I don't own Azure Dreams or anything else in this fic, except for the storyline.
Koh stared ahead at the sifting sands. He hadn't really meant it to be like this. He only wanted to go along on his own little solo adventure. But everyone made it into a big project, and now he was going on a miniature expedition. Nearly everyone was riding one of Koh's Nyuels. Fur, Nico, and Mia were riding Desert Aura Bikes, and Selfi was riding that horrible pink Nyuel. Between the constant whinnying and the hum of the fans, was the sound of the wind blowing across the sand. In other words, it was a nightmare, inside an oven.
The sun glared above, his rays bestowing heat on anything with living body functions. It didn't help that the sand reflected it tenfold, or that Vivian, Selfi, Ghosh, and Fur wouldn't cease complaining about the heat. And as much as he tried to ignore it, Koh felt the sun's rays hitting him in the back, drying his flesh into jerky. And the trail was rather unstable as well. Each step was more a risk for the rider, than Nyuel. The Nyuels were smarter than stepping into a sandfish pod. They would just stop suddenly and send you flying into the nearest dune.
Which is exactly what happened to Cherryl.
The small nurse was apparently enraptured with her book, Herbs and Their Miraculous Uses, and wasn't paying attention. The sandfish pod was quite obvious, churning the sand with rippling waves, almost like the ocean. The Nyuel ceased its movement; Cherryl didn't.
"Aiyaaaaaaaaa!" Cherryl screamed as she flew into the sand.
The scream became a muffled "Eeeeeeemmmmf!"
All the Nyuels reined in. Except for Selfi's. She kept on going. The three Desert Aura Bikes came to a slow stop and wheeled around. Cherryl fell out of the dune. He hat was all dusty, and she was covered in sand.
"Stupid Nyuel!" Cherryl yelled. This was followed by a quite a few profane phrases that need not be repeated.
Mia stared at Cherryl wide eyed. The Nyuel merely whinnied and began to trot.
Cherryl growled something that made Mia's eyes go wider and jumped onto the Nyuel, without any help.
"I'm impressed," Vivian said, but no one paid attention.
Koh shrugged. He really didn't care. Nobody was hurt, except for Cherryl's pride and she seemed to be coping with it none to badly.
The sun slowly moved in the sky, the ball of fire slowly burning everyone's skin, except for Koh, Nico, and Bet. Selfi had a totally unnecessary purple parasol above her head, and it bobbed back and forth rhythmically to the Nyuel's movements. Mia fell back.
"Koh, I'm beginning to burn," Mia said, gesturing at her now pink arms.
"What am I supposed to do?" Koh asked, looking down at Mia.
"I don't know," she said, looking rather sad.
"Oh for crying out loud!" Fur yelled. "Can we move any slower? I've seen Stealths move faster. A Pulunpa could beat us in a race! I could just cruise on ahead and leave you all behind, but I'm a nice person, so I'll wait up."
"Koh, I'm thirsty," Selfi said, her Nyuel neighing in agreement.
"When are we getting to Haruka, I'm gettin' bored," Nico said.
"Yeah, or at least a waterhole," Vivian said. "I'm thirsty as well."
"I am getting hungry," Ghosh stated. "We must sit down and have lunch."
"But I'm burning up," Mia said, whirling on Ghosh. "We aren't staying anywhere."
"Yeah, let's move," Fur said.
"I'm with the shopkeeper," Bet said.
"But I'm getting so hot," Fon whined.
"And I think my food is going bad," Patty said. "And Haruka is so far away."
Koh wisely kept silent, and then he had an idea. "If anyone whines, complains, or so much as states an opinion in the next five minutes, they're taking the road back to Monsbaiya. If you refuse to leave, I'll have my Mandara and Barong use their self-destruct combo. You wouldn't like that. Everyone got that?"
Ten faces moved slowly in nods.
"Good, we'll pick up the pace, but lets keep it slow and steady, no need to exhaust the Nyuels." Koh's Nyuel took off at a slow trot. It had been an extremely long day, and Koh was almost ready for a rest as well. He was tired of the same endless dunes, the same winds and sweltering heat. It was about one o'clock, judging by the sun, when the group found a small oasis.
It wasn't anything spectacular, a few straggly palm trees, draining a small mudhole of almost all its water. Two Pulunpas at the waterhole bolted immediately. A bolder Weadog hung around until the group got to the oasis. He bolted off in the opposite direction. The Nyuels flocked around the hole, and began to drink. Bet, Fon, Mia, and Cherryl did the same.
Selfi and Fur both took one look at the water and shook their heads.
"I wouldn't drink that even for Koh's hand in marriage," Fur declared.
"I would not take it that far," Selfi said, disgust marring her features. "But I wouldn't drink it for any amount of gold."
"For once, I am with my sister in this matter," Ghosh declared. His smug features contorted to a look of contempt. He gestured at the people gathered around the waterhole. "Please remove these commoners from this waterhole. They disgust me."
"You disgust me, Ghosh," Nico said.
"You disgust me, Nico," Selfi said.
"Well you disgust me, Selfi," Fur said.
"Your pathetic redundancy nauseates me to no end," Fon declared.
"And nobody cares that the Weadog is back," Koh said.
Immediately, all the girls except for Nico screamed. Fon screamed as well. The Weadog had crept around the group and had come up from behind. The group had been so busy arguing or drinking water they hadn't noticed its return. Except for Koh.
The first person to react was Vivian. She jumped in the air, and with her bulky dress in the way, managed to kick it. The large bone in its hand flew out of its numb hand. The bone ricocheted off a tree. Vivian caught it and slammed the bone down on the Weadog's head. The poor Weadog crumpled in a small whimpering heap. After a few seconds of whimpering, it disappeared.
Everyone except for Ghosh and Selfi clapped. "Very… imp… ress… ive…" Fon said, through mouthfuls of water.
Everyone seemed to notice the water again and went back to drinking.
Koh began to laugh.
"What is so funny?" Ghosh growled, his hand going to his sword.
Vivian's eyes narrowed at Ghosh, and she hefted the bone dangerously. Ghosh visibly paled and removed his hand from his hilt.
"You guys truly are amateurs at this aren't you?" Koh whispered into a Nyuel's ear. It whinnied and water began to slowly spray from it. Koh held out some canteens and gathered it. As he did this, he explained, "Nyuels are water-type familiars. Even though their spells make soap bubbles, they can also produce water. It is hardly painful for them, and doesn't sap their water supply. Instead, it only decreases their MP slightly, leaving much energy for speed and stamina.
Everyone nodded his or her heads reluctantly. Even Ghosh.
Selfi was the first to speak. "Simply brilliant Mr. Koh!" she cried, gliding over beside Koh.
"Stay away from that… that thing!" Ghosh yelled at his sister.
"Mr. Koh is not a thing," Selfi whirled on Ghosh.
"No, he's not," Cherryl said, turning to Ghosh.
"Indeed he is not," Vivian's eyes narrowed.
"I ah… meant no offense to Koh," Ghosh said, sweat trickling down his face, from the heat he was taking from the girls and the sun.
"We're leaving soon; you might want to finish getting a drink," Koh said, topping off a second canteen.
"Well… is anybody thirsty? I know I am!" Ghosh rushed off to the waterhole, where Fon was still slurping water.
Mia was sitting a few feet away, already engrossed in a book.
Fur rose from the waterhole and started her Desert Aura Bike. She hopped on and flew up to Koh. Her voice took on the most seductive tone she could muster. "Oh Koh, why don't you come away with me, to lands far away, where it is always night, and the water sparkles in the moonlight beneath golden clouds that slowly move across the sky, as birds chorus out in songs of romance and adventure while we sit beneath the stars, away from all trouble and chaos, sharing our love for each other…"
"Maybe another time, Fur," Koh said finishing a fourth canteen. He watched her reaction and then went back to work.
"Maybe I would be better off with Ghosh," Fur said. She sniffed loudly and flew off.
"Did somebody mention the Prince of Monsbaiya?" Ghosh asked, strutting up.
"Nope, not me," Koh said.
"Not even just the slightest mutter, maybe something like, 'Oh His Majesty Ghosh Rode is simply the most divine person to inhabit this planet now and forever'?"
"Nope," Koh said.
"Well, perhaps it's just slipped your memory. You have leave to talk to me if you remember," Ghosh turned and walked off.
Koh had to hold back laughter, and finally failed.
He topped off his eighth canteen as Fur came back around. Her features were lit up with excitement, as she exclaimed, "Over the hill is Haruka! I saw it! Let's go!" She wheeled around and began to move.
Everyone made a mad dash to their transportation and took off following Fur. Koh was the last to leave, as he topped off twenty canteens total. He followed and slowly came over the hill. Below him, was the sprawling city of Haruka. It was built along a riverbank, with much river mud used for the buildings. Water from the river was being diverted to small fields and larger farms. Some larger villas had small gardens as well. All in all, Haruka was a lot larger than Monsbaiya.
Koh shrugged. It would just be an adventure of a different sort.
His Nyuel descended into Haruka.