Part 44: x - An Alternate Ending

Chapter 43x - An Alternate Ending





"It's awfully quiet. It was this quiet during the night, too. Here are... nothing but fighting. So what do you think of what Jess said? Where do we belong... Everyone took care of us well in Highland, but they were distant somehow... It seemed strange at the time, but now I feel like... I understand the reason."



"Then we were driven out of Highland and came to the State... But when you think about it, we really don't belong to the State either... Hey, Riou... ... ...No, I won't bother..."



"Riou... Let's stop this fighting... There's nor eason for you to keep fighting... We fight, we get hurt, we wield weapons, we kill people, there's no reason to do these things. Why? Why, Riou? There are others more suited for the job! Viktor, Flik, Shu, General Ridley, Freed..." (Freed? Really?)



"Hey, Riou... Let's go somewhere... Let's escape to somewhere far, far away where no one has ever heard of Highland and the City-State. Things would work out. I'll make sure they do, so let's go live somewhere quiet. When the excitement cools down... We'll bring Jowy back... and live together... Like in the old days... when Grandpa was still around... You and Jowy..."



"Re... Really... is it okay? But, but, but, but... Really???? Yeah, things will be alright. Viktor, Shu, and General Ridley are here, so things will work out. Jowy... you'll come back someday, right? No. Let's promise to come back for Jowy. Okay, let's go!!"





"I'm sorry. Please, let me pass. Come on, please?"

"Ha ha ha..."

"Argh... then I'll have to use force!!"

"Don't panic... I didn't come to stop you..."

"Lord Riou... Just the two of you going... I'll go with you part way."

"Oh, heck... OK, I'll go along with you..."



"No way! They already found us?!"

"You're spies!"

"W... what?! Spies?!"

"Don't play innocent with me. Isn't it true that Tinto fell because of a spy disguised as a Muse soldier!?"

"Tinto?! No! No! No!"



"I caught these suspicious guys who were lurking about."

"Ahhhh!!! Lord Riou!!!!!"



"Huh?! No...... I, I'm so sorry!!!!"

"Please accept my apologies. We're just a rural village, please forgive us."

"Lord Riou, we heard that Tinto had suffered a surprise attack and were worried, but leave it to you to survive!! I wonder if Viktor and Klaus will be here soon. Who, me? Klaus asked me to carry a message, and I was saved by the fact that I'd left Tinto."

"Huh? Huh? Ah........... yeah."

"Oh!! That's right, I wasn't being considerate. You must be tired. Village Chief, Lord Riou can use the room we were using, can't he? That's the biggest room. It's wasted on us. This way!!"



"What should we do... I feel bad... Let's sneak out when it's night."



"A, yes. I'm fine. I ran a bit, so I'm a little tired."

"Heh, that's why I'm always saying you have to make yourself strong!! When the need arises, it's these muscles that will come in handy."

"Yes, you're right. You're amazing, Koyu."

"By the way, it's great that you managed to escape!!"

"Oh, yes. When the zombies showed up in Tinto, I hid in a chest, and no one found me. At night, I snuck through a mining tunnel and escaped. I remembered the map of the mining tunnel so I managed to get back to ground."

"That was lucky. I'm glad that the 'books' you're always mentioning came in handy."

"...but when I peeked out of the chest, I saw something."

"What?"

"Gustav's daughter Lilly and your sister Lo Wen being taken away by Neclord."

"What?!!! My sister Lo Wen was captured?!!"









"What? What? But....."

"If we're wiped out, things will work out, but without you, Lord Riou, who'll drive out Neclord and the Highland Army?!"

"I... I'll fight, too, Koyu. To help Lord Riou... It's like a story out of a book. I'll... do my best."

"Damn, don't push so hard that you cause trouble for others. Hurry, Lord Riou."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."





"...leader of the Unicorn Army are fighting hard to win Tinto back!! And here you are trying to escape!!!"

"Mon... monsters!!!!"

"What?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"



"Uh........ oh, yeah. Something... strange... maybe...."



I didn't get a good screenshot (obviously) but the Bright Shield Rune flashes and somehow kills all the zombies.

"What happened? Hey, are you OK? You're OK, aren't you?!! You're OK. You're OK, Riou. I'll take care of you. You'll be OK!!! Let's go! Hold on tight!!!"



"Are you OK?"

"Nanami, are you OK?"

"No!! I'll protect Riou!! I promised Grandpa Genkaku. I... I..."



"These guys just never give up..."

"This is too many to handle..."

"No! No! No! No! Nooooo!!!"

"Get out of the way."



"What???"



"That old man over there helped us. We have to say thank you."

"You came to, eh, young man? ....You don't have to thank me."



"I said you didn't need to thank me, but you're very conscientious. By the way, where are you planning to go, Riou?"

"Ho... how did you know the name Riou?"

"How did I know? Because you were yelling in such a loud voice. Is it alright for the leader of the Unicorn Army to be hanging around here?"



"Oh, I see. If that's so, then you'd better escape quickly. This is going to be a battle site again."






"Again... power... Have to... hurry... "



"I'm... I'm okay... Pilika... I'm.... okay."



"...are you awake now? Riou... Should we... go back? With things like this... we can't go anywhere... I'm sorry. I.... It was selfish of me to say what I said... To throw everything away... and run away... It was selfish, wasn't it... Wh... what's that sound?! Zombies... again???!"



"Flik... And Shu, and little Apple..."

"Lord Riou. Isn't this enough? You must know by now. There are many people who need you... Please, come back to the Unicorn Army."



"You must have seen what happened to the people that lived in all those villages. You can still say you're leaving? What about the people who believed in you?"

"How can you not want to return!? Because of you... Because of you, Ridley was...."

"What about Ridley?"

"Lord Ridley died in battle. Lord Riou, it was the morning after you escaped. Neclord made a surprise attack on Tinto. When the citizens were running around trying to escape, Viktor, Klaus and Lord Ridley were fighting while searching for you. During that battle..."



"But I want you to think of that pain as the pain of the people who believed in you. I'll say it once more. Please come back to the Unicorn Army."

"Riou... I'm sorry. You fighting, losing Joei (Again...) seeing so many people die... You seemed to be hurting so badly... But, but, but I ended up causing you more pain. Sorry, Sorry, I'm sorry. After I made an oath to Grandpa, too. And I'm you're sister..." (their mistake, not mine)

"At Crom Village, Viktor and his men have a plan to dig into Tinto. If you have the will to fight again. IF you have to will to be the leader of the Unicorn Army again, please come back."

"Hey, are you going back, Shu?"

"The rest is up to Riou. It doesn't matter whether we're here or not."

"Well.... that's right."

"Sure, running away is a good idea..."

"Sir Riou..."

"Riou... You can go either way. I'll go with you wherever you go. I'm going to protect you..."



"Yeah... okay, let's go. There are places where there's no fighting. There are places where you can live a normal life. Riou, that could be... an answer for you..."




This is Boris. He is the person who replaces Ridley. However, Ridley is awesome, so thus he is not going to get replaced.

Next Time: Chapter 43 - An Old Hag