Part 57: Episode XLV: Diplomacy With Dingus

Democracy dictated that the runner up in the side quest election was our newest and final party member: Reaper Fides Dingus. And so shall be. The party piles into the Trebuchet and launches themselves towards the start of Reaper’s sidequest.




Music: Simple Gratitude



This quest takes us back to Gatherington, the Podunk town with the healer failed sacrifice old woman Sayagi, who we bugged a half dozen times during our journey through the region.



We won’t be bother Sayagi again during I am Setsuna. Her role in the story is complete. She’s just another NPC there to spout a single line of generic dialog until the game is uninstalled. A harsh fate. But, before we hit our actual side quest trigger, let’s pick up another scythe for Dingus. It IS his side quest, after all...



What the f—this is even WORSE than the first one... First of all, a dragon is not that tiny. Even idiot baby dragons that roll around in the mud and urinate for an exceedingly long span. That looks like a like pelican wing. Dingus, why are you wielding a pelican wing on a stick? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard all day...



This doesn’t bode well for this side quest. Poor weapon designs aside, the trigger for Dingus’ side quest involves talking to the Insufferable Man hanging out in the Gatherington pub. I bet you thought I pointed him out earlier solely because he was a giant piece of shit and had a funny name. Ha! You stupid idiot. Turns out I’m better at foreshadowing than this game’s writing.



What spritnite stone?
Oh? So you’re not. I was sure you’d come here looking for the spritnite stone...
? What spritnite stone are you talking about!? Come on, tell us!
Was there non-stone spritnite I missed? Why are we all saying it like this? It’s like saying paper book.
Well, it was washed in by the sea... Apparently, it’s a really rare one, and has some mysterious power.
Wow... I like the sound of that! So where is it?
*shakes head* No, you’re better off not looking for it... take my word for it!
Then why even bring it up?
I’m just making conversation. You’re the ones making a big thing out of it...
Hmph. Really seeing where you got that title...
Why’s that?
Because it’s cursed.
You hear that? It’s cursed. Now that the intrigue is out of the way, let’s just head back to the Last La—
Sounds fun!
N-No... Endir...
Hey! This is no laughing matter! All right, listen up...



Each person who has owned the stone has since met a horrible end... It’s cursed. Anyone who lays hands on it will die.
Brrrr! Scary stuff! All right, count me out!
Pfft. What are you getting the willies over a curse for? Just slap a remedy on that and you’re set. No big deal.
......
*turns to Dingus* What’s wrong, Dingus?
*shakes head* No... nothing.
?
*turns to Insufferable Man* So who has the stone now?
Who knows... Rumor has it some kid stole it and ran off with it. Someone saw him fleeing to the north, apparently. If you want to know more, try asking around the town.
Kid wasn’t carrying around some gaudy badge and claiming to be a hero beforehand, right?
No... I don’t think so... Why?
No reason...



So there’s a cursed spritnite an idiot child has spirited away with to the north. Better hit up the town to find some leads...



...Or we can just step outside, where a man marching from the north collapses right next to the party. That’s probably gonna be a lead.



Yo?
......
RIP...?
*coughs*
No RIP. False alarm!

The man climbs to his feet.



What happened?
Well, I heard some caverns no one had entered for years were found in the Fridging Caves... So I went to have a look.
Everyone standing here has been through those caves and picked it clean of loot.
...Oh. I... Oh... That really dampens my exploits.
It’s trying times we live in, Hoarse-Voiced Merchant.
There might have been no treasure. But...
Inside I found a lone child. I was concerned, so I called out to him, but he attacked me using a strange spritnite stone! Just my luck, I tell you...
Why is everyone saying spritnite stone now? Why the stone? They’re ALL stones, right?
That one insufferable man said it and now it just sounds right...
He might have followed me back, so I’d get out of here as well, if I were you!

The man runs off out of town.



Yes, it sounds like this is the child who stole the cursed spritnite...
It’s a shame he’s likely already doomed. So, back to combating the Dark Samsara...
The Fridging Caves...


Music: The Strength of Time



Yes, Dingus. The Fridging Caves. That’s where the next part of this quest takes us! Let’s see what this dope child with a cursed spritnite stone has gotten himself into...





Nothing has changed in the enemy layout of the Fridging Caves. The party can absolutely steamroll everything in a single turn. Which is good, since we have to do the entire dungeon again returning to where the party fought the Aurorean Tiger.



Returning to the old boss arena, we find a cowering child. And as we approach him, it turns out we’ve seen this boy before...



They neglected to give him a proper name, despite the whole chapter he was centered on, which is something this game is REALLY bad about. But this is Beetle Boy from back in Julienne’s introductory chapter.



Oh! It’s you! I’m so glad to see you’re all right!
...Do we know this kid? Kir, was this one of your friends...? No... there’s no tail... Umm... Nah. I got nothing.
It’s the monster boy.
*blank stare and shrug*
The one Julienne had... issues with and Dingus... Err... Oh boy...
*snaps fingers* Ah. Right.
It’s all thanks to you... Since then, I’ve...
*notices Dingus* ! Y-you’re...
......
Ahhh! Now I see what you were “oh boy”in’ about, Aeterna. Pfft... This is gonna end well...



This is someone else.
Nuh-uh! He’s wearing the same clothes! And he’s got... well... not the SAME scythe, but STILL a scythe!
Purely coincidence, kid. Just happens to have the same bad fashion sense and questionable choice in weaponry.
No! I don’t believe you! I remember his face!
No, it’s all right... Dingus is on our side now... and he’s a very strong ally.
Who KILLED MY MAMA!!
Yeah, geez. Insensitive much, Setsuna.
I feel as though some context is alluding me again.
What the... AND HER! She tried to kill me! You’re friends with HER too?! I thought you were nice! Liar!
Oh... She had drank monster blood. It made her get mean. She’s nice now! Really. *smile*
She DRANK one of my kind’s BLOOD?!
Setsuna... maybe just stop...
*screams* No! I don’t believe you!

Dingus steps forward and addresses Skinny Child*



Dingus, wait...
I am here for one reason only... Give me that spritnite.
*screams* Say you’re sorry, then! Say you’re sorry for what you did to my mama!
Go on, apologize to him.
Let’s see your diplomacy in action, Dingus.
I... cannot do that.
Dingus...
I will not deny my past... I will not apologize for it, or regret it... If you wish to feed on hatred, so be it. It matters not to me. You must choose your own way of life. You are free... However, I shall use that spritnite. Give it to me.
Nailed it! Hit up the nearest Land of Snow embassy. You’re a fit for ambassador.
Dingus, wait! He’s just a child, you can’t threaten him like that...
It is a waste of time, true. A better tactic would to have been to taken it by force before talk.
Ya, you had that problem pretty bad when you fought us.
I am working on it.
I see... I get it now. You’re all after my stone!
*shakes head* No, that’s not true. Listen... That spritnite is cursed. If you keep it, something terrible will happen to you...
No, I can tell... this stone is really powerful... As long as I have this, I can even beat HIM! I can get revenge for Mama!
*holds out arms* If you will not give it to me, I shall take it by force.
Go on then, just try! I’ll... I’ll...
KILL YOU!



Beetle Boy charges up and starts lobbing Hadokens at Dingus. Good for him. That’s about what Reaper deserves.



I’ve been all by myself... It was hard... and lonely... But I didn’t give up. I believed what you said... I believed that one day I’d be able to make friends... But whenever they realize I’m not a human, they all run away!
I say “hey wanna see a neat trick” and turn into my real form and they ALWAYS scream and run away. It IS a neat trick! They can’t do it.
Oh... sweetie... No.
I hate them! I hate everyone! And I hate you most of all! DIE!
*Hadokens Dingus a few more times*
Dingus, what’re you doin’!? You ain’t gonna be able to take this for much longer...
You ain’t got that boss HP anymore. You can’t hold out like this.
It cannot be helped.
Not with that attitude.
I swore to Aeterna that I would lend my strength to the sacrifice... I cannot die here.
...That was Eutess, my creator but... Yeah, sure...

Dingus draws his scythe.



No! Stop it, Dingus! Endir! Make him stop!
Go ahead, do what you want.
I thought you would say that...
Endir, what the HECK!?
Guy clearly didn’t spec for Charisma. Who am I to tell him to re-roll this late on...?


CLICK HERE FOR THE CONCLUSION! (Definitely worth watching.)