Chapter 1: A Dysfunctional Trio

By: Elizant II

Vi and Kabbu have passed Maki's trial and earned their Explorer Permit!

Their first mission is to find the artifact hidden in Snakemouth's Den, located west of the Association.

Their teamwork needs tuning, but they head out full of hope.

.

After almost being eaten by a spider, Vi and Kabbu rescued Leif, a moth trapped in Snakemouth's depths.

With a new partner, the team continues their trek through the cave.

.

Defeating the vicious spider, the team was dragged by a flood trap through the river.

Luckily, they ended up near the Ant Kingdom with the artifact intact. All that's left is to hand over the artifact to the Queen and claim their reward!

Kabbu: Ahh, the land of Bugaria.

A peaceful, prosperous place where many adventurous bugs gather.

Although, it wasn't always that way...

Lured by the promise of riches and lush fields, a young Queen visited these lands many moons ago.

Together with her daughters and fellow ant servants, she established Bugaria's modest first settlement.

Her people were happy, the Ant Kingdom flourished... And yet, the Queen's dream had still not been fulfilled.

For she had heard of an ancient people, who safeguarded a treasure of unbelievable power. It was none other than...

The Everlasting Sapling! A plant which would grant unending youth and strength to any who ate even one of its leaves!

She searched, and searched...and searched...

Alas, she never found it.

She entrusted her dream to the princess, before falling into a hard-earned sleep.

Determined to succeed where her mother did not, the new Queen rallied the people together under her cause.

Opening the doors of the kingdom to bugs of all shapes and kinds, she attracted ambitious and skilled adventurers!

Her decree was loud and clear: "Find me the Everlasting Sapling, and you shall know wealth like no other bug ever has!"

With this, The Explorers' Association was founded, with its many members searching across the kingdom for clues and treasure.

Even though to this day, the sapling has not been found. But every bug dreams of one day claiming it for themselves...

Outskirts, Explorer’s Association

Kabbu: ...Or at least, those were the stories I was told in my land.

Kabbu: Despite many unfortunate incidents, tales of your people helped me keep my adventuring spirit alive.

Maki: Rest assured, Kabbu. They are not mere legends, but real history.

Maki: This Explorers' Association, and all the explorers who risk their wings for glory, are proof of that.

Kabbu: Then, Sir Maki, would you consider my earlier offer?

Maki: Kabbu, I respect your passion. But I take missions of the highest danger. An unproven warrior is not fit to accompany my team.

Kabbu: Unproven!? Maki, I've bested many hardships in the north!

Maki: Or so you say. Your knowledge of our culture, and your passion for exploring are as true as my blade's edge, Kabbu.

Maki: But, I would ask you to not press the issue - this is not the place to cause a scene.

(minibubble) Kabbu: Ngh...

Vi: WHAT? Care to say that AGAIN!?

Eetl: As I said, we cannot allow children to explore! Much less Snakemouth Den!

Vi: I'M NOT A KID!

Maki: ...So much for that. Would you accompany me, Kabbu? It is my duty to investigate.

Kabbu: Hm? Well, if you insist.

Textbox: Use |button,0|, |button,1|, |button,2| and |button,3| to move around! Press |button,4| to jump or talk to people!

Maki: Eetl, bee, lower your voices! What is the matter?

Vi: This guy's calling me a kid, says I can't explore!

Eetl: Shouting isn't going to change the rules, you child!

Vi: Shut it. It's not about age, it's about skill!

Vi: I'm Vi, the best explorer the Hive has ever seen! I'm not some random bee!

Kabbu: An explorer bee?

Vi: Yeah. Got a problem? Saying bees can't explore? Expected honey and paint?

Kabbu: I didn't say that, but…

Maki: Silence, please. This guild of ours is no place for petty squabbles.

Eetl: Look. I can't just give a permit to some bee. Much less without a partner. Teams should be a duo of explorers, you know?

Vi: I'm worth like four bees, okay!?

Kabbu: ...Hey. Vi.

Vi: What do you want?

Kabbu: Why don't we join forces? We both wish for a permit, yet lack a companion.

(minibubble) Maki:...

Vi: What, do I look that desperate? I don't even know you!

Kabbu: I have a promise I must keep, and for that I must explore. How bad could it be?

Vi: Well... It can't be worse than having to stay put. Deal.

Eetl: Wait, you two are just crazy! You won't last a second at Snakemouth!

Vi: I'll prove you wrong!

Maki: No.

Maki: You are both, most likely, mere novices, ruled by your strong emotions…

Maki: I have no doubt that if you left today, you would return inside a bag.

Kabbu: Sir Maki. Although you outrank me in spades, you shouldn't underestimate me.

Kabbu: I...went through quite a bit to get here.

Vi: Yeah. Bugs like you that look down on others are really annoying!

Maki: Hmm. Very well. I shall test your resolve.

Vi: Test us, huh? Who named you king of this joint?

Maki: The Ant Queen herself, for she has knighted me as her Royal Blade!

(minibubble) Eetl: Not again...

Kabbu: I accept your challenge! Vi, get ready!

Vi: Watch your own horn, I was born ready!

Kabbu: Vi, our opponent is no amateur. Would you like to review some combat tips?

Textbox: Sure.

No need.

Vi: See? We're doing great!

Kabbu: Don't let your guard down, Vi. After our turn ends, the enemy's next!

Vi: I know! And if I press |button,4| at the right time...

Textbox: Pressing |button,4| a bit before an enemy hits you reduces damage received!

Textbox: With perfect timing, you'll reduce even more damage!

Vi: O-ow! What the heck!? You trying to kill us or something?

Maki: Hmph. If you can't handle that much, you should surrender. Go home, and guard honey with your silly toy!

Vi: Toy!? Argh. Now I'm mad!

Kabbu: We should pay him back, tenfold!

Vi: It's time to use a skill! They're just like attacks, but you select them from the yellow flower!

Vi: Skills require us to use our TP (Teamwork Points), though. So watch out for how many we have left!

Kabbu: We should patch your wounds too, using items from the blue flower.

Textbox: Toggle between commands using |button,2| and |button,3|!

[post-fight]

Kabbu: S-such skill with the blade!

Maki: ...You pass.

Vi: What!?

Maki: You performed well enough. I could feel your desire to see the world through your attacks.

Maki: I am no one to keep you from your Explorer Permit. Eetl, you may grant it to them.

Eetl: I get no say in this, huh?

Eetl: ...But Maki IS the Queen's Blade. Here, you can have it.

Vi: I did it! Snakemouth Den is going to be all mine! All the riches, all the glory!

(minibubble) Kabbu: Er, we did it.

Maki: Snakemouth Den, it lies to the west of the association. A simple path, although filled with danger.

Maki: There is much treasure to be found, but its jaws have claimed many.

(minibubble) Kabbu: Treasure, huh...

Kina: MAKI!!!

Kina: Seriously, brother! How long are you going to keep me waiting!?

Maki: My apologies, Kina.

Maki: Vi, Kabbu, I must be going now. As you can see, duty calls me. May you succeed in your mission.

Vi: What a weird bunch.

Kabbu: He ended up causing quite the scene himself. That fighting prowess... How many years must he have trained?

Vi: ...So uh. I'm Vi, I guess. From the Hive near the big tree.

Kabbu: Oh! I am Kabbu. I moved in just one moon ago, from the north.

Vi: Cool.

Kabbu: Indeed.

Kabbu: Um, Sir Maki said Snakemouth was to the west, right? Should we get moving?

Vi: Right! Yeah! Let's go right away! Don't fall behind, okay?

(minibubble) Eetl: ...…

Eetl: Hey, wait you two!

Vi: Something wrong?

Eetl: You know what the goal of the Snakemouth expedition is, right?

Textbox: Of course!

Nope.

Textbox: Chapter 1: A Dysfunctional Trio

Textbox: Change the party leader by pressing |button,6|!

Textbox: You can check your inventory, stats and other things by pressing |button,8|!

Ant Guard: The path ahead leads to Snakemouth Den. Currently only licensed exploration teams can pass.

Ant Guard: Do you have a permit?

Snakemouth Way, Outside Chuck’s

Kabbu: Excuse me, bug of old complexion. Is everything alright?

Vi: Hey! Kabbu! We're supposed to be adventuring! Snakemouth Den? Endless riches?

Kabbu: Sorry, Vi. I cannot ignore an old bug in distress.

Chuck: First of all, name's Chuck. And I bet I'm younger than both of ya! But if you've gotta know...

Chuck: I'm almost done arranging my cozy rest space for travelers going to Snakemouth Den. I just can't pull out this darn weed!

Vi: You call this cozy?

Kabbu: Chuck, Snakemouth Den is more dangerous than rain on a wedding day. Shouldn't you be warning travelers?

Chuck:...Look, will you help me or not?

Vi: I'm not doing any pulling. At least not for free.

Kabbu: Hm. Watch this, Vi. If I press |button,5| near small bushes or rocks...

Vi: Woah! Nice.

Kabbu: Something like this is no match for my horn!

Chuck: I'll be! You actually helped me! This made my week!

Vi: You've got a reward ready, right?

Kabbu: But Vi! Helping others is already its own reward.

(minibubble) Kabbu: And you didn't do anything.

Vi: It's really, really not.

Chuck: Hohohoh. No worries. Helpful bugs deserve gratitude! I ain't got much, but please take this.

Vi: Berries, so many berries!

Chuck: Use 'em to buy something nice later, alright?

Kabbu: Thank you, we surely will. We'll be going now. Make sure to warn others of the danger!

Textbox: If you are near something that can be interacted with using the horn, a ! will show up over the party leader’s head.

Snakemouth Way, Outside Snakemouth

Kabbu: This is it. Snakemouth Den.

Vi: It doesn't look that scary, you know?

Kabbu: According to rumors I have heard, it is the grave of a thousand explorers.

Kabbu: Having ended countless journeys, many a song have been written about its dangers.

Vi: F-For real?

Kabbu: Its interior must be absolutely riddled with monsters and death traps. We must be extremely cautious.

Vi: Geez, way to sell it to me, Kabbu.

Vi: But the higher the danger, the better the treasure!

Kabbu: Hm. It's true that the artifact is likely to be inside. But are simple riches worth such a risk to you?

Vi: Stop trying to scare me off. Let's get in there!

Kabbu: (...I must make sure she stays safe.)

Snakemouth Den, Bridge Room

[First entrance]

Kabbu: There is much more light here. This room must be quite near the cracked ceiling. What a surprisingly cozy entrance!

Vi: Uh huh...Hey, Kabbu? Do you really have to comment on every small thing?

Kabbu:!!! I...I'm sorry.

Vi: H-Hey, don't look so sad! Err, how about this?

Vi: If I wanna know more about where we are, or about something or someone near us...I'll just tap |button,9|. Sounds good?

Kabbu:...Very well. I will make sure to have information at hand for when you do.

Vi: Cool. Now, let's keep going!

[Walking up to bridge]

Kabbu: The bridge seems to be out. How are we going to cross?

Vi: Well, that's it. Game over. Let's go back.

Kabbu: Wait, Vi. Hold on! It's too soon to give up! There must be a way…

Vi: Duh. I was kidding, you know? Look over there!

Vi: It's one of those ancient switches! We just need to hit it!

Kabbu: You can just fly over to it, right?

Vi: That's too much effort. I've got a better plan.

Vi: My mighty Beemerang! I just need to get in front with |button,6| and press |button,5| to throw it!

(minibubble) Kabbu: That again?

Kabbu: I will trust you with this, then. Give it your best shot!

[open bridge]

Kabbu: Well done, Vi. I wasn't expecting you to do that!

Vi: Um, yeah! Of course! Just as planned!

Kabbu: Let's continue. I am glad to have a reliable partner.

(minibubble) Vi: Super reliable!

Snakemouth Den, Door Room

[Complete puzzle]

Kabbu: A mushroom?

Vi: What!? We did all this for THAT!?

Vi: Seriously? It wasn't even a rare item. Heck, it wasn't even a rare mushroom!

Vi: Who designed this place!? I will sting them in the face! I'll tear the place DOWN!

Kabbu: Come now, Vi. Unfortunate as it may be, let's pick it up and start looking again!

(minibubble)Vi: Grr!!!

[Pick up mushroom]

Kabbu: Huh? What?

Kabbu: IYAAAAAAAAAAAA-

Vi: Phew. That was close.

(minibubble) Kabbu: Hrgrgh...

Vi: Kabbu! Are you okay!?

(minibubble) Kabbu: Mrggfgh...

Vi: I guess he is. Hmm…

Vi: This is the perfect time to go home. I don't like the look of that place...

Vi: But I'm his reliable teammate…

Vi: ...I'm going to regret this…

Snakemouth Den, Fall Room

Kabbu: Nghgh…

Vi: No rush. I can wait.

Kabbu: Oof! I am lucky this mushroom broke my fall.

Vi: I would have carried you, but you seem really heavy…

Kabbu: I assure you I am lighter than I seem.

(minibubble)Vi: Uh huh.

Vi: Anyways, this place is really creepy.

Kabbu: I must agree. And there doesn't seem to be a way back up for me. We will have to look around.

Vi: Let's be careful, okay? You were almost a goner!

[walk up to web]

Vi: Yikes... Is that a moth?

Kabbu: By the Queen! What a terrible fate... A moment of silence, in solidarity for a fallen explorer.

Leif: ...

Leif: Zzz...

Vi: WAIT! HE'S ALIVE!

Kabbu: Quick! We must free him!

Vi: Okay, I'm just going to see if the Beemerang can cut through web…

Kabbu: I will make sure there are no other surviv-

Kabbu: Vi! Watch out!

Vi: A... A... A spider…

Kabbu: How could a beast so huge sneak up on us!?

Vi: Kabbu! We've got to run! Treasure ain't worth this!

Kabbu: It's not that! We can't abandon this poor moth to his fate!

Vi: I...I...

Kabbu: Vi! Vi, wait! Curses!

Kabbu: This has to be some cruel irony… However, I can't give up, even if I'm alone!

[spuder fight]

Kabbu: ...It is stronger than it looks…

Kabbu: Crud! It’s too high up! If only Vi was here…

Kabbu: Must I really sit here and do nothing!?

[fight leave]

Kabbu: I-It's too much by myself, after all...

Kabbu: Everyone, I...I failed. You wasted your hopes on me…

Kabbu: Vi!?

Vi: Look, I-

Kabbu: By the holy jaws of the Queen, Vi! You left me to my fate! You are vile!

Vi: H-Hey! I was going to apologize! And I came back, right?

Vi: You pushed me away from the web, but I still left, so I'm-

Kabbu: I will properly scold you later. The situation is dire, but I've got a plan.

Kabbu: We will attack the web holding the moth while battling the spider.

Vi: And we bail when we free him?

Kabbu: Precisely. Except we'll run together, this time. Without leaving anyone behind.

(minibubble) Vi: I apologized already!

Vi: H-Here it comes. Let's do this!

[post-battle]

Vi: Alright! We did it!

Kabbu: Begone, wretched beast!

Vi: Kabbu! I'm done here!

(minibubble) Kabbu: Well done!

Vi: Let's get outta here!!!

Kabbu: Leave us alone already, monster!

(minibubble)Kabbu: Huff... Huff...

Vi: Gee, glad it's too fat to come in here.

Vi: Um, Kabbu? Sorry for running away…

Kabbu: ...Sigh. Very well. You are forgiven, Vi. It was understandable.

Vi: Took you long enough! Most people would be crying at getting rescued!

(minibubble) Kabbu: …

(minibubble) Leif: Cough cough

Kabbu: Let's turn over a new leaf, Vi. This moth is our priority.

(minibubble) Vi: …!

Kabbu: You're awake!

Leif: …

Leif: ...Mjaj? Ajeukx, yrdiuf. ...Ghsiaoenbx?

Vi: What the... Hey! You okay? You hit your head?

Leif: Jsgsn. Sjaika? Hsjaosidjs...?

Kabbu: Could this moth be speaking in an ancient tongue? Perhaps he is of the fabled tribes lurking underground.

Leif:...N-no. We can speak Bugnish.

Vi: Do you need like, a minute?

Leif:......No.

Leif: We are fine now.

Kabbu: Thank goodness, you had us quite worried.

Leif: Where are we? Where is the spider?

Kabbu: Right...let's get you up to speed.

Leif: Truly? It seems we owe our life to you, Vi.

(minibubble) Kabbu: Seriously!?

Vi: No big deal. It sucks that we're trapped, though.

Kabbu: Were you looking for treasure as well, alongside fellow explorers? Err, what's your name?

Leif: Leif is fine. And somewhat. A scouting mission, in fact.

Vi: You've got some luck to be alive... Did you learn anything scouting? About the artifact?

Leif: Artifact? If it is here, it's probably ahead.

Kabbu: If we work together, we will surely find both it and the exit!

Leif: We have little choice. We will accompany you.

Kabbu: Can you fight?

Leif: ...Not really part of scouting.

Vi: Seriously!? You came into this place without knowing how to fight!?

Kabbu: Make sure to stay behind us, so we can protect you.

Leif: How reassuring.

Vi: Ok. We've spent too much time here. Let's look for the exit!

Snakemouth Den, Lake

[Walk by exit]

Kabbu: Nice work, everyon-

Kabbu: Leif! Watch out!

Vi: What the heck!?

Kabbu: By the great antcestors... what kind of sorcery is that!?

Leif: We, uh, are unsure? This is new.

Vi: You seriously expect us to believe that!?

Leif: We mean it, it's the truth.

Kabbu: Magic's no common feat. There are less than ten known sorcerers in history!

Vi: You're not some criminal with a HUGE bounty, are you?

Leif: You seriously believe that?

Kabbu: We will talk later. I take it you can fight now?

Leif: We'll try.

[battle]

Kabbu: Wait, everyone.

Kabbu: Now that we're a trio, let me share a useful technique.

Kabbu: With turn relay, picked from the colorful flower…

Kabbu: One of us can lend our turn to another.

Leif: How is that useful? It sounds tedious.

Kabbu: Well, for example, we could let Vi attack twice to knock down flying enemies.

Vi: Heh. You should let me attack three times! I'll take them all on!

Kabbu: You shouldn't abuse it like that, though.

Kabbu: The exhaustion will reduce your attack power by 1 every time you act in a round.

Vi: Grr. Fine.

Leif: Well, it sounds mildly useful... We'll try it out.

Kabbu: Now, on your guard!

[post-battle]

Kabbu: Goodness, that magic isn't a joke.

Leif: It's pretty cool.

Kabbu: If you truly couldn't do it before, this den is hiding more secrets than I first thought.

Vi: Everything's just too suspicious. I don't believe Leif yet.

Leif: We're telling the truth. If we had ice magic, that accursed spider wouldn't have caught us.

Kabbu: I say, let's focus on getting out alive. We can collect our thoughts when we're safe.

Leif: Very well. If you need us to freeze anything, press |button,5| while we are leading.

Vi: I guess it's fine for now. Onward! I can almost smell the treasure!

Snakemouth Den, Underground Door

[first entrance]

Vi: EEP!

Vi: It's not funny! I'm all soaked now!

Kabbu: S-Sorry, Vi. I couldn't help it. It seems the ceiling's dripping…

Vi: Ugh, why is there so much water in here!? Under us, above us…it doesn't make sense!

Leif: Hm. This is good, though.

Kabbu: What do you mean?

Leif: If it's water...

Leif: Then it can be frozen.

Kabbu: Impressive! If you can do that, it opens a lot of options for us!

Kabbu: I bet I can push them with my horn, as well.

Vi: That's pretty cool, Leif!

Leif: Mhm. Enemies, the water around us... Even though they seem like obstacles, we can exploit them for our own benefit.

Kabbu: Let's give your ice magic a try on all we can find.

Snakemouth Den, Underground Left/Right B

[hitting the big crystal switch]

Kabbu: Is everyone alright?

Leif: Did we cause the tremor?

Vi: I guess. It was a pretty big switch.

Kabbu: We must have made progress in unlocking the door. Let’s keep going!

[hitting the second switch]

Vi: Alright! That’s two switches!

Leif: Pretty sure the door should be open now.

Kabbu: Good! Let’s make our way back to the door!

Snakemouth Den, Treasure Room

Kabbu: Could this be the artifact? Some sort of mask?

Vi: It doesn't really seem special. Or valuable.

Leif: Sueska? Mijrelf ytrik...

Vi: L-Leif?!

Kabbu: Are you alright!?

Leif: Y-Yes... This mask has very potent magic. We reacted strongly to it…

Kabbu: That settles it, then. This is probably the real artifact.

Vi: Dibs. Leif shouldn't touch it anyways.

Kabbu: The Queen has claimed it already, Vi.

(minibubble)Leif: The Queen...

Vi: Yeah, yeah. Whatever.

Textbox: You have found the Ancient Mask!

(minibubble) Vi: Eep!

(minibubble) Kabbu: What!?

(minibubble) Leif: Oh dear.

Kabbu: Curses! It's a trap!

Vi: We need to leave!

(minibubble) Leif: And quickly.

Spuder: SCREEEE!!!

Kabbu: YOU!

Vi: S-Seriously!? The spider!?

Kabbu: This is the worst possible timing!

Leif: We disagree. It's the perfect time for payback!

Leif: If it won't let us escape, we might as well defeat it.

Vi: B-But last time we had to run!

Kabbu: We are stronger now, Vi. And Leif is with us. Some battles we cannot run from!

Vi: G-Gah! Alright! Let's take it out, before the room floods!

[Post-Battle]

Kabbu: We... We did it! For real this time!

Kabbu: Heheheh... Hahahaha!

Kabbu: We really did it! What a scare...but working together, we were victorious!

Kabbu: We did it…

Leif: Thank you. We don't know much of what's happened to us. But beating up that spider was great stress relief.

Vi: No problem! I was gonna beat it up anyways!

Vi: And we got the treasure, too!

Kabbu: C-Curses! We forgot about the flood!

Leif: We should probably leave while we can.

Vi: ...Aw, heck.

All: Aaaaaaaaaaah!

Textbox: The adventurous duo, Vi and Kabbu, dove into Snakemouth Den for their team's first exploration mission.

A place known for having consumed any previous explorer that dared to enter.

Even so, the team stuck together, and were surprised with a new friend, Leif.

Together, they found one of the fabled artifacts that the Ant Queen has been looking for.

Triggering a trap, they defeated the vile spider before being swept away.

What will happen to this trio who met due to chance? Will they stick together in their journey?

Little do they know, that their adventure is just starting…

End of Chapter 1.