Hero's Lesson
The day after Ashaki's nightmare, she and Adorabat were in the astral plane, practicing mystic arts.
"You're learning very quickly," Ashaki noted. Adorabat was at a stage where she could begin to harness chi though her chakras. Well, a few of them at least. Specifically Manipura, Vishuddha, and Ajna.
When chi is passed through these three chakras respectively, they grant supernatural strength, vocal, and sight. Adorabat seems to be able to use these three rather easily, in fact she seems to have used them before. Mao Mao had told Ashaki about how Adorabat used a sonic scream on a cave dragon.
Ashaki felt something disturbing in the space of the astral plane. Looking back, she saw the plumes of the schnepp realm.
"Adorabat, we need to return to the corporeal realm." Ashaki called out.
"Why?" Adorabat asked curiously. "What are those clouds?"
Ashaki moved over to Adorabat, pressing her finger to Adorabat's head. Adorabat felt an incredible weight fall on her, she began falling all the way back to her body in the physical world.
With a gasp, Adorabat fell backwards and onto her back. "What were those clouds?"
"Nothing good," Ashaki answered. "Do you know about the three realms?"
"Hmm, I think Melvin said something about that once," Adorabat replied.
Ashaki's eye twitched at the mention of that quack. Pretending she didn't hear that, she continued. "You have the astral plane, the corporeal world, and the schnepp realm." Ashaki held out three fingers for each of the dimensions.
"The schnepp realm isn't like the other two, it's the realm that lies on the boundary of life and death; because it resides on that boundary, it can sometimes leak into the astral plane and the corporeal world."
"And that's... bad?" Adorabat guessed.
"Yes, the schnepp realm is an extremely dangerous place, even for me. I don't go there unless I absolutely need to."
"But why would you go there if it's so dangerous?"
"Usually to speak with the departed, the ones who still have ties to the living realm any way," Ashaki answered. "But life and death are sacred forces, and not something to be tampered with."
"The departed," Adorabat whispered to herself, staring off in thought.
"I think we may wanna try putting you mystic arts into practice in the corporeal realm," Ashaki said to Adorabat. "What do you think? Want to give it a try?"
"Heck yeah! Wooo!" Adorabat screeched. "What should I do first? Oh, how about my wing beat?"
"Actually," Ashaki quickly spoke. "I was thinking something that wouldn't damage the house. How about using your physical boost in aerial maneuvers?"
"Alright!" Adorabat hyped. "Let's do this!"
Adorabat's wings began to glow with an aqua blue color, much like how Ashaki's body glowed with an emerald color when she made use of the mystic arts. With a push off, Adorabat took off much faster than she usually did, flying out of the gazebo. Flying about in the sky, Adorabat began to get the feel of using her new techniques in the corporeal world.
In the astral plane, it's easier to put the techniques into practice, but there's no gravity, and no air either. So now Adorabat is performing these techniques while weighted and meeting air resistance, and it showed immediately as Adorabat wasn't moving as fast as she did in the astral plane.
Ashaki began thinking that they should move trading to the corporeal world full time. If they continued in the astral plane, Adorabat was sure to pick up some bad habits that she would bring over to the corporeal world.
"Hey, someone's got some moves!" Minori said, walking in from the main house, Violet in tow.
"It looks like training is beginning to bear some fruit," Violet commented.
"Can I help you two?" Ashaki asked her sisters.
"Enough with the third degree," Minori held up her hands. "We just wanted to check in on you after last night."
"Mao Mao also told us that it's Adorabat is due for a check in for her father," Violet said. "One of us will have to take her over soon enough."
"Why can't he or Badgerclops take her?" Ashaki asked.
"Because those two are scheduled for patrol all day today," Minori answered
"Hm, I understand," Ashaki said, she wanted to do a little more digging into the history of this kingdom, as well as figure out how that knife she found, the one with a heart shaped pommel, ties to this place.
"If you are too busy, I am free to take Adorabat to meet her father," Violet offered.
"No," Ashaki said, shaking her head. "I can do it. We'll go after we wrap up here."
"Aunty Minori! Aunty Violet!" Adorabat screeched out from the skies. "Watch this!" Adorabat followed up with some of her techniques. Building up speed, Adorabat began flying as fast as a jet plane. But that was the start, building chi into her wings, she has the strength to make a ninety degree turn mid wing beat, and demonstrated as such.
"Hey, that's impressive," Minori said, watching as the blue bat zig zagged across the sky. Adorabat turned towards them, gliding down into the gazebo.
Touching down, Adorabat shook out her wings. "Geez, my wings hurt~."
"Of course they do," Ashaki agreed. "Until now, you have been training in the astral plane, you haven't worked your physical muscles using chi before. It takes a toll at first, but you'll grow used to it over time."
"That was some sick flying AB!" Minori said, walking over and sitting next to the tiny bat. "You're gonna be an amazing hero! I just know it!"
"You really think so?" Adorabat squealed, her eyes sparkling as they seemed to get bigger.
"You have shown remarkable growth since our arrival," Violet added. "I believe you can be a fine hero."
"Then I'll be the best hero I can be!" Adorabat said, all giddy as she jumped up and down.
"I can't wait to see what type of hero you will become!" Minori said, giving Adorabat a quick pat on the back.
"Type?" Adorabat said, confused. "How are there different types of heroes? Isn't a hero a hero?"
"Well, yes, I guess, but," Minori scratches the back of her head, figuring out a good way to explain it. "Look at us for example." Minori gestured to her sisters. "Violet offers her services to others, Ashaki uses her mystic arts to and knowledge to change the world for the better, and I beat up all the bad guys I come across. We're similar, but completely different when it comes to how we operate."
"I see," Adorabat said. "In that case, I wanna be a hero that can save everyone, no matter the danger or the evils I have to face."
"I remember when we were that ambitious," Violet reminisced.
"We were children once," Minori replied to Violet.
"We were naive once," Ashaki corrected.
"What are you talking about?" Adorabat asked, curious as to what the sisters were referring to.
"Just remembering when we said something similar when we were children," Violet answered.
"You mean you don't anymore?" Adorabat asked, a little saddened. "Why did you give up?"
"Giving up isn't how I would describe it," Minori said, leaning from side to side. "It's more like-"
"We accepted the way things are," Ashaki finished. "And changed our paths accordingly."
"I still don't understand," Adorabat said.
"Then I'll explain flat out," Ashaki said. "Adorabat, there's no such thing as a hero who can save everyone."
"What? How come?" Adorabat exclaimed, throwing her wings out to either side.
"It just isn't possible AB," Minori said somberly, her eyes looking past Adorabat, and off at something that wasn't even there. "We tried to be that kind of hero, but we failed."
"You can't let one setback shake you," Adorabat encouraged, trying to save what was already gone.
"It wasn't just one," Violet replied. "There were many. It's a lesson we have had to learn over and over again."
"What lesson?" Adorabat asked, dreading the answer she was about to be given.
Minori answered somberly. "That no matter how experienced you become, or how strong you are, you can't save everyone."
"Then I'll be the first!" Adorabat shouted in defiance. "And I will save everyone! Just you wait!"
Minori and Violet looked over to Ashaki, who just shook her head. They got the message, and decided to divert to a different subject.
"So AB," Minori began. "Is there anything fun to do while we wait around?"
"Hmm, oh," Adorabat perked as an idea came to mind. "There's a lake near here, it filled back in not too long ago."
"Filled back in?" Violet questioned.
"A slime sucked up the water and blew up, splish splashing the water everywhere," Adorabat answered.
"I think you're missing the big picture, Vi," Minori said as she walked up to her sister and slung an arm around her shoulders. "We're going to have a lake day!"
Violet, Minori, Ashaki, and Adorabat set their stuff on the shore of the lake. Each of them set out to a different section of the shore.
Ashaki set up a lounge chair where she can rest and read a few books that she borrowed from the royal archives.
Violet was pulling equipment out of her hat, a cooler filled with ice and drinks, a ball that she quickly tossed in Minori's direction, as well as a towel and umbrella to shield Ashaki from the sun.
Minori was setting up a net as the ball that was tossed towards her bumped into her ankle. Looking down, her face lit up as she picked it up, anxious to play some beach volleyball. Shore volleyball?
Adorabat flew over the bank of the lake, soaring close enough to skim her wingtip over the water, the aquatic spray being kicked up from her quick skims causing flashing rainbows.
Turning back, Adorabat came up to Minori, who was currently just bumping the ball into the air over and over. "Can I play?" Adorabat asked.
"You sure can!" Minori caught the ball, moving to one side of the net, motioning for Adorabat to go to other side. "I'll serve, you ready?"
"Heck yeah!" Adorabat screeched.
Minori lobbed the ball into the air, and swung as it came back down. With a smack that echoed across the lake, the ball flew towards Adorabat's side of the net.
Adorabat propelled into the air, as the ball was crossing the net, Adorabat gave the ball a nudge, pushing back over the net where it ended up on the ground. One point for Adorabat.
Minori felt compelled to point out that flying wasn't in the rules of volleyball. But then again, Minori herself was a lot bigger and stronger than Adorabat, so she let it slide.
"Nice one, AB!" Minori called out, picking the ball back up to serve. This time she was prepared for Adorabat's nudge. "Don't think you can get one over on your Auntie a second time!"
Meanwhile, at the wreckage of the Sky Pirates' sky ship, Orangusnake slurped up some noodles from a cup of instant noodles. The rest of the pirates were still resting in the other room. Orangusnake had been mulling things over for the past couple of days, with Thunder Fist, Beef Master, and Steel Wing having rejoined the crew, they might finally be able to overpower the Sheriff's Department.
However, Orangusnake had been sending Ratarang over for reconnaissance for a while now, so he was well aware that there were reinforcements on the Sheriff's side of things as well.
Mao Mao had never fought the pirates at full strength before, and maybe now was the time to strike. Yes, in a few days, he'll attack the kingdom again.
"Hey Mao Mao?" Badgerclops asked.
"What?" Mao Mao replied, striking a hero's pose as he watched over the village from a roof top.
"It's been over a week since we last saw the sky pirates," Badgerclops pointed out. "Do you think they might be up to something?"
"Please," Mao Mao scoffed. "They'd be fools to think that they could ever beat us. And with my sisters present, they have no shot against four legendary heroes!"
Badgerclops counted on his fingers. Minori, Violet, Ashaki. "There's only three there, bro."
"I was referring to me as well!" Mao Mao declared.