Scenario:Hot Summer Fete! Eating Bonanza! - Chapter 6: Play Off! Sum and Substance! - Episode 4

Hot Summer Fete! Eating Bonanza! - Chapter 6: Play Off! Sum and Substance! - Episode 4

Redluck defeats the deepflight oyster, and its remains are used as food for the final round. Once the competition starts back up, however, Amira has to tap out after feeling sick from her trip atop the oyster. Despite the frustration of losing, she encourages Kolulu to win instead. With multiple people's hopes riding on her shoulders, Kolulu pushes ahead more determined than ever.

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Deepflight Oyster: ...!

Redluck: Whoa, you're pretty scary!

The oyster's shell brushes his skin, and even that fleeting friction burns. Undaunted, Redluck only grins wider.

Redluck: Hot, just like I like it! Bet you don't want to be eaten, right?

Redluck: Too bad, though... I've got a dream riding on that competition you're trying to interrupt, so you're going to have to go!

Redluck: You'll make a good snack while I'm watching my pupil take her prize!

Redluck: Hrrraaahhh!

Deepflight Oyster: ...!

Redluck: That's one tough shell, but...

Redluck: It's not unbreakable!

Deepflight Oyster: ...!

Redluck: Heh! Easy as pie!

Kolulu: Master! That was amazing!

Redluck: Hahaha! Got a little dangerous there, but I handled it!

Redluck: That's it for me, though.

Redluck: Now it's your turn to shine.

Kolulu: I won't let you down!

Amira: Master! Are you hurt?

Redluck: Just peachy, as you can see! No lies this time!

Amira: I caused a lot of trouble...

Lyria: It's fine, Amira! Nobody got hurt.

Vyrn: You were looking for a way to resupply the competition, right? No one can fault you for that.

Redluck: All's well that ends well.

Redluck: How'd you know where to find a deepflight oyster anyway?

Redluck: I doubt you stumbled upon it by chance in such a short period of time. Did someone tell you?

Amira: I found some yesterday. Flying with them was fun.

Sevastien: So the oyster I smelled yesterday was of the deepflight sort.

Vyrn: And that's why you said you had fun, huh? Was wondering how you got so sleepy just from eating.

Vyrn: Gotta say though, people here in Auguste must have a rough time every year dealing with these wild shellfish.

Sevastien: Actually, the oysters aren't normally this aggressive. Perhaps when they are threatened, but in this case I believe there's one specific reason.

Lucio: One specific reason... Could you be referring to the deepflight oysters' ability to switch?

Sevastien: Indeed. I'd heard about such cases before, but I didn't think the reality was so destructive.

Vyrn: Wha? Ability to switch? The heck are you talking about?

Sevastien: I believe the trait is called hermaphroditism. The oysters will change sex depending on the ecosystem surrounding them.

Amira: Herma... phrodi... tism?

Sevastien: The term refers to either animals or plants which possess male and female organs, or those that can switch between the two sexes. Deepflight oysters switch.

Lucio: To become a father or a mother, depending on circumstance—a mysterious facet of ecology, that.

Amira: Father turns into Mother? Mother turns into Father?

Vyrn: Why'd you hafta to go and make things so complicated? You doing this on purpose?

Lucio: Haha. I'm merely pondering the mysterious mechanisms of this world which cannot be so easily unraveled.

Lucio: However, if the concept of flying sharks isn't too hard to accept, then neither should the concept of oysters which change sex. Don't you think so?

Vyrn: If you put it that way... I honestly have no idea.

Vyrn: But why do they switch at all? What's the point?

Lucio: It's for the sake of survival. If their ecosystem is in danger, then they must adapt to ensure their species survives.

Lucio: Last year's shark attacks most likely reduced the population of the oysters' prey, to say nothing of the direct attacks on the oyster population. This may be the source of the sudden aggression.

Sevastien: I hypothesize the same.

Vyrn: Most of this is going over my head, but I'll take your word for it. It's not not believable, at least.

Sevastien: I must say, the amount of knowledge and insight you possess... You aren't ordinary by any means, are you?

Lucio: Hehe. You think too highly of me. I am merely an odd fellow with boundless curiosity and affection for this world.

Lucio: One who chases after answers... If our creators were perfect, then why make living beings imperfect? Was it by accident or by choice?

Lucio: Life and death, dark and light, male and female... Why bother with these opposing elements? And so on and so forth.

Sevastien: Hohoho, not many delve into the world of metaphysics. You seem to have a strange trust in where your curiosity will take you.

Sevastien: An odd fellow indeed. I must admit, my own curiosity has been piqued.

Lucio: Perhaps we should have a conversation over coffee sometime.

Sevastien: It would be my pleasure.

Sevastien: But that is enough tarrying. Now that we have an ingredient to work with, I should return and prepare more food.

Mash: The faster, the better. Competition's gotta finish at some point.

Vyrn: Hey, you weren't here a second ago! Where'd you disappear off to!

Mash: Helpin' with the evacuation, obviously.

Vyrn: You, helping? Really?

Mash: Hey, eating pros would be out of a job without an audience. And I look after my fans.

Mash: Plus if anybody got hurt or worse, the whole contest'd be called off.

Mash: And we can't be havin' that. Not until I beat you brats!

Vyrn: Huh. I totally thought you ran for the hills at the first sign of danger. Guess you're not as bad as I thought!

Mash: Hmph... Can't have you hogging the spotlight anyway.

Mash: And keep your compliments! The only thing I want is that champion title!

Mash: So let's settle this once and for all!

Amira: I won't lose! I definitely won't!

Kolulu: I accept your challenge!

Announcer: All right, folks! Sorry to keep you waiting!

Announcer: Food's done cooking, so we're ready to kick things back into gear!

Announcer: I know we had a bit of a panic with the deepflight oyster attack...

Announcer: But now I'm feeling more pumped than ever!

Announcer: Especially to see the final round to its conclusion! I refuse to miss a moment of it!

Announcer: Now for the true last dish of the day...

Announcer: I'd like to go into detail, but we're already short on time so let's just get to it!

Announcer: I think the competitors are about two seconds away from hopping out of their seats too!

Mash: Got that right.

Announcer: So here it is!

Announcer: Deepflight oyster burgers! Deepflight oysters turned into deep-fried oysters, sandwiched between two buns!

Announcer: With almost no time left on the clock, who will conquer these new textures and flavors for the win?

Announcer: Will it be Mash, continuing to pull ahead?

Announcer: Or will it be an unstoppable comeback from one of the other two?

Announcer: Here we go, folks! One last battle!

Competitors: ...!

Announcer: Final round... restart!

Mash: Raaaah!

Announcer: Mash starts devouring as soon as the signal drops!

Announcer: He's not holding anything back! It's all in or bust!

Amira: Chomp, munch, munch, munch! Munch, munch, chomp, chomp!

Announcer: But Amira isn't going to let him rush off alone! She's stuffing those burgers in!

Kolulu: The concept should be the same as the hot dog... Fold the fried meat in half... Dip the bread into water...

Kolulu: Hng!

As soon as Kolulu folds the oyster patty in half, its insides come spilling out from the crease.

Kolulu: (Trying to eat like this will take up too much time!)

Kolulu: (I suppose I have no other choice. I'll eat the fried part as is!)

Kolulu: Let's dig in!

Announcer: Kolulu finally has her first bite! She took a moment there, but will she make up for lost time?

Kolulu: (However, at this rate, I won't be able to stay in the running, let alone overtake them!)

Kolulu: (There has to be something else I can do...)

Amira: Chomp, munch, munch, munch! Munch, munch, munch, chomp, chomp!

Announcer: Wowzers! Amira is going at a speed we've never seen before!

Announcer: That might be just what she needs to propel herself to first place!

Mash: Damn! I ain't done yet, punk!

Announcer: Mash tries to pull ahead! But Amira is right behind!

Announcer: Is this the final showdown—

Amira: Urk...

Announcer: Unbelievable! Amira suddenly stopped moving!

Announcer: She's holding her hand over her mouth! Her face is going blue!

Amira: Stomach... rumbly...

Amira: Feels bad...

Announcer: A-Amira's collapsed and she can't get up!

Announcer: Could this be a delayed reaction from spinning around on top of that deepflight oyster?

Announcer: What a stroke of bad luck! Nay, a tragedy!

Kolulu: Amira! Are you okay?

Kolulu completely forgets about the burgers and instinctively rushes to her friend's side.

Amira: You...

Kolulu: Don't eat any more. You'll really hurt yourself if you do.

Amira: So... I'll lose?

Kolulu: I'm sorry, but I think that's as far as you can go...

Amira: No!

Amira: Urk...

Amira desperately tries for another bite, but nausea overwhelms her senses.

Amira: Mother...

Kolulu: Amira...

Amira: This sucks...

Kolulu: I understand. If I were in your position, I'd feel the same.

Amira: ...

Amira: You have to win.

Kolulu: ...!

Amira: We both trained under Master... So I want you to win...

Kolulu: All right. I shall do you proud, my rival and comrade!

Kolulu: Once this is all over, I'll do everything in my power to help search for your mother.

Amira: Really?

Kolulu: I swear I shall! So rest easy now.

Amira: Okay...

After giving Amira a pat on the shoulder, Kolulu returns to her seat.

Mash: Gahaha! Victory is mine!

Mash: Almost had me sweating for a sec there, but there ain't no way you can catch up now! Just give up—

Kolulu: A battle is not over until it's over.

Mash: Oh?

Kolulu: Especially not when I have another reason to win!

Kolulu: For the sake of the friend who believes in me, cheers for me, and laughs with me...

Kolulu: For the sake of the one who hid his pain and let me borrow his dream...

Kolulu: For the sake of the rival who fought till the bitter end and stayed strong...

Kolulu: I shall not falter here! Not when they brought me this far!

Kolulu: And above all else, I refuse to lose for my own sake!

Mash: Well, you sure won in the blabbing department. Give ya that.

Mash: Guess we're gonna have to settle this the hard way!

Io: Kolulu! You've got this! One last effort!

Lyria: You're so close, Kolulu!

Vyrn: We're rootin' for you!

1. You can do it!

Choose: You can do it!

Redluck: Kolulu... We're all here for you.

Redluck: We know you can win! Now turn it around and eat like you've never eaten before!

Kolulu: (Everyone... I can feel your cheers giving me strength somehow.)

Kolulu: Time to push my limits... and win!