Title

Episode 36: The Surprise Attack

lipu lili nanpa 1

Wasabi

AN APOLOGY? You can't be serious!

THROW THIS FOOL IN JAIL!

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Sound

Fschh...

Pepper

Darn! I can't do anything in here!

Damn magical prison! Grrrr!

Sound

CLANG!

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Pepper

How could I be so naive!

Shichimi

Shhhhh, Pepper! Keep it down.

Pepper

Who's there?!

Shichimi

Shhhhh! Quiet already! Over here. I'm here to get you out.

Sound

Kshiii...

Pepper

Shichimi?

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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...

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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!

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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...

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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!

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Sound

fshhhh!!

Pepper

WOAAAH!

So that's what a dragon's Rea is like!

Shichimi

Pepper, quickly! The battle!

Pepper

Allus...! Yuus...! Needum...! Est... ...LOVIUS!

Sound

Dzziooo!!

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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!

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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 -

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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

Pepper

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