Scenario:Rackam - Rackam's Driving Force

Rackam's Driving Force

Rackam and Noa proceed through the Grandcypher to take back their vessel. The primal remarks on how Rackam has always taken great care of his possessions even as a child, which gets his mind stirring about the old days. They later run into a group of knaves.

---

The Grandcypher suffered irreparable damage to its engine across numerous battles and lost the ability to fly.

But through the efforts of Rackam, Noa, and countless Golonzo mechanics, the Grandcypher makes a miraculous recovery and soars the skies once more.

Rackam: Oh, those blowhards are really gonna get it! They've got some nerve to be comin' aboard my ship!

The one currently steering the Grandcypher is not Rackam.

The crew's resident helmsman is in the storage room, loading bullets into his new gun, Benedia, a gift from Noa.

Noa: No need to put so much force into it, Rackam. The bullets are of a special type, you see.

Rackam: I know, but I just can't help it right now!

Fury evident in his expression, Rackam finishes loading the chamber, cocks the hammer, and stirs himself up for the battle to come.

Rackam: I don't know who the hell you are, but you're about to find out what happens when you lay your dirty mitts on my ship.

With numerous achievements under its belt, the Grandcypher's fame has spread far and wide.

Its usurpers are trying to turn that fame into riches.

Rackam: We're taking the Grandcypher back! C'mon, Noa!

Noa: Right.

Rackam: Let's see...

Rackam is surprisingly calm, without a trace of the anger he had shown earlier.

He sticks a knife out from the door, carefully surveying the situation from the blade's reflection before slinking out of the storage room.

Noa: Smart move... I'm glad to see you've calmed down.

Rackam: Oh, I'm just keeping it in. The moment I get my chance, I'm gonna tear those punks to pieces!

Rackam: Course I've gotta keep calm if I expect my bullets to land. At least till the ship's ours again, I'll play it cool.

Noa: Haha. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ah, the memories...

Rackam: That again? Did something happen when I was a kid?

Noa: Sure did. Even as a child, the love you poured into your own possessions was many times that of other people.

Rackam: You think so?

While chewing on the thought, Rackam points his gun at the shadows, making sure to check every potential hiding spot.

Noa: Hm, this takes me back to the old days...

When they come to a point where there are rooms on both sides of the hall, Noa suddenly speaks up.

Noa: To the right.

Rackam: Yeah?

Rackam's reflexes kick in. He turns to the door on the right and notices the knob turning.

Knave: Wha?

Rackam: ...

Rackam: Hyaah!

Knave: Urk!

His nose smashed in with the barrel of the gun, the knave falls to the ground.

Knave: Wh-who the heck are you!

Rackam: Psh, look who's talkin'!

Rackam: Right back at you, chump!

As the knave reaches for a weapon, Rackam points the Benedia's muzzle toward him.

Rackam's Driving Force: Scene 2

Following Noa's advice on enemy movements, Rackam takes out one knave after another. This brings back memories of the slingshot Noa gifted him so many years ago—and all the target practice they did together. They reach the ringleader shortly thereafter, who sends more men their way.

---

Rackam: That should do it.

Tied-Up Knave: Mrgh! Blrrghmff!!

After stuffing a rag in the knave's mouth and tying him up, Rackam leaves the room.

Noa: The room opposite this one next.

Rackam: Gotcha! Hrgh!

Knave 1: Oof!

Without even resorting to his gun, Rackam is able to fell the knave with a flying kick.

Noa: There's three on the other side of this door. Ready for it?

Rackam: I've got this!

Rackam eagerly ruffles through his pockets.

Rackam: Special delivery incomiiiing.

Knave 2: What the!

The knave grabs the object suddenly lobbed at him. It turns out to be a signal flare.

Knave 2: Yeow! Too hot to handle!

Having had its fuse cut short, the flare has already gone off. This gives Rackam a chance to ready his weapon.

Rackam: Eat this!

Knave 3: Rgh!

Knave 4: Gwah!

With the Benedia in one hand and a flare gun in the other, Rackam simultaneously pulls the trigger on each, knocking out both knaves.

Rackam: Lights out!

Knave 2: Ack!

Rackam finishes off the last knave by hurling the flare gun straight at his head.

Rackam: Heh, you see that!

Noa: Haha. Not bad, Rackam.

Noa offers a small applause, for the hotshot helmsman managed to take out three opponents in the blink of an eye.

Rackam: To be totally honest, I'm not sure it'd be so easy if you weren't so familiar with the Grandcypher's inner workings and the enemy positions.

Noa: We're in the clear for now.

Rackam: You know, this is starting to take me back...

Noa: So you remember then?

Rackam: You're talking about the slingshot, right?

Rackam: It's been nearly twenty years. I totally forgot about it.

Rackam: ...

Noa: Hello, Rackam. I see you're not with Eugen today.

Rackam: Uh-huh. He wanted to cool off after finishing a job. He's at the tavern with friends.

Noa: Sounds fun. Why didn't you go with him?

Rackam: The snacks they've got there all taste funny! I wish he'd just stay around to teach me more about airships.

Noa: I see... You want the Grandcypher to fly again one day, right?

Rackam: Yep. That's why I've gotta study more.

Noa: Care to study with me today?

Rackam: Hm? You know about airships, Noa?

Noa: It's one of my passing interests. I can even show you Golonzo's airship factory.

Rackam: Whoa! Look at all the parts they've got here!

Noa: These are all scrap materials, parts that have run their course. But nonetheless, there's a lot we can learn from them.

Noa: For instance, it's easy to determine if something is made of iron, but there are many different kinds of iron.

Rackam: Yeah, I know about that! There's e... elasticity and composition... and it's different for every type!

Noa: That's right. Because each one serves its own distinct role.

Noa picks up a piece of wire and slides it across the length of his finger.

It then curves around into the form of a coil.

Noa: Depending on the nature of the material used, it may not function properly as a spring even when twisted into this shape.

Rackam: What did you just do? The wire curled up by itself.

Noa: Haha, you'll figure it out yourself once you're older.

Rackam: So how exactly do the materials differ?

Noa picks up one piece of scrap material after another, explaining the nature of each one to Rackam.

Noa: The next one will be from the right.

Rackam: Okay!

Rackam stands at the ready. From behind him, Noa flings a paper disc.

Rackam: ...!

Rackam whips out the slingshot by his waist and launches a rock at the disc.

Rackam: Bull's-eye!

Noa: Hehe. Not bad, not bad. You're quite the quick draw, Rackam.

At the end of his lecture regarding the nature of iron, Noa devises a slingshot from a mix of soft and hard iron. Rackam uses it for target practice.

Rackam: Hehe... Let's go for three discs at once next!

Noa: So you like a challenge, I see. That's a wonderful thing.

Noa: Here goes. From above, then from the right, then from the left—in that order.

Rackam puts the slingshot back in the pouch on his waist, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

Noa: I would tell you the direction, and you'd shoot... The target practice we did back then feels a lot like what we're doing now.

Rackam: Now that you mention it, yeah... Except the situation's a heckuva lot more serious right now.

Noa: Serious, but nostalgic. The sparkle in your eyes back then convinced me to entrust you with the Grandcypher.

Rackam: That's all it took? Watching me practice with a slingshot?

Noa: Well, that and something else.

Rackam: Huh? Did something else happen?

The two proceed through the Grandcypher without a foe in sight.

Rackam: I wonder where that slingshot you made for me went though.

Rackam: I was definitely a big fan of it, so it's not likely I lost it either...

Noa: Oh yes, you definitely took a liking to the slingshot...

Noa: Don't you remember other children in the neighborhood swiping it from you?

Rackam: Huh?

A look of bafflement crosses Rackam's face, but the feeling of tension returns when they come before a shut door.

Rackam: I'd love to hear the rest, but first thing's first.

Knave 2: Boss, seems like a brawl broke out on the ship earlier.

The knave reports to his boss through a speaking tube.

Knave Leader: I made sure to check every nook and cranny of the ship. Didn't think there were any stragglers left...

Knave 5: We're losing men left and right. Who knows how many of them there are...

Knave Leader: But it's nothin' to worry about. Won't matter how many of 'em come. I've put countermeasures in place.

The leader of the knaves wears a relaxed smile, until the door straight ahead of him opens up.

Rackam: ...

Knave Leader: There you are. I don't know how many people you brought along for the ride, but you've got guts to show up before me without all your lackeys.

Rackam: This is everyone.

Knave Leader: Wha?

Noa: I should mention that all I've done is offer advice.

Noa: Rackam might actually get angry if I chipped in any more than that.

Knave Leader: You? Took out my men? All by yourself?

Rackam: Well, I had a little help. It did take a bit of effort though.

Rackam: Anyhoo, either gimme back my ship, or get ready for a world of hurt.

Knave Leader: How did you do it? No matter...

Knave Leader: Not like you can outsmart your way against this many toughs.

Rackam: Heh.

Rackam's Driving Force: Scene 3

Mistaking Noa for the rumored girl in blue who can control primal beasts, the ringleader takes out a dark essence capsule that is damaging to primals. Rackam feigns compliance before pulling off a quick-draw maneuver to destroy the capsule. Fisticuffs ensue.

---

Knave Leader: Y-you really wiped the floor with us...

Rackam: So? What's next? Ready to give it up yet?

Knave: Damn you!

Noa: Rackam, 7 o'clock.

Rackam: Got it.

Without even turning away from the leader of the knaves, Rackam shoots down the underling who stands back up.

Knave: Rgh!

Noa: That should do it. I don't see anyone else trying to move.

Rackam: Good to know.

Knave Leader: No, don't tell me... Could this string bean actually be...

The knave leader seems to realize something about Noa.

Knave Leader: You must be the oft-rumored blue-haired girlie!

Noa: Huh?

Rackam: Say what?

Knave Leader: I-I've looked into your crew! One of you is this girl with crazy powers!

Knave Leader: Somethin' to do with primal beasts! That's what people know her for!

Rackam: Um, yeah... I... don't even know how to answer that.

Knave Leader: Hehehe... Now that your secret's out, I just might have a chance!

The man ruffles through his pockets and produces a capsule.

Noa: ...!

Rackam: What's wrong, Noa?

Knave Leader: This here's dark essence! I stole my way through Agastia to pilfer some durin' all the commotion!

Rackam: That stuff is bad news!

Knave Leader: We're not dumb enough to take a crew of your level head-on. This dark essence is our insurance.

Knave Leader: Hehe! I don't have a clue how to use the thing, but word is it makes primal beasts toss and turn! I've just gotta flip this thingamajig!

The man activates some sort of control panel on the dark essence capsule, causing it to emit an eerie glow.

Noa: Urgh!

A sickly pallor falls over Noa. The noise from the dark essence appears to induce a migraine in him.

Rackam: What the... Noa!

Knave Leader: Bingo! Got you squirmin' in pain!

Rackam: Why, you!

Knave Leader: I-I've only used a fraction of it so far! Put the gun down! Or I'm gonna crank this thing all the way up! That'll be five times the output!

Knave Leader: You don't wanna test me! Cuz even I don't know what'll happen to your pal!

Rackam: Damned low-life sleazeball... Fine, you win. Just put the dark essence away.

Rackam puts one hand up and lowers the Benedia with the other, placing it right by his foot.

Knave Leader: Hehe... Shoulda followed directions from the get-go.

Seeing how compliant Rackam is, the knave leader snuffs out the dark essence's light.

Rackam: ...

Noa: Rackam, I'm fine. I just found it a bit noisy.

Rackam: Yeah, I figured you were made of tougher stuff than that. But I also couldn't take the chance that something might happen to you if he kept it up.

Knave Leader: Gah hah hah... You don't wanna see your buddy suffer anymore, do ya?

Rackam: Yeah, you got that right.

Knave Leader: Then you'll wanna behave yourself. As long as you promise not to get in the way of my business, I'll let you two go alive.

Knave Leader: Get up, boys! And tie those two up!

Knave: Ngh... Still hurts...

The man dangles the dark essence capsule for Rackam to see while kicking his cohorts awake.

Knave: Boss... What happened to 'em?

Knave Leader: Those two? I put 'em in their place. We're good now.

Rackam: ...

With an arm raised and a foot on the buttstock of the Benedia, Rackam glares at the enemy.

Knave Leader: Y'see? They've all but given up.

Knave Leader: They won't be a problem anymore. 'Cuz we've got a trump card in our hands.

Noa: Rackam...

Rackam: Like I said. I won't see you suffer, Noa.

The knave leader speaks to his underlings with a face of triumph—a face that distorts the moment he turns away from Rackam.

A gunshot sounds and the capsule in the man's hand ruptures, causing the dark essence to scatter into the wind.

Knave Leader: Hm?

Rackam: That's why I took it upon myself to confiscate his toy.

Knave Leader: Wha! B-but how!

Rackam: I should've put a sign somewhere banning dark essence on the ship!

Knave Leader: I can't believe it...

The man had turned his eyes away from Rackam for only a second. He had not even blinked yet.

But it was more than enough time for Rackam to kick the Benedia into his hands and get a shot off. The man failed to comprehend that.

Knave Leader: You did this?

Rackam: Sure did.

Rackam: All that target practice I did as a kid paid off big-time.

Rackam: You said you looked into us, right? Surely you heard the rumors of how the helmsman of this ship's a natural-born sharpshooter?

Knave Leader: Y-yeah...

While reloading, Rackam struts over to the man, who desperately clenches his fists with the remnants of the capsule in hand.

Rackam: We've put too much work into getting the ship running again only to have you riffraff messin' with it.

Rackam: Not to mention you tried to hurt Noa.

Rackam: I'm gonna make sure you pay for it all!

Rackam's Driving Force: Scene 4

With the knaves taken care of, Noa explains that—because the previous helmsman set the Benedia to appear only when the Grandcypher was hijacked—he had intentionally kept silent about the knaves in order to fulfill an old promise to Rackam. History of the Benedia revealed, Rackam contemplates the final moments of the previous helmsman as he steers the Grandcypher back to port.

---

Rackam & Knaves: Raaah!

Rackam runs out of bullets, turning the fracas into a rousing fistfight.

Knave: Boss! Now!

Knave Leader: Cocky sonuvagun!

Rackam: Oof, that smarts!

Rackam: Outta the way!

Rackam is severely outnumbered. Yet every time they put him in a headlock, he breaks out of it with a headbutt. When they grab his legs, he counters with an elbow smash.

Against all odds, Rackam manages to put up a fight.

Noa: ...

As much as Noa wants to help, he knows he shouldn't.

Rackam: ...!

His nose all bloodied up, Rackam shoots Noa a piercing gaze, suggesting to the shipwright primal that he's bent on settling the situation himself.

Noa: I wonder if Rackam was also like this on that day...

Noa: Rackam, you're hurt. Did something happen?

Young Rackam: Sorry, Noa. Some guys took the slingshot you made for me.

Young Rackam: I told the bullies to give it back. We ended up fighting when they said no...

Noa: Ah... Don't worry about it. I'll make you a new one.

Young Rackam: ...!

Noa: Rackam?

Young Rackam: No!

Noa: Huh?

Young Rackam: No! Giving up is the last thing I wanna do!

Young Rackam: ...

Boy: You again? We're not giving it back if that's why you're here. Just let it go already.

Young Rackam: Shut up! The slingshot's mine! I'm never giving it up!

Boy: Heh... It's yours if you can snatch it out of my hands.

Rackam & Boy: Hyaaah!

Rackam & Knave L.: Hyaaah!

Rackam: I am not!

Young Rackam: Giving up!

Rackam: This!

Young Rackam: Is my!

Rackam: Ship!

Knave Leader: Ngh...

Rackam: That's one tough guy down, aaand... who's next?

Knave 2: Eek!

Knave Leader: Y-you keep this up, and I'll have my hundred men aboard sink the ship!

Rackam: Really?

Noa: He's lying.

Rackam: That's too bad.

Knave Leader: Hrgh!

Rackam: Whew. What a way to leave port, huh?

Rackam rounds up the remaining knaves aboard the ship, then sets a course back to Golonzo to hand them over to the authorities.

Rackam: Any more of them left, Noa?

Noa: These should be the last of them.

Rackam: ...

Rackam: Wait, you knew from the outset, didn't you? That these guys had snuck on board.

Noa: I did. I just really wanted to reminisce about old times.

Rackam: Sheesh, Noa...

Noa: Thanks, Rackam.

Rackam: Huh?

Noa: I'm just expressing my appreciation for how much you treasure everything I've ever given you.

Rackam: I did lose the slingshot though.

Noa: Actually, your slingshot is right here. See?

Rackam: Wha? No kidding. But why?

Rackam: Wait, it's coming back to me...

Young Rackam: Noa!

Noa: Rackam! You're hurt again! What happened this time?

Young Rackam: I got it back!

Rackam holds Noa's iron slingshot up high.

Noa: Why go so far for it?

Young Rackam: I can't stand the idea of giving up! When I went around telling people my plans to fix the Grandcypher, all the grown-ups would tell me to quit while I'm ahead!

Young Rackam: Besides, I wouldn't be able to face you if I didn't get it back...

Noa: It's nice to know you care so much.

Young Rackam: They got me to give up at one point when they first took it from me. It wasn't till later that I figured that wouldn't do.

Young Rackam: So I don't think I'm exactly deserving of this anymore.

Noa: Rackam, that's not—

Young Rackam: Please, Noa, just hold on to it for me!

Young Rackam: At least until I've fully repaired the Grandcypher and become a full-fledged adult who doesn't give up when the going gets tough!

Noa: Hehe, it's a promise then. I'll give it back during the Grandcypher's Launching Ceremony.

Noa: Though when the time does come, you might want something else instead.

Young Rackam: Nuh-uh, not gonna happen! 'Cause I'm the biggest fan of that slingshot!

Rackam: This really takes me back...

Noa: I made one other promise that day too. That I'd give you anything else you might need.

Rackam: Yeah, you did... You mean...

Noa: That's right—the Benedia. I'm sure it'll come in handy for the many harsh battles lying ahead.

Rackam: Heh... Don't tell me you kept hush about the goons and let this all play out just so you could give this to me.

Noa: The Grandcypher's former helmsman was an extremely cautious person. He set the Benedia to reveal itself to the Grandcypher's rightful owner only when the ship was captured.

Noa: Not to mention there's that promise I made with you all those years ago.

Rackam: Can't forget about Mithra, eh? Also sort of explains why I was able to fight my way through alone.

Rackam: Had no idea this gun had that much history behind it. Belonged to the former helmsman, huh?

Noa: That's right. He piloted the Grandcypher until the very day it plummeted from the skies.

Curiosity stirs in Rackam's mind.

Rackam: What kind of guy was he? The Grandcypher's old mate.

Rackam: Actually, I shouldn't even have to ask. One look at the Benedia already tells me so much. He kept this thing safe for hundreds of years, and there's not a speck of rust on it.

Rackam: The bullets that came with it are a soft type that wouldn't damage the Grandcypher in the case of a misfire. Just goes to show how much he cared for the ship.

Noa: He certainly loved it no less than you did.

Rackam: Enough to give up his childhood? Let's not forget I spent twenty years repairing this thing.

Noa: Haha... That's why I'll always be grateful.

Rackam visualizes the sun setting over the majestic form of the Grandcypher on the Angads Highlands.

Rackam: ...

Noa: ...

Noa: Thank you, Rackam.

Rackam: Likewise.

Having said all that needs to be said, the two look toward the distant skies. Golonzo soon comes into view.

And thus, after much consternation and strife, the trial run of the Grandcypher reborn comes to a satisfying resolution.