Author's Note: Just as I'm trying to work on The Fall of Castle Rexalia, another story idea attacks my mind, and is taking over the other story. So I gotta get these ideas out of my head...
Disclaimer: ToL belongs to Namco, now and forever...
Prologue
It was a bright, sunny day in Werites Beacon. Norma Beatty walked up the hills towards Lumen Spring carrying a large pack on her back.
"Oh boy, what a beautiful day!" she said happily. "What a perfect day for a picnic at Lumen Spring!"
When she arrived at the spring, she unpacked the bag, setting the blanket flat in the grass and setting the basket on top of it. She then sat down on the blanket and waited for the others to arrive.
Ten minutes passed, and no one had arrived.
"Where is everyone?" Norma asked herself. "They should've been here by now."
She wanted a few more moments, and still nobody came.
"That's it!" Norma stood up. "I have to go back to town and drag everyone here myself! Even G-Girl didn't show up!"
In a fit of rage, she left Lumen Spring, leaving all of the picnic supplies behind.
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Senel Coolidge was relaxing in his bed when he heard a knock on the door.
"Coming!" he called lazily as he got out of bed and went down the stairs.
When Senel opened the door, he was surprised to see Norma standing outside.
"Norma? What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here? What nerve!" Norma growled. "You were supposed to meet me at Lumen Spring for a picnic! Why didn't you show up?"
"Lumen Spring?" Senel asked, puzzled.
"Yeah! Don't tell me you forgot!"
"I didn't forget! I never knew about it in the first place!"
"Oh, don't you give me any excuses! Get your butt over to Lumen Spring this instant! And get the others and drag their butts there, too!"
Senel's eyes widened as he felt the nervous sweat. "Y...yes, ma'am..."
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As Norma searched for the rest of the party, she found Grune by the roadside working in the garden, her favorite activity.
"G-Girl, where have you been!?" Norma exclaimed. "You were supposed to meet me at Lumen Spring for a picnic!"
Grune stood up. "A picnic? Hmm...I think I remembered the picnic...but then again, maybe I didn't..."
"Oh, G-Girl...I thought you would always be there for me!" Norma whined. "When I sat all alone at Lumen Spring, I thought that at least you would show up! But you didn't!"
Grune looked at her sympathetically. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry..."
"Oh, G-Girl!" Norma threw her arms around Grune's waist. "I knew you would understand how I feel..."
"Is the picnic over?" Grune asked. "I'd really like to go on a picnic with you."
Norma looked up, unexpectedly upbeat. "Don't worry, the picnic hasn't started yet. I got on Senny's case, and he's picking up the others right now. So we'd better go wait for them at Lumen Spring!"
Grune raised her fist. "Charge!"
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When Norma and Grune arrived at Lumen Spring, they found the picnic supplies just as Norma had left them. Norma reached into the basket, pulling out some smaller sacks that contained lunch for each of the party members.
"Now all we have to do is wait for the others to show up," Norma said. "And they'd better show up this time!"
"Yes, it's more fun when everyone is together," Grune agreed.
They waited for a few moments, and the others finally arrived at the spring.
"All right, the Fun Bunch is all here!" Norma sang. "Now let's eat and have some fun!"
"It's kinda hard to have fun when we're forced into it like this..." Senel pouted.
"Quit whining and eat your lunch!" Norma ordered.
"And now you're going to tell us what to do!?" Chloe asked in disbelief.
"C'mon, Bubbles is just playin'," Moses said. "Let's have us some fun!"
Will shrugged. "Well, if Norma worked this hard to surprise us, we might as well enjoy it."
"It was no surprise!" Norma protested. "You all knew you were supposed to come here!"
"No, we didn't!" the others snapped in unison.
"Mmm..." Shirley gushed as she took a bite from her sandwich. "This sandwish is delicious!"
"Yes, very delicious," Grune agreed. "Picnics are so much fun."
"Aren't ya gonna say somethin', Jay?" Moses asked.
"Ugh..." Jay threw him an annoyed look. "I was in a perfectly good mood until you opened your big mouth."
"Yer always so mean to me, Jay!" Moses pouted. "I think I'm gonna cry!"
The bandit stood up and went over to Grune. "Jay's makin' fun of me, Grune! Can ya make me feel all better?"
"Oh, poor Moses..." Grune stood up and hugged him softly. "This should cheer you up."
As Moses rested his chin on Grune's shoulder, the others could see that he was grinning ear-to-ear. When Grune pulled back, Moses threw both arms into the air.
"YAAAAHHHHOOOO!!!"
He turned and ran from the spring, something he always did whenever Grune hugged him.
"Hey Red, you haven't finished eating your lunch yet!" Norma called after him.
"He hasn't even started yet," Senel added.
"Why does he do that every time Grune hugs him?" Shirley asked.
"Because he's an idiot," Jay said simply. "Does he need any other reason?"
Suddenly, a loud thunderclap hit the sky, startling the group. They all looked up, especially confounded, because there were hardly any clouds, and the sky had its glorious blue color.
"What was that noise?" Senel asked.
"AAAHHHH!!!" Moses returned, running up the hill. Without breaking stride, he tackled Jay, sending them both stumbling into the spring with a terrific splash.
"Watch where you're going, you stupid bandit!" Jay yelled.
"That noise scared the hell outta me!" Moses cried.
"We were just talking about that," Senel said. "What could it be?"
Will stroked his chin. "It might be thunder...but I don't think so."
Shirley looked up at the sky. "How can there be thunder on such a beautiful day?"
Senel looked up as well. "Am I the only one who feels like something bad is about to happen?"
"You're not the only one," Will replied. "I feel it as well."
"Oh my, everything is all gloomy..." Grune gushed.
"It's ruining our picnic, come on!" Norma cried.
"It would be prudent to check around for any unusual activity," Will said.
"Right. Leave that to me." Jay began to leave the spring.
"JJ, what about your lunch?" Norma called. "Aren't you going to finish it?"
With a soft, irritated sigh, Jay returned to the picnic area, picked up his lunch sack, and began to leave again.
"How about I finish it on the way out?" he called back. "I'll let you know if I find anything."
The party remained silent for a moment after Jay left.
Will let out a sigh. "Well, there's nothing else we can do at the moment, so let's get on with our day."
"Ooh, good idea, Teach!" Norma cheered. "I like the way you think! Now everyone finish your lunches!"
The others let out an exasperated sigh as they sat down on the blanket and resumed eating.
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"All right, listen up!" Vaclav ordered the Terrors on the Legacy's bridge. "I have the perfect plan to eliminate Senel and his friends once and for all.
Solon looked away. Eliminating Senel and his friends is one thing, but I still intend to take my apprentice for my own.
"We await your plan, Commander," Melanie said.
"Please, do tell us, Commander," Cashel added.
"Do you remember how we were beaten the first time?" Vaclav asked. "The Rexalian Empire caught us off guard with their nighttime raid. Although we had soldiers standing guard, Senel's group still managed to break through."
"Sounds like a well-planned strategy from my dear apprentice," Solon grinned.
"And we're going to follow that same strategy," Vaclav continued. "We're going to invade Werites Beacon in a nighttime raid of our own...tonight!"
"Oooh..." the Terrors cooed.
"A brilliant idea, Commander," Melanie said. "They don't even have soldiers guarding Werites Beacon at night."
"That's because the soldiers pass themselves off as ordinary civilians," Cashel said.
"Even better, Rexalia won't have the Radiant to help them this time," Melanie added.
"It's settled then," Vaclav said. "Tonight, we commence an attack on the city of Werites Beacon!"
"Hurrah!" Melanie and Cashel yelled.
"Commander, may I make one suggestion?" Solon asked. "I love the idea and all, but I think it'd be wise to prepare in silence. If my apprentice gets any wind of this, our plan will surely fail."
"Good idea," Vaclav said. "Solon, I'll leave that to you."
Solon nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Prepare all troops for battle," Vaclav ordered. "Tonight will be quite a memorable night..."