LUNAR STROLLING SCHOOL CHAPTER 4: BLITZ TACTICS Narration: The two girls have chosen a teacher, thinking that his class would be a snap. But life is never easy... [Upstairs in Dadis's home/schoolhouse/mini-dorm; Elie and Rena are fast asleep in bed. A green-haired girl of the beastman race comes upstairs to their bedsides.] Girl [to Elie]: Hey! Wake up, quick! Elie: ...It's morning already? Girl: Yes! Now, get up! Teacher's waiting! [Elie gets out of bed.] Elie: Yawnnn... Rena, you get up too. Rena: Oh...yeah, sure, Elie...good...g'night...zzz... Girl: I'll be going downstairs now! Please excuse me! Elie: Thanks for waking us up! [The girl leaves, and Rena gets up.] Rena: Yaaawwwwnnnn...mornin' - did I oversleep? Well, let's get going! [Rena and Elie go downstairs, where the beastman girl from upstairs, Dadis, and - oh, brother - Ant, Rick, and Kule have assembled.] Dadis: Hey, who're you? Rena: Um...Rena and Elie... [Dadis paces...] Dadis: Ohhh, yeah, that's right. Rena: Teacher... (sweatdrop) Dadis: Is everyone accounted for? Now, you have a test today - you have to go get me something. Ant: What do we have to get? Dadis: Ingredients I need for a new make-up I'm creating! Rena: So we have to get you some ingredients, huh? Where can we find them? [Dadis paces again...] Dadis: Hmmm...good question, where CAN you find them? Oh, yeah - the cave! Rena: The CAVE--? Dadis: I forgot - there's an underground cave near here that I use for storage. Rena: B-but why a CAVE? Dadis: When I stumbled across it a while back, it seemed just perfect for the job! Rena: Soooo...where is this cave? [Dadis paces yet again...] Dadis: Ummm...where...? Rena: You haven't, by any chance, FORGOTTEN, have you? Dadis: I'm thinking, I'm thinking... ...... Well, it WAS a long time ago when I found it! Ant: Hey, if teacher went in there, it can't be that dangerous, right? I'll take care of this, no sweat! Dadis: I'm too busy right now to go in - can't interrupt my work. So, this's your test - that all right? Ant: No prob! Dadis: If you bring everything back to me, I'll teach you how to make rouge. Rena: Reeaallly? All right! Let's go get the stuff, Elie! Dadis: Now, before you go rushing off like chickens with your heads cut off, I've got something to tell you - for this test, you need to split into groups of three. [Rena and Elie try to do so...] Dadis: Hurry! Get into groups of three! NPC: Now, how to get the color of this make-up just right...hmm, hmm, hmm... NPC: Mixing up this particular color isn't going to be easy! Kule: I'm going with Ant; I'm not worried at all, no sir! Rick: Split up into groups of three? Well, we're all set, aren't we, Ant? Ant: Phepp - who're YOU gonna team up with? [Rena and Elie finally talk to the girl they met upstairs.] Rena: Hey, do you want to team up with us? Girl: With you two? Um...OK! I'll be glad to! Rena: I'm Rena, and this's Elie. Pleased to meet you! Girl: I'm Senia! Same here! [The groups assemble.] Dadis: OK, the things you have to bring back are: um......WHAT were they...? Rena: Ingredients for a new make-up! Dadis: Ohhh...yeah. The Baras Stone, Pale Water, and a Cosk Flower. That's what you have to bring back. Senia: We can do that! Dadis: The entrance's in the warehouse in back. [Ant and company start to shove past the others to leave.] Ant: Don't waste your time going! I'll bring everything back! Kule: Leave it to Ant! [The boys leave. Senia goes to Elie.] Senia: What's with them? Rena: Eh, he's just a blowhard. C'mon, it's just a little way away; let's put our worries aside and just go! ~Chit-chat~ -Dadis's house- Dadis: Huh? Who're.........oh, that's right. Well, go look for the stuff! Woman/Assistant: Now, how to get the color of this make-up just right...hmm, hmm, hmm... NPC: Now, how to get the color of this make-up just right...hmm, hmm, hmm... NPC: Mixing up this particular color isn't going to be easy! -Iason's dojo- NPC: Master Iason is a very demanding teacher! NPC: I wanted to toughen up, so I signed up to study under Master Iason. NPC: I'm doing my initial training exercises. One - two - three... [The girls talk to Iason.] Iason: To become a strong man, you need magic training! I'll teach you a new spell. Narration: Elie learned "Flame"! Iason: My students this year possess unusually strong resolve. ~Chit-chat~ Iason [subsequent occasions]: To become a strong man, you need magic training! Return when you've gained more strength. My students this year possess unusually strong resolve. -Tereina's school- NPC: The tempo picks up from here on in! NPC: I heard your singing's pretty awful - is that right, Rena? NPC: Miss Tereina's lectures sound just like songs themselves. NPC: I don't think I want to attempt songwriting and composition just yet. NPC: I have a long way to go yet! [The girls talk to Tereina.] Tereina: In both magic and song, your skills have increased. All right! Let me teach you some useful magics! Maybe these'll help you to have a better ear for music, hm? Rena [miffed]: ...... Narration: Rena learned "Temptation"! Rena learned "Paralysis"! Senia learned "Weaken"! Tereina: Come back later, and I'll show you some more useful spells, all right? ~Chit-chat~ Tereina: Rena, I hear you've enrolled with Dadis? That's good! -Dorm, 1st floor- NPC: I wonder how old Dadis is? Dorm Ward: I give up. You kids make no sense at all! Cook: I'm up to my ears in work trying to fix today's meals - just like always! -Dorm, 2nd floor- Frizzy-Haired NPC: You're new students, aren't you? Would you please keep out of my room? NPC: Uhhh...I wanna sleep a little more! NPC: Things get tougher once you choose a teacher! NPC: Oh! I have to get to my teacher's! NPC: Keep up a cheerful outlook on life, no matter where you are or what you're doing. NPC: WAAH! I'm late! -Dorm, 3rd floor- NPC: With Dadis, you guys get to study in bed, right? Oh, man! Why didn't I choose him?! NPC: Ant...overestimates his capabilities a little. Dorm Ward: I give up. You kids make no sense at all! NPC: Hey, which teacher'd you choose? -Offices, 1st floor- NPC: So, you're the new students I've been hearing about, huh? You're cuter than I thought! NPC: Oh, you're the new students who're just starting out here! NPC: I live in fear of mornings. NPC: I wonder if that Ant'll ever amount to anything? He's such a loudmouth and an underachiever... Emma: Recovery magic, hm? It's important to maintain one's spiritual balance! Well, then, I'll teach you a spell! Narration: Rena learned "Calm"! Emma: So, you've decided to go with Dadis? He'll get tougher from here on in! ~Chit-chat~ Emma [subsequent occasions]: Recovery magic, hm? It's important to maintain one's spiritual balance! When you get a little stronger, come on back! I'll teach you some magic! So, you've decided to go with Dadis? He'll get tougher from here on in! -Offices, 3rd floor- NPC: There sure are a lot of airheads in this year's crop of new students. NPC: Hear there were some new students who completely wrecked this year's entrance exam! Eleonora: Rena, I hear you and your friend selected a teacher! Dadis is a fine fellow. Brown: So, Elie, how's campus life treating you? Steel: Prospective magicians must pass many milestones in their training. When you've gained enough power, return, and I'll teach you some extraordinary magic. So, do you find Dadis to be a good teacher? -Aruba's shop- Shopkeep: [entering] Hey, welcome! We've got some good items here today! [exiting] We're always coming up with new items here at Aruba's Tool Shop, so stop back soon! If you ever need a tool or item, don't hesitate to drop by! NPC: So, if I make just a little adjustment...like this...ah! A much better product! NPC: We're starting in on a new subject! NPC: I'm stumped for ideas. Aruba: The ins and outs of magic items aren't as simple as you might think! -Brune's greenhouse- Shopkeep: [entering] Welcome. [exiting] Master Brune's herbs are always fresh-picked! NPC: I just take care of the herbs right now, but I'll be studying plenty soon! Brune: Let me tell you something you can use to your advantage. If you combine Aruba's magic waters with herbs, you can create many different kinds of items! Take the Calm Herbs. If you combine them with the Mysterious Water, you'll get Rest Medicine, which can heal everyone's wounds and replenish their strength, so they're quite useful! Be sure to take some herbs with you whenever you go out exploring! -Ralph's library- NPC: I'm busy looking for a book Ralph wants. Ralph: OK...next, go get me...hmmm...I wonder if this's too much for her? -Robe shop- Shopkeep: [entering] Welcome! Our robes are famous for their quality and durability! [exiting] We'll be getting some new robes in soon! NPC: Keep up your studies! -At the town square/flower circle- NPC: So you're the new students everyone's talking about! NPC: They laid down a new flower bed! It'll be full of blossoms soon! NPC: The girls around town are great, aren't they? We're always all together... NPC: Hey, let's play! NPC: Nice weather today. -Various houses- Gray-haired NPC: You've enrolled in Dadis's class, huh? I was a pupil of his once. Faux-Shopkeep NPC: H'llo! You're bright and chipper today! NPC: You girls know nothing about housekeeping! You'll never grow up to be proper young ladies. Faux-Shopkeep NPC: You've chosen that make-up teacher, Dadis, huh? Well...do your best! NPC: Oh, my! Are you the new students? Hard at work already, I see! Faux-Shopkeep NPC: Hey, hey, c'mon in! [Finally, the girls enter the cave in back of Dadis's house.] Senia: He-hey...it's...awfully chilly in here! Rena: Yeah, no kidding. What's the deal? Let's just get the stuff and get out of here! Senia: Right! [The girls progress through the cave. They pass a couple treasure chests, but they're all empty...] Rena: Grrr! Ant beat us to it! [Eventually, the trio arrives at an odd-looking door with a face carved into it (looks like one of the ubiquitous Dragon Quest slimes, actually)...] Senia: My! What a huge door! Can we even open it? Rena: All right! Everyone push together! [Everyone pushes together, but the door stays shut.] Rena: Oof...ugh...it won't budge, will it. Senia...nothing's happening! Senia: I told you so! ...Wait! Is that a note over there? Rena: Wha--hey, there IS a note! Let's just take a look...... Voice: To pass beyond this door, answer the following question: Senia: Isn't that our teacher's voice? Rena: He's the one behind it, anyhow. [No, I have no idea why Dadis left a note but is issuing the question through voice transmission.] Voice: What's my name? 1) Dadis 2) Sadis 3) Idis [If the girls choose the wrong answer, the voice says that "You failed!", and the girls are attacked by monsters. Choose the right answer...] Note: That's correct. You may pass. [Rena and Senia are delighted; Elie is just confused by the whole matter.] Rena: That's Master Dadis, all right! Well, then, let's go a little further and see if he can manage to give us a slightly tougher question, shall we? Senia: What do you mean by that? Rena: Our teacher's memory is...shall we say...nonexistant. Senia: You should talk! [On the next level, the girls find an injured Ant, with Kule and Rick on the lookout nearby.] Senia: Ha! For all your big words, you didn't get very far in here! Rena: Oh, he always ends up like this. Well, I've got no choice... [Rena heals Ant.] Ant: I don't need your damn help! Rick: A-Ant, wait up! [The boys all scurry away.] Senia: They dropped something... Rena: That they did! This must be one of the ingredients! Senia: Idiots! They must've dropped it in their hurry to run away! Rena: Well, I healed him, he gave me the stone. That's a fair trade. Narration: Got the Baras Stone! [The gals descend even deeper into the cave - and have a chance to grab a Cosk Flower in a treasure chest along the way. Eventually, they're confronted by another door.] Senia: Well, another door - guess that means we'll be getting another weird question, right? Rena: Just what I was thinking! Note/Voice: You've done well to come this far. But to go any further, you must answer another question... What's my favorite thing? 1) studying 2) meditiation 3) make-up [Choose the correct answer, and...] Voice: What else? But the test isn't over. Proceed. Rena: THAT answer was obvious. Senia: But it's a relief that they're so easy, though, isn't it? Let's go on ahead! [The girls descend to the next level of the cave - and are greeted by... another earthquake?] Rena: AAAAH! W-wasn't that an earthquake just now? Elie: I felt SOMETHING. Rena: Say, is it my imagination, or does this dungeon seem to tremble every time Senia uses her magic? Senia: I don't think I'M the one responsible here! [The girls descend further, and finally reach another door. If they haven't gotten the Cosk Flower from the chest back on the upper levels, the following exchange will ensue:] Note/Voice: Without a Cosk Flower, you cannot seek the Pale Water. Senia: Huh? What's this? Elie: Teacher's probably using this door as a checkpoint - we haven't found one of the ingredients, so it won't let us through. Rena: So we don't have - oh, dammit! Let's go back and find the Cosk Flower... [But if they do have the Cosk Flower -] Rena: Yet ANOTHER door. Senia: Perhaps the third ingredient is behind it? Rena: Maybe so. Let's see. [The door - just opens, without a question or anything. Beyond, Elie, Rena, and Senia find a treasure chest in the middle of three teleportation circles; inside is the Pale Water.] Rena: That's all three! Elie: Let's go back to Master Dadis's. [Suddenly, the teleport circles flash, and three monsters appear.] Senia: What? Where'd these monsters come from?! Rena: Maybe they appeared because we opened the chest! What'll we do? Senia: "What'll we do?"!? DEFEAT THEM! What do you THINK we do?! [The girls fight and defeat the monsters...but another wave teleports in.] Rena: More of them? I wonder if we're doing something wrong? Senia: Are you saying that I'M doing this?! Rena: Well, SOMETHING is trying to make this dungeon collapse! Senia: Anyhow, let's concentrate on fighting the monsters - NOT each other, OK? [The girls defeat these monsters...but yet a third group appears.] Rena: One after another - there's no end to them! I can't TAKE this anymore! Senia: Oh, brother...... ENOUGH! You're screaming so much, it's a wonder you haven't lost your voice--!! [Senia, in a fit of frustration, casts her "Thunder" spell on the monsters. When the spell hits, there's a giant burst of white light - the monsters are gone when it clears, but the cave is also rumbling again.] Rena: A-HA! Y'see? Y'see? I TOLD you! Senia! What have you done NOW? Senia: Um...I don't know! I don't understand what could have caused that sudden explosion either... Rena: Hold on! "You don't understand"? No one did anything but you! JUST YOU! Senia: Wha-what? But--I defeated the monsters... Rena: And you're gonna bring us all down WITH 'em! Senia: Well...this isn't all THAT much to worry about, is it? When we get out of here, we can just avoid mentioning all this, and say that everything went all right... Rena: I won't say that. [Suddenly, a huge tremor rocks the cave.] Rena: What!? The cave's shaking again! Elie: It looks like that last explosion is gonna topple this place. Rena: Just as I thought - the "quakes" are all Senia's fault! W, whatta we do! Senia: WHAT?! Nonsense! The monsters probably did whatever's causing this long before I got here! Elie: This's no time to argue! Rena: I--I guess. Let's save the talk for later! Let's get outta here! Senia: Um...yeah! [The girls get out just in time - just before the cave, the building above it - and a good portion of Dadis's house collapse.] Senia: Whew. See - no trouble at all! Rena: Yeah, right! "No trouble", nothing! Look at what you did! What do you intend to say to teacher about this! Senia: Ummm... [Suddenly, Dadis comes out of his house.] Rena: Oh! Teacher! Senia: Uhhh...ack... Dadis: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE--!! ....... Ummm--wait a minute. Who are you? Rena [sweatdropping]: Rena, Elie, and Senia! Dadis: ......Ohhhh...that's right. Rena: Yup! Dadis: What did you DO? That--that calamity spoiled all my hard work! All my make-up......it's all...all...all...WAAAHHHH!!! Rena: Te-teacher! Senia's said she'll take full responsibility! Senia: Hold on, Rena! Dadis: Ohhh...really? Well, come with me, Senia! Senia: Um, stop, wait a minute, this isn't-- [Dadis stomps off to the Iyen school offices, dragging Senia behind him.] Senia: THIS ISN'T MY FAULT------!! END CHAPTER 4 Lunar, Lunar Strolling School, et al. are the property of Game Arts and Working Designs; this document is not affiliated with either. Translation by RACapowski@sceneryrecalled.com; please do not repost this document without permission.