01x17 - Reunion

[bunniefuu]

[NORN] Daddy. Daddy?

I don't know where Mommy, Aisha, and the house are.

Where the hell are we?

[PAUL] Zenith? Lilia? Aisha?

All right, think. What could've caused this?

Was it that storm?

[NORN] What's wrong?

Nothing, sweetheart. Come on. Let's hurry home.

[GEESE humming]

[GEESE] Hey! There you are!

[gasps] Geese, you bastard!

Where the hell have you been?

Ooh, hostile! You're as pissy as ever, I see.

Heh.

[GEESE] 'Scuse me!

I'll take one of whatever he's got.

[WAITRESS A] You got it.

[GEESE] Paul.

You might wanna swing by the Guild tomorrow.

And why would I?

You might bump into a familiar face!

Hm? Seriously, though, what the hell

happened to you while I was gone?

[PAUL] Nothing. Don't worry about it.

Get real, man.

The guy I know would never get this cranky over "nothing."

Come on, pouty pants, what's up? You can tell me.

So that's it, is it?

I know it ain't my place,

but aren't you expecting too much from the boy?

Huh? Really? From him?

Oh, please. Yes! Think about it for a sec.

[GEESE] Look, I'll grant you that Rudeus is impressive.

I mean, I've never seen anyone cast spells without speaking.

That's what I've been saying.

He's unbelievable. He was only five when--

I'm not done!

At the end of the day, he's still an -year-old kid.

Now remind me again what is it you were doing at that age?

Why do you care?

If I told you to survive the Demon Continent at ,

think you could do it?

[PAUL] Ha. Sure. Long as I had the same handicaps.

Don't forget, he found himself a Superd warrior bodyguard.

Anyone could have made it back with a chaperone like that.

[GEESE] Nope. Not a chance.

Hell, you couldn't do that now.

Ha. Doesn't that just prove my point?

He did something I could never do!

And that means my boy's a genius.

So excuse me for expecting him to

put those talents to use from time to time.

You get that? I'm not in the wrong here!

[GEESE sighs] Shut up, of course you are.

But hey, what else is new, huh?

[PAUL] What?

Tell me. You've never been to the Demon Continent, have you?

[PAUL] What's your point?

My point is, I grew up in that wasteland.

[PAUL] Huh?

And in my extremely considered opinion,

you're taking the whole place way too lightly.

You want to explain what you mean by that?

I kinda have to.

You Central Continent softies

think you can deal with anything,

but guess what, friend?

Outside of the towns, that place is barren.

Boiling during the day. Freezing at night.

There's no water. There's no rain.

And you have to hunt and k*ll monsters

to use them for firewood.

Monsters which, I might add,

are way stronger than anything you ever see here.

Please, now it just sounds like you're making stuff up.

[GEESE] He's on his very first adventure.

He's in an unfamiliar land.

And his party includes a Superd warrior,

for who all he knows, could betray him at any moment.

There this teenage girl,

a hothead he's sworn to have to protect.

And you're being judgy that he didn't

comb the place for survivors on top of that?

People have limits. Especially children.

You get me?

Then riddle me this.

If it was as much of a struggle as you say,

why would he try to act like the whole trip

was some big, fun adventure?

Because he didn't wanna worry dear ol' dad, obviously.

[PAUL] Huh?

[GEESE sighs]

[PAUL] Why would he waste time trying to protect me?

Am I that hopeless as a father?

Pretty much.

Haven't seen any evidence to the contrary.

Ha. I guess you're right.

I mean, look at me!

Weak-willed and drowning in booze

to ignore my own failures.

That must look real pathetic to my little "prodigy," huh?

I don't think it takes a prodigy to see

how pathetic you are right now, Paul. Sorry.

[GEESE] I pity the kid, though. I do!

After a grueling journey,

he finally reunites with his daddy,

only to find out the guy's turned into

a total drunken loser!

Can you imagine?

I were him?

I'd have cut ties with you on the spot.

[GEESE] Why can't you just be happy to see him again?

Who cares what kind of trip he's had?

Doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

He's here now, and he's safe.

That's worth celebrating, isn't it?

[GEESE] Unless, of course, you would've preferred for him

to come back dead-eyed and missing a limb or two.

[PAUL gasps]

I'm just sayin', revisit this sober.

[VIERRA] Captain.

Daddy...

[RUDEUS] Whoa! She's so cute!

I can't believe how soft her cheeks are!

Father.

[gasps]

[RUDEUS] You took too long to find me.

Where were you?

I waited for so long.

Why would you let this happen to me?

How 'bout that. Maybe Geese was right.

[door opens]

[INNKEEPER A] Hm? Come in.

[PAUL] Uh. I-I'm...

[sighs]

What are you doing here?

I just came to talk to Rudy. I'm his father, Paul.

[ERIS] I know who you are!

Well how about that,

you got yourself one devoted little lady friend!

[PAUL chuckles] Knew I raised a playboy.

You've got some nerve showing your face here!

Do you have any idea what you did to hi--?

Hey, Ruijerd! Let go of me at once!

I say we leave these two alone.

[ERIS] You saw Rudeus last night!

That monster has no right to speak to him!

[RUIJERD] Don't be so harsh.

Most fathers are far from perfect.

You're welcome to air all your grievances.

But the only reason you can

is that your son is still alive to hear them.

Uh. Right.

[PAUL] Was that your new demon friend?

Yes, sir. That's Ruijerd of the Superd tribe.

Well, he certainly seems like a nice enough guy to me.

He doesn't terrify you?

Don't be silly. He saved my son.

[RUDEUS] So. Can I ask why you're here?

Well, uh, you know. I wanted to apologize.

[RUDEUS] For what?

[PAUL] Yesterday.

You have nothing to be sorry for.

You were right.

I've been treating this whole thing like a game.

It's only natural that you'd be upset.

[RUDEUS] If anything, I should apologize for messing around.

[PAUL] No, no, don't say that.

I know you three probably had it rough out there.

[RUDEUS] Not really. I had it easy.

That so? Well, then...

[RUDEUS] Just so we're clear,

I do feel terrible that I never saw your message.

What did it say?

[PAUL] It said "Forget about me.

Go search the northern Central Continent."

[RUDEUS] Ah.

[PAUL] Anyway, um. What do you plan to do next?

[RUDEUS] What else? I'm escorting Eris back home.

[PAUL] There's nothing there anymore.

[PAUL] No people, no towns.

It's all grassland now.

And I hate to say it,

but there's a chance the Boreas family is...

We'll go anyway.

[PAUL gasps] Are you--

[RUDEUS] After that, I'll look for Mother, Lilia, and Aisha.

[PAUL] I see.

[INNKEEPER A] This ones on me.

[RUDEUS] Thank you very much.

Listen up, my boy.

I won't pretend I know what's goin' on.

But you should at least look him in the eye.

[RUDEUS] What are you making that face for?

Heh, what face? This is how I look.

[RUDEUS] No. I've seen that expression somewhere before.

But when?

Oh, the mirror.

Right after I stopped going out.

[GAME CHARACTERS grunting]

[FRIEND A] Aw man! You're as amazing as ever!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

You basically get to spend all day practicing. [sighs]

Must be nice, though! Wish I could skip school.

But my dad's such a hard-ass, he'd never let me do it.

At least not without an excuse like yours.

Y'know?

[RUDEUS] Cut the crap!

[FRIEND A] What'd I say?

Do you think it's fun for me to live like this?

[FRIEND A] Whoa, chill out! I was just joking around, man.

Yeah, right.

Do you have any idea what they did to me?

[RUDEUS] At the time, I thought, "How dare you?

Look how depressed I am! Can't you see I'm in pain?

How can you be so upbeat? So insensitive?"

[RUDEUS] Except, once I finally calmed down,

I realized I'd overreacted.

He'd been trying to cheer me up, in his own way.

I decided to apologize the next time he dropped by.

Only, he never came over again.

[RUDEUS] And I didn't reach out to him, either.

I let my pride hold me back.

[RUDEUS] But. Paul came back.

He went out of his way to see me again.

Hey, Father? I have an idea.

[PAUL] What?

It may be a challenge.

But I think we should try to act like grown-ups.

I don't see what you're getting at.

[RUDEUS] I'm pretty sure he's this year.

Still younger than I was when I d*ed.

And yet, I never took this kind of initiative.

I just focused on blaming others.

Compared to me, Paul's doing great.

[RUDEUS] Let's pretend yesterday never happened.

We didn't meet, we didn't have a fight.

Instead, we're seeing each other again

for the first time, right now, in this moment.

We can start completely over.

I... What are you talking about?

[RUDEUS] But I refuse to make the same mistakes again.

Don't overthink it! Just come over here!

[PAUL] Uh, 'kay.

[RUDEUS] Now, spread your arms out. Go on!

Sure. Like this?

[RUDEUS] Mmm. Actually, would you mind

kneeling down for me, please?

Uh, 'kay, uh, how's that?

[RUDEUS] Father! I missed you so much!

Ru... Rudy.

[RUDEUS] Come on.

You've been reunited with your long-lost son.

Anything you wanna say?

[PAUL] I missed you, too.

[PAUL] I missed you. I missed you.

Rudy!

[PAUL] I looked. I couldn't find anyone.

And I... I thought you might be dead.

I... I started picturing you, and when I saw you...

[PAUL] I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Rudy!

[PAUL cries]

Oh, Father.

[RUDEUS] I'm sorry, too. For everything.

[RUDEUS] And so, for the first time in five years,

I was reunited with my father.

[RUDEUS] So, did you guys ever have another?

[PAUL] Nah, but not for lack of trying.

Dunno why, we got you in one sh*t.

Well, I guess if you got a kid this perfect every time,

the novelty might eventually wear off.

[PAUL] Ohh, you're shameless.

[BOTH laugh]

Oh hey, I'm glad you guys are back-- Eris!

Where did that giant bruise come from?

[RUIJERD] I had some trouble stopping her.

[RUDEUS] Oh.

What are you doing with him?

[PAUL] Uh...

Well, we kinda made up.

[ERIS gasps] How dare you?

He doesn't deserve your forgiveness

after how he treated you!

Eris, I understand where you're coming from,

but it's just...

Just what?

Look, everybody makes mistakes, okay?

It's a part of being human, you know?

[PAUL] I am deeply sorry for the trouble

I caused the three of you.

It's fine.

If you were able to make up, that's all that matters.

Whatever!

[RUDEUS] Healing.

[RUDEUS] Now. I know it's sudden, but let's go ahead

and call our second Millishion strategy meeting to order.

Didn't we have one like two days ago?

[RUDEUS] Well, our situation changed.

[ERIS] Hm?

Thanks to my father,

we don't need to stay here any longer.

He's given us plenty of traveling money

and a nice letter of introduction.

Now getting to the Central Continent will be a cinch.

H-However...

Eris. I hate to say it,

but it sounds like our homeland doesn't really exist anymore.

[ERIS] Oh.

And even worse, among the missing

are Lords Phillip and Sauros.

[ERIS] Okay.

And no one has seen or heard from Ghislaine, either.

It's possible--

[ERIS] Listen, Rudeus.

[gasps]

I was already prepared for that much!

Were you really?

[RUDEUS] In that case, I'd like to leave tomorrow.

Would that be okay with you two?

[ERIS] Yep, no objections outta me.

[RUIJERD] Are you sure?

Once we leave, you may never see your father again.

True, but if we stay,

I may never see the rest of our family again, either.

So I'd like to make them my priority.

[RUIJERD] I see. Makes sense.

[RUDEUS] All right! That's everything.

You three be careful out there, okay?

Oh, Norn. Will you come out and say goodbye to your big brother?

Don't wanna.

[RUDEUS] Norn.

I do look forward to seeing you again!

We can do that, right?

[NORN] No!

You should always cherish your siblings.

[RUDEUS] Well. Guess we're off.

Take care, Father.

Yeah. You, too, kid.

[GEESE] Done sayin' yer goodbyes to the boy?

Geese! I guess I owe you one, don't I?

Yeh, but who's keeping score?

Uh-- What's that? Are you leaving, too?

[GEESE] Yep. Sure am.

I combed the Great Forest, so Begaritt is up next.

No one's looked there yet, right?

Are you still? For me--?

[GEESE] See ya!

Right!

Listen up, ladies.

We have an immediate change of plans.

Round everyone up for a meeting.

[VIERRA, SHIERRA] Yes, sir!