There it was—the port they left not but a day ago. Hotaru had finished up her self-inflicted howork to co up to the bow of the ship, where Jotou and Fuko were already overlooking Belle-Ventrialis.
Soon joining them with her hair styled in the best coils she could manage was Tiffany. All four watched the port co closer into view while the sea breeze drifted past their ears in faint whistles.
Bells at the dockyard rang to signal their arrival; the anchor was down and the coughing engine that ran for so long finally puffed to a halt.
Navy soldiers yelled mariti codewords as they tied the ship to port and set a ramp for them to descend. None of them looked particularly dishevelled or fatigued—all but one of course.
The golden blonde who left in her billowing yellow coat and securely woven attire, returned wearing a t-shirt and so pants with her sword wrapped in the previously stated yellow coat.
First and foremost they noticed the massive gash in so of the tal plates that made up the flooring of the naval base, where it seed like sothing had exploded outwards from beneath. Second thing they noticed was the white fireworks that shot up into the sky and spelled out congratulations.
And the third, "Oooooh, aren’t y’lot a one of’a kind sight," the bouncing bubbly voice that ca alongside the tangs and pangs of her footsteps on the dock. "The heroes return after their briny duel with the colossal new god at the shores of’our neighbours at war~" "FLASH!"
"Alicia," both Hotaru and Fuko said, annoyed as their eyes were blasted by the bright flash of a cara in the dead of night.
"Oh I know, I know, no using without permission, I don’t wanna end up in’a court case—especially with you," she pointed to the redhead and bead wide as she let go of her cara. "Just working on’a headline, how’s it sound? Probably gonna eat it right up, no?"
"Depends on who’s eating," Fuko rubbed her eyes. "Have you been, watching us?" she suspected.
Alicia bobbed her head from side to side, "Less watching, more so got the play-by-play. Thrilling nonetheless~!"
However, the question was for the woman in blue approaching behind the reporter. Morgana crossed her arms and for once had cracked a smile, "For as long as I could. Kira could only see so much through the storms."
"How far can you spy on sothing...?" Fuko followed up.
"Far enough kid," Mrs Aetherton replied.
While the navy agents reconvened with the crew of the SS Narwhal for cheers of their own, Jotou saw an incoming bullet; the bullet being a magician who ca colliding into the blonde to hug her, "You did it! Hooray!!!"
Jotou giggled.
Then two armoured arms wrapped around both her and the elf to lift them up simultaneously, "DUDE! You stomped a fucking god!!! That’s my fucking GOAT!" Ben bellowed and clanked around as he jumped in a circle.
Both Asobi and Jotou were embraced by laughter before they were set down. Asobi then rushed to hug the others the sa; a bright beam that was thankful they were all alive.
"Dude, you were so right. While you guys were kickin’ ass out there, a group of cultists popped out like a landmine! Mr Sherlock Hols figured it out before the explosion over there," Ben pointed to the gash in the ground.
"Oh yeah!" Asobi chirped. "The evil cultists were gonna steal a ship and throw bombs, but then the detectives were all like, Blast! Pew! Foosh! and then I put on a BIG show, gave them the old razzle-dazzle and blinded them and then, Crispy ca in and crisped them!
And then they all sorta rolled around while the navy surrounded them and took them to Davy Jones’ Locker," Asobi’s illusions threw on a mini presentation as she recited the events.
"Yeah, we got em’ good! Well, that last part didn’t happen, they just took the cultists into custody, but everything else did," Ben replied.
Jotou smiled, "Sounds like we both had so fun." ’Wait, does this world even have a Davy Jones? How does Sobi know that? ...Iridina...’
"Why’re you here outside of Dolpool, doesn’t Phoenix News have a Belle-Ventrialis branch?" Hotaru’s ears spiked up as she asked the reporter.
"Furthermore, I decree the incarceration of mine transient visage to be procured once more; in ampler illumination and an extensively more apt scene perchance?" Tiffany cleared her throat and tried to fix her hair more as she looked at Alicia.
"What’s the trouble Azure Firefly? Not enough action out there for you so y’gotta pin t’the dart board?" Alicia snickered. "The scoop of’a lifeti was a carriage drive away and y’want t’let so other reporter get their grubby mitts all’over it?
Nope~ Nope! Soon as’I heard that the detective up top was heading down for’so cult business, I ran up t’the director and begged, pleaded, cried on both of my knees t’be here on official business.
So here I am~" she gestured with her cara. "And sure thing Ms Wells, correct?"
"Ahem! Thou shan’t use mine primordial na so frivolously! I am Stella Vespertillio, the Child of Void within the Sea of Stars! May thy credentials to mine acclaim be substantiated by thy heralding pages of renown."
Alicia clicked a glittery pink pen and pulled out her notepad, "Oooh, aren’t you the cutest thing~ I didn’t understand half that theatre-talk, but I got the gist." She tapped her notepad with the pen, "Now, I know it’s a li’l early and a li’l late, but I gotta take the bait freshly put on’a hook.
Thundering Blade, Jotou Howllett, can I have a private interview with you on this lovely night~?" her pink eyes darted to the golden blonde.
"Really Alicia?" Fuko crossed her arms.
"She’s tired and who knows how many things we have to do tomorrow," Hotaru added.
"Alright," Jotou answered short and sweet.
Both the redhead and the brunette turned to look at her, while Alicia bead from ear to ear, about to burst.
"I’ve been putting it off for long enough. Besides, I’m not really that tired," Jotou gave a shrug.
"Oooo, that’s a true hero right there! Fighting off a colossus by daylight, still raring t’go by midnight, let’s go!" Alicia grabbed the blonde by the wrist and ran off with her.
_
"Tckf!" A blaring white light blinded the blonde who sat in a dull grey room with nothing but a table and two chairs. There was no other sound except that of Alicia’s notepad flipping to a new page; she sat across from her.
She blinked a few tis to face Alicia who was only illuminated by the light hanging from the ceiling, "I thought this was supposed to be an interview..."
"First question," the reporter clicked her pen. "Sources say that you, alongside the daughter of Detective Namora and Stella Ves-per-till-leo, worked together to defeat the new god and a head of the Deuctus Cult, Beauregard, after she recently ca to possess imnse power." Her glasses shined at Jotou for a response.
"Fuko, Namora. As well as the limited crew of the SS Narwhal and Hotaru Kinoshita, the Azure Firefly."
"Right, right," she wrote sothing down. "But correct if I’m wrong, Ms Kinoshita didn’t play a pivotal part in your success."
’Really Alicia...?’ Jotou’s eyelids lowered. "She healed our injuries post-battle and she was present; that’s more than what most people do."
"I see; does this appraisal stem from any bias you may have from being romantically involved with Ms Kinoshita?"
Jotou pursed her lips. "I don’t see how that’s relevant."
"Hm. Speaking of being present, sources also say you worked alongside the Frosting Wind, an elite soldier from the Trailon Regi. Any comnt?"
"I’m not sure what I can and can’t say from a legal standpoint. From what I asked, she seed certain that this didn’t violate the accords. Even if it did, I doubt the world wouldn’t understand why her actions weren’t warranted in the na of defence."
"Bold statent; so may think the regi already taking dubious actions against the accords without even a year passing since their establishnt doesn’t quite bode well for the future."
"That’s not up to to judge, I’m no lawyer." ’But I need mine right now...’
"Fair enough. What about the allegations that you’re in cahoots with the Frosting Wind? Did you make contact with the elite soldier before travelling out to sea?"
"Allegations—what allegations? Only so many people even know about her being there," her blonde brows knitted.
"For now," Alicia faced her, though the light reflecting off of her glasses hid her true gaze. "It’s not like I’m gonna publish this tonight. Just answer the question."
"No. I made no contact and I’m not in cahoots with the Frosting Wind. We encountered each other near the border of Malecise and decided to work together temporarily for the greater good."
Alicia stared at the blonde’s expression of growing regret of accepting this interview. She wrote sothing down. "Right. Enough ’bout current events."
"You know Alicia, I thought you’d be better than most annoying reporters," Jotou replied.
Alicia smiled, "I’m just asking you the hard-hitting questions everyone wants t’know Ms Howllett~
But if this humble reporter’s queries’re getting under y’skin, tell , what d’you dislike ’bout these ’annoying reporters’—lots’of encounters?" her pen clicked excitedly.
"No comnt."
"Alright, alright. Now, where d’you co from? Your humble beginnings if y’will."
’Gotta be careful here.’ "Well, I was pretty much a nobody from Kria till the Velatos Case; I joined the guild, which was secretly a way for people to monitor , but it allowed to rise to where I’m at now."
"Is that so? Stories say you claid to’be from another world."
"I ca back from the dead with none of my mories, I was bound to be confused and a bit delirious. Besides, if I knew the truth, I would’ve been killed much sooner. It kept safe. In all honesty, that rumour needs to be put to rest, no pun intended."
Alicia stopped writing and glanced at the blonde, "What ga are you playing at?"
Jotou smirked, "I don’t know what you’re talking about Ms Langstirk. But you don’t seem to be the type of journalist to go around spreading lies, right?" her eyes sparked.
"Fair point; I’m not," Alicia pouted and jotted sothing down. "How d’you learn t’drive an automobile so proficiently then?"
"The Undying Princess happened to have a car at Tamara Palace while I was there." ’It’s not like the regis don’t know I’m from another world. I don’t know why, but I think it’s better that that information remains limited to so people and obscure to the general public.’ "Next question?"
The blonde’s sudden confident second wind made Alicia more alert, "It’s no secret that you’re championing t’end the war. In fact, y’seem t’wanna play a key role in it."
"Yes, I don’t think there’s any shying away from that. So as long as I live, I’ll help to bring the war to an end, to give everyone in the world a long reign of peace."
"Bold words Ms Howllett, but I think you’ve got the bravado and the faculties t’back that claim."
’Surprisingly sincere.’ "Thanks."
"What happens when the war ends? What will you do then?"
"Honestly? I don’t know. I have vague ideas, but I’m sure I’ll have no trouble figuring it out when the ti cos."
"No trouble at all," she wrote and pronounced word for word. "Already planned out hobbies hm? What does the Thundering Blade do when she’s not the Thundering Blade?"
Jotou pondered aloud, "I like to do art—mostly painting these days. Fashion and makeup’s fun sotis. I like to spend my ti with my friends for the most part.
Beyond that, I do like seeing the world; Burnetrout’s a beautiful place when it’s not in turmoil. Maybe that’s what I’ll do once the war’s over—see the world; be an actual adventurer and not just carry the job description," she chuckled.
"Oooo, how quaint. Anything y’wanna say t’your fans?"
"I don’t know if my fans necessarily care for what I have to say, but I suppose, thank you? Yeah, thank you for believing in ."
"Rolling ’round back t’the present, what’re your plans for the day after your triumphant victory against the Deuctus Cult?"
_
’A hero’s welco wouldn’t’ve been my first answer, but-’
"Jotou, breakfast’s getting cold, we have to leave soon!" the dulcet voice of a wolf-woman shouted out from downstairs.
Jotou was just adjusting her golden full-ear earring, "In a minute!" she shouted back out the open door of her room. She quickly tucked a couple of thundering blitzes onto the left side of her head.
Her golden locks was done half-up and half-down, with a few loose braids making a wreathe around the top. Her bangs were parted to reveal more of her forehead while the rest of her wavy hair snaked down her back.
She had done her makeup glamorously, with eyeshadow that glittered and lipstick that popped. For such an occasion, she wore once more her knee-length gala dress of black, that twinkled with white specks as it wrapped tastefully around her fra.
She grabbed a purse she slung over her exposed shoulder and stared at herself in the mirror. She gave herself a wink and figured she should buy so jewellery to accessorize the bareness of her neck. ’-but it’s a pretty good one~’
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