act13d0

Who is it? Who calls to me in this dead of night.

It is time. I must prepare to take the stage.

Answer.

The shadow in the dark.

The killer on the stage.

Who is it that speaks? Who is it that sings?

Answer.

Your darkness is asking.

The curtains are drawn. The lights cast. The performers stand at center stage.

But what sound is this? Who is it that awaits, who is it that...

—applauds.

But

In the fact who you are.

Who you are.

The shadow in the dark.

Who am I?

I am the wraith in the dead of night. The apparition behind the curtain. The star upon the stage.

I am...

I know who you are.

We all know.

You conceal yourself in a wretched room. You cower at the end of the long table. You force yourself into those demonic words and Stygian scripts.

Sing with us. We miss nary a rehearsal. You sing well.

Who are you?

You are not the actors in this play. Why do you yet appear here?

You... recognize me.

You ask who we are. You don't even recognize us.

How could you forget? How could you dare forget? The Devil chooses you. Teaches you the music. Teaches you the lines. Teaches you the taste of the stage.

You cling to a demon. You give chase where the Devil leads. And yet at the end you desert. You killed the Devil. You left this place. And now you would forget us in all.

Do you truly believe you can kill the Devil?

It—it is not so. I have forgotten nothing.

I...

I have already killed them all to the last. They were wrong in their ways.

It was wrong to indulge, wrong to give chase, wrong to find beauty. I had to kill them off. I had to do so—

And so you did. And as you did, you stole our breaths too.

It was on this stage that you began to sing.

It was.

I have long since slain you all. So, why would you yet appear here?

It has been a while, dear brother of ours.

Together, we left our birthplace. Together, we came of age. We were relatives of different blood. We ate as one, lived as one, yet saw not the same ending.

It has been an eternity since I have spoken to you. Since the candle melted away, since my blood dripped with the candle upon the stage, since then have we not spoken.

We differ from you. A performer unable to know the true taste of art is but a failed, rejected article. Only the love. None of the gift.

While some throw themselves upon the flame, some fly away.

And some yet stay there in the bygone past. In that night. There the sound of singing arises, and never ceases.

Ah... our time is up. We mere apparitions of the past. We could never linger too long here. We should never have been on this stage.

Wait! Don't leave—

*Cough*——*cough*—*gasp*—*cough* *cough*...

My... throat...

How heart wrenching, midnight wraith, unable to discern yourself. Deprived of your song, what is there that remains of you?

You wish to escape this place. You think you can do it this eve?

You should never have spoken. You should never have sung.

You should never have been on this stage.

Answer.

The shadow in the dark.

Answer.

Who you are.

And what you really desire.

Mesdames et Messieurs, the curtain has fallen...

Best wishes, and to each and all a wondrous night...

...Who am I?

What I—desire...

8:10 A.M. \ Overcast, rain

Rhodes Island Landship, Second Floor, Human Resources Department

All Operators in this group should be accounted for here. 1, 2, 3... good, we're alright.

Hm? This one's... a previous number? Someone must've got it mixed up with this batch. Who did these papers? Gotta be pretty careless to mix up whole groups...

Phantom?

Who's that? I don't remember any operator by that name... Huh? And why's a part of the file missing?

Weird. What's going on here?

Already used to life aboard the ship?

Yes!

There are parts I'm still not fully clear, but Skyfire's been helping me a lot all throughout! Don't worry!

Oh, that's right, Doctor! I've read the operator's manual Skyfire gave to me front to back!

It's got all sorts of interesting notes in it, and the writing is clear as crystal! It's honestly a joy to read! Who's the author? I have to know! They're amazing!

Oh, and the canteen's food is delicious! Skyfire said I've gained plenty enough weight and she forced this pamphlet on me for Miss Hibiscus's healthy meals, but she's not hiding the fact she eats just as well too!

And also, also, um...

Oh, sorry, Doctor. Have I been talking too much?

Not at all. Seeing you take so well to things makes me happy.;......;No sweat. Truth is Skyfire's packed on the pounds too.

Eheheh.

Everyone here's so kind. They all take care of me so well, too. It makes me very happy.

The sooner I can become more reliable, the better. I'd like nothing more than to be able to help out with everyone.

Sorry. I'm sorry. I know everyone gets fed up with me when I talk.

*whimper* I'll try and watch out in future...

Right! I thought so too!

...Oh, don't let Skyfire hear that. If she gets mad, she'll burn down your whole office, Doctor, no doubt about it...

//敲门

Oh! Someone's here.

Come in.

//开门

//脚步声

Sorry to interrupt, Doctor.

There's a file that needs checking over. Do you have the time right now?

Dr. Kal'tsit and Amiya both said I should come here to ask you about this.

Let me have a look.

(She hands the file materials over to the Doctor).

This file, here.

The records pertaining to Operator Phantom's background are incomplete. Plenty of information's just missing.

I don't know who was previously responsible... They didn't even fill in their name for it on HR's table. Likely they were swept up in work and plain forgot.

We've had a lot of newcomers in recently, so it's the perfect time to get all our data on all our operators sorted. Plenty of omissions like this coming to light, honestly.

It's nothing glaringly huge, but we've got to get it up to scratch, same as everything else.

Sounds like you're having a tough time...

If you need anything, I can help too.