Melmyna/Stories
A young girl with prominent bangs completely obscuring her eyes is being accosted by an unruly gang of drunkards in a Palpebran bar. Alk and co. attempt to help, but she lays waste to her assailants with ease. She reveals that she's too shy to look other people in the eyes and requests Nimbus's help in overcoming this problem.
Alk: Hmm... Should we get the chicken or the pork?
Nimbus: What's it matter? Everything here tastes the same anyway, just hurry up 'n pick!
Alk: They DO go a bit overboard with the seasoning here...
Light: Something odd is going on over there...
Rowdy Drunk: Hey little lady, what're you doin' all alone here? Why don't you come with us? We'll keep ya company.
Rowdy Drunk: You're an adventurer, aren't you? You'll get yourself killed jumpin' into the Kaleidoscope all by your lonesome. We'll escort ya!
Melmyna: Um... that... I don't...
Alk: What a bunch of slimebags... We should do something about this.
Nimbus: That's not all, Alk! Look closer.
Rowdy Drunk: What's with those bangs, huh? Not showing off those pretty eyes of yours is such a waste! Come on, don't be shy—
Melmyna: N-no! I... I don't... want...
Nimbus: Yo! They're goin' after your stuff.
Rowdy Drunk: Goddamn—
Melmyna: Huh?! Stop that right away!
Alk: Whoa!
Melmyna: Give it back!
Alk: Hold on a second, I didn't—
Nimbus: Watch out, Alk!
Alk: Take a deep breath, all right? Do you hear me? Or rather, can you see me?
Nimbus: Watch where you're swingin' that damn thing already!
Melmyna: O-oh! I'm... I'm so s-sorry!
Light: So you mean to say... that you can't look people in the eye?
Melmyna: Y-yes. I don't know why, it's just... terribly embarrassing for me.
Alk: No need to be embarrassed! Especially when you know your way around a spear like that—wow.
Melmyna: I can see my feet, so I usually just go off that...
Alk: You... can do all that by just looking at your feet?! That is impressive.
Nimbus: You can swing a stick around, yeah, but you can't even tell who the hell you're attacking! You didn't even know those guys were tryin' to rob you!
Nimbus: You might not be cut out for this, kid.
Melmyna: B-but... I don't want to give up!
Melmyna: I want to overcome this! That's why... that's why I'm wearing these clothes, actually.
Nimbus: Huh?
Melmyna: My master told me to! He said that if I wear these clothes, I'll never run out of sparring partners—that way I'll be able to overcome my shyness...
Alk: W-why is that exactly?
Melmyna: He said it would draw people's attention to me...
Melmyna: I don't mind. Even if there's trouble, I can just beat the crap out of them. It's good practice.
Alk: I have no words.
Melmyna: Yeah... I guess I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me feel like I was being used.
Melmyna: I really can't stand the pervy grins on people's faces either...
Melmyna: But if that's what my master wishes, then so be it. He's helped me out so much, after all.
Nimbus: You don't wanna do this, but you're doin' it just cause this master of yours says so?
Nimbus: That sounds like a load of crap to me.
Melmyna: Yes... just like that!
Nimbus: What?
Melmyna: That brazen I don't care attitude... your blunt way of speaking!
Nimbus: Are you tryin' to pick a fight here?
Melmyna: Please teach me! Teach me how to be rude and brash and to say what I really think!
Alk: Now that you mention it... If anyone can teach you that, it's probably Nimbus.
Nimbus: The hell?
Nimbus: C'mon now, you're givin' Stella the final say?!
Stella: We'd love to have you on the team, Melmyna.
Nimbus: There it is... I had a feelin' that was gonna happen...
Melmyna: Thank you so much! Mr. Nimbus, I'm looking forward to learning from you!
Nimbus: I don't remember agreein' to this!
Nimbus begins training with Melmyna, but she makes little progress. Desiring a challenge against a real opponent, the gang decides to pit her against some local pirates. While fighting them, Melmyna is finally able to open her eyes—though she gets a little overzealous while beating up her opponent. The gang wonder if they've awoken a monster.
Melmyna: Hyah!
Nimbus: How many times do I gotta tell you? Look. Me. In. The. Eyes!
Melmyna: OK!
Nimbus: All right, that's enough for today.
Nimbus: If you can't see your opponent's eyes, how're you supposed to find the right moment to pounce?
Nimbus: Plus, I can see you shakin' the whole time, hesitatin'. Hits that should land, don't.
Melmyna: I'm s-sorry... I had you go through all this trouble to help me, but I still can't do anything right...
Alk: You still can't look him in the eyes?
Melmyna: No... Maybe this training isn't very effective after all.
Melmyna: My master DID say that I'd only overcome this by testing myself in real combat.
Nimbus: Real combat? Who do you expect would just be willin' to fight you at the drop of a hat?
Nimbus: Wait, there might actually be people willing to do that...
Alk: The pirates!
Nimbus: Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'. They're likely to just go chargin' in on their own against her.
Nimbus: They might be pretty good sparrin' partners.
Melmyna: D-do I absolutely have to?
Nimbus: Huh? You were JUST talking about how keen you were to fight.
Melmyna: B-but... owww, my stomach hurts all of a sudden!
Nimbus: Dealin' with you is provin' to be quite the hassle...
Nimbus: Melmyna. You ARE strong. There's zero doubt about that. Seein' you move, that much is clear.
Nimbus: How long are you gonna go 'round pretendin' to be weak? I'm tired of seein' it.
Melmyna: I... I...
Light: The pirates! They're coming!
Melmyna: Leave it to me! I'll look them in the eyes and fight! This time I'll do it.
Nimbus: You go out there and kick some ass!
Melmyna: I will! I'll try!
Pirate: Yar, if you care for your life, you'll be handing all that sweet cargo over to me!
Melmyna: Look them in the eyes... Look them in the eyes...
Pirate: What's this? A girl? Are YOU supposed to be our opponent?
Melmyna: I'm gonna pulverize you!
Pirate: W-what?!
Melmyna: I did it?! I can't believe it—I did it!
Melmyna: Nimbus, Nimbus, did you see? I... actually looked at him before I took him out!
Alk: Well she seems proud of herself.
Pirate: You stupid girl!
Melmyna: Hahaha, yes, yes, just like that!
Melmyna: Yay! Yay! Yay!
Nimbus: Uh, Mel, are you sure you're not overdoin' it there?
Melmyna: No problem! I'm looking them in the eyes, after all!
Melmyna: I guess we're finished! That was fast...
Melmyna: I finally managed to stare them down, so I was hoping it would last a little bit longer...
Melmyna: But they all went and surrendered!
Melmyna: Oh well. I'll just have to look forward to my next battle!
Alk: We... might have unleashed something dangerous here, huh.
Nimbus: None of my business. I don't wanna think about it.
Alk: Nimbus, you're the one who taught her to do this!
Nimbus: Not my monkey, not my circus!
Melmyna takes on monsters, but can't seem to recapture the spark from her previous pirate encounter. She loses confidence, but regains it when she encounters a group of thieves. Ecstatic to be up against human enemies again, Melmyna finds fulfillment.
Melmyna: Hya!
Melmyna: Grr, take this!
Light: Excellent, that seems to be the last of them.
Nimbus: Still no sign of the thief hideout the request mentioned...
Light: We should be getting quite close. Let's take a short break in the meantime and—
Light: Melmyna? What's wrong?
Melmyna: Oh, um, it's nothing. No big deal or anything.
Melmyna: You saw me fighting back there, right? Was there anything unusual about it?
Light: Unusual? Not at all. You moved with grace and agility! You managed to overcome your inability to look people in the eyes, after all.
Alk: Yeah, it's a world of a difference from when we first met you!
Melmyna: Really? If you say so...
Nimbus: Well, I guess you were lackin' somewhat in vigor this time 'round.
Nimbus: But that's understandable—these monsters weren't as strong as those pirates you faced before.
Melmyna: Perhaps, yeah. Maybe that fight with the pirates was just a fluke after all?
Alk: I don't think so, you—
Man's Voice: H-help me! Somebody help!
Nimbus: Over there! Let's go!
Melmyna: OK!
Traveler: Aaaah! Somebody please—
Flustered Bandit: It's no use! Ain't nobody gonna hear you 'round here!
Flustered Bandit: What's this? Did the Guild send you here?!
Traveler: Aahh! Thank you! Thank you so much!
Light: There's far more of them than I thought. Alk, Nimbus, stay in formation and don't split up!
Melmyna: In that case... Please look after the villagers!
Melmyna: I'll take care of these no-good thieves. ALL of them!
Flustered Bandit: Huh? A little brat like you is gonna take all of us on? Don't make me laugh.
Light: Melmyna, wait! It's far too dangerous to—
Nimbus: I have a feelin' she'll be fine.
Alk: Yep, just sit back and watch.
Light: What?!
Melmyna: Hehe. Well, let's get to it then!
Melmyna: Aha!
Light: Oh my.
Nimbus: I get it now. She only gets fired up like that when she's facing off against another person.
Alk: Yep... It's gotta be the terrified expression in their eyes. I think that motivates her.
Flustered Bandit: Ahh! Stop! Please!
Melmyna: Is that all? Come on, you can still fight! Just a liiiittle bit longer, please!
Traveler: She's really letting them have it...
Alk: I recommend looking away! You'll sleep better that way.
Nimbus: Think we should stop her some time soon?
Nimbus: You know, I think I finally get why Mel's master had his eye on her.
Nimbus: That good-for-nothing bastard...
Melmyna: Look at me now, Master! See how strong I've gotten? Hehe.