Chrono Helix (script)

[alfadorredux]

@skylark: I wouldn't say that you've been slacking--I just look as though I'm crazy-productive because I plan what passes for my life around my creative projects, rather than doing things the other way around like a normal person. ;P

@Acacia Sgt: Actually, we don't know for sure that she's dead. Miguel's "salt for the Dead Sea" speech only specifies "members of the Acacia Dragoons". The only proof we have that Riddel was even present on the expedition is her presence among the frozen ghost-images in the room before the portal, and there are a couple of interesting details that show up if you examine the image closely. Glenn and Riddel, Viper, Zoah, Karsh, and Marcy are all recognizably present, along with a couple of generic dragoons, but the Shaker Bros. (or at least, two dragoons in gold-toned armour rather than the normal silver) appear to be there too. If Solt and Peppor were there and survived, the same might easily be true for Riddel (especially since Viper, Karsh, and probably Glenn would all have sacrificed themselves to save her without a second thought). So I don't think it's too far-fetched to have her turn up again.

[Acacia Sgt]

The Shaker Brothers are not among the images, those gold-colored dragoons are generic dragoons as well. But yeah, if those two did survive it shouldn't be hard to have someone else as well (although the fact they are not present as an image in the room... though it wouldn't be hard to change it to exclude Riddel from being among them).

[FaustWolf]

I plan what passes for my life around my creative projects, rather than doing things the other way around like a normal person.

Man, how inspirational! This isn't crazy at all, or at least I don't think so. The key is finding employment that lets one eat without unduly sapping time from one's art.

[alfadorredux]

@Acacia Sgt: We never see any other generic dragoons wearing gold armour that I can recall, though, and the one nearest the bottom of the image appears to be helmetless and rather stout, like Peppor. Do you have some information source that I don't?

@FW: It's a lot less impressive when you consider that I'm (still) unemployed, sponging off my parents, and have pretty much No Life outside the Internet (I think I've left the house twice in the past week). No sense of proportion, that's me.

[Acacia Sgt]

@Acacia Sgt: We never see any other generic dragoons wearing gold armour that I can recall, though, and the one nearest the bottom of the image appears to be helmetless and rather stout, like Peppor. Do you have some information source that I don't?

I've checked in a video. Only that dragoon that you are mentioning has gold armor. And is not stout, and neither thin to be either Shaker Brother.

[alfadorredux]

I've checked in a video. Only that dragoon that you are mentioning has gold armor. And is not stout, and neither thin to be either Shaker Brother.

You see the dragoon who's standing by that lump of rock on what's almost a direct line between Zoah and Marcy as having silver armour? Because that one looks gold to me too.

...I'm starting to think we may need a third opinion.

[Vehek]

Acacia Sergeants also wear gold armor.

[alfadorredux]

...and no helmets, from the look of it. Very well, I concede: the two gold-armoured figures may easily be a pair of random sergeants, rather than the Shaker Bros. (It might be interesting to insert them into the scene instead of the sergeants, rather than removing Riddel, but it would also doubtless be more difficult.)

[alfadorredux]

Okay, and this is what I'm really supposed to be working on, rather than messing around
doing half-assed translations of the cards. This chapter was just a little too
long for me to post in one piece, so I've split it in what I thought was the most
appropriate place, meaning that the second part will be longer than this one.

For a change, Magus didn't take over this chapter--Norris did it instead. ;P


20. A Portal Reopened - And the planet began to shake... Part I
   [P]Max recruits: Lynx-Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Harle, Radius, Norris.
   [P]Recruitable: Karsh or ZOAH. Also, Guile, Glenn, and Skelly become
                re-recruitable in this chapter if they were recruited during
                the first part of the game--see the midgame side-stuff for details.

=========================================================== 
Opassa Beach (Home)
=========================================================== 

[As they reach the green circle-bit that marks the gate...]

Norris:
   So this is
   the dimensional
   gate...

Sprigg:
   You look disappointed.
   Expectin' somethin' more
   impressive, were ya?

Norris:
   No, not really, but--

Serge:
   Can we talk about this later?
   I'm really worried about what's
   going on in the other world.

Sprigg:
   Heh! Gettin' assertive, aren't
   ya! That'z good, so long az ya
   don't take it too far.

Serge:
   (Whatever. Right now I just want
   to find out about Kid.)

=========================================================== 
Opassa Beach (Another)
=========================================================== 

[when they attempt to exit Opassa...]

 [Boy]
   A-Ahhh...
   AHHHHHH...!

[A boy is backing away from the entrance to the beach, where a group of cat-
creatures stand half-on and half-off the screen.]

 [Boy]
   G-Go away!
   Shoo!!!
   Leave me alone!

Serge:
   (Those are...like that creature
   Lynx used at Viper Manor?)

[The shadow cats move forward, chasing the boy. Then they catch sight of Serge,
and stop dead in their tracks.]

 [Shadow]
   ......!?

Serge:
   (It looks confused--does it
   think that I'm Lynx?)

[The cats back away a bit, although they don't leave the screen]

 [Boy]
   ......?
   W-W-What's...
   going on...?

Serge:
   I think they don't like me.
   (Isn't that Milon? I wonder
   what he's doing here.)

[The boy turns around and sees Serge.]

 [Boy]
   Y-Y-Yikes!
   O-O-Over here is a scary
   lookin' cat man!!!

Serge:
   Um, I know I LOOK scary, but
   I won't hurt you. (Damn, I
   wish I could get Lynx's face
   to look trustworthy and nice,
   but I have a feeling it's a
   lost cause.)

[The boy looks back and forth from the party to the shadow cats, then
bounces up in the air.]

 [Boy]
   Boy, am I in a major FIX!

Radius:
   We truly mean you no harm, boy.
   Now get behind us, so that we
   can deal with these...creatures.

[The party moves forward to challenge the cats]

Harle:
   You are a nuisance!
   Are you planning to
   stand in Monsieur Lynx's way?

Sprigg:
   Git outta 'ere!
   Just leave!

Norris:
   Begone, demons,
   if you value your lives.

[The shadow cats vanish]

Serge:
   (That was...almost too
   convenient.)

 [Boy]
   Pheeew...!
   You saved me!
   I thought you were bad guys,
   too, from the way you look.

[Serge looks from side to side, taking in the other members of the party]

Serge:
   ...I guess maybe we do look
   like bad guys. Where did you
   run into those things? (If
   they really are Lynx's, then
   maybe he's somewhere nearby...)

[Boy]
   I was lookin' for
   rainbow shells when those
   things started harassing me.

Serge:
   (Damn, that's not much help.)

[Boy]
   But look!
   I got the shells alright!
   I better head back
   and give 'em to Kiki!

   Thanks a lot
   for saving me!
   Bye!

Serge:
   You're welcome, and good
   luck with Kiki. (Knowing her,
   she'll probably kick his ass
   for being late getting home.
   Kiki can be a bit like Leena
   Junior when she wants to be.)

[The kid walks away, then stops and turns back for a moment]

 [Boy]
   Hey, mister, you should
   be careful, too.
   Lots of monsters are
   running loose nowadays.
   All the grown-ups say
   it's a rebellion led
   by Serge.
   And I heard this Serge is
   trying to kill everyone
   on the island!!!

Serge:
   (Lynx is using my name as well
   as my body?! Damn that miserable
   son-of-a-Beach-Bum! Hasn't he
   done enough to me already?!)

 [Boy]
   I can't believe someone
   would want to do that!
   I wonder what's gonna
   happen to us...?

[the kid runs away]
   
Harle:
   An uprizing led by Serge!?
   So, Serge has become ze
   enemy of ze people...

Serge:
   I'M Serge. The guy running
   around and causing trouble
   is Lynx. HE'S the "enemy of
   the people." (I don't know
   why I still bother to try--
   Harle clearly has a blind
   spot about this, or at least
   that's the best POLITE word 
   for it that I can come up with.)

Sprigg:
   So where d'ya want to
   go from 'ere?

Serge:
   Termina, I guess. We need
   information, and that's probably
   the best place to get it. (I
   can't tell them that I don't
   know what to do. I guess I
   really was hoping that Kid would
   be waiting for me here. I...
   I guess what I need to do is
   track down anyone else who
   made it out of Fort Dragonia--
   even Viper, if he's still alive.
   Someone HAS to know what
   happened to Kid, and what Lynx
   is up to. Rebellion? Against
   what? And why would he bother?
   It doesn't make sense. There
   has to be something else going
   on.)

===========================================================
Zappa's Smithy, Termina (Another)
===========================================================

[A Porrean is threatening Zippa at gunpoint as the party enters]

Serge:
   (Ulp! Maybe we'd better try
   not to attract attention...)

 [Porre Officer]
   We have information that
   this blacksmith makes
   weapons for the dragoons!
   There's no use hiding it!
   We hereby order you to halt
   all operations here and stand
   down the fire of that forge.

   Hey!
   Did you understand that!?

[The Porrean walks over to Zappa, who is tending the fire in the forge, then
backs away again as Zappa turns to face him.]

 [Porre Officer]
   Ahh, stop it!
   That's dangerous!!!

Serge:
   (Waitaminute, Zappa used to be
   a Dragoon Deva, didn't he?
   Heheheh, I wonder if that
   Porrean realizes just how close
   he is to getting free flying
   lessons.)

Zappa:
   A craftsman's workshop
   is a dangerous place for
   a layman.
   It's yir own damn fault
   for coming near it.
   Besides, by what need do ah
   have to listen yir order?
   Ah'll take no orders from ye.
   Begone with ye, for ah've work
   to finish.

 [Porre Soldier]
   So you are not going to
   stop work no matter what?

Zappa:
   Don't make me tell ye
   the same thing twice.
   Ah've got a short temper.
   If ye ken what ah said,
   then get yirself out.

 [Porre Officer]
   ......
   Very well.
   If that is your answer,
   I take it.
   I will let you go this time,
   but do not think that we will
   overlook this a second time!

Serge:
   (And if you don't, you'll what?
   Flounder around the place until
   you fall into the forge and
   burn up? If Zappa lets you, that
   is. He might not like bits of
   charred Porrean in his furnace.)

[If Norris isn't present, the Porrean just leaves the smithy.]

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

[If Norris is present]

 [Porre Officer]
   Commander Norris!
   This shop should be on
   our blacklist!

[The Porrean leaves the smithy, and Norris goes over to Zippa,
who is still behind the counter.]

Norris:
   Are you all right? Ma'am?

Zippa:
   Ah'm fine, laddie, thank
   ye for askin'.

Norris:
   I must beg your pardon, and
   your husband's. That man was
   very junior, and should not have
   been sent on a mission requiring
   discretion or good manners. He
   overstepped the bounds of his
   authority by attempting to
   threaten you.

Zappa:
   Heh. Don't get yir knickers in
   a knot, lad--that one couldn't
   threaten his way across an
   empty room. Still, ye make a
   pretty apology.

[Norris nods and returns to the party.]

Serge:
   It's funny--I wouldn't have
   expected you to apologize for
   something like that.

[Norris shrugs]

Norris:
   Minimizing the friction between
   the troops and the townsfolk
   makes life in an occupied town
   safer for everyone. And it isn't
   as though it cost me anything
   but a little pride.

Serge:
   So it was just...practical?

Norris:
   Mostly.

Serge:
   Mostly?

Norris:
   It was also the right thing
   to do--in general, and for the
   sake of Porre's honour.

Serge:
   (Weird. I never thought about
   Porre having honour before, but
   it looks like Norris really
   believes in it.)

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

[If they speak to the 'prentice]

 [Apprentice]
   Will we be alright,
   after master said something
   like that to a Porre soldier?
   Geez, he is such a blockhead...

Norris: [if present]
   Don't worry. We don't hurt
   people for just talking.

[If they speak to Zippa]

Zippa:
   That's why ah love this man!
   What a manly man he is,
   ah tell you.
   Alright, ah've got to do
   mah part too!

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

[If Radius is present]

Radius:
   You always were a strong
   one, Zippa.

Zippa:
   Radius! Ah havena seen ye in a
   donkey's years! Ye'll stop by
   for dinner some night so that
   we can talk, ah hope.

Radius:
   Perhaps I will, if time allows.

Serge:
   (I hope he remembers that this
   isn't our world...)

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

[If they speak to Zappa]

Zappa:
   Ah dinnae care who tells
   me, ah'm no gonna stop
   workin'...

Norris:                          | Serge:
   I admire your dedication.     |    (I hope the Porreans don't
                                 |    get too riled up about this.
Serge:                           |    Zappa may have been a Deva,
   (I just hope the other Norris |    but he's old--there's going
   feels the same way, or things |    to be a limit to how many
   could get...messy.)           |    Porreans he can handle.)

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

[If the party has acquired an @Rainbow...]

Serge:
   (I wonder if he knows anything
   about that weird forging
   material we found, the stuff
   that looks sort of like shell.)

   Say, Zappa, do you have any
   idea what this stuff is?
   
Zappa:
   Whoa, is no that the
   Rainbow!?

Serge:
   Rainbow?

Zappa:
   'Tis a legendary material, lad.
   If ye don't mind my askin',
   where did ye get it?

Serge:
   Um... I think someone gave it to
   me. I don't remember exactly--
   there's been too much going on.

Zappa:
   When ah was a lad, ah traveled
   with me wife searchin' for it
   but...
   So, it really exists. Ah would
   love to get mah hands on it...
   but from what ah can tell, this
   thing can't be forged by meself.
   Now, if we had another skilled
   blacksmith like yours truly,
   that would be a different story.
   Rather unlikely story, though.
   Hahaha!!!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

[If Serge also has the Smith's Spirit...]

Serge:
   (Well, there are two Zappas,
   but... Say, where's that thing
   the other one gave me? He said
   I could use it to call him...)

[The player needs to use the Smith's Spirit at this point.
Using it causes the screen to flash brightly, and suddenly
there's another Zappa in the room...]

Zappa[Home]:
   Ye called, lad?

[He looks at the other Zappa]

Zappa[Home]:
   Ye be me...!?

Zappa[Another]:
   Ah need yir help.
   Ah want to hammer this thing
   to make that ye-know-what...

Zappa[Home]:
   That thing ye have...
   It's the Rainbow!

Zappa[Another]:
   Aye, this lad says someone
   gave it to him--as though it
   were a Heal element or summat!

Serge:
   I don't think they knew how
   rare it was. I certainly didn't!

Zappa[Home]:
   So this ye-know-what ye
   be talkin' about is the
   Rainbow Axe, then?

Zappa[Another]:
   Ah knew ah could
   count on meself...
   So, shall we start
   hammerin'?
   It be a wee bit hard
   by meself, but two of
   us working together
   should be a breeze.

Zappa[Home]:
   Hmm...
   Ah would love to help ye...
   But this here hammer's
   too weak for the job.
   If ah had a sturdier hammer...
   Looks like ah'm no use
   to ye for the time being.
   My apologies.
   
Zappa[Another]:
   Ay...
   Ye might be right.

Serge:
   (I wonder if there's
   somewhere we could get
   a better hammer...?)

[Note: Zappa[Home] will stick around until the party leaves the
forge, but will be gone when they re-enter.]

I'll be posting the second part of this tomorrow, and after that the first part of
the mid-game side-stuff (I have Guile's and Glenn's re-recruitment scenes written
already, but I still need to do Skelly's). After that, I'll probably alternate
chapters and side-stuff chunks until Serge gets himself de-Lynxed.

[Acacia Sgt]

Son-of-a-Beach-Bum, eh? I see what you did there.......... I think.

Anyway, nice chapter. Are Karsh and Zoah now exclusive to each other or still you get the other one later on?

[alfadorredux]

@Acacia Sgt: It was meant to be a local colour variant of "son of a bitch", but maybe
it didn't quite work out...

I see I messed up the header on my last posting. ::sigh:: Anyway, here's the second half.


20. A Portal Reopened - And the planet began to shake... Part II

   Max recruits: Lynx-Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Harle, Radius, Norris.
   Recruitable: Karsh or ZOAH. Also, Guile, Glenn, and Skelly become
                re-recruitable in this chapter if they were recruited during
                the first part of the game--see the midgame side-stuff for details.

===========================================================
 The Dragon's Tail, Termina (Another)]
===========================================================

[As they enter the bar]

 [Barkeep]
   W-Who is it?

 [Barkeep--if Norris is in the party]
   Y-You?
   A Porre soldier is with
   you, too...!?
   W-Well, in th-that case
   it can't be helped.

 [Barkeep--if Norris isn't there]
   Y-You are...

Serge:
   (This probably isn't the time
   to tell him I'm not Lynx...)

 [Barkeep]
   J-Just wait right there!
   I'll unlock it for you.

Serge:
   (Huh? What the...? Does he
   think I'm inspecting the place
   or something? ...I guess I'll
   just play along, and see if he
   tells us anything useful.)

======================================================
Back Room, The Dragon's Tail (Another)
======================================================

[Note that Guile is back here, and if they speak to him with
Magus in the party, the Guile Re-Recruitment sequence from the
sidestuff will kick in, temporarily interrupting the main plot.]

[If they speak to the barkeep]

 [Barkeep]
   Here, go in from
   the left side!

Serge:
   Um, okay. (Whatever. I just
   hope he doesn't have a bunch of
   friends who are going to ambush
   us in the storeroom... Would
   anyone be stupid enough to try
   that on someone they think is
   Lynx?)

===========================================================
 Hideout, Termina (Another)
===========================================================

[As the party enters, Karsh and Zoah approach them]

Norris:             | Serge:
   You are...the    |    (Wait a sec, what are THEY
   Dragoon Devas... |    doing here?!)

Zoah:
   WE MEET AGAIN...
   
Karsh:
   It's been a while, Lynx...
   Or is it Serge?

Serge:
   It's Serge... How did you
   know? (Please let them have
   found Kid...)

Karsh: [if Norris is present?]
   ...?
   That Porre scumbag's with you!?
   Humph, well as long as you're
   here, you're one of us.
   You! Stay put and listen to
   what we gotta say!

Norris: [if present]
   I would not dream
   of interrupting.

Karsh:
   After we fought you guys,
   we also entered Fort Dragonia...

[Fade out for flashback]

===========================================================
 Flashback: Top Level, Fort Dragonia (Another)
===========================================================

[The three Devas come running into the room, with Karsh in the lead.]

Karsh:
   General!!!

Dark Serge:
   What a disgusting spectacle.
   A shame I had to come back for
   the girl when she reappeared;
   otherwise, I might have spared
   myself this.

[The camera pans up, and we see Dark Serge and Kid at the back of the room.
Both of them are bobbing in the air.]

Karsh:
   !!!
   You're...!?

Dark Serge:
   I have no time to waste
   on the likes of you.

[DS and Kid vanish]

Karsh:
   He disappeared!?
   ......!
   Damn!

[Karsh kneels down beside Viper, who is lying, injured, on the floor.]

Karsh:
   This is bad...
   General!
   Are you alright!?

Viper:
   U-Ughhh...
   Riddel...

Karsh:
   ......

Karsh:
   Don't just stand around!
   Help the general!!!

[The other two dragoons converge on Viper and Karsh]

Zoah:
   I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS
   WOULD HAPPEN TO THE GENERAL...

Marcy:
   Like...I can't believe it...

Zoah:
   WHAT IN DRAGOON'S NAME
   HAPPENED HERE...?

Marcy:
   So, like, what are all
   these shiny shards...?

Karsh:
   Not now!
   We have to stop
   the bleeding!
   Marcy, you pick up
   those broken pieces!

[Fadeout as the flashback ends]

===========================================================
 Hideout, Termina (Another) 
===========================================================

[Karsh is now standing at the back of the room, facing the wall,
with Zoah beside him and the party behind him, on the right side
of the room near the stacked boxes]

Karsh:
   We brought the general to
   Hermit's Hideaway and prayed
   for his recovery.
   He was able to escape death,
   but he still needs rest.

Serge:
   (So Viper is alive. I really
   shouldn't feel relieved at
   that, but somehow I am.)

Karsh:
   However, we can't leave the
   manor for too long...
   So we came back here, leaving
   Marcy behind to take care
   of him, only to find...

Zoah:
   THE PORRE MILITARY HAD TAKEN
   CONTROL OF TERMINA...
   
Karsh:
   DAMMIT!
   What a shame!!!

[Karsh makes an angry gesture, then turns around to face the party.]

Karsh:
   Because of them Porres!!!
   Whaddaya got to say to that!?

Norris:                          | Serge:
   That I think my government's  |    I don't like the Porreans
   actions here may have been... |    being here any more than
   ill-considered. That is why I |    you do, you know.
   have joined forces with Sir   |
   Lynx--I mean, with Serge--to  |
   get to the bottom of what is  |
   going on here.                |

Karsh:
   Hmph!!!
   Then don't ya dare
   get in my way!
   
Zoah:
   WE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON:
   THE GENERAL TALKS IN HIS
   SLEEP.
   LYNX IS BEHIND THIS,
   CORRECT?

Serge:
  Lynx is involved,
  anyway.

Zoah:
   YOU DO NOT THINK HE
   IS RESPONSIBLE?

Serge:
   I think that whatever's going
   on is awfully big for just one
   person to be behind it. But
   Lynx seems to know a lot
   about it that we don't.

Karsh:
   Well, that's good enough
   for me. That bastard.
   He's not gonna get away
   with this!
   We've got some fault in all
   of this, so we gotta do
   something about it.

Serge:
   Um, look, I admit we can use all
   the help we can get, but are you
   really asking me to trust you?
   You're the one who attacked me,
   back on Cape Howl, remember?

Karsh:
   Oh, man, you're not still sore
   about THAT, are you? That
   happened DAYS ago.

Serge:
   It doesn't feel all that long
   ago to me. (Not even if I've
   been all over two El Nidos in
   the time in between!)

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

[If Radius is present]

Radius:
   Karsh has always been one to
   live for the moment. It can be
   a strength under circumstances
   like these, although he has been
   known to take it to extremes.

Karsh:
   ...Shut up.

Radius:
   Why, I remember... Once when
   he and Dario were boys of ten
   or so, there was this chicken--

Karsh:
   I said SHUT UP, old man! I
   promised Pops that the next
   person who told that chicken
   story in front o' me was gonna
   called "Shorty" for the rest
   of his life, 'cause I was
   gonna chop off his legs!

Zoah:
   CHICKEN?

Karsh:
   Arrgh, not you too!

Sprigg: [if present]             | Zoah:
   Heheh, soundz like this must  |    BUT WHY A CHICKEN?
   be quite a story. You'll 'ave |
   to tell it to me sometime,    |
   Radius.                       |

[Karsh facepalms]

Karsh:
   Anyway, can we get back to
   business? Joinin' forces, all
   that stuff?

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

Zoah:
   ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED ON CAPE
   HOWL... WE HAD ORDERS TO BRING
   "SERGE" BACK TO THE MANOR AT
   ANY COST. IT WASN'T ANYTHING
   PERSONAL, AND WE HAVE NO QUARREL
   WITH YOU NOW.

Magus:                        | Norris:                          | Glenn:
   If they prove to have been |    I believe we should take      |    If it helps,
   lying, we can always kill  |    them, sir. Having to follow   |    I believe they
   them later.                |    orders that go against one's  |    can be trusted.
                              |    better judgement is something |
                              |    that can happen in any army.  |

Serge:
   Okay, okay, we'll work with you,
   for now at least. Um, do you
   know anything about the Sea of
   Eden? (It can't hurt to ask.)

Karsh:
   The Sea of Eden?
   Is that where
   Lynx is?

Serge:
   It's where he told me to look
   for him, after he switched
   bodies with me at Fort Dragonia.
   I need to find him. And Kid.
   And if what you said is true,
   the last time anyone saw Kid,
   they were together. (I just
   hope she's okay. That stab
   wound... I can't see what use
   Lynx would have for her dead
   body, so she must have been
   alive then, but...)

Karsh:
   But first, we've gotta rescue
   Lady Riddel.

Serge:
   Riddel? Did something happen
   to her, too?

Karsh:
   Yeah.
   She's being held captive at the
   manor, which the Porre military
   has converted into their
   headquarters...
   Hey, with your uniform, you can
   enter undetected, right?

Norris:                      | Serge:
   It should be easy enough, |    (This thing I'm wearing is a
   as long as we don't       |    uniform? You could have fooled
   encounter the other "me". |    me.)
                             |    Well, the Porreans do seem
Karsh:                       |    to think I'm the real Lynx, so
   Other you? What the...?   |    it might work.
                             |
Serge:                       |
   Can we explain later?     |
   it's kind of complicated. |
   (And I don't want to tell |
   that story AGAIN.)        |

Zoah:
   ONE OF US WILL REMAIN
   HERE TO COLLECT INFO.
   THE OTHER WILL ENTER
   THE MANOR.
   LET US MEET AFTERWARDS.

Harle: [if present]
   Ze shouting, it makes my head
   begin to ache again...

Karsh:
   Oh yeah. The shards on
   the ground must've been
   the Dragon Tear...
   We've gathered as many as
   possible, but we don't
   have any use for it.
   You can have them.

 [System]
   [Member] received
   Tear of Hate!

Serge:
   (I don't know what I'm going
   to do with them either, but
   maybe there's a way to use
   them to take my body back...)

   (Yeah, right. I can just see it
   now: asking Lynx to wait while
   I go find some glue to stick
   this thing back together with...
   He'd laugh himself sick.)

[System]
   Whom do you want to join?
   ~~~Karsh                 |    ~~~Zoah
                            |
   Karsh joined your party! |    ZOAH JOINED YOUR PARTY!

Harle:
   Well, if Monsieur Lynx says we
   must, zhen we must.

Serge:
   (Huh? She was living at the
   manor, so I would have thought
   she'd be used to those two
   by now. Guess not. Or maybe
   she wanted to leave all along,
   but Lynx wouldn't let her.
   ...You'd think she'd have been
   able to stand up to him, if
   that was what it was.)

===========================================================
 Zappa's Smithy, Termina (Another) 
===========================================================

[If they enter and speak to Zippa with Karsh in the party]

Zippa:
   Karsh, come back to yir home
   a little more often!
   Oh, and before ah forget,
   we've rented yir room
   out for a while.

Serge:
   (I really shouldn't find that
   funny--I mean, I know how I'd
   feel if I went home and found
   that Mom had rented my room
   out--but the look on Karsh's
   face is just priceless!)

Karsh:
   Whaaat?
   Why the hell didja
   do that for!

Zippa:
   Don't worry.
   Yir '"illustration books"'
   are safely stored away.

Karsh:
   Ugh!!!

Serge:
   Heheh... Ahahaha! (Oh, man--
   "illustration books"? Yeah,
   sure, I bet. And his mom saw
   them? I guess Karsh really
   isn't all that bright--he
   could have saved himself this
   just by making sure he took
   all his "illustration books"
   up to the manor with him!)

Karsh:
   What're ya laughing at, ya
   cat-faced freak?

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

[if Harle is present, she goes into battle stance]

Harle:
   Do not insult mon Lynx so,
   or you will be getting most
   personal wit' ze moon!

[Serge gets between the two of them before Karsh can pull out his axe]

Serge:
   Whoa, no fighting, okay? Harle,
   we're guests here, so please
   don't make trouble. (If she
   starts a fight, the Porreans
   might come to see what's going
   on, and I don't know how long
   I can pass for Lynx up close
   and personal with people who
   know him.)

[Harle folds her arms across her chest--she would be pouting if the graphics
were of good enough quality to show it.]

Harle:
   Zut alors! Will zhere never
   come a time that I can swat
   ces insectes?

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

Serge:
   Karsh, I didn't mean to laugh
   at you. It's just that...that...
   Gheh... (Oh, no, I'm going to
   start laughing again just
   remembering his expression.
   Come on, Serge, think about
   something Really Not Funny.
   Radius in his underwear...
   Lynx naked in bed with Kid...
   Oops, now I think I'm going
   to be sick.)

Karsh:
   Aargh! Whatever! I don't
   care anymore!

[Karsh stomps over to the door of the smithy.]

Zippa:
   Oh dear, where are ye goin'?
   Ah thought ye still had work
   to do?

Karsh:
   ...

[He steps outside and slams the door so hard that the entire screen
shakes for a moment. Zippa shakes her head.]

Zippa:
   That lad... He ne'er has
   learned to rein in his
   temper.

Zappa:
   Ah was much like that, at
   his age. He'll learn.

 
===========================================================
 Termina (Another) 
===========================================================

[When the party attempts to exit the town, they find this world's
version of Norris waiting at the entrance, with a couple of Porreans]
 
Norris[Another]:
   Then bring this boy
   Serge to me, as soon
   as you find him.

 [Porre Soldier]
   Yes, sir!

Serge:
   (I think maybe we'd better back
   off until they leave...)

Norris[Another]:
   Why, Sir Lynx!!!

Serge:
   (Damn! Too late! I guess I'd
   better do my best to sound
   Lynx-like...)

   Captain Norris, isn't it?
   What do you want of me?
   (There, that should be enough.)

Norris[Another]:
   Sir Lynx,
   where have you been
   all this time?
   We heard that you
   headed to Fort Dragonia
   with the general.
   Exactly what happened
   back there? There have
   been many strange
   occurrences since then.
   Perhaps you know of a
   boy named Serge?

Serge:
   (Oh, hell, I need to come up
   with something fast! What can I
   say to stall for time? Maybe...)

   Serge? The name rings a vague
   bell--

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

[If Karsh, ZOAH, or Glenn is in the group]

Norris[Another]:
   ......!!!
   One of the men behind
   you is an Acacia Dragoon!
   Sir Lynx,
   you were in the middle
   of taking him into
   custody, sir?

Serge:
   I wasn't aware that you had
   an interest in the dragoons.
   (I wish there was a way to
   get out of this without lying
   so much. I'm not good at this!
   Sooner or later, I'm going to
   screw up.)

Norris[Another]:
   They are all wanted for
   questioning, and the Devas
   have been doing some rabble-
   raising here in Termina--

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

[if Norris is in the party]

Norris[Another]:
   ...!!!!!!
   You are...
   me!?
   Wh-What is going on...?

Serge:
   (Oh, hell, we're in trouble
   now! I don't think Norris is
   dumb enough to believe he has
   a long-lost twin brother, and
   I can't figure out any other
   way to explain this--)

Norris[Home]:
   Let's just say I
   am another you and
   leave it at that.
   Pardon me for saying this,
   but it appears that both
   of us need to look at
   the big picture.
   We will only have a
   limited understanding by
   staying in the same place.

Serge:
   (Huh? What's that supposed to 
   mean? ...I guess one advantage
   of talking to "yourself" is
   that what you say only needs
   to make sense to you!)
   
Norris[Another]:
   S-Silence!

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

[Another Porrean soldier comes running into town]

 [Porre Soldier]
   Commander Norris,
   there is an urgent message
   from command!

Serge:
   (I never thought I'd be grateful
   to the Porrean High Command, but
   I am now! I just hope that
   Norris stays distracted long
   enough for us to get away...)

Norris[Another]:
   What is it?

 [Porre Soldier]
   Umm, sir, it is a level 2
   security message...

Serge:
   (Oh, hell, he's looking at
   us...)

Norris[Another]:
   Go ahead, take no heed.
   This man is one of us.

Serge:
   (Phew. I guess he
   still thinks I'm Lynx.)

 [Porre Soldier]
   Yes, sir!
   Grobyc has just arrived
   at the manor, sir.

Norris[Another]:
   Hmm...
   He is quite ahead of schedule.
   Understood, I will return ASAP.

Serge:
   (Grobyc? Well, I guess we can
   ask the other Norris.)

 [Porre Soldier]
   Yes, sir!

Norris[Another]:
   Sir Lynx,
   forgive me, but I must return
   to the manor at once.
   Please come to the manor a
   little later.
   We will discuss this in more
   detail there.

Serge:
   Very well. (Or at least I
   think that's what Lynx
   would say.

[Norris (Another) and the Porrean messenger leave. If Norris is in the group,
the following conversation occurs. If he isn't, pretty much the same thing
happens if they go back to the ruins of Viper Manor (Home) and talk to him
before proceeding to rescue Riddel.]

Sprigg:              | Karsh:                    | Zoah:              | Guile:
   Well, don't keep  |    So who's this "Grobyc" |    WILL WE HAVE TO |    I do not believe I have
   us in suspense,   |    guy, and why does he   |    FIGHT "GROBYC"  |    ever seen a Porrean
   boyo--tell us who |    have the other you     |    TO RESCUE LADY  |    officer so nervous.
   this "Grobyc" iz. |    running scared?        |    RIDDEL?         |    Who is this "Grobyc"?

Norris:
   Grobyc is--or, in Serge's and my
   universe, WAS, an assassin
   created by the Porrean Science
   Corps.

Serge:
   Porrean Science
   Corps... You
   mean like Luccia?

Norris:
   You have met her? I didn't
   realize...but of course, she
   must exist in this universe
   too. Grobyc was Luccia's
   brother's creation. He is
   powerful, but unstable and
   difficult to handle. In our
   universe, this qualities led
   to him having to be destroyed.

Karsh:                     | Serge:
   "Difficult to handle"?  |    "Difficult to handle"?
   What's that supposed to |    (I don't like the sound
   mean?                   |    of that.)

Norris:
   To put it bluntly, Grobyc
   respects only force, and has
   a tendency to turn on his
   allies if they do not measure
   up to his standards. In the
   incident which led to his death
   in my home universe, one of
   the people he killed happened
   to be the eldest son of High
   General Kadis. It took fifty
   soldiers armed with guns and
   Elements to take him down, and
   there were...substantial
   casualties.

Karsh:               | Zoah:                               | Serge:
   Damn! We're gonna |    IN THAT CASE, HIS PRESENCE       |    (And we're gonna
   have to fight our |    MAY MAKE RESCUING LADY RIDDEL... |    have to fight that?
   way through that? |    CONSIDERABLY MORE DIFFICULT.     |    Oh, man...)

Norris:
   It may not be so difficult as
   you suppose--the Grobyc I knew
   had some respect for me.

Serge:
   What about Lynx?

Norris:
   To my knowledge,
   they have not met.

Serge:
   (So much for that idea. Maybe
   we'll get lucky and manage not
   to run into him.)

And that's all for this one, folks. Side stuff (re-recruitment of Guile, Glenn, and Skelly, and
possibly one or two other tidbits) coming within the next couple of weeks.

And no, I do not presently know what Dario and Karsh were doing with that chicken, and I'm not sure I want to find out. O_O

[Acacia Sgt]

And no, I do not presently know what Dario and Karsh were doing with that chicken, and I'm not sure I want to find out. O_O

Looks like we'll never find out... 

Though I think it's for the best... I so not want to loose my legs. XD

[skylark]

.... Poor chicken...

[Katie Skyye]

So goshdarn awesome. WHY ALFADOR WHY? Why do you cause me to wait with such anticipation for each new chapter?

Also Norris! One of my favorite characters, though I guess he's rather bland. I ascribe more panache to him than the scriptwriters originally gave him, probably because my grandfather's name was Norris.

Plus, he uses a gun. One of the few! I have a thing for people who dare to use guns in a sword-wielding world. (if they're protagonists)

I'm rambling. What I was meaning to say is: I am still looking forward to the old-people talk! That comment...

Sprigg: [if present]
   Heheh, soundz like this must
   be quite a story. You'll 'ave |
   to tell it to me sometime,    |
   Radius.  

Makes me laugh. That whole section made me laugh! Like a maniac! Ahahahaha!

Also, does Pierre not exist in your script? If he does, I guess I've just forgotten him. I didn't recruit him, and don't really care, other than he seems like he'd be a good target for ridicule.

[alfadorredux]

@skylark: If it makes you feel any better, I think the reason Karsh is so embarassed about the incident is that the chicken managed to put one over on him in the end, so we can probably assume that it survived.

@Katie Skyye: Well, in the real universe, guns and swords did exist alongside each other for a very long time--guns first came into practical use  in the late fifteenth century or something like that, and I don't think it was until WWI that the cavalry saber ceased to be considered a practical weapon. (WWI did mark the end of horse cavalry in general.) The Chronoverse at the time of Cross seems to be at an early stage of transition from the use of purely muscle-powered weapons to chemical-powered ones. I wonder if Norris' gun is muzzle-loaded or cartridge-based...?

I'll get to the old-people talk, if not in this first chunk of side-stuff coming up, then in the next one after that.

Pierre was one of the characters I considered keeping but ended up writing out. He's potentially interesting, but not enough so for me to justify adding in yet another character to keep track of and write lines for. (I'm still wavering about Orlha, who is potentially even more interesting.)