Meowstet Idol

Hey, everyone. What do you want today?

I heard you won an old statue recently...

I did. It's old and worn out, and I don't know what came over me, I just bid on the spur of the moment.

Can I ask a favor? Can you sell me that statue?

Wha?!

The truth is...

I know. The idol belonged to Jeema, the legendary broker. And it's an idol from the ancient civilization on Meowrica...

I know it's unreasonable to ask you to give it away all of a sudden...

It's fine, I'll give it to you. You don't need to pay me.

Huh? Really?

I can't see it as anything more than an old statue... But with you, there's a one in a million chance this legendary piece of heritage can be restored.

I appreciate your high hopes. But so far, our only clues are this faint coloring and traces of decorative engravings...

It has exquisite coloring up close. The gradation resembles the paintings of Leonardo, the magician of colors.

Leonardo!

Of course! He's the color expert!

I'm glad you had an idea. Then, please take this statue.

Thanks. I wish we had something to give you in return...

Just being involved in the restoration of heritage from legendary Meowrica is good enough for me. Besides, I got it for free at the public auction, so I don't care.

You got it for free? But as-is, without its coloring and engravings, it does look like an ordinary ornament.

Yeah. So first we should go to see Leonardo in Unigan to get the color restored.

Great! I've collected the sweat!

It was a bit of trouble though...

Huh? What's that smell?

Something smells bad. Maybe the sweat's useless.

Maybe. Let's lure over another Abbetos. We'll have to defeat it quickly.

It could work if we do it fast enough. I'll put the sweat into this chemical bottle...

Did it work?!

Yeah! It turned a striking bright blue!

Now we have Abbetos Blue. Next is Yaksha of Serena Coast.

Yeah, let's go to Serena Coast.

We've got both pigments now. Let's give them to Leonardo and have him color the idol.

Right, let's go back to Unigan.

It shouldn't be a problem if we lure over an Abbetos now.

It's only fresh sweat that can be used as pigment. We need to defeat it quick!

I'll lure it over with the fruit Leonardo gave us and defeat it as fast as I can.

You'll want to prepare first, right? Understood. Come and get me when you're ready.

There's one!

Charge!

All right! We collected some sweat!

It was harder than I thought...

Huh? What's that smell?

There's a fishy smell wafting in with the sea breeze. Maybe the sweat's useless.

Maybe. Let's lure over another Yaksha. We'll have to defeat it quickly.

It could work if we do it fast enough. I'll put the sweat into this chemical bottle...

Did it work?!

Yeah! It turned a burning red!

Now we have Yaksha red. Next is Abbetos of Moonlight Forest.

Okay, let's go to Moonlight Forest.

We've got both pigments now. Let's give them to Leonardo and have him color the idol.

Right, let's go back to Unigan.

Yakshas must be around here somewhere.

It's only fresh sweat that can be used as pigment. We need to defeat it quick!

I'll lure it over with the fruit Leonardo gave us and defeat it as fast as I can.

You'll want to prepare first, right? Understood. Come and get me when you're ready.

It's here!

Let's finish this quickly!

Hey, Leonardo!

Oh, hi guys...

Huh...

What's wrong? You don't look so good...

I've been having a bit of a creative block recently. *sigh* I can't snap out of it. I need something stimulating to stir up my creative juices!

Did we come at a bad time?

No, I think maybe it's the opposite.

Leonardo... There's something we'd like you to look at.

Is that a statue?

What is this pounding in my chest... It's so worn out, yet so divine I feel I need to devote myself it!

It's such a shame the paint's peeling off.

Would you be able to restore the statue's coloring? The original color's still there, just very faint.

These pigments... *sniff sniff*... I see...Hmm... Huh... Oh...

Well I never!

So? Can you do it?

The tones are complex, but it's only made up of two colors.

They've created so many colors just by changing the ratio of the two pigments. It's fascinating.

So, could you restore the coloring if you had those two colors?

Perhaps. They won't be exactly the same pigments, but the closest would be Abbetos Blue and Yaksha Red. I could reproduce them with those two colors.

But both are quite difficult to get...

You leave that to us! You just focus on the restoration!

Abbetos Blue and Yaksha Red are pigments that come from the sweat of the Abbetos and Yaksha respectively.

Sweat?!

Put fresh sweat into certain chemicals and they'll turn bright blue or red. But after too much time, they won't change color in the chemicals, and moreover, there'll be a smell.

Here, this is the chemical. Make sure you get fresh sweat!

Abbetos should be in Moonlight Forest and Yaksha should be at Serena Coast.

Oh, that's right. Take these, too.

Huh? A red fruit and blue fruit?

They're the Abbetos' and Yaksha's favorites. Some say it's these fruit that turned them the colors they are. You can use these to lure them over.

Okay, thanks.

The Abbetos in Moonlight Forest or the Yaksha at Serena Coast? The choice is yours, Aldo.

We have the pigments. How are they?

Oh, this is it! This is it! What vibrant colors! This has really got my creative juices flowing!

So can you restore the colors?

Yes! I can't wait to get painting! I'll start work right away! The colors are going to be explosive!

I've done it! I've restored the statue's coloring to the best of my ability!

It's...!

It's so strange...I don't know what it looked like before, but it seems like it's always been this way.

Yeah, somehow the statue looks so animated.

Some of the finer coloring I had to make up myself. But it was like the statue was talking to me. I could paint without any hesitation! It was such an exciting experience! Now I feel motivated to work!

Well, thanks for doing such a great job!

Next is the delicate ornamental engraving. As is, I don't feel it's worthy of the name "idol."

We could ask the craftsman we met before in Ratle?

Good idea, a skilled horn craftsman like him should be able to reproduce any pattern.

Then let's go to Ratle.

Oh, it's the you guys from before! What can I do for you? Do you want me to make another horn?

There's something we'd like you to engrave. But it's not a horn. It's this...

That statue...

It's an old statue of a god but the original color and fine ornamental engravings have worn away over time. There are only very faint traces of the pattern to guide you. But would you be able to produce them?

Oh... I see. You had such a serious expression, I was wondering what you wanted...

Something like this will be easier than taking candy from a baby.

Really?!

Really. But there's a problem. And I can't fix it.

Problem?

See here, there's a dent on the statue's forehead, but it's not part of the pattern. I think there used to be a jewel here. I'll restore the pattern, but in the meantime I'll need you to find an appropriate jewel. Then I can set it in.

A jewel...?

There's a jewel known as the Eye of the Sun in Nadara Volcano, how about that? A rare beauty of a crystal, of lava influenced by spirit power. You'll find it inside the volcano.

The Eye of the Sun? There couldn't be a better jewel for a statue of the sun god Meowstet.

Let's head to Nadara Volcano to find the Eye of the Sun, then.

But there's been sightings of ferocious dog-like monsters around. Take care.

Dog-like monsters? Okay, I'll bear that in mind.

He said the jewel was crystallized lava influenced by spirit power. Then it should be around here somewhere.

Let's search the area.

I can't see it... Maybe it's not here?

Aldo... You'll want to move back.

Huh? Oh...

It's there? I hadn't even noticed...

It was hidden by the volcano ash. But I'm glad we found it.

Yeah, let's take this to Ratle village...

A monster?! And one I've never seen before!

It's the ferocious dog monster the craftsman mentioned. Maybe it's influenced by spirit power like the jewel.

We can't avoid the fight. Are you ready?

It's not the kind of opponent that'll just wait for you to get ready.

I'll cut down all those who stand against me!

Hmph! Who'd have thought restoring a statue would be this difficult.

Right? All these different times and places just for one little statue... We could write a good story out of this.

Speaking of which, I heard you were writing your book to use up the flower's magic power... Why aren't you writing now? Even if your book was stolen, surely the story itself will continue?

The book's being misused, but it's nothing to do with me. I've tried to tell myself that, to keep on writing.

But I couldn't do it. The flower's spreading its roots across my soul. The only stories brewing inside me are written in the flower's ink.

Words written absentmindedly, they disappear without a trace when the ink dries...

Absentmindedly? You feel responsible for your book being misused, don't you Sophia? It's not your fault, it's the fault of whoever stole it...

We've been chatting for too long. We should return to Ratle and give the craftsman the jewel.

How's this jewel for you, mister?

Oh, this is another excellent gem. And the size is just right!

Give me a min. I'll finish off the statue with this.

Here you go, here's your god statue.

Wow! The restored Meowstet idol... It looks so divine with its true coloring and decorations!

You did a great job. I never thought anything so perfect could exist.

I'd never seen such a pattern before, but I carved it so swiftly, like the statue was talking to me. It was a wonderful experience.

Maybe everything was as Meowstet intended.

Okay, we should go and show the statue to Jeema in the Iota tavern.