=== Boucheron & Etie ===
--- C ---




[Etie]
Are you ready yet, Boucheron?
[Boucheron]
Hmm? Ready for what?
[Etie]
Ready to tell me what you're mixing into your
food to get those muscles.
[Boucheron]
Hahaha, not this again. I've told you before
that it's got nothing to do with my diet.
[Etie]
That's what you say, yes. But today, I'm going
to get the truth.
[Boucheron]
But that is the truth.
[Boucheron]
Muscles come naturally to me. That's the long
and the short of it.
[Etie]
Still sticking to that story, huh?
[Etie]
Because I should tell you up front that I've been
watching you, Boucheron.
[Boucheron]
You have? And?
[Etie]
And I know you don't do anything but fish or
read all day after training each morning.
[Etie]
There I am, working up a sweat, while you sit
under a tree with a book or a pole.
[Etie]
There's no way you can do that and still stay
in such incredible shape.
[Etie]
So I assume that whatever you're doing on the
sly really works!
[Boucheron]
All right, listen...
[Etie]
Wait, are you using magic? Unbelievable!
The lengths you'll go just for some muscles!
[Boucheron]
No! It's nothing like that! In fact, it's nothing
at all!
[Boucheron]
I'm done arguing with you about this. People
shouldn't see the prince's retainers quarrelling.
[Boucheron]
Good day, Etie.
[Etie]
Riiiight. That's just what he'd say if he was
hiding something!
--- B ---


[Boucheron]
Ah, just look at that light filtering through the
trees. What a perfect afternoon spot.


[Etie]
Boucheron!
[Boucheron]
Etie! You startled me. Do you need something?
[Etie]
Just here to observe.
[Boucheron]
Observe what, may I ask?
[Etie]
You, obviously. I will uncover your secret.
[Boucheron]
Go ahead, Etie. I clearly can't stop you.
[Etie]
You're darn right.
[Etie]
Hmm. Nothing unusual on the surface. Your
clothes don't hang like they're weighted.
[Etie]
Wait a minute. There's something hard under
those clothes! So you did have a secret!
[Boucheron]
Those are my abs.
[Etie]
Oh... Uh... Pardon me. I thought it might have
been an arcane...ab buster.
[Etie]
Some kind of...enchanted plate that...works
your core just by wearing it. I don't know.
[Boucheron]
I've never heard of anything like that, but if I
find one, I'll give it to you.
[Etie]
How thoughtful of you...
[Boucheron]
Anyway, you caught me just as I was about to
have my lunch.
[Boucheron]
This should hit the spot.
[Etie]
Hold it!
[Boucheron]
What is it now?!
[Etie]
I bet that sandwich is where you're keeping
your secret.
[Etie]
...
[Etie]
...
[Boucheron]
No! My sandwich!
[Etie]
Hmm...
[Etie]
Strange. It tasted like an ordinary sandwich.
[Etie]
I thought for sure you'd added some kind of
special sauce to it.
[Boucheron]
For the last time, I'm using no such thing.
It's just my lunch, and I'd like it back.
--- A ---




[Etie]
Hey, I owe you an apology.
[Boucheron]
Oh?
[Etie]
I kept watching you and watching you, but I
never learned anything.
[Etie]
So it must be true that you're just...
naturally muscular.
[Etie]
Sorry I never believed you.
[Boucheron]
I don't mind, as long as you've accepted it.
[Etie]
I guess I'd better explain myself.
[Boucheron]
Go on.
[Etie]
It's not that I'm jealous of your build.
[Etie]
But for the sake of the prince we both serve,
I wanted to learn whatever I could from you.
[Etie]
That's why I kept pushing.
[Boucheron]
So that was it, hm?
[Etie]
Yes. I'm tough, but I could still contribute more
to our country's defense.
[Etie]
That's why I wanted to get as buff as you are.
For Prince Alfred and our beloved Firene.
[Boucheron]
Etie, you haven't thought this through.
[Boucheron]
If you were more like me, Firene wouldn't have
any defenses left.
[Etie]
How do you figure?
[Boucheron]
It's true that I'm naturally muscular. I can see
why you'd want what I've got.
[Boucheron]
But I'm naturally flawed in other areas, like my
woeful sense of direction.
[Boucheron]
Think back to how many times you saved me
from getting lost during combat.
[Boucheron]
I have my strong points and you have yours.
[Boucheron]
Real strength comes in when the two of us are
together and we complement each other.
[Etie]
You know...
[Etie]
I never thought of it like that, but you're right.
[Etie]
I was so focused on building muscle that I never
saw it that way.
[Boucheron]
Muscles aren't a competition. They're the
bridge formed when we clasp hands.
[Boucheron]
That's Boucheron's First Law of Muscle.
[Etie]
I don't know what you mean by that exactly...
but it sounds pretty.
[Boucheron]
I was trying to clear the air. It doesn't seem to
have worked.
[Boucheron]
Listen, Etie...
[Boucheron]
For our prince, and for the kingdom of Firene,
I'm honored to be at your side.
[Etie]
Thank you, though the honor is mine. Let us
follow the First Law of Muscle and clasp hands.
--- S ---