Castaway Crow: A Slay the Princess Fanfiction
Act 2, Chapter 1
You and Hero are paddling a canoe on a stream to the island west of Beachtown. You sit up front paddling on the left side while Hero sits in the back paddling on the right side. Broken paddles behind you in the second canoe. After some time, the three of you arrive at the shore of the island. In front of you stands a bug rock similar to the ones you found in the jungle and on the other island, along with a withered peach tree. Broken hurries over to water the tree without a second thought. Hero makes his way to the rock, lifting it with great strength. By the time he sets it down, he is holding a handful of crushed bugs, a few of them being a lovely shade of red.
You head up north to an unusually shaped lake. I don't recall learning about plus-shaped lakes in geography class. As Hero and Broken gather mangoes from the tree, you take the time to dive in the lake. Among the shells and corals, you find such interesting items as yellow slugs and broken glass. You scoop them up in your satchel. Ms. The-Charm, what are you gathering up the glass for?
The Charm: Remember that day me and the Contrarian tried out our grappling hook on the cliff near the pool?
You and Contrarian make your way to the pool north of the garden, carrying your grappling hook by your side. With one good swing, the hook grabs onto the ledge with ease. You climb up the rope to the top, Contrarian staying down to spot you. At the top, you find a tuning fork laying next to a coconut tree and pick it up. You take a moment to notice your surroundings. There is a funny little stick standing up in a hole in the ground.
The Charm: If I make a telescope to put on top of this stick, this would be a great spot for stargazing.
You climb back down the cliff and give the tuning fork to Contrarian, who looks at it with glee.
The Contrarian: This is exactly what I've been looking for to carve out the ultimate ocarina. Thank you!
The Charm: No problem!
On your way back to the camp, you bring up the idea of making a telescope. Your jovial friend is ecstatic.
The Charm: So with this broken glass, and the bamboo from the garden, we're going to build a telescope.
Oh, Psychedelic.
You venture up north of the lake. And in this area is the wreck of a broken plane. It must have crash landed on this island some time ago. You spot a metal pole shining on the floor in the sunlight and pick it up.
The Charm: I could bend this into a crowbar.
You also notice a tree truck filled with water. A whiff of your shirt tells you that it's time to wash your clothes. You change into a set of clean clothes: a grey buttoned explorer top knotted just above the waist and a long red sarong. Then, you set to work scrubbing your dirty clothes. You reunite with your friends a quarter of an hour later. On the ground near the waterfall lays a trail of black feathers. You follow the trail to an open place. And in the middle of that open place is a tepee, a flagpole with a red flag waving in the breeze, and a rustling bush.
The Hero: Smitten? Is that you?
The Smitten: No! You can't see me like this.
Smitten sheepishly crawls out of the bush, holding his arm tight around his chest. He staggers up and lowers his arm, hanging his head in shame. A few bald spots appear across his chest where feathers used to be.
The Charm: Your skin. What happened?
The Smitten: I'm molting. (buries his face in his hands) Eugh...
The Broken: It's okay, Smitten. Your feathers will grow back.
The Smitten: But the lads will laugh at me if they see me looking like this.
The Charm: No they won't. I have an idea. Hero, may I borrow a couple of coconuts and some vines please?
The Hero: Of course, but I don't know how these are going to solve his molting problem.
You hollow out the coconuts with your blade and tie them together with the vine. You motion for Smitten to turn around. He complies. And then you tie the top onto him in the back and around his neck. Smitten turns to face Hero and Broken.
The Charm: Ta-da! What do you think?
The Hero: Smitten, you look...
The Smitten: Like the prettiest girl at the lula! This is beautiful!
The Broken: Yes, you really covered up most of the bald patches.
The Smitten: Wait until the boys get a load of me.
So with Smitten's confidence restored, the four of you make your way back to the canoes and row all the way to the coastline.
...
You stand in the water on the beach. You're holding your spear steady as you eye a sardine swimming in a fast, zigzag line. Splash! The tip of your spear meets the fish. You do the same for another sardine that comes your way, and another, and another, and another. You don't know how long you have been spearfishing, but you are certain you have caught enough fish for dinner.
Back at the camp, Hero grills the sardines on the stone slab. Hunted squeezes the juice out of Broken's limes for Skeptic to mix with the tomatoes. You soon gather by the fire, eager to taste Cheated's new recipe: sardines with salsa. The consensus is positive. I'm pretty surprised that you made sardines delicious and filling. And the salsa's not bad either.
The Cheated: Thanks for getting the fish, Psych!
The Charm: Any time!
The Cheated: And because you were a big help today, I'm giving you my knife. It'll be better for cutting up shellfish than our dagger.
The Charm: Thanks!
