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Spoiler Alert!
These tabs contain full Fate Episode cutscene scripts with major spoilers about the character. View these tabs at your own discretion.
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An Earth-Shattering Bow
On their way to face Zhuque, the crew happen upon a girl named Chichiri who has beat them to the scene. (Captain) interjects, slaying the bird and discovering a mysterious item left in its wake. Chichiri reveals herself to be a Cardinal Saint tasked with defeating Zhuque. She thanks the crew for their help and asks them to take her on as a disciple. Though unwilling, the crew accepts.
The air is on fire.
No, not just the air. Coiling, bewitching flames skip across the ground, devouring any plant or creature unlucky enough to be caught.
And in the midst of this hellish conflagration, there strolls a young girl.
Haughty Girl: Well, here we are again. Except this time I'm gonna make it happen.
Haughty Girl: Grampy's final wish, along with my duty, are on the line. So with that said...
The young girl pierces the calamitous inferno with an arrogant scowl.
Zhuque: ...
Haughty Girl: Hand over your life.
Vyrn: Ick... Can't stand this heat. Feels like I'm melting...
(Captain) and company have accepted a request to slay Zhuque, a fiery entity steeped in mystery, before its heat and flames cause any more damage.
The mercury jumps as the crew approaches the wandering island known as Southern Solitary. Soon they're smothered in a sweltering blanket of aridity.
Vyrn: Was Zhuque always this much of a pain in the butt? It never seemed to wreck things up so badly before.
Vyrn: And how's it keep comin' back from the dead anyway? We musta brought it down a bajillion times already!
Every visit by (Captain) to Southern Solitary had resulted in Zhuque's defeat.
Yet without fail, the bird's vitality eventually reignites, and the sight of its burning island signals its menacing return.
Lyria: Have you noticed it too, (Captain)? No matter how many times we defeat Zhuque, all we're doing is taking away its physical body.
Lyria: And then the next time we see it, it's even stronger than before.
Vyrn: There's so much we don't know about it. Oh well, a job's a job, ya know?
(Captain) pauses to consider Vyrn's words, recalling the moment the crew took the request.
Client: Many places have been set alight ever since Zhuque and its island showed up. Cities, towns, forests, lake shores—you name it.
Client: Thanks again for agreeing to slay that creature.
Client: Oh, before heading out to that wandering island, there's one thing you ought to know.
Client: Rumor has it that someone has already been engaging Zhuque in battle since yesterday. Take that as you will.
Lyria: If someone's already fighting Zhuque, do you think that person is doing okay?
Vyrn: Hm... We'd better pick up the pace.
Zhuque: ...
Vyrn: Wait, is that Zhuque? I don't remember it bein' that powerful.
Lyria: Look, (Captain)! There's someone standing in front of Zhuque! Could that be the person the client was talking about?
Haughty Girl: ...
The hems of the unknown girl's clothing are singed, and patches of soot blot her exposed skin.
However, the stranger stands defiant with an imperious gaze trained on Zhuque.
For its part, the motionless bird challenges the gaze with one of equal intensity. It seems to regard its opponent with great caution.
Vyrn: Looks like they got a staredown goin' on. Maybe that's part of her strategy?
Vyrn: Tryin' to be intimidating or whatever? Like two prize fighters sizin' each other up, waitin' for the other to flinch.
Lyria: I don't know... I think the girl might be at a disadvantage...
Vyrn: Yeah, that bird ain't backin' down. Let's jump in!
In a flash, (Captain) gets between the two combatants and delivers a fatal slash to Zhuque.
Zhuque: ...!
Vyrn: Huh? Birdo flamed out faster than a candle in a tornado. Coulda sworn it looked tougher than that.
Lyria: It might just be my imagination, but Zhuque's power seemed to weaken as soon as it noticed (Captain)...
Vyrn: Hey, check this out. It dropped something.
Lyria: I wonder what it is? There's a tiny bit of Zhuque's power emanating from it...
Lyria: Oops! Th-that's not important right now! We have to go check on—
Haughty Girl: Wheee! Bye-bye, pain! I feel like a million rupies! Pow, pow!
Lyria: Eep! Y-you gave me a start!
Haughty Girl: Did you guys smack down my Zhuque? Did'ja, did'ja? Hm? Hmmm?
Vyrn: Should we not have? Don't tell me you're mad at us for stealin' your thunder?
Lyria: Gosh, we weren't hunting for glory or anything! We only wanted to help!
Haughty Girl: Pleeease!
Vyrn: What the!
Haughty Girl: Please accept my deepest, dearest apologies! I never expected complete strangers to step in for me! You guys rock!
The girl drops to her hands and knees. Her forehead kisses the ground, thus completing a graceful pose of deference.
Vyrn: Uh... Why are you bowin' to us?
Haughty Girl: Because I'm ashamed! I'm more spineless than a worm!
Hnnngh!
Haughty Girl: I don't know what to say to express my gratitude. Just thank you! Thank yooou!
Lyria: I-it's okay! Please get up!
Haughty Girl: No! No excuses for me being full of myself! I owe you guys big time!
Haughty Girl: The truthful truth is, it's my duty as a Cardinal Saint to face Zhuque.
Haughty Girl: Then you guys came along and mopped up for me! Heck, you even got your hands on the yupei.
Vyrn: Er... You mean the thingy (Captain)'s holding?
Haughty Girl: Exactly! Not that I can see it...
Vyrn: Of course you can't see it. Your head's practically buried halfway into the ground from bowing.
Haughty Girl: Normally only we Cardinal Saints can obtain those. At least that's what I thought until you non-Saints got your hands on one.
Haughty Girl: Which proves Zhuque respects you. Impressive! I'm in the presence of truly powerful people! Thank you! Thank you!
Vyrn: Slow down there. Cardinal Saints? Yupei? I have no idea what you're talkin' about.
Haughty Girl: Thank you! Thank you! I will not be lifting my head!
The girl slams her head down with each shout of appreciation, shaking the island with such ferocity that cracks in the ground start to form.
Vyrn: Yikes! C'mon, cut it out with the headbanging already!
Haughty Girl: Nothing's gonna stop my display of contrition! I won't be happy until I've given back to my saviors!
Haughty Girl: Take all my thanks! And take me under your wing as a disciple while you're at it!
Haughty Girl: Sound good?
Haughty Girl: That's right! Accept me as your disciple, O mighty gurus! I'm begging you!
Lyria: A disciple? Well, why don't you get up first and then we can talk about it...
Haughty Girl: My head stays glued to the dirt until my demand is met!
Haughty Girl: Now let me hear you say, "Yes!" Come on, say it!
As the young girl continues to bow, she scootches closer and closer toward (Captain) until her head brushes up against the captain's feet.
Vyrn: Hey! Tuggin' on our heartstrings is devious and unfair!
- Your bowing form is superb.
- Okay, okay! You win!
Choose: Your bowing form is superb.Vyrn: Don't encourage her! She said she's gonna keep groveling till we cave in, and I think she means it!
Lyria: You've made your point loud and clear! So please lift your head...
Choose: Okay, okay! You win!Vyrn: Yeah, we're cool! Now stop groveling!
Continue 1Haughty Girl: Yay! Then the deal is closed! Woohoo!
Haughty Girl: With that out of the way, let's head on over to my house, gurus! I've got a special surprise to give you!
Chichiri: The name's Chichiri, and I'm a Cardinal Saint! It's a pleasure to meet you, toughy-woughy gurus!
Lyria: Toughy-woughy?
Um, it's nice to meet you too.
Vyrn: What have we gotten ourselves into... And what's a Cardinal Saint? Boy, do I have a lot of questions.
Chichiri: Hold on to 'em until we get home. I'll answer whatever you want while I give you your surprise!
With introductions out of the way, the peppy Chichiri leads the crew to her residence.
A Toughy-Woughy Duty
While giving the crew massages, Chichiri goes into detail about the Cardinal Saints and the role of the yupei, the item Zhuque dropped earlier. She takes the yupei from (Captain) and attempts to perform a wake, but things go awry and she quickly gives it back. (Captain) and the crew are left puzzled as Chichiri leaves to provide her services to the townsfolk.
Vyrn: Yowie-yowie-yowie-yow!
Lyria: Nggh... Ahh... Grrgh...
Upon arriving at Chichiri's abode, she unleashes her special surprise on the crew in the form of acupressure massages.
While Vyrn's and Lyria's yelps of pain bounce off the room's walls, (Captain) somehow manages to suppress the urge to scream.
Chichiri: Ahaha. You guys are aching all over, I bet? Ah, and I know just the trouble spot.
Chichiri: Cootchie-coo. The soles of the feet are especially susceptible to achy-breakies.
Vyrn: Gaah! Is it supposed to hurt this much? I'm gonna lose my voice from all this screaming...
Chichiri: You don't have to hold it in. Shout! Shout! Let it all out!
Lyria: But does it have to be so p-p-painful? I can't move my body anymore!
Chichiri: That's because I hit your pressure points. They're sort of like gates that affect the internal flow of a living organism.
Chichiri: These are the points I aim for in combat to immobilize my opponent, and then I go in for the kill!
Chichiri: Of course, the purpose of this massage is for life, not death. So relax. No one's leaving until I'm done, okay?
Vyrn: Urgh... Gah... Yeah, right. This is revenge for stealin' your kill, plain and simple...
Lyria: A-actually... My body's starting to feel comfy all over...
Chichiri: Yep, that's me drawing out the stiffness. Hm... I still haven't heard a peep out of (Captain) though...
Chichiri: But that's cool! I admire a guru who has a high tolerance for pain!
Vyrn: Still, there's only one of you and three of us. I'm impressed you can give three massages at the same time—
Vyrn: Uh... And there are three of you... how?
Chichiri: Willpower!
Vyrn: Sure, why not...
Vyrn is too busy squirming in pain to think straight.
On the other hand, (Captain) and Lyria lie in refreshing comfort. They try to think of what they should ask Chichiri.
Lyria: I'm getting sleepy... Can you tell us more about the Cardinal Saints and the yupei before I doze off?
Chichiri: Hm... The Cardinal Saints are skydwellers deemed worthy by the cardinal beasts, you could say? The proof is in the budding crystal formations on our bodies.
Chichiri: The crystals start growing on the Saints from the time we're born.
Vyrn: A-almost sounds supernatural... By cardinal beasts you mean the Zhuque bunch?
Chichiri: Yep. Zhuque, Qinglong, Baihu, and Xuanwu. We call 'em the cardinal beasts.
Chichiri: Those four always regenerate, and the more they do, the stronger they get.
Chichiri: Eventually they take on the form of natural disasters. Just look at what Zhuque's done so far.
Lyria: But defeating them only makes them come back stronger than before.
Vyrn: So what's the answer? 'Cause it kinda sounds like a lose-lose situation.
Chichiri: Enter the Cardinal Saints!
Vyrn: Aha! Let me guess—you guys have the power to stop their resurrection?
Chichiri: As if!
Vyrn: Well, then don't frame it that way! You made it sound like you could!
Chichiri: Mwahaha. Kudos for having the right idea. While I can't stop Zhuque's revival, I can alleviate its power.
Chichiri: Which doesn't solve the crux of the issue, but... Hey, it's better than nothing, yeah?
Vyrn: So once those beasties build up too much power, the Saints defeat 'em to reset that power, sorta like venting pent-up steam?
Chichiri: Bingo. By the way, there are three other Saints aside from myself.
Chichiri: And I just love 'em to bits! Buncha quirky toughy-woughies in their own right!
Vyrn: Even more than you?
Chichiri: Take this!
Vyrn: Yaaaargh!
Chichiri: Aw, the shrimpy-wimpy guru can't handle a little tough love. That's adorable.
Chichiri: Anyway, back to the topic of the Cardinal Saints, it's our duty to pacify the cardinal beasts!
Chichiri: Our lineages date back to over 1,000 years ago.
Lyria: Have the Saints really been around for that long? How come I've never heard of them until now?
Chichiri: Hnnngh, that struck a nerve, and you have no idea how much it hurts.
Vyrn: Yeowch! Speak for yourself!
Chichiri: Then again, I suppose it's only natural you haven't heard about us.
Chichiri: It's been centuries since the Cardinal Saints have fulfilled their duties, myself included.
Lyria: How come?
Chichiri: Oh, lots of reasons really. We kind of just...
Chichiri: Say, remember that trinket you picked up? The yupei? To complete our duty of pacifying a beast, we perform a wake on the appropriate yupei.
Vyrn: Sounds like we nabbed ourselves an important treasure, huh?
Chichiri: Depends. I was certain that only the Saints could ever get 'em. I'm not sure what to make of this...
Chichiri: Since (Captain) was able to obtain one though, that's gotta be an incredible feat.
Chichiri: Zhuque must think (Captain)'s an awesome possum instead of me. Way to go, you!
Lyria: So based on what you just said, now that we have this yupei, you'll be able to relieve Zhuque's power, right?
Chichiri: Yep. I can finally fulfill my duty! Talk about being lucky... Hm, or am I?
Chichiri: After what Grampy and my ancestors went through, is it okay to take this shortcut? Kinda feels like I'm cheating.
Chichiri: Nah, if my gurus are kind enough to offer it to me, I shouldn't hesitate to accept the opportunity!
Chichiri: Say your prayers, shrimpy-wimpy Zhuque!
Despite the girl's bravado, the mood is unquestionably tense.
The crystals on Chichiri's body begin to glow, and in response, the yupei emits its own splendid light.
Chichiri: Um, hello? This doesn't seem to be working...
Chichiri: Urk...
Chichiri: ...!
Take it back, (Captain)! Catch!
Chichiri's face has gone pale. She quickly tosses the yupei at the captain.
Lyria: A-are you all right? What happened with the wake?
Chichiri: Okay, that was funky. Looks like I can't perform it for some reason.
Chichiri: Would you mind hanging onto the yupei until I figure out why?
Vyrn: Sure, we can handle a bit of safekeeping, but I hope this isn't anything serious...
Chichiri: N-not at all! Say, you know what (Captain) needs right now? A nice, long nap! I still haven't finished your massage yet!
Chichiri returns to kneading the knots in (Captain)'s body. It's certainly relaxing, though the captain can't help but notice Chichiri's agitation.
Chichiri: And that's a wrap!
Lyria: Yawn... I totally fell asleep.
Vyrn: Sigh, glad that's over with... Forget about sleep—I was so tensed up, I couldn't even close my eyes...
Vyrn: Whoa! What's happened to me? I haven't been this nimble in forever!
Lyria: Gosh, me too! My arms and legs feel so light. It's like I'm in someone else's body!
But that's not all. (Captain)'s fatigue has been lifted from every muscle.
Furthermore, (Captain) feels free-flowing energy coursing within.
Chichiri: Hehe, how is it? Rejuvenated much?
Vyrn: This is fantastic! I seriously thought you were torturing me 'cause we took out Zhuque before you could.
Chichiri: Aw, you and your imagination! I never held a grudge for a second! But if you still don't believe me, I can always bow down and apologize again.
Vyrn: D-don't even think about it!
Chichiri: No? Okay then, that does it for my surprise. Next I'll—
Elderly Lady: Chichiri-dearie! Ya done with that massage session yet?
Elderly Gent: How much longer do we have to wait! My poor ticker's tickin' away here!
Chichiri: Ack! J-just a moment, everyone! I'm still taking care of the gurus...
Lyria: Hahaha, you sure are in demand, Chichiri.
Vyrn: After gettin' such a great massage, I can see why. We'll chill out here while you do your thing.
Chichiri: Oh, but... I mean...
Lyria: Is there something urgent you want to talk about?
Chichiri: Nope! D-don't worry about it! Make yourselves at home while I'm gone!
Lyria: I wonder if there's something on her mind...
Despite their concern for Chichiri, (Captain) and the others decide they'll address it later when she gets back.
No Training Necessary
Chichiri ropes the crew into training with her where they quickly find out how powerful she really is. But for all her strength, Chichiri reveals she has never bested Zhuque, and she leaves in shame. An elderly townsperson comes to chat with the crew, telling them about Zhuque's power and the tragic fate of Chichiri's ancestors. Their talk is cut short when they hear her shriek in the distance.
The sun has set by the time Chichiri returns from giving the townspeople their massages.
Vyrn: Did you even get to take a break today? Why not kick back for the rest of the night?
Chichiri: Can't. Next up on the schedule is training, and skipping that is a no-no!
Chichiri: C'mon, I'll show you to my training grounds! It'll be fun!
Chichiri: I can't wait to cross blades with my toughy-woughy guru!
Vyrn: Sheesh, that girl is all take and no ask. Now she's dragged (Captain) into sparring with her.
Vyrn: I'm still curious about why the wake for the yupei failed though.
Vyrn: I feel like figuring that out is more important than training right now...
Lyria: Hm... Let's follow Chichiri for now. Hurry, before we lose her in the dark.
The crew runs to catch up to Chichiri and falls in behind her.
(Captain) makes sure not to lose sight of her from the back of the line.
Chichiri: Ahahaha. You're gonna make me blush if you keep staring at me like that.
Vyrn: Oh, she's got eyes in the back of her head too... The moment I saw her battlin' Zhuque, I knew she was on a different level.
(Captain) agrees with a nod.
The captain comments on Chichiri's finely honed movements, noting that she seems to operate with zero wasted energy.
Vyrn: And another thing...
Monster: Grrr...
Vyrn: It's almost like the monsters don't want any part of Chichiri and are doin' their best to be invisible.
Lyria: Chichiri has such a strong presence even when she's just going for a walk. Amazing...
Vyrn: Makes sense to me. She's got a mean glare that stops Zhuque in its tracks.
Chichiri: I wha?
Vyrn: Or not?
Chichiri: Oh! Er, yeah! Ahaha. Sounds about right?
Chichiri: Wait, no! I take it back! Don't talk about me like I'm some kind of reckoning! I'm not Zhuque.
Vyrn: Except your groveling is a force to be reckoned with...
Chichiri: Hey, I bow from the heart!
Chichiri may roll with the punches, but it's as if there's an emotional wall around her, one that's unusually thick.
Sensing Chichiri's true strength, the captain's curiosity about Chichiri's circumstances deepens.
Chichiri: We're here! This is where the Cardinal Saints of Zhuque have honed their skills for generations!
Lyria: Hm? Is that decoration over there what I think it is?
Chichiri: Sharp eye! It's a feather from Zhuque.
Vyrn: No kiddin'! Seems a bit on the small side though...
Chichiri: Well, it is really old. It's proof that the very first Cardinal Saint accomplished their duty.
Lyria: Wow, from all the way back then...
Chichiri: Zhuque was revered as a god in those days, but everyone's long forgotten about that now.
Chichiri: Zhuque's flight feathers were considered talismans, you know. As the story goes, from villages to kingdoms, simply displaying those feathers was enough to spark prosperity.
Chichiri: Southern Solitary itself was seen as a symbol of good fortune, and festivals would kick off as soon as the island was spotted in the area.
Vyrn: How 'bout that... Didn't know there was another side to it. I never pictured Zhuque as anything more than a destructive fireball.
Chichiri: Yeah. Today's Zhuque only brings ruin. The heat wave radiating from its wandering island announces Zhuque's arrival, right before it swoops in on gigantic wings.
Chichiri: The era of Zhuque bringing good fortune is long gone, replaced by firestorms and droughts.
Chichiri: This island I call home got hit pretty hard too. The last time Zhuque and its island floated by, houses and monsters spontaneously combusted...
Vyrn: Holy moly... Then the sooner you perform the wake on the yupei and relieve Zhuque's power, the better.
Chichiri: Bleh... Yeah, about that...
Chichiri: The yupei seems empty...
Lyria: Oh no! How come?
Chichiri: As I suspected, I think the yupei can't be primed for the wake unless I personally defeat Zhuque.
Lyria: Which explains why the wake didn't work earlier.
Chichiri: The next time Zhuque revives, I'll be the one to slay it!
Chichiri: I'm ready for your lessons, (Captain)! En garde!
Bursting into a huge grin, Chichiri swings her twin burning axes at the captain.
(Captain) scrambles to get into stance, daunted by the girl's domineering smirk and steely eyes.
Chichiri: Witness how far I've come, my treasured, bequeathed weapons! Guide my attacks square and true!
Vyrn: Whoa! You okay there, (Captain)?
(Captain) reckons the might of the blow is akin to a cannonball demolishing a fortress wall. Rather, it's on par with a swing from a giant primal beast.
(Captain) shivers, understanding full well that had the parry failed, Chichiri's attack would've ended their spar instantly.
However, the impact from simply blocking Chichiri's strikes rattles the captain's bones and organs, and the damage begins to pile up.
Chichiri: Where could your weak point be hiding? Over here?
Chichiri tosses her axes upward, drawing (Captain)'s attention. As the axes spin, she closes in and jabs one of (Captain)'s pressure points, grinning all the while.
A sharp pain, as if having been stabbed by a knife, rips through (Captain)'s body, causing muscles to contract.
Chichiri: Zap!
(Captain) fights mightily through the spasms, somehow managing to mount a counterattack.
Chichiri: Haha! I knew that wouldn't be enough.
However, (Captain) drops stance and pleads for the sparring to end.
Chichiri: Why?
Vyrn: This fight's gonna get way out of hand if it continues!
Lyria: That's right! It's not even training anymore! Someone's going to get hurt...
Chichiri: B-but (Captain)'s way stronger than me. All I wanted was to see if I could pick up a few pointers.
One of (Captain)'s hunches has been proven correct. Chichiri doesn't need anymore practice; she's already massively powerful.
Vyrn: There isn't anything else we can teach ya though. As far as we're concerned, your power is off the scale!
Chichiri: You're overestimating me.
Lyria: Not at all! We've met lots of strong people on our travels, and you're definitely one of them.
Chichiri: If that's the case, then how come Grampy... How come I've never beaten Zhuque?
Vyrn: Never? Not even once? But you're so strong...
Chichiri: Ah, what am I doing? I'm so sorry! You've all been kind enough to spend time with me, and this is how I repay you...
Chichiri: I... I need some time to think!
Lyria: Chichiri...
Vyrn: Ah, that's right. She did mention she hasn't been able to fulfill her duty...
Lyria: It's hard to believe someone of her ability hasn't been able to beat Zhuque...
Old-Timer: Ahem.
Lyria: Yeep! Wh-where did you come from?
Old-Timer: Hohoho. I've been secretly keeping tabs on you young'uns. I look out for Chichiri after all.
Vyrn: Ah... Guess that makes you the Grampy she's always goin' on about?
Old-Timer: Wrong guy.
Vyrn: What the! Then who in the skies are you!
Old-Timer: Just one of her loyal fans is all. Her massages are famous for extending one's longevity.
Old-Timer: Anyway, it seems I was right. The suffering in Chichiri's heart still hasn't healed yet.
Lyria: What happened?
Old-Timer: Ten years ago, Zhuque claimed the life of her grandfather.
Vyrn: Oh...
Old-Timer: He wasn't the only one. She lost both her parents before she was old enough to understand the concept of death. Her great-grandfather was killed too, as was every predecessor before him.
Old-Timer: Every Cardinal Saint tied to Zhuque had been immolated by the beast.
Vyrn: No way... Is that what she meant when she said she can't beat Zhuque to fulfill her duty?
Old-Timer: Let me ask you this, skilled skyfarer. You slew Zhuque, didn't you? What impression did you get from it?
- No way Chichiri could lose to Zhuque.
- Zhuque was a chump.
Choose: No way Chichiri could lose to Zhuque.Old-Timer: My thoughts exactly. She's a... toughy-woughy, as she likes to put it. Yet she's never won.
Choose: Zhuque was a chump.Old-Timer: Hohoho. Bold words. But you're not wrong.
Continue 1Vyrn: Okay... So what are you tryin' to say?
Old-Timer: Zhuque's power has a habit of erupting in the presence of a Cardinal Saint. Chichiri's grandfather told me that.
Vyrn: Huh? Birdo flamed out faster than a candle in a tornado. I swear it looked tougher than that.
Lyria: Maybe it's just my imagination, but Zhuque's power seemed to weaken as soon as it saw (Captain)...
Vyrn: So Zhuque only powers up versus Chichiri's family.
Old-Timer: So it seems, though I don't know why. What I do know is that Zhuque was once felled by an anonymous skyfarer according to town records.
Old-Timer: But Chichiri hasn't been able to best the beast. She always comes home injured, though that's a far cry better than not coming home alive at all.
Lyria: Gosh, I feel so sorry for her...
Old-Timer: By the way, have you noticed that quirky habit of hers?
Vyrn: Like the way she talks? How she calls us "toughy-woughy" and all that stuff?
Old-Timer: Haha, isn't it endearing? No, aside from that, I meant her massages.
Old-Timer: Whenever she's down in the dumps or injured, she'll impulsively give a massage to herself or whoever's around.
Vyrn: Talk about random...
Lyria: Is that why the massages she gave us were so intense?
Old-Timer: In her mind, she sees herself as a worthless, pitiful coward who's always getting bailed out by others.
Lyria: I see. She did seem to be down on herself.
Old-Timer: As to why I'm bringing this up, it's because I want you youngsters to lift Chichiri out of her rut.
Old-Timer: Fear controls her; it's shaped her into becoming a crybaby. She tries to hide it, so none of us have the heart to speak up.
Old-Timer: Bless her heart for trying her darnedest to overcome those demons, but I just can't bear watching her suffer anymore. Isn't there anything you can do?
Old-Timer: All we townsfolk are good for is offering up our tired bodies for massages in order to give her a temporary distraction.
Vyrn: The townspeople really care about Chichiri.
Lyria: Let's go see how she's doing—
Chichiri: Eeyaah!
Vyrn: Hey, that yell came from Chichiri! And it feels like Zhuque's here too!
The crew instantly dash toward the source of the young girl's cry.
A Burning Fear
Zhuque suddenly appears in front of Chichiri as she wallows in the forest, and the crew make it just in time to drive the bird off. Chichiri tells the crew that her fear of Zhuque is the reason why she has yet to defeat it. After a pep talk, she realizes confronting fear is the only way to protect what's important, and decides to face the bird again.
Moments earlier, Chichiri had left the crew at the training grounds to be alone for bit.
She takes a seat in the forest, hugging her knees and crying softly to herself.
Chichiri: Sniff... I'm such a loser... So pathetic...
Chichiri: Everything bad that's happened is a result of my namby-pamby ways...
Chichiri: I'm happy (Captain) and the others see me as someone who's better than that, but I...
Chichiri: ...
Vyrn: Makes sense to me. She's got a mean glare that stops Zhuque in its tracks.
Chichiri: I wha?
Chichiri: That's not true, Vyrn. Actually, I lost consciousness...
Chichiri: Happens every time I face Zhuque. The beast scares me so badly I end up fainting. I have no idea how I ever make it back alive.
Chichiri: And then there was that incident where I...
Chichiri: Urk...
Chichiri: ...!
Take it back, (Captain)! Catch!
Chichiri: I thought I'd gotten lucky when the yupei fell into my lap without me having to lift a finger...
Chichiri: Then the second I touched it, Zhuque's scary eyes were glaring right at me!
Chichiri: Ugh, makes me never wanna touch the yupei again...
Chichiri: And how come Zhuque only gets serious when it fights us Saints! That's so not fair!
Chichiri: Sniff... Well, doesn't matter anyway... I can talk a big game about wanting to win all I want; that doesn't change the fact that I'm a wuss.
Chichiri: Waaah! I'm so sorry, Grampy...
Chichiri: I can't beat Zhuque... I'm too scared... Some Saint I turned out to be!
Chichiri: Ugh... Dang, darn, drat! I suck!
Chichiri crosses her legs so that she can squeeze a pressure point on the sole of her foot.
An intense wave of pain meant to clear her mind floods her body, but it fails to wash away her morosity.
Chichiri: Aagh... Ouch, that hurts... Great, now my body hurts and I still feel sorry for myself.
Chichiri: I wish you were still here, Grampy... Sniff... Ow...
Chichiri: ...!
Chichiri suddenly gets goosebumps. She pops to her feet and flees from where she'd been sitting.
Had the young girl not escaped in time, she would've been incinerated by a dazzling rain of ominous fiery feathers.
Chichiri: H-huh?
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: What are you doing here! You're only supposed to ever show up on that wandering island of yours!
Chichiri: Is it me you're after? Is that why?
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: Wait, wait, wait! I'm in no state of mind to fight you right now! Stop! Go away!
The normally self-confident Chichiri, who laughs in the face of danger with inflated swagger, is nowhere to be found.
In her place is a Chichiri who's reeling from self-pity and self-doubt.
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: Noooo! I said stop it! Shoo!
Lyria: Chichiri!
Chichiri: ...!
Vyrn: Do it, (Captain)!
In a repeat of how the crew had come to meet Chichiri, (Captain) steps in front of the stricken girl and hits Zhuque with a mighty slash.
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: Gasp...
The blazing beast fires off a piercing stare at Chichiri before flying away.
Lyria: Are you okay, Chichiri?
Chichiri: Y-yeah... Totally peachy! Thanks a bunch!
Vyrn: Then how come you're crying?
Chichiri: Wh-what! This? Just got some soot in my eyes!
Lyria: We're sorry, Chichiri. To be honest, we know about everything...
Chichiri: What?
(Captain) explains what the old man from town had told them.
Chichiri: B-busted...
Chichiri: It's all out in the open then, huh?
Chichiri: Gah! Does that mean everyone in town knows my secret? Craaap! My life is over!
Chichiri: The whole sky knows I'm a super-duper good-for-nothing, dum-dum crybaby who fails at everything she's ever done...
Vyrn: Whoa, calm down. C'mon, nobody said that. The old guy just said fear turns you into a crybaby...
Chichiri: Sob... Waaah!
Lyria: I-I'm sure he didn't mean anything bad by it! All of the townspeople are simply worried about you.
Chichiri: Sniffle... It's hard to feel good about myself when the entire community knows I pass out every time I face Zhuque.
Vyrn: Huh? You do?
Chichiri: Bleh. Me and my big mouth...
Chichiri: Sigh...
Chichiri plops down hard on the ground, having resigned herself to the situation.
Chichiri: Guess you're pretty disappointed in me now that you know what a shrimpy-wimp I am.
Vyrn: Surprised? A little. Disappointed? No way! Doesn't change the fact that you're a real trouper!
Lyria: That's right! Despite your traumatic experiences, you're still determined to complete your duty!
Chichiri: You guys are too nice...
Chichiri: Ugh. I can't do it though. I honestly can't. Zhuque frightens me too much.
Chichiri: Something about its eyes—the way they bore into me—chills me to the bone.
Vyrn: Are you haunted by what happened to your Grampy?
Chichiri: Well, there's that too. But the thing is...
Chichiri: Grampy, Mama, Papa, Great-Grampy, and my ancestors before them... Each and every one of 'em feared Zhuque.
Lyria: Oh?
Chichiri gently rubs a crystal growing on her body.
Chichiri: It started a long, long time ago when one of my ancestors lost to Zhuque.
Chichiri: Ever since then, when inheriting the duty of being a Saint, it also came with a crippling fear of Zhuque. That's why we can't win.
Chichiri: Well, there's also the problem of Zhuque supercharging itself whenever it encounters us Saints, but our fear is the biggest hurdle.
Chichiri: We always falter when it counts. Even Grampy couldn't shake off the shakes when he fought Zhuque.
Vyrn: I had no idea...
Chichiri: It's not about how many hours I put into training. Doesn't even matter if I gain the strength to destroy a fully powered Zhuque!
Chichiri: This fear can never be erased.
Chichiri: Just thinking about the beast is bad enough!
Chichiri: Sniff... Yeah, I know... It's stupid to be afraid.
- No, it's not.
Choose: No, it's not.Lyria: Mm-hm. Fear is a completely normal emotion.
Lyria: Everyone is afraid of something! In my case, I have a hard time dealing with ghosts and dark places.
Chichiri: Yeah, ghosts are pretty spooky too, though they're downright cuddly compared to Zhuque...
Lyria: You think so?
Chichiri: When I was a kid, I would've ranked 'em at the same scariness level.
Vyrn: But you can tolerate ghosts now? Did that come with age, or...
Chichiri: Hmm... I wanna say it's thanks to Grampy.
Chichiri: So this one time I had to use a road that was said to be haunted. There was no way around it.
Chichiri: My legs wouldn't stop shaking. Couldn't even stand up. That's how scared I was.
Lyria: Oh dear... I would have been a nervous wreck too...
Chichiri: Grampy came to my rescue by carrying me on his back. That's when I noticed that he was shaking too.
Chichiri: I heard the quiver in his voice every time he tried to calm me down. Yet despite his own shrimpy-wimpiness, he forced himself to spring into action for my sake.
Chichiri: I realized that him being scared didn't diminish his awesomeness one bit.
Chichiri: It helped to calm me down.
- See? Nothing wrong with being afraid.
Choose: See? Nothing wrong with being afraid.Chichiri: Huh?
Vyrn: Like Lyria said, everyone's got a fear of somethin'. Doesn't have to be ghosts—could be monsters, or whatever you're fighting.
Vyrn: (Captain) was shakin' like crazy when you two were sparring.
Chichiri: Toughy-woughy (Captain)? No way...
The captain confirms how nerve-racking fighting Chichiri had been, for any slip in concentration on the captain's part would've spelled doom.
Vyrn: Our crew's tackled boatloads of crazy baddies, and anyone who says they ain't scared is a liar.
Chichiri: Is that so... Then why keep fighting if you're scared?
Lyria: To protect what's important.
Chichiri: To protect?
Lyria: Like what your grandfather did. He persevered because he wanted to protect you.
Vyrn: He carried you past the ghosts because he knew you were afraid.
Vyrn: So there's nothing wrong with being scared. You shouldn't have to force yourself to change.
Vyrn: What matters is managing that fear and finding a reason to confront it. Does that make sense?
Chichiri: ...
Chichiri: Yeah, guess being afraid isn't all that weird. People still find the strength to press on despite their fears.
Chichiri: Hm... And Zhuque?
Lyria: What about it?
Chichiri: When I held the yupei in my hand this morning, I got jump scared by Zhuque's face suddenly popping into my head.
Vyrn: Ah, so that's why you chucked it back at (Captain).
Chichiri: Yeah, it spooked me good. But thanks to the pep talk you guys gave me, looking back on that vision of Zhuque's face, I think I noticed something.
The puzzled crew members stare at Chichiri quizzically, but the Saint is lost in her own thoughts at the moment.
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: (Are you afraid of something too? Do you have something you want to protect like we do?)
Chichiri: (Why do you seem so desperate?)
Chichiri: (Captain), can you hand me the yupei? Something tells me I can handle it this time.
(Captain) shows Chichiri the yupei, and she reaches out to take it.
Tears of a Shrimpy-Wimp
With yupei in hand, Chichiri confronts an apparition of Zhuque. She learns that the bird fears its own growing power and wants nothing more than for a Cardinal Saint to bring it relief. Chichiri summons the real Zhuque, and though they are both gripped by fear, she commits herself to seeing her duty through.
Chichiri plucks up her courage and touches the yupei.
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: (I'm so freaked out right now... What am I even doing...)
Chichiri: (No, think about (Captain) and Grampy. They stood tall in the face of fear.)
Chichiri: (It's obvious what I'm scared of, but...)
Chichiri desperately grips the yupei and keeps eye contact on the apparition of Zhuque.
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: (You're afraid of something too, aren't you?)
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: (Huh? This Zhuque is breathtaking. And its flames are so weak.)
Zhuque flaps its wings, and a single flight feather falls softly to the ground.
Almost miraculously, a village pops into existence, which develops into a city that eventually flourishes into a grand kingdom.
Chichiri: (Grampy told me this story. Back when Zhuque was seen as a god...)
Chichiri: (The first Cardinal Saint arose and defeated Zhuque, thereby fulfilling their duty.)
As the beast of yore fades away, it looks at Chichiri with a far gentler countenance than the one found on the beast of today.
Chichiri: (I don't get it. Why does it look satisfied with getting offed?)
Chichiri: (Wait, what was that thing? It felt like Zhuque... No, almost like they were one and the same.)
Chichiri: (Whoa.)
Flash forward to many years after the previous vision. Once again Zhuque flares its magnificent flames, except this time its fire has taken a sinister turn.
Zhuque appears to writhe in agony as its molted fire feathers rain down on the land.
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: (This Zhuque is one of calamity.)
Chichiri: (Those people must've been the previous generations of Saints. I see Grampy too.)
Zhuque: ...!
Still writhing in misery, Zhuque continues to set ablaze those who stand against it.
Its fiery feathers swell ever larger, transforming into an inferno capable of consuming everything within reach.
The beast thrashes in sorrow while the blaze roars and rages.
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: (Do you feel bitterness? Regret? Sadness?)
Chichiri: (Fear?)
Chichiri: (You remind me of my younger self when I was clinging to Grampy's back on that haunted road.)
Chichiri: (I think I get it...)
Chichiri: (I always assumed you were lashing out in anger.)
Chichiri: (But that's not it, is it? You're crying over the incineration of every Cardinal Saint whose duty it was to bring you relief.)
Chichiri: (You feel ashamed for not being able to control your overflowing power.)
Chichiri: (You're... afraid of yourself, aren't you?)
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: (I see.)
Chichiri: ...
Vyrn: Heyo? Is everything okay?
Chichiri: Yeah, I'm good.
Chichiri: Turns out Zhuque and I have something in common—we're both shrimpy-wimps.
Lyria: Oh?
Chichiri: It's been waiting forever for a Saint to come along and fulfill their duty.
Chichiri slowly looks up at the night sky.
A sliver of light sparks to life under the stars. It gradually grows into a burning tornado, consuming the darkness as it coils round and round.
Chichiri: Isn't that right, Zhuque?
Zhuque: ...!
Lyria: It's here! I didn't even feel it!
Chichiri: Thanks for coming to see me. It must've been tough waiting so long for this.
Chichiri: Sorry about that, Zhuque. Come on down.
Chichiri readies herself for the imminent battle. She gives Zhuque a smile, one that's full of warmth.
This seems to grab Zhuque's attention. The fiery beast ignores the crew and gently touches down in front of the girl.
Lyria: Chichiri!
Chichiri: It's okay. (Captain), whatever happens, please stay out of this.
Vyrn: You can't be serious! I see you shaking!
- I'll monitor the situation.
Choose: I'll monitor the situation.Chichiri: Thanks, (Captain).
Zhuque: ...
Chichiri: I owe you an apology, Zhuque, for everything that's happened so far. After all, I'm supposed to be the one to save you.
Chichiri: I mean, why else do you only show your true power to us Cardinal Saints?
Chichiri: Displaying the full shock and awe of your amassed power is your way of saying, "Get this blazing gorilla off my back already," yeah?
Zhuque: ...
The words themselves mean nothing to Zhuque. However, it deliberately draws closer to Chichiri, blazing feathers flickering as though pleading.
Chichiri: Okay, this is terrifying. I wish I could bolt on outta here. I could faint at any second now... But you know what?
Chichiri: You're just as scared as I am; I can't run away from you anymore.
Still gripping her axes, Chichiri spreads her arms wide as if to offer Zhuque a hug.
Chichiri: To protect you, I will fight you. To protect you, I will... slaughter you.
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: Bring it.
Tears of a Shrimpy-Wimp: Scene 2
With a gentle strike, Chichiri defeats Zhuque and calms its rampage. A yupei appears in its place, which draws out and merges with the yupei in (Captain)'s pocket. The true yupei now in hand, Chichiri attempts to perform the wake once more.
Chichiri extinguishes the all-consuming flames swirling around her with a single swing.
Her hands are shaking, but her eyes are steadfast.
Zhuque: ...!
She brushes aside Zhuque's rampaging fires while closing in on the beast.
Once she's within arms-length of the bird, she gently strikes one of Zhuque's pressure points with the top of her axe.
Zhuque: ...!
Chichiri: We'll meet again for sure, Zhuque. Someday.
Chichiri: I'll help you as many times as you need me to.
Chichiri says a peaceful farewell before guiding her axe blade clear through Zhuque's neck.
Chichiri: Rest in peace, Zhuque.
As the beast's body disintegrates, the fallen head of the bird gives Chichiri a final contented glance.
Vyrn: Way to go, Chichiri! You took down Zhuque while it was in psycho mode! You're the real toughy-woughy one here!
Chichiri: Yeah. About time too!
Chichiri: I couldn't have done it without you guys! Before you came along, I badly misunderstood Zhuque.
Chichiri: I thought I had to fulfill my duty in order to prevent it from causing disaster.
Chichiri: But that wasn't the whole story. I was meant to stop its power from spiraling out of control and save it from itself.
Chichiri bends down to pick up an object left behind where Zhuque had vanished.
Lyria: Is that a yupei? It's even more beautiful than the one we have.
While Lyria's eyes are transfixed on the beauty of Chichiri's yupei, the one in (Captain)'s pocket suddenly flies out.
Vyrn: Whoa!
It smashes into the one in Chichiri's hand, merging into a single yupei.
Chichiri: This is the true yupei...
Chichiri: Zhuque probably gave (Captain) half of it in order to motivate me to do my job right.
Vyrn: I guess? Sounds overly complicated to me. If it wanted to get its butt kicked so badly, couldn't it have just surrendered?
Chichiri: As if Zhuque would ever debase itself like that.
Chichiri is suddenly reminded of the figure she briefly saw when she held the yupei.
Chichiri: If it's the duty of the Cardinal Saints to pacify the cardinal beasts, then it's their duty—so to speak—to go berserk.
Chichiri: They can't help but lose control of themselves, and when that times comes, it's up to the Saints to relieve 'em of their pressure, again and again and again.
Lyria: Mm-hm... That's sort of the impression I got too.
Chichiri: I wish there was more I could do.
Vyrn: Gotcha. So Zhuque had it pretty rough too.
Vyrn: All righty then, let's hurry up and finish the job! You still gotta perform a wake on the yupei, right?
Chichiri: Should be easy. I'll be done in no time.
Chichiri focuses her mind, channeling the power of the crystals on her body to complete the wake.
As soon as the crystals start glowing, the winds die down, and the surrounding sounds disappear.
Finally, a long overdue obligation is about to be fulfilled.
A Catastrophic Bow
During the wake, the crew and Chichiri sense a malevolent presence. Chichiri stops the wake and decides to discuss the odd happening with the other Cardinal Saints. With one more explosive bow, Chichiri expresses her appreciation to the crew, and chooses to join them on their journey.
Chichiri: Concentrate...
Chichiri has carried the burden of completing her duty for so long.
Soon it will be settled.
Lyria: Gasp! What was that?
- I couldn't make it out!
Choose: I couldn't make it out!Chichiri: Huh? You guys felt it too?
Vyrn: What in the skies...
Chichiri: I have no idea either, but it was ten times scarier than Zhuque...
Chichiri: I don't think I should finish the wake.
Vyrn: But if you don't, Zhuque's power won't be relieved...
Chichiri: No, look.
Chichiri shows the crew a feather.
Lyria: Is that the feather that was hanging in your training grounds?
Chichiri: Nope. It's a fresh one dropped by Zhuque.
Vyrn: Now that you mention it, this one does look way nicer than the other one.
Chichiri: Probably because this is what it's really supposed to look like. And since Zhuque dropped this kind of feather...
Vyrn: Its power has been dissipated?
Lyria: Really? Then what's the purpose of the wake?
Chichiri: What a mystery!
Vyrn: Not another one... Wish someone would just give us the answer key...
Chichiri: Bad idea! We must not complete the wake! Not after experiencing that toughy-woughy, spooky-wooky aura!
Chichiri: Actually, maybe the improved me could take it on now... And let's not forget (Captain), the original powerhouse!
Vyrn: Look who's back to her old self again.
Chichiri: I don't think I can do anything about the yupei right now anyway. Maybe I should have a chat with the others...
Lyria: Who else would know about this?
Chichiri: The other Cardinal Saints. They're incredible, so they're bound to know more than me.
Chichiri: Hehehe, we meet up for tea parties and picnics on the regular!
Lyria: Haha, sounds like a tight-knit group.
Chichiri: We sure are! Only thing is we agreed not to bring up duty-related stuff.
Chichiri: They haven't been carrying out their duties because they've got their own things going on.
Chichiri: So we never talk about it, especially since they can sense my inferiority complex...
Vyrn: But you want to ask them about the yupei anyway? Is that a good idea?
Chichiri: Nope. I can already picture 'em yelling at me. It's... not pretty.
Chichiri: But this is too important to be worried about getting chewed out! You guys taught me to stand up for myself!
Chichiri: Thanks again for the valuable lesson!
Lyria: Hehehe, you're welcome!
Everyone is all smiles, but the cheery mood is about to take an unexpected turn.
Chichiri: Hup!
Chichiri suddenly drops to all fours and positions herself into a prostrating posture.
Vyrn: Nooo! What did we do to deserve this!
Chichiri: I'll never forget everything you've done for me, and I won't be satisfied until I've made myself useful!
Chichiri: My gratitude knows no bounds! Thank you so much!
Chichiri: I'm doubly committed to working my butt off to make my gurus proud!
Chichiri: Just gimme a holler whenever you need a massage! I'll knead the aches and blues away!
Vyrn: C-can we not? I can't tell if the pain that comes first is worth the payoff...
Chichiri: Let me knead! Let me kneeaad!
Lyria: O-okay! We understand!
Vyrn: That catastrophic bowing of yours is gonna be the death of us all!
Chichiri: Yay! We have a deal! I'm looking forward to the fun adventures ahead!
Thus Chichiri officially—and coercively—joins the crew.
The Cardinal Saints and the cardinal beasts. The golden primal beast Chichiri saw, and the contrastive shadowy existence.
Many mysteries abound, but with Chichiri on the team, surely everything will come to light... eventually.
In the meantime, the crew will try their best to have their newest member keep her head up on what is shaping up to be a massage-filled voyage.
