Scenario:Aletheia - Together, Alone

Together, Alone

One day, Aletheia witnesses his two children, Teena and Lucius, quarreling. Due to a shortage of available skyfarers, Lucius had attempted to take on a three-person mission alone, angering his sister. With a little encouragement from Lyria, Aletheia volunteers himself. Dressed in a new outfit given to him by Teena, the sage embarks upon the mission with his son and daughter at his side.

---

One afternoon in the Grandcypher's dining hall...

As each member of the crew goes about their day, one dispute stands out amongst the otherwise peaceful clientele.

Teena: You always do this, Lucius! Why can't we ever just talk?

Lucius: ...

Teena: What were you thinking, accepting a mission by yourself and trying to leave without telling me?

Lucius: ...

Teena: You could at least try to communicate while I'm telling you off for not communicating...

Lucius: I said I was sorry. Are we done here?

Teena: No, we aren't! I'm telling you, you can't go alone!

Vyrn: W-whoa, are Teena and Lucius fighting?

Lyria: That's not like them at all... Aletheia, did you see what happened?

Aletheia, who was watching the quarrel unfold from another table, turns to answer Lyria.

Aletheia: Hmm. It seems my thick-headed son doesn't care about his own safety.

Lyria: He doesn't?

Aletheia: Mmhmm. Apparently, he intends to take on a three-person mission all on his own.

Vyrn: That's pretty unsafe, all right! Lucius is crazy as ever, huh.

Lyria: I can understand why Teena would be so upset.

Aletheia: So can I...

Aletheia: (Still, a three-person mission would suit us nicely...)

Aletheia: (Lucius might agree to have Teena join him, but he'd never do the same for me.)

Aletheia wasn't there the day his village was attacked and his wife was killed.

For a long time, his son Lucius resented him for abandoning his family.

However, Lucius recently learned that his father's absence was an unavoidable tragedy. The two have started to reconcile, but progress is slow...

Aletheia: (No... Some other time. It's still too early.)

But Lyria notices Aletheia's pensive frown. She smiles as an idea forms in her head.

Lyria: Why don't you go with them, Aletheia?

Aletheia: Ha, best not. There are better candidates than me. Say, why don't they take Feena?

Vyrn: Feena? She's busy with a job on another island.

Aletheia: Oh... All right. Still, they have plenty of other crewmates to choose from.

Lyria: Actually, a lot of people are away at the moment. They're all on missions, or visiting their families.

Vyrn: Yeah, we're really shorthanded right now. Maybe that's why Lucius tried to go solo.

Aletheia: ...

Lyria: And I'm sure Teena would love to see you in action while wearing that outfit!

Lyria gestures at Aletheia's clothes—a suit that is much more elegant than his usual attire.

His mind turns to a few days ago, when he received it...

Aletheia: We were visiting an island that was in the midst of an annual festival.

Aletheia: The people were celebrating the love and appreciation they had for their families by giving them gifts.

Aletheia: The others in the crew were following the local custom, so I thought I would join in.

Aletheia: Unsure of what to get them, I settled on two nicely wrapped boxes of candy.

Aletheia: Lucius wasn't impressed, but Teena was over the moon. Better still, she had also bought something for me...

Teena: Here, Dad. I found this in a nearby shop. I thought it might look nice on you.

Teena: We're celebrating our families, right? I thought I'd follow the local traditions. Hehe... Promise that you'll wear it sometime?

Aletheia: Perhaps you're right, Lyria. Besides, a mere handful of candy for clothes this stylish is in no way a fair exchange.

Aletheia: I can help my lovely daughter and repay my debt to her at the same time.

Lyria: Hehe, I'm sure you will!

Aletheia rises from his seat and approaches Teena and Lucius, who are still arguing.

Teena: Dad... Oh! You're wearing it!

Aletheia: Yes, I wanted everyone to see what my daughter gave me!

Lucius: Is that all you came to say?

Aletheia: Don't scowl like that, son. I'm merely trying to help out my fellow crew member. There's room for one more on your team, right?

Lucius: Hey, hang on—

Teena: Yeah, there is! We were just looking for another teammate.

Teena: C'mon, Lucius. Let's go as a group of three. Please?

Lucius: ...
Fine. Follow me if you want.

Lucius: But I'm in charge of protecting Teena. Got it?

Aletheia: Fine by me. Heh, you're starting to sound like a man, boy.

And so the three set off on their mission together.

Aletheia and Teena, at the very least, look forward to spending some quality time as a family, however fleeting it may be.