Gerard/Stories
Alk and Light discover Gerard risking life and limb to defend wayfarers from a legion of foes. When the noble knight finally collapses from exhaustion, they decide to tend to him back in Starview Village.
Alk: Hey, that place the Guild was talking about... It was around here, right?
Light: Yes. I sense that there many monsters about. We must hurry and get the villagers to safety.
???: HAAAH! A true knight has arms of steel! And a heart of gold!
Alk: What was that?
???: Eclaire Lance!
???: Hah-hah-hah! Coming at me in numbers, are you?! But I shan't be cowed! "A true knight stands firm, even before the very jaws of death!"
Alk: Wait. Is he planning to fight all those ALONE?! And why is he LAUGHING?!
Light: Alk, draw your sword!
Alk: Huh? Oh, right! Let's do this, Light!
???: Ah... It seems Lady Fortune has graced me with allies! I am most grateful for your aid!
Alk: Phew... It's finally over...
Gerard: I thank you, young man! I am Gerard, of the House of Martel. Call me by my first name, if you wish.
Alk: He's, uh... got quite a pair of lungs on him... I'm Alk, and this is the champion Light.
Gerard: Alk and Light... What fine names! Suitable for two gallant—if rather small—heroes such as yourselves!
Light: ...Why challenge all these monsters on your own? Do you not value your life?
Gerard: Why? Because "a true knight is a bulwark to the people!" It is my duty to protect!
Alk: Protect... who?
Gerard: Well! ...That... is a very good question. Who WAS I protecting?
Alk: Hello?! Are you okay?!
Gerard: I DID meet him last night, after all. He had his family with him. I, er... hope they all managed to find shelter.
Alk: Last night?
Traveler: Sir Knight! D-did you defeat all these on your own?
Gerard: Ahh! Look at that! Right on cue! Are you all right, my good sir?
Traveler: Yes! But I AM sorry, leaving you and scarpering on my own like that.
Gerard: But of course you did! Those monsters would have been enough to strike fear into the heart of any peasant! Now, tell me, are your companions safe?
Traveler: Oh, yes! The missus and children are all in one piece!
Gerard: Good! What a relief to hear!
Gerard: Well, my honorable comrades... Now that I have fulfilled my duty, it is time I bid you farewell.
Traveler: Sir Knight!
Light: He's fine. Just sleeping. It is a miracle he even managed to keep awake this long. He is a most hardy man.
Light: Don't worry. We will look after this knight.
Traveler: Oh thank you, good sirs. And when Sir Knight awakes, give him my thanks as well. My family and I wouldn't be alive, if he hadn't been kind enough to help a stranger in need.
Gerard: Zzz...
Alk: Haha. Just listen to those snores. Bet he's exhausted.
Light: Yes. Even if we hadn't come, I am certain he would have fought to his last breath. Truly, a knight to be admired.
Gerard: "A true knight has arms of steel! And a heart of gold..."
Gerard: Zzz...
Alk: Yeah... I think I'm torn between admiration... and just finding him kind of weird.
Alk and company drive boars away from a farming village. Gerard displays an intimate understanding of provincial life that leads Light to question his upbringing.
Alk: *sigh* Well, this isn't good...
Gerard: I SHALL SET IT RIGHT!
Alk: You don't even know what's wrong!
Gerard: So I don't! But I do know that something troubles you, Alk. I shall clear it up forthwith!
Alk: Oh, uh, thanks... Okay, so the problem is, the Guild wants us to take down this monster, but it's pretty far.
Alk: I'm talking days of trekking in the wilderness before we get there. But all of our fighters who are used to roughing it are busy right now.
Gerard: A battle against a dastardly beast, you say? Ahh... Even now, I can hear the cries of distress... Like cacophonous music to my ears...
Gerard: Very well! I shall join the quest to fell this vile creature! Consider your worries over, Alk!
Alk: You're gonna march the whole distance in that armor? Oh, wait, no... You must have a horse!
Alk: Knights ride horses! Duh. It's how you all go on those long campaigns, right?
Gerard: ...
Gerard: I'd, er... prefer NOT to go by horse...
Alk: Why not? It's a heck of a lot faster than going by foot.
Gerard: I-I... Well, er... But... But what about you?! You would arrive days after me!
Gerard: No, no. We go by carriage. No one charges ahead, and no one gets left behind. It's perfect. Yes. We simply MUST go by carriage!
Alk: Yeah, I guess you have a point... All right, Gerard! By carriage it is, then!
Gerard: Splendid! Fear not, helpless citizens, for help is coming!
Village Head: Kind sirs! Thank you greatly for comin' out to our humble little village!
Alk: Sure... No problem. We climbed over two mountains to get here, but... Who doesn't love a good hike?
Gerard: You have a lovely village, good sir. The vegetables in the field are thriving. Products of rich soil, no doubt!
Village Head: Got an eye for soil, do you, Sir Knight? Yes, our lovely dirt is the pride and joy of our village!
Village Head: But don't listen to me, ramblin' on about filth. You'll be wantin' to know what the mission is. See, there's been a great big boar about who's been wreckin' our fields!
Light: So we're here to defeat a boar then, and not a monster.
Gerard: No, my good champion. You must not speak lightly of the boar. It is a foul and vicious beast!
Gerard: It feeds upon all that lies or stands beneath the sun. It can devour all a village's fields in a day, or a mountain's roots, leaves, and shrooms overnight!
Gerard: With its snout, it can raze the paddies and fields, filling in ditches that do bring water to the vegetables, or trampling tender sprouts with its hooves.
Gerard: Boars are a scourge! A pestilence that must be cured!
Alk: You, uh... sure have me convinced.
Light: ...
Village Head: So you're acceptin' the quest, then? Perfect! Now let me lead you to where the rotter's been—
Villager: I-It's back! The boar's come back!
Village Head: Sir... Sir Knight!
Gerard: Yes. Worry not, old man! A boar or two is no match for—
Giant Boar: SQUEEEEEE!
Alk: It's huuuge!
Villager: Good luck, sirs! Good luck!
Light: Careful! That is no mere animal!
Gerard: Calm yourself, my good champion. I have faced boars of this girth in battle before.
Gerard: Boars are ravaging whirlwinds of destruction. However, I must say...
Giant Boar: Squee?!
Gerard: Their meat is most delicious! Boar stew is on the menu tonight, my good sirs!
Giant Boar: Squeee...
Gerard: Victory is mine! Now what say we bring the creature home, flush out its blood, and have ourselves a feast?
Alk: Whoa... One-hit K.O...
Light: Gerard... I've been thinking...
Gerard: What of?
Light: You know much about boars, and the havoc they wreak. Are you from a farming village yourself?
Gerard: Su-surely you must be jesting! I'm a knight, through and through! I was raised in a great house, in an even greater city!
Gerard: Now, come! We mustn't tarry any longer! The good citizens of Starview Village are waiting for us!
Light: Strange...
Alk: Huh? I mean, yeah. He's always been strange.
Light: Yes, but... Perhaps I said something I shouldn't have.
Alk: Gerard! Hold up! Home's in the opposite direction!
Gerard reveals that he is no more than a farmer's son, borrowing the title and armor of a knight now deceased. He is about to lay down his lance forever when Alk reminds him of his own creed, "A true knight is a bulwark to the people."
Gerard: I can't believe Light noticed... I suppose it's time then...
Gerard: Light, Alk, Stella... I'm sorry...
Gerard: I'm sorry for lying to you this whole time...
Gerard: I loved this village. I loved the people in it...
Gerard: But I have to let it all go...
Alk: Huh? Gerard? Where are you going?
Gerard: What?! How'd you know it was me?
Alk: Uh... Because it IS you?
Gerard: Yeah, but my armor's off!
Alk: Hunh. Yeah, you're right. Maybe I recognized your voice or something.
Alk: Actually, now that you mention it... Why IS your armor off?
Gerard: You know the answer to that...
Alk: I do? ...Mm? Hey, now that I've gotten a good look at your face... You're actually pretty young, Gerard! You're like, maybe, a few years older than me?
Gerard: *sniff* *sniffle* WAAAH! Oh, Alk! Can you ever, EVER forgive me?
Gerard: A long time ago, there lived a farmer's second son. He grew up in a poor little village, and had nary a penny to his name.
Alk: We're, uh... talking about you, right, Gerard?
Gerard: One day, the farmer's son met a knight in the woods.
Alk: We're talking about YOU, RIGHT, GERARD?!
Gerard: The knight was sorely wounded. It was clear that, before much time passed, death would come and take him.
Alk: ...
Gerard: The knight told the farmer's son to take his lance, armor, and name.
Gerard: He would pose as the knight returning from the underworld. He would not have to fight, or even say a word. His presence alone would have the knight's foes trembling in fear.
Gerard: On that day, one Gerard of the house of Martel died... And a new one was born.
Alk: Whoa... That's epic.
Gerard: Epic?! What's epic about taking someone's armor and playing knight?! What's epic about lying?!
Gerard: I haven't a drop of noble blood in me! My family's been farmers for generations! I'm a sham, and nothing more!
Alk: Blood? What does blood have do with anything?
Gerard: Well, er... Only nobles can become knights, you know.
Alk: No, I DIDN'T know.
Gerard: How could you not...
Alk: "A true knight has arms of steel, and a heart of gold!"
Alk: What else do you always say? "A true knight stands firm, even before the very jaws of death!"
Alk: You've said a lot of things about knights... But I don't remember a single quote about blood or nobles or anything.
Gerard: Yes... You're right, but...
Light: Alk!
Light: Gerard too! We received a message from the Guild. Monsters have managed to slip into town.
Light: The people of Papebra are in danger! We must go to their aid!
Gerard: ...!
Alk: Let's move out, Gerard!
Gerard: "A true knight is a bulwark to the people!"
Gerard: I am Gerard of the house of Martel! I am a friend to the weak, and a light in the dark! I am all that a knight should be!
Gerard: And I am terribly sorry, Alk... I nearly strayed from my path, but the peril has passed!
Alk: Great! I don't get why you're apologizing, but we really have go!
Gerard: (O brave Sir Knight... No... Comrade, friend. Hear me now.)
Gerard: (From this moment onwards, I dedicate your lance... and my life... to protecting the innocent.)