Post by Heron on Aug 19, 2020 22:29:13 GMT
"Cannot believe you climb mountain in those shoe," the native guide blurted, gesturing at Arlington's professional black pumps, which went elegantly with her naval uniform but indeed, Orinda could see the man's confusion at using heels like that to climb a mountain.
"We are ladies of many talents, Mister Gharm," Arlington deflected graciously, bowing slightly and with half a smile as they walked up the mountain trail.
Locals had told legends of their patron... not-a-god-exactly-but-patron-supportive-spirit Aeon, and the shrine to him that was said to be up this mountain. Something called the Illogical Field kept changing what the Veiled Shrine looked like (Orinda guessed that was probably half the reason they called it the "veiled" shrine: it didn't need to be literally veiled in fog to be mysterious if you never knew exactly what you were looking for), but the location was always basically on the same mountain and there was always some kind of water feature, and often lucky people who arrived at the shrine -- just arrived, no need to pray or do any special rituals -- would be blessed with creature companions.
The locals called Impressionable creatures "shinies" for some reason, but Orinda wasn't going to question their grasp of the logical. She had gear skins loaded to make her torpedoes look like hot dogs.
At any rate, Orinda, Arlington, and Valley Forge really had nothing better to do with their time since they could neither contact nor return to their home Port, so investigating a local legend seemed like a harmless enough way to get acquainted with their new... home? Was this home now? Either way, they'd found a local man willing to take them up the mountain path (their maritime navigation was flawless, but not a one of them knew how to read a land map) and paid him in a few gems they would no longer need to barter to Akashi. Gharm's speech was broken, as if language was his second language, but he knew his mountaineering, and he got the three shipgirls reliably up the path until they hit a massive moat. There was a temple-like structure on the other side of it, but the moat made the temple an island with a water radius at least a quarter mile wide.
"Always water, they say," Gharm stammered, flustered and dumbfounded. "Not like this! It not try keep out before!"
"I think it knew we were coming," Orinda assured Gharm, patting him on the shoulder. "We've got it from here, thank you. Take these extra gems for your trouble. You can go home now -- we'll find our way back down."
"But how you-"
As one, Arlington and Valley Forge deployed rigging and stepped off onto the water, skimming ahead a few feet before turning around to look behind and wait for Orinda.
Orinda checked on Gharm, whose mouth worked a few times before snapping shut, questions answered. Once the man started back down the mountain, Orinda joined her fellow ships on the water, skating across the surface towards the temple at the center. The carriers were slower, but Orinda enjoyed the more sedate speed. It was rare she ever sailed anywhere for fun. This gave her the opportunity to look around, enjoy the forested mountain around the moat. It really was a beautiful place to put a shrine, all told.
The trip across the moat was scenic but uneventful, and the shipgirls disembarked onto the shore looking every bit the tourists they were, trying to soak up as much of the architectural detail as they could while they investigated this supposedly blessed place. According to the lore, it was never going to look like this again, so they'd better appreciate it while it lasts!
Yo! Rin needs her very first shinies! And I'm torn, I don't know what to do, so dear whoever takes this commission, here is a multiple-choice option pack for you. If you go with plan A, I'll pay up on claim. Thank you~
Plan A: Two free stars + I kick in five BP from one of my Weyr's Fargo accounts and there is a Sea Zaithand awaiting Orinda, or
Plan B: Firelizards, ranks random.
Plan C: Astrum/Meowlure because Rin needs a Meowfficer.
