"Introducing, the water extractor", Raymond shouted as he held up a device that had two cups attached to a tube.
"What in the world is that", Kaku asked.
"This is a machine that separates water, from any given liquid that is poured in. Now you don't have to worry about those pesky watered-down drinks anymore. Add all the ice you could ever ask for!"
"That's nice and all, but how is that supposed to help us in the long run", Moira asked.
"It won't...its more or less because some of you keep whining about your drinks."
"You're SUPPOSED to be making things that make our adventuring easier", Jabra yelled as he shook Raymond by the collar.
"Maybe I'll make something to permanently zip that mouth of yours!" Raymond and Jabra both began to pull on each other's faces.
"Ah well... At least it's something to keep him occupied. I'm kind of bored, myself. Serenity, when will we get to this Witch's square", Fukurou asked.
"If you want me to be honest, we're already IN the Witch's square. Just not the bad part of it. From what the rumors say, when you get to the Witch's Square, there's three ways to know for sure that you are close to Cannibal's ship. The area will be covered in a dense fog...and Cannibal's presence alone has been known to send chill down even the spines of veteran adventurers."
"Gah! It happened already! The chills", Kumadori called out.
Gurin shook her head in protest. "Probably just your nerves. There's no dense fog out yet. And Serenity, that was only two ways. What's the third?"
"Well, we'd probably more than likely see at LEAST one of his crewmates. Then again, these are only just rumors. As for the boredom, I'm sure we can think of something."
"Oh! More tests maybe", Fukurou asked as he looked at Raymond.
"As much as that would benefit the reaches of science, I don't feel like cleaning any possible messes right now. But here's an idea. Ha!" Raymond struck a pose.
"Now what", Kalifa asked.
"Now THIS!" He began to step side to side. First you start with a little something. And THEN you go to something with a little more oomph! He started to dance! "Yeah, look at that!"
"Raymond what are you doing", Blueno asked.
"I haven't named this move yet, but most refer to the next one as 'the robot'", Raymond said as he continued dancing.
"Stop this at once", Lucci said. It almost looked like he tried to hold back a smile.
"Sorry, I'm afraid that does not compute!"
"Allow me to aid you, in your autonomous movements", Kalifa said in a robotic voice. She hopped over and began dancing with him. "Watch auntie now!"
"Oooooohh! Gurin, let us partake in the arts of dance. One way to stay in peak condition, AND balance your chi!
"Now you're talking Kumadori!" Raymond hopped up onto a nearby table. "Come on, get up here and shake it!" He pulled Serenity up onto the table. Come on Jabra, lets bust a move!"
"Never a dull moment with you weirdos huh", Jabra said as he moved side to side.
"Thats funny coming from you. You guys are the true weirdos", Gurin replied as she allowed the assist from Kumadori's hair onto the big table.
"There's too many of you up there, it's going to break", Kaku said between laughs. Unfortunately, this was confirmed by all the dancers falling down at once as the table broke. "See, I told you..."
Raymond shook his head. "Tiss the life of a go-go dancer huh?"
Kalifa nodded. "Yup! One day you're serving tables, then the next you're breaking them."
"I cant believe you people...", Lucci said before walking off. "IF your going to dance...then at least keep your balance!" Lucci struck a dance pose of his own. This surprised pretty much everyone on the ship!
"Oh ho! So it's a dance off you want then!? Bring IT", Moira said. Before they could continue any further, they all began to feel something strange approaching. "Well, so much for the fun. Are we approaching something?"
"Yeah actually! It's the...well actually, I haven't been here before. Nor have I read much about this place, so I have no idea where we are", Serenity said. Each person began to make their way towards the hull of the ship. They still didn't detect any chills. Instead, they were greeted by a very distinct aroma. It wasn't food...or even a flower. No, it wasn't even a cologne or perfume. It smelled like some sort of cleaning agent.
"Oh I LOVE the smell of clean! But if we were all inside, then where could it be coming from", Raymond asked.
"Look! Over there is probably where its coming from", Kumadori said as he pointed towards the beach of an incoming island. From what they could see it was a neatly kept tent resting on the sand. There was a smoke coming from it, but it also seemed to be the possible smoke carrying the odd scent. "Oh! That tent looks quite interesting!"
"Yeah, but it could also be a trap. Every time we land on one of these beaches something weird happens", Blueno said as he lowered Kumadori's hand. "Let's exercise caution." While they all still were having their doubts about the tent, their curiosity of the smell ate at them a bit more. Afterall how strange could a tent be anyway?
"Look, there's writing on it! 'Madame Lor'? Sounds like some sort of fortune teller", Kaku said as he examined the sign on the tent.
"Ah! That is indeed what I am, Kaku", A voice said from the tent.
"Hey! How do you know my name", he asked?
The feminine voice from the tent let out a cackle. "I know each of you! The ex-cipher pol agents, as well as the inhabitants of zero island. Each and every one of you", she said as she came from the tent and eyed each of the boat inhabitants. She was wearing a yellow scarf around that completely masked her hair, as well as one covering her mouth. Her pupils seemed be an unsettling black coloring. Her blue dress was long and dragging upon the sand, yet didn't seem to pick any of it up. Her feet weren't visible at all...almost as if she was floating. "I know all! From battles at Enis lobby, to battles with dreaded silencers. I also know where your journey will lead you."
Moira backed up slightly. "I don't know about this, guys. This is kind of creeping me out.
"She seems to know a lot though. Maybe a bit too much! What's your game here, gonna rat us out", Jabra asked.
"Nonono, I have no use for such information. Nor do I care about your past. I simply wish to know if you want your fortunes read."
"A free fortune reading? Sounds suspicious. Not to mention like a waste of time", Lucci said.
Madame Lor gave off another cackle. This one seemed to be dryer than the last. "I never said anything about 'free'. There is a small price. But that can be discussed later."
"I think we have some extra beli. Why don't we give it a shot? If she can see the future, she might be able to tell us something useful", Borya said.
Gurin shrugged her shoulders. I have to admit, it would actually be interesting. She's been spot on so far, right?"
"Oh hoho! Then worry not! Gaze into the crystal ball and I shall read you your fortunes." Everyone looked in her direction in an attempt to find a crystal ball, or anything even resembling one, but to no avail. Look directly above you", she said as she pointed upwards. There was a big floating glass like sphere floating above them.
"How long has THAT been there? We would have noticed that for sure! Something's up...", Kalifa said. She was definitely starting to feel a bit uneasy about this. That is until she began to see something mind boggling! An image began to stir in the clear ball, that began to show. It showed a tall man, wearing an all-black suit. It looked sort of like the suit that cipher pol members wore. He had a black beard, and his hair went down to his neck. His face seemed to be almost scowling at something, and was covered in what appeared to be blood, but the picture itself didn't move.
Fukurou gasped! "Wait! Is that Cannibal? Is that the man we're looking for?"
Madam Lor let out another raspy laugh. "Perhaps? I don't actually know who the man is...I only show what the future holds for you."
"Thats oddly suspicious, but it doesn't matter. We're cautious of everyone anyways. What else can you show us", Raymond asked.
"Hm, lets see. Ah, the ball is showing me something else! I'm getting...a ship of some sort. A big ship in a fog! I wonder what this could mean. Oh, I get shivers just looking at this fog", she said before letting out another cackle.
"A ship in a fog. Serenity, didn't you say we'd find Cannibal in a fog?"
"Yes! Maybe that truly is what we're looking for! Can you show us how to get there", Serinity asked.
"Im afraid not. Only what the future holds...but I'm afraid that's all the crystal ball wants to show. It didn't seem to want to show much for some reason. Either, way it is time for that small fee I talked about earlier. Then perhaps if its fated, the ball might show something else!"
"Alright, that's fair I suppose. How much do I owe you", Borya asked as he pulled out a bag of some sort. Most likely where he kept his beli.
"I don't want your coins", Madame Lor simply said. Her arms dropped to her sides as the crystal ball seemed to vanish into thin air. "I never said I wanted your coins.
"Then what the hell is this 'fee' you kept talking about then", Jabra asked.
"Hehehehe! Ah yes, you mean my small fee. I believe its time to collect it right now. Her strange black eyes seemed to suddenly give a feeling of dread.
"Everyone, this is really creepy. I don't think we should have made this deal", Gurin said. She along with several others were visibly spooked.
"You're right! What in the world are you", Blueno asked.
"If you want the truth...no one knows. Those who did know are no longer even on this plain of existence. Now then...", Madame Lor raised both her hands again...and suddenly, there was a bright light that enveloped the group. The light was so bright, it would have been impossible to see anything other than white, if they had opened their eyes. Even though it felt like minutes, the light had only lasted for a few seconds, before it finally began to die down.
It appeared that everyone was still there. A quick gloss over of an inspection and everyone was still standing. Noone was hurt, seemingly. "Is everyone ok", Lucci asked.
"What just happened? Did the beach get bigger or an I still blinded because of the light", Gurin asked. She was correct. The beach did seem a bit bigger. But it wasn't just the sand. The tent and even the skydancer had somehow grown to huge proportions. The sand almost made it appear that they were in a desert, and they could no longer see the upper half of their ship. "What happened!?"
"That fortune teller! She did something! What did she do to everything around us", Moira asked. That's when that familiar cackle broke the air again!
"Hehehehe! I did nothing to the area around you. You are the ones who have been changed. Do you not understand what's happened? I told you there would be a SMALL fee, for my fortune. And just like that, Madame Lor appeared again. But this time, she was not around the same height that they remembered. She towered over them significantly, like someone towering over mice. "Now you all belong to ME!"
To Be continued...