"..." = Speech
<...> = Thought
---
Within the deceptively vibrant & welcoming meadows of lilac fields; those puggy little bandits were having the worst day of their life. The dirt dogs were trying to do what they always did. That was to ambush any fool unlucky enough to step into the fields of mostly grains & corn.
Making the name a weird choice.
A small fuzzy brown blur whizzed over the well trodden dirt path as they found themselves being completely out manoeuvred by the thing. By the time they dug themselves out the ground that blur had already passed them. Their hastily crafted but incredibly sharp spears being too slow to actually catch the little devil - that thing jumping out the way or simply just outrunning them.
Meanwhile the scarecrows were even more hopeless, whenever that brown blur flashed by they of course acted like usual but were always a step too slow, unable to claw their way out quickly enough.
By the time they managed the push through the stalks that blur was already on the horizon.
Even the pitfalls and ancient ruins were of no use when it came to slowing the little cretin down - the thing easily leapt over every single gap. The marble pillars faring just as poorly. That little thing literally bound up that ancient architecture with absolute ease which in turn made it even harder for the dirt dogs to hit them.
One of them, a dirt dog who just unburied itself from the ground, looked at the figure in the distance who was already far away by the time they could react. Though that blur finally settled down to reveal itself to actually be a monkey with a golden circlet. Wagging its tail while pulling the skin under its eye down and sticking its tongue out; at least before it jetted off over to Scuttle town.
In response the dirt dog lifted its spear…
Only to slam it into the ground before wandering away in defeat.
---
"I still can't believe I touched it, oh spirits, I don't even want to know who it came from but I have a pretty good idea unfortunately…" Shantae, that monkey responsible for breaking the dirt dogs' spirits, said with a grim face. Then looking towards the very hand she used to cradle Bolo with… And promptly rubbing it viciously on the road as it was far preferable to have it covered in dirt than proof of Risky's good time.
Shivering as she stood in front of scuttle town only to glance over her shoulder towards the ever monstrous fecund lands that she had just left. "At least this new transformation is great. Made those little shits really reconsider their life choices which may as well be a civil service… Wait, aren't guardian genies already part of the civil services?"
Tilting her head as she considered the question.
Technically she did get payment for protecting the town even if it wasn't much - though it was kind of assumed that guardian genies would be the richest person in the town.
Hunting monsters gave one hell of a reward.
After all they, verbatim, dropped the currency of Sequin Land.
Every single type dropped a magical crystal (which they chose to call gems in Sequin) after death like every other monster. Some obviously have more magic in them than others; leading to them being worth more than the average beasties gem. There were still slight differences between individual gems of the same species but the economy flows the same despite all that.
"The only thing I really got was some real estate and I wouldn't call the lighthouse particularly splendid. I also haven't really killed many monsters, pretty broke, although just these past few days have let me rake it in and I am rolling in it after the dungeon… Before that I always relied on-" Suddenly she paused.
Mind wandering towards a certain individual as she remembered her reliance on her and that was something she didn't plan to change!
"Why am I wasting my time wandering around hoping to run into Risky again when I can just ask someone who always has an eye in the sky. Plus she'll likely have figured all of it out and know exactly what that strumpet of a sailor is up to!" With that in mind she turned towards the west.
Her confidence suddenly withering quite a bit as she remembered there was a VERY good reason why she decided to head eastward instead. "Just need to make it through the naga wasteland… The place where all the Naga are. One of the toughest monsters on the island… Followed by the Ladies Desert filled with the other toughest monster…"
Those monkey shoulders sloped in exhaustion; at least until she realised something new. "Not only am I different and way stronger than I was a week ago but I also have super magic monkey power. If anything can get past those scaly then carapiced monster dames it's the power of monkey genie!"
Confidence fully restored as she didn't even bother entering scuttle town; she had places to go.
---
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero OST - Cape Crustacean
"A-AT LEAST I CAN OUT RUN THEM!" Her positivity truly shone through as the sonic attack of the airborne naga she was running towards almost caught her tail. It would have succeeded too if not for her tail darting down behind her little monkey rump as she rushed to pass under it before gravity ensured the jumping snake lady landed back down.
Possibly on top of a little genie.
Yet despite the panic in her voice… She couldn't stop the big old smile that had somehow managed to make its way onto her primate phiz without her even knowing it. Only growing wider as she nimbly hopped aside, thanks to her tree climbing dexterity, just in time to dodge the near invisible soundwave.
Soon enough finding herself in front of the entrance towards a subterranean tunnel that was helpfully marked with a sign. Specifically noting that it led into "ladies desert" that then would lead to "oasis town" where she would find her best friend. "See! The power of the monkey never fails to solve every problem!"
Sadly the rungs of the ladder were too far apart for her current arms.
… So she had to transform back to her more boobalicious form after spending a few seconds seemingly as a sentient beam of light.
Sliding down the ladder into the tunnel, though, made her raise her brow as she saw what seemed like a bat if one made it… Out of a purple ball that was strangely feminine. Even having a circlet very similar to her own atop of what was presumably its forehead as well as a little body under its massive head and strangely human eyes.
"Don't remember bats having horns though…" Her observation skills informed her instantly that something was off about the duo of "bats" that were sitting along the ceiling and watching her as she walked through the cavern. Their eyes narrowed in what felt kind of like a scornful sneer.
It also felt like they took some offense to her own judgement, ironic considering the stink eye, as they began to fly over towards the half-genie.
Shantae just curiously tilted her head at the creature that slowly fluttered toward her with that same disdainful glare. Soon enough it was flittered in front of her letting her fully take it in as she couldn't help coo a little at how precious they are. "You really are a cute lil' guy~."
That appeared to be the wrong thing to say as the bats surprisingly well manicured eyelashes trembled angrily before it abruptly lunged forward. Shantae, caught by surprise, could only stumble backwards only to be met with that cute little mouth opening up. A long pair of fangs being the only sign of teeth present in that cute little maw.
*chomp*
"HIYA!" Shantae screamed on account of the purple blob that decided to glue itself to her face with those rather pokey spikes called teeth. Running about the cave as she surprisingly could hear the sound of that other bats wings over the sound of her own screams.
"Fortunately" she ended up running into a wall before that other bat could reach them; resulting in her slamming the first bat into said wall.
The impact caused it to let out a squark as it released her reflexively.
Shantae wasted no time, stepping backwards to gain some distance on the first bat, lashing her hair forward in her signature and surprisingly effective attack. Unfortunately causing that cute monster to pop as if it was an ash filled balloon. Quickly pivoting to look up toward that other bat.
Floating just out of reach with an expression that appeared even more smug than before. Yet it was not nearly as smug as a certain half-genie who charged toward it. For a moment that bat was confused only to become shocked when that "foolish girl" became a whirling blade of death that launched directly up at it.
Soon enough another explosion of ash joined the sound of a gem clattered against the floor.
Kneeling down, Shantae quickly retrieved her bounty, inspecting the pair of gems she had just earned with a faint smile. Though her mind quickly fell onto the obvious question that she let slip past her lips. "Just what were those creatures and why did they feel strangely… Familiar. Like I've felt something similar?"
---
Standing atop the raised rocky outcrop (ladder into the tunnel behind her heels) enjoying the bright sun though less so the warm arid wind that was brushing across her face.
Upsetting the sand as it swirled about her.
"This stifling air is almost definitely why I decided to move to to Scuttle Town; though it is nice to come and visit once in a w-"
*VWOOOSH*
Her words cut off as a massive big worm, an awkward name when trying to describe them due to already being quite apt as far as descriptions go, with a bulbous head and large eyes. All in all there was one simple way to describe the thing. "You are one ugly ass roadblock."
It really was just a roadblock - that monster made no attempt to actually attack Shantae. Strictly "standing" there like some kind of fleshy totem pole that just wiggled a little while looking down at her. Though she had to wonder…
"Does this thing even have a brain in the first place?" Those eyes were as vacant as they come with as much intelligence behind them as a jellyfish bobbing on the waves.
"Too tall to climb over and doubt they'd be easy to whip to death… But fortunately I have some new tricks up my sleeve that you weren't accounting for, mister worm!" Throwing her developing chest out with confidence before bending forward and hunching her shoulders. Letting that magic power build throughout her body; specifically her arms, core as well as her legs.
"Through practice these are the most important places when using the mighty elbow!" Smirking at her new found discoveries already coming in just as useful as she thought they would - though there was a rather obvious flaw. "Of course it would be better if I could focus on certain muscle groups… Or even just more specific areas like my elbow and only a certain amount… Progress is progress, though."
Nodding her head.
Launching forward towards that gormless big worm, over the sand between stone platforms, then directly through it. The thing didn't even stand a chance - only those pesky water dragons had managed to bite back harder than she could - however she couldn't help focusing on something else. "To say I'm thankful for them exploding into dust rather than blood or guts is an understatement…"
That celebration soon fell to the wayside as she stopped a little ways away from the reason the ladies desert is named as it is.
An intimidating crimson Scorpgal towered over the poor little five foot three half-genie that found herself within its path. With a torso of a snarling red-skinned blue-haired humanoid attached from the head of a terrifyingly large scorpion body. As for its strength-
Shantae barely had time to remember what she knew about those monsters as it charged forth; forcing the girl to quickly make use of her own technique. Backstepping while pivoting at the same time with a little magical flare. Phasing through the initial blow as she was even sent further back than her mere movement would have suggested.
Just in time as that girly fist delivered an overhead punch where she once was - obviously that punch didn't harm her yet that fist brought more impact than expected.
The sheer force collided sent a shockwave down into the stone and resulted in it exploding into a deadly rain of rocky debris. Seeing that Shantae quickly raised her arms in front of her face. Yet that only prevented her brain from becoming mush in her skull
Just the power of those rocks caused the half-genie to be lifted off the ground and sent hurdling backwards to end up impacting the side of the platform she had started on.
*blurgh*
Unable to get a single word out as blood spewed from her mouth - as well as any air she previously had in her lungs. For a moment she lost consciousness only for gravity to catch up and have her meet the sand below where she headbutted a large gem. That impact woke her up fully as light returned to her eyes.
Getting to see that beautiful gem covered with a crimson that was no doubt lighter in colour but also had more lustre than that of a human. No doubt the silver blood of a spirit mixing with the natural red that belonged to a mortal. As for the magic filled stone…?
"Th-That is most definitely the gem of the worm; I suppose it's a good thing I didn't grab it when I forced my way through." A sheepish grin as she tried to push herself up. Only to immediately wince as she felt the pain as well as lack of movement occurring despite her attempts to move her arms. "Well that right there may be a problem… Though I suppose I didn't use my arms to fight anyway?"
Quickly looking on the brightside through bloody gritted teeth.
Also she totally looked graceful as she flopped around for a minute till she managed to push herself up using her legs and a little help from the stone. To say her arms were in a mess was an understatement but she was just thankful they were still attached to her shoulders. Both of them covered in welt from where the stone impacted, as well as cuts, however she also noticed them slowly improving.
"Genie power for the win and I think it's about time I show that off to that savage!" Her pain did nothing to break the unshakable confidence she had in herself as well as her ability to overcome any challenge.
Quickly filling her legs with magic power as she shot into the air like a spinning blade of death.
Fortunate for her; the Scorpgal looked over the ledge just at that moment.
Her spinning form created a thin hair-line cut up from its human abdomen until reaching the monster woman's chin. Head recoiling backwards as it was the beast's turn to stumble. Shantae wasn't satisfied with just getting one lucky blow in.
Transitioning her force midair (with a little help of genie magic) to instead commit to a spinning drill drop kick that impacted with the Scorpgal's head. Letting out an ear shredding screech as it was flung backwards. Legs creating troughs along the floor as it tried to stop itself.
Yet that didn't matter as black wisps began to eat away at it's physical form.
That monster seemingly either not noticing or caring as it continued to charge at Shantae with an open palm fully intending to slam her into the earth-
Only to pop.
Feeling its magic became a part of her, greatly hastening her recovery to a very noticeable degree, as she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.
Body visibly sagging as she had to openly admit the truth to herself. "I totally got lucky there, those broads can even use something similar to my elbow dash, I'd be ready to be bottled up and sent out as genie-jam if I got hit by that… Though that just means I'll need to kick the next one's ass more soundly than before!"
Her spine straightened so quickly that it was amazing that she didn't get whiplash; even going as far as to rest her knuckles on her hips…
Only to wince since they had only just recovered and were still quite sore.