act12d0

It's over, Tomimi.

...N-No it's not!

Nurul, Peta!

Doctor!

Doctor!

If you don't want your friends getting hurt...

Don't make me angry, Tomimi!

...I won't stop until you promise you'll stay, Gavial!

Help me, Doctor!

Doctor, I'm scared... Waaahhh...

Did you finish your task?;......;Don't be scared! I'm going to save you!

Doctor, please. The girl's pouring her heart out here, it wouldn't kill you to work with her.

The people here are simple. Honestly, it hurts my non-existent robot heart to cheat them so.

Hey now, Doctor, don't look at me like that.

Relax, I'm a Rhodes Island Operator too. Of course I can handle something like this.

Doctor!

Lancet-2!

Doctor!

Wow, you two are really selling it.

What?

When did you get free?!

Hah. Sorry, somebody needs to learn to tie a knot.

Did you know Tomimi was going to do this, Doctor?

Of course.;......;Well, duh.

B-B-But how did you know?

Well, first of all, there was the way you hesitated when Zumama came up.

Oh? Hesitated?

And then when you panicked at Gavial during the ceremony.

Finally, Dylan, the thing?

Oh, I gave it to Lancet-2.

Wahhh... That was just for you, Doctor. I don't normally let people put things inside me so easily.

It's... a rocket launcher?

Yep. Found it with Tomimi's tribe.

So that means...

You got it. The one who shot us down was this little runt right here.

Tomimi.

Ohhhhh, I'm sorry, Gavial.

Come here.

(Whimper)

You're going over my knee.

Gavial, please don't spank me, I know what I did was bad...

Them's the breaks.

Naughty little whelps get tail spankings!

(Whimper)

Tail spanking, huh? Looks ouchie...

Are you going to do it again?

I won't do it agaaain! Waaahhh...!

Good.

Anyway, I think we're pretty much okay now, Doctor.

Exhausting.;......;I'm surprised you didn't give her the whatever whirlwind thing.

Haha, well, it's definitely been a lot.

Hey, Doctor, you're not falling asleep on your feet there, are you?

I wouldn't want to hurt little Tomimi, after all. Phew, I'm a little tired myself.

This big guy... does look a little ugly at first, but the angular, rugged design, this cluttered but effective wiring, it has a special beauty to it when you look close.

Real marriage material, I think.

Oh, Lancet-2, go see if we can still salvage the engine.

What? Are you telling me the engine's inside this big guy?!

Sure is. And we blew it up.

Oh, poor engine. Poor big guy.

Mr. Dylan, can you do me a favor?

Alright.

Hey, Zumama, why are you standing there drooling like that?

Gavial!

Huh? What's up?

That... that...

What what?

That... that moving, talking machine is incredible!

Oh, you mean Lancet-2? She's a friend of ours.

C-Can I talk to her?

Knock yourself out.

Erm... Hello.

Hi?

Are you... a machine?

My product designation is Raythean Exister-S62 Model six-wheeled operation platform. I belong to Rhodes Island, codename Lancet-2.

Wow!

Yes. I do have a certain level of intelligence. As long as your questions aren't too hard, I should be able to answer them.

Speaking of which, I am a medical operation platform, so my knowledge base is focused on medicine. Do keep that in mind.

Is something wrong?

Can I hug you?

What?

What is she doing? Did a screw come loose?

Isn't it obvious? She's in awe of that machine.

Oh?

Shocked as she was when she first saw a moving city, a machine that moves and talks on its own is even more striking!

And forget her, I'm just as excited!

Oh, my beautiful young lady, might I have the honor of taking you on a date?

I know the most gorgeous spot in the rainforest. I'll take you there for a lovely afternoon!

Oh, y-you're asking me out?!

I don't know what to do here. I'm flattered... Doctor, should I accept?

Yes.;......;I'll never let you take my Lancet-2!

Don't butt in, High Priest, or you can't blame me for what happens to our friendship after all these years.

Honestly, I'm with the Doctor here.

Kinda wanna laugh.

Oh, Doctor, to hear you suddenly come out and say that... My heart isn't ready...

So Gavial, your people you're with now can create this type of machine?

Huh? Err, I'm pretty sure Closure can, yeah.

Okay. I've made a decision.

Does this Rhodes Island place need more hands? I want to join.

Oh?

I want to go with you, to learn about mechanical technology.