Susie and Kris stop and have a talk with Gerson, who offers both some words of advice...and of warning. However, Gerson then has one last favor to ask of Susie!
Yaaay, got another scene done! Not sure when the next one will be up since my schedule looks to be pretty busy and there's lots to do...but I do have a full roster of scenes that will be coming in the future!
Alt text for these pages is under the read more:
Page 1
Panel 1 - “One lengthy explanation later…” reads an expository text box. A wider overhead shot of Kris, Susie and Gerson all sitting in a small circle, still in the library enclave. Gerson’s hammer is sitting off to the side. Susie rests her head on the ground, her tail still curled around her side. “I see, I see,” Gerson says. “Must say…such a disappointment to hear my fears were founded.”
Panel 2 - Closeup on Gerson as he points at Kris and says, “Young one…I must warn ya. If you keep on this path, you’ll find it only leads to sorrow.”
Panel 3 - Mid shot of Kris, facing to the right, with their head down in resigned determination. “It’s too late for that. I have to see this through,” they reply.
Panel 4 - Mid shot as Susie adds, “Yeah, they promised me all the humans I could eat!” She looks at Gerson with an enormous grin. He looks up at her and responds, “Gya ha, did they?”
Panel 5 - Wider shot of the three still sitting in their small circle. Gerson says, “That demon’s got you in quite a bind, hasn’t he?”
Kris replies, “He’s helped me the entire way here. He’s kept me alive this whole journey.”
“That he has, that he has. But still, you’re in a mind,” Gerson says.
Page 2
Panel 1 - Closeup on Gerson as he holds out a hand, and explains the problem out loud. “Can’t stay in this Dark World; a human wasn’t made to endure these many horrors. Can’t break your promise to Miss Dragon and your other friends, or you’ll never make it home. But once you do, you’ll bring great tragedy to all humanity. And still, that demon’ll get what he wants from you!”
Panel 2 - Kris sits next to Susie, looking sullen. “I don’t see the point in dwelling on it if there’s no avoiding it,” they say.
Panel 3 - Closeup on Gerson as he holds up a hand, as if to stop Kris’s train of thought. “Now hold on there, young one! I’m no seer, but I don’t think your future’s set in stone. There may yet be a happy ending for you!”
Panel 4 - Closeup on Kris as they look quietly off to the side. They don’t seem convinced of the idea.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Gerson as he looks down, a little more contemplative. “I’ll say…it won’t happen without great cost,” he adds.
Panel 6 - A side shot of the three sitting together, Susie still curled up and resting her head quietly on the ground. “Nothing here happens without great cost,” Kris says.
Gerson replies, “Maybe so, maybe so.”
Page 3
Panel 1 - Closeup on Gerson as he faces the camera, raising a hand in warning. “Young one, even if I can’t dissuade you from this path…remember to always be wary of that demon prince. The beasts may gobble you up, and the gods may use you for influence.”
Panel 2 - His speech continues: “But that demon will wear you around his neck like a beloved scarf for eternity, and it’ll be a misery unlike anything you experience here.” Closeup on Kris as they take in this information, looking deeply concerned.
Panel 3 - Full shot of Kris as they grip their own shoulders, uncertain. “At this point, what am I supposed to do about it?”
Panel 4 - Gerson then turns to face Susie, and gestures towards her. “Well, Miss Dragon…I think that’s where *you* come in!”
Susie lifts her head up and replies, “*Me*? What’m *I* supposed to do?”
Panel 5 - Closeup on Gerson as he holds up a finger towards her. “Gya ha ha, just what you’re doin’ already!” he says. “You and the other beasts. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’.”
Page 4
Panel 1 - Side view as Susie leans in closer to Gerson, showing off all of her pointed teeth in a wide, hungry grin. “Look old man, the only thing *I’m* interested in is getting to the Light World and finally getting a full stomach.”
Gerson doesn’t seem intimidated, and just looks back up at her. “Hmm, that so? Well, Miss Dragon, I got some words of advice for you, too.”
Panel 2 - Closeup on Gerson as he delivers his advice to Susie: “Horror ain’t something exclusive to humans, y’know. You may think you’re immune, bein’ what you are. But in this world and the one above, even horrors got their own, far more potent horrors.”
Panel 3 - Full shot as Gerson points to Kris, sitting next to Susie. Susie looks a little annoyed at this advice. “You remember that when you get your full stomach, Miss Dragon, and remember how you rely on Kris here as much as they rely on you!” Gerson says.
Panel 4 - Closeup on Susie, who peers back at Gerson with obvious skepticism. “I think you’ve been in that armor for too long, old man.”
Panel 5 - Gerson stands back up, hands on his hips, and laughs a bit. “Gya ha haa! That, I agree with! To that end, I want your help with one more thing.”
Page 5
Panel 1 - Full shot of the three still sitting, Gerson’s hammer remaining out of the way in the foreground. Susie asks, “What?”
“Once we’re done with our little chat here, I’d like you to use that tail of yours and smash this armor to bits,” Gerson says matter-of-factly.
Kris starts to stand, looking surprised at this request. “But…you’ll…”
Panel 2 - Full shot of Gerson as he gestures to himself. “Yes, yes, end my time here. Like I said, it’s been so long, I can hardly remember how long I’ve been down here. If my body’s already gone, I think it’s high time for my soul to get a move on, too.”
Panel 3 - Side view of Susie as she again leans in closer to Gerson. She grins and licks her lips. “How about I just eat you? Less messy that way…”
Gerson just points back and says, “‘Preciate the offer, Miss Dragon, but I’d prefer my soul actually get to the afterlife!” He’s being cheeky.
Panel 4 - Mid shot of Gerson with his hands on his hips. In the foreground, Susie’s drooling jaws loom large. “I could just smash the armor and then eat your soul anyway, you know.”
“Ya could, ya could,” Gerson says.
Panel 5 - Gerson continues offscreen, “Got a hunch that ya won’t, though.” Closeup on Susie as she looks down at him, her expression more suspicious and uncertain.
Page 6
Panel 1 - Full shot of the three now all standing. Gerson and Kris face each other, while Susie looks away. Kris asks, “If you’ve been ready to move on this whole time…why are you even still here, dealing with this place?”
Panel 2 - Closeup on Gerson as he replies, “Well, young one, with how much I’ve learned…I was hoping to run into someone like you.”
Panel 3 - With Susie still looking off in the background, Gerson reaches out towards Kris and continues, “That’s the point of bein’ old, ain’t it? To pass on what you’ve learned to the children.”
Panel 4 - Closeup on Kris as they look off to the side, their expression sullen. This hasn’t been their personal experience at all.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Gerson as he looks downward, understanding Kris’s reaction. “I’m sorry your parents forgot that,” he says.
Panel 6 - Mid shot as Gerson faces Kris, pointing at them. “But when you do get back to the Light World…try’n slow down with that attack command, all right? Last thing you need is more regrets!”
Kris crosses their arms across their chest, looking thoughtful. “I will see.”
Panel 7 - Wider shot as Gerson turns to face Susie, and says, “Right then!” She looks down at him expectantly.
Page 7
Panel 1 - Full side view as Gerson gestures to Susie, and says, “So, Miss Dragon, you think you’re strong? Then show me what ya got!”
Panel 2 - Closeup on Gerson as he raises his fist and gives one last triumphant “GYA HA HAA!” He then gives Susie another unfamiliar command, one that seems to be a mix of the ACT command and something else unknown.
Panel 3 - Full dutch angle as Susie spins, and swings her massive tail overhead…
Panel 4 - Then closeup as she bring it down hard with a BOOM onto Gerson. The armored figure shatters apart into pieces of armor and shell, bone and dust.
Panel 5 - Pieces of the armor lay scattered about, revealing there really was nothing inside except for some remaining dry bones and dust. From the scattered remains, a green human soul congeals together.
Panel 6 - Kris and Susie watch in wonder in the background, as the soul rises up from the remains in the foreground.
Panel 7 - The soul continues to drift upwards, towards the ceiling, starting to fade from view.
Panel 8 - Closeup on Kris and Susie as they continue to watch its ascent. Susie stares at it hungrily, but doesn’t move…
Panel 9 - And the soul finally vanishes from view, having passed to the afterlife.
Page 8
Panel 1 - Mid shot of Kris and Susie once again. Kris turns to her, mildly surprised. “...You didn’t eat his soul,” they say, not exactly questioning.
Panel 2 - Closeup on Susie as she looks away. “Well, it…it was probably old and musty, anyway,” she grumbles, as if trying to justify her inaction to herself.
Panel 3 - Offscreen, Ralsei yells “KRIS!” Full shot as Kris and Susie turn from the discarded remains to look behind them.
Panel 4 - Full shot as the rest of the Fun Gang finally enter into the enclave: Noelle, Catti and Jockington, Berdly, and Ralsei, all looking relieved.
Panel 5 - Full shot as the gang reunites. Noelle immediately buries her face in Susie’s mane, and Susie happily nuzzles her back in return, curling her tail around Noelle. In the foreground, Ralsei runs to Kris and puts a hand on their shoulder. “Are you all right, Kris? It took us far too long to find a path down here…” he says.
Panel 6 - Full shot of Ralsei and Kris as Ralsei carefully examines Kris , keeping a hand on their back and chest. After what Gerson says, Kris stands there a bit stiffly. “I was so worried you’d find something horrible here!”
Panel 7 - Closeup on Ralsei and Kris. Kris replies quietly, “No. We’re both fine.”
Ralsei keeps his hands on Kris’s shoulder, and gives back a wide smile. “That’s quite a relief! Considering how long that detour was…”
Page 9
Panel 1 - Full shot of Berdly perching on one of the bookshelves, head high in the air. “We would’ve gotten down here faster if you all listened to me!” he declares.
In the foreground, Catti looks annoyed and replies, “No, we would not.” Jockington curls around her.
Panel 2 - Full shot of the whole gang back together. Susie and Noelle continue to nuzzle, although Noelle looks ahead a little bit into the darkness. “Maybe…we can keep going through this level to the end of the maze?” she suggests.
“I believe so! Let’s hurry,” Ralsei says.
Panel 3 - Wide shot as the Fun Gang treks on further into the library maze, stepping over the remains of armor and bone, and the hammer left behind.
Panel 4 - Full shot as Ralsei leans in closer to Kris, and asks, “You really didn’t encounter *any*one down here, Kris?
Panel 5 - Kris and Susie glance back at each other, their expressions unsure. Should they actually mention what happened and who they met, considering what he said?
Panel 6 - Closeup on Kris, their eyes hidden, as they make that decision. “No.”
Panel 7 - Wide shot as the Fun Gang walk off deeper into the maze. Pieces of armor and bone litter the foreground behind them.
