Part 45: CH45: Departure

CH45: Departure



Skit: Someone Has a Secret


: It's obviously Sophie.
: I wouldn't be so sure. Young girls like Pascal can be surprisingly attracted to the bossy and overbearing type...
I'm surprised you didn't know that, Hubert.
: Ugh, such speculation is nothing but a waste of time!
: Well then, why not ask Pascal directly?
: Wh-Why me?!
: Please, Hubert! I've been wondering about this myself. Do it as a favor to me.
: Well...all right. If it's that important to you, I'll go ask her. But I can't guarantee anything.
: Hubert sure has a soft spot for Asbel.
: Yeah. It's easy to forget, but I guess Asbel CAN be an older brother.
: Huh, what?



: It was time to get the Derris Bit installed.


: *Nods*
: Wonderful. Then could you please attach this to the shuttle?
: Wait! Oh, oh, wait! Lemme help!








: Preparations are nearly complete.
: And my derris bit looks AWESOME! ...I'm just saying.








: You're not sick, are you?
: *Shakes head*
: I know I keep nagging, but... you have to be careful.
: What's on your mind?
: I was just remembering everything we've been through together.
: I guess we have been through a lot, huh?
: Yeah. We sure have.
: But that's kind of an odd thing to think right now. Are you sure everything's okay?
: Yes. Of course.
: We're all set here!


: And even better, we don't need that stupid launch ramp! We can just take off and set her down wherever there's enough space.
: Emeraude, I don't know how to thank you.
: Actually, I would like to make a request.
As a Fodran survivor, it is my duty to ensure that Lambda is brought to justice for his deeds. With that in mind... Would you allow me to accompany you to Ephinea?
I will do whatever I can to assist you on your journey. I am sure my skills and knowledge will prove useful to you. Please. I beg of you.
: Yes, of course. We'd be thrilled to have you. Your knowledge of the situation is bound to come in handy.
: You are too kind.
I am going to Ephinea with these nice people, Psi. Please keep an eye on things while I am gone.
: *Nods*
: No matter what happens, we have to stop Lambda. ...And Richard.

: (Richard... You used to long for a world without conflict...
And yet your actions seek to destroy it. Is Lambda controlling you? Or are you acting on your own free will? And if so...what course of action will I have to take?)
: I believe in Richard. And I believe that he can be saved. I believe it because I must.
All right, let's get out of here. It's time to go home...to Ephinea.



: They took a little time to check up for loose ends first though.


: He's pointing at that broken machine.
: Do you want us to try and fix it?
: Oh, I see! It looks like the power supply's busted. I can fix this in a jiffy! Um, if I had the right part. ...Which I totally don't.
: Don't worry, Psi. I'm sure we'll find it.
: There you go making empty promises again. How can you be so sure we'll find it?
: I can't be sure. I'm just confident it'll work out. I mean, it's just one part. There's gotta be a stock of them somewhere.
: Oh, yes, I'm sure there's a huge crate of thousand-year-old parts in mint condition just waiting to be found.
: Easy, you two. Let's just take a look around and see what we can find, okay? You wait right there, Psi.





: Well... They're not tooootally unusable, but...yeah, it's not looking too good.

: Oh, come on! Don't look at me like that!
: Is there really not one usable part?
: Muh?


: A combat humanoid had found its way out of wherever it was trapped. Many years ago humans in this city had used such combat androids to fight each other for remaining scraps of food.
: ...Hey, maybe we can use it!
: How so?
: Like, maybe you can just yank out its power cable.
: Yank out its... You mean take out just that one part?
: Yeah! But we have to do it gently. We can't go breaking it or whatever.
: That's a pretty tall order...
: *Sigh* ...Come on. Let's lure it outside.
:We don't want the other humanoids to get hurt.
Ready, Hubert?
: Oh, fantastically so.








This is doing it gently by my standards.


: Oh yeah, fresh as a fiddle! We can use this, no prob!





: Wow, you fixed it already?! Man, you humanoids are somethin' else. That's like the most skillful thing I've ever seen!
: I'm glad everything worked out, Psi.
Hm? ...You want to give us something?
: Oh. It's another strange part...
: Dude! Don't be rude! It's a token of thanks!
: He's been watching over this place the whole time... Even if there's no one left to use it... Even if all his friends have broken down...
: He just kept waiting for someone to show up, or for Emeraude to awaken... Day after day, for a thousand years... It boggles the mind.
: A thousand years... Come to think of it, Sophie's been around for about that long too.
: Pfft that's nothing.
: That's just crazy! I can't imagine being a thousand years old... At that age I might even have to bathe regularly!
: ...That's really your first concern?


This makes Asbel's joke weapon.



It's a Giraffe Sword.


Or should I say Giraffe Sheath! There's a smaller giraffe inside.






: They ran into another Humanoid.


: Is this humanoid okay?
: Error 961 is a code humanoids send out when they go past their activity limits.
: Aw, poor little gal. Sounds like she's at the end of her lifespan.
: I feel pity for her, but there's little we can do.
Humanoid: Beginning countdown...... to......total shutdown...... P-Please...... I want......to live......
: Is she broken? Humanoids never say they want to live.
: Maybe this one has gained consciousness or something?
: That would make her just like Sophie.
: Please, Pascal. Can you help her?
: Hmm... Yeah, see, the thing is, I don't really know how humanoids work.
Humanoid: There......may be......blueprints in the......records......room......
The......records room is......inside......the city......
: Y'okay! Let's go check out the records room.
: Agreed.








: Do they make sense to you, Pascal?
: Hmm... Oh, wait, yeah! I see! Yeah, I totally get this now.
: Can you fix her?
: Um...maybe. We're gonna have to track down a lot of materials. And even then, it looks like extending her lifespan is gonna be tough. But hey, I'm pretty awesome. I think we can get this done.
: Did you hear? Pascal's going to fix you.
Humanoid: Thank......you......
: All right. You wait here while I go find the goods.
: I'll help.
: Me too!
: Sophie, perhaps you could stay with the humanoid and keep her company.


Humanoid: My production date is......is...... I cannot......remember......
: You really are unusual. Most humanoids would never forget that.
Humanoid: Is that......so? You may......be right. I often ignored......my master's orders. He always said......he would discard me. He said......I was defective......
: You sound like me.
Humanoid: No. That is......not possible.... You move like a human...... You travel with humans......
: That's because I lived all this time after forgetting my initial orders, too.
Humanoid: By the way...... You are not......a normal model, are you...... Why......were you created?
: I am Protos Heis. I'm a weapon designed to destroy a certain enemy.
Humanoid: That......that's wonderful...... I'm just......an ordinary...... humanoid...... You have......a reason to live.
: I'm still not sure about that. Why do you want to live?
Humanoid: I......don't know. I just......want to live. That is......all I know.
: What's the point of having a weapon be alive?
Humanoid: Are you......worried too? It's like you're......human.
: Maybe you understand because you're a humanoid.
Humanoid: That's wonderful. I am......jealous of you.
: ...?
Humanoid: My old master...... used to say...... "It must be nice......to be a humanoid......and never have......to worry." I think......it was sarcasm. But think about it in reverse. What if worry......is what separates us from...... those with true life? I said......I wanted to live, and I don't......know why...... But the idea......has been with me......for a while. Perhaps worrying caused......me to evolve.
: You really are interesting.
Humanoid: I don't think......your friends...... will make it here in time...... My life......will end...... Like tears......in the rain......
: Wait! If you shut down now, we won't be able to restart you.
Humanoid: ......Can I......ask you...... something......?
: Anything.
Humanoid: When I shut down...... will you take......my memory core......? I......want you......to have it...... To remember......the foolish humanoid......who admired you......
: I will. I promise.
Humanoid: If I somehow......come back to this world......I hope I will be able to......worry...... I want......to be like you......




: Damn... We're too late...
: ...Here, Sophie. This is her memory core.
: So she wanted to be a humanoid like you...
: Yes.
: But I think she was mistaken. I mean, about the whole worrying part.
: How so?
: Well, look at me! I'm alive, and I don't worry about anything!
: Don't you worry about the fact you never worry?
: Hee hee.
: Ohmigosh, that's it! You're human because you laugh! Well, that's my theory, at least. Can you imagine a humanoid without a soul trying to laugh?
: Maybe you're right.


We can't do anything with this for now.



: After that, it was time to really get going.






















: Pascal! Do it!
: Roger that!
Derris Bit...








: Not the smoothest landing in the world, but at least we're here.
: Hey, I'm just glad my derris bit worked!


: What is it, Sophie?
: I can sense him. Far below us...
: Shall we move onward?
: Hold on. I wanna check something real quick.
Phew! Okay, the shuttle still works. Just wanted to make sure in case we need to bolt outta here.
: This cocoon provides Lambda with a place to reconstruct his body without any outside interference. We are sure to encounter many dangerous monsters that have hatched from Lambda himself.
: So the ones outside the cocoon were just a warm-up...
: It makes no difference what terrors may lie in wait for us.
: We cannot afford to let our world go the way of Fodra. We must stop Lambda at all costs.
: All right. Let's get going.