EXT. BEACH - DAY
Waves crash along the shores of a sandy beach, surrounded by forest. Shipwrecks line up along the coast, some ships more decayed than others.
XAVI, 16, sleeps on the shore as if washed up. African descent. Her eyelids twitch. She wakes with a start.
XAVI
Ona? Ona?
She gets up, looks around.
XAVI
Where am I...?
(Beat)
Who’s Ona?
A book also washed up ashore. She goes to get it when...
Bushes nearby RUSTLE. Something is coming. Xavi picks up the book and stands combat ready, waiting.
Out of the woods comes a capybara. It runs on over to Xavi.
XAVI
Hey there, little guy!
She kneels to pet it.
The capybara SNATCHES the book out of her hands and TORPEDOES into the woods!
XAVI
Give it back!
Xavi chases the capybara into the woods.
- END SCENE.
Xavi is controllable. The player must follow the capybara through the woods. Along the way there will be ingrediants Xavi will be able to pick up later; right now she won’t interact with them.
EXT. WOODS - FOX SHRINE - DAY
A spacious clearing. There is a shrine to a Fox deity built here. That is where the capybara sits, waiting.
Other than the way the player entered, the only other way out of the clearing is blocked by a misty, red-eyed SHADOW. It sports a mischievous smirk and CACKLES if Xavi tries to talk to it.
Her book sits on a boulder, by a tote bag.
The capybara will CHIRP should the player try to leave the clearing after entering. Xavi will pet the capybara who’ll then CHIRP JOYFULLY if the player talks to it.
To proceed, check the book:
XAVI
Now what do we have here...?
Xavi opens the book, flips through some pages. All of the pages are blank.
XAVI
A big, blank book.
She SIGHS.
XAVI
A name would’ve been nice...
FOX (V.O.)
Xavi.
Xavi jumps, eyes wide.
XAVI
Wh-Who said that?!
The Fox Statue GLOWS. Xavi jumps again.
XAVI
Aah!
FOX (V.O.)
Be not afraid. I am the spirit of this island.
XAVI
Take it you’re the reason I’m here?
FOX (V.O,)
Yes...
XAVI
Okay. Well, how do I... not be here?
FOX (V.O.)
Come to the summit of Zen Mountain.
XAVI
For...?
FOX (V.O.)
Judgment.
The word stuns Xavi.
XAVI
What do you mean...?
The statue stops glowing.
XAVI
Hey, Fox! You there? Hello!
Xavi’s stomach GRUMBLES.
XAVI
So hungry... Better eat something, or I won’t make
it to any mountain.
- END SCENE.
Xavi is controllable. To continue, have her examine the book.
Examining the book:
Xavi flips through the book. It is a cookbook. In it is a single recipe: Egusi soup.
XAVI
A cookbook. How useful.
Xavi looks over at the campfire. Spots firewood aplenty, flint, a pot, pan, wooden spoon and spatula.
XAVI
Oh, wait... But can I cook? Guess there’s only one
way to find out.
Xavi picks up the tote bag and faces forward.
- END SCENE.
Xavi is controllable. The player can check the book for all the ingredients to make his first meal: Egusi Soup.
The player must explore the woods and beach to collect the ingredients, which are: salt, egusi seeds, ugu leaves, fish, onions, peppers, and locust beans.
Once the player has found all the ingredients:
XAVI
I think that’s everything!
If the player tries cooking before he has all the ingredients:
XAVI
But I’m missing [missing ingredient(s)].
After finding all the ingredients, the player has to return to the clearing and approach the campfire.
TEXT: With these ingredients, you can make Egusi Soup. Begin cooking?
1) LET’S DO IT!
Cut to Scene 3.
2) SHOULD PROBABLY WAIT...
The player is controllable.
Scene 3:
Xavi kneels to make fire. Fade out for a beat. Fade back in:
The fire is roaring. A pot sits on it, liquid BUBBLING inside.
Here begins the core gameplay, cooking:
On one side of the screen will be the meal, ingredients to make it and quantities required.
On the other will be the ingredients and quantities Xavi has. This will be where the player will select what is cooked and how many, which will be seen on a third rectangle somewhere on the screen.
After the ingredients and quantities are selected:
Xavi will begin COOKING.
If success:
XAVI
Yes! Go me!
Cut to S3A.
If fail:
XAVI
I... don’t think this is it.
TEXT: The meal didn’t turn out quite right... try again?
1) SURE.
The cooking minigame begins again.
2) DON’T THINK SO...
The player is taken out of the minigame.
S3A
EXT. WOODS - FOX SHRINE - NIGHT
Xavi eats soup out of a bowl in her hand. Suddenly, FLASH into:
INT. CHIEF'S DWELLING - XAVI'S ROOM - DAY
A bedroom fit for a princess. ONA, a 13 year old girl, SLAMS the door shut!
Xavi jumps and turns to her. Ona is ill and looks it. She’s so angry we can taste it.
GIRL
Oh, Xavi... Tell me you didn’t. You know how powerful
your cooking is!
FLASH into:
Xavi sits wide-eyed at the fire, the spoon in my mouth.
XAVI
What the...? That voice. It’s so... familiar.
She looks at the food she made. It’s nearly empty.
XAVI
Powerful cooking? Did... I just do that?
Xavi lies down, staring up at the starry sky.
XAVI
Maybe... I can do it again, with different meals! And
then I’ll... know who I am.
Her eyes close once, twice. The third time they close, she begins SNORING.
- END INTRO.