Carla/Stories
While fighting a horde of mysterious snakes, Alk and Nimbus see a sinister shadow. Alk follows the figure, who attempts to attack him but collapses. It turns out to be Carla, a girl with a disturbing personality, and Cob, her pactbound snake. Sensing something within the strange girl, Alk takes her back to Starview Village.
Alk: Take this!
Alk: Gah... They're still coming strong.
Nimbus: Grr, and they're creepy as hell. How did the guild describe 'em again?
Alk: Unidentifiable organisms with unidentifiable origins, who come out of the woodwork every night.
Alk: They haven't attacked anyone yet, but we were asked to put them down as a safety measure.
Nimbus: If they ain't a threat, why not leave 'em be?
???: Ugh, bore me to death, why don't you?
Maleficent Shadow: Every day's a party, right? Where's your festive spirit? Hahahaha!
Man's Voice: Idiot! Don't show them your face! Retreat already!
Alk: Who was she?
Nimbus: Hey! Don't run off—
Alk: Where did she go?
Maleficent Shadow: Ahahaha! Chase me down, did you? That's cool.
Maleficent Shadow: Now we can play together!
Alk: *Gulp!* B-bring it on!
Man's Voice: Fool girl! Listen for once in your life! Your body can't handle—
Maleficent Shadow: Ahahaha! Let the festivities begin!
Alk: Um...
Man's Voice: That's what you get for making too many shadows! Nincompoop!
Carla: Well, guess it's curtains for me. Ahahaha, show's over, Cob!
Alk: Sorry, but are you a monster or a human?
Cob: Hey, Shrimpy! Let this girl go! Please!
Carla: Ugh, Cob, begging is SO lame.
Cob: Begging is all that stands between you and swift death!
Cob: Please! She was just playing! There's no need to slay her! Let us go!
Carla: Ahah. It's cool. I'd rather die than beg.
Cob: What is your problem?!
Nimbus: Alk, everything okay?!
Nimbus: Whoa, did you knock that one out?
Alk: Actually, she did that to herself...
Nimbus: The others aren't far behind. What do we do?
Alk: Hm. Let's get her back to Starview Village.
Cob: Ah! You'll save us? Truly? Really? Thank you, dearest mortal!
Carla: Bwuh? Dude, just kill me. I'm a monster, after all.
Alk: I won't harm someone who can't defend herself. Can you stand?
Carla: Ah, I get it. You're into monster girls. Gross, dude.
Alk: That's not it at all! Hurry! Other people will be here soon!
Carla: HMMMMM?
Carla: Ahahaha! Heck yeah! Just look at this place!
Mal Lelucia: Gravy on toast, return my platform at once!
Light: What is she? There's a terrifying aura to her visage, but more worrying is her—
Carla: Call me Carla. Let's leave it at that, 'kay?
Carla: Though I guess I'm not really human anymore. That's fair enough to say.
Light: Wait... Is your current form the result of a curse?
Carla: Hmm. Don't know if I'd call this a curse. Now I can run FAST and punch HARD.
Carla: All it cost was half my life span!
Light: You mean you traded your soul for power?!
Cob: Yep. It was a fair contract, signed by both parties.
Cob: I explained everything before she agreed. And there wasn't even any fine print. That's better than your mortal contracts, huh?
Alk: So what did you wish for in exchange for half your life?
Carla: Nothing.
Alk: ...Come again?
Carla: I was down in that dumb maze when THIS dumb snake was like, "Help, I'm dying! I need your life force to sustain myself!"
Carla: And I was like, "Sure, whatev's, dude."
Alk: That's all it took?!
Cob: You guys have to tell her to think of a wish. If she doesn't come up with one, I'll never be able to part with her.
Stella: So we should help her find an ambition?
Stella: It would be our pleasure.
Carla: Ahahaha! Wicked!
Alk: Are you sure we should encourage her, Stella?
Carla: Hey, aren't you the doofus who brought me here?
Carla: Hehe! Now back to work!
Nimbus: Good luck wrangling that one, Alk.
Worried about Carla's laxidasical attitude toward living, Cob enlists the help of the Starview residents to show her the meaning of life. After several failed attempts, everyone returns to the courtyard, where Carla makes a brief, but unexpected, comment about her past. This sparks great joy for Cob.
Light: Gaaah!
Light: Mrrrf, I'm going to be sick!
Carla: Ahahaha! You're doing great!
Light: I don't feel great!
Alk: What kind of torture is this?
Cob: I'd like if you all would humor Carla.
Light: I think I've had enough of her requests for a life time!
Alk: Come on, Light. Cob seems pretty serious. Let's hear him out.
Nimbus: Hold up, how are you even separated from her?
Cob: We can be apart for a little while. And apologies about earlier, Light.
Cob: That was just Carla killing time; it's not her true nature to go on like that. If it were, I'd be in big trouble.
Cob: So, remember how we said that if Carla doesn't decide on her wish, I'll never be able to part from her?
Cob: I thought we could start our wish hunt by introducing her to more mortal interests.
Alk: Sorry, but we're not interested in making a deal with a devil. Count us—
Cob: HAVE YOU NO SYMPATHY, MAN?!
Alk: Gah!
Cob: She lives every day like she's already kicked the bucket! Laughing, even in the face of terror! Ready to throw in the towel at any moment!
Cob: A life devoid of ambition is no life at all!
Alk: You sound like her dad...
Light: Hm. She DOES seem ambivalent toward life. Perhaps it would be wise to show her the value of her own existence.
Stella: Hmm... What brings joy to our lives?
Stella: Ah. Perhaps a nice meal would help?
Stella: Why have you not started?
Carla: Because I've heard about your cooking before, dude! You can mess up guts better than any dagger!
Carla: All aboard the Near Death Express!
Alk: Don't sound so cheerful about it!
Carla: Hah! Try and stop me! Bone apple tea!
Carla: Ah, gah... AAAAAH! BLARGLE!
Cob: *GASP!*
Carla: DUDE! RADICAL! I FEEL MY SOUL LEAVING MY BOD!
Stella: ...
Alk: Huh?! I've never seen Stella look so distraught before!
Alk: Okay, experiment's over! Pack it up, people!
Cob: Food was a bust...
Alk: Yeah... I just hope Stella's okay.
Nimbus: I think I know a way out of this mess.
Nimbus: Here. Whatcha think?
Alk: Whoa! No way! Why would you even suggest that?!
Carla: Sounds fun to me?
Alk: You don't get to choose! It's the worst idea ever!
Light: Hmm. May I offer a suggestion?
Light: Mortals value honor and pride above all else.
Alk: Uh... And that is relevant to shopping for clothes how?
Light: Back in my day, women derived honor on the battlefield of fashion.
Carla: Dang, Light, you must've been born a thousand years ago. Do dudes still think like you?
Light: Gah!
Carla: Meh, I guess I don't mind finding a new outfit every now and then.
Stella: Carla, you seem to like revealing clothing. Would this piece suit you?
Carla: Yeah, skin to win, baby.
Carla: Oh, but wait...
Carla: I love how flashy this one is!
Clerk: Eeep!
Alk: Oh no, she's gonna blow!
Carla: Ahahaha! That was a BLAST!
Alk: Try not to fill the market with evil explodey magic next time...
Carla: Don't tell me what to do. When I was a puny human, sure, I didn't have freaky powers, but I still lived life to the fullest.
Carla: Whenever we were on a heist, not even Polka could...
Alk: Hey, what's wrong?
Carla: Nothing, dude. It was your imagination.
Carla: Let's hang out again soon!
Cob: Holy fangs, did you hear that! She mentioned something from her past!
Cob: You did it, Shrimpy! You got through to her!
Alk: That's great and all, but I wish we could find a calmer way to help her.
Down in the Kaleidoscope, Carla fights with no concern for her own safety, worrying Alk and Nimbus. But things become more tense when a swirling mass of serpents appears and swallows her. Cob manages to free her, but Carla refuses to leave her pactbound bud behind. With no small amount of resolve, she declares she would rather give up half her life span than live without her favorite snake.
Carla: Polka... Fran... Where did everybody go?
Carla: Come home, please!
Carla: *sob*
???: You... wish for?
Carla: Who's there?
Carla: Fine. If no one's going to come home...
Carla: Then tomorrow might as well not come either.
Carla: Urgh, I hate it when I fall asleep.
Carla: Eh, whatever! Let's rock!
Carla: Ahaha! Ahahaha! Taste bitter death!
Carla: Ah... Hahaha!
Cob: Are you brain dead, Carla?! Slow down, or you'll collapse again!
Carla: Fine by—
Alk: Carla?!
Carla: Heh... Haha... Look at how weak it is!
Carla: I'll punch you into next week!
Cob: She'll be alright. The recovery process has already begun, so there's no reason to look so worried.
Alk: But, she's so still...
Cob: She's just used too much power. Every time she gets carried away, this happens. Grinds my scales, I tell ya.
Nimbus: I knew she was reckless from the moment we met her.
Nimbus: But it's like she's trying to throw her life away at every possible opportunity.
Cob: Believe it or not, she was worse when we first met.
Cob: I thought she was a goner for sure back then.
Nimbus: That's right. You guys met here in the Kaleidoscope, didn't you?
Cob: Yep. Deeper down, I'm afraid.
Alk: She went to the depths? By herself?
Nimbus: Damn it, I smell a shift coming! Grab Carla, and let's scram!
Carla: No one's grabbing me.
Cob: Carla! You haven't healed yet!
Carla: What are we waiting for? Move it, people!
Alk: Carla! No, don't run off alone!
Cob: Carla! CARLA! You idiot! Open your eyes!
Carla: You guys.... Were you waiting for me?
Alk: Carla!
Nimbus: The hell is THAT?!
Cob: Black snakes? No... It can't be...
Alk: Take this!
Cob: Carla, Alk and Nimbus are fighting for you!
Carla: Polka, Fran... Why did you guys leave me?
Cob: Wake up, already! This thing is not your friend!
Carla: Please don't leave me behind...
Cob: Truth is...
Cob: Forgive me, Carla.
Alk: Carla!
Carla: Cob?
Cob: Truth is, I'm a part of this swirling mass. It's the part that couldn't finish devouring your life force.
Cob: So, if I give it all that juicy life I've held up till now, maybe...
Carla: Huh?
Carla: Cob? Don't you leave me too!
Carla: Cooob!
Nimbus: Don't just stare at us! Help, damn it!
Alk: Give us your hand, Carla!
Carla: Tomorrow might as well not come either.
Carla: So... please... don't leave me behind!
Black Snake: The pact is sealed. We shall walk beside you.
Black Snake: But, there will be a price.
Black Snake: Freedom for companionship.
Black Snake: Half of our body for half of your life force.
Carla: Alk... Shiro... Cob? Cob!
Cob: Heh-heh! In the scales!
Carla: Cob, I'm sorry! I promised you...
Cob: You idiot. That was your chance to claim back your vitality.
Carla: Who cares. I've got you, Cob.
Cob: Good enough for me. Well, we better get Alk and Nimbus outta here, eh? Give 'em a lift.
Carla: Yep!
Carla: Ahaha! All aboard the Near Death Express!