Invitation
Elbie: Ah, another gorgeous day in Tikea!
Dashe: And no one's giving us dirty looks either! ^-^ Maybe we should go visit Cid. I think I'd better warn him about that El Microwatts guy! He sure looked dangerous...
Elbie: Cid? Who's Cid?
Dashe: I met him two days ago! He's really nice but he can't draw for beans. He lives in the Executive District in a huge house, but there wasn't any treasure inside, so I guess maybe the house isn't that important...
Elbie: Dashe...you didn't!!!
Dashe: Didn't what?
Elbie: YOU IDIOT! THAT WAS THE SUPREME MAGISTER OF TIKEA!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAD ALL THE NERVE TO BARGE INTO HIS MANSION LIKE THAT!!! I'M SURPRISED HE HASN'T EXECUTED YOU YET...
Dashe: Oh yeah! He did call himself something like "Supreme Magister." Don't worry! He said something about how that whole thing where he executes people for fun's just a rumor. He's really a nice guy once you get to know him.
Elbie: I may be a blonde, but I'm not THAT stupid! I know an evil tyrant when I see one!
Dashe: Well, if he's got as much power as you say he does, he can probably get rid of El Microwatts! Come on! Let's go!
Elbie: Why me???
You go to Supreme Magister Cid's place and enter using the front door this time. Surprisingly, the guards let you through. You go up to where a secretary is sitting at the front desk.
Dashe: Hey lady! Where's Cid?
Secretary: O_o I am terribly sorry, but the Supreme Magister is currently occupied at the time. Shall I schedule an appointment?
Dashe: Listen up! This is a matter of life and death! We HAVE to see Cid NOW!!!
Secretary: I'll...er...tell him you stopped in. What are your names?
Dashe: Dashe.
Elbie: Elbie.
Secretary: Very well. Please exit through the door to your right, and have a nice day.
Dashe: ...
You leave and your travels take you to the Business District...again. Carts and stands line the streets. The corner where the creepy guy was standing yesterday is vacant, despite that feeling you'd had before that he'd be there today. Unfortunately, before you realize it, a cutscene starts up. El Microondas turns onto the street just like before. Dashe and Elbie stand in the middle of the road like idiots who are too scared to even breathe until Dashe yanks Elbie by the arm to one of the carts and they hide behind it. El Microondas takes no notice and continues to a comic book stand run by a little boy who looks to be about seven or eight years old.
Boy: Welcome. Is there anything you're looking for?
El Microondas: *Scowls* What, may I inquire, are you doing here, young man?
Boy: I'm selling comic books. Are you interested in purchasing any?
El Microondas: *Picks up a comic* Do you know what this is?
Boy: It's the first volume of Sushi Man, the limited promotional edition with holographic cover, net value 7500 Gil.
El Microondas: No. That is where you are wrong. *Tears the comic apart at the seams* This is GARBAGE! And you must be very well aware that in this kingdom as well as any there are laws against littering. Insubordination to these laws is punishable by heavy fines, imprisonment, and in some cases even death.
Boy: But YOU were the one who tore it up and threw it on the ground like that, so YOU were the one who's littering!
El Microondas: Silly little boy, you have missed my point entirely. Comic books and other such forms of what you call "art" and "entertainment" should be banned from the face of the earth! If by tomorrow at this hour this...this...FACILITY...is not properly disposed of, I shall exercise my authority to deal with it myself!
Boy: *Holding back tears* Yes sir...
El Microondas continues down the street. Back behind the cart, Dashe and Elbie are watching, horrified, as the boy begins to pack up his shop.
Dashe: O_O That isn't very nice...
Elbie: That creepy guy was right!!! El Microwatts is a jerk! What's he got against comic books anyway?
Dashe: I haven't been in Tikea very long, but I have a feeling the Supreme whatever-it-was isn't going to like this at all...
Just then, an orange cat blazes past them into the street. A girl with wavy blond hair wearing a purple jacket and bunny ears chases after it with an insane look in her eyes.
Girl: Heeeeere kitty!!! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere kitty!!!
Dashe: Gee, after the way El Microwatts dealt with that little kid, I'd hate to see the way he'd react to a girl in bunny ears chasing a cat around town...I'd better put an end to this before it gets too complicated around here. *Uses her high Agility stats to catch the cat*
Girl: Oh!!! You caught the kitty! *Grabs the cat and begins to squeeze the life out of it*
Dashe: o_o (I can see why the cat tried to get away...) What's your cat's name?
Girl: Oh, he isn't mine. I've been calling him Mr. Fluffums. I just arrived here in Tikea a few days ago. I heard that there were lots of cuuuuuute widdle fluffy-wuffy animals here and I just HAD to see for myself!
Elbie: Oh, you like animals? Cool!
Girl: I LOVE all kinds of animals! Well, except spiders, but I DO like everything else!
The cat wiggles free and darts down an alley.
Girl: Aww man! It got away! Anyway, I told you what I'm doing here. Why did you travel to Tikea? You look like outsiders.
Elbie: Actually I was born here.
Dashe: I'm Dashe, Master Thief of Yenro! Right now I'm on vacation...but now there's this guy named El Microwatts who claims to only be an ambassador from some other country, yet he just shut down some innocent little kid's comic book stand only a few minutes ago like he owns the kingdom or something! I was informed yesterday that he had diabolical intentions. Someone's gotta stop him!
Girl: You mean you're on an ADVENTURE???? Mind if I tag along???
Dashe: You expect me to let a total stranger help us save Tikea?
Girl: Oh I'm so sorry! I haven't properly introduced myself yet! I'm...
Name selection screen, default name, yadda yadda yadda...you select the default name, Travis, for the animal girl, and she joins your party.
Travis: I may not look like it, but I'm a really good fighter! I can summon all the cuddly widdle animals I want to help me out in battle!
Dashe: So you're an Animist?
Travis: I guess, if that's what it's called...
Elbie: Isn't Travis a BOY'S name?
Travis: SHUT UP!!! *Hits Elbie with a pointy stick*
Dashe: We have to go back to the Inn now since it's getting dark. Come on you guys!
You go to the Inn and walk up to the desk.
Innkeeper: More friends of yours? Just great...*Gives Dashe a letter* THIS came in the mail this morning...it's a letter from the Supreme Magister's mansion. I take it he has received word of your "encounter" with ambassador El Microondas. It's probably an execution summons.
Elbie: Noooo!!! Dashe, why do you keep getting in trouble??? I don't wanna die! *Goes into a dramatic rant*
Dashe: *Opens the letter and reads aloud* "To the Master Thief of Yenro Village and Elbie: This afternoon I heard from my secretary that you came to my mansion again. Dashe, I congratulate you on learning how to properly operate the front door. This must be quite an accomplishment for a Thief like yourself! I'm really sorry I was busy today, especially since your last visit was so...well, entertaining, to say the least. I really enjoyed your company a lot. Therefore, I hereby invite the both of you to attend a casual lunch with me in eight days' time at the cafe in the Executive District. I will send a servant tomorrow to receive your RSVP, and I hope that you are able to attend. Sincerely, Cid, Supreme Magister of Tikea."
Innkeeper: O_O WHAAAAAAAAAAAT????
Dashe: ^-^ Kicked out, who, us?
Elbie: Let me see that! *Grabs the letter and reads it*
Travis: Hey! You guys never told me you were friends with the Supreme Magister!
Dashe: You never asked!
Innkeeper: O_o I am so sorry! I didn't mean to treat acquaintances of the Supreme Magister with such impudence! I hereby reduce your lodging fee to half the normal value! Please accept my apology...and whatever you do, don't tell Supreme Magister Cid I charged you double yesterday, okay?
Dashe: ^o^ Wahoo! Half price!!! Here's your 75 Gil!
Travis: I'm Travis, Mr. Innkeeper! Nice to meet you! I like animals...well, except for spiders, cause they're icky, and...
Innkeeper: Good night!
You go upstairs and fall asleep...it sure was a long day, wasn't it?
