All righty, we are back!
>>5856272With you all having readjusted to the pressure back on the surface, Haru Haru gets to work trying to locate Darutanias’ Ki signature. Once she’s locked on to it, you all teleport over to him, finding him on an island actually some distance away from Penguin Village. As expected, she got someone to watch over him. And as expected, he is… not exactly having the best time.
https://youtu.be/MVyo1MXczFY?si=ZaQu4r2VjSjM7PcP“Little girl, listen to me.” Darutanias growls out. You notice a telling stench coming off of him, along with a pinkish mark around the bottom of one of his boots, another on his flowing cape, and one more on the back of his head. “I need to retrieve the Grand Gunship Gunper, before any meddlers get their hands on it.”
“Yeah? And what’s in it for me?” a young girl in a punk outfit asks, tilting her purple-tinted sunglasses down a bit.
“Why you, little…” Darutanias squints a bit as he reads the letters on the girl’s beanie. “…Ab… ah… le…? …Ahem, YOU will gain riches and power beyond your wildest dreams! For I, King Darutanias of Nemuria can-!”
“Lame. Make a better offer.” she responds, crossing her arms.
“...Your own continent to rule as you see fit?” he tempts.
“Pf. Forget it, someone already tried the Australia trick with me once.” she dismisses with a wave of her hand.
“What on Earth is an ‘Australia’…?” the man thinks aloud. “How about… gemstones of brilliance unmatched in their beauty and quality?”
She sticks her tongue out at him and blows a raspberry. “Big diamonds would ruin my look. I’m hip and cool enough as-is.”
Darutanias frowns as his shoulders slouch. “Tch, what is it you children like so much… candy?”
Abale pushes her sunglasses back up. “I can get plenty of that on my own. You’re losing me here.”
“...A new bike?”
“Someone already promised me one.” Abale finally takes notice of you all. “Oh, speaking of, hey Izzy!”
Darutanias’ face pales as he turns his head to face you all, then lets out a yelp of surprise, leaping in the air slightly and almost attempting to hide behind the small robot girl. “…Aha, Princess Izumi, and… cohorts! So good that you… made it out there safely! And, er, managed to bring me back to the surface.”
“Woah, hey, so you are part of her gang, goo girl!” Abale notes as she spots Haru Haru.
“I specifically denied that very thing.” she retorts. “Princess Basilea is merely cooperating with her, and I am loyal to her.”
“Yeah sure whatever.” The robot girl places her hands in her pockets. “Still waitin’ on that cool hoverbike, by the way.”
(cont.)
