Scenario:Ippatsu - The Perfect Bowl
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The Perfect Bowl
The crew enlists the help of Cain, whose knowledge of Nalhegrande will aid Ippatsu in finding the ingredients for his ramen. After the acquisition of high-quality Idelva scallions, the crew is ready to find the next set of ingredients.
After making it past the Grim Basin, Ippatsu was able to reunite with the ramen master at long last.
Unfortunately the ramen master's depression turned the joyous mood sour. The crew vows to lift his funk.
Vyrn: So what's your brilliant plan to get him smilin' again?
Ippatsu stares at Vyrn as if the answer were self-evident.
Ippatsu: By using ramen, what else!
Ippatsu: Obviously, any old soup and noodle combo won't cut it.
Ippatsu: The only effective ramen is one that caters to his tastes.
Ippatsu: And I will make it happen!
Lyria: Mm-hm. You know all the ins and outs of yummy ramen.
Lyria: If anybody's ramen can cheer him up, it's Ippatsu's!
Vyrn: Sweet. You gonna go out and find the old guy's favorite ingredients right now, Ippatsu?
Ippatsu: Yes! You've got the right idea, Vyrn!
Ippatsu: Would you mind tagging along?
Vyrn: We wouldn't miss it! What do you want us to do?
Ippatsu: Do you happen to know anyone who's familiar with the food in Nalhegrande?
Ippatsu: I'm not exactly from around these parts...
Lyria: We haven't had time to do much food shopping in Nalhegrande either...
Lyria: Hm... It'd be a good idea to find someone who knows a lot about this skydom too and not just its food...
Vyrn: Aha! I know just the guy for the job!
Cain: I see. And that's how I rose to the top of your short list.
The crew seeks the help of a young man named Cain.
He is a general for the former Idelva Kingdom, which has now reformed itself into a republic.
The era of the Idelva Kingdom may be over, but the crew's friendship with Cain certainly isn't.
Vyrn: You know this place like the back of your hand, right? Can you help us?
Cain: Gathering the best ingredients Nalhegrande has to offer in order to make a delicious bowl of ramen, huh... Sounds fun.
Cain: Although I'm not quite sure what ramen is, I'd be delighted to do what I can.
Ippatsu: You, sir, are a lifesaver!
Ippatsu: Imagine that! Working hand-in-hand with a former general of the Idelva Kingdom!
Cain: I'm fairly confident Idelva has the ingredients you need.
Cain: But I should probably ask what exactly goes into a bowl of ramen before shooting my mouth off.
Ippatsu: I'm glad you asked. To prepare the soup stock we'll need the bones of a gara-gara. It's a chicken-like animal.
Ippatsu: Part of the soup base can probably be made with local seasonings.
Ippatsu: As for toppings and garnishes, for starters I'm looking for scallions, eggs, and braised pork.
Cain: Wow... That, uh, sounds like a complicated recipe...
Cain: Well, if Idelva's scallions work for you, I know where to get them!
Cain: Our greens are touted for their sweetness and aroma.
Ippatsu: Those'll do nicely!
Ippatsu: As a garnish, scallions shouldn't overshadow the ramen with too much zip!
Cain: Okay, then let's cross that off the list first. Come on, I'll take you to the fields.
Cain: Here we are.
Cain: Hello? Is anyone there?
Farmer: Why, good day, Cain. What brings you to my patch today?
Cain: This man is interested in buying some scallions. I was wondering if you could spare some before selling them at the market.
Taking his cue from Cain, Ippatsu walks up to the elderly woman and solemnly bows his head.
Ippatsu: Forgive me for making this request on such short notice.
Ippatsu: But I simply must have Idelva's scallions to complete my ramen!
Ippatsu: I can think of no better complementary piece than your crops, with their harmonious interplay of fragrance and zest!
The old lady beams with pride.
Farmer: Golly, thanks for reminding me I made the right choice to become a scallion farmer.
Farmer: I'm not going to turn down a sale. Would you like to try some before you buy?
The farmer picks out a stalk and offers it to Ippatsu.
Ippatsu: Thank you! Oh, the excitement!
Ippatsu: Incredible!
Ippatsu: This stalk, with its lower half as white as snow, delivers a soft yet satisfying crunch.
Ippatsu: It releases a refreshing waft of piquantness and spice that swims through my nostrils.
Ippatsu: Once cut, they shall serve as little green life preservers in a sea of broth for flavor minions to cling onto!
Ippatsu: Yesss! This is the scallion of my dreams!
Ippatsu: Madam! You couldn't find greener thumbs on a green giant!
Farmer: Oh, stop! Keep talking, and I'll be growing tomatoes on my cheeks.
Ippatsu: Idelva scallions, where have you been all my life? Thank you, Cain! Madam!
Vyrn: Good for you, Ippatsu! At the rate we're goin', getting everything'll be a cinch!
Lyria: Uh-huh! Where should we go next?
Ippatsu's enthusiasm for something as common as scallions rubs off on the crew.
Hopefully procuring the next set of ingredients will go equally as smoothly.
The Perfect Bowl: Scene 2
The crew fly to Bestia Island and obtain a rare monster egg thanks to Echidna acting as an intermediary between them and the monster. They collect a large amount of ingredients over the next few days, but Ippatsu is unsure how to best combine them. (Captain) suggests incorporating the ingredients Ippatsu collected in Phantagrande, and the ramen lover begins experimenting with recipes.
Thanks to Cain's connections, Ippatsu has acquired a fine assortment of Idelva scallions.
Lugging the stalks with both arms, Ippatsu bows to Cain.
Ippatsu: I really appreciate this, Cain.
Ippatsu: The only proper thanks I can give you is a bowl of ramen!
Cain: Just happy to be of service. But ramen isn't only a bowl of soup and chopped scallions, am I right?
Cain runs through the ingredients as previously listed by Ippatsu.
Cain: That reminds me... A palace chef once told me a story about a legendary egg.
Lyria: A legendary egg?
Cain: Yep. According to that chef, a certain type of monster on Bestia Island lays eggs that are rich in flavor and color.
Cain: Now, your average skydweller would get torn to pieces before getting anywhere near an egg.
Cain: Of course, you guys are anything but average.
Vyrn: A type of monster on Bestia... I betcha we could get Echidna to smooth things over for us!
Vyrn: Next stop, Bestia Island!
Echidna: Oh my goodness! What a pleasant surprise to see you all again.
Lyria: Hi, Echidna! It's been so long! How is everyone doing on the island?
Echidna: The monsters are getting along just fine. Now then. I'm guessing there is something you wanted to talk to Mommy about?
Ippatsu's heart skips a beat under the primal beast of motherhood's gentle gaze.
Ippatsu: My name is Ippatsu. I'm just a common man whose love for ramen is simply too great.
Ippatsu: I owe much of my passion for the savory soup to a ramen shop owner, and I wish to repay him with a grand bowl of my own.
Echidna: Mm-hm... I see, I see...
The primal beast is touched by the story of Ippatsu and the ramen master. Ippatsu decides now is the time to make his request.
Ippatsu: Which brings us to why we're here. We heard there's a monster that lays a legendary egg.
Ippatsu: Can I persuade you to open a dialogue with the creature on my behalf?
Ippatsu: Normally I wouldn't want to cause trouble for anyone, but this egg is for my master's sake!
Ippatsu drops his head to implore Echidna, and in doing so, is unable to see the sympathetic smile on her face.
Echidna: Lift your head, child. Your ramen master is lucky to have befriended a boy with such a big heart.
Echidna: Don't worry. Mommy is here to help, and she'll do her best to get you that egg.
Echidna: It may take some convincing, but if I can get your feelings across to the creature, I think they will come around.
Ippatsu: Thank you! I leave the matter in your capable hands!
Bird Monster: ...!
Echidna: This one says they will part ways with an egg if it's to help your master.
Echidna: On one condition: be sure to use it with love.
Ippatsu: You won't have to worry about that! Not a single drop will go to waste!
Ippatsu gingerly accepts the egg from the monster and cradles it like a precious jewel.
Ippatsu: No wonder this egg is so sought after... I'll be happy if it tastes even half as good as it looks!
Vyrn: Woohoo! That makes ingredient number two! Let's keep the hot streak rollin', you guys!
Ippatsu: Yes, the road to ramen is indeed a long and epic one!
After several days of probing many corners of the skydom, Ippatsu barely has any space to sleep in his own room due to the sheer volume of ingredients he's collected.
Lyria: Haha, your room looks like a grocery store!
Vyrn: And you've barely slept a wink from all that collecting.
Vyrn: That should be enough, right? Can't you get started on actually making it now?
Ippatsu stares at his collection and sadly shakes his head.
Ippatsu: No, not yet.
Ippatsu: I have no idea how I'm going to split everything up.
Ippatsu: Identifying what's tasty is easy. Arranging everything into a harmonious composition isn't.
Ippatsu: Can you imagine the audacity of calling a hodgepodge of morsels ramen?
Ippatsu: The master would dump it in the trash after one whiff of that ghastly concoction!
Lyria: Yeah, I've never even seen a lot of these ingredients before...
Vyrn: Do we really have time to experiment though? The old guy's getting more depressed by the day.
Ippatsu: That's another good point. There's no time to play it safe...
(Captain), after thinking for a while, chimes in with an idea.
Choose: So use ingredients you're familiar with.
(Captain) points to the food stacked in one corner of the room.
Lyria: Isn't that the stuff Ippatsu gathered in Phantagrande?
Vyrn: Oh, I get what you're sayin'! Ippatsu's already got hands-on experience with those ingredients anyway.
Vyrn: Mix 'em together with the Nalhegrande stuff, and Ippatsu should find the flavor he's lookin' for.
Lyria: What's even better is that Ippatsu can show the ramen master how much effort he put in!
Choose: Remember what got you here.
(Captain) points to the food stacked in one corner of the room.
Ippatsu: Those are the ingredients I toiled to collect in Phantagrande...
Vyrn: Ah, that's right! You definitely already know how to use those ingredients!
Vyrn: Cooking's a lot easier when you go with what you know. That way, you can combine 'em with the Nalhegrande stuff.
Lyria: And on top of that, the ramen master will see how much effort you put into making it!
Lyria: Let's show him how far you were willing to go for him!
Continue 1
Ippatsu: That's a fantastic idea, (Captain)... I'm proud to call you Captain!
Ippatsu is already on his feet and taste-testing each of the ingredients.
Ippatsu: Okay, this sauce pairs nicely with the egg, and I like the tang of these mustard greens...
Ippatsu: If I combine them together with noodles and bamboo shoots...
Ippatsu: Eureka... The ideas are spilling over like an unwatched pot!
Ippatsu: Where's my pen? I need to jot these recipes down before they evaporate!
The ramen lover's hands are a non-stop whirlwind of action, mixing foods together one minute, and then recording the results the next.
This is a man on a mission, and he's having a blast while on it.
The Perfect Bowl: Scene 3
When the ramen master tastes Ippatsu's ramen, he's angered by its shoddy quality, but this reaction was Ippatsu's intent. The fired-up ramen master expertly remakes the ramen using Ippatsu's ingredients, thus regaining his passion for his craft. Later that night, the two work tirelessly to prepare the ramen shop for tomorrow's customers.
For the past few days, Ippatsu has been touring Nalhegrande in search of things to put in his ramen, and now he's ready to prepare his creation.
The crew arrives at the ramen master's shop carrying select ingredients acquired in this skydom as well as Phantagrande.
Lyria: Hello! It's us!
Ippatsu: Master! I only need a second of your time! Is that okay? Why am I asking? Of course it's okay!
Ramen Master: Grumble... You again. What's with all the bags of food?
Ippatsu: I'm borrowing your kitchen!
Ramen Master: What! You're outta your mind! No greenhorn's gonna sully my kingdom!
Ippatsu: Better me than the whiny baby I'm looking at!
Ippatsu: Shh! Hear that? That's the sound of utensils weeping from neglect!
Ippatsu pushes his way into the kitchen and lays out the bags of food on the counter.
Ippatsu: It's my destiny to make you a bowl of ramen!
Ramen Master: I don't need your pity, ya whippersnapper! Mind your own business!
Ippatsu: Better get that grumpiness out of your system while you still can!
Ramen Master: Tch. If anything happens to my kitchen, I'll wring your scrawny neck!
Ippatsu: Yes, sir! Now please go wait outside!
With that, Ippatsu morphs into cooking mode.
Nearly half a day later, the chef finally reemerges from the kitchen bearing a bowl of ramen.
Ramen Master: What—
Ippatsu: Ah-ah-ah! Not another word until you slurp up this ramen!
Ramen Master: ...
Ramen Master: ...!
The silence in the shop is broken by a loud, dull thud as Ippatsu gets slammed against a wall and slumps to the ground.
Ippatsu: Gwaaah!
Lyria: Oh no, Ippatsu! Are you okay?
Vyrn: Hey, what the heck did ya do that for, old man!
Ramen Master: Is this your idea of a joke, Ippatsu!
Ignoring the crew's protests, the ramen master bends down and grabs Ippatsu by the collar while continuing to rage.
Ramen Master: What a waste of good toppings. And you call this seasoning? It's weaker than a non-alcoholic beer. Why ya chose such thick noodles, I'll never know.
Ramen Master: Are all these hoity-toity fixing's s'posed to impress me? This is amateur hour!
Ramen Master: You don't know squat about ramen!
Vyrn: Wh-whoa! Now you've gone too far!
Vyrn: Ippatsu did this for you, y'know! He was only trying to cheer you up!
Lyria: That's right! He worked really hard to gather all these ingredients!
Ippatsu: Hehe...
Ippatsu: Snort... Hahaha...
Lyria: I-Ippatsu?
Ippatsu: Wahahaha!
Vyrn: Uh, you feelin' all right? Did you knock a screw loose on your way down?
Ippatsu: I wouldn't accept anything less from the master!
(Captain) suddenly realizes that Ippatsu had planned this from the start.
Ippatsu: Hehe... Looks like you figured it out too, (Captain).
Ippatsu: My ramen doesn't have the firepower to knock the master off his feet. I'm not that delusional.
Ippatsu: That man's tongue has been forged on ramen for decades.
Ippatsu: Supposing I somehow served up a delicious bowl, it'd still be missing the essence of a chef's touch.
Ippatsu: But that was the point. My ramen was designed to reignite his flame.
Ippatsu grins at his benefactor.
Ippatsu: No one hates bad ramen more than he does!
Ramen Master: Hmph, don't get cheeky with me.
The ramen master turns away, unable to face the younger man.
Ramen Master: The day you start treatin' me with kid gloves is when I know I've truly gone downhill.
Ramen Master: I hate givin' ya a reason to crow, but you're right.
Ippatsu: Master!
Ramen Master: At least I can still whip up a bowl of ramen that'll shut you up!
The ramen master strides into his domain and preps his tools with a veteran hand.
Ramen Master: ...
Despite the stoicism of his work, the crew catch sight of a single tear hitting the kitchen counter.
Ippatsu: Slurp... Munch... Aaaah!
Ippatsu: Delectable! Your ramen is one for the ages!
Lyria: Nom, nom... Mm! This is so good!
Lyria: I'm afraid of burning my tongue, but I can't stop eating!
Vyrn: Haha! I blinked, and (Captain)'s bowl is already empty.
Ippatsu: The only way to eat the master's ramen is to keep your chopsticks flowing!
Ippatsu: Do not fear the potent yet gentle broth as it exquisitely lassos your tongue!
Ippatsu: Relish the texture and body of the noodles before it glides effortlessly down the waterfall that is your gullet!
Ippatsu: Allow the braised pork to bury your taste buds under an avalanche of savory sweetness.
Ippatsu: And to cap it all off, the scallions and seaweed shall hold you prisoner in Flavortown!
Ramen Master: Shaddup and eat before it gets cold! Why don't ya lick the bowl instead o' lickin' boot!
Ippatsu: Yes, sir!
Ippatsu: Sigh... How I've missed this taste. Were this my final meal, I'd die a happy man!
Ippatsu is unfazed by the berating, and tears of joy stream down his face. The ramen master throws up his hands.
Ramen Master: Hmph. Bah. No one told ya to go round collectin' stupidly expensive ingredients like an idiot.
Ramen Master: Left me no choice but to find 'em a good home in top-notch ramen.
Ippatsu: Yes! I've been waiting to hear you say that! See, that's why I turned the skydoms upside down to gather everything!
Ippatsu: Sob... It's good to have the old master back!
Ramen Master: I said pipe down and eat!
Ippatsu: Yes, sir! Sluuurp!
The shop is once again filled with the sounds of happy diners, at least for the moment.
Later that night, Ippatsu helps the ramen master get ready for tomorrow's opening.
Ramen Master: Why're you still here? Jump into your captain's ship and buzz off already.
Ippatsu: But I just got here! You don't have to worry about me!
Ippatsu: Whether it's cleaning leftover broth residue or shaving bonito flakes, command me and I'll obey!
Ramen Master: Tch... You're more stubborn to get rid of than the grease under the grill.
Ramen Master: It's your fault I can't think about retiring anymore.
Ramen Master: Can't believe I'm sayin' this, but even I ain't heartless enough to ignore the worries of a fellow chef in the ramen trenches.
Ippatsu: What are you talking about, Master?
Ippatsu: Why do you think me and the Violet Knight are drawn to you like a moth to a flame?
Ippatsu: All you need to do is have a piping hot bowl of ramen waiting for him when he gets back.
Ippatsu: The one and only ramen that spellbound his stomach.
Ramen Master: Idiot. Imagine what you could be if ya spent as much time practicin' your craft as ya did talkin'.
Ramen Master: So put your money where your mouth is. We're workin' through the night—you'll be beggin' for death by morning!
Ippatsu: Give me your best shot!
Ippatsu's earnest challenge finally draws a laugh from the ramen master.
The paper lantern that hangs outside the shop glows brightly through the night. Its light will never fade, reflecting the two men's everlasting zeal for ramen.