A Spot of Dinosaur Hunting

...I tell ya, it's huge! And kinda scary too. I'm impressed.

What are you talking about?

You haven't see it yet?! The giant dinosaur, of course! What else?

A dinosaur?! Here? Where?!

Oh, I never knew you were into dinosaurs, Aldo! Figures.

What?! Now is not the time for that, Yazuki! A giant monster is tearing up the city right now!

Gwahaha! Relax, boy. We're all safe as can be, rest assured.

What? What do you...

Heheh, take a look for yourself! It's not far from here. Straight down the road and you'll come across it in jiffy.

Awesome, thanks! Try to contain your excitement on the way there, okay, Aldo?

I'm telling you, you guys have got it all wrong...

Forget it, I have to hurry. Yazuki?

Of course I'm coming with you. Wouldn't miss this for the world.

Dino! *whistle* Here, boy, where are ya?

Oh, hey! Aldo, look over there!

I-It's really here...In Elzion... In the real, fear-inspiring flesh...

Woah, look! It's got huge teeth and everything! Awesome!

"Awesome"? This is terrible! The whole city is in danger if we don't take this thing down somehow!

Come on, let's get a closer look.

No! Yazuki!

I am SO gonna enjoy showing off these crazy trophies to the old crew! Let's do this!

Unless you want to spend forever trying to prize out those incisors, I think not.

It's a hologram. You can't even touch it.

So...It's just an illusion?

A hologram? I've never seen one so convincing!

I'm kinda bummed out, actually. I was ready to make a portable tooth stand and everything.

Anyway, who're you, mister?

A researcher of ancient fauna, young lady. I'm the one who made this hologram.

I'm quite proud to say that it's a perfect replica of the now extinct Zolrex, a mighty creature from ancient times!

Ooh, that IS impressive. You don't see those everyday, that's for sure.

That warms my old heart to hear. I only wish I could breathe a little more life into somehow. Even with today's technology you can't replicate its voice or movements from a fossil alone.

Well, that's not a problem. We can just go back in time and record a video of one for you.

Wahahaha! Sure, just travel back in time! That'd be great!

Hmph! Is that how you always respond to the offer of a helping hand, gramps? Rude.

What'd you expect him to say? Nobody knows we can time travel, remember?

Fine. Then prepare to be enlightened and grateful about it, old man! Nobody doubts me and doesn't get proven wrong!

Right. Well, be careful out there, Yazuki. See you later.

You mean "see you NOW," right? There's no way you're not coming with me.

Look, I'm just relieved we didn't have to fight this fake dino. Picking a fight with a real one? No thank you. Not a chance.

Ugh, you're no fun!

Let's see. There's a play here somewhere, I know it...

Well, Yazuki? Let sleeping beasts lie, right?

...I knew you'd leave me too, one day. Just like my friends and my family and my crew did. Just leave me all alone.

Woah, what's with you all of a sudden? I-I don't really know what you mean, but...

All I ever wanted was to have fun with my friends, that's all. Is that too much to ask? I guess it must be if you want me to go find the Zolrex all by myself, huh, Aldo?

*sigh* No, I'll go back to Antiquity with you. But let's at least ask around Ratle about this monster before we fight it, okay? Let's get going.

Hey, you. Any chance you've seen a Zolrex around here lately?

It's a big, mean-looking dinosaur.

Hm. We see more than a couple big dinosaurs round these parts, but a "Zolrex"? Don't think so.

Guess the nomenclature's different according to the time period. That complicates things.

Oh, Aldo! Have a little faith in ya girl!

Ta-da! I took a picture of the hologram on my communications device for reference!

No, Yazuki! You can't just wave around that kind of futuristic stuff he...

Am I ever! I'm already dying with the anticipation!

This is way more fun than catnapping all afternoon at the Elzion Inn, wouldn't you agree?

...No. Okay, let's get this over with. We'll head to the Zol Plains.

This seems as a place as any other around here, don't you think?

I guess. We certainly won't miss the Zolrex if it is here.

All right! Time to coax it right out of hiding!

How do you plan to do that?

*inhale*

HEEEEEEY! SCARY DINOSAUUUUUUR! WE'RE READY FOR YOUR CLOSE UUUP!

H-Hey, are you sure that's really going to work?

Trust me, I'm a doctor. With a Ph.D in dealing with raging animals, no less.

Isn't that a little harsh on your former crewmat...

COME ON, GET YOUR BUTT OVER HEEERE!

G-Groooooorgh! Grrraaarrrgh!

Aha! Hook, line and sinker!

Grooorgh! Grrraaarrrgh!

Wow, it really is hard to miss.

Awesome! All right, guns out and game on!

Just don't let your guard down while you're having fun over there!

I sure as heck won't! Ooh, almost forgot!

Yazuki?! What are you doing?!

Setting up the video! Just gotta set this, and... There, perfect!

Sorry I kept ya waiting, Aldo! All right, ugly! Say "cheese"!

Phew! Thank goodness that's over.

We don't know that yet! Not until we check the tape.

Well? Did you get a good shot?

Yep, the best! One might even say picture perfect. Or video perfect! You can see the Zolrex move and hear its roars and everything.

Heheheh. That'll teach that smug old scientist not to make fun of me.

It sure will. Let's get back to Elzion then.

Back from the past already, you two? With video proof of the Zolrex, I assume? Wahahahaha!

Damn right we are, old man. Let's see if you're still laughing after you see this!

See what now? Oh! OH! Dear heavens above!

I admit it, you got me. You, my girl, might have produced what might be the finest CGI history has ever seen!

You can't be serious! CGI?! I'm showing you real, genuine, live footage here!

Come on now, missy. Every jest wears itself out eventually, no matter how funny it was before.

Ugh! You no-good, hard-headed old coot! I should've known you couldn't even pull the wax outta your ears to hear the truth!

Even so, this level of detail in the animation and sound design would lend quite a bit of realism to my hologram. I don't suppose I could take the video data off your hands anyway, could I?

Sure! Take it! I can see a REAL Zolrex whenEVER I want so I won't be needing it anyway!

I can't believe that guy! Stupid...stupidhead.

Hey, relax. The important thing is that you had fun, right?

I guess. It WAS pretty fun.

There's nothing quite like taking down big, bad baddie with your pals, that's for sure!

So you're not sad anymore?

Sad? Why would I be in the first place?

You know, what you said earlier about just wanting to be with your friends.

Oh, that?

Aldo, I'm sorry. I wasn't really sad. I lied.

What?!

I just pretended to be sad to get you to come fight the Zolrex with me.

Buuuuuut! The part about wanting to hang out with my friends is still true.

I don't need to have other people around to find something fun to do, so I've never felt all that lonely. But...

Watching each other's backs, moving in time with each other's attacks and trusting that you'll make it out together? It's a completely different experience.

And honestly, I think... It's my favorite one of all.

So, um! I'm really, truly grateful that you let me be your, um...

L-Let me be your... F-Frien...d...

What was that?

N-Nothing!

Anyway, good going today, First Mate! Now, full speed ahead to the next adventure!

What now?