Scenario:Indala - Poison Within
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Poison Within
Intrigued by Vyrn's mention of a giant serpent called Orochi, Indala requests a meeting with the creature, whereupon she inquires about its connection to a certain "Yamata." She then asks to be swallowed whole, confirming she can withstand its poison before being spit out—and collapsing from overexertion instead.
A few days after joining the crew, Indala stops by to see (Captain) and company.
Indala: Let me be frank. (Captain), your workload is excessive.
Indala: No, that's an understatement. It's bordering on death-by-overwork levels.
She shares with them her impression following several days of keen observation.
Indala: Are you getting enough rest? Sleeping properly? Don't wait until you collapse.
Vyrn: That goes for you too, y'know.
Indala & Vyrn: ...
Indala: I'd like to assist you. Pass some of your tasks to me, (Captain).
Vyrn: Hey! Don't ignore me!
Lyria: But Indala, don't you have other work on your plate?
Vyrn: Yeah, didn't somethin' come in from the Snake Temple this morning? A stamp book, I think?
Indala: Naturally, it's been handled. Neglecting my own duties to help with someone else's would be irresponsible.
Vyrn: You finished already? It looked like enough to take a whole day!
Indala: That's the result of working efficiently. Now I'm left with time to spare.
Vyrn: Then why not take it easy? You've gotta be worn out from workin' non-stop.
Indala: Not in the slightest.
Indala: In fact, I'm feeling restless from the lack of activity. My hands are a bit shaky.
Vyrn: Sounds like withdrawal. You're kinda freakin' me out here...
Indala: So (Captain), is there anything I can help with?
Saying this, Indala begins to sift through the captain's stack of requests.
Indala: Let's see... Searching for missing persons, finding lost items, rebuilding a sauna...
Indala: You all certainly tackle a wide variety of jobs.
Vyrn: Well, about half are monster-huntin' missions.
Vyrn: But some of 'em turn out to be somethin' else entirely, so we end up doin' all kinds of stuff.
Vyrn: Speakin' of which, seeing Shiro reminded me—we even ran into a talkin' snake once!
Vyrn: It was big enough to swallow a person in one gulp. That was one heck of a job.
Indala: A talking snake?
Indala's expression suddenly hardens at Vyrn's words.
Lyria: What is it, Indala? Did Vyrn say something wrong?
Indala: Oh, no... I'm not upset or anything. Sorry if I gave that impression.
Indala: I'm just curious about that giant snake. Is it still around?
Vyrn: Y-yeah. Still alive and kickin' as far as I know.
Indala: What's the snake's name? Is it... Yamata by any chance?
Lyria: No, Orochi actually.
Indala: It doesn't have eight heads, does it?
Vyrn: Nah, it's just a normal snake. Well, not exactly normal, but yeah.
Indala: Hmm...
Indala: (I'd like to believe it's not related, but there's a chance it might be. I should verify it myself.)
Indala: I have a favor to ask. Could you arrange for me to meet this "Orochi"?
Indala: Even just telling me its location would help. Is that possible?
Seeing the serious look on Indala's face, (Captain) nods readily.
Vyrn: Seems like this is pretty important, so let's head there right away!
Indala: Thank you.
(Captain) and company make their way to a certain riverside near a remote village.
Sensing their presence, Orochi slowly raises its massive form.
Orochi: So we meet again. I do recall asking you not to awaken me if possible. Have you come on some urgent matter?
Vyrn: It's not exactly urgent, but we got a special request to see ya.
Indala: You're Orochi?
Orochi: Hm? And who is this impertinent little girl?
Indala: (The Yato-no-Kami is reacting... This is the chance of a lifetime!)
Indala: (Even if this beast isn't Yamata, examining it could provide valuable information!)
Indala: What is your connection to Yamata? Depending on your answer, I may have to cut you down here and now.
Indala grips the hilt of her sword tightly and aims the blade at Orochi.
Vyrn: Whoa! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
Lyria: P-please calm down, Indala!
Indala: ...
Orochi: Suppose I were to say that I have no memory of any Yamata—would you believe me?
Indala: ...
Indala: You have a point. It's difficult to discern the truth from words alone.
Indala: But I have something more to go by now. Forgive me for testing you.
Indala lowers her weapon and bows her head to the great snake.
Orochi: You choose to trust me? Why is that?
Indala: Even though I drew my sword with a clear intent to kill, you remained calm.
Indala: Thus, I concluded that you could be reasoned with. At the very least, you don't seem inclined to attack without cause.
Indala: Moreover, it would be problematic for me if you died. There's something I need to confirm.
Orochi: Problematic for you?
Orochi: Heh... Hahaha! You say this after testing me? Still, I admire your nerve!
Vyrn: Right... So I guess everything's good now?
Orochi: You mentioned needing to confirm something. But just to be clear—I possess no information regarding this "Yamata."
Indala: Yes, I understand. I don't intend to place any unreasonable demands on you.
Indala: I simply need you to swallow me whole. That's all.
Vyrn: What!
Orochi: Are you out of your mind? You're effectively requesting to be devoured, you know.
Indala: I'll signal for you to regurgitate me afterward, of course. I have no desire to become anyone's meal.
Indala: It should be perfectly feasible, right? All you have to do is swallow me and spit me back out.
Vyrn: Just 'cause somethin' can be done doesn't mean it should be...
Lyria: That means you'd be inside Orochi's belly, right? But won't you start to... dissolve?
Indala: No need to worry about that. I have a plan.
Orochi: ...
Orochi: Very well. If that will satisfy you.
Indala: ...!
You're really agreeing to this?
You're really agreeing to this?
Orochi: I owe a debt to your young friends here. If you can assure me this is the only time, I will grant your request.
Indala: Understood. Thank you.
Orochi: I suggest you direct that gratitude toward your companions.
Indala: You're right.
(Captain), everyone—I'll find a way to repay you when I return.
(Captain), everyone—I'll find a way to repay you when I return.
Orochi: Are you ready?
Lyria: Please be careful!
Indala: Yes, I'll make this quick.
As Indala closes her eyes, Orochi's enormous mouth opens and swallows her whole.
Indala opens her eyes, feeling as though she has been squeezed into a long, narrow box.
The pitch-black space is permeated by the stench of stomach acid and laden with poison, creating a scarcely livable environment.
Indala: (My condition seems stable. This toxin would be fatal to most creatures, but I can endure it well enough.)
Indala: (Even knowing Yamata is far more dangerous, this is an encouraging outcome. I still have a chance at victory.)
Her face lights up as if she has found a glimmer of hope.
Indala: Orochi! I'm done here! Spit me out!
At Indala's signal, the great serpent's insides begin to undulate, pushing her body backward.
Indala: Whew.
Indala is expelled with a gush of gastric fluid, appearing unfazed despite her inflamed skin.
Vyrn: Whoa, your skin is bright red! Looks painful...
Lyria: We need to treat you right away!
Indala: Don't worry, I just need a moment. Could I ask you all to look the other way?
Vyrn: Wh-what the heck?
Though puzzled, (Captain) and the crew comply and face the opposite direction.
Indala's Voice: It's all right now. You can turn back around.
At Indala's instruction, they turn to see her skin completely healed.
Vyrn: Huh? The red marks are totally gone!
Lyria: H-how is that possible?
Indala: This is another technique utilizing poison.
Indala: I used a weakened toxin to stimulate my body's metabolism and enhance its healing capacity.
Vyrn: Wow, that's a pretty nifty trick.
Indala: However, this method causes my old skin to peel off, much like molting.
Indala: It's not a sight I wanted you to see, so I asked you to look away.
Lyria: Oh, so that's why. I was really surprised, but it's a relief to know the reason!
Orochi: Honestly, what a reckless little girl. Did you at least achieve your desired results?
Indala: Yes, and then some. I feel much more confident about defeating Yamata now.
Orochi: I still don't fully grasp what this entails, but see to it that this disruption of my slumber is not in vain.
Vyrn: Hey, I've been wonderin'. Who is Yamata anyway?
Lyria: Since you mentioned defeating them, I'm guessing they're not a friend of yours...
Indala: ...
Indala: Yamata is my sworn enemy—and that of all the Divine Snakes before me.
Indala: I can explain in more detail once we're back on the ship. It's a rather long story—
Suddenly, Indala staggers and falls to one knee.
Indala: Urgh... Not good... I must have used too much power...
Lyria: Indala! Are you okay?
Indala: It seems I misjudged the timing... The rest is up to you, Shiro...
As the last bit of strength leaves her body, she collapses on the spot.
Vyrn: Oh no! We gotta get her back to the ship!
(Captain) hoists Indala into a piggyback position, and the group hurries back to the Grandcypher.
Poison Within: Scene 2
As Indala sleeps, her companion Shiro reveals to the crew that generations of Divine Snakes have absorbed the toxin within a blade called the Yato-no-Kami to one day defeat the eight-headed serpent Yamata—a mission that Indala herself is deeply dedicated toward. With new insight into Indala's situation, the crew agrees to continue treating her as always.
Indala: ...
After returning to the ship, (Captain) and company place the sleeping Indala in bed to watch over her.
Vyrn: She's out like a light. Doesn't look like she'll be stirrin' anytime soon.
Lyria: We're sure she'll wake up after a day has passed, right?
While en route, Shiro had filled them in on Indala's physical disposition.
Her uniquely cultivated trait causes her to sleep for an entire day after twelve days of activity.
Overusing her abilities had accelerated this cycle, causing her to fall asleep sooner than anticipated.
Shiro: We were fortunate this time. Once my master succumbs to slumber, she is not easily awakened.
Shiro: In the worst-case scenario, she could have been slain by bandits or devoured by monsters.
Shiro: Thankfully, she was saved because you were with her. You have my deepest gratitude.
Vyrn: It's no big deal. Though we probably could've handled it better if we'd known about all that from the get-go.
Shiro: ...
Shiro: I believe it is time to disclose the heavy burden my master carries.
Lyria: Burden?
Shiro: It concerns Yamata, as well as the sacred mission of the Divine Snake.
Vyrn: Come to think of it, Indala did say she'd explain back on the ship—right before she passed out.
Shiro: Given the weight of the subject, my master typically avoids discussing personal matters.
Shiro: But she has resolved to confide in your crew out of gratitude for all you have done.
Shiro: However, in order to spare my master any additional strain, I will speak in her stead.
Shiro: Should she reprimand me afterward, I will offer my most sincere apologies.
Vyrn: You're Indala's partner, right? I'm sure she'll understand!
Vyrn: And if ya do get in trouble, we'll take the heat with ya!
Choose: Please tell us everything.
Shiro: Very well. The tale begins with the very first Divine Snake...
Shiro: Long ago, the first Divine Snake fought a powerful foe to protect an island and its people.
Shiro: This foe was none other than Yamata—a colossal, venomous serpent possessing eight heads.
Shiro: Armed with the sacred sword Yato-no-Kami, the first Divine Snake confronted Yamata alone, and almost succeeded...
Shiro: But despite having all its heads severed, the great snake survived, narrowly escaping defeat.
Shiro: Following this encounter, around two centuries passed.
Shiro: Having reclaimed its original form, Yamata attacked the Snake Temple to exact vengeance on the Divine Snake.
Shiro: The Divine Snake of that era, like the first, faced Yamata with the Yato-no-Kami...
Shiro: However, the blade had been tainted by Yamata's poisonous blood during the initial battle, drastically reducing its strength.
Shiro: I did everything in my power to assist the Divine Snake, who wagered their very life to repel the beast...
Shiro: Yet once again, we failed to deliver the final, fatal blow.
Shiro: Or so the story goes.
Vyrn: Huh? But weren't you there fightin' too?
Shiro: With the succession of each Divine Snake, I undergo a full molting, emerging as a pure white slate to serve my new master.
Shiro: Consequently, I have no memory of prior events. I am merely recounting what is written in the texts.
Vyrn: Gotcha. So that's the deal.
Shiro: Even after two fierce battles, we were unable to eliminate Yamata once and for all.
Shiro: If nothing changed, the struggle would be doomed to continue indefinitely.
Shiro: Fearing this, the new Divine Snake conceived an idea to utilize the toxin harbored within the Yato-no-Kami.
Lyria: Using... Yamata's own toxin?
Shiro: The original objective was to enter Yamata's body and destroy its heart directly.
Shiro: But the serpent's insides are filled with a powerful toxin that would kill a normal person instantly.
Shiro: Therefore, the Divine Snake devised a plan to build immunity against Yamata's poison, making infiltration possible.
Shiro: The method of which was keeping the Yato-no-Kami close at hand, allowing the toxin to slowly build up in the wielder's body.
Shiro: Doing so would produce a resistance that increased over generations, ultimately giving rise to a Divine Snake capable of withstanding Yamata's poison.
Shiro: All to prepare for the inevitable clash. Ever since, the Divine Snakes have carried that new mission—the defeat of Yamata.
Shiro: And now, roughly 150 years after the second conflict, there are signs that the beast's revival is near.
Vyrn: So that means the one who's gonna have to fight it is...
Shiro: Yes. It is my master.
Shiro: Thanks in part to the efforts of her ancestors, she has grown to become the most powerful Divine Snake of all time.
Shiro: All that remains is to destroy Yamata's heart... But the true result will only be known when the beast is confronted once more.
Lyria: Poor Indala... That's a lot of weight on her shoulders...
Vyrn: I get now why she was so serious about trackin' down Yamata.
Shiro: Such a heavy responsibility would ordinarily be enough to break one's spirit.
Shiro: However, my master remains entirely undaunted by her situation.
Vyrn: Huh? Really?
Shiro: Due to her strong-willed nature and desire to leave no burden for future generations, she faces the task of defeating Yamata with resolute optimism.
Indala: Zzz... A mountain of pastries... right before my eyes...
Indala: Sugar intake... is essential... for productivity...
Lyria: Ahaha... Sounds like she's having a sweet dream.
Vyrn: If she's not worried, I guess us stressin' out about it wouldn't be much help.
Shiro: I wish for you all to continue treating her as you did before. That is more than enough.
(Captain) and the crew nod, finding themselves smiling inadvertently at the sight of Indala's sleeping face.
Poison Within: Scene 3
Upon waking the next day, Indala thanks Shiro for explaining her situation, and the crew for arranging the meeting with Orochi—whom she speculates was a part of Yamata that split off during its regeneration. Encouraged that she was able to safely enter Orochi's body, she eagerly returns to work.
Indala: I see. So you told them.
After a full day's rest, Indala finally awakens.
Upon learning that Shiro has disclosed her circumstances to the crew, she shows no trace of resentment.
Indala: I was planning to tell them myself anyway. Thank you for handling it, Shiro.
Shiro: Everything I do is for the sake of my master. No gratitude is required.
Lyria: Oh! Indala, Shiro! There you are!
Vyrn: You okay, Indala? Nothin' feels off?
Indala: Yes, I slept like a log. As you can see, I'm in tip-top shape.
Indala: You've heard about my circumstances, yes? I assume you know now why I'm so fixated on Yamata.
Vyrn: Yeah. And the reason you were so keen on meetin' Orochi too.
Vyrn: You thought the two snakes might be buddies, so you wanted to check it out for yourself, right?
Vyrn: But Orochi didn't have any info, so I guess they're not connected after all—
Indala: No, it's quite the opposite. In fact, the toxin they possess is identical.
Indala: Meaning Orochi is, in a literal sense... Yamata itself.
Lyria: What! So Orochi lied to us?
Vyrn: How could you tell they were the same, anyway? You've never seen Yamata, right?
Indala: It was the Yato-no-Kami. The poison inside it reacted when I first encountered Orochi.
Indala: I wasn't fully convinced at first, but entering the serpent's body confirmed everything.
Indala: Its insides were filled with the exact same toxin that I extract from my blade.
Vyrn: Then why'd Orochi claim not to know anything?
Indala: That was likely the truth. While both beasts share the same toxin, Orochi's is much weaker than Yamata's, at least according to what I've heard.
Indala: Remember, Yamata had eight heads. I suspect that during the regeneration process, a part of the beast split off and became Orochi.
Indala: But without any memory of that, Orochi wasn't aware of Yamata's existence. Thinking about it that way, it all lines up.
Vyrn: Then Orochi wasn't tryin' to trick us. That's a relief.
Indala: I'm a day late in saying this, but I really appreciate you arranging for me to meet Orochi.
Indala: Entering the serpent's body allowed me to assess my abilities. I'm certain now that my power has the potential to counter Yamata.
Vyrn: Yeah! That's the spirit!
Lyria: If there's anything else we can do to help, just let us know!
Lyria takes Indala's left hand, and (Captain) follows suit by grasping her right.
Indala: Hehe... This reminds me of when we first met.
Indala: There's such warmth in your hands... Actually, in your very beings. It's like basking in the gentle rays of spring.
Indala: Well, I've had quite the extended break. Starting today, it's back to work from morning till night.
Vyrn: Didn't you just wake up? Why not take it easy for a while longer?
Indala: I can't do that. There's work calling my name.
Indala: Besides, too much rest is bad for you, right? The dose makes the poison.
Vyrn: Never heard that one before!
Despite their bemused smiles at Indala's tireless work ethic, (Captain) and the crew nevertheless find comfort in her dependability.