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It was just another ordinary day at Hexside, Barbeau had just finished with his “Intro to the Human World” class, a mandatory course for all students native to the Isles, as it helped them understand their human neighbors better. The young sahuagin made his way over to his locker to retrieve his books for his next class.
He scratched the sentient container under it’s chin, causing it to open it’s maw wide enough to retrieve his books. As he grabbed the text, he noticed someone walk by out of the corner of his eye, someone he had seen around the school quite . He quickly glanced over at the individual, getting a better look at them.
It was Mieko, a classmate of his from prophecies class, and his biggest crush. She had large, majestic wings on her back, covered with black feathers, a feathered tail that plumed downwards, and long, straight black hair that extended down to her waist. She continued walking until she reached her locker, a few feet away from Barbeau’s. As she turned, Barbeau was able to get a glimpse at her face. She had pointed ears, a large, dark beak, and blood red eyes. The sleeves of her uniform, were purple, indicating she belonged to the oracle coven.
Try as he might, Barbeau couldn’t take his eyes off her. She made him feel strange, like he had fluttering insects in his stomach, or he had swallowed an entire school of piranha whole. He had never felt like this before, what was this strange feeling?
He was brought out of his thought when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, beau,” Azura greeted, “what’s up?”
Barbeau jumped, causing some water to spill out of his mask. “Azura, you startled me.”
“You okay, man,” she asked, “I’ve never seen you jump like this before.”
Barbeau held his head, “I don’t know. I get this strange feeling every time I see her.” He then pointed Azura in the direction of the tengu girl.
“Mieko from prophecies class,” she questioned.
“There is something about her, she gives me this odd churning sensation in my abdomen, like there are numerous fluttering insects swarming about in my intestines.”
Azura looked at him for a moment , confused by his choice of words. It took her a moment, but she was able to decipher what he was saying: Butterflies in his stomach. Within seconds, she figured out what was going on. Azura grinned excitedly, this was big.
“Aww, sounds like someone’s got a crush,” she remarked.
Barbeau looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I do not understand: I barely know her, how could I have any desire to inflict harm upon her?”
Azura chuckled, “No, I mean you’re attracted to her.”
“Oh,” he said, blushing. “What should I do?”
“You should ask her out,” Azura suggested, grabbing his hands, “come on, I’ll be your ‘wingwitch.’”
“But she already has wings,” he objected as she dragged him over to the girl.
Barbeau didn’t know what to do, he had never experienced feelings like this before. Additionally, just getting closer to her was making shake, how did this tengu girl have such power over him? His thoughts were interrupted when they reached Mieko.
“Hey, Mieko,” Azura greeted.
“Kon'nichiwa, my esteemed classmates,” she said with a courteous bow and a heavy Japanese accent.
Ignoring her greeting, Azura moved Barbeau in front of her. “This is my friend, Barbeau.” He was stiff as a board, she had never seen him this nervous before… or at all.
Mieko smiled at the aquatic student, either ignoring or oblivious to his nervousness. “Yes, you saved me from that metal abomination,” she recalled. Barbeau did and said nothing, he just stood there, motionless, like a deer in headlights. A few seconds passed before anything else happened.
Mieko leaned over to Azura. “Is he alright?”
“Yeah, hold on a sec,” Azura said. She quickly conjured up a glass of water, which she then used to splash her friend in the face.
The sudden sensation of the cold liquid against his scales snapped him out of his trance. “Apologies for my silence, for I have not seen one as lovely as you on these Isles.”
Mieko blushed, Azura stared at her friend, surprised. “Woah, dude, didn’t know you had it in you,” she whispered to him.
“Neither did I,” he whispered back, “it just slipped out.”
“Oh, I— arigato,” Mieko giggled like a schoolgirl.
“If I may be so bold, pray tell, where do you originate from?”
“I am originally from a land far away from these isles, my father and I migrated here only recently,” she confessed, “I will admit, I have had some trouble adapting to the customs of the isles.”
“I myself have had difficulties in regards to the the ways of the surface initially.”
“I suppose it is reassuring to know that I am not the only one who has felt like an outsider,” she added.
Azura watched as the pair continued to talk, a proud smirk on her face. The pair were hitting it off remarkably well, they were like two peas in a pod. However, she noticed that the next period was about to start, so she quickly gave Barbeau a light nudge with her elbow, signaling him to wrap it up.
“My apologies, but it appears class is about to start again, so I am afraid we have to cut this meeting short,” he said, “but before I go, I must ask you something: would you be willing to go out with me this Friday, provided you have no prior engagements of course.”
Mieko thought the offer over for a second, then gave an answer. “I would be honored.”
“Then I shall see you then,” Barbeau said with a courteous bow.
The bird-like then fluttered off to her next class, humming a happy tune.
“Way to go, Casanova,” Azura congratulated her friend, “looks like someone’s got a big date this Friday.”
Just then, Barbeau immediately passed out on the floor.
“Aw geez,” she said, startled by her friend’s reaction. She quickly picked him up and hoisted him over her shoulder. “So much for ‘Casanova.’”
***
Sometime later, Barbeau woke up in the nurses’ office, without his gear. This would have been a problem if he weren’t floating in a tank of water about the size of a bed. It was a good thing the nurse’s office was equipped to accommodate students of all species, because laying on a bed with his gear on was incredibly uncomfortable for the young sahuagin.
He looked over to the right to see Azura, standing there with his gear in hand. “Glad to see you’re okay, Beau,” she said, handing him the neck piece first. “here’s your gear.”
Barbeau took the neck piece and placed it around his neck before switching it on. With the constant flow of water on his gills restored, Barbeau was halfway land ready again. Azura then handed over the other half of the equation: his water tank. He fixed the apparatus onto his back and slipped the mask over his mouth and nose. He had to wait a for the mask to fill up before he could “breath” again.
It was moments like this that truly reminded Azura just how much of a hassle her friend went through for an education. He was an aquatic creature who needed water to survive, and to that regard he would regularly don special gear that would enable him to survive on land. He was essentially a reverse scuba diver.
“What happened back there, man,” Azura asked, “after Mieko left, you were out cold.”
“I suppose my nerves got the better of me,” Barbeau sighed, “When she agreed to go out with me, my mind became flushed with numerous conflicting thoughts: how could I make the date go smoothly, what if an unforeseen circumstance occurs and the date is ruined, and if that happens, what is she never wants to see me again?”
“Beau, calm down, you’re overthinking it,” Azura said as she placed her hands on his shoulders. “And I should know; back when Tansy and I started dating, I was a nervous wreck, so I know where you’re coming from.”
“Do you suppose you can assist me in this endeavor, I am unfamiliar with the ways mating on the surface.”
“Oh, come on, it can’t be that different.”
“Sahuagins mainly focus on appearance and musical talent when selecting a mate; males look for females with vibrant colors and excellent singing voices, ones that can hit really high notes.”
Azura rubbed her chin, “Okay, the singing fixation is a bit different, but it seems pretty similar overall.”
“Then after two sahuagin start courting, the male will provide tokens of their ability to their partner, like extra food and beautiful shells.”
“Gifts, also a part of surface world dating.”
“And if a competitor is to arise, we either engage in a contest to determine the better mate, or fight to the death.”
Azura was surprised by that last remark. “Okay, that’s a bit much, but we kinda do the same up here. I think you’ll be okay, but if you’re really that nervous, I think I can help.”
***
Friday finally arrived, and Azura had a plan. She and Barbeau agreed to meet at the cove by his settlement an hour before the date, so they could put her plan into motion. Azura stood at the shoreline, waiting for her aquatic friend to rise from the boiling sea. His cold-blooded physiology made surviving in such inhospitable waters easy, though unheated swimming pools were strictly off limits as they could cause him to go into shock. Barbeau then arose from the ocean, dressed in what appeared to be a mishmash of somewhat tattered sailor and pirate outfits carefully arranged to appear like typical surface attire.
Azura looked at her friend, impressed by his attire. “Where’d you get the clothes?”
“A sahuagin’s wardrobe is comprised of whatever we make ourselves or find underwater,” he explained, “I wanted to look nice by surface standards, so I scoured numerous sunken ships until I was able to assemble this ensemble.”
Azura then pulled out an amulet and placed it around his neck, much to his confusion. “What is this?”
The witchling gripped a similar amulet around her neck. ‘It’s a telepathy amulet,’ he heard her voice in his mind, ‘this way, I can coach you through the date and you won’t like you’re talking to yourself.’
“Excellent, now let us be on our way,” he said as the pair made their way to Mieko’s house.
***
Azura and Barbeau stared at the structure in front of them. “So, this is the place,” she asked.
“It is the address she gave me,” he confirmed.
The pair stood before a traditional Japanese minka house, complete with zen garden, sliding doors, and tatami mats, located on the outskirts of Bonesborough. It was completely unlike any other building in the Boiling Isles, contrasting greatly with the gothic European architecture they were accustomed to. They weren’t sure how the construction of a house like this could go unnoticed.
“So, you ready for this, big guy,” Azura asked.
Barbeau took a deep “breath,” “As ready as I will ever be.”
Azura gave him a pat on the back. “Just remember, I’ll be right here for ya.” She then leapt into a bush and stuck out her arm for a supportive thumbs up.
Barbeau made his way to the front door of the house. Though he was faced with an interesting question when he reached the sliding paper door; how would he knock. He could see no doorbell, and he worried that the sliding paper doors would be damaged if he were to knock on them.
As he looked around, he noticed a wind chime with a sign below it. Upon investigation, the sign had some strange markings on it resembling Japanese writing, and further below that was a passage written in English that read “Gently ring me.” Following the instructions before him, Barbeau gently ran his webbed fingers through the chimes, creating a soft and mellifluous sound for all to here.
The door slid open, revealing a large and imposing figure. He wore robes befitting an ascetic monk, with large, feathered wings sprouting from his back. His most striking feature though was his face; he looked like an old man, with long white hair, a long, wispy beard, bright red skin, and a remarkably long nose.
The figure looked down at Barbeau, his eyes were intense, stern, unflinching. It felt like he was judging him, measuring his worth. Barbeau was scared to move, as if the slightest little twitch would make him seem unworthy.
“You must be the boy my daughter spoke of,” the figure said with a thick Japanese accent.
“Uh… yes sir,” he said shakily before going into a formal bow, “I am Barbeau of the Boiling Isles Sahuagin school. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
The man let out a low growl before motioning the young sahuagin to come in. He hesitantly stepped past the red faced man and into the domicile. It was quaint, there wasn’t much furniture, except for a small table with some mats by it, an end table with a bonsai tree, and a few paintings on the walls.
“Musume,” the elder called out, “anata no hidzuke wa koko ni arimasu!”
“Otōsan, sugu ni dekakemasu,” Mieko’s voice called out.
“She will be out in a moment,” the elder said, “in the meantime, please sit.” He then motioned over to the table.
The pair walked over to the table and sat down. The Mieko’s father sat on one of the mats with his knees. Not wanting to stand out, Barbeau followed the example set by the red-nosed being. The two sat there in silence for a few moments, with Mieko’s father eyeing the young man, and Barbeau being too nervous to speak.
“So,” the father spoke up, “how do you know my daughter?”
“I met her at school.”
“I see,” he said as he stroked his beard. “And if I may be so bold, what exactly are your intentions for my daughter this evening?”
“I intend to take her out to dinner tonight, and afterwards, I can foresee us partaking in an activity of her choosing.”
Mieko’s father stared into the young sahuagin’s eyes, like he was examining him, looking into his very soul. He the let out a confident chuckle and crossed his arms. “I believe you.”
The pair heard the sound of paper doors opening and closing, and they were soon joined by Mieko. She was dressed in a stunningly beautiful kimono, with her hair tied up in a bun. “Apologies for the wait.”
Barbeau was speechless, she looked amazing. His face became flushed and his heart started beating much faster. He took a moment to compose himself and calm down. “Are you ready to go?”
Mieko walked over and took his hand. “Yes, let’s.”
The sensation of her warm, feathery hand in his cold scaly one sent chills up his spine. The young pair then walked out of the house, hand in hand. Mieko’s father stuck his head out of the door. “Be back by 10 O’clock!”
“I will, father,” Mieko hollered back.
The young couple continued their walk into Bonesborough, with Azura watching from a distance, ready to help her friend.
***
Barbeau and Mieko laughed jovially as they walked away from the latest sushi restaurant in town.
“That was delicious,” Barbeau exclaimed, “in all my time on the surface, I never knew there was a cuisine involving raw fish.”
“It is a well known dish in my homeland,” Mieko explained, “it feels like a little bit of home followed me here.”
Barbeau felt confident, the date was going smoothly, but he felt like there was something amiss, like a little voice in the back of his head was trying to tell him something.
‘Alright, Beau,’ Azura’s voice rang in his mind, ‘dinner went great, and it’s only 7:30, what do you have in mind next?’
Barbeau, remembering his plans for the evening, turned to Mieko. “So, while we are out, is there anywhere you would like to go?”
Mieko put her hand to her chin. “Hmm, I have been dying to go to the Exotic Market.”
“Then away we shall go,” he said as he grabbed her hand, and the two made their way to the marketplace.
The exotic market was a more recent fixture to the Boiling Isles. Back when the emperor was in power, the shores of the Isles were closed off, to the point that the citizens didn’t even know if there were other inhabited islands out there. After his defeat and the establishment of democracy, the ports were opened, and they received an influx of beings and cultures from other lands. Most of the inhabitants of the Isles reacted with enthusiasm, and wanted to know more about their new neighbors, so the exotic market was made, to give every demon and witch a chance to experience other cultures.
“My goodness,” she exclaimed, rushing over to a stand covered in various antiques.
Barbeau rushed to her side, “What is it?”
Mieko then pointed out something on the back wall of the stand: an old leaf fan with a wooden handle. “That is a tengu fan, one of the most treasured items a tengu can own!”
“That’s right,” they heard a voice say. Just then, a small, pig-like demon jumped out from below the counter, “And it can be yours, for a price!”
Barbeau pulled out a small pouch. “Thank you, Mr.-“
“Tibblet-Tibblie Grimm Hammer III,” the small pig demon said with a bow, “call me ‘Tibbles.”
‘Tibbles,’ Azura exclaimed in Barbeau’s minds. ‘Be careful, Beau, this guy’s bad news. He’s tried to con my family numerous times!’
Taking note of his friend’s advice, Barbeau cautiously pulled out his money pouch. “How much would you like for the fan?”
“Five thousand snails,” Tibbles proclaimed with a proud smirk.
Mieko’s jaw dropped and Barbeau nearly choked from gasping. “That is highway robbery,” he exclaimed.
“As the lady said, a tengu fan is a rare and valuable treasure,” Tibbles explained, “coming across one without a tengu attached is nearly impossible.”
“Then how do you have one,” Barbeau asked suspiciously.
“I acquired it through completely legal mean, I assure you,” the tiny merchant said before waving them off, “now if you don’t have the money, please make way for customers who do, not that I could ever see why a karasutengu would want one.”
Barbeau growled at the greedy little swine, but he stopped when Mieko placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s just leave,” she sighed defeatedly.
The young couple walked away, heading over to a nearby park and sat down on a bench. Mieko slouched over like she lost a major battle. Noticing her depression, Azura telepathically made a suggestion to Barbeau.
‘She’s looking a little down Beau,’ she observed. She then noticed a an ice cream cart nearby, ‘Maybe get her some ice cream, that could help cheer her up.’
Taking his friend’s advice, Barbeau got two cones and gave one of them to Mieko, it didn’t seem to do anything for her mood.
“If I may ask, why did you want that fan so badly?”
Mieko sighed. “Years ago, back when I was just an egg in my homeland, my father traded me to a witch for some shiny trinket. As the witch made his way home through the mountains, he was confronted by a daitengu, who was curious as to why he held a tengu egg in his possession. The witch refused to cooperate at first, until the daitengu used his fan to make the witch’s nose grow obscenely large. The witch confessed that he had gotten me in a trade and was jntending to sell me to the highest bidder. Wanting to prevent that, the tengu, Sōjō, offered a new trade: his fan for me. The witch accepted.”
Mieko looked up at the stars. “Sōjō raised me when I hatched, he became more of a father to me than my birth father ever could have been. He loves me regardless of the difference in our species, and I was raised as a daitengu. Rather than playing cruel trick like other karasutengu, I provided aid and wisdom to others, living a thoughtful life of meditation and charity. However, my homeland soon developed an increasingly violent attitude towards karasutengu. Fearing for my safety, my father migrated us to the Boiling Isles, where I would be safe.”
Barbeau was gobsmacked, he had never heard such a story before. In his mind, the gears started to turn and he realized why she wanted the fan. “You wanted to give the fan to your father?”
“He has done so much for me,” Mieko said, “I only wanted to give something back.”
Barbeau’s blood started to boil; Mieko was probably the nicest, most generous girl he’s ever met, and all she wanted to do was give back to the man who raised her, and that little squealing swine wanted to extort her for it. He turned back to Mieko, “I make you this promise here and now, I will get you that fan from that conman.”
***
Barbeau and Mieko returned to the exotic market, now with a plan to get the fan. The two stationed themselves a few feet away from Tibbles’ scam stand, just far enough that he couldn’t directly see them. They watched the swine’s stand intently, waiting for their moment to strike.
Back at the stand, Tibbles was polishing a glass vial full of a glowing elixir. He looked into the glass and saw his reflection, giving a big smile. “A shiny vial is a profitable vial.”
Just then, a monkey jumped onto his counter and snatched the vial out of his hands, and ran off with the concoction. “Hey,” Tibbles exclaimed as he leapt over the counter, “get back here you little imp!”
The pig demon followed the spontaneous primate further into the market. Unbeknownst to him, Azura was watching him from the shadows, maintaining the illusion spell that created the monkey. ‘Alright, Beau,’ she communicated telepathically, ‘you’re all clear.’
Barbeau and Mieko quickly rushed to Tibbles’ stand and snuck into the back. The sahuagin grabbed the fan and ran off, while Mieko stuck around for a moment. She pulled out a small pouch and left a few snails on the counter, about twenty-five to be precise. She knew the fan was priceless, but she didn’t want to just rob the the little jerk. She then ran after Barbeau as fast as she could.
Back with Tibbles, he finally caught up with the monkey, and was currently engaged in a tug of war over the elixir. “Give it back, you little twerp!”
The monkey grinned at Tibbles before evaporating in a puff of smoke. Tibbles fell to the ground, confused. “Huh, that’s odd, it’s like someone…” The pig demon gasped, “Oh no, my scam stand!”
He trotted back to his stand as fast as he could. He sighed with relief when he saw it was still standing, but he knew there was something else he had to worry about. He quickly jumped behind the counter and took stock of his inventory, everything seemed to be accounted for, until he noticed that his tengu fan was missing.
Tibbles gasped before noticing a small puddle of water around where the fan once was. Upon further inspection, he saw an entire trail of puddles leading to the park nearby. The pig demon growled furiously.
“So that’s how you want to play it? Fine!”
***
Back at the park, Barbeau and Mieko stopped running once they reached a lake surrounded by glowing flowers. The took a moment to catch their breath before Barbra handed her the fan.
“I believe this belongs to you now.”
Mieko gladly took the heirloom, before wrapping the sahuagin boy in a big hug. “Arigatōgozaimasu!”
Wrapped in her warm feathery arms, Barbeau found himself unable to move, then again, he kind of didn’t want to. On instinct, he wrapped his arms around her as well. They two stayed like that for a minute before finally separating.
Mieko then looked at the fan, inspecting it. She then noticed something that made her gasp. There was a name etched into the handle in kanji: “僧正.”
“I do not believe it,” she exclaimed in joyous surprise, “Barbeau, my father’s name is etched into the handle!”
“Then that means…”
“This is my father’s fan!”
Barbeau crossed his arms and made an amused smirk. “Wow, a little contrived, but still convenient.” Mieko held the fan aloft. “What are you doing?”
“I am about to test if it still works.” She said before waving the fan around.
The swift movements of the fan created massive gusts of wind, picking up the glowing petals of the flowers around them. The petals danced on the breeze around them, creating a display more spectacular and beautiful than anything they’ve seen before. The light of the full moon above them added to the majesty, creating a picture almost too beautiful for words.
Looking at the display before them, Mieko felt compelled to say something. “Fluttering petals, dancing in the moonlit sky. Romance comes in bloom.”
Barbeau stared at her, enamored. “That was beautiful.”
Mieko got closer to him. “You are beautiful.”
Barbeau removed his mask, and Mieko leaned in. Her beak and his mouth inched closer together. They were about to go in for a kiss. Azura watched from the shadows, tears welling up in her eyes.
“There you are,” they heard a familiar voice call out, interrupting their attempts to kiss.
Barbeau quickly fashioned his mask back over his face, and the pair looked to see Tibbles standing before them, with a spritz bottle of a glowing pink liquid in his hands.
“I’ll be taking my fan back now.”
“It isn’t your fan,” Barbeau declared, stepping forward.
“It is mine,” Tibbles shot back, “I stole it fair and square! Now hand it over before I use this!” He held the spritz bottle aloft.
“What is that,” Mieko asked.
“This is a shrinking potion of my own design,” the pig demon taunted, “if you don’t return my fan, I’ll be forced to use this and take it from you myself! And while I’m at it, I can sell the two of you as pets, or food, whatever the customer wants!”
Tibbles pointed the bottle at the two teens, an unhinged look on his face. Barbeau positioned himself in front of Mieko to shield her. There was nothing more that he could do, he wasn’t fast enough to wrestle the bottle away from the tiny demon. The most he could do was block any shots so she could escape.
“Alright then, so be it,” Tibbles said sinisterly.
Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Azura, from her hiding place, cast a spell, causing a spike of solid rock to erupt from the ground and puncture the bottle. The container shattered, and it’s contents spilled over Tibbles.
He blinked twice, trying to process what just happened. “Oh darn.”
The porcine demon was enveloped in a puff of pink smoke. When the clouds dissipated, he was now only a few inches tall, roughly the dive of an action figure. “What in the name of the Titan happened!”
Barbeau and Mieko stood over him. “Would you like to do the honors,” she asked her date.
“Oh, by all means,” he said courteously.
Mieko then waved the fan over Tibbles, creating a small gust of wind that blew him away. “THIS ISN’T OVER,” Tibbles exclaimed, “I’LL BE BACK!!!”
The young couple watched as the pig demon was carried away. Mieko crossed her arms knowingly, “I wonder what caused that spike to suddenly appear.”
Barbeau became slightly panicked, “Oh, uh… a localized seismic tremor?”
Mieko shook her head, amused. “Barbeau, I know your friend has been watching us.”
Barbeau stood there, slack-jawed. “How long have you known?”
“The entire time,” she answered.
“Dang, you’re good,” Azura said as she popped out of her hiding space. She then rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment, “Sorry, I just wanted to help my friend on his first date.”
“It is quite alright,” Mieko reassured her, “I do not want to think about what could have happened had you not intervened.”
“Glad I could help,” Azura said, “now, I believe the two of you were about to do something before you were so rudely interrupted.”
The sahuagin and tengu blushed. They looked into each other’s eyes, Barbeau removed his mask again, and he and Mieko moved in for a kiss, but just before his scaly lips could reach her beak, an alarm went off.
“Oh what is it now,” Azura exclaimed.
Mieko reached into her kimono and pulled out her scroll, silencing the alarm. “I am sorry, I have to get home, it’s almost ten.”
Barbeau put his mask back on. “I can walk you home,” he suggested courteously.
“That is a generous offer,” Mieko replied, “but I believe I may have a better idea.”
***
Mieko soared through the skies, high over the Isles, with Barbeau in her arms. The young sahuagin was amazed by the sights before him. All the times he swam through the seas of the isles, he never dreamed that he would one day soar above them. It was a rush.
The pair touched down in front of Mieko’s home, and faced each other. “Thank you,” Mieko said, “tonight was wonderful.”
“Thank you for agreeing to go out with me,” Barbeau replied, “I hope this means you will be open to future dates.”
“We shall see,” she replied flirtatiously. The young tengu then gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Oyasuminasai, watashi no hansamuna sakana no otoko.”
Mieko then walked back into her home, leaving Barbeau standing there, motionless and flustered. Azura, having managed to catch up to him, walked over to her friend.
“You okay, slick?”
Barbeau then collapsed, unconscious with a smile on his face. Azura chuckled as she picked her friend up and started to carry him home. “Yep, I remember my first date.”