Roach Elder

Giant's Lair, Roach Village

[story, enter village]

Vi: This is...a village?

Guard 1: HALT! OR BE IMPALED!

Maki: ...! Roaches!

Vi: No way!

Leif: So some didn't vanish after all.

Elder: Hmph. You did halt. You may be just. Or simply cowards.

Elizant: Please, allow us to explain the situation. We're short on time.

Guard 2: Bleh. There's nothing to explain. Everyone's after the sapling today!

Maki: The sapling? It is real, then?

(minibubble) Elizant: …

Elder: Silence. You've spoken too much!

Guard 2: ...S-Sorry, Elder.

Elder: You come with that crook?

Elizant: No! Please, in the name of my people, allow me to explain…

Elder: I see…

Elder: To think that after uneventful generations guarding the sapling…

Elder: So many would come for it in just one day.

Guard 1: That "Wasp" King you're talking about snuck past us while we dealt with his troops.

Guard 2: He used them like pawns... Not caring about their lives at all.

Mothiva: Disgusting. How can he treat his loyal followers like that!?

Vi: Huh. You do have a heart!

Maki: Please, allow us to go after him!

Elder: And what will you do when you get the sapling from him?

Elder: Just what are you planning to do with our sacred treasure!?

(minibubble) Leif: ...

Elizant: ...I…

Elizant: I had a dream. To use its power to fulfill my wishes…

Elizant: But the lust for that power has only brought turmoil to Bugaria.

Elizant: I will destroy it!

Leif: But...what about your mother!?

Elizant: She entrusted her dream to me. And I've fulfilled it.

Elizant: The land teemed with explorers searching for the ultimate treasure.

Elizant: She...would be proud of me. She deserves to rest.

Elder: How dare you spin your words as noble! The sapling is SACRED!

Guard 1: Elder! If they destroy it...what will be of us? Our life's purpose?

Elder: That crook may be mad, but he wouldn't desecrate our treasure like you! Humph!

Guard 2: You heard the elder. She never changes her mind. You won't pass!

Vi: We'll just have to knock-

Kabbu: No, Vi! This is not the way to solve this!

Elizant: They are blinded by their devotion...understandable.

Leif: Elizant, our Queen...We will support you. We must plead our case once more.

Zasp: I guess the others and I will make ourselves cozy for now…

Elder: My word is final! We won't let you through!

Maki: Please, you must listen!

Elizant: Team Snakemouth, you're here. Perhaps you have some words of persuasion?

Vi: Yeah, it's called the Beemer- Ow!

(minibubble) Kabbu: Stop it!

Leif: A few, if you'll allow us.

Elizant: ...Please.

Leif: ...

Leif: This is something only Vi and Kabbu knew, but... We are not of this time.

Leif: We served under the first Queen Elizant.

Elizant: W-What!?

Maki: Is this true, Kabbu!?

Kabbu: Y-Yes. It was not our secret to tell.

Leif: The Roaches used to roam Bugaria, even if they secluded themselves a bit.

Leif: When we were found, we discovered they'd all disappeared... And no one knew why.

Leif: What good has the Sapling done anybody all these moons?

Leif: All it's done is plunge explorers into danger. And now that mad King's gone crazy for power…

Leif: Even our late queen was tempted by the promise of eternal life. The sapling's only hurt others by existing! Even you!

Leif: You live trapped in this forsaken place, guarding an ancient temptation!

Elder: ...…

Elizant: Leif... Thank you for your words.

Elizant: Won't you reconsider, Elder?

Elder: …

Elder: When I was born, my mother said: "The sapling is the key to everything."

Elder: "Good, evil...it all comes from this sapling. It is sacred."

Elder: "So sacred that we endure to protect it."

Elder: And so we have, for so long…

Elder: But you're right, aren't you? What good has it done us?

Elder: Every time a child strays too far, never to be seen again…

Elder: It's the sapling's fault! Sacred, my husk!

Kabbu: T-Then, you'll reconsider!?

Roach Guard: W-Wait!

Roach: Elder, are you sure!? What will become of us!?

Elder: We will find a new purpose!

Elder: One that doesn't doom us to live on the edge of violence.

Elder: One that lets us enjoy the plains of legends again!

Maki: Elder, thank you…

Elizant: You are welcome in our Kingdom, to explore that possibility.

Roach: I...I can't believe it…

Elder: We'll let you pass to the Sapling Plains.

Elder: Go destroy that sapling. Our new future depends on it.

Vi: We coulda done it sooner! Let's run!

Kabbu: Vi really doesn't get politics, does she?

Leif: That's why she's our Vi. Let's finish this.

Elder: We have been protecting the sapling for generations.

Elder: Its power is too strong for any bug to handle... Because of it, we are the last Roaches in these lands.

Elder: Please destroy it once and for all. We cannot do that ourselves.

[story, post-battle]

Elder: ...So that's it, then. The Everlasting Sapling is no more...

Roach 1: What should we do now, Elder? What are we meant to protect?

Elizant: This is still your home, sapling or not. You can protect it with heart.

Elizant: But if you'd like to visit greener pastures…

Elizant: You are welcome in Bugaria. All of our Kingdoms would have you.

Elder: Bugaria... We've only heard the tales our ancestors left us.

Elder: I fear I've grown too used to this small town and its Scorpions.

Elder: I will be okay, staying here.

Roach 1: Elder…

Elder: Everyone! You are not bound to this land any longer.

Elder: You need not fight monsters and forage for food.

Elder: Nor fear sleeping in case of an attack...you're free.

Elder: Those who wish to go to Bugaria, don't stay fearing for my sake.

Elder: After all, you can always visit!

Roach 1: ...Thank you. Thank you, our elder!

Roach 2: No offense, but I'm outta here!

Roach 3: I can't leave the Scorpions, but thanks for offering.

Roach 2: I'll miss mine, but I want to see the world!

Leif: Our Queen, you've caused quite a stir.

Vi: It's cuz they can have adventures now, too!

Kabbu: Heheh. Indeed. It makes me want to go beyond Bugaria as well!

Elizant: Team Snakemouth! We depart! We have a feast to attend to!

Elizant: I trust you won't keep us waiting!

Mothiva: Or I'll start the show without you, don't doubt it!

Maki: Well, I've got quite the report to write, so…

Kina: I'll help you! We're not missing the food!

Zasp: Heheheh. Mothiva's in quite the mood.

Zasp: I'm just glad we survived. All thanks to you.

Kabbu: You helped us as well! It was truly a team effort!

Zasp: ...Let's work together again, sometime.

Vi: Aww, why can't he be nice with Mothiva around?

Leif: Dunno. Pride or something?

Kabbu: As long as we know his true feelings, it's fine!

Leif: There's a lot we want to say, but...let's go celebrate.

Vi: Heck yeah! I'm super hungry!

Kabbu: Thank you, Vi...Leif...for helping me experience the adventure of a lifetime.

Kabbu: If my team could see me now...I hope they'd be happy for me.

Leif: More than that, they'd be proud.

Vi: Yeah! You're a super explorer now!

Kabbu: ...Heheh. No, just part of an incredible team!

Kabbu: Now, for our final mission: Let's head to the castle!

Textbox: Battling through Rubber Prison and the Dead Lands, Team Snakemouth discovered the Roaches' Village.

Textbox: Resolving to destroy the Everlasting Sapling, they faced the Wasp King with determination.

Textbox: And so, after a long journey and many harsh fights, Team Snakemouth and their comrades defeated the Wasp King.

Textbox: Although the Everlasting Sapling's chapter has closed, a new one begins.

Textbox: ...It's time to celebrate!

Giant’s Lair, Sapling Plains

[first talk]

Kabbu: ...Elder? Are you alright?

Elder: Yes... I was merely pondering.

Elder: Even though it was supposed to be everlasting... The sapling still wilted.

Elder: Were our ancestors wrong then? Did they not manage to create an eternal plant?

Vi: Umm... I mean, it is pretty dark here, and the sapling was stuffed inside that thingy.

Leif: Mhm. We suppose the sapling still requires sunlight despite it being undying otherwise.

Elder: I see. That does make sense.

Elder: It makes me wonder, would the King then be unstoppable if you fought him in daylight?

Elder: He did burn through the sapling's power fast, and that in the end consumed him.

Elder: But would he have been truly unstoppable outside?

Kabbu: All in all, we were lucky to have that happen.

Kabbu: If that was indeed a possibility, it is great that we managed to stop him when we could.

Elder: Still... Did our ancestors really not consider that option?

Elder: ...Sorry for keeping you around. There's so much to think about...

[subsequent talks]

Elder: Our sacred sapling... Don't mind me, I just need to think...

Giant's Lair, Roach Village

[after talking in Sapling Plains]

Elder: A world without the Sapling... I still struggle to imagine it...

Npc Spy

Vi: Is the Elder like...the Roach Queen?

Leif: Doesn't seem that way. Everyone just seems to respect her very much.

Kabbu: A Queen chosen by the people... In the north, we also had such a system…