Scenario:Yodarha - Dark Clouds Looming
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Dark Clouds Looming
Farrah comes to (Captain) and company one day, hoping to find a way to reenergize a tired Katalina. Yodarha suggests they try to catch a rare fish rumored to be extraordinarily nutritious, but when he brings them to a river, the crew fish up Rhens—Yodarha's former disciple—and his lackeys instead. Together they reel in the elusive fish, but their joy is interrupted when a scream tears through the serene forest. The group rushes to the scene to find the remains of a person atrociously cut open. Yodarha recognizes it as the work of one of his disciples and vows to stop the killer.
Vyrn: Yaaawn... Nothing's bitin', huh?
Lyria: Nothing at all... Yawn...
Farrah: Yaaawn... The only things I'm catching are yawns from you two...
Farrah: Maaaster, are you sure there are fish here?
Yodarha: Hyuk-hyuk! Have a little more patience and keep your rods still. You'll scare 'em away otherwise.
The cheerful old man named Yodarha is actually a master swordsman as well as a renowned fisherman.
Farrah: Ughhh... This is for Katalina! I'm definitely gonna catch something for her, just you wait!
The young girl who calls the old man "master" is Farrah, a knight from the Erste Empire who once served under Katalina.
The two are currently fishing together so that Farrah can make nourishing food for her beloved Katalina.
Farrah wants nothing more than to support and energize Katalina, who has been busy lately with many missions.
In order to procure the best ingredients possible, the young girl has come to (Captain) and Yodarha for help.
Yodarha: Hrmm... Something nutritious to eat, you say? A few things come to mind.
Yodarha: Have you ever heard of a seema before? It's a fish caught in a river near here, and it's famous for curing illness and exhaustion.
Farrah: That sounds perfect! I'll go buy some right away!
Yodarha: Now hold your horses. There's no point heading to town to wait in line when they're going to sell out before you get there.
Farrah: Does that mean I've gotta catch them myself?
Yodarha: A-hyuk-hyuk! You've got the right idea. These fellas are elusive, but catching 'em isn't impossible. Are you up for the challenge?
Farrah: Of course! There's nothing I wouldn't do when it's Katalina's health on the line!
Yodarha: That's the spirit! Come on, then! I'll show you to a special fishing spot!
Vyrn: I know you said this spot was special, but we haven't caught a nibble since we got here.
Yodarha: Even a skilled angler has trouble catching anything in this area, you know.
Yodarha: Since there's a lot of grub available for the fish, they're usually full and bite less often. On the other hand, that means that they're filled with nutrition.
Yodarha: Hyuk-hyuk-hyuk... Looks like we're in for the long haul, eh? But this'll make for some good training in patience.
(Captain) and company quiet down and immerse themselves in silence once again.
For a while, only the sound of rustling trees accompanies the calm stream of water.
Yodarha: Oh-ho?
Farrah: Ah! Something's tugging on the line! We got one! We really got one!
Out of the blue, Farrah's rod curves wildly downward, and a large shape breaks the surface of the water.
Farrah: No way... This one's huge!
Vyrn: We'll help you reel it in!
(Captain) and everyone else grab onto the rod in Farrah's trembling hands.
Farrah: Guess a rare fish wouldn't go down without a fight, huh? But I won't lose when I'm fighting for Katalina!
Farrah: Let's all pull on three!
Lyria: Okay!
Vyrn: Let's do this!
Farrah: Here we go! One, two... three!
At the end of the countdown, each of them yank with all their might. A torrent of water soars into the air as they finally lift their prize out of the water.
Farrah: All right! We reeled in a big—
Farrah: One?
To everyone's great surprise, it isn't a fish that comes splashing out.
Vyrn: Wh-what? Last I checked, fish didn't look like people!
Lyria: Oh no, we have to help them!
(Captain) and company quickly scramble to grab the three men floating lifelessly in the water.
???: Urgh...
Yodarha: Good grief... I was wondering where you went, but I never expected to find you submerged in a river!
Slightly flabbergasted, Yodarha moves in front of one man and slaps his cheek.
Yodarha: Rhens! Wake up, lad!
Rhens: Agh... Is that you, old geezer?
Rhens: Heheh... I guess a screwup like me is doomed to keep screwing up...
Yodarha: Don't you die on me! Where'd all your ambition go!
Rhens: Ah...
Rhens: I'm so hungry I could die...
After Rhens's weak groan, a stunned silence falls over the crew.
Rhens: Munch, crunch, gobble... Whew, I thought for sure I'd kick the bucket back there! Munch, munch...
Thug 1: Munch, crunch... We're sure lucky we ran into you, Master!
Thug 2: Rhens's bad luck ended up in our favor, eh? He'll get us into all sorts of messes, but never fatal ones! Munch, crunch...
Having collapsed from hunger, Rhens and his thugs vigorously tear into the food that (Captain) and company cooked up for them.
They are completely revived after stuffing themselves full.
Yodarha: Why were you lads floating down the river in the first place?
Rhens: Munch, munch... Well, if you really wanna know, you better settle down for a long story.
He begins to detail the events that led up to his dangerous dip in the water.
(Captain) and company first met Rhens and his thugs on Fehrtyl Island during an incident involving the rare greatshrooms that grow there.
Rhens was previously a disciple of Yodarha's, but had since turned to darker ways.
Dominating all the skies was his dream, and nabbing a golden greatshroom would have helped him fund it.
However, losing to (Captain) and the crew was the wake-up call he needed. Yodarha pointed out that Rhens was also pretty bad at being bad.
Rhens took the words to heart and turned back to the light, starting a new life alongside his comrades.
Rhens: So first we met some folks who came from a pretty poor island, and they wanted to borrow some money to send to their families. Before we knew it, we were outta rupies.
Rhens: Since we only had the clothes on our backs and our blades, we took to doing security for people. Not that it paid much though!
Rhens: Nobody was offering a decent reward. But then again, you've already gotta be pretty desperate to hire a master swordsman in the making like me.
Rhens: The last guy who hired us couldn't even pay a single rupie. Turned out his family suddenly got sick.
Rhens: Figured there was no point houndin' a guy for something he doesn't have, so we put it on credit for now. A nice solution, right? Hahaha!
Thug 1: Before we realized it, we were in just as much financial trouble too... We couldn't even afford food.
Thug 2: That's why we went looking for something to eat out here. But we didn't find anything for days, and then the starvation kicked in...
Yodarha: And here I was wondering what could've caused all three of you to tumble into the river together...
Yodarha: Well, I suppose it's good that none of you lads would make good criminals. If you want to find your own food, come grab a rod and fish with us.
Farrah lets out a sudden gasp as she hears Yodarha mention fishing.
Farrah: Ahhh! I totally forgot!
Farrah: We've gotta catch a seema in time for dinner tonight!
Rhens: A seema? The heck is that?
At Rhens's confused expression, (Captain) explains what they've come for.
Rhens: Uh-huh... That's a mighty interesting catch you're goin' after. How about I help you out too?
Farrah: You sure? Fishing here isn't as easy as you might think. You could even collapse again while waiting for a bite.
Rhens: Heh! Don't worry about me. No matter how many times I get knocked down, I'll always get up again.
Yodarha: I won't say no to an extra helping hand. Just don't expect me to come running if you get swept into the river again.
Soon enough, (Captain) and company are facing the water again with their rods out, this time joined by Rhens and his lackeys.
The skill of their new companions comes as a surprise.
Vyrn: Whoa! You're pretty good at this! How did ya even snag so many?
Vyrn peeks into Rhens's fish basket, stunned at the number of flopping fins inside.
Rhens: Heh, this is just a taste of what I can do. I've caught tons more when competing against my master before.
Yodarha: You always were leagues ahead of any other disciples when it came to fishing... and only fishing.
Rhens: Hey, that last part's not true. They called me the master swordsman in the making for a reason.
Rhens: Besides, I've been working on my weak points lately, so don't doubt the sword skills I've got up my sleeves.
Yodarha: Hyuk-hyuk-hyuk! Brave words for the scrawniest brat of all my senior disciples!
Rhens: Do I look scrawny to you? I'm ain't a kid no more!
Farrah: Huh... That sounds like a pretty different Rhens from the one we know.
Yodarha: Sure was. He used to be a shy little thing, and every time the senior disciples made him cry, he'd join me for some fishing.
Rhens: What! I did not cry! And you were the one who dragged me along to fish!
Yodarha: Hm? Is that how it was? Either way, you sure were a fighter, surviving in that rowdy crowd.
Rhens: You really think I woulda become your disciple in the first place if I wasn't prepared to stick it through to the end? You were famous back then, so I wasn't gonna waste the chance.
Farrah: He used to be famous? Was it for his wild quirks?
Rhens: That was probably part of the reason, but mostly any time he was rumored to show up in town, all the ruffians beat it. Never knew how many of his disciples were wandering around, so they ran.
Rhens: And then people heard he had a technique for splitting a battleship in half by himself, you know? Groveling on the road to have a chance at becoming one of his disciples became a thing after that.
Farrah: Master, is Rhens telling the truth? Were you really some crazy awesome person in the past?
Yodarha: What do you think? Rumors, those are. People sure do enjoy making mountains out of fish piles.
Rhens: Huh? Okay, so what about that time you stayed up for three days straight fighting monks and ninjas or whatever? That actually happened, yeah?
Rhens: A fight so vicious that nobody came out the victor, and the entire mountainside that hosted the clash became a wasteland where no grass or trees grow anymore.
Yodarha: You're adding on to the fish pile, lad. The reason nothing's there is because those fools made a desperate decision to cause a landslide and destroyed the area.
Vyrn: You say that like the truth isn't just as alarmin' as the rumors... What kinda fighting style did you use anyway?
Rhens: Of course he used phantasmagoric moves. He was so good at them that he even beat the heck outta some legendary skyfarers while still fishing.
Lyria: Wow, you really were something else, Yodarha!
As Rhens shares these fantastical tales, (Captain) and crew turn to stare at Yodarha with awe in their eyes.
Yodarha: Don't give me those looks. I'm only an ordinary fisherman these days.
Yodarha, despite the wry smile on his face, makes no move to stop Rhens from continuing to speak of his past.
Pretty soon everyone has completely forgotten about fishing, instead becoming absorbed in listening.
Rhens: So as you've probably guessed, his number one disciple was freakishly strong.
Rhens: With a face that always looked sleepy, no one ever expected the kind of strength that could shatter a boulder into tiny pebbles within the span of a yawn.
Rhens: Even a hundred people couldn't take on that kinda strength, right? But the old geezer here was an even match.
Yodarha: Indeed...
Yodarha's expression hardens at the new topic.
Farrah: It's kinda hard to believe a person like that exists...
Vyrn: We'd probably know a person that strong, right? Do you got a name or anything?
Rhens: If I recall correctly, it's—
Yodarha: Rhens! Your rod's hooked something!
Yodarha's sharp shout cuts into Rhens's words, almost as if to prevent him from sharing the name.
But sure enough, one look at the shaking rod in Rhens's hands shows that his line has snagged something.
Rhens: Whoa there!
Rhens pulls hard, gritting his teeth, and realizes that whatever is on the line is huge.
Rhens: Raaahhh!
After one more tug, an enormously plump fish splashes out of the water and lands at their feet.
Yodarha: Oh-ho? This is it! This is the fabled seema!
Farrah: So this is what it looks like! Wow, you actually did it! I might hafta change my opinion of you now!
Rhens: Heh! Easy-peasy for a guy like me!
Lyria: Now we can make a nutritious, healthy meal for Katalina!
Everyone gathered at the riverside cheers as their long struggle for the elusive fish finally comes to an end.
???: Aaaahhh!
But another voice filled with shrill panic immediately cuts into their cheers.
Vyrn: Was that screaming? That sounded pretty close by...
Yodarha: A scream like that means trouble. We need to find out what's happening, (Captain)!
(Captain) gives a nod, and the group rushes toward the source of the commotion.
Yodarha: Sniff... Hmm...
Rhens: Old man, this smell...
Yodarha: I know. You youngsters should wait over there. It's better that you don't see this.
They push past a thicket of trees and find a woman quivering on the ground.
Yodarha: Are you all right, lass? What happened?
Woman: Ah... That!
With a shaking finger, the woman points to something on the ground. (Captain)'s breath hitches at what lays there.
Yodarha: How atrocious... This person was filleted like a fish...
Rhens: This has gotta be the work of that crazy punk... No one else coulda done this!
Yodarha: Perhaps. Was this an act of spite toward me?
Sparing a quick glance at Rhens's pale visage, Yodarha approaches the body's remains to better inspect the damage.
Yodarha: No. We guessed incorrectly.
(Captain), Yodarha, and Rhens bring the traumatized woman with them and rejoin the other members of the crew. Together they descend the mountain.
Yodarha: This was too strenuous of an act to be who we suspect. The perpetrator was also right-handed.
Rhens listens, puzzled for a moment, before understanding dawns on him.
Yodarha: Since I made sure that scoundrel's dominant hand could never swing a sword again, this crime has to be the work of someone else.
Lyria: When you say "scoundrel," are you talking about the person who used to be your top disciple?
Yodarha: That's right. This type of crime is exactly my top disciple's style, but perhaps another disciple was told to do the dirty work...
Rhens: You really think the others would do something like this?
Yodarha: Who knows? I certainly don't, or else I could've prevented it.
Yodarha: As for what I do know, there'll be more victims still.
Yodarha: And I have a bad feeling that the perpetrator might go after (Captain) and the crew as well.
Yodarha: (Captain). Sorry to drag you into another mess, but would you mind helping me out?
Farrah: As if we could stand by and watch someone get away with such a horrible crime! I'll help out too!
Vyrn: Yeah! We gotta find the perp and fast!
Choose: We'll fish out who's responsible!
Lyria: We'll definitely stop them!
Farrah: We better hurry before anybody else gets attacked!
Continue 1
Rhens: Say, ol' geezer... I'm in too. You need anything, I'm your man.
Rhens: I dunno if this is the senior disciple's doing, but... either way we should take care of it.
Yodarha: Very well.
Yodarha: (To think Rhens would change to the point of pledging me his assistance... (Captain)'s a greater influence than I thought.)
Yodarha: (Life's full of the unexpected, eh? I should be happy that one of my disciples returned to the light and is willing to stand against the dark, but...)
Yodarha: (It's painful to see one of my techniques used on an innocent. I have to end this quickly.)
In a cruel turn of events, a mystery begins to unfold.
(Captain) and company vow to stop the killer before more people are made victims.