act15d5

Mummy, are you crying...?

Don't cry, mummy! I... I'll take my medicine, and I won't go outside at all! I'll stop complaining!

I'll listen to mummy and daddy. I'll be a good girl. So stop crying, mummy...

Dora, Dora... you're a good girl... why did it have to be you, why did it have to be you!?

My poor girl... oh...

(An ill child...)

This mission's about over now. Give it the stamp for me.

By the way, I brought some fruit from the south for Maemae. Are these the ones she threw a fit about wanting last time?

You even brought something? You really are too kind.

Thank you for these, they're just the ones. Don't spoil her too much, now. Her teeth will fall out if she keeps eating sweet things all day!

The only thing on her mind all day is play. Oh, this morning she insisted to me a fairy took her to stay at a castle last night. I think I've been telling her too many bedtime stories. She's still so silly, even at her age.

She's still little.

She's not little, she's almost about to go to school. Let's see... no issues with the mission. Do I just stamp on here for you?

That'll do.

Certainly. Have this back.

You came back fairly fast this time. What's the city like now?

Much better than I was expecting. Some talking politics in coffee shops, but just talking. Gatherings are peaceful.

Aside from the culture nuts, normal folk like us don't care about the political stuff, after all.

There were some workers making a commotion on the street the day before because their payslips were too low, but nobody got hurt, thankfully.

Sounds like it wasn't much of an incident.

Perhaps.

...Hm?

Who's that girl? She's not a local, is she?

Who? Oh, you mean her... you've got sharp eyes. Out of the blue, she came to this village just about yesterday.

It sounds like she's looking for someone. First she asked the village's name, and that seemed right, and then she started going from house to house, asking.

All she has is a name. Can't be easy finding them.

I don't know how far she's been already, but that craft she came in's been dinged and scraped up to Hell and back. It's parked up by Mr. Eason's right now, waiting for repairs.

The girl doesn't give up, I'll tell you that.

We all want to help her too. Maemae's been helping her since the crack of dawn, running all over to knock and ask, and plenty of the kids with, all raring to go.

She's coming over.

Excuse me.

Can I ask if Maemae's back yet?

Not yet. Don't know where she's run off to.

How's it been going for you? Still haven't found who you're looking for?

Not yet, no.

What kind of person are you looking for?

What kind of person are you?

You look out of place. And all goggled and masked, how suspicious!

Hahahahaha!

Hey.

Ha, haha... she's not wrong, you know. First time I saw you, I was thinking the same thing!

Do I really look that shifty?

The last thing I tell is lies!

Here, Miss, don't wrinkle your brow like that. Tell him about who you're looking for. Ignore him dressing like he's dangerous. He's actually a quite reliable guy.

Really? Er...

Don't your eyes hurt, glaring at each other so hard?

It's fine. I'm used to it.

Never mind. I'm not arguing with you.

And I'm not arguing with a child.

(Scowl)

Keep some things to yourself!

Hmph...

Seeing as you already know I'm looking for someone, why not tell you, I suppose.

Mabel. I'm looking for Mabel Grimm.

What...?

I don't like repeating myself.

Oh, don't you start glaring at each other again.

I'm not that puerile!

I... in all honesty, I've never met her. But I know she's called Mabel, she's a Feline, and she has brown hair and green eyes.

She should be roughly under thirty, and she's very nimble with her hands... That's all I've heard.

But... I've gone around every single house in the village, and I still haven't found a clue whatsoever.

Is this really Tonnerre Village? I'd hate it if all along I'd gotten the name wrong...

As sad it is to say, Miss, there's all too many villages whose names sound like ours. And your records aren't all that specific, not to mention, you're looking for someone from all those years ago.

Oh, don't, now. Don't feel down. I'm sure you'll find her!

I remember there were a few more houses in the forest beside the village. Have you been over there, yet?

Worst comes to worst... to worst, mind you, give this fella a shout. Get him to take this mission on, and help you out!

Oi. Wait a moment. Rhodes Island's missions all need to be registered, first...

(Whisper) Stop it with the office talk. The mission you had is done, isn't it! Look, are you going to help her, or not?!

(Whisper) ...Fine.

What are you plotting, all mysterious over there...

What are you doing, following me?

Helping you.

I don't need it!

(Shrug)

You'll leave the village out this way. Going to visit the houses out on the edge?

Mm. I can do it on my own. This is my job. I don't need you to help!

Child labor?

What did you say?

*cough*. Nothing.

Actually, I wanted to say, about the person you're looking for. I probably know them...

—Shh!

(Wait, stop for a moment!)

(Did you hear... a voice just now?)

No! I won't have it!

Are you afraid?! You're afraid, aren't you?! You're scared of being sentenced, so you'd give our daughter over?!

I won't let you do anything of the sort!

You can't give them Dora, they'll take her away, throw her into isolation! She's got a whole life ahead of her, and if she goes in there, she'll never come out again!

This is my child, this is our bloody child! How could you?!

Just calm down—keep it down a little!

Why in the hell would I give Dora to them? I never said that! It's just—it's just, how can you bear to see her like this?

We can't cure her... we've tried every drug, we've taken her for every treatment they told us... Useless, all of it's been useless!

There's already people suspicious of us because we're going and buying medicine! We can't keep hiding this! We need to figure out something soon!

We'll—We'll leave this place. We'll take Dora, and we won't stay here anymore. We can go somewhere where nobody lives—

And where do we have to go?

(The voices are coming from this side. Hrm... here. This house.)

(They were talking about...)

(Their daughter catching Oripathy, most likely.)

(Hiding Infected. In Victoria, that's a fairly grave offence.)

(Dora... I've heard the name before...)

I'm going to take a look!