Looters Never Prosper
Summery was in no way the top of the Crusader class, but she was decent enough. If not for there being so few in the land, she probably wouldn't have cleared the rite of passage. Still, she did her best and became well known for it.
During a visit to Izlude, she was invited to join a small hunting party to the depths of the Bibilan, where they sought to collect Mermaid's Hearts and Squid Ink to sell in the marketplace.
"That's disgusting," Summery protested.
"I can't believe I'm hearing this from a Crusader," said Gentris, a spear-wielding Knight.
"People pay big zeny for Mermaid Hearts," added Canon, an Acolyte from Prontera. "Especially on the islands. They're considered an aphrodisiac."
"That doesn't make it any better," Summery said, her face turning blue. "And what's the Squid Ink for? A suppository?"
Gentris brought a hand up to cover his face. "Ugh. Look, do you want in or not? We'll be down there for a few days, killing whatever comes our way, then we'll sell their parts and split the zeny we acquire. And I overheard you saying in the bar that you were on your last zen, so I thought you might want the opportunity!"
After a bit more convincing, Summery swallowed her disgust and joined them on the boat to the skull-shaped island known as the Bibilan. The island itself was rich with foliage but on the surface it was completely void of life. Not a single bird, lizard or mammal could be found, though there were plenty small insects to annoy the trio as they journeyed to the island's center. There, a cave entrance awaited them. Summery allowed Canon to ride behind her on her Grand Peco while she followed behind Gentris, who rode his Peco Peco. Both birds made their way swiftly through the spiraling caverns of the Bibilan, slowing only when they needed to tread through hip-deep water.
Obeaunes often wandered the surface of the underground lake at the bottom of the Bibilan, and they were the chosen target of three adventurers. They gave off the illusion of being voluptuous mermaids but they were vicious monsters just like everything else there. As soon as the two Pecos came down the steps to the surface of the lake, five Obeaunes dragged themselves out of the water and hissed in their direction.
"Oh yeah, this is what I came for," Gentris said as he brandished his spear. The first Obeaune that came his way was trampled underfoot by his Peco while he launched his spear at one making a leap for his side. Not soon after the Obeaune was impaled, the Knight rode over to retrieve his spear and charge back into the fray.
"Here," Summery said as she slid off her Grand Peco and held its reigns out to Canon. "Just stay on Autumnal, he won't go anywhere, and he'll protect you!"
Canon took the reigns and tucked them under his arm, then cast blessings on the Knight and the Crusader. He kept watch over them as they took on the vicious mermaids, and swung his mace at the head and hand of any Obeaune that reached for him.
One Obeaune blew on a conch shell, then more surfaced as the first five were defeated. They came in waves but Summery and Gentris held their ground. Summery threw her shield like a boomerang to cut down three at a time and it returned to her just in time to block a tackle attempt from one Obeaune. Gentris bashed into one and sent it careening into a group of four others, knocking all five of them back into the lake. Meanwhile, Canon showered both of them with healing rays whenever they needed it. This ordeal went on for what seemed like hours before the Obeaunes stopped their assault.
"Ew, ew, ew...." Beneath her Iron Cain, Summery crinkled her nose while Gentris demonstrated how to extract the heart of an Obeaune.
"I can't believe you call yourself a Crusader," the Knight commented as he dug into an Obeaune's chest. A quick jab with the tip of his spear and the heart came out easily, oozing with blood and other fluids. Without the slightest bit of shock, Canon took the heart and tossed it in a large satchel. Summery pulled off her helmet and rushed to the edge of the water to throw up.
"You cut down monsters everyday, and yet you're grossed out at the thought of having to gut one for parts?" Gentris chuffed. "You'd never make it in a true holy war."
"I do my best," Summery coughed, then sat next to the water's edge. Her face was pale and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She had only recently become a Crusader--how could they expect her to be a hardened defender of the divine so quickly? Gentris and Canon continued their work on the Obeaunes while Summery opted to make camp and dinner. After a short rest, they planned to hunt Marse for their ink.
The Marse were much easier to take down than the Obeaunes, although their stingers packed more of a punch than an Obeaune's tentacle-like hair. The Marse were not naturally aggressive and they knew no loyalties, so one would never come to the aid of the other if it were being attacked. Summery and Gentris each picked off the Marse one at a time, then used small vials to collect a certain amount of ink from their corpses. Canon collected the full vials and took care of the healing when necessary.
"What a haul," Gentris cheered as he dropped the last vial in his satchel. "Looks like I'll be able to buy that new set of armor after all."
"And a hot bath," Summery said as she wiped dirt from her face. "Maybe I'll get Autumnal a professional grooming, too!"
Canon had a dark look in his eye when he grinned in their direction. "I'll see to it that both Pecos get the best of grooming care before I sell them."
As the Knight and the Crusader turned to question his meaning, two Spirit Spheres launched forward and knocked them off their feet. Five more were summoned to rotate around Canon's head while he laughed cruelly at his bewildered travel companions.
"How the Hell did you do that," Gentris shouted as he clambered to his feet. "You're just an Acolyte!"
Once again Canon laughed, then pulled the Acolyte robe from his body to reveal his Monk uniform. "I haven't been an Acolyte for years, you stupid spear-wielder," he said.
Summery was so confused. "You're a Monk? But... but why would you pretend to be an Acolyte?"
Canon shrugged innocently. "For kicks, maybe? Now, I'm gonna take what you two soldier dogs have worked hard to achieve and sell it for personal profit." He raised his arms, then snapped into a fighting stance. "I'm hoping you put up some kind of struggle, 'cause I like to be entertained."
Summery just couldn't wrap her mind around this situation. "But... you're a Monk! Monks aren't supposed to do stuff like this..."
"Looks like he's doing it all right," Gentris sneered, then summoned the will to Endure. His training in spear use was no good while dismounted, and Canon stood between him and his Peco Peco. The Knight charged forward with the hopes of being able to withstand any attack and reach his mount, but the Monk knew what he had planned. As soon as Gentris came close enough, Canon latched onto one of his arms, swung him around once and threw him back the way he came.
Dumbfounded, Summery watched as Gentris fought a losing battle against Canon in an effort to reach his ride. "You're a Monk, you can't do this sort of thing," she blubbered.
"Wake UP, you idiot," Gentris called as Canon put him in a headlock. "Whatever it is you think he can't do, he's doing it pretty well, I'd say!"
"I am, aren't I," Canon commented, then kicked Gentris to the ground. A quick kick sent the Knight tumbling towards a trio of Hydras who eagerly wrapped their tentacles around him. He struggled to break free, but was already weak from the fight with the Monk.
"This is too easy," Canon said aloud as he secured the satchel of Squid Ink to the Grand Peco's saddle. "Well, I don't think I'll get much of a challenge out of some girly Crusader wannabe, so I'll just take the loot and go now."
"But you're a Monk...." Summery's bottom lip trembled as the reality of the situation finally hit her: A Monk, a lonely aesthetic, a fellow protector of the divine order, was using his holy training for wrongdoing! Tears welled up in her eyes at the very thought of such blasphemy, but she quickly blinked them away as her gauntlets tightened into well-formed fists.
Canon laughed at her while he secured the Peco Peco's reigns to the Grand Peco. "Hey, I tried all that patience, meditation and serving the church crap, but it just didn't work out for me. Turns out, they don't give you a cut of the collection plate each Sunday, and all that bread and water they have you living on just doesn't buy itself, now does it? Gentris was right, though. You'd never make it in a holy war." He laughed again and leaped onto the Grand Peco's saddle. "You'd never be able to tell the goodguys from the bad!"
"Autumnal, you have fleas!"
At that sudden declaration from the Crusader, the Grand Peco flew into a fit of furious shaking, flailing and pecking at its own body. Canon could barely keep hold of the reigns as the bird bucked and danced to try and clean itself. As it rushed backwards to slam into a nearby rock wall, the Monk leaped from its back to avoid the crushing blow--that's when Summery acted. Her shield flew quick and slammed right into the side of Canon's head, dropping him to the ground like a brick. She was already standing overtop of him when he pulled himself to his knees and proceeded to beat him over the head with her shield until he was dizzy.
"How DARE you use the gifts of the church for your misdeeds," Summery yelled as she picked him up by the hood of his coat. When Canon regained his wits, he slipped out of the garment and hopped backwards to put some distance between them.
"So you've got some grit after all," he said with a smirk. "Well that's pretty good, except I can heal myself and you can't. Which means I could make this fight last a long, long time."
"Well then I hope your mantra's well rested," Summery said as she picked up a conch shell, "because you're going to need every ounce of it!" She blew on the shell for as long as one breath would allow her to, creating a deep call that rang out across the cavern. The lake surface rippled as dozens of Obeaunes came up to answer the call, advancing on the Knight, the Crusader and the Monk.
Canon's eyes widened as Obeaunes swarmed the area. "Are you INSANE? We'll all be massacred!"
"You get what you deserve," Summery cried, then rushed to clear the Hydras from Gentris. He was badly injured by still alive. She spread him out on the ground, then whistled for her Grand Peco. The Knight's Peco Peco was easily pulled along by the larger bird and once they were close enough, Summery hefted the Knight up and stretched him over the back of his mount. The Obeaunes were almost to her but she paid them no attention as she dug into her own satchel for a pair of Butterfly Wings. Before she used the wings, she looked in Canon's direction to see what was happening to him. The Monk was holding his own well enough but the Obeaunes came in continuous droves that would soon overwhelm him. With a sad sigh, the Crusader let the wings fly from her hand and they created two circles of light that engulfed her, Gentris, and their Pecos.
When Gentris awoke, he was laying in a very comfortable inn bed. The room he was in seemed quite spacious as well--it had to have been the most expensive room there. Across the room, Summery sat in a windowsill admiring the view. All of her armor was arranged neatly on another bed in the same room and she wore a simple peasant's dress.
Summery smiled cheerfully when she noticed that the Knight was awake. "Feeling better? I'm no healer, but I did dress your wounds as best I could."
Gentris felt parts of his face where bandages had been placed over cuts and bruises. "You... saved me," he asked in a tired tone.
She shrugged her shoulders honestly. "Well, like I said, I'm no healer. I thought of hiring one to help, but I already used a lot of my share to buy this room, and some good food, and stable time for both our mounts. And I didn't want to take anything out of your share without your permission, so..." She motioned to the satchel of zeny that sat on a trunk next to his armor. Gentris stared at the satchel and his uniform, then leaned his head back and laughed.
"What's so funny," Summery asked with a touch of concern. Had a slight concussion made him crazy?
"You really had me going there, Crusader," the Knight replied, then sat up in his bed. "Here I thought you were just some ditsy dame in a Crusader costume, but you really came through when it mattered." He frowned as he looked down at his bandaged hands. "I guess it was Canon who was really wearing the costume. Too bad. I was looking for a good Acolyte to wander the world with me for a while."
Summery stared out the windows once again, this time looking in the direction of the distant Bibilan Island. She had thought about going back for Canon, but she knew he wasn't worth the trip. "I'm sure you'll find someone," she said as she turned a cheerful expression towards Gentris again. "Anyway, the room is rented for the next few days, so you'll have plenty of time to rest here. I'm going to stock up on supplies, then leave Izlude this afternoon."
"Oh." Gentris felt guilty over having thought so little of Summery before. Now that she had saved him and proven herself worthy of the Crusader title, he felt that he owed her something. "Well, if you're ever in Izlude again, or somewhere near Prontera, just look me up, okay? Maybe we could go harvest more Mermaid's Hearts sometime?"
Summery shuddered at the thought. "Are you kidding? That's completely disgusting!" She smiled. "And besides. There are far better animal parts you can hunt for with far less blood and ooze to worry about. When you decide to hunt one of them, look me up. Until then, it was fun, Gentris, but I really have better things to do with my time."
The Knight sat dumbfounded as Summery gathered her things and left the inn. She may have been a ditz, but she still made a pretty decent Crusader.