Scenario:Conquest of the Dark Singularity - Chapter 2: Tropical Paradise - Episode 4

Conquest of the Dark Singularity - Chapter 2: Tropical Paradise - Episode 4

The crew finally takes the opportunity to ask Tunaro his reason for disliking skydwellers so much. Tunaro explains that he once spent his days in the skies with his friends, but one day, everyone but himself was captured by skydwellers. Upon hearing about this terrible incident, Sig apologizes to Tunaro as a skydweller. Tunaro feels conflicted when he sees the pained expressions on every crew member's face.

---

A sunny afternoon at the seaside calls for an intensive game of beach volleyball.

Vikala: T-tossing it to you, K-Kumbhira!

Vikala: Hah!

Kumbhira: Nice set, Vikala!

Kumbhira: Get ready for my reckless spike!

Cupitan: Oh, no, you dooon't! Check out my rainbow receive... and then another toss! Whoooo!

Tunaro: Here I go, cor! Thunnus Spike!

Vikala: Eep! They got us...

Kumbhira: Don't sweat it! I wouldn't have been able to get it either.

Tunaro and Cupitan exchange a high-five to celebrate their small victory.

Cupitan: We did it! Yaaay! Let's keep it up!

Tunaro: C-Cupitan? You're not usually this excited, cor...

Vyrn: Rainbow Girl said something like "this is the only way to survive this hat-astrophe" and stabbed herself with one of her Prism Arrows.

Lyria: I bet she thinks that staying hyped like that will help her make it through!

Cupitan: All riiight, here we go agaaain!
(Somebody stop me...)

Ilsa: Tunaro. Your next partner's going to be me. Ready to face the battlefield?

Tunaro: Yes, ma'am, cor!

Tunaro: ...
Wha!

In that moment, however, Tunaro returns to his senses and stamps his foot on the ground.

Tunaro: No! I'm not about to have a good time with skydwellers!

Vikala: Huh... Why keep reminding yourself like that? You were having a great time with us just now.

Kumbhira: Tunaro... Why do you hate skydwellers so much?

Percival: I'm sure there are things you would rather not discuss—yet if you don't put it into words, we'll never be able to understand. The choice is yours.

Tunaro: ...

With a sigh, Tunaro shifts his gaze to the ball at his feet.

Tunaro: It's not exactly a story for summer vacation. You okay with that, cor?

Vyrn: Of course. Our crew doesn't have many stories appropriate for a typical holiday, so you'll fit right in.

When the others chuckle and nod in agreement, Tunaro looks resigned.

Tunaro: The school of albacore I belonged to... originally lived in the skies, cor.

Ragazzo: Sorry, I gotta ask—do albacore primals usually fly in the sky?

Sig: Yeah. They soar through the skies at high speeds, occasionally crashing through airships.

Sig: But sometimes they'll slow down and dive into the ocean near Yudhisthira, perhaps to change their trajectory.

Lyria: Like when we helped the Druga Pirates in that battle against Albacore!

Ragazzo: I see... What about the other albacore in the sea then? Actually, while I'm at it, what exactly is a "school"?

Neptune: Albacore are an unusual type of primal. They live in groups called "schools," and each school makes up a single primal beast.

Neptune: Within a particular school is a gigantic entity that serves as the boss... You've fought against one, haven't you, Sig?

Sig: Yeah! Memories of fighting that albacore are going to flash before my eyes when I die... I know it.

Neptune: The ecology of each school of albacore is different. They can live in the sky or in the sea.

Neptune: But we've only started seeing albacore in seas outside of the Yudhisthira waters recently.

Tunaro: I can explain why that is, cor.

Tunaro's tone grows solemn.

Tunaro: My albacore friends and I belonged to a school that was relatively small within our species.

Tunaro: We don't have concepts like being of the same blood, but we were like family and lived peacefully in the skies.

Tunaro: But one day...

Airship: ...

Tunaro: Suddenly, a skydweller ship appeared in the middle of our migration route.

Tunaro: We couldn't stop so abruptly... so while we felt bad, we had no choice but to charge straight into the airship.

Tunaro: But then...

Tunaro: Huh?

Tunaro: I couldn't believe my eyes, cor. My friends flying at the front of the group were lodged in the airship and couldn't get out.

Percival: Impossible! You mean to say that the airship was able to withstand the force of the albacore?

Ilsa: That's absurd. Steering clear of albacore is essential even for the strongest of the Society's ships.

Tunaro: But that wasn't all, cor! The skydwellers captured all of my friends that were stuck in the airship!

The Crew: ...!

Tunaro: They were waiting to ambush and capture us all along, cor.

Tunaro: I was at the rear of the group, so I was the only one who barely managed to avoid the ship and dive into the ocean...

Tunaro: Lucor, Alea, Borba, Cabaco... They all got caught!

Tunaro bites his lip in anguish, clenching his fists even tighter.

Tunaro: News of the albacore abduction quickly spread among our species, cor.

Sig: ...!
So that's why a portion of albacore moved their habitat to a safer place...

Tunaro: The skydwellers took my family away... I have nothing but hate for them now.

A heavy silence hangs over the crew.

Sig: ...
I'm sorry.

Sig gives Tunaro a deep, sorrowful bow.

Tunaro: The Druga Pirates have nothing to do with the school I belonged to.

Sig: That may be true, but... that's not what I mean.

Sig: I know... that there are a lot of terrible people out there, roaming the skies and the ocean.

Tunaro: ...

Sig: The Drugas are keeping watch on the coastal waters for poachers, but we're only going back and forth with no progress to be made.

Sig: Still... I also know that there're a lot of good people in these skies, as well as in the ocean.

Tunaro: Hmph! I don't need you to put a bow on—

Sig: Right. I know words alone won't mean anything to you.

Sig: After all, even for me... All this time, I thought all albacore were the same.

Tunaro: ...!

Sig: Before I met you, it never even crossed my mind that albacore could have their own unique traits.

Sig: So I understand—I don't have any right to tell you anything. But I'd like to at least offer my sincere apology as a skydweller, if you'll take it.

Sig: I'm truly, truly sorry!

Lyria: Sig...

Tunaro: ...

Tunaro: (Damn it... Why did it have to be like this, cor? They're supposed to be despicable skydwellers...)

Tunaro: (But everyone here's listening to my story with such sad faces... like some of their own had died.)

The crew's eyes are filled with tears, their gazes cast downward in mourning. Tunaro's lip quivers as he watches them.

The Two: ...

Neptune: (Who knew... that Tunaro was a survivor of that incident.)

Varuna: (There must be more to it that we don't know about! I just have a feeling...)

The two primal beasts sense an ominous ripple within their watery realm.

If left alone, there's no doubt that the ripple will eventually turn into a surging wave, bound to come crashing down onto all of Auguste.