Archeological Approach

A flying battleship, eh? I approve.

Who could be indifferent to a young lady's approval? Certainly not a gentleman battleship such as I. Just call me...

Whoa! It talks?!

LOVE it! Mind if I take the whole thing apart and see what makes it tick?

Of course I mind! Hydra's a friend, not some gadget to tinker with!

You're mates with the battleship? So you're one o' those guys who reckons inanimate objects have personalities?

No, it's not like that! Hydra really is alive!

He's always got our backs, taking us wherever we need to go across space and time.

Space and time? What're ya talkin' 'bout?

Oops, didn't I mention that? Hydra can travel to the past, and even the future.

Indeed. Soaring freely through the azure skies of every space and time, the very embodiment of adventure. Just call me the...

Oh, get over yerself!

Synth...Hydra...

You shouldn't be travelin' back in time! Think of all the spoilers! Blasphemy against archaeology, I reckon!

......

Hear hear! And they can talk, fly, AND travel across space and time... It ain't fair!

Whatever, Gunce. The view's nice from up here, I'll give ya that.

A beautiful sight, ain't it, Miss!

You know how we were in antiquity before? Well, now we're in the present, in my time.

No kiddin'? Yeah, I see the continent looks different. Wonder where'd be worth a visit?

From what little I know of archaeology, I take it you want to excavate some ruins or something?

I wouldn't mind tagging along. It sounds a bit like treasure-hunting.

Wait? Where'd they both go?

They just jumped off the deck.

They did WHAT?

They jumped? From this height?! What were they thinking?

It looks like we're just above Karek Swampland. We have to go after them, quick!

Velette and Gunce must have fallen somewhere around here...

Oh, for goodness sake! Quit hasslin' me already!

Velette! Gunce! There you are! And Darunis and Nomar, too?

Aldo, is that you?

FINALLY! You're late, Aldo! Mind explainin' to these guys that I'm not some sketchy fiend?

She's a friend of yours, Aldo? That certainly helps matters. We were just trying to ask her a few questions, but she wasn't cooperating at all.

And of course we're going to be curious! We just saw her fall out of the sky!

Oh, that makes sense. Well, I'm just glad nobody got hurt.

Okay, I suppose we'd better return to our guard duties. We'll leave this in your hands, Aldo.

Honestly, Velette! How could you just jump off Hydra like that? Don't you know how dangerous that was?

Pah! Fallin' from high places is common as muck in my line o' work. It's no biggie.

Besides, I'm fine, yeah? Not a scratch! Gunce makes an awesome cushion.

Okay, that is pretty impress...

Wait. You used Gunce to cushion your fall? What is WRONG with you, Velette? That's terrible!

I don't mind, Aldo, honest. I owe Miss Velette so much for takin' me in like she did. It's the least I can do to try to make it up to her. Even if it means sacrificin' my body.

Gunce...

Forget about that, Aldo, and focus. Are there any good dig sites 'round here you know of?

Really? You're just going to ignore what Gunce said?

Anyway, I can't give you info on dig sites without knowing more. What kind of thing are you looking for, exactly?

Just, somewhere that has that kinda vibe, y'know? Somewhere that looks worth explorin'.

That's not very specific...

Come on, think harder. What's your gut tell ya?

Well... There is a cave underneath Baruoki. How about that?

An underground cave? Sweet as! I can hear the relics callin' to me already! Lead the way, Aldo! Let's get crackin'!

Okay, okay! To Baruoki we go.

I got a good feelin' about this! I can smell the treasure from here!

You can smell it? That doesn't sound very...technical. Anyway, are you sure about digging this up?

Too right! Lemme give ya a little glimpse into my archaeological genius! Maybe I'll find a relic here that'll help unravel this world's hidden history!

That'd be awesome! Your genius outshines all others, Miss Velette!

Sure, that would be incredible. But how can you tell anything about the past from some old relic? Like when the Four Great Elementals disappeared and the elementals changed to prisma...

SPOILEEERS! Don't tell me the answers! You're ruinin' the mystery!

O-Oh, right, sorry about that. I didn't mean to...

Whatever. The point is, I'm gonna make some huge historical breakthrough in this cave.

You sure sound confident. Do you know what that breakthrough will be?

Course I do! I've been on to it since we got here!

There was an ancient, subterranean civilization down here, and I'm gonna find proof!

A subterranean...civilization?

Why're ya lookin' at me like that? Don't believe me?

I mean, do you really expect me to just accept it? That there were once people living under my own village?

Ah. Almost forgot that you're a local. And those two from before, they're your mates from the village?

Yeah, Darunis and Nomar. We grew up together. And though you didn't meet them, there was also May and Ashtear and...

Ashtear?

You're tellin' me Ashtear lived in this village?!

Um, yeah. Didn't I mention that before?

No, you did not! I can't believe this is the place...

Well, it's true. So you know her?

Know her? Course not! She and I have got nothin' to do with each other!

You don't? Weird way to react about someone you don't know.

Ugh. Just forget about it, yeah? Now let's get goin'! Gunce, prepare my tools!

......

Chop, chop! Quit dawdlin' and start workin'!

S-Sorry, Miss! I-It's just, I've got a favor to ask.

Could you... Could you leave this site to me?

To you? Why would I do that?

You wouldn't even know how to do it. You're not even close to ready for this kinda responsibility.

I am! I've been watchin' you as you work, and I know I can handle this!

Is there a reason why you want to take on this site?

If I can find a relic here, I want you to promise...

That you'll let me ask you a favor. Just the one.

Pfft! I don't reckon ya know what you're gettin' yerself into. But sure. You manage to find anythin' at all down here, and you can consider that favor granted!

It's a stone-cold lock that you'll turn up empty-handed, anyway!

You reckon, Miss?

Are you seriously going to excavate this on your own?

Of course. I said I would, didn't I? Look after Miss Velette for me will you, Aldo?

All right, but don't push yourself too hard, okay?

Are you sure about this Velette? Will Gunce really be fine on her own?

What do I care? She made her bed. She can lie in it.

Now, forget about her. Take me to antiquity on that talkin' battleship o' yours. I saw a huge palace from up in the sky, and I'm rarin' to check it out.

A palace, you say? You must mean Palsifal Palace.

Why do you want to go to antiquity all of a sudden?

Because then we'll find the relics of the subterranean civilization before Gunce does. Duh.

What?

Perhaps we'll even come across some o' these subterraneans in the flesh. It's gonna be a blast!

Whatever happened to "blasphemy against archaeology"?

Blah blah blah! I ain't lettin' Gunce win. Not on my watch. So quit moanin' and take me to antiquity!

Fine. To Derismo Highroad we go, I guess.

Well, here we are at the palace. Anywhere you want to excavate?

We're not here to SEARCH for anythin', Aldo. We're here to create.

I don't like the sounds of this. What do you mean, "create"?

Well, what we do is...

THIS!

*cough cough* Did you just hammer a hole into the ground?

Is this...the Man-eating Marsh?

See! Just like I told ya! It's that underground cave 20,000 years in the past!

What?! You're saying that the Man-eating Marsh once lay beneath what is now Baruoki?

How did you even know that?

Piece o' cake. Remember we saw how different the continent looked, up on that battleship? I just compared its shape in antiquity to its shape in the present. Easy as, mate.

So you worked all that out just from the shape of the continent? That's incredible, Velette.

Glad ya finally noticed. Still, might wanna hold off on the praise. The excavation's where I'll really knock yer socks off.

Everybody knows disaster-digger Velette, archeologist extraordinaire!

Wherever I dig, there's gonna be relics! And everythin' I find takes a shine to yours truly!

Takes a shine to you? What's that supposed to mean?

It's like with cats. Some people they like, others they hate. Well, relics flock to me like dotin' kitties. They call out, like they WANT me to dig 'em up.

The other day, I found 49 whole magic nails. 49!

Okay, that does sound like more than just coincidence.

It's just the way I am. Part of my genius, you might say. I'm pretty sure it's why Gunce follows me around.

Speaking of Gunce...you excavated her, right?

Yup. Of course, I didn't have the foggiest what Gunce was at the time, her being mummified and all that. But after a thorough clean up, she was good as new.

Incredible. I still can't quite wrap my head around it.

Huh? Why'd you bring up Gunce?

Didn't I tell ya? I found Gunce buried underground, and excavated her.

She was...BURIED?

Yup. Of course, I didn't have the foggiest what Gunce was at the time, her being mummified and all that.

But after a thorough clean up, she was good as new.

You're kidding...right?

Gunce is the most bafflin' of all the relics I've ever unearthed. A walkin', talkin' mystery.

And the reason why she's always with you is this weird, innate ability of yours?

Yep. And I mean, Gunce comes in handy all the time, so I don't mind havin' her around.

But now she's trying to ruin her master's fun. Unacceptable, relic or not.

Master? Relic?

Um, Velette? If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is Gunce to you?

What do ya mean? I already told ya, she's a relic.

No, I mean besides that. You spend so much time together, there must be more to it than that.

She's a mysterious talkin' bear.

Anything else?

She's my baggage handler. My cook, my cleaner, my guard, my bedtime story reader, my fluffy pillow, my...

Well, in short, a general dogsbody.

(Poor Gunce...)

My, is that you Aldo? I thought I heard someone.

Cyrus! Oh, of course, I should have expected to find you here!

Now tell me. I was disturbed in my abode by the most dreadful roar. Do you have any inkling what caused it?

Ah. I see Velette is with you. This must have been your doing, I presume?

AHHH! A frog man!

Look, Aldo, look! I was right! There was a subterranean civilization after all! A kingdom of frog people!

Snap out of it, Velette. It's Cyrus! You remember Cyrus, don't you?

Oh. Then he's not a subterranean?

Hm? Who is this young lady, Aldo?

AHHH! A frog man!

Look, Aldo, look! I was right! There was a subterranean civilization after all! A kingdom of frog people!

I get where you're coming from, Velette, but snap out of it! He's not a subterranean, he's my friend, Cyrus!

Oh...

A subterranean, you say? I must confess, I have no idea what you are talking about, but you are welcome here, nonetheless.

My humble abode is just up ahead. Perhaps I might offer you a cup of tea?

Yeah, nah. Mind if I blow this whole area to smithereens instead?

Mind? Why, I just told you that my home is in this vicinity. Of course I mind!

Velette! What's with you? You can't go blowing things up!

Yeah, you think I don't know that? It was just a joke.

Considering the geochronology of the area... Hmm, somewhere easy to find that's...not too buried...

Ah! Over here should do the trick.

And that's a wrap! All right, let's go back to Baruoki, Aldo.

Already? But you haven't even excavated anything.

If anything, it looked like you buried something just now...

Hey! Velette, wait up!

Hm. How very random.

So. How're we gonna entertain ourselves now, Aldo?

Oops, almost forgot! Gunce! Come on, we better go see how she's doing.

Velette, has this whole thing...

Whoa! What was that tremor?

Aldo! Thank goodness you're here!

May! What happened?

Some strange creature is rampaging underground, letting off explosives! Darunis and the others went down to stop it, but unless they do so quick, Baruoki's gonna be in real trouble!

Strange creature? That's got to be Gunce, right? But why would she be letting off explosives?

She's probably tryin' to blow away some of the cave walls. That's how I always do it.

It's delicate work, though. Way too dangerous for an amateur like Gunce to be messin' 'round with.

Worse comes to worst, the ground could give way beneath our feet. The whole village could sink.

You can't be serious! We have to go stop her!

*sigh* That relic does nothing but cause me stress, I swear. Fine. We can't let your village get destroyed, can we?

Stop this at once! Are you TRYING to destroy our village?

O-Of course not! I just didn't know how much gunpowder to use, and then I forgot where I put the explosives...

Eeek! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do any of this! I really didn't!

Is that you, Miss?

What a mess, Gunce, honestly! See, this is why I said you couldn't be trusted alone.

Leave the lecture for later! Those explosions aren't going to stop themselves!

One, two, three... Oh, great. Looks like there's heaps of explosives still out there.

You're kidding! One more explosion and we're doomed!

We're going to have to split up. Dangerous as it is, I don't see any other way to find them all.

No need, you'll take too long. Just lemme handle this. As Gunce's owner, this is on me.

Miss Velette...

And that's the last of 'em. Breathe easy, everyone.

Phew! For one awful moment, I really thought Baruoki was done for!

You sure made short work of that! Six explosives in as many minutes, I've never seen anything like it!

Even if we'd split up, we never could have tackled them all so quickly.

Please, it was child's play.

Um... Miss Velette?

Apologize later, Gunce. I'm not finished enjoying this praise.

Um, it's not that... I-It's just...there should've been...seven explosives left...

......

You said you disposed of six, right?

So there's still one left?! We need to find that thing, now!

Wait. Look over there!

Gra-wuh! What's this? Looks like we's found us a treasure!

Feels...explosive! We's gotsta go show this off to the others!

Great. Why do I get the feeling that the goblins' treasure is...

The last explosive!

Monsters took it? Then we're never gettin' it back. Not my fault.

Now, let's get back to praising me. Who wants to go first?

Not now, Velette! Hurry!

Wait! That's an explosive! Hand it over!

Gra-wuh? Who d'youse think youse are?

It's ours! We found it, an' we're keepin' it!

We's gonna have some fun with this thing. An explosive could sure cause a lotta trouble!

Aldo! We're running out of time!

I know! We're going to have to take it back by force!

Gra-wuh-wuh! Too strong!

It's all over! But if we's goin' down, we's takin' youse with us!

Oh no, it's gonna blow! We're doomed!

What do we do?

Outta the way, Aldo.

Huh?{lang-nuance}Outta the way, Aldo.{/lang-nuance}

Hyper-electric hammer on... Given the post-collision distance, trajectory and detonation timing...

Okay, that oughta do it! Time to fly, Gunce!

Hah! Did ya see that? It was spot on! I calculated the exact position where nothin' would get hit by the blast, and threw her there! Problem solved!

Problem solved?! What about Gunce?

Gunce? Well, she made this mess. She's gotta take responsibility for it.

How could you say that? You sacrificed her!

No, no. Miss Velette was right.

This was all my fault. Shieldin' the blast was a small price to pay for the trouble I caused.

Gunce...

You're alive?

She's walking around like it's nothing... How?

I mean, she survived buried underground. Gonna take more than a little explosion to knock her out.

R-Right... Well, I'm just glad you're okay, Gunce.

Aldo, we're going to return to the village and report this to the mayor.

The whole village will be in a panic after those explosions. We need to let them know it's all okay now.

Yeah, of course. Sorry about all this.

Nah, don't worry about it. Nobody got hurt in the end.

Indeed. We can let you off with some light punishment.

P-Punishment?

Well, obviously! And Velette, Gunce, don't think we're letting you off the hook either!

I'm really sorry. This was all my bad...

Gunce, I've been wondering. Why did you ask to do this dig in the first place?

I owe Miss Velette so much. She found me, and gave me this life. I wanted to pay her back for all she's done by helpin' out with her beloved excavations.

So the favor you wanted to ask was...

I wanted to ask her to take me on as her assistant.

You already are, ya big dunce, Gunce. My baggage handler, my cook, my cleaner, my guard, my bedtime story reader...

I can never repay the debt I owe you with petty chores like that! Excavation is strenuous work, but you always do it by yourself! I wanted to put an end to that!

Hah, I think I get it. You wanted to prove that you're able to help with Velette's work?

But, I failed. I couldn't find a thing, and I nearly turned your whole village to ruins. I'm no archaeologist, and I never will be. So I'll drop it. I won't try to...

Oh, you proper IDIOT!

Here we go again...

Strenuous work? Pfft! What would you know?

You fail just once, so you simply give up? Honestly, Gunce, you're so...

Not now, Velette! At least wait until we've sorted everything out down here.

Hmph. I've done all I set out to do.

Huh?{lang-nuance}Hmph. I've done all I set out to do.{/lang-nuance}

I FOUND SOMETHIN'!

You found something? As if. What exactly did ya find?

Take a look for yourself! When I crashed into the wall before, this slate fell out of it! It's a relic from an ancient subterranean civilization! I'm sure of it!

Oh? I don't know, that sounds like a pretty big coincidence to me... Wait? Did you just say it was a slate?

Velette? What is it?

......

Wha, It's an impressive find.

A fluke perhaps, but luck's all part of it in the end. Well, a promise is a promise.

Y-You mean...

But mess up my site, and it's out in the sun for you. I'll mummify you up again and bury you right where I found ya. Got it?

Loud and clear! I won't let you down, Miss! I'll stay behind and clear out the site. You two go on ahead!

Haha. Gunce seems pretty excited.

Okay, let's go back to the surface.

That was a close one. I dread to think what would have happened if you hadn't stopped those explosions.

Pathetic. Excavation's a risky business. You just gotta get used to it.

I was moments away from losing my entire hometown! It's perfectly reasonable to be a bit flustered!

And another thing. Are you sure it was right to let Gunce find that fake relic?

Fake? What do ya mean?

Don't be ridiculous. Back in the Man-eating Marsh...

Hmm, somewhere easy to find that's...not too buried...

Oh! Over here should do it.

It was all a lie, right? You weren't trying to find a relic before Gunce did. You left something in there. So that in the future, well, the present, Gunce could find it.

Hmph. I usually hate this way of doin' things.

Excavation's my life. If Gunce truly wanted this, I'd never stand in her way.

But that wasn't why she was doin' it, and I didn't like that.

You mean...that she was doing it to pay you back?

"Love the dig until your last breath." That's what my master used to say to me. The thill of chasin' the unknown. The exhilaration of discoverin' somethin' new.

The work I do is dangerous. That's why it's so important to truly enjoy it.

I don't want her steppin' into this outta some idiotic sense of duty!

Basically, you wanted her to experience the joys of archaeology firsthand?

Yeah, but look how that came back to bite me! Now I gotta take care of some useless assistant. Things were so much easier when I could just lump her with all my chores!

Haha. I'm sure you'll make a great boss, Velette!

Anyway, I don't think Gunce looks up to you because of your innate relic-seeking ability.

What a random thing to say. Where'd that come from?

It's just, you clearly knew what Gunce was feeling right from the start. Even though it wasn't remotely obvious to an outsider. You two really get each other.

Oh, whatever. Look, I got somethin' far more important than stupid Gunce to be thinkin' 'bout right now.

Oh. You do?

Yeah. You know that relic she found? Well, what I left behind for her was an ornament with the words "I am a subterranean" engraved on it.

I somehow doubt a subterranean would actually refer to themselves as a subterranean...

Wait. An ornament? But Gunce found a slate, not an ornament?

Exactly. The relic she found was real.

WHAT?

Here, take a look for yourself.

Is that...writing? There's an engraving, but I can't make it out. Velette! Could this really be...

Well, who's to say? But it's piqued your interest, right? I bet you wanna investigate further, huh?

Absolutely! I'm so excited, I'm not sleeping a wink tonight!

Perfect! Then you, Gunce, and I can team up together and...

Ah, there you are.

Grandpa!

I've spoken to Darunis. Apparently the tremors were your doing?

Why would you... Oh, is this the punishment they were talking about? No, Grandpa, wait! If you'll just hear me out, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this!

I never doubted it. Don't worry, my boy, I trust you.

Grandpa!

Still, that is that, this is this, I'm afraid. The fact remains that you put our village in danger.

(Uh-oh! I think he really is angry!)

Velette, you better apologize...

Look, I stuffed up. Won't happen again...

Huh?

I'm beggin' ya. FORGIVE ME!

Goodness! Wait a moment!

Strange. That was totally out of character for her...

Sorry Grandpa! I'll go fetch Velette so we can apologize properly.

Oh, and Grandpa...

You know, there might once have been a subterranean civilization underneath Baruoki.

Goodness, my boy. Subterranean, you say?

Hohoho! Sounds like an adventure in the making!