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Kaito awakens with a groan. He feels bruised, scratched and there are more than a few bite marks around his arms and neck. His back in particular stings from having sharp nails rake across it. He also feels very wobbly in the legs and his groin is rather sore. As he rolls over, he takes in the sight of the one he shared last night's escapades with---Mileena. She sleeps soundly alongside him, seemingly without a care in the world, content and satisfied.

Kaito flops back down onto the pillow. The sheets are in great disarray around them, and some of them are torn. If this is going to continue, he's either going to need stronger sheets or a lot more of them. He stares up at the ceiling of his ship's cabin and thinks about what is going to happen next.

He has no doubt that Mileena's crew---HIS new crew---is already up and about, sailing the ship towards Jewel Cove, where they intend to sell off their old ship, the Red Wake, and fully transfer to his. As he focuses, he can hear shouts and conversation through the wooden walls, but not loudly enough to make out what they are saying.

He hopes that he and Mileena weren't too loud last night.

What comes next after Jewel Cove, he wonders? Sailing around, looking for pirates? Perhaps a trip to Outworld? Hunting sea monsters, seeing old friends, exploring new lands?

As he looks at Mileena once more, his thoughts suddenly drift to Turana. A pang of guilt runs through him as he thinks about how much she would consider this a betrayal...

>A) Get up, get dressed
>B) Wake up Mileena
>C) Kiss her on the forehead
>D) Open a window and look out
>E) Other

>>44836906
>C) Kiss her on the forehead
>D) Open a window and look out

>>44836906
>A) Get up, get dressed

>>44836906
>A)
Then
>D)

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>>44836956
>>44837068
>>44837181

Kaito leans over and plants a soft kiss on Mileena's forehead. She grumbles a bit, a low mumbling noise, but doesn't stir much otherwise. He rolls off his side of the bed and stretches out his legs. He finds his pants and inspects them for any tears; thankfully, despite the hurried nature in which they were discarded last night, they are in tact. He slides them back on and rolls his neck around, working out a few kinks and sore muscles.

He approaches a window and opens the blinds and then the shutters. Sunlight streams in, nearly blinding him in its brightness. After his eyes adjust, he looks out onto the deck.

The crew is hard at work getting everything ready for sail. Buturo the shokan and Chomba the crocodile-man are hoisting the anchor while the boatswain Monte looks on from the mast. Not far away, Biggs and Wedge look nervously around as Rambolt and Lor-Kai lug a cannon onto the deck, the sixth one so far.

As Kaito watches, the harpy Gwyn soars across the sky, casting a brief shadow on the deck of the ship, looking like a large bird of prey. Jon of Haven is up this morning, overlooking the entire crew from the second floor walkway.

>A) Wake up Mileena
>B) Get fully dressed and head out onto deck
>C) Head out onto deck half-dressed
>D) Go back to bed
>E) Other

>>44837242
>B) Get fully dressed and head out onto deck

>>44837242
>A) Wake up Mileena

>>44837242
>C)

>>44836906
>>A) Get up, get dressed
>C) Kiss her on the forehead
>D) Open a window and look out
we did mileena our waifu

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>>44837322
>>44837281
>>44837347

After taking a moment to get fully dressed, Kaito walks out onto the deck. His cabin is located on the upper level, as is Jon of Haven's. He walks up next to the man and stands alongside him as they both lean on the railing.

"Have a good sleep?" Jon asks.

"I did, very peaceful," Kaito lies.

"Somehow I doubt that," Jon replies as he stuffs his pipe. He strikes a match on the railing and uses it to ignite its contents before taking a puff. "Once we set off it'll be two hours before we reach Jewel Cove."

"I can use my staff to pilot the ship," Kaito offers. "It might go faster."

"The ship can also be steered the normal way," Jon says. "We don't mind it. It's what we do. It would be good to let the crew get used to the new ship; master the riggings, learn where things are. Plus, maybe you'd like to take it easy after... well. Maybe sleep in a bit."

He blows out some smoke that gets carried away on the morning breeze. "Your choice," he says.

>A) Kaito will steer the ship with the staff
>B) Let your new crew steer the ship manually
>C) Let them handle it and go back to bed; sleep in a bit
>D) Let them steer and see if you can help in any way
>E) Other

>>44837485
>>D) Let them steer and see if you can help in any way

>>44837485
>D) Let them steer and see if you can help in any way

>>44837485
>D
If no then
>C
Sleeping in wouldn't be the worst thing, but still

>>44837485
>D)

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>>44837514
>>44837570
>>44837597
>>44837607

"That sounds fine to me, but I'd still like to help out if I can," Kaito says to him. "To be honest, I'm not too smart about boats either, since I've just been using magic to push mine around."

Jon nods. "I'll be returning to the Red Wake with a compliment of the men. We need to take both ships into port. You can help with the rigging or navigation on either vessel of your choice."

>A) Help with the rigging on the Dragon Wing
>B) Help with the rigging on the Red Wake
>C) Help with the navigation on the Dragon Wing
>D) Help with the navigation on the Red Wake

>>44837648
>>A) Help with the rigging on the Dragon Wing

>>44837648
>C) Help with the navigation on the Dragon Wing

>>44837648
>C)
It's the only thing we really know how too do.

Vapor watched last night.

>>44837895
Vapor is a confirmed voyeur.

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>>44837719
>>44837819

"I think I'll help with the navigation on the Dragon Wing. It's the only thing I really know how to do."

"Very well," Jon says. "Sierra's been assigned to navigate your ship; Kojiro wants to see how well she does. Report to her and see what you can do."

Kaito nods as Jon walks off, heading back towards the Red Wake, currently sailing parallel to the Dragon Wing alongside it.

He walks down the stairs, passing by Lor-Kai, the carpenter. "Good wood on this ship," he says, knocking on the wall. "Hard to replace. Expensive; Outworld trees. Will need knew stocks."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Kaito says as he approaches the stairs leading up to the wheel. First Mate Sierra Fin is there behind the wheel, with a map in one hand and a compass in the other.

She looks at him. "Morning," she greets him. She looks him up and down. "You look like you've been through hell, mate."

"Only that one time," Kaito says. "I'm going to help you navigate."

"Great. Here," she says, handing him the map and compass. "I'll handle the steering and the judge the wind while you tell the direction."

Kaito looks at the map and studies it; some of it is written in edenian, but he remembers where Jewel Cove is in relation to where they are.

>A) Focus entirely on the task at hand
>B) Talk to her a bit as you work
>C) Spend most of your time talking to her
>D) Ask to switch places and steer instead

>>44838031
>B) Talk to her a bit as you work
How long have you worked with Mileena? Where'd you meet?

>>44838031
>B) Talk to her a bit as you work

>>44838031
>B) Talk to her a bit as you work


Man I hate phone posting

>>44838031
>B) Talk to her a bit as you work

>>44836906
>As he looks at Mileena once more, his thoughts suddenly drift to Turana. A pang of guilt runs through him as he thinks about how much she would consider this a betrayal...
turana old and busted mileena is love and life

>>44838419
mileena a shit

>>44838031
>B

>>44838419
Mileena was redeemed, while Turana fell to the dark side.

>>44838498
mileena is best waifu

>>44838498
the cutest, I am interested in see what happened to turana and how crazy she's gotten

>>44838498
>>44838575
Will you guys stop? This is only going to cause more arguments

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>>44838060
>>44838278
>>44838334
>>44838364
>>44838498

As Kaito orientates himself to the map and they begin the process of sailing south, he speaks to her every now and then.

"You said weren't from Outworld or Edenia?"

"That's right," she says. "Virginia."

"Earthrealm? How the hell did you end up here?"

"When I was a wee lass, ten years old, I was on a ship. There was a storm, fiercer and more terrifying than any ever known. Tore the ship to pieces; mom and pa taken to the sea by it. I hugged the mast as hard as I could. Eventually the storm stopped and I was alone."

"And the storm brought you to Edenia?"

"Aye; a portal storm, she was. Don't know what caused it or why, but here I am."

"When was this?" Kaito asks her.

"Oh... about 1704, if me memory stands."

Kaito looks at her with widened eyes. She time travelled nearly three centuries into the future of another realm entirely.

"A crew found me adrift," she goes on. "Merchants and traders, but they were put to the sword by pirates. They took me on as a slave; made me a cabin boy." She winks at Kaito. "Good thing I could pass as a lad when I was younger, otherwise things might've been a lot worse for me, aye?"

Kaito rechecks the map, but asks, "Then what?"

"Managed to escape after a few years. Was getting harder and harder to keep the diguise going. Found myself in Jewel Cove, met up with Captain Mileena and her crew; pointed out my captors and that was that. Been having a blast showing the scum of the seas what-for."

>A) Tell her that three centuries have passed on Earth
>B) Ask her if she misses home
>C) Keep silent and continue to work
>D) Change subject
>E) Continue on to Jewel Cove
>F) Other

>>44838603
but mileena is love
mileena is wife!

>>44838635
>>C) Keep silent and continue to work

>>44838639
please stop or go back to commenting on pornhub

>>44838635
>B

>>44838635
>A) Tell her that three centuries have passed on Earth
>B) Ask her if she misses home

>>44838635
>B) Ask her if she misses home

>>44838635
>A) Tell her that three centuries have passed on Earth


>>44838639
I can't tell if your English is bad or you're just trying to be a shitty troll

>>44838635
>B
>A

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>>44838666
>>44838679
>>44838681
>>44838698
>>44838850

"Do you ever miss home?"

"Sometimes," she admits, "but I love it out here. The morning breeze, the high tide, the smell of the surf and the sights I see make it all worthwhile. And it's exciting! I wouldn't trade it for all the gold in all the sunken ships in the southern seas."

"Well, you know, I'm from Earth myself," Kaito says. "Only it's 2015 there at the moment. You were thrown three centuries into the future."

She looks at him with surprised eyes. "Really? You don't say? I never would've imagined or known. Huh." She turns her attention back to the wheel. "Three centuries... Sometimes I wondered about me older brother; he was back on land. I wonder if he had a family..."

"Maybe they're still around," Kaito says. "Great-great-great-great nephews and neices. Maybe worth looking into?"

After a moment, she shakes her head. "Nah. No reason to. I've got my life; he's got his. Or had his, rather... I'll keep living mine."

*

After about two hours, the ships pull into Jewel Cove. Sierra performed very capably with Kaito's help.

As they do, Mileena leaves her cabin, stretching her arms. She hops over the railing and walks up to Kaito. "There's my chew toy," she says playfully as she drapes her arms around his neck. The first mate excuses herself as the Red Wake pulls into port right behind the Dragon Wing.

"Making yourself useful?" Mileena asks as the crew works to tie both ships down.

"That, and getting to know the crew," he replies.

She stares into his eyes for a moment. He leans in for a kiss, but her mask is on. She puts a finger on his lips. "Later," she says. "Business first. We'll need to find a buyer for the ship. I imagine it will be quite the auction."

She lets go and walks over to the railing, hopping off onto the dock.

>A) Stay with Mileena
>B) Help the crew fully unload the Red Wake now that you are in port
>C) Head below deck on the Dragon Wing
>D) Explore Jewel Cove
>E) Other

>>44839012
>B) Help the crew fully unload the Red Wake now that you are in port

We should walk Elvis too

>>44839012
>C) Head below deck on the Dragon Wing

>>44839012
>>A) Stay with Mileena

>>44839012
>D) Explore Jewel Cove

>>44839012
>B

>>44839062
And this

>>44839012
>>B) Help the crew fully unload the Red Wake now that you are in port

>>44839012
>B) Help the crew fully unload the Red Wake now that you are in port

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>>44839062
>>44839198
>>44839204
>>44839244

Kaito heads down below deck and finds Elvis. The puppy barks excitedly around him and runs around his feet as he picks him up and carries him to the top deck. After taking him on a brief walk, Kaito heads over to the Red Wake and begins helping unload the cargo from the ship.

The viking-looking warrior, Wolf, looks distrustfully at Kaito, as do some of the other rougher members of the crew, but some of them are more willing to accept his help. Kaito knows that they just need time to get used to him and seeing him around.

As he carries a crate of spices from the islands of the west to the Dragon Wing, Monte sits upon the railing of the ship with a paper scroll. He hops down and walks over on his hands towards Kaito. "I've tallied just about everything that was on your boat prior to us transferring the Red Wake's stocks. Can you double-check and see if it's alright?"

Kaito sets the box down and looks at the paper.

He cannot read a single word of it.

>A) Looks good to me.
>B) I can't read this.
>C) The numbers seem wrong.
>D) Can you rewrite this, please?
>E) Other

>>44839450
>B) I can't read this.
Edenian or Outworld specifically, not in general

>>44839450
>B) I can't read this.
I'm from Earthrealm. If it's in English or Japanese, I can read it.

>>44839450
>E) "Yes, nice statistic."
>B) I can't read this

>>44839450
>B
I can read and speak several languages. They're all from Earthrealm.

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>>44839470
>>44839490
>>44839493
>>44839510

"I can't read this."

"Oh, of course not, my apologies," Monte says. "What can you read?"

"Several common languages from Earthrealm," Kaito says. "I'm from Japan originally but I've been to a lot of different places."

Monte blinks a few times. "Oh. Well. I'll see what I can do. Maybe we can go over it manually later." The chimpanzee leans in a bit. "Also, if you're ever interested in learning how to speak or read languages from Edenia, I'm fluent in just about all of them, from the monkey kingdoms to the royal lands."

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you," Kaito says as he picks the crate back up. He walks to the Dragon Wing and lifts it up to Rambolt, who hefts it onto a shoulder before taking it downstairs to the cargo area.

>A) Continue helping with the cargo
>B) Find Mileena and Jon and see how goes finding a buyer
>C) Explore Jewel Cove for a bit
>D) Take a look at some of the other ships in the harbor
>E) Other

>>44839639
>C) Explore Jewel Cove for a bit

>>44839639
>B) Find Mileena and Jon and see how goes finding a buyer

>>44839639
>D
Maybe a bit of
>C
After they've had some time check in with
>B

>>44839639
>C) Explore Jewel Cove

>>44839820
Ditto

BTW we should check for Vapor and make sure she doesn't get left on the Red Wake or something

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>>44839673
>>44839820
>>44839828
>>44839897

Jewel Cove is a massive city, a clash of architectural styles and markets that have sprung up since the original castle here was taken over long ago and made into a free port. Ships and peoples from all over Edenia, and even occasionally other realms, find their way here. Goods, services and trade of all kinds can be found here if you look hard enough, but it is not a place without danger in its own right. The mysterious Emerald Enclave is a council of merchant houses and businessmen who own Jewel Cove, having been the ones to fund the initial takeover long, long ago.

Now that Edenia has returned, so have they. They frequently sponsor trade ships and cargo hauling assignments to captains and regulate the flow of coin through their city. The city itself attracts all manner of men, from noble families to criminal gangs, all looking to make a fortune either legitimately or not as much so.

Kaito walks along the streets with Elvis following dutifully behind him.

>A) Search the markets for anything interesting
>B) See if you can pick up on any local rumors
>C) Explore the gardens and castle at the heart of Jewel Cove
>D) Spend time around other parts of the harbor
>E) Look for a place to get a drink or some food
>F) Other

>>44840012
>A) Search the markets for anything interesting
>C) Explore the gardens and castle at the heart of Jewel Cove

>>44840012
>A) Search the markets for anything interesting
>E) Look for a place to get a drink or food
If we have some spare time, find a gift for Mileena, she likes teddy bears and violence

>>44840012
>A+B
Both interesting in their own right.
No point in drawing more eyes than needed.

>>44840162
Also sweets. If we want to go for things she doesn't tend to make on her own.

>>44840012
D) Spend time around other parts of the harbor
>B) See if you can pick up on any local rumors
Also
>inb4 Black Dragon and "Teach me, Tremor-senpai!"

>>44840012
>A) Search the markets for anything interesting
>B) See if you can pick up on any local rumors
particularly anything about sorceresses making noise in Outland.
>>44840162
Give her a cat. We have spares.

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>>44840048
>>44840162
>>44840168
>>44840272
>>44840199

Kaito explores the markets, finding all manner of different kinds of stalls, shops and salesmen. In particular, he discovers a wide variety of places that sell weapons, armor, gear and other useful equipment, as well as places that sell animals.

There is lots of conversation going on, but nothing of particular note or interest has been heard yet.

>A) Look for something to buy
>B) Look for a place to sell things you own
>C) Wander the markets for a bit and see if anything specifically catches your eye
>D) Leave the markets and find some food
>E) Other

>>44840490
>C) Wander the markets for a bit and see if anything specifically catches your eye

>>44840490
>C) Wander the markets for a bit and see if anything specifically catches your eye

>>44840490
>C) Wander the markets for a bit and see if anything specifically catches your eye

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>>44840501
>>44840529
>>44840663

Kaito looks around the market and finds a stall that sells all manner of potions and mixtures. One potion in particular stands out amongst the others; it has a label written in several different languages, one of them Kaito understands. It reads, "Future Sight"

>A) Approach the man and ask him what he has for sale
>B) Inquire as to what that potion is
>C) Ask him where he gets his potions from
>D) Ask only for his strongest potions
>E) Other

>>44840803
>B) Inquire as to what that potion is
I get that joke in D.

>>44840803
>B
>A
>C if we get an opening

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>>44840832
>>44840839

Kaito points at the potion in question and asks, "What does this do? Does it provide sight for the future?"

The man turns around and smiles. "Ah, I see you are a discerning customer! Yes indeed---it gives insight into events that have not yet transpired, or things that may be!"

"How did you come by it?" Kaito asks.

"I did not personally brew it, I admit," the man replies. "All of my stock comes from far away lands and places, sometimes even other realms---this potion in particular comes from the water of an ancient and mystical wellspring, known as---"

Kaito suddenly steps forward and interrupts him. "The Wellspring of Shun-Koto?"

The man pauses and looks at him in surprise. "Why, yes," he says. "You know of it?"

Kaito looks at the bottle. He remembers long ago the time he spent wandering Outworld after the first tournament, when he met Phlox and the wellspring, granting him a vision and healing his wounds.

Could someone else have found the wellspring and be exploiting it, selling its water for potions? And what of Phlox, its guardian?

>A) Buy the potion
>B) See what else he has in stock
>C) Ask him who his dealer is
>D) Demand to know where the shipment comes from
>E) Other

>>44841070
>D) Demand to know where the shipment comes from

>>44841070
I believe Taruna, Tortek and Sareena have all been there.
>B
>C
Get around to asking, but not until we see other evidence that might inform our sleuthing.

>>44841070
>C) Ask him who his dealer is
>D) Demand to know where the shipment comes from

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>>44841137
>>44841230
>>44841235

Kaito looks at the potion before asking the potion seller, "What other kinds of potions do you carry?"

"Cures for ails, poisons, aches, and potions to increase strength! Speed! Verility! All manner of things you could ever need!"

Kaito points back at the potion of wellspring water. "Who is your dealer for this potion?"

"Ah, a good business relationship respects when sellers which to be discrete," the man says.

Kaito curls his hand into a fist and slams it onto the table, surprising the man as he leans over. "Tell me who your dealer is, right now."

"Sir, please, my reputation is built upon my reliability. I cannot tell you, I merely sell the potions."

>A) Demand again
>B) Get a little rough
>C) Destroy some of his stock
>D) Purchase something from him to loosen his tongue
>E) Offer him coin for the information
>F) Other

>>44841494
>A) Demand again
The guardian of that spring is a personal friend of ours.

>>44841494
>E) Offer him coin for the information

>>44841494
>D or E
might as well get it off the market.
It's literally right there. I say we buy it. Even if we don't use it.

>>44841529
Ditto, plus mention the guardian would be curious to know you have some.

>>44841494
>>E) Offer him coin for the information

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>>44841529
>>44841533
>>44841590
>>44841629
>>44841726

Kaito leans forward. "I met the guardian of the wellspring. I fought him and earned the right to partake in the water. What have you done to earn the right to sell it? What has been done by your dealer to earn the right to bottle it?"

"Sir, I know nothing," he says again. "I am merely a humble salesman."

Kaito takes out a small bag of money. "Then you understand the value of coin, yes?"

He drops it with a thud in front of the man. "It's yours if you tell me who your dealer is and where I can find him. I'll take the potion, too."

The seller experimentally tests the weight of the coins. "Very well," he says. "But tell no one I said this to you."

He pushes the bottle over the table and says, "There is a ship that comes from Outworld. It is a ship that asks no questions and for no questions to be asked. But I know the name of the ship that brings the cargo; the Serpent's Tail."

Kaito's eyes narrow as he takes the potion. "None will know it was you," he promises.

>A) Buy more potions
>B) Leave immediately; head to the Dragon Wing
>C) Seek out another shop
>D) Other

>>44841792
>B) Leave immediately; head to the Dragon Wing

>>44841792
>C) Seek out another shop
Try to find what else this Serpent's Tail has been selling, maybe another shop keeper is more curious.

>Serpents Tail
20 bucks says it's Shang Tsung

>>44841792
>C) Seek out another shop

>>44841792
>C
Look around a bit
>D
Check in on Mileena and Jon to see how that whole boat selling thing is going after we make sure we aren't being followed.

>>44842079
I believe you mean Taruna. What with knowing the location of the spring and all.

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>>44841868
>>44842125
>>44842131

Kaito is very disturbed by this news of the Wellspring of Shun-Koto; what could it mean?

He remembers that the mountain which contained the wellspring is not far from the lands where he met Yanake; the mountain itself is where he met Rokuro.

All of them lie in Outworld; Kaito has been planning on going there for some time, but now it seems his plans may need to be accelerated.

Kaito takes a look at some of the other shops, but knows not where to stop first.

>A) Weapons shop
>B) Armor shop
>C) Scrolls and books shop
>D) Gear and equipment shop
>E) Disregard and head for the Dragon Wing
>F) Other

>>44842285
>C) Scrolls and books shop

>>44842285
>C) Scrolls and books shop

>>44842285
>C

Welp we need to catch the pirate king pretty quick, damn timetables accelerating.

>>44842543
Not necessarily

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>>44842371
>>44842387
>>44842431

Kaito opens the door to a shop with scrolls and books lining its windows. Inside is a great library of dusty tombs and lost lore; globes and artifacts from ancient worlds.

An old man owns the shop alongside a young woman who appears to be his grand daughter. "Hello," she greets him, approaching him as the grandfather stays behind a desk; he appears asleep. She spies Elvis and gasps, kneeling to pet him.

"I'm looking for some books, maybe some scrolls," Kaito says. "What kind do you have?"

"What are you looking for?" she asks in reply. "We have many of both."

>A) History
>B) Magic
>C) Maps
>D) Philosophy
>E) Research
>F) Mythology
>G) Other

>>44842650
>C) Maps
>D) Philosophy

>>44842650
>Maps
maybe some philosophy and history if we feel up to it

>>44842650
>>F) Mythology
lets get the power of the gods!

Reminder we have to ask the chimp to help us read this

>>44842650
>B)
I wonder if we could get reacquainted with sorcery.

>>44842650
>C

>>44842770
It'll be a good exercise in learning Edenian. Also a monkey will teach a human stuff and that's funny.

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>>44842701
>>44842731
>>44842796

"I'm interested in maps," Kaito says. "I have a boat and I'd like to see many different realms with it."

"We have maps," she says, taking him over to a section of scrolls and a large atlas. "Edenia, Outworld, Seido, Earthrealm---"

He interrupts her and asks for an Earthrealm map. She takes it out and shows it to him.

It's surprisingly accurate, geographically. It's written in a language he does not know. "Looks right," he says. "Your maps seem good."

"You can have them for a good price," she says. He hands her a bag of coins and her eyes widen. "This is a bit much, I think."

"Keep it," Kaito says, having no real interest in money. He takes out a map of Outworld. "How recent is this map?"

"Outworld has always been difficult to map," she says. "It's always adding new landmasses and absorbing realms. At least, it used to." Suddenly, an idea springs to her mind and she runs to look for a book.

As she does, Kaito looks at the map of Outworld. He finds Yanake's lands on the southeastern continent across the sea from the lands Shao Kahn controlled.

She returns with a book. "This book is very, very old," she says. "It's a history of Outworld, and contains maps from eras of its history as it expanded and conquored other realms. It's yours for the price you've already paid, along with all of the others."

He thanks her and flips through it, discovering many different passages and pictures.

>A) Ask for something else
>B) Collect your purchases and leave
>C) Search the shelves for yourself
>D) Ask her about herself
>E) Other

>>44843103
>C) Search the shelves for yourself

>>44843103
>C) Search the shelves for yourself

>>44843103
>D
>C
after a bit
>B

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>>44843123
>>44843162
>>44843167

Kaito looks among the bookshelves, but finds nothing that interests him.

He climbs the stairs and searches, about to give up, but then he finds something.

A book with no title, but a symbol. He runs his hands across the cover, dusting it off. Five symbols, four surrounding the fifth, each of different significance.

He holds it up. "What is this?" he calls down to her.

"That is a book on the Broken Goddess," the girl calls back. "An old legend."

"I know of it..." he whispers.

He opens its pages and looks through. He sees an image of five women, each distinct in their own way, one of them shrouded in darkness. 'Decay...' he thinks, remembering his encounter with her in Lost Edenia, where he also found Water... And he has now also freed Earth, leaving Fire and Wind.

He closes the book and turns around again. "Can I have this?"

She nods. "Absolutely."

He thanks her and puts it away.

>A) Leave
>B) Stay
>C) Other

>>44843474
>A) Leave

>>44843474
>A) Leave

>>44843474
>A

>>44843474
>A) Leave
Tell her thanks

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>>44843504
>>44843558
>>44843580
>>44843667

Kaito thanks the girl and gathers up his things, heading out of the shop and out into the market. With his arms full, he decides to return to the Dragon Wing.

Along the way, he considers his options. He knows the Dragon Wing can travel to the Wellspring of Shun-Kuto; he recalls when Sareena used it to save Smoke's life.

He could take the ship directly to the Wellspring with a full crew and teach whoever is bottling the water a lesson.

Upon returning to the boat, he sees a crowd gathered around the Red Wake. Mileena and Jon of Haven are holding an auction for the ship, but have not finalized it yet.

>A) Stop the auction; they may yet need the Red Wake, do not sell it yet
>B) Let Jon continue; pull Mileena to the side
>C) Get on board and put your new maps and books on the Dragon Wing
>D) Watch the auction and see who buys the ship
>E) Other

>>44843754
>D) Watch the auction and see who buys the ship

>>44843754
>D

>>44843754
>D) Watch the auction and see who buys the ship

>>44843754
>D) Watch the auction to see who buys the ship

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>>44843778
>>44843810
>>44843836
>>44843970

Kaito waits and sees the auction to get a look at who ends up buying the Red Wake. After many bids and much fierce debate, the ship is eventually won by a man named Captain Ripton, who pays for the ship in several large chests of gold as well as a large some of koins of various make. They transfer ownership of the ship to him and have the crew help bring over their newly gained money.

Not long thereafter, Kaito is in the meeting cabin of the Dragon Wing with Mileena, Jon, Kojiro and Sierra. He lays out what he has discovered about the Wellspring of Shun-Kuto, making his worries about it and its guardian, Phlox, known.

Kaito takes out the potion and lays it on the table.

"You feel strongly about this?" Mileena asks.

"Yes. I was only there once before, but I respect Phlox and believed that he was guarding a kind of holy place, one that deserves to be just as respected. If someone is bottling it and selling it, that reaks of exploitation to me."

"And this mountain is in Outworld?" Jon asks, to which Kaito nods.

Mileena sits back in her chair. "We could go," she offers.

"What about the pirate king?" Kaito says.

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>>44844382

"He won't be going anywhere," Mileena replies. "Usually, we only encounter one of his ships every month or so; few and far between. That's been the pattern. We've sailed the islands searching for raiders and monsters of all kinds; his are just one of them."

"We were going to return to Jewel Cove after that last battle regardless, to restock our supplies," Jon says. "But now that we have combined our stocks with yours, we are ready to leave. Within the hour, if need be."

Mileena points out, "And you are the one who can take the ship anywhere within the realms," she says to him. "It is your boat."

Kaito folds his arms and thinks. As he does so, Sierra points at the bottle. "Why not drink it? Maybe get a closer look at what's in your future or a hint?"

That's certainly an option. He remembers when he once bottled the water and later used it to kill a mummy sorcerer. Perhaps it is worth keeping, but there certainly is use in drinking it as well.

>A) Drink the bottle
>B) We hunt for the Pirate King
>C) Let's see if we can track down this ship, the Serpent's Tail
>D) Teleport to Outworld to the Wellspring
>E) Teleport to Outworld to the seas near the mountain
>F) Other

>>44844408
Can we drink half? If so,
>A)
>E)

>>44844408
>E) Teleport to Outworld to the seas near the mountain

>>44844408
>E
perhaps after some scouting then
>D
for a surprise entry.

Just going to eat dinner; be back in a bit.

>>44844712
Last time we did D, Phlox was kinda mad about spilling all of his miracle water.

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>>44844492
>>44844620
>>44844712

"We're headed for Outworld," Kaito says. "Prepare the crew."

Jon nods and goes to ready the men along with Sierra and Kojiro. Mileena stands and looks at him. "What are you thinking?"

"I want to take us to the sea not far from the mountain. I don't know what will hit us is we go straight in. I'd like to scout first."

She nods. "We're with you. You know the way?"

"I've been there before," he nods. He takes another look at the potion and decides to pocket it.

Mileena takes down her mask for a brief kiss before she too heads out onto the deck.

The crew undoes the bindings and sails away from the port, leaving the Red Wake behind. The crew stand on the side of the ship, giving it one last look, before distance claims the sight from them.

Once out on open water, Kaito tells them all to get ready. He places the staff upon the deck and begins the channeling process, surging power into the enchantment. The ship becomes covered with fog.

Beneath the vessel, Arika the mermaid grabs onto a rope thrown overside for her, to ensure that she will not be left behind.

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>>44845533

The ship becomes completely obscured by the fog, and after a moment of tense waiting, it suddenly disperses as a blast of wind and seawater hits them. Lightning cracks in the distance followed by a clap of thunder as a horrible storm rages around them.

Kaito finds himself stumbling as the ship rocks back and forth. The crew brace themselves as rain pelts them from above and winds push against the sails, forcing the boat backwards.

"Hold fast!" Mileena calls out as the ship turns due to a wave hitting it. Two crewmen tumble across the deck as the fierce power of nature throws their boat around like a doll.

Kaito stands up and prepares to use his staff to dispell the storm when a barrel becomes loose and rolls across the deck, hitting him from behind. He trips and the staff flies from his hands, sliding across the wet deck.

As the crew attempts to control their boat, with Mileena and Jon barking out orders left and right, Kaito struggles to crawl towards it.

>1d100 to retrieve your staff!

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>44845555
I guess things were too quiet to last.

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>44845555
Nice quads Damashi!

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Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>44845555
good quads

>>44845684
and so the Dragon Wing is lost to time.

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>44845555
Don't we have a magic auto-retrieval system on the staff.

>>44845021
Well if he's a corpse he can just shut up about it can't he?
Also that's what the recon's for.
I'd rather go after the Serpent's Tail for more info really.
However, if they're the type to know about the Wellspring, the likelihood of them having some magical backup or at least a way to communicate between the ship and home base or whatever seems likely.
So, our best bet is to utilize the element of surprise before it gets around that the Dragon's Wing teamed up with the crew of the Red Wake. Possibly anyway.
That said, assuming the folks bottling the Wellspring know about Farragut in any capacity this could fairly easily drive them into Farragut's arms like ya do. Which would could well both simplify and complicate the problem simultaneously. Assuming they've been skirting the Red Wake and Farragut entirely.
However if they make frequent enough runs moving the springwater and whatever else they do, it's likely they're entirely aware of both the Red Wake and Farragut and getting protection from somewhere, either through tolls or capitulation.

Though I'll be the first to admit that most of this hinges on them being active enough to really require the protection, or not having a ship that can cross realms...which seems unlikely if they're making fairly frequent runs from Outworld. So they'd either need a sorceror that could create a ship like the Dragon Wing or open portals another way, through technology or magic as needed.
So any Farragut connection is nebulous at best, but within the realm of possibility, and depends how much of a low profile they're trying to keep.
...And we're only aware of one or three sorcerers that could do the relevant portal junk through enchantment or otherwise.
And one that probably had the building blocks of how to do so in their library.
Which we should probably explain in case Mileena and Co want to poke holes in our logic.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>44845555
>lose Raiden's stick in a storm
>Raiden's torn between severe disappointment and laughing his ass off at us.

>>44845866
>"oh wait that happens to me every other week"

>>44845941
"LITERALLY HOW RAIDEN? YOU'RE THE GOD OF THUNDER AND STORMS"
"I can be pretty flighty at times."
>blundergod.jpg

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>>44845599
>>44845684
>>44845705
>>44845715
>>44845866

As Kaito struggles to get back to his feet, he holds out his hand, focusing on calling the staff back to him. The sky thunders again with a great bellow as a string of lightning strikes blast the seas around them. Kaito drowns it out as he focuses as intently as he can.

The staff vanishes in a surge of light and reappears in his hand. He uses it to push himself back up, but not before another wave crashes into the side of the Dragon Wing, knocking him over and washing him with sea water. Several members of the crew hold on for dear life as the boat tips a bit but then rightens.

Kaito finds himself pressed against the railing as the ship staightens. Mileena swings across the deck on a rope towards the bow to help Lor-Kai up to his feet. Jon shouts over the storm, commanding them to turn northwards, predicting another wave.

As the crew begin to turn the sails, Kaito stands up and thrusts his staff up towards the sky. He flies up through the use of his cape as the wind and rain tear at him. With the staff, he commands the storm to disperse.

It does not.

He shakes his staff around and around, but nothing works. Just when he's starting to think that Raiden either lied to him or forgot to give him instructions, there is shouting from down below.

The Dragon Wing surges to the side as it hits something. "What the hell was that?" Buturo shouts.

"Must've struck a reef!" Wolf cries.

Suddenly, Kojiro runs out onto the deck. "Captain! Captain!" he cries. "We need to leave! NOW! THIS IS NO NORMAL--"

Suddenly, something under the water surges alongside the boat, nearly toppling it as an unnatural wave is formed from its movement. The crew stumble once more. Mileena manages to make her way across the deck and prepares another command, but then something strikes the ship again.

Kaito watches as a nearby wave surges up. Within it is a great shadow, illuminated by a strike of lightning---and two massive, glowing eyes.

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>>44846089

"STORM GIANT!" Kojiro shouts as it rises from the depths.

Kaito watches as a massive humanoid figure emerges from the waves, its skin blue and mottled with welts. Its face is surrounded by a mane of gigantic tentacles and looks almost like a skull, with hollow sockets that burn with blue energy from within.

The monster raises an arm, and with a gesture, conjures a wave that rocks the Dragon Wing once more. Kaito floats in the storm, taken aback by the sight of the monster.

Mileena calls for attack stations and the storm giant roars as lightning strikes from the sky in the waters near them!

Kaito has no idea what can possibly be done to such a thing---but he has to try, his ship is at stake!

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>44846112
Get it's attention away from the ship, blast it with some lightning.

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>44846112
Eh, tag it with lightning, bash it in the face with the staff. Maybe not in that order assuming we can use the staff as a lightning rod and fry the sucker.

Oh right. We can fly. Do that and proceed to fuck this thing's day up.

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>44846112
Distract it by flying and being a pain maybe? What sort of defenses or weapons does the ship have?
Use our water shaping for something and knock this thing around. We have a lot of water. Get it's attention off the boat.

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>>44846134
>>44846187
>>44846365

Kaito shakes himself out of his stupor at the immensity of the monstrocity and prepares to blast it with lightning to draw away its attention from the ship. He summons a single bolt and hurls it towards him with the staff, but the creature ignores it utterly as it sets its sights upon the Dragon Wing, now in fast retreat away from the creature. The crew work their fastest and hardest as the ship makes good time, but a single stride of the monster with its legs beneath the waves nearly outpaces them, catching up.

Kaito remembers he can fly and blasts away, cutting through wind and rain to reach the monster. He blasts it again and again with lightning, circling around it and constantly sending bolt after bolt of lightning to absolutely no effect.

The beast raises an arm and swats at him, as though one would a fly, but doesn't seem to even truly notice him.

Suddenly, a great lightning bolt from the sky, one larger and more powerful than any Kaito can summon with the staff, one almost akin to those he used to use to crack temples and mountains in half with, strikes the beast right on top of its head.

Its eyes burn brighter as it opens its mouth, raising its arms to the heavens and roaring with power! It leans forward and opens its mouth to unleash a breath of lightning upon the Dragon Wing, scorching its hull and starting a few fires that are thankfully put out by the rain and seawater crashing against the vessel.

Kaito's blood runs cold as he realizes that his lightning only fuels the monster!

Down below on deck, the crew scrambles to reduce further damage. Rambolt and Chomba are desperately pushing cannons to the rear of the ship to mount a retreating offensive as the ship continues to sail away from the pursuing storm giant.

Not far from Kaito, the harpy Gwyn lets out a shrill cry as she dives across the beast's shoulder, using her talons to cut into its wet and flubbery skin.

>1d100 and an action!

This might be the key to getting our lightning back gentlemen

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>44846481
Help the harpy, pester it with blows from our staff. Preferably in the eyes

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>44846481
Try to take one of its lightning bolts we might be able to rekindle something inside us by absorbing it through the staff and into our body, its like Jumpstarting a turbine.

>>44846482
If we could actually roll well

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>44846482
How bout nah? Maybe if we use the staff we can channel it though.

Bother it with bullet fist to the face.
May be time to try the tried and true bloody fist secret technique: Stop hitting yourself.

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>44846481
Land on it's head and poke it in the eyes, if it has any. If that isn't possible bludgeon him with the staff and fists.

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>44846481
Use our staff to drain the beasts power through its neck.

>>44846556
>>44846481
Forgot to link to Damashi.
>Select bodies of water
It knows

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>44846579
>>44846481
Let me help you with that.
Supporting, well that and generally just digging in between vertebrae

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>>44846516
>>44846531
>>44846556
>>44846564
>>44846579
>>44846633

Kaito shouts as he flies toward's the monster's face. At the last moment, he swings both legs in front of him and flying dropkicks the monster's forehead, but outside of getting his attention, it did no damage.

Kaito flies back, avoiding a swatting arm, as he banks under the limb to deliver another attack to its face. He rapidly punches it over and over and over, his fists like bullets, but try as he may, he cannot bruise the spongy flesh.

He takes his staff and pokes the creature in the eye, discovering that the eyes are indeed hollow, full of a strange glowing energy.

Kaito discovers exactly what that energy is as it suddenly blasts him with beams of searing light from its eyes, nearly blinding him and causing him to fall backwards. The giant brings up a hand and swats him away successfully this time and Kaito flies away, managing to stop himself just before falling into the water.

He shouts again as he flies at its back, leading with his staff. He digs it like a spear into the monster's neck, between two massive vertebrae, and holds on as the beast shakes a bit. It roars once more.

Meanwhile, on deck, Rambolt lights two cannons and fires them both at the giant, both explosive balls hitting him in the chest and causing him to stumble a bit. The burly cannoneer cheers and beats his chest before reloading.

Kaito closes his eyes as he hears the explosions on the front of the beast. He tries to use the staff to syphon lightning energy out of the monster, but it's no use; the staff isn't buried deeply enough in the beast's flesh. He needs to find a way to cut it open or dig the staff in deeper.

The storm giant roars as it reaches for the Dragon Wing. The harpy soars down and slashes at its arm, drawing it off, giving Mileena a chance to throw a sai at it. She teleports onto the arm where the sai is embedded and tears it out, using both sai to begin climbing the arm.

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>44846740
Get Mileena to toss us a sai, we can throw it up further so she can teleport higher.

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>44846740
Note to self, carry a knife.
Maybe we can use it's hollow eye sockets as a drain instead.

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>44846740
Get Rambolt to blast us a hole, then plunge the staff in and try to absorb its power

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>44846740
Fly above the giant, then drop down forming a drill with our staff and try to bust a hole in its skull

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>44846740
How much water can we control? How hard can we project it? Because if so, focus a shitton of it at the end of the staff at high pressure and use it as a cutting laser.

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>>44846843

With another volley of cannon fire and a fireball from the tigrar Buturo, the beast shakes again and stumbles in the water. Mileena, scaling its arms with her sai one stab at a time, reaches its shoulders and glimpses Kaito.

He shouts at her over the storm at her to toss him a sai blade. She takes one out and throws it in his direction, sticking it in the neck of the monster near him. He reaches for it but the monster suddenly shakes its head violently, causing him to nearly fall. He holds onto the Staff of Raiden as Mileena tumbles from its shoulder, falling and rolling down its back. She stabs the backside of the giant with a sai as lightning and thunder clap overhead, stopping her descent. She holds on as the beast continues to shake and roar.

Kaito reaches for the sai, but cannot quite reach it. He lookes up at the skies and sees the clouds swirling about and knows that another massive lightning bolt will be coming soon.

>1d100 and an action!

>>44846855
>>44846863
>>44847070
>>44847092

Sorry, missed these. Will include them in the next one.

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>44847093
>Get the sai
>Make our opening
>Insert staff
>Hold onto the sai in case she needs to be places
> channel and dispurse this shit.

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>44847093
some form of team attack?

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>44847093
Once more try to drain its current, only this time don't use the staff to do it do it ourselves

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>44847093
fly to the top and jam the staff in there to act as a lightning rod

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>>44847160
>>44846855
>>44846863
>>44847070
>>44847092
>>44847421
>>44847455
>>44847515

Numerous ideas fly through Kaito's mind as to how he can draw the lightning away. He resolves to attempt to use the staff as a lightning rod of sorts, but first he must free it.

Kaito leaps for Mileena's Sai, grabbing onto the hilt and pulling it out. He looks back at his staff, embedded in the monster's neckflesh, and teleports back upon it. With the sai pointed downwards, Kaito hacks and slashes at the monster's flesh, carving the thick hide open and exposing the blue and black musculature beneath.

The creature roars and reaches behind its back for Kaito, but again the harpy impedes its progress as she cuts across its hand. She flies high up into the air and lets out another shrill cry as she dives towards him. Kaito falls back as he sees her coming and she delivers a slice across the back of its neck, exposing more flesh.

Kaito looks into the cut and sees deeper series of nerves and muscles that pulse with electricity. He takes hold of the staff and pulls on it, but it won't budge. He yanks on it as hard as he can.

Just then, Kaito's eyes go wide as he feels something large wrap around his leg. The beast, having reached behind itself, grabs him and pulls him back. Kaito grabs onto the staff and tries to resist behind pulled but his hand slips, leaving the staff in its neck.

The giant lifts him high up into the air, above his head. The beast looks up at him before opening its mouth wide and preparing to drop him in.

Kaito struggles to escape as he is manually lowered; if he were dropped, he could simply fly away, but the beast is about to force him into its mouth!

He closes his eyes and tries to concentrate on teleporting away as the skies above prepare to unleash another massive bolt of lightning in mere seconds!

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>44847551
Absorb the Lightning. Convert it into bad tasting Red Lightning!
BE THE CRIMSON THUNDER!

>>44847643
Let me help you with that if only because i want to see if this will work. but if we are going for coloured lightning i vote purple

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>44847643

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>44847643
How about we don't get possessed by an evil god of bloodlust and insanity again?

Rolling to not die
Personally, I'd really rather not have lightning powers back at all. We don't need them.

>>44847551
>>44847551
>>44847853
Eventually I will remember to link to the QM while talking to others. I swear.

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>44847643
Thirding. Absorb and convert. We are the lightning.

>>44847853
That's currently sealed in what's his name's amulet. We'll be fine.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>44847551
Become the power, and not die horribly

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>>44847643
>>44847738
>>44847853
>>44847974
>>44848243

Kaito teleports out of the monster's grasp and onto its neck with his hands wrapped around the staff. He looks up at the sky and sees the heavens blast forth another great lightning bolt that strikes the top of the monster's head.

Kaito shouts in terrible fury as he uses the Staff of Raiden to channel the energy into himself. His eyes go wide and he feels as though there are about to pop out of his sockets as the energy of the storm is absorbed into the staff and himself. More power than he can control, or that he once could but no longer can, causes a feedback that erupts in an explosion within the creature's neck.

Kaito is flung from the storm giant, backwards and up into the sky, his cape burning from the lightning. He spirals down towards the water and slams into its surface, hurtling down into the depths.

Not long afterwards, the giant falls backwards as well, causing a massive splash that sends him rushing deeper and further below the waves.

Kaito is flung out of control as everything around him grows dark. He looks upwards, his eyes burning from the seawater, and sees shapes; shark-like and circling.

He slowly sinks down, small bubbles of precious air escaping from his lips. He floats there in the water, time slowing down around him, and he comes to know just why he could not control or absorb that much power channelled into himself; he has lost his lightning abilities.

He finds himself strangely at peace, despite the ferocity of this latest battle. He looks in the distance and sees the massive figure of the sea giant settle onto the bottom of the ocean, vanishing into the black depths of the abyss; not dead, but slumbering once more.

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>44847551
First survive or absorb the lightning. Then let the giant eat us and kill it from the inside

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>>44848385

*

He realizes that both of his hands are full; one holds the staff of Raiden, and another holds the sai blade. A flash of light and Mileena is there alongside him, grabbing him and trying to swim to the surface. The sharks begin to close in, drawn by the smell of blood and kicking shapes.

A new figure appears near them; sleek, moving fast and with spear in hand. Arika attacks the sharks moving in, striking at them and driving them off.

She reaches Kaito and wraps an arm around both him and Mileena, swimming with them towards the surface. When they break through, Kaito gasps for air, reaching for anything to grab onto. Mileena grasps him tightly as Arika keeps them afloat.

Slowly, Arika helps him back to the Dragon Wing. Chomba jumps off and into the sea, using his large crocodile like body as a floating raft. They grab onto him and crawl upon his back as he swims alongside the ship. Sashar lowers a rope and they take hold of it and the crew hoists them up.

The storm above has gone. Kaito chokes and belches up some seawater as Elvis runs up and licks his face.

"The storm giant has returned to the sea," Kojiro says, looking at the moon as the clouds obscuring it disperse. "We are fortunate to be alive."

Mileena kneels and helps prop Kaito up to a sitting position. She touches his face and asks him if he is alright.

After a moment, he nods. "I am..." he says. "I am..."

She hugs him and he hugs her back, thankful that he is still alive. He looks over her shoulder at the staff in his hand.

The staff allowed him to channel the lightning, but he could not absorb it, could not take it within himself without seriously harming himself. He thought, he had hoped, that doing so would awaken the lightning powers within him again, but he was wrong.

>>44848399
Darn too late

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>>44848413

As the crew repairs damage to the ship, Kaito sits on his bed, with Mileena behind him. He looks over at his cape, burnt up a shredded.

"Twenty years that thing was on me," he says. "It was a gift from Asgaarth; a damn nice one, too."

"Perhaps you could get another," Mileena suggests.

He looks at it and then back at the staff. Flight and lighting were both granted to him by these tools, and he's relied on them up until now. But perhaps they are holding him back.

Kaito looks then at a different object; the book on the Broken Goddess. He has been given power to manipulate water and earth, but only in minor amounts---he has not trained these abilities, he has not honed them.

He entertains, then, the idea of finding the other remaining two hidden goddess fragments, and obtaining power over wind and fire. Perhaps he could fly of his own power then, without relying on a cape. Maybe he could breathe fire like a dragon; the thought makes him chuckle.

Mileena hears this and asks, "What is on your mind?"

"I was just thinking about how I can no longer wield lightning like I used to," he tells her. "It got me into trouble back there with that storm giant."

"You have the staff," she says.

"But maybe it's just holding me back," he replies. "It's powerful, and I appreciate its use, but maybe I'm just not meant to use a staff as a weapon, or wield lightning anymore. It's serving as a bit of a painful reminder of what I lost when my body was taken over by that red lightning."

"You can find other ways," she says. "Who is to say that the power is lost forever?"

"Maybe," Kaito says, mostly to himself. "Maybe..."

>A) Resolve to no longer use the Staff of Raiden unless necessary or to steer the ship
>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>C) Give up pursuit of your lost lightning powers; focus instead on your new abilities
>D) Continue to strive towards retrieving your lost lightning powers while also pursuing new abilities
>E) Other

>>44848433
>>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>>C) Give up pursuit of your lost lightning powers; focus instead on your new abilities
The staff is a useful tool that we should not abandon, but we need to work on getting our new abilities stronger.

>>44848433
>>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>>C) Give up pursuit of your lost lightning powers; focus instead on your new abilities

>>44848433
>>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>>D) Continue to strive towards retrieving your lost lightning powers while also pursuing new abilities
Again, Kaito is the Lightning. The Lightning is Kaito.
We are literally missing a piece of us without it. We can get new pieces, jam them in place, but they will never fit perfectly like the Lightning did.

>>44848433
>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>D) Continue to strive towards retrieving your lost lightning powers while also pursuing new abilities

>>44848433
>>B) Continue to carry the staff of Raiden with you and use it
>>C) Give up pursuit of your lost lightning powers; focus instead on your new abilities

This seems character defining

>>44848433
>>A) Resolve to no longer use the Staff of Raiden unless necessary or to steer the ship
>>D) Continue to strive towards retrieving your lost lightning powers while also pursuing new abilities

>>44848433
>B
>C

>>44848433
>>D) Continue to strive towards retrieving your lost lightning powers while also pursuing new abilities

>>44848433
>B
>D

>>44848433
>More D than C
but I do think we need to put the lightning on the backburner and not try risky shit like what we just did, and actually put some time into really training in Water and Earth.

>>44848512
Kintsugi son.
Embrace your past mistakes and learn from them.

>>44848433
>C: the staff is whatever

>>44848919
Kintsugi involves taking the broken pieces of the bowl and repairing it.
If we wished to Kintsugi, we'd have to regain the lightning and use it to make our self better alongside the rest of our shit.

Alright, the majority is for B and C.

>>44848564
>>44848512

>Again, Kaito is the Lightning. The Lightning is Kaito.
>We are literally missing a piece of us without it. We can get new pieces, jam them in place, but they will never fit perfectly like the Lightning did.

Perhaps. But is Kaito defined by his powers? Is he destined to wield lightning once more?

For a time, he did, and they served their use. He was the lightning.

And up until now, he's been hoping that they would snap back within him, reawaken and he'd once more master their use.

What I would like to do is take this opportunity for a character moment and have him move on from pursuing the lightning. These new options for powers that have opened up to him require training and discipline; when he wielded the lightning, he did so recklessly, hurling himself at every single problem, pounding away at it, much like the Bloody Hands style. That was his way.

Perhaps there is another way; one that will require him to grow and learn from others. Spend time honing his abilities and master their use. I'd like to see Kaito learn from a teacher, or perhaps multiple teachers, maybe take on a new, more structured and disciplined fighting style along with a more mature look on life.

And then maybe get the lightning back if we so choose once we've grown a bit.

What do you think?

>>44849003
I'd rather do other stuff than lightning personally.

>>44849003
I'd rather we focus on learning from our other abilities.

>>44849003
My preference is for Kaito to ultimately end up an element-master.

And it's always bugged me just on principle alone that they're called "the four elements" and electricity is for some weird reason not one of the classic cardinal elements.

But we've been a little obsessive about trying to get it back, I say we worry about lightning last and master what we already have.

>>44849075
This works for me

>>44849003
>What I would like to do is take this opportunity for a character moment and have him move on from pursuing the lightning.
Then why did you even make it a vote? Why not just push it on us like you did with Otiak?

Honestly, there have been pushes for Kaito to learn how to use his shit. A number of people advocate to attempting to find Tremor and learn from him that gets shot down and mocked.
The only water user we know is a douchebag we want to punch in the face.

As well:
>Perhaps there is another way; one that will require him to grow and learn from others. Spend time honing his abilities and master their use. I'd like to see Kaito learn from a teacher, or perhaps multiple teachers, maybe take on a new, more structured and disciplined fighting style along with a more mature look on life.
If you want to run an Avatar Quest, then just run an Avatar Quest.
We keep moving away from Kaito as a character to the point we should just retire him and make a new character.
He's always been highly possessive, blunt and straightforward because that's who he is. He can mature, he can grow, but Kaito is Kaito and you don't change that much especially as an adult.
Nobel, Headstrong, Straightfoward, Stubborn Kaito was one of the big reasons I enjoyed this quest early on and now that's getting stripped away and tossed aside.

>>44849075

>And it's always bugged me just on principle alone that they're called "the four elements" and electricity is for some weird reason not one of the classic cardinal elements.

I know, me too. Personally I list about twenty different elements and power sources I like to classify things as. Everyone's kind of got their own preferred wheel or chart of magic elements and how they interract, I've seen a lot of really good ones, especially here on /tg/

But there ain't no damn time to flesh out that many shards of a broken goddess, you know?

>>44849176

>Then why did you even make it a vote? Why not just push it on us like you did with Otiak?

Well, I'm certainly not trying to mock anyone or offer them a choice that I would refuse; if the players wanted to continue pursuing the path of lightning, I wouldn't stop them. And I don't think that lightning is off the table, but I do think that the path we acheived lightning through the first time is over and done with; a new path needs to be found.

Personally, I advocate finding Tremor as well, and there's another place I have in mind for water-related training that is independant of Rain.

I do think Kaito is changing, but I don't believe he's lost any of his nobility or straightforwardness, but I'd like to work this from an angle of him learning to accept and let go of the shackles that his red lightning placed on him, because it once consumed him. I don't think he wants that to happen, and in the earliest thread it was said that his biggest fear was that getting lost in bloodshed; the red lightning almost led to him losing everything, despite how useful it was.

I think he can find another way, a better way, and grow as a person. I'm just glad that most people are willing to agree that he should spend time honing his other abilities, ones that are based more on having a clear mind and concentration, an inner calm rather than exploding with rage.

>>44849176
You know, I know I'm not Damashi, but I do think I have a pretty good backup for explaining how all of those can work with another power source. I feel like with Earth or Water we could easily still be a noble, headstrong, relatively straightforward (because Kaito has shown to be capable of duplicity even if it isn't common for him), stubborn guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAxOHPmITHI
Mostly though I've just wanted to use this for a while somewhere.

>>44849176
Y'know there's a difference between stubbornness and autism?

Any decent martial arts master like Bo' Rai Cho can surely teach us how to harness our powers even though he doesn't have the same. None of his students do the same moves he does and it doesn't matter, they all run on universal concepts like meditation.

...but if you want to train with a VILLAIN so badly, we now have a decent reason to go seek Tremor out, if for nothing else than to satisfy ONE guy so he'll shut up about it already.

>>44849384
I love that interview

>>44849176

Just one more thing,

>If you want to run an Avatar Quest, then just run an Avatar Quest.

I know that there are simularities, but I'm just more interested in the Mortal Kombat setting. I don't think Kaito is defined by his powers, so if he ends up becoming an elementalist, he does so, but it would be in this setting.

I never really got into Avatar.

>>44849450
Personally, I don't even think of us collecting these powers as an Avatar thing.

I think of it as "being a better Shujinko than Shujinko could ever be"

>>44849450
Pretty good show, gets more serious after season 1

>>44849405
Me too anon.
Me too.

>>44849347
Honestly, I would like it better for Kaito to take the Red Lightning and make it his own. Twist it into something better and beat the shit out of the thing that took over his body and almost made him lose himself.
I'm a sucker for stories like that.

>>44849388
>...but if you want to train with a VILLAIN so badly
>Hey guys, let's not pursue Mileena. She was made to be violent and evil by Shang Tsung. She'll never change, it's not worth it.
>Tremor is a big bad villain guys so we shouldn't even try, even though in the alternate timeline he showed he had a rather large honorable streak and sacrificed himself so he wouldn't be used as a pawn.
>Tortek is a Tatarkan, they're totally evil and like nothing more then fighting, eating each other and killing things. He'll never become Kaito's friend, he'll only stab us in the back the first chance he gets!
>Kaito isn't allowed to make friends on both sides, he has to stick to the side I specify, and if I consider anyone a Villain we can't seek them out, guys!
Shut the fuck up.

>>44849498
I honestly think it's Kaito becoming more mature, he's not really old. learning how to control his emotions, maybe after he's perfected that he could control the lightning better?

>>44849498
I never said let's not hang with him. I just want you to be aware that this "derail the thread to bitch because ONE guy isn't happy with what everybody else wants to do" shit is incredibly stupid and tiresome.

>>44849485
Avatar gets better the further you get into it. First season was okay, second things started coming together, third was great.
Just avoid Legend of Korra. It's pretty much the reverse.

>>44849565
I actually liked Korra....

>>44849498
>take the Red Lightning and make it his own

The red lightning is a PERSON, dude.

>>44849498
>Honestly, I would like it better for Kaito to take the Red Lightning and make it his own. Twist it into something better and beat the shit out of the thing that took over his body and almost made him lose himself.
>I'm a sucker for stories like that.

Hey, that sounds cool. That's not entirely off the table either.

I mean, nothing is concrete yet until it happens.

>>44849498
>>44849388

I know we haven't caught up to Tremor yet, or the Black Dragon, but let's not be so quick to call him a villain yet. I know he's been a popular subject of discussion and there's plenty in store with him.

>>44849562

Let's not stir an argument, either.

I'll write the next part and we'll move along.

>>44849476
Personally I'd rather not be Shujinko in any sense.
Part of why I'm partial to shrieking "Guys, let's focus on healing" though.
It'd give us a unique powerset that could still be used offensively, if bizarrely.

>>44849562
So is you whining about that one person and furthering the arguements. You're literally just as bad, especially since you come up with every fucking excuse you can because you don't like what he wants to do.

>>44849586
S'all good, some discussion like this is always worthwhile

>>44849003
>Alright, the majority is for B and C.
Actually, it's a tie between C and D.

>C
>>44848464
>>44848471
>>44848564
>>44848810
>>44848944

>D
>>44848512
>>44848528
>>44848591
>>44848812
>>44848910

>>44849591
>Personally I'd rather not be Shujinko in any sense

Well Shujinko's not the only powers mimic in the MK universe. He's just the only one who was main protagonist and had a shit personality.

>>44849719
You missed one.
>>44848880 is also for D
D won that vote.

>>44849719
>>44849742
S'all good, pretty sure we were moving towards that line of thinking anyway

>>44849811
True but one is worded as to give up getting our Lightning back.
It's better to clarify that now then later.

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>>44849719

Well, A and B were more like opposites of each other, and C and D were more like opposites of each other. I anticipated that one of both groups would be selected and would move on from there.

The split and almost-close tie between C and D is easy enough to justify; Kaito still feels conflicted about pursuing or giving up his search to regain his lightning powers.

Anyway,

>...

Kaito looks at the staff and his grip on it tightens. "I'll keep it," he says. "It's damned useful. But at the same time, I've got other things in me that aren't as strong as what I feel they could be."

"Strength rarely comes overnight," she says. "I was grown in a vat of blood and flesh, made to be a killer from birth, but it was only when I learned who not to kill that I felt I became strong."

She pulls her mask down and kisses him. "Whatever you do, know that I will be there for you," she says. "After all... you came back to me."

He smiles and holds her close. He once more looks at the book and decides that he will pursue a new path to strength, one he will have to work at much harder than he did before.

He doesn't feel as though he has completely abandonned the search for his lost power of lightning, however. Either one way or another, he still desires them. The feel of the power at his fingertips, the raw elemental fury he could unleash...

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. 'Whatever comes will come,' he thinks.

He opens his eyes and sets his conflicting thoughts aside for now; he came to Outworld to do a job, and damn it, he's going to see it through.

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>>44849984

After a short while, they step back out onto the deck and look at the nearby land mass. Kojiro approaches them. "I know these lands. I have sailed around them many times, but have not travelled them much on land. This mountain you speak of, I have seen it before in the distance. We are heading to the nearest coast now."

"We'll keep the Dragon Wing off shore and take a party to the land," Kaito says. "I want a good scouting group. Who do you recommend?" he asks Miileena.

"Gwyn is a good pair of eyes to have in the sky," Mileena says. "She can warn of us any coming danger. Deacon is an experienced field tracker and archer, light on his feet. Sashar is an expert duelist, on sea or on land, and despite his size and his mouth he can keep quiet when he needs to and hide. Finally, if you feel we need some muscle, I'd recommand Buturo, Ugly or Chomba. They are from this world, after all. But Sierra, Tsuga, Wolf and the amazon Yahra are all good in a fight. What do you think?"

>What do you want the away team to be like, while the rest of the crew watches and repairs the boat?

>>44850009
I just had shades of Star Trek moment there, we're picking an away team for planet recon.

>>44850009
Bring Kaito, Vapor, Sashar, Buturo and Ensign Ricky.

Have Mileena coordinate repairs to the Dragon Wing and have her get Biggs and Wedge helping. Teach them a trade skill or some shit, just go easy on them. They're fat and spoiled from working as guards.

>>44850068

It's funny, I was just thinking of Mass Effect.

>>44849580
Ditto. But the endings were mostly letdowns.

>>44850009
Kaito, Mileena, Gwyn, Deacon and Buturo and Vapor if she feels like it

>>44850136
The third season villains were amazing, they kinda redeemed the show.

>>44850009
Vapor, Gwyn, Deacon
>>44850172
All the wes seems to imply she's already decided she's going with us.

>>44850247
Just putting it out there

>>44850247
>All the wes seems to imply she's already decided she's going with us.

Well, she doesn't HAVE to. Kaito can ask her to stay on the ship, considering she and he are the two strongest.

>>44850301
>considering she and he are the two strongest.
This is why we're taking Ensign Ricky, duh.

>>44850103

>Vapor: III
>Sashar: I
>Buturo: II
>Mileena: I
>Gwyn: II
>Deacon: II
>Ensign Ricky: I

So, how do we feel about Vapor, Buturo, Gwyn, Deacon and Ensign Ricky?

>>44850301
I wasn't saying it as a negative. Though that might be prudent.
We should also probably check the crew over. We've got healing water powers and they were in the middle of a bit of a tiff.

>>44850408
Go for it

>>44850411
This is a good point, can we heal anyone who needs it?

>>44850408
I'm fine with that.

>>44850408
Aight.

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>>44850411
>>44850454
>>44850433

Kaito thinks about choosing his crew for the away mission, but first asks if there are any wounded. Lor-Kai, Rambolt's brother, sustained some burns from the lightning-breath of the storm giant.

As Kaito sits him down, he sends for a pale of water. Rambolt slaps his brother on the shoulder. "Aye, scars from a sea giant! How many can say they've had the same?"

Ensign Ricky (who has been here the entire time and was not worth mentioning up until this point) fetches the water pale and hands it to Kaito. Kaito manipulates the water and washes Lor-Kai's wounds, spreading healing energy through them and lessoning his pain.

"That's amazing!" Lor-Kai says as he watches his reddened skin turn normal again.

Kaito stands up and brushes off his hands. "Happy to help," he says with a smile.

He turns around and is suddenly face-to-face with Tsuga. The gunman lifts up his head, staring Kaito in the eyes.

"Where did you learn that?" he asks in a low voice.

"What? The thing with the water?"

Tsuga doesn't move. "Where did you learn that?"

Kaito realizes this is the first time he's so much as spoken to the man since taking on the crew. His eyes are sharp and stare unblinkingly at Kaito.

>A) I got it from a water goddess that I freed from a prison of ice
>B) Picked it up naturally
>C) Why do you want to know?
>D) Hello, my name is Kaito
>E) Other

>>44850630
>>A) I got it from a water goddess that I freed from a prison of ice

>>44850630
>A) I got it from a water goddess that I freed from a prison of ice
>C) Why do you want to know?
We should probably say C before A

>>44850630
>>D) Hello, my name is Kaito
>>A) I got it from a water goddess that I freed from a prison of ice

>>44850707
Second

>>44850707
>Third

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>>44850673
>>44850707
>>44850758
>>44850826
>>44850887

"Alright, well, firstly: hello, my name is Kaito. Secondly, why do you want to know?" Kaito asks as he cocks a brow upwards.

Tsuga takes a step closer and both Lor-Kai and Rambolt, considerably larger men then he, back away. "Where did you learn that?" he asks a third time.

"You aren't one of those people who only say one thing over and over and over again, are you?"

He doesn't reply.

"Well, alright. If you must know, I earned it as a gift from freeing a water demigoddess from an icy prison in the lands of Lost Edenia before the realm was restored. Happy?"

The man stares into Kaito's eyes for a second more before turning away and walking off.

'The hell was that about?' Kaito thinks to himself.

Well, best to assemble the away team.

"Vapor!" Kaito shouts out. Almost immediately, she appears alongside him.

"...Hi," she says. Nearby, Lor-Kai shouts and runs off, screaming about ghosts.

"How long have you been there?" Kaito asks.

"How long has she been on the boat?" Sashar shouts from nearby.

"I've been... around..." she says.

Rambolt points a finger. "Where was she during the storm giant attack, eh?!"

Kaito holds up a hand. "Easy, easy." He leans in close to Vapor. "Where were you?"

She looks away. "I was... scared," she admits.

"Well... that's brave to admit, at least," he tells her. "I need a group on land that's good at sneaking. I can't think of anyone better than you. Will you help me?"

She looks up and nods.

Kaito fetches Deacon, Gwyn, Buturo and Ensign Ricky, the very dependable and not-at-all-likely-to-die crewmen who was not worth mentioning until now.

Kaito looks out towards land as the longboat is prepared with supplies.

>A) Head out immedaitely while it is still night
>B) Wait until morning
>C) Take two longboats and split into two teams
>D) Send Gwyn to scout ahead and fly around and report back
>E) Other

>>44850959
>>A) Head out immedaitely while it is still night
>D) Send Gwyn to scout ahead and fly around and report back

>>44851033
I'm good with this

>>44850959
>A
>D

>>44850959
>>A) Head out immedaitely while it is still night
>>D) Send Gwyn to scout ahead and fly around and report back

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>>44851033
>>44851111
>>44851120
>>44851183

Kaito gathers his away team and heads to the longboat as Mileena and Jon watch on. "Be cautious," Mileena calls out.

"Have you ever known me to be?" Kaito says with a smile as they lower down to the water. Though she wears her mask, Kaito can see her smile beneath it.

After all, he'd have to throw caution to the wind to jump into a bed with a pair of legs and a set of chompers like hers.

As they row towards the land, the harpy Gwyn takes off in flight towards the ground, flying high to get a good look at the surrounding terrain.

Kaito offers Buturo to help row, but the shokan pushes all four oars at once.

"You know, the last time I was in this longboat, I was being taken to Shang Tsung's island for the Mortal Kombat tournament," Kaito says with a smile.

The shokan seems either unamused, uninterested, or both.

Kaito taps his fingers on the wood.

"I ever tell you about the time I punched King Gorbak in the nuts so hard they popped?"

Buturo stalls for a moment before letting out a bellow of laughter. "That was you? Hahahah!"

Kaito smiles, happy to have built a raport with the tigrar.

When they hit land, they bring the boat ashore and wait for Gwyn's return. She lands nearby not long after, digging her talons into the sand.

"The path to the mountain is clear," she says. "No prey to be seen..."

>A) Head towards the mountain at a fast pace
>B) Head towards the mountain at a slow, steady pace
>C) Head towards the mountain in two groups
>D) Everyone split up and meet at the mountain
>E) Other

Going to turn in; I'll resume in the morning.

>>44851431
>>B) Head towards the mountain at a slow, steady pace


>>44851466
Night boss, thanks for running

>>44851431
>>E) Other
Head toward the mountain at a medium, steady pace. Not so fast we miss shit, but not too slow and overly cautious.

>>44851431
>B
>E) Stealth mode
>Keep an eye out for traps
No physical bodies probably means traps

>>44851431
>B)
>C)
Kaito, Buturo, and Vapor in invisible mode go first. The other wait till we get a bit ahead then follow. Gwyn stays airborn.

>>44851431
Is Tsuga the anton chigurh of our crew

>>44852378

I'm curious as to why he cares about the water

I mean he saw Kaito flying around and shooting lightning

What do you guys think Kaito's Variations would be in MKX?

In this current arc I'd say, Bloody Hands, Staff of Raiden and Elementist.

>>44854318
Sounds good.
For the overall story I like Bloody Hands, Red lightning, Adventurer. That last one being where he uses items like the cloak and the orb for buffs and debuffs.

Oh shit, I forgot about these when the /vg/ threads died.

Is the saurian storyline required to understand what happens once Kaito wakes up again?

>>44856179
For the most part, no. There are minor remnants left behind from the Otiak plot (the Earth Goddess, Mileena's fleeting memory) but for all intents and purposes, it never happened.

>>44856235
>otiak could have gotten some sweet khameleon pussy and had no repercussions for it

>>44856885
Well, we WERE on a tight schedule.

>>44856885
Well, alternate Cassie Cage gave him bedroom eyes that one time she saw his tongue.

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>>44851502
>>44851505
>>44851623
>>44851706

They make their way towards the mountain at a steady pace, making good time; not too fast, not too slowly. Vapor turns invisible but stays close and Deacon keeps his distance, his bow out and ready. High above them, Gwyn soars just below the clouds, searching for any sign of trouble.

They reach the base of the mountain and Kaito looks around. He spies a small hut that once belonged to a strange old man; one he saw here in Outworld, then once in Edenia during his time as Otiak. The hut now looks abandoned and empty; sticking his head in reveals nothing but dusty old furniture.

Kaito leads the way up the mountain path, the one he once took twenty years ago. The path is much like he remembers it, and with the large moon above, he is able to see any danger before accidentally stepping into it. Working with his team, he finally makes it to the cave entrance that he knows leads to the Wellspring of Shun-Kuto.

There are no guards out front, nor any sign of people immediately within.

"What now?" Buturo asks. Nearby, Gwyn stalls in the air, beating her wings in a hovering stance.

>A) Go in all at once in a charge
>B) Sneak inside as a group
>C) Send someone inside to report back
>D) Wait and see if anyone comes out
>E) Other

>>44858011
>B) Sneak in as a group

>>44858011
>B) Sneak inside as a group

>>44858011
>>D) Wait and see if anyone comes out
>B) Sneak inside as a group

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>>44858063
>>44858072
>>44858270

For a brief while, they wait and see if anyone emerges or if anything can be heard from within.

Vapor turns visible and looks up at Kaito. "What are we going to do?"

"Stick together, stay close," he says. He signals up at Gwyn to continue flying.

They sneak in as a group, stepping carefully into the passage.

Once inside, they turn around the bend, and what Kaito sees nearly robs his lungs of its breath.

The grotto, the Wellspring of Shun-Kuto, is completey gone.

In its place is a dry bed. Light from the moon above the mountain streams in from a hole in the cavern's ceiling, illuminating a dusty and sandy bottom to an entirely empty grotto. What few puddles remain are murky and barely an inch in depth.

The place is terribly quiet and still.

>A) Explore and look for Phlox
>B) Split up, stay in sight of each other
>C) Call out
>D) Take out a light and shine it around
>E) Other

>>44858379
>A) Explore and look for Phlox

>>44858379
>>A) Explore and look for Phlox
Oh no someone took out plant man!

>>44858379
>A) Explore and look for Phlox

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>>44858399
>>44858443
>>44858544

Kaito searches around the area, finding nothing at first. He looks along the wall where Phlox once emerged from a series of vines and leaves, but those too are dead. There are no plants here anymore.

"Kaito!" Vapor suddenly calls out, turning visible. "Look! Over there!"

He turns as the light of the moon reveals a silhouette of a man. He narrows his eyes as he sees the man is completely and utterly still.

"Phlox?" he calls out.

No answer.

He moves towards him. The clouds above part once more and cast new light upon the figure.

It is Phlox, turned to stone. He stands at the edge of the grotto in a defensive stance, seemingly guarding the Wellspring of Shun-Kuto...

Kaito slowly reaches up and gently touches the statue. The stone is cold to the touch.

"What happened to you..." Kaito mutters as he looks at the guardian. "What were your last moments? Who did this to you?"

The stone figure that is Phlox remains silent, unmoving and dead.

>A) Search the area for any clues
>B) Attempt to use what little water you can from the puddles to heal him
>C) Search the dry grotto for any clues
>D) Leave this place
>E) Other

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>>44858633
>C) Search the dry grotto for any clues
"My life was one lived without a single regret!"

>>44858633
>>C) Search the dry grotto for any clues
Well shit