Thursday, November 25, 2010

Day Zero, Part One

Craftknight!

In order to be an expert of creating weapons, the master of the sword must also be an artisan.

It is not simply the process of forging and sharpening the blade. This special title can only be awarded to one who is an owner of both mind and body.

You understand this, do you not? Rifmonica…

Rif: Elder Sister V.E…

V.E: No matter how difficult your training has been up to this point, it has steadily drawn from you a deep-rooted power.

Rif: Thank you very much!

V.E: Now, however, it is time for your final test…

Rif: … Yes.

V.E: Rif, do you have your hammer?

Rif: Of course! (pulls out hammer)

V.E: Heheh… It’s a good hammer. It contains your spirit.

Rif: You’ve got that right!

V.E: For a Craftknight!

Both: A hammer is fellowship!
    -A hammer is strength!
    -A hammer is life!

Both: (hums happily)

V.E: (suddenly serious) Now, with that hammer, you must show that you can defeat me in combat!
    -That is what you must do in order to become a Craftknight…
    -(she yells) That is your final test!

(V.E and Rif fight, using hammers as weapons; Rif wins)

Rif: I did it! I won!

V.E: You’ve become a lot stronger, huh… It’s because you’ve come to inherit the tempered spirit of your hammer.
    -You’ve gotten pretty cool, huh.

Rif: Ah…! Thank you, sis!

???: You’ve done well, Rifmonica!

(Mysterious cloaked man walks up)

Rif: Master Rob!

(The scene darkens, leaving just Rif and Master Rob)

Rob: You’re already so grown up… congratulations… Rif…

(He collapses; Rif, alarmed, runs up to him)

Rif: Master…?

Rob: …

Rif: Master?!
    -MASTEERR!!

V.E: (in midst of a rainstorm, tears streaking her face) What are you saying, Bostaph?

-V.E… why are you crying?

???: By the time I found him, he was barely able to move his hands… He said to give this to you…

(a bloodied pendant)

-That’s… Master Rob’s…!

V.E: Something like that…
    -Rob… by a Stray Summon…

-He was killed!

-MASTER!!

V.E: What are you doing, Rif?

(Rif shakes head, getting up from ground, bewildered)

Rif: Wha… what…?

V.E: When you still hadn’t come home after so long, I started to wonder what had happened to you. Then I thought, Well, maybe she’s taking a nap in her favorite place.
    -Even your problems are pretty carefree, huh?

Rif: Well, you know, there are only so many places you can take an afternoon nap…
    -But never mind that! That is… um…

V.E: What is it this time? Lemme guess, it was a dream, right? You always seem to have dreams that play out like a good comic book.
    -Were you beating me up in this dream, by any chance?

Rif: Waah! That’s amazing! How did you know that, sis?

(V.E walks up to Rif and smacks her over the head. Rif crouches low, rubbing her head)

Rif: Ow! You’re so mean! What was that for?

V.E: Who is this sister person you keep talking about, huh?! You should be calling me Master! Master V.E!

Rif: That was still mean, Master! It was just a little slip!

V.E: What do you mean, a little slip! Why is it you never acknowledge me as your Master?
     -Is it because I’m a Summon Creature that you don’t listen to me, is that why you won’t call me Master?

Rif: I-it’s nothing like that!

V.E: Isn’t it? Because no matter what, you know I’ve always done the best I could, right?

Rif: (stands up) Y-yeah, I know.

V.E: The rock of my soul could have been used to put the whole world to sleep, so I left that house as soon as I could.
     -Even though I had never worked as a blacksmith in my life, I was summoned to Lyndbaum to be a Craftknight’s partner.
     -I followed the stream, drifting from place to place, until I came to this village. It was here I met Rob. Up to that point, I had never imagined myself willingly doing this kind of work.
    -And then… When Rob died…

Rif: Master…

V.E: I know I can never replace Rob, but I became your Master because I know he would have wanted us to keep going on without him.
    -But such a cruel fate… that these poor children must live without you… Rob…!

(V.E twirls around, chibifying)

V.E♡: Because the truth is, I could never forget all that you have done for us, Rob…
    -No; it would be impossible for me to forget such a thing!
    -Because you are my… My…!

Rif: Looks like Master’s gone off into her fantasy world again. I should head back while she’s still—

V.E: Wait.

Rif: Yes?

V.E: Did you already go see the Village Chief?

Rif: Oh, you mean about the sword we repaired! Don’t worry, I already returned it. See, I even have the money we got for the job! Now we can buy things!

V.E: Ohh, good job, then. You might just treat it like a stop along the way, but it seems you can work hard when you’re not dozing off, huh?

Rif: Ahaha… Yeah, but as long as someone has finished with their job, it should be okay for that someone to rest up for a little bit, right?

V.E: You’re still such a kid. You know, it’s thanks to that kind of attitude that you’re still an amateur.

Rif: (annoyed) Who are you calling an amateur!
    -Sure, I may be just beginning as a Craftknight, but soon I’ll be strong enough to take down the Stray Summon who beat Master Rob!
    -I’ll show you! I will definitely avenge Master!

V.E: What right does a half-baked novice like you have to make such a declaration!

Rif: Hey…! What’s that supposed to mean?!

V.E: Just think! Why are you here now? What have you been training for every day?

Rif: Well…
     -It’s because I want to become as cool a Craftknight as Master Rob and all the other Craftknights before me!

V.E: If that’s true, then revenge is a stupid thing to be thinking of in what free time you have. You need to discipline yourself and study the art of weapon forging!
     -That’s the only way you can hurry and become a fully-fledged Craftknight. You can give Mom and Pops that much peace of mind, can’t you?

Rif: Oooh… Mother and Father…
    -I understand! I’ll keep training! And I’ll be sure to gather weapon materials, too!

V.E: That’s the spirit! Do your best!
    -And, as a reward for the errand I had you run, I’ll give you this.

(Obtained Sword Shapestone!)

Rif: This is the base for a weapon! This is great! Master, you’re the coolest!

V.E: Oh? So I’m the coolest now, huh?
     -This time, you get a shapestone handed to you, but don’t expect this generosity every time. In the future, you’ll have to find these materials on your own.

Rif: I know that! Looking for materials is one of my jobs as a Craftknight!

V.E: And be careful! If something happened to you, how could I ever apologize to your parents?

Rif: I know! I’ll go out and find the materials I need!

V.E: Oh, getting fired up, are we? It is by that hammer that you will forge your self as a woman!

Rif: Oohh!

V.E: Well, I’ll be waiting back home.

(begins walking off, but pauses)

V.E: I really am glad. Rif really can get up the right spirit when she wants to. So long as I can get her motivated, that is. That old ‘candy and whip’ routine really works wonders.
    -I wonder… just what will we see? Rob, I promise you: we won’t give up!

(walks off screen)

Rif: All right! I’ll get going, too!

//Translator’s Notes: The “candy and whip” mentioned at the end refers to a Japanese saying: basically, that the best way to keep people in line is to punish them severely when they step out of line, but reward them with sweetness when they obediently do what they are told.

Also, I have no idea what V.E is talking about with “the rock of her soul.” In fact, I’
m not even certain she said rock. She could have just as easily said lock. But, given the mention of it in later game-days, Im fairly certain its the former.//

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