognized no kind of innocence, and anyone who wandered too close to the base was considered a threat…
And he learned to enjoy the thrill of battle, and felt excitement when he counted how many of his arrows fell an enemy. He learned different tactics and tricks to use to gain the upper hand, and eventually rose to the ranks of being a commander of his own unit, alongside Chingis.
Sometimes… he would find an excuse to kill.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
God bless Mistress Tani for being there to give him and everyone else a morality-check.Were it not for her, he would still be a cutthroat sky pirate, rather than one of the first generals of King Evan’s army, having a new reason to fight for those he cared about. He never thought that he would still have the instinct to kill after that… But apparently he still did.
The pirate-naga shot down the street at a great speed, zipping into the tree-line and slithering as fast as he could to the densest spot he could find. Finding an underbrush amidst a thick patch of pine-trees, he shoved his way through, ignoring the scrapes of the branches and pine-needles as he burrowed his way into the center, coiling up and wrapping his arms around himself.He shut his eyes, tears gushing down his face.
I bit him. I had no control.
Had I just stayed in hiding…
Ryuji… Ryuji would…
Ryuji’s going to die because of me…!
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Khunbish screamed, his voice startling a flock of birds in the trees into flight. He slumped into his coils, burying his face into his arms and sobbing. “I-It’s all me fault… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“No one is blaming you,”
The archer gasped, his head jerking up; looking out beyond the withered brush, he saw a familiar set of scales. “Swaine…? G-Go away! I don’t want to be around anybody!” he snapped. “…So you’re just going to let the police think you’re a murderer, ignore our friends in the hospital, and die out here in the cold?” The thief-naga retorted, his tone critical. “It… it be what I deserve… R-Ryuji’s going to die ‘cuz of me bite!” “And rather than figuring out a way to save him, you’re just going to wallow in pity and beat yourself up. Great thinking, I can see why you’re in the kingdom’s military.” Khunbish’s eyes glowed and he bared his fangs, pushing himself out of the brush so he could glare at Swaine, face-to-face. “DON’T MOCK ME, GASCON! YE DON’T KNOW WHAT I BE DEALING WITH---” “DON’T I?!” Swaine shouted, his own eyes glowing as his fangs jutted out, extending his height so he could loom over the sky-pirate. “Or did you forget how I had no control over my feral instincts at the start?!” Khunbish let out a hiss, feeling challenged; his predecessor hissed back.The two lunged at each other, catching one another by the crook of the arms as they wrestled to the ground; the thief’s tail wrapped around the pirate’s, pulling it forth and making him lose balance.In retort, the archer’s tail caught the thief by the midsection, yanking him to the side so that he could catch him in a chokehold.Swaine’s tail shot up and wrapped around Khunbish’s neck, squeezing just enough to get him to release the elder prince, then wrapped around and beneath the pirate’s arms and shoulders, holding him back.Khunbish’s tail caught Swaine by the wrist, pulling and slamming him onto the ground before catching his other arm, pulling his hands up above his head. The two paused in their positions, breathing heavily and glaring at each other. “You didn’t bite me,” The elder prince panted. “Ye want me to?!” The archer snapped. Swaine shook his head. “That’s not what I meant… You could have bitten me, but you didn’t. That means you still have control,” he relaxed his arms, his eyes going back to normal as his fangs receded. "You would never kill a friend."Carefully, he released Khunbish from his hold. The sky-pirate only breathed heavily, before his eyes went back to normal and his fangs receded; he winced, covering his face with his hands.Swaine pulled his hands free, getting back upright and approaching the younger naga. He slipped off his jacket, draping it around his shoulders and leading him out of the patch of forest and back towards the others. “C’mon, we need to get back to the others.” The thief whispered. “…what am I going to do, Swaine?” Khunbish whimpered quietly, pulling the jacket tight around his shoulders. “I-I don’t know how deadly me venom is… o-or how to help Ryuji…” “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We’re going to get those books WG found, we’re going to have everyone talk to anyone who has even a remote clue about nagai, we’re going to find a cure… and we’re not going to assume the worst unless it happens. Can you work with me on that?” The archer sniffled, giving a nod. “Good. Now hurry--- we don’t have a minute to lose,” The two hurried forth… Pausing when they saw ATF standing before them, having a portal ready. “How…?” Khunbish questioned. “Psychic. Now get going,” The immortal-teen answered, giving him a wink. “We’ll keep an eye on your kid until you get back,” The archer and thief looked at each other, before diving through the portal. ATF closed it, then hurried to get back to the others and inform the police that their interrogation would have to be put on-hold. Chances are, they’ll be preoccupied once he explains the carnage in the decimated mansion…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The soft beeping of a heart monitor woke Kanji from his unconscious state. Outside of the groggy headache that was currently making his skull feel like it was splitting in half, there was a dull pain in his side. It was at this moment he noticed his abdomen was bandaged. “The hell…?” he murmured, rubbing his head as he tried to recall how he got in this state. “How are you feeling?” The rebel looked over and saw Junpei sitting in the other hospital bed; outside of a few scrapes and bruises, the baseball player appeared to be in a better state that him… hopefully. “Junpei-san…? What happened?” “I dunno. I lost consciousness before you did.” Kanji thought for a moment, before sitting up with a gasp. “Blackmire! T-The others…! …ow…” he rubbed his side, wincing. Junpei slipped out of his bed; his movements were wobbly, as his body ached from the fight, and he leaned against the doorway, looking out into the hall. He waved to a nurse. “Excuse me, can you help us please?” he called. “Is there a problem?” the nurse replied, walking into the room. “We just want to know what happened to the people who were with us. Are they here?” “I’m not sure. We’ve had a lot of patients coming in tonight. Can you give me any names?” “Yeah, one of them goes by ‘WG’,” Kanji spoke up, beginning to describe the authoress. “Blonde, kinda pale, looks like a teenager, wears a lotta black…” “I know two who fit that description. One is currently being x-rayed for internal damage, and the other suffered a terrible snake-bite and is in the ER.” Junpei’s eyes widened. “S-Snake bite…?” The nurse flinched. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to share too much patient confidentiality…” “Hold on! That might be one of our pals!” Kanji exclaimed. “We were dealing with this Blackmire creep, and he had a whole ton of weird animals in his house, and one of them was this giant snake-looking thing!” “Please, can you tell us how they’re doing, at least?” Junpei asked. The nurse bit her lip. “We’re currently injecting him with antivenom in order to keep him stabilized, that’s the most I can say.” She then motioned Junpei to go back to his bed. “But for now, you should rest and heal up. We will be getting healing items from your respected universes to speed up the process,” With that, she hurried out of the room. “Hey, wait! …Geez, talk about lousy bedside manners…” Kanji hollered. He grunted, pulling off the sheets and turning to leave, but his side flared up again. “Nngh! …We gotta get to the ER and see who got bit!” The baseball player limped over, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll go check it out, dude. You shouldn’t be sneaking down the halls with fresh stitches,” “Tch, you’re one to talk… you can barely walk!” “I’ll be fine. …If the nurse comes back, tell her I’m in the bathroom.” “Oh, hell no. If you’re going, I’m going too!” With that, the rebel stood up, walking beside Junpei towards the door. They barely crossed the threshold before they both began to wobble, Kanji catching the wall while his predecessor crouched down, slowly getting back up. “Okay… we do this together.” Kanji nodded, wrapping one of Junpei’s arms around his shoulders to help his friend walk, while the baseball player kept an arm carefully wrapped around his abdomen. If it were normal circumstances, one would believe the two were a pair of good buddies who had few drinks, or assume the two were a very romantic couple.(Neither assumption, of course, would do justice to their street cred.) The hospital was eerily quiet as they made their way down the hall; a nearby clock on the wall showed it was well past midnight. The two were accustomed to staying up past a certain hour in their canon storylines, of course, but that did not mean they were a bit on-edge.Not only because they were sneaking around a hospital and had to avoid getting caught, but the idea that someone they knew had suffered a venomous bite during the mission racked their nerves; it did not help that the nurse (who was probably new at this job) offered no details or reassurances, giving them the right to believe their friend was in critical condition. “I really hate hospitals,” Junpei sighed when they stopped to rest in a waiting room, hiding behind the vending machines. “They’re not exactly Destiny Land,” Kanji remarked, peering around the corner. “…The ER is right up ahead. Let’s---” They heard doors opening, ducking down as a familiar face walked out, sobbing into her hands. Currently, a doctor was with her. “We’re doing all we can, ma’am. So far, the antivenom is keeping the poison from spreading,” he spoke. “But please, try to get some rest.” “How can I sleep when my baby’s struggling to breathe?!” The woman snapped. She sighed, resting her forehead on her palm, trying to steady her breathing. Ryuji’s mom? But, if she’s here, that means… Kanji thought, exchanging a concerned look with Junpei. Aya drew in a deep breath, letting it out. “Tell me how it happened. Please.” The doctor looked at his clipboard. “According to the police report, a blue-scaled naga--- that is, a half-snake man--- bit your son on the hand. Testimonies explain that it was unintentional, that the creature had been under some sort of spell, and currently associates linked to the naga’s universe are looking for the antidote.” The mother shook her head, staring at the ground. “…I should have been wary about letting him inside our house. I should have been assertive about allowing Ryuji to come out of hiding to help his friends. *sigh* ...Seeing how much Khunbish-san cared about my son, I had believed he wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. I suppose I was wrong…” she winced, clenching her hands. “Accident or not, my little boy has been poisoned, and right now he’s the only one I can blame! Had he just kept away from my son, he would be home right now!” She began to sob again, the doctor patting her shoulder and trying to offer her some sort of comfort. “…If you would like, you can rest in our waiting room.” He whispered, guiding her over to a couch that sat right across from the vending machines. By this point, Junpei and Kanji had crawled around the corner while their backs were turned, heading into the hall that led to the ER. They kept low by one of the doors as a nurse walked through the other, quickly slipping inside before it could shut and keep them locked out. The first room they peered into showed them the sight they feared to see.Ryuji lying on a hospital bed, an oxygen mask over his face, and tubes pinned to his arms.
Beep… beep… beep… beep…
His heartbeat sounded slow.Too slow. “No… dammit, no…” Kanji gasped, tears welling up in his eyes.He wanted to yell, to scream, to hit something…It hurt seeing his friend in such a state.Dammit… several days ago, he was determined to make sure Ryuji and Junpei were alright, that they weren’t in trouble, wanting to help and make sure they didn’t get hurt...Now Junpei could barely stay standing, Ryuji was barely hanging in there… God knows what had happened to everyone else…His side felt like it was burning, the pain (or maybe grief?) causing him to slump down on the floor in the room, sitting with his back against the wall. He gripped his injury, tears rushing down his face, and for some reason, for some stupid reason, he couldn’t find the nerve to unleash his anguish in a bellow.How the fuck did he let this happen?! His free hand was suddenly gripped, a trembling hand giving it a squeeze.He looked over at Junpei, who did not meet his eyes, but kept staring at Ryuji.“It’ll be alright, Kanji…” the baseball player whispered, his voice shaking.Tears were running down his face, too.“This is Ryuji we’re talking about. If he can survive exploding ships, getting his ass kicked over and over, and rabid fan-girl attacks… he can get through anything.” He continued, though sounded as if he were trying to convince himself. “H-He won’t let something like this kill him. He’s too strong. He’ll make it. …He’s gotta.”
He’s scared. (I’m scared…)
He’s trying to be strong, but he’s losing his grip. (Fuck, who wouldn’t?)
…
I can’t take it…
Kanji pulled his hand out of Junpei’s, if only so he could turn and grab the baseball player, pulling him close into a hug.He buried his face in the crook of his predecessor’s neck, and unleashed a sob.He couldn’t hold it in anymore.He was freaking out, dammit, and if he tried to hold it in any longer, his heart would probably give out.If anyone else saw him, they would probably be shocked that a tough-guy like Kanji Tatsumi would be crying on someone’s shoulder--- but fuck them. A close friend of his might be dying, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had every damn right to cry. … Junpei wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tight, trembling further as he wept with him.He couldn’t forget Aya’s words, about how Ryuji should have stayed home.Dammit, what were they thinking?! Of course he’d be in danger, considering Blackmire planned on using him as the bait!Worse, yet, it was Khunbish who had bitten him…This wasn’t like when he was intoxicated back in the hotel room, and could be soothed by a melody. Blackmire had done something to him to make him purposely attack the kid who he was so protective of.If Junpei and Kanji tagged along, would they have been able to do something to snap him out of it?No point in wondering now… God knows what the archer was going through during this time. Junpei sniffled, breathing in deep.They had to find some way to help…The mere thought of running out of the hospital made him ache, leaving him with the notion that he couldn’t do anything until he was fully healed.Tears running down his neck reminded him that physical recovery wasn’t all there was to it. He held Kanji tight, rubbing his back.He was giving (and getting) a lot of hugs lately…He didn’t hate it.But he wished it could have been under better circumstances. Junpei looked over at Ryuji, listening to the steady, slow beeps on the heart monitor; outside of the rebel’s sobs, they were the only thing that broke the silence.
The baseball player closed his eyes, focusing on comforting the rebel, even though his sobs eased down; he did not let go either, clinging to him as if his predecessor were the only one keeping him grounded right now, and honestly Junpei was fine with that. Kanji’s hug was the only one keeping him from having a mental breakdown.He suddenly thought about Swaine and Khunbish, how secure it felt being in their coils, and he wanted to mimic that feeling. Even if it wasn’t the answer to all their problems… it was at least something.He adjusted his position, shifting so that the rebel could lean against him comfortably, having him rest his head on his abdomen. “Junpei…?” Kanji whispered, confused; his eyes were red from crying so much. “It’s okay, dude.” Junpei shushed, coaxing him into lying down. Whether out of fatigue or desperation for consolation, his friend gave in, snuggling against him and hugging him tight. The baseball player kept his arms around him, chin resting atop his head as he looked back at Ryuji.
Please wake up…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Zane and WG had been together for several years now, having met as kids whose destinies became entwined into an epic adventure full of action, horror, magic and mayhem… and as time went on, they became more than just friends and by their early 20’s had taken the first step into a romantic relationship.
Years later, and those feelings seemed to have dwindled.
She felt distant from her boyfriend now. Zane was always somewhere far away, and she was stuck at their [currently frozen] apartment. Oh, sure, she could join him on his journeys through time-and-space… but she had pets to take care of, a job to work at (…which she was currently taking time off from--- apparently she was allowed a sabbatical due to her friends being cursed!), and had to be on-call in case her sisters were in need of a babysitter.
And since the TARDIS more-often-than-not would bring its passengers anywhere from a day to a decade back from the time of their original departure, she couldn’t risk accidentally neglecting certain priorities back home just for the sake of travelling with her boyfriend.
Someone had to stick around to pay the rent.
She wanted Zane to stick around longer, to just park the TARDIS for a while and take a long break, to settle down… but the machine could only stay in one place for so long before the Time Lord was summoned again.
So they had to stick to phone calls and text messages…
She missed him, and he missed her… it was hard on him too, and until the day came when he was no longer attached to the TARDIS, got a job that actually pays, and was able to stay home for as long as he wanted, then finally, FINALLY, they would get married like they always talked about!
But as time crawled by, a gap had formed.
And she began to have doubts about their relationship.
Was it meant to be, or were they just dragging it out?
When Valentine’s Day had come around, and Zane was not home to celebrate with her…
She couldn’t take it anymore.
She went up to the highest floor of the building, running towards the window. By the laws of cartoon-logic, she would survive the fall, maybe just make a hole in the sidewalk at worst…
But if she could be knocked out by the severe pain, maybe land at an angle were her head hit first, crack her skull hard enough that it would break open and let her blood pour out…
Even if she did not die, maybe she would suffer a bad enough concussion to forget about the heartbreak…
It would hurt.
But at the moment, she didn’t care.
She.
Wanted.
To.
DIE.
She picked up the pace, hurrying to run and crash through the window, let the broken glass pierce her skin, and plummet to the concrete and lie there, allowing the snow outside to bury her and render her frozen---
Swaine stopped her from making that mistake.
He sat with her while she had her breakdown, changed her mind about making rash decisions, and let her cry herself to sleep as he held her.
He gave her comfort and reassurance…
He saved her relationship…
He saved her life…
And she got him cursed.
…
Why did she ask him to go down to the Vault of Tears, again?
She tried to remember.
It was a cold week, just a couple days shy of New Years, and her heater was on the fritz and she had to call some repairmen to fix it (…to no avail…). She texted Zane about the predicament, and went to bed.
It was cold in the apartment the following morning…
Zane had told her to keep warm, and he would try to be home soon.
Three days had passed.
Zane wasn’t home.
Khunbish had sent her a message, claiming he was going to explore some areas in his predecessor’s game and--- since the rest of his friends were busy at their jobs or skirmishes--- asked if she would like to tag along with him.
In need of getting out of a cold environment, let alone have company outside of her dogs and cat, she took the offer and met up with him, the two of them heading to the Vault of Tears. They explored the corridors a bit; a few creatures lingered about, and WG took out a laser-pointer on her keychain to mess with them, until a Rabbot caught onto their tricks and came at them.
After a quick fight, they resumed their exploration, the pirate bringing up how the foes in this realm paled in comparison to the ones in his world, bringing up the differences in size, abilities, and combat-styles that made it all feel more challenging.
WG nodded, but found herself looking around. ‘It’s a lot more depressing down here than I remember… we should’ve invited more people…’
“…Ye alright, lass? Ye seem quiet,” The Sky Pirate had asked her as they walked; obviously, he realized he was doing most of the talking while she only replied with simple nods of the head.
It felt weird being alone with Khunbish…
She was used to hearing him and Ryuji bicker, while another friend of theirs would play the neutral party.
…
She didn’t understand why she enjoyed the two characters ‘fight for her affection’. She had a boyfriend already, so what was the point of letting them do so?
“Yeah, just a bit tired,” WG replied… it was only half-true; she just couldn’t explain the other half.
“If ye’d like, lass, ye can head back home. I’ll be fine explorin’ by myself.” He gave her a grin. “To be honest, I just wanted an excuse to hang out with ye… maybe have braggin’ rights against that teenage rotter who fancies ye so much, har har!”
She scoffed, chuckling. “…Not unless you put a ring on my finger, ‘Khunbae’.”
He laughed, nudging her. “Careful, Wherever-Lass! I’s just might do it!”
She smiled and they kept walking… but a sick feeling weighed in her gut.
Was she flirting with him?
‘Just because your boyfriend is never around doesn’t mean you can lead him on…’
Maybe she should go home…
She reached into her pockets, pulling out her keys, preparing to tell Khunbish she was going to head back…
The thought of going back to a cold, empty apartment and spending the rest of the day alone made her pause.
‘I don’t want to go back…’
“WG?”
Khunbish’s voice echoed from up ahead; he had apparently hurried towards the next corridor.
Startled, she hurried to put her keys inside the interior-pocket of her jacket… forgetting that this particular jacket’s inside-pockets were not attached at the bottom (seriously, who designs clothes like this?!).
“I’m coming!” she called, her voice covering the sound of her keys hitting the pavement as she ran ahead.
“Ye sure you’re alright, lass?”
“I’m fine… though, maybe we should go somewhere else.”
He nodded, and they left the Vault of Tears, heading back to the Gateway to return to Evermore…
She did not realize she had forgotten her keys until she prepared to open a portal home.
Khunbish suggested they go back to the Vault of Tears to look…
She decided to call up a couple friends to see if they could help look.
‘No sense going back together and risking more flirting.’
At that moment, Junpei had called her up--- his finger hit the wrong contact on his phone’s list, but regardless he was looking for something to do since he had some free time. Ryuji happened to be with him, and since WG was on speaker and claimed she was with Khunbish to go find her keys, the track-star immediately volunteered to help--- the baseball player deciding to tag along just to make sure the two wouldn’t level the dungeon during a dispute.
“Maybe see if Oliver, Esther or Swaine can come with, too. They all know the area pretty well,” Junpei had suggested.
And of course, WG chose to seek out Swaine’s help…
Even though she knew the area pretty well herself…
She just wanted his company…
…
Now he was cursed.
Not only that, but Ryuji was poisoned, with Khunbish was sick with guilt over it…
Junpei and Kanji were both critically injured.
Her little brother had committed murder several times over, which would surely haunt him for a good while even though they might’ve deserved it…
So much regret weighed on her shoulders…
And all because she felt lonely while her boyfriend was away…
‘I’m such an attention-slut…’
Everything hurt now.
‘You wanted to feel pain anyway, didn’t you?
And there was nothing she could do about it.
‘Everyone deserves better.’
‘Zane deserves better.’
‘I give up…’
Suddenly, she felt warmth.
“Sweetie? Can you hear me?” 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 WG opened her eyes, squinting at the lights that shined above. It took her a few moments to realize she was in the hospital.But it only took her a second to feel Zane holding her hand. Ah, right. She had suffered some cracked ribs plus a few other injuries, and the doctors had to sedate her in order to thoroughly patch-up her wounds since her quick-healing attributes would not regain effect until her powers returned.Fuck, she hated this trope. “How long have I been out for?” The authoress asked. “Four hours. How are you feeling?” Zane replied, still holding her hand, caressing it softly. She sat up a bit, wincing as her body ached. “Like I got hit by a truck full of fat people… on fire.” “Don’t worry, I think that’s normal.” “How are Junpei, Kanji and Ryuji?” “Fine, the doctor just said they should take it easy for a few days until their injuries fully heal.” Zane rubbed the back of his neck. “And Ryuji… he’s in stable condition, that’s all they’ve told me. Oliver and Evan are searching their worlds for a cure; I think Tani and Esther were going to ask Yasmina and Ali if they knew anything; and Roland and Batu went with Akira and Makoto to explain everything to the police…”He cringed. “Oh, and… your brother is in prison for confessing to aggravated murder on multiple accounts. He explained to them about having a ‘split personality’ that was triggered when he found out they were threatening to kill you… and worse…” he clenched his fists, wincing. “I stood up for him, claiming that those bastards had it coming, but the cops said that unless they had proof it was done out of defense---!” WG waved her hand. “Trust me, Zane. This isn’t the first time ATF’s been thrown into prison. I think it’s something we have in common,” she frowned. “…but I’m worried about his mental state. He hates becoming Fluffy, even if it is to save someone he loves. We can visit him once we’re all healed up,”She looked at her hands in her lap. “…You said Ryuji’s in stable condition, huh?” “Yeah.” “Where are Swaine and Khunbish?” Zane shrugged. “I don’t know. ATF said they were going somewhere to find a remedy,” The Time Lord leaned back, letting out a breath. “My guess is, the best solution would be to use the TARDIS to go back and prevent you from getting ambushed, catch the creeps who were stalking you, and hunt down Blackmire from there.” “But by doing so we would have negated the reason for going back in time in the first place, thus not only creating a paradox in which our present selves--- as we are now--- would cease to exist, but also eradicate all the knowledge we had gathered up to this point, so we would have to re-learn all over where to find Blackmire and how to gain access to his Palace; therefore, we would not be able to pass down any warnings to prevent Ryuji from getting poisoned, and there would be a chance we would have less success in our mission because we would have at least 2 people absent from our mission who would give us an upper-hand in the final confrontation.”Zane looked at her and blinked incredulously.“…That’s just a theory, at least. *sigh* But I don’t want to just ‘turn back time’ to fix my mistakes. Otherwise, I would have just gone back and told myself to stay home rather than go to the Vault of Tears with Khunbish, confiding that trying to distract myself from my problems--- imaginary and otherwise—by spelunking with someone, just because I’m desperate for any kind of company that isn’t a household pet, would only make matters far more worse than I could possibly imagine.” “Problems? …Like how I’m not around that often?” “That’s the sum of it,” WG clasped her hands together, beginning to wince. “Whenever shit happens and the most I can do is call and tell you about it… it just makes everything feel worse. It’s not just about feeling lonely--- I need someone around when trouble comes around and talking doesn’t help. I need you to be there, Zane… even if it’s nothing major.“Fuck… even if I’m not having problems, I need you around! When I’m done with a long day of work, I want to know I’ll see you at home. I want to spend my days off watching movies, playing videogames or just sitting in the room reading together. Whenever I go on trips, whether it’s just to the store or on vacation, I want you to be with me!“I know I sound like a clingy bitch, but… dammit, Zane! I miss you so much, it hurts sometimes!” At this point, tears were running down her face. “And I got so wrapped up in my loneliness that it resulted in two of my friends getting cursed, two friends end up in the hospital, and one friend poisoned with little chance of survival---!” “Hey, hey! First, you’re not a bitch, and second, you’re not clingy.” Zane got up and wrapped his arms carefully around her, allowing her to sob into his shoulder. “Everything will be alright. Junpei and Kanji are doing fine, and Ryuji’s pretty strong--- he’ll pull through! Things will work out… don’t lose hope,”
Yeah, just keep spouting cliché lines like you always do…
“I tried to kill myself last year.” Zane froze. “What…?” “O-On Valentine’s Day… I tried jumping out of a window. Swaine s-stopped me, and… and he stayed up and talked with me. I-I wanted to break up with you because I hated being alone, but he told me not to give up, and t-to talk things out…” she gripped him tightly, gasping out a breath as she continued to sob. “I’m sorry! It’s not your fault! I should have said something sooner, then maybe… maybe none of this would have happened!” A long silence hung in the air. The only thing to be heard were the occasional beeps of the hospital equipment and WG’s weeping.Finally, Zane spoke. “I want you to promise me something,” he began, his tone serious as he pulled away, looking at her; tears had formed in his eyes by this point. “Never commit suicide. Under no circumstance, never even make the attempt to kill yourself ever again! …Promise me!” “I… I promise…” the authoress sniffled. Zane breathed out, a couple stray tears running down his face. “Why didn’t you tell me before? I know you felt lonely, but… why did you never tell me it escalated to that point?!” She sighed, shaking her head. “I… I don’t know. All I can remember is being upset, and just… wanting to hurt myself. …I let my emotions take over, my mind was in a dark place, and I just wanted to give up.” She looked at him. “After Swaine stopped me, I let it all out, and… I guess I felt I was better, and there was no need to make you feel worried--- or obligated to spend time with me. I didn’t want to come off as a toxic girlfriend who threatened suicide just to get her boyfriend to stick around…” “I don’t feel obligated, and you’re not toxic. …But I am worried about you. I’ll always be worried about you, even if things are fine.” Zane hugged her tight. “I love you, WG… and I’ll always be there for you, even if it’s not in-person. But for now, I’m going to stand by you--- until this curse is over, until everyone is better, and until… hell, until that damn heater of ours is fixed!” WG sighed. “That won’t be a problem… we’re being evicted because of our apartment’s conditions.” “…Shit. W-Well, then I guess I won’t be going anywhere until we find a new place to live! I’m sure there’s a good 2-bedroom apartment…” “…Single room.” “Huh?” “I’m going to look into a single-room apartment. I can’t afford to pay rent for an extra bedroom that’s… just going to be empty. Besides, all your stuff is in the TARDIS anyway… that’s your apartment,” Zane rubbed her back. “It can be your apartment, too. I can turn the guest-corner into your---” “I can’t go with you, Zane! I’m not your Doctor Who companion! I have a life of my own, and it doesn’t allow me to be gone for days, weeks, or months! Until the blasted machine learns to bring someone back on their terms, it’s not going to happen!”She sighed heavily, rubbing her face. “…We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we need to focus on the others.” Zane was quiet, nodding. “…R-Right. We’ll talk later.” He sighed. “Is there anything you need me to do?” WG thought for a moment, before rubbing her face. “…Go see how Ryuji is doing. Find out if he’s going to make it,” The Time Lord prepared to get up and do so… but instead hugged her tight and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “We’ll find out together. I’m going to stay here until you recover, and then we can check on him. …but I know he’s going to be alright. Have faith,” WG winced, leaning into him.
Just let me go already, you stupid…
Oh, shut the fuck up already, Toxic Mindset. Zane is here, you’re in his arms, don’t let your mind grow dark thinking the worst! Geez…
…what the?
It’s me, the Positive side of your brain. You know, the part that holds onto faith and doesn’t assume life should end because of a crap-day? Take a breath and stop mentally-berating your boyfriend. Just because he can’t be with you 24/7 doesn’t mean the relationship is over! And just because you miss him so much it hurts doesn’t mean you’re self-centered or clingy. Just because you feel lonely doesn’t mean you’re actually alone! Your naga-pals were proof of that, ne?
…Zippy, is that you?
No, it’s your conscience. 9_9 What, you thought ATF’s ego was the only one who’d make an appearance??
I'm gonna level with ya, WG. Your mind’s been in a dark place for too long now--- the batteries in my flashlight went dead, and I’m not sure my night-light is going to last forever. You need to stop wallowing in self-pity and feeling like you’d be a burden if you reached out.
Life isn’t going to go your way--- bad stuff happens, plans go astray, and you won’t always get what you want. But just because things aren’t in your favor doesn’t mean they’re going to be a disaster all the time.
So your relationship is going a little slow—you both still love each other, and that’s what’s important.
So the heater’s busted and you have to move out--- at least you got the funds for a new place.
And so what if your loved ones are cursed, injured or in prison--- you’ve been there for them since this whole mess started, and you’ll be there for them even now. You’re not one to abandon someone in their time of need.
And you’ll always have someone looking out for you… even if you don’t know it.
…
Yeah. You’re right. I’ve been so focused on my problems that---
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ve been an idiot. I know. xD
…Yeah.
Good. Now, I’m going to hunt down the dark thoughts that made you feel like shit, give them the ass-kicking of a lifetime, and… I dunno, maybe see if I can stir up the ol’ writing-muse so this story’s not under hiatus for several months again.
*mental wall caves in*
AHA! I SEE YOU THERE, YOU FUCKING CREEP! …the hunt is on--- now cuddle your boyfriend, you’ve been stuck in thought for half an hour now! …YEAH, YOU’D BETTER RUN! YOU’RE DEAD MEAT, CHONCY!
…
Puggsy’s right. I need to get my head checked.
WG sat up a bit, blinking as she wiped tears from her face. “Are you alright?” Zane asked. “You were so quiet…” “Just had to get my thoughts sorted out… my Ego had to step in and slap some sense into me,” she rubbed her head. “…Does Vincent ever have mental conversations with you?” “Sometimes…” “I don’t seem to recall having any kind of conversations with your boyfriend,” came a voice, and the two authors looked over to see Vincent Brooks peeking in. “Bro! What brings you in?” WG asked, surprised yet glad to see him. “Akira told me what had happened. He wanted to see how Ryuji is doing. I heard you were here too, so I thought I’d check in,” He crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway. “I tried contacting Swaine, but he’s not picking up. Is he alright?” “I… have no idea. He and Khunbish went somewhere to find an antidote for Ryuji’s condition, that’s all I know. …Is Akira alright?” Vincent shook his head. “He’s pretty devastated. After the paramedics brought him to the hospital, he immediately got called to the police station to help Makoto explain things. Afterwards, he contacted me, and… he’s pretty torn about what happened, and blames himself.” WG rubbed the back of her neck. “…he’s not alone there…” “…I should get back to him. Right now, he and the rest of the Phantom Thieves are sitting in the waiting room. No one’s planning on leaving until Ryuji recovers.” “We feel the same way. …Junpei and Kanji are doing okay, at least.” “Yeah, about that… do you know what room they’re in? The nurse told me, but when I looked in, the beds were empty.” The two authors looked at each other. Vincent read their expressions, and heaved a large sigh. “…I’ll have someone look for them. (…why couldn’t I have just had normal, boring cousins like anyone else?)” he muttered as he walked back into the hall. “Where do you think they went?” Zane asked. WG thought for a moment, before shifting and sliding off the bed, using her boyfriend for support as she stood up straight. “The same place we’re going. To see Ryuji,” “Are you sure---” “Zane. C’mon. Every bone in my body could be broken, and I’d still be making sure the Best Boy Trio would be alright,” she wrapped an arm around him. “…As long as you’re willing to be my crutch, that is.” Zane smiled, wrapping his arm around her torso to help keep her steady. “Every step of the way, honey.” With a nod, they exited the room. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~Meanwhile~
“BLAST IT!” Khunbish groused, throwing his Leafbook tablet onto the mattress. “I can’t find answers anywhere online! Ye’d think SOMEONE in some universe would have a quick-cure for naga-venom!” Swaine flipped through a book, resting his forehead in his palm; they had been scouring for answers during the last two three hours, but had yet to find a solution. “All I’m getting is what kinds of nagai are poisonous, and which are not… nothing about whipping up a special antivenom.” “DAMMIT!” The Sky Pirate whipped around, opening another book and rapidly turning the pages. “Ye’d think there’d be a special page specifically for curing this sort o’ thing! Why is it so hard!?” The thief looked up at him. “Calm down! Getting frustrated isn’t going to make the answers appear right before us!” “How can I be calm?! We’ve wasted too much time searchin’, and with every passing minute…!”Khunbish paused, his eyes falling upon a plushie that lay on the floor; during the scrap with Blackmire’s men in the hotel earlier, a few things had been scattered… including a small Ryuji-doll that WG had brought along.By instinct his tail wrapped around it, and he put his face in his hands, sobbing as he fell sideways on the bed. Swaine slithered over, the pirate-naga’s grief too strong to ignore. He coiled around him, patting him on the back to get his attention before holding out his arms, allowing the younger man to cling to him and unleash his agonizing woe.“It’s all me fault! Because of me, he might… he might be…! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The elder prince cringed at the ear-piercing shout, his magnified-hearing making the sound feel twice as deafening; regardless, he held onto him tighter, rubbing his back and rocking him gently.Once the pirate-naga’s heavy sobs reduced to small sniffles and hiccups, he finally spoke. “Ready to get back to searching, or do you need a moment?” he whispered. “I don’t know, Gascon…” Khunbish murmured, pulling away as he rubbed his face. “I feels like it’s all in vain. If powerful wizards like your own couldn’t even cure me poison, who’s to say there be an antidote? …Snakes alive, I might as well just bite meself ‘n’ suffer like the lad!” “Don’t talk like that! We can’t give up now,” Swaine thought back to some information WG had shared before, and gave a smirk. “Besides, it wouldn’t work. WG said nagai are immune to poison!” Khunbish froze, and gripped his shoulder. “Say that again, mate.” “What? Nagai are immune t---?” The realization hit them both. “Do ye think…?” Khunbish began to ask. “It’s worth a shot.” Swaine replied, and together they shot out of the inn; ignoring the startled looks and yelps from other patrons and locals, the two hurried out of Ding Dong Dell and into the open world. “Do you know the Travel spell?” “No, don’t ye have any Trip Doors we can use?” The thief thought for a moment, before he snapped his fingers. “No, but I have something that can be just as useful,”Putting his fingers to his mouth, he let out a loud whistle to a tune he had committed to memory.He had practiced this trick before.And he knew from experienced how far his friend’s hearing reached. For a moment, nothing occurred… Until there came the flapping of wings, followed by a familiar, friendly call.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
… The dragon, from what Swaine could guess, could sense the emotional distress and knew this was an emergency, as he immediately slouched so both nagai could climb on; the moment their tails were securely wrapped around his torso, he took off into the skies.‘Where to?’ he asked, his question coming out in a determined growl. “The Vault of Tears, and stat!” Swaine answered.
‘You got it! Hang on tight!’
“YEOW!” Khunbish cried out, as Tengri shot through the air, doing a barrel-roll in order to increase his speed. The archer hung on to Swaine, feeling his heart pounding from the thrill of the ride--- under any other circumstances, this would be amazing! But the ride ended just as quick as it had begun, for within the span of five minutes the nagai were dropped off in front of the Vault of Tears. “Stick around, we’ll need a lift to the nearest Gateway later.”
‘Try to hurry--- I can only handle the cold air for so long!’
“Roger that, matey.” Khunbish assured, and shot into the dungeon, his predecessor following him. … It took a bit of back-tracking, but finally they found the pool that originally held the statue.If there was a chance the item respawned… They both plunged into the water, searching around. Their naga-vision proved useful as they managed to scan the dark and murky depths, and their strong lung-capacity helped them stay submerged without the desperation to swim up for air. … A few minutes later, they emerged. In Khunbish’s hands, he held a statue, much like the one that had cursed them in the first place. “Let’s go save Ryuji,” Swaine stated, and they hurried out.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The time on the phone-screen read 2 AM, as Akira stared at the chat’s screen.Yusuke was pacing back and forth, his mind in deep thought. Futaba was on her laptop, having been searching for antidotes for ‘naga venom’. Makoto was further up the hallway talking to Sae on the phone. Ann was staring out the window. Haru was sitting in a chair, stroking Morgana’s back as she stared at the ground; the ‘cat’ himself kept looking up at the clock every minute, flicking his tail.All was quiet.
Too quiet.
The P5 protagonist had updated Akechi of the situation; the young detective claimed he would pass the message on to Naoto, though had reason to believe that Blackmire may have a few lingering cohorts. If anything, criminals like the ones hired before could still be lying in wait in order to sell the nagas on some black market--- after all, there is no proof that Blackmire isn’t the only ‘eccentric’ poacher who’d be willing to pay a hefty price for a rare catch or two. He had contacted Minato, Minako and Yu to inform them of Junpei and Kanji’s conditions as well.Minako was on her way, and was no doubt dragging her twin brother by the arm while he ran-and-called the rest of their friends/co-stars to bring them up to speed.Yu was on his way with the rest of the Investigation Team. “Dammit… why did we let them tag along?! They should have stayed with us… otherwise, we should have ALL come to help, regardless of discretion!” he lamented, and the Phantom Thieves’ leader could sense his regret.But it had nothing on Akira’s guilt. Ryuji had been a prime target… we should have had him stay behind. Akira thought, staring at all the concerned text messages that filled his phone’s screen. We shouldn’t have let Khunbish come along, either. I get they wanted to save their friend, but… dammit, I should have thought everything through! But we let our guard down, Khunbish got caught, and Ryuji…He choked on a sob, putting his phone down as he covered his face with his hands. Futaba looked up from her laptop; Ann turned around quickly, her own eyes red and puffy from tears; Makoto paused in her conversation, walking back over; Haru and Morgana both stood up as Yusuke rerouted his pacing to walk over… A hand gripped his shoulder gently, and Akira looked up.Vincent had returned, sitting beside him with an expression full of concern and empathy.“C’mere.” He whispered, before pulling his son into a hug. Akira buried his face in his shoulder, unleashing his sobs. “I fucked up… I fucked up so bad…” he whimpered between breaths.Vincent only shushed him, “It’s not your fault,” being the only answer he could give.The teen didn’t believe his words… because every time he replayed the situation in his head, all he could think about was how it could have been avoided, what other steps they should have taken, and how his best friend might die. There was a weight on his lap just then, as Morgana took part in the consoling; something soft pushed against him from behind as Haru wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on the back of his neck as she added another hug to the mix.Ann sat on the other side of Vincent, grabbing one of Akira’s hands and squeezing it tight.Futaba stood in front of the group, running her hand through his hair. But the physical comfort did not help him feel better, even if it felt good.“I shouldn’t have let them come along… Ryuji should have stayed with his mom, Khunbish and Swaine should have stayed in their worlds…” he murmured, his shoulders shaking as he wept. “I know… but it’s not like they would have listened,” Morgana spoke up. “Swaine and Khunbish had already come out of hiding and come to the PQ world the moment they learned WG was in trouble, and you know for a fact Ryuji’s not the type to just sit around and wait. Even if they were given direct orders… they would have found some way to join the mission.” “That’s true… heck, even Kamoshida refused to leave everything to us!” Makoto added. “Anyone know why that is? I mean, why would he get involved in something like this?” Ann inquired. “Dude was super-pissed those creeps threatened his kids.” Futaba replied with a shrug. “Honestly, I was thinking he was going to go Full-Naga himself from the way Blackmire was talking!” Akira shook his head. “We still should have kept our guards up… we should’ve known he’d have a trap ready… they ALWAYS have a trap ready!” he griped, mentally kicking himself. “Akira-san… you are not alone on this,” Yusuke spoke up. “We had all been so confident in our endeavor that we underestimated just how manipulative Blackmire’s cognition truly was.” “Not only that, but he was also using tactics unfamiliar to us. Zane said the goons he fought in the hotel room were controlling wild beasts from the Ni no Kuni realm with some sort of ‘slave reign’ spell, so he was using a power that wasn’t part of our lore.” Morgana added, shaking his head. “To be honest, there was a lot in his Palace that felt different than those in Mementos… Once he admitted he willed it into existence, I realized it had been a setup from the start.”He looked up at their leader. “We all messed up, Akira… but regardless, we can’t lose hope! Ryuji’s a strong kid… he wouldn’t want us to grieve like we’ve already lost him. He’s still hanging in there, and wants us to do the same, I just know it!” Akira only sighed, sniffling; he pulled out of the comforting embraces that enveloped him and stood up.“I’m going to walk around for a bit… The other Persona teams should be here soon, so let them know where they can find Junpei and Kanji,” he sighed. “About that,” Vincent spoke up, standing up next. “…They weren’t in their room.” “What?!” Makoto gasped. “B-But, they were unconscious when they were brought in! Where could they have gone?!” “Please don’t tell me this is one of those hospitals that get their patients mixed up…” Futaba groaned. Vincent shook his head. “Chances are, they’re looking for Ryuji. I’m going to go look for them,” “We should notify the hospital staff as well…” Haru sighed, standing up and walking off with Yusuke. “I’ll go with my dad. The rest of you should wait here for the others,” Akira stated, before walking away with Vincent. “Oh, like I’m going to let YOU walk around without me!” Morgana huffed, catching up and walking at his heels. … They reached the ICU wing in a matter of minutes; Zane and WG were already there, speaking with a nurse.“I’m sorry, but no one has come this way. I must insist you return to your room,” she firmly told the two Authors. “Can we at least see our friend?” Zane asked. The nurse shook her head. “Only family members are allowed. And YOU---” she pointed at WG. “Should be laying down right now!” “Ma’am, I’ve survived falling off buildings and getting hit by semi-trucks without suffering any bone fractures. I’ll be fine.” WG retorted… even though she was using Zane like a human-crutch. “If you do not comply, I am afraid I will be forced to call security and have you personally escorted back to your bed, as well as send your visitors home.” “Excuse me,” Vincent spoke up, walking forth. “I’m her older brother. I’ll make sure she gets back to her room,”WG looked at him, and he gave her a wink. She gave a nod, turning to walk the way she and Zane came from; Vincent helped support her.“Can you find us a wheelchair, please?”The nurse sighed but nodded, walking off.Once she was out of earshot, Vincent and Zane turned around (rotating WG in the process), all of them hurrying to the ICU doors. “We can’t go through without setting off any alarms. Can you open a portal?” “I can try,” WG replied, and concentrated…A portal opened…And ATF walked through.“What the…?!” “Sorry I’m late--- the interrogation lasted five minutes longer than I realized.” ATF quickly spoke. “I can’t stay long, I have to return to my prison cell--- oh, hey, Vince!--- before the guard comes by on his rounds.” “P-Prison…? For what?!” Vincent questioned. “Murder.” ATF put bluntly, before turning back to WG (ignoring Vincent’s shocked expression). “I’m just here to drop someone off--- they wouldn’t have made it to the hospital in the freezing weather on their own, so I met them at the Gateway.” “Who…” Akira began to question, until Khunbish and Swaine poked their heads in. “Quick, mate, turn us invisible again--- don’t think the hospitals would fancy seeing a couple o’ snake-tails slitherin’ about!” The Sky Pirate said to Zane. “I was about to, anyway.” Zane chuckled, taking his wand out. “Noice. I’ll let you know if/when I make bail--- oh, and Jonesy is watching the animals so no worries!” With that, ATF returned through the portal. Vincent blinked several times. “Please tell me I’m just hallucinating from lack of sleep.” “Talk it over with a therapist later. Zane, hurry with the spell before someone sees us!” Swaine urged. “Calm down, don’t get your tail in a tangle.” Zane scoffed, waving his wand and casting the Veil spell on all of them. “WG, can you open a portal now?” “Should’ve had ATF do it while he was here,” WG scoffed, but focused. Junpei. Kanji. Where are you…The portal opened…And on the other side they saw Ryuji lying in a hospital bed. Quickly but quietly, everyone made their way through. At this point, the nurse had returned with a wheelchair, looking around in confusion to where everyone had gone. “Ugh. I hate the night shift…” she grimaced. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 Khunbish had been bracing himself for the worst before they had arrived.But the sight of his boy Ryuji, connected to tubes and machines, absolutely still save for the rise and fall of his chest, shattered his heart and he almost broke down in a puddle of sobs.Focus, lad! Ye came here for a reason! He told himself, clutching the small statue in his hands. “Holy shi--- what are they doing here?” Swaine gasped, and everyone turned to see Junpei and Kanji, both slumped up against the wall. The baseball player’s eyes opened, and he looked up. “W-Who’s there?” he stammered. “H-Huh? Are we busted?” Kanji asked, sitting up straight… wincing from the pain that shot through his abdomen. As if by instinct, Swaine coiled around them both. “It’s just us,” he reassured them. “What are you two doing on the floor?!” “We… wanted to see Ryuji,” Junpei responded quietly, shifting a bit as he felt the [invisible] thief’s coils around him. He looked over at their unconscious friend. “He… he doesn’t look good.” Khunbish shut his eyes, wincing. “Don’t worry. We have a plan that might help,” Swaine assured them. “W-What is it? Did you find a special potion or something?” Kanji inquired. “No… it’s a bit crazier than that.” Swaine looked up at WG. “You said nagas are immune to poison, right?” “Yeah…?” WG asked, then looked at Khunbish, seeing the statue. “Wait a minute, are you serious---?!” “Angel, please, I know it may be crazy… but it be the only solution we have!” The archer spoke up, holding up one hand in defense. “If we turn Ryuji into a naga…” “It may negate the affects of the poison,” Zane concluded, rubbing his chin. “…But how are you certain it will work?” “We’re not, but it’s the only chance we’ve got.” Swaine replied. “But… it took hours for you guys to transform, remember?” Junpei pointed out. “Suppose Ryuji recovers before then? He might end up waking up cursed for no reason!” Khunbish looked over at Ryuji.He was in stable condition…But he could still sense the affects of the poison coursing through his veins.The antivenom wasn’t strong enough.“It’s a chance we gotta take,” he firmly stated, and slithered forth. The door to the room swung open. “How on earth did you get in here?!” Khunbish gasped, losing his grip---
*Crash!*
No.
He looked down…
No…
Seeing the statue broken in half, the green dust spilling out.
No… no no no no no no no NO DAMMIT NO!
Khunbish fell down, trying to scoop up the sandy remains… but the more he touched it, the more it dissipated, as if absorbing into him instead.He clutched his head, shaking.
That was our only plan!
FUCK! WHY?!
Behind him, a nurse was scolding Junpei and Kanji for causing so much worry, while telling them some of their friends had come to see them and were stunned to learn they were not in their assigned room.The teen boys were not really paying attention, as Swaine was tightly hugging them with his coils, all the while looking over at the Sky Pirate in stunned silence.The nurse left to go get some assistance to escort the patients back to their rooms. “…W-What happened?” Kanji asked. “I heard something hit the floor, but didn’t see anything fall…?” “It was the statue,” Swaine gulped. “We can still salvage it, don’t worry.” Zane replied. “It’s no use--- anytime someone touches it, it sinks into ‘em…” Khunbish muttered, slamming his fist on the floor. “DAMN!” The Time Lord frowned, but still grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and knelt down, scooping the remaining dust into a small container. There was only a spoonful left.“Hm.” He set the container down, before digging through his pack. “I wonder…”He turned to Akira. “You guys have poison antidotes in your game, right?” “Huh? …Why?” Akira asked, having been distracted at the distressed scene before him. “Go get me the strongest one you carry. Someone contact Evan or Roland and tell them to bring some Poison-Be-Gone from their world, as well.” Zane rubbed his chin, looking at the dust in the container. “With the right combination, I might be able to make a potion that can neutralize the venom.” “So, we’re not going to use it to turn Ryuji half-snake?” Morgana asked. “I don’t think this amount of dust would be enough for that… and if anything, there’s a chance not all nagas are immune to another’s venom.” He reached and patted Khunbish on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. We can still save him.” Khunbish only winced, slithering over to Ryuji.He could sense his heart-rate.It wasn’t a normal pace.It felt too slow…He looked so pale… How long would it take to make a remedy? They had already lost enough time.By the time it was ready… “Um, is Khunbish in here?” Junpei asked. “Yeah, why?” Vincent asked. “Shi---! Vincent?! …N-Never mind. I think you guys better get Khunbish out before the spell wears off. Aya… well, she was devastated when we saw her, and if she sees him right now, she might freak out.” “Why?” Morgana asked. “She doesn’t know how Ryuji got poisoned, did she?” “She… might have been informed by the police,” Swaine realized, recalling how the Sky Pirate had admitted his guilt while in front of law enforcement. Khunbish merely closed his eyes.Of course Aya would blame him.Everyone should blame him.“It be alright… she has every right to hate me,” he spoke up. “Had I actually used me wits for once, I wouldn’t’ve lost control, never would’ve gotten caught… ‘n’ Ryuji wouldn’t be here now. None of us would.” A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked over at Akira.“Then she should hate me too… because I’m as guilty as you are,” he firmly stated. “I should have thought more carefully about the mission and had you two stay behind considering Blackmire had his sights on you,” “Don’t think I’m guiltless, either.” Morgana added, hopping up onto the bed, his ears folding back in sorrow as he looked at Ryuji. “I knew something wasn’t right about that place, but I thought it was just like any other Palace. I should have paid attention to the foreign cognition and pinpointed everything that felt off.” “…I should’ve told my kid and his friend to stay home.” Vincent replied with a shrug, standing beside Akira and giving him a reassuring smile. “Or at least should have come along for support.” “Tch, I’m the one who made the statue break the first time.” Swaine scoffed, slithering over next. “Y’know what? Fuck it. This whole thing is my fault. I’ll take all the blame for everyone,” WG added, walking over to the other side of Khunbish. “I disagree--- I shouldn’t have left you alone with Swaine. Apparently, bad things always happen when you two alone together!” Zane quipped. “So… blame me!” Junpei and Kanji looked at each other. “Ah, what the hell. I shouldn’t have butted into everyone’s business,” the rebel grunted, standing up. “Yeah… we all pretty much carry the blame one way or another. Aya has a right to give us ALL an ass-kicking,” Junpei agreed with a sigh, standing up next, he and Kanji helping each other walk over to the rest of the group. He looked at Khunbish. “You’re not alone on this, Khunbish-san. If anyone gives you hell… we’ll share the heat.” The archer looked at everyone, tears welling up in his eyes… The moment felt familiar…
It had been three days since he had been released from his cage, given a new set of clothes, and a new name.
As he trained, ate, and shared a hut with members of the crew… he didn’t know how to process the feeling.
A month later, he ended up sick and bedridden in a hut.
Whenever he’d been ill before… either his parents just had a doctor visit and kept him isolated until he was well, or the Wyverns would linger around him waiting to see if he would drop dead so they could feed off his corpse.
But the Sky Pirates…
Gerel brought him warm blankets. Chingis told him stories to keep boredom at bay. Grace sung him a lullaby to help him sleep. Munekhoi, as shy as he was, brought him soup he made himself. Even Batu checked in to make sure he was doing well!
“We take care of each other here,” Gerel told him one day, when she caught him looking perplexed at such hospitality. “Doesn’t matter if it’s a case of the flu or a bandit raid--- come hell or high water, we’re there to help one another get through the worst times.”
… Khunbish looked at Ryuji. “Through hell or highwater…” he whispered, before gripping the boy’s hand. He looked at the others. “Thank ye, mateys.” Swaine looked over his shoulder. “I hear someone coming. We should go,” he stated.WG concentrated, opening a portal back to her hospital room, and everyone filed through, the nagas deciding to go last.The thief looked at the pirate, who continued to look at Ryuji. He rested a hand on his shoulder. The archer could sense his predecessor’s concern, giving a nod. “I’ll be along, Swaine. Just gimme a moment,” he assured; the thief complied, going through the portal next.Khunbish rubbed Ryuji’s head softly. “Ye can pull through this, lad. …Please don’t argue with me on that,” he whispered, before slithering through the portal next. Had he waited a second longer, he would have noticed a small, glowing card floating down from the ceiling, landing on Ryuji’s chest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Zane, Swaine, and Khunbish all returned to the TARDIS after making sure WG, Junpei and Kanji were settled back in their hospital rooms. While the nagas and Time Lord wished to stay with everyone, it was more urgent to get to work on a serum that would cure Ryuji of the venom’s effects.Plus, everyone was in need of sleep. While Zane worked meticulously, needing absolute concentration to get the antidote right, the thief-naga tasked himself with making sure the pirate-naga remained calm, the two of them coiled up on one of the beds in the guest-area they had taken refuge in just hours ago.It’s not even been a full day since we’ve been here… and yet our whereabouts had been jeopardized. Swaine thought as he rubbed Khunbish’s back, coaxing him to rest after the hellish experience they were in. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down himself. At least now, all we have to do is sit… and wait.
…
Dammit. I’d rather be facing off against poachers again!
Khunbish remained still, his gaze distant as he looked at nothing in particular, feeling exhausted both mentally and physically. He quietly urged the Time Lord to concoct a remedy as quick as possible, so that the teen he had grown so attached to would be cured of the ill-gotten condition the naga was forced to subject him to.He allowed his eyes to drift shut. He was so tired…
Hurry, Zane… save me boy…
If we’re too late…
I never want to wake up, if he doesn’t.
The Sky Pirate fell asleep, slipping into the realm of slumber. In his dreams, he heard a child crying… 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The memory was so familiar.
So horrifyingly familiar.
He was only eight at the time when his family lived in a big city.
He used to go to a large school, and would race other kids on its track field.
A teenage girl would help them train, encouraging them.
He wanted to impress her, to do his best and be the best track star he could be and make her proud!
He wanted to make everyone proud…
…
Too bad her training went to waste.
Or, so he thought after his leg was broken.
Money started to run tight. His parents had to transfer him to a cheaper school.
He blamed his old man’s drinking habit. He hardly had a decent memory of the guy acting like a real father; he was always between-jobs because of his alcoholism. Mom was the one having to pay the bills.
Tonight, his mom had to work late, and the man went off on a tangent.
The scary thing was, he was actually sober.
Not that there was much difference.
He started pacing around, muttering to himself. “Working late, my ass… I bet that **** is fooling around behind my back!” he groused.
Ryuji sat quietly in his room, trying to tune out the filthy names his old man was calling his mom; he hugged his stuffed bear for comfort, hoping, wishing, praying the man would not enter his room and just go to sleep.
He hated being alone in the house, especially with him around…
There came a pounding on his door, before the man barged in. “Oi! Where’d your mom go tonight?!” he snapped.
“She’s at work,” Ryuji replied in a confused whimper.
“Is that what she’s been telling you, or is it just something she told you to tell me?!” he grabbed the boy by the arm. “TELL ME THE TRUTH!”
“Ow! Dad, you’re hurting me, let go!” Tears flooded out of his eyes.
With an angry grunt, the man pushed the child to the floor. “Never mind. You’re useless. I’ll get answers myself!” with that, he stormed out of the room… and out of the house.
The slamming of the door echoed.
Ryuji looked out the window, watching as the man stormed away from their small apartment.
He began to hyperventilate.
He was completely alone at night.
He had never been left home alone before.
He ran to the kitchen, looking for any phone numbers his mom might have left on the fridge, in case he needed to contact someone.
Should he call 911?
But what would he tell them? That his dad stormed off and left him all alone? They would probably think he was a baby!
…was he?
How many kids his age could be left home alone and be alright?
Ryuji took deep breaths, trying to think.
Should he go to a friend’s house? (no, it was late, they were probably in bed…)
Perhaps he could ask one of the neighbors? (but a lot of them looked creepy, and his mom said to never talk to strangers…)
Maybe he could just go to his mom’s place of work? (it was a long way across town, though…)
The boy gulped. He had to do something…
Maybe he could catch up with his old man, and try to convince him to come home.
He was so naïve back then…
Mustering his courage, Ryuji walked out the front door and into the night…
Only to find he had no idea where he was.
Rather than a city street, he was on a jungle path, surrounded by foliage. “Huh?! What the eff?!” he cried, his eyes growing wide at the change of scenery. “What’s going on?! Where’s the city?” he turned around to go back inside, only to find the door was gone, replaced by trees and shrubbery. “W-Where’s my home?!”
Frantic, he started running down the path, searching for anything familiar. “IS ANYONE THERE?! MOM? DAD? HELP, I’M LOST!”
Something caught his leg, causing him to trip and twist his ankle. The pain was excruciating and all too familiar, and he unleashed a scream of agony.
The bushes rustled, and he looked up in fear.
Had he drawn the attention of a wild animal?
Nope.
It was worse.
Several Shadows emerged from the jungle, swirling around him. Letting out a startled cry, the boy got up and tried to run--- but his injury caused him to stumble and roll downhill, crashing through the brush until he landed on the sandy ground.
He looked up, watching as the monsters swarmed closer to him. He covered his eyes in fear.
…
Wait, couldn’t he fight these things?
He could!
He sat up, the child taking a breath. “PERSONA!” he shouted.
But nothing happened.
The Shadows crept closer.
‘What?! Where’s Cap’n Kidd?!’ he thought, backing up until he hit the side of a cliff.
“Get back! CAP’N KIDD! C’MON!” he hollered, wondering where his Persona was!
Did he somehow lose contact with him?
The monsters were upon him now, having him completely surrounded; he realized there were more of them than he first saw… some of them not even from his game’s realm.
He looked around for anything he could use for a weapon, picking up a rock and throwing it. “Someone! Help!” he shouted again, throwing whatever he could to keep the beasts at bay. “I-I can’t summon my Persona! …Akira!? Junpei?? Kanji?!”
The monsters lunged at him---
He shut his eyes. “Khunbish…!” he cried in one last attempt.
*POW! BANG! THWACK!*
“BACK OFF, YE MANGY CURR!” came a shout, and the boy looked up to see a pirate swinging down; in one arm he held a hand-cannon, in the other he held a crossbow. “What, ye think ye can just gobble up a young child like some sort o’ twisted fairytale beast?! Away with ye!”
The monsters dispersed, and Ryuji looked up, catching a familiar blue coat and black hat…
But the face, though…
The pirate knelt down in front of him. “Ahoy, lad! Ye alright?” he asked, his tone sounding just like the sky pirate Ryuji had grown close to.
“K-Khun-kun??” he questioned, looking at him incredulously. “W-Why are you dressed like my Persona?!”
The pirate laughed in a scoff. “Why do ye look like ya aged backwards?” he looked at the boy, noticing his swollen ankle. “Best get that leg o’ yours treated. C’mon,”
He picked up Ryuji with ease, carrying him down the beach to a wooden hut, a hammock, table and wooden stool being the only pieces of furniture; a few feet away, a small fire crackled.
Setting the lad on the stool, he examined his ankle, before walking over to a duffel bag and pulling out a plant. “Soreaway,” the pirate explained, breaking off a leaf. “Can be used to heal up any nasty injuries.”
Ryuji watched as the leaf was rubbed onto his ankle; it seemed to work like poison ivy… except rather than giving him a horrible rash, it caused the swelling to go down and numbed the pain until he could no longer feel it. “Cool,” he whispered, looking at the pirate. “So, that’s how it works in your world. I always thought you had to eat them or something!"
The pirate laughed. “Har har! Many people believe that! …I mean, it is possible--- we’s make sweets out o’ the plants, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” He walked back out, sitting down by the fire; the boy followed, sitting next to him. “So! What’re ye doin’ runnin’ about so late at night?”
Ryuji opened and closed his mouth, still baffled about how he went from his apartment to a jungle. “I was looking for my dad.” He murmured, and couldn’t help but feel weird addressing that man as such. “My mom’s been working late, and he got mad about it and left the house. I was afraid to be alone, so I tried to go find him… but somehow, I wound up here!”
“Mm. Can’t blame ye for bein’ scared; no one should just leave their child to fend for themselves,” The pirate poked at the fire, a bitter look on his face. “Take it from someone who’s run away himself ‘n’ wound up lost in the wilderness, ‘n’ the only thing that greeted me were a bunch o’ leather-winged wretches.”
“Didn’t your parents try to look for you?”
“Tch… they didn’t think I was worth the trouble.” He looked up at the stars in the sky. “Kind o’ funny… I stopped thinking about ‘em years ago, yet all of a sudden old memories started to resurface. Wasn’t sure why, at first… but I think I’m starting to figure it out. Kind o’ helped me to count me blessings, ‘n’ face some fears I had rooted deep down.”
“What kind of fears?”
Khunbish gave a shrug. “Mainly, settling down. I had a bad family life, lived like a rogue, became a general of me own army unit, ‘n’ didn’t think I’d be cut out to be a family-man. Batu made it look easy when he took in Tani, ‘n’ watching Roland guide Evan left me in awe at times… but I never thought I could fill their shoes when it came to being a father.
“Maybe because I never had a real father myself. The man I was born to only saw his children as meal-tickets to the high-life, wanting me sisters to marry blue-blood men, ‘n’ was always pissed about having a rowdy son who wouldn’t conform to his high-standards. He didn’t give a single shit if anything happened to me,”
Ryuji nodded, picking up a stick and drawing in the sand absentmindedly. “Yeah, I can relate… my ol’ man wasn’t exactly Father of the Year either.” He winced. “It’s… kind of stupid how I came looking for him, but I think I was just too young to really understand. Like, he was always a ticking time-bomb, and I was always scared to be alone with him because he might lose his shit over nothing. He and my mom would always be fighting--- he was mad that we had to move to a cheaper district when money got tight and blamed me, then started accusing my mom of cheating when she ended up having to take longer shifts at work after HE ended up between-jobs… and I would just hide in my room, hoping things would get better.
“Well… that hope died when I was 15. Mom had been telling him he should seek counseling for his anger-issues, and he blew up at her and got violent. I stepped in, trying to make him stop, and that’s when he broke my leg. The asshole took off after that, probably because he knew he’d have the cops on his ass for assault, and Mom decided to divorce his ass and moved us to Tokyo.”
Khunbish rubbed his head, tussling his hair.“Yeah, well… his loss. Ye’d be a great lad, Ryuji. ‘Managed to make something o’ yourself regardless o’ the hardships life threw at ya, ‘n’ didn’t let your heart grow dark. I’d be damn proud to have a son like ya,”
Ryuji blushed, rubbing the back of his neck, giving the pirate a nudge. “G-Geez, man, don’t get sappy…” he chuckled, before giving him a sincere grin. “But if it helps, I think you’re a great dad--- at least you’re there for your kid when they’re in trouble.”
The pirate paused, looking at him astounded. “…Did ye say I’m a great dad?”
The teen startled, realizing his choice of words. “I-I mean, you’re GOING TO BE a great dad---! I, uh… h-hey, did I just go through a growth-spurt??”
Khunbish laughed, patting him on the back. “Don’t worry, lad, I ain’t loose-lipped ‘bout these sort o’ things. I appreciate the sentiment, either way.”
Ryuji sighed, giving a smile. “Thanks. …So, is this a dream or something?”
“Must be. It be the only explanation of why I be dressed like Cap’n Kidd,” Khunbish looked out towards the horizon, seeing a golden light. “Seems like it almost be dawn.” He looked at Ryuji. “Ye’d best wake up soon, lad.”
The teen reached out, but the pirate disappeared in a flash of light, as the morning sun shone in his eyes…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Swaine had fallen asleep at some point during the night.
It was the only explanation as to why he was suddenly back in the crumbling tower, standing on the balcony… and back on two legs.
However, he was not alone.
A man stood beside him. He looked a lot like the thief… or at least, what the thief would look like if he never led a rugged lifestyle.
The stranger wore a blue vest with a golden trim, long teal pants, and black sandals; his eyes were a radiant blue color, and his hair was long and green, a purple turban with a topaz gem pinned to it sitting atop his head. He also sported silver and gold earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.
He looked at Swaine and gave a smile. “Ah, so we finally meet. Salutations, my friend.” He spoke, his accent much akin to the Hamlin dialect.
Swaine eyed him warily. “Who are you, and what is this place?”
“This is my kingdom… or at least, used to be. A lot has happened in the last few centuries, and now my palace is only the spirit of a memory.” The man turned to Swaine, giving a bow. “I am Prince Lamian,”
“Lamian…?” It took a few seconds for the name to surface in the thief’s memory. “You mean the same Lamian--- Son of the Naga King?!”
Lamian sneered. “I prefer not to hold that title. That man was only my father by blood, nothing more. I prefer to go by my mother’s title--- Heir to the Mangalica Throne.” He leaned against the stone railing, looking out at the sky and the clouds that drifted below them. “But, yes, I am the same naga from the tale you have heard, the same one whose scales were made to curse others…” he looked at Swaine, giving a small grin. “Or, in some cases, perhaps bless them. Depending on one’s point of view,”
Swaine sighed, standing beside him. “I don’t really consider it much of a ‘blessing’…” he thought for a moment. “…but I will admit, it had its benefits.” He looked at Lamian. “Speaking of which, why didn’t it let up after I got all three of my cards? Do Khunbish and I really have to find all our benefits together?”
The prince chuckled. “Do you think your benefits rested in the cards alone?” he looked back out at the horizon. “Sometimes, we are put into situations outside our own control. For me, I was born a naga, immediately imprisoned for the first 18 years of my life with only my mother showing me kindness, and ended up getting the man who sired me killed. After that, I was left to inherit the throne…
“Problem was, I knew nothing of being a monarch, and instead returned with my mother to her own kingdom, living amongst the other princes, one whom went to rule my so-called father’s kingdom and managed to be a leader its people could depend on.
“As time went on, I learned how to become human myself, and only changed into my naga-form if a situation called for it. I must admit, it was difficult learning how to walk on two legs… but as time went on, I got used to it. Perhaps because everyone helped me feel human,”
He looked at Swaine. “Tell me, was there any point where you forgot you were cursed, and remembered who you are as a person?”
The thief thought for a moment. “Plenty, I guess… when I wasn’t focused on having a tail.” He leaned against the railing beside Lamian, arms crossed, one finger tapping on his elbow. “Most of the time, I was more concerned about some friends… one had a broken heater and was in a bad head-space, a couple more were dealing with abusive fathers, and… right now, one of them is in the hospital because of this madman who was after us, and a few of us feel guilty about it… especially Khunbish…”
His eyes widened, turning to Lamian. “Hey! I-Is there a cure for naga-venom?! Our alchemist friend is trying to make one from your scales--- is there a special ingredient?!”
The prince shrugged. “Sure--- just take the blood of the naga that poisoned him, combine it a bundle of booster-shoots, mix with holy wonderwater, and cast ‘Draw Poison’ upon it while it is simmering. Once it turns into a cerulean color, it is ready.” He waved his hand. “But don’t use my scales. They’re useless.”
“Thank you! I need to tell Zane---” he paused. “…did you say blood?”
“Specifically from the tail.” Lamian looked out to the horizon, seeing a glint of sunlight peeking above the cloud line. “You’d best hurry, Gascon. You will only have until sunrise to save your friend,”
Swaine watched as everything began to fade away into the sunlight. “Wait… how do you know my name?” he called.
Lamian shrugged. “I like to keep track of all my descendants, just in case…”
Everything went white, and then faded to black.
…
Swaine gasped, snapping awake. He looked over at Zane, who was still working at his desk. “Zane! What time is it?!” “Gah!” Zane exclaimed, fumbling with some beakers, before steadying himself and giving the thief a glare. “It’s only been ten minutes! For the love of Frank West, what’s the problem now?” With lightning speed, the naga shot over. “Did you use the scales, yet?” “No—any time I add a pinch to a concoction, it turns black… and then turns into dust.” He looked at a few containers of blackened dust. “Not exactly the ideal medicine,” “Don’t worry, we don’t need them! What we need is holy wonderwater, booster-shoots, Khunbish’s blood, and you’ll need to cast ‘Draw Poison’ while its simmering—” Zane was writing all of this down, but paused. “…Wait, Khunbish’s blood?” he arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure you didn’t dream you were in a cult?” “What’s this about me blood…?” Khunbish asked, slithering in and rubbing his eyes. Swaine grabbed him by the shoulders. “No time to explain! We need to use some of your blood to make the antidote for Ryuji!” The pirate-naga snapped awake. “Whoa! Hold it! How would that help…?!” “Lamian told me!” The archer continued to look disbelieving. “Lamian…? The son of the Naga King? …How the blue blazes did he give ye the remedy, sending ye the recipe over Leafbook from beyond the grave?!” “Do you want to save Ryuji or not?! C’mon, we only have until sunrise!” “It may be our only hope, Khunbish.” Zane replied, showing him the container of black dust. “So far, everything I mix the scales with turns out toxic.” Khunbish heaved a heavy sigh, before holding out his arm. “Alright, whatever it takes to save the lad…” “It has to come from your tail,” Swaine explained. “Snake’s alive, how specific are these instructions?!” he lifted a part of his tail. “Make it quick--- this thing be sensitive to pain,” Zane nodded, taking out a syringe. “Don’t worry, it will only feel like a pinch.” He grabbed some rubbing alcohol and dabbed the top of the scales, inserting the needle into the crevice of the pattern. He shut his eyes, cringing. “Oi, don’t get queasy on me, matey! Lives be at stake, here!” “I’m not queasy! I’m good…” he drew out some blood, then turned to his work table. “Alright. Now, we need the holy wonderwater and booster shoots.” Swaine and Khunbish each checked their inventories. “I don’t have anything--- but I can find some booster-shoots on a hill outside of town,” The thief stated. “And Evermore’s General Store and Mining Camp No. 1 should have some holy wonderwater on hand!” Khunbish exclaimed. “We’ll have to move fast, then. We only have two hours before sunrise,” Zane told them, and they headed outside the TARDIS. “Swaine, you head into the Rolling Hills. Khunbish, you and I will make a run to the General Store; we’ll meet back in the TARDIS.” “Let’s go!” Swaine exclaimed, shooting out the door at great speed. “C’mon, mate!” Khunbish hollered, grabbing Zane by the arm and pulling him out. “WHOA! HOLY SHIT, YOU’RE FAST!” Zane screamed, doing his best to keep up--- which was hard as his feet barely touched the ground. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 ATF sat in the jailcell, twiddling his thumbs, all the while trying to keep his nerves calm. There came footsteps, as an officer approached his cell doors. “You’ve been pardoned,” he muttered. “Apparently, a couple royals and a president spoke up on your behalf, and insisted the charges be dropped on the account that you were trying to stop an underground trafficking ring.”The cell door opened, but as ATF stepped out, the officer grabbed him roughly by the shoulder. “You get off too lucky sometimes, Zechariah. Bad guys or not, next time you get thrown in here for mindless slaughter, we’ll see to it you stay locked up!” ATF pulled away. “Don’t think I’m like the sickos you lock up… at least I’m TRYING to get better,” he grimaced, trudging away. He wasn’t expecting to see Marcassin waiting for him. “Thank you, officer. I shall escort him from here,” the young sage told the police, before leading him outside of the courthouse. He didn’t need to look to see the confused look on ATF’s face, and immediately gave the answer to the question on the immortal teen’s mind, “King Evan, Roland and I informed the authorities of what had happened, and insisted upon your release. We are making sure the tabloids do not receive word about it, for everyone’s sakes.” “Why? …I figured you’d consider it a reprieve to keep me behind bars,” ATF questioned. Marcassin looked up at the falling snowflakes drifting against the dark, morning sky. “Your sister was being held captive by people with insidious intentions… and from what I know about your Dark-Ego, it is not triggered by just any threat. Whatever they had planned for her, it was horrible enough to cause Fluffy to take control.”He closed his eyes a bit, taking a breath. “I felt similar, when I learned someone was out to kidnap my brother for their own profit and pleasure. And from how Chingis described Blackmire’s Palace… I won’t deny, I would have killed the bastard and silenced his accomplices myself for such sin.” ATF rubbed his arm, looking down at the snow-covered ground. “…that doesn’t mean I should be let off the hook,” he whispered, feeling fresh tears form in his eyes. “I should have just focused on finding WG and getting her out of there, but… my head was filled with horrible thoughts on what they might have done to her that I lost control… and all the bodies… the blood…”He trembled violently, the combination of shot nerves and cold weather causing his trepidation.“M-Maybe I should be locked up… if I’m going to be triggered that badly…” A hand gripped his shoulder. “Ezekiel. Your actions will be forgiven. And I promise, all of us will help you overcome your trauma, so Fluffy will no longer be untamed.”The immortal teen looked at him with teary eyes, sniffling.“I promise. You are not a monster.”Silence fell between them, only the sound of a cold wind blowing through the streets to be heard.“…oof!”Until ATF hugged Marcassin tightly, sobbing into his shoulder. Unlike the previous times, when it was just a matter of annoyance, the young sage could tell the young teen was in great need of physical comfort; the horrors he had to live with broke him, and he knew this was not the first time such guilt plagued the young immortal.Thus, Marcassin wrapped his arms around him in turn, giving him a strong hug.“It’s okay, Ezekiel… everything is alright.”Keeping an arm around him to keep the feeling of comfort intact, the young sage led ATF down the street.“Let’s go visit your sister, now.” 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 The current time in Evermore was 5 AM, and unfortunately the General Store would not be open for another two hours. Khunbish used his Leafbook tablet to contact Gerel--- explaining their urgency, she groggily assured them she would hurry over to unlock the doors.Ten long minutes later, they were searching the shelves, before finally finding a jar of holy wonderwater; Khunbish told Gerel to put it on his tab as he and Zane hurried back out the door, though the shopkeeper mainly waved them off, too tired to care about the funds and understanding it was an emergency. Meanwhile, Swaine scoured the fields of the Rolling Hills. The cool nighttime air made him sluggish, but he snapped himself awake, drinking a cup of coffee from his inventory to keep focused and energized.His search was disrupted when a pair of Ruffs (and a familiar Snagglewolf) challenged him to a fight. He drew his pistol, shooting at the bigger hound while using his tail to swat the smaller ones back. The Ruffs immediately disappeared in puffs of smoke due to their lower auras, but the Snagglewolf was a bit stronger, taking the thief five minutes to finally have it disappear next.On the bright side, his foes dropped a few items--- one of them being a bundle of booster-shoots.Claiming the spoils, he shot back to Ding Dong Dell, just in time for Zane and Khunbish to return from their half of the run. … Zane followed the instructions Swaine was given, bringing the potion to a simmer in a small pot before casting ‘Draw Poison’. “And once it turns a cerulean color, it’s done.” “It’s violet now… turning red… purple… blue… a lighter blue…” Zane analyzed, while looking up a color-palette to make sure they got the right shade. “…There! It’s done!” Pouring the potion into a vial, the Time Lord and nagas ran out to head to the Gateway… Only to see the sunrise on the coast.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Shit--- c’mon! W-We still got time! We can still make it… c-can’t we?” Khunbish sputtered. “We’ll have to sprint to the Gateway then use a Travel Spell from there to just have a chance--- unless WG is awake and able to open a portal,” Swaine stated, trying not to lose his cool. Zane looked at his watch. “…Swaine, did Lamian say we had to hurry before sunrise here specifically?” The thief looked at him, confused. “Huh? H-He didn’t really say… why?” “Then we still have hope,” he showed them his watch. “The time zones are different in our worlds. It’s only 5 AM at the hospital, the sun won’t rise for another hour or so.” Khunbish emptied his lungs with an enormous sigh of relief. “Thank God…” he whispered, before standing straight up. “Nonetheless, lets haul ass ‘n’ get Ryuji that antidote!” Running to the nearest Gateway, Zane punched in the code that would take them back to his home-realm.Once through, they hurried down the street, the Time Lord reaching into his coat pocket…His eyes widened. “I forgot my wand!” “What?! How could you forget it?!” Swaine questioned. “Hey, we were in a rush! I must have left it on my desk!” he pointed down the street as they continued to run and slither. “But the hospital is just four down the street! We can make it if we hurry!” Khunbish shuddered from the cold. “(F-Fuck, it’s f-f-freezing!)” he stammered. Swaine draped his jacket over his shoulders. “What the---? Swaine, what’re you doing?” “Trust me, I’ve dealt with the cold more than you have.” The thief-naga told him, before pushing him by the shoulders. “We gotta keep moving--- the longer we’re in the cold, the less energy we’ll have!”He paused when Zane draped his own jacket over his shoulders. The elder prince looked at him, surprised. “I can handle the cold a little more than you can, right now. Now, let’s hurry!” Zane exclaimed, linking his arms with both Swaine’s and Khunbish’s and pulling them down the sidewalk as he rushed down the sidewalk. The snow was ankle-deep, and it seemed the snowfall decided it was not finished, snowflakes thickly falling from the skies; every few seconds the winds would plow powdery snow off high surfaces as if to add an extra dose of chill to the already-frozen realm.Swaine shut his eyes, trying to focus his mind on the task at hand. We can make it… it’s not that far… WG’s apartment was colder than this! This is nothing! He told himself to boost his motivation.Another icy gust blew between them, and he could feel his tail beginning to freeze solid.
…okay, maybe it’s a LITTLE colder…
Khunbish forced himself to slither forward, though his upper (human) torso was more capable of thrusting him forth, as his tail began to feel too heavy to drag.
I ain’t stopping… I gotta see him… I gotta save him!
Another blistery wind rushed at him, almost knocking him back.
BLAST IT! Curse this ill-weather!
“Damn, it’s like Elsa and Jack Frost are at war with each other! …Or having a very passionate hand-holding session.” Zane grunted, trying to help the two half-snake men cross the snow-filled street. If one good thing came from this weather, it was the drop in traffic. “C’mon, we just have (mmf!) …three more blocks to go!” “Zane…” Swaine sighed, feeling his muscles giving out and he had to lean against a light-post. “You’re going to have to get there w-without us. It’s too c-cold, and we’re g-going to pass out if we s-s-stay out here!” “Speak for yourself, ye w-w-weakling!” Khunbish snapped through chattering teeth; he reached down and lifted part of his tail, carrying it as he inched onward. “I ain’t stopping ‘t-t-til we’re b-b-back in the hospital!" "Unless w-w-we can F-Fast T-Travel there, w-w-we’re not going to m-make it!” Swaine argued. “I’m with Khunbish. I’m not going to leave you guys to freeze to death!” Zane spoke up, wrapping his arms around both nagas’ shoulders. “C’mon! Keep moving, it’ll keep the blood circulation going! Don’t stop for anything!” “I can barely move! We have to head back to the Gateway and get back to a warm climate…” “No! I ain’t giving up! I need to get back to Ryuji!” The archer growled, though his heavy breaths clashed with his determination, and he found himself leaning against the wall. The thief looked at him. “Khunbish. We’re just slowing Zane down. We’re not fast enough--- it’ll take us an hour just to reach the hospital! We can’t waste time.” Khunbish looked at him with a glare in his eyes, before he turned away, looking at the ground. “…aye. Go on without us, Zane. We can’t---” “---be out in weather like this!” exclaimed a voice, and the trio looked over, seeing Marcassin and ATF rushing across the street over to them. “Gascon, what the hell?! I told you being in cold weather like this again could kill you!” “See what you’ve done, Swaine? Your little brother cussed. I hope you’re happy.” ATF quipped. “W-W-We’ll be h-happier if y-y-you’d…” Swaine began to retort. “Open a portal, save your butts again, yadda yadda, I know the drill.” The immortal teen opened a portal to the hospital entrance. “Better hurry before visiting hours are up.” Marcassin helped Zane pull the two nagas through the portal. At the sudden sensation of warmth coming from the vents, the two half-snake men sprawled out on the ground, catching their breaths as if they had just finished a race. Both of them could sense the shock and alarm from the nursing staff and others, but at the moment they felt too exhausted to care.“We need some heavy blankets and heating pads for our friends, ASAP.” Zane was saying to the receptionist, before walking down the hall, speaking with a nurse. “Excuse me, I need to get to the ICU wing where Ryuji Sakamoto is--- I have the cure for his ailment,” “I’m sorry, but unless you are a licensed doctor---" Zane quickly flashed a badge-case (which appeared blank). “I am a Doctor. Let me see him, we don’t have time to waste!” “*sigh* (first patients keep disappearing and reappearing, now this…) Let me speak with the doctor in charge of his examination.” The nurse walked off. Zane gave a deadpanned look, before looking over at ATF. “Zeke?” “On it,” ATF sighed, opening yet another portal--- thankful that most of the staff were more focused on Swaine and Khunbish, so the portal went unnoticed. “You go save Ryuji--- I’m going to go see how WG is doing,” “Wait… let me come with…” The sky-pirate grunted, reaching out, but the Time Lord already disappeared through the vortex, which immediately snapped shut as the immortal teen walked down the corridor. He planted his face in his other arm, letting out a defeated moan. “Sheesh, you just keep popping up left and right, don’t you?” came a voice, and Swaine looked up to see Vincent walking over--- carrying two Styrofoam cups filled with hot coffee. “What happened?” “Went through snow. Need coffee.” The thief stated, cutting to the chase. Vincent rolled his eyes, but knelt down, handing the cups to them both. “You’re lucky the cafeteria is right around the corner. Are you guys alright?” “Aye… we will be, once our body temperatures return to normal.” Khunbish sighed, sipping the warm beverage. A couple nurses came by, draping heavy blankets over their tails. “Which will be easier once you’re back in a warm climate,” Marcassin stated. “I can Fast Travel us back to the Gateway,” “Give us a minute to finish our coffees, first.” Swaine stated, taking a gulp of his caffeinated drink next. “(ouch, hot) …Otherwise, you’ll have to drag us through the Gateway.” “C’mon, Mark. You look like you could use a coffee, yourself.” Vincent stated, leading his younger royal cousin over to the cafeteria. The young sage sighed. “…Yes, I believe I do.” He gave a stern look at Swaine and Khunbish. “Stay. Here.” Assuring the nurses tending to them that they would be alright, the two nagas slithered over to a couch, finding some way to ‘sit’ on it, their tails folded beneath them on the floor; they adjusted the blankets so their scales were covered, and they leaned back, sipping their coffees and waiting.Waiting for their bodies to warm back up so they could move properly.Waiting for Zane to return with a positive progress report.Waiting for any kind of good news at all.But mostly, they waited for the sun to rise, looking out the glass double-doors at the still-falling snow. “So… it turns out… this sort of thing might be an ancestral trait of mine.” Swaine murmured, motioning to his tail. Khunbish gave him a curious look. “…Prince Lamian shares my bloodline. His mother was part of the Mangalica family. They were one of the earliest royal families who ruled Hamelin. He also mentioned keeping track of all his descendants.” “I see. Ye think the curse may be… just a hereditary trait, then?” Khunbish asked. “I mean… it be possible we share the same ancestor, given how long ago it was…” The thief rubbed his face. “I don’t know… but I don’t really feel like retracing my family-tree, right now. Hell, I just found out I might be related to Junpei, somehow!” The sky-pirate chuckled. “Really, now? …That may be why ye two are so alike.” The elder prince shot him a look. “Since when??” Khunbish opened his mouth to respond, but his smile dropped as he noticed someone coming around the corner, and accidentally made eye-contact with her.Aya Sakamoto.He could feel the grief and rage radiating off her, and her glower chilled his blood far faster than the weather outside could.
Shit.
“You have some nerve showing up here--- sitting there looking all cozy while my son is fighting for his life!” Aya snapped at him. “M-Ma’am, please! I didn’t mean to---!” The Sky Pirate pleaded, raising his arms in front of himself, worried that at any moment, the woman may strike him.And why wouldn’t she?He poisoned Ryuji.Sure, Blackmire made him do it… but that scum was already dead, meaning the archer was the only one left for her to unleash her wrath upon. “I’ll be clear. If by any chance Ryuji survives, stay away from him.” Aya snapped, crossing her arms, though perhaps it was a way to help her stay composed, he could guess. “It’s bad enough one toxic bastard put him in the hospital.” Khunbish sank in his seat, unable to respond.The sheer emotions ruminating from Aya were strong.If anything, it made him think of the reactions Junpei and Ryuji had when they learned he got drunk, had he been able to sense them in-full.Thinking of that moment reminded him of his feral state…What if he had bitten them then?Dammit… I can’t take it… he thought, unable to handle the feelings he was sensing now. “He’s not toxic.” Khunbish paused, suddenly remembering Swaine next to him; he looked over at the elder prince, who at this moment was setting his coffee down so he could stand up and move in front of him, as if shielding him from Aya. “Would a toxic bastard run himself ragged trying to fix things? Would he risk his health being out in foul weather, just for the chance to make sure a cure was delivered? Would he even be here, waiting—hoping— to hear that his boy would be alright?” Swaine questioned, speaking in a calm but firm tone. “I know you’re upset--- but you’re not the only one who feels that way!”Swaine pointed upwards. “Even from down here, I can sense the concern of several friends, fans, and co-stars who have no doubt been here all night waiting for any chance of good news. The only ones who weren’t sitting and pacing in their worries were out trying to figure out a way to help!“As Ryuji’s mum, yes, you have the right to be upset in every sense of the word… but taking it out on Khunbish isn’t going to solve anything. And honestly, it should be up to Ryuji to decide whether or not he wants to see him again! What happened is awful, and that’s the most I’ll agree with you on… but I can vouch for him when I say he would never, EVER, do anything that would cost Ryuji his life.” Aya only glowered at him. “And why should I take your word? How do I know you’re not just trying to protect your friend?” she questioned. “Well, for one thing, we’re hardly friends. More like… ‘cursed co-victims’. But if you don’t want to believe me, go ask Junpei, Kanji--- anyone from the Persona realm, really, and they’ll tell you just how much Khunbish cares about Ryuji.” Aya shook her head. “He hardly knows him! How could he care about someone he’s only met for a short time?!” “…That’s a bit hypocritical coming from a mother, don’t you think?” came a retort; everyone looked over, watching as Kamoshida walked over, carrying Andre with him. “Honestly, I thought dramatic hospital moments like this only happened on television.” “What the…?! When did you get here??” Swaine sputtered, before turning to Khunbish. “(I swear, this guy just keeps showing up out of nowhere!)” “(Must have his own kind of Fast Travel)” The Sky-Pirate guessed with a shrug. “I came by after picking up my kids. When they heard that their ‘big sis’ was on the hospital, they immediately demanded we come by.” The medalist turned to Aya. “Seriously. They refused to let me sleep until we checked out the Gift Shop. I’m literally running on espresso at the moment,”He looked between the distressed mother and two nagas. “So! What’s this about Khunbish caring about Ryuji-san and why does it piss you off so much?” “He bit my son and injected him with venom… and he might not make it,” Aya sternly responded, her voice breaking on the latter part as she began to sob. “I just spoke with the doctor… he said the antivenom wasn’t working, and… his heart-rate kept dropping…” The sky pirate felt all color drain from his face; he dropped his coffee, the hot liquid spilling onto the exposed part of his scales, but he only felt the pain for a moment, his mind focused elsewhere.
Were we too late? No… no, it’s not sunrise yet! He has to be alright!
Hot tears pooled in his eyes and he let out a gasp.He could feel more of Aya’s pain--- it was not just grief and rage, but the wretched sorrow that can only be felt by a parent who had lost their child.“I’m… I’m sorry…” Khunbish sobbed, wrapping his arms around himself as his trepidations intensified. “It’s all me fault… I shouldn’t’ve gotten so close… I-I-I don’t know why I did… I never wanted to hurt him, I swear, I swear I didn’t…!” Swaine rested a hand on his shoulder, preparing to remind him of the cure Zane (by this point probably) was giving Ryuji……until suddenly Andre was being handed to him.“Can you hold him, a moment?” Kamoshida asked him, though didn’t wait for an answer.By obligation, the thief-naga held the infant… who began to teethe on Zane’s jacket, reminding him that the Time Lord had yet to reclaim it.He looked over at the medalist, as he wrapped a comforting arm around Aya’s shoulders, whispering to her. “Aya-san, you can’t give up hope just yet. That son of yours is one of the strongest, most stubborn teenagers I’ve ever worked with! He wouldn’t give up the ghost so easily, not without a real fight. There’s a good chance the doctor is dealing with fatigue and needs to re-analyze everything.
“Regardless… don’t blame these guys. They were trying to rescue someone, and the Phantom Thieves decided to help. No one knew what that scum was planning, and things… backfired.”
"私の立場にいたら、違う気持ちになるだろう!”Aya hissed at him in Japanese, between sobs. Kamoshida gripped her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes with a bitter expression. "私はあなたの立場にいます..." he responded in the same tongue, speaking firmly enough so she would pay attention. He then nodded over at Swaine. “Look at my son. He wouldn’t be so calm in someone’s arms if he felt they were dangerous. And if an infant can feel safe with them, I can trust them—a little.”
Swaine blinked, before looking down at Andre. The baby smiled up at him, grabbing at his face with his small hands, his expression turning curious as he felt the thief’s stubble.He did recall hearing that infants had some sort of instinct to know when someone was dangerous or not. An instinct that they probably lose as they get older…With a few exceptions. “You know…” The thief spoke up, inching up to the two conversing adults as he cradled Andre, tickling his tummy a bit before letting the baby play with his fingers. “Ryuji seems like the kind of person whose trust is really hard to come by. And Khunbish once had to deal with betrayal, pretty sure he wouldn’t be stupid enough to pull the same act. Again, you don’t have to take my word for it… but let your son be the one to make the choice. I think he’s smart enough to judge someone’s character.”He gave Aya a reassuring smile. “And Kamoshida’s right. The doctor needs to make another examination. Someone has the antidote he needs, and has just delivered it.” Aya stared at him in disbelief. “W… What? When?” “A few minutes ago, not long after we came in.” “Why didn’t you say so before?!” Kamoshida demanded, hands on hips. Swaine shrugged. “I was going to, but it’s hard to bring up the topic when emotions are all over the place.” He handed Andre back to the medalist. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish my coffee before my insides freeze over.”With that, he sat back down in his seat, picking up his coffee. Khunbish looked up at Aya, wanting to say something, but couldn’t find the words; instead, he wrapped Swaine’s jacket tighter around his shoulders, staring at the ground. Kamoshida cleared his throat. “…I should make sure my daughters aren’t demolishing the Gift Shop.” He stated, walking off. Aya let out a heavy sigh, before walking away as well. “…I will see how Ryuji is doing, and… ask how he feels about all this.” She looked back at Khunbish. “If he of all people still has reason to trust you, then…” Swaine held up his palm. “Best make decisions once you’ve calmed down.” She nodded, letting out one more heavy breath, before walking away. “I’ll go find the doctor.” Swaine leaned back, letting out a heavy breath. He looked at Khunbish, resting a hand on his back. “Hey. Don’t worry about it, alright?” “…I just want him to be okay,” Khunbish whispered, closing his eyes. The thief nodded in understanding. At this moment, Vincent and Marcassin walked around the corner, fresh coffees in hands. They paused, seeing the saddened expression on the archer’s face, as well as the spilled coffee on the floor.“Did we miss something?” Vincent asked. The elder prince let out a sigh, before standing up and slithering down the hall. “I’m going to go see how WG is holding up,” “I’ll come with… need to clear me head,” The Sky Pirate murmured, following. “Gascon, you both need to…” Marcassin began to state, though his voice trailed off as he could tell the mood of the two nagas had shifted. He sighed. “…We’ll go back home afterwards,”He followed, with Vincent trailing behind--- *bap!*“Whoop--!”*splash!*“ACK!” “OW!” Swaine flinched, looking at where hot coffee hat spilled… shortly after Vincent tripped over his tail. “Damn this tail…!” Vincent, currently dealing with hot coffee on his face, sat up and looked at the ground. “Dammit… you’re paying for the next ones!” 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 Ryuji’s condition seemed to have grown worse since they last saw him.His skin was pale enough to blend into the sheets, his breathing labored.His heart monitor barely emitted more than one beep every ten seconds. Zane stood there, contemplating how to give him the antidote.Apparently, Lamian didn’t give them the specifics for administration.Was the teen supposed to take it orally, or was it to be injected into him? The Time Lord thought, before looking at the I.V bag, which was administering the antivenom in through Ryuji’s hand, where he had been bitten.Taking a breath, Zane unplugged the cord from the bag, waiting for it to drain out of the tube, before having it take the potion.Please work… please work… he thought, sweat pouring down his forehead as he watched the liquid slip down the tube and into the track star’s veins. At that moment the doors burst open, a nurse seeing him and, in alarm, hollering for security. “You’re not supposed to be in here!” she snapped. “Wait, please---!” Zane stammered, switching his gaze between the nurse and the tube, trying to diffuse the situation while making sure all of the antidote went through. “I’m here to give him the cure---!”Two security guards charged in, grabbing him by the arm and forcing him away from Ryuji’s bedside, the tube dropping downward towards the floor.“Hold on! I have to make sure he takes it…!”They hauled him out. The nurse hurried over, picking up the tube and reattaching it to the I.V. bag, tsking when she saw it had drained all over the floor. She hurried over to the cabinet to get a new one, as well as a fresh tube, throwing the current one into the trash bin.It was empty, save for the small specks that served as the only remains of the antidote. She startled, whipping around when she heard a loud gasp come from behind her.
“Dad?!”
She hurried over, hitting the call-button to alert a doctor, before rushing over to Ryuji’s bedside. “It’s alright, it’s alright… can you hear me?” she asked, checking his vitals, surprised to see his heart-rate was suddenly back to normal! “W... Where’s my dad?” Ryuji stammered, his eyes darting around. “I don’t know, hon… but your mom is here! How do you feel?” “Mom…?” he breathed slowly, his eyes drooping. “I… I want to see her… and Junpei ‘n’ Kanji… everyone… is WG okay…?” The doctor came in with another nurse, all of them checking over the teen, his vitals, asking him questions--- all the while baffled at his sudden turn for the better.However, his mind was in a fog, unable to process everything.He closed his eyes. Despite he had been asleep for several hours, he still felt tired.
Dad… Khunbish… you there…?
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 Khunbish’s head jerked up.Something burst through his senses like a bolt of lightning.Just as such, he shot down the hall, ignoring everyone else’s hollering.His heart was pounding in his chest.He recognized this feeling from before.
Me boy needs me.
Outside the windows, the first line of the morning light began to shine.