Lost Island
Part 1 Yanfei PoV
"Awooooooo!" Under the moonlight, howls of a beast overlapped with the sound of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship.
"Whoooonooor!" The howls of an idiot chime in.
He found himself playing poker with his Fatui friend at the moment, something Mona found incredibly irritating because they where betting entire fortunes in each game.
It's been over twenty four hours since we last seen Monkey Island and the sun has set for the day.
I hugged my shoulders as the cold sea breeze blows by.
The reason why we haven't gone to sleep yet is the fear of an ambush. Given our enemy size, we could wake up in his intestines if we went to bed carelessly.
According to Mona cartography skills and some old maps we have from the waters around Inuzuma, we'll reach the next island in a days travel.
So even though it pains me, I won't be able to sleep till tomorrow at the very least.
"Foul, comrade, show me your sleeve." Tartaglia called out and demanded.
The birdbrain dropped a pile of Aces from his long haori sleeves. In which case Tartaglia simply collected his prize with a smile.
"I believe I told you, cheating wouldn't change the way the cards would play out, Innamorato. It was your destiny to lose this game." Mona nodded as she said.
Birdbrain started reaching into his pockets for Mora to keep playing.
"How perceptive of you, Meg. Telling me out in advance so I would get caught. My, you really shown some growth lately. I remember when you used to have full confidence in everything you said, contrary to enforcing your predictions with your actions like I taught you. I'm so proud." The blond shamurai was pissy with Mona's interfering on his game.
He stood up trying to reach better inside his pockets, he was having trouble finding his pouch.
"Oh, here it is and… huh? It's empty…?" He seems surprised to find out.
I was actually starting to wonder when would his pockets run dry. I don't think I've ever seen a person being so wasteful with their finances as him.
"What have we here, has the mighty and rich samurai, fell to bankruptcy? Hu hu." Mona sneered at him.
Once he finally realized he was dried-out completely, the doofus turned around and stood a little too close for Mona's comfort.
"Look who's talking, the poor-by-choice Astrologer."
"I-I'm not poor by choice! My profession isn't something that should be used for something so material as Mora. It's just principle!" She defended and butted heads with him.
I'll send a prayer for the poor souls who think like her. May maturity speak to their deaf ears someday.
"You know Meg, as much as I love your hardcore-broke mentality, I must thankfully decline that membership." Simp said and headed for the port side of the ship.
Wait, what is he going to do?
"And besides, did you forget the way I make my fortune?" He asked.
Huh… the way he makes his fortune. I've always wondered where he made so much money to throw around.
My fees of restitution aren't nowhere near enough, and he was exiled here from his nation with nothing but the clothes on his back, plus I conducted a search on him. Not only does he not own a business or even a street stall, nearly everyone back in Liyue hates his guts, he would have no clientele even if he tried.
So, where does his Mora keeps coming from? I always hoped it tied on to unsavory business, so I could promptly incarcerate him in my teapot, where he belongs, but he's too hard to track and would always chase me away when going out to work.
For a time, I even started to think he was Rex Lapis in disguise and could just produce Mora on command.
Doofus finally reached the edge of the ship and fired a purple spark into the waters. After having closed his eyes for a second to concentrate, he finally pulled something huge out of the water like he where fishing. This item in question, landed on the deck with a heavy thud.
It was a treasure chest filled to the brim with gold and gems—
"What!!?" I could hardly believe my eyes.
The birdbrain reached inside the chest and grabbed a handful of coins to refill his pouch, and then heads back to the table where he and his Fatui friend where playing poker.
"For a samurai, it is a great dishonor to live poorly. Our bushido code clearly states that we must be better than everybody else at all times in order to set the example." He waves Mona off before shuffling the deck of cards.
I could see Mona gritting her teeth in frustration, but she said nothing in return.
Me on the other hand? I felt my Brilliance aura leaking out.
A bright-hot anvil materialized over the birdbrain head, causing him to stiffen up on his seat, but he didn't turn around to look at me.
"You're telling me the reason you always had so much Mora, was because of plain old treasure hunting?" I calmly asked of him.
I heard a gulp coming from him, but he seemed intent on acting calm.
"Yes… deer…"
"Then I ask, what was the reason you had to hide it from me?" I calmly asked, once again.
Vehement refusal to answer my questions about where his money comes from, tossing me inside trash bins before running away after finding me tailing him at night, pulling down my shorts before dashing away in the same manner, paying kids to throw tarts at me when I'm shadowing him in the same manner, calling my criminal investigations— stalking followed by several police arrests, dozen's of restraining orders I had to fight in court and being listed as a repetitive offender at the Millelith station.
There was absolutely no reason to go trough all that trouble just to hide something as legitimate as treasure hunting. That's literally the bread and butter of adventurers.
The only reason we prosecute Treasure Hunters for these actions is because their organization is illegitimate and serves as a network for other unsavory businesses pertaining to organized crime such as banditry and smuggling.
But this idiot… he better be up to the neck in dirty business for all the troubles he caused me and what transpired just now— was only his poor excuse of a joke.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he comments.
"Well deer, if you're asking a reason for it, I was just messing with you..." He audaciously said.
I quietly used my seals to enlarge the anvil over his head as I listened.
"Is like you don't know me at all, deer. To me, messing and making fun of others just for the sake of it, it's a perfectly valid reason to act in such a way." I saw his head coming up and down like he was nodding.
Shame he won't see my pretty smile as I kill whatever brain cells he still has left in there.
"Haaaa!"
"Princess stop! Owner is not worth it! You'll dig a hole to the bottom of the ship!" Eula jumped behind me and immobilized me.
And just as I fought to free myself from her chokehold.
"Land at starboard!" Xiao reported from his spot at the crows nest.
I couldn't believe this miracle as I ran to get the telescope, and my doubts weren't exactly unfounded.
What I saw was, emptiness, in the sense. A dome of dark poisonous air bouncing around nothing but empty sea.
The air on these waters tends to look like that when clashing against a barrier of sorts, and that could only mean one thing.
There is in fact, something over there, it's just hidden and protected under a barrier.
Part 2
The Foaming Grape reached the black dome where the poisonous air was being repelled. Xiao jumped from the crows next and disappeared inside of it for a few seconds, before coming back to the relief of everyone.
"There is an island inside." He reports after coming out.
Given what little we know about our enemy, we had been on edge all this time, thinking we where approaching Mob Ivory, but that doesn't seems to be the case.
Eula steered the ship and we broke trough the dark barrier. The Alexandrite digging trough the darkened air as we pass by.
Inside, it was complete darkness. So much I couldn't even see my hands in front of my face.
"The venomous air clogging at the barrier and the night sky won't make it easy to see around here. Those who can't see in the dark, go grab a torch, but be careful you don't start a fire inside the ship." Eula prompted, before generating a small light from one of her Crystal Glaciers.
Those who can't see in the dark huh? Eula probably can. Recognizance is right up her alley and I doubt this darkness is something she hasn't prepared for.
Xiao just demonstrated he could see, as he assured he saw an island despite the fact I see nothing but pitch black darkness around here.
Other than those two, the only one left who should be able to see in the dark would be an illustrious, half-adepti such as myself… but my father and granny always refuse to teach me adepti techniques and I'm way behind on my studies with that front. So I think I'll just use my Pyro Vision to light a flame and—
"Eep!" We soon hit something and I felt myself tumbling to the side, but someone catches me.
I found myself resting against the chest of someone strong and manly. It made my cheeks flush red a little.
"Ahaha, sorry Simp, that was clumsy of me— AAH!" Red eyes glared at me with unresolved hunger.
I had bumped into Razor by accident.
"Your… welcome..." He said with a piercing gaze, completely forgetting how to blink.
I put a healthy distance between him and myself, enough that his bright red eyes looked like dots in the distant—
"Eek…! I'm sorry Simp, I couldn't see where I was— KYAAA!!!"
"Oh, it's just you girlie. Sorry about that, I thought you where a juicy enemy foolishly coming in for a sneak attack." Tartaglia said before putting away his Hydro daggers.
It was like seeing a demonic chef about to slice you up on the cutting board.
Aw, I'm so sick of this place already!
"Calm down, Yanfei. Remember to use your Pyro Vision if you need to see around here." A concerned Mona suggested, and she's right.
Having calmed down, I focused on my Pyro Vision and produced a small flame that hovered over the palm of my hand.
As I illuminated the place, I found out the reason why I fell, we had hit the shore and beached the ship.
But never-mind that, the most important thing right now is…
"As expected, this island hasn't been affected by the poison." Eula announced.
"Whoohoo! A real meal at long last! This moment was preordained by fate!" Mona jumped in happiness, but isn't she a little to surprise for someone who could see the future?
I don't think I like this very much but… a normal island should have normal non-poisonous food—
"Yeah!" I hoped in cheers besides her.
Now I won't have to share my idiot.
Having arrived a the beach, we quickly got down to examine our surroundings.
Sometime later.
"The sea water is clean inside the barrier, and the plants seem to be fine on this side of the island at least. What else have we got?" Eula directed our investigation.
"Beach has fish." Razor reports in.
"I found traces of civilization up ahead, but it feels abandoned." Xiao who went to scout ahead, came back and reported.
"And the stars say we make a killing on this island!" Mona said with the symbol of Mora shining in her eyes.
How strange, it would seem she's thinking of Mora under these morbid circumstances. I thought she couldn't see this island before, or was it something she looked on just now?
"Abandoned and the predictions don't seem to indicate danger… still I really don't like this island one bit." Eula gave her opinion on the situation.
Yeah… I sort of get what she means. The barrier wrapped around this whole place just feels…
"There's something powerful here, and whatever it is I can't sense neither good nor evil coming from it." Xiao added.
A barrier of this magnitude would require a powerful spirit to function or it could be a god even.
Coming across the unknown and powerful is nine out of tenth a sure-fire ticket to the Wangshen Funeral Parlor.
But then someone had to open his mouth.
"Neither good nor evil, you said? Good then, that means whoever runs this place values neutrality and won't get in our way so long as we don't get in its. Let's split up and nab ourselves some real food before continuing with our journey."
"I second Innamorato proposal. Something's definitely going on here that seems to be blocking my scrying, but the end result seems to be riches and dishes! This fabled Astrologer is all in for this expedition." The idiot and Mona seem to want to go in and explore.
However, Eula stepped her foot down at the idea.
"Owner, have you forgotten the dangers of our last divergence? Whatever had we done if those strange and deranged monkey's had had their filthy way with—"
"Eula, please be quiet." I promptly silenced my overreacting friend.
I won't be treated as dead weight by anyone here.
"As someone who hasn't had a decent meal in weeks, I too agree to taking what we can get from this place." Tartaglia voted too.
"Food waits for no one. Gathering when there's a chance is important." Razor voted too.
Xiao nods in agreement, and I agreed to exploring too.
Being left as the only one to oppose the expedition, Eula had no choice but to concede.
Birdbrain took it from there.
"Then if everyone is on the same boat here, let's decide the teams…"
"I will go along with my princess!" Eula said like she left no room for arguing whatsoever.
I get that she's worried about me, but this is starting to feel a little embarrassing.
"Granted, and so will Razor and Meg too." Simp adds.
"Hey, wait a minute. Out the seven of us and you want four to move in the same party?" I had to question his logic.
That doesn't sounds very efficient given our numbers.
"Yes deer, I rather not take my chances with you this time."
"Hey! How dare you!"
"Don't forget the vast ominous barrier blocking the poison around the island. Whatever's here might be alone but it sure as heck is no mere monkey." He made his point.
Ugh, now that I think about it, he's right.
"This time is hunting and gathering, we don't need as many teams as we would to find a single one item in a whole island. And since this place seems mostly abandoned, a lead party can go ahead and find places to hunt or gather food, before calling in the rear party for help."
"Think of it as letting us explore the place and make sure its safe beforehand." This time it was Tartaglia trying to reason.
"And with that cleared, I and Childe will take northeast of the island, Xiao will take northwest and once a couple hours have gone by, VK and her group can go ahead and leave the ship to begin gathering around the area we leave behind. Let's meet back here by sunrise everyone… oh and deer, come with me a minute."
"Huh… what wait!" I was pulled aside from the group and into the darkness.
The flame on the palm of my hand flickered dimly as I found the samurai standing face to face with me.
His pale lips coming just inches from mine as he leans forward. Even when I tried to distract myself by looking at somewhere else, the total darkness around the beach wouldn't let me.
"Deer."
"Y-yes…?" Oh no, those weird feelings are taking over again.
I can feel my cheeks flushed and breathing agitate.
"What have we learned from last time?" He asked with zero concerns for these circumstances.
"I-I don't know what you mean…" I said and quietly broke eye contact with him.
This seemed to make a vein pop up in his forehead. I felt his hand going over my shoulder and grabbing one of my antlers. My stomach burned a little from the overdose of adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream.
"When faced with danger, who we're gonna call?"
"I can handle myself fine, just so you kno— EAH!" A spark ran from his hand to my skull.
As the current ran trough my body, my knees buckled from the shock and now I felt myself… tingly…
"Who we're gonna call?"
"X… Xiao..." I no longer had the strength to argue back.
"Correct, good deer! And never forget, nobody's expecting jack from you when we're out in the wild. So make sure you don't go around inconveniencing anyone, kay?"
Bold thing to say for someone whose one day gonna be a crippled and brittle old man in a wheelchair while young and sexy me will have to put up with—
"Eeek!" An electric current ran up my antler again and I was pushed down the sandy beach to land on a side of my hips.
In the dark of the beach, the abusive samurai pushed me violently and left just as rudely, walking with a slightly visible smirk on his face.
He's lucky I need a moment to calm my maiden heart or else he would've get the anvil!
Part 3
After the first half of the party left, the rest of us decided to gather around a fireplace by the beach.
Everything beyond the firelight felt like a whole new dimension. Silent as a catacomb and cloaked in pure darkness.
It gave the impression that this wasn't an island at all, but rather where the light from the fire would end, so would the sand of the beach and everything else.
Amidst this eerie silence, Mona stood up.
"It is time to fulfill our destiny. Let us make haste towards the center of the island and it's treasure." She professed with great enthusiasm.
"Astrologer Mona, would you mind explaining your eagerness towards exploring this Island?" Eula had asked.
I kind of understand where her concerns come from. Mona rarely engages in any activities besides her astrology readings.
For me, I've gotten used to her foresight. She rarely not knows what she's doing, and won't take part in anything she considers a waste of time.
So, seeing her so eager to wander aimlessly into this darkness can be a little concerning.
"Why the reason is obvious of course, I've already seen the future and found myself swimming in treasure!"
"But didn't you said before you couldn't see very well inside this Island? I even recall you telling us the next island was still a day away yet here we are." Eula pointed out.
"And I was correct before as I am now, this small uncertainty is simply Innamorato's fault." She accused.
The doofus…?
"This blurry view that resembles opening your eyes inside murky water. It is the same as back when we took that man to trial at the Falcon Coast. So it is only plausible that the mischief-maker is up to his usual antics." Mona seemed convinced this is something that has to do with the idiot.
Though I highly doubt he has the power to change destiny or make islands appear out of nowhere.
He can hardly go a week whiteout finding himself in some sort of trouble.
"However! I've seen what becomes of us after leaving this island, and I was loaded! Plus unlike last time, I don't intend to just sit around and let him do as he pleases!" I could almost see the Mora symbol shining in her eyes.
This place is by all means, an invisible island.
Not only couldn't it be found using cartography skills and even reading destiny, but if it wasn't for the black air bouncing off the barrier, we wouldn't have been any wiser of its existence.
It is nearly impossible to find, and it would make sense that if there where to be treasure, it would remain untouched to this day.
"Alright, it's been two hours anyways and no sign of anything going wrong. Let's head out and find ourselves that treasure!"
"Princess…? Do you remember the reason we're here for, right?"
"Food girl forgets about food." Razor added.
"First of all, no I haven't forgotten about the food. Second, my name is Yanfei not food girl!"
"Yanfresh… Enhi… Flatyen…"
"Hey! You half insulted me right there, didn't you!?"
"Food girl name is troublesome, but doesn't likes to be referred as food girl. Razor will call food girl, prey girl from now on."
"That's not any better…! Agh, whatever, let's head out already and meet with the idiot."
"No! Let's avoid him entirely and claim all the treasure for ourselves while he's busy wandering around with his Fatui friend!" Mona plans clashed with mine.
"Hold on a minute Mona, aren't you forgetting what Xiao said about this place? The source of this barrier isn't some ancient mechanism. There is something here that's keeping this place hidden and I didn't hear anything good about it. Won't it get mad if we steal his treasure? I think is best to meet with the others before taking what isn't ours."
"Nonsense! You didn't hear anything bad about it either. And if it wanted the treasure then I wouldn't see ourselves leaving this island with either the Mora or our lives… Besides Yanfei, don't you want to impress Innamorato for once?" Mona inquired.
"Go on." I'm listening.
"Imagine his face after he returns and finds the ship loaded in not just food but untold riches. All while he was busy doing nothing— The Second!" She said like she where naming a baron or something.
Hey wait a minute.
"Yessss, that's right. He said he would go ahead and make sure everything was alright, but if there's no danger then…"
"He's just being useless a usual! Don't you hate the way he looks down on you when he barely gets things done?" I get the feeling Mona is trying to manipulate me to get her way.
But I agree immensely with what she's saying.
"Yeah, all that deer this and deer that, I think he's starting to forget I'm an not just a regular girl. I'm half-adepti!"
"That's right! The audacity in that man! His rudeness knows no bounds! So come with me and let's show him which of us get things done around here!"
"Yeah! All he does is cause trouble or go on enthusiastic walks around the islands anyways. Let's show him!"
"Yeah!" I feel like this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
"But princess, don't I get a say on this?"
"No!"
"Prey girl is smiling creepy."
"Shut up wolf pup!" I shut the annoying two up. "Alright Mona, let's do this, but before we start, there's a tiny little favor I have to ask… don't you have a spare catalyst I could borrow?" I pleaded.
A monkey used my last catalyst as toilet paper and another monkey tossed my old one on the trash after he bought me a new one.
I can still use my powers whiteout a catalyst but the output sure leaves names to be called.
"One of my spares? Sure my treasure hunting comrade, here you go." Mona said and handed over a yellow stone floating inside a ring.
I felt my enthusiasm die as soon as I inspected what it was.
"This is a support enchanted catalyst. This thing is useless during combat! Lend me another!" I complained and shoved the Prototype Amber back into Mona's hand.
She pushed the catalyst back to me.
"Fret not Yanfei, with this beauty and the help of your fourth constellation, you could be both the healer and support this party so dire needs."
"But I don't want to be a supporter! I want to fight and stand in the spotlight when facing our enemies!" I snapped back.
I know I sounded a little spoiled just now, but anything less and the birdbrain will surely make fun of me. And I won't put up with his bullying!
"Lend me an offensive oriented catalyst."
"But Yanfei… this is the only spare I have."
"What!?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "But… but then… wait I know! Just please lend me your main catalyst then!"
"No way, Innamorato will make fun of me instead." Blunt confessions where made this day.
I think this calls for an end to our beautiful friendship.
"Lend it to me!" I pounced on Mona and tried to steal her catalyst.
"No! That man is insufferable and I won't stand it!"
"You've only been with him for a few weeks! I've tolerated him for a full year!"
Is amazing what one irritating person can make you do.
As we fought under the light of the fire, Eula walked up and pulled us apart.
"That's enough, you two. There's no need to concern yourself with what that man thinks."
"But he's so annoying!" I argued back.
"And princess, what Mona says is very true. This party needs a support in urgency. With your powers you'd be perfect for that role."
"But I don't wanna! I'm gonna get laughed at!"
"Ahm! So.. spoiled…" Eula started acting weirdly happy for some reason.
"Razor thinks prey girl would make a great support. In pack, weaker and stronger lupical relies on teamwork, everyone plays a role in survival—"
"Shut up you, nobody asked you! If you want a support then you can drop that claymore and wield the First Aid kit we left on the ship!" I shut Razor up.
Demanding party members should try practicing what they preach if they want their problems solved!
"I wont be it, period! If Mona doesn't have a catalyst I can borrow, then I'll just look for one amidst the loot. Enough said, move out everybody!"
And with my final declaration on the matter, we grabbed some torches and set off to explore the island.
Part 4
Having each picked a torch, we headed deeper into the jungle of the island.
The night had a dead silence to itself, other than the crunch of the fallen leaves under my boots and the crack of the flames in the torches, no other sound was heard.
Even the wind abstained from making any sound.
Before me one of the falling leaves caught fire on the torch I was holding. I made sure to step on it quickly after it landed so it wouldn't start a fire.
Crack, I heard the sound and felt my balance slip.
I came to a stop in order to inspect my boot.
"Is something the matter, princess?" Eula inquired from behind me, as she tried inspecting my leg.
Looking under the sole of my right boot, I found the heel had broken off, and a strange orange glow dissipates.
Maybe I steeped on too hard to put off the flame.
"Is nothing, really, I have a another pair at the ship for when we get back." I assured her and removed my boots.
It would only hinder me to walk on just one anyway and we can't head back now.
The leaves felt dry and cold to the touch. I was feeling a little discomfort thanks to the rocks, but nothing I couldn't put up for now.
"I… I can carry you if you—"
"No." I quickly responded.
I'm nobody's inconvenience nor did I came on this trip to be a hindrance. I'll carry my own weight in this party.
"Watch for vines." Razor announced.
The foliage grew thicker the deeper we walked, it was getting troublesome to keep from starting a fire.
Our formation consisted of Razor at the head, as he's more familiar with tracking, while Eula kept guard of the rear, listening for sounds in case something tried to sneak up on us.
Where me and Mona formed didn't really matter, but Eula gave specific instructions that I must place third in the party order so she could watch me closely.
Something I didn't mind at the time, but now I can't shake this feeling there's a predator stalking behind my back.
"There has to be treasure around here, it is written in my destiny!" Mona kept swinging her torch around pointedly.
She was convinced we would eventually bump into a hoard of riches, something the rest of us had a hard time believing.
It would certainly be treasure here if she says so, but there's no way it can be that easy… right…?
"Clearing ahead." Razor informed us.
He rose his torch high and broke through a wall of bushes, where we promptly lost track of him sans his torchlight.
Mona follows after with care not to start a fire and—
"MY DESTINY!!" A loud shout was heard coming ahead.
I quickly rushed inside the bushes and Eula followed. The sight on the other side was something taken right out of a book. I lowered my torch as I no longer need to depend on it to see what's ahead.
Traces of civilization, just like Xiao mentioned. Built in granite and fieldstones, we came across a large plaza connecting several rectangular houses made out of stone.
The place had an intricate design which resembles the ruins found back in Liyue, but not quite, in brown entirely from the plaza to the houses and covered in fallen leaves from the foliage surrounding the plaza.
The only oddity where the stone pillars that kept illuminating the place.
These reach out to twice the height of the houses and glowed in a dim orange light which was enough for us to see our surroundings, but the thing that caught our attention the most was…
"It's the treasure!" Mona dropped her torch on the ground of the plaza and set running.
"Wait Mona, don't go on your own, stop!" Eula dropped her torch too and chased.
Far at the end of the plaza there was a built-in altar where a pool had been carved.
This pool filled to the point of spilling in Mora, jewelry and weapons of the golden variety.
All shiny under the light of the orange pillars. Just looking at it made my Liyue blood boil in excitement.
"I said, stop!" Eula tackled Mona down right as she was about to dive in the pool of Mora.
"Let go of me! You just want the treasure all for yourself don't you!?" Mona desperately accused.
Razor soon arrived to hold down the gold-fever astrologer and Eula was free to search for traps.
She kneels down and started inspecting the corners of the gold pool.
I walked up to the altar, and by the time I arrived at my friends side, Razor was allowing Mona to stand up.
"Everything seems fine, no crevices that indicate a built in trap nor elemental seals here… It's almost too good to be true." To find this much treasure just laid out for us.
It was more or less what Eula wanted to say, but I imagine simply coming across this island would be a trial on its own.
The real question is, where's everyone who once lived here?
I turned around and tried to focus in my surroundings, but beyond a few houses the darkness was so deep it looked as if the world ended with the orange light.
Oh well, let's see that treasure.
I headed in the direction of the gold, but was pushed aside when someone bumped into my shoulder.
"It's mine! It's finally mine!" Mona exclaimed.
She got down and rolled in the gold, forming a Mora angel.
"It's everything here, goodbye unpaid bills and goodbye cheap food! Hello life in the cluster and aristocratic renown!" Her face could hardly contain her enthusiasm.
I'll like to see a certain someone's face when he finds out about all this… treasure…
Wait, now that I think about, Razor has been following his trail to ensure we don't stray off from the area he left behind, meaning he would have seen this treasure by now…
It found myself wondering as I looked at Mona, drawing out her empty purse.
A moth flew out of it as she opens it, then she proceeds to scoop her purse full of gold.
"With this I will never have to worry about Mora again! It'll be Innamorato's turn to beg me for… Eh?" Mona's excitement came to a sudden halt.
The rest of us took a step away from her as her legs started glowing orange.
"There really was a trap, Mona take off your pants, hurry!" Eula commanded.
"E-eh…? Wait but I can't…" Mona senses where overwhelmed by the situation.
I don't think her attire is practical for easy take-off.
Then the light shone more brightly.
"Ahh!!"
"Mona!" I called out as the light blinds me.
Soon I felt the glow die down, and was able to open my eyes again.
To my horror, Mona was looking fine but…
"…Huh? Wait, nothing happened, I'm fine!?" She sounded like she couldn't believe it herself.
And… had a good reason not to do so.
"A-actually Mona, you might want to look down a bit..." I timidity pointed.
And after I did so, I could spot the time in which the realization hit her.
Her leggings where gone.
"Wha… what!? Kya!" She squealed in embarrassment.
The strange light had flawlessly removed her leggings while leaving the rest of her outfit on.
"W-what is wrong with this place!? Who did this, who…!" Mona gasped in surprise.
Sitting on the pile of Mora, rested her leggings, as if it where part of the treasure.
"That light, the moment Mona took gold from the pile, it went after something of hers… I believe it isn't wise to take from that hoard." Eula analyzed.
"What is wrong with this treasure!? Do you mean to say I can't take it with me!?" Mona complained in alarm as she tried to hide her legs.
But her ramblings aside, I find it a relief nothing worse happened. I was really scared there for a second.
"It's better that all it did was undress you. I knew something was off about this place… It is certainly a weird kind of curse, but I'm sure if you just give back what you took, it should return what it took from you." I proposed to her.
I've heard stories about curses like this from my father. But Mona didn't look like she was happy with the trade off.
"So you mean to tell me I can't have the treasure whiteout paying for it first? What sort of twisted joke is that? And what do you mean it'll return what it took from me? It's it going to find a way to give back my dignity somehow?" Mona argued.
But I don't really understand what she's complaining about. She still has most of her clothes, even her hat and swimsuit top. Only the leggings got taken out.
"How I'm I supposed to recover after being seen by…" She suddenly came to a halt when she was looking at me.
I admit it would be a little embarrassing if someone like say, the doofus or Xiao saw her like that, but I'm a girl just like her so it doesn't really matters if I see a little more skin than usual.
"My… my bad Yanfei… I guess you of all people wouldn't see this as embarrassing in the least."
"The heck you just said you impoverished road-kill!!? I'll have you know Liyue is a port town and as anywhere with a beach nearby, this is as good an attire as any other!" I bursted.
Here I thought it wouldn't matter to her because we where both girls, but she just seems to thinks I don't have the dignity to judge.
In hopes of arguing, Mona turned for Eula next, raising a finger as if to say something, but quickly puts it down.
"Hey there, I'll have you know as the Reconnaissance Captain I am, I tend to carry on amphibian operations and my clothes must stay firm and fit for swimming and sneaking around." Eula defended her attire choice too.
Moving her jaw as if to say something, Mona decided to give up on Eula and turned for Razor in a last ditch attempt to drive her point somewhere.
I turned around with her and— "Eek!" I cried from the jump scare.
Razor piercing red eyes where dead-set on me. I don't think he even noticed that Mona isn't wearing her leggings.
I took a few healthy steps away from him.
"Don't assume I'm the same as you who dresses for show, or my princess who lacks any sense of shame and dignity. My uniform is made with nothing but practical purpose in mind."
"You two go walk around dressed like harlots and still have the audacity to lecture me on what I wear!? I live like a block from the sea and we're literally in an island right now!"
"What do you mean, a harlot, Yanfei? I might be bankrupt in the sense of Mora but not in dignity. This choice of wear is naught but the illustrious cloth of my profession. The attire means to us Astrologers what a maid would her uniform or a nun her habit."
"All three of you dress like women of the night, end of discussion." A voice came in from the darkness and brought finality to our argument.
The idiot and Tartaglia emerged from the darkness.
"Kyah! I-Innamorato! W-when did you get here!?" Mona jumped back and covered her legs with her hat.
"About long enough to hear the part about me begging you for something. Now, what was that again?"
"Stop! Don't pull on my hat you degenerate!" Mona held firmly onto her hat as the birdbrain pulled on it.
I walked up to then and smacked his hand till he'd let go. Seriously what does this man thinks he's doing harassing Mona like that…?
Should I try to steal something from the hoard myself—
"Owner, now that you're here, care to share what you've learned about this place?" Eula asked.
Simp and Tartaglia walked for the hoard of Mora, where the red haired man dropped a pouch-full of Mora and the shamurai picked up Mona's leggings.
"Here, don't take anything else without permission or you will regret it."
"T-thanks." A reddish Mona received her leggings back.
Tartaglia then returned from the hoard and explained what they had found.
"There's a mural deeper into this strange city that documents the story of this island and its habitants… Though none of us could read what it said, I think we more or less got the gist trough the images drawn on it."
"A long time ago, a nomads tribe arrived to an island hidden from the rest of the world. There they found houses built for their accommodation, soil that grew its own vegetables, a river of clean water and a sea for bountiful fishing. All their needs for survival granted, just waiting for them in the perfect island paradise. And so they decided to settle down on this island."
"But they weren't alone per say. The nomads soon found the island belonging to an entity, and the cause of all miracles tied back to it. This entity demanded something in return, for everything the nomads took." Tartaglia continued and headed for one of the orange crystal pillars.
He places a hand in one of them and it started to glow symbols in a language I don't understand.
"And that's how the story ends, with these strange hieroglyphs that we haven't been able to decipher… But if what we gathered was right, the reason this island had a barrier and food is so abundant is because of the entity that lives here, however, nothing can be taken whiteout giving something in return inside this island."
"Oh I get it, so it's like a market of sorts. Just what we needed to continue with our travels, a merchant island willing to trade with us!" I brilliantly pointed out.
"Correct deer, if everything we know is right, then we should be able to pay in order to take some food and water with us."
"But this isn't alright in the least! I saw myself… I mean us, all of us, taking off the island with the treasure, so how can this be!?" Mona was still adamant about taking the treasure.
Poor thing.
"Mona, I get how you feel but treasure is only treasure when it belongs to no one. This one has an owner and if we took it, we'd just be stealing, and that's wrong no matter the place."
"I know! But…" The astrologer shoulders went droopy.
It was about to reach out and console her when something flashed before my eyes.
It was coming from the gold hoard, illuminated under the lights of the crystal pillars. Before I knew it I was heading after it.
Behind me the idiot pulled out a bag of Mora.
"This should be enough to cover the price of food for our travels. There's a crops field just northwest of here, head there and gather what we need… oh, and one last thing…" I heard from behind as I kneeled down.
I think I found what I was looking for in this hoard. It was a golden catalyst resembling a strange lantern. Weird, but I can feel it's enchanted, this is definitely a catalyst.
I need to inspect it and make sure is attack oriented. I feel great power coming from it. With this I'm sure I could…
"… don't grab anything before paying first, the curse won't wait for you to pay back and damn you like thieves." Doofus said as I held the catalyst up…
Hey wait a minute, what did that jerk just said…
"Ah!" Orange light began coming out of my body.
I felt hot, something was moving inside of me.
"Princess, throw that thing away!!" I heard the frantic cries of Eula.
My friends faces gave way to fear and panic as they watched me be engulfed in the light.
Then I became unable to hold my eyes open, all the while the light started to calm down. Inside my eyelids the brightness had went away completely.
Then I fell. It was like losing my balance after standing too fast. I braced myself as I landed on my ass, but strangely I felt no pain.
Did I land on a cushion? And so I opened my eyes.
Before me, everyone from the crew stood frozen in horror. Not daring to utter even a single word. I don't think Eula was breathing from her looks.
I looked over my hands to see if I had turned into some weird creature like a slime or something, but I looked normal. So I tried standing up.
Boing* Sound was made as I stood up halfway.
Ugh… I feel heavy. I tried standing carelessly and my weight pulled me back down… did I put on some weight— hey hold on a minute, boing?
Boing* I heard once more as I finally stood up completely, then I got a chance to inspect myself more carefully.
….. This is….
"Miss Lisa, cup." It was Razor whose finally broke the silence.
Eula, faint of the heart like a maiden, fainted.
Whiteout so much as batting an eye, doofus hands moved to catch her, but she fell down anyways because he wasn't looking at her.
The Recognizance Captain hit the ground with a plain thud and some leaves flew up.
Looking down at my chest, I think I'm beginning to see why…
"No, is Miss Lisa lost." A drooling Razor comments on my appearance.
My bust size, had grown like something I've never seen before.
"What… sort of wicked sorcery is this…?" A blue faced Mona asked.
I could see my bra crying as it tried to hold back my rack.
Good thing these where a present from granny. I remember she used to say when she was young, she would enchant all her clothes with elasticity for the day she finally hits puberty…
But in the end that never happened and she never grew the goods… So she said she'll do the same with my clothes, as her own way to offer me her blessings— that old hag was just jinxing me wasn't she!!?
"I guess… for an entity of non-human origins, wouldn't it see this as a sort of, body deformity…? A suitable punishment maybe…?" Tartaglia tried to make sense of what just happened.
Albeit, very weirded out by the whole thing.
But it wasn't just my rack, I noticed my hips pushing against my skirt and shorts too. I think I heard something tear just now from the pressure. Even my legs have grown thicker than anyone I've ever seen before in Liyue.
"Prey girl has become, large prey girl. Before, one prey girl feeds a single Razor, now large prey girl feeds entire pack, lupicals and neighbors." The boy wolf calculated.
Hourglass figure, a body deformity in the way of extreme thickness. What the lord of this island considers punishment enough for stealing this catalyst.
May the lord of Geo bless the lord of this island.
"Noooo! Princess you must pay back what you owe! This is horrible! You'll lose your adorable charm— Ahm!" Cried Eula after I smacked her across the cheek.
I took the catalyst and rapidly stored it in my Vision so no one could take it away from me.
"Please return to normal, princess! No amount of sex appeal can trump your cuteness! I won't accept this!"
"Eula." I took a deep breath and interrupted my friend ramblings." This is the new me now. Please, accept me for who I am."
"But this isn't you at all! You're cute, thin like a twig, adorable! But that body is nothing but sin! You even had to steal to get it!"
"Eula, if you start saying flat is justice, I swear I'm going to slap you. There's nothing more unjust than watching others get what you never could… Granny used to say. And this catalyst and body, are mine now."
"But that just makes you a thief!" Eula tried to appeal to my sense of justice.
"I wouldn't mind that at all." I'm quite flexible when it comes to justice after all.
"At least pay for it!" Eula tried to trick me like I wouldn't know doing so, would negate the curse.
"I refuse."
"Noooooo!" Eula started frantically throwing Mora at the hoard.
But nothing happened, seems that simply isn't the way it works.
The idiots bought Mona leggings for themselves and then handled it back as a gift. They didn't cancel the curse, but rather just bypassed it somehow. For my deformity curse to be canceled I assume I would have to pay myself.
Is a relief, knowing I'm fully responsible for my actions and no one else can do squat about it.
Satisfied with my latest violation of the law, I turned towards the subject whose reaction I'm most interested in.
He still had that wide eyed look, same as he had when I first looked at him after my transformation.
Is he planning to stay frozen in shock forever or something?
But this reminds me, with this body I can now compete with that portrait he carries around everywhere.
What does that skank looked like…? A yes, I remember.
With an ear to ear smile, I stood next to him and stuck my hand inside my busty cleavage, where I materialized the steelyard my father gave me as a present.
"Bonk to oblivion!"
Bonk* Sound was made.
The stupefied idiot hit the floor with a thud. Still as wide eyed as before and still didn't move or said a thing.
Is he planning to stay in shock all night or something?
Boing* I walked closer to him.
"Hey Simp, you alright…?" *Crack* Something made a sound.
I had accidentally stepped on his hand when I came closer. Not that it was intentional of course, it's just my bust was blocking my gaze. Good thing I wasn't wearing shoes.
Hmm… Now that's an experience alright. I guess I'll never be able to look down on anyone again with this bosom?
But is only natural that a body like this would invite humbleness.
Boing* Sound was made as I crouched besides the pale samurai.
But I never got the chance to poke fun at him, because something else had been set afoot while we where distracted.
"Fire… fire!" Razor cried.
I turned my gaze towards the center of the plaza and found it burning in flames. The torches Eula and Mona dropped had been left unabated and spread around the fallen leaves of the plaza.
We must put the fires out before they spread…
"Hey guys… I think we have a bigger problem than the fires right now." Tartaglia commented before bringing out a bow.
Orange light started coming out the fires, much brighter than a flame had any right to be. It brought back memories from all the events I've witnessed inside this island.
My body, Mona's leggings, even the heel of my boot now that I remember. That light is what causes the curse of this island to take effect.
" Riptide!" Tartaglia fired a Hydro downpour at the fires, putting an end to the flames within a matter of seconds.
Yet the light didn't subside.
WOOSH.
The light shot out towards the ground below us and the limestone floor we once stood now collapsed together like quicksand.
I sunk down to my waist before I could even scream.
"Princess!" The voice of Eula reached my ears.
I looked at my friends in panic. Eula was up to her neck in the quicksand, her hand trying to reach out to me.
Tartaglia had managed to bring Mona near one of the crystal pillars where they held against the sand tides.
Simp and Razor where nowhere to be seen, and I sank deeper in.
"Ahhhhh!!" The sand covered me completely before I held my breath and closed my eyes.
For a moment I heard nothing, saw nothing and felt nothing but the sand slitter around me.
Helplessness and panic set in, as nothing I thought of could help me escape the vowels of the earth I was falling deeper in.
The cold asphyxiating sensation of being unable to move, to see, breath or even yell. How I wish I had called Xiao before I sunk completely in.
My life was about to end, I felt deep inside me.
But a hand had grabbed onto mine, and my fears washed away.
I let myself get too absorbed in the panic of the moment, but now I remember, I can feel it in my grasp, that I have friends I can rely on when I'm feeling scared. Friends that will come and save me when I'm in danger.
The grip tightened, and I felt like no matter where this quicksand takes me, everything would be alright—
"Kya!!" My fall accelerated as I arrived at a hollow under the earth.
I soon landed over a big mound of sand inside a completely dark cave, or was this a tunnel maybe?
Cough, cough, cough* I breathed in too much dust after I screamed, I need to clear out my throat.
Cough, cough* I heard someone coughing besides me.
That's right, I was still holding hands with him, even though I couldn't see anything in this dark, I knew he wasn't going to let go of me.
Even when the quicksand had managed to separate the rest of the party, I knew he would find his way to me.
I let my hand grip onto his tighter. This warm feeling only he can make me feel when he's around. No curse could break us apart, after all, he said he would protect me no matter what.
Feeling almost tearful from happiness, I sat on my knees and extended a hand, before lightning up a small ember atop it, Illuminating my Simp…
"Cough, cough—brbrbrbr…! Prey girl, prey girl is… alright…?" A boy of red eyes asked with concern for my safety.
No wind blew, and yet my flame put off with a puff, leaving us back in complete and silent darkness.
Here inside the vowels of this cursed island, I was separated from the rest of my party, and left stranded alone with… Razor…