Operation story: 14-16

Operation

Story

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Characters
Doctor Amiya W W Kal'tsit Mon3tr Theresa Shadow Airship "Apparition" Silent Assassin Babel Member Dying Assassin
Backgrounds
1 2 3

Before operation

Summary In a bizarre team-up, the Doctor and W continue looking for the airship's core, only to find an enemy who looks particularly similar to the assassin who murdered Theresa years ago. Now, they are on the Military Commission's side.
<Flashback starts here>
Theresa	I've been wondering when you'd come to see me, Kal'tsit. You came too late, and you missed the most beautiful moment. The first flower that budded died last night, but look at it now.
Kal'tsit	It's full of vigor still. I see no difference compared to before.
Theresa	Exactly. It was born from the withering, and in an instant it became so healthy and strong. *sigh*, if only you were able to witness for yourself this miracle born on top of Originium.
This garden, built on top of Originium, is the fruit of Theresa's painstaking labor. Aside from war, the other path that Theresa found for the Sarkaz is close at hand. But what kind of future does this path lead to?
Kal'tsit	Ever since you brought the Doctor here, you've been spending more time in the garden. Babel still has a lot that needs you, our chairman, to handle, but on top of that, you were absent from today's general meeting.
Theresa	Not only do we have you, we also have the Doctor here now to help us. It's not much of a problem if I take it easy once in a while, isn't it?
Kal'tsit	I know you, Theresa. You were never one to joke around when it came to important business.
Theresa	Kal'tsit...
Kal'tsit	Hm?
Theresa	Do you know what the Doctor thinks?
Kal'tsit	... No, I'm not sure what you've heard, but my guess is you do not have our mutual friend's full support.
Theresa	I won't give up, Kal'tsit. If this is how we're supposed to resolve the predicament that the Sarkaz is facing now, I'll go talk to Theresis. I will show this path to all the Sarkaz, so that they know we aren't fated to live a vicious cycle of hatred.
Kal'tsit	Theresa—
Theresa	Kal'tsit, please hear me out first. I know very well that this could be risky, but I trust you. If you find me walking toward an uncontrollable future while I'm on this path, please pull me back. I know you can do this, even though you always keep your opinions to yourself on many things.
Kal'tsit	If you want that future you're hoping for to actually come true, we'll still have to earn the Doctor's support. When it comes to Originium utilization, the Doctor is... irreplaceable. But regardless of what awaits us at the end... ...I promise you: when the time comes, I will be there by your side.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
<Background shakes>
[A bomb goes off and a window shatters.]
Mon3tr	(Menacing growl)
W	I got the Doctor. Stop growling. Heh, relax. I won't let go.
The wind roars in your ears. Through the shattered porthole, you can see The Shard and the devastated battlefield below. The ceaseless barrage of intense explosions could fling you outside at any moment, and right now, the one who is holding onto your hand... is W.
Doctor	... / ...
You don't often see W acting this serious.
Mon3tr	(Anxious growl)
W	I'm trying to think through something actually important, Mon3tr, so quit bothering me. ... ... ... You never really know the old hag, but she'd never take her chances with you. Since she insisted on bringing you along on such a dangerous boarding mission— We'll definitely need you if we want to see Her Highness and stop this stinking ship. *Sarkaz expletive*. I've got no choice but to save you now. Come on up.
[W pulls up the Doctor from the edge.]
Doctor	...Thank you. / Back then—
W	Nothing happened back then. Where do we go now?
Doctor	... I can still hear the bombs ticking on my back.
W	That's for positioning. You can think of the explosion as, like, a bonus function. If you got swept away, I would've had to find you— Shit, that reminds me. I should've given the old hag one, too.
Mon3tr	(Disapproving growl)
W	It'd be a waste on you, you little freak. Now figure out which way we gotta go, you empty tin can. We don't have much time. This stinking ship's about to crash into that weird thing out there... If I have to die, it's gotta be after I meet Her Highness.
Doctor	You've been pretty antsy ever since we got on this ship.
W	Oh? I saved your ass. You don't think that's me being more emotionally stable than usual?
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Is it because you're about to meet Theresa?
W	... I gotta babysit for that old hag and figure out how to bump off that core right now. I don't have time for a Q&A.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Is it because you're worried about Hoederer and Ines?
W	Gah, why would I be worried about those two? Ines knows how to bring back the dead like it's doing laundry. She'll take care of it.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Is it because this is our first date without a third wheel?
W	...Don't you even dare to try provoking me. If it wasn't a moment like this, I swear you wouldn't have had the chance to ask that question.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
W	So stop trying to annoy me with your dumb, self-righteous interrogation—
<Background shakes>
The shadows emerge from the metal. They are everywhere. The revenant is anywhere and everywhere. It has already made it in front of W.
[The shadows approach.]
Shadow	You are a Sarkaz, too! Are you turning a deaf ear to the myriad souls' anger and squall?! You shouldn't—
[W blows up the shadow.]
W	Oops, my hand slipped. Right, you were saying? Hold on, I bet you're here to tell me where Her Highness is, aren't you?
Shadow	... ... ...
<Background shakes>
The sound of the metal being torn apart continues. The entire airship is howling.
Mon3tr	(Nervously hooks onto your clothes)
Doctor	The airship... is angry? / The revenant... is angry?
W	Hm, looks like it's not really all that rational of a fella... It's a good chance. Can you find out what's the place with the most energy fluctuation on this ship right now? That should be where its core is.
Doctor	... / ...I don't know how to.
W	...
Mon3tr	(Looks at W with a mocking expression)
Doctor	Hold on. I still have an idea. Maybe I can figure out which spot shows the highest change in Originium concentration!
<Background shakes>
W	Well, then get on it! This asshole's even more impatient than I expected! Doesn't look like it'll wait till you're done... Ergh... Hey, shadow freak, you know how guests are supposed to bring their hosts a gift when they visit? Catch!
[W throws a bomb.]
Little freak, you better keep this dipshit safe, or you're gonna get yourself grounded by the old hag.	{{{2}}}
Mon3tr	(High-pitched howl)
Doctor	This way! But the wall's so thick, the bombs won't blow—
W	You forgot about this guy, huh? Based on my tests before, it's got more than just a thick skin. Hold on tight to it, Doctor! I'll give you two a huge fireworks show! The moment it goes off, let it shield you from the impact and take you to the other side! You got that, little freak?
Mon3tr	(Excited howling)
W	Get ready, then. Three, two, one! Boom!
<Background flashes>
<Background fades to white>
Doctor	I can't see very well— / I'm feeling kinda dizzy—
W	Hur... ry...
[The Doctor's ears ring.]
Doctor	My ears can't... hear very well...
<Background 1>
W	Hey, {nickname}, how you feeling now? I just checked the wall. I guess you guys didn't have to crash into the blast point with such perfect accuracy? Sorry for making you suffer all that for nothing.
Doctor	...
Mon3tr	(Angrily waves claws)
W	Watch your claws, little beast. This one here is no match for you.
Doctor	Mon3tr, I'm okay. Let me down.
W	You "look" terrible. Heh, you can drop the act in front of me. You want me to believe you can't take this much? I don't buy it.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	I'm worried about Kal'tsit...
W	I don't remember the cat lady being that fragile. She— ... (She doesn't gasp for air much anymore, but she hasn't completely recovered yet... and she sent this little freak here...)
Mon3tr	(Dejected howl)
W	Alright, stop whining. It pisses me off. Look how peppy you are. That means the old hag is fine.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	If Amiya's running into these things too...
W	Ines told me the little bunny's already run into this thing once in Norport. She's got more experience than any one of us when it comes to dealing with it. Heh, I bet she's more worried about me offing you rather than the revenant.
Mon3tr	(Threatening howl)
W	Shut up. The old hag isn't here to back you up now. The little bunny's gonna be fine. Take my word for it.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
W	{nickname}, stop dawdling. Let's go—
Standing in the corridor, W subconsciously looks outside the window and freezes for a moment.
W	... Let's get going. We ain't got time for sightseeing.
You come to the window and look at the battlefield beneath you. The sky is still lit up by the Sighs of Kings's golden glow. Victoria's counterattack must have started.
Doctor	Victoria's counterattack has begun. / I hope Rhodes Island will be of help...
W	Down there is a real hell now. No need to look anymore.
Doctor	Were you... saddened by the battlefield?
W	...More than enough Sarkaz have died. Keep up. I have lots of questions for Her Highness.
Mon3tr	(Looks around in alarm)
Doctor	...Mon3tr?
<Background shakes>
Mon3tr	(Attacks the ground furiously)
<Background Black>
A dark current of shadows silently appears at your feet and drags you toward the end of the hallway at an incredible speed. You can feel the tip of a sharp blade at the back of your neck.
Doctor	There's more than just the revenant here—!
Mon3tr	(Low-pitched growling)
The black tide engulfs the struggling Mon3tr and keeps it from moving.
W	*Sarkaz expletive*, trying to snatch my mark from under my eyes?!
[W launches several bombs.]
Mon3tr	(Angry howling)
W	Come back!
You see a flash of light within the darkness at the end of the corridor, followed by a loud boom.
<Background flashes>
<Background 1>
The force coming from behind you is so strong that it propels you out of the darkness and straight into the ground.
Doctor	Ouch! / The bomb on my back?!
W	How's that? The latest propulsion unit with tracking. Not bad, huh? And like I said, the explosions are just a bonus. It'll still make you suffer for two or three days, though. Hah, we make a great team, don't we?
Doctor	I never agreed to this team-up! / You could've reminded me beforehand!
W	It was never your call if or how we were gonna team up. Hey, you in there. Bet that gave you a start, too?
???	... You haven't changed, W.
W	—?
[The strange figure reveals itself to be a Deathveil Assassin.]
Airship "Apparition"	You cannot go any further. And you... Doctor.
Doctor	You... are alive. Have we met before?
[W scowls.]
W	...
<Flashback starts here>
<Background Black>
She remembers the day she returned to Babel.
She remembers that broken door and the blood-stained logo... And... those assassins hiding under their masks. They took Theresa's life. That Theresa.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
W finds herself exceptionally calm right now.
W	You're gonna die. And it'll be a really horrible death.

After operation

Summary Taking the opportunity of the airship's crystallization, the Doctor works with W to break through the enemy blockade and find the core of the airship. But there is no Theresa here, only the revenant.
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 2>
W	You said you won't resist— You said you want the release of death— I don't believe you.
[W stabs the assassin and he collapses.]
Dying Assassin	...
She pierces the assassin's chest with her dagger, but intentionally avoids dealing a fatal blow. She wants to hear the coward under the mask scream. She slowly spins the dagger, trying to catch one sound, one sign of weakness... She wants to hear it. But there is nothing.
Dying Assassin	...
W	I won't let you die so easily... You took Her Highness— Death is too good for you... You said you were prepared to die when you accepted the mission— I don't believe you. You want to live, don't you? You want to run away.
She wants them to run. She needs them to run. That way, she can chase them, hunt them, make them die in despair. She will drink their despair. But that is not enough. Not even close. What would be enough?
W	Hold this grenade. It'll explode soon. I'm right here. Prove it to me. You can throw it away. Do that, and you'll live. I won't kill you. I'll let you go.
Dying Assassin	...
W	... Throw it away!
Dying Assassin	... There won't be anything left of me once this thing goes off, right?
W	...
Dying Assassin	Good. You should stay away.
She does not believe it. She wants to find a sign, any sign, that this man is bluffing. One moment of hesitation, the slightest hint of his desire to live—
[The grenade explodes.]
<Background fades to white>
White light bursts before her eyes, from the hand that held the grenade tightly. Fire flies by her cheeks, but she feels no sense of satisfaction.
<Flashback ends here>
This is not enough...
[W throws another grenade at him.]
Doctor	Enough, W! / There's nothing left of him but ashes!
No, it's not enough. Not nearly close. I have more—
[W throws even more grenades.]
Doctor	W! / ...W.
<Background 1>
The dark tides recede in the wake of the explosion. What about the man? Is there no trace left of him?
W	Did I use too much of my stock? Who cares, the real waste is if I don't use it. Are you okay?
Doctor	I... I'm okay. What... what happened to you just now?
W	What? I was just saving your skin.
Mon3tr	(Low growling)
W	Little monster, you remember these people, don't you? Ghosts that should have died a long time ago...
Mon3tr	(Angry roar)
Doctor	...Should have died a long time ago? / Do you know these... ghosts?
W	You don't know them?
Doctor	Should... should I? / You look so calm that you're starting to scare me.
W	... Ha. You better be telling the truth. I don't know if this is one of the revenant's tricks... And I don't think it's a coincidence that he appears on this ship which carries Her Highness— But he's dead.
Doctor	I doubt it's that simple... / I feel like there's going to be more...
W	The more the merrier. This mission is getting more and more interesting. Let's go. This way?
Doctor	Yes, this way. / No, that way.
W	You go first. No need to worry. This little monster goes with you. I have to keep you in my field of view in order to react in time.
Doctor	... / ...Alright.
W	It's not that hard, is it, working with me?
<Background fades out and in>
The corridor smells of death. The silence is revolting. She does not need anyone to tell her that they are getting closer to the revenant's core. Why would Her Highness be in a place like this? Will Her Highness be there? Will Her Highness remember me? She has many questions, but thinking about it serves only to stifle her excitement. She cannot let Theresa see her down and depressed... Theresa always told her she looks best when she is smiling. She remembers—
W	Hey, bastards. I was just thinking of you.
[Several assassins appear.]
Airship "Apparition"	You shall not pass. You shall not pass... Go no further.
W	Don't stop, {nickname}. What we're looking for must be waiting at the end of the corridor. Just grab on to little monster and don't think about anything else. I guarantee you they'll all turn to ash before they can touch you.
[W launches a grenade at the apparitions.]
Airship "Apparition"	There's only so much you can do on your own.
[One of the assassins seemingly vanish.]
W	—?
[An invisible blade attacks Mon3tr.]
Mon3tr	(Angry roar)
Doctor	I'm fine, Mon3tr! Buy me some time, W! I have an idea!
W	I'm not the bunny! I don't need you to tell me what to do! You need to do something, do it. Skip the talk.
Doctor	...I trust you. / Alright, I'll keep going.
[More assassins appear.]
Airship "Apparition"	Deal with the Doctor.
W	Did you really think I was just going to leave the dumbass alone?
Airship "Apparition"	...
W	Have you spent so much time with the revenant that you've gone crazy too? I left him a bunch of nice things. Close your eyes, {nickname}— Bam!
[Something explodes.]
<Background fades to white>
Doctor	Ouch... I knew it! / You left a "Plan B" on me...
W	Don't praise me. I was going to give the old hag a surprise when we met up. Now it's all wasted.
Airship "Apparition"	Look out.
W	Here's some more good stuff! I've lit up every corner for you. Time to go to hell—
[W throws a bomb at them, but more assassins come.]
W	Still no use? Guess we'll have to do this the hard way.
Mon3tr	(Answers excitedly)
W	Just keep the Doctor alive.
Mon3tr	(Complaining growl)
W	...
Ghosts continue to emerge from the darkness at the end of the corridor. There seems to be no end to it. One after another, no fear of death. Just like back then—
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 2>
[W fights against an assassin with her knife.]
W	Who helped you?
Silent Assassin	...
W	...
[W stabs the assassin and slices across his body. The assassin falls to the ground.]
She gets no answer. This endless corridor is filled with the bodies of the perpetrators, but why could she not find out how this betrayal happened? She is sure that the answer is here. Here in Babel, amidst the seemingly unremarkable mission logs of PRTS. Perhaps... it's just at the end of the corridor.
???	Here...
[W stops.]
W	—?
???	Here... beneath these bodies...
[W moves the dead bodies and lifts up a Sarkaz man trapped underneath.]
Babel Member	Did you come back to help...? Go save Her Highness...
W	... What are you doing here...?
Babel Member	I tried to protect Her Highness, but someone knocked me out. Did we save her?
W	You saw the assassins?
Babel Member	The defense systems went offline all of a sudden. Then enemies rushed in... My team and I tried to protect Her Highness—
W	Are these your teammates? They're dead. But you're alive.
Babel Member	...
W	Her Highness is dead.
Babel Member	...
W	Protect Her Highness. Hah. You can "protect Her Highness" with this grenade.
She holds back the urge. If only she had stayed here. Would it have changed anything? She steps over a body and continues down the corridor. She hears no explosion from behind her.
W	Trash. Coward.
<Background fades out>
She arrives at the Speaker's Office to find the bodies of assassins piled outside the door. She does not want to go any further. Who is she to mourn Theresa when she has not killed the traitors? In her heart, she already has the answer to who was behind all this. The one who led the assassins, stood here, and led death to Theresa. She would confront that one, once she has killed everyone who participated in the deed. It would be her last target...
<Flashback ends here>
[Mon3tr roars.]
Doctor	It's time to go, W! / The door's open! We're going in!
<Background 1>
W	...You—
She looks at you. You stand in the darkness at the end of the corridor. Mon3tr's massive frame stands between you and the ghosts charging towards you.
Doctor	I've drawn them out! / Mon3tr can't hold them off for too long!
Mon3tr	(Loud roar)
W	... Hang in there, little monster!
She throws several bombs towards the gathered black apparitions.
<Background flashes repeatedly>
Mon3tr	(Angry roar)
W	Tsk.
W charges into the wake of the explosion.
<Background fades out>
She goes through enemies and Mon3tr, through the fire and the cracking air.
W arrives at the other side of the door. She turns around— The figure is still standing in the corridor, one hand on the door control, as countless wraiths try to rush out from behind. She has no memory of ever having seen this scene. But there was a scene from her imagination of the assassination, a scene that she could never shake— Did that "evil spirit" stand before Theresa like this? Did the culprits who took her life rush out from behind the "evil spirit" like this? Was it the "evil spirit" who opened the door to the Speaker's Office?
<Background 3>
W	...
Doctor	Come back, Mon3tr! I'm closing the door!
Mon3tr	(Excited howling)
Doctor	Another bomb, W! Buy me some time!
[W snaps out of her trance.]
W	...
She tosses the bomb almost instinctively, without arguing.
[The bomb explodes, stopping the assassins, and the door immediately closes.]
<Background fades out and in>
[Mon3tr screeches gleefully.]
Mon3tr	(Raises you excitedly)
Doctor	Aw, aw, aw! / Take it easy! My back hurts!
W	...
She looks at you as if she is trying to find a shadow of someone bygone upon you.
Doctor	Why are you looking at me like that?
W	... Was this your genius plan to prevent them from coming in? That simple?
Doctor	Simple? Is that so... / Sometimes the simplest means are the most effective.
W	Wait. Is this... crystallization?
Doctor	Noticed it already, haven't you? / I saw that the airship was beginning to crystallize as I came in.
W	So that was our last chance before the door became fully crystalized... You had planned to block the door on your own from the beginning?
Doctor	I had you and Mon3tr. / I trust you and Mon3tr.
W	... Trust... me? Hah... Until I find out what happened back then, I—
Doctor	Look... I think this is the place. / My calculations were right.
The engines roar deep inside the halls of the ship. Souls burn, releasing pain and anger. The core of the airship lies bare before you.
Doctor	The airship is powered by burning the revenants?!
W	(Theresa isn't here.) Doesn't matter what it is. Blow it up, and this piece of junk stops. Let's finish our business here. I got more important stuff to do. You're coming with me to see Theresa.
Doctor	... / Alright. I'll go with you.
W	I know you're there, old geezer. I put a special gift for you under your bed. It's present time!
[W throws a bomb at the airship's core, but it remains unscathed.]
Doctor	Something's not right... / The bomb didn't work?
How dare you come here! Outblood! And you! Sarkaz!
The burning core instantly freezes, and the scattered flames rush back inside. The fire that illuminates life dims. All sound fades. One could hear one's own heartbeat in the silence left behind.
<Background fades to black>
Darkness begins to fill the room. Shadows flow out of the core, converging into a great river, its current speeding up... Until a great black tide, enough to swallow the entire room, rushes towards you.
W	—!
<Background 1>
Amiya	—! Such great pain and anger...
Shadow	No more words for you, outblood King! I have abided your many transgressions only because of Theresa. No more! Do you know what you are trying to stop? It is not just a war that the Sarkaz needs! You are trying to extinguish the flame that will change our destiny! You shall not succeed—
The black tide that swallowed Amiya recedes, and the shadows pulling at her weaken.
Amiya	He's focusing his strength?
[Amiya uses her black Arts on the shadows.]
Amiya	All the shadows... they've disappeared. Looks like someone else found the revenant's location first. Is the Doctor okay? I wonder where Dr. Kal'tsit and W are... I can feel the place where the anger is strongest. That's what we're looking for. Hang in there, Doctor, Dr. Kal'tsit... I'm coming!
[Amiya starts running.]
<Background fades out and in>
[Amiya stops.]
Amiya	Signs of explosions... W must have been here! Did Mon3tr leave these claw marks? Is the Doctor with W?
[A knife zips past Amiya's head, embedding itself into the wall.]
Amiya	—!
A figure that Amiya never expected to see emerges from the shadow at the end of the corridor.
<Flashback starts here>
She has never forgotten the nightmare from so many years ago. She remembers Theresa, and the black sword that pierced her chest... The black-robed killers.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
Amiya	Impossible... You... you're all dead. Ascalon checked and made sure you...
Airship "Apparition"	...King of Sarkaz. You're too late. She knew you would come.
Amiya	Theresa...
Airship "Apparition"	Amiya, the ones you're looking for will die.
Amiya	—?! Get out of my way.
[More assassins pour in. Amiya uses her Arts on them.]
Amiya	You...
Airship "Apparition"	Spare the effort of reading our emotions. The only way you will pass... ...is over our cold, dead bodies.
Amiya	I see the fragments of your memories— How could this be... You're from Babel?!