Taro/Stories
Quotes
Adventurer Story Episodes
Samurai in Training
Ranzal: That's some impressive armor he's wearin'.
Euden: Ranzal, this is—
Taro: Hiya! I'm... Uh, what I mean is...
Taro: *ahem* My name is Taro. I hail from the country in the east.
Taro: I, uh... I sensed your honorable purpose and, um, decided to lend you my blade!
Taro: I-if you will have me, that is.
Euden: There you have it.
Euden: It's fine by me. What do you think, Ranzal?
Ranzal: Hmmm... Ya wanna help out, huh? I dunno, ya don't look like much of a fighter to me...
Taro: L-looks can be deceiving!
Taro: I have the strength of a dozen— O-of one hundred men!
Ranzal: Ya don't say? How about a sparrin' match, then? Just to show us whatcha can do?
Taro: Wait, against YOU?!
Ranzal: Look sharp, kid, 'cause I ain't holdin' back!
Taro: Gaaaaahh!
Ranzal: What'd ya go and fall over for?
Ranzal: Can ya fight or not?
Taro: I...I dishonor myself...
Taro: The truth is, while I do train regularly, I've never been in an actual fight.
Ranzal: Ya what?! Then ya got no reason to wear that armor!
Taro: I-I know...
Taro: B-but one day, I will become a true samurai!
Ranzal: If you say so. Good armor alone can't make ya a good soldier...
Ranzal: Speakin' of, mind if I get a closer look at yer getup?
Taro: Don't touch my armor!
Taro: This is my most prized possession, inherited from my father! I won't let anyone just manhandle...
Taro: My apologies. That was rude of me.
Taro: U-um... This armor is really important to me, so I would very much appreciate it if you wouldn't touch it.
Ranzal: Gotcha. Sorry 'bout that.
Euden: Well, the way you held yourself to defend against Ranzal just now wasn't bad.
Ranzal: True. Ya might have potential yet, kid. Just gotta dig it out with some trainin'.
Taro: Y-you really think so?! I'll do whatever I have to in order to help! Seriously!
Euden: I take it this means you approve, Ranzal?
Ranzal: Yeah! I'll take him under my wing and train him up till he's leadin' the fight himself.
Ranzal: We'll start with...a hundred laps around the castle, maybe.
Ranzal: Or maybe a full day of fightin' fiends...
Taro: Wh-what have I gotten myself into?!
A Precious Gift
Ranzal: Yer not gonna get strong by runnin' away all the time, Taro!
Ranzal: Just take a breath and fight! Even a kid like you oughta be able to handle this thing. Come on!
Taro: Hngh... I...I'm so ashamed...
Euden: It's all right. Don't be so hard on yourself.
Taro: N-no, I'm fine! I have to get stronger somehow...
Taro: I'm gonna... I will stand and fight!
Ranzal: That's the spirit!
Ranzal: Just in time to take on the next one. Come on, I know ya can do it!
Taro: Gaaah!
Euden: That was great! A flawless parry!
Ranzal: Now that ya got it turned around, aim for its flank!
Taro: O-okay!
Taro: Aaaaahhh!
Ranzal: Wouldja quit runnin' away already?! *sigh* This kid...
Euden: Heh...
Euden: Well, people can't change that quickly. I'll take care of this.
Euden: Hyaaaah!
Taro: That...that was amazing! I wonder if I'll ever be able to fight like that?
Ranzal: First we gotta get ya to stop runnin' away all the time.
Ranzal: What you shoulda done is taken the hit. Let yer armor protect ya, then counter.
Ranzal: Ya don't gotta worry about gettin' hurt when you're wearin' decent armor like that.
Taro: I can't do that! This armor is a precious gift from my father.
Taro: He wore it when he was a samurai, and he passed it to me when I began my travels.
Taro: I can't let any harm come to it.
Ranzal: Whaddya think armor is made to do, kid? Honestly, what a waste'a talent...
Euden: Everyone protects what they hold dear.
Euden: Why don't we figure out another fighting style that better suits you, Taro?
Taro: Thank you. And next time, I swear that I shal— AAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGH!
Taro: M-my armor! It's scratched! That fiend's last attack must have hit me!
Taro: Uuurrrgh...
Ranzal: Did he just keel over from the shock? Yeah, he's got a looong way to go before he'll be anything close to a true samurai.
Euden: Heh. Well, one step at a time, I suppose.
What Do You Want to Protect?
Taro: No matter how much I train, I'm not any closer to becoming a true samurai.
Taro: You gave me such fine armor to wear, but I'm nowhere near worthy of it.
Ranzal: Evenin'!
Taro: Aaahhh! M-Master Ranzal!
Taro: P-please don't sneak up on me like that!
Ranzal: Bwa ha ha! Sorry 'bout that.
Ranzal: Mind scootin' over a tad so I can sit next to ya?
Taro: Why are you here, master?
Ranzal: Whaddya mean, ＂why＂? Look at that moon! Ain't it the prettiest thing ya ever seen?
Ranzal: Ya gotta be a real barbarian not to appreciate a sight like that.
Taro: ......
Ranzal: Hey, kid.
Ranzal: If it's too much for ya to handle, ya don't gotta force yerself to stay here.
Ranzal: Fightin' when ya don't wanna fight is a surefire way to get yerself killed—
Taro: I can't just leave!
Taro: I haven't made any progress at all! I can't go home like this!
Taro: As things are, it's only a matter of time before the violence spreads to my hometown.
Taro: I set out on this journey to get stronger and protect the people I care about.
Taro: ...But it isn't working.
Taro: All I want to do is help people, you know?
Taro: But I can't even get over my damn fear!
Taro: There's no way I can go home when I'm still this much of a coward.
Taro: I can't face my parents like this...
Ranzal: Yer scared of battle, is that it?
Ranzal: Hmph. Nothin' wrong with that. Battles are scary things, after all.
Ranzal: The first time I ever set foot in a war zone, I was so terrified I couldn't move.
Taro: What? I can't imagine you being scared, Master Ranzal!
Ranzal: Well, I'm still scared. Of dying. Sometimes I get so scared, I feel like there's this weight on top of me, crushin' me down.
Ranzal: But if I didn't stand and fight, then the enemy could attack and maybe even kill my friends.
Ranzal: That thought alone is enough to stifle the fear inside me.
Ranzal: I wanna protect the people I care about more than anything. More than I wanna protect my own life, even.
Ranzal: That's what I fight for.
Ranzal: What do you wanna protect, kid? That armor?
Taro: ......
Ranzal: Yer parents sound like good people.
Ranzal: What do ya think was goin' through their minds when they gave ya that armor?
Ranzal: Ah, whoops—didn't realize it was gettin' so late.
Ranzal: Gotta get to bed so I don't oversleep. Don't wanna start the day on Cleo's bad side.
Ranzal: Later, kid. Yer gonna make a fine samurai someday.
Taro: Father, Mother... Why did you give me this armor?
Taro: I don't understand yet...
Taro: But I know, someday, I will!
Stories in Scratches
Taro: Perfect! That takes care of my armor upkeep for the day!
Euden: Hey, Taro.
Euden: That armor really is important to you, isn't it? You check over it so thoroughly every day.
Taro: Yes. It is a family treasure, given to me by my father. It must be treated with the utmost care.
Taro: My parents couldn't believe it when I first told them of my intentions to leave home.
Taro: I've been weak and timid since childhood.
Taro: But they understood my determination and gave me their blessing to set out on this journey.
Euden: We're very lucky they did, or you never would have come to this castle.
Taro: Probably not. The day I left, my father gave me the same armor he once wore.
Taro: I look at this armor and see him polishing it to a shine. He never went a day without cleaning it.
Taro: Knowing how much he cared for this armor, I can't let any harm come to—
Euden: Hm?
Euden: Hey, Taro? Where'd this scratch on the armor come from?
Taro: This? Oh, it isn't a scratch. It's part of the pa... The pa...ttern?
Taro: AAAAUUUGGGH! IT'S A SCRAAAATCH!
Taro: How did this happen? I must have been careless when I was cleaning it!
Taro: Gaaaahh! Don't tell me this part of the pattern is really a scratch, too!
Taro: AAAAUUUGGGGGHHH!
Taro: Father... Mother... Forgive me! I've been a careless fool!
Euden: Er, I don't think it's your fault, Taro.
Euden: Look closely—you can see traces of old repairs all over the armor. See?
Taro: What?
Taro: Hey, you're right. It looks like these were made a long time ago.
Euden: Your father must have fought countless battles in this armor.
Taro: I... I had no idea...
Taro: Those battles must have been fierce, but this armor saw him through.
Taro: Probably saved his life countless times.
Euden: Maybe the reason your father gave you his armor was because he thought it would protect you, too.
Taro: It...could be...
Taro: *sniff* Yet all this time, I've only cared about protecting the armor.
Taro: Master Euden!
Taro: The next time I face the enemy, I swear I won't run away!
Taro: I will fight bravely, like my father!
Taro: I should be protecting the people I care about, not this armor!
Euden: I know you can do it, Taro. I believe in you!
This Armor Protects Others
Bandit B: Gah!
Bandit C: This ain't over yet!
Ranzal: These goons'd be easy to handle if there weren't so many of 'em...
Euden: I think our only choice is to retreat and—
Taro: H-hold it right there, you scoundrels!
Taro: M-my blade is yours, Master Euden!
Ranzal: C'mon, kid, yer shakin' like a leaf! Don't fight if ya ain't up for it.
Taro: I am simply trembling with excitement!
Bandit C: Haw haw! You really don't wanna turn your backs to us!
Taro: Not a chance!
Taro: Hah! You'll have to try harder than that to get through my armor!
Taro: Hyaaaaahhh!
Bandit C: You little brat! You'll pay for that!
Taro: T-try and make me! I d-don't care h-how many of you there are!
Ranzal: Ya don't gotta act all tough, kid.
Euden: But we have the upper hand now that he's here. Come on; let's finish this!
Taro: H-here goes! Hyaaaaahhh!
Ranzal: Nice work, kid! You made it through that entire fight without runnin' away!
Euden: I'm impressed, Taro. We couldn't have done it without you.
Euden: Still, are you all right? I know how much that armor means to you, and it took some heavy blows.
Taro: It's all right.
Taro: I finally realized exactly what it is I'm fighting for.
Taro: My father gave me this armor to help me protect people.
Taro: And it's going to let me do just that!
Taro: My home, my family, my friends... Everyone will be okay!
Euden: That's the spirit, Taro.
Taro: I can't thank the two of you enough.
Taro: You're the reason I've come this far.
Taro: But I'm going to grow even stronger and become a true samurai!
Ranzal: Bwa ha ha! Yer gonna be a force to be reckoned with in no time, kid!
Taro: Y-yeah... N-no time at all!
Euden: You've definitely grown stronger.
Euden: We're glad you're with us, Taro!