I was Transported To Another World and Became a Yuri Heroine
NINE
"Welcome to the Bentenmaru!" the surprisingly young looking woman greeted them cheerfully. "I'm the Captain, Marika Kato."
"Uh, hello," Gabrielle smiled a bit warily.
Scribe jumped in, "We need passage to the continent, and I understand you give a discount if we work as crew?"
"That's right," Marika agreed, "there's been monster attacks out on the seas between here and the continent. We might have to fight them off."
Everyone kind of looked at Devas at THAT news.
"Hey!" Devas pouted, "It's not MY fault!"
Marika blinked.
"Just ignore that," Sinon sighed. "We can fight, yes..."
"Okay," Marika just accepted that with a shrug and said, "my second in command will take you to your quarters."
"Bunks. It's not fancy," the black haired woman with glasses noted.
"Don't be mean, Chiaki-chan!" Marika teased.
"Don't call me something so cute!" Chiaki complained, blushing.
"But Chiaki-chan...," Marika pouted cutely.
"They're TOTALLY girlfriends," Gabrielle mused.
"Are not!" Chiaki growled. She shook herself, "Come on."
Scribe was looking around as they walked and noted, "Uhm... this is a pirate ship, I think?"
"Armed privateer," Chiaki corrected forcefully. She added, "We have a charter from the king."
"And how often do you get shot at anyway?" Devas asked dubiously.
"Sometimes," Chiaki admitted.
"Oh joy," Gabrielle muttered.
They reached the quarters, which mostly amounded to hammocks set up on one cabin. "Well, I've seen worse," Scribe shrugged.
"So...," Sinon looked at Devas and asked, "how many undersea monsters got away, when you quit leading the demons?"
Devas said a bit defensively, "Well, a couple. But we don't KNOW that they're mine, attacking the ships..."
"Bet you it is," Scribe noted.
"I'm not taking THAT bet," Sinon sighed.
"You're all so mean," Devas sighed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"COME OUT, QUEEN DEVAS! AND DIE!"
"Told you," Scribe noted.
"Oh shut up," Devas said as the vessel bucked wildly.
"Ack!" Sinon grabbed hold of the mast, then climbed up to the crow's nest.
"I..." the woman crouched there started.
"Brace me!" Sinon ordered as she drew her bow. The woman grabbed Sinon's belt as the archer drew and fired arrows into the huge kracken-woman.
"FACE ME, DEVAS!" the woman's voice came from the kracken's mouth, huge tentacles gripping the ship.
"Huff!" Gabrielle grunted as she chopped a tentacle right off.
Marika, firing a pistol, blinked in astonishment. "HOW..."
"Magic sword," Scribe noted, used to it by now, while holding her staff and clubing any limbs that got near them.
"Keep firing," Chiaki yelled, going back to back with Marika, both blasting away at it.
"Damn it, Ariel! I thought you hated eating people!" Devas sprouted here wings and went airborn, soaring up over the grasping tentacles.
"You abandoned us!" Ariel the kraken yelled.
"Rawr!" Devas lunged down, slashing with her claws furiously.
"Roll out the main guns!" Kane McDougal yelled, the blonde helmsman struggling to keep them on course.
"Aye!" Schnitzer yelled, the giant of a man runing along the deck, lighting fuses of several naval cannons pointed at the beast.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
"Your puny weapons can not harm me!" Ariel yelled furiously.
"They're a great distraction, though!" Gabrielle seized the chance, jumping off the deck and ONTO the moster, stabbing deep.
"ARRRGH!" Ariel howled.
"BANISHING BLADE!" Gabrielle invoked the sword's magic. In a burst of light, the huge beast disappeared.
"Shit. Can she swim?" Sinon wondered.
"ACK!" Gabrielle floundered.
"Looks like no," Marika selflessly jumped into the water, swam over and got a grip on the hero, then swam back.
"Damn it, don't put yourself in danger like that!" Chiaki complained as she helped them get back on board.
"Sorry, Chiaki," Marika said sheepishly, the woman soaked.
"Damn it," Chiaki muttered, then kissed her lingerlingly.
"Whoo hoo!" Kane cheered.
"Told you so," Gabrielle murmured as Devas looked her lover worriedly.
"Okay, what the HELL was that?" Marika recovered enough to demand of the heroes.
"The hero Gabrielle has a demon banishing sword that...," Scribe started.
Marika drew her sword and pointed it at them threateningly, "I MEAN, that thing knew your friend. By NAME. And she was flying."
"I'm the former demon King," Devas stood between Gabrielle and the sword, "it's my responsibility to stop these things."
Marika tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, then nodded. "All right," she sheathed her swird, "you DID save us, after all."
"We'll reach shore in a hour or so," Chiaki added, "stay on guard just in case."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"What were the odds of TWO monster attacks?" Sinon wondered as they disembarked.
"At least it wasn't one of mine," Devas sighed, "just mermaids."
"JUST mermaids?" Sinon winced.
Folk tales had mermaids as pretty sea women who lured men with song. In reality they only looked human from afar.. up close they were deadly, clawed monsters who would rip your face off easily. Worse, they hunted in packs...
"Well, we've made it to the continent," Gabrielle sighed. "And we're broke."
"Not COMPLETELY broke," Scribe corrected.
"We can get some wiork at the Adventurer's Guild," Sinon noted. "Then start looking for more fleeing Demons."
"And I can sell off some treasure if need be," Devas added.
"Just not a cursed item, again," Gabrielle said quickly.
"It only happened the one time," Devas pouted cutely.
The group got directions, then headed off to the local Adventurer's Guild. It was a MUCH larger building than onces they had seen before, which probably made sense for a busy port city.
A bard was singing a.. honestly badly rhymed song about a 'Goblin Slayer'. He finished, collected coins then cleared his throat. He then started again...
"The Summoned Hero Met the Demon Queen,
She won and found her beauty seen..."
"He it TOTALLY ripping you off," Gabrielle noted to Scribe.
Scribe shrugged, "I consider it a compliment. Plus, he has to pay to the Bard Guild for that, that gets back to me."
"Fair," Sinon agreed.
They reached the Adventurer's Guild, where, unsurprisingly, there was a brawl breaking out...
To be continued...
Notes: The ship is crewed by expies of the heros from Bodacious Space Pirates, pretty much. Was re-watching it recently. I thought about naming the Kraken Ursula, but using Ariel amused me too much not to do it.
The mermaids are BASICALLY the ones from Mira Grant's sci-fi horror 'Drowning Deep' series of books. They're awesone, if scary as fuck.
I was Transported to Another World and Became a Yuri Heroine!
TEN
"IT'S A GIANT!"
"GODZILLA!"
"Wrong series, dumbass!"
"RUN AWAY!"
"So, one of yours?" Scribe asked Devas mildly as she held her staff defensively. Not that it'd do much good, but...
Devas shook her head, "No, they seem local."
"GWAAAARR!" the huge monster roared.
The woman giant smacked himn, "Must you? These humans will think us savages."
The man giant looked sheepish, "But this is what they expect!"
"Still," she huffed.
"What," Gabrielle blinked.
The City Elder, standing nearby, sighed as he said, "They come once a year for tribute. They say they will ruin us, otherwise."
"Well, that's a thing...," Gabrielle digested that.
"Do you want us to stop them?" Sinon offered.
"Gods, no!" the Elder said.
"WHAT," Gabrielle repeated.
"They helped build the defensive wall, and assist with large scale construction in general," another city dweller added.
"Well, as long as it's all peaceful, it's not our place to jump in," Scribe noted.
"I suppose," Devas looked unhappy as she studied the giants. "I wanted to fight on, darn it."
"Eeep," Sinon shook her head.
The man giant was peering down at the group, "You are... Devas, the evil queen?"
"I stepped down," Devas answered, "but yes."
"It is a honor," the giant woman added.
"... thanks?" Devas blinked.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"I sometimes forget how important you once were," Scribe noted to Devas as they left town later that day.
"Ha," Devas shook her head.
Sinon shrugged expressively, "I never heard of you before I left my village."
"Ouch," Gabrielle teased.
The four had, after arriving in town, taken on various 'beginner' quests for some fast cash. And, of course, to get their names out there as capable adventurers. YES the 'Hero Gabrielle' was known, but everybody knew stories got exaggerated. So there was that.
Frankly, Scribe was a bit annoyed that her stories were so poorly known here...
"All right, we heard rumours that a Banshee is haunting a nearby castle, and it MIGHT be one of Devas' minions," Sinon changed the subject.
"Bane Sidhe," Devas corrected.
"There's a difference?" Scribe asked, intrigued.
"The whole 'wailing to herald death' thing is a myth," Devas shrugged. "The Bane Sidhe are creatures created to hunt Elves and their relatives."
Sinon paled, "Seriously?"
"We'll protect you, whatever happens," Gabrielle reassured her.
"They are vulnerable to sword and bow," Devas reassured her, "we CAN kill it. Assuming it is one of mine, of course."
"Of course," Scribe nodded.
"How far away is the castle?" Sinon checked.
"We'll get to the nearby town by twilight," Scribe checked their map, "we can get a room in town, then try the castle in the morning."
"Unless you want to try it at night," Devas teased.
"Oh HELL no," Sinon made a face as the others chuckled.
"Now, let's just hope there's no bandits..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"You HAD to say it," Gabrielle sighed as ten bandits advanced on them.
"Yeah, yeah," Devas sighed.
"Throw down your arms and surrender!" the bandit leader called. He was a scruffy looking older guy, in patched up light armor.
"No," Scribe said calmly.
"Huh?" the bandit blinked, just before Sinon shot him in the shoulder.
"Boss!" another goon yelped as he went down.
Devas charged, a blur of speed as she ripped the sword out of one man's hand as she punched another out.
Sinon gracefully drew and fired, shooting abother in the sword arm, then shifting slightly, firing again and skewering a poor bastard's hand.
"FUCK, ARGH," the one woman bandit loudly yelped, having seen their force halved in less than a minute.
Gabrielle casually dueled two more of them, slapping their weapons aside easily, jabbing at them. It was almost like she was playing with them.
"NOT THE FACE! Not the face!" one pretty boy yelped as Scribe casually clobbered him with her staff.
"This is a joke," Devas noted as she easily picked up one of the dudes.
"Surrender," Gabrielle ordered the last few men.
All the guys threw down their arms.
"Why did you try to jump us?" Scribe asked the one she had been pummelling.
"We outnumbered you! We thought it'd be easy!" the guy whimpered.
"That's it?" Gabrielle blinked.
"That's it," he sighed.
"Considering how easily you beat us, possibly you could let us go...?" one bandit suggested.
"Yeah, no,"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Welcome, adventurers," the gate guard of the small town blinked as they hauled a group of bandits behind them.
"These idiots tried to jump us on the highway," Scribe explained.
"We're innocent! Really!"
"I recognize you, One Eye Jacks," the guard sighed. "Up to your old tricks again?"
The bandit wilted.
"We'll turn them in, then," Gabrielle nodded, "thank you."
"Thank YOU," the guard sighed.
On a hill above the town, they could see the ruined castle where the Bane Sidhe dwelled. It was dark, overgrown, and seemed to radiate a sinister energy.
"How does the town ignore that?" Sinon wondered.
"You get used to it," a old shopkeeper noted as they passed.
To be continued...
Notes: Sorry for the short chapter. May revise it later and add bits...
I was Transported to Another World and Became a Yuri Heroine!
ELEVEN
The town's Adventurer's Guild recorded their defeating and capturing the bandits, and they got some silver as a bounty on the men. As One Eye Jacks and his band wasn't exactly a major villain, the reward wasn't that huge.
"Thank you for your efforts!" Ayten, the Guild Clerk, beamed, her long brown hair flowing down her back.
Gabrielle nodded, "Glad to help."
"What inn would you recommend?" Devas asked curiously.
Ayten looked sheepish as she explained, "We only have one inn, actually" She pointed north,. "Just up the road."
"I guess with the monster infested castle, you don't get many visitors?" Scribe guessed, leaning on her wooden staff.
"Oh yeah," Ayten agreed, "it's getting so only the dedicated merchants come through now. And the occassional adventurers trying to fight the banshee."
"No one won?" Sinon asked nervously.
"A few just gave up and left," Ayten shrugged.
Devas nodded thoughtfully, "Well, thank you for your help."
The four them headed up the street where, yes, there was an inn, the main floor also doubling as the small town's tavern.
"Welcome!" the old bartender said brightly. His scruffy beard matched his grey hair, and he wore the usual apron and had a heavy club at his side. The men, mostly farmers and such, looked up from their drinks then went back to it.
"I need a drink," Gabrielle sighed tiredly. It had been a LONG day...
"We also need rooms," Devas noted.
"Got two. You OK with sharing?" he wondered.
Devas took Gabrielle's arm while Sinon smiled at a blushing Scribe.
He shook his head, "I see you'll be fine."
"Four beer," Scribe ordered, then she added, "do we want anything to eat?"
"I could eat," Gabrielle admitted.
Devas winked, "You will. Later."
"I mean food," Gabrielle laughed.
"We have stew," the bustly young barmaid noted.
"Beef stew?" Sinon asked.
"Stew. Dunno what's in it... might be chicken, might be monster meat," the maid shrugged casually as she eyed them thoughtfully.
"Well, you only live once," Gabrielle said, deciding to try the mystery stew.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Do you want a guide, ladies?" the Centaur adventurer offered, dressed in light armor, a bow over her shoulder.
(Centaurs in general were more common on the continent. Once upon a time they were enslaved as regular horses, but had rebelled and gained their freedom. Now they lived among regular people, though they absolutely refused to give rides barring an emergency.)
"Do we need a guide?" Scribe asked reasonably.
"Yes," Himeko Kimihara said firmly, "there used to be a relatively clear path up to the castle, but it's eroded away quite a bit. There aren't traps, thankfully, but local monsters also nest along the route too."
"Fair enough," Gabrielle agreed. "Standard rates?"
"Certainly," Himeko agreed. She then asked, "Can my partner come along? She's a Cleric, and can heal us all if needed."
"As long as she doesn't have a issue with me," Devas noted.
The attractive, blond Miko smiled, "Not at all. I am Manami Mitama." She looked MOSTLY like a regular human, but had small wings sprouting from her shoulders.
Sinon sniffered, "I could scout it safely."
"Then you'd be up ahead, on your own if the Bane Sidhe appears," Scribe noted.
"ON THE OTHER HAND, I'm perfectly OK with the centaur doing it," Sinon swiftly added, the elf's ears twitching nervously.
Gabrielle hid a smile, "Right, let's get going."
"Lead the way," Devas nodded to Himeko.
"You're not expecting me to carry your supplies?" Himeko noted, pleasantly surprised.
"You're a guide, not a pack mule," Scribe noted.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The trip up to the abandoned castle wasn't THAT bad but yes, it was rough going.
"Ugh, slimes!" Scribe clobbered one with her staff.
"Annoying," Manami agreed, using her holy mace to crush another.
Himiko crushed one under her hoof then groaned, "ICK."
"I wish that witch we met was here," Devas noted as they finished them off.
"Nothing we can do," Sinon sighed, using a branch to kill a slime. A bow and arrow was sadly useless against slimes...
"We're nearly there," Himiko pointed as she said, "but hunters have reported wolves and such in the area too."
"Well, let's see if they're around," Gabrielle shrugged.
Thankfully they did NOT run into the wolf pack, and instead reached the main gates. The once heavy oaken doors swung open, one side broken down. There was a aura of menage around the place, while the smell of something rotting wafted from the inside.
"Ugh that's nasty," Sinon winced at the smell.
"Devas, sense anything?" Gabrielle checked as they entered the courtyard.
"I sense SOMETHING inside the main building," Devas said, the former demon queen frowning, "not sure what."
"You can sense demons and such?" Himeko asked quietly. "That's handy."
"It's not that precise though," Scribe noted.
"Everyone's a critic," Gabrielle teased.
"We'll have to go inside," Manami noted, frowning at their joking.
"Will you be okay?" Sinon addressed Himeko, nodding to her horse half.
"Are you commenting on my weight?" Himeko teased. More seriously she said, "We'll have to see, but I'd like to go along."
After a short while Scribe noted, "Is it me, or is it weirdly quiet?"
"Not even minor critters," Sinon noted. "I mean, I would at least expect racoons nesting in an old building. Or rats."
"Spiders though," Himeko ducked to avoid cobwebs. "But yes, weird."
"One tries to keep one's home tidy," a voice drawled.
The tall, aristocratic looking man stood in the doorway, his expression sort of calmly remote. He wore shining light armor, and carried a black sword.
"I should have known it was you, Elric," Devas said flatly.
"Friend of yours?" Gabrielle asked warily, hand on her sword. He seemed to RADIATE dark power but.. it felt non-threatening, oddly enough.
"Elric, last prince of the Bane Sidhee, the Hunter of Elves," Devas said.
"Can we shoot him?" Sinon ashed, her AND Himeko both ready with bows drawn.
"Only if you want to die," Elric said... then promptly collapsed.
"WHAT."
Later, Devas explained that Elric's family was horribly inbred, he suffered from terrible anemia and was constantly on the verge of death.
"So why isn't he dead?" Manami asked reasonably.
"The sword he carries is bonded to his soul," Devas shrugged, "it sustains him."
"The reason there's nothing alive in the castle is he's killed them all just to sustain himself," Gabrielle realized.
"And probably any adventurers that came up here," Himeko noted grimly.
"Banishing him would probably be a mercy, really," Sinon added.
"Devas?" Gabrielle looked at her girlfriend.
"Go ahead," Devas agreed.
"BANISHING BLADE," Gabrielle swung, and the unconscious man disappeared in a burst of light.
"Well, THAT was anticlimactic," Scribe noted.
"Yeah, this won't make a good story," Sinon agreed. "Let's see if there's loot to be had..."
"Right," Himeko agreed.
To be continued...
Notes: Himeko and Manami are 'fantasy' versions of characters from the manga/anime Centaur's Worries. It's a very odd series that came out during the Monster Girls boom in anime... it's actually a science fiction series where various monster species evolved instead of humans.
Elric is from Michael Moorecock's fantasy novels. And yes, he's as messed up as I said here.. if not worse.