act36side

Your drones went amok and bombed them by accident, they thought you were attacking them, then you thought they were trying to take your stuff using the Catastrophe as cover. One! Big! Misunderstanding!

So, how about we all shake hands and let bygones be bygones?

No.

Forget it.

I'm... frozen...stiff...!

How...about....we...take...care...of...them...first...?

The drone relay's busted. I took a couple of courses on equipment maintenance, let me see if there's a way to fix it...

Gah! Anyone understand Originium circuits enough to come help me out? Everyone else handle the drones, get them to use up their bombs! I can't get anything done while I'm getting pelted by them!

Go on then, we'll draw them away! Y'all work quick, ya hear!

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh––––

Only thing I can do is help them remove the cover of this 'drone relay' quicker! Marcille, do you seriously have no way to handle those things? We can't ask Senshi to boil them all!

Uh... Umm... You'd need to give me time to learn a whole new system of magic...

Two more magic items flying over! Their flight speeds follow a pattern, and so do their patrol routes...

Each one carries a single bomb. Seems they fly away as soon as they drop it. Are they returning to their nest to replenish their stock?

I can't think of anything on such short notice...

I've got a plan.

What is it?

You think these items use some magic or other to know who's an enemy?

Well, they're not monsters. They don't have eyes, but since they can only throw a bomb once, they must have some way to tell friend from foe...?

Right, lad. I noticed earlier that they didn't pay any attention to a dead gloompincer.

But then I saw a live one walk into one's range by accident. At first, no response, just like the dead one, but the moment the gloompincer raised its pincers, it got a bomb thrown at it.

...So they detect 'hostility'? The moment they sense it, they attack?

Oh, I've got a way to make them use up their bombs then!

What is it?

I'll use a familiar to act as bait!

A familiar?

Nothing too complex, I just need somethings full of hostility. I can use the gloompincers from earlier!

Get me some fruit from the forest to add in as well. Just pile them up while I think of what I want to make it look like...

Whoa whoa whoa, why're you cutting your hair all of a sudden?

Hair's full of magical power. It's a good resource to have on hand.

Some flour, a handful of sugar, then knead in some butter... Now I just need a reference from real life.

Hmm? Why're you looking at me like that?

Ah, I know what I want to use as the model!

(Incants)...

Is it done? What's it look like? Let me see!

Hey, isn't that me?!

Alright, time for a test run...

Left leg, right leg, left leg, right leg...

(Follows her commands)

Okay, now run!

Good, let's get going!

AHHH! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Have you repaired it yet?! We're on our last legs here!

We're here!

With a cheer, the pioneers turn their heads, but all they see is a strange figure running towards them at full speed, shouting in a stiff voice they don't recognize.

They have faced bloodthirsty wild beasts, survived Catastrophes big and small, and have been pelted by barrages of bombs from dozens of drones, but the sight is still enough to make the pioneers tremble in fear.

A man down on all fours, his long tongue rolling from his slobbering maw, his eyes bulging, screech as he crawls towards them at full speed!

Left leg! Right leg! Left leg! Right leg! Gah...

Why did I make it move that way?!?

(Follows her commands)

...AHHHHHH! RUN FOR IT!!

Just get back as fast as you can! I'll distract the magic items! Don't stop here, head back to—

Eh? Where'd everyone go?

...! The items must have noticed us!

I just need to lead them somewhere far from everyone else, then get them to throw all their bombs at the familiar!

There's a field here, that should be okay...

Ah! I nearly forgot! They're not going to wait for my command to start attacking! They've already begun!

No good, it's still too close; I'll get hit too. I need to find somewhere a bit further away!

It's working! Marcille got the drones to head over there!

Now they just need to use up all their bombs! She's amazing!

Your 'magic' sure is real weir—I mean, great.

Argh! This is way more difficult than I imagined!

*pant*... *pant*...

Wait, that noise...?

They're about to fire?!

This place... Would here be alright? Are we far enough? I need to keep running! It's all up to you now, Fami-Laios! I'm releasing control over you!

Gurgh...

Hey, I see her running out into the open! The drones are firing!

Hooray! She's done it!

That girlie sure is something... I always said I was a big fan of casters.

Yeah, Marcille's amazing.

Wait, I just remembered something...

Isn't that where the corn fields are?

What?!

I think you might be right...

Hey, wait! MY... MY CORN FIELDS!!!

They're about to fire!

I'll hide here—Whoa!

Explosions resound all around her, as expected.

But they are joined by the sweet scent of corn wafting through the air.

Marcille raises her head. It's like time itself has slowed, to the point that she can see every kernel fly through the sky, popping into fragrant popcorn of purest white under the bombardment.

The popcorn falls, floats, flutters like snow, landing on the tip of her nose.

She shudders.

...Huh?

Before she can do anything else, she is buried in an avalanche of fluffy white popcorn.

Gurgh...

Th-This is...

Popcorn!

I'm super strong! Even with a hundred... Err, wait, ninety-nine pieces of popcorn in front of me, I can eat them all!

Hyah! Bam! Pow!

Mount Popcorn, here I come!

Marcille! Marcille?

Marcille! Where are you? Can you hear us?

Oh no... We can't resurrect Marcille here!

Munchmunchmunch...

Hmm, that sounds familiar...

That's the sound of Kay eating!

Munchmunchmunch... Oh! Mister Beard! It's you guys!

Why are you here, lass?!

I smelled something real tasty, so I ran over!