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We need to go beat the Red Dragon and save Falin! Have you forgotten all that?!

Huh?

Now that you mention it, Marcille, how long <i>have</i> we been in this village?

Hrgh—!

Hungry again?

My oh my, you're greedy little fellows, aren't you?

No need to worry, plenty for everyone today too.

Though we're going to do something a bit different this time around.

Gkh—gkh?

Hugkh?

Hah—hoo...

See the peak of that hill over there?

I put lots of your favorite fruit there.

If you want to eat, you'll have to fight for it! It's one of the laws of nature!

GKH—GKH!

Well, if everyone understands the rules, I'll start counting. Three, two, one...

Go! Get running!

The ink spirits start charging towards the hilltop on his command. All save for the tortoise-shaped ones, that is.

Aaaaaagh—

Oh, you'd like me to sit? You really want me to ride you?

Haha, you're a smart one. You figured out that instead of fighting the others, you can just butter me up.

Hoo—ahh...

Alright, alright. Here, have a bite.

Amidst the mounts, days pass like the wind.

By now, Laios has figured out it's the thunder that triggers the ink spirits to attack the village.

But external stimulus like that won't change their inherent habits. Laios knows this too well.

So why not lure them as far away from the village as possible with fruits?

That way, if they attack again, they'll have to run all the way from the top of the hill rather than halfway down!

Ahh... *hic*... This is some really good stuff...

What do you say, enough?

No... No way!

Another cup, then.

Chilchuck!

Eh? What are you doin' here, Marcille?

Stop drinking already!

Laios has been gone for who knows how long!

The ink spirits haven't been attacking lately either.

He must have done <i>something</i>!

Then let him do his thing, I'm drinking here.

Figures he'd be like us from just a bit earlier.

Right. He's practically a villager at this point.

Chilchuck, do you remember how long it's been since we arrived here?

Do you remember how we need to rescue Falin?

Do you remember those mimics you really really hated?

...Ghh, gah, my head.

Is your memory coming back?!

Chilchuck, are you alright?

Gkh gkh gkh, gkh? (So, what're your names?)

Gkh gkh!

Wuh!

Aaaaaagh—

Gkh gkh gkh wuh! Laios! (I see now, your names are 'Bitey', 'Angry' and 'Lazy'? I'm Laios!)

Wuu gkh, gkh gkh!

Gkh gkh gkhhh!

Hoo—

Gkh gkh huu gkh wuu gkh gkh! (Of course we're friends!)

Secluded in the mounts, Laios loses track of time.

He no longer cares if the thunder booms or not.

He's now good friends with the ink spirits. They eat together and live together. Every day, they pluck fresh fruits and frolic about in the hillside forest.

He even understands their speech—

You sure the lad's around here?

No... But the ink spirits all came from this direction.

If he's been researching them this whole time, I figured he'd be here.

You said that ever since he came out here, the ink spirits haven't been attacking the village as much.

Maybe he did something to stop them?

But I've got a sneaking suspicion he's run off to play with them god-knows-where...

You might be right... We'd better find him, quick!

Phew...

The longer Laios lives with them, the more he has come to understand these 'ink monsters.'

I should head back and tell everyone about this.

They'll be amazed! After all—

Gkh gkh?

Gkh gkh woo! (Come with me. I'll introduce you guys to my companions.)

Wuu gkh—

Wuu wuu gkh gkh! (Don't worry, they're good people. They won't harm you—)

Wuu—

Gkh—gkh— (Yeah, I'm sure they'll welcome you all!)

Laios, we're here to help—

you...

Huh?

The three rescuers see a most bizarre scene.

Laios, the one they’ve been worried about and eagerly searching for...

is crawling around on all fours like a wild animal, talking to the ink spirits in an incomprehensible language.

It was at that moment that they felt something shatter in their hearts.

Wuu gkh gkh! (Oh, you guys came at just the right time!)

Wha...?

Oh, sorry. I've been using their language for so long, I nearly forgot how to speak to humans.

...Sorry to have bothered you. We'll be on our way.

Hey, don't go, I've got some real important discoveries to tell you!

Oh, no, no need. We'll find our own way out and let you live out your dream here.

I was gonna say I learned something about how to leave.

...You learned what now?

Just watch.

Hey guys, it's lunch time!

Gkh—! (Happily scramble to each and every pile of fruit)

Did... Did you <i>tame</i> them with all this fruit?

Hraaagh—

They're changing color!

That's one of its traits. Bitey changes color when it's full.

It's called Bitey?