Serious: The adventures of the Demon Blacksmith and the Lightning Beast, Chapter 2: The Sky ship that needed coating ((CLOSED))

It was drizzling. Light patters of water fell onto the deck of the ship and onto Satoshi who chose to sit clamly contemplating on their previous battles. They had left Santa Goret and could only assume that Kiana had been successful in collecting her minerals. He felt at peace for now. No disruptions, no violence, simply peace on this wide ocean. The rain was dripping on his body and he could feel it purifying his body with each drop. He did wonder where they were going next. He got up and put on his yukata , and tied it all up. He walked carrying all three of his swords attached to his waist now. He was now searching for Kiana to decide where to go next. He headed for the forge in search of Kiana.

Her vivid blue eyes focused on the azure horizon ever closing on a vague green ripple of earth in the distance. As it neared, large broken columns could be seen rising from the untamed ground, most fallen and weathered, a ghostly whisper of a once glorious civilization. The island was peppered with monumental ruins, some of which were tucked into the forested regions and still others in plain sight which could be seen from afar, serving as a very overt warning to passers by of the price of imperial greed. She had heard of this place from the historical archives on her previous captain's ship; but never thought she'd even see this cursed place.
She started to move toward her forge to check for supplies and weaponry needed for the journey. While deep in thought, she tended to fold her hands behind her back and keep her eyes on the ground while walking, which only caused her to walk right into Satoshi who was approaching from the opposite end of the corridor.

Satoshi stood still feeling something bump into him. It was warm and quite strong. He looked to the front and saw that he had bumped into Kiana.He then blushed friously and jumped back "AHHHH, im sorry!! i DIDNT MEAN TO!! Ummmmm, oh wait, yeah i was about to ask, ummmmm, well where to next Kiana? We should consder the route and everything.... Im not a navigator, but i can tell that this rain will get worse soon..." Satoshi was also looking around, the cyborg which Kiana brought back should be around, but he didnt see it yet.

Her eyes open wide as she realized what she's just done. "Oh.. Satoshi. Forgive my clumsiness, yet again." She takes a couple of almost shy steps backward, almost as thought it would make up for her intrusion only moments ago. She pauses a moment to watch the show, which involved his usual flustered behavior whenever she got to near him. She rather regretted that she made him so uncomfortable. She waited for him to calm a bit before speaking. "I'm not sure where we must go next but right now we are very close to the Island Tyria. It was once the capital of a great empire, but their greed won them enemies and no even their heavily fortified island capital could save them. They were sieged and starved into submission until their city fell. Now a small village is there, deep in the forest. The villagers are the decedents of those who were exiled when the capital was placed here. They are the best ship coaters in this sea and since we're in the area, I want to make sure we're prepared for anything."

Satoshi then became slightly more puzzled than usual. "Coating? Why would we need coating? And where is Diablo? Is he on the ship? He might come in useful...." Satoshi was curious as to the need for coating, he had never gone under the sea like that before. It had somehow evaded him all this time.

"We don't need coating right now but we may and I want to be prepared if that time comes and this is our only shot at getting it done in this sea."
She tilted her head and his seemingly nervous string of inquiries.
"Diablo is in the kitchen, hopefully NOT in the process of torching my bloody ship. He trying to regain precision control over his lasers right now by using them on something the requires delicate temperature management. As much as I tried to convince him to practice with the metal I have here in the forge, he insisted upon practicing with... croissant dough. That's right, our fearsome cyborg friend is now an oversized ... pastry chef."
She carefully entered the combination for the lock of her forge door. She turned turned to Satoshi for a moment, still feeling a bit bad for getting him so flustered. She paused for a moment in almost visible self-debate before coming to a conclusion. She wandered over to Satoshi and linked her arm in his, while gazing up with bright curiosity.
"Would you like to see my forge, Bushido?"
She had never before let anyone other than her former captain set foot inside of her forge and live to tell the tale. Something about the way he carried and respected the blades that he wielded made her trust him.

Satoshi was glad to see the cyborg was being used well. He had remembered the battle with the cyborg. It had a lot of spirit and determination that had made Satoshi respect it. Satoshi was also shocked that Kiana would offer him to view the forge , it was a strange proposal, partially because she had hid in the forge for long periods of time doing projects and partially because he had never displayed over whelming interest in the forge. However he was not going to reject this gift from Kiana, he could tell it meant alot to her. "Ok, i would love to take a look with your permission...."

She closed the door after they had cleared the heavy, reenforced frame. She was psychotically protective of her forge and never left it exposed even if she was inside it. Satoshi may have been that only person she knew in the world who she thought would understand the sacred place where great blades are born. This place meant everything to her; though she didn't suspect Satoshi would fully understand her obsession with it.

(COMMENCE BORING FORGE DETAILS)
There were rows of large upright racks housing many weapon prototypes that could be used for long range combat. Shorter blades were kept on racks affixed to the wall, and small projectile-style blades were neatly arrange in order of size and shape, embedded in soft clay blocks. In the center of the room, near back back wall was the hearth with a somewhat ornate bellows connected to a heavy tuyere. Her fruit power allows the hearth to exceed 3000˚F in a relatively short amount of time.
Along side the hearth was an anvil with a nearby rack housing tongs, a chisel, a fuller, and a hardy. Next to the anvil was the slack tub.
(END BORING FORGE DETAILS)

She noticed that she had never really released Satoshi and she slipped her arm away from his, perhaps too quickly and somewhat awkwardly, like she'd been burned. She trusted him enough to let him wonder about freely but she tried not to move too much because she was so ridiculously clumsy around him. She was astute enough to notice this but was too annoyed with her own incompetence to wonder why. This certainly was not the best place for her clumsiness.
"Be careful, Bushido... there are lots of sharp edges and scalding temperatures in here..."

Satoshi was in awe with all the instruments and how hot it was. How did she work in here? Still he could see her dedication and effort she had put into her works. He didnt touch the weapons he saw, but he did look at them, examining them with great interest and genuine admiration for all these impressive looking blades and weapons. He then stood still "YEs i will be careful , do not worry about me Kiana.... does Diablo work as well down here? I can see the forge is very precious to you.... i can understand that."

She had carefully wandered over to her hearth, gazing absently at the glowing embers. Her back was to him and she spoke flatly without tone or inflection.
"No, Diablo cannot work in here. No one is allowed in here. He's still part human and I cannot trust him or trust ... anyone."
In a rare moment, she had indirectly told him she trusted him alone and she felt as though her jugular was exposed. She bit her lip and quickly changed the subject.
"You have been amazingly useful for my research but I still have so much to do ... when do you think that captain of yours will be taking you away from me... I mean... um, not that I really .... have you ...umm I mean ... I hope it isn't soon."

Satoshi knew immediately that this place was sacred to her and she wanted to protect it at all costs and he could understand it. He saw her looking so flustered and jumbling and random. He wasnt sure what to do, he had very rarely seen her like this. It made him blush a little to see her talk about him as if she needed him badly. He then said looking the other way "Well... ummmm, i dont think Anubis sama needs me any time soon, he would send King here if he needed me, besides , its no big deal, im sure everything is fine, my job is to assist you in any way possible and i would like to do that....."

Her eyes were still focused on the flame, the steadily flicking light of the embers lending an ethereal glow to her frigid azure oculars. She closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself and shake off the rambling effect he recently seemed to have on her. She had already said too much but, in this place, which was so much a part of every thing she believed in, she was probably more likely to add injury to insult.
The glint of the pure white blade she had forged for him caught her eye for a moment and she wandered over to him for a closer look to make sure the edge had was of premium quality. The silver, razor-thin stream of light that danced along the edge assured her that it was precision honed. Satisfied with the quality, she relaxed a bit, that is, until she noticed she had gotten too close ... again. Her focus on her work had the odd habit of mostly alienating her from reality and... danger.
His presence was somehow soothing and nerve racking at the same time which was bizarrely enjoyable since she typically existed in either a thick cloud of indifference, or a blood-thirsty rage. In any case, he was beyond an asset to her work. She swallowed hard, visibly flustered.
"I'm glad you'll be around for a bit longer... thank you ... so very much for lending me your skills and assistance. ... ... Satoshi, I--" She silenced herself quite suddenly; it didn't matter that she didn't want him to leave. She reached out her hand as though she were going to touch his face but it fell short, after a brief moment of panicked hesitation, and landed flatly on his shoulder. "y- you're a good friend."

Satoshi's heart sank for some reason when she said friend. Not that he was expecting anything more or less, it was just that it did. He didnt say anything and then just exclaimed "Well, the forge is wonderful Kiana, thank you for showing it to me... actually, im going to check if we are near the island right now.... and im glad to be here " Satoshi walked up to the deck to check if they were near the island.

She closed her eyes mentally kicking herself as she watched him leave. She also felt idiotic for thinking that he would have an interest in the harsh and brutish work of metal working and the precision art of weapon crafting. She stayed in her forge for a few more minute to fully collect herself, resuming her cavalier demeanor, before she ventured out on deck, locking her heavy forge door behind her.
She ship was fast approaching the land, thanks to the extreme power of her triple jet dial engine. Despite reading about the scant inhabitants of the island, she was always cautious about protecting her vessel and its occupants. She cut the thrusters to switch to the more gentle auxiliary power and altered the corse of the vessel to slip into a small lagoon, shielded by a small forested canopy. The characteristic maneuverability and extreme buoyancy of the Shandorian craft allowed the vessel to easily tread the cool, shallow waters of the lagoon without running aground.
The air was much cooler under the shady canopy and was growing even cooler as dusk approached. Instead of throwing anchor, she hoisted her vessel to a nearby ancient tree's lowest bough. The moonlight slipped thought the small breaks and the canopy and bounced off of the still, glassy water, giving everything in the area a soft, blue glow. This made it a bit difficult to see if anyone was secretly watching their docking. Her hardened gaze very carefully scanned the shoreline for movement. The demon blade at her hip did not seem to be disturbed at the moment, allowing her to relax somewhat but she was still a bit wary.
She turned to Satoshi, and stood in silence for a moment as she had become completely distracted the odd blue glow that the moon's light was casting on his pallid, white hair. She wasn't quite sure if it was fascination or admiration but it was definitely distracting. She suddenly noticed she was probably staring... awkwardly. She allowed her gaze to wander back to scanning the shore line.
"Oi, bushido... do you think you can keep out of trouble this time?"
She offered a playful wink after her query, completely aware that she was usually the one that stirred up trouble and conflict.

Satoshi didnt say anything, he was observing the area. Then when Kiana asked him that question , he had a urge to chuckle about that. Stil he could sense no malice or uneasiness from this place. He then looked to Kiana "Let us talk to anyone on this island, i do not think we are at risk at all really.... shall we bring Diablo as well with us?"

Yes... it should be quite peaceful here...
Kiana wandered to the lower decks for a few minutes and re-emerged clean and dressed in a black yukata with a green sash. The top bit of her slightly damp hair was swept back loosely and secured with two katana shaped hair pins. Given the reasonably diplomatic nature of their purpose on this island, she decided she should look more civilized than her typical scruffy blacksmithing battle wear allows. Her black katana was kept at her hip but she chose to leave her scythe in the forge.
She wandered back to Satoshi, seeming oddly cheerful at the prospect of examining the ruins peppered around the island while questing for the small village somewhere in the forest.
"Diablo... is still battling with the croissants.. and losing. If he offers you food, run. In any case, I don't think he wants to come at the moment. He may venture out later. Do you want to go now, Bushido?"
She takes his hand and tugs him to the side of the ship and points out a row of fallen columns along the edge of the lagoon.
"I think that was a temple ... this place is so old... there are so many exciting things to see..."

Ruins? Satoshi followed strangely intrigued, but not enough to be completely distracted. "Yes, lets get moving, i suppose we can leave Diablo here while we check the area. Let us find the village here, we need the ship coated first, or is there something else you need to do first Kiana?"

Kiana releases him, realizing her excitement about the eerie, ancient place got the better of her. She offered a cold, steely gaze in the wake of her giddy idiocy while she adjusted the placement of her katana somewhat absently.
"No. As much as I would like to explore, it would probably be best to find the village first so any wandering inhabitants won't become startled by our presence and become violent before knowing the intent of our visit. Diablo can keep an eye on the ship... and with any luck he won't burn the bloody thing down in the process."

Satoshi then looked to find the village with his eyes. He then turned to Kiana, "Do you know where the village is located or anyone in particular that we need to coat the ship? It might be best if we knew who we were going to do business with... we dont want random people who might damage a ship as different as ours..."

Kiana eyes flicker across the moonlit drenched ruins that had partially fallen into the lagoon with interest. Her eyes snap back to Satoshi as his words shatter the eerie silence of the place. It was so odd to see him so focused and not babbling incoherently. She respected him more for it, though he was admittedly less entertaining.
"I don't know where the village precisely is... it's probably a bit hidden but it can't be too far from the water source... so if we follow the river that feeds this lagoon, we should find it somewhere on periphery. We must seek out an old fellow named Agis... he is the best coating craftsman in this sea."

Satoshi then nodded, it seems she was right, wherever the water was , there was surely life around. He was a little curious as why a village would want to be hidden. Was this island inhabited by strange creatures? Or was it a defence against the outer world. Still , it didnt change the fact that they need a person who could coat the ship. Satoshi followed behind Kiana "Ok lets get moving...."

"Aye, the dusk is breaking; it will be dark soon."
The forest canopy was quite thick and would hide most things nestled on the rugged terrain beneath its tropical, leafy foliage. The bright light of the moon could barely penetrate to illuminate the forest floor dimly, leaving most of their journey to be made in the dark.
Kiana wandered along the edge of a patch of ruins, feeling dwarfed by the size of a single broken column. As far as she had read, the island house no unexpected surprises or hostile inhabitants but she wasn't going to take the chance that the accounts were incorrect. Her left hand didn't stray from the hilt of the katana at her right hip as she ventured to the edge of the forest.
She turns suddenly to Satoshi with a grave expression. "It's going to be quite dark ... stay close... I don't want to lose you ... um in the forest, I mean." She quickly leaves a faint kiss to linger on his lips, fulfilling her quota of mischief for the evening. "Be careful, Bushido..." She turns her attention back to the edge of the forest. "I wonder what side of the river the village is on...?"

Satoshi blushed furiously as Kiana kissed him, again completely off his guard. He nearly fell down from his position. He then straightened his legs so that he would avoid falling. He then panted "Ummm, what? Why? ummmm, yeah ok..., i wont get lost, i ll be safe i think...... but ummmmm, never mind....." Satoshi didnt look at Kiana, he was still blushing from that, it was not like he was utterly shocked. Kiana had done things like this before, but it still made him feel strange and hot inside. He didnt say a word, he did some light, "Ummmm, i see some sort of lighting over there..."

She winced a bit, noticing the odd effect she seemed to have on him and for the first time she felt a bit guilty. She wasn't even sure why she would do such uncharacteristic things. She bit her lower lip with a sheepish glance at the ground. "I... I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have done such a thing. Forgive me, Bushido."
She raised a brow at his reluctant way of speaking wondering what sort of information he was withholding. "Yes? but...what? Never mind? Are you alright?"
She turns her attention to the lighting mentioned. "What could that be?"

Satoshi then said "What? You didnt do anything bad!! I didnt dislike it or anything...." Satoshi then looked to the side where he saw the lighting "It looks faint, im not sure exactly if its maybe some plant or something else. It might be a house actually Kiana" Satoshi's face was less flustered than before, he tried his best to calm himself.