Spike and Simon leave a pub, still trying to figure out where in the multimists they are. Skye, stubbornly, refuses to be left behind and is struggling to simply keep up by any means. Skye flies directly into the back of Spike, who stopped abruptly. Muttering something at her in frustration, Spike returns his focus in front of him; an elegant horse-drawn carriage awaits them, door open, with a dapper butler gesturing them inside.
Skye peeks around, and her eyes widen: Ooh! Look at all the blue upholstery! It’s BEEAAUUTIFUL!
The butler frowns ever so slightly: One of yours, sir?
Spike looks around, and then remembers the little Asura: Oh… her. No. We just fell in on her. She’s not with us.
Skye puts her hands on her hips: What do you mean ‘oh?’
Spike ignores her: So who are you?
The butler smiles slyly: Lady Neveah sends her regards. If you would be so kind, sirs.
Spike and Simon nod enthusiastically and move to enter the carriage, Skye also moves to follow. Simon boards, but Spike turns to address Skye.
Spike, holding a hand up parallel with the ground: Hold on, pups. You must be this high to ride this ride.
Spike waves his hand over Skye in a quick measurement: Nope. I’m afraid not. Later!
Spike and the Butler quickly board the carriage and close the door in Skye’s face. Not to be deterred, Skye quickly scurries to the back of the carriage and just manages to hide herself within the provisions, unnoticed, as the carriage was pulling away.
Inside the carriage, the butler wasted no time addressing the matters at hand.
Butler: It is so good to see you again, sirs, after so long.
Spike and Simon glance at each other nervously and nod cautiously.
Butler: With you sirs back, we can finally stop this conflict and get back into Skycoast.
Spike and Simon sit erect immediately: Skycoast is here?!
The butler looks puzzled: Yes. How would you two, of all people, not know?
Spike slumps back down, and pulls out some questionable substances from his pockets. Having mashed together a satisfactory mixture, Simon lights his pipe for him and he takes a few long puffs and he begins: Well you see, we aren’t sure where or when we are.
The butler is listening intently.
Spike continues, gesturing with his pipe: As I’m sure you know, We have been on the hunt to reunite with Crysania for quite some time.
The butler vaguely nods.
Spike: We woke up in a cave in Kryta some 250 years after we were last in Skycoast with everyone.
The butler looks skeptical, but nods.
Skye, outside bouncing around to her discomfort is trying her best to keep her ears to the wall and listen in between bumps in the road, mutters to herself about how she thought he looked 40-something at most.
Spike: We’ve been trying our best to find our bearings and figure out this new world. Didn’t really work out too well. Then we have a chance encounter with Imperium.
Simon lets out an audible painful groan.
Spike: Next thing you know we’re fighting bandits, and getting into fights with people, and dungeon crawling, and I look like a panda and I’m jumping out of airships for fun, and turning into shadows to assassinate people, and in places where the waves of enemies were tremendously high, and more!
Spike takes a long puff on his pipe and becomes visibly saddened: We kept getting pulled through the mists so much we couldn’t even keep track anymore. Crysania kept getting further and further away, it seemed.
The butler gave a soft, practiced smile: And now you’ve returned, good sirs.
Simon pats Spike on the shoulder and glows warmly.
Spike tries to put on his best face, but the stubble, scars, sleep deprivation, and the various bits of old makeup make it difficult: I, we, right dood? Doubt this is the Tyria we left.
Simon, regrettably, agrees.
The butler is undeterred. He unfurls a map, but then a panicked banging on the back window! Skye is banging her staff on the back window and yelling help!
The butler is visibly annoyed: It seems we have a stowaway.
Spike too is annoyed: …puppy…
Simon cracks the window: Yeah?
Skye, more terrified than she’s ever been in her life, yells: DOGS! BONE! BONE DOGS!
Simon calmly closes the window again, much to Skye’s horror, and sits back down.
The butler, calmly: The Greenecks.
Spike, carefully putting his pipe away in one of his myriad of pockets: Greenecks?
Butler, sighing: Perhaps this whole multimists thing has merit, sirs. I, implore you to elaborate further with Lord and Lady after we deal with this rabble.
The butler tugs on a rope and the carriage accelerates. Skye, meanwhile, is clutching to the side of a barrel with her eyes closed and reciting lessons from school about the eternal alchemy as she bumps along uncomfortably.
The butler: In order to get back to safe Metallicorps land, we must pass this forested area. Sadly, this is known to be infested with Greeneckistani presences.
Spike: I’m guessing The Metallicorps is Balreth and the Mrs. Who are the Greenecks?
Before there was a time to answer, the carriage was hit hard by an yet unknown force and brought to its side. Skye could be heard screaming as she went tumbling with the provisions out of the back, and away from the carriage. The butler quickly readied a shiny dagger from seemingly nowhere and exited out of the skyward side of the carriage. Spike and Simon highfived each other, merged into one being and did the same.
Spike looked around, only to see several skeletal animals of some sort and the very ugly bits of what was once the butler scattered around the carriage. Spike did note that either the hounds either didn’t let him make a sound, or he was so resolute he didn’t get them the privilege. Spike decided the latter was a better choice in his mind.
Skye, still terrified, crawled amongst the wreckage to a vantage point wherein she could see a glowing Spike surrounded by Skeletal Hounds. She was helpless. One sound, one false move, and it was her turn. She was frozen in fear. All she could hear was the word “puppy” over and over again. It was true, she should have stayed home in her office and help people deal with stress. She’s in way over her head.
A laughter broke the silence. A genuine, heartfelt, purposeful, but offputting laughter echoed off the trees. Spike stood there, the Aura of Simon flickered and pulsed, but gave no clues. Directly in front of Spike, a figure started to emerge. At first, all one could see was glowing bits of green. As this figure approached, she was Norn, and a busty, curvy Norn. She was covered in scars and tattoos, all of which erupted in this green aura. Her left hand wore this armored gauntlet with sharpened fingers but the rest of her was barely clad at all, a tattered cloak and few bits here and there save her long thick boots. Her long dark hair a stark contrast to the glowing intricate patterns both purposeful and accidental along the body so many have failed to obtain.
Simon could feel power: You command these hounds?
The Norn grinned: Attack!
The hounds immediately begun to leap, claw, and bite at Simon! Simon’s Newtype Reflexes and the Aura of Simon made quick work of basic Skeletal Minions, but the Norn simply smiled at Spike. She redrew one of her green scars with her sharpened gauntlet and it momentarily gave off green flame.
Immediately, voices all around in unison shout: GREEN FLAME!
Spike is startled at the voices, but Spike is used to voices and retains his composure.
The spark of the flame makes all the Skeletal Hounds reassemble themselves again, as if nothing happened.
Skye gasped loudly, and both Spike and The glowing Norn took momentary notice of her trying to hide in the wreckage.
The Norn spoke, with dripping sarcasm: It looks as if The Great Anchorwind has finally returned to us, let us all bow in reverence. He even brought along his latest girlfriend. Isn’t that cute.
Spike: The puppy isn’t my girlfriend, by the way.
The Norn laughed: Oh! So you don’t mind if I kill her then.
She gestures and the Skeletal Hounds move to attack Skye and the wreckage.
Spike moves to intervene, sending forward the Aura of Simon to punch and kick the Hounds back into piles of bones with ease.
The Norn scoffs and raises the hounds again with her green flame scar.
Again, immediately a cacophony of voices in unison shout: GREEN FLAME!!!
The Norn sighs: This grows boring. Since you’ve returned, -finally-, let’s @#$%ing get to it shall we?
Her grin widens, and her eyes light up in potential bloodlust: Are you with us, or those stupid Metallicorps pricks?
Spike: Who is us?
The Norn steps forward, out of the shadows of just barely visible into full display.
Spike gasps: LALANDRA?!
Lalandra: Why are you so surprised? Do you miss me?
Spike chuckles: Well, yes. When did you… (making a boob gesture) did you get so big?
Lalandra squeezes in her arms, emphasizing her chest: Aww, do you miss cuddling up to me?
Skye is lying there, terrified, confused, but now somehow angry. She stands up and decides to enter the conversation and say something. Brushing herself off she stands up and tries to address Lalandra.
Skye: Excuse me, Lalandra-
Lalandra, immediately angered: No! EXCUSE ME! WHO THE @#$% ARE YOU?!
Lalandra begins outwardly glowing even greener, as she walks with purpose over to a now cowering little Asura.
Lalandra: YOU @#$%ING DARE CALL ME BY NAME?
Skye, trembling extensively: we…well…he…did…
Lalandra shatters the adjacent barrel into splinters with an angry kick: HE @#$%ING EARNED IT. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, RUNT?
Lalandra turns to Spike: Why can’t I kill her?
Spike kinda shrugs: I’d just prefer no one get killed?
Lalandra grins menacingly: Ah.
Lalandra lifts up her sharpened gauntlet above Skye’s head and whispers: He really hates purple too, you should feel lucky.
Skye’s look of confusion is only met with relief as right before she was to be impaled Lalandra was struck by Spike.
Lalandra: YOU WANT TO HIT ME BECAUSE OF YOUR @#$%ING PET?! ON MY @#$%ING LAND?
Lalandra grins: This ain’t the old days, son.
Lalandra reaches towards the corpse of the butler and forms a magical greatsword from the blood and essence of his corpse.
Spike: Oh, not good.
Balreth looks up at the sky, feeling something.
Lady Neveah: Are you ok?
Balreth: Yeah, I just felt a disturbance…
Lady Neveah: Do I need to dispatch someone?
Balreth shakes his head: No, Dearheart.
Lalandra cracks her neck real quick and then rushes towards Spike! Spike easily evades and the Bloodsword swings into the Aura of Simon. The Spiritual Flame breaks the Bloodsword! Spike grins with arrogance, but then the smile fades quickly as the Bloodsword reforms itself in a few moments. Lalandra again and again swings her massive Greatsword at Spike and misses, but every time the sword is broken and reforms itself. Spike gradually understands he would have to counterattack in that brief window that the sword is reforming itself.
Lalandra however, is no fool. Lalandra re-summons all her minions and continues her full-frontal assault. Spike has little time to counter attack with any meaning. Spike is spending all of his time dodging, parrying, understanding the layout of the battle he has had no time to formulate any offense. Meanwhile, Lalandra seems to be enjoying every minute of this and appears not to be fatiguing in the slightest. Obviously, minions will never tire either so how long can Spike execute this defense before making a mistake? Spike needs to turn the tides.
Lalandra, however is an impatient person. She too objectives to meet and missions to accomplish. Understanding one of Spike’s objectives is to keep Skye safe, she directs her minions after Skye whilst she, herself, continues the assault on Spike. The minions are more than a match for the little puppy, and Spike has shown all he can do is defend. The Anchorwind pet will die. In his despair, Lalandra will console him on to her side, he didn’t need anyone else to begin with. The Metallicorps is wrong in their approach. ‘I am right!’ thought Lalandra.
Spike, however, is not as harmless as he appears. Seeing the divide-and-conquer tactics he is forced into action. The multimists has taught them well, and Spike sends the Aura of Simon forward into Lalandra. Spike rejoins the Aura in a Spiritual-Leap technique and is now behind Lalandra, who is now more angered than ever. “NO!” she screams and separates her Greatsword into a Great-Whipsword and propels it forward towards Skye at amazing speed.
Spike is forced to do something he never hoped to do. Summoning the Spiritual Force of The Stabbith Day, daggers appear in his hand and Spike not only deflects the Great-Whipsword but Shadow Steps around the immediate vicinity and easily dispatches the hounds. Lalandra refuses to give up, and with a scream of blood curdling anger, the links binding the whip sword break and all the individual blades of the Bloodsword act independently, flying towards Skye at speed! Simon, daggers in hand is ready to deal with this but Lalandra grins with malicious intent.
Lalandra begins to yell: HYDRODYNAM-
Simon instinctively casts a Cry of Frustration on Lalandra, which isn’t hard given per propensity for anger and cursing.
Spike and Stabbith Day finish blinking around and dealing with the bloodsword bits and Skye is protected.
Lalandra isn’t done, she assumes Reaper form and makes one last charge. In her blind rage she failed to hear the cry from the forest…
“Snippy Snap”
The concentrated rifle blast penetrated the enraged charging reaper and brought it back to Norn form, panting with fatigue and frustration.
Doubled over on one knee, cleavage on full display, Spike remarks on how Lalandra’s boobs are bigger than Skye is. Skye wasn’t amused. Spike shrugged, and remarked on basic facts. Spike talked about thighs saving lives, hips, etc. Skye became increasingly un-amused. Spike and Simon then became un-merged and both fell to the ground in complete exhaustion.
Skye stood there wondering what just happened.
Lalandra, Spike, and Simon all stood around the same time.
Lalandra was defiant: You will help us into Skycoast. Things need to be restored to the way they were!
Spike looks helpless: What do you mean?!
Lalandra turns and gives a cold shoulder: Hmpf.
Using what little energy she has left, she assembles her Skeletal Hounds into a larger mount. She then slightly struggles to climb atop it and rides off deep into the forest, her now slight green glow lasting the longest beyond her feminine figure.
Skye mutters: What a terrifying woman.
Spike: …we haven’t seen the last of her.
Simon, just now regaining some of his flame: What do we do now?
Spike, looking around: We have to gather more information. The Metallicorps. The Greenecks. The location of Skycoast. All of it.
Skye stands ready! : Me too.
Spike and Simon both growl ferociously: Oh Hell no!
Skye pouts: I’m in it this far…
Simon glances at his friend: How do we get her home?
Spike: Right now? I don’t know. We’ll have to figure that out too.
Skye: Umm. No! I’m going too.
Spike: No, pups. You almost got us killed. You’re going home.
Spike looks deeper into the forest: Lalandra almost killed us. …Lalandra…
References:
SO MANY – This is oozing in:
Guild History
Gundam
Green Flame : Running thing in Acquisitions Incorporated. (Started in 2013, STILL going strong! Amateurs. Quin or Quit, among others was started WAY before that and is doing just fine 😀 )
Out-Of-Character History (GASP!)
Star Wars
References to previous Quin Stories (Anchorwind Arc)
Conker’s Bad Fur Day (Kinda…)
and more (did you catch them all?)