Sorry for the time it took to update and edit. My computer had some problems. Thanks to those of you who reviewed my fanfic and please do so in the future. The Prologue and Chapter 1 have been edited and Chapters two and three have been added. Enjoy.
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Chapter 2: Pirates, Admirals, Royalty and the Yofutoman drought
Tempus groaned. It had been five years since he had spotted that star, which had not been a star at all but a particularly large deposit of moon stones. He was still in that storm and he was so tired of turbulence. But it didn't matter; he had to go on, towards the rest of Arcadia.
Vyse smiled. It was a beautiful warm day in Esperantza and the bustling city-state was busier and more crowded than ever before. Gerrard had been right. Anyone and everyone of importance had come for the celebration.
"Finally, a smile!" Aika exclaimed, "You look good in suit you know." Aika was wearing a dress stolen from an upper city Valuan noble during the Great War 6 years ago. Even in a beautiful dress like that, Aika still looked very much the pirate.
Vyse grimaced, "I hate this gaudy thing." He wore the current fashionable men's garb, an orange skyseer, muskrat-hide jacket with his old sailors blue uniform underneath and a bow tie. He also wore purple Kaki pants. Whoever had thought up this fad must have been completely colorblind
Fina tried to comfort him, "But you have to wear a suit on such an occasion and you really do look good, Vyse." Fina looked positively stunning. She had dug up her old Silvite clothing and improved on it.
Vyse smiled at her, "I guess I'll have to manage."
"Good. Just ignore it and have fun," agreed Aika.
Vyse grinned. "Right lets find Don and pay our respects." They had yet to see their old friend and crewmember, the reliable sailor, navigator and current admiral of the Esperantzan navy.
Gilder nodded. "That's a good idea. We need to see Daigo, too." Gilder wore his usual red attire, although the smell of his cologne nearly suffocated passerby.
On that note, they headed towards the administrative building, a series of subterranean tunnels and above ground fortresses built during the Valuan occupation, where Don and Daigo were likely to be. When they arrived, they found they had to join a growing flow of traffic. 10 minutes later, they managed to find Don and Daigo in the grand office, a massive room that spilled out onto a balcony overlooking the docks. It had originally been a crashed freighter, and the new improvements still took on the shape of the stern of a sailing vessel. They waited politely until the two great leaders either noticed them or finished their conversation.
"I'm glad this is over," Don was saying, "And I'd be happy to reduce prices to boost your economy. Hopefully the opening of the rift and the festivities will raise the moral of your people."
"Yes, I hope so," Daigo replied, "You have my thanks for all your kindness. Our coffers are empty after spending so much money to transport large quantities of red moon stones and enforcing a strict quarantine on the Yofutoman people, so as not to start a worldwide panic."
Don nodded, "Your drought has been terrible. I understand that Mt. Kazai's lake itself has dried up."
At this, Vyse couldn't keep quiet. His exclamation of surprise must have been audible in Maramba. Yofutoma, the land of wind and water, EXPORTEDits excess of fine spring water. IT, of all places, could not have a drought.
Fortunately for Vyse, another old friend entered the room before Aika could scold. Emperor Enrique stood in the doorway.
Both Daigo and Don looked at the group; Enrique included, with a great look of pleasure on their faces. Don was the first to speak. "Welcome! My old friends! It is good to see that you could make it! The legendary Heroes Vyse, Aika, and Fina, The famous Gilder, the Unfettered, and of course, the Emperor of Valua, and my old commanding officer, Emperor Enrique."
Daigo began to spout a similar welcome, "Yes, it is good to see you all, my friends. Especially you, Brother Enrique,"-Enrique was married to Daigo's little sister.-"as I was expecting you."
Enrique nodded. "Yes, yes, I have the-"
-"Did Yofutoma really have a drought?" Vyse blurted out.
"Really Vyse," scolded Aika, "Your 24, grow up. Although… I want to hear this, too."
Whoo boy! This is a really bad dialogue. If the characters hear about this, I'm dead. All the characters sneak up behind DL3K and stab him with a giant spork Backup writer is blackmailed, err hired. -
We now return to our normal programming.
We now return to Eclipse, a Skies of Arcadia fanfic. In our last interlude, Vyse and Co. had just learned of Yofutoma's problems… Or perhaps this is just a false memory implanted by the backup author.
Daigo reluctantly nodded. "It was actually more of a weed problem. These weird plants started to grow everywhere and sucked up all of our water, we needed to use hundreds of red moonstones to burn them."
"We've tried to keep it quiet so as not to cause a panic…" Don added.
"Speaking of which," Enrique said, "I have the papers for the delivery of Valuan packaged foods via special riftbreaker courier. There will be no charge. It's a favor for my dear brother-in-law."
Daigo nodded, "Thank you, dear brother. Now that this is finally over, we need to get back on our feet."
"Vyse finally shook himself out of his stunned silence, "I'll help. We'd be glad to deliver supplies to Yofutoma, after all, the Delphinus can get places a lot faster than any other craft."
Daigo's face lit up. "You'd do that for my people?"
"Of course we would!" Aika put in. "We're your friends."
Fina nodded, "Yes."
Enrique smiled. "In that case, let us join the festivities."