Running Bottletree

Running Bottletree

To the Grinning Valley Previous One-way Tracks Next Hammer Down

Characters
Doctor Amiya Potlid Ray Asbestos Savage Jerry Alanna Uniformed Worker Strange Lady (Somewhat Familiar Woman) Voice Outside the Vehicle
Backgrounds
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“

The ragtag band of accomplices stops at a nomadic platform for supplies en route to the Grinning Valley. The skittish and terrified Jerry is worried that a certain someone might catch up to him after he skipped out on his engagement, and is equally scared that the security officers from the checkpoint are out to get him. During the wild chase, he happens to find himself hiding with a woman, and the two develop feelings for each other.

”

<Background 1>
Life itself is a sort of profound horror. You don't know where it's going to take you. Even worse, even when there aren't thirty-some-odd siblings and hundreds of other relatives clamoring to make your decisions for you–– You still sometimes find yourself under attack, out of nowhere. Such as, uh... right now. There are no think tanks, no "there's no way this could be wrong because everyone believes it," only a bandit pulling up with a crossbow and the sand kicking up as hard as he drives. ––I've made peace with my fate.
Jerry	Um, I... don't think we can pass through Windy Beach. That place is Catastrophe central. Each year, up to seventy thousand trucks are damaged or destroyed when passing through... But, that's not the point. Our transport's already pretty beat up... A-Also, you should take a look at this. In addition to Catastrophes, there are other factors that can worsen the damage to a vehicle... Originium fuel leakage, transmission failure leading to secondary incidents, explosions in close proximity to mining sites... So we'll want to steer clear of the mines Hey, are you listening?
Alanna	That's right, Potlid. Climb up from here, saw off the branch, then connect the hose to the top of the tree!
[Potlid wobbles as she tries to carry the equipment...]
Potlid	The saw... is so heavy... But it's okay... the ankle braces Lanns gave me are very secure. Just imagine that you're a big tree musbeast, use the braces to hold onto the tree, and jump up with a "whoosh"... ...I know I can do this, and make everyone happy.
[...until Ray decides to relieve her of her load.]
Potlid	Huh...? My back feels lighter all of a sudden?
Alanna	Oi, jacker. I didn't tell you to do that.
Ray	Sure. You didn't tell me to do anything. But, I have experience collecting water from bottletrees.
Alanna	Okay, so you have a heart after all. But I still need you to return Potlid's tools. After all, I certainly trust my old partner a whole lot more than I trust the random jacker.
Potlid	Heehee...
Alanna	Besides, it's not like we're really trying to become a bottletree water delivery truck. We just need to put on enough of a disguise before entering the city that nobody can tell it's an intercity transport that's gone off route. Slap some decoration on as well –– don't let anyone see that the ol' girl's been punched full of holes before being patched over with sheet metal. Potlid, let's go over our cover story with the jacker here.
Potlid	Okay. If anyone asks, tell them we're transporting this bottletree, and the water in the trunk's gotta be bucketed up for transport into the factory. As for the tree branch decorations on the vehicle, it's just a little something the boss enjoys.
Alanna	That's right. Bulletproof cover story, if I do say so myself. Haha, never would've imagined that these bottletrees would be saving our hides when we're running from Catastrophes on our long "detour". Whoever decided to plant these bottletrees in the middle of nowhere, thank you. And of course, that includes me as well. All righty, time to hop back into the driver's cabin!
[Alanna heads back into the truck.]
Jerry	Uhh... are you listening to me? Umm, I just want to remind everyone that... ...Every year, three hundred thousand people suffer fractures aboard transport vehicles for various reasons, fifteen thousand of which are attributed to bottletrees tipping over in transit.
Potlid	*sigh*...
Alanna	Just ignore him. I'll start the water pump slowly so there's no risk of falling off the tree.
Jerry	But, accidents always happen...
Alanna	Alright, I'm starting 'er up! Hold on tight, Potlid!
[The pump starts revving.]
Jerry	Every year–– Every year, there are a thousand more people–– who die to tree trunks bending during sudden strong wind––
Potlid	I did it, Lanns! The pump's starting to hum as it drains the water out of the tree trunk! Heehee, I love when this happens!
Alanna	Hah, why else would I say I trust you?
Jerry	Umm, actually, there's a chance the water pump might explode as well...
Alanna	What's your deal? Is that a death note you're holding or what? Every year, I hear about an old friend or two who ends up contracting Oripathy or gets caught up in a Catastrophe, regardless of what field they work in. No avoiding it. If we go by what you say, we're all better off not working in the first place.
Jerry	S-Sorry... I just wanted to give you some... points of reference from my limited knowledge and experience. Just trying to help. I, I... do marketing for an insurance company...
Alanna	"Insurance"?
Jerry	It's the best thing I've seen advertised in years! I've already bought a bunch of policies, and hope to get this Columbian company's name out there. But I... I'm a bit skittish, afraid of everything. But there's insurance for everything I'm scared of, including dangers I had no idea even existed. Look, these are my notes... Data collected from several of our company's advertisements, telling you about all the dangers you wouldn't ever think of! Also, they promised to compensate me in the event that something actually does happen.
Alanna	Cool. So, how do you plan to spend that money if you're dead? It'd be pretty cool if they invented a way to continue living after you die though.
Jerry	Uh, I'm afraid... there's not much we can do about that.
Alanna	Then, what's the point? Listen up. You help dress the vehicle up, and we'll take it on over to the nearby nomadic platform. Need to check if a buddy of mine is home. How many vehicles run into Catastrophes each year, and where? Doesn't mean shit to me. I'll just ask her straight up for a safe route to the Grinning Valley safely, and that'll be the end of things.
<Background 2>
[After the group arrives at a settlement, Jerry steps out of the truck.]
Jerry	......
Ray	......
Jerry	Ugh... How'd we even get to this point? I thought the little girl would just hide quietly in the vehicle, so all I had to do was squeeze into a tool room with her. Felt like the safest thing at the time... ...But then she wanted to go visit friends and relatives with Alanna, leaving me alone in the vehicle. Here I am... alone in a hijacked transport harboring Infected people, forced to work, getting shot at with rocket launchers more than once! I-I-I-I can't handle these people chasing me! So, I don't care who it is, who I have to follow. Just don't make me deal with this whole mess alone...
Ray	......
Jerry	Th-Th-Th-This is all the m-m-money in my wallet. Here, take the whole thing! Please! I, I never said I wasn't willing to follow you! I mean, it's only natural to not want to be a hostage, right...?
Ray	Hostage?
Jerry	I, I get it. You're the jacker, so if I go with you, I'll end up a hostage. But, you were so cool when you saved those people, like a real highwayman... ...Th-That's not what I meant! I'm just trying to say you're really impressive!
Ray	...Me? Impressive?
Jerry	Wh-Why yes, that's right... Umm... You're not mad, are you? Thank goodness. Um, there is one thing I wanted to ask you. Alanna let you leave to buy the supplies we need to make the long-distance trip... So, can we just do it like that and not resort to robbing people? See, I've even given you my wallet now. There might not be much money in there, but it should be enough to cover food and fuel...
Ray	Alright.
Jerry	Phew... That's a relief. Oh, right. Something was rubbing me the wrong way. You know how the men at the checkpoint were looking at us funny? I'm a professional. Do you think... that we're already under suspicion?
Ray	It's just – I never said I wanted to take a hostage. I said anyone who wanted to get off was free to go. Why don't you go?
Jerry	Umm... Huh? I thought I told you before...
Ray	I want to go to the Grinning Valley. That has nothing to do with you. It's a long and dangerous journey, and I knew that going in. Which is why I gave you the chance to hop off. You're scared of danger, so why are you still here?
Jerry	...... Well, since you're such a nice person, would you mind coming with me to have a look at the newsstand? I can explain...
<Background fades out and in>
[Jerry flips through the newspaper.]
Jerry	No... Normally, this wouldn't be... Ray, my face is hidden by the newspaper, isn't it?
Ray	Yes.
Jerry	Okay, now let's take a good look here... ...Phew. Great, I haven't made it onto the list of missing persons yet. Though, uh, even if they did realize someone was missing, it wouldn't make it into the papers within a single day...
Ray	What about wanted persons?
Jerry	Not seeing anything–– It, it isn't what you think! I just... ...skipped out on my marriage. Well, it's not that I got cold feet. I was taking this transport, on my way to attend my engagement ceremony in another city, when you hijacked it... But then... I realized I was pretty happy about that. Heh. Though, I guess that isn't some big deal either. And because it's not a big deal, I'm kind of embarrassed to talk about it... I dunno how it is with your family, but in my case, I've got thirty-six brothers and sisters, and lots of other relatives... So you find plenty of stuff ends up not worth talking about... Alright, so maybe you don't get it. I also know there are lots of people with huge families that don't deal with this sort of thing.
Ray	Sorry, can't help you with that one...
Jerry	...Hold on, Ray. There are uniformed men coming this way. The same as the last checkpoint...
[Jerry takes a step backwards...]
Ray	I didn't grow up in a big family.
[...before turning heel and running.]
Ray	Those houses, all joined together neatly, looked so beautiful. But, I didn't know where I ought to settle myself down. ...... The Zalak's gone. Hm, he probably decided to leave on his own. Should've hopped off to begin with.
[Just then, a man in a suit approaches Ray.]
Uniformed Worker	Good day, ma'am. We'd like to have a little chat with you.
<Background 3>
Alanna	Don't be scared, Potlid. The pictures on the wall might be a bit spooky, but the lady here isn't into anything too weird. She takes pictures of giant beast carcasses in the primordial forest, plus the bones of explorers in the morass, but she's never hurt anybody. Haha, well, at least, she probably wouldn't hurt anyone.
Potlid	......
Alanna	Huh. You're not even talking back when I call you Potlid. Where'd your spirit go? You hungry or something? Dunno if we can count on the jacker at all, but hopefully she manages to bring the stuff back without any issues. I'll show you a neat hack later – you can use solar panels to fry up some instant noodle cakes and fowlbeast eggs!
Potlid	......
Alanna	...Put the past behind you. Anyways, I have a solution now. Doesn't the jacker seem odd to you? Maybe even... a bit crazy? That's why I decided to meet this friend and ask her about the situation. A shadow as tall as a mountain? And it can talk? If a thing like that really exists in Rim Billiton, my friend surely would've heard of it. But, if the jacker simply had too much to drink, or went into the mines without a helmet and hit her head, well... I'll have to figure something else out. Don't worry. They don't call me "Alanna of the Barrenlands" for nothing. I'll always figure something out.
<Background fades out and in>
[Alanna enters the room, where Asbestos is busy working.]
Asbestos	Get lost, and be quick about it. I'm busy with my travel notes. Didn't you see the sign on the door? ––Wait, not many know about my temporary studio in the first place. Which rag do you work for? And how'd you manage to track me down?
Potlid	Lanns... Didn't you say you were old friends? She doesn't seem to... recognize you.
Alanna	Haha, well... the "old" part means we haven't seen each other in a long time. Hey, remember that time we went down to Big Hammer Mine? There was that one manglerbeast trying to tear us apart. Reckon that was the biggest manglerbeast known to man? Right, right, it's the one on the wall there! I was behind the wheel when you took this photo.
Asbestos	Huh? Alright... I don't care who you are or what you want, but I'll give you ten minutes. Don't test my patience.
<Background black>
Sorry to occupy your precious time, but I have to vent a bit – this is the single darkest day I've ever suffered. Of course, I know that "you" don't actually exist; I've just gotten used to having someone to talk to ever since I was little. After all, there were always so many people talking at once back home, and I... had the faintest voice. Anyways, all I wanted to say was... it's way too dark under this truck.
Jerry	(Patience, now. Just five more seconds. Wait for the shoes to go out of sight...) (Four... three... two... one...)
[Jerry clambers underneath another vehicle.]
Jerry	*cough*, *cough* *cough*! ...Blurgh! Ugh... At least two mouthfuls of dirt won't send me to the hospital, even if this is the dried sand on the chassis we're talking about... Alright, I can feel it. This should be the access door leading to the power room on the bottom level. It's too scary to walk around outside, so I squeezed back inside the vehicle to wait for them to return... Though... I'm not sure if Ray's gonna be coming back... I feel bad leaving her behind like that, but it's not like I did it on purpose. One, two––
[The access door hisses.]
Jerry	Finally, the valve opened!
<Background 4>
[Jerry pokes his head out of the hatch.]
Strange Lady	......
Jerry	...... Oh no! S-S-S-Sorry! I got in the wrong vehicle! I'll be leaving now...
Voice Outside the Vehicle	Hold it. I hear something coming from under the vehicle.
Jerry	Oh no...
Strange Lady	Shh— (whispers) Quiet down. (whispers) If you blow my cover, nothing good's going to come of it.
Jerry	(Nods in silence)
Voice Outside the Vehicle	We can't afford to let those damned metal crabs crawl into the station anymore! The last time one got in, it totaled three vehicles, and shanked two people to boot! Go grab a torch. I need to take a look.
Jerry	(Gestures wildly in despair)
Strange Lady	...... (whispers) Come out.
[The strange woman pulls Jerry into her vehicle.]
<Background 2>
Ray	Yeah, I got these coupons from somebody else. I don't know much about your market here.
Uniformed Worker	Then why the hell are you answering our market research questions?!
Ray	Because you asked them.
Uniformed Worker	Ugh, alright then. I guess we have to throw out that whole transcript. Sorry for bothering you, ma'am.
Ray	No worries.
[The man walks off in a huff.]
Ray	"Monthly promo magazine, clip this for 10% off compressed canned food." When did this kind of stuff start showing up? Alanna is pretty incredible. She's got all the little details worked out in life, everything down the list. "On Friday, go grab a scarf from the old man with a stuffed tail, and get a friends discount from his daughter." Yeah. She's got everything figured out, down to the day. This stack of papers can be used in the Three Million Trolleys supermarket, and this stack...
???	That's right, Doctor. Actually, even my own memory is a bit fuzzy.
<Background fades out and in>
[The Doctor, Amiya, and Savage are walking around nearby.]
Amiya	It's as if Rim Billiton has always been like this. Rusty factories, steel frames stacked on top of each other, a gray skyscape, and Originium clusters towering in the horizon...
Savage	Sorry, Amiya. I really would like for you to be able to go home and have a good look around... I was looking for your parents for a long while. But after the attack on the engineering team, the nomadic plate you used to live on got dismantled. The place we're standing right now probably has the most stuff from the old plate.
Amiya	No worries, Savage. This is enough. Thank you so much. Just smelling the rust, oil, and welding rods is bringing back memories. It's as if... I've gone back in time. Oh, what am I even saying...? It's only been a few years. It's just... I can still feel myself sitting in the back of a construction truck, following my parents and the other folks on the engineering team, waiting for them to set out from the plate.
Doctor	You went with them?
Savage	It's a common practice in many large families. The household oftentimes IS the engineering team. If the team has to go work in some faraway place, they'll take the old and the young with them, to make sure they're taken care of. Of course, not all the people in the family are necessarily blood-related. Sometimes, they'll be considered part of the household just by living in the same part of the factory.
Doctor	Does that mean, back then...?
Amiya	Oh, Doctor, there's no need to feel bad for me... It's not like I was thinking about the accident. And besides, I'd already carefully thought through what I was searching for, even before I came to Rim Billiton. Oh, Doctor, look over there! I still remember that smokestack...
[Amiya pauses.]
Amiya	Erm...
Savage	What's wrong, Amiya?
Amiya	...I suddenly remembered challenging the other kids to see who could crawl down there the farthest while keeping their tails as clean as possible...
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Isn't that insanely dangerous?
Amiya	It was totally fine. None of us wanted to get scolded by the adults back home, so we never went too far down.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Sounds like fun. I'd like to give it a try.
Amiya	I'm afraid you don't qualify, Doctor. You don't have a tail.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Savage	Crikey, when's the last time I heard Amiya talking like this?
Amiya	I'm not the same six or seven-year-old kid I was back then either! But, at last, I've found something I recognize.
Savage	This is still Rim Billiton after all. It's how we build our houses. Old buildings are incredibly useful, so there's no need to dismantle them. If you want a new house, just build right on top of it. Which is why the elders tell us from the time we're little...
Amiya	..."Adventurous folk, no matter how far they travel, always know home when they come back to it." That being said, a lot of things have changed as well. For example, the Infected persons management law we just came across seems to be imitating Leithanien's legal framework and Victoria's jargon... ......
Doctor	Amiya. Someone's been staring at you for a while now.
Amiya	Mmhmm. I've noticed, Doctor.
Ray	......
[Ray walks off.]
Doctor	Do you know her?
Amiya	I don't think I've seen her before... Also, I don't think any of the people who took care of me before would recognize me now. Let's keep moving, Doctor. I'm sure it's fine.
[Amiya and the group keep moving.]
Ray	...The coupon flyer and the shopping list to go with it have gotten all mixed up. Now, what did Alanna tell me to get again...?
<Background 3>
Asbestos	So that's the whole deal. The stretch from Windy Beach to the Grinning Valley is the most Catastrophe-prone place, say the Messengers. I've seen it myself too.
Alanna	Oh? What's so special about the place?
Asbestos	Well, you could say that its ecology is–
Alanna	Is what?
Asbestos	––Devoid of fowlshit.
Alanna	......
Asbestos	Though Billy's natural geography is generally pretty barren to begin with, this area is SO barren that you won't even find fowlbeast droppings. You want an "easy" route? Not even in your dreams. If you want a road paved for you, you can look towards the rocks raining from the sky. And don't expect to find anything fun to do either. All you find is the usual Billy stuff – ready to kill at the drop of a hat.
Alanna	Alright, so other than the fowlbeasts that don't poop, any other special creatures to look out for?
Asbestos	Other creatures? Well, there's a scary number of sandbeasts. And listen to me here, you don't want anything to do with them. They'll mess you up!
Alanna	Sure, sure. Got it. Sandbeasts. Nothing unusual about those. Isn't there anything a bit more... "talkative," "shining," "incredibly huge," anything along those lines?
Asbestos	How would I know? I'm not even a professional explorer, let alone a cryptid biologist.
Alanna	C'mon, don't be in such a rush to shoo us away... Lemme just ask you one last time. "Rays of light." "A shadow as tall as a mountain." "Talking." These words don't mean anything to you, right?
Asbestos	––Say that again, one more time?
Alanna	Rays of light. A shadow as tall as a mountain. Talks.
Asbestos	Nah, yeah. That's a thing.
Alanna	What?
Asbestos	*sigh*... What a pain. In the end, I really did remember something for your sake. (Sargonian) "Feranmut."
Alanna	What language is that?
Asbestos	Sargonian. Course, not many know the word to begin with.
Alanna	Huh. Where's Sargonia? I mean, that doesn't matter here. You should be using your precious time to tell me what that word means.
Asbestos	Huh? Didn't you hear what I just said? Almost nobody knows the word at all! So, I've got no way of explaining it. Anything would just come out silly. Nobody's ever really studied exactly what a Feranmut is; it's just a vague concept that I happened to hear about. Forget it, just act like you never heard anything from me. Don't even think about it, and certainly don't go throwing that word around. Nothing irks my tail more than fake news getting spread all over the place. I just end up running around for nothing.
Alanna	Alright, alright. I'll forget you ever said anything.
Asbestos	Don't need your thanks or your words of praise. Your ten minutes are up, and the door is thataway. Are we clear?
Alanna	Yeah, clear as day. Although... I'm still going to thank you anyway. The first bit you said, that this is a thing, that's good enough for me.
[Alanna leaves.]
Asbestos	...Hmph. Rays of light? Shadows as tall as mountains? Feranmuts? Who the hell would believe anything so crazy? These made-up legends are growing out of control. People really oughta stop trying to mess with me. ...... Ugh... How about... I finish these goddamn investigation reports and head on over to the Grinning Valley to take a look?
<Background 2>
Alanna	Whaddya think?
Potlid	...... If you're planning on going, then of course you have my full support! Even though I don't know anything about exploring or archaeology, there has to be some way I can help!
Alanna	Huh? Nah, I was asking how you felt about getting kicked out after ten minutes. Didn't you tag along so I wouldn't lose track of time chatting with my old friend? Looks like I didn't need your supervision.
Potlid	That's true, heehee.
Alanna	...... You know, when you really can't muster a smile... you don't have to force yourself. Even just a bit. If you're tired and want to vent, I'll make sure nobody sees you.
[Suddenly, Jerry zips past them...]
Jerry	Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! I finally found a nice tunnel I can hide in! I'm saved!
Alanna	Huh?
[...followed shortly after by a strange Rim Billiton woman.]
Strange Lady	Hurry. Get your rear in there.
Alanna	As a friendly reminder, the left side's the sewage pipeline of the scalecis processing factory. I'd hop over to the other side, if I were you.
Jerry	Thanks a million, Alanna! Oh, wait. Fancy running into you here.
Alanna	(Raises an eyebrow)
Jerry	Um... I can explain... I think someone's seen through our disguise and is setting up near the checkpoint. Ray seems to have gotten herself tangled up, but... I'm sure she has a way out.
Alanna	Just a sec. The people chasing you are after us because of what we've done?
Jerry	Uhh, I'm not too sure about that... I, I mean, my thing definitely doesn't matter! I just happened to be hiding in the wrong place, so I got caught up in this Keira's mess again...
[The woman pulls out a bunch of rope.]
Strange Lady	Grab the rope, Jerry!
Jerry	Y-Yeah! Got it – I'll help you throw the knot over, and then you can lower me down! ...In any case, that's the situation, Alanna. Don't worry about me! Gotta run for now!
[The two quickly leave.]
Alanna	Did he actually get himself involved, or is he just running because he happened to see someone else running? But y'know, Potlid, don't you[sic] the one next to him looks kinda familiar?
<Background 5>
Life really is terrifying. And you can't run away from it, no matter how much you might want to... Well, actually, I've never wanted to run away. I always went with the flow, safely and securely, along with my thirty-six other siblings and the other three hundred thousand people in the city. After all, you naturally gravitate towards whatever's the most stable. But I got attacked out of nowhere. I ended up skipping out on my engagement, and now I'm actually on the run with my very own two feet. I don't know why, but, even as I'm being chased by all sorts of things and running for my life.... ––In the end, a door always opens for me.
[Jerry and the strange woman run into the sewers.]
Jerry	*pant*, *pant*... Are things getting better or worse for us? Logically speaking, if there's a nest of metal crabs beneath the sewer, we ought to contact a security officer. That's what it says under the "beware of wildlife" signs...
Strange Lady	Bad news is, we just barged straight into their home in our attempt to escape.
Jerry	Ha... Ahaha... I can't feel my lungs anymore...
Strange Lady	Don't slow down now! Unless you want to end cut to ribbons by those pincers!
Jerry	I, I really can't deal with this whole running away thing...
Strange Lady	Do I come across as some career criminal who's constantly on the run? I'm just... ...I just wanted people to think I went missing, so I crawled into the bed of my hardware store's delivery truck and went to sleep for a day. Then, the cargo box ended up getting transported away as usual and I found myself waking up in someone else's vehicle... And here we are.
Jerry	You're not a career criminal? Thank goodness, I thought I saw your face somewhere before on a wanted poster. Oh, b-but I don't mean to say that you look generic or ordinary...
Strange Lady	You know, I've had a question my mind. You really went and helped someone you thought was a wanted criminal?
Jerry	I, I just felt like I had no choice... From the very beginning, I didn't know why those men were even chasing me... ...Plus, I think you're actually a good egg. Same as the ladies who abducted me and brought me here. They're actually pretty decent...
[The sound of machines reverberate in the sewer.]
Strange Lady	Ugh! So loud...
Jerry	Hold on, where are we...? ...I've got an idea! ......
Strange Lady	...... Let's hear it.
Jerry	Huh? You're letting me call the shots? Th-This is rather new for me... ...Long story short, that sound's the smelting plant's automatic waste filtration and disposal system. I've seen someone falling off it in one of our company ads, he suffered a terrible fracture... ...My point is, if people can fall from it, that also means there has to be a way up. We might be able to climb on top of that thing. There's no way the metal crabs could chase us up that high! And our pursuers would never expect us to leave the factory. Let's go this way!
Strange Lady	You want us to walk across these... rickety platforms that look like they could flip over at a moment's notice? Along these iron slabs that could easily send us flying?
Jerry	It's not completely impossible! The robotic arms are on a timer! I'll climb up first and look for the control room. It'll be safe, as long as I manually operate the arms! I saw Alanna driving the transport. The operating lever for this mechanical platform should be just like that vehicle's shifter... I might be able to pull this off... I just need to give it a shot... I mean... I can't say for sure if it's going to work or not, but...
Strange Lady	I trust you. You can do it. Just go for it.
Jerry	You trust me? Wait... Not only are you willing to let me call the shots, but you're also placing your faith in me? Dear lord... not one of my thirty-six siblings has ever dared... But, you're also smart and independent, just like them––
[Jerry goes to approach the platform.]
<Background fades out and in>
[Jerry tries jumping up.]
Jerry	Um, I'm sorry, Keira... But, the platform's taller than I expected... I can't reach... Could you give me a little boost?
Strange Lady	A boost? Like this...? Here?
Jerry	Th-Th-That works too, b-but I was kind of thinking my back or legs or...
[Keira pushes Jerry upwards.]
Jerry	Woah, you're strong! Great, I made it up!
Strange Lady	Awesome... (Whispers) And you're nothing like the elders constantly trying to dictate my life.
<Background 6>
Alanna	So what you're saying is, nobody's on to us, and nobody's tracking us. You didn't kill anyone with this, did you?
Ray	Yeah, nah. There were so many things on your shopping list, I didn't have a free hand to draw my weapon.
Alanna	Alright, as long as you didn't cause any trouble. *sigh*... I've had more than my fair share of excitement. That incident at the checkpoint was already hard enough on Potlid. Where'd our resident coward go?
<Background 2>
Jerry	We... Phew, we're finally safe. We actually did it...
Strange Lady	Thank you. I really mean that. Thank you so much.
Jerry	Haha... My timid heart's still ready to jump out of my ribcage... I, I actually followed through with a decision? And such a dangerous one at that?
Strange Lady	Quit bashing yourself over the head with your briefcase already. People are staring.
Jerry	Ugh, sorry... It's just that, I'm a lot more used to going along with other people's plans. I had a big family, and things got pretty loud...
Strange Lady	Yeah, I get you. Most people are pretty much the same. Everyone joins in, and things get noisy, whether or not they're actually blood-related. It's been a good decade since one of my sisters went out to travel across the lands, and a lot of the others don't even remember that she left Rim Billiton. What I'm trying to say is, it's perfectly normal to be forgotten, just as it's perfectly normal for twenty or thirty people to suddenly remember you at once and start talking about the same things on repeat.
Jerry	Haha, how right you are... You know, I skipped out on my engagement today, which is how I ended up out here. It's also why I'm so afraid of getting caught. Well, actually, the whole thing was foisted onto me because of a little dust-up... But afterwards, I realized that I was pretty happy to be getting out of that marriage. It hadn't dawned upon me until then that I was really against the whole arrangement! I don't even know the first thing about the woman I'm engaged to! I just felt like... so many smart people in the family said I should do it, so it had to be the right thing!
Strange Lady	Right? I totally get you! The elders in my family always try to push their experiences onto me, and I got so sick and tired of their nagging that I wanted to disappear! Even though I left the old factories and went to Carrot's to an assembly line, they still packed themselves into a transport for a solid half day just to tell me that they "found me a proper man." If I'd gone along with it, then I would've missed everything that happened today...
Jerry	Um...
Strange Lady	...It's nothing. You go ahead.
Jerry	Um... Keira, I'm just thinking, the two of us have a pretty good rapport... And, uh, my company recently rolled out a new insurance plan with really broad coverage... I don't know if you'd be interested or not, but...
Strange Lady	Huh? Insurance? I'd be glad to help you with your work, since I do owe you one for today... But, what kind of insurance are we talking about here? And how much does it cost?
Jerry	N-N-N-No, Miss Keira, that's not what I meant... It won't cost you any money. I just wanted to ask... ...How would you feel about becoming the beneficiary of this insurance plan I just bought?
Strange Lady	...Beneficiary?
Jerry	I-I-In other words, if anything happens to me, then the company will pay you a large sum of money... As for the specific terms, I can go over the details with you, if you have time... After all, a beneficiary is someone very important to me... Goodness, what's gotten into me?! Am I making decisions for myself again? And I swear, this has to be the most important decision of my life!
Strange Lady	......
Jerry	Keira? I know, this is all very sudden, but it's how I really feel, I just had to blurt it out... The old me would've just kept it bottled up in my heart, thinking over and over about how to get the words out, and if I did get them out, worrying if I stuttered or not. Huh? Am I not stuttering anymore...? Oh! It's no big deal though... If you don't want to, then... Maybe I shouldn't have sprung it on you like that... Maybe, I...
Strange Lady	I'll do it. It's more in line with my personal principals than going along with whatever the elders have planned for me.
Jerry	Really...? You're fine with it? Oh my god! I really have to tell my siblings that I'm not going to let them lead me around by the nose forever.
Strange Lady	Totally. They're always going on about how they've been through so much and know better... My whole family's got a suite of rules when it comes to who we marry.
Jerry	Like how everyone loves a Cautus with long ears.
Strange Lady	Huh? Cautus?
Jerry	Ah, yes. I'm the only Zalak in the family. I guess I got handed off to this family when I was little. I forget about that a lot, same as people forget about me. Besides... what big family isn't cobbled together like this? Ah, and they like loud talkers.
Strange Lady	My relatives are more into the quiet types.
Jerry	And industrious, businessy types.
Strange Lady	Who know how to make a sales pitch.
Jerry	Even their appearance...
[Jerry suddenly pauses.]
Jerry	Wait...
Somewhat Familiar Woman	...... ...You just mentioned that you were skipping out on an engagement ceremony, didn't you?
<Background 6>
Potlid	Lanns, if we don't leave now, we'll be surrounded by drivers bringing wine barrels over to collect bottletree water, and won't be able to get out...
Alanna	I know that already. Seriously, didn't that Zalak say he was scared to death that something terrible would happen as soon as he left the vehicle?
Ray	I told him everyone's free to get off whenever they want, and I wouldn't do anything to stop him.
Alanna	Naw, the way he was talking, I think he was scared he'd run into the girl he was engaged to.
[Jerry suddenly returns and climbs onto the truck.]
Jerry	Ray! Alanna! Hurry up and give me your contact!
Alanna	Huh?
Jerry	I'll send you the details later! Wedding invitations!
Alanna	...Huh?
<Background fades out and in>
[Not long later, Alanna's truck is on the move again.]
Ray	As far as I can tell, the road ahead should be pretty safe. No traces of big beasties, no sign of the ground getting hollowed out by the wildlife.
Alanna	Haha. Maybe that last blessing the Zalak left you is actually doing something for us after all. "Have a safe trip," and "you'll definitely find what you're looking for."
Ray	"Feranmut," huh...?
Alanna	Pretty tough, just going by the sound of that word, huh? If you walked up to me and told me, "we're going to go find the Feranmut," I wouldn't have questioned it for a moment. Though, I didn't think you'd also read the road conditions.
Ray	Hardly. I don't have much experience, I'm not a real lookout. I just think... looking out into the distance with binoculars is pretty neat, that's all.
Alanna	––Weird. The power system's temperature display seems a bit off. Jacker, did we miss something just now? Like, a geyser spewing steam by the side of the road, or active Originium on the surface causing a small-scale explosion?
Ray	Nope. I made sure of it.
Alanna	...... What about Potlid? Where'd she get herself to while we were looking outside? Wait, is she... in the power room?!