NOVEL FROG 「1」Tear Of A Storm
WHEN GODDESSES WEEP, THE TEARS THEY'D DROP TOWARD EARTH WOULD BE MEANT TO GIVE BIRTH TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE HOPES THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BRING AN END TO THEIR ENDLESS TURMOIL. YET THE LAST REMAINING GODDESS OF THIS ONCE SO FAMILIAR WORLD WAS ALSO THE MOST ROTTEN TO THE CORE. OVERCOME WITH THE FEELING OF LOSS AND HELPLESSNESS, THE GODDESS WEEPS AND WEEPS OUT OF DESPERATION FOR HER SALVATION, BUT IN DOING SO TEARS HER VERY SELF APART. THUS VANISHING FROM HER THRONE, AND LEAVING HER WORLD TO FEND FOR ITSELF WITH NO DEITY TO CALL OUT TO.
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「Year: XX65」
「ACSQ: #A14189」
「Location: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere」
「Status: Searching」
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It was a harsh and dusty day when a single girl in the rugged and unforgiving desert of the badlands was being carried by a struggling and sluggishly pieced-together automated taxi, all by herself. Yet despite these conditions, the girl didn't feel lonely or even at all bored, quite the opposite she was ecstatic. She didn't mind the heat, the dust, or the uneven road. All of these things were a new sensation to her and she couldn't help but lean out of the machine and hover her fingers across the soft yet hot sand.
"ARRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES" the shattered dashboard of the taxi finally gave its first notification after a whole day simply cruising through the middle of nowhere.
"... I'm almost there."
As she got closer to her destination, the dust slightly faded away as it revealed huge spiky rocks, giving off a hostile atmosphere yet seeming to be protective of what it had inside of it.
Once she arrived, the girl stepped into the sand without any hesitation or discomfort. Her large coat and protective goggles completely covered her, hiding her form and making her seem way bigger than she actually was. She stepped through a large opening through the rocks and the moment she did an entire town revealed itself to her. It has taken her countless work to finally get here, but it would pay itself off once she gets what she came for.
What was silent and ominous suddenly turned into a lively and seemingly comfortable place to be in. The streets are bustling with markets selling all kinds of things the girl has never seen before, unusual-looking people going to work or simply enjoying themselves with their friends and music playing from various taverns.
Finally, not being surrounded by dust and sand, the girl took off her goggles and flipped her hair out of the hood of her coat, revealing her unnaturally real yet inhuman eyes and her shiny hair glowing under the sun across the giant rocks. "Ahaha! Finally!" the girl cheerfully storms into the town, ready to experience all the things she's never seen before, such as these things they call "apples" or "coffee".
"Oh, I'm so sorry"
A clumsy girl with what seemed to be horns on her head, carrying a jar of water, tripped and spilled her water on the Nomad's clothes.
"Ah-! It's all okay don't worry about it haha-" She didn't mind the water, it was actually kinda fun for her since she's never had any water dunked on her before as weird as it sounds.
"No, no, no! I can't let that slide, I'm really sorry about this!" the horned girl takes out a cloth and goes around the Nomad, cleaning up her mess to little to no avail. "I really appreciate it actually, I've never had water spilled on me before!" the Nomad grins in a silly way, which only ended up confusing the horned girl with a "uhh... great for you?".
The horned girl took an unusually long time to fix her mess, as she kept grasping for something like a purse or pocket with goods she could pickpocket from the Nomad. But the Nomad wasn't carrying anything of worth with her at all. No bag or purse, and her pockets were entirely empty besides some sand she put in there for no reasonable explanation. Despite all of that, the Nomad didn't notice anything strange about the girl and was still appreciative of what she thought was her kindness.
"My name is Mauve! What's your name?" the Nomad awkwardly tried to initiate more small talk with the girl.
"Ah- y'know I'm just someone ahaha..."
"Just Someone? I never heard that name before, it's very nice to meet you Just Someone! I'm Mauve!"
"Wh-...uhh I'll see you around I have some other stuff to do-" the girl, entirely weirded out by Mauve's behavior and annoyed that she couldn't pickpocket anything out of her, slowly tries to get out of the situation.
"Oh, you should take me with you! I'd love to have a tour around here, Just Someone! I saw an unusual market that sells these funny-looking rocks-!" by the time Mauve said it, Just Someone had already long disappeared into the crowd and Mauve was all by herself again.
She didn't mind it though, surely she would meet Just Someone again, and she'd tell her all the things she'd have discovered by the time she went through everything the town had to offer. And by the time she has, she'd leave what she found most interesting for last, something they'd call a "Saloon" that she overheard a lot of people make plans to go to.
Once the sun had started to set there were two kinds of people, those who were already done with their day and wished to rest, and those whose days only just had begun and intended to enjoy themselves at the Saloon. Mauve, wanting to see all the commotion, followed the latter crowd, and as soon as she stepped through the unusual western-looking she was immediately overwhelmed with a "whoa...!".
Tons of people were chugging down something they called "Beer" like there'd be no tomorrow, a pianist that absolutely thrived and-
"Just Someone!!! I didn't know you'd be here too!"
The bartender, who turned out to be the same Just Someone Mauve had met before, was already entirely overwhelmed by wasted people asking for more drinks and refusing to go home. Her eyes absolutely widened at the sight of Mauve and overspilled a drink she was pouring for a man who'd just passed out on the floor from all the drinks he had before.
"Oh! A free seat, thanks mister!" she runs over to the bar nearly stumbling over several knocked-out men and carefully taking a big step over the passed-out man. "What's all of this about? Are we having a party? I haven't had a party before!" she says as she curiously picks up the overspilled glass and takes a sip from it. "Wait it's gonna cost-" Just Someone was about to stop her but simply handed over a menu to Mauve, hoping to see if she'd get to see some hidden pocket she missed where Mauve would keep her money in.
"Oh, I'd love to try all of these! I've never drank this 'Alcohol' before but this little glass had a funny texture."
"Y'eve got some guts, girly!" a large, clearly intoxicated man overheard Mauve and looked at her with approval, "how 'bout *hic* we see who can handle more alc- *hic* -kuohole. Mae, bring me and this *hic* lass some Evermores."
Just Someone, who the strange man just wrongfully called 'Mae' instead of her actual name, was actually kinda happy to hear him call in for some Evermores, the strongest drink the Saloon would have and could possibly brew. As she pours the drinks, Just Someone looks forward to seeing Mauve utterly drunk and knocked out so she'd be spared from any more antics.
With determination and excitement, Mauve stares at the large mug filled to the brim with extra foam overflowing from the top.
"I have no need for nutrition or hydration, but this is going to make an insightful entry- wait! Don't start before me!!!"
The man couldn't hold back and was already chugging away, with the entire drink disappearing within seconds. "Now it's the *hic* lass's turn! Chug chug chug! Ahahaha!!!"
Without hesitation she drinks all of it in a single take, absolutely flooring the man who'd never seen someone her size handle this much at once and Just Someone just staring at Mauve in awe and shock, expecting her to instantly pass out at any moment.
"This was surprisingly kinda good-"
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"Just Some-eeuuurghh one!!! Where are youuu! UU-eErgh..."
It's been several hours and several drinks since Mauve entered that Saloon and with the help of Just Someone by her side it's all coming back up.
"Ah... there you are!"
"I've been here the entire time what are you talking about?"
"Ahaha, yes- ERUGHH"
Mauve ended up drinking one too many Evermores and decidedly won against the man but with the cost of standing out in the cold behind the Saloon letting it all back out, with Just Someone being forced to help her by her father, the actual owner of the Saloon.
"Just go home, will you?"
"But I only just found you again! Let's have some more! My home's far away I can't get there yet!"
Having even a tiny bit of pity for Mauve, Just Someone lets her back into the Saloon. The party was still ongoing as it was the entire time, just with the addition of a dozen more knocked-out people who'd be dragged back home or wake up soon anyway.
Though as if something had come to her mind, Mauve immediately sobered up and looked out of the window, expecting the signal for what she came for to appear. Suddenly the dark sky illuminated purple for a single second before an extremely violent thunder rumbles the entire Saloon and woke those who were asleep and sobered up those who were still just drunk.
"I've got you-!" Mauve suddenly ran towards the door but was immediately stopped by the owner of the Saloon, Just Someone's father.
"Hey hey you don't have anywhere to go in time, feel free to stay here until the storm passes. FOR EVERYONE ELSE SHOO SHOO, SALOONS CLOSED" he picked her up by her coat with ease and sat her down at the bar, with everyone else disappointingly leaving, groaning and stumbling over each other.
"But I have to get there, I have a signal there I must go to."
"You're going to die out there, no way. Mae you're gonna share your room with this lass!"
"But-!" Just Someone tries to retort but her father would not let her get her way.
Her room wasn't really spacious and seemed crammed for a single person but it had enough room for Mauve to lie down on a mat with a small pillow and blanket. Though Mauve didn't fully understand what the use for this was since she didn't require any sleep, she just did whatever Just Someone did with the hopes of understanding her behavior more.
"Why does everyone call you Mae, I thought your name was Just Someone?"
"I genuinely feel like your brain is fried."
"Brains are fryable?"
"Yours definitely is if you tried to get out there during a storm. Couldn't you have done it earlier?"
"The signal only fully appeared once the thunder had appeared, I have to acquire the Etherite located at the epicenter of the storm."
"Eferight? You mean that crystal thing causing the storm?"
"Etherite is the crystalized accumulation of Ether Energy so yes!"
"And you're simply going to take it?"
"I'll need the Ether so yes."
"God you're insane. I have enough of this, goodnight." Mae turns around on her bed and shuts her eyes, trying to fall asleep. But the sound of Mauve moving around kept bothering her. "Can you stop staring at me?" "I am studying your behavior, I do not need any recovery as I'm always fully operational!"
"Just quit staring or stand still or something..."
"Got it!"
And so until the sun rose Mauve was simply standing still, waiting for the moment she could wake Mae.
"Mae Mae Mae! It's time to wake right now is the best time to get to the Etheryte the conditions are perfect!"
"Urghh.... Just.. I dunno take our bike or something... just bring it back when you're done..."
"I don't think I can ride one I've never been on one."
"Walk."
"By the time I walk there the perfect moment would pass and it'd be too stormy."
Already fed up but slowly getting used to Mauve, Mae gave up and gets out of bed while Mauve is unknowingly slightly hopping out of excitement. "Dad! I'm gonna borrow the bike! Gonna show her around town!" she called out to her dad but he didn't respond, most likely still sleeping so Mae just disregarded it and took his keys anyway.
Once on the bike Mae and Mauve put on their goggles as she violently started the fragile motor and launched into the streets and out between the giant rocks surrounding the town. Now that Mauve was back in the badlands, she navigated her toward the Etheryte, the signal getting more and more prominent with each minute.
"How are you actually sure you know where it is? Usually, these things just randomly appear from one place to another I've never actually seen one in person."
"I've been programmed with features that allow me to find viable energy sources near me."
"You've been... programmed? You're not human? I mean I knew you were always really weird but this kinda explains a lot..."
"I've been sent to deliver a digital package. But both my sisters and the recipient have vanished. So all I can do is look for them while keeping my Energy levels as high as I can."
"God, the more things you answer the more questions you leave behind... So you're out to find your sisters then?"
"Yeah. But I haven't gotten a single signal from them at all yet. But I know they're out there. And the more Ether I possess the stronger my signal for them to find me will become."
"I see..."
Not being able to think of anything more to say they both just silently keep riding towards the Etheryte. The closer they've gotten the denser the sand became and more dust started appearing, slightly clouding their view, which to Mauve only meant she was almost able to reach for the Etheryte.
"Ah- I don't think we can get any further than this. The bike is already way too fragile to even drive anywhere out of town."
"I can walk from here on out, I'll be fine!"
Without any hesitation, Mauve hopped off the bike and motioned Mae to wait for her as she marched into a violent storm. Golden light shone from within this massive density, yet Mauve didn't seem to have any trouble with it at all as she walked through it with relative ease.
Her coat was almost about to fly off and her goggles were about to crack and shatter, but she kept pushing on as each movement got harder and harder for her until that golden light was within her arm's reach.
"Got you! Haha!"
As soon as she grabbed it with all her might, the density started to fade away, revealing a rough but shiny crystal in the shape of a tear.
The crystal levitates above the sand, finally calm and stopping its destruction.
"Now I'll just have to extract the Ether...-!" Mauve talked to herself as she grabbed and shattered the fragile top of the crystal. In an instant, it liquified into a dense liquid as its outer shell turned itself upside down with its liquids leaking out in the same consistency as mercury metal. Not missing a single drop of the Ether, Mauve holds out her hands and lets it all seep into her hands.
The Ether would melt itself into her hands, entirely vanishing into her as Mae saw it all happen ever since the storm dispersed.
In awe of this catastrophe being single-handedly finished by a single girl she'd randomly met, she couldn't utter a single word and just silently got on the bike and motioned Mauve to get on it.
"Let's just go back home and tell everyone."
"Yes! Thank you so much for your help, Mae. I'd have a way harder time getting there without your support!"
Mae still was in a biz dazed and didn't realize she hadn't responded to Mauve and as she was riding home all she could utter was an "I'm sorry".
"Huh?, Sorry for what?"
"I'm sorry for what I did when we first met. I wanted to pickpocket you and I know it's shitty and all but-"
"What's pickpocketing? Is it a game? We can still play it sometime-"
"No- Just- Y'know what yeah it's a game where you spill water on someone for fun!"
"Ohh! Having water spilled on you is actually really fun I only had experience with drinking it but being hit by it has an entirely different sensation!"
"I honestly wish I could be as carefree as you, Mauve."
Mae seemed to be annoyed and fed up with Mauve but in the short time they had together she actually grew a bit fond of her and her antics.
Once they arrived back at the Saloon, Mae's father was already expecting her with a "Did ya take my bike again?"
"Dad you won't believe what just happened! She- She did- She-"
"Calm down, calm down! What's the matter!?"
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"SHE DID WHAT?! THE STORM!? GONE!? HOW"
"I DON'T KNOW SHE JUST TOOK IT!"
"MAUVE, YOU SIMPLY MADE IT DISAPPEAR!?!?"
"I have!"
"I'm opening up the Saloon we need to celebrate this somehow-"
"I actually intended on going-"
"WE'RE HAVING FREE DRINKS FOR EVERYONE!"
The second Mae's father uttered those words it was as if he cast a spell that suddenly summoned several dozen alcoholics to get drunk in celebration of getting rid of the storm.
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"And- and then the crys-tuhl talked *hic* to me...- urgh..." Mauve took one last sip of her Evermore while rambling things that were completely incomprehensible to Mae, but she didn't mind listening to her at that point after all the other things she had said and done.
"Let's just get you to bed." she picks Mauve up by her shoulder and lets Mauve rest on her bed for just this once.