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Dawn Chips
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“Pierre, as soon as you can focus, try and get Dotti’s seal off,” I say. “I don’t want to find out what happens if she’s hurt while it’s on.”
“Yes, my Lady!” Pierre confirms.
Dotti, nestled between Pierre and Raelynn, lets out a war gekker.
I instruct Kayk to comes in for a landing as safely as she can. The longer we fly against these winds, the weaker she’ll be in a fight. If worst comes to worst, I want Kayk as strong as she can be. Rae and Taranis are to guard Pierre.
“Want me to Godmother your armor on right now?” Landi asks. “And, uh, maybe be ready to ‘help’ Pierre?”
“No to both,” I tell her. “If Ventura wanted to kill us… she could have. Sweet Savior, I never considered a wind Djinn trying to blow us off Kayk. I need combat-grade harnesses. The slowfall spells in my jewelry won’t save me from being dashed on the rocks by a determined Djinn.
“I could have dusted you up to slow you down even more,” Landi says, but we both know that would only realistically worked on me. Dotti, Rae and Pierre would be too far for Landi to catch up. Once knocked off Kayk, even with their slowfall bracelets they’d be at the mercy a Djinn completely in her element.
The moment we’re on the ground, the winds fall silent. There’s a soft crackle of electricity, a rush of air forms a vortex in front of us, then a whirlwind of blue coalesces into the form of a smirking woman. Pierre does his best to ignore it as he focuses on Dotti, who remains dutifully seated on the ground.
“He-llo again, Landi dearest!” the Djinn booms. Her voice is a thunderclap of grandiosity and excitement fused together. “It has been far too long. I haven’t had the chance to catch up with you someplace private. All those times you’ve been using my panties have been so busy. A dragon’s lair, a Marquess’s ball? Ah, but now we can talk! How have you been? Quite well, I imagine, with the company you’re keeping these days. A wealthy Lady, a lovely baker, a fluffy fox bed? You’d want for nothing with them at your side.”
“Ventura? You’re… not angry at me?” Landi asks, uncertain.
“Anger is such a horrid emotion. It dulls the senses, narrows the sight. No, I am not angry with you,” Ventura says, her eyes wild, teeth glimmering. “It would be so ill-mannered of me to be upset over your little prank. It was a tad unsporting of me to wear buff spells to a strip poker game, wasn’t it? Well, I merely expected you to return my lucky panties in due time. Here I am to collect!”
There’s a clacking of beads behind me and a relieved sigh from Dotti. Pierre immediately steps back from her and shrinks behind Raelynn, trying to be as small as possible. Dotti, released from her shackles, is bristling with energy so strong even I can feel it pressing against me. Behind her physical tail, I think I even see the faint outline of two ethereal tails. Or is it three?
“Uh, Serah?” Landi asks. “We can give Ventura her panties back, right?”
I nod. “Give their, ah, wielder a moment to try and focus on preparing for the bad luck, and get some more distance from Dotti. Then you can godmother them off.”
“You’re aware of the bad-luck hangover, I see,” Ventura giggles. “Very nasty, isn’t it, Lady Kensington?”
“Quite,” I say. “Ah, forgive me, but you appear to have me at a disadvantage. You appear to know my title, but I am not as familiar with yours.”
“Landi doesn’t talk of me? For shame!” Ventura tut-tuts. “I am Ventura, Spirit of Western Winds, bringer of wealth and good fortune. My gifts sail ships, water crops, and turn seasons. I must apologize for delaying you, but those panties are quite helpful at parties. Even the best of us need a little help getting lucky with the men. They can be so obtuse when we flirt, yes?”
“I suppose,” I say. “If this is all you needed, then why not send a messenger?”
“I did,” Ventura says. “You stomped on him.”
“You did?” I blink. “Oh! Oh, dear! I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t be,” Ventura laughs. “You cannot hurt the wind. It merely changes its direction for a brief time. Clearly, this matter needed to be dealt with personally. I would have come sooner, but you, Lady Kensington, intrigued me. I decided to wait and see if my hunch about you was correct.”
“Your hunch?” I ask.
“I suspected you were destined for good fortune,” she says. “You attract the most interesting people to your side. The first socialized fox spirit? A dragon? A member of the warring druidic circles, and one of Odin’s flock? Quite the entourage. And your enemies are shaping up to be very intriguing as well. I sense no fewer than seven celestial griffons carrying Censors toward us from two different directions.”
“Thank you for the compliment, and the warning,” I say. “Ah. We should be going, then.”
“Now, now give your panty-wearing companion a chance to gird himself for the hangover. No, no, don’t stand next to the trees, they might fall on you if you’re not careful,” Ventura giggles. “I can help you take them off if you want.”
Pierre lets out a small meep.
“Landi will assist,” I say, nodding to her.
“Hm. Are you sure that’s wise?” Ventura asks. “She is somewhat… volatile. Do you trust her to keep him safe? For that matter, do you trust her to keep you safe?”
“I trust her,” I say, matter-of-factly. “We are adventuring companions, and have seen each other through thick and thin.”
“You have done quite well with Landi,” Ventura says. “It’s quite impressive. But what could you accomplish with someone more worthy by your side?”
“Hey!” Landi flits next to me. “Serah and I are happy just the way we are!”
“Are you?” Ventura says. “Lady Kensington, you have impressed me. I will make an offer not seen in centuries: I will give you my aid for one full year. I will be your best friend, even. I will manifest at your convenience, and aid your House with favorable trade winds. I will protect you and aid you in your adventures, and be by your side. There will be no need for an Oath. You would have my full attention and devotion.”
“That’s very generous,” I say, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Indeed,” Ventura says. “I think we both have much to learn from each other. However… I would not want to work alongside Landi. It would just not do. If you accept my offer, I would condition it upon you not seeing, speaking, writing, or communicating with Landi in any way for that full year. After that, we may both reconsider.”
“Wha…” Landi sputters. “V-Ventura, what the fuck?!”
“I’m sorry,” Ventura smiles, clearly not sorry at all. “I just don’t see us working well together. Don’t worry, Lady Kensington, your fairy knows how to undo your adventuring contract with minimal fuss, if you both agree.”
“Serah, you can’t do this!” Landi says. “Don’t take the offer! I have Big Sodium as a patron Djinn, she’s just as powerful as Ventura! She likes me!”
“Do not be so confident,” Ventura says. “You say Salt likes you, yes? Has she been giving you ‘performance reviews’?”
“Yeah! And I’ve changed lots of stuff she likes!”
“Those aren’t reviews of your deeds,” Ventura says, expression droll. “They’re reviews of you, Landi. Salt is evaluating how much you have changed. She won’t favor you forever. How much have you changed, truly? Or are you still the same indolent party-goer I remember?”
Landi goes silent.
“And if I don’t take the deal?” I ask Ventura. “If I continue on with Landi as my adventuring companion? Do you try and make us crash into the mountainside?”
“Why in the sky would I do that?” Ventura asks. “You would be making a foolish decision, but it would be yours to make. No, I would simply take my panties and depart. The storm I rode here would remain, of course, and your dragon would likely be exhausted trying to fly through it. I will not deprive these lands of the water they so need simply because you wish it, Lady Kensington. If you wish to travel through the storm unhindered, you will need my help. But rejecting it is your choice.”
I want to reject the deal, but… this is everything I ever wanted, honestly. Ventura seems impressed with what I’ve accomplished, and seems like she genuinely wants to partner with me. Compared with Landi, who’s humiliated me more times than I’d prefer to remember, who’s volatile and with subpar adventuring skills… I have an obligation to do right by my House and my people. At minimum, I would get favorable trade winds for a year, and even have a Djinn who could escort me back to Minga and avoid the Censors’ summoned griffons that are chasing me from two different directions.
All I have to do is break up with a certain lazy fairy. It wouldn’t even be forever: just a year.
I should take the deal. In fact, my duties almost demand it.
It's everything I ever wanted. Power and wealth, enough to stand up to the Church and protect Pierre. Enough to even... stand up to Daddy.
Do I accept?
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