Floretta/Stories
Alk and co. join the mercenary Floretta to investigate a series of attacks on pirate vessels. Despite her attempts to mislead the others, it's clear to all that Floretta is the wanted vigilante. Recognizing good intentions behind her clumsy execution, the crew invite her to Starview.
Alk: Uhhh... Guess we just wait here then?
Nimbus: This job's from those pirates, right? Bet you this is gonna be a royal pain in the fur.
Alk: Well, we already accepted, so we're stuck with it now.
Stella: Are you okay?
Beastfolk Girl: Ahaha, sorry about that!
Beastfolk Girl: Oh! Are you the ones who're gonna help with the investigation?
Alk: Yeah. I take it you're Floretta. The other pirates aren't with you?
Floretta: Nope, they pulled rank and pushed everything onto me.
Floretta: Not that I'm a part of their crew anymore.
Light: ...You aren't a member of the Crimson Blades?
Floretta: No, I'm a mercenary working for the Gaean Navy. But a long time ago, I served a short stint under Captain Marina.
Floretta: I haven't seen her since, though...
Floretta: But, you know her. Ahaha, I bet she's doing just fine, wherever she is...
Light: In any case, what exactly will we be doing? We only heard that we're assisting an investigation on Oceanus.
Floretta: Right, sorry! Please wait a moment.
Floretta: We're to investigate... glowing bubbles... off the coast of the Floats?
Nimbus: Why did I just hear a question mark? Gimme that.
Alk: It says here that these mysterious bubbles appear out of nowhere and explode to cause serious damage.
Nimbus: The heck? You've gotta be kidding me.
Floretta: We should be fine! It's only been happening in coastal waters and hasn't sunk any ships... yet!
Floretta: A-and they only go after pirate vessels! You know, the kind that really LOOK like they're out to rob someone.
Light: And... how do you know this?
Floretta: Oh, just a hunch, ahaha! I connected some dots, that's all!
Floretta: Look, we've arrived at the scene of the crime!
Light: Everything seems normal at first glance. Is there anything specific we should be looking for?
Floretta: Nope, everything looks normal to me too. Maybe we should call it quits!
Alk: Uh, say what?
Floretta: G-get back, everyone! Leave this to me!
Alk: Thanks, but... Nice, uh, exploding bubbles you got there.
Floretta: Right? I know I don't look it, but I AM a mercenary. I've got a trick or two!
Stella: What an interesting weapon. A blade that makes giant, glowing bubbles. Impressive.
Floretta: Good eye! It's a one-of-a-kind, custom-made by a famous alchemist!
Alk: Wow, Floretta. I'm glad we've got an expert like you to help us investigate the bubbles blowing up pirate ships.
Floretta: Thanks for all your help with the investigation today!
Alk: Er... Hmm... Light, what do we do about this?
Lean Pirate: Heya, thanks for the help. Sorry we couldn't pitch in.
Floretta: Oh, hello! It's been a while, hasn't it?
Burly Pirate: Did you figure anything out?
Alk: Weeell...
Lean Pirate: Guess you noticed too, huh? It's obvious that she's the culprit.
Floretta: H-how did you—uhhh, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about!
Lean Pirate: Sorry, kid, but do you mind taking care of her? You can tell she ain't a bad one.
Burly Pirate: The military's making its move, but she'll be safe with you.
Light: Why did you attack those ships?
Floretta: I wanted to protect the merchants from pirates...
Floretta: It wasn't an order from the navy.
Lean Pirate: Man, if you coulda taken on all those ships by yourself, you shoulda just stayed on with the Crimson Blades.
Burly Pirate: Uhh, 'member all the stuff she messed up? She's dumber than ME.
Stella: I understand the situation now. Floretta, we will watch over you.
Nimbus: You always pick up strays without thinking it through... Not that I've got a right to complain about it.
Nimbus: Welcome to the family, Explodey Girl.
Floretta: S-sorry to be a bother, but I appreciate it...
Floretta: A-are we in another world?! Somebody pinch me...
Floretta: Is it really okay for me to be here? I've caused you so much trouble already.
Alk: This isn't our first pirate rodeo. Besides, we've got plenty of troublemakers with us already. What's one more?
Floretta: Ack... Sorry, guys, I'll do my best not to mess anything up.
Floretta returns to her world to wrap up a few jobs, but gets arrested after blowing up a market while trying to stop a purse-snatching pirate. Nimbus and co. manage to break her out of jail, only to be met with the purse-snatching pirates. A few bubbles later, the group makes their escape, thanks to Floretta's explosive efforts.
Floretta: Er... I swear, I didn't do anything.
Prison Guard: Listen, little lady. You were blowing up the market in broad daylight. Just come clean.
Floretta: That wasn't on purpose! I was trying to catch a purse snatcher, and...
Prison Guard: All right, that's enough of that. The higher-ups will decide what to do with you, regardless of what you say here.
Floretta: *sigh* Why do I always end up in these kinds of situations?
Floretta: I guess in the end I'm not fit for work or fighting...
Nimbus: Didn't take you to be a quitter. Where's your usual energy?
Floretta: Guys? How did you get in here?
Alk: Those Crimson Blade friends of yours helped us, though it took a bit of time.
Floretta: Oh... I'm sorry you had to go through the trouble.
Alk: Hey, don't sweat it. More importantly, we gotta get you out of here.
Alk: I think we're in the clear now.
Floretta: Ahaha...
Floretta: I'm so, so sorry you had to bail me out!
Nimbus: Why didn't you say something before you left town? You know you're a wanted person in this neck of the woods.
Floretta: I just... didn't want to cause you any more trouble.
Nimbus: And? Why'd you come here of all places?
Floretta: I wanted to clear out some jobs I never finished.
Floretta: Right when I wrapped everything up and tried to head home, I came across some pirates that were up to no good.
Floretta: Ahaha... I couldn't help it. I beat them up with a few explosions and got arrested.
Floretta: Ehehe... Sorry.
Alk: You know we would've been happy to help you get that work done.
Alk: But you have to tell us what's going on so we can give you a helping hand.
Floretta: Yeah...
Alk: Wait—were we followed?!
Nimbus: Not by the guys in uniform by the looks of it.
Crewmate: You got us good earlier, girlie.
Floretta: Y-you're...
Crewmate: It was just a little purse snatching, but you just had to go and make a mess of it.
Crewmate: Thanks to you, those killjoys are after me too!
Floretta: Uh-oh...
Nimbus: Take this!
Floretta: My sword!
Nimbus: You've got this!
Floretta: Raaaahhhhh!
Alk: That's the Floretta we know.
Nimbus: Heck yeah it is. Good job, Explodey Girl.
Floretta: Wh-what?
Floretta: I did a good job?
Alk: We're hooome!
Stella: Welcome back. Did everything work out fine?
Alk: Yep, thanks to Floretta.
Stella: Thank goodness.
Floretta: Ahaha, you must've been pretty worried, huh?
Floretta: It was my fault for going alone. I'm super sorry...
Nimbus: Quit apologizin'. If I never hear another sorry, it'll be too soon.
Nimbus: Just say you'll call on us next time. You don't have to go at it alone, you know.
Floretta: Right.
Floretta: Next time then.
After Floretta pushes herself too hard and faints, Alk and Stella take her out for a day off. They try to get to know Floretta better while going fishing, learning that she left home to run away from her problems. Alk and Stella reassure her that they'll be there for her no matter her issues, which moves Floretta greatly.
Floretta: *pant* I did it!
Nimbus: You sure did.
Nimbus: Went a little wild while you were at it too.
Alk: Gotta pace yourself, or else you'll end up falling flat on your face again!
Floretta: Nuh-uh! I can still keep going! Let's gooo!
Stella: Good morning, Floretta.
Floretta: Ugh... I did it again, didn't I?
Alk: It's okay, don't worry about it.
Stella: The most important thing is that you are unharmed.
Floretta: Ahaha, I'm such a screw-up, huh?
Floretta: Even in the past, I—
Floretta: A-ahaha, anyway, this is just another day in my life! Sorry about the griping!
Stella: Floretta, you were born on a northern island in your world, right?
Floretta: Yeah, a volcanic one in the northern part of Oceanus. Why?
Stella: I just wanted to learn more about you.
Alk: Now that Stella mentions it, you don't really talk much about yourself, huh?
Floretta: I don't mind, but... I'm not that interesting of a person.
Alk: We're not here to judge. Besides, we've got some time to kill.
Alk: Actually, why don't we go do something fun?
Floretta: Uh... What should I do?
Alk: Hmm, how about fishing? Here, come take over.
Floretta: You want ME to fish?
Alk: Yeah, go for it!
Floretta: Uhhhh, do I just... hold the rod?
Alk: Yep, that's all you gotta do right now! Is this your first time?
Floretta: Yeah... I've never really had anyone show me how to before.
Alk: Eh, it's something you can wing, honestly.
Stella: Alk, am I stacking the firewood correctly?
Floretta: *sigh* Is it really okay for me to be relaxing like this?
Floretta: Mmm, at least the wind feels nice—
Floretta: U-uh...
Floretta: H-heeelp!
Alk: Whoa, this one feels big!
Stella: This isn't good. At this rate...
Floretta: Hold oooon!
Alk: You sure this is your first time? This thing's HUGE!
Stella: What he said.
Stella: Heavy...
Floretta: Heh... Hehe... Hahaha.
Alk: So you inherited your sword from an alchemist.
Floretta: A whimsical one, at that. Didn't even tell me how to use the thing, so I got owned the first time I tried it out...
Alk: I know you said you're from a northern island. Was it cold?
Floretta: It sure was. Covered in snow all year round. Apparently in the past, it was just barren mountain peaks as far as the eye could see.
Floretta: My village relied on a big boiler to keep things running, but because of that, we couldn't support too many people. It was a pretty hard place to live.
Alk: Huh... Life must've been really different there.
Stella: Why did you decide to leave home, Floretta?
Floretta: Why...
Floretta: That's a good question.
Floretta: I don't remember, but I get the feeling I was running away.
Stella: What were you running from?
Floretta: Everything. I run from all my problems...
Floretta: Just like when I sunk the Captain's ship.
Floretta: Ahaha... I quit then and there.
Floretta: It wasn't like I didn't try. I know I'm less competent than everyone else, so I did my best.
Floretta: But my best is never enough to keep people from leaving me.
Stella: We're still with you.
Alk: That's right. You're plenty amazing already, in my humble opinion.
Stella: Yes. That large fish is proof.
Floretta: Gosh... I don't know what to say.
Stella: We're here for you whenever you need us.
Floretta: Ahaha... I might actually take you up on that.
Stella: Especially Alk. He'll do whatever you want.
Alk: Hey now... Within reason, okay?
Floretta: Duly noted. Thanks, you two. This means a lot to me.