A Lone Soul

A Lone Soul

Pinus Sylvestris

Characters
Ashlock Knight Flametail Knight Justyna Plastic Knight A Strange Passerby Armorless Union Assassin Armorless Union Captain
Backgrounds
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“

After rescuing the Plastic Knight from the Armorless Union, "Fartooth" Justyna recalls the fate that befell her and the home she can't return to.

”

<Background black>
Climbing the haystack again, Justyna? You're looking that way again? At the Grand Knight Territory? I know the Grand Knight Territory. That's where the powerful knight lords compete against each other, right? You never stop talking about it, of course I know! Hey, Justyna, you're really planning to go there? I know you've been practicing whenever you don't have farm work. Everybody in the village knows you want to be a knight. You can fight off the bandits who come looking for trouble, they're no match for you. But the Grand Knight Territory is pretty far... If you go, will you ever come back? You will? Really? After you become a knight? It's a promise then. We'll wait for you to come home, showered in glory, and then we'll spread the word that our town is the home of the Justyna, the knight!
<Background 1>
[Two Armorless Union assassins are searching for someone at the alley.]
Armorless Union Assassin	No footprints, no tracks at all... They didn't go this way.
Armorless Union Captain	The hospital team lost the target, they're bound to pass through here if they're trying to escape. Stay alert. I want regular reports.
Armorless Union Assassin	Roger.
[The A.U. captain leaves...]
Armorless Union Assassin	...... Hm?
[...right as the A.U. assassin is shot from nowhere...]
Armorless Union Assassin	Guh... agh...
[...and dies. The one who shot the A.U. assassin reveals herself...]
???	......
[...who turned out to be none other than Justyna Valentine, the Fartooth Knight.]
Justyna	Go. They're going to know something's wrong. Come with me while there's still time.
Plastic Knight	I don't take orders from Infected. Though I admit you have some skill, able to handle those lowlifes from that distance. But don't think that means I'm here to listen to you.
Justyna	...... The Armorless have this whole place surrounded. You're not getting out of here alone. They're not going to give up the chase.
Plastic Knight	So what? I'll make them pay for it.
Justyna	That's not going to be easy. Your wounds haven't healed, how can you hide from them like this?
Plastic Knight	Ugh... damned Armorless. I'll go along with you for now, but only because we share a common enemy. I'll make those murderers pay for what they did!
Justyna	We'll talk about that later, we're still in danger here.
Plastic Knight	Don't think I have anything else to say to you later. Listen girly, you've got a certain champion to thank for the fact that you're standing here, speaking to me in that armor.
Justyna	...... You're not wrong. There was a time when I had bottomless gratitude for the Blood Knight.
Plastic Knight	Hm?
Justyna	......
Plastic Knight	Why so quiet?
Justyna	Competition. I watched you go up against Maria Nearl–"Plastic" Szewczyk. I don't like you. You're slightly less obnoxious out on the field.
Plastic Knight	Your feelings don't matter, but watch the attitude. You should never have taken me out of the hospital.
Justyna	It was Sona's idea. And anyway–
Plastic Knight	And anyway nothing. Sona is your leader's name? Hmph, sounds like another little girl.
Justyna	She's a friend. I'll take you back to the base. Sona and my other friends are all waiting for us.
Plastic Knight	Make no mistake, I may have agreed to work with you for now, but I'm not part of your group, infected knight.
Justyna	No, I'm very clear, you're not at all like us. But, "Plastic" Szewczyk, you must know, you have no hope of resisting the Armorless Union alone.
Plastic Knight	...... Heh... Sure, you're right about that. It's funny, Kazimierz as it is today. An Infected can be a knight, and a gang of thugs like the Armorless can roam about freely. Funny...
Justyna	Let's meet up with the others first. We won't get anything done by ourselves.
<Background 2>
[Two civilians stand in Justyna's way, forcing her to shoot them dead.]
Justyna	Just who the hell are you people?! There's no end to them...
A Strange Passerby	......
Justyna	Hiding in the crowd, are you?! Don't think I won't–
[Two familiar knightesses show up...]
???	Wait! Don't do it! Ah... looks like I'm a little late? How did this turn into such a warzone?
???	Not good. Not good at all. Anyway, let's pick up the pace. Start evacuating people first.
???	That's all we can do.
Justyna	It's you...
[...who are revealed to be Greynuty Kaliska the Ashlock Knight and Sona the Flametail Knight.]
Flametail Knight	Hey there, "Fartooth" Knight, I still haven't had a chance to congratulate you on your title. Nice job there. I saw a piece on you. Popularity's through the roof, huh?
Ashlock Knight	Announcing a new knightclub, getting real controversial, pushing that popularity up, hm? Hmph, looks like you've kicked a hornet's nest to me.
A Strange Passerby	Infected knights...
Ashlock Knight	That's enough of that.
[Greynuty punches the civilian unconscious.]
A Strange Passerby	Ugh...
Flametail Knight	Alright, anyway, the fight's fought, what's done is done. *Sigh*.
Justyna	Flametail, and Ashlock... What are you doing here? Do you know who these people are?
Flametail Knight	Like the back of my hand. But this isn't a good place for a chat... these guys are looking to make a scene, and the media will be here before long. That wouldn't end well for you. And anyway, you're probably hurt, right? Just come with us, all nice and quiet-like, and we'll explain nice and slow what's going on. What do you say?
Justyna	......
Ashlock Knight	Do you have to say it like you're kidnapping her?
Flametail Knight	Huh? Did I?
Ashlock Knight	A little.
Justyna	I'll go. I trust you.
Flametail Knight	Sorry, what?
Justyna	Just take me along, wherever you're going. I trust you. I feel like... We're the same. I can trust you.
<Background 3>
Justyna	Where are we...?
Flametail Knight	Oh! That was fast. Your wounds all better?
Justyna	Yes. Are all these people here Infected?
Flametail Knight	Sure are. Everyone who lives here is. Most got unlucky, got sick in an accident or something, lost their jobs and homes, ended up with nowhere to go. Granted, the room and board here is a little rough, but... it's better than nothing, right?
Justyna	......
[Greynuty joins in.]
Ashlock Knight	Sona, Iwona's in trouble, I'll go see what I can do. The Armorless Union is probably still active. I'll tell the others to be careful too.
Flametail Knight	Alright. Don't worry, I'm on it.
Justyna	......
Ashlock Knight	...... Right. You've got it.
[Greynuty leaves.]
Justyna	She...
Flametail Knight	Hm? Oh, you mean Ashley? She's a good girl. The way she talks is just a little too straight up sometimes.
Justyna	She hasn't said a word to me since we first met.
Flametail Knight	Ahaha! Ashley's a little shy with strangers too. ......
Justyna	......
Flametail Knight	*Sigh*. Well, alright... Ashley just thinks you're too different from us, like you've walked a different path. I mean, you're a star of the Major, with a shiny new knight title, so hot right now! No matter which way you look at it, you've got a bright future!
Justyna	No... I don't. An Infected... an Infected knight... has no future.
Flametail Knight	That doesn't sound like something a big competition winner would say.
Justyna	I used to think that as long as I could be a knight, there was still hope. If I could win in the arena, maybe...
Flametail Knight	Maybe you could even earn some respect, be seen as a true knight, and win back the life you used to have?
Justyna	Yes... That's what I thought. But that's not how it works. An Infected knight is still Infected. And that's all that matters.
Flametail Knight	Yeah. That's pretty much what I've said to Ashley. And besides, so what if you're a knight? Just look what happened to you back there in that crowd. Those folks who jumped you didn't care if you're Infected or noble or whatever.
Justyna	You were saying they're with the Armorless Union? Knight-Assassins... the words feel gross in my mouth.
Flametail Knight	Yeah, that's them. They sell themselves to the General Chamber of Commerce, bumping off knights who don't play ball... They call themselves experts in handling knights, and wear that with pride. And add on the rewards, in cheers and treasure, that the audience heaps upon the knights, proper or not, how much dignity is left in the title? That's before you even talk about us.
Justyna	...... So me getting attacked this time, that was the K.G.C.C.'s orders?
Flametail Knight	Probably. You've got the spotlight on you, and you're turning down all the knightclub invitations, and talking like you do out there... sooner or later, you get a knock like that at your door. And if you won't be their goldmine, then they find you a "dishonorable" exit, so you won't get in the way of their business.
Justyna	......
Flametail Knight	So you know, not that crazy you'd get attacked.
Justyna	Two three-week periods.
Flametail Knight	Huh?
Justyna	On my way to the Grand Knight Territory, I got infected. And since I was Infected, they wouldn't let me register as a knight. So I wandered around for three weeks with nowhere to stay.
Flametail Knight	Hmm...
Justyna	It was during the third week that the Blood Knight won the Major. Then, three weeks later, they opened the registration window for Infected knights. I didn't have any money left on me, so I went to the black market ring, working up enough money to pay the registration fees.
Flametail Knight	That... couldn't have been easy.
Justyna	Underground knight sports for infected knights is pretty much the same as the black market. From the underground competitions to the Major, I've seen too many ridiculous things to be surprised anymore.
Flametail Knight	Haha! Fair enough. There's definitely stuff going on in the underground fights that tops whatever the Armorless Union can come up with. We've all been through stuff like that, more or less, and that's how we end up here.
Justyna	There sure are a lot of Infected here.
Flametail Knight	Right... how can I put it? You can make a lot in the knight competitions, at least enough to buy a place for these people who have nowhere else to go. So that means the money's still worth something, right?
Justyna	Right.
Flametail Knight	Heh. Nice.
Justyna	?
Flametail Knight	You're easier to get along with than we might've thought. When I first bumped into you, I was worried you were all icy cold.
Justyna	......
Flametail Knight	Oh? You got all quiet?
Justyna	I don't know... I just... I just don't know... I guess I don't know what to say at times like this.
Flametail Knight	Ugh. Alright... I think I get it now. You and Ashley are both shy with strangers. And this habit of yours where you say half a thing up front, I think I'm getting used to it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it's just tricky to follow sometimes.
Justyna	Either way, thanks for helping me.
Flametail Knight	Ah, it was nothing. Don't sweat it. So anyway, where are you gonna go? If you pop right back out, they're gonna go after you again. That scuffle back there is gonna get reported soon. What do you think we'll see on the news?
Justyna	No idea. Whatever they want. Honestly... I don't know where I'd go. I haven't had anywhere to go for a long time.
Flametail Knight	Hmm... Well, you may think I'm just throwing it out there to hold it over you, but this is an honest offer, out of the kindness of my heart. There's me, and Ashley, and Iwona, you've seen her, with the big loud mouth?
Justyna	Yes, I know her.
Flametail Knight	The truth is... we had the same idea as you, in your little statement about setting up an independent knightclub. I came up with the name already. Pinus Sylvestris. The Pinus Sylvestris Knightclub, a club of our very own.
Justyna	–!
Flametail Knight	And since you've got nowhere to go, Justyna, wouldn't you consider maybe joining us?
Justyna	You're... inviting me? Are you sure?
Flametail Knight	Sure as sure can be. Can I spell it out any clearer for you?
Justyna	...... Pinus Sylvestris Knightclub... Alright. I'm in. –Us... together.
<Background black>
Justyna, are you going now? Play your flute again, won't you? Whatever you want. Everyone loves hearing you play. ...... Beautiful. We won't get to hear that again for a long time. Everyone's gonna miss you. Aren't you worried about going so far all alone? We know you get lonely, you're just too shy to admit it. Always sitting quietly off to the side. You think the wind might carry your voice back home? You're going to be a knight. We all believe you're going to be an amazing one, like that Radiant Knight you're so fond of. Good luck, Justyna. Don't be a stranger now.
<Background 2>
[Justyna and Szewczyk made it to a safe place.]
Justyna	Now that we're here, we're safe. Someone will meet us out front. How are your wounds?
Plastic Knight	Fine. Just a scratch, barely worth mentioning. But you Infected knights, you base yourselves here in the city? Not out in a village somewhere? No one would allow the Infected to live within the city limits. Just what are you up to?
Justyna	Nothing. When you've got money, you can do anything.
Plastic Knight	Hah... money. True enough. So long as you have money, you can do anything here. But if word gets out, you'll be arrested.
Justyna	Anyone eager to open their mouth gets a word with my arrows first. I won't allow anyone to harm the Pinus Sylvestris Knightclub.
Plastic Knight	Then lead the way. I can't stand the thought of the Armorless Union scum on the loose out there. I'm working against the General Chamber of Commerce now, so I need to move fast. Show me to your Infected knight leader, who forced one of your strength to drag me out of the hospital against your will.
Justyna	...... Not against my will.
Plastic Knight	What?
Justyna	It wasn't Sona who sent me to rescue you. It was my own choice. Not at all against my will.
Plastic Knight	But how? I understand we have a mutual distaste for one another. Or is this some kind of big picture play?
Justyna	No. It's just... you have a family.
Plastic Knight	What are you talking about?! Those insects! They dare move against my boy?!
Justyna	Don't worry, Sona has eyes on him. The Armorless backed off. They didn't touch your son.
Plastic Knight	...... Then I must offer my thanks.
Justyna	You owe them to Sona. It was all her idea. As for me, my personal feelings towards you have nothing to do with whether or not I'll let you get hurt. I just... your son... Without you, he'd have nowhere to go.
<Background fades out>
Justyna	Justyna the Knight has a home, with family and friends waiting for her. But Justyna the Infected doesn't. An Infected has nowhere to go. No, it's not just the Infected. Here, in this place, there are a lot more people with nowhere to go. It's too late for me. I can't go back. If the wind really can carry my voice home... ...... Then I'll have to ask it not to. Don't carry anything but the sound of my flute. Let Justyna stay a simple, ordinary girl... dreaming of knighthood.