Operation story: SV-5 (Under Tides)

Operation

Story

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Characters
Skadi Anita Inquisitor Male Inhabitant A Male Inhabitant C Male Inhabitant D Old Inhabitant
Backgrounds
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After operation

“

Skadi has shredded hundreds of these monsters on her own. On the verge of exhaustion, she meets the young Inquisitor once again. The Inquisitor wants to take her away, but the locals do not let her.

”

<Background 1>
[Skadi kills the last of the monsters infesting Sal Viento.]
The streets have calmed. The wandering singer closes the bulky box and carries it on her back again. Skadi begins to step forward. She takes one step and then another. The pile of limbs and coagulated fluids beneath her feet instantly rot and weather away. On her third step, as the hems of her dress flutter in the sea breeze, the tiny particles of crystal scattered all across the ground disperse into the air as well.
<Background 2>
[Anita and the young Inquisitor watches Skadi from the house.]
Inquisitor	D-Did you see that just now?
Anita	I saw all of it.
Inquisitor	How did she even do that?
Anita	She is a singer... Inquisitor, this is nothing strange for her. That's something she's always been capable of.
Inquisitor	Singer... what? You're still calling her by that name?
Anita	How else should I call her? You're the Inquisitor. You tell me.
Inquisitor	...... I need to go outside.
Anita	Hey, wait!
Inquisitor	What are you doing? So you think you can stop me too? I am an Inquisitor!
[Anita hits the young Inquisitor with the leg of the chair she cuts down previously.]
Inquisitor	What is this... So slimy...
Anita	Phew... I-I got it! I landed a blow! That was close, Inquisitor. Thank goodness you smashed this chair to pieces. It gave me a weapon when I needed one to smack this thing. It would've climbed on top of you otherwise!
Inquisitor	Y-You...! All of you are out of your minds! How could you not be scared, seeing these things?
Anita	I was. Just a little. They're not as scary as you, though.
Inquisitor	You... How dare you compare me to these monsters?! Fine, I won't argue with you. You haven't seen them before, and you have no idea what they are capable of. It's no wonder you are not scared. Wait, the other inhabitants are coming outside. They... What are they doing?! They're not scared at all either... The problem... I need to find where this problem lies...
The problem, as the Inquisitor sees it, is the most abnormal sight she sees unfolding before her eyes. The Inquisitor looks at the girl standing before her. Then, she looks over at the lone Ægir standing outside. Finally, she turns her gaze to the inhabitants now lining into the streets.
<Background 1>
Male Inhabitant C	......
Male Inhabitant D	Sand.
Male Inhabitant C	Salt... So salty.
Male Inhabitant D	That thing just now. You can eat it. It's gone. A shame.
Male Inhabitant C	Too bad.
Male Inhabitant D	You can eat salt.
Male Inhabitant C	Yes, it's edible.
Male Inhabitant D	More. More... Mhmm, blurgh.
Male Inhabitant C	It's dirty.
Male Inhabitant D	Swallow it. More...
[Skadi tries to stop the inhabitants from eating the monsters' remains, but were interrupted by the young Inquisitor's arrival.]
Inquisitor	Stop right there!
Skadi	......
Inquisitor	I still have questions for you, and you will answer them–What do you mean, they're here for you?
Skadi	I'm bleeding.
Inquisitor	I can tell that much. You were wounded in your fight with the High Inquisitor, so you ran away. How's that got anything to do with these... monsters showing up?
Skadi	They can smell my blood.
Inquisitor	They're here to... kill you? I saw them all dashing toward you–
Skadi	Perhaps.
Inquisitor	Perhaps?
Skadi	They can't hurt me.
Inquisitor	Y-You! Do you know how annoying the way you talk is?
Skadi	It's the truth.
Inquisitor	They–I mean these monsters–They're gone.
Skadi	Yes.
Inquisitor	They're all gone without a trace, as if they never were. If I didn't see them clearly with my own eyes, I would've thought this all a dream. These monsters... the Sea Terrors. I've come across them plenty of times before. They don't look that much like these ones, but they have that same disgusting stench. But that was on the beach, and they never show up in such numbers. Do you mean to tell me they do not actually live in the sea? They only show up when someone goes look for trouble at the shore, right? Just like what you were doing during the day. And now they came this far away from the beach. They've nearly made it to the streets.
Skadi	They can make it far more places than you can imagine. They can spread by changing form, permeating every corner of the world. Be it iron-forged cities, villages built atop the highlands, or barrenlands with nothing but sand. Wherever one can go, they can too.
Inquisitor	How is that possible?!
Skadi	The world is surrounded by ocean. Just because you cannot see the ocean does not mean that the land where you stand will forever remain untouched by its waters. The seas are alive and ever flowing, and so are the calamities they bring with them.
Inquisitor	I know there are places where the seas are dangerous, but I didn't know that the danger existed... in the lands outside Iberia too.
Skadi	Danger exists everywhere. Still, these calamities are here because of me. If you come any closer, you will be affected too.
Inquisitor	You... Just who are you?!
Skadi	I already told you.
Inquisitor	Enough with the wandering singer thing! I saw it all. You were fighting them, and you know exactly how to fight them too. When you finished them off, your technique was so much better than when you were fighting the High Inquisitor and me.
Skadi	I don't have quite the same handle on fighting humans.
Inquisitor	A-Ahem... Let's dispense with the strange talk... I know you are a strange one, but still... Were you... a hunter? I can kind of see that in your eyes.
Skadi	If you think I am, then sure.
Inquisitor	And you hunted these... Sea Terrors before?
Skadi	They need to be eliminated.
Inquisitor	Ugh... The way you talk just grates me so much, but–I don't even know why–coming from you, this doesn't sound like a lie at all. Singer, hunter... It doesn't matter to me what you were. Going by the circumstances, I suppose you saved not just my life, but everyone who lives on this street, maybe even the entire town. You may be the enemy of my enemy, but that does not make you a friend. No matter the case, I need to do my job. I have to take you away.
Skadi	...... You were asking me what I am doing here. I am here to seek an answer, and this answer only has to do with me... and the person I am looking for.
Inquisitor	You wouldn't tell me a thing earlier.
Skadi	You didn't give me a chance to tell you.
Inquisitor	...... You may have given me an answer now, but that doesn't mean my judgment has changed. You don't belong to this city. A person like you showing up is a mistake. Not to mention... You told me yourself you brought this disaster with you. –It's certainly not how I imagined it, though. Nonetheless, Ægir. You are dangerous. You are a danger to this city. At the same time, this city is also a danger to you.
Skadi	Hm?
Inquisitor	Look at them. They are... eating scraps of the Sea Terrors' remains. They don't fear these monsters... No, they don't even know what monsters are. They feed when they are hungry. As a monster does. And humans... humans know what fear is. So... Are they still human?
Skadi	All I know is that they're trying their best to live. From that perspective, there's nothing that sets humans and monsters apart.
Inquisitor	When they live like that... can you really say they are alive? The High Inquisitor told me to see it for myself, and only now do I understand what he meant. In this city, the biggest problem isn't whatever its citizens are doing. It's that they are still alive in this manner–This is the most abnormal thing of all. Like you, they are dangerous, and this danger must be kept under control, just like how mistakes must be corrected.
Skadi	You haven't given up.
Inquisitor	Now I really can't let you go.
Skadi	I already told you. I still have something to take care of, and I am in a hurry.
Inquisitor	Looks like we will have to do this again, then. Ægir, I know you are hurt, and you must be exhausted after fighting the Sea Terrors. But I will not go easy on you.
[Before the young Inquisitor could attack Skadi, she was hit by some thrown object.]
Inquisitor	What's this? A small shell? It wasn't you, Ægir... You wouldn't throw this at me. Perhaps one of the locals vomiting their guts out on the floor? No, it can't be them. They don't even know what it is they are stuffing into their mouths. They wouldn't move against me. Is it... from the window over to the side?
[Someone throws another shell into the young Inquisitor again.]
Inquisitor	...... Who is it?! Who threw this? Step forward!
[Anita reveals herself as the one who throw the shells.]
Anita	Hahh...
Inquisitor	You? Did you throw this at me? Are you still trying to get in my way, to protect this Ægir?
Anita	Uh, yes! It's me!
[Petra shows up right after.]
Old Inhabitant	Anita, stop it with your nonsense.
Anita	Grandma Petra?! Y-You should stay inside...
Old Inhabitant	I did it, Your Honor.
Inquisitor	Did you just call me "Your Honor?"
Old Inhabitant	I know who exactly you are. These ones know nothing.
Inquisitor	There's someone still sane here...? Old woman, perhaps your eyes aren't as good as they used to be. Please step back. We are taking care of something dangerous here.
[Petra threw a shell at the young Inquisitor.]
Old Inhabitant	Look, Your Honor. My eyes are as perfect as they can be. Even if the sky's pitch black, I will have no trouble hitting you as long as you forget to dodge. Oh, tiny seashells, beautiful waves♪ One shell after another, one beating wave after another...
Inquisitor	You admitted it yourself. Now I must–
Anita	Inquisitor... Your Honor! Grandma Petra's sick... Please don't blame her?
Inquisitor	She's sick? No wonder. Yes, I can see that.
Old Inhabitant	Oh, Little Anita. Enough nonsense. How am I sick?
Anita	Grandma Petra, please stop. Please.
Old Inhabitant	Sick... sick! What's sick is Sal Viento itself! Yes–This place, and all its people! And you, almighty Inquisitor... You are sick as well!
Inquisitor	You, take your senile grandmother home. I have more important things to deal with.
Old Inhabitant	What important things? What's more important than being alive?
Inquisitor	As an Inquisitor, there are things that I have to safeguard even with my life. For example, all the things that the law says are correct... as well as our country itself.
Old Inhabitant	You will use your life... to safeguard whose life?
Inquisitor	I... Whatever... I shouldn't waste any more of my time with you. Your old age and your illness have done a number on your faculties, citizen. I can overlook your crazy behavior so long as you stand aside and let me take care of what's important.
Old Inhabitant	Your Honor, I'm afraid I don't understand this right or wrong, this country of yours. I just want to ask you this. This thing you are trying to uphold. We were never part of it, isn't that right?
Inquisitor	What...?!
Old Inhabitant	You Inquisitors took our people away. You said they were disrupting order, that they assaulted someone while they were stealing food. They just wanted to live.
Inquisitor	That wasn't me... but if they committed a crime, then that's how it should be.
Old Inhabitant	And they've never been back. You brought your bad guys away, but did that improve our lives?
Inquisitor	When you remove all the factors that bring chaos to society in time, there will naturally be order.
Old Inhabitant	Yet there is less and less food to go by... Those of us who got on in years either die of hunger or disease. Even some of our young couldn't endure. You speak of order... but all you want is for us to die quietly, isn't it? That way, there will be no more noise, and you upper class folks can finally lie down on your fluffy beds for a quiet night of sleep.
Inquisitor	That's not it. All of Iberia is suffering. Not just you. Shouldn't a criminal who steals resources and harms the people be stopped? Suppose there are ten meals before us. They should feed ten Iberians. If no one is there to tell them how much they should get, they will fight to no end. In the end, only one of the ten will remain. The Inquisition draws the boundary of right and wrong amid this chaos and guides the masses to the right path. Otherwise the whole country would've long become a heap of sand.
Old Inhabitant	Everything you said... I don't get it, and it's nothing I can see. We don't have a way out. When we truly wanted one, where were you?
Inquisitor	I... I want to help you. I am working hard to become a full-fledged Inquisitor. I took this path because I want to help the people, and I trust that this is the only way.
Old Inhabitant	Help us...? I hoped, imagined, thirsted, even dreamt of someone coming to save us. I screamed through so many nights till my throat was hoarse. You never came. Will you Inquisitors only come when someone has done something wrong? Look at these old bones. I never imagined I'd live this long. What a tragedy. Every day is filled with nothing but pain. Look, I'm attacking you, Your Honor. Take me away! Take me, and end me! Put me out of my misery! Hurry, do it! I can't wait no longer–I've waited all these years! *Cough* *cough*...
Inquisitor	I... I don't want to fight you. Your anger... is understandable. My sword should not... Don't force my hand, citizen.
Old Inhabitant	*Cough* *Cough*...
Anita	Grandma!
Old Inhabitant	Oh... Anita... You came to the plaza too. It's dark... Why is there no singing yet? Singer, you said you are a singer. Why aren't you singing? Where is your harp? I want to dance. I need a tune.
Skadi	......
Old Inhabitant	Look, Your Honor. You're more useless than a wandering singer. She sings for us. She's even brave enough... to stand in front of the rest of us. I'm not scared of monsters, and I'm not scared of death. What I am scared of is this life. Am I crazy, Anita?
Anita	Grandma, it's okay. You're shaking. It's cold here. Why don't we go back? Lie down and get some rest. You'll feel better.
Old Inhabitant	Okay... Okay. Let's go. We'll go home. It isn't like I know where else to go anyway.
Inquisitor	You...!
Old Inhabitant	Did you change your mind? If you changed your mind, you can still take me away. That, or kill me. At the very least... I would get to die like a person. Do it while I'm still alive, Your Honor. I don't have much time left. Come, let's go... Singer, come with us. I want to hear you sing.
Inquisitor	...... I will let you go... for now. But I will be back! And you, Ægir! I'm watching you, and I will get to the end of this! Don't think you can get out of this one!
[The young Inquisitor leaves in anger.]
Anita	Phew... That was close. Singer, are you okay? You look white as a sheet.
Skadi	I'm fine.
Anita	You don't need to act so tough anymore. The Inquisitor is gone.
Skadi	I'm not afraid of her.
Anita	I know. I can tell you aren't afraid. What would someone like you be afraid of?
Skadi	She's not a bad person. And it would be a good thing for you if I leave this place.
Anita	A good thing? There's nothing good here. Grandma might've said all that, but she doesn't really hate the Inquisitor. She hates something else. I know it.
Old Inhabitant	Now dance. Haha, I love your singing...
Anita	Stop spinning around, Grandma. You're tired. The singer will sing for you. Isn't that right?
Skadi	......
Anita	Give me your hand, singer. Let me take a look at your wound.
Skadi	No...
Anita	I can't come near you because it's dangerous, right? It's okay. I trust you. If anything happens, you will win.
Skadi	......
Anita	Look, your wounds aren't so bad at all. No more bleeding. Singer, you are amazing. You heal up so quickly.
Skadi	It could've been quicker.
Anita	But even so, you don't look well to me, and the house you picked was blown to pieces. I doubt even you can get a good sleep there now. Why don't you come home with me and Grandma Petra?
Old Inhabitant	That's right. Stay with us. Don't let them come look for any more trouble with you.
Skadi	No...
Anita	Okay, enough "No's," "No need's," and "I have other things to do." I am sick of them.
Skadi	I can still... Ugh...
Anita	Look at you. Out of strength, no? You need someone to look after you, and you definitely need some sleep. I also think the person you're looking for probably doesn't want to see you pushing yourself like this.
Skadi	......
<Background fades out and in>
[The "chosen" inhabitant from earlier heads to the shore.]
Male Inhabitant A	What was that... just now? None of my business anymore... I shouldn't ask questions. I have my answer now. I know the way. I know where to go. I need to go straight... Straight ahead. Tomorrow, everyone will have food to eat. I... No, we... All of us will get to live. "We want to survive, so we must love one another even more." "For love is the inseparable bond between us." "I will become stronger." "Our people will likewise become stronger."
The man limps forward toward the pitch-black seas until he comes upon an object blocking his way.
Male Inhabitant A	...... This... Her harp. It's here. (Tries to play the harp like Skadi does) (Chords) Sounds horrible. This is useless. I will leave it here to rot.