[LP] Dragon Warrior Monsters, "What is a Shota?"

Well, I'm still waiting kind of casually for more than the one suggestion in one LP thread, and I've got to knock my brain against the other for a bit until I can figure out how to write it in an interesting way that doesn't involve twenty turns of 'moved to X, picked up Y, bought Z' before literally anything else happens.

So let's switch it up.



This is a spin-off from the Dragon Quest series, probably cashing in on the fame and success of The Pokemon. Apparently the two main characters are from one of the main series of games that I never played, so there's that.

A good thing to keep in mind is that I would guess the characters are about ten years younger than they're supposed to be in the other, main game. So that makes your hero the worldly and experienced age of seven. With a five years older sister of twelve.

In any case, I'll explain mechanics as I go, as well as warping and twisting the plot interactions as I go because haha, yeah, nobody ever bats an eye at the seven year old with death machines and massive predators just lumbering about with him.

That's just how we roll. Or will. Later.

 

Ooh! I remembered playing this one!
I remember having 2 of the 3 Post game mons that The Mentor used, but I forgot how to breed them T_T
It involves dragons, slimes and other crazy shenanigans.
And I lost the game as well.

 

Our story begins with the Hero and his sister playing.



Or at least, the best representation of 'playing' that the graphics engine of the time can manage. It mostly boils down to the sprites chasing each other around in a circle for a few seconds. HIGH CLASS CHILDISH AMUSEMENT, folks.

But all good things must end.



: "For coffee and milkshakes, to fuel a buzz for more circle running? I can get behind that."

: "For bed, you doofus. Don't you remember what Mom and Dad said? Kids that stay up too late get carried away by monsters."

:

: ".... That is crazy awesome!"

: "Don't be stupid. Monsters eat people, you know? I mean, that's why they're called monsters. Stands to reason and fact, right? If you met a monster, you'd get gobbled right up. Go to bed, dweeb~"

: ....



: ....



: "Fuck the Po-leese."

 

...well, this looks promising. Never played the game, but I'm amused so far.

 

To the right and FREEEEEEDOM! But no waking sis, so get your ninja and sneak away.

 

You tell em little dude. Set course for adventure and murder!

 

You can only presume that the hero is giggling slightly to himself as you poke and prod about the room, maybe run in a circle for a bit.

But the discovery is soon made that, alone? All of that is boring as fuck.



: "Wake up. Wake up and plaaay...."

: "Nn... stop poking.... If you can't sleep, then get in, but I'm not getting up. ....zzz."

: ......

: "Fine! I'll play in the other room."



: "I wonder why our house has only two rooms and.... uh. No doors. ... Wait, what?"



: The fluffy black monster leans in, drawing a deep breath through its ruffling fur.

: "Wh...!? Hey, that's a personal area-!"

: "You don't smell like a Milayou. ... I wonder if you'd taste like one."

: "Well, whatever. If you aren't Milayou, then you're just in the way of the great Warubou. Move it!"

: Warubou rears back and kicks out sharply.



: "Oh god or satan, whoever is listening, my crotch! I... I can't move or think at all."

: "I smell human, female.... this way!"




: "I, I'm too young and cute to be eaten! But the other options are even worse! Stop crying and clutching yourself and help meeee!"

: "Shut up and stop struggling. I'm only going to hurt you if you resist, get me?"



: With a last, desperate wail, Milayou is pulled through the shadows inside of the drawer.

: "....."

: "I, uh... well... crap. I am in so much trouble, here."



: "Oh jeeze, what else is going to come out of the closet tonight? Stay away from my crotch!"

: "You what now, kid? Sorry, but I'm not interested in you..... huh?"



: "Or wait, no. Whether you speak monster or not isn't important. There was supposed to be a girl here..."

: "A black you kidnapped my sister already! I... oh man, I'm going to be grounded until I'm twenty for this!"

: "A black... me? Oh no. That shitlord Warubou beat me here?"

: The white-furred monster rustles in place for a moment, seeming to radiate indignant concern.

: "This isn't good. If Warubou got to the girl first, then I'm.... ..! Hey, kid. You want to rescue your sister? There's no way you can if you stay here. Actually, if you stay here, I don't see how you can leave the house. Do you just not have any doors?"

: "I know, right! Somehow I never noticed before."

: "Well, doors or not, here's what you do. I'm gonna go ahead and talk to some people. You give it a second, then jump into the drawer after me. The people you meet will treat you well, and help you out. Tell them 'Watabou' sent you."



: "..."




: "This is a bad ideaaaa!"




....

TO BE CONTINUED

 

I suppose that they leave the house through a window, they seem to have enough of them. I mean, two on one wall, what the hell? Or maybe you have to push the clock to the side to reveal a door. Could just be unrevealed between the two panels, but that would be the dull explanation.

 

ManC:Our Sister Kidnapped? *cocks Shotgun* You won't get away with this.

 

What is a shota? A miserable little pile of kawaii. But enough talk… Have at you!

 

You know, I thought about saying it, but decided against it.

 

Yeah, I don't have much in the way of self-control.

 

: "....a..a..a.a.aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Having jumped feet-first into the unknown, our hero arrives in the place beyond the drawer depths with a little thump. The landing is oddly soft and yielding, and the area is thick with a strange, musky smell.



"Though I'll admit, I was expecting someone... at least a little taller. And female."



"But there's no time to rest yet. You have to see the King."

: "I wha? Huh? Hey, hang on a second, ow... Loosen up your grip some, old man!"

Heedless of our hero's complaints, the elderly welcoming committee quickly drags him out of the room and makes way for the king's court, stopping for nothing.






: "Oh man. Stairs? I hate climbing stairs..."



: "Wait, this is a lot of wood stairs. Hold on. Is this a tree?"



: "Holy wow, we are in a freaking ginormous tree."




"You're gonna need it, kid. Oh boy are you gonna need it. Don't worry, though. No matter how bad it gets, you'll still probably be able to walk again eventually."

: "I what the huh?"

"Now now, my boy, no time for gossip. Quickly, quickly."



"In you go! Look smart, neat and tidy, you're about to be in the presence of a king. I trust you've bathed, and are wearing clean underwear? Washed behind the ears? Right you are, in you go lad. This old man will just catch his breath outside."



"I trust you are the one Watabou has sent? I was expecting someone... more developed in stature, perhaps. Step forward, my child. The King will have an audience with you."

: "Kinda feeling weirded out by now! Oh man, I'm not going to be a virgin sacrifice or something, am I? This was a bad idea..."

The minister withdraws to the king's side. Now, what you have here is the illusion of free choice. You can go back outside, but the old windbag will just be sitting on the stairs and complaining, blocking your way. Here, there are a couple of stairs, but you have soldiers blocking them. They have nothing interesting to say, either. In the next room, there's an antechamber with a couple of chests that you can't open yet... really, there's nothing to do but address the king.



And apparently, Watabou spread the word that you were coming, but didn't bother to give anyone your name! Understandably, the reigning monarch wants to know exactly who the carnival midget he's looking at is.



Naturally, our boy hero already has a name. The game has been quite explicit about this. But let's take a step back here... Terry has just violated curfew, which has led to his sister being kidnapped by a fluffy monster and him choosing an incredibly bizarre means of running away from home.

He might want to cut ties, here, just a bit. Make a clean break, so that the po po don't catch up and put him in the time-out corner for the big boys.



The game absolutely offers this option!

But our boy hero isn't really up to snuff on his spelling, so you're gonna have to keep it simple, if you want to pick up a psuedonym. Four characters. If you want five, it's either the canon name, or you're shit out of luck!

CHOOSE A NAME

 

[X] Jack

 

[X] Hora

 

I say,

[X] Hora

is a perfectly acceptable names!

 

Hmm... what kind of names would a young boy come up with that are four letters long?

[X] Poop
[X] Butt
[X] Boob
[X] Boba
[X] Fett

 

[X]Terry

 

[X] Jack

 

[X] Jack

I trust those dialogues aren't canon? Because if they are Japan is sick.

 

Nope! Apparently in canon, Terry stood around after getting shoved and watched his sister get dragged into the slightly-less-rapey darkness instead of clutching his balls after getting punched in them.

 

Heh. I was actually playing this game on my tablet last year. I wound up quitting and moving on to something different after I got to the arena-bossfight with the metallic enemies who are immune to magic, and my party kept getting its ass kicked.

 

[X]JAck

 

Are they Metal Slimes or what?
If so, you need powerful physical based monsters. Breed them to +10 and above.

 

[X] Terry

 

[X] Terry

 

[X] Hora

 

[X] Hue

 

It's a kids game, so yeah, not so much on the >IMPLICATIONS side, everyone is much more polite about explaining who they are and what they're doing if not why. Spoiler: (As I recall, Watabou was there to kidnap Milayou too, because reasons, only Warubou beat him to the punch. He then decided to cross fingers and hope for the best with the other kid.)

But yeah, like I said, taking massive liberties with what people are actually saying, if only because nobody ever questions if giving a pre-teen their very own monster and sending them into the wilderness might just go a little wrong somewhere.

 

: "Uuuuhm..."




: "I'm 'Jack'! That's my name, yeppers."



King: "I have a very specific desire for you, my boy."

: "Uuuuhm..."

King: "It is my desire for you to compete and win the Starry Night Tournament for my kingdom. We have lost the last few, and it's really turning out to be something of a disgrace."

: "Whew?"

King: "And of course, our string of losses means that we are low on Masters and those willing to volunteer themselves toward the tournament. Terrible pity."

: "I, uh, huh? Wait. Um, so we're clear, what do I get out of this? Like... is this a paying job, or does it help me find Milayou?"

King: "Hm? You are looking for your sister, I see..."

: "Thinking about it, money would really help too!"

King: "I'll tell you something good, then. Rumor has it that the victor of the Starry Night tournament is granted a single wish. So if you win in the tournament, then you can wish for your sister's safe return."



:
: "..... I'm not getting anything else out of it, am I?"

King: "Go upstairs to the farm. Pulio, the stableboy, tends to the monsters there. He will supply you with something to suit your needs."

.....

Well, fine.




Still solidly on rails, folks. We can step back outside, but that old guy from the root depths is still gearing up to make the trek back down. Maybe he threw out a hip or something, because I was under the impression going down was easier than climbing up?

In any case, there's nothing to do but head up the stairs. The guards still have nothing interesting to say, and never will!



The very top of the Great Tree hosts the monster farm, which at the moment doesn't have a lot to see. Pretty barren and empty, actually. You can walk around, but there's nothing to find here yet, with two drops and a ladder down blocked.





In fact, he only has the one monster available.

Pulio: "This is Slib. He was the favorite of the previous king, you know?"

*The slime's eyes roll in different directions, as it burbles slightly.*

: "... His favorite for what? He's only level one, and his stats are crap."

Pulio: "Listen, kid, he was the previous king's favorite. I have nothing else to say on the subject. And since he was the only one who didn't think enough to join the little, uh, break out recently, he's all I have to offer."

*Slib ripples in place and drools a little bit.*

: "....."
: "I get the feeling that there are a lot of questions that I'm gonna be happier not asking!"

Terrible as the starting monster is, Slimes are actually a solid family of monster in most cases. They tend to have support skills, very nice agility growth, and at least okay attack and defense. Being a normal Slime, once slib levels to 4 he'll start being able to cast fireballs, though he might not have the mp to use a lot of them for a while. There's another, generally significantly less useful, skill to pick up at level 13, and one pretty good one that a Slime learns at level 39.... but I'm pretty sure that Slib's level cap is well below that. Something to keep in mind, though. In the meantime, 28 hp is plenty.

First monster in tow, there's nothing to do but go back to the King, who makes similar note of Slib being the previous crown's 'Favorite', and he asks you, with a doubtless uncomfortable look on his face and tone in his voice, why you decided to pick that one.




King: "Pulio.... Did Hale, also?"
Pulio: "Forgive me... Hale led the escape."




As you might have picked up, Hale is the current king's.... Favorite.

He's naturally less than pleased to discover that Hale has flown the coop, and immediately turns to tyrannical authority.

At this point, it doesn't matter what you do. No matter which direction you try to walk, which button you press, it all results...



In you stepping forward, volunteering your help to track down the King's escaped Favorite.

It seems to put a cap on the kingly fit of pique, and he puts a hold on the order for Pulio's indefinite and eternal incarceration, pending you bringing Hale back or professing failure to do so. Actually only the first, because you aren't allowed to give up. Edict pronounced, he stalks off through a hidden door in the curtains to, I don't know, have a kingly shit-fit in his bedroom or something.



Meanwhile, we've been given permission to raid the chests in the next room.




Such as that is worth. The chests contain herbs, the least potent of healing items. These are literally scattered all over the ground everywhere, and the minister will give you one for free whenever you come back from traveling.

.... The kingdom has sort of fallen on a bit of hard times.



With Pulio being not-quite-imprisoned-forever, the stair up to the farm is blocked again. However, the one going down to the Mystic Gates is open. Since that old man is still sitting on the stairs and not letting anyone past his gigantic wrinkled ass, it's the only place you can go.

We want the Traveler's Gate, but it's not like we can get lost and get in over our head, here. There's only one door open... the others are either locked, or the way is passed by soldiers just standing there imposingly. They aren't going to open until we're judged strong enough to pass, based entirely on our performance in monster cock-fighting tournaments.



And here we are. Single crappy monster at our back, a couple of dried leaves in our pocket, and ready to go on a quest to track down and return the King's escaped.... Favorite.

: "Do you feel like a hero yet?"

TO BE CONTINUED