| Hello everyone,
| Finally there; hope you guys enjoy what has been and what is to come!
| Anyways, enjoy~♥
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"..." = Speech
<...> = Thought
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Shantae: Dance Through the Danger || Metal Cover by RichaadEB & Cristina Vee
"Tsk to think a little thing like you were actually able to wound me - not even steel can wound me so that hair of yours sure is something - reminds me of that annoying "king" Merc's sword technique…" That flirty tone of hers was gone. In its place; a truly terrifying aura reminiscent of those things from the mud bog erupted from that clearly displeased pirate queen.
Crimson & black power seeped out from her body. Stretching her hand out towards the fallen sword only for it to snap back between her outstretched digits that tightly wrapped around it. Bringing the sword to rest the floor only to slash up as that magical power exploded from her blade.
A wave of clearly dangerous energy that Shantae promptly jumped out of the way of - shock still on her face as she was forced to take distance from the rogue. "Wait, you are actually a genie as well?!"
With distance between them Risky Boots took the chance to retrieve her ha.
"Technically yes but also no; my father was a Djinn while I evolved into one when he died." Shaking her head while placing her iconic hat back atop her freely flowing purple hair.
Though upon hearing about her father; Shantae couldn't help freezing up. "I… I am sorry to hear he died."
"That's strange because I sure don't - after all I am the one who put the old fart in the grave. In fact I put a lot of work into doing just that, you have no idea how long it took me to make a viable TinkerBat, though it didn't take me too long to build up the army once I figured it out." Letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"Y-You killed your own father?" Truly being baffled at that.
Risky nodded as the roof suddenly exploded open as a rope ladder fell through the newly made hole. "Mhm, and I'm about to let gravity kill a little half-genie, so I guess the karma evens out!"
Grabbing that ladder with a confused Shantae about to ask what she meant…
At least until another flurry of explosions rang out - Risky Boots was lifted up into the air by the ladder that was getting pulled up - just as Shantae caught up with reality. Getting into her usual starting posture as she already knew which transformation she needed.
Just as she was about to finish her dance the ground shook causing her to lurch, failing the dance, panic beginning to form as she tried to restart her transformation.
*BANG*
A literal shooting pain erupted in her thigh as she collapsed to the ground in shock.
"Can't have you escaping, doll, our passionate tryst was great but afraid mommy has a whole new scheme already in the works that only requires a few finishing touches!" That smile was truly unrepentant as she held her flintlock in her freehand with fresh smoke escaping from the barrel. "If you manage to escape maybe I'll consider you a rival?"
Although it was quite clear she'd left no way out.
Soon enough the floor gave way to the inky abyss below; eyes meeting with Risky's as the pirate queen almost seemed disappointed before turning away.
Silently climbing up the ladder as it soon was lifted out of sight by whatever it was connected to.
The sound of air rushing past her ears was the only thing left.
Yet it seemed things were not as hopeless as she initially thought; a flash of white light similar to when she transformed completely consumed her. When it faded she found herself in an oasis filled with that dream-like mist. All around her were beautiful women (with four of them she immediately recognised) all crowded around looking down at her with smiles.
"So this is where I end up when I die… Not bad… Not bad at all." Closing her eyes again to enjoy the warm desert air blowing over her.
Even if she lived by the sea she couldn't help enjoying the desert.
To her it just felt like home.
It was the ever boisterous Ele that let out a bellowing guffaw. Much to the annoyance of the one who taught her the harpy transformation dance. "Yeah, welcome to the spirit world, this specific place in a special area of Tenkai is where all us genie hang and get booted to from genkai, so welcome home!"
Just as she said that, it appeared the ever annoyed harpy lost her patience, jabbing Ele in the solar plexus so that she finally shut up. "Don't word it like that you imbecile; the brat is still alive."
"I am?" Pointing to herself with a baffled look across her face.
This time the blue-skinned genie she saved in the crypt was the one who ended up answering. "We may or may not be breaking a few things others treat as rules, your fellow sisters didn't get to personally visit when they fully bloomed, yet what are a few faux pas to us? Genies have always been known as troublemakers; even if some of us are better at it than others."
With that all eyes simultaneously turned to the genie who was clutching her stomach after having the air knocked from her body.
"Most of the time we don't risk bringing invasive species down with us into the mortals' domain yet there is a reason some of us are rumoured to have brains the size of a peanut. In fact we tend to do what we do best of all; granting wishes no matter the cost." Turning away from Ele to actually offer a smile.
"Wait… I have sisters!?" Shantae was far more focused on something else, though, as the genies all looked at one another in bafflement as the monkey genie answered. "Well they aren't sisters in mortal terms - most of them not having the same parents - but there are a couple ex-half genies about."
Hearing that she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Huh~ I never knew there were more of us!"
"You're actually the youngest and last to awaken into a full genie~!" The monkey teased.
Shante merely huffed while turning to ask the other genies another question - not particularly trusting the more brutish ancestors answers…
Totally not due to being petty.
"So why am I here… Or, rather, how am I here when I should be down in Genkai about to go splat in the depths of Risky's basement?" She felt it was a fair question yet most of those genies just laughed. None of them seemed to be spiteful or mocking her, though.
If anything it felt vibrant.
It felt like… One big family.
"You really are similar to your mother; both completely lack any form of grace and need I talk about the goliath in the room." Harpy rolled her eyes even with the laughter in the room growing for some reason.
Leaving Shantae even more confused and just looking between them all. "I don't get it…"
"Oh it's because your mother fucked a goliath when she was down in Genkai which I feel is just impressive when you think about the logistics!" Fortunately Ele recovered just in time to fill her in. "It was sad what happened to the daughter's husband - I was really rooting for them…"
"You say that as if she wasn't twenty times his size; it never would have worked out in the long run!" Again the bird's fire reignited.
Ele just shrugged her off, though. "Well so was lil' A and big G."
The two of them seemed to be ignoring everything else as the furious genie clutched the shoulders of the taller one as they argued. Meanwhile Shantae could only be truly baffled as she found out another bit of world shattering information. "Wait, I have an older blood sister that I didn't know about?"
"Heh~ but you did know about her; in fact you spent a lot of your younger years clutched to her leg like I'd expect from my junior~." The very first guardian genie she met, a monkey-like smirk on her face, couldn't hold in her teasing showing a different side of herself than the one found in that dank fountain. Crouching behind Shantae to poke both her cheeks.
She finally noticed a strange consistency in her memory.
"That gigantic soft pillar!" Shouting out and getting baffled looks back.
"Oh - and to your earlier question - we managed to bring you up when you became a full genie. Letting us take you to your ancestral home where genies naturally are born; some god will probably complain later but we'll just gang up on them." The seemingly sensible spider said something quite outrageous.
Harpy seemed to break out of her argument as a contemplative look came over her face. "We could also get some divine support - Loki owes us a favour and Lady Hestia will help anyone. Plus, we always lend a helping Lady Hestia guard the sacred flame from miscreants, so I feel we can be considered friends."
"You have frie-!? URGH" Ele was down again.
Monkey darted up so her head was between the two discussing. "Loki already headed down to Genkai."
"So… What changed now that I'm a full blown genie?" Shantae finally found the courage to speak up as well as pretend the possibly dangerous conversation was not happening.
That got all the genies to finally focus on one topic.
Something they apparently struggled with.
"Well you now have WAY more magic than you even did while alive!" Monkey exploded out with her arms outstretched as if to hold something that wasn't there. "Small problem is the fact you pretty much won't be able to use any of it due to those bindings on your wrists becoming the real thing~."
Moving her wrists down to give them a little shake; meanwhile spider actually decided to reach a hand out to help Shantae stand. "You probably should learn some magic while you are at it; there should be a real strong magic dance in Water Town. Oh, and when you go down to Genki, you should look for Aria."
"Oh yeah~ she'll be the only non-genie spirit left since she has that boyfr-!" Ele barely got up before Harpy grabbed her mouth to shut her up.
Practically growling. "Don't you think it's a little inconsiderate?"
"Why would it be inconsiderate if some spirit has a boyfriend?" Shantae also wanted to ask why every time she asked something those genies generated even more questions. Yet this time her words seemed to spark panic in all the others as they began to bumble various methods of saying they were out of time.
Soon finding herself just… Dropped back in front of Sky who waited for her with Bolo and Mimic.
Literally dropped on Mimic's doorstep.
The woman in question was sitting with a book in hands only for that same book to fly far faster than any of her birds had. Falling from her chair in shock at the sudden arrival. Meanwhile Bolo just glanced over mid pull up due to the confusing abruptness of Sky fumbling about on Mimic's porch.
"Hm? Oh Shantae is back." Simple announcement followed by him continuing to do his workout.
Since it was pointless if he stopped before feeling that buzz.
Her adoptive uncle soon barged out to see Shantae there with a bloody wound, a hole in her pants stained with the faintly crimson-silver, rushing over with worry painted across what was visible of his face. Though even that perfectly manicured beard seemed more frazzled. "Oh no, my poor girl, what happened!"
"I'm fine uncle - the wound has already closed… Apparently." Moving a hand to stop her approaching adoptive family while the other groped where he wound should have been.
"Ehrm, maybe you can share how the mission went and why you thought it was a great idea to drop in front of me like that." A now pouting Sky said as she wiped the dirt from her legs.
Seeing that face caused Shantae to break out a smirk. "You are pouting~."
"Am not." She said poutingly.
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"-so then they poofed me down here~!" Throwing her arms out as she finished her story.
"While I'm impressed… I also have to ask why the hell did you not retreat as soon as you got caught then thrown by Risky Boots? Instead of playing around with your monkey then elephant; nothing was stopping you from turning into a harpy then simply flying off." Narrowing her eyes in a way that threatened violence if she did not hear a good enough excuse.
She also knew Sky was many things and a liar was not one of them. Cold sweat thus started running across her back as she raised her hands defensively. "W-Well I had to stop those dastardly pirate plans for the people of Sequin Land!"
"Oh~ you mean that massive TinkerBat superweapon you already destroyed?" Brow rising as she started to grind her knuckle against her other hand's palm.
"... Yesn't?" Shantae said as Sky closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
Holding her face in one hand.
"Well, I really shouldn't have sent you out alone, we're just glad you're safe…" Uncle Mimic said with a hand on his chest while sitting on the chair which was once Sky's.
Bolo meanwhile punched his own palm. "Not to mention stronger~!"
"So what is the plan now?" Sky said while looking away from the little foursome to gaze toward the sun that was already beginning to leave for the night. "Appears it'll be dark soon; otherwise I'd suggest we prepare a little party to celebrate our new guardian genie's first success."
"Hehe well I have one way to celebrate~♥" Smirk slipping onto her face once more.
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"Shantae, been a while since we saw your smug mug around here, what brings the legendary heroine of Sequin Land to my little dance parlour?" A woman in exactly the same outfit, if green, as Shantae sat on a sofa with her legs crossed. All around were girls in the same outfit freshening themselves up.
Her hair at least made it easy to separate her from Shantae - having far more pointy fringe while her own ponytail was braided.
Hearing the question, Shantae smiled brightly.
"Same way I work out all my problems boss Bayan; by dancing through them~!" Knuckles resting on her hips as she tried to be confident for a moment but instantly collapsed to the faintly amused look the dance parlour boss gave her. "I also invited all my friends to watch so please let me on stage…"
Slapping her palms together as she promptly bowed forward - only increasing the amusement exuding from the woman in front of her. Said woman reached for a hookah pipe as she spoke as if still musing the request. "Well~ it would be pretty good for business to have the dancing hero of sequin land out there."
Shantae was about to hurriedly nod only to abruptly pause as she realised something. "Wait, how do you know about all that when I only just got back?!"
Bayan just chuckled as she took a hit then replied (with a deeper voice due to the smoke filling her respiratory system,) somehow not letting out a single cough. "Shantae, dear, did you forget who taught you all you know? Even the Sultana comes to me if she wants information."
Just laughing at the no longer half-genie hero - smoke escaping her mouth and nose.
"So… Can I go up?" Submissively pleading with a cute little smile.
Seeing that softened the hardened dance parlour owner who couldn't help letting out a far more lighthearted laugh. "Sure but make sure to get that ass shaking here more often. When you aren't galavanting all across the island saving the world; help this boss of yours make some extra gems."
Simply giving the owner a double thumbs up as she walked backwards toward the stage to the laughter of her fellow dancers.
Ready to go out there and give it her all.
"Time to dance all night long~!"