Scenario:Agielba - Good Intentions
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Good Intentions
During a conversation with Nene, Agielba realizes his devotion to his late wife blinded him to a hard fact—finding Ardora a new mother would necessitate his remarriage. Meanwhile, Ardora and Yae seek out potential chemistry between Agielba and their teacher.
Agielba: I've been racking my brain, but I just don't know what to do.
Nene: Sigh... Stupid me for wondering why you're down in the dumps. Of course it's daddy-daughter issues.
Agielba: Ardora's just so thoughtful. Never wants to unload her problems on others. That's what has me so worried.
Agielba: You should've seen her that afternoon. The sadness in her eyes... Tears me apart just thinking about it.
Nene: Yeesh. Shut the floodgates. Even a beefy merc like you can't keep it together where your daughter's concerned, huh?
Agielba: You got any advice?
Nene: Advice? Listen, one look at Ardora, and it's obvious she's been raised with TLC.
Nene: Relax, okay? You're doing everything you should be.
Agielba: You sure?
Nene: Yeah, I'm sure! Have some faith! You don't need two parents to make a family!
Nene slams both hands down on the table, red-faced, before snapping back to her senses.
Nene: Oof, got kinda heated there, didn't I? My bad. It's just, you know... Conversation took a personal turn.
Agielba: No, I get it. You're also raising Yae on your own.
Agielba: I, uh... was being insensitive. Sorry.
Nene: You're fine. Not like our situations are perfect mirror images anyways.
Nene: But hey, real talk?
Nene: If—and I mean if—you've fallen for someone, just go for it.
Agielba: Fallen for someone?
Agielba: What, you mean other than Mardora? That's insane! There is and always will be only one woman for me.
Nene: Okay, okay. Sheesh. Will you at least let me explain myself?
Nene: You were the one that out of nowhere was like, "How do you think Ardora would feel about a new mom?" So I thought you'd found someone special.
Agielba: Oh... Yeah... I guess that'd make sense, wouldn't it?
It occurs to Agielba that, in all his mental wanderings, he had never come across the idea that Ardora's new mother would also be his new wife.
Agielba: I can be so thick sometimes...
Nene: Yeah, well, if you're not interested in a new partner, there's no need to force yourself.
Nene: Like I said, you're a good dad. Just keep loving Ardora the way you always have, and she'll be fine.
Agielba: Yeah... Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Nene.
Nene: Now that's settled, let's move. Got a mission waiting with our names on it.
While the two parents are earning their daily bread...
Over at the nursery, Ardora engages in a little reconnaissance mission of her own.
Ardora: Hmm...
Yae: Whatcha doin'?
Ardora: Eep! Yae!
Yae: What's got you all jumpy?
Ardora: Wh-wh-why are you here?
Yae: Momma got picked for a special mission.
Yae: Said I should hang with you at the nursery 'til she got back.
Yae: What's up with you, anyways? You've got your eyes superglued to Teach.
Ardora: Nuh... Nuh-uh!
Yae: Spill the tea, Ardora. I might be able to help, you know.
Ardora: ...
Yae: No. Way!
Yae: You think it's gonna be smooth sailing with your Papi 'til the end of your days... And bam! Here comes another woman to sink your boat!
Yae: But... I get it, girl.
Yae: You, like, don't want your jealousy to get in the way of Agielba's future.
Ardora: I just want Papi tah be happy!
Yae: Sigh... You beautiful little angel.
Yae: So... is Teach even in Agielba's league?
Ardora: Miss Teach is super nice! I appwoove!
Ardora: (I appwoove, but..)
Yae: All right then. So now I guess we help them tie the knot.
Yae: Wait, no. First, we've gotta figure out how Teach feels.
Ardora: Yae?
Yae: Teach! Hey, Teach!
Teacher: Yes, Yae? What's got you so worked up?
Yae: You crushing on anyone right now?
Teacher: What?
The teacher goes beet red.
Teacher: Oh, sweet, precocious Yae...
Yae: (My love sensor's going insane. Teach is crushing, all right... But on who?)
Ardora: ...
Yae: What type do you go for, Teach? Slender and sensitive? Or rough and rugged?
Teacher: Both, maybe? I like a strong, sensitive man... Oh, what am I even saying?
Ardora: Like... Papi?
Teacher: Hm?
Ardora: Nuffink!
Yae: Am I crazy, or is there some serious chemistry brewing?
Ardora: There's chemichwee!
Prodded by a wink from Yae, Ardora begins interrogating their teacher about her romantic predilections.
Good Intentions: Scene 2
Hoping to play matchmaker for Agielba, Ardora invites her teacher to dine with them and sneaks off during the meal. Meanwhile, Yae learns from Nene that Agielba has no intention to remarry.
Agielba: Ardoraaa! Where's Daddy's little treasure?
Nene: Yae! You hungry? Let's grab lunch!
Hearing their parents, Ardora and Yae run out into the nursery's yard, tugging their teacher along by the hand.
Ardora: Papi! Yae's Momma! Hope you hadda wonderful day at work!
Yae: We're in the middle of something with Teach. If we're eating out, like, can we bring her?
Ardora: Wike, can we?
Agielba and Nene exchange a bemused look and shrug.
Nene: Well, you heard the kids, Teach. Care to grab a quick bite with us?
Yae: Just say yes, Teach. It'll be fun!
Teacher: Oh... All right then. I can't turn down such a heartfelt invitation.
Ardora: Yay!
Seeing an artificial smile light up Ardora's face, Yae feels her heart break a little.
Yae: (Seriously, Ardora's too perfect for this world. I just want to see her happy.)
Nene: Teach, we'll be killing time over yonder. Let us know when you're done with work, okay?
Teacher: All right then. If you'll please excuse me...
After their teacher has disappeared into the school office, Yae and Ardora pump their fists in surreptitious victory.
A while later...
Teacher: All wrapped up!
Agielba: Great! Now, who's in the mood for a juicy stea—
Yae: I don't think so. Teach is all about mushrooms and healthy eating. We should go somewhere with class.
Agielba: Class? Do I even know anywhere classy?
Nene: Hah! I seriously doubt it, you barbarian. You're lucky I'm here.
The group has just followed Nene to the doorway of an atmospheric restaurant when...
Yae: Ow, ow, ow...
Nene: What's up with you?
Yae: Ow... It's my stomach... I think I'm gonna pass out.
Teacher: That sounds serious! I've got some medication on me that might—
Yae: No! I don't want medicine!
Teacher: But...
Yae: I'll be fine, okay? I just need to lie down. Like, right now.
Yae: Momma, we're going home!
Nene: Talk about bossy...
Nene: Teach, sorry to bail on you, but the great Yae has spoken.
Nene: And, Agielba? Try to show her a good time.
With Yae clamped on in a piggyback ride, Nene begins to wend her way back to the Grandcypher.
Ardora: (Thank you, Yae...)
Teacher: I'm worried about Yae.
Ardora: Oh, yeah! Me too...
Ardora: Um... Papi? Miss Teach? My tummy has da rumbles...
Agielba: Well, we better get seated stat!
Agielba: Sorry you're stuck with me again, Teach.
Teacher: Not at all. It's my pleasure.
Agielba: I appreciate it. Truly.
Ardora: ...
Agielba: Ardora, what should we send down the hatch today?
Agielba: Huh?
Agielba peers down at the menu and is instantly lost in a labyrinth of unfamiliar dish names and course selections.
Agielba: Well... All this class is going way over my head.
Teacher: Shall I order for the table?
Agielba: Would you? Afraid I'm out of my element here.
Teacher: Let's see... Ardora, do you like your vegetables?
Ardora: Yep! I wike everyfink!
Agielba: She sure does. My Ardora isn't a picky eater, is she?
Teacher: Then why don't we start with a salad of wild greens and some prismaprawn fritters? As for entrees...
Agielba: What are fritters?
Teacher: Well, simply put, it's a dish that's been deep-fried.
Agielba: What? Then why not call it deep-fried whatever and be done with it?
Teacher: You have a point. But fritters specifically...
Agielba: Hah! Guess that is classier than just slapping food down in grease!
Ardora: ...
As Agielba laughs, a wistful expression drifts over Ardora's face.
Agielba: Hm? Ardora, somefink wrong?
Ardora: No, everyfink's fine... Ardora just needs to go, um... pahwder her nose.
Agielba: Powder her nose?
Teacher: It means to use the restroom.
Agielba: Sigh... Where'd she pick up a phrase like that?
Ardora: Miss Teach... Take care of him.
With teary eyes and a tight smile, Ardora ducks out of the restaurant.
Meanwhile, Nene has stopped at a park to let Yae take in some fresh air. She looks down at her daughter and chuckles.
Nene: All right, come clean... You're just faking that stomachache, aren't you?
Yae: What! No way! I'm, like, in major pain over here.
Nene: I'm your mom, Yae. I can smell a lie on you from a mile away.
Yae: ...
Nene: So? Spill it. What's with the act?
Yae: Okay, fine! Nothing gets past you, does it?
Yae tells her mother about the plan to get Agielba and Teach affianced.
Nene: You're kidding me!
Yae: I know it's extreme, okay? But Ardora would, like, give anything to see Agielba happy...
Nene: Sigh... Of course she would.
Nene: But you're going about it all wrong.
Yae: What! Why? If Agielba gets remarried, Ardora gets a new mom. It's a total win-win!
Nene: Okay, first off, Yae, you need to chill.
Nene: And secondly, you and Ardora are caught up in a huge misunderstanding.
Yae: A misunderstanding?
Nene: Yeah. Agielba doesn't even want to get remarried, okay? As for Teach, she's already got a sweet beefcake boyfriend.
Yae: What! I can't believe it! Why didn't you tell us earlier?
Nene: Don't be stupid, Yae. How was I supposed to know what you girls were planning?
As Yae peers red-faced at her toes, Nene reaches over and ruffles her hair.
Nene: Still, you were only trying to look out for your friend. I'm proud of you, kiddo.
Yae: Hehe.
Nene: Word to the wise though? Stay out of other people's love affairs. You usually end up causing more problems than you fix.
Yae: Yeah... I'm starting to see that...
Nene: So... I guess Agielba really was worrying over nothing. He just wants his daughter to be happy, and Ardora just wants her dad to be happy.
Nene: If that doesn't spell family, I don't know what does.
Yae: Yeah, I hear you.
Good Intentions: Scene 3
Yae and Nene find a miserable Ardora and assure her that Agielba isn't seeking a new wife. After a desperate search, Algieba reunites with Ardora, and both father and daughter determine to grow.
While Nene and Yae rest in the park, rocked by the force of Ardora and Agielba's love...
One of the subjects of their conversation trudges onto the scene.
Ardora: ...
Yae: Oh, Ardora!
Ardora: Yae? Sniff... Sniffle...
Yae: No! No, don't cry... You and your Papi are gonna be just fine.
Ardora: Waaah!
Nene: ...
Nene cradles Ardora's wet face against her shoulder.
Nene: You really love Agielba, don't you?
Nene: You love him so much, you couldn't bear the thought of Teach swooping in and snatching him away.
Nene: But you don't have to worry anymore. Agielba's not marrying anyone.
Ardora: Huh?
Nene: So, Agielba actually came to me for advice.
Nene: He was wondering if he should find you a mom.
Ardora: He was?
Nene: Yeah. He was worried that you needed, like, a mother's love.
Nene: But I told him that he's absolutely killing it as a parent and that the two of you would be fine on your own.
Nene: Earlier on in that conversation, though, I thought he did have someone special and told him to go for it...
Nene: And he totally lost it.
Agielba: Fallen for someone?
Agielba: What, you mean other than Mardora? That's insane! There is and always will be only one woman for me.
Nene: Straight from the barbarian's mouth.
Ardora: Papi...
Nene: So you can stop trying to act so strong, okay? Just be daddy's little girl!
Yae: Ardora, wanna head back to Agielba?
Ardora: Yes, pwease!
Ardora wipes the tears away and her small shoulders relax. Hand in hand with Yae, she returns to the town streets.
Meanwhile, Agielba and a number of wait staff are desperately turning the restaurant upside down.
Agielba: Ardoraaa! Where are you?
Teacher: She's not in the restroom!
Agielba: Damn! The hell is wrong with me? How could I have lost her?
Agielba: She didn't wander outside, did she?
Agielba bursts out the door, pale as a ghost.
Teacher: I'm coming too!
Teacher: Oof!
Nene: Ow... Watch where you're going...
Nene: Wait, Teach? What's got you so freaked out?
Teacher: ...!
The teacher spies Ardora peeping out from behind Nene's legs and breathes a sigh of relief.
Teacher: Ardora? Thank the skies...
Ardora: ...?
Yae: Hold on... Where's Agielba?
Teacher: Oh! You just missed him...
Agielba: Ardoraaa!
Agielba: Ardoraaa!
Agielba: Ardoooraaa!
Agielba: Damn! I can't find her anywhere! How far could she have gotten on those tiny legs?
Agielba: Unless... she wasn't on her legs...
Agielba: Because... she was kidnapped...
Agielba: Graaagh! Where are you! You'll pay in blood for this!
Agielba's roar of anger seems to electrify the air around him and run in currents through the sky and earth.
At that moment...
Ardora: Papiii!
Agielba: Was that Ardora?
Agielba: ...
Agielba: Am I hearing things?
Ardora: Paaapiii!
Agielba: No... I'm not hearing things... It's Ardora—I'm sure of it!
Agielba casts his gaze wildly about him. There, at the edge of the park, he spies Ardora in a mad dash, waving her small hands.
Agielba: A-Ardora!
Ardora: Pant... Wheeze... Eep!
Agielba: Ardora! You okay? You're not hurt, are you? Where in the skies have you been!
Ardora shakes her head at her father's proffered hand. Teary-eyed, she struggles to her feet.
Ardora: I'm fine... Pain, pain, go away... A magic chant to mwake it all okay!
Agielba: Ardora! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?
Ardora: Heh...
Agielba: Hah... I... I think I need to sit down.
The tension rushes from Agielba's body, taking all his strength with it. He falls heavily on his backside.
Nene: What'd I tell you? Can't keep it together when Ardora's involved.
Agielba: Nene! Yae! Teach! When did all of you get here?
Nene: Uh, the same time Ardora did?
Agielba: Huh?
Yae: Wow. Only has eyes for his baby girl, huh?
Agielba: Well, yeah, but... Just a minute ago, I had no idea where she was...
Nene: Well, we had every idea where you were. Oh my gosh, you're loud.
Nene: "You'll pay in blood for this!" Pretty sure the whole Sky Realm heard that.
Agielba: Yeah... Think we could pretend that didn't happen?
Ardora: Don't be embawassed, Papi! You needed to be loud so I could find you!
Agielba flashes his daughter a crooked smile.
Agielba: Ardora, where under the blinking sun were you? Daddy was so worried.
Ardora: I... Um... I'm sowwy...
Nene: Let's just say she had her reasons, okay? Even if they weren't super well thought out.
Agielba: ...?
While Ardora scuffs a foot around in the dirt, tongue-tied, Nene recounts the whole story...
How the girls believed Agielba was pining for a new wife... How they tried to play matchmaker with him and their teacher...
And how Ardora meant to disappear so her father could lead a new, happier life.
Agielba: ...!
Agielba: What the hell were you—
Ardora: Eep!
Nene: Agielba, chill! She was just trying her best, okay? You both were.
Agielba: Yeah... Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry, Ardora... You were only looking out for me...
Agielba: But you had me all wrong. I don't want a new wife, and I certainly don't want to force a lifetime of me onto your teacher...
Agielba: All I need to be happy is you, Ardora...
Agielba: You're my little sunbeam. Without you, I... I'm lost.
Ardora: Papi...
Ardora: I'm sowwy, Papi...
Agielba: No, Ardora... I'm the one who should be sorry...
Nene: Like I said, you both were just trying your best.
Nene: It's super sweet you look out for each other, but the next time a crazy idea pops into your head, maybe try talking it out first.
Agielba: You're right. We need to be more open...
Ardora: Yeah...
Yae: Sooo... Can we write this off as a happy ending?
Nene: Not so fast, kiddo. You and Ardora owe Teach an apology.
Yae: Eep! Yeah... Okay...
Shaking with barely suppressed emotion, Agielba clasps his daughter to his chest.
As she returns the embrace, Ardora suddenly recalls a taunting voice.
Scamp: Look, look! Ardora and her dad are being big babies!
Ardora: ...
Agielba: Hm?
Ardora: I wanna be more mature, so Papi won't need ta worry anymore.
Ardora: And dat means no more acting wike a baby!
Agielba: What!
Agielba: Um... Ardora... As far as Daddy's concerned, you're actually a wittle too mature...
Agielba: There are times I wish you'd let me baby you more...
Nene: Please, Agielba! This is Parenting 101!
Nene: When your kid's trying to fly the nest, you don't clip their wings.
Agielba: Urk...
Teacher: Children grow up fast. You said it yourself.
Agielba: ...
Agielba: All right, Ardora. You have my support. On one condition.
Agielba: The second you run into trouble, you come to me. With zero reservations.
Agielba: Sharing our burdens, helping each other... That's what families do.
Ardora: I pwomise!
Agielba: That's that then!
Agielba: Actually... one last thing. If you ever find yourself wanting a cuddle, Papi's arms are always open for business.
And so Ardora takes another step on the path to adulthood.
Agielba watches his daughter begin to make her own way with mixed feelings, but swears in his heart he won't hold her back.
The best he can do as a parent is grow and adapt, and like Ardora, keep forging toward the future.