Scenario:Atum - Heat Meets Thrill
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Heat Meets Thrill
(Captain) and company are at the beach when a woman passes by them, looking for a boy with a fishing rod. When the crew takes the woman to what they remember as a popular fishing spot, in the distance, they spot the boy on a boat with Atum. The crew borrows a boat and begins sailing to where Atum is. Meanwhile, the Diviner uses his power as a primal to propel the boat in pursuit of the bonito.
Large, billowing clouds streak across the blue sky.
Heat radiating from the dazzling sun turns the sea breeze into a warm wind, and the sandy beach into a sizzling hot plate.
This is Venera Beach.
A resort destination located in the Auguste Isles.
Vyrn: Heheh, nothing like some shaved ice under the scorching sun!
Lyria: Hnnngh, I'm getting brain freeze...
Vyrn: I told ya... You gotta slow down while eating.
Lyria: It was so good, I just couldn't help myself...
Vyrn: Not you too, (Captain)!
Just then a woman walks past them, looking around uneasily.
???: Where did he go...
Vyrn: Hey, that lady looks like she's searchin' for something—or someone.
Lyria: Excuse me! Do you need some help?
Mother: Oh, yes! I'm looking for my child... I can't seem to find him.
Mother: Have you seen a boy with a fishing rod?
Vyrn: Hmm, can't say we have. If he's got a fishing rod, that means he's going fishing, right?
Vyrn: Might be better to check the reef area rather than the beach.
Lyria: We can take you to the reef. Don't worry, we'll find him!
Reassuring the clearly distressed woman, (Captain) and company head for the reef.
Vyrn: Elmott told us before that this was a popular spot for fishing.
Lyria: Look! There's a boat in the water over there!
Mother: Oh! That's him! That's my boy!
Vyrn: Phew... Good that we found him so quickly.
Vyrn: Wait, but there's someone with him on the boat...
Lyria: It's Atum, the Diviner!
Vyrn: Wha! What's he doin' there?
Mother: Is that man an acquaintance of yours?
Vyrn: I guess you could say that... We've been through some things together.
Lyria: (Captain), we should go take a look. Let's head over to where Atum and the boy are!
The crew promptly borrows a boat from a fisherman and sets out into the water.
Meanwhile, the boy is doing his best to row the boat.
Boy: One, two! One, two!
Atum: ...
Boy: One, two! One, two!
Atum: ...
Boy: Hey, mister! What're you sitting there for? You need to paddle too!
Atum: It's my first time at the ocean. Swimming, fishing, riding a boat... They're all new to me.
Boy: Doesn't mean you can slack off on the rowing!
Atum: I agreed to help you with the fishing. I didn't say I'd help you row the boat.
Boy: What the heck! Now you're just bein' a butthead!
The boy is flabbergasted at Atum's attitude. Just then, a bonito leaps out from the surface with a mighty splash.
Atum: It's mocking us again...
Atum: Child. Do your best to follow it.
Boy: I know! I'm trying!
The boy puts his everything into rowing the oars, but the distance between the boat and the bonito only increases.
Atum: (The child's ability is limited. Still, as a Diviner, letting the fish get away would be a disgrace.)
Atum puts his hand into the water.
Atum: Blast.
With the palm of his hand, the Diviner triggers a small explosion.
The burst propels the boat forward. It soars across the surface of the water, heading straight for the bonito.
Boy: Waaah!
Atum: You're not getting away. Prepare yourself, creature.
A tiny smile plays on Atum's lips as he murmurs to himself.
Heat Meets Thrill: Scene 2
Atum and the boy reach where they had seen the bonito. The boy dangles a line into the water and teaches Atum the joys of fishing. However, their boat is overturned by the bonito and the two are thrown into the water. Though they are able to keep each other afloat, the Diviner and the boy suddenly find themselves facing an onslaught of bonitos.
Atum: The creature was leaping out of the waters around here...
Boy: Hey, what was that crazy strength just now?
Atum: I am a primal beast. Something of that extent is nothing.
Boy: Whoooa...
Boy: Wait! If you could get us out here so fast, you shoulda done that from the start!
Atum: You told me to paddle, but you didn't say to use my power.
Boy: Rrrg, you're so annoying!
Atum: We need less talk and more action. Focus on the target.
At Atum's words, the boy collects himself and lowers the fishing line into the water.
Some time passes, but the line fails to twitch.
Atum: I'm growing tired of this. How much longer do we need to wait?
Boy: Be patient. Waiting like this is part of the fun in fishing.
Atum: ...
Boy: Besides, I'm not just dangling the fishing line.
Boy: See how it's floating? I'm moving the line slightly but quickly to tempt the bonito.
Atum: Ah, so it involves strategy. I can see how the bigger the prey, the more appeal there is in capturing it.
Atum: However, there is one thing I can't understand.
Atum: Would it not be more efficient to use something like a gun or a spear to take the creature down, rather than fishing it?
Boy: Huh! What're you talking about? This is fishing! You can't use weapons!
Atum: Regardless of the method, is eating the creature not the end goal? Utilizing weapons would complete the job much faster.
Boy: It's true that we're going to make it into a delicious meal, but the entire process is essential to fishing.
Boy: We need to use a single rod to successfully fish the bonito. That's the real reward!
Atum: ...
Atum cocks his head in confusion. Just then, the boy feels a strong tug on the line, and his rod bends with incredible force.
Boy: Urk... This resistance! It's gotta be the bonito! Give me a hand, mister!
Atum: That's what I came to do.
The line will only snap again if Atum puts his entire strength into pulling.
This time, the Diviner moves behind the boy instead and carefully grasps the fishing rod.
Atum: ...
Boy: Good... Now slowly put your strength into it...
Atum: It's as you said... I can feel the movements of the bonito through the rod.
Atum: It pushes and pulls... Sometimes it swivels its body.
Atum: It's not unlike the interactions that take place in combat.
Atum: There is no escape.
Bonito: ...!
Atum: (So everything depends on what we feel through the rod in our hands, and on our own intuition.)
Atum: Fishing is... rather enjoyable.
Boy: Shh!
Atum: Hm?
Boy: You feel that? The resistance is gone.
Atum: Right. There was no sign of the fishing line snapping, yet the creature's presence has vanished.
Atum: Where did it go... Where is it lurking?
Boy: Waaah!
Atum: It's underneath the boat.
Atum: Hm?
The bonito pushes up from directly under the boat. The watercraft overturns, throwing the two into the sea.
Boy: Bwah!
Boy: Dang it, we were so close!
Boy: Huh? Mister?
Atum: It's my first time at the ocean. Swimming, fishing, riding a boat... They're all new to me.
Boy: ...!
Boy: (Mister! I'm coming to save you!)
Atum: Blub, blub, blub...
Atum: (Now, what to do...)
Boy: (What the! He's sinking like a rock with zero expression on his face... It's kinda scary.)
Bonito: ...!
Boy: (Oh, crap...)
The bonito's eyes flash as it prepares to charge directly at the boy. Just then...
Bonito: ...
Boy: ...
Atum: ...
Once he sees that the boy is safe, Atum continues sinking to the ocean floor.
Atum: Blub, blub, blub...
Boy: (Wait, mister!)
Eventually, Atum is pulled out of the water and onto the boat again. He turns to the boy, looking unfazed.
Atum: Is swimming your forte?
Boy: I guess you could say that. But enough about that! I wanna know what that fire bird was! How did it burn like that underwater?
Atum: I told you—I'm a primal beast. That was nothing for me.
Boy: Oh, right! Well, anyway, we were so close to catching it...
Atum: I don't plan to give up in the least. I assume you feel the same.
Boy: You got it! I'm definitely going to fish the bonito with my own hands!
Boy: Oh... Uh, I was thinking more like just one bonito...
Atum: ...
A horde of bonitos leap up from the waves, a dangerous glint in their eyes as they look straight at Atum and the boy.
Heat Meets Thrill: Scene 3
Atum and the boy try to find their lost fishing rod, but the bonitos are fast approaching. (Captain) and company arrive just in time for Atum to take the boy and fly from their broken boat to the crew's. The two take the fishing rod on (Captain)'s boat and use it to successfully fish a bonito. A new feeling swells up in Atum's heart, and the Diviner finds himself entertaining the idea of fishing again when time allows.
Boy: Hey... Er, what do we do now?
Atum: We fish as much as we want.
Boy: I meant, how are we gonna deal with all these bonitos! One was enough trouble!
Atum: Give me the rod.
Boy: Huh? I can't find it... Oh yeah, it might've gotten washed away when we capsized.
Atum: Ah.
Meanwhile, the bonitos have reached the boat and are starting to slam themselves into it.
Atum: I've had enough of swimming in the sea.
Boy: Don't do that! We're trying to fish them, not exterminate them!
Atum: Hrm.
Atum: We'll need a fishing rod, in any case. Let's retrace our route.
Boy: Ack, we don't even have the oars anymore! They're gone with the rod...
Boy: Wh-whoa! What do we do now, mister?
Atum: Don't panic. Hold on tight.
Glaring at the path ahead, Atum reaches his hand into the water and triggers another small explosion.
Atum: ...
Boy: Mister! They're chasing after us!
Atum: ...
Atum: Nice timing, Singularity.
Lyria: Their boat's coming toward us at an incredible speed!
Vyrn: And is that... a horde of bonitos right behind 'em? What the heck happened!
Atum: Any fishing boat should have at least one fishing rod.
Seizing the boy by the scruff of his neck, the Diviner flies into the air and lands atop the other boat.
Atum: ...
Mother: I can't believe you! How could you just go off on your own like that?
Boy: I'm sorry, Mom. But I...
Lyria: Um, how did you two end up in that boat together?
Atum: We'll explain later. First, we need to get to shore.
Vyrn: R-right, let's hurry! Otherwise those bonitos are gonna sink this boat too!
Atum: Is there a fishing rod on this boat?
Lyria: I think I saw one on the deck...
Vyrn: You wanna fish in a situation like this?
Atum: This won't end until we catch the creature. That's all there is to it.
Atum: Child. What is this net for?
Boy: That's a casting net for when you wanna catch a lot of fish. But only people who fish for a living use them. For us...
Atum: Clearly, we need only a fishing rod for this battle.
Boy: Heheh, yep. For those of us who just love fishing, we wanna catch 'em with our good old fishing rod!
Beside the casting net is a rod leaning against the edge of the deck. Atum grabs it and tosses it to the boy.
Atum: We're doing this.
Boy: Yeah!
Lyria: They're really fired up...
Vyrn: Guess we gotta let 'em at it then!
Vyrn: The rest of us just hafta keep this boat going and make sure the bonitos don't break it!
The boat sails straight for the shore as Atum and the boy face the bonitos behind them, gripping the fishing rod tightly.
Atum: Now, bonitos...
Bonito Horde: ...!
The Two: We fight.
Suddenly, the fishing rod makes a sharp bend, and the two feel an immense pull that threatens to throw them out into sea again.
Atum: Oho. The bonito from earlier... I can feel their rage through the line.
Atum: It appears they, too, wish to settle with us once and for all.
Boy: Third time's the charm, right?
As they alternate between offense and defense, Atum and the boy bide their time, waiting for the right chance to turn the tables.
Atum: Now! Pull with all your might.
Boy: Hraaah!
Adrenaline still pumping through his veins, the boy continues to talk animatedly to (Captain) and company about their showdown against the bonitos.
On the other hand, Atum quietly gazes out into the ocean, not a hint of emotion on his face.
Atum: ...
Lyria: At any rate, I'm glad everyone is safe!
Vyrn: For sure. Our boat wouldn't have stood a chance if those bonitos charged into it.
Mother: Goodness, you really had me worried!
Boy: Come on, Mom. I apologized already!
Mother: An apology doesn't automatically make things right again!
Atum steps in front of the mother, as if to protect the boy from any more scolding.
Atum: Your child presented me with thorough entertainment. I say he deserves some praise.
Mother: Oh, um...
Mother: (Judging from his appearance, could he be some sort of royalty?)
Exchanging looks with Atum, the boy smiles. No words are needed between these two warriors, who now share an understanding.
Atum: Singularity. It is because you came and provided us with a fishing rod that we were able to catch the bonito.
Atum: This may not be much, but as a token of my gratitude, eat as much bonito as you'd like.
Lyria: Oooh, can we?
Boy: Yeah! You know, bonito tastes best when it's made into sashimi!
Atum: Blaze.
Boy: Ahhh!
Boy: What're you doing! Eating freshly caught bonito as sashimi was part of my dream!
Atum: No need to fuss. We can always catch another one.
Boy: Why you!
Boy: But I have to say, looks like you're pretty hooked on fishing now.
Atum: I don't know about "hooked," but it's true that my heart feels a certain yearning.
Lyria: Atum, we actually have a fishing expert in our crew too.
Lyria: Why don't you try asking for some lessons? I'm sure there's a lot you could learn!
Atum: A fishing expert...
Atum: Then I will extend an invitation tomorrow and go out for some fishing.
Atum: I'll judge for myself whether this person is truly worthy to be called an expert.
Boy: Hey, mister! You're still a newbie, you know. Can't you be more humble!
Atum: ...
This Diviner has spent long years focusing on his sole duty of pursuing the Phoenix.
However, Atum now finds himself thinking that, if he were to have spare time in the future, it may be worthwhile to engage in some fishing again.