The Humo Robinson drifted listlessly through the clouds. The large airship had every facility a bounty hunting businessman could want: gym, armory, spa, the works. Quarters were large, four of them designed to carry up to fifteen people each. The walls of each of the bedrooms were covered in wanted posters of bounties Shaska had brought in, some reaching as high as a million losas. Schwarz and the couple, being the only crew members at the moment, had the luxury of a room to themselves for the time being. Shaska’s private quarters lay at the back of the gondola, containing a pool for her to swim in, as well as a large, impenetrable vault housing her fortune.
The tiny crew stood around the bridge’s steering wheel. An uneasy silence hung in the air, heavy with the weight of what had happened in Zenya and the loss of nearly the entire crew. The ship, once bustling with life, now felt eerily empty.
“Is it really smart to sail the skies with just four of us?” Schwarz asked, frowning. “Especially when half of us can’t even use Aether?”
“What is Aether, anyway?” Roxanne asked, scratching her chin. “I’ve heard of it, and I’ve heard of its uses, but what is it?”
“Aether’s Caldris’s lifeblood,” Shaska explained. “It seeps out of the planet’s core, and some people, adepts, can harness it to boost their strength or power machinery. Like the motors on the Robinson—they’re all Aether-powered.
“Anyway, it takes a certain amount of physical training to harness Aether. Not just any random schmuck can use it. However, there’s a level beyond just harnessing Aether. And that’s potentia. Potentia abilities can do basically anything, but any one person has only one potentia power.”
Shaska blew smoke, then held up her hand. Water vapor from the air began to condense around her fingers, then hardened into ice, before finally melting again. Andy had stars in his eyes out of amazement.
“This is mine. It’s called ‘Aqua Bulla’,” Shaska continued. “I can manipulate water on a molecular level using the power of the Aether in my body. Everyone has their own potentia ability that they can develop once they master harnessing Aether, but for most people, it only occurs after significant mental anguish.”
“And what happened to you…?” Andy asked, tilting his head.
Shaska blew smoke in his face, scoffing and exclaiming “like I’d tell you! We just met! Frankly, explaining your potentia ability to someone is something you do only if you’re friendly or if you know for a fact you’re about to kill them with it.”
“Aether and Aether mastery was also responsible for starting the Holy Order of Serenicus,” Schwarz explained. “Not that I believe in any Serenicus, but they say He was able to use any potentia He could imagine to perform miracles, but He was so humble, He would only use His power to help instead of hurt, and often in mundane ways…”
“Except the part where He supposedly came back from the dead after being hanged for heresy,” Shaska added.
“Oh, we know all about Serenicus,” said Roxanne with a smile. She held up the sapphire pendant around her neck; it was in the shape of a noose, with a sapphire set in where the hanging victim’s head would go. “Andy and I are lifelong Serenists. Got married in a Serenist temple and everything.”
Shaska and Schwarz looked at each other, then at the couple. “Alright…” Schwarz muttered.
“Well, how are you going to do your bounty hunting now?” Andy asked, changing the subject. “You don’t have your business and surely you’ll be arrested on the spot if you try to bring in a capture.”
“When you have enough money, you’re above the law,” said Shaska, flicking ash off her cigar. “However, there’s no chance I’m digging into my coffers to pay back what I supposedly ‘owe’ the feds. So, here’s the plan, we’re going after the biggest, baddest criminals out there—and we’re bringing them all in at once.”
“That sounds a lot harder than just paying your debt,” Schwarz said, raising an eyebrow.
“Maybe, but it’s way more fun,” Shaska replied with a grin. “I thought you were the adventurous type, uh… what’s your name again, Blondie?”
“Schwarz Eisenberg,” Schwarz responded. “And adventure is nice, but I’m really–”
“Schwartz, got it. Sure, we can catch that guy. Eventually. But right now I’m talking about heavy hitters like Bensieg or Luckiano. Getting even one of those guys and their organizations would make my problems go away instantly.”
Everyone else’s jaws dropped.
“Wait, are you seriously talking about the Three Kings? The most dangerous crime lords in all of Losan?” Schwarz’s voice rose with disbelief.
“Yeah, even us small-town folks know those names,” Andy chimed in, wide-eyed. “Bensieg, Luckiano, and Alphonse? They’re the top of the underworld food chain!”
“We’ll work our way up to it,” Shaska casually responded.
“By the way, what did you do with that Varney guy?” Roxanne asked.
“We have a morgue on the Robinson to keep our bounties fresh in case we kill them. Ninja guy here’s gonna turn him and collect next time we encounter a certified station. According to the charts the turncoat navigator left behind, the closest one is in Gokashi, which shouldn’t be too far away by airship.”
“But, wait, Gokashi? That’s Alphonse’s stomping ground!” Schwarz exclaimed. “He’s the nastiest mob boss in Losan’s midwest!”
“It’s fine,” Shaska casually said.
The crew stood there in silence for a moment, before Andy piped up with “so… just how rich are you, big la–Shaska?”
“Rich enough,” was her curt reply.
----------------------------------------
Several hours passed, and Schwarz continued manning the steering wheel, bored. This time, he was alone with Andy. The air was quiet, the only noise being the quiet hum of the Robinson’s engines keeping it moving. Shaska and Roxanne entered the room again after spending some time on their own business to pass the time.
“Hey, mind if I take the wheel?” Andy asked.
“I’m not sure if that’s the best idea, but go ahead. I’ll take over again if something serious happens.”
Andy stepped forward and took the wheel.
“Does this plebeian have any personality outside his cooking and his wife? I have to know…” Schwarz thought.
“So, how long have you and ol’ Roxie been married?” he asked.
“Only I’m allowed to call her that,” Andy responded, completely dead serious. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, got married three years ago.”
“Neat,” said Schwarz.
“You asked,” Andy replied bluntly.
“I’m just trying to make small talk. I’m not very experienced at dealing with the working class. Play any instruments? I’m a guitar player myself.”
“Nope.”
There was an awkward silence.
“Look, I see what you’re trying to do, Schwarz.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, you don’t have to make awkward conversation for us to be friends, it’ll happen naturally now that we’re on the same crew,” Andy said with a smile.
Schwarz was shocked and slightly touched by his candor.
“That’s how it goes in all those adventure stories I read as a kid, anyway.”
Schwarz paused, then said, “hey, go get one of the mattresses from the dormitories, I wanna show you something.”
Andy gave Schwarz the wheel back and obliged.
After Andy brought the mattress back and placed it down on the deck, Schwarz went down, then spawned a hole and placed it over Andy’s head, then spawned another one right under Andy’s feet, causing him to start falling infinitely.
“WOOOOOO!” he cried as he fell.
After he’d decided Andy had had enough, Schwarz tilted the top hole and aimed it at the mattress, sending Andy crashing into it. Andy got up and was overjoyed and laughed, exclaiming “that hole power of yours is super cool! Let’s do that again!”
Schwarz and Andy kept playing while Shaska and Roxanne watched.
Roxanne chuckled, glancing at Shaska. “Men, huh?”
Shaska gave a half-smile, her gaze distant. “Yeah…” she muttered, though something in her tone was heavier than her words.
----------------------------------------
After a few more hours, night fell, and the crew was soon in the skies near the city of Gokashi. The skyline was covered with skyscrapers and other tall buildings. The city could be seen from miles away thanks to the dazzling lights.
The Humo Robinson landed on the outskirts of the city, on the south side, known to the locals as “Salt Town”, with the rich, upper crust northern side being known as “Sugar City”. Salt Town stretched out in front of them, a wasteland of crumbling buildings and graffiti-covered walls. Most of the street lamps flickered weakly, casting long shadows on the cracked pavement. A few stragglers lurked in the alleyways, their clothes stained and reeking of skunk as the scent of decay clung to the air.
As the crew disembarked from the airship, Schwarz piped up with “why are we landing here? This place is a shithole.”
“Makes things more interesting,” Shaska responded, to which Schwarz rolled his eyes.
“Alright, men and…” Shaska began before blanking out.
“Roxanne.”
“Got it, ‘don’t stand so close to me’.”
Roxanne looked confused and backed up.
“Here’s the plan,” Shaska said, taking charge. “I’ll guard the ship. Pretty boy, you’re taking the body to the feds. You two, find us a vacant building for a new base. Use the money you get from the bounty to scout around for talent. We’re good on supplies after our last stop, but we really need some extra muscle, capisce?”
“Capisce,” Schwarz replied.
“This place is kinda creepy…” Roxanne muttered, glancing around.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Andy threw an arm around her shoulders. “That’s the fun of it, Roxie! Adventures are supposed to be scary—it’s what makes them exciting!”
“Enough chatter, everyone,” Shaska said. “Earn your pay.”
Shaska dragged a chair from the gondola’s deck and set it down at the base of the Robinson. With a glass of bootlegged wine in one hand and the newspaper in the other, she leaned back, her eyes scanning the desolate streets. Despite the gloom of Salt Town, she looked perfectly at ease.
----------------------------------------
Schwarz walked the streets of Salt Town carrying Varney’s dead body. Despite Varney’s large frame, Schwarz moved him around effortlessly thanks to the Aether enhancing his strength. He glanced at the distant skyscrapers, their bright lights a stark contrast to the decay of Salt Town. Here, beggars huddled in alleys, drunks stumbled through the streets, and the air was thick with the skunky stench of smoke from cracked pipes.
The abject poverty made Schwarz think back to his own childhood, which was the exact opposite of the situation in Salt Town. He had grown up privileged as the scion of the Eisenberg steel magnate in the province of Sylpen, surrounded by servants in a posh mansion.
“Come play with me, big bro!” called out a little voice.
Schwarz paused for a second, as every time that thought of his little sister, Noire, came up, it was soon followed by:
“Big bro… it hurts…” Noire’s voice was faint, her small frame drenched in blood. Her wide, tear-filled eyes searched for his, desperate.
Schwarz clenched his jaw, shaking his head sharply. Ten years, and the memory still cut as deep as the day it happened–just before the start of the Great War, and he’d still yet to find hide nor hair of the man who murdered his family; all he had was a newspaper clipping of the event, a massive scar on his chest, and a wanted poster for the assassin, Cazimir (worth ninety-eight thousand losas), a gruff looking man with numerous scars on his face.
Schwarz was interrupted from his reverie by a man dressed in a suit far too nice for this part of town. He was not-too-subtly hiding a switchblade.
“Excuse me, bub!” exclaimed the man in the suit. “Couldn’t help but notice that dead body you’re carrying!”
“What’s it to you, plebeian?”
The gangster flicked open his switchblade with a sneer. “You’re on Salt Town Shark turf, bub. Roughest gang in this part of town. Hand over your losas—and that bounty—or this gets messy.”
“Hm. Couldn’t cut it in the Valentines in Sugar City, huh?” Schwarz jeered.
The gangster was enraged by this, and promptly stabbed at Schwarz. Schwarz, in kind, dropped Varney’s body, then grabbed the gangster’s knife wrist in one hand, then swiftly drew his sword, Umbra Lux, in the other, and quickly stabbed the gangster in the gut.
As the gangster collapsed, bleeding out into the street, Schwarz wiped his blade clean and sheathed it, his expression calm as he picked up Varney’s body once more. “Typical,” he muttered, glancing at the crumbling buildings around him. “This place reeks of desperation and crime.” He paused, frowning slightly. “I hope Andy and Roxanne are handling things.”
----------------------------------------
Andy and Roxanne were not okay, as they were in a similar situation, but with a sharp dressed man brandishing a revolver.
“You’re on Bulls turf now, gotta pay the toll, guys. Unless youse guys want anything bad to happen…”
“Well,” said Andy, holding up his hands. “Was not expecting to get mugged on our first stop on our grand adventure.”
“Is this place really good for business?” Roxanne thought, holding up her hands as well.
“I said, gimme your money,” the mugger growled. “New arrivals gotta pay… protection money. Never know when a Shark might get you…”
“Oh, darling, there are far worse things in Salt Town than Bulls and Sharks…” purred an effeminate voice. Before the mugger could react, he was sent flying through a nearby wall, courtesy of a towering, bald, dark-skinned man in a bright pink suit and rectangular glasses. The man stood over the wreckage, dusting off his hands with a flourish.
Andy and Roxanne stood there in shock. “Are you sweethearts okay?” asked the effeminate man. “The crime in this area is terrible. Tch, you’d think a city with a fed headquarters would be safer…”
“We’re fine, thanks to you,” said Roxanne. “Who are you exactly?”
“Charles Lulupo, wandering mercenary, at your service!”
“And based off that lisp, one of those queers…” Andy muttered.
“Andy! Don’t be rude to our–” Roxanne started to growl at her husband.
“Indeed, my good man!” Lulupo interrupted with a flourish. He removed his glasses with a flourish, and in an instant, his head sprouted a long, flowing mane of hair. In the blink of an eye, he now looked like an imposing, elegant woman in a tailored suit. “I sell my fists and these sssssshapely legs for losas, darling—so I can make my way to the land of Orinoca, where only those with the heart of a maiden belong!”
“Wait… I’ve read about that place. It’s a country inhabited entirely by women somewhere in the far east…” Roxanne said.
“If it’s entirely women, though…” Andy wondered. He shook his head, then continued with “and the hair thing?”
“That’s the power of my potentia, my dear! I call it Capillus Reginae!”
He formed his hair into the shape of a hand and caressed Andy’s chin with it. “I can grow and manipulate my body hair at will.”
“Potentia powers are so cool,” Andy said, turning to Roxanne with stars in his eyes.
“So, you’re hired muscle, then, big guy? Perfect!” Andy continued. “Our boss wanted us to find more crew members! I’m Andy, and this is my wife, Roxanne!”
“Hmm… and what kind of business do you two do?”
“Well… we used to run a bar and grill back in Zenya…” said Roxanne.
“A bar? You mean a speakeasy?” Lulupo asked.
Roxanne thought back to all the losas she paid to the cops to keep selling beer, then said “yeeeeessssss…”
“Right now though, we’re working for someone named Shaska!” Andy exclaimed.
Lulupo’s eyes shot open at that as he retracted his hair and put his glasses back on. “Shaska? The bounty hunting business woman on the run for tax evasion?”
“That’s her, yeah!” Andy said, beaming.
“Yes… news of her financial crimes made quite a splash in the underworld this morning…” Lulupo said. “Hm… she isn’t a mobster per se, but she is a rather cutthroat businesswoman…”
“And fifty thousand if things go south…” he added internally with a smirk.
“Hmmm… I’ll join you two for the time being. If nothing else, you darlings need some protection!”
“But… we can’t pay right now…” Roxanne said.
“Oh, don’t worry, I always get paid, one way or another…” Lulupo said with a sly smile.
Andy and Roxanne exchanged nervous glances, but agreed to go with the effeminate man.
----------------------------------------
Schwarz left the fed office at the border between Salt Town and Sugar City counting his stack of losa bills. “It’s real horsefeathers that they take thirty percent off for dead bounties.”
He started scratching the back of his head. “It was really optimistic of Shaska to let those two go wandering around a crime-ridden city without an escort. I guess it’s been a while since she was last here. I should go look for them. Or. Better idea.”
He pulled out his hand radio and tuned to Roxanne’s frequency. “Hey, Roxanne…?”
“What’s up?” Roxanne asked
“Just checking on you two. This place is hokum.”
“It’s okay!” Andy chimed in. “We met this really strong guy and he agreed to help us!”
“Charmed. I’m Charles Lulupo, darling.”
“Alright then,” said Schwarz. “You guys meet me back at the Robinson and we’ll get Shaska’s next orders.”
“Got it. Over,” said Roxanne, putting her radio away.
Schwarz put his radio away and the money in his pocket. He headed off back toward the outskirts of Salt Town. He walked past only one dark alley before being ambushed by yet another gangster, this one wearing different colors to the last one.
“Gotta pay the toll when you’re on Bulls turf, bub,” said the knife wielding mugger.
“Wrong move,” Schwarz said flatly, seizing the mugger’s wrist and driving his fist into the man’s gut. The knife clattered to the ground as the thug doubled over. Schwarz quickly picked up the knife and held it at the gangster’s throat. “Was mugging someone carrying a sword really your best idea?”
“Stop!” called a voice from the opposite dark alley.
A young, swarthy man in a doctor’s coat and cut off suit pants ran toward Schwarz and his would-be assailant. He was fairly short, only a bit over five and a half feet tall.
“Pancetta!” exclaimed the doctor. “What have I told you about picking fights with bounty hunters?”
“That I shouldn’t do i–”
“That you shouldn’t do it!”
The doctor slapped the gangster across the face, leaving a mark. “I may be as close to a miracle worker as you can get, but even I can’t fix a knife in the throat!”
“A miracle worker, huh?” Schwarz wondered aloud. “Hey, you looking for a new business to join? Ours could really use a medic.”
“Are you nuts?” the doctor responded. “If I left, the body count in this gang war would be doubled! Tripled if the Valentines get involved! I’m not going anywhere until my brothers stop fighting!”
----------------------------------------
“Gang war? Brothers?” asked Andy.
Lulupo continued walking with Andy and Roxanne right behind him. “Indeed, there’s quite the turf war brewing between the Sharks and the Bulls. Led by two delightful brothers—Maiale and Prosciutto Abbiati.” Lulupo flicked a speck of dust off his suit. “I’ve kept my ear to the ground here for a while as I travel from odd job to odd job around Gokashi… cars don’t pay for themselves, after all.
“Their older brother, Capicola, died not too long ago, leaving Maiale and Prosciutto to split into two rival gangs to battle it out over the territory. Salt Town’s extreme poverty doesn’t lead to much else for young men except joining a gang or the feds. Quite sad, in my opinion. On top of that is the looming threat of Alphonse’s Valentine Gang in Sugar City. At the moment, word on the street is that they’re biding their time for one gang to win before they swoop in and take over Salt Town virtually unopposed.
“And their poor little brother, Carne, is a doctor who refuses to join a side and helps the gangsters fight another day.”
----------------------------------------
“So your name is Carne and you refuse to take either of your brothers’ sides?” asked Schwarz, scratching his chin.
“What, are you deaf? That’s what I just got done telling you,” said an annoyed Carne. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a patient with a bruised gut to attend to.”
“Wait!” exclaimed Schwarz, digging through his pocket. He pulled out the wad of cash he got from the feds. “Would you do it for ten thousand losas?”
Carne’s eyebrow raised at that, causing him to manually lower it with his finger.
“Sorry. I’m not going anywhere until someone wins,” Carne said, shaking his head. “I was with Capicola after he was mortally wounded by the Valentines. He told me to do anything I could to keep Maiale and Prosciutto together. But I couldn’t. Now all I can do is keep the body count low.
“C’mon, Pancetta, let’s get you some ice.” Carne helped the gangster leave as he continued to clutch his stomach in pain.
----------------------------------------
“Anyone else think these guys sound really tasty?” Andy wondered aloud as they met back up with Schwarz in front of the airship.
“I’m not sure I want to know what you mean by that,” said Schwarz.
The four gathered in front of Shaska, a gentle breeze blowing behind them in the dark of the Gokashi night.
“Good evening. Miss Shaska, I presume?” asked Lulupo. “It’s truly an honor to meet such a famo–”
“Cut the crap, cue ball. You here for a job? What do you got?” Shaska interrupted with a puff of her cigar.
Lulupo was taken aback by Shaska’s brashness, but collected himself quickly and explained his situation as a mercenary.
“...however, my rates aren’t cheap, I–”
Schwarz cut him off by throwing his big wad of cash on the ground. Shaska’s eyes turned into losa signs and she reflexively reached for it herself.
“Will twenty grand cover it?” Schwarz asked.
“Indeed it will, darling,” said Lulupo, eyes also becoming losa signs before he blinked.
“So, are we done here?” asked Shaska, eyes turning back to normal. “We got our new muscle, let’s head for the Piscomare Kingdom.”
“Actually, Shaska,” said Roxanne, “we still haven’t found a location for our business. I don’t think Salt Town is a good idea, though. We should try Sugar Ci–”
“Shshsh…” Shaska interrupted, raising a finger to Roxanne’s lips. Roxanne was starting to see why Shaska’s previous crew left her.
Schwarz interjected as well. “Actually, there’s someone else we could hire in Salt Town. A doctor.”
A low rumble, like the sound of a large vehicle, could be heard in the distance. However, the motley crew was too wrapped up in their conversation to pay attention to it.
“Oh?”
“But he’s involved in a gang war, says he won’t leave until it’s over.”
“Ah, I’ve got it. You know what these gangsters need? Jobs! Nothing fixes crime like a good paycheck. That’s where you two come in!” Shaska exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Andy and Roxanne. “You two open up two separate restaurants and give them enough jobs so they won’t need to sell drugs or mug people anymore.”
Before Shaska could continue, however, out of nowhere, blindingly fast, came a massive land vehicle, similar to the tanks used in the Great War, except much bigger, the size of a small building, even. The large metal vehicle was bordered on either side by rapidly spinning tank treads, and the rest was made entirely of metal. It barrelled up the highway, propelled by what looked like a rocket, crushing the cars and people in its way and leaving a gash in the envelope of the Humo Robinson, breaking the boards that supported the envelope and causing it to collapse somewhat.
Shaska glanced up at the gash in the Robinson’s envelope, her expression unfazed. “Hm. Hm. Yeah… they’re definitely paying for that,” she muttered, taking another drag from her cigar and blowing smoke.
The giant vehicle crashed its way through the town on its tank treads, knocking over buildings, before finally stopping about half a mile into Salt Town. The vehicle’s walls unfolded to reveal what was actually a wrestling ring surrounded by stands full of screaming fans. Aether-powered light posts were included, illuminating the ring as bright as day.
“LUCHA! LUCHA! LUCHA!” the audience cheered.
“Interesting…” said Shaska, getting a good look at the flag above the ring. “Skull with two crossed dumbbells behind it: the mark of the Squared Circle Gang. Led by Gil Fernandez, worth a good hundred thousand losas.”
She looked down at her employees’ confused faces.
“Bounty hunters gotta know this stuff,” she nonchalantly replied with a puff of her cigar. Her expression turned from one of annoyance to resolution. “New plan. Married couple. Get as many snacks as you can carry.”
She turned to Schwarz and Lulupo.
“Us three. We’re gonna spend some time in that ring and get us another bounty.”