act12d0

Rainforest's same as ever, huh.

It's been a really long time, hasn't it, Gavial?

Never liked this place. Air's stifling, and the ground gives too easy. Can't place a single firm step.

A lot of tribes have moved into the rainforest, though.

That so? ...Hey, Doctor, looks like you're up. How'd you sleep last night?

Decent.;......;I've never felt more alive.

You adapt fast, huh, Doctor? Hell, I thought you wouldn't be able to stand roughing it out here.

Haha. Your eyes say it all.

Yeah, I'd believe you if you weren't trying to rub your temples.

Didn't I tell you, Doctor? Gotta be ready. It's not about to get any easier.

Here. Scrounged up what I could find nearby to make some soup. Go on, it'll wake you up.

Hey, speaking of which. Never realized it until I went looking, but actually, there's a hell of a lot of medicinal plants that grow around this rainforest.

...Gavial's actually taking care of people...

G... Gavial, I didn't sleep good either...

Huh? And you call yourself an Archosauria?

Archosauria... *wail* Gavial doesn't remember our original name...

Hmm? Oh, crap, I did forget. I mean Tiacauh, don't I.

Damn, I don't think I've used that word at all since I left. Doctor, you make a note to yourself. We don't divvy ourselves up by race here.

I mean, from that perspective, uh, lemme think... I'm an Archosauria, Zumama's a Phidia, and there's also Liberi... yeah, that's your three, more or less.

But we all count ourselves as Tiacauh. Means 'one valiant in war' in our language.

Also, not that I think you're gonna need it, but you might like to know we call this place Acahualla. 'Land where the forest overgrows.'

Alright, enough bawling your eyes out. Get your people in gear and let's move.

(Whimper)

Rhodes Island. Doctor...

Oh, yeah, right. So, a company is...

Ah, I know that! Since you left, Gavial, I've been learning about the outside world!

Oh yeah? That adds up. You dress different from how you used to, too, now that I think about it.

Yep! This is really fashionable on the outside!

I don't really get fashion. Is she right, Doctor?

I've seen it in magazines.;......;I have no idea.

Yeah, so the Doctor's seen it too!

Gavial, your friend doesn't seem like a fashion expert either.

Haha. There's something even you don't know, huh.

Oh, yeah, Tomimi, how about you introduce the Doctor to our place? I've been away for forever. I don't know what's changed.

Sure!

Okay, let me think. What should I tell an outsider...? Right, let's start with the tribes.

Look at this map. Here's where Gavial landed, and here's the path we took.

This big forested area is our Acahualla.

Traditionally, every tribe of Acahualla, big and small, joins in this ceremony where we choose the next Great Chief.

Oh, and the ceremony a trial by combat. Whoever beats all the other challengers and earns their recognition gets the right to challenge the current Great Chief.

If they defeat the Great Chief, they become the new one.

Now the power of the Great Chief? Every tribe listens to what she says, for starters!

Sounds like nothing's really changed, then.

Something has!

One day, the last Great Chieftain Juan drank too much and his wife chased him to the edge of a cliffside. He jumped off it and never came back. Our last ceremony was to pick his successor.

But some stuff happened with Gavial and we never chose a Great Chief. And ever since Gavial left, none of the tribes have really gotten along with each other.

So now we've all been stuck fighting each other.

A former Great Chief...?

Wuh? That part's actually normal for us.

My dad said Great Chief Juan was one of the longest Great Chiefs ever. We'd usually get a new one every two or three years.

Whenever we lose a Great Chief's, we do the ceremony to pick a new one.

Now what was that about Gavial?

What? Oh, yeah, I never told anybody at Rhodes Island about that stuff.

I beat every single comer to the whole damn thing and then I left.

Because they ostracized you?;Every single one?!

Yeah. I was pissed. Went and knocked all their lights out.

Anyway, that's another story. Any especially strong tribes running around?

Yes.

A bunch of them are pretty powerful now.

First is the one that Zumama leads, the Eunectes tribe.

She settled her tribe in another part of the rainforest near a lot of ore veins. She has a hold on most of our metal resources.

That tribe always liked making weird tools and weapon things. They've absorbed a lot of the small tribes that surrounded them.

Second is Kemar's Flint tribe.

The rainforest Tiacauh don't live quite the same as the rest of us. They're a lot more scattered. Normally, they don't even communicate with us.

But because we have no Great Chief, a lot of tribes ended up going into the rainforest.

Kemar's is one of them now.

They were confident enough in their own power to take a piece of territory for themselves.

There's one more tribe that's pretty notable. I think you recognize them too, Gavial. Inam's tribe.

Her tribe's called the 'Inam Committee.' The people in it act kind of weird. None of them really like fighting people, but they all like doing business.

There are a lot of them too. Don't underestimate them.

I can picture it right now. Zumama setting her tribe up next to a mine. Yeah, ever since way back, she's loved making those weapons of hers or whatever.

Wouldn't have thought she'd be bossing a clan now, though. 'Eunectes' has a nice ring to it!

Yep. Zumama's Eunectes tribe is the strongest one too, now, and everyone thinks she's gonna be the next Chief.

Not surprised. Kid's been pretty capable for a long while.

So, um, Gavial, are you really not gonna be the Great Chief?

Nope. There's stuff on the outside I've gotta do.

Right, Doctor?

Yes.;......;You can stay if you want.

Stuff on the outside, huh...?

Hmm. Is Gavial straightforward, or just cruel...?

Hey, there'll be a day when I come back here. But it's not today.

Hey, you said you were gonna go for it in your letter, right? And you were confident, even?

Um, mm-hm!

I trained a lot for it!

Then I'm looking forward to the show!

Hm? Do I hear fighting?

Over that way. Let's go see.

Will you say it or not!?

Like I would!

Keh, you've got backbone.

Oh, hey, they're fighting. Doctor, we can leave 'em. Let's just go. This happens all the time.

You're done for, Thin-Tails. I'm gonna make you admit Thick-Tails are where it's at!

Yeah, in your dreams! Like I'd ever give in!

Huh?

Hey! What's-your-face over there. What did you just say?!

Who're you? Don't tell me you're a Thin-Tails too?!

Like hell I am. But did I catch that right? You think thick tails are better?

What? Obviously! Take a look at mine! Sturdy! Strong! Plump and plush! What's better than a nice thick tail like this, huh?!

Tch. Whelp, can't pretend I didn't hear that shit!

Take a good look at my thin tail here. Slim, refined! Clean, distinct contours! Hell, I can actually grab things with it! Now this is a tail!