Scenario:Dante - Meandering Cat Collector

Meandering Cat Collector

A glum-looking Dante walks into the dining room explaining that his cat Rivera has disappeared. Although unsure whether the cat has decided to make the island its home or is simply lost, the crew sets out to search for Rivera.

---

The crew stops by an island to rest up for a spell.

While dining, the topic of conversation turns to their many travels.

Vyrn: Haha! I was so shocked when that happened!

Lyria: Yeah, me too! I mean, it was so sudden...

Dante: If I may interrupt?

Vyrn: Huh? What's up? Why the glum face?

Lyria: What's wrong? You don't look too well...

Dante: I myself am fine... Have you perchance laid eyes upon Lord Rivera?

Vyrn: Erm... By Rivera you mean one of your cats, right? No, I haven't seen him.

Dante: Oh, how troublesome!

Lyria: Do you think something has happened to Rivera? If there's anything we can do to help...

Dante: ...

Dante: I have not caught sight of his fair feline form ever since we made landfall on this isle.

Vyrn: Oh no! You think he's run off somewhere?

Lyria: That's terrible! We should go look for him!

Dante: A search?

Dante: However I wonder if that would be what Lord Rivera truly desires.

Vyrn: Huh? What do you mean by that?

Dante: If Lord Rivera has decided of his own volition, to make this fair isle his home... Then he does so of his own free will.

Dante: A gratuitous intervention on our part would be a grievous infringement on that freedom!

Dante: I shall not allow it! Shall not, I say!

Lyria: Umm... Why don't we calm down first?

Vyrn: Yeah... Aren't you overthinking this a little? He probably just wandered off.

Dante: Enough! This is the destiny of all of us who seek freedom! I shall pour my tears into a cup and then drink a toast to my old friend!

Dante: To Lord Rivera's new life, I raise my glass!

Vyrn: And that's why you should be listening to what we're telling you! He probably just got lost!

Dante: Hmm?

Lyria: Vyrn's right! He could just be stuck somewhere.

Dante: Hm... Yes, that could indeed be the case.

Vyrn: You see? It's finally clicked.

Dante: Forgive me. I am truly ashamed to have caused such commotion...

Dante: Let us scour the island for him at once, and only then may we divine Lord Rivera's true motives!

Lyria: Okay! Now, where do cats like to run off and hide...

Dante: The plateau beyond that village—I believe it to be quite suited to Lord Rivera's disposition.

Vyrn: Okay then! Let's go have a look, (Captain)!

Meandering Cat Collector: Scene 2

The crew comes upon a former acquaintance of Dante holding Rivera in his arms. When the man threatens to take away the cat as an expression of freedom, a battle commences.

---

The crew searches for Rivera in the highlands and arrives at a clearing.

Vyrn: Here, kitty, kitty, kitty! Riveraaa!

Lyria: Aww, he's just nowhere to be seen.

Dante: And yet there are traces of his presence. He must be somewhere in these highlands... Huh?

The crew follows Dante's gaze to find a thickset man at the edge of the clearing cradling a cat.

Rivera: Meow!

Thickset Man: Aww, hello there, little thing! Aren't you a cutie pie? And where did you come from?

Dante: Lord Rivera!

Thickset Man: Oh, are you his owner? Isn't he a cute kitty?

Thickset Man: Huh? I know you... You're Dante!

Dante: Mm? Why yes, I...

Thickset Man: Well, well... I see you haven't changed a bit. Still crazy about cats, eh?

Dante: You're one to talk! Shouldn't you be with the Crew of Enforcers?

Thickset Man: Oh, I left the Enforcers after I got injured. They awarded me a medal of valor. A bit different from quitting to look after cats!

Dante: Do you mock my pursuit of freedom? You good-for-nothing whelp of the Enforcers!

Lyria: Um, could you two stop quarrelling please?

Vyrn: I'll say! Just what happened between you two?

Dante: It is an old enmity. Long ago I too was in the Crew of Enforcers...

Dante: I spent those days living in accordance with their edicts, but then...

Dante: One day I encountered Lord Rivera and by living among felines, my eyes were opened to the inestimable value of living freely!

Thickset Man: Eh? What's so free about always dragging a clowder of cats around with you on your business?

Dante: Always? I suppose they were there that one time... when you used the regulations of our ship as a pretext to persecute us!

Thickset Man: Huh? Pets not being allowed on the airship is just common sense!

Dante: You dare call Lord Rivera a pet? Even your venomous scorn must have a limit!

Thickset Man: You nincompoop! Cats are pets!

Lyria: Erm...

Vyrn: This.
Is.
Ridiculous.

Thickset Man: Enough already with all this claptrap about cats being free!

Thickset Man: Okay, let's settle this! From this day forward, I'm going to take in this cat as my own! Now how's that for freedom?

Dante: Ugh!

Thickset Man: Hehehe! If you want this cat back, you'll have to take him by force!

Dante: I accept your challenge!

Lyria: Yikes! (Captain), hurry!

Meandering Cat Collector: Scene 3

After taking back Rivera from the thickset man, the crew learns about Dante's past in the Crew of Enforcers. Rivera runs off again in the midst of it all, but thankfully he simply returns to the Grandcypher.

---

Facing defeat at the hands of the crew, Dante's former comrade returns Rivera and reveals his true feelings.

Thickset Man: Darn it... I used to respect Dante.

Vyrn: If that's true, then why—

Thickset Man: Sigh... He was so talented and popular, but then he took off all of a sudden with his cats.

Thickset Man: That really hurt. Him leaving like that.

Rivera: Meow.

Dante: I see.

Dante: I have no regrets about the path I have chosen. However I do admit the change was a little abrupt...

Dante: My deepest apologies... I neglected to make efforts to gain the understanding of my fellow shipmates.

Thickset Man: No, no, for our part we should've been more sensitive to your feelings.

Dante: Sigh...

Rivera: Meow.

Vyrn: Well, that settles it! Now everyone's friends again!

Lyria: Yay! It's also quite the coincidence meeting again in a place like this.

Dante: Yes. Though I suspect Lord Rivera had a hand in this...

Dante: Wait, where is Lord Rivera! Has she wandered afar once more?

Vyrn: What? Yeah, she just went back. To the Grandcypher, that is.

Lyria: Ahahaha... She's probably just stretching her legs.

Dante: Indeed...

Dante: I am indebted to you all. I hope to repay the favor during our travels...
Shall we?

Without looking back, Dante turns and heads for the Grandcypher.

And thus the crew return to the airship with Lord Rivera in tow and resume their journey.