Scenario:Ami - The Cardinal Saints
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The Cardinal Saints
Ami drives away the attackers. She reveals that the item the crew picked up after defeating Qinglong is a yupei, and explains that she is one of the Cardinal Saints, who have received from Huanglong power and the duty to defeat the cardinal beasts and perform wakes on their yupei. The men who just attacked were relatives who want to take her weapon in order to install her sister as the true head of the family. (Captain) invites Ami to join the crew, and after thinking it over for a night she agrees.
Ami: Enough, pests.
Ami begins to fire bolts from her crossbow at an unbelievable speed.
Each and every one finds its target, piercing through the attackers' hands.
Attacker: Gah! Argh...
Ami: Do you still not get that you can't beat me? This is beyond ridiculous... It's almost comedic.
Attacker: Erg... Men! Retreat!
Don't forget, usurper—we'll be reclaiming that weapon from you one day.
Don't forget, usurper—we'll be reclaiming that weapon from you one day.
Attacker: It belongs to the true head of our family, not you!
Leaving those parting words, the men make a hurried escape.
Ami: They never learn, do they...
Vyrn: Wh-what was all that about?
Ami: It has nothing to do with you.
Lyria: I sensed something from those people similar to the presence I sense from you.
Lyria: It wasn't nearly as strong, though...
Faced with the mystery of Ami's situation and powers, the three aren't quite sure how to proceed.
Ami: ...
Ami: If you really want to know, I can tell you more. But in exchange, I want you to give me that yupei.
Lyria: What's a yupei?
Ami: The thing that Qinglong left behind.
(Captain) shows Ami the ornament that they had picked up earlier.
Ami: Yeah, that. Deal?
Ami: ...
Ami: Proof that you defeated Qinglong properly. I won't tell you any more unless we have a deal.
(Captain) thinks for a second, then hands Ami the yupei.
Ami: ...
Continue 1
Vyrn: What're you so shocked about?
Ami: I didn't think that you'd be so willing.
Ami: There's plenty of collectors that would buy it for a pretty high price, you know. Are you sure you want to give it up?
Lyria: We didn't pick it up hoping to get money for it, after all! But in exchange...
Ami: Yeah, I know. I'm not going to break my promise.
Ami: I'm one of the four Cardinal Saints. Have you ever heard of them?
Vyrn: No, can't say I have.
Ami: I see... Well, that's only natural. We haven't been well-known for quite a while.
Ami: The Cardinal Saints are people who have received power from the cardinal beasts... or rather, from Huanglong, the being that created them.
Ami: Each Saint has a duty to defeat their respective beast and perform a wake on their yupei.
Lyria: Does that mean that those men are Cardinal Saints too, since their presence felt like yours?
Ami: No. Those were my relatives. Part of a branch family, more or less.
Ami: My family is tasked with performing wakes on Qinglong's yupei.
Ami: Thanks to that, they all receive some power from Huanglong, though not as much as an actual Cardinal Saint.
Vyrn: Huh? You mean it's your family that's coming after you?
Ami: Yeah. A lot happened...
Ami: Really... Why did it have to be me who was chosen...
Ami looks down at her weapon with a pained, sorrowful expression.
Vyrn: Oh yeah, they said they were gonna take that weapon back, didn't they?
Ami: This crossbow is a special weapon that has been passed down for countless generations... It proves that I'm a Cardinal Saint and the head of the family.
Ami: That's why the members of my family who want to replace me with my sister are desperate to get their hands on it.
Ami: They think it will help them prove that she's the proper head of the family.
Ami: It's pointless, though. Huanglong decides who can wield this weapon.
Ami: Even if they gave it to her, she wouldn't be able to use it.
Lyria: Wait! You mean it's not just your relatives... but your sister too?
Ami: Well, I can't say for sure that she's actually responsible for any of this.
Ami: It's entirely possible that our relatives are attacking me on their own initiative.
Ami: Honestly, that's more likely than not what's happening. My sister has never been fond of conflict.
Ami: ...
Vyrn: ...
Vyrn: Hey, I get that you're mad about all this, but, uh... You don't gotta make such a nasty face about it.
Ami: N-nasty...
No, that's fine. I'm sure you just mean frightening...
No, that's fine. I'm sure you just mean frightening...
Ami: More importantly, you all should leave this island immediately.
Ami: They've already seen you with me.
Ami: Knowing them, they'll come after you too now.
Ami: If you ended up hurt because of me after I went to the trouble of saving you from Qinglong, I'd have to wake up tomorrow with a guilty conscience.
Lyria: What will you do, though?
Ami: I'll hide. I prefer to avoid trouble when I can.
Choose: How about you come with us?
Ami: Huh? With you?
Lyria: Oh, that's a great idea! We travel all around the skies, after all.
Lyria: I think that your family members would have a very hard time tracking you down!
Vyrn: Yeah, you bailed us out and patched us up, so we owe you that much at least.
Lyria: And more importantly, we never ignore someone who needs help!
Ami: Are you serious? Actually, are you sane?
Lyria: Of course we are!
Ami: ...
The three nod with determination, but are met only by a silent glare.
Vyrn: Uh, just to be sure, this isn't you being mad or offended, right?
Ami: ...
Vyrn: Hey, the way you talk is a bit scary, but it's actually way worse when you keep quiet...
Lyria: So... what do you think?
Ami: Give me some time to think it over. This is too unexpected to decide on immediately.
Vyrn: Yeah, of course. We'll come back tomorrow, so figure it out by then!
Ami: All right.
(Captain), Lyria, and Vyrn thank Ami and head back to the Grandcypher.
After they leave, Ami goes to her room and sits on her bed.
???: This is your chance, Ami! You've gotta take it!
Ami: Nauuu... I don't know... I've never even thought about traveling with other people before.
???: But you don't want to just be alone all the time, do you? You still haven't made any friends besides the other Saints.
Ami: Nyack! Well, I mean... Yeah, I do want more friends... I get so lonely, after all...
The next day, (Captain), Vyrn, and Lyria come back to see Ami again.
Ami: I've decided to take you up on the offer you made yesterday.
Ami: I'm sick of living on the run.
Lyria: Yay! Good to have you aboard!
Vyrn: Okay, but why do you have so much luggage? What've you got in all those boxes?
Ami: ...
Just my stuff. There's a lot, but it's all light.
Just my stuff. There's a lot, but it's all light.
Vyrn: All right then. Let's work together and see if we can move it all in one trip.
Ami: ...!
Don't touch those. I'll do it all myself.
Don't touch those. I'll do it all myself.
Vyrn: Oh, have you got really important stuff in them? Guess that can't be helped then.
Vyrn: Tell us if there's anything we can help you with, though!
Ami: ...
Thanks.
Thanks.
With that, Ami briskly starts carrying her things to the Grandcypher.
Ami: Nuah... I sounded so rude back there... What've I done...
???: I mean, what choice did you have? You can't tell them about us, after all.
Ami: Nau... Yeah. I've got to keep you a secret, or they'll definitely think I'm weird.
Ami looks at her now-empty room with a smile slightly tinged by sadness.
Her expression harbors a secret she cannot yet bring herself to tell her new traveling companions.