Granblue Fantasy: A Skyfaring Were-shark in Auguste

Mari and Vira are seated on a bench facing the ocean. As per Vira’s request, Meg followed the other three along to the souvenir shop so that the two of them could talk privately.

 

“Well, this better be good.” Mari says with her arms crossed.

 

Vira nods. “If it helps, this shouldn’t take long. I just wanted to properly apologise for imposing on this trip. Not only for myself, but on behalf of my captain and the other crew members as well.”

 

Mari raises an eyebrow. “You do, now?”

 

“Yes. I’m not certain any of them have noticed, but to me it’s plain to see that you had only been expecting to meet Meg today.” Vira explains. “The two of you are close, are you not?”

 

“That’s not exactly a secret.” Mari says flatly.

 

“Oh, I wouldn’t have expected it to be after everything I’ve seen since my arrival. Honesty, I’m almost surprised you haven’t erected a statue in her honour already.” Vira jokes.

 

“Yeah, you’d be surprised how hard it is to get the permit for that sort of thing. Gotta follow the proper regulations and all that...” Mari sighs.

 

“I see…” Vira says, not having expected such a serious response. “Regardless, I included myself on this trip under the impression that I would simply be one more guest among the many that had been invited. It wasn’t until after I already arrived that it started to become clear that all but one of us were unwelcome intrusions. I can only assume you planned this holiday with romantic intentions, and we’ve all gotten in your way. For that, I apologise, and I promise not to cause any further trouble for you. You have my word that I shall be out of your hair once this tour is over.” She smiles at Mari, who takes a few moments to respond.

 

“Shouldn’t you also be apologising to Meg? I don’t see why you wanted to do this in private.” She says indignantly.

 

“I intend to apologise to her as well of course, I merely felt it best to speak with you first, since out of the two of you it seemed to be affecting you the most.” Vira explains.

 

“Well, I’m not sure I totally buy that excuse.” Mari leans back against the bench. “For all I know this is just a way to make yourself less suspicious so you can go after Meg when I’m not looking.”

 

“Go after…” Vira pauses to properly process what she’s just heard. “I’m sorry, have I done something to indicate that I have intentions to pursue Meg?”

 

“You don’t need to, I know what a catch she is. You wouldn’t be the first person to try something, but it’s not gonna happen on my watch.” Mari huffs.

 

Vira puts on a polite smile, hoping to clear up the situation. “I can assure you I have no such plans. I have already told you I’m here for Lady Katalina’s sake.”

 

“Sounds like a very convenient cover story if you ask me.”

 

“Well, it most certainly isn’t, Katalina and I have been an item for quite a while now. If you cannot take me at my word, the captain would be more than happy to verify this.”

 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re dating her or not, or even if she’s real, what matters is why you came here. You haven’t said anything that could prove you don’t have your eyes on Meg.” Mari retorts.

 

Vira’s smile falters. “My apologies, I’m certain I must have misheard you just now, I thought I had made it clear that I am already in a relationship. What exactly are you implying by continuing to accuse me of taking an interest in Meg?”

 

“Look, I get it.” Mari shrugs. “I could almost see myself doing the same thing in your situation, but Meg is taken. Your cat lady or whoever it is will still be there for you when this trip is over, there’s no need to start getting involved with other women.”

 

Vira scoffs. “Are you implying that I would even think of being… unfaithful to my beloved Katalina?”

 

“I mean, that’s not the word I’d use, but you clearly get the idea. You’re going to stay away from Meg, got it?” Mari says impatiently.

 

“Of all the…” Vira stops herself and stands up, taking a breath. “There was a time where I would not have been able to hold myself back after hearing such slanderous statements. Consider yourself lucky that I have learnt much about employing restraint since then, and that I have already given you my word that I will not cause you any trouble.” She says coldly.

 

Vira turns away from Mari, and takes another deep breath. “I’m going to rejoin the others. Come find us when you’re ready to continue the tour.”

 

Mari can only watch in shock as the other woman quietly walks away. She puts her head in her hands and sighs, taking a minute to collect her thoughts.

 

She seemed really upset there, maybe I went a bit too far. Yeah, I want everyone else gone so I can be with Meg, but they’re still guests here at Auguste, and that’s not how I should be treating them. Who knows, maybe she was even telling the truth about that whole Lady Catella thing. I guess I should go and apologise…

 

Mari gets up and starts heading towards the souvenir shop to catch up with Vira, but is surprised to hear her voice coming from a side street as she approaches the intersection.

 

“No, I’m okay, really. I just hadn’t expected her to make such an outlandish claim. I appreciate you taking the time to check on me regardless.”

 

Mari stops before passing the corner, and leans against the building. She’s talking to someone, is it her captain?

 

Who is she talking to? She’s the only one I can hear. She thinks.

 

More questions are raised when Vira starts talking again after a few moments of silence.

 

“I don’t think I can entirely blame her, she was clearly quite upset about the situation already, and that is at least partially our fault, even if we had no way of knowing such before arriving.”

 

Another pause.

 

“No, we are not going to do that. Lady Katalina would be quite disappointed in the both of us if we were to cause a scene over such matters. Not to mention it would tarnish my honour as a knight if I were to go back on my word.”

 

Someone’s definitely talking to her, why can’t I hear them? Mari quietly peeks around the corner as her curiosity gets the better of her, only to see Vira facing the other way and giggling as she talks to… nobody…

 

“Hehehe! Yes, I suppose she does remind me of how I used to act somewhat. Perhaps that’s why I was able to hold myself back from further escalating the situation.”

 

The sight only causes further confusion for Mari. I guess I’m glad she’s not too upset at me, but what in the skies is going on with that woman?

 

“Hey Mari, what’s going on?” Someone suddenly says behind her.

 

Mari yelps in shock as she turns around, only to see Meg with the others behind her.

 

“Oh, it’s just you guys…” She says, recovering from the scare. “Why’d you come from that direction? The shop is down that way.”

 

“Yeah, that was a bust…” Vyrn droops his head. “We decided to search for treasure in the sand instead.”

 

“I see. That’s quite a shame, isn’t it?” Vira says, suddenly standing right behind Mari, prompting the Erune to scream again.

 

“A girl could use a little warning, you know…” She says as she clutches her chest.

 

“Did you two finish your chat?” Meg asks.

 

“Yeah, I guess so…” Mari says with some hesitation, at which Vira nods. “Those three give you any trouble?”

 

“We found a treasure!” Lyria excitedly announces before Meg gets a chance to speak.

 

“Wait, like, for real?” Mari asks.

 

“Yeah, check out this baby we found washed up on the shore!” Vyrn says, to which Djeeta proudly holds up the corroded remains of an old bow that appears to be hundreds of years old.

 

“O-Oh…” Is all Mari can manage in response.

 

“Tweyen’s gonna love this!” Djeeta declares.

 

“Oh yes.” Vira says with a smile. “I’m sure it will look very nice next to all the other ones you’ve gotten her.”

 

Mari claps her hands together, doing her best not to think too hard about whatever they’re talking about. “Well that’s nice and all, but how about we get back to the tour?”

 

Vira responds with little more than a simple “Very well”, but the rest of the group seems enthusiastic about the idea, and so they continue on towards the main square as Mari rattles off more information about the area and its attractions.

 

One thing Mari can’t help but notice as the tour continues, however, is that Vira is now acting quite differently compared to her earlier behaviour. She’s still pouring over various details of the district, no doubt to ascertain whether or not it’s good enough for Katalina, and she’s clearly paying attention to Mari as she gives the tour, but she’s no longer taking part in the conversations that happen along the way, or at least not the ones that have anything to do with Mari, or the tour itself, instead choosing to keep to herself for the most part.

 

Is this what she meant when she said she wouldn’t cause any more trouble? I’m starting to feel pretty bad about that whole thing, but I can’t say I trust her after whatever was going on back at that street corner earlier. I guess I’ll leave her be for now as long as she doesn’t try anything.

 

And so, the tour continues in this state, and after a short walk up the hill near the cliffs they find themselves at the last step of their journey.

 

“And over here’s the main square, this is the spot we put the most work into! It’s where our biggest clubs and fanciest bars are located!”

 

Meg and the others are in awe at the sight of it, while Mari notices Vira silently walking off.

 

I guess there’s no harm in letting her look around on her own, she said she’d leave us alone at the end of the tour anyway.

 

“It’s so pretty!” Lyria says.

 

The main square contains the tallest and most impressive buildings in the district, each one looking over a spacious central area paved with colourful tiles. Off to one side of the open space is a raised section that appears to have been set up for use as a stage, with the square itself providing plenty of standing space for those who wish to attend whatever events it will be used for. The other side of the square houses several rows of fountain jets shooting out of the ground in a set pattern, and it just so happens that a familiar face is already playing in the water.

 

“Sharrrrrrrrk!” Ursula calls out before flying over to Meg.

 

“Hey girl!” She says back, giving the shark a pat. “You wanted to check out the new district too, huh?” 

 

“I see you like the little water show we’ve got set up over there!” Mari says. “They only finished installing it the other day, you know.”

 

“It sure looks fancy.” Vyrn says.

 

“Oh, that’s nothing compared to how it’ll look later tonight! Each of the fountains actually has its own little illumination built inside, and when they turn on they all shine different colours to light up the water in a rainbow pattern! I’m especially proud of that idea.” Mari explains with her hands on her hips.

 

“Wow, you’ve really pulled out all the stops here, haven’t you?” Meg asks.

 

“Of course we have, we need to go big to restore Auguste to its former glory after all. We’ve been working on this district for a very long time, so I’m super glad you like it, Meg!” Mari smiles as she leans against her lover, and for a moment Meg seems nervous about something as she chuckles in return, but before anyone has a chance to ask, Vira suddenly hurries back with a serious look on her face.

 

“Apologies for intruding once more, but I have some potentially urgent matters to discuss. Mari, what can you tell me about that building over there?” She points to a building not far from the water feature.

 

On its own, nothing about the building is too unusual, but with all of the newly constructed multi-storey facilities surrounding it, it stands out as looking much older than its surroundings, although still well maintained, and with architecture to match. At first glance, most would assume it’s some kind of church, thanks to the sturdy stone walls and ornate windows.

 

“Oh, that one?” Mari puts a hand to her chin. “There’s really not a lot I can tell you about it, actually. Whoever built it did a great job though, it was the only building left completely intact in this part of town. There’s some sort of shrine looking thing inside, but I’ve tried asking people from around here and checked every document I could, and I couldn’t find a single bit of information about it.”

 

“So it’s not being used by anyone at the moment?” Vira asks.

 

“No, I don’t think anyone’s been in there for a while now.” Mari answers. “I make it a point not to mess with any shrines and stuff like that these days, so we decided to preserve it as a historical site instead of converting it into something we could use for the district. We’ve had people go through there to clean it up and restore the parts that needed it, and a few historians have checked it out to see if they could find anything, but we’re pretty much just leaving it be for now.”

 

Vira looks down as she considers all of this information. “I see… Luminiera grew restless while I was walking past, which is cause for no small concern.” Mari looks to Meg, hoping she would know what that means, but she simply shrugs. “Would it be an issue if I were to bring Lyria to investigate?” Vira asks.

 

Lyria tilts her head to the side. “Me? What for?”

 

“You’re much more well versed in these matters, assuming it’s what I suspect it to be.” Vira says with a grave expression.

 

“Sure, if there’s something up we may as well all check it out anyway.” Mari says. “What do you think’s going on?”

 

“I’d rather not speculate until we know for certain, but it may well be something you will need to be aware of before it becomes a much bigger issue. Now, let us hurry.” Vira says before walking towards the old building, and the others follow.

 

Vira sounds pretty serious about this, there might be something big going on in there. Mari thinks. Oh, I hope this won’t be something else that gets in the way of spending time with Meg…

 

Then, as they approach the old building, Lyria stops in her tracks.

 

“O-Oh! I can feel something!” She suddenly says.

 

Vira sighs. “Then it’s as I feared…”

 

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Mari asks.

 

“Well… There’s something off about it, but I think I can feel the presence of a primal beast.” Lyria answers.

 

“What!?” Meg and Mari say in unison.

 

“Why would there be one here now? It’s not even summer!” Meg says.

 

“Well, it’s not like that was ever a hard rule…” Vyrn mutters. “What do you mean something’s off about it, though?”

 

“I’m not exactly sure, but it’s weird. It feels like a primal beast, but it’s not quite the same feeling as usual… It’s almost like there’s something missing from what I normally feel when I can sense one.” Lyria says with some uncertainty.

 

Mari places her hands on Lyria’s shoulders and looks at her with a dire expression. “Lyria, please tell me there’s not a primal beast inside this building in the middle of the new district we’ve spent all this time building.”

 

“W-Whatever it is, I don’t think it’s actually inside the building…” She answers. “I can feel the presence coming from the building, but it’s faint, like it’s really somewhere further away.”

 

“I guess we better go inside and look around then.” Mari puts a hand to her forehead. “I swear, if this ends up causing problems for the nightlife district…”

 

“I won’t let that happen.” Meg says coldly, staring off into space as she tightly grips the hunting knife strapped to her thigh. “If there really is a primal beast here, I’ll kill it. It won’t ever get a chance to do anything to Auguste…”

 

“Let's not get too ahead of ourselves.” Vira says. “While the presence of a primal beast is indeed a cause of concern, we do not know what state it’s in, or even if it means any harm. For all we know it may even be in need of help itself. We must not cast judgement until we can properly grasp the situation.”

 

“Sorry...” Meg says, snapping out of it. “It’s just… I would do anything for Auguste, I swore I’d keep it safe from anything that causes trouble.”

 

“Then it’s a good thing you came here today.” Vira says. “If whatever Lyria can sense does pose a threat, we’ll be able to deal with it swiftly.”

 

Meg nods. “Right.”

 

“We should start investigating.” Djeeta says, looking at the large wooden door.

 

“Yeah, you’re sure this primal beast or whatever isn’t hanging out inside, right Lyria?” Vyrn asks.

 

“I’m pretty sure. This building definitely has something to do with it, but I don’t think whatever I can feel is nearby.” She explains.

 

“Okay, we may as well see if we can find anything.” Mari says. “You guys know way more about primal beasts than anyone I know, so you might find something we missed when the place was getting restored.”

 

“Right, let's go inside then.” Meg says as she puts a hand on the door, but she hesitates when she goes to open it. “Wait, you said this building was really old, right? Maybe someone else should handle the door.”

 

“Nah, you’ll be fine Meg.” Mari says. “The construction here is super sturdy, you should be able to do it yourself.”

 

“Oh, that’s neat.” Meg opens the doors, and everyone starts walking in.

 

“...What was going on with that exchange there?” Vira asks.

 

“Oh, you know how we reinforced most of the doors and furniture on the Grandcypher a few years back?” Vyrn starts to explain. “That was mostly because of Meg. She, uh, doesn’t exactly realise how strong she is sometimes...”

 

“My, I wouldn’t have guessed…” Vira says as she walks in. Just how strong could she be to be having such issues?

 

Everyone heads inside the building to find a large room spanning most of the building’s floor space, with some doorways on the back wall leading to a couple of smaller rooms. The most remarkable thing about the interior is how bare it is, save for the stone structure near the back.

 

“Was anything removed from this building while the restoration work was underway?” Vira asks as she glances around the room.

 

“There was barely anything left in here to move, aside from all the dust. I don’t think anyone had been in here for a very long time before we started rebuilding the area.” Mari says.

 

“And you do not know what its original purpose was?”

 

“I mean it’s got real religious vibes going on, right? I’d guess it was a church or something. That stone thing over there certainly seems like something people would have worshipped, but this doesn’t look like the kinds of churches that were getting built around here back in those days.”

 

“Yes, it certainly leaves that kind of impression, but I suppose that’s not entirely relevant to the issue at hand. Let us see if we can find any traces of the being Lyria can sense.”

 

The crew spread out, investigating every corner of the building in hopes of learning more about the presence. Even Ursula helps out by searching the rafters overhead, but the only thing that’s out of the ordinary about the building is the lack of objects to investigate, and it doesn’t take long for the group to search the whole thing.

 

“Did you guys find anything?” Meg asks as she returns from one of the other rooms.

 

“No luck.” Djeeta answers.

 

Meg sighs, clearly agitated. “Nothing on my end either. What do we do now? I won’t… We can’t just let whatever this thing is run free if it might go on to attack Auguste. Especially not on this trip in particular…”

 

“Hm? What’s so special about this one?” Vyrn asks.

 

“O-Oh, well… you know…” Meg stammers out before noticing Lyria looking intently at the structure nearby, and walks over to her instead of answering the question. 

 

The stone structure is a large, thick slab on the ground, with another slab at the far end that reaches above the heads of all present. It’s made of a different stone than the rest of the building, and seemingly a less durable one, as it’s showing far more signs of age than the building itself.

 

“Hmm…” Lyria says. 

 

“What’s up Lyria?” Vyrn asks. “You think this creepy looking thing’s important somehow?”

 

“I think so…” She says. “I can’t say for sure, but it feels like the presence is coming from it somehow, or maybe from underneath it?”

 

“I guess it makes sense that this thing’s the important part.” Mari says with a shrug. “It’s not like there’s much else going on in here.”

 

“I assume this is what you were referring to when you said something in here looked like a shrine, correct?” Vira asks Mari.

 

“That was just a guess based on the building itself though, I don’t actually have a clue what it’s meant to be. It kinda looks like a really big gravestone or something, but just like everything else about this place it doesn’t match the kind of thing that they’d normally build back then.” Mari reaches out and runs a hand over the faint indentations on the vertical slab. “It almost seems like there was a message or a picture carved into this thing, but whatever it was is long gone.”

 

“Well, if Lyria can feel something coming from underneath it, I just gotta smash it up so we can find out what, right?” Meg flexes her arm, giving the thick bicep a quick slap.

 

“No!” Mari calls out. “Lets not destroy the ancient mysterious stone structure. I’ve more than learnt my lesson when it comes to that sort of thing.”

 

“Well, what do we do then?” Vyrn asks.

 

“Maybe we can push it aside.” Djeeta suggests.

 

Vira nods. “I suppose it’s worth a shot, allow me to assist you, captain.”

 

“Okay…” Mari says apprehensively. “Just be careful with it.”

 

The two women work together to try and to move it, but it doesn’t even budge.

 

“This is… quite sturdy indeed.” Vira says between breaths as she continues pushing. “Can someone else assist us?”

 

Meg steps forward to help, but someone else gets there before she can.

 

“Sharrrrrk!”

 

Ursula swoops in to help push, and the moment her body makes contact with the stone, the whole thing starts rumbling, prompting everyone to step back. The stone structure starts shifting on its own, moving towards the back of the building to reveal a wide, stone carved stairway leading down into the darkness.

 

“Wow… Thanks Ursula!” Meg says, giving the shark another pat.

 

“Well, guess we gotta go down there, right?” Vyrn says.

 

“I guess so, this is the first I’ve heard of there being underground tunnels around here…” Mari says, trying to peer into the depths. “It’s pretty dark down there though, we’ll have to go get some torches first.”

 

“You needn’t trouble yourself, I have a more convenient solution.” Vira says, stepping forward. “If you would, Luminiera.”

 

Moments later, the primal beast suddenly emerges from within Vira’s body, much to the surprise of Meg and Mari.

 

“Eep!” Mari squeaks as she cowers behind Meg, whose eyes are intensely trained on the new arrival. “W-What’s that!?”

 

“Do not be alarmed.” Vira explains as Luminiera nuzzles against her, and she returns the gesture by gently rubbing its head. “Luminiera is the primal beast I formed a pact with many years ago. She can assist us in navigating the darkness.”

 

“As long as she’s not dangerous…” Meg says cautiously.

 

“Of course not. She can be somewhat overprotective, perhaps, I can assure you that you will be safe in her presence. Now, shall we go forth?” Vira gestures towards the stairway, and Luminiera releases a series of bits that fly forth, each one glowing brightly in order to illuminate the entry.

 

Meg nods. “Right, be ready for anything Ursula.”

 

“Sharrrk!” She says back.

 

The crew starts their journey down the stairs, with groups of bits floating ahead of and behind them to light the way. The path continues down for quite a while, however, and Mari sees this as an opportunity to bring up something that’s been bugging her.

 

“Hey Vira-” She starts before immediately getting interrupted by Luminiera flying between the two of them, spreading her wings out confrontationally. It only takes an instant for Meg to jump in between them as well, butting heads with the primal.

 

“Don’t you dare touch her.” Meg says, giving Luminiera a fierce glare.

 

Vira sighs. “Come now, Luminiera. What did I say about causing a scene?”

 

Luminiera looks back at Vira, and starts backing off after seeing her irritated gaze.

 

“You too Meg, save it for whatever we’re coming down here to deal with.” Mari puts her hand on Meg’s shoulder, and the woman tenses up a little at the touch. You were soooo dashing though, jumping in to protect me like that…

 

“R-Right… Sorry, Mari.” Meg says bashfully before continuing down the stairs.

 

Vira looks to Mari as they resume walking. “Now, do continue.”

 

“I was going to ask if Luminiera was who you were talking to earlier, like before we got back to the tour?” Mari asks.

 

“Ah, I thought you may have seen that when I saw you talking with the others nearby. I can imagine that must have been quite an unusual sight.”

 

“Yeah, sorry.” Mari says sheepishly. “I just happened to walk by at the right time.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not particularly concerned about it.” Vira says. “And yes, she is the one I was speaking with. I have been her host for quite a long time now, and as you’ve now seen she has made it a habit to reside within me until she is called upon, so we’ve both grown used to our conversations with each other.”

 

“Huh, that’s pretty cool.” Mari pauses for a moment before speaking up again. “Also, I’m sorry about earlier… I’m glad you don’t seem too upset about it though.”

 

“Don’t be mistaken, Mari. I’m still quite upset over your earlier remarks.” Vira corrects her with a sour look on her face. “I made an effort to reach out and apologise for imposing on you, and you returned the favour by questioning my devotion and accusing me of being a homewrecker. The only reason I don’t appear more upset right now is because I will not allow such matters to get in the way of dealing with the much more pressing problem we’re now faced with.”

 

“Yeah, I suppose that’s fair…” Mari says apologetically.

 

“That being said,” Vira continues, “I do not wish to hold a grudge, and as I have previously stated, I’m very aware of my own role in the situation leading up to that point, so I would not be opposed to properly clearing things up once our current business is dealt with. Assuming you’d be willing to have an actual conversion instead of hurling accusations around, of course.”

 

Ouch, I guess I deserve that after what I said. “Yeah, I’ll hear you out this time, especially since you brought this whole thing to my attention.”

 

“Great, I shall look forward to it.” Vira doesn’t quite smile, but she at least starts to look a bit more relieved, and the group continue their descent.

 

“Gee, how much further down does this thing go? Why’s there a tunnel like this down here in the first place?” Vyrn asks impatiently.

 

“Maybe it was a secret hideout from the days of the War or something?” Mari wonders. “Either way I’m pretty sure we’re getting close to sea level at this point, so unless we’ve found some sunken ruins we’ve got to be close to the end.”

 

“I don’t think it’s too much further, I can feel the presence growing stronger.” Lyria says, trying to focus in on whatever it is she can sense. “It still feels strange though, even when it’s stronger like this it doesn’t quite feel like it usually does when a primal beast is nearby.” A hint of worry shows up on her face.

 

“If that’s the case, we’ll need to be ready for anything.” Vira says calmly. “Do not let your guard down for even a moment until we know what kind of threat we’re dealing with.”

 

With the crew on high alert, they finally reach the end of the staircase to find the pathway opening up into a hidden, underground cove located within a small grotto. Small gaps in the cave walls carry the sounds of the sea through from the other side, with waves splashing to and fro between the ones close to the water, but the walls are thick, and the gaps aren’t big enough for anything other than small objects to pass through. Small beams of light shine through the holes, but they do little to light up the enclosed space, and without Luminiera’s help the crew would have next to no visibility in here.

 

“Wow, who’d have thought we’d have something like this hidden down here all this time?” Mari says, walking out onto the sand.

 

“Yeah, it’s like a secret beach!” Lyria says as she follows behind.

 

“Be careful.” Meg says, stepping out in front of the two of them. “Is what we’re looking for nearby, Lyria?”

 

“Right, let me check. It’s… Oh!” She answers with a look of surprise. “I-It’s basically right in front of us!”

 

Meg, Vira, and Djeeta all ready their weapons just in time to see a huge, winged monster leap out of the water before them.

 

“SHRRRRRRRRRRRRRK!”

 

Raid Battle Unlocked!

Level 30 Fragmented Tsark

 

Ready?