Scenario:Charlotta - Value of a Smile

Value of a Smile

Charlotta hears about a fountain in a forest that can change the appearance of those who take a dip in it, but the fountain only works once every century. Some thugs hear the crew discussing this and hatch a nefarious scheme.

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Staff: Thank you for waiting! Here's your little skyfarer's lunch!

Charlotta: ...

Staff: Um... Who ordered this?

Charlotta: ...

Vyrn: Hey. What's the matter, Charlotta?

Charlotta: ...!
Huh? What is it?

Lyria: They brought your kid's meal.

Charlotta: Oh... Thank you very much.

Vyrn: What's up with you? You've been all spaced out.

Charlotta: It's nothing... I was just thinking about how my wish might soon come true.

Charlotta: I just can't stop myself from daydreaming about it.

Vyrn: Sheesh... Think you might be hoping for too much?

Charlotta: Not at all! This has to be it. It just has to!

(Captain) and company have come to a town near a forest based on information from the Knickknack Shack.

There's apparently a village beyond the forest that is home to a very special fountain.

Once every century the fountain is said to gain a miraculous power: those who bathe in it emerge looking exactly as they wish.

Charlotta: For a once-in-a-hundred-year chance to be so close... It can't be anything but fate!

Vyrn: Nah... Sounds a bit too good to be true to me.

Lyria: Well, let's just finish eating and go see for ourselves!

Thug 1: Hey, you hear that?

Thug 2: Sure did. Smells like money to me. Let's tail 'em!

Vyrn: Well, now what? This fountain's supposed to be in some village, right?

Charlotta: First we have to pass through the forest.

Charlotta: We might find ourselves face-to-face with some mighty monsters. You just leave them to me!

Value of a Smile: Scene 2

The villagers busily prepare to celebrate the fountain's awakening, though they believe the legend concerning it to be mere superstition. Instead of the busy adults, some children guide (Captain) and company to the fountain.

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Villager 1: A legendary fountain, you say? Yes, that does ring a bell.

Villager 2: I know the one. It's just outside the village.

Villager 1: Oh! You mean that one. What about it?

Charlotta: Well... We've heard that it's about to awaken for the first time in a century.

Villager 2: That it is. And that's why we're running around like chickens with our heads cut off getting ready for the festival.

Villager 2: Sorry to be such rude hosts. Normally we'd show you around since you've come such a long way.

Charlotta: We didn't come here to see the sights!

Charlotta: Wait... Do you villagers perhaps not believe the legend concerning the fountain?

Villager 2: Hmm... Well, everyone around here definitely knows the legend.

Villager 1: But it's just a superstition! Nothing to get all worked up about.

Lyria: Um... Could you at least show us the way to the fountain?

Villager 1: Huh? Wish we could, but us grown-ups can't really afford to spare a hand...

Child 1: I'll take 'em!

Child 2: Oh! Me too!

Vyrn: Hold up. You shrimps think you can manage that?

Child 1: We are not shrimps! I'm bigger than she is!

Charlotta: Wha? I know how I look, but I assure you that I'm an adult!

Child 2: Really? But you're no bigger than my little sis! And she just started talking last week!

Charlotta: Grrr!

Charlotta: (Captain)! I do hope you'll leave any monsters you meet to me!

Charlotta: I'll show these kids just how a real adult deals with problems!

Value of a Smile: Scene 3

Lyria feels a curious power in the fountain and expects it to peak when night falls. (Captain) and company decide to enjoy the festival while they wait, but they find thugs attacking the village in search of valuables and are forced to deal with them.

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The village children lead (Captain)'s crew to the fountain to see if it's all it's cracked up to be.

Vyrn: Hey, are you kids sure this is the right place?

Child 1: Yeah, this is the only fountain around here.

(Captain) and company stand before a gurgle of water that hardly qualifies as a fountain.

Charlotta: I must say... this certainly doesn't look like the stuff of legends.

Charlotta: Perhaps it's as the villagers said...

Lyria: Wait. I can feel a power here.

Lyria: And a strange one at that. This fountain is the source.

Vyrn: Hold up. If you're feeling something, then the Astrals were messing around here, right?

Charlotta: The Astrals? Then the legend must be true!

Lyria: The power acts as a wave, and it should be at its peak soon.

Lyria: I think the fountain will be at its strongest tonight.

Charlotta: So the chance really does only come along once every hundred years!

Charlotta: I've waited so long for this moment! And finally... It's here at last!

Vyrn: How about we hang back in the village until then? I mean, there's a festival and all. Why not enjoy it?

Child 1: You know, there's not a lot of excitement out here in the country.

Child 1: But you're gonna love our festival! It's the best part of the year!

Charlotta: Hehe... You do make it sound quite exciting!

Child 2: Yeah... But it doesn't start until tomorrow.

Lyria: Is that so? The villagers did say they were busy getting ready.

Charlotta: Hehe... That's just fine with me!

Charlotta: This time tomorrow I'll be at the festival looking brand spanking new!

Lyria: So, Charlotta, are you going to leave us once you're bigger?

Charlotta: Well... Um...

Vyrn: Can't do much about that. I say we celebrate our last night together in style!

Charlotta: ...

(Captain)'s crew returns to find the village in an absolute uproar.

Villager: Help us! Brigands! Brigands in the village!

Thug 1: Yeesh. This rat hole doesn't look like much, does it?

Thug 2: I mean, you hear about some legend and you expect something, but there's nothin' here!

Vyrn: Wha? How'd they find out about the fountain?

Charlotta: Regardless of whether they were eavesdropping on us or learned of it independently...

Charlotta: We're certainly not going to let them have their way!

Value of a Smile: Scene 4

The fountain overflows with power, but Charlotta is out capturing thugs who stole a talisman from the village. Though she misses her once-in-a-century chance with the fountain, the smiles of the children when she returns the talisman are more than enough for her.

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Charlotta: Phew... So that's it.

(Captain)'s crew makes sure the thugs pay dearly for their deeds.

But night falls during the excitement.

Charlotta: Perhaps we should head to the fountain.

Charlotta: It's time to part ways with both my small stature and you, dear skyfarers.

Charlotta: Soon I must leave you and return to Lumiel.

Charlotta: ...

Charlotta: Huh? Did anyone else hear a sound from over there just now?

Vyrn: Hey! Charlotta! Where'd she run off to?

Lyria: She's not here either. Oh, Charlotta...

Lyria: She wasn't in the village, so I thought she might already be at the fountain, but I guess not.

Vyrn: Sheesh... What could possibly be more important to her than this?

Lyria: The fountain's power has almost peaked. It'll probably be back to normal by tomorrow.

Villager: This is bad! Hey! You there! Help us search!

Vyrn: Huh? What's got your pants in a twist?

Villager: Those thugs! They stole our talisman from the warehouse! And they're getting away!

Thug 1: Whew... That was a blast and a half.

Thug 2: And I still don't even know what that legend thing was all about.

Thug 1: Those skyfarers sure ran us through the ringer.

Thug 1: But this thing we snatched should fetch a pretty penny.

Thug 2: They use it in their little festival, so you know it's gotta be worth something! Oh! Look at the size of those gems!

Thug 1: And it looks like it's made of gold. Melt this down and whoo, boy...

Charlotta: Halt!

Thug 1: Huh? And who're you?

Charlotta: Who am I? None other than a noble agent of the Holy Kingdom of Lumiel...

Charlotta: And captain of the kingdom's Order of Holy Knights, Charlotta Fenia!

Thug 2: Wait... You were with those skyfarers from before!

Thug 1: Stay cool! What's a shrimp like this gonna do?

Charlotta: Yes, 'tis true that I am small in stature—but as a deliverer of justice, none stand taller than me!

Charlotta: So prepare yourself! My sword and my heart are one, and I deem you ruffians guilty!

Dawn comes to the village the next morning, but there's still no sign of Charlotta.

Lyria: Where could she be? I hope nothing happened to her...

Vyrn: Yeah, no one even found the thieves who made off with the talisman.

Villager: Without the talisman, we'll probably have to cancel this year's festival.

Child: What? That sucks...

With the future of the festival hanging in the balance, a soldier walks into the village.

Palace Guard: Pardon me. We've been taking care of this kid since last night...

Charlotta: How many times must I repeat myself? I am not a kid!

Lyria: Charlotta?

Palace Guard: Ah, you must be her sister.

Palace Guard: You really shouldn't be letting a little girl wander around town in the middle of the night.

1. Yeah, I know my daughter's a hassle.
2. She's not a child.

Choose: Yeah, I know my daughter's a hassle.

Charlotta: Wha? I dare you to say that one more time!

Vyrn: Hey, (Captain)'s just trying to keep you from getting into any more trouble.

Charlotta: Ugh... But daughter? Seriously? Would little sister have been too much to ask?

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: She's not a child.

Charlotta: That's right! I'm a perfectly healthy adult!

Palace Guard: Whatever you say... Just make sure you don't go running around at night anymore.

Charlotta: Grrr... Why do people insist on treating me like a child?

Continue 1

Vyrn: Hey, how about telling us where you went off to? You know we were worried, right?

Charlotta: Oh, right...

Charlotta: I wanted to return this to you.

Charlotta hands the stolen talisman back to the villagers.

Villager: My goodness! You got it back for us? Truly?

Charlotta: What else could I have done? To let such ruffians get away would have been a tragedy.

Child: Hey! Does this mean we're gonna have the festival?

Villager: You bet! Everything is back on!

Child: Yay!

Charlotta: Hee-hee.

(Captain)'s crew later returns to the fountain.

Lyria: It's no good. The fountain only has a bit of its power left.

Charlotta: I see. There's not much to be done then, is there?

Lyria: You couldn't get your wish, but think of how happy those children were to have their festival back!

Charlotta: Hehe. They were smiling most grandly, weren't they?

Charlotta: Smiles like that are a more than adequate trade for a once-in-a-century chance.

Vyrn: And there might be another way to get your wish anyhow! All you need is a little patience!

Charlotta: You're right! I don't plan on giving up anytime soon.

Charlotta: So you'll just have to put up with me for a while longer, (Captain)!

Charlotta beams as she speaks, her face showing not a hint of regret.

It seems that the little knight's journey to resolve her big problem won't end for some time yet.