Scenario:De La Fille - An Imparted Wish
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
An Imparted Wish
De La Fille reminisces on her memories of her mother and explains that she poured too much love for her mother into the gemstone. Now she is torn between her duty to purify the cursed gem to avoid bringing harm to anyone, and her unwillingness to let go of her mother's memento.
It's the night before the gem sailing event.
(Captain) is chatting with De La Fille, who is sitting on a bench in the castle.
De La Fille: How rude of me to keep you here standing. Why don't you take a seat?
(Captain) agrees and sits next to De La Fille.
De La Fille: Now then, what shall we talk about... Ah, I know.
Smiling, she pulls out a gem from the inner pocket of her yukata and shows it to (Captain).
De La Fille: This is the gem that I told you I'd be purifying at the gem sailing event.
De La Fille: The keepsake from my mother.
De La Fille: Heh. I bet you're thinking it's all dull and has lost its shine.
De La Fille: That's because over time, feelings build up inside gemstones and affect their brilliance.
De La Fille: Feelings can either make gems shine brighter... or duller.
De La Fille: As for this gem, the fact that it's so dull is proof that it holds a lot of emotions.
De La Fille looks at her gemstone with a wry smile.
De La Fille: Originally, this jewel was one of the most brilliant in the Gem Domain.
De La Fille: My mother used to wear it around her neck. I would admire it in envy when I was a child.
De La Fille: Then one day, she put it in my hand...
De La Fille: She told me, "To me and your father, you are the most beautiful, precious jewel in the world. You hold on to this."
De La Fille: And that's how I became the proud owner of this gem.
Nostalgic and somewhat proud, she caresses the tarnished gem.
De La Fille: But then, soon after, Mother fell sick with the plague...
De La Fille: And I never got to return it to her. It's stayed with me until now.
De La Fille holds the gem close to her, embracing it with love.
De La Fille: I poured all the love I had for my mother into this gem, and now... it's unrecognizable.
De La Fille: All that can be done is to set it to sail.
De La Fille: It is my duty as a Gem Domain royal... and as a lithomancer... to do so.
De La Fille: What's more, this gem is special to me.
De La Fille: I can't allow it to become cursed when Mother left it in my care.
Her tone sounds almost as if she is trying to convince herself.
De La Fille: But...
De La Fille: This was a gift from my mother. My mother, who I loved so much.
De La Fille: A precious memory of her...
De La Fille: So I don't want to let it sail.
De La Fille: I can't help it... I just want to keep it close to me forever.
De La Fille: I know that's the wrong decision. It could make a lot of people suffer.
De La Fille: I know that... And still...
She hugs the jewel and tilts her head back, eyes to the sky as she fights back tears.
De La Fille: But it's... it's... out of my control...
There's nothing (Captain) can say in that moment to console De La Fille. The two sit in a piercing silence.
An Imparted Wish: Scene 2
De La Fille enjoys the gem sailing festival with the crew and Yuisis, making the most of her last moments with her gem. Yuisis reveals that she also has a gem to purify. With the memory of her deceased family kept firmly in her heart, she parts with the gemstone. Her decisiveness gives De La Fille pause for thought.
The day of the gem sailing event arrives.
(Captain) and the crew have changed into their yukatas and are heading into town.
De La Fille: Today, I'm putting frugality to one side. Let's enjoy ourselves to the fullest. No expenses spared!
Lyria: I-I never thought I'd hear those words from you.
Vyrn: Yeah. You're always goin' on and on about savin' money.
De La Fille: My, how rude! I do spend when the occasion calls for it.
De La Fille: These are my last moments with my gem. I don't want expenses to get in the way of making good memories.
De La Fille looks at her gem and smiles sadly.
As (Captain) remembers the conversation from the night before, discomfort weighs down on the mood.
De La Fille: Come on, let's dive right into the festival!
(Captain) nods, and the crew follows De La Fille to the grounds.
Lyria: Wow, these are delicious! They're crunchy on the outside, but gooey on the inside.
Vyrn: Ooh, let me try!
Lyria: Okay! Open wide!
De La Fille: I've always thought candied apples were difficult to eat.
De La Fille: They're so messy. They turn your mouth all red.
(Captain) and the crew spend time browsing the stalls and eating street food.
Along the way, they notice a crowd gathering at a target-shooting game.
The stall owner is on his knees apologizing while a familiar figure helps herself to the prizes. It's Yuisis.
Shopkeeper: I-I'm sorry! I've admitted I was wrong. Now please stop!
Shopkeeper: I promise, no more funny business! So please don't take any more!
Yuisis: Fine. But remember—you can't take back your words.
Yuisis: You know what'll happen to you if you don't follow through, don't you?
Shopkeeper: Eek!
Yuisis gives the shopkeeper a murderous glare. The shopkeeper nods profusely, doused in a cold sweat.
Vyrn: Hey, Crazy Girl. What're you doin' here?
Vyrn: And what's with all the toys?
Yuisis: Vyrn? What a coincidence bumpin' into you guys here.
Yuisis: I was just teachin' this deviant shopkeeper a lesson.
Yuisis: Are you browsing the festival? Mind if I join you?
(Captain) nods without hesitation.
Yuisis joins the crew, and they wander through the stalls together.
Vyrn: That's funny. At the fishing stalls you scoop up gems instead of fish, huh?
Lyria: I've never seen anything like it before. And I'm amazed at how good you are at it, De La Fille.
De La Fille: My mother taught me some tricks. She had a talent for gem fishing. So much so that the shopkeepers would try and avoid us when we approached.
Yuisis: That's a surprise. I didn't think the royal family came to normal festivals like these.
Yuisis: Isn't it an easy place to be targeted?
De La Fille: My father believes that as the king, he needs to know the people's everyday lives.
De La Fille: I have fond memories of the festivals I went to with my mother.
De La Fille: And the time we sailed a gem together...
De La Fille: Heh. I couldn't stop crying and just wouldn't let go of my gem. She had to console me countless times.
De La Fille: She said that even once it loses its form, that doesn't mean it's gone forever.
As De La Fille speaks, she draws the keepsake from her mother tight to her chest.
(Captain) and the crew can't help but look a little helpless.
Yuisis: She must've been a wonderful mother.
De La Fille: She was. I'm so very proud of her.
(Captain) and company continue to enjoy the festival, when suddenly the sound of a bell echoes through the town.
De La Fille: Oh... It's that time already. Let's head to the gem sailing.
Vyrn: What, already?
Yuisis: Oh yeah, Fille. I need to ask you something before we go.
De La Fille: Hm? What is it?
Yuisis: I was wonderin'... Can people still choose to participate on the day of?
De La Fille: Yes, absolutely.
Yuisis: I see. In that case, Can I tag along?
De La Fille: You're welcome to join. I didn't know you had a gem to sail though.
Yuisis: I do... This one...
Yuisis pulls out a gem from the inside pocket of her yukata and passes it to De La Fille.
De La Fille: I see... Yes, this gem does look like it's had its time.
Yuisis: You can tell just by looking at it?
De La Fille: Of course. I am of the Gem Domain's royal family, and a lithomancer at that.
De La Fille gives the jewel back to Yuisis, confident in her words.
De La Fille: I can see that you've taken excellent care of it, but the dullness...
De La Fille: It shows that it's absorbed a lot of emotions over the years.
Yuisis: I'd heard that could happen with gemstones. So it's true...
Yuisis stares at the jewel with longing in her eyes.
De La Fille: I'm guessing that gem is really precious to you.
Yuisis: Yeah. It's a family heirloom.
De La Fille: ...!
Lyria: A-are you sure about this, Yuisis? You know, once you set the jewel to sail, you'll never see it again...
Yuisis: I know. And I'm okay with that. All material things will decay eventually.
Yuisis: It ain't the object itself that's important, but the memories it represents.
Yuisis: I still hold memories of my family deep in my heart. So it's okay.
Yuisis: I always remember what my dad told me. He said that clingin' to relics keeps you tied to the past.
Yuisis: And that's not what the deceased would've wanted for us.
De La Fille: ...
Visibly taken aback, De La Fille takes a moment to process what Yuisis just said.
De La Fille: (It's not the object that's important? If the deceased wouldn't want me to cling to it... then that means...)
De La Fille: (That means that I'm...)
A wave of anguish washes over De La Fille's face.
All the crew can offer her are warmhearted looks of sympathy.
An Imparted Wish: Scene 3
De La Fille hesitates to purify the gem, and her indecisiveness causes it to transform into a cursed gem. It attacks her, but she remembers her mother's love and parting wish. With newfound resolve, De La Fille vows to become a great queen and sets the gem to sail down the river.
The crew have come to the designated river where the gem sailing takes place.
People displaying a range of emotions put their jewels onto paper boats, set them to sail on the river, and watch them drift away.
Lyria: Wow...
Vyrn: Whoa...
Yuisis: ...
When the jewels finally sink under the water, they disintegrate into shining white fragments and float up into the sky.
With mixed looks of wonder and euphoria, the crew simply stares.
De La Fille: It's beautiful, isn't it?
Vyrn: Yeah. I understand why people travel from far and wide to come see this.
De La Fille: Hehe. I'm glad you think so.
De La Fille: Well then, Yuisis. Let's go and get our boats.
Yuisis: Okay, let's do it.
Yuisis nods and then leaves with De La Fille.
As the pair walk away, Lyria and Vyrn stare after them uneasily.
Lyria: Do you think De La Fille's going to be okay? I'm worried about her...
Vyrn: I know what you mean. But there's nothing we can do...
Realizing their helplessness, they simply watch and worry.
De La Fille and Yuisis return with their paper boats.
Once (Captain) and the crew are all together again, they go to a quiet part of the riverbed.
Vyrn: This looks like a good spot. There's no one around.
De La Fille: Yes. This area is reserved for the royal family to perform their gem sailing, so the general public doesn't come here.
Yuisis: Remind me of the procedure, Fille.
Yuisis: Once I say my thanks to the jewel, I put it in this boat and let it drift down the river. Is there anything I'm missin'?
De La Fille: That's all.
Yuisis: I see. Thanks...
Yuisis: ...
Yuisis takes out her gemstone and whispers to it in a voice so quiet that no one can hear.
Then with a smile, she puts it in the boat and lets it drift away.
Lyria: Look, your gem—
Just like the others at the festival, Yuisis's jewel sinks under the water, then dances up into the sky in glowing white pieces.
Yuisis: ...
Yuisis: Well... I'm done with mine. Now it's your turn...
Everyone turns their gaze toward De La Fille.
She stands with a furrowed brow and a firm grip on her gem.
Yuisis: You're still strugglin' with the decision, aren't you?
Lyria: Oh... Do you know about De La Fille's gemstone too?
Yuisis: Yeah... She told me about it just now when we went to get the boats.
Yuisis: Listen, Fille. If it's too difficult for you—
De La Fille: Logically, I know I have to do it.
De La Fille: And I know that the memory is what's most important...
De La Fille: But even if my head knows what has to be done, my heart still can't accept it. I...
De La Fille: Huh?
The gemstone turns black in response to De La Fille's angst-ridden words.
From the darkened jewel, a murky fog starts to emerge and swirl its way around her.
De La Fille: Wha—
De La Fille: (Just what in the world... is happening?)
Within a matter of seconds, the black mist ensnaring De La Fille forms a chain around her body, binding it tightly.
Her face contorts as she wrestles to move. In the struggle, she manages to turn her head and look at the gem.
De La Fille: (So... this is what has become... of my gem...)
De La Fille: (My indecisiveness has caused it to become cursed...)
De La Fille: Ngh!
The black mist constricts, completely immobilizing her.
Now that she is helpless to stop it, the mist creeps towards her mouth and flows into her body.
De La Fille: ...!
De La Fille: (Oh no... I'm losing consciousness...)
Vyrn: Agh... What's... with... mist? We can't... closer... her!
Lyria: W-we... to hurry!
Yuisis: Fille... Pull... together!
De La Fille: ...
De La Fille: (I'm sorry... I...)
De La Fille's Mother: You are my most precious treasure. I believe with all my heart that you will grow up to be a wonderful person.
De La Fille's Mother: You will be an excellent queen.
De La Fille's Mother: De La Fille, I am always watching over you from beyond the sky.
De La Fille: (That's Mother's voice... Why can I hear it now?)
De La Fille: (Those are the last words she spoke to me...)
De La Fille: (Could it be... that those are the feelings she stored within the gem?)
De La Fille: ...
De La Fille: (Yes... That's right. I remember how I replied to her now.)
De La Fille: (I told her not to worry. I promised to become a befitting queen, one that would make her and Father proud.)
De La Fille: (To break the vow I made to my mother... to betray her trust... would be unforgivable.)
De La Fille: (So I can't let this defeat me!)
Yuisis: It ain't the object itself that's important, but the memories it represents.
Yuisis: I still hold memories of my family deep in my heart. So it's okay.
De La Fille: (The memory of my mother still lives on in my heart.)
De La Fille: (So I know what I should do... What I must do!)
De La Fille: Cough, cough...
De La Fille: Cough, cough... Y-yes. Thank you.
Yuisis: Fille... What's going on with your jewel?
Yuisis's eyes turn to the gemstone, which now lies on the ground after being flung away.
The black mist still emerging from the gem watches De La Fille like a hawk.
De La Fille: Gems that harbor emotions can start to act out in unexpected ways... Like that.
Yuisis: I'd heard of it, but this is my first time seein' it for real.
Yuisis: So what happens now?
De La Fille: I will handle it.
De La Fille approaches the jewel.
The gem responds by spewing black mist toward her.
Lyria: De La Fille!
Yuisis: ...!
What're you doing!
What're you doing!
(Captain) and Yuisis scramble to ready their swords.
De La Fille: It's okay. Trust me.
De La Fille is engulfed in black mist once again.
But this time, she doesn't struggle against it. She calmly outstretches her hand to the gemstone.
De La Fille: I'm sorry. It's my fault you've become like this.
De La Fille: But I've finally made up my mind.
De La Fille: You helped me remember what was truly important...
De La Fille: My mother's love... and her final wish...
De La Fille: So thank you. From now on, I can go forward on my own.
De La Fille: I promise you this. I will uphold the vow I made with Mother.
De La Fille: So please join my mother beyond the sky, and watch over me together.
De La Fille's words reverberate quietly around her.
As the echoes resonate, the black mist dissipates.
Yuisis: What...
De La Fille: That black mist was the manifestation of my feelings. Specifically, my unwillingness to part with the gemstone.
De La Fille: That's why the mist was attempting to cling to me, to the extent of entering my body and becoming one with me.
De La Fille: But since I made up my mind...
De La Fille: Since I let go of my attachment to the jewel, those feelings couldn't take form anymore.
De La Fille turns to face everyone, her expression noticeably brighter.
De La Fille: I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused, (Captain), Yuisis... everyone.
De La Fille: I promise to repay you someday.
Yuisis: Don't mention it. Family looks out for each other.
Yuisis: But answer me this... Have you really put this behind you?
De La Fille: Yes. I was able to remember my mother's love, and the promise we made.
De La Fille: I can't allow myself to become the kind of daughter who would betray my mother's trust and break our vow.
Yuisis: Okay then...
De La Fille: Now all that's left is to set the gem afloat.
De La Fille picks up the paper boat that had fallen on the ground and places the jewel inside it.
De La Fille: My mother imparted a wish to this jewel...
De La Fille: I will become a worthy queen. So... from beyond the sky... please watch over me.
She quietly sets the boat down to float down the river.
Cleansed by the water, the gem bursts into a white light, then floats up to the sky in glistening particles.
De La Fille simply watches the shimmers drift away until they are out of sight.