MERIDELL - It has come to my attention that since the Darigan has officially
won the war, there is question of what is to become of the Meridell Defenders.
The millions of other reporters scouring Meridell for any shred of news, or
seeking for any changes in the landscape, are in my opinion too focused on the
conclusion of the war itself. I, however, wish to know of what is to become
of Morris, the favourite subordinate punch bag existing on the Meridell side
of the war. What exactly is to happen to Morris, the Mob of angry citizens,
and all the other veterans of the Meridell War? Will they become prisoners,
now that Meridell has been defeated? Or heroes to those poor citizens of Meridell,
who are about to be conquered by a power supported by majority?
What has happened to this Meridell Defender after the war's end? Well, I went
in search of our Quiggle friend, determined to find his view on the defeat of
Meridell, and his hope for the future. I scoured Meridell, looking under and
around my buddy Mr. Turmy, known to everyone as the "Turmaculus". I visited
the wretched Mortog princes, croaking to feel the touch of my lips on their
slimy, amphibian skin. I managed to sneak 47 pounds of Halloween Aisha flesh
into "Ye Olde Petpets" after being tipped off by Lisha of Morris' day job mucking
Ganuthor stalls. Then I was terribly delayed by Alkenore Cheese gone awry and
before I knew it, I had landed in Illusen's Glade in the middle of one of Illusen's
wrathful speeches about Jhudora. That is only a tiny bit of the hassles I went
through, in my pursuit of news that could only be provided by Ol' Morris himself.
I had just about gone through my last strand of patience, limping through Meri
Acres farm after I had a tragic accident with the Tower of Turnips when I finally
decided to stop in the Potato Counter to try my luck counting potatoes. And
there, stood Morris himself, peeling potatoes at the Potato Counter. I staggered
over to him, finally, after countless hours of futile searching, found the Quiggle
I was looking for. The Meridell Hero. He stared at me mistrustfully using his
short sword/potato peeler to motion to me.
"Why, hillyo there, yer one of those Darigoners ain't you? Come to make one
last jab at Morris before he's shipped off to one of them fancy dungeons in
Darigan?" He grumbled the last bit and spliced a potato cleanly in half to emphasise
his words.
"I...erh..I mean no. I'm a Reporter, neutral therefore. I've been searching
for you for an interview..."
"Ohhh, one of them reporters like Maria Blumaroo? Ain't she a beauty. Almost
as beautiful as the pride of Meridell-that marrow out there yeh see? Though
Meridell's nay a place for reporters like her. Them ones like technology places
like that VirtuPets Space Station out there. With the evil Grundos and such.
Never mind the rambling I'm doin', mind telling me what yer after?"
I blinked a couple times, trying to accustom myself to that funny accent he
was using, not to mention trying to follow on his line of thought.
"Well, I suppose it's a bit like that...but really, I want to know about what's
going to happen to you now that the wars ended, and Meridell lost."
Morris nodded and uttered a sound of approval before putting his Quiggle Sword
back in his scabbard and scattering the peeled potatoes on the ground by his
feet. Here is the interview:
Despairing: Well, Morris, the main focus of this interview is on what
is going to happen to you after the war. Are there any comments you would like
to make on that sir?
Morris: You betcha Missy. Of course I got a bunch of things to say.
First off, this ain't the end of Meridell yeh hear!? This ain't the end! We
mighta not be able to fight again but other Meridell generations will!
Despairing: All right Mr. Morris. Now what would you see yourself doing,
now that your job as Meridell Defender is over?
Morris: Well, for myself I'd see a nice comfy farm and a job peeling
potatoes and puttin' that Quiggle Sword to use. That is, if I don't get sent
off to Darigan as one of them prized prisoners.
Despairing: Do you care to explain what you mean by that statement?
And your reasoning behind being taken as a prisoner to Darigan?
Morris: Darigan? Have you seen them draconian thingamabobs? Even a country
bloke like me knows what draconian means! It's 'evil' I tell ye! evil! Theya
gonna just take me there for ent-re-tay-ment for that ugly king of theirs'.
Despairing: Well, Mr. Morris, are you sure they would do that? For what
benefit would it be?
Morris: Where's yer head? Up in Faerieland? There is nay benefit to
take us ragged Mob Militias and harmless blokes up to that Citadel. Like I said,
we'll be a bit of wee fun for that ugly king of theirs.
Despairing: Speaking of, do you believe your friends that helped during
the war would be taken too?
Morris: Every last one of them lads and lassies. The Mob militia, the
Green Knight. Yah know? Only the fittest can stay I tell ye. The fittest. If
ye dun mind, I'd like to say that Jeran and Lisha will still be here. We've
arranged for them to hide in one of these spots yeh see? Since no one wants
to see Lady Lisha and young Lord Jeran go down.
Despairing: So this is the end then? For Meridell? For you?
Morris: Aye, I'm 'fraid so lassy. We'll all be a bunch of Darigan goners
now. Off to get shipped off to Darigan. That's all I'm saying. Yeh'll be best
to be goin' now.
Despairing: Thank you Morris. And I'm sure everyone wishes you luck
in your future journeys.
And that is Morris' thoughts on what is to happen to him and the rest of
the Meridell defenders after the war. Will they really be sent to the Darigan
Citadel as prisoners? Or will they manage to escape and lead a life of their
own? We'll never know.... | 
