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The scent of salt is soothing as you land back on the sand. You are really glad that you won’t lose this place. Sure, the consorts are terrible, and you’re sunburned on every exposed inch of skin, and you’re still not quite over your seasickness, but it really is a tropical paradise. The scurvy dogs of legend sailed seas like these, trying to eke out a slice of the world where they answered to no one, where every man was his own master and owned whatever he could take and keep. Seeing this place, seeing the waves lapping the shores and the untamed jungles claiming the sands, you can see why it would be worth fighting for.
It’s too bad you lost the Flying Shadow. She didn’t survive the fight with the giant robots after your ascension. It would have been nice to try to patch her holes and smooth out her bumps and turn her from a splintery deathtrap into a seaworthy schooner.
Well, you’ll just have to fly instead.
As you soar upward, you peer out over the sparkling waters. The whirlpools that break up the monotony of the ocean churn, and you glide over one and stare down into its gaping maw. Were they actually portals that cut across the planet, or was that part of the white text guy’s trick?
…No, they weren’t. He definitely said that he couldn’t manipulate you while you were conscious, and everything he did supported that. They really are just a weird quirk that makes the Land of Tides and Trials what it is.
Just like before, you don’t see anything that would make one particular island special. You won’t be able to do this alone.
Well, you’ve been putting this off long enough.
You draw the spirograph necklace from your Sylladex.
STEVE: Hey, Fluke Nukem. Where are you? ACTIONSPRITE: NUCLEAR LAUNCH DETECTED
A glint in the sky rockets down, and your idiot of a sprite crashes into the sand.
ACTIONSPRITE: ACTIONSPRITE HAS JOINED YOUR PARTY! ACTIONSPRITE: GIVE A NICKNAME TO ACTIONSPRITE? STEVE: I… can’t believe this, but I’m glad you’re back. ACTIONSPRITE: NICKNAMES CANNOT BE LONGER THAN SEVEN LETTERS ACTIONSPRITE: GIVE A NICKNAME TO ACTIONSPRITE? STEVE: Don’t push it.
He grins.
STEVE: So… I guess I’m sorry. I was kind of a dick to you, and all you wanted was to help. ACTIONSPRITE: GOOD MEN MEAN WELL ACTIONSPRITE: WE JUST DON’T ALWAYS END UP DOING WELL STEVE: Yeah. STEVE: I shouldn’t have kicked you out like that. STEVE: I was so desperate for what I thought I wanted that I pushed everyone away. STEVE: So, I’m sorry. ACTIONSPRITE: NO ONE CAN CHANGE THE PAST ACTIONSPRITE: THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS STRIVE TO MAKE UP FOR OUR MISTAKES STEVE: Uh… STEVE: Is that “apology accepted”? ACTIONSPRITE: THERE’S NO USE CRYING OVER EVERY MISTAKE ACTIONSPRITE: YOU JUST KEEP ON TRYING UNTIL YOU RUN OUT- STEVE: Okay, enough of that. ACTIONSPRITE: I’M GLAD YOU’RE BACK STEVE
He sticks out a beefy hand, and you give it a firm shake.
STEVE: So. I think I already know the answer to this, but I haven’t completed my quest, have I? ACTIONSPRITE: NO STEVE: That chest and the screen were just part of his trick. STEVE: Can you help me find the real treasure? ACTIONSPRITE: LET’S-A GO
He zips off through the air, and you follow directly on his… well, he doesn’t have heels, so his weird ghostly sprite tail. The path you follow zig-zags, flitting between islands and whirlpools. His speed is incredible, far greater than you had ever seen him display before, and it’s just as incredible that you can keep up.
As you both start to slow, you see the island ahead. It has the first structure you’ve seen on the planet, a stone ziggurat flanked by carved totem poles. You don’t know how you failed to see it before; you’re pretty sure that you recognize the islands nearby from your month-long wild goose chase.
He lands at the start of the path leading to the pyramid, so you do to. The stones are cool as your feet touch down on them. You stopped wearing shoes during your sailing expedition after the first few waves made your every step squelch.
STEVE: Why did we stop? ACTIONSPRITE: THE TREASURE LIES AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID STEVE: Okay. Let’s go up. ACTIONSPRITE: AS A HERO OF HEART, YOU WALK THE PATH OF SELF
It doesn’t look too far. If he wants you to climb up on your own feet, you can oblige.
STEPHANIE: Steve?
You turn around just as she throws her arms around, and you return the hug with a smile.
STEVE: Hey, Steph.
Her outfit is a deep blue (cerulean? Indigo? Wait, that’s more like purple), with a hood and long pants. When you step back, you can see a circular swirly pattern on her shirt.
STEVE: So you’re god tier too? STEPHANIE: Yeah. Knight of Void. STEVE: That’s awesome. Way better than Page of Heart. STEPHANIE: Let me see your god suit.
Your face burns.
STEVE: Uh… STEVE: You don’t want to see it. STEVE: It’s really dumb. STEPHANIE: I bet it’s part of your quest. You have to wear it. STEVE: No way!
The corners of her mouth creep up.
STEPHANIE: Hey sprite. STEPHANIE: The god tier outfit is part of the quest, isn’t it? ACTIONSPRITE: UH ACTIONSPRITE: I AM ERROR STEPHANIE: That means yes. STEPHANIE: Put it on, Steve.
You keep staring into her wide eyes. Those circle-rimmed glasses magnify them, and you can see that sparkle they get when she starts smiling.
STEVE: …Crap.
Sighing, you close your eyes, and the Captain’s Accoutrements switch to the stupid pink shirt and embarrassingly small leggings.
STEPHANIE: …Woah. STEVE: Augh it’s so stupid!
You wince as you see her gaze drop to your bare legs. The heat in your cheeks is scalding.
STEVE: Okay, I am changing now. STEPHANIE: No! STEPHANIE: I mean, you have to keep wearing it for your quest. STEVE: …Fine. STEVE: I’ll be right back. I just have to go up there. STEPHANIE: I’m coming too. STEVE: What? STEPHANIE: That guy with the white text said he was going to kill you. STEPHANIE: I’m invisible to him, so I’m staying with you. STEVE: …Well, okay, but I don’t think you’re allowed. STEVE: As a Hero of Heart, I have to walk the path of self, or something like that. ACTIONSPRITE: THAT IS CORRECT STEPHANIE: You have to walk the path of self? What does that mean? STEVE: …I don’t actually know. I think it means I have to learn to stand up for myself or something. That sounds like the kind of dumb moral this quest would have. STEPHANIE: Well, you have to walk the path of self, but you don’t have to walk it alone, do you? STEVE: …I guess not.
She gives you a gentle shove, and you start walking. Stephanie stays in step with you.
STEVE: So what was your quest? STEPHANIE: It was kind of the same thing. Learning to stand up for myself and that I’m not nothing. STEVE: Well geez, I could have told you that.
You climb the tiered steps up the ziggurat, trying to ignore your bare legs. Somehow all the hair on them has disappeared. It’s kind of disquieting.
At the top of the pyramid is an altar. Etched into the sides are the same heart symbol as on your chest.
STEVE: What… what is this?
On the top of the altar is a sheet of notebook paper. You pick it up.
It’s a drawing.
STEVE: This…
It’s a starry moonlight night on a pier – it looks like the one from your yearly beach weeks. There’s a bench – you’ve eaten lunch on it before – and you’re sitting on it. Stephanie’s sitting beside you, with her head on your shoulder, and you’re holding her hand. She’s smiling, and she’s beautiful.
STEVE: You… drew this, didn’t you?
She takes one look at it and turns as red as you are.
STEPHANIE: How did that... STEPHANIE: But I… STEPHANIE: That can’t…
A shiver runs through you.
STEVE: …This is the picture you used for your sprite, isn’t it? STEPHANIE: Uh…
Dear god.
You are such an idiot.
STEVE: You… didn’t want yourself as a sprite. STEVE: You wanted me. STEVE: I am so stupid.
She snatches the paper from your hand.
STEPHANIE: No you aren’t! STEPHANIE: You’re a genius! STEPHANIE: And you’re nice – maybe even nicer than Liz. STEPHANIE: And funny, unlike James. STEPHANIE: Steve, you shouldn’t be jealous of Greg. STEPHANIE: You don’t need to go on a quest to see how great you are. STEPHANIE: We all know. You’re the best person out of any of us. STEPHANIE: That’s why we follow you as our leader. STEPHANIE: And… STEPHANIE: That’s why I love you.
You stare into those sparkling eyes made large by silver glasses, into the eyes of the person who always listens to what you have to say and says more back, into the eyes of the friend who always has a clever quip or an interesting story and makes every day interesting, into the eyes of the girl whose charm and beauty and wit light every dark corner of your life.
And you pull her in for the fiercest kiss in paradox space.
ACTIONSPRITE: ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED ACTIONSPRITE: PARAMOUR
You pull back for a second.
STEVE: Hang on. I’m going to go kill him. STEPHANIE: No.
Then she pulls you back in, and you both lose yourselves.