Eight-Armed Armchair Theory/Episode 4 - Storyline

Episode 4
Kaya	An...octopus?
Shenmei	Yeah! Apparently, there's a giant octopus living in some ruins in this area. I also heard that the ruins are full of tresure! That's what I was talking about, not that Demon or whatever.
Kaya	I see. This ancient site is where the archaic doctrine summoned and later sealed the Demon. That much I'm certain. This is the first time I am hearing about an octopus, however.
Shenmei	What are you doing here, Kaya?
Kaya	I heard about the giant monster attacking beachgoers and immediately recalled the legend pertaining to these forgotten ruins. Naturally, that was all the more reason for me to come here and see what I could do about it. I am well-versed in the lore of this site, so I was confident that I could deal with whatever I might encounter here. Not to mention that I personally find these ruins fascinating.
Shenmei	All right! Sounds to me like we came here with the same idea, Kaya!
Kaya	Hm? What exactly do you mean?
Shenmei	Well, you were thinking of taking down that monster yourself, right?
Kaya	Not exactly.
Shenmei	Huh?
Kaya	The only reason I was confident in acting alone was because I knew that I could entrust the beach patrol to my two colleagues in my absence. Do you possess a different perspective?
Shenmei	Well, I... I'm the captain! I've gotta be the one to protect my crew! Especially Su Yi... She has a real hard time expressing herself, you know? Leave her alone for too long and all those suppressed words end up building up. That's why I thought I'd go on ahead and take care of things. I have to make sure they're safe!
Kaya	Interesting. You are most kind. I wonder, though, if your course of action was entirely necessary...
Shenmei	Huh? What're you talking about?
Kaya	If you will allow me a metaphor... A child who falls and scrapes their knee will not cry if there is an adult present to help them to their feet. However, should they have no hand to grasp, they will likely begin to form some measure of independence.
Shenmei	Well... I...
Kaya	Oh, my apologies. That was rather forward of me. I really shouldn't have said anything, given how little I know of your situation. I am not really qualified to be giving advice on such matters.
Shenmei	No, no! What you said made total sense. I'm just...scared. She's a real fighter, you know? She ends up overthinking and pushing herself too far. I don't want something like that to happen again.
Shenmei	Su Yi! Are you okay?!
Liu Shen	She has a fever... She has pushed herself too far. Her illness may be cured, but her stamina is still quite low. We have no choice but to stop over at the next port.
Su Yi	No... We're so close... After all that research...finding the best possible route...
Liu Shen	So what?! None of that matters now!
Su Yi	Ah! I'm s-so sorry...
Shenmei	This isn't the end, okay? Don't worry. We can set sail again. In fact, our voyage has only just begun! We're just taking a little break. Okay?
Su Yi Su Yi	...
The present...
Su Yi	...
Bertha	What've you got there, Su Yi? Are these maps? Nautical charts? There are so many of them! These show the area around this island, right? Why do you have so many?
Su Yi	U-um... I-I'm collecting them. I like looking at maps and nautical charts. Seeing how they, um, change over time. When I found out that we were coming here, I...sort of thought I should do some research beforehand.
Bertha	Really? That's so cool! You're a real navigator!
Su Yi	N-no! It's not cool at all!
Bertha	Huh? What's wrong?
Su Yi	I-I'm...sorry. It's fine. It's nothing...
Bertha	It doesn't llok like nothing to me! You can't fool me. I was an instructor once, you know.
Su Yi	I-instructor?
Bertha	I mean, okay, I wasn't all that good at it. But Sharon did say she was glad that I was the one who trained her! Hearing that, I decided to be more confident in myself.
Su Yi	...
Bertha	You should be more confident in yourself, Su Yi! You're the navigator for the Xiao Shenmei—that's pretty darn amazing if you ask me!
Su Yi	It...really isn't. (Shenmei doesn't see me as a real crew member. She still thinks I'm just a kid.) (That's why I want to do this alone.)
Previously...
Liu Shen
???	...
Shenmei	...
Su Yi	Shenmei?
Liu Shen	...
The present...
Su Yi	...
Bertha	Hey! What's this X mark on the map for?
Su Yi	U-um, well... I heard that there were ancient ruins in this area and found out what I could about them. By comparing various sources of information, I pinpointed this spot as their possible location.
Bertha	Ruins? I haven't heard anything about any ruins.
Su Yi	The ruins of an ancient cult... They're currently occupied by a giant octopus. I didn't find anything resembling an entrance in that area, though.
Sharon	What are the two of you doing out here?
Bertha	Sharon! How.d it go? Did you find any clues?
Sharon	Not a single one. Perhaps they've wandered into the octopuses' lair?
Su Yi	...
Bertha	Hmm... Hey, Su Yi? Think you could show us whereabouts you got separated from Shenmei?
Su Yi	H-huh? Umm...
A moment later...
Su Yi	It was around...here. B-Bertha...?
Bertha	I knew it. X marks the spot... In I go!
Sharon	W-wait! What are you doing, Bertha?!
Bertha	Look! You can get in through this gap in the rock!
Su Yi	Huh? R-really?!
Bertha	It's pretty hard to notice...but I'm sure Shenmei must have got in through here!
Sharon	Difficult to notice indeed... How did you find this little opening, Bertha?
Bertha	Hee hee hee... I'm not a gunner of the Envylia Royal Knighthood Artillery Regiment for nothing! It takes a sharp pair of eyes to be able to scan the battlefield and fire on the optimal spot!
Sharon	True enough.
Bertha	I'm not sure why she would have gone in alone, but...maybe she saw the hole and thought it seemed like a fun place to explore?
Sharon	Bertha... Don't you think you ought to be a bit more respectful? That's her captain you're talking about.
Bertha	I didn't mean anything by it! I'm sure she had her reasons!
Su Yi	I bet she went on ahead...to keep me from worrying.
Bertha	But now you're worried, right?
Su Yi	Yes.
Bertha	Then you've gotta tell them! Tell those two worrywarts how you feel.
Liu Shen	I suppose I am one of those worrywarts?
Su Yi	Liu Shen...
Liu Shen	I understand. Thank you for filling me in. If these are the only ruins in this area, then it stands to reason Xiao-Xiao must have wandered in here. Knowing Xiao-Xiao, she must have caught sight of something suspicious and thoughtlessly followed them here. Our captain has a tendency to attempt to take on everything by herself, you see.
Su Yi	Shenmei...
Liu Shen	However, this location is also known to be the lair of some ferocious octopuses. Su Yi, you wait here.
Su Yi	No.
Liu Shen	What?
Su Yi	I'm going to go and look for Shenmei with you! I-I'm worried as well. Besides...I'm the one who found this entrance! I'm a pirate too! I can take on a horde of ferocious octopuses and day of the week! Cause I'm... I'm the navigator for the Xiao Shenmei!
Liu Shen	... Well...
Su Yi	U-um...
Liu Shen	Take us through the shortest possible route. It doesn't matter how dangerous it is. I will take care of anything that stands in our path. We need to find Xiao-Xiao before nightfall. Searching for her in the dark would be much more difficult and dangerous.
Su Yi	U-um... R-really?!
Liu Shen	What? You are a superb navigator, Xiao-Xiao. I trust you.
Su Yi	Okay! Leave it to me.
Bertha	Whoo! So proud of you, Su Yi! Let's do this!
Sharon	Is this really all right? You were so worried about her...
Liu Shen	I still am. So worried I feel like my heart might give out.
Sharon	Please don't die.
Liu Shen	However...I realize now that our worries have been burdening her.
Sharon	She does seem quite happy to be leading us.
Liu Shen	She does... You know, I never thought I'd see the day that Xiao-Xiao would speak her mind to me without hesitation. It just goes to show that there is still room for growth, even after becoming a Phantom Soldier.
Octopuses	...
Bertha	Whoa! Look at them all!
Liu Shen	You know what? I'm feeling rather generous. I'm only going to marinade you for thirty seconds before I put you on the grill!

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