The path towards the waterfall was quite straight-forward, with no deviations until the cave in the east cliff wall that could just barely be seen in the distance. As the group made their way there, they encountered several different creatures that tried to fight them. Red Antoids proved one of the most numerous, and easiest to deal with as - like their black cousins in the Giant Step cave - either attacked with a bite, healed themselves, or called for help. Jeff in the lead parrying could wipe out an entire group in less than a minute. The new variety of zombie that was present was worrisome at first, but without ghosts accompanying it it wasn't able to get past Jeff's robotic manipulators. Brown gators also attacked, but were quickly convinced to go elsewhere when they saw the blasts of Jeff's Gaia Beam obliterating the zombies.
The more concerning creature was a strange Armored Frog, which seemed to have the head of a frog and the body of an armadillo. While it wasn't strong enough to get past Jeff's defenses, the odd combination unnerved Moondancer for reasons she couldn't quite put her hoof on...and upset Buzz Buzz for reasons he refused to elaborate on beyond his initial reference to it as a 'chimera'.
After wading through the waves of enemies, the group finally managed to get to the cave. Ness and Paula eagerly dove into it, relieved to be out of direct sunlight. Jeff rushed in with them, now more worried than ever about their present state.
In the cave itself, an overlarge roach attacked them violently, only to be readily repelled. It wasn't long after that before they left the cave into a brightly lit valley...
Infection Worsens
Ness - Infection 5
Paula - Infection 5
Jeff - Infection 2
Moondancer breathed a sigh of relief as she took in the valley. It glowed as though it were a place of eternal sunshine, and she could see that Jeff's bite wound looked somewhat healthier just from being there. The Mr. Saturns walking around were a bit of comfort, as were the circular buildings that housed both their beds and their businesses.
As they reached the true entrance to the town, where the narrow path between cliffs widened into the valley, one of the Mr. Saturns turned to them. "Welcome to Saturn Valley, Boing!" he greeted warmly. "Here, all Mr. Saturn, zoom! Oh, you not well, see Dr. Saturn, Kay-O!" Turning, the Mr. Saturn pointed to one of the nearby buildings.
"Thank you!" Moondancer offered gratefully as she grabbed Ness and Paula in her aura to pull them to the building, Jeff following along quickly.
Jeff skidded to a halt inside, however, when he saw a Mr. Saturn sitting in a blue trashcan. "Uhh...?"
"Mr. Saturns are strange, but their medicine is top notch and they work for free," Buzz Buzz pointed out quickly. "Trust me."
"Do you want me operate on you, Boing?" Dr. Saturn asked curiously.
"Can you do anything for them?" Moondancer asked hopefully, pushing Ness and Paula in front of him.
Dr. Saturn took one look at the back of their necks and wobbled his nose. "This infection new, dangerous, Boing," he observed gravely...though his voice remained high pitched and musical. "Cannot cure, zoom."
"You...can't do anything?" Jeff asked worriedly.
"Hmm...special medicine I have...but only work so long before infection overcome. boing," Dr. Saturn allowed. "These two much close, need medicine soon or start fail, zoom." He turned to Jeff, his nose wiggling. "You, body/mind special train, stronger. Infection attack...body/mind/health, boing. You not far along, last longer by two. Want some special medicine, kay-o?"
"Definitely for Ness and Paula," Jeff confirmed immediately, "but...I think I can go without for now. I...haven't had to struggle against the infection since arriving here."
"Special light in Saturn Valley, Boing!" Dr. Saturn confirmed as he gave the medicine to Ness and Paula, who both eagerly devoured it, their color and eyes looking better even as they took bites. "Drawn from Well, but far and not strong Zoom. Not cure infection, but not progress, and make medicine grow, Kay-O!"
"So we can take our time here?" Ness asked hopefully as he stretched, his mind feeling clear and his body lacking aches for the first time since he'd been infected.
"When leave Valley, light go away, boing," Dr. Saturn pointed out. "Hit hard, zoom."
"So the longer we stay here, the harder the infection will hit them when we leave," Mondancer deduced. "We'll be careful about that."
"Help Saturns, boing?" Dr. Saturn asked curiously. "All taken past Waterfall. Big door, need Password, zoom. Save Mr. Saturn, boing?"
"I think we can take the time," Paula offered nervously. "How much more good will the medicine do us?"
"You two, none zoom," Dr. Saturn allowed. "Five doses, then no work. Work better in large doses than small, kay-o."
"Then which way to the Sanctuary?" Ness asked urgently. "We need to get there. That's the only way to purge the Infection."
"Well past hot spring, Boing!" Dr. Saturn pointed out happily. "But ladder broke. Back way from behind Waterfall, zoom!"
"Then I guess we'll be saving the Mr. Saturns in the base first," Jeff concluded, mentally running calculations on how much time they had.
"One escape, zoom!" Dr. Saturn offered happily. "In caves north, boing! Get answers, get supplies, rest up kay-o!"
"We'll do that," Ness agreed firmly.
Saturn Medicine Heals
Ness - Infected (0/6)
Paula - Infected (0/6)
Jeff - Infection 2/12
Infection does not progress while in Saturn Valley. Timer continues to count down.
Despite them not truly hurrying, the group decided to split up to get everything they needed from the town. Paula was detailed to visit the shop to see if there was anything they needed from it. Jeff explored to see if there was anything sitting around town that he could make use of. Ness intended to try and make contact with someone outside the range of the Valley as the phones in Threed hadn't worked after he and Paula had gotten infected. This left Moondancer and Buzz Buzz to talk to the Mr. Saturns and find the one who escaped in order to try and learn how to get into whatever facility was beyond the waterfall.
It didn't take long for Moondancer to find what she was looking for, one Mr. Saturn who looked like something was stuck to him, discoloring somewhat. As they approached him, his nose wriggled eagerly. "Base...secret. Base behind Grapefruit Falls!"
"How do we get in?" Moondancer asked eagerly.
"Password?" Mr. Saturn asked thoughtfully. When Moondancer nodded, he continued. "I tell. Belch man say, 'Say Password.' Then stand still. Wait three minutes!"
"Well, that's easy enough to do-" Buzz Buzz began.
"Unless the infection worsens on Ness or Paula during those three minutes," Moondancer pointed out worriedly. "A single grunt or groan might mean we had to start over."
"Do you have a better idea?" Buzz Buzz demanded curiously.
"I might," Moondancer murmured thoughtfully. She turned to the Mr. Saturn. "What can you tell me about the door?"
"Man steel," the Mr. Saturn replied happily. "One inch, zoom!"
"New plan," Moondancer stated softly. "When the 'Belch man' asks for the Password, Jeff shoots the door."
"We'll just have to hope that works," Ness pointed out worriedly as he entered the room. "I tried to call Mom and Dad, but...the numbers are specifically blocked in the region. Home, too. Even the number for Jeff's Dad that he gave me when I told him about this."
"We're being deliberately cut off," Buzz Buzz observed worriedly.