| Hello everyone,
| The end of the beginning has arrived!
| Anyways, enjoy~♥
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"..." = Speech
<...> = Thought
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Shantae ended up waking up with a dry throat; fairly ironic when she recalled just how much fluid had been poured down it.
Coughing slightly in a feeble attempt to escape the scratchiness of it.
Fortunately, someone was already ready for that, the half-genie finding a glass of water deposited in front of her immediately afterwards. Eagerly taking the glass as she sat up. Wasting no time in guzzling down the contents in a manner of seconds at most.
"Nice to see you haven't forgotten how to drink again." The amused voice of Sky coming from her beside her as her best friend delivered yet another memory she'd rather forget. Causing the poor half-genie to almost choke on her water resulting in a tick mark flashing upon her forehead.
Angrily pointing a finger straight at that meanie. "Everyone is bad at something. I can't be blamed for failing a little bit after not doing it for upwards of, like, an entire year!"
Hearing that the human just snorted.
Proceeding to stick her hand out with one counting the fingers that steadily rose every time she made another point.
"Number one; we are talking about drinking water, number two; it was a month, number three; you literally bet that idiot Bolo you could do it and number four… We are talking about drinking water." Letting a sigh out as she ended and looked down at her raised fingers - tapping each as if she was counting them.
.Shantae just crossed her arms as she mumbled poutingly. "Pretty sure you repeated one of those…"
Sky just hit here with a brutal shrug.
"So, ignoring how I found you atop Mount Peaky, did you manage to at least get all of the stones before that no good pirate could?" Raising a brow as she asked. She, of course, had already known about the success at Crackle Mound before catching Shantae with her pants (literally) down outside Twinkle Palace.
That did seem to indicate that her adventure was a success…
Yet the wry laughter that escaped from her lips led to a headache forming preemptively in response to the trouble her best friend no doubt created for them all. Shantae just forced a laugh out while avoiding eye contact as she spoke. " Ha! Ha! Ha! W-Well I succeeded at that part but, er, where are we?"
To say Sky was suspicious was a grand understatement of her feelings - suspicion suggested there were doubts and Sky had no doubts about Shantae. Still she palmed her face with a sigh; deciding to at least pander to the fool. "Well the closest place was Bandit town so I went to the guardian genie."
"WAIT WHAT!" Immediately any sullenness vanished from Shantae as she stood atop the bed much to the shock of Sky and a previously sleeping Wrench on her shoulder.
Both master & warbird letting out surprised squarks.
"You can't trust that no good tramp-GWACK!" A book suddenly slammed down onto her head leading to her teeth to slam down on either side of her poor tongue. Causing the poor girl's eyes to practically shoot out of her skull as she turned to glare to see what was responsible.
Instantly a feeling of familiarity washed over her despite never having met before.
Large lenses glistening with what light managed to get from the foliage outside the window.
Floating midair behind Shantae was an even shorter girl who was holding the very book responsible for that dastardly attack.
The girl in question wore an oversized shirt that hid essentially everything except the sandals that half slipped from her floating feet.
Long messy black hair paired with a complexion darker than that more olive tan of either Shantae or (the currently struggling not to laugh) Sky. Although neither Shantae or the girl were laughing as the half-genie swirled around to point aggressively at the midget. "W-What is the big idea!"
"I should be the one asking you that, rookie, considering you seem to have quite the opinion about someone you haven't even met!" Angrily waving her book toward Shantae. At that point Sky could no longer hold in her laughter as she watched the two fight.
Both of them turned to look at her with annoyance.
She did not exactly seem to be intimidated as she motioned towards the new girl. "Allow me to introduce you to the magical hermit, guardian genie of Bandit Town, who also happens to be called Hermit."
"Tsk, I guess it's better than the other nicknames these fools give me." Shaking her head as she floated over to a pile of books that she plopped herself down upon.
All Shantae could do was blink in bewilderment.
"But… I thought the guardian genie was Risky Boots' disguise for when she wanted to be all sneaky and trick people into forking over their hard earned stones." Looking up and down the magical otaku who had already returned to reading. Though hearing those words caused an annoying smirk to appear.
Yet Shantae found herself unable to respond to that smirk. Primarily because the third woman in the room was smiling with veins bulging from every inch of her skin in a manner reminiscent of when that super powerful BatGal had gone berserk. "Oh~ so you ended up handing over the stones to her?"
Trembling as she were…
Shantae still nodded.
Surprisingly that girl didn't actually start screaming or beating up the half-genie heroine; just letting out a long drawn out sigh as she massaged her aching temples.
"Didn't want to do this so early but it seems we'll need you to take the fight directly to that pirate on your own terms; before she can set her own. In a fair fight I don't think we'd be able to win since she'll have likely planned around the Sultana interfering…" Hand stroking her chin as she began to pace around.
Hearing a familiar name made her energy bounce back - more than happy to share what she learned in the fight against Risky Boots. "She mentioned something about a giant Tinkerbot to take out Sultana."
"Figures… Wait, don't you mean Tinkerbat?" Her confusion only built with Shantae's reply. "Nope, she definitely said Tinkerbot, along the lines of making one big enough to deal with Sultana."
"How did you fall for Risky Boots disguise anyway; I've seen her around here tons and she doesn't even change the colour of her skin or hair." The voice of that other genie rang out from behind the book she held in front of her face. It was Sky who took the most note of that question.
Her gaze slowly turned towards Hermit before slowly turning towards a Shantae who desperately wanted to avoid her gaze. The question heavy behind those large eyes resulted in the guilty party just blurting out whatever came to her mind. "Did you know sex felt so great?!"
Sky blinked in surprise with a head faintly tilted.
"Well yeah, of course I do, why would I not?" With that unabashed reply - it was now Shantae's turn to be completely baffled by what someone else replied with.
Something that seemed to be noticed by her best friend who raised a brow. "Have you somehow forgotten that I'm several years older than you? Doubt there are many unmarried people, in Desert Town, that I haven't gone down with. There are even some married couples who wanted a threesome."
Somehow forgetting the old saying about birds and feathers.
A very apt one considering Sky's job.
The snapping of a book closing broke the pair out of their strange contest - gathering both their attention of the bespeckled genie who immediately filled in the silence. "If you two are quite done discussing your sex lives we can talk about something important. Like how we're going to deal with the pirate in the room,"
Both girls looked a bit bashful at that.
Although Sky did slowly narrow her eyes as shame faded away.
Unfortunately her doubts were fated to go unanswered.
"If you went to the Twinkle Palace then you probably learned from that bird brain, the one who seems to have endless complaints about everyone but herself, so have a harpy form? It'll be easy enough for you to sneak into their base assuming Miss Sky has the location." Placing a bookmark in her novel as she spoke.
Of course Sky instantly bristled at that off hand comment. "Obviously I know exactly where that pirate's den of debauchery is established. It has been located on an island off the coast for years; it was reported to the palace probably years ago at this point!"
"Then… Why haven't they done something about it?" Shantae couldn't help asking the obvious,
Although Sky wasn't exactly reserved with the answer - merely crossing her arms with a frown across her lips as she spoke. "They tried but heavy metal armour doesn't really do well with water. Plus, in terms of weapons they have everyone completely beat, they shot down any landing attempts before the army got anywhere near so they simply gave up as Risky mostly raids places outside our lands."
Hermit nodded sagely while adding to Sky's comments. "She isn't considered on par with the Leviathan, Behemoth, Black Dragon and Antares for no reason - she truly is a monster that nations can only treat like a natural disaster. That is why, for this plan, it will be tantamount to avoiding any combat."
"As confusing as it may be, a Devil from the underworld and calamity use the same name; I agree one hundred percent on the actual plan… Last thing I'd want for Shantae to not return." Sky couldn't help comment as she moved to rest her back against a wall.
Wrench making his own agreement known.
Letting out an affirming chirp.
"W-well, I guess dying isn't exactly on my list of things to do…" Scratching the back of her head as she between the two as she figured out how to admit her one problem with the plan. "The thing is, I'm not exactly subtle, how am I meant to sneak past an army of well armoured Tinkerbats by myself?"
Hearing that made a smirk come to the bespeckled girl. "Simple; you just have to become one yourself."
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For a solid few hours the only thing accompanying Shantae was the crashing of the waves and the beat of her own wings.
Flying across the open sea in her harpy form.
Although her destination had already come into sight.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero OST - Risky's Hideout (Tinkerbat Factory)
An island that had been transformed into a massive fortress of wood and steel; along with more than one banner with Risky's flag proudly displayed. Steam bellowing from strategically placed chimneys. Creating a maze of boiling vapour that ensured no snooping could come from above.
Another blessing was that the small contingent of TinkerBats & Bats manning the wall seemed far more focused on the sea than sky.
Specifically the surface of the ocean.
The moment she mentally shouted she stopped flapping her wings - letting gravity take over to send hurtling towards the water below. She couldn't even release her transformation as the bright white light would be far too attention grabbing. Diving into the ocean with a *PLOP* as she took cover in the waves.
A bat did notice the sound but after a glance attributed it to just some passing bird drobbing its bowls.
Meanwhile Shantae took advantage of her dive sending her deep into the waters to release her transformation safely. Genies were strangely buoyant so she couldn't waste any time. Paddling toward the shore of that pirate island under the notice of the Tinkerbat army.
Finally reaching shore did little to alleviate her worries as she crawled out the water with eyes carefully peering above the sand to see if there were any voyeurs about. Seeing that there was actually a convenient rocky outcrop that the waves crashed against. Rolling her way over to it.
She wasn't exactly graceful as she rolled across the wet sand.
But she at least accomplished her goal.
Standing up in her cover as she jumped about while rolling her shoulders, loosening her muscles in a less than elegant manner, while shaking her head to set her rhythm. Eyes closed as she took a deep breath to prepare herself for what came next. "This one is different from what I'm used to so here we go…"
With that she started how she started the rest of her dances except for this one's followup movement she didn't need to move her feet. Stretching her arms out as far as they would go as she rolled her hips around in a perfect circle. Holding that form for double the time as any of the others.
Yet, as she did, she found an icky magic filling her body that made her need to actively focus to not instinctively shiver in disgust as it filled through her.
Although light enveloped her… It was not as comforting as her usual transformation.
And when it was done Shantae no longer stood there.
Instead, in her place, was a TinkerBat.
"Wow this still feels horrible but also strangely empowering." Lifting her clawed hand up in front of her face to reveal a truly frightful set of sharp black digits.
Moving her other hand down to her waistband where a cutlass sat - pulling it from where it sat in order to inspect it like she did her claws.
Shaking her rogue thoughts away.
Skulking out from behind the rocky bank before she made her way towards that strong holds open area where a familiar ship was parked. Tinkerbats were all over the thing. The sounds of hammers and such ringing out across the shipyard that was far more advanced than the one in Scuttle Town.
As much as she disagreed with how they utilized it, growing up in a ship building & fishing village, she couldn't help being impressed at the place. It truly was a marvel of engineering that was hundreds of years ahead of the rest of civilization. There were even cranes taking crates of loot from the deck.
Of course there were also quite a few Batgals about.
"What are you doing here?"