Scenario:Joel - Summer's End by the Sea
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Summer's End by the Sea
Joel takes (Captain) swimming at a cove said to be connected to another world. Perhaps due to summer fatigue, the captain sees a vision underwater of being left behind by Vyrn and Lyria, but Joel offers reassurance that the other world he mentioned is merely a legend.
Even though the height of summer has come and gone, a scorching heatwave continues to grip Auguste.
However, this enduring swelter signals not the end of the season's harshest weather, but rather its beginning.
Joel: Phew, this sunlight is intense. Feels like my skin is on fire.
Having just completed a request to hunt sea monsters, (Captain) and Joel walk along the beach, sweating profusely.
Joel: Pass that bag over here too, (Captain). I'll carry it.
Taking the heavy leather satchel of rare minerals they received as a reward, Joel heaves it over his shoulder.
Joel: Don't worry, this is nothing. I'm used to the sun beating down by the sea.
Joel: Besides, I'm feeling great thanks to this comfy swimsuit. Apparently it was made using the latest cutting-edge techniques.
Joel: But having Vyrn and Lyria stay behind was the right call. This heat would have wiped them out, especially with how muggy it is today.
Suddenly looking slightly nervous, he adjusts the load on his back.
Joel: Hey, (Captain). How about the two of us go for a swim after this?
Joel: I know a secret spot that doesn't get many visitors.
Joel: So why don't we go together? I think you'll like it—or at least, I hope you will.
Choose: Anything to get me out of this heat!
Joel: Great. Then let's head out as soon as we drop off our things.
Joel leads the way to a cool, quiet cove tucked away from the crowds.
Joel: Make sure to do some warm-ups beforehand. The water here is pretty cold.
The two prepare by carefully stretching each and every muscle.
Joel: All right, that should do it.
Joel: Come on in, (Captain). The water's cool and refreshing.
Joel: So what do you think?
Choose: It's delightfully chilly!
Joel: I'm glad you're a fan. I've always wanted to bring you here.
Joel: You see... this place has a strong connection to my dream.
Joel: There's a legend that says the seafloor here leads to a whole other world.
Joel: When I heard that as a kid, I thought maybe that "other world" was the bottom of the sky.
Joel: All my life, I've dreamed of swimming in the huge ocean beneath the clouds.
Joel: So I kept coming back here to dive again and again, hoping something would connect.
Joel: But no matter how many times I went down, I never found what I was looking for.
Joel: Then I met you, (Captain). And I realized if I just kept doing things the same way, nothing would ever change.
Joel: Anyway, sorry—let's swim. Not much point to my nostalgic rambling, since this place doesn't actually lead anywhere.
Joel: But... you really can see a whole other world.
Joel takes (Captain)'s hand, and together they venture a little farther out.
Joel: Dive in after me. I want to show you somewhere even more peaceful and beautiful.
The captain nods and follows Joel underwater.
Beneath the waves, (Captain) is greeted by a scene of crystal clear waters and magnificent coral reefs.
Joel: ...
In that moment, the captain understands that this breathtaking seascape is the "other world" Joel had wanted to share.
There on the ocean floor, utterly still and isolated from the world above, the only movement is the gentle sway of seaweed.
In that underwater realm, (Captain) catches sight of a girl gliding nearby, her hair streaming behind her.
Knowing that Lyria should be safe back on the ship, (Captain) swims after her in confusion.
Joel: ((Captain)?)
Suddenly, Vyrn appears at Lyria's side, and the pair drift past just beyond the captain's reach.
Their figures move farther away, as if to leave (Captain) behind.
Joel: ...!
With a look of concern on his face, Joel grabs the captain's outstretched hand.
Joel: (Easy, (Captain). Come on, we're heading to the surface.)
Joel: Pwah! I'll have you back on dry land right away. Just relax and let me handle this.
Joel scoops up (Captain) and swims for the shore, making it there in no time flat.
Joel: Breathing is uneven... but there's no water in the lungs.
Joel: Pulse is a little slow. Need to keep the body warm.
Joel: (Captain), can you hear me?
The captain nods and attempts to sit up.
Joel: No, just lie still for now. Don't worry, you should feel better soon.
Joel: You were acting a little strange down there, so I brought you up to be safe.
Joel: But you didn't take in any water, and you're clearly alert. Everything looks okay. Just relax.
Joel: Here, let me cover you with this towel. I want to get you warmed up, if only a little.
(Captain) tells Joel about seeing Vyrn and Lyria at the bottom of the sea.
Joel: Is that even possible? Vyrn and Lyria are supposed to be waiting for us on the ship.
Joel: And I'm pretty sure it's just the two of us here. If anyone else were diving, we would have seen them come up for air at least once.
Thinking back on the memory of Vyrn and Lyria being just out of reach, the captain's expression grows forlorn.
Joel: ((Captain) looks so sad...)
Joel: Sorry. I should have noticed sooner that something was wrong.
Joel: Maybe you started hallucinating from lack of oxygen during the dive.
Joel: You've been pushing yourself every day in this heat, after all. The exhaustion might have finally caught up to you.
Joel: (The body and mind are connected. Physical fatigue affects the psyche as well.)
Joel: ((Captain) is mentally drained right now. Or at least, that's the expression I'm seeing.)
Joel: (Although, I'd expect someone who just had such a vivid hallucination to be a lot more out of it...)
Joel: (Could it be that (Captain) really caught a glimpse of another world?)
Joel: ((Captain) has made it through plenty of events straight out of legends before.)
Joel: (Maybe (Captain) can see things that are just beyond me.)
Joel: (But if that's the case, what exactly was that other world with Vyrn and Lyria in it?)
Joel: (They should be back on the airship. We even talked to them right before we left.)
Joel: (So maybe what (Captain) saw wasn't real, but it was something with a deeper meaning—like a vision?)
Noticing the worry etched on Joel's face, (Captain)'s expression grows even gloomier.
Joel: ...!
S-sorry, I got in my head.
S-sorry, I got in my head.
Joel: If I had to guess, the vision you saw was probably caused by fatigue. That "other world" I mentioned is nothing but a legend.
Joel: I should have let you rest instead of dragging you out here to swim. You must have been really worn out to hallucinate like that.
Joel: Come on, let's go back to the airship and relax. I'll carry you on my back, so just take it easy.
Joel tries his best to ease (Captain)'s worries, however small the relief might be.
But his words of encouragement only serve to prick at his own heart—a heart that has long believed in a legend of the bottom of the sky.