Kirisute-gomen 1/4
Part 1 Yanfei PoV
"Awooooooo!" Under the moonlight, howls of a beast overlapped with the sound of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship.
"Whoooonooor!" The howls of an idiot chime in.
He found himself playing poker with his Fatui friend at the moment, something Mona found incredibly irritating because they where betting entire fortunes in each game.
It's been over twenty four hours since we last seen Monkey Island and the sun has set for the day.
I hugged my shoulders as the cold sea breeze blows by.
The reason why we haven't gone to sleep yet is the fear of an ambush. Given our enemy size, we could wake up in his intestines if we went to bed carelessly.
According to Mona cartography skills and some old maps we have from the waters around Inuzuma, we'll reach the next island in a days travel.
So even though it pains me, I won't be able to sleep till tomorrow at the very least.
"Foul, comrade, show me your sleeve." Tartaglia called out and demanded.
The birdbrain dropped a pile of Aces from his long haori sleeves. In which case Tartaglia simply collected his prize with a smile.
"I believe I told you, cheating wouldn't change the way the cards would play out, Innamorato. It was your destiny to lose this game." Mona nodded as she said.
Birdbrain started reaching into his pockets for Mora to keep playing.
"How perceptive of you, Meg. Telling me out in advance so I would get caught. My, you really shown some growth lately. I remember when you used to have full confidence in everything you said, contrary to enforcing your predictions with your actions like I taught you. I'm so proud." The blond shamurai was pissy with Mona's interfering on his game.
He stood up trying to reach better inside his pockets, he was having trouble finding his pouch.
"Oh, here it is and… huh? It's empty…?" He seems surprised to find out.
I was actually starting to wonder when would his pockets run dry. I don't think I've ever seen a person being so wasteful with their finances as him.
"What have we here, has the mighty and rich samurai, fell to bankruptcy? Hu hu." Mona sneered at him.
Once he finally realized he was dried-out completely, the doofus turned around and stood a little too close for Mona's comfort.
"Look who's talking, the poor-by-choice Astrologer."
"I-I'm not poor by choice! My profession isn't something that should be used for something so material as Mora. It's just principle!" She defended and butted heads with him.
I'll send a prayer for the poor souls who think like her. May maturity speak to their deaf ears someday.
"You know Meg, as much as I love your hardcore-broke mentality, I must thankfully decline that membership." Simp said and headed for the port side of the ship.
Wait, what is he going to do?
"And besides, did you forget the way I make my fortune?" He asked.
Huh… the way he makes his fortune. I've always wondered where he made so much money to throw around.
My fees of restitution aren't nowhere near enough, and he was exiled here from his nation with nothing but the clothes on his back, plus I conducted a search on him. Not only does he not own a business or even a street stall, nearly everyone back in Liyue hates his guts, he would have no clientele even if he tried.
So, where does his Mora keeps coming from? I always hoped it tied on to unsavory business, so I could promptly incarcerate him in my teapot, where he belongs, but he's too hard to track and would always chase me away when going out to work.
For a time, I even started to think he was Rex Lapis in disguise and could just produce Mora on command.
Doofus finally reached the edge of the ship and fired a purple spark into the waters. After having closed his eyes for a second to concentrate, he finally pulled something huge out of the water like he where fishing. This item in question, landed on the deck with a heavy thud.
It was a treasure chest filled to the brim with gold and gems—
"What!!?" I could hardly believe my eyes.
The birdbrain reached inside the chest and grabbed a handful of coins to refill his pouch, and then heads back to the table where he and his Fatui friend where playing poker.
"For a samurai, it is a great dishonor to live poorly. Our bushido code clearly states that we must be better than everybody else at all times in order to set the example." He waves Mona off before shuffling the deck of cards.
I could see Mona gritting her teeth in frustration, but she said nothing in return.
Me on the other hand? I felt my Brilliance aura leaking out.
A bright-hot anvil materialized over the birdbrain head, causing him to stiffen up on his seat, but he didn't turn around to look at me.
"You're telling me the reason you always had so much Mora, was because of plain old treasure hunting?" I calmly asked of him.
I heard a gulp coming from him, but he seemed intent on acting calm.
"Yes… deer…"
"Then I ask, what was the reason you had to hide it from me?" I calmly asked, once again.
Vehement refusal to answer my questions about where his money comes from, tossing me inside trash bins before running away after finding me tailing him at night, pulling down my shorts before dashing away in the same manner, paying kids to throw tarts at me when I'm shadowing him in the same manner, calling my criminal investigations— stalking followed by several police arrests, dozen's of restraining orders I had to fight in court and being listed as a repetitive offender at the Millelith station.
There was absolutely no reason to go trough all that trouble just to hide something as legitimate as treasure hunting. That's literally the bread and butter of adventurers.
The only reason we prosecute Treasure Hunters for these actions is because their organization is illegitimate and serves as a network for other unsavory businesses pertaining to organized crime such as banditry and smuggling.
But this idiot… he better be up to the neck in dirty business for all the troubles he caused me and what transpired just now— was only his poor excuse of a joke.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he comments.
"Well deer, if you're asking a reason for it, I was just messing with you..." He audaciously said.
I quietly used my seals to enlarge the anvil over his head as I listened.
"Is like you don't know me at all, deer. To me, messing and making fun of others just for the sake of it, it's a perfectly valid reason to act in such a way." I saw his head coming up and down like he was nodding.
Shame he won't see my pretty smile as I kill whatever brain cells he still has left in there.
"Haaaa!"
"Princess stop! Owner is not worth it! You'll dig a hole to the bottom of the ship!" Eula jumped behind me and immobilized me.
And just as I fought to free myself from her chokehold.
"Land at starboard!" Xiao reported from his spot at the crows nest.
I couldn't believe this miracle as I ran to get the telescope, and my doubts weren't exactly unfounded.
What I saw was, emptiness, in the sense. A dome of dark poisonous air bouncing around nothing but empty sea.
The air on these waters tends to look like that when clashing against a barrier of sorts, and that could only mean one thing.
There is in fact, something over there, it's just hidden and protected under a barrier.
Part 2
The Foaming Grape reached the black dome where the poisonous air was being repelled. Xiao jumped from the crows next and disappeared inside of it for a few seconds, before coming back to the relief of everyone.
"There is an island inside." He reports after coming out.
Given what little we know about our enemy, we had been on edge all this time, thinking we where approaching Mob Ivory, but that doesn't seems to be the case.
Eula steered the ship and we broke trough the dark barrier. The Alexandrite digging trough the darkened air as we pass by.
Inside, it was complete darkness. So much I couldn't even see my hands in front of my face.
"The venomous air clogging at the barrier and the night sky won't make it easy to see around here. Those who can't see in the dark, go grab a torch, but be careful you don't start a fire inside the ship." Eula prompted, before generating a small light from one of her Crystal Glaciers.
Those who can't see in the dark huh? Eula probably can. Recognizance is right up her alley and I doubt this darkness is something she hasn't prepared for.
Xiao just demonstrated he could see, as he assured he saw an island despite the fact I see nothing but pitch black darkness around here.
Other than those two, the only one left who should be able to see in the dark would be an illustrious, half-adepti such as myself… but my father and granny always refuse to teach me adepti techniques and I'm way behind on my studies with that front. So I think I'll just use my Pyro Vision to light a flame and—
"Eep!" We soon hit something and I felt myself tumbling to the side, but someone catches me.
I found myself resting against the chest of someone strong and manly. It made my cheeks flush red a little.
"Ahaha, sorry Simp, that was clumsy of me— AAH!" Red eyes glared at me with unresolved hunger.
I had bumped into Razor by accident.
"Your… welcome..." He said with a piercing gaze, completely forgetting how to blink.
I put a healthy distance between him and myself, enough that his bright red eyes looked like dots in the distant—
"Eek…! I'm sorry Simp, I couldn't see where I was— KYAAA!!!"
"Oh, it's just you girlie. Sorry about that, I thought you where a juicy enemy foolishly coming in for a sneak attack." Tartaglia said before putting away his Hydro daggers.
It was like seeing a demonic chef about to slice you up on the cutting board.
Aw, I'm so sick of this place already!
"Calm down, Yanfei. Remember to use your Pyro Vision if you need to see around here." A concerned Mona suggested, and she's right.
Having calmed down, I focused on my Pyro Vision and produced a small flame that hovered over the palm of my hand.
As I illuminated the place, I found out the reason why I fell, we had hit the shore and beached the ship.
But never-mind that, the most important thing right now is…
"As expected, this island hasn't been affected by the poison." Eula announced.
"Whoohoo! A real meal at long last! This moment was preordained by fate!" Mona jumped in happiness, but isn't she a little to surprise for someone who could see the future?
I don't think I like this very much but… a normal island should have normal non-poisonous food—
"Yeah!" I hoped in cheers besides her.
Now I won't have to share my idiot.
Having arrived a the beach, we quickly got down to examine our surroundings.
Sometime later.
"The sea water is clean inside the barrier, and the plants seem to be fine on this side of the island at least. What else have we got?" Eula directed our investigation.
"Beach has fish." Razor reports in.
"I found traces of civilization up ahead, but it feels abandoned." Xiao who went to scout ahead, came back and reported.
"And the stars say we make a killing on this island!" Mona said with the symbol of Mora shining in her eyes.
How strange, it would seem she's thinking of Mora under these morbid circumstances. I thought she couldn't see this island before, or was it something she looked on just now?
"Abandoned and the predictions don't seem to indicate danger… still I really don't like this island one bit." Eula gave her opinion on the situation.
Yeah… I sort of get what she means. The barrier wrapped around this whole place just feels…
"There's something powerful here, and whatever it is I can't sense neither good nor evil coming from it." Xiao added.
A barrier of this magnitude would require a powerful spirit to function or it could be a god even.
Coming across the unknown and powerful is nine out of tenth a sure-fire ticket to the Wangshen Funeral Parlor.
But then someone had to open his mouth.
"Neither good nor evil, you said? Good then, that means whoever runs this place values neutrality and won't get in our way so long as we don't get in its. Let's split up and nab ourselves some real food before continuing with our journey."
"I second Innamorato proposal. Something's definitely going on here that seems to be blocking my scrying, but the end result seems to be riches and dishes! This fabled Astrologer is all in for this expedition." The idiot and Mona seem to want to go in and explore.
However, Eula stepped her foot down at the idea.
"Owner, have you forgotten the dangers of our last divergence? Whatever had we done if those strange and deranged monkey's had had their filthy way with—"
"Eula, please be quiet." I promptly silenced my overreacting friend.
I won't be treated as dead weight by anyone here.
"As someone who hasn't had a decent meal in weeks, I too agree to taking what we can get from this place." Tartaglia voted too.
"Food waits for no one. Gathering when there's a chance is important." Razor voted too.
Xiao nods in agreement, and I agreed to exploring too.
Being left as the only one to oppose the expedition, Eula had no choice but to concede.
Birdbrain took it from there.
"Then if everyone is on the same boat here, let's decide the teams…"
"I will go along with my princess!" Eula said like she left no room for arguing whatsoever.
I get that she's worried about me, but this is starting to feel a little embarrassing.
"Granted, and so will Razor and Mona too." Simp adds.
"Hey, wait a minute. Out the seven of us and you want four to move in the same party?" I had to question his logic.
That doesn't sounds very efficient given our numbers.
"Yes deer, I rather not take my chances with you this time."
"Hey! How dare you!"
"Don't forget the vast ominous barrier blocking the poison around the island. Whatever's here might be alone but it sure as heck is no mere monkey." He made his point.
Ugh, now that I think about it, he's right.
"This time is hunting and gathering, we don't need as many teams as we would to find a single one item in a whole island. And since this place seems mostly abandoned, a lead party can go ahead and find places to hunt or gather food, before calling in the rear party for help."
"Think of it as letting us explore the place and make sure its safe beforehand." This time it was Tartaglia trying to reason.
"And with that cleared, I and Childe will take northeast of the island, Xiao will take northwest and once a couple hours have gone by, VK and her group can go ahead and leave the ship to begin gathering around the area we leave behind. Let's meet back here by sunrise everyone… oh and deer, come with me a minute."
"Huh… what wait!" I was pulled aside from the group and into the darkness.
The flame on the palm of my hand flickered dimly as I found the samurai standing face to face with me.
His pale lips coming just inches from mine as he leans forward. Even when I tried to distract myself by looking at somewhere else, the total darkness around the beach wouldn't let me.
"Deer."
"Y-yes…?" Oh no, those weird feelings are taking over again.
I can feel my cheeks flushed and breathing agitate.
"What have we learned from last time?" He asked with zero concerns for these circumstances.
"I-I don't know what you mean…" I said and quietly broke eye contact with him.
This seemed to make a vein pop up in his forehead. I felt his hand going over my shoulder and grabbing one of my antlers. My stomach burned a little from the overdose of adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream.
"When faced with danger, who we're gonna call?"
"I can handle myself fine, just so you kno— EAH!" A spark ran from his hand to my skull.
As the current ran trough my body, my knees buckled from the shock and now I felt myself… tingly…
"Who we're gonna call?"
"X… Xiao..." I no longer had the strength to argue back.
"Correct, good deer! And never forget, nobody's expecting jack from you when we're out in the wild. So make sure you don't go around inconveniencing anyone, kay?"
Bold thing to say for someone whose one day gonna be a crippled and brittle old man in a wheelchair while young and sexy me will have to put up with—
"Eeek!" An electric current ran up my antler again and I was pushed down the sandy beach to land on a side of my hips.
In the dark of the beach, the abusive samurai pushed me violently and left just as rudely, walking with a slightly visible smirk on his face.
He's lucky I need a moment to calm my maiden heart or else he would've get the anvil!
Part 3
After the first half of the party left, the rest of us decided to gather around a fireplace by the beach.
Everything beyond the firelight felt like a whole new dimension. Silent as a catacomb and cloaked in pure darkness.
It gave the impression that this wasn't an island at all, but rather where the light from the fire would end, so would the sand of the beach and everything else.
Amidst this eerie silence, Mona stood up.
"It is time to fulfill our destiny. Let us make haste towards the center of the island and it's treasure." She professed with great enthusiasm.
"Astrologer Mona, would you mind explaining your eagerness towards exploring this Island?" Eula had asked.
I kind of understand where her concerns come from. Mona rarely engages in any activities besides her astrology readings.
For me, I've gotten used to her foresight. She rarely not knows what she's doing, and won't take part in anything she considers a waste of time.
So, seeing her so eager to wander aimlessly into this darkness can be a little concerning.
"Why the reason is obvious of course, I've already seen the future and found myself swimming in treasure!"
"But didn't you said before you couldn't see very well inside this Island? I even recall you telling us the next island was still a day away yet here we are." Eula pointed out.
"And I was correct before as I am now, this small uncertainty is simply Innamorato's fault." She accused.
The doofus…?
"This blurry view that resembles opening your eyes inside murky water. It is the same as back when we took that man to trial at the Falcon Coast. So it is only plausible that the mischief-maker is up to his usual antics." Mona seemed convinced this is something that has to do with the idiot.
Though I highly doubt he has the power to change destiny or make islands appear out of nowhere.
He can hardly go a week whiteout finding himself in some sort of trouble.
"However! I've seen what becomes of us after leaving this island, and I was loaded! Plus unlike last time, I don't intend to just sit around and let him do as he pleases!" I could almost see the Mora symbol shining in her eyes.
This place is by all means, an invisible island.
Not only couldn't it be found using cartography skills and even reading destiny, but if it wasn't for the black air bouncing off the barrier, we wouldn't have been any wiser of its existence.
It is nearly impossible to find, and it would make sense that if there where to be treasure, it would remain untouched to this day.
"Alright, it's been two hours anyways and no sign of anything going wrong. Let's head out and find ourselves that treasure!"
"Princess…? Do you remember the reason we're here for, right?"
"Food girl forgets about food." Razor added.
"First of all, no I haven't forgotten about the food. Second, my name is Yanfei not food girl!"
"Yanfresh… Enhi… Flatyen…"
"Hey! You half insulted me right there, didn't you!?"
"Food girl name is troublesome, but doesn't likes to be referred as food girl. Razor will call food girl, prey girl from now on."
"That's not any better…! Agh, whatever, let's head out already and meet with the idiot."
"No! Let's avoid him entirely and claim all the treasure for ourselves while he's busy wandering around with his Fatui friend!" Mona plans clashed with mine.
"Hold on a minute Mona, aren't you forgetting what Xiao said about this place? The source of this barrier isn't some ancient mechanism. There is something here that's keeping this place hidden and I didn't hear anything good about it. Won't it get mad if we steal his treasure? I think is best to meet with the others before taking what isn't ours."
"Nonsense! You didn't hear anything bad about it either. And if it wanted the treasure then I wouldn't see ourselves leaving this island with either the Mora or our lives… Besides Yanfei, don't you want to impress Innamorato for once?" Mona inquired.
"Go on." I'm listening.
"Imagine his face after he returns and finds the ship loaded in not just food but untold riches. All while he was busy doing nothing— The Second!" She said like she where naming a king or something.
Hey wait a minute.
"Yessss, that's right. He said he would go ahead and make sure everything was alright, but if there's no danger then…"
"He's just being useless a usual! Don't you hate the way he looks down on you when he barely gets things done?" I get the feeling Mona is trying to manipulate me to get her way.
But I agree immensely with what she's saying.
"Yeah, all that deer this and deer that, I think he's starting to forget I'm an not just a regular girl. I'm half-adepti!"
"That's right! The audacity in that man! His rudeness knows no bounds! So come with me and let's show him which of us get things done around here!"
"Yeah! All he does is cause trouble or go on enthusiastic walks around the islands anyways. Let's show him!"
"Yeah!" I feel like this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
"But princess, don't I get a say on this?"
"No!"
"Prey girl is smiling creepy."
"Shut up wolf pup!" I shut the annoying two up. "Alright Mona, let's do this, but before we start, there's a tiny little favor I have to ask… don't you have a spare catalyst I could borrow?" I pleaded.
A monkey used my last catalyst as toilet paper and another monkey tossed my old one on the trash after he bought me a new one.
I can still use my powers whiteout a catalyst but the output sure leaves names to be called.
"One of my spares? Sure my treasure hunting comrade, here you go." Mona said and handed over a yellow stone floating inside a ring.
I felt my enthusiasm die as soon as I inspected what it was.
"This is a support enchanted catalyst. This thing is useless during combat! Lend me another!" I complained and shoved the Prototype Amber back into Mona's hand.
She pushed the catalyst back to me.
"Fret not Yanfei, with this beauty and the help of your fourth constellation, you could be both the healer and support this party so dire needs."
"But I don't want to be a supporter! I want to fight and stand in the spotlight when facing our enemies!" I snapped back.
I know I sounded a little spoiled just now, but anything less and the birdbrain will surely make fun of me. And I won't put up with his bullying!
"Lend me an offensive oriented catalyst."
"But Yanfei… this is the only spare I have."
"What!?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "But… but then… wait I know! Just please lend me your main catalyst then!"
"No way, Innamorato will make fun of me instead." Blunt confessions where made this day.
I think this calls for an end to our beautiful friendship.
"Lend it to me!" I pounced on Mona and tried to steal her catalyst.
"No! That man is insufferable and I won't stand it!"
"You've only been with him for a few weeks! I've tolerated him for a full year!"
Is amazing what one irritating person can make you do.
As we fought under the light of the fire, Eula walked up and pulled us apart.
"That's enough, you two. There's no need to concern yourself with what that man thinks."
"But he's so annoying!" I argued back.
"And princess, what Mona says is much true. This party needs a support in urgency. With your powers you'd be perfect for that role."
"But I don't wanna! I'm gonna be laughed at!"
"Ahm! So.. spoiled…" Eula started acting weirdly happy for some reason.
"Razor thinks prey girl would make a great support. In pack, weaker and stronger lupical relies on teamwork, everyone plays a role in survival—"
"Shut up you, nobody asked you! If you want a support then you can drop that claymore and wield the First Aid kit we left on the ship!" I shut Razor up.
Demanding party members should try practicing what they preach if they want their problems solved!
"I wont be it, period! If Mona doesn't have a catalyst I can borrow, then I'll just look for one amidst the loot. Enough said, move out everybody!"
And with my final declaration on the matter, we grabbed some torches and set off to explore the island.
Part 4
Writer
Yes I know this chapter is dragging but I'm just so exhausted every time I get home. Just hold on, this one is pretty fun. I'll try to write it full the next chance I get.
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