Scenario:Sophia - The Town Without a Heart

The Town Without a Heart

The crew follow the map to a town of people who have supposedly abandoned all emotion in place of logic. When an elderly woman collapses in front of them, they rush her to a hospital.

---

(Captain) and company head toward the holy ground indicated on the map purchased from the antique market.

As they do, the words of the map merchant echo in their minds.

Lyria: I wonder what he meant by what he said... Should we be worried?

Vyrn: I dunno. But whatever happens, stay sharp.

Sophia: I'm sure we'll be just fine! After all, we're doing just as he said: no priestess garbs!

Sophia: Making a pilgrimage in these clothes though... I don't know; it doesn't feel quite right.

Not soon after, they reach their destination.

It seems to be a simple town just like any other. Vyrn lets out a sigh.

Vyrn: Well, that was a whole lot of worry for a whole lot of nothing. This place looks as normal as can be.

Lyria: Hmm... Really?

Lyria: I can't put my finger on it, but I'm getting a strange feeling about this place.

Vyrn: Just looks like any old village to me.

Sophia: I... don't hear any voices.

Sophia: No children laughing, no people talking... Not a hint.

All they hear are the hollow sounds of footsteps on cobblestone paths.

Vyrn: N-now that you mention it... Everyone's walking around, but no one's saying a single word.

Just then an old woman hobbles out from the crowd, coughing. She collapses after just a few steps.

Sophia: Oh no!

The crew rushes to tend to the old woman, but (Captain) notices that no one else seems to care.

In fact, they seem to act inconvenienced by the collapsed elder, scrunching up their faces into frowns and quickening their steps.

Vyrn: The heck is wrong with this place? Why's no one helping?

Elder: Nnn...

Sophia: Ma'am, are you hurt? Are you all right?

Elder: Haah... Cough, cough... Stop! Get away from me!

Elder: I don't have any money for you! You won't get any thanks from me!

Vyrn: What? W-we're just trying to help you!

Elder: No one asked you for it! Cough, cough! Now go away!

Sophia: We don't want any money; we're just worried about you. Please, let us help you.

Elder: Huh? Worried? Well, that's not very rational. You're not from around here, are you?

Elder: In this town we hate anything that isn't rational!

Lyria: Wh-what do you mean?

Between her bouts of coughing, the woman tells the crew about the town.

A long, long time ago, the people of the town abandoned irrational ways of thinking and chose only to live a life based on logic.

Thanks to this, the town saw rapid growth and became prosperous.

And because of that, no one chooses to do anything without good reason.

Elder: We don't believe in anything. Belief is the most illogical of human behaviors.

Elder: Which is why I simply cannot believe you would help me for no reason at all.

Sophia: But... But how could an entire town be so cold!

Vyrn: Now I know why the map seller warned you not to wear your priestess outfit... These people would hate stuff like that, no doubt about it.

Vyrn: Are you really sure there's a holy ground in this place?

Elder: Hm? Are you lot associated with the Zeyens?

Elder: Humph. Fools and foolish acts. Calling that empty place a holy ground and worshipping it... Can't make any sense of it.

Elder: Since the time I was but a baby, our people have never stepped onto that land. Not
even—

Elder: Cough, cough!

Sophia: Ma'am! You're coughing blood! And you're burning up!

Sophia: (Captain)! We need to get her to a doctor! I can't heal her if it's a sickness...

Elder: Pant... Pant... Stop... Don't...

Sophia: Please, you need to remain still! (Captain)!

They act on Sophia's words without hesitation and rush to find a hospital.

The Town Without a Heart: Scene 2

To the crew's surprise, the hospital refuses to treat the old woman on the basis that it would not be logical to waste scarce medicine on the elderly. Something seems to click for Sophia, and she rushes out of the building.

---

The crew manage to find a hospital nearby and bring the coughing woman in for help. But they get a terrible surprise.

Doctor: Sigh. I can't look at her. Now could you kindly leave?

Sophia: Why! Can't you see how much pain she's in?

Doctor: Over here we only treat the young and the working class, those who contribute to our society.

Doctor: It's only logical that we not waste our medicinal herbs.

Lyria: How could you say such a thing!

Doctor: Perhaps you fail to realize how precious the herbs are in this town. They only grow here, and there's no more that can be grown. What we have is the last of them.

Doctor: Do you understand now? Very good, the exit is that way.

Sophia: This doesn't make sense! How! How could you be so cruel!

Sophia: How can you ignore someone suffering right in front of you! I thought you were a doctor!

Sophia: However logical it is, ignoring a life you can save... It's wrong; you have to...

Something seems to click for Sophia.

Sophia: The holy ground... I need to get to the holy ground!

She turns and rushes toward the exit.

Lyria: What's happened? Where're you going?

Vyrn: You're just gonna leave the old lady here?

Elder: Sigh. Just go. It's far more logical to further your own efforts than try to help a stranger.

Sophia: No! I'm going to the holy ground to help you!

Elder: Huh?

Sophia: Not believing in anything, relying only on logic... If that's what's deeply ingrained in your way of life, then it might be no use trying to change things.

Sophia: But please, just this once, believe. Believe in me and wait here!

With that, Sophia leaves the hospital.

Vyrn: H-hey! Wait up!

After a moment's pause and a quick exchange of glances, (Captain) and the rest of the group follow after her.

Sophia: We have to hurry!

Lyria: Sophia! Watch out!

Monster: Grrr!

Sophia: Ah! A monster!

Sophia: I can help her. I know it. I just need to get to the holy ground!

Sophia: Please! You need to let us pass!

Monster: Grrr!

The Town Without a Heart: Scene 3

Sophia returns with the medicinal herbs that were believed to have gone extinct. The doctor and old woman cannot believe how she could do such a seemingly irrational thing. In time, however, the townspeople slowly begin to show care for each other.

---

After some time, Sophia and the others return to the hospital.

To the doctor and elder's surprise, they see Sophia holding a bundle of the very medicinal herbs they thought were no more.

Doctor: What! Wh-where did you get that?

Sophia: At the holy ground. There's quite a bit of it growing there.

Elder: In that place? But it's supposed to be barren. There shouldn't be anything there...

Sophia: You said the herbs only grow in this town and that they've all been harvested, didn't you?

Sophia: But then I remembered something the elder woman said, that no one has been to the holy ground in years.

Sophia: I thought that maybe there might still be some of the herb growing there.

Doctor: You... How could you jump to such an illogical conclusion like that? You couldn't possibly have known... But you did manage to find the herb... Hmm...

Vyrn: Hey, hey! Less talking, more treating the old lady!

Sophia: There's more than enough of the herb for her. You should be able to help her now, right?

Doctor: Ah, y-yes...

With a tinge of embarrassment, the doctor begins to make preparations for the treatment.

Sophia: I'm so glad. She's going to get better.

Sophia: I really am so glad.

Elder: Why?

Sophia: Huh?

Elder: Without a doubt, you have and always will follow this path of irrationality.

Elder: We can't understand such thinking. So I ask, why?

Sophia: Haha... Well, I'm not too sure myself.

Sophia: I'm still finding my legs as a priestess, so I might not be able to phrase this too well.

Sophia: But if someone right in front of me is in pain, I feel like I have to help them.

Elder: Sigh... That makes no sense. I just can't believe you.

Elder: Hehe. But maybe that's all right.

Elder: Thank you, young lady.

Sophia: You're very welcome, ma'am. Take care!

With a big smile, Sophia waves goodbye to the elder and heads back to the holy ground for her pilgrimage.

The old woman looks on at Sophia's silhouette, and for the first time ever, smiles.

Elder: Thank you, truly.

As time passes, the town starts to change; its residents begin to take action, even if the reasons are not immediately apparent, and people start to show care for others.