Scenario:Meg and Mari - Our Auguste

Our Auguste

Meg runs into a trifecta of issues: her interview article ends up getting canceled because of her brutally honest answers, a conman nearly succeeds in selling her a "pebble of happiness," and, worst of all, a local cafe is closing down because its owner is sick of Auguste. The disappointment is overwhelming.

---

Mari tidies up a small, quiet space.

A woman seated opposite Meg begins speaking.

Interviewer: Now then, I'd like to begin by interviewing you as part of our "Auguste Girls" feature.

Interviewer: How do you like to spend your days off?

Meg: Ahaha! Well, let's see... I work out, I do yoga... I also go to the sauna, and...

Interviewer: Yoga and sauna, huh? How nice. They're the perfect activities for relaxing both mind and body.

Meg: Y-yeah! I-I... I think so too!

The crew watches as Meg nervously answers the interviewer's questions.

Vyrn: What's goin' on here?

Mari: Can't you tell? Meg's being interviewed.

Lyria: An interview... for what?

Mari: Promotional material—a talk with the hero of Auguste, as part of our Auguste Girls column.

Mari: The idea's to bring in more tourists by showing the world that we have Meg as our guardian angel!

Lyria: Oh, that makes sense! Knowing that a hero like Meg is there for you should something happen is definitely a big draw!

Mari: Nice to know you get it too, Lyria! Super cute, super cool, and super lovely—she's perfection in a single package!

Vyrn: You sure this is gonna go so well? Meg's kind of, uh... an acquired taste...

Mari: Sigh... You're hopeless, Vyrn... Maybe you should see a doctor.

Vyrn: Whoa, ouch...

Interviewer: Auguste has played host to many dangerous monsters over the years. It's been a point of concern for outsiders...

Meg: You're right... I worry about that all the time...

Meg: But relax. I'll murder any nasties that dare to attack Auguste.

Interviewer: ...

Mari: ...

Interviewer: Um... I see... So you'll fight off any manner of creature that might present a threat, I take it?

Meg: Fight off? No, I'll murder them dead.

Interviewer: Murder...

Meg: Yes, ma'am! I'll crush the life out of them!

Interviewer: ...

Try as the interviewer might to suggest a softer expression, Meg's response remains innocently brutal.

Vyrn: Oof, I dunno about this...

Lyria: Oh my goodness... Mari... Will this really go into print?

Mari: ...

Mari: Okay, scratch this idea!

Meg: Sigh...

A dejected Meg is walking along the shores of the afternoon beach.

Recalling the interviewer's expression, she realizes that she must have said something malapropos.

Meg: I guess I'm no use to Auguste after all...

???: Everything okay, miss?

Meg: Huh?

???: Ah, my apologies... You looked like you could use a little pick-me-up...

Meg: Um... Who might you be?

???: I've come to Auguste to see if there's anything I can do to assist with reconstruction.

???: Auguste has always had a special place in my heart... And I understand that a rather unfortunate incident has recently beset the isles. Consider me a volunteer of sorts.

Meg: Oh... How wonderful!

Visitor: Well, I haven't done much just yet... At the moment, I am but a simple visitor.

Visitor: Although I did plan on passing this pebble to someone in August.

Meg: A stone?

Visitor: Word has it that this magical trinket was handed down from a great mage. The person who gave it to me said as much.

In the man's hand, there is indeed a small stone.

Visitor: It is said to bring happiness to whoever possesses it.

Visitor: In the past, I fell victim to a terrible illness. It was my encounter with this stone that instantly cured me.

Meg: Wow...

Visitor: Even doctors couldn't explain what had happened. Such is the power of this stone.

Visitor: It's passed through many hands over the ages, and perhaps now is a good time to find it a new owner.

Visitor: I figured surely someone in Auguste would be in need of a windfall right now...

Visitor: Okay, I've decided. The stone is yours.

Meg: Wha? I couldn't possibly accept something so valuable!

Visitor: Please, there is no need to hesitate... I consider it my duty to pay it forward.

Visitor: I've acquired good health, my work is steady, and I'm surrounded by great people. I wish for you to have similar blessings.

Meg: But still...

Visitor: Then how about this? I'll sell it to you for a reasonable price.

Visitor: I don't want to make up something arbitrary—let's use the figure I would've paid for my surgery, had this not cured me.

Visitor: I believe that should be sufficient to satisfy your conscience. And trust me when I say you will not regret it.

The man proposes a figure that isn't out of reach, but is certainly not cheap.

Meg: The person who holds this stone will be blessed, you say?

Visitor: Yes, make no mistake: the blessings will be plenty.

Meg: Well then...

Mari: Meg!

Meg: Ah, Mari!

Visitor: ...

Meg: Huh? Um... Where are you going!

The man does not respond and hastily skitters away.

Mari: What's with him...

Mari: Wait! Was he hitting on Meg?

Vyrn: My guess is no...

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Lyria: Meg, there you are. We were looking all over for you.

Meg: Sorry... I was about to head back when that man came up to me...

Mari: That was a textbook con job!

Meg: It was?

Vyrn: Yep, something's definitely fishy about the story.

Mari: What kind of pebble brings happiness? No way could something that convenient actually exist!

Meg: Y-you think so? He said it's passed down from a great mage...

Vyrn: Great mage, my foot...

Lyria: It's a good thing Mari called out to you when she did.

Mari: Creeps like that are a rupie a raftful! They're always crawling out of the woodwork here when something blows up.

Mari: Pisses me off to no end! Another common one is lying about fixing something that wasn't broken and trying to charge an arm and a leg.

Meg: It didn't even occur to me he might be someone like that... I had no idea...

Mari: No need to feel down about it, Meg.

Mari consoles Meg, bringing her to a nearby cafe to rest.

Meg: Sigh... I really am hopeless...

Mari: That's not true, Meg. Don't let this get to you.

While Mari attempts to cheer her up, (Captain) and crew are at a neighboring table enjoying their parfaits.

Lyria: Yum! This parfait is delicious!

Vyrn: Heheh, you can say that again! Huge scoops of ice cream with plenty of fruit to top it off!

Mari: Right? Isn't it a nice little cafe? Not just the food, but the atmosphere's great too.

Meg: Yeah... It sure is. I didn't know about this place.

Mari: The place was built after I moved here, so it's pretty new, but it's already built a reputation for itself.

Mari: That said... They're having to close down soon. I'm glad I got to come here with you before that happened, Meg.

Meg: Closing down? But why? It seems like it's doing so well!

Mari: Apparently they've had it with all the freak incidents happening in Auguste... The owner decided on it just recently.

Meg: Oh no... That's such a shame.

Mari: I tried to talk him down since it seemed so sudden, but he was set on starting over someplace else...

Cafe Shopkeep: Why, hello there, Mari.

Mari: Hey, good to see you too.

Cafe Shopkeep: Our last day is coming up soon. Wish we could've stayed for longer, but it's been fantastic having you around nonetheless, Mari.

Mari: Best of luck wherever you go next. Until then, I'll be sure to drop by a few more times.

Meg: Um... So you're really closing this place down!

Cafe Shopkeep: Mm-hm... It's time I moved on...

Cafe Shopkeep: Auguste is a wonderful place. For the longest time, it was my life's dream to set up shop here. But it turned out to be a poor match...

Lyria: Sounds like this cafe will be shutting down soon... It's a shame to lose such a nice place...

Vyrn: Too much stuff goes down in Auguste. Sucks that nice shops like this one have to close down for that reason though...

Meg: It's sad just thinking about it...

Mari: Meg...

Our Auguste: Scene 2

Meg makes for the cafe to persuade its owner to remain in Auguste, only to bump into him on the street. After a brief but heartfelt conversation between the two, a few shady figures pop out from the shadows.

---

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Mari: Feeling any better, Meg?

Despite Ursula's and Mari's best efforts to buoy Meg's mood, she's remained despondent since the afternoon.

Meg: I always thought of Auguste as a tourist hot spot, but I guess it has its downsides too...

Mari: Everyone comes with their own set of circumstances, Meg. It's impossible to cater to everyone.

Mari: (I hate to see you like this, Meg... But you're also sooo adorable with those watery eyes...)

Meg is in the residence Mari has been renting.

During her visits to Auguste, Meg often splits from the crew to stay here with her.

Mari: All right, let me just finish up the work I have left real quick.

Meg: Left? You still have more?

Mari: Not much. I just need to look over a galley proof for the PR magazine by tomorrow.

As Mari goes off to a separate room, a thought stirs in Meg's mind.

Meg: (Oh, I see... She must have a lot of work piled up since she spent half the day keeping me company...)

Ursula: Sharrrk...

Meg: Ursula... I'm heading out for a bit.

Ursula: Sharrrk?

Meg: Everyone's contributing and getting things done—except for me...

Meg: I can't stand this anymore! I have to do something for Auguste.

Ursula: Sharrrk...

Meg: Nuh-uh! You stick with Mari, Ursula! I'll be fine by myself!

With that, Meg runs off on her own.

Lyria: We're coming in...

Vyrn: Everything all right here? Ursula took us by surprise when she came to us outta the blue.

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Mari: Meg's gone... I sent Ursula thinking she was with you guys...

Lyria: Gone this late at night? We haven't seen her...

Mari: Hm. Where could she be off to...

Ursula: Sharrrk! Sharrrk!

Mari: Oh? Mm-hm...

Lyria: Wait... You can understand what Ursula's saying, Mari?

Mari: Nope, I don't understand a word.

Vyrn: Sure had us fooled...

Mari: Seems like Ursula doesn't know where Meg went either. If she did, she would've brought her back.

Vyrn: What's there to worry about anyway? I'm sure Meg's fine.

Mari: Mm...

1. Is Auguste under attack again?
2. Maybe she wasn't feeling well?

Choose: Is Auguste under attack again?

Mari: You could be right!

Mari: Maybe she went off to take out another sea creature alone again!

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: Maybe she wasn't feeling well?

Mari: That's what I was worried about...

Mari: (Nice eye, (Captain). I guess a good captain watches out for their crew... Not that I'll let you have Meg either way!)

Continue 1

Mari: Okay, enough standing around! Help me look for Meg, everyone!

Lyria: Let's go, (Captain)!

A lone man is lugging large suitcases across the desolate outskirts of town.

???: Phew...

Meg: Oh, from the cafe!

Cafe Shopkeep: Huh? Ah, you're the lady who was with Mari this afternoon... G-good evening...

Meg: What are you doing with all that luggage?

Cafe Shopkeep: Er... This may seem rather sudden, but I must leave Auguste at once...

Meg: Wha? Isn't that a little too sudden? Wasn't there still some time before the cafe's last day?

Cafe Shopkeep: My apologies, but, er... Something came up... How about yourself?

Meg: I wanted to talk with you, actually... Your cafe is such a wonderful place, if there was anything I could say to convince you to stay in Auguste...

Cafe Shopkeep: Convince me? You came out in the middle of the night just to do that?

Meg: Auguste is in a difficult spot right now, and everyone is doing their best to restore it to its usual glory.

Meg: I was thinking of what I can do... And that's when I realized I could maybe convince you to stay...

Meg: I apologize if I'm being intrusive, but please... Your cafe really makes Auguste shine...

Cafe Shopkeep: You are too kind.

Meg: Huh?

Cafe Shopkeep: I couldn't be happier to receive such high praise from a customer...

Cafe Shopkeep: But I really cannot remain here.

Meg: Please, I only ask that you think it over! If it's the sea creatures which usually come attacking Auguste yearly that you're worried about, I promise I'll take care of every last one of them!

Meg: Yep, I'll murder every single one! Turn 'em into Auguste sand!

Cafe Shopkeep: M-murder? Auguste sand? As much as I appreciate it...

Meg: I see... I apologize for holding you up.

Cafe Shopkeep: No, no, you have nothing to apologize for... Auguste truly is a wonderful place.

Meg: Yes, it definitely is! Auguste is nothing short of sublime!

Cafe Shopkeep: What's more though... Auguste is incredibly fortunate to have the love of people like yourself.

Meg: Huh?

Cafe Shopkeep: Ah, the clock is ticking... They may be here already... I must go.

Meg: Hm? What do you mean?

As the shopkeep prepares to move on, a few murky shadows approach.

Our Auguste: Scene 3

It seems the cafe owner was trying to flee not Auguste, but his past criminal ties—the conman from earlier, along with his underlings. A deeply relieved Meg quickly dispatches the goons, with unexpected aid from Mari. The cafe owner is able to remain in Auguste, and Mari is delighted to receive from Meg the "pebble of happiness" and its attached ring.

---

Conman: Where do you think you're goin', partner? Running off in the middle of the night, are ya?

Cafe Shopkeep: Crap!

Meg: You're from this afternoon! Uh... The happy pebble guy!

Conman: Ah, the young lady with the blues. What a coincidence indeed.

Meg: Answer me... Was that a scam? That thing didn't have any special power at all, did it!

Conman: Goodness, no, I would never. It was all fact.

Meg: Oh, phew! That's good then.

Cafe Shopkeep: You're being conned again.

Meg: Wha?

While Meg is standing dazed, the shopkeep turns to the conman.

Cafe Shopkeep: I'm done with that life! Leave me be already!

Conman: Now that's not very nice, is it? Seeing as fate brought us together today, why don't we rekindle our friendship?

Meg: Excuse me, but what's going on here?

Conman: That man and I used to do a little business on the side together.

Cafe Shopkeep: You're kidding yourself if you actually considered that "business"... All we did was scam people... A shame to hear you're still doing it nowadays.

Meg: Scam people...

Meg: Wait, so you are a conman after all!

Conman: Took your sweet time on that one, huh?

Cafe Shopkeep: I've since repented for my crimes and turned over a new leaf... Not in a million years would I have imagined facing an old partner in Auguste...

Conman: Color me surprised too. Wasn't expectin' a random cafe owner to be a familiar face.

Meg: What does that man want with you?

Cafe Shopkeep: He wishes for me to revert to my old ways and join him... Given my status as a local resident, his schemes would go a lot more smoothly if I'm on his side...

Conman: Bingo! See, same wavelength! Auguste after a disaster is prime fishing! Our net'll be bursting at the seams!

Conman: You'd make a helluva lot more money doing this than runnin' that lil' shop of yours.

Cafe Shopkeep: I had a change of heart precisely because I got fed up with preying on the vulnerable!

Meg: W-wait... Were you planning on leaving Auguste because...

Cafe Shopkeep: I needed to get away from him... The plan was to leave quietly and unnoticed, by telling everyone that the cafe's last day would be a later date...

Conman: I saw right through your plan. Think it over already. You'll be so much better off partnering up with me.

Meg: Thank goodness.

Conman: Huh?

Cafe Shopkeep: Wh-what do you mean?

Meg: It's just such a relief to know that you weren't leaving because you hate Auguste.

Cafe Shopkeep: No, I could never hate Auguste...

Meg: If I take care of these thugs for you, will that solve the problem?

Cafe Shopkeep: ...?

Conman: Bwaha...

Conman: Bwahahaha! Our lady friend's got a wicked sense of humor!

Conman: Boys, don't be afraid to put the hurt on her!

Henchmen: Heheheh...

Cafe Shopkeep: Don't do this! Miss, this could get ugly! Please get away!

Meg: Why run? There's a place I want to stay, and I need to stand up for it.

Henchman: Hraaah!

Meg swiftly dodges the thug who pounces at her and lands a fist in his stomach.

Henchman: ...

Meg: That's one down!

Henchman: ...

Meg: Two down!

Conman: The heck?

Conman: Boys, get her!

The brawny thugs fall one after another in rapid succession.

Meg: Three down!

Meg: Four down!

Conman: Aiiee!

Mari: Meg!

Meg: Mari?

Mari: Over here, Ursula! Quick!

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Mari loads Ursula onto a large device, lifts it over her shoulder, stretches one leg out and lowers her posture.

Mari: Gooooo!

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Ursula is launched forth at the conman with the speed of a rocket.

Conman: Gosh, no, no, no! Noooooo!

Cafe Shopkeep: You have my deepest gratitude, Meg. I'll be able to continue running my cafe here after all, and it's all thanks to you.

Meg: Why, I hardly did anything... There's definitely people more deserving of praise than me.

Mari: Hardly, my butt! Who else could've pulled all that off? It was a perfect Meg Special.

Meg: By the way, Mari... What was that big gun-like thing you used earlier?

Mari: Oh, that?

Mari: Heheh! It's my secret weapon! I call it the shark launcher!

Meg: Shark launcher?

Mari: I was thinking about how you keep me safe all the time. And I wanted to reciprocate that somehow.

Mari: Then again, I can't exactly fight. But I figured I can probably handle a gun... So I came up with the idea of a device that can launch a shark.

Meg: Wha... How did you even build something like that?

Mari: I called in a favor from a certain mad scientist. That shot I fired off was the first field test, but I'd say it went pretty well.

Meg: Ahh... Now it makes sense.

Vyrn: Hey, over here! We'll go turn these baddies in for ya.

The crew trusses up the conman and his underlings, then begins dragging them away.

Conman: Ugh...

Meg sees something fall out of the conman's pocket.

Meg: You dropped something.

Conman: Who cares? It's just some stupid toy I bought somewhere.

Meg: I see... Well, you should stop using stuff like this to lie to people, okay?

Conman: Pf.

Once they leave the scene, Mari poses a question to Meg.

Mari: Whatcha got there?

Meg: It's that so-called pebble of happiness. Turns out it was just a toy.

In Meg's hand is indeed a small stone—attached to a rounded piece of metal.

Mari: Huh? So it was actually a ring... I figured it'd just be some rock.

Meg: Beautiful, isn't it? The color reminds me of Auguste's clear blue seas. Er, even if it's a toy.

Mari: You don't need to rely on magic rocks or anything though, okay? You're fine just as you are.

Meg: Oh, no, I wasn't planning to. I was going to get it so I could give it to you.

Mari: ...
Huh?

Meg: For the things I need to improve on, that should be on me. Relying on outside stuff feels like cheating.

Meg: But you have your job that you already put so much into, right? I wanted to see something nice happen for you.

Meg: Hearing about this thing from the conman, my first thought was that if anyone deserved some happiness from it, it'd be you.

Meg: That's why I was going to buy it... But a plain ol' toy won't do. I'll get rid of this.

Mari: W-wait! I want it!

Meg: Huh? You do?

Mari: (After hearing all that, this is basically... o-o-our engagement ring!)

A day passes.

Meg: Sigh... I guess all I'm good for still is muscle. I should really pick up some new skills...

Mari: I keep telling you, stop worrying about it.

Cafe Shopkeep: Here's your iced coffee. And a parfait on the house.

Mari: Ooh. Appreciate it, mister.

Mari: Let's dig in, Meg.

Meg: Sigh...

Mari: I want you to live how you want to live, Meg. Don't force anything!

Meg: But still...

Vyrn: Hoo boy... Meg's still feelin' down in the mouth, huh...

Lyria: On the bright side, she does seem more cheerful than yesterday.

Lyria: Spending time with Mari must have lifted her spirits.

Ursula: Sharrrk!

Lyria: See? Even Ursula thinks so!

Vyrn: As if you could understand Shark...

Meg: Aww... I have sooo much to study...

Mari: Don't worry about it! Leave the troublesome stuff to me!

Meg: But I want to do something for Auguste too...

As ever, Meg racks her brain for ways she can contribute to Auguste.

Mari looks on with a smile, a pebble of happiness sparkling gently from her finger.