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Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, sexism)
It had been a few days since the destruction of Captain Goregon and the final liberation of the continent from Muu’s grip. The party were on their way to the nearest port town. Their spirits were high, as they felt good about having removed Muu’s influence from this continent. They knew the upcoming battles would be harder, though, but they were determined to win.
Sir Reginald said, “Okay, we should be nearing the port town. We’ll then buy some tickets so we can take a ride on a ship to the next continent.”
Zeeker said, “Yeah, though we should be careful, as I wouldn’t put it past Muu to relocate Captain Boneacuda to try to intercept us. While Boneacuda and his zombie sharkmen are usually stationed outside of the continent that Muu turned into his own territory he knows that he’s losing ground fast, so he’ll definitely try to stop us before we successfully cross the ocean. While we, fortunately, don’t have to worry about Vertebreak out at sea, as the big bone dragon would sink like a rock, Boneacuda is still a strong enemy, especially since his ship is armed with magic cannons and his zombie sharkmen can tear a ship to pieces with just their teeth.”
Nina nodded, “That’s a fair point, Zeeker. Muu would want to nip us in the bud before we cause any more damage to his army so I can very easily see him relocating Boneacuda to try to intercept us. We have to keep that in mind as we cross the ocean. Fortunately, Sir Reginald’s barriers are strong enough to repel an assault like that, especially in his Shaman forms, which boost the power and cut the needed mana to maintain his barriers. So we’re not totally defenseless if Boneacuda is waiting for us out there.”
Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s true. If my barriers can protect an entire village a ship shouldn’t be too much of an issue, though I’ve never used my barriers out at sea before. It’ll be quite the learning experience for me, as I’ve never cast my barriers around a ship at sea. But like you said my Shaman forms can mitigate any issues I would have.”
Nova then noticed something, “Hey, why is the sand near the ocean green? I guess that’s why this kingdom is called ‘Emerald Coast Kingdom’ but what makes it green?”
Van replied, “It’s because the seafloor around this kingdom is littered with Emerald Shells, a type of seashell that a species of clam produces. When the clam is either eaten by an animal, monster, or person or simply dies the shell breaks apart and crumbles into a fine sand that gives the beaches around this kingdom its name. So that’s why the sand around here is green, as the clam species that produces Emerald Shells are extremely plentiful around here. You can find other areas that have the same species of clam but this kingdom is overflowing with them to the point that it’s encouraged by sailors and fishermen to harvest the clams for food and limit the population.”
“Huh, interesting. Thanks for explaining it to me.”
Nina inhaled the salty air, saying, “This is the first time I’ve ever smelled sea air. Considering my kingdom is surrounded by mountains I’ve never actually seen the ocean before. This is rather exciting for me. Hopefully Angelo will be okay around here.”
Angelo replied, “As long as I don’t get submerged in the salt water I should be fine. Keeping a good amount of fresh water will also help, as salty air does dry out my throat. But as long as I avoid getting wet with salt water I should be fine. Thanks for being concerned for me, Nina, I appreciate it.”
“No problem. That’s what friends and teammates are for.”
Kettu looked out at the ocean, saying, “It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the sea after going on my mission to rescue Felix’s soul and find a way to defeat Muu’s army. Felix and I would often come to the beaches around here to fish for salmon, crabs, and tunas. Those were good times. Damn that Muu for ruining my family like that. Now I’ll never experience those days with my brother ever again. When we’re done with that cowardly bone boss I’ll mount his head on my wall and throw darts at it.”
Zeeker replied, “We have every intention of turning Muu into just a bad memory, Kettu. And we’ll make sure to save Felix’s soul from him, along with all the other souls he’s captured. I just hope the seven of us will be strong enough to take on his homebase.”
Sir Reginald said, “Don’t take my word for it but King Hendrik mentioned to me he’s got a plan on how to tackle Muu’s continent, but it was in the early stages last I checked. He said it would require the aid of every kingdom, so we need to liberate those lands from Muu in order to get King Hendrik’s plan into motion. He didn’t disclose any details with me, as he said it was too early to get our hopes up. But apparently Belzebuth has been cooking up a plan with the nations to crack open Muu’s defenses, allowing us to storm his castle and take Muu down for good. But, again, I don’t know much about it so don’t hold your breath if the plan has gained ground or is still in the early stages.”
Nova placed his hands behind his head, saying, “Well, at least someone has a plan on how to take down Muu’s defenses. After all, if it was as easy as simply storming the castle then the past champions would’ve gotten rid of that big bone boss by now, so it’s clear that this possible plan will be the key needed to unlock that door. Hopefully with this continent’s kingdoms freed from Muu’s grip they can work more closely together to complete this plan. And hopefully it won’t go up in smoke.”
Kettu nodded, “Yeah, that’s a fair point. At least there may be a possible plan in the works that’ll help us stop Muu, since even the seven of us at full power might not be enough. But, anyway, we should see the port town very shortly.”
The party nodded and continued their trek to the port town, battling monsters along the way. It soon came into view. It was a large town full of various buildings and several docks. There were the usual merchants promoting their goods, mostly seafood, along with various people bustling about, guild workers, and children playing in the square.
Sir Reginald stopped a guild worker, asking, “Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us where we can purchase tickets for a boat ride to the next continent?”
The guild worker nodded, “Yes, that’s easy. Go to the main office building for the guild. Talk to the woman at the counter and she’ll sell you tickets. Though I will give you a fair warning. Our ships are reluctant to leave port due to a threat out at sea. While none of our ships have been sunk they haven’t returned yet either. Only one ship is left in the port right now so if you want tickets you’d better hurry.”
“Threat?” Van asked, quirking an eyebrow. “What kind of threat? Monsters? Or… maybe Muu’s army?”
The guild worker replied, “Don’t know. Only the Guild Master knows but he won’t say in order to avoid causing panic. It’s gotta be something bad, although, like I said before, none of our ships have actually been sunk yet so it might not be something like Muu’s army. But, in any case, if you want tickets you’d better snatch them up fast since we only have one ship in port right now.”
Sir Reginald nodded, “Okay. Thank you for telling us this. We’ll get going.”
The party made their way to the main office for the guild. They entered the building where a young woman was sitting at the desk. She looked up and saw the party.
“Oh, hello,” she said. “What can I help you with?”
“We need tickets for a ship ride to the next continent,” Sir Reginald explained.
“You’re brave ones, I’ll give you that, as I’m certain you’ve heard that our ships have been attacked lately. Granted, none have sunk but it’s still rather unnerving. But, in any case, for seven tickets that’ll be seven gold.”
Sir Reginald paid the young woman seven gold. She responded by giving them seven tickets.
“The ship that we currently have left in port is at the eastern docks. Talk to the crew there to board the ship. Good luck.”
The party left the office building and started to make their way toward the eastern docks, where they could see the last ship from their location. After weaving their way through the docks they eventually came to where the ship was. It was a large steam paddleboat with a crow’s nest on a tall mast, giant paddlewheels for propulsion, a well-kept deck with various rope and other useful items, and a beautiful wheel for a helm. Working on the ship were three very tubby men. Sir Reginald walked up to them, which caused them to redirect their attention to the party.
“How can we help you?” one asked.
Sir Reginald said, “We bought tickets for a ride across the ocean. We would like to board your ship.”
The one in the center, who looked like the leader, said, “Then you couldn’t have picked a better crew. My name’s Zig, and this is Iggy and Ferb. We’re the best sailors in the port. If you want to board show us you—” but then he noticed something, his eyes narrowing. “Wait a minute. That Phoenix girl cannot board the ship.”
A nerve in Nina’s temple twitched as she growled, “What do you mean by that, Zig?”
“Women are not allowed to board my ship. You’ll have to stay here.”
The party went dead silent, all gaining death glares.
“You realize this kingdom isn’t exactly the place for sexist attitudes, right?” Zeeker snarled.
Zig crossed his arms, “My ship, my rules, and my rules say women are not allowed on my ship.”
Nova started to march up to Zig, growling in a calm tone, “You’ve got some nerve, blubber bottom. It’s clear that none of the other ships have this issue, otherwise the woman at the desk wouldn’t have given Nina a ticket. So you’d better comply to your guild’s rules and let her board the ship. Or else.”
Iggy mocked, “Ooh, I’m all a-quiver. Sorry, pink boy, but our ship, our rules. Besides, what can you possibly do to make us bend to your will?”
“You’d be surprised, buoy butt. So I suggest you heed your guild’s rules and let Nina board your ship or things will get… messy.”
Zig bit his thumb, producing blood, saying, “We’ll see how tough you are after you face my familiar! Fangfin! Come forth!”
A summoning circle appeared, followed by a splash of water, and soon a new familiar was standing before them. It was actually five familiars in one, all of them being red-bodied piranhas with yellow jaws, large green pupilless eyes, fins with spikes on them, and sturdy bodies. They started to snap their jaws in an attempt to intimidate the party.
Kettu quirked an eyebrow, “A Bite Piranha familiar? Really?”
Zig laughed, “Let’s see you handle my familiar!”
However, to everyone’s surprise, Nova started to chuckle. First softly then he started to laugh.
“What’s so funny, pink boy!?”
The young archer laughed, “Do you honestly think a familiar like that will intimidate me? I’ve seen more threatening fish at a sushi bar, and I’m allergic to fish! I’ve faced horrors greater than your fanged finned fillet freaks! Such as General Juggerrot and a platoon of 10,000 Undead Soldiers! Do you really think such a wimpy familiar will scare me after something like Juggerrot and 10,000 Undead Soldiers?” He stopped laughing and gained a sinister sneer, “I’ll show you a real familiar. One that’ll cook you and your flimsy flounders extra crispy.” He placed a Summoning Sticker on the back of his right hand, “Elora, come forth!”
The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of fire and smoke and soon Elora was standing next to Nova. The three fat sailors went wide eyed as they saw the Gorgon Viper, while the five Bite Piranhas looked horrified.
Nova gently stroked Elora under the chin, saying in a calm, confident tone, “Say hello to Elora, my Gorgon Viper. Your puny piranhas don’t looks so intimidating now, huh? Elora, these goons won’t let Nina onboard this ship because she’s a woman. Would you mind showing them what girl power can do?”
Elora’s eyes narrowed as she heard this information. She gave a loud roar that caused the Bite Piranhas to send themselves back to the Spirit Plane. Elora then blasted the three sailors with her hellfire, scorching them badly. She then gave her tail a hefty swing and knocked the three fat sailors into the air, sailing over their ship, and landing in the water a long distance away. Those who were watching this event cheered, making Elora hold her head up proudly. She then lowered her head toward Nova, asking for a pet, which he gladly complied.
“You go, girl. That’s showing those goons what girl power can really do. Maybe after that display they might not be so quick to resorting to sexism.”
A voice then said, “What’s going on here?!”
Everyone turned to see two people approach the area. One was a bespectacled man who looked like a bookworm, dressed in a nice outfit. The second person was a highly attractive young woman wearing a halter top, cutoff jeans, boots, and a bandanna on her head.
“I was informed that there was an incident,” the bespectacled man said. “What happened?” He then noticed the ship, the party, Elora, and quickly groaned, “Not again… Damn that Zig and his crew!”
“Recurring issue, I assume?” Zeeker asked, deadpan.
The man sighed, “Sadly, yes. Where’s Zig and his crew?”
Nova said simply, “Elora here sent him and his blubber buoy bottom bozos out to sea.”
The young, attractive woman sighed, “Then we’d better fish them out before something like a Nautilus or Jelly try to make a meal out of them. Honey, if you’d be so kind?”
The man sighed, taking out a Summoning Sticker, saying, “I got this, dear. Maelstrom, come forth!”
The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a whirlpool formed and soon a new familiar was standing before them. It looked like a gigantic seahorse with draconic traits, navy blue in color with a white underbelly, yellow pupilless eyes, coral-shaped horns, a mouth that looked like a sniper rifle, a large fin, and a curled tail that looked strong enough to punch a hole in a ship.
“That’s a Tsunami Seahorse familiar!” Nina said.
The man sighed, “Maelstrom, it happened again. Can you please fish Zig and his crew out of the ocean before something tries to eat them?”
Maelstrom gained an annoyed look, clearly not wanting to do it.
“I know how you feel, Maelstrom, believe me. But you can rest assured that this’ll be the last time, as I’ve had it with Zig and his crew’s sexism. This is the final straw. So, please, go fetch him and his idiot crew so I can finally end this nonsense.”
Maelstrom gave a sigh before jumping into the water, submerging itself until only its head was visible above the water and quickly raced off to “rescue” Zig and his crew.
The man turned to the party, “I’m so sorry. This is a recurring issue with Zig and his crew. They always follow their own rules instead of the guild’s rules, which has caused us numerous headaches. We only kept him around because he’s a really good sailor but even that won’t be enough to save him this time, as this has gone on long enough. Oh, by the way, I’m Henri, the Guild Master. This is my childhood friend and wife, Coral, who was the former Guild Master’s daughter. Times like this I’m glad I gave Zig what for back when he was going to become the Guild Master and marry Coral.”
Van looked alarmed, “You were going to marry that brute?!”
Coral sighed, “It was my father’s idea, as he felt Zig would be a good Guild Master. Henri and I, however, knew otherwise. After Zig got too big for his britches Henri challenged him to a duel. Despite Zig’s strength Henri won with a single attack, fully winning my heart and proving to father that Zig wasn’t cut out for the Guild Master role--along with proving that Henri wasn’t the pushover he originally thought. Zig… didn’t take it well, to put it simply. He's always been a sexist prick but when he lost both my hand in marriage and the Guild Master title to Henri he got worse. All he does now is give us grief, no matter how many times we lecture him. But this time will be the last time. Right, Henri?”
Henri nodded, “Yes, as I intend to end this here and now. Although I must say… I’ve never seen a Gorgon Viper familiar before. You said she’s yours, right? She’s a mighty fine one, although I’m surprised at how tame she is.”
Nova gently stroked Elora’s chin, saying, “Elora is something of an exception. I’m aware that Gorgon Vipers tend to be… problematic, to put it simply. But Elora has always been a sweetheart. Except in the heat of battle or if she feels I’m being threatened or violated, then she becomes true to her species nature. Not that I’m complaining, as she’s the perfect familiar for me, especially since I’m the Demon King’s champion, so having a familiar that’s an Undead hunter is extra helpful.”
Coral’s eyes widened, “You’re the Demon King’s champion?! We’ve heard about you. You took down General Juggerrot and a platoon of 10,000 Undead Soldiers with a single attack! Boy, Zig was really punching out of his weight class when he picked a fight with you. Glad you showed him up.”
Nina embraced Nova, purring, “Yes, he most certainly was. My beloved Nova gave that sexist prick what for. As if I haven’t dealt with enough sexism growing up. But seeing him and Elora put those three goons in their place made my heart flutter, as they were doing it on my behalf. I couldn’t have asked for a better boyfriend.”
Nova blushed, saying, “Yes you could, but I’m glad you’ll settle for me.”
She got close to him, purring, “Nova, we really need to work on your self-esteem issues. I’ve said it dozens of times now so I’ll say it again: you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. I never knew what kindness, compassion, and heart a man could have until I met you. You’ve done so much for me, giving me hope and happiness. No other man has ever gone as far as you have to make me happy. You’re willing to sacrifice your own happiness for my sake and are willing to fix your flaws so you can become more worthy of me. Not many men would be willing to do that for a woman like me. You’re truly something special, Nova. That’s but one reason why I love you.”
Elora smiled and coiled herself around Nova and Nina, pushing them closer together. Everyone present smiled as the two lovers gently embraced each other in the embrace of the Gorgon Viper’s coils.
Coral smiled, “You two are quite beautiful together. Although I’m surprised that a Phoenix Clan member would be interested in a man from another race. Then again, Aerrow Sparrow married a human so I guess it’s not that farfetched.”
Nina replied, “My race are, frankly, idiots. All this talk about ‘purity of blood’ and ‘preserving our powers’ is a load of hot air. Aerrow feels the same way as I do about our kind. Hopefully after we rescued them from General Cranidon they’ll change for the better, as all their bad traits will lead to self-destruction. I’m more than happy to marry a man like Nova over another one of my kind, especially after how well Nova’s treated me. I can count on him for anything. If marrying a man from another race means I can have a loyal, loving husband who will treat me well then I’m all for that.”
Elora then noticed something. She looked out to sea and gave a light hiss. Henri looked out to see his familiar swimming back to the docks, towing three bubbles behind it.
“Ah, Maelstrom’s back,” he said. “And he managed to ‘save’ Zig and his crew. Well, when we’re done with them nothing will save them.”
Everyone waited for Maelstrom to return. The Tsunami Seahorse jumped out of the water, floating in the air, and hoisted the three bubbles filled with Zig and his crew onto the dock rather harshly, as it was clear even the familiar was fed up with those three. The bubbles popped, depositing Zig and his crew onto the dock. Zig looked up to see Henri, Coral, and several other disgruntled guild workers glare at them.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” Zig grumbled. “The usual lecture.”
Henri replied coldly, “Oh, there won’t be the usual lecture this time, Zig. It’s clear that it never has any effect on you. But I know something that will have an effect on you. I’ve got two words for you and your crew: you’re fired.”
“Fired!? You can’t do that! We’re the best sailors in the guild!”
“Yeah, well, that’s no longer enough. You’ve been deliberately disobeying my orders and the guild’s rules in favor of your own. We’ve tolerated it long enough. Now it’s time for you to pay the price for your constant disobedience and sexism. You and your crew are fired and I never want to see you in this guild again. You have 24 hours to pack up your stuff and get the hell out of this town. You have caused enough problems for our guild. I don’t care if you’re our best sailors as you’ve taken your sexism and attitude too far. Take up basket weaving because you’re done! Now GET OUT!!!”
Zig stood up, glaring at Henri, snarling, “You’ll regret this, Henri. You keep getting in my way. First Coral’s hand in marriage, then the Guild Master position, and now this!? You go to far, you little runt!”
“You’re a fine one to talk, Zig,” Henri said in a strong voice, clearly unaffected by Zig’s intimidation tactic. “You’ve been a thorn in everyone’s side for years now and have been ignoring the rules in favor of your own. There’s a reason why Sinker realized you weren’t fit for the Guild Master role. It may have taken a fight between you and me but I won fair and square, proving you’re not as tough as you appear. My word is law for this guild now, Zig, and you have repeatedly defied it. Well that ends now. You and your crew are done. I expect you to be out of this town within 24 hours, as we won’t put up with your rampant sexism and attitude anymore, especially in this kingdom, which is a matriarchy. If you don’t leave now I’ll make sure Queen Maria has the final say about your fate, as she doesn’t tolerate sexism in her kingdom. Now pack up your stuff and beat it as we never want to see you and your crew again.”
Zig gained an ugly look as if ready to punch Henri. However, before he could do anything Maelstrom lashed out its tail and started to strangle Zig’s neck, making him choked and gag for air. The Tsunami Seahorse then slammed Zig against the dock a few times to get the point across before letting him go. Now dazed, bruised, and bloody, Zig staggered to his feet. The other guild members were shouting words of contempt at the disgraced sailor, who gave a snarl.
“This is not over, Henri,” he growled. “You will regret this. Mark my words.”
Henri replied coldly, “Oh, yeah? Then mark my words if you pull anything you will pay a very dear price, Zig. Now get out of my port town and never come back.”
Zig gave Henri an ugly look before he and his crew stormed off. The other guild members were booing him and shouting foul language at the disgraced sailor, clearly fed up with his antics. When Zig and his crew were out of sight Henri turned to the party.
“I apologize for all this. We’ll get another set of sailors to take Zig’s place. For now, we will arrange for you to stay at the inn free of charge as compensation for this dilemma and until I get a new set of sailors to take over this ship. Fortunately, I was in the process of interviewing some possible new recruits so if it works out we should have you heading out to the next continent in a few days. Please forgive us for the delay.”
Sir Reginald replied, “It’s not your fault. It’s Zig and his crew that were the problem. Now with Zig gone things should be a bit easier.”
Kettu crossed his arms, “Well, I wouldn’t put it past Zig and his crew to try to sabotage the ship or something. Maybe you should consider guarding the ship to prevent him from trying something?”
Coral nodded, “Yes, that’s a good idea. I can definitely see Zig pulling something like that out of spite. I’ll get some guild workers to guard the ship until everything is ready. Hopefully with Zig and his crew gone we won’t have to worry about any more complaints about his sexism ruffling people’s feathers. Henri, you go take care of getting these folk set up at the inn. I’ll go gather some guild workers to stand guard on the ship until everything is ready.”
Henri nodded, “Indeed, honey.” He turned to the party, “Please follow me so I can get your arrangements set up.” He then turned to his familiar, “Thank you for your help, Maelstrom. To the Spirit Plane.”
Maelstrom vanished in a flurry of sparkles.
Nova nodded, “Yes, thank you.” He turned to Elora, “Thanks for your help today, Elora. You showed those goons what girl power is all about. To the Spirit Plane.”
Elora gained a satisfied expression before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles. The party then followed Henri to the inn. In the back of their minds they knew that Zig wasn’t done causing trouble yet.
Next Chapter: Ship Wrecker
That's all for today. A bit of trivia, this scene is something of a "Take That!" to the scene where Zig and his crew give Nina and Ursula grief over their genders in Breath of Fire 4. (I was also going to include a similar scene that was cut out of the English version of said event in BoF4 in the story, where they wanted to spank the girls, or Nina in this case, but I felt that was going too far so I omitted it from my version.)
Sailor Shenanigans
It had been a few days since the destruction of Captain Goregon and the final liberation of the continent from Muu’s grip. The party were on their way to the nearest port town. Their spirits were high, as they felt good about having removed Muu’s influence from this continent. They knew the upcoming battles would be harder, though, but they were determined to win.
Sir Reginald said, “Okay, we should be nearing the port town. We’ll then buy some tickets so we can take a ride on a ship to the next continent.”
Zeeker said, “Yeah, though we should be careful, as I wouldn’t put it past Muu to relocate Captain Boneacuda to try to intercept us. While Boneacuda and his zombie sharkmen are usually stationed outside of the continent that Muu turned into his own territory he knows that he’s losing ground fast, so he’ll definitely try to stop us before we successfully cross the ocean. While we, fortunately, don’t have to worry about Vertebreak out at sea, as the big bone dragon would sink like a rock, Boneacuda is still a strong enemy, especially since his ship is armed with magic cannons and his zombie sharkmen can tear a ship to pieces with just their teeth.”
Nina nodded, “That’s a fair point, Zeeker. Muu would want to nip us in the bud before we cause any more damage to his army so I can very easily see him relocating Boneacuda to try to intercept us. We have to keep that in mind as we cross the ocean. Fortunately, Sir Reginald’s barriers are strong enough to repel an assault like that, especially in his Shaman forms, which boost the power and cut the needed mana to maintain his barriers. So we’re not totally defenseless if Boneacuda is waiting for us out there.”
Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s true. If my barriers can protect an entire village a ship shouldn’t be too much of an issue, though I’ve never used my barriers out at sea before. It’ll be quite the learning experience for me, as I’ve never cast my barriers around a ship at sea. But like you said my Shaman forms can mitigate any issues I would have.”
Nova then noticed something, “Hey, why is the sand near the ocean green? I guess that’s why this kingdom is called ‘Emerald Coast Kingdom’ but what makes it green?”
Van replied, “It’s because the seafloor around this kingdom is littered with Emerald Shells, a type of seashell that a species of clam produces. When the clam is either eaten by an animal, monster, or person or simply dies the shell breaks apart and crumbles into a fine sand that gives the beaches around this kingdom its name. So that’s why the sand around here is green, as the clam species that produces Emerald Shells are extremely plentiful around here. You can find other areas that have the same species of clam but this kingdom is overflowing with them to the point that it’s encouraged by sailors and fishermen to harvest the clams for food and limit the population.”
“Huh, interesting. Thanks for explaining it to me.”
Nina inhaled the salty air, saying, “This is the first time I’ve ever smelled sea air. Considering my kingdom is surrounded by mountains I’ve never actually seen the ocean before. This is rather exciting for me. Hopefully Angelo will be okay around here.”
Angelo replied, “As long as I don’t get submerged in the salt water I should be fine. Keeping a good amount of fresh water will also help, as salty air does dry out my throat. But as long as I avoid getting wet with salt water I should be fine. Thanks for being concerned for me, Nina, I appreciate it.”
“No problem. That’s what friends and teammates are for.”
Kettu looked out at the ocean, saying, “It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the sea after going on my mission to rescue Felix’s soul and find a way to defeat Muu’s army. Felix and I would often come to the beaches around here to fish for salmon, crabs, and tunas. Those were good times. Damn that Muu for ruining my family like that. Now I’ll never experience those days with my brother ever again. When we’re done with that cowardly bone boss I’ll mount his head on my wall and throw darts at it.”
Zeeker replied, “We have every intention of turning Muu into just a bad memory, Kettu. And we’ll make sure to save Felix’s soul from him, along with all the other souls he’s captured. I just hope the seven of us will be strong enough to take on his homebase.”
Sir Reginald said, “Don’t take my word for it but King Hendrik mentioned to me he’s got a plan on how to tackle Muu’s continent, but it was in the early stages last I checked. He said it would require the aid of every kingdom, so we need to liberate those lands from Muu in order to get King Hendrik’s plan into motion. He didn’t disclose any details with me, as he said it was too early to get our hopes up. But apparently Belzebuth has been cooking up a plan with the nations to crack open Muu’s defenses, allowing us to storm his castle and take Muu down for good. But, again, I don’t know much about it so don’t hold your breath if the plan has gained ground or is still in the early stages.”
Nova placed his hands behind his head, saying, “Well, at least someone has a plan on how to take down Muu’s defenses. After all, if it was as easy as simply storming the castle then the past champions would’ve gotten rid of that big bone boss by now, so it’s clear that this possible plan will be the key needed to unlock that door. Hopefully with this continent’s kingdoms freed from Muu’s grip they can work more closely together to complete this plan. And hopefully it won’t go up in smoke.”
Kettu nodded, “Yeah, that’s a fair point. At least there may be a possible plan in the works that’ll help us stop Muu, since even the seven of us at full power might not be enough. But, anyway, we should see the port town very shortly.”
The party nodded and continued their trek to the port town, battling monsters along the way. It soon came into view. It was a large town full of various buildings and several docks. There were the usual merchants promoting their goods, mostly seafood, along with various people bustling about, guild workers, and children playing in the square.
Sir Reginald stopped a guild worker, asking, “Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us where we can purchase tickets for a boat ride to the next continent?”
The guild worker nodded, “Yes, that’s easy. Go to the main office building for the guild. Talk to the woman at the counter and she’ll sell you tickets. Though I will give you a fair warning. Our ships are reluctant to leave port due to a threat out at sea. While none of our ships have been sunk they haven’t returned yet either. Only one ship is left in the port right now so if you want tickets you’d better hurry.”
“Threat?” Van asked, quirking an eyebrow. “What kind of threat? Monsters? Or… maybe Muu’s army?”
The guild worker replied, “Don’t know. Only the Guild Master knows but he won’t say in order to avoid causing panic. It’s gotta be something bad, although, like I said before, none of our ships have actually been sunk yet so it might not be something like Muu’s army. But, in any case, if you want tickets you’d better snatch them up fast since we only have one ship in port right now.”
Sir Reginald nodded, “Okay. Thank you for telling us this. We’ll get going.”
The party made their way to the main office for the guild. They entered the building where a young woman was sitting at the desk. She looked up and saw the party.
“Oh, hello,” she said. “What can I help you with?”
“We need tickets for a ship ride to the next continent,” Sir Reginald explained.
“You’re brave ones, I’ll give you that, as I’m certain you’ve heard that our ships have been attacked lately. Granted, none have sunk but it’s still rather unnerving. But, in any case, for seven tickets that’ll be seven gold.”
Sir Reginald paid the young woman seven gold. She responded by giving them seven tickets.
“The ship that we currently have left in port is at the eastern docks. Talk to the crew there to board the ship. Good luck.”
The party left the office building and started to make their way toward the eastern docks, where they could see the last ship from their location. After weaving their way through the docks they eventually came to where the ship was. It was a large steam paddleboat with a crow’s nest on a tall mast, giant paddlewheels for propulsion, a well-kept deck with various rope and other useful items, and a beautiful wheel for a helm. Working on the ship were three very tubby men. Sir Reginald walked up to them, which caused them to redirect their attention to the party.
“How can we help you?” one asked.
Sir Reginald said, “We bought tickets for a ride across the ocean. We would like to board your ship.”
The one in the center, who looked like the leader, said, “Then you couldn’t have picked a better crew. My name’s Zig, and this is Iggy and Ferb. We’re the best sailors in the port. If you want to board show us you—” but then he noticed something, his eyes narrowing. “Wait a minute. That Phoenix girl cannot board the ship.”
A nerve in Nina’s temple twitched as she growled, “What do you mean by that, Zig?”
“Women are not allowed to board my ship. You’ll have to stay here.”
The party went dead silent, all gaining death glares.
“You realize this kingdom isn’t exactly the place for sexist attitudes, right?” Zeeker snarled.
Zig crossed his arms, “My ship, my rules, and my rules say women are not allowed on my ship.”
Nova started to march up to Zig, growling in a calm tone, “You’ve got some nerve, blubber bottom. It’s clear that none of the other ships have this issue, otherwise the woman at the desk wouldn’t have given Nina a ticket. So you’d better comply to your guild’s rules and let her board the ship. Or else.”
Iggy mocked, “Ooh, I’m all a-quiver. Sorry, pink boy, but our ship, our rules. Besides, what can you possibly do to make us bend to your will?”
“You’d be surprised, buoy butt. So I suggest you heed your guild’s rules and let Nina board your ship or things will get… messy.”
Zig bit his thumb, producing blood, saying, “We’ll see how tough you are after you face my familiar! Fangfin! Come forth!”
A summoning circle appeared, followed by a splash of water, and soon a new familiar was standing before them. It was actually five familiars in one, all of them being red-bodied piranhas with yellow jaws, large green pupilless eyes, fins with spikes on them, and sturdy bodies. They started to snap their jaws in an attempt to intimidate the party.
Kettu quirked an eyebrow, “A Bite Piranha familiar? Really?”
Zig laughed, “Let’s see you handle my familiar!”
However, to everyone’s surprise, Nova started to chuckle. First softly then he started to laugh.
“What’s so funny, pink boy!?”
The young archer laughed, “Do you honestly think a familiar like that will intimidate me? I’ve seen more threatening fish at a sushi bar, and I’m allergic to fish! I’ve faced horrors greater than your fanged finned fillet freaks! Such as General Juggerrot and a platoon of 10,000 Undead Soldiers! Do you really think such a wimpy familiar will scare me after something like Juggerrot and 10,000 Undead Soldiers?” He stopped laughing and gained a sinister sneer, “I’ll show you a real familiar. One that’ll cook you and your flimsy flounders extra crispy.” He placed a Summoning Sticker on the back of his right hand, “Elora, come forth!”
The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of fire and smoke and soon Elora was standing next to Nova. The three fat sailors went wide eyed as they saw the Gorgon Viper, while the five Bite Piranhas looked horrified.
Nova gently stroked Elora under the chin, saying in a calm, confident tone, “Say hello to Elora, my Gorgon Viper. Your puny piranhas don’t looks so intimidating now, huh? Elora, these goons won’t let Nina onboard this ship because she’s a woman. Would you mind showing them what girl power can do?”
Elora’s eyes narrowed as she heard this information. She gave a loud roar that caused the Bite Piranhas to send themselves back to the Spirit Plane. Elora then blasted the three sailors with her hellfire, scorching them badly. She then gave her tail a hefty swing and knocked the three fat sailors into the air, sailing over their ship, and landing in the water a long distance away. Those who were watching this event cheered, making Elora hold her head up proudly. She then lowered her head toward Nova, asking for a pet, which he gladly complied.
“You go, girl. That’s showing those goons what girl power can really do. Maybe after that display they might not be so quick to resorting to sexism.”
A voice then said, “What’s going on here?!”
Everyone turned to see two people approach the area. One was a bespectacled man who looked like a bookworm, dressed in a nice outfit. The second person was a highly attractive young woman wearing a halter top, cutoff jeans, boots, and a bandanna on her head.
“I was informed that there was an incident,” the bespectacled man said. “What happened?” He then noticed the ship, the party, Elora, and quickly groaned, “Not again… Damn that Zig and his crew!”
“Recurring issue, I assume?” Zeeker asked, deadpan.
The man sighed, “Sadly, yes. Where’s Zig and his crew?”
Nova said simply, “Elora here sent him and his blubber buoy bottom bozos out to sea.”
The young, attractive woman sighed, “Then we’d better fish them out before something like a Nautilus or Jelly try to make a meal out of them. Honey, if you’d be so kind?”
The man sighed, taking out a Summoning Sticker, saying, “I got this, dear. Maelstrom, come forth!”
The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a whirlpool formed and soon a new familiar was standing before them. It looked like a gigantic seahorse with draconic traits, navy blue in color with a white underbelly, yellow pupilless eyes, coral-shaped horns, a mouth that looked like a sniper rifle, a large fin, and a curled tail that looked strong enough to punch a hole in a ship.
“That’s a Tsunami Seahorse familiar!” Nina said.
The man sighed, “Maelstrom, it happened again. Can you please fish Zig and his crew out of the ocean before something tries to eat them?”
Maelstrom gained an annoyed look, clearly not wanting to do it.
“I know how you feel, Maelstrom, believe me. But you can rest assured that this’ll be the last time, as I’ve had it with Zig and his crew’s sexism. This is the final straw. So, please, go fetch him and his idiot crew so I can finally end this nonsense.”
Maelstrom gave a sigh before jumping into the water, submerging itself until only its head was visible above the water and quickly raced off to “rescue” Zig and his crew.
The man turned to the party, “I’m so sorry. This is a recurring issue with Zig and his crew. They always follow their own rules instead of the guild’s rules, which has caused us numerous headaches. We only kept him around because he’s a really good sailor but even that won’t be enough to save him this time, as this has gone on long enough. Oh, by the way, I’m Henri, the Guild Master. This is my childhood friend and wife, Coral, who was the former Guild Master’s daughter. Times like this I’m glad I gave Zig what for back when he was going to become the Guild Master and marry Coral.”
Van looked alarmed, “You were going to marry that brute?!”
Coral sighed, “It was my father’s idea, as he felt Zig would be a good Guild Master. Henri and I, however, knew otherwise. After Zig got too big for his britches Henri challenged him to a duel. Despite Zig’s strength Henri won with a single attack, fully winning my heart and proving to father that Zig wasn’t cut out for the Guild Master role--along with proving that Henri wasn’t the pushover he originally thought. Zig… didn’t take it well, to put it simply. He's always been a sexist prick but when he lost both my hand in marriage and the Guild Master title to Henri he got worse. All he does now is give us grief, no matter how many times we lecture him. But this time will be the last time. Right, Henri?”
Henri nodded, “Yes, as I intend to end this here and now. Although I must say… I’ve never seen a Gorgon Viper familiar before. You said she’s yours, right? She’s a mighty fine one, although I’m surprised at how tame she is.”
Nova gently stroked Elora’s chin, saying, “Elora is something of an exception. I’m aware that Gorgon Vipers tend to be… problematic, to put it simply. But Elora has always been a sweetheart. Except in the heat of battle or if she feels I’m being threatened or violated, then she becomes true to her species nature. Not that I’m complaining, as she’s the perfect familiar for me, especially since I’m the Demon King’s champion, so having a familiar that’s an Undead hunter is extra helpful.”
Coral’s eyes widened, “You’re the Demon King’s champion?! We’ve heard about you. You took down General Juggerrot and a platoon of 10,000 Undead Soldiers with a single attack! Boy, Zig was really punching out of his weight class when he picked a fight with you. Glad you showed him up.”
Nina embraced Nova, purring, “Yes, he most certainly was. My beloved Nova gave that sexist prick what for. As if I haven’t dealt with enough sexism growing up. But seeing him and Elora put those three goons in their place made my heart flutter, as they were doing it on my behalf. I couldn’t have asked for a better boyfriend.”
Nova blushed, saying, “Yes you could, but I’m glad you’ll settle for me.”
She got close to him, purring, “Nova, we really need to work on your self-esteem issues. I’ve said it dozens of times now so I’ll say it again: you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. I never knew what kindness, compassion, and heart a man could have until I met you. You’ve done so much for me, giving me hope and happiness. No other man has ever gone as far as you have to make me happy. You’re willing to sacrifice your own happiness for my sake and are willing to fix your flaws so you can become more worthy of me. Not many men would be willing to do that for a woman like me. You’re truly something special, Nova. That’s but one reason why I love you.”
Elora smiled and coiled herself around Nova and Nina, pushing them closer together. Everyone present smiled as the two lovers gently embraced each other in the embrace of the Gorgon Viper’s coils.
Coral smiled, “You two are quite beautiful together. Although I’m surprised that a Phoenix Clan member would be interested in a man from another race. Then again, Aerrow Sparrow married a human so I guess it’s not that farfetched.”
Nina replied, “My race are, frankly, idiots. All this talk about ‘purity of blood’ and ‘preserving our powers’ is a load of hot air. Aerrow feels the same way as I do about our kind. Hopefully after we rescued them from General Cranidon they’ll change for the better, as all their bad traits will lead to self-destruction. I’m more than happy to marry a man like Nova over another one of my kind, especially after how well Nova’s treated me. I can count on him for anything. If marrying a man from another race means I can have a loyal, loving husband who will treat me well then I’m all for that.”
Elora then noticed something. She looked out to sea and gave a light hiss. Henri looked out to see his familiar swimming back to the docks, towing three bubbles behind it.
“Ah, Maelstrom’s back,” he said. “And he managed to ‘save’ Zig and his crew. Well, when we’re done with them nothing will save them.”
Everyone waited for Maelstrom to return. The Tsunami Seahorse jumped out of the water, floating in the air, and hoisted the three bubbles filled with Zig and his crew onto the dock rather harshly, as it was clear even the familiar was fed up with those three. The bubbles popped, depositing Zig and his crew onto the dock. Zig looked up to see Henri, Coral, and several other disgruntled guild workers glare at them.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” Zig grumbled. “The usual lecture.”
Henri replied coldly, “Oh, there won’t be the usual lecture this time, Zig. It’s clear that it never has any effect on you. But I know something that will have an effect on you. I’ve got two words for you and your crew: you’re fired.”
“Fired!? You can’t do that! We’re the best sailors in the guild!”
“Yeah, well, that’s no longer enough. You’ve been deliberately disobeying my orders and the guild’s rules in favor of your own. We’ve tolerated it long enough. Now it’s time for you to pay the price for your constant disobedience and sexism. You and your crew are fired and I never want to see you in this guild again. You have 24 hours to pack up your stuff and get the hell out of this town. You have caused enough problems for our guild. I don’t care if you’re our best sailors as you’ve taken your sexism and attitude too far. Take up basket weaving because you’re done! Now GET OUT!!!”
Zig stood up, glaring at Henri, snarling, “You’ll regret this, Henri. You keep getting in my way. First Coral’s hand in marriage, then the Guild Master position, and now this!? You go to far, you little runt!”
“You’re a fine one to talk, Zig,” Henri said in a strong voice, clearly unaffected by Zig’s intimidation tactic. “You’ve been a thorn in everyone’s side for years now and have been ignoring the rules in favor of your own. There’s a reason why Sinker realized you weren’t fit for the Guild Master role. It may have taken a fight between you and me but I won fair and square, proving you’re not as tough as you appear. My word is law for this guild now, Zig, and you have repeatedly defied it. Well that ends now. You and your crew are done. I expect you to be out of this town within 24 hours, as we won’t put up with your rampant sexism and attitude anymore, especially in this kingdom, which is a matriarchy. If you don’t leave now I’ll make sure Queen Maria has the final say about your fate, as she doesn’t tolerate sexism in her kingdom. Now pack up your stuff and beat it as we never want to see you and your crew again.”
Zig gained an ugly look as if ready to punch Henri. However, before he could do anything Maelstrom lashed out its tail and started to strangle Zig’s neck, making him choked and gag for air. The Tsunami Seahorse then slammed Zig against the dock a few times to get the point across before letting him go. Now dazed, bruised, and bloody, Zig staggered to his feet. The other guild members were shouting words of contempt at the disgraced sailor, who gave a snarl.
“This is not over, Henri,” he growled. “You will regret this. Mark my words.”
Henri replied coldly, “Oh, yeah? Then mark my words if you pull anything you will pay a very dear price, Zig. Now get out of my port town and never come back.”
Zig gave Henri an ugly look before he and his crew stormed off. The other guild members were booing him and shouting foul language at the disgraced sailor, clearly fed up with his antics. When Zig and his crew were out of sight Henri turned to the party.
“I apologize for all this. We’ll get another set of sailors to take Zig’s place. For now, we will arrange for you to stay at the inn free of charge as compensation for this dilemma and until I get a new set of sailors to take over this ship. Fortunately, I was in the process of interviewing some possible new recruits so if it works out we should have you heading out to the next continent in a few days. Please forgive us for the delay.”
Sir Reginald replied, “It’s not your fault. It’s Zig and his crew that were the problem. Now with Zig gone things should be a bit easier.”
Kettu crossed his arms, “Well, I wouldn’t put it past Zig and his crew to try to sabotage the ship or something. Maybe you should consider guarding the ship to prevent him from trying something?”
Coral nodded, “Yes, that’s a good idea. I can definitely see Zig pulling something like that out of spite. I’ll get some guild workers to guard the ship until everything is ready. Hopefully with Zig and his crew gone we won’t have to worry about any more complaints about his sexism ruffling people’s feathers. Henri, you go take care of getting these folk set up at the inn. I’ll go gather some guild workers to stand guard on the ship until everything is ready.”
Henri nodded, “Indeed, honey.” He turned to the party, “Please follow me so I can get your arrangements set up.” He then turned to his familiar, “Thank you for your help, Maelstrom. To the Spirit Plane.”
Maelstrom vanished in a flurry of sparkles.
Nova nodded, “Yes, thank you.” He turned to Elora, “Thanks for your help today, Elora. You showed those goons what girl power is all about. To the Spirit Plane.”
Elora gained a satisfied expression before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles. The party then followed Henri to the inn. In the back of their minds they knew that Zig wasn’t done causing trouble yet.
Next Chapter: Ship Wrecker
That's all for today. A bit of trivia, this scene is something of a "Take That!" to the scene where Zig and his crew give Nina and Ursula grief over their genders in Breath of Fire 4. (I was also going to include a similar scene that was cut out of the English version of said event in BoF4 in the story, where they wanted to spank the girls, or Nina in this case, but I felt that was going too far so I omitted it from my version.)
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