Waves of Time: The Millennium Maiden's Pearl Tears

*yaaaaaawn* My, that was a nice nap! I couldn't be more refreshed if I'd slept for a thousand years. Now then... Wait a moment, where am I?

Uh, we can fill you in on that if you like. But first, could you tell us who you are?

Who, me? Oh! ME! My name is, uh... Lev...Lev... Levia? Yep, it's Levia. But you can call me Levvie. And who might you be, hm? A stray pair of traveling thespians, maybe? That'd explain the weird outfits.

L-Levia? Then are you, uh, I mean... Are you related to Leviathan in some way?

Leviathan? Never heard of the fellow. I don't see why in the world you'd make that connection but if Levia is too difficult for you, you may call me Levvie for short.

Too difficult?

Here. Lev and vie. Lev-vie. *sniffle* It's not so hard, is it?

......

Okay, how about you try telling me your names?

I'm Aldo and this is Sheila.

Hey, Levvie, was it? Is there any chance you know something about the monster that was sealed in the Jewel Casket?

Monster? Seal? If this isn't some sort of method acting for your next play, I have no idea what you're talking about. Anyway, what's more important is that I'm hungry! Starving! Ravenous, in fact! It's like I haven't eaten for a thousand years or something. Can you get me a snack?

A–a snack? Uh, okay. Sheila? Can you work something out?

Most likely. We could ask the cook here in the Dragon Palace.

Come on, what are you two standing around chattering like seahorses for? Chop chop!

Okay, okay. Let's go, Levvie.

Since he's preparing a banquet at the moment, we'll most likely find the cook in the Central Keep. We should head there first.

Sure. To the Central Keep, then!

Let's not delay a moment longer. I'm gonna go ahead, just in case.

Cook, could you prepare something to eat for this girl here? She says she's famished and needs food right away.

Oh, absolutely, Lady Sheila! Anythin' ya want, ya can get, rest assured. Gimme two ticks and I'll whip you up a quick bite.

Lessee, what've we got left here? Steam-boiled taterweed and dried weedumber and...

What say you, Aldo?

How should I know? I don't know if even half of these foods exist where I'm from on the surface.

I suppose we could just try asking her but...

Fooooood!

Don't worry, you'll get your snack first. It's on its way.

Yes, it shouldn't be much longer. Right, Cook?

The instant Leviathan disappeared this girl showed up out of nowhere. That can't be a coincidence.

Right. As unbelievable as it seems looking at her, the two have to be connected somehow.

Whoo, I'm full! *sniffle* That was delicious.

I thought we'd destroyed Leviathan for good, but... I'm not so sure anymore. Something about the way Leviathan went down seems fishy now.

So, Levvie? Can you tell us where you come from? And how you got here?

I don't know, so no.

That's okay. How old are you, then?

I don't know, so, *sniffle* no, can't tell you that either.

But... Okay, well, what of your relations? Parents, siblings, grandparents? Friends, even?

Nope, not a clue. I don't remember anything like that. Not a morsel!

Then what DO you remember?

My name and everything after I woke up in this strange place.

......

Damn it. Total amnesia, huh?

Well, I can't think why you appear to be more concerned about that than me. I feel quite fine–and full–nonetheless!

......

Hand over the Daughter of Leviathan.

LeA-BAK?! Why are you...here?

That's just like you. Wandering through time on that ship. But this is not the time for idle chat. You dawdlers have turned up.

Galliard?! What are you doing here? Wait, this is impossible. Galliard's dead. You can't be him!

Do not mistake me for a defective cobbling of junk like him. While we may share the same design our code is entirely different, his being a set of inferior programs. But that matters not when time is of the essence, as is the case now. They will arrive at any moment.

They? Who...

Synth Humans?! How? And a kind I've never seen before!

Synth Humans?! How? And a kind I've never seen before!

Aldo! What are these things?!

Visitors from the future. I don't know how they got here but it looks like they're after Levvie. And since they've come all this way it'd be rude not to give them a proper welcoming reception. Don't you agree?

How amusing. Well then, since I have no obligation to either side I'll be observing from the sidelines.

Observing? What do you hope to gain by doing so, LeA-BAK?

What does it matter to you? I have led you to Leviathan, just as I promised. Aiding you in her capture was not part of the bargain. If you doubt that, perform a memory check. You'll see that it's true.

Fine, do as you wish. We have no need of your help now. Target identified. Prepare yourselves, humans!

That's the last of them. But we still need to find out how they got here in the first place.

Later, Aldo! That girl!

Damn it, she's gone! What about LeA-BAK?!

Damn it, she's gone! What about that Galliard lookalike?!

Nowhere to be seen.

He must have abducted Levvie while we were distracted by the fight. They can't have gone far yet. We've gotta go after them!

Levvie! Are you all right?!

Zzzzzzzzz... I can't eat anymore...

It looks like she's asleep.

Phew, she's okay.

What happened to LeA-BAK?

I'm still concerned that that red Synth Human is still on the loose, though.

Aldo, I've just realized something. This girl actually resembles the fishfolk of olden times.

How olden are we talking?

Well, since they don't exist anymore we're talking several hundred years ago at the very least.

Several hundred?! You're kidding!

If that's true, did she travel through time to get here like we did? How'd she pull off something like that all by herself?

We're quite sure that she just appeared out of thin air as soon as we defeated Leviathan, right?

No doubt about it. That's definitely what we saw happen.

This is just a hunch so I could very well be wrong, but... This girl might just be the Disaster contained in the Jewel Casket. Perhaps she is an incarnation of Leviathan somehow. And if she is, that means I have to seal her back in the Jewel Casket for the safety of everyone here. Whether you or I like it or not, I have no choice but to do so. As any Otohime before or after me would.

H-Hold on a second, but...

*mumble mumble*

*yaaaaaawn* Another nap? My, this won't do. No, this won't do at all. *sniffle*

You two again? And wearing such soppy expressions! Whatever is the matter?

What? O-Oh, it's nothing, Levvie. Promise.

No, no, it's all right. You've done me a favor and I must do you one in return. Aldo, Sheila, what troubles you? No need to be embarrassed or hold back. Go on. Be honest.

Thanks, Levvie, but it really isn't important, trust me. By the way, that red Synth Human, the one the others call LeA-BAK. What happened with him?

Thanks, Levvie, but it really isn't important, trust me. By the way, about LeA-BAK. What happened with him?

Ah, yes, him. To tell you the truth, I can only clearly recall what happened up until the moment he captured me. Whatever ever happened after that is little more than a foggy mess. But I think I remember him being set upon by a big fish and fleeing the scene before it could eat him.

A big fish, huh?

I think we should perhaps return to my era and consult the Minister about this. He's well-versed in history and may know more about Levvie's people and why these Synth Humans would be after her.

Good idea, Sheila. You on board with that plan, Levvie?

Minister, there's something I wish to have your advice on.

A long-extinct clan of fishfolk, you say? I remember coming across something of the sort in my cursory readings of historical records, but... I can't say I have any concrete knowledge on the subject, I'm afraid.

Blast! If the Minister doesn't know who else is there we could ask?

Well, I do know of a rather knowledgeable old lady who might. I can refer you to her, if you like.

Who is she?

An elderly Ammonite who only just arrived at the Palace some three or so days ago. She's spent much of her long life wandering the ocean, seeing and experiencing the many wonders of the open seas. She's often referred to as the All-knowing Ammonite because of it, in fact.

Amazing!

She sounds like just the woman we need. We'll go consult her immediately.

I believe you'll find her somewhere around the Inner Wall.

Are you the All-knowing Ammonite, by any chance? The Minister said you could advise us on matters of ancient history.

Oh, really now? When I've just got back from a long, long journey, huh? And I didn't even find that shiny fish I went to all that trouble lookin' for... Hmm?

We're sorry to trouble you when you've only just settled in. But we absolutely must ask if you know anything about this fishwoman. She remembers nothing but her name: Levia. We were hoping you could tell us who she is, or where she might have come from.

Levia, you say? Interestin'... Very interestin'. All right, here's the deal, kiddos. Gimme some time to cross-reference my journals and refresh this ol' memory of mine 'cause this is goin' back a while. And bear in mind I might not get back to ya with the answers you were lookin' for. In the meantime, you're gonna go fishin'.

Wonderful! Wait, what?

Ya don't have to be my age to know that when y'ask for somethin' y'offer somethin' in return. NEVER do anythin' for free. That's why you're gonna get me that gold fish. I can't get enough of those things, I tell ya! It's the perfect trade. Ohoho!

Okay, okay. We'll get you that fish. Is it like the Gold Silver fish that one often finds in these waters?

Hah! Would I have had so much trouble findin' it if it was? Use yer brain, girl! The one I want is different, pure gold.

A pure gold fish? I don't think I've ever seen a fish like that, but we don't have much choice but to try looking for it anyway.

Don't worry, we'll find it. We'll be back soon. All-knowing Ammonite.

Safe goin', young'uns.

We shall resume our sightseeing later, Aldo.

Is this what you were looking for, All-knowing Ammonite?

Well, well, it most certainly is. Look at that shine! Well, maybe not directly. It is fairly blinding. Ohoho!

So, did you find out anything about Levvie's origins?

I did. Accordin' to my writin's and rememberin's, her people existed until 900 years ago when they disappeared from the oceans. By all reasonable means, your friend shouldn't be here today.

What?! Are you sure?

Beyond a shadow of a doubt.

900 years? That really is ancient history.

At the time, the ocean's foremost reignin' power was at bloody war with all of its neighbors. They won almost entirely thanks to the God of Disaster they had on their side...

The Disaster of the Jewel Casket. Leviathan, God of Destruction.

I believe that Levia's people were one such clan that was well an' truly annihilated by that same god, Leviathan. I'm sorry, Levia.

Levvie?

......

H-Hey! You okay, Levvie?

*sniffle* I-I don't know why I'm crying... Why can't I... *sniffle* stop crying?

Don't cry, Levvie. It's okay. It's all gonna be okay.

*sob*

Look, Levvie...

How are you feeling now, Levvie? Better now that that's out of your system?

Y-Yes. Very much so. *sniff*

That's good. I know this can't be easy for you.

Are they really all gone? My friends and family, all murdered in some savage genocide 900 years ago? If that's true, that makes me the last of my kind in this strange, new world. I'm all alone here.

......

But why? Why am I here? And who am I, really? Do you know, Sheila? Aldo?

W-Well...umm, we...

You'll remember your past one day, Levvie. And when you do, you'll be able to make peace with your present. I just know it.

Really?

Really. I hope it's sooner rather than later but it'll happen one day, trust me.

Really?

Well, then. Thank you, Aldo and Sheila. I'm happy to have met you.

Likewise!

Yes. We're glad to have you with us, Levvie!

For now, our best bet is tracking down that red Synth Human, LeA. There's no doubt the Synth Humans will be after Levvie again, so we should get to them before they get to us. What's more, if we can find out why they want her, we might uncover more information about Levvie's past.

And we'll look some more into exactly what happened 900 years ago too!

And I'll do my best to...to... To do whatever I need to do!

The All-knowing Ammonite's pretty old, so... Maybe not in this era, but somewhere in a previous one?