Furina, like a kid who just got their hands on their favorite toy, was flailing that Susanoo around like a goddamn maniac. If she didn't like the look of a tree, whack, it was getting chopped. If a rock was in her way, she'd pick it up and smash it into the stratosphere.
Momoshiki in the Kamui Dimension was just facepalming the whole time, forced to play cleanup crew with his Wood Style jutsu.
Right now, Furina was in full "annoy everyone" mode. Even wild boars were getting slapped around, and if it was a goddamn Armored Crab, it was getting a triple-slap combo.
"Hehehe~ This is so much fun!"
Twirling the chakra sword in her hand, Furina hadn't felt this happy in ages. Her energy levels were through the roof, like she'd snorted a line of pure caffeine.
[Not hehehe-ing...]
Momoshiki just rolled his eyes.
[Maybe you should stop and actually train your chakra control. You're about to tear this whole forest apart.]
"Aww, come on~ Just keep refilling my chakra for a bit! I haven't had enough fun with this awesome power yet!"
Momoshiki.exe has stopped responding.
After about two hours, Furina finally got her fill and remembered that Momoshiki had said they shared chakra. She sheepishly deactivated the Susanoo.
[Wow, you actually care about me for once.]
"How can you say that?" Furina crossed her arms and stomped her foot like a spoiled brat.
"I always care about you! I just got a little carried away with the Susanoo, that's all!"
"Don't think of me as such a bad person!"
[Oh, really?]
...
After training her chakra for a while longer, the day's training session ended. Momoshiki possessed her again and instantly teleported them back to the Palais Mermonia.
According to the schedule, tomorrow was the day to go to Romaritime Harbor, and the Traveler would arrive then too.
Furina had been preparing for this for a long time, all to make a super elegant and classy first impression, or so she thought.
So, Furina ate dinner early, took a bath, and went to bed, trying to get a good night's sleep.
Of course, she still ended up sleeping in the next morning and needed Momoshiki's help to get up, but thankfully, it didn't delay things too much.
On the Aquabus...
"Momoshiki, do you think it'll work if I just stand at the highest point and grab everyone's attention?"
[...]
[I think you should try something else.]
"Why? What's wrong with it?" Furina asked, confused.
This was how she usually made her entrance! It's been 500 years, and no one's ever had a problem with it before. What's wrong now?
Besides, she'd already rehearsed her entrance! If she changed it now, she wouldn't have any time to prepare, and what if something went wrong?
[Well...]
Momoshiki hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to say, "It's too damn embarrassing." He just offered a suggestion:
[Maybe it would be better to be genuine. People who don't know you might think your behavior is just plain weird.]
[Of course, not too genuine, or the people of Fontaine will think you're even weirder.]
"Hmm..."
Furina rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. Momoshiki's words made sense.
Okay, maybe she'd cut out a couple of lines. Get rid of some of the unnecessary boasting. That might make her seem more genuine.
[Maybe cut out a few more...]
After what felt like forever, she finally saw the familiar buildings.
Romaritime Harbor was way bigger than it was in the game, with all sorts of beautiful buildings lined up one after another, stretching as far as the eye could see.
A seagull landed on the Aquabus, and the bored Furina reached out to tease it a little.
She was having fun when the seagull suddenly flew away, and the Aquabus stopped.
They'd arrived at Romaritime Harbor. Furina got off the boat, and her guards, led by Clorinde, lined up in a neat row, heading towards their destination with a grand flourish.
Passersby turned their heads, and when they saw it was Furina, they were shocked and started following along, eager for some juicy gossip.
Arriving at the high platform at the end of the harbor line, Furina simply struck an elegant pose and instantly grabbed everyone's attention.
[Aren't you tired of holding that pose?]
"Of course, I'm tired!" Furina said helplessly. "But I have to make a noble first impression, so I have no choice."
[Uh...]
Momoshiki was just a background character before he got isekai'd, so he couldn't handle being stared at by so many people. It made his skin crawl, so he decided to shut his mouth.
Soon, a few figures that Momoshiki recognized appeared in the crowd.
Golden hair, wearing mostly white clothes, a slender figure, no Vision, but an elemental aura... This girl was the Traveler, Lumine.
Next to her was a white, unidentified flying object, aka emergency food Paimon.
Just like in the original story, they first encountered the siblings Lyney and Lynette. Nothing had changed.
Seeing the guards surrounding the area, and even Clorinde standing by, Lyney chuckled and spread his hands towards Lumine.
"You're looking for the Hydro Archon? But it seems the Hydro Archon has already come looking for you."
"Eh?!"
A big question mark popped up over Paimon's head as she looked towards the high platform. She saw a gorgeously dressed girl standing in a weird pose, her head slightly raised, looking all haughty.
"Is that the Hydro Archon? How did she know we were coming?!"
As Paimon was asking her question, Furina began a performance that made Momoshiki want to gouge his eyes out.
The surrounding guards saluted in unison, their expressions serious and respectful.
Furina opened her arms and performed with an exaggerated tone and gestures: "Rich! Poor! Citizens with wine glasses or nothing at all!!"
"Raise your glasses! If you don't have one, use your arms instead!"
You gotta say, Fontaine is a weird-ass country. The more flamboyant and crazy you are, the more "artistic" you seem, and the more you pique people's interest or affection.
On the other hand, the more serious you are, the more people find you strange and unacceptable.
Freaking ridiculous. No wonder it's a country of lunatics.
"It's Lady Furina!!"
"OMG! Lady Furina actually came to Romaritime Harbor!!"
"I can't believe I get to see the Hydro Archon!!"
"Lady Furina!! I'm your—(censored)!!"
...
The surrounding crowd cheered and applauded, their excitement overflowing.
These people looked ecstatic, practically bouncing up and down.
"As you can see, strange travelers have come to my nation! Come! Let us give them our blessings! A toast to the travelers from afar and their companion!"
[...]
Taking a deep breath, Momoshiki chose to disconnect from the outside world.
If he had to listen to this any longer, he'd dig a three-bedroom apartment in the Kamui Dimension with his toes!
As soon as Furina finished speaking, she gestured towards Lumine, and the crowd erupted in deafening applause, startling Lumine.
"Yesss!!!"
"Amazing! As expected of the Hydro Archon!!"
...
These people had no idea what Furina was talking about; they were just mindlessly cheering, like some kind of cult...
"I've heard that you two have stirred up a storm in several nations." Furina's expression was full of confidence. She placed her right hand on her chest, raised her head slightly, and struck a magnanimous pose.
"But I still welcome you! Not only that, but I've come to greet you in person!"
Lumine: ?
Paimon: ?
===
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