A Not So Standard Fairy Tail

In a great many of fairy tails there are standard tropes and conventions that are followed, many of which that transcend even species and different points of times. What is it that fascinates people about them? And why was it then that so many cultures have their own take and spin on them?

This were all questions that personally fascinated me as someone was fairly interested in how cultures and people develop across different places.

I picked Fairy Tails because its probably one of the more well known forms of folk lore that is passed down. Though, I have to say more often then not a lot of Fairy Tails have some really bad stuff in it compared to what most cultures think of them.

So making this long winded ramble short, there is one that interest me about a very far off princess, a troubled soul trying to find his way and a little girl that ties them together. Sounds pretty wholsome right? We'll it is but not everything is sun and rainbows.

But why take a interest in this one in particular?

It's because it actually an event that helps shape the history of my people for a bit. Kind of funny how a small change here or there can have that many ripples.

Now, where to begin...

-Carlie Schneider
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"I have to confess, it is odd a young woman appeared as she had being quite strong as well. She doesn't match the records of anything we know thus far, but the closes thing looks wise appears to be an Eldarian."

Keya was in the midst of a meeting with her god grand parent Reggie. The elder Eldarian was talking to her about a host of topics, one of which was the dark skinned woman with pointed ears that had appeared on their planet, unconscious  just a few days ago. They hadn't appeared sense why to be hostile but they definitely were being kept a eye on for the time being.

"At first, I thought maybe she was a Dark Elf of some kind as it match but according to people who could sense such things, that's not the case either.." Keya shook her head. "Regardless, whenever she wakes up maybe we could get some answers for our guest."

"Indeed, though I have to stress precautions should be made just in case. Just because no hostile or ill intent was felt doesn't mean they aren't."

"I know." Keya responded, thinking back to the other times Acor hadn't been as fourtnate. "And that's why I made sure Andrien was nearby when our young friend wakes up. Its also where I picked the location to house them as I did before we know a bit more about them."

There wasn't an immediate response from the elder man, his gaze out the window of the palace building.

"I am hopeful that is the case."

__________



In another part of Acor, it was mostly quite in Carlton Town which was just off one of the bigger city areas just north from their location. The town had used to be home of ample farm land and in a sense still was but not as much as it used to be. Now with the world ever changing and automation becoming clearer alternative there was less of a demand for it in the modern era.

To Acorians it was more then just work, farming and the like had been a big part of their culture for so long that it was more then just a means to work but a way of life. Because of this, there was a large amount of resistance though even then time waited for no one as things marched on. This meant many of the younger people began moving to the cities for more opportunity then the quite towns.

Tisha sighed as she began another day of working around the house. In the past the place had been filled with activity and laughter but often times in the present it was quite save for herself. Sometimes Andrien or others would visit her(like he was doing so now) but for the most part she was alone. Her family had long since passed beyond this world leaving Tisha by herself in the large house.

She didn't look it but she was a fair bit older which was why she thought Andrien among others more of an extra set of kids she'd worry over then anything else. Acorian genetics were a Anya send in her mind, at least far as aging gracefully was concerned. Most who didn't know her age or how Acorians were assumed she was just a woman in her late twenties rather then someone nearing the end of their life.

The Queen had given her a odd request to look after a unique offworlder that looked like an Eldarian or Dark Elf while Andrien stayed for a bit. They had given her the details of what they could, along with telling them to keep them posted on how things progressed. Tisha could understand why considering a few key factors here, and well to be honest she didn't mind temporary company.

"Are you feeling all right Tisha?"

The older woman's musings were cut short as she placed a old picture back down she had been gazing at to see Andrien. She smiled at them. "I'm fine but thank you. Just thinking of a few things. How did the hand to hand training go?"

"With Celosia? Better then last time." Andrien didn't mind personally, it was for something constructive but they were..distracting at times even without meaning to. "Listen. I know we talked a few times about this but if you want me I could live here."

"I appreciate you worrying about this old woman, but I'll be fine. You're young and a whole world is out there for you to see." Tisha patted them on the back. "You're free to stay over extended periods of course. Sometimes we get too comfortable and we don't progress unless pushed out of our comfort zone. That goes for me too."

Andrien didn't seem entirely convinced but let the matter drop. "If you're fine with it, then not going say much else. Has our guest shown any signs at all?"

Tisha shook her head. "Not really, besides the obvious she's still alive and healthy. I can sense traces of magic but it feels like its..gone. It's hard to explain but I have felt cases like this before. Someone who is magical has had their magic drained completely and it almost always has adverse effects."

"It's odd they're still alive then.." Andrien said more to himself thinking.

"It is. But we don't know the details so who's to say?" Tisha grabbed her broom that leaned against the wall. "I'm going to finish and get our meal finished. Be a dear and check on them for me please?"

And as Andrien left, Tisha's voice was heard again: "No peaking either young man. She's pretty so behave yourself."

Andrien would of rolled his eyes but ignored it, used to her teasing as he went to check on their guest. Besides if he was honest the stranger was attractive, not to mention their Ki felt the most unique he had ever felt anyone else.

Alone.

Nevanlinna stood on the dusty, windswept wasteland that was Terra utterly and completely alone, save for the crumbling bones of its former inhabitants and the various beasts--mostly mechanical in nature--that scoured the wasteland for any survivors. To say that it was an eerie feeling to be the only living thing left on this blasted world would be an understatement of the highest order. However, she couldn't let it get to her... after all, a world such of this could only serve as a prison to one such as her for a limited time. Oh yes... now the time had come to quit this place.

For well over a year, she had secluded herself in Vaikuntha, studying and training. Her power had increased tremendously--why, if she had become the strongest of this or any other universe, she would scarcely be surprised!--and, more important, she had reverse-engineered the Threshling blood magic that had brought her here. As she believed, escape from a prison like this was a matter of when, not if.

However, the moment she exercised her power, those wandering mechanical beasts would bear down upon her, and that's where her increased powers came into play. She would need time and concentration to finish the ritual, and so... she had developed a most interesting way to use her abilities.

Using magic, she could create a single clone of herself, with all of her abilities and techniques. Now, for these purposes, a single other would be insufficient, but... she had also developed a ki-based cloning technique--the Earthlings called it multi-form, as she recalled. With that, both she and her clone could divide into four. Yes, it divided their power between the resultant multi-forms, but the end result was eight of her... each bearing a quarter of the original's power. Even at a quarter of her normal power, she was more than a match for her enemies one-on-one, and with eight--well, seven, since she, the original, would be indisposed--it would be more than sufficient to complete the ritual.

But, for now, she simply stood and looked out over the wasteland... thinking.

Before being sent here, Jagam--her half-brother--had mentioned that another of her brothers had sent him to... make sure she was not a factor in his bid for power. Mayhap that would have been achieved merely by restricting her travel to Earth, but something told her that putting her to death had also been a frighteningly real possibility back then.

As much as she liked to act as if she were above it all, the fact that one of her brothers--whom she loved and honored without hesitation--had ordered her imprisonment or even death made her heart sink. Did familial piety mean nothing!? Was she merely trash to be tossed aside and... disposed of?

Truly, was it even safe-or worth it--to return him?

...

Sighing, Nevanlinna shook her head, clearing those negative thoughts and doubts. Of course it was worth it--where else did she belong? Now then... to the matter at hand.

Carefully, Nevanlinna began crafting the blood magic array that would be required to escape this hellscape...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nevanlinna was met with a pounding headache and stiff, achy body upon awakening. That, and... talking? It was faint, but she could make out a man and a woman talking in what appeared to be Galactic Basic... or was it standard?

Hmph, in the end, it mattered little what barbaric tongue they were conversing in. More pressingly, where in Auroc's name was she? And why, pray tell, did she feel so... weak? The last thing she remembered, she, in her unmitigatable brilliance, had managed to complete the bloodspellwork needed to breach the veil between universes, and so... logically, she should have ended up on the miserable little dustball called Earth. No, that's certainly where she was, because there was simply no way she could have failed... simply no way.

Opening her eyes, she found herself in... just a room. Quite plain and pedestrian, in her opinion, though someone more charitable might call it, ah, what's the word... cozy? Yes, she did believe that was the proper term. Unbefitting of one of her station, but certainly enough for the common folk.

Turning her attention to her own person, she immediately noticed that she was not clad in her armor, as she last remembered, but some... common form of dress. A... hospital gown, it seemed? Or something akin to it. With no undergarments.

...

For their sake, she hoped that the person who changed her clothing on her behalf didn't do anything... unbecoming towards her. Any hint of foul play while she slumbered and there would be consequences. Dire consequences. But, for now, she would be magnanimous and not jump to conclusions.

Standing up, the princess found herself most unsteady--she had clearly been bedridden and unconscious for quite some time. This was not completely unexpected, as she had lost quite a bit of blood performing that ritual. Never mind the expenditure of raw energy required. Why, for anyone else, it would have eternally been beyond their capabilities! That she survived is a testament to her magnificence and fortitude!

...is what she thought to salvage her pride as her legs gave out and she faceplanted onto the hard floor.

'Those outside surely heard that. It would not do to have their first impression be this... undignified positon.'

However, struggle as she might, Nevanlinna simply could not muster enough strength--either physical or otherwise--to right herself and stand.

For the sake of no misunderstandings and it was more appropriate, Tisha had been the one to move the young woman's clothes when she needed to. While everything checked out the woman was at least safe enough to have around here, no one had any idea of their guest temperament. The last thing they needed was a rough first start if their personality proved a bit on the stronger side of things.

As far as Andrien was concerned, as long as they weren't a threat to Tisha, then he didn't really have a issue with them being around. The amount of people Andrien could count on he trusted and he considered friends were in the lower digits, and that number had grown even smaller with them passing beyond this world far too soon. How many were around still? Keya had promised she'd use her resources to look into things but...

..No. Not the time to dwell on things beyond his control. Too much free time and that game led to a host of darker thoughts he'd rather not entertain.

There was a subtle 'thump' sound coming from the guest room that gave the young man pause. Had they finally woken up? If they had it had to have been just moments ago as Tisha had checked them not too long ago with no change of status. They had been asleep for so long there had been a worry they would not wake up, but Acor medical tech along with their own abilities made sure when, not if she'd recover.

Andrien decided not to just barge in, for one it just be stupid for numerous reasons and secondly he had no idea if they were decent. He knocked on the door briefly. "You all right in there?"

A moment after her bout of (intentional, she swore!) clumsiness, one of the voices--the male's--sounded out, asking if she was 'all right'. He hears someone fall and instead of rushing in to help, he merely asks if she's okay? The nerve!

...she would overlook this for the moment. He could, after all, simply ignored her, and in truth, she was as much as stranger to him as he was to her... or in other words, he was merely being cautious.

With a monumental effort, she hoisted herself off the ground, grabbed onto a nearby table, and managed to get herself onto the bed's edge. Almost exhausted, she leaned over, propping herself up. "Yes, quite alright. I wish to update myself on my present circumstances, so you may enter."

Once Andrien was allowed the 'ok' to enter he did so, gently closing the door behind him. It was the first time seeing the young woman conscious, though she was obviously very tired and drained, understandable considering what happened not too long ago. She was very attractive as something he had noted before but it was different in a way when they weren't sleeping.

Setting aside all that he..didn't know how to talk to women he was interested in to begin with. It wasn't so much awkwardness as he could speak to them just fine, it was where to go to next so to speak. Of course that was getting ahead of himself, as is they were strangers and besides physical attraction personalities may be like oil and water.

Besides it was probably for the best.

"You're on a planet called Acor and we found you completely drained of magic out in the fields. You're lucky to still be alive." After a moment, he placed a cup near her on the table. "It taste like crap but it should help slightly with getting on your feet, recipe of the hostess which you should meet soon. Name's Andrien Reaver."

Acor? Acor... that sounded vaguely familiar. For a moment, Nevanlinna wracked her brain, trying to remember where she'd heard that name before. And then it hit her... she'd seen it in her ship's navigation charts. There hadn't been much info, but she did know it was an out-of-the-way planet inhabited by... humanoids who bore a great resemblance to lagomorphs of various kinds.

Or in simpler terms... a planet of bunny-people.

...

Why in Auroc's name had she been transported to Acor, of all places!? The spell was perfect; it should have sent her directly back to Earth. Had she made a mistake? That couldn't be true... one of her talents simply did not make mistakes. Surely, someone must have interfered with the spell at the last moment, for some nefarious reason. They would rue the day, once she tracked them down.

More importantly, what this... Andrien said about her magic was troubling, most troubling. It did, however, explain her current state of weakness. Why her magic had fled her, she hadn't the slightest idea, but it would return, in time. Until then, however, she would have to tread carefully. By no means was she a helpless damsel without her magic, but many of her techniques required her to weave together both magic and ki to achieve their full effect.

"I see. Acor, is it? I... have heard of it," said Nevanlinna, taking the medicine, eyeing it, and, satisfied that it was safe, downing it. It, indeed, tasted like absolute dreck. "Well then, thank you for being so forthcoming. Since you've introduced yourself, I shall do the same. I am Lady Nevanlinna Reshlan, a... seeker of knowledge, so to speak. A pleasure. I will see to it that you and whoever else was involved in my care are rewarded appropriately, once I am able."

Some measure of energy had returned to her--the medicine's effect?--so she slowly, carefully stood up, standing to her full height of six feet. There was a bit of dizziness from the effort, but she thankfully did not faceplant this time. "Now then, as I have been bedridden for some time, I have... certain functions to attend to. I would be most grateful if you were to guide me to the nearest rest facility."

Not just... taking care of business, to put it crassly, but also to freshen up. Ideally, it would be one with a shower or bath, though even a faucet would suffice.

Andrien knew very little about the young woman but judging by the way she spoke she probably came from a more well to do up bringing. Possibly anyway. It was also possible she wasn't and just for whatever reason spoke like a person who had been raised in the upper classes. It didn't really matter in the end he supposed, but it was definitely a quirk he had quickly picked up on.

The 'Lady' part of Nevalina did confirm that sinking feeling though. Not too surprised then.

At the request, he briefly nodded turning to lead them around the house to where they could get their business taken care of. Thankfully the restoom was just across the room and if Neva got weak and looked as if she'd fall, he would catch them this time.

"Here. It has all you need to get cleaned up. The owner of the house you should meet pretty soon when you're finished, she goes by the neme Tisha." Though that title was too much of a itch not to ask "I'll leave you to it, but a small question you said lady for a title. Are you a noble of some kind?"

If she was, it be something Keya would need to know. Good first impressions for a first contact were always important provided the race wasn't nuts. Despite the sterotypes of such, this part of the galaxy wasn't made of rainbows and sweets, there were some races's out there that were best avoided.

To no surprise, the washroom was located very near to her room. Simple enough, and logical, considering that this appeared to be, at least in part, be a residential building. An odd choice to room a medical patient in, but perhaps she simply hadn't been in bad enough shape to require dedicated medical attention? Or perhaps she had, but had recovered. It was also quite possible that this 'Tisha' individual possessed particular medical skills that she had required to recover. All were plausible.

Stopping a the door, Nevanlinna turned to Andrien when he asked her about her... social status. For a moment, she regarded him coolly, contemplating whether or not to reveal more. At last, she decided in favor of elaboration.

"A noble? Perish the thought--my station is far above that of a noble. You, my dear man, stand in the presence of royalty--the youngest and furthest from the throne, I admit, but I am nonetheless a member of the royal family of my people. Or in more succinct verbiage, I am a princess," said Nevanlinna, pausing to give the man time to contemplate the honor of one such as her speaking to one such as him as a relative peer. "You would not have heard of my people, however, as only recently--the past few decades--have we gained the ability to travel the stars in any reasonable timeframe, and we have taken... great efforts to ensure that we do not attract any undue attention. Now then, I have... matters I must attend to. Please, do inform the mistress of the house that I have awoken, and that I will be along shortly."

With that, she stepped into the bathroom, closed the door, and began freshening up.

As she spoke it became apparent she had a high opinion of herself.

...A very high one. To put it mildly.

A princess did explain the way she carried herself and the bit of ego, though to be fair not all monarchy had such things with Keya being a perfect example as the woman was grounded and humble. He personally had some issues with authority to a certain extent due to the things he had experienced when in the Grid; but thankfully not to the point of being stupid about it.

It may have annoyed some but to Andrien who had to deal with people trying to break you down emotionally, someone having an ego was less then water on the back. Besides they hadn't been rude just very confident in themselves and their station.

When she left, the young man headed back towards the kitchen where Tisha was in the midst of cooking something; she glanced at them when they entered. "Our guest have a update?"

Andrien went to sit down, whatever she was cooking it was very good. If he was lucky he'd at least get half as skilled as she was at cooking. "They're up and about getting cleaned up. They said their name is Nevalina Reshlan and claimed to be a princess. No mention of their people but didn't ask and they did say they only recently space faring."

"A princess from a little known race?" Tisha was thinking. "And she ended up here of all places. Maybe they were doing some magical ritual it would put pieces together of the far distance. Maybe their people used magic to world hop if possible instead of ships until recently."

"Maybe..." Came the reply. It wasn't the most productive but he didn't have much to add and that aside it be pointless to speculate at this point with their guest up again.

Once she was in the washroom, Nevanlinna situated herself, taking care of... ahem, certain things, gathering together bathing supplies, getting the shower running, and then getting in. The warmth of the water was like heaven, and soon enough her sore body began to relax, washing away the soreness.

To say that she was displeased at her current predicament would be an understatement, but she simply could not let this get to her. That there was what appeared to be a human... or something very much like a human on this planet implied the presence of a spaceworthy vessel--and even without that, the Acorians, if she recalled correctly, were spacefaring as well. She would simply request a ship and be on her way.

...

Though it occurred to her that simply requesting a ship would, in all likelihood, be met with a refusal. A princess though she may be, people simply didn't hand out ships for vague promises of recompense. A sinking feeling hit her as Nevanlinna realized that she might have to stay on this world a bit and... either ingratiate herself to someone with a ship or, perish the thought, work for one.

Now, she was not some fragile flower, completely averse to work, but...

Shaking those thoughts from her head, the Threshling princess went back to enjoying her shower. After she finished, it would be prudent to make a stop to Vaikuntha to retrieve some proper clothing for herself. After all, she would make that much more of an impression if she were dressed in a manner befitting one of her beauty and station.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mm, that is a fair assessment, Tisha," came a voice from across the room. Those whose eyes followed the voice to its source would find themselves gazing at a... foxy woman--Celosia, one of Acor's most famous individuals.

Striding across the room to join Andrien and Tisha, she continued speaking. "That she arrived through a transport spell of some kind is obvious; however, there was one particular detail that, I believe, offers a clue as to the nature of this spell..."

The woman held up a single finger in a matter-of-fact manner. "She was dangerously low on blood, was she not, yet lacked any major injuries. Odd, wouldn't you agree? Unless, of course, the sorcery that deposite her here was of a more... sanguinous nature. I believe she used blood magic to travel here... though why it seems to have ripped her magic from her, I haven't the slightest of ideas. Blood Magic can be dangerous--perilously so, in some cases--but I've simply never heard of it doing that. Not as a mere side-effect."


Celosia crossed her arms, pushing up her cleavage ever so slightly--mostly just to mess with Andrien. "More importantly, you said our guest is a princess? This could be an... opportunity for our people. Imagine, just imagine if we could establish relations between Acor and... her world."

For Andrien the conversation was more interesting of the future implications of what it might mean for Acor later along the line. Politics were something he had a rather dim, cynical view of and if asked he'd consider it a nesscary evil that all saptient beings had to deal with for a functional society. When it came to ones that were closer to home and would effect him and his more directly, well it was hard not to pay attention.

...Just like Celosia cleavage but he did his best to ignore that. It was hard sometimes since he was attracted to her and Alusarians were no Farians or anything but it was above the norm when it came to certain..areas.

Fourtnately before Andrien's mind slipped to somewhere else, Tisha spoke up again. "Potentially I agree, just need to find out a bit more. She will be staying for a indefinite period until she gets back on her feet. What was your first impression meeting them? Besides their looks."

The last part was a light tease, Andrien didn't pay it much mind. "I don't like going by first impressions since its easy to see your best, or worse. But if I had to say something, I'd say very..proud of herself and her hertiage. She didn't come across as rude but definitely a strong personality. Can't say much beyond that."

Would it be a problem? Possibly. It was too early to say no one knew her yet after all.

"A strong personality, you say? I, for one, am... unsurprised. Youth, the warrior's path, and royal heritage... that is a recipe for a forceful personality, at the very least!" In her experience, such a combination often resulted in too forceful a personality, and she desperately hoped their guest was an exception. She was sure she could keep things peaceful, but it was so... so tiring having to butt heads with headstrong children. Not that she wasn't a headstrong girl, herself, but, damn it, she was eight hundred and some years old--she had earned that right.

"And if I may say so, her appearance is quite... exotic and pleasing to the eye. I bet Andrien's as excited as can be." She playfully nudged Andrien in the side. "Say, may when she comes down I could have a little... loss of control with my fire powers and oops, there go her clothes, hmmm?"


She was teasing, of course. While she was certainly capable of the control necessary to just burn someone's clothing, it would perhaps not make the best impression on this Nevanlinna.

...though she had to admit, she herself was most curious as to what the woman looked like in the nude.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nevanlinna finished up her shower quickly. Though she wanted to enjoy it longer, it would not do to keep her hosts waiting and... she had things to do.  Most importantly, she had to enter Vaikuntha and retrieve attire more suited to one of her station. Pressing her palm to the wall, she concentrated on opening a path to Vaikuntha.

...nothing.

Hm? This was most odd. Opening a path didn't require magic or ki--it was simply something she could do, so why...?

Concentrating, she tried again and felt... something. It was indeed the feeling of a path to Vaikuntha trying to open itself, but it felt... oh, how to frame this... as if it were 'far away', in a manner of speaking. Maintaining concentration, the feeling of "distance" gradually closed until, at last, a portal to her pocket realm opened on the wall.

Most curious. Perhaps it is simply because I have only just awoken? Yes, yes... that certainly must be the reason.


Setting aside her concerns, she stepped into Vaikuntha and made her way to her wardrobe. On the way, she plucked a fruit from one of the trees, biting into it and savoring the divine sweetness. Ahh, what a convenient thing to have been born with... shelter, food, pristine water... healing and solitude. What a wondrous place this was.

By the time she reached her wardrobe, she had finished the fruit and tossed it aside. Already she was feeling much better--in part due to the show and in part due to Vaikuntha's healing effect upon those that stepped foot in it. Now, what to wear...

Thinking back, she had noticed that something approximating an air conditioner had been running, and that in itself was informative. Something light and appropriate for warmer temperatures, yet stylish and striking...

Ah, yes, she had just the thing! Quickly, she got dressed, and left Vaikuntha, closing the portal. Then, taking one moment to give herself a once over in the mirror--as expected, she looked immaculate, far better than before her shower. Though even then, few would be able to contend with her beauty.

Satisfied, she exited the bathroom and made her way to where she sensed Andrien. As she got closer, she also smelled what appeared to be cooking. It was by no means on the level of the royal chefs or even that Earthling Zaofan's fare, but it certainly smelled... acceptably appetizing. How considerate of them to prepare her a meal.

Entering the kitchen, she stopped at the door, partially to let those assembled admire her attire and partially to take stock of just who was here. There was that Andrien fellow, some... animal... person that was most definitely not some sort of lagomorph--in fact, she appeared quite feline--and what appeared to be a...

...the species was just on the tip of her tongue. A kitsu... kitsune... oh, a Kitsuna! Yes, another seldomly-encountered species living on the periphery of what passed for galactic civilization. How... unexpected.

"Friends of yours, I presume?" she asked Andrien, striding up to him. "Mmm, well, I would appreciate an introduction... once you are done feasting your eyes upon my incomparably comely visage, of course. I take no offense--consider this a small part of my repayment for your gracious assistance."

Andrien couldn't say he was some type of smooth talker or anything with the opposite gender given where he had come from and his general life experience. All that being said he wasn't completely clueless and inexperienced either; even if the later had been a one time heat of the moment thing. That was to say Celoisa's teasing did have some effect but as strong as it could of been.

"I really don't think that be the best idea but I know you're just teasing." Celosia liked to tease, and she also tended to play practical jokes but more harmless, minor ones then anything malicious. He did apperciate the more light hearted approach after everything he had seen.

Before Tisha or Andrien could say anything, their young guest strode into the kitchen with a confident stride in her step. The Alusarian did consider them extremely attractive and they were on the..gifted side of things when it came to the chest. Only thing that took away from the beauty part was a bit of the attitude but again didn't bother him as much as some others might feel towards it.

"They both are. This is Tisha, and the other woman is Celosia. Nice to see your recovered more enough to walk around." He had noticed Celosia who was more pro active didn't say too much; probably more busy being annoyed by the matter they introduced themselves.

"If you're hungry, food should be done shortly but I'm sure you have a few questions?" Tisha at the moment had no reason to suspect Neva was from another reality entirely, indeed all three of them probably just thought they were a normal off worlder.

It would become apparent, and soon enough at that there was a lot more to it.

Celosia's ears flattened ever-so-slightly at this... Nevanlinna's way of introducing herself. It was true she was quite the beauty, but to be so self-aggrandizing... it was annoying and she dearly wanted to poke fun at this woman, but, for the time being she would hold her tongue. There was no guarantee that she would be able to keep hold of said tongue in the future, however.

Pulling out a chair, Celosia sat down, her tail draped off the edge of the chair. "Yes, feel free to ask questions. Or perhaps we could ask some of our own?"

Neva regarded the woman with a keen eye for a moment, then sat down at the table. "Questions... hm... yes... the armor and sword that were no doubt on my person when I was found... where are they? They are quite valuable, you see, and I would like them back--the sword in particular."

Celosia knew the arms and armor this Nevanlinna was referring to, but she had been busy helping Andrien brush up on his hand-to-hand skills, with only intermittent updates on this woman's condition. Or, in other words, she hadn't the slightest idea what Tisha had done with the woman's possessions. As such, she could do little but let Tisha herself answer this question... or perhaps Andrien, who had been hanging around here quite a bit in his off time, if she recalled correctly.

Andrien never had a need of weapons with his own abilities, but he wouldn't ever outright dismiss that they did have a place and use with others. Some weapons gave the user a host of powers and abilities they wouldn't outright have in the first place, which may have been true for Neva. Or they were just normal weapons that had practical and sentimental value. Armor though? That was also pretty self explanatory.

"I put them away while you were recovering. One moment." Tisha excused herself, leaving the group before she came back a minute or so later with what appeared to be the armor, and the sword but they were neatly and carefully wrapped in some type of blanket. "I know how important these can be for a warrior so I went the extra mile to make sure they stayed clean while you were out."


She was rather pleased with it and it brought her some nostalgia of her younger days. "If I may ask, how did you end up here without a ship? A spell I presume?"

Neva gave her armor a quick check--it was indeed in excellent shape. Partially unsheathing her blade, it was also in excellent condition--in fact, it had been oiled very recently. A thoughtful measure, though to her knowledge, the material the blade was made of didn't rust. Still, ah, what was that Earth saying... it was the thought that counted? Yes, she did believe that was it.

"Yes, you would be correct," replied Neva. "To be precise, I arrived by way of a complex blood magic ritual. Too complex, I must shamefully admit, for the destination was to be Earth. Quite odd that I... missed, as I was already on *an* Earth, albeit one that had been wiped clean of life by repeated wars and invasions. Well, biological life, as it were. There were quite a number of mechanical and supernatural threats, which had... converged upon me quite rapidly the moment I channeled my magic. Such a bother, especially as some of my assailants, according to the records I had been able to find, had taken part in killing a Super Saiyan."

Re-sheathing her blade, she laughed haughtily. "A shame for them, then, that I am not something so helpless and weak as a mere super saiyan, present circumstances notwithstanding. You shall see, once I recover."

Celosia sad nothing, regarding Nevanlinna carefully, likely trying to determine the truth of what was just said. Not all Super Saiyans were equally powerful--it depended on their level of training, like all ki uses--but even exceeding the baseline for one was... not something commonly achieved.

If Neva had been about anywhere else, being on a earth and the other things she had described would of been dismissed for the most part. However, in a lot of places in Meus where Dimensional Theory was a valid science, famous records of realm travelers and hell even earth had Nexus City which controlled traffic far as people off world it wasn't as much as a bump on the radar.

That part was ironically more believbale then her claim of current power.

To also be fair, Andrien hadn't ever seen them fight and while he did have Ki sense skilled fighters could hide it and other energies(like magic) could be harder to gauge with ki sense. She really could be as powerful as implied, though it was still pretty vague since it was still a very large range of power far as that went.

"From the sounds of things, you came from a alternate earth since ours is still intact.." Andrien was thinking a bit. "If that's the case and you ended up here, you might still be pretty far from home but we would have to know some major details to know if you came to the right place or not. You could still get home but it be harder if it turns out that way."

"it's possible, but let's not jump to anything before we know for sure. There is too little to go off on right now." Tisha reasoned. "Are you hungry? I did make extra just in case." Andrien ate a lot because of what he was; not as much as a Sayian thankfully but it was a bigger then normal appetite.

Nevanlinna nodded. "Indeed, it was an alternate Earth. I and... others were cast there after a battle with my half-brother, Jagam, who had attacked Earth and..." She paused. "...well, my dear half-sibling quickly realized he'd bitten off more than he could chew, as the saying goes. So arrogant and cocksure--a trait borne of his saiyan half, I must assume--and yet after a brief conflict, he found himself blasted to the Earth's moon by that other half-saiyan... ahh, what was his name?"

She tapped the table in thought. "...ah, yes, it was Tomato, the... wait, no, that isn't right. Totoma? Mmm, that sounds correct. Yes, Totoma, the... Just Saiyan." She sighed heavily. "A buffoon if there ever was one."

Celosia cocked an eyebrow. "Totoma, the... Just Saiyan, you say? Hm." Whatever she was thinking, however, she obviously chose not to voice.

"Setting that aside, I will grace you with my presence for this meal," said Nevanlinna. "I did have a bit to eat after my shower, but I am quite curious about Acor's cuisine. Earth's was, while not remotely a peer of my own people's, quite palatable and varied. And, just between those gathered here, one of the greatest pleasures of travel is, in my opinion, sampling the local cuisine."

None of the names really clicked to Tisha and Andrien and to be honest it would of been an unusual coincidence if they had heard of the name considering they were from a alternate reality of some kind. While neither had any connection to earth the news was still a bit on the unsettling side, just a reminder that Acor or someone more connected to them might of met a similar fate, if not themselves. A reminder, that in the sense they were very lucky.

The last comment made Tisha slip more into hostess mode and she smiled. "We'll, you may be in for a treat then young one. Acor has some unique flavors in this side of the galaxy. Not as much meat though at least from live animals, there was some back and forth about it since my people can understand animals."

Sure enough, the display of food was a bit different but it seemed like Tisha had made a few other extra things here and there, probably to see what Neva would like the most. There was a pie of some kind, though it was hard to say what was in it; it had a sweet smell that teased the nose a bit. There was soup that looked on a surpficial level gumbo but that was obviously not the case; or it was and she took her own spin on it. An assortment of native fruits and vegetables were also around, just as more of a supplement of the main meal.

Andrien found himself a seat to get comfortable to eat, he wasn't as hungry as normal so he'd end up coming back for some more later. Besides Neva's attractiveness and somewhat haughty attitude, he was a bit curious about them and where they came from. "So what about the food back at your home planet? What are some of the popular dishes there for a idea?"

If nothing else, what he gathered, Neva did like to on about herself and her people so it was probably a good prompt as any.

Ah, so this woman--Tisha's--species could understand, and perhaps even speak to, animals? A simple ability, and one that many would write off as useless, but the Threshling princess could think of several novel uses for such an ability--mostly in regards to security and information gathering.

When the food was laid out, Nevanlinna began, for lack of a better term, 'digging in'. Of course, she did not simply faceplant and begin chewing, as say, a saiyan savage might, but she certainly enjoyed it with more gusto than one of her stature might typically display. To Tisha's credit, the food was good--it had a... oh, what was the term... 'home-cooked' feel? Yes, it was heartier fare than the exquisite dishes nobility and royalty enjoyed. It was a quality she, privately, preferred in her cooking, though it would be a cold day in hell before she ever admitted that to anyone.

Andrien asked about cooking on Reshlan. That was easy enough. "Popular dishes? Well, the commoners mostly enjoy hearty fare such as this... though I must admit there is a startling preponderance of grains in their diet. Among the nobility, a very common food would be cuts of meat from the Aurox, which is a... bovine. Cattle. Royalty, such as I, have the privilege of enjoying dishes such as the Twinkling Mana Fish, an extremely rare fish that lives in a particularly mana-charged lake hidden deep within the royal lands. They are difficult to catch and to correctly prepare, but the taste is simply divine, if one should succeed. Thankfully, I, in my wisdom, had the foresight to transfer a breeding population to my personal demense, allowing me access to them any time I desire."

She paused. "...ahh, but my own cooking skills are woefully inadequate to bring out the full flavor of the fish. If only mother had been willing to part with one of the royal chefs."

Andrien wouldn't say he was the greatest cook but he was decent, if he had to put a tag on himself and he preferred it over the instant stuff. In the futuristic era they lived in, all one had to do was get the right machine to make the food for you; no process, no heart and no effort. A lot of the time the food was good enough but he always found it lacking in something he couldn't quite put his finger on, which was in the least bit compared to food compared with the hands.

It was a shame she lived in some alternate universe as he would of been curious of the taste for himself.

"That sounds nice.." Tisha responded, her expression wistful on such a dish, fish were often too dumb to talk to so there wasn't as much controversy eating them with Acorians. "Probably the best part of traveling is the food you find, at least it was for me when I was younger. That and the things you get to see you wouldn't otherwise."

"We are in agreement then," said Nevanlinna. "Though it certainly is exciting testing my prowess against the best the other races have to offer, even if they invariably pale in comparison."

"Such a self-assured young lady," said Celosia, a slight hint of sarcasm weaved into her voice. "Now, if I may clarify, you said that your half-brother... Jagam... attacked the Earth, yes? Can you tell me how long ago this happened?"

Nevanlinna paused, her expression growing pensive as she tried to mentally calculate just how long ago that battle had been. "Circumstances after the battle make ascertaining an exact time... difficult. I would say in the range of a year or two ago?"

Celosia's tail flicked, though her expression didn't change. "I see... and this half-brother, this... Jagam. He wouldn't have happened to have been half saiyan? Jagam is a Saiyan name. A rare one."

"Why yes, he was indeed. Quite astute."

Another flick of her tail. Celosia knew or a fact that the Earth--or at least their Earth--hadn't been attacked by a saiyan halfbreed named Jagam... ever, let alone in the past two or so years. However, it was not the first time she had heard the name in reference to a saiyan hybrid... especially as it pertains to a conflict between said Jagam and a 'Totoma'. "I see. And this... Totoma that blasted him to the moon, what of him?"

"What of him? He sought to avenge a crushing defeat Jagam had brought down upon him a decade ago--one that killed his mother, a Saiyan by the name of--"

"Tasure." Tisha and perhaps Andrien would recognize the name as that of Celosia's daughter, supposedly named after her paternal grandmother.

"Oh, quite well-informed. Most impressive," said Nevanlinna. "Yes, she was a Saiyaness of some repute... the second or third strongest of her time. I must say, I didn't expect you to be familiar in the least with that mongrel's line."

Those with a keen eye would notice the elder Acorian's eyebrow twitch ever-so-slightly. She took a drink of water. "I... think I have a grasp of your situation now. You certainly are far from home, I think."

Neva found the woman's wording... odd, but said nothing in return, instead turning her attention to Andrien. "So... Andrien, was it? I presume you are a human, so if I may ask, how did one of your kind end up here? This planet is hardly an intergalactic hub, as far as I am aware, and only a scant few humans have even left Earth."

Andrien didn't pay Neva's boasting all that much mind, to him it didn't much matter. Slightly annoying but he couldn't really bring himself to care all that much; the same couldn't be said about Celosia or at least judging from her tone and body language. There were a lot of gaps and life experience knowledge but one thing he did pride himself on was the ability to read into people to an extent. It was useful to avoid things in his old environment or deal with some of the assholes in charge.

The line of questioning was a bit confusing and he suspected there was a reason for it. He couldn't say why exactly but if he was a betting man and going by her last comment, it was to get a idea of where she was from. In a way it seemed to seal it. Interesting..

Neva questioning brought Andrien back to Acor for the moment. "Sort of. My people are something called Alusarians, we're basically a race of modified and enhanced humans that were created a long time ago on a planet called Alus. Our main thing is our Ki potential being very high, it rivals or exceeds Sayains depending on who you ask."

He didn't delve into the extra details of his past or anything, no need and he just met them. It be silly to spill out all your intimate details to one you just met like those books or shows,

Ah, so he was ultimately of human stock, but... enhanced. Supposedly to levels that can rival the Saiyans. Well now, that was interesting... while the Saiyans paled in comparison to her own kind, among the lesser races, they were quite impressive. In part due to their Oozaru form... as well as its offshoots, the Hitozaru. And one must not forget that Super Saiyan form, which was formidable indeed, though her exposure to it was certainly limited.

"Rival the saiyans, hm? Well then, I look forward to seeing you in action, should the chance present itself." She munched on her food while reaching out with her ki sense to get a feel for Andrien's capabilities. He did not seem particularly strong--weaker than she was, at the moment, but there was a strong possibility he was hiding his true power.

"Hm, I was not expecting much, but this food has proven to be quite satisfactory," said Nevanlinna, stopping to take a drink. "Would it be possible to procure some seeds for these plants? I would like to plant them in my demesne. I do so enjoy a bit of gardening, even if it is largely considered peasant's work."

Celosia's tail flicked again. This one, for all her pomp, had a gift for backhanded compliments. She hoped that it was merely something learned rather than something innate, but she needed more time to determine that. For now, however...

"While you two discuss gardening, I think I shall be off to inform her highness of our guest's awakening," said Celosia, standing up.

"So soon? Do you not have long-range communication?" asked Nevanlinna.

"Of course, but as old and old-fashioned as I am, I prefer more... personal communications," said Celosia. "And, while I'm quite sure you would jump at the chance to meet Keya, I think, remarkable ability to get back on your feet or not, you still need to rest a bit more."

Nevanlinna was silent for a moment, but soon seemed to accept the answer. "You are perhaps right."

"Of course I am," said Celosia, with absolute certainty. She then turned to Andrien. "Oh, and young man, that training partner I mentioned may very well arrive before I return. Do keep her entertained, one way or another." With that... implicative request and a wave to everyone present, Celosia left the house and took off towards the Capital.

Nevanlinna sighed. "While I was instructed to rest, I simply cannot rest on my laurels with a brand new world to experience. As such, Andrien, I am granting you the honor of being my guide to this world... or at the very least, the local area."

It was a interesting question how much of Neva's personality was because of what she was, and was apart of how she grew up. The nature verus nurture debate was as timeless for as long as there had been sentient beings in existence. As far as Meus was concerned, in most cases it was just a little bit of both but as with everything else in life there was exceptions. Especially when when one didn't come from this reality in the first place possibly.

He didn't have a response to what Celosia had said, and to be honest he wasn't entirely sure who she was going to bring in for training. It was going to be a mystery.

"You want me to show you around?" Andrien then shrugged, he didn't mind. "I can do that. I can say for personal experience just sitting down in one place wasn't something I could do either."

"Oh, and I'd be happy to supply you seeds." Tisha said, pleased. "I'll get them later. In the mean time you two have fun."


Once he was finished and he sure Neva was, Andrien lead the young woman out of the house. Outside were kids playing around with a ball, parents and other people out and about during their morning routine. Some seemed to know Andrien and waved as he went passed. It overall had a pretty peaceful farming town vibe, which was to be expected.

"I've been wondering a bit, with your people not having gone into space faring until more recently how advanced are they?" He expected something grand, or frankly honest from the princess but either way she'd talk; it was one thing he learned for sure she liked talking.