Leif's Request
By: Leif
Difficulty: ***
After the Snakemouth expedition, Leif realized how much time had passed since being trapped by the Spider.
Venus gave Leif some hope, mentioning how the rest of the scouts had managed to flee.
Is Leif's family still around?
.
Muse...no, her daughter's living a nice life in the Ant Kingdom's residential area.
Before reaching out to her and her family, Leif's determined to find out what happened in Snakemouth.
There must be clues somewhere...!
.
The sapphire dropped by the Watcher seems to hold some connection to Snakemouth Den. Could the answers be where it all began?
.
Next to the pit Team Snakemouth fell down to, a lab hiding many unethical tragedies lurks.
Leif can almost touch the truth...Team Snakemouth must search just a little longer!
.
Defeating the Zommoth prototype, Leif's memories came back.
Neither bug nor cordyceps, he...what is he supposed to feel?
His friends, however, were there for him. Armed with the reality of his situation, he can face his family without doubts.
.
Team Snakemouth enjoyed a leisure dinner with Leif's family.
Although he can never tell them the full truth, Leif knows...he will always protect them.
Ant Palace, Main Room
Kabbu: Heh. I've never been to the Hive! This is a good opportunity.
Vi: Uh huh…
Kabbu: Vi, are you okay? I know you're not on the best terms, but-
Vi: Look, I don't wanna talk about it right now. Okay?
Kabbu: Ah…
Leif: Well, if you don't want to talk about it... There's something we want to discuss.
Vi: What's up?
Leif: Venus mentioned that our...our team got away from Snakemouth's depths.
Leif: Given the passage of time, they're most likely gone. But, we can't help but think…
Leif: Maybe their children are around. Do you follow?
Vi: Oh. Oh! That's right! Your team can be around in spirit!
Kabbu: Leif, you'd like to go look for them?
Leif: We're in the middle of a mission, so there's no rush. But if we ever find the time…
Vi: No problem! We'll just find them as we go along!
Kabbu: Indeed. We'll keep our eyes open.
Leif: ...Thank you. That's all. Let's get on with the mission.
Vi: Uh, right... Yeah. Let's go.
(minibubble) Kabbu: Oh dear...
Ant Kingdom, Residential
Muze: Tod! Tooood! Come on, it's lunch time!
(minibubble) Leif: !!! M-Muse!?
(minibubble) Vi: Muse?
Tod: Aww mom... Can't I play a bit longer?
Muze: Sweetie, you need to eat! It'll give you all the power you need to play all day!
Muze: I made you your favorite! A tasty Hearty Breakfast!
Tod: Woah! Thanks, mom!
Kabbu: Leif? Who is Muse?
Leif: That's...our wife.
Kabbu: Your wife!? But Leif, that's…
Leif: I-Impossible.
Vi: Then she's got to be your super mega granddaughter!
Kabbu: That's right...! Isn't it great? You can meet up with your relatives!
Leif: No. Not at all. How can we face them like this?
Leif: Lost to time, not even understanding ourselves…
Vi: It can't be that bad…
Leif: To them, we're just a stranger. If we're going to intrude on their life…
Leif: We need to know the truth about what happened to us.
Kabbu: We will help you, Leif. Every step of this journey.
Vi: Uh, yeah! And when you're ready, we can come back and meet them!
Leif: ...Thanks. Let's keep an eye out for clues.
Leif: We can't ignore our mission, though. Let's keep going.
Leif: (Even so...we're glad to see them safe and happy.)
[Approaching the house before going through Snakemouth Lab]
Leif: Hnng... Not yet. We are not ready to face them…
Kabbu: Very well. Let's come back once we learn what happened in Snakemouth Den.
Hive, Scanner Room
Bee Guard: Greetings, visitors. Please hold still as we scan for impurities.
Kabbu: Um, what?
Guard: Huh.
(minibubble) Kabbu: What a scare...
Vi: "Huh"? You saying we're not clean or something?
Guard: It's not that… Hmm, well... Yes. Okay.
Guard: Alright. You've been cleared to pass.
(minibubble) Leif: ...
Hive, Main Area
Kabbu: Goodness, what a grand welcome!
Leif: Vi, is this normal?
Vi: Uh, not really...
H.B.: Hold it, folks!
H.B.: The scanner picked up something weird from one of you…
Vi: W-What?
Leif: Was it us?
H.B.: Most definitely.
Kabbu: Is Leif okay!?
H.B.: Dearie me. We've caused a scene. Could you come with me? I'll check it out ASAP.
Vi: You sure you wanna trust her, Leif?
Leif: Yeah. We don't have any leads right now. Nothing to lose.
Kabbu: Guide the way, doctor!
Hive, H.B.'s Lab
H.B.: So that's what the readings meant…
Kabbu: Doctor, is Leif okay?
H.B.: According to the tests, ancient crystal fragments lie within you. If I'm not wrong, you can use magic?
Leif: Yeah. After we woke up in Snakemouth, it just suddenly came to us.
Vi: So that wasn't a super bad lie?
Leif: ...You still doubted us?
Kabbu: Given the weirdness of it, I'd tally it to healthy skepticism.
H.B.: Magical powers are a common side effect of a body being linked to these crystals.
H.B.: Although there's still something our scanner couldn't identify. Something else may be inside your body.
Leif: Something else?
H.B.: ...If you'd let me put you under for a while, I could look into it.
Leif: Er, put us under?
H.B.: You know. Fast asleep.
H.B.: Then we explore your insides after cutti-
H.B.: W-What!?
(minibubble) Vi: Woah!
Kabbu: Leif, you had this sort of power?
Leif: N-No. It's weird. We just moved on our own…
Leif: ...Sorry. We don't know what happened. We're not too keen to be put under, however.
H.B.: An involuntary self-defense mechanism…
H.B.: Leif, was it? Give it some thought. Your condition is fascinating.
Vi: I'm starting to get worried…
Leif: Don't be. We feel fine.
Kabbu: We're getting closer to the truth, although there's much left to answer…
H.B.: Well, I think we'll leave it at that for today. Sorry for distressing you.
Leif: It's okay, really... Thanks.
Vi: Welp... We're going to be late to the meeting, aren't we?
H.B.: Ah, yes. The Ant Kingdom brought the materials for the key replacement, right?
H.B.: I've heard there's four other explorers looking around the Hive.
H.B.: Could you round them up in front of the throne room? I'll meet you there when I finish some things up.
H.B.: Crow!
Crow: C-called me, doctor?
H.B.: Round up the data! We have work to do.
Crow: Ah! Y-Yes, doctor!
Vi: Great... A walk around the Hive.
Leif: Can't be the worst thing. We'd like to get to know this place.
Textbox: Leif can now use Bubble Shield Lite in battle!
Lost Sands, Scorpion
Kabbu: F-Fall back!
Vi: Woah!
Kabbu: What a vicious beast!
Leif: They really aren't making getting all the artifacts simple.
Vi: Eep! We better stop talking, and start fighting!
[Post-battle]
Vi: That was really close…
Kabbu: We truly have come far. Good job, everyon-
Vi: Leif!
Kabbu: NO!
Leif: Trjkh... wjrhn...?
Vi: W-What the... What is this!?
Kabbu: Leif!? ...Curses, what do we-
Zasp: Tch. I wasn't fast enough.
Kabbu: Leif! LEIF!!!
Zasp: There's no time! Do as I say, if you value your friend's life!
Roach 1: It's a failure. Yet another one…
Roach 2: Disgusting. If it keeps up like this, our research…
Roach 1: Sigh. Throw it out with the others. We should call it a day…
Leif: What the... Where are we?
Leif: A failure...? What are we...
Lost Sands, Eastmost
Kabbu: Leif!
Kabbu: LEIF!
Kabbu: Leif! Please, you have to wake up!
Zasp: Oi. Knock it off already! He lives. I made sure to treat the wound.
Vi: Just what were those things coming out of him...?
Kabbu: It doesn't matter! Only that Leif wakes up!
Kabbu: I...I can't lose someone again!
Zasp: Then stop shaking him! He'll come around.
Leif: Huff... Huff...
Kabbu: Leif! Goodness gracious, you had me in the most deep of panics!
Vi: No kidding, he's been shouting for hours... U-Um, but I was really worried too!
Leif: ...Zasp? W-Where are we? What happened?
Zasp: You let your guard down like a fool, and got shanked.
Vi: Zasp jumped in and broke that scorpion's face!
Zasp: Don't thank me. I had a debt to settle.
Leif: Those things inside us... What kind of abomination are we...?
(minibubble) Vi: ...
Kabbu: Leif, it doesn't matter! It only matters that you yet breathe!
Kabbu: I've lost so many...I truly feared we would lose you. So it doesn't matter.
Vi: Y-Yeah! The doctor said you had weird stuff in you, anyways!
Leif: Vi, Kabbu…
Zasp: How touching...I guess my work here is done.
Kabbu: Zasp, even with what you said... Thank you.
Zasp: It's hard to find good friends. You'd best go get that artifact, before Mothiva ends her vacation.
Leif: That's right...! We heard these voices, something about research…
Leif: It must be connected to us. We can't stop now. What if the castle holds answers?
Vi: Are you gonna be okay? It was looking super bad…
Kabbu: It doesn't matter if Mothiva gets the artifact. We could always go rest at the inn…
Leif: No. We can feel that it's important... We will go. We must go.
Leif: Would you help us just a bit longer?
Vi: As if ya had to ask! Team Snakemouth's gonna get that treasure!
Kabbu: Then it is settled. Let us proceed to the Sand Castle!
Sand Castle, Boss Room
Watcher: Hjers bnmjk, trekaj! Rjkehoa ONJARLEHK!!!
Vi: Leif! Don't try to scare us!
Kabbu: That's not Leif!
(minibubble) Vi: Oh.
Leif: Correct. That's not even how we speak. That's Roach dialect.
Leif: "This place is not for bugs. Leave or be BURIED!!!"
Kabbu: D-Did you need to scream as well?
Leif: Well, yes.
Vi: Eh, just one more warning on the heap. Let's get that artifact!
Watcher: Rjkehoa ONJARLEHK!!! Rjkehoa ONJARLEHK!!! Rjkehoa ONJARLEHK!!!
Kabbu: Is that... Is that a roach?
Vi: It's just a fancy Cursed Cloth!
Leif: We can feel it... Its magic is just like ours!
Leif: Our answers must be here. We won't be stopped by it!
(minibubble) Kabbu: Let's go!
[post-battle]
Watcher: ...Kuh...
Leif: Tell us. How did you get your magic? Who did this to you?
Watcher: .....… . . .
Leif: Curses…
(minibubble) Kabbu: Leif...
Vi: Hey, look! It's the artifact!
Kabbu: Don't despair yet, Leif. It may hold some answers!
Vi: Go get it before I do!
Leif: Huh. This isn't the artifact...
(minibubble) Vi: Huh?
Kabbu: What? Then what could it be?
Leif: We don't know. But this doesn't have the same feeling as the others...
Vi: Maybe it's up ahead? I really hope there's not another cloth…
Leif: There must be a reason this stone is here, though.
Kabbu: Let us ask Neo later. For now, we've got to push through.
(minibubble) Vi: Mhm! Off we go!
Outskirts, Association
[Muze, Tod, or Grandpa, during first wasp invasion]
Leif: They're safe! Thank goodness…
Vi: You wanna talk to them?
Leif: No. It's not time yet. We have a mission to do.
(minibubble) Kabbu: ...
Ant Palace, Throne Room
Leif: Neo, this is the worst time, but…
Neo: Not at all! I've got my fair share of debts to repay you for!
(minibubble) Kabbu: Nonsense!
(minibubble) Vi: Nah!
Leif: Would you know anything about this? It's a stone we found in the desert.
Neo: ...! Yes! Yes I do!
(minibubble) Vi: You do?
Neo: This is an ancient Roach power source!
Leif: It's always the Roaches, isn't it?
Neo: Where exactly did you find this? I thought I'd never see one!
Kabbu: We procured it from the Lost Sands. Could that hold any meaning?
Neo: Weird. Really? My research points to this being the key to an ancient lab.
Neo: They say it's somewhere in Snakemouth Den, but no one's found it.
Leif: Snakemouth!?
Kabbu: Leif, you were right! This has to be...
Vi: A super clue to your weird stuff!
Leif: Thank you, Neo. We'll check it out when we can.
Neo: No problemo. You've gotta tell me what you find out! For SCIENCE!
[talk again]
Neo: Please be careful...
Snakemouth Lab, Entrance
[put the Peculiar Gem in]
Kabbu: Neo was right! This place must hold clues to your past, Leif!
Leif: Rhskg, bbtukdertan wfdyik.
Vi: Uh, yup! Ready to go in?
Leif: Nje trahbj...
Kabbu: Err, is that a yes?
Leif: ...Rik?
Vi: Oi, isn't this lasting way too long?
Leif: …
Leif: ...S-Sorry. You're not wrong. The place's intense.
Kabbu: Let's prepare properly. A place this well guarded must have its own set of dangers.
Vi: Hopefully a treasure or two, too!
Leif: What matters is finally finding our answers...
Snakemouth Lab, Transition
Leif: Rfkajen twhan nmethfkd na.
Kabbu: (...I'm starting to worry.)
Zombeetle: GRLRWARRFGGH!!!
Zombee: Mjarkhs!!!
Zombeetle: Grlfhank ytreikunb!!!
Vi: W-What the heck!?
Kabbu: A Bee...and a Beetle!? In this place!?
Leif: ...
Leif: Sueska, trghjnbm ruhaakjn!
Zombee: Qerjlsk? ...Rbaljae!!!
Zombeetle: RBIJLENLJ!!!
Kabbu: Leif, you...you get them?
Vi: That language, is it…
Leif: They won't listen. Ready up!
[post-battle]
Vi: This is wrong. It feels way wrong!
Leif: What could this mean? Why can we understand them...!?
Kabbu: Don't jump to any conclusions! We...we must delve deeper, and find the truth.
Leif: ...Right. Let's move on.
Vi: That's a super huge gap. Even if I carried ya, doubt we'd make it…
Leif: Mmm... We have an idea.
Vi: Nice!
Kabbu: Er, is it safe?
Leif: They'll probably melt out. We'll have to be quick.
Vi: Not a problem!
Textbox: Leif can now create icicles! Press |button,5| twice to create an icicle that will fall downwards!
Textbox: Leif can now also use the Ice Rain skill in battle!
Snakemouth Lab, Boss Room
[walk by tank]
Leif: This tank…
Kabbu: Has it triggered any memories!?
Leif: N-No, we're sorry.
Vi: After all we did to get here!?
Leif: There's a lot of weird things in this facility.
Leif: It's...worrying. But mostly just raised more questions.
Vi: Mmm, you think the last Queen built this place in secret?
Leif: No. That's absolutely impossible.
Leif: You remember we were scouting Snakemouth? This is probably what she was investigating.
Leif: ...If only we hadn't messed up, we could have reported this cruel facility.
Kabbu: It wasn't your fault!
Leif: Let's make our way back. There's lots to think about.
[walk to door, after checking tank]
Kabbu: W-What is that!? Something's coming!
Leif: ...My, Rkejrs-s-sibling!? Kjdrira, mebsrgr...!!!
Kabbu: Sibling!? Leif, did you say sibling!?
Vi: T-That doesn't make any sense!
Leif: ...AAAAAAAARRGH!!!
Kabbu: Vi! Ready your beemerang! We must protect Leif!
[battle]
Vi: I-It's charging up!
Kabbu: We must strike quickly!
[after Leif blocks attack]
Vi: P-Phew! You took your time!
Leif: I...I have no siblings! As if I could be related to this beast!
Kabbu: Leif, are you okay? You're...
[post-battle]
Leif: I...I am...
Vi: Hey, calm down! You're acting weird!
Kabbu: Did that monster spark your memories?
Textbox: Playing Log Footage 2048-B…
Roach 1: It's a failure. Yet another one…
Roach 2: Disgusting. If it keeps up like this, our research…
Roach 1: Sigh. Throw it out with the others. We should call it a day...
Leif: A failure... That's right, I...
Textbox: Playing Security Footage 3851-AZD...
Leif: We...We really did pass away in Snakemouth Den.
Vi: Eh? But you're here with us!
Leif: It's not me, Leif. It really is...Us.
Leif: I am also...a Zommoth prototype.
Vi: …
Kabbu: …
Leif: Muse, Elizant I, and everyone…
Leif: They are people "Leif" held so dearly…
Leif: While he was in the Spider's cocoon, at some point... I…
Leif: I wanted to care for them too. And before I'd realized…
Leif: I started believing I was "Leif", too...
Kabbu: It goes without saying, after everything we've seen, that this facility researched cordyceps.
Kabbu: But everything we've found in here is cruel and heartless.
Vi: Uh, yeah. But not you! You're like, a pretty cool dude!
Leif: Am I? Or was "Leif" a cool dude?
Vi: Err...I don't really know…
Vi: But you didn't know us before, right? We still became good friends, though.
Vi:: So uh, "You" or "Leif"...why not both?
Leif: ...Are you seriously trying to make it that simple?
Leif: That's...so like you, Vi.
Kabbu: It's true though, isn't it! You've chosen to take Leif's mantle!
Kabbu: So to us, you're Leif anyways!
Leif: Give me a break! I am not Leif!
Leif: I am nothing but some...thing... Something that thinks it is him.
Vi: We never knew Leif anyways, so it's ok!
Leif: That's messed up. What about his family...?
Kabbu: Do you still care for them? Do you...care about us?
Leif: …
Leif: ...Well, yes. We're very grateful for everything. And...it's been fun.
Kabbu: You don't have to decide right now how you feel.
Kabbu: Truth be told, this is an unbelievable scenario.
Kabbu: But you're our friend! It's okay!
Vi: Yeah! It's not like you were faking or anything!
Leif: ...…
Leif: That's right, we...never faked anything.
Leif: …
Leif: Let's go. We have a lot to think about, if we're going to meet our family.
Vi: Take it easy, okay?
Kabbu: We'll listen when you decide what to do!
Leif: Thank you. Let's get out of here.
Textbox: Head back to the Ant Kingdom?
Textbox: Yes
No
Ant Kingdom, Residential
[after defeating Zommoth]
Leif: Vi, Kabbu. We've been thinking on the way here.
Leif: Who are "we"? Who was I before I met Leif?
Leif: ...We don't know…
Kabbu: …
Leif: It feels like even if I'm not Leif, I've become him.
Leif: For better or worse.
Leif: If I threw out his memories and personality... These precious thoughts would get lost.
Leif: Maybe I can't discard them, even if I tried.
Vi: Um, what do YOU want to do?
Leif: ...We...want to meet our family. To apologize to Muse. To see Elizant again.
Leif: I want the same things Leif does!
Kabbu: Then do them! Carry on Leif's will! At least, I believe that will be okay!
Leif: Yes. That's...what we decided too.
Leif: I'm not Leif exactly, but we're still Leif.
Leif: Even though he got lost to time, and fused with a cordyceps…
Leif: We will live on as Leif!
Vi: Phew. Glad you won't go missing on us!
Kabbu: You're our friend, so this changes nothing!
Leif: ...We're uh, going to go in. Not sure what'll happen.
Vi: Do we stay out here?
Leif: No, please come with us. I want my...family to meet my friends.
Muze: O-Oh! Explorers! What brings you to our house?
Tod: Mom, it's Team Snakemouth! They saved us from the wasps!
Grandpa: Ohoho! Wow, it's an honor!
Leif: Err, yes. These are my friends Kabbu and Vi. And we're...Leif.
Leif: It's nice to meet you.
Kabbu: A pleasure!
(minibubble) Vi: Yup!
Grandpa: Hm? Young lad, you…
Muze: You look...quite a lot like father. When I was a kid…
Tod: Really!?
Leif: About that, that's why we're here…
Leif: We think we're um, one of your distant relatives. We've been looking for you for a long time…
Muze: W-what?! F-Father! What is the meaning of this!?
Grandpa: O-Oi! I have brothers! Don't jump on me!
Tod: You're my uncle? Really? You're not lying!?
Leif: ......It's something like that.
Muze: Oh my million ants!
Grandpa: I can't believe it!
Leif: S-Sorry, we...we're just barging into your life.
Leif: We'll be leaving now…
Muze: N-No, wait! It's a GOOD surprise!
Grandpa: You've gotta stay for dinner! Your friends, too!
Vi: Aw yes, free food!
Kabbu: ...Forgive Vi. She has little tact.
(minibubble) Vi: Oi!
Leif: Is it really okay?
Muze: Of course! You're family!
Leif: We're not completely sure…
Grandpa: I don't know how...but I know it's true! Don't worry!
Tod: Besides, you're the coolest explorer! My uncle's so cool!
Leif: T-Thank you. We'll stay, then.
(minibubble) Leif: ... *sniff*
Leif: Muze...your cooking is out of this world!
Leif: It...it's been so good to meet you. But we've got a mission to go to.
Grandpa: Oh, that's not an issue. Come back anytime!
Muze: You've got to tell us more explorer stories!
Tod: And bring some souvenirs!
Leif: We will. Please take care until then.
Vi: The food was super good, thank you!
Kabbu: Thank you very much for your hospitality.
Muze: You'll always have a home here. Have safe travels alright?
Vi: Heheheh.
Kabbu: How're you feeling, Leif?
Leif: Thank you. We can never truly repay you.
Vi: Oh, it's whatevs.
Kabbu: Seeing you happy is ample reward!
Leif: We're truly fortunate to have met you back then.
Leif: You saved us in more ways than one.
Vi: ...Come on, you're not the sappy type.
Kabbu: If something else troubles you, just come to us!
Leif: Heh. Same. Let's get a move on, then. There's a lot to do.
Textbox: Through the bonding experience, the team can now use the Frost Bowling skill in battle!
Muze: Leif, don't work too hard! Come rest every now and then!
Leif: Thank you, Muze. We'll pace ourselves.
[Spy Muze]
Leif: Muze...We can't believe even their names are similar.
Kabbu: I'm not superstitious, but...it has to be fate!
Vi: Do they act the same and stuff, too?
Leif: ...Nah. Muse was loud, confident and outgoing...Kinda like Vi.
Leif: She had pretty strong kicks, too.
Vi: You two must've been a super strong team!
Leif: ...Heh, well. She did a lot of the work. We had no magic back then.
Kabbu: That's right...! I'm so used to your magic, I'd forgotten.
Leif: (...Goodbye, Muse.)
Grandpa: It's such a joy to welcome you to our family!
Grandpa: When Muze's husband stops working at the lab so much, maybe you'll get to meet him!
Leif: ...Heh, we'll have some good stories ready for then.
[Spy Grandpa]
Kabbu: Leif, does he look anything like your father?
Leif: Well, he wears his wings the same way...but nah.
Leif: Father was tall, and quite thin.
Vi: Woah, even taller than you!?
Leif: Yeah. He was a bit of a wimp, too.
Kabbu: I truly wish we could have met your family!
Leif: (...Goodbye, Father.)