Incline 21: Nin

"Alright, Vadei, what is this about?" I asked the tailed woman after I had arrived on the bridge. Her call to the rest of the airship had been completed with my arrival. Even if I did not want to be here as I never even finished breakfast. Which is why I had a bowl in my claws.

"I found one! I found one!" was all I got from her as she happily bounced about in her chair. And a lot of emphasis was to be put on it being her chair. She had pretty much asserted herself as the captain of the airship. Much to my petty annoyance as up until now, I had been head...

"You found a place for us to land?" Einervaene then asked as several magical screens appeared. Within the confines of those glowing borders, they had a structure of some kind. Or, it was a town and it just looked like a single building. Either way, it meant she had found people.

"Technically yes! But, to elaborate... It's a town for us to roam about so we can get off this thing!" Vadei let out in an exasperated tone before she collapsed into her chair.

"And how are we going to afford it...?" I asked her while staring intently at her. She had made it clear days prior she wanted to shop first and foremost. But, well, as this was a stolen airship, we did not exactly load it with money.

"That's alright if they have a banking system here where the main building is based at Thrurstradtur. I should be able to access my bank account!" Lari cheered before she began to pretend shop. Something she kept up until someone gave her a smile.

"Well, alright then, where do we land exactly...?" I put forth while staring at the screen some more. I could not see any landing platforms like Suhurlodst had. So did that mean we would have to hover near or go down below?

"What's that pinging?" Einervaene questioned once the mentioned sound started happening.

"It's a pending communication, hold on. Hello?" Vadei answered before she then answered in a different manner.

"Damaged airship, are you in immediate need of repairing?" a male voice asked clearly.

"No, we can handle any of it, we would just like a place to land."

"Confirmed, please follow the airtug and it shall assist you in your arrival. Welcome to Gifpzie, we hope you stay to enjoy the festival dedicated to the Pleasure Goddess Aahtha." we were informed before Vadei moved away from the chair.

"FESTIVAL!" she then cheered as she began to hop up and down with Larishazza soon joining in. The pair of them skipped around in circles as they chanted.

"Festival dedicated to Aahtha?" Einervaene repeated quietly with a frown.

"Either local tradition or it is that time of year again." I said with a shrug as my mind returned to Tobaballe.

"We are this close to the year ending? I didn't expect time to have flown by so quickly."

"Again, it might just be a local thing. But, yeah... It's certainly been quite the year. To think it all started back in the Month of Thunder for me."

"And you'll be back for it too!" Einervaene giggled while I watched Vadei return to her seat.

"Shame I did not return in the Month of Law or Morality then." I bitterly commented as I thought about how I got here. How I was tricked by a superior and sold into a deal that would have seen me die horrifically. All so a bunch of sadists with bits of green about them could pass a test.

"Come on Nin, cheer up! If it's a festival dedicated to Aahtha then now is the time to enjoy yourself!" Einervaene said to me as came closer. Her hand grasped my upper arm so she could gently shake it.

"I intend to either way. But 'how' is the question. Pleasure comes in many ways." I told her with a shrug. And while my tone made it clear I was not in a particularly serious mood. My mind was pretty much the opposite. How was I meant to enjoy the festival if I was forced to hide my body?

"Perhaps you can enjoy the pleasure of my company then?" Einervaene asked cheekily with a bright smile and darkened cheeks.

"We'll see, put yourself first." I said to her before I finished my breakfast. Using my long tongue to clean up anything stuck between my teeth. And, I went back to looking at the screens solely so I could inspect the town. It was built on a mountain top and it was very blocky.

It was like someone had taken a brick and a pile of sand and gently the first on the latter. But, unlike a brick, it wasn't dull in either shape or colour. This town was covered in bright lights and gardens that came out of it. To say nothing of all the decorations likely related to the festival.

"Shame." I then commented once our airship dove away from the town. The screens must have been a real-time display so now all we saw was mountain. At least, until we arrived at the hangar or whatever it was. Two loud bangs filled the air shortly after something likely grabbed our edges.

"Airship crew and passengers, we have secured your vehicle in vices. Please power down and secure yourselves for storage." a voice calmly boomed from within our ship somehow.

"Storage?" I repeated with some worry as that would mean a slow departure. Something I did not if we had a repeat of Tryhpeltzweig... But these worries would have to wait for now. As, thankfully, I could enjoy some mechanical sights for now.

Dozens of small vehicles of some kind with openly displayed riders zipped about. Small cargo either in mechanical or fleshy hands and arms. We had a bridge of some kind attaching itself to our open deck space as well. And I could also see a bright light in the immediate distance beyond the airship.

That must have been the way we should go when we got off as everyone else seemed to as well. And, despite this being described as a town, it was very busy. Lots of people and machines going away from us and towards us. There was even an animal or two.

"Let's go!" Larishazza then cheered as she held her arms out and ran out the door. A laughing Vadei right behind her who took Einervaene with her.

"Hey! Don't run off..." I began to say before I just shut up. None of them were going to hear me now and the airship was turning off completely. I wished they weren't so eager to disappear... We needed to talk about our other passengers.

The ones that could not be trusted...

"What do?" Heiya's father asked me as the pair approached me. Their actions made it clear they understood what I was thinking.

"I don't want to stay here, so I guess you two are coming with me." I answered while I stroked my chin. How in the name of the currently celebrated goddess was I to keep an eye on these two? Did I strap them to a rope or belt or something...? Or do I run the risk of them leaving as it was not like we needed them anymore?

"Caaan we enjay the festivaaal?" Heiya asked me quietly while rubbing her little hands together.

"Don't see why not, come on then." I said with a shrug before gesturing them outside. Making sure I was fully dressed before I too left. And once my mask and hat were both securely on, I grabbed the pair. Then moved on to the bridge, which, to my initial shock, detached itself from the airship.

"Life detection." Paps seemed to clarify as he stared at my skitterish body. Initially not hearing him as going outside just flooded us with noise. Mechanical bangs, cheerful shouting, distant music, these two little annoyances... It was overwhelming given our prior circumstances.

Honestly, sometimes I began to doubt my former life as a wall-engraver in a densely packed city. I have spent so much time travelling with little groups recently that I had gotten used to it. So, going into places like this were oddly frightening. But, I suppose I also had other reasons to hate crowds now.

"Caaan yau put us dawn?" Heiya asked of me, to which I complied. But, I did not let go of them and instead, I changed forms. Now, I looked like a parent guiding two brats.

"Greetings, Sir! Welcome to Gifpzie, would you care for any compliments or a map of our town?" a woman asked me as we got closer to the bright hallway.

"Uh, sorry, I don't have money on me at the moment." I told them as I did an odd thing given our history. I sought comfort from these other two by gently squeezing their hands...

"No worries! A blue-haired woman gave us your details beforehand, she set forth the funds to purchase anything you might want to grab!"

"I'll take the map then." I said to which she nodded and happily gave it to us.

"Anything else? You still have money for food or beverage, or would you prefer the money just handed over?" she asked me once one of the slavers had unfurled the map.

"You two want anything?" I then asked the pair as I pulled their arms up a little.

Paps was the one who answered, "Big food, big drink." he said in his usual mix of thick accent and simple language. His finger pointed straight at Heiya who was staring at what these people had on offer.

"Certainly, here you go, precious!" she said as she retrieved some kind of bottle and paper package. A small wave came from her before we left with our stuff. But, we couldn't really do anything as my hands were occupied and they both only had one each. So, I brought them to the side and let go of them once they were in front.

"She caaalled me preciaus." Heiya said with a smug smile before she began to suckle on the bottle. Her mouth soon smacked together as she tore into her food. Blissful moans came from her once she did. I would say she was overreacting, but we had been cruel to them at mealtime.

No good food for our hostages after all.

"Festival here." Paps said to his daughter as he gestured at where a lot of it was set up. And, oddly enough, despite their circumstances... They treated me like a strange just watching you in the street.

"Stop hiding the map!" I said to him with a quiet growl. Snorting once the map was revealed to me so I could look at it more clearly. A long noise of thought left the walls of my mouth as I stared at it.

"I waaant ta da the shaating campetitan!" Heiya said eagerly as she began to point at something. And indeed, what she was pointing at was the marker for some kind of gun range.

They both then looked up at me, "Sure, we can even be nostalgic about it." I heaved out alongside a shrug before I stood up properly. Taking their hands once again before we began to head into the bright hallway. It seemingly getting brighter in that initial moment when you walked out of the dark hanger.

And somehow, despite it not being a heavy industrial zone, it was far busier in here. With walkways being completely packed alongside various kinds of shops with brightly lit signs. Something that struck me as a little much given how it was almost white in this hallway. Couldn't see any of the signs properly...

"Maybe it will be a good idea to find the others... Somehow." I said to myself with a loud click as I saw price tags everywhere. A shudder went through me as I grew paranoid about our monetary situation.