Dislyte story · Esper Stories
Esper Story: Jiang Man
4 scenes, 242 lines
1. A Tranquil Heart
56 linesNear Utgard: Utgard Sky Bridge
Huh... This is really dragging on.
Target retrieved. Our next mission...
(Jiang Man glances at the schedule, looking a little lost. Jacob steps forward and discovers that they have nothing to do for the next several hours.)
Time for a break? I can finally get a nap.
......
(Jiang Man's feet remain firmly planted on the Sky Bridge as she looks upon the lake in the distance.)
Jiang Man, have you been here before?
......
Jiang Man?
I... I'm not sure. I can't remember anything from before I was an Esper.
(Jacob is a little startled by this revelation. He shakes his head.)
Right then. You may as well get your rest somewhere closer to home.
?
I stumbled on the most marvelous place for a lie-down near here when on a recent mission.
I'll take you for a look. Maybe it'll inspire you.
(Jacob smiles like an excited young boy as he leads Jiang Man away from the Sky Bridge.)
Raine Tundra: Near the Ice Lake
(The water glitters under the dazzling afternoon sun, almost blending the Ice Lake into the glistening snow topped peaks surrounding them.)
Where are we?
The Ice Lake is one of the most famous scenic spots near Utgard.
And yet there's no one here?
That was before the Miracles came, of course.
Almost nobody dares to come here nowadays because of the Miramon.
So this has become my favorite spot when I get missions in Utgard.
(Jiang Man goes quiet as she stares at the gently rippling waters across the lake. She's trying to recall something, and yet isn't quite sure what it is.)
Inspired?
I... can't say that I am.
But I can see the appeal.
Right! Quiet and refreshing. Great place for a nap.
Ahhh! I'm so tired, I'm gonna hit the hay. Don't wake me up unless it's important.
(Jacob lies down against the great serpent that accompanies him and is soon fast asleep.)
......
(Half an hour later...)
(Jiang Man is standing quietly by the Ice Lake. Suddenly a Miramon breaks the serenity of the still waters with a roar.)
*ROAR*
(Just as Jacob said...)
(Jiang Man steals a glance at Jacob, who remains fast asleep.)
(Should I wake him up?)
*ROAR*
(The rapidly approaching Miramon leaves little time for further rumination. Jiang Man springs into action.)
Away with you!
*Growl*
(Jiang Man expertly dispatches the Miramon. Strange new thoughts come flooding into her mind.)
What was I doing just then?
I was trying to... protect him?
(Jiang Man takes another look at Jacob who is still blissfully asleep. The sight conjures up some strange, difficult-to-describe emotion within her heart.)
What's going on...
(Nightfall...)
Ahh! What a good rest.
Eh? You're still here?
You're up. Then let's go.
(Jiang Man brushes the snow off her skirt, and turns to leave.)
So what do you think? Perfect spot for a pleasant evening, eh?
(Jiang Man turns around again, eyeing Jacob with a blank expressionless face.)
Not bad.
2. The Taste of Memories
58 linesShadow Decree: Shadow Decree Kitchen, Logistics Division
......
(Jiang Man slows her pace as she passes the Shadow Decree kitchen. Perhaps it's because she hasn't eaten since the start of her last mission, or maybe it's the delicious aromas emanating from the kitchen, but her stomach starts rumbling.)
Jiang Man?
Dinner? Perfect timing!
(Lynn pops her head out from behind the door and welcomes Jiang Man warmly.)
I'm fine. I'll eat later.
No problem! We're cooking up a massive meal for everyone, you're welcome to have some, of course.
What do you usually eat? I'll whip it up for you now.
......
I'm not quite sure.
Eh? Not quite sure what you like, or?
I can't recall anything from before I was an Esper. I'm not really sure what I like and what I don't.
(Jiang Man responds calmly, and then turns to depart with a respectful nod of the head in Lynn's direction.)
(Lynn approaches Jiang Man and takes her hand.)
Hold on a second. You're here now. Come on, try some of my handiwork.
Surely you've gotta be hungry by now, right?
......
(Lynn pulls up her sleeves and makes a "You can do it!" pose for Jiang Man.)
Just wait at this table and I'll have something amazing for you in a jiffy!
(Jiang Man allows herself to be seated at one of the nearby tables. Her stomach gives another rumble. All she can do at this point is listen to the noise of Lynn clanging pots and pans in the kitchen and stare at the table directly in front of her.)
There's a hole in it.
(Two hours later...)
Sorry for the wait!
......
(Lynn emerges carrying one beautifully presented dish after another, each of which she places on the table until there is hardly any space left.)
I can't eat all this.
That's alright! You can just try a mouthful from each dish.
Since you weren't sure exactly what you like, I decided to make a bit of everything.
Wouldn't it be great if this refreshed your memory?
(Lynn bounces her arms off her chest reassuringly in the face of Jiang Man's bewilderment.)
Relax, I won't let this food go to waste.
...Uh-huh.
(Jiang Man savors a morsel from each dish as Lynn watches excitedly.)
It's a signature Gyrate dish! The cheese dog! It's just as good as that food truck in Amuse Street. You know, they have crowds lining up a mile long.
...A family fried chicken and quiche recipe out of Woodsville. What do you think? I hope I didn't add too much salt and pepper...
Oh, you might want to be a bit careful with that one! It's got a lot of chili! It's a classic spicy hotpot from Tangton. Can I get you a glass of water?
(Jiang Man goes through each dish, sampling every flavor as Lynn provides a running commentary on the food.)
(Jiang Man's expression shifts slightly as she comes to the soup.)
What's this?
A specialty from the Sunrise Isles, a "Winter Stew". It's full of delicious nutrients. They say it's good for you if you're not feeling well...
(Something about Lynn's explanation seems to trigger a memory from deep within Jiang Man.)
It seems so familiar.
Oh? Where do you think you could have had it before?
There's something very... warm about it.
(Jiang Man serves up a large ladle's worth of the Winter Stew, but gives it to Lynn to try.)
...Each mouthful really warms you up!
(Jiang Man stares at Lynn, and then shakes her head.)
It doesn't just warm your body, but here too.
(Jiang Man raises her hands to her chest and gives her heart a light tap.)
(Lynn smiles although she is a little taken aback.)
I think I found my favorite food.
(Lynn approaches Jiang Man for a hug.)
Even if your memories never come back, you can always make new ones, right?
(Lynn winks at Jiang Man as she serves up another ladle.)
I often cook this dish. If you like, you're welcome to come and have it with me whenever.
(Jiang Man doesn't respond. There's something wonderful about this moment that she hopes will last forever.)
Thank you, Lynn. This has been a wonderful dinner.
3. Golden Spider Lily
58 linesShadow Decree: Office
There you are, Jiang Man!
What's up?
(Lynn waves at Jiang Man enthusiastically.)
Want a bite to eat?
......
Or would you like to come for a walk?
......
You want to go out?
(Lynn has been using any excuse to drop by and check on Jiang Man since Jiang Man revealed she has lost her memories.)
(Jiang Man may not be entirely sure of Lynn's intentions, but is certain she doesn't hold ulterior motives.)
(Thus she's been forced to come up with new, more polite ways of declining Lynn's invites.)
I'm not really one to go out.
......
(Jiang Man shakes her head politely in Lynn's direction, and gets ready to leave the office for a breath of fresh air.)
Near the Shadow Decree: The Grove
(Jiang Man stumbles on a rather unexpected bed of flowers in the little grove next to the Shadow Decree building.)
...?
These flowers seem very similar to the flower tattooed over my left eye...
(Jiang Man approaches the garden and carefully evaluates the flowers floating gently in the breeze. The petals dance up and down with the wind as if about to fly away at a moment's notice.)
I wonder what kind of flowers these are?
Golden spider lilies.
(It's Lynn speaking, she's standing a short distance behind Jiang Man. She looks at the flowers with an unusual expression of heartfelt care.)
They're so beautiful, like a rosy sunset.
Actually, I planted these golden spider lilies. I did it after seeing the flower over your eye.
Culturally, golden spider lilies signify "elegance and purity". So in some ways, they really suit you!
......
Oh, I'm sorry! I hope I'm not being too forward here. Perhaps this isn't a great topic for you right now.
It is.
Oh?
Go on.
(Lynn takes a moment to steady herself in the face of Jiang Man's surprising interest in the topic.)
I can't say I know a great deal about golden spider lilies. I've just picked up a few things here and there.
(Jiang Man looks intensely at Lynn, her face is expressionless, but Lynn somehow senses that Jiang Man wishes her to continue.)
Uh... Most plants flower and grow branches and leaves together.
But this lily doesn't. Its leaves and its flowers develop at different times.
Since its leaves and flowers never grow together, some people call it the "faithless plant".
Faithless plant...
But I don't think there's anything faithless about it.
There is something perhaps lonely about them, in a symbolic sort of way.
What do you think?
(Jiang Man isn't quite sure how to react to Lynn's question, her opinion having rarely been solicited in the past. Jiang Man remains silent for a moment before answering.)
Either they don't grow together because they don't want to see each other. Or...
They can't see each other.
(Jiang Man thinks of the shadowy figure etched deep in her consciousness, far beyond any place that she can see with her left eye.)
Although they never meet, they surely must long for one another.
That's what I've always thought.
(Jiang Man unconsciously rubs the scar around her left eye as she stares at Lynn.)
Perhaps... you could give me some of these lilies?
!!!
If you would like me to, of course.
(Lynn cautiously unearths some lilies, locates an appropriate pot, and then transfers them.)
I was also wondering, where do you think you'll keep it?
Golden spider lilies are very sensitive to sunlight, but they also need some exposure, so they can't be too secluded either.
Just enough natural lighting should be fine.
(Jiang Man takes the beautiful-looking golden spider lilies from Lynn's hands.)
...I'll place them by my bed.
(Maybe under their protection I can get a glimpse of that enigmatic figure in my dreams even if he disappears when I wake.)
4. A Strange Popularity
70 linesShadow Decree: Tearoom
(The Shadow Decree building is abuzz with an unusually festive atmosphere. The Solstice Festival is approaching rapidly. Everyone is preparing to celebrate.)
Jeanne, if you want to make this piece happen, we'll need a drummer... Or we could change songs?
No, I want to do this one. Can't we just try to find someone?
But... Who do we know who plays drums?
There's a little over a week until the Solstice. Heck, even if they can't play, I have enough time to teach them.
(Jeanne scans the tearoom. Something about Jiang Man's expressionless face gets her attention.)
Jiang Man, are you interested in joining our band?
This is a band?
Yep. We're doing a show to celebrate the Solstice, and we're one person short. Are you interested?
I'm not interested in performing.
Do you know how to play the drums? It doesn't matter if you don't. I can teach you.
I have no idea. It really doesn't interest me.
Really? Okay, but, no interest isn't the same as hate, is it?
No.
Then there's a chance I can press you into the best rock and roll band in Grandis because we need you!
......
Alright...
(Day of the Solstice Festival.)
Shadow Decree: Celebration
(This is Jiang Man's first time on a stage since awakening from her memory loss-inducing transformation. She quietly observes Jeanne and the way she is able to vocalize the music.)
Life is hard, but we keep marching on.
We break our shackles, we break our chains.
Masters of our fate, captains of our ship.
That's who we are, that's who we are!
(Jeanne finishes her song, and then looks over to Jiang Man, her face still expressionless.)
You can express yourself any way you want with music. Isn't that cool?
......
I have nothing to express, so I have no feelings.
......
So is your attitude to life is expressed in your drumming?
Of course not. Drumming is just a form of art.
But you can immerse yourself in your music, let yourself go through the sticks, express your being in its primeval state.
That's music.
I still don't quite understand.
Well then, why don't you give it a try?
?
Up til now, you've been following my direction. Of course, that won't help you feel much of anything.
So I'm taking away the rulebook. Just follow the music and see how you want to play it. What do you think?
But I haven't practiced.
Don't worry. This is a Decree-only invite event. People are just here to have fun...
It doesn't matter if it's a great show or not.
Alright... but I don't want to disappoint you.
Let's wait and see.
(Jiang Man sits behind the drum kit near Jeanne.)
(The music rises up gradually around her. Jiang Man tries to do as Jeanne told her and express herself without thinking about what she'd rehearsed or what the audience might think.)
(Something about this song... is very vengeful.)
(Bang... Bang... Jiang Man's hands start moving quickly to the rhythm.)
(Thorny ground, dark sun.)
(Broken life, old gun.)
(Just darkness and then it's done.)
Phew...
(Unlike after Jeanne's performance, the audience is completely quiet. No one says anything for a few moments.)
I knew it...
(Jiang Man doesn't have a chance to say anything before her audience erupts into thunderous applause.)
My goodness! That was marvelous! I knew it, I just knew you had it in you!
I know you lost your memories, but there's just something about the way you sit in front of those drums. I knew you could do it.
We've got "mind memory" and "muscle memory". And muscle memory marches to the beat of its own drum.
Really?
(Jiang Man looks down at her audience. Something out of the corner of her eye catches her attention. For a moment, she wonders if it's the figure from her dreams.)
(Several days later...)
Shadow Decree: Tearoom
Jiang Man, Jiang Man!
......
Here you are! So when are you coming back to the band?
Solstice is over.
So that's it? You should know that a lot of people are looking forward to seeing what you do next after that marvelous performance.
?
Plus, I've promised a lot of autographs on your behalf! Come on. Please sign these, there are six of them.
......