003 | Video | February 19th

[dragneel]

YO, people of Death City! I got somethin' important to talk about.

I dunno how far word has spread, but I've been told by a few people now that there's this legendary sword who gives the users ultimate powers and can win this war. Dunno why no one's tried to find it yet -- but I've been lookin'! It ain't in the toilet of Keroro's shop, by the way, Luna.

[ Natsu holds up the LEGENDARY BOOK OF EXCALIBUR. Then he flips through to show a picture of the sword embedded in stone. ]

It's apparently in this cave. So here's what I'm thinkin'. We go get it. We take a day to prepare a team and then go out and get our hands on the weapon. Lots of us wanna go home, right? Shibusen needs us to win the war, right?

[ He taps the book's cover with his hand. ]

This is our best shot. Who's with me?

Comments

[dissenter]

[it seems too good to be true, but... ultimate power. natsu's finally speaking qilby's language!

and if nothing else, he can't let some other moron get his hands on it...]

You know-- [he never thought he'd say this, but] --you may be onto something, Natsu. Though if the task is forcing things out of rocks, I may be of less assistance than I'd like to be.

[dragneel]

Don't worry, Kiwi! If I can pull it out, I'll let ya use it. I already got a weapon, so I don't need it.

[dissenter]

[goddess, he's going to strangle natsu one day and it's going to feel great.]

If I wasn't worthy of drawing it, I doubt I'll have the power to use it anyway -- I imagine that's the purpose of the challenge. But your kindness is very much appreciated.

[now killing the person who does win it, and taking it from them? that probably counts as earning it. okay yes, he'll go with that.] And... That's very loyal of you to say, but what happens if you're the only one that can wield the sword?

[dragneel]

[ He didn't think of this! He's mostly going along for the quest and the fun of trying to pull the sword out of the stone. ]

Then I guess it'll just have to stay behind. I ain't gonna turn my back on the old man now -- even if he probably deserves it and has this annoying habit of wanting to kill everything.

[ He shakes his head. ]

But that ain't gonna happen. The people who wanna go so far are definitely worthy of it in my opinion. If anything, maybe it'd choose us all!

[dissenter]

I-- what?

[how many murderous old men could there be in the city? for one bizarre moment, qilby almost believes natsu's talking about him.]

Who in the world did you find as a partner?

[dragneel]

Some super tall, old guy named Winters. He's really strong!

[dissenter]

Ah, well. [a beat.] He sounds lovely.

In any case... Let's hope you're correct about us. [le smile!] Though perhaps it'd be best if it didn't choose everyone. A weapon as powerful as this one sounds is, unfortunately, bound to be quarreled over.

[dragneel]

If that happens, you should get it! Since you're like a gajillion years old, y'got seniority, right?

[dissenter]

Yes.



[wait] I mean, no. I mean-- [augh. he massages his temples.]

...Well, I don't think it's a contingency we'll have to plan for. It's probably best to just concentrate on getting the sword out in the first place.

[dragneel]

Yeah, I guesso. But I'll be cheerin' for ya, Quirky, 'cause you could use all the help ya can get in this war.

[dissenter]

[qilby has to force himself to smile gratefully. it's awful.]

Thank you, Natsu, I appreciate the concern. But don't worry yourself too much over me-- [he thumps his fist against his thin chest, only half-jokingly.] --I'm a survivor, if nothing else.

[dragneel]

Haha that's right! Ya made it this long, so what's another couple million years right?

I still got your back, though! So if it goes out, y'can count on me to carry ya!

[dissenter]

[... how the hell old does natsu think he is...

flatly, unable to help a dirty look.] You won't need to do that. [half a second later, qilby forces a little laugh to cover up the tiny crack in his façade. talking to this kid was dangerous for him, devious little brat.]

--aah, because now I've someone from my world to count on too. Between you two, I should be well-enough protected.

[dragneel]

[ Don't worry. Natsu is completely and totally oblivious to that crack. ]

Oh yeah?

[ He perks up -- truly and genuinely happy for you, Qilby! ]

Is it your sister? The dragon?? Didja finally get to meet up with her again?

[dissenter]

[ouch. now that hurts.]

I'm... Afraid that'd be very much impossible. [his wince and rueful tone is probably the most honest thing about him this entire conversation so far. but the return of his smile ends all that nonsense quickly enough.]

No, but he is an Eliatrope, like me. Yugo is his name.

1/2

[dragneel]

Kibbly...

[ Natsu utters in sympathy. It'd probably be more sympathetic if he actually got Qilby's name right, but he does understand the feeling. ]

2/3 I lied

[dragneel]

Nothin's impossible, ya know? All the dragons might've disappeared from my world, but I know I'll see Igneel again. Maybe even here.

[dragneel]

[ But the smile intensifies when Qilby confesses just who his friend from home is. ]

Blue Comet?? Uwaahah, that's great to hear! I like Yugo. Actually he's gonna be coming along on the quest with us, so ya won't be alone!

[dissenter]

[blue co-- oh never mind, on second thought he doesn't want to know. he can already tell these two, with their powers combined, are going to drive him up the wall.

qilby adopts a gentle tone, the sort one'd use to explain to a child that their dog ran away.] It's... A little different, for us. As long as I still live, my sister cannot be reborn. Or vice versa, had I died before her. It's been this way since the very first life we lived together.

But I'm glad to hear you've already been acquainted with my brother. [he beams!] I had a feeling you two would get along.

[dragneel]

Didn't you say when ya just got here that you were just about to meet with--

[ And then it suddenly dawns on him, the weight of what this means. ]

-- oh.

[dissenter]

Er... [blink. what's the sudden mood crash all about--

and then it dawns on him what dawned on natsu, and qilby shakes his head hastily.] Oh! Oh, no, no, no-- it's not like that at all!

[this is about the time when a normal person who's been around qilby for any length of time would start to sense a story coming on. he doesn't disappoint.] Each of the very first of us Eliatropes -- the first six to be born -- hatched out of a very special dragon egg called a Dofus. Though I suppose it'd be more accurate to say the first twelve to be born, for each of us were bonded to a dragon sibling. Shinonome was mine, as you already know.

The reason we're able to live so long is because upon our deaths, our life force returns to our Dofus. When both Eliatrope and dragon souls are reunited in our egg, we're reborn... And so on, through the millennia. [a reassuring smile.] In this way, I've ruled over my people as king for a very long time.

What I meant to say was that before I was brought to this world, we were on a quest to find my Dofus for... Various reasons. [with a distinct pride in his voice:] It was Yugo, in fact, who undertook the journey for me while I was too weak to travel. So as you can see, I've already been counting on him for quite some time.

[dragneel]

[ Unlike some of the long, droned on stories Natsu has heard, he's able to listen to this one (because it has to do with dragons and dragon eggs and those are interesting to him.) Even if the big words like Dofus and Eliatrope throw him a bit, he gets the general gist. ]

Ohhh. So as soon as you die, you'll both be reborn through the...uh....doofus? And then you guys'd be able to see each other again? Or do you gotta live your lives apart?

[dissenter]

That's "Dofus." [--he corrects, miraculously not batting an eyelash. he just wishes he could get some sort of recognition for what is undoubtedly the largest reserve of patience in all of death city.] And yes, we'd finally see each other again, in the flesh and-- aah, scales, as it were.

If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that my Eliatrope siblings and I cannot be kept from our dragons for long. We share a connection that goes beyond blood. [a warm look.] I daresay something similar can be said of you and Igneel.

[dragneel]

[ But it's so sad! The burdens Qilby has to face, the fact that he's just waiting around for his death before he can see his dragon again. Natsu grits his teeth and expresses his emotion the way any shounen protag would -- by slamming his fist into the wall opposite. ]

But it ain't fair! Now you're stuck here. And what happens if somethin' happens to ya over in this world? Can ya get back to your Dofus?

[dissenter]

[not expecting the wall-punching, qilby jumps a bit in alarm, muttering a quiet "oh my."

it's a question he's thought about on his own, before, and part of the reason he'd been so insatiably curious about souls. but--] I'm... [it's hard to say this, because it's true.] ...I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that question.

But I don't intend on needing one, nor do I intend on letting anything happen to me before I find a way of getting us all back to our respective worlds. [gently.] It may not be fair, but the most important battles were never won with the odds stacked in our favor. We'll get through it.