Estelle: One Small Step For Her

Operator Record One Small Step For Her
Every thought held in your heart will bloom, one day or another. Unlock conditions Raise Estelle to Elite 2 Level 1. Have at least 50% Trust with Estelle.

Characters
Breeze Dobermann Earthspirit Estelle Gavial Perfumer Tomimi Fowlbeast (Sir Cromwell) Greypaw
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5

“

Estelle meets a new colleague, Tomimi, who is also an Archosauria. She's nervous, but also wants to help the newcomer.

”

<Background 1>
9:30 P.M. Training Grounds
[After a training session...]
Dobermann	Thanks for being Bubble's practice partner today. It's hard to find someone who can keep the upper hand against her and still have strength to spare. And sorry about keeping you so late.
Estelle	(Instructor Dobermann is strict in training, but very nice otherwise.) (She's always up until so late at night.) It's fine, I didn't have anything else anyway. (It's unbelievable how good Bubble is, given her age.)
Dobermann	I wish more people would learn from you. Are you hungry? It's getting late, so why don't you get something from the cafeteria, and put it on my tab.
Estelle	Thank you.
<Background 2>
9:34 P.M. Cafeteria
Tomimi	Heat... How do I heat up food? Is this the machine?
[Tomimi activates a microwave.]
Tomimi	It makes a noise, but no heat. Is it this one? There's a little picture of a fire on it. Does it want you to heat the machine with fire? Put the food in the machine, then light a fire outside... like this, right?
Estelle	Watch out!
[Estelle pushes Tomimi away from the microwave, and they collapse just as the microwave overheats and explodes.]
Estelle	Are you okay?
Tomimi	Why did it explode?
Estelle	That's not how you use it. Good thing you didn't get hurt...
[Estelle is surprised to see another Archosauria she didn't know in Rhodes Island.]
Estelle	(Wait, someone I don't know?!) (W-What was I thinking? I just reflexively...)
Tomimi	Wh-What?
Estelle	(And she's an Archosauria too. A new Archosauria colleague?) ......
[Estelle runs off...]
Tomimi	Excuse me, how do I heat up my food...?
[...and returns with a new microwave...]
Estelle	Use this one. I mean... wait 5 minutes, then press this button.
[...before running off again, but returns to remind Tomimi...]
Estelle	Don't touch the broken one. Just put in a maintenance ticket, and someone else will fix it.
[...and runs off yet again.]
<Background 3>
Estelle	(Gah, I acted weird again, didn't I?) (The Doctor and Lena wanted me to interact more with others...) (I've always used the excuse that it's hard to talk to people who've been here longer than me.) (But this time, she seems new here.) (What do I do now...?)
Dobermann	Done already, Estelle?
Estelle	Oh... (I guess I forgot about dinner.) Yes... I've eaten. (She might still be in the cafeteria. I'll go later...)
<Background 4>
9:22 A.M. Convalescent Garden
Perfumer	Feeling relaxed?
Estelle	Mm. (Lena, code name "Perfumer.") (I come here at the same time every day for aromatherapy.) (It's how I start my day.) (She smells good, and she's so nice. I wish I had a big sister like her.)
Perfumer	This scent works best on you.
Estelle	It... reminds me of home.
Perfumer	Really?
Estelle	Yes.
Perfumer	But it's not the scent of a flower... it's a vitamin solution. If you want to talk about your past, I'm here to listen, as is the Doctor.
Estelle	......
Perfumer	No pressure, though.
Estelle	Thank you. (I know why this scent makes me relaxed... it smells just like the lab I was in when I was little.) (That was before I grew horns.) (I lived in a small house. There were many small houses like it in the oval room, each with an Archosauria child living in it.) (They called me a "failure" and threw me out of the lab.) (The guy who did it was named Danny Chip. He even used to say "Good morning, my princess" to me through the glass every morning...) (Was I abandoned because I'm so unlikeable?) (After that, I lived in the barrens until I joined Rhodes Island.)
Perfumer	I don't know what you're thinking about, but this is a time to relax.
Estelle	Mm.
Perfumer	Have you had a proper conversation with anyone lately?
Estelle	I... don't think so...
Perfumer	I don't want to force you, but you could try talking to people you feel comfortable with. All I can do is to help you temporarily relax. You're the only one who can take that step.
Estelle	I understand. Thank you Lena.
<Background 3>
2:15 P.M. Medical Department Corridor
[Breeze is discussing something with Earthspirit.]
Breeze	I heard we have some new colleagues. Seems like there are new faces every day. Rhodes Island is getting livelier.
Earthspirit	And the queue at the cafeteria is getting longer too. Taking care of the new employees was easier when there were fewer people around. I can hardly even remember their names these days.
Breeze	But isn't it your job as a senior member to look after them? Remember how Eyjafjalla used to follow you around like a baby fowlbeast chasing its mother? I think you have a knack for taking care of people.
[A fowlbeast that follows Estelle flaps its wings in response to what Breeze says.]
Fowlbeast	(Joyful cry)
Breeze	Whoa! I didn't mean it literally!
Earthspirit	Calm down, it's just Estelle's Sir Cromwell.
Estelle	I'm sorry! (Earthspirit has horns on her head too, but I guess that's normal for a Caprinae.) (Hers are smaller than mine, but much longer.) (Would they hit the ceiling if something surprised her in the Doctor's office?) (If I was closer to her, maybe I could talk to her about how to deal with all the problems with having horns.)
Breeze	Is this your pet, Estelle?
Estelle	(Breeze always looks so elegant... I wish I could ask her how to be like that too...) Yes. (But Sir Cromwell's not my pet. He's my friend.) (He's the one who found my house and opened the door after I was thrown out of the lab.) (He knows so much more than I do, but he doesn't talk much, and he likes to swear.)
Breeze	There are a number of support missions scheduled for next week. We'll be counting on you, Estelle.
Estelle	(Breeze is a skilled battlefield medic, so we're often paired together on assignments. Maybe she can sense my discomfort, because she's always so nice and careful around me.) (I really appreciate it, but she also feels a little distant... and we hardly ever see each other outside of work.) (The Doctor wants me to take the initiative to talk to her...) I... I'll work hard to bring the patients back... (I couldn't say it. Again.)
[Estelle's fowlbeast, now known as Sir Cromwell, flies off...]
Estelle	Sir Cromwell! Don't go! Come back!
[...and Estelle goes after it.]
<Background fades out and in>
Estelle	You'll cause trouble for others... and make my coworkers dislike me. Come to think of it, they were just talking about taking care of new recruits... What about that Archosauria I saw yesterday? Does she have anyone to help her? She'll get hurt if she's reckless around machines again, like last time. But... what can I do? When I'm like... this?
Sir Cromwell	(Meaningful crow)
Estelle	Stop laughing, Sir Cromwell.
Sir Cromwell	(Soft humming)
Estelle	I'm getting treatment and going to the Convalescent Garden every day. But I'm still nervous about meeting others of my kind. I can see at a glance how different I am from them... so won't they too? Will they think my horns are disgusting?
Sir Cromwell	(Short chirping)
Estelle	Gavial? Right... Gavial is an Archosauria too. I see her often at work, but I could never muster the courage to speak to her... I don't know what she thinks of me. *Sigh* We're both Archosauria, but she's a great doctor, while I can't seem to do anything right.
Injured Operator	Wait! Gavial, I'm not ready yet!
Gavial	Wait for what? It'll be over in the blink of an eye.
Injured Operator	The blink of an... arrrggghhh!
Estelle	Is she on duty today? I always hear cries like this when she is. I wonder what's happening inside...
Sir Cromwell	(Curious crow)
[Sir Cromwell flies away.]
Estelle	Wait, where are you going–
<Background fades out and in>
[Estelle runs into Tomimi while chasing Sir Cromwell.]
Estelle	(It's the girl who almost blew herself up yesterday!)
Tomimi	Huh? You're...
Estelle	(She saw me!)
[Tomimi grabs Estelle's hand...]
Tomimi	Wait!
[...but she pushes her off...]
Tomimi	S-She's strong...
[...and fell to the floor.]
Estelle	Oh no! Are you okay? I'm sorry... I...
Tomimi	Oh, I'm fine! You're so strong!
Estelle	Er... yeah... Sorry...
Tomimi	It's okay! I have to thank you for yesterday. I wouldn't have known how to heat up my food if you hadn't been there.
Estelle	I just happened to pass by and saw... ...... I, er, I'm a little busy right now, so–
Gavial	Man, my hands are getting sore. Watch over the wounded while I go loosen up my arms a little.
[Estelle and Tomimi hides at a nearby empty room just as Gavial passes by.]
Gavial	Mm, fresh air! Huh? Did I just see someone skitter by?
[Gavial looks around, but finds nobody.]
Gavial	Maybe I'm just tired?
<Background 5>
[Estelle and Tomimi came out of hiding after Gavial left.]
Tomimi	Whew, she almost found us. Good thing there was an empty room here. I saved you this time, so we're even!
Estelle	Huh?
Tomimi	It'd be bad if Gavial found out.
Estelle	W-What do you mean?
Tomimi	You came to spy on Gavial at work, didn't you?
Estelle	(This newcomer seems to have misunderstood... I need to explain, or I'll leave a bad impression on her...) I'm not–
Tomimi	I came to spy on her too! Do you know her well?
Estelle	Er... I guess so...? (I often work with her, but we've barely spoken to each other.)
Tomimi	You like her, don't you?
Estelle	(She's a doctor of Rhodes Island. She lives in a different world from someone like me, who's doing odd jobs while receiving treatment.) (When I think of it like that, it's easy enough to convince myself that hiding from her like this is normal.) Well, yes, I think she's amazing.
Tomimi	Then we're friends.
Estelle	Friends... you want to be friends with me?
Tomimi	We already know each other, and we both agree Gavial's amazing!
Estelle	I... guess so...
Tomimi	Then we're friends.
Estelle	I see. (I made friends with a new recruit...) (I should report to the Doctor and Lena.) (I didn't do anything in particular, but I'm sure they'll be proud of me.)
Tomimi	My name's Tomimi. What about you?
Estelle	I'm... Estelle. (Calm down. Keep it friendly by making small talk.) (You can do it.)
Tomimi	Is it a code name?
Estelle	No, it's my real name.
Tomimi	It doesn't sound Archosauria.
Estelle	Um...
Tomimi	It sounds familiar though. Is it the Ash Princess?
Estelle	You know her?
Tomimi	I heard the story from Inam.
Estelle	Estelle the Ash Princess was chased out from her castle when bad people took over. But she never gave up, and kept working on her swordsmanship. When the time came, she snuck into a party at the castle in a dress, with the help of the loyal Sir Cromwell. And at the climax, she put on her armor, caught the sword thrown to her by Sir Cromwell, and completed her revenge. Some say that she turned to ash once her goal was complete. ...... (Oh no, I started talking and just kept going...) (Is it going to put her off? I really should learn to keep my mouth shut...)
Tomimi	Wow. You really know the story! I can tell how much you admire her.
Estelle	Yes... I want to be like her. (She... doesn't seem so scary.) (I wish I could wear a helmet like the princess though.) (They say Rhodes Island has good blacksmiths, but I don't know any of them. Since I don't use weapons in battle, I've never gone to talk to one.) (I should muster the courage to go ask them to make me a suit of armor, like the one the princess wore.)
Tomimi	You should practice the sword then.
Estelle	Yes... (And learn how to fight using weapons.) (Learning from someone who uses a greatsword... Skadi, maybe...? But it's hard to talk to her...)
Tomimi	But why did you run away when you saw me?
Estelle	Er, it's nothing... ...... I'm, well, not very confident about my appearance...
Tomimi	Appearance? Turn around and let me take a look.
[Estelle turns around and Tomimi checks her tail.]
Tomimi	By our standards, it's neither thick or thin... It doesn't really stand out. But... Doesn't that mean that it's normal?
Estelle	Really? I look normal to you? But back home, people laughed at me and called me a weirdo because of it...
Tomimi	They don't understand. Sometimes, it's prettier this way. Like, take Gavial–
Estelle	(Did Gavial have horns too?)
Tomimi	People like her not just because of how she looks, but because of how strong she is, the way she's invincible in battle.
Estelle	Oh–ah! So you mean I should become strong?
Tomimi	Not quite. I've thought about it a lot, and I think the reason people like Gavial is because she's Gavial.
Estelle	I don't understand.
Tomimi	Be yourself. The people who like you will like you. You don't have to make yourself uncomfortable just to get people to like you.
Estelle	R-Really? (That's how another Archosauria sees my horns?)
Tomimi	I once read a book called 'One Step from Confidence.' It said that people's tastes change all the time; the important thing is what you think about yourself. Come find me if you want to borrow it.
Estelle	Thank you. It's really a pain sometimes though. I might accidentally poke the door when I'm going to the Doctor's office, and it's harder to swing a sword like the Ash Princess.
Tomimi	Hm... I guess so. But not only does it help you balance, it can also be used as a weapon. That more than makes up for making it a little harder to swing a sword. So if you think about it, a tail is very useful.
Estelle	I see! (So she was talking about my tail...? I guess she misunderstood what I meant... I like my tail...) (My horns are heavy, but the tail helps me keep my balance.) (It's a good tail.) (But she seems totally unconcerned about my horns... I guess not everyone cares about them... I didn't expect it to be so easy to talk to another Archosauria...)
Tomimi	I like you too.
Estelle	Really?!
Tomimi	Yes. That's why we're friends. Not as good as Gavial, but like, 0.7 Gavials.
Estelle	T-Thank you! (Does she use Gavial as a unit of measurement?) (0.7 Gavials must be high praise.) So... how many Gavials is the Doctor?
Tomimi	Never thought about it... Maybe we can score everyone on Rhodes Island later.
Estelle	Measured in Gavials?
Tomimi	Yes.
Estelle	Mm.
Tomimi	Let's do it! Oh, looks like Gavial went back. Let's go spy on her again.
Estelle	Sorry... I have to get back to work. (Rhodes Island might throw me out if I don't work hard enough...)
Tomimi	What do you do here, Estelle? Are you in the combat squad too?
Estelle	Huh? (Where'd that come from?) (Is this how friends talk?) I am, but I usually work more on the support and rescue side. Like carrying stuff, moving patients, or evacuating the wounded. Sometimes I'm also involved in direct combat, like when rescuing the wounded in the heat of battle. Or escorting our doctors.
Tomimi	Incredible...
Estelle	It's nothing, really...
Tomimi	Just imagine being hurt on the battlefield, surrounded by enemies and at your wit's end, then seeing Estelle dash to the rescue. You'd shine so brightly in their eyes. You might even go as high as 0.9 Gavials!
Estelle	Really?! (So even a job like this earns people's respect.)
Tomimi	Even better if you deliver them straight to Gavial for treatment.
Estelle	0.9 Gavials plus 1 Gavial is... 8 Gavials...?
Tomimi	Yes, they'll recover even quicker, for sure.
Estelle	Right. I'll try to send them to Gavial next time then. But, er, I really do have to go... it's getting late.
Tomimi	It was nice chatting with you.
Estelle	Me too. (I wish I could keep things at 0.9 Gavials.)
<Background 3>
7:23 P.M. Engineering Department
[Estelle hops around, happy to have a new friend.]
Estelle	(I never knew making a friend would make me so happy.)
[An R.I. operator named Greypaw noticed Estelle.]
Greypaw	Oh? You're still working, Estelle?
Estelle	Um... Breeze said there might be dispatch missions next week, so I wanted to load some supplies first.
Greypaw	There's no overtime pay for this, you know.
Estelle	That's fine. (I often ride in Greypaw's car when I'm on a mission with Breeze.) (The roof's been modified to give more room for supplies, and more importantly, my horns.) (I'm less nervous when I'm talking to someone I know.)
Greypaw	Kids like you should learn to rest when you can. Otherwise, you'll pay the price when you get older. Just look at all the neck and back pain I get. A few more long-distance trips, and I'd just about break into a thousand pieces.
Estelle	Does it hurt that much?
Greypaw	Yeah.
Estelle	...... I think I know how to help. (I wonder if Gavial's still on duty.)
Greypaw	Really? Hope it works.
[Estelle drags Greypaw with her.]
Greypaw	Wait–
<Background fades out and in>
8:20 P.M. Medical Department Corridor
Tomimi	You're back, Estelle.
Estelle	I just brought a colleague who's not feeling well.
Tomimi	Looks like Gavial's gonna be there for a while longer. I'm waiting to eat with her.
Estelle	I'm waiting for Greypaw's treatment to finish.
Greypaw	Wait, it's just a bit of neck pain!
Gavial	Well, since you're here, how about a little massage?
Greypaw	No! I'm fine! It doesn't hurt at all!
Greypaw	Aaaaaaaahhhh––!
Tomimi	Sounds like it's working well.
Estelle	Is it?
Tomimi	Forceful treatment always works well.
Estelle	That's true.
Tomimi	What are you smiling about?
Estelle	Oh, it's nothing. (I'm glad to have made a friend, and to have helped a colleague.) (Even though I still couldn't say it.) (At Rhodes Island, no one laughs at my horns, or scolds me for being clumsy.) (There's still a lot I don't know, but I'm learning every day.)
Tomimi	Oh, looks like they're done.
Gavial	Hey, Tomimi.
Tomimi	I made a new friend, Gavial! Look!
[Estelle is nowhere to be seen.]
Tomimi	Huh? Where did she go?
Gavial	Who? You're not seeing things, are you?
<Background fades out and in>
[After Estelle sneaks out of the infirmary...]
Estelle	(Whew...) (I ran away again.) (Looks like I still have a long way to go.)
The Archosauria girl sighs, lifts her head, and presses herself against the walls of the clinic, horns and all. There is no smell of vitamin solution, but she feels surprisingly relaxed. The dark night and scattered stars outside the windows are no different from what she'd seen out on the barrens for so many years. Today, however, she is home. Here at Rhodes Island.