Scenario:Auguste of the Dead - Chapter 3: Resident Meg - Episode 3

Auguste of the Dead - Chapter 3: Resident Meg - Episode 3

(Captain) and the others arrive at the research center, where they are reunited with Ellen the oceanographer. According to Ellen, the zombies are not dead yet, but will eventually rot and die. A researcher at the center is in the middle of developing a cure when a captured zombie fish escapes and attacks him, turning the researcher into a zombie. (Captain) and company are left with no choice but to go to an off-island facility nearby to manufacture the cure. They head to the roof of the building, planning to borrow the center's helicopter.

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With their friends' sacrifices still weighing heavy on their minds, the crew continue following after Mari until they finally reach the research center.

???: (Captain)?

Vyrn: Wait, you're that scientist!

Lyria: Oh! You're Ellen, aren't you?

Ellen is an oceanographer (Captain) and the crew once met through a certain shark incident, which they had worked together to resolve.

Ellen: It's been a long time. I knew I was bound to run into you again someday, but not like this...

Vyrn: Yeah, talk about unexpected. What're you doin' here anyway?

Ellen: As an oceanographer from Sphiria, I came here a while ago to participate in a research project on sea creatures.

The crew and Ellen smile, finding some delight in the surprise reunion.

Ellen: Could it be that you're Meg? The famous hero of Auguste?

Meg: Oh, yes, I'm Meg... I don't know about the "hero" part though.

Ellen: So you're acquainted with (Captain) and the others too! By the way, you often combine with your shark, don't you? I'm very intrigued by how that works...

Vyrn: Now's not the time for that!

Vyrn: Our friends... They've turned into zombies.

Vyrn: They even tried to attack and eat us!

Ellen: I believe you're mistaken.

Lyria: Huh?

Vyrn: But we saw with our own eyes! Our friends who got attacked turned into zombies themselves...

Vyrn: That's how this whole zombie situation's getting bigger and bigger!

Ellen: Yes, I realize the zombification is spreading.

Vyrn: We heard that it's all because of some weird fish, and that's why we decided to come here to look for a solution.

Ellen: You've gathered so much information even under these dire circumstances. I would've expected no less from all of you.

Ellen: It's true that the cause of the current situation is the fish you've heard about, but the people who've turned into zombies aren't eating anyone.

Ellen: They're merely replicating the biological traits of the fish that started all of this.

Meg: Replicating the fish's biological traits? But... we saw them bite people.

Kolulu: I actually got bitten by one of them, though nothing happened thanks to my body's special qualities.

Ellen: Oh, no, the biting part is definitely happening. But they're not trying to eat anything—because neither is the fish that they're copying.

Meg: What do you mean? So it's biting people, but not actually eating them? What kind of fish is that?

Ellen: You see, the zombie fish's job is to clean.

The Three: Clean?

Ellen: "Cleaner fish" is the general term for this type of fish.

Ellen: Cleaner fish vary—some have teeth and some don't. Some are freshwater, and others saltwater.

Ellen: There's even a particular kind that eats away the dead skin on people. It's now a form of therapy.

Ellen: In any case, the creature that caused this zombie incident is a saltwater fish that belongs to this category.

Vyrn: I don't really get it... So what kinda fish is it exactly?

Ellen: To put it simply, it's a fish that cleans the bodies of other fish with its mouth.

Ellen: It eats the dead tissue and parasites that are on the surface of the skin.

Ellen: There are even sea creatures that stop when they encounter a cleaner fish and ask it to clean their body.

Lyria: That... sounds kind of cute.

Ellen: That's when the cleaner fish comes in and eats the dead tissue on the skin. They suck it up, or use their teeth to scrape it away.

Vyrn: So when you said the zombies were copyin' how the fish behaves, you mean...

Ellen: That's right. The zombies aren't actually biting into people's flesh and trying to eat them.

Ellen: They're only play-biting!

The Three: Play-biting?

Ellen: The light scratches from their teeth when they're play-biting are how the infection is spreading.

Ellen: That's why the people who've been turned into zombies aren't injured. I presume they aren't even bleeding.

Lyria: Oh, that's true. Lowain and the others didn't look like they were hurt at all.

(Captain) reflects on what's happened so far, and realizes that hardly any blood has been shed despite getting attacked on multiple occasions, just as Ellen says.

Lyria: But I'm really glad that all of them are only play-biting! That's a relief!

Vyrn: Er, I guess so...

Meg: Right...

Vyrn & Meg: (Play-biting still sounds pretty gross...)

Ellen: Of course, the zombies aren't eating away parasites or anything like that. They're only copying the fish's movements.

Ellen: Still, if the objective is to spread the virus, then I have to admit that this is the perfect way to do so.

Ellen: If the zombies are left unharmed, that means they can continue spreading the infection faster.

Meg: Virus? So it's true... But what do you mean by "objective"?

Ellen: This incident can only be something orchestrated by a person with a clear objective in mind. Their intentions are that clear.

Meg: No way... But who would do something like this?

Ellen: I'm afraid I'm not completely sure yet...

Vyrn: Well, glad to hear the zombies aren't as big of a threat as we thought they were. That's a huge load off our shoulders.

Ellen: Unfortunately, according to our research, the tissues in the bodies of the people who've become zombies gradually begin to decay.

Ellen: That means that if we leave them in their current state, they'll eventually rot and die.

Vyrn: Whaaat!

Meg: Hang on! Did you just say "research"? Does that mean you've been looking into the virus?

Ellen: Indeed. Our chemical specialists have been working on a cure, and they just announced that they've finished developing one.

Ellen: We should be able to return the zombies to their normal selves with the new medicine.

Ellen smiles reassuringly. (Captain) and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

Lyria: Amazing! That's wonderful news!

Vyrn: Phew... Boy am I glad to hear that. Geez, you could've told us that earlier!

Meg: That's great... If Mari hadn't taken us here, we might've given up on finding a way out of this situation by now.

Kolulu: No doubt about it! It's all thanks to you, Mari. You have my gratitude!

Mari: Oh, I didn't really do much...

Vyrn: Then I guess all that's left now is to protect this place while they produce the medicine! You can leave that to us!

Ellen: That would be a big help. But before that, how about I show you what our research looks like?

Ellen guides them to the experimentation lab where the cure is being made.

Researcher: Hm? And who might these people be?

Ellen: They're acquaintances of mine. I got to know them through the shark incident from before.

Researcher: Ah, that. Well, well.

Vyrn: Are ya makin' the cure all by yourself, mister?

Researcher: I sure am. Though there are usually more people here helping me.

Ellen: The zombification happened here too, and that's how we lost most of our researchers...

Lyria: That's terrible...

Ellen: It was absolute chaos. One of our staff came in one day saying they got bitten by a flying fish...

Ellen: The virus may not have been fully active at the time, so the zombification didn't happen immediately. But gradually, it got worse.

Vyrn: Our friend Lowain was like that too. It took a night for him to become a zombie.

Ellen: That's the troublesome thing about the virus. It can lie dormant for a period of time, which makes it hard for anyone to realize.

Ellen: It started acting up all at once yesterday, as if someone pulled a trigger, and caused a huge uproar.

Researcher: Magnificent!

Meg: What?

Researcher: A zombie virus within different people that activates at the same time, like a time bomb... You could even call it art.

Researcher: The zombies seem to get stronger as well.

Researcher: If I can somehow learn to control the power of this virus... Hehe... Hehehe...

Vyrn: U-uh, Scientist Lady? Your friend here's gettin' kinda kooky.

Ellen: R-right. He wasn't like that before, but since we started this research, it's like he's become a different person.

Meg is reminded again of what Catura had said earlier.

Catura: You know those scientists... that become obsessed with what they can do? Things don't usually... end well for them...

Meg: (Nah... I'm thinking too much.)

Mari: Eek! Meg, look!

Meg turns to look in the direction that Mari is pointing at to see a fish swimming in a giant water tank in a corner of the lab.

Zombie Fish: ...

Lyria: Eeeep! That fish looks scary!

Ellen: This is the creature I was talking about just now—the zombie fish.

Meg: This is the zombie fish? So you've already caught it!

Ellen: When we received news of a strange creature on the loose, we acted as quickly as we could. But someone got bitten in the process of catching it.

Vyrn: And that's what caused the uproar here yesterday, huh?

Ellen: Right. But their sacrifice wasn't for nothing.

Researcher: Speaking of which, may I suggest we stop using the term "zombie"? It's rather crude, and it's not as if the people infected are dead.

Researcher: Let's see... How about referring to them as Walkers, or maybe Love-Biters? Sounds much better that way, don't you think?

Vyrn: But why? I'm fine with just "zombies." I mean, they look like exactly that.

Meg: Yeah, just zombies sounds good to me.

Researcher: Oh. Okay...

Kolulu: I know this fish is the cause of everything, but it looks kind of lonely all by itself. It's sad being by yourself...

Ellen: Huh? I thought we caught two of them... Did we already dissect one?

Researcher: We've collected a cell sample from its skin, but it's too valuable to dissect so fast.

Researcher: It's probably hiding in a corner of the tank where we can't see it.

Just then, a drop of liquid drips onto the floor of the lab.

Researcher: Hm? What is this mucus?

Again, Catura's words come to Meg's mind.

Catura: Be careful if... you see liquid dripping from the ceiling. Whatever you do... don't look up...

Catura: The first person who looks up... always gets attacked first. Gooey things... are a bad sign...

Meg: (This is definitely a flag!)

Meg reflexively reaches out to her friends, pushing their heads down to prevent them from looking up.

Vyrn: Ack!

Researcher: Did it come from the ceiling?

The researcher tilts his head back and looks up.

Researcher: ...!

Zombie Fish: Graaaaawr!

Researcher: Wah! Aaaah! Aaaaaaah!

The zombie fish that had stuck itself on the ceiling of the laboratory opens its mouth and closes it over the researcher, lifting the Harvin up easily.

Researcher: Aaaaah... Aah... Ah...

Vyrn: Whoa! H-hey, mister!

After some time, the man is spat out and flops onto the floor. When he stands up again, his appearance is completely different.

Researcher: Graaah... Grrrraaaagh...

Zombie Fish: Graaaawr!

Meg: Run... We have to run! Everyone, get out of this room now!

(Captain) and company do as they're told and dash out of the lab, quickly slamming the door shut behind them.

Ellen: What are we going to do... Without the researcher, we won't be able to make the cure anymore...

Vyrn: Wha! You mean he's the only one who knows howta make it? What about you?

Ellen: I'm more involved with fieldwork, so unfortunately, making medicine is out of my expertise...

Lyria: Oh no! Does that mean Lowain and everyone else will be zombies forever?

Vyrn: Not forever... They're gonna die, aren't they? We're in some serious trouble here.

Meg: A-are we out of options?

Ellen: I-it'll be fine! There are other ways!

Ellen: This isn't the only ocean research facility. We have branches on other islands within the Auguste Isles!

Ellen: We still have the data for the cure, so if we can manage to get to another facility...

Vyrn: But how? We don't have our ship with us—it's still back on Golonzo Island.

Ellen: Hehe, no need to worry about that. We have a special method of transport between our research facilities. It's up on the roof of this building.

Lyria: On the roof?

Vyrn: Do you have a skyskimmer or somethin'? I don't think all of us are gonna fit on it...

Ellen: Nope, it's not a skyskimmer.

Ellen: It's a helicopter!

Meg: Helicopter?

Ellen: It's a rotary-wing aircraft that we use to transport things for our research. We'll escape on that.

Vyrn: Whatever it is, if it can get us outta here, I'm good with that! Let's head for the roof!

Ellen: There's just one problem. Getting to the roof of this facility isn't going to be easy.

Ellen: With what happened yesterday, the research center's in shambles. The stairs that lead to the upper floors have collapsed.

Lyria: Wh-what should we do then?

Ellen: There's another way up. I'm going to need your help though.

Vyrn: Our help's all yours! Just tell us what to do!

Ellen: First, search for the sea urkin medal in the locker room, and the silver cogwheel in the board room.

Ellen: Once you have those, head underground and take the boat down the waterway until you arrive at a museum. Look for the bonito sculpture there.

Ellen: Find the eal medal on the tail of the bonito sculpture, then insert the sea urkin medal next to it.

Ellen: The curator's key should appear. Put this in your inventory for later, and head to Gallery No. 4.

Ellen: Go to the wall at the far end of the gallery. Rearrange the paintings there starting from the left in the order of watermelon, Albacore, and colossal hermit crab. That should open the way to the staff room.

Ellen: In the staff room, search the curator's desk. The curator's key should open the drawer, where you will find the gold cogwheel.

Ellen: You can discard the curator's key.

Ellen: Go out to the museum's lobby and open up the grandfather clock. Put the silver cogwheel and gold cogwheel in place.

Ellen: The grandfather clock will begin moving, and the ladder leading up to the roof of the research center should come down.

Lyria: Um... Ummm... So we go underground and take the Albacore down the waterway...

Meg: And put the sea urkin and colossal hermit crab in the grandfather clock, then discard the clock in the boardroom...

Vyrn: After that, we get an eal from the locker room, then go to the staff room and jam it into the bonito's butt. That sound right?

Ellen: Nothing's right!

Meg: Wait, I got it. It's the Albacore's butt we have to stick it in, isn't it?

Ellen: No!

Lyria: I'm sorry, but... why is this so complicated?

Vyrn: Yeah. I mean, medals, cogwheels, sea creatures... Why would they be just lyin' around in the first place?

Why are the research center and museum connected underground?

Why do they have to go through so much trouble for the ladder to come down?

Ellen: That's just how it works.

Even Ellen doesn't have concrete answers to their questions.

Meg: Ah, whatever, I don't care anymore! Ursula!

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Meg combines with Ursula and swings her left arm, punching a nearby pillar with all her strength.

The pillar topples over with a loud crash, making the perfect foothold for the crew to get to the second floor.

Meg: That should do it, right?

Ellen: Er, yeah... Perfect! Come on, everyone. Let's hurry!

Vyrn: (Doin' it the manual way sure speeds things up...)

(Captain) and company clamber onto the pillar and continue making their way up to the roof where the facility's helicopter is.