Pondering Pyroblossoms

Raid Event: Skyborne Spectacle

Episode 5

Pondering Pyroblossoms

Previous Quest

Valfarre Clash/Beginner

Next Quest

Return to the Spring

Summary

Mana returns to the dragon-vein spring, and Su Fang starts producing pyroblossoms. After a bit, however, Ku Hai claims something is amiss at the spring, forcing the party to rush out there once more.

Dialogue

We made it back, but what happened to Valfarre?! GRAAAAARGH! Horrors! You can even hear it scream all the way in our world! It is likely the beast's death knell. Look! That fissure is closing! That must mean Valfarre is beaten! It feels better here already! We are the best! We are the best! B-E-S-T! B-E-S-T! Ooh hoo hoo! You young'uns really showed this old fart a thing or two today. Look there! The mana's returned. I reckon the spring will be back to normal before long. This means I can now make pyroblossoms! Oh, what a relief... I'm lookin' forward to 'em. Now then, you young'uns head back to town and make sure everything's ready for the big Lunar New Year celebration! What will you do, Peng Lai? Oh, I'll stay here for a bit. Got a little somethin' on my mind, so I do... Don't you worry—I'll be sure to stop by in time for the big shindig! Boy, this place is hopping now! There are many people who return here only for the Lunar New Year, including Xu Fu. He's that Qilin tribe person who founded this town, right? Indeed. He lives a solitary life in the mountains, coming here but once a year. In a way, this Lunar New Year festival also serves as a kind of welcome-home party for him. No wonder this place is crammed to the gills with folks! It's getting me excited just looking at it! It seems Su Fang's decision not to make a fuss about the problem was the right one. Sure was. If they knew fiends had shown, most'a these folks probably woulda turned tail and ran for the hills. He was thinking about the town and the people living in it all along. Su Fang really does love Peng Lai. If you'll excuse me. I have to finish up with the pyroblossoms. Farewell. Annnd...he's outta here. What's got his fireworks in a bunch? Once, Su Fang was known as a man who wouldn't spare a thought for this town. ...Er, or so I've heard. Are we talking about the same Su Fang? I myself have only heard rumors. Apparently he focused on pyroblossoms and ignored all other issues. That's rather hard to believe. Oh? If you're curious, perhaps we should go ask his family about it. I don't know. That seems like more of a busybody thing than I'm comfortable with. My master used to say, ＂Don't think, feel.＂ ...So I'LL go ask instead! Mao. (Don't think. FEEL.) Ain't that sayin' about martial arts? Shall we go then, Lin You? Well, maybe we should tag along. I AM curious about this... ...Mmm, I see. Well, it's true. The only thing that boy used to care a lick about was the quality of his gosh-darned pyroblossoms. He worried about the color, the size... everything! And he fought endlessly with his parents, who were pyroblossom technicians themselves. Fought how? Su Fang wanted to spread pyroblossoms around the world. He wanted people everywhere to enjoy them, not just those from his town. That doesn't sound so bad. But in order to achieve that goal, Su Fang ended up neglecting Peng Lai. He worked on his pyroblossoms so much, he refused to help with the Lunar New Year festival. Oh, his father was furious! ＂You have no idea what the most important thing about pyroblossoms is,＂ he said. ＂No matter how showy or massive they might be, your current work is a failure. No one will ever enjoy them.＂ That day, Su Fang left the village. He actually ran away from home? Apparently he went to other villages and set off his pyroblossoms there. Trying to prove his father wrong, I imagine. I suspect that's what he was intending. And while I don't know what happened in those other towns... Yes? When Su Fang finally returned home, his parents had passed. Oh no... They perished in a pyroblossom accident, and their workshop burned to the ground. Ever since, Su Fang has been a different person—one totally devoted to the town. So that's why he changed... While we're delighted to see the people of the town rely on him, we also can't help but think the boy may be denying himself a chance at his dreams. I worry that we and this town have become a burden for him to bear. That's not true at all. Su Fang! My apologies for making you all listen to such a shameful tale. As you heard, far from valuing my town, I was something of a troublemaker. But that was a long time ago, right? Not so long. And at any rate, I am still the same person deep down. It reminds me of something my father once said to me... ＂No one wants to come back to a town where you're launching pyroblossoms.＂ Ouch. Yet even now, I continue to rebel against his words. I'm working to build excitement among the people for the Lunar New Year and draw big crowds to this town. It makes me so happy to see their faces light up at my work. And yet... I also feel like I'm doing it specifically to spite my father. Or his memory, I guess. Su Fang... Euden! There you are! Ku Hai?! What's wrong?! You must come to the dragon-vein spring! There's trouble! We're on our way. I'm coming too! Su Fang? Don't worry, Grandmother. These people are trustworthy. But must you go, child? I know both of you feel that you— and indeed, the entire town—are a burden on me, but it is not the case. I will never give up on my dreams. But I couldn't bring myself to leave town again without understanding what my father said was the most important thing about pyroblossoms. And I feel like I'm finally realizing that truth thanks to these fine people here. Oh, my child... I'll be back, I promise. We have the Lunar New Year to think about, after all!