Scenario:Herja and Yngwie - Light Her Fire

Light Her Fire

Herja is frustrated by her unending idle thoughts. Yngwie appears and offers some advice which leads her to accept her daydreams and to learn to follow her heart.

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Herja: Unh! Hiyaaa!

Herja is practicing her swordplay on the deck of the Grandcypher.

She has but one goal: train until she can replace her weak heart with a disciplined resolve.

Herja: Huff... huff...
Why... huff... am I always so prone to distraction?

Herja: It's so shameful... I have to keep training my emotions!

Herja refocuses and begins swinging her sword again. A burly scent wafts through the air, revealing an approaching Yngwie.

Yngwie: Bravo, baby! Training day in and day out—you got some real dedication, eh?

Herja: N-not really. I just wanted to clear my head...

Yngwie: Distracted by something? Could it maybe be... love?

Herja: H-how did you guess?

Yngwie: Hah. I knew it.
You know that's not something you really need to let go of.

Herja: B-but when I get distracted... I've just made so many mistakes...

Yngwie: Well, you ain't the only one. People're animals—balls of worldly desires. So mistakes aren't something you should be that worried about.

Herja: B-but...

Yngwie: Yeah, maybe you can quiet your emotions by swinging a sword around.

Yngwie: But that's still a long way away from fixing your problem.

Herja: Then wh-what should I do?

Taking a moment to consider Herja's dilemma, Yngwie's face falls into a steely concentration that exudes maturity.

Yngwie: Just accept who you are and follow your heart, sweetheart!

Herja: Is it... really that easy? I just... follow my heart?

Yngwie: Yep. Ain't nothing to be afraid of. We're all loved by the gods of amour after all.

Herja: Haha... You don't say!

Just as Herja finishes digesting Yngwie's advice, a sultry scent wafts through the air. Moments later a beautiful woman steps aboard the deck of the Grandcypher.

Beauty: Oooh, Yngwie!

Yngwie: Haha! My lovely sweetheart! Did you come all the way here to visit me?

Yngwie shoots a quick wink at Herja, locks arms with the beautiful woman, and disembarks the Grandcypher with his impromptu date.

Herja: Thank you, Yngwie... That was quite the demonstration.

Yngwie's advice is a revelation for Herja; she vows to always follow her heart.

A couple of days pass.

(Captain) and the crew are standing before a village chief after exterminating a monster infestation.

Chief: What in tarnation? Y'all already done got rid of 'em all!

Vyrn: Heh heh! That's us for ya!

Lyria: Mhmm! A lot of the credit goes to Herja though!

Herja: Haha... It was nothing, really. I'm simply glad you'll be able to live in peace again.

Herja gives the chief a warm smile, when abruptly a young man from the village notices a wound on her arm.

Young Man: Uh, Herja! Yer arm's bleedin'!

Lyria: Are you okay?

Herja: Oh, it's hardly an injury. Please don't worry about it.

Young Man: D-don't worry about it? Like heck! Lemme slap a bandage on it at least!

Herja: Huh?

The young man retrieves a first aid kit and tends to Herja's arm.

Young Man: Whew... That looks 'bout right!

Herja: Thank you... That's very kind of you.

Young Man: Don't thank me! We should be the ones thankin' y'all for savin' the village n' all!

Young Man: So thanks again, Herja!

The young man beams at Herja as she takes her hand back. She can't stop her heart from fluttering.

Herja: (I-is he interested in me?)

Too conscious of the boy's presence, Herja's mind begins filling with familiar distraction. But then she remembers Yngwie's words of wisdom from the other day.

Yngwie: Just accept who you are and follow your heart, sweetheart!

Herja: (I-I'll change! I'll let my heart guide me—just as Yngwie lets his!)

Vyrn: Huh, Herja? You okay?

Vyrn's question doesn't phase Herja. She takes a deep breath and gazes into the eyes of the village youth.

Herja: I need to tell you something...

Young Woman: Well, I never! This sweet lady and her friends are skyfarers!

The woman's sudden appearance causes Herja's resolve to wilt like a flower in a desert.

Herja: (What terrible timing...)

Young Man: Hey, hey! Watch yer mouth—you can't go talkin' 'bout people right in front of 'em! Sorry about my wife, y'all...

Herja: H-huh? A-ah, you're both so young for such a happily married couple... Heh...

Young Woman: Well, me and him go back so far that we used to play house together! Now we own one!

Herja: Haha—I think we're all looking for that kind of love. I hope your happiness lasts until the end of time.

Young Man: Aww shucks, thanks for sayin' that.
Oh, speakin' of, weren't you gonna say somethin' earlier?

Herja: Oh, uh, um—you know, it wasn't anything. Heh.

Unable to ignore the panicking Herja, a pack of young villagers descend upon her to offer her comfort.

Attentive Man: Miss Herja, what's the matter?

Concerned Man: Don't say it—your wound's startin' to hurt again, I bet!

Hysterical Man: That's gotta be it! Emergency, everybody! We gotta get her to the medicine man or she's a goner!

Herja: (Could it be... Is, is everyone interested in me? I-I'm not ready for this...)

Surrounded by the village men, Herja's distracting thoughts take on a new level.

Herja: (I can't handle this...)

Herja: E-excuse me! I'm okay!
(Captain), I've remembered an errand I need to finish, so I'll meet you back at the Grandcypher!

Vyrn: Huh? What got into her?

Herja sits in contemplation, condemning herself for letting her mind wander in front of the young villagers.

Herja: Sigh... What should I have done?

Despite pondering the question for some time, she doesn't arrive at an answer. She walks toward some trees and begins swinging her sword to clear her mind.

Herja: Haaah! Hiyaaa!

Herja: Huh!

Yngwie stops Herja's strike in midair, his beefy arm not so much as twitching.

Yngwie: Hmm... Your swordplay's a little off.

Herja: ...

Herja: Huh? Strange... Just seeing you—it's made me tear up...

Yngwie: There, there. Nothing wrong with crying. You gotta cry when you can, hon.

Herja: I just feel so bad. I decided to follow my heart, just like you taught me, Yngwie...

Herja: B-but, I...

Yngwie: Think it's difficult? Think you can't do it? Think it's impossible?

Yngwie: Tch. Don't you think you deserve a little more credit than that? Saying that kinda stuff just means you'll never follow it.

Herja: Sniff... You're right...
C-can I ask you a question? Wh-why are you interested in helping me?

Yngwie, glowing with masculinity, fixes his gaze on Herja who is quickly getting overwhelmed.

Without even realizing it, she has accidentally backed into a large tree.

Yngwie: ...

Yngwie walks forward, gives a gentle look down at the girl, leans over, and shoves his palm against the tree with a loud thud.

Herja: H-huh!

His face moves closer until his breath is tickling her nose. Her heart beats faster; she swallows nervously.

Herja: (Wh-what sh-should I say?)

Yngwie: All right, try to control that beating heart, okay?

Herja: Huh? Oh, o-okay...

Yngwie: Now, why am I interested in you? That's easy.

Yngwie: Love is the essence of life. So to see someone try to throw it away—I can't just stand by and watch that happen.

Yngwie: That's it.

Herja: Oh... I see...

Yngwie pushes off the tree, putting distance between himself and the blushing Herja. As he walks away, he turns and yells back to her.

Yngwie: Besides, there's only one woman for me—well, one on each island, baby! Hah!

Herja watches as Yngwie's figure gets smaller and smaller in the distance.

Herja: Haha... He's so free... Just like a bird in the sky.

Herja: Hahaha! One day I'll fly as freely as him!

With Herja's heart tempered by an unfamiliar flame, she slips into daydreams of new love and takes a big step toward self-acceptance.