Miracle in District 20

Year: 984 - 08

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7 - Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13

Episode: 1
Location: Cabins of Mephistopheles
As our voyage on the Great Lake extends, the list of things to keep the Sinners entertained grows ever-smaller.
In a way, it sounds like a serious problem, but...
Rodion	Guys~ Anybody got any fun—
Outis	—stories to tell? No, for the thirtieth time. I suppose repeating the exact same phrase that many times is a talent, if it could even be called that. If you're having trouble recalling what you said moments ago...
Meursault	She has repeated that phrase twenty-eight times, to be precise. At thirty, I was planning to verify if she had suffered any damages to her occipital region.
Rodion	I get it, I get it. I'm just that bored, 'kay?
Rodion	There's nothing to do anymore~ I'm tired of playing the same game of Backgammon again and again.
Gregor	Good. I've got a job for you, then. How about you start feeding the seagull on time for once? Somehow it became my responsibility after all of you got tired of taking care of it.
Ishmael	Yeah... We're going to have to let the seagull go once we're out of the Great Lake anyway. Why'd you even let yourself get attached to it?
Gregor	Just... look at her. The way she looks at you... Those woeful eyes...
Ishmael	What, your average seagull eyes?
Dante	<......>
It was abundantly clear that the Sinners were starting to slowly expire from sheer boredom.
Well... it's not really a problem that has a solution. And I had zero interesting stories to tell, considering that I'm an amnesiac. So...
All I could do was sit here and watch the Sinners suffer.
Putting them through the daily trials of the Mirror Dungeons wasn't the most exciting activity, either...
Heathcliff	…….
Speaking of which... Heathcliff appears to be the one least affected by this mess.
Well, not that he was all calm and aloof, that is.
Heathcliff	... Khm. Hmm.
I'd say he's anxious.
Heathcliff	... Uh, ahem. Oi, Ver—
Heathcliff	Vergilius.
Rodion	.
Gregor	..
Meursault	...
Ishmael	...?
A frosty silence descended upon the Sinners.
And the source of that frost... was the inexplicable event that played out before their eyes.
Vergilius	... Huh.
Ishmael	Oh... Heathcliff! Have you gone insane? Did you finally snap?
Rodion	This must be the side effect of the 'consultations'! Maybe we can call this 'Sense of Self-Preservation Loss Syndrome' or something like that.
Dante	<H-Heathcliff...>
Heathcliff	Shut your traps! I ain't mad. And my sense of self-preservation is just fine.
Vergilius	... Impressive, Heathcliff.
Vergilius	I rarely found myself surprised in this series of misadventures so far. ... But this is one of those rare occasions.
Vergilius	Speak. What is your business?
Heathcliff	It's the, uh.
Heathcliff	Our next destination is T Corp., innit?
Vergilius	... Do you really need me to answer that?
Heathcliff	You... know. You know what I'm talking about.
Vergilius	... Hm.
Vergilius	Patience, Heathcliff. Though that seems to be a virtue that most of you lack...
Vergilius	If everything goes according to the flow, you'll make it to your 'appointment' on time.
Since I had no context for any of that, all I could do was sit here and watch as Heathcliff scratched the back of his head.
I'm still out of the loop, but... Heathcliff must be really anxious about something if he's willing to talk to Vergilius first. And after all that...
Heathcliff	That's not... What else could possibly be more important than the appoin— wait.
Heathcliff turned around to face us.
Heathcliff	Oi. Any of you...
Heathcliff	... got any history with T Corp.? Show of hands, now.
Sinners	.......
Yi Sang	Mm... I have, in a way. I resided in that place once.
Heathcliff	Right. But we already did you, didn't we?
Yi Sang	Mmm.
Heathcliff	... Then... Yeah, soon it'll be...
Heathcliff	But we're still in the middle of this mad Lake...
Heathcliff	Oi, Clockhead! What's today's date?
Dante	<How would I know...?>
Heathcliff	Huh? Can't you tell the date?! You've a clock for a head! Haah...
Dante	<But Clocks and calendars are completely different things...>
Heathcliff	Haah...
Rodion	Eugh, Heath! That was your thirtieth sigh today! Keep doing that, and you just might huff and puff our boat to pieces.
Ishmael	... Tell us, Heathcliff. Your turn's coming up, isn't it?
Ishmael	And whatever it is that awaits you there... you're going to have to prepare yourself for it.
Heathcliff	.......
Heathcliff	Haah... Yeah, I suppose... there's no use hiding it anymore.
After some time...
Gregor	Right, so to summarize...
Gregor	Heathcliff's starting to feel like his turn's coming up, now that Ishmael's had her time in the wringer.
Gregor	And he's got good reason to believe that, because Vergilius handed him 'something' in their last consultation that affirmed his suspicions.
Gregor	And according to that 'something', he'll need some fancy clothes and whatnot to refine his looks before we get to T Corp...
Hong Lu	... But since we're still so far from escaping the Lake, you're starting to feel restless. Is that right?
Heathcliff	Right on! So...
Gregor	Yeah, so... there's not much you can do about that before we hit solid ground, is there?
Heathcliff	Uh...
Rodion	Aw, come on, Heath! That's it? Don'tcha worry, I can definitely help ya with that as soon as we find land. 'Kay~?
Heathcliff	We don't even know how far away from land we are...!
Faust	Dante, we have reached the end of the scheduled work period for the Sinners.
Dante	<Huh? O-oh, yeah...>
Dante	<I hereby confirm today's close of business for the Sinners...>
I reflexively said my usual, routine piece as the light alarm played...
Gregor	Man, that wasn't even a big deal, then~ Yawn.
Ryoshu	I was hoping to see a an act of dramatic bloodshed for once. Tsk.
Ishmael	Well, at least he wasn't trying to stir up trouble for once.
The Sinners each got up from their seats, yawned and stretched, and one by one disappeared into the Backdoor.
Dante	<......>
Heathcliff	Oi, Clockhead... didn't know they knocked your wits off along with your head...
Dante	<S-sorry...>
Dante	<But Gregor isn't completely wrong, is he...?>
Heathcliff	Can't you even mince words at this point?! Augh...
Vergilius and Charon also walked into the Backdoor, mocking grins on their faces...
... and I was left alone in the ship's cabin, standing awkwardly next to severely crestfallen Heathcliff.
Don Quixote	Keh-hem!
Wait.
There was another.
Don Quixote	Sir Heathcliff!
Heathcliff	Huh? What are you doing out here, girl? Run along, you. Go gush about the high-and-mighty Fixers of T Corp. or something.
Don Quixote	Ahm, ahm. I shall have plenty of time for that later. Yet... thou shall do well to treat me well, Sir Heathcliff!
Heathcliff	What, you little—
Don Quixote	HOOOOOOLD! Allow me to finish! Manager Esquire. Sir Heathcliff. Come hither. Hush, hush!
Don Quixote wore a confident smile. She slowly, gingerly walked over to presently-and-temporarily-vacant Charon's seat...
... and whispered ever-so-silently to us.
Don Quixote	Forsooth, I have devised a splendid plan for thee.

Episode: 2
Location: Cabins of Mephistopheles
Heathcliff	So... What is this splendid plan of yours?
I don't think there were words in this world expressive enough to describe that look on Heathcliff's face.
It was certain that he had very scant expectations for Don Quixote and her plans. But... there was this sliver of hope in his face that, maybe, just maybe... Don Quixote might rise to the occasion for once.
Don Quixote	Mmh hm hm...!
It was unclear whether Heathcliff's internal struggle mattered much to Don Quixote, however. She began excitedly describing her plan.
Don Quixote	Didst thou, Sir Heathcliff, ever hear tale of the ancient and legendary Fixer of Devyat' Association... The Red Sack?
Heathcliff	The Red— what? Like Vergilius?
Don Quixote	It is said that the legendary Red Sack carried out his deliveries no matter how terrible the terrain or how arduous the journey to all corners of the City! And with him was his sidekick, Reindeer-Man!
Don Quixote	Forsooth! His magnificence hath given away gratuitous gifts for children of the City that he deemed to be 'kind'.
Don Quixote	'Tis but common knowledge, Sir Heathcliff. He appeareth on the front cover of the Fixers Monthly every winter!
Don Quixote asked, sounding genuinely shocked to learn that Heathcliff did not know of this 'Red Sack'.
Heathcliff	What makes you think I'd ever read rags like that...?
Don Quixote	Fie to thee! 'Rags' thou sayeth? Manager Esquire! Surely thou hast heard of this magnificent publication?
Dante	<......>
I knocked on my ticking clock head. I didn't really feel the need to spell it out for her.
Don Quixote	So none of thee has subscribed to it, then... Mine words fell on deaf ears...
Don Quixote	A-anyhow! What matters to thee, Sir Heathcliff, is that thou endeavoureth to make thyself more presentable than anyone else for this occasion, is it not?!
Heathcliff	Finally getting to the point, eh? Go on.
Don Quixote	Marry, good Sir, a costume most befitting that occasion would be those of the Red Sack and his sidekick, Reindeer-Man!!!
Heathcliff	Haah... This isn't going to end well, is it?
Heathcliff	What, like those ridiculous Fixers del Atardecer Ardi-whatever?
Don Quixote	'Tis not ridiculous! Fie, thou hast not even deigned to indulge mine only wish that we would cosplay Fixers del Atardecer Ardiente together! Thou hast not even given it a chance, indeed! Speak not on a matter thou know naught about!
Heathcliff	With all that talk of a 'splendid plan', I thought you were actually going somewhere... But it all comes around to that Fixer nonsense again, eh?
Heathcliff	Haah... Don't even have the energy to beat the sense into you. I'll get to it later. Five honest hits to the noggin should do it...
When the sliver of hope on Heathcliff's face was beginning to rapidly fade...
Don Quixote	... Prithee, share thy thoughts of the Fixers that we have laid our eyes upon thus far.
Heathcliff	What?
Don Quixote	Embarrassing, were they? Remember! Were they not fancy and impeccably dressed? Close not thy eyes and heart. Speak!
Heathcliff	Absolutely embarrassing sods, yeah. That spandex bloke from K Corp.? Looked like he leaped right out of a circus.
Don Quixote	NAAAYYY! Lord Siegfried was not embarrassing! I say that his outfit was rather dashing, wouldn't you agree?! Allow me to explain to thee the materials of its fabric, so that thy understanding—
Dante	<…….>
Don Quixote	... Ahm. Excuse me. Huh?! Hie thee hither, Sir Heathcliff! I am yet unfinished!
Heathcliff	Haah... Why's the girl so hyper today...?
Don Quixote	W-well. Lord Siegfried is... a special outlier, mayhaps. But dost thou not agree that most Fixers are all rather well-dressed and wore honour upon their sleeves?
Heathcliff	Honour upon their what? I don't know about that, but I suppose they were quite posh...
Don Quixote	Exactly! Follow thee I, and thou shall see thyself dressed as impeccably and impressively as the Fixers are!
Heathcliff	I-is that right? Sod it, I know shite-all about clothes or making myself look fancy...
Heathcliff	Right, so let's say I go along with your plan. Where are we going to get them clothes? Honestly, everyone was right. Where are we even going to pick up clothes in the middle of a Lake?
Don Quixote	Aha! Yet I have thought of that as well!
Don Quixote	Recall the events of yesterday. The sirens that echoed across this bus. Dost thou remember?
Now that I think about it, there was a siren yesterday. It went off not long before I announced the close of business for the day.
Dante	<But Faust said that that Backdoor volatility wasn't anything for us to worry about.>
Don Quixote	Yet I was curious. How, indeed, doth Faust determine which volatility is useful and which is not?! Thus, as all were crowded by the Backdoor, preoccupied with returning to their respective quarters...
Don Quixote	I have, secretly and stealthily, availed myself the chance to take a glance at the screen!
Dante	<So you took a peep at the screen.>
Heathcliff	You know how to read those complex symbols?
Don Quixote	Nay, I myself had little hope of recognizing them. Yet, when I looked into them...
Don Quixote	I could very easily tell what the particular symbols on that device indicated!
Don Quixote	Forsooth, 'twere symbols of the Red Sack and the Reindeer-Man! And next to them was a symbol indicating posh outfits!
Heathcliff	... No. It can't be that simple.
Yeah, no. It can't be that simple.
I agreed with Heathcliff. However, Don Quixote remained enthusiastic as ever, as though she was already expecting him to say that.
Don Quixote	Dost thou know?
Don Quixote	Every so often, certain symbols appear on the numerous doors past the Backdoor.
Heathcliff	... Huh?
Don Quixote	Every respite, every passing glance... I made sure to watch them carefully!
Don Quixote	And 'twas yesterday! When! In the corridor! I spied myself the exact door with the exact same symbol that I witnessed on the screen!
Dante	<... Don Quixote, you didn't...!>
Don Quixote	'Tis my nature as an adventurer, Manager Esquire! Mine inability to quell the burning adventurous spirit. I prostrate before thee!
Don Quixote	Know that I have taken the sneakiest of peeks. Marry, twas naught too foolhardy! I have only taken a small peek!
Don Quixote	And if I told thee that what I witnessed from within, that all my deductions and predictions have been proven true...
Don Quixote	... could thee find within thyself compassion to spare mine soul?
Heathcliff	You absolute muppet, why in the bloody hell do you keep doing what everyone tells you not to?
Dante	<Right, Heathcliff. I just don't understand why some people keep doing things that everyone tells them not to.>
Heathcliff	... Ahem.
I remember when Heathcliff ignored all warnings and went into the restricted areas past the area of the corridor that we're allowed to use.
... We almost lost Heathcliff that day.
It was a tad different this time, however. Back then, Heathcliff had no idea what was beyond that door.
And this time, we do.
Dante	<Are you... suggesting that we call everyone over to explore that place?>
Don Quixote	Nay! The three of us will be more than sufficient to handle this task. All tales begin with a party of three, indeed.
Dante	<... You're just scared of the 'consultation', aren't you?>
Don Quixote	I-I have nary a clue as to what you may be referring to~!
The answer to this predicament was right there. Tell them that it's too dangerous and shove them back into their respective rooms to rest up for tomorrow.
Don Quixote	Manager Esquire... that zone... indeed, it appeared to be a place most peaceful to mine eyes...!
Don Quixote	'Tis a simple task, is it not? All that we seek to do is to enter there and avail ourselves of a few sets of clothes for Heathcliff...
It was obvious that Don Quixote wasn't helping Heathcliff out of pure kindness of her heart.
Maybe she hungered for an adventure. Or maybe she thought she might be able to do that 'cosplay' of the Fixers she so admired.
But if we can find Heathcliff some nice clothes to put his heart at ease, then...
Ishmael	.......
... maybe I can do something about this before things get out of control. Like it did last time when I just let a Sinner's anxiety stew and exacerbate...
Dante	<... Fine. But we're turning around at the first sign of danger.>
Heathcliff	Seriously...?
Dante	<Come on. You were willing to do it if it meant that you could pick up some clothes.>
Heathcliff	... Well, I suppose we'll be okay as long as Clockhead's with us.
Don Quixote	Heh heh... Well said. Then, let us reconvene tonight before Manager Esquire's quarters. We shall knock in the following rhythm: Knock, knock-knock, knock. Then, thou shall whisper a secret code, to which then I shall—
Heathcliff	Just go get some sleep.
... I really hope this won't be a waste of time.
We agreed on a precise time before returning to our respective rooms.

Episode: 3
Location: Bus’s Backdoor
A dark, silent night. All are sound asleep.
Don Quixote	Thus we assemble...
Heathcliff	This better be worth the trouble...
Don Quixote	It will be worth every trouble, of course! Now, come hither...
We quietly and sneakily followed Don Quixote, taking care to not make a noise.
Dante	<Are we really crossing this line...?>
Heathcliff	Bloody hell, lass! Don't you know what happened the last time I crossed it?
Don Quixote	Alas, it will be different this time! All we must do is... follow the corridor immediately to the right of this delineation and open the door here...
Dante	<So they're the symbols she was talking about.>
Past the door, through the window, the symbols Don Quixote mentioned shimmered. Symbols that seemed to indicate a sack, a wrapped present, and what appeared to represent... fancy clothes.
Dante	<So... they're the Red Sack and the Reindeer-Man's symbols?>
Don Quixote	Precisely!
Heathcliff	Right. I suppose you're the expert with these things. I'm going in!
Dante	<Huh? H-hold on!>
Before I even had the chance to stop him, Heathcliff barged into the door...
Location: ???
And we found ourselves almost getting dragged in by his sheer fervor.
Heathcliff	Oho...
We found ourselves in a rather sizable room.
This place was decorated with numerous Christmas-themed ornaments. Warm, cozy lighting reflected off the wooden flooring, and a maze of conveyor belts were installed all over the place. This place is...
Location: Gift Factory
Dante	<... a factory?>
Don Quixote	Quite!
Heathcliff	And what are those things? Those little children-like...
Don Quixote	Ahm! Ahm!
Don Quixote	Hark!!! It is I, Don Quixote!!!
Heathcliff	What the hell is she doing?!
The little figures Heathcliff indicated didn't exactly look like children. They all froze for a moment before turning around in our direction.
... They weren't humans, that's for sure.
Don Quixote	Give me but a moment. I have already parlayed with these fellows!
Dante	<What happened to the 'sneakiest of peeks'?!!>
Heathcliff	... Oi, Clockhead. Something's coming this way.
A small(but larger than others around it) figure scurried over and stood before us.
???	Ahh~ Lady Don Quixote! You finally grace us with your presence once again-ome!!!
???	And just as you did before... poof!! Appearing from the most unexpected places again-ome!!
Dante	<Who's this, Don Quixote?>
Don Quixote	Hm! The one who shall grant us the wonderful gifts indeed!
He rubbed his hands(or what I assumed to be hands) together, looked up at us, and started.
???	Pleased to make your acquaintance-ome! You must be Lady Don Quixote's friend-omes!.
Dodoru	My g'name is Dodoru. A gnome who works at this gift factory-ome. And why, of course, I make gifts here-ome.
Dante	<A gnome...?>
Don Quixote	Indeed, a gnome!
... Was that supposed to be obvious?
What are gnomes, anyway...?
Dante	<So they're not humans, right...?>
Don Quixote	Yes! These fellows are not humans, they're gnomes!
Dodoru	Yes, g'of course. Not... human-omes. Hoom hoom.
Heathcliff	Didn't think non-humans were allowed in the City...
Dante	<... They're not Abnormalities or Distortions, either. They're something else.>
Dodoru	The C-City... I knew it...
Don Quixote	Welllll, why does it matter if they are not humans! What truly matters is the heart with which they commit themselves to work, that is!
Dodoru	G'of course, of course~ You are absolutely right, m'lady-ome!
Dante	<Didn't that Dodoru gnome say something weird about the City just now?>
Heathcliff	So that wasn't just me, huh?
Dodoru	WELL-OME!
This 'Dodoru' cut in on our conversation.
Dodoru	Do the friends of Lady Don Quixote wish for any present-omes?
Dodoru	Say, we have fancy clothes and powerful weapon-omes! Or delicious cookie-omes.
Heathcliff	Fancy... clothes? So you really have 'em?
Dodoru	Looks like we've got a winner-ome!
Dodoru	Well, well. Then please, this way...
The gnome said something about introducing us to the reception hall and led us to a certain room in his scurrying gait.
Dante	<This...>
Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
Dante	<... seems more like a storage space than a reception hall.>
Don Quixote	Oho! Behold, there is a warm fireplace and a table in this cozy place. What more could thee possibly ask for?!!!
Dodoru	And we have some delicious refreshments ready for you as well-ome.
Dodoru	Please wait a moment, and I'll be right back with the gifts you want-ome.
The gnome bowed, opened the door, and scuttled out of the room.
Dante	<Are reception halls usually this... barren?>
I've never been in one before, so I had no idea if this was what they were supposed to look like. I had to ask.
Especially because it was starting to get pretty obvious, even with my rather limited experience, that there was something off about this whole situation.
Don Quixote	I have once heard the rumor that this kind of decor has been catching on in recent years!
Heathcliff	Yeah. I've heard that too. Apparently it's popular for some blokes to just deliberately leave their stuff lying around in some half-finished-looking buildings.
Dante	<Is that what this is...? Hm.>
Don Quixote	Still thy heart, Manager Esquire! I shall personally be responsible for this expedition and claim ourselves shiny gifts!
Heathcliff	Hm... If push comes to shove, I could nab some of these... I saw them packing some shiny, expensive-lookin' stuff over there.
Don Quixote	No thievery this time, Heathcliff! Has the incident with the hair coupons already left thy mind?!
Heathcliff	Ah, blimey... Tsk, fine.
Heathcliff was as foul-mouthed as always, but it was evident from his relaxing expression that his anxiety was starting to ease.
Maybe the fact that we're here, about to find what we're looking for... was a comforting thought.
Dante	<Heathcliff, is it that important that you dress well for this... occasion?>
Heathcliff	... Huh? Oh, yeah...
A rather delicate but gently smoldering hearth. Calm, silent air. A perfect atmosphere to bring up uncomfortable subjects for some honest heart-to-heart.
Dante	<Or is someone waiting for you there... Someone who you'd like to dress up for?>
Heathcliff	Well... I suppose you're not completely wrong...
Don Quixote	Oho, oho! A secret, is it?!
Don Quixote excitedly and loudly dragged her chair up close to Heathcliff.
Heathcliff	I... have to go back as... a successful man. As someone of great worth.
Heathcliff	So that they'll know that I've changed. That I'm no longer 'that witless brigand' Heathcliff...
Heathcliff	That's why I have to dress posh when I return. To appear like... a man of quality.
Don Quixote	Hooh... Hath someone stoked the fire of envy in thy stomach?
Dante	<... Is this about revenge? Like Ishmael?>
Heathcliff	Revenge...
Heathcliff leaned back on his chair. It creaked as he rocked gently back and forth.
There was a look of deep introspection on his face. Which was, if my memory serves me right, a first.
Heathcliff	Well, I suppose you could call it revenge. But... what I really want to do, is...
Heathcliff	... make her regret. Yeah. That's what this is.
Heathcliff	I'll show them. I'll trample over those bastards who thought I wasn't worth shite.
Heathcliff	... So that she'll regret not choosing me. So that she will feel that regret down to the deepest reaches of her heart.
Heathcliff	I'll prove to Cathy that there was no better man for her than I.
Cathy.
Heathcliff's eyes tremble a little as he speaks her name.
He's mentioned that name before.
His eyes trembled then, too.
Dante	<This Cathy... must be someone pretty important to you.>
Heathcliff	Of course. Bloody important.
Dante	<So... what happened between the two of you? Between you and Cathy?>
Heathcliff	Catherine, to be exact. And I call her Cathy.
Heathcliff	It's a long and complicated story.
Don Quixote	Aha! Allow mine intuition to speak for thee! This 'Cathy' must be thy lover, is she not?!
Dante	<W-wait, is that what she is to you?!>
Heathcliff	Huh?! N-no! I-it's nothing like that...!
Heathcliff	O-okay. Maybe a little... bit... Hm.
He's stuttering like Sinclair on a bad day.
While his disposition was as brusque as always, I could clearly see that he couldn't stop himself from smiling from a mere mention of her name. And that gave me more than enough answers.
Every Sinner had a reason for joining Limbus Company, so...
... maybe Heathcliff joined Limbus Company for this 'Cathy' person.
Dante	<Makes me wonder what kind of a person she might be, though. Someone that special, that precious to Heathcliff...>
Heathcliff	Don't be so overdramatic. That ain't me.
Dante	<Now, I do this not out of my obligations as the Manager. But I'm starting to think that I want to help you out. So that you could be the best man you can be for her.>
Don Quixote	Indeed! We! Shall all! Be!
Don Quixote	People of quali—
Ka-thunk.
I heard a door open in that very moment.
It wasn't the reception hall door. That one was made of wood, and wouldn't make the sound that I just heard.
This sound came from over there, away from us, from a dark corner of the room.
Then, we heard sounds of metal scraping against wood. It was accompanied by a howling blizzard.
Dante	<So those were sleigh marks, huh...>
The huge sleigh made its way across the wooden floor, on the marks that were already on the floorboards. It was flanked by several gnomes.
The sleigh was red, and the sacks on it were either black or red.
But they were all...
... littered with flesh and blood.
Cherry Gnome	Dodoru! We've got your next batch of ingredients right 'ere-ome!
Leafy Gnome	Phew... my back-ome...
Shadowy Gnome	C'mon, friend-ome~ Just think about the looks on our friends' faces when they open their present-omes! All is g'worth it, of course. Well g'worth it.
Leafy Gnome	Hear-ome, hear-ome!
The gaggle of gnomes, who were walking in our direction as they chattered and gossiped, froze in place upon noticing us.
Cherry Gnome	Quit lollygaggin'-ome!
Leafy Gnome	Quit chit-chatting and help us out-ome! We've got a lot to process-ome... Besides, we've brought some live ones this time-ome!
I think I saw some sacks on the sleigh move.
No, they were thrashing. Like... something was trying to escape...
Dante	<... Is that...?>
Heathcliff	Grab your weapon, girl...
Don Quixote	What is the matter with thee? These fellows are but hardworking—
???	H-hello?! Is there someone out there? Please, help! Get me out of here!!!
Cherry Gnome	Ome!!! What a joyous day-ome! This one's fresh-ome!
Don Quixote	N-no...
Shadowy Gnome	But they... they're human-omes!
Leafy Gnome	Did manager Dodoru bring 'em in-ome...? How'd he manage to bring in humans so fresh-ome?
Don Quixote	So... all along... thy factory has been...
Dodoru	Oh boy…!
I could hear a familiar voice coming from the other door in the room as Don Quixote stood there flabbergasted.
Dodoru	Dodoru's done a blunder-ome... That sleigh wasn't supposed to be coming here-ome!
Dodoru	Don'tcha worry-ome. Just a little game between us gnomes!
Dante	<That's your excuse...?>
Don Quixote	Master Dodoru.
Dodoru	Dodoru's listening-ome.
Don Quixote	Tell me the contents of those sacks.
Dodoru	R-raw material for presents, of course-ome!! Besides, Lady Don Quixote-ome? Dodoru's prepared those fancy clothes for you and your friends to wear-ome! Why don't we head right out to wear—
Don Quixote	What! Raw! Materials! Are they?!
화난Dodoru 화난	Ome!!! Dodoru's tired of lie-omes! Human-omes! Humans! Like you!
화난Dodoru 화난	You lot! What'd I say about using this storage space-ome?! I told you this one was off limit-omes!
화난Dodoru 화난	What, are ya gonna deliver nothing but disappointment to our neighbor-omes?! Even now, they await gifts from our factory-ome!
Leafy Gnome	Oh... my bad-ome...
화난Dodoru 화난	Unnggh-ome…! And I already told the factory director to look forward to this batch-ome!
Dante	<Haah...>
What was I thinking?
This was absolutely not worth it.
Heathcliff	I know what you're thinking, Clockhead...
Heathcliff	So quit sighin' and start strategizin'. We've got to get out of here, yeah?
... Yeah. Sitting here and feeling sorry for myself won't do anything. It never did.
Dante	<... Got it.>
화난Dodoru 화난	Grab your tool-omes! Fresh, locally produced materials coming up-ome!!!
Heathcliff	Right then! Let's crack on, you little shitbags!

Episode: 4
Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
Heathcliff	Tsk... These were some fierce sods...
Don Quixote	The fault lies with me…
The light of confidence had completely faded from Don Quixote's face. So did her enthusiastic voice.
Dante	<No... I should've thought this plan through.>
Well… if we were to find someone to blame, the biggest fault would lie with me, the Manager. Maybe I should've turned around the moment I sensed that something was off.
Don Quixote	…Ah! Alas!
With that, Don Quixote marched toward the now abandoned sleigh.
Don Quixote	T-this is...
Several mutilated bodies tumbled to the ground as soon as Don Quixote undid the knot tying the sack.
Heathcliff	Damnit... I was afraid that this was what we'd find inside the sack.
There were a total of seven or so people in the sack, but they were all missing a few limbs. They were barely breathing… and some of them had already perished.
Dante	<I've never seen their style of clothing before. Looks like we're pretty far from where we were.>
I've seen similarly worn and torn clothing in the Backstreets, but the clothing they wore was of materials and styles that I'd not seen before. The Backdoor must've sent us pretty far.
Faust did tell me that each district within the City had different cultures and such, so...
Heathcliff	Doesn't really matter, does it? They'll all die soon, and it's not like you can turn the clock for them… Let's just get back to the Bus.
Don Quixote	Nay! Here! This person here is intact!
Don Quixote	Hark! Get a hold of thyself! Art thou the one who requested our help earlier?!
???	Cough! Gah, haah…
???	W-who are you?

Episode: 5
Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
???	Your clothes are all weird-looking... I guess you're not from the village...?
The child was dressed in torn and faded clothing. From the way she looked at us, I could tell that she found us rather fasciating. She soon woke up from her momentary shock.
???	A-anyways, thank you for saving me…
Crayon	My name's Crayon. And… huhh?!
Crayon	C-Clockwork Teeth?!
The kid pointed at me and backed away in terror.
Heathcliff	The hell are you talking about? That's Clockhead.
Dante	<My name's Dante...>
Crayon	Clock…head? But I-I heard that the Clockwork Teeth look like… Clocks…
Crayon	I guess I also heard that they don't show up this high…
Crayon	I've never seen a monster like that before, though…
Don Quixote	Aha! But they are not a monster! This is none other than our very own Manager Esquire!
Dante	<Thanks for the intro, I guess...>
Crayon	But I can't hear anything but the tick-tocking of the clock…
Don Quixote	Well, Manager Esquire has their reasons. … Art thou unharmed?
Crayon	Yeah...
Crayon	Looks like the other people who were dragged here with me weren't so lucky, though...
The child looks at the mutilated corpses with a despondent look on her face. Don Quixote casts a sympathetic gaze.
Don Quixote	So they were all… neighbors from thy village.
Crayon	Yeah… B-but! Our village will soon send the Hunters to save us!
Crayon	As long as they can get here, they can…
Dante	<Hunters?>
I wasn't sure what exactly she was talking about, so I was about to ask her what she meant…
Tssssssssss!
… but this reception hall—storage room—suddenly began to fill with gas of unknown origin.
Heathcliff	What's this now?!
Don Quixote	Hup… Quick, hold thy breathing!
An odd plume of gas, its hue red and green… begins to fill the room.
Crayon	T-this gas… it's the same gas from when… I was… kidna…
The three of them, including Crayon, passed out and slumped to the floor.
Yeah, something like this has happened before. When we walked right into a room full of toxic gas… which killed everyone…
Don Quixote	Mmmh… mm…
Looks like this gas only knocked them out, though. That's a relief, at least.
Guess I should consider myself lucky… that my clock head isn't affected by these things.
Crreeeak…
Dante	<I-I gotta hide.>
As soon as I hid myself in a corner, a crowd of gnomes rushed through the same door Dodoru came in from.
Dante	<Gas masks… So they used sleeping gas on us.>
Leafy Gnome	Ome!!! Is that all that's left of manager Dodoru-ome?
Cherry Gnome	Ome!! All that talk of snaggin' three top-notch raw materials… and now look at him-ome! A pile of meat-ome!
Cherry Gnome	Omme!! One-ome, two-ome, three-ome... All accounted for, I suppose-ome!
Leafy Gnome	They're all fast asleep with the sleepy powder, so don't you all worry yourselves about harming the good-omes.
Cherry Gnome	Well, well! Let's move the good-omes!
They picked up Don Quixote, Heathcliff, and Crayon one by one and loaded them onto the sleigh.
With that, they left... closing the door behind them.
And through it all... I couldn't do anything but watch.
Dante	<Right... Looks like this is my time to shine. I'll rescue the three of them.>
... No way. I should've listened when Ishmael offered to teach me self-defense...
Dante	<Haah... What do I do?>
This harsh truth dawns on me every time we face total annihilation. The truth that, on my own, I am completely useless.
If they were with us, I could at least bring them back... But none of the Sinners are here with me. What good am I without them?
Dante	<... It's a miracle that I managed to survive this far...>
Ishmael	Miracle? What miracle? Come on, get a hold of yourself.
Dante	<Great. Now I'm hearing things...>
Sinclair	You're not hearing things, Manager! We're really here!
Rodion	Do you even know what a mess it was up there when we realized that the three of you just vanished into thin air?!
I bolted up and looked toward the voice. There, I saw another door...
... and from it, the rest of the Sinners appeared one by one.
Dante	<Guys...>
Leafy Gnome	Oh boy, looks like I forgot about that slightly spoiled ingredi...ent...ome...?
Faust	I will inquire about this incident later, Dante.
Faust	For now, command us in this battle.

Episode: 6
Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
Dante	<Thanks, everyone... How did you find me?>
Yi Sang	We entered via the Backdoor.
Faust	Your signals were no longer detected from within the bus' premises.
Yi Sang	Then, every Sinner was immediately summoned from their respective rooms for the search.
Rodion	And so soon after our break started... Dante, let's try to not do anything like this again, hmm~?
Outis	Even if you are the Executive Manager... rogue behavior such as this poses too great a risk. Please be wary of that.
Dante	<I'm sorry... S-so how did you guys find us?>
Yi Sang	... I have deduced it.
Yi Sang	As of late, Heathcliff was in a constant state of uneasiness. Considering the nature of our circumstances, I conjectured that there was aught that he had to do before our arrival at T Corp.
Yi Sang	On the day in which the Backdoor volatility siren echoed, Don Quixote made a relatively delayed return to the Backdoor.
Yi Sang	And, come the next day, she requested from me and Miss Faust an encyclopedia of common symbols used in the City.
Faust	Yes. So Faust lent her a few volumes.
Yi Sang	Ever since receiving the volumes, Miss Don Quixote sat next to me and perused the pages with a rather enthusiastic expression on her countenance. Although I could not converse with her on account of my... conditions...
Yi Sang	... I do recollect that the following words were repeatedly uttered. Cosplay, costumes, sack...
Yi Sang	In summation, I surmised that Miss Don Quixote witnessed a series of symbols that caught her attention when the siren blared...
Faust	... and Faust was aware of the door on which those symbols were drawn. Based on that information, the Sinners were able to find their way here.
Meursault	We engaged several entities of the corridor on our path to this door.
Rodion	Good thing we only ran into weaklings, though~
Faust	An irreversible death of a Sinner could have occurred in the process.
Dante	<Um...>
Faust	Do you understand? Engaging hostile forces in your absence carries an exceedingly high level of risk.
Meursault	We could have been lost forever in some corner of the corridors as bodies, never to be revived nor retrieved.
Outis	Please comprehend the weight of your responsibilities and the risks your independent action carries.
Outis	You must survive, Executive Manager. No matter what.
Outis	... Do I make myself clear?
I've never seen Outis look at me like that. Her gaze was cold and ruthless.
Faust	Your survival was a lucky coincidence, Dante. The sequence of those symbols... are not supposed to be interpreted in such a haphazard manner.
Dante	<I'm really sorry... I don't know what else to say.>
Faust	... I believe that is enough. But...
Ryoshu	N.D.Q.
Ishmael	Yeah. Don Quixote, Heathcliff... where'd the pair run off to?
Dante	<Oh, that's...>
I told them exactly as the events transpired.
Gregor	Seriously, how'd ya three even manage to survive this far?
Gregor	All right, Manager Bud. I'm sure you've heard enough from the others, so I won't say more. But where exactly are we?
Outis	Hey, which district is this? This cold... we must be somewhere in one of the northern districts of the City. Or...
Faust	We are not in the City.
Gregor	... What do you mean?
Faust	I mean that we are not in the City. Those intelligent organisms, called gnomes, are part of a species surviving in the Outskirts.
Faust	Commonly known as monsters of the Outskirts.
Rodion	Eugh... Monsters again? After all that we faced at the Lake?
Dante	<They weren't exactly like the Whales, though. We could communicate with the gnomes. They were just like people... except smaller.>
Ishmael	So we're in a completely different region of the Outskirts... I would have liked to explore the area if the circumstances permitted. Look, this structure seems to have been custom-built for the gnomes, considering how small everything is here.
Hong Lu	If this is the Outskirts... We can go back, right?
Faust	As long as the door we entered through remains open, yes.
Meursault	It is open. For now.
Sinclair	What if it... closes?
Faust	Then, an unexpected journey begins. We will have to trek the distance from the Outskirts back to the City, which will be a significant endeavor in both time and effort.
Dante	<Isn't that a bit dangerou—>
Shadowy Gnome	Where's this sound coming from-ome... Eh?
Cherry Gnome	'Ome!! I struck gold-ome! Get your tool-omes!!!
Yi Sang	Dante, come hither to the back of the line.
The door slammed open, and gnomes began flooding into the room. We prepared ourselves for battle.

Episode: 7
Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
Ishmael	I can see their similarities with humans... but they certainly aren't humans.
Ishmael	Except for their odd verbal quirk, these monsters are impressively communicative—I don't even know if they should be categorized as 'monsters'.
Faust	The definition is often arbitrary. Some may call them monsters, yet others may call them members of a different, sentient, race.
Ishmael	Hmm...
Dante	<I appreciate your analyses, but we should probably get moving. We still don't know where Heathcliff and Don Quixote are.>
Outis	You always say the right things at the right time, Executive Manager.
Meursault	Exploring the Outskirts area will carry higher risks than our usual operation grounds. To ensure the Manager's safety, we must first establish a more structured plan—
Boom!
Location: Gift Factory Packaging Line
Ishmael	Well, I'd say the easiest answer would be to leave the two of them. But the easiest path isn't always the right one.
Ishmael kicked open the door the gnomes rushed in from.
Ishmael	Come on, let's go. We'll protect the Manager and save Heathcliff and Don Quixote.

Episode: 8
Location: Gift Factory Collection Line
Rodion	So now that I had some time to look around out here...
Yi Sang	This facility appears to be... a gift factory.
Hong Lu	I see... so there are factories like these that produce gifts.
Sinclair	... Christmas decorations everywhere...
Sinclair	... There's still some time until Christmas, though.
Sinclair looked to the ground with a somber expression.
... I didn't need to ask to know how he was feeling.
Hong Lu	I wonder if monsters exchange gifts with each other?
Gregor	They didn't seem like the most hospitable sort.
Meursault	There is a possibility that they may be contractors to one of the Wings in the City.
Dante	<......>
I wanted to say 'no chance', but... the City and the Wings that we've experienced so far were...
Dante	<Yeah, I can see that.>
... Yeah. There was a non-zero chance of that being the case.

Episode: 9
Location: Gift Factory Collection Line
After spending some time battling gnomes and trashing the gift factory...
... we soon realized that the 'gifts' the conveyor belts were moving weren't your average gifts.
Rodion	Is that... a foot? Is that a sign with the drawing of a foot? What's that doing there?
Yi Sang	This one... is adorned with a depiction of an eyeball.
Faust	These gifts appear to be made from materials that do not normally go into building these items.
Faust	Their shapes are of teddy bears. Oil pastel boxes. Toy trains...
Faust	But they have an abnormally high concentration of protein and phosphorous.
Faust	However, the decorations and the lights are made of proper materials. They must have salvaged the wastes expelled from the City.
Ryoshu	It's obvious. G.M.F.H.
Sinclair	Gifts made from humans...
Rodion	Haah... more stuff made from human sacrifice? I guess the Outskirts isn't so different from the City, huh?
Ishmael	What's really concerning is... who are these gifts for?
Sinclair	Who... in their right mind would want anything like these?
Rodion	Who knows. Rich folks with screwed-up perversions? Maybe that's who they're for.
Hong Lu	Uh... so...
Hong Lu	If they're making gifts out of people... Heathcliff and Don Quixote... will the gnomes turn them into gifts, too?
Dante	<... I do recall them saying something about... locally produced materials...?!>
Yi Sang	Then we must move with haste.
Meursault	I have discovered a location with a high probability of their presence. Presuming that they haven't been turned into gifts yet.
After a long silence, Meursault spoke up. He pointed in a direction.
Meursault	There. The placard says 'Gift Assembly'.

Episode: 10
Location: Gift Factory Collection Line
Dante	<I think I'm hearing some odd noise from in there.>
Ryoshu	Heh. A rather high-pitched S.O.S. It's always a good indicator of wonderful happenings.
Sinclair	Can you not giggle about sounds of screaming, please...?!
Meursault	I am familiar with this tone. The decibel range of this screaming is an exact match with Don Quixote's.
Outis	Wait. We have yet to conduct a threat assessment of the combat area. That area appears to be a closed-off space, which means—
Yi Sang	Outis. Were Heathcliff with us, he would have said as such.
Outis	Said what?
Dante	<I think I know.>
Dante	<How bloody frustrating. Quit whinging, pick up your tools, and get crackin'!>
Ishmael	Heh, that was pretty close.
Ishmael soon blasted the door open with a powerful kick.
Meanwhile...
Location: Gift Assembly
Heathcliff	AAAHHH! Where the bloody hell are we?! Why am I tied up?!
Don Quixote	I regretfully say to thee, that we are... quite screwed...
Don Quixote	Forsooth, we are fated to become toys in that hydraulic press...
Don Quixote	It appears that, when the time cometh, I shall be turned into a roly-poly toy myself... That riseth with every fall... Agh...
Heathcliff	Oi! Shut your trap and do something! We've got to get out of these binds!
Don Quixote	Sir Heathcliff, I apologize profusely...! 'Tis true that there was the tiniest bit of selfishness within me that I wished to procure the Red Sack cosplay set for myself... However...
Don Quixote	... it was no lie that I wished to find thee an impeccable outfit!
Heathcliff	You little shite, I knew that this was going to happen. Once I'm out these binds, I'll...
Don Quixote	Sob... at least thou shall become an elaborate pocket watch...
Heathcliff	Augh...! Damn clocks, again...?!
Crayon	I-I think they're going to turn me into a box of color pencils... Sob... twenty-four vibrant natural colors, or so it says...
Cherry Gnome	We've not seen living raw materials in a while-ome!
Shadowy Gnome	But they're a bit loud-ome. Can you see if my ears are bleeding-ome?
Leafy Gnome	Ome! The more they scream, the happier our recipients will be-ome!
Cherry Gnome	Ome, ome! Then let's get cutting-ome!
Boom!
Sinclair	Heathcliff! Don Quixote! Ah, what a relief...! They've not been turned into gifts yet!
Ryoshu	*Whistle* Quite cozy in here.
Don Quixote	Everyone...!
Heathcliff	H-how...
Dante	<We're here for you, Heathcliff.>
Heathcliff	Clockhead...!
Heathcliff	Damnit, didn't think I'd ever be this glad to see your mug...
Looks like we got here in the nick of time. Heathcliff was about to be shoved into the gift-making hydraulic machine press.
Yi Sang	I have hewn your straps. Descend!
Heathcliff	Look. I'm not the type to wear my heart on my sleeve. But after you lot saved me from getting turned into a pocket watch, I have to say it. Tha—
Outis	You absolute idiots! You two had ONE job, to remain by the Executive Manager's side! Yet you let yourselves be captured like this?!
Heathcliff	... You know what? Forget it.
Ishmael	Right. Get a hold of yourself, you two.
Ishmael	Manager... what now?
Dante	<Well... we've got to trash this place. Come on. Get ready to wear your Identities.>

Episode: 11
Outis	…….
After we defeated the horde of gnomes...
Don Quixote and Heathcliff fell to their knees before everyone.
I also knelt down, feeling like I should be down there with them... but Outis tightly pulled me to the side.
Location: Gift Assembly
Dante	<Mm... I feel bad for those two.>
Don Quixote	... I am ready... Commence, Lady Outis...
Outis	You absolute buffoons... How did you ever think that this was going to turn out okay?
Outis	Are you even aware of the risks Executive Manager took to get here? How worried they were about you two?!
Heathcliff	Well, actually, Clockhead was in on it from the sta—
Outis	Silence!
Outis	Do not refer to the Executive Manager with such derogatory language! Insolent fool!
Don Quixote	Heeaugh! 'Twas mine fault! 'Twas mine fault!
Meursault	My mother used to scold me like this in my youth.
Outis did not seem to slow down at all with her stern scoldings...
And the pair fell completely silent, their heads hung low.
... I decided to wander away from this scene. This guilty conscience was too much for me to bear.
Dante	<... Is Crayon doing okay...?>
Faust	Yes. She merely lost her consciousness from excess psychological shock.
Yi Sang	How did you find yourself at a place such as this?
Ishmael	You are... a human, right? And we're really in the Outskirts?
Crayon initially appeared somewhat taken back from the deluge of questions. But she soon began to open up.
Crayon	So... you're really from the City.
Crayon	I'm from Cloud Town. It's a village on the north side of the Outskirts.
Gregor	Are there a lot of... monsters like those gnomes out here? That can speak?
Crayon	Yeah. There are many more monsters out here other than the gnomes. I've seen a few of them myself, but... the village elders told me about the rest.
Crayon	Our village was built to keep the monsters out. To keep us safe.
Crayon	If this didn't happen... we'd all be preparing dinner back at the village by now...
Gregor	So they raided your village.
Crayon	Yeah... and they attacked us when the Hunters were gone. So...
Crayon	We normally don't get raided by them around this time of year, so I thought we were safe... But they suddenly attacked us, rushing in on their sleighs...
Crayon	Some of us tried to fight, but we didn't stand a chance. And... everyone that they killed... got shoved into the sacks on that sleigh.
Crayon	I passed out from fright... and they thought I was dead, too. I got shoved into the sacks like the rest of the villagers.
Gregor	Oh... We forced you to talk about something that couldn't have been easy to go through. I'm sorry.
Crayon	N-no, it's okay... Can I... ask things, too?
Gregor	Anything.
Crayon	Is it right that crayon boxes in the City have 48 different colors? And they have gold and silver colored crayons, too?
Gregor	Um... Probably...
Crayon	And...
Crayon	... there's just people in the City, right? No... monsters like the gnomes that try to kill us, right?
Rodion	Hmm... It's kinda hard to answer that, actually.
Crayon	Sometimes, I'd climb a high hill to look at the City. I always saw pretty, colorful lights from up there... So colorful that I don't have enough colors in my crayon box to draw them all.
Crayon	I wish I could live in the City. If I lived there, I'd never have to worry about getting attacked by monsters. I could live happily with all my neighbors...
Rodion	... You've really never been to the City, huh.
Ryoshu	S.S.E.
Crayon	I'm sorry...?
Ryoshu	Same story everywhere. Doesn't matter where you are. Death always stalks us.
Crayon	Woah... that was so cool! Can you say that again?
Dante	<Huh? That was cool...?>
Crayon	... Oh! Uh, did you guys see anyone else nearby, by any chance?
Ishmael	I don't think we ran into any other humans out here.
Crayon	No... But he has to be here to save us...
Hong Lu	Who do you mean?
Crayon	The best Hunter of Cloud Town... If he was at the village, the gnomes wouldn't have...
Yi Sang	It appears that, in the Outskirts, there are 'Hunters' who specialize in hunting monsters. Akin to Whalers of the Great Lake, that is.
Rodion	But... Wait.
Rodion	So if they're kidnapping and killing humans for these gifts...
Rodion	... Who are these gifts for?
???	HO! HO! HO!
???	Of course, the gifts are for our poor and kind neighbors who do not cry!
Outis	Executive Manager! Retreat!
I don't know when it happened... but a large shadow was looming over us.
Rodion	Augh! What is that thing?!
Santata	I am Santata, bringer of gifts to our neighbors! HO! HO! HO!
The guffawing giant, garbed in red, carried a massive gift sack on his shoulder.
It was definitely not a human.
Heathcliff	Yeah! It's that git! That one's the boss!
Don Quixote	Lo! The crimson garb! That is the crimson garb that I spoke of!
The pair immediately jumped up from their knees and began shouting in unison.
Heathcliff	That's the Red Sack's outfit? Oi, then he's already...
Don Quixote	N-no! Not the Reindeer-man, too!
Outis	Shut it! Cut the useless chatter, for once...
After silencing the pair with a short, stern command, Outis approached me and spoke in a low voice.
Outis	Executive Manager. Since he appears to be of an intelligent species, I will attempt to parlay with it. ... But we best prepare for battle in case the talks fall through.
Dante	<... Yeah, that's a good idea.>
Ishmael	What do you mean by neighbors...? Wings? Clients from the City?
Santata	HO! HO! HO! But we are denied entry to the City, are we not?
Rodion	Is that big lump of meat a gnome, too...?
Don Quixote	I happened to overhear the gnomes during our time in captivity... They call their master 'Beard Giant', which I believe is not a gnome.
Gregor	A giant...? There really are all kinds of monsters out here, huh.
Rodion	Dante, that's not an Abnormality, is it?
Dante	<No. That's not an Abnormality or a Distortion. I'd say it's closer to the Whales...>
Santata	HO! HO! Do you yearn for gifts, too? Yet your kind already owns all there is to own!
Santata	We and our neighbors in the Outskirts wish so dearly for that very day. The only day we are allowed joy and comfort in human gifts.
Meursault	I see. You produce toys out of humans and gift them to those who harbor hatred for humans.
Meursault	Out of pure goodness of your heart.
Santata	Here, where all those who have been marginalized and exiled by humans gather and wallow...
Santata	... we pour our infinite hatred and care into packaging these gifts. HO! HO! HO!
Outis	Quite the verbose way of saying 'I refuse to negotiate'.
Santata	HO! HO! HO! Why don't you come here and join us, become joy to those who need it?

Episode: 12
Location: Gift Assembly
Santata	Humans... I'll separate the flesh from your bones...!
Santata's gut suddenly began to expand.
???	All of you! Hold your breaths!
Suddenly, a large figure leaped out of the dark and slammed what looked like a stake into Santata's gut.
Don Quixote	Woaah?! 'T-tis a smell most foul...!
Sinclair	I-I think I'm about to pass out...
Yi Sang	A scent of potently fetid refuse lingers...
Some Sinners drop to the floor, while the others gag profusely. Clearly, this was a rather painful experience for all.
Faust	This gas does not appear to be toxic. However, its scent seems to inspire... an extreme level of discomfort in people.
???	So you've defeated a northern giant... yet you don't seem to know the proper procedure for what to do afterward. Are you Hunters from the City?
Ishmael	Proper procedure?
???	Immediately before death, a northern giant's body fills with noxious gas before exploding in a rain of acid.
The man who staked Santata's gut explained as he approached us.
???	You have to puncture a hole in its gut to let out the gas before its internal organs condense it into acidic fluid. Allowing it to cause a chain reaction could... complicate things.

Episode: 13
Location: Gift Assembly
Heathcliff	Ack... the stench won't come off. Who's that now?
Crayon	M-mister Domino!!!
Crayon, who'd been holding her breath with her fingers over her nostrils, ran up to the large man and hugged him.
Domino	At least you're safe, Crayon... That's good.
Outis	Cough...
After stumbling for a moment,(due to the stench, most likely) Outis briefly gasped for air before approaching Domino.
Outis	Hey, you... Identify... yourself.
Domino	Name's Domino. I'm a monster Hunter from Cloud Town.
Domino	... I don't suppose I can call it a town anymore now that it's just me and Crayon that's left.
Domino	Relax. I wouldn't even think of hurting any of you.
Outis	Haah... So you're the Hunter that the girl mentioned.
Outis relaxed upon Domino's confirmation. She leaned on a wall and looked to the floor in relief.
Domino	Normally, around this time of year, these monsters would've gone further north to a different village...
Domino	So I was on an expedition to help them out. ... Looks like they decided to switch things up this time around.
Domino	When I returned, they'd already finished their raid on our village and left... Damn it, they used to be predictable, attacking only right before Christmas.
Yi Sang	... Do these tragedies happen often?
Domino	Though I can't speak for the City, I can say that this is a common occurrence in the Outskirts. It's a hellish place to live, if you can even call this living. Survival alone is a miracle out here.
Sinclair	Are there a lot more places out here like this... like this mockery of a gift factory?
Domino	No, can't say I've seen a factory like this anywhere else. But I can tell you one thing.
Domino	Compared to some worse things that could've happened... this tragedy was nothing. That's the natural order of things in the Outskirts.
Domino	I do wonder, sometimes. If we were in the City, no matter how bad it gets in there... it must be better than this living hell.
Dante	<…….>
It was no easy contemplation to answer. The Outskirts must be a hellish place to live, if what he's told me is anything to go by. But...
... the City they admire so much... isn't such a warm place itself. ... From what I've seen in my journey so far, at least.
Don Quixote	Aha! Then accompany us back to the City! We were on our—
Don Quixote stopped herself, realizing that every other Sinner was giving her a look of disapproval.
Domino	... Thank you for your kind words, at least.
Domino	I wish it were that easy. If I could at least let this child enter the City somehow, just like that...
Domino	But the City... has no place to spare for this child. Not even a small corner of it.
Faust	Even if you were to somehow make it past the City's walls, there are countless variations of paperwork and procedure you must overcome before you can live the kind of life you desire.
Domino	Ha ha... And what would people like us even do with such paperwork? And where would we find them out here? We've not studied or worked to find a job in the City as some youths of other villages do.
Crayon	Mister...
Don Quixote	…….
There was an uncomfortable silence. Domino cleared his throat and continued.
Domino	I must still extend my gratitude for keeping the girl safe until my arrival.
Rodion	I know a good way to, cough, extend your gratitude. Maybe you can extend us a nice pouch of shiny and jangling bag of...
Rodion's eyes were twinkling. The lingering stench made it difficult for her to speak, but she was determined to make her point.
Domino	Hmm... Something shiny and jangling? Sure, maybe I can give you a tour of some antique items I keep at home...
Domino	Precious items salvaged from the locomotive tracks of the Outskirts. Not something you'll see every day in the City, I'm sure.
Ishmael	Items from the Outskirts... that tour alone could be worth much more than just pure cash.
Dante	<Faust... there's still a decent chance that the door we entered through might just shut behind us, right?>
Faust	Indeed. In fact, it is unclear whether the door is still open. I recommend a quick return to the bus, now that our two primary objectives have been secured.
Dante	<... So she says.>
Outis	If you would permit me to speak my mind, Executive Manager. Even if this is not the Great Lake... the Outskirts is an extremely perilous place. This curiosity cannot be a reason for us to risk getting stranded in this environment.
Domino	Looks like you've got to hurry back... Well, then! Catch!
Domino tossed a carved wooden doll in my direction.
Outis	It does not appear to be anything dangerous. Let us inspect it further after we return. We mustn't dally any longer than we have to.
Dante	<Yeah, g-good idea!>
Some Sinners had passed out and had to be carried by others. Most could not stop gagging at the stench. But we still made our way back to the door...
Yi Sang	The door has remained open...!
We made it back to the safety of Mephistopheles.
Some time later...
Location: Cabins of Mephistopheles
Charon	Boo. Stinky. Charon, evacuate. Evacuate.
Charon quickly made her escape to the decks...
Vergilius	... Huh.
... And Vergilius greeted us in the cabins with a terrifying gaze.
Vergilius	Looks like everyone's had quite the adventure.
Vergilius	Covered in blood and guts... and with a disgusting stench to boot.
Dante	<Oh, this is...>
Vergilius	... Manager. I can't hear you anyway.
Vergilius	So just reply to my query with a nod or a shake.
Vergilius	Your replies better match up with my expectations, of course.
Dante	<…….>
Vergilius	I have but one question.
Vergilius	... Was it you who made the call?
I hesitated for a moment before nodding affirmatively.
I might get reprimanded. Or maybe he has worse things in mind for me. But...
... it was I who decided to go along with their plan. This would not have happened without my authorization.
Vergilius	... Good. Then my questioning is over.
Huh?
Vergilius	I will leave it to you to deal with this mess. You may rest afterward. And please, do something about this foul stench.
Vergilius	Well, then.
With that, Vergilius disappeared into the Backdoor once again.
Dante	<Huh. That's unexpected. I thought my time had finally come.>
Don Quixote	Be glad! The best consultation is a consultation not had, indeed...
Don Quixote	Alas! Behold, one and all!
I don't know when she had the time to pick it up in all that chaos, but Don Quixote managed to haul a huge sack of gifts back to Mephistopheles.
Rodion	You picked that up from all that mess?
Don Quixote	I have laid claim upon the evil gnomes' trinkets!
Gregor	Now that's some real commitment...
Dante	<What's all that for?>
Don Quixote	Ah, art thou truly unaware of mine intentions?! 'Tis for adorning our ship with Christmas decorations!
Sinclair	Wait, now? But we're still, like, three months away from Christmas...
Outis	Agreed. Let us not risk peeling old wounds. To lower the morale of our company is...
Sinclair	Oh, it's... okay. It's been getting better with time. Little by little.
Ishmael	Yeah. We can all grow beyond it. Eventually.
Don Quixote	Mmhm~ Marvelous!
Don Quixote	Then this appears to be an occasion most fit for a PAR-TAY then! What say you?!
Ishmael	Don't tell me you went through all that trouble for some party decorations...?
Faust	According to Dante's explanations, this incident was spurred on by Heathcliff's need for an outfit.
Heathcliff	…….
Heathcliff has been silently brooding in his seat with his face buried in his palms. Out of shame, most likely.
Don Quixote	A-ahem. Verily, verily. Yet... that very costume we had sought was worn by none other than that monstrous giant...
Don Quixote	I-I don't suppose it would fit Sir Heathcliff, anyhow...
Heathcliff	Forget it... It wasn't the kind of look I was going for, anyway.
Rodion	What did I say, Heath...? We'll help ya out as soon as we land, 'kay...?
Heathcliff	The outfit's one thing, yeah. But the... uh...
Meursault	You are speaking of the portship we sailed past. The portship on which the hair salon that printed those hair coupons conducts their business.
Meursault	The coupons could not be used, as the portship was not on our charted route.
Hong Lu	Leave it to me to style your hair. I've done my sisters' and younger siblings' hair pretty often.
Heathcliff	We don't know how long we'll be floating on this damn lake, anyway! B-besides...
Heathcliff	... I don't even know how to dress myself proper. I was going to attempt the trial-and-error method.
Gregor	Okay, but can you at least tell us what it is that Vergilius gave you? Just so that we know what exactly you're so anxious about.
Heathcliff	... Hah. Sod it.
After a deep, heavy sigh, Heathcliff produced...
Dante	<... A letter?>
Gregor	So that's the... 'something' Vergilius gave you?
Hong Lu	Ohh~ I remember! My family's used this envelope before. It's made from really expensive paper, made only in limited quantities at a time. It's quite a luxurious envelope.
Rodion	Can we read it? Heath?
Heathcliff	Sure. It's nothing impressive.
Rodion	Then Dante, why don't you read it out loud for the rest of us~?
Dante	<S-sure.>
Rodya handed me the letter. It was written in a beautiful series of cursive handwriting, drawn to an almost calligraphic perfection.
I began reading.
From Wuthering Heights.
We cordially extend you, honoured guest, an invitation to the ■■■■■.
Dante	<Uh... What's this here? Somebody colored over this part of the letter.>
Dante	<... Well, I'll keep reading.>
Venue: Wuthering Heights, T Corp. Nest.
Should you accept our invitation, please convene at the designated location by four in the afternoon on the 24th with this letter on your person.
Please, honour this occasion with your presence.
With great respect,
Nelly.
Dante	<Oh, and down here's a... postscript. It's written in a different handwriting from the rest of the letter...>
<color=#4e3876>P.S. You have to be here, Heath. I'll be waiting. - Cathy.</color=#4e3876>
We had no way to tell what kind of 'occasion' it was on account of it being colored over, but...
Heathcliff	…….
... clearly, the rest of the letter's contents had stoked the fire of passion in Heathcliff's heart once again.
Rodion	So...
Gregor	You gotta look fashionable and classy for this Cathy person... right?
Heathcliff	Well, yeah. But there's more to it than—
Rodion	Shh. Quiet now.
Rodion	Now I can clearly see why you were so impatient, 'Heath'.
Heathcliff	Huh?! Why are you lookin' at me like that? Oi?!
Rodion	I'll leave it up to you to style his hair, master hairdresser Hong Lu.
Hong Lu	Huhu, I wouldn't call myself a master.
Heathcliff	Oi, wait! W-where are you taking me? Guh, what in the bloody hell is this grip—
Ishmael	Mmhm, yeah. Rodya's got quite the grip strength... You won't free yourself from her anytime soon.
The two Sinners, practically hauling Heathcliff by his arms, disappeared into the Backdoor.
Now, Heathcliff's fate was sealed. To be a mannequin to now motivated(and unbearably bored) Rodya's various experimentations...
Don Quixote	Ah, I can hang this trinket here, and... hmm hmm~
Don Quixote began humming a song—a carol, perhaps—as she placed the various trinkets around the bus.
Dante	<…….>
I decided to go out to the deck for some air...
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles's Deck
I leaned on the railing and dug through my pockets.
... The wooden doll Domino the Hunter gave me just as we hurriedly left.
I held it and felt its texture under my fingers. My eyes looked into the distance, toward where the Outskirts lies.
I thought for a moment about the gnomes, the giant, and the things Domino told me.
Dante	<I suppose there are people with stories in the Outskirts, too.>
Dante	<Stories, different from those of the City...>
Faust approached from behind and stood next to me. I wasn't sure how much of what I said she heard.
Faust	Follow the stars, Dante. Star by star. Then... you will one day learn.
Faust	So for now, follow the closest star that shines before your eyes.
Yeah.
I have to focus on the stories of the City for now.
I don't even know who I really am, after all.
Sinners	!()#&)(&*!@($%!!!!
Joyous laughter and frustrated howls echoed out of the cabins. They must've finished dressing up Heathcliff.
Dante	<... Why don't we go take a look at how Heathcliff is doing, Faust?>
Faust	You make a rather tempting offer, Dante.
The added color to the Bus' interior warmed my heart a little.
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