act36side

Well, I'm glad you like it.

I hope the singer will like it too, the next time she stops by.

What's wrong?

The outsiders are at the beach.

Huh? The beach?

What are they doing there?

Cooking.

Cooking?

With monsters from the sea.

What?! I need to go stop them, quick!

Too late.

This ceviche is <i>really</i> sharp.

Texture's good though. Haven't had anything like it before.

This world's mimics turned out to be pretty tasty too.

Kin... We many... What's that smell? It's good...

Oh. That lying priest's woken up.

So very good... Wait, what are you doing?! You... What the hell is that you're cooking?!

Oh, hey there, Mister Priest. That cave you told us about really was full of seafood!

The townspeople don't need to go hungry any longer!

Want to try some?

You... You... This is blasphemy! Blasphemy of the highest order!

M-My brethren, I will not allow—

Oh dear. Looks like he's passed out again.

Maybe he's hungry?

I've got it! We can gather up some of that strange seagrass and use the tingle to wake him up!

I already told you, he tried to get us killed! Why do you care about him so much?

No matter how you cut it, Chilchuck, we're only having this feast thanks to him.

We ought to show our gratitude somehow.

I really don't get you.

Alright, come help me gather some seagrass while the bonfire's still lit!

Hey, you're just doing this because you're still hungry!

Augh, the water's so cold...

Anita finally reaches the shore, but it seems she is too late.

Upon a beach fallen into silence, people have gathered for the first time in a long while.

A group of four have rolled up their trousers and waded into the sea in high spirits, breaking out into laughter on occasion.

Wow! There's creatures here nibbling at my toes!

Huh? Th-Then doesn't that mean the stuff we just ate was...

That's just how things are in most places, Marcille.

I think I hear people yelling behind us.

Really?

Oh wow, there's some glowing round thing over there! I'm gonna go have a look!

Ahh! Ahhhhh!!

They—! Th-th-th-they—!

AHHHHHHHH!

All Anita can think of while looking at the scene before her is that...

It seems the sea breeze blowing towards Sal Viento today is stinging her eyes. All this is... something she never imagined she'd see her entire life.

What's going on?! Why are we being chased by all these magic items?! Who sent them after us?!

My sword can't reach them! They're not like the other monsters we've fought before!

Marcille! Use your magic already!

I... I got caught in the blast!

*cough* *cough*! They can use both explosion and freezing magic, and target them with precision. These things sure are something!

They're too quick, I can't aim like this!

What do we do then?!

We run! I'll use my magic to counter theirs! Try to get out of their range!

Looks like there's a village that way! These things flew in over from there though, so I don't think we're going to see any friendly faces...

Marcille! Look out!

I figured out their flight patterns!

Leave us... alone already!

The bombs are sent flying by Marcille's magic, heading right back to the drones that fired them.

Hoist by their own petard, they rattle and shake as they fall to the ground.

With a massive boom, the buildings are set ablaze, and the ringing of the blast is closely followed by the shouting of the villagers. After the explosion comes the falling magic items, which careen into a few unlucky souls.

Marcille can't help but tighten her grip on her staff.

I think we made them really mad, Laios!

Senshi, Marcille, sometimes we just have to grit our teeth and get fighting.

A shame... we still haven't found out anything about Rhodes Island...

By golly, the Catastrophe didn't ruin none of our corn fields! Didn't get licked by the sandstorm neither!

I've been worried sick for days over this. If the fields're gone, we'd have nothing to eat or sell past summertime!

How bout's I go start up the drones then, boss? Other places mightn't have been as lucky. If they see we're still spick and span, we're gonna have a problem with thieves and looters.

Well go on then. Just 'member to switch them from patrol mode to attack mode.

Oh right, remember to let that Rhodes Island fella in, he's meant to be stopping by after the Catastrophe!

You got it, boss!

Eh? That ain't right... Why's the drone relay all...

The drones ain't responding? Signal's... Boss! Boss!!!

Th-The Catastrophe hit the drone relay! The drones— They're outta control!

Alright, don't lose your cool! Turn that relay off first!

I can't! It ain't shutting down!

Gosh dang diddly darn it! Figure it out yourself! I'm not paying you to sit around and do nothing!

Ah! The, the... Originium circuits... The mainline board...

Hey, what's going on here?! Not gonna welcome me in?

No, no, you're a sight for sore eyes! I remember you, you're Ryan, the guy with the little hammer! Come help us out, the drones are outta control!

That so? Alright, hang back a bit. I'll go take a look for you—

Wha— Who was that?! Is someone really here to take our crops?!

Screw those bastards!

Hey, this is Ryan, with a new entry for the mission log.

First, bringing back Ceobe. Uh... This mission's proving a bit harder than anticipated. Our intel says this is the last place the kid showed up, but actually finding her's not so simple.

Then I've got to pay a visit to the 'Cornhole', see how they're doing after the Catastrophe. Hope everything's alright there—

What was that?! Is there a dust-up going on in the frontier?

Ah! The, the... Originium circuits... The mainline board...

(...I don't see anyone from outside the village? Seems like they've got some kind of internal issues.)

(Guess I better find out what's going on. These guys aren't the friendliest bunch...)

Hey, what's going on here?! Not gonna welcome me in?

No, no, you're a sight for sore eyes! I remember you, you're Ryan, the guy with the little hammer! Come help us out, the drones are outta control!

(Phew, okay, just some out-of-control drones. If there really was fighting out here, I'd be done for...)

That so? Alright, hang back a bit. I'll go take a look for you—

*hack* *cough* *cough* *cough*!!!

(Dammit, there really are other pioneers here to pick a fight!)

Wha— Who was that?! Is someone really here to take our crops?!

Screw those bastards!

(This can't be good. if I get Rhodes Island involved in a frontier tussle, we'll be in trouble. L-Let's get these guys to safety first, and hopefully that'll calm things down—)

Hey, don't be rash, buddy! You don't know how many people are out there, we best hunker down for now!