Scenario:Vanzza - Blood, Sweat, and Tonfas
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Blood, Sweat, and Tonfas
A baking lesson reminds Vanzza of the importance of the basics, so he sets out to retrain himself in tonfa fighting from the ground up. His demonstration of the new skills is interrupted by ruffians who once worked for Acorazada, Vanzza's old friend-turned-enemy.
Vanzza not in crew
In their journey across the sky, (Captain) and the others were joined by Vanzza, a warrior who values honesty and trust above all else.
A man with a tragic past, Vanzza was betrayed by his close friend Acorazada.
He poisoned Vanzza's girlfriend, Carolla, who now lies in a coma.
Vanzza was lucky enough to get his hands on the antidote...
But only when (Captain), too, was dosed with the same mysterious poison.
Forced to choose between (Captain) and his girlfriend, Vanzza chose to use the antidote on the captain.
The crew has been determined to help him find a similar cure for Carolla ever since.
Vanzza has been traveling with the crew for some time now.
The Grandsky Rumble tournament promised the victor not only a substantial sum in prize money, but a single wish.
Grasping at any possibility, however slight, Vanzza entered the tournament hoping to wish for Carolla's recovery.
Sadly his first-round matchup proved too much for him—he lost to Soriz.
Tournament rules forbade the use of weapons, so he resolved not to use the tonfas he carried. In the crucial moment, however, he raised them—creating the opening Soriz required.
Since then Vanzza has thrown himself into his training as if he has nothing else left.
Vanzza: Hah! Haaah!
...
Vanzza: When it came down to crunch time, I resorted to my tonfas.
Soriz: Yeah. It gave me just the opening I needed!
Vanzza: It was an amateurish mistake.
Soriz: Mm... I wouldn't call it amateurish.
Soriz: You said those weapons used to be a weak point of yours. But even so you've been using 'em a long time, right?
Vanzza: Yes...
Soriz: I'd say they've pretty well become a part of your body, wouldn't you?
Vanzza: These tonfas?
Soriz: Coming that far using a weapon you weren't any good with is nothing to sneeze at.
Vanzza: (A part of my body...
Really?)
Really?)
Vanzza: (If they are, I ought to be able to use them better.)
Vanzza: (If the tournament had permitted weapons, could I have defeated Soriz?)
Vanzza: (No... I don't think so.)
Vanzza: (Damn it. What is it? What am I still missing?)
Vanzza swings his tonfas haphazardly, taking a chunk out of the cliff face, sending rock fragments skittering down the mountainside.
(Captain) and the others gingerly approach, worried that he's pushing himself too far.
Vanzza: What is it, (Captain)? Do you need help with a mission?
Lyria: N-no... Nothing like that, just... Would you like to come out with us?
Vanzza: ...
I'll pass. I can't afford to take a break.
I'll pass. I can't afford to take a break.
(Captain) tugs gently at Vanzza's left hand and Lyria follows suit on his right.
Lyria: Come on, Vanzza! Really, it'll just be a short break!
Vanzza: Sigh...
Fine, but only for a bit.
Fine, but only for a bit.
Lyria: Perfect! Hehehe, yaaay!
Choose: Please? Just a short one?
Vyrn: Yeah, we'll just borrow ya for a bit. C'mon, you can spare us a little time.
Vanzza: You're... right. I could use a change of pace.
Vyrn: Hehehe, that's more like it! C'mon, follow me!
Continue 1
Chocolatier: Hehe. Is everyone here? Today, I'm going to teach you a chocolate cake recipe passed down on Chocolae Island!
Lyria: Whoo! (Captain), Vanzza, let's bake our hearts out!
Vanzza: ...
Wait just a minute.
Wait just a minute.
Vanzza: Why exactly did you bring me here? What is this crazy place?
Lyria: That's no way to talk about this school! Chocolatiers hardly ever open their classes to the public!
Vanzza: I... I'm sorry.
Vanzza: Wait, no. That's not—
Vyrn: Listen... You've had a lot on your mind recently, right? With all that training, you've been dragging your butt around the airship like a zombie.
Lyria: We wanted to get you a cake, since you like it so much...
Lyria: And it just so happened that this event was going on at the perfect time!
Vanzza: Then this is all for my benefit?
Vanzza: You kids are too softhearted...
Vanzza: Geez... It's enough to make you cry.
Vanzza: Well, if I'm doing it, I'm going to do it right. I'll make a cake that'll make our teacher weep.
The crew begin to mix up their batter under the chocolatier's expert instruction.
Vanzza shows a flair for baking clearly born of experience.
Chocolatier: Wow! You've done this before, haven't you!
Chocolatier: But that's why your batter should have been better!
Vanzza: What?
Vyrn: Wh-whaddya mean? You mean he baked a better batter, right?
Chocolatier: Non, non! I meant what I said!
Try a bite of his cake and then a bite of mine and you'll see.
Try a bite of his cake and then a bite of mine and you'll see.
The chocolatier offers them his own creation.
As instructed, (Captain), Lyria, and Vyrn try some of his, then some of Vanzza's.
Lyria: Mmm... Dey're boff sho goood!
The chocolate melts in your mouth!
The chocolate melts in your mouth!
Vyrn: Yeah, but Teach's cake is...
Vanzza: Better.
Vanzza: But where did my cake fall short?
Lyria: Oh, I know! Maybe your flavoring was a little too bold?
Lyria: I don't think Vanzza's cake tasted bad though.
Chocolatier: Hmm... That's part of it, but it's not the main issue! This is tough for me to admit, but he's almost as skilled a baker as I am.
Chocolatier: The difference is simple. The flavor profile was too complex—you tried to combine too many different flavors.
Lyria: I don't think Vanzza's cake tasted bad though.
Continue 2
Chocolatier: No, but the flavor was too aggressive. Your problem is you're shaky on the basics.
Vanzza: ...
Chocolatier: My guess is you're a self-taught baker. You've never taken any classes, have you?
Vanzza: You guess right.
Chocolatier: This kind of flavor is something you can only pull off once you've mastered the basics! You have to perfect the mold before you can break it!
Vanzza: The basics... Breaking the mold...
Chocolatier: Oui! But don't worry! With your talent, if you devote yourself to mastering the basics—
Vanzza: Relearn... the basics...
The chocolatier's words remind Vanzza of someone else's... Someone whose voice he hasn't heard in years.
Acorazada: You're really set on doing things your own way, aren't you? You oughta put in the time to master the basic forms.
Vanzza: I see... So that's what I'm missing...
Vyrn: H-hey. You okay there?
Vanzza: (Captain)! I have a favor to ask!
Vanzza: There's something I want to try, and I need a sparring partner!
With only a brief glance toward the chocolatier, Vanzza heads outside.
The others shake off their bewilderment and hurry after him.
Vanzza trains for several more days, this time accompanied by [;nickname].
Concerned for both of them, Lyria and Vyrn drop in to see how things are going.
Vanzza: Huff... Huff...
Sorry, you two. I've been taking up all the captain's time.
Sorry, you two. I've been taking up all the captain's time.
Vyrn: Nah, if that's what (Captain) wants to do, we're on board. So what kinda training are you doing?
Vanzza: Just what that chocolatier suggested: the basics. I'm practicing all the beginner forms.
Lyria: Huh? You've been baking this whole time?
Vanzza: Sorry, Lyria, but cake-making is on hold for now.
Vanzza: I've been reviewing the basics of tonfa fighting.
Vanzza: I never gave my weapons the undivided attention they deserved.
Vanzza: I made excuses, saying I just wasn't any good with them.
Vanzza: To this day though, I've never once used tonfas properly in battle.
Vanzza: Now that I've studied the basic forms and given myself a proper foundation, I should be able to use them the way they're intended to be used!
Vanzza: Now stand back and watch some real tonfa techniques!
Vanzza lowers his tonfas to hip-height.
Using the heavy weapons as a counterbalance, he unleashes a flurry of perfectly targeted kicks.
Vanzza: Tonfa—
Vanzza: Kick!
Vyrn: Whoooa! You smashed that rock to smithereens!
Vanzza: That's nothing!
Tonfa Head-Butt!
Tonfa Head-Butt!
Lyria: Yikes...
That huge tree... just split in half...
That huge tree... just split in half...
Vanzza: Now my ultimate technique!
Soaring Tonfa Knee-Strike!
Soaring Tonfa Knee-Strike!
Vanzza swings his tonfas to give his leap extra height and descends knee-first, with devastating force.
A fissure opens in the rock, shooting out from the point of impact with a thunderous crack.
Vyrn: Wow... So this is real tonfa fighting?
Vyrn: Hey, wait a minute! You didn't use your tonfas for any of those! Are you messing with us?
Vanzza: Heh heh... Yes. I was just playing around.
Lyria: Huh?
Vanzza: Watch this. Ready, (Captain)?
(Captain) nods.
Vanzza swings his tonfas and sends (Captain)'s weapon flying.
Manipulating the tonfas as if they were part of his own body, Vanzza captures (Captain)'s arm between them and twists it into an armlock.
Vyrn: Wow... For a split second there, I lost track of your movements altogether.
Vanzza: And that was a relatively simple move. Tonfas can be used like this to immobilize an opponent.
Vanzza: Just knowing that has opened up a lot of options for me in combat.
Lyria: You've really mastered the tonfa now, Vanzza.
Vanzza: Yes. I won't go around using my lack of expertise as an excuse anymore. I'll say it with pride: the tonfa is my weapon of choice.
Vanzza: It's all thanks to you kids, Soriz, and that chocolatier.
Vanzza: (And Acorazada... To think that your advice would prove useful in the end...)
Vyrn: Hehehe! We should celebrate you finally getting the better of those things!
Lyria: Yes! And what better way than by baking a cake?
Vanzza: Heh... Right you are. Time for that baking training we talked about—
Their excited chatter is cut short by the sudden, clear sense of a malicious presence.
Vanzza and (Captain) move as one to defend Lyria and Vyrn.
Vanzza: Who's there?
???: You oughta know that, One-Horned Vanzza!
Vanzza: You! Don't you work for Acorazada?
Acorazada's Man? 1: Hunh! Think I'll fall for that? Where've you hidden him?
Vanzza: What?
The crew is approached by men Vanzza thinks he recognizes as underlings of his old enemy, Acorazada.
However, their demands for Vanzza to turn their former boss over sound none too fond.
(Captain) and the others exchange confused glances, but no one seems to grasp the situation.