The Mystery of Otohime

What's going on here? My aspirant brides have disappeared, like morning dew!

Hey, aren't you that guy from earlier.

Oh, you're the guests from earlier.

Hmm? Come to think of it, you were saying something about abductions or kidnapping, weren't you?

Oh, no, don't tell me my aspirant brides have been kidnapped by some evildoer!

Huh? No, if you're talking about the women abducted by Otohime, we just freed them.

Women abducted by Otohime?!

......

Did you release the ladies from the world above by any chance?

Why, yes, we did.

......

...?

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Err, what's so funny?

You squid-brained dolt! Those fine ladies were my aspirant brides!

Huh?! But...we heard that Otohime had kidnapped them...

Is that what happened then?

What, don't you know?

I am Otohime!

What?!

Huh?

Those women were brought here on my orders, as aspirant brides!

Oto...hime?!

Umm... I thought Otohime was a woman...

Woman? Certainly, when I captured this palace, the ruler was a woman, but...

Now I am the ruler of this palace. Therefore, I am the Otohime!

Muahahahaha!

Wait, we listen patiently to all you have to say, and this is what we get?!

Eh?

Imposter! Sham Otohime! At last I've smoked you out! I thought it was fishy from the start. Everyone saying Otohime was kidnapping people? It had to be an imposter!

An imposter? Wow! So who's the real Otohime, Sheila? Do you know her?

Know her? I am her!

Huh?!

Now, wait a minute, won't you?! This is complicated enough as it is! Let me get this straight... This guy's not Otohime, he's an imposter... And you aren't you, you're Otohime?!

Don't listen to her, I'm Otohime!

Stop lying! I know exactly who you are now! You're the one who stuffed me into a barrel while I was sleeping yesterday.

I can't believe it's you, though. I really thought we'd get along...

Yesterday? What are you talking about? I captured this palace ten years ago!

Although, admittedly, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Such an easy victory... The people were impoverished and weary... A result of the misrule of some former Otohime, or so I heard...

What bilge water is this?! I was dispensing my royal functions here in the Central Keep just yesterday!

Such delusions; you must have banged your head on some Dragon Palace coral.

Huh?

I thought you'd be a suitable woman to have at my side, but you won't get around me speaking like that.

Anyway, you over there... How dare you release my aspirant brides. You've cheated me of my prize!

What are you talking about?! You shouldn't have abducted them in the first place!

Your crimes are too heinous to ignore. You must be punished severely. Guards! GUARDS!

You're kidding!

Wait a minute!

Oh, it's you from earlier, is it? I thought I recognized you! You've joined with the intruders to usurp me, have you?!

You are wrong!

Then, prove it! Arrest these wretches and you shall regain your rank in my service. Choose wisely, now. Me, your rightful Otohime, or these rats.

I am truly grateful to my Otohime... Taking me in and bringing me up... Even giving me my name...

And my Otohime was the first to make food just for me!

In that case...

That's why I've got to stop you. The power you are trying to obtain is just too dangerous...

Revenge is no reason for you to be opening Pandora's Box!

These are your final words?! Very well. That is your choice. Guards, take them away!

Otohime!

Oof! Get your tentacles off of me!

What are you doing with that barrel? Wait, no!

Not the barrel again? Stop it, I can't stand confined spaces!

Nngh...huh? This is curiously relaxing...

Now, as tradition dictates, the traitors shall be cast adrift in the punishment barrels. Throw them into the water. Do it, now.

Ha ha ha ha ha! Now, you can reflect on releasing my brides... At the bottom of the sea!

No barrel cast adrift here has ever floated to the surface! They are fish food! Muahahahaa!

By the way, I have found an interesting tome relating to Pandora's Box. Fetch me a decipherer!

Yessir! Right away!

What are those? Barrels? I dunno who threw 'em away, but they're disturbing the fishing. Honestly...

Heave ho...

Now, where shall I throw this?

What the squid?! People...stuffed in barrels! Don't worry, I'll soon have you free!

Are you all right? Do you need a doctor?

Uh...

Ha?

Thank you. You saved us.

So it would seem. Well, happy to have helped. You, erm...

Are you a squid? Why did you save us? No, I mean, why did you save me?

Huh?

Agh!

Look carefully! That woman!

It's Otohime... No, it's Lady Sheila!

......

Huh? Yes, I'm fine...

Hey, not so fast! I'm coming with you!

That squid... He was acting rather strangely...

There's something funny going on.

And he was calling you Otohime, Sheila. What's all this about?

It's just as he says, I am the real Otohime. My title and throne have been usurped. Yesterday, he attacked me when I was asleep, stuffed me in a barrel, and threw me in the water. And then I was saved, just like we were now.

But those abducted women...that can't have happened since yesterday. You weren't kidnapping them before he was, were you?

Of course I wasn't! Why would I do that?

......

Sheila, are you listening to me? What are you all lost in thought for? This isn't like you.

Otohime and I came to this palace ten years ago. That's the truth.

That's a lie! It was yesterday! I'm going to the Central Keep to have a word with that half-naked guy!

But if we go in without a plan, won't we just end up stuffed in some barrels again?!

That's true...

We can't let this kidnapper go scot free! Nagi, do you know if he has any weaknesses that we can exploit?

No, I don't.

I see.

Again, you take what she says at face value...

In that case, we've got no choice. There's only one thing for it...

...?

Let's ask around about the half-naked guy!

What's going on here? No one knows anything about him!

There's something funny going on. Am I going soft in the head?

Looks like the minister's the one sayin' yer soft in the head, Lady Sheila.

Oof, this is all way too complicated!

I don't get it either... This isn't the Dragon Palace that I know.

Aargh! What was the point of asking around?! We're better off just going to the Central Keep and questioning the half-naked guy directly! Okay, Aldo?!

I guess we've got no choice then...

Hey, do you know anything about the half-naked guy?

A half-naked guy? No, I haven't seen anyone as strange as that. I'd remember if I had.

But talking of strange things, recently, when I go fishing, I've been catching these fish I've never seen before. Maybe it's a new species. You can't catch 'em just anywhere, only in the fishing spot near the Central Keep. They're small, but adults, apparently. I call 'em Kid Kamasu. Oh, I wanna make some money off this story, so keep it a secret, would you.

The closest fishing spot to the Central Keep? That's the fishing hole we just got pulled out of. Huh? I get the feeling that's the fishing hole I came out of last time as well...

Hey, do you know anything about the half-naked gu...

Huh? Isn't this room...

Who are you? What are you doing in my room?

What are you talking about? This is my room.

Huh?

You burst into my room and start on about some half-naked guy... Do you seriously think I would know anyone so unpleasant? If you are finished here, please leave. I dislike having people in my house.

......

There's no way I'm wrong...

Do you know anything about a half-naked guy? Long hair, goes around acting like he owns the place...

No idea, sorry...

Huh? Hey, you over there.

Huh, me?

Yeah, you. Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Lady Sheila? It must be tough on you resembling her. But I can hardly believe she's laid up in bed; she looks like the type who never even catches so much as a cold.

Whaddya talkin' 'bout? Lady Sheila's right there in front of yuh!

What? She can't be. The minister said she was so ill that she was bedridden!

The minister?

Council's in session right now. I can't letcha pass.

Couldn't you be conveniently asleep on the job?

Out of the way! I've got to speak to that guy!

Huh?

Whuh?! Is that Lady Sheila?! Now I really can't letcha pass!

Why?! You were snoring away just a minute ago!

No I wasn't! I-I was checking the insides o' my eyelids for...for intruders!

Can you really not let us through?

I really, really can't.

Ya really, really can't?

I really, really can't!

You really, really, really can't?

Argh! What a peskily persistent party! If'n you can bring me 100 Atlantis Pearls, then I guess we can call it a deal!

But Lady Sheila ain't got no hope o' doin' that!

We've already got enough. This was easier than I expected.

We don't have enough. We've got to gather some more Atlantis Pearls.

Urgh. You ain't learned yer lesson! I can't letcha through no matter how much ya...

We've got these for you.

Th-These're!

You really brought 'em?! 'N' so many tuh boot! I ain't never seen so many!

So you'll let us through then? A guard never goes back on his word, right?

I didn't think you'd be able to do it, Lady Sheila. I guess I was jus' underestimatin' you. Sorry, minister, I've gotta go on a journey.

Is that really enough pearls for him?

No matter, we can git into the Central Keep now! I ain't gonna forgive that half-naked guy fer what he did to Lady Sheila! Let's go, Aldo!

Huh?

Who are they? Where's the half-naked guy?

Hey, what are you guys doing?!

Barrel?! So it was you who attacked me while I slept!

How dare you!

The future? What do you mean?!

Misgovernment?!

But the turtles were getting bullied. I had to protect them!

But everyone's happier if they have more pearls! They don't have to worry!

Why didn't you tell me this in advance?!

Is that why you were going to fake a letter saying I meant to resign my post?

Too bad! There's no way you could forge my beautiful handwriting!

Argh! We're gonna end up stuffed in barrels again! Let's run!

W-Wait! Don't leave me behind!

They went that way!

Don't let them escape!

No, not this way!

We're cornered! What are we going to do?!

There's nothing for it but to take the plunge! Into the water!

Wait, what? This is a fishing hole! They'll just fish us out straight away, won't they?

The Outer Wall?! I can't hold my breath for that long!

I'm good at swimming, so I should be fine.

I'm fine.

So am I!

What, seriously?!

Got it! I'll just have to hope for the best! I'll swim as far as my lungs'll take me! Tally ho!

....ke up....ldo.

...U...Urgh...

Aldo! Wake up!

*cough* *splutter*

Huh?! Isn't this the same fishing spot?

Yeah. Before we could get to where they're connected, you started drowning... So we had no choice but to come up again.

Oh, sorry...

We got enveloped in this blue lightning along the way. It felt really weird. I wonder what it was? I was swimming for my life, so I couldn't tell what it was!

Is that right?

Hang on, where'd the guards go?

When we surfaced, there was no one here.

We weren't diving for that long. It sure wasn't long enough for 'em to give up.

Aagh, you're that barrel woman!

Goshdarnit! He found us!

You got me last time, but that was a fluke! I'll show you this time!

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

Who're you calling barrel woman!

It looks like he's the only one who's noticed us. Let's get out of the Dragon Palace and come up with a plan!

Mate! Boss! You're all right!

Aren't you the turtle who was kidnapping all those women?

Oh, mate, don't go dragging all that up again! That's be'ind me now, I've changed me ways!

Why are you here?

I 'eard that you'd been sentenced to the barrel punishment. But I didn't think something like that'd get rid of the boss! So I came looking, and strike me blind, I was right!

Turtle!

Yeah, you're right about that. This patrolling business is no walk in the park.

Uh-oh! Let's talk later. Now we gotta scram!

Get on me back! It ain't more 'n a few swishes o' me flippers to Kira Beach!

That were proper dangerous! I'd 'a' been soup, if they'd 'a' caught me! The Dragon Palace has been right prickly lately. The Squid Squad ain't slackin' off like they usually does! They been all serious on their patrols!

They should work harder, like you do.

Oh, now yer making me blush. Flattery'll get you everywhere.

Wait a minute! Didn't Sheila change the law to protect the turtles? And yet you didn't know who she was! How is that possible?

Turtles? Protected? Oh, that were more 'n' a few Otohimes ago. I hear it was like a turtle paradise back then. Musta been lovely!

Now, however, being a turtle is more 'n' enough in itself to get yer into all sorts of bovver!

Was there an Otohime before me who protected turtles?

As far as I know, the only Otohime to do that was the Twenty-Fifth.

Uh, yeah? I am the Twenty-Fifth and current Otohime...

...?

The current Otohime is the 29th. The one attacked 10 years ago was the 28th...

What do you mean?

Who are you? What are you doing in my room?

What are you talking about? This is my room.

We got enveloped in this blue lightning along the way. It felt really weird. I wonder what it was?

Blue lightning...

A tear in spacetime?

Recently, when I've been fishing, I've been catching legendary fish that're supposed to be extinct. But not just anywhere, only at the fishing spot near the Central Keep.

Recently, when I go fishing, I've been catching these fish I've never seen before. Maybe it's a new species. You can't catch 'em just anywhere, only in the fishing spot near the Central Keep. They're small, but adults, apparently. I call 'em Kid Kamasu. Oh, I wanna make some money off this story, so keep it a secret, would you.

The closest fishing spot to the Central Keep? That's the fishing hole we just got pulled out of. Huh? I get the feeling that's the fishing hole I came out of last time as well...

I get it now! We were going to and from the Dragon Palaces in the past and present.

What do you mean?

There was a tear in spacetime at the bottom of that fishing hole. That's why we'd come out at the same spot whenever we jumped in. But we were actually time traveling, going between Dragon Palaces in two different eras.

Now what you and Nagi were talking about makes sense. This is the era of the 29th, where the half-naked guy rules as Otohime... And you're the 25th. You're the Otohime from a few generations ago!

Wait, what?! I, err, that...could be true, I guess... So, in this era, I'm someone from the past, is that right?

This is making me 'ead 'urt! So, did the boss 'ere protect us turtles? That makes me yer biggest fan! I reckon I'd do anything fer you, boss! I'm gonna 'ave a look-see down in the palace. Be right back!

Wait a minute. If I've traveled through time, how did you catch up with me, Chiyo?

The minister said you was ill, but I couldn't find you nowhere. While I was searchin' around the place I ended up in a different Dragon Palace. Actually, I think I did see that blue lightnin' then.

I see. Thanks, Chiyo.

Oh, it was a surprisingly easy battle. The people here were weary from misrule. I hear it was because of the policies of an Otohime from generations past.

That's what it was all about.

Lady Sheila? Is there somethin' wrong?

It was my policies that impoverished the Dragon Palace, and the half-naked guy captured it with ease. It's funny, really... I guess I just wasn't cut out to be Otohime.

Yeah, when I get something into my head I stop listening to what's really going on... I'm not exactly calm or collected either. I struggle with complex stuff like politics...

But I did try my best. In my own way...

Sheila...

Sorry, I must have known you weren't the enemy deep down. But I couldn't back off. I'm such a dolt, aren't I.

But, even so, I still descend from Otohime's royal line, right? I'm not very good with people... My mother died young, so the only person I had to talk to was Chiyo.

That's okay. The only person I could ever talk with was you, Otohime.

Here, take these.

Huh?

Pickled sea grapes. This seals our friendship.

Nagi...

......

Good for you, Lady Sheila!

Wh-What?!

Probably...Otohime. Otohime is obsessed with opening something he calls Pandora's Box... Every time he tries, there's a quake like this one.

But never this big before.

Wait a minute! When you say box, do you mean the Jewel Casket?!

Jewel Casket? Not Pandora's Box?

Well, Otohime used to live in the western sea. Maybe they call it something different there.

It's probably the Jewel Casket. Protecting it was Otohime's original role. It mustn't be opened!

I've got to get back to the Dragon Palace!

I'm going too. I've come this far. I can't just pretend it's got nothing to do with me anymore.

So am I. I can't abandon my Otohime.

I'll follow ya wherever you go, Lady Sheila!

Thank you, all of you.

Okay then, let's stop the half-naked guy. To the Dragon Palace!

Well? How's the deciphering going?

Well, it seems we need some...thing to remove the seal on Pandora's Box.

Some thing?! Stop beating around the bush. What thing?

You see...