Scenario:Leona - Even If Sleepless
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Even If Sleepless
(Captain) and company enjoy the festival, and even Leona seems to be cutting loose a bit. However, a chance meeting with a stallkeeper who seems to recognize Leona throws a wrench in their relaxation, and everyone rushes to find him in the monster-filled forest.
(Captain) and company arrive at the summer festival in town with the unrested Leona in tow.
Though their true goal is to help her sleep well again, telling her that would only cause unnecessary pressure.
At the very least they can offer her a change of pace and maybe even have a bit of fun at this festival.
Leona: Excuse me. I'll take eight of those meat skewers. Ah, wait, actually make that ten!
Leona: Would you guys like some? These skewers are pretty good.
Vyrn: Yeah! If you don't mind...
Leona: Then let's order some more! Excuse me!
Vyrn: (Wait a sec, does that mean that those first ten were for herself?)
Cain: Haha! Leo, you're gonna get even taller if you eat that much!
Leona: Leave my height alone! It's not like I can grow more at this age anyway!
Leona: Besides, I have a perfectly normal, healthy appetite.
Cain: Reinhardtzar, you're gonna have some of these skewers too, right?
Reinhardtzar: Huh? Oh. Sure.
Lyria: Hehehe. I'm glad Leona seems to be having fun.
It almost seems as if they can relax and put aside their worries. But only almost.
Reinhardtzar: ...
Cain: Hey, what's wrong? You've been strangely quiet for a while.
Reinhardtzar: It's nothing. I just thought I recognized someone over there. I have no idea who or why though...
Cain: Over there? You mean the man in charge of that stall? I guess he does seem kinda familiar.
Stallkeeper: ...
As Cain and Reinhardtzar stare at the man, Leona approaches his stall.
Leona: Excuse me! Seven sausage plates please. Oh, and with extra sauce.
Stallkeeper: Welcome! Seven plates, right? Comin' right... up?
Stallkeeper: Huh? You're...
Leona: What? Is something wrong?
Stallkeeper: O-oh... Sorry, my mistake. Nothing's wrong. I'll just get your seven plates ready.
Cain & Rein: ...?
Vyrn: Hey, Leona. Did you know that guy back there from the stall?
Leona: No, I don't think I've ever met him before.
Cain pushes through the crowd at that moment and rejoins their group.
Cain: Leo, (Captain), everyone, can I talk to you for a second?
Cain: Something about that stallkeeper bothered me, so I went over there to take a look at him, but he's flown the coop.
Leona: What do you mean, "he's flown the coop"?
Cain: Sigh. I don't know why, but it sounds like he's gone into a forest where monsters are known to live.
Vyrn: Say what! We gotta go after him!
Cain: I figured it'd be easier to find him with more eyes to look, so I came to ask for your help.
(Captain) stands and nods firmly.
Vyrn: We're with you! I don't know what's up with him disappearin' in the middle of the festival, but we can't just leave him out there!
Seemingly shaken by his encounter with Leona, the stallkeeper disappeared into a highly dangerous forest.
Though no one knows his reason for doing so, (Captain) and company head for the forest, determined to bring him back to safety.
Even If Sleepless: Scene 2
The stallkeeper reveals that he once knew Abel and owed him a great deal. However, upon seeing Leona, the guilt and shame of disappointing Abel came crashing down and drove him to come die in the forest. Leona, infuriated that someone would use Abel as an excuse to die, begins to reproach him, but they are interrupted by monsters.
Far from the excitement of the festival, the forest air is filled only by the sound of parting grass and a man's labored breathing.
Stallkeeper: Pant... Pant... Why am I like this? Am I going to keep running away even until the very end?
Stallkeeper: I guess I will... I don't have much longer until the monsters come eat me alive...
Cain: Say what? Hey, old man, don't tell me you came here to die?
Stallkeeper: Holy moly! Wh-wh-what are you people doing here?
Leona: We came to bring you back to safety. Good grief, what in the world would compel you to do this?
Reinhardtzar: I remember now. This man is...
Right before Reinhardtzar can reveal the man's identity, he quickly glances over to Leona and closes his mouth.
Leona: What?
Reinhardtzar: Never mind.
Stallkeeper: The truth is... I'm someone who owed a lot to Abel.
Leona & Cain: What?
Reinhardtzar: ...
Stallkeeper: I used to be a bandit a long, long time ago. Nothing like Reinhardtzar, either. I was the worst kind of bandit there was.
Stallkeeper: Then on a day of banditry like any other, this Abel guy shows up all by himself.
According to the man's story, Abel appeared before the bandits' headquarters one day demanding that they surrender and disband.
It goes without saying that the bandits didn't even give Abel a chance to finish before they started attacking him.
However...
Stallkeeper: He wiped the floor with us. By the time I came to, it was nighttime. To this day I still don't remember what exactly happened.
Stallkeeper: All I know is, that guy just walked over, handed each of these guys he just beat a glass of liquor, and told us to drink.
Cain: Haha! That sounds just like him.
Stallkeeper: Hehehe, he said it was from the royal stores... I gotta admit, it sure was tasty.
After that, Abel and the bandits formed a strange sort of friendship.
Stallkeeper: You're Abel's fiancee, right? Leona, if memory serves. I saw you walking around town with him once.
Stallkeeper: Heh. What a blast from the past. Abel used to get drunk and tell us over and over about how beautiful you looked in a yukata.
Leona: He said that?
Cain: That still doesn't explain why you're out here trying to die. What does my brother have to do with this?
Stallkeeper: Sigh... After everything else he'd already done, Abel found me honest work. And I tried my best at it, at least for a short while.
Stallkeeper: But I didn't last. I've got no grit in me.
Stallkeeper: I'm just an idiot that causes trouble no matter where I go, and I've never been able to hold a job for long. This stall-keeping stuff probably won't last much longer either.
In other words, the man harbors unresolved guilt toward Abel, who had given him a place in society.
After Abel passed away, the guilt only grew from knowing someone great had died while a good-for-nothing like himself still lived.
Stallkeeper: I lost the job Abel went out of his way to get me... Since then I've been living with this uncomfortable feeling gnawing at my chest.
Stallkeeper: And you know, when I saw you today, I couldn't even look you in the eyes. I realized I'm just not somebody that can function in society...
Cain: And that's how you decided you'd had enough and ran here to be monster food?
Stallkeeper: Yeah... I let Abel down once, and I only keep letting him down. I'm a complete failure of a person, and I don't deserve to live—
Leona: Don't you dare blame a dead person for your failure to love yourself!
Stallkeeper: ...!
Leona: Did he say you had to push yourself to the limit? Or that you had to feel guilty for being alive while he isn't?
Leona: Do you think he cared that much about that job or your position in society? Because I know he cared about something much more important than that.
Leona: So don't...
Leona: (Wait... What... am I saying?)
As soon as Leona's voice falls silent, the drawing of (Captain)'s weapon resounds in its place.
Monster: Groooar!
Vyrn: Whoa! We got company!
Cain: Shoot... They have us surrounded. We're gonna have to split up to cover all sides.
Cain and Reinhardtzar stand together on one side while (Captain) and Leona prepare themselves on the other.
Stallkeeper: Just leave me and run! I never meant to drag any of you into this—
Leona: Don't even start with that! If you're truly concerned about us, then value your own life first!
Stallkeeper: ...?
Leona: Or did you forget that's the life that Abel saved?
Leona: We all owe our lives to someone else. The least we can do for them is to treasure people the same way they did, including ourselves!
Leona: Otherwise... What was the point of their efforts?
Vyrn: Heads up! Monsters incomin'!
Leona: They've got another thing coming if they think I'll let them take a life that Abel saved!
Even If Sleepless: Scene 3
After the monsters are taken care of, the stallkeeper realizes the truth in Leona's words and vows to keep living in honor of Abel. Later that evening, Leona prepares herself for another sleepless night before running into (Captain) and company already waiting for her.
After checking that there are no more monsters, Leona nervously approaches the stallkeeper.
Leona: Uhm, I must apologize. My words earlier were too harsh, not to mention—
Stallkeeper: Not at all! In fact, thanks to you, I think I can turn my life around!
Stallkeeper: Really, thank you! I was so focused on myself, I never once thought about what Abel would have wanted.
Stallkeeper: I won't forget that. No matter how bad things get or how much of a mess I am, I'll keep on living the best I can! For Abel!
Vyrn: Hehe! Go for it, old man! Ain't this great, Leona?
Leona: Y-yeah, it is...
Leona: What? You were trying to help me with my sleeping problem?
Cain: Yeah, we thought it'd be a nice change of pace to bring you to the festival.
Cain: Although I guess in the end all we did was put my brother on your mind again... Who would've guessed we'd run into something like this?
Lyria: We were hoping to help you have some fun...
Leona: ...
Leona: Thank you, everyone. I feel like I'll be able to sleep tonight.
Vyrn: Huh? For real?
Leona: Yes. How could I not? I was lucky enough to hear a story of Abel's I didn't know.
Leona: And I really appreciate that you were concerned enough to do all this for me. So I'm feeling plenty relaxed now and ready for rest!
Leona: But the festival isn't over yet, right? I wonder if there's any skewers still left.
Vyrn: Hehe! You're as hungry as ever!
Cain: ...
Leona throws herself into enjoying the festival once more, this time knowing the concerns of her friends.
Watching her have fun, (Captain) and company are able to relax.
However...
Later in the evening, while a few guards stand at attention and the rest of Volkshield Palace falls into quiet slumber, Leona remains awake and alone in her room.
Leona: I'm sorry, everyone.
Despite her friends' worrying, Leona is unable to fall asleep. Guilt eats away at her.
Eventually, she puts on her yukata one more time and leaves her room.
Leona: Sigh...
Leona: Don't you dare blame a dead person for your failure to love yourself!
Leona: We all owe our lives to someone else. The least we can do for them is to treasure people the same way they did, including ourselves!
Leona: Why did I say those things? I don't have any right to—
Vyrn: Hey! There she is. What's up, Leona!
Leona: W-what? What's going on? Why are you all up this late?
Lyria: Hehe. We thought you'd be awake again tonight, so we waited for you here.
Leona: B-but I said that I would be able to sleep...
Vyrn: About that... We had a little talk with Cain while you went off to buy some more skewers.
Cain: Sigh... Such a bad liar. She changed the subject again. Now I know she's not gonna be able to sleep tonight either.
Lyria: I guess Cain saw right through you.
Leona: You're right... You guys really got to see all sorts of bad sides to me today.
Vyrn: Hmm. Why are you having such a hard time sleepin' anyway?
Leona: I keep dreaming of Abel.
Leona: And every time I see him, I think of the country and the brother he left behind, and I just...
Leona: Those feelings build up and pull at me, and after that I can never fall asleep.
Choose: Wake me up if you can't sleep.
Choose: You don't have to be alone.
Leona: Huh?
Vyrn: Exactly! Just wake us up next time!
Lyria: We probably can't do much to keep you from feeling sad, but...
Vyrn: The least we can do is make sure you're not alone! That's what (Captain) said!
Lyria: Yes! (Captain)'s the one who came to us all and suggested it!
Leona: (Captain), you... Even if we're awake together, there's not much to do at night.
Vyrn: You sure about that?
Cain: Leo, there you are. Guess you really didn't fall asleep after all.
Leona: Cain?
Cain: Oh, nice! You're wearing your yukata! Perfect timing!
Leona: It really has been a while, so I figured I'd wear it a bit more... But wait, why does that matter? And what are you holding?
Cain: Behold! Fireworks, courtesy of a contact of Reinhardtzar's!
Reinhardtzar: He says it like I didn't have to wake up an old comrade-turned-craftsman in the middle of the night.
Cain: Why don't we get started? Actually, now's a good chance for all of us to wear our yukatas. Should we change first?
Leona: H-hold on a minute! We can't just set off loud fireworks this late!
Reinhardtzar: Hmm. Then how about using these instead?
Cain: Oh-ho, sparklers? Yeah, we won't make much of a ruckus with these.
Cain: Whaaat? Mine died again! Why do mine all fizzle out so fast?
Reinhardtzar: Heh. Because you flail around too much when you're excited.
Leona: Hehe, you've got that right.
Leona: (Captain), thank you for today.
Leona: If you keep being so kind to me, I might actually take you up on your offer and wake you up one of these nights.
Vyrn: Go right ahead! (Captain) is serious about it!
Leona: Reinhardtzar, I need to thank you as well.
Reinhardtzar: Me?
Leona: You recognized the stallkeeper before the rest of us, didn't you? And you knew he was somehow related to Abel.
Leona: I saw you look at me and then keep yourself from saying anything. You were being considerate, weren't you?
Reinhardtzar: Who knows...
Leona: Hehe. Thank you.
Leona: Everyone else too... Really, thank you all.
Grateful more than ever for the bonds between them, Leona finds that the night can be peaceful even if she does not sleep.
And then, in the glow of her sparkler's ephemeral light, she catches sight of her most precious person. To him, she quietly conveys her conviction to keep on living.