Scenario:Sato - Daring to Dream Again

Daring to Dream Again

As the Ninja Village settles into its new way of life, Sato finds herself unsure about chasing her childhood dream of becoming a true ninja known across the skies. She hesitates, traumatized by Nue's previous disappearance, but eventually finds the courage to step into the outside world after a heart-to-heart with Nue and Yuzuriha.

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Sato, a ninja warrior, was born and raised in a secret ninja village of the far east.

As an adult, she spent her days listlessly completing intelligence-gathering missions and other related tasks.

But in her youth, she spent her days chasing after a dream, inspired by a mentor and friend whom she respected above all others.

At the time, she wished to one day become a ninja as cool as he was.

That all changed the day that she received news of his supposed death.

However, after being embroiled in a scandal involving their village, she was able to meet him once more.

Some years ago, in the far east, a young girl strikes an exaggerated pose.

Child Sato: Ninja Art! Brown Sugar Blast!

Child Sato: Huh?

Child Sato: Aww... It's not working! Did I do something wrong?

Kotaro: Hmm... Not exactly. Perhaps you are putting too much emphasis on your posture.

Child Sato: What do you mean?

Kotaro: You should focus more on the energy coursing through your body. If you do so, your posing shouldn't matter.

Child Sato: Hey, Ko... How come you always look so cool even though you don't pose?

Kotaro: Huh?

Child Sato: Come on! Tell me!

Kotaro: Um... I...

Sato: Back then, I followed him around everywhere like a baby chick.

Sato: I was as cute as one too, honestly.

Sato: But...

Sato: Ko... is dead?

Sato: How...

Sato: There weren't any details on the notice.

Sato: Just that he perished in an accident on the way home.

Sato: There's no way... He can't be gone. I just saw him earlier. He even said I'd gotten better at my ninjutsu.

Sato: That I'd started getting the hang of throwing shuriken...

Sato: He looked so happy. He promised he'd see me later... and...

Sato: And...

Sato: (Nothing was the same after that.)

Sato: (I admired Ko. Wanted to become like him. But with him gone... I lost all the fire in my heart.)

Sato: It would've been more surprising if I didn't change...

Sato: (But then I learned that Ko was still alive. So now... Where does that leave me?)

Sato: (Maybe I should try following my old dream again. Would that really be okay though?)

Nue: Sato.

Sato: ...!

The girl gasps, not expecting anyone to sneak up on her while she reminisces on the outskirts of the village.

Sato: Ko! Hey, what's up?

She breaks out into a smile as soon as she realizes who has stopped by.

Sato: Did you manage to find me without getting lost today?

Nue: Please... Though this place is a little out of the way, it's much easier to navigate than the heart of the village.

Sato: Yeah? Well, if you're here, then I guess it's time for our daily meeting.

Nue: Indeed. Here is what I have to report...

When the dust settled after the scandal, it was Yuzuriha, daughter of the village head, who reassured the troubled villagers.

She earnestly apologized for her father's wrongdoings and spoke of a brighter future for their people.

Yuzuriha: There is a dream I hold close to my heart...

Yuzuriha: That when justice is upheld, ninjas will emerge from the shadows to support those who work for the forces of good.

Yuzuriha: That in the vast world beyond our borders, whenever someone cries for help, a ninja will come to the rescue.

Yuzuriha: It is my hope that our village will raise those ninja warriors... and send them out into every corner of the world.

Yuzuriha: I understand that there are those of us who are uneasy. The head of our village will be absent for the foreseeable future, including for our upcoming graduation.

Yuzuriha: But I swear that I will ensure the safety and prosperity of our village in the interim, alongside Sato and Nue.

After giving an excellent speech as the new head of the village, Yuzuriha accompanied her brother back into their school building.

Sato: Seems like Yu-yu's plan to redeem our ninja reputation and spread our name is going pretty good.

Sato: Remember how you saved one of the nearby villages from bandits the other day? Everyone was falling over themselves to get your attention after.

Sato: No surprises there, though. You gotta turn heads to change minds and your ninjutsu is awesome to see in action.

Sato: They were calling you the village's savior and a champion of justice and everything. Even the adults swarmed you.

Nue: I would rather not be reminded of it. I'm unworthy of such praise...

Sato: As if! You're amazing and you should be proud of your skills!

Nue: However, my skills alone won't be enough to change the impression people have of ninjas. I don't have the looks or the attitude.

Nue: I'm more suited to being a messenger for the village and the school...

Sato: Nope, none of that. I get that you're not used to living in the village yet, but that's no reason to give up.

Sato: Actually, you should prioritize getting used to life here. That's an order.

Sato: You protect the village, and I deliver messages. We've all got our own jobs that we're suited for, y'know?

Despite her apathetic attitude, Sato's line of thinking is clear-cut and well-thought-out.

This fact is not lost on Nue, who once spent time observing Sato closely in order to impersonate her.

Nue: (One should never judge by appearances alone...)

The man has since learned much after reuniting with Sato and speaking with her, in a surprising yet positive way.

Nue: You never cease to amaze...

Nue: I can hardly believe you're the same girl who used to follow after me like a lost babe.

Nue: You've grown in the blink of an eye... Your perspective now vast and mature.

Nue: It's as if you've become a different person. The thought fills me with a sense of melancholy...

Sato: Wha? I mean, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm eighteen now.

Nue: True... One cannot stay a child forever. But your growth is something to behold.

Nue: I'd wager it won't be long until you make your dream a reality.

Sato: Huh?

Nue: Don't you remember? You used to tell me all the time how you wished to become a true ninja.

Sato: A-ahaha! Oh, pfft, that? Kids say that kinda stuff all the time.

Nue: But...

Sato: You know, it's about time for me to report to Yu-yu!

Sato: See you! Bye!

Nue: Ah!

Nue: Sato?

Yuzuriha: It's a relief to hear that everything is proceeding smoothly.

Yuzuriha: I was worried that having our ninjas work in broad daylight would be a challenge, given how they have concealed themselves all this time...

Yuzuriha: But it seems that they are making a good impression on the general populace. The village itself is even in high spirits.

Sato: Right? Honestly, there's nothing like taking pride in your work and getting thanked for it too.

Sato: Especially since it's new to all of us. Working under your old man meant staying out of the limelight, so we never got properly appreciated for our effort.

Sato: Still, Ko's got me a little worried. His attitude definitely rubs people the wrong way sometimes.

Yuzuriha: Hehe, I'll leave that issue up to you. I trust in your coaching abilities.

Sato: Whaaat? Come on, that's a lotta pressure I don't need...

Yuzuriha: Hehe, you can't blame me for putting you in such high regard.

Yuzuriha: After all, it's thanks to you and Nue that the future I envisioned for us is becoming reality!

Sato: Yeah? As if there was any doubt you could make your dream come true.

Yuzuriha: (Oh, dear. This again...)

Recently, whenever their conversations touch on the future, Yuzuriha has noticed that Sato grows tense and distant.

This trend, Yuzuriha guesses, must have started after Sato reunited with Nue.

Yuzuriha: (But what exactly is the cause of it?)

Yuzuriha: Um, Satty...

Sato: By the way, how's school been? Is your kidnapping still the hot topic of the week?

Sato: Don't tell me people actually still believe you were nabbed by yokai.

Noticing that her friend is forcing a change in subject, Yuzuriha decides not to pry for the time being.

Yuzuriha: I'm afraid those rumors have yet to completely cease.

Sato: Even though you told everyone that there was no kidnapping and that you ran away from home?

Yuzuriha: People do love their rumors, especially in a place so secluded and devoid of much entertainment...

Yuzuriha's disappearance was explained to her classmates as an incident where she ran away from her home.

Sato was the one who suggested they go with that explanation.

Sato: The school's supposed to be a bastion of safety. Guess this just proves they don't fully believe that.

Sato: Eh, but what can you do? This was our best chance of keeping the peace.

Yuzuriha: I don't disagree. Give it enough time, and I'm certain they'll find something else to amuse themselves with.

Yuzuriha: Besides, in a few more weeks, I'll have graduated, and that will be that. No one will care to pursue the truth after that.

Yuzuriha: I'm a little concerned about Hiogi, but he's a smart boy. Everything should work out in the end.

Sato: Now that you mention it... Once you graduate, I won't have a job as messenger anymore.

Yuzuriha: Yes. There won't be a need for such a role any longer.

Yuzuriha: What will you do once I return? Surely you have something in mind already...

Sato: Nope, not at all! I figure I'll just find random jobs here and there and save up when I can.

Yuzuriha: Is that so...

Despite her misgivings, Yuzuriha keeps her silence.

A few weeks later, a newly graduated Yuzuriha returns home to their village and takes charge.

Nue settles into his role as Yuzuriha's guard, accompanying his charge throughout her increasingly busy days.

Sato, as well, finds that her daily life has changed.

Sato: I'm bored out of my miiiind...

Sato: I should've brought that book on transformation techniques with me...

Without a job or request to fulfill, Sato had been spending her day reading in her room—at least until a moment ago.

Sato: Ugh, why does Mom have to get so mad at me lazing around anyway? It's not like I have anything better to do.

Sato: Ahhh... Maybe I should just nap.

After wandering aimlessly around the outskirts of the village, she sits down on a tree stump and stares into space.

However, the sound of a snapping twig brings her back to reality. She turns around to find two familiar figures approaching.

Sato: Yu-yu? Ko?

Sato: What're you two doing here?

Nue: ...

Despite looking like they have something to say, both Nue and Yuzuriha hesitate to speak. Eventually, Yuzuriha decides to go first.

Yuzuriha: Satty...

Yuzuriha: Do you remember when you bid farewell to the crew? You said you would visit them once things settled down here.

Sato: Oh... I did, didn't I? But you just got back, and there's still lots to do, and...

Yuzuriha: So you won't go see them?

Sato: Not yet, at least.

Yuzuriha: Then when?

Sato: Why're you nagging me about this?

Yuzuriha: Because you have been distant of late, struggling with something that you seem reluctant to share with us...

Sato: What, me?

Yuzuriha: Yes, you. Once upon a time, you had a dream of your own, didn't you?

Yuzuriha: When you saw Nue again after all this time, that dream must have resurfaced in your mind.

Sato: ...!

Nue: As a child, you always said that you would become known far and wide as the most beautiful and brilliant ninja in all the skies.

Sato: I was a kid back then. I've got different priorities now...

Nue: Does that mean you've given up? I find that hard to believe, considering the way you fervently used to speak of your goal.

Sato: I just... I didn't know any better, okay? Give it a rest already! Who cares about the past anyway?

Yuzuriha: Who cares? I do!

In a rare fit of frustration, Yuzuriha raises her voice, startling Sato into silence.

Yuzuriha: Satty... I can tell you're afraid.

Sato: What?

Yuzuriha: You unconsciously search for Nue whenever he isn't in front of you, like a baby bird looking for its mother.

Yuzuriha: You fear that he will vanish again if you don't keep an eye on him. That's why you hesitate to leave for the outside world.

Sato: Wha... No! That's stupid! And childish! I would never!

Nue: I left you with a scar that has yet to heal. This is my fault.

Sato: Not you too...

Nue: Your dream, however unconventional, is something to be proud of.

Nue: To spread your name across the skies... You must leave this village.

Nue: Yet you linger here, though you are free to roam wherever you wish.

Sato: ...

Nue: Such freedom is something I once longed for myself.

Nue: Seeing you hesitate like this... It reminds me of how I was before—bound and caged by duty.

Nue: It brings me great pain to know that I am the cause of the ties that bind you.

Sato: It's not... your fault...

Yuzuriha: When you lost Nue, your way of thinking... Your way of life completely changed.

Yuzuriha: You're unsure of how to face everything, including your long-lost dream, now that he's returned and you're a different person.

Sato: ...!

Nue: Sato... I'm glad to have met you again. Though I was surprised by how you've changed, I know you are the same person at heart.

Nue: Please, don't be afraid. Follow your dream.

Nue: You needn't worry about losing me a second time. I'll be here waiting for you.

Sato: You... You can't know that for sure!

Sato: Back then, you said you'd see me later, but then you disappeared!

Nue: ...!

Sato: I don't wanna leave you! Not after finally seeing you after all this time!

Sato: It's not like I want to stick by your side forever like a little kid, but...

Sato: What if you disappear again while I'm gone?

Sato: If that happens, that'll be it. You'll vanish for good...

Sato: I can't stand the thought of that!

Sato: I can't go through that pain a second time!

Yuzuriha: Satty...

Nue and Yuzuriha grow silent as Sato's wailing pierces their hearts.

Nue: Sato, open your eyes and look up. What do you see?

Sato: You and Yu-yu... And the village behind you, the same as ever.

Nue: So you say, but when we first met, I never would've pictured myself walking through the village in broad daylight.

Nue: Everything is different now. My place in the world, the village itself... and you. We are all changing for the better.

Sato: ...

Nue: I actually have come to harbor a dream of my own. A duty to see through.

Sato: A duty?

Nue: It is my wish to pass on the way of the ninja to future generations, so that they know what a proper ninja should be.

Sato: A proper ninja, huh...

Nue: In other words, we both dream of showing others the path of a true ninja.

Nue: But as you said before, we have our own roles that we're suited for.

Nue: I shall follow my dream within the village, while you follow yours in the outside world. Our paths will be aligned, no matter the distance between us.

Nue: Together, we can make our dreams come true. What do you say?

Sato: Ko...

Sato: Sniffle... Waaah!

Yuzuriha: Satty!

As Sato bawls her eyes out, Yuzuriha sweeps her into a tight hug.

Yuzuriha: You must've been overjoyed to meet Nue again.

Yuzuriha: But that joy was tempered by fear in equal measure.

Yuzuriha: Not to mention the shock of finding out the truth.

Yuzuriha: Yet you kept all these feelings bottled up inside, so that you could focus on saving us.

Yuzuriha: Now it's our turn to be there for you. Please... Trust us, and let yourself fly free.

Nue: We'll be with you, no matter where you travel—right here, in your heart.

Sato: Yu-yu... Ko!

Yuzuriha: There, there. Nue won't be leaving you again.

Yuzuriha: I promise I'll keep a close eye on him while you're away.

Nue: I-indeed... I'll be under careful observation.

Yuzuriha: Oh, you sound unhappy with the arrangement. Is there something you'd like to say?

Nue: N-not at all! If that is what it takes, then by all means!

Sato: Hehe...

Sato: Thanks, you two. You've convinced me. I'm gonna go and see the world.

Yuzuriha: Satty!

Sato: Ko, you'll stay put and keep the village safe in the meantime, right?

Nue: Without fail. I swear it.

Sato: Then I guess it's my turn.

Sato: I swear I'll take everything you taught me and show the world what it means to be a true ninja!

Nue: That... is wonderful to hear!

Yuzuriha: Hehe... There's the Satty we know and love.

Yuzuriha: As the head of the village, there's something I'd like you to do while you're traveling.

Sato: You had a job lined up for me already? Well, aren't you clever!

Yuzuriha: Hehehe! Still...

Yuzuriha: I find myself getting teary now that it's time to say goodbye.

Sato: Yu-yu... Really? After saying all that to get me to leave?

Sato: You know I'll keep in contact and even bring Miri-bae and everyone over to hang sometime. You won't even have a chance to miss me.

Yuzuriha: Sniffle... You better. I'll chase you down to the end of the skies if you forget about me.

Sato: Right, right... I'm counting on you to keep track of Ko and the village, okay?

Sato: And you, Ko! If you let anything happen to Yu-yu or the village while I'm gone, I'm taking you straight to wasabi hell!

Nue: ...!
U-u-understood! Even if it should cost me my life—

Sato: Ko...

Nue: Ahem... What I meant to say was... On my family's honor, I will keep them safe.

Sato: Eh... I'll take that!

Sato: Guess there's no point dragging this out any longer. Yu-yu! Ko!

Sato: I'll see you later!

A single ninja emerges from home, ready to see the world. Though the path ahead won't be easy, she charges fearlessly forward.

With a place to return to, promises to keep, and a dream to fulfill, she has every reason to stand strong.

Those thoughts will keep her going, no matter the hurdles that come her way.