Chapter 2:

Zeppelina Grande

Shibu Won't Find the Boot of Time

“W-what? Why are you giving me a nickname?” Tantan said.

“So you can call me Shibu! It’s what everyone calls me.”

“Why can’t I just use your name?”

“Because… it's just better that way! Trust me.”

Tantan looked sideways, as if unsure what to do with himself.

“So… Care to explain what you were doing earlier?” Shibu said.

“What?”

“You know. When you were beating the tree with your stick, and yelling about zap-a-bombs.”

“That’s… You wouldn’t understand!”

“Why not?”

“Because!”

“Try me.”

“There’s a type of game… Where you can get into a different world. And do stuff.”

“Different world?”

“Yeah. Well… It might’ve looked to you like I was beating a tree, but I really wasn’t. I was beating an orc. Do you get it? Do you get it now?”

“What? How? Where is the orc?”

“You just have to imagine it. Look, um… A tall green creature with a tusk coming out of its jaw, holding a fat wooden club above its shoulder. Right… right there.”

The ground shook, and the central garden tree collapsed into a ball, and then expanded into the shape of the orc.

“I see it!” Shibu said. “I understand! So this is who you’re fighting?”

“It’s just an example… You can go anywhere. You can fight anyone. Or don’t fight. You can do anything!”

“Anything, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Shibu started giggling, and then laughing more. “Ah. Okay. Then let’s do it. Let’s go somewhere more interesting.”

“Hmm? What do you mean? Woah, what the—”

The ground shook again, and the whole garden fell around them, until there was only darkness. The sky became infested with endless stars. They found themselves on an airship, as big as the house. The calm sea expanded far below them in all directions.

“Welcome aboard, brave soldier!” Shibu said as she stepped up onto the front of the ship. “I am your new Captain! And so you may call me Shibu the Captain!” She lifted her pirate’s hat and bowed.

“Where are we? Where are we going?” Tantan said.

“We are aboard our trusted flagship, Zeppelina Grande, together with the entire King’s armada. Can you spot them?” She grinned.

In the distance around them on all sides, fires lit up the air balloons of the adjacent airships, hundreds of them on both flanks.

“Woah, that’s pretty cool! I mean, we could’ve just been regular pirates…”

“Too unoriginal, that’s just boring! Besides, air pirates are much cooler! Oh, there we are!”

Shibu and Tantan leaned against the front railing. Land, a village, fires on the buildings, and tiny figures running around it. The sounds of screaming and clashing reached them.

Shibu took out a telescope and zoomed in on the village. She gasped!

“Orcs are attacking villagers in the streets! Stealing gold and silver from houses! And… eating their carrots! Unforgivable! We must do something, Tantan!”

“B-but, what kind of abilities do we have? How do we fight them?” Tantan said.

“Well, what kind of abilities do you like to have?”

He thought for a moment. A green light flashed over his clothes as padded leather wrapped him; a sword hung on his side. “Usually I’m a warrior. If this world has a lot of technology, it could be difficult, but I don’t mind…”

“It’s okay. You will discover more abilities to help you along the way. You’ll see. Oh, there he is, just in time! The leader of the orc forces, Putz!”

A large orc with heavy steel armor stood and laughed on a hill between the houses, the piles of both gold and carrots increasing in size next to him.

Shibu took out a megaphone and her voice rumbled, “Orcs! The King’s Armada has arrived! Put down your arms and surrender immediately! Or else…”

Putz in turn laughed and stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry.

“How rude! Attack!” Shibu yelled through the megaphone. Flaming arrows and dropping warriors filled the skies.

Without delay, Tantan jumped from the airship, making a crater on the ground where he landed. “Shibu? Aren’t you coming?”

“Of course not! I’ll just be watching from up here, so go attack them!” her voice came through a radio attached to his shoulder.

Scream. A group of orcs surrounded an old villager. Tantan dashed, leaving a trail of dust, and quickly cleaved through them. The orcs groaned and dissolved into dust. Tantan ran up the hill as more orcs rushed him. Crouching, jumping over, and dashing, he made quick work of them. Breathless, he quickly reached the top.

“Yay! Good work, soldier Tantan!” Shibu said.

“Is that all you can do?! Is there no one strong here?!” he said.

The ground shook as Putz stepped behind him, a cloud of foul odor escaping his jaw; he lifted his club, and his eyes glowed red.

Tantan dodged the incoming strike by only a finger’s length. As he dashed back in, the club came in faster than he could react, and it sent him flying and rolling and sliding to a halt. Tantan coughed blood, every bone in his body hurting.

“Tantan! Are you okay?” Shibu said.

“It’s fine… it’s nothing,” he said as he used his sword to stand. Coughing blood again. Putz laughed and slapped his knee.

“Now, it's time for your secret ability! Blow a kiss!” Shibu said.

“W-what?”

“Blow a kiss at him! Trust me!”

Hesitating, Tantan blew a kiss at Putz. The latter looked at him in confusion. Putz began to laugh again, until a ray of lightning fell down on him from the sky, creating a massive explosion and obliterating him. Once the smoke settled, there were no remains of the orc.

“What… what the heck is this ability?!” Tantan said. “It made it way too easy!”

“What? Why are you angry? We won, didn’t we?”

“But it was too easy!”

“But you almost lost? What if he was too powerful and you lost?”

“There’s no fun if there’s not a chance of losing! And also, I wouldn’t have lost!”

Shibu sighed. “Fine, fine, suit yourself. Luckily for you, Putz’s identical twin brother, Lutz, who also has an identical fighting style and physique, has also stepped onto the hill!”

Lutz stepped ahead, his appearance only differing by a mohawk hairstyle and a ring in his left ear. His face contorted in rage as he saw his twin brother’s ashes, and he roared.

Tantan dashed in a circle.

Lutz swung.

Dodged. A kick hit Tantan.

He coughed blood.

Another swing. Direct hit, sending him crashing into a wood carriage.

“There’s no way for him to win…” Shibu said to herself, hand tight against the railing.

But Tantan got up again.

Another dash. Lutz swung again.

Slash, Lutz’s hand loose in the air.

“Huh?”

Tantan jumped onto his shoulder. Stab. Lutz fell down on the ground. Tantan fell right after him.

“He won…” There was water in her eyes. Why?

***

Trumpets and whistles and confetti as they stepped into the throne hall. Happy people cheering for them in all directions.

“Woah…” Shibu said. As they reached the throne, they both kneeled in front of the King.

“Thank you and congratulations for your victory, dear heroes,” the King said. “But unfortunately, I have to bother you with another urgent request…”

“What request, Your Majesty? We would be glad to oblige!” Shibu said.

“As you may know, our kingdom is in constant war against the renegade usurper's forces. The infamous STEAMPUNKLORD Kaine. He keeps trying to steal our national artifact, the Gloves of Fire. So in turn, I need you to steal his own artifact. The Boot of Time.”

“The Boot of Time? What kind of artifact is that?” Tantan said.

“We aren’t sure of its capabilities, but it’s undoubtedly a powerful artifact. If he loses it, we will surely be able to stop the attacks.”

***

The Zeppelina flew above the forest. They leaned against the rails, watching the mountains.

“Um… Shibu?” Tantan said.

“What?”

“Why didn’t you jump with me back in the village?”

“I just didn’t feel like it. I prefer staying up here.”

“But you’re missing out on all the fun. If you stay up on the airship, you won’t be able to do much.”

“I said I’m fine staying up here!”

“Would you try to jump? At least once?”

“I’m really fine…”