“Snake Prince,” The NPC says pointing to The Snake Prince
The Snake Prince is a massive and muscular man with tan skin and long black hair. Wearing nothing but a pair of sandals and red shorts that stop above his knee as he sits on a throne of gold and a deep purple colored fabric. Portions of his flesh are covered with dark red scales that sparkle as the light hits them. His forearms are entirely covered in scales and silver bracelets that end with two hands which are more claws than fingers. A silver chain with a circular medallion featuring a coiled snake sits on his chest. For all intents and purposes, he appears to be a prince from an old school film set in the Middle East. He doesn’t seem to fit the cyberpunk motif but a lot of stuff we came across in The Badlands didn’t fit either.
“Ah, a friend of reptiles,” The Snake Prince stands to give Daamin a strong handshake and hug as if they had been friends for a long time.
“An honor,” Daamin truly seems excited meeting someone else who had reptile DNA spliced, even if The Snake Prince is an NPC.
“Goddess Kay,” The Snake Prince bows to Kay and kisses her hand. Kay blushes and giggles causing Daamin to look annoyed.
“Greetings, I hope that we can be friends,” The Snake Prince extends his hand to me.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Alexandre, but you can call me,” I don’t get to finish my sentence before he moves on to Kai.
“Hello beautiful,” He bows as he greets Kai. “If I did not know better, I would assume you to be one the Goddess’s creations. Your beauty is simply unmatched,” The Snake Prince kisses Kai’s hand.
Kai stares at me in shock, “hello,” he responds.
I can spot Kay’s face, a combination of rage and shock as she looks on. The Snake Prince gives us the introduction about how he came to be. He was importing illegal snakes and his truck collided with another carrying some radioactive waste. I don’t need Daamin to tell me that’s Daredevil or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m young enough to remember the film theory of them both being born from the same accident. I’m more concerned about the dynamics of our group shifting. I’m a complete nonfactor at the moment, and I’m fine with that. However, The Snake Prince seems to be in love with Kai who is disturbed. Kay seems angry at Kai for taking the attention of The Snake Prince and Daamin seems to be upset that Kay is obviously in love with The Snake Prince. This is a love square that I want nothing to do with. Kai appears to look like he just wants to get out of here.
“Hey do you know where the code is,” Kai interrupts The Snake Prince, getting to the point.
“I do not know where the code is, but I shall find it if you desire it,” The Snake Prince promises with another bow. “For now, relieve yourself of any worries. Please, enjoy my kingdom. Although it is meek, it provides all that you would need and more.”
We’re ushered away quickly by NPCs before we can discuss what we’ve heard. Kay seems to be loving the situation, but Daamin is visibly bothered. Usually, he doesn’t take things hard and bounces back pretty quickly so this might be a long term issue if it’s not dealt with soon enough.
When we finally stop we’re several floors below the surface. A massive Japanese style hot spring takes up this floor with a wall separating men and women. Daamin and I are separated from Kay and Kai. I get a chuckle as Kai fights off the NPCs and proclaims his manhood.
“I am a man, get your hands off me,” Kai snatches away from an NPC. “I said get off me, you’re climbing up the wrong cherry tree,” Kai squares up to launch a punch before they give in.
I’m the first one out of the locker rooms and flinch as I enter the hot springs. It had to be a woman who came up with the idea of hot spring, they’re the only people who like water this hot. I place my wet towel on the stones and sink a little lower into the spring. To my surprise the stab wound is instantly healed and I’m given a health buff. Kai reaches the spring and nearly loses his mind at the heat.
“Stop being scared, it’s relaxing once you’ve spent a few seconds in here,” I offer him my hand. “You can hold my hand if you’re scared,” I laugh.
“I’m not scared,” he flings his towel aside, giving me a full moon and easing into the water.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“You didn’t need to flash me,” I look away.
“56% of men have signs of body dysmorphia but don’t know how to express. You should see a therapist about getting over your body issues. It’s a video game, it’s not even your real body.”
“I don’t need to see a therapist when I’ve got you,” I laugh.
Daamin joins us after some time, still moping. Kai and I whisper about who is going to bring up the topic because neither of us wants to be the guy. I already had the Leukemia talk with him and apparently Kia doesn’t know how to deal with happy people.
“Kay is a real pervert,” I dodge the topic entirely.
“What,” Daamin asks.
“She’s got us naked in a secret hot spring underground separated by a fence with obvious peepholes in it,” I point out.
“I didn’t even notice the peephole,” Kai laughs. “She’s really putting those groin and chest sliders to use.”
“I don’t know anything about that. I’m not sneaking any peeks.”
“There’s a guy in the locker room, just walking around with no towel. Can’t miss it. I don’t even have that much in game, let alone real life.”
“Kai are you sure I’m a prude? I think you might just be a little too open. You might be a, what do you call it? A lecher. You’re a lecher.”
“I’m going to pretend I know what means and be offended,” Kai pouts in an exaggerated manner, crossing his arms.
After a few glances with Kai I give in, “Daamin, aren’t you supposed to tell us this was from anime or something?”
Daamin sighs, “It’s from Dragon Ball Z. The episode where Goku is running snake way and comes across The Snake Princess’ castle and she tries to keep him there with food and comforts but he manages to escape,” he answers with none of the usual enthusiasm.
“Is it about Kay,” I just rip the bandage off.
“She was all over him,” Daamin smacks the water drawing attention from a few others. “Why would she do that? I was right there?”
“How long have you two been a thing?”
“Since you flatlined and Kai went chasing after.”
“I want to tell you, it’s just a game, but your feelings are real. I’ve been cheated on before, a few different times. It’s not easy to deal with.”
“We spent all night together. We made promises,” Daamin is clearly upset.
“Hey, don’t get down. She’s looking, but she hasn’t done anything. Everyone looks. But she still loves you,” I’m lying. I don’t think Kay is capable of love. I think she has a reptile fetish and that’s it.
We don’t discuss much else before we’re told to exit the springs because Dinner is ready. We’re each equipped with a formal kimono as we enter the banquet hall. I’m thinking Kay may be obsessed with anime as well. We’re instructed to take a seat on cushions around a large table. Daamin chooses to put Kai and I between his seat and Kay who doesn’t seem to notice as I’m sitting right next to her and she hasn’t called me an asshole. We’re joined by several men almost as large and muscular as The Snake Prince. Some wear kimonos, others lack shirts. Each has a portion of their body replaced with obvious snake parts; a hand here, eyes there, scales across shoulders. One lacks legs, his lower body instead a snake’s tail made up of scales, lights and various electronic parts. He coils his tail and takes a seat at the table. The lust in Kay’s eyes is undeniable. The Snake Prince introduces the other men as his council of intelligence, hard at work searching for the code. We’re instructed to eat each dish together as it is introduced by the guest.
“Are you enjoying the food my darling,” The Snake Price stares into Kai’s eyes.
“It’s wonderful,” Kay answers the question not meant for her.
As dinner finishes The Snake Prince asks Kai, “Would you like to share my chamber for tonight?”
“I’ll pass,” Kai answers with no hesitation.
“I understand, you wish to relax with your friends this evening. Perhaps soon, you will chose to join me,” The Snake Prince winks as he’s escorted out.
Kai, Daamin and I are taken to a room with three mattress pads lined up on a wooden floor. I’ve never slept on a mattress pad before, but it’s more comfortable than I expected. Kai and I joke about The Snake Prince’s advances and how nice it is to have a real vacation.
“Will you guys stop,” Daamin sighs.
“Sorry to get you down,” Kai jokes.
“Chill, he’s heartbroken,” I’m serious.
“It’s not like you two would know what that means,” Daamin says.
“I’ve been in love before, and I’ve been hurt before too,” I respond. “I even took it out on my friends like you’re doing right now. I just want you to know, we support you and we’re here to talk if you need us.”
“Alright,” Kai has finally decided to speak up. “Love comes and goes in many different forms throughout life. One of the saddest kinds of love is the kind where you do everything you can to make a person love you and they just never will even if they’re perfect for you. It hurts a lot, a pain that you carry with you forever just knowing they’ll never have those mutual feelings. But you’ve past that, you fell and love and gave it a shot. It didn’t work so you have to move on,” Kai is great at this stuff. “You feel bad right now, and that’s good. It’s a sign that you still feel, a sign that you’re still here in the present.”
“Well said Kai,” I respond.
“It’s easy for you two to give advice on love when you’re so gay for each other and don’t even know it,” Daamin laughs.
“Man, you’re being a real jerk,” I respond.
Kai responds with by smashing a pillow over Daamin’s head with an almost lethal amount of force. I can’t believe I’m about to have a pillow fight at 30 is all I can think of as Daamin launches pillows at Kai and I. The pillow almost takes my neck off when I feel another smash into my abdomen. I don’t remember pillows landing so hard when I was young. I retaliate with a swing taking Daamin’s legs from beneath him. Only for Kai to betray me with a pillow to the back. It’s a vicious fight and there’s no winner at the end but it seems like Daamin managed to good some frustration out.