Episode 20 - The Loris Sees All

## Episode Synopsis

### Recap

Zippy was at the farm, charging his army into the farm to free the druids. He almost took down the Farmer before they used berries to turn them all into chickens. They herded the chickens into the barn and Zippy tried to escape but couldn't get away. He commanded the chickens to peck him alive to cancel his wild shape. As he fell unconscious, he saw the black bunny and activated a new ability to bring his dream into reality. Zippy tore apart the barn and killed the farmer, passing out after the display of power. He woke up and the elder mushroom Pops had created a dirt cove for them to stay safe from the wizard who were hunting them.

Norman was in the painted world looking into the school were Dariun was on the other side following the masked man. Norman persuaded the masked man to come to a painting and broke a chunk of their mask off with his void cloak. Dariun recognised the part of the face that was revealed as Peterson. Dariun tried to reach out to him but quickly realized that the Peterson he knew was not there anymore as they fought. Dariun ran into a different room and met a coach who was looking for someone to give them pills to give the team the edge in the game. Dariun thought quick on his feet and claimed to be that person to get him out of there. Norman continued to fight Peterson when he broke Norman's arm. In pain and frustration, Norman changed into demon mode and blasted Peterson. Norman was not able to keep control over this power and Royce took over.

### Episode Summary

Royce, who has taken over Norman's body, stands in front of Pyro and Victor. Royce laughs as the lava cracks along his back open and a lava cape comes out. The heat is immense and the paint starts to melt, until Pyro and Victor are puddles on the floor. The room around him sags and the interior starts to fall apart. Royce vows to take over this world but first must destroy the crystal and take all those who are avoiding the Deep back. He makes his way through the hallways eventually making his way to a new painting, one with open fields and lush landscapes. Royce enters a painting of the Farm.

Dariun, on the brink of death, has been taken through a dimension door and comes into a locker room. The coach and some of the Basement Broohaha team members turn to Dariun and ask for the pills. Dariun stumbles past him, ignoring them. He pulls out his rockie walkie and tries to radio to Norman but he gets no reply. Dariun thinks, hoping that Norman is okay, hoping that there is some sort of barrier blocking the communication. Dariun slumps to the ground, coughing up blood. He pulls out his sewing kit and starts to mend the wound on his chest. It's only then he looks around to the people around him staring.

Dariun asks if they have some sort of first aid kit and the coach asks one of the boys to grab a face cloth. They throw them a used facecloth and Dariun gets him some health back. One of the girl stands and asks Dariun to give them the bullet. Dariun stands, pausing for a moment as he thinks. He tells them he is the bullet, just like they ordered. They inspect him for a moment and question, saying Dariun isn't blue so how would he be the blue bullet. Dariun tries to spill them a story but the team don't believe him, saying the bullet they paid for is a pill that is dosed nasally.

Dariun tells them that the bullet is actually sold out and the coach is rather frustrated. Dariun informs him he needs to fill out form G12 to get a refund but he doesn't have form with him. This time Dariun manages to convince him but the coach is not very happy and asks for the manager. As Dariun and the coach have a standoff, he hears Randy come over the rockie walkie. Dariun tells him this is his manager and goes to a corner of the room. Dariun recaps what has just happened to Randy and Zippy, who also hears this, radios in. Dariun tells Zippy that Peterson is sort of back but Zippy's connection is a little dodgy so can't make out all of what he says. Zippy informs them he is safe for now but the wizards are trying to kill them. Randy informs them that the meeting didn't go as well as he hoped. Veroulias is old and senile, not responding to much of what Randy said. Dariun tells Zippy he can't get in contact with Norman, guessing that he can't connect through the painted world.

Dariun does a quick shoulder check and sees no one is listening in. Zippy also checks and sees a loris on his shoulder, mouth open, staring with its massive eyes. Zippy shrugs it off and they fall to the ground, staring while it rolls away. Dariun asks if there is anywhere they can meet and Randy suggests they make their way back to the Sparrow. They decide to get there by the end of the day.

Dariun turns to the coach and tells him he tried his best but can't get the boss to budge. The coach, while convinced, is still furious with Dariun. Dariun tells them to give the Ammow company terrible reviews. They suddenly hear a door being opened and the coach changes his demeaner, trying to act natural. Dariun hears the muffled voices of Bradley and Apophis as they come past. Dariun grasps this opportunity and goes over to Bradley, telling the team he is an expert of the game in Aurum and they would be lucky to have them on the team. The coach is skeptical but Dariun keeps on going, bringing Bradley into the conversation. Bradley, realising the opportunity Dariun is giving him, sells himself to the coach. The coach approaches and expresses his admiration of the strength of Apophis' arm, to which he is flattered. The coach thinks a moment and tells them he will take both of them to play for free and still get the refund later. Dariun looks to his friends and asks is they are ready and they both are pumped and go into the locker room to get ready.

All of the druid people are looking around, searching for an exit out of there. Zippy looks at his hand and claps but nothing happens. He claps again and still nothing. Loris joins in, ever staring into Zippy's eyes. Zippy huffs and asks where they are going but quickly learns no one really has any idea. After a little while of looking around, Zippy notices a lot of the druids panting and feels like it's getting warmer in the cove. A chipmunk comes over to Zippy, reporting to the commander/general/whatever title Zippy is feeling. They report that there is heat coming from the house and Zippy tells them to go in to turn off whatever is causing it. The chipmunk goes and doesn't return for a while.

Zippy decides to take over and goes into the house which is now hotter and producing light like a fire. The heat is sweltering and Zippy comes to the living room to see a painting hanging on the wall which appears to be melting. He sees a smoldering fire ball crater on the wall opposite and he sees the chipmunk standing next to it. The chipmunk reports someone threw a fire ball at him. Zippy looks and sees demon mode Norman. Royce's head turns and calls to Zippy, telling the rabbit to come to him. Zippy doesn't want to go and stands up to Royce. Royce recalls a feeling from Norman, a feeling of annoyance. Royce raises his hand, lava cracking and energy starts to build in his palm. Zippy jumps and tackles the chipmunk to the side.

Norman is kneeling on the boat, meditating. He rolls up his sleeves and recites the prayers and teachings that are tattooed on his body. The tattoos start to glow, he centers himself and remains calm. Through his control he yells out to Royce. His tattoos flickers when suddenly Royce falls from the sky and lands in the boat. Norman stands and looks to the sky, willing himself to go back. Royce grabs him by the horns and yells, trying to pull him back but Norman fades back into control.

Norman is back and the Kiser cannon is about to fire but he moves his hand away, shooting off away from the painting. He looks around, trying to find Pyro and Victor before he releases obsidian black. Norman comes back and intense pain shoots through his broken arm. Zippy calls out to him, asking what the heck he is doing. Norman ignores him and kneels to the ground, dumfounded. Zippy turns to the chipmunk who had his arm broken when Zippy tackled him. He uses some cloth to wrap his arm and casts cure wounds on him. Zippy gets up and turns to Norman, asking what is wrong.

Norman closes his eyes and tries to recall the last memories from Royce and can almost smell what Royce could tell was the crystal. Zippy throws a piece of debris at Norman, trying to get his attention. Norman goes over to the painting, grunting through the pain as he asks Zippy to heal his arm. Norman informs Zippy about Peterson and Zippy asks if he is okay. Norman tells Zippy he tried to kill Dariun and broke his own arm when he asks again for Zippy to heal him. Zippy and Norman have an argument, as Zippy doesn't appreciate Norman coming and just asking for this bluntly and Norman feels Zippy needs to tell them what he is doing. Zippy concedes and he starts to heal. Norman closes his eyes and rests his head against the wall and asks for him to catch him up, when Dariun meets back up with them he can tell them what happened after Peterson. Zippy tells him what has happened on the farm.

Dariun see Bradley and Apophis are getting wet suited up in the Basement Broohahas colours. Apophis awkwardly stuffs himself in a bipedal wetsuit. Apophis realises he doesn't know the rules of Pyre Pitch and Bradley gives him the speech of the same. After he finishes, Apophis, despite saying he understands, has no idea what is going on. Dariun brings the boys in and tells them to lay low and play their best. Dariun decides he can stay for a quarter or two before he goes to the airship to meet up with the others. Dariun, the coach, Apophis and Bradley come to the dugout. Dariun turns to the rest of the team and gives a rousing speech before Apophis and Bradley go onto the field.

Zippy finishes up fixing the arm and asks again what happened. Norman tells him that he lost control, like he never thought he could. He lost control to the king of the Deep which resides with in him. Zippy goes wide eyed, saying that this is a big deal for them. He is a big risk, what if they can hear them and what if he changes uncontrollably. Norman understands this, still some tension between them. Norman asks if they can leave through the painting world but Zippy is unsure if everyone will fit. The chipmunk suggests they change into smaller creatures to fit. They all agree to this plan. Zippy calls out to the druids and tells them to come into the painting world and transform into smaller animals. The peacock polymorphs Pops into a small bird and Zippy changes the Lemasu into a frog. The dirt roof collapses and the wizards start to pile in.

The druids pile into the painting and Norman, after having a quick look around and finding no loot and tripping over, comes into the painting. Norman uses the paint brush and takes red paint, destroying the beams of the house. Norman turns and tells them they won't have a lot of time. Norman closes his eyes and gets a whiff of the trail to the beyond crystal. He asks Zippy what he wants to do with the druids. He speaks to them, asking them to stay within the realm as Norman and Zippy follow the scent.

Dariun is watching the game and he is surprised as he is really starting to get into the game. The announcer speaks about the two new star players who could bring the Basement Broohahas back into the game. Dariun turns to the rest of the team and gives another great speech. The Basement Broohaha's get to their feet and start chanting. Dariun goes to the coach, asking for any advice and they say they need to go buck wild to take the Wind Walkers off their game. Dariun tells Apophis to go wild and Bradley to keep doing what he does best.

Zippy and Norman are walking through the painted world, seeing the makings of Jadu, optical illusions and expressionist paintings. They enter another painting and Norman can tell he is close to the crystal. They come to a rocky landscape and a rock tower and a large bullywog with a large wizard hat ontop. The bullywog is facing a large frame looking into a throne room with a large pink crystal floating above the throne within the real world. They both feel this would be a great chance for them to talk to Veroulias and potentially find the grand treasure key.

Norman gives Zippy a word of warning about his dream power, suggesting to use it cautiously as he doesn't know the consequences of the use. They come to the edge of the painting frame and come back into the real world. Norman feels a pounding in his chest when he looks upon the crystal. Norman looks around the throne room and finds an old bullywog with grey-green skin, a long beard and great wizard hat and crown sitting upon the throne. Norman decides to go back to the painting and come back into the painted world to speak to the painted Veroulias.

Norman asks when this was and the painting tells them this was in the golden age, back in Wesnian times. This rock was where Veroulias was struck by lightning through his staff that he pointed to the sky, allowing him to access great magical power. Zippy then asks why he hates druids so much but the painting doesn't understand. Norman extrapolates on the question but painting Veroulias believes he would not be capable of such evils as he sees himself as an equal to all and a great helper of people. Norman asks about his time travelling and the painting says the real Veroulias travelled through time when he went into the first grand treasure. The days they spent there fighting the basilisk meant lifetime in the real world. He did not mean to leave his family and brother Victor, he searched all around for them but this is the price of greed. He was alone in the new world but this is where he found the fascination for the crystal. To allow no one to be left behind or forgotten.

Norman asks what this crystal is, if it is a grand treasure. Painting Veroulias explains it came from the City of Bling, from a dark magic. He took a shard from a crystal giant and repurposed it to create the beyond crystal. Norman asks if he ever came across a piano key like the one they have but the painting does not know as he is only a shadow of the real Veroulias. He notes that Veroulias has been more quiet of late but he will remain here until his last breath. Zippy asks for more clarification on the crystal and the painting explains he wanted a place for people to go that is not the Deep. He knows that the heavens where the gods preside over is not open to anyone. The Gods keep that for themselves and they may never reach up there. It is Veroulias' life mission to find a way to reach the gods realm or find his own place where no one can die and they can stay together.

Zippy wonders if Veroulias has given up here and wonders if they should destroy the crystal. Norman wonders if Veroulias is even at his own wits and if others are using the crystal for their own use. Zippy thinks the people within it did anything wrong and believes the Deep is not a good place to go. Norman echoes this, knowing he personally would never want to go to the Deep. He does inform Zippy that Royce really wants that crystal to be destroyed. Norman thanks painting Veroulias and tells him is brother missed him and loved him.

Norman and Zippy return to the real world and come back to the large throne room. Dancing lights above them brighten the room. Norman squats down in front of the king and asks if Veroulias is there. He doesn't respond to Norman. The bullywog's eyes move slowly and look at Zippy. His lips quiver and he mumbles 'Coco'. Zippy huffs and tells him he isn't Coco. Veroulias doesn't take notice and is happy that Coco has come back. Zippy decides to roll with it and plays the part of Coco to get some information out of Veroulias. Veroulias asks if he found it. Zippy tells him he did. Veroulias continues wanting to know if he found the other side, beyond the planes, and if he came back for him. Zippy asks what he was definitely bring back for him. Veroulias says he was going to find a place beyond the planes and take him and the crystal to there. Because that's what the black ball told him.

Veroulias asks if he has spoken to the black ball since or if he still needs him to mediate. Zippy asks for Veroulias to mediate one last time. Veroulias tells him he has not much time left. Zippy asks if he can go into the crystal and he can finish the mission. Veroulias tells him he must stay, his magic if holding it together but its running out. Zippy puts his paw in Veroulias' palm. Norman feels a pounding in his chest and he takes a step back. Veroulias puts his other hand out and from the shadows, the black bunny peeks out and it hops over. Even Norman can see as the black bunny places their hand in Veroulias' other hand. Norman feels the pounding again and he back away more, telling Zippy to be quick. Veroulias asks Coco to show him the way. Norman feels the pounding even more and hears Royce's voice in his head, yelling in frustration.

## Quotations

* Jacob "*Great, I dodged death and now death is coming to me.*"

* Zippy "*You're just a side quest at best for me.*"
* Druid "*…what?*"

* Jacob "*I always knew there would be a Zippy vs Norman scene, I've been preparing for years.*"

* Royce "*I underestimated you Norman, but the seal is broken. You can't keep me down here for long.*"

* Bradley "*Oh my god, I haven't given this speech in like three years… here are the rules of Pyre Pitch…*"

* Painting Veroulias "*The doormat of the world is what they shall call me; for I help everyone and they all step on me.*"

* Painting Veroulias "*This is the price of greed.*"

## Featured Characters

### Main Cast

* Norman D
* Dariun Branch
* Zippy Westborrough

### Returning Characters

* Royce
* Pyro
* Victor
* Bullywog coach
* Randy
* Bradley
* Apophis
* Lemasu
* Pops
* Peacock
* King Verulious Arozar House of Dumas
* Black Bunny

### New Characters

* Loris
* Chipmunk
* Painting Veroulias

## Trivia

### Dice Rolls

Norman D
 3
 3

Zippy Westborrough