But Farah's looking for Marron because she wants her to give her a ride on Balonsa. She?s turning the place upside-down and making so much noise that Reid leaves to find a better relaxing-spot.
He tries a likely-looking hillside, but Colina is already there, playing her mandolin and composing an epic poem about their narrow escape from the typhoon. The racket is truly enough to make any normal human?s ears bleed.
Desperate now, he spots an island out in the bay and swims all the way out to it to get some peace and quiet. But the instant he lies down he is attacked by a cloud of vicious insects which force him back into the water. Poor Reid.
Cut to Marron, who has been discovered. Farah offers to pay her to transport their group to "Francis Hill" (I have no idea what the real name is, that's what the subtitles say), which is the place they need to reach in order to travel up to Celestia in the sky. Marron refuses because she doesn?t like Farah. Farah insists, but she is adamant. The two exchange insults and start fighting. Just before things get really nasty, Claudia halts the proceedings by soaking them with a garden hose.
The two are still angry, though, so Claudia suggests an ancient ritual to resolve the dispute.
Cut to Reid, who has finally found a quiet spot when suddenly fireworks fill the air. Everyone's excited - something called "Eri on the sea" (more weird subtitles again) is about to happen! Claudia explains - this ritual is a swimming race, a single lap around all of the islands in the Pearl archipelago. All of the women are invited to participate - the excitement is because everyone will be wearing their favorite swimwear (which, it turns out, is less "wear" than "tiny pieces of cloth in strategic locations"). None of the other women will swim - they will merely splash around in the shallows and show off their barely-there bikinis. Apparently there isn't much to do for fun on this island.
While Farah's dressing for the occasion, Reid accidentally busts in on her naked - and then stands there with his mouth open while she gets angrier and angrier and finally beats the snot out of him. Poor guy. (And yes, I know many of you out there are thinking, "LUCKY GUY!" but even getting beaten up by a beautiful naked woman is still getting beaten up, don't forget?)
Keele, meanwhile, is in hell. The poor guy's so embarrassed by the dozens of scantily-clad women strutting around that he looks like he's going to have a stroke. Melody and Colina (properly attired in revealing swimwear) aren't helping as they prance around and ask him how they look.
Queen Alice struts to the diving board in something which can barely be called a swimsuit. As Melody puts it: "But that's going to fall off the instant she hits the water!"
It does. Alice is a total nudist, remember.
The race begins and the two contestants start out strong, but are quickly overtaken by Melody, who blows by at about 30 mph. She's not racing, however, and swims straight out to sea rather than begin the lap.
The two swim for a while, then are attacked by a sea monster. Marron saves Farah's life, then both are airlifted out of danger by Balonsa, who however is wounded in the process.
As they are bandaging the loyal dragon's wounds, Marron reveals that Balonsa was already injured in the typhoon, and that's why she couldn?t give them a ride when Farah asked. Farah wants to take Balonsa to a doctor, but Marron doesn't want to pay for medicine or surgery.
Suddenly the sea monster attacks once again. As they are beating it up, Farah convinces Marron to pay a doctor to make sure Balonsa heals properly. They leave the dragon in a hidden cave and continue the race. They agree that whoever loses will pay for Balonsa's doctor.
Meanwhile, the monster is not dead, as they had thought, but merely stunned. It recovers, climbs up a cliff, and attacks Reid, who is trying to take a nap. Reid, who has been driven to the breaking point by his inability to find some peace and quiet, gets angry and torches it in one blow with a majin-ken. Boom.
Cut to Farah and Marron, who are in the home stretch when Melody paddles back from wherever she's been and beats them to the finish line, which somehow means she's won the race (even though I don't think she followed the actual course?). Anyway, her prize is one wish - she can have anything within Queen Alice's power.
Marron and Farah are arguing again about who has to pay for the doctor. Marron insists that she will pay herself, but Farah insists on helping with the cost.
Melody's innocent wish is that they will stop fighting already and be friends. Awww...?how can anyone say no to that face? They agree to honor her wish.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Reid has finally found a quiet, insect-and-monster-free place to relax. He lies down and stares at the sky - which instantly clouds over. It starts pouring. Poor Reid. |^_^|
What will happen next in the amazing adventures of this brave band? Find out next time on TALES OF ETERNIA!!!!
