HoloJourneys

by vanderblast

A fateful encounter with a fluffy sheep inside a castle dungeon, begins a journey that will change the world. In a world of magic, swords, magical spirits and endless possibilities, Anon, sets forth on a journey with his friend Watame to see everything this world has to offer and to find their origins. The journey won't always be easy, but together, they can always make it through.

53. A Deal In Evergreen, A Promise In Riches

After a group effort by you, your pack, and two energetic fairies, the Crimson Quarter was briskly floating along the smooth sea towards the island. You feel an immense sense of calm as the boat rolls along the water. It felt so refreshing to just be sailing the sea again with nothing life threatening looming over your head. Best of all, you were reaching your destination on a happy note; stepping onto that wild land with its rightful residents, pilfering all matter supplies from the jerks you helped beat down, and last but not least; collecting some treasure that you rightfully earned. As soon as you got a second alone, Pomu asked if you were going to pick up the small box of riches you both found together.

Paying back Kiara is of course near the top of your priorities, but three hundred gold might be hard to come up with how loot might be divided up currently. You didn't want to take much from the main pirate base on the island, seeing as the pack, Watame and Nene have all earned an equal share of that, but you are also unwilling to part with much that you and Polka looted from that scaled maniac of the SeaKroc Pirates. That money has some more sentimental value to it, and if possible, you would like to keep it all between you and your fennec. There is also the chest Marine was trapped in, that alone might be enough to pay off your debt, but the creaky and cracked floorboards of the deck give you another idea for where the funds from that should go.

Once you reach the landing dock at the front face of the island, you all disembark and head straight for its center. Each of the pack takes turns walking practically arm in arm with you as they only so briefly point out key accomplishments each made in the battle, and end with saying that they'll give you the full details later tonight in return for your own retelling. You have to admit, you are looking forward to describing how you took down an orca demi-human with the help of Botan and Undine. It'll make for good practice for when you eventually meet Lui again and can tell her every single detail she might pine for. It may not have been a perfect victory, but you are still proud of it, especially when you are met with the fractured ruins that were Blackfin's main base.

Each building you remember seeing when you first laid eyes on Blackfin who was in the middle of what was probably a nightly rager for his crew, now looked like a tornado stormed through them; a tornado of lionesses, sheep, and Ursol to be more precise. It was hard to believe that there was still anything edible within the crude mansions that were sporting person shaped holes within its walls, smashed window panes, and the marks of offensive magic, but your pack assured you that there was still plenty to go around, and low and behold, they were right. Each lodging for the most prominent crews had rooms full of spices, wines, cheeses, sides, and some things you haven't even seen before.

After moving everything that could be used for tonight's and future meals, Marine said it was time to indulge in a little looting. The headliner crews had chests upon chests filled with everything that glitters. Since you decided to keep score, it was no surprise that the hoard belonging to the BlackWhale Pirates was the largest, with the FindersFortune crew coming in second, that is, until Frala followed her instincts toward a seemingly inconspicuous part of the building. A light tap of her toe against the floorboard revealed a hollowed tone, and a hard flex of her biceps ripped those very boards out to show a hidden stairway leading below ground level.

An entire basement that put all the previous collections to shame; gold and silver coins stood in stacks against one another, boxes lined with velvet held all colors of gemstones atop wooden tables, and even portraits depicting beautifully drawn sceneries leaned against the far wall.

"I should have known that little green money grubber had a secret stash." Marine snorts as she scans the room, stopping at one of the mini-spires of coin and knocks them all down with a swipe of her hand. She sighs with content at the chorus of metal clinking, and once her bed of riches is made, she turns and falls into it.

You can't help but chuckle at Marine's antics, who returns your jolly with a sultry grin and a seductive cross of one her voluptuous legs over the other, and your eyes manage to sneak a look at where that leotard of hers converges. "Like what you see, cabin boy?" She purrs, sprawling her arms above her head, letting her skin brush against the smooth metal. "This is part of the pirate's life. Finding hidden treasure, exploring new places, having fun with the rewards. Or on top of them~"

"Focus, Captain." You scoff, almost finding yourself wanting to fall victim to her charms, you suppose the scenery has a very dangerous reaction on you. "We" you enunciate to bring attention back to the two lionesses who are trying to keep their territorial growls below a whisper as they begin pilfering valuables, "are in the middle of a job. A rather time sensitive one too."

"Oh I am perfectly focused." Marine grins, lacing her fingers behind her head. "Any Senchou worth their salt can focus on many things at the same time, like how the total appraised value of the gemstones we found in here should be just enough to buy supplies to rebuild the port side buildings. If we count the treasure we looted from above, that should be able to purchase a ship or two from the neighboring countries, or even the one you're from. That way, Shallah can get back to trading across the seas like it always has."

"Well I'm glad that you're not only such a focused captain, but we also have the same idea of what to do with some of the treasure." You cross your arms and give Marine a genuine smile. "With how comfortable you look at that bed of gold, I was starting to get worried."

"I would love to show you just how comfortable I can get, but I'm afraid today is not the day you get to experience what rolling around on riches feels like. I wouldn't really mind if some gold had a few questionable liquids on them, but the people of Shallah have been through enough for now." Marine says, hoisting herself to her feet and brushing some of the dust off her arms. "Last thing we want is for someone to get insulted when the payment they receive is covered in the proof of our hard earned victory~"

"Focused, she says." You scoff, the idea of sticky money outweighing the thoughts of how that would come to be makes it easy to stay straight faced. "So I assume you're not keeping that pile for yourself?"

"Wouldn't be right to. The Blackfin Fleet made most of this off the backs of Shallah and countless innocent people out at sea, and I wasn't really in this fight for the money." Marine shrugs, and with her ass finally not against the pile of coins, you take the chance to start shoveling it all into a large brown sack.

"Me either, but I think we've earned a small share. Don't you think? Traveling across the world ain't cheap. Unless you have a better way of making money?" You ask, using the opportunity to learn a little more about the Houshou's apparently unique take on pirating.

"The Houshou Pirates have a long history of what you would probably expect; plundering unsuspecting trade ships, coastal towns, sinking other pirate ships and taking them for all they're worth, but that's not the only way to make a living on the seas." Marine explains, an air of pride emanating from her words. "There are treasures just waiting to be found out there, troves left by the pirates of past eras or even ancient civilizations, right for the taking by any pirate bold enough to go find them."

"Sailing from place to place in search of treasure…" You mull the idea over in your head, appreciating the way of life with every passing thought. "That sounds like an awesome way to see the world, you must have seen all sorts of cool things already."

"I had to stay on the ship a lot when I was little, so I didn't get to see a lot of the world that my grandma helped us sail to. " Marine replies with less regret than you would have felt personally. "But that makes being a captain more exciting for me! I get to find new places all on my own, and with the help of my crew, I'll keep finding amazing treasure, and…" her words get caught in her throat, and the bitter reality that her dreams might be put on hold set in. She clears her throat of the half-ready words and regains her composure, making sure to tip her hat low enough to cover her eyes from your view. "But maybe I'll tell you more about where I've been later, like you said, we have a job to complete."

"She's right, and you have a contest to win, packleader." Frala agrees before you can try to steer the conversation back, to which you can only nod and sling the heavily filled sack over your shoulder.

The rest of the extraction continues in a heavy silence, and even the fortune you carry does little to chase off the melancholic thoughts that linger in your mind. You had only thought that her ship being seaworthy again was Marine's only obstacle to venturing out again if she so chose, but you hadn't really considered the fact that the vessel would only be manned by a grand total of two whole people. Well if she just needs people to help sail her ship, why can't it be you? It doesn't seem like a huge stretch that everyone else might be keen to the idea, but you suppose you should ask them first. That's also assuming that Marine would want to bring you along with her. It's become crystal clear that you can't exactly go somewhere new without trouble finding you…and that wouldn't be fair to the woman who just wants to sail fast and free. She may tease a lot about keeping you around, but you can't be certain how much she means it. That settles it, you won't try to pressure Marine into letting you and your friends help man her ship. There may also be a handful of people in Shallah who will want to join up with her, after all, she is a national hero now. Well first thing's first, she needs her ship repaired and possibly updated.

Using your link to Sylph, you ask the wind spirit to go with Pomu to collect your stashed treasure within the caves that once served to house yours and Marine's jail cells. You also make an additional request for them to bring back the extravagant chest that you first found the pirate woman in. Sylph easily spots your intentions and gives you her firmest guarantee that your hard earned treasure will be brought back and be ready to use however you see fit.

You yourself were ordered by Marine to head to the work site at the bottom of the island's mountain and check for any left behind valuables or food. An easy enough task to keep yourself busy while the pack works to fully strip the pirate base of the rest of its belongings and haul them onto the ship. It also gives you a much needed respite as you walk through the tropical island's soft pathways, and letting the sun of high noon caress your face. Suddenly everything feels so serene. There was no upcoming battle, no rescues to make or lunatics to beat down, just you and the jungle…that was standing at a fraction of what it should be.

The more you look at the rows of stumps and the cut down foliage, the more your fists clench. You take a small detour using your internal compass to take you to a peaceful river that seems to flow up and down the island. After a quick splash of its waters against your face to cool your temper, you look down and find it reignited again, thanks to the sight of a crude bridge made of stone blocks. It was far too wide to simply be used for your average couple of travelers, and far too short to be of any real use to something with a working set of legs, especially due to the fact that a natural bridge made of a fallen tree trunk sits over the gap just further down the way. No, this was likely put together by those pirates, and the mess of smooth stones they shoved into the land dammed the river up completely, preventing it from finishing its natural journey.

"Stellar" you chat, your spell book shining in your hand, as a blast of starlight fires from your palm to correct this mistake. The rocky footway is blown apart; pebbles and fist-sized stones rise and fall along the dense soil like raindrops. With the obstacle dismantled and scattered, the water is free to rush over the rest of the natural pathway, filling the air with that wonderful trickling melody. You decide to run alongside the flowing river, finding its end at a modestly sized indent in the land where the water funnels into, rising by the minute and filling the land with new life.

"Well, I may not be able to give the pack's island new and healthy trees overnight, but at least I can fix you up." You say directly to the pond that basks with the clear blue that grows in depth. "Just give it a few more minutes, and you'll be full, cool, and ready to take in all customers. Don't worry, you won't run dry ever again. Maybe we can make doubly sure of that too. I wonder if Undine can make you a never ending spring, like the one she made in Lu'Shaldor."

"My my, now that's what I call going above and beyond the call of duty." A voice, gentle but playful, with the docile tones of an elegant woman, rings in your ear. Startled, you tense and open your spell book, but just as quickly as your internal alarms are raised, they quiet. A gentle breeze caresses your body, inducing an almost unnatural calm. Your eyes are pulled to your right, where along the outer edge of the pond, just along the bend, sits a familiar woman upon a tree stump.

Pale green hair that cascades down her fair face like vines, soft golden eyes, and two unmistakable antlers.

"It's you, back from Pomu's forest. Fauna, Right?" You ask, turning to face your unexpected gust and taking a cautious step forward, testing to see if she remains visible.

"I'm pleased you remember my name." Fauna replies, bringing her hands gingerly together near her cheek. "You were quite exhausted when we met last, so I couldn't be sure if I made enough of a lasting impression on you."

"Hard not to leave an impression when you just appear like magic when I was in the middle of bathing." You scoff, but immediately your stomach drops at the potential rudeness of your comment. You can't quite place why, but something about this woman implores you to be respectful, just who is she?

"You are a hard man to catch alone, brave adventurer. My heartfelt thanks was for your ears only. Is that so much to ask for?" Fauna giggles.

"No, but neither is certainty in my own sanity. I haven't even brought up our meeting or your strange owl friend to anyone else. So the least you could do is give me some sort of proof that you're not some figment of my imagination."

"Well sir, it is your lucky day." The woman smiles, leaning forward to bring her bare feet onto the dirt, and begin to walk towards you. The way she sways her body is almost hypnotic, and her eyes have your own completely trapped. "I am here to hopefully do just that." She says, now only a few, but respectable feet away from you, and she uses the chance to get a better look at you; eyeing you up and down once, which for some reason makes the corners of her lips curve just a bit more.

"You're going to stick around long enough for someone else to see you?" You venture a simple guess.

"Nope." Fauna chirps, making you raise an eyebrow. "Tell me, adventurer, or should I address you as 'Summoner' Anon; slayer of Grendel, packleader of lions, or perhaps, orca hunter?"

"Just Anon is fine." You state.

"Oh that simply won't do." Fauna shakes her head and begins to take slow steps around you, examining you further, but for what, you cannot say. "A young man with your accomplishments should have a strong title. It would be quite rude of me not to recognize you in a way befitting a budding hero like yourself."

"I'm not really one for titles and that kinda stuff. The recognition thing is still kinda new to me anyway." You try to wave off the awkward notion.

"Hmmm" Fauna hums, still wearing a confident grin, stopping her relaxed circling of your person and running a finger down your chest. "I'm glad to see you're still a humble one. Don't lose that part of you, it's quite charming. Now tell me, Anon, what else do you remember about me? Do you remember what I am?"

"I remember what you told me; that you're an observer." You reply, trying to keep your words steady, this woman up close is almost breathtaking. The white petaled flowers that decorate her hair add a degree of natural beauty that makes you almost forget your place in the world, but you can't pass up this chance to solve the mystery surrounding her. "But that doesn't exactly tell me a whole lot. I mean, I don't even know what kind of person you are. I've never seen anyone with antlers like yours before, which by the way, they're very nice."

"Flatterer." Fauna smirks, making you return the expression in kind. "Well I suppose I can easily answer that; I am a kirin, which explains" she leans forward an inch and points up at one of the protruding twigs atop her head. "I do my best to keep them well maintained, so thank you for noticing. As for your other question, like you so politely remembered, I told you that I am an observer of sorts. My official epithet is The Keeper of Nature."

Fauna's long overdue introduction stops there, and she lets it sink in. Your mind tries to make sense of it.

A kirin? Can't say I've ever heard of that, but that doesn't mean they don't exist…they're just whatever Fauna is, which I suppose are deer demi-humans? Or maybe it's a combination of humans, beastkin, and something else? Her hair is almost vine-like, but it looks silky to the touch…and those eyes of hers. She isn't a mere demi-human, that's for sure, I can't help but get these strange vibes from her.

Fauna only looks deep into your eyes, and in her presence, everything seems to slow down, and the sounds of nature are on full blast in your mind; the running of the water, the chirps of the birds, and the skittering of wildlife, it threatens to dull your mind into utter relaxation. Whoever this woman is, she is not like anyone you have ever encountered before…at least you think so.

"So as a keeper of nature, you watch over well…nature?" You find your voice again, the curiosity you harness overpowering the desire to simply bask in silence within this woman's soothing atmosphere.

"Bingo." Fauna nods, taking a step back and walking herself to the edge of the pond that has already managed to reach half its capacity. She bends to her knees and extends an arm into its pool, pulling it up slowly and letting the water trickle off her palm. "Everything that is natural to this world is very precious to me, but I am not allowed to directly intervene, even when the actions of man or demon threaten to destroy it. You, humans, demi-humans, all mortal life, are all part of the great cycle. Which is why I must thank you again. This land was hurting, and if its torturers were allowed to continue, there would soon be nothing left. Thank you, Anon. You are truly a hero to nature."

"It's like you said, the land was hurting, I can never stand by and do nothing. We need to live alongside the land and nature. We're meant to coexist, never taking more than we need. That's at least how I see it." You say as you kneel down beside Fauna, and watch the watering hole ripple. "I just wish I could undo some of the damage. Unfortunately Sylph and I don't have the power to restore life to any place we want, at least not yet."

"That is kind of you to say." Fauna hums, taking another scoop of water, but not before letting her hand linger under the surface for a mere second longer than needed. "I think you more than pass the test."

"Test? What do you mean?" You ask, confused over the sudden shift in conversation, but your confusion is doubled when your eyes catch the unnatural rising of the pond's water level; the clear blue reaching the earth's edge in a matter of seconds.

"Didn't you say you wanted proof that I am not a trick of that sweet head of yours?" Fauna asks, standing up and inviting you to join her. You stand face to face again, and she places her hands around one of yours, beckoning your full attention. "Yours is a soul that is deeply tied to nature, stalwart, and kind. For your deeds, I would like to offer you a deal."

You say nothing, unsure if you should be eager, or opposed to hearing her out. A strange part of you yells at you to just accept whatever proposal she has, that there is no way to refuse her, but another part, thankfully the rational side of you, keeps that desire at bay.

"What kind of deal?" You inquire, still not having freed your hand yet from the woman of nature's touch.

"A mutually beneficial one, of course." Fauna remarks, finally letting go of you and strolling to the tree stump she once sat upon. "If you agree, I will speed up the recovery of all the plant life on this island. It would be back to its full growth in no time at all."

"And you can just do that?" You ask, skeptical.

"If the cautious adventurer requires a demonstration of my unique and bountiful talents, I shall oblige." Fauna answers your question with a heavy degree of showmanship, talking in that similar play actor tone she used when you first met. She places a single finger against the outermost ring of the tree stump, and runs it all around its length. "What started as a little sapling, and had been cut down far too soon, I shall now grant you life anew."

You watch with narrow eyes, searching for any trace of mana or sleight of hand, but detect nothing. Just as you are about to write off Fauna's theatrics, the surface of the stump shakes and jitters. Before your mind can catch up to your eyes, a full head of green leaves rockets up, and a full trunk of healthy and strong brown follows. Within seconds a tree that would have taken decades to mature, now stands above you, letting only glimmers of sunlight shine between its thick and plentiful leafage.

"How did you-" You mouth, but your legs end up moving on their own, bringing you closer to inspect the supposed new life Fauna sprang into the earth. She steps aside and presents her work to you, more than willing to let you inspect every piece of bark if you so choose. You place a palm against the trunk, and immediately you can feel its life beating from its roots. She actually did it, she revived a tree that had been cut to its legs, but there was no magic, no spells, not anything, just…it just was.

"Is what I have to offer satisfactory?" Fauna asks, her expression more than pleased with your reaction to the tree.

"You can really bring back all the trees that were cut down on the island? What about the ground? A lot of the machines those pirates had probably really messed up the soil. And the beaches, can you-" You come just short of turning this into an interrogation, but the prospect of giving the pack their island back in full health has your head gyrating faster than your mouth can keep up with.

"I can do all that" Fauna cuts you off, placing a finger over your mouth, and once you stop to breathe again, she retracts her digit, "and more. If you agree to my terms, I will have this island looking like the paradise it once was."

"And what might those terms be?" Your face hardens as you mentally prepare yourself for bad news. This seems entirely too good to be true, so the catch might be a price you cannot, or should not pay. You've already seen what happens to people who partake in dark dealings with powers beyond their own. While your every instinct is lulled into a sense of secure comfort around this woman, you cannot allow yourself to be fully complacent, at least not yet.

"Oh don't make such a sour face." Fauna coos, now cupping one of your cheeks in her hand, almost inviting you to melt within her palm that is softer than almost any skin you have ever felt before. "I'm not going to ask anything outrageous or scandalous of you. I am a lady after all."

"Then what do you want from me?" You ask, more curious than suspicious now.

"To put it simply, you shall be my champion." Fauna states, and the way her eyes flash for a split second along with the certainty in her voice, makes you feel like she does not view this as a request.

"Like, a guard or something?"

"That's a cute thought, but no. I mentioned before that I cannot directly intervene or use my power to prevent crimes against nature, that is where you; my champion, will come in. You will promise to preserve and protect nature, using all that you have to ensure that it is allowed to flourish as it is meant to." Fauna clarifies, and the answer begins to wash away some of your prior apprehension.

"So pretty much what I have been doing already? There has to be more to this, since why not just let me go about my business anyway?" You ask, still not one-hundred percent sure of where the catch is supposed to be here.

"It does sound like you are getting the better end of the deal, doesn't it? That's just the kind of person I am." Fauna shrugs. "Think of it this way, I am forbidden from interfering with the natural cycle of nature, but if my champion were to request my help in bringing life back to this jungle, then I would not be barred from helping you, and it."

"So I'm a…loophole?"

"Oh no! You are so much more than that." Fauna assures you. "You, my dear and brave adventurer, are going to be my greatest knight. The Champion of Fauna Ceres. With my backing, you will protect all within nature that gives our world its beauty. It is not just a title either, as my chosen hero, I can direct you toward places that need your help."

"Will you be asking, or ordering?" You ask, knowing how vitally important it will be to know where the lines are drawn in this agreement.

"Asking, of course." Fauna bows her head. "I would never think to order you to do anything or make you stray from your journey's current path. There is one minor stipulation, however."

"Which is?"

"As my champion, you will choose to side with nature. What the pirates have done, and tried to do using this land can never be condoned, or allowed to be repeated. You will not let such crimes go unanswered for." Fauna answers, her voice still soft, but it carries a weight that almost makes the air around you collapse. "Many races and cultures of this world take what nature has given them for granted. If they go too far, you will stop them, and help them return their intended roots. This is what my champion will accomplish in my stead."

A potentially deep bargain, but was it really? You have chosen to help nature when it couldn't help itself several times already without even thinking, and you'll never let people use natural resources to fuel their own war machines if you can help it. Letting this woman call you her champion does not seem like a bad price to pay when she could make Botan's island more habitable than it ever was. The faces of those lionesses seeing their help restored, that might very well be worth any high price to you.

"What do you say, Anon?" Fauna asks, her voice now luring you back into her eyes. "This is the best choice for both of us. You will continue to use your strength and courage to help nature far and wide, and I will help to undo the damage any miscreants cause. All you need to do is…." She leans in, her breath right against your ear.

Say

Yes

It does make a lot of sense to you, and you do need Fauna's help, and may need it in the future. She is obviously someone or something very powerful, and it wouldn't hurt to have her in your corner. What do you have to lose? She's already given you her word that you will be free to act as you choose, and go where you want. Also, you would be lying if there wasn't a not so small part of you that wanted to earn the adoration of this very beautiful woman whose hair reminds you of the greenest fields, and her scent fills you with thoughts of the freshest fruit garden on a breezy spring day. Pleasing her is a very attractive option, and you more than get something in return.

"Alright, Fauna. You got yourself a deal." You extend a hand to her, and she takes it firmly in her own.

"I have myself a new champion." Fauna corrects you, giving your hand a gentle shake, sealing your agreement. "You made the correct choice today, Anon. I very much look forward to what you will do from here on out."

"I'll try not to disappoint, now about the island."

"No need to fret. As soon as you and your friends leave, I will get to work." Fauna says, sliding her hand off yours, and sending a few involuntary tingles through your body by how she flicks her finger along yours as they leave one another. "And don't worry, I will be subtle. Not every tree will look like the one I used in my demonstration, at least not right away. People might start asking too many questions if the forests and soil were perfectly grown and healthy overnight."

"Why would that be a problem? I can just tell them you helped, right?"

"I have to ask that you keep the details of our arrangement secret, at least for now. It's a lot more fun and mysterious that way, don't you think?" Fauna's lips curve to a mischievous smile. "That includes the two you share a soul with. The elemental spirits, your friends, even your sheep girlfriend, none of them are allowed to know that you are my champion until I give express permission for them to know."

"May I ask why? I don't like keeping secrets from Undine and Sylph. I will also never lie to Watame, Flare, Polka, and any of my friends." You argue, not wanting to get into a habit of keeping special encounters secret from your loved ones.

"Very few are allowed to know the full extent of what I am, which is why I choose to meet with you in private. You're a special young man, Anon, and even if you think your friends are just as special, if not more, I have not chosen them. I have chosen you. Will you respect my wishes to remain unknown to others?" She looks at you with pleading eyes, genuinely asking for your acceptance, which you cannot deny her of.

"I suppose I can not mention you specifically, but it's still gonna be pretty hard to explain." You rub the back of your neck.

"What will there be to explain? I'm not going to replace all the trees in one day. There is beauty in the natural growth of all things. If you come back in a few days, you'll see what I mean." Fauna offers, and you find yourself willing to accept that for now.

"Alright, I think I will. I plan to spend a bit of time on this island anyway. I'm actually looking forward to exploring more of it, now that it's not going to be a battlefield." You say as thoughts of your lioness pack start to fight for dominance over the presence of the higher being you converse with, certain instincts might be helping them win that fight as well.

"Perfect. Now I think it's time you ran along. If you're not back soon, your friends will start to get worried, won't they?" Fauna takes you by the shoulders and turns your back to her before patting you forward in the direction of the mountain.

"Y-Yeah, I suppose so, but hold on!" You snap, halting your forced march and turning to face Fauna. "How does this exactly work now? I know I agreed to be your champion, but what happens from here?"

"Oh Anon, try not to think too much about our little arrangement." Fauna waves off your question. "Just continue living as you have been. I know you will continue to be an ally of nature and make our world a better place for it. When it suits the two of us, I will come see you again. We'll talk, maybe have tea. I would very much like to get to know my champion better. Would that be alright with you?"

"Well sure, should I try to reach out to you, or…can I even do that?"

"If you wish to speak with me, just find a place nestled within nature, when you're alone, of course, and I may appear. If I should want to see you first, you'll see the signs. Remember, our agreement, and us, are a secret." Fauna finishes her explanation with a firm finger held over her lips.

"Got it, well I'll see you around, Fauna. Thanks a lot for agreeing to help the island! Let's talk again soon!" You begin to jog towards your original destination, waving to the girl who becomes further away with every pump of your legs.

"Fare thee well, my champion! I shall look forward to what you will accomplish next!" Fauna bids goodbye back to you, and as her voice disappears along the wind, so does she.

So I'm someone's champion now, huh? It feels kinda weird, but if Fauna really helps the island heal, it will be worth it. Best of all, when others see the trees and soil become healthy again, that'll prove I'm not crazy! Fauna will be real…which also means that owl, girl…person will have been too. One thing at a time, Anon. I gotta high tail it to the mining camp and bring back anything worth grabbing. I already wasted enough time, and there's a feast to prepare!

After forcing your legs to bring you to the abandoned work camp in record time to make up for your unexpected diversion, you scour the area for anything edible or valuable. All that was left within the small lodging next to the mountain cave were a few loaves of bread that were beginning to go stale, some dried jerky, and a few dirty jugs of water. That alone wasn't worth bringing back, but the filled crates that were lined up near a rather spacious wooden table held much more promise by the way their surfaces glimmered in the sunlight that peaked in through the open windows.

Within the square confines are tight piles of mined rocks, raw gemstones of varying sizes, and chunks of clear mana stones. Your hand is drawn to a dark orange stone that is smooth to the touch between your thumb and forefinger. Memories of your childhood come rushing to the surface; the wares of traveling traders, your dad's lessons in how to handle precious stones as well as the varieties they come in, and your own meager attempts at jewelcrafting that yielded less than remarkable results.

"This is…tourmaline? With a nice shade of yellow to it." You say to yourself, bringing the small stone closer to your eye to further inspect its quality and try to see further into its cloudy core. "This would be perfect for Flare. I may not be able to make anything that will look good enough to be in a shop, but I'm going to at least try. Who knows? Maybe becoming a summoner has given me some kinda hidden ability to work with stuff within nature. My dad did also always have a saying; 'you never know what you're truly capable of, until you try it for the sake of someone you love'. If it's for Flare, maybe I'll become an artisan jewelcrafter."

Rapid fire thoughts and pictures of what you should make for the half-elf you pine for make you lose track of yourself, and only when the blow of the wind against the wooden wall panels pulls you out of your inner fantasies, do you remember that you are supposed to be on task. You pocket the tourmaline and scurry outside where you remember spotting a hefty wheelbarrow resting next to the mountain's open mouth. Only for a second do you allow yourself to poke your head inside and take in the sacred landmark belonging to your pack.

Even at a cursory glance, you can feel the history and significance of this place. The smooth walls and ceilings that dip and rise in height through the natural pathways that nature has provided makes you feel a sense of comfort. You fight the urge to explore more on your own and bring the wheelbarrow back to the storage shed to collect your spoils. It may not have been anything you or anyone else can eat, but the people of Shallah had dug the valuable gems from the earth themselves, so by all rights it belongs to them. The mana stones will also no doubt be a great aid for them.

It was still amazing to think about how many practical uses the rocks that contained raw magic within them had. It was even more amazing to think about how you were exposed so little to magic for almost your entire life. In the elven kingdom, you remember most appliances that were powered by magic requiring the hand of someone who could properly use their mana to ignite it, in a sense. These stones however, and things like the lamp in Kukai's home, had no need for an external jumpstart. Perhaps that is why Blackfin put so much effort into extracting them from the land. A source of magic that doesn't require the user to be knowledgeable in it, is both convenient, but dangerous. Who knew things like this just came naturally from the earth? It starts to make more sense the more you ponder upon it during your trip back. Mana flows through all living things, including nature, so this might just be nature's way of using that magical energy; providing light, warmth, power, to all that exist alongside it. Maybe this would be a good talking point with Fauna sometime. You log the thought away in your head as the view of the settlement clearing rears upward.

"Hiya, Anon!" Riki waves, choosing to abandon helping Bransha carry a long wooden bench toward the ship, making the other lioness stumble to try and get a firm hold around the piece of furniture as she lets out a sharp growl.

"Hey, Riki." You greet back, stopping and letting the back legs of your mono-wheeled cart rest on the ground. "How's everything going?"

"Better now that you're back." She chirps, and already you can see that it's time for one of the lioness' favorite pastimes with you, and right away come the batting eyelashes, and the slow, but clear steps she takes to end up shoulder to shoulder with you, her floofy blond hair tickling your cheek. "You came back with a lot! Are all these gems from our mountain?"

"Mhmm. I know they technically might belong to you and the pack, but the people from Shallah were the ones who had to break the backs getting it all, so if it's not a big deal, I'm going to give most of this to them." You explain, while still offering the lioness to object on behalf of the pack.

"I think someone is forgetting how things work around here~" Riki coos, trailing a gentle claw down your chest. "What's ours is yours, packleader. You get to decide what we keep. I know you'll always do good by us."

"And I think you're forgetting something too." You say, taking Riki's still trailing hand by the wrist and delivering it back to her, but not without letting yourself trace your thumb across that fair and strong palm of hers. "I'm not really a lion, and I do things a little differently. I'm more about what we think instead of just I. We were a team, and we acted like one, so that means I want your opinion on these types of things. Understand?"

"Do you know that considerate, but strong attitude of yours is very dangerous to a girl like me?" Riki tilts her head back slightly, giving you more of a view of her collarbone and the trail that leads to more physical delights, and with that final glint of her pearly fangs, your heart jumps in your chest. "But since you're asking, I'm fine with giving most of this stuff to the humans on the mainland, but first let me," she leans forward, her tail swaying high behind her, and begins to rifle through the collection of stones. Your eyes dart between that mesmerizing appendage and the body it belongs to, gods, why can't these women just focus on one thing for ten minutes around you? You reach into your pocket and clutch the stone that will become a token of your love for Flare, which redirects your carnal desires somewhat.

"Ah! Perfect, I'll take this one for myself!" Riki straightens herself, now holding a raw opal stone. "A gift from my packleader. It's wonderful."

"If you're done fiddling with pretty rocks, how about you help us over here! Kissass!" Bransha shouts from across the way, dragging the bench through the patchy dirt.

"Jealousy does not go well with that girl, does it?" Riki lets out a sigh in triumph. "We better get moving, Anon, there's a feast to prepare. Make sure you save me a seat next to you at the campfire tonight. I want to tell you all about how I showed the pirates who trampled on my home the coldest kind of hell."

Riki then struts past you, leaving you to hang on the promise she just delivered. It seems your time will very much not be your own anytime soon, but you think you are okay with that. You too can barely keep quiet about how you and Botan prevailed over Blackfin, and the anticipation of learning how everyone else won their respective battles has you even more eager to reach the part of the night where you'll all exchange stories. After wheeling your stock onto the ship, you park the wheelbarrow next to the clustered collection of treasures, foodstuffs, and furniture that sits in the center of the main deck. You wipe some of the sweat from your brow and take pride in the haul you all brought in, but two particular things seem to be missing.

"Ahoy, Anon!" Pomu calls from the sky, with her flies Sylph and the treasure chests they were sent to retrieve. Both fairies land in front of you with a graceful toe to the deck, and their magic brings both boxes a few inches above the ground before leaving them to the force of gravity that sends them down with a thump. In the daylight, the box you and Pomu had discovered looks meek and mundane compared to the one that held Marine for months. Pomu leans an arm over one of its corners and grins. "Go on, I know you wanna touch it again, this might be your last chance."

"Don't make it sound weird." You frown, but you do as the fae guessed and run a hand over the intricate detailing of Marine's treasure box. It really is a work of art; the silver casing, the molding that depicts roses and thorns, and the velvet interior has been stitched by the hands of a master. Your dad would be humbled by such a piece, making your appreciation for it even greater. The more you look at it, the more your confidence in your plan begins to soar. This is the type of fixture any noble would pay exorbitant amounts of gold to have decorating their private studies, or even their vaults.

"I'm guessing by that look on your face that we did pretty good." Sylph says from the other end of the chest. "Do you really think this will cover what you need it to?"

"If not, it'll get really close. There's even rubies encrusted in it." You reply, using one eye to try and further inspect the small gemstones that decorate the top latch.

"And I don't mind sharing a bit of our wealth if need be too." Pomu chirps, pushing herself off and taking a step to bring her to the plain wooden box, giving it a small kick with her toe to open its mouth. By now, Nula and Bree had made their way to your conversation, looking over the delivered curios with feline interest.

"I can see why you brought back the big one, but why did you bother with this small one? It's completely empty." Bree asks, craning her head all around the box stands next to, trying to see if there is something valuable about its exterior.

"Is it?" Pomu grins, snapping her fingers once and waiting for the surprised gasps that played like the sweetest music to her ears.

Before their eyes, a small stockpile of copper, silver, and gold coins appears out of thin air, and immediately Bree reaches in and snatches a piece of silver. She confirms its existence with touch, sight, smell, and even taste, before looking back at Pomu dumbfounded. She then exchanges a glance with Nula, and a moment of clarity strikes. "Ohhhh I get it. People have always said fairies like playing pranks. You almost had me wondering if this was some kinda haunted magic box."

"I do love me a good prank, but this wasn't one." Pomu proudly shakes her head twice. "This was more of an insurance policy. Anon and I didn't want our loot to get spotted by someone while we were gone, so I made sure no one would be able to see it. Worked like a charm."

"Your spells can last that long?" Nula's jaw drops. "You've even left the island. How did your spell work if you weren't nearby?"

"I'm just that good." Pomu puffs out her chest. "You can get that good one day too, but you'll need to practice really hard, maybe dye your hair blond, stretch the ears out a little, start wearing green. You gotta look like a master, to be a master."

"While a green bottom would really bring out your eyes, don't listen too much to her." Sylph gets close and whispers to Nula. "Fairies just have a natural instinct for illusion magic."

"And a certain fairy in particular has spent her entire life creating spells to trick her friends." You add, to which Pomu does not acknowledge the accusation. "Just keep practicing, Nula, and you'll be just as good, if not better than her some day."

"And should you ever reach my level, you must use your powers responsibly. Like me." Pomu adds, earning a scoff from you.

"Let's move on before she has a chance to incriminate herself." You say as you flag down Marine who was doing a quick inventory further down the deck. As she gets closer, her eyes trail to the large and familiar storage trunk that was now aboard her ship.

"What is that doing here?" She asks, not sure if she should be opposed to the reminder of her imprisonment being right in front of her or not.

"This part of my loot." You state, giving the closed case a hard slap over the top. "And I got some big plans for it. Plans I think you'll be quite happy with."

"If your plans involve the both of us getting cozy in that thing sometime, forget it." Marine deadpans. "I'll gladly share tight quarters with you, Anon, but not in there."

"Could your mind not go to places like that? For two seconds?" You fire back while the peanut gallery of fairies stifle their enjoyment of the exchange.

"I figured you wanted to replay our meeting, but this time with a more intimate outcome." Marine shrugs, and your eye twitches with how you can't pinpoint if this is her part of her teasing or if she's being serious. "I'm open to a little roleplay sometime, but can we start with something a little less kinky? I was held in there against my will for a while, and I don't think-"

"I'm going to sell it. Sell. It!" You snap. "Have you looked at this thing? It's worth a small fortune. I'm still confused why Blackfin even locked you up inside something so expensive."

"He's a sick son of a bitch." Marine shrugs again to your question. "He tried to use the chest as an incentive for either me to turn to his side, or for any of my ex-crew to convince me to. The chest would belong to whoever could persuade Marine Houshou to give up her childish ideals and join the real age of pirating."

"Well seeing as I beat the shit out of the man who made the rule, I'm overriding it with 'finders keepers'." You say with a smug smile. "And what a find it is."

"Well at least one of us thinks so, cause I would be fine never seeing that thing again. I almost want it tossed off my ship." Marine crosses her arms.

"Well it's a good thing you don't have much of a say over this one. See, I was not a part of the Houshou Pirates when I found it, so by all rights, it's mine, and I'm going to sell it to the highest bidder." You give the chest a soft caress over its immaculate molding, but Marine still seems unimpressed, a problem easily remedied. "Don't you even want to know what I'll use the money on? You're not the least bit curious?"

"Should I be? You've got places you want to go yourself don't cha? It also can't be cheap traveling with a group as big as yours." Marine feigned disinterest, but the way her eyes fight to not meet yours tells you otherwise. "Unless one of you is secretly loaded…are they? Who is it? Is it Flare? I bet it's her."

"I wouldn't say Flare is loaded, but her dad is pretty well off. He's a retired general and a big name in the capital where I'm from. He's a pretty nice guy too, he let Watame and I into his home, fed us, and agreed to let Flare come with us on our journey. I hope he's not too upset with me over what happened in the elven kingdom though, I'd like to stay on his good side, and-" You answer before finally catching yourself on the tangent Marine somehow led you on, the smug look on her face invites your own expression to puff in defiance.

"Yeah, I could see why you might want to be in the man's favor. You have whisked his daughter halfway across the world already, and may have already stolen her heart. That too is a type of pirating, you know. I think I could teach you a thing or two about capturing a woman's heart like a dashing rogue of the sea~"

And there was your opening, she'll regret her choice of phrasing because with your next move, you might just make the girl cry tears of joy.

"Back to what I was saying." You clear your throat, standing up straight and taking slow steps across the deck, letting your boots really dig into the whining floorboards. "Yeah, traveling the world won't be cheap, and there's places I need to get to eventually, but so do you."

Marine, some of the pack, all watch you with curious eyes as you walk, unsure of where exactly you might be taking this conversation. Pomu and Sylph, are trying their best to keep their dimples from outstretching past their cheeks by their smiles. Best not keep everyone waiting.

"Marine, your life, your ship, your dreams, they don't deserve to wait a second longer than necessary. You helped me do something I feel like I had to do, even if it meant you might get hurt, or you'd lose your ship, or even your death. Without you, I probably wouldn't be standing half as tall as I am right now, so I want to repay you, and the Crimson Quarter for everything." You speak as you run your hand along the base of one the ship's masts, noting how worn and brittle the wood had become. "The chest Blackfin thought was going to keep you from ever sailing the seas again, is gonna be what helps you sail further than you ever had before."

"Anon, no. You can't" Marine tries to interrupt you, but you won't have it.

"With the money I can get from this thing, I'm gonna pay someone to fix your ship, and make it even better than it was before. You'll be able to sail wherever your heart takes you." You outstretch your arms in declaration, Marine is holding something back within those heterochromic eyes, but she marches right up to you and continues her resistance.

"I didn't ask for you to do that. I took the Crimson Quarter into battle knowing what could happen. I would make the same choice all over again, because that's what was right! I can't take what can be used to help the people that I caused to suffer!" Marine raises her voice, commanding the floor. "I know I didn't side with Blackfin, but I should have seen it all coming. Morgan treated the people of Shallah fairly for a pirate, but I was a fool…I knew other pirates didn't share his beliefs. Instead of doing anything to prevent Blackfin from taking power in the first place, I was only worried about trying to find treasures that people aren't even sure exist. If I was just more serious, if I was a better Senchou…all those people may not have had to suffer so much, you…you wouldn't have had to-"

"I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you." You cut her off, and the sincerity behind your words cuts right through Marine's sudden guard. Her arms now tremble in the swelling emotions she feels, and the desire to fight evaporates. "It might not have been clear skies and smooth sailing the entire way, but I'm glad things happened the way they did. Getting to meet a real pirate captain who didn't want to immediately tear a hole in my chest or hold me for ransom, then getting to fight alongside her in probably the most fun battle I've ever been a part of. Not to mention getting to man a real ship cannon, that was all awesome! I wouldn't trade a second of it for anything. Would you?"

"N-No." Marine chokes, her face pointed down at the ground. "I almost lost my entire crew, my ship, and even my life, but from the second you opened my box and let me control my own sails again, it was like I was in a story from my grandma's glory days, and I got to actually be the heroine. You were absolutely insane though! Connected with spirits, blowing apart an entire building with us still in it, fighting a giant whale. What was crazier was the fact that you just trusted me so easily. How did you do that?"

"I'll admit that I was skeptical at first, especially with how my previous run-ins with pirates went." You let out a small chuckle, and Marine finally lifts her head to meet your eyes again, their rippling pools begging you to elaborate. "But when I saw you put yourself in danger and hold out as long as you could while Pomu and I freed the prisoners at the work camp, I knew I could trust you. No one with a selfish heart would have done that. On the flip side, you put your trust in me. You even supported my crazy plans, which you have to admit, were pretty fun."

"There ain't nothing like bringing the house down with the orchestrator of the winds!" Sylph cuts in, flying herself a few feet higher to showcase her full physique to all aboard the ship, and her personal hype girl; Pomu, clapping for her below.

"What I'm trying to say is, you're my friend, Marine. You not only helped me fight to free Shallah, but you helped keep me together when I felt like I was gonna fall to pieces. I can never really pay you back for that, so the least I can do is try to meet you halfway by making sure you have the best ship to ever sail the seas."

"C-Cabin boy." Marine sniffs, her eyes starting to leak, and the trails roll down her cheek and over her lips that twinge from the bitter taste. Unable to contain it any longer, Marine throws herself into you in a tight embrace. "That's gonna be a lot of gold! Y-You really want to do that? For me?"

"I said I did, didn't I?" You return the hug and let Marine's sopping face bury itself into your shoulder. "You're a pirate, Marine. To make you live without a ship to sail on, would be like not letting a bird have its wings, or a fish its fins. So of course I want to use the extremely extravagant treasure box you were in to help pay for a ship upgrade, and if we end up needing a little extra, Pomu and I have a little more stashed away that we can use. Does that sound good?

"It sounds amazing." Marine's muffled voice utters, and she inhales deeply to clear her sinuses before pulling away to see you face to face. "Do you really think they can make the Crimson Quarter even better? Will they even want to spend time fixing a pirate ship after all that happened?"

"If it's yours, you bet!" You exclaim. "You saw how the people treated you earlier, they love ya. You're a hero, Marine. I won't be surprised if they try to give us a discount either."

"Do NOT let them do that." Marine says, her firm composure rising back to the surface. "If I find out that you let them slice off even one copper from what the bill should be, you'll be in big trouble with me. The Houshou Pirates always pay their debts in full."

"I'll do my best, but I bet the people of Shallah will want to show their appreciation somehow. Maybe you could throw in a few luxury requests? If you could have anything added to your ship, what would it be? Got any fun ideas?" You ask, and the woman who stands in front of you's face lights up like a hundred stars.

"Do I?! I even have sketches back in my quarters!" Marine exclaims with unmatched enthusiasm, and her legs bend to sprint her to the room in question before her head forces her heart to pause its orders for just a few seconds longer. "Anon, it's time we sailed back. Raise anchor and get us shoved off. Pomu, you have the helm. I need to look over my designs and make sure they're ready for a real shipwright to look at."

Your captain then dashes off to her private room, no doubt about to let her dreams and desires for what her new and improved ship will look like run wild, which you couldn't be happier about. It may have left you with most of the work of sailing you back to the mainland, but your pack and the growing familiarity of traversing over the sea makes it easier than expected, even with Pomu's overeagerness. More than once did the fae get too playful with the ship wheel, causing the vessel to almost veer off course.

Note to self: Don't let Pomu drive any mode of transportation in the future.

At the final stretch of your trip, Marine emerges from her quarters with a stack of parchments almost two fists wide. She climbs the stairs to the upper deck where Pomu reluctantly keeps the ship steady due to your backseat sailing, and gives the order to veer to port, where the southern shore of Shallah can be seen coming ever closer. Marine takes the helm once more, that attractive confidence of hers beaming through her smile as she invites you both to take a look at her list of requests for her ship modifications.

The drawings are much better than you were expecting. Hell, you would even expect to find some of this stuff in the room of a professional artist. The wishlist Marine had made for herself was balanced, in that there were far extremes of ideas and features that bordered along the fantastical and possibly not even technologically possible, and that there requests so practical and conducive to the overall smooth operation of a ship that you almost question if these were drawn and designed by the same person. Whoever gets to work on this ship will either see it as a challenge, or a joke never to be uttered again. If even half of these requests get fulfilled, you'll just have to know how they accomplished it.

"By the way, Anon." Marine says from behind you, a content smile stretches across her face. "Are you really going to spend the rest of the day looking like that? Tonight's gonna be a party in honor of our victory and the lives of those who couldn't live to see tomorrow. At the very least you should clean yourself up for Flare. She deserves it after the day she's had."

"Is it really that bad?" You remark as you look yourself over; dried blood stains across the skin where wounds heal, dirt and bruises darken your person in other areas, and your clothes…best not to focus on that too much right now. Your attire has certainly been in worse shape, but it's also been better. "Alright, I suppose I could use a wash, but doesn't everyone else? If I'm the only one clean there, I'll feel overdressed."

"I don't really mind being dirty, but it does sound fun to overdress like a fairy princess at a trashcan ball. Although, if there's gonna be dancing, I'm gonna need something that is a little more flexible." Pomu sighs, looking herself down and brushing down the frills of her skirt that crinkle with every crease she attempts to smooth out. "Those birds tried to cook me good. I was almost a well-done Pomu."

"You took a blast head on by Captain Alvina and came out swinging, you really are one tough fairy." Marine compliments.

"I'm tough because people needed me to be. Two of my best friends taught me how to do that." Pomu smiles your way, giving you a compliment that means more to you than she could probably know. You couldn't be more proud of how this fairy performed the past few days. "I also may be a cool, strong pirate now, but I seriously want a change of clothes. At least until I get my normal stuff cleaned. That goes double for you, Anon. As your wingfairy I will not allow you to attend tonight's feast looking like that."

"We both know my only change of clothes is with Polka." You remind everyone, and just the mention of the fennec makes your mind wander to a most wondrous place; laying on a sun scorched shoreline, Polka next to you in a swimsuit she made for herself that lets you take in even more of her exotic form. When Pomu's face contorts to sheer confusion, you realize your position and bring yourself back to reality. "And uhhh, we might not meet back up till after the party starts. I'll try to clean myself up, but a change of clothes might be harder to manage."

"There's plenty of spare clothes down below." Marine chimes in. "There should easily be something your size. Same with you, Pomu. The storage closet is three doors down on the left side of the second to lowest deck. The washroom is right next to it too, you can't miss it. Just go down and help yourselves."

"You heard Senchou, Anon. Time to get squeaky clean!" Pomu, needing no additional prodding, begins to march off the deck, grabbing you by the wrist along the way.

"H-Hold on! This ship was abandoned for months until a few nights ago. There's no way there's something appropriate for me to wear down there." You protest, but Pomu is not the least bit deterred.

"Don't be such a frumpy fungus. You're just trying to come up with excuses not to get clean. I know you think you got this whole rugged warrior thing going, but your ladies deserve better." Pomu chastises you, but what she says isn't entirely far from the truth, but not for the reason she thinks.

"Nene kinda likes it." You grumble under your breath while offering a silent apology to the girl that you won't be able to to conduct your post-battle bathing ritual together.

"Yeah yeah, and I see how they all get when your shirt is ripped too, but that doesn't mean you get to go out dressed like that when you're going to a public event! Honestly, Anon, I know your dad raised you better than this. How did you ever manage without me?"

"I was never really invited to big parties or anything until recently." You sigh, not sure why you continue to come to your own defense, but it's better than staying silent. "We've also had more important things to worry about than how clean we look."

"And now we don't, so you're gonna be a good summoner and make yourself presentable. This is for your benefit too, ya know." Pomu chuffs as you both descend the next set of stairs and she finishes dragging you to where the supplies closet is said to be. The fae pushes the simple dark-wood door open to reveal a simple walk in corridor with shelves on both sides climbing to the ceiling, each carrying an assortment of neatly folded articles that showcased the signature Houshou colors.

"So dressing like I'm part of Marine's crew counts as presentable?" You ask, exasperated as you peruse your somewhat limited selection.

"Aww, c'mon, Anon. Don't ya wanna dress like a pirate with me? We did win a pirate war while officially being part of the Houshou Pirates. We should wear it proudly!" Pomu chirps, holding a simple red and white striped shirt over her blouse to check for sizing, but then shakes her head and puts it back.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt for just one night." You answer as you find a thankfully neutral combination of a simple white shirt with a cross stringed collar, and beige britches that might not go past your knees, but it was an acceptable compromise. "Maybe Shallah has a tailor or something I can stop by tomorrow. Not only do I need my old clothes stitched up, I'm hoping that I can find something a little nicer to wear for certain occasions."

"Occasions involving Flare you mean?" Pomu smirks, having found a pair of black pants that suited her. "If you ask me, stick with the stuff you got there. Anything that shows a little bit of leg seems to be a big hit with the girls. Although, you might want to be careful. A certain group of predators might just lose control of themselves if you tempt them too much."

"Then I'll just have to throw you in their way while I make my escape. Since the clothes were your idea, you will take responsibility for protecting my purity, right?" You retort, and Pomu meets your question with a rolled up drying towel propelled into your face.

"Yeah right. If you're pure, I'm a monkey's uncle." She snorts.

"I'm a perfect gentleman."

"They're not mutually exclusive, you dork. Now I suppose since you're such a pure and dignified gentleman, you won't be able to tell me if there are any lady's unmentionables on your side, would you?" Pomu asks as she continues to sift through the shelves on her side.

"None so far, are there any for guys on your side?"

"That's a no go. This kinda sucks, mine are still warm from yesterday. It's kinda nice on my butt, but I am not putting dirty underwear on with clean pants. Oh! Here we go. This little basket looks promising."

You turn around and join Pomu as she looks through the small wicker container, and what you both find both surprises, and entices you both. Right on top of the cloth stack, was a pair of very lacey, and very delicate panties; the frills along the edges depict the softest flowers, but carry with them a raw sexuality that makes your stomach leap. With it is a bra that was not only impressive in size, but also carried the same alluring design and texture.

"Hot dog! Well these are certainly undergarments…but not really the kind for this fairy, at least not tonight." Pomu exclaims as she runs her fingers along the front cup of the bra. "This is some quality stuff too, but I guess it would need to be. I wouldn't come close to filling this out."

"Please don't tell me things like that." You sigh, but your eyes don't leave the piece of forbidden clothing the fae holds.

"Oh like you wouldn't be able to guess anyway." Pomu scoffs, then holds the front of the bra right over her own chest. "I mean look at it, it's no secret I'm not even close to this gal's size. Like Flare or Watame could easily fill this. Here, catch. I wanna know for sure." The fae says as she almost nails you in the face with the cupped garment.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" You ask, but take this chance to marvel at the first time you are holding something that was always a sought after fantasy since the moment you hit puberty.

"Well I've seen you with a handful of Flare, and I assume you didn't pass up the chance with Watame either."

"First off, you barged in on us, second, that isn't any of your business, and third, I'm not doing this." You orchestrate your points with an additional finger each time, while subtly making a mental note that the bra in question would not contain Watame or Flare. It might be a suitable size for Nene, but Pomu doesn't get to know any of that. "Now is there more underwear in that pile we can wear, or not?"

"Just a few more pairs of the same thing. So unless you want to get real adventurous-"

"No thanks."

"Alright, but it comes in red too.. Oh, and there's a leotard underneath, and a skirt that looks just like Captain Marine's…"

The realization that you both were just fondling Marine's underwear that match the talk she walks, makes both of you stop cold. After hastily throwing both halves of the black lace back into the basket, you take one hard and steady step away. You don't know why, but you feel somewhat unclean after so brazenly handling another woman's underwear like that, especially one you know to be so lecherous. The mental image of what Marine might look like in said attire is also very dangerous for you at the moment, so you lock that deep away for now.

"Guess you and me are going easy breezy tonight." Pomu shrugs.

"I guess so…" You sigh, and then you give Pomu a very hard stare. "You keep that to yourself, and I'll do the same."

"Hey with any luck I won't be the only one who gets to know." The fae gives your shoulder a hard nudge before strutting towards the closet door.

"You're incorrigible sometimes, you know that?"

"I'm Pomu! Now let's get all our singes, cuts, bruises, and dirt off of us. We're heroes now, Anon, and this fairy is gonna look good for her victory lap."

In lighter spirits from the fae's confidence, you both head to the washroom just a few steps down the hall. It's a very simple facility, much like you were used to growing up; buckets of water for rinsing oneself, a soapbar, and a small stool to sit on. The layout of the room had wooden partitions to allow more of the crew to bathe at once, which was convenient. You and Pomu had taken your own open stall next to one another, and the sounds of both your respective clothes hitting the ground in heavy thumps echoed in the washchamber.

"It's so crazy, ain't it?" Pomu says over the sound of the cloth being dunked into her bucket, followed by the trickle of water raining above her head. "We actually fought real life pirates, and we won! It was so much different than fighting demons and Grendel. I don't really know how to explain it."

"I think I can." You say between wringing your own cloth over your head to wash the initial layer of sweat and stink off your body. "Back in your forest, it must have felt like a nonstop ride for you, one that you couldn't control. It was like that for me too the first couple of times; the black castle that showed up near where I grew up, the mage's tower in Lu'Shaldor, I was kinda flying by the seat of my pants because I just had to do it. This time, we picked a fight with a group of bastards that needed to be taught a lesson. You trained for this too, so it's kinda like seeing your results in action. By the way, you did awesome, Pomu. I'm really proud of you."

"Aww, shucks." Pomu holds back a nervous giggle from the other side of the dividing wall. "I was pretty great, wasn't I?"

"And so modest." You chuckle.

"The most modest fairy you know."

"You aren't wrong about that."

The next few minutes are spent in comfortable silence as you both wash your respective bodies. Seeing your skin lose the darkened mix of dried blood and dirt sends a degree of satisfaction throughout your body. The medals of battle should be proudly worn, but living to remove them so that they can be replaced with more some day is its own source of pride.

"It actually was kinda shaky for a bit towards the end." Pomu suddenly says, making your ears twitch. "When I flew off after those harpies, they were probably going to kill me. If Kiara hadn't shown up…"

"If Kiara wasn't around, we both might have not made it out alive." You admit. "She saved my ass too. Without her healing, Chacu would have definitely knocked me out cold."

"But I was reckless…I wasn't ready to fight those birds all on my own, but…but"

"Your heart told you what to do, and you listened. No one can ever fault you for that, Pomu. Especially when it wants you to protect people. You also weren't doing it alone, we were all behind you. Because we trust each other, we can take the risks we wouldn't be able to normally."

"Because we trusted each other." Pomu repeats to herself, and shortly after you can hear the gasp of revelation leave her breath. "That's right! Because we're an unstoppable team, we can always count on each other to fly to the rescue if things get hairy. Yeah! There's nothing we can't do, and no enemy we can't beat!"

"Damn right, but we still need to make sure we train." You chuckle. "I'm just about washed up, are you almost done?"

"Just about. I skipped giving my head a good lathering, but hey a rinse is better than nothing. I just need to get my wings a little, but it's hard without my brush."

"Alright, I'll come help." You say without a single brain cell in your entire head working, and only after the final syllable leaves your lips, do you realize what you just offered. You can only hope that Pomu doesn't-

"Really? Oh that would be awesome! There's sand in them, like how nuts is that? I can't believe it got in there. I hate it." Pomu sighs in relief, and your stomach drops.

Alright, it's no big deal. You tell yourself this as you rise from your stool and wrap your towel around your waist. Now properly concealed from the waist down, you walk around the small partition and see the naked back of your companion hunched over upon her seat. Butterflies swarm within your stomach at the sight of those translucent wings drooped downward towards the floor that converge to surround the runway of Pomu's spine that leads your eyes to where her plushy rump squished against the circular stool.

"So how exactly do I clean wings?" You ask as you try to build up your nerve and take one step closer.

"It's just like washing any other part of you, you just need to be a little more gentle. You got parts of yourself you're more gentle with, right?"

"I'm not sure that's an accurate comparison." You scoff, and the light banter helps to make this situation feel a little more natural, so with the damp, sudsy cloth you hold, you approach Pomu's folded wingspan and take the tip of her top left appendage, which makes the fae shiver involuntarily.

"Says you." The fae says with a shaky voice. "They're sensitive, especially the tips."

"S-Sorry." You stammer, and before you go to release her, Pomu shakes her head.

"It's cool, it just shocked me is all. I wasn't expecting you to grab there…I guess I didn't give you any instruction. You can just go along them now with the cloth, nice and easy. Make sure they get clean and shiny."

The next minute is spent in a type of comfort you have not fully grasped before, a strange sense of belonging and familiarity between you and Pomu. You haven't bathed so close to another person since childhood, and your joint cleaning with Nene back in the forest was full of very different emotions than right now. You surprisingly don't feel embarrassed, nervous, or even vulnerable around Pomu as you partake in what is likely a very platonic form of intimacy between fairies, you just feel relaxed and content. The feeling was apparently mutual. The more you ran the cleaning cloth across Pomu's wings, the more she relaxed, even going so far as to lull her body out of its hunched posture, and further into your touch.

"Are you sure you never cleaned wings before?" Pomu lets out a pleasant sigh. "I think you're even getting out all the sore spots I built up the past few days."

"I'm just making sure I get the sand out of them so you're looking presentable for the party."

"Still, it's nice. I haven't had my wings cleaned by someone else in a while, so thanks, Anon." The fairy says with heart-touching sincerity. "It's not weird though, is it?"

"Not unless you want to make it weird." You shrug. "Which I would prefer if you didn't, but I also know if you wanted to, I wouldn't be able to stop you."

"Could I even make this weird?" Pomu tilts her head to the side in thought as she shifts her shoulder to give you better access to her wings. "Not that I would actually try. You're being too nice to me today. Consider it a gift from Pomu Rainpuff."

"And what did I do to deserve such a gracious token of appreciation?" You chuckle, rinsing the final suds off of Pomu's wings, and admiring their beauty and sheen.

"The room service you set up earlier was pretty nice, and then you wanted me to help you feed all those hungry people. I know you did that so the first thing they saw with their first good meal in who knows how long was a fairy…that means a lot to me." Pomu starts to list off, making you almost feel a tad bashful over how much the fae has been at the forefront of your mind. "Then sharing that treasure with me, this, and just well, taking me along. It was kinda scary sometimes, but I'm glad I came with you, not just because of what I need to do to bring the other Rainpuffs back, but because I want to help you out. You're really fun, like a fairy. I'm glad I have ya around, Anon."

"Right back at ya, Pomu." You put a hand on top of that flat blond head of hers, and she leans up and rocks herself back and forth. "Now how about we get dressed and head back above deck? We got a lot more fun to bring tonight, and I'm counting on my wingfairy to help make this the best festival Shallah has ever seen."

"Awww, are we done already? I was hoping we could do one of those bonding things like I've read in some books; where you wash my back, I wash yours. You're not afraid of being naked around me, are ya?" Pomu snickers, looking over her shoulder at you with a concerning amount of mischief in her toothed smile. A tender moment completely turned on its head in an instant, that's Pomu for you.

"Me being naked is just half the problem." You state, taking a step backward and averting your eyes to anything but the naked girl in front of you.

"No no no. That won't do at all." Pomu tuts, rising off her seat and twirling with such speed that the water droplets from her back and wings sprinkle your own back as you turn with lightning speed to remove her body from your vision. "You're gonna let this Pomu make sure your back and other hard to reach spots are spotless! What kind of friend would I be if I let you walk around your many suitable bachelorettes with sand still wedged behind your ears?"

"A friend with boundaries?" You offer meekly. "Can you at least put a towel on? I gave you that courtesy at least."

"Is that your problem? Sheesh, Anon. I thought once you and Watame got it on, you would be over this kinda thing." Pomu teases you further, making your face go red hot over both the reminder that everyone is privy to one of your most intimate moments to date, and the mental image of the act itself; one you need to repeat very soon. "Fine, fine. I'll cover up the magnificence that is Pomu, but you're missing out, buddy. I hope you snuck an eyeful earlier when I wasn't looking. I'm not sure when you'll get another chance."

"I think I'll live." You grumble, and once you hear the shuffling behind you come to a stop, you chance a look over your shoulder and see the fae appropriately covered from bust to hips, but the way that towel is tucked into her cleavage to hold it in place does not do you any favors.

Pomu presents the now vacant stool for you to take, and you silently resign yourself to your fate and tell yourself it won't be so bad. What do you have to worry about anyway? It's just Pomu. You had almost no problem seeing her naked backside. You've been through enough together that you can share this type of thing and not have it be so awkward. She won't try anything funny. The notion makes your muscles relax a little, but then a pair of footsteps come from the washroom doorway.

"Ahoy mateys!" Marine shouts to announce her entrance. Her stance, wide and proud, is Marine in nothing but a towel that is clinging for dear life to stay tucked into her ample chest, and the width of the Senchou's hips is staggering. An involuntary swallow of air makes an audible drop through your pathway, causing you to clasp a hand to your mouth, but it was already too late, Pomu saw it all. The fae's wide grin contorts to shock as quickly as it came, as your reaction to seeing Marine in a very small towel means that Marine has now seen both of you, in the same stall.

"M-Marine?! What? What are-Who's steering the ship!?" You blabber, trying your best to stay calm, but failing.

"I gave the helm to one of your lion-girls. Short one with black hair, uhhhh, Bree!" Marine snaps her fingers. "That one. She was looking kinda bored, and I needed a wash up too. Don't worry though, it's a straight shot to the port from where we are. Shouldn't be more than another thirty minutes before we can dock." She goes on to explain before a sly smirk reaches across her face when she fully takes in the scene she walked in on. "I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"

"O-Of course not!" Pomu yelps first. "Anon was just helping me get the sand out of my wings. Crazy how that stuff gets everywhere, ain't it?"

"Tell me about it. I've had sand in places you don't wanna know about." Marine laughs in a low, short breath that does not invite elaboration or inquiry. "Well glad to hear my cabin boy is the helpful type, since your Senchou has been cooped up in a box for too many months, and seawater alone just doesn't cut it. Anon, spare an extra ten minutes for me? Pretty please?"

"I don't know, Marine." You try to conjure a believable excuse, looking at Pomu, and then every single inch of your surroundings. "Are you sure you're comfortable with me being here? If you want a relaxing soak alone, I can easily leave. We didn't really know if you had boys or girls rooms here, so we both just took a stall and-"

"Nah, I don't have any prude rules like that on my ship. You're fine to stay." Marine shoots your idea down without batting an eye. "It's also sweet that you want to be a gentleman, but it's really okay. We're just getting clean, and if you happen to see something, well, I hope you like it~"

"Yeah, Captain Marine's right. We're just getting clean." The fae smiles nervously at you, as if trying to convince the both of you for some reason. Marine seems to not think of the remark for a second, and takes her place in the small stall that still held a fresh bucket of water.

"Oh Anon~ You're free to come over and wash my back for me. Time's a wastin'" She chirps, and you steel your nerve harder than ever, while hoping another part of you does not follow suit.

"Don't be so nervous, you're gonna make her feel bad." Pomu whispers to you. "What are you so shifty about? We were almost naked together just a few minutes ago, and that was alright. What's so different?"

"You haven't shoved your tongue down my throat and wanted more." You hiss back. "You also know damn well it's not just about seeing her naked. Am I even allowed to be doing this? What the hell would Watame, Flare, or Polka say about this?"

"You're concerned about that kinda thing now!?" Pomu keeps her voice down, but sharp. "Dude, you've had seven lion girls all trying to get you to declare mating season on them, and no one has said anything so far. Hell, I told Watame to give you that killer kiss before, and that was after she said it was cute how the pack liked you so much. Considering how much Marine has helped us and saved your keister, I think it's fine."

"But this isn't as simple as before! Like, I just took a big step with Watame, and Polka too in a different way. I want to move forward with Flare too, I want the girl to know I'm in love with-"

"Cabin boy! I'm going to run out of water soon. Hurry up!" Marine shouts from over the divide, freezing you and Pomu mid-argument.

"This is your life now, Mr. Hero, get in there and you can sort it all out later." Pomu gives you a firm slap on the shoulder to send you stumbling forward.

"Sort it out later, she says." You mutter under your breath as you approach Marine's stall, and with what you see that has you suddenly playing a very different tune.

Deep crimson hair cascades down Marine's slender back, stopping just short of that supple waistline that holds a set of hips that would be considered galleon-class. It's a wonder the stool is standing strong underneath such an impressive load, and the top half of Marine seems equally heavy if the way the sides of those globes peek out from her frame are any indication. Steady, Anon, you can do this.

"Good, I was starting to worry you were going to leave me all by my lonesome." Marine says with your approach, extending a leg forward and sweeping the bucket of water as well as an extra stool behind her for you to make use of. As her arms were busy giving her front a thorough scrubdown, you couldn't help but notice a simple tattoo in red of the Houshou Pirate emblem inked upon her hip. "Don't be shy, I won't bite."

"And even if you do, I've been bitten by things with much bigger teeth." You remark, shrugging off her playful beckoning and focusing solely on how the woman is your comrade in arms, which makes the act of cleaning her battleworn body much easier on your libido.

"Really now? Now that sounds like a fun story. What sunk their fangs into you? A giant monster? A beast in the woods?" Marine asks with a mix of playfulness and genuine interest, as you seat yourself down behind her and begin washing her slender back.

"Botan. She got me good too, but I got her right back. That's pretty much how I got a pack of lions to follow me back to Shallah. It wouldn't be the first time some crazy naturistic rituals landed me with more than I bargained for." You go on to say with a very light pinch of salt, which makes the woman who's back you glide down with your hands giggle and jostle in her seat.

"Oh? You'll have to tell me all about them later. The Houshou Pirates have had their share of run-ins with the more dangerous side of nature as well. I wonder who has seen weirder stuff?" She asks herself, but the flow of her thoughts is slowed to a mere crawl from the treatment you are giving her. "Don't be afraid to explore a little more with those hands of yours. This sexy body hasn't been cleaned in months, and I want it to be silky smooth."

"Yes, Senchou." You put more effort into pressing the soaped cloth into the woman's back, making sure to smooth out the knots that have built up over the months. A firm knead from your palm then makes Marine quiver in delight, she leans forward to give you more free reign of her soaked body.

"Damn that's good! Flare wasn't kidding, you know exactly how to work a girl over." She moans, and those tantalizing notes stir your deeper desires out of their slumber, which almost stops you dead in your tracks.

"Just what has Flare been telling you?" You ask, and your curious mind loses track of your hands that find their way over Marine's shoulders and begin pulling at the skin, eliciting more approving tones from her.

"Just…Just that you have heavenly hands, and I thought they couldn't get any better after you got rid of my hangover." Marine breathes, and she leans further into your hands, begging you to pull her skin even more. "I can see why she wants to keep them all to herself. It's a travesty to not share a treasure like this, so keep going."

"Fine, but just a little longer. Like you said, we'll be ready to dock soon." You try to temper both Marine's and your own expectations. The constant mention of Flare today has not made it easy to keep certain instincts you are having quiet, and the perfectly shaped woman sitting in front of you is making you even more impatient.

"Lower." Marine says when your clothed palm reaches the middle of her back, you oblige, applying pressure as you travel down her spine. When your hand reaches her waistline, you give her tailbone a firm push, which results in a loud crack from underneath that supple skin, and in turn pulls an erotic moan from the woman's throat. "Don't stop." She begs, having felt you recoil from her sudden outburst, and her demands continue. "Go lower. I don't know what you did, but it feels like my body is ten times lighter. Keep going. Now."

Your hesitation is overruled by Marine's natural command in conjunction with the healing you are administering, and your hands grip her love handles and start to work them in long, hard circles in gusto. Each pluck of her skin plays another soft moan from Marine's pipes, while she leans forward more and more, giving you better access to her frame. While your hands are keen to wander, you keep them just from crossing the curved threshold to her voluptuous ass. If they are meant to grope someone today, it will not be Marine, at least not for now. Your hands will find their way around your beloved later, which is a promise that seems to calm your lustful fire.

When your hands begin to slow, the back you knead launches itself toward you for one, final, grab. You press down hard on Marine's arches, and drag your palms all the way up, and just over her shoulders, forcing the breath right out of her. You then release her and let her recover from the therapeutic high she just had.

"Phew! I feel like a brand new woman!" Marine declares with bursting confidence, and she swivels a full turn in her seat to face you, her breasts swaying with her momentum and your body freezes at the sight.

Perky pink nipples centered within two perfect and large mounds of flesh, a garnet red patch of hair forming a runway to pussy lips that glisten, and Marine's bright eyed smile all say "Hello", which is heard loud and clear if a twitch from underneath your towel is any indication. Taking advantage of your stunned state, Marine leans toward you, and with her finger, traces a short line down your abdomen before hooking it into the fold of your towel, taking your breath away. She fixates on your wide eyes with the smug visage of someone who has the world in their grasp.

"Your turn." She coos, and your heart rate matches the breakneck velocity your mind is working with to try and interpret what exactly she could mean by this. All signs however, point to you being touched, fondled, or possibly invaded.

"My turn for what exactly?" You choke, keeping your eyes locked with hers, and not the pair of breasts hover just above your knees.

"To get some dotting treatment of course." Marine grins. "You still have a few spots you need washed, and I got just the pair of hands to make sure Shallah's new hero is looking his best. Now be a good cabin boy, and let your Senchou wash your back."

As a token or good faith, or perhaps another excuse to play with your more, Marine ever so slowly releases her fingers from the collar of your towel, staring at you with eager eyes. Now that you are free however, you rise from your seat to gain a better vantage point, in both position and view; the way the natural valleys of Marine's chest and thighs converge is dazzling, but it was time to let her down easy.

"That's okay, Marine. I'm really clean enough. No need to trouble yourself." You politely offer, but again, your claims of cleanliness are not believed.

Marine says nothing before grabbing you by the hips, and turning you a full one-hundred and eighty degrees, giving her a full view of your broad canvas.

"You're a terrible liar, Anon." She says with a cold tone. "You've got dirt, blood, and algae still smudged along your back."

"What? No way." You protest, trying to crane your head over your shoulder to see for yourself. Your view is spun again so your back is to the washroom entrance, and Marine looks up at you unamused.

"Pomu, come check him out. Tell him his back is a gross mess." Marine orders, and the fae walks out from her stall to act as her witness.

"That's what I was trying to tell him earlier, but he just wasn't having it." She clicks. "You need someone to get that for ya, Anon."

"And just for trying to lie to me" Marine starts, and as your internal alarms start to blare, she grips the hem of your towel, and strips it off of you in one fell swoop, exposing you to the entire room.

Pomu lets out a high pitched cat call from behind you. "Nice butt! I see you like to work out." The fae then represses a giggle at her own joke. "Lookin' good as well captain!"

Marine gives the fae a casual wink and salute, while you turn halfway to shoot daggers at the girl for encouraging this, but are again caught off guard as she was now completely nude with her towel tied around her head.

It was the most peculiar thing; where you would expect your stomach to drop and your eyes trying to burn every singular detail of Pomu's form into memory, but instead, you are calm. Yes, Pomu is a woman, with breasts, legs, a vagina, but the details are almost obscured to you for some reason. You are not drawn to them or feel the lustful curiosity you have felt for others. She is just Pomu, and that calms and comforts you.

"See? This ain't so bad, Anon. We're all just naked pirates now." Pomu spreads her stance wide, proud as if the logic was infallible.

"I really lucked out. I got not one, but two really attractive crewmates, one who is well equipped too." She purrs, bringing your eyes back to hers, and your heart feels as though it was on the cusp of erupting when you see her eyeing your crotch with immense interest.

"Oh for real? Turn around, Anon. I wanna see if the rumor is true." Pomu joins in, and your heart rate spikes again.

"What?! No way!" You snap, going so far as to try and snatch the towel back from Marine, who whips her arm behind her to escape your grasp, calling your bluff that you dare not take a step closer, lest something of yours come into contact with her. "And who's spreading rumors?!"

"Oh what's the big deal!?" Pomu whines, marching toward you from behind. "You just got to see all that is Pomu. I just wanna see, I've never seen a guy completely naked before."

"She's got you there, cabin boy." Marine smirks. "Now are you going to be fair? Or will your Senchou need to give the order? Turn around, slowly, and sit down. I need to wash your back anyway."

You let out a heavy sigh in agreement and do your best to recollect yourself.

"Thanks, Anon." Pomu chirps with more excitement than you are comfortable with. "I promise I won't say anything weird."

"That would actually be reassuring if your idea of weird, and my own weren't miles apart." You scoff, closing your eyes and performing a full turn so your back is now to Marine, and Pomu is given the view she asked for. For ten seconds, ten, painful, seconds, no one says anything, and you chance opening one eye to see exactly what's going on, only to see Pomu looking at your lower region with genuine curiosity. "Soooo, are you good? Can I sit down now?" You ask, slightly irritated.

"Hmmmm." The fae hums, seemingly stuck in her own little world, and her face ignites with the fires of mischief. "Not a bad PP, Anon, but~"

"But what?" You ask, feeling as though you will surely regret this decision.

"But mine's…" Pomu starts, and then with a stroke from her crotch, sprouts a sun-yellow banana of a comical size, and the fae is using every ounce of willpower to keep her snickering contained before the punchline. "Bigger."

"Uh oh, Anon." Marine joins in, shaking you twice by the shoulders. "With a package like that, Pomu just might steal Flare away from you, not to mention me. If I get to choose between two heroes, I'm choosing the one with the bigger rod."

"You're both hilarious." You grumble. "Can we move on? Have you gotten your fill? Your laughs? I'd like to just sit down and stop being a visual aid for you to practice your magic with."

"Yeah, sure…I mean, can you?"

"What the hell does that mean?" You snap.

"It's just that…how do you sit with something like that between your legs? How do you do a lot of things? It looks like it would just get in the way." Pomu asks, and she starts to experiment with trying to cross one leg in front of the other with the fake phallic still in her hand, causing Marine to snicker and snort behind you.

"What kinda question is that!? Do your tits get in the way of stuff you try to do?" You fire back, and unconsciously you rest your knuckles on your hips to divert your indignant mood.

"Of course not, but they're not able to flop around like…that thing." Pomu retorts, snapping her creation away and crossing her arms to prop up the mammaries in question.

"Mine can sometimes." Marine chimes in to brag.

"That's because your clothes keep that from happening." You say through your teeth, agitated that you even need to have this conversation. "My dick doesn't have free range while it's in my pants, you know! And what do you think all the other men in the world do!?"

"I don't know! I've never seen a real dick before! You don't really think about these things when you're reading about them. It's just kinda like 'here's the dick, it's big and it's going right in there. A big and hard throbbing member enters effortlessly into a needy, sopping hole'. I thought that was all just an exaggeration, and then there yours is…" Pomu stops, and within her eyes she looks as though she weighs the biggest questions of the universe. "Actually, I'm done. No more. I promised I wouldn't say anything weird."

"I think we've already passed that point, but thanks anyway." You sigh, and plop yourself down on your stool in a hot temper. "Sheesh…"

"Geez you're tense." Marine remarks, and you think to spit something in retaliation, but the cooling and refreshing sensation of a wet cloth grinding through the pores of your back makes you stand down. "But you know, getting into a few life threatening battles will do that to ya, so just sit back and let your Senchou get the post-war grime off of you."

"Be my guest." You take the chance to just close your eyes and pretend you're somewhere else, having a different conversation. What you'll talk about with Flare on your coming date is a good escape, you can't wait to hear about how she won her battles, and pick up on where you both left yesterday. A few minutes of silence help you recharge your mental batteries, that is until a set of shuffling feet prompts you to open your eyes again to find Pomu standing a foot away from you both, inspecting you, and then looking around the washroom.

"Is there something I can help you with?" You sarcastically ask.

"Nah. I was just wondering if I could help at all. You helped me relax a lot when you were cleaning my wings, and after I got you all stressed out, I should try to make it right. Here give me one of your arms." Pomu leans forward, taking your right arm before waiting for your consent. With a dash of her own magic, her palm swirls with a cooling breeze that tickles and relaxes your skin as she hovers over it.

"That feels pretty nice." You admit, and your body begins to feel more limber. A few more seconds of this treatment of both hand and magic, and you find yourself needing to stretch, letting your legs spread outward, and a waft of refreshing air blows against your shaft, tingling the most sensitive parts of your inner thighs and balls as it travels. When you give out a soft shiver at the sensation, Pomu lets out a soft giggle.

"Not bad, huh?" She asks, and you want to chastise the girl, but your nether-regions do feel considerably more fresh just from the simple wave of magic.

"Not at all actually." You reply. "Just don't do that again."

"Why not?" The fae tilts her head.

"Because Anon doesn't want to give us a real show." Marine chuckles, and when you don't refute her, Pomu's mouth goes agape.

"Ohhhhhh." She lets out, flicking the spell away from her hand. "Really? Just from that? From me?"

"Don't read too much into it." You command.

"Not much to read into." Marine shrugs, and makes sure to execute her next stroke behind your back with even more pressure. "A man surrounded by two pretty ladies, having his body tended to. I'm surprised you're not at full mast yet."

"Unlike someone I'm not always thinking about that sort of thing." You remark, feeling good about the higher ground you just elevated yourself to.

"Liar." Pomu scoffs, so you decide to answer her with a little spell of your own; a flick of wind that rides up her leg and blows against her own privates, making her let out a high pitched "EEEP!" and try to close her legs. "Well if that's how you wanna play it, mister, you're squaring off with the Pomu Rainpuff, mistress of tricks, and the unseen hand of the forest. Now prepare yourself for a tickling that will have you praying to whatever gods you worship!"

The fae cocks her arms back, fingers wiggling as the force of wind begins to cycle around them, and the next second she lets loose her spell, sending a barrage of wind siphons in your direction. A do or die situation activates your battle instincts, and you throw yourself out of the way, sliding along the ground by your wet heels. The woman who was behind you however, was not so fortunate. Marine bursts into ear shattering laughter as the wind Pomu puppets dances all along her curves, stomach, and even her underboob.

Having hit the wrong target, Pomu halts her spell. "S-Sorry Captain Marine! I didn't mean to!"

"Don't worry Senchou, I'll get her back for you." You grin as you cock your own fist before letting it rocket forward, shooting a spray of water from it once it reaches its full length that drenches the fae from her head down to her midriff.

"Anon! I just got dry!" She whines.

"You should have thought about who you were up against before you tried to tickle m—OWWWWW!" You yelp, and your hands slap against your sore bottom. Behind you kneels the administrator of the throbbing pain; Captain Marine with your towel tightly wrung between her hands, ready to whip you again.

"That's for not taking the hit for your Senchou!" She barks. "What kind of gentleman lets a lady get tickled by a spell meant for him!?"

"What kinda lady cracks a towel over a man's ass!?" You bark back.

"I bet you like it, you weirdo." Pomu joins Marine's side in this exchange, making you fume.

"Oh yeah? Let's see how you like this." You dash and pirouette around Pomu, and then wrap your hands around what you found out to be her weak point; the tips of her wings. The fairy quivers, but she does not yield, her hands weaving another spell that you have no way of dodging this time.

"J-Jerk! I told you those are s-sensitive!" She stutters, and all too late do you notice the gathering of air around your own tip. "Take this!" She clenches her fist, and the unseen force around the tip of your dick tightens, sending an overload of signals through your entire system. Pomu does not stop there, another caress of wind gathers around your balls, and you can feel the color leave your face.

"P-Pomu, please? Have mercy?" You beg while trying to tighten your hold on her wings, hoping that by some miracle the way you squeeze her will sap her strength or interrupt her magic.

"You got a lot of nerve asking for mercy while you manhandle my poor wings." She snarls. "Why shouldn't I give you a squeeze too? Huh!?"

While you are at a clear disadvantage, your pride does not allow you to kneel, not just yet. Your bravery is then rewarded by the aid of an ally; Marine joins the fray and takes each of Pomu's breasts within her hands, making the fae scream and the magic dissipate into nothing.

"We're pirates, our goal is to take care of the jewels we find, not break them." She snickers, drawing fast circles around Pomu's areola with her fingertips.

Pomu is soundly defeated, the overstimulation she just endured makes her slump down to her knees, and you take another needed breath of air to chase away the dread you just felt. When yours and Marine's eyes meet next, the yellow and garnet orbs of hers speak of nothing but danger to you.

"And you, Cabin Boy." She starts, and with perfect finesse, she steps around the fae and positions herself behind you, taking both your wrists in her hands. "Shame on you for exploiting a woman's known weak spot. Maybe Senchou should teach you a lesson."

"Oh come on, Marine, it's over now, I'll stop." You try to bargain, but before you can get another word out, you feel one of Marine's legs hook around your front, locking her to you from behind. She frees your hands, but begins to move her digits wildly around your body, testing for how ticklish you are in any spot she can reach. The induced laughter makes it almost impossible to fight her, you try to bat away her hands, but they just keep coming back for more. You had no idea how ticklish you were along your waist, but Marine's nimble fingers seem to strike gold at every turn, and then you feel them going further southward.

"Are you ready for your lesson, Cabin Boy~" Marine whispers sinisterly into your ear.

Her fingers walking along your thigh to reach the other side where the treasure she seeks lies in wait, is then interrupted by the sound of hushed bickering that seems to be coming from…the wall? All three sets of eyes scan the plain wooden frame for any signs of the disturbance, and Marine is the first to see a change in the air, which could have just been a trick of the light. Your eyes are also drawn to where the air looks to shimmer, and from the veil emerges Bransha, already lifting her tank top over her head and rushing towards you.

"No more watching! Back me up, Nula! We gotta help Anon." She yells, rousing the second lioness from her hiding spot behind the magical camouflage that concealed her.

With two naked lionesses joining the fray, the flames of battle are rekindled. Bransha unleashes a deluge of water into the ceiling which disperses and douses you all like a waterfall, and you use the added slickness of your skin to slip out of Marine's hold. The next thing you know the washroom is in an uproar of magic, whip cracks, and battle cries. Soon you were all on your backs along the damp floor, all panting to catch your breath amidst the lingering laughter.

"Alright, how long were you two there?" Pomu asks between breaths.

"Just a few minutes before you got here." Nula begins to confess, much to Bransha's dismay. "We heard you were going to wash up, Anon, and Bransha said we should…surprise you?"

"That wasn't the plan!" Bransha interjects, rolling onto her stomach and making direct eye contact with you. "We just wanted to spend some time with you, b-but then I figured you probably wanted some privacy for a little, so I said we should hide for just a little bit, and then-"

"Eh. It's fine." You wave the mild annoyance you have with the idea that the pair was watching you bathe away.

"We're sorry, Anon." Nula's ears and tail droop, which makes you feel a twinge of guilt yourself.

"Whatever, you already got your eyefull and I'd be lying if the fact that you kept your presence hidden for so long didn't impress me." You let yourself smirk at that last part. "You're becoming a real pro, Nula. Even Pomu didn't sense something was up for a while."

"Probably because she had a good distraction." Bransha scoffs.

"Hey! I do not look at Anon like some kinda baby factory." Pomu snaps. "Yeah, that's right, I know how you were hoping this kinda thing would play out. You'd just casually show up while Anon was in nothing but his birthday suit, do a few struts, maybe rub his shoulders, and then you'd-"

"That's enough of that." You deadpan. "Whatever the case, it was good for me that you both showed up. My innocence might be completely gone by now if you haven't come to my rescue."

"Yeah yeah, keep trying to play the pure gentleman role, Anon." Marine chuckles and stands herself up straight. "You're lucky I think it's cute on you. Now if you don't mind, I'm actually going to go get dressed now. I've been soaked enough for five baths by now, so I think I should be fresh enough for the next few days. Don't drag your feet, we still got work to do."

"Trust me, I've been naked enough for one day." You force yourself up and give your arms a good stretch.

"You could stand to be a little longer. If you want that is. I definitely wouldn't mind." Bransha grins as she supports herself by her elbows, and that long tail of her swishes back and forth behind her.

"You do look really nice though, packleader." Nula manages to spurt out, her eyes rubber banding from yours, but every few seconds they trail back to your lower region, and an uncontrollable smile curves along her face.

"I think I'll look even nicer in dry clothes, since I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel a chill." You keep comments about the lionesses' own pleasing appearances to yourself for now. All it would take is the right back and forth to get your blood pumping to the wrong places, and you have to keep your priorities in mind. Not to mention some sought after reunions that you should most definitely be dressed for.

Along the newly revived spring in the jungle, Fauna dips her feet in its refreshing pool, humming a soothing tune to herself. She twirls one of her ivy-green strands with her finger, a satisfied smirk paints her face.

"You will make a wonderful champion, Anon. I'll let you set the pace for now, but when the time is right, you're going to help set the world straight. The scales will be in nature's favor again after so, so long." She says to her reflection, but then the beating of feathers against the air interrupts her train of thought, and her smile downturns.

"Hey! I saw that!" A girl's voice makes itself known amidst the thudding of hard boots against the ground. Fauna looks over her shoulder to see her counterpart standing indignant behind her.

"I have no idea what you could be talking about." Fauna retorts with feigned innocence. "If you're referring to the pond, this was Anon's doing. He really is a kind young man, isn't he? You've been watching him too, haven't you? Mumei."

"Drop the act." Mumei snaps, bending both knees down to be at eye level with the keeper of nature. "You talked to him in private, didn't you? I know! I also know that that tree over there was a stump earlier! You meddled!"

"I did no such thing." Fauna whips her face away from her accuser as if she were insulted. "I merely bestowed a boon upon a mortal who had earned it. There is no rule against that, is there?"

"You're up to something, Fauna. You always are." Mumei pokes the woman's fair and supple cheeks with a single finger, prompting Fauna's teeth to bare ever so slightly. "Don't make me go find Anon and ask him myself. He owes me too after helping him find his friends."

"I believe I was the one who led him in the right direction."

"You were just play acting with him because you thought it was funny. I was the one actually leading him through the fog. I also gave him privacy when he was naked, unlike you. More like, Peeper of Nature."

"He didn't seem to mind all that muc-"

"Tell me what you talked to him about, or I'm telling Sana." Mumei's eyes hold no bluff, and Fauna knows she is already backed against a wall.

"Fine." Fauna sighs. "I made Anon an offer; an offer to be my champion."

"You what?" Mumei gasps. "Fauna! You can't just do that! He's Sana's student. You also haven't had a champion in centuries! Why now? Why him?"

"He may be Sana's student, but that doesn't make him her property." Fauna snaps. "He has come to nature's defense time and time again. I will not allow him to go uncultivated, not when he can do so much good for nature."

"You're trying to manipulate him, aren't you? You want to put him against civilization!" Mumei stands to her full height, her eyes glaring at the other woman who rises to meet her challenge.

"And what if I am?! Did you see what happened to this place?!" Fauna becomes outraged, outstretching an arm to show the graveyard of stumps that still lay in the surrounding area. "An entire ecosystem was almost destroyed and used to create metal war machines. I couldn't do a damn thing to help it either! I need Anon. The world needs Anon."

"I know, but that doesn't mean you get to-"

"If Anon hadn't been taught by Sana, he might not have been strong enough to stop that poor, tortured creature from destroying an entire country! Where would your civilization be then!" Fauna snaps again. "He needs me, Mumei. Sana doesn't try to guide him, or tell him how to use his powers. She just wants to watch anyone with celestial magic do whatever they want. Well I refuse to stand by and watch what I have been charged with, get trampled on, misused, and destroyed. And before you try to judge me, I let Anon choose. He chose to be my champion. I did not deceive him about a single thing."

"There is always more to you than you let on…" Mumei scoffs, blowing one of her misplaced bangs out of the way of her eyes. "If you're serious about just helping Anon preserve nature where he can, I guess it's fine."

"I was being completely honest with him when I said he would be able to live his life however he saw fit, and that I would only ask him to help nature when it is in need. Gosh, Mumei, I'm not some heartless witch…" Fauna lets out a heavy sigh, her exhaustion and stress make her eyes droop.

"I know you're not…" Mumei takes her turn to let out a weary sigh. "It's just that dealings with mortals tend to get complicated. Sometimes we don't know when to stop, sometimes they take things too far with each other. We need to be careful with how we interact with mortals, and how close we get to them."

"I know, but Anon, it just feels so promising with him. He loves nature, and he wants to be this shining hero. He's perfect to help me, Mumei. You understand, don't you?"

"I do. That's why I think I'll try to give him a few pointers of my own." Mumei answers, and an eager fire burns in her eyes that makes Fauna's pause in terror.

"Mumei, you can't. He's already my champion. We shook on it. You can't have him." Fauna grips her friend's shoulders tightly, her nails digging themselves into her clothes.

"Who said I was gonna make him my champion? That would be dumb. He already fights to save civilizations of people. He doesn't need my advice on how to be better at that." Mumei tries to ease her friend's worries to try and get her to loosen her grip in the process. "I'm just going to help nudge him to where some really cool stuff might be. Maybe give him a history lesson here and there. I think he would really appreciate that."

"Mumei, don't you dare." Fauna grips tighter, ready to make good on the next threat to leave her lips, but before she can even form whatever gruesome retribution would await the guardian of civilization, the girl's form shifts into that of an owl, slipping right out of her grasp.

"Later, Fauna! I'm gonna go plan my introduction! Have fun watching your new champion!" Mumei hoots, flapping her brown plumes and rising above the treetops. "Oh! And just because he's your champion now, doesn't mean you get to watch him during his private time! Don't be weird!"

A few seconds later, the owl was gone, leaving only Fauna to stew in what was now an uncertain future for her latest prospect. She forces herself to take a deep breath and regain her composure. The makings of her inner calm slowly come back to her.

"It's alright, it'll all be alright." She says to herself, shaking off the subtle rage she still feels in her hands. "Anon is a summoner, he is destined to be on the side of nature. Nothing Mumei can say or do will turn him against that. We also have a deal, and for better or worse, he's a man who always upholds his end of the bargain. Yup, it'll all be just fine."

Fauna then returns to the water's edge, doing her best to stave off the intrusive thoughts about her fellow council member's plans. She dips her legs back into the water, letting their cool embrace calm her. After a few moments in silence, a wonderful idea pops into her head.

"Anon did choose to become my champion after all…he can always choose me in the end as well. Hmmmm" Fauna hums, swaying back and forth in thought. "I will just need to show him how truly wondrous nature can be, and that civilization is just fine at the level it is. That will work. He's a good boy, after all."