Scenario:Percival - Summer's Promise

Summer's Promise

Percival's peaceful afternoon is interrupted by a group of fishermen with a desperate request. To discover the cause of the fall in abalone, the crew goes out to sea and is attacked by a marmok.

---

Percival eyes the heaving, stormy sea.

The fishing boat sails forward, stirring up the white waves.

Percival: Humph. You must've been pretty bored to have come along with me on this.

Percival: Hm? What's wrong, (Captain)? You're looking sort of pale.

The boat rolls sharply as it's tossed about by the waves.

It all started several hours before...

Reclining in a beach chair, Percival pores over a book about oceanography.

Percival is spending a splendid afternoon in peace when a drove of fishermen interrupt his solitude.

Local Fisherman: Hey, uh, are you the guy who'll help anybody? Percival the Problem-patcher?

Percival: I don't recall ever having a nickname like that.

Local Fisherman: But you've got the fiery-red hair and everything!

Percival: Yes, yes, I'm Percival. What do you want?

The fishermen explain that the supply of abalone is falling, and hope that Percival will investigate the cause.

Percival: Hm, you mean that high-priced shellfish that's hauled in from the ocean?

Local Fisherman: You've heard of abalone?

Percival: Why yes. I was reading up on it in this oceanography book just now.

Local Fisherman: Then that saves us some time! We're beggin' you! Is there anything you could do to help? We're at our wits end.

Percival meets the looks of desperation with his own look of sincerity.

Percival: Ah well. It's a king's duty to guide troubled citizens after all.

Local Fisherman: You'll help us?

Percival: Yes. But only because I'm interested in some field research.

Local Fisherman: Thank you! The Fisherman's Guild is grateful to you!

Vyrn: Oh boy. Percival's gone and gotten himself into another mess.

Lyria: Then we'll help him out. Right, (Captain)?

(Captain) can only sigh and smile at trouble-magnet Percival.

Percival: I can handle this on my own. I agreed to it, so you vassals stay here and relax.

Percival: Now let's go, fishermen. You lead the way.

The boat rocks sharply. (Captain) is thrown off balance but Percival is there to make the save.

Percival: Hey, (Captain). Are you feeling all right?

Percival: If you're seasick, look out at the horizon.

Suddenly, the boat shudders again with a jerk.

Percival: What was that?

Local Fisherman: It's a marmok!

A giant sea creature begins to attack the panicking fishermen on the deck.

Marmok: Groar!

Percival: So this is a marmok? Have we entered its territory without knowing?

Local Fisherman: Marmoks weren't this violent before, but lately they've been attacking fishing boats!

The marmok seems to have targeted (Captain) and the crew and begins to charge toward them.

Percival: Tch, I'll handle this!

Percival: (Captain), you take care of the injured!

Summer's Promise: Scene 2

Percival subdues the marmok and gains its trust. The crew decides to head back to the island to treat the marmok, but giant crabs appear to block their path.

---

Percival: Haa!

Marmok: Groar!

Percival blocks the rampaging marmok in one clean stroke.

Marmok: Groar!

Percival: Not bad.

With a sly grin, Percival closes the distance between him and the marmok.

Local Fisherman: Percival! You can't just waltz up to that thing and kill it!

Percival: I know. I wasn't going to kill it anyway.

Percival calmly walks up to the menacing marmok.

Percival: We're sorry. We trespassed into your territory, but please forgive us.

Marmok: Groar!

Vyrn: Hold on, Percival! If you get any closer you'll get hurt!

Percival: It's all right. It's telling me that it doesn't see us as enemies.

Percival gently lays down his weapon on the deck so as not to startle the marmok.

Percival: I've surrendered my weapon. So could you cease your anger?

Marmok: Groar!

The marmok refuses to stand down, but Percival reaches out his hand.

Percival: Nghh!

Lyria: Percival!

The marmok sinks its sharp fangs into Percival's hand.

Marmok: Groar!

Percival: Humph. Don't worry, I won't hurt you.

Fresh blood begins to trickle down his hand.

Marmok: Ggg... groar!

Percival: Everyone was causing a fuss and it got you all worked up, huh?

Marmok: Groar...

Percival: Then let's call it a draw.

Percival: I guarantee your safety. Trust me.

Marmok: Koo?

Percival's message seems to have reached the marmok, and it begins to lick the wound on his hand.

Marmok: Koo koo... Koo koo...

Percival: Is that so? You'll forgive us?

Local Fisherman: What's this? A marmok warming up to a human?

Vyrn: Is that strange?

Local Fisherman: Indeed. All the fishermen around these parts make sure to keep their distance with the marmok.

Lyria: For now, we need to treat Percival and the marmok!

After securing the marmok, the crew decides to return to the port and form a plan.

But giant crabs appear and block their path.

Local Fisherman: Why're these crabs showing up all of a sudden!

Local Fisherman: (Captain)! Could you take care of these real quick for us?

Vyrn: You got it!
Hey, Percival! This time, you relax and leave it to us!

Percival: Humph. No need for that. It's only a scratch.

Percival: Now move. You're in my way.

Summer's Promise: Scene 3

At the beach house, Percival reads up on marmoks. On a sneaking suspicion, he leads the crew and the fisherman out to sea that night where they find a ship of poachers.

---

Lyria: Mokky! Mokky! It's dinner time!

Marmok: Koo koo! Koo koo koo!

(Captain) and the crew are keeping the marmok at the beach house.

Lyria enjoys taking care of the sea creature, and has even given it a name.

Lyria: Wow! Come look, (Captain)!

Lyria: Mokky cracked a shell open with a rock to eat it! Look how cute it is!

Vyrn: Oh boy.
That thing isn't a pet, you know.

Just then, Percival comes in to check on the marmok.

Percival: Vyrn's right. We're going to return it to the ocean eventually.

Percival: If you get too friendly, it won't be good for either of you.

Lyria: Sorry. Mokky's just so cute though.

Percival: I know how you feel, Lyria. But you've got to think about what's best for the marmok.

Lyria: I see. I'll be more careful from now on.

Percival: All right. You keep taking good care of it.

Lyria: I will! Leave it to me!

With a satisfied smile, Percival returns to his room to read up on marmoks.

Percival: Classified in the family Marmok, of the order Mok. Likes to eat crabs and sea urchins. Dwells in kelp fields.

Percival: Its fur is valued as a luxury item that's often traded for a high price.

Percival: Hm, but those fishermen said they stay away from the marmok.

Percival has a nagging feeling. He decides to check another book.

Percival: Kelp field organisms...
Important to the food chain...

Percival: Hm... As they decrease, the balance is tipped and new kelp sprouts are eaten away.

Percival: I see. So that's what's going on.

Percival goes over the pieces of the puzzle in his mind.

That night, he goes back out into the sea with the local fishermen, (Captain), and the crew.

Local Fisherman: So you're saying that what happens tonight might solve our abalone problem?

Vyrn: Hey, Percival. You sure all we have to do is wait here?

Percival: Yes, I'm very sure. Just trust me for now.

Once near the marmok area, the lamps are turned off. They drift on the waves lying in wait.

After a short time, they sense another boat coming near.

Local Fisherman: Hm, a boat? But no one should be out here except us tonight!

Percival: Shh! Just wait.

With bated breath they wait. Suddenly, voices both pained and angry begin to echo from the ship.

Percival quietly gestures to guide their boat closer.

Vyrn: Gulp! Something's up, just like Percival predicted.

Local Fisherman: Curses! Who's behind all this?

Percival: Vassals, are you ready?

Lyria: Yes, sir! We can't let them get away with this!

Local Fisherman: Hear, hear! We'll be fighting alongside you!

Percival: That's the spirit! But I'll have you amateurs fall back.

Percival: Now, let's go! Follow me, (Captain)!

Summer's Promise: Scene 4

After defeating the poachers, Percival and the crew take the injured marmoks ashore to safety. Once released back into the ocean, the marmoks dance for Percival who makes a promise to visit the ocean again next summer.

---

???: So it was an ambush. How did you find us out?

???: You jerks! You wanna take our marmoks from us?

Percival: Humph. You're despicable. Don't mistake us for poachers like you.

Local Fisherman: How dare you rob our sacred ocean!

Baby Marmoks: Mew mew...
Mew mew...

On the deck of the poaching ship, injured baby marmoks cry out in distress.

Percival: You fools even dare to hurt baby marmoks.

Percival: Unforgivable. I'll turn you to cinders right here and now!

Poacher: Yikes! Spare me my life!

Vyrn: Wait, Percival, wait! Don't be hasty!

Lyria: Percival! We have to hurry and help the injured babies!

Percival: You're right. I'll handle these scoundrels later.

Percival: (Captain)! Aid the weakest marmoks first!

Thanks to Percival, the marmok poachers are handed over to the patrol force.

After the marmoks are tended to, Percival explains how he solved the case.

Percival: The marmoks likely began attacking the fishing boats as a way to defend against the poachers.

Vyrn: That thing charged at us because it thought we were poachers?

Local Fisherman: That makes sense! So, what about the abalone?

Percival: It seems the drop in abalone is related to the marmok poaching.

Lyria: How's that exactly?

Percival: Humph. First, I want you to read this.

Percival spreads open the oceanography book.

Lyria: It looks a little complicated.

Percival: Well, this book led me to my theory. To put it simply...

Percival: With the overhunting of the marmoks, the ocean's ecology lost balance. And so, the abalone decreased in turn.

Local Fisherman: Overhunting? The ocean's ecology lost balance? But marmoks like to eat abalone.

Local Fisherman: Wouldn't the abalone thrive without all those marmoks?

Percival: Yes, for a while, maybe. But the marmok's main food source, crabs and sea urchins, would thrive as well.

Percival: Didn't you say that crabs have been multiplying? How about sea urchins?

Local Fisherman: Ah, you're right! There's been a surge of crabs and urchins!

Percival: Their natural enemy disappeared, and so crabs and urchins began to flourish.

Percival: As the number of sea urchins increased, the kelp fields were eaten away.

Percival: Abalone mainly eat kelp sprouts. So what happens when the kelp sprouts disappear from the fields?

Lyria: Oh! They won't have any food and they won't survive!

Percival: That's right. I think that's the reason why the abalone have dropped off so drastically.

Local Fisherman: So that's what it was.

Vyrn: Wow, Percival. You're like an egghead.

Percival: Not really. It's still just a theory. They'll need to keep observing for changes.

Percival: But I must say, you fishermen have incredible ancestral knowledge.

Local Fisherman: Ancestral knowledge? What's that?

Percival: I mean, for generations you've been keeping your distance from the marmoks.

Percival: Surely you knew it was for the sake of coexistence between people and marmoks.

Percival: Phew, accepting this request has taught me quite a lot.

Percival's mouth curves into a satisfied smile. His deeds reach the ears of many who listen in awe.

Top oceanographers gather to draft a pact to protect the marmoks, which is key to the balance of Auguste's ecology.

With the support of the Fishermen's Guild and the locals, the pact is presented at an assembly in the Auguste capital of Mizarea.

The Marmok Protection Pact is speedily passed thanks to Percival's quick action.

Time passes, and the injured marmoks are fully recovered and ready to return to the ocean.

Percival quietly looks out over the calm sea.

The marmoks splash into the ocean as they're let go one-by-one.

Lyria: Boo hoo... Boo hoo hoo!
(Mokky, take care of yourself!)

Vyrn: Come on, Lyria! Send them off with a smile!

Lyria: I know. But, it's just, saying goodbye is so sad.

Vyrn: Well, if you say so. But look at Percival! He's playing it cool as always.

Percival: ...

Unmoved by their parting, Percival's expression remains stoic.

After seeing off the last of the marmoks, Percival turns to the crew.

Percival: Let's go.

Lyria: Percival, don't you want to say goodbye?

Percival: It's clear that if the marmoks get too used to humans, they'll only put themselves in danger.

Vyrn: Well, I won't argue with you. But this is your last chance, so why not?

Percival: It's fine, so let's go.

By his order, the boat turns around and sails away from the marmoks.

Reluctant to part with them, Lyria gazes back at the marmoks and notices something peculiar.

Lyria: Ah! Percival, please look!

With Lyria's plea, Percival turns back.

He sees the marmoks moving together oddly in a pattern.

Marmok: Koo koo! Koo koo koo!

Marmok: Koo koo! Koo koo koo!

Marmok: Koo koo! Koo koo koo!

Marmok: Koo koo! Koo koo koo!

Percival: ...

Oceanographer: Incredible!

Percival: What are they doing?

Oceanographer: It's a performance the marmoks use to express deep affection.

Oceanographer: But the entire group is moving together in unison. I've never seen such a thing!

Listening to the oceanographer speak so excitedly, Percival feels the emotions swelling within him.

Percival: (Thank you. I leave it to you to protect these waters.)

Percival: (Show me how beautiful this ocean can be. Next summer, and every summer.)

(Captain) notices a slight change in Percival, and thinks to tease him a bit.

But (Captain) thinks twice, and is content with sneaking a glance at his rare and pleasant expression.

The young man with flaming red hair stands tall, bathed in silver light glinting off the water.

Although his mannerisms may be harsh, his heart smiles nonetheless.