Scenario:Caim - Happy Family

Happy Family

The story of the boy continues with a visit to his birth parents' home, the conclusion of which the voice deems the crew is better off seeing for themselves. (Captain) and company are taken aback when they discover that they've been helping the primal's plot to create a new world instead of thwarting it. Just then the card of The Hanged Man shines brightly.

---

Caim: Ngh... Rgh... Gasp!

Caim: Huff... Huff...

Caim wakes violently from what seems to be a terrible nightmare.

Caim: It's okay... I'm alive. I'm... I'm still here... And nobody... nobody can...

Caim: That's right... I have to continue analyzing the data.

Caim stumbles out of bed and heads to his desk.

Caim: This phase is very nearly primed. Same for their end...

Caim flicks the red stone.

Caim: It's nearly time. They've done what they need to do.

Caim whispers these words as he grips the red stone with sweaty, twitching hands.

Mysterious Voice: Let's continue the story then, shall we? We're very nearly at the climax.

Mysterious Voice: After countless kind encounters and foolish departures, the child eventually decided to find the place of his birth.

As far as the child was concerned, his parents were foolish and flawed from head to toe.

Their lives must be miserable, the child thought. They had abandoned their perfect, blessed progeny after all.

But then the child found his old house with a daughter inside. And oh, how happy they all looked!

This new daughter wasn't very smart. She could hardly be described as beautiful either.

And yet the three of them seemed... happy.

They laughed about how much happier they were, compared to living with you-know-who.

They wanted to forget about him entirely.

He drove them up the wall and they had no choice but to abandon him, they thought.

They chatted on about how much fun they were having now.

The child felt compelled to listen as his parents disowned him a second time.

Could it be? Had the child been in the wrong all this time?

No, they're the ones to blame here, he thought.

And so the child decided to erase his family from existence.

Now I'm safe, he told himself with a smile.

But the child was much too smart for such simplistic solutions. The doubts sowed by his parents' words would not be so easily erased.

Day after day, those doubts grew larger... until it was too late.

The child was convinced the world was laughing at his pathetic existence.

And in time he could bear the grief no longer.

Mysterious Voice: Heh. I can't say much more than that. Not that there's any need, really.

Mysterious Voice: You're living in the middle of this story, and the conclusion is right on the horizon.

Mysterious Voice: Just hang on a little longer, okay?

(Captain) and the crew have repeated the battle within the primal beast's memories countless times.

As they begin to doubt the purpose of their struggle, Caim pays a visit to the Grandcypher.

Caim: Hello, everyone.

Lyria: Oh, hi, Caim!

Vyrn: Perfect timing! There was something we wanted to ask you about.

Caim: Yes. That's why I'm here.

Lyria: Huh? What do you mean?

Caim: You're wondering how long you have to keep fighting, correct?

Vyrn: Wow, nailed it on the first try!

Caim: It only makes sense for you to start harboring doubts.

Caim: But you can rest easy. The fight is already over.

Vyrn: Really? Does that mean we managed to throw a monkey wrench in the primal beast's plans?

Lyria: Um, Caim? The presence I'm sensing from that card you gave us is getting stronger too...

...

Vyrn: And is it just me, or is the image on the card clearing up? Let's see if we can finally make heads or tails of it...

Caim: Yes. I had a feeling you might've noticed.

Caim: Today, as thanks for your cooperation, I'm going to tell you the truth.

Vyrn: Th-the truth?

Caim: First, you've collected enough data. That's why the fight is nearing its end.

Lyria: Huh? D-data?

Caim: Combat data from the War. I now have enough to proceed with world creation.

Vyrn: Wait a sec!

Vyrn: I thought we were fighting to prevent a new world from being created!

Caim: Just the opposite. You were nothing more than pawns in my simulation.

Lyria: That can't be!

Thinking they were fighting to save the world, not bring it to the brink of annihilation, (Captain) and the crew are at a loss for words.

Caim: Honestly, you exceeded expectations. I'm glad I chose you.

Vyrn: Thanks, but no thanks for the compliment! You tricked us!

Caim: That's how it turned out.

Caim answers, seemingly devoid of emotion.

Caim: And? What are you going to do about it?

Vyrn: Well, when you put us on the spot like that...

Caim: Whatever you do to me won't stop the flow of events that have been set in motion.

Lyria: But we can't just sit here and watch the world get destroyed!

Vyrn: You've got that right! We've gotta stop it somehow!

Vyrn: Obviously! But what do you suggest we do instead?

Lyria: Um, you weren't kidding about a primal beast trying to create a new world, right?

Caim: I was not. What of it?

Vyrn: Oh, I gotcha! So if we can somehow stop him—

Caim: That's going to be difficult.

...

Vyrn: Why's that!

Lyria: The card is shining!

Caim: Fine. I never did like you, but we have to do this if we're going to move forward.

Lyria: Caim, who are you talking to?

Caim: All right, (Captain).

Vyrn: What's going on!

Caim: I'm taking the card back.

Caim slowly reaches toward the gleaming card in (Captain)'s hand.

All the crew can do is look on in stunned silence.