Episode 36: The Surprise Attack

Shichimi: I... I am sorry for what happened...; ...you know, with our fight.; I... I had to do it.
Pepper: Don't worry – I know. Thanks for coming.
Shichimi: This magical cell is really strong – they’ve gone all out for you!
Pepper: Ha ha!
Shichimi: Keep it down, they'll hear us.
Rat: LAP LAP LAP
Shichimi: You know, another reason I came is that I was admitted into Wasabi's inner circle right after the ceremony. And I learned of her plans...

Shichimi: It's awful, Pepper.; Wasabi wants to dominate all other schools of magic, pure and simple...; She will leave at dawn with an army of witches for Qualicity...
Pepper: Oh, no! Coriander! And her kingdom!
Shichimi: And Zombiah magic! We must warn her at once!; A pilot and dragon await us on the platform, to get us out of here.; That's it, the lock finally gave way!
Sound: Ching!
Pepper: Bravo! I'll get Carrot and my hat.
Rat: squeak!
Carrot: HISSSS!
Sound: CLANG!
Rat: squeeee!
Sound: CLUNK! CLANG! CLANK! CLANG!
Pepper: !!!
Shichimi: !!!
Guard: GUARD! COME HERE!; AN INTRUDER IS FREEING THE PRISONER!

Shichimi: We were so close...
Pepper: Yeah, so close.; By the way, do you know why Wasabi has it out for me?
Shichimi: She's afraid of the Chaosah witches, Pepper...; Especially of your chain reactions. She believes they are a major threat to her plans.
Pepper: Oh, that, pfff... No need for her to fret; I've never managed to set off any of those.
Shichimi: Really?
Pepper: Yes, really, ha ha ha!
Shichimi: Hee-hee! She's so paranoid...

King: Officer! Can you confirm that this is the temple of that witch?
Officer: Highly likely, my liege! Several of our spies have spotted her here recently.
King: GRrrr... So, that threat to our art of war and traditions lives here!

King: Let us celebrate our alliance by retaliating and razing this temple from the surface of Hereva.
Enemy: Well said!
Sound: Clap
Army: Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeehaaa! Yarr! Yeehaw! Yeee-haw! Yaaa! Hurrah!
King: CATAPULTS! FIRE!!!
Sound: huUWOOOOOOOOOOO!; Whooosh! Whooosh!
King: ATTAAAAAAACK!!!
Pepper: What's going on? An attack?!
Sound: BOOM! BOOOM!
Shichimi: What?!
Sound: BOO~OOOM! BOOM!

Pepper: cough cough!!; Shichimi! Are you alright?
Shichimi: Yes, I'm fine! What about you? And Carrot?
Pepper: We're fine.; What the heck... I... can't... believe it...
Shichimi: Where did those soldiers come from?! And with catapults?! What do they want?
Pepper: I don't know... But those two I do know.
Shichimi: ?; !!!; Torreya, over here!

Torreya: Shichimi! Spirits be praised, you are safe and sound.
Sound: Grab
Torreya: I was so worried when I heard that they had imprisoned you! And this battle! What chaos!
Shichimi: Torreya, it's so good to see you.
Pepper: Oh, my...; So this dragon pilot is Shichimi's girlfriend...; I can't imagine what would have happened had I gotten rid of her.; And those armies, they must have followed me.; Without them, we would not be free.; It all seems so connected...; ...OH!

Torreya: What's up with her?
Shichimi: Pepper? Is everything okay?
Pepper: Yes, I'm fine. I've just realized something.; Everything that's happened is, directly or indirectly, the result of my actions, my choices...; ...in other words, my chain reaction!
Shichimi: Really? You'll have to explain.
Torreya: Enough chat, we're in the middle of a battlefield. We can talk about it once we're flying. Hop on, Pepper!
Shichimi: Torreya is right. We need to get to Qualicity, no matter what.
Pepper: Hold on a second.; Wasabi's army is about to counter-attack. We can't let them kill each other like that.; I feel that it's my responsibility to end this battle.

Torreya: But how?
Arra: Yes, how do you plan to do that, witch? You haven't recovered much Rea, I can feel it.
Pepper: You're absolutely right, but there is a spell of mine that could fix everything. I just need your Rea to be able to reach everyone.
Arra: Give energy to a witch? It's forbidden! Most certainly not!
Pepper: Would you rather watch a carnage unfold?
Torreya: Please, Arra. Make an exception. Those girls and dragons fighting, that's our school, our family. And yours too.
Shichimi: Yes, please, Arra.
Arra: PFF! Fine! But at her own risk!

Sound: Schsss! Schii! Hfhii! Dziing! Fiizz! Fiizz! Dziing! Hfheee! Schii! Schsss!
Pepper: This spell was the first draft of my anti-war spells.; It converts mortal foes into friends...; …and violence into love and compassion.
Shichimi: Wow! Well... that's terrific, Pepper! They've stopped fighting!
Torreya: It's working!

Shichimi: But what's going on? Some of them are kissing...?!
Torreya: Uh... That's a lot of new couples! Was that meant to happen, Pepper?
Pepper: Oh, no! I think it was the Dragon's Rea that amplified the love in my spell.
Torreya: Haha, this battle will go straight into the history books.
Shichimi: Hee-hee, definitely!
Pepper: Ooohhh, how embarrassing!
Writing: - FIN -

Credits: December 15, 2021 Art & scenario: David Revoy. Beta readers: Arlo James Barnes, Bhoren, Bobby Hiltz, Craig Maloney, Estefania de Vasconcellos Guimaraes, GunChleoc, Karl Ove Hufthammer, Nicolas Artance, Pierre-Antoine Angelini, Valvin. English translation: Arlo James Barnes, Bobby Hiltz, Estefania de Vasconcellos Guimaraes, Frederic Mora, GunChleoc, Karl Ove Hufthammer, Pierre-Antoine Angelini, Zane Waldman. Proofreading: Craig Maloney. Based on the universe of Hereva Creator: David Revoy. Lead maintainer: Craig Maloney. Writers: Craig Maloney, Nicolas Artance, Scribblemaniac, Valvin. Correctors: Willem Sonke, Moini, Hali, CGand, Alex Gryson. Software: Krita 5.0β, Inkscape 1.1 on Kubuntu Linux 20.04. License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. www.peppercarrot.com
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