The Return of Shantae

The Guildsmen Trading Gallery: Sniper's Grove

Every guild member of any guild knew of Sniper's Grove, the greatest place to find great treasures that can be bought or traded with stuff of equal value. This place was originally a high class "bohemian" district of downtown Gearton called Gypsy Menagerie: a rural place where artists and musicians make their own piece of art to share with the world, but now it acts as Trove Snipe's bazaar where only guild members are able to gain new equipment or effects for their person. Since the Dreary Curse flooded most of the upper districts, Sniper's Grover

All the guilds were welcomed here, if there's any treasures or resources the guild masters don't find interesting or useful they'll sell them at the Open Plaza Auction to earn some money for their own guilds. Due to the severity of the valuables being targeted by thieves, Clifford settled a security system where snipers hid upon the various high rooms overlooking the entire area so that they'll shoot down any thieves or robbers dumb enough to steal from their guild. Korah was no stranger to this place for its part of his guild and his shopping habits.

This rainy morning at Korah's home, he awakes to see a sleeping girl next to him to his right. The violet haired genie was snuggled towards him which made him want to scream, that is until he remembered last night. Her little lamp was on his nightstand behind her with her jewelry and was now made of metal with a gemstone on it. That was proof enough that it was all real. Then in the midst of his mind, he remembered something, "Was I... Really meant to find her?"

He recalls the light from the lighthouse cavern, "Hair of Violet, Skin of Dark Honey, and Eyes of Endless Sky", that last part didn't quite match up to him. She did have blue eyes, eyes of a dead fish that saw too much and got itself eaten. He wasn't much of a slave keeping kind of person, so he did her a kindness and wanted to make breakfast for the both of them. He sneaked out of bed without waking her up and into the kitchen to start his cooking.

After an hour of cooking, the genie soon awoke from the scent of food. She rose out of bed like a rosebud finally blooming for the first time in years. As Korah finished her platter, she comes in acting more like a zombie awoken from their crypt. But when she met his eyes in such radiance, she acted more nervous then dead as she come to the dinner counter wanting his kindness.

Korah"Mornin', sleepyhead! Have any nice dreams?
Genie"Y-yes. Good morning, master."
Korah" I told you last night- Just call me Korah. No need to be formal with me."
Genie"Okay...

As she sat herself down at the counter, he served her two sunny side up eggs, a pair of bacons, a side of mini waffles with syrup, and a glass of orange juice. All she did was stare at it, as if it was alien to her. For that, he gave her a look of confusion.

Korah"✋I can cook you something else if it's okay with you."
Genie"😣Oh. Pardon me, for my rudeness, maste-
Korah"😤Hmm~?"
Genie"😞I mean, Korah."
Korah"👌That's much better."
Genie"But should you treat your servant like this?"
Korah"I'm not really into the Master/Servant thing, it doesn't sit well with me. All you are to me is my first ever house guest and I want to treat you more like a friend if anything."
Genie"Oh... I see..."
Korah"Hey. I actually didn't catch your name."
Genie"My name?"
Korah"Yeah. I think you or I might've forgot about that."
Genie"....."
Korah"It's okay. You can take your time as well as eat breakfast."
Genie"Sh... Sha...
Korah"Hmm?"
Genie"Shan... Tae...."
Korah"😐Shantae?"
Shantae"Yes... I believe that was my name."
Korah"🤔Hmm... Shantae... I think I've heard of that name somewhere before."

He finally sits down with his own breakfast and takes out his wise-tone to look it up her name. At that time she starts to eat as he looks her name up everywhere in the Internet, but all links to her information were blocked by TechnoSoft. TechnoSoft was the company who invented the Internet after the first Computator was created, and they overlooked every website to impel their dominance. Any info about her was under restriction due to "unlawful nudity" and "political facts".

Korah"😠Man, there's nothing about it. Hmm... 🙂You want to go out with me today?"
Shantae"😐Hmm?"
Korah"I have a couple of weeks off and there's nothing to do here, so why don't we get you some new clothes, huh?"
Shantae"Why not wish for your desires?"
Korah"Nah, it's not as fun. Besides, I don't really know what I want."
Shantae"😧Uhh-uhh... 😥What?"
Korah"😔Yeah, I'm sorry you're stuck with me, but I'm mostly undecided when it comes to stuff. 🙂That's why I want to see the Sniper's Grove. They're having a swap meet today and I want to see what they have.
Shantae"O... Okay?"
Korah"Finish up and I'll find you some clothes for you to walk in. And something to cover... Umm... Those."

As he rummages around with his boxes, Shantae feels one of her pointy ears and doesn't understand what he meant by that, but ignored it and continued to finish her breakfast. After she was done with breakfast, she noticed that his plates were clean of food or mess which should and did scare her, one of his bowls still spinning until it finally stopped. All could muster from his own treasures was a manteau and a pair short jeans, what to expect from a boy and boy clothes. And then he had an idea: with the clothes at hand and chest bandage, this was going be something else.

At the bottom of his elevator, Korah comes out in his now usual get up and with Shantae towing in the back dressed as a cloaked boy. Though she had a hood on, her hair was dressed in a fashion that made the illusion real and her breasts were bound into a chest to prevent notice and bouncing. They walk around Sniper's Grove where every guild member from all the guild's come to look and buy items of extreme value. Everything was to die for for any normal person to have, but the Swap-meet had more to offer than this place.

As they venture deeper into the plaza square, Shantae took in the splendor of what the future looks. She was gone for a while and everything had changed. But she soon saw pieces of Arabian art being sold at some stands, where some of its designs triggered her memories. Memories of her adventures started to slowly flow back into her. She stopped to look at one more art piece standing in to middle of the plaza: The Statue of the Master Inventor, Doctor Mimic. As Korah bought some suitable dresses, he noticed Shantae staring at the statue of her late uncle in tears.

Korah"Shantae? Shantae~?"
Shantae"Uncle...?"
Korah"Oh right! He's Doctor Mimic, the founder of Gearton." The once-was city of imaginations come to life. He made the city in hopes that humanity is able to move forward and leave the past behind."
Shantae"He's... My uncle."
Korah"Wait what? You knew the good doctor centuries ago!?"
Shantae"Yes. Everything's starting to comeback to me." She said in a daze.

Shantae spots a book with her illustration on the cover. The stand keeper expects 5'000 Gild for it, but Korah trade it in for hand full of diamonds worth more than the book. The stand keeper obliged them to take two more books before the Remnants get their hands on them. As they left, a handful of customers ransacked the stand of their knowledge leaving him a bundle of cash and valuables. After buying a crate of stuff, Korah and Shantae went to his guild where they can stay in a private room and talk in private.

Korah"So, who are you exactly?"
Shantae"This book has most of my life, and I will tell you of it, if you like me to."

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Happy Thanksgiving! The next chapter will be a narrative of her tell some of her stories, but it will also tell who she met her end. So far, she's feeling dead, but she will rise again soon.
- Kanadzuchi