“Do you have enough potions?”

“Yes, I made sure to stock my bag with it.”

“What about a spare whetstone?”

“I have two spares just in case the spare breaks.”

“Do you have enough tools just in case you run out of mana or if you become too tired?”

“I have enough tools. I made sure to stuff my bag, see?”

Embla had an annoyed look on her face. Her older sister was with her at the gate. Behind her, she could hear the snickers from her party members and some members of the delegation. She felt like a child.

“One more thing. Did you bring enough snacks to last you the entire ship ride there? I know how hungry you can get if you don’t eat anything within three ho-”

Embla rushed forward and clamped her hands around her older sister’s mouth. Valentin was going too far this time.

“Shhhh! Val!” Her face was beet red.

Valentina’s eyes twinkled and she removed Embla’s hands from her mouth. She raised her hand and ruffled her hair.

“Stay safe, okay?” she said.

“Yeah. I… I’ll be safe,” Embla said.

Valentina watched as her sister ran back to her friends. The party boarded the large Sleipnir vessel along with the other delegate members. Koji walked up to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re being overprotective. She’s not a child anymore,” Koji said.

“I know… but I lost the opportunity to be her sister when I left all those years ago. I think she can sense that and I can see it too,” Valentina said.

“Hmmm?” Koji raised an eyebrow.

“Embla’s mad at me but she’s not really showing it,” Valentina said, holding her arm and smiling bitterly.

“You have to give her time at least to recover from being left behind all those years. I know you had no choice but at least you could have left her something,” Koji said.

“I left her a letter,” Valentina argued.

“You left her an advanced directive. You didn’t tell her anything until you came back. Just give her some time. She’ll come around,” Koji said.

“Mmmm,” Valentina said. She sighed and stared at the massive ship. “Stay safe.”

----------------------------------------

“Wooooaaah!” Pandora ran down the hall of the ship.

“Hey, don’t run!” Red said.

“This is a really big ship,” Embla said, looking around.

“Fancy too,” Cal remarked.

Embla whistled in agreement. The halls had gold lining on the walls and the ceiling. The carpet was made of the finest quality fur and shined slightly underneath the faint amber light. There were paintings of the Alfheim Royal Family and their achievements decorating the hall.

“Yeah, this ship’s pretty expensive,” Yuki said. “Come on. I’ll show you to your rooms right now.”

“My Lady, I’ll be in the bridge,” Kaguya said.

“That’s alright. I’ll be in the deck after I send them to their rooms,” Yuki said. She turned to Pandora. “Pandora! Come on! We’re going to our rooms! Stop running in the hallway! And put your goddamn shoes back on!”

“But! The carpet! The carpet is so soft!” Pandora protested.

“Come on! You take your boots off after we go to our rooms and put our stuff down!” Yuki said.

Embla smiled. “For someone who’s not our leader for this mission, you’re acting like it,” Embla remarked.

“Well, I hired you guys so in all technicality, I am your leader,” Yuki said.

“Touche,” Embla said.

“Come on. The rooms are down this way,” Yuki said.

----------------------------------------

“Wow! We’re so high up!”

Embla watched as Pandora looked out over the sea of clouds. She walked over and pulled her back over the railing. “Come on, don’t do that. You’re going to fall right over the edge.”

“Even if I did, I’ll be fine. I can just use Trick Star to get back up here,” Pandora said, leaning over the edge again. “I can see the coast from here! We’re almost out to open water!”

Embla looked out into the distance. The expanse of blue was slowly getting bigger. She sighed and leaned on the railing. “Hey Pan, does Cal ever act… I don’t know fussy over you?”

“You know, I don’t think I’m the best person to ask what it’s like to date my brother.”

“W-What? No! Come on,” Embla sputtered.

“Heh, works every time. But uh, yeah, he’s the older twin… most of the time. I guess he can get a little fussy when it comes to me. Why?” Pandora asked.

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“I think Valentina is treating me like a child. Like I’m still ten you know. I’ve lived for seven years without her and I learned how to take care of myself. Now she’s back and she’s acting like my mom all of a sudden,” Embla said.

“Oh, like I said, I’m not sure I’m the best person to tell this. Have you tried talking to her about it?” Pandora rested her head on her hand.

Embla looked down at the floor of the deck.

“I thought so. I guess it has been seven years for you two. Talking about it won’t be an easy thing. Let’s not think about it for now. We have a quest we need to do. Did you know that Yuki’s ship has an all-you-can-eat buffet of meats and food from Alfheim? There’s this thing there that doesn’t exist in Midgard called Sushi. Red told me all about it while we were scoping the cafeteria and apparently, we’re going to have some tonight,” Pandora said.

Embla looked up at her. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Look, I’m sorry but I’m not good when it comes to all this emotional stuff. Cal would be your best bet but I don’t think he can relate to little sister problems. He’s used to being the older one so he’ll probably tell you it’s normal to get coddled,” Pandora said.

“Yeah… probably,” she replied.

“Good, now look over there! I think I can see some dolphins in the water!” Pandora pointed.

“Dolphins? Pandora, we’re hundreds of feet in the air. How can you possibly see…” Embla’s danger senses went haywire. She looked down over the edge of the ship and used Farcast. “Those are… not dolphins.”

Embla canceled the skill.

“What? Those aren’t?” Pandora turned to her.

“We need to tell the others. Come on!” Embla ran across the deck to find Red and Cal.

She spotted the two having a conversation with Yuki in the middle of the deck.

“Guys! Guys!” Embla waved.

“Em? What’s wrong?” Red asked.

“We’re going to get attacked! Flying.. Flying Fish!” Embla said.

“Flying Fish? Wait… where are we?” Yuki asked.

“We’re out over the sea by now. I think we flew over one of their feeding grounds,” Embla panted.

A high-pitched screech pierced through the roar of the Sleipnir’s multiple engines. The delegation crew all turned around as the sound of wingbeats filled the air. From all sides, a swarm of piscine flying creatures surrounded the ship.

“Oh. Flying fish. Crap, I forgot my bow in the room,” Cal cursed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dagger. “Guess this is the next best thing.”

“Yuki, step back,” Red said, gripping the hilt of his sword.

“Excuse me?” Yuki turned to him.

“Yeah, Yuki, stand back. We’ll handle this,” Embla said.

“Guys, come on. I can-”

“Princess! We need to get you to shelter!” one of the guards said.

“Are we going to make a bet? Who ever kills the least amount of Flying Fish has to pay for the winners when we get to Muspelheim and we find a good place to eat,” Cal said.

“I’m game,” Pandora said. Fire and lightning crackled around her hands.

“Count me in. I want free food,” Red said.

“Should we count Yuki into this bet? She is part of the party,” Embla suggested.

“What!?” Yuki shrieked.

“We’ll handle the fish,” Red said.

“Last one in is a rotten egg!” Embla said and started running to the edge of the deck.

Cal and Pandora both exchanged smiles and took off after her.

The three reached the edge and vaulted over it.

“Well, I’ll see you in a couple of minutes, Princess,” Red said, emphasizing her title. A pair of wings popped out from his back. With a powerful beat, he shot into the sky, drawing his sword and slicing apart several flying fish.

“Give me your sword,” Yuki said.

“What?” her guard asked.

“You know what? Screw it.” Yuki grabbed the sword from his waist.

“Huh? Princess? Wait!”

His pleas were met with nothing but silence and ice. Yuki launched herself into the air with a pillar of ice and divebombed into the swarm of fish.

Embla stood on one of Pandora’s light platforms, swerving and maneuvering her way through the school of predatory bird-like fish. She swung her sword, slicing apart fish after fish.

“That’s twelve for me! I’m ahead!” Embla cheered.

“Thirteen,” Cal said, killing another one.

“Only thirteen? Watch this,” Pandora said. She raised her hands and fired a massive stream of flames. A dozen of the flying fish were caught in the conic blast and were incinerated. “Twenty-four.”

“That’s cheating! No AoE magic!” Embla yelled.

“That’s not cheating. I’m just using the tools at my disposal,” Pandora said.

A red blur shot past them and sliced several fish to bits. “You guys need to keep up. That’s twenty-six for me.”

“Oh yeah! Guess what! I can kill more too,” Embla said. She threw her sword at one of the fish and teleported over to it. She sliced its head off before jumping back onto the platform. “Now for the next one-”

A blur of bluish-white light shot past her, diving down further and slicing several fish apart. Just before the blur hit the water, a jet of white slowed and reversed its trajectory. It flew up towards them at frightening speed.

The jet dispersed, revealing Yuki who had a katana strapped to her side. She gripped the blade and rapidly drew it, slashing apart the fish around her. “Twenty-eight. No way in hell I’m paying for whatever restaurant you guys are going to in Muspelheim.”

“Fine then! You’re on!” Embla yelled challengingly. She shot forward, slicing apart several fish.

She threw her sword at one of them and teleported over to it, riding on its back and using it as a mount. Embla pulled, directing it towards the other fish.

“That’s thirty! Suck on that losers!” Embla yelled.

“Thirty five,” Cal said, flying over next to her.

“Thirty six,” Pandora said.

“Thirty eight,” Red called out.

“Forty!” Yuki’s cackling could be heard above them. A hail of ice spikes impaled several more fish. “Make that forty-five!”

“Looks like it’s time for me to wipe the board clean. Forty-six! Yes, all I need to do is kill the rest of the fish!” Cal said. A ball of golden fire formed in the palm of his hand. “Sorry, Yuki! But I’m not paying!” Cal raised his arm and threw the golden orb at the remaining flying fish.

“Hey! No Arts!” Embla yelled.

“We never set any rules,” Cal said, grinning at her misfortune.

“Well, two can play at that game.” Embla threw her sword at the flying ball of golden fire. She teleported over to it and swung the blades into the orb. The orb rapidly grew in size and speed, shooting away from her.

In a flash of yellow light, the orb exploded violently, vaporizing all the remaining fish and dispersing the clouds around them.

Embla threw her sword over to one of the platforms and teleported over to it as she fell from the sky.

“Booyah! One hundred and twelve!... I think,” Embla said, stroking her chin.

“Hey! What the hell!? That was my attack! You can’t just steal it!” Cal protested.

“Awww… but we never set any rules, now did we?” Embla said, repeating his words in a mocking fashion. “I guess I won then!” Embla cheered. “Wait but who lost?”

“Not me,” Pandora floated next to her.

“It was me,” Red said.

“Really? Red, you’re not in your A-game today,” Cal said, sitting on the platform.

“Yeah, well… let’s just get back to the ship,” Red said. He flapped his wings and flew back to the ship, leaving his entire party