Disclaimer: ToL is owned by Namco. If it was me, ToL wouldn't be so cool...

Chapter 1

"I'd like you all to listen up," Will said sternly.

The group was gathered at Will's house, giving their undivided attention. Their eyes widened upon hearing the statement.

"What is it, Will?" Senel asked. "You sound serious."

Will smiled. "Tomorrow marks Madame Musette's birthday. Every year, we gather at the fountain plaza to celebrate with a performance from the Bantam Bouncers and a display of fireworks."

"Yippee!" Harriet yelled. "I love fireworks!"

"Me too!" Norma said.

"They sure make a big deal out of it, don't they?" Senel asked.

"Given Musette's station, it's hardly surprising," Chloe told him.

"We should be there in case something happens," Will said. "These are dangerous times, and you never know when Vaclav may choose to rear his ugly face."

"Yeah, we ain't about to let Vaclav ruin all the fun!" Moses growled.

Just then, one of the Oresoren entered the house and whispered something into Jay's ear. Accordingly, Jay stood up.

"My apologies, but I must leave for a while," he said.

"What is it?" Will asked.

"It's nothing. Just a small matter that I need to take care of."

Jay turned and left the house. Everyone paused for a moment.

"Somehow I think it's more than just a 'small matter,'" Senel said.

"As do I," Will agreed.

Moses jumped to his feet. "Want me to go after him?"

"Yes, please," Will said. "We all know what happened the last time he went off on his own."

"All right!" Moses dashed out of the house and caught up with Jay as he was leaving town. "Jay!"

Jay stopped. "What is it?"

"I'm comin' with ya!"

Jay looked annoyed. "I don't need help, especially not from you."

"Oh yeah? Remember what happened last time?"

Jay gasped; he did remember. "That...that won't happen again, I swear it."

Moses stomped his foot. "Quit arguin' with me! I'm comin' with ya, and that's final!"

Jay sighed. "Fine. The longer I argue with you, the longer it'll take to settle this matter."

"All right! Whoo! Let's go! Wait...where're we goin'?"

"There's some suspicious activity near the Waterways. I'm going to look into it."

Jay and Moses left the town and took the duct to the Waterways. The path outside the ruin looked empty...at first. When they reached the entrance, they found two ninjas standing guard.

"Ah...I thought as much," Jay said, tapping his foot in his fighting stance.

Moses raised his spear. "All right! Time to get your butts kicked!"

The ninjas prepared to fight as well. "Master, they're here!"

"Excellent..." a voice called as Solon emerged from the ruin. "Hmm...I was expecting all eight of you to show up, but no matter. You two will make fine guinea pigs."

Jay raised an eye. "Guinea pigs for what?"

"Bah! I ain't no guinea pig!" Moses spat.

Solon tossed a smoke bomb at them. It hit the ground in front of them and exploded, engulfing the duo in a cloud of smoke. Suddenly, they felt the irritation in their lungs, and they began to cough violently. Solon watched them carefully, grinning evilly. The smoke eventually cleared, and Solon waited to see what would happen next.

Moses grabbed his head with both hands. "I ain't feelin' so good..."

Jay was about to comment on how pathetic Moses was when he realized that he felt incredibly drowsy with a monstrous headache. Jay grabbed his head as well. "Me neither..."

Solon continued to grin. "Oh, you poor children. You should go home and get some sleep. I shall return tomorrow and inquire as to how you are feeling."

He and the ninjas vanished in a puff of smoke. Jay and Moses continued to stand hunched over.

"What's up with him, bein' all nice all of a sudden?" Moses asked.

"He's up to something..." Jay said. "I don't think he said it to be nice."

"What do we do?"

"I hate to say it, but I'll have to take Solon's advice, go home, and go to sleep..."

"Yeah...me too..."

The pair walked back to the duct by the Waterways. Moses stepped inside first and took the duct to Werites Beacon. Jay waited for the duct to open up again, before he stepped inside as well, programming it to transport him to the Oresoren village.

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When Moses went into town again, he went straight to his bandits' camp right in front of the lighthouse. Senel managed to meet him halfway and followed him there.

"Moses, what's going on?" he asked.

Moses stopped in the grass. "It really was just a small matter..."

"Where's Jay?"

"He went to the Oresoren village, I reckon..."

"Moses!" Grune called sweetly.

She stepped into the camp and hugged Moses. "Welcome home, Moses."

"Yeehaw!" Moses yelled.

"Oh brother..." Senel mumbled.

However, instead of taking off as expected, Moses collapsed to the ground face-first. Senel bent over him.

"Moses?"

Grune put her finger to her lips. "Shh. Let's not wake him."

Senel shrugged. "Well, all right..."

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Upon his return to the Oresoren village, Jay went straight to Quppo's house.

"Welcome home, Jay!" Quppo said cheerfully.

Jay didn't respond as he went upstairs to his bedroom. Quppo followed him. Jay fell forward onto his bed, only to roll off to the floor.

"Jay?" Quppo went to check on him. "You don't look so good. You're all hot and clammy. Ors!"

Pippo and Poppo came in. "Ors, ors!"

"What's wrong, Quppo?" Pippo asked.

"Jay is very sick!" Quppo cried. "We've got to help him! Ors!"

"Ors, ors!" The Scallop Brothers pulled the blanket from the bed and laid it out over Jay's unconscious body...