"So you guys were right when you said that fighting that Dusknoir was what got rid of the Hate Plague around here...but if one of us got infected, was it from...was it from that castle?"
[I turn to Koss.] "So, these..."vectors"...have you found any more of them 'round here? Any other places we know of where the Hate Plague sprung up?"
edited 23rd Jul '17 4:39:39 PM by BlackMageAnolis
"We are not leaving hi— err, anyone behind!"
Mila seems especially angry at that thought, but Koss quickly takes over before she can go much further.
Look, I know y'all want ta find the silver bullet fer this thing, I do too, but ya gotta look at the facts. Ya cleared up Dras-Il sev'ral days ago, but...
Koss pauses for a moment before proceeding, his voice significantly more grave.
Things ain't gettin' any better aroun' Orichalcum. If I had ta guess, I'd say it's like a tree. Y'all can cut off as many branches as ya like, an' the leaves 'll fall with 'em, but unless ya go fer the bigger branches an' the root, yer never gonna get anywhere. I don't even know fer sure if Silversands is safe fer good now, but there's only one way ta check it and I ain' gonna put them under that stress again.
I need to update these things more often(Some ways up the shore from Silversand, a group of a dozen Clamperl emerge from the water. All of them are carrying bits of green castle pieces from the Castle of Coral. Behind them come a Gorebyss and a Huntail.)
Well...at least we left with some spoils. No thanks to you, Gomer. (the Gorebyss grumbles, glaring at the Huntail.)
Phoebe, I was hungry. (the Huntail moans.)
And because you couldn't resist getting something to eat, we lost more than half of our biggest heist yet! (the Gorebyss yells.) That dingy we stole was in pieces when Shel and Silver went to find it, and now all that loot is gone and it's all your fault!!
I promise it won't happen again! Honest! (the Huntail says, laughing nervously.)
It better not, or so help me I'll stick my beak in your stupid face and consume your insides, got it?
Got it!
Good... (the Gorebyss says.) Now we can't return to the castle because they'll probably be expecting us. We need to find somewhere else we can find loot to sell off, even if we have to look on land. Clamperl clan!
(Several Clamperl pick the Gorebyss and Huntail up and begin marching down the beach.)
No use trying to find anything in that stink-town back there, (the Gorebyss says, looking back towards Silversand with contempt.) There are far more wealthier places around here.
"Hey, least I didn't lose all my artistic talent when I crash landed in the arena here."[I still feel like I'm missing a lot. I know for sure he isn't talking about those damn placebos...is he talking about a way to look for the vectors or a way to suss out the plague, and who's "them"?]
"What you just said, what were you talking about?" [I approach Koss, crossing my arms and peering him down: I'm not coming out of this empty-handed, there's got to be something I can get out of this.]
Koss sighs, and looks around for something to draw a visual on, before giving up and turning back to Eliot to explain.
Well, like I said, I don't know if I understan' it yet either, but from what I've seen the Viral Aggression seems ta know its parent, if ya get my drift. So if ya take out, fer example, a Dusknoir that happened to have brought the infection ta the rest a the town, everyone that he infected and all their patients seem ta snap outta it. Now, if someone could find the "patient zero," assumin' such a 'mon exists, then we'd be clear a' this whole mess. That's the hope, anyways.
I need to update these things more often"Maybe like... it's not a disease?"
Finley suddenly gets a weird idea.
"What if, I know this is weird but, what if it's a curse?"
Long live the New Bev.Well, that'd make some amount a' sense, lady. After all, what type a' virus clears out as soon as the source is fixed? Fake names aside, something 'bout it gives me the chills. Like there's somethin' I can't quite put my finger on, but that's lurkin' in the shadows.
Koss goes quiet for a moment, before sighing.
But that's jus' the talk of a fool who's got no idea what ta do. Don't take it ta heart, okay? We need fresh minds ta figure out how ta solve this. Now, if I could just get a look at yer friend...
edited 23rd Jul '17 4:26:39 PM by Cabe_Bedlam
I need to update these things more often[Finley's suggestion catches me off guard. A curse? I know this place has ghosts and all...well, Ghost-types, but that's just absurd to jump to such supernatural conclusions...]
[...then again, how would a disease just...disappear once patient zero was dropped?]
"...you have a map of the island I could borrow? We are on an island, aren't we?" [I'm still kinda miffed that he didn't answer my question...I was hoping for new names, not an old one!]
(Not knowing what's going on, I continue back to the docks.)
Heya, Goobert. How are things with your friends? (Benji asks as I walk up.)
They're fine, I guess. They're talking about the incident here the other day. I think they also might be talking about leaving here.
I see. (says Benji.) Will you be going with them?
(I don't answer for a moment.)
Well...I don't know. This past week has been just insane, and I'm still reeling from it. I just need some time to settle down and not have a dangerous adventure. Heck, I kind of want to live-, I mean stay here for a while to get my bearings. But they were just talking about how they don't want to leave anybody behind or anything and stick together, now I feel like I'm abandoning them by wanting to stay here...It really doesn't help that one of them is quite obviously in love with me.
It's the Gardevoir, right? (Benji asks, assuming Cyk's form.)
Bingo.
Well, I can only turn into them, kid. You need to talk to the real deal about this, not me.
(I sigh.) You're right. I need to be telling them this. They'll understand, won't they?
(I begin heading back toward the group, with Benji following me.)
edited 23rd Jul '17 4:35:22 PM by kablammin45
"Hey, least I didn't lose all my artistic talent when I crash landed in the arena here."Koss laughs, and looks down at Eliot.
Don't ya have it on ya? Jess told me you were the one ta run off with it the first time! In any case, yer right on that count. If yer wonderin' about the other towns, then Hoard does come ta mind. It's hard ta get info in or outta that place, but nearest I can tell there may be another infection startin' up there. Then there's the small villages like Milklett... poor guys.
And I'm off for a bit.
edited 23rd Jul '17 4:37:37 PM by Cabe_Bedlam
I need to update these things more often*I rejoin the group quietly and hover around Finley.*
"Eyyo. Y'know, this place is actually really nice. I uh... Kinda forget why we're here, actually? I might've been lost in thought when that topic was brought up and I never asked anything because... Oh, hey Koss. What're you doing here?"
edited 23rd Jul '17 4:48:16 PM by CaliburnAbsoluteEX
Are you ready? Go live!Finley jumps back in sudden shock.
"HOLY HELL! PJ, you're back?!"
It strikes her now she had no idea it was PJ who was the infected...
"Are you okay?"
Long live the New Bev.[You're kidding. I got a map, but not a map of the— ...oh, you fucker, now you've got me worried...]
[I reach into my bag, pull out the map and unfurl it. Yea, it's still a map of Silversand...in the bottom-left, there is a very small map of this part of the island, complete with routes to nearby towns like Orichalcum and Milkett; I remember noticing that earlier, but it's not nearly enough to go off of. On the back, however, where it would be hidden if it were folded is a much larger, more detailed map of the entire island, complete with a legend for terrain and biomes, major roads and landmarks, and a piece of an island just above the one we're currently on, separated only by a small isthmus with a city lying inside what amounts to a lake between the two islands.]

"Yeah, until she leaves again."
Long live the New Bev.