Chapter 150: Enjoying the Ride

After another two days, the passenger ship arrived in the port of Esmera-Mar. Waiting for them at the port was Sezan and his wife, Luciana.

“You took the long way, dimension hopper.”

“I thought the view would be nice.”

“Was it? Did you enjoy the famed emerald sea? The breeze that spans the continents?”

“I did. I’m glad I got to experience them,” she said, the salt from her memories still upon the shoreline breeze of Esmera-Mar. For all that they were a blemish upon the ocean shimmer, the pirates could not spoil the emerald beauty of the Tier-Media and its richness of culture.

“Next time, you should visit the sand falls of Atisalhaya. Glimmering streams of gold plummeting over cliffs of earth. It’s a wonder to behold, in any lifetime.”

“I’ll add it to my travel list. Thanks for the recommendation.”

“You keep a travel list?” Eufemia asked.

“I figure at some point I’m going to be showing my friends and family around this world. Doesn’t hurt to have some exotic travel destinations.”

“This whole world is an exotic travel destination to me,” John said. “We should do a group vacation.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. I am the one with the portable house.”

“What about your world, do you have some travel destinations for us?” Encio asked.

“I’ll have you know I’ve had the good fortune to be an experienced traveler in my world. Not a hardcore one, mind you, I’ve always traveled in relative comfort in both worlds. Not up to the luxury of a nebula flask; I don’t think I can fly economy in my life ever again.”

“You’ve spoiled me rotten too,” John said, “Economy always cramps my legs. I’m getting phantom pain just thinking about it.”

“Let me see, we’ve got the pyramids of Giza, that’s impressive, even for this world. I think any of the big cities are going to blow your mind—both in the height of construction and the population density. Chernobyl, maybe, although I don’t think y’all would understand how horrifying and interesting nuclear radiation is. We’ve got some amazing festivals—whatever the fuck is going on in Japan at any given point in time—never change, Japan—,and concerts are baller.”

The team settled in for their sojourn in Esmera-Mar. For a while, they’d rest and recuperate from their pirate contract. As much as Sen was a training enthusiast, he also understood the importance of rest. Since Essence Users used meditation to consolidate training and experience, rest was doubly important.

Eufemia ventured with Aliyah to check out the acting scene in Esmera-Mar. Aliyah was interested in literature—arts and literature were often built around each other, so Aliyah would find what she wanted if they moved together.

The rest traveled in a pack of four, restocking on supplies and materials. They hadn’t used up much on their trip yet, but the team took the opportunity to buy supplies that may be harder to acquire in Kallid. If they missed on anything they desperately needed, Nara could always stop by Huxin and fetch it for them. Nara also bought up local non-magic and magic plants for her nebula flask. Only magical plants could grow in the nebula flask, but ever since meeting Zariel, she saw more value in keeping other types of plants. Who knows, maybe one could come in handy for someone.

*****

The next day was their appointment with Wisteria. Nara was glad to see the sociable and cunning old woman again. A spark seemed to flare up in Aliyah’s normally cool gaze.

“Maybe I can tease out those secrets of yours this time, Wisteria.”

“Ohoho. I think you’ll be the one to lay yours bare, dearie.”

“Wow,” Eufemia said, aghast. She’d never understand Aliyah’s attraction to older women. “Can you not?”

“I know right.” Nara said. “Right in front of my salad.”

“What salad—”

In Nara’s hands, she held a bowl of salad.

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“Why?”

“Those who get it, get it.”

“No one here gets it. Not even John and he’s from your world.”

John slowly shook his head, his look of confusion corroborating Eufemia’s statement.

“He’s from a different generation,” she dismissed.

“Put that away.” Eufemia said. “I don’t know what’s worse, your tasteless jokes or Aliyah’s terrible flirting.”

“You know it was a tasteless joke?” Nara crooked an unrepentant grin.

“You know what? I don’t care anymore.”

Eufemia vanished through the open doorway of Wisteria’s tattoo parlor.

Most of their tattoos were kept the same, but a higher rank version.

Aliyah was the only exception, she did not get the same tattoo, instead asking for one to be placed on her ass. The curtain was drawn closed—no one else in the party had any desire to see what sort of flirty expressions Aliyah was making at Wisteria.

“This is the mentor your mother selected for you?” Eufemia said, expression incredulous.

“I really wouldn’t have known she was like this when I first met her,” Nara said. “I guess what’s on the outside really doesn’t reflect the inside.”

“Aliyah is respectable,” Sen said firmly. At least, no one could make out if he was wavering.

“Most of the time.”

“Aliyah is respectable most of the time.” Sen reiterated.

“Sen,” Aliyah called out from beyond the divider, “It is a matter of keeping business and pleasure separate. You could learn that yourself.”

“She’s right but I don’t want to agree with her,” Eufemia said flatly.

“Aliyah, are you saying I’m too serious and I don’t know how to have fun?”

“Sen. As your mentor, I only want what’s best for you.”

“I have activities I enjoy.”

“You like to plan strategies on how to defeat your opponents in real lives and mirage chambers. Sen, I hope you don’t develop an addiction to battle. You know just how important it is to relax.”

If two party members were telling him the same thing, Sen conceded that they had a point. He looked at Encio with a side eye.

“Don’t look at my grandfather through me. I’m not going to end up like him.”

The tattoos finished, and they each paid with the silver coins they had proudly earned themselves.

“Ohoho. Looting abilities, I’m envious,” Wisteria said, rubbing her silver coins together. “My life would have been much smoother if I had one.”

“We outworlder take what we can get to make our lives easier.”

“Hehe,” she cackled, “To leave your home world for the power of convenience. Have you enjoyed your involuntary exchange?”

“I have,” Nara said.

“I suppose I am,” John said, with more reserve, but with no less genuineness.

“That’s good, that’s good. It’s useless to be upset about what you can’t control. Best enjoy the ride.”

*****

Nara walked through the quieter streets of outer Esmera-Mar, reaching the form of a familiar tailor shop—Soul and Silk, owned by Pietro Romansa, both her and Encio’s tailor. Her current clothes were iron rank, and she was due for an upgrade.

She pushed open the door, calling out to the tailor, “Pietro, are you busy?”

“Ah!” He emerged from the back of his shop, neatly setting aside a tailor’s apron so he was more presentable, “If it isn’t starlight. Is it already time? You’re bronze rank now.”

“That I am.”

“Come, come, into the measurement room. Oh~ I cannot wait!”

She was ushered into the measurement room which was private despite not needing to remove clothes for the process. She stepped back outside, ready for her second consultation with Pietro. Encio wasn’t with her—Pietro’s normal policy was private consultations. The first had only been because it was their first meeting. Encio had his own plans, meeting ‘friends’ that Nara doubted existed.

“You’ve changed a lot, starlight. More twilight and less dawn.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is, it is! You’re sharper now. You draw the eye like moonlight on an unsheathed blade. Can I see?” he said, gesturing to her wrists.

“As much as you’d like.” She held out her wrists for him to see.

“You don’t want them covered?”

“Honestly, I find the shape pretty cool. Sometimes I think people are just weird like that. It just happened to look decent, and suddenly, I didn’t mind it as much.”

What she minded was something else entirely.

“I certainly have new thoughts on the direction I should take your second collection. Oh, I feel the inspiration, but I’m lacking a little something more. Something special.” He drummed his fingers on his cheek thoughtfully.

“What about this?” Nara removed her Nebula Flask from her inventory, and held it out for him to see.

“Oh my! This is lovely. Where did you acquire this delightful artifact? A flask? But I don’t recognize the type. It if is a cloud, it’s one I’ve never seen.”

“It’s a Nebula Flask. I acquired it from a different type of outworlder. Not my kind, but the kind that just not from this world, but not transformed in the way I am.”

“Now that’s a flavorful story I’d like to hear sometime. If it’s secret, I promise I won’t tell,” he said with a coy smile. “You’ve had some adventures since I last saw you.”

“That I have. Is this inspiration enough?”

“That I can work with. Anything else you’d like to add to my meld? While you still have the opportunity to influence its brilliant concoction.”

Thanatos walked out of her shadow, looking up at Pietro with his intense pale blue eyes.

“Oh, my, my, my, now he’s beautiful!” he crooned excitedly. As expected, unable to resist the nobility (false) and adorableness (savage) that was Thanatos. “Look at that color, mm! That texture—how could I ever replicate that? A mere shadow of your flame. Gorgeous, gorgeous! Like fur made of the night sky!”

It was an atypical reaction to Thanatos, but Pietro was an atypical person. She immediately liked him more as he crooned over Thanatos like a pampering auntie, feeling proud of herself even those she hadn’t even raised him.

“He’s my first familiar, Thanatos,” Nara said. “You’ve seen Chrome already.”

“I see, I see. He’s an inspiration as well! I have all these new ideas sparkling though my mind,” He said, splaying his fingers in an excited gesture, “Only one last pressing question remains: How do you feel about showing your soul crest?”

“Every once in a while,” Nara said. “But especially for a showstopper.”

“Now these are new and exciting developments!” Pietro said excitedly, “You’ve changed your mind. Mm, I can already feel it, your bronze rank collection will have a completely different feel. I think it will be definitive.” He made a grandiose motion with his arms, whipping them outwards like he was welcoming the sunlight.

“Go for it Pietro, I trust your stylist’s eye.”

He winked. “I haven’t disappointed a client yet."