Scenario:Conquest of the Dark Singularity - Chapter 6: An Organic Singularity - Episode 2

Conquest of the Dark Singularity - Chapter 6: An Organic Singularity - Episode 2

(Captain) and Tunaro talk about what's happened while inside of a dream, then return to their own bodies to face Seahamut. After (Captain) rides on Tunaro's back and lands a blow on the ancient god, Seahamut summons Neruko to his side and reveals that their encounters with her were all part of his plan to make her the singularity of the sea. Neruko then speeds off to the beach, forcing (Captain) and Tunaro to pursue her.

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(Captain) wakes up surrounded by endless white, seemingly connected to one of Hekate's dreams.

The captain gets up and stands on an invisible floor with two legs.

Tunaro: So we finally meet, cor.

Floating there is the albacore that, until just now, had been (Captain)'s body.

1. This is kind of weird...

Choose: This is kind of weird...

Tunaro: Yeah, cor. Just a second ago I was you, swinging your sword around.

As the pair laughs bashfully, the white space suddenly changes.

1. Where are we?

Choose: Where are we?

Tunaro: This is... the aquatic city of Mizarea, Auguste's capital!

Tunaro: I've always wanted to check this place out! I guess Hekate's helping grant my dream, cor.

Tunaro gazes at the skyline that skydwellers had built over generations.

Tunaro: Yeah, this is definitely it! I'd always thought the way this place maintained perfect harmony with the sky and the sea was great, cor.

1. You'd been looking at it from the sky?

Choose: You'd been looking at it from the sky?

Tunaro: Yeah, for a long time, cor. I really liked watching skydwellers.

Tunaro gives a timid smile and stops on the Bridge of Wishes.

Tunaro: Your crewmates were all great people.

Tunaro: They all had maybe a bit too much character, but they never let things get boring.

1. Our ocean friends were like that too.

Choose: Our ocean friends were like that too.

Tunaro: They were, cor?

Tunaro: Did Neruko make friends with them?

1. Yeah, a whole ton!

Choose: Yeah, a whole ton!

Tunaro: ...
Good. I knew that she'd manage it one day.

Hesitantly, (Captain) tells Tunaro that Seahamut had taken Neruko.

Tunaro: What! We've gotta go save her!

Tunaro looks back wistfully at the city for just a moment, then turns away and closes his eyes.

Tunaro: I think we'll be able to understand each other for a while after waking up.

Tunaro: But I've got an inkling that eventually we won't be able to communicate anymore, so I'll tell you this now, cor.

Tunaro smiles as he prepares to say something important.

Tunaro: The best way to prep skewers is to hit the ingredients with a Thunnus Blitz right down the center, cor!

As (Captain) laughs at the fact that his advice makes sense, the two dreamers begin to wake up.

Light fills their visions, and they open their eyes to find themselves on the beach.

Vyrn: (Captain)! Are you finally back?

(Captain) removes the albacore hat and takes a look around.

Ilsa: Hah!

Crabbie: Eep!

Percival: ...!

Helgoku: Guh!

Tunaro: Wow! They're beating them back!

1. Helgoku, Crabbie...

Choose: Helgoku, Crabbie...

The crew members are making quick work of their attackers, so much so that the captain becomes concerned for the palace residents' survival.

Lyria: Urgh...

Meanwhile, Lyria is running out of the strength necessary to continue summoning the primal beasts of earth.

1. We need to take down Seahamut!

Choose: We need to take down Seahamut!

(Captain) decides to focus on their true enemy instead of the palace residents.

Vyrn: But how are you going to get there?

1. Tunaro!

Choose: Tunaro!

Tunaro: Yeah, I've got you, cor!

Ragazzo: What? Don't tell me you're gonna ride that albacore!

Ragazzo: Just kidding, nothing's gonna surprise me anymore!

Seahamut: Fools. You won't be able to lay a finger on—

Seahamut: What? He launched the skyfarer at me?

1. Vorpal Blade!

Choose: Vorpal Blade!

Seahamut: Gargh!

(Captain) gets a solid hit in, damaging one of Seahamut's scales, before landing on Tunaro's back again.

Tunaro: Hah! Sorry, what were you just saying about fingers, cor?

Seahamut: You insolent pests!

Seahamut: Well, no matter. I knew that the singularity, a being that can surpass even the knowledge of gods, would be the last thing to stand in my way.

Seahamut: That's why I've prepared a countermeasure!

Seahamut smiles ominously before using his divine power to call something to him.

After a moment, a single, small fish appears in front of them.

Neruko: ...

Tunaro: Neruko!

Tunaro: What are you doing to her!

Seahamut: I'm helping her grow. As her big brother, isn't that what you should want?

Suddenly, Neruko's body starts to distort and become larger.

Neruko: ...

Tunaro: Neruko?

The creature before them could easily be confused for a perfectly normal albacore.

However, every fiber of (Captain)'s body warns the seasoned skyfarer otherwise.

Neruko: ...!

(Captain) quickly dodges the beam of light from Neruko, but not quickly enough to prevent it from burning a bit of hair.

Seahamut: Hah, my singularity of the sea has come out wonderfully.

Seahamut: I never could have done it without you two.

Tunaro: Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

Seahamut gloatingly slithers as he begins to explain.

Seahamut: The singularity, the being that fate converges on, is something that can change the destiny of the world.

Seahamut: I was able to create a base in the image of one of the servant beasts of the Astrals, an albacore.

Seahamut: But a singularity cannot be born from the factors it is made from alone.

Seahamut: It must come to possess different bonded fates... In other words, I had to arrange for natural interactions with others.

Tunaro: You arranged interactions?

Seahamut: Thanks to the unnatural factors I included in the base, other sea creatures instinctively detested her.

Seahamut: In other words, she was left alone in the ocean. Just as seawater and fresh water do not mix, I was freed from worrying about unnecessary bonded fates coming into the picture.

(Captain) remembers the way that some sea creatures had been unnaturally averse to Neruko.

Seahamut: The first fate I chose to bond to her was you, Tunaro.

Tunaro: ...!

Seahamut: A lonely primal beast that hates skydwellers seemed like it would be a perfect match for my lonely singularity, so I arranged for one to come along.

Tunaro: The true point of that abduction was to make use of me afterward?

Seahamut: Indeed. By having you bond with Neruko, I strengthened her connection to the stars.

Seahamut: Did you think that it was destiny that guided you to meet her right after losing your friends?

Tunaro: ...!

Seahamut: Next I needed to bind her to the fate of the skies. For that, an existing singularity, (Captain), was perfect...

Seahamut: Thus I had you two swap bodies and guided the singularity to the Dragon Palace as Turtlestache.

Seahamut: Last was the fate of the ocean. For that I had her interact with the residents of the palace and then reach self-awareness.

(Captain) is shocked, only now learning that Turtlestache was Seahamut.

1. Then you were the one who told Kuragi?

Choose: Then you were the one who told Kuragi?

Seahamut: Yes, quite a spectacle, wasn't it? He played his role in driving you out perfectly.

1. You were treating them all like pawns!

Choose: You were treating them all like pawns!

Seahamut: Hah! How else would I treat them?

Seahamut: I programmed them with instinctual hatred for skydwellers...

Seahamut: They were angry at you for no reason at all, without ever thinking about why!

Tunaro: Seahamut! You're unforgivable!

Seahamut: Unforgivable? Why, you should be thanking me. I brought you and your beloved sister together, after all!

Seahamut: Go forth, singularity of the sea!

Neruko: ...!

Tunaro: She's going after everyone on the beach! We've gotta hurry after her!

The pair pursues Neruko, who is swimming toward the beach at high speed. But they fall far behind, and by the time they reach the shore...

Everyone: ...

Tunaro: No!

Both the crew of the Grandcypher and the residents of the Dragon Palace had all been put out of commission.

Hekate: (Captain)... Run...

Hekate: That albacore is... truly a...

Neruko: ...

Neruko looks blankly at (Captain) and Tunaro as she crushes Hekate beneath her.

Tunaro: Damn it! Neruko, it's me! Go back to your usual, kind self!

Neruko: ...!

Neruko's blank eyes start to glow with blue light.

Mei: Stop this, Neruko!