Riptide Episode 110: Desire Daddy

> "The Riptide Pirates reconcile with misfortune and fate." -*Episode 110 official description.*
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## Desire Daddy

### Characters

Chip, Jay Ferin, Gillion Tidestrider, Niklaus Hendrix, Green, Queen, Gryffon, Starling, Igneous, Zamia Aramoia

## Summary

Secrets of the world get revealed as desires are brought to light, making the Riptide Pirates question what they really know as true. Through it all, however, they have each other, even as it feels like they're falling into destiny's trap.

## Episode Events

Gillion and Jay suffer the repercussions of taking the marbles Star had given them in Episode 109: Fates Worse Than Death as their wounds reopen and their adrenaline crashes, making them Exhausted. Gryffon and Queen are also worse for wear, and Chip is still inside the egg sac with Niklaus. Clearly, he has once again arrived to see the party at their weakest.

As Niklaus reenacts the famous To Be or Not to Be monologue from *Hamlet*, Chip notices that he has something in his pocket that could be the Stick of Stickyness that Chip had left behind in Episode 56: Mystery and Misery. Nothing comes of this, however.

Niklaus makes it known that his goal is aligned with the Riptide Pirates in this particular case: it is not time for the Dread Queen to be resurrected. However, Chip does not appear to care about Niklaus's goals, as Chip ignores the Dread Queen altogether to ask Niklaus for help fixing the "gift" Captain Widow gave him. Niklaus declines and says that he can't have more than one ongoing deal with a person at a time and, regardless, the capability Captain Widow had to bestow such a thing was "reached and earned," so there are few options for reversing it. Niklaus goes on to try and convince Chip of all the benefits it can bring as a pirate captain since he cannot die and can stay forever young. However, Niklaus warns that if Chip were to somehow die in this state, there is no way that he can come back. As Niklaus talks, the heart in his hand continues to beat even though he'd ripped it out of the vessel of the Dread Queen.

Chip remains steadfast in his desire to be truly alive again, so Niklaus switches gears to agree with his distaste for immortality, implying that he has fulfilled such desires before and has seen them only lead to suffering. When Chip says that such desires must be corrupted, Niklaus says that he's beginning to understand.

Niklaus offers to help Chip as friends or acquaintances, saying, "You give something, and I just return the favor." Chip tentatively agrees to be temporary work associates. The deal is this: Since Captain Widow will rise again once the sun rises, Niklaus will put her in a temporary stasis, and in return, he will hold onto the Dread Queen's heart. Niklaus adds that Chip is not allowed to tell anyone they talked. When Chip asks what he wants to do with the heart, Niklaus says that he wants to decide when the Dread Queen returns. Chip asks if Niklaus killed her in the first place, and Niklaus denies it, saying that they were friends and that she had a desire to go to the Astral Plane. According to him, she wanted to learn and master the secrets of death, so she died willingly to search for them. Niklaus also confirms that he is the last Pirate Lord, Captain Hendrix.

Niklaus states that he has no interest in Chip's death. Believing this, Chip says he'll agree to the deal if Niklaus answers some questions. Niklaus agrees. He says that he didn't kill any of the Pirate Lords "like most pirates do." Instead, he claims, the Lords followed their desires and as such, fell to their fated deaths. Chip remains suspicious and says that Niklaus must have had a hand in pushing them towards their desires, and while Niklaus does not deny it, he believes he didn't hold as much responsibility as Chip thinks he did. Niklaus also claims that the Sakura Sea turned black because of the Hole, which was caused by Captain Rose due to his desire. This desire was legacy, the "greatest treasure a pirate can achieve." Chip doesn't believe he could do that on his own, but Niklaus claims that he doesn't know how he did it, either. Before Niklaus leaves, he answers Chip's last question: Niklaus's greatest desire is freedom.

Queen continues to be shaken by their confrontation with Josias as they hold onto the violinist's last remaining masquerade mask. They say it looks familiar, but they are unable to pinpoint from where or what it means to them. Chip assures them that they'll find the truth and gives them a hug and Queen composes themself once more to heal Gryffon. Before they and the crew go, however, they see that the body of Captain Widow has turned into stone and is stuck to the floor, likely the "stasis" imposed by Niklaus.

Green, the tabaxi Survivor (and likely a wink at Taxi), meets the party outside the throne room to ask Gillion about any more survivors due to his divine aura. However, as they talk, they both get a sudden pain in their temples as a voice booms in their head: *Yumi, my time has come*. Green is unsure whose voice it was, but says that it could be the Tree. He says that his intuition says that the Tree cannot be saved, so he'd like to send it off with Gillion. Gillion agrees, and since it's so important to him, Chip and Jay agree to go as well.

As they all head towards the Tree, Jay expresses her guilt about what happened to Chip since she declined Captain Widow's offer of her arm and leg. Understanding this, Chip disagrees with her regret as she had done what any rational person would do and no one expected her to do that. Still, Jay insists that she should've taken the fall so that the crew would be safe. Chip admits he doesn't know what the right choice would've been, but the crew is still standing and it's useless to question past decisions. He tells her, "If you don't like the call you made, make a different one next time." Jay, though still guilty and regretful about coming to the Black Sea at all, agrees and continues to endure her leg injury.

At the peak of Onawa Island, there is the gargantuan Great Weeping Cherry Tree. Together, Gillion and Green put their hands on the Tree, but nothing happens. Through much back-and-forth, Green decides to offer his staff to the Tree and they try again. This time, their eyes and the staff glow golden, and the Tree's voice appears in their heads to thank them for coming. It says that it felt "a presence connected to the very core of this world's creation" and called upon the two of them to pass down some of its memories before it dies so that the cycle will continue. Gillion shall accept these memories while Green will secure the Tree's safe passage to the other side.

When Gillion asks the Tree about the tree that Jay's mom mentioned in Episode 99: Under New Management, it says that it is a descendant, and that such a tree is the "Grandfather of All Life" (note: I'll refer to this tree as the Grandfather here to avoid confusion between trees). It explains, "It connects us to worlds and planes beyond. Without its roots, our world would fall to chaos." The Tree adds that the Grandfather warns of an impending disaster.

Gillion also asks the Tree for the Real Prophecy of the Undersea and Oversea since it has had many iterations. In response, Gillion gets a vision of a colossal war, and the Tree explains that this war was to seal away an evil entity by creating its own prison which was also its key. With it came a warning which then became the Prophecy. Gillion sees tritons riding leviathans with unfamiliar weaponry, different Oversea races with their own wings flying alongside a dragon, and advanced spell casters. Then, the Tree recites the Real Prophecy: "***An entity threatens world stability, caged in the deepest layers of infinity. The seal remains locked by a key of divinity. Its release, in time, an inevitability. A sea god's last egg, the Chosen is born underneath an eclipse in the midst of a storm. Foreboded calamity, the Chosen is warned, the shape of all life shall take a new form, its choice to be made with no time to mourn.***" Before it dies, it advises Gillion to find out who he really is without his given titles.

The Tree disintegrates and leaves behind a rose gold seed. Gillion stays beside it as he processes the information, realizing how much the Elders got wrong. He tells Green that in the past, he was too afraid to ask about being the Chosen, but now that he has, he feels nothing. Green admits his own wrongs and gives Gillion the seed. According to Green, it is a Heart Seed that the Tree wanted the crew to plant. Green then leaves.

Jay and Chip assure Gillion that he is not alone. Gillion, going through an existential crisis, asks them what they see in him. Gryffon says he's one of his captains; Chip says he sees his friend, courage, and the memory of Episode 92: Electrodon as they all laughed in the face of death; and Jay sees family, someone she can rely on no matter what. When Gillion suddenly asks, "What if there's nothing?" Jay replies, "Have you enjoyed it?" and Gillion admits he enjoyed even the worst parts. Chip and Jay agree that that's all that matters. With a heavy heart, Gillion says, "Even if it's inevitable, I'm glad we got written in the same story."

Before they leave the Palace, the party goes to the treasure room and finds and a wicked looking sword in the corner that catches Destiny's Blade's attention. The wicked looking sword in the corner then glows before Destiny's Blade absorbs it. Upon connecting with Gillion's consciousness, Destiny's Blade recalls that he was present during the war that the Tree showed Gillion, but he cannot remember anything else.

To recover from the fight with the Arachnid Pirates, the Riptide crew go to The Tunnels. There, they see Zamia, Igneous, and Star. Chip tries to do a bit where he acts like a zombie but it just scares the shit out of Igneous. Regardless, Star expresses her gratitude to the Riptide crew for their help and they tell her they're headed for the Hole. Star points out that both Jay and Gillion are blessed by the Sun Goddess Aster, however such divinity radiates from Gillion more visibly. Pleased to hear Gillion's oath of peace, Star says she'd like to bring light back to the Spider Lily Capital and lay to rest the Hollowed to start rebuilding. When Gillion offers to officiate her wedding with Zamia, Star readily agrees.

A little jealous about how he doesn't have special blood or a special aura like his co-captains, Chip and Igneous bond over being just some guys. Seeing this, Gillion offers to officiate their wedding, too, since Chip technically broke the vows he made to his (now ex-)wife by dying. Chip shrugs and says he has no problem with that because why not? Igneous does not agree, however, though he says that they are great friends.

Before the Riptide captains head out, they decide to leave behind Gryffon and Queen to help the Survivors with cleaning out and rebuilding the capital. As Igneous leads the captains through the village, they try to convince him to join their crew. Although hesitant, Igneous says he's always wanted to see a big volcano, so if they get his people out of the Black Sea with their teleporter, he'll join them.

## Transcription

**No full episode transcription currently available. When available, it will be posted on the JRWI Website.**

Tree: An entity threatens world stability/ caged in the deepest layers of infinity/ the seal remains locked by a key of divinity/ its release, in time, an inevitability/ a sea god's last egg, the chosen in born/ underneath an eclipse in the midst of storm/ foreboded calamity, the chosen is warned/ the shape of all life shall take a new form/ its choice to be made with no time to mourn

## Trivia

* This episode was uploaded early on September 27, 2023 on the Just Roll With It Patreon.