After leaving the beauideal stage-arena, the trio of Gwyn, Rheba, and Harlan had begun to explore more of the south section of the city. They wandered the busy and loud streets while taking in colorful and bright sights.
Gwyn tried to stay focused on finding something that could be a lead. Rheba and Harlan had gotten distracted.
It started with some small banter after leaving the concert-match. Rheba had expressed her enjoyment of seeing Kitten in a live event, and Harlan agreed.
They seemed to stare at each other for a moment. Gwyn gulped as he worried they might start to bicker.
“I would not have thought a lizard would enjoy such an event,” Rheba said firmly.
“I would not have expected a warmonger would enjoy such an event,” Harlan replied calmly.
They stared at each with a fierce intensity. Gwyn kept his mouth shut and looked around for something to draw away from. After a moment of glaring at each other, both made a small smile.
“So, would you say Kitten is the best beauideal of the current season?” Rheba asked in a firm tone.
“Of course, what do you take me for? A Dia Mond fan?” Harlan replied in her calm tone.
Gwyn had no idea what was happening, but it felt like the tension was decreasing, so he let it go.
“Hmm, so would you say the best beauideal of all time was….” Rheba began.
“Berry the Blue Crusher,” the two spoke in perfect unison.
“Do you take me for a fake fan?” Harlan added. Her tone was neutral, but her face showed she was slightly insulted.
Rheba chuckled.
“Berry the Blue Crusher?” Gwyn muttered to himself. He concluded that all beauideals had odd names.
The Bentulousian warrior and Zenotote scientist formed a small truce after that moment and chatted about the intricacies of beauideal fights as they wandered the city. Though they still spoke English, Gwyn had no idea what they were saying and instead focused on the surrounding sights. A word quickly drew Gwyn’s attention. ‘Museum of Nun’ was plastered in neon lights over an unimpressive-looking building. It had long been in debt and was close to shutting its doors.
He turned to the other two and gleefully gestured to the building.
“Hey, look! A museum!” Gwyn didn’t bother to hide the interest and excitement in his voice.
Rheba and Harlan were still locked in their conversation but nodded to Gwyn. All had become more of tourists than investigators.
The staff seemed surprised to see a crowd willingly enter the museum. They had become familiar with seeing reluctant school children on field trips that had no interest in their megacity's history.
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A tour guide eagerly made her way out to the group with a smile. She was an Aqueenian-Bentulousian hybrid. Her skin was a creamy orange color, and her hair was jet black. Two white pointed ears sat atop her head, and her hair was cut to hang down over where the ears might generally lie. She stood half a head taller than Gwyn, and her eyes were slightly smaller than an Aqueenians usually would be.
“Welcome to the Museum of Nun! Started by the Sideshow Guild Member, Quirk! My name is Amber. Would you like a guided tour or a free-roaming experience?” she asked.
“How much for each?” Gwyn frugally inquired.
“Both services are offered for free!” Amber said without any self-awareness of why the museum was on hard times.
“Well, how about a guided tour then!” The Nonpareil gleefully replied.
The trio followed after Amber as she began the tour. Though, neither Harlan nor Rheba paid too much attention and continued a banter about beauideals.
“The city's history is a unique one,” Amber began as they walked past exhibits, “It first started not as a city but as a guild founded during the beginning of the Needaimus Rush period. Sideshow, the guild was one of the Ten Great Guilds that were famous across the land.”
Amber stopped to gesture to a tapestry. It showed a collection of Resh’s species collected around an individual who looked like a hybrid of the four natives—excluding the Netzians. The figure in front held up an arm with what appeared to be a golden Needaimus attached.
“Now, the guild founder and leader, Jaap, was recorded as an enigma in history. His species was left to be a mystery, and there are many conflicting writings about what his origins may be. Some modern historians believe that Jaap may not have existed at all, and he is just a combination of stories about the guild's founding,” Amber continued as she gestured for the trio to follow.
“Very interesting,” Gwyn said to himself as they walked to the next display.
“Sideshow was a very successful guild during the rush period of Resh’s history,” Amber explained as she pointed to the following displays. Paintings and murals of figures discovering Needaimus were lined across the wall. She continued as Gwyn eyed each of them.
“It was a time of great joy, but as the decades went on, the discovery of new Needaimus grew less and less. It wasn’t long until the Needaimus Stall was reached.”
Their tour guide led the group to the next area. The paintings had been replaced with photographs that had an ‘old-timey’ look similar to the photos from the wild west period on earth.
“Many of the guilds no longer could fund adventure work, and instead turned into mercenaries for the nations. Of course, Sideshow remained neutral during this time!”
The photos showed many yellowed depictions of different Sideshow members standing and sitting. Many of which were clearly not used to the then novel photographs.
“Unfortunately, the Needaimus Stall was one of many catalysts which led to what became known later as the Great War. It started with aggression between the Aqueenians and Hobusians. Soon after, the Zenototes and Bentulousians got involved as well,” Amber said solemnly as they moved to the war displays of the museum. Photos with weapons and armor were on display.
“Sideshow fought bravely to remain neutral, but war stretched across the world. Eventually, the guild and a collection of broken survivors from across all nations settled in a section of land they believed safe. Not knowing how long was left, a carnival was started.”
The next section of the display was brightly lit and covered with images of people celebrating.
“The Grand Carnival, as it became known, lasted for months, then years, and is still going on today! People began to build houses. Eventually, the war ended, and the City of Nun had begun!”
Amber continued to guide the group through the city’s early history and political strife as they tried to balance the Grand Carnival with daily life. It wasn’t until their guide got the beginning of beauideals that Rheba and Harlan took an interest.
Gwyn listened carefully as he tried to get a feeling for what sort of city Nun was. He was too interested in the history, and the beauideal loving duo was too focused on their conversation to notice the odd glances from Amber to them every now and then as they walked through the museum.