Chapter 47: Digging Up Bonds
Cue Narrator.
“Well, hello again, dear readers. After the last chapter’s emotional rollercoaster, we’re dialing things down a bit. Today, we focus on everyone’s favorite multilingual hero, Vapor, and the equally delightful Austriana. Yes, we’re digging for literal treasure. No, I don’t have a map, but they do. Let’s see where this goes.”
---
It was a crisp morning on Star Island, the perfect day for an adventure. Austriana adjusted her gloves and gazed over at Vapor, who was double-checking the map they’d found in an old chest.
“Are you sure this thing’s legit?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Positive,” Vapor replied with a grin. “Look at the detail on these landmarks. Whoever drew this knew what they were doing.”
Austriana smirked. “Well, if you say so. Let’s get to it!”
The two trekked through the forest, chatting as they went. Vapor, ever the conversationalist, switched effortlessly between languages to explain random facts about the environment.
“Did you know,” he began in French, “that trees this old are called arbres anciens?”
“What does that mean?” Austriana asked.
“Ancient trees,” Vapor translated, switching to Romanian. “În România, avem păduri care arată exact așa.”
“Wait, what was that?” Austriana asked, amused.
“Oh, I said, ‘In Romania, we have forests that look just like this,’” Vapor replied in English.
“You’re a walking Google Translate, you know that?” she teased.
“I aim to impress,” he quipped, now in German. “Es ist immer gut, Sprachen zu sprechen.”
“Vapor, I have no idea what you just said,” she laughed.
“‘It’s always good to speak languages,’” he translated again, grinning.
---
Cue Narrator.
“Fun fact: Vapor is a polyglot. Fancy word for someone who knows a bunch of languages. You’re welcome.”
---
The two eventually reached a clearing, marked by a large X on the ground.
“Well, here we are,” Vapor said. “Time to dig.”
Austriana grabbed a shovel. “Let’s see if this treasure is worth the blisters.”
They worked together, chatting and joking as they dug. Vapor shared more tidbits in various languages, explaining the origins of the word “treasure” in Filipino (kayamanan) and telling a story about a German pirate who supposedly buried gold in the area centuries ago.
After what felt like hours, their shovels hit something solid.
“Bingo!” Austriana exclaimed, wiping sweat from her brow.
Vapor helped her lift the chest out of the hole. It was old and weathered but intact. With a bit of effort, they pried it open, revealing a glittering collection of gold coins, jewelry, and gemstones.
“Jackpot!” Vapor said, his eyes wide.
Austriana picked up a ruby necklace and examined it. “This is incredible. I didn’t think people actually found stuff like this.”
“Sometimes, the stories are true,” Vapor replied.
They spent the next hour sorting through the treasure, discussing what to do with it.
---
Cue Narrator.
“And there you have it. Two friends, a treasure chest, and a day well spent. Oh, and let’s not forget Vapor’s endless supply of languages. Honestly, I’m starting to think he’s part dictionary. Until next time!”
