Shantae: The Eternal Spirit Chronicles

by IllusoryNomad

Following Shantae's latest crusade against the forces of evil, a new Relic is revealed that has the power to LITERALLY change (or even DESTROY) the lives of all who come into contact with it! Added to the emergence of a rogue, vengeful half-genie, as well as the unwelcome return of a certain marauding Pirate Queen, the Half-Genie Hero and company must spring into action once again!

23. Taking a Toll

Interlude: Taking a Toll

…Hm? Oh, hey. Been a little while since we last crossed paths, but I'm happy to see you again. Sorry if it seems like I'm not quite as energetic as usual. You'll find out why in just a bit. So, in case you need a recap, we most recently just wrapped up another of many dramatic, wacky Sequin Land sagas, this time involving Tayshan and Bolo as they were sent on a quest to hunt down a certain threat to the country's ecosystem. The 'threat' in question turned out to be none other than Bolo's mistress, the Leopard Gal Klawdia.

And through a series of wild and perilous experiences, not the least of which included Tayshan and Bolo getting into a poorly-timed fistfight with EACH OTHER over what would happen with Klawdia after they eventually captured her, the boys had their work cut out for them. Just before their adventure concluded, however, they were caught off-guard by a sudden unwelcome drop-in by the renegade half-genie Hashanah… which wound up costing Klawdia her life, Tayshan one of his Inhibitor Vambraces and some of his magic due to Hashanah siphoning it with her Spirit Fuser… and Bolo a hard-knock lesson on priorities when it came to completing quests. Nevertheless, we'll learn about the aftermath of their journey to the Burning Zipper Volcanic Field in due time. Instead, we start here…

In Scuttle Town, just outside Mimic's Workshop…

"Thanks for hanging out with me again on such short notice, Sky. It really helped get my mind off things…" the famous Half-Genie Hero Shantae thanked her blonde-haired, bird enthusiast best friend as the two rode into town atop Wrench as the sun had cast its last rays of light over the horizon. Shantae had still been wearing her casual clothes as she and Sky, also dressed in casual attire consisting of a modest bright blue button-up blouse, tan short shorts, and stylish white flats… while also wearing her usual blue headwraps to conceal most of her hair save for the two long, pointy bangs protruding from the front.

"Not an issue, girl! I always enjoy our excursions, however rare they've been these days," Sky happily acknowledged as the two hopped off Wrench, after which he shrunk down to his regular size in an instant. "I had no idea you were going through so much, though… You always have so much pressure on your shoulders…"

"Yeah, and as much as I want to feel like things are under control, I… I dunno, it just feels like the next big disaster is right around the corner…" Shantae lamented, frowning a bit as she sighed and momentarily cast her gaze elsewhere. "And the thought alone makes me so nervous that I barely know what to do with myself…"

"I get that, but that's why it's important for you to let us know what's going on in that head of yours," the bird tamer suggested as she patted her best friend on the shoulder and offered as reassuring a smile as she could muster. "You think maybe we'll reconvene for another little friend 'date' in the near future to talk more? I have another opening in my schedule next week, and I can certainly block that out for you."

"Definitely, girl. You helped me clear my head more than you know, but I know we didn't get enough time to actually talk because we spent so much time shopping and eating," the half-genie agreed. "Doesn't help that I've been getting these insane cramps from the Soul Link today… or at least, most of them were from the Soul Link…" she further complained, looking down to rub her abdomen and wincing like someone had just punched her in the stomach.

"Hm… I was gonna ask how you'd been handling those awful Soul Link cramps, but I suppose the more important thing to figure out is if Tay's safe."

"For sure. I'm not feeling anything right this second, so I'd like to think that means he's back from his mission by now."

"Here's to hoping that's the case. Alright, girl, I've gotta get going. I need to spend the rest of my time off preparing for some jobs with my birds. Although, I'm hoping I can get done early enough to actually enjoy the time I'd have left after the fact," Sky shared as she approached the other young woman for a hug.

"Got it. Thanks again, Sky," Shae offered her gratitude once more as she returned the affectionate gesture with gusto.

"Don't mention it," the falconer assured as the girls separated. "Before I go, though… I DO have a question for you…"

"What's up?"

"Well… Between you and me, how do you REALLY feel about loaning Tayshan to Rottytops for a day? I mean, I know you said you were fine with it because you all agreed to it, but I can't help but feel like you have some reservations…" Hearing this question initially startled Shantae as her eyes widened, though she was able to rein herself in. And after a heavy sigh…

"…That's because I do. Big ones, at that. I'm not terribly fond of the idea," the disgruntled heroine admitted. "I think she'll get great insight from him on how to fix this mess between her and Bolo, but I can't help but feel nervous that she's gonna take it too far with him…"

"Just as I thought you'd say," Sky acknowledged with a nod.

"Yeah… I know that sounds bad, and I trust that nothing weird's gonna happen between them, but… I dunno… just… I can't shake this twinge of uneasiness about them since they've gotten closer. I don't want it to sound like I'm jealous or anything, but… I haven't been able to get rid of this feeling since we got back from vacation…"

"That long, eh? I see… And I can't say I've exactly been blind to how uncomfortable you've seemed these past few weeks," the insightful falconer pointed out. "Want me to say something to her? And just in case I need to bring it up, are you really okay with him and me hanging out two days from now?"

"No, no, it's all fine," Shantae assured, shaking her head and dismissively waving a hand in front of herself. "There's no need to make a big deal out of it. I'm just hoping things play out well and that he manages to help her. And I absolutely have no issue with you hanging out with him alone."

"You sure? Because I saw the look you were giving me during our rendezvous at his house the other day when I asked him…"

"Dah! Uh… T-that's… because I was… stuck in my own head about a few things. That had nothing to do with you, I promise," she did her best to explain, nervously scratching her head underneath her cap. "No worries there."

"Hmm… If you say so, but last thing I need is you getting ready to attack me like a pack of wolves attacking a wandering hiker because I encroached on your territory again…" Sky half-joked with a chuckle, flustering the genie in the process.

"What!? Jeez, you're making me sound like I'm crazy and possessive!" Shantae complained as a blush formed on her face, making the taller woman laugh even harder. "I ain't trippin' that hard, Sky!"

"Just making sure, sweetie," the highly amused bird trainer remarked with a smiling wink as she turned to walk away. "On that note, I humbly take my leave. If not sooner, I'll see ya in a week, Shantae!"

"Ah… G-got it. Bye, Sky!" Shantae bade as she watched Sky, along with Wrench, saunter through Scuttle Town's modestly crowded streets. Within a minute, however, she turned toward her uncle's laboratory and calmly approached the front door. She opened it with a *click* to allow herself in, where she found it to be well-lit. "Uncle, I'm back! And… Oh! Hey, babe!" she greeted in surprise. Who was she talking to, you may ask?

"Hm? Ah! Welcome back home, hon," Tayshan greeted back after peering up from the worktable he'd been sitting at, though with just a bit less energy. He'd still been wearing the lower half of his golden adventuring attire, though his armor, helmet, and Inhibitor Vambraces had been missing. Worse yet, jolts of electricity had been running through his left arm, which immediately worried Shantae.

"Hey… A-are you okay? Where are your vambraces? Where's Uncle? Why are you in here by yourself? And… what's wrong with your arm?"

"Eh… So, there's… a bit of a story I need t' tell you about what happened today. Pops is with Bolo out in town, but they'll be back in a little while. You got some time?"

"Of course! Please, let me know what's been going on…" she humbly requested as she approached and took a seat across from him, after which she reached a hand out toward him. In response, Tayshan lent Shantae his afflicted hand at which point she began to massage it as she looked him in the eye. "Tell me everything on your mind."

"You got it. So… Here's how the whole trip went down…" the wraith began, kicking off a heavily detailed recounting of his most recent adventure to catch his love partner up to speed…

One epic recap later…

"…and right after she broke my vambrace an' sapped some o' my energy with her Spirit Fuser piece, I was forced t' let Hashanah leave or else I'd have completely lost control o' my magic…" he concluded with a sigh as he momentarily looked toward the ceiling and scratched his head.

"Dude… Are you KIDDING ME!? It sounds like EVERYTHING that could've gone wrong with that trip, DID go wrong in the wrongest way possible!" a most astonished Shantae remarked in complete shock as she planted a hand on her hat and shook her head.

"Shoot, you ain't lyin' about that… Part o' me wishes none of it even happened. But, here we are…"

"I don't blame you. I'm so sorry all that happened to you, sweetie…" the half-genie offered her sympathy. "I can't believe how messy it got for you. It especially disappoints me that Bolo sabotaged the mission and almost got locked up for it… And I don't even know where to BEGIN with the part where he almost started an ACTUAL family with that Leopard Gal and almost destroyed the ecosystem because of it… I mean, she deserved better than what she got in the end, but goodness…!" she continued to express her disbelief.

"Believe me, I'm still tryin' t' wrap my head around it all, too. Tell ya what, though, he got EEXTREMELY lucky that all the Sultana did was ban him from ever takin' another mission with me. Mind you, she was hysterically LAUGHING at Bolo the entire time she spoke to him, but she issued her decree nevertheless…"

"Ah… Of course, she'd be amused. That twisted sense of humor she has…" she acknowledged with a bemused nod.

"Yep. An' you know what's even better?" he asked, his tone as flat as could be as he leaned forward over the table as if to tell her a secret.

"I can only wonder with THAT kind of enthusiasm…" Shantae remarked, reading her boyfriend's sarcasm outright. "What's even better?"

"She paid me double for apparently 'brightening her mood' because she was havin' a rough day today before the debriefin'. An' then she tells me that no amount of misfortune she's had in the last five years could compare to the absolute, mind-scrambling travesty that was today's mission."

"What!? How much is double? Or even, how much were you supposed to get paid in the first place?" the heroine practically demanded to know.

"Had we kept Klawdia alive, the bounty would've been around 500,000 gems as the base pay," he explained. "But since we didn't, that was knocked down to 300,000. So, when you factor that in…"

"…You still made five times as much money with that one job as I do in an entire year as a Guardian Genie…" Shantae… rather irritably pointed out.

"Ah… Y-yeah…" Tayshan nervously admitted, scratching his head as he momentarily batted his eyes away.

"Whatever. That's beside the point," she dismissed with a sigh, rolling her eyes. "It's also gonna be a conversation to be had with Mayor Scuttlebutt. Anyway, I'm glad to know it wasn't ALL bad for you," she asserted, though the haloed guardian didn't exactly show the same level of relief.

"…I… wish I could agree with that, hon…" he hesitantly countered, causing Shantae to perk up in anticipation.

"Wha…? What do you mean?" she worriedly asked, reading the concern on his face as the air grew thin around them.

"Um… Well… there's somethin' I've gotta tell you… about why my arm's actin' up the way it is…" he suggested, momentarily lifting up his left hand as it continued to occasionally surge with involuntary electricity.

"Oh… W-what's going on? Is… is it serious?"

"Yeah… Pops ran a few more tests on me after Bolo an' I came back. An'… well… it turns out that between the Phantasmagoric Forest an' the Burnin' Zipper Volcanic Field, I've used up enough magic to… er… t' make it so that… um…" he trailed off, growing even more uncomfortable with the idea of giving more bad news.

"To make it so what, Tay? What's wrong?" Shae pressed, wracked with concern over her teammate's change in disposition. And after a brief, but VERY tense pause…

"…My 'life expectancy' has been shortened by a month an' a half," he revealed, causing Shantae to gasp absolute shock and dismay.

"WHAT!? N-no…! Are… are you sure? Could there have maybe been some mistake in his reports or something?" she asked, shaken up something fierce by the stunning revelation.

"I'd like t' think there was some kind o' mistake, but…" Tay began, though he trailed off soon afterward. And… after breathing a heavy sigh, he continued. "Even if that was the case, there'd still be some strong evidence because my arm started t' fade from view while we was dealin' with Hashanah earlier. An' my magic has only gotten more difficult an' more painful t' rein in since last time we spoke about it…"

"…Y-you're kidding…!" Shae remarked, though her heart skipped a beat as she registered what she was being told.

"Unfortunately not. That said, there's still hope we'll figure this all out before it's too late," he offered his word of encouragement as the two of them gazed deeply into one another's eyes.

"Count on it, Tay. I REFUSE to lose you again…! I… I promise you that if it's the last thing I ever do, I WILL save you…" she vowed, though the expression on her face made it apparent that she may have been making the promise more to herself.

"Hm… I appreciate that, Shae, but if it's the last thing I ever do, I'll make sure you're as happy an' as safe as can be," he somberly countered.

"What do you mean?"

"That if nothin' else, I want you t' be able t' live an' appreciate life regardless o' what happens t' me." And while Tayshan had expected her to know where he was coming from, he was instead met with a shockingly agitated glare from Shantae as she went silent for a moment. "…Er… H-hey, are you…?"

"…I really wish you wouldn't say things like that…" she bitterly murmured, temporarily breaking eye contact with him and looking downward as she breathed a heavy sigh and crossed her arms.

"Oh? Um…" he attempted to respond as he tried to look her in the eye, though the brim of her hat hid her eyes.

"I don't want to live without you," she sternly clarified as she looked back at him with a furrowed brow and emphasized her point by stretching her arms partway outward. "I don't want to even think of it. And I'd especially prefer that you didn't keep making statements like you don't care what happens to you."

"Babe, chill," the wraith requested in a tone of utmost concern, picking up on her frustration with him in that moment. "I never said anything o' the sort. But what would you prefer me t' do in this situation? Stay blissfully optimistic an' never talk about the chances we have?"

"No, but at least be a little surer that we'll fix it instead of coming across like you could shrug your shoulders at either result," Shantae explained her stance as she put her arms on the worktable and leaned forward while never breaking eye contact. "This is really serious, and now that it turns out we have even LESS time than we thought we did, it's become almost impossible to think of anything other than doing what we have to do to keep you here with us. So please, no more of that kind of talk."

"Aw, come on, Shantae…" Tayshan worriedly remarked, anxiously scratching his head. "Look, I'm sorry that what I said upset you. I'm just tryin' t' be realistic as we make sense o' what's goin' on. An' you already know I'd never pass up a chance t' be here with you indefinitely, nor would I ever 'shrug my shoulders' at one outcome or the other. My only point was that you won't do yourself any favors get so worked up over this situation that it causes you t' base your entire future on whether I wind up continuin' to exist or not."

"And like I just said, Tayshan, I'm not entertaining the idea of losing you again," she irritably countered. "Can't you see how stressful this is? How scary it is that we're even in this situation where you could literally vanish as soon as mid-August, and that your time apparently dwindles with the more you're forced to overuse your magic? You'd be crazy not to be at least half as worried as I am."

"Hmph. This might surprise you t' hear it, but yes, I'm well aware," he argued before shaking his head and taking a deep breath to relax. "Okay, I… I can see that talkin' about this the way we are won't get us very far. I'm not sure what t' say that won't make you more upset with me, so why don't we wait for Pops t' come back? We can talk about somethin' else until then…"

"Fine…" she acquiesced, her irritation quickly shifting into worry as her mood sank. Instead of actually engaging one another in another conversation right away, however, the couple went silent as they peered around the room. It appeared neither of them knew exactly how to broach another subject or at least segue from their most recent topic to the next. Yet, before too terribly long…

"…Shantae…" the wraith called to his lover as he returned his gaze to her.

"Yes, honey?"

"…You still up for some quality time this week? Or at least after the Cracklin' Crystal Castle trip? Er, n-not necessarily for THAT reason, but… just to enjoy each other's company. I get it if it's a bad time t' ask with all that's been goin' on, but I… w-well, not t' sound sappy, but I've been missin' you over this past month… Even with the bits o' time we DID get t' hang out before our friends came in."

"I'd love to, Tayshan," she answered with utmost certainty, her eyes lighting up as her usual adorable smile emerged once again. "And believe me, I've been itching for some special one-on-one time with you, too."

"Heh… Cool. So, you figure we should-?" he was about to ask before a *click* of the workshop's front door cut him off. Within seconds, the door opened to reveal a certain retired Relic Hunter and a certain adventurer-for-hire, still dressed in his attire from his most recent venture. "Ah. Welcome back, y'all," Tay greeted as he and Shae watched Mimic and Bolo stroll in.

"Sorry for the wait, my boy," Mimic politely apologized as he got settled in before laying eyes on his favorite niece. "And I see you've finally returned from your rendezvous with Sky, girlie. Glad to see you back safe."

"Yep. We had fun," Shantae calmly affirmed with a nod, though her previous happiness vanished in an instant when she turned her gaze toward Bolo.

"Hey, Shantae, how's it hangin'?" the blue-haired young man casually greeted, though he wasn't looking at her while he also took a moment to unwind. He would receive hardly even a fraction of the warmth he'd given, though.

"Bolo," she… rather coolly replied, causing him to freeze in his tracks. Seeming to sense the uneasy energy in the air, he slowly and VERY apprehensively shifted his gaze over to the half-genie sitting at the worktable across from Tayshan… And there, he saw her glaring at him like she wanted to kill him on the spot.

"…Eh… S-something wrong, sis? Did… did Tay break the news to you about the uh…?" the younger man dared to ask through a torrent of sudden apprehension.

"He did," Shae tersely answered.

"Ah, I uh… I-I see. But like… why do you look so mad? Did you two get into a fight or something?"

"No, but apparently, you and Tay did…" she hinted, causing Bolo to flinch in fright before hurriedly shifting his eyes toward the wraith in question. In response, Tayshan gave a neutral expression and shrugged while nudging his head.

"Um… So, does that mean what I think it means?" Bolo asked Tayshan.

"It does. I caught her up on what happened durin' our adventure today," the wraith candidly revealed, causing Bolo to flinch in shock.

"Aw, dude… Why'd ya have to tell her NOW? I was gonna-!" Bolo tried to chide Tayshan, who'd cocked an eyebrow at him in response. Yet, just as the blue-haired adventurer was about to finish his statement…

"BOLO," Shantae called to the younger man once again, practically forcing him to turn his attention back to her.

"Y-yeah?"

"I hope you understand just how ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS I am with you right now…!" the half-genie warned in as calm a tone as she could muster, though it was evident that she wasn't having it.

"Er… W-well, I got the vibe, but uh…"

"Go easy on the boy, cupcake," Mimic tried to intervene. "He's sorry for what he did, and he and I talked at length about it while we were out. He understands."

"No, he doesn't, Uncle," Shantae challenged, much to everyone's surprise as all of them cast their gazes on her. Meanwhile, hers was locked squarely on her youngest friend. "Bolo, I'm past the point of letting you off easy for the horrible things you've done since this mess started."

"Horrible? H-hey, that's a bit harsh…" he objected, however feebly as he grew more uncomfortable.

"Harsh? No, 'harsh' was leading Rottytops on and breaking her heart to fool around some random monster girl you met during your trip to the Cyclic Season Island… while badmouthing her behind her back," she immediately shot back without an ounce of mercy. "'Harsh' was abandoning Sky to fend for herself on that trip in favor of spending time with that same monster girl, and then trying to get her to keep it a secret to save face in front of Rottytops."

"I-I see your point, but-!"

"'Harsh' was flat-out attacking Tayshan while you guys were on that mission today because you didn't like that things weren't going your way. 'Harsh' was telling him TO HIS FACE that he's 'not a hero' after he did you the favor of letting you come with him to fix a problem YOU caused, on top of having a heart-to-heart conversation with you over what you did to Rottytops and how to properly deal with the situation from here. And for what? Because he wouldn't let that pregnant Leopard Gal go free to potentially destroy Sequin Land's ecosystem? ESPECIALLY after it turned out YOU got her pregnant!? Are you SERIOUS!?"

"Wait, WHAT!?" Mimic practically yelped, entirely flabbergasted by the accusation Shantae hurled at Bolo. Evidently, that news hadn't reached his ears before this point…

"Okay, I get it. I've had a bad streak of making mistakes, but it isn't as terrible as you're making it seem. Plus, I've gotten enough lectures from everyone else. I don't need you yelling at me about it as we-!" Bolo tried to argue, though Shantae wasn't having it.

"I'm not finished…!" she growled as she glared even harder at him. As such, he clammed right up. "Just in case you need to be reminded, there's now a bunch of people who can no longer come home to their friends and families because of what that Leopard Gal did to them when they tried to capture her. They'd still be here if it wasn't for one of your 'mistakes.' Do you have ANY idea how people would react if they found out they lost their loved ones because of you?"

"…Ah, r-right… I forgot about that…" Bolo regretfully admitted, letting the realization sink in as he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"'Forgot?' Must be so easy when you don't lose anything for the decisions you make while others lose EVERYTHING," she tore into him some more.

"Shantae, that's not what I meant," Bolo pleaded, sinking into himself as he looked back up at her. "Listen, I get it. I do. But you have to understa-!"

"No. I'm not going to hear one more lousy excuse from you, dude. I'm DONE sitting by and watching you screw up like this AGAIN AND AGAIN every time someone gives you a chance to help out. Everyone else winds up suffering for it, and instead of recognizing it, you just keep on prancing along, expecting the situation to be shrugged off while you continue to assume no one's upset at you when they don't spell it out for you. And now, here I am, spelling it out for you. You have been making things SO MUCH HARDER than you even realize, and at this point, I have HAD ENOUGH. Yet, you wanna turn around and tell someone else who's a hero and who's not? You can't even put your own senseless lust aside to complete one simple job! Even worse, of the three quests you've been on, you sabotaged two of them with your bad decisions and nearly got KILLED on the other before I saved you! You have NO place to tell ANYONE who's a hero or a villain… or an 'antihero,' for that matter! How ungrateful, oblivious, and disrespectful can you be!?"

"…Um…"

"Yo, Shae… Chill out," Tayshan tried to step in as he reached across the table and lightly tapped the shoulder. His plea would go unanswered, as she continued her lambasting. Worse yet, she got up and marched toward Bolo as he silently stood there and stared at her… with barely an expression on his face. And once she got close enough…

"At this point, you're LUCKY you're still my friend, or else I'd have let you HAVE IT for what you've done!" she shouted, growing angrier by the second. At that point, Bolo cast his gaze to the floor as he balled his fists up at his sides…

"Shantae! That's eno-!" Mimic tried again to stop her.

"We're all trying to save the world from another potential disaster, as well as trying to save our friend from DYING a second time, and you somehow STILL find a way to make it all about YOU!" she carried on. "What the heck is your problem!? There's no way the Bolo I know could be this… this…! STUPID AND SELFISH that he'd SERIOUSLY put himself and everyone else in jeopardy over and over again for the sake of seeking personal glory and a girlfriend! And then for you to try and FIGHT HASHANAH BY YOURSELF as a form of 'apologizing' to Tay for interfering with his job? On top of almost throwing away your entire friendship with him over a man-eating monster girl you were drooling over and whose death was also partly YOUR fault!?"

"…Shantae, listen to me," Bolo held in EVERY BIT of his emotion to calmly request, though he remained stagnant in his position. "I… I know it's messed up how things have been going, but I already said I'm sorry. More times than I can count. And I'll even say it again directly to you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for getting you mad. I'm sorry for being so unreliable. I… I'm sorry for-!"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you're sorry," she cut him off to demand as she stepped slightly closer. Bolo… didn't even attempt to honor the request as he stood there… "Well? Look me DEAD IN THE EYE and tell me that you're really sorry for everything you did. For hurting Rottytops… For abandoning Sky… For betraying Tayshan and indirectly costing him a giant chunk of the life he has left while almost costing yourself your own life AGAIN, whether it was Hashanah or the Sultana who would've taken it if you didn't have a ton of strings pulled for you…! And for all the other people, monsters, and even animals who were hurt by your actions…!" And… while I wish I could say Bolo did exactly that... well...

"..." was what he replied with as he unclenched his hands and stood there, his head still bowed low.

"Hmph. If you can't muster up the courage to own up to your mistakes the right way, then you're even less of a hero than ANYONE you accuse of not holding up the standard," she hit him with her judgment right then and there, causing him to flinch. After another tension-fueled moment of silence, however, she breathed a heavy sigh and turned to walk back to her seat at the worktable. Before taking a step, however, she craned her head around to shoot him the iciest death stare she'd ever mustered. And… "You seriously need to do better, Bolo, because you're running out of chances. The next time you mess up and hurt someone who cares about you or endanger innocent lives, that'll be the END of our friendship…! And if Tayshan winds up disappearing because of this, I swear I will NEVER forgive you…!"

"Shantae…! My word, girl, what has gotten into you?" Mimic fought through his complete astonishment to ask. "How could you say something like that?"

"Yeah, babe, don't you think you're pushin' it a bit too far with rippin' int' him like that?" Tay added.

"I don't," she answered her boyfriend directly as she turned to him and made her way back to her seat. "I cannot, and I WILL NOT pretend it's okay for him to have hurt everyone the way he has, and someone has to let him know that his actions have consequences."

"Hm. I get that. But…"

"But what? Are you gonna tell me you don't agree?" she queried with a raised eyebrow, catching the wraith by surprise.

"Well… No, I do agree with most o' what you're sayin'," he answered, however hesitantly, as he scratched his head and sighed. Little did he know, his answer shook Bolo to his core. "It's just that I didn't expect you t' be so razor-sharp with your words. An'… threatenin' t' end your friendship with him seems like overkill…"

"It's… it's fine, Tayshan," Bolo gathered up the courage to speak for himself, though he didn't yet pull his gaze up from the floor. "Really, it is…"

"Hm. You sure? Because I still get a feelin' you got somethin' on your mind…" Tay observantly remarked.

"I did, but… it really isn't worth it to bring it up, because she's… she's right…" he admitted with a noticeable waver in his voice as he stood there, crestfallen. "I… I didn't know how much of a problem I'd been to the rest of our team and to everyone else, and… and between what you said back in the Burning Zipper Volcanic Field and what Shantae said now… I… I realize now that I've been a horrible teammate… and an even worse friend… and the worst 'hero' ever. I-I'm sorry…"

"Bro, listen. We… we can figure this out," Tay tried to console as he moved to get up from the table… before Shae grabbed his hand to stop him. Astonished, he looked toward her to see her lightly shaking her head at him as she gazed right into his eyes. Heeding the nonverbal request, he refrained from approaching the other young man. And though he spent a moment contemplating what to say or do, he eventually reached a conclusion in his head as he turned his attention to Bolo once more. As such… "I… suppose it's gonna take a strong effort t' get there, though. Hm…" he added, though he seemed lost for words as he held onto the half-genie's hand.

"At this point, children, why don't we save this discussion for a later time?" Mimic interjected once again to try and quell the dispute. "Things certainly have been quite burdensome over the last few weeks, but we must remain focused on our major goal here. I uh… I also have some additional news regarding… er…?" he further shared, though his statement was cut short when Bolo turned around and sullenly dragged himself to the door. "Where are you going, lad?"

"Somewhere to think. I… I'll be back. Probably not for a good bit, but… I'll be back," was all Bolo offered before opening the door with everyone else watching him. Mimic and Tayshan looked on in concern. Shantae, on the other hand, wore an expression of frustration and contempt. Without another word, and with the *click* of the door behind him, Bolo had exited the building.

"…Ooookay…" Mimic broke the following momentary silence to comment as he sighed and rubbed his head. "So… You're going to eventually apologize for tearing him asunder like that, no?" he asked of Shantae, who raised an eyebrow at him in response. "That was uncharacteristically meanspirited of you."

"Why would I apologize? He needed to hear every word of that. I wasn't being meanspirited, I was telling him the truth," she stood her ground, flabbergasting her surrogate parent in the process.

"Excuse me? Since when was it okay to kick your friends while they were down? I raised you better than that, young lady."

"Stop that! He was being insensitive and impulsive this whole time, and you know it, Uncle. I let him know exactly what his actions were doing to everyone, himself included, without sugarcoating it. What, was I supposed to cheer him up and make him feel better about all the pain and frustration he's caused?"

"No, but you cannot go letting your own frustration boil over to the point of hurting people the way you did Bolo. You know he looks up to you, and I figured you'd have taken that into consideration when you spoke your piece," Mimic explained. "It isn't okay that you did that to him, and I expect you to make amends with him before too long."

"Yeah, well I'm not doing that," she argued right back, shocking both Mimic and Tayshan in the process.

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" the agitated Relic Hunter barked, not at all tolerating the half-genie's back-sass. "I didn't 'request' that you apologize to Bolo; I'm TELLING YOU to do it. And you'd better mind your tongue from this point on, Shantae, because you're really pushing me."

"And YOU'RE not doing me or anyone else any favors by-!" she was about to yell back before…

"SHANTAE!" Tayshan hollered, startling her as she whirled around.

"WHAT!?" the half-genie shouted back at him, unappreciative of his interjection.

"Chill. Out. NOW," he calmly, yet VERY sternly warned in Mimic's defense, furrowing his brow at her as he leaned closer. Seeing how serious he was, she widened her eyes as she listened. "Do NOT start trippin' to the point o' disrespectin' your elders. I get that you're upset right now, but dial it back. Nobody's ever gotten anywhere good by takin' their anger out on everybody around them. You feel me?"

"…Y-yeah… My bad…" she agreed, her anger replaced with worry as she sighed and turned toward her foster parent. "Sorry, Uncle…"

"Hm. Well, then. All is forgiven. Let's make it a point not to let this, or any conversations like this, happen again," he dismissed as he also breathed a sigh of relief. "And please, Shantae. Next time you see Bolo, set the record straight with him in a more peaceable manner."

"Yes, sir…" she agreed, sinking into herself a bit as she settled back down.

"Good. Now, I'm aware Tayshan has told you about the unfortunate development regarding his lifespan, in addition to the issue of his magic becoming more unruly with the more powerful it gets," Mimic brought things back on track without a hitch.

"Yes," she plainly confirmed, however significantly it bothered her to acknowledge it.

"Indeed. I do have good news, however," the old scientist postulated, causing both of his guests to perk up.

"That news being…?" Shantae asked.

"We MAY have something of an alternative to the Inhibitor Vambraces in the form of the Spirit Fuser piece Tay retrieved from the Phantasmagoric Forest."

"Oh?" both Shantae and Tayshan hummed in unison, their joint curiosity piqued further.

"You heard me right, children," Mimic affirmed with a confident nod as he produced the Spirit Fuser fragment from his pocket. "According to my research, this fragment can act as something of a portable power bank. Additionally, it can absorb roughly three times as much magic as the Inhibitor Vambraces could."

"I see…" the lavender-haired maiden remarked, rubbing her chin in wonder. "Although, wouldn't that be a bad thing? I mean, it sounds like this piece works the same as the one Hashanah has…"

"I figured you would mention that. The fragment Hashanah's been using is the core piece of the Spirit Fuser, and is the only one that functions in a similar fashion to how the entire thing would for living beings after it was fully reassembled… with the difference being the drastically diminished ability that single fragment has on its own. This fragment by itself does not have the ability to siphon energy from anyone other than the wielder. It also does not siphon life force at all. As a tradeoff, the wielder can also absorb their power back from the fragment when needed."

"Ooooohhhhh…" the Cosmic Couple hummed in unison once again.

"The bank comparison makes a lot more sense now," Tayshan added with a nod. "My only thing, though, is how safe it would be t' carry it around knowin' that our enemies are gunnin' for it. I also wonder about what would possibly happen if someone else got their hands on it while it was filled up with any amount o' my powers…"

"Then you'd better guard this thing with your life, lad, because your life VERY LITERALLY depends on it," the scientist sagely advised as he walked over and handed his nephew-in-law the fabled Relic.

"…Hm… How ironically unironic…" the wraith flatly mused as he got Spirit Fuser and observed it in his hand. Shantae resisted the urge to giggle at his overwhelming enthusiasm, grinning as she covered her mouth with a hand.

"Heh… I… suppose the irony isn't lost on you, now is it, son?" Mimic punned with a chuckle.

"'Irony' might as well be my middle name, sir," the wraith joked again, eliciting additional laughter from the genie and the scientist.

"Is that so? In that case, what's your last name?" Mimic teasingly asked, though he curiously raised an eyebrow.

"Ironically enough, I don't HAVE a last name," Tayshan ironically answered with… all the irony.

"Wait, seriously?" Shantae chimed in to ask in surprise.

"Seriously," her boyfriend confirmed.

"Wow… All this time, I just thought you preferred not to tell anybody."

"Trust me, Shae, you'd have been the first to know. An' in case you're wonderin' why I don't have a last name, it's because my parents didn't believe in them."

"Didn't believe in them? What's that all about?"

"Somethin' about how last names are a corrupt an' outdated method o' claimin' reputation or ownership on meaningless associations, as well as their stern disapproval o' the labels assigned t' people from birth because of 'em. If I had my birth certificate with me, I'd show you. The surname part was left completely blank."

"My word… Your parents sure were some… interesting people," Mimic remarked with another chuckle as he patted the ghost man on the shoulder. "I'd have loved to meet them."

"If I could speak for 'em, then I'd say the feeling would've been mutual, Pops," Tay remarked with a shared chortle. "Although…" he further remarked in realization as he turned to the half-genie. "Shantae?"

"Yes, babe?"

"I'm curious now. Do YOU have a last name?"

"Nope."

"I figured. How come?"

"I'm not sure, actually. My mom never put one on my birth certificate, either. My dad… well, I'm not even sure he had a last name. So, minus the 'parents not believing in last names' thing, I'm in the same boat as you," she straightforwardly explained.

"Huh. Interesting…"

"Indeed," Mimic added. "So basically, when you two get married, neither of you would have to go through the hassle of figuring out who would do what with the nonexistent surname."

"Dah! Um…" Tay stammered, jumping in surprise as his cheeks grew red.

"UNCLE!" Shae yelled in embarrassment as she blushingly glowered at her surrogate father.

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist. Heh," the retired Relic Hunter admitted, laughing it up a bit more before clearing his throat and refocusing. "Anyway, until I can find the time to create additional, as well as stronger Inhibitor Vambraces, our next best bet is for you to rely on that Spirit Fuser fragment to manage your magic, Tayshan."

"Noted. I'm… not sure how t' feel about this, but it seems we're pressed for alternatives," the wraith reluctantly acknowledged.

"You can say that again…" Shantae added in concurrence.

"I understand the concerns both of you presented, but I'm trusting each of you to adapt and handle any potential challenges appropriately."

"Count on it, Uncle," the determined heroine assured before turning her attention to the ghostly guardian. "And Tay, I think it's high time we resumed our Skillful Harnessing training. I want to be sure you have better control over your magic at least before we set off on our next quest together."

"Copy that, boss," Tay obliged with an assuring nod and thumbs-up. "How soon should we start trainin', in that case?"

"Good question. Hm… we may be able to squeeze in some time tomorrow, though it won't be much. And the day after that, I've got a day trip planned to Genie's Hem partly at the Sultana's request while you have your hangout with Sky. I should be totally free the day after the trip, though."

"Hm. We'll figure it out," Tay assured with a nod as he took the moment to stretch his arms… only to realize that his left one was still occasionally emitting jolts of electricity. "Hopefully, soon enough," he added as he shook his electricity-imbued limb. "In the meantime, I'm gonna head back home an' get out o' this costume. Even after today, I still have another shift in the mornin'."

"Ah, alright," Mimic acknowledged with a nod as he watched the young man get up from the table and stretch once again. "Make sure you get a chance to practice using that Spirit Fuser fragment, my boy. And please let me know if you experience any further complications."

"Will do, Pops. Thanks for all your help, as always. I really appreciate you."

"Not an issue, son. You go ahead and take it easy. You've certainly earned it."

"Couldn't agree more. G'night, sir," Tayshan bade as he approached the front door. As he made his way toward the exit, Shantae took it upon herself to follow suit.

"Good night, Uncle!" the half-genie bade as she got up from her seat to give her foster parent a hug.

"Ah! You stay put," he advised, much to both of his guests' collective surprise as they both froze and turned around.

"Why?" Shantae asked in an understandable show of concern.

"Two things. One, it's been a little while since you and I got to spend some quality time together. You really shouldn't go ignoring your dear old uncle in his retirement years. It gets lonely sometimes. Two… well, you both already know THAT one." At that, both of them sank and blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh… my GOODNESS, Uncle! Why do you ALWAYS think Tay and I are gonna fool around every time we're together!? We weren't even going to be doing that because I started my 'cycle' today!" Shantae blurted out for everyone in the workshop to hear.

"Wha-how! Okay, THAT'S NOT AT ALL what I meant! The second reason was because I wanted to clear the air and understand why you've been so grumpy!" Mimic corrected, completely caught off-guard by the young woman's unwelcome admission.

"WHAT!? Aw, come on! Why didn't you just say that from the jump!? Also, I have NOT been grumpy! Man, how embarrassing…" she lamented, scratching her head in vexation as she blushingly bored holes into the ground with her eyes after lambasting her foster parent.

"…Jeez… Never a dull moment with these people…" Tay mumbled with a sigh and shake of his head before turning back toward the others. "Alright, I'm peacin' out. I suppose I'll see you after work tomorrow, Shae-Shae. G'night."

"Tay-Tay, hang on just a sec! Don't leave yet!" she anxiously requested as she reached toward him, though she was far too late. Her boyfriend had made his exit a swift one, closing the door behind him before she could even finish her statement. Disappointed, the half-genie sulked, groaned, and pressed a hand to her forehead. "…Great."

"Ah, don't worry about him, dearie," Mimic remarked in an attempt to pass the awkward moment. "I'm sure he's not that put off by your haphazard, ill-timed admission about your er… 'monthly gift.' He'd have to be used to hearing about it by now, I'd imagine."

"That's NOT…! Ah, never mind…" Shantae was about to argue before sighing and shaking her head in continued agitation. Once she did so, she turned her attention to the retired Relic Hunter. "So, what did you really need me to stick around for?"

"Now, now, no need to be upset," Mimic assured with a wave of his hand, wanting to pacify his daughter before continuing. "It's just… I know how stressful this ordeal has been for you, as we discussed earlier. And… I want to let you know that no matter what, I am here for you. I don't want to see you so troubled and unable to rein in your nerves."

"Oh," she remarked, surprised by his statement as she tried to figure out what to say. After a moment and a mildly anxious sigh, however… "Um… Well, I appreciate that, Uncle… and… again, I'm… I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting toward you today. It… really has been a stressful few weeks, and for a lot of different reasons," she admitted as she sat back down at the worktable. Wanting to give her an ear to listen, Mimic poured himself a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee and joined her by taking a seat at the other end of the table with his mug in hand by its handle.

"Well, don't hold it all in, cupcake. Tell me all about it, and I'll do my best not to sound like an out-of-touch old fogey when I offer you advice," he joked as he took a sip of his steaming beverage, eliciting a hearty chuckle out of his esteemed guest.

"Hah, you sure do know how to set the tone," she laughingly pointed out, though it wouldn't take long before she refocused. "But… I hope you have all night if you're gonna keep me here. I'll make every minute of gossip worth your while."

"I've already got my conversation tonic at the ready, so I'll listen for as long as you need me to, lass," he joked again, making Shantae giggle once more.

"In that case, you'd better put your money where your mouth is," she joked back, though she perked up as soon as she realized something. "Hey… speaking of 'tonic…'" At that, the Relic Hunter tensed up as he stopped sipping his coffee and turned his full attention to the half-genie.

"Yes, dearie?"

"Have you had any breakthroughs with that Astral Enhancement Tonic Sky found the other week? It's been a little while since we last brought it up, and I'm curious now…"

"Ah, er… um…" Mimic stammered, growing a tad skittish as he stroked his long, silver beard and took a deep breath to ease his nerves. "W-well… I didn't want to say anything about that before I had anything noteworthy to report… hm…"

"I see…" she understandingly acknowledged, though the disappointment in her tone was clear. "Well… in case you can't figure it out before too long, maybe we should consider keeping it handy in case we need it?"

"Eh… Don't lose hope just yet, pumpkin," Mimic did his best to reassure. "One way or another, the secrets of that mysterious serum will be unlocked, and… if we play our cards right, it'll all work out in the end."

"Got it," she plainly remarked with a nod, none the wiser to her uncle's nervousness surrounding the topic.

"Indeed. So anyway, how was your outing with Sky?" he asked, changing the subject entirely. "And for that matter, might you also want to fill me in a bit more on the issue you had with Bolo? You mentioned something about him… procreating with an endangered species of monster girl?"

"Ooh, have we got a LOT of ground to cover on that, Uncle," the Half-Genie Hero remarked with a sigh and shake of her head. "Sky and I had fun and we spent most of our time catching up and unwinding, to answer your first question, though."

"Ah, good, good. Glad to see you girls are still getting along well after so long."

"There's no reason why we shouldn't be getting along. And I hold out the highest hope that that doesn't change between us anytime soon," Shae remarked with a confident grin. "Anyway, yes, Bolo 'procreated' with a member of an endangered race of monster girl. Or rather, extinct now, according to Tayshan… He said the monster girl was killed by Hashanah when she ambushed them."

"Oh, dear… Hm… I certainly wonder what's going through Bolo's mind now," Mimic pondered, taking another sip of his coffee as he tried wrapping his head around the adventurer-for-hire's ordeal. "And… all things considered about his apparent break-up with Rottytops over the issue, do you think she'll come to find out? And if she does, what do you think she'd do?"

"She'll HAVE to find out at some point," Shantae worriedly affirmed. "And when she does… well, I'll just say I hope Bolo has his passport, because he's gonna need it to escape her literally undying wrath…"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, they say," he quipped, this time causing Shantae to gasp in shock.

"Uncle! You can't say that!"

"Why not?"

"Because it has a bad word in it!"

"Oh, nonsense, girl. You're too grown to be worried about something so frivolous," he dismissed with a chuckle and nonchalant flick of his hand. "And here, I thought you were more bothered about the phrase's meaning…"

"I guess, but why would you tell me to watch my language if you're gonna use bad words in front of me?"

"For the sake of the expression, Shantae," Mimic clarified. "You know that rule still stands strong otherwise, and you also know that I also follow it pretty strictly."

"Ah. Makes sense, I suppose…" the half-genie acknowledged, however uncertain she was as she shrugged and tilted her head. "Uh… Well… What exactly DOES that expression mean?"

"That there's no worse thing in the world than the anger of a woman who's faced rejection in the realm of love."

"Ohh. Oooohhh…" Shantae droned, her eyes widening in apparent realization. "Yyyyyeah, Rotty's gonna send Bolo right to H… Er, th-that place you just mentioned when she finds out… And there's no room for exaggeration there, believe me."

"Ah. Well, all I can say there is… YIKES."

"Yep. So, now that we have THAT established, allow me to enlighten you on why that is."

"By all means, sweetheart. The floor is yours. And while you're at it, you can give me a bit more context on why you flipped out on him the way you did."

"I flipped out because I'm tired of watching him make such a mess of things that everyone else suffers for it like I told him," she candidly remarked. "It's not like I hate the kid or anything, but I would REALLY prefer that he got his act together and stopped being so selfish and impulsive. I… I suppose you're right in that I was a little meaner to him than I should've been, but… I'm so worried about everyone else because of their recent experiences with Bolo. Not a single one of them deserved the hard times he gave them, and evidently, no one is happy with him right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Sky said she can barely tolerate talking to him right now because he still hasn't fully taken responsibility for what happened on the Cyclic Season Island, Rottytops REFUSES to speak to him because he doesn't understand how hurtful his mistake was to her despite his numerous attempts to apologize to her… and Tayshan, from what he told me before you guys came back, is still pretty mad at Bolo for nearly dumping their entire friendship down the drain over that Leopard Gal, on top of Bolo basically causing that entire mission to need to happen in the first place by getting the Leopard Gal pregnant, and then sabotaging said mission in the worst way possible as soon as they found out their target… was the exact same Leopard Gal."

"Ah… W-well… Hm, I can… see why you'd all be so agitated when you explain it that way. That boy only told me he made a few big mistakes, but he never went into detail about exactly HOW big his mistakes were. Good gravy…"

"Yyyeah. So, if you still want me to give you my account of the issues between Bolo and Rottytops, you have the backbone of it and then some. Shall I enlighten you?"

"Well shoot, you might as well lay it on me. I'm not a fan of gossip, but I can't resist hearing this…"

"You got it, Uncle. So, ya see, what had happened was…" Shantae got set to explain the rest of the eccentric and exotic misadventures she and her friends embarked on as father and daughter spent the rest of the night bonding and gossiping away… And that's where we'll leave them for now. We've still got one more base to cover, so come along!

Elsewhere in Scuttle Town…

"Alrighty, time to finally wrap things up for the day," everyone's favorite blonde bird tamer remarked to herself as she strolled through Scuttle Town's modestly busy evening streets toward her home. She had just come within a few steps of an apartment building with a gigantic nest holding an egg smattered with blue polka dots on top of it when she suddenly stopped in front of the staircase leading up to its front door. Crossing her arms and looking upward, she breathed a sigh as she began to ponder. "Man, I certainly wonder how things are going to play out from this point… It feels like every time we turn around, there's another problem to solve, another fire to put out… another villain to stop from running amok and giving everyone around them a major headache… How much more of this mess will we need to put up with before we can finally get some peace and quiet around here? Hm…" As Sky took the moment to collect her thoughts, another familiar face approached her without her noticing…

"Yo, birdbrain," called a certain jovial zombie girl as she casually strutted toward the bird trainer, breaking her focus in the process. The zombie girl had been carrying bags of clothing and had been wearing a particularly stylish pair of sunglasses. "What the heck are you doing spacing out in front of your house? Thinkin' about what it would be like if you were born as a turkey or something?"

"Hello to you, too, Rotty. Nice glasses," Sky flatly greeted as she turned toward her friend and reoriented herself. "And no, I was just reflecting on how things have been going with this recent series of adventures. I just got back from hanging out with Shantae."

"Ah, I see. Well, I hope you didn't spend TOO much time lecturing her about the importance of walking around with a stick up your butt all the time," Rotty crudely joked, though Sky was the farthest thing from amused.

"Lay off, would ya? I really don't get why you think of me like that when all I've ever tried to do is be mature. I'm SO sorry if maturity isn't your strong suit."

"Watch it, chirpy. I'll clip your wings and serve you on a platter with a side of soy sauce."

"Hm. Good to know you're in a decent mood after what happened the other day, I guess," Sky dismissed with a roll of her eyes as she turned and began walking up the staircase to her home. Rather than turn and walk away, Rottytops followed suit.

"Hey, hang on a sec!" the undead young woman called to the falconer as the two made their way to the hatchery.

"Why are you following me? Don't you have someone else to annoy with your rude, insensitive jokes?" Sky irritably remarked, though she didn't stop Rotty from following her.

"Yikes, the eagle certainly has her talons out tonight," Rotty remarked as she pretended to flinch in shock. "Also, nope. I was hoping to run into you, and now that I've found you, I figure we can hang out. Maybe you'll even invite me in to spend the night."

"Is this your way of asking me for a chance to sit down to finally have that talk? Because you can just say that instead of making me guess at it through your usual brand of antagonizing me."

"The eagle also has her eagle vision working at full power," Rotty continued to belt out bird jokes. "And… if you don't mind, I'd like that. Um… jokes aside, I er… I did want to… y'know, clear the air between us. I… I know we haven't had much chance to talk to each other recently…" At that, Sky grew suspicious as she narrowed her eyes at the other young woman. And after a second to contemplate the zombie girl's intentions…

"What, did Tayshan put you up to this?" the scrutinizing bird tamer inquired, keeping her guard up as she crossed her arms.

"Wha-!? No! Of course not. Not EVERY good thing I do has to be tied to him," Rotty boisterously denied with a mighty flinch, a particularly prominent blush forming on her face as she made her claim. "I-I just wanted to chat. Y'know, spend some girl time with my uh… not-quite-best friend."

"That's your selling point? Your 'not-quite-best' friend?" Sky indignantly remarked with a scoff. "You make it sound like I'm on the bottom of your list of people you enjoy spending time with."

"Don't be silly, Sky. That spot is currently reserved for Bolo," Rotty very matter-of-factly corrected, though it brought the buxom blonde no form of humor. If anything, Sky deadpanned at her. "You're, like… fifth on that list behind Shantae and Tayshan—who are tied for first—and Abner and Poe, who are tied for second. Oh, wait, there's also Twitch, who I got to hang out with a couple times. She's loads of fun, believe it or not," she rambled, only irritating the falconer further. "So, I guess that technically makes you sixth…"

"GOOD NIGHT, ROTTYTOPS," Sky bade her farewell as she turned to march forth ahead of the undead maiden.

"W-wait! No, I'm serious! Come on, hang out with me for a little! Pleeeeease?" Rotty begged, wearing the cheesiest grin she could as she followed close behind her not-quite-best friend. And after pausing to turn and look at the other young lady…

"…Ugh… Sure," Sky finally caved with a sigh and roll of her eyes. "Just don't make a mess this time, alright? I finally scored some time off to get myself and my birds back in order, and I'd rather not waste it cleaning up after you instead."

"Gee, Sky, thanks for the generous invitation. I really appreciate your boundless charm and hospitality," Rotty flatly remarked as the girls finally reached the bird tamer's front door.

"If only you could be this smarmy to me on a regular basis. It might've helped us become friends faster."

"Hardy-har-har. Now, come on. Let me in, so we can chill."

"Fine…" the bird trainer acquiesced with a sigh as she unlocked and opened the door to her humble abode. Inside, it was a modest, compact living space with an assortment of bird cages, nests, roosts, training stands, feeders, baths, and the like neatly positioned all around the vicinity. Sky politely ushered her guest in, after which the two of them walked through the hatchery where a healthy supply of the falconer's many avian pets were carrying on about their business, chirping and squawking to welcome their caretaker. All except Wrench, however, who had been perched on a particularly sizable training stand at the far corner of the room. He was glaring squarely at Rottytops… who definitely noticed as she and Sky made their way past the kitchen area and took their seats on a big purple couch at the heart of the living room.

"Uh… Could you tell your man-eating pheasant thing to stop gawking at me like he wants to swallow me whole?" Rotty humbly requested as she tried to make herself comfortable. Wrench would provide no assistance to that, of course, as his topaz-hued eyes found themselves squarely locked onto her.

"It would help if you didn't call him a pheasant, first off," Sky corrected as she took her seat next to the other young lady. "And second, he knows better than to eat you. He's not gonna hurt you."

"…Yeah, alright. Totally believe you," Rotty sarcastically remarked as she took a deep breath… and intently turned away from Wrench to avoid his piercing gaze.

"If he wanted to do anything to you, he'd have tried it already," Sky… reassured, I guess. You can imagine it did Rotty the farthest thing from a favor in easing her nerves. "Anyway, where did you want to begin with our girl talk?"

"Hm… W-well… I… I guess I'll begin by saying I'm sorry… for uh… for making fun of you about the uh… y'know, the thing…" Rotty barely succeeded at hinting at, fidgeting with her fingers as she grew a mite nervous.

"That 'thing' being…?" Sky prodded, raising an eyebrow in wonder.

"You being a virgin," she blurted out, which almost instantly made Sky's face go beet red as the bird trainer widened her eyes.

"And why is THAT the first thing you want to cover?" the extremely flustered bird trainer questioned. "That's the LEAST of my concerns, though I do wonder why you've been harping on me for that over the last couple of months."

"Um… W-well, because it seemed like everybody else in our group was getting some kind of action. At the time, I figured I was a step ahead of you because of mine and Bolo's little… 'fling,' I guess I'll call it."

"I should've figured as much after the big reveal the other day."

"I guess that's fair to say. Just to be clear, though, he and I never went beyond kissing. We hadn't even-!"

"No need to explain yourself to me, Rotty," Sky quickly, albeit nervously interjected. "What you do behind closed doors is your business and no one else's. That aside, I accept your apology as long as it means you'll stop making fun of me. Especially considering we're both still virgins…"

"Oh! Y-yeah, sure. Not a problem," the zombie maiden agreed, though another notable blush formed on her face as she shamefully sunk into herself a bit. They weren't quite done with the topic yet, however… "Question for ya, though."

"Shoot."

"Gotcha. Okay, so… like… Why haven't you… well…?" Rottytops skittishly began to ask as she scratched her head with a hand. Seeing where this was going, Sky let out an exasperated sigh.

"…We're really starting off talking about this of all things…" the falconer lamented in clear discomfort.

"Yep! No turning back now, so spill," Rotty eagerly egged her on, her confidence in prying into Sky's love life redoubled as she sighed in relief. "Why haven't you done the deed with anyone yet?" And with an additional sigh of possible future regret from Sky…

"…Because I want my first time to be with someone who I know truly loves and appreciates me, in a few words. I've had plenty of opportunities to mess around with guys in the past, but I could never bring myself to go through with it," the bird tamer cautiously revealed.

"How come?"

"It's partly because I didn't feel truly connected to them. I felt I'd have done myself a huge disservice if I was to just go ahead and indulge myself before I was sure my potential partners were right for me. The other part is because… well… because I'd be a bit embarrassed if I did do it, only to wind up catching feelings for someone who ultimately didn't want what I wanted out of the encounter… if it doesn't sound rude to say that, all things considered."

"Nah, you're alright. I'm picking up what you're putting down. But like… it's just an experience, isn't it? It isn't like you HAVE to be tied down to whoever you pick to have your fun with."

"True, but it's an incredibly intimate experience. It's more than simply giving someone a peck on the lips and telling them you love them. It's something that I feel is supposed to solidify and strengthen the emotional connection between two people."

"Emotional connection?" Rottytops disbelievingly asked with a slight shake of her head. "What's that matter? I thought people just did it to either make babies or to have a good time with each other…" she added with a shrug.

"You're not wrong there, but you've got to look a bit deeper, sweetheart. People have all kinds of reasons for getting intimate with each other, but only so many do it for the right reasons… especially when it's so easy to confuse sex and love for one another," Sky clarified, coming out of her shell a bit as she explained her stance. "Neither one equals the other, and I'd prefer to have my own experience be one where my wishes are being fulfilled in both aspects."

"And by that, you mean…?"

"Sex is purely physical. You meet someone, you go into a room, you disrobe, you fool around for a while, and that's it. It's totally pointless without a deeper emotional purpose if you ask me," the teenage love guru that was Sky further elucidated. "Love, on the other hand, can be experienced and expressed in all kinds of ways, whether physical, emotional, or otherwise. There are multiple 'languages' to love that make it more special, whereas sex is just that. It's just that love is so desirable that a lot of people think getting busy with each other is all it takes to earn or even feel just a tiny bit of it. And in most cases I've heard about, it just doesn't work that way. I personally would rather connect to someone emotionally BEFORE I think to open up to them physically…"

"Hm…" Rotty hummed, absorbing her friend's point for herself.

"Much as I hate to say it… I feel like giving yourself up to anyone who will take you is almost guaranteed to do you more harm than good, both physically and emotionally. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a person going out and having their 'fun' with whoever they want in whatever way they want, as long as they're careful about it and they understand each other's boundaries. That approach just isn't for me, though. And for you, if you care to hear it from me, I think… well, I think you deserve love more than you might desire sex, Rottytops. I get it if you're the type that prefers physical experiences over emotional ones, but still… Woman to woman, you have a lot more to offer than just your body, y'know? You've just gotta believe that for yourself."

"…I see…" Rotty somberly acknowledged with a nod before momentarily breaking her gaze, shifting it downward. At that point, the girls went radio silent for what felt like an eternity as Rotty stared at the floor and contemplatively twirled a finger in her hair. Meanwhile, Sky curiously examined the other woman's mannerisms before taking a deep breath…

"…Maybe we should talk about something else," the uncertain avian aficionado suggested, reaching over to pat her guest on the shoulder. In response, Rottytops looked up at Sky, her eyes glassy to the point that a tear ran down her frowning face. "Whoa…! Are… you okay?"

"…Y-yeah, I'm fine. It's just… I didn't expect you to get all sappy and sentimental and gunk," the upset zombie maiden did her best to excuse herself as she shook off her dismay, sniffled, and wiped her eyes dry. Afterward, she sat up, putting on her brightest smile as she turned her attention back to her host. "Thanks for that pep talk, though. Weirdly enough, I think I kinda needed it!"

"Heh… Well, as always, I'm here to help," Sky assured with a grin of her own. "Of course, I DO have another thing I'd like to address with you."

"Oh? What might that be?"

"I'm… not sure how to broach the subject, but I might as well put it out there. What exactly are you hoping to gain from your da… Hm?" she was about to further ask before a pigeon with a note tied to its leg came fluttering in through the window at the far end of the living room. "Excuse me for a sec. It looks like I've got an incoming message," she pointed out as she carefully rose up off the couch and approached the window while slipping on her handling glove. Accordingly, the pigeon hopped onto her forearm as soon as soon as she extended her gloved appendage. "Who in the world could've sent me a message THIS late at night?" she pondered, making Rottytops just as curious.

"Maybe it's a secret admirer looking to score some attention from you?" the zombie girl theorized.

"Not likely. Last time THAT happened, it turned out to be some creepy stalker that Wrench went out to deal with on his own volition after the 40th letter in a single month claiming they'd kidnap me and take me into their castle like their 'feathery queen.' Haven't heard from them since, though I couldn't tell you what happened. All I know is that Wrench came back with a severed human arm in his beak… while in his NORMAL state," Sky plainly remarked as she untied the note from the courier pigeon's leg.

"YIKES! I can only imagine what the little guy did to them…"

"Yeah, well… Let's just say Wrench wasn't in the best of moods when he dealt with the issue."

"Ohh… DOUBLE yikes," Rotty remarked with a chuckle, though her laughter would be cut short when she looked over at Wrench… who had still been glaring at her, never moving from his spot. "…M-make that triple…" she added, clearing her throat and nervously sinking into herself as she very deliberately turned her attention away from the predatorial wren/finch hybrid.

"You're tellin' me," Sky answered, none the wiser to her favorite bird's intimidation of the zombie girl as she raised her arm, allowing the dutiful bird to fly back out the window. Once it was gone, Sky removed her handling glove and unfurled the note. Upon glancing at its contents… "What the…? I don't recognize this handwriting at all. And yet, whoever this is seems adamant that we meet in person… Hmm…"

"What does the note say?" Rotty asked as she climbed off the couch and approached.

"Take a look. It says…" Sky invited as she held out the note for the two of them to read together. And you know what it said? It said…

To the Resident Bird Trainer of Scuttle Town:

By the time you get this letter, two days should have passed since I drafted and sent it. I want you to meet me at the Soldier's Ascension Beach in two additional days' time at no later than 1700 Hours. More specifically, we will meet at the Grave of the Unknown Hero. Come ALONE. You'll have your answer as to who I am and why I sent this letter to you when we meet face-to-face again. In return, I hope to get some answers from you. If you don't show up, I WILL come over there and make you REGRET it. This is the farthest thing from a joke. Consider yourself warned.

Signed,

'Lina'

"…Huh… So, whoever this mystery person is seems to want to squeeze some information out of you," Rottytops pointed out, scratching her head alongside Sky as they continued to examine the brief message. "The name doesn't ring any bells, though…"

"Yeah, I've never met anyone named Lina in my life, yet she wants to meet me face-to-face 'again.' Weird…" Sky further observed. "Doesn't seem like it was a mistake that they sent this to me, though. And for the writer's tone to be so aggressive? Makes me wonder if it's an enemy of ours… But then… the place she wants us to meet… Why there…?"

"Well, it certainly isn't a friend. That's for sure," Rotty acknowledged with a shrug, though her nonchalance would soon turn to concern when she observed Sky beginning to tremble as she stared at the note. "H-hey… Are you alright? Why do you suddenly seem so shook? Are you scared of whoever sent you this note?"

"No… I… I'm just… stunned that they're asking me to meet them at THAT place…"

"Why? It isn't like we've ever been there before. What's the big deal about going to this 'Grave of the Unknown Hero' that it's got you so upset?" At that point, Sky slowly turned to the other young lady, an expression of unfettered grief plastered all over her face.

"Rotty… The Grave of the Unknown Hero… is the name that was given to the very spot where Tayshan died…" Sky morosely informed, her nerves getting the better of her as she began to tremble. Stunned, Rotty gasped as she took the revelation in. She did her best to shake off some of her initial shock before asking her next question, however.

"…How do you know?" Rotty hesitantly asked with a waver in her voice, holding in noticeable discomfiture as she balled her hands into fists and… seemed to fight back tears.

"Once word got out about what happened during our big battle with Risky Boots last year, a group of citizens from the Inseam Municipality, Naga Mountain, and Genie's Hem went over there and held a memorial service for him…" she explained, her voice wavering as she did so. "Giga Mermaid herself was even there… They remembered everything he did to help Shantae save Sequin Land… and they planted a monument there in his honor. They also dubbed the entire island itself the Soldier's Ascension Beach as further tribute…"

"…Oh… Jeez…! I… I had no clue… When did they do that?"

"About two weeks after the fact. I don't have a clue who organized it, but I remember flying by it a month later and asking about it last time I visited Inseam…"

"I see… That's… really heavy…" the undead maiden remarked, gulping down a knot in her throat before taking a deep breath. "So… are you planning to go there at this person's request?"

"…I'm not sure. If I do go, then I do so at least to know who they are and what their game is. Especially if they're threatening my home. They clearly know who I am and where I live."

"No offense, but anyone who knows about you will know where you live. Your apartment literally has a GIANT POLKA-DOTTED EGG on its roof."

"Fair, but hardly anyone would go out of their way to send a letter like this, promising harm if I don't comply. I don't want to go alone, though. It could most likely be a trap…"

"Then don't go alone! If there's two people there, then you'll be safe."

"You're right about that. Plus, I'm sure that if whoever this person is has any funny ideas over me not coming by myself, we'd handle it with ease."

"Yeah!" Rottytops readily concurred as she clashed her knuckles together. "Alright, so what time should we set to take off?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" Sky asked in wonder, raising an eyebrow.

"What do I mean? What do you mean? Clearly, you're going to take me with you for protection! Isn't that what you were about to say?"

"Oh! Uh… Y-yeah, about that…"

"Are you kidding me? You're NOT gonna bring me along?"

"Sorry, but… I don't know how dangerous this person is, nor do I know their intentions. I'm assuming the worst for the sake of being careful, and I'd rather not put you in any unnecessary danger. I'm thinking I should ask Shantae, but she's gonna be super busy the rest of this week… Hmm…" the bird tamer pondered, momentarily casting her gaze elsewhere as she rubbed her chin.

"Sky, come on. You don't need to both-!" Rotty was about to indignantly suggest.

"Then again, I have a lunch date with Tayshan the same day this mystery person wants to meet me."

"…You… You have a WHAT!?" the zombie girl asked, markedly more flustered and… dare I say, agitated as she glowered at the other girl.

"I've got it! I'll ask him when I see him. Hopefully, he's got the extra time…" Sky concluded as she pressed a fist into the palm of her other hand, evidently not noticing how offended Rottytops was at the assertion.

"W-what for? He's got his hands full enough as it is! I don't think you need to bother him with something so mundane and out-of-the-way!"

"Better safe than sorry. And no offense, but I'd rather go into a situation like this while being absolutely sure I'm gonna be protected than deal with another 'Cyclic Season Island' situation."

"Fair, but there's no reason you should need Tayshan to go with you. He's uh… h-he's got a tight schedule, too! And like… I'm pretty sure it'd be rude if you dropped that bombshell on him when you hang out with him…" Rotty attempted to reason while hiding her irritation, though all it did was make her host suspicious.

"Why are you suddenly being so territorial about him?" Sky asked with a raised eyebrow. "If you think this is me trying to make a move behind Shantae's back, you're dead wrong. And the accusations are starting to get old, so give it a rest."

"N-no, it isn't about that! And I'm NOT being territorial!" Rotty hastily denied, though her face grew warm in the midst of her being put on the spot. "I'm just saying that maybe you shouldn't burden people with your problems before you even know if you need them or not…"

"Aaaand why is that? Are you saying that because you don't want me to distract him from the date YOU apparently have scheduled with him?" That question threw the undead young woman for a loop as she nearly jumped out of her shoes.

"W-what!? How did you-?"

"Shantae filled me in while she and I were hanging out today. And you'd better believe I have an earful to give you about the lines you're crossing in the wake of this strange little… BoloTops saga of yours."

"Ew, don't call it that!" Rotty fervently protested.

"Well, call it whatever you'd like, but my point still stands. You really ought to find a mature way to resolve the issue between you and Bolo yourself instead of going on dates with Shantae and Tayshan to try and make Bolo jealous. I get that you're hurt that he fooled around behind your back, but what you're doing is both petty and manipulative. Don't even get me started on how messed up it is that you dragged Shae and Tay into your mess in the first place…"

"Excuse you! Outside of what snack cakes told you, it's none of your business! I'm not dating them to make Bolo jealous, either! I couldn't care less what that cheating clown thinks!" At that, Sky sighed.

"…Oh, boy…" the bird trainer remarked with a shake of her head. "We'll be up all night arguing about that, so why don't we just go ahead and table that discussion for now? I've still gotta figure out what to do about this letter and its sender, on top of figuring out how to explain it to Tay…"

"Whatever…" Rotty remarked with a roll of her eyes as she crossed her arms. "I mean, I'm RIGHT HERE, ready to go with you, and you insist on asking someone who probably won't even have the time for it. How rude…"

"With the way you're acting right now, you're making it sound like you're jealous and want to go on a date with me," Sky suggested, knowing it would agitate Rottytops even further. And likewise…

"In your dreams, egghead!" the zombie girl boisterously shot down the insinuation.

"More like nightmares, but sure. Let's 'agree' on that point and keep things civil, eh?" the falconer proposed with a shrug and slight chuckle.

"Whatever you say."

"Good. Also, if Tay isn't available, THEN I'll ask you to come with me. Sound fair?"

"Not really, since you're basically making it sound like I'm your rebound in case you get rejected again…" Rottytops complained, none too happy about not being Sky's first choice of tag partner. How ironic…

"Says the girl who basically just declared that she was too good for me!" Sky shot back, at which point Rotty rolled her eyes again. "How about this, then: You and I can go together if you REALLY want to tag along that badly, and if Tayshan is available, then all three of us can go. Happy now?"

"Hm… Better, I suppose," the zombie girl affirmed with a chuckle and nod. "Especially since I'll have my eye on you in case you try anything funny with him…"

"Oh, do NOT go there!" the bird trainer shouted, highly agitated by Rotty's impetuous antics. "I'm not the one asking for 'friend dates' to hog people's attention! I swear, it's almost like you have a crush on him or something…"

"Excuse me!?" Rotty indignantly remarked with a notably furious blush, triggered by Sky's accusation. "You're one to talk, Squawks McGawks-A-Lot! You still shoot him those creepy, lovestruck stares when you think no one else is watching you!"

"What!? N-no, I don't!" Sky denied, though an… equally furious blush formed on her face. Huh… This is… getting kind of awkward… "You're making things up again! And I told you I got over him ages ago!"

"Uh-huh. The hypnotized stares you shoot him every time we all hang out TOTALLY convince me of that. Especially last week, when you put on that sugary little performance of asking him on a date when we were all at his house."

"Gah! I-I told you that was for the sake of making sure he was okay! NOTHING ELSE!"

"Whatever you say. That's why you've also been constantly nosing into my business about how close he and I are, right? Even beyond the pretentious lectures about respecting their boundaries and such?" Rotty continued to press, effectively turning the tables on Sky as the bird trainer stood there, irritated and flustered.

"I…! Gah…! Y-you…!" Sky stammered, pouting at Rotty all the while.

"Yep. That confirms it. It's so obvious you still have the hots for him, so you don't have to try and pretend it isn't the case. Don't worry, I'll keep your dirty little secret…" the undead young lady continuously teased. "You just better hope Shantae isn't reminded."

"…Hmph. You're despicable…!" the grumpy bird enthusiast grumbled, resenting the idea that her least favorite friend backed her into a corner.

"And yet, you still love me," Rotty asserted with a smug wink and smile as she puffed her chest out and stood tall.

"'Love' is a strong word to use there."

"Ooh, scathing. That aside, I can't believe you still think so little of me. As though I'd really even have the INTENTON of doing anything stupid like trying to sabotage Shantae's relationship because I like Tayshan…"

"Yeah, well I-! WHOA, WHOA-HO-HO…" Sky was about to argue before she perked up at something Rotty said. "What was that last part?"

"I said I would never try to sabotage their relationship."

"I heard that part, but what did you say after that?"

"…Um… I-I don't know what you're talking about…" the guilty zombie sheepishly tried to deny as she sunk into herself, batted her eyes away, and tried her hardest to hide the entirely flustered expression on her face.

"OH, MY GOODNESS! I KNEW IT!" Sky proclaimed, standing tall and pointing an accusatory finger at her guilty guest. "YOU DO HAVE A CRUSH ON T-!"

"S-SHUT UP! YOUR OBNOXIOUS SQUAWKING IS GONNA WAKE UP THE NEIGHBORS!" Rottytops hurriedly interrupted, plastering a hand over Sky's mouth, though Sky was quick to swat the zombie's arm away.

"No, don't you try and hush me up, Rottytops! That is seriously NOT okay! What if Shantae finds out!? She'd be FURIOUS! On top of that, this is PRECISELY why I've been on your case! You need to mind your boundaries and let them have their relationship before you make things worse for yourself!"

"Jeez, you wanna nag me harder, mom!? Relax, I'm not gonna do anything! It's not even important or that big a deal! My main focus is making sure I'm okay in the wake of Bolo cheating on me. I don't want another boyfriend right now, I'm definitely NOT trying to steal Tayshan away from Shantae, and I think I'll be okay recovering with their help without you pecking and chirping in my ear about what you think I'm gonna do!"

"Rotty, I'm being completely for real here. If you really respect their relationship, then GIVE THEM THEIR SPACE. You're already making Shantae worried about how much she can trust you around him, and I refuse to stand by and let you cause another rift between them!" Sky angrily blurted out, causing another tense silence as Rotty froze and absorbed what was just said to her. And, with an expression of mortification…

"…W-what? She… She said she doesn't trust me…?" the immensely worried zombie girl asked, at which point Sky realized what she said.

"No… I… I shouldn't have said that. Or at least, I shouldn't have put it that way," the equally worried falconer did her best to clarify.

"…Well, what other way IS there to put it? And why didn't she say something sooner if she was uncomfortable?" Rotty questioned, evidently deeply hurt by the revelation.

"Don't read into that. That isn't what she said, I promise. It's just… We all want to be sure we're on the same page as far as how we treat each other, just like what we talked about last time we were all together."

"I get that, but how am I supposed to hear something like that and NOT feel like I messed up again…?" the undead woman questioned, her voice breaking up a bit as she lowered her gaze to the floor in reflective guilt.

"Rottytops…" Sky called to her friend as she reached over and placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. And once the girls made eye contact once more… "Forget I said anything about it. In return, we can go back to talking about how we're going to prepare ourselves for our quest for now. We'll revisit THIS topic in due time. Sound good?"

"…I-I guess…" the crestfallen zombie girl halfheartedly agreed.

"Ohh… Look, I'm sorry I blurted that out. She never said she didn't trust you. I swear to you on my life that she never said that. I didn't mean to put words in her mouth, and I don't speak for her. Don't be upset…" Sky pleaded, patting Rotty on the shoulder once again before retracting her hand.

"…Okay. But like… Whatever you DID talk about with her… Are you positive she didn't say anything that sounded like she was uncomfortable? I-I just want to be sure…"

"No… It was more so that she was hoping that you… uh, that you got a good, wholesome experience out of your dates and that those experiences would help you figure out what to do about Bolo…"

"Oh. I see. I guess I'll leave it at that, then…" Rotty acknowledged with a nod, cheering up just a wee bit.

"Cool. Seriously, though. Behave yourself. We've had enough relationship drama as it is, and we don't need you stirring more of it up because you caught inappropriate feelings for your best friend's boyfriend. I'm almost tempted to ask how long you've been harboring those feelings…"

"Sista, please! Who you tellin'? I ain't trippin'! I keeps it a hunnid in this joint, yo!" Rotty promised in a… most unique manner of speaking. "And to answer your question… Not THAT long. Only maybe the last month… or three… or four… I think… Heh…" she nervously revealed, sinking into herself as she sheepishly smiled and scratched her cheek with a finger. At that, Sky let out a most exhausted sigh.

"…Aw, jeez… How very reassuring, though that just tells me this conversation is FAR from over. As a matter of fact, I now have another question for you…"

"What's up?"

"Did you ever REALLY have any feelings for Bolo at all if the case is that you've been pining for Tay this whole time?"

"Oh! Er…" Rotty practically yelped as she flinched, caught by surprise at the question. And after a moment of nervously shifting her eyes around and scratching the back of her head. "…It's… complicated."

"Complicated how? All we know is that you chose to give Bolo a shot because you two spent time together a few months back. And yet, I get a vibe that you haven't exactly been honest with him about your real intentions…"

"And what other 'intentions' would you think I had other than simply scoring a boyfriend?"

"Using said 'boyfriend' as a surrogate because the guy you REALLY want is unavailable," Sky matter-of-factly pointed out, causing Rottytops to widen her eyes at her.

"O-oh… Well, that's not… er, I-I wouldn't… I-I mean, it sounds kinda messed up, putting it THAT way…" the zombie girl stammered through a halfhearted admission that made Sky sigh in a mixture of worry and vexation.

"And the plot thickens…" the bird trainer lamented, shaking her head in disbelief. "A boy with a libido like a dirty old man and maybe half the brain power, desperately jumping on every opportunity to slobber over a pretty girl and not get beat up for it like he'd die of thirst otherwise… agreeing to date a girl that has all the charm and sex appeal he's looking for, but who's so loaded up with envy and lust over her best friend and said best friend's boyfriend respectively… that she tried to suppress her lonely, frisky urges by distracting herself with a rocky, unstable, short-lived relationship she never truly had any interest in entering… And the rest is history," Jeez, that was one heck of a summary… I honestly don't think I could've pieced it together better myself… Yet, after a moment of incredulously narrowing her eyes at the blonde plot critic…

"…Y'know, I wanna yell at you for reducing me to a hopelessly horny third wheel who uses her male friends for validation…" Rotty began, scowling at Sky all the way through before suddenly relaxing her face and sighing before she continued. "…but I at least appreciate you for acknowledging my natural beauty in your extremely irritating, yet extremely accurate summary of the… uh…" she trailed off, trying to think of what to label the summary as.

"The BoloTops saga?" Sky teasingly remarked again, drawing Rotty's ire once again.

"D'oh, you…! I TOLD you not to call it that!" the flustered zombie girl angrily protested, clenching a fist and shaking it at her not-quite-best friend.

"Then we'll come up with another name later," the humored avian enthusiast shot back with a chuckle.

"We'd better. At this point, I'd rather gulp down a gallon of Squid Baron's ink directly from the source than associate myself with Bolo in ANY romantic way whatsoever… Hmph!" Rotty proclaimed, emphatically turning her nose up.

"Harsh, but fair enough," Sky acknowledged with a chuckle and nod. "I just hope you don't mind the inside of your mouth looking like an inkwell for the next three years. Aaaanyway, let's go ahead and figure out this trip. I presume you and I will be spending the next couple of days together… However much it TORMENTS MY SOUL to say that…" she further sullenly remarked, dreading the impending quality time she was bound to spend with the undead young woman.

"Oh, stop! You're always so melodramatic! You're gonna have a blast hanging out with me, and you know it!" Rotty confidently suggested with a giggle of her own.

"Yeah, sure. That's exactly what'll happen, simply because you said so. Now, come on. Let's get ready for bed. We may as well get an early start on planning such a huge last-minute errand, and I'm bushed from my day with Shantae," Sky commanded as she and Rottytops took their leave from the living room and headed toward the bathroom and bedroom areas of the falconer's hatchery.

"Aye-aye, Cap'n Sky!" Rotty obeyed with a playful salute.

"Don't call me that."

"Oh? Would you prefer 'Headmistress Sky' like stud muffin always calls you~?"

"Gaah, you're impossible!" Sky practically growled her statement as she threw her hands up in the air in blushing frustration. Odd that she was blushing, but uh… I'd rather not read into that.

"Hah! Good to know how much that bothers you," the zombie girl kept on teasing as she laughed it up.

"Don't start acting like we don't still have a giant elephant in the room to address. Soon enough, you're gonna have to do your part in cleaning up the enormous mess you and Bolo made. It's time we stopped pretending you're completely innocent in the matter."

"…Yeeeah, gonna let that one slide, girlfriend, or else I'd have to put you in the world's meanest headlock."

"Good luck trying, because Wrench will see to it that you won't even HAVE a head if you put your hands on me in here. I needn't elaborate," Sky politely reminded Rottytops, at which point Wrench took a short flight from his perch to the top of a birdcage across the room… while intently watching the zombie maiden the entire time. Startled, Rotty turned and shot a nervous glance at the prismatic bird before getting the idea and skirting along.

"Duly noted. Forget I even said that," she made sure to clarify her understanding as she turned her attention back to Sky. "Say, are you in the mood for some coffee or something after we shower? My throat is suddenly really dry, and my head feels light as a feather for some reason…"

"Glad to know we're at an understanding. And… sure, I'll whip up a pot for you. Now, come on."

"Y-yes, ma'am," Rotty obliged, at which point the unlikely pair of friends carried on with a night sure to be filled with a broad range of discussion about mildly uncomfortable topics… and a new little mystery surrounding a not-so-warm 'request' of Sky's presence and attention. As it's already been said, just when ya think you've hit a point of calm after a storm, another one always comes brewing up right around the corner. Of course, we'll be keeping up with the forecast on THIS one as close as we can. Pretending to be a meteorologist aside, I think we can agree by this point that we've certainly stumbled into a goldmine of drama, action, and abundant twists and turns. Count on it that the trend will continue, though we leave off with me wondering what to expect of this situation's conclusion… Will the S.L.A.P.S. squad come together in time to save the day once again? Will Hashanah succeed in attaining the ultimate power for herself? Or will the notorious Pirate Captain Risky Boots take advantage of the brewing conflict and carve out her own path to total domination? Stay tuned and hang tight! Buh-byee~!