Chrono Helix (script)

[alfadorredux]

::snicker:: Well, would you dare tell Magus to his face that he's weird?

<attention_whore_fanfic_writer>And it's nice to know people are still reading this. I'm always a little worried when I end up posting two chapters without anyone saying anything in between.</attention_whore_fanfic_writer>

[skylark]

Of course people are still reading this. We're just now getting into the interesting parts.

[alfadorredux]

Are you accusing what I've produced so far of being uninteresting? 

Seriously, though, I'll try not to disappoint you.

[skylark]

I meant gamewise. Gamewise!

Mouth - 0

Foot - 3

In all seriousness, though, one question. Will this offer at least a bit more closure than what we were given in the game?

[alfadorredux]

Closure? At least a bit more--there certainly won't be any doubt of who it is that Schala's trying to get back together with, but I haven't decided if showing Schala and Serge meeting up after the credits roll would be a good idea or not. Hopefully I'll have made a decision one way or the other by the time I get there.

[alfadorredux]

And here we have Norris' introduction to the party. I'm not entirely happy about how the
bits inside Viper Manor turned out, though... Oh, well.

I'm also making some assumptions about the timeline, and the relationship that Porre has
with both El Nido in general and the Viper Clan in particular. I don't think it
materially contradicts anything in the game to assume that El Nido was originally an ally
of Porre rather than a subject nation (a mutual assistance treaty would have been more
than enough to drag the Viper Clan, and thus the Acacia Dragoons, into any wars that Porre
might have been fighting on the continent), and the Porreans moved in to fill the power vacuum
created in Home World when Viper disappeared, but...


16. Termina - Knight or day...?

Max recruits: Lynx-Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Harle, Radius.
Recruitable: Norris (giving us a full roster again).

Note: This chapter experienced a wholesale slaughter of scenes and lines
involving Funguy, Van, and Mojo.

===========================================================
Fossil Valley (Home)
===========================================================

[As the party enters, two Porrean soldiers spot them from a little
deeper into the valley.]

 [Porre Soldier]
   Y-Yo...
   Check out that guy's face!
   Way...scary...!

 [Porre Soldier]
   Our investigation is done.
   Let's get the hell outta here!

 [Porre Soldier]
   I wanna go back
   to Porre!!!

Magus: [if present]
   Impressive.

Serge:
   (What the...? I know Lynx looks
   scary, but I didn't think it was
   THAT bad. What's going on?)

===========================================================
Termina (Home)
===========================================================

[As they enter...]
 
 [Porre Soldier]
   !!!
   Lynx!!!
   H-How dare you have the nerve
   to return to this town!
   Get out of here!

Radius:
   Looks like the young 'un's 
   an unwanted guest here, too.

Serge:
   I guess so. (Whatever the real
   Lynx did to these guys must have
   been really something...and even
   so, I think they're a bit crazy.
   I mean, the first batch was
   scared, this guy was mad, so how
   is the next one we run into
   going to act?)

Harle:
   Humanz are very
   selfish, non?
   To t'ink that they used to
   bow their headz down to curry
   favor wit' Monsieur Lynx!
   they're alwayz searching
   for someone or somet'ing
   to lay zeir blame on.

Magus: [if present]
   Convincing oneself that one
   was not responsible for events
   means that one doesn't have to
   feel guilty about whatever
   happened. That makes placing
   blame a profitable passtime
   for the weak of mind.

[If they speak to the soldier blocking off the dock area...]

 [Porre Soldier]
   ......!!!
   Can it be you,
   Sir Lynx!?
   You are safe, sir?
   Where have you been
   all this time...!?

Serge:
   Um... It's kind of a long
   story. (That didn't sound very
   Lynx-like, but this guy's so
   happy to see me that I don't
   think he's going to care. I
   don't get it. Do the Porreans
   like Lynx, or not?)

 [Porre Soldier]
   We have set up a temporary
   military dock beyond this
   point.
   Nobody may pass without
   permission from Commander
   Norris...not even you,
   Sir Lynx.
   Commander Norris is at
   the ruins of Viper Manor.
   Please report your current
   status to him immediately!

Serge:
   Very well. (Yeah, that's more
   the kind of thing Lynx would
   say. Anyway, I guess our next
   step is to go to Viper Manor
   to talk to this Norris guy, and
   hope that he's a Lynx fan too.
   ...Or maybe not. I might be
   a bit of a disappointment if
   he is. Damn, this is all so
   complicated. Is it better for
   me to pretend to be Lynx,
   or...?)

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

[They enter the smithy to find Zippa and Zappa standing by the
forge. If they attempt to speak to them...]

Zappa:
   Aye,
   that should do it.
   This here forge has always
   had a fire since aulden times.
   'Tis sad to see it without
   its blaze.

[Zappa half-turns to face the party]

Zappa:
   Mah apologies...
   Closing this shop for
   mah own selfish desires.

Serge:
   No, no, it's okay, really!
   We're the ones who're butting
   in... But I have to ask: is
   something wrong?

Zappa:
   Nay, 'tis just mah
   own foolishness...

Zappa's wife, Zippa:
   Ah've had to listen to ye for the
   longest time, and ah dinnae want
   to hear ye say it's foolish now!
   Never mind that, dear,
   so ye're really goin'?

Zappa:
   Aye.
   Now that ah dinnae have
   the shop no more, likesay,
   it's time to finish what
   we started long ago.

Radius:
   What you started...? Do you
   mean that you intend to go
   off and look for "that"?

Zappa:
   Radius, ye old reprobate!
   Mah apologies, ah didna see
   ye there.

Zippa:
   'Tis good to see ye agin!
   Ye havena passed through
   Termina in years! Not since...

[She bows her head]

Radius:
   Since...they went missing.
   Yes, I know. I'm hoping that
   these young people and I may
   finally uncover what happened
   to them.

Zippa:
   Then...ye're headed for the
   Dead Sea. Radius, if ye find
   out aught aboot our Karsh--

Zappa:
   Quiet! Ah'll not give up on our
   son walkin' in through that door
   'til his body's in our hands.

Radius:
   If I find out anything, I'll
   let you know.

   ...I don't want to give up on
   them either. Young Glenn had
   such a future in front of him...

Serge:
   (I'd forgotten--Glenn was
   Radius' foster son, wasn't he?
   If he's one of the missing...
   no wonder Radius wanted to
   come with us!)

Zippa:
   Ah wish ah could be of more help
   to ye...

Zappa:
   Ye stay here and wait
   for Karsh's return.
   
Zippa:
   It's already been 3 years...
   These years haven't
   been too good to us.
   Our best patrons,
   the Dragoons, disappear,
   the Porre military gets
   on our arses...
   Well, since we've had such
   bad luck 'til now, ah'm sure
   things'll be good here on out...
   Our son's probably fine as well...

Zappa:
   Aye...

Serge:
   I...hope so too. (Okay, so he
   dressed weird and wanted to
   haul me in to see General Viper.
   And he didn't have much in the
   way of manners that I ever
   saw...but for all that, he
   wasn't that bad a guy, and he
   sure as heck didn't deserve
   whatever Lynx did to him in
   this world...)

[Speaking to them again will cause them to turn away from the forge]

Zappa:
   Ah'm guessin' ye're no
   from around here.
   Do ye ken a thing called
   the '"rainbow"'?
   It's a superb material that
   can be forged into anythin'.
   Ah'm thinkin' of searchin'
   for this rainbow.

Serge:
   I'm sorry--I haven't heard
   anything about a material like
   that, but if I find something
   out, I'll be sure to let you
   know. (Why not?)

Zappa:
   Ye'd be doin' me a great favor
   by bringin' me news of such,
   lad. Perhaps I can be of use
   to ye in turn. Here, let me
   give ye a wee token.
   Use this anytime, and ah'll
   find ye and do mah job,
   anywhere ye are.
   ...Ah give mah word!

   [Member] received
   Smith's Spirit!

[If they speak to Zappa again afterwards]

Zappa:
   Call me anytime ye like.

[If they speak to Zippa...]

Zippa:
   Ye're all travelers,
   aren't ye?
   Have ye seen our
   son anywhere?
   His name is Karsh.
   He's a pretty rough
   character, but he's a
   good boy.
   It's tough havin' a son
   who's a knight.
   Ye never know when he
   might just come back as
   a ghost in armor...
   Ah wonder what could've
   happened at the Dead Sea...
   If ah could see mah son again,
   ah dinnae ask fer anything else.
   Oh, ah'm sorry to make ye
   feel blue. Well, if ye ever
   find him, just tell him to
   come back for a little while.

Serge:
   If we meet him, we'll be sure to
   tell him to drop by, ma'am. (A
   ghost in armor...brrrr. I...
   hope Mom doesn't end up having
   to think that way about me.)

[if they speak to Zappa afterwards with Radius in the party]

Zappa:
   Radius...!?
   It's been a while...
   How fares the village?

Radius:
   You need not worry
   about the village...
   There are bigger things
   to concern us.

===========================================================
Viper Manor (Home)
===========================================================

[When they reach the main yard, the party pauses outside what used to
be the big double doors leading to the foyer.]

Radius:
   I believe it has been
   4 years since I retired
   from the Dragoons...
   Sigh...
   Time sure does fly...
   I was shocked to hear of
   Dario's death 3 years ago...
   And now, the general
   and the others are
   missing...

Serge:
   What I don't get is how this
   manor could have fallen apart
   so completely in only three
   years. When we came here, I
   expected to see the grounds
   overgrown, and maybe a few
   holes in the roof and the
   gates off their hinges, but
   not...this.

Sprigg:
   It'z been this way for a
   while, from the lookz of it.

Radius:
   When Porre took Termina two
   years ago, they shelled the
   manor, even though there was
   nothing here by then.
   The manor is in
   a shambles...
   I took the liberty
   of conducting my own
   investigation, but
   I have discovered
   nothing...
   All I know is that
   a man named Lynx
   approached the general
   and has involved him
   in some kind of incident.
   The only difference
   between this world and
   the other one you talk
   about is that here,
   something happened to
   the general 3 years ago...

[...The last few lines of the speech above were re-written on the grounds
that the original looked like something Babelfish spat out--what were
they thinking?]

Radius:
   I just hope that this
   Norris fellow knows
   something...

Serge:
   Me too. (Right now, it would
   almost be handy if I really
   WERE Lynx, because then I
   might know what happened. Of
   course, if I were Lynx, I
   probably wouldn't care...)

Harle:
   I know not'ing.
   I waz not involved
   wit' ze plan.

Serge:
   (Radius looks like he's
   trying to stare holes in
   her.)

Harle:
   I do not find
   it amuzing!

===========================================================
Interrogation Room, Basement, Viper Manor (Home)
===========================================================

[As the party enters, Norris turs to face them.]

Norris:
   Sir Lynx!
   It has been a while, sir.

Serge:
   (I guess that means he's a Lynx
   fan. I think I'll keep quiet
   and see if he spills something
   useful.)

   (...Wait a minute, wasn't this
   guy working as a dishwasher at
   the other world's Viper Manor?
   Does that mean he was a spy?)

[Norris glances quickly from one side to the other (looking at Serge's
companions?)]

Norris:
   As you can see, the
   manor is in shambles.
   There is still no sign of
   the general or the others.

Norris:
   We are still investigating
   the area, but it appears that
   the Frozen Flame is not here.

Serge:
   (Oh, damn, better say
   something...)

   I would be very surprised
   if you had found it here,
   Commander Norris.

[Norris scratches his head(?)]

Norris:
   Sir... Are you really
   Sir Lynx?
   You seem different
   than I last remember...

Serge:
   Um, well... (Damn! Guess I
   blew it somehow. If he pulls
   his gun, we're going to have
   to make a run for it... There
   are a lot more of them than
   there are of us.)

[Radius moves to the front of the group.]

Radius:
   You are correct.
   This man is not Lynx.

Serge:
   (Is it really a good idea to
   tell him that? But I guess we
   can't undo it now...)

[Norris leaves off scratching his head]

Norris:
   Excuse me, sir, but
   who might you be?

Radius:
   I am Radius,
   a dragoon.
   Although I have been
   retired for 4 years.

Norris:
   So you are Radius, one
   of the former 4 Devas!?
   It is an honor to
   meet you, sir!

Serge:
   (Okay, so he likes Radius,
   too. Maybe he's just an
   EVERYBODY-fan.)

[Norris shakes his head]

Norris:
   I believe you, sir, but...
   It is still hard to accept
   that this man is not Sir Lynx.

Radius:
   He may look like Lynx, but
   his spirit is of another.

Norris:
   That is...
   quite strange
   if I may say so.

Serge:
   You're telling me. (Is it just
   me, or does Radius seem to be
   taking over here?)

   (...Why do I care? It isn't like
   I wanted to be in charge in the
   first place. Keeping everyone
   headed in the same direction is
   like herding cats. If Radius
   is willing to do the job, he
   can have it for all of me.)

Radius:
   It is up to you what
   you want to believe.

Radius:
   So, what business did
   you have with Lynx?
   Have you uncovered anything
   about the disappearance of
   the general?
   You will be doing us
   a great favor by telling
   us what you know.

[Norris nods.]

Norris:
   Very well...

[Fadeout to a black-and-white version of the El Nido map, over which the
following text appears:]

[Norris]
   It was actually Sir Lynx
   who approached us about
   the existence of the
   Frozen Flame in El Nido.

   Being from the main continent,
   we had doubted its very existence,
   so I was sent to El Nido
   Archipelago as a spy.

   I had narrowed down the
   location to Viper Manor,
   but it appeared as though
   General Viper and his men
   were in search of it as well.

   Eventually, I was called back to
   Porre, but it was then that
   I heard General Viper and his
   men had disappeared and that the
   manor had been destroyed as such.

   I heard only recently that there
   is good evidence the general and
   his men headed to the Dead Sea.

   The Dead Sea is an ocean
   located to the east,
   surrounded by coral.
   It used to be called the
   Sea of Eden, but even then,
   not many dared enter.
   We investigated the area,
   but to no avail.
   We could find no entrance.

[Fade back to the former interrogation room]

Serge:
   I knew Lynx had to be
   mixed up in this
   somehow.

Norris:
   It is you, Sir Lynx,
   who wished to change
   this distorted world
   using the Frozen Flame.

Serge:
   I'm not Lynx, remember? Anyway,
   did Lynx ever tell you WHAT he
   wanted to change using the
   Frozen Flame? Did he say how
   this world was "distorted"?

[Norris shakes his head]

Norris:
   I am, in the end, only a mid-
   ranking officer. I have no
   idea what the true Lynx told
   my superiors...but it must
   have been highly persuasive
   for them to have been willing
   to break their longstanding
   treaty with the Viper Clan
   and interfere in El Nidan
   affairs directly. However,
   all I know of his plans derives
   from rumour.

Serge:
   Changing the world... (Man,
   Lynx is just full of it. Change
   the world by using magic? What
   right does he have to do such
   a thing?)

[Harle bounces over to stand nearer to Serge]

Harle:
   Ooh la lah!
   Such grand dreamz,
   Monsieur Lynx!

Radius:
   Hold your tongue.

Harle:
   Zut!

Serge:
   (I'll give Radius this:
   he can handle Harle better
   than I can.)

Radius:
   So...
   The Dead Sea...

[Radius leans forward]

Radius:
   That ocean was called
   the Sea of Eden until
   3 years ago...
   This may just be the
   clue we were looking for.
   Once we uncover Lynx's plans,
   it should be easy enough to
   counter them.

Serge:
   I hope you're right. (Even if
   there aren't any clues there
   about Lynx, we can probably use
   the Frozen Flame to reopen the
   gate to the other world...
   assuming that the Frozen Flame
   really exists. Kid seemed pretty
   sure, though. For now, I'll
   trust in her.)

[Radius straightens up again.]

Norris:
   Are you planning to
   go to the Dead Sea?

Serge:
   That's the idea.

Norris:
   There is no way to
   get in there.
   We searched all over
   for an entrance, but
   to no avail.
   No one knows anything
   about it, either...
   
Radius:
   Yes, I doubt you will
   be able to get in.
   I'm sure the demi-humans of
   Marbule know something about
   this, but they detest humans.
   Especially those from the
   main continent.

Sprigg:
   And ya think they might be
   willin' to talk to another
   demi-human like our Lynx, or
   maybe to a Mystic like me?
   Well, I suppoze it'z a theory.

Magus: [if present]
   If we can't find an entrance,
   we'll simply have to make one.
   I'm not about to let a mere
   growth of coral stand in my
   way.

Norris:
   Then...
   May I join you?

Norris:
   I want to know.
   I want to know if the
   Frozen Flame really exists,
   and about everything that
   has happened here.

Serge:
   Um... Okay, sure. We can always
   use more help. (I just hope we
   can trust him...after all, he
   is Porrean.)

Radius:
   What about you?

[For some reason, Harle's next two lines were repeated (with slight variations in her accent)
in the original script.]

[Harle nods]

Harle:
   Hm? Moi?

Harle:
   But of course!
   I will follow this
   Monsieur Lynx!!!
   Ze odder one iz no
   longuer Monsieur Lynx.

Serge:
   (Every time I think I've made
   sense of this girl, she goes
   and confuses me again... Does
   she REALLY think the body is
   more important than the person
   running it...?)

[Norris nods again.]

Norris:
   There is a military boat
   docked in Termina.
   Let us use that.

 [System]
   Norris enlisted in your party.

[Pan upwards, and then we're suddenly on the docks in Termina.]

===========================================================
The Dragon's Tail, Termina (Home)
===========================================================

[If they drop by the bar with Norris in the group...]

 [Porre Soldier]
   That guy Norris
   sure is cocky.

Serge:
   (I think I feel a disaster
   coming on...)

 [Porre Soldier]
   He's still young,
   but he doesn't hesitate
   to voice his opinion
   without any flattery.
   He never loosens up and
   doesn't seem interested
   in having any kind of fun.
   Now, he's the best of
   the Termina Division.
   Gosh, he's so elite.
   Hmm...?

   Ugh,
   Commander Norris!

Norris:
   Thank you for your
   appraisal...
   Please eat and drink
   to your heart's content.
   Let us continue to fight
   together, from tomorrow on.

 [Porre Soldier]
   Yes sir!  Affirmative sir!

Serge:
   (Now I get why Norris' men
   like him. He's quite a guy.
   But if he doesn't flatter
   people, he must have thought
   Lynx was...worthy of respect...
   Or was that just another act,
   like the dishwasher thing?)
 
===========================================================
Water Dragon Isle (Home) - If you never visited, don't have Razzly)
===========================================================

Serge:
   Something's not right. I've
   never heard of there being
   any monsters on this island.

Radius:
   The fairies always kept them
   under control... but in that
   case... The fairies of this
   isle have been...by them...?
   Heaven forbid!

===========================================================
Doc's Clinic, Guldove (Home)
===========================================================

Doc:
   Medical science has its limits.
   I don't have the power
   to save her...dammit!

Serge:
   (So even in this world, the
   poor guy has just about the
   same problems.)

   Is there any way we could help?
   (We owe him for Kid--well, it's
   sorta him that we owe.)

Doc:
   Thanks for the offer, dudes,
   but there's no one in the world
   who could help my current
   patient. Her condition isn't
   curable, not even by magic.

[If they try to get into the ward--]

 [Nurse]
   We're sorry...
   We can only allow family members
   of the patient into the backroom.
   Please understand...
   
   I'm afraid her family has
   already passed away...
   Oh, I'm sorry for
   troubling you, you're not
   even related...

Serge:
   It's okay. I was just hoping
   that we could cheer her up a
   bit, but if she's too sick
   for visitors... (Poor girl,
   whoever she is.)

Next time, on to Marbule, the S.S. Zelbess, and a cat's eye view of life.

[Acacia Sgt]

Yeah, you got it right about the relations between Porre and El Nido.

The Dragoons fought in the Fall of Guardia, and since that was what got Viper promoted to General, it's safe to say they were working under Porre's side, since they had to win after all.

[alfadorredux]

I was mostly afraid that I'd forgotten some random NPC line about Porre having ruled El Nido since time immemorial.

[alfadorredux]

Another Really Long One here, and I can't make many significant cuts, so I'm splitting it
up. I'm expecting to end up with three sections of roughly equal length.


17. Marbule - The village of the demi-humans... (Part I of III)

   Max recruits: Lynx-Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Harle, Radius, Norris.
   Recruitable: None

Notes: Some material that appeared as part of this chapter in the original script
has been moved to the midgame-sidequests section, which will be released some time
around the time the characters regain access to Another World. And although it
technically doesn't belong there, I've moved the Radius/Garai flashback stuff into
the next chapter, since this one's already too long and the incident more logically
fits there. Oh, and I've stripped the umlauts from Irenes' speech in much the same
way as I did with Zelbess'.

===========================================================
Marbule (Home)
===========================================================

[Ash is wandering around near the bridge. If they speak to him...]

Ash:
   Hey?
   I didn't expect any visitors
   in this deserted village.

Serge:
   (Huh? Deserted? but if the
   demi-humans aren't here,
   then...)

Ash:
   Hello, my name is Ash.
   I'm an assistant to Sir Toma.
   We're here to investigate
   Marbule. If there's anything
   you'd like to know, feel
   free to ask Sir Toma.

Serge:
   So where do we find this Toma
   person? (If he's in charge,
   maybe he knows something.)

Ash:
   Sir Toma should be around
   here, somewhere.
   Oh, and don't pay attention
   to those nasty looking
   monsters walking around.
   There's nothing we
   can do about them.

Norris:
   It is rather difficult to see
   something transparent as
   threatening.

Serge:
   (I guess Norris hasn't run
   into any of those giant
   jellyfish you sometimes get
   south of Water Dragon Island
   yet. Must be nice, living on
   the continent and not having
   to put up with creatures 
   like that...)

[Toma is the other guy wandering around the otherwise-deserted village,
and if they speak to him...]

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Hmm? Hey, what's up, guys!?
   Did you come here just
   to see the great explorer?
   Just kidding! Hah-hah!
   Hah haha ha ha...!

Serge:
   Um, actually, we've got some
   questions we'd like to ask you.
   (This guy is gonna be a pain--I
   can tell that already.)

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Yeah? What's up?
   ~~~Ask about this village        |    ~~~Ask about the Dead Sea  
                                    |
The Great Explorer Toma:            | The Great Explorer Toma:
   Marbule used to belong to the    |    The Dead Sea!?
   demi-humans at one point.        |    Nobody would dare
   Demi-humans were originally      |    approach that place!
   located up in the northern       |    I don't know the details,
   region, but after Porre's        |    but I've heard that the
   colonization,                    |    place is cursed by the most
   they were forced out of the      |    hideous dragon!
   mainland and ended up here.      |
                                    | Serge:
Serge:                              |    A...dragon?
   (...Is this guy going to get to  |
   the point sometime soon? I don't | Radius:
   need a history lesson, I need to |    There are legends about dragons
   know where the demi-humans are   |    all over El Nido. I see no reason
   NOW.)                            |    why this one should be truer than
                                    |    any of the others.
The Great Explorer Toma:            |
   But their bad luck continued.    | Serge: [if he has the Ice Breath]
   Marbule, with its rich Element   |    (But at least one of those
   resources, became the target     |    rumours was true... What if this
   of Element hunters.              |    one is too? Can we handle a
   With nowhere else to go, most    |    dragon?
   of the demi-humans left the      |
   village to work on the           |    ...Better not to think about it.
   Cruise Ship - S.S. Zelbess -.    |    We have to try, so I won't let
                                    |    myself worry until the dragon's
Serge:                              |    frying my nose.)
   (Finally.)                       |
                                    | The Great Explorer Toma:  
The Great Explorer Toma:            |    You're the first people I've met
   They work as laborers and        |    who think that way. You'd make
   are treated like dirt.           |    good explorers. I intend to mount
   I feel really bad for them.      |    an expedition to the Dead Sea
   Anyway, that's why you have      |    myself one day.
   this ghost town here.            |
   The rooms are still furnished,   | Norris:
   so feel free to spend the        |    Do you have any idea where we
   night if you're tired. Use       |    can find an entrance?
   the hut right by the entrance.   |
                                    | The Great Explorer Toma:  
Serge:                              |    Oh? So you wanna know how
   We appreciate the offer.         |    to get inside the Dead Sea?
   (Although I'm not sure he has    |    Rumor has it, there's only
   the right to offer us the use    |    one way...
   of someone else's house!)        |    '"Death's Door"'...
   Anyway, do you know where we     |
   can find this Zelbess?           | Serge:
                                    |    (Sounds ominous, but it isn't 
The Great Explorer Toma:            |    like we have a choice.)
   Not exactly, but a ship that     |
   size is difficult to miss.       | The Great Explorer Toma:  
   It mostly plies the waters       |    The entrance is out there,
   in this area: east and south     |    somewhere...
   of the main island.              |    Unfortunately, even I don't
                                    |    know where this door is.
The Great Explorer Toma:            |    Hmmm... Let's see...
   That's about all I know.         |    Who might know...?
   If you have any other questions, |    Oh yeah!
   ask the sage aboard the Zelbess. |    Why not ask the sage aboard
                                    |    the Cruise Ship - S.S. Zelbess -?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    |
   ~~~Ask about these monsters      |    ~~~What's new?
                                    |
The Great Explorer Toma:            | The Great Explorer Toma:
   Oh, these creepy monsters?       |    Hmmm... What's new...
   I'm not too sure, but I believe  |    Oh yeah, I heard a rumor that
   they've been here a long time.   |    you can hear a woman crying at
   You can see them, but they       |    night. People think it's a ghost.
   have no substance.               |    I've been here several days now,
   You can't touch them, nor can    |    but I've yet to encounter
   they touch you. So there's no    |    this ghost.
   way to communicate.              |
                                    | Serge:
Sprigg:                             |    (Ghosts AGAIN?! Oh, man... And
   Heheheh. Monster ghosts. Just    |    after what happened on the
   wot this place needz to make     |    Invincible, I can't even say that
   it more homelike.                |    they don't really exist...)
                                    |
Magus: [if present]                 |
   Hmph. I don't think they're      |
   ghosts, but they don't quite     |
   seem to be part of this          |
   reality, either.                 |
                                    |
The Great Explorer Toma:            |
   I think people call them         |
   '"The Black Nightmare."'         |
   I guess they're like a           |
   bad dream. Maybe a song          |
   would wake them up?              |
   Hah-ha... Just kidding...        |
   Anyway, there's nothing          |
   we can do about 'em.             |
   Don't worry about it.            |
                                    |
Serge:                              |
   (...Why does everyone else       |
   think this is funny? If there    |
   really is a creature out there   |
   that has nightmares powerful     |
   enough to make pictures that     |
   other people can see, I have     |
   this feeling that we're going    |
   to end up fighting it sooner     |
   or later. It just goes too       |
   well with everything else        |
   that's been happening.)          |

===========================================================
Witch Doctor's Hut, Marbule (Home)
===========================================================

[I think this only happens if you try to sleep here without first
asking Toma "what's new?"--I've never succeeded in triggering the scene myself.]

   You hear voices outside...
   ~~~Check it out
   ~~~Go back to sleep

[Assuming that they check it out, Serge exits the hut and sees a mermaid on the bridge.
She jumps off into the water as he approaches, and swims over toward the mini-waterfalls
coming from the cliff.]

The Great Explorer Toma:
   What are you doing
   up at this hour?

[Toma enters the screen from the right.]

Serge:
   Well, you see, there was this
   mermaid--

The Great Explorer Toma:
   A mermaid?
   A homecoming, maybe?

Serge:
   (This guy really does love to
   hear himself talk.) If it was,
   I...don't think it was working
   out quite how she expected. She
   was crying.

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Hmmm... A mermaid returns
   in the middle of the
   night, crying...
   Actually, it could possibly
   be that mermaid who lost her
   singing voice...

Serge:
   Lost her singing voice?
   (How can you lose just your
   singing voice? Seems to me
   that the whole thing would
   have to go at once...)

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Mermaids are known to have
   a beautiful voice and sing
   about love and happiness.
   But mermaids are forbidden
   to sing songs about holding
   grudges against humans.
   If a mermaid breaks the
   taboo, she will lose her
   singing voice.
   I don't blame her though,
   for all that's been happening
   in this day and age...

Serge:
   (That's...really pretty awful,
   when you think about it. Losing
   something that important, just
   because you said--or sang--the
   wrong thing... Poor mermaid.)

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

[If they haven't yet been to the Zelbess(?)]

The Great Explorer Toma:
   You're heading to the
   Zelbess tomorrow, right?
   You should get some sleep.
   Oh, and don't forget to
   give your regards to Captain
   Fargo when you get there.
   He can be devious, so
   keep an eye on him.

Serge:
   Wait a minute--did you say
   FARGO?! (No way can I imagine
   that crazy pirate running a
   cruise ship! I mean, what
   would he do with that ugly
   giant parrot of his?)

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Yeah. Do you know him?

Serge:
   I've...heard of him, that's all.
   But I didn't think his ship was
   called the Zelbess...

The Great Explorer Toma:
   Fargo named it after his wife,
   or so I hear. They say he lost
   his spirit along with her, but
   if that's true, I'm glad I
   didn't meet him while she was
   still alive...

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

[If they've already been to the Zelbess(?)]

The Great Explorer Toma:
   So, did you see Captain
   Fargo on the Zelbess?
   Was he up to his old tricks
   again?

Serge:
   I...guess you could say that.

The Great Explorer Toma:
   He never quits.
   Well, it's gettin' late and
   I don't want to keep you.
   So let's hit the sack, shall we?

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

[Either way, Serge turns and heads back toward the hut, and Toma wanders off in
the opposite direction.]

???: [that is, Irenes, still over by the waterfalls]
   The Cruise Ship
   - S.S. Zelbess -?
   Fargo...

[Fadeout. When everyone emerges from the hut the next morning, Irenes is waiting
nearby.]

???: [Irenes]
   Excuse me,
   son of man.

Serge:
   Um... (Is she talking
   to me?)

Irenes:
   Will you be boarding
   the Zelbess?
   Take me with you.

Serge:
   I don't see why you would
   need our help getting
   there, but okay.

Irenes:
   Let us go.

[She ducks under the water and swims away.]

Harle:
   Who does zat fish t'ink she
   is? She had best stay away
   from Monsier Lynx, or I will--

Serge:
   Calm down, please. (Man, you'd
   think the mermaid asked to marry
   me or something...)

===========================================================
Captain's Quarters, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[As the party enters, the camera pans over to Fargo and Irenes,
who's standing on the balcony.]

Fargo:
   It's been quite some
   time, Irenes...
   You've grown up...

Irenes:
   Fargo...
   You have not
   changed at all...
   You are still here
   drowning in memories
   of the past...

Serge:
   (Guess that means
   they know each
   other...)

[Fargo turns away from Irenes.]

Fargo:
   What do you know...!?
   I lost everything
   when I lost Zelbess...

Irenes:
   Dat ist untrue...
   My sister left hope...
   A treäsure dat may one
   day bring humans and
   demi-humans together...

Fargo:
   You mean Nikki...?

Irenes:
   Ja...
   And his sister...
   Marcy.

Serge: [if Nikki was recruited]
   (So Fargo abandoned them
   in this world too...?)

Serge: [if Nikki was not recruited]
   (Nikki? That singer who had his
   face plastered all over Termina
   in the other world? Is she
   saying he's half mermaid...and
   that blonde brat from the
   library at Viper Manor is
   Fargo's daughter?! I shouldn't
   be surprised about that last
   bit, I guess--they have pretty
   similar personalities.)

[Fargo turns back around.]

Fargo:
   ......!?
   That child died
   with Zelbess when
   Luccia...

Irenes:
   You do not know
   anyt'ing, do you...?
   Or you refuse to know.
   You only remember the past
   which ist favorable for you.
   Luccia tried to save my
   sister Zelbess...
   But she was only able to
   save the baby... Marcy...
   Luccia felt responsible and
   has supported Marcy from a
   distance throughout her life.
   Look at you now...
   Where ist the old you, who had
   the passion and desire to build
   a new world with my sister?

Serge:
   (Well, the version of him in the
   other world seemed to have
   enough passion for two, until he
   starting getting depressed
   talking about the dragons... Of
   course, Marcy is alive in the
   other world instead of having
   been caught in whatever happened
   to the Dragoons here...)

Fargo:
   I told you...
   The old me is dead...!
   Now what do you want!?
   I don't need to be
   lectured by you!

Serge:
   (I'm surprised it took him that
   long to fly off the handle. I
   was almost starting to wonder
   if this was the same guy!)

Irenes:
   ......
   Ünderstood.
   Let me get to the point.
   You have taken away the
   '"song"' of the demi-humans.
   In otter words, we would like
   you to free the sage...

Fargo:
   I see...
   But why?
   You know that song, too,
   don't you?

Irenes:
   Do not feign ignorance,
   Fargo.
   You should know better...
   Only when the song is sung
   by one with special power
   can the effects be brought
   into full pläy.
   My sister, Zelbess, ist deäd, and
   you have täken away the sage.
   Marbule no longer hast its true
   power without dat song...
   Marbule is now a nesting ground
   for evil dream spirits...

Fargo:
   Interesting...
   But so what?
   I don't want outsiders
   in Marbule...
   That suits me just fine.

Serge:
   (Why is it any of his
   business? I mean, I thought
   Marbule belonged to the
   demi-humans...)

Irenes:
   How much longer are you
   going to be stubborn?
   The Marbule you once knew
   ist no longer there...!
   You will only find a
   nightmäre.
   Open your eyes to reality...

Fargo:
   I'm not releasing the sage,
   no matter what you say.

Irenes:
   ......
   Fine...
   I will not beseech you.
   I will not give up on the
   restoration of Marbule.
   I will continue to strive
   to make my sister's dream
   come true...

Serge:
   (I don't get it. What is going
   on inside Fargo's head? Because
   from where I'm standing, it
   looks like he's being a real
   jerk...)

[Irenes departs. Fargo walks over to the rail to stare after her for a moment,
then turns to stare out to sea.]

Fargo:
   ......

[If the party now speaks to Fargo, and hasn't yet found the Sage...]

Fargo:
   Hey, you're a new face!
   Relax and stay awhile.
   This ship belongs to
   me,
   myself,
   and I.

Serge:
   (You have GOT to be kidding
   me. I think I preferred the
   other-world Fargo. At least
   he only attacked me with a
   cutlass, instead of trying
   to ego me to death.)

Fargo:
   I want everyone to
   enjoy themselves,
   courtesy of me!
   Stay as long as
   you like.

Serge:
   Uh...thanks. (I guess we'll
   just go poke around a bit and
   see if we can find the Sage.
   Judging from what he said to
   that mermaid, I doubt Fargo
   would help us even if we told
   him who we were looking for.)

===========================================================
Hold, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[As they enter, an elderly beastman carrying a mop and bucket is heading for the door.]

Old Man:
   Excuse me, but I need
   to get to work...
   Please let me through.

   ~~~Ask about the Marbule sage |   ~~~Let him through
                                 |
Serge:                           | Serge:
   Um... We're trying to find    |    (No point in getting in
   the sage of Marbule. Do you   |    his way--there are plenty
   have any idea where he is?    |    of other people around
   (This guy's so old that if    |    that we can ask.)
   it wasn't for the mop, I'd    |
   think he WAS the sage.)       | [The old beastman leaves, and this branch ends--
                                 | the remainder of the scene belongs to the other branch.]
Old Man:
   Hmmm...
   I don't believe
   he's here...
   Try elsewhere.
   Now please, I have
   to get to work.

Norris:
   And you have no idea
   where the Sage is?

Old Man:
   I'm afraid not. Now
   could you please let
   me go do my job?

Serge:
   Okay, okay.

[The old beastman leaves.]

Norris:
   It is rather odd that no one
   appears to know where the Sage
   can be found. I would have
   expected him to be well-known
   and respected by the other
   demi-humans--after all, he was
   their leader.

Serge:
   I guess we'll just have to
   keep looking.

===========================================================
SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[When they leave the beastmen's...storage closet...again, the old man is talking
to the crewman by the divider between the rest of the ship and the Grand Slam.]

Old Man:
   I have to mop the floors.
   Let me through.

 [Crewman]
   Alright, go.
   Don't slack off!

[The crewman lets the old beastman through. As the door is closing behind him, he
turns and speaks to the party.]

 [Crewman]
   That old man used to be
   the leader of Marbule.
   But now he's down in the dumps,
   moppin' the floors of the Zelbess.

Serge:
   Wait, you mean
   HE'S the Sage?

Norris:
   It makes a sort of sense. If he
   is no longer willing to take
   responsibility for the other
   beastmen--or anything else--he
   would not want to admit his
   identity to outsiders.

Magus:                            | Sprigg:
   Meaning that we'll have to     |    Soundz like it might be
   pin him to a wall and strangle |    'ard to get 'im to tell
   the location of Death's Door   |    us about the Dead Sea.
   out of him--it's unlikely that |
   he'll give it willingly.       |

Serge:
   We have to catch up with
   him again first.

   Excuse me, but what's on the
   other side of this door? Why
   is it guarded?

 [Crewman]
   Through this door is the
   '"Grand Slam,"' a world where
   the weak are victims of the strong!
   Power is justice!
   Just what the captain preaches!
   Anyway, I'll let you through if 
   you get the captain's permission!

Serge:
   (Oh, great. Well, that means
   there's only one choice, unless
   we want to fight our way past
   him...and I don't want to do
   that if there's any other way.
   I mean, he's just doing his job,
   right?)

   I guess this means we go and
   see Fargo.

===========================================================
Bar, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[As Our Heroes position themselves in front of the stage, Sneff steps out.]

Sneff:
   Ladies and gentlemen,
   welcome to Sneff's
   ffantastic magic show!!!

Serge:
   (A magic show? Guess it's all
   part of the entertainment for
   the people on the cruise.)

Sneff:
   Is there anyone in the audience
   who would like to volunteer
   ffor this next trick?

Sneff:
   How about you,
   young lady?

 [Jill]
   Who, me?
   Well...it does seem
   like fun...but...
   You're not going to
   slice me in two, or stick
   knives into me, are you?

Serge:
   (KNIVES?! Oh, man, it shouldn't
   bother me so much, given all the
   fights I've gotten into since
   this started, but the thought of
   seeing her getting holes poked
   into her by another human being
   is just...)

   (And I am NOT going to let
   myself think about how much I
   would like to see him just cut
   her shirt off!)

Sneff:
   Noffing to worry about,
   young lady...
   You're in good hands
   wiff Sneff.
   Now, please step up
   to the stage.

 [Jill]
   Here goes nothing...!

[Jill mounts the stage and positions herself facing Sneff]

Sneff:
   Now, what is your name?

 [Jill]
   Jill...

Serge:
   (Jill, huh? Well, I guess it's
   as good a name as, say, "Kid",
   or "Leena", or even "Harle"...
   all of whom are going to kill
   me if they catch me looking at
   Jill. Urgh.)

Sneff:
   Well, let's start offf
   wiff someffing simple.
   Jill, you are going
   to walk on air!

Serge:
   (That's SIMPLE? Wish I'd known
   that when we were poking around
   Mount Pyre...heh...)

Sneff:
   You're ffeeling lighter,
   Jill... Very...light...
   
 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[As Sneff finishes doing the finger-snapping thing, a small pinkish explosion/cloudy thing
erupts at Jill's feet, and she floats a little way up off the stage.]

 [Jill]
   Eeeeeek!

Sneff:
   And now, ffor
   the main event!
   Jill...
   You will now
   become a chair.

Serge:
   (A chair? Ooookay.)

Sneff:
   You will be able to
   wiffstand any weight!

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[As Sneff finishes doing the finger-snapping thing, we get another small pinkish 
explosion/cloudy thing, and Jill is floating on her back. A random guy in pirate
costume enters the stage from the wings. He waves his cutlass above and below Jill.]

Sneff:
   See...
   No strings!

[The guy in the pirate costume sits on Jill.]

Sneff:
   She's even able to support
   a ffatso like him!

Serge:
   (And she's doing it while
   floating in midair, too! Maybe
   this guy's the real thing...)

[The pirate guy gets down again and walks back off the stage.]

Sneff:
   OK then, it's about time
   we brought Jill back!

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[Another finger snap/pink cloud, and Jill rotates back upright and is placed on her feet.]

Sneff:
   So...
   How was it, Jill?

 [Jill]
   Ummm... It felt like I had
   no control over my body...
   But it didn't hurt one bit!
   It was very strange...!

Sneff:
   Fank you very much
   ffor your assistance.

[Jill leaves the stage]

 [Jack]
   You're a phony!!!
   You and her probably
   had this all planned out!

Sneff:
   ......!?
   You don't believe
   in magic...?
   Looks like I have
   someffing to prove to you.
   Step up to the stage!

[Jack steps up onto the stage.]

 [Jack]
   Yeah... Go ahead and
   do what you want.
   I know there's a trick!!!

Sneff:
   You're a real live wire!
   What's your name?

 [Jack]
   It's Jack!

 [Sneff]
   Well then, Jack...
   Seeing as how restless and
   irritated you are, here's
   one of my ffavorite tricks!
   I will turn you
   into a cat...!
   I call it...
   '"Cat on a Hot Tin Rooff!"'

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[Fingersnap/pink puff, and Jack is now a cat.]

Serge:
   (Why are people staring at me
   all of a sudden? Do they think
   he tried this on me and I got
   stuck halfway?)

Sneff:
   So, what do you fink?

[Jack backs away]

Sneff:
   Don't be affraid.
   I'll change you
   back to normal.

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[Fingersnap/pink puff, and Jack is human again.]

Sneff:
   Do you believe me now,
   Jack?
   
 [Jack]
   ......

Serge:
   (Bet HE never messes with
   a magician again.)

[Jack leaves the stage]

Sneff:
   Fank you very much
   ffor your assistance.
   I hope everyone
   enjoyed the show.
   That's about it ffor
   today...
   Until next time!

[Sneff leaves as well.]

Magus: [if present]
   Interesting. If he has the
   level of magic required to
   perform such a transformation,
   why did he not use it in the
   first part of the act...?

Sprigg:
   Heh. So that boy figured out
   how to uze it after all.

Norris:
   What do you mean?

Sprigg:
   Oh, nothing, just an old
   woman'z ramblings.

Serge:
   Okay, whatever. Let's go
   talk to Fargo.

And that's all for this time, folks. In our next episode, Our Heroes get a cat's eye look at life...

[skylark]

Hmm... Serge seemed a bit of a perv back there...

*Looks back into a few moments of his parody.*

 

As if I'm one to talk.. *cough*

Nice.

[alfadorredux]

Serge is, one hopes, a healthy teenaged boy. It's only to be expected that he'd have at least a little interest in, er, perverted stuff, at least when there isn't anything more important around to command his attention. 

[Katie Skyye]

"(Why are people staring at me
   all of a sudden? Do they think
   he tried this on me and I got
   stuck halfway?)"

Lol! Awesome. Before I played this game I did go and check out all the characters on the encyclopedia, and Snefff... O_o He creeped me out a bit, but after meeting him in-game, it was like, "Oh, ok, he's not such a creeper." Not that I put him in my party, but he's not so bad. ^^'

I'm rambling. Nice segment!

[alfadorredux]

Heh. I figured that since half the chapter is really just a fetch quest in disguise, I might as well have a little fun with it.

Sneff really isn't the most charismatic of the Cross PCs, is he? Oh, well, at least he has an Actual Plot-Related Reason for being in the game, unlike some of the others. (Just don't imagine him singing "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth", or you may be traumatized for life...)

(And I really must get around to reading your 'fic as well...)

[Katie Skyye]

True! Sneff actually has a reason for being there! Which reminds me: are you going to include Draggy, or is he out?

Aww, thanks.

[alfadorredux]

@Katie Skyye: Draggy is definitely out. So are Janice and Turnip, for that matter. 20-22 PCs
(I'm still not entirely decided about Leah and Orlha) is more than enough for me to deal with.
(Still haven't gotten to your Marcy story--sorry. I don't seem to read much fanfic these days--
guess I'm too busy writing it.)

Anyway, in this installment, Serge discovers that a cat's life isn't all mice and fresh tuna...


17. Marbule - The village of the demi-humans... (Part II of III)

===========================================================
Captain's Quarters, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[If the party speaks to Fargo after having found out where the Sage is...]

Radius:
   Excuse me, young man,
   but we need to get
   to the Grand Slam.
   
Fargo:
   Oh?
   The Grand Slam, eh...?
   So you're out for blood...
   Tell me, where did you
   folks come from?

Serge:
   Most recently, Marbule.
   (That should get his
   attention.)

Fargo:
   What...? Marbule...?
   What are you doing here,
   anyway?

Norris:
   We're looking for the Sage of
   Marbule. He has some information
   that we need.

Fargo:
   Well, well, well...
   I'm sorry, but there's no one of
   that sort aboard the Zelbess.
   Plus, I don't want strangers
   ruining my fun on my ship.
   Sorry... I can't grant
   you access.

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

[If Magus is present...]

Magus:
   We had hoped not to attract
   too much attention, but if
   the only way that we can have
   a few moments' conversation
   with the Sage is to kill you
   first--

Serge:
   (Ulp!) Magus--

Harle:
   Should zere not be some more
   subtle way to persuade le
   bon capitaine?

Magus:
   Subtlety is wasted on vapid
   fools like this one.

Fargo:
   Don't have much of a sense
   of humour, do you, son?

[Fargo wanders off down and leftward as Magus speaks his next 
line, and lights himself a cigar.]

Magus:
   I don't find obstructions
   amusing, and I doubt very much
   that I am any relation to you
   whatsoever. Do you have any
   last words before I kill you?

Serge:
   MAGUS! (Oh, hell, if he goes
   into attack mode, there's no
   way I'm gonna be able to stop
   him...)

Fargo:
   Heheheheh. You know, the two
   of you are the funniest thing
   I've run into all week. You'd
   make a much better comedy team
   than those two idiots old Sneff
   picked up. Okay, here's what
   I'm going to do...

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

[If Magus isn't present, Fargo just ambles casually across
to light that cigar.]

Fargo:
   But that wouldn't be
   fun now, would it?
   The foundation of the
   Zelbess is entertainment.
   What do you say you
   try your luck?

Serge:
   Try our luck? What do
   you mean?

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

Fargo:
   There's a casino
   down below.
   If you win, I'll give
   you access to the Grand Slam.
   But if you lose, how about you
   give me your boat docked by
   the entrance?
   Well, what do you say?

   ~~~Let's do it!            |    ~~~No, thanks
                              |
Serge:                        | Fargo:
   ...Norris? It's your boat, |    Had enough?
   so I guess you have the    |    I'll take you on anytime!
   final say.                 |
                              |
Norris:                       |
   It's my government's boat, |
   and it wouldn't be the     |
   first time I've lost one   |
   in the line of duty. We    |
   won't get any further if   |
   we don't talk to the Sage, |
   and this seems to be our   |
   best chance. Do it.        |
                              |
Serge:                        |
   Thanks. Okay, we'll take   |
   you on, Captain!           |
                              |
Fargo:                        |
   Good.                      |
   That's the spirit!         |
   I'll meet you down         |
   at the casino!             |
   Don't chicken out now...   |
   Hah hahahaha!              |
                              |
   [Fargo leaves the room.]   |
   
===========================================================
Casino, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[They have to have challenged Fargo for these scenes to occur. When the
party first enters, Sneff is spinning the compass-thing...unsuccessfully.]

Sneff:
   Noooooo...!
   Not again...!!!

Fargo:
   Give it up, old man Sneff.
   You don't have what it takes.
   Just keep doing your shows,
   that's all.

Sneff:
   Nuff...!!!
   One of these days, I'm gonna
   slap your dirty fface wiff
   a wad of cash and get the
   hell offa this ship!

[Sneff leaves.]

Serge:
   Um, if you don't mind my
   asking, how long has he
   been aboard the Zelbess?

Fargo:
   Two years, seven months and
   eleven days... or is it two
   years, eleven months, and
   seven days? Either way, 
   that old man has built up
   quite a debt from this casino.
   So now, I own him.
   I suggest you don't let
   the same happen to you!

Serge:
   (Give me a break--we're close
   enough to Marbule that I could
   swim back there if I wanted to.
   Well, probably. I could do it
   if I still had my own body, but
   I don't know how well Lynx
   swims.)

Fargo:
   Excuse me, everyone... May I
   have your attention please...
   I need to have a private
   game with these folks.
   Would you mind leaving
   us alone for a while?
   I'll clear any debts
   you may have.

 [Man]
   Are you serious, Captain?

[Fargo nods.]

Fargo:
   Did I stutter?

Serge:
   (I just realized--not only does
   he not stutter, he doesn't talk
   like the other-world Fargo
   either. Is the other Fargo's
   pirate accent a put-on? And if
   it is, why?)

 [Man]
   Alright!
   
 [Man]
   The captain is G-O-O-D!
   Better watch it!
 
 [Man]
   Take it easy on 'em,
   Captain.

Fargo:
   Hah hahahahah!

[The other three gamblers leave.]

Fargo:
   Thanks everyone.
   I'll be done soon.

Fargo:
   OK then, let's begin.
   
 [Operator]
   The usual, Captain?

Fargo:
   Yes, '"Sudden Death."'
   The rules are simple.
   Press the x Button after
   the dealer spins the compass.
   We'll alternate turns.
   The pointer will stop on
   north, east, south or west.
   Should the pointer stop on
   south, where it stands now,
   you lose.
   Simple game, isn't it?
   Just don't make the pointer
   stop on south. It's a game of
   luck rather than skill.

Norris:
   It sounds to me as though skill,
   in the form of timing, might
   actually be rather important.

Fargo:
   Nah, the pointer spins too fast
   for that. Look, if you don't
   trust me, how about, after the
   pointer starts spinning, I don't
   put my hands on the button until
   you tell me to?

Norris:
   The fact that you make the offer
   suggests that, if you're
   cheating, you're doing it some
   other way.

Fargo:
   Cheating? Not a chance. There's
   no fun in winning at a rigged
   game, my boy. Hahaha!

Serge:
   (He sure laughs a lot. I'm
   starting to think that Norris
   is right and he does cheat.
   The question is, how?)

Fargo:
   Heh heh...
   You're up.
   
Fargo: [if the spinner lands on anything but south]
   ...Luck of the devil...
   Here we go.

[Eventually, Serge et al. will blow it, because at this 
point, Fargo can't lose. When the game inevitably goes 
south...]

Fargo:
   Hah hahahah!
   You've got a ways to go
   before you can beat me!!!

[Fargo walks around the table until he's face-to-face 
with Serge.]

Fargo:
   Well then, it looks like
   you owe me your boat.
   Don't hold a grudge.
   I won that game fair
   and square.
   I guess that means you'll
   have to swim back!
   Hah hahahaha!

[Fargo leaves the casino and returns to his cabin.]

Serge:
   Something's not right. He's
   too confident about winning.
   No one's that lucky.

Radius:
   I agree, my boy, but if he
   really is cheating, the
   mechanism isn't an obvious one.

[Norris walks over to where Fargo was standing while 
they played and bends down to examine the equipment 
there.]

Norris:
   Nothing odd here. And he wasn't
   communicating with the operator.

[Operator]
   Gee, thanks. The captain just
   really is that lucky, that's
   all.

Serge:
   Let's look around some more.

===========================================================
Inn, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[As the party enters, the demi-human desk clerk climbs 
down the ladder behind the counter.]

 [Demi-human]
   Ohhh... Sorry about that!
   ...Didn't realize I had
   a customer.
   Please do excuse me, hehe...
   So, what can I do for you?

[The inn's resident cat tries to climb up.]

 [Demi-human]
   HEY!
   Don't go up there!!!

[The party huddles together off to one side]

Serge:
   Wait a minute--aren't we right
   below the casino?

Norris:
   Two floors down. Whatever's
   up the ladder would be right
   below it.

Serge:
   And that demi-human was up
   there in the middle of the day
   instead of manning his
   desk... If Fargo came along
   and noticed him slacking, he'd
   be in trouble, unless...

Radius:
   Unless Fargo was the one who
   ordered him to be up there in
   the first place. I agree, my
   boy--this is definitely
   suspicious.

Sprigg:
   Suspicion izn't proof. The
   deskman could just be lazy,
   and willin' to risk gettin'
   caught.

Serge:
   We need to get up there, but
   how? (The ladder's right out in
   the open--there's no way we can
   do this inconspicuously. We'd
   have to be cats or something.)

===========================================================
Bar, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[The party has to have seen the first version of the show 
and been to the inn for this scene to occur. When they 
take up their position behind the table, Sneff enters.]

Sneff:
   Ladies and gentlemen,
   welcome to Sneff's
   ffantastic magic show!!!

   How about we start offf
   wiff my "Cat on a Hot Tin
   Rooff," today?!

Serge:
   (! If he turns us into cats,
   we can wander all over the
   ship without anyone paying
   any attention to us.)

Sneff:
   Do I have a volunteer
   ffrom the audience?

   You ffolks must be
   new around here...
   Would you like to volunteer?
   ~~~Sure              |   ~~~No, thanks
                        |
Sneff:                  | Sneff:
   Excellent!           |    That's too bad.
   Please step up       |    Then, ffor my card trick...
   to the stage.        |
                        | [Nothing more happens on this branch--the
Serge:                  | rest of the scene takes place only if the
   (Here goes nothing.) | other one is chosen.]

[The party climbs up onto the stage.]

Sneff:  
   Are you ready!?

Serge:
   Yes. (He'd better not
   screw this up!)

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[Fingersnap/pink puff, and the party are all cats, who 
run down off the stage. If Magus is in the party, he 
becomes a purple cat, a la Alfador.]

Serge:
   Mreow! Come on, everyone, now's
   our chance!

Sneff:
   Nuff!
   Where do you think
   you're going!?

[Sneff attempts pursuit, but...

Sneff:
   Gotcha!!!

Sneff:
   Ooooh nooooo!!!
   I strained my back!!!

===========================================================
Dressing Room, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[I think this is what we get if we enter the dressing 
room through the low gap in the right-hand wall of the 
bar after being becatted, but before getting the handle...]

 [Crewman]
   Hey, Sneff,
   you alright?

 [Crewman]
   Maybe you should take
   it easy, Pops?
   You're not getting
   any younger!

Sneff:
   SHUT UP!!!
   I still got it!!!
   
 [Crewman]
   Yeah, yeah...
   But, Pops, you can't
   perform your magic now
   that your back's out!
   Plus, what are you going
   to do about those people
   you transformed into cats!?

Serge:
   (Ulp! When I stepped up onto
   that stage, I never thought
   about getting stuck like this!
   Being a cat for long enough to
   poke around is one thing, but
   being a cat for the rest of my
   life, or at least until I get
   my real body back from Lynx...
   Mind you, having Lynx get stuck
   as a cat might not be a bad
   thing. And besides, Sneff's
   back should heal eventually.
   So I guess it's really just
   one more annoying delay.)

Sneff:
   I'm sorry, ffolks.
   Actually, there's absolutely
   no trick behind that magic.
   An old troll gave me a
   mysterious berry during
   my travels, long ago.
   She was saying someffing
   about the Bend of Time...
   Anyway, affter I ate the berry,
   I was able to transfform people
   into cats.

Sprigg:
   And just who doez he think
   he'z calling a troll, meow?

Serge:
   Meow? I mean, Sprigg, that
   was you?

Sprigg:
   Heh. Picked that berry up at
   the Bend of Time and didn't
   know wot it did, so I waz
   lookin' for someone to try
   it on, and he waz the first
   human I found, meow.

Norris:
   Why not try it yourself, meow?

Sprigg:
   Becauze I could tell it waz
   magic, and ya don't try strange
   magic out on yerself. If it
   had turned out to be somethin'
   nasty, I might have been able
   to fix it for someone else,
   but probably not for meo--ME.

Magus: [if present]
   The Bend of Time... I know I've
   heard that name before...

Sneff:
   I wish I could change you
   back to your human fform,
   but my achin' back...
   I'll need to lie down a bit,
   so you'll have to stay that
   way ffor a while.
   I hope you understand...

Serge:
   Meow! (Best I can do right
   now--sorry, Sneff.)
 
===========================================================
Captain's Quarters, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[Also while becatted, I presume]

Fargo:
   Now why is that threesome
   looking for the sage...?
   I don't like the fact that
   they arrived here on a
   Porre boat, either...
   Who are they...?

Serge:
   Meow! (So did he want our boat
   so that he could trap us here,
   or just so that he could get a
   better look?)
   
Fargo:
   Hello there, kitty...

Fargo:
   She sure loved cats...

Serge:
   ("She"? He couldn't be talking
   about...?)

Fargo:
   Zelbess...

Fargo:
   You would look into
   the mirror and say...
   '"How I pity you, mirror,
    for man does not see you
    as the mirror that you are."'
   Did I see you as who you
   were back then?
   And is that my true
   self I see now?
   What would you think of
   me if you saw me today...?
   ...Aboard this ship,
   cheating people out
   of money...
   
Fargo:
   Zelbess...
   Without you here,
   everything is meaningless...

Serge:
   (Hoo boy, I thought this guy was
   more cheerful than the other-
   world Fargo, but this is a lot
   more depressing than just
   blubbering about missing
   dragons...)

===========================================================
Magical Dreamers Ship (Home)
===========================================================
 
[Crossing over to the other ship while becatted, the 
party sneaks into Nikki's dressing room and sees...]

Nikki:
   The song of the demi-humans...?
   I've heard rumors about it,
   but does it really exist...?
   That song can save
   Marbule, right?

Serge:
   (Save Marbule? From those
   freaky ghost-monster-things?)

Irenes:
   Ja...
   The only one who may know
   about the true powers of
   dis song may be the sage.
   However, Fargo...
   knowing so, will not return
   the song...or rather
   the sage...

Serge:
   (So they're in the same
   boat as we are, I guess.)

Nikki:
   Wouldn't it make sense if
   the sage just sang the song?

Irenes:
   The sage ist no longer
   physically able to sing...
   He ist much too old for dis, and
   all the labor he hast endured...
   Only you can sing dis song.
   
Nikki:
   Will I be able to perform
   such an important song...?

Irenes:
   Ja, of course.
   For you are...
   Oh, it ist not'ing.
   In any case, there ist
   not'ing to worry about.
   Will you do it?

Serge:
   (Bet she was going to say
   "half-mermaid" there. Or
   should that be "merman"?)

Nikki:
   Fine.
   You seem to feel really
   strongly about this.
   Plus, I want to know
   more about the song...

Irenes:
   T'ank you...
   I am glad you accept.
   I believe the sage can
   be found outside a place
   called the '"Grand Slam."'

Nikki:
   You know...
   For some reason, the more
   I look at you, the more
   nostalgic I feel...
   Have we met somewhere before?

Irenes:
   J-Ja...
   Perhaps we have...

Serge:
   (I guess I'll take pity
   on her and distract him.)

   Meow!

Irenes:
   Oh...?
   What are you doing here...?
   
Nikki:
   Are you without a family?
   Oh, then you're just like me.

Serge:
   (Well, my father did run away,
   just like his, so I guess I do
   kind of understand...but at
   least I've still got Mom. I
   can't imagine what it would be
   like if she was dead.)

[He rubs himself against Nikki's ankles.]

Serge:
   Come on, Nikki, cheer up.
   Purrrr...

Nikki:
   So you like me, do you? ...I'd
   rather have a cat than a
   groupie any old day.

===========================================================
Above the Inn, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

 [Demi-human]
   Hehehe...
   Pop's at it again...

[We see the demi-human spin the magnet contraption, affecting 
the compass in the casino above. In the casino...]

Sneff:
   Noooooo!
   Why me!?
   This happens to me
   every time I start
   winning big!!!

Fargo:
   Hah hahaha!!!
   Too bad, old man!
   You have to learn
   when to quit!

Sneff:
   Nuff...!
   I wanted to buy some
   cat ffood ffor those ffolks...

Fargo:
   Cat food...?
   For whom?

Sneff:
   Nuff...!
   None of your beeswax!

Sneff:
   O-O-Ouch...!!!
   M-My back...

[Back in the hidden room...]

Serge:
   (There's fresh fish all over
   the place in El Nido, and he
   wants to buy us cat food?! I
   guess his heart's in the right
   place, but he could at least
   spring for some nice tuna, or...
   This is weird--why do I have
   this sudden craving for a patty
   made from ground beef, covered
   with cheese and served on a
   bun?)

   Um... I guess this means we've
   found out how Fargo's cheating.
   The question is, what do we do
   about it, meow?

Norris:
   That handle doesn't look all
   that firmly attached. Once the
   demi-human leaves, we can
   probably just walk right up to
   the machine and pull it off.

[The demi-human suddenly notices that he's under feline
observation...]

 [Demi-human]
   ~!!!~

   Phew...
   Don't scare me like that...

Sprigg:
   Guess he haz a guilty
   conscience, meow.

[The demi-human leaves, allowing the party to steal the handle 
from the magnet-contraption]

 [System]
   Lynx received
   Handle!
   
===========================================================
Dressing Room, SS Zelbess (Home)
===========================================================

[When they talk to Sneff after having gotten the crank...]

Sneff:
   You had me worried sick!!!
   I had to lie down a bit 
   because I strained
   my back running...

Serge:
   (I'd apologize if he
   could understand me...)

Sneff:
   Ffinally...
   I'm able to stand up.

Sneff:
   I'm not 100% better
   yet, but...
   I fink I can
   change you back...

Serge:
   (Oh, good. This whole four-
   legged thing was starting
   to get a bit old.)

[He steps up onto the table/stage at the back of the room]

Sneff:
   Ladies and gentlemen,
   welcome to Sneff's
   ffantastic magic show!!!

Sneff:
   Uhhh...
   I have to start offf like
   that to concentrate.

Serge:
   (Okay, whatever--I'm not
   going to argue with his
   methods.)

Sneff:
   Anyway, here we go...

Sneff:  
   Are you ready!?

 [Sneff]
   One!

   Two!

   Free!

[Fingersnap/pink puff, and Serge et al. are back to normal.]

Norris:
   How odd--it feels like I
   still have a tail.

Harle:
   You merely imagine
   it. Humanz are so
   bizarre.

Sneff:
   Ffew...
   That's a load offf
   my shoulders...
   I better stop using
   that magic.
   Listen, I'm very sorry
   you had to put up
   wiff being a cat.

Serge:
   It's okay, really. It was a
   very...educational experience.
   (Come to think of it, where's
   the handle from that machine?
   I had it in my mouth... Oh,
   there it is, in my pocket.
   Whew.)

Sneff:
   Still...
   Iff there's anyffing
   I can do to make it up
   to you... I would like
   to help, but...
   Due to unfforeseen
   circumstances, I'm
   fforced to stay on
   this ship...
   Please do come by again
   iff you're ever around.
   The least I can do is
   offfer you a cup of tea...

Serge:
   Thanks, we'll keep that in mind.
   (Wonder how long it's going to
   take him to earn his way off
   now that Fargo can't cheat
   anymore...?

Yes, Serge, you can has cheezburger nao.

One more installment to finish off the chapter, and then it's off to deal with the Masamune...