A Future, Once Dreamt

Bwahaha! Such fragile creatures... Elf, human, it doesn't matter, Throw them around a little and they break like twigs.

You're the only one left in this village, girl. You can scream to your heart's content.

...That's far enough!

GWAAAH! Wh-Why?!

Her heart burns with crimson rage! The natural born dragon killer, , Wryz Red!

He can calculate your chance of victory right in his head, and your chances are less than .0008 percent. The stoic commander, , Cerius Blue.

If you've got a boo-boo, then she's got a remedy for you! The happy-go-lucky airhead, , Zanka Pink!

A comeback for every joke! The ultimate straight man, , Aldo Red!

Our name strikes fear into the hearts of dragons far and wide! We are the Mighty Melpi Rangers!!!

I-It couldn't be! The Mighty Melpi Rangers?!?! Wait... Why are there two Reds?!

Let the girl go if you value your life, you despicable dragon!

O-Okay, okay! I'll let her go, so please...

Now! MIGHTY MELPI RAINBOOOOOOW!!!

S-Such power! How could I...lose?!

GRYAAAAAAAAAGH!!!

Thank you for saving me, Melpi Rangers!

Don't worry about it. It's only natural to support each other.

After all, we're...

......

Well I think it's safe to assume THAT wasn't a vision of the future. Just some stupid dream.

Heheh, but I've gotta say, it was a pretty good one. Been a while since I could just relax and ride the good old dream waves. I can't wait to see Tiryluna's face when I tell her about it.

Grr... Where IS she anyhow? It's WAY past my breakfast time! My stomach's grumblin' so loud the neighbors can hear it...

Ah! Good morning, Miss Melpiphia!

Mornin'! Going fishing?

Yep! How's it looking? Will I catch anything big?

How should I know? My visions don't work on demand, you know. Don't treat me like some court magician.

Hahah! Sorry about that.

W-Wait! I'm getting something!

An empty can! An old boot! A prize for every cast! Too many to fit in the cooling box!

Level up! Higher! Break the limit! The path of the fisherman never ends!

Uhh...

Right. I guess that means I shouldn't get my hopes up, then. But there are always going to be days like that. I'll try my best to at least catch something edible.

That's a good attitude ya got there! By the way, have you seen Tiryluna around this morning?

Yeah, I passed by her earlier. She was headed towards the human camp.

Really? I wonder what business she could have at Arcadia Vanward Camp...

...Only one way to find out.

Well, well. What do we have here?

She's chatting with Cerantino and Zanca...

...Huh?!

...I think it would be best if you avoided contact with her.

...Yeah. And maybe don't let her know that we're meeting like this.

...We're really lucky to have your help with this, Tiryluna. ...It's such a pain. ...I'm scared of what she'll see in her visions.

Are they talking about what I think they're talking about?

Sorry I was late!

Don't worry. We all just got here.

Great, then let's get on with it...

...Hm?!

Thank you... You have no idea how much you've helped us. But that ends today.

...... That vision just now...

I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. It'll be just like what happened with Veina.

G'day, friends! Thank you for inviting me into your lovely home...

Damn! It's Melpiphia!

Wryz.

Urk!

Uh, um... H-Hi Melpi. Why are you here?

I was looking for you. What were you chatting about just now?

U-Uh, we were...

She was, uh, ! She was just telling me about this great new spot to pick herbs she discovered!

You called her all the way out here just for that?

Urk!

......

Are we finished here, Wryz? We have more important things to do.

Yeah, let's go.

......

I guess we should head back, too, Melpi. You must be hungry.

I'm fine. I'm not a child. You don't need to come by if you've got more important things to do, Tiryluna.

But...

...Okay. I might take you up on that, then. Wryz asked for my help with something, so I might be too busy to stop by for a while. You sure you'll be alright?

Yeah. See ya around.

Yeah. See you!

...They need to work on their acting.

Melpiphia?

What are you doing out here all alone?

Aldo...

Nothing in particular. I was just about to go home.

...Melpiphia?

(It's already been a few days, but I can't get that vision out of my head...)

Hey, it's Miss Melpiphia! Let's play!

...Sorry, I can't today. I have an appointment after this.

...But beware child! For next time we meet, we will play like you have never played before! Bwahahahaha!

Yay! It's a promise!

...I'm sorry. I didn't really have an appointment, but...

The villagers really love you, huh Melpiphia?

Pyah!

Hahahah! Nice reaction!

It's your fault for sneaking up on me! What do you want?

Nothing in particular, I just heard that you'd been acting a bit strange lately, so I thought I'd check up on you.

Strange? Me?

Yeah. Or to be more accurate you're not strange enough. You've stopped saying incomprehensible stuff, quit doing weird dances, and you even called me Aldo just now. Is something on your mind?

...You got me, Altimate. Will you listen to what I've got to say?

That's what friends are for.

Alright, then how about you come over to my place, and...

WAIT! YOU WANNA COME OVER TO MY PLACE?! IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE AFTER THIS WHOLE TIME?! YOU ALDOCREEP!

I take that back. You're on your own.

What? There's no way that could be true. Wryz would never try to exclude you, Melpiphia.

Well I saw what I saw, and unlike the time with Veina, I heard them clearly. They were obviously trying to get away from me as fast as they could.

Hmmm... Did you play some kinda prank that went way too far?

Hey! Do I look like the kind of elf who would play pranks on people?!

You do, actually...

But anyhow, it's just weird. Tiryluna was there, right? Why not just ask her?

Let me tell you a story...

Huh?

...It all happened about ten years ago. It was the night of my first big comedy show, and the whole village came out to see me! Everyone was laughing and smiling, just havin' a good old time, when suddenly, the whole crowd fell silent. Everyone was staring at me, and it was clear from the look in their eyes that something was VERY wrong...

, What does this story have to do with anything?!

Heheheh, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing your reactions. You said earlier that everyone in the village loved me, but that wasn't always the case.

Huh?

Even when I was a child, I always received special treatment because of my powers. And I ate it up, I really did think I was something special. But on that day, I realized I had been completely wrong.

Wrong about what?

I had a vision. It was Tiryluna's future, and in it she had been killed by a monster.

What?! Tiryluna was killed?!

I was in shock, so of course I ran to tell Tiryluna as quickly as I could. But do you know what she said to me? She said, "If that's my destiny, then so be it."

And she wasn't the only one, The other villagers all said the same thing. They thought her death was natural, and just accepted it.

"Let be, what will be." That's our code.

I was the only one who could change it, but how? How can you change the future when you don't even know when it's going to occur? That's when it hit me, I'd have to warp the timeline so that it just never happened at all.

...Ah, so you tried to warp this by doing completely unpredictable stuff.

Yeah. I tried everything I could think of. I climbed trees and made weird voices, I walked around the village while doing a handstand... ...And in the end, the villagers started trying to ignore me. They all thought I'd lost my mind.

That had to have been tough...

But you really did save her in the end, right? Your efforts didn't go to waste.

That's where you're wrong. She still got attacked just like I saw in my vision. She was hurt really badly.

What?!

She didn't die, so I had at least changed things a little bit, but...after that I tried to shut out everyone around me. I didn't want to see anyone else's future, so I figured I was better off being alone.

...That's awful.

But you know what? In the end it was Tiryluna who pulled me out of it.

...Melpi.

I heard what happened. You went and told the villagers why I was acting so strangely.

Yeah... I just couldn't stand hearing them talk about you like that. You did all that for me, and it's the only reason I'm still here.

......

...I'm sorry Melpi. They just can't understand why you would want to change the future. I guess I don't either.

It's fine. I never asked you to in the first place.

It's not fine!

I'm supposed to be your friend, and yet I can't even begin to understand what you're going through. I hate it!

......

I know this is selfish of me, but...at least let me stand by you. That way, one of these days, I'll surely come to understand both your joy and your pain. Okay?

Tiryluna...

...And that's when I decided, I would bring my impersonation routine to the next level! I would make my audience laugh like never before!

Quit adding in pointless details!

Tiryluna really did save me back then. And thanks to her, the other villagers at least tried to understand that I had a different way of looking at the world.

...You really couldn't ask for a better friend.

Yeah. There aren't many people that really understand me, so she's irreplaceable. I'm sure that's why Tiryluna went to talk to Wryz, too. But it's fine. I already have her by my side. I don't need anyone else.

......

Anyhow thanks, Aldo. You're a good listener.

Any time. But I'm a bit sad, to be honest. I thought you thought of me as a friend, too.

Huh? No, that's not, ! Of course you're my friend, Aldo! We go on adventures together, and talk together, and do so much fun stuff! And you and Wryz are even helping me fight to change the future...

, Ah.

Haha! I knew it. You think of Wryz as a friend, too, don't you, Melpiphia?

...That was dirty.

Maybe, but the future CAN be changed. I mean, that's what you do, right? So try to have a little more faith in Wryz, okay? I'll be there with you every step of the way.

...Fine. If you say so, Aldomageddon.

That's the spirit. Let's head on over to Arcadia base camp.

Isn't that...

Oh, it's Wryz. Good timing.

Melpiphia?

And a one, and a two, and a meow-meow-mew!

...Hey.

Sorry, I was just communicating with the cats of the celestial sea. I asked them to bend the laws of time and space so that all life can grow ears as cute as theirs.

Quite praying for such weird stuff!

I thought you said you WANTED to change the future!

This isn't some abstract, vague future you saw in a vision, okay! This is YOUR future we're trying to change, Melpiphia!

But this is the only way I know how...

Don't overthink it. The only thing you need to change your own future is a little bit of courage.

Courage...

...Okay. I'll try to take it seriously and talk to her.

Good. Just stay smooth.

S-S-Sure... S-S-Smooth, yeah... I-I can d-d-do that...

Is she really gonna be okay...

...Wryzie-pie.

Huh?

Melpiphia and Aldo? What are you two doing here?!

Hm?

Do you have a moment? There's something I needed to talk to you about.

No! You can't come in!

Huh?

Why not? We come here all the time.

Well, uh, the thing is...

Look, we've got a lot goin' on right now, and everyone's on edge. Now's not a good time for you to be strolling around base.

You have a lot going on? Like what?

L-Look! That's all I can tell you, okay?! Now get outta here!

...... (Why... Why can't I think of anything to say? What should I ask her? How can I even explain what it was I was stressed about?)

Before you go, can you at least tell me where Tiryluna is?

She's east of camp gathering something called kakayashi.

What? Kakayashi?

East of camp should be...the Aquatail Wilds? Isn't that place dangerous?

Yeah, but don't worry. I sent an escort out with her. She'll be fine.

...Okay, yeah. Something feels off about this. What could they be up to? Maybe we should try to...

No. It's fine.

Huh? What do you mean?

It was obvious from Wryz's attitude just now that the vision will come true. I was naive to think I could change it just by being brave.

Melpiphia!

S-Somebody help!

What the, ?!

It's here! It's the same one from before! The one that wrecked base camp!

The one that wrecked base camp? Do you mean Veilis?! Are you sure? We already defeated it!

I saw it with my own two eyes! It completely blew me away and I lost sight of Tiryluna, and then...

Tiryluna was with you?!

Y-Yeah. Wryz sent us with her to act as an escort, but then that thing came out of nowhere. There's no way I could take on something like that by myself, so I ran back here to call for backup.

...Tch!

Wait! Melpiphia!

...Argh! Why is this happening?!

......

Elves...accept...their fate... They don't struggle... They bore me...

That's right. If today's my day to die, then so be it. What will be, will be...

Except... I don't want to die! It's too soon! I promised to stay by her side! If I die here, what will happen to her?!

Bweheheh... That's right... Struggle... Therein lies...the beauty of death!

GET AWAY FROM TIRYLUNA!!!

Melpi!

Just hang on! I'm coming! But this dragon, it's...

It's the same as the one from my dream... Are you telling me that wasn't just a dream?

Has Veilis really been resurrected?! Be careful Melpiphia! This thing will use your emotions against you! And if it's here, then...

In death...an undying...will... In death... a supreme...pleasure...

Get out of here Tiryluna!

Huh?!

NEVER!

Oof!

ALDO!!!

...Ngh! Get out of here...you two!

The death...of loved ones... Despair...

Please! Not her!!!

This has gone far enough!

...Wryz? Cerius?! Sazanca! It's just like my dream!

Good thing we made it in time. There's no way in hell I'm gonna lose anyone else to this piece of trash.

B-B-But why is it even here?! Is it immortal?!

Unlikely. No matter how powerful a dragon it is, nothing is immortal. It's illogical. And based on its actions, I find it hard to believe it holds the same level of intelligence as Veilis did.

Umm... Then what's your explanation, smarty-pants?

This is nothing but conjecture, but perhaps Veilis's lingering hatred found its way into the body of some other dragon.

Hmm, sounds logical.

No, it doesn't. But who cares? It's here, and it tried to hurt our friends.

Huh?!

Nobody touches my friends. I'll send you to hell as many times as it takes! Back us up, Melpiphia! We're doin' this!

...Okay! We're coming, Tiryluna!

I said as many times as it takes, but you know what? I take that back. I never wanna see your disgusting face again!

Thank you! If you call hadn't come, I would have been...

No, this was my fault. I never imagined I was putting you in such danger by sending you out here.

Well, it was a close call, but what's important is that Tiryluna's safe. Right, Melpiphia?

...Yeah. Wryz, Cerius, Sazanca... Thank you.

I'll be heading back now.

Wait a second!

What's up with you? You're actin' weird.

Yeah. No nicknames, no random outbursts, no weird dances...

...I just don't want to cause any more trouble for you than I already have. You don't need to worry about me. I'm just glad Tiryluna's safe.

Are you sure about this, Melpiphia? I know you're feeling scared, but you should remember what Wryz said earlier.

Huh? Did I say somethin'?

......

As long as Tiryluna's safe, that's enough for me.

But I admit...when I saw that future it really hurt. I never knew being rejected would be so painful. I know it was just a coincidence that we met and our goals happened to align, so I tried not to get my hopes up, but...

Whoa, whoa, slow down. I'm a bit lost here. When did anyone reject you?

Could it be that you read our future, Melpiphia?

...Yeah.

Wait, what?! That's what happened?!

If you don't mind, would you please tell us exactly what you saw? I have a feeling there's been a misunderstanding.

...I saw you all talking together.

Sigh... You've gotta be kidding me. THAT'S the part you saw?

Yeeeaaah... I REALLY wish we had noticed earlier...

Umm... can somebody please fill me in on what's happening right now?

Sorry, Aldo, but we didn't tell you.

Let's get back to camp. You'll understand once we get there.

Shall we, Melpi?

Tiryluna...

...Just need a little courage, right Alfredo?

That's right. Let's go.

What the, ?!

There's so much food!

Ah! I see you've brought our guests!

We just finished setting everything up! Let's get this party started!

No, not yet. You wanna take the explanation, Cerius?

...Alright.

The truth is, we were secretly planning a feast for you.

...A feast?

Yes, we wanted to thank you. You brought us to your village, you helped is with your power to read the future, and you even fought alongside us.

We owe you a lot. That's the truth.

Yeah! So that's why we wanted to do something to pay you back.

...You wanted to thank me?

Yep. That's why we enlisted Tiryluna. We wanted it to be a surprise.

Tiryluna was helping you?

Yep, and it was a huge pain keeping the secret from you. Even Aldo distrusted us.

You did all that...just for me?

Heheheh... Sorry about that.

You always try to put on a strong front when I'm around, Melpi. It's rare to get to see the real you, so I thought it'd be fun to help Wryz take you completely by surprise.

Grr! What kinda reason is that! I don't need no stinkin' surprises...

Oh really? Because to me it looks like you've been a lot happier since Wryz and her friends came along.

Th-That's not, !

Awww, you're gonna make me blush!

Stay out of this Zanca!

Ooh! The nicknames are back!

I can always stay by your side, Melpi, but I can't help you in battle. That's why I'm happy you've got people like Wryz to rely on as well.

Tiryluna...

Wryz said it herself. When another person's fate has a sudden turn for the worse, you're always there to help. So why not let your fate have a sudden turn for the better for once?

Shut up, Cerius! You promised you wouldn't tell her about that!

Then you mean...you really weren't avoiding me all this time?

Of course not! Why would we ever do that?

A surprise party, huh? It's certainly an interesting, if challenging, proposition.

It will be difficult to keep secret given her rather unique powers, as she just showed us earlier. I think it would be best if you avoided contact with her entirely.

Yeah. And maybe don't let her know that we're meeting like this.

Okay, I'll let her know that I'll be busy for a while and might not be around.

We're really lucky to have your help with this, Tiryluna. It's such a pain. I'm scared of what she'll see in her visions. It'll totally ruin the surprise.

Well you can count on me! I'll do whatever I can to help, so let's make it a wonderful surprise!

Thank you, Melpiphia. You have no idea how much you've helped us. But that ends today.

It's our turn to start supportin' you for once. I mean, that's what friends are for, right?

We'll be counting on you.

Yep! We need our mood maker!

Wryzie-pie... Cerious... Zanca...

Huh? Are you crying?

N-No! My eyes are drooling! That's it! After seeing all this amazing food!

Haha! Good for you, Melpiphia!

But I've gotta ask... Why did you leave me out of the loop?

Because you're a TERRIBLE liar.

Nobody trusts me...

Alright, enough with the speeches! The food's getting cold!

Oh yeah, Melpi! We even made your favorite, Kakayashi juice!

C'mon everyone! It's party time!

Well, there were a few bumps along the way, but it turned out really fun in the end. The food was great. Did you enjoy yourself, Melpiphia?

Sure. It was delectably decent, and astoundingly alright!

Oh come on, it was way more than decent! You partied harder than anyone else here.

No, I didn't! But I admit I was kinda happy to show off my new impressions... I just wish I hadn't gone and misunderstood Wryz and Tiryluna's intentions like that.

It couldn't be helped. I would've thought the same thing if I'd seen a vision like that. Maybe next time you can just pretend it was a bad dream. That way you don't have to worry about it coming true.

No. This time it definitely wasn't a bad dream.

Huh?

Thank you for saving me, Melpi Rangers!

Don't worry about it. It's only natural to support each other. After all... ...What are friends for?

...It was the best kind of dream, about the best kind of heroes.