A young girl with flaming red hair with blond streaks, bright blue eyes and freckles fiddles with some mechanical contraption while wearing oversize gloves. She is pale and her ears have an unusually elongated shape. Sitting in a small clearing between some trees in what seems to be a super massive forest with a super massive tree in the background. Its branches go up higher than the wispy clouds. She seems to have made some kind of breakthrough as the machine begins to whirl. IT looks like a rocket however it is far thinner than a normal rocket. A fire bursts from the end. She smiles in excitement however it is short lived as it jerks and drags her across the ground till she hits a tree.
"It....worked..." She giggled to herself. "WOO!" She hollers and throws her hands up in the air and she leaps into the air.
"What worked?" A deep male voice rings behind her. She whips around to see a tall man standing on a branch leaning against the tree. He has nearly white blond hair and is wearing some kind of strange light armor. His eyes are silver and possesses even more elongated ears than the girl.
"Vesstan! How long have you been there?" She asks angrily.
"You should know if your observation haki were better attuned." He hops down off the branch and now stands next to her. He towers over her and his sword dangles at his side. His eyes narrow. "Now answer my question."
"Its....nothing..." She lies now trying to hold the rocket behind her back.
"Ah. Nothing? If I recall you were kicked out of the engineers workshop because you kept pestering them about the propulsion systems for our ships. If I didn't know better I would think that you were trying to find a way off this island after your mother expressly forbade you from leaving the island."
The girls hair prickles and it feels like the air around her is electrified. Rage wells up behind her eyes at the mention of her mother. Gritting her teeth stands firm against the man and grips the staff like rocket in her palm.
"Now princess..." He begins but is cut off bruptly
"I AM NOT...a princess anymore." she barks Vesstan softens his expression and reaches out his hand.
"You are still the first daughter of the queen. Even though you are a half-elf you still have claim to the throne...its just...not as strong as it used to be before your mother had legitimate children...." His voice trails off as he realized what he said. "N-not to say that you..." he fails to find the right words.
"Its fine." Her anger seems to be subsiding. Turning slightly she hides her face and begins to make some soft sobbing sounds.
"Princess...." His outstretched hand lands gently on her shoulder. However she turns to reveal an evil smile and no trace of tears in her eyes. "Wha..OOOF!" In his moment of confusion she lands a heavy punch into his abdomen and sends him flying.
"HAHAHA! You actually thought I was crying? Come on now can you name even one time in my life I've reveled in my status? This has been a huge burden off my shoulders with the birth of my new little brother and sister. Its also an opportune time to skip out while mother is bedridden." She holds the jet engine over her shoulder and is practically beaming. "Also this reminds me. Didn't you always tell me when I was growing up that I would be able to leave once I'm able to best you in combat?"
"Well...those weren't my exact words." Vesstan gets up and brushes himself off. "I've been training you since you could walk. You are 50 years away from my level." He pulls out his sword. It looks like a regular rapier but its far thinner and gleams as if made of something other than steel. "Princess Nikko I'm afraid if you wish to challenge me I won't hold back."
"Good. I can't wait to test out if the rumors that your mithral thinblade is actually unbreakable." Grinning ear to ear she slams her gloved fists together. The workshop gloves that are several sizes to large for her have a black sheen showing her haki infusion.
Only sound of leaves rustling in the wind remain in their stare-down. With a sudden lunge they both leap forward. Nikko is faster than Vesstan but he moves far more efficiently. She moves like a beast and he moves as if flowing down a river. She strikes first but misses. Rather it would be more accurate to say that he made her miss. She strikes again and again but isn't able to land a single blow. Much of the surrounding terrain is being blown to bits by each strike. Finally as if noticing even the slightest bit of weakness Vesstan strikes during a moment where she is off balance. He strikes with the back of his blade into her ribs and she gasps for air.
"I told you...50 years to early." However his smug look is short lived as she grabs hold of his blade. She looks pained but under her shirt is revealed a haki reinforcement. "What...."
"You are really strong but I've been planning this battle for years." With a grin she grasps the blade in her right hand and slams him with her left fist. She strikes now not on the armor but in a small place between the plates. This punch is far different than the one before both in speed and in force. She feels the cracking of his ribs. Instead of sending him flying she holds him in place by his grip on the blade so there is no loss of force by momentum. Vasstan falls to his knees.
"I knew you wouldn't miss the slightest weakness. I also knew you would hit me with the back of your blade. I also knew you had a more or less accurate understanding of the strength of my haki defenses. Over the last few years I've faked a plateau in my haki strengthening. In reality I have made more improvements this last year than any before. In order to beat you I needed you to let down your guard." She puts her hand on her ribs "And you still nearly broke me. I don't like this victory one bit so make sure to get even stronger for the next time I fight you."
"Wh...y?" He stands but he isn't in fighting shape anymore. Nikko doesn't respond. She just turns towards the sea.
"Because...now is my only shot. Mother wants me to stay here but Alfheimr is a prison to me. She hides secrets from me. I don't know how to explain it but...it calls to me." She holds out her hand towards the ocean. "I need to see the world." She clenches her fist. "And I will see it." She turns to Vasstan. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Send my regards to mother. But now that I have this built I can finally leave. I should have left earlier but I had some balance issues with the jets. Mother is recovering very fast for a woman who just delivered twins less than a day ago."
With this she gives Vasstan one last look and then she heads out making her way to a cliff that hangs over the ocean. There is a small satchel hidden underneath a rock formation. She takes everything out and begins to assemble some thing that looks a lot like a hang glider but the wings are attached to her back by a jacket harness. She adds the jet rocket to the spine of the glider. Over her shoulders are two thin mechanical handles with a few buttons on them.
"Going somewhere" A woman's voice this time rings behind her. She whips around in a cold sweat with wide eyes stretched by fear. Every hair on Nikko's body is now on end. The voice comes from a tall woman with blazing red hair similar to Nikko's. The woman's eyes are a blazing gold and her skin is a creamy pale without any blemishes in sight. He adorns a golden silk looking outfit and on her head is a thin silvery crown. She doesn't actually appear to be much older than Nikko. In fact one might say they looked rather like sisters.
"M...mother....you are out of bed early. I thought you would be resting?" Nikko says weakly. A bead of sweat rolls down her face. She takes a half step back and feels the edge of the cliff on her back heel.
"I believe I asked you a question Nikko." The imposing woman steps forward confidently and suddenly the heat in the area begins to rise rapidly. Her eyes begin to shine brightly and she creates an aura of light that becomes so bright it becomes hard to look at.
"I...IM LEAVING!" Nikko shouts. The ground cracks beneath the area between them. Her mother's face doesn't change but the aura switches from bright light to a scorching heat.
"No. I don't think so." The queen says calmly holding out her palm towards Nikko who reflexively dodges before anything even happens. It was a smart move because her attack was so fast that if she had waited to react it would have been too late. A beam of light blasts where Nikko was just a split second ago. It grazed the ground and there is a perfectly cylindrical cut through the ground. Nikko stomps the ground and it cracks to the point of collapsing. She falls back with the rubble and for a split second it looked as though her mother was worried.
"Guess no time like the present to see if this works" She pulls the handles forward as she falls down the cliff side surrounded by falling rocks. She presses the ignition button and nothing happens. FUCK"COME ON!" She yells. She clicks again and again and now she is halfway down the cliff. She bumps against a rock and another blast of light eradicates some of the rubble around her and narrowly missing her glider. It isn't till the last second that the engine kicks on and she pulls up. The tip of the wing skips against the water and jets across the water just inches above the waves. Pulling up even more she spirals upwards and the g-forces pull her cheeks and her face ripples with the sheer force of the new jet's powerful propulsion. It was way more than she had anticipated and she nearly blacks out but manages to stabilize just in time. Looking back now she see's she is now several hundred feet in the air and in just a few seconds already a sizable distance from the shore. She see's her mother standing on the broken cliff looking as bright as the setting sun behind her. Judging by the distance it looked like she was still in her mother's range but she isn't attacking her anymore. She wasn't sure why but the phrase "don't kiss a gift-shark in the mouth" echos in her head.
"Well lets see how fast this baby can really go! Watch out world....here I come." She pulls the handles forward and puts the jet to full thrust and she cuts through the horizon faster than any of their ships could ever hope to go.
"It....worked..." She giggled to herself. "WOO!" She hollers and throws her hands up in the air and she leaps into the air.
"What worked?" A deep male voice rings behind her. She whips around to see a tall man standing on a branch leaning against the tree. He has nearly white blond hair and is wearing some kind of strange light armor. His eyes are silver and possesses even more elongated ears than the girl.
"Vesstan! How long have you been there?" She asks angrily.
"You should know if your observation haki were better attuned." He hops down off the branch and now stands next to her. He towers over her and his sword dangles at his side. His eyes narrow. "Now answer my question."
"Its....nothing..." She lies now trying to hold the rocket behind her back.
"Ah. Nothing? If I recall you were kicked out of the engineers workshop because you kept pestering them about the propulsion systems for our ships. If I didn't know better I would think that you were trying to find a way off this island after your mother expressly forbade you from leaving the island."
The girls hair prickles and it feels like the air around her is electrified. Rage wells up behind her eyes at the mention of her mother. Gritting her teeth stands firm against the man and grips the staff like rocket in her palm.
"Now princess..." He begins but is cut off bruptly
"I AM NOT...a princess anymore." she barks Vesstan softens his expression and reaches out his hand.
"You are still the first daughter of the queen. Even though you are a half-elf you still have claim to the throne...its just...not as strong as it used to be before your mother had legitimate children...." His voice trails off as he realized what he said. "N-not to say that you..." he fails to find the right words.
"Its fine." Her anger seems to be subsiding. Turning slightly she hides her face and begins to make some soft sobbing sounds.
"Princess...." His outstretched hand lands gently on her shoulder. However she turns to reveal an evil smile and no trace of tears in her eyes. "Wha..OOOF!" In his moment of confusion she lands a heavy punch into his abdomen and sends him flying.
"HAHAHA! You actually thought I was crying? Come on now can you name even one time in my life I've reveled in my status? This has been a huge burden off my shoulders with the birth of my new little brother and sister. Its also an opportune time to skip out while mother is bedridden." She holds the jet engine over her shoulder and is practically beaming. "Also this reminds me. Didn't you always tell me when I was growing up that I would be able to leave once I'm able to best you in combat?"
"Well...those weren't my exact words." Vesstan gets up and brushes himself off. "I've been training you since you could walk. You are 50 years away from my level." He pulls out his sword. It looks like a regular rapier but its far thinner and gleams as if made of something other than steel. "Princess Nikko I'm afraid if you wish to challenge me I won't hold back."
"Good. I can't wait to test out if the rumors that your mithral thinblade is actually unbreakable." Grinning ear to ear she slams her gloved fists together. The workshop gloves that are several sizes to large for her have a black sheen showing her haki infusion.
Only sound of leaves rustling in the wind remain in their stare-down. With a sudden lunge they both leap forward. Nikko is faster than Vesstan but he moves far more efficiently. She moves like a beast and he moves as if flowing down a river. She strikes first but misses. Rather it would be more accurate to say that he made her miss. She strikes again and again but isn't able to land a single blow. Much of the surrounding terrain is being blown to bits by each strike. Finally as if noticing even the slightest bit of weakness Vesstan strikes during a moment where she is off balance. He strikes with the back of his blade into her ribs and she gasps for air.
"I told you...50 years to early." However his smug look is short lived as she grabs hold of his blade. She looks pained but under her shirt is revealed a haki reinforcement. "What...."
"You are really strong but I've been planning this battle for years." With a grin she grasps the blade in her right hand and slams him with her left fist. She strikes now not on the armor but in a small place between the plates. This punch is far different than the one before both in speed and in force. She feels the cracking of his ribs. Instead of sending him flying she holds him in place by his grip on the blade so there is no loss of force by momentum. Vasstan falls to his knees.
"I knew you wouldn't miss the slightest weakness. I also knew you would hit me with the back of your blade. I also knew you had a more or less accurate understanding of the strength of my haki defenses. Over the last few years I've faked a plateau in my haki strengthening. In reality I have made more improvements this last year than any before. In order to beat you I needed you to let down your guard." She puts her hand on her ribs "And you still nearly broke me. I don't like this victory one bit so make sure to get even stronger for the next time I fight you."
"Wh...y?" He stands but he isn't in fighting shape anymore. Nikko doesn't respond. She just turns towards the sea.
"Because...now is my only shot. Mother wants me to stay here but Alfheimr is a prison to me. She hides secrets from me. I don't know how to explain it but...it calls to me." She holds out her hand towards the ocean. "I need to see the world." She clenches her fist. "And I will see it." She turns to Vasstan. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Send my regards to mother. But now that I have this built I can finally leave. I should have left earlier but I had some balance issues with the jets. Mother is recovering very fast for a woman who just delivered twins less than a day ago."
With this she gives Vasstan one last look and then she heads out making her way to a cliff that hangs over the ocean. There is a small satchel hidden underneath a rock formation. She takes everything out and begins to assemble some thing that looks a lot like a hang glider but the wings are attached to her back by a jacket harness. She adds the jet rocket to the spine of the glider. Over her shoulders are two thin mechanical handles with a few buttons on them.
"Going somewhere" A woman's voice this time rings behind her. She whips around in a cold sweat with wide eyes stretched by fear. Every hair on Nikko's body is now on end. The voice comes from a tall woman with blazing red hair similar to Nikko's. The woman's eyes are a blazing gold and her skin is a creamy pale without any blemishes in sight. He adorns a golden silk looking outfit and on her head is a thin silvery crown. She doesn't actually appear to be much older than Nikko. In fact one might say they looked rather like sisters.
"M...mother....you are out of bed early. I thought you would be resting?" Nikko says weakly. A bead of sweat rolls down her face. She takes a half step back and feels the edge of the cliff on her back heel.
"I believe I asked you a question Nikko." The imposing woman steps forward confidently and suddenly the heat in the area begins to rise rapidly. Her eyes begin to shine brightly and she creates an aura of light that becomes so bright it becomes hard to look at.
"I...IM LEAVING!" Nikko shouts. The ground cracks beneath the area between them. Her mother's face doesn't change but the aura switches from bright light to a scorching heat.
"No. I don't think so." The queen says calmly holding out her palm towards Nikko who reflexively dodges before anything even happens. It was a smart move because her attack was so fast that if she had waited to react it would have been too late. A beam of light blasts where Nikko was just a split second ago. It grazed the ground and there is a perfectly cylindrical cut through the ground. Nikko stomps the ground and it cracks to the point of collapsing. She falls back with the rubble and for a split second it looked as though her mother was worried.
"Guess no time like the present to see if this works" She pulls the handles forward as she falls down the cliff side surrounded by falling rocks. She presses the ignition button and nothing happens. FUCK"COME ON!" She yells. She clicks again and again and now she is halfway down the cliff. She bumps against a rock and another blast of light eradicates some of the rubble around her and narrowly missing her glider. It isn't till the last second that the engine kicks on and she pulls up. The tip of the wing skips against the water and jets across the water just inches above the waves. Pulling up even more she spirals upwards and the g-forces pull her cheeks and her face ripples with the sheer force of the new jet's powerful propulsion. It was way more than she had anticipated and she nearly blacks out but manages to stabilize just in time. Looking back now she see's she is now several hundred feet in the air and in just a few seconds already a sizable distance from the shore. She see's her mother standing on the broken cliff looking as bright as the setting sun behind her. Judging by the distance it looked like she was still in her mother's range but she isn't attacking her anymore. She wasn't sure why but the phrase "don't kiss a gift-shark in the mouth" echos in her head.
"Well lets see how fast this baby can really go! Watch out world....here I come." She pulls the handles forward and puts the jet to full thrust and she cuts through the horizon faster than any of their ships could ever hope to go.