"..." = Speech
<...> = Thought
---
"Still as easy as ever to crack those snakes' skulls; you would need to be really weak to ever get hurt by those pests hahaha!" That obnoxious laughter erupted Bolo as he sauntered through the underbrush of the tangled woods of spider forest. Hands resting upon his hips as he looked around.
His half genie friend, meanwhile, just silently followed behind him with a smile that was not a smile while releasing a short laugh that most definitely was not a laugh. Her hands tensed as she looked at him with a slight tilt of her head.
For a second she really did consider sacrificing her close friend to the monsters.
Sadly common sense won in the end.
"Yeah it would indeed be pretty embarrassing to get bitten by an army of snakes who just refuse to stop coming out no matter how many you kill." Eye twitching as she forced those words out; something Bolo obviously didn't notice as he continued on without a care in the world. "I know, right?"
Fortunately she didn't have time to reconsider the fact her life was light on manslaughter; the two of them arriving in front of a small stone area. Obviously being created due to the stone bricks lined up with water flowing through. In the centre of the water garden was the bust of some weird cyclops.
Bolo walked out in front of her until he stood in front of the rather scary looking statues with his arms crossed and a nod of his head. "This is it; dribble fountain."
Walking even closer till he found himself practically kissing the thick stone teeth of the cyclops - moving his hands around to grope at the side of its jaw. He must have done something right because a rumbling began to echo throughout the clearing of the forest. With that the statue's jaw slowly unhinged.
Bolo stepped back to take in his work until that mouth, releasing a plume of dust, opened till the jaw was level with the floor. Shantae didn't bother saying much as she began to walk in only to hear footsteps following behind her. Pausing she turned to see Bolo bump into her only for him to actually get pushed back much to both of their own confusion.
She quickly shook that away.
"I think it would be best if you stayed out here and stopped Risky Boots when she inevitably tries to run away again after I beat her up!" Exclaiming with a bright confident smile. Of course some would interpret their last fight a little differently but there was no one here to tell Bolo that.
And she sure wasn't going to.
He tilted her head - taking a moment to process her words before nodding - an impressed look overcoming his usually fairly "blank" face. Giving her a faint smile. "Sounds like some plan Sky would come up with; this way I can redeem myself and show off my amazing fighting techniques!"
"I-I can also come up with good plans…" Pouting at the unlying beliefs in that first line.
Slowly making her way down the stone tunnel that supposedly would lead her to some powerful ancient relic. Mumbling to herself as she went. "Apparently one of the last genies descended from Tenkai guard this place so Risky probably hasn't managed to take the dribble stone yet."
The only thing she could hear, except the sound of her walking through the tunnel, was the echo of water dripping against stone.
Light was a scarce commodity that only came from the glowing moss that covered the stone.
And in the distance there was the faint sound of… Clapping?
Shantae - Risky Boots Remix
"Why is there the sound of clapping in an ancient- no way?!" Suddenly feeling urgency as she began to sprint full throttle down the tunnel as more light spilled through. Making it so she couldn't see what existed beyond the exit of the passage.
Bursting through the light to look around to see what was essentially some kind of bowl with many small barred passages seeping water out.
A hole was present in the very centre where that water funneled down into. "Fountain… Huh?"
"Indeed, you know, that thing that water flows through in a continuous loop?" That annoyingly smooth voice confirmed what she thought she had already heard; turning up her head to see that there was a little outcrop where water flowed down from. Sat there was… Risky Boots.
Seemingly without a care in the world as she didn't even have any of her Tinkerbats to support her - just sat with her legs hanging over the edge. One thigh over top the other with the upper leg kicking about and an elbow resting upon that as she supported her cheek. Looking down with an infuriating smile.
"Whatever wicked plan you have brewing stops now!" Throwing her arm out to point menacingly towards the pirate feared around the world. As shocking as it may be; the pirate queen did not seem particularly intimidated by Shantae's very terrifying warning.
The most she gave was a slightly elevated brow as she continued to look down on the half-genie with that smug smirk that made one unable to decide whether they wanted to punch or kiss her. "Indeed it is, once again, Risky Boots in the flesh. Nice to see such a cute little thing like you is determined to give mommy a good time but I am afraid I'll only be dropping by; catch me if you can~!"
Before she could even respond that ne'er-d-well moved her hands to rest upon the lip of the platform only to push herself off.
Rocketing herself off the platform only to expertly slide right down the hole.
Shantae quickly stepped forward but a rumbling caused her to momentarily lose her balance - dust falling down from the roof. By the time the shaking stopped and she regained her balance… The hole in the middle of the room was completely sealed shut by a brand new stone brick.
"Grrr you can't get away from me that easily!" Quickly looking around to see if she could find herself another entrance further into the labyrinth so that she could follow behind. Or maybe even get her hands on that legendary relic before that pesky pirate could even set her sights upon it.
Looking around the basin provided little benefit, however.
Eyes narrowing as she studied that thing for a while - noticing the grate was far larger than those on the lower levels of the basin. She also noticed that the metal was rusted especially along the edges of the walls where it was bolted in place. "Makes sense with that condensation thingy… But also useful."
Getting down on her hands and knees, causing a splash in the bellow ankle level water, causing her entire face to grimace. Especially when she felt her hair soaking up some of that fluid. "I sincerely hope that this place was never a sewer during its long life of service…"
Closing her eye as she tried to ignore where her thoughts just wandered; whipping her head forward to send her hair forward.
That worked splendidly as it splintered projectile tetanus.
"If I was not a half-genie, if not from the water, I would totally catch something from all this rusted metal and I am far from excited about that." Wincing as she crawled over the rusted shrapnel. It was confusing that she didn't actually feel any real pain - mostly an annoying poking feeling - but she'd accept it.
After about a minute of nonstop crawling that little vent opened up into a bigger chamber. Though the first thing Shantae did was not look around (this time at least) in favour of stretching out and bending backwards till her back cracked. "Urgh I really hope there won't be much more crawling because I am already beginning to feel my age and I'm not even in my twenties!"
Finally taking the time to look around to see what was essentially just a massive drop with what looked like some kind of lizard heard looking directly at her from the other side with a pot on its head.
Narrowing her eyes as she looked to meet its own. "Challenge accepted…"
Not taking a second to think about her choices; breaking into a full sprint as she leapt for the statue where the pot sat… Only for her head to make a rather audible *THUD* as her head impacted the rock pipe that water was pouring out of. As a result she went spiralling only to then bounce off the wall and continue spiralling down the pit while bouncing off a few more times.
Eventually she did reach the bottom where she landed right upon a pot that exploded the contents inside which was, fairly ironically, a health potion. That came in very handy considering she was not exactly feeling the most healthy at that moment. Closing her eyes and letting her head just fall to the floor as she decided to rest there for a moment as sometimes life just wasn't worth it.
---
Water Lilly's Domain
The trip through the labyrinth was one that was surprisingly painless all things considered.
At least more painless than how she entered.
There were quite a few monsters milling around the place yet none of them tougher than the army of snakes she had to fight through. Also no surprise ambushes that she had no way to get around. Well there weren't no ambushes if you counted the fish trying to get a nibble of her; especially in the room connecting what felt like the major two halves of the ancient fountain.
At the same time she had been wondering about one single thing the entire time she was making her way through the temple - where was the genie who was supposed to guard the place.
Though they also were insidiously smart if the efficiency of the pillaging was anything to go off - every single part of that day felt meticulously planned.
So a lot of questions were answered when she climbed down into that room.
"Thank you for rescuing me young half-genie; allow me to teach you a transformation dance as repayment for your help." The genie who was previously locked in a cage joyfully exclaimed. Shantae herself still found the entire thing quite baffling so just nodded quite dumbly.
Ever since she could first understand the world she had wanted to know more about her people. A very tragic wish for one born after, not just genie, most spirits had all but abandoned the physical world in its entirety for reasons they didn't share with those left behind. Though the young genie was aware enough to quickly focus on the free lesson she was receiving.
Though in the back of her mind she couldn't help ponder on how the hell a genie managed to get themself captured by what should have been just a pirate. A very infamous pirate, sure, but just a normal human who was apparently a very good engineer. Not exactly something she'd imagine could imprison a genie.
"-so it's actually pretty easy as far as dances go; certainly nothing like those warp dances you can learn from the warp squid mothers the idiot left about the place." The lady kindly said with a warm smile as she placed a tender hand on Shantae's cheek. "Now go forth, child of genies, save Sequin land from the child of our greatest enemy."
With that announcement the genie began to glow with some mystical lights as Shantae snapped out of her confusion upon hearing that last line.
As well as realising that she was not going to get the long talk she would have wanted.
Panic understandably filled her as she tried to desperately formulate all the things she wanted to ask the quickly fading presence. "W-Wait why are you going, could you not help with the whole saving thing, also what is it like in the spirit world. Actually forget that; what do you mean by child of our gr- and gone…"
Letting a long annoyed sigh leave her lips as she let the tension from her body fade - having built up quite a lot of it over the trip through the journey. As well as trying to talk to Bolo whenever he passed by a woman who was shaped (ironically) like Shantae and Sky. Letting the back of her head then her back impact the cold stone behind her.
"You have got to be kidding me…I was finally going to learn all about my people only for them to poof into magic light after teaching me some dance moves." Lifting her head forward only to slam it back down against the stone. Closing her eyes with another frustrated groan.
She wasn't the type to stay down for long, though, pushing herself off the wall using her back as she walked a bit further into the open. "May as well see what this magic dance will do."
Getting into position.
Taking a deep breath as she spread her legs apart while simply letting her magic fill her limbs as she began by swinging her hips from side to side. Only to transition into jumping from one foot to the other with her arms essentially making "z"s. After finishing these two "moves" she began to glow.
Feeling herself shrink down in all but her ears that strangely grew. She even felt something growing out of her butt yet strangely none of that was painful but actually rather pleasant all things considered. Finally the light faded and in place of a gorgeous young half-genie was instead a cute little fuzzy brown monkey.
"Wowza this is new!" Lifting a little paw up to her big eyes to flex her little fingers; strangely feeling a lot more flexible than her own as well as better than a regular monkey's. "These things could also come in very useful - especially in this place…"
Eyes drifting upwards towards the only entrance thus exit out of the room.
"Gotta try something at least once." Tensing her little hands as she leapt up towards the wall, far further than she could have in her human form, obviously having little control. Fortunately that was exactly the reason she was practicing her new skills with a somewhat safe method.
Reaching her hands out her body… Took the impact shockingly well - not just that but she now found herself sticking to the side of the wall - taking a deep breath as a higher-pitched voice than usual excited her monkey mouth. "One foot behind the other!"
Slowly but surely she climbed up the wall; eyes narrowing as she remembered all the small little spaces up high that she previously didn't have access to. "Dribble fountain just got a lot easier…"
---
Sure enough she traveled through the labyrinth with far more ease.
A few close calls due to the difficulties in controlling her far more powerful leaps - still it was overall a painless experience with only a few fishes getting an extra meal. Eventually finding herself pushing into a room where she once again met a certain pirate. "Well, well, well look what the fishes dragged in!"
Her footsteps rang across the metal grating that made up the entire floor as the duo found himself seemingly alone in a stone chamber with four stone walls. There was absolutely no ceiling in sight which only grew more disconcerting as there was also nothing below. Just an endless abyss that was only kept away with what suddenly felt like a way too thin meshes of metal.
"Darn am I too late?!" Seeing that Risky Boots had already arrived at the chamber where she expected the dribble stone, mystical stone that produces infinite water, her heart dropped. Though the relentless obnoxious laughter quickly had that transform into a mixture of annoyance and anger.
"Quite the opposite." Throwing her arms out wide as if welcoming the half-genie to take a swing, hug, cop a feel or do something else at/to her. Her body alluring enough temptation for anyone to accept. "Just in time to see me claim my prize!"
At that exact moment the temple trembled as water began to leak from above only for a figure to suddenly explode through the roof.
A gigantic squid made of water with a single stone eye looking down angrily.
"Seems you two have a lot to talk about so I'll let you two get to it!" Resting a hand on her pirate hat as she gave a little bow. Afterwards she quickly turned tail and ran while letting that annoying laugh ring out for the entire labyrinth to hear; probably also those in Scuttle & Oasis town.
"Wait up a sec-" Shantae was beginning to chase after the slippery swashbuckler only for a tendril of water to slam down in front of her. It would have crushed the half-genie if not for her noticing the shadow following her and proceeding to stop in place. "... Guess I can play first."