Tales of the Pearly City (Pearly Tales Vol.1) [Completed]

9. The Crystal Shrine

Deep in the bowls of the Elven castle is the home to a terrifyingly powerful beast. However, at first glance she doesn't look much like a beast at all.

An attractive maiden sat amongst potted flowers in a windowless cavern that was decorated in a manner that emulated a mix between a budding woman's and a grown woman's garden. Lengths of grassy trails between rows of tulips and strawberry's curved through the room. Bamboo forests lined the walls of the dungy unfinished cavern's walls and many passageways implying that the space resided in the woods rather than underground. A simple bubbling stream zigzagged through the room made of crystal clear water glowing a strange blue light from the luminescent stones carefully placed evenly along the streams shallow depths.

The caverns ceiling held the most splendid of treasures. Although the room itself spanned the length and width of a small field the ceiling towered high above containing many crystals in its midst. The largest of these crystals glowed a soft white light that illuminated the entire cavern with the sunlight of a lazy afternoon day. It was a powerful and valuable treasure, one the beast guarded zealously in honor of her late master.

The beast wore a simple sundress with a white blouse and soft green skirt to cover her soft milky skin. Complimenting her shape as a normal human, her hair was blonde with a hint of orange as it coated her fluffy vulpine ears and draped elegantly over her garments from her head. Her single fluffy tail was the pride of her image as it poked from beneath her skirt. It was the same blonde color at the base and turned sharply to pure white after temping a soft purplish ring of fur between the white and blonde.

She awaited the return of one of her loyal spies.

When she felt a strange presence enter the castle grounds she had sent Calico to investigate and report back as swiftly as would allow. It was a curiosity that he would be able make it into the castle without stirring up a commotion. Then he made it into the dungeon without alerting any guards, just what were his motivates? This Stranger peaked her curiosity.

She tried painting to sooth her nerves but then the shivers took over. Her Vulpine ears twitched incessantly and her tail which was swaying gently then flicked wildly back and forth.

"EEEEEHHHH!" she screamed. She couldn't help herself, all of the excitement kept building. There was an unknown! She could hardly contain the euphoria. She leapt from her chair and jumped up and down squealing, "something new, someone new, unexpected and unknown hehehe." Her laughter reached hysteria.

And then... the presence disappeared. She froze, that was impossible! Her ears were large enough to make her head look small and yet even with her heightened senses she couldn't sense any more trace of the stranger. Even the best assassins gave off a some trace of magic when they tried to sneak in the castle of the Utopia now called the Pearly city. Now there were no sounds from the stranger, no heartbeat... nothing. Three long whiskers on either side of her nose twitched as she closed her eyes and sniffed the air. Even the smell of victa berry tea was gone.

"My, my he is even more interesting than I could have imagined!" she skipped and her tail bobbed with every action. "I wonder if I'll ever get to meet him. I wonder if he's handsome." She squealed energetically.

"I love what you've done with the place."

She froze and then turned around to see a pirate with a scarred face holding Calico who was wagging her tails happily. Both the stranger and Calico smelled like Victa berry tea. But more importantly how had he managed to sneak up on her? It wasn't possible. She was one of the highest level beings in the city, second only to the princess and not even she could hide her presence form her this well.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked as a rosey pink colored tinted her face.

"Long enough. But if you're going to keep fangirling I can sit and wait." He dropped to the ground and crossed his legs. "I'll just cuddle with Calico, who is so soft and floofy." He cooed as he snuggled her nose with his face, the perfect picture of innocence.

"I am quite done 'fangirling' as you say, lowly elf."

"Lowly? You're acting awfully formal all of a sudden, but you can just call me Cal."

"Cal, that's an interesting name. No title or rank, no matter. You may call me Vixie."

"Vixie... that's a short name for someone with so many ranks and titles. Silvia Moonshine the Nine tailed beauty of the crystal shrine, spymaster in the city of Perils, Leader of the Smokeless fox clans of fire, and second chair of the fire element on the Council of Guardian Elements. But I can call you Vixie, it's kind of cute in its own way." Calloway continued playing with Calico.

"Calico, get behind me this instant." The hair on the back of Silvia's neck bristled in fear, not only for herself but for her family too.

"Oh poo," Calloway's face sagged.

"Why are you here Cal? If it's for the Crystal Shine I can promise you-" power erupted around Silvia, her nine tails manifested and whipped wildly at the air. "-you won't get it without a fight."

Calloway's shoulder's slumped, "fine." He announced as he stood up and brushed himself off.

Silvia's features became more fox-like as her canines became more prominent, her finger nails lengthened and her hands began to glow with fire.

"I'm out." Calloway spun on his heel and began to walk away.

"Y-you, you're 'out'?" Silvia was dumbfounded.

"Duh! I just wanted to talk and catch up, but your manners are even worse than Naomi's."

"Talk?" she looked at Calico and the fox only replied with a confused head tilt.

"I was just fine, cuddling Calico and then you take her away and start threatening me." He stopped before a series of tunnel entrances and mumbled. "Now which one will take me to Tiki, at least she'll offer me some tea."

Silvia dashed in front of him and waved her hands wildly in the air. "Oh, y-you just wanted to catch up why didn't you just say so?" She laughed nervously.

"Nope, I'm already bored of this conversation." He walked by her.

She latched onto his arm with her whole body desperately. "Please, please don't go! I have to know who you are, Stranger Cal! Please! I haven't met anybody new in over a century! Wahhh!" She cried with pitiful tears falling down her cheeks.

He dragged her for a second then pried her from his arm. "Stranger? I'm insulted that you don't remember me! Excuse me, but Tiki might at least have something interesting to offer. Biscuits maybe."

Silvia ears perked, it was time for her last resort. She disappeared and returned holding Calico out to Calloway. "You can cuddle with Calico, while we talk." She closed her eyes and hoped that he would take the offer.

Calloway snatched Calico out of the hands of Silvia, and raised an accusatory eyebrow at her. "And the tea?"

"Y-yes of course, I'll get started this instant, right this way." She lead him back to her small yet luxurious hut at the far end of the cavern and began preparing the tea.

This was all according to Calloway's plan. Silvia could never resist a good mystery or secret. She operated a network of foxes that roamed the city both helping with day to day life and gathering gossip. So he kept baiting her until the Mysterious 'stranger Cal' was too tempting to let leave without any answers.