Worth the Risk

Disclaimer: Shantae and all associated characters belong to WayForward Technologies and Capcom. GrimGrave does not make money for writing fiction.

A collaborated story with Kamen Rider Omega!

Chapter 1 – Through the Storm She Cometh

It had been months now since anything happened around here. The Guardian (Half-) Genie, Shantae, had resorted to most of the time just being idle around her house. Since her last battle with the nefarious lady-pirate Risky Boots, the purplette had been left with nothing to do; Ammo Baron had not attempted anything, Sky didn't need help with her eggs, and Bolo - … well, was Bolo.

And her uncle, Mimic, was far too busy with his own work, leaving Shantae left unwanted and alone.

Scuttle Town no longer had a need of her.

A benefit with all the free time, however, was that she now could practice her magic to uncover new transformations, for example. But even that wonderful idea had become dull as time passed and there was nothing new to uncover, and only one or two nifty transformations worth mentioning, and another one or two that Shantae didn't know what to think about.

No, there was nothing left to do. She had tasted adventure – now normal, everyday-life was too plain for her.

So plain and dull in fact that the Half-Genie was looking out her window, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, and stared absentmindedly out at the stormy blue, now violent open seas. Raindrops were pelting down, smacking against the rooftop, as per usual for a typical storm.

She sighed, sky-blue twin pools lazily straying from the whirling aquatic expanse and over to the grey horizon while pondering and reminiscing, and a certain lilac-haired cutthroat of the seas immediately came to mind.

The nefarious, self-proclaimed Pirate-Queen and Shantae's arch-nemesis: Risky Boots.

Honestly, the young girl couldn't make heads or tails when it came to the female pirate. The sea-faring villain had stolen her powers, numerously attacked Scuttle Town, even made attempts on the Half-Genie's life, and was evil through and through.

…And yet, they had worked together once. It felt like eternity since that time, but merely a year had actually passed since the Pirate Master's demise. And the events that had transpired afterwards replayed in the purplette's mind to this day.

/ "There's nothing to fear," the lady-pirate said, donning her captain's hat with a grin. "The curse has been broken. I'm in charge of my own destiny. I won't let the darkness rule over me any longer."

Something about that choice of words had the Half-Genie's heart skip a little beat. Over the course of their adventures together, Shantae had grown… attached, for the lack of a better word, to her sworn enemy. Having set their differences aside had helped the girl see the older woman in a different light and deep down a part of her hoped – wanted – the Pirate-Queen to give up on being evil, give up on being a villain…

And maybe-

"So… you're going to become a good guy?" She had said it with hope that this time, she was right.

The moment their eyes met, the purplette girl's heart sank. "Ho ho ho! I didn't say that!" Risky's grin faded and she eyed her enemy with a somber expression. "Listen carefully, runt. You walked the walk, and you talked the talk. Heh, you even dressed the part."

Shantae laughed softly. Even if it was for a short while, being dressed and acting like a pirate had been quite joyous. Everything had been joyous.

They never saw eye-to-eye, but those days of just spending time with the lilac-haired woman was something the Half-Genie found herself wanting more of… She wanted Risky to be around.

"But in the end," the pirate continued. "You're no seafaring cutthroat. Far from it. You can't pretend to be something you're not. And… neither can I."

The younger female swallowed hard, fearing what the other woman would say next. Part of her knew what was coming, and her heart throbbed nervously-

"So long."

Without another word – without as much as a last glance – Risky turned on her heel and left the palace.

Blue eyes widened and Shantae's mouth opened up to speak, but no sound came. What was she supposed to say? What did she want to say? Surely it was for the better if the lady-pirate disappeared and preferably didn't come back? And even if she did…

The words forced themselves out of her mouth. "Risky…I…I… … Don't go!"

What was it with seeing her villain leaving that made Shantae's chest hurt so much?

"Don't go!"

She didn't understand. All she knew was that she didn't want Risky to disappear.

No reply came. The Pirate-Queen had already vanished into the darkness of the still-lingering storm. /

´She'll have to discover her own path.´ that's what Uncle Mimic had said, and the young Guardian-Genie had to agree.

But with not even the slightest sign of the pirate, Shantae had begun to wonder to the point of actually worrying about whether or not she would see the older woman again. And even now, she didn't understand why she cared so much. She had willingly saved her enemy's life, sure, but what had compelled her to go to such lengths?

The girl groaned. Her head hurt from all the thinking –

A loud crash – a booming noise that wasn't drowned out by the roars of thunder, the downpour of rain, or the crashing of waves against cliffs – shook the young girl out of her state of pondering and she whipped her head towards the direction of the sound, towards the beach below. A pillar of smoke was rising up and without second thoughts, Shantae dashed out of her house and made her way to the sandy reaches.

Ponytail whipping in the harsh, frigid wind, she ran through the downpour, ignoring the fact that she risked getting sick. As Shantae reached the billow of smoke, the sight made her gasp and she ceased in her tracks; it was the Tinkertub! The vessel of the nefarious Pirate Queen!

The ship was in a sorry state: the mast looked like it would break apart at any moment, the hull was battered, and the sail was torn and resembled nothing like a sail. Overall, the ship was nearly demolished. And where were the Tinkerbats?!

But the state of Tinkertank was quickly forgotten as twin azure pools strayed downwards to the beach where the waves crashed upon and despite the lack of light, the Half-Genie could make out something – no, someone – lying on the ground.

"Risky Boots!" she cried out, her heart racing – with elation or panic, she couldn't tell – as she ran over to her fallen enemy and immediately helped the pirate out of the water.

The self-proclaimed Pirate Queen wasn't in a better state than her ship; her clothes were damp and slightly tattered, and her body was completely slack. Her hat was missing and the bandana she usually wore was loose, allowing long lilac tresses to cascade over her face and back.

The Guardian Genie gritted her teeth as she slung one of Risky's limp arms over her shoulders and proceeded to carry her sworn enemy away from the site. The ship she could worry about later, right now she did what her heart screamed at her to do – the right thing. And that was to save Risky's life (again!) and be quick about it. The storm was only getting worse, and the lady-pirate's condition wasn't going to get any better by itself.

X.x.X

The first thing she noticed was pain; her whole body was aching, and she was cold, chilling to the very bones, and her mind was a haze. Her vision swam, but she could gradually make out a much closed in space, made of stone, and a large window where the only light (aside from a lantern hanging from the ceiling) that filtered through was the flash of thunderbolts zipping through the stormy sky.

Where was she?

There were voices, one being male and the other definitely a female – and didn't that voice sound familiar? – coming from… below her? It sounded like a heated argument, but the storm nearly drowned any other noise out completely.

Trying to move was out of the question; the pain got worse as it zipped through her limbs, forcing her to stay put in what she found out to be a hammock.

Just where in the world was she?

As fatigue began to steal her back into unconsciousness, the thunder ceased for but a moment, allowing the slumbering woman a brief insight of the conversation down below,

"You've got to help me patch her up, Uncle Mimic! I don't know how to do it!"

…That voice did sound disturbingly familiar…

X.x.X

"You were right to fetch me when you did, Shantae. She should be alright now," the elderly relic hunter said as he and his adopted niece climbed down the rope to the entrance level of Shantae's home. "But I'm more curious about how she ended up like this… You said you found her on the beach?"

"That's right!" the Guardian Genie replied. "I heard her Tinkertub crash and that's when I ran to the beach!" The girl cocked her head, finger tapping her chin. "I didn't see any Tinkerbats though…"

"Probably for the best – I dread to think what could happen if…" He shook his head. "Nevermind them for now, what are you going to do about Risky Boots, Shantae?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

The old man crossed his arms over his chest with a frown. "I know you worked together last time you met, but she is still an enemy to Scuttle Town. You were right to come to her aid, but what do you plan on doing when she is fully healed?"

The young purplette bit her lip. She hadn't through ahead about that. "I… I don't know. I mean, I have defeated her before! If she tries anything funny –"

"I know, I know," Mimic replied, putting up his hands defensively. "But you have to remember that she also has gotten away with thing – do I have to remind you of the Steam Engine?" He sighed, his expression softened. "We will cross that bridge when we get to it, I guess. It will take a while for her to recuperate – my knowledge of patching people up is quite limited, you know. Furthermore, if I were you, I'd kept quiet about your… guest to the others."

Shantae flashed her uncle a scowl. "Why? Maybe they can help –"

"Not everyone sees Risky Boots in the same light as you, Shantae…" Mimic sighed and turned to leave. "I'll be back in a day or two. Make sure she gets plenty of rest and of course food and water when she's able to feed herself." He opened the wooden door and paused at the doorway. "…Oh, and Shantae… Please be careful. I wouldn't put it past the pirate to use this as a kind of trick."

The moment the door was closed, the young girl sighed deeply and looked up at the low light from the upper floor.

All things considered, just where was she going to sleep tonight?

X.x.X

After a rather fitful night's sleep, Risky woke to the twin feelings of pain and fear. The latter quickly abated when she recognized the inside of Shantae's house (the realization also bringing about a mental groan), given that she had not too long ago set up a booby trapped bathtub to trap the guardian of Scuttle Town. The former however didn't seem to lessen no matter what way she tried to move. For that matter, she couldn't move her right arm.
She slowly angled her head down, which was no easy task considering that she felt sore everywhere. Upon tilting her head those agonizing degrees, she saw that her right arm was encased in a splint and a sling, keeping it pinned to her chest. She also noticed that her body was covered in places with medical tape and gauze.

'How did I?' she thought, until she remembered the storm, 'Must have happened after I ran aground...' She laid back, her nose catching the smell of cooking from below, the scent prompting a growl from her empty stomach.

Though try as she might, Risky was physically incapable of moving enough to stand, let alone sit up. Even if she had the energy, her body felt like she had been cut to ribbons with her own scimitar.

Contemplating what she was going to do next, the pirate was roused from her train of thoughts when she heard the sounds of slight exertion a moment later, the rope hanging from the ceiling moving with the burden of its climber. Eventually Shantae climbed up and over the lip of the hole the rope fell through, holding a small box snuggly under one arm, swinging a little to get her feet over to the edge and letting go of the rope, landing on her feet.

"Oh! You're awake!" Shantae said, her voice filled with relief, setting the box down on the small nightstand and kneeling at the self-professed Pirate Queen's bedside. "How are you feeling?" Shantae asked, her large, innocent blue eyes glimmering with open concern. Risky fought back the urge to make a snappy comment, not that she was in any mood to banter with the half-genie.

"Been better," she eventually decided to say, almost immediately regretting even that much as her body was suddenly wracked with a an agonizing coughing fit.

Shantae jumped back down into the hole, coming back with a small kettle and a clay cup (safely carried on her back in a strange backpack-like thing, allowing her to climb), which she poured water into. Risky took the cup, drinking slowly so that she wouldn't choke on the refreshing liquid. "Thank you," she said after her throat stopped feeling like she had swallowed sandpaper.

"It's no problem," Shantae replied, pulling up a simple three legged stool to sit on next to the bed. "I figured you must be pretty hungry, so I brought you something to eat," the Half-Genie said before continuing, "Though I didn't know what you like."

Before Risky could ask anything, her host pulled the box's lid open, revealing a simple bento box. Inside was a fair portion of cooked fish and small rice balls, along with half an apple. Risky was floored; here was the woman she had literally tried to capture or kill on multiple occasions – more than she could count –, making her something to eat along with treating her wounds.

"T-thank you…" Risky's voice cracked a little, whether it was from the soreness of her throat or the mental shock or both, Risky had no clue, but she berated herself for allowing it to happen. This – the situation, the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability – was infuriatingly humiliating! The Pirate Queen snatched the bento box with her free hand, but the pain from the sudden action caused her to nearly drop it immediately. "Tch. I bet this must be hilarious for you to watch."

Azure pools blinked and the Half-Genie's mouth parted slightly in puzzlement when she finally understood what her enemy meant, and she quickly shook her head. "No! Absolutely not!"

"Whatever you say," Risky replied nonchalantly, focusing instead on her task at hand – eating. A task that was easier said than done, as pieces of fish fell limply back into the bento time and time again.

"I couldn't possibly enjoy your suffering…" Shantae admitted quietly. Her hands clenched and tugged at her pants, her gaze a mix between sternness and cheerlessness. With a weary sight, she got up on her feet. "When you're done, you can put the box on the nightstand. You should get some more rest-"

"Hold it, girl."

Azure met with crimson.

"Thanks again for the food," Risky Boots said before shifting her gaze back to the bento box and missing the smile that curved the younger girl's lips as she walked over to and climbed down the rope.

X.x.X

(Omega) Hi Everybody! (Hi Doctor Nick!)
(Grim)... XD
(Omega) Oh c'mon, I had to.

(Omega) So yeah, this is our second official collab together, and I think it has come along swimmingly so far. We are both big fans of Shantae, so we wanted to make something celebrating the series together, especially with 1/2 Genie Hero right around the corner.

(Omega) Also, you are very welcome, Grim, for my introducing you to this series =3

(Grim) Hah! I'm supposed to be thanking you first, dolt. Still, I am indeed very grateful for you to do so. Having only cleared the Pirate's Curse somewhat recently, I fell in love with the series - specifically, the characters.

I've only written a short one-shot for the fandom thus far, but this collaborated piece is just another step of many towards the potential of stories that'll arise in the future.

So, with all that said and done, I'll close this off by thanking Kamen Rider Omega for introducing me to Shantae, and for writing this with me. Now, enjoy!

(Omega) Thanks everyone!