Part 25: Byuu's Journal: Entry Thirteen

29th day, 4th month, 2 years since the fall of Kahna



Early the next morning we marched into Godland. Melodia was more excited than I've ever seen her now that she was home.



That got Lukia to wondering about why Melodia had left home in the first place. From Melodia's answer it seems as though it was a childish whim... we've been harboring a juvenile delinquent for the past several years!



Yoyo went chasing after her, while Matelite finally arrived at the question we'd all been asking ourselves. It seems self evident to him, but the people in Godland and Campbell seem to have benefited from joining the empire.



Sendak had other worries on his mind. I can sympathize with him.. the last thing we need is Donfan giving us a reputation for bad pick-up lines.



After a bit of discussion, by unanimous vote I was given the task of reigning in Donfan.



Knowing Donfan, I looked for the first woman I could find and gauged her reaction. Since she didn't appear traumatized, I could see that Donfan hadn't been this way. I don't know what she meant about me smelling, though.



The next woman I saw, resting underneath a tree, appeared similarly untroubled. I was starting to worry a bit, since it wasn't like Donfan to skip past two women who were already on their own.



A man who bore a strong resemblance to the Battlefield Salesman also hadn't seen him. He mentioned something about a smell, but I still don't quite believe it...could I just be used to it?



A woman about Zora's age hadn't seen anything either, but filled in some of the blanks about why Godland had capitulated to the Empire. The events hadn't been as peaceful as all that.



Melodia seems to be pretty well known around here, for a runaway delinquent. Maybe they see her as more of a lovable scamp?



In the most isolated house in the village, where no one could see his activities, Donfan was doing his best to talk to a girl in her house.



She really appeared more confused than anything.



Donfan's habit of stretching a metaphor until it snapped probably didn't help her confusion.



Lukia's arrival put a stop to his ham-handed seduction as effectively as pouring a bucket of cold water on him would have.



When I say that she was confused, I mean that she was really confused.



Considering the katana I found stashed near her desk, I think Donfan got away more lightly than he realized.



Since Donfan was well in hand I decided to take a look around the town and see if anything of much use was available for sale. Oddly enough, all three of the town's merchants were crammed behind a single table.



In the pub, a woman wanted to talk about mini-devils and asked us to take the local ones with us. I can't fault her for wanting them gone, but it's not like I can really make them do or not do anything.



In a way, this town is a bit scary. For some reason the local people have pieces of armor and weapons laying about all over the place.



The local bartender even offered to make drinks on the house if we'd get rid of the Mini-Devils. How much of a nuisance have those things been here?



Sendak, old lightweight that he is, was about to pass out at a table.



Finally I headed to Melodia's house. Yoyo was sitting out front, listening to the reunion going on inside. it's a little bit strange, but I can see why she wouldn't want to walk in on a family moment.



As soon as I stepped in a pair of Mini-Devils barreled right past me. Much to my astonishment, one of them could actually speak. Considering what it had to say about a ship of death made me wonder if I might not have been happier with Mini-Devils that it was impossible to understand.



Realizing I hadn't heard from anybody else in a while I went outside, just in time to find that Donfan had escaped from Lukia and was troubling the woman at the tree.



He does certainly have a way of introducing people, though...



As soon as she heard my name, though, a change came over her and she asked us to come with her.



I think that got Donfan's hopes up unnecessarily.



In a house in the northwest corner of town the reason for her change of attitude became clearer... I hadn't even known anyone from our kingdom was here in Godland.



Lying in bed was the third member of our former light armor trio, Mist!



... Donfan really worries me sometimes. He's not allowed near the hospital anymore.



Matelite came rushing in right about that time, faster than I've ever seen him move.



Her nursemaid was worried about us exhausting us, but she had been waiting for just such an occasion.




As we got reacquainted, the story of how Mist had managed to escape from Kahna came out. It was a bit shocking, considering what we all thought of the Empire's generals.



Donfan was distracted enough by this information to say what we were all thinking instead of hitting on Mist. It was actually kind of strange to see.



Before we could talk more, Lukia came to haul us back to Melodia's. Evidently something important had come up.



Our being there was moving enough that Mist wanted to see about coming to join us.



Lukia hit the nail on the head with Donfan as we were leaving. Well, almost. When she said that he was seducing a girl again, that would imply that he's occasionally successful in his efforts. I find that prospect horrifying.



Before I sat down to listen to Melodia's grandfather, I naturally decided to look around the house. He might not look it, but he's got to be a pretty serious wizard to be keeping around a Master Rod.



Unbelievably enough, the old man was actually pretty happy that we'd taken Melodia off his hands for a while and returned her in good shape.




Somehow the two of them got into a discussion about an old way of saying things that led to her grandfather pretending to be both members of a married couple. About that time I started to realize that Melodia might have been better off with us.



He essentially admitted to neglecting her as a child. I wonder how long it was until he realized that she was gone?



According to his view, their entire family is composed of deadbeats.



Eventually he came to the point... an ancient legend about the Godland lagoon.




The legend pointed to another Holy Dragon on this island... are the Holy Dragons common to all the major islands? How does that work?



Loopy as he might be, I give the old man full credit for helpfulness. Not only did he bring us information about a Holy Dragon, he gave us directions.



We scrambled the dragons to prepare for a raid on the cave. Yoyo is beginning to find the idea that the Holy Dragons might be directing our actions a bit disconcerting.



As we finished our preparations Melodia's grandfather had another bit of local color to share. How often are you going to find Mini-Devils enough to make this applicable? Melodia finished the saying with the useful information that 4 Mini-Devils means you'll meet someone new.



Mist had actually gotten out of bed and decided to join us. I'm a bit worried about her health, but she seems determined.



Matelite's view was essentially that she would walk it off. That's his answer to everything, though. Once the dragons were fed, it was time to head for that cave and the next Holy Dragon.