Hunting and Gathering

[Tsukiko]

((Closed to a Nony Mouse))

This was my first time in a fae tavern. The place was made for people much smaller than me so most the chairs would have likely broken if I sat in them. The place was very merry and had a nice high ceiling since the usual patrons might prefer to fly patterns than simply dance on the ground. Everything was made of wood with smooth natural shapes and rough in the others as if the furniture was not made but grown and harvested. The place didn’t have many people but there was a pretty fae girl singing her heart out in a beautiful high-pitched song. But one problem was when she hit the high notes my fox ears felt like someone shoved a needle in them.

“Hey Honey. Why don’t you come and sit here?” The fae barkeep asked as he poured a glass of dark purple liquid. “The chairs here are made for outlanders and I would love to have a pretty girl like you make my bar look good.” The bearded man winked and I smiled and my face heated up. He didn’t seem like a bad sort even if he was wearing twigs in his silver hair. The free drink wasn’t going to hurt either.

“Thanks.” I said with a smile and the bow that I was taught to do when giving thanks or introducing. A slight bow of equality and respect. “It’s a nice place you got.” Another god thing about that spot was I was well away from the singer and her dangerous high notes. I took a sip and enjoyed the tastes of blackberries and alcohol.

“So where have you come from?” The small man asked as he placed the bottle back on the shelf. He was quite bored and had nothing better to do than to talk to me. I hope he would have even if there were other people here.

“I’m from Akashima.”

“Ahh that explains it, most people with fluffy tails come from there. Haven’t seen one as fluffy as yours. Most of the tails I saw have light fur.”

“Yeah, most Kitsune stay in Akashima.”

“Ahh. Well what would bring a Kitsune like you here than.” The fae stroked his beard and interrupted me as I opened my mouth. “You came for the Synthesis shop. Didn’t you?”

“Yup got me there.” I smiled and took out my list. “I asked for three recipes.”

“Three huh, that’s a lot of work but I’m sure you can do it.” The barkeep looked at the list and smiled. “Yeah not too hard, at least you don’t have to slay a great dragon though the Faoi’s going to be tough. So which one are you hunting for first?”

“Well I don’t feel like getting lost in the mountains or stuck underground so I’m guessing the swimsuit.”

“Aye, that’s a good start. I’m sure there are plenty of men that would like to see that. Though careful the Firoair is a dangerous place if you’re not careful.”

[A Nony Mouse]

Travis left the Synthesis Shop and walked out into the Crystal Square. The city of Donnalaich had surprised him; never before had he seen such beautiful architecture. Crystals seemed to be the staple of the city’s construction and caused the light to bounce all around. Splashes of colored light spotted the road before him, causing the stones to glow luminously. Up above, many of the larger buildings had domed roofs, lending the city even more of an air of curiosity. The traveler stood still in the center of the street, the city’s tiny citizens fluttering all about, and took the time to admire it all. What a sight it was. There’s nothing like this in Scara Brae, he commented to himself.

Lately he had been spending too much time on the isle and decided to leave. Upon arriving in the region of Dheathain, he had learned of the famous Synthesis Shop. It seemed as though the fae there could give you recipes for nearly any enchanted item under the sun. He had been eager to test that claim.

So Travis stood in the Crystal Square of the capital city and clutched a small piece of parchment tightly in his fist. The paper crinkled and created edges that bit into his palm, but he cared little. He could feel the draw of this place, of this shop. A challenge now lay before him; collect the ingredients necessary to create his item. Now he understood why tales of the Synthesis Shop flew across the region like leaves on the wind.

First thing’s first, he decided. I’ll need some directions. He scanned the odd buildings for a tavern sign and soon discovered one down a side street. He began walking, weaving in and out of the flying fairies about him. From time to time, he was forced to duck in order to avoid a collision. In each case, the small creatures had come back and apologized for their clumsy behavior. Such pleasant attitudes surprised the traveler, but gave him hope that someone would be able to steer him in the right direction.

He opened the door to the establishment and was greeted by a bizarre sight; his first glimpse of a fae tavern. Finely carved furniture decorated the simple room and gave it a… natural feel. There was really no way to describe it. The high ceiling made the small chairs seem even tinier, but Travis quickly spied normal-sized seats by the bar. He sidled over and took a seat, eyeing the fox-girl beside him. She seemed deep in conversation with the barkeep and so he turned away and surveyed the other customers. He could wait until the diminutive man wasn’t busy before asking for help.

[Tsukiko]

The barkeep definitely liked to talk as he started to ramble about how he was an adventurer back in the day. One moment he was giving hints on how to get scales of a Faoi and then he talked about how he fought a Faoi for its head and how he flew high and rained arrows down on it. It was a nice story but I barely paid attention. Mom’s stories were much better and I knew she was telling the truth.

One nice thing that caught my interest was the handsome human that walked in and sat next to me. He had fiery red hair and emerald eyes that sparkled. He was definitely an adventurer by his lean build with muscles. Of coarse any human that came to the land of the fae and dragonkin was an adventurer. Still it was nice to see a nice looking male a bit more my size, well a bit larger than me but not too much.

The barkeep smiled at me as he caught me with my attention else where. “All right lass. I won’t bore you with my stories any more.”

“Oh no. I was really liking your stories.” I lied not wanting to hurt his feelings. The tales weren’t that bad but I was excited for my own adventure and the newcomer had caught my eye. “Sorry if I got distracted.”

“It’s all right. I have to run a business anyway. So mister, what would you like?”

I sipped my sweet drink and smiled at the man. “Hi, I’m Tsukiko. You come here for adventure too?”

[A Nony Mouse]

Travis wasn’t sure which person to answer first since both the fox girl and the fairy man began talking at the same moment.

“Excuse me just a moment,” I asked the fox girl and turned my attention to the barkeep. “Sir, I need directions to somewhere I would be able to find a…” He glanced down at the parchment in his hand and quickly read through the list. “A Faoi,” he finished uncertainly. “Honestly, I don’t even know what that is! I just need the femur of one. Can you help me?”

The bearded fairy chuckled and motioned to the girl sitting beside me. “Well, well,” he laughed. “This kitsune here is questing after the very same creature. What a concidence!”

Indeed, Travis thought as he turned his head to the fox gir… kitsune. He finally greeted her, “Hello, sorry about that. Seems that I needed to talk to you all along!” The adventurer quickly scanned her from head to toe and then continued, “My name is Travis and I came here to get an enchanted sword synthesized. Apparently I have to chase the ingredients down now…” He sighed and glanced over his list once more.

“So you’re hunting a Faoi? What is that and where are they?” Travis leaned on the counter as Tsukiko began explaining.

[Tsukiko]

The fates must have been playing with me. To have a cute man come in to sit next to me and be hunting after the same beast for item synthesis was a big coincidence that was like rolling two sevens in the bowl of luck. “Yup I need Faoi scales for a magical swimsuit that I really want made. I think the Faoi live in Fiorair, quite famous for eating travelers that take a swim.” I recalled the information of the traveler’s guide that I read on the boat ride over.

To be honest the swimsuit was a reason for adventure more than anything else and it just seemed like a fun item to have. Not Only would I look great with the small garment hugging my curves but it seemed like it’d be so much fun to stay underwater longer than any normal land dweller and maybe even to have my mobility increased so I could fight underwater as well. To think of the many treasures I could find under the surface and the advantage I’d have in a fight near a body of water, the swimsuit just seemed like a great thing to go for.

“Other than that I don’t know much. There’s a lot of other items I need from that region too. Like a little fish, some roots of a tree there and of coarse some scales. I also need some things from the ocean too and some crystals.” I was probably going into too much detail so I stopped. “So you need to make a sword? That should be a neat weapon.” Picked up the glass of my drink but discovered that I had drained the contents.

There was an opportunity here in the twist of fate. I had to jump on it. My tail wagged and I felt nervous. I know it was silly to be shy but I was worried he’d say ‘no’ and dash my hopes. “Umm Since we’re after the same thing, would you mind if we went there together? The trip to Fiorair is long from here and I would like the company.”

I felt much easier letting it out. I’m sure it’d be a fun trip and hunt if he’d say yes. I really didn’t want to do this on my own.

[A Nony Mouse]

After the kitsune finished explaining the quest she was about to go on, Travis wondered just what he had gotten himself into. It didn’t sound like it was going to be easy to procure the items necessary for his sword, but it certainly would be an adventure.

“Would you mind if we went there together?” Tsukiko asked. Travis smiled at the young girl and rose from his seat. Her eyes followed his movements closely; Travis could tell she needed the companionship.

He chuckled before answering, “You really shouldn’t be fighting monsters all by yourself anyway.” The kitsune’s face scrunched up and Travis realized that might have come out wrong. “What I mean is-“ he thought about how to reword it and then just shook his head. “I’d love to accompany you to Fiorair, lead the way.”

Tsukiko hopped down from her chair and waved to the barkeep before making her way out of the tavern. As he turned to follow, Travis dropped a few gold on the counter to cover the drinks. “Good day,” he said as he followed his new companion.

The kitsune waited just outside the door for Travis and together the two headed off for their adventure.

[Tsukiko]

While I waited outside I had to think. Travis did agree to come but his words and reason ate at my gut. I wanted a partner but not one that wouldn’t trust me as a fellow fighter. I could take on the monsters alone if I needed to. I was quite the swordswoman even if I was a bit inexperience in adventuring as a whole.

But it was something I should have expected. I am a young girl to him and all he would know was that I was a furry. My tail swished as I saw him exit and ask for me to lead on. “All right, lets go. We shouldn’t waste any more time.” I walked down the stone street.

Donnalaich was an odd city. There were lots of trees but mostly everything was stone decorated with flowers and paints to be colorful and nice but there was also building that were falling apart and whenever someone went too close the small guards would stop them so that they wouldn’t be crushed under falling stone. I liked the city even though it was a tad small in places. The colors reminded me a little of home since the cities there were painted pretty colors as well.

Still, taking in the sights was not too big an issue. I had to speak to my new friend. “I really appreciate your company and I’m glad you came along. But please understand that I’m capable of taking care of myself and you won’t need to babysit me. Thanks though for your company and I’ll welcome your help but you don’t need to worry. I’m an adventurer too even if I’m a little young.” I smiled to show that no harm was done.

The city wasn’t too busy but there was a strange drone like a fountain but it was too big for that. It was a waterfall. “Oh, Travis!” I realized something as I walked on. “Lets not leave yet. I need crystals from the waterfall here. You probably need some two since the fae girl makes crystals needs crystals.” I grabbed at his arm and led the human toward the sound.

The site was one of those that would cure any and all homesickness. The waterfall was a beautiful site to behold. One large stream of water came down from brilliant cliffs that shown of many colors and several rainbows lit the area too. I could stay there all day and take in the pretty red, blue, pink, green, purple and many other lights. And to say that one offshoot waterfall tempted me to strip bare and stand under it, letting the flow massage my body, but I resisted that urge.

“Well this won’t be so bad. I think the crystals in the cave behind the waterfall. I need blue crystals for the swimsuit and some perfectly clear ones wouldn’t hurt either since I need them for other items.”

Oh I wish I had my swimsuit now and to swim in the clear stream. I wasn’t sure about Donnalaich’s laws on being naked and I didn’t want to offend Travis so I would have to wait. “All right lets go.”

I went behind the waterfall while getting my kimono slightly damp from the mist from the falling water. The cave was pretty dark so I created a ball of fox fire to use as a lantern. There was one problem though: Fox fire always gave off blue light. It was going to be hard to find the right colors with it.

[A Nony Mouse]

From the girl’s body language, Travis could tell that something he said he rubbed her the wrong way. She glanced about at the ruins around them in an agitated state; her tail twitching and her shoulders tense. Finally, she turned and faced the adventurer.

“I can take care of myself,” the kitsune explained to her red-haired companion. “I’m an adventurer too even if I’m a little young.” Travis sighed, knowing that he had probably hurt her feelings in the tavern. But then the fox girl smiled and they continued walking. She’s an odd one, he thought. But I like her.

The pair came upon a huge waterfall and both stopped to admire it as they neared. The mist coming from it was illuminated by the light, fragmenting much like the crystals on some of the surrounding buildings. However, instead of sending beam of colored light down to the ground, the mist hung in the air as multi-colored clouds. The sight was breathtaking and Travis stood in awe for more than a few seconds.

Then Tsukiko brought his attention to the cave behind the waterfall. “I think there are crystals in the cave behind the waterfall,” she told him. Checking his list, Travis saw he needed a small, clear and unblemished crystal. Starting here in the city would be a good idea then.

The pair ventured behind the waterfall, its spray soaking them a bit as they did. The kitsune lit a small ball of blue fire and the companions made their way farther into the cavern.

Travis and Tsukiko both began scouring the floor and walls for any sign of the crystals. The blue light of the girl’s fire flickered and danced, casting arbitrary shadows through the cave. The travelers had a hard time picking out crystals in the dark recesses and Travis soon felt his eyes beginning to become sore. He rubbed them wearily and began straining to see in the murky depths of the cavern once more.

“I don’t see anything,” he told his partner. “Do you think they’d be farther in?” The kitsune shrugged and Travis shook his head. That’s not helpful. However, then the girl stopped and crouched down, focusing intently on something in her half of the cave. Walking over to have a look, Travis saw that it was a small blue crystal. At least, it looked blue. Though, as the red-haired warrior scanned the cave’s features, he realized everything looked blue.

They’d just have to collect as many crystals as they could find and then take them out into the light before sorting through them. This could take awhile, he thought. It was possible that Tsukiko knew a faster method however…

[Tsukiko]

“Well they’re probably a little bit deeper. Everyone probably picked the ones at the entrance.” I lamented as I went deeper into the cave a sparkle caught my eye. I found one crystal but it was hard to tell what color it was in the fox fire light.

“I guess we’ll have to gather as many as we can carry and them out to see what we got.” I stretched and went back to look for crystals. It wasn’t the easiest task and many of the crystals were under the dirt but I found a few. Though what I had been a mystery in the poor light of my fox fire.

Actually it was kinda fun to gather the crystals here and there in the cave. It was nice and quiet and my company was very nice. It was like back home when Chiyo, Ryo and I would collect rocks. We would have a competition to see who could find the prettiest one. I tended to lose that one since I liked simplicity and just took a stone of a pretty color while my siblings went for patterns as well as colors. It was nice to swim on the rocky shores with my family and it seemed like that was one of the times the twins were nice to me even though I had lost.

By the time I had concluded the thought I had a handful of about nine crystals. “So how many have you found Travis? I’m a little tired of the dark and would like to see what I got. I’m really excited; it’s a little like playing mahjong and having a good feeling about the tiles.” It was a game I rarely played but its reliance of luck as well as skill gave me a chance to win against Ryo since he always won at Go and Chess.

“Well if we need more, we can go back in.” I giggled as I quickly ran out of the cave. The path was smooth and my fox lantern gave a bit of light so with my excitement I couldn’t simply walk out of the cave. I was sure that I had a good step toward the mystic items from the synth shop. I was sure that I at least had some of the crystals I needed.

I ran out of the cave and by the waterfall to a nice dry place on land where I had room to spread out the loot. “I have three blue, one clear, four smokey and one green.” It wasn’t a bad find. I had the blue ones that I needed for my new outfit and one clear crystal that I needed. If Travis needed that one I’d probably give it up.

I was looking forward to seeing what he found and then we could get going to Fiorair for the items there. This looked to be a fun adventure with little worries. In one moment I was on my back feeling the warmth of the sun and the cool mist clash against my face as I watched the sun.

“So Travis, do you have any reason why you adventure?” I asked not worrying about eye contact. I was just a little curious but wasn’t going to press it if he didn’t want to answer. I was quite happy to lie there with my tail swishing lazily between my legs.

[A Nony Mouse]

“So how many have you found Travis?” Tsukiko asked. Travis mentally counted how many he had picked up, but soon lost track.

“Enough,” he guessed as he reached down for one more.

“Well if we need more, we can go back in,” she laughed as she raced out of the mouth of the cavern. Travis sighed and followed her. When they made it past the waterfall, the kitsune immediately dumped all of her crystals on the ground and began pawing about, separating them into piles. Travis dropped down a little ways from her and eagerly began searching through his pile for the crystals he needed.

“One clear and one black,” he repeated to himself. Those were what he needed to synth the items he had requested. As he sifted through the oddly shaped crystals, he marveled at how they seemed to bend the light and turn it different colors. Such simplicity, he thought. Why is this so interesting? When he finally focused he called over to his companion with his final tally.

“I got three green ones, two clear ones, two black ones, and a blue one,” he told her. “Did you find all that you needed?” When he looked over to her for a response, he saw that she was lying on her back staring into the sky above.

“Why do you adventure?” she asked in reply. Travis could tell that she was very comfortable with him by the way she simply basked in the sun with him so close. Such trust seemed foolish to Travis, but he knew he wouldn’t do anything to betray it. I’d never be able to trust so easily, he thought. Realizing he had left her question unanswered for some time, he set the crystals down and rested his head in his hand.

“I guess to find what else is out there,” he told her. “Though it didn’t start that way.” Clouds drifted by on a lazy breeze and Travis felt the cool touch of the mist caress his face. He inhaled deeply, enjoying that moment completely before continuing. “I left home because my father thought I should see the world. So at first I adventured out of necessity.” Thinking about the time he spent wandering Althanas brought many memories. Sighing, he realized that he had probably rambled on enough. “But I came to enjoy it, so that’s why I keep traveling. How about you?”

[Tsukiko]

I had to smile as I listened to his story. It was a simple reason and the simple ones tended to be the most true. My reason wasn’t a complex one at all. I leaned up on an elbow and turned my head so I could face Travis and not be too rude.

“Well I set out to adventure because my mom was quite the fighter and treasure finder. I figured that being natural with a sword I could follow in her footsteps. She wanted to retire and so I figured that it was a bit of a loss to the world and I hoped that I would be able to help some people.” I was sitting and grinning. “Of course home was getting pretty boring. There just wasn’t much to do and I was pretty good with a sword.”

I went from sitting on the soft sand then to standing and shook the grains from my hair. “But most of all I wanted to do my mother and father proud.” I stretched and wiggled my toes to get ready to go. “Thanks for telling me. But I guess we should get going unless you need another stone. Oh, mind if I trade for a clear one? I need two of them.” Once I was feeling like walking though I wouldn’t mind giving him time to think on his feet. “Well never mind. We really should get going since we have to go through Luthmor and a bit of Fiorair to get what we need.”

I took the lead with a relaxed walk. It was probably the best speed since my body would have liked to have laid down a little longer but not too slow. I did want to get my hands on the swimsuit. It was probably silly to go through all that trouble but magical items were proof of a grand adventure and even if this was just a little hunt it was worth it. Not to mention it led me to meet Travis and would have been worth it just for that.

It was quick to leave Donnalaich and enter the Luthmor. The sky was covered by great trees with many leaves. Sure they were shorter than the redwoods of back home but those trees gave plenty of space to let light through while these greedy trees kept all the sun to themselves. Also there was a thick mist throughout and it made it tough to see whatever was in the distance. The road was clearly marked and the birds made many pretty sounds. It was a nice place despite being in the shade and fog. “Lets go until nightfall and set up camp or if we find a village we can stay at an inn. Lets just get some distance in either way.” I walked on not really worried about anything. Luthmor was supposed to be pretty safe close to the trail.

[A Nony Mouse]

After Travis’ partner explained her reason for adventuring, she asked if she could have a clear crystal from the bunch that he had found. Looking at his list to make sure, he reached down and then tossed one of the crystals to Tsukiko. “You can have it,” he told her. “I don’t need it.” She caught it and tucked it away before dusting herself off and looking away from the waterfall.

“We really should get going,” she explained, looking at Travis. He needed no second telling and together they left Donnalaich and began their adventure. The city of the fae had been interesting, but Travis longed for a path that brought adventure. Hopefully traveling beyond the city’s limits would bring him some excitement.

The two walked away from the crystal city and into the murky mists of the Luthmor. I’m at her mercy, Travis suddenly realized. He knew nothing of the region outside the city; if they got separated he would be in trouble. It was another issue of trust; he just couldn’t put his full confidence in someone he had met hours earlier.

As they made their way along the trail, Travis heard a low rumble from the underbrush to the side. Swinging his cypress pole off his back, the red-haired warrior fell easily into a fighting position. Tsukiko walked on as if she hadn’t heard anything. Maybe he was making too big a deal out of phantom noises. This region just made him jumpy. He relaxed his stance and began walking back to where the kitsune was. A loud roar came screaming from beside him and he whirled about.

A giant cat leapt out of the bushes, claws extended and teeth bared. Travis sidestepped and attacked with the wooden pole, calling out to his partner as he did. “Tsukiko! Watch out!” She whirled as the cat landed lithely on the path. The red-haired traveler hoped she was ready for a fight because this cat looked like it meant business.

[Tsukiko]

I had hopes that the journey would be easy but luck wasn’t with me. I wasn’t going to learn much about my friend during this time. I caught a sound in my ears but before I could warn Travis, he dodged a great big cat that pounced at him. It was just my luck to have a big spotted feline with teeth as sharp as knives to accost me and my friend.

I should have noticed sooner as big predators like that scare off the birds but they still sung their songs. The Birds of Dheathain were unusually brave or had some protection to keep up the song. My ears perked at a rustle of leaves to my left and my rear, no, two to my rear. This was not good. “Travis, there’s more!” I cried out as the great cats pounced in hopes of pinning me to their hungry mercy. The one to my side went first and I had to roll out or be hit by its weight. The large feline screamed in frustration and I brought out my swords. I had to defend myself.

Well at least I’d get to see how my friend fought. The other two cats charged me, expecting to run me down. But as they came at me I spun to meet them and jumped back to avoid slashing claws. But one problem was that I was surrounded and the one behind me had an easy target. I had to dance and twist to avoid the coming claws. No that was a bad move in retrospect and the cat tore at my kimono, spilling blood and shredded silk to the ground.

If I didn’t move at the last second, I would have spilt more blood than that. But I was fast enough and it was only a scrap and would heal though anyone could see the cat scratch on my side through the hole of my kimono.

“Damn you. I have to repair that now.” I yelled at the cat as it tried to pounce and finish me off. But now I had an idea where the beasts were and I knew it was better to counter. I brought my right sword to slash at the cat’s eyes and blind him before I slipped to the side and dealt a finishing blow to the spine with my other blade. But another cat wasn’t going to give me a break after falling his pack-mate and I had to dodge another pounce and the beast bared its fangs ready to go at me again. I let go of the blade in the spotted cats back and released a jet of fox fire to the attacking one’s face. It was still alive and retreated since I gave a nasty burn to its face.

But there was still two left. I hoped that Travis could take the dangerous beast before him and any reinforcements that it had. I really hoped he would be all right. My hands were full with this one.

[A Nony Mouse]

The cypress pole whirled before him, its blunt edges punishing the cat whenever it got close. The ranged weapon was able to keep the wicked claws away, but who knew for how long. Travis stood his ground; forcing the cat to attack and then beating it back. He heard a yelp not too far away and assumed Tsukiko was handling a few more of the beasts down the trail. Opening his right side for attack, the adventurer allowed the creature to close in. As its claws lashed out to rake his side, he dodged out of the way in a low roll. The maneuver brought him up just beside the cat and the pole’s end slammed into the thing’s abdomen. Writhing in pain, the beast pulled back and struck out impulsively.

Once again the pole whipped through the air to beat the claws aside, but this time it was followed by an attack. Travis stepped into the swing and brought the other end of the pole around and into the cat’s legs. It fell to the ground and he cracked it over the head with all his strength. When he stepped back, the cat lay still. One down, he thought as he turned to see how the kitsune fared.

She whirled and sliced, dancing around claws, paws, and teeth. She moved with incredible grace, but Travis couldn’t stop and admire her. She looked like she could use some help. Swinging the pole onto his back, the red-haired warrior drew his dehlar sword and charged toward the cat behind his companion. As the beast was about to pounce, the sharp blade bit into its hindquarters. It whirled around, shrieking in pain, and swiped at the traveler.

The claws raked across his brigandine, leaving shimmering scratches where they hit iron. The force sent him back a step, but he quickly stepped back up and brought the sword down in an arch for the thing’s shoulder. Teeth snapped at the short sword, but it was too late. Dehlar slashed through muscle and into the bone underneath. The cat screamed in agony and fell on its side. Knowing he had to help Tsukiko, Travis acted immediately. The sword flashed in the dim light as it drove through the beast’s neck and stuck in the dirt below. As he leapt over the body, his cypress pole swung into his hands once again.

Since Travis had occupied the big cat behind her, the kitsune had been able to focus all of her attacks on the one she burned. The creatures were wily, but no match for the graceful fighter. When the red-haired musician bounded up next to her, she had already dispatched the beast. “You all right?” he asked as he noticed a slice on her side. “I have some first aid supplies if you need tending to.” He looked in her eyes, trying to gauge her level of pain. The last thing he needed was for his travel companion to bleed out on him.

[Tsukiko]

The battle had ended when I sank my blades into the final great cat. It wasn’t a challenge since I had pretty much blinded it with fox fire to its face. But I was relieved that the fight was over and we had won. Travis was a decent fighter and was not only able to take one of the cats but also take out a second to give me some breathing room.

Now that the enemies were defeated, he had other concerns about my health. “Oh it’s ok. I’m sure that scratch had healed already.” I smiled and put my hand to the wound and rubbed off the dried blood and showed him though the new holes in my poor kimono. Only pink marks were left. “My father was a were fox so I heal really quickly. But thanks for helping me just then. That one behind me had me worried.” I bowed my thanks and the swished my tail as I straitened. “Well lets hurry. I’m sure the kills are going to attract some hungry predators.” I went down the path to lead the way.

The forest seemed to get muggier and muggier and then much of the land seemed to be submerged in water. “We must be in Fiorair.” I said as I swatted away some bugs that got too close. The water looked tranquil as it reflected the setting sun. One bad thing was that there was going to be way more insects after dark fell. “But I think we need to find shelter. We’ll hunt in the morning. I really don’t want to be eaten alive by hungry insects.” I groaned a bit as I slapped a bug that got a taste of my blood and it made a mess. It was so unladylike but I had little choice than to try to defend myself. “Let go, I hope a town is nearby.”

I picked up my pace and thankfully there was a little fishing village with a tavern nearby. I had enough of the bugs in the moonlight and there was no way I was camping without something to keep them off. It was going to be a lot of work for a swim suit. I hoped that the fae girl could make a great enchantment for it.

Coming into the inn was not my most graceful entrance but I was desperate. The inside was made out of mostly old wood but it was clean and polished and the small fae man was quite young and had a wide smile with silly green hair. “We need a room.” I sighed in relief from escaping the bug legion.

“What kind of room?” He asked cheerfully.

“Anything please. I don’t care as long as no bugs get in.”

“All right I have a nice room that has no bugs and is quite cheap.” The fae winked having a feeling that I wanted a cheap room and he was right. He handed me a key and pointed me to a room.

“Thank you.” I smiled and went to the room feeling rather tired. Tomorrow was a big day of hunting and I wanted to be well rested. For a cheap room it was rather nice. There was a nice soft bed, a bath and toilet in a separate room and best of all were no bugs, but one problem, just one bed.

“Um Travis? Do you mind if we share the bed or should we gamble to see who’ll sleep on the floor?” I asked not wanting to be rude to my new friend. I wouldn’t mind sharing the bed unless he would let his hands wander or kick me. If he did any of those things then he would be sleeping on the floor.

[A Nony Mouse]

The pair waded their way through the swamps of Fiorair, swatting at bugs as they tried to find an inn of some kind. Travis was sure he would have bites up and down his arms in the morning, but he didn’t relish the idea of camping in these conditions. They needed a roof over their heads and some walls to keep the bugs away.

Finally they came upon a small fishing village with an inn near the center. As the door swung shut behind them, the companions breathed a sigh of relief. No more bugs. Tsukiko went about the business of getting them a room and Travis took the time to check out his surroundings.

The small building was furnished with wooden tables and chairs or various sizes. The tavernmaster must have been used to getting many different races. Travis ran his hands over the windowsill, feeling the grooves worn into from years of use. Looking out the round window, he saw signs for ‘Ruins of the Ancients’. Recognizing the name from what Lasair had told him in the Sythesis Shop, he made a mental note to check it out if he got the chance.

His partner beckoned him over to the stairs and he tore his gaze away from the moonlit town square. He followed the kitsune up to the second floor and into their room. The room was furnished nicely, but sparsely; no pictures or decorations adorned the walls. Travis surveyed the room and stopped when his eyes reached the bed. Only one.

“Do you want to share the bed or … ?” Tsukiko blushed slightly as she outlined the only two obvious choices. Travis chuckled slightly in discomfort and motioned to the bed.

“Ladies should be comfortable,” he told her, seeing her shoulder relax as he did so. “I’ll just take the floor. It’s only for a night.” The two busied themselves briefly before settling down to finally get some sleep. “Night,” he said before drifting off.

~~~

Roughly two hours later Travis woke uneasily. The moonlight streamed through the room’s only window, bathing the furniture in a soft glow. He rose to his feet and allowed his eyes to get accustomed to the lighting before he started moving about. Checking the bed, he saw that his companion was fast sleep. Maybe I could go check out those ruins now, he thought to himself.

Quietly, so as not to disturb the kitsune, he crept out of the room and left the inn. After following the signs to the ruins for a few minutes, he arrived at the stone foundations of what had once been a small city. “This is incredible,” he whispered reverently. Stonework twisted out of the murky swamp and reached for the sky beyond the tops of the trees. Staircases, domed roofs, and statues could all be seen in various states of disarray. Vines covered some of the forsaken buildings while others had been worn away by the water. The red-haired musician climbed into a building’s foundation, now filled with dirt and stones instead of furniture, and pulled out his rywan wood ocarina.

He began playing a melancholy tune, letting the still night air carry the notes where it would. His hands worked the smooth wood he had shaped himself to form the songs he had in his mind. Soon the ruins echoed with the sad stories of memories forgotten and lost to time. Leaning back against an eroded pillar, movement caught the adventurer’s attention. He stayed as still s he could, turning just his eyes to focus on this intrusion.

Shimmering in the air near an old statue was an ethereal vision. It was the translucent form of a man floating three inches or so off the ground. Travis felt a chill climb his spine, but he dared not move lest he attracted its attention further. Moments passed by slowly, but then the thing drifted back into the night.

After it left, Travis’ eye caught a shimmer in the spot where it had been floating. Climbing down from his perch, the traveler crossed the swampy ground to get a closer look. Something shiny beckoned to him just below the surface of the dirt and water. Digging his hands into the silt, he pulled out a crystallized vortex. Quizzically, he examined the strange object. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Shaking his head, but smiling all the while, he shrugged off his pack and found a place for the treasure. Swinging it back over his shoulder, he pocketed the ocarina as well and began the return trip to the inn.

Once back in his room, Travis pulled off his boots and laid them by the door. No sense in stinking up the place with the smell of swamp. As he lay back down on the floor, he found himself thinking of Scara Brae. With thoughts of the isle on his mind, he drifted off easily to sleep.

[Tsukiko]

I really wasn’t in the mood to argue over the bed so I let Travis have his way and take the floor. It was strange to have someone give up something to me just for being a girl. My family really didn’t care about gender and was mostly female with the exception of my brother, and he only gave extra respect to mother. So the kind deed felt odd in my stomach but in the end I thanked him and curled up under the soft covers and went to sleep. I still had to tell my self a few times it was his choice to take the floor before finally going into a deep sleep.

***

Morning had come softly by simply letting the sun come through the windows. There were of coarse the morning birds but they had a softer song than those of home but nonetheless the songs were a nice change. I Sat up and stretched seeing Travis asleep on the hard ground. I had slept in my kimono and therefor was a mess. It was a good thing my partner was asleep as my hair was frizzled and I had to pull up the upper part of my kimono to keep decent. Stumbling out of the bed I went to the bathroom to wash my hair and at least clean up the worst of the mess.

Once done I straitened my kimono and went to the main hall of the inn and tavern. Too early for tavern drinks but I was sure that they would have breakfast. I sat down and smiled at a cute little fairy girl in a small green dress as she was cleaning the table. “Hey, you don’t suppose that you have breakfast here?” I asked and the girl stopped what she was doing and came at me.

“Sure, we have breakfast here, tailed miss.” The girl’s wings fluttered excitedly and reminded me of how my tail would move on its own when I was excited. “So what will you have?”

I nibbled on my pinky and chewed on my pinky. There was one problem. I had no clue what the place made for breakfast. “Oh I can’t really think. Just breakfast for two, just some stuff I can take to my room.”

“Ok madam. I’ll give you a mix of things to eat.” The girl disappeared into the back and quickly appeared with a tray of fruits, pastries and dried meats.

“Oh that’ll be perfect.” I wagged my tail and picked up the tray. “Thank you.” I left a couple of coins and went to the room and deftly balanced the tray on one hand and opened the door and quickly went in. The pastries were still warm and gave the room a pleasant aroma that made my tummy growl.

I just had to have one so I took the bite out of a diamond shaped one with a sweet filling and then altered with some tangy jerky and a strange purple fruit that tasted like an apple with a hint of blackberry. I ate a little bit of the food and made sure to save some for Travis and wondered how long the human would sleep. I bet he didn’t sleep well on the floor. Next time I might give him the bed or insist a little harder to share it. At least we could both be somewhat comfortable then.

[A Nony Mouse]

Travis woke stiff and sore. The hard wood floor hadn’t provided any cushioning at all, but he wasn’t going to complain. It always paid to be the gentleman. As he began stretching to loosen his muscles, he saw Tsukiko sitting across the room. “Morning,” he called over to her. She smiled and returned the greeting, motioning to a tray in front of her. The traveler finished his stretching and walked over to where his partner rested. “You got breakfast?” he asked. The kitsune was so thoughtful and trusting; he could get used to adventuring with her.

Biting into a deep purple fruit, he poked around at the other food on the tray. Jerky, grapes, breads, and cheeses filled the plates and he nodded in appreciation for his friend’s actions. “Thanks for breakfast,” he told her.

He could tell that the simple ‘thank you’ had pleased her and he shook his head in amazement. She truly was one of a kind. As he let his mind drift off, he wondered where the two of them would be traveling today. “The rest of my list is for the grasslands and the mountains, what all do you need here?” As the kitsune dug out her own ingredient list, Travis wondered just how long it would take to get all the components. He could be wandering Dheathain for a while…

[Tsukiko]

I was glad that he liked the breakfast I got. It seemed like a bit much for the two of us but then again I wanted to be sure he’d like the food and it seemed that he did. I munched on a pastry as he mentioned his list, not much in the swamps for him to find. “Well I’m going for this.” I smiled and pointed at the list for the swim suit. “Pretty much everything I need is in this swamp. The Fish Gills, the Faoi Scales and the Roots are all in the swamp. Oh and the swamp should be near the ocean so we could get the seaweed and sea water easily as well.” My tail wagged a bit as I got a little excited though I was feeling a little bad that he wasn’t going to get anything. “I’m sorry that we won’t be going to the grasslands and mountains this time but next time you can choose where to go if you still want to adventure with me.” I looked at him feeling a little nervous that he either wouldn’t want to help me nor not want to continue the adventures.

I finished the sweet fruit jelly filled pastry and wiped the crumbs off of my chin. “I guess I got a little too much, guess it’d make for some food supplies then.” I stood up and went to the bed. “I think today’s going to be a big day.” There were a lot of ingredients and we’d be fishing, hunting a monster and searching for a ceratin tree. “Umm I’m going to the bathroom to get dressed.”

I went to the supplies and grabbed my armor and went to the bathroom to change. It seemed not like the kind of adventure for armor but if I was wearing it when we fought the cats then I wouldn’t have gotten hurt or have torn my kimono and I didn’t want to stress my kimono more. The funny thing was that my armor reveled more of my body than the kimono. Once I was done, I went out to Travis and smiled. “Are you ready to scour the swamps?” My tail animated as I felt so close to the next treasure.

Finally it was time to pack up and leave the inn. I enjoyed the damp air even though it was warm and humid, thank the Kami it was spring. The bugs weren’t as thick now the sun was out and it was nice and calm in the village. I was sure things would go well.

[A Nony Mouse]

As Tsukiko got dressed for the day’s adventures, Travis wondered back over to where he had slept. Kneeling down beside his pack, he though about the days to come. The pair would be searching for the items on her list, not his. Although, he thought, she did say she’d be interested in questing with me again… He wanted to get the items for his sword, but it seemed that would have to wait for another day. Right now it was all about the kitsune.

Travis rummaged through his pack to find a few woodworking tools. His partner had said something about a rare tree’s root and even though he didn’t need it, it’d be nice to take one for himself anyway. Having a few extra things around could never hurt.

He dropped the tools in a pouch on his belt and tightened his pack. Standing and swinging it over his shoulder, the red-haired musician caught a look at Tsukiko as she came out of the bathroom.

Her armor showed off her curves wonderfully and Travis blinked his eyes before stammering, “N-nice armor.” Nice armor!? he chastised himself. What’s wrong with me? The pair left the tavern and headed out into the swamp, silent as they focused on the task at hand.

“So what’s first?” Travis asked as they made their way through the dank waters yet again. “I don’t know much about this region, so I guess it’s up to you…” After he said it, the adventurer realized it was true. He was starting to trust the kitsune.

[Tsukiko]

I quite enjoyed the feeling that Travis liked the way I looked in this armor. Amor may not be made for looks but having the complement warmed my heart a bit. Hey, I like to be called pretty from time to time like any other girl.

But then it came to the gathering of the items. Most the items seemed easy to get. “Let’s save the Faoi for last. I bet that’s going to wear us out.” I sighed as I looked into the water and trees. The swamps of Fiorair were quite great with many plant life. “I wonder which tree is the Triagh there’s so many different kinds of trees.” I felt a little discouraged about the tree so that left the fish since the ocean was a bit of a hike away.

“So lets go fishing!” I scampered to the edge of the water to peer in. It was rather shallow so if either of us fell in, we wouldn’t be Faoi bait. I needed scales of that beast but didn’t want to end up in one’s belly. “The fish we need is about nine inches long and quite harmless.” I said as I dipped my fingers in the water though no fish came up. “This technique’s supposed to work but I’m not sure.” I wished I knew more about fishing or at least had the right tools like a net or pole. Then one idea crossed my mind.

“Ok, Travis, I want to try this. I think the fish are wise to my fingers but if I dip my tail in it might attract him and you grab him.” I turned around and squatted while blushing. If he looked, he could get a rather embarrassing view of me. “Make sure not to look away from the tip of my tail.” I finished causing the water to ripple with a twitch.

[A Nony Mouse]

Travis watched the surface of the water to see if any fish found the tip of the kitsune’s tail tantalizing. As he waited, he decided to tell his new friend of the night’s adventures. “Tsukiko,” he began, “I could sleep last night and so I went to see the ruins. While I was there I saw a…” he trailed off as he thought how silly it sounded. But the fox girl trusted him and he felt that he could return the feeling. “I saw a ghost,” he finished.

“Do you know anything about ghosts around these pa-“ he stopped suddenly as a fish tentatively nibbled on the very end of the kitsune’s tail. “Don’t move,” he whispered.

Pulling a small whittling knife from one of the numerous pouches at his belt, the red-haired warrior crouched down close to the water’s surface. “Come here,” he muttered under his breath as the small fish darted around Tsukiko’s tail. When his knife was inches from the water, he lunged just below where the fish appeared to be. The short blade pierced the thing’s side and both hunters cheered in victory.

“How many of these creatures do you need?” he asked as he pulled his knife out of the fish. Cleaning it on the edge of his shirt, he returned the knife to its place as he handed her the fish. He almost hoped that she forgot what they been talking about before. Opening up felt awkward.

[Tsukiko]

That was an easy catch. It did help that Travis was deft with a knife and was able to spear the little fish. “Oh, I only need one set of gills.” I grinned widely as we put the fish in the bag. Probably the hardest part would be getting the fish to the Synthesis Shop before it became foul.

“Next is the root.” I looked at many trees that all looked like the same species. “I’m guessing it’d be a special or rare tree so lets find one that looks different.” All the trees grew in the shallows and on the land giving green shade. It was nice to have the shade since otherwise the heat and humidity would be unbearable now that the sun had got some time to warm the land. I was starting to sweat a little too.

Soon my feet started moving as I walked to look for a tree that would stand out. Then it was there a tree that caught my eye. It had leaves that while green, had a blue tint and blue flowers. But there was one problem, it grew in the middle of the water and reached the depths. “I bet that’s our tree. But we’re going to have to swim to get at its roots.” I really wished that I had that bathing suit now, though it wouldn’t help against the monsters that would lurk underneath the surface.

My tail twitched as I stared at the water. “Should we take a dip and hope the wyrm isn’t underneath waiting for some tasty morsels to dive in?” I asked and waited, we needed a plan and mine was rather stupid. Well I could fly to the branches by turning into a bird but I still had to go under to get the roots. “Any ideas?”

[A Nony Mouse]

The tree they needed grew out of the water almost thirty feet away. Swimming there normally wouldn’t have been a problem, but Tsukiko informed Travis that there might be monsters lurking beneath the surface just waiting for a snack. The red-haired musician pulled out his rywan wood ocarina once again and began playing a summoning song.

Ardinne, his river otter familiar, slipped out of the water just in front of him and barked in delight. She enjoyed working with Travis and it had been a little while since he had called her. As he rubbed her ears and back, he turned to the kitsune, “Tsukiko, this is Ardinne. She’s my familiar. Ardinne, this is Tsukiko; I’m helping her find some ingredients.” The otter bounded over to the fox girl and rubbed her head along the kitsune’s leg.

“Ardinne,” Travis began, “We need to get over to that tree,” he pointed across the water and the otter’s head followed. “But Tsukiko says there might be monsters in the water. Can you keep a lookout for us?” The otter barked again and dove into the murky depths, ready to alert Travis if she encountered any beasts.

He saw his partner’s worried look and he reassured her, “She’ll be fine, she can handle herself.” The pair eased themselves into the swirling water and began swimming toward tree. When they were about halfway there, Travis realized that even if Ardinne warned them, they had few options available to them. Sighing as he swam through the swampy waters, he prayed that this would be an uneventful swim. Though somehow he doubted it.

[Tsukiko]

Travis had an odd solution to the quandary of getting to the tree in one piece. Have a little otter keep watch and warn in some way if something came. I wanted to pet the cute creature but she had jumped in, ready to do her little duty. Travis soon followed and was swimming toward the try. Now normally I probably would have liked a friendly race in the water but I had a bad feeling nipping at my gut.

I hesitated for a little bit as my tails puffed up but then it hit me. Travis probably would be killed if the monster came. If there were two of us then we could confuse the monster. “Hey wait up!” I yelled out and jumped in, forgetting I was wearing armor. Thankfully it was not the heaviest armor so I didn’t sink like a stone, but it was still enough that it took a good bit of effort to stay above the water. Still I was making a headway to the tree.

The water was murky and I did my best to keep it out of my mouth as I swam and made dead sure I didn’t swallow. Swamp water had all kinds of unpleasant effects on anyone that drank it. I really should have remembered to take the armor off before going swimming.

I had made halfway and then my fears were realized. The otter let ouch a strange screech of warning as a splash could be heard. This wasn’t good. I was a sitting duck now. I stopped and let myself sink and my eyes adjust to the murk as best as they could. I was concentrating on the water and it’s flow. The beast was after me since I was the easiest prey. But I was preparing myself.

I didn’t have long since I couldn’t breathe underwater and the beast was close and getting closer and then was right at my side. I quickly burst some movement and moved to back and let my self sink as the great serpent sped by. It grabbed me in its claws as I was sent whirling by the wake. I had only one choice. I grabbed my blade and jammed it into the leg of the beast that held me. I focused on the chi of the beast to be doubly sure of escape. Thankfully it was a success and the water turned red as I was released. The beast was swimming circles as it chased its tail and snapped at water. I swam to the surface and swam toward the tree as fast as I could and even conjured an image of me under the water to attract the monster away.

Somehow I made it and I scrambled up the tree to the lowest limb and sat there panting. “I almost lost it there. How could I be so dumb to jump in like that?” I scolded myself out loud as my chest heaved for air.

[A Nony Mouse]

“I have to admit,” Travis said as his partner hauled herself out of the water and onto the branch below him. “That probably was not my best idea.”

The two companions watched the murky water churn red as the serpent tore into an unseen foe. Ardinne’s head poked out of the water several feet from the base of the tree and she slowly paddled her way over to sit amongst the highest roots.

“Is that a Faoi?” he asked the kitsune. If it was, they could kill two birds with one stone here. By defeating the Faoi and getting their roots, the pair would be that much closer to completing Tsukiko’s list.

The swamp water finally began to settle down, small ripples spreading from the middle of the stretch from tree to path. Bubbles broke the surface here and there, but Travis couldn’t tell if they were from the serpent or not. Dropping down from his branch, the red-haired adventurer peered into the dark depths, scanning the water for any signs of the great reptile.

He turned to Ardinne and whispered, “Keep an eye out.” The river otter barked as if in frustration with his request, but slipped once again into the murky water. With his belly on the lowest part of the tree, Travis reached his whittling knife under the surface of the water. He needed some roots.

As he hand closed over the tree’s tentacle-like roots, Ardinne hopped from the water with a bark of distress. Travis caught her in his arms and sat up quickly as the great maw of the serpent snapped fruitlessly in the air. Leaping back from the water, the traveler scrambled back to where Tsukiko waited.

“Any ideas?” he asked his partner.

[Tsukiko]

It was getting frustrating to be trapped in a tree like this with a dangerous beast that would eat us if we tried to leave. I could transform and fly away but that would leave Travis alone. “We all make mistakes. Yeah I think that’s a Faoi, one of the most dangerous beasts in this swamp, guess I kinda got over my head.” I felt like giving up and just heading back. A swim suit would be nice but I didn’t want to die or get a friend killed for it.

My Partner wasn’t so easily discouraged as he dipped himself into the water in an attempt for the roots. Mt heart almost popped when the monster snapped at him. It was too close and then he was back up by me and safe.

“Well if we could lure the Faoi to land, we might have a chance to take it down but I don’t think that would be easy.” I swung my feet over the edge of the branch that kept us safe. “We need a distraction but my illusions don’t seem to last long enough since the monster’s so quick.” I thought a few more moments and an idea came to my head. “We need to give it something to chew on to keep it busy. Then we can try to kill it or make our way to shore.”

There was only one thing that I had to keep the monsters mouth full for a while, my Do-maru. “Ok. I’m going to throw my armor at the monster. Hopefully it’ll go for the bait since it has my scent and a bit of blood on it.” I really felt awkward taking off my clothing out in the open like this. At home being naked was fine unless there were guests there but now I was out in the swamp alone with one friend and getting naked.

But it was a chance to return home alive and have the ingredients to my magical bathing suit. Once I slid off the armor I looked to Travis and blushed but tried to stay serious. “Are you ready?” I didn’t really listen to the answer as I built up the bravery to toss my garment into the water.

The Faoi went for the bait, snapping up the fake prey and trying to tear it to pieces. I was mostly leather and iron but it was tough enough keep the beast occupied for us to do something to it. I really hoped that Travis was ready and I didn’t jump the gun.

[A Nony Mouse]

The nude kitsune tossed her armor into the swamp and the Faoi took the bait. Her plan had been to distract the beast and then either kill it or escape. Travis knew they needed ingredients from the creature in addition to the roots that they had been trying to get. Escape seemed counterproductive. Summoning his courage, he ran to the edge of the branch and dove into the murky depths below.

The dehlar short sword pushed through his belt weighed him down and he used that weight to sink toward the bottom with minimal effort. Through the dirty water he saw the great serpent thrashing about with Tsukiko’s armor in its mouth.

Travis knew he had a very brief opening until the Faoi became bored with the distraction and turned toward a target with more… flesh. Swimming toward the serpent as best he could, he awkwardly drew his dehlar blade. His feet struck the bottom and his lungs began to burn, but he knew he had time. Raising the sword through the water, he thrust slowly toward the Faoi’s midsection.

The blade bit into its scales, puncturing a few inches before stopping. As the beast’s head turned toward its new prey, Travis planted his feet and pushed as hard as he could on the handle of his sword. The blade slid deeper before the maw of the serpent closed on him and swept him away.

He opened his mouth to scream in pain and was rewarded with the taste of vile water. Luckily for him, the creature had bit into his brigandine, so most of the damage would be minimal. However, several large teeth had punctured the flesh on his arm and blood clouded the already murky depths.

Travis flailed at the thing, but to no avail. It seemed he would be carried along until the great beast decided to eat him. Glancing back down the Faoi’s length, Travis saw his sword still protruding from its scales. If only the serpent would bump against something and sent that blade clean through its midsection. But his prayers went unanswered as he began blacking out from lack of oxygen. Tsukiko would be his last hope…

[Tsukiko]

The hair-brained scheme of mine didn’t really work; sure, it distracted the Faoi for a few moments but when Travis jumped in after it, disaster struck. So I was left naked in a tree as my friend was going to get eaten alive. I had to do something. It was good I didn’t throw my blades in the water too but the dragonkin wanted to snack elsewhere and was dragging Travis away. I had to jump, no time to waste.

I felt a chill run up my spine as I ran off of the branch. I had a great sense of balance and I could jump really far too. With a blade in hand I made a leap off into the water. If I missed then he would be dead. The air rushed past my body and felt really nice though a bit strange as I prayed I would hit the Faoi. After too long I fell hard against the monster with my blade sinking into it’s back and slicing a fatal wound on the great beast. What the stunt did to me wasn’t as severe. The impact cracked a couple of ribs. I whimpered as I crawled up the dead beast and managed to get Travis out of the Faoi’s mouth and drag him to the shore.

He was in bad shape with blood flowing, and I had to get his first aid kit and wrap up his wounds. Hopefully he wouldn’t bleed to death now. “Please don’t die, or if you do please don’t haunt me forever.” I begged and laid him down, not sure what else to do. My chest felt like daggers were piercing it as I moved but I went to the dead Faoi drifting in the water and took my blade out and skinned some of its scales. “At least this wasn’t in vain.” I smiled and brought the scales to shore.

Now it was just the root left. I waded and swam out to the tree. It was hard to keep moving though my body hated the act of swimming in this state. But I had to hurry or another Faoi would come by. Sadly I was right and the water splashed as another of the beasts came to the smell of blood. I’m really such a stupid girl sometimes. I sped up and squealed in pain as my body rebelled but went its way. I was soon underneath the Triagh and using its roots as a shield. The monster bit into the roots and reached at me with its claw, forcing me to the other side of the root wall. I was scared but since the monster wasn’t reaching me I cut a root off and then snaked through and crawled up the tree. I was naked and in a tree again but this time I felt like I had been mauled. I concentrated on shape shifting into a hawk so I could fly. My body felt numb from the pain that the magic did. But once in my avian form I was able to fly, poorly, to safety next to Travis. I hoped that the monster wouldn’t come on shore for an easy meal as I reverted and whimpered and then emptied my stomach onto the grass before rolling away and laying there with my vision blurred and my body not wanting to move.

[A Nony Mouse]

The swamp was dark when Travis opened his eyes. Confused, he looked around and tried to figure out where he was. Visions of the great serpent dragging him through the murky waters flashed through his mind and he shot up with a start. Tsukiko lay not too far away, seemingly still naked, but the red-haired traveler paid her little attention. What happened to the Faoi? he wondered.

He tried to stand, but pain lanced through his chest and arm, causing him to gasp and settle back down. Peeling away the poultices, he saw teeth marks in his flesh and dried blood around the wounds.

So Tsukiko had saved him. The young kitsune had risked her own life to save that of her traveling companion. Once again the warrior felt a strange feeling welling up inside him. Such sacrificial compassion was something he’d never experienced before. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the concept.

His thoughts snapped him back to reality as his eyes finally saw Tsukiko’s prone form. Crawling over as quickly as his wounds would let him, he felt for a pulse and breathing. Thankfully she was alive, though Travis had no idea what her wounds were.

Fishing in his belt for his first aid kit, the musician found fresh poultices and applied them after cleaning his wounds. All he could do was wait for his friend to wake up so that he could take care of her.

He owed her that much.

[Tsukiko]

I must have fallen asleep while I laid there. Well maybe it wasn’t really sleep since I had no dreams. First thing I noticed was the sound of crickets, they sounded a lot like the crickets at home and I even thought I could smell that awful herbal tea that mom brews when I’m sick. “Ugh, mom. I’m all right, please don’t make me drink it. I’m not that sick.” I moaned before my sights cleared and I could see the gray sky and then the water dwelling trees. Right, I wasn’t home but in Dheathain. The gathering had almost became a disaster as the water wyrm had nearly eaten both of us.

I rolled onto my side and looked around. Worried that my friend didn’t make it but thankfully I saw him sitting there, really close to me. I remembered that I had no clothes on. It was really embarrassing since it was my own hair brained ideas that got me into this mess. I sat up and covered my self with my hands and the blood running to my head as I ran to the sack that kept the supplies to fish out my kimono. I slipped it over my body and quickly tied it.

“That was a bit rougher than planned. At least we got most of the ingredients.” I made a smile though it was a bit awkward. It was a mess at the end and we almost died, and my armor was ruined and gone as was one sword. I really hoped that the bathing suit would be worth the sacrifice. After this I think I would want to have a little vacation. “Well all we need is seaweed and sea water, the coast is nearby. Want to try and get some?” I asked with a swish of my tail. I wanted him to say yes; we were so close.

[A Nony Mouse]

The journey to the shore took the rest of the night; the companions moved slowly thanks to their numerous injuries. Stopping from time to time to examine an interesting insect, plant, or stone, they eventually made their way to the ocean. The warm salty air whipped through Travis’ red hair and pulled Tsukiko’s kimono playfully.

“Here we are,” the traveler stated as he planted his boots in the cool sand. Smoothed stones spotted the shoreline and larger rocks lined the dunes, jutting from the ground like crooked teeth. Dawn was breaking over the water and its reflection danced across the waves in a shimmering path. Gulls flew on the warm updrafts beginning to form in the morning air, wings stretched as wide as they could be.

The scene was a picture of tranquility; the sounds soothing after their recent battle with the great Faoi. “So what do we need here?” Travis asked the kitsune. She related the ingredients necessary and the warrior decided that she could handle that herself.

As Tsukiko ran toward the breaking waves, Travis turned toward the rock-lined dunes and began exploring. Poking into one of the larger caverns, he saw a creature resembling a lizard resting on a large rock. Upon closer inspection, he realized the beast had wings tucked against its back. A flying lizard, though it’s a little small to be a dragon… the creature puzzled Travis and he slowly pulled back from the cave and continued his search.

The next large cavern he came across was nearly sixteen feet wide. Pushing through the narrow entrance, Travis examined the interior with mild interest. I would never have expected to find caverns in the dunes, he thought.

A low rumble startled him and he turned toward the noise, staring into the gloom. Leaning back against one of the rock walls was a strange figure. Glowing red eyes seemed to stare through him and orange lines coursed across the stranger’s chest. He was powerfully built; the muscles of his shoulders and arms bulged at his skin. But what frightened Travis the most was the man’s face. Twisted into a nightmarish form with teeth filed to sharp points, his head gave him an evil air.

“I’ve been waiting, Travis,” the man whispered.

A huge sword materialized out of the air into the man’s grip. Glowing from within, the giant broadsword seemed to have a life of its own. Its razor-thin edge whipped through the air testing the redhead’s defense. Travis dodged back from its path, his hand instinctively reaching for his cypress pole. Wood against a giant sword? he realized. That cannot end well. His moment of indecision cost him though and the blade slashed through his chest.

Instead of searing pain, Travis felt only a cold wave strike him as the broadsword passed through him. The man laughed as his body dissipated into shadow and blew away into the air.

Sweat dripping from his brow and his mind racing, Travis fell to his knees. First the ghost and now this!? What is going on? Scanning the cavern for anything else out of the ordinary, he quickly pushed his way out and onto beach beyond. Standing up and brushing himself off, he ran toward the kitsune still combing the sand.

“Tsukiko!” he called to her. “We need to talk!”

[Tsukiko]

The last ingredients were going to be easy. I smiled as Travis asked what they were. “Oh, just seaweed and sea water. It’ll be easy.” And It was since those ingredients were so common on any beach. There was always seawater and when the tide was low there would be seaweed on the beach so I wouldn’t have to get wet. While I enjoy swimming, there was the problem of being so close to the swamp that another Faoi might just notice me take a dip and I didn’t think I could handle another one of those beasts.

So all I had to do was find some seaweed and then get some water then we could probably enjoy the beach. It was very pretty with the sun rising over the waves and giving them an orange hue. Travis seemed to have wandered off but I was sure he would be fine.

I easily found the seaweed once I got looking and the sea water was there for the taking. Finally I would be finished and it was going to be at an end and I would have my new bathing suit. Travis even seemed to run up to me to congratulate my accomplishment. Or so I thought. Once my friend was closer, I could see he was pale and there was fear in his mind.

My tail puffed up and I shivered a little when I saw his face. “Travis, what’s wrong?” I asked not sure what was going on now.

[A Nony Mouse]

Travis ran up to his friend, breathless and shaking. The encounter in the cave had left him deeply troubled. By all rights, he should be dead. “I was just attacked,” he gasped when he was close enough. Tsukiko look worried, so he added, “Its sword went right through me; I hardly felt anything at all.” Drawing in deep breaths to try and calm himself, the red-haired warrior continued. “He was like nothing I’ve ever seen; like what I think of when I picture demons. Only incredibly worse.” Closing his eyes to calm his nerves, he forced himself to stop shaking.

When he had regained a modicum of composure, he went on, “Do you remember me telling you about that ghost I saw? I feel like these two events are connected somehow… I just can’t explain it.” Hoping that his traveling companion had some knowledge to share, Travis waited for her response.

However, visions of the brute’s evil grin as he lunged forward with the giant sword kepy playing over in his mind. The filed teeth dripping with saliva, the blackened armor glowing with an ethereal pulse, the clawed gauntlets; he was sure his sleep would be troubled for weeks.

[Tsukiko]

Ghosts were not good. “Hopefully it’s just the beach.” I said as I put my hand on Travis’ Shoulder. “Sadly I really don’t know what to do. I’ve never dealt with ghosts.” I looked into my friend’s eyes and smiled. “Anyway we’re done here. Hopefully the ghosts won’t follow. But even then maybe one of the fae in the city can help else. Either way, I got everything I need.”

It was good to have that adventure done. It had started out easy and a little dull but then the swamp monster that we needed and it almost killed us. Ruined my armor and almost ate us. But it was over and I could claim my prize from the fae enchantress.

“Thank you for helping me. I don’t think I could get most the ingredients without you. Is there any way you’d like me to show my thanks?” My tail wagged as I realized that I had offered quite a lot. Well if he asked something silly then I could refuse.

But either way I had gotten the needed ingredients and a new friend. It was a very productive trip.

((OOC note: I’m sorry for this gathering thread. It was rather fun to write but

Spoils:

4 Smokey crystals
3 blue crystals
2 clear crystals
3scales of a Faoi
Root of a Triagh tree
Gills of a Maerrigh fish
seawater
seawed

Anti spoil: Tsu's iron armor is gone. it's brken and rusting at the bottom of a swamp.

Please deduct exp and/or gold instead of removing spoils^^ *Hugs the judge*))

[A Nony Mouse]

It had been quite an adventure, Travis felt as if he had known Tsukiko for much longer than a few days. The friendly kitsune was someone he could trust; he liked that feeling. Still, the ghosts plagued his thoughts… What does it all mean? he wondered. The answer, unfortunately, would have to wait.

“I have business elsewhere,” Travis told his companion. “But when that concludes, we can try to collect some of the things on my list.” Tsukiko agreed and the two headed back to their room at the inn.

Spoils:
One clear crystal
One black crystal
One blue crystal
One green crystal
One crystallized vortex

Please deduct gold if necessary; I'd like the normal exp and the requested spoils more than money :)

[Zook Murnig]

As requested, little to no comments. If you would like help on how to improve in a particular area, my screenname is at the bottom of this judgment.

Quest Judging
Hunting and Gathering

STORY ~ 10/30

Continuity ~ 4/10 I knew basically why they were doing all of this. That's about it. A couple minor things about their backgrounds, but that was still unnecessarily murky.
Setting ~ 3/10 When it was described, the setting was rather bland. It felt painted on, rather than alive and fluid. And during action sequences, or dialogue, it was almost completely forgotten. Also, what does a crystallized vortex look like? Remember to describe objects, and their properties properly. A dehlar sword wouldn't be incredibly sharp, owing to the fact that dehlar doesn't form edges very well. Domaru armor isn't revealing at all. And one would normally wear at least rudimentary clothing underneath their armor.
Pacing ~ 3/10 Quick and slow for no particular reason. Suspenseful portions were over too quickly, but you spent a long time just poking around for the crystals.

CHARACTER ~ 9.5/30

Dialogue ~ 3.5/10 A lot of the dialogue, and internal dialogue, was really cliché or wooden. Sometimes both.

“Damn you. I have to repair that now.” I yelled at the cat as it tried to pounce and finish me off.
This was particularly irksome. She nearly got filleted by a large feline, and she's more worried about how much damage was done to her clothes than to her. This also counted against you in Persona.
Action ~ 4/10 Repetition on the part of Anonymouse was problematic, though you took care of that towards the end. See Pacing for other notes on this.
Persona ~ 2/10 I got a feel for your characters, sure. But that feel was pretty damn shallow. Tsukiko was like something ripped out of a generic anime, and the nudity obsession kind of threw me for a loop. Travis was a little better defined and deeper, but not much. He said, thought, and did everything for the sake of progressing the story, and not much else.

WRITING STYLE ~ 9/30

Technique ~ 2/10 Very little. 'Nuff said.
Mechanics ~ 3/10 Anonymouse, you were okay with your spelling and grammar. However, Tsukiko, you need to proofread. Big time. Spelling was atrocious at times, and run-ons were rampant. On top of that, you used the complete wrong words several times, which made me very confused (see Clarity).
Clarity ~ 4/10 Most everything was clear, when it wasn't being muddied up by poor word choice and spelling errors.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wild Card ~ 3.5/10 To be quite honest, I didn't enjoy this very much, and the ghost bits were pretty arbitrary and meaningless.

TOTAL ~ 32

All spoils (and anti-spoils) granted. EXP and GP adjusted accordingly.

Tsukiko gains 1400 EXP
Anonymouse gains 600 EXP

If you have any questions about the judgment or how you can improve, PM me or send me a message on AIM, screen name SuperSonicMatt1.

[Zook Murnig]

EXP ADDED!