This story is intended to be wholesome and for most viewers. However…
*This story contains others’ properties that aren’t my own. Credits are given at the end of the story.
*This story features LGBTQ characters, with a transgender main character.
*This story touches on themes of transphobia and xenophobia.
*Crude humor abounds…

Star and the Golden Salt

“AURORA, WAKE UP!” Embra cried, holding the unconscious Siren girl in her arms.

The rest of the team and Sam’s father, Raymond, dashed into the room. They came closer, seeing the spreading red lines coming from her mouth.

“What’s happening to her?!” Star asked, worried.

“I don’t know! She consumed the life force of a Cliff Towner, then she started getting sick quickly. She collapsed within moments of consuming him…” Embra explained.

Sam remembered the hate monster that Embra must have been able to vanquish. It was so red, it practically glowed. Now, the same glowing red was spreading through Aurora's veins…

“Could she be… Poisoned by maliciousness?” Sam suggested.

“What do you mean?” Shantae asked.

“That monster I saw Embra fighting just before coming to you, it seemed to be loaded with hateful energy, or something. What if everyone from Cliff Town is like that? And by consuming that tainted lifeforce, it’s poisoning her…”

“What’s… What’s going to happen to her?” Embra asked, crying.

“The way it’s affecting her, I wouldn’t be surprised if…” Sam trailed off, but everyone knew what they were going to say.

A glowing orb floated down into their midst. In short order, it took the form of a familiar face to some of the party…

“Mom!” Star yelped as Lumina appeared before them. “What are you doing here?!”

“I sensed Cliff Town’s presence has fled, meaning it’s safe for me to be here,” Lumina responded.

“Please, we need your help! Aurora’s been poisoned!” Embra cried.

Lumina knew advanced healing magic as a Guardian Genie. Removing a poison from a mortal’s body should be child’s play for her. And yet…

“Yipe!” Lumina screeched, as she was hit by a painful counterforce from Aurora’s body.

“What’s wrong?!” Star asked, worried.

“That is a truly powerful negative force that’s latched onto her. It’s resisting my magic and lashing out at me…”

“How can that be?! You’re a Guardian Genie…” Shantae asked.

“I don’t know… She didn’t… She can’t have consumed one of them, could she?”

“Consumed one of what?” Embra asked. “As far as we could tell, she consumed just a regular Cliff Towner, a regular human…”

Lumina was quiet. She looked more worried than either of the half-genie sisters had ever seen her before.

“Lumina…?” Star asked hesitantly.

“Could he be what they’re afraid of…?” Lumina asked herself quietly. She shook her head. “For now, let us focus on Aurora. Indeed, she’s poisoned by absolute malice. Her kind heart is being overwhelmed with hate in energy form. Had she been the uncaring Empress, she’d likely not be affected by this, but because of who she is…”

“She’s dying,” Embra finished for her.

Lumina nodded. “And my magic cannot save her. But I have heard of a mortal remedy for such poison. It’s called ‘Golden Salt,’ a salt that glimmers like gold. When applied to one’s favorite meal, it purges negative energy from one’s body. This should cure her…”

“S-salted grilled fish s-sounds good right about now…” Aurora muttered weakly, startling everyone.

“Aurora! Just hang on!” Embra said to her. “Where should we go?! What should we do?!”

“Get her comfortable. Use any healing magic you can on her to delay the spread. Otherwise, someone somewhere knows where to find this. I’ve been seeing confections in my travels recently that have used the salt…”

“Really?! We just need to figure out where it’s coming from, then we can get some!” Star suggested.

“Yes, but we also need to tend to Aurora… Embra, you take Aurora and Shantae back to Scuttle Town. Make her comfortable and find a way to stave off the malice.”

Embra nodded. “Shantae, help me carry her…” The two lifted the Siren, who was groaning from pain, and Embra guided them to a dark corner, where the three disappeared.

“I am not going to get used to that…” Sam muttered.

“Meanwhile, I will be here to do what I’ve been doing, delivering Hyper Crystals. Now that Jeweled Cove is free, I can safely distribute the ones meant for people here… Sam, and I’d assume you to be their father? You can help bring the city together and help me identify the ones these crystals belong to…”

“Hyper Crystals?” Raymond asked.

“They’re special Genie Crystals that give humans half-genie powers, like Embra!” Star answered.

“Woah…” Raymond muttered. “It looks like you won’t be alone for much longer, my love…” he said to Sam. Sam looked at him, smiling.

“So that leaves me to trace down the salt, right? I’m flattered, but I don’t know Sequin Land or any of the surrounding area…”

“But you do know a people that do. You meet with them every year.”

Star slapped her forehead. “Of course! I can’t believe I forgot about that…”

=== Scuttle Town – Mimic’s Workshop. ===

Mimic was looking over some new blueprints he had recently uncovered when he heard a commotion come from the storage closet. With little warning, the door was kicked open by Shantae.

“Sorry, Uncle, but we have an emergency!” she yelled as she frantically searched for something.

“What the, Shantae?!” he yelped, clutching his chest. “Where did you come from?!”

“No time to explain! Where’s the box of sheets and pillows you used for Embra?!” she asked frantically.

“Uh, over there…” he said, pointing to a box sitting off to the side. Shantae dashed over to the box and grabbed it, raced over to a nearby table, brushing aside the tools and objects sitting on it, and began frantically laying them down on the table.

Meanwhile, Mimic watched as Embra appeared from the closet, dragging along a Siren girl who was clearly in some pain. He observed the glowing red lines snaking over her face, continuing to grow before his eyes. “Hang on, Aurora,” Embra muttered to the girl before turning to Shantae. “Help me get her up!” The two pulled Aurora onto the table before Embra quickly dashed back to the closet.

“Where are you going?” Shantae asked.

“Lumina said healing magic. I’m getting Vera! Do what you can for her…” Embra shut the closet door.

“Something went wrong in Jeweled Cove, I take it?” Mimic asked.

“Aurora absorbed the life force of someone, and something in them poisoned her, some sort of malice,” Shantae explained. “Star is getting a remedy that should cure her, but for now, we need to get her comfortable and use whatever healing magic we can on her. Speaking of…” Shantae pulled out a potion bottle. “Aurora, try drinking this… This might help.”

Aurora grabbed the bottle and downed the whole thing, her face wrinkling as she did. “Yuck! That tasted only slightly better than that guy’s life force, and that’s a very low bar…” She coughed, but it was clear the potion had an effect, slowing the progression of the supernatural infection considerably. But they watched as the infection rate slowly picked back up.

“That seems to work, at least somewhat, to slow the infection,” Mimic noted.

“I should get some more potions, just in case!” Shantae said before dashing out the door.

Embra appeared from the closet again, this time with a bewildered Vera in tow. “Where’s Shantae?” Embra asked.

“You just missed her. She went out for more potions. She got Aurora to try one, and it slowed the infection down for a few minutes.”

“Oh, good idea! Anyway, Vera, like I said to you, we need you to try to use Refresh Magic to stem the tide of Aurora’s poisoning…” she explained (again) to Vera.

“Sounds like a plan!” Vera walked up to the table, Embra close behind. “How are you holding up, Aurora?”

“Miserable. The potion aftertaste is still stuck in my mouth… And I feel like I’m on fire…” she admitted weakly.

“Maybe I can help stave it off? Let’s see what Refresh Magic can do!” Vera willed her magic forward. A field of greenish light began to emanate from her. It grew until it touched Aurora. The moment it did, a bolt of red lighting shot from her and struck Vera’s hands! The field dissipated instantly as Vera yelped out in pain.

“Vera! Are you okay?!” Embra asked, concerned.

“What the heck was that?!” she asked as she turned around, revealing the tips of her fingers were lit with a reddish flame. She only just noticed this and let out an “eep!”

Embra immediately threw a couple of shadow blobs at Vera’s hands to extinguish the flames and try to cool them. “You okay?” Embra repeated.

“My hands are throbbing a little, but it’s getting better. But what just happened?!” she asked.

“Hmm, it seems that the malice keeps lashing out at attempts to heal it with light magic. It wants to overtake her body, and it lashes out at any source of kindness…” Mimic observed.

“Then… How are we going to heal her…?” Embra asked, concerned.

Vera looked down at her own hands. Embra’s quick thinking saved her from more damage. Those were flames of malice, and yet, Embra’s powers were able to extinguish them. Could Embra be the key? Vera wondered.

=== The Zombie Caravan. ===

Star was looking around. She had received some friendly greetings from the zombies, who instantly recognized her from all the trips to Northern Light. They seemed more guarded here in Sequin Land, but she couldn’t blame them; most people are afraid of them outside Northern Light.

But Star was starting to notice something… There was a lot more candy among the zombies than she usually remembered. That’s odd, I don’t remember a candy vendor among the zombies… she thought. That’s when a glimmer caught her eye. She looked in its direction to see a zombie guy and girl, both holding chocolate-covered caramels covered in strange, sparkly golden-colored salt! No way, that can’t be it, could it?!

Star darted up to the pair. “Where did you get those?! Is that Golden Salt?!”

“Oh, hey Star!” replied the zombie girl. “Yeah, it is. Makes these little things divine!” she swooned over her treat.

“Yeah, and I swear I can remember more things thanks to it!” added the zombie guy.

“YES! Where are you getting them from?! It’s important!” Star asked.

“Oh, Anna makes them now,” replied the zombie girl. “Ever since she became a half-genie zombie, she’s had cravings for chocolate and sweets instead of brains. She decided to roll with it and start making candy on top of her usual job of knitting. That said, her candy is amazing, so you might want to get over there before she’s out of stock again…”

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Star replied (at lightning speed) as she dashed for Anna’s wagon.

Ana turned as soon as she heard the bell ring on her door, but before she knew it, she was staring straight into Star’s desperate eyes.

“Woah, Star, hello there…” she said nervously.

Star backed off. “Sorry. We’ve got an emergency, and I need some Golden Salt! I just heard you’ve been making candy with it! Got any left?”

“I was just about to prepare another batch, but my supplies are getting low. I just talked to my grandpappy to get some more for me, and he’s getting ready as we speak. But it sounds like you need it badly, so let me see…” Anna grabbed a small burlap sack and felt around inside. She flipped it over and shook it, but nothing came out. “Dang it, sorry, Star. I got nothing…”

“AAAAARRRRRRG! Do you know where to get it? We have a friend who’s dying, and she needs the salt on a favorite meal to purge the toxic energy from her body!”

“Well, as much as yer might be in a hurry, yah ain’t gonna be able to find it on directions alone. The desert has a habit of sendn’ yah in circles. Yah got to go with yer feelings.”

Star turned around. Harold Boggs? That wanderlust zombie who joined them in Northern Light this year... What was he doing here?

“Oh, hi, grandpa! I assume you heard all of that?”

“He’s your grandpa?” Star asked, surprised.

“Oh, yeah, he got zombified not long after I was born. Turns out I had the same fate waiting for me 25 years later. Who knew?”

“And I’m proud of yah, my little angel! Look at yah, now a magic girl with two great stores all in one! Yah do yer grandma proud, young lady!” This got Anna to blush and smile.

“So, grandpa, think you can help Star get her hands on some Golden Salt too?”

“I reckon I can. Sounds like yah need it sooner rather than later, lassie, so let’s grab a bag or two and be on our way!”

=== Scuttle Town. ===

“I’m back!” Shantae yelled, barely holding onto a veritable mountain of potion bottles, some of which were being held in her hair.

“That can’t have been cheap…” Vera muttered. Shantae couldn’t see it around the haul of potions, but the tips of Vera’s fingers were bandaged, still throbbing a little from the blowback.

“Oh, good, thanks, Shantae! Why don’t you put those bottles down carefully and we can start giving them to Aurora?” Embra asked, at the same time reaching for a bottle. She carefully plucked it from the precarious pile and carried it over to Aurora.

“Please, drink this…” Embra said as she handed Aurora the bottle.

To everyone’s shock, she pushed it away.

“I know they’re nasty, but-“ Shantae began.

“I don’t deserve it…” Aurora muttered weakly. Her eyes started welling up. She put her hands to her eyes to cover them. “I’m… I’m a monster!” She started crying.

Embra pulled up a chair and sat next to her. “You’re not a monster, Aurora…”

“Y-yes I am…”

“I mean, you’re a Siren, but that doesn’t automatically make you a-“

“I CONSUMED ONE OF MY OWN KIND!” Aurora cried.

Everyone was stunned. Vera and Embra, having spent time on Siren Island since the Empress’s fall, both had heard stories of how Sirens had survived being sealed away in the Squid Pit, but hearing someone like Aurora – this excitable, energetic Siren girl with a big heart – confess to such a thing took them by surprise.

Embra was not dismayed. She pulled up closer. “Why don’t you tell me more?”

“I…”

“It’s okay. I want to know what happened.”

Aurora paused. She looked into Embra’s pink eyes. They conveyed a sense of comfort, of someone who was there to listen and to not judge. Embra wanted to know so she could determine for herself if Aurora was the monster she felt herself to be.

Aurora took a deep breath. “Okay. So, a few days before Shantae opened the Squid Pit, I had done a pretty good job avoiding conflicts and keeping myself healthy on random sea life that managed to make its way into the area. But… I was cornered by another Siren who was starving. She had been a friend once, but she didn’t care anymore. She was going to drain me dry of my life force to save herself. I fought back instinctively, and I closed my eyes. I couldn’t watch whether I was about to live or die. And soon enough, I felt I was still alive, and she… She was…”

Embra grabbed her hand, which at this point was starting to develop the infection. “Aurora…”

“H-how can I be good if I devoured my own friend?”

Embra looked down. “To tell you the truth, I struggle with this myself. When Cliff Town tried to assassinate me, I had no time to think, just do. And I ended up ending two lives… I… I still have troubles with it to this day. My whole thing is avoiding conflict, avoiding hurting people. And I… I did those things. What you did was exactly what I did: self-defense.”

“But…”

Embra grabbed Aurora’s hand with both of hers now. “I get it, it’s more personal, in a way. It’s also a distinctly Siren power, and you’re ashamed of it. But maybe, if you think about it, this Siren, your friend before all of this, she’s now a genuine part of you. You get to carry her on into this new age for the Sirens, one you’re trying to fight for now, one where this sort of thing will never have to happen again!”

“That… That might not be a bad way to look at it…”

“You’re a good person, not a monster. You understand the weight a life has. As long as you keep that understanding, you won’t ever be a monster. And, if you need help carrying that burden, I’ll help you. I’m here for you, Aurora!”

Aurora smiled, although it was apparent she was also wincing in pain. “Th-thank you… Embra.”

Embra grabbed the potion bottle and handed it to Aurora again. This time, she drank it down.

She coughed as the infection slowed. “Oh gosh, do these things taste worse the second time around?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Shantae admitted.

Aurora frowned as she looked at the pile of potions. She was going to have to keep drinking these things until Star arrived with the cure, which could be a while… She gulped nervously as she reached for another bottle. “Ugh, down the hatch…”

=== Somewhere in the desert… ===

“Soooooo hoooooot…” Star moaned as she tried to fan herself cool.

“Whatcha complaining about? Yer barely wearn’ anything at all!” Boggs pointed out, referring to Star’s genie attire.

“I’m a cold-weather girl! I’ve lived in the arctic all my life! I don’t do well with heat…”

“Well, I guess I could be cookn’ and not even know it… But it’s all desert here and back, so get comfy, lassie.”

“Uuuuuuuuuugh,” Star sighed.

Hours went by. It was clear to Star that Boggs knew exactly where he was going, but it was hard for Star to find the reason for sudden U-turns and seemingly zig-zagging paths. They were deep into the desert when they started encountering the more unique monsters to this unforgiving biome.

It was here Star and Boggs came across a Scorpgal. Star's hands started to glow. "I got this..."

"Hang on, lassie," Boggs said, putting his arm in front of her. "I know how to deal with the scorps... It'll be you fightn' 'em all the way there and back if we do it your way. How 'bout you let me do my thing?"

"Okay..."

Boggs immediately sat down and unscrewed his leg. He very skillfully got up on his remaining leg and rested the remaining nub on a rock. He aimed the upper part of the leg at the Scorpgal, with the foot sticking up. He looked back.

"Daggoneit, I forgot to take my shoe off. Could you do that for me, lassie?"

Star was morbidly curious as to where this was going, and she pulled off the loafer, her face cringing as her nose was assaulted by the smell. "Phew..." she muttered.

"Now, bend the big toe down, if you could... You might want to brace yerself."

"Eeeewwww..." Star groaned as she lightly fingered the toe in question down. As soon as she did, a projectile rocketed from Bogg's leg, flinging the both of them back several feet from the sheer force (and applying Bogg’s disembodied foot directly to the center of Star’s face). The projectile - a missile - raced for the unsuspecting Scorpgal, blew up with a massive explosion, and sent the monster girl flying into the distance.

"Woooweee! That's gonna get the rest of 'em to scatter!" Boggs exclaimed while he laughed.

"What... What was that...?" Star asked, still somewhat dazed and her ears ringing.

"Just gotta remember to reload it later..."

Star was finally up and shaking off the last of the ringing. "Boggs... Was that a missile launcher in your leg?!"

"Of course! What else do I need in there, bones?"

"Next you're going to tell me you have a pole up your b-"

"Now why'd I have a pole up there? I got knives to my elbows, I'll have yah know. Nah, I got a flamethrower up there."

Star was dumbfounded, her jaw wide open at the revelation.

"Come along, lassie, we haven't got all day, you know!"

“Just WHAT have I gotten myself into?” Star muttered, shaking her head.

=== Scuttle Town. ===

Aurora’s hand was shaking as she reached for another potion bottle. It was working, but…

Aurora’s eyes bulged as the increasingly foul taste assaulted her taste buds. She rolled over, grabbed a bin, and threw up into it.

“Oof, well, you tried…” Embra said, patting her on the back.

“This is painful to watch…” Shantae muttered, wincing at the sight. She looked over at the dwindling supply of potions. The poor girl had already gone through half of them, and it was only delaying the infection. She decided she had had enough. They needed to try something new. She turned to Vera. “Why haven’t you tried Refresh Magic on her?”

“She did,” Embra replied. She then realized something lost to the haze from scrambling to help Aurora. “Oh, right, you weren’t here for that…”

“What happened?”

“That negative energy lashed out at me, burnt my fingers. Did that the moment my Refresh Magic touched her body…” Vera explained, showing her bandaged fingers to Shantae. “Actually, I’ve been trying to think as we’ve been scrambling to hand Aurora potions… Embra, do you think you can try to calm her with your powers?”

“Me? How?” Embra asked, taken aback.

“My hands don’t hurt anywhere near as much as they should, given. Whatever it is about your shadow powers, they were able to put out the flames, and stop them from doing more damage… Maybe they can help Aurora too?”

“Yeah, Sam said you defeated a rage monster that was running off the same negative energy! It might work!” Shantae agreed.

Embra turned to Aurora. “What do you think?”

“Worth a shot… I don’t know if I can keep up with the potions… They taste worse every time!” she admitted.

“Alright.” Embra rose from her chair next to Aurora. She concentrated, focused her powers. Slowly, a field of shade covered Aurora. Thankfully, the malice didn’t lash out at her. Embra remembered how she used something similar to this on the rage beast only hours ago… She needed to let her feelings flow into Aurora through the shade.

Embra concentrated, closing her eyes. She concentrated on warm memories. First gazing upon her reflection after her transformation, the awe, wonder, and happiness. Then to her reunion with her parents and Star. Her time being raised by Lumina. She let all these feelings flow…

Shantae, Mimic, and Vera watched as Aurora seemed to ease. Her pain was weakening!

Embra focused on the feelings she could sense in the shade. Heat. Burning. She thought to counter that. A starry cold night. Snowfall in Northern Light. The shade of a swaying palm tree. She locked onto this last one. Embra began gently swaying back and forth like a tree in a gentle breeze.

Aurora’s infection was slowing drastically! It was working!

“Oh my gosh! Embra, I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it! It’s working!” Shantae cheered.

But it wasn’t long before both half-genies were seeing Embra herself starting to wince and make small groans. She was still so new to her powers. This was something very advanced for a Shade Magic user, and it was an immense strain on her. In short order, the shade around Aurora dissipated, and Embra collapsed into the chair, breathing heavily.

“You did good, Embra…” Vera reassured her.

Mimic stared at Aurora more intensely. “Girls, look at this! The infection isn’t spreading as fast anymore!”

Everyone looked closer. Sure enough, as much as the infection picked up again, it was nowhere near as fast as it was. Aurora had a lot more time, thanks to Embra.

“How were you doing that?” Shantae asked.

Embra held up a finger. She needed a moment still. “Okay, so what I was doing was using the shade to sense Aurora’s feelings. Then I countered the negative force with feelings from my own memories, shared through the shade, then used thoughts of cold places to ease the pain.”

“It was working,” Mimic noted, “a one-two punch of positive energy and physical calming!”

“But you’re clearly not ready for that! That must be very advanced Shade Magic…” Vera said, clearly concerned for Embra after the strain she saw.

Embra started getting up. “It’s not about whether I’m ready… It’s about helping a friend…”

“Oh no you don’t!” Shantae said as she grabbed Embra’s shoulders and pushed her back into the chair. “If you’re going to keep at it, you’re sitting down for it!”

“As much as I don’t like seeing you overexert yourself, I also know you’re the best shot for helping this poor girl through this ordeal. I agree with Shantae; save all the energy you can and sit for this,” Mimic suggested.

“Maybe I can help by providing some Refresh Magic to keep her going?” Vera added.

“Not a bad idea! You can’t use Refresh Magic on Aurora directly, but you can still help by lending your power to the one who can!” Mimic agreed.

“Aurora?” Embra asked.

“Better than throwing up after… How many potions was that? I lost count. Besides, the shade stuff was really nice…”

Embra nodded, and she started the process over again, this time sitting in the chair for it. But she had a thought – or rather, a determination: I don’t want to delay the infection… I’m going to cure her, if I can!

=== Back in the desert. ===

Star breathed a sigh of relief as the shadow of a towering plateau stretched over her. “Aaaaaah,” she sighed in bliss. “That feels so much better!”

“Hehe, well, we’re here, lassie!” said Boggs.

“This is the place?”

“Yes it is! Follow closely; it’s not easy to find…”

Star followed Boggs to a small crack in the base of the plateau. Boggs squeezed himself in, and beckoned Star to follow. Star squeezed herself into the crack sideways. It was cramped, but it wasn’t impossible or dangerous to navigate, just mildly uncomfortable. After a couple of minutes, the two were able to shimmy their way into a massive chamber – one where the glimmer of gold was everywhere. There wasn’t just some Golden Salt; there was tons of it!

“Oh my gosh! I didn’t think there was this much Golden Salt!” Star exclaimed.

“Indeed, but while it’s the only place to find it, it keeps comin’ here… I think yah might know why…” Boggs hinted.

“Huh?” But no sooner had she said that, she started to notice the same pleasant buzzing sensation she felt at the Otherworldly Fountain up by Northern Light. This is a place where the Genie Realm connected to the mortal world! “No way! It’s a connection point to the Genie Realm! That must be why the salt is a cure for evil ailments!”

“Ain’t been used for some time, I’m afraid. That’s probably why them Genies and others don’t know this place. Found it a few years ago in my travels. But the salt has great effects for these ol’ rottn’ bones,” he explained. “What’s left of them anyway…” he added with a slight chuckle.

“Well, if it’s a never-ending supply, let’s take all we can get!” Star suggested, pulling out a couple of small sacks.

“Hehe, that was the plan!” Boggs admitted as he pulled out a couple of bags himself, one being a large burlap sack. Star stared at the bag, worried about him lugging the thing across the desert. “Oh, don’t worry, lassie, this ain’t the first time I’ve made this trip. I’m stronger than I look!”

“Yeah, probably because you got a robot skeleton under that rotting exterior at this point,” Star replied sheepishly.

Boggs let out a light chuckle.

“Anyway, what drives you, Boggs?” Star asked as she scooped up handfuls of Golden Salt into her bags. “You travel the world on your own. Anna suggests you were doing that even before you became a zombie…”

“Me and the ol’ wifey loved seeing new things. We went anywhere we could. I remember all the good times we had together, a blessn’ to be sure. She passed before I wound up like this. I promised to carry her memory to new places and see new things for her. And when I became a walkn’ corpse, I decided to keep goin’ for her. Ain’t gonna let something like fleshrot stop me from that.”

“Oh… My… That’s really sweet of you…” Star admitted as she tried to stifle some tears. “That’s why you got all these crazy modifications; it’s your will to keep going!”

“Exactly! Now yer gettn’ it! Now, what about you, lassie? I know yer from that wintery city – the one that recently disappeared. And yer lookn’ for this stuff for a friend. Somethn’ tells me they’re related…”

“You’re not wrong. You heard of Cliff Town?”

“I lost my noggin to them a few times. Not the friendliest bunch.”

“They’re a LOT worse than that. Their leader is a man named Victor Marin. He’s obsessed with the idea that everyone needs to suffer, and that souls are things to be tossed away. He hates, well, pretty much everything – especially my adoptive sister, Embra. She and I grew up together when Victor was still mayor up there. After Embra’s parents died and she ran away, we kicked him out. He made his way down here, with a particular hate for Embra, and he began his world-breaking cult. When he found out Embra returned to Northern Light and was accepted for who she was, Victor tried to level the place – we had a plan to get everyone to safety, so Northern Light is in the Genie Realm until Victor and his forces are dealt with.”

“So yah and Embra are workn’ to stop him? Good on yah. But what happened to need this salt?”

“We recruited a Siren girl, the sweetest thing you could meet. She drained the life force of a high-level Cliff Towner to save Embra, but she was poisoned by the malice inside him. Embra is trying to keep her alive while I get this cure…”

“So yer dealing with baddies so mean that eatn’ ‘em is toxic?”

“Odd way of putting it, but pretty on point.”

“So, world-breakn’ cult that wants everyone to suffer… Sounds like yah have yer hands full, lassie. Need a walkn’ arsenal wrapped up in rottn’ flesh to help?”

“Wait… You’re offering to help?”

“Why not? Sounds like if ol’ Vic gets what he wants, this pretty world ain’t gonna be so pretty anymore, so if I want to keep goin’, I should make sure it’s still there for me.”

“I don’t think we’ll have a problem with one more tagging along. If you want to help, by all means!”

“Thank yah, lassie! Besides, I’ll probably get to see even more of the world, taggn’ along what yah.”

“Probably not wrong there…” Star replied with a grin.

But just as Star was grabbing her last handful of Golden Salt, her hand hit something a bit more solid. It felt like metal… She grabbed it and pulled it out of the pile. “What’s this?”

It was a small metal box with a hinge on the side and a hole on the top. She pried it open, and it looked like some sort of shaped empty space was in it. Even open, it easily fit in Star’s hand.

“Looks like some sort of moldn’, like for an amulet or somethn’.”

Star looked at it closer. She recognized the shape a little… That’s when she remembered the broken Swap Amulet Embra showed her when she first arrived in Northern Light!

“It’s a Swap Amulet mold! What’s that doing here? Unless… Maybe Golden Salt is used to create the amulet?”

“Maybe? Doesn’t make sense for somethn’ like that to be here otherwise.”

Star pocketed the find. “Embra’s been wanting to fix the one she found so someone else could have it one day. This could help her repair it!”

“Well, it sounds like comin’ here was doubly good for yah! Now that we’ve filled our bags, why don’t we go and meet my sponsor and give him this big sack before we go save yer friend?”

“Your sponsor…?”

=== Scuttle Town. ===

It had been some time since Embra started using Shade Magic to treat Aurora. The Siren girl’s infection had almost come to a stop. Embra’s sheer will to save the girl was remarkable, but her abilities weren’t yet enough to overcome the infection. Still, Aurora was comfortable, and thanks to Vera’s Refresh Magic, Embra too was comfortable while she worked her magic. Thanks to the combined efforts, if Star needed weeks to find the Golden Salt, she had it!

Shantae had little to do at the moment other than wait. But Mimic could tell she was troubled.

“What’s wrong, Shantae?” he asked.

“I’m trying to wrap my head around what’s going on. I can’t help but wonder about some things…”

“Like what?”

“Well, what would be happening right now if we hadn’t found Embra? Would everyone be safe, or would things have already spiraled out of control?”

“I think you already know the answer.”

Shantae looked down. “Yeah… But there is something else bugging me…”

“Oh?”

“Cliff Town was going after the Hyper Crystals, and yet Embra’s wasn’t among them. Was it being protected, or something?”

“It sounds like you know what you want to do next…”

“I do. I’m grabbing Rottytops, and I’m going to see if I can find some answers. Well, after we get Aurora healed up.”

Mimic looked over to the group healing Aurora. “I got to hand it to her, she’s very determined. She pushes the boundaries of what she’s capable of all the time. Maybe a little too much…”

“She’s a great person. I know she’ll go far!”

“And she reminds me of you.”

Shantae realized at that moment Mimic was right. Embra may have had a different personality – more introverted, and timid at times – but when it came down to it, both of them pushed themselves to the limit for others. That hope things can be better, and the drive to fight for it; they both had it. Shantae blushed. She realized she might be a role model for the young new half-genie. She didn’t always think of herself as the best role model; she knew she had a temper at times, and her outfit was (by her own admission) a bit outlandish. But perhaps those things didn’t matter… Maybe that drive to do good and be good was enough?

“While we wait on Star, why don’t you go out to the market and see what they have?” Mimic handed her some gems. “Let’s get Aurora something special!”

“Okay!” Shantae agreed gleefully.

=== Back in the desert… ===

“Not too much further there, lassie!” Boggs declared.

Star could see a number of tents and large vehicles in the distance. Armored vehicles, in blue. She had heard some rumors, but Boggs’ sponsor couldn’t be him, could it?

“Just who is your sponsor, Boggs?” Star asked. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this…”

“Nah, don’t worry ‘bout a thing! He’s a fun guy if yah get to know him!”

As they walked through the camp, Star noted the soldiers in blue armor. Ammonian soldiers. Star knew who Boggs’ “sponsor” was now. And with the rumors around this guy, it suddenly made perfect sense as to who was behind modifying a zombie with an arsenal like Boggs’…

“Ammo Baron, I’m back!” Boggs shouted as they approached the largest of the tents, with a large tank nearby that looked like it had undergone recent repairs. “I even brought a friend!”

Ammo Baron emerged from the tent. “Boggs! If it isn’t my favorite undead soon-to-be cyborg! How’s it going?”

“This lassie here needed some Golden Salt for a friend, so I helped her get some. And of course, a bunch for you!” Boggs dropped the large stuffed bag before Ammo Baron. “A thanks for yer willingness to help a zombie like me survive the worst the world can throw at me!”

Ammo Baron looked Star up and down. “You one of them half-genies, like the dancer girl from that fishing hole?”

“Uh yeah. Northern Light, if you’ve heard of it. Shine Magic, so I manipulate light and such.”

“Oh yeah, you must be the one keeping the inn up there! My men sometimes go there for some R and R. Although it sounded like the place had to be evacuated?”

“We had to get everyone to safety to save them from Cliff Town.”

Something in Ammo Baron’s demeanor shifted. “Them. Okay, I got one eyeball. What does it matter?” he growled. “If it weren’t for their advanced tech and fortified bunker, I would have blasted the bunch of them off the continent!”

“Northern Light’s stuck in the Genie Realm because of them. My sister is the focus of their attacks, never mind all the others suffering at their hands, even their own people! And right now, I got a friendly Siren girl who was poisoned when she saved my sister from them. That’s what I needed the Golden Salt for, to cure her. I need to get this back to Scuttle Town so I can save her! And I admit, after that, I’d love to personally deliver my magically enhanced fist to their leader’s nose…”

“Hehe, this lassie’s got some spunk…” Boggs chuckled under his breath.

“Hmmm. It sounds like we have a common enemy. How about we team up and take them on?”

“I’ve already joined her team. Sounds like she needs all the help she can get!” Boggs added.

“A team?” Ammo Baron asked.

“Myself, Embra, who’s more or less our leader and my sister, and the Siren girl I’m trying to heal, Aurora. And Boggs now.”

“A small band of misfits going against a giant. A tactical squad to get things done. I like it! So, about my offer… When you need some more oomph, you can call upon my army, and we’ll take them down together!”

“Joining up?” Star thought hard about it. Ammo Baron was known for being a brute. But he was said to have a softer side. She could relate. Maybe an alliance could guide such a person in a better direction? As Northern Light’s guardian, and the only one able to do so at the time, this decision was hers alone to make…

“I… Let’s do this! As guardian of Northern Light, I declare Ammo Baron and the Ammonian Army to be allies of Northern Light, to help us take down Victor Marin and the cult of Cliff Town!” Star desperately hoped she didn’t just make a bad decision here…

“Wonderful! Now, seeing as you needed to get to Scuttle Town quickly, this gives me the perfect opportunity to test out my new transport!” Ammo Baron declared gleefully.

“I mean, I can run really fast, and-“

“Nonsense! This will be faster and more stylish!” Ammo Baron ran over to a tarped object and pulled the tarp away. It was a pod with rockets, on a guide rail. “Behold, the Cannon Delivery System! A rocket-powered ship to get you anywhere you want to go in no time at all!”

“Hehe, looks fun!” Boggs giggled as he walked over to it.

“But-“ Star began to protest.

“I insist!” Ammo Baron said as he grabbed Star and placed her in a seat.

She looked around. This thing looked completely unsafe. “Where are the seatbelts!?” she asked frantically, not finding anything that looked like it.

“Life has no seatbelts!” Ammo Baron declared. “But for the safety minded, I included some spare wires you could tie yourself with.”

Star looked at the loose, thin-gauge wires. “This is a bifurcation accident waiting to happen…” she muttered with horror.

“Alright, we’re all set! Barracuda Joe, get over here and aim this! We’re heading for Scuttle Town!” Ammo Baron ordered.

“On it, sir!” replied the mustached soldier.

As the man was cranking the lever, turning the metal pod in the direction of Scuttle Town, the world around Star froze. Her thoughts swirled. Just how did I let myself get here? Why didn’t I just take off for Scuttle Town the moment I had the salt? How did I let myself be dragged into this death trap? Star braced herself with a barrier of light. This was not going to end well…

“The maiden voyage of the Cannon Delivery System is a-go! Preparing to launch in 5…”

Boggs began laughing hysterically. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

“4…”

Star winced.

“3…”

“2…”

A big grin formed on Ammo Baron’s face, eager to test out his new toy.

“1!”

“YOU’RE ALL INSANE, YOU KNOW THAT?!” Star screamed.

“Fire!”

=== Scuttle Town, moments later. ===

Shantae was just heading back to Mimic’s workshop after purchasing some Rainbow Tuna from one of the fishermen. Expensive to be sure, but she heard the best chefs used it, so it had to be good, right?

But just as she rounded the corner and saw her uncle’s workshop, a glint from the sky caught her eye. It was a metal something, and it was coming very fast. At her.

Shantae screamed as she raced out of the way of the incoming rocket pod. It crashed mere feet away from Mimic’s workshop. Shantae poked around the corner as Embra and Vera darted out of the workshop to figure out what the commotion was.

“Wh-what the heck is that?!” Embra stuttered, her nerves frayed.

The pod’s cockpit was punched open from the inside. Within moments, a dazed Star popped out of it. “Heeeey everyone…” Star said slowly as she slowly oozed out of the ship and onto the ground. “I got the stuuuff…” she said in a clear haze while holding up a sack (which had miraculously survived the trip).

“Yes! We can cure Aurora now! Shantae, grab the salt and get in here!” Embra ordered.

Shantae raced up to Star, who was wobbling a bit as she sat upright on the ground. Star handed her the salt. “You going to be okay, Star?” Shantae asked.

“I’m fiiiiiiine. I just need to… Sit here, for a few minutes… So my eyes can stop spinning…” she replied.

“I’m coming back to check on you in a few minutes!” Shantae declared as she dashed into the workshop with the goods.

“You do that…” Star replied, not realizing Shantae was long gone. “I’m just going to… Lie down…” she said as she fell over. “Yeah… Lying down feels better.”

“Well then, lassie, when you’re done, could you give me a hand… With my hands?” Boggs called out from the cockpit. “…And everything else, for that matter?”

Ammo Baron popped out, slouched over the side of the ship, and spat out a couple of teeth. He was in surprisingly good shape, given. “The landing leaves something to be desired, but the accuracy is flawless!” he declared. “I’ll consider the possibility of using it in shock troop deployments… With some modifications…”

Meanwhile, Shantae and Vera got to work preparing Aurora’s Golden Salted Rainbow Tuna. Embra had bought well more than enough time for them to properly prepare the meal so Aurora could enjoy it. When they were done cooking the tuna, Embra sprinkled the Golden Salt onto it.

Embra put the dish before Aurora. “Here, Aurora, this should help…”

Aurora sniffed the air. “Oh, that smells good… Someone did a good job cooking this… Embra, can you help me with the first few bites? I feel weak…”

“Oh, sure thing!” Embra held Aurora up and used a fork to break off a couple of pieces, which she then gave to Aurora to eat. As soon as Aurora swallowed the first bite, everyone watched as the lines covering her body started to fade. Aurora’s strength picked up rapidly. She grabbed the dish herself and began scarfing it down! By the time she was finished, the last of the infection appeared to dissipate!

Aurora was cured!

“How do you feel?” Embra asked.

Aurora replied with a hug. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she cried, tears streaming down her face.

“Y-you’re welcome!” Embra stuttered, not expecting such a reaction. But she had to admit it felt nice.

“Good to see you back to normal, Aurora!” Shantae said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Well, if you ever needed to do that again…” Embra held up the bag of Golden Salt, still almost entirely full. “We’ll be prepared next time!”

“I’ll keep that in mind… But I really don’t want to do that again if I can avoid it.”

“I know. But again, Aurora, thank you for saving me!”

“Likewise, Embra.” The two were still hugging it out.

“I wonder about those two…” Vera muttered quietly.

“Think they, um… Like each other?” Shantae whispered back.

“Maybe? I doubt they know themselves at the moment. I’ll let you know if I see more on Siren Island later.”

“Thanks.” Shantae turned to Embra and Aurora. “I’m going to check on Star, see how she’s doing. I’ll be back in a moment!”

=======

Aurora, feeling completely reenergized, was now flying the team back to Siren Island. Star explained to them Boggs joining their little team and Ammo Baron pledging his support to their cause. Embra and Aurora were a bit perplexed when Star told them of Boggs’ modifications, but he was clearly genuine about wanting to help. (That said, Star warned them he was a bit on the crazy side, it seemed.)

Other than her, all of them were worn out. She was going to have to get Boggs over to the zombie caravan after dropping Embra, Vera, and Star off on the island. After all, he still had to deliver Golden Salt to Anna as he originally set out to do. He also suggested he was going to visit the Ammo Baron afterwards and “talk shop.”

Aurora had to admit she was already liking the guy. He seemed like the fun grandpa she never had. And the stories he could tell…

She looked back at them and caught a glimpse at Embra. She was leaning up against Star as she slept. She felt all the things Embra was thinking as Embra was trying to save her. Embra was trying so hard to save her without the cure. And maybe she could have succeeded at some point… Her heart fluttered at the thought of Embra’s efforts.

Wait, did I just feel that…? Were those… Feelings for Embra? Aurora shook her head. There were more important things to focus on right now. She was just grateful to have the chance to one day explore those feelings more.

“Thank you, everyone…” she muttered to no one in particular, smiling.

THE END.

By CrystalSeaDragon44

Credits:

- Various characters and concepts come from and are based off of the Shantae video game series. Such characters and concepts belong to Shantae series creators Matt and Erin Bozon and developer WayForward.