Lower Tereliva

Middle of Tere River

In the middle of a busy river a blue-haired woman is resting on a skiff boat, the spear in her lap had a string tied to it that was submerged in the water. This woman was not alone on this skiff, a long white-haired man accompanied her sitting at the opposite side of the skiff, finishing the roll on a joint he was going to spark.

“ah yeah, it’s been far too long since I’ve been able to do this. Soak this in while you can Luna, you don’t know how much I miss being able to do this with my mentor.”

Luna lifts one side of the headband pulled over her mesmerizing blue eyes to look at him.

“Shin, I thought having you out here would bring more fish our way. Are you even using that thing?”

Suddenly she gets a tug on her line, she grabs her spear with her left and the line with her right and pulls the line hard. With the force applied a fish shoots out the water, the yellow and blue stripes on the scales glistening from the sun. She lines up the spear with the medium sized fish and lunges at it piercing it with her spear. She takes a good look at it and is pleased with its size.

“you’re a way better Fisher than I was at your age.” Shin says wide eyed at her catch

“Oh yeah, this is gonna make some great sashimi.” She turns her head to Shin looking at him dully and unimpressed “No thanks to you. Weren’t you and my dad supposed to be great fishermen or something?” she says sarcastically

Shin lightly laughs at Luna face holding a comically grim expression

“Fine. Feast your eyes on this.”

Shin stands reaching for a wrapped spear on the boat floor, removing the layers of meticulous fabric sheathing it revealing a glorious spear, a glistening blue primarily coated the handle with silver engravings. The head of the spear miraculously was perfectly balanced and spinning on the shaft you would of thought it wasn’t connected but the blade was perfectly attached to the spear. This type of impossible feat could only be created by an Ohgun’s craft.

He rested the shoe of the spear in the water, the engravings on it began to illuminate as well as glowing particles started to appear in the air. Shins eyes began to glow a majestic baby blue as a vortex was forming around the end of the spear. He then whipped the motion of water in the air with a casual swing and a Large well of water followed bursting out of the water’s surface. Magnificent colors could be seen in the air as the city of Tereliva reflected off the water and fish that had been exposed from the river. Shin then stabbed several fish out of the well stacking themselves on his spear before settling the waters. Onlookers fishing on the docks and in boats clapped at the spectacle Shin made.

“Here you go again, showing off, but those are the small fries. I’m looking at the big fish right now.”

She was leaned far over the boat with her spear getting ready to hurl it at a large tuna fish about half her size.

“You know my role as Lancer is to protect and keep the people’s moral up. Gotta show off sometimes, very few people actually get to see one of these.”

“Yeah, yeah & your gonna be twirling that thing around for the festival too. Like a glorified cheerleader in the uppers.”

Shin looks down at the fish Luna is staring at

“You know, you call me everything but a sellout.”

Luna looks away from the fish for a moment at Shin “Sellout.” She grins before looking back at the waters trying to line up her spear with the fish “Those upper wads need they’re lancer to make them feel secure in their castle while the rest of us have to fend for ourselves, its bogus Shin.”

Shin pauses before removing the grief from his face then rests his hand on Luna’s back and points at the fish with his other hand, he starts to guide her with an smile on his face.

“That one looks pretty deep, you remember what I taught you if you want to catch it right?”

Luna looks back to the water at a large fish “yeah one of the first things you taught me, twist on entry for extra momentum, I have to pierce it’s scales.”

“You got this.” Shin leans up and sparks the joint he just rolled as Luna lunges with her spear stabbing the fish and bringing it out of the water. Water splashes everywhere and Luna cheers in success and she turns to Shin and sees him completely covered in water with the joint in his mouth.

“I thought you’d do that with more finesse.”

They share a laugh, sitting back down as they bag their fish. Shin continues to stare at Luna, once Luna notices she gets embarrassed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She turns her head blushing slightly.

“Its just that you remind me so much of your father. Even the way you get on my ass.” He slightly laughs then begins to roll another joint. “I miss him every day.”

“You act like he’s dead.” Luna says coldly

Shin is surprised by her seriousness then nods “Right, I’m glad you’re keeping that hope. He’s probably just lost at sea.”

Luna finishes bagging up her fish “He said he would always make it home and I believe him. He’s the strongest person I know, even stronger than you.”

Shin smiles at Luna “You don’t gotta tell me kid he was my best friend after all, Still don’t know why Dice gave me the Spear and not him.” Shin looks at the spear

Luna stares at it too. “Probably because of your compassion.”

Shin looks at Luna surprised at the kind words. “Really?”

“Yeah, where my father was rough around the edges and callous, you’re always the more composed and calmer one always thinking ahead and about the next person. My dad definitely saw that too.”

“Yeah, I could never shake that big oof, your dad was a big softie as well You should have seen how he reacted when your mom birthed you two. Our mentor Dice almost taped his mouth closed because he wouldn’t stop talking about you two.”

They share another laugh; Shin then looks into the sky “That’s another name you don’t hear much of nowadays. Dice Mcgullen, an original Tereliva legend. We need a celebration for that guy. Best damn Lancer there was, they probably wouldn’t let us celebrate a “Terrorist” Though.”

Luna groans and rolls her eyes “But today they let us celebrate a “devil”. I don’t know whenever I hear you last gens speak about Dice; I think I get a gray hair. We get it, if it weren’t for Dice and you all we wouldn’t be able to celebrate our traditions and keep our wave broadband as good as it is.”

Shin finishes rolling his joint and lights it “I didn’t say it, you did.” He smirks “but that’s not the half of it. Look, the Valkin might technically own Tereliva but they don’t own its people. That is the ideal he gifted us with. Before the Valkin expansion we were our self-sufficient colony & after decades of bowing to the Valkin he reminded us of it. And Exile is how we repaid him.”

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“I know I was young when all this was happening but I’m sure it was deeper than that though right?

Shin takes a long drag of his joint. “Yeah, but what does it matter, he’s out there by himself, wave-breached. He mentored me and your father, now he’s somewhere going crazy. Nothing poetic about it just cruel.” He sees the worried look on Luna face and decides to change the subject. “How bout we go back to shore, I have to get ready for the Festival soon.”

“Yeah sure.” Luna stands up “I’ll start the engine.”

Spear in hand Shin touches her shoulder stopping her “Don’t bother. Time to show off again.” Shin then dips the shoe of the spear in the water. Wave Particles appear as Shins eyes lit up and the spear shines. He uses the spear to maneuver the boat in the water propelling it to port. The momentum knocks Luna on her seat. once she gains her bearings, she looks around to see that they are moving fast the water jets into the air on both sides of the boat splashing some other people as they rip the waters. People fishing as well as people on the docks and the ground watch as Shin traverse the waters using his Ohgun craft waving at the people, they cheer excited to see something spectacular.

“Even though your too relaxed for my likings you’re a great guy shin and someone who genuinely loves our city. You just need to stop spending so much time in the uppers and come down to the lowers with us. We could use some more morale upkeep here.”

They dock, Shin has a couple short exchanges with the lowers citizens before they go to the market where Luna sells the fish she caught. Shin looks around the market and sees its not able to keep up with the demand of refugees and people coming in. the sight of starving children pierces his heart.

“I heard things have been kinda tough down here since Haven started to expand. But this-I’m honestly shocked.”

“Not enough stuff for everyone. Even my Inn has been packed constantly, I’m not mad at the credits but I don’t like having to turn away families looking for a place to stay.” She walks while counting the phys cred she received from selling the fish.

“If the Inn is doing so well then why are you selling fish? I’m sure you and your sister could have eaten that.”

Luna shifts her eyes at Shin with a smug look on her face and says “Look, like I said Mr. Lancer you’re not down here often. I’m looking to buy a second property to keep up with the rush of people.” Luna starts to smack the creds on her hand. “I’m only a couple hundred creds from my goal and yooooouuuu would have known that if I SEEN YOU MORE THAN A COUPLE MONTHS A TIME!”

Shin is on his heels as Luna angrily leans inside of his personal space his hands raised to protect him from a strike she might throw. He nervously grins “Come on, Luna that’s not fair you know I’ve been busy recently with my Lancer duties.”

“Yeah, well if your so concerned about me and Dani then you can buy us all kinds of food at the festival!” she smiles as she backs up and walks past him turning around, she walks backwards “Then maybe I’ll forgive you.”

Shins rubs the back of his neck and smiles unenthusiastically “Sure, will do.”

They arrive to her Inn which was conveniently placed next to the hydropath to the Uppers.

Shin stares up at the Inn the brown metallic walls and flickering sign, “The Cozy Whale” it sat in between the stone mountain side of the waterfall and fish market but the size of the Inn was huge it almost resembled an apartment complex. It faced the walkway leading to the front of the waterfall and the hydropath, the location was great, and the price was affordable. Luna’s father envisioned it to be a hub for the city where several permanent occupants would stay and since his disappearance Luna has taken ownership. Shin smiles and rubs Lunas head “Keep it up kid!” he stops then turns towards the water fall and walks “I’ll see you at the festival okay? And I’ll get you all the snacks you want.”

“You better!” Luna replies, she looks on as Shin unwraps his spear once again as he gets closer to the water. Tourist and Citizens look on at the cities Lancer as he leaps over the railing. Light blue particles appear again as his eyes light up as well as the spear, he lands on the water’s surface being able to walk on it even though the heavy rapids forming from the impact of the waterfall disrupt it. Beneath him a wave of his own appears floating him upwards. He looks up the waterfall then back to Luna as he nods to her, he then leans forwards and begins to surf up the waterfall past the infrastructure and natural rocks till he shoots over the wall of Upper Tereliva out of Luna’s eyesight.

“Show off.” She says under her breath. She opens the door to the Inn and greets the patrons in the lobby before going to her quarters. She showers and changes into her normal attire of a gray crop top and her dark blue baggy work jeans, she thinks to herself that her sister would kill her if she came out dressed how she normally would to the festival, so she decides to be more festive and wore pants her sister got her jeweled with strings lined with shells and pearls from the rivers floor. It was more flashy than she likes but Dani, her sister was a famous singer performing that day and she needed to fit in with her crowd. she scoffed as she put on my jewels necklaces, rings, bracelets and a tiara. She looked at herself in the mirror I look like a holiday tree. All the girls are going to be looking like this up there. She closed her eyes and shrugged before taking one last look at herself in the mirror. She decides to take off the tiara and replaces it with the headband her father wore remembering his words to stay true to yourself. My sister is the pop idol, I’m the badass Inn Keeper. She gets ready to leave for the Uppers and debates whether to bring the necklace they’re father got for her and her sister. Dani isn’t really sentimental like that, but the last festival was 9 years ago when dad was still here. She hesitates before committing to bringing them. She rushes out of the door and waits at the hydropath not all of us have a cool weapon that lets us surf waterfalls Shin Hitsujin.

After a short ride through the interconnecting tubes that is the hydropath she gets to the Uppers. She stares on at all the elegant designs and sculptures of aquatic creatures, the architecture of the buildings with water moving around them defying physics. It was truly captivating every time she lay her eyes on it. She walked the path that reached to the house her sister was staying as she approached Luna saw a classy middle-aged woman having her assistant pack a buggy.

“Councilwoman Mather are you not staying for the festival?”

“Oh Luna dear of course I am. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. This is just pre-packing and please just call me Mrs. Mathers.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And now who do you have watching the Inn while your gone.

“I have Ronnie taking over while I go.”

“Oh you slave driver! Making that poor boy work while you have fun.” She snickers jabbing fun at Luna

“Yeah well I had to pay him double I think he’ll get over it.” She jabs fun back

“Yes, I know I can’t miss one of these. We campaigned forever to get our name and heritage back.”

“Oh not you too.” Luna sighs to herself. “I just had to hear Shin praise Dice Mcgullen for half an hour about the city’s pride but the Lowers is looking worse than ever. What are we doing about that Councilwoman?

“Oh Luna you would be better off as a politician with me. Same thing I told your father when we were young but he would rather follow behind that nuisance Dice and play with swords. Honestly, I thought once he got the Inn he would of moved up here to the Uppers, but-“

“The Lowers is closer to the waters.” Luna says along with Mrs. Mathers repeating a phrase coined by Luna’s Father

“He loves the water doesn’t he dear?”

“He does. And thank you.”

“I’m sure he’s out there. Look, we know about the crisis in the Lowers and we’re working on a solution.”

“Hopefully one fast because I don’t know how much longer we can deal with the overpopulation down there before it starts to flow up here.”

The assistant packing the vehicle cuts his eyes at Luna as she discusses the Lowers, Mrs. Mathers notices her assistant’s demeanor and takes Luna a few steps farther from vehicle. She speaks under her breathe to Luna.

“Luna, I have known you and your sister since you were born. Your going to have to trust me on this, solutions are being made but times are going to get worse from here. What I need you to do is to keep everyone under control for a little while longer until we strike a deal. They listen to you.”

“With all due respect Mrs. Mathers your not gonna use me to suppress the Lowers, your gonna have to let me in on what going on. What deal are you talking about?”

Mrs. Mather looks back over to her assistant then to Luna. “Most of the Valkin authority is going to leave Tereliva soon along with majority of their sanctions.”

“That’s great news then that means we can have more freedoms, right?”

“Yes but they are also going to be taking their funding as well.”

“What?! But they have to know what that will do to us.”

“Yes and that’s why the council is leaving to the Valkin Capitol to plead to the King.”

“plead?! You mean beg?! They come here force us into submission, Study how our city runs and abandons us! Don’t think I don’t know what this is! It’s that fake their building in the East. Once they make their own Tereliva there going to let ours die, is that!?”

“Luna please lower your voice.” She rest her hand on her shoulder “I owe It to the city to make sure it gets what it needs if that means to beg a little than so be it, but Tereliva has never once fallen and it won’t now. Wow, you really went off, didn’t you? Reminded me of your old man in his younger days.”

Luna calms down taking a breath “my dad in his younger days, funny to hear he had a temper. I never saw it.” Luna looks down and kicks at the ground “I just don’t like how they go around taking over nations just to leech off them, dad told me that’s why my grandfather moved here from the Belmouth they were going through the same thing.”

“It was across the continent they conquered, I always forget your from the Shoto Tribe aren’t you? Born fishermen? Your father is a ruffian, but he has pure intentions I’m glad to see it trickle down to his daughters.”

Luna smiles to Mrs. Mathers “Thank you again, you always talk about him as if he’s still alive.” She begins to walk towards the front door. “Do you know if everyone is ready to go? I know my sister can take forever.”

“last thing I heard was her asking that son of mine if her dress matched her eyes and of course he said the wrong thing.” She turns back to her assistant “I don’t know what she sees in that boy.”

To Be Continued…