act25side

But unfortunately, my colleagues are about to show.

Hold your friend's head in your hands, and enjoy a captivating session with Columbia's top agents. You might find yourself astonished.

Think through some answers to my questions during your interrogation.

I hope I don't give you the chance to run.

Wait...

Why... are <i>you</i> here?

Heehee... did this hood ever come with a guarantee of who would be under it?

...A water clone.

Grrr. Any more tricks up your sleeve, pathetic Elf?

Doesn't matter. Dr. {@nickname} of Rhodes Island... we <i>will</i> see each other very soon.

Doctor, there are a lot of people rushing towards that alley.

They're Maylander agents.;Rhodes Island has been set up.

It's a good thing you used your brains and 'borrowed' my clone for that meeting, otherwise you'd have fallen into that horrible woman's trap for real.

She's definitely left evidence implicating Rhodes Island.

You heard everything she said over the comms, right? Did we make enemies of both Maylander and the military?

I'm afraid so.

Ah... hahaha... you're not joking, are you?

Doctor, if you and the Tin Man had any plans, now would a good time to share them, you know?

Your silence implies... Wait, Doctor, you can't mean that he...

Something really happened to that mega mysterious super agent in the trench coat with a tin can for a head?!

I heard a banshee's bone whistle.;The knell has tolled for him.

That was a bone whistle?

Wait, banshee, you say? Of the Sarkaz variety?

Was it for Kristen? Did she...?

Muelsyse suddenly falls silent. She looks up at the sky above Trimounts.

There is nothing up there besides thousands of stars.

You cannot help but recall Ho'olheyak's question from earlier.

Why did you come to Trimounts?

Kristen... What sort of person is she exactly?;What exactly is the dream that she's chasing?

Quick, Silence! Over here!

Mmm...

This alarm... did something happen to Director Jara...?

Silence, are you okay?!

I'm fine. Saria...

I'll help you carry her.

Your face is all sweaty, if Saria doesn't wake up now, they're gonna catch us!

Don't push the blame onto Saria.

But your face... you look like you're about to...

I'm fine, Ifrit. I just happened to remember what happened earlier.

I watched her fall in front of me, and my very first reaction was not worry, or surprise, but regret.

Because... you were mad at her?

Yes. If that really was the last conversation we ever had, I didn't want to think... that I was blaming her.

Actually I've never... I just...

I don't know who else can hear me out.

Then just patch things up.

...Huh?

And then, when Saria wakes up, we can go back together. How about it?

She'll return here the moment she wakes up.

That's the sort of woman she is.

Fine, I think I get it, neither of you is gonna go home, are you?

That's right.

Then, why not work together?

Work together...?

Yeah, Silence. Even though you got some new gear on, you're still a doctor. If you keep on running like this, you're gonna get hurt or even die.

I know Saria is a great fighter. Even I've started to know that teamwork's important, yet she still likes to work alone.

If it weren't for us, Saria would be in an even worse situation right now!

Neither of you wanted me to tag along, but at the very least, you gotta promise me that you'll work with Saria.

Otherwise, the two of you will worry about me, and I'll worry about you guys too!

...Ifrit.

Just say yes or no. I'll even behave and go back to the Doctor. Just promise me!

I...

Some words are easier to say when you're a team, right?

Where did you learn all this?

The Doctor passed taught me all these people skills!

...I'll think about it.

Great!

Uh, Silence, what's that over there?

A Transmitter... that just appeared?

It's all silvery and flowy. Real pretty!

Don't touch it!

Ifrit, that's... very dangerous.

Dangerous? No way, more than my flames?

It's another product of Rhine's experiments.

For real? Then I'll burn it up!

No, just wait and see. Don't be too quick to destroy it.

A small lump of silvery substance gushes inside the test tube.

Ever since it left Parvis's home, it has lingered without a target direction, as if it has lost its hub directive.

As if its only mission is to lead her to Parvis.

Profess... Parvis never does anything without purpose.

His appearance earlier, couldn't have just been him wanting to chat with me... he deliberately led me to think he was the goal in this race for the Transmitter.

Could it be... the truth was never...

Silence, the door's over here!

Agh—!

How could... did someone spot us?

Stand back, Ifrit.

Calcification...!

Saria, you're awake! Hooray!

But you're...

I'm fine.

You're not bluffing a doctor that easily.

I'm just holding this door until it's safe enough for you to leave. QED, I'm perfectly fine.

The military mechs are closing in on our position.

This path is no longer safe.

Director Jara...

She wouldn't hand over the information that easily.

And so, there is only one possibility remaining.

...Ten minutes.

They should have run into Blake's people by now.

The old Saria would have probably stood a chance to escape unscathed.

However, she's injured and carrying two extra burdens. Want to guess how long she can last in front of a fully armed special forces unit?