Part 44: Chapter 7-4: Puppets, Poltergeists and Prep

Part 7-4: Puppets, Poltergeists and Prep

Hey, Sue. Did you hear something?


The Puppeteer Made

That sounds like Mr. Fritz. Is he making another puppet?

Hahaha, I don’t know… Maybe we should go and check it out? …Ahem! Mr. Fritz!

Phew. Hey, girls. What’s up?

We heard you from outside, and wondered what you were doing…

Hmm. It seems this place has thin walls. I guess for 3000 Coll a month you can’t ask for much.

Our atelier is 500 Coll. And when it rains… Well, enough of that. Mr. Fritz, what were you doing? It doesn’t look like you were making another puppet…

No, I was practicing with the sword. I’m getting a bit rusty.

With a sword? Mr. Fritz, aren’t you a puppeteer?

Yes, it often surprises people. Before I was a puppeteer, I was a mercenary. I still sometimes make a little extra money by fighting monsters. So I have to keep myself in shape.



Hehe, it all started when I saw one of my wife’s puppet shows. She completely stole my heart. I gave up on being a mercenary because I wanted to be a puppeteer like my wife. I started training with her, learned so much, and before we knew it we ended up married!

Love, born in the theater! How lovely! I hope I can meet someone like that!

Lovely, you say… I guess so, if the story ended there.

Hold on! That doesn’t sound good!



Now, we’ve no idea where she is. This is one of the reasons for our travels. To find her…

I see…

Yeah. I still hope to meet here again and make up, somehow. But we don’t even know where she’s living right now. I just hope she’s alive and well…

Mmm… I hope it works out well for you, your wife and Drossel!

The next day, at Soleil Street…


The Puppeteer and the P…

Hahaha, you’re such a scatterbrain! I thought you were a little bit more together than this?

Hey, I am! Really! This was an innocent mistake! …Hey! Lydie and Sue!



Yes, of course. We’re already really great friends!

We are!

I’m more surprised that you two know each other, to be honest!

We stayed for a while in the town where Pamela lived, a while back. She was a nun there.

Hehehe, Fritz was a big help. Everyone at the church loved his puppets.

I’m glad to hear you say that! You helped us a lot too!

Pamela has been a nun for a long time, then! I thought maybe she was something else…

Hey, I can hear you! That was rude!

Hehe. You still have a way with kids, just like always. In any case, I sense destiny behind this meeting. If you need anything, just let me know.

Hehe, and I extend the same offer. If you need to chat about anything, I’ll be here for you. …Ah, and one last thing. I’d love to see another one of your puppet shows sometime!

Hahaha, that can easily be arranged! See you later!

…That took me back! Tell me, is Fritz the same as before?

The same as… ah, I think I know what you mean. His reaction to puppets?

Yes, that’s right! If you know about it, I guess he is the same! Good! I’m glad to hear it. That’s how Fritz should be, no doubt!

And there she goes… Hmm. That confirms that Mr. Fritz has always been a little bit odd.

Yeah. If he’s not going to change, we just need to get used to it. Anyway… let’s drop in at Firis’ tent next!


Cryptic Language and Books

Hey, Plachta. Are you choosing a book?

Yes, I love to read. Would you both care to join me?

Hahaha, I thought you’d never ask! No running away, Sue, please!

Gyah! She caught me…

Of course I did. I’m your sister! Plachta was kind enough to ask us to join her! A little reading will do you some good.

Ugh… fine! But just a little, okay?



Alright, enough already! I’m done with this!

Hmm. You may not like reading, Suelle, but you handle those books with care.

Of course. Just because I hate something, it doesn’t mean I’m going to throw it around! Promise with Mom Number 3! “Handle books with care”!

Hahaha… That one only came about because you’d always leave books lying around…

I was a baby! I look after books now by keeping them safe on the shelf at all times.

Hah! You get bored too easily, Sue.

Hehe. In any case, I’m impressed to see you looking after books so well. Eating while reading, or folding page corners… I cannot abide people who do such things!

Hahaha! Plachta, you sound like a book yourself.



… What?! You were a book?!

Hey, Lydie… Plachta says the weirdest things sometimes, doesn’t she?

Yeah… Is she simply joking? She doesn’t look like the type to joke around…

I know. But I can’t believe that’s true, either… Hmm?

Girls? Is something wrong?

Ah! No, it’s nothing. We’re fine.

Later, Plachta! Anyway, Lydie, I was wondering about Pamela. If she and Fritz knew each other from way back when, and we do too…


The Oldest Nun

It’s a long way from here. Everyone is so kind, though, it’s a lovely place!

Wow. A place just like you, Pamela!

Uwah, Lydie! We don’t usually compare people and places, do we?

Haha, I was just trying something else. I bet it is a wonderful place, though.

Well, I haven’t been back for a long time. Five years? Ten? Something like that.

Hold on… Sorry if I’m being rude, but how old are you, Pamela? Thinking about it now, you don’t seem to have changed at all from when we first met you!

Good point! Are you the same age as Sister Grace?

Girls! Of course not!

Hahaha, I didn’t think so. Sister Grace looks young, but she’s in her fifties…



…Huh? Could you say that one more time, Pamela?

Pamela, sorry… can I borrow you for a moment?

Yes, of course. Sorry girls, we’ll have to pick this up another time.

…She said 300, but she was just joking, right?



Sue…? Let’s go somewhere, anywhere, to get your mind off of this subject. Hmm… back to the tent!


Alchemist, Hunter and Gatherer

(Perfect…!) Hunting? You mean, like, hunting animals?

Yes. You’ve never hunted before, right? It could be a good experience for you.

Ah, I see. Yes, I’ve been wanting to try it!

Me too. We always said we’d be able to save some money if we could hunt.

Hahaha, that settles it then. Let’s catch something big and eat a lovely meal! Liane has told me about a good place to go. Once you’re ready, we’ll head right out!

We’re very ready, Firis! Where to?

We’ll hunt rabbit at… the Spring-green Odahlia!


The Genius Alchemist and Archer

Yeah… My palms are sweating. Firis, how do we hunt it?

What do you mean, how? Just like usual. We fight and defeat it! That’s all!

Hold on? You call that hunting?

Yes, I do! It’s a bit different after defeating it, anyway. Come on, both of you!




Good, we got it! Now, what’s different after we defeat it?

We have to skin it, and drain the blood. If it’s too much for you, you don’t have to…

No, it’s okay… This is part of the hunt. If we are taking a life, we have to see this through.

Me too. Go ahead, Firis.

Hehe, all right. Here we go, then. Nice and simple… just… like… that! …Yes, a good hunt! We have to process the meat to preserve it.

Please do! I can’t wait to eat it!

Thank you for bringing us out with you today. We learned a lot!

You are quite incredible with that bow, too, Firis!

Tell me about it! I’ve never seen an alchemist who can use a bow so well!

Ah, well. I learned hunting and shooting from Liane. I was fighting with a staff before that. …Liane looked so cool using a bow. I twisted her arm until she taught me.

Wow, so you haven’t been using the bow all that long? You really are amazing, Firis!

Learning both archery and alchemy so quickly. You’re just so talented!



Unaided? How-

I use alchemy to make the arrows chase the prey. Hahaha!

That’s impressive too, actually! Using alchemy to do that! I mean… you think that makes you sound LESS impressive?

You said it. You’re a genius, Firis, no doubt about it.

A-Anyway! Let’s go back to Merveille. The meat should be ready the morning after!

The next day…


A Less Mature Side

Yes, please! I was just starting to feel hungry!

Sounds good. I’ll give you the full banquet! Hahah! Leave this to your head chef! First, chop this… oww, not my finger! Next, roast this… ugah, flambé!



I’m fine, honest. Go over there, Liane! I want to cook for the twins.

Alright… but we need some veggies! …There we go! Lydie! Sue! Let’s eat!

That was great! Wow, I’m stuffed.

It was so good. The kitchen is in chaos, but we can ignore that.

Hahaha, I should have practiced a bit more first. At least it turned out alright.

I was surprised, though, to learn you don’t like veggies, Firis.

What?! T-That’s not true!

You can’t hide it from me. I saw you avoiding them!

It’s always been that way. Firis just won’t eat her greens, no matter what I say…

Hey. It’s their fault for never changing! They’re bitter and stringy and horrible!



What? Mature? I’m the one over here always worrying that I’m too immature!

Ah, thinking that Firis is an adult was just our mistake… Sorry about that.

Sorry? Why are you apologizing? I’m getting confused again!

Uwah, well, there are some things you only find out once you get close to someone, right?

Lydie. That makes absolutely no sense in this context.

Hahaha! You’re right. Some things you only find out once you get to know someone. So I want to become better and better friends with you both, and learn all about you.

Us too!



Firis. Comments like that are no way to prove anything…

Hehe… Anyway, catch you later, Firis, Liane! There’s some work we’ve been putting off all day.

That night…

Ah!


Pamela’s Haunting Admission

Are you alright, Lydie? It’s been a while since you failed so badly!

Yeah… That thing Pamela said has been on my mind.

What, about being 300 years old? Hahaha, that was just a Pamela-style joke!

She came out with it really smoothly, for it to be a joke… Maybe Pamela is actually a ghost?

No, that can’t be. It can’t!




I didn’t hear the door open! Did you come in through the window?!

No, I came through the door. Quite literally through it! Wooooh!

Uwah! So you really are a g-g-g-g…!

That’s right! I’m a ghost!

Howah!

Sue! Come back to us!

Oh my… I just wanted to get some ink? I’ll leave the papers here… I hope you can take care of it for me!



Aaaaaaah, don’t look! Don’t look! She ghosted her way out of here again! Noooooo!

Calm down, it’s okay, calm down! Everything is okay!

Uwaaaah! I can’t take anymore! I can’t believeeeee anything anymoooooore!



We’ll have to settle this tomorrow… Give Pamela her ink, and for Sue’s sake, hope this was just a hallucination…


The Ghost They Always Knew

Pamela? Here’s the ink you asked for.

Hehehe, thank you. Now I can make some new products!

Hahaha, great…

Can I ask you something?



Why is Sue hiding behind you like that?



That’s the story, Pamela. Is it true, what you said before? That you’re a ghost?

Yes, it’s true! I’m a real ghost, 100%!

Aaaaaaah! No! Nooooo!

Oh dear, has Sue been triggered again? It’s alright, it’s all fine!

Hmmm… This might be a problem.

…?



P-Pamela?!

If you’re so scared of me already… What would happen if I really tried to scare you…?



Good. There’s nothing to fear. La-la-la!

Aaaah! I’m not scared… I’m not! Pamela is still Pamela! Pam-Pam-Pam-Pam…

Ghosts seem to be more common than I expected. I’ll need to remember this.

Pam-Pam-Pam-Pam…

We’re going, Sue!

Phew! Let’s… let’s go to the tent! I need a pick-me-up!


Tent Trivia Show

Very well. What do you propose?

Hahaha! Nothing less than a test of alchemy knowledge!

You’ve got guts, Suelle. Thinking you can compete with me in alchemy!



What? Me? Me?! This is the first I’m hearing about this!

It just suddenly came to me! You like to read a lot, right Lydie? So maybe you can give Plachta a run for her money!

I don’t have your confidence! I’m sorry, Plachta. I forfeit to you, of course.

No, I don’t accept that. Let’s do this. I like a good challenge!

No need to get quite so excited! Very well, I’ll do it…



Question 1! Is puni fluid acid or alkaline?

Alkaline.
Alkaline!

Correct! What does “alkaline” mean again?… Anyway, next question! Spines of an uni are always…

A multiple of four.

Another correct answer from you both! Who counted them, anyway? On to question three…

Many rounds of questions, answers and questionable Sue referee calls later…

Uwah, I knew I’d lose. There was no way I could hope to win!

Not at all, Lydie. I’m impressed. You’ve acquired much knowledge for your young age. You should be more confident. Your daily studies will surely pay off.

Plachta! Thank you. I’ll try to keep it up!

…Wow. I can never tell them that I didn’t know most of the answers to the questions I was asking.



Elsewhere in Merveille…


Big Girls and Big Ribbons

Hehe, you always seem to wear one… It’s kind of like your trademark now.

Oh my, what a lovely thing to say. I do think very carefully about my ribbons.

Hah, I figured as much! What things in particular do you look for?

Let’s see. The most important factor… is size!

Size…? Oh…

Hmph, yes, size is absolutely vital! Don’t you think bigger ribbons look cuter? Plus, when I wear a large ribbon, you can always tell it’s me, even from a distance! In order to stand out as an alchemist, a ribbon is absolutely essential!

Oh, uh, yeah, sure… Haha… Bigger is better…





…Uh, Firis? I can hear everything you’re saying.

What?! You mean I said all that aloud?!

…Very clearly. And now I know exa-actly what it is you really think of me. I know you think I’m a tiny little pixie who needs a big ribbon to make herself look taller than a young child!

Huh?! Hang on, Ilmeria! I never said anything like that!