I had hoped the three days on the airship would be calm. I would stay in my room to read, go out to eat with everyone, then come back to my room to read some more. Turns out that when you have an airship full of eccentric/insane people that's not what happens. Before I get into that I should explain the preparation my group did.
After I woke up from being knocked out by the Emperor I was told by Will to get prepared to leave for Ayana A.S.A.P. I met up with Nerva and Adam to get supplies and getting said supplies was a hassle.
Apparently there is this thing called discount season which is like black friday but worse. I hated it. We went into a store to witness a bunch of people fighting each other. A guy tried to hit me but I gave him a headbutt.
Some more guys attacked me but after I broke a guy's arm people kept their distance. I wasn't in the mood for the stupid discount game. Nerva did most of the fighting and looked like she was enjoying herself. She bit a guy on the ear which was fun to see. Adam was assigned to buy the supplies and tried to haggle. He was awful at it.
Turns out the prices he paid were way higher than the market value. I saw vendors in the street selling the same items for a lot cheaper. I went back to the place we bought our supplies and let Nerva work her magic to get our money back. The vendor at first argued raising prices wasn't illegal but Nerva threatened to burn his place down, changing his tune quickly. After that debacle we had to find Warren.
I hadn't seen the guy in 2 months so I was worried he wouldn't want to come with us. It didn't take long for us to find out where he lives, since he was the one guy with a car in Colonus. It was like finding a guy with a horse in L.A, meaning it was easy.
We made our way over to Warren's place to discover he lives in a small apartment complex. Willow would be disappointed in his lack of being homeless. We didn't know which unit he lived in so we loitered around his car hoping he'd show up. After waiting a few minutes we heard something coming from the trunk. It sounded like muffled yelling.
"Ugh guys, is that what I think it is?" Adam asks nervously.
Nerva puts her ear on the trunk of the car and after listening for a moment replies, "Yeah that's a motherfucker in there."
"Oh no that can't be good can it? Isn't that illegal? Plus morally wrong to put people in a trunk?" Adam questions.
"If you're worried about him reporting me to the cops he won't. As for the morality of it, I'd say it's morally justified," Warren explains, coming up with a glass of red wine in hand.
Warren looks the same since the last time I've seen him. The only difference is that his beard has gotten a bit thicker. It's not as thick as Armstrong's or the emperor's but it's getting there.
"Hey Warren. It's been awhile," I greet.
"Hey. Sorry I haven't been around much, I've been busy. Planning things," Warren says vaguely.
"Are you a human trafficker now?" Adam asks, slowly backing up.
"No no nothing like that. I've been getting information from scumbags like the one in the trunk."
"I get it. Why didn't you ask me to help you with this shit?" Nerva questions, apparently caught on to what he's been doing.
"You don't need to get involved. I don't want any of you to get hurt. It was my fault so it's now my responsibility," Warren asserts.
"I-I still don't get it," Adam mentions.
"Quincy, Adam, remember when we were in that tower and saw that man in black talk to Murphee? The one buying slaves? He has to have been the one who bought our friends. I've spent the last two months making my way through the slavers of Colonus trying to figure out his exact location. The peasant rebellion has ties to criminal syndicates as you remember from our last adventure. I'm going to go to Ayana to find the son of a bitch and bash his head until he tells me where they are," Warren details.
"B-but didn't you assume they're either gone or in places you'll never find them given how many slaves there are in the empire?" Adam asks shyly.
"You're right, I spent some time thinking they were dead or were impossible to find. You were there, you heard the screams and the awful silence that followed. Why wouldn't I assume they died? But you know, I never saw the bodies. Nerva told us she didn't see any bodies when she was taken down to the basement. They wanted to sell us to make money, so I don't think they killed any of them. Then it occurred to me that the eyepatch asshole was buying slaves in bulk to support the rebellion. That leads me to believe they were all sold together to him. Best case scenario they're all still alive working for said asshole, " Warren concludes.
"B-but what if you get there and learn that they're..all gone?"
"I'll avenge them. Simple as that," Warren says coldly.
So that's what Warren's been up to. It's definitely not what I expected. I thought he became a hermit or maybe a born again religious person to deal with his grief. This is a much better case. If he thinks he can save his friends then I'm helping.
"Well, Warren, I know you wanted to go by yourself but you're going to be disappointed. We're all going to Ayana to help put down the peasant rebellion. You should come with us, we're both hunting the same guy," I tell him.
"Yeah Warren, let's fuck them up! We can beat everybody's asses together!" Nerva shouts, excitedly jumping up and down.
Warren pauses in deep thought about the proposition.
He then nods and says,
"Since you are all going anyway I might as well join. I need to make up for not being around much. By the way Quincy how're you doing? Heard you got into a fight with the emperor. Sorry I wasn't there, I was getting the cargo that's in the trunk if you know what I mean."
"It was painful. Really painful. I don't recommend it," I tell him.
"I bet. When are you going to Ayana?" Warren asks while drinking the rest of his wine.
"Right fucking now! Let's go," Nerva exclaims, getting into Warren's car.
Warren looks surprised but shrugs and says "Well ok then but first I gotta do this.
He opens his trunk to reveal a guy with his hands and knees tied with a rag over his mouth. Warren rips the rag off.
"So, Reggie, change of plans, I gotta go on my journey sooner than I expected. That means you're lucky. Before I go, what happened to you today?" Warren inquires.
The guy looks scared and confused but realizes what he's supposed to say.
"N-nothing happened to me today. T-today was a normal day," the guy spits out.
"Ok good. Take care of yourself Reggie," Warren says, untying him.
He gets out the trunk with beads of sweat rolling down his face. He starts to run away as fast as he can.
"I don't know who that guy was but you're sure it's ok to let him go?" I query.
"That guy was an accountant for the slave traders of this region. Don't worry about him, I rigged his apartment to explode as soon as he opens the door," Warren assures, getting into his car.
Adam glances at me with a worried expression.
"Quincy, are you worried about Warren like I am?" Adam whispers to me.
"Hey, you gotta do what's necessary. Besides, the world's better with less scum in it. Now come on and don't drop our stuff," I say.
"That's one way to look at it," Adam mumbles to himself.
We enter Warren's car. I gave directions and soon we arrived, concluding our preparation adventure. Warren tells me what he's learned about the eyepatch guy but it's not a lot to go off of.
Their base of operations is constantly moving throughout Ayana and they are usually near a dungeon. Only problem is there are dozens of dungeons in Ayana and Ayana is the largest state in the empire. At least it's a start.
Back to the airship, my first night was already ruined. I tried to read but in the hallway I heard Lilith and Nazuko having a weird argument about who gets to sleep with Will. Then I heard a thud which I presume was Nazuko getting knocked out.
That happens a lot so the poor girl might have brain damage at this point. Anyway a few hours go by when I hear a knock at my door. I sigh and close my book. I open the door to find Adam.
"Quincy please save me. Please, please, let me sleep in your room," Adam begs.
"No," I coldly answer, closing the door.
Adam sticks his arm in my room preventing me from closing the door all the way.
"No, don't pleaaaase. Nerva's being evil," he declares.
"Well you're not dead so it can't be that bad."
"B-but it's like some new type of torture. Like some psychological torture or something."
"Adam what in the world are you on about?"
"Ok so she throws me into the room right? You saw that, inside the room I braced myself for the incoming punches, but then nothing happened. Nothing at all. My private hasn't been destroyed by a fist."
"So you're upset she didn't beat you up?"
"No it's not just that. It was the stuff that happened afterward. She tells me to sleep on the floor like I expected and soon we're both asleep. Things seem to be going well but when I woke up to use the bathroom, I saw Nerva was lying right in front of me. Her face was right in front of my face! I almost screamed. I jumped up and ran out of the room."
"Did you go to the bathroom?"
". . . I-I don't have to go anymore"
Ew.
"Dude. . . ." I say in disgust.
"Anyway, don't focus on that. You need to save me from whatever psychological torture she's doing to me. What if it's just step one of a long term plan to break my mind?"
"Maybe she sleepwalks or something I dunno. Look, why didn't you just go to Warren's room?"
"I tried but I think he's asleep. No matter how many times I knocked, he wouldn't answer."
"That's a shame because you are not sleeping in my room."
"B-but."
"No stop. Go back Adam. You'll be fine. Conversation over, bye," I assert, attempting to close the door again.
He attempts to put his arm through once more but I shove him into the hallway. I would read again but I'm worried that if I keep my light on Adam would come back like a hungry cat so I turned it off to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of a racket, hearing voices shout. I rub my eyes, yawn, and get out of bed. I walk into the hallway to see Nazuko standing off with Lilith, both girls armed with pillows. The rest of the group is trying to defuse the situation, I think.
"I know that smell! What lewd things did you force Will to do, you slut?!" Nazuko yells.
"I keep telling you I don't know what you're talking about! Nothing happened!" Lilith yells back.
"That's the sluttiest line in the book!" Nazuko retorts.
Nazuko charges at Lilith with her pillow but Remi steps in to pick her up in an effort to hold her back. Her holding Nazuko makes her look like she's holding an angry chihuahua. Ryder and Adam are next to me looking on in astonishment.
I poke Ryder on the shoulder and ask,
"Ugh, the heck is happening?"
"Heh, it's a cat fight. Poor Will, this is one of the drawbacks of being a casanova," Ryder laments.
"The first hero is so lucky it's not fair. I would die to have women fight over me," Adam complains.
"Wait Ryder aren't you supposed to be flying the airship?" I question as Lilith and Nazuko continue to argue in the back.
"Azura's piloting it right now. We alternate. Otherwise I would be up for three days straight. Good thing too because I love this," Ryder discloses.
I hear footsteps coming in from behind. We all turn around to see Nerva charging with a pillow in each hand.
"Nazuko I got your back!" she screams as she attempts to hit Lilith.
But Lilith just hits Nerva with her pillow once, making her fly back down the hallway over our heads.
"Shit!" she screams as she flies.
I don't know what's happening right now. I'm witnessing chaos. Warren joins us, rubbing his eyes. He looks at what's happening, shakes his head indicating he's not going to be a part of this, walks back to his room and closes the door. This nonsense needs to stop, it's getting way too loud. Will finally emerges from his room looking groggy.
"Ugh, what's happening?" Will asks.
His eyes bulge seeing the scene before him.
"Will! I have to save you from the succubus! Dang it, dumb elf girl, let me go!" Nazuko barks.
"I have no idea what she's talking about! I came into the hallway to go help cook breakfast but she was here threatening me with a pillow. I went back to get mine and now we're here," Lilith explains.
"Will, are you still under control?! Blinking once means 'yes,'" Nazuko says.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm fine," Will assures, ignoring what Nazuko just said.
"Are you sure you're not more than fine after last night?" Ryder teases nudging him on the shoulder.
Ohhhh, ok, I get it now. This has to do with mating or something. It's funny but I'm annoyed right now.
Will is about to explain something but a pillow flies towards Lilith hitting her in the face.
"Ow! That hurt!" Lilith exclaims.
"Hah got ya bitch!" Nerva yells from down the hallway.
"Thanks Nerva!" Nazuko says.
"I'm stopping this now. No more pillows for anyone. No more fighting," Will orders as he grabs all of the pillows in the hallway and throws them into his pocket dimension.
After doing that Lilith and Nazuko finally calm down. Remi lets Nazuko go only for Nazuko to turn around and stick her tongue out. She looks angry but luckily for Nazuko doesn't attempt to knock her out again.
"This isn't over succubus. You better stay on your guard," Nazuko warns, staring down Lilith.
"Oh, I will," Lilith shoots back.
With tensions finally cooled everyone goes to the kitchen to eat breakfast. Luckily the rest of the day goes by without anything exciting happening. Over the next two days some pseudo clicks start to emerge. Nerva and Nazuko are stuck together like glue forming a weird dynamic duo.
Nazuko would go around to each of us on the airship trying to convince us that Lilith is a succubus and Nerva would be next to her agreeing with everything plus laying out plans for Lilith's assassination. One time they tried to ambush Lilith in the hallway but she ended up grabbing the both of them and throwing them into a nearby room.
Will has been trying to defuse the situation but I don't think much progress is being made on that front because Lilith slept with Will for the rest of the trip making Nazuko double down on her claims Lilith's a succubus.
Warren and Ryder have also hit it off. Ryder complimented Warren on his beard which made Warren loosen up a bit. But for the most part Warren has been pretty reserved. The girls excluding Nerva and Nazuko have been socializing with each other throughout most of the trip. Every now and then Adam would jump into their group, talk for a few minutes, then leave due to his anxiety and probably so that the girls aren't drenched in sweat.
As for Will, when he's not trying to solve the whole Nazuko-Lilith issue he's been hanging out with everybody being sarcastic as always. I myself hang out with people every now and again but spend most of the time reading. At one point Remi had let me pet her spirit wolf thing so that was fun.
But then Nerva showed up asking if she could ride it into battle which led to Nerva and Remi fighting again. I also got the chance to talk to Azura, who seems like a nice girl. She seems stressed out by taking the big sister role for everyone however. She even recommended a book on the history of magic for me to read.
One time Nerva almost burned down the whole kitchen because she attempted to cook again, forcing Azura to put the fire out. She also made Adam eat the burnt food. Another time Ryder started giving everyone guns. Azura yelled at him and made him take the guns back. Finally the last exciting thing was Will showing off his portals to everyone.
Remi tried going into one but Will set one portal one top of the other, making her enter a state of endless falling. After Will finally stopped it she unleashed her wolf on him. Seeing Will get chased throughout the airship which was pretty funny to watch. So, like I said, the trip wasn't calm. But despite all that, I don't think it was that bad. Everyone got to know each other a little more. Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination.