Part 25: Chapter 24: EXEC_HIBERNATION

Chapter 24: EXEC_HIBERNATION

Loading Excerpt- Personal Logs, C. Bartel
Jacqli suggested that we should all record what's happening here. Something about these logs being stored in some main server elsewhere, I have no idea what she's talking about most of the time. When we broke out of that prison we found ourselves somewhere within the Rim.

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The Grand Bell... no, Pastalia. More like the center of the tower.
It's called the Moon Culvert.
There's actually quite a number of underground passageways deep within Pastalia.
Well, we're going to have to follow this pass then.

So anyway I'm just going to leave this running for now. I just hope we're in time to help Lady Cloche and Luca.

Loading Exceprt- The Melody of Metafalica, C. Pastalia, L. Trulyworth
Luca had managed to free us, but we were hardly out of the woods yet. If we were going to find the others and stop whatever Targana had planned, we were going to have to do it ourselves.



Uh... unn... Ah...
Good. Looks like you're alive.
Hey, Lady Cloche... Frelia...
Hey, stand up! We have to run away! Quick!
Huh!? Oh, right!
Damn it... After them! Capture the maiden!
Knight: Permission to speak, sir! A message from Sir Chester.
The preparations for the Ritual of Ascension are complete.
Alright. Tell Chester we'll begin the ritual shortly.
Knight: Lord Targana! Are you hurt!?
May I ask where you're going?
We've found the new singer. We will begin the Ritual of Ascension now.
You two chase after the two maidens who've escaped. Make sure you capture them.
Knight: Yes, sir!
Yes, sir!

We weren't sure where to go, but not where we were seemed the most immediately urgent need.



Um, oh, right! Lift III! Let's take Lift III and go down!
Where is Lift III?
Oh geez! You're such a klutz. Follow me!
Knight: I found them!
Reyvateil:[ Please stay calm and allow us to catch you!

There was no way we could let them take us now.



We were both exhausted from all the running when we reached the lift, but there was no way we could stop for anything.

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*huff * *huff *
Knight: That was close. They were just about to get away...
Thanks for making us crawl all over the place!
But that ends here. Give it up already!



What are you just standing there for!? You're so slow!
S-sorry...
Knight: With that power, you're not gonna last much longer. Just give it up!
You must be kidding! Who would ever give in to you?
I'm the maiden protecting this land! I won't let you destroy this world anymore!
This world...
The people of this land...
We're going to protect them!
Knight: Whoa!
Now!



Okay!
I'm so sorry, Lady Cloche. Thank you for covering me...
*huff * *huff *
You always complain about being tired, so I didn't think you had much energy.
But you're pretty strong... Hehehe.
...You know! You're really lacking a sense of danger right now!
Seriously... I don't want to die because you're dragging me down!
S-sorry...
......
......
Um... Lady Cloche? If you think I'm a drag next time, leave me behind.
...What!?
It's better than both of us dying...
Wa-wait, what are you saying!? I didn't mean it that way...
You're...
You're said to be the most precious life in this world.



What are you talking about? It's the same for you.
You're the one whose life is really the most precious in this world!
But, not everybody knows that...
So if no one knows about it, does that mean you're not really precious!?
You're the true heir of the maiden, the one to create land. You're the real Cloche, are you not!?
B-but...
If I say it's so, then it is so!
And, I won't die. I don't plan to sacrifice myself, nor do I plan to cover you.
You and I will get out of here alive! Together!
...Lady Cloche. Thank you.
......
It's me who should be thanking you.
Such a dangerous gamble... Betting on a "miracle" you didn't even know would work. You're so stupid...
But... thanks... for saving me.
Let's get out of here together... We'll get out of here alive!
...Yeah!

Something unexpected then occurred.



An Infelsphere Key!?

Elsewhere...



Our wish, the only way to save this world, will finally become a reality.
Everything shall end, and begin from here...
My honorable ancestors, glory to Metafalica!
Knight: Now to the Bell Strike Hall.
Where's Chester?
Knight: He is already standing by with Lakra.
Alright. Then let us go.
Knight: There's another report.
The explosion caused the prison to collapse and we don't know where the others have gone.
What!?
Damn Croix... how far must you go to betray my heart? Why don't you understand?
Knight: What are your orders?
......
Hibernation comes first. Let's go.

Loading Excerpt- ERROR ERROR CORRPUTED FILE
Attempt Reconstruction? Y/N >> Y

Humans are such sad, pathetic creatures. They turn on those who want to help them for the most pathetic things. But today I can finally begin to reap the rewards of all my planning.

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As a representative of the Imperials and the people, I express our greatest gratitude...
Our dear goddess Frelia...
......
The Ascension will now be complete. We, the people, will begin a new form of life.
Goddess... Oh Frelia... Sing for us, Hibernation!

Click here to download EXEC_HIBERNATION



Yes yes yes yes yes! I'm in! Now I just need to pull this off before Frelia keels over.









???: And if my theory is correct, this is...
...!
Who... are you!? How can you just enter like that?
???: Hehe, just as I thought. The seal on the Key is still unbroken.
But the time's finally come to break that seal...
When it's released, you'll remember me. And at the same time, you'll remember... your mission.

Now it's all over but the screaming. It's just a turn of phrase, but I must admit I sort of wonder if there will be screaming. I think I'd like that.

Elsewhere...



...Yes.
When this Song is over, you'll be saved...
I will go.

Elsewhere...



Auntie: Hurry, we need to escape!
Town Girl: Grandpa! We need to run! Come on, what are you staring out into space for!?
Grandfather: Oh... It just feels so comfortable. Ah, it's Metafalica. Our paradise has come...
Town Girl: Hey, Grandpa! What are you saying! Hey!

Loading Excerpt- Personal Logs, C. Bartel
We could already hear Hibernation coming from the direction of the Hill of Metafalica when we got off the lift.



A Song! I can hear a Song...
I hear it from up there!
Right, let's go!

Targana was there, and Frelia was singing Hibernation.



...Croix. I must be lucky to have you jump straight into my hands.
What are you doing!?
Why are you so angry?
This is the happiest day for all the citizens of Metafalss.
After 400 years, our paradise, Metafalica, will be complete.
A paradise without a body or a world, huh? You must be crazy!
Perhaps it is too noble of an idea for you to understand.
That's alright. In a few hours, you will thank me with tears of joy.
What is this bright thing?



It's our new residence. We're in the middle of preparing it.
The Infel Pira had been used as the source of I.P.D. Song Magic, until now.
But that no longer matters.
The inside of the Infel Pira has been reconstructed to be our home.
Our souls will then be transferred into the Infel Pira.
There, we will live forever without suffering or sadness!

The true horror of my former friend's plan then became obvious.



Cro... It's like... I don't have any power.
Cocona!
Croix, over there. The Infel Pira is most likely being hacked into.
What!?
I.P.D.s have their Cosmospheres inside the Infel Pira.
If the Infel Pira is invaded, Cocona's mind will also be invaded.
Stop it!
It's useless. The Song won't stop.
And even if you do stop it, the Infel Pira won't revert.
...But, no.
It's very sad, but to realize our paradise, this is a necessity.
We must rewrite the memory in Infel Pira or else we can't live in it.
Forgive me... Croix.
What kind of... paradise requires so many sacrifices!?
Change always comes with sacrifices! There is no revolution without blood!
The sacrifice of the I.P.D.s will save a million Metafalssians!
...It's not like I'm not pained by this either.

You know I'm really getting sick of politicians saying that. If something's not right but you're doing it anyway, don't try to act like it's all roses and sunshine because you think your intentions are good.



...That's why the Grand Bell worked so hard at eradicating I.P.D.
So that we could lessen this tragedy to as little as possible.
If you're going to get mad, get mad at Alfman.
His actions to increase the I.P.D. population brought upon this tragedy.
Your precious Cocona is one of his victims...
...What's more important to me right now? Which?
......
Amarie, what's wrong?
Right...
Croix, I... might have a clue.
For what?
You know Lakra, right? I think they're rewriting the Infel Pira there.
I overheard them the other day. They're going to sing Hibernation. They're going to end the world...
Alright. Let's go to Lakra! Take us there!
Wait!
I beg you! Let us go!
Sadly, though you beg me, I cannot allow it this time.
If you say you still want to go, fight me!
Our discord during our training days, and this betrayal... Let's settle it now!

Only too happy to oblige him right now, there's simply no forgiving his actions now.



Boss Battle: Targana and Knights
There's very little to say about this boss, really. Targana has a lot of really easy to block attacks, which makes this sort of a joke. You've got Jacqli, who is the best Reyavateil to be stuck alone with. Even when he buffs his abilities a bit into the fight Targana is still a loser.



We got on the lifts to hurry down to Lakra. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad we've got Jacqli around, she's not nice or anything but it's reassuring to have someone who has some idea what's going on.



Who are-
...Cocona? It's me, Croix!
Cro-ix? Oh, Cro... Good, I still remember.
This isn't good. If they delete the memory field, she might forget us.
What!?
Cocona, I'll save you!
To get to Lakra, we're going to use the newly made Lift VII.
It should lead us right into Lakra's facility.

The door was stuck. And once again we got to see that for every problem there's a solution that involves Jacqli blowing something up.



There's some sort of protector.
Amarie, how can we make it so we can use it?
Sorry... I really don't know that much.
I know how. Should I try?
Really!? Please.
Alright. Then, back away just a little.
...What?
Wahh!!
Jacqli! What are you doing?!
I burned off the circuits that are used for the lock. It should work now.
...How forceful.
We can't be picky in choosing our methods, right? Let's go.

While we descended deep into the lands below Pastalia, I decided to ask Amarie if she knew what we were getting in to.



To me, it was just a system to detect I.P.D.s and give containment orders.
Is it some crazy huge ancient technology thing?
She's just a girl.
...Huh!?
You'll see when we get there.

Elsewhere...



This Song is...
No... it can't be...
What? What is it!?
This Song is... Hibernation!
What!? Then this world is going to-
At this rate... it'll be wiped away!
Ahh!
Uh!
...The ground is starting to break up. This time, the entire thing will fall...
We have to stop the Song somehow. Could it be Lady Frelia? But where?
...Oh!



The Bell Strike Hall! She's at the Bell Strike Hall!
The vision I saw at the scaffold earlier, that was for sure the Bell Strike Hall!
But that's up there. If we walked, it'd take forever...
Oh right... Lift IX! That should go straight to the hall!
Let's start up Lift IX and go straight up!
Let's go!

It turned out someone had disabled all the lifts in Lakra as well. Luckily we had a solution to this little problem.

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Looks like the control circuit for the lifts. Should I burn it off?
Then let's do this. It'll be perfect stress relief.
Oh please...
Ahh, feels so good.



Looks like the control circuit for the lifts. Should I burn it off?
Alright. Here's where I get to show my stuff.
Go easy on it...
How's that.

We got to the center of the facility, and Chester was there waiting.



Why?
Cocona... the I.P.D.s, you're sacrificing them for some paradise!?
...A personal grudge? How disappointing.
We, the people, have waited 400 years for this day.
For the day to make Metafalica a reality...
No one wants a Metafalica like this!
Everyone resists change. However, once inside, everyone will accept it.

Elsewhere...



Auntie: Stop yelling.
Metafalica...
It's coming. It's right there...
You should be happy...
Boy: Mommy!
400 years ago, the people made Infel Pira for the creation of land.
However, Infel Pira failed at that purpose.
As a result, the people decided on a method of surviving as spiritual beings.
This meant, each and ever citizen yearned for a paradise in their mind.
As you know, people can live in the comfort of the soulspace.
There's no need to interact with others, you can live alone. You only see others to have fun.
Everyone can live forever without having to think, or having to do anything.
Right now, this world is full of people who are hurt.
The poor, those who were betrayed, those who can no longer trust, those who fear others...
Everyone is already so tired. They don't want to interact with anyone else. They can't trust anybody.
Even if more land is created, if you ask if that is paradise, it's hard to answer yes.

I'm really getting sick of having people spout things like this at me.



400 years ago, Metafalica was created, just once.
By Nenesha, Maiden of Fuero, and Infel, Maiden of Aqua.
The theory was perfect.
Infel Pira was equipped with a semi-permanent program for world creation.
Yes... it was super technology, beyond wave science which prospered during the First Era.
However, the people's hearts did not accept it.
They refused the creation of the Metafalica that they had spent centuries wishing for.
Therefore, our ancestors made a treaty with the Goddess.
A treaty that guaranteed the end of this world, and the eternal happiness of everyone's soul.
That's a lie! It has to be!
I'll stop it!
Hahh!



It's futile. Lakra is already completely inside Infel Pira's memory.
Even if her body is destroyed, no one can stop the reconstruction of Infel Pira!
Dammit. What am I supposed to do!?
...Memory. The Binary Field?
Let's retreat for now. I have an idea...
What? We came all the way here to retreat!?
We could stay if you like. I just know a more sound method than sitting here.
......
...Alright. We'll back off.
......
Knight: Stop right there!
Wait. There's no need to chase them.
Knight: But...
It doesn't matter. The Ascension will soon be complete.
They can't do anything to stop it.
And more importantly, if you fought them now and died, you won't make it to Metafalica.
Knight: Y-yes, sir!



Chester... I always trusted you until now.
You were kind and caring and treated me so well after I lost my parents.
That's why I started liking you. No, I still like you...
But that's also why I want to say this. I think what you're doing is wrong.
Tell me! Why? What happened?
You said we'll purify the world of I.P.D. symptoms.
And we'll create a world where we'll all live in peace... You said that!
......
I won't give up until the end. Even if you've already given up, I won't!

Jacqli's plan required us to go to the Dive Shop in Pastalia. The city was incredibly creepy, like the living dead or something.

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It seems most people don't have their minds in their bodies anymore...
He said... the people decided it.
I wonder if these people really accepted becoming spiritual beings...
We don't have time... Hurry, to the Dive Shop.

There's something to be said for sheer dogged unwillingness to give up or slow down. Any time we've been close to getting bogged down Jacqli's forced us along.



You still seem to be okay.
Lelen: I guess it depends on the person. But I'm starting to get sleepy, too.
We should hurry. I want you to let me Dive. Is that okay?
Lelen: Well, sure but... Who and who?
What!? You're going to Dive into this little girl!? That's kind of impossible!
You won't be responsible. You just said it's okay, didn't you!?
Lelen: Well, yeah I did, but...
Long ago, I was trapped for centuries in a place called the Binary Field.
I think it's the same place as what Chester keeps calling the memory.
I don't know what's going on inside Infel Pira's memory...
But if my theory's right, this should be able to stop the Ascension.
And, by "this" you mean...?
This is urgent, so I'll be straightforward with you.



Isn't the Boundary Gate...?
Yes. It's the gate Reyvateils need to maintain their self.
A mature Reyvateil's Boundary Gate can never be broken through.
But, there's a possibility I can break through an immature Reyvateil's.
Lelen: Wait... you're kidding right!? If you break the Boundary Gate, you can't stay alive!
First of all, Diving's for 13-year-olds and older.
It's dangerous for the Reyvateil and the Diver, otherwise.
...But.
I am well aware of that. But I don't know any other way to break through in such a short time.
The dangers... are exactly as the Dive Shop girl said. That's the gist.
I... Cocona.
...Cro.
You're awake? Are you alright? Cocona!?
Hey... Cro. Just use me...
What!?
I won't live either way. I'd rather help you until the end...
And, maybe... it can save me, and the other I.P.D.s.
The people of Pastalia and the Rim... This world might be saved.
But...

You know when the world's ending you sometimes end up having some really awkward conversations. I think Jacqli was enjoying herself perhaps a bit too much during this one.



But... I'm going to have to bust through your Boundary Gate!
If I do that... no one knows what'll happen to you.
I just... can't...
It's okay... if it's you. If you're the one breaking it, then I'll be happy...
Cro... please?
As I said earlier, it's dangerous. Be prepared for tight situations.
But if you really treasure Cocona...
And if Cocona really accepts you in, you should be able to push through.
Once you're in the Binary Field, defeat Lakra. She should be there.
......
Even if she's an innocent, you have to take her down. ...Can you do it?
...That's.
Listen. If you don't finish her off, Cocona and the entire world are going to perish!
Alright. I can do this.
...Let's go.
Alright...

Needless to say I'm not talking about anything that happened after that. Croix signing off.



And now my left hand... It's kind of ticklish...
Oww... Did I get pinched on my left hand? What's with these feelings?
So this is why they say immature Reyvateils are dangerous...
I don't even have a sense of direction... Is this even a world?
...Oh, of course there's no mind guardian. They say I.P.D.s don't have one. I guess it's true...
When they're there, it's kind of annoying. But without 'em it's kinda lonely.
......
I need to find the Boundary Gate...
...But where am I supposed to go?
......
Something's... showing. Is this... a world?



You're not getting off so easy! You're really late!
It was a really serious one this time...
Oh, fine. Well, good job, as always.
I'm so sad I couldn't join the fight today.



Don't you ever think that.
But if I was a Reyvateil, we'd be so much stronger than that stupid couple!
Cuz we're so closely related...



Nice to meet you!
Oh, nice to meet you, too! So, you're Cocona? You're so cute!
If I remember correctly, you help Croix on his knight missions, right?
Uh, yeah, I guess...
Thanks for taking care of him all the time!
Oh, no problem...



Nothing, I'm fine. I just felt so tired all of a sudden.
Well, it was a long trip.



Cocona!? What's wrong?
Sad... Scared... Hate...
This looks like-
No way! This isn't happening!
Everyone... Be gone...
Tell me this is a joke! Cocona!



That voice!
I'm okay now!
Knight: You're not okay! Just calm down!
Cocona!
Cro!
Let her go!



Cocona! What's wrong? Get up!
Cocona; Cro... It's like... I don't have any power.
Cocona!
Croix, over there. The Infel Pira is most likely being hacked into.
What!?



But... I'm going to have to bust through your Boundary Gate!
If I do that... no one knows what'll happen to you.
I just... can't...
It's okay... if it's you. If you're the one breaking it, then I'll be happy...
Cro... please?



Cocona!
Hated, feared by people... Shot with a neutralizer, quarantined, and deleted.
Where's the meaning in our lives? Are we... unwanted children of this world?
That's not true! Cocona, I need you!
...I'm glad you can say so.
I don't even remember your name anymore... But I can feel that you treasure me.
My whole body accepts your love... and warmth. This warming aura...
At least in the end... I want to be wanted by you.
Please... Break through.
The Boundary Gate...
Arrrraahhh!
Whoa!



Y-you're... Lakra?
A human... here? I'm surprised.
Ha... haha. It's that same voice I know. Stop what you're doing... now. Please.
I can't do that.
...Ah, then I'll just cut it myself.
I warn you, Frelia's conductive H-waves are actively flowing through this bundle of light.
A disconnect now will sacrifice Frelia and the H-waves being transferred. In other words, the souls.
...What?
Sadly, you will die here. Say goodbye to Miss Cocona, too.
Will you stop interfering with the evolution of mankind? There's nothing you can do to stop it.
No matter what kind of glossy speech you give, you're still killing thousands of I.P.D.s!
What you're doing is genocide!
From those words, I can sense a different emotion from deep in your heart.
...What do you mean?



What are you talking about!?
If Miss Cocona was healthy, would you still have risked this Dive?
......
Well...
A deep relationship can cause deep scars. It's painful, yet people continue to build them.
Why...? Because it's necessary to live.
If you didn't need others to live, you wouldn't need to risk such pain. That's what Hibernation offers.
No one will ever have to go through the pain of losing their loved ones.
And I don't just mean from this time. Life gives you all kinds of scars.
As a spiritual being, you will no longer be hurt. In the memory, you will slowly be healed.
Even as we speak, people are being healed. And...
They are leaving on their journey to the paradise in Infel Pira...

Loading Excerpt- The Melody of Metafalica, C. Pastalia, L. Trulyworth
We were on the lift to the Hill of Metafalica when she fell.



Soope! You, too...? Wake up!
Don't leave me alone!
Lady Cloche! Soope!

I didn't know it at the time, but the damage to the Infel Pira was finally taking its toll on both of them.



You seem to be an extreme materialist. However, the world doesn't seem to agree with you much.
...How can you say that!?
Hibernation can't activate unless they accept it. But it seems many have already transferred in.
This is reality. No matter what your justice states, many people of this world accept Hibernation.
But...
Lakra; You've carried many scars in your heart until now. Why don't you let go?
From now on, it's an age of giving care to your heart. Be kind to yourself for your own sake.
...Kind to myself?

We finally reached Lady Frelia.





Thank you for all your hard work so that you can be killed here!



Even if they don't want to, they must interact hundreds... thousands of times.
Why? Because they want to live.
For example, in this new era, there would be no fighting, because there's no forced interaction.
...That... may be true.
If you hadn't lived with Miss Cocona to begin with, you wouldn't have had to suffer through this.
Why you met, and why you ended up living together...
Firstly, it is because you were a knight.
You had to make a living. You needed an income. For who? Yourself?
Or for those dear to you?
......
Secondly, it is because you believe that people can't live on their own.
If you thought anyone could live on their own, you wouldn't have lived with Cocona.
You should now that Cocona can live without you to protect her.
...You're... right.



Hibernation... will make that a reality...
Hibernation will make that a reality.
Hibernation will... I see... Hibernation will...

With all my heart and soul I cried out to Frelia, and once again a miracle occurred.



...I'm...here.
What!? Impossible!



Huh!? Damn! Now's my chance!
Yahhhhh!
Whaa!
Cocona!
Uh oh... the negative... Emotions... Backflow into... Pira...
Run... Hurry... Ru- This pla- Won't...
Cocona! Cocona!
Coconaaaaaa!!!



...!!!
Cocona! How is she!?
Her mind hasn't collapsed yet.
But it seems the Infel Pira's in pretty bad shape, so it dropped her into a coma.
Her FFT Spectrum is close to normal. It's the same wave shape as deep sleep.
But... that means there was no meaning for this Dive!
Sure it meant something. You stopped Lakra. The world is slowly returning ot normal.
But Cocona... she's...
......
Let's return to Lakra. If the initializing happened there, we should be able to recover it.
Even if we stay here, there's going to be no progress made.
...Alright.

Frelia stopped singing! It was almost like she'd been asleep. But as soon as she stopped, she fell to the ground!



Lady... Frelia?
400 years... the efforts of the Grand Bell... Our paradise... is...
Ahh...
I hope you're prepared... I doubt you can run away carrying that girl...
No...
Or will you abandon her and run off on your own?
...!
...What's this?
I... might not even have a tenth of Lady Cloche's courage...
I've run away from a lot of things...
But I'm not going to run away this time...
I'm... I'm going to protect Lady Cloche!
???: Well said. A true Maiden of Fuero, I should say.

Just when everything seemed darkest, salvation came from the most unlikely of sources.



Shun! ...I thought you died.
Hey now, that's not nice. I needed to reconstruct my body is all.
I was beaten up pretty badly, so it took some time, but...
It's been a while, hasn't it, Targana?
...What does the Divine Messenger want at a time like this?
I'm sorry, but I came to take the Goddess back.
What!?
Sadly... She doesn't have a trickle of power left. She's empty.
What about the treaty?
Treaty...? You can ask Raki about that.
She did that on her own. I only have one mission. To protect Frelia.
Luca... go. Everyone's waiting for you in Lakra's room.
...Th-thank you!
Looks like Ascension failed.
......
It may just be the destiny of this world.
I wonder who actually holds the true future...

To be continued...

Next Time on Ar Tonelico 2: EXEC_HARMONIUS_FUSION