+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ V ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shantae,with Bolo beside her,took the crystal to the small house indicated by the archives keeper.
She was greeted by a young woman who was no more than twenty,dressed in a blue robe,her black
hair swept downward.
"May I help you?"She asked.
"I'm looking for a certain merchant,"Shantae said.
"You mean my father?"
"I guess."
"Mother!Father!Someone wants to see you!"
At that moment,a man and a woman,both middle-aged,emerged.the man's robes were red with
brown trim and he wore black trousers and slippers.The woman wore a simple grey gown.Both had
grey hair but his was thinning.Soon enough,Shantae showed the crystal to the man.Bolo,meanwhile,
was staring vacantly at the young woman.If she noticed him,she gave no sign of doing so.
"Do you recognize this?"Shantae asked.
"I do!Oh,I do!Ever since I first laid eyes on it that day!"The middle-aged merchant said."I first saw it
on a bazaar in Oasis Town.I asked the merchant where had he gotten that crystal and he told me that
he had gotten it from a crystal carver from Water Town.In fact,he told me that the carver had fashioned
the design in the local,that is,local to us of Water Town,style.I knew that I had to bring that crystal
home and that it would make the nicest wedding gift ever concieved.Being a merchant myself,I
naturally haggled on the price until I could reach a bargain.But,once out of Oasis Town,I had the total
misfortune to run into those dreadful bandits.I tell you,if it hadn't been for that genie,I would have been
a goner!"
"I wish I'd met her."Shantae said under her breath.
"However the bandit leader made off with the crystal.I never saw that crystal again until today.Just how
did you manage to obtain it?"
"Well,"Shantae said,"it was really Mimic who found it.He was the one who recognized the design as
being from Water Town.He told me to deliver it to Water Town and,apparently,to you."
"Why this is wonderful,"said the merchant's wife."Your long lost wedding gift to me is back where it
belongs."
Needless to say,there was great joy in that house.After a while,it was time for Shantae and Bolo to
part ways.
"Well,Bolo.I hope you don't embarass yourself with that merchant's daughter."Shantae said.
"Hey,don't worry about me,"said Bolo."Just take care of yourself."
"I intend to.Bye!"
And with that,Shantae left Water Town.
The way back to Scuttle Town was as fraught with peril as the way to Water Town.Again Shantae
had to deal with snakes,waterfall dragons,wall huggers,spiders,orcs,scarecrows and dirt dogs,
whipping her way through these foes with her long purple ponytail.She knew the sun would set
soon and that meant that,at night,the monsters would get tougher and more dangerous.Suddenly
she felt like time was of the essence.When she was not fighting for her life,she wondered if the
genie who saved the merchant's life was in fact her mother and wondered if she would ever find
out.
The sun had barely begun to set when Shantae reached the gates of Scuttle Town.It was then that
she saw two children,a boy and a girl,both with black hair wearing simple clothing.The two ran as
fast as their little legs could take them.Shantae came up to the hysterical children.
"What's going on?"She asked.
"W-we're b-being chased!"The boy said.
"By whom?"
The girl then replied,"B-b-by HER!"
Shantae then saw the children's pursuer.It was a naga.A green half woman,half snake with long
flowing black hair.
"Get inside,"Shantae said."I'll handle this."
The two children did as they were told.Form the gates they watched as Shantae stepped forward
to face the naga slithering at her.Shantae avoided the naga's venomous attack.Then she used
her ponytail to whip the naga into a hasty retreat.The children cheered at this display of pure
action.After thanking Shantae,they raced to their homes.
While the bath house at Scuttle Town was not as opulent as that of Water Town,it served Shantae's
needs very well.After leaving the bath house,she went to see Mimic at the dock.She then told him
everything that had happened to her.
"I must say,Shantae,"Mimic said."Sounds to me like you've had a very busy day."
"You're telling me,"Shantae said."Is there anything you want me to do for you,Mimic?"
"Not really,no.I'll be away in a few days,though," Mimic said.
"Okay,so I guess I'll turn in,then."
"You do that,my dear."
Normally,Shantae would spend her free nights at the local dance parlor.Dancing was something
that she enjoyed doing a lot.This night,however,she decided to skip the whole thing and head for
her lighthouse where she would just sleep the rest of the night away.After the day she had had,
she felt entitled to.
Once she got into her bed,she wondered what the next day would bring.Soon enough,sleep came
to her and it felt good.
Shantae,with Bolo beside her,took the crystal to the small house indicated by the archives keeper.
She was greeted by a young woman who was no more than twenty,dressed in a blue robe,her black
hair swept downward.
"May I help you?"She asked.
"I'm looking for a certain merchant,"Shantae said.
"You mean my father?"
"I guess."
"Mother!Father!Someone wants to see you!"
At that moment,a man and a woman,both middle-aged,emerged.the man's robes were red with
brown trim and he wore black trousers and slippers.The woman wore a simple grey gown.Both had
grey hair but his was thinning.Soon enough,Shantae showed the crystal to the man.Bolo,meanwhile,
was staring vacantly at the young woman.If she noticed him,she gave no sign of doing so.
"Do you recognize this?"Shantae asked.
"I do!Oh,I do!Ever since I first laid eyes on it that day!"The middle-aged merchant said."I first saw it
on a bazaar in Oasis Town.I asked the merchant where had he gotten that crystal and he told me that
he had gotten it from a crystal carver from Water Town.In fact,he told me that the carver had fashioned
the design in the local,that is,local to us of Water Town,style.I knew that I had to bring that crystal
home and that it would make the nicest wedding gift ever concieved.Being a merchant myself,I
naturally haggled on the price until I could reach a bargain.But,once out of Oasis Town,I had the total
misfortune to run into those dreadful bandits.I tell you,if it hadn't been for that genie,I would have been
a goner!"
"I wish I'd met her."Shantae said under her breath.
"However the bandit leader made off with the crystal.I never saw that crystal again until today.Just how
did you manage to obtain it?"
"Well,"Shantae said,"it was really Mimic who found it.He was the one who recognized the design as
being from Water Town.He told me to deliver it to Water Town and,apparently,to you."
"Why this is wonderful,"said the merchant's wife."Your long lost wedding gift to me is back where it
belongs."
Needless to say,there was great joy in that house.After a while,it was time for Shantae and Bolo to
part ways.
"Well,Bolo.I hope you don't embarass yourself with that merchant's daughter."Shantae said.
"Hey,don't worry about me,"said Bolo."Just take care of yourself."
"I intend to.Bye!"
And with that,Shantae left Water Town.
The way back to Scuttle Town was as fraught with peril as the way to Water Town.Again Shantae
had to deal with snakes,waterfall dragons,wall huggers,spiders,orcs,scarecrows and dirt dogs,
whipping her way through these foes with her long purple ponytail.She knew the sun would set
soon and that meant that,at night,the monsters would get tougher and more dangerous.Suddenly
she felt like time was of the essence.When she was not fighting for her life,she wondered if the
genie who saved the merchant's life was in fact her mother and wondered if she would ever find
out.
The sun had barely begun to set when Shantae reached the gates of Scuttle Town.It was then that
she saw two children,a boy and a girl,both with black hair wearing simple clothing.The two ran as
fast as their little legs could take them.Shantae came up to the hysterical children.
"What's going on?"She asked.
"W-we're b-being chased!"The boy said.
"By whom?"
The girl then replied,"B-b-by HER!"
Shantae then saw the children's pursuer.It was a naga.A green half woman,half snake with long
flowing black hair.
"Get inside,"Shantae said."I'll handle this."
The two children did as they were told.Form the gates they watched as Shantae stepped forward
to face the naga slithering at her.Shantae avoided the naga's venomous attack.Then she used
her ponytail to whip the naga into a hasty retreat.The children cheered at this display of pure
action.After thanking Shantae,they raced to their homes.
While the bath house at Scuttle Town was not as opulent as that of Water Town,it served Shantae's
needs very well.After leaving the bath house,she went to see Mimic at the dock.She then told him
everything that had happened to her.
"I must say,Shantae,"Mimic said."Sounds to me like you've had a very busy day."
"You're telling me,"Shantae said."Is there anything you want me to do for you,Mimic?"
"Not really,no.I'll be away in a few days,though," Mimic said.
"Okay,so I guess I'll turn in,then."
"You do that,my dear."
Normally,Shantae would spend her free nights at the local dance parlor.Dancing was something
that she enjoyed doing a lot.This night,however,she decided to skip the whole thing and head for
her lighthouse where she would just sleep the rest of the night away.After the day she had had,
she felt entitled to.
Once she got into her bed,she wondered what the next day would bring.Soon enough,sleep came
to her and it felt good.