Scenario:Cagliostro - Catcher in the Sea
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Catcher in the Sea
Despite (Captain)'s aid, Cagliostro does not take well to the water. Seeing her struggle, Vyrn wonders if deep-sea water is worth the trouble, but she insists it will lead to a complete transformation. The claim sets off Vyrn's and Lyria's imaginations, but they are interrupted by a sudden monster appearance.
Aiming to make a new and improved body for herself, Cagliostro has set her sights on Auguste's deep-sea water.
However, with no swimming experience under her belt, the alchemist must first learn the basics from (Captain).
Lyria: Cagliostro! You can do it!
Cagliostro: ...!
Walking backwards in the water, (Captain) holds Cagliostro's hands as she kicks with all her might.
But as soon as (Captain) lets go, Cagliostro instantly sinks beneath the water.
Cagliostro: Gasp!
Cagliostro: Cough!
Hack... Cough, cough!
Hack... Cough, cough!
Cagliostro: Pant... Pant...
Damn... This is pretty hard.
Damn... This is pretty hard.
Lyria: I wonder why you're sinking so fast.
Cagliostro: That's what I want to know! Human bodies should naturally float to the surface! So why? Why am I not floating?
Vyrn: Um... I'm pretty sure it's because you're bad at swimming.
Cagliostro: Ugh... Practice over theory, huh.
Vyrn: Why do we have to practice out in a lonely spot like this though? It'd be easier to do it over there in the shallows.
Sure enough, they are in a secluded area far from the crowded beach, as per Cagliostro's instructions.
Cagliostro: Don't you know? Distractions are dangerous when swimming, and I'd just feel oh-so-bad if someone got hurt because of little ol' me.
Vyrn: Really? You sure it's not because you don't want other people to see you practicing?
Cagliostro: You! Why, I oughta—
Lyria: Haha... We've been swimming for a while. Why don't we take a break?
Cagliostro gets out of the water and begins to towel herself dry, before she suddenly stops and brings her face close to her arm.
Cagliostro: Sniff sniff.
Cagliostro: I'd heard that the smell of the sea sticks to your skin, but I never expected it to linger even after a good towelling.
Cagliostro: I honestly didn't even notice it until now. I suppose I'll have to wash myself down later.
Lyria: Hehe. You were so focused on practicing after all.
Vyrn: You must really want that deep-sea water. Is it really that amazing?
Cagliostro: Of course it is. Once I have it in my grasp, you'd better be prepared for a complete transformation.
Lyria: Wow! Really?
Vyrn: What kind of "complete transformation" are we talking about here?
Cagliostro: You'll just have to wait. And. See!
With that said, Cagliostro plops herself by (Captain)'s side and lays down.
Cagliostro: I'll take my break now. We'll continue practicing later.
Leaving her to rest, Vyrn and Lyria walk a little ways away to start their own discussion.
Lyria: What do you think Cagliostro will look like in her new body?
Vyrn: Hmm, I dunno. Maybe like that person over there? The one in the swimsuit.
Vyrn points at a woman walking through the crowded beach a ways away.
Lyria: Oh! It's kind of hard to picture Cagliostro looking so mature...
Lyria: Since she likes cute things so much, I was thinking she'd look more like her.
Lyria points at a girl playing in the water.
Vyrn: Whoa, she's pretty young. Picturing Cagliostro's personality in that tiny body is kind of terrifying...
Before they can speak any further, (Captain) and Cagliostro slowly rise up with their weapons drawn.
Vyrn: Huh? What's wrong?
Cagliostro: Looks like we have an unwelcome guest. Unsurprising given that there's not many people around here.
Monster: Roar!
Vyrn: Whoa! A monster?
Monster: Roar!
Cagliostro: Can't you see we're busy here? Get in the way of my swimming practice, and I'll send you to sleep with the fish!
Catcher in the Sea: Scene 2
With the monster defeated, practice resumes until Cagliostro declares her swimming good enough, and the group sets sail to collect the deep-sea water. Quelling her jitters about the depths, Cagliostro prepares to have Ouroboros dive for collection until a giant monster bursts out of the water.
After (Captain) and Cagliostro get rid of the monster, they jump right back into practice. Before long, the results of their efforts begin to show.
Cagliostro: Gasp!
Lyria: Wow! That was amazing, Cagliostro!
Vyrn: You can swim pretty far by yourself now!
Cagliostro: Pant... Pant... Well, this much I can handle.
Cagliostro: That's good enough for now though. It's time to head for the open seas and harvest some deep-sea water.
Lyria: Are you sure? Shouldn't we practice just a little bit more?
Cagliostro: My true goal here isn't to swim. It's to find some alchemical material and give myself a cuteness upgrade.
Cagliostro: Learning to swim a little was just a precaution.
Vyrn: Well, if you say so. I guess we're going then.
The crew borrow a small boat from an acquaintance's beach house and make their way onto the open seas.
Cagliostro: Hmm.
As soon as they enter the open waters, Cagliostro gazes intensely at a faraway landmass with a book open in one hand.
Lyria: Is something wrong? Are you feeling seasick?
Cagliostro: No way! I'm in tip-top shape! I'm just looking for the area these documents talk about!
Cagliostro: If you're gonna do it, you gotta do it right, so we gotta find the deepest, darkest part of the sea!
Vyrn: Whoa! Can you figure that out without diving down yourself?
Cagliostro: Something like this is a walk in the park for the genius goddess of alchemy!
Having said that, Cagliostro peers over the edge of the boat and down into the dark depths of the sea.
Cagliostro: ...
Vyrn: Hm? You sure you're okay?
Cagliostro: Y-yeah! Absolutely!
Cagliostro: (Just don't think about falling overboard and we're good.)
The ship keeps moving forward for a while until finally Cagliostro calls them to a halt.
Cagliostro: The deepest part of the sea is here. Now it's Ouroboros's time to shine.
Lyria: Is Ouroboros really going to be okay diving so deep?
Cagliostro: Don't you remember? I told you I modified Ouroboros to dive any depth without a problem.
Cagliostro: The collection is easy too. Ouroboros will swallow some of the deep-sea water at the very bottom and then—
Cagliostro: Take cover!
Monster: Rooooar!
Vyrn: The heck? That's one huge fish!
Cagliostro: A small fry like this is nothing to the greatest and most adorable alchemist that ever lived! I'll show you just how cute I really am!
Catcher in the Sea: Scene 3
(Captain) and company drive the monster back, but it tosses Cagliostro overboard as it flees. Unable to put her swimming practice to use in her panic, she is saved in the nick of time by (Captain). Initially despondent over her inability to overcome her past and do things by herself, (Captain) and the others help her realize she has a whole crew of people she can rely on now.
Cagliostro: Hmm. I guess that's that.
Monster: Roar...
Vyrn: Oh! Looks like the monster's running away!
Lyria: The boat's still rocking a lot! Be careful!
Cagliostro: Hmph. That'll show you to mess with my plans.
In the next instant, the fleeing monster smacks the bottom of the boat and sends it tilting violently to one side.
Cagliostro, who is standing right next to the boat's edge, is caught off guard by the impact.
Cagliostro: Huh?
Lyria: Cagliostro!
Cagliostro: (Damn! This is bad! Falling off is not part of the plan!)
Cagliostro: (W-wait, now's not the time to panic. Otherwise, what was the point of learning how to swim? I just have to reach the surface.)
Cagliostro: (...)
Cagliostro: (Which way is the surface? I can't tell which way is up! What do I do?)
Cagliostro tries to swim to where she thinks the surface is, but the water continues to surround her in every direction.
Cagliostro: Choke!
Uneasiness seizes her mind as she starts to run out of air.
Cagliostro: (Damn it! What can I do? There has to be something!)
Cagliostro: (But Ouroboros is on the boat. And after all that effort I went through to make the diving modifications.)
Cagliostro: (Wait, that's it! I can just use alchemy to form some air!)
Cagliostro: (Who am I kidding? There's no time for that! Even if there was, the air would dissipate into the water.)
Every possible course of action flashes through her mind, but the alchemist has long since lost the ability to think clearly. All she can do is struggle futilely.
Cagliostro: (This is not good... I'm out of time... Damn it... I've really done it this time...)
Cagliostro: (I thought I'd left that frail body behind... But to drown... because I can't swim...)
Cagliostro: (I broke the boundaries of alchemy... changed bodies countless times... and lived for this long...)
Cagliostro: (Has nothing changed? Nothing changed... at all?)
Cagliostro: (Or have I always... been trapped... by my past... ?)
Her consciousness finally fades into the distance, and her body sinks further down into the deep darkness.
Her soul has seen countless rebirths and survived the ages, yet now it flickers weakly. But just as it hovers on the brink, a strong hand reaches forth to save it.
Lyria: Cagliostro! Cagliostro!
Cagliostro: Hurgh! Hack! Cough!
Cagliostro: Huh? What happened?
Lyria: Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!
Vyrn: Don't you remember? You fell overboard!
Vyrn: I don't even wanna think about what would've happened if (Captain) didn't dive after you.
Lyria: We did some first aid, but you weren't waking up so we were really worried.
Cagliostro: Is that so? I owe you one, (Captain).
She stares uncomfortably at the sea and, after a pause, gradually reveals what she experienced while she was under.
Cagliostro: Right when I was about to lose consciousness down there, I found myself resenting my original, weak body...
Cagliostro: I thought I'd already conquered those feelings by now, especially given the countless times I've changed bodies.
Cagliostro: But no matter how much time passes or how far I travel, I'll never be able to break the chains of my past...
Cagliostro: In the end, I can't do anything by myself.
Vyrn: So what if you can't! That's why we're here!
Cagliostro: What?
Lyria: Yeah! We're your friends!
Lyria: And friends always have each other's backs, no matter what trouble they're in!
Choose: We'll always stick by you.
Cagliostro: ...!
Cagliostro: Heh. Of course that's what you'd say.
Choose: I'll always be there to save you.
Cagliostro: ...!
Cagliostro: Heh. Don't expect me to always play the damsel in distress.
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Cagliostro: I shouldn't have expected any less though. Not many other people would spend their free time teaching me how to swim.
Drifting into comfortable silence, (Captain) and company sit down with Cagliostro, and together they spend a while staring out at the vast sea.
Cagliostro: Now then. Ouroboros, you're up.
Vyrn: You sure you're okay enough for this?
Cagliostro: Absolutely. Let's get this show on the road and hurry back to solid land.
Cagliostro: And once we're there, (Captain) will be the first to sneak a peek at the new and improved Cagliostro!
Cagliostro: Consider it a little reward for you, my hero!
Vyrn: She's back to her old self already.
Lyria: Ahaha... I guess so.
Cagliostro: Go forth, Ouroboros!
Command given, the specialized version of Ouroboros dives in with a splash.
Catcher in the Sea: Scene 4
Deep-sea water now in her clutches, Cagliostro wastes no time in creating her new body, but (Captain) and company see no difference until Rosetta notices her skin is now more supple. Mission accomplished, (Captain) and the others enjoy their vacation while Cagliostro loses herself in her mirror's reflection, content to sunbathe in her own image.
Cagliostro: Heh heh heh. Just like that.
With her equipment lined up in the sand, Cagliostro prepares to use the deep-sea water that Ouroboros has gathered.
To any stranger who might happen to pass by, the sight is as confusing as it is strange, completely out of place in the everlasting summer of Auguste Isle.
Vyrn: Um... So how's the deep-sea water?
Cagliostro: The quality of it is beyond what I imagined. It's as perfectly pure as yours truly, and I can think of no better way to make use of it than this.
Cagliostro: Now, feast your eyes! Don't look away for a second!
In the next moment, a vivid light emerges from Cagliostro's body and illuminates the area.
Vyrn: Whoa, that's a lotta glow!
Lyria: Cagliostro's alchemy isn't usually this bright!
Everyone shuts their eyes against the blinding light and waits for it to pass. Once it does, they slowly, fearfully, open their eyes.
What awaits them is...
Cagliostro: Hehe.
Lyria: ...
Vyrn: Huh? Hey, Lyria, do you notice anything different?
Lyria: Um, well, just from this first look, I'm not sure I can tell if anything's changed...
Vyrn: You too, huh. Does this mean that she failed?
However, Cagliostro pays no heed to the quiet conversation unfolding.
Cagliostro: Success!
Vyrn: What? But nothing's changed!
Cagliostro: Sigh. Of course the lizard doesn't notice. Take a good look.
Cagliostro: Right here!
Cagliostro: At!
Cagliostro: My skin!
Vyrn: Uh...
Full of confidence, Cagliostro bares her arm for everyone to see. But no matter how much they squint at her skin, they fail to notice any difference.
Lyria: Um...
Vyrn: Hmm... I don't get it. It looks the same as always.
Cagliostro: Tsk. You two are hopeless. (Captain), what do you think?
Choose: You're cuter than ever.
Cagliostro: O-oh.
Cagliostro: Yes, of course! Admire this supple and radiant skin as much as you'd like!
Cagliostro: Wait, you didn't say that just to say it, right? Can you really tell the difference?
Choose: I don't see anything different...
Cagliostro: Hm. I thought so. None of you notice cuteness even if it smacks you in the face.
Cagliostro: Let me spell it out for you: this smooth and flush skin is the result of pure deep-sea water that's laid untouched for a thousand years.
Cagliostro: So long as you understand that, I might let you feel this skin, rub it even, or do whatever else it is you want.
Continue 1
Vyrn: To be honest, we thought you were gonna turn into a completely different person.
Cagliostro: Don't be ridiculous. That would never happen.
Cagliostro: I may have said this would be a "complete transformation", but this form is the result of much trial-and-error.
Cagliostro: It's not something so easily revised.
Vyrn: Geez, you really know how to get someone riled up over nothing.
Before they can continue the conversation, a new pair of voices speaks up from behind the group.
Io: Hey, hey! What are you guys talking about?
Rosetta: Hehe. You all seem very lively. Did something happen?
Lyria: Io! Rosetta! Did you already finish your trip to the spa?
Io: Yep! I'm now one step closer to becoming a proper grown-up!
Vyrn: Hehe, Cagliostro here also just finished her own spa treatment.
Io: What? She did?
Vyrn explains to them about the events that happened today and how Cagliostro's body now contains water from the bottom of the sea.
Io: An alchemy-style spa treatment? Is that really a thing you can do?
Io stares intensely at Cagliostro's body.
Io: Hmm. Well, I can't say nothing's changed...
Rosetta: Is it perhaps your skin?
Cagliostro: Oh? You're pretty sharp, Rosetta.
Rosetta: I've heard before that deep-sea water contains nutrients that help your skin stay supple and smooth.
Vyrn: Wow, I can't believe you could tell.
Lyria: Yeah, you really surprised me. Nothing gets past you!
Io: Y-yeah, I was thinking the same thing! I just didn't say it!
Lyria: Oh... I didn't notice at all.
Vyrn: Me neither. Does it really matter, though? It's just Cagliostro's skin.
Cagliostro: Just?
Cagliostro: Well, whatever. As long as I think I'm cute, then that's all that matters!
She examines herself all over, her face alight with delight.
Rosetta: Well said. I think that's exactly the kind of attitude we need when it comes to beauty.
Lyria: I see. I'll have to remember that!
Io: I don't think an alchemy-style spa treatment is something I can copy though...
With everything finally settled, (Captain) and the crew dive into enjoying their vacation.
Lyria: Io! Got you!
Io: Ah! Okay, how do you like some of this!
Vyrn: Heeey! Cagliostro! What are you doing over there? Come join us!
While they play around in the water, Vyrn calls out to the only one who elected to lounge on a beach chair instead of joining them.
However...
Cagliostro: Sigh... The new me is cuter than ever...
Cagliostro dreamily mutters to herself as she holds a mirror in one hand and gazes upon her reflection.
Lyria: Cagliostro! Aren't you going to swim with us?
Io: Cagliostro! What are you doing?
But their questions fall on deaf ears.
Cagliostro: The swimsuit fits my cuteness perfectly... I'm just the most adorable being in the world...
Vyrn: Are you kidding me? We came all the way to Auguste, and that's what she's gonna do?
Io: Geez, she's having plenty of fun by herself. Let's just leave her.
Lyria: Ahaha...
All around the crew, the beautiful skies and sparkling ocean that Auguste Isle is known for stretch as far as the eye can see.
And yet with single-minded adoration, the super cute, genius alchemist loses herself in the mirror, content to sunbathe in her own image.