act8mini

'Red alert, red alert...'

'Attention everyone, prepare for impact!'

Just like before, we'll get through this crisis together.

Yes, we survived back then.;Look.;I think my record's looking pretty good.

The wind is subsiding... and the color of the sky is changing too.

Report, Rhodes Island has left the Catastrophe zone!!

The damage to all deck levels is less than 5%, and nobody was injured!

Thank goodness...

My nose hurtsssss... Pavel, do you know you hit my nose again?

So what if I did? We're alive, I say! Alive!

Fine, but you owe me a drink.

Whatever you want, it's on my tab. I almost made a big mistake.

Doctor, it's all thanks to you!

Absolutely brilliant calculations, Doctor.

Doctor, is your command always so thrilling? Haha, I'd like to get another taste of that sometime!

Doctor, how in the world did you pull that off? It's like you've got prophetic Arts or something, suddenly showing up on the bridge right before we get hit by a Catastrophe!

To be fair, I was pretty anxious through that whole thing.;......;Shouldn't we celebrate?

Doctor...

Amiya hugs you suddenly, and you realize that the hands on your waist are squeezing you tighter than they were at any point during the storm.

Thank you... Thank you standing by my side.

Not half bad.

I did what I had to do.;......;Thanks.

The relationship between the self-replication speed of Originium and the increase in energy— you applied this knowledge to the calculation of wind-Catastrophe trajectories.

You demonstrated similar abilities in the past, helping your colleagues at the time mitigate losses from Catastrophes. Some called you a Catastrophe expert.

But we both know what you really specialize in.

What do I specialize in?;......;Look, I really don't know.

That formula... You still remember it.

I didn't remember it before.;It jumped right into my head.

You created that formula yourself.

You've recovered a lot of information about Originium and Catastrophes over the past month, and you left a lot of calculations in your notes.

Perhaps the sudden crisis dredged up the latent memories from deep inside your consciousness, or perhaps you reinvented it using the knowledge you left behind.

The fact that you could recall this formula proves that you still retain a basic understanding of the nature of Originium.

In other words, you've never forgotten your identity as a researcher of Originium.

I want to continue this line of research.;This seems to be my duty.

You may see the study of Originium as your duty, but know that our actions should never be restricted by duty alone.

Dr. {@nickname}, what drives you to pursue the study of Originium so fervently?

Both you and Amiya have Oripathy.;The suffering caused by Originium scars our world.;I want to bring an end to this calamity.

I once heard an answer to this question.

It was very similar to what you said today, but also completely different.

The person who uttered those words had an instinctive desire to unravel truths unknown, and also worked hard to save lives.

But sometimes, salvation also meant destruction— that is what the same person told me.

Do you still harbor that same answer deep within your brain?

Does it still count as being there even if I don't remember it?;......;Whatever makes you happy.

Amiya said your performance on the bridge today was much like that of an actual 'prophet.'

I did my homework.;......;Why are you staring at me like that?

The rational part of me wants to believe in science.

When the results of your first brain examination came back, I thought I saw some errors in the process, and so there was a second time, a third time... and even a seventh time.

The rational part of me told me that repeating the same results three times was enough to prove that you weren't lying.

Without a shadow of a doubt, you really did lose a lot of your memories. You don't remember what you did to Theresa, and you forgot why you were standing here in the first place.

All of this has caused a significant... dichotomy between you and the person I once knew.

But just like I allowed you to do the seventh test, in this moment, I once again find myself doubting... Who exactly is standing in front of me?

How much of the past remains, and how much of you blooms anew?

You're being sentimental again.;It felt terrible having to sit through seven exams.

Perhaps, I won't deny it. Dealing with you always has a tendency to sway my emotions.

But this is also born of extreme rationality.

I hope you understand, there can be errors in our measurements. And in your case, I can no longer tolerate any errors.

I would like to apologize to you regarding this matter.

But taking a better grasp of your memory recuperation will also have real benefits for your body.

There's something I've wanted to ask for a long time.

Setting aside your role as a doctor, do you want me to regain my memories?

Situations are rarely black and white... and the same is true of human emotions.

I've not concealed my hatred for you in the past, but... no matter how much I hate to admit it, there's something else there too.

You want me doing everything I could before.;Do you miss the person you hate?;You're searching for the truth of the past.

If it's only strength I needed, I believe that you are good enough as you are... Perhaps, you can do even better.

Do I... 'miss'...?

That word is far too simple. The languages of this world have developed over thousands of years, and yet I am still unable to choose the most suitable word to order my thoughts during the many moments I think about you.

Without a doubt, I seek that answer.

Ideally, I want to hear the truth from your mouth. But I will not give up looking for that truth in other ways.

Now, it's my turn to ask you.

Dr. {@nickname}, do you want your memories back?

I do.;I don't.

Your answer doesn't matter. I see your hesitation.

Once your memories come back, many of your questions will be answered. However, not every answer will satisfy you.

You will know where all the emotions pouring into you come from, whether it is the hatred from me and W, the unconditional trust from Amiya, or... even further back.

Excess memories, intense emotions, will instantly flood your entire brain—

Trust me, what you will feel at that time will be far greater than exhaustion.

What you should fear even more is, when the past finally catches up to you, you must decide.

What if those memories are too strong and engulf all the hard work you've put in recently, and pull you back into the abyss that you failed to crawl out of over countless years?

Once the current you is defeated, everything you've worked so hard to build will collapse, and your will may no longer be your own.

So, let me ask you once more—

Dr. {@nickname}, are you ready?

If luck is on our side, you won't need to answer this question any time soon.

I want to thank you. Over the past month or so, you've shown me some new possibilities.

Especially today. I learned that you still remember the formula.

It turns out, you and I are not the only ones preparing for that day.

I suspected this long ago, that home-use life functions restoration device was not supposed to have the defect of deleting one's memory—

In particular, it's impossible to selectively delete the part of the brain most likely involved in decision-making, but still retaining the parts most meaningful to you.

Dr. {@nickname}......

What I think is, she trusted you even more than I could fathom in the past.

That being the case, we should continue to work hard.

Just as I've said countless times already, I will help you, as long as we continue to stand together.

7:43 P.M. \ Overcast

Rhodes Island Landship, Command Center

Professor, are you here?

Eyjafjalla? Come in.

Professor, they said you wanted to see me...

This is for you.

Is it about my application to become an operator...? Oh, it's been approved?

That's great news. Everyone said you and Miss Amiya would turn me down because of my condition.

I convinced her.