Treasure Planet: The Next Voyage (OC INSTERT)

Chapter twenty -six

Third Person's POV~

Zeizei stared at the establishment before her with concern. The building itself was nice enough--well put together with a lantern hanging over the front door. Zeizei's long ears gave a twitch as she eyed the sign overhead, nailed over the door and illuminated by said lantern.

"Kashvau's Odds and Ends"

"Charming." The older woman replied as she followed Amelia and Jim inside. Zeziei stepped through the threshold and was instantly bathed in warm, orange light from lamps and lanterns that were hanging on a complex system of cords and wires overhead. The walls were lined with shelves that went from floor to ceiling, containing everything.

Just by glancing around, Zeizei saw hundreds of books and maps, trinkets, rows and rows of jars containing . . . god knows what.

Was that a brain?!

Zeizei sniffed, her ears twitching as she followed close behind Amelia and Jim. Morph, who had tagged along for the excursion, was cuddled up under Jim's collar, chirping softly.

The air inside the shop smelled of sweet citrus and flowers. It was just on the cusp of that 'too sweet smell'. Zeizei peered over Amelia's shoulder, looking deeper into the shop. At the far end of the store, there was a desk, and a creature was crouched behind it. The first thing Zeizei saw was an impossibly long arm on a body half its length. It reached up to the tallest shelves and picked items off and brought them back down behind the desk.

"Kashvau!" Amelia proclaimed.

Suddenly, the creature shifted, and four of those impossibly long arms crept over the desk and gripped the wood. They heaved and a small body lifted up from behind the counter. The body was humanoid, but Kashvau had tiny, shriveled, vestigial legs, using his long spider-like arms to navigate about his shop. His skin was inky black, and he had two giant orange owl-like eyes with long pointed ears and a nose to match. He wore a tunic and pants, with arm guards and bracelets decorating his lengthy limbs.

"Well, well, well, well . . ." his voice was soft, but purposeful, as he slowly rose up higher on his four arms and Zeizei felt her heart sink into her stomach as Kashvau towered over them, suspended on his four limbs. A haunting sight.

"It it ain't pretty, little Cap'n Amelia." His joints hinged as he lowered himself, tilting his head creepily, "What can I do for ya, my lovely lady?"

Amelia didn't seem fazed in the least as she placed her hands on her hips, "You can save that film-flam for a spaceport floozy. You owe me a favor. I'm cashing it in." her feline ears pinned back as she smirked.

Kashvau turned his head creepily before he gurgled and leaned down, "Eh? You got a favor to cash in now, do ya? What it be then?"

Amelia stood aside and turned her feline eyes to Zezie, who pulled the cloak around her person tighter, "Cap'n . . ." she said softly.

"Show him the map." She said, gesturing to the spider-like creature overhead.

Zeizei lifted her head, then reached into her pocket and produced the map, extending her arm out. Kashvau snatched it away, quick as a viper, and unfolded the parchment, as his owl eyes scanned the page his expression morphed from child-like curiosity to awe and shock. Zeizei felt a chill run down her spine as the odd shopkeep turned his eyes to her and lowered himself on his four gigantic arms, holding up the map, "Where did ya get this, Lass?" he asked with a low snarl.

Zeizei slowly lifted her lips, revealing her dog-like teeth as she snarled, low in her throat, "It be mine." she hissed, "Why? Ya recognize it?"

As Kashvau's eyes scanned over the gray-skinned woman, his body tensed, the muscles in his arms rippling as he slowly leaned forward, closer and closer till his face was inches from Zeizei's. Jim watched, his shoulders tense, as Morph chirped nervously, flitting about Hawkin's ears.

Kashvau's eyes then tripled in size, recognition dawning his features as he jerked back, "It can't be . . ." he breathed, "Its impossible . . .!"

Zeizei looked on, confused as she held up her map, "What be the matter, man? Ya be lookin' like ye seen a ghost."

"Cause I have." he hissed as he took several ambling steps back. "Yer breed shouldn't exist. You shouldn't exist!" he pointed a long, clawed finger at Zeizei.

Zeizei looked perplexed as she cast an unsure look to Amelia who bore a similar expression. The feline woman walked forward, looking up at him, "What are you on about?"

Kashvau ambled over to the shelves, "The Grey Demons." He muttered, "The Ruby Harpies." he continued, fingers brushing over the spines of the tomes, "The Dragons of the Etherium."

Zeizei tilted her head, looking down at her map again, reading over the ancient runes, before speaking. "Ya better start makin' sense," her lips pulled back over her teeth, "I been waitin' too long for answers, and I be impatient."

Kashvau turned, blinking at her, before he pulled out a large, heavy tome and skittered back over to his desk, setting the book down with a heavy thunk! Before he huddled behind it and opened the cover, "Yer breed," he pointed to Zeizei, "are one of the oldest races in this universe." he hissed.

Zeizei's eyes widened, as she moved closer, clutching her map between her fingers, "You know what I am?"

"Aye." Kashvau eyed her warily, as he turned the page, "Ye may very well be the last of the Drakkons."