Zelma/Stories
Alk and the others are unknowingly used as decoys in a heist by an herbalist named Zelma. After she explains her motives, Stella offers her an invitation to join them in Starview.
Kingdom Soldier: There she is! She's getting away!
Veiled Woman: My, they are tenacious, aren't they?
Kingdom Soldier: Don't let her looks deceive you! She's a wanted criminal! Your reign of terror en-
Kingdom Soldier: *coughing* I-Is this... smoke?! I-I can't move...
Kingdom Soldier: It's h-er! *coughing* The Purple Haze Rebel!
Veiled Woman: Oh dear. My sincerest apologies for causing such a ruckus. Here's a little something for your troubles.
Alk: *pant* Today's a real scorcher...
Light: *wheeze* How about we take... a break... by that tree...
Alk: Ah, hello there! Would it be all right if we joined you?
Veiled Woman: Be my guest.
Zelma: The name's Zelma. You must be travelers, I presume?
Alk: Something like that. We're just on our way toward the nearest town.
Zelma: If that's the case, you best be wary of monsters around these parts. How about a little something to help you on your way?
Stella: What a pleasant scent.
Zelma: This incense is made of an herb that has many medical properties to help heal fatigue. I'm actually something of an herbalist, you see.
Alk: Wow! That's really kind of you!
Alk: You weren't kidding! I really DO feel better now.
Zelma: Heh-heh... Happy to be of service.
Zelma: If you liked that one, here's another- on the house. This one's a bit different.
Alk: Really? I mean, we've only just met!
Zelma: Not at all... These are just a few old samples I've had lying around.
Alk: Well, in that case, I guess we'd be happy to take them off your hands!
Zelma: Hehe... I assure you, the pleasure's all mine.
Alk: Wh-what's the meaning of this?!
Kingdom Soldier: You know what you've done! And you really thought you'd get away with it, didn't you?
Kingdom Soldier: And this herb... Just as suspected! you're co-conspirators of the Purple Haze Rebel!
Alk: Purple Who? Hold on just a second! Th-that was a gift!
Nimbus: No point trying to talk sense into them- outta my way!
Kingdom Soldier: So you wanna do this the hard way, huh?
Zelma: Yoohoo! Looking for me?
Light: Zelma! What was in that incense? Did you set us up?
Zelma: I can explain later, but how about we get out of here first?
Zelma: This isn't exactly the best place for conversation.
Light: ...In other words, you used us as decoys so that you could rob the Lord's palace for gold?
Zelma: That was the plan, but I felt bad leaving you kind strangers high and dry.
Zelma: Although from the looks of it, you probably wouldn't have needed my help anyways.
Light: That's not the issue here! You stole and lied... How could you do such terrible things?!
Zelma: Your point is? I'm only doing this to give the people back what was stolen from them.
Nimbus: So you're robbing the rich... to give to the poor? How altruistic.
Zelma: Altru- No! You've got the wrong idea, weirdo!
Zelma: I just simply despise those kingdom stooges, putting their grubby hands in everyone's business!
Nimbus: Makes sense to me.
Light: While the kingdom may have its flaws, doing this sort of thing surely can't end well for you.
Zelma: Think what you want- I'm gonna lay low in the meantime.
Zelma: I'll need somewhere to hide... Somewhere far away.
Stella: I know just the place.
Light: Stella, you can't be serious!
Nimbus: Yeah, I can't think of a better place to harbor someone on the run than Starview Village.
Zelma: Starview Village? I've never heard of such a place, but it sounds interesting indeed.
Zelma: Perhaps it was fate for us to meet this way. If the invitation still stands, I'd love to take you up on it.
Stella: Of course. Welcome aboard.
Zelma: Hehe... Much obliged. You truly are an odd group of travelers.
After being pickpocketed, Alk and the others track down the young culprit to discovered he needed money to treat his ailing mother. With Zelma's knowledge, they discovered that it was no illness, but the doctor's prescription that made her sick.
Zelma: I'll have... this... and that... Ah, and a basket of those herbs. Could you wrap them up into five bundles each?
Alk: Wow. Looks lie you already know your way around Palpebra, huh?
Light: And to think that she could've been a good, HONEST herbalist on that passion alone...
Zelma: Good enough to be one for the kingdom, you mean?
Zelma: Yeah, right. They'd have me locked up in a cell for my deeds sooner than later.
Alk: Huh? What do you mean by that?
Zelma: Hehe... I'm just joking. You should see the look on your face, Alk!
Alk: Whoa! Sorry about that, are you hurt?
Alk: Wait... Huh? Where's... My...
Alk: No way! My wallet's gone!
Children: I brought some food, mommy. With this you'll get better in a jiffy!
Zelma: Pardon me, but I believe you have something of ours.
Children: I-I'm sorry! Please! If it's about the money... I'll return it! Bit please, please don't do anything to my mommy!
Alk: ...What happened to your mom?
Children: She's in bed all day from sickness. A doctor looked at her, but she still hasn't gotten any better!
Light: Do you know any other grown-ups who can help you?
Light: Ah... My apologies.
Zelma: If you want to help your mother, please step aside.
Zelma: This medicine... Are you the one who brought it?
Children: No... It's what the doctor always gave us...
Zelma: ...Bingo.
Zelma: I can cure your mother. For a price, of course.
Light: How could you even be talking about money at a time like this?!
Zelma: What did you expect? This isn't a charity after all.
Children: I'-I'll get you the money! It may take some time, but I promise, I will!
Children: Just please! Save my mommy!
Zelma: It's a deal then. I'll start right away.
Zelma: You've been giving me that stare for a while now. Are you really that uncomfortable with how I do things?
Light: ...No. I admit that your treatment is what saved that boy's mother in the end.
Light: But I can't say that I approve of your methods. That's all.
Alk: If it had just been me and Light. we wouldn't have been able to treat her. So thanks.
Zelma: I didn't actually give her any treatment, you know.
Light: Wh-what do you mean? Don't tell me you lied to her!
Zelma: No, no. Wasn't it obvious? The kid's mother was never sick to begin with.
Zelma: She became ill from the side effects of the wrong medicine.
Zelma: So stopping that allowed her to recover all by herself.
Alk: Then what was the medicine you made for her?
Zelma: That was just an ordinary analeptic. The kind that adventurers drink after an all-nighter.
Light: That's strange... But why did the doctor give the wrong medicine? It couldn't be a mistake... Or...
Alk: Or the doctor might have done it... to get money for the medicine?
Zelma: No doubt about it. A medicine that potent is so obvious that it's hard to miss unless it was on purpose.
Light: We must report this to the Guild posthaste!
Zelma: That's fine with me, but would you mind giving it one more day before doing so?
Alk: What for?
Zelma: This makeshift doctor of ours. Think about it- don't you think that this doctor has a bit saved up?
Zelma: The money that he got from the analeptic, for example. There's no way that he's just going after pocket change from little kids.
Zelma: Meaning, we should at least try and squeeze him for what it's worth.
Light: Now wait just a second! That's completely different from what we were talking about!
Light: Don't even think about it, Zelma! L-listen to me! Stop right there! Zelma!
Light: ZELMAAAAA!
Zelma is approached by a wealthy lord for her services. Once she finds out what he has been drugging the townspeople, she releases them from his group.
Light: Something wrong, Alk?
Alk: Oh, sorry... It's nothing. Just... I don't know.
Alk: This town feels a bit... different from the others. I mean, the people here are-
Zelma: Eerily cheerful? I thought the same thing.
Zelma: Heh-heh. Maybe there's something fun waiting for us here.
???: Ha! Ha! Ha! To think a lord such as myself would have the honor of meeting the Purple Haze Rebel in the flesh!
Lord: Oh, don't get the wrong idea! I am not here to apprehend you.
Lord: I just wanted to have a little chat with you...
Lord: Let's get the formalities out of the way. I want to enlist your services as an herbalist.
Lord: In the last few years, I have been researching heavily on medicine and I've been searching for a brilliant herbalist to join our ranks.
Zelma: ...Even if that's the case, you don't ordinarily appoint wanted criminals, do you?
Zelma: If the royal family were to find out, you wouldn't be able to talk your way out of that.
Lord: I have their consent, so that wouldn't be a issue. With that said, I would like to purchase your service.
Lord: Of course, there are dangers involved. But it's a small price to pay so long as it's to keep the citizenry happy.
Alk: That sounds like a good deal... What do you think, Zelma?
Zelma: ...Could you give me some time to think about it?
Lord: By all means, I expect to hear good news.
Zelma: Hey... Could you give me a minute to be alone?
Light: ...Sure thing. We'll head back to the lodge then.
Zelma: Wait a minute... This plant...
Alk: W-wh... Huh? What was that? I hear... voices!
Light: It's coming from outside! Maybe something happened!
Townsfolk: Uwahh... AHHHHH! I-It hurts... IT HURTS!
Alk: A-are you okay?! What happened?!
Light: There's no wounds... Meaning this is... poison?!
Zelma: It means that the effects from the herbs wore off.
Zelma: This plant can be found all around town. When it's refined into powder, it can induce hallucinations and pain relief.
Zelma: When used correctly, it works well as an anesthetic, but take a look for yourself.
Light: That lord must be using it to keep the townsfolk under his control!
Zelma: I think we know why they were all so strangely cheerful.
Lord: Bravo! Yes, it is true. There are the occasional inconveniences... But it's a small price to pay for everlasting paradise!
Light: You tyrant!
Lord: Well then, this speeds things up, but no matter. What is your answer?
Lord: Join me, Purple Haze Rebel. And together, NO ONE will question my rule!
Lord: No... Why stop there... With our combined powers, we could even topple the royal family!
Lord: Just imagine... whatever rank or honor your heart desires! surely a rebel such as yourself can see that?
Zelma: Yes, it's all clear now. Then my answer is...
Zelma: Absolutely not.
Lord: You fool! Just who in the world do you think you are?!
Alk: She's somebody who knows what she wants!
Lord: *coughing* How did you?! Purple... Haze... Rebel!
Zelma: Heh-heh... Sorry about that. You already know how I feel about you stuffy aristocrat types!
Light: ...You realized something was wrong from the very beginning, didn't you?
Zelma: Maybe, maybe not. I've already forgotten... Must be a side effect or something.
Light: I... I was wrong about you. And for that, I apologize.
Zelma: *sigh* You know, you really should loosen up a bit...
Light: H-hey! I'm trying to be genuine here, you know! Cut me a little slack.
Zelma: Well then, apology accepted.
Zelma: They call me Purple Haze Rebel. Nothing more, nothing less.
Light: I see.