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Beyond the Beyond: Update 9.7: Even More of that Scene of the Crime Business
With the capital behind them the team returns to Isla to be good little spies and report back to Sir Galahad on what they've learned. It isn't much, to be honest, but it's better than nothing.
The next day the team heads to Isla because, well, they've still got more time to waste and there's only so much one can be passive aggressively snarky with Bandore soldiers before they start catching on.
Well I guess we should tell Dad what you three found out in the castle. I still can't believe you just walked around and no one batted an eye about it. 
Steiner! What's going on? Mom told me not to play with anyone outside.
Why? Oh. Oh my.
I think we might have come by at a bad time.
What's going on? Nobody will tell me!
Trouble's brewing outside the village, Todd.
Just south of the entrance we find a group of villagers having a meeting.
(1): Marion's Castle... We really are being invaded by Bandore.
What happens if Bandore troops attack here? Does it force us to get involved? (2): If this village gets attacked, we should just hand them the people involved with Marion Castle. 
You'd just hand them over to save yourselves?
We don't care how the kingdom is run as long as we have peace here. Y-you can't be serious. How can any of you be so ready to give up? Have you no pride in Marion?
What the hell are we going to do against trained soldiers, Annie?! We're a bunch of poor farmers barely making a living! Not everyone can be the child of a famous general.
Suddenly Isla doesn't feel very homey.
You're tellin' me.
So you'd just roll over and become Bandore's lap dog?
I don't exactly see that esteemed father of yours getting off his ass to help us. What the hell do you know of our worries anyway? You and your siblings keep running off to do... whatever it is you've been up to since the trouble started. How do we know you or your brothers aren't working for Bandore? How dare you speak to us like that! Please, Richard... don't do this.
You know as well as I do Percy that eventually Bandore is going to come looking for your father. He says he cares about Isla but he's done nothing but stay cooped up in his house since the invasion started. If he's not going to help he could at least leave the village. Then, as if that weren't enough, you three keep appearing and disappearing for seemingly no real reason. At this rate even if you're not working with Bandore you'll lead them right to us.
I can't believe what I'm hearing. My father has done nothing but do what's best for Isla since he retired. I don't have to listen to this! Go ahead! Have your stupid meeting about surrendering! *storms off*
(1) Annie...
*glares*
Come on sis, let's go.
Inside the first house we find the old man has left and we can raid his vase for a Source of Defense. Hurray! As the name implies using it raises one character's base defense stat 3 - 5 points permanently. We'll tuck this into a bag alongside that Source of Power we found in the castle for another day.
The nerve of those people! How dare they accuse us of being traitors!
(2) Somethin' wrong, Percy?
Yeah the people of this village seem to think we're the problem and not Bandore.
(1) Hey youngster! Don't get discouraged! Take your sword and prepare for a battle!
(2) It won't be much of a battle from the look of it.
(1) Marion's fought off Bandore before. Don't lose heart just because of some early losses.
(2) Say you youngsters have been gone for awhile. Is there any news of the castle?
You haven't heard? I thought news had spead to all the way out here.
(2) Well we heard the castle had fallen but what with all the gossip and such you can never take what strangers say too seriously.
I"m afraid it's true. Bandore captured Marion Castle. (2) What a surprise! I didn't think Marion Castle would fall to Bandore...
(1) There's nothin' we can do about that right now. We're ready to fight whenever Bandore comes callin' but until then we're going to enjoy some poker games. You kids want in?
No thanks. We can't stay long.
(1) Suit yourselves. Come back if you change your minds.
By the church another group of concerned citizens are commiserating. The priest is still available for all our healing and saving needs but the traveling salesman has vanished never to return.
What's after Marion? Isla?! Bandore is so barbaric that they might go after us next.
If Bandore attacks us, I will definitely fight against them! 
Oh, Annie! Is it true that Marion Castle was attacked and taken over by Bandore? Is it true? Please tell me it's a lie.
I wish I could but it's true. The castle is in Bandore's hands.
How awful. All those knights...
Is Sir Galahad still in the village?
I don't know. He and Sonya have been very quiet for the last few days.
Thanks. We'll check on them before we leave.
The quartet arrives home to find their house locked up tight.
No one's answering.
Dad! Mom! Open the door! It's me. It's Annie!
I think it's locked. I don't think either mom or dad are here. [sic]
They must have left the village then. We should go too before the other villagers get even more worked up.
This scene is completely optional and you have to walk south of the house to trigger it, which makes little sense unless the default entrance/exit to Isla is the southern gate. Honestly though it seems like it got little editor attention and the character scripting feels half-assed.
...
Wait! I hear someone walking around inside. Mom... *pause* Mom?! Are you there?
Mom! Dad! Please say something!
This is so unlike them.
Sis do you think something's happened to them?
Don't say something like that!
Mom! Dad! Why aren't you responding?!
I'll just peek in the window here and AGHH! Steiner your tail is caught in my hair! I'm trying to get it loose. Hold still!
As Finn and Steiner struggle (seriously, I haven't edited that screenshot except to crop it so I have no idea what Finn and Steiner are supposed to be doing during this scene) Galahad and Sonya emerge from hiding.
... *pause* Why are you back?
Why? Uh, well...
I heard you rescued the prince.
You heard... already?
The other villagers don't know yet. Please don't tell them.
Well it was mostly Sir Samson. We just tagged along and cheered him on.
I see... It was you guys...
Wait... you didn't know?
Argh! Hold on I have to untie my headband. Your claws hurt you know that, Steiner?
We had heard of the prince's rescue and that Samson was involved. I wasn't sure you four were involved but I had my suspicions.
All of you and the prince, go to Zalagoon! The only hope Marion has is that Zalagoon comes to our aid.
Zalagoon...
Samson and Edward said they were headed there. I'm still not sure we should go with them though. That's... a long trip.
Wait, what? Did I just hear Percy say he's not sure about his duty?
Quiet, Steiner.
Since Samson is with you two, I don't need to worry too much... But Samson's not with us right now. We can't even be sure we'll run into him again. Dad, about Samson...
Has something happened to him?
*pulls Annie aside* Annie, they don't need to know that.
But it's kind of important.
Think of Sir Samon's reputation. If word gets out what happened to him it will put the prince in great danger.
Something has happened to Samson. What do we tell them?
I have an idea. *clears throat, turns around*
There! OUCH! Owwww, that smarts.
Come with us. We can't just leave you here!
The bigger the party is, the more chance there is of getting caught. You know that, Percy.
*shakes her head* Plus, I can't just leave the people of Isla here. This is our home. I can't just abandon it.
But you're asking us to abandon it!
Marion needs you now more then Isla.
Sonya and Galahad turn their backs to the kids.
No! Mom! Dad! Then, I won't go!
What... What about me? I'll stay with mom and dad.
Knock it off you two! I won't let you be selfish! Unless Zalagoon helps, more people will suffer and die.
We know that Mom, it's just...
Now if you understand, please go!
Sonya goes back inside and Galahad approaches Finn.
Finn! Your father will not be defeated that easily. Don't worry. Just head to Zalagoon!
Who? What? When? What's this about my father?
Galahad walks over to Annie.
*grumbles* I think I've missed something important.
It couldn't have been that crucial, Finn.
Annie I'm counting on you to keep a careful eye on these three. Now go! And be careful.
I won't let anything bad happen to them. I promise.
The two parental units go back inside and Steiner flies over to Annie.
Krrryuuu. Kyuruu. Annie, I know how you feel. But we have to go now! [sic] Steiner, I'm over here.
Oh, so you are. Sorry, I'm a little dizzy and disoriented right now thanks to that, er, entanglement.
As Annie wanders over to the dazed Finn, Steiner flies around just so he could have a different vantage point to the person he was looking straight at in the last screenshot.
Are you okay, Finn? Ouch! I think I pulled some hair out. *rubs head* I'll be fine though. It just stings real bad.
How did Steiner's tail get caught anyway?
Damned if I know. That's never happened before. Kyrrruuu. Kyurroo. Percy, you're a man, right? You should learn from Sir Galahad! I should be cold and distant at all times and hide out in the backwoods when the country's in trouble?
See? You are learning!
If you search the locked door again you get one final admonishment to get the hell out of Isla.
...What are you waiting for? You must go...
With that we're locked out of our own house for a LONG time. I hope you didn't need to use the storage chest in the basement or rest in the bedroom upstairs because neither of those are options right now.
--SUMMARY OF EVENTS--
Edward is the prince of Marion and got busted out of prison.
Samson is the "hero of Marion" Bandore has been desperate to capture. He busted out the prince with some Team Rugrats assistance then was cursed by Ramue robbing him of the strength that made him famous in the first place. Whoops!
Ramue cursed Samson after a very silly contest of wills went badly for her then decided to let the party go just for the lulz of chasing them. She might actually be a competent villain but then again the bar is set pretty low...
We've also learned that a Lord Shutat and his 3 flunkies are from some place called Quamdar and they instigated Bandore's invasion of Marion by sweet talking the emperor into it. I'm sure it was an arduous task given Bandore's previous foiled invasions. Lord Kevins is AWOL (figures!) while an "important hostage" is being held inside the castle but nobody seems to know who it is.
Next time on Beyond the Beyond - we confront the most frustrating puzzle in the entire game. At least we'll get it out of the way early on.
Let me get this straight. Two kids and their baby dragon walk around the castle talking to everyone, asking a bunch of questions, and NOBODY THINKS THIS IS STRANGE?
What's so strange about that?
They did do a very nice job cleaning cell six.
*facepalm* Why did I agree to this invasion plan?
