Part 58: Tyria's Binary Field, Part 3d

The next morning came, as they sadly always do.

Video Record- “Tyria 3d”

Watch (fully voiced)

*yawn* I overslept a little.
...Huh? What's this note?
"I left already because Kurogane called and asked me to come early."
"Thank you for being with me today, but if we stayed together any longer, it would be too hard to say goodbye."
"So, I've decided to say farewell to you like this."
"Thank you very much for everything you've done for me up to today."
...Come early?
I wonder why... He's never done anything like that before.

His phone rang. Labo Labo was calling with terrible news.



Labo Labo: Otto Masakado, where are you at right now!?
What's wrong? You sound pretty urgent.
Labo Labo: This is urgent! Tyria is about to start singing the Song!
What!? But it's not time yet...
Labo Labo: It was Kurogane's order. Right now, he's in the Sonic Room with her...
I'll be right there! Please keep your eyes open inside that room!
What's going on!?

He rushed down to the Kurogane Lab.



The whole place was in chaos, which made it easy for him to reach the Sonic Room.



But the door to the Sonic Room is completely locked...
...Hmm, no it's not. What's wrong with this door?
(It's usually locked electronically, and can only be unlocked by scanning a registered agent's fingerprints.)
(Is the door broken? No. If it was, then it wouldn't have been locked the first time around.)
(When I was doing this the second time, I got shot right after I locked the door from the inside.)
(So, if I open the door, then there's no doubt that I'll get shot again.)
(Then...alright!)

It turned out to have been a good idea that he talked to Sake and Finelle, because if he hadn’t had their Hyumas he wouldn’t have had any chance.



Autumnal Chill: Well, yeah, kind of.
Wintry Wind: The expiration date is today. Are you saying it's time for us to do something for you?
I need your help. Break this door down and then defend me right after that.
Autumnal Chill: Try to feel as though you're on an Aegis Carrier...
Wintry Wind: Can I blow this door away? I won't go easy on it.
Yeah, smash it to pieces!
Wintry Wind: Alright, let's do it! Silver detonation!
Yeah! Now!

They burst into the room, and as it happened Aoto’s instincts were dead on.



Autumnal Chill: I won't let ya! Barrier!
Kuroganeee!
Kurogane: Gh! Nuoohhh!
Whoa!
Watch out!

Both of them went over the edge in the struggle, with Tyria desperately trying to keep them both from falling to their respective dooms.



Kh...you're so heavy!
Tyria, are you alright!?
N-no, climb up, now...
Kurogane: How pathetic...
This is how my precious project, that I spent years working on, comes to an end? It was ruined by a lowly bodyguard!
You idiot. When you hired me, you're the one who told me to protect her with my life.
That's why I protected her. You should praise me for my perfect performance.
Kurogane: Shut up, you son of a bitch. At this rate, Tyria...
I'm fine! I'll sing the Song and become the Tower...so!
Chairman, I know all about your conspiracy. You're gonna commit suicide in front of Tyria while she's singing.
…Huh?
Tyria cares for you a lot, so if you kill yourself in front of her, she will be deeply disturbed.
That was your true aim all along! You're taking advantage of her feelings. You never wanted her to become the Tower.
Kurogane: …
Kurogane, is that true...?

It actually really interests me that even with her feelings for him Tyria’s Binary Field accepts that Kurogane was this much of a monster.



Kurogane: That wouldn't stop her from becoming the Tower anyway. The Tower itself will be created.
Although premature, it will still be the Tower.
...Why did you try to do that!? Urgh!
Tyria, let go of me or else you'll fall, too!
Kh...no! I'll never let you go!
Kurogane: Heh heh heh...hahahahaha! My calculations were correct!
Otto Masakado, for Tyria, your life has become a lot more important than you realized.
Kh! Even if that's true, I don't feel any better...
You spent the night together last night, did you not? Tyria opened herself up to you, so it was worth a shot.
You asshole...!
Masakado, stop struggling!
Kh...damn it!!

In the end, though, Kurogane was left with only one way to carry out his plan. I will say that I at least have to give respect to the fact that he didn’t explain his plans at length so they could be undone, that always annoys me.



Why aren't you saying anything?
Kurogane: I was reculculating my whole plan. Ah, this will be successful.
What are you doing now...?
No! Kurogane, hold on tighter!
Do you want to die!?
Kurogane: That's a bad way of putting it. This is an amendment to my blueprints, so to speak.
I can't tell whether this will succeed or not, but this is the best I can do at this point...
Don't be an idiot! There are a whole lot of things I still have to ask you about!
Why do you need the Tower to be created premature!? Are you Anti-AAA!?
Kurogane: ...It will cause nothing but pain to continue this conversation with a true idiot like yourself.
Figure out the rest by yourself, unless you really are an idiot.
Kurogane!
Kurogane: Tyria...the crystallization of my research...my best artwork throughout my entire life.
I hope you become the Tower... And put an end to my gruesome passage of retaliation...
No! Hold onto my hand, Kurogane!

Kurogane let go, freeing Tyria’s other hand to help Aoto up.



Ah, I'm trying...just a little more.
Okay...got it! We're saved!
I'm glad you didn't fall.
Without you, I would've fallen for sure. Thank you, Tyria.
...But...the Chairman...
…
Masterpiece...
Don't let him get to you. Just forget everything that he said.
...I'll be okay. I knew that's all I ever meant to him.
You knew? Then...you put so much faith into the Chairman, even though he only valued you as his ultimate creation?
I didn't care if I was just a science project to him. Without Kurogane, I wouldn't be here on this world.
Though I was just an object to him, he still loved me... So, I was satisfied with the way he treated me.
Although premature and imperfect, he did everything he could to help me become the Tower.
So, I'm still thankful to him.

It’s seriously amazing that essentially the same Aoto actually came up with this stuff. If he would actually act on not being a terrible person in the real world that’d be nice.



You're a human being! Well, not a human, but...a Reyvateil.
But that doesn't matter. Humans and Reyvateils are both people! We're all alive.
I'm a bodyguard for people, Tyria! My contract never said anything about being museum security!
...You're right. Your opinion makes sense, in a way.
It's not a matter of opinion! It's a fact!
You're a person, Tyria! I don't care who says what about it, I'll never give up on this!
…
That may be why I chose to like you.
…
But, why did he try to make an imperfect Tower out of you?
If you were the Chairman's masterpiece, shouldn't he want to make you perfect?

Tyria had one possible explanation, though the only man who knew for sure was in no position to confirm.



He probably wanted to retaliate against the AAA.
Since the construction of the Third Tower was put on hold, his research has been hit with a lack of funding.
It's hard to imagine how hard that must've been for him to accept.
So, the Chairman became Anti-AAA?
And that's why he tried to make the Tower premature...?
I don't think so. He wanted to complete this Tower more than anyone else on the planet.
Whatever happened to him, he would never get involved with Anti-AAA terrorists.
...Kurogane tried to turn me into the Tower, right? So he wanted me to become the Tower, though a bit premature...
Once I transformed into the Tower, the culmination of his research, I could never be stolen or trampled upon.
(Ah-ha, that's why he killed himself the first time, and shot me the second time, when I entered the Sonic Room...)
(He thought, by doing so, her mind would be disturbed, and she would become an imperfect Tower...)
...For Chairman Kurogane, he must've seen everything in the world as a tool to further his own ambitions.
...That might be true.
Yet, he still loved me. He treasured me as a tool.
And that truly made me happy.
...You valued me for the person I am. That may make me even...
...No, nevermind.

Though the most immediate problem had been dealt with, a second one was looming.



…
Yes...I'll sing the Song and become the Tower.
I see. That is your dream, after all.
...That's not the reason anymore.
Sure, it's still my dream, but that's not why I want to become the Tower.
Then, what's your new reason?
Aoto, do you know where we are?
This is a sanctuary for all humans who dream of the planet's revival, the Kurogane Lab.
If I refuse to sing here, a whole crowd of humans will come to get me shortly.
I was wondering why they weren't coming to catch you yet...
And on top of that, you sound like you don't want to sing the Song anymore.
...You're entitled to take what I'm saying whichever way you want.
I just feel like I should sing the Song...
...Are you sure?
...Yes, definitely.
…

What she really needed was a reason not to sing.



...I'll miss you.
Does that mean you wouldn't mind not going through with this?
How can I not sing?
Well, it should ultimately be your own decision, Tyria. I'm just asking you not to sing.
...If you keep your promise, I might not have to sing anymore.
Huh? Did I make a promise to you?
Do you remember when you were drowning in the swimming pool?
You promised that you'd always protect me, no matter what, remember?
...Your reference to the swimming pool reminds me of another memory that's way punchier than that.
Remember your promise!?
Sh-sure. Of course I remember it.

I also appreciate that she actually called him on not living up to it.



That wasn't a date! Plus, you made me go with them.
But the fact of the matter is that you didn't come to protect me. I believed you would still come...
I have nothing to say about that...
So...what do you wanna do?
That depends on whether you'll keep your word or not. You must decide whether you'll keep it or break it.
If those are my choices, then of course I'll choose to keep my promise.
...Okay. Then, I won't become the Tower.
And I'll always be with you. But you have to protect me at all times.
So, please, get me out of this danger.
That's a hard first task...
If you can't, then we must part ways, because that would make you a liar.
Well, I don't like that... Shall we escape, then?
Sure, why not?

Oh their escape was incredible by the way. There was like a boulder chasing them and Aoto jumped through a door with a pair of guns for absolutely no reason. It was probably the best part of the whole thing. You’re going to have to take my word for it, because I sort of recorded over it by accident. Anyway, it’s a good thing time experienced compresses amazingly well in the Binary Field.



At least I didn’t make you put up with years of this stuff.



Welcome home, darling. Thank you for working hard today.
Yeah, well, it was much easier when I was a bodyguard.
If it's so hard, you can always quit your job. We have a lot saved up from when we were working at the lab.
I can't do that. I'll be a laughing stock if I become a parasite husband.
Well, I don't care.
But I do. Geez...

They actually had a good plan for escaping Tyria’s fate.



Tyria was a target of assassination for them, but once she became a refugee, it was a totally different story.
They decided it would be more beneficial to keep us in their custody than to kill us.
By keeping Tyria close at hand, the lab couldn't attack them.
And thanks to their guards, we've been able to live a peaceful life.
...We've been through a lot, but my life is nothing but happiness.
…I’m not satisfied.
Huh?
We've been married for several years, now, right?
And...I want to share our happiness with one more person.
We've got the Hyumas... I mean, they're noisy, but...
That's not what I meant.
I know.
But, you know...
...I'm just joking. I'm more than satisfied with my life with you.
Actually, I want to enjoy this life of ours together a bit longer. That way, I can monopolize even more of your time.
...So, you're happy with the way things are right now?

And somehow, despite all the odds, they reached a proper happy ending.



Her developers snuck credits into Tyria’s soul programs, by the way.



Aoto and Tyria were dumped back into her raw Binary Field.



…
...Idiot.
Huh?
You stupid idiot! You can't do whatever you want just because you're in the Binary Field!
What!? I did my best!
You can't be trying your best if you're out doing anything that comes to mind!
First of all, I remember the Song, so you don't even need to enter my Binary Field. What are you still doing here!?
Oh...yeah...that's a good question...
...I'm sorry. I was curious about so many things, that I wanted to do it again.
You're curious? About what?
...Huh!? Well...I don't know...
...Your feelings maybe...
What was that!? Don't try to meddle with my feelings when I'm not aware of it.
Sorry…
...I don't want you to apologize.
...I don't want you to apologize.
Forget about it.

The tension was broken by the arrival of a Hyuma.



Who are you!?
Grace: Ta da! I'm grateful Grazie! Here I am!
...What a noisy little kid.
You should at least call her spunky.
Grace: You're so mean! I came out to celebrate with you for beating the game!
Didn't you come out last time, too?
Grace: Yes! You remember? That's why I came out to say congratulations for reaching a new denouement.
I'm like a token of your victory. You should cherish me.
The Hyuma, Grazie, has been unlocked!
Grace: See you later!
She sure is a spunky kid...
She's very cheerful.
...I wonder if we had a child, do you think she would be like her?
What was that!?
Oh, nothing!
If you're done, go home, alright? Buh bye. Ciao!

There’s a bit more to this story, but that’ll have to wait for next time. It’ll be worth the wait.