Part 64: ☆△=`○☆シ~~!!

-Under the Moonlight-

Four of Rolent's citizens have fallen into a sleep from which they will not wake. Father Divine is concerned that they're losing their souls.



It'll have to wait.



Ida: Oh? You all are...?
Hey! It's been a while. We saw the job posted on the board.
Ida: Oh, my, my. I'm so sorry to call you out so late at night! I know it's sudden, buuuuuut would you go find Aryll for me?
A-Aryll...
That cat...Gone again, I take it?
Ida: How about it? Will you find my little Aryll?
Yeah...We should be able to handle the job right now.
Given the circumstances, though, I'm wondering if now's the right time...
Responding to complex situations is an important part of a bracer's job.
We'll assist you as much as we can.
Ida: Wonderful.
If you can, could you provide some details?
We know that you're looking for a cat. Is that 'Aryll' you mentioned the cat in question?
Ida: Yes, that's right. My little Aryll's run off. She disappeared while I was taking an afternoon nap. Oops.
(This sure seems mighty familiar...)
That would mean she has been gone for half a day. I can see why you're getting worried.
Do you have any idea where she might have gone? If you can think of any spots she might have gone to, that would help.
Ida: Hmmm...I miiight have an idea. From what I found out, the landing port seems suspicious...
The landing port?!
Ida: I poked around there a bit and asked one of the engineers, and they said someone saw a cat. They said it was a light brown kitty, so it must be Aryll.
I-I see...
Oh, I should write down the color of the cat's fur.
This is all good to know. Why don't we investigate and see where it takes us?
Yes, I think it's worth investigating. Let's ask around at the landing port.
Couldn't agree more.
Ida: I'm glad I was able to help. I'll be waiting here for word of my little Aryll. Good luck!
We'll report once we've found her.
Yes. Until then.



Um, excuse me. Can I have a moment? I need to ask you something.
Fabree: Oh, sure, what's up?


Fabree: A cat, huh? Afraid I haven't seen it.
Huh? Really?
Fabree: The one who saw it was probably Skip. Ask him what's up. He should be down by the warehouses.



Skip: I'm going to need to get everything set up to withstand this. But we might as well be underwater, the way things are...
Um, excuse me. Can I have a moment? I need to ask you something.
Skip: Hmm? Sure, what is it?


Skip: Oh, yeah, that cat. Yeah, I saw it. Around noon today.
So during midday.
Which lines up perfectly with what Ida told us.
Do you know where the cat is now, or where it was headed?
Skip: No idea, sorry. Today's been kind of crazy. Where would it even have...mmm, yeah, I dunno. Sorry, I haven't seen it since then, and I have no idea where it might've gone. Cats kinda go where they please, y'know?
Yeah, I guess they do...
But, well, that's it for us, then. Our trail of clues stops right here.
Skip: Well, hold on, there. Why not ask Quint? He just went into town for dinner.
Quint?
Skip: Yeah, he's the Cecilia's helmsman. He was talking about the cat, too.
Cool! Time to find Quint, then.
Let's see if we can catch him. The restaurant in town, I assume?
Thank you for the help.
Skip: No problem. Good luck!



Captain Petrov: He finished his dinner a while ago and took off. I doubt he went back to the ship. He's probably out killing time in town.



Ricky: Every time he opens his mouth he starts talkin' about that woman. 'Blond goddess' this, 'heavenly mandate' that...Well, it's nothing new, so not like I'll worry about it. Quick to flame, quick to cool. That's Anton in a nutshell.
Anton: That blond-haired lady's been on my mind ever since I laid eyes upon her...To think such a wonderful woman even existed...A chance meeting in a little village...My serendipitous arrival...The Goddess may very well be directing me to true love. Sweet Aidios...! I'll have to learn as much as I can about that lady starting tomorrow. Gotta do proper research if you wanna get close.



Miner Trent: *munch munch munch* Ih've nehvhuh seeh ahythih hike it. *chew chew chew* Ih hit's oh suhhy tomohho...*guuuuuuuulp* *smack* I don't wanna go to work...



Rinon: I know it's tough being a bracer, but right now I'd pick being a bracer over everything I've been dealing with. See, this girl my mother brought over said she'll help out around the store. I'd normally be happy for the extra hand, but you know how my mother is. No doubt that this is another one of her schemes to find me a wife! *siiigh* I can't take all this pressure...I'm not ready to get married yet!



Kitty: They're taking care of me, so it's only right that I do whatever I can to help them out, right? Ms. Bloom's son doesn't seem all that jazzed to have me around, though. Maybe he's really uncomfortable having some stranger suddenly coming in to work out of nowhere...
Bloom: Kitty was the one who insisted. Kitty's helping around the store starting tomorrow. Rinon's been so fidgety ever since I told him about her. He probably thinks I put her up to it. Try to arrange one or two marriages and no one trusts you anymore. Hmph!



Elger: Day or night, this fog is the same. No change whatsoever. Normally, once night sets in, a wind comes by and blows it away, and everything's all clear by morning. But this particular fog just seems to defy common sense. Nothing natural about it. You can never be too careful these days. Anything out of the ordinary is cause for alarm. You be careful on your patrol, now, you hear?



Stella: What brings you here at this late hour?
We're just patrolling the town a little.
The guild's issued a patrol as a precautionary measure.
Stella: I've heard about all the coma victims. Poor Luke, and the others too. I shudder to think that they might not wake up again. You need to be careful too, Estelle. Is that clear? Understand? You mustn't push yourself too hard, or you'll simply break!
Awww...You always treat me like a kid, Stella.
She's a very sweet woman.
Mmm, yes, but she's got the right of it. We'd best be careful ourselves.
Oh, for sure!



Freddy: Out patrolling or something?
Yeah...more or less.
We're investigating the fog, and giving the town a once-over while we're at it. Has anything happened over here?
Freddy: Mmm, not that I can think of...Hey, old man. Nothing's happened, right?
Melders: Nope. Been pretty quiet.
Okay.
Well, quiet's better than loud!
We won't keep you gentlemen any longer.
Come on, we should get back to our patrol.
Freddy: Good luck! If anything does happen, we'll contact the guild immediately.



Crew Mem. Quint: Heh heh, sometimes a relaxing shopping trip is just the ticket.
Sorry, can we have a moment? Are you Quint from the Liberl Orbalship Company?
Crew Mem. Quint: Huh? Yeah, that's me. Can I help you with something?
Yeah, if you've got a sec. There's something we wanted to ask.


Crew Mem. Quint: Searching for a lost cat, huh? Must be extra hard on a night like this with all the fog. Sorry to say, I can't help. Haven't seen anything like that cat around here.
Really?!
You haven't seen her?
Crew Mem. Quint: Yeah, I swear on Aidios Herself that I ain't seen a cat. I just heard about it secondhand.
Oh? Who'd you hear it from?
Crew Mem. Quint: Zosimov, from the same crew. I think he said something about seeing a cat when he was working in the airfield. If you want, I'm sure he'd be happy to provide more details. He should still be on the clock.
At the landing port, right?
*sigh* Aaaand now we have to turn right back around.
It's not that far. Walk first, complain later.
We need to find Zosimov.
Yes, let's go.



Armand: And yet I care not for the glittering sky. For you, my love, are the only star I need to guide me through the darkest nights.
(They're still at it...)
Armand: Hmm...?
Ellie: You're back!
Armand: D-Did you find our ring?!
We've found a ring that matches your description, at least. We'll need to have you identify it for us.
Yep. We just need you to confirm if it's yours or not. Armand, could you take a look at this ring?
Armand: Sure, I don't mi...Aaaaaaaaaah! Th-Th-That's the ring! That's it! That's our engagement ring!
Seriously?!
A-Are you sure?
Armand: You sure? Yes, I'm ABSOLUTELY sure!
Ellie: I cannot thank you enough for your kindness!
Good to hear! Makes this all worthwhile.
Mission complete! Didn't expect we'd find it in such a bizarre spot.
*phew* Man...Yeah, never thought we'd find your ring on the roof of the tower.
Here, let me give it back to you before it ends up lost again.


Armand: Th-Thank you...I...I don't even know how to express how I feel right now.
Ellie: Teehee! We never lost our faith in you. Thank you so, so much. ♥
Not at all. I'm glad we could help.
Your wedding isn't too far off from now, is it?
Best wishes! ♥
Ellie: Th-Thank you...Goodness, it's a little embarrassing to hear it said out loud...
Armand: Don't be embarrassed, my love. For no other love has received a stronger blessing. We still have a lifetime of well wishes ahead of us.
Ellie: Armand...
Armand: Ellie...
(Off in their own little world, I see...)
(Truly, love is blind.)
(Anyway, it'd be rude to interrupt them, so...let's excuse ourselves.)
(Yes! Good idea! Let's go, go, go!)
Well, pardon us, lovebirds.
Ellie: Oh, Armand...
Armand: Ah, Ellie...



Seriously? *sigh*
Zosimov: Ooooh! Who have we here?
You're Zosimov, right? We've been looking for you. What on earth are you doing over here?
Zosimov: Isn't it obvious? I'm spending a relaxing evening in the woods! Sort of. You see, when you're on a ship all the time, you begin to long for greenery. So sometimes I just like to kick back and relax among the trees like this!
Yeah. Of all the forests in Rolent, this is clearly the best place to get some 'greenery.' Sure. Why not.
Well, for better or worse, we've found Zosimov.
Let's hurry and finish our business.
Yeah, gladly.
So, uh, we did want to ask you a few things.
Zosimov: Ohoooo! Ask away.


Zosimov: Ah, looking for a cat!
We heard from Quint that you saw one.
Zosimov: I certainly did! It was just a bit past noon today. I was offloading some luggage from the ship's hold. Quite an annoying critter, making a fuss and meowing constantly.
The ship's hold, okay.
Wait, so the cat was INSIDE the ship?
Zosimov: Well, 'ship's hold' can't mean too much else, can it? I suppose the ship could try to 'hold' the cat another way, but I doubt that'd end well for the cat OR the ship.
Yes, inside the ship...
Haha, no wonder we couldn't find her.
Haha, quite.
And that makes the rest simple. We just need to search the ship.
Shouldn't take long, yeah. Well, thanks for everything, Zosimov!
Zosimov: Glad to be of...help. But...Er...Hmm. What to do?
Are we missing something?
That's what it sounds like. What's wrong?
Zosimov: It's just...Let me ask again, to be sure. You're looking for a 'wheat-colored' cat, yes?
Yeah, we...
Oh, no WAY!
Zosimov: Ah, you've guessed? Yes, you are looking for a wheat-colored cat. But...The cat I saw was black as pitch!
Well, that could have come up sooner.
Zosimov: I'm sorry...The relevance of that detail didn't strike me until just now. I am certain there's a cat on board, however! Why not take a look anyway? Perhaps your cat has taken a tar bath, or gotten covered in soot somewhere along the way.
That's a good point...There is an off chance it's still Aryll.
Yes, that's true. We have no other clues, so we might as well follow this one.
That black cat may also be a friend to Aryll. We should investigate.
Yes, let's take a look.
Zosimov: Hey, keep going. No reason to stop now! Best of luck to you!
Maybe cut back on the 'greenery' before your next screening, buddy.



We actually wanted to ask you about that.
Fabree: Oh? And what would that be?
We'd like to search inside the Cecilia.
Fabree: Wait. So...You want to go inside the Cecilia? In the cabin?
Uh. Yeah?


Fabree: I see...I do understand, but...I'm afraid I can't give permission to board on my own, however. I'm really sorry, but...you'll have to leave now.
Erm. What? I kinda didn't expect to get told off...
Fabree: Told off nothing! I can't allow what I can't allow. Company policy. No exceptions. Begging won't get you anywhere. Just head on home.
For the love of...Guess we have no choice.
Agreed. First we'll have Kloe encase this nerd in a block of ice. Then Zane can carry him down to the river and huck him in. He'll float all the way to Valleria Lake before he thaws enough to escape.
We're not quite done yet.



Nooooow. Why are you being so hard-headed, hmmm?
Fabree: Wh-Wh...Wh-What the...?!
Now. Why don't you think about it loooong and haaaard? If a cat really is on board, that's trouble for you, too, isn't it? What happens if it ruins the seats? Wouldn't that be a tragedy?
Fabree: W-Well, that is...y-yeah, sure. But, I, I mean...I can't let you in without permission...
Dooon't worry about that. We won't cause any problems. Just let us in for a little bit.
So...what do you say? You'll do it...for me...won't you?
Fabree: ☆△=`○☆シ~~!!
(Sch-Sch-Scheraaaaaa! Using your, your ASSETS as a weapon like that is so...something!)
. . .
(Haha! Well, one's attractiveness can be used in a 'martial art' of sorts, I suppose.)
So? Do we have an understanding?
Fabree: Uh, I, I...I guess! But, I...Oh, man, this could get me...Look, just for a minute, okay? A-And never tell anyone about ANY of this!
Hmmhmm! Of course.



Fabree: Get in, quick!



Yeah, all the orbal lights are out.
It still feels like there are passengers around in a weird way, huh?
Yes, it's a little creepy, to be honest. Feels like something's waiting to leap out at us from the dark.
Ugh...
Oh, still bad with ghost stories?
That's enough ghost talk, thanks!
C'mon, let's find this freakin' cat and get out of here!
Right, let's go.



Hey!
Was that...?



There you are, Aryll. Oh, you silly kitty. You always do stuff like this.
Wheat-colored fur, just like we'd heard. This must be our cat.
Thank goodness. She looks okay.
You little troublemaker. We ended up walking all over the place thanks to you! What were you doing hiding in here, anyway?
Aryll: Myaon?
Kittens: Mya~u!
Hm...?



Kittens?!
Well, aren't they adorable! ♥ They look like newborns, too.
S-So she gave birth to them here?
Yeah, that must be why she snuck off. Must've taken a lot of work to find a safe enough place to give birth. This is one tough cat momma!
Yeah, but did she have to get on the ship?
Well, whatever. Let's go report.
Yes, let's. I'm sure Ida will be quite happy!



Ida: Aryll's up and become a mother, heehee.
We were just as surprised as you. Didn't see that coming, not one bit.
Both mother and children appear to be healthy. Raise them with care.
Ida: Why, but of course! They're as precious to me as grandchildren. Now comes the REAL challenge. I need to come up with the perfect name for each and every one of them.
I'm sure their names will be adorable.
Ida: No problems there! Leave it to me. Oh, and one last thing before you go! Heehee. It simply wouldn't do to have you on your way just yet.
Um, did you need something else?
Ida: Mmmhmm! This is the second time you've helped me. Here! It's only right for you to take this. ♥

Prevents Sleep and Confuse. This will come in very handy.

Ida: It's something I've used often when praying. It's very calming. ♥
Oh, neat.
Thanks. We appreciate it.
Ida: Well, then, please take care on your way home.
Aryll: Nya~on.
Kitten: Mya~u.



Now we need to get back to our real job.
Yes, we must investigate these coma cases. Let's resume our investigation at once.
Let's do it!