Scenario:Yngwie - Full Metal Man IV: Price of Freedom

Full Metal Man IV: Price of Freedom

In his bunk aboard the Grandcypher, Yngwie dreams of a long-ago parting with a woman whose life he saved. Before he can piece together those old memories, the airship catches up with their target: a slave merchant ship.

---

Woman: Will you be setting off on another adventure?

Yngwie: Mm-hm. I've found another way to cross the Grim Basin. Could turn out to be a sink-or-swim situation, but I'm gonna go for it.

Woman: Why do you try so hard... Don't you ever think of retiring from the skyfarer life?

Yngwie: I've no reason to quit.

Woman: ...

Woman: I can be your reason.

Yngwie: ...

Woman: You're my savior! If you hadn't shown up, who knows what...

Woman: Please! Stay in this skydom so I can be with you!

Yngwie: Appreciate the thought. It was brief, but I enjoyed our time together.

Woman: Yngwie!

Yngwie: I've severed the chains that kept you shackled. Those lowlifes won't give you any more trouble.

Yngwie: You're free now. Find your own path—your own happiness—in life.

Woman: My own path...

Yngwie: All born under the skies are entitled to live their lives as they see fit.

Woman: ...

Woman: Do... Do you think we'll ever meet again?

Yngwie: I'm always with you, love.

Yngwie: Au revoir, mademoiselle...

Yngwie's eyes open from a deep slumber in his room aboard the Grandcypher.

He half sits up and looks at the wrinkles patterning his reflection in the window.

Yngwie: A dream...

Yngwie: How nostalgic... That was a memory from ages ago.

Yngwie: ...

Yngwie: I can't remember the rest... Something just doesn't fit...

Eugen: Yngwie! We found the airship mentioned in the assignment details!

Yngwie: Eugen... Guess we were on the right track, eh?

Yngwie: That's why I like to go with my gut. What did (Captain) have to say?

Eugen: We'll be coming up right alongside 'em! Rackam's preparing the engine for a boost.

Yngwie: Right into the fray, I see. Glad to know our captain's such a quick thinker.

Yngwie: Let's rock.

The crew has undertaken an assignment to track down a slave merchant's vessel.

He has been employing agents to ravage towns and kidnap their children.

Yngwie predicted the merchant's escape route from the last town he sacked, and suggested a shortcut.

Yngwie: That the one? Doesn't seem like they've noticed us yet.

Vyrn: Yngwie!

Vyrn: We've gotta consider those agents they've got on deck! If we don't go in with full force...

Yngwie: Heh... Wouldn't want to lose the advantage of surprise now, would we?

Yngwie: (Captain). What say we cut into their ranks with a small elite force? I'm willing to bet those agents can't fight worth a damn mid-flight.

Vyrn: Suppose they can—wouldn't that put us in a jam?

Yngwie: That'd just mean Lady Luck's on vacation. Would give us a chance to reflect, to boot.

Vyrn: Reflect? On what?

Eugen: Hah-hah-hah! Yngwie's just being Yngwie as always.

Eugen: I like the idea of an ambush though. If we can throw 'em into confusion, the rest'll be a cakewalk.

Vyrn: Isn't that kinda reckless? Whatever works, I guess...

Vyrn: All righty then! I'll relay the info to Rackam!

Yngwie: We're ready to go full speed ahead whenever you are, (Captain)!

Full Metal Man IV: Price of Freedom: Scene 2

Something about this mission aboard a slaver ship full of kidnapped children seems familiar to Yngwie, but he can't quite remember why. The crew tries to get the children to safety while fighting off the slaver's hired agents.

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With Yngwie in the lead, (Captain) and company sneak aboard the slave merchant's airship.

They find a good number of children in the hold, trembling in fear and exhaustion from being transported all over.

Slave Merchant: Gosh darn it! Heck's with that crew?

Slave Merchant: Y'all whippersnappers load the cannons! We'll blast 'em to the depths o' the skies!

Girl: Ngh... I'm scared... I wanna go home...

Slave Merchant: Well, ain't you a peach... Not! Get movin' before I throw you off the ship!

Girl: Eep!

Girl: Waaah... Help... Please, anyone...

Slave Merchant: Oh, shut yer trap already, missy...

Slave Merchant: For cryin' out loud. I ain't one for damagin' my goods, but I'm gonna have to show ya who's boss.

Slave Merchant: Let's see how you like this... Haagh!

Girl: Eek!

Slave Merchant: Huh?

Yngwie: That's enough. Get down, hands behind your head.

Eugen: You're a disease... and I'm the cure. Anyone who deals in such a disgusting trade belongs behind bars.

Slave Merchant: Damn you... How did ya break in here?

Yngwie: Eugen, there may be more of 'em close by. Let's free the children first.

Eugen: Sounds good. Urgh, son of a gun uses some thick-as-hell chains.

Girl: Who are you people?
Will we be okay?

Yngwie: We're friends. Relax. You'll be home in no time.

Yngwie: Hm?

Woman: Oh my... Are you really going to free us?

Yngwie: ...

Eugen: Yngwie, now's not the time to be spacing out.

Yngwie: Ah... It's nothing. I'm good to go.

Yngwie: Guess this mission just reminds me of that other one back in the day...

Yngwie: Or could it be...

Agent: There you are, Boss. Everything okay?

Agent: Hm? Looks like we have a few guests who need to be taught a lesson.

Slave Merchant: 'Bout time one of ya showed up! Rough these hoodlums up and I'll double your payout!

Agent: Double, huh...?

Agent: Make it triple. I know that old guy. He won't be an easy one.

Slave Merchant: F-fine! Just take 'em out!

Eugen: Hold it!

Agent: Tut-tut, you're not getting past me.

Agent: Sorry to say that I'm a pro as well. I'm captain of my own crew of agents in the underworld.

Yngwie: Hasta la vista.

Agent: Brghwaah!

Yngwie: We need to get a move on. The merchant is a small fry, but I've got a feeling something's gonna go down.

Yngwie: You bambinas need to evacuate. Get up on deck first—you can board our ship from there.

Girl: Bambinos? Teehee... Okay!

Yngwie: Good girl. Follow us!

Full Metal Man IV: Price of Freedom: Scene 3

The slave merchant triggers his ship's self-destruct sequence and escapes on a skyskimmer. One of the kidnapped children is blown overboard by the blast. Yngwie leaps after her and uses his cannon to propel them both back up onto the Grandcypher.

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Slave Merchant: No way, Jose... Yer tellin' me ya took out all my agents already?

Yngwie: Your flight's been delayed. Permanently.

The agents no longer a threat, (Captain) and company chase the slave merchant up onto the deck.

The slaver grimaces at Yngwie.

Slave Merchant: For Pete's sake, my goods, my agents, and now my airship... You've done a real number on me!

Eugen: Still counting your rupies at the eleventh hour? Don't expect to be peddling your wares ever again when we're done with you.

Yngwie: Wait, did he say airship?

Yngwie: Oh crud...

Slave Merchant: Humph! Yer all goin' down!

With the press of a trigger, a flash of light kicks off an explosion aboard the vessel.

The merchant uses the confusion to slip into a skyskimmer and takes off.

Vyrn: I can't believe it... Did he just blow up his own ship?

Eugen: Darn it, this ship's gonna plummet any moment now! We need to get back to the Grandcypher, pronto!

Girl: M-mister? Did something happen? I heard a really loud sound from over here...

Yngwie: No!

Yngwie: Don't come any closer!

Girl: Huh?

Girl: Eeep!

Vyrn: Hang on! Wait... Where'd she go!

Vyrn: Uh-oh, (Captain)! She's been blown away by the blast!

Eugen: Oh crap! Don't tell me she's fallen out of the skies!

Yngwie: ...

Yngwie: (Captain), I'll make sure she's okay. You guys get on the Grandcypher and go after the merchant.

Vyrn: What can you possibly do? You have a plan in mind?

Yngwie: Just watch. I haven't been training for nothing.

Yngwie: Full Metal Transformation!

Eugen: Yngwie! Did you just go and fling yourself out of the skies too? You moron!

Yngwie follows the girl to the depths of the sky.

All the while there is a certain sparkle in his eye.

Yngwie: Hahaha! Haven't felt a wind this good since my rookie days.

Yngwie: Wait for me, kiddo. I'll keep my promise to bring you back to your village.

Yngwie: Full Metal Cannon!

Yngwie shouts at the top of his lungs as he unleashes a devastating beam.

Using the kickback to further accelerate his descent, Yngwie catches the girl in mid-air and holds her tight.

Girl: Ah... M-mister!

Yngwie: Kept you waiting, huh. Time to go home, bambina.

Girl: O-okay! But how?

Yngwie: Hm...

Vyrn: Huff... Huff... Finally caught up with the stinker!

Eugen: Don't relax just yet! Who knows what he might try to pull next!

Slave Merchant: Humph! I ain't yer everyday rogue merchant! Heck, I've been through hell and back more times than I can count!

Slave Merchant: I'm gonna take over yer ship and send y'all to the Crimson Horizon in a handbasket!

Slave Merchant: Ergh! What in tarnation was that?

Vyrn: Ngh! It's a bird... It's an airship...
Wait, it's just Yngwie again!

Yngwie: I'm back. Ah, home sweet home. Heh.

Eugen: What the? You used the kickback from your beam cannon to get back up here?

Eugen: Going against the force of gravity must've taken a heckuva lotta shots.

Yngwie: Vyrn, watch the kid.
C'mon, (Captain), it's time to take out the trash.

Slave Merchant: Doggone it, just who the devil are ya?

Yngwie: Bonjour to you too, bottom-feeder.

Yngwie: Name's Yngwie. Just another skyfarer who clings to the skies.

Full Metal Man IV: Price of Freedom: Scene 4

With the captive children safely returned to their village, Yngwie is lost in memories dredged up by the mission. Though his health seems to be suffering, Yngwie insists on pressing forward, following his gut toward his final adventure.

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The crew returns the kidnapped children safely to town.

Showered with heartfelt praise from the elder and villagers, Yngwie gives in to deep thought.

Yngwie: Hm... Can't help but wonder...

Yngwie: The mission might've sparked it, but I sure wasn't expecting to see my past in a dream...

Yngwie: ...

Girl: Ah, found you, mister! What are you doing here?

Yngwie: Just takin' a break, my little bambino.

Yngwie: You feeling better? Hope you've rested up properly.

Girl: Yeah, I'm all better now! Anyway, I heard the others talk about what an amazing skyfarer you are!

Yngwie: Heh. I just follow my skyfarin' heart to whatever adventures it finds for me.

Girl: Wow, adventures? Can I come too?

Yngwie: Got any place in mind?

Girl: Um, any place is okay as long as I'll be with you!

Yngwie: Gotta hand it to you, bambino—you've got spirit. You'll make a fine skyfarer one day.

Girl: Hahaha! How do you usually pick where to go next, mister?

Yngwie: A lot goes into it, but in the end I go with my gut.

Girl: Your gut? What does that mean?

Yngwie: Think of it like this—

Yngwie: ...!

Girl: M-mister? What's wrong?

Yngwie: Ngh... Don't sweat it. I'll be fine.

Eugen: Oi, Yngwie. We're taking off soon.

Yngwie: Gotcha.

Eugen: Hm? You're not lookin' too well.

Yngwie: Hey, Eugen. About my daughter, I think I've got a lead.

Eugen: ...?
The wonders never cease. Where to next, buddy?

Yngwie: My gut tells me it's that far-flung skydom. I'm already looking forward to it.

Eugen: The heck? How 'bout you gimme somethin' more to go on?

Girl: Bye-bye, mister! Let's travel together someday, okay? That's a promise!

Yngwie follows his hunch and requests that the crew make a stop at a particular skydom.

Only time will tell how the curtain will fall on this legendary skyfarer's final adventure.