Part 56: Tyria's Binary Field, Part 3b

We pick our action back up with Aoto and Tyria heading to the Lab.

Video Record- “Tyria 3b”

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We’ve got a little bit of repeated content this time around.



No, thank you. I must go to the Sonic Room.
But we're early. I don't think the staff is all here yet.
I don't mind. Besides...
I'm sure Kurogane's there, waiting for me.
…
I'm going now. Bye-bye.
...Chairman Kurogane.

This jerk has caused a lot of problems for someone we’ve never even seen before.



Even though she comes to the Lab every day, she only sees him maybe once every few months.
However, something links them together that makes up for their infrequent meetings.
Their conversations. When she enters the Sonic Room, Kurogane directs her from the Operation Room.
That is the extent of their relationship as far as Masakado can tell.
Tyria, however, trusts Kurogane implicitly.
I wonder why... She doesn't even see his face often enough to grow attached to him.
…
Fine. I'll just go to the Nap Room.
???: No, you have a far more important task right now.
Huh?

As before Aoto was excused early.



Oh, Vice Chairman.
What's this important task? Do you need me to guard someone else?
It's more important than that. Otto, your work is done for today. Go home and rest.
Huh? What do you mean!?
Tyria just told us that since you seem tired, she wants you to take a break.
Tyria, you're screwing me.
That's the complete opposite of what she's doing, Otto.
She trusts you. That's why she wants you to always be in top form.
You wouldn't want her to get injured because you aren't well-rested, do you?
I guess not, but...how will she get home?
Yozuki will escort her home. Are you still worried?
...So, am I no longer needed?
For today, no. But I will need you to come back here tomorrow.
So go home today and get a lot of rest.
...Yes, sir. I'll head home.
Thank you for understanding.
It may be rude of me to ask a favor of you right after our conversation, but...I need your help.
(Oh yeah, I was going to be asked to look for a Hyuma.)
(At the time, the Hyuma said something odd...)
(She couldn't go home because she wanted to save Tyria so badly. What did she mean?)

This time Aoto was actually thinking about what he’d been told earlier, and wanted the full story from that weird Hyuma.



Feinne on Qoga: Choice 5
So, we don’t want to help out here because we want to go find the Hyuma ourselves and find out why she ran away. Befriending Labo Labo will also be necessary to deal with something later as it turns out. Fortunately this one practically tells us what to do.

(If I agree to help, he'll make me take a Hyuma.)
(Maybe I should say no and just go see her.)
Sorry, but I really should go straight home and rest as you said, so...
I understand. Please resume your guard duty tomorrow.
Yes, sir. Please excuse me.
(I have to go see her before anyone else finds her.)

He headed down to the park, where they found the Hyuma the first time.



She was there, just as before.



...There!
Labo Labo: Oh! Otto Masakado, I presume!
I'm glad you're in the same place as before.
Labo Labo: D-did you come to abduct me!? No! I refuse! I won't go back with you!
I have a question about that. You don't want to return to the Lab, right?
Labo Labo: Yes, but how would you know that?
I'll explain later. Lab personnel are after us both.
Come back to my house with me. We'll be able to talk there.

They headed to Aoto’s house to talk. It seemed Labo Labo knew quite a bit more about the situation than he did.



Labo Labo: My, my. You're certainly living with a lot of Hyumas.
I asked them to keep quiet. What did you mean when you said "protect Tyria?"
Labo Labo: ...You are, of course, supportive of her becoming the Tower, right?
It's her dream. I believe that supporting her dream is one way of protecting her.
Labo Labo: ...Are you saying that you know what'll happen once she becomes the Tower?
Actually, I don't know any details about it.
Labo Labo: I figured. If you knew, you'd oppose the idea.
Should she become the Tower, she will begin to transfer a tremendous amount of energy to the planet.
Transfer energy?
Labo Labo: Right. If that happens, Tyria will use most of her Telomere, which will eventually run out in a few years.
Telomere? What's that?
Labo Labo: It is Tyria's vital energy, which keeps her alive.
So if she runs out, she'll die?
Labo Labo: Worse.
Due to the large consumption of energy, her metabolic systems will go haywire and she will suffer until she dies.
I found this out by accident. I must save Tyria! I can't allow myself go back to the Lab.
I don't want her to live through such agony.
That's horrible...

The interesting thing is that Aoto actually did something properly cool for once and thought through the situation.



Labo Labo: Of course, but she still thinks it's her dream.
But even that's not a lie. It comes from her heart.
I can't believe it, though. She knows she'll suffer and die, but she still dreams of becoming the Tower!
…
(It's an absurd story that I don't quite understand...)
(But that's because I'm neither Tyria nor a Reyvateil Origin.)
(Tyria was born to accomplish this mission.)
(For her, becoming the Tower isn't painful or absurd.)
(By doing it, she can accomplish such an immense goal...)
(No, that's probably nothing more than of secondary importance.)
That's probably why Chairman Kurogane wants her to do it. Why Tyria willingly accepts her destiny.
She's trying to become the Tower and that's the only reason the Chairman feels anything for her.
This was his dream at first, so it's only natural.
Labo Labo: But that means he doesn't love Tyria as a person.
Is she merely a tool for him to achieve his desires?
That's not true happiness. But that's not the only reason why I came here.
Otto Masakado, I know you realize what must be done. This is not happiness.

He actually realized that it’s a terrible thing to try to force your own views on someone else.



That's not for me to decide.
Tyria needs to decide what happiness is to her.
Labo Labo: Then, you don't mind if she dies?
Of course I do!
But she knows what'll happen to her, right? That she'll die in a few years after becoming the Tower?
And she still wants to do it, even at the cost of her own life.
So how can anyone have the right to stop her?
Do you want me to dismiss her free will and impose our own selfish dreams onto her?
If I do that, she still won't be happy.
Labo Labo: It's a better alternative than dying!
Please respect her free will!
I can't ignore her desires. I'll never put my own happiness ahead of hers.
Tyria is not a tool for my satisfaction!
Labo Labo: …

This also helped him clarify for himself his own feelings.



Labo Labo: Are you going to take me back to the Lab?
I don't have the right to decide that, either.
You must decide for yourself. That way, you won't regret the decision later.
Labo Labo: What will you do?
I'm still her bodyguard.
I'll act so she can make her dreams come true. That's all I can do.
Labo Labo: …
...You'll devote your own life for Tyria's desire?
Yes.
Labo Labo: …
I see. Then I'll return to the lab.
Why!? You managed to escape...
Labo Labo: I'm an important cog in the makeup of Tyria's conditional management.
If I vanish, her ability to become the Tower might be delayed.
But you said you didn't want her to become the Tower...

Aoto had inspired the Hyuma with his words.



Labo Labo: I wish to help her achieve the happiness that she longs for.
Otto Masakado, to support you to that end, I will return to the Lab.
I'm still important, y'know. If something funny happens in the Lab, I'll tell you right away.
If something strange happens to Tyria, I'll let you know.
The Hyuma, Labo Labo, has been unlocked.
I'm counting on you.
Labo Labo: Of course you are. Later!
...Tyria's happiness, huh?

Things went a bit like how they had last time he came home early for a while at that point. He ate dinner and his Hymas complained that he was a jerk.



Pocco: You're so impolite, Masakado. You should say, "Thank you for the meal!"
Pudding: Forget it. I wouldn't expect that from him.
...Thanks for the delicious dinner.
Pudding: W-well, you're supposed to say it before we have to tell you, y'know?
Please stop treating me like a child...
Mimi: Oh, we have a guest. This is rare.

Then, just as last time, Tyria showed up.



Masakado, how are you feeling? Are you getting any better?
Oh, yeah. Did you come all this way just to check up on me?
...Well, we are friends, after all. This is normal, right?
I brought you something.
Medi: How ya feeling, Masakado?
Oh, you're...from the Medical Lab...
I asked her to take care for you tonight.
Medi: That's right. Pleased to see you again.
Oh, but you didn't have to...
Medi: Masakado, you're supposed to protect Tyria. Let me take care of you until you're all better.
I'll see you tomorrow. Ciao.
Oh, Tyria!

It shouldn’t be a surprise given what he was just talking about with Labo Labo that he asked Tyria out this time as well.



Feinne on Qoga: Choice 6
Is it any surprise you have to ask Tyria out to continue on this path? Well you do.

If you don't mind, would you like to go out with me?
Right now? I'm not sure what you're getting at, but that's out of the question.
No, not now! Some other day.
It hasn't been officially decided, but I'm sure you'll become the Tower soon.
After that, we won't be able to go out anymore. So, maybe before then...
…
Do you not want to?
I'm thinking... I can't decide on this so quickly.
I wanted to celebrate your dream coming true in advance. Please say it's okay. If we celebrate, it'll hafta come true.
And plus, that way we'll stay motivated.
That may be true.
Okay, then for the next holiday, I won't make any plans.
You must pick where we go.
Okay.
See you later. Ciao.

He continued to disagree but yeah it was a date, come on.



Mimi: Yep, it's a date.
Pudding: A date.
That’s not what it is.

A few days passed, again I’m thankful that I can skip past the completely irrelevant crap he had to just plow through.



The date started out the same way, they were heading for the pool.



It's finally time to meet her. I hope Tyria really shows up.
Masakado.
Oh, Tyria. Right on time.
...Were you waiting long? Look at your forehead, it's covered in sweat.
I'm fine. Did you bring your swimsuit?
Yes, I brought it.
Alright, then let's go!

And just like last time Tyria wasn’t excited by the smell there.



...
What's up, Tyria? Let's go change.
...I want to switch places.
Why? Don't you like this place?
This pool stinks. It smells like it has too much chlorine.
Oh, I know what you mean. It's kind of...pungent. But that's common.
No. I don't like stinky smells.

I’m surprised Aoto wanted to stay given that he knew he was going to nearly drown but I suppose he is a weird guy.



Feinne on Qoga: Choice 7
You need to stay because it’s going to require a substantial event for Tyria to even think about whether she’d miss Aoto if he were dead.

...Tyria, you can't swim, can you?
I can. I just can't stand the smell of chlorine.
Are you sure? Or is that just your excuse to hide the fact that you can't swim?
What are you talking about? Of course I can swim. I can swim faster than you!
I'll prove it to you right now!
Alright, mermaid. I'll watch you swim in the water.

Reyvateil origins have terrible taste in swimwear, by the way. I mean I guess Tyria is excused by this being sort of a memory but a certain someone continues to be firmly rooted in seven centuries ago.



(Tyria's super fast, like a real mermaid.)
(Since she got in the water, she's been constantly swimming without taking a break.)
(...I was actually excited that I might be able to teach her how to swim.)
Alright, it's literally time to sink or swim! Let's race!
You should warm up first for your own safety.
Nyagh! My leg!
Masakado!
Oh, crap! Cramp! *glub*
This can't be...
(I tried to change the outcome of my fate, but I ended up drowning to death!?)
This is so stupid!

Anyway Aoto continued to be surprised at irony’s attempt to murder him, and continued to be lucky that Tyria was around.



(Huh...what's this?)
(Something got in my mouth...)
(Some sticky stuff's plugging up my mouth. What is this...?)
*cough* *cough* *cough*
Masakado!?

This time, though, things didn’t go quite the same way, because Tyria didn’t have an easy answer like ‘we’re friends’ to their relationship.



Urgh... *cough* ...Ugh? What am I doing...?
Don't you remember?
Remember what?
No way...I was drowning... *cough*
Don't try so hard! You're fine. Just lie down.
Yeah, but...
...I saved you, Masakado.
You weren't breathing until just now... So I...
…
What's that?
Please just lie here with me for a while.
I'm embarrassed because everyone's watching us...but, I want to keep doing this a little while longer.
…
No, you didn't!
Shh! Please be quiet.
...I'm sorry, Ria.
...What do you mean?
I'm the one who's supposed to protect you.

About then Aoto started to think about what it meant that he was still alive. A connected topic was meanwhile tearing Tyria apart.



…
...Maybe I should say thank you instead of saying I'm sorry.
Thank you, Ria. I don't know what to say, but thank you.
…
Are you okay? What's wrong?
...Was that your first time?
Yeah, it was my first time drowning.
That's not what I was asking...
...You should know what I really meant.
Yeah, that was...my first time.
…
But, that was CPR.
I'm sorry, Masakado.
…Why?
You're fine now, right? I'll be upstairs.
Ty...I mean, Ria!
...She's gone. Anyway, I should go change, too.

She was clearly still bothered when they got back together after changing. Aoto didn’t even understand why, though in this case that’s sort of a good thing about him.



What's wrong? You've been so quiet.
...I feel too guilty to look you in the eye.
That's how I'm supposed to feel. You saved my life.
...That's not what I'm saying.
Then what is it? It doesn't feel very nice when you're not friendly.
Well...that was your first time, right?
Ugh...this subject again?
I stole your first... I'm really sorry.
Actually, a Hyuma lifeguard was trying to save you...
But when I saw you drown, I lost myself and...
...I couldn't help doing it to you.
…
...Because your treated me so fast, I managed to survive. So why should you need to apologize?
Because there was no choice but to have me be your first partner...
CPR doesn't count.
Even if it doesn't count, it'll remain in your memory forever. And for that, I'm sorry.
You say that like it's a bad thing!

He wasn’t really getting the point, so she decided to be more clear.



!?
I'll become the Tower. Once that happens, I'll no longer exist in this world.
Plus, you and I are fundamentally different. I'm an Origin; neither truly human, nor truly Reyvateil.
It's natural to think it's gross when a non-human does that to you.
Don't be stupid!
!?
Who told you that!? Who told you your kisses are gross!?
I never said that, nor ever thought that way!
And stop grumbling like a Negative Nancy! It's so annoying!
Then why...?
Why did you take me out to this place?
You told me you wanted to make some good, fun memories before I became the Tower.
What, didn't you like it!?
I know you're trying to make me feel better because that's part of your job!
Your job is to fend off the AAA and prevent anything from changing my mind about becoming the Tower, right?
That's why you took me here, right? Even if those obstacles keep me from my way, this good memory can block them off.

Aoto actually listened to what she was saying, and had an answer for her.



Then why!?
Is it because your job is to be with me!?
To send me off in perfect condition and make the world a peaceful place, right!?
It has nothing to do with my job! I just want to help you make your dream come true.
Sure, I'm your bodyguard, and my job is to do what you've mentioned.
But I've always been with you because I want you to achieve your goal!
I've watched you put so much effort into accomplishing this!
So...I want to put all of my effort into helping you!
Then, why won't you ever see me as more than just a business partner?
...The enemy is formidable. The dream you're trying to achieve is really big.
If any impure thoughts slide into my mind, I won't be able to protect you! That's why I made up my mind!
Until the day you achieve your goal, I'll be nothing but your loyal bodyguard!
Under any circumstances, I'll always keep that fresh in my mind.
So...it's not because you're gross that I'm so business-like with you.

It’s difficult to explain how progressive a view Aoto was showing for when this was set in modern times. Just treating a Reyvateil like a real person and not a piece of equipment was hardly the norm, let alone being this nice.



Is that what you really think about me?
Yeah...I don't want to think of this as my job, but...
More importantly, I want to help you make your dream come true. I want to put everything I have into that purpose.
So...however important you are to me, I can't think about anything other than protecting you.
…
You're free to think of me however you want, but don't get the wrong idea about me. I don't think you're gross.
…
…
Tyria?
...I'm glad! That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me...
Masakado, I thought you were only nice to me because it was your job.
So, when I did that to you, I thought you'd think it was gross and you'd quit being my bodyguard.
...Dummy. How could that be true?
Thanks to you, I was able to survive and I can keep helping you with your dream.
I'm so happy about that. Because...for me, you're...
…
...I'm sorry, because of my job, in order to help you fulfill your goals, I have to think of you in that way.

Aoto may not have finished that first sentence, but there are some things that don’t really need to be said to be understood.



Haha, it's kind of embarrassing. Don't take everything so seriously. Can you forget about half of it?
No, I won't forget any of it.
But...because of what you said, I will have a few regrets.
Really!?
But I still want to become the Tower. That is my life-long dream.
...If you can accomplish that, you'll be happy, right?
...Yeah, if I can accomplish that, I'll be full of bliss.
I see…
Masakado, I'm sorry for saying those mean things to you earlier, but you made me happy. Thank you.
No...I'm sorry for giving you the wrong idea. And...thank you for saving my life.
Well, I almost drowned to death... What kind of a bodyguard am I?

Aoto’s choices might not have been that different, but his reactions to things had actually matured, amazingly.



Will you please keep protecting me?
Of course!
...You're not lying, are you?
I promise, I'm not.
…
I trust you, so please protect me till the end.

We’ll end the story here for now, since it’s about to move on to the last days. That’s when things get really… interesting.